30 Days of Hearing God, Day 8
Yesterday morning, I spent about four hours sitting on my deck with my Bible, my journal and my computer. I’d like to say it was because I was immersed so deeply in Scripture and documenting God’s voice that I couldn’t pull myself away.
In reality, it was more like five minutes of reading a passage, followed by a child requesting I cut the top off his frozen Go-Gurt. Followed by ten minutes of me trying to figure out where I had just left off in my Bible reading—or was I writing? Or was I praying?–only to have another child requesting I fill a sippy cup of juice (back to reading?/writing?/praying?) and change the channel (back to reading?/writing?/praying?) and spread peanut butter on her banana (back to reading?/writing?/praying?) and open the box of toaster waffles…
Four hours of that.
It came to an abrupt ending when I saw my naked 3-year-old standing in the kitchen with her faced pressed up against the glass door. In one hand she had a clean dress. In the other, a pair of dry panties. Knowing I had already dressed her, I approached the scene cautiously.
After promising her she would NOT be in trouble, I followed her down the steps to the bathroom in the basement, where my newly potty-trained sweetheart repeatedly flushed a clogged toilet. A small fish could have survived in the inch of water on my floor. It was FLOODED. Literally. And let me just mention here, this is the bathroom where we also keep the cat food and the kitty litter. It was a disgusting mix of used toilet water, toilet paper, cat food and kitty litter. Yum.
As I sopped up the mess, heaving a garbage bag full of drenched rags, throw rugs and clothes over my shoulder up the stairs and into my washing machine, I wondered how I could really accomplish anything outside of parenting, while my children are still little. Or if I should even try.
Then last night, just before falling asleep, I picked up my new copy of Bringing Up Girls by Dr. James Dobson. And I read this:
“To both fathers and mothers, let me share a suggestion that you may not want to hear: good parenting almost always requires sacrifice. Childhood lasts for only a brief moment, but it should be given priority while it is passing before your eyes. Watch your kids carefully. Think about what they are feeling, and consider the influences they are under. Then do what is best for them.
Let me acknowledge that successful family life is difficult to achieve. It is never perfect and is often problematic…Nevertheless, if there is any way you can give priority to your children amid those limitations, even if it requires sacrifice, you will not regret giving it to them.
This might mean staying married when your impulse is to divorce. It could cause you to make choices that will handicap you professionally. It might mean financial hardship for the family because Mom is staying at home with her children. It might mean giving up your four-hour golf outing every Saturday (or in my case, four hours of writing time, prayer time and scheduling weekend speaking engagements to ‘build my platform’ so I can get a publisher to notice me). What I am saying is that from where I sit today, children are worth everything they cost us.”
So, after I write this post, rather than answering e-mails and scanning blogs or giving a single thought to “building my platform,” I’m going to play “toy food” with my pajama-clad kids. The ones who have already come in here 3 times asking when I will be finished. And then maybe we will go to a movie. Today, God is telling me to build my family, not my platform.
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Speaking of building my family, I will have a few days over the next 3 weeks of this series where I will be out of town with my family. On those days, I will suspend my daily posts, but I will still put up a linky so you can continue with yours, if you wish. I was toying with the idea of trying to write even while I am away, but after God’s clear word to me yesterday, I think I’ll just do the family thing and get back to blogging when I return. Thanks for understanding.
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So…time to tell us what He’s saying to YOU.
Great post…..sometimes I feel so guilty that I'm not doing more for the world at large, but motherhood takes about all I've got. It's good to be reminded of our importance and how it really is such a short season in the big picture of life. Now, off to shed some tears and make some lunch……:)
This post is so dear to my heart. Thursday I am flying to Chicago to spend 2 weeks with our daughters. As parents we invested heavily in them, and they bring us so much joy. When you are in the midst of it, you can't possibly picture this stage . . . but it is coming, and faster than you'll ever think possible. Blessing on you young moms. Invest well. And I agree, there is no perfect way to do that. I love your example here, Sandy. Listening to God's voice led you to the proper parenting for that day.
Fondly,
Glenda
The link isn't working for me today, so I will post my link here. I am so enjoying reading everyones links!
http://gg-notesonthejourney.blogspot.com/2010/07/30-days-of-hearing-god-day-eight.html
So many messages being said to me. God has been very "verbal" shall we say over the past couple days. VERY.
I've been putting in some extra hours working for the past few weeks and will last through the end of this month. I thought it was not going to be a really big deal and the money is good– VERY GOOD; and I have to pay for my son's deductible to have his tonsils removed. So….this I have seen as a God provision. But my son hasn't been too thrilled about having this disruption in our lives. And he is acting out. I'm tired; very tired. Last night, i was wondering if he would ever understand that I was actually doing this for him. Was it worth it? Should I spend more time cultivating a healthy relationship, giving him a sound foundation, parenting him in a present state — not in sheer exhaustion and please let there be something for him to watch on tv…And….today was confirmation on what I have to do.
Then there are my other issues. And God has basically told me in pretty much these words.. "while I was yet a sinner, Christ died for me." That should be enough. He has been taking me back to the cross — CONSTANTLY. Everything else in life is but a vapor. Everything that I whine and complain about…why can't my life look like this. I'm a good Christian girl who has served the Lord, how about it being my turn for the Sunshine Family with teh Pottery Barn home, hello Lord, I would love it if my son had a father, and while we are at it, I'm sick of this intertube that seems to be permanently fixed around my waste…zap it away, PLEASE. And while I can come up with explanations on how these are noble wants…at the end of the day, they are just "vanity".
Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and THEN…
I'm spending too much time and energy on what I think things should look like, with hurt feelings at God because He hasn't given them to me at the moment I wanted them or the way I wanted them…while I have a huge blessing in my life who is growing up every single day.
And….God is also telling me that He came to give me life and life abundantly. And He reminds me of that with my son and my heart for him.
And then there was the little dog. My sister found a little dog in a park. A Yorkie mix. I think it's a mix becuase he's a little to long to be a pure Yorkie. She felt sorry for the dog, but didn't want to actually have to take care of the dog. Then my other sister agreed to take the dog but didn't want to really care for the dog either. I mean, she would give it shelter and food but that shelter was in her garage. And then there was me. I had compassion for this little animal. And so little Charlie is coming home with me. I will try to find his owner and if not, Charlie will have a home. He will be taken care of; he will have food, shelter, and live inside. He will have a family and "brothers" to keep him company.
Sometimes, I think of "salvation" like being rescued from the park. And then there are times when I think of "salvation" as being rescued from the park and then given shelter and food but that my existence is doomed to be one of solitude in a garage. but in reality, "salvation" is sooooo much more than that. And this little dog has helped me realize that I have put God in a box that is much too small and that if I can take compassion on a little dog…how much greater was Christ's compassion when He hung on a cross for me? How much more that he became sin, who knew no sin? How much more, that he suffered and died, so that I can have fellowship with the Father and LIVE? Not so that I would have "fire insurance"' not so that I could exist. But who lovingly wants to have relationship with me and give me LIFE…
Ah the journey to purging the "flesh"….
Sandy, I think you made the right decision to build your family. It can be frustrating doing all that the publishers expect. But I had to laugh when I pictured your little girl standing there while you were trying to read your Bible and pray and write. The Lord knows your heart my friend.
I just wanted to also thank you for reaching out to me and writing last week. Your prayer touched my heart in ways I cannot explain. You understood and that meant so much to me.
So I hope you can go on your vacation and enjoy undisturbed time with your family. We will all be here when you return.
Love you,
Debbie