Some Thoughts on Motherhood

These snippets from readings recently encouraged, challenged, and convicted me on the topic of motherhood…

“God put Sabbath Rest into the weeks of our lives with a purpose. I have found that when I believe and engage my heart in the goodness of God’s character, and put out of my mind, after praying, all that I am carrying and just seek to be still and find joy, I see the miracles bubbling up slowly, surely, as He, my Father, delights to provide.

However, a Martha heart is of ten wont to see the miracles, as she is so busy living in the whirlwind of her own meek provisions, she loses all hope and becomes a wretched nag.”

~Sally Clarkson, A Wise Woman Sleeps

“These days I have no baby in the house. Instead, I have an exuberant seven-year-old and three teenagers. And these beloved children still take up all of my time, but in different ways. Yet since I know that this is a necessary sacrifice, a part of my service to them and to God, it is easier to bear–partly because I have made the choice to embrace the task of mothering, partly because I have come to terms with the natural demands children make on my time, but mostly because my attitude has changed.” ~ The Mission of Motherhood

~Sally Clarkson, Embracing Serving Our Children, Because Time Goes Quickly

“While it is incredibly wonderful to set our standards high and live within these great ideals, we must hold ourselves to a standard of grace, not perfection. We won’t be able to have grace for our children if we do not have grace ourselves.”

~Sally Clarkson, The Strength that Comes from Resting In Grace

“My eyes saw the work. Not the beauty… So I've worked to train my eyes to see the joy in the middle of what often feels like spinning too fast chaos.”

~Written by Rachel Martin, posted on The Hands Free Revolution

“Listen earnestly to anything your children want to tell you, no matter what.  If you don’t listen eagerly to the little stuff when they are little, they won’t tell you the big stuff when they are big, because to them all of it has been always been big stuff.”

~Catherine M. Wallace, www.SpirituallyThinking.blogspot.com

“…the tone of your voice makes a difference – be faithful in all that you do.”

~Patch the Pirate, Limerick the Leprechaun