Comments

1. I was listening this week to this series on the Proverbs 31 woman. What perfect timing with some of the most powerful positions in America being filled these days by women. It's awesome and intimidating at the same time.
   
   Nancy talked about women who write or talk to her about wanting to start a ministry; do something for the Lord. I understand where they're coming from. I'm at that point too since I will soon be an "empty nester". However, the women she's talking about are young wives and mothers of preschoolers or at least grade school age children. Now, not that these mothers are not capable of starting a ministry or doing anything they set their minds to do. It's just that many have lost sight of the ministry right around their feet (or ankles or knees)......literally.
   
   I want to keep reminding young moms that they are not wasting their time ministering to their own family. It is probably the single greatest ministry they will ever be involved in. If you can find yourself 20, 30 years from now with your children and your husband "rising up to call you blessed" how great is that? There is plenty of time (if God chooses) to have other ministry opportunities when you're not quite as in demand as you are now in your own home.
   
   Proverbs 31 used to intimidate me so much until I heard a woman's testimony who had taught school, gotten her masters degree, raised 2 daughters, worked for Focus on the Family. I thought my goodness, how can I ever live up to that. She reminded us that she was 70 years old for one thing and that like the Proverbs 31 woman, she didn't do all of that in one day or even one year. That was her lifetime. That was such a relief because when I read Prov 31 I used to think, how does one woman do all of that in one day......spreading it out over a lifetime made it a little more doable.
   
   When I look at my younger mom friends who are pouring their energy into 2, 3, 4, 5 little lives including their husbands, I just want to stand up and shout! You are a Proverbs 31 woman. You are living the DREAM!
   
   Here is a little poem that I wrote a few years ago, to help remind moms that if you're killing yourself for what the world calls "the dream", stop. You will never regret it.
   
   
   Is this the Dream?
   
   Wake up, wake up, a coffee cup, it’s time to start the day.
   
   Up from your bed, dreams in your head, is this the only way?
   
   No time to stop, look at the clock, just eat it in the car.
   
   I can’t think now, yes that’s a cow, I’m sure that I’ll go far.
   
   Snotty nose, runs in hose, not another fight.
   
   Clinging vine, now’s not the time, my schedule’s just too tight.
   
   Kiss and hug, yes, pretty bug, it’s time for me to go.
   
   Wave goodbye, leave with a sigh, the traffic will be slow.
   
   Rushing in, the clock begins, the stacks still in a pile.
   
   We’re in a crunch, no time for lunch, can’t wait to see your smile.
   
   Five o’clock, I’ve got to stop, you’re waiting there for me.
   
   Take home a stack, they’ll notice that, a raise is what I need.
   
   Fast food, drive thru, yes what super toy!
   
   Quickly fed, bath and bed, no time to read a story.
   
   Pick up a bit, no time to sit, the stack will have to wait.
   
   The laundry’s on, I’m on the phone, I can’t stay up too late.
   
   Fall into bed, words in my head I should take the time to say.
   
   Drift off to sleep, just have to keep until another day.
   
   So this is it. How can I quit? The cycle never ends.
   
   Is this the dream or just a scheme? Another day begins.
   
   
   Lisa Simmons
   
   lisaslyricsandlines.com
   posted by lisa simmons
   on Saturday, October 18, 2008 at 1:21 pm
2. I heartily agree with Lisa's post. I think that not only is there pressure from the culture for women to work outside the home, but that there is also pressure from within the church for women to serve in ministry in the church. I remember a Bible study lecturer once telling about five hundred women in our study that everyone should be serving in the church and not waiting for another season of our lives to serve. I was terribly disturbed by that comment, because that puts so much pressure on young women with young children, of which I was one at that time. There seems to be a presumption that stay-at-home mothers and homeschooling mothers have loads of extra time in their schedules everyday. I can tell you that when my children were young, it was a full-time job caring for them and taking care of my home Although I did serve in the church, it was often too much to add to my life at that point. It added a great deal of stress to my life that I could have done without. Even now with a daughter away at college and a high school age daughter which I am homeschooling, it can still be a burden at times. In fact, I kind of think that it is more difficult to serve when one's kids are older than when they are young. I am definitely busier now than I was when they were young. They are both busy seasons - just busy in different ways. I believe that there is truly no more important work than raising our children. Our first priority should be our family, and our family should not suffer because of outside commitments, including ministry. We have a few short years to give our all and our best to our children. Never again will you have these beautiful and precious years. I loved the Lisa's poem, too. I think many women live their lives thinking they are pursuing the dream but wrestling with it not feeling like the dream. My college-age daughter thinks that the pendulum is beginning to swing back to the devoted stay-at-home mother. I pray that is true.
   
   posted by Debbie Adams
   on Saturday, October 18, 2008 at 2:23 pm
3. First, I want to say how encouraged I was to experience Proverbs 31 in a whole new way. I realize now that it's not her actions that make her special. It's what's in her heart that causes her to do what she does. That makes all the difference!
   
   Second, I just wanted to share my experience as “maker of my home.” I’ve been at home with my two kids going on 12 years now, and I LOVE my job! But, as a result of attending the True Woman conference, one of the things I felt the Lord was convicting me to change was my use of free time.
   
   Well, strangely enough, since the conference I haven’t had ANY free time! And to top it off, I decided to do two things at once today by loading Day 5 of the True Woman Makeover “Revive Our Hearts” message onto my mp3 player to listen to while I was cleaning house.
   
   A smile crossed my face when I heard the topic of the message just as I was bent over scrubbing the bathtub! What a sense of humor our Lord has!
   
   posted by Kim Pernia
   on Saturday, October 18, 2008 at 4:51 pm
4. I too am a empty nester and now moving into the grandparenting years. I was saved as a young wife and mother. I didn't have a clue as to this biblical womanhood thing. But the Lord was so gracious to guide me into being a stay at home wife and mother. Now I can see so many benefits of having done that. But what disturbs me now is to see that so many women in the church are becoming "Bible study Barbies". They are getting so much of the "What" but none of the "So What?" I was one of them too. But the Lord brought me under conviction a few years ago about this very thing. He told me that I should be more concerned about letting the Word change my heart and become a servant to those inside the walls of my home. If they don't see Christ in me, then it didn't matter how many studies I went to, God was not pleased with this. So I began saying no to some of the outside studies and started concentrating on the passages about being an excellent wife and a virtuous woman. I have been immersing myself in the Book of Proverbs that talks about wisdom and foolishness. My prayer for us in this day and time and for all the true women of this generation, is that God will help us all become the wives our husbands need and the mothers our children crave and the mentors our daughters and other young women must have in order to survive as successful true women.
   
   posted by Starr Bowlin
   on Saturday, October 18, 2008 at 8:28 pm