This is Who I Am. Servant, Wife, Mom.

Recently I have been doing much thinking about who I am.  What is my role in the world.  We all know that as seasons of life change so do many of the roles we play.  As wives, mothers and homemakers sometimes we feel that our jobs are not as important as those of others.  We need to always be quick to recognize this as an attack from the devil to try and make us down play the importance of our role in our family.  We are important.  Our jobs are important.  Whether you are a stay at home Mom or you work outside of your home - it doesn't matter, you are important.  This is Who I Am.

I'm a child of God. Not just any god but a child of the Most High God. Without Him I am nothing, without Him I can do nothing. I love Him because He first loved me. He is the giver of life and of all things good. I am blessed to be a recipient of His grace, of His mercy and of His gifts.  I am His servant, placed here to share His love with others. 

I am a submitted wife in training. God placed with me my man. He's not perfect. I'm not perfect. Our marriage is not perfect. BUT with God as our Spiritual Leader we have tackled many hard situations together and always end up stronger at the end of the thing. Our love for each other grows stronger each day because of the love of God that is at work in each of our own hearts. I say in training because I'm not there yet. I strive to be the godly submitted Proverbs 31, Titus 2 woman of the Bible but I am human and I fail at it miserably a lot of days.

I am a Mom. I am not super mom but I love my boys and I am doing my very best to be a good steward over these amazing lives God has placed in my care. I am following Proverbs 22:6 and training them in the way they should go and I am praying that when they are old they will not depart from this teaching and training. I am trusting God to help me mold and shape their hearts for His Glory. This job is tough and its definitely not for the faint at heart but I wouldn't trade it. It's challenging most of the time but it's rewarding ALL of the time.

Who are you?  How do you see yourself?  Do you recognize your importance?

Is Social Media Taking Over Family Time?

Modern technology is amazing. I mean think about it for a minute. At no other time in history have people been so connected with one another. Information travels from one person to the next at record breaking speed. 

 

When I was first married cell phones were the coolest thing. Not the kind we have now, the kind that were mounted on the inside of your vehicle. When my oldest son was born, cell phones had evolved somewhat and were something that you could carry with you. They were HUGE but you could carry them with you. Email was a neat way to contact friends and family to stay updated on the latest family news.

Today, just a few short years later we live in the age of self portraits, likes and status updates. Many of us live out our lives day by day to our readers, followers, family and friends.

To continue reading the rest of this post head on over to A Heart For The Home where I am contirbuting today. 

Just say No

In today's world everyone seems so busy.  People have become so busy that family meal time at the kitchen table is becoming a thing of the past.

Time spent just sitting with family and friends enjoying each others company is hard to do when you are over committed and always on the go running from one activity or event to another.  Believe me I know all too well about running from one thing to another.   

Volunteering at church, at both of my children's schools, helping family, keeping up with sports practices, conditioning and games not to mention keeping your laundry caught up, your house in some kind of decent order, feeding your family, helping with homework or homeschooling can lead to an exhausted, worn out mommy.

And while these things are not necessarily bad things and a lot of them are important sometimes we just have to learn to say no to certain things in order to keep our priorities straight and first things first.

I encourage you to look at your schedule and really re-evaluate it. Pray about the things you are involved with and allow God to help you determine the things that are truly important and then say no to the things that aren't.

The past few years I have really stopped volunteering as much for things because I was seeing that my family was suffering. I still volunteer at my kids school on occasion when I am needed. I still help at our church but in a much less time consuming ministry than before.   I still help with things but I have really gotten to a place where right now in this season of my life  "being over" something or in charge is just not my thing.  I am enjoying being a helper and letting other people take the lead.  This allows me the maximum amount of time with my husband, kids and to take care of our home.

I mean after all what is going to matter when this life is over? All of your volunteering and busy work? No, what will matter is the time you spent with your family, with your kids teaching and training them in the way they should go.   What will matter is were you saved? Was Jesus Lord of your life, of your home and of your children's lives?

We need to slow down, say no to the busy-ness that the devil would like to see take over our lives and work on building a relationship with our Lord and with our family. 

Are you over committed?

17 Years and Counting

On Saturday my husband and I celebrated 17 years of marriage.  We both feel like it's been longer (in a good way). lol  It really is hard to remember life before we were together.  We have been blessed with a great marriage.  Is it perfect?  Uhm, no but we love each other more today than we ever even knew was possible 17 years ago. 

 

We celebrated by going on a date.  We went out to dinner ALONE, all by ourselves.  Our boys are not babies but we rarely go somewhere that we don't take them with us.  I mean after all that is why I became a parent so I could spend time with my kids.  But I realize that sometimes daddy and mommy just need a little alone time.  So we did, we went on a date - the first one in probably 2 years.  We went out to eat (and ate way too much) and then ended up at Wal-mart (why that always happens I do not know) but my husband bought me a new skirt and shirt for church so that was pretty exciting.  I definitely think we need to start having date nights occasionally.  It was good just to be alone with my man.

 

How about you?  Do you and your husband go out on dates?  If so, how often?

 

My Favorite Quote on Marriage

I am joining up with Courtney Joseph from Women Living Well this week for her Top 10 Marriage and Motherhood quotes.

I have been out of commission these past few days and am still recovering from what I guess is my sinus' bothering me but resulted in my having a migraine and being flat of my back in bed for a few days.  Prayers for a full recovery and speedy healing are appreciated (momma's don't get sick days you know).  I am on the mend but moving slowly still so for today I am only giving you my absolute favorite quote on marriage.  I have more but am not feeling like making this long so maybe one day in the future that can be another post.

It is from a book called Capture His Heart by Lysa Terkeurst.  I have actually heard her use this quote several times before but in this book she gives credit to it coming from her Pastor at the time Rob Singleton.  

When talking about people seeing the grass as being greener on the other side of the fence and them wanting to jump the fence and abandon their marriage commitment he gave this quote

"The grass isn't greener on that side or this side.  The grass is greener where you water and fertilize it".

Lysa then goes on to say that she can't think of a better way to water and fertilize our marriages than with the Word of God.

What is your favorite quote on marriage?

Free Printable Marriage Prayer

Hop on over to the Time-Warp Wife's blog for a printable copy of this beautiful prayer.

Free Printable Marriage Prayer

A Submitted Wife

What does it mean to be a submitted wife? 

Does it mean that I am perfect?  Does it mean that I am a door mat for my husband?  Does it mean that my opinion in this thing called marriage doesn't matter?  Does it mean that my husband is more important to God in our marriage than me?  Does it mean that I never get a say in what goes on?  Is being submitted something I am made to do?

The answer to all of these questions is NO!

When my husband and I were dating and first married I was very independent (nearing the line of feminism).  I loved him but I had my own way, I didn't need help and I had an "I can do it just as well as he can" mentality.  In part I was this way because up until he and I started going out I had to be or at least I felt like I had to be but another part of me wanted to be this way.  I wanted this freedom of not having to be dependent upon anyone else. 

God never intended for us to be totally independent, not in need of help from Him or from others.  And he definitely never intended us to independent from our spouse.  God created Adam and said that it was not good for him to be alone so he created Eve - a help meet for him.  Did you notice that?  Not good for him to be alone. 

In Ephesians the Bible says that the husband is to leave his mother and father, likewise the wife also is to leave her father and mother and the two (husband and wife) shall become one.  Is it possible for us to literally become one?  Of course not.  But in God's eyes when we join ourselves in the marriage covenant with our spouse we do become as one flesh existing as two individual beings.

Now, how many of you know that just because you get married does not mean that you and your husband think alike all of the time?  Just because you are married it doesn't mean that you both all of the sudden agree on every decision that comes your way.

This my sweet friend is where submission comes into the picture.  Submission is something that a wife freely gives to her husband.  It is not something that a husband can demand or take from his wife.  Submission is an attitude of the heart that a woman chooses to give her husband.  Submission according to the Amplified version of the Bible is simply adapting yourself to your husband.

I submit to my husband because I love him, I trust him, I respect him and because God tells me to.  As wives we need to put our trust in God, step out in faith and submit to our husbands. 

Are you a Submissive Wife?

A Heart For My Home

Where is your heart? 

Where is your treasure?

Matthew 6:21 says For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Before I go further in the is post - let me say that my Number 1 Treasure is found in God and The relationship (not religion) that I have with him. 

This blog is titled A Heart For My Home because truly that is where my heart is.  My Heart is at Home and my Treasure also is at home. 

No, My treasure isn't found in the stick built house we call home.  My treasure is not the little trinkets or decorations that adorn the tables and walls inside my house and it's not in the food that is prepared here on a daily basis. 

My Treasure at Home is My Family. The Family that God has so richly Blessed Me With.  My Husband - a godly man, the Leader of our Home,  my best friend.   My Sons - that I am a steward over for the Lord - the ones I am working on building and shaping into Mighty Men of God that are Gonna Shake Future Generations for Jesus.  

In today's world so many people treasure the wrong things.  The big house they live in, the newest car to drive, name brand clothes, flat screen tv's in every room and all the cool gadgets of the day.  Don't get me wrong here - there is nothing wrong with having all of these things, God wants us blessed so we can be a blessing to others but what God doesn't want is for our treasure to be in earthly good's. 

3 John 1:2  Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in every way and [that your body] may keep well, even as [I know] your soul keeps well and prospers.

Matthew 6:19-21  ¹⁹ “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

I encourage you to examine your heart today and really think about what you treasure.  Do you enjoy taking care of your family?  Do you love the mundane tasks of cooking, cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, running errands, etc... 

In Titus 2, Woman are called to love their husbands and children and be keepers at home among other things.

My job is at home.  My heart is at home.  My treasure is at home.

Titus 2:4-5 ⁴ Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, ⁵ to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

Where is your Heart?