Some things are just true.

This is my first attempt to untangle my thoughts.  Forgive me for incoherency in advance... 

The other day I was reading in my quiet time and this verse stuck out at me...  "You are the ones who justify yourselves before men; but GOD knows your heart; for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God." Luke 16:15

The night before I had been reading an article by a radical feminist and I was disgusted by the things she had to say.  It's amazing how much has changed in our society in the last 50 years.  No, I am not reminiscing the good old days and no, I am not one who laments our new found freedom as woman.  However, I am one who things that with great freedom comes great responsibility.  CHOICE is the name of the game these days...  of course UNLESS that choice resembles anything like traditional roles for woman.  This article clearly stated what the feminist agenda is all about...  saying things like divorce your husband if he holds you back.  Even giving advise to marry someone who is poor or younger so that you can have the upper hand in the marriage and do things that you want to do... I'm sorry, but the LAST thing I want to do is marry some poor kid so I can be in control.   I guess I'm just one of those backwards thinkers who still hasn't been liberated.

Anyway, this article came to my mind when the next morning I read that verse about what is highly esteemed among men (people).  No longer is wife and mother highly prized.  According to the article a woman's worth was in what she could contribute to public and professional life.  No longer is it highly prized to: "... that the younger woman marry, bear children, guide the house, and give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully." I Tiimothy 5:14.   Be able to cook, clean, take care of our children... these are things woman should never have to do.  Hire out everything that resembles conventional womanhood.   YOU ARE ABOVE THAT. 

When I saw this verse I started to think well what IS highly esteemed with God.  It didn't take long before the spirit spoke to my heart and this is where he led me...

"And the angel came in unto her, and said, "Rejoice, YOU ARE HIGHLY FAVORED, the Lord is with you; blessed are YOU AMONG WOMAN."   and next he said you will have a wonderfully, fulfilling, lucrative, important, financially viable CAREER.

"And the angel  said to her, Fear not, Mary: for YOU HAVE FOUND FAVOR WITH GOD. And behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call his name JESUS." Luke : 28&30.

WHAT IS THAT YOU SAY...  Being HIGHLY FAVORED is having a child.  WHAT being a Mother is HIGHLY FAVORED in GOD'S eyes...

In today's environment it is very easy to get swept away in the ideals of this world.  This happened to me recently.   Last August as I was struggling with depression and losing my mom I reached out to find something to make me FEEL better.  It started out as a hobby.  Something I could do on the side.  It quickly became something more.  All the sudden I felt more important like I was really contributing something to the world and my family.  I was making extra money and able to be out of the house on a regular basis.   I was getting compliments and feeling pretty good about myself...  There's nothing wrong with any of that I can hear some say.  YOU NEED THAT.  I can hear you say.  These type of thoughts dominated my thinking and I couldn't hear the small still voice in through the praise and recognition.  Things were busy and I didn't even notice when my heart was turned from my children and home to these grander more important pursuits. 

Since we are home-schooling most of the day it was hard to cook dinner on nights when I was out of the house so naturally the kids had to have take-out.  Oh, yeah and the house was a mess so I really needed someone else to come clean my house, because I was out doing MORE IMPORTANT things like earning money.   Then Christmas came and the busyness of the season took the up the month of December...  With the first of the year there was a season of sickness and morning sickness and fatigue.  It was not until the complete quietness of February when I had nothing outside of my home pressing and calmness inside that I started to hear the voice of the Lord speaking to me.  It started with a sweet 4 yr old boy.  My wild and rambunctious little boy just wanted mommy to sit with him all day and read books.  He started to whine more and act out.  At first I didn't recognize the signs, but eventually I started to understand...  He was missing mommy.  He didn't like the new busy mommy.  He didn't like to see mommy leave and going to bed without me.   It was hardest on him because the next day it was school time for the big kids and he didn't get a whole lot of me then.  I tried to spend more time with him and do special things, but he was still showing signs of neglect...   Along with this I had nothing going on in February so it was quiet and I could focus on my home AND contemplate the new arrival that would be in here in the summer and I realised I MISSED this.  I found out I DON'T like to be busy, I don't like not tucking my little ones in to bed at night, I don't like running around with a list of errands all day.  I DO like the quietness of my life, I do like being home with my children, and I do like to cook dinner for my family and even clean and organize my house.  Then God began once again to show me that these things are important things.  These are good and right and pure things.   These are HIGHLY FAVORED in his eyes.  I also knew that I could not pursue this other thing and motherhood, and do them both well.  I had to make a choice.  I chose HOME.   I FEEL peace and relief.  I am thankful that to GOD I am right where I need to be. 

I may have nothing to offer the public or professional world, but I am irreplaceable in my home.   If God's word is to be believed "Behold (look, see, observe), children are a heritage of the Lord: AND the fruit of the womb is HIS REWARD.", then I am being once again rewarded and I fully embrace His beautiful gift of LIFE!!!  So, to my children I give you my heart, my time, my service.  I give you my life.  There is NOTHING more important to me than you.  Forgive me for forgetting that for a little while.  Thank you, Lord for the reminder that some things are just TRUE and one of them is that NO ONE can replace Momma...