Where seed blows…
“Anyone can count the seeds in an apple, but only God can count the number of apples in a seed.” Robert H. Schuller
I’ve been amazed today whilst walking about where we live, at the amount of seed blowing in the air; the children were running and catching it and I was picking it out of my hair!
As we walked I began to pray and feel full of faith for our community; for the individuals and families who God’s heart, and our hands are reaching out to everyday.
The bible tells us that the Word of God is living and active; when it is sent out it always accomplishes what it is sent out to do, it never returns void!
The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever. Isaiah 40:8
Just as this seed was blowing around our community today; so it is the same with the Word of God spoken and prophesied over the places we live and those who we live life around; we speak, we pray, we believe, then we send it out on the wind of the Holy Spirit to reach those who have a heart to hear. The seed WILL accomplish what it has been sent out to do; to reproduce, to produce fruit in abundance and to do the same again, and again. The seed will not come back to its original point of release, it is taken in power and with authority by the Holy Spirit and produces after its own kind.
So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11
As we walked I noticed that in some areas the seed had gathered in clumps and made the grass white, the children started to collect it like snow balls – seed balls.
Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. John 4:35
Hearts are prepared, God will revive our land, the wind of the Holy Spirit it ready – now blow on the seed of the Word in YOU and watch the King establish His people, His Church; in love, in grace, in power and authority.
“Faith sees a beautiful blossom in a bulb, a lovely garden in a seed, and a giant oak in an acorn” William Arthur Ward
Simple Charlotte Mason
“…my object is to show that the chief function of the child–his business in the world during the first six or seven years of his life–is to find out all he can, about whatever comes under his notice, by means of his five senses…”
― Charlotte Mason
I find it so important in our family learning that books, pictures, quotes, scripture and nature is visible to the children (and Mama!) as much as possible. We’re blessed to have our little learning cabin that has big windows looking out onto flourishing trees that we’ve planted and we can watch the garden birds that regularly visit our bird table.
On the inside I display the children’s art work, we have maps, memorabilia from countries that Dave has visited and we’ve developed what I like to call our ‘memory board’ (pictured above), this is my way of incorporating scripture and poetry memorisation, our catechism questions for the week, lyrics of a song or hymn we’re learning and this weeks picture study (I usually display this after we’ve done art appreciation and the children have narrated the picture). If all goes to plan (smile) I change the board every week!
It’s as simple as that…it’s just taken me a few years to figure it out!
“Do not let the endless succession of small things crowd great ideals out of sight and out of mind.” Charlotte Mason
So how do you encourage and inspire memorisation and recitation in your home?
Soul Time – Part 1
Mothers should cultivate their souls so that in turn they may cultivate the soul’s of their children.
Dave and I were recently away at a conference; one morning we walked around the lake near to our accommodation, the morning sun was gleaming on the still water and the reflection of the surrounding trees was a perfect picture of the reality above.
God reminded me in that moment that as we walk in the light; His light, and allow Him to still our souls, the reflection of our heavenly Father is formed to perfection
So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Gen 1:27
It’s so important as busy, multi-tasking Mothers to cultivate our souls, to breathe, to soak in His presence and to live out of everything He is in us.
Many mothers talk about ‘Me time‘; there are so many mindsets around this term, everything from martyrdom to guilt but where the spirit of the Lord is there is FREEDOM!
If we believe that our call is to serve, nurture and love our husband and children then we do it selflessly; the problem starts when we start to feel that we deserve a spa break or a ‘night out’; as much as you’d like one my friend, you’re not the only sleep deprived mother still wearing maternity jeans who desperately needs her roots doing, but you are amazing, you are unique, you do an incredible job and God’s smile and favour is on you as you work tirelessly for His glory and legacy.
How many times have you had an hour, day or weekend ‘off’ and you come back feeling more frustrated, irritated by ‘real life’ and eagerly awaiting the next opportunity to ‘escape’?
The truth is your soul needs reviving mother; your vision needs renewing and you need to feel the love of God refreshing your heart and mind
“Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.” Psalm 42:7
It’s time for Soul Time!
That’s what we call it in this house; Mama needs some soul time.
Soul Time is not escapism, is it not something I have worked for or deserve, it’s a mother enjoying the pleasure of God in the quiet; through reading a great book, taking a walk, enjoying a hobby, craft; cooking a favourite recipe or watching a great movie. My soul time draws Spirit to spirit, re-envisions and energizes me, refreshes and restores me to be the best version of me I could possible be!
“Spirit can be known only by spirit—God’s Spirit and our spirits in open communion” 1 Corinthians 2:14-16
I love Karen Andreola’s take on this in her book ‘The Charlotte Mason Companion’; she describes this need as ‘Mother Culture‘:
For a mother to allow herself a bit of recreation to refresh herself by exploring her own interests, to find a little time for herself especially when so many others depend on her, is what I call Mother Culture.
When a dedicated, hard-working home teacher takes part in Mother Culture she safeguards her enthusiasm. She will be better able to cope with her responsibilities. To take part in Mother Culture is to feed herself with the Word of God, with ideas from books, nature, art, music, etc., taking care to keep growing spiritually and mentally.
It’s time to breathe mothers, not out of guilt or overworked martyrdom but out of freedom; so enjoy your coffee in your Cath Kidston mug (or is that just me?!), your Country Living magazine or having your nails done but do it in freedom; do it whilst embracing your noble calling of motherhood and not to escape it, do it from a secure heart and a refreshed spirit.
“For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Cor 3:17
Coming up: Soul Time – Part 2, refreshing your soul in the ‘thick of it’
Have you read our ‘Peace, not Perfection’ series? Check it out here!
Thank you for popping by; please join us on Facebook and Twitter too – look forward to seeing you there!
Mothers are builders
Unless the LORD builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted
Psalm 127:1
I’m a great starter but not an amazing finisher; my personality is ‘one of those’ that has a billion brilliant ideas, kick starts them amazingly but often fails to complete…sound familiar to anyone? Anything from a diet or fitness regime to a community project or a writing idea I often trip at the last hurdle, I don’t push through to completion and enjoy the satisfaction at the end!
I’m very aware of my failings and am learning to:
- Set myself more manageable goals (i.e write a short inspirational e-book or booklet before I launch into my epic life transforming novel!!)
- Set short-term dead lines
- Celebrate minor and major victories
- Build a team of people around me to walk out bigger projects; envision people to carry where I can’t and kick me up the behind when my mind wanders…
My marriage and family is not a ‘project’ per se but I am building everyday, and building with a long-term view. This I do get, and do want to finish well.
I don’t want to be like this man:
For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’. Luke 14:28
I want to be like the wise woman:
A wise woman builds her home, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands. Proverbs 14:1
I have many bright ideas and inspiring mothering and homemaking strategies but unless the Lord is building my home and my life, my labour is in vain. Unless I’m wearing my (funky pink) hard hat of salvation; guarding my mind and guiding my soul I am nothing but another exhausted Mama trying to make it through with a glass of wine lingering at the end of the day.
I am placing bricks of love, joy, hope and peace into my home; into my marriage and children everyday. I am building a masterpiece that will last for eternity.
I am a mother
I am a builder of hearts and lives
Building for His generous legacy
Building for His glory
Quick snap Quick stop
We LOVE you, we’re PROUD of you
You’re AMAZING!!
We thank God for you and all you do everyday!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVE!
(We woke him up with breakfast in bed and sent him off to work with a gift to open every hour – we take birthday’s very seriously in this house!!)
All in a day’s work!
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven Ecclesiastes 3:1
A time to sleep late
A time to love him
A time for being jumped on
A time for tea
A time to read this
A time to be inspired
A time to finish this book
A time to nurse her
A time to admire beauty
A time to clean dishes
A time to sweep floors
A time to thank God for the rain…again
A time for a quiet escape to the cabin
A time for more tea
A time to make lunch
A time to clean lunch up
A time to read aloud
A time to do laundry
A time to build bricks with boys
A time to play UNO with a seven-year old
A time to bake a cake
A time to plan dinner
A time to make a pie
A time to talk on the phone
A time to miss eldest daughter (who’s with a friend)
A time to pray
A time to consider
A time to think about him at work
A time to clean floors
A time to kiss
A time to hug
A time to wrap her up in a blanket and watch her sleep
A time to read a mother’s letter
A time to plan tonight’s meeting
A time to dream
A time to love well
A time to love deliberately
A time to just be
A time to be free
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven Ecclesiastes 3:1
Mothers young or new – this encouragement is for YOU!
Jet lagged hubby getting lots of snuggles on his return from Mexico
I think they missed him!
So I’m finally coming to terms with the fact that I’m neither of these! When the beautiful young girls who were in your youth group or came to your youth camps are getting married and having babies you know you’re no longer in the ‘new mum’ category!
I’m watching precious women in my life; across the globe and dotted around Facebook having babies and glowing with motherhood; it’s so heart warming to see you embracing this amazing season of your life and despite its many (many many) challenges, you are enjoying your children, understanding that your children are a blessing and choosing to learn from what every day brings.
So, in the light of Titus 2: 3-5
Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children,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.
I’m kicking off a series just for YOU! What would you like to ask?
I don’t know about you but I always had (and still do) tons of questions to ask about mothering my children. I often wished I had some Titus 2 guru at the bottom of the garden I could call on at any time; you can scan the web, read hoards of books but nothing beats sitting at the feet of a wise woman of God who’s a bit further on this journey than you are.
The plan is to collect as many questions from new or young mums as possible through commenting on this blog post, on our Facebook page or by tweeting me – I’m sure there are many questions buzzing through your mind, well now is the time to ask!
Do I have all the answers? Ha ha, may it never be! Of course not; the plan for this series is to collaborate with my Mum/Mom pals and depending on your questions will depend on who I ask…so ‘older’ Mama’s I’m coming after you too!!
Starting point
Our starting point is always Jesus; He is our all in all, our beginning and end and He never changes. When we’re unsure, wobbling, stressed out or all three who you gonna call?! Jesus must be the centre of our family, our parenting, our motherhood – He is the rock on which we stand.
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. James 1:5
Bottle or breast, cloth or disposable, slingers or buggy pushers, outdoorsy or indoorsy, working or stay at home, public, private or home educators, tea drinkers or filtered water sippers we’re all mothers; women blessed with the gift of children and called to raise them for the glory of God. So be FREE, be yourself, don’t compare yourself to others and walk confidently as YOU, you’re amazing.
For we are God’s masterpiece. Eph 2:10
If you haven’t read last weeks post yet read this now! Find your identity in Jesus precious mother and find freedom…
Now come on Mama’s throw your questions at me as I gather some amazing mothers around me to help you and encourage you in this amazing journey…
Who’s going to be first?
Peace not Perfection – part 4
BE the peace!
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you…‘If’ Rudyard Kiplin
We have a phrase in Yorkshire (I’m sure it’s used else where but I think it’s best said in a Yorkshire accent!) ‘crack on’; it basically means ‘roll your sleeves up woman and get on with it’! It’s a great phrase to use when you’re in the thick of it, up to your eyes in mess, stuff and things – you just gotta ‘crack on’ and get through!
Sometimes we just have to ‘get on with it’ don’t we? You got up too late to make your list for the day, you forgot to get the meat out of the freezer, you’ve run out of milk, the baby is throwing up and you’ve just washed your husband’s white shirt with a red sock – whoops!
Do you crawl into a hole? Sink into a chair? Run to your mother? NO – You take a deep breath, lift up your head and crack on! This is what the bible says:
God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. Matt 5:9
We’ve discussed in previous posts how we can pursue peace, create it and seek it out – here I want to encourage you to BE the peace in your home, in your family and in your community. Work for peace and when you’re having ‘one of those days’ there it will be, you’ll plunge into the well of peace within you and walk in the blessing of God.
My children (and their parents!) are far from perfect but I daily work on being peace to them where ever we go. We have strict ‘supermarket’ rules (no asking for things, stay by the trolley, go to the toilet before we start etc…), we’ve had these rules for years but I still get the children to recite them to me as we’re walking from the car to the supermarket door. These rules create a peaceful supermarket trip and I usually get comments like “wow – you’re so chilled shopping with 4 children, I can’t even take my 1 child to the supermarket with me”, “Aren’t they good/helpful/happy” – I smile, agree/nod/chat, then thank and encourage my children. There are many area’s of our life that we haven’t got ‘down’ so well but I’m encouraged that it IS achievable and peace (not perfection) can be achieved in the ‘chaotic’ areas of life!
And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. James 3:18
Mothers need to be peacemakers, we need to daily sow seeds of peace in our homes.
As we sow seeds of peace when our days are ‘steady’ we’ll reap peace when the crazy days roll in.
Let’s be the peace in our homes mothers and ‘crack on’ with our noble calling! There’s no job like it!
The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever. Is 32:17
If you’ve missed the previous parts to this series you can catch up here:
‘Just’ a Mother?
Tonight I caught a bit of the programme ‘One born – what happened next’; I watched some of the first series, being a birth junkie and all that (!) but the tag line of this second series caught my attention: ’After the pushing comes the parenting’ – aint that the truth!
One of the families filmed featured an opera singing mother who ‘once a week is left alone with all 3 children’!! Just as I started to form a witty Facebook status in my head I heard this sweet mother of three continue to talk about the struggle with her identity, how she wasn’t just a mother but that’s all she felt.
The stories featured went on to tell of mothers feeling relieved to go back to work and desperate for time for themselves; I felt sadden but struck by this common feeling of lack of identity that comes with motherhood in our seemingly selfish society
Isn’t it amazing how women long for a baby; they want the cooing, the cute clothes and the contentment that they see in the Pampers advert but reality bites with a strong contraction or the stitching of the perineum and the next thing they’re crying out for ‘me’ time and looking for the next ‘quiet 5 minutes’ through their sleep deprived eyes!
Motherhood is certainly not for wimps; Nancy Campbell taught me that motherhood is a noble calling and over the years as I’ve started to believe it freedom has come.
The most liberating tool for a mother is knowing her identity; not in her husband, not in her motherhood or former employment but in God; our Father and friend, the creator of the heavens and the earth, the one who knitted you together in your mother’s womb.
Ephesians 1:4 - For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.
Before I was a wife or a mother I was a child of God; chosen, loved, accepted and this love is the same yesterday, today and forever more, He is unchanging.
I root myself in God, I stand firm on His Word and dwell daily in His presence – everything I am flows from this.
My identity does not depend on how many children I have, how I educate my children, what I read or write (or how often *smile*), who my friends are or how ‘busy’ I am in the church; my identity depends on Christ alone; my all in all.
I love motherhood, I want to fully embrace this season when my children are wrapped around my ankles and asking a billion questions a day, but I also have many passions, plans and dreams untapped that I know God has formed in me beyond the laundry and lessons.
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Phil 1:6
God never stops faithfully working on our lives; let us be faithful to walk the path He has led us to; not striving for another woman’s path or season in life. Don’t begrudge rocking your baby to sleep in the early hours, cleaning up the emptied cereal box from the kitchen floor again; or never quite hearing a whole (or any) sermon on a Sunday morning as you’re generally pacing the church hall with your ‘desperately needing a nap’ baby; allow God to teach you, shape you and bring wisdom through every challenge and trial
So, the next time you’re wondering who you are and what others think about you go to God, the source of everything you are and just get a glimpse of how amazing you are precious mother!
Seasons change and each season in God has purpose for your life.
For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. Ecc 3:1
Spring indeed!
Mummy and Micah worshipping together
Popping by in between counting pairs of socks, sorting clothes and packing for my family to go our separate ways for a couple of days. Dave and I (and Sienna-Raine) are going to a leadership conference whilst our children are being cared for by precious friends, then as soon as we return we have a 24 hour turn around before Dave heads off to Mexico for a week to scout the land for a possible future mission trip for the young people he works with.
We have been blessed with some perfect spring days brimming with sunshine; the children are enjoying the outdoors and I’m itching to launch my gardening projects. This past weekend we enjoyed a day out with friends on a canal boat; the pace is so gloriously slow; we picnicked at a farm and had fun introducing Sienna to chickens and pigs!
Dave learing the ropes and loving it
The handsome ‘captain’!
I’m hoping to take-on a ‘canal boat’ style pace next week (as much as one can with a newly walking toddler and three other lively children!) whilst missing my husband; reading, gardening, blogging, spring cleaning and catching up with a few friends…
So until then…
Sienna-Raine in a box!
