Grateful...a Warning to Other Parents

Sunday we were eating lunch after church, swimsuits on and ready to head out for a fun afternoon at the pool.  Thing 2 started asking a lot of pointed questions about batteries and water and electrocution. I didn't think much of his questions since we were headed to the pool and he is a boy.  But something Someone prompted hubby to randomly ask T2, "Why are you asking?  Did you SWALLOW a battery?"

"Yes. I did."

My heart started beating faster. "This isn't a joke.  Did you really?" I asked.

"Yes. I had it in my mouth and it just slipped down my throat."

Hubby immediately gets on the phone with a nurse, I call to see if Urgent care is open and text my best friend who is also a nurse.  We are suddenly not off to the pool for a fun family afternoon, instead we are making our first visit to the ER in our new town.  Quickly. Thankfully my folks are visiting so they were able to stay with the other Things.

At the ER they take us right back and the nurse proceeds to call poison control.  Here is where I get a little angry when I think back to that horrible day.  Poison control tells the nurse, no biggie, just take and x-ray and it will pass.  This is NOT the reaction I was expecting. My nurse friend had told me they can burn them and to get help right away.  I'm thinking, This is a big deal! But I figured they knew better. So time passes, we get the xray, see the battery (one of those round button sized ones from his little laser pointer toy) in his stomach and sit around and wait some more to see the doctor.  After a while the ER doctor strolls in with the x-ray and casually asks T2 what he swallowed.  When he hears it is a battery he says "you aren't going anywhere!" and rushes out of the room.

My heart starts racing again.

More time passes as the MD consults with a pediatric surgeon who is at another hospital.  We are told that since it is past his esophagus this is good.  But it still needs to come out immediately.  We drive to another hospital across town where the pediatric surgeon is waiting for us. They rush us right in through the ER. By then T2 is complaining his tummy hurts, no kidding - it is literally burning him from the inside out.  I'm praying like crazy for God to keep it in his stomach where they can reach it and that it won't burn him or damage anything.

They get T2 all hooked up and he is asking TONS of questions about everything they are doing.  His stomach might hurt, but it didn't curb his curiosity.  Then we are ushered out to a waiting room across the hall.  A little while later I see a nurse go in with some supplies.  Another nurse comes down to explain that he had a lot of food in his stomach they had to get out first (yes, he didn't tell us until AFTER he had eaten his whole sandwich!) But looking back I wonder if that helped move it down out of the more dangerous esophagus zone.

While we are waiting I'm thinking.  And praying.  And thinking some more.  T2 has always been an oral kid.  And I'm constantly on him about putting things in his mouth.  I think he was afraid to tell me about the battery. He thought he would get in trouble. That is what scares me the most.  He wasn't going to tell us.

He gets a lot of tummy aches so if he had complained at the pool hours later we wouldn't have done anything about it.  Probably would have chalked it up to pool water.  But he was afraid that he might get electrocuted at the pool with that battery so he started asking all those questions.

I NEVER would have thought to ask him if he had swallowed one and I am so GRATEFUL God brought it to light before it was too late.  (An answer to a frequent prayer of every mom for God to protect our kids, reveal when they are doing wrong and need correction, or in danger).

In that waiting room I also thought about all the parents that wait all the time for their children's test results, surgeries, chemo, answers to unexplained illness.  This scare gave me a small taste of what they go through and a larger perspective on their suffering. I'm not saying from my few moments of fear I know what they are going through, but I know a little better how to pray for them.

Finally another nurse emerged across the hall and gave us a thumbs up sign.  Some good friends showed up to pray with us and support us.  Soon after the doctor came out to give us the pictures and tell us everything went smoothly.  He did have some burns in his stomach but they weren't too bad.  We were lucky.  She told us if it gets stuck in their throat it can burn them within an hour and some kids don't survive.  I'm glad she wisely shared that bit of info AFTER the battery was safely out of him.

Incredibly, this was the THIRD battery removal from kids she had done that weekend alone.  She was surprised to hear of the misinformation that poison control gave the nurse and promised to call them.  She also indicated they are trying to get these little batteries off the market.  I don't know how to do that but I do know how to get them OUT OF MY HOUSE!

I bought back from my kids the laser pointers they had picked up at Wal Mart with their allowance.  It is the only toy they have that the batteries aren't screwed securely in. I've also had a several conversations with my kids about telling us right away if they accidentally swallow something or someone is hurt, and not to worry about getting in trouble.

 I knew that batteries don't belong in your body but I didn't realize how dangerous they are.  That is why I'm sharing this even though it still keeps me awake at night. I hate even thinking about it but am continually grateful it all turned out okay.  Please learn from our mistake, warn your kids how dangerous they are, even if you think they are too old to worry about it.Thing 2 is SEVEN years old.  It wasn't his four year old brother who swallowed it (though he recently stuck a lego in his nose). T2 was just curious what they tasted like (why, I don't know!) and swallowed it by accident. Remind them again that they can come to you and won't get in trouble if they do accidentally swallow something or do something that might hurt them. And pass this warning on to another parent.

 Raising boys is not for the faint of heart!  And I can't always keep them safe as much as I try.  But I can and do pray for them.  And knowing they quickest route to the ER and Urgent care doesn't hurt.

On Being a Mom and a Teacher

I was really nervous about this day, more nervous than I expected.  It wasn't so much that I just sort of had an idea of what we were going to do (after camping all weekend and spending zero time final prepping).  It wasn't that I didn't think I could teach my kids; I've done it their whole lives after all!  It wasn't even because I'd have three BOYS to keep in line and get new information into their brains.  It was more about my relationship with one of my boys in particular.  I think this summer has been a challenging transition for him and  it is playing out in his over all behavior.  If I'm already struggling to get respect and obedience for the simple daily chores how in the world am I going to do it as a teacher?

A good friend and successful home schooling mom (her son is in college) recently reminded me of

1 Corinthians 13:1- If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

regarding teaching.  She warned me that I could have very smart and accomplished children but if I do it without love they are going to be really messed up! (my words, not hers). Yes, I need to be teacher and mom and disciplinarian and loving them well is doing all three.  But if I do it without all the other things listed in the rest of that passage defining LOVE (patience, kindness, gentleness, etc) then I will have failed.  

And of course I can't do any of it.  Not on my own.  I have to daily draw upon the fullness of my Father's love for me and let it spill over to my kids.  If I try to do it on my own I just end up a noisy gong in their ears giving one more lecture and ultimatum.  That is NOT what I want them to remember from home school. 

I want them to remember the nature walk we took this morning, our discussion on what and why we do the Pledge of Allegiance, the poem they memorized on Individuality for HIStory and our discussion on discretion for Bible. These are the things that get me excited about home school, uniquely crafting their education around our family's values/faith.

Being a teacher and a mom is a tricky balance I'm far from mastering. But I know where to start with both - showing them the same love that He shows me daily. The sacrificial love that took Him from His Throne in Heaven to a dirty manger full of hay to a cross of shame. The powerful Love that rose again and bids me to do the same in Him (Galatians 2:20).  The gracious love that welcomes me to let go of my mistakes, receive his forgiveness and start over and over again. This is the love I want to show my kids, both as a mom and a teacher.  And I can only teach it as well as I receive it from my Savior.

"Quiet" times with Kids

 Before becoming a mom I had no idea how precious sitting quietly could be!  I certainly under appreciated the fact that any time I wanted to I could open my Bible, journal and pray uninterrupted (i.e., have a "Quiet Time"). For the past nine years it seems my sons without fail wake up at the "crack of the Bible" (so the saying goes).  It. REALLY. IS. UNCANNY. 

Some exhausted years I've responded less than lovingly to their interruption of my morning routine. But with more experience... and sleep... I've mellowed a bit.  Now I can without mommy-guilt pop in a video for the unexpected, and by unexpected I mean totally expected (sorry I hear a LOT of Phineas and Ferb in the background of my days), and sit down in another room to enjoy my time with Jesus. 

The other morning as I settled into the couch with my coffee a little boy appeared.  Thing 2 (7yrs) is my snuggler and it isn't enough for him to be near me on the couch, he was practically on top of me. I almost shooed him away while trying not to spill my coffee as I scooted halfway off the couch.  Then I remembered an awesome post from a great friend I'd read recently about teaching others to have quiet times.  If I don't disciple my own kids I have no business spending time discipling others.

So Thing 2 and I flipped over to Psalm 1 and read it together using her method.  It wasn't the first time I'd had a quiet time with him but it had been a long while! Too long.  I encouraged him to draw a picture of what we talked about and broke it down to a few key words I hope he will remember.  Follow God's plans/guidelines for you = have a fulfilling life. 

Here is his page from my journal:

I'm certain I won't forget that lesson for awhile.  I hope he won't either. 

My life in the Mountains:Same life, different Views

Well, we aren't on the prairie anymore.  But besides the view outside my window life remains pretty much the same.   I find that settling into a new home together in a new town with different things to do reminds me once again how much I love my life.  I'm so grateful that I get to stay home and raise my sons, and not just because I'm a terrible morning person that would never make it out the door every day to an outside job. Though that could be a big part of it!  I love how they make me laugh every day, I love the little conversations I get to have with them (that are really often very big).  I love (well I should love) how God continues to transform me on the tougher days of parenting through quarrels and bad attitudes.   I know not everyone has the choice to stay home and I appreciate that I do...most of the time!

What most people ask me is, "How do you like CO?"  It is impossible to answer that without comparing it to my old life on the prairie.  The important things (like I mentioned above) get to stay the same.  Other things are different:

We have a lot more kids on the block in our new home to play with (yay!).
We have a tiny back yard compared to our old view of the prairie (sigh).
But it has a big play set so hubby didn't have to build a tree house (yay!).
And we have mountains to look at on the numerous bike paths (yay!).
No awesome swimming pool, really I had NO idea how spoiled we were in our old town! (sigh!)  The couple times we've gone to a pool the Things want to know where the sand box, water slides and play equipment are.  Sorry charlie, it is just swimming!
We have awesome trails to go off roading and hiking all around us! (Yay!).
And a new overhauled transmission in our jeep so we can make it to those trails (sigh!)
We are going back to the home schooling experiment in just another week (sigh...errr, yay!  no, really, yay!  I think!)  The Things didn't get into the charter school they have been waiting a YEAR to get into (it is THAT good), but they did make it into the home school option where they go one day a week.  
I have a couple new friends, at least I'm hoping they will be my friends :) and am enjoying connecting with old ones (yay!).

The boys have made the transition much better than I expected which is a big answer to prayer (Yay!).
I'll leave you with a few recent quotes:
 As we drove through town I pointed out the Garden of the God's to my parents who are visiting.

T1 - It is breathtaking.  You just walk around in a big circle.
My Mom - We should go then sometime.
T1 - NO!
Me - Thing 1, what does "breathtaking" mean?
T1 - It is tiring!

After a week of camping in our "new" pop-up (yay!):

Me: WE all smell and need to go home and take baths!
T3: Yeah!  We stink like pigs!

 At the dinner table yesterday:
Me: - T1 will you please pass me a napkin?
T1 - slowly pulls it out of the pig shaped tin holder while making pooping noises, "It is pooping out your napkin."
Hubby - (Discreet smile).  "Better than vomiting it out!"
 T1 - What is "vomit"?
Hubby - Throwing up.  Will you hand me one too?
T1 - Sure!  The pig is throwing up your napkin (complete with sound effects).

Sigh...life with three boys stays the same, no matter if you are in the mountains or on the prairie!  And I wouldn't have it any other way.  :)

The Greatest Joys of Mothering

               “I can’t stand it anymore,” my eldest son suddenly appeared by my side, “My tummy hurts and I’m homesick.”

                After some inquiry I gathered that he was nervous about our upcoming move. We snuggled on the couch while I shot up prayers for guidance.  I shared Philippians 4:6, 7 with him explaining that God doesn’t want him to be full of worry and instead wants to give him peace.   We prayed together and then something wonderful happened… my son suggested we get out his Bible and read.  This is the first time I’ve witnessed him turning to God’s words of love for us for comfort. 

                We have read the Bible to our kids since they were babies. Sometimes in spurts through the years when this happens every night.  Other seasons, like more recently with our temporary move in between houses, I’ve let the busyness and fatigue excuse the interruption in routine.  So when my son suggested we get out his Bible I couldn’t say, to my shame, that it is because it is what we do every night.  But even in my lapse of discipline God graciously showed me that He is at work.  Even where I fall short with my children He loves them more than I do and continues to work.

                Thing One and I sat down and opened up his little brothers’ Jesus Storybook Bible (which is the BEST children’s Bible out there in my humble opinion).  I had actually already read to the younger two earlier so I knew what story was coming.  I explained that even though we didn’t have his regular Bible handy , the story in this one was perfect.  It was the Sermon on the Mount when Jesus reminds us that He will take care of all our needs, our only job is to seek Him first.  Thing One and I both giggled over the illustration of the bird pushing a shopping cart.  I marveled once again at how often God speaks to me, and now my children, in our regular daily reading – just what we both needed to hear. I delighted watching God do for my son what He so often does for me in this manner.

                Thing One asked to show me something else in the Storybook Bible.  He flipped right over to Psalm 23, written in perfect kid language.  He told me about the first time Dad had read that to him years before and he realized that God is always with him.  Thing One asked to underline it and we took out a card for him to copy the verses on.  He folded it up and put it in his coat pocket so he would always have it with him.  He is so precious! J

                Later when I tucked him in he said to me, “Mom, you might not know this about me but I’m kind of shy.” I mostly hid the smile on my lips and replied, “Yeah, I kind of know that about you, buddy.”  He replied, “And when you read that verse about not worrying (Phil. 4:6, 7) it kind of made my heart cry.”  I explained that when God tells me just what I needed to hear it makes my heart cry a little too.  It is because I know He is real and loves me and is speaking right to me through His Words of love.

                 For years my husband and I have prayed for our sons, read scripture to them, poured over parenting books, failed to apply them perfectly, modeled repentance and forgiveness, explained the Gospel to them in many different ways, led them in prayers of surrendering their lives to the Lord, and, yes, read the Bible to them almost nightly. As parents you do what you think is best with God’s help and guidance all the while knowing so often your attempts fall short.  But still you  pray that one day your kids will get it, will really Know Him and understand” His wonderful,  Never stopping, Never Giving up,  Unbreaking, Always and Forever love” – DESPITE all the times you fail to model it perfectly for them. (Sally-Lloyd Jones, Storybook Bible).

                That quiet evening a few weeks ago in the living room of our temporary little lake home, God graciously revealed to me that He is answering all those prayers.  He is leading my son into a real relationship with Him.  He is helping him understand as much as a little man can, that He is real and His Words of love are for him.  This is truly one of my greatest joys in mothering.

  I don’t know why I get to do this, why I get to be anyone’s mom, or lead anyone to the Lord, or disciple any of their hearts in how to walk with Him.  But I delight in it and I am blessed by His gracious work in and through me.  All of it evidence of ”His wonderful,  Never stopping, Never Giving up,  Unbreaking, Always and Forever love”  for us all. 

On Missionary Mothering

Two weeks ago we had our last NavNite (our weekly large group meeting on campus).  Sixteen years of these weekly meetings, some years never missing one, other years with babies and toddlers, hardly attending at all.  These meetings are not the heart of what we do on campus but they are one more of the "lasts" that my heart is taking time to embrace and close the door on.

Needless to say it was an emotional night.  Hubby and I were given time to share our final thoughts - in a funny way it felt like a backwards memorial service.  (We literally declined to select the worship songs for the night!)  As the evening played out a few men and women shared a prepared highlights of interactions with us through the years.  After this time anyone in the audience of 75(???) students or so was welcomed to share funny stories or things they learned from us. Lots of laughter and trickling tears, just as the evening should be.

But what also unfolded that evening was reflective of my current reality of life as a mommy missionary. So many men had countless stories to tell of Jeff.  One after another and another and another they shared.  Sitting up front I started to squirm a little inside.  Of course I was proud of my husband and enjoyed in his moment to shine.  But it was plain for everyone to see that not as many women knew me.  Not as many women had funny stories to share.  Not as many women were discipled by or traveled with or laughed late into the night with me.  Why?  Because I wasn't there.

I wasn't there because I was at home.  With my kids. While they need me at home my first ministry is to them.  And to my husband, enabling him to go outside our home. Most days are full of life and good things, but not much time on campus doing "formal ministry". For me this meant that I didn't have 30 women stand up telling funny stories about me after seven years of ministry here. I had to ask myself if that was "o.k."

As I reflected on the evening I thought, Would I change anything about where I spent my time? No,  I wouldn't.  Sure I would have liked more women to know me.  To see I can be crazy too, just like the handsome man next to me.  And to go deeper into the Word with them.  But wouldn't it be sad if tonight all these women knew me but my kids didn't?  I would have failed.

Don't get me wrong, I did do ministry outside my home. My husband has faithfully freed me up weekly to lead Bible studies, workshops or evangelism.  I am very grateful for his willingness to give me these opportunities. Through the years I went deeper with a few women;  whether we were meeting for formal training or just doing life together (I've dragged more than one to grocery shop with me!).  And other times I've invited women into our home opening the Bible together or just cleaning windows or folding laundry while we talk.

And several gals did share that night.  One woman in particular made my heart sing.  Not because she praised me, but because of what God showed me through her generous words. She noted that in college women are focused on preparing for a career (as they should be) but zero time is spent preparing for marriage and mothering.  By my absence I was modeling what they needed to "hear" about these roles.  What no other voice was saying. Your time at home as a mom is a worthy investment and shouldn't be looked down on as less important. She reminded me that the husband in Proverbs 31 is able to be at the gate because he has a good wife at home keeping things going. 

Besides how to love Jesus, this is my biggest burden to pass onto women: loving their husbands and their children well, with purpose and lasting impact. Sometimes this means getting a sitter and showing up. Often though when they are little, it means staying back.   I never gave a NavNite talk or workshop on the subject but somehow God got it across without any "formal ministry" happening.

God surprised me that night by showing me all that He was doing when I wasn't even showing up for "ministry" in my mind. He revealed to me that when I do what He is asks of me, He will bless my absence as much as my presence.  He will reap where I didn't even think I had sown.  And really that is how it should be, isn't it? We both know WHO deserves all the glory and praise for anything good we get to join Him in doing.

As we say goodbye to seven years at this university I pray God will do the same thing again.  I pray He will use our absence as much as our presence and continue on the work He privileged us to be a part of for this season. I have full confidence in the staff team we are leaving behind and I know He will continue to use them in awesome ways once we get out of the way!!! :)

 






                      

Welcome to our Fifth Season of the Year, "Spring-ter"

      We had 2 1/2 snow days in a tow last week. Thing 1 came up with the term 'Spring-Ter" for the season of weather we are in.
       My boys favorite past time was clearly throwing snow balls at me. When did they get so fast and hard to hit???
      Included in the photos are a few shots if our temporary home. It is a cozy and comfortable 2 bedroom mobile home on the lake. I'm looking forward to sitting on that awesome deck when spring does decide to arrive. And I'm enjoying the bird houses filled with confused little chickadees wondering what all this white stuff is.  An the ducks now that the ice on the lake is gone.
         The Things love the little green playhouse that is on the property but the biggest draw is always trying to throw stuff into the lake ( which is a no no of course)! Mean mom always ruining their fun! Just trying to keep the rocks on the bank and off the sandy lake shore!

A Look at Islam and Christianity

      This was a great read! When I picked up, In the Land of Blue Burqas, I did not expect my faith, my understanding of marriage and ideas about Islam to be challenged.  I did not read it looking for deeper understanding of my Christianity separate from my American culture.  My views of forgiveness, responding to insult, prayer, judgment and the power of generosity were all challenged to stretch.  All of this happened during my journey into a town in Afghanistan through the author’s experience.  It is full of people I will never meet that are very different than me in almost every way. Despite our vast differences I learned so much from them as I read their stories and lined up their Islamic teachings next to the teachings of Jesus. 

        In essence reading this woman’s journey in faith, “I learned to see the Jesus I love reflected in the context of my Afghan neighbors’ culture and the simplicity of their questions.  I was challenged to differentiate between my American culture an the teachings of Jesus….I saw how revolutionary Jesus really is and how amazingly beautiful.” (p. 306)

        I’ll leave you with a few more quotes so you can see what I mean. If you decide to read it  I’d love to discuss it with anyone!

On American Faith:

“Conversations about God, faith and what it means to live submitted to Him is more common in Afghanistan than any place I’ve ever been…..For many Westerners, the question of who God is and what He wants for and from us is simply not relevant.  We are, after all, wealthy and busy.  For Afghans, it may be the most important question of all.” (p. 115, 116)

On Legalism:

“Sometimes we imagine that all that is good in God as revealed in Christ only belongs to those who’ve adopted a complete framework of theological beliefs.  We imagine that until a person understands and confesses belief that Jesus is God, that He died on the cross for our sins and rose the third day, the teachings and blessings of God remain inaccessible.  We sometimes make the mistake of viewing ourselves and others as either in or out, as either wearing our team’s jersey or not wearing it." (p. 132)

Ouch, that is totally me sometimes.

"How much better to remember that we are all on a journey.  Each time we see or hear or in some way grasp a teaching or revelation of Christ, we are drawn out of an area of darkness within our lives into His light and truth…..the good news is …we can receive His healing long before we understand who He is and why He came in the first place.” (p. 132)

Love it! The image of darkness to light describes all I hope to do when sharing about God’s love.

On Reaching others with Good News:

“I know I have no power to change an individual’s worldview.  I can’t compel people to accept my words.  The interpretation and reaction belongs to my listeners.  If I speak truth, that truth will resonate within them.  If they can receive it, they will.  If they can’t, they won’t. My responsibility is to follow Jesus and share the faith I have.  In my understanding, God is good and certainly not the author of death and destruction.” (p. 114)

     She was responding here to the Islamic belief that EVERYTHING that happens is the will of Allah.  If a husband beats his wife, it’s Allah’s will.  If a child dies in a bombing, Allah’s will.  Both scenarios are all too common in their daily lives. 

God Provides! - A qucik life and ministry update!

I'm sorry for the long absence for those of you who look here for frequent updates. I hope to do better in April.  :)

 March began with our whole family making the 13 hour trek to our future hometown in CO.  We spent a great week with some wonderful friends that know how to serve us to no end, watching our kids for endless hours, fed us and sheltered, and prayed for us in the stretching ups and downs of house hunting. What a blessing they are to us! We were excited to find the perfect home through a strange series of events only God could design on our last day there. The boys are extra excited it is a two-story home and comes with a giant playset that in Thing 2's words is "epic"!  God cares even about the little things (that are big to little Things)!

Since our return mid-March we have jumped right back into our best semester ever of ministry. What a wonderful way to end our 7 years of ministry here.  I am LOVING being on campus more as two of three kids are in school and time permits.  I'm writing and leading a study on Purity bright and early every Friday morning with about 20 - 25 awesome college gals and the best ever co-leader.  We are also packing up our entire house, minus all the stuff we are pitching, donating, and selling (ahhh that feels good!) and move out of our current home this weekend since it sold so quickly (PRAISE GOD!). 

We aren't saying goodbye to the prairie yet, that will come end of May. We will take up residence a bit south of town in a beautiful little two-bedroom lake home trailer.  It will be tight but it is a huge blessing to not have to pack up all our belongings twice as this home is fully furnished!  Our friends are so generous to let us stay there, another Provision from God for us!

Throw in the mix hubby and I speaking at Navs this week on dating (fun), a Nav women's retreat we planned and taught at this past weekend (amazing time with amazing women) and another upcoming teaching time for moms I need to finish writing! 

By God's pure grace I'm enjoying all these things and most-of-the-time I'm not really too stressed. I feel overwhelmed when I try to do it all on my own, but with the help and prayers of many friends it is all coming together. 

Thanks for praying for us!

Ruth Bell Graham

This is the updated version

One of my goals for growth in 2013 is to consume as much fiction as I do non-fiction. I recently finished an excellent biography about Ruth Bell Graham called, A Time for Remembering.  I found this little treasure tucked away in our church library, the binding glue disintegrating in my hands as yellow pages came loose in the reading.

 Reading about someone who has walked the road of faith before me and succeeded gives me hope that God can use me as well.  It also reminds me that no matter what trials I face, someone else has faced more of them!   Life is busy with an upcoming move, busy ministry and the never-ending but always rewarding job of parenting 3 little men.  After reading about Ruth’s life I am inspired by her resolve and courage to take on the challenges of life with a positive attitude. 

Ruth’s early years growing up in China as a missionaries’ daughter was full of hardship and loss, even bombings!  But these were all accepted as part of the deal and not paid much heed.  This is a provoking view of ministry to me in my cushy life at home in the States.  

 And later in her married years with a husband who was absent 6 months of the year she could have easily become bitter or depressed or both!  Yet she never wavered in her commitment to her marriage and family. She simply adapted and pressed on.

Wanna know the secret to her success?  I know I did. She kept her Bible open all the time and her children often found her early in the morning and late at night pouring over His Words to her.  Her children never heard her complain about Billy’s absences, and the moment he left they would begin to look forward to his return.  She immediately got busy with some project to pass the time and she spent many hours every day soaking up God’s words of love for her.  

This challenges me on so many levels.  When life is difficult I want to complain, sulk and pamper myself with distracting entertainment – like a good 6 hour marathon of Pride and Prejudice! There is nothing wrong with P and P, mind you (and a lot of things right about it!), and my husband actually thanks me for watching it WITHOUT him.  But if that is what I turn to for my solace over my Lord than my heart will be temporarily distracted but just as empty as when I began.

Ruth reminded me of something I already knew but need to keep working at – nothing satisfies like Him.  Movies and other distractions can entertain but they do not fill and they always come to an end.  God’s Word fills, never changes and never ends.  

Jeremiah has a few thoughts on this subject, “my people…have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.”(2:13) When I look to something or someone else to fill me before my Creator, I’m hewing out my own broken cisterns.   Compare that to Jesus’ promise to us, “whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty forever.  The water I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13,14)  I know it might sound crazy if you haven’t experienced it yourself, but God’s Word truly does satisfy my heart and fill it like nothing else can.

Reading about Ruth’s life and parenting years leaves me asking myself where is my life pointing my kids?  If my kids rise early or waken in the night where will they find me?  On FB or watching t.v.?  Again, don’t get me wrong, those things are okay and have their place.  But where do I want them to find me more often than not? Is my life pointing them to God? Or to media, Words with Friends or other entertainment?  It is a continual dance of adjusting, starts and stops, but I am slowly making progress.  I hope that like Ruth, my life will point them to Jesus, the only One Who will satisfy and meet our every need.