My passion is for mums

I have been pondering the vision I feel and thought it may pay to write it down.
I have a real passion for mums.
In today's society we are sent so many messages about how we should be mums/wives/homemakers. We are told how our house should look, how we should dress and conduct our selves. We are told we can have it all the top job, the family the nice home. But how are the mums really coping. I have been finding that mums are struggling they are trying to be "super mums". I use to really struggle and prob still do a bit on how I am as a mother do I do everything I am suppose to. Is my house shiny clean all the time. (no) My husband said to me once when I was complaining on what a failure I was and look how so and so has it all together. He wisely pointed out that the other ladies probably also run around the house like a mad thing cleaning up before I come around.

With our society changing and people moving further and further away from their family and support networks more and more mums are being isolated.

My passion is to support mums by providing friendship, information, resources, contacts and support to help enable them to be the best mums they can be. I want to see mums grow in their walk with the lord, I want to see mums come to know Jesus. I want to see the "super mums" walls broken down so mums can enjoy being mums and enjoy their children. This means that I have to be open and honest and share my struggles and failings. What will our children remember about us will they remember the house always being clean and mum always busy or will they remember that mum sat and listened to me and spent time with me.
Don't get me wrong I don't think we should be slobs and let everything be. Yes we need to be organised and we need to do our housework but we need balance.

I remember after having my third child a lovely lady shared a story with me that really helped me through the year. To give you some background I have 3 Children the eldest is about to turn 6 and the other two are 13mths apart. So I had just had the latest baby and she was a difficult baby, reflux, club feet etc... (I had not told anyone how tough this baby was) This dear lady took me aside one day and shared a story about her 2 children she had 2 about 15mths apart. She told me how one day they had been so clingy and whiny they were hanging off her following her, you get the picture. Sometime in the day she really had to go to the toilet but the children were being so difficult that she just slid down the kitchen cupboards and sat on the floor wet herself and cried. That story really carried me through every day until my youngest was about 14mths at the end of the day I was so exhausted I would think I did not wet myself today it was not so bad. Now this lady was someone who I looked up (and still do) to she always is well dressed and looks like she has it all together and that her life was perfect and she never would wet herself and cry.

I will be thinking more on this and adding more information and tools and insights.

Worth Remembering

"Until you settle the issue of your own worth, it's impossible to bring holiness into anyone else's life. Until you understand that your worth is already determined by the fact of your birth, everything else is an exercise in propping up a dying tree." Carol Brazo

Read this today and thought it was worth thinking about and seeing were our worth is placed. Do we hear God's voice about our worth or are we listening to the worlds voice. I know myself it is easy to hear the worlds voice because is it loud and constant. We are constantly being measured by how we act, what we wear, what we do, what our job is, who our friends are, who our family is, how much money we have what our education level is and the list goes on and on.

We need to take time a listen to the soft gentle voice of God saying we have worth and value because he made us and loves us and has a plan for each and every one of us.

Oprah

I saw this today it was very interesting and so sad that Oprah is so lost and confused.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NizojZIX7Aw

This is something worth looking into to see if it holds water.

You Say God says Bible Verses

Saw this today and thought it was great. Enjoy

YOU SAY GOD SAYS BIBLE VERSES

You say: 'It's impossible'
God says: All things are possible(Luke 18:27)

You say: 'I'm too tired'
God says: I will give you rest(Matthew 11:28-30)

You say: 'Nobody really loves me'
God says: I love you(John 3:16 & John 3:34 )

You say: 'I can't go on'
God says: My grace is sufficient(II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)

You say: 'I can't figure things out'
God says: I will direct your steps(Proverbs 3:5- 6)

You say: 'I can't do it'
God says: You can do all things(Philippians 4:13)

You say: 'I'm not able'
God says: I am able(II Corinthians 9:8)

You say: 'It's not worth it'
God says: It will be worth it(Roman 8:28 )

You say: 'I can't forgive myself'
God says: I Forgive you(I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)

You say: 'I can't manage'
God says: I will supply all your needs(Philippians 4:19)

You say: 'I'm afraid'
God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear(II Timothy 1:7)

You say: 'I'm always worried and frustrated'
God says: Cast all your cares on ME(I Peter 5:7)

You say: 'I'm not smart enough'
God says: I give you wisdom(I Corinthians 1:30)

You say: 'I feel all alone'
God says: I will never leave you or forsake you(Hebrews 13:5)

God is amazing

Earlier I posted about a situation where a close friend had been hurt and had cut me out of her life. It was a hard time as I don't like to not be liked. Everyday I had to choose to love her and not hold any grudges it was so hard some days. But I did in faith and prayed for her, never talked to any of the other ladies in the group about what she had done. Never said a bad word against her. Would not allow "justified hurts" as Nancy Missler puts it to take hold of me. (Nancy wrote the study "The way of Agape" which I am doing at the moment with a group of ladies)

Anyway after a few months she came back to playgroup and was so hurt. I kept praying for her and really felt God telling me to email her and welcome her back. I rang one of the pastors wives who also is my friend and ran it by her. So I emailed her and welcomed her back and told her how I loved her and how my heart broke thinking of her etc.... Well after 3 weeks of hearing nothing she came to playgroup said sorry hugged me and was so changed. God's timing is so different to ours. I think it is amazing that as I am doing this study I am also going through what the study is about. Maybe God is trying to teach me something lol:)

It will take a long time to build our relationship back, but we have reconciled so now God can work. I have also learnt a valuable lesson about not confusing the people who you minister to as your only confidants, I will now make sure I have relationships outside my ministry circle if that makes sense.

Now onto the Way of Agape if you have not done this study you, it is one worth doing. I am up to chapter 6 and it is great. Nancy teaches us about God's love and has such insights into it. I am seeing how shallow I am and what I thought I was doing out of Gods love I was doing out of human love. Hummm imagine how affective it would be out of God's love.

Update

It has been ages since I have posted or done anything with the online study, we have had a very hectic and sad Easter. During the Easter long weekend my sister in laws sister and 3 children were in a terrible car accident. Two of the children died (1 and 6 Year old) and the mother and 4 year old very badly injured. Looking back I can see the hand of God, even thought it has been a hard time he has been there. There are some great testimony's that have come out if it and I will post them soon. This is just an update post.

Lazy bum in my head

Yesterday I took a day off from the world, did not book anything in, did not go to the bible study I usually go to, did not ring anybody and I did not answer the phone (well no one rang which is really strange) maybe God knew I would not have the strength not to answer the phone and intervened. lol

After the last few challenging weeks it was so nice to take a day out. I went to spotlight with my youngest 2. We got some Easter things to make for Easter, then we went to the park for morning tea. As it turned out 2 ladies for playgroup were there so I did have some social chat with them. I did not do any house work, (and the world kept turning) which is really hard for me and the house was a mess. God has been challenging me to slow down a bit and listen to him and stop doing all the time. Funny thing is that is what the speaker spoke about on Thursday ladies night as well as raising children. I really struggle with being lazy my father use to say it to me a lot when I was a child and he never stopped working or doing things for the Church when I was a kid. I don't think he fully understands how it has impacted me. When he came to visit over Christmas he told me to slow down and not make his mistakes. He has overdone it and now has to rest. But how do you undo 30ish years of this??????? But I was not quite ready to hear that then.

Whenever I sit down I feel like I am lazy, I usually am doing something else if I am watch TV or talking on the phone. It drives my husband nuts that I can't sit still. I do really try but have a battle going on in my head the whole time. I do confess that I am alot better than I use to be, maybe some of my husbands laid back nature has rubbed off on me. Mess and clutter does not bother him, if I let it build up I get a little stressed.

A few weeks ago I finally worked out why I don't eat breakfast and lunch it is all tied up with this whole lazy issue. I feel that I am lazy if I set down to eat and I don't deserve to. It is funny I council mums all the time to take time out and smell the roses, eat properly etc... and yet I don't live my own words. That really has hit home lately. Our minds can be such strongholds, but through the grace of God we can overcome. The sad thing is we miss out on so many good things if we don't deal with these things.

I will keep posting about how the Lord walks me through this.