Mommy Encouragement

I’ve been reading a book off and on recently that my dear sister-in-law gave me for Christmas called Delight-Full: 31 Days to a Happier Baby… And Wholehearted Motherhood by Kate E. Collins.

I’ve been very encouraged in my role as a mother and thought I would share a few quotes from a chapter I read recently that I found particularly helpful for the stage of life that I am in with our daughters.

When children reach the stage that they question rules and test limits, they are developing a character that is uniquely their own. They are seeking guidance from Mommy and Daddy in the only way they know how. By acting in ways that Mommas see as defiance, they are simply using their baby language to ask: “Are you going to take my hand and lead me ‘in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake (Psalm 23)?’ Will you teach me how to grow the fruits of self control and gentleness in my life? Do you love me enough to see this through?”…

Boundaries in the life of a child show them without words that we love our children too much to leave them to themselves to figure out how to grow up. The Bible teaches that a child left to himself brings his mother to shame…

Babies need Mommas who won’t give up on them when they have difficult days. Babies need Mommas who will carefully watch the makings of their hearts, helping them to cull the selfishness and the whininess and planting the seeds of grace and gentleness. Babies need Mommas who will help them to guard their hearts, for out of our hearts grow the true stuff of life (Proverbs 4:23)…

Christian Mommas need to be studiers of the hearts of our children. We need to discover what they’re “made of” and point them to the Lord– praising Him for their strengths, that they might bring glory to Him! And praising Him for their weaknesses, that they might be used to bring glory to Him as well (2 Corinthians 12:9)…

 

And just for fun, here are a few pictures of our girls…

Smile Big!!!

Thoughtful Fiona~

Trying on Mommy’s shoes!

Sitting next to a little snowman about a month ago…

Good-morning smiles!

Fun times together!!

Kisses from big sister- oh my!!

And to finish this post… a cute funny from Fiona: She told me this while having a bout of hiccups the other day, “I keep hicking up!” 🙂

Little Single Days

~Sunrise~

Recently I was talking with a friend from church about being worried about the future and what it might bring. We plan our trips to tournaments and clinics months in advance, and I was relaying to her how I feel like it is already the end of the year and it is only September! While I was unmarried, my family didn’t go on many trips, so we mostly planned things a month or so in advance. I’ve had to make the adjustment to planning things in advance with Samson’s coaching and tournament schedule. Now I am endeavoring to not worry about how I will go to a future tournament with two little ones. I love traveling with my husband and children! But let’s just say traveling with two under two can be somewhat interesting at times! 😉 Thankfully, we have family who have graciously offered their help, so I am blessed to have help coming our way. Reading this today was a fresh reminder to take each day as it comes, and to not worry about the future.

Little Single Days

(J.R. Miller, “Daily Bible Readings in the Life of Christ” 1890)

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each
day has enough trouble of its own!” Matthew 6:34

One reason which our Lord gives against anxiety for the future, is that we have
nothing to do with the future. God gives us life by days–little single days. Each
day has . . .
  its own duties, 
  its own needs, 
  its own trials and temptations, 
  its own griefs and sorrows.

God always gives us strength enough for the day. But if we insist on dragging in
tomorrow’s cares and piling them on top of today’s cares–our strength will not be
enough for the load. God will not give additional strength–just to humor our whims
of worry and distrust.

So the lesson is, that we should keep each day distinct–and attend strictly to
what it brings to us. Charles Kingsley says:”Do today’s duty, fight today’s
temptation–and do not weaken and distract yourself by looking ahead to things
which you cannot see, and could not understand if you saw them.” We really have
nothing at all to do with the future–except to prepare for it, by doing the duties
of today with fidelity.

No one was ever crushed by the burdens of one day. We can always get along with our
heaviest load–until the sun goes down. Well, that is all we ever have to do.
Tomorrow? Oh, you may have no tomorrow; you may be in Heaven. If you are here–God
will be here too, and you will receive new strength sufficient for the new day.

“As your days–so shall your strength be!” Deuteronomy 33:25

Morning Dedication

While doing my devotions the other day I read from The Valley of Vision, which is a collection of Puritan prayers and devotions. The prayer challenged me to live a life each day of holiness unto my beloved Father and King. May it also inspire you to holy living.

Morning Dedication

ALMIGHTY GOD,

As I cross the threshold of this day

I commit myself, soul, body,

affairs, friends, to thy care;

Watch over, keep, guide, direct, sanctify, bless me.

Incline my heart to thy ways;

Mould me wholly into the image of Jesus,

as a potter forms clay;

May my lips be a well-tuned harp

to sound thy praise;

Let those around see me living by thy Spirit,

trampling the world underfoot,

unconfirmed to lying vanities,

transformed by a renewed mind,

clad in the entire armour of God,

shining as a never-dimmed light,

showing holiness in all my doings.

Let no evil this day soil my thoughts, words, hands.

May I travel miry paths with a life pure from spot

or stain.

In needful transactions let my affection

be in heaven,

and my love soar upwards in flames of fire,

my gaze fixed on unseen things,

my eyes open to the emptiness, fragility,

mockery of earth and its vanities.

May I view all things in the mirror of eternity,

waiting for the coming of my Lord,

listening for the last trumpet call,

hastening unto the new heaven and earth.

Order this day all my communications

according to thy wisdom,

and to the gain of mutual good.

Forbid that I should not be profited

or made profitable.

May I speak each word as if my last word,

and walk each step as my final one.

If my life should end today,

let this be my best day.

The Ministry of Little Things

A book that I have found very encouraging during my unmarried years has been In My Father’s House, A Vision for Daughters Selected and Edited by Tamara S. Valine & Naomi Joy Valine. A chapter in the book is titled The Ministry of Little Things from which I have borrowed my blog title. Surely in the midst of a busy schedule and trying to care for a household it is easy to get distracted and loose sight of our ministry as women in the little things of life. I hope this quote from the book inspires you in your role, whether you are a mother running a busy household or a young lady serving your family in your father’s home, to be about the ministry of the little things in life.

To the ministry of little things every woman is called. Old or young, rich or poor, each has her sweet mission of bringing blessing to the lives of others by her own gentle thought and kindly deed in things seemingly small and of little moment.

The life that is guided by the motive to do all “to the glory of God” will look above to its Lord and Master for power to perform little duties, bear little cares and strive against little sins; and conscious that in the decoration of the person or of a room it is the little finishing touches which give elegance and grace, and in like manner it is the adorning of our profession as Christians the little things that make or mar the beauty of holiness, nothing will be treated as too small or trivial to be of importance when the heart and life discipline and training are concerned.

This reminds me of the passage in Matthew that says the following: “Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Matthew 16:24-25

The chapter on the ministry of little things ends this way,

“Scorn not the smallness of daily endeavour,

Let the great meaning ennoble it ever;

Droop not o’er efforts expended in vain,

Work as believing that labour is gain.”

May the Lord enable you to minister to your family in the little things of life.