It’s almost the end of January!! The quote I wrote in my earlier entry https://crunchynat.wordpress.com/2013/01/01/happy-new-year-2013/ from Gretchen Rubin-The Happiness Project, “The days are long, but the years are short”, is very very true. Last night I reminded myself the four areas I would like to focus on throughout the year, which I pray there will be a greater change in my life to the better (more like Christ) within those areas: Time, Money, Talent, Relationships;
– TIME –
What does a full time mom do? Having been working since I was in uni, it did feel ‘weird’ at first to now stay at home and not earning money, and to not having any formal working hours. I even did googled “what housewife usually do” at the beginning I moved here hahaha… and the result is pretty much the same with one I’ve been doing now (and also by the “research chat” I did with my two housewifes besties in Singapore :P). So, that feeds my curiosity of this new role of mine being a housewife and full time mom. I try to use my time well and not to procastinate things (making calls, ironing clothes, etc haha..), and try to juggle things like cleaning up, cooking, educating Aimee, and other house chores (there are some ‘lazy days’ though :P). But the most important thing that I should give more emphasize on is, spending personal time with God.
One precious thing that I learn from the book “Real Moms, Real Jesus” by Jill Savage is that my ministry starts at home. Although it is at home, it does require whole amount of physical and emotional energy (There is NO day off for a full time mom! All hours are my “working hours” – 24 hours, 7 days a week- including middle of nights when Aimee wants milk).
A mother has always to serve, it’s the basic of the job description.
“Serving is giving. Spending time with God is receiving. When we spend time with God, we fill up until we are overflowing and it is out of the overflow that we are able to serve others” (Jill Savage)
I cannot serve my child and husband well if I did not draw the strength from being in God’s presence. In it, He grants me wisdom and strength to arrange in order things in my life like scheduling my time carefully so I still can have my rest well enough (tired body will indeed make me crankier in taking care of Aimee) while at the same time feeding me with His words so my spiritual life does not go weary and thin.
The challenge is (which I am very thankful, the similar one is also well explained by Jill in her book), to find that moment to talk with God when ‘ we can’t even barely go to the bathroom alone’. Some days I am passionate to know Him more and read His words, other day I feel flat and only take a few moment to really ponder on His words. But I know I must talk with God everyday. I know I can’t rely on Sunday service or FA (cell group fellowship every Friday night) merely to feed my soul, especially when now I always get distracted between maintaining my focus on listening to the sermon/sharing and keeping my eyes on Aimee (wish she could just sit calmy or sleep in her stroller instead of running around) —> Question: do other moms feel the same way? I feel in the end of sermons, sometimes what I only get is ‘bread crumbs’… 😦
So, in terms of times, I know the main focus and challenge is to use it wisely to talk with God, because it is source of my energy to running my home ministry.
Jill explains that we can have specific prayer time each day and you can talk to Him thoughout the day. She said some days she manage both kinds of conversations. Other days it’s one or the other. And on the other days that she doesn’t talk with God.. she knows it, the kids know it, and her husband knows it.
“Mommy’s so much of a better mommy when she spends time with Jesus”
Hahaha.. I may be laughing when I read her statement, but it is so true! This is a challenge for every godly mother.
For me, it’s hard for me to find a specific prayer time, to just sit still and pray. So far I only do the other way of the conversation with God, which is talking with Him throughout the day (when in shower, cooking, doing laundry, etc). Hiks.. God, please give me a hunger for determining and consecrating a specific prayer time with You in a closet…
Well, that’s it for now. I shall discuss the other three areas (Money, Talent, Relationship) in other three separates entries 🙂
ps: I post the front cover of Jill’s book just in case moms want to get one too (ordering online from Koorong or Amazone perhaps), it really blesses me 🙂
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