I fell down a step two weeks ago and sprained the soft tissues in my foot. The doctor told me to stay off it for three weeks. I suspect any mom of many will join me in laughing at such impossible advice. It's difficult to find time to sit down for a meal let alone for several hours at a time.
My wonderful mother didn't laugh. Instead, she jumped up the next morning at 3:30a and drove nine hours to come take care of my family of eight. For more than a week she did dishes, laundry, diaper duty, meal preparation, grocery shopping, and all other tasks involved in caring for six young children while I put my foot up and iced my sprain. I don't think she sat down the entire time she was here, but I was able to rest and let my foot heal . Hubby was able to go to work and did not have to use up every bit of leave we have left prior to baby number seven's arrival. I sure hope I will be such a help to my own children when they are adults and need assistance.
We took all six kids on a "field trip" to the World's Largest Aquarium in Atlanta, GA today. It was not what we had hoped. Granted, we went on a Saturday when the crowds are the worst. But no one had warned us that you are not supposed to take strollers into each exhibit area. There were so many people it was difficult for the kids to get close enough to the glass to see well. It was hard to keep up with our children in the midst of such a dense crowd (and most of the areas are dimly lit). And it was very tiring to have to carry the two youngest ode to the "no stroller" rule. Our five year old got "lost" for a couple of heart-stopping minutes, too. Hubby and I were not impressed, but the kids did enjoy themselves.
Advice to those wanting to visit a nice aquarium . . . go to Chattanooga, TN! The Aquarium in Chattanooga has wide open spaces for seeing all of the exhibits and strollers are convenient throughout the building. It's a wonderful place to take even very young children. I bet they won't even notice that it doesn't have a Beluga whale.
We tend to agree! This is the best frozen pizza we've found. Freschetta "PizzAmore" Take-Out Pizza with BAKE AND SERVE TRAY is really worth the $6. It's much cheaper than ordering from a chain and the bake and serve tray cooks the crust evenly. It's pre-sliced, too. Very Yummy!
Hubby was feverish and bedridden for five days last week with his first-ever case of the flu. I am now on day four and very ready for this to be over. My husband is caring for everyone and everything while I rest. Who knew I'd miss housework and caring for sick kids so much? This is not fun, but the Lord is sustaining us and we hope it will soon be over.
On a nice note, some ladies from church have graciously brought us food and gone grocery shopping for us. What a blessing church family can be in times of need!
Back in my "single" years when I read the commands to wives to "respect their husbands, love their children, and be workers at home" I would think how easy it sounded to answer that charge. I prayed, pined, and whined for the days that I could be a wife, homemaker, and mother. Now that I fill each of those roles I can say wholeheartedly that I love my life, I am thankful for everything the Lord has given me, and that I was a complete idiot to ever think it would be easy.
1 Corinthians 7:34 says "The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord,
that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world--how she may please her husband."
My advice to the unmarried . . . Make every effort to grow in the faith, develop homemaking skills, and serve in the Church. I had so much time to study Scripture, read theology, fellowship/serve within the Church, and to learn how to manage a home while single. I wish I had spent more time devoted to these things! On a financial level I would also encourage young women to use their earnings (and only if they are debt-free!) to buy lovely home furnishings and decor for their home and begin to practice the art of homemaking.
Once married, I had nine months and one week as a stay-at-home wife before our first child was born. I worked hard to learn how to iron, clean, cook, and make our little apartment a lovely home. My husband enjoyed at least one new recipe per week and usually came home to a three-course meal, often with flowers and candles on the table. I'm so thankful I had that time to devote to homemaking skills because once our daughter was born our lives became the whirlwind that they still are. (Hubby only has a vague memory of the days of coming home to a nice meal on the table. He also now does all his own ironing!) When our firstborn was four months old we were still trying to figure out the whole parenting thing and I was pregnant with baby number 2! My time and energy were stretched. It began to be very difficult to do my duties well and it started becoming very difficult to spend time alone in Bible study and prayer.
The newly released book "Passionate Housewives Desperate for God" says that a heavy burden placed on mothers at home is the mandate of a "quiet time." The authors encourage busy moms to pray when they can, and study Scripture as they are able, but to let go of the burden and guilt of not being able to devote 1/2 hour of uninterrupted quiet time each day to the Lord. I do feel guilt, and do believe it is vitally important to spend time in regular Bible Study and prayer. But I am also learning to utilize the times I am given without being angry when my planned "time alone" gets interrupted by a little one needing my attention. Praying in the shower is often now the only bulk of time I have alone to focus. I try to use the Lord's Prayer as an outline for my prayers to keep me undistracted by the zillions of thoughts about my day that creep in.
Most mornings I only have time to pray a desperate plea for HELP: "Lord, help me to respect my husband, love my children, and do my work for Your glory." Loving the kids, working at home, and respecting my husband is the hardest work I have ever done. I fail every single day as I sin and struggle in this high and holy calling. I am weak and dependent on the Lord for grace and strength to make it through each day. It is certainly sanctifying work! And I believe all things in life are given to Christians to make us sanctified, that we will be made more like Christ through each trial and each moment in our lives.
I double this recipe; the below is for two people:
1 1/2 cups cubed raw potatoes
1 1/2 cups cubed bologna (1/2 lb.)
2 tbsp. minced green pepper
1 can cream of celery soup
cheddar cheese slices (also works with American)
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients except cheese in a 1 1/2 qt. baking dish. Bake covered 1 hr. 15 min. Remove cover; top with cheese. Broil until bubbly and browned.
These are my husband's favorite leftovers to take to work for lunch. His co-workers love to make fun of this one!
My faith teaches me that the calling of Christian homemaker, wife, or mother is just as holy as one to "full-time ministry."
I am a mom of six children ages eight and under (plus baby number seven on the way) seeking and sharing helpful tidbits learned during this season of life. May we glorify and enjoy Him each day!
:o),
Moms4Psalms
