A Word of Wisdom

Since becoming a mum, I have encountered a barrage of new experiences beginning from the first trimester I was pregnant and felt car sick all of the time.

The number of times I have broken down in frustration, anger or just plain sleepiness are many, but I’ve discovered a little secret…well, not a secret so much as it is in the most popular book in the world.

I was just chatting to my mum today and relaying an experience I had with Seth after we had finished our months of travelling.  When we were settled in, I had the unpleasant task of getting Seth back into the habit of going to bed on his own and sleeping through the night.  Every night I would put him in his cot and he would cry for at least 10 minutes…which doesn’t seem like much, but every night I felt really bad about leaving him, and I didn’t want to keep putting him through the torment of mum leaving him in his cot.  Each night as I put him in bed I would say ‘I’m sorry honey, but its time for bed.  I know you don’t like, but it’s time for bed’ etc.  I was fed up, but something came to mind…

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.  But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. (James 1:5,6)

I remembered this verse and so said ‘Alright God, I’m lacking in some serious wisdom, so I’m asking, and trusting that you will give it to me in this situation.

I had done this several times previously and always seemed to sort something out after having this chat to God.  And so I asked and believed and suddenly it occurred to me.  I realized the way I spoke to Seth as I put him to bed was not helping the matter and so I changed my tone as I put him to bed that night.  I said ‘Seth you get to go to bed now you lucky boy.  I’m so proud of you, you are such a big boy going to bed’ etc.  He cried that night, but I was believing that God had given me wisdom and so I continued over the next couple nights to talk to Seth that way as I put him to bed, and now when I put him to bed he doesn’t cry, but just throws all the pillows and things out of his bed and then lays down and sings himself to sleep.

I thought I would share this on my blog because whether you are a mum or not and you need wisdom, I have found time and time again (most vividly with Seth because I become exasperated so many times) that God always gives me wisdom when I ask for it.

And be careful that when you ask for wisdom and then God gives it to you, you don’t say to God ‘never mind I figured it out’.

Love

Why is it that an incredible emotion like ‘love’, can become so ordinary when it relates to God.  Or perhaps I am the only one that thinks this way (that would be embarrassing).  Perhaps it is because I have begun to take it for granted.  Or maybe because the bible mentions it so often it has become ordinary?

Moments ago I read Philippians 1:9 which reads: And this is my prayer:  that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight…

Not that you would abound in knowledge and depth of insight, but that your love would. 

It’s a bit obvious in a way I suppose, but it stuck out to me so I’m sitting on it. '

(P.S. That’s the only place in the bible that I could find where love and knowledge/insight go together in this way)

Motherhood

There is an interesting phenomenon I’ve discovered about being a mum…I don’t always like it.  Part of it is caused by Seth going through what I like to call ‘mental growth’.  It makes me feel better about him behaving badly for a time and it doesn’t usually last too long.  It seems to be that his physical abilities surpass his mental capabilities for a time and he is just difficult.  Once his brain catches up he is easier to manage and I can breathe a sigh of relief.  The other thing I realized is that, although I love Seth very much, there isn’t much satisfaction in the day to day function of a stay at home mum.  I don’t seem to accomplish too much, and this is part of the reason I got into share trading.

It’s a funny thing share trading, because depending on who you talk to you, you get different comments.  I was never much into share trading and then all the sudden I was.  I couldn’t get enough of it.  I was reading books one after the other.  I just bought my first shares online yesterday and I’m excited about the possibility of adding to our family income.  And after I make my first million…that was a joke, not that I would mind making a mill from trading.

I’ve also found through my reading some very interesting concepts.  Like the difference between the way rich people see money and the way middle/lower class people see money.  Most middle/lower class ‘work very hard for their money’.  While the rich tend to find ways of ‘making their money work hard for them’.  I find this a fascinating concept and think its how Christians should look at money because we have a rich Father and it takes the power away from money.  I hate the way money controls people and makes them feel trapped.  That’s why Matt and I worked very, very hard to get out of debt as fast as we could. 

Well, now I’ve gotten way off the topic of motherhood, but those are my thoughts for the moment…albeit a little all over the place.