A Mother's Prayer

This post is a devotion I gave for a baby shower.  The young mother is waiting for her firstborn to be introduced to this world.  I've blanked out the personal references to her (names).  I thought maybe other moms could relate to that unique experience of becoming a mom for the first time.

There are no written, step-by-step instructions for raising and caring for a newborn.  What you do to stop crying at one time, may not be what is needed or will work the next time.

Every baby is unique.  You will respond to  your child in a unique way that may not be how I would respond, or how your mom would respond, or how your sisters would. You will have an emotional/physical attachment to your baby that is truly unique to you and him; that’s why the old saying has truth in it: mother knows best.

That doesn’t mean you won’t be full of questions, anxieties, or fears about whether what you are doing is best or not.    You are not alone as a mother. You can seek counsel, guidance, old-fashioned help from other women: your mom, your sisters, your church family, even your doctor.

But first, during, and after those questions or anxieties are addressed, ask God to tend to your heart and your needs.   There’s a whole lot of crying that goes on in a house with a new baby, and it’s not just the baby that’s doing all of it!   So when you ask the question to yourself or to others: What do I do when . . .

Accompany and cover your questions in prayer. PRAY!

Pray for yourself and your husband as parents, as I know you are already doing and for your children, even right now as you await the arrival of little ‘Jack’.

Pray for daily grace, energy, peace, patience, wisdom, love—basically, the fruit of the spirit: Gal:5:22: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Pray for your child: his growth physically, his growth spiritually, his life in the Lord, his calling in the Lord, his purpose in your life, his purpose in God’s kingdom.

Nothing is too small or too big to ask the Lord to handle:

One more dirty diaper: pray for perserverance

Loads of laundry threatening to overtake the house: pray for energy and patience

Conflicting needs of your son and your husband: Pray for wisdom, love, and graciousness

Another sleepless night: pray for peace and a quiet heart

Anxiety about the baby: pray for peace and wisdom

Just plain tired, tired, tired: Pray for strength that only God can give.

Pray the Word of God:

 I Peter 5:7          Cast all your anxieties on Him because He care for you.

I John 4:18          There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out all fear.

Psalm 46:1-2       God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives, way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, Though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.

Isaiah 40:29-31  He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.

Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men(women) shall fall exhausted; But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;

They shall mount up with wings like eagles;

They shall run and not be weary;

They shall walk and not grow faint.

Matthew 6:34    Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (or, Every day has enough trouble of its own.) (NIV)

Phil. 4:11b-13     …for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the

Secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.  I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH HIM WHO STRENGTHENS ME.

When you pray and leave all your fears, worries, frustrations, and troubles at the throne of grace, your perspective changes, even if your circumstances don’t.  You will receive the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and you will be equipped to know what is needed and what you must do.   Jesus says: Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:29-30

There are three women in the Bible whom I especially admire and marvel at their sacrificial love for their children.  One of them is Moses’ mother who is only briefly mentioned (and I will only briefly mention her).  I admire her because she tried to save her son, and then nursed him for Pharaoh’s daughter.  She had possibly 3 or 4 years to teach him about who the true God is and who he was as a child of God before he was raised in the Egyptian royal court.  It comforts me to know that the Lord uses every moment we have with our children to prepare them for the life they will be called to live.

 I want us to look briefly at two mothers who prayed to God.  One mother is Hannah, who prayed that she would be allowed to become a mother.  Her longing was fulfilled, her prayers answered.  She gave birth to Samuel, and dedicated him to the Lord as she had promised to God.  She knew her son was not really hers, but given to her by God, to be used by Him for His good purposes. Her prayer was a prayer of praise and thanksgiving to the God of Israel who heard her humble desires and exalted her by making her a mother. 

The other mother is Mary, the mother of Jesus.  Her circumstances were very different from Hannah’s.  She did not pray to become a mother; she wasn’t even a wife yet!  But she listened to what God told her she would become, the mother of the Saviour, and she responded in faith and obedience, praying a prayer of praise and thanksgiving, just like Hannah.

Both of these mothers prayed before their children were born and after.  They both accepted that their sons would be raised and nurtured by them for only a short time.  They both knew that God had appointed the birth and life of their sons.  Their sons were not theirs, but God’s.  They both put aside any fears they had (remember that Hannah lived during the time of the judges when ‘everyone did what was right in his own eyes’; and that Mary was visited by angels and told, ‘do not be afraid’; she also throughout Jesus’ life ‘treasured up these things, pondering them in her heart’).

As we read these prayers, notice the similarities between them.  See the themes of praise and rejoicing, the adoration of God as mighty and holy, the attributes of God’s mercy and strength, and the personal feeling each woman expressed as being chosen by God to give birth as they recognized their own humble condition that was exalted by God. 

Hannah’s Prayer

 I Samuel 2:1-10

And Hannah prayed and said,

“My heart exults in the Lord;

my horn is exalted in the Lord.

My mouth derides my enemies,

because I rejoice in your salvation.

2 “There is none holy like the Lord:

for there is none besides you;

there is no rock like our God.

3 Talk no more so very proudly,

let not arrogance come from your mouth;

for the Lord is a God of knowledge,

and by him actions are weighed.

4 The bows of the mighty are broken,

but the feeble bind on strength.

5 Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,

but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger.

The barren has borne seven,

but she who has many children is forlorn.

6 The Lord kills and brings to life;

he brings down to Sheol and raises up.

7 The Lord makes poor and makes rich;

he brings low and he exalts.

8 He raises up the poor from the dust;

he lifts the needy from the ash heap

to make them sit with princes

and inherit a seat of honor.

For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's,

and on them he has set the world.

9 “He will guard the feet of his faithful ones,

but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness,

for not by might shall a man prevail.

10 The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces;

against them he will thunder in heaven.

The Lord will judge the ends of the earth;

he will give strength to his king

and exalt the horn of his anointed.”

Mary’s Prayer

Luke 1:46-55

And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,

47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.

For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,

and holy is his name.

50 And his mercy is for those who fear him

from generation to generation.

51 He has shown strength with his arm;

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;

52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones

and exalted those of humble estate;

53 he has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

54 He has helped his servant Israel,

in remembrance of his mercy,

55 as he spoke to our fathers,

to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

Consider and reflect on these prayers as you pray for your new gift from God and your new calling as a mother.   Remember as these women did, that God is using you for His glory even as He hears your prayers and answers them in His perfect timing and will.

Math Poem

The Higher Mathematics

Songs of Education: G.K. Chesterton

Form 339125, Sub-Section M

Twice one is two,Twice two is four,
But twice two is ninety-six if you know the way to score.
Half of two is one,
Half of four is two,
But half of four is forty per cent. if your name is Montagu:
For everything else is on the square
If done by the best quadratics;
And nothing is low in High Finance
Or the Higher Mathematics.

A straight line is straight
And a square mile is flat:
But you learn in trigonometrics a trick worth two of that.
Two straight lines
Can't enclose a Space,
But they can enclose a Corner to support the Chosen Race:
For you never know what Dynamics do
With the lower truths of Statics;
And half of two is a touring car
In the Higher Mathematics.

There is a place apart
Beyond the solar ray,
Where parallel straight lines can meet in an unofficial way.
There is a room that holds
The examiner or his clerks,
Where you can square the circle or the man that gives the marks.
Where you hide in the cellar and then look down
On the poets that live in the attics;
For the whole of the house is upside down
In the Higher Mathematics.

Math Problems

Why does math seem to be such a challenge for students of Body of Christ Academy?  And for the teacher, as well?  My math teaching journey is far from over, and I know that I've stumbled along the way, but I hope that when I arrive at the end, the reward will be worth it.
I've studied many different math philosophies or approaches to teaching math.  I've used many different methods to teach a particular concept.  I've used numerous curriculums over the years, and I've come to at least one conclusion:  understanding the language of math is fluid--one student may understand it one day, and not the next.  A student may feel a sense of accomplishment because he 'gets it', or his anger may flare and he may rant and rave that 'this is stupid and I'm not going to do it anymore!' So far, I haven't had a student who said, 'can we do one more lesson, Mom?' But there have been some 'ah-ha' moments as the light goes on and comprehension reigns over a concept.
I am enjoying teaching math this year.  It's my second time (really my third if you count my own high school math experience) through Geometry and my third time teaching Algebra I.  I can't say that my students enjoy it, but I feel more confident as a teacher that they are learning, slowly but surely.  I hope my confidence will seep into their consciences so they can see that math isn't awful, and may even be fun at times.
I know I am not teaching math geniuses, but the logic and order of math seems to appeal to me and my students. We can see logically the how and why of math.  It's like making sense of a foreign language. As I reminded one of my students today, math brings order and logic to what would be chaos without it.  God is a God of math; He gave us math as a gift.  We should be thankful for this gift (at this point, eyes are rolling at me with expressions of 'oh brother, mom!').  Being thankful for the 'discipline' of math would be a reward this teacher sees as a worthy goal for her students to attain.

Quote of the week

Here's the quote of the week from Body of Christ Academy:

The geometry student, as she looks through her reading assignment in Geometry, bemoans to her teacher:
"I thought you said I don't have to understand it!". 

Love Letters

Sept.26,2012

Yesterday was my anniversary.  Not my wedding anniversary, but the anniversary of Bryan and my engagement.   Bryan remembers the date and wishes me a happy anniversary most of the 23 years since we were engaged. My wish from him yesterday was a text message because we were both so busy with the day
As if remembering the date of our engagement wasn't romantic enough, today he sent me a letter holding a memory of the past and a reminder that God sovereignly appoints the person who will become flesh of our flesh and bone of our bone.
You know a letter from your husband is going to be a treasure to keep when you begin reading it with a laugh and a smile and end reading it with tears streaming down your face--sweet tears of joy, blessing, and thankfulness.
You know your husband is pouring out his heart  and cares about the condition of yours when he stops periodically in his narrative to tell you to 'be patient,' to remind you that what he just wrote happened 'before I met you', and to prepare you for the gush of love and tears by stating parenthetically, 'Here is where the love note really takes off'.
You know your husband is the one and only man who God has blessed you with when he calls you 'mesmerizingly beautiful'.  He counts the days we have been married (8,152--he actually counted!) as days of great joy because we are together.
I regret to say that the letters Bryan and I wrote to each other when were apart the summer before we were engaged are long gone.  I cherish the notes and letters he sends me now.  I still have a check for a million dollars he wrote to me before we were married that was postmarked 10 years into the future--he wanted to share everything with me--and the check reminds me of his romantic way of telling me.
Now I keep the notes, cards and letters from him, but I don't need a note every day (although we do write to each other almost every day) to know that God's gift to me in my husband is to be treasured as long as we live.

Moms Don't Take Vacations

When a mom goes away and leaves children home, a part of her hopes that said children will keep things neat and tidy, clean up after themselves, and generally run the house the way she does. That part of mom--we'll call her 'manager mom', wants to come home to a clean house so she can pick up her duties without a back log of work.
But another side of moms is the sub-conscious, quiet side of mothers who miss their children, miss their home, miss cooking for the family, miss being in charge of who goes where when and how.  That part of mothers--we'll call her 'sentimental mom' knows--feels--instinctively--that not every thing will be done according to manager mom's plans--and secretly relishes that fact.  She knows that no one child (or even serveral) can do the work of manager mom and she's glad, even if she does not care to admit it to her family.
When sentimental mom gets home and sees piles of dirty clothes waiting to be washed, she knows it means her laundering duties are vital to the family.  When she sees leftover food in the fridge from the day before she left for a 6-day absence, she realizes that her daily reminders are necessary for smooth household routines.
Manager mom is glad and even proud of how well her children managed without her.  She hears reports from others about how responsible they are, what a delight they were to those who helped care for them while mom and dad were gone.  She know they can manage on their own, that they are responsible for themselves, each other, the dog and the house and she feels blessed by their maturity.
Sentimental mom hears the tired tones in the nightly calls to home, though.  She understands the weary, exasperated spirit behind the complaint, "I'm ready to kill our dog, mom. She's been barking every night and early every morning!"
Being the keeper of the house and schedule is hard work.  Sentimental/Manager mom knows it.  She gets tired and weary, exasperated and ready to quit sometimes, too.  Both Sentimental and Manager mom are glad to be home, back on the job (no matter how back-logged it is), ready to get to work caring for her family in person again.

God's will worked out

God takes us right where we are and moves us along to where He wants us.  It doesn't matter to Him (it seems to hinder us, but not Him) that we are bogged down in a particular sinful tendency--pride, selfishness, anger bitterness, fear, etc.  He carries us along step by step down the path He has for us.  And as He does this, He teaches us through blessed circumstances or dire consequences what He would have us to learn.  He conforms us to His image. 
This week I witnessed this training-image conforming firsthand.  I watched the transforming power of the Holy Sipirit at work on one of God's own.  
I know I'm supposed to be sad that my son has gone to college. I'm not saying I'm not --sad that is--but I'm also rejoicing over it.  No, it's not because he is my HMO (high maintenance offspring) and I'm glad to get rid of him--far from it.  I'm already wondering how I'm going to sleep tonight without hearing the familiar 'thump, thump,' of his stereo overhead.
I rejoice because I witnessed God's hand and His plan this week guiding and directing, comforting, encouraging, and blessing both Justin and his parents.
On our trip up north to college, there were anxieties fueled by the unknown: unknown roommate, unknown college, unknown church, unknown professors.  As information unfolded through daily events the unknown took the form of blessing.  There was confimation of the decision to go to this particular college and study a particular major.  Over and over again God confirmed what had been planned and prayed over for months.
Answer to prayers were positive and profound: a roommate who seems a well-suited personality, a school that recognizes what freshmen face, a church community that includes professors who teach in Justin's field of expertise.  The Lord showed us this week that He cares about all the details and deals with our anxieties by revealing His plan as we need it. In our weakness He is strong to lead and guide.  Whether we succeed or fail, are blessed or disciplined or tried (which may also bring blessing), we know that God's plan is worked through us to accomplish His will for us.
That is why I am happy about Justin going away.  How sad can I be when I know that God has him exactly where He should be?
I know God is working in Justin His good will for him.  I know that when I am anxious or sad, He will remind me of His purposes for Justin.  He calls me to pray for Justin and I will (and have) as he faces new challenges that will mature and strengthen his faith.
This is a new beginning for Justin and an exciting (if somewhat scary) time of adjustment for all of us.  I don't want to look back but forward as I am excited to see how the Lord uses these new experiences to grow His child in His image.