Wednesday's Word

I've been wanting to get a day of the week where I post about something specific each week. Well, thanks to my new Bible study, I figured it out. I wanted to try and be a little more inspirational, use less talk about "oh the fun we had!" and cease the poop talk. (See previous post.) It's a "new" year at our church, so I just started Mom's Club headed up by Mary Tabb. In my first day I have been inspired enough to do a weekly post about something I gained from her teaching. So here goes...

Luke 1:26-38

The Birth of Jesus Foretold
In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"

The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God."

"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.

Things I gathered, took notes on, etc:

1. I am blessed to be called to the motherhood of A.E. and H.J.. Not just blessed to be a mother, but blessed to be their mother. (It's in His plan.)
2. I have been chosen specifically for them. No one else can do what I need to do with, for, and because of them.
3. I should not be afraid. Mary's response was "she was greatly troubled". Thankfully she was talking to an angel who let her know she was close with God and he had her back!
4. FEAR NOT. I'm repeating this lesson because we all need to heed it! It's so hard. Don't you think?
5. I should use "spirit-led parenting". That means if I listen to the Holy Spirit in manners of raising my children, I will not go astray.
6. With God, nothing is impossible.
7. We can find a fellowship unique with other women who are mothers. Use your resources. Don't pretend it's all alright. Ask questions. Listen to other moms' advice, worries, and wonders.
8. The Holy Spirit can help you name your child! If you're having a debate with your husband, just tell him an angel came to see you and told you to name him, Fill in Name Here. (A joke, but pretty funny to think she and Joseph didn't have to have the discussion since an angel told him to name Him Jesus, too. Matthew 1:20-21) I had to look that up! Wow, I just learned something! Woo-who, the brain's a-working!

My favorite gold-star point:
Mary accepted the position of mother first. She didn't think about being a mom to the King, a Savior, the Son of God, the Truth, the Way, the Light of the World, the everlasting Lord. She thought about being a mom. She thought, "How can I, a virgin, be a mother?" Despite society's view of her, a betrothed woman, but not yet married, she accepted that she was to be a mom. Then she went to visit her cousin, Elizabeth. What comfort she must have felt when, as soon as she got there, the angel's words were proven true! She had to accept God's word and trust and believe Him. How often I forget that my parenting/mothering skills will develop over time as my relationship with Him grows. My relationship with Him will impact my relationship with my children. I seem to miss that point when my children won't eat, won't get in the car, won't leave the playground, won't stop the hissyfit, won't Fill in the Blank.

So I have some changing to do. Don't we all? No matter where you are in motherhood, maybe you're not even married yet, our relationship with God will be reflected in our relationships with those around us. Yikes! Are you as close, as honoring, and as loving as you should be? To God? To your husband, wife? To your children? To your parents? To your friends? To your co-workers? It makes me want to cry to think of where I could be had I not met my husband when I did, but it makes me happy to think of where we're going. You coming? Maybe I'll see you there!

Post Script: If you were there today with me, please feel free to comment, add on, disagree, etc. I love to get comments. It lets me know someone is reading!