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Got Compassion? – It’s Not Only For The Road!

Am I That Good Samaritan?

I’m reading in Luke 10 right now and it’s very convicting. The part about the traveler who was beaten by robbers. And how others walked right by him while the Samaritan stopped to help, brought him to a shelter, nursed his wounds, plus paid for his recovery! I must ask – how often do I actually have that attitude? A mind-set that stops what I’m doing and actually see another’s pain? And then sacrifices my time and energy to “do” something to help?

Luke tells us that the Samaritan “felt compassion” for the injured man. It’s pretty easy to feel compassion for the truly poor and beaten of the world. The ones who have had a house burn or taken by a tornado. Or who’ve lost a loved one. But, amidst all those raw emotions, we must ask ourselves, “Do I take the next step to help, or do I walk on by?”.

Is My Family Lying Naked and Beaten?

But the tough question that’s rolling through my mind today is, “Am I feeling that kind of compassion in my own family – for each person’s need or pain?”. How easy it is (and important) to send a check to the orphans or bring a meal to a person in need – but – are we meeting the needs in our own home? Are we offering a place of acceptance, rest, and provisions for recovery to a child or husband in pain?

The trouble with seeing the real pain in our own family is that we are probably a part of that pain. It’s oftentimes our pain, and our reaction to their pain, that causes other members of our family to be in pain, or to be unable to heal!

Oh what a tangled web….and… guilty as charged.

Am I Martha or Mary?

So, I know I’m to be that good Samaritan, but how easy it is to ignore those right in my own house. My husband. My children. How often am I so busy being Martha, that I ignore those right in front of me? As moms, our days are so filled with preparing meals or washing clothes or (gulp) reading blogs to learn how to do all of this well, that we don’t even see who each of our family members is or what they struggle with?

I find it interesting that the Mary/Martha story is right after the Good Samaritan story in Luke! Could it be that Jesus knew we’d start helping the needy and forget to do the ‘necessary’ thing? Let’s not forget. Jesus said “few things are necessary, really only one, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

Martha was busy doing while Mary was sitting at Jesus feet, listening. I am encouraged to take that stance today. Sitting at my Saviour’s feet, listening to His teaching, and really taking time to hear just what He is telling me to do. It’s so easy to just begin the ‘doing’ part and forget the listening part. And that part is so important, as it tells us what the necessary ‘doing’ is!

So, as wives and mothers, let’s begin to listen. And I believe that as we really listen, we’ll begin to see the needs around us. And those needs start right within our four walls! Begin to heed Jesus’ words to “love your brother as yourself”. Who is your closest brother?! And begin pouring water on those wounds…

“Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?” And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” And Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.” Luke 10:36-37

A Month of Travel & Grand-baby Number Five!

By livingabovethenoise

To those of you who might be wondering if I still walk this planet, I thought I’d better catch you up to date!

Life’s been a whirlwind this last month, as I’ve been away from home for most of five weeks, traveling back and forth between our new home and our old home state. I’m ready to be out of the car for awhile!

My activities in October:

two friend-filled Family Camps
a welcome visit from our daughter who’s attending Eric Ludy’s Ellerslie in Colorado. She was such a sport! She only got to spend two days of her three weeks getting to know her new home! (We moved while she was at school.)
moving even more of our belongings to our new home
a quick trip home to help my family sell their handmade items and my Scentsy warmers at our local War Eagle Craft Fair. I raised $270 for Danita’s Children from my sales!
and in the middle of all that, I became a grandmomma to number five, little Vincent!

Blessings abound!

Baby #2 to Daughter #1, Grandchild #5!

Most of October was spent at my daughter’s, waiting and waiting while she went in and out of labor with her second child. Alas, no progress, and another c-section for her. That’s quite discouraging, with her being a home-birth midwife! And for the last two weeks we’ve been helping with their transition to two children in the home, recovery from major surgery, plus dealing with viruses attacking right and left. We’re home again, but our 19 year old daughter stayed behind to be “Auntie Nanny” for a few weeks longer!

The purpose and joy of being a woman is summed up in caring for family!

Then she said, “Behold, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her gods; return after your sister-in-law. ”But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Ruth 1:15-16

Invincible – In Christ Alone!

By livingabovethenoise

You know, the older I get, the more I find that I’m not as invincible as I once thought. Yep, I’m ‘vincible’! Okay, so I looked it up, and it’s not a word – but hey, people are making up words all the time. So today, I’m vincible!

I’ve found that my old successes in life were, of course, ordained by my Father in Heaven, and yet, they were founded in my “old man”. They were the product of self. And they were fashioned by my hands with my goals in mind. Oh, how I loved to create things and make myself, my home, and my family just the way I desired them to be! I was born of the seed of man and raised in the hotbed of the feminist revolution.

My mother was part of the first generation that purchased dinners in a box and sung jingles to remind themselves that they could ‘bring home the bacon’ and be their own woman. And so my life was forged in a home that taught me to be strong, be courageous, and never be dependent on anyone. Yep, not even a man – especially a man. Yikes, that’s a difficult place to come from when you enter the Kingdom of God!

Still In Training

Well, I’ve had over twenty years to learn my Lord’s ways. And I can definitely speak of the wonders of finally letting go and letting Him rule my life. (Well, in many areas of my life – but I’m still in training, like we all are.) And it is the most wonderful place to be!

Can I tell you the trick to get there? Can I give you 12 steps to freedom in Christ?….

That’s a big NO……

….for God will use various ways to bring us to our knees and before His throne! But I can tell you how to begin to see the fruit of a life lived for Him and not yourself.

Daily, hourly, constantly – devote yourself to prayer and being in His presence. Oh, I know, you’re probably saying – “but I’m so busy,” or “but I have children underfoot all day,” or “but my husband doesn’t help and my minutes are overbooked!”. But – but – but……

Oh, my friend, I’ve been there. The “buts” have filled my vocabulary over the years – to the point of missing God’s best for my life, my marriage, and my family.

All I can say is, stop making excuses:

For not being in the Lord’s presence.
For not praying while you change that diaper, or drive to work, or help your ailing parent.
For believing that you can make your world, your home, your marriage, your children – better than God can.

With God all things are possible. But the key word there is – with God! Trust Him for the outcome of your obedience.

Severe Mercy

I spent so many years thinking that because I went to church, read my Bible most days, had great discussions with my Christian friends, and interacted with fellow homeschoolers, all things would be possible. Yes, our life is wonderful because of those activities, and they gave our family a great foundation. And yet – only with the power, the foundation, and the confidence of being imbedded in Christ, united to my God, and relying on the Holy Spirit – are all things truly possible!

So what am I saying? Take each day and give it to God. Take each moment and seek to find what God is doing In it! You’ll be surprised to find Him there, urging you to know Him better. You’ll someday be glad to know that the pain, discouragement, or frustration you suffer is actually a wonderful, “severe mercy” that draws you closer to Him.

And, of course, that’s His goal. He wants you to kneel before His throne, leaning on His strength, depending on His counsel. Daily, hourly, constantly!

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:14-19

Building Up Without Burning Out – Growing Children Into Adults – Part Three

By livingabovethenoise

Hopefully you’ve read my posts Part One and Part Two of this series.

We’ve covered:

simplifying home education to avoid burn out
the freedom to learn from various adventures and interests
and the innumerable knowledge, lessons, and skills learned from those activities!

But what about……

Educational Requirements?

Now I know what you might be asking! How do you stay on track with the necessary educational requirements? How do you fit them in? Our family sees the “Big 3” – reading, writing, arithmetic as fundamental for all ages. Along with Bible, of course. We add in and basic history and science to wet their interest and give them a foundation. Then come the basic high school requirements – science, history, higher math, along with adding knowledge to their ‘bents’ and interests..

We use an assortment of curriculum I’ve found to be my favorites. I’ve created a family resource that is a K-12 list of all the yearly textbooks/workbooks/reading materials which are the foundations of our children’s schooling. But they don’t rule us. I rule them! Profound, huh?!

For example, if we’re working on a remodel project or taking a trip for a CW reenactment, that adventure becomes the mainstay of education for those weeks or months. We try to have the kids do math, spelling, and Bible most days when we’re busy on a project or adventure. This doesn’t always work, but having it as a goal helps to keep them from falling behind in the basics. During spare time they read textbooks or literature early in the morning, or during car travel. Believe it or not, they choose to get up early to do their “school” so they can have the rest of the day for real life!

Life Is Our Classroom

I believe we’ve lost the understanding that life is our classroom. Yes, we need the basics, but understanding those basics is wrought in the real life activities we use them for! I’ve seen my adult children prove their capability even though they haven’t done “school” like others we know. They are proving through their life that they “got” the lessons – both the textbook lessons and the real-life lessons!

So going back to the question about managing school and real-life. You just don’t let textbooks, and what educational “professionals” suggest, dictate your day! You decide what you and your children want to really learn about. Just be sure it isn’t the latest movie or video game!

Meeting Needs Without Burning Out

Now for the last question –

“In short, what is the best way to meet everyone’s individual needs, without mom and dad burning out?”

I guess the answer to that lies in how you, as a parent, view your life. We moms spend the majority of our time meeting the needs of our family. But, we each have our own view of our life and our role as ‘mom’. Some women know what they want and make their family adjust to their plan. Others are more free in what their day looks like and flex more. Your personal views will affect how each of you gets burnt out.

The first mom gets “burned out” when she doesn’t meet her schedule, or have her clean home, or get to her church Bible study. And the second mom gets “burned out” when she says yes a hundred times in one day, or she can’t find the baby in the pile of laundry in the living room. Each mom has different needs and so the “burn out” stems from differing catalyst.

The real answer to that question will be found in searching your heart and your personality.

What makes you tick?
What “gets your goat”?
What do you need to thrive?
What should you avoid to keep from going buggy?

And don’t feel like you’re being selfish! God made each of us to function best in certain ways, you know, right brain/left brain, organizer/flexible.

In answering these questions and really taking time to “consider your ways” you can find a rhythm that works for you! Just remember – what works for one family, won’t necessarily work for another. My willingness to sew quilts, breed goats, dress in 1860’s attire, or remodel our home may not work for you. And that’s okay! The reality is that I didn’t always want to do those things either! But there are ways to make even the things you dislike doing work for your children and their interests.

Compromise Benefits Everyone!

Here’s a few examples of ways we worked out a compromise.

I’ve sat through many a music lesson, while my heart’s desire was to be home. Our daughter who plays the harp had a two hour drive to lessons. We decided upon a lesson every two weeks to avoid me being gone from our other children so often.
I’ve driven my boys (when they were 12-16) to mow properties in our area, but as soon as our son turned 16 he got his license so I wouldn’t have to drive them. Our other children waited to get their licenses because of cost, lack of need, and a desire to have them grow in maturity before getting behind the wheel.
All those Civil War reenactments were often taxing on my energy, especially when I had to nurse in a corset! Yep! But when we’d be driving back home, I knew it was all worth it. The family time, the lessons learned, the light shed. And my helpful husband sometimes took the children while I stayed home for a quiet weekend.

So I guess it’s just a matter of finding the balance. And isn’t that the thing about life? Every day is a lesson. Every year we know more. One year we swing one direction in our opinions or ideas, and the next God brings us to the opposite side of the pendulum to reveal something new!

So this year, discover something new with your children! – You’ll learn about yourself. – You’ll learn about each child. – And you’ll discover more of God.

Enjoy the journey!

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philipians 4:6

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