A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending Sally Clarkson’s Wholehearted Mother Conference & Retreat. As I've talked to other friends who attended and as I've read blogs (you know me and my guilty pleasure) of some women I know and some I don’t, it has amazed me that so many women could be sitting at the same conference and each would walk away with different key points pressed upon their hearts. The Lord truly meets us where we are!
Before I attended the conference, I thought I’d brush up on some of Sally’s teachings :) by rereading Mission of Motherhood. The chapter that spoke to me the strongest, in fact the one I couldn’t move past because I wanted to sit and soak it all in, is titled, The Servant Mother. The what?? Servant?? Is that what my life has come to? Choosing to be a servant-mother means willingly giving up myself, my expectations, and my time to the task of mothering – and choosing to believe that doing so is the best use of my time at that moment. p.68 Instead of looking at all of the interruptions, accidents, and such as intrusions on my time, I am learning to see them as moments to bless and serve my children, opportunities to model Christ’s graciousness, moments to teach them to be patient and forgiving. This theme continued, for me, throughout the conference. A few points that encouraged me in this: In the midst of the interruptions, there is a moment for planting…All of the little things build a legacy…Nothing that’s great that’s accomplished is ever accomplished easily…You can’t do it all, so make sure that what you’re doing is what God wants you doing…Be the servant leader, not just the person in charge…
The other thing that I kept hearing over and over again was to love my children as they are – individual and unique. I’ve struggled with this one for some time. My girls couldn’t be more different and I sometimes find myself comparing my younger one to my older one. I realize this isn’t fair and believe me, I love my girls equally, yet Anna sure keeps me on my toes! Some things I heard at the conference: Children are not educated unless you nurture their own creativity…Allow them to develop their own areas of interest…To influence their heart, you must give grace and love who they are…
I think I long ago crossed the line from musing to rambling. If there is anyone still reading, I leave you with one more Sally quote:
But it’s the way I respond to my children in everyday moments that gives me the best chance of winning their hearts. If I have integrity and patience in the small moments of life that are so important to my children, and if I approach them with a servant’s heart, then I have a far better chance of influencing them in the larger and more critical issues of life.
(And the next time you see me losing my cool during one of these “teachable” moments, please remind me that I wrote this post!)
Before I attended the conference, I thought I’d brush up on some of Sally’s teachings :) by rereading Mission of Motherhood. The chapter that spoke to me the strongest, in fact the one I couldn’t move past because I wanted to sit and soak it all in, is titled, The Servant Mother. The what?? Servant?? Is that what my life has come to? Choosing to be a servant-mother means willingly giving up myself, my expectations, and my time to the task of mothering – and choosing to believe that doing so is the best use of my time at that moment. p.68 Instead of looking at all of the interruptions, accidents, and such as intrusions on my time, I am learning to see them as moments to bless and serve my children, opportunities to model Christ’s graciousness, moments to teach them to be patient and forgiving. This theme continued, for me, throughout the conference. A few points that encouraged me in this: In the midst of the interruptions, there is a moment for planting…All of the little things build a legacy…Nothing that’s great that’s accomplished is ever accomplished easily…You can’t do it all, so make sure that what you’re doing is what God wants you doing…Be the servant leader, not just the person in charge…
The other thing that I kept hearing over and over again was to love my children as they are – individual and unique. I’ve struggled with this one for some time. My girls couldn’t be more different and I sometimes find myself comparing my younger one to my older one. I realize this isn’t fair and believe me, I love my girls equally, yet Anna sure keeps me on my toes! Some things I heard at the conference: Children are not educated unless you nurture their own creativity…Allow them to develop their own areas of interest…To influence their heart, you must give grace and love who they are…
I think I long ago crossed the line from musing to rambling. If there is anyone still reading, I leave you with one more Sally quote:
But it’s the way I respond to my children in everyday moments that gives me the best chance of winning their hearts. If I have integrity and patience in the small moments of life that are so important to my children, and if I approach them with a servant’s heart, then I have a far better chance of influencing them in the larger and more critical issues of life.
(And the next time you see me losing my cool during one of these “teachable” moments, please remind me that I wrote this post!)
2 comments:
I don't know if I was one you meant that had a different take on the conference but I felt ours were so similar! Your "middle" point I didn't mention but the other 2, I feel the same. LOVED your thoughts and YES, I kept reading!!
Yes, I kept reading. I enjoy both girls so much in such different ways. But, like you I have to catch myself because I don't want to give one more attention than I do the other. It amazes me that Anna has progressed so much this past year. She wanted to find a book that she could read to me, like Abigail was reading to papaw. In my opinion, you are the best mother I have ever seen, a much better mother than I was (I just got lucky with David). We are truly blessed to have you as a daughter-in-law. Memaw
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