Wednesday, July 20, 2011

What's A Girl To Do?

As my last week of school is finishing up before I graduate, I have been pondering the future. So many people have been asking me, “So what are you going to do now?” I’ve had many suggestions from well-intending folks, like teaching school or working an office job or joining the Marines (yeah, that one was a little far out...it gave me a good laugh though!) 
Faced with all of these questions and suggestions, the possibilities for my life have been weighing heavily on my mind. What am I going to do? 
First off, graduating from college does not change my God-given purpose and role as a woman. I am still called to be a keeper at home. (Titus 2:5, 1 Timothy 5:14) And I will continue in this role, college or no college. Although I am unmarried, I am still a woman (whew!). And the Lord has given me a place where I can serve my dad and mom here in our home. This confuses many people...and they view me as a lazy, selfish person, who has no goals of her own and is content to mooch off of her parents until they kick her out of the house. I ain’t no saint...but that is definitely not the case! :) I have my moments of laziness and selfishness to be sure (ask my sister, Carley!!), but being at home causes me to be anything but idle. 
What do you do at home anyways?
I am my Mom’s “second hand man” if you will. My dad is the head of our home of course, but he is not a mirco-manager, so my mother is the one who runs the details of our home. She and I are very similar...I mean very similar. (this is both a blessing and a curse! ha) We both have the same way of working and organization makes us happy! She runs the office part of my dad’s business from her little office right off the kitchen. And this has begun to take up most of her time. She is a living and daily example to me of what it means to be a helpmeet to your husband. (shout out: LOVE YOU MOMMA! ;)) And this is where she needs my help. I help with the cooking, grocery shopping, mowing grass, keeping the house from looking like a pig-sty...you get the picture. And this sounds easy...I mean, how much time does it take to clean a toilet and put something in the oven for supper? This is true, but running a household smoothly is NOT for the faint of heart...believe me I know...as I write this I am staring at a huge pile of clean clothes on my bedroom floor that I have yet to put away, and two baskets of dirty clothes yet to be washed. It takes discipline and hard work! But it is where the Lord has placed me, and I can take delight in that...at least when I have the right heart! ;)
Our home is my “training ground.” I desire to be like my Momma, and be a helper to a husband of my own someday, if that is what the Lord has for my life. And what better place to prepare for that role than right here? Doctors go to school and learn about the human body and what they are to do to in different situations, but then they get hands-on experience in their field and are mentored by those who have experience and wisdom. This prepares them for their future roles. Athletes train and equip their bodies for the game or race. If they didn’t put in the hours of monotonous workouts in the gym and repetitious practices with their coaches, they would not be prepared for where it counts: the game. That is how I view my home. I am in training. And I can’t lose heart, or by swayed by people’s differing opinions saying I could be doing something more important with my time. This is where God wants me right now. And He is the only one I am trying to please. 
“For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still striving to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.” 
(Galatians 1:10)
So what am I going to do after college?
Quite a lot actually. ;)

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Don't Be A Glory-Hog!

I can be a glory-hog. Not proud of it, but it’s true. 
Last night, I was reading in the gospel of Matthew and this verse really jumped out at me:
“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16)
I’ve read this verse more times than I can count. And the song “This Little Light of Mine.” always plays in my head...no lie. But that’s beside the point. :)


Anyway, the last part of the verse is what really hit me. Why are we commanded to let our light shine before men in the first place? 
“...that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
God’s glory is the point! I thought I knew that, and it seems like a no-brainer when you actually think about it, but so many times my focus is completely off when I am “shining” my light through good deeds. My pride can get in the way and I practice righteousness to be seen by men (Matthew 6:1) ...thus trying to bring glory to myself. 
How does the Lord feel about this?
“I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another...” (Isaiah 42:8)
“...and My glory I will not give to another.” (Isaiah 48:11)
Glory is not something that the Lord shares. And how dare I ever try and take it from Him! Why is it so easy for me to lose sight of my purpose? God created me for HIS glory, and not for my own. I am made righteous through Jesus Christ for HIS glory. And any good deed that I do, or any fruit that I bear is for HIM.
“My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.” (John 15:8)
“For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:15)
It just comes down to this: it’s all about Him. Everything I do, every word I speak, every person I share with, every good deed I ever do is for Him.
 Sounds simple, and it is. But my sinful heart and my pride get in the way every single day. 
 Lord, let me live for Your glory! You dwell inside of me 
and produce every good and decent thing in me. I am 
merely an earthen vessel used to hold an invaluable 
Treasure (2 Corinthians 4:7). Let me not lose sight of 
what I was before You saved me, and the person You 
are making me today is all because of You. I am SO 
thankful for You and what Jesus Christ did for me. 
To You be the glory!