May 5, 2021 – The Real Role of Women

Mercy Every Minute  

Deborah Wuehler, TOS Senior Editor

Motherhood: a Job or a Joy?

Sometimes motherhood is quite the job: you have a splitting headache yet you have sick children to care for. You have a child who is not cooperating. You have a toddler who wants to play with you and teenagers who want to talk. You have to make dinner and it is after 7 p.m. and you have a house that looks like a tornado and you don’t know where to start. You certainly don’t feel very virtuous or joyous. Welcome to the job of motherhood. Doesn’t sound all that glorious or worthy of celebration, does it?

That scenario was just one moment in one day in my busy motherhood life. I can look back and see the many things I did wrong and the few things I did right. And the few right things were those that were eternal. They were the times when I stopped to create or honor relationships over rules or schedules, when I prayed with (rather than scolded) a child, when we memorized Scripture or sang hymns at bedtime instead of anxiously waiting to get me-time.

If we are bearing the weight of the job, rather than choosing to see the joy, the danger is that our focus becomes skewed and our emotions entangled. The joy comes in pointing Heavenward and saying that all glory must belong to Him, for there is no one good, not even one, not even me. I know it seems like there are days we can’t choose joy. But we can choose Christ and know we have chosen the better thing because His joy is contagious and becomes our strength.

If we make it through one day in our own strength, we feel the right to shout, “Bravo!” But more often than not, our strength fails, and we come to the end of our resources before we come to the end of the day. But if His strength is made perfect in our weaknesses so that we can not only make it through the job of motherhood, but come out victorious, then there is great joy in that great victory.

If all is done for Him and through Him and with Him, then any day is worthy of joyful celebration because it is He Whom we celebrate. We can avoid the disappointment of self-centeredness when all the glory which rightly belongs to God is rightly given Him. For truly, without Him, we can do nothing.

Asking the Lord to make us all joyful mothers of these children, as only He can do, as we keep them Home. Where They Belong.

~Deborah

The Long Walk of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson

Homeschooling Babies: Here a Little, There a Little by Rebekah Love Dorris

The Mother’s Role in the Homeschool: Part I, Part II, Part III by Dr. Mary Hood

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The Familyman 

Todd Wilson, Familyman Ministries

Men and Women Have Different Roles … And That’s Okay

I just love an article that has the potential to stir up an angry mob of women. I won’t even pretend to define the role of a woman, but I will say this: it is different than the role of a man. That’s because men and women are different. The world can argue the point; the church can soften the point; and you might even resist the point … but it is true.

We, as parents, need to continue to stress that difference to our children so that they may teach their children. It seemed like a no-brainer back in the day, but it isn’t so now.

In fact, my daughter Katherine taught me that there is a difference between pink and blue jobs (tasks that girls and boys do). She didn’t define them, but she made the distinction, nonetheless. I guess it is our job as parents to define those for our children. So, there are jobs that I have my boys do that I do not expect of my girls and vice versa (although they get a little vague at times).

And before I head for cover, let me say, being a wife and mom is the greatest role a woman can have. She does not need a backup option, to defend her choice, or give it some other name so it sounds important. Moms change the world, and it is our role to elevate that role.

If you want to send letters of disagreement (or agreement), send them to the good folks of The Old Schoolhouse. They love getting them. 🙂

Be real,

Todd

Pillar of Faith
Jodi Riddle – Be an Example

1 Timothy 4:12 “But be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”

An example. Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines an example as “A pattern; a copy; a mode; that which is proposed to be imitated.” What is one of the best roles we can play? That of being an example. Our children need godly examples to look up to.

Godly in word – Do our words show kindness and compassion to a world that is hurting?

Godly in conversation – Conversation means “manner of life.” Is our manner of life showing our children how they ought to live?

Godly in charity – Charity is God’s highest form of love. Are we displaying love to those around us the way God would show His love?

Godly in spirit – God has given us the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Do we exhibit these fruits in our life?

Godly in purity – Do we have pure motives and a pure heart in all that we do?

Godly in faith – Faith is understanding the truth of what God has revealed.

Let’s fulfill our responsibility as parents, leaders, and authorities by showing our children what it means to be a godly example.