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"The happiest part of my happy life has been my mother." Washington Irving
"I remember my mother's prayers- and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life." "All that I am or hope to be I owe to my mother." Abraham Lincoln
"All that I have ever accomplished in my life I owe to my mother." D.L. Moody
"If I am Thy child, only God, it is because Thou gavest me such a mother." St. Augustine
The Hand That Rules The World
Infancy, the tender fountain,
Ever may with beauty flow;
Mother's first to guide the streamlets;
From them souls unresting grow-
Grow on for the good or evil,
Sunshine streamed or darkness hurled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.
Mother, how divine your mission
Here upon our natal sod!
Keep, oh, keep the young heart open
Always to the breath of God!
All true trophies of the ages
Are from mother-love impearled,
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.
Blessings on the hand of mother!
Fathers, sons and daughters cry,
And the sacred song is mingled
With the worship in the sky-
Mingled where no tempest darkens,
Rainbows ever gently curled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.
Happy Mother's Day! If you are a mother, you are one of the most important and special people in the world. As one of my favorite songs says, you are changing the world, one little heartbeat at a time! :-) Unfortunately in our culture today, mothers are not given the honor, love, and gratitude that they deserve. Girls grow up thinking they have to go out into the world, be independent, and have a full time career in order to have a worthwhile life. Nothing could be further from the truth! Motherhood is one of the most important and precious jobs in the world. It is your responsibility to help your husbands raise those precious little ones up to be strong, godly men and women. That also makes it one of the hardest jobs in the world! God bless all the Christian mothers, Proverbs 31 women, out there!
Today I am especially thankful for the two most important mothers in my life. Both are true Proverbs 31 women, and I love them both with all of my heart! The first is, of course, my own mom, Terri Brower.
My mom is the most amazing woman I know. She has a faith in God that has never wavered, and she has been a wonderful role model to me. Her teaching, and my Dad's, is what has prepared me to be a wife and someday, a mother. My mom has taught me to love being a woman, to always strive for a the gentle and quiet spirit, to love, honor, and obey my husband- and to do my best to be his closest and wisest adviser. Her selfless sacrifice for my dad, myself and my siblings is an inspiration to me. She has taught me to be feminine without being weak and overly girly. :-) She has taught me by example, by her wise counsel and guidance, and even by encouraging me to learn from her mistakes. She is a wonderful, godly woman, and I am so blessed to have her!
The other special mom in my life is my husband Josh's mom, Marcie Blubaugh. I have looked up to her since I was a little girl. She has given me wise counsel, and been a close friend for a long time. Her faith in God is inspiring to me. It was her godly influence that helped my mom, and then me, to begin dressing more modestly. She taught us how to make bread and soap, and she helped me begin learning to sew. She has been a close friend and encouragement to my mom, for which I am very thankful. Next to my mom, she is the woman I look up to the most. I feel very blessed to have her as a mother-in-law. Her success as a mother is proved by the wonderful, loving, godly son that she helped to raise. It is a wonderful blessing for me to be able to spend time with her now that I live so far away from my mom.
Thank you Mom and Marci for being the wonderful, godly women that you are! I have learned so much from you, and I know there is so much more that I can learn! I love you both!
If you want to listen to "One Heartbeat At A Time" click the link below.
One Heartbeat At A Time
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Thursday, May 7, 2009
A Couple of My Favorite Poems
I'd Rather
I'd rather be a mother
Than anyone on earth,
Bringing up a child or two of unpretentious birth.
I'd rather tuck a little child
All safe and sound in bed-
Than twine a chain of diamonds
About my foolish head.
I'd rather wash a smudgy face
With round, bright baby eyes-
Than paint the pageantry of fame,
Or walk among the wise.
Meredith Gray
I'd rather be a mother
Than anyone on earth,
Bringing up a child or two of unpretentious birth.
I'd rather tuck a little child
All safe and sound in bed-
Than twine a chain of diamonds
About my foolish head.
I'd rather wash a smudgy face
With round, bright baby eyes-
Than paint the pageantry of fame,
Or walk among the wise.
Meredith Gray
Mother's Elbows On My Bed
I was but a youth and thoughtless,
As all youths are apt to be;
Though I had a Christian mother
Who had taught me carefully,
But there came a time when pleasures
Of the world came to allure,
And I no more sought the guidance
Of her love so good and pure.
Her tender admonitions fell
But lightly on my ear,
And for the gentle warnings
I felt an inward sneer.
How could I prove my manhood
Were I not firm of will?
No threat of future evil
Should all my pleasure kill.
But mother would not yield her boy
To Satan's sinful sway,
And though I spurned her counsel
She knew a better way.
No more she tried to caution
Of ways she knew were vain,
And though I guessed her heartache
I could not know it's pain.
She made my room an altar,
A place of secret prayer,
And there she took her burden
And left it in His care.
And morning, noon and evening
By that humble bedside low,
She sought the aid of Him who
Best can understand a mother's woe.
And I went my way unheeding,
Careless of the life I led,
Until one day I noticed
Prints of elbows on my bed.
Then I saw that she had been there
Praying for her wayward boy,
Who for love of worldly pleasure
Would her peace of mind destroy.
While I wrestled with my conscience,
Mother wrestled still in prayer,
Till that little room seemed hallowed
Because so oft she met Him there.
With her God she held the fortress,
And though not a word she said,
My stubborn heart was broken
By those imprints on my bed.
Long the conflict raged within me,
Sin against my mother's prayers.
Sin must yield for mother never
While she daily met Him there.
And her constant love and patience
Where like coals upon my head,
Together with the imprints
Of her elbows on my bed.
Mother-love and God-love
Are a combination rare,
And one that can't be beaten
When sealed by earnest prayer.
And so at last the fight was won,
And I to Christ was led,
And mother's prayers were answered
By her elbows on my bed.
Author Unknown
As all youths are apt to be;
Though I had a Christian mother
Who had taught me carefully,
But there came a time when pleasures
Of the world came to allure,
And I no more sought the guidance
Of her love so good and pure.
Her tender admonitions fell
But lightly on my ear,
And for the gentle warnings
I felt an inward sneer.
How could I prove my manhood
Were I not firm of will?
No threat of future evil
Should all my pleasure kill.
But mother would not yield her boy
To Satan's sinful sway,
And though I spurned her counsel
She knew a better way.
No more she tried to caution
Of ways she knew were vain,
And though I guessed her heartache
I could not know it's pain.
She made my room an altar,
A place of secret prayer,
And there she took her burden
And left it in His care.
And morning, noon and evening
By that humble bedside low,
She sought the aid of Him who
Best can understand a mother's woe.
And I went my way unheeding,
Careless of the life I led,
Until one day I noticed
Prints of elbows on my bed.
Then I saw that she had been there
Praying for her wayward boy,
Who for love of worldly pleasure
Would her peace of mind destroy.
While I wrestled with my conscience,
Mother wrestled still in prayer,
Till that little room seemed hallowed
Because so oft she met Him there.
With her God she held the fortress,
And though not a word she said,
My stubborn heart was broken
By those imprints on my bed.
Long the conflict raged within me,
Sin against my mother's prayers.
Sin must yield for mother never
While she daily met Him there.
And her constant love and patience
Where like coals upon my head,
Together with the imprints
Of her elbows on my bed.
Mother-love and God-love
Are a combination rare,
And one that can't be beaten
When sealed by earnest prayer.
And so at last the fight was won,
And I to Christ was led,
And mother's prayers were answered
By her elbows on my bed.
Author Unknown
Saturday, May 2, 2009
A Flexible Schedule
I have found both in my single life as a daughter at home and my married life, that having a schedule is very important, but being able to be FLEXIBLE with my schedule is even more important. If I don't have a schedule I tend to run around doing things all day without really getting anything done. Sometimes I feel like I'm running around like a chicken with it's head cut off, for lack of a better metaphor. :-) I know also from my life before I was married that at times there is just so much to do that without a schedule it is overwhelming and you don't know where to start. Now that I'm married and there is just the two of us at home, and our home isn't very big, I don't have nearly as much to do. That will come though as we ( Lord willing ) start a family. I need to make sure I get in the habit of being on an orderly schedule now so that it's not so hard when I have little ones running around.
However, having a schedule can be more of a curse than a blessing if it is not flexible. Some days the schedule works out perfectly, but sometimes, "life happens" as they say. Things come up, your husband needs you to help him with something or go somewhere for him, or sometimes it's as simple as your husband ( or father ) would rather have something different for dinner than what you were planning to make.
Sometimes I'll have my whole day planned out the night before and in the morning Josh will say, "Would you mind coming to work with me today? I could really use your help." POOF there goes my plan. I say, "Sure I'll come with you!" but meanwhile my mind is racing as I try to figure out what I can make for dinner since I won't be home until dinner time or later, and I'm thinking of the cleaning I wanted to do that day and now won't be able to do. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE going to work with Josh. It means I get to spend the whole day with him, and what could be better than that! And Josh understands that when I go with him the house isn't going to be cleaned up when we get home and dinner might be late. I have to learn not to panic about it. It's really pretty simple. Josh needs ( or maybe just wants :-)) me to go to work with him, so the cleaning will have to happen tomorrow, and I can either put something in the crock pot for dinner or think of something fast to make when we get home (which is why it's also good to have things on hand for making fast easy meals, something I need to get better at!). Schedules are important to keep your day from being crazy, but if you are too strict with it and area unwilling to bend it a little (or change it completely) it will add more stress than it will take away.
I am curious to see if anybody reading this has any thoughts on the subject and if you agree or disagree with my opinion. This has just been on my mind for the last few days as I was thinking about keeping the house clean and inviting, and Josh has had me come to work with him for two days in a row now. :-) It's been really nice to spend so much time with him!
However, having a schedule can be more of a curse than a blessing if it is not flexible. Some days the schedule works out perfectly, but sometimes, "life happens" as they say. Things come up, your husband needs you to help him with something or go somewhere for him, or sometimes it's as simple as your husband ( or father ) would rather have something different for dinner than what you were planning to make.
Sometimes I'll have my whole day planned out the night before and in the morning Josh will say, "Would you mind coming to work with me today? I could really use your help." POOF there goes my plan. I say, "Sure I'll come with you!" but meanwhile my mind is racing as I try to figure out what I can make for dinner since I won't be home until dinner time or later, and I'm thinking of the cleaning I wanted to do that day and now won't be able to do. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE going to work with Josh. It means I get to spend the whole day with him, and what could be better than that! And Josh understands that when I go with him the house isn't going to be cleaned up when we get home and dinner might be late. I have to learn not to panic about it. It's really pretty simple. Josh needs ( or maybe just wants :-)) me to go to work with him, so the cleaning will have to happen tomorrow, and I can either put something in the crock pot for dinner or think of something fast to make when we get home (which is why it's also good to have things on hand for making fast easy meals, something I need to get better at!). Schedules are important to keep your day from being crazy, but if you are too strict with it and area unwilling to bend it a little (or change it completely) it will add more stress than it will take away.
I am curious to see if anybody reading this has any thoughts on the subject and if you agree or disagree with my opinion. This has just been on my mind for the last few days as I was thinking about keeping the house clean and inviting, and Josh has had me come to work with him for two days in a row now. :-) It's been really nice to spend so much time with him!
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