#success

What does it look like, for a mum to succeed?

Maybe it’s looking like you’re never in need.

What does it look like, for a mum to succeed?

Is it accepting that help is what you do indeed need?

We look to the left, we look to the right,

Maybe I'm doing it wrong, and that mum is right?!

Or I’m the one nailing it, I judge, ‘what is she doing’?

She’s different to me, that shouldn’t be my undoing.

Maybe she’s thinking the same of herself.

Maybe she’s judging my health or my wealth.

Maybe you see a mum at the cafe,

She looks altogether, and her kids seem happy.

Who knows inside, if she’s feeling crappy.

And despairing of the imminent change of that nappy.

She does it that way, and I do it this…

Organised or spontaneously, we got through some kind of list

But we all end the day with our little ones kissed.

Some bits we got right, and some we just missed.

She had time to walk, she didn’t have time to breath

She had to book an appointment, she had to leave

She went for organic, with a spoon made of Bamboo

She sent a kid to school with only one shoe

Motherhood, it comes naturally to her,

Whereas for that mum, it's all just a blur.

She's got loads of kids, and her only one.

She's quite strict, whereas she's creative and fun.

She stays at home, and she works elsewhere,

Both mums here, are equal in care

Their little ones know that mum is trying

Their little ones maybe have seen mum crying

Crying with laughter because the kids are just funny

Crying with mental health struggles or money

Crying because its a lot to hold onto

Crying in relief because a cry was just due

She home schools, while she battles on the phone, 

She talks it out with anyone, whereas she does it alone

She speaks to a school, bangs her head on a wall

While she makes it up and feels like a fool.

They’re both in need of peace and rest

They’re both just trying to do their best

The problem with success is we look to the side,

To see if we’re better or worse, that’s our guide

Yet our eyes should be lifted, our hearts set above,

To see success was already achieved in love.

Christ is seated, He has sat down. It’s done.

A concept not known well of, to the busy mum.

What would it look like to just stop and sit?

Is anything actually finished? Is this really it?

But Christ is seated because what He came here to do,

He has indeed done, for me and for you.

Our life is hidden with Him, so what does it matter?

Why do we get bogged down with the matter?

God's grace is sufficient, His mercy is new

His faithfulness is unchanging, His goodness pursues you!

We need to have each other's backs

Us mums, we need to give where there is lack

An encouraging word, a nod, a smile,

A gift, or wine, even babysit for a while.

We need to look at our load through a new lens,

Reject some lies here and there and then,

Set our minds on Christ. Who are we, in Him?

Which should cause us to glow brightly, not be so dim

Dim with the lights out, cos we’re heavy and tired

Or dim cos we’re taking the glory from where it should be wired

It’s not about us, how well we are doing

It’s all for Him, that’s what we’re pursuing.

The Mother simply has a lot to do,

And questioning her actions isn’t anything new

Questioning our own worth is thrown in there too

Not forgetting to wonder, Help. What do I actually do?

How do I do it? What does he need?

Will she turn out alright; a hopeful plead...

How long does it take you to learn to read?

Have I done enough? Did I succeed?

Yet our biggest mistake is not what they ate

Not what we said, or if they got to school late.

It’s doing all the matter, in our own strength

While holding our maker way out at arm’s length.

Not abiding in Christ, Not abiding in Him

Not reading His word and hearing Him sing

And not stopping to listen to what He has to say

He says, “Fear not, this is the Lord’s day”.

“I am with you, to the ends of the Earth”.

“I never forget sparrows”, I know your worth.

“I am sat at my Father’s right hand”.

I’ve got you, and your beloved all in hand.

"My grace is sufficient, My mercy is new

My faithfulness is unchanging, My

goodness pursues you!

"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God". Colossians 3v1-3

Passport Control

Yesterday I lost my passport, well technically that's not true. Yesterday I realised I didn't know where my passport was, so it may well have been lost before yesterday, but I was blissfully unaware of this fact. I'm hoping the husband doesn't read this blog post, because of course he has a designated place for the passports, and when they're finished with, you're meant to put them back in that same place. 

This is called a system, and the system prevents stress and error. This does sound like a wise way of doing life. Then you would know where things were, the next time you needed them; a life skill I've yet to learn in 41 years. My poor husband.

I had used my passport as a form of ID, and instead of returning it back to the designated place, I kept it loosely secure in my bag, with the wipes and various McDonalds toys. That same bag came camping with me, to a recent Youth camp with 7000 people. At this point, you could say that the passport's safety was a little out of control. I was pretty convinced that when we had returned, I had tipped the contents of the bag onto the kitchen table, in search of some pound coins at the bottom of the bag, which ideally should be kept in the my purse...

So I looked on the kitchen table and I looked on the trolley (the unofficial designated holding area for when the table needs clearing) and all there was, was a couple of Snoopy McDonalds toys, an empty purse and a packet of wipes. (We're out of the nappy stage, but no parent is ever out of the wet wipe stage).

So the panic started to set in. "No, no no no no....where are you?" I looked in the bag, I looked on the table, I looked on the trolley. I looked in the bag. I looked on the table. I looked on the trolley. I remembered that quote, "the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results". So I looked in the bag again. I looked on the table again. I looked on the trolley again. I rubbed my head a lot. "No, no no no no". I repeated this cycle for quite a while. 

I remembered one bag which wasn't yet unpacked from the Youth camp. I ran upstairs and emptied the Calpol, the plasters, the wasp spray, the suncream, the wipes...nothing. 

The tears started to form. And the "please help me" prayers started. Quite frantic mumbling. Then the crazy kicked in; I looked in my wardrobe which of course it wouldn't be in. I looked in the bin, which of course it wouldn't be in. I looked in my sock drawer, which of course it wouldn't be in. I looked on the windowsill, which of course it wouldn't be on. I looked in my make up drawer, which of course it wouldn't be in. And there it was. I must have put it there to keep it safe!! (System error)

I cuddled that passport and cried. "Thank you, thank you, thank you", followed by the realisation that I hadn't chatted with God for a while. I had prayed for other people, but I hadn't chatted with Him, and now I was only calling on Him because I needed His help.  He's totally fine with me needing His help. He's the great Helper, Rescuer, Restorer, Saviour. It's only with His help that I can be saved for eternity and not live in the guilt and shame of my wrong doing. But He wants even more for me than that. Even more than that life-saving Help. He wants me to live abundantly, in relationship with Him. And that requires more than just the 'Help me' prayers, even if they are my most consistent prayers.

I said sorry, and with the relief of the passport being found, I found relief in admitting that I had felt a bit lost lately too. Sometimes you have to get to the point of realising something is helplessly lost, in order to realise it needs to be found. Not spending time with the one who loves me the most, the one who understands me the most, the one who cares for me the most, is always going to have an effect on me. Sometimes that effect isn't seen or felt straight away, which gives me the false impression that I'm doing fine on my own, that I know where I am, blissfully unaware of the drift... but actually it just means I'm getting lost, and that's not blissful at all.

My passport is back with all the other passports. It's safe. It's home. The system error has been rectified. And I am reminded again that my errors have all been forgiven. I am secure, safe and easily found in my Father's house, in His presence, in His company, in His love. That is my designated place. 

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; 

I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand".

Isaiah 41v10

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Luke 19v10

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

My daughter came home last week, and told me how I am killing all the sea turtles. I think she meant 'universally as people', but it came across as an accusation. For the record, I have never intentionally hurt a turtle. She explained that some turtles eat Jelly Fish, and if they find a carrier bag in the sea, they think it's a Jelly Fish, they eat it and then they get poorly and die! She spoke to me about all the plastic in the sea, and how there will be more plastic than fish soon! She had even learnt a song about it all. 

She had a school trip to the Sea Life Centre and got to see a turtle up close, which just added to her passion and accusation. Incidentally, I instagrammed a photo of the 13 plastic toothbrushes in use in our house, including some pink toothbrushes of course, with a question as to how many people actually lived here, and a friend of mine messaged me to tell me I was a turtle killer too. Mmm.... a recurring theme to the week! 

No one wants the title of turtle killer. I'm not Shredder!

So, I decided to listen to my daughter, not just listen to her, but actively show her that I was listening, that she had a voice, and that she can help to make changes. 

And of course, I used it as a teaching point, like most moments in life. 

I explained to her that in Genesis, Adam and Eve were commissioned to look after the Earth, and that she was fulfilling that commission, by wanting to take care of the sea and the turtles.

"The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it". Genesis 2v15

I ordered some Bamboo toothbrushes on line, and when they came, I explained to the whole family that we were making some changes, starting with toothbrushes, because of something their sister is passionate about. I had another hurdle to get over, because she was concerned that I was taking the Bamboo away from the pandas! But we swerved that one, with an explanation about sustainable growth! 

I spoke to the family about the following verse;

"Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity". 1 Timothy4v12

Now actually this verse is about being an example to other Christians in how you act and speak, even if you're younger than the people you're being an example to. So I made that point, whilst practically using my daughter's new found education, and passion as an example about being an example. She had indeed found her own teaching point to bring to us. She also told me I shouldn't drive my car, I shouldn't buy one-use plastic water bottles, and I should put as much as I can in the black bin. I can only imagine she will find some more things to educate me on this week. Part of me is of course proud of her, and the other part of me wants to hide from her as she finds more teaching points to bring us. 

Maybe I'll build myself a a little house from the contents of the black bin!