Entertaining Your Kids in the Busyness of Christmas.

Life for me normally seems pretty busy but that little word takes on a whole new meaning as December approaches and the month becomes a flurry of activity as Christmas quickly approaches. The house is decorated and trimmed with Christmas trees, lights and stockings, Christmas cards are to be made for our family and customers (I run a small craft business called Clever Little Scraps), invites to our church's carol service are to be delivered to the local area...that's a lot of posting, Christmas cake is to be made and decorated, yearly letters are sent to family in Canada (being careful not to miss the last post), presents are to be purchased for family, wrapped, tagged and delivered, 5 birthdays are to be celebrated in our family in the month of December, food shopping always seems to take longer at this time of year and of course food production in my own kitchen ramps up as I aim to prepare the food in advance to allow me to spend time with my children on Christmas day itself.

Happy Little Helpers

With only 2 hands this can often seem a mountainous list to scale. We have normal church activities, schooling and everday chores to do as well. My boys are great little helpers and as they get older they are able to help more and more. So wherever possible I get them involved with chores and food preparation. I've learned never to underestimate children as they can often do a lot more than we think. They can peel vegetables, roll the pigs in blankets, mix up cake recipes, cut out gingerbread and peppermint creams for gifts. They can sweep floors and wipe down surfaces, tidy up their toys and make beds. They can sort through laundry and put their own clothes away. I have taken care to encourage my children to assist me in daily chores that are appropriate to their age and although such a task may not be carried out 100% as I would have done it, I applaud my child's attempt as I gently teach them how to take care of their home and possessions. This gentle teaching is proving to be helpful during the busy months and so through Christmas I do rely on these extra little hands more. These little hands are often willing hands as they have come to understand that their help brings praise but also gives them extra time with their momma as the mountainous list begins to become only hilly as the load is spread amongst us. After each meal of the day I set the timer on my mobile, sometimes 15 minutes, sometimes 30 minutes, and even up to 1 hour if there are big jobs to do and until the bell sounds we work in the house everyone together on our daily chores. It may sound a little regimented but the boys love the competitive edge of what they can achieve in the timed session and they love the reward that awaits afterwards, be that a special drink, a game or a trip to the park or story time.

So my festive tip number one for entertaining children this Christmas is to get them involved even if it is matching socks!

There are some things however that are still beyond the children to do, and I can hardly ask them to buy and wrap their own present! During these times I turn to a few different activities that my children enjoy.

Craft Projects

The children love craft projects and on our home education blog I have posted today about the Christmas crafts I had bought with the children in mind this Christmas. Check it out for some crafty inspiration.

Another easy festive craft is to let the children make snowflakes. This tutorial shows you how to fold and cut snowflakes, children can make their own designs and then you can use fine cotton to string up the snowflakes. For us this may be the closest we get to a white Christmas!

Baking

The other thing they like to do is bake. I try to be prepared and always have the ingredients in for some simple cupcakes or have some gingerbread dough made up in the fridge ready for rolling. In the last month or so I have taught my oldest how to follow a recipe and weigh ingredients so this is a fairly hands off task for me. Once baked even the littlest hands enjoy decorating the baked treats and even more so enjoy eating them. Follow this link for plenty of gingerbread inspiration!

Jelly Telly

I recently signed up for Jelly Telly and the children love it. I am a parent who for a number of reasons does restrict the screen time of my children. But when they are allowed to watch something I have appreciated Jelly Telly, the programmes they have to offer are varied and I do not need to watch what content they are selecting as all the content is suitable for them to watch. They are particularly enjoying the What's in the Bible series.

LEGO

Another entertaining activity is LEGO. I love this stuff, who knew blocks with dots could have taken off the way it has done. We have a variety of models now, bought as birthday and Christmas presents as well as the classic blocks for their own creations. I often set them building challenges to create things like castles, a moving vehicle, a workable invention. You can make the challenges Christmas related and build snowmen, Christmas trees, nativity scenes and really anything that takes your fancy. I have a set of LEGO challenge cards laminated similar to these that are fun and educational. Or for a seasonal take on LEGO challenges you can try out these Christmas creations.

Get Walking

Whilst this suggestion means you can't do tasks within the home, it does mean you can all get some much needed fresh air and you can do it on route to the shops, play dates or doctors or wherever you need to get to throughout the week. Take the children on a nature walk. There are lots of printables you can find across the web for autumn and winter nature walks where children can tick off things they find like a pinecone, nest or berries. Here is a fun winter walk checklist. I did learn of a new way to do a winter nature study this year through following another blog. Here is the explanation for a red, green and white walk where the colours of the walk point towards the Lord Jesus Christ. Follow the link to learn more.

Reading Corner

Create a cosy reading nook with blankets, cushions, lights and a snack box and gather a selection of really good books and let the children snuggle together and read with each other. A new and interesting setting in which children can peruse the books can even make reluctant readers pick up a book.

So there you have it. My suggestions on how to keep the kids entertained throughout the Christmas period. Take what you like and if you have your own suggestions leave a comment with your helpful suggestion. I am always looking for new ways to keep things fresh.

Christmas with all the trimmings

December seems to come around quicker every year and true to form the 1st December 2016 came hurtling into our home. We like to decorate the home early on in the month and my little helpers were eager to trim the tree. Down from the loft came the tree and trimmings and on the first day of December the Christmas music came out and we merry people got busy and transformed our home for the festive period. When we were first married we decided that each year of marriage we would add to our collection of ornaments and trimmings seeing as how expensive this time of year can be. So our very first Christmas we had a real fir tree with some lights on and a few baubles, simplicity was the word. 9 years down the line and our real fir tree turned into a fake one (I love the smell of real trees but the fake one was bought for financial reasons as we were expecting a child, but I hope to return to the real fir trees one day), and a collection of ornaments mainly involving woodland critters are now scattered over our tree. We have a couple of wreaths and some robbins and pine cones are scattered over our windowsill.

Christmas growing up was always eagerly anticipated. I loved helping my mum trim the tree. She gave me the job of hanging the snowflakes throughout the branches. I took great care in my assigned role, making sure they were evenly spaced. The snowflakes themselves were beautifully shimmery and glistened from the Christmas lights. My dad and brothers would be sitting watching a Christmas film drinking shandys and there would undoubtedly be some kind of Christmas foodie treat, normally homebaked. As a child I saw our Christmas tree go through various colourful transformations as my mum searched to find the perfect tree and trimmings, but those snowflakes and an owl (which my oldest brother had the honour of placing each year) were constant amongst the ever changing decorations.

Christmas as a child was fun and exciting with a little stress thrown in as my mum frantically tried to get everything in place for the big day, and as a child I never knew something was missing, because something was missing. None of us knew. We had presents and food, family games and films, chocolate and laughter...but there was a hole in our Christmas that no amount of money or time could fill. You see I grew up in a family who didn't know Christ. There was no Christ in our Christmas. To us it was a time to be with family, take a break and eat good food. My mum's Christmas dinner was epic! I mean 3 courses of tantalizingly mouth-watering food. Some years my parents would drop in at a carol service or a christingle service, no matter how many santas and reindeers you see in the shops, angels and babies in mangers are scattered through shelves of Christmas decorations. No matter how hard retailers and shoppers try to push Christ away, the image of new life resting quietly in the manger can still be found on Christmas cards, in Christmas baubles and in nativity scenes. People may try to close their eyes to what they see and close their ears to the words of the Christmas carols but Christ can not be erased from Christmas.

The children at my church are learning a song for their yearly Christmas performance. Here are the words:

Unto Us A Child Is Born

(CHORUS)

Unto us a child is born, 

Unto us a son is given. 

He shall reign in all the earth, 

He will be called Emmanuel!

Angel voices sing, 

Hallelujahs ring, 

For today in Bethlehem the love of God has come to men, 

The Saviour of the world is Christ the King! 

CHORUS
 

Leave your cares aside, 

Seek and you will find, 

For today in Bethlehem the love of God has come to men, 

The Saviour of the world is Jesus Christ! 

CHORUS

Come let us adore, 

Now and evermore. 

For today in Bethlehem the love of God has come to men, 

The Saviour of the world is Christ the Lord! 

CHORUS

There is a catchy tune to go with this song. My children are singing it, I'm singing it. I'm thankful that from young ages my home will speak of Christ not only throughout the festive season but throughout the year as well. I did not grow up with this priviledge but God is full of grace and mercy. It is with great joy that I tell you that my parents are now able to rejoice in the good news of Jesus Christ. They have left their cares aside, they sought for a saviour and they have found Christ the Lord. Together we can raise our voices with the angels and sing our hallelujahs. A few months ago I watched my parents publically declare their faith and belief in Jesus as they were baptised. Now this Christmas their home will be one where Jesus is loved. I know my mum and there will still be a feast on the table, there will still be those shimmering snowflakes and perfectly placed decorations, there will still be games and laughter, but best of all there will be Christ!

Womanly Dominion - Chapter 7 - Motherly Greatness

5:45am

Roused by my husband’s alarm I wake to nurse and comfort a rousing baby. I don't keep track of night feeds anymore, it all blurs into one, but I know I have been awake. Through blurry eyes I find my son and feed him. My husband starts to get ready for work and I hear the faint sounds of children stirring in their beds. I pray for one more hours sleep.

6:30am
Husband has left for work and the baby is drifting off to sleep but now the toddler is waking and wants a cuddle. Snuggled into bed with me the toddler quietly waits for his big brothers to wake, every few minutes I hear the quiet chant of "momma, breakfast, momma, breakfast"...I guess he's hungry.

7:00am
Everyone is awake but a little too early for breakfast so I distract with educational videos on YouTube whilst I try and read my bible.

7:30am
The toddler is getting more vocal and in the quiet morning his voice sounds like a foghorn and is almost screaming "breakfast". Ok, I give in, breakfast it is. I set the table and prepare breakfast. Amidst seeing to the children I juggle a hungry baby, freshly woken by an excitable toddler, and mop up spills, and somehow manage to eat something myself. I change the baby's nappy and dress him for the day and carry on pacing floors with him whilst I encourage the boys to tidy up the kitchen after breakfast.

8:15am
The toddler needs to be dressed and I jump in the shower and wash in record timing...the baby really needs feeing now. I feed the baby whilst playing a game with the toddler and instructing the big brothers to dress and brush their teeth. After the baby is satisfied I am able to dress myself and put on a load of washing and encourage my happy helpers to sort and put away the previous days laundry. Much instruction is still needed in the art of folding clothes neatly.

9:15am
I put the baby in the sling and vacuum the floors and stairs, stopping in between to offer the big brothers some instruction in relation to their maths work they are completing. The toddler is playing with playdough at the table and I find the homemade playdough activity sheets I had made.

9:45am
I pause with the housework to devote some time in instructing the eldest with his language arts. Baby is fussing so I feed him whilst making the final alterations to my shopping list.

10:30am
After bundling children into coats and shoes and into the car we head to the supermarket to buy food for the next two weeks. It's a juggling act with keeping baby happy in the trolley, stopping toddler from damaging the food, hovering next to the trolley as my Michael Schumacher boy steers the trolley ready to be the brake, and issue instructions on which foods to choose to my eldest. With the trolley filled we head to the checkout and unload the mountain of produce onto the conveyor belt. No sooner has it gone on I am at the other end loading it into bags. I begin to be organised and try separate the frozen from the tinned goods, the dairy from the fruit and veg, but the speed of the cashier means that pretty soon we are dumping the goods into any available space. Shopping done we load up the car and head home.

12 noon
Back home and the shopping needs unpacking but the baby needs feeding. Attempted to do both at the same time whilst hungry toddler starts trying to find food to eat, packets too hard to open but the fruit is easy to get to, toddler starts to eat multiple pieces of fruit before I discovered his antics.

12:30pm
Making lunch for the tribe now. I lose count of the number of slices of bread that I was buttering. Plate up lunch and call the children to the table. A moments peace as hungry children tuck into their food and I bounce a baby on my knee. Whilst enjoying our food I took the opportunity to do a history quiz on the previous day's reading.

1:15pm
With lunch finished and fresh coffee brewing I set the table for some creative school work of making salt bricks and African masks. As the baby is asleep in the sling and the other children including toddler are happy sticking dried beans and wooden sticks to their African masks I start the ironing. The second load of laundry is put on and the first load put in the dryer or hung around the house to dry. All too soon the masks are done and once again we tidy the kitchen table.

2:00pm
With a little more ironing still to be done I instruct the children to complete their chores and attempted to encourage the toddler to help by timing his activity. A squabble starts between the children, they wake the baby and there are tears. I discipline the children and then comfort the tearful. I give the toddler a cuddle and feed the baby whilst listening to a big brother read. We spend time in prayer and when everyone is happy we play a card game.

3:00pm
We turn to our science project and carry on working on our brochure of earth on the computer and the big brothers take it in turns writing facts about our planet whilst I reheat my cold cup of coffee that got neglected and try and drink it whilst entertaining the toddler and try and get the baby back to sleep again.

3:45pm
Baby is sleeping but the children are starting to get restless again so I put on some music and encourage some dancing and activeness.

4:30pm
I drag myself away from the laughter and into the kitchen as I start preparations for tea and allow the children to have some screen time as I have to concentrate in the kitchen. A rousing baby goes in the sling again as I lull him back to sleep hoping he will stay content until food was ready. Whilst cooking I put the final load of washing in the dryer, transferring the previously dry clothes to their rightful homes.

5:30pm
3 hungry boys start eating and a tired momma sits to eat and nurse the baby. For all of 15 minutes there is peace as hungry bellies are satisfied. All too soon though the call for pudding is heard but plates are not yet empty, the middle 2 children have a hard time eating their vegetables so then I start persuading them to eat their veg. After a lot of persuading pudding is served...yoghurt and fruit...I catch a glimpse of disappointment...what were they expecting? Cake every night!

6:15pm
Time to clear up the kitchen, the children get to their chores as I follow behind issuing helpful advice, trying to train the children in efficient and proper cleaning. With the dishwasher loaded, floor swept and table cleaned the boys go off to have a final play as I finish cleaning the kitchen, once again with the baby in the sling. With the kitchen cleaned there ensues a speedy race around the house to tidy up after the days activities, all the while helping to resolve disputes amongst the children.

7:30pm
Pyjama dressing time, which includes attempting to keep pyjamas on the toddler who loves to undress and battle him or at least with his mouth as I try to clean his teeth. Knowing bedtime is drawing near the children bring out all their tactics for delaying lights out, but I am a seasoned mamma and know their sneaky ways. I have an order of cards to make and I need the boys asleep. The children are bundled onto the bed and the bible is read, taking it in turns to read. We discuss what lessons we have learned and we each pray.

8:15pm
Lights are out but the older boys are still to be heard moving around the bedroom but the toddler's room is silent, peaceful sleep has come to an active boy. The baby feeds and goes in the sling as I begin to make a wedding card and some birthday cards. What used to be a quick craft sometimes now can be lengthy as I move from encouraging the older boys to keep their heads on their pillows and feed and comfort a baby who is more restless of an evening. The phone goes and I speak with my mum whilst continuing to do all of the above. The final load of washing needs moving from the dryer but I am tired, maybe it can be done tomorrow I tell myself.

10:00pm
Husband will be returning from work soon, his long day nearly finished, I am thankful these long days only happen once every 3 weeks. Shift work can be hard but we have generally found our rhythm. I get the baby and myself ready for bed, grab a glass of water for my bedside ready for the night feeds and sit and feed the baby and eagerly wait the return of my husband. He arrives and I spend time catching up with him, asking about his day and filling in him on mine, plans are made for the next day and a list of tasks my husband would like completing made up. Soon lights are out and when baby is asleep I drift off...only for a few hours as the familiar snuffle of the baby is heard, soon followed by the restless turning, the night feeds have begun...wait...was that the toddler I heard as well!

Now if you are still reading this, well done for getting through it. I decided to share with you an example of a typical day in our house because chapter 7 of Womanly Dominion speaks about a mother's elite job description and the author encourages young women to get all the education they can get, not so as to pursue a career primarily, but because as a mother you will draw upon all areas of your life to raise your child. I loved this section:

"A mother is handling things of a far greater magnitude. She's handling never-dying souls. She's daily conducting heart surgery on eternal spirits whose forever destinies are influenced most profoundly by the hands that rock their cradles, wipe their noses...open their bibles, prepare their after-school snacks, and turn off their bedroom lights. Those motherly hands are moulding characters which will become men and women who will turn the world upside down either for good or for evil. Now that's a job that counts."

As mothers our priority focus should be on our families and not on a career we started to fashion through our teenage years. I am not saying that women should never be in the workforce but it is not meant to take us away from the task that God has given us. Motherhood is not something we can do in our spare time. Yes, bills need paying, mouths need feeding and that requires money, but is this the reason why some women choose to work or is there some other reason that drives mothers into the workforce...the lie that women can have it all and be happy? the lie that the workplace is where you find your identity? the lie that full-time mothering is demeaning? Happiness, identity and worthiness will not be found in the workplace, it won't even be found in your homes. Happiness is found when you meet with Jesus, identity is found when you know you are chosen by God, worthiness...try completely unworthy of God's forgiveness but overflowing with thankfulness that He has blotted out my transgressions and heard my cry of repentance.

Do you want to read about mothers who made a difference? Look to the mother of John Newton, author of the hymn 'Amazing Grace', look to the mother of Thomas Edison, inventor of the lightbulb, look to Susanna Wesley (a personal favourite), mother to a preacher and a hymn-writer and 17 other children, look to Sarah Edwards, mother to theologian Jonathan Edwards.

Mark Chanski says of Susanna Wesley,

"In devoting above twenty years of the prime of her life in hopes to save the souls of her children, she not only set aflame her offspring for the kingdom of God, but her nation, and even the entire Western World for the same."

Sometimes I feel the role of a mother can be overwhelming but in those times I look to Christ:

"Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart"

Hebrews 12:2-3

New Arrival

August was a much anticipated month for my family, not just for the possibilities of ice-cream on beaches, picnics in the park, warm summer skies and paddling pool antics, but anticipated because we were going to meet a brand new person. My boys were going to get a little baby brother and me and Mr Faithful were going to get our 4th son.

40 weeks of waiting and pondering the change that was to come to the family feels like a long time. Early pregnancy for me is filled with fear and sickness. A previous miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy has robbed me of the joy of early pregnancy. When that second line appears on the pregnancy test my mind drifts back to the vivid memories of the pain that I had once felt as I lost two precious babies. A constant inner struggle ensues as I seek to still my fears of loss and seek to rest wholly in the One who is the giver of life. The sickness envelopes me and renders me bed bound at times, but with children to care for there is not much rest and each day is a struggle and I cry out to God to sustain me. The second trimester brought relief as scans showed that the baby was growing well and the sickness had started to ease. Food tasted nice once more and energy returned to my weary limbs. At the 4 month mark we began to share our news with family and friends. Our first pregnancy announcement for our eldest received many congratulations however strangely on a 4th pregnancy announcement congratulations were given but closely followed with tentative questions of how will I cope? and was it planned?! I quickly learned to smile and assure the naysayers that we knew what we were doing and we would cope. The third trimester meant that preparations were to be made, clothes to be washed, new beds to be made, a new car purchased and hospital bags packed. My previous labours had got quicker with each baby, with my 3rd baby being born within 30 minutes from the first contraction. Needless to say I was anxious of another quick delivery, so quick that my husband who worked an hour from home may not make it to the birth on time, so quick that help not even make it to my home. My phone was filled with hospital numbers and midwife numbers, Mr Social was briefed with the plan and shown how to call for help, a big task for a 7 year old. My due date came and went (as usual) and the tension built as I increasingly felt like a ticking time bomb. The final week of pregnancy was filled with aches and pains and contractions and still time ticked on. 6 days after my due date I woke to a familiar anxiety that made me restless and uneasy. Not being able to sit down and eat breakfast I recognised the feeling, what I call the calm before the storm. This was going to be baby day. I promptly showered and dressed and attempted to motivate the family into action, but without contractions I couldn't quite convince Mr Faithful to get ready any quicker. Slow and steady was the pace. However that was not going to be the pace of the impending arrival. Barely as my husband's feet touched dry land after showering the all too familiar pain came of a labour contraction, building and tightening with a ferocious intensity. No timing of contractions was going to take place however as calls were immediately made to the hospital and to family members who were going to look after our children. I was not waiting, To hospital I was going and quickly. On arrival at the hospital I breathed a sigh of relief and having only experienced one contraction in the car I thought I had got away lightly. A brisk walk (maybe more of a shuffle) to the midwife led unit and I was home and dry so to speak. A lovely midwife greeted me and showed me to an assessment room. As soon as she got me in to the room it was almost as if my body knew it was safe to labour as almost immediately, like a rushing train with fireworks in it's engine, contractions started strong and fast. The pain took me to my knees and I knew I was not being moved, not even on to a nice comfy bed only feet away. Kneeling and leaning into a chair I took each contraction, breathed and thanked God each one was a step nearer to meeting our long awaited son. The midwife was calm and collected and with gentle words of encouragement tried to assess how far I was into labour...no assessment was necessary really as baby was born still in his membranes, a mere 20 minutes after arrival at the hospital (roughly making this labour a 45 minute affair). Sobbing (probably more with relief) I was able to pick up my baby boy and meet him for the first time. Joy, such sweet joy filled my heart and another precious moment was etched into my heart forever.

Our new son makes this our 4th boy, 4 bundles of fun, and he is a happy and healthy 8 week old now. We have been adjusting well to the new addition and his brothers adore him. Yes we have our tearful days but as I write now, the 2 eldest are doing their school work, the toddler is colouring (maybe a little more table than paper), the baby is sleeping and I have a freshly brewed cup of coffee in my hand. Right now, this is a peaceful moment and it won't be the only one.

My Vegetable Patch

Last year I started making use of our garden for the first time in more practical ways. I don't class myself as being green fingered and quite frankly I didn't and still don't do a very good job of keeping my in house plants watered and alive...I leave that to my husband. But I thought it would be a good project for me and the boys to get stuck in to and show them where food comes from. Last year I was very successful at growing courgettes but maybe a little less successful at getting my children and even my husband to enjoy eating them. We did have great fun growing a pumpkin and that was readily eaten in the form of pumpkin soup. My carrots on the otherhand looked grotesque and deformed and the stony soil proved to be too hard for them to grow nice and straight. This year I thought I would focus more on salad plants like lettuces, peppers and tomatoes. I have attempted carrots again but this time planted them in a pot and filled it with fresh soil...no stones. We have a few chilli plants growing and some broadbeans and my favourite...sugarsnap peas. 

 Not to be forgot though are my strawberry plants that now in their second year of growth should provide us with some juicy strawberries and the plant nearest to you in the picture below has been started by my mother who is conducting her own experiments and just started growing vegetables and fruit herself. It's a melon plant! Now this might be fun, I will certainly be keeping you updated on it's growth. My mum started off 4 of these plants and now they are all in different locations and types of gardens across the country from southern regions to northern regions, from shady back yards to sunny gardens. I'm hoping ours does well.

 Here are my broadbeans that I noticed today have just started producing their pods. It's very exciting to see and I'm looking forward to tasting this years produce.

As well as what you can see in these pictures we also have a rhubarb plant in our back garden that is a faithful producer of rhubarb, a plum tree that produces vast quantities, a raspberry plant in it's second year of growth and an apple tree.

Vegetables and fruit are generally left to me to deal with, but the flowers and lawns are my husband's domain. Here are some of the roses that are growing and there will be much appreciated thanks to anyone who can identify what type of rose is featured in the picture immediately below, the gorgeous pink and yellow variety. It was present in the garden when we moved in and I love it but no idea what variety it is.

Womanly Dominion - Chapter 6 - In Scriptural Motherhood

7 years ago I became a mother and 18 months later my second boy was born. He was soon to be followed by 2 precious babies that I did not get to hold in my arms and then I was blessed once again with another boy. I am sat here typing this with a further blessing from God kicking away safely in my womb who I look forward to meeting in 12 weeks time. In 7 years my life has changed dramatically.

If you ask Google what motherhood is there is often many comical answers. Here are some of my favourites:

• Motherhood is saying things like "Don't put dinosaurs in the toilet"
• Eating nothing but sandwich crusts.
• Mother...one person who does the work of twenty...for free.
• Motherhood .... is painful.
• Wearing clothes decorated in hand prints and stickers.
• Entertaining company while you pee.
• Taking a break from sleeping...for 18 years.

Isn't motherhood sounding glamorous right now?! You might be laughing but there is truth in all those comical things people say about motherhood. It isn't the most glamorous job and it can be jolly hard work...but it is a work that is giving to us by God. Motherhood is not all about wiping messy faces and endless piles of laundry. There is so much more to it and great value in motherhood.

Mark Chanski says this "Motherhood is that dignified and strenuous life vocation taken up by a woman who has resolved to give herself fully to the task of nurturing godly children from a godly home environment".

When my first boy was a year old I was asked the question "What do you do?". How did I respond to that question...truthfully I stumbled and eventually came out with oh I am just a mum and then I stood there silently berating myself. Just a mum! Did I really say this? Why? For some time my answer to the question of "What do you do?" was either followed with I study law at university and then this was followed by I work for a solicitors firm in the RTA department. I felt the pressure of the world to conform to society's standard of trying to be a mum and have a growing career at the same time but I had made the decision long before children came along that when they did they would be my priority and not an advancing career. So at 8 months pregnant I left that solicitor's firm and became a stay-at-home mum. Hillary Clinton was famously quoted on the issue of staying at home with the children during her husband's presidential campaign and said this, "I suppose I could have stayed home and baked cookies and had teas, but what I decided to do was fulfil my profession". Something tells me she didn't fully understand what motherhood meant...after all my cold cup of tea still remains on the kitchen counter from this morning and having just got the children to bed now I may have a chance of drinking it. Baking cookies is indeed fun and we certainly enjoy the end results but not the substance of what I do. I was absolutely certain that my decision to stop working on a career was the right thing to do, so back to that question "What do you do?". Just a mum is an answer you should never give. God sees the value in motherhood, I knew this, but something within me at the time was not ready to admit that my view of motherhood, God's view of motherhood, was different to that of the world and it was not to be ashamed of. 7 years on and when asked this question I proudly proclaim that I am a mother to 3 boys and I'm a home-maker. I have finally realised the value in raising children.

Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control. 1 Timothy 2:15

Mark Chanski points out that when a woman gives herself wholeheartedly to her God-ordained occupation of mothering, she is saved from many spiritual dangers. She is kept safe from arrogantly taking on a ministry to which she was never called and for which she was never equipped.

James Hurley said this "In his day the bearing of children which Paul selected as a part to represent the whole of the high calling of women was a valued activity which women embraced with joy and with pride and for which they were deeply respected".

For me this chapter should come with a word of warning though, and that is in using the phrase the high calling of women. I am aware that there are many women who find themselves in circumstances that are not ideal, single mothers, mothers with husbands not fulfilling their bread winning role, single women longing to find a marriage partner to start a family with. I have friends who long to be married and married friends who are longing for children and have not been able to conceive. In attempting to put the value back into motherhood we should be careful that this phrase of the high calling of women does not make the single women or childless to feel that they are unequal and are not doing worthy roles in society. As we go and teach mothers to embrace their role and teach women to not devalue the role of motherhood we should do so with love and compassion for there are women who ache to feel the warmth of a child in their arms and have their very own bundle of joy and my heart breaks for these women, I have walked the paths of pregnancy loss and carry my own scars of grief. Let us be careful not to scar these women any more.

Womanly Dominion - Chapter 5 - In the New Testament

In our first year of marriage, me and my husband had the delightful opportunity of travelling to Canada and visiting his family who lived there. It is a beautiful country and we spent time with relatives, getting to know them and being treated to some stunning scenery in the process. It was my first long distant flight and I was expecting the jet lag that everyone talked about on our return home. But the jet lag seemed to drag on and overwhelming tiredness seemed to engulf me. It took me a little while to realise that I wasn't quite feeling myself and I began to suspect that something quite wonderful was happening and at the same time filled me with trepidation. A trip to the doctors and a phone call later with shaking hands and beating heart I picked up the phone to call my husband to tell him we were going to be parents. Joy and fear filled me, a blessing from God was on it's way but what kind of parents will we be? I still felt so young and inadequate and at times the responsibility seemed overwhelming but God knows best was the words that kept me going and in some sense trying to convince me everything was going to be alright. That little baby is about to have his 7th birthday and he has 2 more brothers and another sibling on it's way. It did turn out ok. I always remember that first pregnancy though, the first flutters, the first kick, the first time I got to hold our precious boy, the first smile. I had a supportive husband, family and church and knew that people were looking out for us.
In Womanly Dominion we are introduced to Mary, the mother of Jesus, however her first pregnancy was far from usual. The virgin mother...how can that be most people will ask as we all know how babies are made, impossible some people would say. Mary would have had dreams and plans and an order to them and yet one visit from an angel and her world was turned upside down. Gone was the chance for a happy family gathering celebrating her marriage, gone was the innocence of youthful dreams of a happily-ever after wedding. She was to face criticism and hardship and although Joseph did marry Mary it was not the way she thought things would happen. But Mary endured the challenge and submitted to God's will which went beyond pregnancy. Imagine the great responsibility she would feel knowing she was raising Immanuel, a perfect sinless boy watching on and seeing a sinful mother trying to wade through the struggles of motherhood. Finally Mary had to bear the pain of watching her son suffer on the cross, Mary had a strong spirit.
From one Mary to another Mary our attention turns to the sister of Martha. This Mary is well known for sitting at the feet of Jesus whilst her sister Martha in the midst of a busy household reprimanded her sister for not helping. I have sympathy for Martha, I really do. I am a wife to a husband who works shift patterns, mother to 3 boys and another on the way, home educator, leader of a toddler group, a card-making business on the side and the countless chores involved in running a house....yes I'm certainly busy and often find myself flapping like Martha and feel the pressure of running a household and far too often I have tried to do it all in my own strength. Mary was able to put aside the pressures of physical serving to spend time with her Lord, she recognised the importance of being with Him, learning from Him, being in fellowship with Him. Let us be women of dominion and set aside time purposefully each day to be in God's word and to pray to Him. Let us close the doors on list of chores and activities set for the day and spend time cultivating a relationship with God.
Further into the New Testament we are drawn to consider two more ladies that can teach us valuable lessons. Phoebe and Priscilla were members of the early churches and in Romans 16 The apostle Paul commends these ladies to the church for their valuable work that they carried out. I hope that if you go to church yourself that you have found one that values women and the service they carry out, not to be leaders at the front, elders or preachers, but certainly not to be overlooked as purely coffee and tea bearers. Chanski puts it to us that Phoebe was very possibly a woman of wealth who used her possessions to serve local believers and the spread of the gospel, she was a servant of the church and faithful in her service. Priscilla's theological knowledge of the scriptures proved useful as she respectfully took Apollos under her wing and showed him the errors in his theology, not to put him down but to build him up so that he can be of greater use in God's kingdom. Priscilla had a husband but it is widely thought that Priscilla may well have been the stronger character and more able to teach the scriptures in her home, privately.
There are lots of lessons to learn from these women mentioned in the New Testament. I am grateful myself for this gentle reminder that our roles within our families and churches do not need to look like our husbands because we are women uniquely gifted to be help meets and can be used for God's kingdom in many useful ways.

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