By Grace Alone I do My Work!
by kaelin ~ August 19th, 2010. Filed under: Kaelin, Us.
Paul recently brought home the book, “The Practice of the Presence of God,” a great little book of insights on God from Brother Lawrence. I’m glad he did. It is small, so I can read it during the few minutes alone I get here and there. I don’t really have time for the big books right now!
In between sprinting up and down the stairs to do a few loads of laundry and changing out Corban’s newborn clothes for his 3-6 month clothes (man, it’s a challenge just to keep up keeping the current size clothes in the drawers for these 2 guys!) I read this:
“Although he once had a great dislike for kitchen work, he developed quite a faculty for doing it over the fifteen years he was there (at his monastery). He attributed this to his doing everything for the love of God, asking as often as possible for the grace to do his work.”
I thought, yes! It is by his grace alone that I can be the mother of two, and the wife of a minister. One of our friends from church once said that I make being a mom look so easy. HA! If only they knew my inner life. Or better yet, if only they had known me 8 years ago! The friends who knew me then sometimes say, “I can’t believe you are a stay at home mom, now! I always thought you’d be some business woman!”
I am living in the Lord’s most blessed life for me, and I find deep satisfaction in tasks I once would have shunned. But why? Because the world said they were mundane, unworthy, too hard, too self-sacrificial. But Glory to God! My focus can be on people!! My sweet husband, my Luke, my Corban, my family, my friends. For the souls of people are the only real reward I will see in eternity.
So, at each step of the way I have to ask Him, give me energy to make it through the day, give me wisdom to correct and instruct, may I have patience during this out of control tantrum, let me narrow in on my son, not the mess in the house….. and actually, I am exhilarated by the challenge!