Month: February 2017

Rules the world.

Posted on by Ruth

 

 

I was in the middle of doing something that other day when this quote came to my mind  – “the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world”.

It came to me so strongly that I took myself away and did some investigation on the quote, because I had heard it before. It actually came from a poem by William Ross Wallace in 1865. This is only two of the verses –

 

What rules the World

Infancy’s the tender fountain,

Power 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 evil hurled;

For the hand that rocks the cradle

Is the hand that rules the world.

 

Woman, 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.

 

(Copied from – https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-hand-that-rocks-the-cradle-is-the-hand-that-rules-the-world/)

In reading the many bits of information about the poem, it was clear that the main theme in this poem was this – the person who raises a child determines the character of the child and so therefor influences the type of world that the next generation creates.

We often think that our work does very little. I am not just talking about child rearing. I am talking about all the little things each one of us do every day that makes the difference to the world. I am also referring to those that think that what they do in life does not make a difference.

It is hard for a mum to see that the little job of raising and caring for a child would possibly make a difference. Why would teaching a child to dress, or teach a child manners make a difference in the world? Why would these things place her on the same level as those who are out in the frontline of society? You know, like doctors, Paramedics, Pastors, Evangelists and Prophets.

Why would the man who goes to work every day and provides for his family make a difference? Why would the person who reaches out to someone on the street make a difference?

Are they not also not reaching a soul that will go on to make a difference? Isn’t every soul important?

I don’t think that we acknowledge the differences that we all make, every day.

A few weeks back, I was reading and thinking about the 7 men in Acts that were chosen to distribute food.

“So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them  and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.  They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.”  Acts 6:2-6 NIV (Emphasis mine)

It would not leave my mind and I felt God was telling me something. I was talking to Him about it, because I didn’t understand what it was I needed to know.

I believe He showed me the above poem, so that I could think a little differently to the way I usually think on this bible verse. So, can I ask you something?

Have you ever thought that those “waiting on tables” needed the apostles to lay hands on them and pray for them?

Mmmm… good question!!

Wow! Think about this for a minute or two. Why don’t we lay hands on the mums, the dads, the table waiters, the garbage collectors, the door stewards, and those serving you with a cuppa after church… AND … pray for their ministry and what they do.

Remember that Stephen, one of the Seven chosen for this ministry, became the first one who die as a martyr.

I often get discouraged by the very mundane of my job as a mum. I find that the hundred times I tell my children to help with the dishes or to have manners to be very tiring. I find that the constant cleaning and cooking to be a struggle – some days.  I know my husband must get tired of providing for us every day, and tired of the bills that come in. I know that there are others who wonder if God has overlooked their service for Him and wonder at their job as a door steward or church cleaner.

Be encouraged. Everything you do changes someone’s life.

Back to the poem…. The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world. Rocking a baby to sleep is one of the most wearisome of tasks… especially if the child does not want to go to sleep and it is 2 am. Getting a teenager to obey the rules in your house, while teaching them that rules are for their protection, is hard – especially when rebellion oozes out of every pore in their skin. But you are bringing up the next generation of people that will care for the world and the people in it.

Getting up and going to work at 5am is difficult, day in and day out – especially when it isn’t the job you want to do. Loving those at work that tease you and persecute you because of your faith can discourage you and make you want to give up. Praying for your congregation is overwhelming – especially if they want you to leave. But you are reaching the generation that now looks after this world.

That is a pretty fantastic job!! Square your shoulders people, everything you do has the ability to make a difference. You really do – rule the world!

Be blessed.

 

God knows us.

Posted on by Ruth

 

 

I recently was reminded again that God know us well. He knows what is in our hearts and He know what we do not say.

I was in a waiting room at the hospital and in a lot of pain. I longed for a friend or family member to be with me and to take my focus off the pain. I longed for someone to be there to hold my hand.

“Father,” I whispered, (a little scared), “talk to me.”

‘Hold my hand.” came the firm reply

Mmmm…see, I couldn’t physically hold God’s hand. The Holy Spirit was not a physical presence. But I knew what God was doing. He had heard my heart cry. That itself was what I need to know from Him. There have been many times that I have talked to God and Has answered from what is in my heart.

There have been many times in my life I have known God presence when I have gone through “stuff”, and other time I have felt very alone. But always I have had the faith that even if I don’t hear Him or sense His presence, He is most certainly there. Today, He heard my heart cry, rather than my words.

Take this scripture –

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. Romans 8:26-27 NLT

The comprehension that Almighty God knows every word in our heart, even the words we do not know how to express, is so amazing to me.

He is God. Why do I still get amazed at God?

The other important detail not to leave out here is that if you pray something remember that God hears what you do not say. A bit like this –

“God, help me to respect my husband” (when really inside we are saying, “and pigs will fly before that man gets any of my respect!!) or “God I want to love my wife” (when you are really saying, I can’t stand that woman”) or “God I forgive ……..” (when inside we are angrily saying, “strike him/her dead God!!.”)

He knows when I am pretending not to be angry, or I when I haven’t really forgiven someone. Pretention is something that Jesus tackled when dealing with the Pharisees of His day. He tackled their posing and falseness. And He remains this way to us today. The Holy Spirit knows exactly what is going on inside.

Do you see what I mean?

The fact that God sees our heart and still loves us is so like God. The fact that He seeks to change that heart is even more amazing. But don’t lie to God.

There have been times when I have opened my bible and said to God, “I don’t feel like reading this today, but show me something that I can take away and learn about you.” Do you think that God doesn’t know? Why not be honest and allow Him to change you…from the inside out?

Take this scripture –

“And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.  Chronicles 28:9 (NIV)

Everywhere I read in scriptures I keep seeing the same thing. God speaking to the hearts of people. Read the beginning of the Book of Joshua. God was telling Joshua to be strong and to be courageous. He was speaking to Joshua’s heart. Joshua had just started to lead (with God’s help) around 2 million people!

Here is another scripture that is worth memorising –

The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. 2 Chronicles 16:9a NLT

We all want strength from God…it is the best strength. Commitment of heart? Our God knows our heart, He knows what our motives are and what we really need to hear. If you want to hear from God, you must be willing to hear God speak to your heart, about your heart.

That is hard, I know. Believe me… I know. God is always loving and compassionate to me, but He will not lie to me or tell me things to make me feel better. He will only tell the truth.

When God asked me to hold His hand, He was not making me feel better, He was letting me know He saw my heart and He would be with me… no matter what I go through. I am still believing for healing – complete healing – but I know God hears that too.

Whatever the desires and the cries of your heart – just tell them to God, He knows anyway. God’s Spirit is with you, in you and listening to you. God knows you.

Be blessed.

Time Out.

Posted on by Ruth

 

 

 

This week for me so far has been about taking time out. Not because I want it, not because I asked for it- but because it was forced. Yes, I came to a complete and total stop and I couldn’t do anything about it. Time out to heal was necessary.

On Saturday, I was lifting a full basket of dirty clothes, when I twisted sideways to get through the door. My back cracked and I almost fell to the floor, as my legs gave away momentarily. I dropped the clothes and hung onto the wall as the world spun. After a few moments, I felt ok so re-lifted the basket and took it to the laundry room. Within 15 minutes I could not bend, sit, walk, stand or move without pain.

Saturdays are busy. I wash, clean, cook and run my children around as their social lives kick into full gear.  Not this day, by lunch time I was in so much pain that I kept needing to go and lay down. I tried painkillers, anti-inflammatories, heat packs, cold packs, stretching and finally bedrest.

I figured that if I pushed through I would be fine. To make a long story short, Monday morning I wanted to do one more thing before taking myself off to the doctors…. Yes… that is where I stayed until help came. I rang the health hotline and they called the ambulance. Monday night I spent in hospital… and I had to stop.

The feeling of vulnerability and helplessness was something that I neither like nor wanted. The mummy of the house could not do what she usually accomplishes. Instead of others relying on me, I was relying on others.

The lessons I learnt over a few days were memorable.

First lesson I learnt was that I have a wonderful group of friends.

What took my attention was that I have two friends a that are single mums. They were right there doing stuff for me and offering to do stuff for me constantly. They rang me, visited me, and were… well… very present.

To add to this further, I know I had people who would have been there at the drop of a hat if I had called – I know this from experiance. Then there was a wonderful lady who got my eldest to school. So many people that helped me out.

I found this very humbling. These women are not part of my church family, they are simply women (mostly Christian) who have become part of my life in this small town. To see their eagerness to help was very overwhelming.

My God is very present as well. Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” I know my God is very present, this too is overwhelming.

The second thing I came to understand more was, that I have sons that are wonderful young men and I could rely on them when things were hard. I could spend a few pages bragging about their kindness, but I won’t. I need to tell you something I learnt.

I realised that there were things I needed to teach my children, that I had not taught them.

Why not? Because I had always done it for them.

Now, please understand me, my boys do a lot. They dust, clean, vacuum, sweep and do a great job. I have sons that have clean rooms… yep, you read correctly…. I have teenagers with clean rooms. I never need to mow the lawn anymore, because they do it. Their chore list is long enough, in their eyes, but that is not what I am talking about. There were things that I thought were just common sense, because I had been doing them for a long time.

For example, one night my eldest and I hung out the clothes. The next morning, I watched him walk out the door to the back yard, he muttered something as he walked out the door. Next minute he hauls in a basket of clothes and plonks them on the bed beside me. The conversation went like this –

Me:        What is that?

Him:      The clothes from last night.

Me:        Wow… Thank you… are they dry?

Him:       I don’t know. (and throws me a pair of shorts)

Me:        They aren’t dry.

Him:       Well, they will be fine, they will dry in a little while.

Me:        Um, no they won’t. Sorry, you need to go and hang these back up.

Him:      Oh my goodness me!! I have just taken them off!!!

My son had never seen me check to see if the clothes were dry. Because I have been doing the washing for 40 years, I suppose that I have bit of an understanding when things are dry. He didn’t know that. He had only seen me walk out and take clothes off the line.

It reminded me again that there is so much more I need to teach my boys, in so many ways. All day long I pondered this and the need to sometimes be willing to back away to allow them to be taught. More importantly for me, not to presume that they know.

I know that God often does this with me. He backs away so that I can be taught faith, compassion, patience and mercy…you know…that “stuff”. The “stuff” that we pray for and then don’t like when God answers.

Oh.. and then there is dealing with s..i..n… you know, the stuff we do that breaks our relationship with our God.

Have you ever thought of that?

We really would prefer if character building came in tablet form.  Sugar coated so we don’t get the horrible taste as we swallow life in its realist form. ‘Cause then this would happen…

(Drum roll) Ta da!!

A Super-Christian extraordinaire has arrived!! With bright leotards and a big red cross on our chest. Yeah… anyway… where was I?

We don’t change like that, and neither will my children. If I don’t back off, the boys will always think that they have nothing more to learn. They need to grow and change, so do I.

There is a scripture that everyone knows, but prefer if it doesn’t have to do with them..

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. Rom 5:3-4

When we run into troubles and find ourselves in difficulties, then we are developing and growing. God would like us to grow, to become stronger in faith and character. It is really up to us.

I have been proud how my children have not once complained about the extra workload, and they have done it cheerfully and willingly. I wish that I could say the same when God gives me things to do.

Having time out is good, for everyone in my family. Tonight, I was able to cook tea and clean up afterwards with only a few little rest breaks. They were grateful for a cooked meal, and mum back at the table again. And me…I am glad that lessons have been learnt in our household.

Also, I am glad that God has used this time to remind me how much He loves me/us. If He didn’t love me/us, He would leave me and you to our own stubborn ways. My God parents well.

Be blessed.

Football Season

Posted on by Ruth

Football season is about to start for this year. Yep, see you all in September!!

I don’t mean sitting a watching football on the TV. I mean that my young men, my sons, play Rugby League. I will spend the next 7 months as taxi driver, nurse, cleaner, canteen volunteer, and their number one fan and cheer squad.

My two boys are at their first football training session this afternoon. I suspect that they are going to come home sweaty, stinky and exhausted. It is still very hot this afternoon, I also suspect that they are also going to come home desperately needing to shower and cool off.

One day, I asked both the boys what they enjoyed about playing such a rough sport. Their answers amused me. My eldest one said the fitness and the team comradery. My youngest one said that he got to smash other kids and to tackle. (note my pained expression) BTW, the picture that heads this blog is of my youngest son. He loves to tackle!!

As a footy mum, I will spend the next 7 months running the boys to various locations around our large district, and cleaning mud and dirt from their clothes, shoes and our car. I will buy oodles of strapping tape, painkillers, heat rub and food.

Oh… and did I mention food?

As I have said before God speaks to me through very simple things in life.

I am the type of mum that cheers them on in their pursuits in life, encourages them and pushes them to keep their commitments, all the while holding my breath every time they get injured. There are times that I turn away with tears in my eyes when I see them hit the ground and take their time to get up.

The Holy Spirit encourages me forward, helping me to my feet when I fall. Scripture floods my mind when I hurt and gives peace when I am troubled.

I watch the boy’s coach pat them on the shoulder, and encourage them to push harder. The coach will help them with their flaws and weaknesses and place them where their strengths are more like to be used to the max.

My Heavenly Father reminds me that I have made a commitment to Him, that my heart must remain in the game with Him as my coach. He will place me where He can help me in my weaknesses and where the strengths that I have are providing the best for those around me. He will also let me know when I have let the “team” down, and remind me that through Him I can do what He knows I can do.

While footy season to my sons, is about the team and the game, the season for me is about making sure they get their rest and pace their busy lives well.

Often to me life is about the everyday, making sure every family member is looked after and getting things done that I rarely seem to have time for. My Father -He knows the bigger plans. He is watching me and reminding me that I can rely on Him when I get exhausted, when I am in pain and when I simply do not want to run onto the field to play one more game. I watch as He paces my life and stops me from getting myself too busy.

This blog has just taken a turn…

My two sweaty teenage boys have come in and walk past me. Their faces are red and they complaining that they hurt all over.  Even as fit as they are, they are going to hurt tomorrow. I think my words to them were something like this – “You feel it now, but give it a few weeks and it won’t hurt anymore.”

I can feel God nod His head in my direction. “yes, Father, I too hurt.”

“I need you to do some training.”

Oops…didn’t think He noticed!!

So, before Him now I have handed Him two situations that are really hurting me right now. I feel the pain as He trains me in the area of forgiveness. I really wanted to leave it alone and pretend that by sitting on my backside it would go away.”

“Walk Ruth,” I hear Him say, “Walk with the decision to hand it over this that you carry. This is faith. Do you trust me to work through everything in your life? Even those that seem to have no change?”

(Oh my goodness.. those faith muscles again!!!)

“I have trained and trained in this area so many times, Father, nothing has changed. I have given it to you before.”

“Yes, but does it hurt as much this time.”

“No”

“Was it easier to hand it to me?”

“Yes”

“How is your faith?”

(I flex it, it feels stiff), ”Yeah..ok, I didn’t realise that I would be so stiff!”

“Remain trained in the area of forgiveness, never stop forgiving. Anger and resentment do not seem to cause you to be unfit, but it stops you from being your best. I will continue to enlarge your faith, until eternity, without this you will not continue forward.”

I know what He means. He is now silent. I am grateful for the best Coach, Counsellor, and God that shows mercy and knows me well.

While I know, there will be times when my children hurt and are in pain, I will be there for them. There are times they want to give up, but I will not let them. There are times when it is too early to get up, but I will pull there blankets off them and give them a hot drink to wake them. There will be times when the drive is long, but we will do it anyway.

Why?

Because every achievement is good and is better when you do it as a team. While they must play and train, I go through it will them.

My God does the same. He cannot walk this walk on this earth for me, but He is “doing this life with me”. He is fully here with me in everything.

For that, I am eternally grateful.

Be blessed