Are You Stressed... or Are You Loved?

"Mary has chosen what is best and it will not be taken away from her."
Luke 10:42


Originally, I told [you] Alicia that I would write a little something about taking care of our homes/families. I've been trying to think of something inspirational to say on the subject for the past few days, but I've been coming up dry! When I think about such things as housework, or really any kind of work at all, I feel a certain... guilty feeling, I guess you'd say. Not always, but sometimes. Used to be, in the past, that I would hide myself in a certain 'Martha' costume and plod along feeling like at least in my work could I find some sort of identity and worth in life. I always knew though, deep down, that what I was really doing was hiding... hiding from the kind of one-on-one, deep intimacy and relationship with the Lord that I was really made for. "The better part"... that's what Jesus said. That's who I wanted to be. The woman that would sit at His feet for hours and never once worry about who would be making the next meal, or how I could ever possibly get everything done in my life. Once, while I was in Bible school, I even wrote "MARY" on the back of my hand, so I would remember every time I saw it to take a moment to focus on becoming more like her.




Not that that's a bad thing. That's exactly what someone with my personality needs: to just lay everything aside now and then and focus on relationships, especially the one that I have with my Savior.



But I've come to realize something. Just because that is the better part, doesn't mean it's the only part. This is real life, people. We have husbands and children, mouths to feed, dishes to wash, and laundry to do. (That is NOT an extensive list, by the way!) Does God expect me to feel guilty for every second of my day that is not spent in my room on the floor with worship music playing in the background? Heavens no! This is a God of grace that we're talking about, after all. He remembers that we are dust. All He asks is that the things of this earth would not consume our hearts, drawing us away from our first love. He wants to be the center of our attention and the focus of our love. Is that so much to ask?



And so I've learned. Learned to love the moments of laying it all aside, shutting off the noise, and just loving Him. And I've also learned how to truly love, and not feel tied to, the things that really do need my attention. Work can be worship too. When done from a heart of gratitude, caring for our homes and children shows the Lord how much we value all that He has done for us and all that He has given us.



If anyone's interested, there's a book on this subject that changed my life: "Having a Mary Heart In a Martha World."