Anointed Motherhood Issue #6: Never In Haste (and other thoughts and ideas)
Prefer to listen? I recorded this post for you! The original audio didn't work but this one does!
Hi mama, welcome to Anointed Motherhood! Today is a very exciting day because I saw the first pair of robins touch down and now I feel I can say spring is really here! My mind had been preoccupied the last couple of weeks with the thought that they were flying this way, and if I kept my eyes peeled one day I would spot the first ones and get to feel the joy of welcoming them back. Especially on Good Friday when we woke up to a ton of snow, I kept hope alive by imagining their trip was in progress. Spring wouldn’t be stopped.
If you’re new, I wanted to share that it’s such a delight to me that you are here! I wanted to break away from the algorithm and life sucking nature of social media and write to a group who cared about what the Lord put on my heart or the little tidbits of life I shared. And however small the group, I wanted to invest my heart into them. And “them” is YOU! I hope there is something in today’s newsletter that is encouraging and inspiring to you where you are in your life!
From My Heart | Never In Haste
One of the things I wish I could undo were messages I sent when I was younger. Sometimes they were quick replies to emails that had my heart pounding. Other times it was a “professional” reply over text, which for me meant I just took all care or empathy out my words.
Each time was a moment when I should have taken the time to calm down, make sure my heart was in a good and then pray about the correct response.
Now a days I don’t get too many messages that cause my heart to race. The people I deal with now are mostly my own offspring and they will say something right to my face that I have to calm respond to.
As I have been reading through the Proverbs I have been noticing a theme of thoughtfulness, contemplation and not making rushed decisions.
Also it is not good for a person to be without knowledge, And he who hurries with his feet [acting impulsively and proceeding without caution or analyzing the consequences] sins (misses the mark).
Proverbs 19:2 AMP
We had a really hard time getting to Good Friday Service. I’m not sure if it was the sudden dump of snow, everyone lingering over the hot cross buns I made, our the baby’s 4:30 a.m. wake up, but we were in slow motion and trying to make it to the 9:15 a.m. service.
Tensions began to rise as my almost-three-year-old decided there was no way he was leaving the house and began to scream and make his body weigh one hundred pounds (how do little ones do that?).
Finally my husband declared that we were getting to the service no matter how late we were and picked up said screaming child and marched to the vehicle.
To say I was frazzled when we walked into service would be an understatement.
Slowly I began to melt as the worship began and the Holy Spirit began to fill the room. It was a powerful service but by the time it ended I felt like I had only just got my heart in the right place to worship my Savior for his sacrifice.
We quickly left the sanctuary to make room for the next service when I felt a stirring in my heart to stay.
Of course I had all the reasons in my mind why it wouldn’t work. As we got in our vehicle and mentioned my desire to stay. My husband could sense this was from the Lord. “Why don’t you go back in and I’ll come pick you up when it’s over?”
It took us three starts and stops within the parking lot as I processed all the reasons why it wasn’t fair to him before I finally got out, accompanied with two of my children who also wanted a second round of church, including the one who didn’t want to come that morning, and slipped in the side door as it was beginning.
I can’t tell you how my heart needed that slow soak. Every worship song, each moment of communion, hearing the message for a second time, it was all transformational for me and I was the lady in the back crying all the way through.
The Lord is so incredibly kind. He knew that I just needed some extra time in his presence, and he invited me to step into the space he had made for it to happen.
To make rash, hasty decisions shows that you are not trusting the Lord. But when you rely totally on God, you will still act carefully and prudently.
Proverbs 28:25 TPT
Sometimes the leading of the Lord doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. Often it puts us in a Mary-or-Martha situation where we have to decide if we are willing to respond to the invitation to sit at his feet despite the many things we have to do.
But if we trust the Lord, if we really believe his intentions are good and that he is kind to us with a love that surpasses what we can understand, we can take the time that’s needed to make the decision that is in line with his will.
I don’t want to make my decisions in life based on pressure or fear. I want to live by faith and experience true life.
But we are certainly not those who are held back by fear and perish; we are among those who have faith and experience true life!
Hebrews 10:25 TPT
Lord Jesus, you are so gracious and kind to us. Your intentions are good. When you invite us to say yes to you and your ways we can be confident that you are working beyond what we can see on the surface. Help us to slow down and to be patient and thoughtful in our decisions. May we remember to pause and seek you and not succumb to worldly pressure but act with prudent wisdom. Bless each mama with a time of refreshing in your Spirit, like you blessed me on Good Friday. In Your Name. Amen
Resource Round Up |
I try to go on a long walk by myself a number of times a week. It partly for exercise (it’s hard to walk fast when the little ones want to look around), and partly for my mental and spiritual health. I find the Lord speaks to me on these walks and often gives me creative ideas for that week. Sometimes I walk silently, other times if I’m not already overloaded I listen to something.
This past week I was listening to one of my favourite actors read the Psalms. David Suchet reads these verses with such calmness and gentleness, it feels like they are drenched in an anointing of peace.
If I left for my walk stressed and anxious about something I came back serene and relaxed, confident that I am safe in the arms of the Lord.
I listened right on the Bible App, but you can also find the entire Bible on YouTube!
I’ve shared before that I absolutely love Sally Clarkson and her podcast is one of the few that I listen to weekly. I wanted to share the episode she did with Ginny Yurich from 1000 Hours Outside. This episode was so encouraging to me to prioritize being outdoors as spring arrives. It has actually inspired me to do a spring school that will be mostly outdoors with my children. I won’t share much about that yet until I see how it goes! An idea always sounds better before it’s been tested!
https://sallyclarkson.com/podcast/2024/3/17/strong-bodies-strong-minds-with-ginny-yurich
I ordered Ginny’s book of outdoor ideas from our library and stumbled across this mud kitchen crafts book too! I find some of this stuff kind of overwhelming to imagine setting up, but I’m at a stage of mothering where I can “strew”(to borrow an unschooling term), these books around and watch my older children come alive with ideas of what they could set up for the younger ones. If these seem like a lot of work, don’t worry about looking at them! It might not be the right season. Ginny shared that most of these ideas came organically to her children as they had time and space to simply played outside.
Now I have a question for you!
Can you send me some gift ideas for my “turning three” year old?
We are all about open ended, imagination releasing, not noisy/flashy/plastic and ideally wooden or some other kind of natural material. I usually look for Montessori inspired toys or things that can be used in real life. Do you have anything that comes to mind? Reply to this email with your ideas or leave a comment! I would love to add something meaningful to our household at his birthday!
From My Kitchen |
This is great to pour in your travel mug when you head on a nature walk and need to stay fuelled!
Regulating Coconut Milk Hot Cocoa
This cocoa is an instant calm down for me. I make it on days when I am feeling out of control and somehow, (maybe it’s the healing property of coconut milk or the protein boost of the collagen), after a sip and a prayer, I am able to face the day again.
1/2 can coconut milk
2/3 cup water
Scant 1 tablespoon cocoa
2 tablespoons of collagen
pinch of ginger
generous 1/4 tsp of cinnamon
pinch of salt
sweetener of choice (I use Trim Healthy Mama Super Sweet Blend)
Heat the milk and water to just boiling on the stove. Place everything else in a vented blender. Pour heated milk/water into the blender and blend on high for about 10-20 seconds. Adjust sweetness to meet your preference. Pour the thickened, delicious cocoa into your favourite mug and enjoy!
Final Thoughts |
As I end today, I remind you that spring is a life change for us! It’s a good life change, but it is a change and it takes some time to get used to. The new freedom is hard to fathom for children at first. The sun streaming in the windows make it really hard to focus. It will become normal and you will be able to accomplish a few things again. But for now, it’s ok to throw yourself outdoors and let the season consume you. I find that we get thrown for a bit of a loop when the weather changes and it just takes use bit to figure out how we’re going to live life again. It takes time to relearn taking turns on the trampoline or how to ride the next size bike. It’s also pretty dirty and in case you need to hear this, my floors are a mess too! ‘Tis the season for mud, dirt, leaves and adjustments! Things will dry out soon enough!
Baby girl got more muddy than she would have liked but thankfully we have baths to make it all better!
Have a blessed week and watch out for robins!
Love,
Monica