Perhaps I used the wrong words. In saying, "You life is not your own", I was merely saying that a stay at home mother is not free to kick up her heels and do as she likes. It may be though that the things which she likes, are the things that center around the well being of her husband, and of the family, , as was the case with my mom.
I'm sure I cannot paint with words a true picture of my mother, but I will do my best.
My mother was very happy, all of her life, but more than happy, as she put it, she was content, always content. I think in her mind, being in a state of discontent put her in conflict with her faith in Jesus Christ. Sure one could fall into a state of discontent, but remaining in that state very long, was a sign of lack of faith in the promises of God obtained through knowing the word, and through prayer.
"If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." John 15:7
She viewed "happiness" as a condition of circumstances, but true contentment as something that was independent of ones circumstances, and she lived a life that proved out her unshakable faith. I never saw it waver, not one time, not for one second, even in the most trying times, and I learned of many times when faith was the only thing that sustained her and my dad, the family though some tough times. My grandmother was the same kind of woman. Stories were told around the dinner table, so to speak, of my grandmother's faith, and my mothers.
Regrettably, it was me, more than once, that put my mother in desperate conditions where her faith was tested, and under which her faith was proven for all to see.
Example: I was in a head on collision. Doctors did not expect me to live. Yet when my mother arrived at the hospital, all were amazed at her calm and composed demeanor, her since of assurance that I would live, that all would be well.
Obviously I did live, and despite my hip being broken in 10 places, my knees cut up, and a serious concussion, after a month long hospital stay, in four months I was jump starting from a pair of crutches, off the river bank with a waters ski.
During my month long hospital stay, I had many visitors. I heard some of them speak in amazement of how my mother throughout the entire ordeal seemed never in a state of worry. Latter during my recovery, and after hearing other speak of this, I spoke to my mom about it.
After my accident, the police called my dad. My dad drove home and told my mother. My mom said when she got the news, she fell apart, the thought of her baby, I was the youngest of five, critically injured, at deaths door was more than she could handle. She told me that she prayed, told God, "Lord, this is more than I can handle, I am turning this over to you. Your will be done." And at that point she says that that piece beyond understanding described in Philippians 4:7, came over her. The tempest upon which she had been tossed becalmed as though Jesus commanded the raging storm within her, "Piece, be still".
This is only one of the examples where my mothers faith was by trial, weighed in the balance, and proved the measure of it's worth.
This is why my mom was able to find contentment in all situations, because she understood that no matter what the circumstances, when she did all she could do, the rest was in Gods hands.
Perhaps I used the wrong words. In saying, "You life is not your own", I was merely saying that a stay at home mother is not free to kick up her heels and do as she likes. It may be though that the things which she likes, are the things that center around the well being of her husband, and of the family, , as was the case with my mom.
I'm sure I cannot paint with words a true picture of my mother, but I will do my best.
My mother was very happy, all of her life, but more than happy, as she put it, she was content, always content. I think in her mind, being in a state of discontent put her in conflict with her faith in Jesus Christ. Sure one could fall into a state of discontent, but remaining in that state very long, was a sign of lack of faith in the promises of God obtained through knowing the word, and through prayer.
"If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." John 15:7
She viewed "happiness" as a condition of circumstances, but true contentment as something that was independent of ones circumstances, and she lived a life that proved out her unshakable faith. I never saw it waver, not one time, not for one second, even in the most trying times, and I learned of many times when faith was the only thing that sustained her and my dad, the family though some tough times. My grandmother was the same kind of woman. Stories were told around the dinner table, so to speak, of my grandmother's faith, and my mothers.
Regrettably, it was me, more than once, that put my mother in desperate conditions where her faith was tested, and under which her faith was proven for all to see.
Example: I was in a head on collision. Doctors did not expect me to live. Yet when my mother arrived at the hospital, all were amazed at her calm and composed demeanor, her since of assurance that I would live, that all would be well.
Obviously I did live, and despite my hip being broken in 10 places, my knees cut up, and a serious concussion, after a month long hospital stay, in four months I was jump starting from a pair of crutches, off the river bank with a waters ski.
During my month long hospital stay, I had many visitors. I heard some of them speak in amazement of how my mother throughout the entire ordeal seemed never in a state of worry. Latter during my recovery, and after hearing other speak of this, I spoke to my mom about it.
After my accident, the police called my dad. My dad drove home and told my mother. My mom said when she got the news, she fell apart, the thought of her baby, I was the youngest of five, critically injured, at deaths door was more than she could handle. She told me that she prayed, told God, "Lord, this is more than I can handle, I am turning this over to you. Your will be done." And at that point she says that that piece beyond understanding described in Philippians 4:7, came over her. The tempest upon which she had been tossed becalmed as though Jesus commanded the raging storm within her, "Piece, be still".
This is only one of the examples where my mothers faith was by trial, weighed in the balance, and proved the measure of it's worth.
This is why my mom was able to find contentment in all situations, because she understood that no matter what the circumstances, when she did all she could do, the rest was in Gods hands.
What a beautiful story. Thank you for sharing.