When I was rushing to leave a good friend's house one afternoon, she says "where are you headed off to?"
My answer, "I'm on my way to church; I have to pick up the boys from school, pick up dinner to eat in the car, then off to church for praise team dance rehearsal."
She laughs and adds, "you are the 'church mom' version of the 'soccer mom."
That conversation was nearly six years ago, and I remember it clearly. I remember it well, because I have spent many hours, days, months, and years contemplating it's connotation for my life. It puzzled me, because for a few moments in my life, I questioned whether or not I was pressuring my children into my interest. Because, I was involved in multiple ministries in my church, did my children want to be as plugged-in to ministry as I was. As a result of my confusion, I made the decision to pray and meditate on the commands of God's Word.
I was repeatedly led to:
"Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it." Proverbs 22:6 (NLT)
"God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God." Matthew 5:8 (NLT)
"God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another." 1 Peter 4:10 (NLT)
"And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up." Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NLT)
Bible scripture commands that as a parent, I am to guide and teach my children they are designed to serve each other with a pure heart for their God-given purpose. Each opportunity I have to plant a seed, it is the Holy Spirit who will see that seed continually fed so that the children will blossom according to God's Will for their lives. Therefore, when given the option of 'busy obligations' in the community of faith, I will always elect to push them in the direction of purposeful service in building the Kingdom of Heaven.
My children have an opinion on all of the activities that they participate in. As my little boys became teenagers, I saw their interest leading toward school extracurricular activities and peers; they developed a desire to expand interest and pursue community service to boost their college application. But, their passions for the ministries they have loved since they were little boys has not diminished. We continue to rush to praise dance, choir rehearsal, usher rehearsal, skit practice and bible study.
I encourage you to not loose heart when your peers are questioning all of your church obligations. While they are loading children into their minivans for soccer practice, you continue to load your minivan with children on your way to church. For the benefits for keeping your children in church and fellowship with the faith community far out weigh the benefits of trophies and a pizza party.
As my fellow church mom announced one day in the parking lot as we were waiting on our girls to finish choir rehearsal, "I'm at church again, no place else I'd rather be."
I love it. I do get tired sometimes doing the same thing all the time, and often question why others aren't as dedicated as we are. Then, God, like always, seem to sit me down and basically tell me to mind my own business. If Jesus said in Luke 2:49,"And he said unto them, How is it that you sought me? knew you not that I must be about my Father's business?," then I guess I just have to learn the same principles. I guess I always wonder why so many people serve THINGS, and rush to go here and there, but don't find time for the one who made them. Keep doing what you do Tarah. Never give up. I guess Jesus was more tired than us, and he did nothing wrong, yet; he proceeded forward to tend to his father's business. . . just as we must do. R. Poston
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