The M&Q Spirit

We did all end up getting sick. Even Jason joined us and then he went one step further and developed pink eye. Yesterday was the first day in over a week that there was no fever in this place and I am thankful for a healthy household again. I'm hoping the demon red eyeball germs do not spread or else we'll be looking at being on lockdown again.

This week we escaped to the carwash--thrilling really, after being in the house for days--and since it was evening and Jason was with us I ran into the bookstore. I came home with a few jewels and one is "Homeschooling with a Meek and Quiet Spirit" by Teri Maxwell. I am a fan of the Mawell's "Managers of Their Homes" and have wanted to get my hands on a copy of "Meek/Quiet Spirit" for awhile now.

I thought I was pretty successful at having a gentle spirit with my kids. Not perfect but a far cry from the impatient, snappy, often overwhelmed, prone to yelling mom I was even 6 years ago. However, after reading this example that Terri provided from her days as a mom to 3 school aged children and 3 children who were aged baby to preschooler, I was convicted not about my actions or words but my spirit:

"I walked into the bathroom, in the middle of a busy school morning, to discover the toilet paper had been unrolled all over the floor. Do you know what I did? I sat down on the floor and cried! In frustration, I raised my heart to the Lord, "Lord, there are just too many of them and too few of me!" Of course, unrolled toilet paper was not the only thing that had happened in our home that morning, but it was the straw that broke the camel's back...

I wish this had been my reaction instead: 'Lord, those little guys are at it again. Thank you for giving them to me to love, teach, and train. Please, Lord, give me the energy I need to deal sweetly with them. Also, grant me the courage and wisdom to discipline them. I love them so much, Lord!' It would have characterized a meek and quiet spirit despite discouraging circumstances."

That right there really convicted me. Now, I am not one to sit down and cry but I have definitely seen some little (or big...) mess on a day that has not been going smoothly. Frequently in this situation, I am slammed with feelings of "I can not do this anymore." I usually don't say anything nasty to anyone but my happy feelings tend to shrivel up and die at this point.

I don't want to live that way. I don't want to be satisfied with simply not screaming at people when I feel like it or gritting my teeth so hard that I've develop a tension headache b/c my kid is going thru a "testing phase". Sure, I'm human and I'm not going to be pleased when I find a 50 pound bag of dog food dumped on the floor (true story) or discover my toddler no longer has curls thanks to her scissor-wielding 5 yr old sister (another true story). But I don't want to be sitting there conjuring up an ulcer.

What I want is this:

 "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7

What I want is true joy and peace. I'm going to steal this definition of "joy" from our "Who Is God?" textbook b/c it is so simple and yet profound:

Joy: A delight that comes not from our circumstances, but from living in fellowship with God as His child.

I am grateful that true joy does not come from our circumstances.

I highly recommend this book. Of course, no book is going to "fix" a problem. Only God can do that. But I do believe that this book is a good one to encourage those of us who are desiring a "meek and quiet" spirit and who are looking to the Lord to complete the good work He started in us. I know already He has used it to bring up areas of my life that I need to further submit to Him.