Monday, January 9, 2012

World Changers

Work. We all have to do some form of it sometime. (Okay, maybe not if you are an heiress, but even they try to take on the appearance that they are productive in some capacity.)

The feminist movement (I am NOT talking about a woman’s right to vote and equal opportunity, but rather the extreme “men are the source of all evil” and a woman can-do-it-all and is better-than-man mentality. I know this mentality-I used to flaunt it) has somehow influenced our culture to think that being a stay-at-home mom is degrading to women.  Even we who choose to stay home often will answer the question of, “Where do you work” with “I’m just a stay-at-home mom”. Just. As if this makes us inferior somehow.  I mean, how could we possible climb the ladder of success when we aren’t even on the ladder?

I am reminded of a girl I knew in college.  We were more acquaintances than anything.  We had friends of friends, that sort of thing.  She once verbally attacked a classmate who admitted during a class discussion that she always wanted to get married and have children.  The girl lashed out with, “Why the xxxx are you in college then?”  My acquaintance thought it utterly disgusting that any young woman would aspire to such goals.  Apparently she thought marriage and motherhood was reserved for the uneducated or at least only after a woman has conquered the world.  College. When we basked in the ignorance of knowing it all.

Now while I adore being a stay-at-home mom, hold tight to my role as their primary teacher and consider it an honor to do what I do, I by no means am taking the opposite stance as my college acquaintance.  I do not consider a woman who works outside of the home to be living a life that is worthless. 

Second to bringing my children to the saving knowledge of Christ, is my goal to help them discover God’s purpose for their lives.  God has gifted every individual with special talents and strengths to be used for His purpose, for His glory.  It is the job of all parents to help their children find their talents and provide the best possible circumstances in which they can strengthen those talents and use them for His glory. Some women are gifted in such a way to make fine doctors, public school teachers, daycare guardians, business administrators etc.  Working outside the home, though, is not our greatest purpose if we have children.

We mothers need to understand that whether we work at home, from home or outside the home, we are in a prime position to change the world. Remember Whitney Houston’s hit, The Greatest Love of All?  It begins with “I believe the children are the future”.  The logic of that is irrefutable. What we need to remember though is that we mothers mold the future.  Whatever decisions we make concerning our children-to keep them at home or place them in daycare, to home school or place in public or private school-influences who they become as adults. That is the future.

The Hand That Rocks the Cradle

The Hand that rocks the Cradle
Is The Hand That Rules The World
Blessings on the hand of women!
Angels guard its strength and grace,
In the palace, cottage, hovel,
Oh, no matter where the place;
Would that never storms assailed it,
Rainbows ever gently curled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.
Infancy's the tender fountain,
Power may with beauty flow,
Mother's first to guide the streamlets,
From them souls unresting grow--
Grow on for the good or evil,
Sunshine streamed or evil hurled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.
Woman, how divine your mission
Here upon our natal sod!
Keep, oh, keep the young heart open
Always to the breath of God!
All true trophies of the ages
Are from mother-love impearled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.
Blessings on the hand of women!
Fathers, sons, and daughters cry,
And the sacred song is mingled
With the worship in the sky--
Mingles where no tempest darkens,
Rainbows evermore are hurled;
For the hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world.
...William Ross Wallace

Mothers shape the future.  We are the real world changers.  How seriously do you take this responsibility?

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