I took some time to ponder the Five minute Friday word prompt by Miss Kate. I was going to write a poem about a variety of ways in which we can represent God OR the variety of ways in God represents himself to us. My surprise was great when what do I represent then blossomed. Sometimes I think too much of who I am comes out in what I write. But it is what it is eh? 🙂
what do I represent then
How do I represent myself?
A homeschooling parent
with years of experience
offering to help
those with questions and more
Open-minded, yet unbudging
on critical matters,
lending an ear to listen,
a mind to bounce thoughts of,
and occasionally supplies to help.
A grocery clerk or
stock person, whichever label
suits you, matters not to me.
A smiling face, a willing body,
moving boxes and crates,
and making the dairy aisle
shine as best as can be.
Helping customers with queries,
do you know where I can find?
A woman, who cares not
for makeup or dresses,
who talks about the loves of
her life, her fellows,
where she live, and gardens.
As well as her extended family as
they live out their lives.
Faith Keeper
A lady seeking after God.
Bringing books of missionaries
and faith to work. Reading and
sharing what is learned, sometimes
to unwilling ears.
But yet, a person turned to
when prayer is a needful thing
a point that surprised when
first time asked.
A rabbit keeper, who can
talk rabbits all day, given
half a chance, who brings smiles
to faces when given a chance
with a bunny to handle and hold
And learning of a bunny sought after
says, in a couple of months,
he can be yours! Helping, moderating groups,
joining rabbit clubs and more.
Rabbits are fun, don’t you know?
But sometimes, sometimes
all that this one person
tries to represent falters.
Faith takes a back seat,
rabbit foes holler,
homeschooling seems forgotten,
and well … sometimes
work is just very hard, and
Sometimes being a woman
is the very last thing I want to be.
I just want to be home
isolating myself from the world
and all it’s troubles.
and I wonder,
what do I represent then?
Just a lonely, scared soul
that sometimes it feels like
the whole world depends on
and I’m just a small, rather
insignificant one, that no one
should really bother with.
And I just don’t know.
Reminders from God
One of the things I try to teach my lad is to have balance in life. Just as you need to balance out your work, sleep, school, and free time… you need to balance out your eating habits. I’ve TRIED to teach him throughout life that regardless of what you do, or how you feel, your first goal is to give glory to God in all the things you do. If you do that, he will help you keep your life balanced well. Sometimes, my life does not feel particularly balanced.. at least not right now.
These verses are to REMIND ME of what should always flow through my efforts… and perhaps they’ll remind you as well. 🙂
I Corinthians 10:31-33
31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.
Romans 11:33-36
33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?”
35 “Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?”
36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
Psalm 72:18-19
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
who alone does wondrous things.
19 Blessed be his glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory!
Amen and Amen!
John 17:1-5
When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed
Fabulous application of the prompt.
FMF 12
Thank you.
Wonderful and encouraging verses, Annette! Aww big hug! You are valuable, significant, and a delightful fragrant aroma to the Lover of your soul! May the Lord continue to strengthen you as a daughter of the King, a wife, mom of wisdom, homeschooling tutor, rabbit raiser, writer, and friend!
The song, The Warrior is a Child, by Twila Paris comes to mind. This is the chorus:
They don’t know that I go running home when I fall down
They don’t know who picks me up when no one is around
I drop my sword and cry for just a while
‘Cause deep inside this armor the warrior is a child.
And Laura Story’s song, Blessings, chorus:
‘Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You’re near?
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst
This world can’t satisfy?
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise?
And Lauren Daigle’s, You Say, chorus:
You say I am loved when I can’t feel a thing
You say I am strong when I think I am weak
An’ You say I am held when I am fallin’ short
An’ when I don’t belong, oh, You say I am Yours
And I believe, oh, I believe
What You say of me
I believe.
I hope these songs minister to you, Annette. 🙂
Lisa, your words are a boon to my heart. Thank you. 🙂
I think we all falter at times.
Thank you for being so open in your sharing. Your words encourage me.
Sandra, Thank you. It’s good to know I’m not alone. 🙂
So many great things represent you! That is awesome! 😊
Thank you Rachel
I loved your honesty. Thank you for sharing. Your Scriptures are a real blessing too.
Terri D
Thank you Terri
Annette, beautiful post!! I resonate with so many of your categories – long-term homeschooler, a woman who cares not for make up or dresses, a lady seeking after God, and a lonely scared soul. And I realise it’s okay to be all of that at once, and just dwell in the land and do good and He will make me shine into the dark places of other people’s lives (Ps 37:3-6). HE shall bring it to pass. Hang in there. Kath, your FMF neighbour at #5 this week.
Thank you Kath. It’s good to know one is not alone.
Oh thank you so much for this. As a mom, it’s hard to lose lose myself when everyone depends on me. So figuring out what we represent as mothers can be challenging outside of our role as mothers. Also, I look up to all homeschooling moms! During lockdown, it was incredibly hard me for to homeschool my kids without losing my mind lol
You are most welcome Valerie. Lockdown was challenging, in more ways than one. Learning who we are is part of our journey as mothers don’t you think? Because it changes us and adds more into who we are as people with all the new skills we need to exercise. 🙂
I have fallen through the cracks
of life into a golden sky
where I wear kilt instead of slacks,
the place where Scotsmen go to die
so far above the heather,
so high above the hills,
so high above the weather,
the haar and its dank chills,
and there will grow soft grasses
atop the clouds so white
where bonny lads and lasses
dance far into the night
and the wild skirl of the pipes
measures measureless delights.
well written Andrew
It can be so hard to stay balanced in all areas. I believe you have done a good solid job of teaching your son.
oh, I hope so. I sometimes think I fail is so many ways….