Five Quotes from “Motherhood Matters”
An avid political hound, my husband listens to the news several times a day. For instance, before starting work in our home office he plugs in his radio ear buds, turns the TV on, switches on his iPhone, and then fires up his laptop. Plugged into lots of lively debate on every “issue du jour” he’s a happy camper!
Although he’s a vibrant Christian, e-Dad enjoys tuning in to the conservative Jewish pundit, Michael Medved, and a rabbi by the name of Daniel Lapin. Jokingly, e-Dad refers to Rabbi Lapin as his “personal rabbi.”
My Personal Rabbi
Well, I have a “personal rabbi” too—Dr. Albert Mohler. I follow his weblog with great enthusiasm. He’s not really Jewish, but instead he’s thoroughly Christian, and president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Al Mohler writes fearlessly from a biblical worldview about issues pertaining to the “culture wars.” After
e-Dad, he’s the finest thinker I know.
Nearly thirty years together, Albert is married to a lovely woman named Mary—who happens to be a fine thinker like her husband. Al and Mary have two grown children named Katie and Christopher. Mary wrote a wonderful article for the Journal of Biblical Manhood and Womanhood entitled, “Motherhood Matters.”
Encouragement for Stay-at-Home Moms
If you’re a stay-at-home Mom, I encourage you to read it. In her no nonsense way, Mary offers practical encouragement for women who are running the long-distance marathon called motherhood. Here are five meaningful quotes from her article.The Hand that Rocks the Cradle …
1. “Motherhood is an incredible calling and has been called the most honored, cherished, important job there is. The notion that motherhood is the preeminent force for change in the world is captured in the oft quoted William Ross poem with the line, ‘The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world.’”
2. “Somewhere along the way, society lost the respect it once had for mothers. I am certain that our grandmothers and great-grandmothers didn't face this problem. Too many moms today feel unappreciated by society as a whole. Perhaps it is due to the fact that moms don't receive a report card or job evaluation sheet. Perhaps others cave to the pressure to believe that performing the ‘menial’ tasks associated with motherhood is nothing more than what a daycare worker can do and makes no significant contribution to our world.
Thankfully, most moms don't allow themselves to think that way for long. They save the precious handmade Mother's Day cards. They savor the sweet, sticky kisses. They remember forever how their children's sparkling eyes light up when they spot mom at the door of the church nursery, knowing that no one else will suffice. At the end of the day, motherhood matters because we are charged with the awesome task to train the next generation and, together with their fathers, arm them to be warriors for Christ. It is a daunting task that requires a great deal of energy, wisdom, and time.”
3. “I am quickly becoming a freak of nature. Some of you are freaks like me! Did you know that less than 25 percent of married households have the husband as the sole financial provider? That's just one out of four. June Cleaver and Carol Brady stereotypes are now oddities.”
4. “It is also important to remind you of this: don't let anyone make you feel guilty for doing a full-time job full-time. Husbands should help kids understand that mommy's job is at home. They should be proud, never embarrassed, to be in the vast minority of kids who say, ‘My mom is a mom who stays at home with us,’ even though 75 percent of America's households cannot say that.”
5. “We face moral issues today as adults that our parents and grandparents did not face nor dream of facing. What will our kids be forced to deal with when they grow up? How will they possibly be ready to know how to respond? They will respond by building today upon what they learned yesterday. We have absolute truth found in God's word alone and as we impart that day by day, little by little, we are being used by God to equip the next generation. Isn't that awesome? Does that excite you? It should.”
Would you like to learn more about Mary Mohler? In this four-part interview with GirlTalk, Mary Mohler reflects on her life outside of motherhood as a seminary president; her role as director of Seminary Wives Institute; her involvement in their local crisis pregnancy center; and her love for college football.
Related
Find More Christian Encouragement: Courtney's Wednesday Blog Hop at Women Living Well, Barbara’s Monday quote meme The Week in Words at Stray Thoughts, Tiffini's Word Women Wednesdays at House of Belonging, and the ever-popular Carnival of Homeschooling.
Photos: Inside Southern Seminary, Google Images, mudkat (Flickr)
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