When we read, or listen to, instructional stuff like homeschooling help books, or blogs, or parenting help books, or homemaking supports, if they are practical (and there is no point reading or listening if they are not) we often find ourselves with a list of great ideas, a list of things to do. That phrase goes over and over in my head things to do!
When we listen to other people stories there is a split reaction we have. On the one hand it is great to be encouraged as stories should give us something to aim for, they should give us hope that things are achievable. Unfortunately though these stories, taken onboard along side that long list of things to do, ends up giving us a timeline to place our expectations along. We end up expecting our child to be reading or writing very creative stories by such and such an age. We end up expecting first time obedience by this age because that was when that family achieved first time obedience. It was exciting for that family and it seemed so achievable. So what is wrong with me, with my parenting, maybe its my child, my family?
Once we start asking these questions of ourself we start to feel guilty, overwhelmed, inadequate, and a failure! We feel this condemnation because we believe we are just not getting there, we are not reaching the standard that, by the way everyone else is! Or so it would appear.
There is a verse in the Bible that talks about this type of pressure. Jesus says
(Matthew 11:29) Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (That rest means relief, ease, refreshment and blessed quiet that can be found by learning from Jesus.)
He goes on . My yoke is wholesome and My burden is light and easy to be borne. (This wholesome means useful, good not harsh, hard, sharp or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant)
This verse is a constant with me when I start to see this list of things to do, this list that makes things hard, that makes life unpleasant, that builds pressure, I stop and realise that that is not what Jesus is on about not if it is putting all that pressure on me. His way is easy His way brings blessed quiet.
I just wanted to encourage you that we are not doing this journey on our own yes, we have the support of our husbands, we have the support of each other, but should we choose too we also have Jesus as our support and for me, learning from Him does help.
