Praise the Lord, my soul,
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, my soul and forget not all his benefits -
who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.
He made his ways known to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:
The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever;
he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.
THE LIFE OF MORTALS IS LIKE GRASS,
THEY FLOURISH LIKE A FLOWER OF THE FIELD;
THE WIND BLOWS OVER IT AND IT IS GONE,
AND IT'S PLACE REMEMBERS IT NO MORE.
But from everlasting to everlasting
the Lord's love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children's children -
with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.
The Lord has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.
Praise the Lord, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.
Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will.
Praise the Lord, all his works everywhere in his dominion.
Praise the Lord, my soul.
In my slow process of memorizing Psalm 103 the verses above really stuck out to me. It was a day that the fisherman spoiled us. He came home from church and loaded us all up and we went and got all new boots. I watched him as he helped a couple kids try on their new, waterproof, warm boots. I thanked God for him. The tall, handsome man who works hard to provide and worked hard to buy each of his boys boots, so we could all play in the snow and stay warm. Each boy walked out with their new boots, heads high and ready to play. As we are driving home, the fisherman pulled into another outfitter store and asked me to get out and try on some boots. I protested and he insisted. He picked them out with me and had me try them on and purchased them with a smile. My cup wasn't full...it was overflowing. Now don't get me wrong here. It was not overflowing because my husband shelled out cash that day...it was overflowing because he was taking care of those he loved. He was a proud man that day...provided good boots for his family.
We drove home and packed on our snow gear and we headed out as a family...building snow forts.
It was a day filled with planning war zones and guard walls and slides so they can run and slide down to the back of their fort. Snowball storage and tunnels to sneak up on their enemies. A total boy-filled day. I watched them play and the desire arose in me.
I WANT TO RAISE STRONG, BRAVE, COURAGEOUS, GODLY MEN
How in the world do I do that though? I basically grew up with sisters and my brother who we treated like a sister.
THE MISSION OF MOTHERHOOD
I stumbled across this book called, "Moms Raising Sons to be Men" by Rhonda Stoppe.
Here is some of what she said (funny how during my bath this is the book I grabbed after feeling such a desire all day...not funny...divine):
I had been called by God to the mission of motherhood. God has called you to join Him in the work He plans to do in your children. To become the instrument God will use to train your son somehow sheds glorious light on the unique ministry of motherhood, doesn't it? The Bible instructs God's servants to "take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it." There is no pass. No get-out-of-jail-free card. Your ministry came in the form of your son. How will you prepare yourself for that ministry? God never intended mothers to go it alone. Through His Word, He wants to equip you to train your children to love and trust Him.
So often I fail to remember that raising kids is a ministry. That it's not a punishment. It's not in the way of my life...it's a divine ministry. God chose this for me.
So often we as women turn to the "key" women in the Bible. Women like Ruth, Naomi, Eve, Deborah, Mary, Martha, Sarah, Rebekah and the list goes on...but I wanted to focus on the moms in the Bible...the ones who raised strong, brave, courageous, godly men!
Here is what I learned about the moms of David and Moses...
1. Davids mom allowed her son to become a man while living at home. You know like tending the family sheep while fighting off lions and other large predators.
2. Davids mom had the courage to leave his safety in the hands of God.
3. Davids mom respected her husbands wisdom. As Davids dad sent him to war to bring food to his older brothers.
4. Moses mom had character I yearn for. She trusted God fully. I cannot imagine birthing a son during the time where they were being sought out to be killed. Keeping a newborn quiet from crying, squealing and screaming?Then to prepare a basket for him to float down the river. And all the while it doesn't say much that Jochebed (Jehovah glorified) whined and complained to Amram...but that she trusted God. I can't imagine the pain in her body for sending her son in a basket down the Nile River prowling with crocodiles. I can't imagine the questions and the weeping tears. But she did and she was rewarded. She was given Moses back to nurse and raise for the next few years.
Jochebed had just a few years to influence her son and really that is all I have. I can follow "how to" books and do a step by step challenge on raising godly men but what it all boils down to is my faith and love for Christ. Learning to love God will make your heart loyal to Him. When I say this, I'm not talking about being a religious woman - that is, someone who merely goes through the motions of religious duty and rituals in the hopes that you can somehow earn God's favor. No I am talking about genuine change that starts in the heart and draws upon God's power and wisdom. I'm talking about a true inner love and passion for God and not mere external behavior that might look good to others but amounts to nothing more than hallow actions. The loyalty God seeks comes from the heart. The Holy Spirit can use your loyal heart to draw your son to know and obey God. If your faith isn't authentic, your son will know it, and that will likely turn him away from the things of God.
Jochebed had no idea she was being used by the Lord to train a child who would one day become the deliverer of Israel. When David's mother sent her young son to the battlefront, how could she have known God had been preparing him to slay a giant? And would she have ever dreamed that her gentle warrior would one day be the king of Israel, as well as a man after God's own heart?
The first teachers of these godly leaders were not theologians; they were mothers. And you are your sons first teacher about God as well. You share the same role God entrusted to Moses' and David's mothers. Generation after generation, the mission of motherhood has been the same.
