There is a new app. I downloaded for my iPhone that is awesome! It is called “FighterVerse”. It is an app that helps you memorize scripture. There are quizzes and “fill-in the blanks” that helps you memorize weekly scripture. And it really works! A couple of weeks ago the verse was Deuteronomy 6:4-5. I have read this scripture or heard it at least 50 times, but as I was memorizing it God began to convict me of one little phrase, “Hear O Isreal, the Lord our God; the Lord our God is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”
As a mom, my soul gets pretty neglected. From sun up or from “son up” to “son down”, there is not much time to tend to my soul AND getting everything else accomplished. I can whine and play the martyr card all day but ultimately my soul is my responsibility. And the bottom line is, I am commanded to love God with all my soul. If our soul is neglected and we are in the survival mom mode (that mode where laundry, groceries, chores, children are all we think about), we are at a disadvantage to “love the Lord with all our soul”.
These are some simple practical steps I thought of to tend to our soul:
-take a walk
-put on make up and do your hair
-take a bubble bath
– paint, draw, sing, dance…. spend time cultivating your gifts
– play! Go to one of those jumpy places and play just as hard as your kids!
– rest … take a nap!
– treat yourself to some coffee or sweet tea
– read a book
– I read a fantastic blog the other day that mentioned cleaning as tending to the soul. (This may not be so for some but I know I can not even begin to think on the Lord if my house is a disaster. ) In the response to the old adage to forget the laundry and play with your kids she responded, “We’re so wrapped up with encouraging mothers to love their children and delight in them (which we should do appropriately) that we neglect THE WOMAN’S SOUL. Ladies you have souls, you belong to Jesus, not to your children. ” [GospelGrace.com]http://www.gospelgrace.net/2012/05/04/you-do-not-belong-to-your-children-you-belong-to-christ/
She is right! Our souls do belong to Christ and it is our responsibility to take better care! I am so very bad about this. I get so focused on God has told me to do or a task at hand that I forget all about my relationship with the living God of this Universe. He created us for more than works and tasks. He created us for a relationship with Him. We must take better care of that place made just for Him to dwell, our inner man, our soul!
Happy Mother’s Day! May you find a way to make some space for your Creator and enjoy some time with Him!
Trisha, I love this. I had to laugh at the ‘son up’ to ‘son down’ – how true! And your examples show that we don’t have to be locked away and super focused to feed our soul. A practical app like the fighter verse is an easy way (first found out about that from Passionate Purposeful Parenting – downloaded it and now, since you’ve mentioned it – we will be more purposeful with it through the summer. Thanks!) Wonderful post. Happy Mother’s Day to you!
I agree with Tricia, loved your post! I believe you are so right in that we need to take care of our soul — our identity should be found in Christ, nourishing our soul and that relationship with our Heavenly Father will refresh us and help us to be better wives and mothers! Love the Fighter Verse app! 🙂 Happy Mother’s Day to you!