In Other Words....

"'If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!'" We smile as we read
the wall plaque in the novelty store. But our smile quickly turns to a frown if
truly "Mama ain't happy." This is because the wife and mother in a family often
"sets the tone" in the home. The "tone" God wants her to set is one of joy,
optimism, and a delight in the Lord and in her family. If your family were
called upon to describe you, what would they say?"~Martha Peace, "The Excellent
Wife"

Oh, my! Have you ever experienced a time when God was really driving home a point with you and everywhere you turned, you kept seeing/hearing the same thing? I had to chuckle when I read this week's quote because at last Monday's bible study, we were discussing this same thing and mentioned the exact saying, "If mama ain't happy....!" Is God trying to tell me something?

I was confessing that night that when I am mad or frustrated, I want everyone around me to feel the same way. If I am upset, then I make sure others are, too. I hate that! I hate that about myself. I was sharing that I was doing my best to aggravate my hubby, but that he wasn't "biting," and how that made me even madder! Oh, how childish I can be.

But, it is so true that we, as the mama, do set the tone in our families. If I am calm in the middle of chaos, then my kids aren't as upset. If I am happy and joyful, that spreads to them. But, if I am grumpy, not getting along, criticizing....that, too, sets a tone and they usually follow in kind. We as mothers have such a great responsibility and we all know that much more is "caught" than "taught." I can tell them to "be slow to get angry, be slow to speak, and quick to listen," until I am blue in the face, but unless I am DOING it, the words lose their power. That is why James tells us to be DOERS of the Word, not just hearers.

It is interesting because my 12 year old Andrew has noticed this idea of me "setting the tone" and has even "called me on it." I remember once, when we were having an awful morning and "Monster Mom" had reared her ugly head, Andrew said something like, "Gee Mom, if you would have been calm and 'laughed it off', everyone else would have, too." Ouch. It is very humbling when the Holy Spirit uses our children to convict us.

So, what are we to do? Well, the good news is that we already have the ability to be calm, gentle, joyful, and loving within us. We HAVE THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT LIVING WITHIN US! Because the Holy Spirit lives within us, we have the fruit in us, too. We have "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, and self-control" abiding in us already! We need to ask God to help us in the midst of our trial, when we are tempted to blow up. I can't do it in my strength, but I can do in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Lord, I want with all of my heart to be a Light shining for my family. And, with all of my heart, I want my kids to remember our home as a place of joy, love, peace, and fun. I know God, You have raised me up to be the "mama" and to set the tone within our home. I can't do it without You, Lord, but "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!" Lord, I pray that our home would be a place of refuge, a welcoming, safe place that always brings myd family joy. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.

Tuesday, April 29th
Visit Christin to read her take on the quote and to leave your link along with the other participants.