Morning Lord.  It’s a lovely day today, beautiful sunshine, not as much wind as yesterday, a hint of summer in the air.  I think I’ll take Nathan to the playground this afternoon, but in the meantime I’m taking a brief time-out to check in with you.

Thank you for the blessings of yesterday.  I really enjoyed Bible Study again and am finding the stories other women share about their own motherhood experience really great.  Not all of their stories are positive, but they are real, and no one is pretending to be anything other than they are – something I sometimes find church people to not be very good at.

Libby had once again prepared a great session where we talked about the opportunities that motherhood gives us to teach our children about you.  I know I’m not particularly good at this in a structured way, but Libby really encouraged us to worry less about this but instead take inspiration from Deuteronomy 11: 18 and 19.  I’m writing it down to remind me:

“Fix these words of mine in you hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”

Libby encouraged us to talk to our children in a casual way as part of what we do every day and I sort of like this idea.  She also said that your word (rather than our words) have an eternity about them.  She quoted Isaiah 55: 10 and 11 that I don’t remember ever hearing before…so I’m writing these verses down as well:

“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth:  It will not return to me empty but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

Libby blows me away with her biblical knowledge and it really struck me how I’m not likely to be able to speak your word into the lives of my children if I don’t know it in the first place, so I know I need to read and study more.  It’s funny, a while ago this thought would have made me feel guilty and inadequate.  Now I just want to grow with you.

We also had a very interesting discussion about Halloween and about the challenges of managing our children’s desire to go trick or treating.  Of course when I was growing up no one went trick or treating at all so it wasn’t an issue – but I guess this is another example of an opportunity to teach our children all sorts of things – about history, about culture, about making choices that may be different from other people – maybe even about not being judgmental of the choices of others.

Be with our family, Lord, and give me the wisdom I need to be a good mother to my lovely little children…well, at least they are lovely most of time!

Amen

Morning Lord!  Bible Study day!  I want to pray that we have a blessed afternoon and that you would be with Libby as she prepares for us to come to her today.

As much as I am looking forward to Bible Study this afternoon my mind is still full of other people and I want to once again bring them before you and pray your hand will be on them.  In particular I pray for Caroline, that you would comfort her and give her strength to carry on.  I pray for your calm and healing hand to be on Christian.  I pray for Linley, that she would be spared from losing her job.  For this to come up just when the financial and political commentators have been saying there are signs of the recession ebbing seems rather contradictory.  I pray there might be a way that things can be turned around at her firm.  And, Lord, I pray for protection for Jess and Madison that you would keep this Tony away from them.  I also pray you would continue to have your hand on things at kindy where the atmosphere between Andrea and me is somewhat frosty.  It seems quite clear she is avoiding me, and I don’t entirely know what to do about it.

I commit all these things to you in the mighty name of Jesus…Amen

Morning Lord.  A rare Wednesday prayer time for me, but since Dad has taken Nathan off for a very small adventure – the first since his heart attack – I do have some time.  I know they are only going to the shops, but I pray you would be with them and keep them safe, Lord.  Nathan can be a handful so I pray you would give them a blessed time together.

As you know a couple of things happened yesterday after my prayer time with you, and although they don’t affect me directly I find myself thinking about them a lot.  The first was Linley calling to say that the managing partners called an emergency meeting to inform the entire staff that their law firm is in serious financial trouble, caused by a combination of a couple of their big clients going down the toilet leaving a huge swathe of unpaid legal bills that the firm were counting on, together with a downturn in new business.  According to Linley, the managing partners are ‘weighing up their options’ and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what that might mean.  I could tell Linley is suddenly very nervous.  So, Lord, I pray for her that you would have your hand on this situation, quiet her heart and provide her needs.  I pray her job would be preserved – especially when she’s only just managed to finally get the much longed for partnership.

The second thing that happened was Jess turning up after work to collect Madison, looking as white as a sheet and frightened out of her wits.  Apparently Tony is definitely back in the city and has put the word out that he is trying to find Jess and Madison – something that Jess clearly does not want.  She heard this from a friend of a friend who is supposed to be a reliable source of information.  I think Jess hopes that she and Madison have moved enough times for it to be hard for Tony to track them down, but this is not London or New York.  The chances of hiding for long are not great.  I tried to reassure her that all would be well – but truly, Lord, what do I know?  I have never met this Tony and have no idea of what he’s capable of.  So, again, Lord, I give this situation into your hands and pray you would look out for them both and protect them from harm.

It really struck me how hard life is for people who don’t have their lives held in your hands, Lord.  I can’t imagine having nowhere to turn when things go wrong.  To be able to run to you is such a comfort.  I find life hard enough with you, let alone what it must be like without you.

So, Lord, thank you for you…Amen

Afternoon Lord!  Here we are, another week!  I’ve just got back from kindy drop off and am feeling a little anxious as Andrea was back today.  Thankfully she was busy with one of the other little children when we arrived so I didn’t have to speak with her.  At this stage I’m not sure what to do or say where she’s concerned so I guess I just have to pray that you would give me wisdom about this – as I ask you give me wisdom about so many other things.  Some people joke about wanting to have coffee by I.V but if I had to choose what went into me like that, it would definitely be wisdom not caffeine.

Speaking of wisdom, thank you for the chance to meet and catch up with Caroline yesterday.  I can’t say I had anything profound to add to our conversation, but at least I could be there and try and show some sort of support.  Things really aren’t going well, that much was obvious, but I guess this is not news to you, Lord.  Caroline told me about the meeting with the paediatrician, how within the space of thirty-five minutes she went from having a normal, slightly difficult son to having one with a diagnosed special need.  Not only that, it’s the sort of special need that is unquantifiable (all autistic people are different), seemingly untreatable (unless you are prepared to use mind-altering drugs) and unpredictable (in that no one can say how things might play out into the future).

It seems clear Caroline is deeply shaken (quite understandably) if not in shock about the whole thing and I can see it will take her a while to fully come to grips with this diagnosis.  I guess, like all parents, they had dreams for Christian that simply may never be fulfilled, and the fact that no one is able to give an indication of what the long-term prognosis might be makes it very difficult.  Meanwhile, life at home sounds hellish.  Christian is out of control, and even Faith seems to be acting out (or trying to get attention) as a result.  It sounds as though Logan is either being very obtuse or very obstinate because he still seems to think Caroline’s parenting is at the core of the problem, and is helping out by working even longer hours than Andrew.  The only positive thing seemed to be that Trinity has passed her next level piano exams which is great.

So I pray for them, Lord, and especially for Caroline who does seem to be shouldering the larger part of the load.  I think she is hoping there might be some opportunity to find a new nanny to help take some of the pressure off, but Logan has been muttering about the recession and lack of finances, so who knows?  I pray for your influence, love and peace to surround them, in Jesus’ name… Amen

Labour Day!  A day to celebrate the forty hour working week by not working at all….unless you are a mother… in which case there’s no such thing as a day off.

Nevertheless, I won’t complain as I have had a lovely lie-in, I’ve put an embargo on the washing machine, and meals will be simple and dishes few.  I’d opt for paper plates except such an unsustainable practice might bring on another heart attack for Dad if he found out and we can’t have that.

Thank you for the simple pleasures of life, Lord, and thank you for a nice, relaxing day yesterday.  Taking the kids to the park for a walk and an ice cream was just lovely.  I also enjoyed the start of Daniel’s new sermon series on the Book of John.  It really is an amazing start to this gospel with a description of Jesus (you!), The Word, written with such eloquence and intelligence and reverence.  John the Baptist was also such an example of dedication and devotion, a man prepared to follow an unconventional path in obedience to you.  Without the benefit of that famous thing called hindsight I find myself marvelling at the faith that John and the early disciples demonstrated as they set out to follow you.  It is most challenging.

Speaking of challenging, I’m leaving Andrew to it for a while this afternoon (as you know) while I go and meet Caroline.  We’re going to go out for coffee together while the respective husbands are home to look after the children.  Once again I pray you would give me the wisdom I need to say what is right and helpful at this time.

Bless our day, Lord.  Thank you that you understand the need for rest even if the modern world would like to convince us otherwise.

Amen

Off to church shortly!  Running horribly late!  Not sure where the morning has gone!

There always seems some irony as a mother that when you do decide to cruise, sleep in or just generally take your eye off the ball it all comes back to haunt you.  So here I am, a bit panicked, but determined nonetheless to come before you, even for three minutes, to say good morning and to ask for you to forgive my sin before we set off for church.  I just won’t feel right otherwise.

Thank you for the blessing of my salvation…in Jesus’ name…Amen

Morning Lord.  Another early start!  I must say I get a bit nervous when I begin to see a pattern of early waking emerging…but if I am going to wake up early I want to start my day with you, Lord.

Thank you for the blessings of yesterday, most especially Bible Study.  Libby prepared a most thought provoking session that built on what Daniel had said on Sunday about the jigsaw.  She said we can get confused by what you are trying to do in our lives, and about how the benefit of hindsight is often very illuminating as we see your picture for our lives coming together, but even more challenging can be what we see happening in the lives of our children.  She pointed out (quite rightly) that it can be even harder to trust you for the design in the lives of our children than it is for us to trust you for our own path.  But just as you have a purpose for me (and other fellow mothers) you also have a purpose for each of our children – and that as mothers we have to be willing to trust you to reveal and work out those purposes in their lives.  She pointed out that you love our children even more than we do – and although that seems hard to imagine it is also very true, very profound and very reassuring.

I was reminded, though, of the need to bring my children before you in prayer and to pray especially for their salvation – so I do that now, Lord.  I pray that the seeds being sown in their lives will come to grow, be weed free, and ultimately bear fruit.

It was funny how this subject also became relevant later in the day since (as you know) Andrew and I were talking after the children went to bed, and he was telling me about how he feels a bit dissatisfied by lack of success at his age.  He said he feels as though he works really hard and yet doesn’t have all that much to show for it.  This provoked a big chat about our purpose in life, and I was able to remind him that our purpose in life is never to accumulate more.  I was surprised at how spiritual I felt and sounded, and it made me realise that I’m beginning to more and more value the things of you, Lord, than the things of this world.  It’s even been some time since I looked at Caroline’s flash house and car with any sort of envy!

Anyway, better get going.  I can’t say I always know or understand my purpose but am most encouraged to see you at work in me.

It’s a long weekend this weekend – Labour Day Monday looms.  I pray you would bless our family this weekend and help us have some relaxing time together.

In Jesus’ name…Amen

Morning Lord.  I’ve woken up really early this morning for some reason so figure I will start with a cup of tea and my prayer time before the chaos of the day ensues.  Sorry for the lack of Wednesday prayer time (as usual).  Time on Wednesday seems to disappear like things in the Bermuda Triangle (the same could be said for cash going into my purse – it goes in but what happens after that I just couldn’t say!) and before I know it the day is over.

Bible Study this afternoon!  Who knew that in such a short space of time since I was humming and haa-ing about whether to join I could find myself looking forward to it as much as I am??  I pray you would be with us as we meet today and that you would give us a blessed time together.  It will be interesting to see whether anyone else has heard about Christian’s diagnosis.  If not, I pray you would give me the wisdom to know whether to mention it or not.  Caroline could sure use some prayer, but I don’t want to break her confidence if she hasn’t told anyone else.

Speaking of people needing prayer, I would like to bring Jess and Madison before you, Lord.  When Jess was here yesterday picking up Madison she confided that things have got really difficult for them financially and she is thinking she might have to try and find a cheaper place to live (Where?  A cardboard box?  The house they live in now is not very nice as it is) and she told me how grateful she is that I am having Madison after school and how guilty she feels about it.  She clearly wanted me to reassure her that I didn’t mind which was hard because in a way I do mind, but in the context of what she is going through how could I say otherwise?  So I pray you would provide their needs, Lord, and also that you would help us as a family to be a good witness to Jess and Madison.

Jess’s struggles also make it hard for me to complain about Andrew’s work hours that seem to have increased again just lately.  He was home late for his own father’s birthday, then again last night.  I suppose, unlike Jess, I should be grateful to have him, but what’s the use of that when he’s not here to help with the evening routines?  I do try to be patient about this, Lord, but I guess I am going to have to try a bit harder, and practice that gratitude a bit more as well.

I can hear others in the house stirring now so will finish there and start making lunches and feeding clothes into washing machines etc.  Be with our little family today Lord as we go our separate ways.

I pray in the name of Jesus…Amen