Gone for a while, but not forever ...

Oh my ... it's been awhile since I've been on Mark of Beauty. With the busyness of Christmas, a move, the new year, and settling into a new house, blogging has not been a priority. (Lack of Internet connectivity can do it too!) But even in the midst of all that's been going on, God continues to be gracious to me and has continued to teach me about Himself and how this broken woman can pursue godliness through the gift of grace that He allowed His son to bestow on me. So needless to say, I still have much to share on Mark of Beauty and plan to bring you up to speed on the latest books I'm reading, scripture I'm studying and phenomenal truths I'm learning.

Believe it or not, I did have time to finally finish Womanly Dominion by Mark Chanski ... I finished the last 5 pages yesterday, and I'm beginning a pretty long, but profound read God, Marriage and Family right now.

I teetered back and forth on Womanly Dominion, trying to figure out if I liked it or not, but now that I've read the entire book, I do think that the book as a whole is great. Chanski's entire premise was to live out God's call for us to "rule and subdue the earth" as women and do so within the perimeters of God's design with a "win it attitude" and not in the way that the world has designed for us. In doing this, he showcases several great women of the Bible and other women throughout history, such as Jonathan Edward's mother, the Wesley's mother and so on, to demonstrate that it can be done. (There's a lot of other good 'meat' but that's the basic premise.)

Another point that Chanski makes that was really profound was that even when we feel like wifehood and motherhood is not glamorous and not the life that is portrayed in the movies, it's a life that God has ordained for us to call us to Himself and to transform us into His own image:

Meet Diana. By age 24, this slender, bright, and beautiful young woman was a newlywed with a BA in Speech Communication and a BS in Education. She loved her husband and the prospects of wifehood and motherhood. At the age of 25, Diana gave birth to a son. About two years later, she birthed a second son. At first the novelties of motherhood and homemaking were quite exhiliterating. She felt blessed by the Lord to be living her fondest dreams.

But soon the exhilaration wore off. Every morning, she faced dirty diapers, runny noses, food messes, temper tantrums, discipline problems, clothing piles, and kitchen clutter. Another son was born. Claustrophobic with cabin fever and boredom doldrums, she sighed, 'Any twelve-year-old could wash these dishes, wipe these fannies, mop that floor, and pour these Cheerios onto this high chair tray.'

Her mind often drifted back to her high school and college years. 'Back then, I was the center of my world. I decided what I wanted to do for myself. My decisions were based on what would please and broaden me. People applauded me on the stage, commended me for my well-delivered speeches, and discussed with me my future goals and aspirations in life. I enjoyed expressing my creativity in the classroom, discussing profound literary themes with my students, and checking off my responsibilities on each day's challenging to-do list.

But it's not about me anymore.

Her years in the feminism-infested current had given her glamorous dreams of personal glory.

Years later, Diana, who now has five children, admits, 'I was in mild rebellion against God. And I stayed there for a while, until I saw those wants for what they really are -- the display of my idolatrous, selfish, sinful pride. It was only when I took those deep personal longings and put them on the alter of consecration to God that I began to make spiritual headway.'

Meditations on her Savior burned away her rebellion and brought peace to her soul. In the garden of Gethsemane, the Lord Jesus looked into the appalling cup of self-sacrifice that His Father had poured for Him. He staggered at the thought of drinking it down to its last painful dregs. Instead of resentfully protesting, 'What am I, chopped liver?' He submitted saying, 'Father, if Thou art willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Thine be done' (Luke 22:42).

It's my understanding that every biblically committed wife and mother must pass through a personal Gethsemane of sorts, needing to come to grips with the cup her Father has poured for her.

Think dear sister, how the Lord Jesus selflessly served you. He laid down His life to make you look good. He laid it down on crucifixion day, so that you'd look good on judgment day. He was spat upon, beaten, scourged, mocked, stripped, spiked, hung, and forsaken. Then He breathed His last so that you wouldn't have to forever weep, wail, and gnash your teeth in hell. He was born, lived, and died with the sole object that you would look good forever. Could it be that this wifehood and motherhood thing is calling you to higher ground, conforming you more to His glorious image?

Wow! Thank you Mark Chanski for that kick in the butt back to reality. Life is not about me. It never was meant to be about me, and I need to live each day for Jesus, regardless of life's season, in a way that brings honor, glory and thanksgiving to Jesus.

If you're looking for a good, but challenging read (meaning that it may challenge a lot of what you believe, but always bring the arguments and challenges back to scripture), pick up Womanly Dominion.