The FEAR of the Lord...and the backyard mess.

Jonathon was asking me what it meant to "fear the Lord"...so I began to explain to him that to fear the Lord simply meant to respect Him - to love what He loves and hate what He hates.  I found a truth in this to apply to me and Antony...but boy, it's not easy to be humble and admit it!  Oh yes, the pride is getting a beat down.  Just when you think you are doing pretty good - BOOM - you see how FAR there is to go!

With the joys that having 4 children at home and homeschooling brings, it can be easy to have excuses of why certain things can't be done.  My hubby is a very orderly kind of guy.  So much so, that when we met a couple recently, for the first time, by the end of the few minutes that we spent chatting together they were sure that Antony had been in the military.  I thought that was hilarious...they'd got a feel for his personality in no time!!  Had he joined the military, he certainly would no doubt have made it to General.  I, on the other hand, am the complete opposite of what order is...not that I'm chaotic...exactly.  Just focused on what I have set my own mind to do.  I am a mother.  As mother's we can be quite set on our plan.  And no doubt, we have a plan.  We have a certain way that we like things done and placed and said and cooked and stirred and washed, etc.  So, yes, I do like order.  I appreciate it.  But it doesn't mean that he and I are on the same page of the dictionary when we look that word up.  Why?  I forget things...I forget that the kids were playing outside in the sandpit, in the mud, using my kitchen utensils while digging for gold, exploring, making a mess and generally having a magnificent time, once they set foot in the house.  Because once they set foot in the house, it's time to shake out the sand out of diapers and clothes, sweep up the kitchen floor from their sandy footsteps, scrub mud off feet and noses, or in Marc's case, the inside of his nose.  I've got clothes to put in the hamper and I have to make sure four kids are bathing and keeping the water IN the tub and of course make sure to keep soap out of eyes, or in Keziah's case, out of the inside of her nose, and do this while ensuring the evening meal comes out perfectly.

So, how does this relate to the fear of the Lord?  I know it seems to totally disconnect, but have patience my friend, you will see the light shortly.  The picture of the backyard mess I gave you and my good reasons for forgetting said mess, is similar to what happens with the inside of the family car.  By the end of a journey in the car, after a long day of errands including library and food shopping, by the time I get everyone/thing in the house, I have forgotten what the inside of the car looks like because I'm on to the next task. So, this has been happening for a long time.  Okay Lisa, just bare the pride.  It's been happening for years.  Of course, Antony would be the one to tidy it all back up and reset it for us.  And it would slowly get back to the unacceptable point and then he'd clean it up again.  Yes, the kids would assist, but the tasks always end up being time intensive.  And, of course, he'd give me the same lecture, ahem, loving talk, as the last time we dealt with the same issue.  Something about keeping clean, the importance of teaching the children, etc.  All very valid points and I heartily agreed with him.  And truly I did want to do what he wanted.  I really wanted the cleanliness and order.  It felt great to have it.  But I would start off well and end up with the same messes...and the same husband-wife conversations.  Well, something happened after this last episode.  As I watched him and the the kids clean up the backyard,  I began to truly connect with the whole thing...I truly saw that I had been amiss.  I had not loved what Antony loved and hated what he hated.  Oh, I acknowledged that what he wanted, a clean car and clean backyard, were good things.  I even wanted to do those good things.  I knew how important they were.  But I never personalized them.  I never made them my own.  So of course I would fail because his standards never became my standards..so the other "more important" things, that were all my own standards was what I did.  And at that moment something clicked over.  I took on what he loved.  I determined he would see the respect I wanted to show him.  I apologized to the kids for not respecting daddy enough to make what was important to him, just as important to me and then I asked God to forgive me - in front of them.  They watched me - wide-eyed and open-mouthed, but that day is set and we are consistently doing what is important to Antony and to me...and passing those important things down to our kids.

So, is there anything you aren't making important that is important to a spouse, your children, or God himself? Please share it with me...I'd love to hear your response!