is a certain sister we know.
She is a regular "Mary-Martha" type. Although she has never lifted a gun nor given a military salute, she has been on the battlefield . And yes, I can truthfully say a battlefield of foreign wars.
.
First of all, these wars were NOT of her choosing.
.
One of her wars involved supporting her husband through his walk with seizures from a serious health condition. All the while, he ran his own business in construction... sometimes being high off the ground.
.
Was she scared?
Yes.
Was she in tears?
Yes.
Did she call out
to The LORD in faith,
believing that HE+ heard her cry
for her husband?
Yes.
.
.
. . .
.
.
.
Score: 1 victory for her; 0 for the enemy.
.
This virtuous woman home-schooled 2 girls and 4 boys, lively children all, home-schooling at least 4 at the same time. Two are yet being home-schooled. Although this war seemed to be fought on domestic soil, she has had to wrestle with foreign infiltrators and terrorists of the soul, always lurking around with temptations and hidden agendas to destroy the young people "through their minds".
.
Was it easy?
No...
especially not
with housework, laundry, cooking,
gardening, and canning
for such a large household,
along with general child-rearing
... love, counseling, discipline and decisions...
all those things involved with
bringing up children
to the Glory of GOD .
.
Score: 2 victories for Sister; 0 for the enemy.
.
Now that 4 of the off-spring are young adults, she has a new foreign war to fight. With many tears and supplications, she has valiantly fought her fears lest she and her husband's input and guidance of their children to go towards CHRIST were in vain.
.
Her job not ended, she counsels, intercedes, guides and asks for prayer for those young adults, that her labor be not in vain. Looking back, she repents with tears for any mistakes she thinks she might have made in raising the children.
.
Thus, hearing the cry of this vigilant mother's heart, The LORD has seen fit to :
- lead one daughter into Christian school teaching
- another into missionary nursing,
- a son is now in southeast Asia on the mission field
- one son is interested in Christian music, when he is not helping his Dad run the family business
- a studious 16-year-old son not only reads the Early Christian writings, but is making as many sacrifices as he personally can for some native missionaries, preparing his own heart for The LORD'S work.
[The youngest son is still in elementary studies but conducts himself with good deportment. :)]
.
Adding 6 more victories to the scoreboard, that should bring the score to:
8 victories for this TRUE+ veteran of foreign wars;
0 for the enemy.
.
Now, simply because the off-spring are mostly grown and husband is doing well, does this TRUE+ VETERAN of foreign wars think she may rest?
No.
.
Along with carrying their normal amount of church responsibilities, she and her husband have become the HUB for other young men and women their children bring into the family circle. So, at any given point in time, her household ACTUALLY EXPANDS... along with the cooking and baking and cleaning duties... not to mention, the Christian counseling that goes along with such a family-setting for activities. This "Mary-Martha" diligently also sets a good example without words for the young people entrusted into her care.
.
Is this Sister wise?
Yes !
(although she would never
think or say so).
.
She would rather all her children and their friends be active in THEIR HOME rather than out on the streets or in places not befitting Christians. Furthermore, she and her husband enter into as many camping, music, church activities with their young adults as they possibly can... a true family affair, at all times.
.
Score: Un-ending blessings for this sacrificial sister and her husband, for all Eternity.
.
The enemy's score: Less than zero -- in the hole-- to be destroyed and others to be delivered from his grasp through the work of this family's children.
Ah-h, Proverbs 31.
See those Rubies !
Those TRUE+ Veterans
of foreign wars...
.
Can you see them
as The LORD sees them?
+ + +
In the name of The FATHER,
WHO created thee;
His Holy SON+ JESUS CHRIST,
WHO+ saves thee;
And the Blessed HOLY SPIRIT,
WHO sanctifies thee.
Amen.
