Family

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Martha, Martha; Serve Instant Mashed Potatoes!

Slowly, sometimes at a snail's pace, I'm coming to terms with and accepting my many limitations. I, of course, know I have too many to count; it's just hard at times being okay with that. I'm no Wonder Woman. I struggle. I have insecurities. I often think I need to be more than I am. I tend to think I need to build a name for myself, which painfully resembles Nebuchadnezzar's mindset when he formed his 90-foot-tall statue of idolatry. Why do we feel like we have to perform or have to measure up to some unseen, unrealistic, ungodly standard that we will never obtain? Is it pride and trying to rely on ourselves instead of God? Is it because we care more what others think than pleasing God?

Perhaps.

But in the midst of celebrating our Savior's birth today, I found myself, at times, stressed with organizing, cleaning, and cooking for our Christmas dinner instead of being still and praising God for His Gift. I found myself feeling like I was a bit chaotic in the head instead of thoroughly enjoying the fun of the paper chaos.

I found myself a bit grumpy with those I love instead of enjoying time with them. The argument could be made that my attitude was comparable to Bilbo Baggins' mindset when the Dwarfs invaded his hobbit hole and Gandalf had to ask Bilbo when doilies and his mother's dishes became so important to him.
The Holy Spirit checked my spirit as well. "Is the cleanliness of your house, the organization of your living room, or the food for your dinner more important than Me?" He asked.
"As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, 'Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!' 'Martha, Martha,' the Lord answered, 'you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.'” Luke 10:38-42
I heard His Spirit reminding me of His Word. And I could have answered Him in many much more positive ways. But I believe I said, "Ok, Lord. I know I need to be more like Mary, but, HOW?? When dinner needs cooked, the house needs to be picked up, the bathroom needs cleaned, blah, blah, blah."
He is so faithful. He can even take our sad attempt of obeying and guide us to make the right choices.

Though I didn't see it until later tonight, God answered my "...but HOW?" with...INSTANT MASHED POTATOES.

I'm going out on a limb and admitting (somewhat sheepishly) that, YES, I DID serve INSTANT mashed potatoes as part of my Christmas dinner today. I greatly admire my friends who have amazing culinary skills--Julie and her corn casserole, Sue and her EVERYTHING, Aunt Gloria and her ability to find a recipe and perfect it on her first attempt of making it, my mom and her seemingly effortless way of making every meal a delicacy, Jennifer and her soups, Barbara and her desserts, my sister-in-law and her sweet potato casserole, Tami and the way she takes the time to teach her daughters how to cook/bake, and the list could go on and on. But like I said, I'm slowing accepting my limitations. I'm a decent cook, but I just don't have nor take the time to become better. So instead of being stressed and spending time laboring over making perfect homemade 'taters today, God game me instant. And He said, "Here, this is the way for you to be 'Mary' today. Take it."
I did.

Were they amazing? No, of course not. But the wonder of being married to a man who loves me (limitations and all) is shown, at times, by his reaching over and helping himself to second and then third helpings of my not-so-amazing-potatoes. This is God's grace in the flesh. I also appreciated Aunt Gloria reminding me that Christmas isn't about the food :) and also her eating my "specialty". And, because God does give us encouragement as well, I appreciated that my children had extra servings of my ham--that actually did turn out pretty ok. :)

I didn't appreciate these acts of grace or God's provision of my side dish until later when I could digest the day.

Then my eyes were opened, and I also saw other signs of "grace" around my house. Like the lights that suddenly stopped working mid-section a few weeks ago that I haven't/didn't replace.

The joy of seeing unwrapped Christmas presents strewn across the living room floor. And my most important gifts on earth, my family, snuggled under blankets as we had a movie night tonight.

God is calling me, all of us, to be Mary in her ability to listen to the Lord. To take time to be in His presence. To be still and appreciate his gifts. Yes, we need to be Martha and be productive. We need to use the abilities the Lord has given to do the work He's calling us to. But not at the expense of ignoring our Lord.

And I wonder if Jesus would have said to Martha, "Martha, Martha. Serve instant mashed potatoes!" Because I think He would have rather had her sitting at His feet than worrying about perfect food.

(Please hear me; those of you, my dear friends, who can serve amazing food. I believe He wants you to use this gift for Him. We may all starve to death if you stopped whipping up our specialties! So when He's calling you to use this ability to serve Him, your family, and others, please use it. I just know He wasn't calling me to this work today. :) )

For quite some time, one of my favorite hymns has been Robert Robinson's "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing", but when our pastor used this hymn in his sermon last Sunday, my love for it was renewed.

Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Robert Robinson, 1735-90

"Come, Thou fount of every blessing,
tune my heart to sing Thy grace; 
streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise.
 While the hope of endless glory 
fills my heart with joy and love, 
teach me ever to adore Thee;
 may I still Thy goodness prove."

"Here I raise my Ebenezer, 
hither by Thy help I’ve come;
and I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
interposed His precious blood.
Oh, to grace how great a debtor.
"

"Daily I’m constrained to be;
let that grace now like a fetter.
Bind my wandering heart to Thee:
prone to wander, Lord, I feel it;
prone to leave the God I love.
Here’s my heart, oh, take and seal it,
seal it for Thy courts above."

"Oh, that day when freed from sinning,
I shall see Thy lovely face;
clothed then in the blood washed linen.
How I’ll sing Thy wondrous grace!
Come, my Lord, no longer tarry,
take my ransomed soul away;
send Thine angels soon to carry
me to realms of endless day."

I, we, are to praise our Lord with everything we have for His redeeming love instead of being grumpy that our houses aren't picked up. I am to raise my Ebenezer in remembrance of what He has done. My Ebenezer today was my instant mashed potato box (a sign of His outstretched grace). I am to remember that He sought me while I was a stranger and even today while I was preoccupied with cleaning. And I'm called to remember that I am prone to wander and depend upon myself instead of Him. So, we, I, ask God to take my heart and seal it for Him. And trust, because He died and was raised again, that someday I too will join Him where we are free from sinning, trying to depend on ourselves, and worrying about serving instant mashed potatoes instead of the real deal.

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