"That They May Serve Me in the Wilderness"

Did you know that this is the second half of a well-known phrase?

The first half is "Let My people go." (Exodus 7:16).

"That they may serve Me in the wilderness." I never paid attention to this part until a couple weeks ago when I started reading Exodus carefully at the same time I got a worldly perspective of taking a paid position vs. homemaking on a recent post. I read the post again, the comment again, and the verse again.

God was calling His people out of Egypt not to a park-like Eden--not yet anyway, not immediately to a "land flowing with milk and honey"--but to the wildernerness to serve Him. Hot, dry, nondescript, unremarkable, same old same old every day.

Who would notice their service out there? What profit would they gain? Same questions I've been asking myself about staying in the routine of homemaking full time versus working part-time. Not that home is the wilderness in the sense of hot, dry and nondescript, but there is a "same old-same-oldness" to homemaking that I wrestle with. I like change more often than it happens.

I Need Your creativity, Lord God, to infuse into my heart how good I've got it. To break out of routine takes creativity. To keep little minds and hands growing happily takes creativity. Cooking new meals that people want to try takes creativity, even if it means copying someone else's creativity--a new twist on an old thing.

"That they may serve Me in the wilderness. " Not serve self, but God. Not in the palace, but in the wilderness.

The world won't understand. "Boring," I've heard other women say a lot. "Routine.I'd wither up if Iwas home 24/7. I mean, how much time can housework take--two hours? Then what would I do with the rest of my day? Wipe snotty noses and think up ways to keep kids out of trouble? No thanks! I'm a much better person when I give myself space from them . Besides, they need to learn to be happy away from Mommy all the time. I figure I can love them better if I love myself first. They have to find out sooner or later the world doesn't revolve around them. I didn't have much growing up. I want my kids to have more. "

I've heard all these lines and, at times, have bought into them. There is at least an ounce of truth in each one.

Truth #1: "It's so routine." Granted, routine is part of homemaking. But it's a part of life. No job is clicking with excitement and variety all the time. Even a supermodel has to sit day after day for a hair and make-up session. Even an ER nurse finds routine in the drama of her job. How many different ways can you dress a wound?

Truth #2: Housework only takes two hours. Yes, if you stop there. But can you do up evening dishes by 9 a.m.? Wash, dry, fold, and put away all clothes by 9 a.m. on the same day?

Truth #3: "Wiping snotty noses and keeping kids out of trouble" is thankless. Mothering has its share of snotty noses and keeping kids out of trouble. I daresay there's a lot of love that goes into being gentle with a tissue. ("Leave some skin on, Mommy!"). Keeping kids out of trouble is the wrong perspective. Keeping them developing their character and God-given bents takes enormous reserves of time and energy for 18 years. Shepherding them when they find (or create) trouble is exhausting.

I don't see how I could come home from a job where adults were demanding something of me all day to kids and husband wanting something from me all evening. Where would I find the energy day after day to come up with nutritious dinners, to read or play with the little guy, hold meaningful conversation with my bigger kids, help with homework, give a bath and get the youngest ready for bed? I would constantly be shoving them aside or grumbling --I do it sometimes now when I'm not pulled at by adults. I did it when I worked from home a few months when Ben and Sarah were little. My motto was, "Not now, honey, Mommy's busy working."

I loved socializing with women so much that I prioritized service to them. I went out of my way to deliver cosmetics to them, and don't remembering ever saying, "Not now, Mrs. Customer, I'm busy making memories with my children."

Thankfully the Holy Spirit spoke to me, and so did my husband. The Holy Spirit reminded me that customers wanting make-up would always be there; children would not. Paul asked me if pushing two babies off my lap for four bucks an hour after taxes was good stewardship of time.

More truths tomorrow. I am off to make a memory with my teenage daughter-- creating a colorful bedroom with her. I've been getting emotional about this, realizing that she has been practicing making her own nest for 17 years. Now her baby blue walls with pink bow wallpaper are changing. She's feathering a brighter nest. Time with her in ours is getting shorter and shorter.

It's funny. There are lots of nests in the wilderness. And I haven't heard a single momma bird complain yet. How about I think "serve God in the wildernest" instead of "wilderness"?