Tea and Servanthood

I spent yesterday propped in bed, sipping hot tea and fighting cold symptoms. Taking the advice of one of my "Tuesday Morning Mamas," I resisted going through stacks of books or cleaning out the fridge! Why is it that we women need permission to take the day off?

Days like this remind me of the times when our boys were little and I had an occasional day of feeling poorly, all I wanted was to be left alone! Irma Bombeck said she understood why animals go off in the woods alone when they are sick. Makes perfect sense to me. However, having such a day makes me feel thankful again for the people who have helped me over the years.

Like Emma.

Emma came four days a week when I had five little boys running around, and she was like their second mother. (Mine too.) Our kindergartner at the time told his teacher he had a stepmother; her name was Emma. Emma rescued me, or I should say rescued the kids, when I didn't have a clue how to raise babies. She made it look easy. Many afternoons the younger boys would walk home with her and she'd make them peanut butter/jelly sandwiches at her house. Seems things always tasted better there.

The reason I'm so aware of these memories is probably because the Tuesday Morning Mamas all went together to see The Help at the movies a few nights ago. It grieves me to think about some of the injustices that have been done to people who were created in the image of God and made to love one another. I grew up on a farm in the Deep South, and our relationship with all the people working was one of mutual respect and genuine love. I will always be grateful to Emma, for the patience she had with our children, the laughter we shared over family incidences, and for the days she let me enjoy a cup of hot tea alone in my room and not feel guilty about it!!

Our Tuesday Morning group began a study this week of Proverbs 31...you know, the chapter about the perfect woman. Reading it is like inviting Rachel Ray, Paula Dean, or Julia Childs to come for dinner: regardless of what we'd cook, it wouldn't measure up to their standards. That's how most women feel when they read about the Proverbs Lady. I hope, however, this study is going to be inspirational to all of us and not the opposite.

The main point this week was that the woman in the scripture receives praise from her family because of her serving others. Jesus made crystal clear the value He placed on servant attitude. When two disciples were squabbling over who was the greatest, He put everyone in his place by saying, "You know that in this world kings are tyrants, and officials lord it over the people beneath them. But among you it should be quite different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant..." (Mark 10: 42-43).

There is no pretty way to state it: mothers are servants. But we serve out of a heart of love and not resentment (except, every now and then, right?). In the end, it's the servanthood we have demonstrated that causes our husbands and children to praise us. Looking back, I realize the things I praise Emma for were all acts of service, things that made my life easier and our family's life more enjoyable. Our families will feel the same way about us as moms. The things they will remember are sometimes the things we resent doing, a.k.a. the serving. But the first step in our fulfillment is to let the attitude be in us as it was in Christ, who refused to resent the servant's role that He took on Himself. At the same time, we must believe the Spirit will work on our family members to give them ability to appreciate what we do.

In a Christ-centered marriage, grace is imparted into our husbands and children to praise us. In other relationships, there is no guarantee that we won't be taken for granted. This added to my list of things to thank God for this week: a godly man who praises and appreciates me, and children who bless me every day... and occasional days when I can stay propped up in bed with a cup of tea!