ing "dried up" or "out of touch" is valuable to your whole family, so long as priorities are kept clear ly in mind. The family — husband and children—with their interests and needs must come first; then personal interests can be pursued. While the wife hammers out day by day and hour by hour her ad justment to her role as wife and mother, the husband goes on with his career. A woman must not har bor resentment at his success, his prominence, his right to go on de veloping a profession or career. During ch ild -bearing years, a thoughtful woman will come to realize how great and kind Cod's plan for families really is when, weary and physica lly worn by nourishing children, she can give a tender kiss to a man who, in his own way, goes out to take up the battle for bread day after day. Such recognition will be a sure antidote for resentment and self-pity. The answers to adjusting to an indeterminate suspension, or per haps termination, of a career are not easily found. But the woman who has chosen marriage and then has chosen to bear children will want to be sure that the answers she finds are both scriptural and sane. The ideal woman of Proverbs 31 represents a mature woman, one who has found a balance point be tween personal interests and fam ily demands, and manages them without conflict. She is a woman who is vigorous and alert—vitally concerned with the management of her household, but also inter ested in a home-based business of her own (v. 24), in making wise in vestments (v. 26), in her personal health and appearance (v. 22). Page 13
dren, resume your career — all of these will always be there to lure you back to work unless you have first established your priorities in a non-negotiable way. When secular writers like Dr. Spock urge young mothers to stay at home with their preschoolers, surely Christian mothers who are “admonished in Scripture to be "keepers at home" should be firm in their commitment to family re sponsibilities— remaining at home at least until the children are all well started in school. Your chil dren will not be the only losers in an earlier return to work for you; you, too, will miss out on the most precious and fleeting years of fam ily life. One of the stabilizers for me in restless moments is having a mother of grown children remind me, "Oh, enjoy them while they're little!" Or seeing mothers struggle to adjust to the "empty nest" phase of family life, and realizing that I have a full nest now — and had better make the most of it. As Christian mothers, we have the greatest matters at stake—for the preschool years are not merely the personality and character forming years, but also the prime imprint ing years for the Scriptures and spiritual truths. It is a responsibili ty for which we are answerable to Cod—and I wouldn't like to ask Him to accept a "hireling" in my place. Many professional mothers find it easier to stay in the home if they find some limited outlet for their professional interests. Some wom en nurse one day a week, or teach music lessons, or tutor several pu pils, or freelance write. Whatever outlet you need to keep from feel
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker