I have been waiting...sorta patiently...to introduce you to my friend, Heidi! I first met Heidi at Multnomah University many years ago. It wasn't until we were both pregnant with major morning sickness that we bonded! Something about misery loves company? But we were both newlyweds and helplessly in love with our husbands and so excited about being new mommas that we had plenty of things to keep us busy, to plan for and to dream about...with what little sleep we were getting!
We enjoyed pre-natal water aerobics together {we were by far the youngest!}, Daisy Kingdom, birthing classes with our hands-on-hubbies, Dairy Queen, and baking days! Oh what fun!
She is still as enthusiastic about her newest addition, baby Saylor, as she was 19 years ago with her first. I love the way she loves her husband and cares for her family in pointing them to the Lord! She is one busy mom who I know you will love just as much as I do!
Jay and Heidi St. John are the blessed parents of seven children – Savannah (19) Sierra (17) Skylar (14) Spencer (10) Summer Anne (8) Sydney (5) and Saylor Jane (5mo). They are the founders and executive directors of First Class Homeschool Ministries. Heidi's first book, "The Busy Homeschool Mom's Guide to Romance" was published in 2011. The St. Johns reside near Vancouver, WA.
Welcome, Heidi!
Redeeming Our Time
Time Flies.
The other day, I overheard a "celebrity" being interviewed on TV as I prepared dinner for our family. The questions seemed to center on her public life, and then, one question got my attention.
"If you could only say one thing to young mothers who are raising their children, what would it be?" asked the reporter. The woman thought for just a moment and replied, "Life is not a dress-rehearsal. You only get one shot at raising your kids. Don’t mess it up."
Her voice cracked slightly, and I heard the familiar sound of missed opportunity in her tone. I wondered why. By all appearances, she had the "perfect" life. Beautiful children, lots of money, handsome husband. I put down my paring knife to focus on the remainder of her short interview. It turned out that she was estranged from two of her children. She lamented the fact that while she was raising her children, she and her husband spent so much time cultivating a "perfect" family, that they did not develop a relationships with their children that would last. It only looked good on the outside. And now, it was too late to start over. The time for raising her children had passed. She could only warn other mothers not to walk down the same path she had gone down. The time for sowing seed had passed. The harvest was in.
It is hard to hear those kinds of words. My heart hurt for this mom. Naturally, I thought of my own children. Our oldest is nearly 20 – and it seemed that it was just yesterday when we were holding her in our arms, in awe of her perfect features and scared to death that we wouldn’t do everything "just right". I thought of my grandmother, who remarked to me just a few months after grand-daddy died that she was amazed at how fast her life had gone by. Grandma said to me, "Heidi, the best thing you will ever do in this life is to love your husband and to raise your children to love and serve the Lord. Don’t let the world fool you into thinking that having children is anything less than the best thing you’ll ever do." She should know.
I recently spoke to a group of women in Arizona about the blessing of motherhood. It seems odd to me that many Christians have bought into the world’s way of looking at children. It must grieve the heart of God when we think of our children as anything less than a gift straight from the heart of the Creator Himself.
The Bible is full of stories of amazing moms who understood their worth before the Father. God’s word stresses the importance of mothers! In Exodus 2 we read about Jochebed, the mother of Moses. She protected her son, even putting her own life in peril, and then entrusted him to the Lord. Eunice, the mother of Timothy, instructed her son in the knowledge of the scriptures and he went on to write one of the most amazing books in the New Testament. II Tim. 1:3-5; 3:14,15
In the United States today, mothers are under enormous pressure to conform to the world’s view of children. Radical Feminism has devalued motherhood in a quest for "greater meaning" and "true identity". But God sees things much differently.
God’s view of children is a dramatic departure from the cultural norms of the world we live in.
The world says: "Children are a burden."
God says, "Children are a blessing."
The world says, "Try not to have more than two or three children. "
God says, "Blessed is the man who has many children!"
The world says, "Children get in the way."
Jesus said, "Let the little children come to ME."
The world has diminished the high-calling of motherhood to little more than a "stop-over" on the highway of life.
But God says that a wife of strong character is rare – she is worth far more than jewels! (Prov. 31.10)
If you are a mother, you have an amazing opportunity every day to shape the future. As a homeschooling mom, you have even more time to influence the lives of your precious children. Part of the reason we chose to homeschool is because it provides endless opportunities to teach our children about God’s love for them - but even a homeschool mom can miss the opportunity! Mom, (homeschooling or not), your job is so important! You have been given the privilege of weaving a fabric of family life using the truth of God’s word to impact the lives of your children… and ultimately this fabric will be a beautiful tapestry that will bear witness to the power and love of the Lord Jesus as your children walk with the One who created them in your womb.
I’m glad I was reminded of the fact that life is not a dress-rehearsal. I’m thankful that my grandmother loved the fact that Jay and I chose to have a family that doesn’t fit the "worlds" mold very easily. The time does pass quickly. Let’s redeem the time God has given us to influence these precious children for the Glory of God. It’s an investment that yields a harvest of joy that will continue into eternity.
Happy Mother’s Day!
Heidi St. John
*************TOMORROW: A GIVEAWAY! You wont want to miss it!
