What’s Pulling on Your Apron Strings?
That might sound like a strange title to a message I want to share
with you today, but perhaps by the time you finish reading this
letter, you’ll have an idea and perhaps realize some things you’ve
been wanting to take care of for some time.
So, what’s pulling on your apron strings? You know… the thing or
things that nag at you or that seem to be pulling at you from one
direction or many. You may be attempting to work around your home
and keep having interruptions or distractions that prevent you from
accomplishing what’s really needful. You may have plans or
schedules, or wish you had plans or schedules, and yet every day
something, or many things pull on your apron strings and prevent you
from meaningful or notable accomplishment.
I know I have these same feelings or experiences from time to time
–sort of as if nothing seems to go right or nothing measurable ever
seems to get done. It’s as if at the end of each week I have
relatively little to show for my efforts and certainly none for the
fatigue I might be feeling. Yet, my apron’s dirty and the strings
are raveled at the end.
Over the years I had great ambition for great things. I wanted to
spend time individually with each of the children each day; I wanted
to spend time reading aloud, fixing their hair, assisting them with
schoolwork, chores and prayers. I had lofty aspirations that we
would do projects, tell and record stories: that I would pass on
valuable stories, life-lessons and a rich heritage...
But then, many
days –most days– I would come to my bedside and realize that, once
again, yet another day where I’d failed to reach my glorious ambitions. Instead, we had
just spent another day –another hum-drum day. Together.
Pulling at my apron strings were all the wouldda, shouldda,
couldda’s and few of the atta-girl’s, way-to-go’s and wahoo’s of
life. At the point I realized that all those marvelous and
coveted accolades were simply unrealistic, I also realized I truly
was getting all those atta-girl’s, way-to-go’s and wahoo’s of
life. I truly had them... I just wasn’t seeing them, that’s all. I wasn’t seeing the
“atta-girl” in my son’s: “Mom, will you fix this for me? I can’t do
it.” Or, in my daughter’s: “Mama, you’ve got to write down these
recipes for me or I will not ever be able to cook like you!” Or,
“O, my mom will do it for you, she’s right here!” Or, probably the
sweetest gift of all I just received and it was contained in a
letter, reading: “Mama… You are the best friend I’ve ever had.”
See, I missed the blessings by being concerned about the unimportant
things or on my failings instead of what really was important for
the day.
Often, pulling on my apron strings are all the things I’ve done
wrong as a mother, wife or friend. Pulling on my apron strings are
the things I don’t do well or the things I don’t have (as compared
with my friends) or all the ways in which my children don’t *seem*
to measure up (again, compared to others’ or compared with a high
ideal or whatever).
Everyday, nagging thoughts creep in and occasionally pull me here
and pull me there… and even get me all tied in knots
sometimes over the silliest things – all tied up over things only the
LORD can take care of or only the LORD knows about. Sometimes all
tied up over things I *imagine* to be so. And then, I stop and
think: wait a minute… should these things be pulling at my apron
strings, pulling me down in despair? Should I be letting those
thoughts come in and flood my mind, or should I take those thoughts
captive to the obedience of Christ.
I know this to be a truth: I have never given to the LORD –any
thought, desire, motive, whatever that was then rejected by Him.
He
has never yet, will never, can never: fail me. So then, I consider
at thought or a pulling on my apron strings and I ask: is this of
You, LORD? Or I say, I know this is not of You, LORD, and I ask You
to take this thought, desire, fear (or whatever), from me and I ask
You to guide my thoughts, guard my heart and mind and help me to see
only You. Please hide me behind Your Cross, LORD.
O, sure, other women are going to have bigger, better, more than you
or I; and sure, other families are going to have newer, brighter,
more attractive homes, children, lives, accomplishments, etc., etc.,
than you or I. But you know what? They don’t get to be you—they
don’t get to be me. You’re uniquely you created by God, saved by
Him unto faith and good works. He loves you with an everlasting
love and underneath you are His everlasting arms and in you is His
eternal Spirit and surrounding you is His eternal joy of salvation
in Christ Jesus. Wow. Now those are some pretty wonderful things.
Did you know you had all those treasures tucked in the pockets of
your apron?
So, next time something starts pulling on your apron strings and
you know it’s not simply one of the little blessings the LORD has
given you, you just reach in your pocket and pull out one of the
Truths of God’s Word and His love for you.
The
LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee
with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn
thee.
Jeremiah 31.3
For
though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the
weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the
pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every
high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and
bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your
obedience is fulfilled.” 2Corinthians 10.3-6
I pray the LORD will just bless you and bless you over and over and
that you will be assured of His great love for you and that He will
guide your steps and guard your thoughts.
always in His hands,
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