Mommy Musings
Monthly Column by Anni Welborne

I don’t know about you, but sometimes the mundane gets to me. The endless grind of monotony of being a housekeeper and mother. I’ve got a Master’s degree, and my life consists almost entirely of…wiping. I wipe walls, counters, dishes, tears, noses, and bottoms. Sometimes all day long. Sometimes I feel like my life is being wasted, even though I cognitively know I’m doing a great work in rearing my precious daughters. I sometimes feel like I’m just marking time until my “real” ministry can get off the ground, when I have time.

The Bible says that my heart is “deceitful and desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9). Just because I feel a certain way, doesn’t mean that that feeling is truth. Most days, I feel like what I do is insignificant.

But God has been working to change my heart. The change started with watching Veggie Tales’ Lord of the Beans. If you’re a mom, you probably know what I’m talking about. Qwerty’s verse was Ephesians 2:10. I won’t ruin the Veggie plot line for you, but the verse really got my attention. In fact, I turned to one of my favorite resources, www.biblegateway.com, to look it up in several translations. I find that it is very helpful to see the different translations and takes on the verse, to help me flesh out the meaning, to help me apply it in its fullness. Sometimes I’m struck by a verse, and using the different translations helps me meditate on it for days, nuancing all the different shades of meanings. (In each verse, emphasis added is all mine.)

The King James Version of Ephesians 2:10 says
"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."

God expects me to do my job, because it’s what He’s “ordained.” Ordained is the word used to mark the beginning of a ministry. Pastors have an “ordination service.” The dictionary (www.m-w.com) says, “…to invest officially (as by the laying on of hands) with ministerial or priestly authority.” God has officially invested ministerial or priestly authority in me. Wow! How true that is! Every day, I have the opportunity to intercede in prayer for my daughters and my husband. Every day, I point my little girls toward God, teaching them to love Him and to serve Him joyfully by serving others.

(A side story – Recently, my family went on a hike in a nearby state park. Our youngest daughter was enchanted by the echoes in the park. She suddenly stood up from our resting spot and shouted, “I WUV YOU!!!” I told her that I loved her too. She said, “No, Mommy. That was for God.” Maybe I’m doing my job right sometimes!)

“Should” is a powerful word. It denotes obligation, duty, right-ness, propriety, and expectations. I do indeed have an obligation to mother my girls and keep a decent home. God gave me this job, and 99% of the time, I love it.

“Walk in” tells me that this is a process, a journey. I sometimes get upset when I clean the kitchen, only to find it trashed after someone (other than me) makes lunch. But a clean kitchen is not a destination; it is a journey, a process, a continuous work that I need to continuously work on! Potty training is a journey. Math facts are a journey. Decluttering is a journey. And I’m to keep walking this journey.

The NASB says:
"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them."

It’s just a subtle difference, substituting the word “would” for “should.” But again, shades of meaning are important. The dictionary again helped me. “Would” is an auxiliary word that has several complex different meanings, most of which could apply here. It could mean a desire or wish, willingness or preference, plan or intention, custom or habitual action, consent or choice, or to express a request with which voluntary compliance is expected. What a lot to pack into a little word!

God desires that I do these good works. It is His preference that I do these good works. I should be willing to do them. It’s God’s plan, and He expects my voluntary compliance.

The Amplified says:
"For we are God's [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live]."

I love the emphasis on God’s plans here. He predestined, prepared, and prearranged these good works for me to do. He predestined my youngest daughter to have that potty accident. He prepared my older daughter to have trouble with her math facts. He prearranged that my husband would make that decision with which I disagree. And He calls them all “good works!”

It’s not any different than my prearranging or preparing my daughters’ lessons for school. I know they are good for them to do, that they will grow through doing them, that patient repetition of certain tasks will make them stronger, and that there is a bigger goal in mind than simply adding 6 and 8. (Why is it so easy to see when it applies to my children and so hard to see when it applies to me?)

The Message (verses 7-10):
"Now God has us where he wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus…. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing."

Don’t you just love that? God has me where He wants me. God wants me to wipe off that counter (again). God wants me to deal with this potty accident graciously. God wants me to encourage my verbally-gifted, numerically-average perfectionist daughter to keep working on those math sums. God wants me to do these good works, and He will shower me with grace and kindness to get the job done!

So, my life may seem mundane and purposelessly repetitious. But I need to keep in mind that God has me where He wants me, and that He will provide all I need to get the job done. He has prearranged for me to do these good works of wiping, comforting, teaching, and even decluttering, and that making me more like Jesus is His goal. And it will all bring Him glory, both now and forever.

What are you struggling with? Can you view it as a good work that God has prepared for you to do? Understanding the source and purpose can make all the difference.

About the Author: Anni is the wife of Charles Welborne and the homeschooling mother of five children - two daughters (ages 7 and 5) here on earth, and three who graduated early and now dwell with their Heavenly Father. She assists her husband in the tape/CD duplication ministry at their church, where she is also in charge of the Deaf ministry and serves as a sign language interpreter. Anni is also a part-time Developmental Therapist for at-risk and developmentally delayed infants and preschoolers. In her "spare" time, she enjoys sewing, quilting, scrapbooking, and making pysanky (Ukranian decorated eggs). The Welbornes live in Indiana.

Copyright © 2008 by Anni Welborne.