Traditions

I was recently given this book by Noel Piper, the wife of John Piper.

As I began reading it, I wasn't really sure what to expect.  I definitely did not expect to be challenged in the ways that it has challenged me.  I didn't expect it to open my heart and mind to everything that it has.

In this book, Noel talks about the purpose of traditions.  She talks about purposefully including God in our traditions.  She often refers to examples from her own family - ways they purposefully include God in every day traditions as well as those special traditions.

I remember the first year Andrew and I were married.  It was a challenge meshing my family traditions with his family traditions.

His family did things that were not tradition to me and I didn't understand his need to not miss out on that tradition.

My family did things he didn't understand.  

We were both young and selfish.  Neither one of us wanting to forfeit our own family traditions.

9.5 years later we have learned to mesh our traditions.  We've even added a few of our own.  

We are still creating our own traditions - something I pray we will always do.

I'm sure that as we some day add children to our family, our traditions will both change and grow.

I think somewhere inside I believed having children would magically change who Andrew and I are.  We would become the kind of parents who only speak in soft loving voices.  The Word would constantly flow from our tongue.

Go ahead!  You can laugh.  I did. 

Even though I had this unrealistic belief, I think I've always known that this has to be purposeful.  In this book, Noel has given practical ways to do this.

I have been reading this book for several weeks, but I'm only 1/2 way finished.  I read a chapter and then just stop and soak it all in. 

Waiting until I have children to become the kind of godly wife and mother I want to be is not the best idea.

I can start now.  I can pray daily to be a godly wife and mother.  I can hide the Word in my heart today.  That's the only way it will ever naturally flow from my lips.

I am so thankful for the women God has put in my life as examples.  

My prayer is that my life will bring glory to God.  My life will be one worth living.

My prayer is that at the end of my life I will hear "Well done, my good and faithful servant."