JOYFUL WORDS
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Speaking
  • Writing
  • Hospitality
  • About Sheri

Why Do I Do This?

4/29/2013

5 Comments

 
 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.  James 1:2-4

 It’s spring and it’s crazy! The schedules are packed with softball and baseball double headers, cattle shows, concerts, meetings, assemblies, prom and graduation parties.  I think the messiness of schedules this time of year is part of what makes summer so lovely!  The other night I was sitting in the bleachers for the third time that week and I overheard a
tired frazzled mom say, “Why do I do this?”  

I spent some time thinking about that and I realized how important perspective is during crazy times. I heard my mother’s voice on the drive
home that night.  She always used to say, “The greatest way to serve God is to serve others.” Service is what we are all called to and if something is done for another out of kindness and love its service.  I love my kids with all my heart, Dave and I have been blessed with great kids and I don’t want to miss a thing they do.  They were our gift from God and it’s our responsibility to raise them to be as faithful, strong, respectful and kind as we can. Early on in my motherhood a wise mother reminded me that babies were a gift from God but they really belong to Him, we just get the privilege of borrowing them and raising them up to imitate Him. I also heard my dad’s voice on the drive home that night.  Dad always said, “If you borrow something, you need to return it in the same or better shape than it was
when you got it.”  I realized that applied to our children. 

If I truly believe that service is important, I’ll use the busy schedule this spring as a way to honor God.  I’ll fill the bleachers with kind words
and laughter.  I’ll wash those uniforms and iron those dress clothes in prayer. True, Jesus won’t be wearing number 4, number 8 or a green dress shirt but I can still wash and iron, offering that task in service to Him and pray for His blessing upon the the people who will wear those clothes.  I can make sure that my words are encouraging. I can demonstrate patience with kids, coaches, fans and my husband.  I can be grateful that I know so many wonderful kids who are able to run and play and receive awards.  I can teach my children humility, I can speak about and pray for good winning and even better loosing. I can teach respect for authority by demonstrating respectfulness toward officials and teachers and coaches.  I can teach my kids that life isn’t always fair and parent’s eyes are biased. I can teach my kids that they aren’t entitled to things.  I can help my kids see that lots of other folks have different gifts than them and that is a cause for congratulations and celebration not pouting and criticizing. I can help them understand that each time they do something, it’s their chance to do their best and offer their performance as a gift to God in thanksgiving for all their blessings.  I can teach them that when they are doing things for God’s glory and not their own, His approval is what they should seek, not the praise of a coach or teacher or fan and they will never be disappointed. Mostly I can be thankful for time spent traveling with my kids because they are catapulting into adulthood right before my very eyes.

The way I figure it, I have two choices.  I can either complain about how busy I am and how little time I have to do this or that OR I can relax and enjoy God in the present.  Laundry will always be waiting, sweeping and dusting truly isn’t more important than my children and as my oldest son Kevin always says, “You can sleep when you’re dead.”  I’m going
to focus on the event at hand and not worry about what needs to be done tomorrow or next week or next month.  I’m going to ask God to meet me in THIS day, THIS game, THIS event. By the time I got home the other night, I had a clear understanding of “Why I do this!” Each crazy, hectic event is a chance to find and spread the joy of Christ…I’ll have to ask myself often how I’m doing.

 
A Seed To Plant:  As you face your busy day, take time to offer the challenges and stress of the schedule to God.  Ask Him to bless it and help
you find ways to serve Him through the people and events of the day.

Blessings on your day!


5 Comments
Ruth
4/28/2013 11:51:39 pm

Great advice for the start of this week. Thanks.

Reply
Lisa
4/29/2013 12:21:39 pm

thanks for making me realize that I shouldn't be stressed or guilty because my house is messy! You are exactly right....be thankful that we can sit at a ball field 3 times a week or whatever it is that we love to do for our kids. Those days fly - I have many years to clean my house. Now I just need to remind myself of that when I have many loads of laundry and a dusty living room!

Reply
Stella
4/30/2013 02:22:46 am

Thank you, Sheri. Once again, the thing I need as I need it. Feeling a bit overwhelmed from obligations and care-taking right now. This is the second way this week God has told me, "this is your job right now, do it unto Me." Have an awesome week!

Reply
Jackie
4/30/2013 03:39:26 pm

I needed to read this. This is a busy week, and so is next week. I will embrace it all and enjoy the journey. I look forward to enjoying more bleacher laughs with you and those around us. Did you notice how the fans from the school we were playing the other night were joining in our talks and laughing with us? I thought that was so refreshing. To laugh with the opposing teams' fans instead of arguing with them or whatever. Oh and I promise I won't get ticked at the officials for calling strikes on my Alyssa when they were clearing balls! :)

Reply
Anonymous
5/1/2013 03:14:15 pm

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Joyful Words magnet picture

    ​Click on the items below to expand the options available to you to explore the Joyful Words blog.

    Categories

    All
    1 Corinthians
    1 John
    1 Thessalonians
    2 Corinthians
    Acts Of Love
    Advent
    Ageing
    All In
    Amazing
    Anxiety
    Armor Of God
    Asking For Help
    Bad Habits
    Balance
    Baptism
    Be
    Beauty
    Being Gracious
    Blessed Mother Teresa Of Calcutta
    Blessing
    Blessings
    Brokenness
    Carry Our Cross
    Catholic Education
    Change
    Changes
    Cheerfulness
    Children
    Choices
    Christian Belief
    Christmas
    Colossians
    Commitment
    Comparisons
    Compassion
    Consistent
    Content
    Contentment
    Courage
    Crosses
    Crumbs
    Dad
    Daughters Of God
    Delight
    Desire
    Desire God
    Details
    Dicipleship
    Die To Self
    Discipleship
    Dissapointment
    Dying To Self
    Easter
    Ecclesiastes
    Education
    Election
    Encouragement
    Enemy
    Ephesians
    Evangelization
    Exodus
    Expectations
    Faith
    Faithfulness
    Falling Short
    Family
    Fathers Love
    Fear
    Flag
    Footstool
    Forgiveness
    Fresh Start
    Friendship
    Fr. Mike
    Fr. Mike Schmitz
    Galatians
    Generosity
    God In Everyday Things
    God In Scripture
    Gods Beloved
    God's Enough
    God's Forgiveness
    Gods Gifts
    God's Guidance
    God's Love
    Gods Love
    God's Plan
    Gods P Lan
    God's Restoration
    Gods Strength
    God's Timing
    Gods Timing
    Gods Ways
    God's Will
    Gods Will
    Goodness
    Good News
    Grace
    Grandma
    Grandpa
    Gratefulness
    Gratitude
    Greatness
    Gretness
    Grief
    Happiness
    Healing
    Heart
    Heaven
    Hebrews
    He Chose Me
    Holiness
    Holy Spirit
    Holy Thrusday
    Holy Thursday
    Holy Week
    Hope
    Humble
    Humility
    Identity In Christ
    Intimacy
    Isaiah
    James
    Jeremiah
    John
    Joshua
    Joy
    Judgement
    Justice
    Kids
    Kindne
    Kindness
    Labor
    Laughter
    Lent
    Lessons
    Light
    Listening
    Little
    Love
    Lovelies
    Luke
    Mark
    Marriage
    Mary
    Matthew
    Meekness
    Mercy
    Mom
    Mornings
    Mud
    Obedience
    Openness
    Parenting
    Parentng
    Patience
    Peace
    Pentacost
    People
    Perseverance
    Perspeceive
    Perspective
    Philippians
    Pioneers
    Pleasing God
    Poor
    Porch
    Positive
    Possibilities
    Pray
    Prayer
    Priorities
    Promises
    Proverbs
    Psalm
    Relationship
    Religion
    Respect
    Romans
    Sacrifice
    Sacrifices
    Sainthood
    Saints
    Samuel
    Scripture
    Seeking God
    Service
    Serving God
    Signs
    Silence
    Simple
    Sin
    Sinfulness
    Slow Down
    Small Stuff
    Steve Ray
    Stillness
    St. Mary's 4th Of July
    Strength
    Stress
    Suffering
    Surprises
    Surrender
    Temptation
    Thanks
    The Right Thing
    Time
    Troubled Times
    Trust
    Trust In God
    Truth
    Understanding
    Unravelled
    Valentines
    Waiting
    Weddings
    Word Of The Year
    Words
    Works Of Mercy
    Worry


    ​Archives

    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012


    Back to Home

    RSS Feed


      HOME                        BLOG                       SPEAKING                        WRITING                        HOSPITALITY                        MEET SHERI  

CONTACT: 989.640.6673
Picture
EMAIL

FACEBOOK

Twitter

Content is the intellectual property of Sheri Wohlfert 2017
Created by dhengesbach
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Speaking
  • Writing
  • Hospitality
  • About Sheri