Skip to main content

What do you do with a Martha?

There's a song in the Sound of Music about Maria.  There's a line that goes "How do you solve a problem like Maria?"  It came to my mind because I was thinking of Martha.  Mary and Martha.

How do you solve a problem like Martha?  

I'm asking this question with affection, because I am Martha through and through.  This week has been an absolutely crazy week for me.  We are going to be selling our home that we purchased two years ago.  The home that seemed so clearly for us turned out to be one thorn after another.  Faith, perseverance, patience... God has taught me so many lessons through this home!  Now all those problems and that mile long list are done.  Whew...  Amidst all the stress of recaulking the kitchen sink this week, calling a roofer for a consultation (yay--it was good news!), calling an electrician (will be here Monday), painting a wall inside a closet with only 4 inches of space between the wall and the washer/dryer, replacing a board of trim, painting the trim around two windows, moving our shed...  and finally painting our basement walls... amidst all of this I have been thinking and praying a lot.  I've been sharing with friends that we are going to move and that it is time.  

In the course of one conversation, I clearly began to see what a Martha I've become.  I have taken on a lot.  And I see God taking me out of it--while giving me peace that this is right.  How do you reset the priorities of a Martha?  In my case, I can see that it means to take me completely out of my Martha environment.  It means challenging me to think.  It means helping me see that I need to be more aware of who wants me to care and who doesn't.  It means helping me to not take for granted priorities that I've invented for myself.  

It is a good thing.  I don't know that it is going to be easy.  I felt myself bristle a little this afternoon at the unfamiliar.  I cling to the comfortable and where I feel safe.  But, it is time.  

It is time for change.  

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Missing Pieces

The other day I was discussing a book with my mom and explaining to her my concern about how "blame" is cast upon the child in the story.  My mom commented about how deeply I read and consider what is written. Sometimes I wonder if I go overboard.  Am I questioning too much?  Am I overreacting? Why am I reacting this way? I come back to knowing that God wired me this way.  But, I also reflect on how God has guided my path through the maze of books I've read over the past few years and what I've learned from the books themselves and from reading them.   Recently, I read a book that troubled me.  The book I finished reading was  Guiltless Living  by Ginger Hubbard.  When I began reading it, I found myself puzzled and then disconcerted. And in the end, I cried. But, I cried for a different reason than one might suspect. I'd like to explain. I did not read Ms. Hubbard's previous book “ Don't Make Me Count to Three ”, but I knew from f...

listening or rather not listening to directions...

This week has been very eye opening. I am observing and noticing what I need to learn in order to be a better homeschooling mom and teacher and what my daughter needs to learn to be a good homeschooling student. My weakness when I was a teacher in a first grade classroom was not understanding how small concepts had to be broken down--and I lost my patience very quickly. This week, in particular today, I am seeing how detailed my directions need to be. I am going to be working very consciously and deliberately on this. On the other hand, I realized that my daughter does not listen! Wowsers! In a classroom, Autumn listens very well. She is a compliant child and very influenced by peer pressure and conformity. So, she listens along with everyone else and follows directions. But, at home, it's just Autumn and maybe Sami and Mommy. Very, very different! I had forgotten that most of kindergarten in the public schools is not focused on teaching students academic and learning co...

Writing A Homeschool Teacher Resume

I'm helping a friend who's switching jobs write a resume.  She hasn't written one in years, so this is something new.  I began working on her resume, but then stopped to write my own because I thought it might be helpful.   Being a homeschool teacher may not seem to many like an occupation or career, but it is.  I used the combined form of resume for myself.  I began with the basic information, then moved on to strengths (the combined skills/experience part), education, Occupational Experience, then Related Experience, Certifications, Computer Skills, and mentioned at the end... References Available Upon Request.   Sometimes homeschooling parents have to reenter the workplace because of family changes and needs.  How could you express what you've been doing in a way that's acceptable for a resume? Well, here's my take on it... Teacher, Homeschool                  ...