Monday, September 12, 2005

There Goes My Life

Our Women's Bible Study started at church this week...it was so good to be back with friends and refreshing to be challenged and taught from God's Word. Here is the beginning of what our pastor's wife, Audrey, shared:

There Goes My Life

"I was cleaning my porch in the middle of August and I noticed how some leaves were falling already. It was still summer but I knew autumn was just around the corner.

It was like God impressed on my heart that this is where I am. Mid-August in my life. That’s when I was born. And that is where I am.

Yesterday I was a young girl growing up on a farm in rural South Carolina – running through the yard, playing with my cats. Yesterday I was a high school graduate applying for college. Yesterday I graduated from college and got married, moved away from home.

Yesterday I had my first baby – yesterday I had my fifth baby. Yesterday my oldest son grew up and left. Yesterday my second son got married and moved away. Yesterday my daughter left for college. Yesterday my 4th child got his driver’s license. Yesterday my baby turned 12. Yesterday I celebrated my 25th wedding anniversary.

Yesterday – my life filled up.

There goes my life – all these yesterdays . . .

Tomorrow I’ll say goodbye to the rest of my children. Tomorrow I’ll be 70 years old. If I’m strong, I might live to be 80 - perhaps a little longer.

Tomorrow Carl and I will celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. Tomorrow my children will stand over my grave.

There goes my life - all these tomorrows . . .

But what if tomorrow never comes? Have I wasted my life so far? How will I spend my remaining years, be they few or many? How do I want my children to remember me? How do I want my church to remember me?

What will I say to God? There goes my life.

Today - I am busy raising my two last children. Two have flown the next, one is practicing her flight, and two remain. The oldest still at home is preparing for college, and the youngest is beginning the middle school years. Today I am busy with ministry in my home and ministry in my church. All these todays. Am I wasting my time?

There goes my life. All these todays . . .

My heart’s desire is to finish this life well. If God gives me 80 years – this means I have 33 left.

Some things I’ve decided in my 47 years – I will not waste my life. I will not spin my wheels going nowhere. The only way I know to keep on track is to have my heart and mind turned wholly and completely toward God. When I do that - He is free to work. When I fill my mind with the truth from Him, He clears my vision, He strips away the dross, gives me focus, He sharpens my perspective, He helps me spend my time on things that really matter. He literally frees me from myself.

It is my prayer that as you leave here today, you will have a fresh, renewed perspective about your yesterdays, todays, and tomorrows. A perspective from God’s Word. We won’t finish our topic today – you’ll have to come back on September 22nd for the really “get your hands dirty” practical stuff. Today it’s all about a perspective – a way of seeing things. A way of focusing."

If you want to learn more, visit Mothering From the Heart.

1 comment:

Megan said...

These are good words. The last time you posted a link to something your pastor's wife wrote, I was really encouraged by it and I always meant to let you know, but kept forgetting, so here you go. :) She sounds like a wise woman!