Marilyn's Mussings

The powerful influence of a mother in a woman’s life cannot be overstated. She longs for your affirmation and will receive it partly in how you exhibit trust in her by respecting the choices she makes as a mother. It is important to remember that God has entrusted your grandchild to his parents. They are a team, responsible to each other and to God. When they make decisions that differ from their family of origin, no judgment or criticism should be implied. Just as we stood on the sidelines cheering them on as they worked together with sports or academic teams, encouragement and support from us is most effective. They are directly involved in the "game" and God Himself is their "coach." While we resist the temptation to correct or criticize the parenting style, if the child’s well-being is in danger she should be told. She wants that. One mother said "Tell me if I am making a horrible mistake!" However, most of what we want to share is preference an...

Unlike the workforce, being a mother has no purposeful time-line for evaluation and the little ones who say thank you, do so at her direction. If you are a woman of influence in a young mother's life, tell her how proud you are of her as a mother. Acknowledge how hard she works. Tell her often and be specific. Empty flattery is worthless but a casual observation of this young woman's day yields plenty to highlight. Find out what mode of communication the young mother in your life enjoys. A note in the mail or words on her facebook wall might be just the pick-me-up she needs. An encouraging text message straight from the scripture is always good.  I was busy at home one day enjoying a sweet memory of my last visit with my daughter and grandson. He was less than a year old, but as she corrected him she talked to him about making good choices. My heart swelled as I thought about what a good mother she was. Then I suddenly realized that more than enjoying that warm fuzzy feeling,...

One of the times a woman most needs a mother is when she becomes a mother. Many women erroneously think the need is primarily for the mother's experience. While that experience is important, what is more needful is found in Webster's definition of mother, "maternal tenderness or affection." The care the young mother provides for her child is a joy, but also a serious task and it times feels quite overwhelming. Most mothers alternate between feeling competent and knowledgeable one day and completely inadequate the next. She needs to know that a mother is there for her as she rides this emotional roller-coaster of tremendous responsibility. One young mother expressed it this way: "Don't forget that I am your child just because the baby came along!" It is my joy to be in “mother-to-a-mother” relationships with both the daughter I raised and the daughter my son married. This season of life has drawn us closer together than anything else and I ...

“Dum dity, dum dity, dum dum dum” I said to Jonathan as we played in the floor. With bright eyes and determination, he scampered down the hall to find the familiar yellow book filled with monkeys. I looked across the room at the baby’s young mother. Not so many years ago I read the same book to her.  I was consciously aware that in some sense, I had passed a baton to her. I was no longer a primary player in this mother-child relationship, and she was doing the job that I had done for years. The responsibility for Jonathan was hers. The comfortable role of mother that I loved dearly was also hers. As Jonathan crawled into my lap with the book, I closed my eyes and tried to breath in the privilege of the moment. My busy one-year-old grandson snuggled close and waited with anticipation. Eager to join him in his wonder, I opened the Dr. Seuss classic. One short year ago, Jonathan came home from the hospital with parents as new as his car seat and crib. I was there to offer my expert...

I was reading through the book of Revelation this week and as I began I was struck by the apostle John's situation. He was the last living apostle and he was old, around 90. All the other apostles at this point were gone, having died horrible deaths for their faith. Now here was John, the youngest disciple, still alive, still sharing Jesus. And that's what got him in trouble. Because of his continued testimony of Jesus Christ, he was exiled to the Island of Patmos. So I was thinking about what a rich life he had lived, all he had seen and experienced, how we got to see him mature in his faith. He was "the disciple that Jesus loved." He knew Jesus loved him! But then, at the end of his life, he was taken away from the every day of his home, his people, and his God given ministry. A 90 year old man, alone, left to die out in the elements on a small island, certainly not able to do ministry. But we don't have to wonder what he was thinking. While I might ha...

The Toddler Challenge has been all over social media and even showed up on some news programs. A mother sits her toddler at the table with a cookie or a bowl of candy and tells the child not to eat it until she returns. She leaves for a short time and keeps the camera rolling. This results in so many cute pictures of precious, though not always innocent toddlers. My favorites are those in which the child licks his lips, or smells the treat, or just excitedly holds his hands back in anticipation. But the one that made me laugh the hardest was the little fellow who popped a piece of the candy in his mouth and chewed fast, while full body dancing. He then calmly sat down to wait for his mom, the picture of innocence. The Toddler Challenge is interesting, funny and sweet, as well as a great open door for teaching. Our response to "challenges" are not usually interesting, funny or sweet, but God always intends they be an open door for Him to teach us. He sets us up wi...

It has always bothered me when people have said that Jesus was tempted so He would know what it feels like for us, and help us. That doesn't make sense to me. Because Jesus is God, He would have known that before He ever came to the earth. So was it that He was tempted so that we would know that He knows? Or is it simply part of Him being fully man?  Then Hebrews 2:18 tells us that because Jesus "suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted." Why did Jesus suffer when tempted and how does that help us? Obedience is not always easy and we are faced with the temptation to not obey every day. Just making those decisions can be painful and choosing to obey even more painful. We don't always stand up to temptation very well. Sometimes we do okay but other times we don't suffer at all as we choose to disobey.  But Jesus learned obedience when tempted and it was painful. While He never sinned, as a man He was susceptible to sin.  Suf...

Barabbas was a really bad guy. Mark 15:7 says he was "among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder."  Jesus, on the other hand, was the Son of God and the only one who has ever lived a perfect life. Jesus's mother was Mary, but Jesus's Father was God Himself. Mary was a virgin when the Holy Spirit put Jesus inside her womb. As an adult Jesus taught, healed the sick, miraculously fed thousands and even raised the dead. People got really excited about all that He was doing and began to gather in large crowds around Him. But then things changed. One week they were waving palm branches and praising Him as he entered town, the next week they wanted Him killed. An angry mob had Him arrested and beaten. Ultimately they would nail His hands and feet to a cross and leave Him hanging there until He died. But the best part is that three days later He conquered death and rose from the grave, never to die again! In so doing He made a path to eternal life for us. W...

The first temptation that resulted in the first sin has had an effect on all mankind since Adam and Eve. The serpent told Eve that she would not die if she ate the fruit of the tree that God had forbidden, but that she would be "like God." (Genesis 3) I have had a hard time relating to that exactly. I think we are like God in that we are made in His image, and that's huge! So why was that a temptation to Eve, and how does my sin say that I want to be like God? It was in fact a temptation to Eve and she succumbed to it. She looked at that tree and saw that it was good for food , and a delight to the eyes , took the fruit and ate it! (Genesis 3:6) But wait, God had filled the earth, and specifically the Garden of Eden with oh so many trees and plants that were  pleasant to the sight and good for food . "You shall have them for food" He said. All except one.  (Genesis 1:29-30, 2:9,16-17) So why was that a temptation to Eve? What she wanted God had alrea...

What most of us know about leprosy is that it was a really bad skin disease. The previously incurable disease wreaked havoc so long ago it's hard for us to wrap our heads around it today. During Bible times, it was completely incurable and effected more than skin but also blood and bones. The body and life of a leper literally rotted away. A leper was considered unclean and was isolated physically, socially and emotionally. We know now that leprosy spreads by airborne respiratory droplets. Sound familiar? As I studied this passage for Sunday, my head and my heart went soaring to the many accounts of loved ones in hospitals fighting Covid-19. Like leprosy, it also is a cruel disease that has demanded its victims fight and even die alone. They too are isolated physically, socially and emotionally. In Mark 1:40-45, we see that Jesus was busy in His earthly ministry and getting a lot of attention. So much so that He got the attention of a leper. While the leper should have ...