Jesus is saying, Betty, Betty you are anxious, you are busy, choose a good portion!

    Luke 10:38-42 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” 

     To be honest,  I have always been a prideful Martha. The fact that I could see what needs to be done, get straight on it, delegate task but never understanding why the Marys couldn't do this on their own. Then of coarse I would grumble in my head, why are they standing around talking when they see others working, even if they didn't know where to start, wouldn't seeing work being done be an obvious sign? Now if you are a Mary, don't be mad because I adore you, I am only being honest about a prideful ignorance in myself. Believe me, God has had to deal with a very stubborn Martha! I can assure you that he has broken through a lot of pride and stubborness in my heart on this matter. You see, many years ago, the grumbling didn't stay in my head, it exploded out of my mouth like an angry drill sergeant in horrible insults & demands. Thankfully I didn't get struck down for being so selfish and prideful. Thankfully he showed me how cruel that was and I changed my ways and my heart, to a certain degree anyway.
   About a year ago, my pastor, Freddie Brown, gave a sermon on Mary & Martha and God continued to chisel away at my pride of being a hardworking Martha. I never really saw the disadvantage of being a busy Martha. God started opening my eyes to the relationships that the Marys had with others. It seemed like people, even myself, were drawn to Marys. I started seeing that if I needed help with a task, I would go to a Martha but if needed someone to lift my spirits and make me smile, I would go to the Marys in my life. This sermon really allowed God to show me how important it is to have balance and honestly it is still at work. I did search my heart, I repented for the grumbling and started giving grace but also started seeking to become more like Mary.
   While reading the word this morning, I realized that I haven't tried to have the Martha-Mary balance at home. I can honestly say that in the last week or so, I have slowed down and tried to be more like this with my husband. I have done work outside in our yard & garden to take try take some of the work off of my husband & I have been intentionally stopping everything else, to "be" with him. However, even though he is my leader, he isn't the only life that I can stop for in my home. My little Olivia craves quality time and everything about a Mary because she is a 100% Mary, even in ways that might seem like Martha, in her mind the things that she does are like gifts. When she cleans my room or makes my bed, it isn't because she sees that it needs to be done, it is so she can make me smile and she is expressing her love for me. My son, well he is a different story and he is a go with the flow type, I think I do spend more time with him, because he isn't demanding it like Olivia, he isn't pulling at me. As for uninvited guest that pop in, my gosh how can I be expected to stop doing and be hospitable? It's like a train going at full speed and all of a sudden it needs to stop in a second flat, the wheels might stop turning but the train can't stop that quick. I might stop but my mind is in a million different places, it's on editing, it's on laundry, it's on the mess that the guest see around me. I am even worse when it comes to people that come to visit Mike. Most of them never come inside, they stay in the yard or go to his shop and yes, even if a wife comes with them, I rarely go outside to greet them. Didn't I mention that I was being honest? What's funny is that I justify it because well, everyone knows how busy I am, surely they know how precious my time is. Can you say prideful?
   Today I am encouraged because the Lord has already started working on me with balance, my life (my train) has slowed down a bit. He has started with opening my eyes to balance with my husband and the needs there. If you have been reading my blog, you know that he has opened my eyes to the needy, the importance of slowing down enough to SEE the needs, even if it is just to help ONE person at a time, instead of multitudes. Now, I feel like he is showing me how I can extend the same grace, love & hospitality in my own home, to slow down because Martha & Mary are both needed in my home.
Proverbs 14:1
 A wise woman builds her home, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands.
Lord  keep showing me, keep speaking to my heart and giving me wisdom in knowing that building is more than the doing part, it is more than the physical, it is taking time to enjoy the process!