It’s week five of our Real Moms…Real Jesus Discussion!
Chapter 5’s Perspective is titled, “Is there such a thing as uninterrupted sleep?”
When I first read the story of Jesus falling fast asleep in the boat and the disciples waking him up because they were scared of the storm I thought, “This is my life!” I honestly had never realized that Jesus would understand being awakened in the middle of the night.
What thoughts did you have when you read this Perspective?
On to Chapter 5: Jesus Sacrificed: The Truth about Sacrifice.
Any thoughts as you read through the first part of the chapter which outlines God’s relationship with His people from Adam and Eve through Jesus? Seeing the big picture of God’s desire for relationship with us was so helpful for me.
So are you a mother or a martyr? What thoughts came to mind as you read that section?
What is one thing you read in this chapter that you want to move from your head to your heart?
Because it’s Mother’s Day week, I’m going to do a giveaway! Anyone who participates in our Chapter 5 discussion this week will have their name thrown into a hat on Thursday morning at 10am CT. Then I’ll select a winner to receive a Hearts at Home Perpetual Calendar!
By the way, if your family is asking you what you want for Mother’s Day, you might check out the Heart Shoppe on the Hearts at Home website to make your list for dad and the kids! That way you’ll be sure to get something you’d love to have!
“Sacrifice is giving up something good for something better.”
I love Jill how you talked about ‘those who are mature enough’ are able to understand this principle of sacrifice. I do understand the principle on paper, but I know that I don’t always let the truth sink deeply into my heart and saturate my actions.
Most times, when I really dig deep, I find that my own immaturity and self-centeredness is what is causing my failures in certain areas of a motherhood. I don’t want to give up “me” time, because I am selfish. I choose not to be patient because lashing out in anger is just plain easier than working hard at patience.
It is immaturity, plan and simple. And I need to work on that! I can see this truth so clearly, but it just takes so much consistent work to put it into daily practice in my here-and-now situations. I fail often; then I get discouraged.
I’m glad I have that Friend. Who understands. And is patient. And forgives. And forgets.
What a model.
I must also say something that hit me personally very, very hard was the manners thing. My boys, in general, have pretty good manners. But, they definitely could be better!
I am guilty of not choosing to use my manners sometimes in front of the boys (I have three of them, ages 5, 3, and 2–and they love to laugh at mommy burping, for example….) and then I wonder why they collapse in laughter when one of them burps loudly in a restaurant, while I am collapsing on the other side of the table in embarrassment!
It’s simple–I must model that for them. “Manners comes down to sacrificing something as a courtesy to others.” I never thought of it that way before, but I think I need to start sacrificing hearing their giggles due to Mommy’s burps 🙂 in favor of teaching them to have courtesy for others in all situations! Thank you for that reminder, and for that phrasing!
I really like the quote you used from Emerson: “Good manners are made up of petty sacrifices.” The word “petty” really made me think because the things we are sacrificing in order to have good manners and model good manners aren’t really worth hanging on to anyway.
This was just something I had never given a thought to. I had known about this story all my life, but I just hadn’t thought about it in this perspective at all. Thanks, Jill!!
This was just something I had never given a thought to. I had known about this story all of my life, but I just hadn’t thought about it in this perspective at all. Thanks, Jill!!
Tina Jansen [email protected]
As moms we do sacrifice a lot of things. Not as extreamed as Jesus did for us on the cross. Yet some of us feel we have “given up” a lot to have our family. Some it was having a carrear in what ever we got our degree in at university. Others it was just our girly figure. Yet others it was the hope that she may never have a child of her own until one day being blessed to give birth and everything else seems meaningless.
My mother’s generation and the generation before don’t see the “sacrifices” we make as we do. it was just woman did if they had kids and a husband but Thanks to woman Like Jill Savage and others who have shown us yes we mad sacrfifces to be a mom but we don’t have to be a martyr about it. I have found with daily even hourly praying to God about my day and what I need to do to make it the best (whatever) for my children and it ok that I didn’t get that $30,000.00 job out of college. For I would have quit it any ways when I became a mom.
Katrina
Perspective…oh, that is me! I couldn’t go to sleep last night. Then when I finally did, my two year old was crawling in my bed! (At least it wasn’t my 8 year old sick in the bathroom this time!) Thank You, Jesus, for being a friend who knows it is tiring to be a mom!
Mom or martyr…wow! I had not thought about it before, but it is those times that I have not stepped away to fill up that I am more of a martyr than a mother. Then it starts a cycle of defeat that I feel like a terrible mother and it just gets worse. I need to recognize that martyr feeling, step back and fill up, so I can be the mom He created me to be. Thanks for the lesson, Jill!
Something that stuck out to me from this chapter was how counter culture “sacrifice” really is. We live in such a me, me, me society. Sometimes I think people are so focused on themselves that they don’t give proper attention to their children/families.
I appreciate how you pointed out the need for self-care too and the importance of taking care of us and modeling good behaviors for our children.
The take-away I got from this chapter was about Jesus who lived the ultimate life of sacrifice, still took time to be with His Father. I have started to make time in the morning to read from the Bible, even if it is only a few paragraphs, it helps me feel more centered for the whole day to spend time with my Father first. I never realized how Jesus’ life translates so well to motherhood–thank you Jill for this great book!
D.M.B.