I've never been very good at introductions, so I'll just jump in feet-first.
I'm 24 years old, turning 25 this year. I grew up in Pittsburgh, moved to Milwaukee when I was 21, spent a year and a half in Monterey, California, and have lived in Augusta, Georgia since April of last year. Aside from the Chernobyl-sized bugs*, I could happily spend the rest of my life here. At the end of this month I will celebrate my first anniversary of being married to a devoted, kind, intelligent, and side-splittingly funny man who I met in California (even though he's from North Dakota). I own and adore a little ginger pound-mutt named Maybelline (so named for the kohl around her lovely black eyes) and I am a mother to the most stunningly beautiful blue-eyed, flaxen-haired two-month-old boy in the known universe -- not that I'm biased or anything. My dreams for the future include homeschooling and keeping a beautiful home for my family... which is something I never in a million years thought I would say.
See, the birth of my Little Lion Man somehow coincided with everything I had ever believed being turned completely upside down. This obstinate feminist (who certainly didn't need a patriarchal God harshing her mellow, thankyouverymuch) suddenly developed a hardcore infatuation with the Holy Spirit -- and I went from socialist to conservative, God-mocking to God-fearing, feminist to feminine-ist.
Unfortunately, this all happened at a rather inconvenient time -- despite my desires to be a homemaker and child-raiser, I am also currently stuck in the middle of a six-year contract with the United States Navy and stationed about 550 miles away from my husband for the foreseeable future. Needless to say that this has been a source of many tears, much prayer, and several bottles of extra-strength Tums. But the great joyful irony is that the God who came in and turned my life upside-down is the same God who will help me put it right-side-up again.
And maybe, with His help, I'll keep this old ship afloat yet.
I hope you'll stick around.
-- Birdie
*Seriously. I have never seen bugs this big in my life. Last night there was a cockroach the size of a silver dollar in my living room -- I sprayed it with Raid and I'm pretty sure it turned around and laughed at me.
Dear Birdie -
ReplyDeleteWOW! What a testimony! I am so thankful to the Lord for loving you into His way :-) I am praying for you and standing with you. Never, ever, ever, ever fear following the Bible. Never doubt His word or His promises. Sometimes it's confusing, sometimes it's hard, sometimes it doesn't make sense because everyone else in the world -including yourself- is saying something different, but that's just because we live in these shabby little brains that don't know any better. The just SHALL live by faith. Alone. And Our God Is Faithful - lean hard on Him and pour your heart out to Him, our God is a refuge for us. Let Him be your delight and your shield :-)
God bless you,
Ann
- a former hyper-rebellious, gothic, militant feminist, God hating (though I shudder to type the words now) socialist, bleeding heart liberal witch. *no kidding - God is good!*
Ann,
ReplyDeleteThis could not possibly have come at a more necessary time. Thank you and God bless you.
Birdie,
ReplyDeleteI found your blog through a comment you left on Tryptich. I empathize with your situation as I too attempt to work out what Scripture means in Proverbs 31 and Titus 2 with phrases like "keeper at home" and what that calling bears on the lives of women today. I am a full-time working, married, childless woman who hopes to be a mama in the not-too-distant future and then....I really don't know. My husband and I go round and round on the most prudent, God-honoring, and wise choice for balancing our callings with regards to my working and bringing in an income in a high cost of living area. I don't want to narrow the woman's calling too much and say that it means that women have to fit an exact mold (only a certain type of stay-at-home mama who seems to show up in all sorts of books) but my husband and I both want to be faithful to God's Word also. It's a challenge for us, and I imagine even more so for you!
Katie,
ReplyDeleteI fully agree that there is no one-size-fits-all calling for women. I believe that a Godly woman needs to prayerfully evaluate the decisions she makes about her life. A lot of people I know don't respect what I feel led to do because they feel I could "do something" with my life instead of being "stuck" at home. But, if you think about it, the single most Christ-like thing we can do is sacrifice ourselves for others, and I can think of few better ways for me to do that than to put my family as my number-one priority. I pray that God will give you the guidance you seek and help you come to the conclusion that is best for you and your family. Thanks for commenting! :)