Mother's Day Out
Rise and Shine
for Jesus!
By Pam Iannello (my late mother)
A ministry of New Beginnings
Baptist Church
Proverbs 22:6 (KJV)
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is
old, he will not depart from it.
There
probably isn’t a Christian alive who hasn’t read the above verse a time or two.
We all know that children require daily and diligent tutoring in
the manner they must live and that it is a command of God that as parents we do
so faithfully.
Naturally,
as we are confronted with this scripture we would do well to pause and reflect
upon our attitude toward the word “train”.
Do you like to train your children, dear mother? Do you want
to train your children? You see ladies; if we have a “train up” attitude toward
our children then we would reckon it a good thing to spend countless
hours with them for this holy purpose. However, what I sense in many mothers
today, including Christian mothers, is a “put up” attitude as a substitute. A
“train up” attitude wants children around as much as possible while a “put up”
attitude doesn’t, in view of the fact that raising children is considered a
burden rather than a blessing.
Would
you say you typically face the day with the mind-set that if you’ve got to “put
up” with your children another day you’ll simply go crazy? Do you drive around
town or thumb through the yellow pages seeking the names of the countless
churches that now host “Mother’s Day Out” programs just to be free from the
kiddies you say you care about? Frankly, I find it disturbing that a church
would assist mothers in escaping their God given duties! What
kind of a support system is that?? In my estimation, something is seriously
wrong with mommy’s heart…
Deut. 6:6-7 (KJV)
And these words, which I command thee
this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children,
and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest
by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
Ladies,
where else would love be found but in the heart? If love for the Word of God
coupled with a love for your children is not in your heart, it does not exist!
If you don’t highly prize the scriptures and consider it a privilege to have
the very words that would press you to esteem the training of your children
also a privilege, where is the hope that the right attitude shall ever reign
within you?? It takes great diligence to put the truth into our own hearts,
amen? Likewise great diligence is required to put the truth into the hearts of
our children! How do you suppose this will happen if mothers are in constant
need of another “day out”? God will never become the center of your children’s
lives if He is not the center of your life, dear mother! To be
self-centered is to shortchange your children of a holy upbringing. According
to the Bible, God has intended that mothers stay IN their homes, not out of
them! Is your life organized around the Lord, or you?
1 Tim. 5:14 (KJV)
I will therefore that the younger women marry,
bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the
adversary to speak reproachfully.
Let
me take a moment to share an excerpt I found on the Internet describing the
purpose behind one of the thousands of Mother’s Day Out programs in progress:
We are excited
about the opportunity to minister to you and your child through our Mother’s
Day Out (MDO) ministry. Our goal is four-fold:
1)
Help your child grow spiritually.
2)
Help your child grow intellectually.
3)
Help your child grow physically.
4)
Help your child grow socially.
To that end, we
use a Bible based curriculum. In addition to Bible stories and Chapel
experiences, the curriculum integrates biblical principles into math, science, language,
cooking, art, guided play, listening, music, writing, drama, gross motor
skills, tactile experiences, and more.
I find it interesting that this outline
sounds exactly like what God commands a parent to do for their
children, yet who is frequently filling this position? None other
than a substitute! These days mommy needs to be relieved of such burdens
as helping her preschool child grow spiritually, intellectually,
physically and socially. Instead, mommy’s development has taken priority.
Forgive me, but shouldn’t that have taken place already? Why do adults wait to
have children to decide to grow up? What supposedly started out as a ministry
has ended up a daycare business! It seems to me churches of today are
robbing young children of their mothers in order to build their membership…
Our
program is designed to provide a child care opportunity for parents who
stay home and care for their children during the week. We provide a quality
experience for the preschoolers, including a Bible Story and age-appropriate
activities.
This
ministry is for members and families who are seriously considering making our
church their church home. Parents who are prospective members may participate
in our program in the prospective member status for two months. (A prospective
member is defined as someone who is currently attending our church activities
as a guest.)
If
the goal is really to minister and support careworn mothers, then as a
body of believers, we should follow God’s program…
Titus 2:3-5 (KJV)
The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh
holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
[4] That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their
husbands, to love their children, [5] To be
discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good,
obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
Yes,
God expects older women to train young women to face their duties with the
right heart, not leave their post. This is the type of tutoring arrangement
God approves. If truth be told, we should change the name of the whole concept
to “Frequent Flyer Program” rather than “Mother’s Day Out” and sober everyone
up to look at things as they have become! Ladies, a young woman who is not serious
about being a wife and mother has no right to marry or have children – it’s
as simple as that. If she can’t count the cost of being AT HOME day by day
without need for recurring flight, then her heart needs much help! God’s
love has more staying power than that! Such a woman needs a deeper
relationship with the Lord, not more time to herself...
Matthew
11:28-30 (KJV)
Come
unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. [29]
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart:
and ye shall find rest unto your souls. [30] For my yoke is easy, and my burden
is light.
If
you’ve got a great load upon you, carry it to Christ. He has the ability to
give us all rest. Those who don’t have it aren’t going to Him… Truthfully, I am
amazed at the lack of endurance in mothers in general today. My own mother had
10 children and NEVER once experienced a day out or a day off and I am proud to
say she has not lost her mind or her identity. You see, home was a workplace,
not a playground for my mother! She had a sober mindset toward her
countless responsibilities joined with soundness of heart, and she was happy!
Hence, my mother thoroughly and adequately trained all of us. As a matter of
fact, not one of my four sisters grew to crave life outside the home. We have
each found our purpose in married life and parenting. Because my mother
fulfilled her role at home, the church was never taxed with our needs. If
you’ll remember, it is God’s own design that family members assume their own
responsibilities and prevent the church from having to relieve widows. (1 Tim.
5:16) This being the case, why would the church be expected to relieve a woman
who has a husband??
1 Tim. 5:8 (KJV)
But if any provide not for his own, and
specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse
than an infidel.
Are
you providing for your own children, dear mother? Are you imparting proper love
unto them? What can the little ones that live under the same roof with you
expect from you on a daily basis? Are you sufficiently supplying them with
spiritual, intellectual, physical, and social training, or have you turned that
over to someone else or let it go altogether? Is it a practice of yours to
avoid spending time with your children or is there sincere desire in your heart
to roll up your sleeves and live out Biblical motherhood? By the way, does your
church maintain the belief that older women are to minister to the hearts of
young women by teaching sobriety in this area? If not, I don’t mind telling you
that you are not part of a church that carries out a godly tutoring program for
mothers! The poor condition of children today is the crime of the mother,
for home is no longer where the heart is.
Proverbs 29:15b (KJV)
…but a child left to himself bringeth his
mother to shame.
I would hope none of you really wants to
be reduced to a shameful state. Ladies, an improved relationship with the Lord
would lead you away from dishonorable status and provoke you to feel for and
provide better care for all your family members – husband, children and
other relatives too! Everyone will be affected one way or another by the
condition of your heart. You will prize your time with your loved ones, not
pitch it away. Rather than ignoring their needs you will engross yourself in
meeting them – without obsession for your own. Stop following your
emotions and start following God’s commands and I guarantee your children will
accelerate along with you!
God
Bless,
Pam
Isaiah
60:1&2
Copyright
2003 Pamela A. Iannello
Revised
2008
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