Earning

What do you do to earn money for your family?

I don't think it's my duty to be concerned with earning money. Many of the times that I have been concerned with earning money, it has not been fruitful. Then, there are times when I have been fruitful in my endeavors to earn, but to much personal distress. It was a strain on my mind and body.

The things that I have been called to do don't earn, really. I feel called to write, speak to and reach out to women and mothers to encourage them (and I enjoy their encouragement at well). Ok, well there are times when this type of thing can earn. But I don't feel earning as my main drive behind it. Instead, just leisurely sharing God's Word of Grace to others.

I also know my first calling is to my husband, home and children. Doing work for earning money reduced the time I had for cooking, cleaning and teaching - which I love all three, because I do them well, and it blesses my family. It's is how I am made. So, in essence, I would never find a healthy balance between working and homecare. It was similar to God's comparison in the Bible between serving Him and mammon - you will hate one, and love the other (Luke 16:13). So, I began to despise or at least look badly upon my home chores because they kept me from earning more money.

There are times when a mother has to earn money for her family. The Proverbs 31 woman "...makes linen garments and sells them" (Prov. 31:24).  I understand that everybody's walk is not identical. However, being a mother is already such a work in and unto itself, that I would certainly want to let God's peace guide me. If a mom doesn't have peace about working, she should not pursue it. There are other ways of getting things paid for...or in some cases, not buying those extra things at all. My hat is off to all working mothers, however they are earning, because it is a difficult tightrope to balance yourself upon.

I believe that there are lots of great opportunities for dads and husbands to earn good or better. If they apply themselves and look earnestly for better job opportunities, they will encounter greater possibilities for their earnings. It is less straining on the family to have one working parent than two

working parents. Two distracted and harried parents means less focus on the children and their needs. This can cause a myriad of behavioral problems within the young bunch being reared. When my business was really booming a few years ago, I found that several of my children would act out for attention in very negative ways. Although I was getting in our time together, it was distracted time. 

Guess what - there is only so much time in a day. And you have to do one thing at a time in order to do it to your best. So, although we mothers are great at multitasking, it can sometimes be a curse because we think we can do it all, when in actuality, we are missing the better thing. Like Mary and Martha: Mary was waiting at Jesus' feet to hear His Words while Martha was busying herself with everything else. It's no doubt that Martha was being productive, but Mary had made the better choice for that time. What is the better choice for your season? Is it earning or learning with your littles? For me, it is learning with my children...about life...about love...about Jesus! 

I still tutor some, but it is more a passion for a very small group of students I have become quite fond of. Also, I always have one or more of my children in my sessions with me so that they can learn, too.  However, my motive is not growing my business anymore. Instead, just being a light wherever I can be, and building relationships with others.

Trying to remain focused on learning...not just earning...