One of my favorite books is Pocketful of Pinecones by Karen Andreola. I love it because it is the story of a homeschool mom (Carol) in the 30s. It gently teaches lessons about parenting, marriage, homeschooling, serving others, and frugal living ... all in the form of a story.
One of my favorite lines in the book is when Carol's sister-in-law encourages and praises her by saying, "Motherhood is the basket in which you have placed all your eggs." I love the imagery that line creates ... being focused on one thing, cherishing it, protecting it. I've always wanted that to be true of me ... that my marriage and children were the basket I placed all my eggs in.
I was thinking about that yesterday, and wondering if I was spreading too many eggs in other baskets, and how well I could protect the eggs in the motherhood basket with the other baskets filling up. Then today I read this devotional about "The Homeschooling Mom's Perfume". And I had to ask myself what type of aroma my daily life is creating.
Is my service at home a pleasing aroma to God, and my family? Or am I stinking up the house with my attitude, harsh words, and impatience? If I'm stinking up the house, is it because I've got rotten eggs scattered about from trying to maintain too many baskets? Is one of the baskets my own pleasure, and is it overflowing with eggs invested in it? Would the other baskets be better cared for if the basket of selfishness and wasted time was less stocked?
I don't have the answers yet, but it's something I will be pondering this weekend. Are there too many baskets? Which ones are most important? How can I best tend my baskets?
Take joy,
April
