Life As A Fire Wife

I’m not that mom who is super organized. I’m not that mom who has got it all together. I’m not that mom who is good at planning ahead of time. I’m not that mom who has the first day of school chalk board signs. I’m not that mom who has any first day of school sign. I’m not that mom who never yells and screams. I’m not that mom who is super patient and soft spoken. I’m not that mom who is super crafty. I’m not that mom who is super involved and knows everyone. I could go on and on. And for all the times I saw those first day of school signs whether they were on that adorable chalkboard or handwritten, I always wished I had remembered to do that. But today as I sent my boys off, at 3 different times, on 3 different buses, to 3 different schools and I took that first day picture, I really didn’t care too much whether I had a sign or not this year. This week in my bible study we talked about the church body having many parts. We can’t all be the same. We can’t all have the same strengths and the same hobbies and the same passions. If we did, how could we serve one another. How could many people be part of one body if we are all the same. So for all the ways that I’m not that mom, it’s ok. I used to wish I could be super crafty and sew and make pretty things. Now if I need something sewn, I call my friend who is an excellent seamstress. Or if I want a beautiful and delicious cake for one of the boys birthdays and I’m already overloaded with 10 bajillion other to dos, I go to a bakery and pick out a lovely cake, because for all the ways I could create something delicious, it probably won’t be pretty. All of this to say that I’m ok with not being that mom. Just because I’m not that mom doesn’t mean that I’m not the mom that God intended for me to be right at this very moment. I’m that mom who jumped for joy this morning that it was raining buckets and it was my one and only chance to go to the high school bus stop. I’m that mom who was only going to make pancakes for dinner but upon request made bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches as well. I’m that mom who wants to listen to every detail of your day and get totally invested in your story. I’m that mom who can look in the fridge and make something out of nothing. I’m that mom who will look for pretty much anyway possible to spend time with each kid. I’m that mom who wants to read a story and snuggle before bed. I’m that mom who is teaching my kids independence. I’m that mom who you call when you want to run, walk, go to the park, or have a doggy playdate. I’m that mom who wakes up every day and tries my hardest to be the best version of myself. I’m that mom who fails daily but gets up and keeps on trying. I’m that mom.

From 1 Corinthians 12:12-31

Unity and Diversity in the Body

¹² Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³ For we were all baptized by^[c] one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. ¹⁴ Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

¹⁵ Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. ¹⁹ If they were all one part, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” ²² On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³ and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, ²⁴ while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, ²⁵ so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. ²⁶ If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. ²⁸ And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. ²⁹ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰ Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues^[d]? Do all interpret? ³¹ Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.