Fearing the What Ifs

Yesterday one of our chickens had gotten sick, so we killed it. I was doing an online search trying to figure out if it would be okay for us to eat a sick chicken. It was a really big bird and I hated to see so much meat go to waste. Doing my online search all sorts of things came up. One was an article that caught my eye. It was about a young girl in America who went out to eat at a restaurant, ate chicken, and then got sick. She then later developed a disorder that prevented her from absorbing nutrients from her food and will be on IV nutrition for the rest of her life. She blamed it all from eating chicken at a restaurant that might not have been cooked well enough. The article went on to discuss all the problems that you could have if you ate chicken. It even gave really grose details of how the American poultry industry sprays Arsenic on the chickens and how much Arsenic Americans consume each year from certain products. This article tried to scare you into never eating a piece of chicken again, for the possibility of illness or death.

Now when it comes to Not eating a sick chicken, that can border common sense, but there are other things that we can apply to the What If statement. I started thinking about all of the other things in the world that try to scare us. The news media is especially bad about playing on people's fears of ... What If. I believe that each person should use common sense in certain situations but also not let dramatic What Ifs stop you from something, especially when it is the right thing to do. There are many situations in my life where the What If statement applies. It can apply to many different people in many different ways. But What If... You turned your What If statements into something positive. What if, I.....

I encourage you today to Have More Faith, Let Go of some of your negative What If's, and Do What you fully Believe is Right, According to God's will.  

What are some What If Thoughts that you have been thinking about... Please feel free to comment below. I would love for you to share your thoughts. :-) 

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Confessions of a Missionary Mom Part 2

I sometimes feel like I should be doing More...

My days are spent like many other stay at home mom's around the world. I cook, clean, home school the kids, wash the clothes, etc. As a "missionary wife" I sometimes feel that I should be doing more. I should be opening an orphanage, or going out and conducting my own Bible studies with women, or something else besides just being at home all the time.

When we had our visitors here to help with the work I really wanted to be "out and about" helping pass out tracts, or visiting other villages. When I didn't get to go and see the baptism of our newest sister in Christ, "Mama Judy" I started to get a little sad. When they called to say that they were going to the river, I was busy folding socks. Although the socks could have waited, it wouldn't have worked out for them to drive 45 min. to pick me and the kids up, and besides they didn't have room in the car. Even though I told myself this, it didn't make me feel much better. For a moment I still had a pity party for myself. I wondered why I had to be the one here doing all the "unimportant things" like fold socks.

Then I started to laugh to myself. I pictured all the guys walking around without any socks. If they didn't have the socks that I was folding, then they would definitely get blisters with all the walking that they were doing. And then I thought about the meals that were being prepared, they surely couldn't do the work without food. Although they had learned how to kill their own chicken, they certainly wouldn't have a clue how to make their food from scratch. So I started thinking about all the "important" jobs that were being done, right here at home. I started thinking about how someone around the house is even more needed in a "mission field" because there is no dry cleaning, no fast food, or even frozen foods. I know that there is a time for me to be "out and about"doing volunteer work, but only when it is scheduled into my day. I knew at this time I was needed the most at home. My mind turned to the scripture that talks about each member of the body having their own place. (1 Cor. 12:12 ff.)  I knew the same comparison could be made of the home. Each member of the home couldn't do what it does as well without the other. God has made a design for everything, even from the beginning. And his design for the home is no different now than it was back then. God made woman to be the helper.(Gen. 2:18) It was in that moment that I found myself even more content in my role as a wife, mother, and keeper of the home.

I know that there is even more pressure on women in America to work outside of the home "doing something." But I would like to encourage All Women to look at your role more closely in the home. I encourage you to strive to find contentment with yourself in what you do, and work to make your home peaceful, organized, and a place of joy.

Until Next Time,
Bonnie

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