Old Paths

  • About
    • Affiliate Disclosure
    • Home
  • Home Management
    • Digital Home Management
    • About Digital Home Management
  • Queen of the Home
    • About Queen of the Home
    • Queen of the Home Book
  • Home Education
    • Books on a Budget
  • Be Not Weary
    • About Be Not Weary
  • Miscellany
  • Contact

When Thou Liest Down…

And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 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. Deuteronomy 6:6,7

These beautiful words are a powerful command to Christian parents. Often used–and rightly so–as an example of the discipleship model of homeschooling, these verses have become a great encouragement to me in a whole new way.

For the past ten years I have struggled with severe, often crippling, fatigue. Sometimes better, sometimes worse, but always there presenting a challenge to one degree or another. Five of those years, including this one, I have spent partially bedridden.

This has been such a heartache and frustration to me and extremely difficult for our whole family. It has been an exhausting struggle, not just against the fatigue, but against discouragement too. God is so faithful though and has continually shown Himself, and His hand, in it all.

whenthouliestdown

Six years ago – when I was expecting Baby # 8 and my health had plummeted yet again – I was lying in bed staring at my boring ceiling and feeling like a useless blob with a stream of despairing thoughts running through my mind:

“I’m missing even more precious time with my children. The household is turned upside down. My husband is bearing a huge burden… and to top it off, I’m too miserable to read, memorize Scripture, watch Jane Austen movies, organize my recipes or otherwise utilize all this lovely free time. Nope, all I can do is lay and stare. How can I teach my children? How in the world can I be of any use to God when I can’t even get out of bed or do anything?”

Suddenly Deuteronomy 6:6,7  popped into to my mind. It was one of those moments where you feel like God puts a comforting Hand on your shoulder and speaks Truth right into your ear.

And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 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. Deuteronomy 6:6,7

He drew my attention to the words “When thou liest down”. Aha! The light of Truth broke through my dark discouragement as God reminded me again that no matter how hard things are, no matter what condition I am in, I still need to be obedient to Him and I still have a responsibility to all the young eyes watching me. Our children are always learning from us – for better or for worse – and we are always, always teaching, whether we realize it or not.

Charlotte Mason sums it up thus:

“The child breathes the atmosphere emanating from his parents; that of the ideas which rule their own lives.”

Whether I am up, reading books, baking cookies, and going on walks with my children, or whether I am in bed unable to sit up and do a thing, the example I am setting for them will leave a strong impression one way or the other. Through all these difficult days the hearts, minds and souls of the the young lives in my charge are being trained and formed. They are not on “pause” just because I can’t mother them the way I long to and in the perfect way I envision. They will either learn to doubt God or they will learn to trust Him.

If I can do nothing more than lie in bed I can do it with a good attitude and a smile for them when they come in the room. I can still provide a happy atmosphere in the home. I can avoid complaining. I can praise them for the extra work they have to do while Mommy is sick. I can encourage them to be a help to Daddy with a good attitude. I can pray for them. I can admire the cards they bring me. I can speak to them kindly. I can talk to them about the faithfulness of our Heavenly Father and the lessons we are learning through this trial. I can glorify God and point my children to Him by the way I conduct myself in times of trial and adversity. I can repent and apologize to them when I fail at all of the above. I can walk with God even when my body cannot move at all – and it is absolutely imperative that I do so.

I hope these thoughts will encourage you as they have me. Your trials will not be just like mine, but the beautiful truth of the Word of God applies in every circumstance. As mothers, we have eternal souls in our care that we are responsible for no matter what our situation in life is like. When things are going well we need to point our children to God. When times are hard we need to point our children to God.

May we be faithful to love Him with all our “heart, soul and might” and to teach this love for Him and the truth of His Holy Word diligently to our children. We can teach them when we sit down – whether it be because we are just to weak to stand, or to gather everyone around to read a book; when we walk along the way -whether our steps are faltering or strong;
when we lie down – on the couch in absolute exhaustion, or in green pastures as we study a flower alongside a child;
and when we rise up – as we climb the Hill Difficulty, or on wings like eagles.

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Google
  • Email
  • Print
  • More
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit
  • LinkedIn

Related

Filed Under: Be Not Weary, Home Education 5 Comments

« What Does Virtuous Really Mean?
Deuteronomy 6, Scholé, and Homeschooling Through Affliction »

Comments

  1. Tara says

    June 26, 2016 at 2:31 am

    Thank you for your insights on this. After years of cycles of pregnancy and life with an infant I was looking forward to a summer of having energy and doing things! I recently found out that I have a few health issues and am going to need to give my body time to heal. This has challenged my perspective.

    Reply
    • jmcbride says

      June 29, 2016 at 9:05 pm

      Thanks for your note! I’m glad it was encouraging. I hopped over to your blog, and boy, can I relate to so much about what you say there! I’ll be praying for you.

      Reply
  2. Amanda Roby says

    June 28, 2016 at 12:45 pm

    Jen, I found your blog through the talk you did with Mystie on planning. I’m in my early 30s, but I have been disabled since my late teens. I’d just started realizing what stability and productivity could mean in my life when fatigue hit me a month or so ago. I have a four year old and a 2.5 year old, and have been planning to homeschool for years before we even had our first. This new _thing_, this fatigue like a tiredness I’ve never experienced, a weariness that invades body, mind, and spirit, has brought me to my knees. Of course, that is a good place to be, so long as we are on our knees before Our Most High. He brought me here today, to read your message, and your words have helped me realize and grasp Hope. Thank you, sister-in-Christ, for your courage in sharing. For your courage in keeping on. For your courage in diligently walking his path, even when, as you say, that comes when you can’t even rise from your bed. You have inspired and helped me, even though I can’t get out of my bed today, except for the most basic care for my kids.

    Reply
    • jmcbride says

      June 29, 2016 at 9:12 pm

      Thanks for the kind words. I’m so glad it was encouraging and I will be praying for you!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Deuteronomy 6, Scholé, and Homeschooling Through Affliction says:
    July 5, 2016 at 8:39 pm

    […] may do a lot more sitting and lying down than rising up and walking, but I can teach my children just the same. Fellow weary mothers, […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply to Amanda Roby Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

My Book

Instagram

old.paths

“Thus out of small beginnings greater things hav “Thus out of small beginnings greater things have been produced by His hand that made all things of nothing, and gives being to all things that are; and, as one small candle may light a thousand, so the light here kindled hath shone unto many...”
William Bradford

Thank you for your example Emily - for so beautifully living this out in your daily, obedient, God glorifying faithfulness.  #vigilforem
"So they committed themselves to the will of God, "So they committed themselves to the will of God, and resolved to proceed." ~ William Bradford
"...they cherished a great hope and inward zeal of "...they cherished a great hope and inward zeal of laying good foundations, or at least making some ways toward it, for the propagation and advance of the gospel of the kingdom of Christ in the remote parts of the world, even though they should be but stepping stones to others in the performance of so great a work." ~ William Bradford
"They brought up their families, in sturdy virtue "They brought up their families, in sturdy virtue and a living faith in God, without which Nations perish." ~ Pilgrim Mother's Monument, Plymouth, MA
Fellow Christians, don’t let the Left shame you Fellow Christians, don’t let the Left shame you into accepting defeat. The media does not get to decide who is the President of the United States. 

Standing and fighting for truth is NOT being a “sore loser”. Recognizing and acknowledging that fraud is being committed, and calling for justice to be served, is not only absolutely appropriate, it’s crucial. There IS a time to stand and fight. There IS a time to draw a line in the sand. 

The election of a President isn’t on the same level as sports. The future of our country hangs in the balance. This isn’t about having a good, fair game and then laughing and shaking hands and slapping each other on the back and continuing with life as usual. 

Nor is this just “politics”. You cannot separate politics from morality. There is right, and there is wrong. The Left stands and fights for things that fly in the face of God. The Left creates gods in their own image. The Left tramples the Word of God. The Left is determined to allow babies to literally be brutally tortured and murdered and offered on the altars of their false gods. The Left has spent months sowing discord, rewriting history, redefining words, rioting, looting, killing, and burning down the country. 

Consider these things before you capitulate to manipulation and gas lighting and blame shifting. 

Consider these things before you try to be a “good sport” and congratulate Joe Biden, or say “God bless him”, or wish him well. Think long and hard about what you are actually doing and whose side you are on: 

“For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” 2 John 1:11

Pray. This is a war that is being waged in the heavenlies. Stand firm. Draw the line. Hold the line. Fight for truth. Our God is the God of Truth and He wins. The battle is the Lord’s.
“Autumn, the years last, loveliest smile.” - W “Autumn, the years last, loveliest smile.” - William Cullens Bryant 

#digitalnaturejournal #digitalcommonplacebook #cowsacrossthehedgerow
Follow on Instagram

Recent Posts

  • 5 Tips for Keeping Digital Systems Organized & Productive
  • How We Use Kindle Fires in Our Home School, Part Two: Audio Books and Music
  • The Old Paths: Seek, Walk, Rest
  • How We Use Kindle Fire Tablets in Our Home School (for All 8 of Our Children).
  • Deuteronomy 6, Scholé, and Homeschooling Through Affliction

Subscribe for updates:

Categories

  • Be Not Weary
  • Digital Home Management
  • Home Education
  • Home Management
  • Miscellany
  • Queen of the Home

Copyright © 2021 · Faithful theme by Restored 316

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.