Paul teaches us that human existence is finite, limited by the "wisdom of the world." Living in this view, believing this world is all there is leads to; strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, etc.
I believe that our mothering can suffer from this "wisdom of the world" as well. When we hurry, rush, push and raise our voices with our children we are more often than not putting the "wisdom of the world" ahead of our family who should be centered, according to Paul, in Christ (read: your faith path; Krishna, Buddha, Diana, Inanna, Ishtar, etc.)
Yesterday I was helping the boys clean their room. Being six and three it does no one any good to tell them to clean in themselves. They are still in the "modeling" phase according to Steiner. They need me to roll model how to clean a room and if I do so with a light heart and joy on my lips they will happily follow suit.
Has this ever happened to you? I started out with a light heart and with joy but the "wisdom of the world" began to sneak in. I found myself wanting the room to get clean NOW. I couldn't relax because I kept thinking of all the other things I "needed" to do that day to live up to some internal and external expectations - some worldly wisdoms.
I found myself yelling, "Just clean it up!" Oh, how awful that feels when we let our mouth get ahead of our spirit. What should have been a wonderful Mary Poppins-esque experience fell apart in my own mind and heart.
Had I kept my mothering realm fixed on the lessons of Paul I would have remembered that human existence is spirited, open to a new life in Christ. That nothing is ever lost to God(dess) and that the fruit of the Spirit of life (and the spirit of mothering) is; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness and self control.
The sun has risen on this beautiful spring day. My babes are sleeping in their bed, still so innocent that they will wake and throw their arms around me this morning forgetting and completely forgiving my outburst yesterday. And through the grace of our Heavenly Mother, who is the ultimate mothering role model, I get to try again today to be the mother of the fruit of Spirit.
