Discovering Roles On The Silvery Sea

Years ago my dear one and I went through some things that brought us to a point of greater defining and understanding of our roles. At first, I wasn't very keen on that word - Roles. It felt rather boxed in and prescribed, and I rankled with the accompanying clasps of constraint. However, the Lord revealed to me that this was an area where the real change needed to happen within me, not the word or idea of it, and in truth it is His plan and purpose that specific duties fall to me and are duly mine.

Some of these can be rather mundane or repetitive in nature, but whose realm of responsibilities do not contain such dealings? However, there is a great wealth of variety in what falls to me in my particular station in life and home.

Among many other things, in my family I am -

* The reader, the one who deeply delights in bringing stories to life for my children.

* The bedtime story teller to my husband.

* The trap setter for squirrels, mice, and even the occasional opossum, as well as the trainer of future trappers.

* One who is willing to listen to your differing opinion, but usually after you have obeyed if you are my younger child.

* Thoughtful in my decisions and answers, and not prone to changing them.

* Usually second to apologize.

* Genuinely available to you, anytime, your day or night or mine.

* Committed to praying for you, whether with you when you need or simply want to hear it out loud or when wakened or prompted by the Spirit - once again, anytime of the day or night.

* Growing in comfort at leaning upon others when I am weak.

* The laugher, both with you, at you, and often at myself - but I'll let you know when. (wink!)

* An accommodating driver of practically any distance for you.

* Willing to take an unpopular stand.

* The researcher.

* The one who will stop the car so we can get out and look at the sky or the circling of swallows. Stopping to marvel at the unexpected beauty of the ordinary is to be preserved.

* Comfortable with spanking, but more fond of counsel. But still....

* The protector of our collective health.

* One who cooks out of love for people more than food, and so will not accept any criticism.

* A straight-talking encourager.

* One who cautions slow judgments of people, having found myself not to be such a good quick judge.

* One who trusts my intuition.

* Usually, bad cop.

* A picky bed-maker.

* The one who will ride roller coasters with you (as I spent today doing with my girls.)

It's good to know your spot, your place, who you are, and who others know you to be. As I considered this today, imagery from an old nursery rhyme came unbidden to my mind from years long past. The moon asks, "Where are you going, and what do you wish?" Our lives are spent determining the answer to just such a question. If in obedience we filter all through the lens of Christ, we become who He calls us to be, where He desires us to be, and discover not only what we wish for, but more than we dreamed possible.