Guest Blogger: Linda @ Mama Mia McMasters

My relationship with Linda would be much too hard to describe in one word. After all, how do you sum up a ten year friendship in such a short amount of space? Complex, deep, thoughtful, enriching... She came into my life at a very formative time and was/is greatly used by God to shape me. She currently blogs at Mama Mia McMasters and has a great voice for touching on how tough it is to be a mom.

It's Me, With My Bundle of Sticks

I just had a deep theological revelation while stoking the fire in my living room. I was gathering small sticks from the woodsy area outside and chuckling to myself about stoking the fire with so many little sticks. Many people (including my husband and our two mountain men roommates) would think that this is not the way to build a big fire. They historically use huge logs and chunks of wood that burn hot all day. I admit, their fire building skills are to be envied. However, we've had lots of rain lately and pretty much all the wood my husband has scavenged from various places is wet. So these days keeping the fire going is a challenge. Where the heck am I going with this? I hear your impatience, I'm getting to that.

You see, I am a stay at home mom of 3 little ones under 6. Sometimes I feel like my contributions to ministry, church, community, finances, etc. are small and insignificant. Maybe as small and insignificant as a small stick on the ground in front of my house. But I am reminded today (and dare I say God speaks in mysterious ways) that all of my contributions do, in fact, make a difference. Household chores, careful and loving discipline of young ones, diaper changes, coffee dates, encouraging notes, smiles across the room, grocery shopping, meals prepared, all these things are little sticks that I contribute to the greater fire of family life, ministry, and the kingdom of God. And sometimes it feels like they just get swallowed up in the greater fire of it all. Unnoticed. Unimportant. But sometimes, and maybe right now is one of those times, it's all those little sticks that I contribute that keep the wet wood going. Maybe sometimes those little sticks are even more significant than I think. I'm not a hugely emotional person, but I know God is touching my heart today cause I'm tearing up.

So, if you're anything like me and feel at times like your contributions are insignificant, think again. No obedience is small in God's eyes. We may not look grand in the eyes of others or even in our own eyes, but God brings it all together for his glory and smiles on it all. Today I am picturing God sitting in a soft armchair in front of a warm fire. He really appreciates all that I add to the fire.