Lessons learned from Vashti. « educating mother

Ten hours, four boys, one swollen lip, a bloody nose and a black eye between them resulted in one tired mom. When my husband walked through the door I felt an internal defiance, an invisible pout and an unseen crossing of my arms. It was time to switch to the Russian language — his language — and today I did not want to.

Gently, the Word whispered to my heart: the wrong I would be doing would not only affect my husband but those in his charge and under his care. After all, speaking someone's language goes much further than conjugating verbs correctly, and I knew I needed to revisit lessons learned from Vashti not so long ago…

Breakfast was over and the chores finished. Maxim and Luca were busily building with Legos while I was looking forward to curling up with the Earl of Grey and a good book in front of the fire.  No sooner had I filled the teapot than my husband appeared, announcing that we needed to get our snow gear on and get outside.
Now I had a decision before me.  How would I react:  reason, whine, grumble?  I chose to put my own desires away and take up my husband's lead.  "Boys, get your snow pants on, we're going out!"  I called.

Now, I would have been happy to play in our yard but my husband suggested the Pleasant Valley Nature Preserve.  Small choice #2, would I go willingly?…

The soft flakes were coming down fast when we arrived and it was breath-taking.  The gatekeeper said everyone else had been deterred by the snow and we had the park to ourselves.

I am not always an over-comer in each situation.  Lately though, I've begun to realize that these small, moment-by-moment decisions we are faced with hundreds of times a day have perhaps as much significance in our lives as those big decisions – such as a home purchase, move, or a job change.

On the drive home I was reminded of Vashti, the queen who scorned her husband's simple request in the book of Esther.  Like Vashti, I already had my own plans and — though my husband was not surrounded by the princes of Persia and Media — he was in the presence of his children.  Like Vashti, this decision would affect how others viewed my husband, his own feelings of the security of his position, and could easily change the household order.

Turning into our drive, I thanked my husband for such a wonderful day and thanked the Lord that, unlike Vashti, I had not missed out on my blessing. Share this: Share