Jean Stockdale...

Dates and Locations

Indian Springs Baptist Church

3004 Pikewood Drive

Bryant, Arkansas 72022

"Restoring Your Spiritual Passion"

February 10-11, 2006

Call 501-847-2915 for more information and registration

Dates and Locations

First Baptist Church of Central Florida

800 Pine Hills Drive

Orlando, Florida 32808

"A Women After God's Own Heart" Women's Conference

February 3-4, 2006

Call 407-293-4571 for more information and registration

A Backwards Glance

I am on the backside of mothering. Our boys, Jason and Dawson are both grown, married and on their own. Craig and I are officially left with an empty nest. The house is quiet. The phone rarely rings. Household expenses are down, especially our grocery bill. There was a time when the boys lived at home that the grocery bill exceeded our house note. In those teen years, we went through seven gallons of milk a week. Now, a quart of milk goes sour before we can use it. A new chapter of my life has begun. I have resisted it as long as possible, but there really is no avoiding it. I know that I will always be mom to Jason and Dawson, but the active phase of mothering is over for me.

As I look back over my years with the boys at home, I have loved every phase of mothering. I loved pregnancy. Both pregnancies were so exciting as we looked towards the future with great joy and anticipation. I have loved being a mom, although it certainly was a lot of hard word. Let's face it. I should have known it was going to be tough. This whole process begins with something called labor. And it turns out that was the easiest part!

I loved the early days of having a new baby at home. I sat mesmerized by my newborns, rocking and cuddling each one while breathing in the new baby smells. I kissed each chubby fist and stroked the exquisitely soft cheeks of my newborn, relishing the miracle of one so new and fresh from God. These were precious years, but I did not want my boys to be babies forever. I took great delight in their growth and development.

I loved the toddler years. I loved toothless grins and wet sloppy kisses. As I watched in amazement, my little guys began to explore their new environment on wobbly little legs. I learned a new appreciation for the world they introduced me to, one that could only be truly experienced from the vantage point of sitting on the floor. These were precious years, but I did not want my boys to be toddlers forever. I took great delight in their growth and development.

I loved the preschool years. My boys grew out of toddler-hood into little boys, anxious to experience their world with reckless abandonment. We dug in the dirt, climbed on the play set, ran trucks and cars over a furniture highway, rode swings so high we could touch the sky, read countless books, sang at the top of our lungs, laughed until tears streamed and played to the point of exhaustion. These were precious years, but I did not want my boys to be preschoolers forever. I took great delight in their growth and development.

I loved the school age years. What fun to shop for school supplies and chose just the right backpack! What a thrill to watch them head off to school and enjoy their capacity to learn. These were precious years, but I did not want my boys to be school aged forever. I took great delight in their growth and development.

I loved the teenage years-contrary to popular opinion. I took great pride and pleasure in watching them move into adolescence and begin to explore new relationships and establish their own testimony for the Lord. I loved to watch them with their friends. At first I cringed at the idea of them driving, but I learned to appreciate having an extra driver around who could run errands and drive my carpool. Through our boys, Craig and I were introduced to some of the greatest kids. With our boys, we have shared some of the most fun vacations and great adventures together. I loved the teenage years. These were precious years, but I did not want my boys to be teenagers forever. I took great delight in their growth and development.

Then my boys left home for college. Suddenly I wanted them to be babies again! I did not want them to grow up! I wanted them to stay little and live in our house and be with us forever. Life is so unfair! You pour 18 years of your life into these kids and they grow up and leave you! Does that seem right to you?

Of the virtuous woman, Proverbs 31:25 says, "Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future." That is, she was no frightened by any season in her children's lives or in her own. She walked by faith, clothed in strength and dignity. God has a plan and a purpose for every season of our lives. The prayer of my heart is that I too will walk by faith and smile at the future regardless of what it holds.

Engaged

"In Him, you also after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation-having als beelieved, you were sealed in HIm with the Holy Spirit of prmise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory."

Ephesians 1:13-14

When our older son, Jason, prepared to ask the great love of his life, Patti Straznicky, to become his bride, he asked Craig and I to go with him to pick out the engagement ring.

My husband and I arrived at the jewelers ahead of Jason. In my typical fashion, I was armed with tissues (this was a very emotional event for me personally) and my camera. I knew I would never forget the depth and breadth of the reeling emotions I was feeling as I prepared to launch this child into a new and exciting phase in his life. I wanted to capture this momentous occasion on film.

When Jason arrived, Craig and I watched as the jeweler pulled out cases of engagement ring settings and stones. As my son gently fingered each delicate setting, I had to take a deep breath to avoid caving under the waves of emotions that were welling up and threatening to overwhelm me. After making his selection, Jason made elaborate plans to propose to his darling bride-to-be.

When Jason gave Patti an engagement ring, it was a promise of a future event. The engagement ring did not make them married, but it did promise his intention to take her as his lawfully wedded wife in the near future. At the moment of conversion, having also believed, we were placed in Christ. We become part of the body of Christ. It is an unfathomable truth for our pitiful finite minds, but it is nonetheless true of us as believers. We are in Him and He now resides in us in the person of the Holy Spirit of God.

At conversion, we were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise. When we believed on Jesus and invited Him into our lives, He gave us as His seal of authenticity, the indwelling Holy Spirit. In Bible days, hot wax was applied to important documents and imprinted with a signet ring indicating ownership. In the same way, God stamped His approval on our conversion experience by giving us the Holy Spirit of promise as His seal of authenticity and ownership.

The Holy Spirit is also given to us at the moment of conversion as a pledge of our inheritance. In the original language, the word pledge meant “a down payment or earnest money.” It also came to mean “an engagement ring.” That is, the Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance of the glory that is to come. He is our earnest money—God’s down payment on our future and full redemption. The Holy Spirit is also our engagement ring to our Heavenly Bridegroom. We are not only in a legal relationship with the Father, but also a love relationship. The gift of the Holy Spirit is the believer’s unmistakable evidence of God’s favor. It is proof of our salvation and the guarantee of eternal glory.

“And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”

Ephesians 4:32

In a world where assertiveness is applauded and encouraged, we as Christians should strive to develop a kind and tender heart of compassion and a propensity for forgiveness. We have been forgiven for Christ’ sake. Grace, God’s unmerited favor, has been extended to us through Jesus Christ. He has forgiven us and we should be willing to forgive others and look upon them with compassion and gentleness.

Craig and I have two grown sons, Jason and Dawson. One day, when Jason was two years old and Dawson was three months, we were driving to Bible Study. With the boys safely strapped into car seats and the promise of free childcare awaiting me, I usually enjoyed these car trips between home and church. However, on this particular day, Dawson was wailing and crying and would not be consoled. I asked Jason to try to talk to his brother and try to soothe him. In the innocent tones of a two-year-old, Jason cooed, “Hey Dawson, I got good news for ya’. Jesus loves you, Dawson. That’s good news,” Good news, indeed!

Like Jason, we should have a tender heart toward those around us. Many are outside a personal relationship with Christ and need to hear the good news that Jesus loves them. And those within the body of Christ need to be exhorted and encouraged to stay faithfully at the task of loving and serving our Lord. This life is hard and all of us can benefit from a simple act of kindness, a tender word of encouragement, or the gracious gift of forgiveness.