a woman's influence

Here I am again, writing for TravelinOma's School Days. It's been thought provoking and fun for me--maybe for you, too. One of the weekly themes is family matters, which many of you know is a soapbox of mine. Today we are supposed to take the following statements and write our opinions on them. Can you guess how I feel about them? By developing the God-given nature to nurture, women have a unique opportunity to change the world. The influence of a mother has no limit and no end. She can share every aspect of her education and experience in the atmosphere of love she fashions. Creating a home is a way of creating a world. Women have abilities beyond their wildest dreams to organize and create. Women are the soul of a family and a community.

I love homemaking, but it was not always so. In the 80s and 90s, I often listened to worldly feminist propaganda. Somehow I shut out what God and His prophets had to say and gave heed to small minded drivel. During those times, I failed to see the far reaching effects I could have on the world through my service. Now I know better.

By developing the God-given nature to nurture, women have a unique opportunity to change the world. Women as mothers shape the future of nations by teaching their children values. Of course the words we choose to say on a subject mean something, but the example of Christlike service we give is the real teaching tool. Mothers give children boundaries, because of love. Like grandma always says, "Children are happier with rules." Mothers nurture their bodies with lovingly and carefully prepared foods, their spirits through example and consistent attention to God's word, and their minds through home teaching and homework help. It shows in all mothers do for their children that they are important. If mothers are very careful in fulfilling the God-given duty to be nurturing to each soul entrusted to their care, they can make the world a more loving, less selfish place.

The influence of a mother has no limit and no end. For good or ill, mother shapes her children into who they become. A child left to its own devices, may become a drain on society. In turn this child may become the mother of yet another parasite. On the other hand, it is highly unlikely that a child with careful nurturing will choose to be rebellious for long. They may try their hand at breaking their mother's heart with poor behavioral choices. However, if they were trained up in the way they should go, when they are old, they will return to truth and goodness. In turn these children will attempt to raise their children within the bounds that the Lord has set.

She can share every aspect of her education and experience in the atmosphere of love she fashions. Some say that an educated woman wastes her time if she chooses to embrace the career of homemaker and SAHM. She could not succeed in the corporate world so she turned into a barefoot and pregnant loser. Not so! An educated woman brings a lot to the plate so to speak. Certainly, she is better prepared to educate her children--she knows how to find answers to any academic problem. Lawyers, doctors, engineers, and musicians have given up careers to devote crucial time to their children. Skills in organization, research, human interaction, and more help her be more effective. But what about the girl, who chose homemaking as her primary career? She may marry young and have little "education" beyond high school. She too can use her skills acquired by watching mother or by research to build a lovely castle.

Creating a home is a way of creating a world. Whatever her background, a woman can choose to be nurturing and create a place where her loved ones feel safe. She does not have to follow in the footsteps of false traditions of abuse or neglect. She can use her intelligence to build a world of peace and happiness. Contrary to the rhetoric of feminist propaganda, homemaking is an honorable profession. Women have abilities beyond their wildest dreams to organize and create. Instead of wasting years in pity parties and depression, women need to jump off the "I'm so tired" bandwagon and work at homemaking like she studied for tests at college. She can achieve so much if she only takes it seriously.

Women are the soul of a family and a community. Women tamed the Old West with barn raisings, quilting bees, Sunday schools, family dinners, and flowers planted in their gardens. Women today have the same opportunity to open their doors to their neighbors instead of hiding in their cages. They might just turn some of the decay in our communities around by building something wonderful in their little spheres of influence--first at home--then on their street--then beyond.