Karin, Author at karin madden

October 25, 2012 by Karin Leave a Comment

The thing about discipline (#25)

PROMISE #25 ~ DISCIPLINE

Ever feel like a fraud?

Like the perfect-mama act is a cover for the true story. The story that plays itself out in the mess of dishes, school books strewn wide, toys scattered, tempers boiling in the pressure cooker of a kitchen.

Maybe not even the perfect-mama story, but the I’m-doing-great-getting-along-just-fine-no-issues-here story. The kind comments of others, complimenting a well-behaved child, and you wonder how in the world that kid got to be that way? There is no way I could have had that effect on a young one with the irritation that brews under my skin too often.

As I write, I just bit the head off of an unsuspecting little one, who grabbed at mommy just one too many times. A frustrating feeling of failure, or impending failure at every turn.

Tears wiped away. Kisses planted.

I have a friend who said that the happiness of your kids is evidence of how you raise them. Well, what about when they are less than happy? Am I stamped with the bad-mommy logo if there is less than happiness?

A mother is only as happy as her saddest child.

Is this truth? Is is about happiness anyway?

We long for the happy. Shouldn’t the joy matter more?

I certainly don’t feel particularly happy while barking at a child, scrubbing a pot, turning another filthy sock right side out, digging through a textbook with a resistant fun-time seeker. Not so happy. Not at times like these.

The joy? Perhaps is something quite different. Something eluding definition. Something attainable in all places, all situations between happiness… and misery. Joy, from another place entirely.

The joy in the stretching, in the taming of the tongue, in the service to Him… while serving the ungrateful, the unaware. Maybe it’s the joy that glows from their eyes, despite a mama who rebukes… the joy evident, most probably because of the discipline from this mom.

The discipline itself, the most loving act.

Maybe it’s in the discipline we give… the discipline we get… maybe that’s where the greatest joy lives.

The scalding discipline might just be what leads us to the joy… the love… the peace.

Happiness is not necessary at every turn. Joy, however… joy can exist… breathe easy… just because we are loved.

Discipline. Sometimes the most loving act of all.

PROMISE #25 ~ God disciplines those He loves.

Job 5:17

“Blessed is the man whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.

October 24, 2012 by Karin 2 Comments

Mine are Yours (#24)

PROMISE #24 ~ RAISE THEM FOR HIM, AND THEY WILL NOT TURN FROM HIM

When did it happen?

I remember turning around to a tiny toddler grabbing onto my sweats and pulling.

Big blue eyes, plump cheeks, perfect bow-shaped lips smiling up at me…

I remember the sleepless nights (actually, those have carried on for years, by no fault of his).

I remember the small basket of brand new baby toys, new cups, only one or two strollers parked in the garage.

I remember the way he touched my face as he nursed.

I remember him running down the sidewalk, mama chasing after him with baby sister jiggling along in the stroller.

I remember his itchy skin, victim to eczema and food allergies.

I remember the giggles, the shrieks, the temper tantrums of a little baby growing into a boy body.

When did it happen?

I look over and see a boy, whose height has grown to my chin.

I see a boy whose humor makes me laugh… really laugh.

I see a boy who snuggles little siblings.

I see a boy who races with a sister grown from the bouncing baby in the stroller.

I see a boy who chases and tackles and knows more about football stats than any adult I know.

I see a boy who reads novels, writes poetry, wrestles with daddy.

I see a boy who is adored by five younger than he.

I see a boy, whose eyes look at weary parents, and begins prayers for sleepy children.

I see a boy whose arms wrap around mama every morning.

I see this baby grown to boy… this boy growing toward manhood…

and I wonder…

When did this happen?

Kissing the top of the burrowing blonde head….

I cling just a little longer…

Happy birthday to my first-born… the small soul growing older, bigger… growing towards Him.

Branded to mama’s heart…

PROMISE #24 ~ Raise them for Him and when they grow they will not turn from Him.

Proverbs 22:6

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

October 23, 2012 by Karin Leave a Comment

You Are Not Alone (#23)

PROMISE #23 ~ WE ARE NOT ALONE

When you are feeling alone…

Haven’t you felt like, no matter how hard you try, no matter how fervently you seek truth, no matter how heartfelt your desire for peace… you are alone.

Have you wondered where your back up is?

Have you perhaps even wondered… where God is?

I have. I’m not proud of that. But, it’s the truth.

Just when things get a little dicey. A little bit uncomfortable.

Just when things don’t fit well, or work out just right.

I want instant gratification.

An immediate God nod.

Ridiculous, I know. But, true.

When peace eludes your life, your family, your heart. Do you think… where are You? Why aren’t You fixing this… faster?

What to do when you have been wronged?

I puzzled over this. I knew there had to be an answer for this. Somewhere in there.

My natural inclination is to throw spears, take stabs, slash with a brutal tongue. This doesn’t sit very well. In my searching, I realize it is not meant to sit well. It isn’t meant to sit at all. We bind ourselves up with messy, misshapen bandages in this attempt to soothe our own wounded hearts.

The self-made bandages are not meant to hold. They are meant to be loose. Set free for the healing… by the only Healer.

The alone thing… we are not meant to face these battles of truth alone. We are instructed to arm ourselves with brothers… or sisters…

… ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’

(Matthew 18:16)

So, sigh of great relief, we do not have to go this alone. We are meant to bring our wounds, our strife, our woes… to Him. Not alone… but, with another.

And, just when we think we are alone… we are not. He is here.

Healing in His time… expecting our obedience, and patience… in the process.

He makes a promise to us in this place of questioning, wondering, hurting…

We are not alone.

PROMISE #23 ~ God promises He is with us when two, or three, come together in His name.

Matthew 18:20

For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.

October 22, 2012 by Karin Leave a Comment

Sow and Reap ~ a good harvest

PROMISE #22 ~ REAPING A HARVEST

It can be heavy sometimes.

This life we live.

Sometimes, the weight on our shoulders feels enough to crush us through the very earth on which we stand. We can barely hold our shaking legs upright.

Sometimes, we feel as though no one notices the hole crumbling deeper and deeper beneath our weight.

Sometimes, our knees give way and we fall crashing to the ground.

Sometimes, the weight on our shoulders is suddenly eased through the hands of one standing beside us.

Sometimes, just a finger’s touch on the heart, a word gently spoken, is enough to ease the weariness in our lives.

He told us it would be hard.

Some days are going to be hard.

Sometimes, the days become weeks, months, even years.

He tells us this will happen.

He has a plan. He has a promise. We have a part in this.

He spells it out for us…

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2)

Now the thing about this is… that while we carry each other’s burdens…

He carries us.

PROMISE #22 ~ God promises us that we will reap a harvest if we do good and do not give up.

Galatians 6:9-10

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

October 21, 2012 by Karin Leave a Comment

Start Acting Like a Child (#21)

PROMISE #21 ~ THE CHILDREN AND THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

Stop it!

Don’t do that!

I heard older sister holler in the direction of her little sister.

You can’t write in that!

Distraught, the recipient of the reprimand, my little artist-in-the-making came running to mama.

Time-out called. Referee mom enters the field in order to evaluate the play… (we are well out of time-outs this morning).

What’s going on?

My wide-eyed young one hands me her book. A book of The One-Eyed Giant based on the travels of Odysseus.

I scratched out the capital letter “G” on all these pages and made them small.

The pages in question were the title pages of each chapter (the title in all caps). The referenced letter “G” was the start of the word “GOD.” Over and over she had scribbled the letters black and replaced them with lower case “g.”

Sixteen months more seasoned, my older mama-in-the-making…

Mama! She shouldn’t write in a book!

The accuser exclaimed this, I am certain, with memories of little ones found in remote corners from time to time, joyfully shredding a library book or two. The library… I’m not sure if there is a list for repeat offenders (especially since we are now the proud owners of every re-taped and bandaged book), but in our defense… the offender was a new little one every time.

So, they have learned not to mutilate books.

Why are you doing that?

I wondered, surprised that this little artist would scuff such a lovely page.

Mommy! They are capitalizing the name of the Greek gods…

and they aren’t the ONE TRUE GOD!

So, I fixed it.

Mama jaw drops.

Oh.

Well, who would have thought? Just when I thought my little one needed to stop acting like a little child…I realized it might be better if we all started acting a little more like little children.

PROMISE #21 ~ The kingdom of heaven belongs to the children and the child-like. (Those with the faith of a child).

Matthew 19:14

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

The thing about discipline (#25)

Mine are Yours (#24)

You Are Not Alone (#23)

Sow and Reap ~ a good harvest

Start Acting Like a Child (#21)

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