The Vine

There is something amazingly satisfying about an empty sink. No dishes, no crumbs, freshly cleaned and lemony fresh. In the life of a new stay-at-home mom, I'm finding that these domestic victories go a long way. The fact that there are also banana chips baking in the oven and no toys on the floor basically makes me feel like I'm winning at life.

At the moment.

But not every day feels like this. Yesterday was a tougher day. Yesterday, I felt like my brain cells were an endangered species. The Spirit was ready and waiting to provide help, and to produce both fruit and good works in me (as He is always faithful to be), but it was certainly a tougher day.

I had even done my quiet time that morning, which made it worse. Some days just demand nineteen quiet times, instead of one.

This branch cannot survive without the Vine.

- - -

Recently, I heard these words: "If you leave your theology at the door..."

As if all of this is merely theology. As if it isn't Christ alive in us.

Where would my insufficient sight have taken me yesterday, without having access to speak with the God who sees? What would this branch have reached for when it found itself drying up in a tough moment?

If I had considered all of this merely a theology to pack away at a moment's notice, what Light would have guided my path forward?

This isn't all just a theology... this life, this Christianity. It is a person, a Savior, a friend, a holy judge, a guide. He is a Vine.

- - -

Because I have a husband who works from home, I'm perhaps less prone to get stuck in the vacuum of mom-loneliness. But our situation does pose it's own difficulties...

Like, when my daughter sees my husband coming into the kitchen in the middle of the day to refresh his coffee, and suddenly ONLY DADDY WILL DO and I'm instantly transformed into the toddler’s equivalent of chopped liver. Or when he decides to sit on the back porch and work, and suddenly baby girl’s nose becomes one with the glass back door and suddenly ONLY DADDY WILL DO, and all those messy clothes I just sorted, washed, folded, ironed, and organized into piles lie there on the floor and mock me.

The socks are the worst. They cackle. Did you know this? Yes, motherhood is teaching me many things. Socks have a voice.

Incidentally, for those who don’t know us well, we three have a lot of fun together as a family – and the special love that my husband and daughter have for one another is something huge and world-shaking to behold. I’m honored to stand so close to it all, and I hope it never changes.

But there are moments… The socks, they mock me.

- - -

No matter the day or the circumstances, we have been placed together in this family for purposes that God has designed. We have responsibilities to each other that are special and unique, and I pray that the physical roof over our home will always be secondary to the spiritual roof of prayers we’re lifting daily.

We each intimately and uniquely need a Savior, and One who is so much more than merely a theology.

Our daughter needs to know she is loved tremendously, extravagantly, and unconditionally. My husband needs to know that he is supported, respected, and that I love him second only to Christ. At this stage of life, I need lots of quality time with them both, and also time to rest my spirit in solitude.

Beyond the socks, the sinks, the spectacular days and the tougher ones, without Christ we are nothing.

A branch cannot survive without the Vine.

"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing." (John 15:4-5)