December Christian Working Mom Interview 2006
Welcome
Blog and Online Bible Study
Interview
Welcome
Hello everyone. I pray that you had
a blessed Christmas and had some wonderful memories
with your children. Also, that you were able to celebrate
the true meaning of Christmas. Now, taking down the
Christmas tree before the New Year becomes priority.
Welcome to all the New Christian Working Moms. You
will only find support and encouragement here.
Blog and Online Bible Study
The Christian Working Mom Blog is an
online support group and discussion. Please join us
and post your comments. The CWM Blog can be found
at http://kimberlychastain.com/myjournal.
Also, we have an Online Bible Study and discussion
as well. There are 3 lessons up and I hope to add
another one soon after the New Year. I am taking a
break in writing them over the holidays. If you decide
to work on the lessons please share your answers with
others on the board. The Online Bible Study is at
http://kimberlychastain.com/discussCWMU.
Interview
I appreciate Sandy for taking time out
of her busy schedule to be interviewed this month.
Sandy is a 49 year old married CWM who lives in Australia.
She has a natural daughter age 24 who got married
this year. Since 1991 she has been a foster mum to
over 25 children aged 12 months to 16 years. Most
of the placements are short, but she had one boy that
lived with them for 10 years.
Sandy is a school teacher (primary/grade
school). Sandy taught full-time before having children,
then some casual or part-time work in the state school
system since then. She is currently operating an after-school
tutoring business from home – 4 students per
day, 5 days a week. Also do book-keeping for my husband’s
IT consulting company. Numerous unpaid voluntary “jobs”
(in various outreach ministries of our church): Scripture
teaching in local state schools (for 22 years), co-coordinator
of our church’s playgroup ministry (for 21 years),
netball coach and club secretary, on organizing team
for children’s Holiday Clubs (VBS) etc. (In
the past, have been on teams organizing church worship
services and pastoral care).
Sandy list the joys of Being a Christian
Working Mom: Many & varied joys of being a mom
and working predominantly with children and their
families – e.g. seeing the world afresh through
children’s eyes; “sisterhood of suffering”
which enables you to have close bonds with virtual
strangers; opportunities to mix with non-Christians
and share your faith with them in “real”
settings; wonderful privilege of helping to mould
and shape young lives; fun and silliness; purpose
in every day and God’s guiding and strengthening
as you go.
Sandy shares the following struggles
of being a Christian Working Mom:
Clutter everywhere in the house; never feeling on
top of it all; being pulled in 20 different directions;
not knowing how to say “no” when everything
seems so worthwhile and important; finding enough
time for personal devotions and fitness; trying to
balance the need for paid work and ministry opportunities;
making sure that your husband and kids don’t
just get the “scraps” of your time, energy
and attention.
Favorite Bible Verse:
Ephesians 3:20, 21 “To Him who is able to do
immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according
to His power that is at work within us, to Him be
glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout
all generations, for ever and ever.”
What is God teaching you right now?
To be patient and to wait on Him for His loving provision.
Not to worry.
Sandy offers the following words of
Encouragement for other Christian Working Moms: Pray
that God will enable you to see your kids through
His eyes – they are precious gifts. (The clichés
are true – in a blink of an eye they will be
grown and gone, so treasure every minute). Easy for
me to say, now that the children under my roof are
just visiting – I know that it’s hard
to feel warm and mushy about a teething or tantrumy
child in the middle of the night. All moms work very
hard, whether for pay or not, but don’t lose
sight of the fact that God sends people (of all ages)
for you to love along your way every day. Pray that
He’ll shine through you despite your weaknesses
and frustrations.
Sandy also wants to share:
Currently, in our part of Australia, we have the unique
opportunity to provide “Special Religious Education”
in government schools – half an hour each week,
by law. This has traditionally been provided by Christian
volunteers, but in recent years other faiths (e.g.
Muslims, Hindus, and Mormons) have also become involved.
There are moves to ban SRE altogether – bills
constantly being presented to Parliament – so
while we have this great mission field available many
Christian moms work hard in this way. (Some spend
up to 3 days a week going from school to school teaching
different classes). Please pray for us. Australia
can no longer be considered a “Christian”
country, with church attendance being at an all-time
low, so many children would have no idea of basic
Christian teachings if not for these school Scripture
lessons. My involvement in Scripture teaching for
so many years has been a real joy.
Sandy thanks for sharing with us how
you show God’s love to others. Also, fellow
CWM’s let’s join Sandy in praying for
her country and that they will turn back to God. I
would say we even in the United States need to have
the same prayer. Also, that we pray that the time
these women get to share in schools will plant seeds
that last a lifetime.
Final Thoughts
Do something fun as a family for New
Year’s Eve. I think we may have a very long
Monopoly game planned. We will see who wins!
Till next year,
Kimberly M. Chastain
Kimberly M. Chastain, MS, LMFT is
the Christian Working Mom Coach and a Licensed Marriage
and Family Therapist. She is the author of 2 ebooks
and an online Bible study. You can find more information
at
www.christianworkingmom.com.
For a free, initial coaching session send an email
to
free@kimberlychastain.com.
