I cannot count the times I've sat at the table for lunch longing to share a tuna fish sandwich with someone. It wasn't because I was bored or home alone. Quite the opposite. My home is always bustling with noise and boredom doesn't exist due to the many sewing and quilting projects.
The longing I have is more than sharing a sandwich, but it's sharing life. As I look around at the different blogs, I see an influx of young women with a Titus 2 heart and a passion to learn how to be a Proverbs 31 woman. Recently, I've had the honor of connecting with them outside blogland. Some are still in there teens.
While reading the Titus 2 passage of Scripture, I often wonder where is the missing link. Are the younger women looking for us older women and we are no where to be found? Are the older women waiting for an opportunity to pour life's wisdom into younger women but they are so busy running to and fro thus not allowing time to glean? Maybe it's neither, but a fear of being transparent.
When we are transparent, we are made visible by a light shining through us. The result of transparency is exposure. When we are exposed, it simply means that others can see through us.
I know there are things in the lives of women that we just don't want to expose. For me, there were things that I kept hidden for years. I was fearful. Didn't want to be transparent because that meant that other people would know "my business" and those secret things would be exposed.
What I didn't realize, it's those very things I kept hidden were the very things that God used to set other women free.
For years I wouldn't talk about my child birthing experiences. I didn't want other women to know that I felt like a failure. I felt as though I failed as a woman because I didn't birth my children naturally. It wasn't until I had a private conversation with a young woman who confided that she felt as though her body betrayed her too. Exposing how I felt about my experience brought freedom to her. Now when I meet women who birthed by cesarean section, I jokingly ask them if they want to join the "C Club."
Sharing life. Sharing a transparent life. A life unashamed for all to see because the light that's shining through me is the light of Jesus Christ.
10 comments:
Amen-
It is not easy to be transparent. It is a vulnerable place.. a place where you allow others to say whatever they feel. At times the words are encouraging, uplifting, but others times it is like a slap in the face. Those are the times that we are to learn from as hard at it is.
If we serve a perfect God, who creates things perfectly, then how do we face ourselves and say some how we have failed.. We fail when do not follow Him, His words, His Ways.. everything else well lets just chalk it up to learning and living.
Thank you Sandra for always being a transparent woman!!
Your Sister in Christ
Angie
um...don't worry about being in the c-club! As a mother I have had a c-cut due to medical issues and it was HARDER than natural child birth! My hats off to the c-club. A baby born is a baby born...there is no hiearacy (sp?) Natural...vs. drugs with birth vs. cesarean! If a baby is born safe then Praise God.
Oh, what a good post, Sandra. Mary R.
Funny you mention this Ms King! A few months ago I wrote an article titled "Who will teach us?" about Titus 2 and how (in my church) no-one is living the Titus 2 lifestyle so we have no-one to turn to, especially here on my continent :( If it wasn't for 'unbelievers' LOL, like you, I don't know who I'd look at!
Thank You so much for this. You are always encouraging and uplifting to me.
I wish I could enjoy a Titus II relationship with you in person, but I am awfully glad you have this blog to inspire me!
I can honestly say that I don't have any Titus 2 women around, even in our church. While I was growing up I did, my grandmothers and aunts and they were well up in age and now that I'm a Keeper at Home and they've passed on, there is no one I can turn to but online. BUT I have found some great women to chat with and they encourage me. I want to thank you for creating this blog and I pray that God continues to bless you as you bless other Keepers at Home like myself!
I love your blog, with all the inspiration and transparency. I have 3 girls right now, and even at this tender age, I worry about them growing up pure and loving Jesus. There are not very many women out there, even in my church who practice Titus, and who would teach younger women in how to raise their children, in how to love the husband, which is so sad.
This is my first time commenting at your blog.
Being transparent is not an easy thing to do. For one thing, you don't know if you will be accepted for our transparency. I know in the past when I have been transparent with people regarding certain issues, those people started to "avoid" me. Therefore, I think it is wise to choose when you will or will not be transparent with others, even if they happen to be Sisters in Christ.
However, I like the spirit of your post - that as Sisters in Christ, we shouldn't keep hiding everything, but share with others so that we can receive prayer and/or godly counsel from others.
At any rate, you seem to have a lovely blog here. I will be sure to visit here in the future.
Blessings to you. :)
-Lady Rose
http://aqueeninhercastle.blogspot.com
Hi there,
I've just discovered your blog and the posts are encouraging and wonderful. It is often difficult for the younger generation to find older women to mentor them, in part because of preconcieved notions on both sides. Something to think about. Thank you for your transparency.
God bless.
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