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Thursday, January 06, 2011

Thursday Thought: My Own Little World


If you read my devotion that's running at Proverbs 31's Encouragement For Today, you will read of my propensity to want to be alone... it's something that God-- who has a sense of humor-- has challenged me on by surrounding me with a husband and six children!

Instead of pontificating on this subject any further I am going to share this video instead, because Matthew West has said it better than I could:



Is it just me or does anyone else struggle with living in their own little world, population of one?
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29 comments:

Beth Cotell said...

Your devotional this morning really resonated with me. I only have two kids but often times find myself wanting to retreat from the noise, the mess and the chaos. Praying to God for his strength is the only thing that helps me!

Stacey Smith said...

I just forwarded this to my best friend who has six boys!! Say a prayer for her! We used to say we couldn't wait until the kids started school so we could be alone - Ha Ha! Love the devotion.
Stacey Smith, Pawleys Island, SC

Anonymous said...

All's I can say is "Amen". The Lord has done the same for me and placed me in a blended family with 5 children total :). I can so identify with the struggle and can see where the Lord is teaching me that my selfishness is just that and turning it into something that will bring Him glory. Thank you for putting to words what has often escaped unspoken. One day I may be returned to solitaryness (is that a word?), but for His purpose and glory and not for my comfort and not without sorrow.
In Christ, Deb Gehret - Perkiomenville PA

Anonymous said...

I've been there! ...but now find myself in an opposite kind of position. Thought I'd leave this comment for perspective. My children are college age. I'm now extremely lonely in a marriage that is difficult & painful (30yrs & counting). Add to that now 4 yrs in a body racked by Chronic Fatigue Syndrome which not only severely limits socializing, friendships, and any outside connections, but also make even the simple things like taking a shower or mentally processing a recipe a challenge. It's extremely socially isolating. It's like a double prison: bad marriage & CFS. I trust God has some plan....I just can't see the goodness of it yet.
Oh, what I would give for the days of again having a "normal" body and little kiddos to cuddle on my lap.

Anonymous said...

I have raised seven children and I totally relate to your devotional. I have always been a loner and I thought it was strange that God would give me this assignment of raising such a large family. When I went back to my high school reunion, NO ONE could believe that the nerd that was always studying was the mother of seven!!
God has done an amazing job in my life through this crowd. I still love my solitude, but it is only meant for me to recharge so that I may serve. All that studying needed to be applied.....in my family. I praise Him that like any good father He gives me what I need, not always what I want.

Christina said...

I absolutely needed to read this devotion this morning.I often forget God's plan for me. The selfishness rings so true as he led me into a marriage to a where my husband had been previously married. We raised both of his daughters to adulthood in our home.I was only 13 yrs older than the oldest. So I really had to rid me of myself.I have no doubt that God called me to this family. We now have a 5 yr old together and are starting all over again....whew,how our Lord keeps us busy.
This song by Matthew West is about our friends cabin. We visit it often.He is so very correct. This place & family are great Blessings to everyone & show the true beauty of our Lord.

Anonymous said...

God has perfect timing in what ends up in my inbox-last night I cried at bedtime overwhelmed by the fact that on top of part time working out of the home, full time taxi-ing four kids to their lives and feeling like I am drowning trying to help one kid pass his school year when I have asked for the past 6 years what's wrong/why isn't he getting it?....my husband has decided it is time to renovate the master bedroom (new windows, new walls, some insulation since there is none) but the idea of my bedroom stuff stuffed into the living room, front entry and office is just tooooo much and the added mess..........I just wanted to run away and be alone.........But I was crying and said-ok God-I cannot handle all of this-you have to take over......and then here was your devotional this morning..........thank you MaryBeth and thank you Jesus!
kath@silomail.com

FaithGirl said...

I have ADD which makes it hard to handle multiple tasks, like family needs. I didn't know had ADD until my second child was diagnosed at age 8. It helped me know why I struggled, but it did not suddenly make it easy. Amidst the flitting and zooming tasks, I also craved alone time. Well, now that the kids are grown, I have free time, and I sometimes need to look back to when I asked for it. For a while after the kids were gone, it felt lonely but then I asked God what HE wanted me to do with my time and my life. He led me to pray with and for others, and He has given me some beautiful ministry work. Of course, I wish I had been able to appreciate every precious moment of family time as it happened, but I don't want to continue to complain, like the Israelites, and miss the wonders of the Promised Land we can experience right here on earth.

Wendy said...

Your devotion of today was like putting my own thoughts in print!! I am a person that loves solitude. My job as a free-lance translator helps a lot in that sense...but God has a great sense of humor and I have two children and a husband. That's enough people not be alone, ha, ha! I too have had to learn to put their needs first, that even when sometimes I REALLY want to be alone, I just can't. And yes, it has helped me, and still is, to grow as a person an closer to God...specially to keep my sanity in place, LOL!!
Thank you so much for sharing all that, it made me happy to know that I'm not a "bad" mom or person for wanting to be alone...sometimes.

benjyjen said...

God is so good... opened up your devotion today then went to your blog. He gives us just what we need at the very best moment. I've become a step-mother to three tweeners and our life is very crazy when they are here with us. I have no children of my own. Your perspective of "lonely" really hit me hard. I needed to hear this encouragement today... bless you. The Matthew West song played many times over the holidays as I listened to the radio while making quilts for the kids. It was powerful then, but it all came together today with your devotion. Thank you for your heart, honesty and willingness to share..

benjyjen said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Marybeth, First the strange thing is my name called by my family is Mary Beth (Elizabeth). I too was raised in a family of 6, late husband wanted a baseball team, we had 4 kids and 2 foster (they are my kids)and then he died and left me in a house of kids. Longing for a quiet I never wanted. I did not know you unless you were involved in my kids - my schooling (had began college to grow up!) or my job. There was a time when I knew nothing but church, ball game or school. I ate in the car in one direction or another and thought for sure one day I would see myself either coming or going! LOL Then HE made me live in a house of 4 teenagers, and we all lived! I learned what praying without ceasing meant. I learned what praying for what you really want is. I learned what Peace that Passeth all Understanding truely was. Now, I have the most marvelous man in my life. I have that quiet I can deal with for the quiet is HIS time. No more kids are home, no more ball games, uniforms, school phone calls to deal with. Just the praise and enjoyment that HE has taught me to appreciate.
Hang in there -- this too shall pass!

Mandy said...

As a homeschooling mom of two, I have to constantly fight my natural bent towards being a loner. I make sure that my kids are involved in activities that get us "out there" with other families.

I love the Lord and desire to get out and serve Him, but it's just so much easier sometimes to serve Him from my safe litle world! This is something I'm definitely praying about. Thnaks you for this today!

Renee Swope said...

WOW!!! I have heard this song on the radio a lot lately but the music video tells so much more!!! Thanks for sharing. Funny, I used to be an extrovert, but over the past several years, probably after having kids, I have found that I LOVE - Hoard - Hunger for - my ALONE time.

Thanks for being so transparent and insightful in your devotion. I love the deeper, unearthed truths God gives you to share!!

HD said...

Oh what a great Devotional today!! I love that song and the video is absolutely awesome. Thank you so much for this devotional. Like some of the women here I can get wrapped up in my and my family's life and not realize other things in this world. Thank you so much for sharing.

meandmyhouse said...

Yep, that's me too! God is trying to get my attention & I am running to find my own "lonely place"! Thanks so much for allowing God to speak through you - I needed that today.

Anonymous said...

WOW! This really spoke to me in my own little world. I've always felt invisible even in a crowd. I like my alone time, but I need to spend more time with my family. I am single 40-something woman who lives on the opposite side of town from my family. My best friend has adopted me into her family, but I still feel alone and it doesn't feel good. Thank you for this devotional.

Rita Presser
rjpresser@comcast.net

Unknown said...

You mean it's not all about me? No really, I am beginning to understand and He is opening my eyes to the world around me. Noticing people and situations that I normally wouldn't when I thought it was my own little world...population me!

Anita Neagle said...

I'm fighting back tears as I type this. I just read the devotion from Proverbs 31 Ministries. The whole time I was reading it I was thinking, "That is soooooo me"! I have never considered myself as a "solitary" person. I generally love surrounding myself with other people yet I do find my selfish side raises it's ugly head and just want to run to a place where I can be alone and calm! It was a true revelation as to why I feel the way I sometimes do. Thank you so much for sharing what God so graciously reveald to you in His word. If it was meant for no one else - it was meant for me. I will savor it all day and use it as a reminder when I find myself feeling that way again!

Zibilee said...

I spend a lot of time alone and probably couldn't handle being surrounded by people all the time. It works perfectly for me that the kids and husband are out of the house most of the day, but there are still times when I get lonely. Sometimes though, when people are around, I feel like I have to entertain them, which keeps me from getting my work done.

Anonymous said...

Found your blog from the P31 devotional this morning. That word was definitely for me. Expecting my 4th child any day now, I keep asking myself how a person who loves alone time ended up with this many children? haha! Such great encouragement for me at this time. Thank you!

Briana said...

Many days I long to be alone, and my kids are crazy, and the hubby is working late. But for the grace of God, I would lose it completely. I am thankful for my family and the chaos it brings, I wouldn't trade them for the world. I will, however loan them all to my MIL for a weekend of peace from time to time. :)

It feels good to know that I am not the only Christian woman who doesn't want to be with her family 24/7/365. I'll take 18/6/343. :)

Trish Preston said...

What if you crave community and your family craves solitude? I find myself isolated all the time and all I want is fellowship, but what I get is solitude. :/

Melissa said...

Great post. I love some alone time which is hard to get with a little one who wants to be by my side always. I try to get a bit of alone time each day (with a good book), usually after bedtime to keep my sanity. I try to remember one day I will miss my son's need to be constantly near me.

Unknown said...

When my four boys were little, I craved alone time to the point of creating a fantasy get-away in my mind. I imagined a tiny mountain cabin, big enough for just me, with my books and my music and peace and quiet. I would escape there, when I needed to, at least in my thoughts

Now my boys are almost grown, and I have time to read and have alone time. It really is important to us, to have time alone with ourselves and with God. It is how we recharge our batteries to keep going, and going and going with the family!

Thanks for your honesty and example. Those little ones will grow up all too fast. Enjoy them!

Dale Kearney said...

Thanks so much for the devotional. It really resonated with me. I have always had strong urges for that alone time (probably a throw back to growing up with 3 brothers), but God has always had other plans for me, including a family of my own and a job for the past 28 years working with exceptional children in public schools. Not much time to be alone there, but it's all been so worth it and worthwhile! Thanks again for all your inspiring words, Epsom, NC

Anonymous said...

Wow, I thought what I was feeling was just me being me. As I read your post...conviction.

Pam said...

That's so funny because I just listened to this song today. I've heard this song many times and have even sang the words many times, but today I really listened to the words. I certainly am guilty of living in my own little world, population of one. Great song with a great message that got me to thinkin'. I love words and words put to music . . . well that just blesses my soul!

danielle-laryn said...

I home-teach our 3 precious boys so i dont really know what alone time is! i too am a loner by nature but these guys have forced me to step outside, waaay outside, myself and my needs- to help them make friends, play sports, ask questions, meet new people, even call someone on the phone! i have learned to push on and push forward because they ask me to in their little boy voices, and how could i say no??

luckily i live near my sisters and great girlfriends so sometimes just standing outside together, watching the kids play while we talk, really helps recharge those batteries!

thank you for your beautiful blog! cant wait to look around some more!