My Time to be a Martha

 Our CBS lesson this past week focused on two stories from John 12. Mary anointing Jesus with expensive perfume (John 12:1-8) and Jesus' entry into Jerusalem before his last Passover meal. Both we very good but during discussion time I was reminded that each of us has a different love language. It would seem that Martha's was serving others as both times we see her in the Bible she is pitching in, serving her Lord and others, sometimes with the correct attitude, sometimes not. (Luke 10:38 + 40-42, John 12:2) Mary was someone who spent time with those that she loved and she liked to give extravagantly. (Mt 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9, Luke 10:38-42 and John 12:2-8) Mary may have been mentioned more than Martha, but I don't think that this in any way diminishes Martha, her gift to the Lord or her love for Him. Would Mary have been able to afford her gift to Jesus with out her practical, servant sister by her side? Her gift cost almost one years wages, so I'm thinking not. Only when we as the body of Christ work together, each using our own gifts can Christ be honored as He should.
 I think it is possible for our gifts to change over time. Every time I read Mary and Martha's story in Luke 10 I used to think, "Oh, I want to be like Mary, after all she chose what is best. She sat at Jesus' feet and listened, why can't I be more like that?" It didn't help that many of today's books on mothering , being a good wife/Christian woman, etc all stress spending a large amount of time alone with God, preferably in the morning, ALONE, with NO interruptions. Honestly these books would do two things:
1. Give me a sense of purpose for about two weeks...until I failed and then I would get mad that I couldn't do it, I must not be a very good Christian.
 2.Make a very frustrated, angry Momma out of this girl. I found the days that I got up early made the rest of the day very hard because I was tired. I needed more sleep. When one has autoimmune/thyroid problems sleep is of great importance, getting up early made me want to go to bed early, like 8:30 or 9 early. This made for a frustrated husband who though I didn't want to spend time with him any more. It also meant there was a lot more yelling at the toddler, who really doesn't need it most of the time.
Obviously this plan did NOT work for me, if it works for you that is wonderful and I'm a little jealous, well. I would be if I wasn't in my nice warm bed. :-) The thing that works best for me is to get Seth his breakfast, pop in a movie grab my cup of coffee, Bible Study lesson and plop on the couch. It is not interruption free and several times I rush through my lesson, but you know what, it is all okay, because it is my time to be a Martha. I now want to add to Ecc 3:1-15. Right after verse 8 I want to add another verse..
 "a time to be a "Martha" and a time to be a "Mary."

"HE has made everything beautiful in its time." Ecc 3:11a

"He has made EVERYTHING beautiful in its time."

"He has made everything BEAUTIFUL in its time"

"He has made everything beautiful IN ITS TIME"

Get the point? It is my time to be a Martha. It is my time to be training my son (Prov. 22:6), keeping my home (Titus 2:3-5), honoring my husband (having the house clean and food for the table are two things that keep him happy and honor him), etc. There may come a time down the road when the children are older and can take care of and watch each other that I will be able to spend more time, alone and interruption free that I will be spend time worshipping at my Savior's feet and anointing Him with oil, but for now I am content to be a Martha serving in the kitchen.