Permanent Press Pt. 3

In my previous declarations Permanent Press Pts. 1 and 2, we strolled down memory lane of some areas of my childhood, in particular when my mom felt I was old enough to handle the task of ironing.  There were times when I felt uncomfortable, uncertain and when I flat out didn’t want to perform the tasks, but I knew that quitting wasn’t really an option for me because my Mom had given me a directive.  Well, I take that back, I could have outright refused to obey her, but the wrath of Hazel Marie would have been swift, consistent and the whipping, I mean spanking, I mean discipline would have been administered until I yielded.

 

Tania Not Tanya moment:  My mother is not now nor has she ever been a child abuser.  She disciplined her children in love, at least she said it was love but as a child I didn’t see her choice of discipline as loving at all because it hurt (my pride and/or my backside).  However, as I got older and started my own family, I clearly understood what she meant by disciplining me in love. 

 

Needless to say, I complied even if I told her off in my mind or complained to my friends about the chores I was assigned.  I’m sure Mom knew I had an attitude sometimes, not necessarily about ironing, but as an adolescent in general trying to figure out who I was, display what I believed to be my independence.  As I think back over my adolescent years I had an attitude most of the time about … up to and including my chores, but it didn’t matter I was a walking hormone at the time like every other adolescent and I didn’t need a reason.  But my Mom used wisdom, she rewarded me with payment for certain tasks like ironing and dusting, but when “cat faces” showed up in my Dad’s handkerchiefs or shirts and/or if the legs of the dining room furniture were covered with dust after I had dusted, she brought it to my attention.  “Half-cleaning”, “half-ironing” or half anything wasn’t acceptable, it was all or nothing and there wasn’t gonna be a nothing. 

 

Let’s focus a little more on the reward portion of this blog.  I looked forward to the rewards because it meant I was going to be able to spend my hard earned cash on something I wanted  without having to ask my parents for permission (within reason as a minor).  My parents weren’t stingy at all but there were times when they (primarily my Mom) didn’t think I needed the item I so desperately wanted or I could get it but I would have to wait.  Wait for what I would think in my kid’s mind?  I didn’t take into consideration the family budget because I wasn’t aware of one.  My focus was what I wanted right then, however, there were life lessons in the scenarios above that I have shared.  For example:

 

·         I received hands-on training and mentoring for a multiplicity of tasks and I learned:  1) valuable skills that I use to this day; 2) responsibility; 3) how to create and customize processes that work for me; 4) how to implement hands-on training and mentoring with my children and their children; 5) to take pride in my work; 6) to do my best; etc.

·         My mom delegated chores that freed her to do other things;

·         The rewards come after we do the work

 

If you will recall in Permanent Press Pt. 2 I connected our spiritual lives to feeling like God has turned the iron to its highest setting, laid us on the ironing board of life, applied the hot iron to our lives and left it there so that it could seemingly scorch us thus making the trials of life feel like we are permanently pressed, perpetually stuck in the throes of life, but that is not true my brothers and sisters.

 

While I cannot compare my Mom to God, I do want to use her in this analogy to bring home a point.  Just as my mom delegated assignments to me, so does God to us as his children.  He knows our capacity and only allows assignments he knows in advance we can handle.  Why?  I don’t have the time to break it down but I can give you two points: 1) we are God’s Ambassadors (representatives) and he uses our hands, feet even resources to bless others; 2) you can’t have a testimony without a test and God needs some witnesses out here to testify of his goodness, miraculous power, etc.  The cool thing is that just as my mom rewarded me when I followed her Instructions, our God rewards us.  My Favorite Book says:  And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.  Hebrews 11:6 (NLT)  I’m not making this up.

 

What kind of rewards am I talking about?  I’m glad you asked: 

I found a gift card to my favorite store in a very heavily travelled public area.  I wanted to overlook it but something said: “see if there’s a balance” and when I did, I was presently surprised, but I gave God thanks immediately.  He knew I had a need and was able to meet it with the reward he surprised me with.  Wow, thank you Father

 

My brand new fully loaded fully paid for car that God rewarded me with for my faithfulness got sick after three years of heavy use.  I didn’t have the money to have it repaired.  I reminded God it was his car and trusted he would provide.  I suggested warranty coverage but hey, I’m flexible he can hook it up however he wants to.  Two days later the dealership called to say the car was fully covered under warranty.  God rewarded me for my faithfulness to him and Jesus dropped the charges.  And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:19 (NLT)

 

God doesn’t always reward us in tangible things that we can put our hands on but he rewards us no doubt.  Good health, peaceful night’s sleep, parking space in the front, a friend inviting you to go on a trip, out to dinner to an entertainment venue, etc. completely out of the blue.

 

God uses people to accomplish his will, even rewarding us for withstanding what we may have thought was a permanent press.

 

 

    

Because of his unending faithfulness

 

 

 

 

Tania Not Tanya