I came across this adaptation of 1 Corinthians 13 on another blog, and I thought since Mother’s Day is coming up it would be appropriate to share. It is called “1 Corinthians 13 for Mothers.” Even if you’re not a mother, I think the biblical role of women in the home, caring for our husbands and whoever else falls into our daily care, is addressed in this adaptation also.
If I live in a house of spotless beauty with everything in its place,
but have not love,
I am a housekeeper, not a homemaker.
If I have time for waxing, polishing, and decorative achievements,
but have not love,
my children learn cleanliness, not godliness.
If I scream at my children for every infraction,
and fault them for every mess they make,
but have not love,
my children become people-pleasers, not obedient children.
Love leaves the dust in search of a child’s laugh.
Love smiles at the tiny fingerprints on a newly cleaned window.
Love wipes away the tears before it wipes up the spilled milk.
Love picks up the child before it picks up the toys.
Love accepts the fact that I am the ever-present “mommy,”
the taxi-driver to every childhood event,
the counselor when my children fail or are hurt.
Love crawls with the baby, walks with the toddler, and runs with the child,
then stands aside to let the youth walk into adulthood.
Before I became a mother I took glory in my house of perfection.
Now I glory in God’s perfection of my child.
All the projections I had for my house and my children
have faded away into insignificance,
And what remain are the memories of my kids.
Now there abides in my home scratches on most of the furniture,
dishes with missing place settings,
and bedroom walls full of stickers, posters and markings,
But the greatest of all is the Love
that permeates my relationships with my children.
-Adapted by Jim Fowler
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May 4, 2009 at 11:15 am
Heidi
Denise, I’m going to send that to my mom. I don’t remember her ever being upset at us for breaking any of her things.
I often reflect on how blessed I am to know the mothers I do; it helps me to keep things in perspective. Thanks for posting this beautiful ‘perspective.’
May 4, 2009 at 11:49 am
eworpell
This is beautiful-thank you so much for sharing. I might print it and put it in a few Mother’s Day cards….and hang it on my fridge for a constant reminder of what’s important! Thanks, Denise! :)
May 4, 2009 at 7:18 pm
mengmom
Glad you liked it. When I read this the first time, I thought it was too good not to share. It does help to put things into the proper perspective. Mothers can be so abuse by society sometimes. People like to treat us like we’re crazy because we actually enjoy staying home and raising children!
May 5, 2009 at 5:30 pm
virginiasusan
That was good, Denise! Your poem reminded me of this poem a friend gave me years ago.
Give me patience when little hands,
Tug at me with ceaseless small demands.
Give me gentle words and smiling eyes,
And keep my lips from hasty, sharp replies.
Let me not in weariness, confusion or noise,
Obscure my vision from life’s fleeting joys.
That when in years to come my house is still,
Beautiful memories its rooms may fill.
–Anonymous
May 5, 2009 at 8:30 pm
kamelda
Susan that’s a lovely poem.
May 6, 2009 at 2:20 am
virginiasusan
Thanks, Heidi. I did it in calligraphy and had it printed some years back.
May 12, 2009 at 3:53 pm
countrylane
What beautiful poems and thoughts! THanks to both of you for sharing these! And what encouragement! We all need encouragement…thanks!
May 11, 2013 at 11:24 pm
to Mothers, with love | keeping house
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