Gospel Matrescence

Being a mother is a tremendous responsibility.  Sometimes, we view our role as that of an artist designing a blank canvas.  Other times, we see ourselves as gardeners, toiling in the hot sun, hoping for fruit. Today, we will walk through both of these metaphors and look at their implications.  Which style of mothering do you tend towards?    

Have you ever heard the term 'the devouring mother'?  Did you know that this is a tendency that all mothers will face?  And even if you don't struggle with this, doting tendencies are sure to be tempting.  In this episode, we look at the dangers of both of these archetypes and discuss how to avoid these pitfalls!  

Do you wish your children were more peaceful?  Do you wish they were growing in maturity faster? If so, you need to look closer at how much agency you allow your children to have and how much accountability you consistently give them.  In this episode, we look at the drastic change that has taken place in childhood in the last few decades regarding the massive decrease in agency most children experience. We dig into the value of independence for anxious children and even get some wisdom from Charlotte mason on the topic!    

In this episode, Andie reviews a book called Leisure: The Basis of Culture by Joseph Piper.  The concepts in that book reflect four areas of life that require balance for a peaceful lifestyle. Too often, we over- or under-emphasize a particular quadrant and feel the strain that brings. As mothers, it is vital that we learn to look at these four quadrants and ask some questions about the habits and lifestyle we are building and demonstrating to our children. Below is a quick summary of the quadrants Andie explains in this episode:

• Work (For financial gain, extrinsically motivated, job/ trade,  profit earning, servile arts, specific skills that apply to vocation, chores) 
• Amusement/Entertainment (Activities that relax us or make us laugh, somewhat  frivolous to give the mind a break, a-muse meaning not to think, movies, fiction books, entertainment)  
• Leisure/Scholé (Intrinsically motivated, avocational activity, liberal arts,  learning for the sake of learning, seeking truth, goodness, and beauty, never concerned with profit, politics, or productivity)
• Rest/Sabbath (Rejuvenating the physical body, contemplative prayer or worship, aesthetic rest – exposing yourself to beauty,  recreational rest, meditation, reading)

Hobby - an activity done regularly in one's leisure time for pleasure. Is it even possible for busy mamas to have a hobby?  Isn't it a little selfish to pursue a hobby when your children and family have so many needs?  Why might a hobby be an essential part of healthy motherhood?  Join Andie today as she digs into this concept by reviewing an article called "Why Mama Needs a Hobby."  When you are done listening to this episode, be sure to read the article here.

This is the third episode in the series on Family of Origin work.  You will hear four case study stories that help you gain a deeper understanding of the value of the Family of Origin worksheet, which can be downloaded here - https://gospelmatrescence.com/free-resources/

Remember that our coaching groups are a great place to do your Family of Origin work alongside others who want to grow in their motherhood journey as well.  Visit our website to learn more!  

Last week, we introduced the concept of Family of Origin work as a tool to help us evaluate our childhood experiences and significant relationships.  This week, we will go through each part of the worksheet to help understand how this tool can help us grow past hangups and harmful habits we find ourselves stuck in.  Visit https://gospelmatrescence.com/free-resources/ to download your free copy of this worksheet to look over as you listen!  

Do you have a clear vision of what type of person you deeply desire to be, but the road to get there seems impossible?  Do you want to show up for your family with a peaceful, non-anxious presence but instead keep reverting to unhealthy reactions?  Then this episode is for you. Often, breaking unhealthy belief systems and habits requires us to look back at our family of origin to see where internal programming from our childhood affects us today.  

Visit the Free Printables page of www.GospelMatrescence.com to download the worksheet referenced in this episode.  

In this episode, we take a close look at Luke 1 & 2 as it describes Mary's entrance to motherhood.  Andie pulls out six ways Mary demonstrated a non-anxious presence in her motherhood journey.  Listen along and see if her example inspires you to seek to grow in overcoming anxiety in your own motherhood journey!  

What is the difference between control and influence when it comes to healthy leadership in the home?  How does being a non-anxious presence increase our influence over both our husbands and children?  What can we do if we tend towards control and have lost some of our influence?  Take a listen and find out!