Titus 2 and the empty nest

Today, I am a guest blogger at Generational Womanhood.  This is what I shared over there:

One morning a few weeks ago, as I got dressed, it occurred to me that later that day I was scheduled to attend a music festival where my son was competing. It would be the last time he did such a thing. It was his “last” because he is graduating from high school in June and will go to college in September. He is the last of our three children to do so. In September, I will be what they call an “empty nester.”

This new designation has come about gradually. First, there was our daughter, and that was very difficult. The first one is hard. We don't know what to expect. When our second one went, our first born son, I was instructed not to cry. He is not a hugging kind of guy, but I was granted one that day. When child number three goes, I will be a seasoned pro. Releasing our children is a natural part of parenting. We are given these lives as gifts from God with full knowledge that some day we will release them. When we are knee deep in diapers, toddlers' tantrums, baby food, and ear infections, that seems so very far away. And then one day, we wake up, and here we are. 

I know some women who have actually gone through periods of depression after their children have all left home. For those of us committed to being home full-time with our children, and who do not have a career to return to, it can be a time of uncertainty. What will we do? How will we fill our time? What does this time do to my identity as a mother? Of course, we are always mothers, and there are always others to mother.

I am aware that I am now an “older woman.” Looking back on the past couple of years, I can see that I have eased into that role. A young mother feels like she is going into labor at 11:00 at night, so I drive to her home and snooze on the couch while her other child is sleeping. At 3:00 a.m., her husband sends me a text message to say they're on their way back; false alarm. A young mother asks me advice about homeschooling; I send her some information. I check my e-mail, and a young woman is contacting me to ask me what I think of a particular book; is it biblical? What are some good books about child rearing? These are little things that fall under the category of being a Titus 2 woman. 

Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind and submissive to t heir own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. (Titus 2:3-5).

As I look ahead to my “empty” house in September, I can see that I have been given a great opportunity now to help young women who are in the place I have just left behind. The things that we as older woman are to teach the younger women are the things which we must have learned ourselves. We cannot teach what we don't know ourselves. There are times when the trials and tribulations of domestic life seem utterly mundane. There are times when we feel the disapproval of the the world, which judges our usefulness based on our ability to earn a living. We are “just” stay at home mothers, as if it is an indictment. But we shouldn't feel negatively about things. Being a young mother is a training ground for later years; years that come faster than we think. 

The time when we mother our young ones, teach them godly truths, keep our homes and love our husbands is a training ground so that we may be an older woman to someone some day. As we live our lives out as wife and mother, we are gaining precious life experience and wisdom to pass on to someone. We pass on our life of faith and our obedience to God to those who are younger. So, young mother, when you are tempted to feel like your life is so very monotonous, remember that some day, you are going to be an older woman. What you are doing know may seem often seem tiresome, but some day, it may be very needed by a young woman, a woman like yourself.

Comments

[Shreeja]

Awesome. You are indeed a great blessing to young women. I'm so excited about this blog. Thank you Kim.

[Kim]

Thanks for your kind words, Shreeja!