I had the pleasure of listening to my son give the commencement address at New St. Andrews College last week, and of course I came away with a new spiritual lesson to apply. He told the graduates that they had developed calluses from all the hard work of studying, and he charged them not to let those calluses get soft.
Those of you who are young moms have plenty of calluses as well. You are working hard to bring up little ones, and you’ve got some impressive signs of this work in both body and soul. But what about the older women like me? I’m finished with all the diaper and discipline duty. It is tempting to think that I can coast a little and take it easy. Women my age might imagine (in our dream world) weekly pedicures and shopping expeditions to the big city. Quiet days pottering in the garden. Hours on the porch sipping tea and flipping through magazines. You get the idea?
But all of us older women in particular must not let our calluses get soft. There is still much work that needs to be done, and the young women are supposed to look to us to set a pattern for them. So back to work I go, whistling while I’m at it.
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Good word. Thanks Nancy.
Timely as the last of my six children graduates from home school and I find myself at a new crossroads. Thank your son for his insight and for your appyling it to us older women:)
Thank your son for his insight and thanks to you for applying it to us older women:)
I didn’t realize that Nate was going to be the speaker. I know one grad’s two little sisters who must have been thrilled with that. Just like a couple weeks ago, when the name of Jim Wilson didn’t impress them much, but “Nate Wilson’s grandfather” inspired awe!
We were just talking about this at our Titus 2 meeting last night! How the mommies of littles might drown if they stop working for a second, but before and after that season the temptations to coast are stronger and how we want to fight that. Thanks for posting this!
Great exhortation. Is there any chance there is video footage of his commencement address that will be posted at some point?