Eyes Up; Head Down.


Nose to the grindstone.
Eyes on the task at hand.
Administer consequences.
Hold. Comfort. Listen.
Teach.

What if I was too harsh?
What if I was too lenient?
What if I ruined them?
What if I repeat history?

Eyes up. Up ahead.
See the net of God's grace
All around me, inside and out.
The net to catch me,
The net to catch them,
Made by faith
Not my efforts
But what Christ has done.

Back to the grind.
Stay afloat. Achieve success.
Schedule. Budget. Economize.
Write lists. Clean. Return calls.
I catch my breath with other moms
And suddenly see a difference.

One mom prays over her four each night.
Another's outrageously spontaneous.
That one's house is disgustingly tidy.
And that one has her own business.
I'm quite sure I'm not enough
Not nearly as glorious or good.

Head down.
Eyes on my own hands.
What is it to me
If they march to a different beat?
I must follow Christ.
Nose to the grindstone
To God's task for me here,
And praise him who never repeats.

Back to juggling.
Noise and clutter.
Cries for justice or candy.
Rebel shouts or dramatic tears.
It's all too much to process.
Too much to untangle or fix.
Too many balls have dropped.
Too many things left in pieces.

Eyes up.
Who holds this world?
Who encompasses all in his power?
Who catches all I drop and all I carry too?
Head down to what is important,
The one thing God has for me.
Eyes up; call him in.
Head down; do it.

A whirlwind of inner turmoil.
My own past resurfaces.
Why is this so hard?
Why can't I do this right?
Whose sin has made me blind?

Head up. Eyes up.
Higher still.
All ineptitudes are for
The display of God's glory.
All our weaknesses held up
For his power to work through.
Ask not why
But what God will do with it.
Eyes down; continue His work
Head up; He has made you able.


Comments

Amen!

This is a beautiful psalm to me.

Caused me to rejoice in God and feel proud of you for the insights from God's Word.
jgd said…
Thank you for sharing this wonderful remembrance of your Mom.