Laughing at the Future

With the birth of my niece Lenora and the new little Miss Waveland, I have been watching the way my sisters(in law) mother and care for the next generation. First, let me just say that I have amazing sister (in laws). They are full of spirit, grace, love, and fire. There is so much passion and gumption in these women. I feel like we are truly sisters. It's such a blessing to see them raise the next generation of Schupbach women (and soon to be Schupbach little man!!).

Waking up Waveland.My Mom got this idea that she really wanted the file cabinet out of the basement. So although carrying it gave us the giggles ...why is that? and it was awkward to hold, we managed to get that beast out of the basement... My Dad kept asking, "Are you sure you can handle that?"
and I just kept bragging to him, "Of course I can. I'm a Schupbach woman."
Thinking about this, thinking about my nieces and Lord willing, one day my own daughters, made me realize how I have often "feared" being a woman. What does it mean to be a woman? To be a godly woman? To live under the pressure of the beautiful Proverbs 31 who never seems to waiver in her godliness. How can I be a woman, a strong woman, while still living under submission to Christ? I want to submit to what He is doing in my life... so what does that look like?
This train of thought put into my mind a post that Emily Ward just did on Piper's "The Beautiful Faith of Fearless Submission." Piper says this about women, "A Christian woman... looks away from the troubles and miseries and obstacles of life that seem to make the future bleak, and she focuses her attention on the sovereign power and love of God who rules in heaven and does on earth whatever he pleases."
(our neighbor came by to make sure we were okay... ha ha)She knows her Bible, and she knows her theology of the sovereignty of God, and she knows his promise that he will be with her and help her strengthen her no matter what. This is the deep, unshakable root of Christian womanhood.
She does not fear the future; she laughs at the future. The presence of hope in the invincible sovereignty of God drives out fear. Or to say it more carefully and realistically, the daughters of Sarah fight the anxiety that rises in their hearts. They wage war on fear, and they defeat it with hope in the promises of God." (go here for the entire amazing sermon) With all that said, it reminds me of where my FOCUS needs to be. Oh, how this life parades in front of me, vying for my attention... and how easily it seems that I am given in to the distraction. I can be focused on the crap around me, the stuff that confuses me, the fear of the unnknown, the uncomfort that happens in returning...
OR!!

thinking of our lives, thinking of the opportunity to teach those who come "after" us and focusing on Christ...

leaves me no decision but to look into the future...

and laugh.