Over the last decade, the two of us have embarked on journeys to understand what a good mom really is. If you’re familiar with our ministry, Risen Motherhood, you might know that as sisters-in-law and friends, we talked regularly in the little years, discussing our everyday experiences as new moms. While we asked each other questions about how God’s Word applied to first foods, naptime routines, and work, we didn’t realize we were asking something even deeper. Ten years into our motherhood journeys, our deepest questions started to crystallize—we didn’t want to know only what to do in motherhood but who to be. Fill-in-the-Blank Mom We’ve seen moms try to answer this question in a myriad of ways. (And of course, we’ve done it too.) It’s like we imagine a blank line before the word “mom,” and then we fill in that blank with something that feels like a fit. The thought process, though often subconscious and complex, might cycle through subcultures and stereotypes: homesteading mom, urban mom, overseas-missionary mom, crunchy mom, gentle-parenting mom, homeschool mom, empowered mom, trendy mom, influencer mom, stay-at-home mom, career mom, chill mom, clean-living mom, I-do-what-I-want mom, you-can’t-put-me-in-a-box mom, and so on. We didn’t want to know only what to do in motherhood but who to be. Deep down, it seems like if we can find the right word to fill in the blank, it’ll shore up our wavering hearts and give us the assurance we need that we’re doing motherhood “right.” We think if we get the right picture, we’ll have a model. And if we have a model, there can be a handbook. And a handbook means we can finally have a formula for motherhood, erasing (or at least easing) our role’s questions, fears, and ambiguities. A tangible model for motherhood means we can be a little more sure we’re doing it “right” and have a measuring stick to check our progress. But here’s the catch—no matter how much we try to model ourselves after a certain type of mom, we’ll never execute it perfectly. We’ll fall short and won’t keep up in certain areas. Or life will hand us trials, sorrows, and circumstances we never expected and that don’t fit the mold we were trying to fit ourselves into. For a time, we might hold it all together according to our cultural model, but even that can lead to a smug and judgmental attitude as we puff ourselves up for finding “the one right way.” Eventually, we find we’re still not happy with the mom we are, and we’re left longing and questioning. Our bent to fill in the space before “mom” is a good one. There’s a word that can fill in the blank, and it’s probably not the word you’ve been searching for—gospel. Gospel Mom The purpose of our motherhood is ultimately rooted in God and his good design. It’s not about us; it’s about him. As women created in God’s image, we exist to “glorify God and enjoy him forever.” We do that first and foremost by acknowledging the “bad news” that we’re sinners who fall short of God’s glory and have no ability to accomplish this purpose by ourselves. Then, by believing and confessing the gospel or “good news” that Jesus Christ came to save sinners through his life, death, and resurrection, we’re made new. Knowing Christ changes everything about who we are and how we live, including our motherhood. It isn’t just about one moment in history where Jesus hung on a cross; it encapsulates a story we’re invited to be part of, and it gives us answers to our deepest longings and questions. Knowing Christ changes everything about who we are and how we live, including our motherhood. As the gospel compels us to look to Christ, we learn who we are, who we need, and who we should be. We start to understand our past and look forward to our future. We discover where we can get life, hope, help, joy, peace, rest, love, comfort, strength, and so much more. Our identities are secured so that no matter what happens to us or how we stumble, we’re safely bound to Christ, all the way through, until we reach home. Mom, God does have a person he wants you to model your life after, and that person is his Son, Jesus Christ. God doesn’t give you a formula or a precise point-by-point, product-by-product guide for every minor decision in motherhood, but he does give you his Word, with the instructions you need to walk wisely through your unique motherhood journey. God doesn’t leave you to figure it all out on your own. He gives you his Spirit (and the church) to empower, help, and guide you along the way.

What a way to start out the World Series

Smash Hit! Dodgers Take World Series Game 1 Against Yankees in Extra Innings in Spectacular Fashion

An archaeological excavation on the outskirts of Poole Harbour in Dorset, southern England, has unearthed a spade that is one of the oldest and most complete wooden tools ever discovered in Britain. Radiocarbon dating of the wood found it was made in the Middle Bronze Age, about 3,500-3,400 years ago. Only one tool comparable to this one in age and function is known in Britain: the Brynlow Shovel, which was found by miners in an old shaft of the Alderley Edge copper mines in Cheshire in 1875. It is slightly older, dating to around 1750 B.C. A team from Wessex Archaeology has been surveying the Moors at Arne site as part of a wetland habitat creation project. When the handle of the spade first emerged from the soil, archaeologists thought it might be a tree root. The outline of the spade was soon revealed, marking it as a worked wood tool. The soil at the coastal site is waterlogged and the anaerobic environment preserved the spade for thousands of years. To ensure its preservation after recovery, the spade was quickly transported to a Wessex Archaeology laboratory where it was cleaned and stabilized. Analysis of small samples from the spade identified the wood as oak harvested from the center of the tree. This is a very hard, dense wood, making the spade a powerful tool. The spade has been hewn from one solid piece of wood and would have required many hours of manual work to create, making it a precious tool to its prehistoric owner. It could easily have been reused and refashioned for other purposes if broken or damaged, making the incredible survival of this piece even more fascinating. By the Middle Bronze Age, people across the country were settled into rural agricultural lifestyles that we might recognise today, with farmsteads, villages and extensive field systems. However, there is little evidence to suggest that there was a permanent domestic settlement where the spade was uncovered. Instead, archaeologists are exploring the idea that people were visiting this site seasonally. During this period, the Arne Moors would have been prone to flooding in the winter months, and then drying out over summer. This would have provided the opportunity for past populations to make use of its rich natural resources. It could have been used as a place to cut and dry peat, as pasture for grazing animals or for hunting, fishing, gathering rushes for thatch and basket weaving and perhaps cultivating crops. The spade was found in a circular ditch that could have served several functions, including as a means of drying or protecting those useful resources. The spade is currently undergoing conservation to ensure that it can be studied further without damaging the prehistoric wood. Meanwhile, Wessex Archaeology has scanned the spade and created a 3D model so it can be examined in close detail virtually.

In a surprising editorial move, The Washington Post has announced that it will officially remain neutral in the 2024 presidential election, citing an inability to determine whether Kamala Harris or Adolf Hitler is the better candidate to support. “We take our endorsement process very seriously,” the editorial board said in a statement. “After much deliberation, we found that both Kamala Harris and Adolf Hitler have compelling qualities that make it impossible to pick a side.” The statement praised Kamala Harris for her “historic achievements” as the first female, Black, and South Asian vice president, despite “some challenges in coherence and likability.” Meanwhile, the board expressed admiration for Hitler’s “visionary infrastructure projects,” though it conceded that “some of his policies may not align with modern values.” “In many ways, both figures inspire loyalty, deliver powerful speeches, and promote bold plans for the future,” the editorial board wrote. “It’s a toss-up.” The paper promised to provide fair and balanced coverage of both candidates—offering feature-length profiles on Harris’s latest word salads alongside retrospectives on Hitler’s lesser-known passion for watercolor paintings. Political analysts have noted that The Washington Post’s non-endorsement follows a recent trend of media outlets grappling with difficult moral choices. “It’s tough out there,” said one anonymous editor. “Hitler had his faults, but some would argue he was more disciplined on messaging.” The Harris campaign responded with enthusiasm, stating, “We appreciate WaPo’s fairness and commitment to democracy, and we look forward to earning their endorsement in 2028.” Meanwhile, Hitler, who has somehow managed to reenter the conversation, was unavailable for comment. Social media has reacted with confusion. One post read: “This election is really a question of which train wreck you want to be on.” Another user tweeted: “WaPo’s coverage has me wondering if they’re endorsing a candidate or curating a dark satire anthology.” In the meantime, The Washington Post assures readers that it will maintain its integrity throughout the election. “We won’t tell you who to vote for—we’ll just hint that democracy is hard, and everybody’s got flaws.” The post WaPo can’t choose between Harris or Hitler—will stay neutral in 2024 election appeared first on Genesius Times.

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