Women talk a lot. How many words does a woman say in a day versus a man? Something like 50,000?? After reading about the women who accompanied Jesus and the disciples (Luke 8), I was thinking about the stories they must have told and the impact they made. Then I got to thinking about the impact of our words and what we say that passes along “beauty” and values and important ideas that make our world a better place. What are we talking about? What are we passing along to our children and grandchildren that encourages goodness and integrity? Women and what we talk about can influence the future more than we might think.
Do you have a good story you’d like to share?
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December 22, 2009 at 9:35 pm |
Growing up at my mother’s feet. I always appreciated and enjoyed hearing the stories of my mother, women in our family and women friends of my mother. Their stories offered me more advice and richness than I could have ever recieved by being lectured. Whenever I was around I would always listen intently for “story time”. I would often leave where I was to be closer to the conversation. While I was not permitted to be a part of every conversation these women would have, I was often invited to be a part because they did not take it lightly that the wisdom they had to share was valuable even though I was a child. I would ask questions as they shared their stories and they would take the time to answer me giving me plenty of opportunity to formulate my own thoughts in the process of listening. What I loved most about their stories was the honesty with which they shared their story. They told me their shortcomings as well as their victories. It never felt as I if I was being “preached” to. I heard the truths of their experiences and then it was up to me to decide what I would do with it. Over the years, I have attended numerous Many Waters conferences starting back when I was 17. The women whose stories were told to me over the years helped me to become wiser, make better life decisions but realize most of all that there is grace for every and any kind of shortcoming. These stories became my stories as I reflected on them and recieved truths from them. Thinking about this, this is very much how God’s Word is presented to us. The experiences; the good, the bad and the ugly of all the characters in the Bible are a presentation of lives very much like our own. When we take those truths, meditate them and allow them to become a part of us, they shine a spotlight that reveal parallels in our own lives and challenge us to walk with God more closely. What happens in turn is beautiful. We become a part of a long narrative that began since creation. Then, our stories, the good, the bad, the ugly cause the generation ahead of us to sit at our feet to hear what wisdom God has given us to impart to them. The narrative must continue until Christ comes. I am now 23 years old and I never get tired of hearing the stories of lives lived. They will always have value.
January 13, 2010 at 3:09 am |
Your words here show a lot of care and thoughtfulness, Anakai. Thanks for sharing. I especially agree that transparency and honesty when we share is so important. Nobody is perfect! It is so good to see the struggle and how to “go through” something challenging. I am so glad you’re a part of our women’s ministry. Year after year we’ve stuck together and the Lord has really given us a love for each other that is so special. It will be great to hear the stories from this year’s gathering… and we’ll all grow and have even more stories to tell…!
December 28, 2009 at 3:12 am |
Sometimes it seems no one really hears us until we are gone. Then we are quoted as, “Grandma used to always say ‘……’.” It’s then that we realize Grandma really did make a difference.
January 13, 2010 at 3:03 am |
Wow, Linda. That is so true, isn’t it? How can we all do better at being good listeners? How can we value those around us and preserve the wisdom?
December 29, 2009 at 10:48 pm |
This reminds me of a very old joke a teacher once told to me. I think I was probably about 7 or 8 years old when I heard it…. What is the best way to get a message out quickly? Telegram. Telephone and….tell a woman! Yes we do have that reputation. As women, we do like to talk, it is our main way of communication. We like to express ourselves verbally.
When you look at past cultures, many of them have a story teller; typically that was a woman. She told stories of the history of that culture. Those stories were the historical record of the journey of a culture and many of the stories became folklore. The stories were passed down through the generations.
I think now how as a family we like to gather and tell stories of our past, tell our now grown children our stories and the stories of their childhood and see how much they enjoy hearing those stories time and again to the point that if you miss out one of them they shout, “Me! Me! You have to tell a story about me. Tell the one about….” We create our own historic tales. I know that when they have their own children they will pass on those stories and add their own. What a wonderful legacy!
Those stories are real life; those who are visitors when we share our stories love hearing them too and in turn they share their stories and we grow closer together as we find common threads within those stories that weave a tapestry of remembrance in all of our lives that unite us in unexpected ways and show us that we are not so very different.
January 13, 2010 at 3:02 am |
Anna~ Thank you for sharing. Isn’t it a privilege to pass on those family moments and special times with our children. Whatever our traditions are – they are a strong part of what keeps our family members solid and knowing they are loved and belong. Some of the “traditions” are just so easy to do, but mean so much to us. Carol