Martha

I started this post 4 weeks ago. it's now been 10 weeks since I posted anything.

I have not written in 6 weeks. February & March always seems to send me into a slump. I'll blame seasonal affective disorder mixed with valentines day. Both may seem like cop-outs, but I don't care.... I was motivated to write something based on a blog I just read (I may not write ever, but I read daily). I was taken to this post from another I had read on the same site, so it's a few weeks old. It's about a mom who is struck by her "Martha moments" over her "Mary moments" in her mothering.
Now, I'm not a mom, but I am a Martha. Last week at the Justice focused Bible study I'm a part of it was my turn to lead. We're using a curriculum and last week's was on gender issues in justice and used Luke 10:38-40 to discuss. Look it up. (or read it on the blog I referenced above). The point was to talk about how quickly we as the church body put women into certain roles, and don't allow them to thrive in their giftedness. For example: maybe Martha was doing all that stuff in the kitchen because she thought she wasn't allowed to do anything else!
It's an important conversation to have, no doubt, but it was hard for me to teach. Why? Well, (confession alert) because when I read that passage I find myself thinking, "Gosh! Martha is right! Mary needs to get off her butt and do some cleaning!"
It's hard to break out of our roles. I'm naturally inclined to clean and organize and not rest until I'm done. Even if there is something better to do, or enjoy, or learn from.
As I've been resonating over this idea for a few weeks I'm not sure I've come to any conclusions, but I hope that as I keep thinking about it I'll take the time sometime soon to sit at Jesus' feet, rather than just clean my kitchen.