I’ve just finished reading The Missional Mom by author Helen Lee in preparation for this upcoming Sunday’s talk on vocational spirituality. After all, parenting is itself a vocation, a calling, but the deepest question many moms (and some dads) might ask is: Is this the chief and final calling of my life? i.e., Is this it? Is that all? Is parenting my children the pinnacle of my existence and legacy?
Or is there something more?
Thankfully, Helen takes on this question with a restlessness that knows that there must be bigger things out there, that we cannot consign ourselves to a consumerist, stale, suburban nightmare, but the adventure of participating in God’s missio is out there and available to us, even those of us who are parents.
And that seems to be the crux, no?
How many of you ever felt limited because you were a parent, that you couldn’t do all you wanted to do, be all you wanted to be, because you now have 2.5 kids latched on to you constantly?
It would seem “missional” and “mom” are polar opposites, a contradiction in terms; one is stable, home and hearth-bound, introspective, bounded-set and family-centric; the other is outward-looking, adventuresome, freeing, exciting and other-centric.
But what Helen does is precisely what I’m trying to do with this Epiphany series on Discovering God in the Workplace; namely, bridge the two worlds, refusing to accept the compartmentalizing of sacred and secular, insisting on joining parenthood with mission; that being a weekend warrior for Christ just fundamentally doesn’t make any sense. Why should a mother be deprived of participating in God’s mission? And that is how I want to equip my people – mothers in particular – with the vision of being on mission starting from where you are.
So won’t you share with us in the hopes of inspiring and rousing other parents (like myself) up?
How are you, as a parent, “on mission” (missional) today?
WAYNEPARK.COM 
Wayne, I just saw this! Thanks so much for the review and the support for the book. I really appreciate it and look forward to “speaking” with you and your church soon!
It was great connecting yesterday!
Hi wayne! Its been awhile! Glad to have stumbled on your post, as this issue is dear to my heart. I never for once thought that mothers were deprived from God’smission, as I do not see it as out there, but right Here where I am. I actually see my home as a place for all sorts of revolutionary choices I get to make, whether in our spending or what kind of food we opt to consume, and more. Mothers, I believe are more central than peripheral to changing the world, if we only have eyes to see .
Hey Vina – been too long. Do you know Helen? I hope you guys can connect because both of you are awesome!
Eyes to see indeed; my desire is to equip moms, dads, professionals to a place where they don’t have to give up work / life to go on mission; that mission doesn’t stop when we return to “the real world”
food we consume… fiscal choices = all missional choices to me.
Where are u guys doing church these days?
good stuff to feed inspiration:
http://themissionalmom.com/2011/02/simple-sacrifices/