ONLINE CHURCH BULLETIN

WHAT WOMEN DO

Roseanne Barr probably expressed the sentiments of millions of women when she said, "When Sears comes out with a riding vacuum cleaner, then I'll clean house."  While cleaning the house is a dirty job, somebody has to do it, and the truth is the job very often falls on women.  What's a woman to do? Phyllis Winter says, "A woman needs two tools: WD40, and duct tape.  If it doesn't move and it should, use WD40.  If it moves and it shouldn't use the tape." Do you know any "working moms?" After being a husband for almost 25 years and a father for 20, I find myself wondering, how can a mother not be a working mom? A woman can be a wife/mother, or she may not be working, but she cannot be both at the same time! There is much truth in the old saying, "Man's work is from sun to sun, but woman's work is never done." One man stated that he was showing his fouryearold daughter pictures of his and his wife's wedding, trying to help her understand the concept of marriage.  Afterwards the little girl said, "Oh, I see.  Is that when Mommy came to work for us?"

Women are also working in the church of the Lord! A man once told me he would not attend services at the church of Christ because, in his words, "you don't let the women do anything." He meant preach and lead singing and serve as elders, etc.   I tried to remind him women did as much as most men in the assembly (and more than some) when they sang and prayed with the leader, and when they gave of their means, participated in the Lord's Supper, and learned as the Word of God was read and preached.  I also told him most godly sisters in Christ would resent his assertion they weren't doing anything.  In a section of scripture detailing the ministry of the church to widows and the ministry of widows to the church, the apostle Paul lists some of the work God especially calls women and widows to do," i.e.....brought up children ....  lodged strangers (shown hospitality) ....  washed the saints' feet ....  relieved the afflicted ....  diligently followed every good work.  .  ..manage the house" (I Timothy 5:10, 14).  Sounds like work to me! Thank God for what women do!

Dan Gulley,
Smithville church of Christ