“Blind Spots”
by Erin Lichnovsky
Recently, my pastor, Dr. Ted Seago, of Fish Creek Community Church in Magnolia, Texas, preached a two sermon series on Blind Spots. The passage was from John 9 about the man born blind. When Jesus healed him, those that could ‘see’ already, were ‘blind’ to the miracle. The Pharisees questioned the man’s parents and questioned the miracle because he was healed on the Sabbath.
Pastor Ted encouraged us to take a look in the mirror and examine our own blind spots. We were exhorted to actually go to a fellow believer and ask them to help us see our own blind spots. He noted how it easy for us to point out other people’s faults, but when it comes to our own faults, we seem to give a lot more grace.
Stephen Covey said, “We judge ourselves by our intentions and others by their behavior.”
My heart was burning within me because Sunday morning in my home did not go very well. As a mom of a big family, Sunday mornings are always a challenge. Maintaining a sweet spirit is my biggest hurdle, and this particular Sunday I was not in a very good mood. I knew I was doing something wrong because…
…Sundays should not be the stressful hectic chaotic scene I had witnessed just getting into my seat at church. After the sermon I went to my pastor’s wife, a woman I highly respect because she has raised a small army as well, and I asked her, “What am I doing wrong? Do you see any blind spots?” I was stressed, and anxious, and felt pulled in several directions by the requests of my kids. She lovingly told me she would spend some time in prayer and get back with me. Instead of a pious sermonette, she did something so much more helpful….
She sent me a new chore chart!
That’s right, after I explained to her my stress when I walk into a messy kitchen knowing I have to prepare several meals before church, as well as get little ones ready, she jumped right into my world and helped me with some pragmatic planning.
You see, my blind spot was that I just would rather do it all myself, and complain in my heart, rather than teach, train, and mentor my younger kids to be others oriented on Sunday mornings and help the family get out the door on time.
She also told me that I had trained my kids to expect me to give them permission on a regular basis when they asked to go out and do something fun with friends. I’m a softy and I love to be the good guy. Even if they haven’t helped out around the house much, I would still give them permission to go have fun. I would even stay home on the day of rest and catch up on housework all day long, and let them go play, thinking I’m being a generous and servant-hearted mother. She told me that was a blind spot. I needed to train the kids to, “expect a ‘No’ from me, and earn a ‘Yes’.”
Wow!
Needless to say, we had a great family meeting that day and I apologized for not training them correctly, and their father made sure they all knew that we are a family and everyone helps around the home. He told them all that mom was the Queen of the home, not a full-time scullery maid, and they needed to pick up the pace!
What are some of your possible blind spots? My pastor gave us a great list to get us started thinking about it.
Spiritual: Judgmental, self-righteous, lack of kindness, patience, humility, love, truthfulness, Lack of faith, unrepentence, lack of community, transparency, not praying, lack of concern for lost
Emotional: Fearful, anger, attitude, negativity, depressed, moodiness
Personal: Laziness, half-hearted school work, appearance, unforgiveness, gossip, inappropriateness, selfishness, lack of self-improvement
Financial: Lack of discipline, wasteful, focused on wrong priorities, selfishness
Marriage: Lack of expressions of love; failure to listen and attend to needs; lack to time away, putting spouse second to children, making marriage a business
Parenting: Inconsistency, weariness, excuses for children’s behaviors, not in agreement, focus on behavior and not heart, not talking about the hard topics
Family: Lack of structure; over scheduled, too busy, too fearful, tenseness, lack of recreation, lack of fun, lack of hard discussion, getting to really know each other.
John 9:39-41, And Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind. ”Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things and said to Him, “We are not blind too, are we?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but since you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.
What about your blind spots? What would your significant other say they are? Your parents? Close friends? What about your co-workers? Pray and think about this list and ask God to help you see clearly through the light of His grace.
~Erin♥
Busy might be an understatement for Erin Lichnovsky, a mother of 8. Married for 20 years to her best friend and love of her life, Joey. Erin decided early that she felt God’s calling to home educate her children with her husband. Even with having graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in communications, she stays busy at home teaching, cooking and doing laundry. She also fills her time working as the Program Developer for Parent and Child Education Services (www.pceinfo.org), planning development staff training and major events which include festive family Sock Hops and formal Cotillion ballroom dances. Erin also co-writes for www.CallMOM.co and hosts women’s retreats called “23 Hours”.
Squeezing a nickel ‘til the buffalo growl, pinching pennies, and developing specific winning strategies has kept Erin at home with her six incredible daughters and two amazing sons. That passion for family and frugal living inspired her to write a book to help moms learn to hire themselves and save money on the largest part of their budget… the GROCERY bill! Her book, The Classic Couponer, What Hath Aristotle to do With the Kroger© Mega Sale? Is NOW available on Amazon or in “Our Favs” here @ TheLaundryMoms.com!
