Faith Filled Family Magazine October 2016 | Page 59

and they strive to follow it.
Most people are a combination
of two. A smaller percentage is
close to one “pure” tree type,
while the exceptions among us
are a combination of three trees,
with even a bit of the fourth tree
mixed in! I believe our design
fits our purpose, and therefore
a person with a calling that requires an adapted style that can
fit many diverse requirements is
usually equipped with a broader
personality style. Those who are
created for a specialized area
often test as one dominant tree
type.

in the process, and plan lots of
outings and activities.

Which category do you find
yourself in?
I am a mixture of three trees:
The Boxwood Tree, Rose Bush
and Palm Tree. We are all too
unique to be squared into one
box! Some people have a very
clear dominant style, but it is
very common to have two and
even three styles. That is the
beauty of the profile - it gives
a three-dimensional view, acknowledging that we respond to
our context and people around
us and may behave in one way
when we discipline, and another
when we nurture.

What is the call to (super)Natural Motherhood? How does it
relieve the pressure of perfection?
The call to (super)Natural Motherhood is a call to trust that
God has not made a mistake in
choosing you to be the mother to
your children. When we answer
this call, we agree God has a
magnificent destiny for our families. When we answer the call,
we say yes to a journey that may
be tough at times. God calls us
out of a place of trying to be everything our children need, to a
place of acknowledging we are
not perfect. We choose to be
authentic and to let God provide
for the areas where we struggle.
A (super)natural Mom therefore
admits her failures and cooperates with God, believing He has
equipped her for her task. She
trusts He has made her an integral part of the salvation story
God is writing in her family and
in the world.

I discipline like a Box-Rose (the
love for rules and structure that
the Boxwood Tree has, combined with the often impatient
drive of the Rose Bush). That
makes me the ultimate disciplinarian, who needs to sometimes
to pull back a little.
I nurture like a Box-Palm, which
means I won’t let rules and routine slide, but I do try to make
childhood fun for the kids. I use a
barrage of words, compliments,
instructions and encouragement

of doom and failure. She faces
those shortcomings honestly,
humbly and courageously. She
I mentor like a Box-Rose. Poor trusts God through the shame,
kids, they get preached at a lot pain and ridicule that comes
about how serious “real life” is from those who can’t understand
and they are permanently en- her journey and her choices.
rolled in some or other “improve- Hannah in the Bible was acment course” because of my cused of being drunk when she
high standards. The redeeming was praying for a son, and Mary
qualities of my style is that my was suspected of promiscuity
kids are taught to respect au- when she fell pregnant out of
thority figures, submit their will to wedlock. An embarrassed mom
the Lord, learn to respect other is in good company and better
people’s boundaries and under- positioned to become a (super)
stand that they are never “above Natural Mom than the mom who
the law.”
thinks she has it all together.

A (super)Natural Mom does not
believe the lie that the shortcomings in herself and her children
are clear signs of sin or proof

What are some of the stereotypes by which Christian
mothers are judged, and how
do those make it more difficult
for her to embrace her Godgiven temperament?
Christian mothers are expected to be extra family-centered,
which I agree with in most respects. However, the stereotypes that slip in here are if she
is truly a godly woman she will
be ready to start a family immediately, will be in favor of large
families, will not seek fulfillment
outside of the home and will
sacrifice what some call “her
dreams,” as these are viewed as
signs of selfishness. If she has
challenges becoming pregnant,
giving birth naturally or with aspects of raising obedient and talented children, question marks
may be placed on her faith.
Some may wonder if there is sin
in her life causing the family-life
challenges. If she does not enjoy
the mothering tasks that are idealized, but thrives as a business
woman, follows a career in a traditionally male dominated field
or remains a single parent after
a teen pregnancy, she is viewed