October 31, 2009
I have been studying the "virtuous woman" passage in Proverbs (Proverbs 31: 10-31) and of course, find much room for improvement in my life. What a beautiful gift from God, though...a specific outline of how to be a godly and virtuous wife and mother.
Recently I have noticed I am not as close to God as I should, and want, to be. I have drifted, ever so slightly, back to the ways of the world. I have become a master of excuses....I am too tired to read, we are running too late in the morning for morning devotional, we are too busy at night for evening devotional. But this distance has taken a toll on me and my family. We are angered more easily, less tolerant and compassionate towards one another, and much more selfish.
Proverbs 31 does not allow for these excuses..."She seeks wool and flax and willingly works with her hands. She is like the merchant ships, she brings her food from afar. She also rises while it is yet night, and provides food for her household, and a portion for her maidservants." (Proverbs 31:13-15. A godly woman works hard for her family to provide food and clothing, she is up before everyone else preparing breakfast and readying herself and her household for the day. It does not sound like a morning at my house right now! "Honey...it's 6:45! Hurry up, get the kids dressed, grab a granola bar shove them in the car and get out the door by 7:15!" This also usually includes at least 1 argument from each child..."I don't want to wear that, I don't want a granola bar, I am tired, I don't want to get up and go to school, etc." How easily this can be avoided if we prepare in advance!
Proverbs 31:25-27 says "Strength and honor are her clothing; she shall rejoice in time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness. She watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness." To me, there is an expectation of gentle kindness in a woman. Strong and honorable, yet wise and kind. Not harsh and angry, nor easily frustrated. I think back to when I was a child and whenever I needed a soft, kind word I looked to the women in my live (my mother and grandmother). It is my duty as a wife and mother to be the peacemaker, the quiet and gentle voice of reason in a sea of chaos that we seem to be drowning in daily with school, work, homework, meetings, and other worldly obligations.
Ultimately, I strive to live up to these standards set forth by God for in the last 2 verses is His promise "Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Giver her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates." Proverbs 31:30-31. What a wonderful promise and blessing.
I have far to go and fall far short of a "virtuous woman" according to God, but I have a God who loves me and makes up for my imperfections with His perfect grace.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Back to Square One
10/27/09
Well...I started this blog because I wanted to have someone or something to hold me accountable to my goal of starting a healthier lifestyle. I have talked my way out of, around, over and under that purpose, but not really done a good job of sticking to it.
This weekend, my husband and I attended the funeral of a dear friend's mother. As I watched the slide show of pictures at the memorial service, it struck me how many of those pictures, especially the ones with her granddaughter who is the same age as my oldest, were taken in the hospital. Many of her medical problems were due to an unhealthy lifestyle and were, for the most part, preventable or at least controllable.
So here I go again, back to square one. I am trusting God to go exceedingly, abundantly beyond all I can ask or think and help me to GET HEALTHY! I cannot do it on my own. I know that. It will not be easy, but most things worth having or doing are not easy. There will be challenges, obstacles, and frustrations. The devil will take this as an open invitation to attack me and my goals. But God is able.
I believe that God wants us all to be good stewards of the blessings He gives us...money, family, health, etc. I have not been a good steward of my health and body, but it is not too late. It is never too late. God wants to be in ALL parts of my life, even this one!
I pray that God will bless my goal to get healthy, that He will keep me strong and help me make wise decisions about my health. I pray that my journey, whether a success or failure or somewhere in between, will help or inspire someone who may need it.
God bless...stay tuned!
Well...I started this blog because I wanted to have someone or something to hold me accountable to my goal of starting a healthier lifestyle. I have talked my way out of, around, over and under that purpose, but not really done a good job of sticking to it.
This weekend, my husband and I attended the funeral of a dear friend's mother. As I watched the slide show of pictures at the memorial service, it struck me how many of those pictures, especially the ones with her granddaughter who is the same age as my oldest, were taken in the hospital. Many of her medical problems were due to an unhealthy lifestyle and were, for the most part, preventable or at least controllable.
So here I go again, back to square one. I am trusting God to go exceedingly, abundantly beyond all I can ask or think and help me to GET HEALTHY! I cannot do it on my own. I know that. It will not be easy, but most things worth having or doing are not easy. There will be challenges, obstacles, and frustrations. The devil will take this as an open invitation to attack me and my goals. But God is able.
I believe that God wants us all to be good stewards of the blessings He gives us...money, family, health, etc. I have not been a good steward of my health and body, but it is not too late. It is never too late. God wants to be in ALL parts of my life, even this one!
I pray that God will bless my goal to get healthy, that He will keep me strong and help me make wise decisions about my health. I pray that my journey, whether a success or failure or somewhere in between, will help or inspire someone who may need it.
God bless...stay tuned!
Monday, October 5, 2009
Truth
"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free"...John 8:32
Today I received a call from my boss that upset me a lot. I won't get into the details, but the general tone was that "so and so thinks you are too hard on this person and wants you to be more diplomatic and encouraging, rather than negative and critical". I took this very hard because I have often been labeled as not a "people person". I have prayed about this frequently and intensely over the past few years, but even more so over that past few months and I feel that God has truly changed my spirit from being judgmental and angry (mostly out of fear of being hurt) to quiet and accepting. I know He has not finished, not even close, but I certainly feel that I have changed significantly in the past year. So to hear today that I have offended more than one person I work with and have come across as critical and judgmental, was a serious blow to my self-esteem.
So God sent me our daily devotional with our children and reminded me that it matters not what the world says of me, but what God knows about me. And I committed that I would hand this over to Him to allow him to continue his work in me.
1 John 3:1 says "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called sons of God; therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not." I think God is reminding us that we should not concern ourselves with the standards of the world, but only with His standards. I am a child of God, chosen by Him to receive His gift of grace. I do not doubt His ability to create in me a new person, a compassionate, caring, kind and generous spirit.
So tonight I taught my children and God taught me....do not concern yourself with what others may say or think, but concern yourself with what God thinks. Remember that he made you just the way you are for a specific purpose, His purpose, and you are perfected in Him.
Today I received a call from my boss that upset me a lot. I won't get into the details, but the general tone was that "so and so thinks you are too hard on this person and wants you to be more diplomatic and encouraging, rather than negative and critical". I took this very hard because I have often been labeled as not a "people person". I have prayed about this frequently and intensely over the past few years, but even more so over that past few months and I feel that God has truly changed my spirit from being judgmental and angry (mostly out of fear of being hurt) to quiet and accepting. I know He has not finished, not even close, but I certainly feel that I have changed significantly in the past year. So to hear today that I have offended more than one person I work with and have come across as critical and judgmental, was a serious blow to my self-esteem.
So God sent me our daily devotional with our children and reminded me that it matters not what the world says of me, but what God knows about me. And I committed that I would hand this over to Him to allow him to continue his work in me.
1 John 3:1 says "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called sons of God; therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not." I think God is reminding us that we should not concern ourselves with the standards of the world, but only with His standards. I am a child of God, chosen by Him to receive His gift of grace. I do not doubt His ability to create in me a new person, a compassionate, caring, kind and generous spirit.
So tonight I taught my children and God taught me....do not concern yourself with what others may say or think, but concern yourself with what God thinks. Remember that he made you just the way you are for a specific purpose, His purpose, and you are perfected in Him.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Grace
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life"...John 3:16
What blessed familiar words.
I was thinking today of how to explain God's gift of salvation to my children. Logan has started thanking Jesus for dying for our sins during prayer time...and that is such a beautiful blessing. But I wonder how much he understands the magnitude of that gift. I am...well, let's just say "older" than Logan...and I still have a hard time comprehending the magnitude of what God did for me when He sent His Son....His one and only Son...to this earth to die a horrible and wretched death on the cross, just so that I could have a home in Heaven.
So here is what I thought of...imagine you are taken hostage by a foreign power, and your captors go to the President of the United States of America, arguably the most powerful person on the planet, and say "We will release this person (you) if you (the President) will sacrifice your life for them." I don't think anyone reading this has any question that it would be an unlikely trade.
But Jesus....exponentially more great and powerful than any man, laid down His life for me. And if I was the ONLY person in all time on all the earth to believe and accept His gift of grace, He would still die for me. How amazing!
I think sometimes we forget, or underplay, or have a hard time comprehending that Jesus didn't die for the group of people labeled "Christians", He did not sacrifice himself on the cross for "the Church"; He died for me. Just me. And you. Just you. And all that He asks in return is your faith in Him. A personal, individual, daily walk with Christ. Not on Sunday, not in church, not at Wednesday night Bible study, but in the car on the way to work, in the board meeting, in the kitchen cooking lunch for the kids, every minute of every day.
I recently read about a lake in Minnesota that is only warm for about 8 weeks in the summer. It is a glacier-fed lake and even at its warmest, only about the top 10 inches are really comfortably warm for swimming. I don't want to be like that lake, I want to be warm to the deepest depths of my being. I want to be enveloped in the heat of the Son, and warmed to the core, every day of my life.
My goal this week is to walk every day with God. Take a few minutes out of each day to spend some personal, close, individual time with Him.
Love and Prayers....
What blessed familiar words.
I was thinking today of how to explain God's gift of salvation to my children. Logan has started thanking Jesus for dying for our sins during prayer time...and that is such a beautiful blessing. But I wonder how much he understands the magnitude of that gift. I am...well, let's just say "older" than Logan...and I still have a hard time comprehending the magnitude of what God did for me when He sent His Son....His one and only Son...to this earth to die a horrible and wretched death on the cross, just so that I could have a home in Heaven.
So here is what I thought of...imagine you are taken hostage by a foreign power, and your captors go to the President of the United States of America, arguably the most powerful person on the planet, and say "We will release this person (you) if you (the President) will sacrifice your life for them." I don't think anyone reading this has any question that it would be an unlikely trade.
But Jesus....exponentially more great and powerful than any man, laid down His life for me. And if I was the ONLY person in all time on all the earth to believe and accept His gift of grace, He would still die for me. How amazing!
I think sometimes we forget, or underplay, or have a hard time comprehending that Jesus didn't die for the group of people labeled "Christians", He did not sacrifice himself on the cross for "the Church"; He died for me. Just me. And you. Just you. And all that He asks in return is your faith in Him. A personal, individual, daily walk with Christ. Not on Sunday, not in church, not at Wednesday night Bible study, but in the car on the way to work, in the board meeting, in the kitchen cooking lunch for the kids, every minute of every day.
I recently read about a lake in Minnesota that is only warm for about 8 weeks in the summer. It is a glacier-fed lake and even at its warmest, only about the top 10 inches are really comfortably warm for swimming. I don't want to be like that lake, I want to be warm to the deepest depths of my being. I want to be enveloped in the heat of the Son, and warmed to the core, every day of my life.
My goal this week is to walk every day with God. Take a few minutes out of each day to spend some personal, close, individual time with Him.
Love and Prayers....
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Faith
It has been a long time since I have posted. I was not sure for a while what I should say, if anything. But tonight, God has led me here to this computer and this post.
It is quiet in my house. I am restless, but not for the reasons I usually can't sleep. Tonight I feel that God has something for me to say...so here I am.
I have been reading a lot of God's word lately...drinking it in, studying it, praying it. I have been drawn to Paul's letters, specifically Ephesians. There are 2 verses that I keep coming back to over and over. They hold such promise and reassurance....
The first is Ephesians 2:8-9..."For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast."
What a blessed promise He gives us in these verses. Paul makes it clear that there is NOTHING we can do to deserve God's love and an eternal home in heaven, but God gives it to us....it is his GIFT of grace through faith.
We (my family and I) have had a challenging year. The move to North Carolina has been both difficult and rewarding. God has truly blessed us in many ways and has definitely changed our hearts. It's amazing how He can take something that you think is a great idea...YOUR great idea...and turn it into such a blessing, but for none of the reasons you thought it would be. And then you realize, it was always HIS great idea.
Onto my next verse...which is quickly becoming my favorite of all time. "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."...Ephesians 3:20-21.
Wow! EXCEEDINGLY ABUNDANTLY....that's big stuff! Above all that we ask OR THINK...can you imagine that God cannot only give us what we ask for in prayer, but even those things that we don't ask for. Maybe we are afraid to ask, or we think they are too small, or too big. But if we just THINK it, He can DO it...amazing. But there is more...a catch, if you will, "according to the power that worketh in us." There's that "faith" thing again...God is able, but we have to truly believe with all of our heart and all of our soul that He is able.
So does this mean that all we have to do is ask and believe that He can and He will? Well....there is a little thing called "sovreignty"...God is able, but is not always willing. Sometime what we ask for is not in His plan, and may even work against His plan. That's where the faith comes in, we have to believe that He can, but be prepared that He won't, and even when He doesn't, we still believe that He can!
I don't know if this will help anyone, but I felt led by God to share my thoughts and feelings on these verses with you.
Love & Prayers...
It is quiet in my house. I am restless, but not for the reasons I usually can't sleep. Tonight I feel that God has something for me to say...so here I am.
I have been reading a lot of God's word lately...drinking it in, studying it, praying it. I have been drawn to Paul's letters, specifically Ephesians. There are 2 verses that I keep coming back to over and over. They hold such promise and reassurance....
The first is Ephesians 2:8-9..."For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast."
What a blessed promise He gives us in these verses. Paul makes it clear that there is NOTHING we can do to deserve God's love and an eternal home in heaven, but God gives it to us....it is his GIFT of grace through faith.
We (my family and I) have had a challenging year. The move to North Carolina has been both difficult and rewarding. God has truly blessed us in many ways and has definitely changed our hearts. It's amazing how He can take something that you think is a great idea...YOUR great idea...and turn it into such a blessing, but for none of the reasons you thought it would be. And then you realize, it was always HIS great idea.
Onto my next verse...which is quickly becoming my favorite of all time. "Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."...Ephesians 3:20-21.
Wow! EXCEEDINGLY ABUNDANTLY....that's big stuff! Above all that we ask OR THINK...can you imagine that God cannot only give us what we ask for in prayer, but even those things that we don't ask for. Maybe we are afraid to ask, or we think they are too small, or too big. But if we just THINK it, He can DO it...amazing. But there is more...a catch, if you will, "according to the power that worketh in us." There's that "faith" thing again...God is able, but we have to truly believe with all of our heart and all of our soul that He is able.
So does this mean that all we have to do is ask and believe that He can and He will? Well....there is a little thing called "sovreignty"...God is able, but is not always willing. Sometime what we ask for is not in His plan, and may even work against His plan. That's where the faith comes in, we have to believe that He can, but be prepared that He won't, and even when He doesn't, we still believe that He can!
I don't know if this will help anyone, but I felt led by God to share my thoughts and feelings on these verses with you.
Love & Prayers...
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Challenges
7/21/09
I have recently faced a series of challenges in my life. I will not get specific as I would rather some of the details remain private, but I will share my story of how I fell and was raised up again by a most loving and generous God.
Lately I have felt a bit like Peter in the storm when he failed to trust in God's saving grace and took his eyes off of Jesus for just a moment and started to sink. I was sinking, I looked away, and I doubted. And God loved me anyways. I was the prodigal, knocking at His door for the hundreth, maybe thousandth time. Begging forgiveness, begging for just a place with the swine, and He welcomed me home with open arms and wrapped me in his warm and loving embrace.
It is hard, in these times of economic hardship and negative news, to see God's work in our world. But He is there, watching, waiting for us to call out to Him, to remember that we need His guidance and love in our lives.
So, while I am still in the midst of trials and tribulations, I have been renewed by His love for me. I have been reminded that He is there and can save us no matter how bad things are, we just have to ask and listen. The truth is, God ALWAYS answers prayer, but you have to stop asking long enough to hear the response.
God Bless!
I have recently faced a series of challenges in my life. I will not get specific as I would rather some of the details remain private, but I will share my story of how I fell and was raised up again by a most loving and generous God.
Lately I have felt a bit like Peter in the storm when he failed to trust in God's saving grace and took his eyes off of Jesus for just a moment and started to sink. I was sinking, I looked away, and I doubted. And God loved me anyways. I was the prodigal, knocking at His door for the hundreth, maybe thousandth time. Begging forgiveness, begging for just a place with the swine, and He welcomed me home with open arms and wrapped me in his warm and loving embrace.
It is hard, in these times of economic hardship and negative news, to see God's work in our world. But He is there, watching, waiting for us to call out to Him, to remember that we need His guidance and love in our lives.
So, while I am still in the midst of trials and tribulations, I have been renewed by His love for me. I have been reminded that He is there and can save us no matter how bad things are, we just have to ask and listen. The truth is, God ALWAYS answers prayer, but you have to stop asking long enough to hear the response.
God Bless!
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Rough Waters
7/11/09
It has been a rough week. We are still struggling financially...Rick is losing work because of lack of rain rather than picking up new work. The hot water heater in our house burst on Tuesday night so we woke up Wednesday morning to a flood in our downstairs. Fortunately, none of our personal possessions were damaged and our landlord will be taking care of all of the repairs. It will be nice to have new floors, but in the meantime we are living in a construction zone which is challenging with 3 children. I feel like I took my eyes off of God for just a moment and doubt and fear crept in imperceptibly and suddenly I am sinking in the waves of a very rough sea.
But I know that my God will not fail me. It is easy to let the fear and doubt take control, but then that would be letting something other than God control my life, and that is not what I want. So we will no longer live with the regrets from the past, but we will learn from our mistakes and press onward to the goal, remembering that our treasure is not here on earth, but an eternal home in Heaven.
"But lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven,where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through or steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Matthew 6:20-21
It has been a rough week. We are still struggling financially...Rick is losing work because of lack of rain rather than picking up new work. The hot water heater in our house burst on Tuesday night so we woke up Wednesday morning to a flood in our downstairs. Fortunately, none of our personal possessions were damaged and our landlord will be taking care of all of the repairs. It will be nice to have new floors, but in the meantime we are living in a construction zone which is challenging with 3 children. I feel like I took my eyes off of God for just a moment and doubt and fear crept in imperceptibly and suddenly I am sinking in the waves of a very rough sea.
But I know that my God will not fail me. It is easy to let the fear and doubt take control, but then that would be letting something other than God control my life, and that is not what I want. So we will no longer live with the regrets from the past, but we will learn from our mistakes and press onward to the goal, remembering that our treasure is not here on earth, but an eternal home in Heaven.
"But lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven,where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through or steal; for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Matthew 6:20-21
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