It was so beautiful outside today that I decided to get out the pool that Nana :-) gave Noah last year....he had a BLAST!!! He loves water, so he stayed in for quite a while! Thanks, Nana!!
Thursday, May 22, 2008
"Obedient to their own husbands"-Part One
I recently started going through one of my favorite books again, and last night, this was the chapter that I read, and the phrase of the verse that it covers.
Titus 2:4-5 "That they may teach the young women to be sober,
to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet,
chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands,
that the word of God be not blasphemed."
Our culture tells us that a woman who is independent and equal in position among men, meaning that "she can do anything a man can do, and probably better at that", can "make her mind up for herself" or "know her own mind", intelligent and lucrative according to the world's standards, outwardly beautiful and not too humble, chaste, reverent, loving, and serving of others, is a success. This is a direct lie from satan that even the church has accepted in many ways. In times like these we must come back to scripture and ask God what HE thinks a successful woman looks like....what HE thinks a beautiful woman looks like. This is one of the passages that He so clearly tells us what He wants His christian daughters to look like. I am focusing on the 8th commandment that He gives us women because this is the one that He has been laying on my heart lately.
Obedient: Yielding, willing and eager to accomplish injunctions or desires, abstaining from that which is forbidden.
It is sad that our culture, and yes, even the majority of christians today, look at a woman who is obedient or submissive as weak. We look down on someone who gives up their "rights" to the benefit of someone else..."She doesn't know her own mind, or stand up for herself. She's so quiet and meek, so 'uncool' " we think or say. But what does God's word say? He tells us that we are to be obedient to our husbands...."that the word of God be not blasphemed." This isn't just a suggestion. It's pretty scary to think that we as wives can blaspheme the word of God if we do not obey our husbands!!! And what does it look like to obey your husband?
"According to God's very words, apart from any cultural context, it is a woman's nature to place her full attention and interest upon her husband, and she is to be under her husband's rule. That is the will of God," (excerpt from Created to be His Help Meet)
"But I would have you know, that the head
of every man is Christ; and the head
of the woman is the man; and the
head of Christ is God" (I Cor. 11:3)
"There can be no cultural context that nullifies this verse, for it says that the basis of a man's headship is rooted in the very essence of the woman's created nature. Just as God is the head of Christ and Christ is the head of the man, so the man is the head of the woman (his wife)" (CtbHHM).
"Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands,
as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of
the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church:
and he is the savior of the body. Therefore as the
church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be
to their own husbands in everything" (Eph.5:22-24)
"Here again-a second witness in Scripture-we wives are informed that our submission to our husband should be viewed with the same love and fervency as our submission and love for Christ. The text says that we submit "as unto the Lord," as if we were submitting to the Lord. Since my husband's authority is delegated by God, when I submit to my husband, I am recognizing God's authority, and I am indeed submitting to God" (CtbHHM).
Titus 2:4-5 "That they may teach the young women to be sober,
to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet,
chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands,
that the word of God be not blasphemed."
Our culture tells us that a woman who is independent and equal in position among men, meaning that "she can do anything a man can do, and probably better at that", can "make her mind up for herself" or "know her own mind", intelligent and lucrative according to the world's standards, outwardly beautiful and not too humble, chaste, reverent, loving, and serving of others, is a success. This is a direct lie from satan that even the church has accepted in many ways. In times like these we must come back to scripture and ask God what HE thinks a successful woman looks like....what HE thinks a beautiful woman looks like. This is one of the passages that He so clearly tells us what He wants His christian daughters to look like. I am focusing on the 8th commandment that He gives us women because this is the one that He has been laying on my heart lately.
Obedient: Yielding, willing and eager to accomplish injunctions or desires, abstaining from that which is forbidden.
It is sad that our culture, and yes, even the majority of christians today, look at a woman who is obedient or submissive as weak. We look down on someone who gives up their "rights" to the benefit of someone else..."She doesn't know her own mind, or stand up for herself. She's so quiet and meek, so 'uncool' " we think or say. But what does God's word say? He tells us that we are to be obedient to our husbands...."that the word of God be not blasphemed." This isn't just a suggestion. It's pretty scary to think that we as wives can blaspheme the word of God if we do not obey our husbands!!! And what does it look like to obey your husband?
"According to God's very words, apart from any cultural context, it is a woman's nature to place her full attention and interest upon her husband, and she is to be under her husband's rule. That is the will of God," (excerpt from Created to be His Help Meet)
"But I would have you know, that the head
of every man is Christ; and the head
of the woman is the man; and the
head of Christ is God" (I Cor. 11:3)
"There can be no cultural context that nullifies this verse, for it says that the basis of a man's headship is rooted in the very essence of the woman's created nature. Just as God is the head of Christ and Christ is the head of the man, so the man is the head of the woman (his wife)" (CtbHHM).
"Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands,
as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of
the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church:
and he is the savior of the body. Therefore as the
church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be
to their own husbands in everything" (Eph.5:22-24)
"Here again-a second witness in Scripture-we wives are informed that our submission to our husband should be viewed with the same love and fervency as our submission and love for Christ. The text says that we submit "as unto the Lord," as if we were submitting to the Lord. Since my husband's authority is delegated by God, when I submit to my husband, I am recognizing God's authority, and I am indeed submitting to God" (CtbHHM).
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
One Year Old
Josh had to work on Noah's birthday, but we still wanted to celebrate it on his actual birthday, so Noah and I made cupcakes and blew up balloons, and got everythingd ready so that when daddy came home, we could still have a party!! Noah loved the balloons, but I think he liked the icing best! That was pretty much the only part of the cupcake that he ate!! Happy Birthday sweet boy!!!
Friday, May 16, 2008
Daily Reminders from God
How do you respond when people treat you rudely? Today I was out running errands and I had a MANAGER of all people treat me with such contempt for using coupons! As if they were illegitimate or something! I've never even shopped in this particular store but once. She was so mean and demanded I tell her where I got them from so she could put a stop to it all...she wouldn't even try to scan them for me. My first response, and second, and third, and fourth (upon pondering later) was to hope that she would fall flat on her rear when headed for her car at the end of the day. My conversation with God went something like this.. "Lord, why do people have to be so mean?? I just don't understand what her problem is! It's not like I've done anything illegal! Is it that wrong for me to try to be frugal with my husband's money?" "My dear daughter, you say she is being so mean, and yet you wish her evil for the way she has treated you. Isn't my command that you love those who do not love you, and bless those who curse you? She knows no better, you do. Did you show her my Son by the way you responded to her coldness?" "Yes, Lord, you are right. I do know better. I should have reponded in sympathy rather than anger, hurt, and frustration in my heart. Please increase Your love in me! Why are the fruits of the Spirit SO HARD to live out? I'm beginning to think that I will never bear these fruits in my life! " "My child, that is what the christian life is all about...allowing me to bring those fruits to bear in your life. Without me it IS impossible. But you will reap what you sow. Keep sowing the seeds of my desires in your heart and life, and you will bear. It won't be easy, but that was never a promise that I gave."After talking with God I was completely humbled. I had once again allowed my flesh to get in the way of the sanctification that He wants so desperately to increase in my life. It is easy to allow such inconveniences to callous our hearts against those who don't know Christ, or who treat us wrongly. That is our natural response. But God has called us to be different, to be a light, and to love those who are unlovable. This is an impossible task without Christ, without the example of the way he loved those who were unlovable and unworthy....you and I. So....the next time I am treated in such a way, I will try to respond only in love, the way Christ responds to me every time I sin. And I will endeavor to see every human being as created in the very image of God himself.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
$0.25 OOP for all this
I know that "all" these laundry detergents look pretty small, but 24 loads of laundry for free? I'll take it! ;-)
$6.00 OOP for all this
I truly love sav-mor....ALMOST more than cvs!! ;-) But I wouldn't go quite that far :-)
Saturday, May 10, 2008
praise, Praise, PRAISE!!!
"All you who fear the Lord, praise Him!" (Ps. 22:23a)
"Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name." (Ps. 30:4)
"But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, 'Hosanna to the Son of David!' they were indignant and said to Him, 'Do you hear what these are saying?' And Jesus said to them, 'Yes. Have you never read,
"Out of the mouths of babes and
nursing infants
You have perfected praise"?'" (Matt. 21:15-16, emphasis added)
Wow!!! I'm starting a study on praise, and I'm beginnning to realize how MANY verses there are on praise! Almost overwhelmingly! Lately I've been getting frustrated easily with the many unwanted inconveniences in life, and this morning, as I lay in bed, the Lord revealed to me that it's because I have allowed satan to steal my joy. And he didn't even steal it with something big and "life-threatening" to me, but with the tiny little details of life.....dirty dishes in the sink, bad hair day, baby crying, complete exhaustion....you know, the whole list! How I have not been on my guard! The devil loves to get us where we are most vulnerable, and many times that's in the areas we don't think to guard over....every day menial tasks. But the Lord has given us a way to be on guard and to glorify Him all at the same time! AND to have a good time while we are doing it! Praise!! This isn't just a suggestion that He gives us, it is a command. And not only to the saved, but to all creation (ps. 148:1-10). How amazing! Even nursing infants praise our Lord (matt. 21:16)!!!! I am resolved that since this is such an important issue to our Savior, I want my life to be characterized by praise. Morning, noon, and night. No room for thoughts of myself or how "bad" my day is going.....constantly turning my affection to my Lord and Savior, in gratitude that He has chosen me, that I am breathing in a new day once again, and that He loves me. I will praise the Lord, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made!!!
"Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name." (Ps. 30:4)
"But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, 'Hosanna to the Son of David!' they were indignant and said to Him, 'Do you hear what these are saying?' And Jesus said to them, 'Yes. Have you never read,
"Out of the mouths of babes and
nursing infants
You have perfected praise"?'" (Matt. 21:15-16, emphasis added)
Wow!!! I'm starting a study on praise, and I'm beginnning to realize how MANY verses there are on praise! Almost overwhelmingly! Lately I've been getting frustrated easily with the many unwanted inconveniences in life, and this morning, as I lay in bed, the Lord revealed to me that it's because I have allowed satan to steal my joy. And he didn't even steal it with something big and "life-threatening" to me, but with the tiny little details of life.....dirty dishes in the sink, bad hair day, baby crying, complete exhaustion....you know, the whole list! How I have not been on my guard! The devil loves to get us where we are most vulnerable, and many times that's in the areas we don't think to guard over....every day menial tasks. But the Lord has given us a way to be on guard and to glorify Him all at the same time! AND to have a good time while we are doing it! Praise!! This isn't just a suggestion that He gives us, it is a command. And not only to the saved, but to all creation (ps. 148:1-10). How amazing! Even nursing infants praise our Lord (matt. 21:16)!!!! I am resolved that since this is such an important issue to our Savior, I want my life to be characterized by praise. Morning, noon, and night. No room for thoughts of myself or how "bad" my day is going.....constantly turning my affection to my Lord and Savior, in gratitude that He has chosen me, that I am breathing in a new day once again, and that He loves me. I will praise the Lord, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made!!!
Thursday, May 8, 2008
The Love of My Life
When I first married, I didn't realize how much molding, shaping, chiseling, and carving God had to do in my life. I guess you could say that I was one of those who married more for selfish reasons , and not with the sole intention of furthering my husband's visions and goals. God has opened my eyes to the purpose He has for me in being Josh's wife, and how fulfilling my life will be if I will endeavor to make my husband's goals my goals, his visions mine, and his pursuits and dreams to be my every day aspirations. In doing this I pray that my sons will see the kind of wife that they need, and my daughters (hopefully :-) ) the kind of woman they need to be. Only by God's grace will this be possible....
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My darling son
When your daddy and I brought you home almost a year ago, wrapped so tightly, I remember thinking that I would have forever before your first birthday came, and now it is upon us! I am amazed at how fast your first year has gone by! It is joyous and saddening all at the same time! As I make preparations for your birthday, I cannot help but think about how soon it will be a celebration for your becoming of a man, and then a wedding celebration. All these thoughts only increase the depth of the realization of how important my responsibility is to train you to be a man who knows and fears God. A man who is strong with the word of God against the powers of this world, a man who knows how to be a leader, to stand strong in the midst of a weak society who scoffs at the strong, a man who desires to be a husband, a father, and a leader, and who rules his home with a multi-generational vision. All this your father and I must teach you in the few years that you have been entrusted to us! What a wonderful and mighty calling! I love you, my son! I love, love, love you!!!!
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