Thy Word

Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to Thy word.

With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from Thy commandments.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee.

Blessed art Thou, O LORD: teach me Thy statutes.

With my lips have I declared all the judgments of Thy mouth.

I have rejoiced in the way of Thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.

I will meditate in Thy precepts, and have respect unto Thy ways.

I will delight myself in Thy statutes: I will not forget Thy word.

~Psalms 119:9-16

Politics and Christianity

Ever since Jesus started his ministry two thousand years ago, lines have been drawn between His followers and those who wish to silence them.  Stephen was stoned (Acts 7), Peter and John were arrested and told not to speak or teach in the name of Jesus (Acts 4), Saul (before his conversion, and becoming known as Paul) arrested many followers (Acts 8:3), and many of Paul's writings are sprinkled with accounts of the persecution he and his fellow evangelists suffered for spreading the gospel of Christ.

Today is no different.  It's really no secret that Christians around the world are persecuted for their faith.  We've been pretty blessed here in America, and I know there are many Christians here that realize how good they've had it compared to our brothers and sisters in other countries.  However, it is clear that our freedoms, even in the area of our faith, are being eroded away.  Those who preach tolerance want everyone to tolerate everything.  Oh, except for Christianity.  We must be careful not to link one faith to its followers that have committed acts of terrorism in our country and others, yet, feel free to fling insults at the Christians and call them names.  Feel free to tell them their faith is unacceptable.  Feel free to shame them into being quiet about that gospel.  Feel free to make it so that it's against the rules to make any gesture that may look like they're publicly thanking God.  Then?  Tell them they need to tolerate ALL views.  Hmm.

I heard a sermon at church yesterday that I've been rolling around in my head.  It was basically about Matthew 5:44,

 "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;" (KJV)  

Forgiveness was also discussed.

"And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.  And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.  And when he had said this, he fell asleep." ~Acts 7:59-60.  

I need to say, I was definitely convicted.  Yes, I do pray for the leaders of this country, and for those with whom I don't agree, and for those who are persecuting my brothers and sisters in the faith, and for those who are intent on basically outlawing Christianity.  I honestly can say that I don't hate anyone.  However, I have definitely become angry, and maybe even get a little bitter, when I hear what's going on in this world.  And I know my Father doesn't want that for me.  So, I'm asking His forgiveness for this, and for His help in forgiving and feeling love when it's REALLY hard to do.

That being said, many people and even many Christians don't understand that love doesn't always feel exactly like we think it should feel.  When many people think of love, they think of the warm-fuzzy, good feeling.  Many people think that anything that makes them feel bad about what they do is surely hate.  They think that keeping quiet instead of saying something that may hurt or offend someone is the loving thing to do.  But, that's simply not true.  Recently, my husband had to yell at my four-year-old to get out of the street because a car was coming.  He didn't listen (he wasn't paying attention) when hubby said it in a normal tone "Hey, get out of the street, a car is coming."  So he then had to yell.  Then he was told he couldn't ride his bike in the street anymore that day (we live in a neighborhood where their is a "main" road, and then little road loops for each section of houses, so kids play in the street on the loops all the time...hard to explain, but they're by no means busy and drivers know to be very watchful).  My four-year-old started crying.  His heart breaks when he has to get yelled at, and obviously he was upset about not getting to ride his bike any more that day.  No warm-fuzzies there.  Does that mean my husband hates his son?  Because he told him what he was doing was wrong, that he needed to change it NOW, and it made him feel bad?  NO!  Being silent, knowing what was going on, would have been hateful.  Trying to take the time to have a nice, feel-good conversation (at that moment) about how it "isn't really good that you are in the street right now, because a car is coming, and we don't want that car to bump you so that you have an owie, do we?" (trying really hard not to gag here) wouldn't exactly be loving, either, considering our son could have been hit (if the driver hadn't been paying attention) long before that sentence was out.  Yet SO many people hear something someone says, or reads something someone writes and says "Well, that makes me feel bad, or offended, or hurts my feelings, or (insert any other feeling that's not feel-good).  What a hater!"

I will say here, I have personally seen and heard those who claim to be Christian and spout off some pretty hateful things.  I'm not saying that doesn't happen, and that is most certainly not right at all.  What I AM saying is, there is no filter.  ALL Christians who say something offensive, or perhaps convicting, are haters, according to those who would like to quiet us.  They equate being loving with being silent instead of exposing lies and evil, which they equate with hating.  YES, the bible calls us to love, and to pray for, and to forgive our enemies.  It also calls us to expose evil, and lies, and false teachers.

"For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake. One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, the Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;" ~Titus 1:10-13 (emphasis mine).  

Not only are we to expose evil, we are to rebuke sharply those who participate in evil and lies.  This is not at all contradictory of being loving, prayerful, and forgiving. In fact, it is a loving act of doing what is right, even when it is hard to do.

When I see my kids doing something they should not be doing, I call them out on it.  Because I hate them?  No, because I love them!  I also love my God and country, and my fellow believers in the faith.  When I see things happening that could greatly affect my country and fellow believers, I'm going to talk about it.  I'm going to share things that I'm passionate about.  I'm going to share the gospel and pieces of scripture that are on my heart.  I'm going to share things that are going on that are going to affect others.  I'm really focusing on only worrying about what God thinks, and not what other people think (this is not easy, and a struggle of mine).  Anything has the potential to offend anyone.  That shouldn't keep people silent.  Being offended is a choice made on the part of the offended, not on the part of the voice that speaks.

Another thing that has been on my mind lately is political parties.  I've seen the articles that state you can't be a Christian AND a Republican, or you can't be a Christian AND a Democrat, or you can't be a Christian AND (fill-in-the-blank).  Since when is Christianity linked (or unlinked, as the case may be) to a political party?  Let me make this real simple.  You can't be a Christian AND not accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior.  I am a Christian, plain and simple.  And, there are Christians in every political party.  I'm pretty sure that it's no secret that I'm conservative.  More of my political beliefs lean to the Republican side than to the Democrat side.  Even more, they lean toward the Tea Party.  Does that mean that I agree with everything those parties stand for, and that I blindly believe everything the politicians on that side says, or let them dictate to me what is right and wrong?  No!  And it would seriously make me laugh if anyone tried to insinuate that.  Does it mean I think every Democrat is evil and that I think absolutely everything out of the mouth of every Democrat is a lie? No!  I don't pick a party and then base my beliefs on what they think is right.  I look to God my Father and trust that what HE says is right and good is, in fact, right and good.  And, it's certainly no secret that I do not look to society and everyone else around me to tell me what's okay and what's not.  It's all Him.  He has clearly laid out his plan for us in His Word, and that's where I take my cue.  I am by no means perfect (another thing I would laugh at if anyone told me that I was trying to portray myself as such)...I am a sinner just like everyone else.  I may not have the exact same struggles as everyone else (who does?), but struggles I have, just like everyone does.  But I very much long to know Him more and more every day, so that I can learn to be more and more like Him every day.  You can't do that by listening to what everyone else says you should do.  You can't even do that by listening to what everyone else says God wants you to do.  Seriously, I don't even want you to take my word for it.   The only way to get to know God and what He wants for you, is to open up the bible and read, no listen, truly listen, to what He says.

Thank you for reading, if you've read this far.  :-)  These are just some thoughts that have been on my mind, with the atmosphere of our country lately.  If you want to talk, please feel free to leave a comment here or on my Facebook page, or message me on Facebook.  If you are truly seeking information, advice, etc. I will be glad to discuss things with you, but I will not debate my beliefs, as they are not debatable.  :-)  Unless you can use the bible IN CONTEXT where any of my beliefs are wrong...any other source is not going to fly.  Anything disrespectful will be deleted.  My blog, my rules.

Back to the Basics

For the last few months, I have felt like I'm floundering, wandering aimlessly through life surrounded by chaos.  Between an MS flare-up, the drama-filled election, illness, Christmas (with illness), birthdays, and yes, more illness, the last few months have felt like a complete fog.  My daily time with the Lord has not been consistent, my parenting has not been consistent, and don't even get me started on homeschool and housework!  I've tried to start counting calories again and working out in an attempt to get back on track with my weight-loss, but that's slipped with the last go-round of sickness in the house.

SO...

Tomorrow morning I wake up with a clean slate.  I am going to wake up early and have some coffee.  Then, it will be time to start building again.  Back to the basics I go.  I have an idea of all the things I would like to do, but I'm not going to start off my clean slate by mucking it up with a long to-do list.  Nothing will get done, or at least get done right, unless I start my day off right...in the Word.  So my mission tomorrow is to do whatever I need to do to get up early and stay awake to spend some time with Him.  I have a yearly bible reading schedule that I'm currently "behind" on, but I'm not concerning myself with "catching up," but merely just getting started again.  Then, I have an online bible study my husband and I are doing together.  That's it.  Those are my absolute must-do's tomorrow.  Everything else will fall in place as long as I get those done.  My Anchor.

Humble Pie

So, I decided to participate in Amy's 3rd Annual S.H.M.I.L.Y. for 30 Days of Prayer.  I have the book The Power of a Praying Wife and have read (and prayed!) through it before.  I have been wanting to do it again, so I figured this must have been a nudge.  ;-)  Little did I know that on the very first day, God would dish me up a piece of humble pie.  I really should have known better.  The first step, after all, in praying for your husband, is praying for his wife.  :-)

I've never been perfect at the whole submission thing, although I am very passionate about biblical marriage because I have experienced first hand how things go when you do them God's way.  I have also experienced first hand how things can go when you don't do things God's way, but that's another post.  Wait, maybe not.

Seriously, though, I really do try to follow God's plan, because I REALLY like how my life is when I do!  Some days I try harder than others.  Well, lately, I'm ashamed to say, has been one of those times.  There's this one issue that I've really been "kicking against the goads" with my hubby lately.  It would already be bad enough if it was something that I "knew" he was in the wrong on (*cough*), but this is something I KNOW he's right about.  And I KNEW I was wrong for fighting the issue.  Ugh.

If you go to this post of Amy's, scroll down a little and take note of Stormie's conversation with God, the one that starts with, "Do you see the way he is, Lord?"  Yep, God used that one to get to me.  With HIS help, I was able to let go of this struggle TODAY and fall back in line with my husband's lead.  And I'll tell you something...what a relief!  I feel like a brick wall has been lifted off of my shoulders...my heart once again feels like it's in the right place.  :-)

Yes, change ME, Lord.

Becoming a Proverbs 31 Woman Part 8

She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

I had to do a little research on this one, as I was drawing blank.  There are two things I really get now about this verse.

First of all, while I have never delved into spinning before, from what I hear, it's a pretty monotonous chore.  So we get a sense here that while the Proverbs 31 woman's days are busy, that doesn't necessarily mean it's always exciting.  Sometimes the work is drudgery, yet she does it anyway because, well, someone has to do it!  Do you have one of those chores you just dread doing?  I do.  I dread ironing.  Most of the time, it piles up until I have no choice but to get it done.  Then I'll just iron as needed and it becomes a perpetual pile.  Then one day, I'll get a good burst of energy and just decide to grit my teeth and get it all done.  It feels so good and accomplished that I wonder why I let it go so long, and then I'll vow to keep up on it better.  And of course, the cycle starts all over again.  LOL!

Here's a bit of a challenge for you (and me!).  Think of one chore that you dread doing.  Next time it needs to be done, let's not look at it as a chore, but as a way to bless our families.  (Psst, blessings that no one notices are still blessings nonetheless.)  For instance, the bulk of my ironing consists of my husbands work shirts.  He works very hard and sometimes long hours, and I know it blesses him and helps him out big time to have his shirts ready to go when he needs them...without having to ask me to iron them.  When I remember that, that's usually when I get my burst of ironing energy.  But when I look at it as a dreaded chore, it breeds selfish resentment every time the pile grows, and really, what good does that do anyone?

This verse also seems to tie the passage together a bit.  Earlier, the Proverbs 31 woman sought wool and flax.  Now, she's putting it to the spindle and making something out of it.  We will see in the next verses that she has made clothing and coverings for herself and her family, and quite possibly for the poor that she stretches her hand out to.  I look at it like this: in finishing what she started, she is not only providing for her family, she is not being wasteful.  How many of us have gone out and bought things for a new project or idea, only to have those things sitting somewhere in a corner or cabinet months later?  Come on, I can't be the only one guilty of this!  ;)  This ties back to making wise financial choices.  Before you buy that knifty-knitter (a-hem) or whatever you need for your new idea, REALLY think about whether or not you're actually going to complete that project, or follow through on that new idea.

So, ladies, let's put our hands to the spindle and make sure we do what blesses our families, even if it's boring or drudgery.

Becoming a Proverbs 31 Woman Part 7

She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.

The Proverbs 31 woman knows that her merchandise is good; other bible versions I've seen say "profitable" instead of "good."  Whether she's making goods, growing food, handling financial matters, or just plain taking care of things around the household, she knows that she's giving her best.  And "her candle goeth not out by night."  Even when the sun goes down, her job is not done.  I think of us mothers today, we don't always get to have a peaceful night's sleep do we?  It was the same back in the days of the Proverbs 31 woman.  She didn't shirk her duties just because it was night time.  If something needed to be done to care for her household, she did it, no matter what the time.

Putting the kids to bed doesn't automatically mean we get to "clock out for the night."  Even if our kids are old enough to sleep through the night, sometimes they get sick in the middle of the night, or they have nightmares.  I used to LOVE my sleep, and before I had kids, I used to wonder how I would fare with my sleep being interrupted, and if I would be able to be loving enough to be comforting when that happened.  :)  I still love my sleep, but I don't wonder about being able to comfort my kids' middle-of-the-night woes...I just do it.  God is faithful to equip.  :)

For some of us, kids aren't the only things we need to tend to late in the night.  Sometimes, that is the only time I have to get done any housework that I didn't get done with the kids earlier in the day.  When you have your kids working along-side you as you clean, not as many things seem to get done.  ;)  Some women also may have an at-home job to help out with the bills that they can only work on at night after the kids are in bed.  Or they have hobbies that help bring in a little income during tough times.

There could be many reasons why wives and moms need to burn the midnight oil.  The point of this verse?  Know in your heart that your doing your best, and "do what you gotta do" to take care of your family and household.

Becoming a Proverbs 31 Woman Part 6

She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.

Proverbs 31:17

This verse, I think pretty much speaks for itself.  And I am convicted here, because it's something I need to pay more attention to.

The Proverbs 31 woman is physically strong.  She can hold her own when it comes to physical labor because of her strength.  She can take care of what needs taking care of around her household, and we can bet that she has plenty of energy to get it done, too.  Well, I know for a fact she at least has much more energy than I have as of late.

This really makes me think of one of my husband's occasional frustrations with me.  I try to keep my order of priorities straight: God first, husband second, kids third, and then everything else.  Am I perfect about it?  Absolutely not!  But, a lot of the times, I let myself fall into the "everything else" category.  With many things, that should be the case, but let's be honest, wives and mamas.  In order to take care of all those other things, we do need to be concerned about our own health.  If we are sick, or weak, or have no energy, what are we really going to be able to do for anyone else?  Are we giving our family our absolute best?

The more I look into nutrition, the more I'm convinced that we can fix so many ailments (and I'm not just talking flabby arms and fluffy tummies here) with proper diet and exercise.  I'm not going to delve into nutrition too much in this post, as that could take up way more room than I have, but if you visit my food blog, you will get an idea of the kind of diet I am reaching toward in order to help battle my Multiple Sclerosis.  Different people need different diets, so do some research and find out what's best for you.

Exercise is so important for physical health, and getting and staying strong.  I have slacked off big time from what I was doing not so long ago, and I can tell.  You can really accomplish so much more when you are in shape!  I seriously need to get back on track.

Walking has to be one of the easiest, cheapest, most convenient way to exercise.  When the weather is cooperative, the kids and I are out walking almost daily.  When it's cold and wet outside, or if I just feel like getting a bit more of an intense workout in, I'll pop in a Leslie Sansone walking video.

   

These are great workouts, especially for those who are just getting started with the whole exercise thing, but challenging enough for workout gurus who are just looking to change the routine up a bit.  Seriously, Leslie's workouts are my absolute favorites.

Of course, non-TV workouts are endlessly in abundance as well.  Once you feel yourself getting too comfortable with walking or your go-to workout, start branching out.  Even playing with the kids counts!  Here is a great resource for practical workouts that will really get you strong.  I will put a disclaimer on that last link and say that while Mark's philosophy about evolution doesn't line up with what I believe, his nutrition and exercise ideas on their own line up with what I have researched and found to be healthy.  The nutrition especially is extremely close to the MS Diet, so, despite our different underlying beliefs, I still enjoy and benefit from his blog.  :)

So, ladies, let's make sure we're taking care of our health, and that we are keeping ourselves fit, for the Kingdom and for our families!

Becoming a Proverbs 31 Woman Part 5

She considereth a field, and buyeth it; with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

Proverbs 31:16

There are many things I see in this verse.  First, the word considereth.  It doesn't say that she bought a field, it says she considered, and THEN bought a field.  This shows wisdom and careful judgment, especially in financial matters.  It shows that she did not make snap decisions...she wanted to make sure she was getting her money's worth.

How easy is it these days to take for granted the hard-earned dollar?  It seems that recently, many people are tightening their belts in the financial department...the economy sure isn't what it was a few years ago.  Yet, we are still for the most part, a throw-away society, as well as a society in debt.  Foreclosures and credit card debt are at an all-time high, yet people continue to buy what they cannot afford.  For some, the thought never crosses their mind to go without because they don't have the cash.  Then the bills come.  Then the collectors start calling, who are then made out to be the bad guys because they are trying to get someone to pay a debt they agreed to pay when they signed the credit card slip!  I won't play Miss Perfect here.  Yes we do have some debt.  But, we are paying it.  WE accrued it, it is OUR responsibility to pay it!  No one else's!  It's getting harder and harder to find people out there who are willing to take responsibility for their actions.

Anyway, I got off on a tangent I hadn't meant to, but apparently I needed to rant a little.  :)  I'm stepping off my soapbox (for now!) and getting on with the subject at hand.

The point is, we all need to show wisdom and discretion when it comes to finances.  Here in our home, hubby is almost completely in charge of finances.  Not because he's the husband, but because that's his "thing," and it's most certainly not mine.  :)  Now, that does not mean I have no affect on the finances.  I'm in charge of all the shopping in our home, among other things that can have an effect on how efficiently (or inefficiently) hubby's hard-earned money is going out the door.  Am I making wise choices at the grocery store?  Am I making *healthy* choices at the grocery store?  If I'm buying junk food, even though it's "cheap," I don't consider that a very efficient use of money.  Am I making sure we're not wasting things around the home that cost money?  Water, electricity, gas?  Am I making good use of my *hands* (there it is again!)?  Attempting to fix broken things before throwing them out and deciding we need new?  Am I being careful in my de-cluttering, making sure I'm not getting rid of anything that hubby may need/want later?  (Don't ask me how I know about that one!)  To put all of this more simply, am I considering any and all financial ramifications to my household for the actions I take (or sometimes, don't take)?

The next words in that verse that stick out to me tie in with what I mentioned above, but really deserve a separate look, too.  Back in verse 13 we talked about working with your hands, and now we have a reference to planting a vineyard.  This, too, ties in to being efficient with the finances.  Using your hands, and using your skills or acquiring new ones can save money, too.  In this verse it talks specifically of gardening, basically.  By nature, I am not a green thumb, although I am a wannabe.  :)  If you have the capabilities of growing your own food, even if it's just a few pots on your deck, give it a try!  It's a very satisfying feeling (not to mention economical) to feed your family something you grew yourself, or even together!

So remember, consider, spend wisely, and learn to use those hands!  :)

Proverbs 31 Study...FINALLY!

My first order of business in getting back to regular blogging will be to pick up the Proverbs 31 Study and see it through to completion.  I had been attempted to just drop it and move on to other things, but the Lord has really been tugging at my heart...not only to look at this passage more closely, but to finish what I started.  :)

I also have decided to pick up on scripture memorization and memorize this passage.  I'm big on reading, but I've never really taken the time to memorize, except the occasional verse here and there.  I've really felt led lately to change that, so this past week, my memorization project has been Proverbs 31:10-31.  I can't even begin to tell you how rewarding it is to have God's Word written in your heart.  Not to mention, it can get pretty addicting, and you'll want to do more.  ;)  Trust me, this one is definitely a good addiction to have.

So on Monday, I will post the next installment of "On Being a Proverbs 31 Woman."  Since I am not starting this over from the beginning, and it's been so long since my last post, I will leave you with links to my other posts about it.


On Becoming a Proverbs 31 Woman: Part 1
On Becoming a Proverbs 31 Woman: Part 1a
On Becoming a Proverbs 31 Woman: Part 2
On Becoming a Proverbs 31 Woman: Part 3
On Becoming a Proverbs 31 Woman: Part 4
Proverbs 31 Review 1

I also want to mention a point that I didn't really touch on in the beginning of this study.  I have seen at least a few women around the net practically killing themselves trying to achieve this ideal every day in their home and when they can't "get it all done," they either have breakdowns from stress, or they develop a martyr attitude toward the rest of their family.  Sound extreme?  I'm not sure how common it is, but I have read comments on other blogs that speak of it.

At first glance at the overall Proverbs 31 woman, many women (myself included!) are overwhelmed and give up before they even start because let's face it, the perfect Proverbs 31 woman seems equivalent to the ultimate Supermom!  Do not stress out if you're not doing everything the way this passage says you "should."  I daresay almost none of us are!  I believe we are to look at this passage as a vision of sorts, something definitely to strive for, but to also remember, we are not perfect and never will be this side of heaven.

Won't you join me in studying this wonderful passage of scripture?  If you have any suggestions, PLEASE let me know!

Renewed Goals: Wifely Habits

Yes, I realize it has taken me forever to get to this post.  I had a post all written up, but I was suffering from writer's block and it seemed so vague and ramble-y (if that wasn't already a word, it is now!).  So, I decided to think and pray on it a bit more and start fresh when I've been away from it for a few days.

Hmmm...wifely habits.  I'm not sure why I have such a hard time writing about this subject.  I can spend all day talking about it with a woman who is honestly seeking out my advice on the topic.  But when it comes to writing about it without any prompts, I'm never sure which direction to take.  Maybe it's because even though the Lord has given me a passion for biblical marriage, I just don't feel worthy to be actually instructing on it, you know?  While the Lord has shown me many things and has done many miracles over the last few years, I am certainly no expert.  But then again, that could be a good thing.  :)  Not to mention, the purpose of this post is not necessarily instruct, per se. But rather, to think "out loud" about goals for my part in how I want to improve my behavior in my marriage this year.  And hopefully, they will inspire anyone reading this to do the same.

While I have come a long way since the day I got married (believe me, I was a young and immature bride!), there is still so much for me to learn and so much more room for improvement!  I kept writing, deleting, and re-writing different goals I had wanted to focus on, but as I think and pray on this, I simply come to the model of the Proverbs 31 woman.  I certainly won't bore you with starting the study over from the beginning, but my goal this year is to shore up those character traits that I've already covered here on this blog, and then continue with the study to the finish.  I know I can never perfectly BE the Proverbs 31 wife.  But, I want to memorize that section, have it written on my heart and meditate on it, and use it as a springboard for my goals.

¹⁰Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

 ¹¹The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

 ¹²She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

 ¹³She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

 ¹⁴She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.

 ¹⁵She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.

 ¹⁶She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

 ¹⁷She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.

 ¹⁸She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.

 ¹⁹She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

 ²⁰She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

 ²¹She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

 ²²She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.

 ²³Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.

 ²⁴She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.

 ²⁵Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

 ²⁶She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

 ²⁷She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

 ²⁸Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

 ²⁹Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

 ³⁰Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.

 ³¹Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.  ~Proverbs 31:10-31

I can sit here and write goals all day, but in the end, I know that God knows best, and it's in His word that I find exactly what I need.

Renewed Goals: Godly and Bible Habits

This first goal really needs to be dealt with by getting my heart, mind, and body aligned to the right priorities.  The very first thing I need to do each day to make sure things go right (and to make sure I'm truly ready when things go wrong), is to make sure that line of communication is open between me and God.  Of course, on His end, He is ALWAYS ready, but there are days when *I* forget to turn to Him, especially before I react.  And, those are the days when I didn't get up early or just plain "didn't have time" to just start out spending time alone with Him...talking with Him...and most important of all, LISTENING to Him.  And my excuse for those days?  I couldn't concentrate because the kids were distracting me.

But, let's get to the real heart of the issue here.  WHY were the kids distracting me?  Because that's what kids do, especially when they first get up in the morning and there is so much activity.  Did I know about this?  Yes.  Do I do anything about it?  I try, and I've had some good stretches in the past.  But, let's face it.  With all the sickness we've had in our household over the last couple of months, and then all the holiday chaos taking over after that (complete with some time off from homeschooling), trying to sleep in has become the norm lately.  And it has been showing, not only in where my heart is a lot of the time, but also in the behavior of my kids.  So, it's time to re-purpose to work on my morning wake-up time.

Now, in a way, this is going to go against my wanting to NOT go into things full-hilt.  But, there are just some things that are not an option.  I always say I'm "working on it," which leaves room for the option of just plain not doing it because I don't feel like it.  So, this is one of those things that I need not say "I will work on it," but rather, "I'm going to DO it."  From past experience, I know getting up in the morning with sufficient time before the kids get up is not something that I can "work towards."  Don't get me wrong, there ARE times where I need this option...this just isn't one of those times.

So, 6:00 AM.  That's it!  It's not a "goal," where I'm going to set my alarm clock 15 minutes earlier until I reach it, that's just when I am going to get up from now on.  Some people need to work toward it gradually, but I have learned that I can't do that because I will never get there!  ;)  Now, once I'm at it for awhile, I can always change it to an earlier time if I feel like I need to (for instance, if I'm barely making noise but the kids are still getting up 10 minutes after me...ask me how I got that idea...wait, don't).  And, of course, I WILL be going from a very simple morning routine at the start to adding things as I get used to it.  But, 6:00 is my desired wake up time, so that's when I'm going to wake up at the get-go.  No, I will NOT like it at first, and it WILL be tough, but as long as I'm sticking to it, my bed time will automatically adjust and before I know it, it will become second nature.  :)

Okay, ALL that build up, and then, here comes my teeny, tiny morning routine to start out with:
Wake up
Get dressed (because I know from experience, reading in bed usually ends with me waking up later using the book as a pillow LOL!)
Daily bible reading for about 30-60 minutes
Get the kids up and started on their chores
Breakfast

Tomorrow is not going to be pretty, but hopefully by the end of the week, I'll be used to it and ready to tackle the next things.  :)

Getting back in shape!

Even with year-round homeschooling, a lot of the structure I had previously established has fallen to the wayside in these late summer months.  And I am definitely beginning to feel the effects.  So, in the next few days, I will be working on getting back into shape, and I'm not just talking physically.  Three main things I want to focus on getting into shape are myself (both spiritually and physically), my family, and my home.

I had a good thing going with weight-loss, but that has come to a standstill as of late, and I fear that if I don't get active regularly again very soon, things may take a turn in a direction I'm not willing to go again.  I am really feeling the effects of my lack of activity lately, and I know I need to make being active a top priority right now.  Because if I'm not feeling good physically, it will do me no good to attempt the other things I want to do.  So first and foremost, I will be working on stricter menu plans that are healthy for myself and my family.  Coming in an extremely close second, will be making sure I have time carved out every day for getting a workout in, as well as making sure I get the kids out for a daily walk as long as it's nice outside.

The other aspect of getting myself into shape (and the most important one!) is making sure I am in the Word every day.  I finished reading through the bible a couple of weeks ago, and have decided to start a chronological bible reading plan this go around that I found here.  I've been reading every night before I turn in, so that aspect has been going well.  Now, I just want to make sure that I'm reading daily, and then I will hopefully be able to increase the time I spend doing that.  The one thing that I'm really working on is LISTENING, and not just reading.  I hate to admit it, but sometimes I get so caught up in reading a certain amount every day, that I forget to really absorb what God is trying to say to me.  So I am really praying that the Lord will give me a calm and peaceful heart, and a quiet mind, so that I can hear Him.  :)

As for getting the family into shape, I have a wonderful relationship with my husband...but I really want to make sure I'm reinforcing that, and I plan to pick up the Proverbs 31 study again very soon.  I have a pretty good relationship with my kids, too, but I am really working on my patience (or more like, God is working on it!) and having a meek and quiet spirit.  I really need to learn to "stop and smell the roses," so to speak...to just slow down and enjoy the time God has given me with these precious blessings, and teach them to enjoy and serve each other, as well!

As far as the house goes, I'm really split on how high up on the priority list I want to put it.  Right now, because of the de-cluttering and the fact that our yard sale has gotten postponed until a couple of weeks from now, certain areas of the house are a disaster.  The laundry room has become our "holding area" for yard sale things, and it's really decreased the functionality of that room.  This is one of those areas that comes around full circle back to working on me, because I really have a hard time functioning with a lot of clutter around.  So, I think I will pray that God will either help me to let go of that mental block or give me the energy to get it done without taking time away from the other priorities.  ;)

This post was basically me thinking and planning "out loud."  I also am hoping to put together a list of blog topics and blogging schedule soon, so that I have a more regular stream of posts here.  So, stay tuned and join me on my journey to get back into shape!

Proverbs 31 Review 1

¹¹The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
¹²She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
¹³She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
¹⁴She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
¹⁵She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
Proverbs 31:11-15

The above verses are the characteristics of the Proverbs 31 woman that I have covered so far. Before I move on, I wanted to make sure I've got these down. :) I see one area in particular I've improved greatly in, and that's verse 14. With a little help, of course. Things have been so busy around here lately, I decided to subscribe to Saving Dinner, a menu service I have used before that my family has been very happy with. It has been working swimmingly! In the last month and a half, the only times we've gone out to eat is when we've *wanted* to, as a treat. The meals from these menus are always healthy (they use a ton of fresh produce, and they have kosher options for those of us who don't eat pork or shrimp), and our grocery spending has not changed from before. Plus the meals are GOOD! There was only one I can remember that no one really liked, and that was the next day as leftovers, it was good right after I made it. :) Oh, and they're usually easy to make, and they don't use foods that are too "convenience-y," either. Needless to say, the hubby has been pretty happy with how our meals have been going around here lately, and that's a big praise!

Now, I also see an area I still really need to work on, and that's verse 15. It is *hard* implementing a new sleep schedule! I really need to make this my top priority, as it really sets the whole tone for our day. I'm going to make a point tomorrow of getting the kids to bed on time and then taking a nap and setting the alarm for about 10 minutes before hubby gets home. That way, I can still get some rest, but hubby's not coming home to a drowsy-looking wife, either. :P

So, my Proverbs 31 "project" for this week will be working on a better sleep schedule. Next week, I will move on in the study.

Lisa

On Becoming a Proverbs 31 Woman Part 4

She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. Proverbs 31:15

Yikes, this is one I seriously need to work on! It is very rare that I'm up before everyone else, and this is something I want to change. The problem in our house is, is that the kids go to bed way before hubby and I do, because of hubby's work schedule. He gets home late, so I usually end up staying up until he goes to bed. We both hated it back when I was working, and I had to always be in bed before he got home from work. What I need to do is take a nap between the time the kids go to bed and the time he gets home. I think now, especially with cutting out my computer time, this will be entirely possible. I'm not usually tempted by housework that late, either. ;)

I love how the Proverbs 31 woman makes sure everyone is fed, including her servants. Now, I know that most of us these days don't have servants like people did back then, but, I do like to consider servants those appliances that make my job easier. :) Such as my washer, dryer, dishwasher, coffee pot, oven/stove etc. So my goal is to make sure I'm up early, preferably before everyone else, and get my servants "fed" and going. If I can do that, a lot of my basic housework will be in progress. Then I will sit down and spend some time in the Word. This is another thing I know I've been missing. I will usually read my bible at night before bed, which I love doing, but I also want to be giving God the very first part of my day as well. I've said it before, and I stick to it, that when I make sure I am in the Word right away in the morning, my day ALWAYS goes better. Then, once I've spent time with my Lord, I can get the kids up and get them breakfast. Because of hubby's work schedule, he prefers to sleep in, so the kids and I will get our day started while he does that. ;) That way, he can wake up to a house that's in order, and a wife and kids who have had a good breakfast and are in good spirits. :)

My goal is to start this coming Monday. So on Sunday, I will make sure I am getting enough sleep so that on Monday, I can "riseth while it is yet night," and give God and my family the best part of my day.

Lisa

Proverbs 31 Offshoot 1

And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. 1 Timothy 5:13

Today I posted on facebook that as of Friday morning, my account would be disabled. Why? I was reading in Created to Be His Helpmeet last night and was convicted. A section having to do with the above verse caught my attention and really convicted me. I may be at home, but by means of the internet, and especially facebook, I had been "wandering about from house to house" and using facebook "breaks" as a means to be a busybody. It had been taking up more and more of my time lately, and preventing me from being a good keeper of my home, mother to my children, and wife to my husband. And the most heartbreaking of all, the enemy had been using it to put more and more distance between myself and my Lord...and I was letting him do it. I was not really aware of it at the time, but still, I let him do it.

So, at that moment, I decided I was going to disable my account on facebook. And you know what? The Lord has already given me incredible peace about this and even excitement and relief. I will miss "being in the loop," but at the same time, it will be a relief not feeling "obligated" to keep up on things, and instead focus more on what I need to be doing in my OWN home. Yes, at the moment, my home is clean and the kids are behaving fairly well...but ever since I started getting more and more involved on facebook, things have ever so slowly been deteriorating around here. More and more I have felt myself struggle to do even the simple tasks I am supposed to be doing. More and more, I have felt myself become annoyed at being "bothered." Oy! Luckily, the Lord spoke to me and I responded before there were too many pieces to pick up, but there are, nonetheless, pieces to pick up. I almost feel like I have to start our routines all over again, and that is going to be HARD, but with the Lord's help, I will do it!

I am still keeping up my blog (I've been loving doing the Proverbs 31 study!), but my going around "visiting house to house" via *reading* blogs is going to be considerably lessened, if not stopped at least for a little while. I've noticed even that stresses me at times with thoughts of, "I wonder if I should be doing it that way, or that way, or that way..." which I have touched on before and have already significantly reduced the number of blogs I read. I have gone through my reader, and I now only have a select few blogs that I will keep on there. From my internet de-clutter before, I still only have one message board that I belong to, and have not joined any more, nor WILL I be joining anymore.

Ladies, PLEASE be careful out there. I strongly encourage you to not only *think* about the time you spend on the internet and how it affects your duties at home, but also to PRAY about it, and listen to what God is telling you! It is so convenient and easy (just a mouse click away!) to slip into the cares and worries of this world and let it take you away from what you are supposed to be doing. Let me leave you with another verse that is good to think on.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:8

Lisa

On Becoming a Proverbs 31 Woman Part 3

She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
Proverbs 31:14

This verse didn't really click for me at first, so I did a little research. Here are a few good links I found:
Be Like Merchant Ships
The Proverbs 31 Woman
This is something I am constantly working on, and yes, even struggling with at times. Like I have stated before, making sure I have meals made instead of going out is a big deal around here, and a lot of times I have the very good excuse, "I just don't always have time." As I said, it's a very good excuse with everything else going on, between homeschooling, housework, and just plain spending time and being there for my family. Nonetheless, it is still an EXCUSE that I need to put a stop to. I need to manage my time better so as to *make* time to make good meals. Now, there are times when there's just nothing you can do about the schedule for a particular day, but if those times are not VERY rare, you are trying to do too much. Take some time to re-focus on your priorities and get rid of everything else. Even in those rare times when you may not have time to make dinner, there's no reason you can't be prepared with something perhaps you've made ahead of time and stuck in the freezer. For us, even having a simple soup and sandwich night is better than going out and buying fast food...it's just not worth the money!

So, I will leave you with the above links to read. There's a lot of good info in them and they have inspired me, and hopefully will do the same for you. :)

Lisa

On Becoming a Proverbs 31 Woman Part 2

She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
Proverbs 31:13

Okay, next in my journey, we come to verse 13. It talks about the Proverbs 31 woman working willingly with her hands. I take this to mean her hands are used for the good of her household.

How am I working on applying this verse into my own life? Well, this verse has inspired me to learn new things in the way of homemaking, to be able to do things as efficiently as possible while being as economical as possible. For instance, I have, and am still learning, to cook and bake from scratch. As I said in a previous post, meals are a big deal to my husband, so they are a big deal in our home. I am educating myself on nutrition and how to prepare things from scratch. Now I'm at the point where I cringe if I have to make something out of a box. I'm still not nearly as far along in this journey as many women, but I have come a long way from where I used to be.

I have also taught myself how to knit. I'm pretty slow at it still, but with more practice I will get better. :) That opens up a whole new world with what I need to buy versus what I can make. Same with sewing. I am a very amateur sewer, but I am working toward a goal to get to the point where I can make many of our needs in that department.

My ultimate goal is also to be able to take care of basic things without having to bother my hubby about them. Some ideas on what you can simply teach yourself are basic plumbing, basic home repair, etc. I don't believe in the "honey-do" list anymore (oh, trust me, I used to be all for it!). If there's something that *I* feel needs to be done and it's simple enough, I will try and learn how to do it myself. If for some reason I can't do that, or if it's something my husband prefers that he does instead of me, I will simply let him know what's going on and leave it at that. There are times when I catch myself nagging, so I do need to work on that a little. ;)

So, in conclusion, take a look at those wonderful hands God gave you, and think about how He wants you to use them in regards to your home. Speaking for myself, I know He made them to be able to handle a lot more than what I'm doing right now. So this week, let's work on finding ways to use our hands more around our homes, to better our homes, and to glorify God!

Lisa

On Becoming a Proverbs 31 Woman Part 1a

The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
~Proverbs 31:11 KJV

I thought I was done working on this point, but as it turns out, I wasn't. One thing I didn't really touch on is, when your husband's out at work, can he trust you to keep his castle running smoothly? As far as housework goes, my husband could really care less about how the house looks (although, as a side note, he said he *does* notice a better overall feeling when the house is clean ;) ). But there are two things that are a big deal for him: meals, and having a shirt pressed and ready every work day. And, ironically, when I'm in a motivational slump, those are the two things I slack on the most.

Right now, we are at a major turn with our finances (for the good!). My husband has never liked going out much for meals, but especially now when we're at this point. It adds to his stress when he has to dig up himself a lunch for work or when he has to think about going out and spending money at the local fast food joint. It's a big pet peeve for him when I'm not on top of meals around here. So, I need to make sure that he can trust in the fact that he will always have good meals not only at home, but also that he will have a good meal packed and ready for work.

Also, my husband does work a lot, and he has a pretty high-stress job. It is not mandatory for his job, but he will not wear non-pressed shirts to work...it's just part of his work ethic that his uniforms are always clean and pressed. I feel bad when I get behind on the ironing to the point where he has to ask me to do it. And I know it adds a little stress to him to *have* to ask me.

My husband works hard in order for me to stay home and take care of our house and family. He gets enough stress from his job, without having to worry about whether or not I'm doing mine. My philosophy is to try and make things as easy on him as possible once he punches out at work. If there's something around the house that I can do, I need to be taking care of it, and not putting it off until he has to say something.

Find whatever it takes to motivate yourself to get things done. Sometimes for me, it's as simple as making sure I'm taking my MS medication when I'm supposed to. I have noticed that if I skip a day or two, my motivation to do my job takes a pretty steep dive and my cognitive skills dip, too (aka, I turn into an airhead ;) ). Some days I need to pray more and ask God for motivation. Then I remember that every little thing I do for my husband, kids, and home gives God glory. That is a huge motivating factor right there! Another good motivator is to just work on being thankful...for EVERYthing. Even if you have to make a conscious, forced effort at first, it WILL come naturally if you just practice being thankful ALL the time!

So, tonight I'm off to iron, and hopefully by tomorrow, I will have a menu plan done for the rest of this week and next. I do plan to post my menus here, so stay tuned for that! :)

Lisa

On Becoming a Proverbs 31 Woman Part 1

¹⁰Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
¹¹The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
¹²She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.
¹³She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.
¹⁴She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
¹⁵She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
¹⁶She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
¹⁷She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.
¹⁸She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.
¹⁹She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.
²⁰She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
²¹She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
²²She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.
²³Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.
²⁴She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
²⁵Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
²⁶She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
²⁷She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.
²⁸Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
²⁹Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.
³⁰Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
³¹Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.
Proverbs 31:10-31 (KJV)

It has been on my heart for awhile to do some sort of a series on the Proverbs 31 woman. I am a long way from these standards, to be sure, but I think God put this (among many other things) in scripture to kind of give a vision to us wives and mothers on what our life should look like. While I realize this is not a checklist, I would like to go through the various characteristics of this ideal as I work on becoming the woman God wants me to be. I don't want to say I will focus on one per week, because there may be some things I want/need to focus on, or touch on more, or maybe even less. For now, let's just say I will be working on one characteristic at a time. :) Feel free to join me and comment/discuss your experiences!

The first characteristic in the Proverbs 31 woman is found in verses 11-12.
"The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life."

Ah, I have such a long way to go in this, but this is so much easier for me than it used to be. I believe these 2 verses are a good summary of all God wants us to be in regards of being a wife. This covers so many areas! It all comes down to, can your husband fully trust you to do him good and not evil, ALWAYS? Not only on the surface, but in your heart and attitude as well? When he's not around, are you STILL doing him good and not evil? Are you making sure you are careful what you talk about to others? HOW you talk about your husband to others? If you have issues with the way he's doing things, are you making sure to not only go to HIM (instead of friends or family) about it, but also going to him *respectfully*? Are you honoring and reverencing your husband the way God wants us to be? Are you *bringing* him honor? One thing I used to be in a bad habit of (mostly before I was saved), was joining in on the poking fun of him with family and friends. Not behind his back, but when he was there, and he was good-natured about it. BUT, it was usually putting him into the category of what most of society thinks of men today, and looking back it was just not cool. Even if he wasn't directly hurt by it, here's the deal. Since we've been saved, my husband has told me numerous times that next to God, MY opinion of him is the only one that counts as far as he is concerned. Us wives have so much influence on how our husbands view themselves. When we were married, we became one flesh...that is a huge thing! One is truly affected by pretty much everything the other does. If I keep poking fun at my husband's very character, even if it IS just in fun, that is still going to eventually wear on his confidence, especially his confidence in what kind of a husband and father he is.

Does this mean we cannot have any disagreements? Of course it doesn't! It just means that when we do, we bring it up respectfully and *submissively*. Ooooh, now THERE'S a word that's controversial to utter, isn't it? I may touch more on submission this week, since I think that's a big part of of the kind of wife the Proverbs 31 woman is, but for now I will continue with our husbands trusting in their wives.

Ephesians 5:33 says, "Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband."

God knows what each of us needs! He commands husbands to *love* their wives, and he commands wives to *reverence* their husbands. Yes, we both need love and respect, but in the relationship structure men NEED respect like women NEED love. Giving your husband respect IS showing him love! If you don't respect your husband, anything else you do to try to "show" him love will mean absolutely nothing to him.

I almsot feel like this was a rambling post, but I'm going to leave it. :) As I said earlier this characteristic covers such broad area in regards to being a wife to your husband, and I'd never be able to cover everything. I just thought I'd share what personal experiences stick out in my mind, and what's on my heart. As I said, feel free to comment and start a discussion, or just share your thoughts. As a forewarning, any disrespectful comments will be deleted. I do have a family and a home to take care of, so I don't have time to debate something that's already set in stone for me and for many others, as I'm sure they'd agree. Respectful discussion is fine, but this is MY blog, and if I deem something to be disrespectful, it WILL be deleted.

And speaking of taking care of family, my youngest is clearly ready for bed. ;)

Lisa

S.H.M.I.L.Y. 30 Days of Prayer for our Husbands

Amy over at Dandelion Seeds has organized a group over at Facebook for using "The Power of a Praying Wife" to pray for our husbands during the month of June. She already has over 600 wives committed to praying for their husbands, including me. :) Won't you join us?

Lisa