proverbs 31:16--off the track of my normal study

Proverbs 31:16
She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

Christianity does not teach women to be ignorant homebodies. The virtuous woman worked outside the home. She first provided for her husband and children (31:10-12,27-28). She knew "keepers at home" (Tit 2:5) condemned any idleness and sinful habits of foolish women; it did not mean staying home all day (I Tim 5:13-14). She put the LORD first, her husband second, family third, and businesses fourth. Her husband and children will praise her, not for being home all day, but for helping build the family estate.

Just when I begin to think evereything is black & white, here comes the grey! Black & white: if you are a mother, then you should stay home w/your children if at all possible. Grey: Proverbs 31:16. God is not the author of confusion, so I must be letting the author of confusion enter my thoughts periodically. Cure? Read the bible MORE! Pray MORE! Study MORE! Judge LESS! Assume NOTHING! Presume NOTHING! Got to sleep earlier! :)

Proverbs 2:17-study among sisters in Christ

9/5/08
http://www.letgodbetrue.com/proverbs/proverbs.php?chapter=2

Proverbs 2:17
Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.

Again, as in my last post regarding this subject, I would have to say I am pretty confident this is not an area I have trouble with, or that my husband needs to worry about. That said, I do have a couple of funny stories that might make me rethink how "virtuous" I think I really am.

Story #1
I live 1 minute from where I spent most of my school days. My high school boyfriend, Troy, lives on the street I grew up on, maybe 2 minutes away. We probably shop at the same grocery stores and eat at the same places. That is what I dread! I haven't seen him since 2001....maybe. A couple of weeks ago I went to the store at dark, as gross as one could be. And I prayed I wouldn't run into anyone I knew. Well, I am 99% sure that as I was pulling into the parking lot that I took his parking place. Yes, my ex's. Of course I didn't say anything or make a scene. I might have if I was 50 pounds lighter or he looked fat and bald...but since that wasn't the case, I stayed quiet. I went in, did my brief shopping, left the store, and drove by his house a couple of times to see if it was his car that I had seen at the store. Border-line stalker, right? I just HAD to know if that was him. I did not get a confirmation, the car I was trying to see was parked in the alley and their were 2 people unloading what looked like groceries. Hmmmmm By the way, Matt knows all of this.

Story #2
I don't have very many dreams that I know of or remember. However, the other night I had what seemed like a LONG dream about being at work (a chef in a kitchen somewhere). My ex-fiance, Charles, was working there also, and wanted to get back together with me. Through most of the dream's events, I just kept thinking, who do I want to be with more, Charles or Troy? At what seemed to be the end of the dream I finally had a revelation....Heeelllooooo, I'm married!

There was no choosing between those 2 because I already have the one who was chosen for me. A man that I rarely think of or regard as a gift. And yet, that is what he is. He goes to work every day to provide for his family, works physically very hard (he thinks he broke his big toe today), and supports my staying at home with our kids. He is a believer, lover, and follower of God.

Dear heavenly Father, please help me to remember the gift you gave me in Matt nearly 10 years ago. Soften my heart towards him. Help me be his help-mate and not his nagging deterrent. Help me to only have & remember dreams about him and no other man. Help me to not be curious about any other man's situation regardless of how silly I think it is. Help me to only care what I look like for my husbands eyes. Please continue to guide my sisters through this study with me. Amen

Proverbs 2:16--study among sisters in Christ

9/3/08
http://www.letgodbetrue.com/proverbs/proverbs.php?chapter=2

Proverbs 2:16
To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;

The daughters of God must learn to modestly cover their beauty, limit their eye contact, and limit friendly speech with other men. If you do not, you are kindling a fire that will destroy your own soul and home and those of others as well. Dear reader, may God give you grace and strength to be faithful to Him and your spouse this day; for remember that Jesus Christ used the example of a strange woman with harlot daughters as the picture of the apostate Roman church, who left Him for pagan ritualism.

Altho I don't believe I am like the woman described in this verse (and subsequent verses), it still gives me pause to examine my life and my actions. I do not believe my husband has anything to worry about as far as me being the temptress. I just pray that there aren't any other women out there ready to take my husband on as a challenge. I probably couldn't compete in most aspects of a "challenge." And yet the very thing that should be my best virtue, my faith in God that translates into a relationship that glorifies God, isn't. Hmmm, sounds like a good time to pray.....

Dear heavenly Father, not only do I not deserve a faithful, loving, husband (due to my own short-comings and the simple fact that I only DESERVE hell,) I do not deserve You. Because of Your faithfulness, grace, and mercy, I ask that You help me be his only challenge, and worth the challenge. Soften and open my heart, tie my tongue and close my lips, and open my ears and my arms. Please strengthen the marriage relationships in my sisters lives as well. Amen

Proverbs 2:15--study among sisters in Christ

9/1/08
http://www.letgodbetrue.com/proverbs/proverbs.php?chapter=2

Proverbs 2:15
Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:

Reader, are you as different from the world as you should be? There should not even be a resemblance! How do we do this? By wisdom, knowledge, discretion, and understanding (2:10-11)! Where do we find such precious things? In the Word of God, of course! We esteem God's precepts right on all subjects, and we hate every false way (Ps 119:128). There is no shortcut; and there is no cheating. The only wisdom on earth is in the Bible (Is 8:20)!

The only wisdom on earth is in the Bible! All those wasted years in public school, being made to read lots of books on many subjects to make me wiser! And I only needed 1 book! :) All joking aside, my first statement makes me elated and burdened with sadness. Elated because I know all the Truth I will ever need to know and live by is in 1 Book. And burdened with sadness because I know all the Truth I will ever need to know and live by is in 1 Book. THE Book. His book. His Truth. His Words. Just 1 Book! And yet sometimes I can hardly make time to get through reading 1 chapter and studying 1 verse every other day. Who am I kidding? What am I waiting for? Brokenness? Tragedy? A special engraved invitation? Who am I to presume another day?

Dear Lord God Almighty, who am I? A scared, fearful, sad excuse of a servant? I do not want to be a disappointment. I want to serve, and yet am fearful of what I am saying. Help me not to be fearful of what I can do to glorify You. Help my sisters to look to You for all things. Amen

Proverbs 2:14--study among sisters in Christ

8/31/08
http://www.letgodbetrue.com/proverbs/proverbs.php?chapter=2

Proverbs 2:14
Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked;

Our generation flatters wicked men. Sin is no longer a horrible thing with consequences. It is good material for comedies and jokes. But only fools mock at sin (10:23; 14:9). They love sin! And they love watching others sin, even heinously! Think Hollywood!

We sort of just touched on this idea in Sunday school, that the word "sin" has lost its punch. We have used it and abused it and ignored it for so long, that we no longer fear the consequences. Oh what a wicked way we walk! We had a homework question that had us look up several passages in the bible and write down the words used to describe sin. Then we were to use those words in place of the word sin in a sentence regarding how we pray for forgiveness. For me, it revealed the extent unto which I sin and the how much I need grace and mercy. I am embarrassed that my head knows to choose God but the black desires of my heart all to often make the final decisions. I do not rejoice to do evil, it makes me sick and sad. I do not rejoice in the sin of others, it makes my heart break. And yet, every day I choose to not only act unlovingly towards my husband, but to make sure he acts the same way to me. That doesn't sound like someone who doesn't rejoice in evil or doesn't delight in the evil-doings of others. Hmmmmmm Time to pray?

Dear heavenly Father, please give me a hearts desire for You. So that You can be glorifid in all that I do. So that I can have the biblical relationship with my husband that You desire. I ask You to not only strengthen my marriage, but increase the love in the marriages of my sisters in Christ. Amen

The Day Before Labor Day

We went out to Dresden to visit a long-time friend of Matt's. Here, Matt is trying to play football while Austin is carrying around 1 of the 4 outside house cats, Chubacca (yes, as in Star Wars).





Austin is such a big boy! He loves that thing. He had ridden it one other time when Matt had gone out for a visit a month ago.





Isn't this the cutest pic ever! I turned my back on him for 1 minute, and when I looked back, this kitten, Chubacca, had jumped into his lap. It was sooo cute and funny to watch him. That same kitten had jumped into our van when we first arrived, and later jumped back into Justin's lap as he slept.


Austin w/Chubacca.

Labor Day Fun in the Sun

The Steven's & May's were over for an impromptu cookout (Someone needs to speak to the resident chef about burning the grilled food! can someone buy her a cooking lesson or two?). As you can see, only the kids played in the water, but did they ever have a blast!


We do have indoor plumbing, but we like to provide something outdoors for wet and I-need-to-go-potty youngsters. Won't he be thrilled to see this pic as a teenager! Does he look under 2.5 years old to you?




Poor kid thought he was safe, keeping his head down, minding his own business, pulling out the grass,....and then....







....in he went!