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!

Proverbs 2:13, study among sisters in Christ

8/29/08
http://www.letgodbetrue.com/proverbs/proverbs.php?chapter=2

Proverbs 2:13
Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;


Backsliders are a grave danger! Carnal Christians are a threat to your soul! Evil men do not stay in the way of righteousness, even when taught well. They soon compromise what they were taught in order to pursue sin (2:12-15). The purpose of wisdom, knowledge, discretion, and understanding is to save you from such wicked compromisers (2:10-17).

I can see how "backsliders" could be more of a danger to "soft" christians than your average every day unbeliever. As a christian, "soft" or well-versed, an unbeliever is usually easy to spot and easy to avoid or engage in religious conversations. However, a "backslider" may only be easy to spot because you know them personally and they aren't usually receptive to any religious anythings! Sadly, my husband is experiencing this first hand with his brother, who he credits for helping to plant the seeds of knowledge and truth in his life. Since those seeds were planted and took root in my husbands life, his brother (who used to teach Sunday school in a baptist church), has gone through adultery, divorce, leaving the church, partying, marriage to an unbeliever, more adultery, and facing another divorce. We tried to have a very candid conversation with him before his first divorce, and it fell on deaf ears. Matt takes every opportunity to talk with him about his "backsliding," but those are few and far between. We don't pray for him enough!

Altho this passage brought the above incident to mind immediately, it isn't the only thing that came to mind. I also thought about people like me who are professing believer's, go to church regularly, who are involved in church, who are very hungry to hear the word of God preached every Sunday (by a fantastic pastor and man of God), who know their transgressions like the back of their hand, and who still choose sin over God regularly. AND THEN there are the same types of professing believer's who fit all of the same above mentioned descriptions, but DON"T know their transgressions quite so intimately. Whether its because they aren't being convicted by them or because they have excuses for them, either way, its still sin. So, my point is this...we are all going to be judged for the sin in our lives. The bible makes it clear that there are those that will be judged more harshly: "backsliders" and shepherds who lead their flocks astray, to name a couple. How harshly am I going to be judged for knowing the truth and rejecting it daily? I don't know, and I can't even begin to imagine. But I know this, I will face Him, I will fall on my face in front of Him, and I will be with Him forever. Whatever I have to face will be worth the gift He has promised me. So, knowing that, I need to pray every day for the strength to choose Him first in my life, and only in my life. For there is no room for any other choice, and He won't share the spotlight. Thank God!!!

Dear heavenly Father, please help me to allow Your rule over my life. Please do the same for my sisters. Amen.

Proverbs 2:12--study among sisters in Christ

8/27/08
http://www.letgodbetrue.com/proverbs/proverbs.php?chapter=2

Proverbs 2:12
To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;

Wisdom, knowledge, discretion, and understanding provide the precious ability to identify evil men and avoid them. Knowing the way of truth clearly and the danger of friendship with fools, a wise man is saved from their destructive lifestyle and efforts at seduction. These evil men often expose themselves by a froward, or perverse, mouth.

I am torn on how to respond to this. I want to say that I do pray, and will continue to pray, for the wisdom and knowledge that will bring me understanding and discretion so as to avoid evil men. However, I feel like a hypocrite because I often feel like the evil man others should be avoiding. Tonight at church I joked with a couple about not looking so lovey-dovey in front of those of us who don't get along so well. Altho it was a joke, it certainly wasn't very uplifting or edifying or appropriate. So, to the couple I made the joke to, to a friend of mine who heard it, and to my husband...I am sorry and I will try to work on my attitude.

Dear Lord, deliver me! Deliver me from sin, deliver me from myself, deliver me from the evil ways of men, deliver me into Your grace-filled hands...as only You can. Humble me, break me, use me. Help me to help others. I do not want to sound like a hypocrite, or live like one. Please give me the desire and the ability to change my sinful ways. Please give my sisters in Christ the time they need to spend with You. Amen

What a day!

We, my 2 kids and Karen Stevens and 3 of her kids, started today at the zoo. It was a GORGEOUS day! We ran into Brooke, Shelli, and Karter Gage and Ryan Travis (all church family members) at the train. After riding the train (it was a first for Timothy Steven's),











playing at the playground,

and eating some lunch, we ran into the Gage/Travis group once again outside of the manatee exhibit. After a brief conversation, one disobedient child (that would be Austin) walked into an area where he didn't belong and got caught in a burr patch. So, me being the compassionate mom that I am (and I didn't know he was in burrs as he was whining and beginning to cry), told him
to just pull himself out of it.

Thankfully Shelli goes to a family farm often and knew he couldn't get himself out, so she rescued him. It took 3 of us to pick the burrs off of his clothes and shoes (Karter was nice enough to pick the ones off of me that Austin managed to share). However, I spent the next 1/2 hour in the bathroom with him, wetting his hair w/water first and then lots and lots and lots of foamy hand soap (thank you Brooke and Shelli for the idea), coaxing out each and every individual burr. THANK YOU Karen for watching all the kids, which included to 8 month olds, and having to watch the manatee movie at least 7X!


















After riding the carousel (which was the first for all 3 of Karen's kids),
















































we all went back to my house. The kids played in the baby pool for a bit,

we ordered pizza for dinner, Austin peed through 4 shorts and underwear outfits and spent the rest of the night in his room. Whew!

Grandma and her VERY happy grandson Justin

While we were all sitting around the dinner table listening to daddy talk about his job interview, Justin was more interested in kicking the table and smiling for the camera.