Tag Archives: community

Following in Faith

Past vs. Present

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I admit it, I’m a bible thumper.  I enjoy being in church and when we travel I miss fellowship with those who are dear to my heart, my church family.  I enjoy learning about the history of the gospel, the truth of God’s Word and the approach of which we should all be living out our lives if we are truly sheep of His flock.  I am continually held accountable through conviction of my own sins and am blessed by the knowledge that I will never be perfected in Christ until my redemption through death.

I remember the day I sought out His will for my life and that of my unborn child.  The day I wept in prayer seeking forgiveness for a life spent looking for happiness and “fun”.  Oh, it has been a journey and sanctification can be long and sometimes difficult.  Attending a world wide bible study with over 17 denominations, yes there are many, I learned about reading the bible and how to study scripture.  I learned about how to be a wife and a mother as God intends, a friend, a servant and a daughter to an almighty sovereign Father.  I learned about forgiveness and the blessings that follow and learned about the toll bitterness can take on one who does not seek it.   I have been encouraged in times of trouble, I have been comforted in times of darkness, and I have listened hearing words spoken that I had not before understood.  I remember feeling as Saul must have felt when the scales were removed from his eyes and he became a servant.  I felt as if I had been blind and was finally seeing colors and shapes as they had never been seen.  Things have over the years become clearer and the journey has not been easy.  Taking me from being a nominal christian in the worship of several different denominational churches where my stirring heart to hear truth in a way I could not explain was not satisfied, to the community of which I call home.  A community of like minded believers that see things as I see them.  Where truth comes from God’s most holy word, through teaching that is scripturally sound and thoroughly studied.  Christ has led this sinful mind, body and soul to a place of humbling grace surrounded with unconditional love and forgiveness.  I praise God that I have been led out of darkness and into the light.  I praise Him for His continued watchful eye over my family, grabbing hold the hearts of my husband and children so that generations will share in His kingdoms glory, serving Him together for an eternity.

As we sat in church this morning, I once again felt that society needs to hear truth.   Truth spoken from a pulpit that does not focus on “bringing in the numbers” by pleasing the people, yet a pulpit that seeks to honor the Father on His day with truth from His own book.  Do people really understand why we have the family platform we have?  Do they understand that it was not a man made concept that just took off in tradition?  How many people understand that the bible is the most widely read book in the world?  What is taught on Sundays and any other day of the week for God’s faithful should not just be left at the door step of the building as they leave, it should be carried through out their week and taken seriously.  Hell is real.  Heaven is real!  (And no, I do not watch movies that try to tell me it is, I know it because I read it in God’s spoken word in the scriptures and I feel it in my heart.)  We live in a corrupt world of deception that tries to destroy families and what they stand for.  We as believers in truth and followers of Christ need to stand up for what we believe in and teach our children to be strong in their faith, protecting the Word as God would have us.  He will overcome!

Therefore, I am posting today’s message spoken from the pulpit.  This is a subject dear to my heart as I teach my children about marriage, expectations in relationships and the honor and glory commitment is to our almighty sovereign God.  To Him be the glory!

I pray that you are blessed by the message and that you will be given the ears to hear it as God intends.  If you are a sinner seeking forgiveness, I pray that this gives you hope.  If you are a parent, I pray that it gives you a clearer vision into the scriptures to teach your children.

Please read these first and then listen to the audio.   (If you do not own a bible, please google the verses in ESV.)

Psalm 30:2-3,  Proverbs 5:1-14,  Ephesians 5:22-33 and Exodus 20:14

http://crbc.us/media_events/976-The-Seventh-Commandment

(Courtesy of CRBC.us, and with permission to post.)

 

memories

Communication Oppression…

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Finding myself having the conversation with several people this week about the Lyme debate and the controversy between doctors, I wondered whether or not anyone has thought about the fact that as a society we just don’t know how to communicate with one another any longer.  I mean, a patient is supposed to be the one who “hires” a doctor, not the other way around.  It seems that in the search for treatments for wellness, the patient treads onward from doctor to doctor looking for someone who will listen to their list of ailments in hopes that the doctor is actually listening and will be able to communicate back that they are concerned and will do everything they can to get to the bottom of the “cause”.    In more than one instance I can think of, between friends or others I’ve spoken to about Lyme, the story is always the same.  The doctor listens, gives feedback, lacks compassion, and ends up laying out the reasons why the ailments are not Lyme yet something else that needs more testing.  It’s an endless cycle.

Why?  I just don’t get it.  I mean, why can’t our medical community communicate with one another, discuss the issues their patients are having and work together for the common good of man to find a solution.   What happened that doctors now feel they have the upper hand and the patient is no longer the employer?  Maybe the question should be asked, since when did we as a society give up our own rights to our health and allow the medical community to be in the drivers seat?  I think that the doctors should be more like the GPS that guides and directs yet has no authority on which way we actually decide to turn.  They should work more to gain our trust in them and work harder to convince us we should continue paying them for their services.  Not the other way around.

Guess it’s just another random thought as my week winds down and I reflect upon recent conversations and the efforts we are all making to win this battle with the spirochete.

Amazing that in the 1960’s Paul Simon wrote the lyrics for Sound of Silence, a song about the disconnect in communication with people.  How people just don’t communicate freely due to the oppression of not hearing one another.    As he sings this song in 2009, I wonder what he was thinking as he looked out into the audience considering that those thousands of people were going to likely leave Madison Square Garden, sit around a table with 5 other people in silence while they texted others about the concert.

I pray for communication… amongst families, children, peers, friends and doctors.  I pray that our medical community will begin listening to their patients and really hear what their ailments are, and that they will care for them as their own loved ones.  Breaking down walls of silence and communication oppression.

Can I just add a funny:   When I was in college, one of our family friends had invited my mom and dad, myself and boyfriend at the time, to see “Neil Diamond”.  Now, this was something my parents had done before and I was always green with envy as I just loved Neil Diamond.  I was so excited to be included this time, I enthusiastically yelled “YES”… We are going!  Well, as the evening approached and excitement was heightened, my mom’s friend was discussing the impending evening to see “Paul Simon”.  Stop!  Wait!  WHO?  Oh no…. Oh yes!  Well, it was not the concert I had hoped for yet the memories of that evening have remained.  I think it was about 4 years later I finally got to see Neil Diamond… Yes the same friend obtained the tickets, this time however, I confirmed the name before agreeing!  🙂

Why?

Why Proverbs 31:10-31?

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    THE WOMAN WHO FEARS THE LORD
    10 [d] An excellent wife who can find?
    She is far more precious than jewels.
    11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
    and he will have no lack of gain.
    12 She does him good, and not harm,
    all the days of her life.
    13 She seeks wool and flax,
    and works with willing hands.
    14 She is like the ships of the merchant;
    she brings her food from afar.
    15 She rises while it is yet night
    and provides food for her household
    and portions for her maidens.
    16 She considers a field and buys it;
    with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
    17 She dresses herself[e] with strength
    and makes her arms strong.
    18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
    Her lamp does not go out at night.
    19 She puts her hands to the distaff,
    and her hands hold the spindle.
    20 She opens her hand to the poor
    and reaches out her hands to the needy.
    21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,
    for all her household are clothed in scarlet.[f]
    22 She makes bed coverings for herself;
    her clothing is fine linen and purple.
    23 Her husband is known in the gates
    when he sits among the elders of the land.
    24 She makes linen garments and sells them;
    she delivers sashes to the merchant.
    25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
    and she laughs at the time to come.
    26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
    and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
    27 She looks well to the ways of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.
    28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
    29 “Many women have done excellently,
    but you surpass them all.”
    30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
    31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
    and let her works praise her in the gates.

Why is this important to me?

Oh, I remember when we were first married and how I would get up in the morning, make coffee, make breakfast and bring it to my new husband on a tray as my mother did for so many years for my father. I remember talking him into letting me do his laundry as I thought that it was important that I be the one to do it for him. I remember wanting to please him in so many ways whether it be helping him grow his business by handwriting mailers at night after our dinner, helping him with seminars or just supporting him when his days were long and uncertainty was great. I remember even taking up golf, which was important to him.

As the years slipped by and we became accustomed to one another and we were drawn into life as a married couple, it seems that the routine of breakfasts, laundry, golf, and so many other things became a thing of the past. We had children that needed our attention, my husbands career changed and I was needed in different ways to support him, and society convinced us that being a part of the community was more important. Time for our family unit was short, time for us was minimal and it seems that the once important process of pleasing one another as we once had became a thing of the past.

As I attended Community Bible Study one fall, we began the study of Proverbs. I was a core leader at the time and had a wonderful group of ladies that were Titus women, helping me as a facilitator to grow in my understanding of the Proverbs. We discussed many items in our discussions and I will never forget some of the wisdom passed down from several of them.

1. Community service is great, as long as it doesn’t interfere with the family first. We have limited time to be with our children, so use this time to raise them and help them to be seekers of the Word first. Charities can wait.

2. When doing housework, do we dread it or are we taking in the blessing that God has bestowed upon us. After all, we wouldn’t have mounds of laundry, piles of dishes, books and games sprawled upon the tables and floors if God had not allowed us to become wives and mothers. Perhaps we should enjoy every moment folding that laundry and cleaning up those toys.

3. When your husband comes home what does he come home to? Is he coming home to a house in chaos or a house of love that is joyful to return to when he opens the door. Taking a look at how our household runs makes an impact on our marriages and the life of our children.

4. And finally Proverbs 31:10-31. The view of husbands upon their wives. Keepers of the home, trustworthy, God fearing, God loving, trusting and hardworking that never ceases. One of the Titus women commented on even our appearance. Although we as Christian women know that our husbands love us for who we are without fanfare, we need to consider how they spend their days and the temptations that they are exposed to. If they spend their days at the office with women who are wearing clothing that is appealing, if they are made to feel more important by those who look up to them, or if they are with women who just plain want a life with them then as wives we put our families at risk when we allow our husbands to come home to frump city. We should consider taking a shower, making dinner and putting on clothes that represent the wonderful provider he is. We should perhaps put on some makeup or at least brush our hair and greet him with a loving nature that shows him how important he is.

I remember this woman looking at all of us in the room and her wonderful words of wisdom and I began to reflect upon the generations of past. One of my grandmother’s would do all of her cleaning, cooking and charity work during the day and by 3:00 p.m. it was time to clean up for my grandfather. My other grandmother raised 6 children, and I remember seeing a video of her on a sledding hill with her beautiful dress and winter coat helping her children get onto their sleds. My mother did much the same thing, having dinner ready when my dad came home and retreating to their room for their half hour of quiet time together before facing the children and the problems of the day.

I remember thinking also how I allowed life and society to interfere with my delight in taking care of my family. I posted Proverbs 31:10-31 on my kitchen refrigerator and pondered it daily until I began to truly feel those words on my heart. It took years, yet it worked. I now consider my life as a wife and mother to be the most joyful, most successful thing I have ever done and will ever do. Oh, it’s not perfect daily, and I could always do better, yet as I see how I viewed this blessing 10-15 years ago and compare it to now, I see growth.

That is why Proverbs 31:10-31. I know that it means different things to different women. I know that not all will agree with what my opinion is. That is fine. I am just giving an explanation of why it’s an important part of my life and why it’s at the top of my blog. I hope to pass it down to my daughter for generations yet to come to follow. I hope that the Lord Blesses us with generational strength to be Titus women teaching what it means to be a Proverbs 31 woman.