I Am Not Proverbs 31

I have to admit I have had a like-dislike attitude towards the Proverbs 31 woman, maybe it's because she intimidated me. Her accolades are astonishing, her accomplishments are remarkable.

She dabbled in imports and exports. She was savvy with real estate. She started her own business, a vineyard and a seamstress. She is charitable, noble, wise, respected, honored, confident, calm and loved. Her husband was incredibly proud of her and she respected him greatly.

PHEW!

At times, I felt this was an impossible and unreachable feat. This passage crippled me.

I thought I would never be "her"...how could I ever be this woman of noble character. Children calling her blessed, her husband lacks nothing of value. I felt the polar opposite.

I must continue reading....verse 30.

".....the woman who fears the Lord..."

Fear-  (verb) regard with feelings of respect and reverence; consider or exalted or be in awe of.

She feared the Lord! This woman was obviously educated with the Word to be in awe of God. She considered Him, she dwelled upon Him, He was on the forethought of her mind. Could it be that she took His bread and consumed it, that she drank from the living water, to sustain her through all her endevers?
"I can do all things through Him who gives me strength." Phillipians 4:13

It was through God, her faith in Him, her love for Him that she was able to do what she did.
Yes, people "praised" her...but God got the glory.
I realized that her accomplishments, her successes....were not hers, they are God's.
Isn't that why we do, what we do (should do)...to bring God the glory.

"I will show the holiness of my great name...." Ezekiel 36:23

In my own might, I am no Proverbs 31 woman...but in His might I can be. Not for my glory or for me to be praised, but for Him, for His Kingdom, so His holiness may be evident in the life I live, so that others may come to see His grace.

So today, and prayerfully everyday after...through Him, I will strive.

"Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for oursleves, but our competence comes from God." 2 Corithians 3:4-5

Jesus, I Love Thee...

Jesus, I love Thee....

This song has been playing in my heart this week. I do appreciate old hymns, the words are soulful, healing...they have substance.

As I was singing (make a joyful noise) the third measure grips me every time.

"I love the in life, I will love Thee in death;

And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath;

And say when the death-dew lies cold on my brow,

If ever I loved Thee, Lord Jesus, 'tis now."

Will we love Him through death?

The death of a marriage, of vows?

The death of a dream for son over taken by an addiction?

The death of a lifestyle for a sister being blinded by the world's lies?

The death of a infant, new life abruptly taken without reason?

The death of  ideas when a diagnoses is terminal?

Can we, will we say...

"If ever I loved Thee, Lord Jesus, 'tis now."

As Good As Old

My young at heart daugther asked why people used the expression "good as new".

I explained that when something is new that it normally has more value, more appeal in it's best condition...it is good, because it's new.

She pondered a moment then said, "That is not always true. My Ellie (her since birth, beloved pink stuffed elephant) is better now since she's worn. Her smells, her soft spots, I wouldn't want her to be new again."

I reflected on her statement... the beauty of the old, the wisdom in the worn, the nostalgia of bygones...things are better with age.

Beauty in the Broken.

 Arthritic hands praising the Lord through music and song on the time worn keys of a piano.

  

Wisdom in the Worn.

Tattered, written pages of a father's old bible, studied, absorbed, taught.

Mercy in Music.

Depth of meaning from hymns of past. The desperate words of longing to be in union with God and praise of His grace.

Hope in History.
The tear stained pews that have held prayers for forgiveness and redemption. The souls that have been saved, saints that were made.

Yes, there is value, good beyond adundance in the old.

"Remember the days of old, consider the years of all generations..."
Deuteronomy 32:7

Pre-K Life Lesson

 I have much to learn about life from my preschoolers...

The coveted glitter crayons are meant to be shared.

Play-doh is superb when it is swirled.

Coloring in the lines is overrated.

Shoes are optional.

Snacks are not!

Random responses to questions are educational.

When a friend laughs, laugh along.

Singing loudly is delightful, more so when playing instruments, even louder.

Being last in line is awesome, because you get to turn off the lights.

Being first, you end up last, because you get to hold the doors.

Skipping is not optional, it is essential.

Holding hands with your best pal makes a long walk lovely.

A hug makes everything better.

And  most importantly.....

"My God is so BIG, so strong and so mighty there's nothing my God cannot do!"

Thanking God for my pre-k Sunday school class and ALL I have to learn from them.

Something to Think About

Today was hedge trimming day. All hands on deck, well all except mine, I was taking care of the inside of the house. The man was in the yard with all the girls. Trimmers, rakes, brooms, lawn bags, all have made their seasonal debut from the garage to the front yard. 

The shrubbery was ruthless, uncontrolled. I'm sure the man said to himself, "I should have been tackling these beasts all year." They really were out of hand. Windows were hidden, other foliage unseen, wandering vines, some shrubs no longer were producing and needed to be replaced.

A trim here, a prune there. Rake it up, bag it up...haul it off.

Step back. Analyse. Observe. Another trim here, another prune there...the process went on ALL day.

While in the midst of my domestic duties, I received a call from a friend. We chatted about life, love and liberty, and our conversation went to thoughts. How our thoughts, ideas, perception can become unruly, out of hand, to the point that we have lost control. We said our goodbyes.
 I stepped outside to check on my hard working crew.

Revelation! Thoughts are like these hedges! My family was outwardly displaying what we need to be inwardly practicing. We have got to keep our mind pruned and trimmed. Rake up unrighteous ideas and unlovely notions, capture it and get rid of them.

"and if your eye (or thoughts) causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away..."
(parenthesis mine)
Matthew 18:9

The process and labor will need repeating for these wandering thoughts do run amuck...step back, speak truth, be still, pray. Just like the shrubbery, our thoughts need to be maintained or they may develop into a lawless mess.

"....and we take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ."

2 Corinthians 10:5

When we let our ideas and speculations grow at will, they can block our window to the truth, they can hide the beauty of what God truly intended for us. Our precepts may not be producing fruits and they must be replaced with His word.

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things."

Philippians 4:8

Leadeth Me!

When I am exhausted as a momma. When I question my ability of training these incredible girls. When I think I am letting Him down with the gift of mothering...I remember this:

"He tends His flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young." Isaiah 40:11 

I have human moments, emotions. He is holding my girls close to His heart.

I will falter and stumble. He is gently leading me.

What a beautiful picture of His love and grace for motherhood.

He leadeth me! O blessed thought,

O words with heavn'ly comfort fraught;

Whate'er I do, where'er I be,

Still 'tis Christ's hand He leadeth me.

He leadeth me! He leadeth me!

By His own hand He leadeth me;

His faithful follower I would be,

For by His hand He leadeth me.

That Just Stinks!

It all began on a typical week night. The girls getting their baths, I cleaning the kitchen...when out of the bathroom arose such a clatter..."MOOOOOOMMAAAA!!!! There is something nasty coming up out of the drain!!!" Inhaling my next breath, panic from a different bath...."MOOOOOMMM, the tub won't drain!!!"

Dear Lord, (this is a true prayer) please no...please, not what I think it is. We have experienced this before at our old house...not fun!

I run into the lavatory......No, No, NOOOOO!!!! Yep.

Oh yes, the septic had backed up all over my bathroom. I run to check the others.

No...no! Of course it is.

The girls loo and the half bath...a covering of waste water all over the floors. I grab every towel in the house and a plunger. I plunge and push, but it seems to be worsening. I turn the water off at the base...plunge, push...no good! 

I call the man (my husband) he is rushing home.

He arrives, my knight, I can breath...well sort of.

The surface work of plunging isn't working...we have to go to the source of the problem. We have to move into the depths. Oh no, no, no, no, no...I grab my rubber boots and gloves.

The man and I are out at the septic tank, in hand a thick wire coil. He asks me to remove the lid. No, it'll stink, it'll smell, I'll gag. I removed it. Horrendous does not describe the smell...that is all I can say.

He begins to uncoil this thick metal wire and proceeds to the tank.

(Did I mention it is now dark, we have on head lamps? Yes, we were a pair.)

 I take a lid off another tank to help check for a release of whatever is clogging the flow. Nasty!

The excavation began, after several minutes have passed, the man pin points the problem. Then in a moments notice...WHAM! The stench, odor, wastes, grime, muck, filth, comes rushing through the drains. The problem has finally been released. The issue is solved.

We have had a few problems with clogged toilets, prior to this one. We plunged, push and the commodes would work as usual and we'd go about our day. However, this night was a different story. We were made to get to the source, we had to go to the depths.

I know I am much like that. I have sin in my life I push to the side here, plunged at bit there...life flows and works a tad better. I can get by without all that yuck work. Why do I want to get uncomfortable over this little sin? Why do I need to work through the grime and muck? Why would I put myself through the stench of exposing my sins? It's easier to just plunge a little, to deal with the surface problem and go about my day...no mess...no fuss.

However, this way is temporal. Eventually our sins will over flow and cover it's filth and grime over all that is in our life, and everyone in it. Let us not wait until we are made to excavate.

Let's not procrastinate. We need to go into the depths of our heart now, release what is clogging our soul, we must do the dirty work and dig deep to release our sin over to God, give it to Him...then and only then will clean, pure water flow.

"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me."  Psalm 51:10

(HA!)