Shuffling

...Priorities, that is.

Jeremy taught the boys' Bible class at church last night since their regular teacher is on vacation. He told me this morning that they couldn't answer any of the questions about God's first people (Adam and Eve). I was floored. We have gone over this. We have talked about this. I know that once upon a time they knew this. So how could they remember their memory verses from a year ago, and not remember this?

Maybe I have been a little lax lately in my Bible instruction with them. I know that their spiritual training should be top priority, and I want it to be. I know it is just an excuse, but it just seems like it is so hard sometimes, when there is so much going on. Especially when our regular schwedule relaxes so much in the summer time, and Jeremy is working longer hours, and yada yada. I know. Excuses.

But I have decided things are going to be different. Less tv watching. More time together spent talking about God. We used to do this. I'm not sure where we got off track, but I am going to make it happen again. This is about to be a different home. A different mom, in more ways than one. I actually had a dream last night about how I was a terrible mommy. I know, a little irrational, but it's kinda the way I have been feeling lately.

Man, when did I become such a Debbie Downer??

A little bit of funny to lighten up the post....Audrey has started shaking her head "no." If she is doing something she doesn't need to be, I say, "Audrey" and she looks at me, and I say "no, no." Then she grins and shakes her head and goes ahead and does it anyway. Lol. It's a learning process, right? :)



Proverbs 22:6  "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Update 7/19/11: I feel better now...we talked about the story and they could answer nearly every question I asked them. Whew! I don't feel like such a slacker mom now.

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Just A Mom

I don't know how many of you are stay at home moms, like me, but do you ever feel like people look down on you because you are "just a mom" and haven't really "done anything with your life?" I do. I "threw away" a full paid scholarship to college to get married and start a family. I had heard my whole life, "You can do anything you want to do, be anything you want to be, if you just set your mind to it." I went through stages just like any kid, wanting to be a doctor, a teacher, a famous singer...but in the back of my mind, I knew I always wanted to be a wife and mother. And here I am however many years later. Wife and mother of 3. And you know what?

I'm happy.

I'm not going to sit here and lie to you. I'm not the perfect, model Proverbs 31 woman. There are things that I wish were different sometimes. I wish I had more support and more courage to act even without the support.

But I love being Jeremy's wife, his help meet, which entails so many different things. That and being a good mother to our children is a full time job. I love doing it. I love knowing that God gave me the direction and the desire to want to serve Him in doing my best to make our home a happy, loving, safe place for us and those we love. That He gave me the direction and desire to be hospitable and kind-hearted. That He gave me the avenue and ability to use this blog to reach out to others and try to be an encouragement even to those who I may never have met.

Am I "just a mom?"

No.

I am a mom. But I am also a wife. A friend. A Christian. A child of the King. A servant of my Lord.




Lord, help me always to remember that everything I do is for Your glory, whether it is blessing my home with cleanliness, instructing my children in righteousness, supporting my husband in his place of leadership, or encouraging others with Your love. Let me always strive to continue do to so. In the name of sweet Jesus, Amen.

True to Myself

You ever have someone tell you the "right"way to do something? Then when you try things their way, it's like wearing a shoe that is too tight (which is even more uncomfortable for someone who wears shoes as seldom as I do!) Now, you realize I'm not talking about commands from God, or doing those things that are required in our walk to live the Christian life. I'm talking about personality differences, "marketing yourself" if you will.

When I decided to start a devotional blog, the first thing I did was do a little research on what makes a "good" devo. I found I was "supposed to" start with a Bible passage, say my bit, then end with a prayer. So this is how I started. And I will admit, it is a good format. But it just hasn't been flowing well for me. At least not to use the same format for every post. So I have decided to loosen up a bit. Be more...well, me. Not try to be so philosophical or whatever it is I have tried. Be myself, and not try to do like someone else because it's "right." Just be open, using my own life and my own words to minister. Share my own shortcomings and how I am trying to overcome them. I don't mean be negative, but constructive. Weaving Scripture and prayer throughout. We will see how this goes. ;)

Grieving God

Ephesians 4:30 "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God..."


Really think about the word "grieve." My dictionary defines it as to "cause to suffer sorrow." When Jeremy and I were talking about it, that came to my mind was "make you so sad it physically hurts."

Did you know there are things we can do to make God grieve?

Verse 31 says "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor [or loud quarreling], and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice." You think it grieves God to hear us act in such ways toward each other?

If you keep reading in chapter 5, we are told, "But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for the saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting..." (v. 3, 4) How many of us are guilty of at least one of these? If we haven't participated in it ourselves, we have at the least not rebuked others who were. I am just as guilty on this as anyone. How many times have we heard or told nasty "jokes," or flippantly discussed adultery, or watched a television show that endorsed homosexuality? These are subject matters that are grievous to God's Holy Spirit. Should we be taking them so lightly? Verse 12 says, "it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done my them [ungodly people] in secret."

Instead, we are to "be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another," "walk in love," and "do not be partakers with" those who act in such ways, but "find out what is acceptable to the Lord. (4:32, 5:2, 7, 10) Maybe we need to start redirecting our thoughts and our tongues. When something like this comes up, ask yourself "Is this pleasing to God? Does He want me to have a part in this? Is this something that He will accept as 'an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma' or does it just plain stink?"

Let us always remember to "imitate God as dear children." Act as He would have us, just as we expect our own children to act in an appropriate manner. Think about how a child wants to do everything exactly like mommy or daddy does it. God is telling us to follow Him in the same way. While we know we are not perfect and will inevitably make mistakes, we are to do our very best to imitate the Spirit of God.

Maturity Is An Option

Psalm 119:9-10 "How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!"

Think about how many choices we have to make. Who to be friends with. Who to date. Who to marry. Where to go to college. Whether or not to go to college. What kind of career to pursue. Whether to become a Christian. Whether to act like a child or a mature adult.......yes, that is an option, too.

We all start out as babes, literally and spiritually. We grow and learn. As we learn, we have to make the decision whether we want to apply what we learn, or continue to walk around acting childish. Looking at it from a spiritual standpoint, we should want to seek out God and His commandments and "take heed." Some choose not to do this. They would rather blame circumstances, or a negative view of humanity, or something that they think justifies that God doesn't exist and that gives them the right to act however they want. They use obscene language, cut others down, make crude jokes, anything to try to make themselves feel better.

They are really trying to fill a void.

That void is the place where God is supposed to be in our lives. He created us to need Him, to want to rely on Him. When Satan gets a hold of us, God in a sense steps to the side, waiting until we are ready to put Him back where He belongs. He never leaves, He just waits in the background, waiting on us to realize He isn't in His place of honor in our lives anymore. When we make this realization, we will, hopefully, turn back to Him and restore Him to that place of honor and strive to mature in Him.

So, yes, being mature is an option, as is being righteous, ignorant, wise, faithful, or anything else we can choose to be or not be. There will be times in our lives when we may consciously or unconsciously choose to "backslide," losing our maturity, righteousness, wisdom, etc. But we can always gain it back and improve it if we choose to.

Loving Father, I know that I am not perfect. But I choose to strive to grow and mature in You every day. Please help me in this endeavor to better serve you and to use my maturity to show others the way to You and Heaven. In Christ's name, Amen.