For Today...

Outside my window... sunny, with flowers and green everywhere! It's gorgeous.

I am thinking... how much fun it was to have a wee little man visit for a couple of hours, even though he didn't quite get his nap out.

From the learning rooms...God has brought home to me in a number of ways lately the importance of always learning to know Him more deeply and how to love others better.

I am thankful for... the gift certificate for a manicure and pedicure my husband gave me for Mother's Day and for the calls and thoughtful gifts from my children, as well.

From the kitchen... beans and a starch with veggies.

I am wearing... blue dress, no shoes, hair up. I really need to get those shoes on to do a proper job of house keeping, but I love to run around barefoot inside during the warm months.

I am reading... Kingdom Come -- a study of David Lipscomb and James Harding

I am hoping... to get to many tasks that need doing.

I am creating... pillow cases -- See my other blog: Project Home Economics to follow my progress -- as well as a crocheted dish strainer.

I am praying... for my loved ones, always.

Around the house... All is quiet; laundry is going.

One of my favorite things... blooming roses.

A few plans for the rest of the week... I have an unusually packed week, with some happy things, but also medical appointments, so I am praying for stamina

Enjoy!
Elizabeth

But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God. I Timothy 5:4 KJV

but if any widow has children or grandchildren, they must first learn to practice piety in regard to their own family and to make some return to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God.I Timothy 5:4 NASB

It will fall upon most men and women to care for aging parents or grandparents at some time in their life. Sometimes, this will occur while an individual still has children to think about, as well. Remembering to give a little gift or card of encouragement to a caregiver to remind him or her that he or she is doing a noble work is one way we can reach out in love to others.

Enjoy!

Elizabeth

I was thinking about my last post, and the power of a written letter to cheer someone's life. I have heard so many stories about the power of letters to encourage, instruct, and cheer other people. I am fascinated by books of letters, such as between a notable married couple or a well-known parent to a child.

Once, many years ago, when my children were small, I was trying to figure out how I could reach out to others in addition to caring for my wonderful family. I wasn't sure how to get started. Then, I read in a church bulletin about a woman who had been shut in with illness and some health issues connected to aging for many years. Since she was not able to get out and about, she wrote someone a letter and mailed it every day. When she died, it was estimated that the number of encouraging letters she had written was in the hundreds. Some testified how much her letters had impacted them.

Well, I figured that bulletin article was an answer to my prayer. I thought about the Biblical principle that if you have a little, you will be given more and that if you are faithful in a little, you will be able to be faithful in the larger things. I could certainly write and mail letters, even if I didn't know how else to be an encouragement to others. Also, if a woman whose body was declining could write letter, surely I -- an able-bodied young mother -- could find time to write and mail letters. I could certainly do that without neglecting the charge to care for my dear husband and precious babies, too.

So, I started scouring our church's bulletins for clues about people who needed a letter of encouragement. Each week, I would write a few notes.

God was faithful in that he brought people into my life who showed me some other little ways that I, as a young wife and mother, could share my faith and also serve and encourage others. I was very grateful.

Sometimes, I get busy and forget to keep up my letter writing. However, if I do "get stuck" for ideas about putting my faith into practice, I go back in my mind to that example I read about so long ago. Over time, I have lost the original bulletin article. But, the faithful example of the women in the article -- someone I had never personally met -- has stuck with me all of these years.

In a way, sending a letter is such a small thing. It requires so little on our part. But, letters do mean so much to the recipients, and being in the practice of writing them does train our hearts to be sensitive to the needs of others -- whatever they might be. Also, training our children to write notes and letters is good for their hearts, as well.

I recently read of the letter writing ministry of a preacher from the late 1800's to the early 1900's. Some ideas from that has enlarged my view of what can be done through writing notes and letters. My daughter and daughter-in-law are both really better than I am at writing notes to people.

I've also personally known many examples of women who have been examples for me of other little ways to show kindness -- such as sharing cut flowers from your yard, baking things for others, how to speak a gracious and encouraging word to someone, etc. There are so many gracious, wonderful women around whose examples we can imitate. Tagging along with another woman when she is going to serve someone gives me an opportunity to learn, myself. Also, when someone shows me a kindness or encourages me in some way, that teaches me something, too. I remember what helped me, and I am able to pass that along to someone else. Taking note of models of kindness helps me so much when I want to grow in serving others.

Enjoy!
Elizabeth

Here's a story that inspires me. It appeared in the February 20, 2002 issue of the Fayette, Alabama paper ("The Times Record"). It was originally written by Polly Essary and re-quoted in the book, "Special Delivery" by James McWhorter:

"There was a little old lady who lived alone on the side of a country road. Her days were long and lonely and many times the only person passing to speak to was the rural mail carrier.

Faithfully, she sat in her old porch swing and waited patiently -- even hopefully for him. Even though she never received a letter, she'd wave cheerfully and call out a friendly greeting, which he always returned. Then, she'd go indie -- for the excitement and expectancy of the day was past. HOwever, bright and early the next morning, she would return to her porch, regardless of the weather to wait again. Years passed, and the postman retired. Looking back over his time of service and recalling patrons and incidents, he realized how very mucj she had memant to him. Many times her heerful greetings had brightened his day and made him more appreciative of his ability to work, to serve, and to travel along the lovely countryside, to see poeple and mix and mingle with them. She had taught a great lesson in patience as she waited enedlessly for a letter which never came. Considering how truly importnat she had been to him, he decided to write her a letter of thanks.

Some time later, her body was found int he little house by the side of the road. She had died all alone. The letter was found in her apron pocket. Its edges were frayed and worn and it was stained. Evindently, she had read it over and over again and again, feeding on the joy and comfort the few kind words ha offered to he weary and lonely heart."

I've actually read many stories about the power of a kind letter in various people's lives. Even in this age of e-mail and other electonic forms of communication, a snail mail word of encouragement can be a treasure to someone.

Enjoy!
Elizabeth

San Antonio was our destination. Flowers, Flowers everywhere. I loved it!

A day or two after we came home, my Great Maiden's Blush rose slip arrived. I planted it at dusk in a nook formed where two fences sit at a slight angle. I didn't think about where the shadow of the fences might fall. So, I'm not sure I chose the best location. I've been keeping an eye on the sun just to be sure that the bush will get enough sun to thrive.

I've also been busy catching up with planting time. I've put out tomato plants, bean seeds, squash seeds, butterfly weed seeds, etc.

What are you planting in your garden?

Enjoy!
Elizabeth

From these photos, can you guess where we went on a few day getaway with friends?

Hi

I'm back from a trip and checking back in with the blog-o-sphere.

I'll post more later.

Enjoy!
Elizabeth

Don't forget to visit the Simple Woman's Daybook to read other entries or to write your own.

For Today...

Outside my window...The sun is battling with a drizzle, and the breezes are blowing.

I am thinking... of what I need to do for the rest of the week.

I am thankful for... the resurrection of Christ.

From the kitchen...something simple, as we will be heading to a meeting.

I am reading... the book of John -- very slowly -- and a book about roses.

I am hoping... for my dearest husband and myself to have a nice vacation with our friends next week.

I am creating... a home and a crocheted dish strainer, also some pillowcases

I am praying... for the people in Murphreesboro, a town very close to our city. Our whole area was in a storm system on Friday, but this town was hit hardest by tornadoes. Our daughter and son-in-law and our son and our daughter in all lived there for a time, and we currently have many friends who live there. No one we know was hurt, and many from our church are helping with the clean-up. It was so heart wrenching to hear of a mother and 9-week old daughter killed, and the husband being found in a state of great injury, having been blown by the tornado some distance away. Forty-one other people were treated for injuries, and many lost their homes. Just over a week and a half ago, our city had ten tornadoes touch down, but they did not do much damage and I did not hear of injuries.

Also praying for father-in-law to recover from health problems.

Around the house... I will soon have the delight of caring for a friend's baby for an hour.

One of my favorite things... spring flowers!!!!

A few plans for the rest of the week...getting ready for our trip.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you... Here's a photo someone took of one of the tornadoes and sent to local newspaper.

French women do get fat (New research raises questions concerning one of my favorite books about eating: French Women Don't Get Fat. How much longer will French women be an example to us of healthy eating?)
When I was last in Paris, the book French Women Don't Get Fat was all the rage in the U.S. I actually brought it with me to read on the flight over and back. While in Paris, my beloved husband and I enjoyed some great French food and still lost a few pounds. I had spent a summer in Paris in my teens, and I was now trying to show my dear one as many of my favorite sites in just a few days. So, we walked and walked and walked - in metabolism-raising brisk spring air, moreover. We were not trying to diet, but the pounds slipped off, nonetheless.

I intended to continue eating in the traditional French style when we returned home and to continue walking a lot, too. Alas, those pounds we lost in France eventually found their way back across the Atlantic and back onto our American tummies. Sigh.

I was interested to note on our trip that most of the Parisians still seemed both slender and petite in frame, despite the plethora of Starbucks and McDonald's that now saturate the city. Many other ethnic groups who live in that cosmopolitan city also share the tendency toward slenderness. I did notice, however, some signs that made me wonder if the next generation of French will struggle with expanding girth just as so many Americans do.

Three decades earlier, when I spent that wonderful summer in Paris, I had been surprised by the fact that you could with near certainty pick out certain nationalities by appearance. For example, Scandinavians were generally the tallest in a group, and they invariably had slender frames. Americans were next in height, and, while they were generally fit, they were usually of a bigger build than the other ethnic groups around us. The French were petite in stature and slim, to boot.

At the time, there was a pronounced difference in the European and American cuts of clothing for men and for children. French men fit into shirts and pants that were cut close to the body, with lots of seaming and darts. Even very fit American men sometimes had a hard time squeezing into the European cut. Though the sizing systems differed, there was not as much variation in the cuts of French and American women's clothing. However, the problem that American men had with the European cut usually had more to do with having a larger bone structure than with excess weight.

Since my friends and I were in our late teens at the time, our youthful metabolisms handled a daily taste of wonderful French pastries without any of us gaining an ounce. (I don't think the French would have eaten these delights every day, as we did.) Of course, as soon as our classes were over each day, we headed out to enjoy the sights and the parks of Paris. We burned up a lot of calories sight-seeing and giggling and just being young.

At the time, the people of France still did their grocery shopping on a daily basis. They selected their foods from the offerings of many small markets. There was a market dedicated to each kind of food. There were a few large American style supermarkets -- or supermarchés as they are called in France. However, they were just coming in style there and had not replaced the French demand for daily fresh food supplied by local merchants. (The supermarchés still have not vanquished the small markets entirely. Many Parisians do still shop the small markets. They carry rolling carts with them to carry their food home, and they stop by markets on their way home in the evening.)

We were there a year before the first McDonald's opened in Paris. At the time, there was not a real hamburger to be found in the whole city. The closest the French had to a fast food burger chain was the British establishment, Wimpy's. Though we delighted in all of the wonderful French meals we were having -- many of which were prepared by Portuguese nuns in the dormitory where we stayed -- we decided to try Wimpy's one day in order to get a taste of home. We found that the Franglicized idea of a hamburger was a bit different than the American one. Perhaps, the French were happier for not yet having so many supermarches and fast food restaurants to choose from.

In the intervening three decades between my visit, many Americans - including myself -- have found themselves battling weight issues. While this was once a middle-aged phenomenon, I've noticed that even school children and young adults often carry more weight than our generation did when we were that age. And, though our mothers often complained of packing on a few matronly pounds, I believe that middle-aged Americans have an even greater struggle than middle-aged Americans of a few decades ago.

Of course, the issue for me is not really about appearance, but about health. I'm no fan of the runway waif look. Nor, do I subscribe to the idea that you have to be extremely thin to be healthy, happy, or attractive. Sometimes, French culture -- as well as American -- puts an unhealthy focus on being skinny versus looking and feeling your personal best.

The principles in the book "French Women Don't Get Fat" harken back to a time when the French ate fresh foods purchased daily in local markets and to a time when the French and many other Europeans ate most of their meals at a leisurely pace. Also, the French were extremely family centered and their custom was for an extended family to enjoy a wonderful dinner together on Sundays. Cooking and eating were seen as arts to be enjoyed.

I remember being fascinated when I was in a restaurant in Rome on my first trip to Europe. A woman had a whole peach for her dessert. She gracefully used a knife to cut it portion by portion. It took her so...o...o long to eat that one peach. I'm sure she left the restaurant feeling as satisfied as if she had had a calorie laden confection.

Now mind you, in the U.S. at that time, home cooking and eating breakfast and dinner together were also still common for American families. Americans were active outdoors. More children and teens, especially, spent a lot more time moving about in the fresh air. We had only rudimentary video games; few of us spent long hours in day care; and we probably watched fewer hours of TV than our counterparts of today. Yes, even then, Americans were racing down the trail to the modern lifestyle and excess poundage faster than Europeans were. However, our culture still shared some principles of healthful eating and healthful living that are put forth in FWDGF.

Somewhere along the way, we Americans started working out in gyms (nothing wrong with that) but stopped including healthful outdoor activity throughout our day. We began to gulp down our meals in a hurry to get somewhere else. The family seldom ate breakfast together anymore, and even family dinners were in peril. People started eating more pre-packaged foods and fast foods. And, we started packing on the pounds. This has been a mystery to some doctors, because, in a way, Americans are more health conscious than they used to be. Many cut fat from their diets and try all sorts of diet and exercise regimens. We have made strides in overcoming heart disease and other ailments. Still, we have been super-sizing our bodies for thirty years and are continuing to do so at an alarming rate.

Well, statistics say that as the French and other Europeans are becoming more and more Americanized, they are -- you guessed it -- picking up American -style pounds. Here's an excerpt from an article about that:

"The French are looking more like Americans because they are living more like Americans. Goodbye shopping at outdoor markets. Hello processed foods. Goodbye two-hour lunches. Hello cramming a sandwich in your face at your desk as you scroll through e-mail. Goodbye savoring. Hello snacking.

"Most shockingly, French women (and it is still mostly women) not only don't have time to cook anymore - they've forgotten how. At a recent Weight Watchers meeting, a bunch of ladies who battled an hour of grinding Paris traffic to make it there after work were unable to identify a measuring spoon."

Another article about the book FWDGF describes the role of French government in regulating things related to diet. The article points out that Americans have traditionally found this paternalistic style of government to be too intrusive into one's personal life.

I'm fascinated by the connection in both countries -- France and the U.S. -- between extra girth and the fact that women no longer have time to cook. Of course, France is the land of great male cooks. Yet, in the home, it is usually the woman who plans the menus, does the marketing, and cooks the daily meals. It is generally the women who see that the family eats dinner together and organizes meals for the extended family on Sundays. On both sides of the Atlantic, it seems that women are struggling to find time to exercise the domestic arts that make for healthful and happy home lives. Have we Americans done the world a favor by spreading the wonders of fast food, as well as the idea that women are no longer needed in the home sphere and should turn their talents elsewhere?

Since my blog tends to be about domestic things, it's obvious that I have an interest in home and family. I do believe it's important for a woman to see home keeping as a worthwhile and satisfying sphere of life -- perhaps even making family her main career. Let me be clear; I am not rigid in my views about the choices women make concerning family and work. I don't want to err on the side of trying to dictate to others what decisions they should make in this regard. Still, findings like this research about French and American culture do make me wonder...Hmm.

Enjoy!
Elizabeth

Overview of the Bible -- Part III
A view of the cross --

Romans 3:22-26, 5;6-8 The cross is a demonstration of God's justice in the face of sin. God would not be righteous if He simply looked the other way regarding sin and evil. At the same time, the cross is the greatest demonstration of God's love for us. God loved His enemy -- you and me! We don't like to think of ourselves as having been God's enemies, but all of us, at some time, have lived in opposition to God's will and wisdom. We have chosen our own way, rather than submission to His perfect will. Still, God loves us. Because God loves us, Jesus Christ died for our sins. See also I John 3;16, 4:10

Mark 10:42-25 Jesus understood God's plan for Him to give Himself as a ransom for us -- to die for our sins. He could do this only because of His sinless life and His own love for us.

Matthew 26:36-46 What choice did Jesus make for us in the garden that night? Matthew 20:17-19 Jesus knew this day would come.

Matthew 26:52-54 Jesus chose not to use the power at his disposal. He could have called twelve legions of angels to deliver Him from the situation. Yet, because of His love for us, He did not. John 12:27-28

Matthew 26:59-63, 27:11-14 False witnesses as well as false evidence were brought against Jesus. Yet, Jesus chose to remain silent and not to defend Himself. He did this out of regard for His Father and His love for us.

Matthew 27:27-29 Jesus as a king could have chosen a crown of glory, but instead He chose the crown of thorns. Jesus did this for you and for me.

Matthew 27:38-44 The robbers, the chief priests, the elders of the law and the teachers all mocked Jesus and said, Come down from the cross, if You are the Son of God. Think of the choice Jesus made for us by staying nailed to the cross instead of saving Himself at the time. Yet, Jesus had not come to save Himself; He had come to save us. What an example he set for us in how to love others!

Isaiah 53 Written about 700 years before Jesus, this chapter predicted what the Messiah would do at the cross and why. In Luke 22:37, Jesus quotes from Isaiah and says it was about Him.

Isaiah told us in 53:1-3 that the Messiah would be despised and rejected. In verses 4-6, it says the Messiah would be pierced for our transgressions; in 7-9, the Messiah would be led like a lamb to the slaughter In verse 10-12, the Messiahs would be a guilt offering; but after His suffering, He would receive satisfaction in His resurrection.

Psalm 22 also foreshadowed Jesus' suffering on the cross.

Ephesians 2:1-10; Titus 3:3-8; Luke 15:11-31 We are saved by grace through faith. Faith is obedient trust in God. James 2:14-1. We trust what God has done in Jesus as the ground of our salvation and we commit our lives fully to Him.

I Corinthians 1:18 You can only see the cross in one of two ways: For those who are perishing, the message of the cross is foolishness. For those who are being saved, the message of the cross is the power of God.

I Peter 2:21-25 -- Why did Jesus die on the cross for us? So that we might die to sin and live for the new righteousness that the cross provides.

Acts Chapters One and Two: By inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Peter explains the Messiah, the cross, and calls the people to a response. We are called to make the same response today. "for all whom the Lord will call".

Question we can all ask ourselves: What impact does the cross and God's grace have on my life?

Enjoy!
Elizabeth

Overview of Bible -- Part II

Snapshots of Jesus:

Hebrews 1:1-3 -- Jesus is God's ultimate communication with mankind, with us. God, an all-powerful and all-loving Father sent Jesus, His Son, as the perfect representation of who He is.
Jesus is the unique Son of God -- fully God and fully man. God came to earth in the flesh so that we could come to know Him. see also John 1:1, 14

Colossians 2:9 All the fullness of God lives in Jesus Christ. This means, at least in part, that every aspect of God's character can be found in Jesus. Reading through any of the Gospels, the four books that describe Jesus' life and words, will give you insight into God's character and his will for your life.

Mark 1:14-20 Jesus preached the good news and called men to follow Him.
Mark 1:21-22. Jesus was an amazing teacher whose words were spoken with authority.
Mark 1:23-28 Jesus cast out demons, showing that the power of God was present in Him.
Mark 1:29-31 Jesus met people's needs and healed the sick.
Mark 1:32-34 Jesus focused his attention on others and selflessly gave of Himself.
Mark 1:35 Jesus was dependent upon God in prayer for His strength and direction. (See Luke 11:1-4) Jesus prayed and taught his disciples to pray. He showed us that the power of prayer is not in the repetition of words, but in the heartfelt talk with our Father in Heaven.
Mark 1:36-39: Jesus was consumed with His mission to preach the good news.
Mark 1:40-42 -- Jesus was filled with compassion for all people.
Mark 10: 32-24,45 Jesus came to serve and give His perfect life as a ransom for sinners. As predicted, He was rejected by His people and crucified -- but He rose from the dead three days later.
Matthew 1:21; Luke 19:10; Jesus came to seek and save us from our sins and bring us into a relationship with the Father.
Matthew 3:2; Matthew 4:17; Matthew 4:23; Matthew 6:10; Matthew 6:33; Matthew 9:35; Matthew 10:7; Luke 4:43; Luke 18:17; John 18:36; Acts 1:3 -- Jesus teachings were laced with his passion for the Kingdom of God; he continually preached the good news of the Kingdom. These are just a few verses that demonstrate that.
I John 2:3-6; Phil. 2:1-14; John 14:21; Ephesians 5:1-2 Knowing Jesus is not just an intellectual exercise. The goal of the Christian is to obey his commands and become more and more like Him: to think like Jesus, to act like Jesus, to live like Jesus. We want to imitate Jesus' heart in the way He loved God and people. We want to walk with Him and to really know Him, not just know facts about Him.
John 14:6 Jesus claimed to be the way, not a way. He claimed to be the truth, not one truth among many. He said he was the life, not just a better life. How important is it that we put our faith, our trust, our obedience in Jesus? Acts 4:12 -- No one will come to the Father unless they come to Him through Jesus.

Enjoy!
Elizabeth

What can we (and our teen-aged children) learn from an overview of the Bible?

Part One

Studying the Bible in great detail is great. However, there are times when it's good to step back up a bit and review the overall message of God's word. This following scriptures provide one way to do that.

Genesis 1:1. Of course, we've all read this verse many times. It's a logical place to begin our overview of God's message to us, though. Understanding that this world did not just happen, but that it was created for a purpose is foundational to our faith.

Genesis 1:26-27: After the creation of other life, God created man and woman in his own image. He created them with a spiritual nature. He made us to be like Him in special ways. From the beginning of time, He has desired that there be a relationship between Himself and man. Rather than creating man as a robot, however, he gave man the ability to respond to God or to disobey. He has communicated clearly with man to let him know how he can be in relationship with his creator. He clearly outlined consequences or results that come from the choice of choosing God's way or man's (our own) way.

Genesis 2:6-7; Genesis 2:15-17 -- Man's way or God's way. What were the results of man choosing his way? Genesis 3:16-19. What would have been the result of obeying the Lord?

But God had a plan to deal with man's sin and lost condition.

Genesis 22:17-19 -- Abraham
A. God chooses the man Abram, whose name was changed to Abraham.
B. God makes a promise to Abraham -- What was it?
C. Much of the Bible is the story of Abraham's descendants and how through them God has given the whole world the opportunity to know Him and be blessed.
D. It is often a messy story, because of how often men failed to love and obey God. It is a beautiful story, because it is the story of God's faithfulness to do what He had promised.

Genesis 25:22-26 Israel
A. Abraham had Isaac and Isaac had Jacob (Israel) and Jacob had 12 sons.
B. Their descendants became the Twelve Tribes of Israel
C. God used Joseph and a famine to bring the entire group to Egypt.
D. They eventually became slaves of the Egyptians, but this was in God's plan, as well.

Exodus 3:1-8 The Exodus
A. God calls Moses to lead the people out of Egypt.
B. The rest of Exodus is the story of how that happened.
C. The way God led his people out of the bondage of slavery and into a promised land becomes a picture of how He will lead all nations out of the bondage of sin and into a new relationship with Him.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9
A. Throughout the OT this is what God wants Israel to learn.
B. He continually emphasizes how He wants to bless them. (7:12-13)

2 Chronicles 33:23, 2 Chronicles 34:27-28 -- Israel's unfaithfulness to God
A. 2 Chronicles is one of the books of history -- the first being Joshua -- that describes the history of Israel
B. God looking for humble faith from Israel.
C. God is faithful and continues to work with them. When they repent, he forgives.

The Prophets -- Calling the people of Israel back to faithfulness, looking forward to the Messiah
A. The books that we call the Prophets contain the writings of men God sent to remind poeple of His love for them and to call them back to Him.
B. These men also tell about the coming of the Messiah, a savior through the nation of Israel.
C. This will be the fulfillment of the promise made to Abraham.
Read Hosea 11:1-4, 14:1-2

Isaiah 740-680 B.C. prophet of the coming Messiah
A. Some of the clearest prophecies are in Isaiah.
B. Isaiah 9:6-7 Isaiah looks forward and sees and amazing man; but He is more than a man
C. Isaiah 42:1-6 -- The servant God will send will be compassionate an bring a message for all the nations. He will be a light to the Gentiles and not just for the house of Israel alone.
D. Isaiah 29:5-6 -- For all people
E. Isaiah 53:1-6; 11-12 The servant God will send will lay down His life for other and through His suffering and death men will be healed.

400 years transpire between the writing of Malachi and the opening of the New Testament. During this time, the Hews kept looking for the Messiah. They began to think He would be a powerful military leader. They did not quite get the suffering servant passages in Isaiah 53
The Old Testament was all about God working through Israel to fulfill His promise to Abraham
The New Testament is about how that promise is fulfilled in Jesus.

Jesus -- the One
A. God in the flesh -- John 1:1-14
B. God's revelation to us -- Hebrews 1:1-2
C. God's desire to embrace us -- Luke 13:34

We have a decision to make just as those in the beginning did -- Will we follow Jesus (God's way) or follow our own way (man's way)?

More in Part II

Enjoy!
Elizabeth

Helping our children (and ourselves) cope when mistreated, bullied, or teased:


Wouldn't it be nice if everyone always treated everyone else with kindness, fairness, and grace? That's how it will be in heaven -- in the fullness of the kingdom of God. That's how it should be in that part of God's kingdom on earth -- among those whose hearts are surrendered to the Lord's reign.

Sadly, that's not always how the kingdom of the world works. Each and every one of us can think of a time when we have been hurt by someone's favoritism, cliquishness, selfishness, insensitivity, harshness, thoughtless teasing, and cutting words. Each of us can also probably think of a time when we hurt someone else in the same manner. Perhaps, we didn't mean to; perhaps, we knew exactly what we were doing when we let some bitter words fly. Or, maybe, we inflicted harm on someone by lashing back at them when they hurt us. At any rate, learning to treat others in a more Christlike manner is an important issue in life.

As mothers, we can usually handle slights directed toward us more than we can bear the hurts our children may face. Nothing can arouse a mother's protective instincts faster than knowing another child is picking on her child. I can remember feeling that mother bear rise up within me when our children were once taunted by another child in our neighborhood.

Yet, it is so important that we respond to such situations in a Christlike manner. Our children take our cues from us. If we fall apart over these matters, our children will feel victimized and hopeless in the face of mistreatment from others. On the other hand, if we view these situations as an opportunities for training our children in godliness, they very well might develop stronger character and sweeter faith.

To refrain from overreacting may take great prayer on our part. We may need to strengthen our own faith that the best way to defeat evil is to overcome it with good (I Peter 3:8-9). We may also need to forgive hurts from our own childhood, if we have not already done so. Once we have dealt with our own hearts, we can teach our children to meet childhood slights with peaceful and forgiving hearts.

Fortunately, Jesus gives us and our children guidelines for dealing with people who do not have our best interests in mind:

"You have heard it said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth'. But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, so with him two. Give to him who asks you, and turn from him who wants to borrow from you, do not turn away. You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy', but I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you that you may be sons of your Father in heaven, for He makes the sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? and if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not ever tax collectors do so? Therefore, you shall be perfect, just your father in heaven is perfect." Matthew 5:39-48

In this passage, Jesus stands our worldly values on end. We may not put it as bluntly as 'an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth', but, deep down inside, we think we are justified for taking action against someone who has hurt us. And, we may feel even more justified in teaching our children to strike back when hurt. We also tend to shrink back from those who are hard to love and to surround ourselves only with people who think the way we do and who treat us the way we want to be treated. We may isolate our hearts, and our children may do so, as well.

However, our goal for ourselves and our goal for our children is not to act according to the impulses of our sinful natures. Instead, our aim is to become like our Father in heaven -- to trade in our earthly values for his heavenly ones. The Father does have a day of reckoning in store for those who reject what Christ did for us on the cross; his holiness and his justice demand it even as his love offered chances for reconciliation through the cross. Until, then, however, he sends blessings upon everyone in the hope that people will repent and turn to Him. His love is perfect, complete, and impartial.

"Nevertheless, he did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness." Acts 14:17

..."since He give to all life, breath, and all things, and He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us." Acts 17:25-26

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us...For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His son, much more having been reconciled, we hall be saved by His life." Romans 5

In light of our Father's perfect love, how do we teach our children to respond to others in a godly way, even when hurt? Here are some thoughts from the instructions Jesus gave us:

1) Pray for those who spitefully use you: One thing we can always do for someone else is to pray for them. We can teach our children to do the same. Who knows? You and your child may be the only people in the world who care enough for a playground tyrant to pray for him or her. Your prayers could make a difference in that child's destiny for this life and for eternity. At the very least, it will keep your own hearts from being filled with bitterness and unforgiveness.

Jesus prayed even for those who were crucifying him in the moment: "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do." He is our example. Not only that, but He died for us when we were still his enemies, for whose sins He chose to die. In asking us to pray for and to love our enemies, He is not asking us to do anything He has not done for us.

2) Do good to those who hate you: I recently heard of a little girl whose lunch was stolen by another. She and her mother prepared two lunches the next day, one for her and one for the lunch thief with a note on it that said, "You must have needed a lunch. I want you to have this one." Teach your child to overcome his or her fears and hurts by actively and creatively doing good. Likely, your child's kindness will turn his or her foe into a friend, though, perhaps, it won't. No matter how the other child responds, your child will have the peace of knowing that he or she responded in a way that pleases the Lord.

3) Bless those who curse you: Spite breeds spite. We can think of so much misery in the world that is caused by people behaving in a tit for tat behavior: resentments in marriage, neighborhood feuds, dissensions in the workplace, family squabbles, gang wars, wars between nations, etc -- and, sad to say, sometimes even problems in churches. Yet, if we respond by being a blessing in the lives of others, we stop the chain of anger and violence. We may even transform that downward cycle into a chain of blessing. If we commit ourselves to blessing others, no matter how they act, we are refusing to let the behavior of others dominate and control us. Instead, we are surrendering to the control of the Lord, who works all things for good. Wouldn't you rather be an instrument through which God brings blessing to the world than someone who adds to the great pile of anger and hurt?

4) Trust the Lord, and teach your children to trust the Lord. I Peter 2 tells us that Jesus bore the injustice of the cross without retaliating, because he trusted the One who judges justly. It's a great comfort knowing that we can leave our defense in the Father's hands, without feeling the pressure to right the wrongs done to us, ourselves. Vengeance and judgment belong to the Lord; our part is to trust Him and to faithfully do his will. Children who learn this lesson early in life will grow up with peaceful spirits, rather than nursing bitterness and strife in their hearts. They know that life here on earth may not always be fair. However, they also know that they serve a fair and merciful Lord who will make all things right. They will remember how Jesus forgave them on the cross, and they will be able to extend that forgiveness to others.

5) As loving parents, we may prayerfully decide that we do need to take some steps to protect our child in a particular situation. We may need to put some limits on a friendship that our child has. We may need to talk to another parent about their child's behavior. We may need to alert a child's teacher about a classroom bully. We may even need to remove a child from harm's way, either for a short time or permanently. Even if we must take such protective steps, however, we can do so calmly and with an attitude of loving prayer for all parties involved. We can also teach our child to pray for all involved, as well.

Childhood hurts may sometimes seem trivial to us, but they can leave deep scars in a child's heart. If a child internalizes lots of taunts and slights, he or she may become fearful, insecure, and shy -- not to mention angry or bitter. It's up to us to show our children how to respond to hurts with love, forgiveness, and trust in the Lord. This frees their hearts to be secure and confident in God's love.

Enjoy!
Elizabeth

Interesting video: A young man has memorized the Sermon on the Mount and recites it for a church gathering.

When you think of Tombstone, Arizona, what comes to mind? Gunfighters? Silver mining? The most notoriously wicked nightspot in the west? The shootout at the OK corral? The town that is just "too tough to die"?

While I've never visited Tombstone or Arizona (though I'd like to), those are some of the images that pop into my mind. Tombstone definitely played a famous part in the history and legends of the American west.

Did you know, though, that Tombstone has a sweeter claim to fame? It is also the home of the world's largest rose! This rose, which is a Lady Bank's rose, was planted in 1885, and, in keeping with Tombstone's own reputation for survival, it is still alive today. It now covers 8,000 square feet, and has a trunk with a circumference of 12 feet. You can read about it and see more pictures of it here. and here. It was planted by the bride of a mining engineer, who was homesick for her native Scotland. Someone sent her a cutting, and she and a friend planted it. I wonder if they had any idea it would grow so large or live so long?

Enjoy!
Elizabeth

Here's a You Tube spot with a 91 year old woman who gives some insight about how her family cooked during the Depression.



Enjoy!
Elizabeth

Last night, I read an article about a large family in which the parents gave some wise advice. It was similar to something I had learned from parenting classes at church and from wiser, older parents. In this article, the parents suggested that you praise 10 times as much as you offer instructive criticism. They also suggested praising for character more than for other things.

As they pointed out, it's fine to give a little praise for external qualities -- such as appearance or strength. In fact, I do believe that a daughter needs to hear from her father that she is cherished and beautiful to him and that a son also needs to hear from his parents about his manly qualities -- to a certain extent. Children need to know that they are cherished in these ways so that they will not look for affirmation from the wrong sources. However, if the main bulk of your encouragement to your children is about achievements or external appearance, they will focus on these things to an unhealthy extent. It is far better to praise children for character qualities they display.

Even when praising a child for receiving a reward or for achieving good grades, focus on the character behind it. "You got an A! Isn't it great to have studied well and to have done your best? Way to go."

The parents I read about are so committed to this line of positive praise that they have created a list of helpful character traits which they post in their home. This is as much for them as for the children, if I understand their thinking correctly. It helps them keep in mind the character traits they are trying to instill in their children. When someone displays a quality in line with the character trait, they praise the child by saying something like, "I am so happy for you. You showed thoroughness in how you completed that task." (Thoroughness is on their list.)

I remember learning when we still had children at home how powerful positive encouragement is in the formation of a child's character and in their sense of security. It is so important that the bulk of our teaching toward our children be positive, saving rebuke for necessary times. I think of that verse in Colossians that says our conversation should be full of grace and seasoned with salt. Grace is the main dish; salt is the seasoning. How much better all of our relationships would be if we put this into practice -- or, I should say, how much better all of my relationships would be if I keep that ratio in mind. Spouses, neighbors, friends at church will all respond to us better if we speak in this way.

I'm sure some parents have temperaments which lend themselves easily to noticing and commenting on the good. Others of us tend to spotlight most that which needs correcting. For some of us, developing a positive mindset takes a lot of prayer and self-training, so that we truly do seek out the best in others -- especially the good in our children. Times to monitor our own outlook are when a) family life is super busy and we are bothered by those things that interrupt the workings of our household b)we are alarmed because one of our children is struggling with some harmful attitudes and 3) we see a weakness in our child that reminds us of a weakness that we, ourselves, have struggled with. In these cases, we will have to work harder to notice and encourage the positive, even as we deal with that which is unlovely in our children. For me, fear for a child's future tended to bring out the temptation to nag and speak harshly, rather than to deal decisively but gently with a child's conduct.

Of course, we should never ignore discipline problems. There is most definitely a time for the salty rebuke. In fact, stern but loving words applied at just the right time can be lifesavers. We've all benefited from much needed correction. However, if a child is fed a steady diet of all the little things he's doing wrong, without positive direction to balance it, he will likely do the following: 1) tune it all out so that he does not hear correction when it is needed and 2) become so discouraged that he finds it easier to simply give into misbehavior.

Often times, when our children hit the rough patches involved in growing up, they lose faith for what the Lord is doing in their lives. It is then that they most need us to have faith for them. If we show by our conversation and our attitude that we believe the best for our children, they will be more secure. Even in their hardest times, our children display positive qualities. If we notice and recognize even the faintest steps toward righteous behavior, we can inspire our children to want to develop positive qualities. We can also say, even when strongly correcting an alarming attitude or behavior, that we believe our child will be able to overcome their present struggle.

Also, when training our children in life, we must not assume that they know what it means to be responsible or grateful or faithful. They need us to help define for them what those things mean. We can use examples from the scriptures and, to a lesser extent, from wholesome literature and entertainment to show them what these things mean. But, we also need to help them see in their own lives what is and what isn't on target. That is another place where positive reinforcement of character development is helpful to the child.

Before we rush in to correct disrespect, for example, we must make sure that they know what it means to be respectful and what it means to be disrespectful. We can say, "When you rolled your eyes, what thoughts were in your mind? Did you know that to me, that looked as if you were showing disrespect?" "When you obeyed so quickly and without complaining, I felt very respected by you." Once you have set a foundation with both positive direction that they are on target and some feedback where they are off target, you can be sure that your expectations of them will be in line with their reasonable understanding. Then, you can encourage and discipline with the confidence that you are not frustrating your child.

Finally, I believe that children need to hear they are loved simply because they are created by God. They need to know that we love them no matter what. They need to be able to talk to us about the real fears, hurts, anger, and struggles to be godly that they experience in life. Otherwise, they will learn to be fake, rather than to be authentically faithful.

Many adults struggle with insecurity, because somewhere in childhood they got the idea that they must earn love and acceptance totally on the basis of their personal achievements. They are never at ease within themselves, for they are locked in an impossible quest to live up to their own and everyone else's expectations. They feel they are only loved by God and others according to their latest success in life, and that feeling of success never lasts long enough to bring peace. So, as soon as they achieve one thing, they drive themselves toward a new goal. Their motivation is not a healthy desire to bring glory to God, but an attempt to fill up an empty heart.

Sometimes, parents inadvertently add to such insecurity by offering loving words and attention mostly when a child excels in some outstanding way. If a child internalizes the idea that he must win acceptance solely through self-effort, he may have a hard time understanding and accepting the grace of God. He may also have a hard time extending grace to others who do not measure up to his own personal standards.

Obviously, a child's conduct and his achievements do matter. These things affect his relationship with the Lord, his relationships with others, and his own satisfaction in life. Thus, as parents, we should motivate our children toward faithful obedience to the Lord and toward excellence in love, faith, and character. We need to be careful to do this in a way that is founded on a healthy love for and fear of the Lord, however.

Our children blossom so much when we raise them in a positive, love-saturated atmosphere. Then, when they do need discipline and correction, they are able to hear it and apply it. I think that the ratio suggested in the article I read is a great one -- ten times the amount of positive encouragement for every bit of correction. There is a time for everything...

Enjoy!
elizabeth

Creative Uses for shower hangers:

Since I put up a shower cleaning machine, I was not able to use an over the nozzle shower hanger. When flipping through a magazine of creative home ideas, the editors suggested using one of these shower hangers as a wrapping center. They had placed it on the wall and had used it for scissors, a couple of rolls of wrapping paper, tape, etc.

Well, that set me to thinking. I needed something to organize my ironing supplies. So, I turned this one into a carrier for my spray starches and for a pants leg ironer, a mouse for ironing sleeves and shoulders, and my iron's water dispenser.

I used another extra one for wrapping supplies as the article suggested. I put it inside the closet of my office/workroom.

Then, yesterday, I even bought a new one and hung it in my walk-in closet. On that one, I placed some lint-removing tools, as well as some shoe and purse cleaning supplies.

These aren't the loveliest organizers, I suppose. But, they are handy and can be tucked away on a closet wall to be out of site.

What about you? Do you have any creative uses for an old shower hanger? How about re-purposing some other organizational tool in a clever way? I'd love to hear and see photos of your ideas!

*~The Simple Woman~*: JOIN The Simple Woman's Daybook~: "Outside My Window...It's spring! The Bradford pears have burst into bloom, the daffodils are up everywhere, the tulips are emerging, and we're having temps in the 70's. Of course, we have some blackberry winters to go through, yet. But, my heart is singing with spring!
I am thinking...of the verse in Song of Songs: Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves
is heard in our land
I am thankful for...feeling better after a time of a virus and asthma!
From the learning rooms...We are continuing our study of the Sermon on the Mount at church. I am being challenged in heart, but it's an exciting journey.
From the kitchen...I made some Sally Lunn bread the other night. Instead of using my bread maker, I did it from scratch. I enjoy kneading dough and letting it rise. Most of the time, however, I do find it to be more convenient to use that trusty old bread maker. When it comes to homemade bread, my cherished husband's waistlines and mine are in peril, though.
I am wearing...black skirt, pink top, black short-sleeved sweater, bare legs
I am creating...all sorts of little things, hopefully peace from the chaos my house has developed during my illness.
I am reading...This is Not Your Mother's Menopause -- my review of it is here:
I am hoping...the rose bush I ordered will ship to me, to get a lot done this week; to add some feminine touches through sound, smell, sight, hearing, and touch; to make my cherished husband feel loved by the cleanliness and functionality of our home; to learn all I can about thrift and frugality
I am hearing...the hum of my fan
Around the house...lots of interesting and creative things to do!
One of my favorite things...my children and children-in-law -- Do I say that every week?
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Have company, do some much needed errands, plant spinach, which I had hoped would already be in the ground, plant a few gladiola bulbs.