Spring Cleaning

I don't know about you, but when the days start warming and the grass begins to green, I get the cleaning bug.  Although it is still cooler in our part of Oklahoma than it usually is, there have been days where we have glimpsed the start of spring and relished the warmth of sunshine on our skin and the feel of the cool grass under our feet.  The birds are more active too, which is always a good signal that spring is right around the corner.  We have taken off school this week to give me much needed time to do some deep cleaning…ovens, grout, baseboards are just a few things on my list.  I have also changed out seasonal clothes and rearranged my boys drawers and plan to do the same for my girls before the week is out.

Since we school year round, it is also a time for my husband and I to re-evaluate the curriculum…see if there are changes we want to make…items to delete and some to add.  It is a time for scheduling and making lists…something I enjoy very much.  But, in all the productivity of spring, it is important that I not neglect the spiritual cleaning.  How often do we assess the recesses of our heart and decide what to get rid of and what to add?  So often we become so used to "little sins" that they don't even seem like sins anymore. They become such a part of us…gossip, harsh words, watching and reading materials that are not God-honoring..and the list could go on and on.  This is also a week to do a spiritual spring cleaning for me.  There are areas I need to dust and wipe away the grime…to get clean before my God. 

There should always be more of Him and less of me.  I am praying Ezekial 36:26... 

"And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." It is so easy for us to develop a heart of stone in certain areas.  When we get in a pattern of sin, bitterness, unforgiveness, anger, frustration, procrastination, it becomes a part of us.  We stop seeing it as something that needs to be eradicated, but rather look on it as a personality trait we have to live with.  That, however, is not the way God sees it.

So, if you are like me, and you are beginning your spring cleaning soon.  Ask God to show you areas in your heart that need cleaning.  He is faithful to show us those things when we ask because our Father desires us to be righteous before Him.  And trust me, that kind of cleaning is so much more profitable than having a spotless house.  Happy Cleaning!

Battling the Lies of the Enemy

If there is one thing I know as a Christian, it is that the enemy is alive and well.  He knows just how to attack.  He knows how to say just the right things that will cause us to doubt who we are and what we are capable of doing.  No ground is too sacred for his warfare and as Christians we must always be ready for the battle.  How many times have you looked in the mirror and said…I'm too ______?  You fill in the blank.  Or, I wish I were more like _______________.  Or, I am such a failure in ________________________.  I don't have the talents or gifts that __________________ has.  If only I could do ______________, I might be more effective for the kingdom.  ______________'s children are so much __________ than mine, I must not be doing something right.  And the list could go on and on and on….to infinity.  Yes, the enemy knows just how to whisper those things to us and if you are anything like me, it is easy to fall under those attacks.  

I'll be honest with you.  This was one of the areas the enemy had me bound, until Christ set me free.  Do I still hear these words?  Yes, of course, Satan's kingdom doesn't give up that easily.  Do I ever give in to them?  Yes, unfortunately, sometimes I still do.  But, praise God, it is less and less and now I do battle rather than settling for defeat.  So, for all of you who have ever heard these words from the enemy and have fallen under them…this is for you.  I want to leave you with the weapons of our warfare.  The sword and praise.  The enemy cannot stand against the Word of God and praises.  So, the next time those voices try to remind you of what you are not…you remind them of who you are!

You are a child of God.  

 But to all who have received him--those who believe in his name--he has given the right to become God's children … John 1:12

You are a friend of Jesus.

I no longer call you slaves, because the slave does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because I have revealed to you everything I heard from my Father…John 15:15

You are a fellow heir of Christ.

And if children, then heirs (namely, heirs of God and also fellow heirs with Christ)--if indeed we suffer with him so we may also be glorified with him…(Romans 8:17)

You have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms in Christ… (Ephesians 1:3)

You are chosen, holy and blameless before God.

For he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we may be holy and unblemished in his sight in love (Ephesians 1:4).

You are redeemed and forgiven in Christ.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace (Ephesians 1:7).

So the next time the enemy comes and tries to tell you all that you are not, you remind him who are you because of Christ who has set you free.  And then you start praising God for all He has done in your life and for who He is.  Trust me, the enemy will flee.  

The Rhythm of Our Days

What does the rhythm of your days look like?  I must admit, ours varies depending upon commitments, unexpected sicknesses, and a myriad of other things that demand our attention.  But there are some things that are non-negotiable in our lives.  First, we seek to spend time with God everyday.  Before we start school, our children know they are to have their quiet time with the Lord.  A day cannot start out on the right foot without making Christ the priority.  Satan will always tell us how we are too busy, too tired, too whatever to get this most important time done, but that only reminds us that this is of the utmost importance if the enemy seeks to keep us from it.

Then some time in the early morning routine we stop to have a morning devotional together.  My husband is off to work at this time, so I gather the children and we read through a book of the Bible, one chapter at a time.  We have some discussion about what that particular passage means to our Christian life and then we pray.  School always seems to flow so much smoother when our morning devotionals are not neglected.

Other activities fill our days…homeschooling, cooking, outside play, creative pursuits…but none of those compare to the time spent with the Savior…at His feet…seeking His face…asking Him to order our days.

Hugs, kisses, sweet words, I love you's…these are the things that our children will remember.  Don't forget the importance of your touch and lovely conversation in the lives of those you love.  I have to constantly remind myself that when my children grow up they won't remember the phonics lesson they do day after day, but they will remember the attitude Mommy had while doing it. My children will learn to read and do math and a long list of other things, but will they remember a gracious mother who loved them every chance she got?  That is the kind of mother I strive to be.

And it is only by loving the Lord as I should that I can love my family properly.  Only the Holy Spirit can illuminate that kind of love through us.  So remember…give the Lord your day and everything else will fall into place.  

Finding My Way

It has been a little over two months since we have moved and I am still staring at boxes in our garage and bonus room.  We are slowly working our way into our new home, creating a new fabric for the day to day rhythm of our lives.  Being a military spouse has taught me so very much about working with constant change.  We change houses, churches, doctors, hairdressers, our favorite places to shop, grocery stores and all the things we can no longer find…or things we can finally get now…vets, piano teachers, homeschool groups, sewing teachers and yes, even friends.  We always keep the old friends, but must become accustomed to not seeing them regularly and finding new ones.  That is one of the hardest things about moving.  Sometimes it seems like friends are plentiful in some places, sparse in others…just another indication of a new season in one's life.

As much as I dreaded Oklahoma…and believe me, I did!  I am learning that my Father in Heaven has His beauty everywhere, despite the myriad of scorpions that I find in my home!  The sunsets here are beautiful and the crazy wind?  Well, who would have thought?  My children love it here!  There are birds that we see here almost on a daily basis that I never saw back east…like a great blue heron and a lovely osprey that fishes in the pond behind our yard.  There are coyotes serenading us some evenings…that I must say is not quite a thrilling!

And as much as I have always wanted to stay put in my own home…planting fruit trees that I can watch grow with the passing of each year, painting scriptures and small pictures on my walls, etc., God continues to show me that I am only passing through.  This military life gives me a true taste of the pilgrimage.  Life is so very short.  Children grow up so quickly.  Soon, I will be staring at the empty nest years and I will long for these transient days when we were all together.  What really matters is that we have each other and more importantly, we have the Lord.  Everything else is a far second from that fact.  And although my children will never remember their childhood home like most children…I pray they remember the love that went with them everywhere they lived.  And I hope they take away the thought of blooming where God plants them…no matter where that is.  

Elections Have Consequences

I have been listening to political pundits and radio/TV personalities about the outcome of last night's election.  One phrase that is finding its way among the conservative circles is "elections have consequences."  This is too true.  And to say that I am disappointed in the outcome of this election, would honestly, be an understatement.  Already, there is the analysis of what went wrong.  Somehow conservatives didn't court the Latino community enough…they didn't deal with women's issues enough…Romney was a little too late in showing he was a personable guy…conservatives didn't do a good enough job in proving this was Obama's economy rather than Bush's…and on and on it goes.  But what most seem to be overlooking is that there is a fundamental change in the make-up of this country, yes and even the world.

Conservatives are not conservatives simply because that is a great thing to be. Conservatism was built on Biblical principles and that is its fundamental foundation.  Working was God's idea long before it was a Republican one.  God said a man and woman would make up traditional marriage, long before it became a pillar of the conservative movement.  Helping others without enabling them has always been God's way of doing things.  Being responsible in your stewardship of your monies was God's idea way before the Republican's made it a mandate.  The sanctity of human life is God's idea, not conservatives.  

If you look at the social issues that have been passed this election, to me, the reason behind the loss of the election is clear.  Two states legalize same-sex marriage, Colorado passes the legalization of marijuana for any use, not just medicinal, Massachusetts introduced an amendment to legalize doctor-assisted suicides.  One thing I agree with the President on is that we are no longer a Christian nation.  We were founded on Christian principles…we were once a Christian nation…but no longer.  Biblically Christians have always been in the minority.  The Bible makes that clear.  But, America was at least always morally Christian.  That is no longer the case.  And that is why this election was lost.  It is a spiritual problem and no candidate in the world would be able to fix it, not even a conservative one.  Now, please don't get me wrong.  I think it is our duty to vote for the candidate that most closely aligns themselves to Biblical principles, but that candidate will not change the hearts of men. 

So what does this mean for Christians?  Elections do have consequences.  What they will be is only known by God.  But, I do know this.  It is time for those who call themselves Christian, including myself, to make sure they quit looking for their salvation in a political party or movement.  Work in a movement for the good of the country?  Yes, but never, never, never cross the line in thinking this is the way to save our country.  Spiritual revival is the only way to save this land and that only happens through prayer and sharing the Gospel with others. Some of us wouldn't have a problem knocking on doors to hand out a political flyer, but how many of us are as courageous to share Christ?  And believe me, I say this to myself long before I say it to you.  I have not been good about this.  Many times I have cared more about my comfort, or what others will say or think of me.  Time is short and people are dying without Christ.  God still reigns and none of this has happened without His authority.  Somehow this works out in His plans for all of us, and only God knows.  But, I do know this…He promises that all things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose.  That is good news.  So instead of fretting about who is occupying Pennsylvania Avenue…rejoice that our Heavenly Father is in Heaven ruling the affairs of men.  Pray…pray…and pray some more.  Pray God brings revival…that He gives men eyes to see and ears to hear…that He strengthens us and gives us courage.  Pray that we will not fear man, but God. We are only passing through…our citizenship is in Heaven and no election can ever take that away from us!  God bless you!

When God Redirects

I have confessed to you all before that I am a planner.  I like to plan so much at times, that the planning is often  more fun for me than actually carrying out those plans.  I would be content having large blocks of time to plan for all sorts of things…menus, homeschooling, chore charts, reading lists, and on and on and on!  Every year around the first or so of December, I begin getting a little giddy.  And it is not about what gift might be waiting for me under the tree, but rather the fact that another year is approaching so that I can start making my list of goals for the approaching year.  I know…that's a little weird.  I admit it.   

I have read books, listened to CD's and watched DVD's about the importance of planning and the need to do so.  I truly loved those books and lectures!  But, recently, God has redirected me in a way that I never suspected.  It is in every way against my nature and personality.  But, God often does that when we ask Him what we need to change.  And I am no exception.  It has finally occurred to me that God does not want another grandiose list from me of all the things that I want to accomplish for Him in the coming year.  God wants me to focus on who I am rather than what I will do.  I know my tendency.  I feel better about myself when I can check off a list of things that I feel make me a successful wife, mother, friend, church member, etc.  God doesn't want me to get some counterfeit righteousness from my list of things to do, but rather to seek righteousness above all things. 

When I began looking at the men and women of the Bible, so much of their lives were unplanned.  God told Abraham to leave his home and he didn't know where his final destination would be.  Moses was taken from the palace life of Egypt to end up a leader to God's people and 40 years of that he spent wandering with them in the wilderness.  Ruth had no idea what awaited her with her mother-in-law Naomi.  She just knew that being with her was the right thing to do. 

I do not think that having a plan is a bad thing.  There is some planning that must go into successfully accomplishing things.  I know God has called me to homeschool, therefore to do so effectively I must plan.  My home needs to remain clean, so I must plan the chores that must get done to keep it that way.  To save money at the grocery store, I need to do menu planning so that I don't overspend.  But, my yearly plan has changed.  Although my goals were not bad, God has shown me that they were not the best.  It is as if God is was telling me that if I focus on my character and being all He desires me to be, all the other things will fall into place.  It forces me to seek after those things that are most important more diligently...like holiness, righteousness, patience, love, etc.  If I posses those qualities like I should, God will naturally move me by His Holy Spirit where it is He wants me to go and what it is He wants me to do.  I realized that sometimes my long range planning was an excuse to keep myself from the moment by moment communicating with the Spirit of God and being open to His leading at any time.  It was a hard thing to let go of in one respect.  I have listened to those I respect talk about the need for 200 year plans!  You can imagine how exciting that was for me!  And although I am not saying that planning like that is wrong...that may be exactly what God has called someone else to do.  But, clearly God changed my direction.  And at times, it is a scary thing to change course and seemingly go against the tide.  But isn't that what living a life filled with God's Spirit is all about?  So now, instead of waking up and running through my mind all the list of things that I can see myself checking off for the day.  I wake up and say, "Lord, fill me with Your Spirit.  Make me more Christ-like today.  Let me be Your hands and feet to my family and all those I come in contact with...and let me be open to the schedule, events, and places You desire me to do."  And although it is a much greater effort to live in a constant awareness of the Spirit of God and an attitude of prayer, it is eternally and infinitely more rewarding!

Funny, but so true!

I don't know how you feel about the area of sports.  We all probably have some very strong emotions when it comes to this subject.  I came from a home where sports was an idol.  There was always a game of some kind on the TV or radio.  Church was easily missed to get ready for big bowl games.  My father would get so upset when his team lost at times that for days it was difficult to be around him because he would almost go into a depression.  I became an avid college basketball fan.  Of course, it didn't help that I attended UNC-Chapel Hill!  This became a powerful tool for time with my father.  Sports was one of the few things where I felt we could make a real connection.  Because I grew up this way, I quickly saw the emptiness of this type of existence.  Vicariously living through the lives of the sports figures on the screen seemed very sad to me.  As a result, I couldn't even tell you who was playing in the Super Bowl or when it was to be on. I don't know when college basketball season officially starts, and I don't have my favorite player anywhere.  Well, okay, I take that back.  I like Tim Tebow…but not because he is a football player, but because of his love and courageous stand to be a witness for Christ!  

This video is funny and sad at the same time.  I am not saying that watching any sports event is sinful.  But, does our culture spend too much time on a game that matters little in the scope of eternity when there are so many other important things we could be doing.  Is our obsession as a culture with sports just another way for the enemy to keep us distracted from kingdom work?  Just a thought.

Denying Self

One of the books on my reading list this year is Radical by David Platt.  Amazingly, this was one of the textbooks used for a class that my husband took at Southeastern Seminary last semester for an ethics class.  Although I have not read the book yet, my husband would read enough excerpts from it to me to peak my interest and to start us talking at length about what biblical Christianity really looks like.  We have had these conversations before.  It is as if the Lord is bringing us to the realization that this western culture is very foreign to the real cross carrying, gospel centered, selfless service type of Christianity that Christ speaks of in the Bible.

So much of what we do here is so very ME centered.  Our hobbies, our sporting events, our spare time…all revolves around us…what we enjoy…what makes us happy…what we feel we have earned the right to do.  When I read about the life of Christ and His disciples however, I never see this ME centered living.  You don't see Paul running off to the nearest Olympic event to watch his favorite athlete compete.  You don't see Peter saying, "I worked my whole life as a fisherman…I did my time…Now it's time for me to enjoy my days!  I've earned it!"  You don't see the early Christians carting their children all over God's earth to the next event, or competition, or party…or whatever so they will be well-rounded and have all these accomplishments behind their names.  One could easily argue that this is because these types of things didn't exist in the early days of the church, therefore they couldn't.  Well, that is partially correct.  Sports have been around since then for sure!  We got the concept of the Olympics from the Greeks!  But, that would not be my question.  My question would be, "If they were around then, would the early church have been participating?"  I think not…at least not to the extent we do today.  The early church's philosophy was cross carrying…think about it.  A cross was not a pretty thing.  Oh, we wear them around our necks and hang them in our houses…because today they are a symbol of true salvation for us.  But, back then…the cross was a symbol of execution, of death, of pain!  And Jesus tells us to take this cross and carry it daily.  What does that mean?  Are you dying daily to your desires for those of Christ?  What cross are we carrying?

“We are settling for a Christianity that revolves around catering to ourselves when the central message of Christianity is actually about abandoning ourselves.” 

― David Platt, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream 

Now, before you think I am too radical, let me tell you what I am not saying.  I am not saying that having some activities is a wrong thing.  But, we need to ask ourselves…why do we do these things?  Are they all about us, or are they about Him?  As a disciple of Christ, shouldn't everything be about Him?  We make sure our children are involved in all these activities that we deem to be beneficial, but how many times do you make sure they have a chance to share the Gospel, work in a kitchen serving the homeless, visit a nursing home, pray outside an abortion clinic, give to orphans and widows?  Todays kids get their latest video games and DVD's, Kindles, Ipod, Ipads, etc., but when was the last time they were the hands, feet and voice of Christ to a lost and dying world?  When was the last time you or I were?

“If we were left to ourselves with the task of taking the gospel to the world, we would immediately begin planning innovative strategies and plotting elaborate schemes. We would organize conventions, develop programs, and create foundations… But Jesus is so different from us. With the task of taking the gospel to the world, he wandered through the streets and byways…All He wanted was a few men who would think as He did, love as He did, see as He did, teach as He did and serve as He did. All He needed was to revolutionize the hearts of a few, and they would impact the world.” 

― David Platt, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream 

This isn't just a problem with our children.  It begins with us.  You know, I would guess that our retired generation today is probably one of the least fulfilled and unhappy in decades.  The more our culture has immersed themselves in their own desires, the unhappier we have gotten.  Remember it was Jesus who said it is better to give than to receive.  Those words are true.  And if we continue to live for our next trip, our next sporting event, our next this or that…we will always come away empty and unfulfilled.  I cringe to think what we American Christians will have to answer for…how much money have we spent on our own amusements when there are people literally dying around the world just for something to eat?  Or our fellow Christians who would suffer great hardship just for a Bible and some of us barely read ours or we have several in our homes and not even give it a second thought?  What about persecuted Christians around the world who need help and medical attention just because they have claimed Christ and risked all?  Where your treasure is…there will your heart be also.  So next time you are heading for the golf course or the video game store or to get a Starbucks coffee…stop and ask yourself…if I just gave this up just one time a week, month, you fill in the blank…how could I take this money and further the kingdom's work?

“But then I realize there is never going to be a day when I stand before God and He looks at me and says, 'I wish you would have kept more for yourself.' I'm confident that God will take care of me.” 

― David Platt, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream

“Radical obedience to Christ is not easy... It's not comfort, not health, not wealth, and not prosperity in this world. Radical obedience to Christ risks losing all these things. But in the end, such risk finds its reward in Christ. And he is more than enough for us.”
― David Platt, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream

“We desperately need to explore how much of our understanding of the gospel is American and how much is biblical.”
― David Platt, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream

The Rhythm of Life

Some days feel like a caption off a hallmark card…you know the feeling…those days when just the thought of being alive overwhelms you, the sun shines, the flowers bloom…you sense the beauty of God's creation and you exude joy!

Those days the rhythm of home and life seems to flow smoothly and you can easily get lost in the beauty of it all.  I love to soak up those days when they arrive…learning to thank God for these small glimpses of glory.

Then, there are those days when the rhythm of life seems to bump and weave and create havoc.  Instead of a home serene and clean, you get mounds of clutter in corners of your home due to sickness.  Instead of sitting down to dinner at the big table, you spend your time on couches with sick children.  Sometimes strange things happen…like both Mommy and Daddy getting a stomach bug at the same time…and then you realize you are thankful for different things.  Thankful that it is not always like this…thankful that you have an older daughter who knows how to keep the rhythm of the home going for the others and to take care of her parents when needed…thankful that God is still God no matter what is happening…thankful for Christian friends who help out when needed...and thankful that you once again get a glimpse of glory by realizing you are bound for a place where there is no more sickness.  These are the days we have had this last week.  But God is still God…and He is training us for His purposes.  And for that, we can always be thankful!

What If this is All There is?

Slipping out of bed this morning at 5:45 am for my devotional in a very quiet house was a special treat.  It has been a while since I have felt rested enough to get up at that time.  God is good.  My health has been up and down for several years now…I will feel better for a while…then take a nosedive again.  I have tried this cure and that cure, but nothing lasting.  I have been tested for most things under the sun, nothing conclusive.  I have prayed and prayed, and the Lord has given me healthier moments, but nothing lasting.  What does a Christian do with this?          

I have been angry, hurt, depressed and numb over it all.  I have compared myself with others and asked God for a reason.  I have searched scripture, confessed sin and at times, given up.  And then the thought came to me…what if this is all there is?  What if this is what God has ordained in my life?  Does He cease being a loving Father, an all-wise God, my salvation, my Jehovah-Rapha?

No, God is still God.  He is still good.  He still loves me and is working all things, even this, for my good.  Do I desire healing?  Yes, absolutely.  But, He has brought me to the point that I desire holiness more.  So now, instead of praying constantly for a miracle of health, I now pray for a miracle of righteousness.  Lord, make me holy.  Lord, if this is what it takes to accomplish that, then it will be worth it.  

Do I truly believe that I am the bondservant of God?  Because if I do, that means every area in my life…even my health.  So, for today, I thank God for this moment of energy and I realize the preciousness of it.  It is truly a gift…undeserved, special, relished.  It is the hand of a God who gives to me what I do not deserve, and I am thankful.  May these moments never be taken for granted, but I pray point me instead to the heart of my Father.  May you also thank God for the gifts He has given you today.  Oh, how much we take for granted.  Stop for just a moment today and thank God for all His gifts.  Today is all we are promised.  And may you have sweet fellowship with Him!

Starting Off a New Year

I always enjoy the freshness of a new year.  I am a goal-driven person, so making lists and goals at the start of a new year is something I enjoy.  Even if I do not accomplish all the goals that I laid out for that year, I always accomplish more than I would if I have never formulated a plan.  I would like to share some of the goals I have been praying and planning about.

I like to pray about a special verse to apply to me personally during the coming year.  This year it is John 3:30, "He must increase, but I must decrease."  So many times I have found myself fighting in my own strength…running on my own energy…making my own plans, and never fully giving those things over to the Lord.  He knows what He wants of me.  He knows where my focus should be.  Christ is the One who should be governing my every step.  I want to wake up every morning and say, "Lord, this is your day…your schedule…do with it as you will."  And then, I want to take every bump in the road, and every blessing that comes my way as the movement of a Sovereign God who only desires the best for me.  For me to do that…He must increase, but I must decrease. 

Time is so short and so precious.  We will never get this day back.  Did we live it for His glory?  If we are given tomorrow, what will we do with it?  

I would encourage you to pray about what the Lord might have you do differently this year and begin working toward that plan.  I have many things still ruminating in my mind and heart, but I thought I would share a few with you.  One of the first things I do is make a reading list for the year.  There are so many wonderful books out there.  If you are interested in my reading list this year, you can find it here.

Some of the other goals on my list this year:

1.  Complete three courses toward my Master Herbalist degree.

2.  At LEAST a once a month date night with my husband.  (Hopefully we will get that up a little higher before the year is through)!

3.  Consistent one on one time with my children.

4.  Memorize more scripture.

5.  Develop a more thankful heart.

6.  More consistent read aloud times with the family.

7.  Develop reading lists for my individual children.

8.  Incorporate new healthy recipes.

9.  Begin dejunking before our upcoming move after summer.

10. Organize closets and drawers.

11. Work on scrapbooking more often.

12.  Blog 2 to 3 times a week.

These are just a few of the areas I plan to work toward this year.  But, I have also laid this plan before the Lord to change or redirect in any way He sees fit.  After all, a plan without Christ at the center is not worth doing anyway.  

How is the Lord leading you this new year?  I pray that whatever it is, you will be blessed beyond measure.  May you seek Him more this year!

Some Principles of Courtship ~ Part One

I wanted to share some insights given at the conference by Paul Washer.  He spoke about the Principles of Courtship that I found extremely helpful.  He encouraged us to copy his handout and pass it out as we would like.  Since I cannot do that for all of you, I thought I would try to write them in installments, and put the scripture references under each and then you can decide if you would like to keep them for a reference or guide.  I would also encourage each of you that can afford it, to buy the MP3 tapes of the conference.  We still have not listened to all of ours yet, but I am looking forward to doing so the beginning of the new year.  I hope to be sharing some of my goals for the coming year with you soon as well.  May you have a blessed New Year with Christ at the center of all you do!

Biblical Courtship by Paul Washer

Plowing Fertile Ground for Teaching:  Before we even begin to discuss courtship, we must be aware of our present reality as people, convinced that the entirety of our lives are to abound to the glory of God, and determined to live biblically:

 I.  We must be aware of our present reality as people.

      Judges 17:6, Hosea 4:6, Isaiah 1:4-6

II. We must be convinced that the entirety of our lives must abound to the glory of God and be submitted to God's revealed will.

       I Corinthians 10:31, II Corinthians 10:5, II Timothy 3: 16-17

The Context of Teaching:  In the same way that knowing the will of God in a specific moment springs forth from a life style of renewing the mind in the Word of God (Romans 12:2), courtship springs forth from a life-long biblical relationship between parent and child.

I.  Parents must strive to know the Scriptures.

    Proverbs 29:18, Hosea 4:6

II. Parents must strive to live as biblical examples.

      I Corinthians 4:15-17, I Corinthians 11:1, I Thessalonians 2:14, Matthew 23:2-3

III.  Parents must strive to love, teach, and govern biblically.  The godliness and Christ-likeness of the family is the most important goal of the godly man!

      Genesis 18:19, Deuteronomy 6:5-9, Joshua 4: 5-7, Ephesians 6:4, I Timothy 3:4

IV.  Children must be convinced of their parents' role.  

        A.  The parents' role is ordained by God and is the "first law" governing man's relationship to man.  Exodus 20:12

B.  A deeper look from Ephesians 6:1-3.

     1.  Children, obey your parents - to obey, listen, harken to;  of one who, on hearing a knock at the door, comes to listen who it is; the duty of a porter.

     2.  In the Lord - in the context of the Lord's authority

    3.  For this is right - righteous; observing divine law.

     4.  Honor your father and mother - to esteem them as valuable.

    5.  Which is the first commandment with a promise, so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth - a reference to a blessed life without fear of divine judgment.

C.  Moving beyond obedience to honor:  Leviticus 19:32

D.  Divine Penalties:  Jude 1:6, Deuteronomy 21:18-21

(There is quite a bit more, but for time and not to have the post too terribly long, I will share more later.  I hope some of you who are pursuing this route will find this helpful.  God bless!)

Are You Planting Groves?

We were reading this morning in Deuteronomy for our devotional time.  One particular verse penetrated my heart.  It was Deut. 16:21, "Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the Lord thy God, which thou shalt make thee."  Idol worship was prevalent in the days of the patriarchal fathers.  God speaks a lot to His people about keeping themselves pure from this type of sin.  He reminds them over and over again how easy it is to get snared into idol worship. And in this verse, God goes so far as to say that He does not even want them to plant groves near the altar of the Lord!  Can't you just hear sceptics today saying how legalistic this sounds?  For many Christians today, the whole idea of idol worship seems foreign.  Most Christians I know don't get tempted to worship statues of man's making.  But, lest we forget, idol worship is not just worshipping something we call a god, but replacing the Creator God from His rightful position.  There is much surrounding us on a daily basis that could easily become an idol.  Idol worship is about putting anything before Christ in your life.  And that my friend, can be almost anything.  People, hobbies, money, position, and the list could go on and on.  What groves are you planting near the altar of God in your life?  Is it your family?  Is it homeschooling or healthy eating or your favorite hobby?  What about technology…facebook, twitter, and yes, even blogging?  Are these things bad?  No, but when our time with God takes a backseat to these things, then they become our idols.  So ask yourself today as I am asking myself; what groves have I planted near the altar of God?  I think it might be a good time to lay the ax to the trees.  May the Lord give us wisdom to see when we are about to plant groves of our own making.  

Keeping the Homeschool Vision Alive

Today I am guest posting for Heather over at Raising Mighty Arrows.  Please come and join me there.  And if you have not had a chance to be blessed by Heather's blog yet, I hope you will stop by and "see" her.  She has posts to encourage wives and mothers in their Biblical calling.  See you there!  Just click on the link above.

Also, I have my next installment ready for Wednesdays on my series on Training Daughters.  I will be tackling Modesty Issues ~ Part 2.  Please join me next week.  God bless you!

Our Everyday Modesty Standards ~ Part 1

First of all, I want to thank each of you that has left your sweet comments concerning our upcoming move.  We now have about two weeks before move time.  I appreciate all your payers and thoughts for us during this time.  We are doing a partial move ourselves and then we will have packers/movers coming to finish the job.  I look forward to hopefully getting back to blogging more regularly after the move and visiting once again the lovely blogs of friends.  But, I did want to at least continue my posts on modesty, as I have gotten some questions from several of you that wish to know our family's standards on this issue.  Once again, I want to make this clear that this in OUR family's standard and I am in no way saying that ours must be yours.  You must determine that after prayer and discussion with your spouse.  Having said that, there are things I do feel are inappropriate for any Christian.  So, our family began our modesty standards with what we felt were positively inappropriate.  From there, we expanded it to include areas we felt would be most glorifying to the Lord and would not be something that would cause a brother to stumble.

We do not feel it is appropriate for a woman to show any part of her body that should remain private.  Therefore, shirts or dresses that show cleavage of any kind are not allowed.  We personally do not allow any tank tops, spaghetti straps, halter tops, or anything similar.  We have found that clothes that do not have much fabric on top, often show parts of a woman's body even when she doesn't realize it.  To remain modest at all times one must think about particular types of clothes as one moves.  If you are wearing these types of tops and you raise your arms, or you bend over, it is easy to show the breast area along with your undergarments.  We do not think it is ever appropriate for a young lady to show any of her undergarments, even the straps, so our shirt standards reflect this.  We do not wear sleeveless tops either.  Not because we think it is a sin to do so, but we have found that if a sleeveless top does not fit snugly around the arm, it would be easy to expose oneself.  To check these shirts for modesty, have your daughters put them on and then stoop down, reach up, over, etc. to see if they pass your modesty test.  We also have decided to wear shirts that fit closely to the neck.  Once again, we have found scoop neck shirts, even though they may not show cleavage, tend to fit looser and a woman could easily become immodest by simply reaching over and picking up a child.  Now, you could always reach down and hold your shirt while bending over, but we were concerned about that one time we may forget.  And young girls may even have a harder time remembering in their play time.  If a shirt shows the outline of your undergarments, then that should be a good indication that it is too tight.  So, this is basically our standard for shirts and tops of dresses.  

So this doesn't get too long, I will post a part 2 later.  One thing I wish to stress.  Don't forget the goal of modesty.  1)  To bring honor to Christ.  2)  To not be a stumbling block for a brother.  Therefore, I would rather err on the side of too much caution than not enough.  I have heard people say that since we have liberty in Christ, we can dress any way we wish.  Our liberty is in our freedom from sin, not in our freedom to sin, and causing our brothers to stumble God causes sin.  I hope this has helped with some of your questions.  Once again, this is our standard, you must do what you feel God is leading you to do.  May we seek to glorify Him and give Him honor in every area of our lives, even in our dress.  God bless you!