Advent/Christmas

I will start my yearly musings on this most emotive of holidays. I hope you enjoy and share with friends if you are so inspired. I will begin on Sunday...

the enemies chew toy

#1. Put on as if it is clothes, humility.
#2. God opposes pride..anywhere.
#3. Place yourself under God's mighty hand
#4. He will honor you at the right time.
#5. Roll your worries over to him/He cares for you.
#6. Control yourself
#7 Be on your guard
#8. The enemy prowls, roars and looks to chew up and swallow.
#9. You can stand against him.

1 Peter 5

A prayer

Your word is a light to my path, and since I have placed myself under your hand…I have been assuming you would feel the need to use me because of my amazingness. Forgive my arrogance and my pride, for who am I but clay in your hand. Who am I to tell the potter, when and where you should use me. You are the one who honors me by using me…if I am not being used in my perceived areas of strength; it is because I am full of pride. Not only are you not using me, you will oppose me. I have not clothed myself in humility and I seek your forgiveness again this morning. I have been chewed on, it is interesting that pride and the enemy's chews are not far apart from each other.  Pride is the enemies chew toy. I like that …. I can beat myself about this…I think you would rather me just humble myself and get on with it.

Amen

beautiful bits...

 I am being chiseled down to the beautiful bits.  http://karavanderbijl.com/

If you have not read my Niece's blog, you need too. She writes so well and today, she said this and it struck me. This is what is happening to me...I am being chiseled down, but I am hoping they are beautiful bits.  My Dad turns 83 today, what a beautiful man in all his beautiful bits.  See, maybe we don't become whole and balanced as we age but the things that seemed to matter so when we were younger are chiseled away and we sparkle in our bits. I would like to think there are things in which I sparkle...I think it is in the things most unselfish that I do.

Wise Woman...Foolish Woman

Wise woman builds her house. But a foolish woman tears hers down with her own hands Prov. 14:1

It has been awhile since I have posted and lots has happened in the world since the last time. We still have the same president...and some  men in power seem to have an inability to be faithful.  What I am thinking about though, is the foolish women, the ones who tore down their homes with their own hands.  It seems these women  get a pass when it comes to infidelity in high places. No jobs seem to be lost or ugly photos seem to be shown.  They only  know who fired the first shot across the cheating deck but neither said a simple no.
I am musing about this because I wonder what foolishness  we women do in our own homes that tear down protective walls but don't go as far as unfaithfulness. What do we do that builds...what do we do that tears down/busts.

Loving our husbands and protecting our marriage = builders
Watching our tongues=builders
Holding sacred our marriage bed by not reading what others seem to do better =builders
Not controlling by moods, anger, pettiness, insecurities =builders
Trusting God = builders
Loving but not idolizing our roles as mothers =builders
Confronting and being a peacemaker =builders
Making a home = builders


Self-centered whining = busters
Comparing anything =busters
Holding tight to rigid rules of expected behavior =busters
Unrealistic expectations for what  he should do, what I can do =busters
Letting ourselves go = busters
Holding sacred the idea of control by worrying = busters


This verse seems to say that we hold a lot in our hands...we builders and destroyers of homes.

PS. Goodness knows that men have their equal  share...but then I am not a man and cannot speak to that.