The Woman Next Door {On Building Community}

The Woman Next Door {On Building Community}

I just read this and had to share it and save it for future reference for myself.
Very convicting.
Honestly I usually do the exact opposite of this; throwing hasty hellos across the street and over the fence, then quickly running inside.
I can handle physically helping a neighbour by raking leaves or mowing lawns, but I struggle with prolonged conversation or actually getting to know them better.
   This was definitely a good read for me and something to strive for.

God's not mad...

I am reading a parenting book right now called "Loving Our Kids on Purpose" By Danny Silk and I came across a part I had to copy down and share because I really liked it...

" Do you know why God could introduce a poor choice in the Garden of Eden?[the tree of the knowledge of good and evil] He had a plan for every possible outcome, including the worst. 
Scripture tells us that Jesus was the "Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Rev. 13:8) 
God wasn't freaked out by the fact that we could blow it. It may seem that way when we read the Old Testament and see how He punished people for sin. But when you read the whole story, you find out that unless He showed us that sin costs us, we wouldn't have understood what the cross - His plan - would accomplish.
   God can carry peace into our messes because His plan, the cross, worked. He's already dealt with the sin issue. He is going to be OK no matter what we do. The Father's attitude toward our sin is, "It's all right. But I need you to trust me, and I need you to hear me. We're going to be OK. We're going to make it through this. I can win with any hand that's dealt to me. You're on my side, and I'm on your side. We'll pick up that which the devil meant for evil and turn it around, and because of that I want you to come to Me in the midst of your failure. I'm not mad. I got really mad one time and I poured out all my wrath and punishment for sin on the Lamb that I supplied , because He's the only One that could handle it (1 John 2:2). Jesus was punished unto death for all your mistakes, so why would I have anger and punishment for you now? I need you to trust that I love you and that I am with you and for you. Come here." ....
  
"That is the heart attitude that we must communicate to our children... When we do that we usher them into a right relationship with an internal God who loves them, who's not freaked out about their mistakes, and who has a solution that really does work."

     (bold and square italics mine)


    I think I loved this so much because it reminded me that God isn't mad at us all the time for screwing up and bad things don't happen to us because he's mad. I know this is true, but sometimes when something goes wrong we try to figure out what bad thing we did to make it happen. But God's not like that.
 
  It also reminds me of the enormous amount of peace we can have everyday knowing that whatever happens it's going to be OK.

God can win with any hand dealt to him. He has already won. And so have we when we are on his side.

I worry way too much and let little things get me upset. (why? I don't know) But that's why I love reminders of God's perfect love and perfect peace.

When I decided to trust and believe in Jesus it changed my eternity and left me with nothing to fear or worry about!
Thank you Jesus for taking my punishment and restoring my relationship with God!

Death

Death desirable?
How do those two words even go together?
I'm just reading a commentary on Psalm 19 and it says,

"Religion makes our comforts sweet, and our crosses easy, life truly valuable, and death itself truly desirable."

The irony caught me completely off guard. What!? That isn't right! It goes against human nature, against survival instincts against our will.
At the same time as I balked at those words I found comfort and joy in them.
My human nature was appalled, but my soul was inspired.

Yes death is desirable. Because it is eternal life in Jesus! 

How carefree and joyful should our lives be if even death does not cause us to worry or fret!

 Perfect love casts out all fear.

Ok I just had to comment on that. I'm thankful for the Girls Group tomorrow night where I'm going to be talking about Psalm 19. That is the reason I was reading that commentary and found that piece of encouragement today!


Psalm 19

The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
    The skies display his craftsmanship.
² Day after day they continue to speak;
    night after night they make him known.
³ They speak without a sound or word;
    their voice is never heard.^[a]
4 Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
    and their words to all the world.

God has made a home in the heavens for the sun.
⁵ It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding.
    It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race.
⁶ The sun rises at one end of the heavens
    and follows its course to the other end.
    Nothing can hide from its heat.

⁷ The instructions of the Lord are perfect,
    reviving the soul.
The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy,
    making wise the simple.
⁸ The commandments of the Lord are right,
    bringing joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are clear,
    giving insight for living.
⁹ Reverence for the Lord is pure,
    lasting forever.
The laws of the Lord are true;
    each one is fair.
¹⁰ They are more desirable than gold,
    even the finest gold.
They are sweeter than honey,
    even honey dripping from the comb.
¹¹ They are a warning to your servant,
    a great reward for those who obey them.

¹² How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?
    Cleanse me from these hidden faults.
¹³ Keep your servant from deliberate sins!
    Don’t let them control me.
Then I will be free of guilt
    and innocent of great sin.

¹⁴ May the words of my mouth
    and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing to you,
    O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

A Garden of Joy

I'm reading an amazing book right now called "Being a Great Mom, Raising Great Kids" by Sharon Jaynes. It's taking me awhile to read but it's such an encouraging book for moms. It has practical Godly advice and ideas about how to help your kids grow. This is a little poem thing from the book:

   "Plant a Garden of Joy

First, plant 5 rows of Peas; 
   Prayer
   Perseverance,
   Politeness,
   Promptness and
   Purity.



Plant 3 rows of Squash:
   Squash gossip,
   Squash criticism,
   And Squash indifference.  


Plant 5 rows of Lettuce:
   Let us be faithful to duty;
   Let us be unselfish;   
   Let us be truthful;                  
   Let us follow Christ;
   Let us love one another.

No garden is complete without Turnips:
   Turn up for church;
   Turn up with a smile;
   Turn up with new ideas;
   Turn up with determination to make
Everything count as good and worthwhile.          

      - Author Unknown
(taken from "Being a Great Mom, Raising Great Kids")

... "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness; that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Tim 3:16-17 )

    The best textbook for life is God's Word, and no seeds are more powerful [to plant in our child's heart] than Scripture.
    Sowing seeds that teach about God can be as natural as breathing: praising God for a beautiful sunset, thanking Him for our food, praying for a skinned knee. We start the planting as soon as the child is born. When you rock the babe in your arms, tell her how much Jesus loves her. When you bathe him in the sink, tell about how Jesus washes away our sins. When you comb her hair, tell about how God knows every hair on her head." 

   
That was all from the book. Once again it's a good one, I recommend reading it. I hope this encourages you a bit. I often find it extremely overwhelming being a mom. Some days I look back and think what happened the last week, month, year of my life? It went by so fast. What have I done to be a good mom and help my kids grow up right? I need these constant reminders in books and God's word about living for Him and showing that to my kids.
  Good luck as you take on the daily adventure of shaping and influencing the next generation! Now that I'm a mom I always feel like there's so much no one told me about!
    Anyways, blessings to you and your kids this week as you tackle life together!

Take Heart!

This little excerpt is from one my morning Bible studies at church. It's definitely worth sharing, so here you go...

A WORLD WITHOUT TROUBLE

  What kind of world would it be if Christians never got sick? If they never fell? Never got burned?
Never got into car accidents? How long would it take for the insurance companies to figure out what was going on?

  And how long would it take for other people to catch on? Before long we would have a religion of instant gratification, obvious to everyone. Christians would never go bankrupt. Their kids would never use drugs or run away from home. Their loved ones would never suffer. Do you know what would happen? You would destroy faith. You would destroy character. Religion would become a crass commercial venture (which it already is, for some). Is that what we want?

   "No," we say. "I guess not. I guess what I want is not that God would act that way for everyone, all the time. I just want him to do it for me." How many times a day would God hear that pitiful, self-centered appeal? "Just for me, Lord. Just for my children. Just for my friends." Is that what we want? A world that runs on selfishness?

                                                                 -D. James Kennedy in Turn it to Gold

What an eye-opener to suffering. And why just because you have a relationship with Jesus doesn't guarantee an easy life. When bad things happen we always ask WHY! Why God, Why? But we are really asking why ME? No one is exempt from pain and suffering, that's what happens in this life. But we do have the hope and promise of having a new life one day, with no pain or tears.

    "In this world there will be trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33

Learning to be a loving Mommy

Here's a version of 1 Corinthians 13 that I came across while reading "Being a Great Mom, Raising Great Kids" by Sharon Jaynes:
  

   If I keep my house spotless and dust free, and deliver crisp starched shirts and clean white socks, but do no show love to my family, I'm just another housewife.

   If I cook well-balanced meals, pack delicious lunches, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook.

   If I sew gorgeous curtains, with matching fringed pillows and coordinating wall coverings, but do not show love to those who live therein, I am just another interior decorator. 

   Love puts down the dishcloth to hug the child. Love rubs a back, kisses a bruised knee, bandages a skinned elbow. Love colours a picture, plays cowboys and indians, listens to endless stories.

   Love is patient and kind, though weary and tired. Love doesn't envy another child who never seems to misbehave, or get puffed up on the one occasion when hers doesn't. Love doesn't yell or swat but disciplines with control.

   Cook, clean and love. But the greatest of these is love.

I loved this so much! The original is obviously great too, but I love the adaptation to moms and dads. So real. A reminder to really love. All the other things are important, but we (I) tend to focus too much on the cooking and cleaning and not enough on
      LOVE!

stuff shared

 So this is from my journal. Just wanted to share. Maybe you can relate. If not, don't judge me.

One way I'm trying to be thankful for all God gives is by writing down all the gifts he gives each day. Or trying to. I got the idea from reading "One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp.

Here are some...
    112. long morning walk
  113. energy and health
  114. our future in God's hands
  115. when John gets home from work early
  116. the girls nap time!
  117. rest and reflection
  118. Grandparents!! = 14 gifts!
....

122. Isabelle's good health
123. Medicine, doctors and diagnoses
124. baby and daddy giggles, shrieks and squeals