A Thought on Sincerity

Sharing a thought today from my devotional time. Reading in Romans chapter 12 and meditating on the first phrase in verse 9, Let love be without hypocrisy.

Whenever I see the word love in scripture, I'm interested in what kind of love is being discussed. Our English language is often insufficient to express original meanings, so I check a Greek dictionary and see that this is the love that characterizes God and that should characterize His children as well. It is a self-giving love without hypocrisy, without pretending. It is to be sincere.

So I ask myself today, first and foremost, do I have a self-giving love for others? And, then, am I being hypocritical as I give of myself to others? Am I sincere in my love toward them? Is it about me, or is it about them? Do I do what I do or say what I say out of a desire for their best interests, or for my own? It's easier to see the faults of others, yet I sometimes find myself being hypocritical and insincere as well. I really do need to check my motivation if I want to have a love that characterizes the God I love. Self-giving and sincere, without hypocrisy.

Painting ~ Gossiping, Daniel Ridgeway Knight 1839-1924

Weekend Daybook

Outside my window....

Hot, muggy days here. The grandchildren were with us for a week or so, but it was too hot to get them outside much.

Thinking…

About Elijah's birthday soon. Going to be 8 years old. Would love to be watching the grandchildren grow up and be a part of just routine life. So far away. 

Thankful....

But thankful, too, that we do get to have them here a few times during the year. Some do not have that privilege, so I am grateful.

 

Learning…

and stumbling over diligence.

The fruit of my hands …

I made Anna a dress while she was visiting, but forgot to get a photo. She chose the fabric from my stash and I sewed while she played in the sewing room. 

I had finished these dresses just before she arrived. One is for my maybe someday Etsy shop or local boutique, and the other is a mission dress for some sweet little girl across the sea. The style is not quickly outgrown, so it will do her for awhile. 

I've been making a mission dress for each Etsy dress that I make to send when a mission team goes from our church. Many times I have enough fabric for the duo, sometimes I don't, but I have plenty of other fabric to choose from.

Noticing the sound of ….

My little Anna's name being called. We just came back from lunch out, and a family across the way has a little Anna, too. :-) 

Looking forward to….

Meeting up at a cabin in the mountains with our daughters and families for My Beloved's birthday celebration soon. Should be much cooler!

Reading.... 

I typically choose some books from the library before the grandchildren arrive and read through them to be sure they're satisfactory. Missing on Superstition Mountain by Elise Broach was one of the books I had read before this last visit.

The main characters in this mystery adventure are three brothers, who had recently moved from Chicago to Arizona, and a new-found friend, fifth-grade Delilah. The adventure is loosely based on real stories that have been told about the mountains, such as people who have gone up the mountain but have not returned. For example, the adventurers find some skulls lined up on a cliff. Who were they? What happened?

Missing on Superstition Mountain was a keeper. In fact, I ordered all three books of the series in hardback for our own library. 

Hoping…

That my dad's radiation therapy goes well for him. Too much sun over the years from working on the railroad. What we know now about sun damage wasn't known back then. My skin is like his, so I try to stay out of the sun as much as possible, now that I know.

 

Pondering…

The death of baby Charlie Gard and the encroachment of government.

In the kitchen…

Orange barbeque chicken today from the crock pot. For 2 or 3 chicken breasts, mix the following and pour over chicken. Cook 6 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high. I use thin cutlets.

   1/2 cup orange marmalade

   1/2 cup BBQ sauce

   2 Tbsp Worchestire sauce

Blessings to you and yours,

  

Vickie

That Better Way

I was reminded today that beauty fades. Not that I have or had any (I got the role of the witch in the elementary school play), but my hair is a battleground these days. Went to the hairdresser today, hoping for a new do, but I think it's time to just accept things as they are. As my 86-year-old mother says, "I've never been this old before." Still figuring it out.

I commented to my hairdresser and another gal there that in my younger years I had looked forward to being 50. I thought 50 was where it was at. The upper 20s gal said she thinks the same thing about 30. Personally, my 40s were the best. Had our girls still at home, lots of life going on all around us. Some of you know what I mean.

But 50 is many years behind me now, and it wasn't what I expected it to be. Hadn't taken into account the fading and aches and pains part. But as I sat there at the beauty shop (really? shopping for beauty?) I began to think about there being so much more to true living than what we look like. One of the most beautiful women I know is also the ugliest one physically that I know. She's truly beautiful in character and personality and in living life, though, and so much more. She's a joy to be around. Many of the beautiful women I know, though, are inwardly ugly and will become even uglier as time passes and they lament their loss. Only inner beauty can get better and better, even though the outer is fading fast. I wish they'd realize that. They could be so much more content and joyful.

There's so much more to enjoying life than having beauty. It's nice to feel good about how we look, but it's even nicer to feel good about who we're becoming. I'd rather be heading into that better way.

Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised. Proverbs 31:30

Painting ~ Woman Combing Her Hair, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, 1828-1882

Being Intentional in Spiritual Disciplines

I've been inattentive to my blog for too long now, over a month, but at the start of a class on Spiritual Disciplines yesterday at church, I was reminded of my word for 2017 — intentional — and have been drawn back to capturing and journaling some thoughts once again. Reigning in my thoughts, thinking them through, and in some form or fashion making them coherent (if even only to myself) has been an effective vehicle over the years for recognizing God's hand in my life and being drawn to Him.

I'm sure I'll be sharing percolating thoughts here over the next few weeks as the class progresses. A friend and I are planning to meet routinely and discuss the chapter readings with one another. That should provide more food for thought. As the teacher pointed out, one of the catalysts for spiritual growth and change is the people in our lives. "Iron sharpens iron" (Proverbs 27:17).  Encouraging each other on, offering suggestions and a bit of a nudge.

Or, as was mentioned in class, having or being that little piece of sandpaper. Ah, but that's often the rub, isn't it? Having the rough edges sanded off is often not so pleasant. No, but we can be confident that He who began a good work in us will bring it to pass. The process can be braved with the result in mind. So, directing my heart Upward and Homeward, I sojourn and journal on—intentionally.

Illustration ~ Yes or No 1905, Charles Dana Gibson 1867-1944 CC 2.0