For the Sake of the Children

I hope you get your news from more than one perspective. There are some things that the liberal national news media just won't report, as most of us are aware. The leading article in the current World Magazine is an example--

"As the Supreme Court muses on same-sex marriage, men and women raised by gay parents speak out about emotional and behavioral problems"    ~ March 21, 2015

You can read the full article by clicking on the magazine cover.

Many of us as followers of Jesus Christ know why America now finds herself in such debauched, moral decay. In another article of the current issue of World, Andree Seu Peterson discusses the "acronym absurdity" of LGBT, and concludes the article with the truth of what is wrong in America. 

"As for me, I will stick to plain old LGBT, "Let God be true though every one were a liar." And what God says that's true, and what some are liars about, is that when a nation doesn't consider the knowledge of Him worthwhile, He gives "them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done" (Romans 1:28). In this mental debasement, "their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another" (verses 26-27).

My LGBT means that even if I am the last person on earth who still believed what the Bible says about the proper use of our bodies, I will choose to believe God over every other word, theory, testimony, report, feeling, persuasive argument, and complicated theology."

~ Andree Seu Peterson, World Magazine March 21, 2015

Being given up on by God is serious, indeed. LGBT is a vortex, be it real-life or virtual, that keeps sucking others into it. We have some young friends who have been near the vortex and didn't escape its pull. How about your young people? Are they near the vortex--virtual or real-life? For the sake of the children, be watchful. Be informed.

And get some news from a biblical perspective, if you don't already--subscribe to World Magazine. We get ours in print form as well as digitally. It opens our eyes to a great many current news issues.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

Today I join others at The Simple Woman’s Daybook, a weekly journal page that focuses on simple thoughts and simple living.  My leads are somewhat similar to others in the group, but somewhat different as well. You may also want to read what some other simple women are saying and doing these days.  

Outside my window....

A beautiful sunny day with temperatures in the upper 50s. Almost all of the snow is gone, except for the huge piles that will take until spring to melt. Daffodils are peeking out of the ground. It won't be long until spring!

Thankful for....

A special friend to walk and talk with, drawing one another Godward. We met at the cemetery for an afternoon walk today. 

A Peek Into My Week…

A walk in the cemetery. It's a good place to get some aerobics-- flat if you want flat, and varying inclines that can challenge. This hill was much more challenging after being indoors for so many weeks. (It's steeper than it looks!) After going up this one, I knew I couldn't do the steeper ones. Huff and Puff!! Gotta get out there more for sure!

Noticing the sound of ….

The clock--tick tock, tick-tock. We need to put on some music. 

I am going….

To stay in for a couple of days, tend to things around the house, and sewing. More rain coming, so I did the grocery shopping this morning. I'd rather do that on Tuesdays for the senior discount, but don't like to shop on rainy days. I put that and coupon savings toward my fabric stash. Makes me not dread grocery day. :-)

Learning…

That I prefer spray basting a quilt sandwich rather than sew basting or pin basting. Spray basting makes the top lie down more smoothly all over.

Pondering…

Been reflecting today on Sunday evening's church service. March is missions month, and yesterday several folks in the church gave reports on their mission endeavors. We've been going to this church only a few months, and it's been good to so many people involved in so many ministries--in the church and out of it, near and far. It's not a large church, maybe 150-200, but their desire to spread the gospel and love one another is very evident.

In the kitchen...

Skinny Baked Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese  

from Skinnytaste.com

A tasty meal for 315 calories / 8 Weight Watchers points plus

Click on the pic to go to the recipe. There's a much better picture there. 

 

Around the house…

Pictures on the piano

Thinking…

I hope they never forget.

 
The fruit of my hands …

Hand appliqueing some blocks in the evenings for a quilt for Anna. I just might finish it in a couple of years!

(Still) Reading....  

Stepping Heavenward 
I like to read just a few journal entries and reflect. 

A brief excerpt of counsel to Katie in her struggle...

Go home and say to yourself, ‘I am a wayward, foolish child. But He loves me! I have disobeyed and grieved Him ten thousand times. But He loves me! I have lost faith in some of my dearest friends and am very desolate. But He loves me! I do not love Him, I am even angry with Him! But He loves me!

~ Elizabeth Prentiss

Available from Grace and Truth Books. Just click on the pic to go there.

Sunday Ponderings ~ Disagreements

Pastor brought our attention today to the account of the disagreement between Paul and Barnabas over whether John Mark was to go with them back to visit the churches they had previously established. Barnabas was desirous of taking his nephew John Mark, but Paul insisted that they shouldn't because John Mark had turned back on the last journey. We aren't told why. (Acts 15:36-41)

The question was asked, who was right—Paul or Barnabas? Hard to say. Both apparently had valid reasons. Who was wrong? Neither of them.

That's sometimes how disagreements are. Sometimes a compromise can't be reached in a situation. No right or wrong going on. Sometimes it's better to go separate ways, but disagreements shouldn't destroy relationships. (Lest I be misunderstood, I'm not talking about married couples going separate ways. That's biblically wrong.)  So, Paul took Silas and departed on their journey, and Barnabas took John Mark and went to Cyrpus.

It's interesting to note that John Mark did much to spread the advance of Christianity. Later, Paul would write during his imprisonment for Timothy to bring John Mark with him because he was useful to him in the ministry. John Mark was also the writer of the book of Mark, and Coptic tradition says that he was the founder of the Coptic Church in Egypt. Looks to me like Barnabas had some keen insight into the heart of John Mark. Barnabas was known as an encourager.

My takeaways:

• I don't need to feel that I'm either right or wrong in all disagreements.
• Sometimes I need to just go a different way.
• Sometimes disagreeing with the person in charge or with clout gets me nowhere anyway.
• I do need to look to the heart and encourage those that others may consider weak in the faith. 
• Barnabas stood by his family. Me, too. 

Painting ~ Lady Reading, Vlaho Bukovac 1855-1922
Wiki Commons public domain

Trusting...Turning...Going On

One of my longstanding desires has been denied. 

A good, biblical desire. 

One that would be favorable in God's eyes, I'm sure. 

I've been watching it slip from view year after year.

 It's odd to me, but now that I know it is not to be, I feel released from it. 

God has something else for me and is turning my heart toward that. 

Perhaps God's denial has been a 'severe mercy,' as Elisabeth Elliot might call it. 

And so... I trust... and turn... and go on.

God never withholds from His child that which His love and wisdom call good.  God's refusals are always merciful – 'severe mercies' at times but mercies all the same. God never denies us our heart's desire except to give us something better.

~ Elisabeth Elliot 

Painting ~ The Young Shepherdess 1885, William Adolphe Bouguereau 1825-1905
Wiki Commons public domain

All to God's Glory

We awoke this morning to a Narnia landscape! 

The trees were draped in white. It was beautiful! 

I went out to the back porch and just looked and listened. 

The sky was deep, clear blue.

And the morning sun was shining on nearly ten inches of snow from the winter storm. 

All was quiet except for happy birds singing and praising God. 

They loved it, too!

 We threw seed out for them and watched from the kitchen window.

There's been so much snow that we've been feeding them on the porch 

and throwing seeds under the bushes for them.

 

Cute little birds tracks on the porch.

Mr. Cardinal took a moment to thank us.

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

~ Psalm 19:1 ~

There is no work which God has made 

in which so much of the glory of God appears 

as in a man who lives quietly in the midst of adversity.

~ Jeremiah Burroughs, The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment

Manliness

I had not given much thought to Jesus' manliness before reading The Incomparable Christ by J. Oswald Sanders. I'm following along as Nancy Leigh DeMoss (ReviveOurHearts.com) uses the outline of the book during this Lenten season to bring our thoughts to the incomparable Christ. Today's topic was the manliness of Jesus. Sharing some thoughts with you today as I dug a little deeper.

Many paintings of Jesus are rather effeminate and give us the wrong impression of him. The effeminate men I know certainly couldn't have done what Jesus did. Not only his death on the cross, but his daily life spoke of manliness. Jesus was courageous, intrepid, strong. When he asked who people were saying that he is, the response was that people thought he was John the Baptist, or Elijah, or one of the prophets. You could hardly mistake an effeminate man with those men.

Artistic license often paints the wrong picture.

I imagine that Adam was manly as well. In the beginning, that is. Until he and Eve gave in to the lies of Satan. Adam remained passive while Eve took the initiative and ate of the forbidden fruit. Sin's entering the world is laid at Adam's feet. Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men (Rom. 5:12). Passivity is not a manly trait. It leads to sin. Maybe it is sin. Maybe it was the first sin. Adam and Eve covered themselves and hid from God, as if they could.

Jesus, in all his manliness, was given the title of 'the last Adam.' He was sent to reverse the effects of Adam's sin. He is not passive. He takes the initiative in calling his bride to himself. We love, because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).  He leads and protects, physically, emotionally, spiritually. He leads beside still waters; he leads in the path of righteousness (Ps. 23)... that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless (Eph 5:7). You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore (Ps. 16:11).

As a woman, manliness is not my characteristic. So what is my takeaway from this? Encourage manliness in the lives of the men and little men in my family. Refrain from initiating leadership in relationship with My Beloved. Be patient and wait upon the Lord because perfect manliness is found only in Jesus, the incomparable Christ.

Small and Simple, But Oh, So Essential!

There it is, right where I left it. Small, but sew essential!

I wasn't sure if I would go to quilt class today. We were under a flood watch with heavier rains expected toward the afternoon, and I don't like driving on the interstate in the rain, even though it's just a 20-minute drive. But since the class was in the morning, I figured I would be back before any flooding. Wanting to spend some time at the quilt shop outweighed my concern on the highway. Some of you know how that is!

So, after driving carefully (and being annoyed by all the trucks throwing water and making it difficult to see), I arrived at the quilt shop, got everything unpacked, my little iron and sewing machine plugged in, and sat down to thread the machine. What's this? No bobbin case? Ugh!! I had absent-mindedly forgot to put it back into the machine in my preparations to leave. No bobbin case, no sewing.

So, I chatted a bit, drooled over some fabric, purchased a fat quarter, and headed home, thinking that, at least, I would be getting safely home before any flooding. Hauling my gear back upstairs to the sewing room, there it was.... I had left the bobbin case on the sewing cabinet as I had packed up to head out this morning.

Some things are essential, no matter how small or simple. A bobbin case...not much to it. A Bernina machine (er, excuse me, a Bernina computer), that I'm sure I don't understand a fraction of what it can do. But it wasn't capable of doing anything at quilt class today without that one simple, small, essential part. 

We're all essential in some way, even if it's a simple, small way. Some things just don't function without us. And if you're a child of God, you're gifted in some particular way. There's purpose in your gift that's bigger than you.

As each one has received a gift, 

employ it in serving one another 

as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 

~ 1 Peter 4:10 ~

I spent some afternoon time in my sewing room, alone, working on today's quilt class assignment. Here's my progress .....

Is It All You Do It For?

Stepping Heavenward, Elizabeth Prentiss, 1869

The title of this book caught my attention. It’s written in journal form, beginning with Katherine’s (Katie’s) 16^th birthday and follows her maturing into womanhood. This is one of Elisabeth Elliot's favorite books, and she writes, “This book is a treasure of godly and womanly wisdom, told with disarming candor and humility, yet revealing a deep heart’s desire to know God.”

A journal excerpt:

July 30 – I met Dr. Cabot [pastor] today, and could not help asking the question: “is it right for me to sing and play in company when all I do it for is to be admired?”

“Are you sure it is all you do it for?” he returned.

“Oh,” I said, “I suppose there may be a sprinkling of desire to entertain and please, mixed with the love of display.”

“Do you suppose that your love of display, assuming you have it, would be forever slain by your merely refusing to sing in company?”

“I thought that might give it a pretty hard blow,” I said, “if not its death blow.”

“Meanwhile, in punishing yourself you punish your poor innocent friends,” he said laughing. “No, child, go on singing; God has given you this power of entertaining and gratifying your friends. But pray, without ceasing, that you may sing from pure benevolence and not from pure self-love.”

“Why, do people pray about such things as that?” I cried.

“Of course they do. Why, I would pray about my little finger, if my little finger went astray.”

I looked at his little finger, but saw no signs of its becoming schismatic.

Simple Woman's Daybook

Today I join others at The Simple Woman’s Daybook, a weekly journal page that focuses on simple thoughts and simple living.  My leads are somewhat similar to others in the group, but somewhat different as well. You may also want to read what some other simple women are saying and doing these days. 

  

Outside my window....

A beautifully sunny day today, but cold

A Peek Into My Week…

More of this on the way in a couple of days...

  

Noticing the sound of ….

My Beloved making my popcorn. Movie night!

Thankful for....

The way God created bodies to generally heal. We are fearfully and wonderfully made!

Looking forward to….

My Beloved getting his staples removed tomorrow.

Pondering these words....

 “The Bible attitude is not that God sends sickness or that sickness is of the devil, but that sickness is a fact usable by both God and the devil.” 

                                                                      -Oswald Chambers, Philosophy of Sin

Looking to the ways of my household....

Did grocery shopping for the week today. Getting ready for more snow.

Reading.... 

A Month of Sundays: 31 Meditations on Resting in God

 by Glenda Mathes

The fruit of my hands …

Continuing to work on the kaleidoscope throw quilt. This is a portion of it on the design wall. This is the largest quilt I've made that I've needed to put on the wall, and I see that I need to get a bigger piece of flannel if I'm going to be making larger quilts. Hoping to finish the top before the grands come in mid-March.

Learning…

Not to think more highly of those who write books and counsel others than I ought to think. Sometimes they are very shameful ambassadors as I've seen on Twitter this week.

 

Thinking…

That those who hide behind grace err just as gravely as those they label as legalistic. Of what I've seen lately, both tend to be Pharisaical.

Feeling a little heavy-hearted today. Saddened by some things I read yesterday that linger on my mind. Almost didn't post today, but My Beloved encouraged me to do so. Love that man!

Grace and peace to you and yours,

Vickie

Sunday Ponderings ~ One Foundation

The Church's One Foundation

The Church’s one foundation

Is Jesus Christ her Lord,

She is His new creation

By water and the Word.

From heaven He came and sought her

To be His holy bride;

With His own blood He bought her

And for her life He died.

She is from every nation,

Yet one o’er all the earth;

Her charter of salvation,

One Lord, one faith, one birth;

One holy Name she blesses,

Partakes one Holy Food,

And to one Hope she presses,

With every grace endued.

’Mid toil and tribulation,

And tumult of her war,

She waits the consummation

Of peace forevermore;

Till, with the vision glorious,

Her longing eyes are blest,

And the great Church victorious

Shall be the Church at rest.

~Samuel John Stone, 1866
 

Painting ~ Church at Olde Lyme 1905, Childe Hassam 1839-1935