Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Cute or Creepy?

I recently added the blogs I try to follow to my Google Reader so that I could "catch up", and I really like it!

One of the blogs that kind of got neglected with my old system is Young House Love. It's a cute home decor type blog, and I've really enjoyed getting to read it more lately.

Last week they had a post about ceramic animals, and it made me curious. Go over and take a look. Then tell me, do you think it's cute or creepy?

Monday, September 27, 2010

5 years

I was looking through my blog post drafts and noticed I had a blog post entitled "5 years" where I was going to talk about how I'd been married to my love for 5 years now and how delightful it's been.

But, as some of you probably already know...I was in the middle of having our son Myrick ON our 5th anniversary.

I guess I'll forgo the traditional anniversary post this year, though I do think Micah is delightful!! But, seeing as how we're more than 6 months past it now, I'll just wait til our next one! :)

Also, Myrick is growing like a weed! I would like to start posting the rest of my pregnancy journal, the birth story, and updates on Myrick's growth on Monday's in the future. So, be looking for those.

But for now, you could catch yourself up on my pregnancy journal if you haven't yet read it or would like a refresher.
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
Week 11
Week 12
Pregnancy Brain
Week 13
Week 14
Week 15
Week 16
Week 17
Week 18
Week 19
How to upset a pregnant lady
Week 20
Week 21
Week 22

Enjoy your week!

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Mark 7:14-23

Well, I haven't been successful in getting a recording of the sermon I missed a couple weeks ago that was also talking about the condition of your heart. But, I do know that the passage he covered was Mark 7:14-23, so I've been thinking on that for the last few days as I continue to look up the meanings of the words we studied last week in our Titus 2 study.

Here's the passage:
14 After He called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, "Listen to Me, all of you, and understand: 15 there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile a man. [16 If anyone has hears to hear, let him hear.]" 17 When he had left the crowd and entered the house, His disciples questioned Him about the parable. 18 And He said to them, "Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him, 19 because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?" (Thus He declared all food clean.) 20 And He was saying, "That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceeds the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adultries, 22 deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. 23 All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man."


I don't know about you, but my heart is heavy after reading such a list. I tend to think I'm above such things. I don't steal. I don't commit adultery. I don't commit murder. But, what strikes me is that -- I AM capable of such things. It is included in the heart of man.

I think I once doubted that this was indeed true. That all humans are capable of all of these things. I would tend to write this off as just things that "bad" people do.

Then, I became a parent.

And, I know this won't come to a shock to any off you. It shouldn't have to me. But, my 6 month old is already showing signs of this sinful nature. Choosing to do that which he knows he shouldn't do.

We didn't teach him to do the "wrong" things. As verse 21 says, it came from within, out of the heart of men.

Then a few more thoughts came to mind. For instance, isn't that an excuse to go on doing whatever I feel like doing? It's in my nature. "May it never be!" Just like I hope that one day Myrick will choose the right course of action simply because it makes his parents happy, so I too should choose to do that which the Lord has instructed me, because He is much more worthy of obedience than any earthly parents.


I know that none of this is new to all the parents who read my blog. You're probably thinking, "yeah, been there, done that." But, it's both sobering and encouraging to me!

Encouraging because just like we will not leave Myrick to his own devises, God does not leave His children without direction.


Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Friday, September 17, 2010

Are you dishonoring His word?

Continuing on in my study of Titus 2, I sat down this morning to read through the entire book of Titus for context.

But, just as it usually happens, I got caught up at the top of chapter 2, and didn't get much further.

It's a familiar passage:

3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, 4 so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands so that the word of God will not be dishonored.

My initial thought is always, "definitely -- I want to work hard at doing these things so that I don't dishonor the word of God."

This morning, as I was meditating on these words, I was able to think about it in a new way. Not, "I should do these things, so that..."

But instead:
It IS dishonoring to the word of God if I'm not loving my husband.
It IS dishonoring to the word of God if I'm not loving my child.
It IS dishonoring to the word of God if I'm not being sensible...

Ouch.

I know I fall far short of this. I say hurtful things to Micah. I do not take the time to just be with Myrick. I am not kind to the "rude" cashier in the drive-thru window.

My prayer for myself today (and for you dear ladies) is that I would live this passage out in my life. That I would live in such a way as to earnestly desire to NOT dishonor the word of my Lord. My Savior. The Christ who gave all, and who I desperately want to share with others. What better way to share Jesus with others than to do these things?


I hope you have an honoring weekend!

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Titus 2 Study

Last night was the first night of a Titus 2 study that I have joined led by one of my dear friends, Martha.

She is in her early 50's and has a real heart for discipling younger ladies. I am in my mid 20's with a nearly 6 month old son, and am certainly feeling the need to be discipled!

So, I am very much looking forward to this study.

The Bible study will be focused on the first few verses of Titus 2 and knowing how we as believing women can encourage and equip other women in Christ. (What does it mean to be reverent? Why not be a malicious gossip? Why are addictions harmful? What is "good"?)

I will probably share my thoughts here on my blog as time allows, but I have no delusions that I will be able to share everything. Today, I thought I would just start with sharing the notes I took for the initial study.

She titled the first discussion "What is the condition of your heart?" inspired by our pastor's sermon in Mark chapter 7 last week. I missed church last week because of a sick babe, so I haven't got a chance to listen to the sermon yet. I'll let you know when it is online.

She started by posing some questions about the condition of my heart:
Is it foolish or wise?
Deceitful or Sound (stable, fixed)?
Fearful or Understanding?
Proud or Contrite?
Backsliding or Perfect?
Double or Pure?
Froward or Upright?
Perverse or Clean?
Hard or Broken?


She then went on to discuss each of the words, how they're used in scipture, and what the words in the original languages mean. I have not yet had a chance to look into any of these verses on my own, or the meanings (and spellings!) of the Greek and Hebrew words. So, please don't take this as truth! I'm mearly recopying my notes in a much neater form for future reference. I plan on studying each of these words a bit closer as the weeks go on. If you'd like to too, I'd love to hear your input on what you've learned!

Foolish: Proverbs 22:15; Romans 1:21 invehleth = silliness, foolish foollis = bellows/wind bag
unwise, indiscreet, short sighted, irresponsible

Wise: Proverbs 10:8 (receive commands); Proverbs 9:10 listening, actively searching
eagerly receiving instruction from the Lord
Martha shared that she can tell when her heart is not where it should be, when she's
not walking with Him if she takes an offense when she is confronted by another believer.

Deceitful: Jeremiah 17:9 awkobe = fraudulent, deceitful, crooked decipere = to ensnare
untrustworthy, underhanded, dishonest

Sound: Proverbs 14:30; Proverbs 15:4; 1 Timothy 4:12
marpay = wholesome, healthy, strong, sturdy
Curative to its possessor and to others, rooted in truth, firm, cannot be over thrown
A sound mind will speak truth and do it an a way that others will know it's the truth

Fearful: 1 Thes. 1:17 (I think); Job 3:25; Joshua 7:5 mawsass = easily melted
mild anxiety ----> paralyzing terror
distressed, apprehensive, panicky, anxious, worried, easily intimidated
drawn away from the Lord due to a lack of faith

Understanding: Isaiah 35:3-4 Bean = to separate mentally
Based on an understanding of who God is; the understanding of Truth overcomes fear
Seek words of encouragement from scripture; see life from God's perspective
We all have a mind, a will and emotions.
We should train our mind to tell our emotions what the truth is.

Proud: Proverbs 21:4 rawkawb = broad; large; wide; at liberty
A proud person may seek God but gives equal credibility to his own thoughts and the
thoughts of others; puffed up; reserves the right to make final decisions instead
of relying on what God's word says to do.

Contrite: 1 Sam. 15:17-19 (I think); 1 Peter 5:5; John 3:30; Matthew 11:11
dawkaw = to collapse or shrink
sorrowful, regretful, penitent, remorseful, humble

Backsliding: Proverbs 14:14; Hab. 3:19; Proverbs 25:26
Finds no pleasure in seeking the Lord

Perfect: Psalm 101:2; 2 Chron. 16:9; 1 Peter 5:10

Double: Psalm 12:2; James 1:5-8 lawbab = to enclose with fat
vacillating, unstable

Pure: James 4:8; 2 Chron. 1:12; Psalm 24 or 29:3-4 (unsure); Matthew 5:8
Godly sincerity; a transparent manner of life

Froward: Proverbs 11:20; Proverbs 6:12-14
turns away from the right course to what is forbidden

Upright: Ecc 7:29

Perverse: Proverbs 12:8 crooked -- think of a cork screw; veer from what is good

Clean: Psalm 51:10; Psalm 15 morally pure

Hard: Heb 3:7-11; Failure to deal with destructive conditions in your life; to render stubborn.

Broken: Psalm 57:17; Psalm 34:18; this is not a little crack -- means to burst or to shatter
Discipline for spiritual growth; suffering for righteousness sake


That is the end of my notes. I will try to expand on them more this week as I have a chance to study, but no promises.

She left us with the question, "What do you need to do to change your heart to the correct state?" If your heart is hard, how do you allow it to be broken? If you are backsliding, how do you become perfect?

As a word picture, she told us to think of breaking up the fallow ground -- change must go deeper than just the surface.


Hope everyone is having a wonderful Wednesday!