Friday Facts - Fun with Words #3

Welcome Back for another fun-filled, word-filled Friday!

I've not been feeling real great these last few days and almost didn't get this new list of words up, but I seem to have gained my 2nd wind tonight-- and probably last :). So here goes, the new words for this week are:

Potters Field

We find this reference in Matthew 27:7-10, "And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; And gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me."

"Potter's field" is the name that was given to the piece of ground which was bought with the money given to Judas.


Phylacteries

This word is found in Matthew 23:5, "But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments."

Phylacteries consisted of strips of parchment which had inscribed on them text from Exodus 13:1-10, Exodus 11-16, Deutoronomy 6:4-9 and Deutoronomy 11:18-21. They were enclosed in a leather case which had one side inscribed the Hebrew letter shin. The case was fastened by straps to the forehead just between the eyes. By "making broad the phylacteries" they were enlarging the case so it would be conspicuous.



Have a great weekend!

Thankful Thursday

"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." Philippians 4:6




Today I am thankful for prayer. What a gift we have been given in prayer! Here are a few of the reasons why I am thankful for prayer......


* Through prayer I am able to have a relationship with God. I can actually have a real live conversation with God. How cool is that?!

* Prayer allows me to seek guidance from the Lord.

* Through prayer I can lay my concerns, my fears, my sorrows at the feet of Jesus. And leave them there. He takes them and carries them for me.

* Prayer allows me to be with God anytime. I don't have to wait until He has time to visit with me, or until He is close to the phone, or until He has time to read my email. He is ALWAYS right there waiting for me to speak with Him and spend time with Him.

* I don't have to be anywhere special to pray to God. I can pray in my car, in my house, outdoors, at work... anywhere. I don't need to use special words or bow to my knees. I can say a quiet prayer as I sit at work or I can pray while sitting outdoors on a sunny day. It doesn't matter. How great is that... He is with me and listening regardless of where I am or how I look or how I am dressed or how I feel.

* God understands when I just don't have the words. He knows my heart and He knows how I feel and what I need. As long as I come before Him, fully seeking Him, He is there and He is listening and He is caring and loving and comforting.

* Prayer allows me a means by which to praise God, to worship God, and to thank God !

Thank you, dear Lord, for prayer! Prayer that allows us to be with YOU!


For more Thankful Thursday posts, visit Iris at "Grace Alone..."!

Word-Filled Wednesday - Proverbs 16:24

The purpose of Word filled Wednesday is to share God’s word through photo and a verse!






"Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." Proverbs 16:24


For more "Word-Filled Wednesday" posts visit The 160 Acre Woods.








Picture courtesy of http://www.christianphotos.net/.

Ruth 3:1-11

At that time, Naomi, her mother-in-law, said to her, "My daughter, I must find a home for you so you will be secure. Now Boaz, with whose female servants you worked, is our close relative. Look, tonight he is winnowing barley at the threshing floor. So bathe yourself, rub on some perfumed oil, and get dressed up. Then go down to the threshing floor. But don't let the man know you're there until he finishes his meal. When he gets ready to go to sleep, take careful notice of the place where he lies down. Then go, uncover his legs, and lie down beside him. He will tell you what you should do." Ruth replied to Naomi, "I will do everything you have told me to do." So she went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law had instructed her to do. When Boaz had finished his meal and was feeling satisfied, he lay down to sleep at the far end of the grain heap. Then Ruth crept up quietly, uncovered his legs, and lay down beside him. In the middle of the night he was startled and turned over. Now he saw a woman lying beside him! He said, "Who are you?" She replied, "I am Ruth, your servant. Marry your servant, for you are a guardian of the family interests." He said, "May you be rewarded by the Lord, my dear! This act of devotion is greater than what you did before. For you have not sought to marry one of the young men, whether rich or poor. Now, my dear, don't worry! I intend to do for you everything you propose, for everyone in the village knows that you are a worthy woman. Ruth 3:1-11


During this time in the Bible, it was part of the culture that each family had a goel. I know, I know... what does that mean? The word literally translates as "guardian" or "close relative". This guardian was responsible for family property, but also a bit more than just property. He was also responsible to care for the widow of his deceased relative.

In the story of Ruth, Boaz is the goel for Ruth and Naomi. He is the closest living male relative to Elimilech, Naomi's deceased husband. Therefore, as Ruth tells him in Ruth 3:9, "You are the guardian of the family interests."

We quickly find that Boaz takes his position in the family seriously. He quickly responds that he will do everything that Ruth has requested. He also quickly shows himself as the kind and godly man that he is when he recognizes what it took for Ruth to come to him. In verse 10, Boaz tells her, ;">"May you be rewarded by the Lord, my dear! This act of devotion is great than what you did before. For you have not sought to marry one of the young men, whether rich or poor." Boaz recognizes that she is acting more out of care and respect for Naomi than for her own needs. He also expresses to her once again that she is "a worthy woman".

The word used for "worthy" in this scripture is hayil. This is the same word from which comes the words "excellent" and "noble". This is also the word used in Proverbs 31. It is used in these contexts to describe a woman of great prowess, bravery, strength, might, or valor in battle. Wow! Ruth is truly a godly woman, don't you think?

Something else of interest here is that this is the same word used to describe Boas in Ruth 2:1. There we read "Boaz was a wealthy, prominent man from the clan of Elimelech". The word prominent here also comes from the word hayil.

Regardless of how kind a man Boaz was, can you imagine stepping out and making such a proposal to a man that is so many years older and probably not your "first choice" for a husband? What devotion Ruth shows to Naomi (once again). She once again shows that it is not her own interests she seeks. She is so deveoted to Naomi that she seeks out a man that is much older so that she can marry and provide Naomi with a grandson to carry out the family name.

Isn't there so much we can learn as we continue to see again and again the devotion of Ruth to Naomi? As our culture is so different than it was during the lives of Ruth and Naomi, I feel safe saying that God would not expect us to marry a man we did not love in order to show devotion. However, I do think he expects us to show such devotion to our loved ones.... just in different ways.

Is it always easy to do so? NO! Many times it can very quickly pull us outside of our comfort zones. It takes up time where we may wish we were doing something else. What a witness we can be to others, though, if we are willing to show such love and devotion!

Dear Lord, I pray today that as Ruth was so devoted to Naomi, that I would show such devotion to my loved ones. I pray, Lord, that I would be willing to step out and give of my time and my talents to care for them and to show them of the love I have for each one of them. I pray that when I am not comfortable or when I am selfish in the giving of my time that you would turn my heart and my mind in the direction you would have them to go and that you would give me a willing heart. Amen.

Transformation to "Motherly"

This week as we gather at the well, we are discussing the traits of being "motherly". I think that as women, there are many opportunities for us to show this trait. To me, being motherly carries the traits of showing love, care, and concern. It is also the acts of teaching and training and guiding. We have many relationships in our lives where we can do any or all of these things.

We teach, train and guide our children as they grow. We teach them good behavior, how to live strong moral lives. We teach them about the Bible and its teachings. We guide them towards the Lord. As we grow older we have a responsiblity to young mothers and wives to love them, to care for them and to be willing to give of our time to provide guidance as they seek and grow.

However, as we are human we all have an area of our life that holds us back in some area of being "motherly". For some, it is a difficult marriage or a troubled childhood. For others, it is struggles that are difficult to overcome.... sometimes financial, sometimes emotional... sometimes both at the same time.

As I look at how I teach my children, in particular, I immediately see one area in which I struggle. This area encompasses several different feelings and reactions for me depending on what exactly is happening at the time. But, from the perspective of my children, it usually comes out in hearing Mom talk about someone in a way that is not always loving.

This person has a close relationship to our family and a most definite relationship with my children. I have always struggled with my relationship with this person as I have many times found this person to be sometimes critical, sometimes judgemental, and even at times, unkind. At the same time, I know this person loves me, loves my husband, loves my children. However, I don't focus on the postives... I focus on the negatives. And, unfortunately, sometimes I am not discerning with when and where I discuss these negative feelings that surface. My children have heard me complain. Not very motherly, huh?

This is an area in which God has been convicting me for some time and, honestly, I keep trying to run away. Why? Probably for many reasons. It certainly is easier to focus on the negative. Much easier to overlook the good and focus on the bad (why is that, by the way? Oh, how I wish it was the reverse!). I think, too, that by doing what I know I should that I then have to take action myself. I have to admit that I can't change how this person chooses to act and, then, I must overlook the behavior. And, honestly, the human part of me rebels at that! Why should I have to overlook unkind comments or criticism directed towards my children just because I know deep down inside that this person does love us and just doesn't always know how to show it appropriately?

Ultimately, though, for the sake of my family I MUST do just that. I must learn to focus on the good. I must overlook the bad. I must continue to do what I know is best for my husband and my children even if it means words of criticism from someone else. I must continue to remind myself that this person does love us and there are other circumstances (many of which I will never know or understand) that causes the reactions we see at times. And, I have to accept the fact that, while I will probably have to discuss these things with my children as they get older, that I MUST do so in a way that brings love and respect to the person in question. And, ultimately, I must turn it ALL over to God and allow Him to work in the situation. It is only thru Him that I can truly move forward and make this better. It is only thru Him that I can "transform to Motherly".... in this situation and in others.

How do we, though, overcome these types of situations that keep us from living out our motherly traits? Those gifts that God has given us as women? I think it boils down to all I said in the previous paragraph... turning it over to God, accepting that we can't change the situation but instead we must change how we react to the situation. But, that's not always so easy, is it? For me, it's going to start like this. I am going to pray about it. And, not just every now and then as I do now. I will pray about it regularly. Each time we go to see this particular person, I will pray before we leave. I will pray while we are there. I will pray as we leave. I'm going to attack the situation with prayer. I am going to ask God's guidance in how I react both before and after each visit. I am going to ask God's guidance to my direct responses and behaviors towards the person. I am going to pray for God to help me with discernment in the way that I would keep my mouth shut about this situation in front of my children.

Will you join me today in trying to overcome a situation in your life that affects how you carry out loving and caring and teaching your family?

Joyful, Joyful

And the Winner Is.......

The winner of my Blogoversary Giveaway is Meredith from Barefeet for Thee! Congratulations, Meredith! Just send me an email or leave a note in my comments with your mailing address and your choice of bracelet and I'll get it in the mail this week (I won't publish if you leave it in my comments).

Thanks everyone for joining in on the fun. I'm sorry I couldn't send something to everyone! And, if you haven't ever stopped by and visited Meredith... go now! She's new to this bloggy world and has a GREAT blog!

Have a great weekend!

Friday Facts - More Fun with Words

Well, I must just first say this, "You guys crack me up!"

Last Friday I shared a few words and their meanings and then challenged you to use them in a sentence. The sentences you left in my comments just had me in stitches. If you missed any of these, check out the comments from this post.

If you all keep this up, we may have to continue with these "word" posts until I just can't find anymore words to share. ;)

Here are the words for this week:

Inkhorn

This word is used in Ezekial 9:2 - "And suddenly six men came from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with his battle-ax in his hand. One man among them was clothed with linen and had a writer's inkhorn at his side. They went in and stood beside the bronze altar."

The meaning? An inkhorn is a round vessel or cup for containing ink. It was usually worn by writers on their clothing at their waist. They got their name because in earlier times ink was contained in horns.

Cotes

We find this word used in 2 Chronicles 32:28 - "Storehouses also for the increase of corn, and wine, and oil; and stalls for all manner of beasts, and cotes for flocks."

It is a pen or enclosure for flocks.

Sackbut

This word can be found in Daniel 3:5 - "[That] at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:

This word is a a Syrian stringed instrument resembling a harp.

So, is anyone up to the same challenge as last week? Can you use one or all of these words in a sentence? I'll be watching my comments closely. ;)

Thankful Thursday

Oh my, so very much to be thankful for this week but my body is exhausted and my brain is mush tonight. So.... not sure if any of this will be comprehend-able. However, I'm determined to get together my Thankful Thursday post. After all, regardless of whether it makes sense on paper or not, God knows exactly what I mean! (thank goodness!)

This week I am thankful for....

* Strength from God to lift us up when we are tired!

* My children and their love for God! If you haven't stopped by this week and seen this post, go check it out and you'll know exactly what I mean.

* My first full year of blogging! What a great experience filled with new friendships.

* A sunny, beautiful day today!

* Each new day that I am able to wake up and experience!

* Time spent with God.


What are you thankful for today? Join in and tell us all the many ways God has bless you this week!

For more Thankful Thursday posts, visit Iris at "Grace Alone..."!

God's at the Top of My Love List

This is a picture my son made at school last week. It was a project with Valentine's Day in mind. They drew a heart and marked it off into sections. They then chose people they loved to write in each section.

Josh wrote in his 'Dad','Mom','Abby','My Family', and 'God'. Notice God took center stage in his heart. Pretty cool, huh?

I commented on how I thought it was cool that God was in middle.

His response?

"Well, of course, Mom. God is at the top of my love list!"

Praising God and Working Hard - Ruth 2:18-23

She carried it back to town, and her mother-in-law saw how much grain she had gathered. Then Ruth gave her the roasted grain she had saved from mealtime. Her mother-in-law asked her, "Where did you gather grain today? Where did you work? May the one who took notice of you be rewarded!" So Ruth told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked. She said, "The name of the man with whom I worked today is Boaz." Naomi said to he daughter-in-law, "May he be rewarded by the Lord because he has shown loyalty to the living on behalf of the dead!" Then Naomi said to her, "This man is a close relative of ours; he is our guardian." Ruth the Moabite replied, "He even told me, 'You may go along beside my servants until they have finished gathering all my harvest!'" Naomi then said to her daughter-in-law Ruth, "It is good, my daughter, that you should go out to work with his female servants. That way you will not be harmed, which could happen in another field." So Ruth worked beside Boaz's female servants, gathering grain until the end of the barley harvest as well as the wheat harvest. After that she stayed home with her mother-in-law. Ruth 2:18-23



As we look at this passage of scripture from the book of Ruth, we see two important actions that go along with serving the Lord.

First, we see how Naomi is praising God for his gifts given to them thru the man Boaz. It is in his fields that Ruth has been working. Boaz has been so kind to Ruth and offered so much more than he does others that have come to gather the leftover grain in his fields. He has treated Ruth as he would one of his own workers. In the last verse of the passage we looked at last week, she went home with thirty pounds of barley. And, as we'll see in later verses, she comes home another day with twice that amount. The Lord has worked thru Boaz to provide for Ruth and Naomi. They both recognize the goodness of God and are singing His praises.

If we look back to earlier scriptures in this story we find Naomi feeling alone and bitter. But, look to these verses and we see how Naomi is beginning to see God's plan for her unfold. She is able to recognize that, although she has been dealt a tough blow in life, that God is forever faithful. While she has known all along that God does have a plan and would provide her needs, she is now able to begin seeing the plan unfold. What a difference it makes for her and how great it is to praise the Lord for His provisions!

The second point we see is that Ruth is a hard worker. Yes, the Lord is providing, and yes, Ruth and Naomi are deserving of all the kindnesses bestowed on them. But, Ruth isn't just sitting around and letting someone hand it over to her with no work done on her part. I see this as an incredibly important aspect of this story.

God does promise to meet our needs. He promises to always be with us and love us and protect us. However, he also gave us the ability to work, the ability to be responsible, the ability to sweat a little. When we pray to God for whatever it is we might need, I really don't think He expects us to just sit around and wait for it to be dropped in our laps. He expects us to get out and work for it, too.

For example, what if I am in need of a job? Should I just pray and pray and then sit on my sofa in front of the television set and wait for the phone to ring? NO! I must get out and do my part, too. I need to work and search the want ads, go to job interviews, mail resumes, etc. God gave us abilities and talents for many purposes and one of them is to care for ourselves and our families. Yes, He will lead us to the right job, but we've got to work WITH God.

My prayer this week is that I would never fail to praise the Lord for the provisions He gives to me and my family and friends. I pray I would always recognize it all as coming from Him and not because of anything that I did or think that I deserve. I pray that as I seek His direction and His provisions for my family that I would never fail to get out and do my part, as well. That I would take the abilities that He has given me to provide and care as He directs.

I pray that I would remember Ruth and, as God provided, she worked and she listened and she praised.

Bloggy Giveaway

I am so excited! Yesterday, February 15, was my one year anniversary of blogging. What a great year it has been. I wasn't sure what to expect when I jumped into this little world of blogging, but let me tell you, it has far outweighted any pre-conceived expectations I had in the beginning.

I have met wonderful Christian women for whom I have had the opportunity to get to know better and have been able to pray for as they have shared needs. In turn, many have prayed for me and my family and encouraged me along the way. I have grown closer in my relationship with the Lord as I have prepared my posts and read so many of yours. What a great time it has been!

To celebrate and to let each of you know how much you mean to me, I want to have a little giveaway here at the The Fruits of the Spirit. Most of you also know that my hubby and I recently started a business, Beads-N-Style, selling magnetic jewelry. We are very excited about that, too. So, this giveaway is a joint celebration between my blogging anniversary and our new business.

The giveaway will be one of my favorite items that we sell (plus a few other surprises). We have a series of three bracelets/anklets that are designed as a witness bracelet. You get to pick your favorite from the three. Here is a picture of one of the bracelets:



You can view the other two styles here.

If you are not familiar with the witness bracelets, here is what each of the colors in the bracelet represent....

The Black Bead - Reminds me that sin keeps me away from God. Romans 3:23
The Red Bead - Reminds me Jesus is my Way out of sin and back to God. Romans 5:8-9
The White Bead - Reminds me my life with Jesus is clean and pure. 1 John 1:7
The Green Bead - Reminds me to read my Bible, to pray, to obey and to worship God so my faith will grow. Ephesians 4:15
The Clear Bead - Reminds me to wait for the Holy Spirit to help. II Thessalonians 2:13b
The Blue Bead - Reminds me to choose to be more like Jesus. Philippians 4:4-5
The Yellow Bead - Reminds me God has a better place waiting for me. John 14:1-3a

These bracelets are special to me because of what they represent but also because of the reason I designed them in the beginning. I've posted here before about my younger sister and her husband, Carrie and Clem, that will be leaving for the mission field sometime this year. When we saw them at Thanksgiving, Carrie began telling me how she was wanting to take witness bracelets with her to share with the women she meets as they serve in the Czech Republic. She asked me if I would take the concept of the witness bracelet and design something for them. These three designs are what came out of that conversation. Here's how the giveaway will work. Leave your name in the comments and let me know which one you would like to win. I'll leave it open until midnight on Friday night, February 20. Then, over the weekend I will randomly draw a name from all those that commented on this post and will post the winner. Come on, everyone, and join in on the giveaway fun! I can hardly wait to see who wins!

Friday Facts - Words and Their Meanings #1

Happy Friday everyone!

So, this week I promised some fun with words. And, I'm a wordy kind of gal (both in that I like to find out what they mean and that I like to speak them... which is a nice way of saying I can sometimes talk a bit much.. ha!), so I may continue this for awhile. Let me know what you think, too. I want to find something that interests more than just me. :)

Anyway, do you ever read a verse (particularly in the King James Version of the Bible) and think, "Huh? What does that mean?" Well, I do. It's put me on a mission to find out what some of them mean.

Here's a few to think about this week.....

Cogitations
We find this word in Daniel 7:18 - Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.

The meaning? "Thoughts" or earnest meditations.


Dropsy
This word is found in Luke 14:2 - And there, in front of Him was a certain man suffering from dropsy.

What is the definition of this word? It is a disease and only mentioned in the Bible one time -- in this scripture.


Bake-meats
This word is in Genesis 40:7 - And in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of bakemeats for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out of the basket upon my head.

Bake-meats are baked provisions. The literal meaning of the word is "works of the baker".



My challenge to you this weekend? See if you can use one of these in a sentence when speaking to someone. And, if you do, let me know. I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to nonchalantly drop the word "dropsy" into a sentence without giggling. :)


Have a good one filled with many blessings from the Lord!

Thankful Thursday

As I've written several times over the last few weeks, I have been striving to make better use of my time. I've also been trying to make sure I spend the most time on those things that are the most important. As I've been working through some of this I have also thought about all the conveniences I have in my life that allow me to have more time for those of more importance. It is for these things that I am thankful for this week.

* My washing machine and dryer... this is a big one for me. I can just throw those clothes in and let them wash and then dry while I go and do other things around the house or go play a game with my kids. I don't have to take time to go to the laundromat or fill up the wash basin or take a walk to the local creek -- which is REALLY great as I'm just not one of those "wash it and beat it on a rock to clean it" kind of gals :).

* My dishwasher... as with the washing maching and dryer I can just put my dishes in there and walk away while they become all shiny clean.

* My car.... allows me to make quick trips to the grocery store, church, Target, to take the kids to school and to get me to work and back each day.

* The radio and CD player in my car... now, these don't really save me time but they do allow me to make better use of my time. Thanks to great Christian radio stations and my CDs I can use my drive time to and from work each day for some praise and worship time.

* My hot water heater.... saves alot of time in heating up the water so I don't have to put my pot of water over a fire.

* My stovetop and oven... makes fixing food for the family so much faster and easier.

In this day and age I tend to take many of these items for granted. However, there is much here for which be thankful. It gives me so much more time to spend with my family or to be involved in a Bible study or many, many other things. For all of these things I am thankful!

For more Thankful Thursday visit Iris at "Grace Alone..."!

Word-Filled Wednesday - Psalm 19:14

The purpose of Word filled Wednesday is to share God’s word through photo and a verse!

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart, Be acceptable in Your sight, Oh Lord, my strength and my Redeemer." Psalm 19:14



For more "Word-Filled Wednesday" posts visit The 160 Acre Woods.








Picture courtesy of http://www.christianphotos.net/.

Loving Amidst Differences - Ruth 2:14-17

Later during the mealtime Boaz said to her, "Come here and have some food! Dip your bread in the vinegar!" So she sat down beside the harvesters. Then he handed her some roasted grain. She ate until she was full and saved the rest. When she got up to gather grain, Boaz told his male servants, "Let her gather grain even among the bundles! Don't chase her off! Make sure you pull out her ears of grain for her and drop them so she can gather them up. Don't tell her not to!" So she gathered grain in the field until evening. When she threshed what she had gathered, it came to about thirty pounds of barley! Ruth 2:14-17


Have you ever felt like you didn't belong? Maybe felt like you were different than everyone else? Or, to flip the coin, have you ever met someone that was a little different from you.. maybe they were from a foreign country and new to your city, maybe they wore different styles of clothing or didn't talk in the same manner as you and your friends?

Whatever the difference might be, should it matter? Should we treat them differently? How would you want to be treated if you were the one different than everyone else?

This really is where Ruth is in the story at this time. She is widowed, she is living alone with her mother-in-law, she is living in a foreign land and is perceived as the "foreigner". In this time in history, the Moabites were stigmatized. She is poor, she must work in the fields to provide food for herself and Naomi. She grew up worshipping the idol god Chemosh instead of the one true Lord (though by now she has turned to the Lord). What a list of differences! My goodness, can you even begin to imagine how she felt? Wouldn't you imagine she felt rather like the "odd man out"?

Yet, even with all those differences, Boaz continues to offer kindnesses to Ruth. So much more than she could ever imagine. Ruth probably didn't know what to expect from these people in Bethlehem... people she had never met and were foreigners to her just as she was to them. From the way the scripture reads, though, I can't imagine that she ever thought she would receive the kind treatment offered her by Boaz.

Let's take a minute and go thru all that has been offered her by Boaz up to this point:

* Boaz tells Ruth to stay and work exclusively in his fields

* He then tells her to go alongside his female harvesters

* When Ruth is thirsty, she is to drink from the jars of water drawn by the servants

* In Ruth's own words Boaz has "reassured and encouraged" her

* Boaz offers Ruth food from his own table

* Boaz tells his male workers not to chase her off and to drop the ears of grain where Ruth can easily gather them for her own bag


Regardless of how "different" Ruth may have been perceived in Bethlehem, that didn't matter to Boaz. Her knew her to be a kind, loving and faithful woman. That was where he put his focus. Just as he should. In God's eyes it doesn't matter where we are from, what we look like, how we talk, what we wear, etc. It's what is in our hearts and in our minds that is important.

My prayer today is that I would always remember the love and kindness given to Ruth by Boaz. That this part of the story would serve as a reminder to me of how to treat those I encounter that the world would perceive as "different". I pray that I wouldn't fall to the worldly actions of treating them as if they were different. -- that I would never look upon them negatively or treat them differently just because they do not have the same background. I want to see thru all the external and love them for what is in their hearts and minds just as Boaz did for Ruth.

Are My Movtives Pleasing to God?

Are my motives pleasing to you, God?

As I read thru the discussion questions for this week I can see where I have gone thru so many different stages in this area. And, I continue to go thru them. While I would love to say that I always have motives that are pleasing to God, it simply is not true.

Here are the discussion questions and then I'll take you on a bit of my journey where motives are concerned....


What is the real underlying motive for all the good stuff that you do?

For example, Do you go to church to fulfill an obligation?

Do you get involved to get a reaction from someone; possibly pity, recognition or even money?

Do you volunteer in your child’s classroom to analyze the new teacher or is it to help?

Do you share prayer requests for a chance to gossip or because you truly care and are praying?


When I look at my motives for attending church over the years and being involved in various church activities, I see so many phases that I have gone through. It reminds me of the stages we go thru as we grow from infants to children to teenagers and then move into adulthood. Constantly maturing as we grow... developing stronger relationships.... learning as we go about what is truly important and is worthy of our focus.

As a child I always attended church. I would never have thought of doing anything different. I was raised in a Christian home and we attended church regularly. It was comfortable place for me with many friends and loved ones. However, as comfortable as it was and as normal as it was, I was there primarily because my parents took me. They saw to it that I was in church.

As I moved into my teen years, I was still always involved in church, but I remember this age as the first times that I didn't always want to be there. After a fun Saturday night out with friends, getting up early on Sunday morning to attend church wasn't always the priority for me that it should have been. Occassionally I had to miss out on other activities because of church services or church related activities. My motives for being at church was, many weeks, because that is where I was expected to be by my parents. I was involved in many youth activities, so while I willingly attended, it was more because I knew I would have fun with my friends. Oh, yea... and my high school boyfriend attended the same church. I'm sure that played into my motives, as well. :)

During college was the first time I would periodically skip a Sunday morning service. Nobody was there to make me go and it just seemed kind of grown up to be able to make the decision NOT to go (boy, did I have that backwards, huh?). Often I went because my friends were going or I felt a bit guilty because I knew my parents would want me in church.

Once out of college I attended the church my parents attended. I became actively involved in the singles sunday school class and over the next few years became a children's sunday school teacher, preschool children's choir teacher, and became a member on a couple of church committees. I think back to that time and I'm sure some of those were places where God wanted me to be, but I also know that alot of my decisions to accept those positions were more for one of two other reasons.... 1)my friends were involved, or 2)I could not, for the life of me, tell anyone 'No'.

In my late twenties, I moved out of state and was further away from my family that I had ever been. I was single, but was living in the same city with my boyfriend (who is now my hubby). The first year or so after I moved I went thru phases with my involvement in church. And, honestly, when I did attend it was more out of a feeling of responsiblity or guilt.

After Jeff and I were married, we did attend church. Although, for some time it was sporadic. However, after we had been married a year or two we found this great church in our area. It is here that we have made our church home. It is here that we are raising our children to love the Lord. It is here that I (and Jeff) have realized and refocused my motives.

I can honestly say for the first time in my life that I don't attend church because I fell guilty if I don't or because someone else expects me to be there or any of a thousand other reasons. I am there each Sunday morning because I WANT to be there and becuase I feel that is where the Lord wants me to be. And, on those rare occasions when I wake up on Sunday morning and just don't feel like getting out of bed, I am ALWAYS so glad that I did drag myself up and on to church. I leave renewed and refreshed... ready to go out and face the week ahead of me. Fully knowing that God is with me and I have spent a wonderful morning worshiping Him. A worship time that usually stays with me thru the week in my own personal Bible Study and praise times.

As I've shared all this, I realize I've written a longer post than I had intended. What I've wanted to communicate here is that, at least for me, realizing my true motives has been a journey. I have had to "grow up" in my physical maturity, in my mental maturity, and in my spiritual maturity to find my true motives and to begin making them "right" in my own life. I still miss the mark on many days, but I am growing and finding that as I seek the Lord more and more in my daily life, that my motives are becoming more in line with what and where the Lord would have them.

"King (Give You Glory)"

Friday Facts - The Apocrypha - Book of Judith

Happy Friday!

Today will wrap up this series of posts on the books of the Apocrypha. I know these last few weeks have been a bit of a different type of fact sharing as it isn't on anything in the Bible or Biblical history. However, I think it's always good to learn at least a little bit about these types of things as it better helps us to understand why or why not we believe a certain way.

So, without further adieu, here's some info about the Book of Judith...

For largely doctrinal reasons, this book was removed by Protestants from the Old Testament during the Reformation. The book of Judith is the fictitious account of the deliverance of Israel from a foreign army by Judith. Judith was a devout and beautiful heroine that first beguiled and then beheaded the Assyrian commander Holofernes.

The book of Judith dated to the 2nd century BC and was written by an unknown author. It is the fourth book of the Old Testament Apocrypha and falls into two parts. The first part being the first seven chapters where King Nebuchadnezzar sends his general Holofernes to punish the western nations because they have refused to join in a war against Media. The second part, chapters 8-16, is where the widow Judith volunteers to deliver the Israelites after rebuking them for losing faith in God. After dining with Holofernes, they retire to his tent, he falls asleep in drunkenness and Judith takes his sword and beheads him.

Though King Nebuchadnezzar is very much a real person, it is historically impossible that the Nebuchadnezzar we read of in the Bible is the same Nebuchadnezzar as is written of in the Book of Judith. Nebuchadnezzar died in 562BC and the story of Judith took place sometime around the end of 538BC. There are similar impossiblities with the geographic location of the story, as well.


I think next week we may start looking into various words used in the Bible and their meanings. Have you ever read a scripture (particularly in the King James Version of the Bible) and run across a word that you just didn't know what it meant? If so, this was probably because it just isn't a word that is used much in our culture. I've found some definitions and explainations for some of these words. Come back next week and I'll share some of what I've found.

Have a great weekend!

Thankful Thursday

There is today, as with everyday, so much for which to give thanks! Here are just a few of the blessings that God has placed in my life over the last week....

* I am thankful for the beautiful weather we've been having in our part of Texas this last week. We've had some great times outdoors playing and just hanging out as a family.

* I am thankful for several sources of encouragement that I have received lately. This has come via several different sources, but ultimately, I know that it has come from God. A month or so ago I was questioning several things -- "where to go from here?", "am I on the right path?" and so on. However, this last week God has sent multiple signs via messages of encouragement to show me that I am on the right path.

* I am thankful for several new opportunties that I have in our church. I am most excited about a women's ministry that is just growing and growing. I haven't been able to participate in the past as it was on a weekday and my work schedule would not allow me to attend. However, it has grown so much recently that they have opened up a 2nd time that meets in the evening. And, not only will I be able to attend, but I will also be helping each month in a volunteer capacity. I am so excited! I need a ministry like this in my life... both as a participant and a volunteer.

* I've mentioned this more than once lately, but I'm so thankful for the sense of peace that God has given me that I am right where He wants be to be for now. I can see Him preparing the way up ahead and I am anxious to get there, but God has given me a peace about this moment. That peace is a great thing at all times.... but, especially when I am in my impatient moments. It's hard to feel impatient when there is peace.

* I am thankful my son has had a good week at school. He's in 1st grade and has been struggling lately with his journal work and with getting his daily classwork completed. However, with prayer and time spent talking with my son about the situation, I think we may have found some ways to help him out and encourage him (he has really been discouraged). This week has been so much better... he's gotten almost all his classwork done and he completed his journal work on Monday with no problems at all! He has been so excited when he gets home each day! I know there are many more school related issues down the road for us, and probably not an end to this one yet, but a good week is a good week and we are thankful!



For more Thankful Thursday visit Iris at "Grace Alone..."!

Word-Filled Wednesday - Nehemiah 6:1-9

When word came to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall and not a gap was left in it -- though up to that time I had not set the doors in the gates -- Sanballat and Geshem sent me this message: "Come, let us meet together in one of the villages on the plain of Ono."

But they were scheming to harm me; so I sent messengers to them with this reply: "I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?" Four times they sent me the same message, and each time I gave them the same answer.

The, the fifth time, Sanballat sent his aide to me with the same message, and in his hand was an unsealed letter in which was written:

"It is reported among the nations -- and Geshem says it is true -- that you and the Jews are plotting to revolt, and therefore you are building the wall. Moreover, according to these reports, you are about to become their king and have even appointed prophets to make this proclamation about you in Jerusalem: 'There is a king in Judah!' Now this report will get back to the king; so come, let us confer together."

I sent him this reply; "Nothing like what you are saying is happening; you are just making it up out of your head."

They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, "Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed."

But I prayed, "Now strengthen my hands."

Nehemiah 6:1-9


For more "Word-Filled Wednesday" posts visit The 160 Acre Woods.






Picture courtesy of http://www.christianphotos.net/.

A New Adventure

Over the course of the last 6-8 months (most recently in this post), I have mentioned several times that I felt God leading me in a new direction in my professional life. I have tired of the day-to-day of corporate America and I so desire more flexibility to be with my children. On the other hand, there are things about working that I enjoy immensely and I have always had a dream of owning my own business.

Last spring the Lord dropped an idea into my husband's lap. At first, I was skeptical. However, when my husband gets an idea he doesn't just let it fall by the wayside. He jumps right in... and not slowly. He immediately saw it as an opportunity for me and began his "campaign" to show me what a great idea it was. Once I was convinced, he has done nothing over the last few months but do his best to help me make it happen.

Here's what it is.... handmade jewelry. But, with a twist. Handmade jewelry made from magnetic beads and clasps. Are you like I was and saying, "HUH?" All the beads are little mini-magnets as well as the clasps. (I could tell you some funny stories here, too.... like how my mother-in-law was wearing one of our bracelets while at a Clinique counter one day. She reached across the countertop and her bracelet picked up three little sample bottles of perfume along the way.) There have been studies in recent years showing that magnets can provide pain relief from such ailments as arthritis, migraines, and fibromyalgia.

I have been wearing an anklet and a bracelet since spring to see how it would help with my arthritis (I wasn't going to sell anything that I hadn't tried myself). While it doesn't make the pain completely go away 100% of the time, it does ease the pain. For my husband, he has been able to greatly decrease his arthritis medication. I do want to stress that it certainly is not a cure for any ailment and does not work for everyone. However, for those it does help, it can be great. So many (including myself) are looking for ways to help us deal with our aches and pains without having to turn to so much medication. And, if it really does help, how great that we can help people with this product?

And, that helping part is one of my favorites. We have already seen people with great pain issues being able to get some relief. One man we sold a necklace to had been shot in the neck when his home had been robbed 10-15 years ago. He has lived in a great deal of pain ever since and, due to that pain, walked around with his shoulders hunched up much of the time. Within a few days of beginning to wear this necklace, the pain began to slowly subside. As one of his co-workers told me, "We can now see his neck!" as his shoulders are no longer hunched up in pain. I can't tell you how much joy it brings me to create and sell a product that has that kind of potential.

While we have been selling by word of mouth since about July, our intent has always been to make this primarily an on-line business. We have FINALLY been able to get our website up and runnning and are starting to place on-line ads (although, I will say, I still have several things I would like to change on the site... it is a work in progress). Oh, my... making this happen was so much bigger than either one of us thought it would be. But, at the same time it has been fun (I've had a blast designing the jewelry) and, most definitely, a learning experience (who knew it could take so long to work with the postal service to set up shipping). If you would like to visit the site, you can find us at http://www.beadsnstyle.com/. Please, please, please, do not feel obligated.

Also, as my Blogoversary is coming up soon I thought I would do a kind of double celebration on that day with a bloggy giveaway! You know, celebrate my blogoversary along with a celebration of getting this business up and running. You'll have to come back for more details later this month, but I will tell you that it will include a giveaway of my very favorite bracelet on the site. When the time comes I'll explain why it is my favorite... I think you will quickly understand why.

The long-term goal here is that this business would be successful enough to allow me to resign from my current full-time job. I would run the business from home and be able to work my schedule around my kids with much more flexibility and availability to them. I'm just going to follow God's leadership on this one... whatever really does happen, I know He already knows and is guiding and directing our steps.

I know as I have shared in such vagueness about this over the last few months, so many of you have offered your prayers and support. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love you all!

Thank You!

I was so surprised yesterday to discover that my blog had been chosen at CWO's Internet Cafe Devotions as one of the Top 100 Blogs for 2008. My blog was picked as one of the top 10 in the category "Cup Overfloweth Blog".

I am so honored to receive this.... it never even crossed my mind that my blog would even be considered. Thank each of you that submitted the name of my blog! You all are special to me and I enjoy the time that I spend posting to my blog, reading your words of encouragement and sharing in the comments, and visiting each of you at your blogs.

Thank You!

At the Well - Titus 2:2-5

This is my first time to join in on "Gathering At the Well". I've been reading posts from others that participate in this weekly meme for awhile now and decided it was finally time for me to jump in and join the others meeting "At the Well" each week.

The topic for today comes from the passage of scripture found in Titus 2:2-5. The scripture reads like this....

"Older men are to be temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, in love, in perseverance. Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips, nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be dishonored."

Wow! What an important bit of scripture for us as women to read and to understand! So much of how we should live and communicate with our world is contained in these words. My thoughts on a few aspects are contained below as I answer the discussion questions for this week.


How do you see this playing out in your own life?

I see myself, really, falling into both the categories of the younger women and the older women. I'm in that "middle aged" category... I feel that I still have so much that I can learn from women older than me that have been married longer, raised their children to adult ages and walked with the Lord longer than I. On the other hand, I have learned so much that I can share with women younger than myself. I really feel the Lord calling me to be an encourager to others in their walk with with the Lord. I think acting in the part referred to in this passage as "the older woman" fits with that calling that I am hearing right now.

What are your areas of strength? Of weakness?

Oh, my... weaknesses! :) I'm not the best "worker at home".. at least not when it comes to tasks that revolve around housework. And, unfortunately, I do suffer at times with my attitude. When life isn't going the way I want it to go, when I am struggling, when I am tired. I don't present the attitude of kindness and I'm very sure that I dishonor God on these days. I'm learning more and more to just turn it over to God. What a difference it makes to let Him take all that "bad stuff" away and replace it with the "good stuff".

I think my strengths probably lie in the areas of encouragement and, maybe, teaching. The teaching (at least publicly) scares me... at least with adults. I'm fine with children and do teach a children's Sunday School class, but the teaching of adults is WAY out of my comfort zone. However, I'm finding that opportunities are coming my way that could possibly lead more and more in this direction. I'm also learning there are many ways to teach besides in a classroom setting which does interest me very much. We'll see..... God has a way of bringing us right out of our comfort zones and guiding us in a way that takes out all the uncomfortableness.

If you could set some sort of goal in relation to this Scripture, what would it be?

Oh, most definitely to be more cheerful as I go about the tasks at home! This can be such an area of weakness for me and I truly want to do it joyfully. I want to go about my days in this area -- and all parts of my life -- with a true joy. The kind of joy that can only be found in the Lord.

I also want to make it a goal to always be open to whatever it may be that the Lord is trying to teach me or a direction in which He may be leading. Regardless of how I feel about it (scared, unworthy, opposed, etc), I want to be open to His leading and always willing to follow.


To join us "At the Well" this week, visit At the Well... In Pursuit of Titus 2.

Showing Kindness - Ruth 2:8-13

So Boaz said to Ruth, "Listen carefully, my dear! Do not leave to gather grain in another field. You need not go beyond the limits of this field. You may go along beside my female workers. Take note of the field where the men are harvesting and follow behind with the female workers. I will tell the men to leave you alone. When you are thirsty, you may go to the water jars and drink some of the water the servants draw." Ruth knelt before him with her forehead to the ground and said to him, "Why are you so kind and so attentive to me, even though I am a foreigner?" Boaz replied to her, "I have been given a full report of all that you have done for your mother-in-law following the death of your husband -- how you left your father and your mother, as well as your homeland, and came to live among people you did not know previously. May the Lord reward your efforts! May your acts of kindness be repaid fully by the Lord God of Israel, from whom you have sought protection!" She said, "You really are being kind to me, sir, for you have reassured and encouraged me, your servant, even though I am not one of your servants!" Ruth 2:8-13

This passage of scripture we read today from Ruth is such a wonderful example of someone showing true and sincere kindness. Kindness that goes so far above what would ever be expected. Kindness that is given from someone that truly loves God.

As we read in the previous verses of this 2nd chapter of Ruth, it was expected that persons in Ruth's position be allowed to gather grain in the fields. It was expected that they be allowed to follow behind the workers and gather what was left behind. However, Boaz goes on to take it one step further. He tells Ruth that she may gather alongside the other female workers. When she is thirsty she is to drink from the water jars that are drawn by the servants. He treats as if she was one of the harvesters instead of a young girl that is poor and very much in need of food. In addition, she is a foreigner. The Moabites were considered second-class citizens in Bethlehem.

Can you imagine Ruth's surprise to hear these words from Boaz? I'm guessing she was a bit stunned by his kindness. She even asks, "Why are you so attentive to me, even though I am a foreigner?"

Boaz tells her he is being so kind because he knows all that she has done. He knows that Ruth gave up her family, her homeland, and is living among people she doesn't know all so that she can be with Naomi; to love her and to care for her. To be Naomi's family now that her husband and her children have died.

I'm struck by how Ruth doesn't seem to think of what she has done for Noami as being that "above and beyond" type of kindness. But, yet, she has given up so much in order to care for Naomi. And, Boaz, being the kind and godly man that he is completely recognizes the love shown by Ruth for what it is. He is completely acknowledging this by showing her kindness and sharing with her his faith that the Lord is with her, protecting her and loving her.

So many things jump off the page at me as I read this passage....

~ What an example of God's love that Ruth shows in all she has done for Naomi

~ In turn, what kindness Boaz shows towards Ruth because of what she has done for Naomi

~ The faith in God they both show -- and considering Ruth has just recently begun following God (remember, the Moabites served their own god, Chemosh), this really jumps out at me. I was raised in church and accepted Christ as a child, but I STILL have days when I struggle with trusting God to take care of it all. Look at how Ruth has turned to God for protection. As Boaz stated, ".... the Lord God of Israel, from whom you have sought protection!"

~ Ruth has left all her family to be with Naomi. For some reason, I never really thought of this aspect previously. What a sacrifice Ruth has made! In this day, there was no jumping on a plane or driving in her car to see her family. By moving so far away, it is entirely possible that she will never see her parents or siblings again.

Dear Lord, I thank you so for the story of Ruth. I thank you for the sweet and loyal heart of Ruth and how it shows us the meaning of true and godly kindness. I thank you, too, for Boaz and his part in this story. Through him we learn how important it is to offer kindness to those that have less than we do. He shows us how to recognize Your love and direction in the lives of others and how to encourage them as they walk with You. I pray, dear Lord, that you would show me how to have a heart full of love and kindness for others. That I would recognize more clearly those that are in need and that I would see what I could do to assist them. And, that I would not only see, but that I would act on what I see and offer kindness. I thank you, Lord, for your Word and all it has to offer us if only we will seek. In Christ's name, Amen.

"We Give You Glory"