"My son keep your father's commands and do not forsake your mother's teaching. Bind them upon your heart forever; fasten them around your neck.
When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.
For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way of life."
Proverbs 6:20-23
Sunday, June 12th
340) Partnership- Many people are married, but not all of those married couples are partners. I am blessed to have a partner in Drew. It is wonderful to know that I have this amazing man working along side me towards a common goal. Not only that, but I am blessed through this partnership as we support and strengthen each other, complementing those areas where each other is weak.
Monday, June 13th
341) Try and try again- There are certain activities in my life that have become more difficult with a child. I have been searching for ways to make my motherhood work with one such activity, but I have really struggled this last year to find the right fit. It would have been easy to give up and say I just need to focus on being a mother and Army wife, but I couldn't give up. It was too important to me, and today I see the beginning of something that may just lead to the perfect niche. What a blessing to have the perseverance and drive to try and try again.
Tuesday, June 14th
342) Learning from a child- I have often heard that we could learn a lot about faith by watching the faith of children. In fact, people often use Matthew 19:14 "Jesus said, ' Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.'" to encourage people to have a more child-like faith. I cannot disagree; we can learn so much about unconditional love and faith from little children, but there are other things they can show us as well. Today our little girl reminded me of that clearly. Now, we all have our days when we choose to take the hard route. Some of us have a string of hard days while toddlers seem to almost ask for them as they test out their new independence and mobility. Today was one such day for our daughter, but she didn't just want to take the harder road. She pushed the limits as far and as often as she could and took the hardest possible route I could imagine given the situation. The opportunities to become frustrated and lose my patience with this little one were many, but as I worked with her, I thought, "How often have I chosen my own defiant, independent, blind path instead of waiting for the Lord and obediently submitting to his good and perfect will?" The answer.... far too often and far too recently for my comfort. Yet, the Lord continues to show me unconditional love, patience and forgiveness while remaining just and providing me with the discipline I need. What a beautiful lesson! Not only does God's treatment to me provide a wonderful example as I work with our little toddler, but it is another sign of God's multitude of blessings to this stubborn, independent little girl (and I am referring to me).
Wednesday, June 15th
343) Holy, awe-inspiring fear- In recent weeks, I have heard discussions and talk about whether or not there is any room for fear in a relationship with the Lord. I cannot speak for anyone else, but for me, my fear of the Lord has been pivotal. Fear of the Lord led me to the feet of Christ, has held me in awe and wonder, and reminds me of what an awesome, powerful, just God I serve. After doing a quick look into what the Bible says about the fear of the Lord, I have a hard time understanding the opposition to the idea of fearing the Lord. The Bible teaches that fear of the Lord brings us peace, encouragement, wisdom, the Lord's confidence, the treasures of surety and salvation, and blessings.
1 Samuel 12:14-"If you fear the Lord and serve and obey him and do not rebel against his commands, if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the Lord your God- good!"
Psalm 25:12-14-"Who then is the man that fears the Lord? He will instruct him in the way chosen for him. He will spend his days in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land. The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them."
Psalm 128:1-4-"Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in his ways. You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table. Thus is the man blessed who fears the Lord."
Proverbs 1:7-"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline."
Proverbs 14:26-27-"He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death."
Isaiah 33:5-6- "The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness. He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure."
Acts 9:31-"Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord."
The Lord's power, might, justice and holiness should cause us all to tremble- for who could ever claim innocence in the court of the Lord if it were not for Christ?
Revelation 15:2b-4-"They held harps given them by God and sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb: 'Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages. Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.'"
Thursday, June 16th
344) The right way- Not everything has a right and a wrong way to do things. Sometimes it is all a matter of opinion, but there are some activities and situations where there is a very clear and unmistakable right and wrong way. Just because a way may be wrong doesn't mean you cannot still accomplish your goal, but the process and results may not be as ideal. My recent endeavors in crocheting has perfectly illustrated this point to me. I made several items using the wrong method. Everything still turned out fine. Most likely no one would be able to tell I did it the wrong way, but it was a laborious and long task with some inconsistencies and flaws in the final product. My latest project has been completed the right way. What a breath of fresh air! The entire process has been enjoyable and gone so quickly, and the product shows no flaws at this point. If this is true with something as trivial as crocheting, just think of the impact on truly serious matters in life. We may be able to pursue things our own way- even if it is the wrong way to do things- but we are blessed when we go about things the right way, even when the way seems more difficult.
Friday, June 17th
345) A patient, understanding husband- One of the nasty side-effects of my migraines is that I often lose my internal check system- especially as it relates to my tongue. I find that I less frequently screen my thoughts before I speak and therefore say things I immediately regret. I have also noticed that I do not have as much control over my intonation. Both of these lead to some unfortunate comments to Drew, who is always so patient and understanding. He may point it out to me, but he is always willing to forgive. I wish it didn't happen and I do try to keep things in check, but I am thankful and blessed for his response.
Saturday, June 18th
346) Prophecies of destruction- "The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord takes vengeance and is filled with wrath. The Lord takes vengeance on his foes and maintains his wrath against his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger and great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet. He rebukes the sea and dries it up; he makes all the rivers run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither and the blossoms of Lebanon fade. The mountains quake before him and the hills melt away. The earth trembles at his presence, the world and all who live in it. Who can withstand his indignation? Who can endure his fierce anger? His wrath is poured out like fire; the rocks are shattered before him.
The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him, but with an overwhelming flood he will make an end of Ninevah; he will pursue his foes into darkness." Nahum 1:2-8
Over the years as I have read parts of the Bible, I typically skip over the parts about doom and destruction. Not because I do not believe in it, am afraid of it or feel it is incongruous with who God is. I just never really knew what to take away from those passages. In our Sunday school class, we have been looking at the books of the Bible, studying one book each week to gain an understanding of its contents and how they can be applied to us. For the past several Sundays, we have been looking at the major and minor prophets. There has been no chance to avoid the passages of doom and destruction. Over the weeks though, I have found peace and joy in these passages. For those who are true believers in Christ- who follow His will and commands- these passages are not frightening but a reminder of who God is. God is in control. God is forgiving, patient and abounding in love and grace. God is mighty and all-powerful. God has the final say. God is just and in the end He will make all things right. God remembers the faithful.
Sunday, June 19th
347) Godly fathers- There are lots of good dads out there. These men give of their time, energy, resources, knowledge and love for their children. They work hard to provide for their family, play with their kids, sacrifice personal wants for their family, teach their children about responsibility, hard work, respect, compassion, and so much more. In general, they are present, involved fathers who take their job seriously, and their children are blessed because of it. Out of these good dads, there is a sub-group; these are the Godly fathers. These men focus not only on the welfare and knowledge needed for this world, but they are thinking about eternity. These men pray for their children, introduce their children to the Lord, encourage faith, spread love, and train their "children in the way they should go" (Proverbs 22:6). These fathers not only teach their children about love, faith and a relationship with the Lord, but they also exemplify this through their own daily lives. I am blessed to know several of these Godly fathers and I am thankful for each and every one of them. To all of you Godly fathers out there- my grandfathers, my dad, my husband and the countless other men of God- thank you. You have blessed your children and grandchildren immeasurably.
Happy Father's Day!
"The righteous man leads a blameless life; blessed are his children after him." Proverbs 20:7
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