King James Version (KJV)

¹⁵ A continual dropping in a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike.

“Contentious-quarrelsome spirit.  Patterns of angry and controlling responses make a contentious woman, and that which she desires moves further from her grasp.  The Bible compares such a woman to a constant dripping (annoying) and says it is better to live on the rooftop without her!”

I have flown by this verse many times, mostly laughing at the analogy; along with:

Proverbs 25:24

King James Version (KJV)

²⁴ It is better to dwell in the corner of the housetop, than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.

Which always makes me “chuckle.”  These are no laughing matters.  A contentious woman is disturbing to God. And being one should be to me too.

“Mothers are always on call, expected to have all the answers and limitless energies. They’re supposed to do everything; it’s taken for granted. How can you be and do everything expected of you? What you need is a habitual sense of the presence of God. Think that Almighty God, who created the stars and keeps the seasons revolving in perfect rhythm, is there in your kitchen, in your bathroom, in the laundry room, in the grocery store. Mothers, be prepared for an arduous struggle. Your calling is impossible without prayer, the comfort and instruction of the Scriptures and fellowship in your church.”

~Elisabeth Elliot

“You fulfill yourself by denying yourself, preparing the people you can’t live without to live without you”

~Andrew Ferguson

I watched The Vow last night.  I have heard so much about this movie from Christian and secular circles I could not WAIT to see it.  I plopped myself and my kids on the sofa to watch yesterday afternoon.

About half-way in it was clear that this was not a family-friendly movie.  I guess I didn’t get the PG-13 rating.  So after the naked butt-shot, we quickly turned it off (my daughters agreeing).

I finished watching it this morning while I exercised.  Was it a good movie? Yeah.  Was it the most amazing movie I have ever seen?  Nah.  Was I disappointed after all the hype?  Yeah.

I’m not sure how true to life this “based on a true story” was.  Remember the Titans was also “based on a true story” and come to find out there were only a few things that happened in the movie that were actually true.

Anyway, it was okay.  I don’t get the hype from Christians.  The relationship ended in divorce, although it is presumed they get back together after a chance meeting at a coffee shop which leads to a date.  But Paige did not stay or get back with Leo because of her commitment to the vows she made.  She only came back after she tried her old life and found out she really didn’t like that life.  At that point she got her own place in the city without seeking out Leo.

What did strike me, and I’m still feeling the effects from it as I sit here writing this, is how I would feel if this happened to me.  I cannot imagine lying closely to my husband in bed one night and 24 hour later not remembering him or the wonderful love that we have had.  Nor can I imagine him not remembering me or our relationship.

It made me wonder…would we still fall in love today if we were meeting for the first time?  Is our love the kind for a lifetime?  Are we still the same people we were 25 years ago?  I’m not sure and it doesn’t really matter.  What does matter is we are a couple.  We are in love.  We have been for 25 years.  And due to the choice to love every day, we will be after 25 more years.

Paige and Leo’s vows didn’t say what mine did…”for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health…” We say those words flippantly.  It might be time to  take your husband’s hand, look him in the eye, and say them again.

In five days my oldest will turn 18.  Makes my head spin.  Not so much that he is 18, but that I am…well, old enough to have an 18-year-old.  I am relaxed in my recliner and my husband is snoring on the love seat.  (Why is it husband’s don’t go to bed, but fall asleep on the couch?) After almost 24 years of marriage, I don’t wake him up anymore.  I just cover him up.

Thinking back on where I was in my life when I turned 18:

I had just started “dating” my husband.  He was not a believer, and that meant I had no intentions of a serious relationship.  My plan was to attend Bible college and marry a preacher (for those of you who know my husband, I think you will agree he is a “preacher” in cop’s clothing. lol).

I was looking foward to Bible college and figuring out the career I really wanted.

I was attending several graduation parties and enjoying my last summer as a high schooler with my friends.

Every parent wants the best for their children.  Every parents wants the best children. I’m not sure what that looks like because my four children are all sinners…just like their mom and dad. I’m pretty sure my kids aren’t going to be doctors or lawyers, and I am confident they aren’t going to be rocket scientists.  I do see a possible film maker, business manager, journalist, sign language interpreter, organization specialist, artist, coffee barista, or stay-at-home mom.

But the burning in my heart is to see four Jesus followers…married to four Jesus followers…raising…a whole pack of Jesus followers.

Trust And Obey Hymn

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

This has never been one of my favorite hymns.  Not that I dislike it, but if you asked my husband to name his top five favorite hymns this would surely make the list.  Me?  Not so much.

But I think once again of people who are suffering.  God, godly people who claim the name of Jesus and these words take on a whole different meaning.

Because that’s what it’s all about.  TRUST…and…OBEY.  Not TRUST and UNDERSTAND.  The Bible doesn’t tell us we will understand the Lord’s plan, nor does it say we in any way deserve an explanation.  Here are the facts:

GOD IS GOD

AND

I AM NOT

Life is hard, friends.  It has been ever since the day Adam and Eve got placed outside the garden.  Think what THAT day was like.  ”What will you do now?” God asks. Trust and obey. It was hard when their oldest son had his offering rejected by God.  It was even harder when their oldest son killed their younger son.  It was hard when the murdering son fled and wandered for the rest of his life.

It was hard when God told Abraham to pick up and move out.  ”Where are you going?” God asks.  It doesn’t matter.  Trust and obey.

It was hard when Jacob tricked his father and got his birthright.  Jacob spent years fearing his life from his brother Esau.  ”What are you going to do now?” God asks. Trust and obey.

It was hard when Ruth left her family in Moab after her father-in-law, brother-in-law, and husband died. “What do I want from you?” God asks.  Trust and obey.

It was hard when Hannah went to the temple every year and prayed for her barrenness.  ”What should you do?”  God asks. Trust and obey.

It was hard when David gave into lust with the widow of a man he had murdered.  ”What’s your next plan?” God asks.  Trust and obey.

It was hard when the disciples questioned, doubted, and fell asleep on the Lord Jesus Christ. “What do I want you to do now?”  Jesus asked. Trust and obey.

It was H-A-R-D when our Savior went to the cross to endure my sin.  SO HARD His Father had to turn His face away.  How about that?

We have never been promised sunshine and roses here on earth.

What are we promised according to the hymn:

Shadow

Doubt

Fears

Clouds

Tears

Sighs

Burdens

Sorrows

Toils

Griefs

Losses

Frowns

And the rest of the song is our HOPE! I hope that whatever you are enduring today you will cling to the Savior and His desire that we simply TRUST AND OBEY. He will take care of the rest. Maybe not here on this earth.  But you can rest in the fact He has it under control.  Even if it seems like you are smothering under the weight of grief or doubt.  Just Trust…and…obey.

But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.

Refrain

]]> http://graceunceasing.com/archives/2311/feed 0 http://graceunceasing.com/archives/2304 http://graceunceasing.com/archives/2304#comments Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:45:12 +0000 Amy Thompson http://graceunceasing.com/?p=2304 WHEN I… really feel like I’m missing this…

THEN I… remember how much I would really miss this…

]]> http://graceunceasing.com/archives/2304/feed 1 http://graceunceasing.com/archives/2300 http://graceunceasing.com/archives/2300#comments Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:06:09 +0000 Amy Thompson http://graceunceasing.com/?p=2300

I have a hard-working daughter.  She spends hours copying, laminating, highlighting, studying. God’s Word is important to her.  Doing what is asked is important to her.  Some folks are against any type of “competition” or earthly “reward” for studying God’s Word.  But I think it has its merits.

Think about how many things you do today that you need to do or that you want to do, that started out as a you “have” to do as a kid.  Brushing our teeth is good for us.  Remember those cute little timers and old-school electric toothbrushes that were around to instill good brushing habits? You think brushing your teeth is a pretty good thing now, don’t you? How about having to eat your vegetables?  If you at all your vegetables…you got dessert.  A pretty good pay off, huh?  And even now, though you may hot get all excited about your veggies, you know it’s a good thing for you…and you eat them.  Now, I know none of these things are “godly” but they are good. And kids are kids regardless of the spiritual element in your home.

So, do my kids get rewarded for some spiritual activities?  Yep.  Will they get gift cards or trophies when they are adults?  Nope.  But hopefully they will get the rewards from the kingdom and from God’s Word itself because they know being in God’s Word daily and memorizing His Word is…good for them.  On every level.  And even on the days when they don’t feel like cracking it open (or logging on…) they will do it anyway because it IS good and it IS right and it IS what will make the difference.

That said, my 10-year-old and my 14-year-old are memorizing 24 verses this year.  Should I do any less?  It’s great to pat them on the back and say, “Way to go girls!”  But wouldn’t the better reward be for them to see Mom writing, and rewriting, and studying and highlighting and studying those verses too?  I plan to sit alongside my 14-year-old when she takes her verse test and take it right along with her.

I’m only on verse 12 and I have about four weeks to go.  As the little blue engine said, “I think I can!  I think I can!”  No…wait…with the power of the Holy Spirit on my side, “I KNOW I can, I KNOW I can!”

I’ll let you know how it goes.  I do pretty well with the verses, but with this year’s “Future Events” theme, I’m struggling with all those references from Revelation!  My memory stick ain’t what it used to be!

http://www.passionatehomemaking.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/My-Weekly-Intentional-Living-Plan.pdf

From The Path of His Passion by Bill Crowder

She Sat by the Grave

Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses were looking on to see where He was laid (Mark 15:47).

Nothing could drive Mary Magdalene and the other women from the side of their fallen Lord as Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea performed the grim and grisly task of removing the body of Jesus from the cross.  Faithfully they followed the mournful little procession as they made their way from the Place of the Skull to the tomb–purchased by the Arimathean for his own burial but now given to the Lord he loved…

Every step of the way, she was at His side–yet how tragic.  She becomes to us the very image of grief.  As the darkness of night deepens to match the darkness of the sorrow in her heart, Mary Magdalene sat by the grave–her heart filled with questions that had no answers…

In the darkness of gloom and grief, however, there existed the brightness of hope–hope in the One who had rescued her and redeemed her life.  Even the nature of the questions calls for answers that go beyond our natural points of reference.

From The Path of His Passion by Bill Crowder:

It is not a surprise that Mary did not want to be separated from the One who had rescued her from the depths of demonic oppression.  In fact, even to the end, she was faithful when Jesus’ disciples (apart from John) had abandoned Him.

She stood by the Cross

But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene (John 19:25).

No, her devotion didn’t wane.  Her love didn’t cool.  Even at the cross, heartbroken and devastated, Mary Magdalene stayed right there.  Mary witnessed the brutality of the cross and the horrors of the suffering of Christ while most of the disciples were in hiding.  She could not walk away.  She was compelled to stay because this was where the Christ was–and she had to be with Him.  While the disciples secreted themselves away, the women stayed at the scene.  Watching.  Suffering.  Wondering.  Weeping.  Nothing could describe the deep sadness of their hearts at the moment Christ breathed His last from the cross of love and yielded His spirit to the Father.  Yet they were there.  Mary Magdalene among them.  The devotion of her heart could not be set aside by the passing of time, by public opinion, by danger, or even the threat of death.