PROVERBS - A Proverbs Tribute to My Mom

Who can find a virtuous and capable [mother]?

I can.

She's my mom.

She is more precious than rubies.

I think my mom is priceless.

[I] can trust her, and she will greatly enrich [my] life.

She is my confidante, my listening ear and shoulder to cry on. She's my best friend. I can't imagine my life without her.

She brings good, not harm – all the days of her life.

My mom has made my life's journey so much easier, so much better. She always thinks of my best interests.

She finds wool and flax and busily spins it.

My mom always made sure that I had nice, clean clothes to wear.

She [brings] her food from afar.

I can't count the miles she has walked in the grocery store. She still sneaks food to me!

She gets up before dawn to prepare breakfast for her household…

I couldn't begin to count the meals my mom prepared – the sack lunches she packed. All that food was her way of saying, "I love you."

…and plan the day's work.

My mom planned her days – always working to maintain our household, while at the same time creating a home.

She goes to inspect a field and buys it.

My mom was wise with money – she knew when to save it, and she knew when to give it away.

She is energetic and strong, a hard worker.

Yes, even now when her steps have slowed, my mom continues to work tirelessly for the betterment of our family. And she is never too tired for me.

Her lamp burns late into the night.

How many times did my mom stay up late at night, waiting for me to come home safely? Or how many times did she lose sleep, just to talk with me? She still does.

She extends a helping hand to the poor and opens her arms to the needy.

My mom is the most generous woman I know. She unselfishly shares her money, her time, her heart – with family, yes – but also with strangers.

She is clothed with strength and dignity.

My mother is poised and charming, modest and honorable. She has never dealt with anyone harshly. She possesses a quiet strength that I try to copy.

She laughs without fear of the future.

My mom knows to whom she belongs – both now and forever. She has total faith and hope in the Lord who holds her securely.

When she speaks, her words are wise.

I still turn to my mom for counsel and advice. She speaks from experience. She speaks from a lifetime of following the Lord. She talks, and I listen.

She gives instructions with kindness.

My mom has never made me feel stupid, or inconvenient, or bothersome, or tiring. Her discipline was always given with love. She has always held my heart with kindness.

Her children stand and bless her.

I bless her!

She is a treasure beyond measure. She carefully watches all of her children, and her grandchildren. They are never far from her thoughts or her prayers.

There are many virtuous and capable women in the world – but you surpass them all!

Oh Mom, you're the absolute best!

Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the LORD will be greatly praised.

My mother's face shines with the graceful glow of the Holy Spirit. I love her for herself – and I love her for leading me to the feet of Jesus.

Reward her for all she has done.

Mom, these words express just a small portion of the love and gratitude I have in my heart. For words will never begin to tell you what I owe you. Thank you for being such a great mother, such a caring friend, and such a kindred spirit. Thank you for bringing Jesus to me, and for helping me along as I seek to follow Him. I'm so glad you're still a part of my life - and that I'll always be your little girl.

I can't wait to spend eternity with you!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY, Mom – love you forever!

****A very Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there!!****

(Thoughts based on Proverbs 31)

(Please join me with Peggy at Super Sunday, and Charlotte and Ginger at Spiritual Sundays. And feel free to visit my daily blog, Sharon Sharing God, during the week!)

"When in doubt, search God out!"

2 CHRONICLES - All Access Pass

All Access Pass.

Ever had one of those?

It lets you go everywhere, see everything, do anything – it lets you go where only the VIP’s go. It gets you access to the stars…

I can remember a time when I had an "All Access Pass." It was at my dad’s job.

My dad owned his own business. It was a wholesale plumbing and heating supply company. It was the coolest place ever. There were aisles and aisles of little bins full of every sort of pipe you can imagine. There was a hidden loft where all the faucets were kept. There was an open warehouse in the back yard where boxes and boxes of water heaters, and toilets, and sinks were kept.

My dad’s place was a child’s wonderland!

My brother and I would visit all the time. We’d play "hide and seek" among the boxes. We’d go exploring into all the nooks and crannies of the aisles. We’d sit on the loading dock and watch the trucks come and go.

In the back, there was a "Will Call" counter with a gate that said "Employees Only."

Well, I made sure that I always went through that gate when I went to visit my dad. I didn’t do it in a prideful way – I did it because it made me feel really special, really lucky.

I did it because I could…

That was the best part of all. I could – because the boss was my dad.

And I loved that privilege!

Today’s "Bible Pick ‘Ems" reminded me of this story.

"He made the Most Holy Place…Across the entrance of the Most Holy Place he hung a curtain made of fine linen…" (2 Chronicles 3:8a, 14a)

Solomon was in the midst of building the most beautiful Temple. It was a glorious spectacle. An amazing architectural achievement. It was a monument of worship to the one true God.

And in the middle of the Temple was the Most Holy Place. A small room that contained the Ark of the Covenant. A small room that was filled with the glory of the LORD’s presence.

It was the most sacred spot on earth for the Jews. Only the high priest could enter it – and that was only on one day of each year to atone for the sins of the people. Their only access to God was through the high priest.

Until…one day…when something – Someone – changed all that.

RIP!!!

That’s the sound of that same curtain, the one that closed off the Most Holy Place from view, being torn down the middle.

At the death of Jesus, the barrier between God and humanity was split in two. Now all people were given the privilege of approaching God directly through Christ.

We were given an "All Access Pass."

We have the awesome privilege of going in the "Employees Only" gate – because our Father is the boss!

He knows us by name – we’re His kids!

I don’t know about you – but that makes me feel really special, really lucky.

"And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place."

(Hebrews 10:19-20)

(Today I am linked with Spiritual Sundays, hosted by Charlotte and Ginger, and Super Sunday, hosted by Peggy)

"When in doubt, search God out!"

COLOSSIANS - God's Top Ten List

Don’t you sometimes wish that you had an owner’s manual for Christianity?

An easy little list of "do this/do that" to follow?

God’s Top Ten List???

Of course, the life of faith does not unfold in simplicity – and so, a list could never cover all of the circumstances that life throws our way…right?

And yet, God’s Word has SO many things to teach us about what it means to be believer.

When I read today’s "Bible Pick ‘Ems" I was struck with this thought – this sounds like a wonderful list! A wise guideline to follow. Good instructions from the "owner’s manual."

"Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and thankful heart. Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Jesus Christ…Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should. Live wisely among those who are not believers…Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone." (Colossians 4:2, 3a, 4, 5a, 6)

Let’s explore this passage together.

Devote yourselves to prayer…

Do you ever get tired of praying for something or someone? In this passage, Paul is calling us to devoted prayer. Devotion – concentrated, committed, single-minded pursuit. We need to pray with persistence, expressing our faith that God answers our prayers – understanding that His answers might not look like what we had hoped for – and they might not arrive when we want them to. But, He is always listening, and He will answer in ways that He knows are best.

…with an alert mind and thankful heart.

Two key ingredients in our prayer life. First, be alert – to me that means checking our motives, asking for God’s wisdom and discernment, watching out for the enemy’s lies – keeping our eyes open to all the possibly distracting things that keep us from praying. The evil one does NOT want us to use this weapon. Second, have a thankful heart. It doesn’t do much good to come to God with a begrudging spirit, or a heart full of doubts. He isn’t a vending machine – plug in a prayer, out pops an answer. We should be mindful to be thankful – so very thankful – that He cares for us, that He listens to us – that He loves us enough to NOT give us everything we ask for.

Pray for us, too…

Intercessory prayer is so important. We need to marshal our resources, using prayer as a way to support each other in the Body of Christ. We can’t control all the circumstances of our lives, but we can pray about them. We can’t always fix the people we love – we often can’t even influence them much. But we can pray about them, pray for them – and we must.

…that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ.

It is good and right to pray for opportunities to tell others about the Good News. Salvation is a simple thing – and yet, it is mysterious. In this life, we will probably never understand the full gravity and wonder of what Jesus accomplished on the cross. And yet, we know the result. We were made right with God. That is something worth talking about. And we should ask God for MANY opportunities to spread His Word to others.

Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should.

Most people don’t need, and don’t want, a huge dissertation on God and His plan of salvation. That is what is so wonderfully good about the Good News. God chose to make His message "simple" – His wisdom chose profound simplicity. We need to ask God to give us the right words to say – clearly understood words. He will.

Live wisely among those who are not believers.

We’re all looking at "the other guy." We all evaluate those around us – comparing ourselves to others. It’s human nature. And when you identify yourself as a Christian, the stakes go up. We are being watched by the world. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that we live according to the grace by which we’ve been called. God sends us out "into" the world, while at the same time commanding us to not be "of" the world. We are God’s representatives – we should live accordingly.

Let your conversation be gracious and attractive…

It is always important to be gracious in what we say. We lose our effectiveness if we are not courteous and respectful. Though we may not agree with another person’s views, we can be kind in our disagreement. Jesus did not "bash" people with His Truth. He made it attractive, compelling. The Greek word here for "attractive" means "seasoned with salt." Doesn’t that sum it up perfectly? Salt adds flavor, making something tastier. We want people to desire to know more about what we believe.

…so that you will have the right response for everyone.

It’s important to know what you’re talking about. It’s important to know Who you’re talking about. But it’s also vital to know who you’re talking to! The Holy Spirit is the one who speaks through us, and we need to seek after and claim His power. Right words, spoken at the right time, in the right manner, make for a message that reaches hearts. So we must be ready with a response when people ask us what and why we believe what we do.

You know, that’s a pretty good list!

Pray devotedly.

Be alert.

Be thankful.

Pray for others.

Ask for opportunities to spread the Good News.

Speak clearly.

Live wisely.

Be kind.

Be "salty."

Think about your audience.

And never forget, we do not labor alone. We have the Spirit of the Living God within us, and we have each other…

"When in doubt, search God out"

(I am linked up today with Super Sunday, hosted by Peggy - and Spiritual Sundays, hosted by Charlotte and Ginger!)

PHILIPPIANS - The Season of Discontent

‘Tis the season to be buying…

Oh wait, that’s not how it’s supposed to go!

But isn’t that what happens?

We get overwhelmed with the media blitz that programs our willing little minds with the mantra, “Shop, shop, shop…”

Our church is doing a message series between Thanksgiving and Christmas called, “Consumed.”

It's a thought-provoking word. What consumes us?

I looked up the definition for the word “consume.” This is what it says:

“To spend wastefully; squander; use up; waste or burn away; perish.”

I’m not pointing fingers here! I’ve been a recovering “shopaholic” my whole life. It’s difficult not to WANT MORE. It’s even more difficult when you have the financial means to get more. And even when you don’t, there’s credit.

Oh yes, the urge to acquire is powerful.

But where does it come from?

Our pastor testifies that it started in the beginning. In a perfect place where EVERY need was provided by a loving and attentive God.

And that’s when “THE LIE” came –

The devil placed a niggling worm of doubt in the mind of Eve.

“Psst. God is withholding something from you – something GOOD.”

Oh, that wily serpent. He implied that God was strict, stingy, and selfish. He got Eve to forget all that God had given her.

He moved Eve from a heart of gratitude to a mind of discontent.

He does the same thing to us. He gets us to focus on the ONE thing we DON’T have. And then, the seed begins to grow. We get “consumed” with what we think is “missing” from our lives – the one thing we “have” to have.

Discontent grows into resentment. And unchecked resentment grows into anger. And unchecked anger grows into bitterness.

We forget to be thankful. We allow gratitude to die.

How do we fight against this insidious attitude?

We battle with the truth!

God is good.

Life is dependence on God.

All life is a gift from Him.

That’s how we break the confusion. We dedicate ourselves to gratitude. We learn to cultivate contentment.

Today’s “Bible Pick ‘Ems” completely enhances this valuable lesson. Listen to the words of Paul:

“…for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret to living in every situation…For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:12-13)

Paul looked at life from GOD’S perspective.

He focused on what he was supposed to DO, not on what he felt he should HAVE.

We can learn some powerful lessons from Paul:

1) Set our priorities straight.

2) Be grateful for everything God has given us.

3) Detach ourselves from the nonessentials.

4) Concentrate on the eternal.

5) Fill up that “empty” place in our hearts with God – not with things.

Here’s how our pastor summed it up – Want what you have, and don’t want more.

Contentment is found right HERE – right where you are. It is a discipline of mind, and a surrender of heart.

It is rejecting society’s message to consume. It is resisting the urge to accumulate. It is refusing to fill empty places in our hearts with “stuff.”

It is renouncing the enemy’s lie.

It is claiming God’s goodness, and living like we believe it – single-mindedly, wholeheartedly.

The other definition for “consumed” is this: to be engaged fully, to be engrossed, held firmly, completely occupied!

Let GOD consume you…

“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

“When in doubt, search God out!”