Psalm 128:3

Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine

In the very heart of your house,

Your children like olive plants

All around your table. Psalm 128:3

This past week, my husband and I were talking about what I would like to do when our kids are college age and beyond.  Right now, for them to go to the school district they do, I have to work full time in that district.  God’s plans have been different than mine. I thought I’d be able to get an art position, but He wants me with this special little girl as her personal instructional assistant.  Last year, I taught summer school and loved the change of scenery (older kids, actually teaching, different building).  I planned to do the same this summer, but mostly because I needed to renew my certification which had expired in January.

So, back to what my desire is for when I no longer need to work at the school.  I said to my husband that I love being at home, taking care of him, the kids, and the house.  Although our kids aren’t small, they still produce dirty laundry, make messes in the house, need help with homework, and need reminded to do everything else.  Well, two days ago, I was told that my certification couldn’t be renewed with a summer school position and that I couldn’t teach summer school without certification. 

It’s funny how God just gave me what I really wanted.  While at the time I was upset because I do love to teach and really want to have my certification renewed, I now look at it as a quick answer from the Lord.  I love to be in the heart of my house, making their favorite meals to be enjoyed around our table, and providing a home where they can come back to as their haven, their retreat. I love being a mother.  Happy Mother's Day.

Philippians 3:12-14

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12-14

The other day, my kids (now teenagers) were reminiscing....when mommy used to get so mad at them, when she broke the lid on a butter dish, when she.....   I'm sure my face turned red, but not from anger, rather, from embarrassment.  I again said sorry to them, but then went on to say that they need to forget those incidents.  I'm a sinner, too, and struggle with certain areas just like they do (many times, self-control).
This made me also think of when we hold onto grudges.  I need to forget when someone has said something hurtful or treated me (what seems to me) unfairly.  Part of forgiving is also being able to forget.  To move on and press forward to what we are called to do, in all things to praise God and give Him glory.
Forgetting is part of forgiving. Isaiah 43:25 “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.
If God forgets our sins, we also need to forget them....ours as well as others.

Psalm 16:3

As for the saints who are on the earth,

“They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.” Psalm 16:3

I love being with my sisters in the Lord…among my family, at church, at our Bible studies, and retreats.  I delight in reading blogs of godly ladies and thank my Father in heaven for what they write and share that is a reflection of Him….  (Kellie, Dori, & Amy, just to name a few).  And, I am so glad to have dear Christian women to work alongside each day. 

But it wasn't until this morning that I realized how many there were in my school building.  Last month, a few ladies decided to start a group to meet together a couple of times a month for a time of devotion and prayer.  I wasn't able to attend the first meeting.  But I was excited to go today, as I had no other commitments.  I almost cried when one after another kept trickling into the classroom where we met.  I counted seventeen women. I was later told that even more want to join us, but aren’t able to for various reasons.  It was beautiful.  It was edifying.  

Thank you, God for the saints who are on the earth…they are truly all my delight.  

Psalm 51:7 & Isaiah 1:18

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Psalm 51:7

 “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool. Isaiah 1:18

As the snow settles down around us, everything that was thought to be white appears cream colored and even yellow.  Nothing is whiter than first fallen snow. Once you see the difference and then read the passages in the Bible that describe how clean Christ will wash us, as white as snow, you realize how awesome God is. 

Matthew 5:4

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.  Matthew 5:4

Although it has been two days, and I live thousands of miles from Newtown, Connecticut, my sadness over the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary hasn’t dissipated.  The grief that this community is enduring is incomprehensible.  Yet, as I read the Bible, peruse Facebook and read articles online, quotes from Scripture blanket me with a peace that I know only comes from God ….and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

This is what is truly comforting.  My prayers go to the community, the families, and also educators around our nation and the world….that they, too, will be comforted by God’s Word in this time of sorrow.  

Matthew 7:16-20

You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?  Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Therefore by their fruits you will know them.  Matthew 7:16-20

So what is “good fruit?” 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Galatians 5:22-23

As part of my family tradition, we put up our Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving.  As I pulled each ornament out of the container, I thought about when it was purchased, made, or given to me.  There is a story that goes along with each one, and I love to tell as many of them to the kids as I can.  One in particular is a bit unusual, though.  It’s a pear.  A beautiful, glittery pear.  It was given to me by one of my Sunday school students about eight years ago. The note she gave with it said something to the effect that the fruit represented her own spiritual growth because of my teaching.   The pear is just another reminder to me of the impact I have on those around me, especially my children and other students I work with, at home, church, or school.  This year, the pear brings out a bit more meaning as I am leading our Ladies Bible Study using the book, Golden Fruit, by Julie Maschof, which goes through each fruit of the Spirit.  It seems each lesson was written just for me, and the timing of each so perfectly matches the trials and dilemmas I have encountered these past few months.  So this Christmas season, as I stare into the tree and listen to my favorite music, I’m pondering the gift God gave to us through Christ’s death…His Holy Spirit, and to work on exemplifying “good fruit” …. love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. 

Titus 2:3-4

The older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children. Titus 2:3-4

I probably should have begun this blog with a post like this.  It’s basically the reason I write this blog, to teach my children, and someday, Lord willing, my grandchildren, the good things….the wisdom God has given us in the Bible.    

Just as we might receive recipes from grandmothers and great aunts, and then pass them down to our children and grandchildren, we also need to share our own life lessons.  I wish my grandmother had had a love of writing.  Thankfully, I spent a lot of time with her and was able to listen and now, recollect.   As we would wash dinner dishes together (she scrubbed and rinsed, I dried), I was always regaled with stories and lessons on how to live a godly life.  She exhorted on simple things like not to brag, remember that God is always watching, when Christ returns to make sure you are someplace that would be pleasing to Him.  I can’t help but smile as I reminisce about those times in her kitchen. 

My own kids make fun of me on how I like to “lecture” them.  I do it in the car when they can’t escape. Sometimes it irritates them, and can come out as nagging, but I do it because I love them.  They know that, too, thankfully.  I don’t leave out the hurts I feel, either.  They see my tears of sorrow as well as those of joy.  They know my weaknesses and the sins I struggle with each day.  As I get older, and perhaps one day see them leave the nest, they’ll have learned from me, and remember me as not only their mother, but also their teacher of good things.  

Psalm 96:1-2 (Favorite Hymns)

Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!

Sing to the Lord, all the earth.

Sing to the Lord, bless His name;

Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. Psalm 96:1-2

I love to sing.  And although I’m not that good at it, I still enjoy it.  I love that we are commanded to sing (“Sing” or “Singing” is mentioned 166 times in the Bible - New King James version). Here are just a few from the book of Psalms:

Serve the Lord with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing. Psalm 100:2

Praise the Lord!

Sing to the Lord a new song,

And His praise in the assembly of saints.

Let Israel rejoice in their Maker;

Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.

Let them praise His name with the dance;

Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp.

For the Lord takes pleasure in His people;

He will beautify the humble with salvation.

Let the saints be joyful in glory;

Let them sing aloud on their beds. Psalm 149:1-5

It is good to give thanks to the Lord,

And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; Psalm 92:1

Just as I gave my top five favorite books in this post, I thought it would be fun to share my favorite hymns.  However, after sitting down and going through my church hymnal, I realized that I have more than five favorites.  Several more.  After I counted over fifty, I stopped….I’ll stick with five today.  Since I’ve already shared some favorites in these posts (For the Beauty of the Earth, I Know Whom I Have Believed, & How Deep The Father's Love For Us), I’ll choose different songs.

When my children were babies, Savior, Like A Shepherd Lead Us, brought tears to my eyes.  When I would get to the stanza, “Early let us seek Thy favor, early let us do Thy will,” I would silently pray that these would be the words of my own kids, that I would be able to teach them God’s ways, and that they would never stray from Him.  Now as they are well into their teenage years, I pray this every day.   

Be Thou My Vision is another hymn that I love dearly.  Daily, my focus in life gets challenged.  My daily tasks, running my kids around to various activities, and ungodly responses to small “mole hills” all muddy my focus on God.  This song reminds me to keep my vision on Him in everything that I do.

God places events in our lives to build us up, to strengthen us, to draw us nearer to Him.  A Mighty Fortress is Our God is one that has always given me great comfort and peace during those storms.  He is in control of everything and will never fail us.   

The song, Take MyLife, and Let it Be, is convicting. As I sing this song I am asking God to use me for His glory, for His praise.  Where I go and what I say is to be pleasing to Him. All I do is to be done for God.  Sadly, it isn’t.  Sin ensnares me.  This song reminds me of my purpose in life.  I need to sing it daily.

Finally, Be Still, MySoul is a song that holds me in times of grief.  A few weeks ago, a dear friend’s son lost his life.  I wrote the words to this song, as well as several Scripture passages, in a card to her to give her comfort and peace that can only come from God. 

While I won’t write about them, here are a few of my other favorites that rank right up at the top of my list, too:

I Will Sing of MyRedeemer

Hallelujah, PraiseJehovah

How Great Thou Art

It is Well With MySoul

Children of theHeavenly Father

Blessed Assurance

Amazing Grace

Great is ThyFaithfulness

  

Philippians 3:20

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:20

While we watch the summer XXX Olympics in London, we see hundreds of athletes representing their home country from around the world.  Patriotism is strong as each person dons apparel with their home flags and names.  Those who do well are bringing honor to their homelands.  However, those whose conduct is unsportsmanlike, bring shame to their countries.

As Christians, our citizenship is in heaven.  Our actions, too, represent the Kingdom of God.  Am I bringing honor or shame?  Sadly, I bring more shame than honor.  Thankfully, it’s not my merit, but God’s grace…Christ’s death on the cross, that has made me righteous before Him and given me that citizenship in heaven.  As a citizen (just like my U.S. citizenship), I have responsibilities.  I belong to God and must live my life for Him, not for myself.  My actions are watched by others.  In all I do, I need to be like our Olympic athletes who recognize that the world is watching. 

“No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” Luke 16:13

When my husband, born and raised in Canada, become a U.S. citizen a few years ago, he had to promise to "absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which [you] have heretofore been a subject or citizen."

As a citizen of heaven, I too must serve only one Master…God.  I need to “abjure” (avoid, shun, deny) my allegiance to “myself” (satisfying my own wants). And just as the athletes in the Olympics work hard to represent their country well, I must also fully devote my life to representing Christ here on earth, and bring glory to God.  

Hebrews 12:1

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1

I ran a half marathon last spring.  It was grueling, to say the least.  Not only was the race long (13.1 miles/21 kilometers), but the training that was required was time consuming.  Now that it is over, I’ve reflected a lot on the parallels between running and the Christian life. 

To run with endurance, you must train consistently.  I spent 45 minutes to an hour each day and 2-3 hours on Saturdays, running & speed walking as well as exercises to strengthen my knees.  As a Christian, I also need to consistently spend time reading the Bible and praying, training myself in God’s ways.  

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 1 Corinthians 9:24

While I wasn’t a fast runner, I did strive to do my best.  I set a goal to not stop and walk during the race (knowing that if I stopped I probably wouldn’t be able to go back to running).  And although I did exercises to help my knees, the pain I endured was excruciating.  In life, we face trials and pain, emotional and physical.  We are able to withstand them when we pray and have God’s Word implanted in our thoughts. 

Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 1 Corinthians 9:26

Holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. Philippians 2:16

Just as I knew that I would eventually reach that finish line, as a Christian, I know that Christ is the victor and through Him, I will win the race.  I can’t lose heart and give up.  My priorities must be aligned with the teachings of Scripture.  My labors won’t be in vain.