Proverbs 31 "A Virtuous Wife"

I have been thinking about this passage for days. I knew it was coming; because it is one of my favorites. I'm a little excited yet a little nervous at the same time to blog about it. To be honest as I looking at my disaster of a living room, I am thinking I should be the last to writing about being a good wife. Thank God, that He speaks to us where we are, even in our tornado stricken living room. Honestly, I think my dryer vomited everything onto my couch. hehehehe

I want to take a look at verses 10 - 31. We start out the passage with a question, "A wife of noble character who can find?" If you are lucky to find such a woman, she is a pretty valuable person. We then go into the qualities of being that virtuous wife:

1. Her husband trusts her in EVERYTHING! vs.11 & 12


2. She is an eager worker vs. 13


3. She does the shopping well vs. 14


4. She gets up early and makes breakfast (for her family and servants) vs. 15


5. She invests her finances, then puts it to work and makes sure it is profitable. vs. 16 & 18


6. She is strong and works hard vs. 17


7. She works into the night. vs. 18


8. She makes her own clothes and linens vs. 19


9. She helps the poor vs. 20


10. She makes sure her family is properly dressed vs. 21


11. Her home is made and she is dressed well. vs. 22


12. Her husband respects her. vs. 23


13. She has a side job to make money. vs. 24


14. She has dignity and sense of humor. vs. 25


15. She is a mentor and guards her tongue. vs. 26


16. She is not lazy. vs. 27
    

Whoa, that my friends is an amazing list, a little frightening I might add. Before we give excuses of why we can not do this list, let's examine the motivation of our hearts. Once again to be honest, I had a few excuses of my own....

• Hey, she has servant; if I had servants I would be able to do all that too!


• If her dryer ate all her missing socks, she wouldn't be so great.


• Back then they had to do all that stuff, we have things now to make life easier so I can relax more.


• I bet she had a servant do all the cooking...I hate cooking.


• Do I really have to do ALLLLLLLL that stuff anyway?

Of course I can not do all this stuff! Not in my own strength, that is why I have to start my day with asking God to give me strength and wisdom for the day. We are closing up Proverbs and it has summed up nicely everything we are to be as women of God. Thank goodness we can go to God for help. Look friends, God is calling us to do more, to be more, and to be an example. He has given us a list that we can carefully examine and see what we need to work on. We do "better" because we now know "better". It is cool that God doesn't leave us wondering, "How can I be a good wife?" I know that there are some things in that list that I need to work on.

With God's help, what will be the results of doing all that crazy stuff anyway? Verse 28 gives us the answer to that question.

28 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.

Ooooohhh, I just love that. I want my children and my husband to say those things about me. I want to be "that mom". With God's help I know I can, I know we all can. And as we allow God to help us, we will be an example to our daughters on how to be a virtuous wife and teach our sons the qualities to look for in a good wife. I bet we will be pleasantly surprised by our husband attitude towards us as well.

You know how there is always a "but"?(I know it sounds funny but it's the only way to say it) Well, here it comes. When one says "but"in a sentence, it negates everything before it. Yay, some of you might be thinking, hold on though.... I think this coming verse is the most important one.

29 Many women do noble things (that list is pretty noble), BUT you surpass them all.

(me interjecting, WHY?)

30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praise.

I am going to take some liberty and pair this verse with one of my favorites...

I Peter 3:3-4 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of fine jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.

When God does not have first place in our lives than when we do all that stuff...it means nothing. Yikes, I don't want that to happen. God wants all of us, hold nothing back from Him. When we fear Him and let Him mold that inner self, then we will be of great worth more than money can buy (even more than rubies vs. 10; but men if you are still reading giving rubies is a great idea to remind us that we are more valuable than them. LOL).

Such good stuff today, I am already...

GETTING JOY!

Check out my friend's perspective on Chapter 31!

Oh, don't worry friends, I have to go back and do chapter's 1&2; so I am not done with Proverbs just yet.

Proverbs 30 "God's Word"

My oldest daughter is in a club at our church called, Stars. It is a part of the Assemblies of God Mpact girl's ministries. She has to memorize our Statements of Faith. One of those statements is that God's word is infallable. I love that I can teach her that God has given us his word through the Bible. I love that I can teach that she can depend on it 100%.

One verse that I read today is a great example of that truth. God's word has no mistakes and we can depend on it. I love that He has given it to us so that can know what to do and how to do it. I am so glad He did not leave us on this earth guessing.

5 "Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him."

I love the second part of this verse as well. I love that God refers to himself as a shield. There are just times in life that I want to hide under that shield and that is what it is there for. God know that times in our lives we will need his protection from the things of this world. His protection is there for me if I take refuge in him.

I am going to make today's short; because I am excited about tomorrows. It will be probably longer; so I want to save up all my writing energy for Proverbs 31.

Well, the day is almost done...but still enough time to

GET JOY!

Check out my friend's perspective on Chapter 30!

Proverbs 29 "Anger Management"

Wow, today was a very busy day. I almost thought I would never get to this. Anyhoo, when I read Proverbs 29 two verses seemed to pop out at me.

11 A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.

22 An angry man stirs up dissension, and a hot-tempered one commits many sins.

One of the guys in our youth group and I go to an "anger management" class. It isn't a real class; but it is a fun thing that we refer to when we are getting Annnggrrryy! Laughing about our anger issues sometimes can kind of help us step back and re-examine why we get that way.

Verse 11 cautions us to not vent our anger and keep ourselves under control; sometimes, it is so hard to do that. I want to say what I am feeling when I am angry; but, I need to remind myself that in the heat of a situation I need to keep my cool. What a great verse to memorize and get into my heart. I find I have the most difficulty with my family remembering this verse. Isn't funny that we can treat acquaintances better than our spouse and our children.

Verse 22, when we are not careful and let our anger control us, God warns us of two things. First, a person who is angry will tend to always be in the middle of disagreements and stirring up quarrels with people. Secondly, someone who is hot-tempered will commit many sins. Jesus warns us in Eph. 4:26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your wrath. It is okay to have feelings of anger; it is a part of how God made us. The problem comes if we act out on our anger in wrong ways. God is checking the motivation of our hearts again. God is always challenging us to be better and do better.

God help us control our anger and then we will...

GET JOY!

Check out my friend's perspective on Chapter 29!

The picture is of my sister at the Ann Arbor Childrens Sience Center. I thought it looked cool!

Proverbs 28 "Money, Money, Money"

Money does funny things to people. It can really show our true colors. I remember as a kid, I could never save money. It was always burning a hole in my pocket. In fact I worked 4 months at a an A&W resturant; and when I was done working there I had nothing to show for it. My sister, on the other hand, was a saver. She always had money for things. It drove me crazy. I think one of the hardest things for me in my life is learning to have a healthy Godly relationship with my finances. It helps to have a really wise frugal hubby to help in the process.


It is time to talk about how God see the rich and poor. I see a few aspects of this topic carried through out all of proverbs; but it seems to be focused on here a little more in Proverbs 28. I would be very wrong to study all through proverbs and never touch the topic. Jesus was very concerned about the status of a rich mans heart and the care for the poor. Once again God is looking at the motives of our heart, when it comes to money who is in control? God? Money?

Our Personal Financial Status

He who is rich by greed

8 He who increases his wealth by exorbitant interest amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor.

11 A rich man may be wise in his own eyes, but a poor man who has discernment sees through him.

I think that is ironic that one who is greedy tends to not be very smart at all. I think it is very true that people who are consumed with greed generally somewhere down the line lose it all. And if they do not lose it all in this world they have lost there soul. What a price to pay for all eternity. The part that is ironic is it is the poor man who can see through all the garbage of the rich man. Probably, because a poor man is always aware of his need whereas the rich man is oblivious to his need. He thinks he is in need of nothing except more money.





He who is rich by blessing

19 He who works his land will have abundant food, but the one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty

20 A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished

25 A greedy man stirs up dissension, but he who trust in the LORD will prosper.

So what does it mean to be rich as a Christian? I think these verses explain that topic nicely. We need to be hard workers and understand the value of the riches God has blessed us with. We then need to be faithful with what He has given to us. We must also Trust in the One who is full of blessings. We see that our hearts determine what controls us. We need to understand wants and needs and then we need to bless others with the financial blessing we have received. It is ludicrous to say that Christians should be poor. If we were all poor how would we care for the poor and the church as God commands? I think God is asking us to use discernment and use our money to meet only our needs. If we can not quickly understand that, then it will be harder to let go of some lifestyles we have grown accustomed to that are really just wants.





He who is poor because of sin

22 A stingy man is eager to get rich and is unaware that poverty awaits him.

I find this verse funny in some way. Stinginess can lead to financial ruin; and then that stingy man will be in need of someone who is not stingy to care for him. We must always be careful with our attitudes; we may never know that in the future how we act may come and bite us in the butt.





He who is poor and is blessed

6 Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a rich man whose ways are perverse

God wants us to understand that poverty is not always a punishment for sin. There are always poor people and there is always rich, bottom line. Sometimes, because of life circumstances we will never be rich financially and not because we are sinning. I am sorry if you believe that mubo jumbo for pastors on TV that if you get your life right you will get rich...they are just selling something. I would rather die poor knowing Christ's love than die rich never caring about Him. So the question is who is really rich; the poor man who loves Christ or the rich man who spits in His face?

What Does the Lord Require of Us?

27 he who gives to the poor will lack nothing but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses.

I think this verse speaks for itself.

Friends, God wants us to understand the value of money and what we are to do with it. Money in and of itself is not evil; it is what our heart does with it that can be evil. It is our motives that control our thoughts toward money. It is not wrong to be rich and it is not wrong to be poor. However, it is wrong to be greedy and it is wrong to be lazy.

Lord, help us all bring money into a right perspective. Help us be a good steward with the blessings You have given us. Remind us to think of those who are less fortunate and give to them regularly. Help money to not control us, help us control it and use it for Your glory. Help us also remember it is all Yours anyways.

Today, I will...
GET JOY!
Check out my friend's perspective on Chapter 28!

Proverbs 27 "Mirror, Mirror on the Wall!"

I am going through the fun baby phase of life with my son. Everything is so new and interesting. He stares at his hands trying to make his little fingers move. He is starting to wave his hand when we say "Hi"; but it ends up more like he is beating his chest. He says dada and will not say mama. He loves looking in mirrors. He always gets the biggest smile. I sometimes wonder what might be going on in that little head of his as he tries to grab his fingers through the glass.

19 As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man

During my lifetime I have stared at that same mirror. Sometimes, I have liked what was staring back and sometimes it has brought me to tears. I long to have a genuine relationship with Christ that when people look at me He is all they see. I know that I am human; but if I can let people see Him most of the time...well, maybe I will be on track. I want my heart to be a true reflection of the One I follow.

I just finished a book, "Jim and Casper Go to Church", it has really challenged me to show Jesus through the things I do; be more than just someone who goes to church. I need to "BE" Jesus to people. I can't just sit around hoping that they will come to me. I need to get out and help people and really care about people. I can't just make them another number on my conversion tally. I need to seem them as Jesus sees them even if they choose not to follow Him.

People can see past all the fakeness and believe me I have mastered fakeness at times. Being a pastor's wife, I have learned how to put up walls and put a smile on my face. I think that I get away with 100% of the time. But, I am beginning to believe I am wrong. When people come to our church, I don't want them to see me as that "unusually happy" person greeting them at the door. I want my heart to show genuine love and compassion, not a fake happy this is what I do attitude. People are not dumb and they can see past all that garbage. They know when a person is genuine or not. Help me Jesus to be real; because you are a real God.

17 As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

I love books, friends and family that help sharpen me. Sometimes, the sharpening really hurts. But, I do not want to be dull and ineffective. So thanks Jim and Casper, Jenilee, Jennifer, my parents, my grandma and John for never leaving me dull. I hope anyone reading this can find people in your life that will help sharpen you!

Today, may my heart reflect Jesus and I will...

GET JOY!

Check out my friends perspective on Chapter 27!

My son is six months old. I took that picture two days ago. He is so wonderful and I love him so much. Thanks Lord for such a wonderful Joy!

Proverbs 26 "Whose Fool Are You"

April Fools day is coming up. At the Johnson house it has become a day of great anticipation. My girls can not wait to see what kind of tricks mommy will play on them all day. Last year I had some great ones like Vasseline on the bathroom door knob. I painted our bar of soap with clear nail polish. They could not figure out why the soap was not working. I hide plastic bugs, snakes, frogs, mice in funny places. One year I served my daughter green oatmeal with a (plastic) frog smack dab in the middle of it. I told her she had to eat the pond scum. My middle daughter barfed shortly after. I am not kidding. We still laugh about it today. We look forward to it every year.

However, Proverbs 26 is speaking to quiet the different Fool. There is nothing funny about this fool at all. God wants us to be wise in all areas of our lives. Here He is showing us how we can avoid these great follies:
In verse 1 we see that how ridiculous it is to give honor to a fool.
A fool thinks much higher of himself than he should (vs. 5).
We can also not depend on a fool; they will fail us every time (vs. 6).
Wisdom is useless for a fool (vs. 7,9)
A fool will repeat his mistakes over and over (vs. 11).
A lazy man is a fool (vs. 13-16).
Some other deeds of a great fool are some one who meddles, uses course joking, gossips, quarrels, lies, and are full of malice.

God is very clearly showing us how to know if we are acting like an idiot.

There is still one other kind of fool out there and that is who the world considers to be a fool. We know that the world sees us as letting our faith and emotions replace knowledge and free thinking. Jesse Ventura: Governor of Minnesota, 1999: "Organized religion is a sham and a crutch for weak-minded people who need strength in numbers. It tells people to go out and stick their noses in other people's business." I think that sums up what the world thinks.

I probably could write on and on about this topic, that is not the point of this blog though. It comes down to this, whose fool are you? Are you a follower of Christ in which the world call you a fool? Or are you a follower of yourself which God calls a fool?

I will leave you with this thought from Dwight, "Whenever I'm about to do something I think...would an idiot do that? And if they would, I do not do that thing."

I will not be an idiot today and I will...
GET JOY

Check out my friends perspective on Chapter 26!

Oh, and if you have any great tricks please comment on them. I need some fresh ideas.

Proverbs 25 "Laughing While Learning, LWL"

Instead of LOL, I am going with "LWL"!
I think Solomon was a funny guy. In today's passage I saw this sense of humor behind some of these thought provoking words of wisdom. I think God has a sense of humor and I also believe He loves it when we laugh. Sometimes, the things that make us laugh help us remember it better. Now disclaimer, there is some very serious truths in this passage that can not be ignored. However, for my devotion today, God really drew me to certain ones and they just made me laugh.

16 If you find honey, eat just enough— too much of it, and you will vomit.

I love how the Bible talks like this.
This one reminds me of Thanksgiving dinner. I always seem to get to almost that point of nauseousness (I know it is not a word, it's a Christina word). I always think, "But, it is sooooo good and I only have it all once a year" as I choke down that last bite of apple pie dripping with vanilla ice cream." Once again He is speaking to our natural desire to eat way too much food. Self-control is what God is calling us to. Even at thanksgiving????? LWL hehehehe

17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor's house— too much of you, and he will hate you.

Oh, you know the people that are like this! You start talking to them and they will not stop. They come over right in the middle of disaster breaking lose in your home and you are trying to break up fights with children, making dinner and holding back the dog so she won't eat them. When really you want to let the dog go so she can eat them; because they will not stop talking! LWL Just kidding... or am I. hehehehe
Seriously, we all probably can point to a person that is like this in our lives. But, are we making sure that we are not "that" person in someone else's life. I hope not. I may have my dog eat you if you are! LWL hehehehehe

24 Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.

I have to laugh at the irony of this verse. We keep seeing it pop up everywhere in this book. I guess we have to consider the author and his predicament. Solomon had a ridiculous amount of wives, like 700. I feel that this matter was close to his heart. LOL Maybe God was showing him the error of his ways. I know that one woman can be tough when PMS rolls around, but 700? There was always one with PMS every week of the year for two years 1/2 years. hehehehe That's what you get when you have 700 wives. I bet there was also one pregnant every year. hehehe Better go get the pickles and ice cream again King Solomon. LWL
Okay, no more laughing at Solomon's expense, here is the heart of the matter women; God is looking at our character; if we are always picking fights with our husbands than we are not glorifying Him in our marriages. Our relationship with our husband is supposed to represent our relationship with Christ. I sure hope we are not picking fights with Christ all the time. Why should we treat our husband any less? Okay, yeah a bunch of you are thinking, "No way does my husband act like Christ!" Well, as true as that maybe, we can only control our actions and God is calling us to not be quarrelsome. you must let God work on your husband's heart.

I hope you enjoyed a fun look at today's Proverbs. I had a good laugh as well. Thanks Lord for teaching us through humor. Thanks for not always being "heavy".
I will LWL today and ...
GET JOY!

Check out my friend's perspective of Chapter 25!

The picture is of me and my middle daughter 5 years ago! Time sure is flying!

Proverbs 24 "Spiritual Scrub Down!"

One fall we were cleaning out our gutters. I had forgotten to put my rusty garden rake away. I had left it prongs up, laying in the grass. As I was carrying the junk from gutters to a pile, I of course did not see the rake and stepped on it. Ouch! I was wearing crocs and the prong went right through the bottom. Ouch!

I decided I needed to go to the ER because it was a rusty rake and I had not had a tentnus shot in a long time. While I was at the ER they told me that the bigger problem was the rubber in my shoe that might be lodged in my foot. Apparently, rubber in a open wound is far worse than a rusty rake. Who knew? So, to make sure there was not any in there they had to SCRUB out my wound. I thought the rake in the foot was bad enough, WOW I was about to be very, very wrong.

The male nurse, who in my opinion was a very mean man, began to scrub like he was scrubbing a really burnt pan. I also think he was having a bad day and taking it out on me. If I were not a nice person, I think I would have kicked him with my other good foot. Seriously, I have given birth to three children...it hurt not as bad but it hurt. Anyways, after griping the sides of the bed and almost passing out my blessed foot was clean. Praise Jesus!

God reminded me of my stupidity as I was reading today's passage from Proverbs. I will have to remember to thank Him for that later. As I was reading, God began to reveal some things in my heart that I was doing. He began to give me a spiritual scrub down. It is the kind of revelation that brings me to my knees in repentance. Because, verses 17 & 19 is what I was doing.

17 Do not gloat when your enemy falls;
when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice,

18 or the LORD will see and disapprove
and turn his wrath away from him.

19 Do not fret because of evil men
or be envious of the wicked,

20 for the evil man has no future hope,
and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.

Ouch! I am once again reminded that God is always weighing our motives. He is peeling back the layers of our heart to get to the very core of who we are. Sometimes, it is so painful; the wounds we have go so deep. But God is cleaning the wound so that it can heal. We can not leave any rubber behind that might cause deadly infection. Sometimes God's scrubbing can hurt so bad; but it is for our own good.

He also reminded me that I need His strength.

10 If you falter in times of trouble,
how small is your strength!

11 Rescue those being led away to death;
hold back those staggering toward slaughter.

12 If you say, "But we knew nothing about this,"
does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who guards your life know it?
Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?

I have been so caught up in my "woe is me" mentality that I have forgotten the calling, my calling, of verse 11 & 12. Rescue the Perishing! Those who do evil against me are also perishing. I have been selfish.

I think I have a better understanding of David today and why he is a man after God's own heart. Here we have a King, and generations after generations, we know the sin he committed. He was and adulterer and a murderer. But yet, we read His prayers of repentance. His songs of grief for his sin he had committed.

What has been my purpose in writing these blogs about proverbs? It is not because I am a great writer, I hated grammar in school. I thought it would be a great challenge, my thoughts to leave with my children and my grandchildren, to now it has become a personal journey of repentance and reconciliation with my God, just like David. God always wants to do more in us if we give Him the opportunity. I am reminded of a saying my mom always liked, "God loves me just as I am; but He loves me too much to leave me that way!"

And with that I will...
GET JOY!

Check out my friends perspective on Proverbs 24!

Proverbs 23 "Food, Money, Sex & Alcohol"

People in America are looking for relevance in the church, today. If this chapter doesn't smack of relevance, I do not know what will. God deals with four issues that I think America struggles with. God is not afraid to tackle them. One thing we must keep in mind is that this is for everyone. We can not teach it if we are not practicing it.

FOOD

2 and put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony. (Yikes)

Right off the bat, we are confronted with one I struggle with, gluttony. I hate this one; because, I love all kinds of yummy, sweet, fancy, gourmet, fast, you name it food! Okay, see how quickly we can be caught up in the area food. Addictions come in all forms and food can be one of them. Sad, I know and this can be tough because we need to eat in order to live. But God wants us to find balance. He wants us to enjoy food but in moderation. So go on and have an Oreo(praise Jesus) but do not eat the whole package. We need to teach our children portion control too. This will help them learn self control as they grow. We need to have a healthy relationship with the food we put in our mouths.

MONEY

4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint.

5 Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.

The American dream: house, car, vacation home up north, 2.5 kids, 2.5 baths, Starbucks in the morning, boat, vacations, 401K, early retirement the list can go on and on. The question is, "Is the list all you think about?" What are our needs and what are just plain wants? Look at our economy today. I think we are in the state we are in because of our greed for the American dream. We bought beyond our means and used money that we do not have. We need to be good stewards of the money God has given us. Does our money control us or do we control our money? My husband always uses the quote, "You can always tell the heart of a person by how they spend their time and their money!" The key here is moderation again.

SEX

27 for a prostitute is a deep pit and a wayward wife is a narrow well.

28 Like a bandit she lies in wait,and multiplies the unfaithful among men

Listen my friends, any relationships outside of God's design of marriage is wrong. Once again we are confronted with our potential for selfish indulgences. God looks down into the deep parts of our hearts, the parts that are so secret, and the parts nobody knows about. He knows our desires and our longings. We need to bring into submission every area of our lives. God designed sex to be fulfilling, wonderful, and full of pleasure; but within His plan. His plan will bring joy. In our sex driven world; God brings it all back it into perspective. Bottom line God is speaking about our selfishness. Let's not forget what Christ says in the New Testament where he goes right straight to the matter of the heart.
Matthew 5:28But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

ALCOHOL

20 Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat,
21 for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
30 Those who linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine.
31 Do not gaze at wine when it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup,
when it goes down smoothly!
32 In the end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper.
33 Your eyes will see strange sights and your mind imagine confusing things.
34 You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, lying on top of the rigging.
35 "They hit me," you will say, "but I'm not hurt!
They beat me, but I don't feel it!
When will I wake up
so I can find another drink?"

I think this passage speaks for itself. I have a feeling the last question speaks to the heart of addiction. "When will I wake up so I can find another drink?" I will not claim to know anything about alcoholism; I have never even had a sip. But I have seen the destruction it has caused in a person and their family. God does not want us to be addicted to a substance; He wants us to be whole and healthy, functioning in a real world. He wants us to depend on Him with a problem not get lost in a bottle.

17 Do not let your heart envy sinners,
but always be zealous for the fear of the LORD.

18 There is surely a future hope for you,
and your hope will not be cut off.

God wants us to have a future and a hope Jer. 29:11! He wants us to teach these precepts to our children. He wants us to control life's problems not our problems controlling us. His plan is full of joy and promise for me and my children.

I will be zealous for you today, Lord; and I will
GET JOY

Check out my friend's perspective on Chapter 23!

Proverbs 22 "A Call for Children"

6. Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

I love verses with a promise. I cling to this verse for my own children. I want my kids to know Christ and experience His presence. So before all of you who have no kids or maybe you think you are too old to deal with children hang on and please continue reading....

There are two points that I want to make about this verse.

First, it doesn't say parents. As Christians we have an obligation to our young people from birth to adulthood. We are to mentor them, encourage them, disciple them, help them, pray with them and love them. They are our future church. If you have ever been to a baby dedication the congregation is asked to do these things and if you ever said you would then you have a job to do. I take those moments so seriously. God is calling us all to be a light to these young hearts no matter our situations in life. Why? Their souls depend on us, heavy but oh so true.

According to Barna Research the probablility of accepting Christ is much greater among children, than by teens and adults. In children between the ages of 5 and 13 the probability of accepting Christ is 32%. It drops to 4% for those between the ages of 14 and 18, and picks up to only 6% for the rest of life. The ripest field is children.

Secondly, we can not train if we are not trained. Here is the personal responsibility on our part to have our hearts in the right place with God. If I am not living with a pure heart than how can I expect my children, or any children for that matter, follow suit. God is calling us to something so much bigger than ourselves. Maybe, it is teaching in a Sunday School, Wednesday night program or teaching a class for parents. Volunteering to help teachers is another option. Taking kids names before the Lord in prayer is a great idea. Drive kids to church. Sending cards and letters can be an encouragement to them. Ask your Children's Pastor of Director where they need help. Work in the Nursery. There are so many creative things we can do to minister to our kids.

Jesus is coming soon; we need to be found ready and about His business.
Today, I will give joy to a child and then I will...


GET JOY!

Check out my friend's perspective on Chapter 22!

The picture is of my Grandpa and my Uncle, both love the Lord.

Proverbs 21 "Getting to the Heart of the Matter"

2 All a man's ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart.

3 To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

I have been struggling with an issue for a very long time now. Verse 2 seems to be speaking to me today about it. I have been a Christian for almost my entire life. I know the rules. I know the jargon. I know the right things to do. I even know the right attitude to have. I know what it means to be a Christian. But in my heart am I always a follower of Christ?

When hard times come, adversities or just plain difficult people come into our lives am I doing what is right and is the motive of my heart right? It is easy to do what is right most of the time; however, my motives may not be pure. God requires so much more of me. Sometimes that is hard and I want to just do the lazy thing. I will sacrifice what I want because that is what I am supposed to do.

But God is weighing my heart. He is searching it. There is nothing hidden from Him. I have given my heart to Him. He is carefully helping it become strong and worthy of Him. I need Him to guide me and help me do what is right and help teach me to have pure motives. Sometimes, letting God do something more, something deeper, hurts but in the end I will...

GET JOY!

Check out my friend's perspective on Chapter 21!

Proverbs 20 "One Big Question, One Awesome Answer"

The Big Question:

9 Who can say, "I have kept my heart pure; I am clean and without sin"?


The Awesome Answer:


Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,


Romans 6;23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.


Romans 5;8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.



Romans 10:9That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.


Romans 8:38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.



It is so awesome that God does not leave us in our sin. He gave us a choice to do something about it. He gave us the gift of salvation through His son Jesus Christ. If you have not chosen Him, please do so today! If you have already, take time and thank Him for what He has given you.



Thank you Lord and because of the gift you have given me. I am receiving...



JOY EVERDAY!



Check out my friend's perspective on Chapter 20!

Ron Dicianni is the artist of these paintings. He is my favorite Christian artist. I really think that he captures the heart of God in his paintings. I gave one to John "The Legacy" when he was ordianed.

Proverbs 19 "Drip..Drip...Drip!"

Don't you just hate it when you are lying in bed, trying to go to sleep and you hear...drip....drip...drip! It drives me crazy; but usually I'm to sleepy too do anything about it. My husband on the other hand has really great hearing and gets so annoyed about it. He jumps out of bed and doesn't sleep till the drip is taken care of.

When the Bible speaks directly to women my ears always perk up. "Hey, God's talking to me! So I think I better listen." Here in Proverbs 19 we come across two verses that speak to wives.

13 A foolish son is his father's ruin, and a quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping.

14 Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the LORD.

God is speaking to two things that most women have trouble with, our mouths and money!

Okay ladies, I think verse 13 somewhat speaks for itself. I know that sometimes when I am angry with my wonderful husband I let that issue sit and fester. And how many of us know that when we do that they better understand how we feel about it?! Sometimes, I will argue with him until I am satisfied.

The Lord knows how our minds work women! So, He is speaking to us on this very issue so many of us struggle with. God is telling us not to be quarrelsome period. We will be like that annoying drip...drip...drip if we are. If we want to be a good wife, noble and pleasing to the Lord, then let's learn how to dialogue with our husbands in the correct way. I am going to just say it because I think it is true...sometimes we just need to shut up!

I believe the beginning tells us that we are talking about money issues in verse 14. God wants us to be good stewards with the blessings He has given us. The good Lord knows I struggle with this topic. I love to buy things for my kids. I love to buy gifts for anyone. Oh, I justify it with my heart is in the right place. Come on, I am not spending it on myself right? But, if it is not what the Lord wants me to use my money for than I am not being prudent. Going into debt is never using good skill or judgment with my finances.

"My money" is God's money. He has given it to us to bless us as a whole and to bless others. I need to use discretion in every purchase, whether it is the everyday latte or the big ticket items. Things add up quickly and we need to be wise with the bottom line.

Well, maybe you are thinking...wow, you were rough on me today God. But God in His wonderful way is showing us how to have a joyous life. He knows that when we have things under control things go more smoothly. He knows what is best for us and how to give us the best life. I want to be pleasing to Him. I want to be a wife of noble character. I want to be the wife that my husband wants to grow old with.

And with that...I will

GET JOY!

Check out my friend's perspective on Chapter 19!

Proverbs 18 "Taming of the Tongue"

My daughter's tongue is pretty ugly here, thanks to Willy Wonka's Fun Dip! How sweet that little stick is that comes with the candy. However, the stuff you dip it into is pretty sour and it will change your tongue into various, bright colors. You can't hide the fact that you have eaten this candy, unless you don't say a word (and that is not possible with my children). It takes many hours and a few brushings for your tongue to get back to its normal pink color.

There is one thing my first grade teacher, Mrs. Harpan, taught us that has stuck over the years. She taught us the old saying, "If you can't say anything nice...don't say anything!"

I would be very mistaken if I never touched on the power of our words and how ugly our tongue can be. The book of Proverbs is drenched in words regarding our tongue. I am amazed at the power our words can have on us. Something, flippantly said years ago can still seem to have weight on who we are and others today.

This chapter alone has quite a few:

2 A fool finds no pleasure in understanding,but delights in airing his own opinions.

4 The words of a man's mouth are deep waters, but the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook.

6 A fool's lips bring him strife, and his mouth invites a beating.

7 A fool's mouth is his undoing, and his lips are a snare to his soul.

8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts.

13 He who answers before listening— that is his folly and his shame.

20 From the fruit of his mouth a man's stomach is filled;with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied.

21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Let's look at three areas of our life:

Our past, we need to look back and remember the words of our past. First, let's make sure that we have not wronged anyone with our words. If we have, repent and apologize to them. Our words now can bring healing. But, also do not forget the words that have been said to us that have hurt and run deep. The words that have now become our inner dialogue about ourselves and have shaped who we are as individuals. Let's forgive and listen to what Christ has to say about us. Let's change the words that might have defined us in a negative way.

These verses remind me to guard my words in the present. How often that is so easy to forget?! In my own life, I need to watch what I say to my husband, my children, my family, my church family, my friends, my neighbors and even my enemies. My tongue, as verse 21 says, has the power of life and death. I want to bring life to my world around me. Help us Lord to watch every word.

In the future, we need to remember these verses. These verses will be a tool to help us control our mouths. There is one verse that stands out, it is a key for future words; 13 He who answers before listening— that is his folly and his shame. If we can just listen and think before we speak; maybe...just maybe we would be able to begin to control the tongue. We must remember that we need to bring all that we do into submission of Christ. On our own accord we will never be able to tame the strongest part of our body.

Lord, help my words bring You Glory and with that I will...

GET JOY!

Check out my friend's perspective on Chapter 18!

Proverbs 17 "True Friends"

9 He who covers over an offense promotes love,

but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.

17 A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for adversity.

Here are two verses about friendship. I never realized the value of friendship until my husband and I started the ministry God called us to do twelve years ago. My friendships that I have established have been worth more than any amount of money in the world. God understands our need for connection and help. He wants us to have people in our lives that encourage, love and pray with us.

This past year, I have learned about friendship more than I have ever had to before. Some of those friendships have been tested with fire. It is amazing to me that when I have been careful picking my closets friends there is nothing that has shaken that relationship. In fact, in adversity it has only grown stronger. That is why we need to use wisdom in choosing our closest friends.

This past year, I have also been learning to move in Christ compassion. For some reason, this has been a challenge. I always thought I love people as Christ does; but I have learned very quickly that is not always the case. Verse 9 challenges us that sometimes we need just let some of the stuff go that our friends do that is annoying. We are to also watch our tongue and not gossip about our friends and their short comings.

Verse 17 is an interesting verse. Matthew Henry's commentary explains it so beautifully that I will just post it here.

"Friends must be constant to each other at all times. That is not true friendship which is not constant; it will be so if it be sincere, and actuated by a good principle. Those that are fanciful or selfish in their friendship will love no longer than their humor is pleased and their interest served, and therefore their affections turn with the wind and change with the weather. Swallow-friends, that fly to you in summer, but are gone in winter; such friends there is no loss of. But if the friendship be prudent, generous, and cordial, if I love my friend because he is wise, and virtuous, and good, as long as he continues so, though he fall into poverty and disgrace, still I shall love him. Christ is a friend that loves at all times (Joh 13:1) and we must so love him, Ro 8:35. "

And when th winds of change and adversity come to you, you now have a brother! How true is that?!

GET JOY!

Check out my friend's perspective on Proverbs 17!

Proverbs 16 "Let go of the Bike"

9 In his heart a man plans his course,

but the LORD determines his steps.

"Our plans accomplish not what we intend, but God sees to be best for us and his cause", Family Bible Notes.

As a mom, I seem to do this with my children; I plan for them and try to work out things for them. Sometimes, I forget that God has an ultimate plan for them. I want to try to figure it all out and somehow control it. The bottom line is that I have to trust that God has the very best in store for them.

There are some things I just can't control as hard as I might. I can't control everything said to them. I can't control what happens to them at school to some degree. I can't watch over them every second. I can't worry about them every minute. They are growing up and God is determining their steps and for some reason I have a hard time that.

Bottom line is that I need to give them to God and his desires for them every day. I need to "Let Go and Let God" move in them, teach them, help them, protect them, guide them and to love them. He has their best interest in his heart and mind. He loves them more than me. Hard to believe, yet He does.

This past week was a week of first around our house. My baby is sitting up and rolling over. My oldest tried out for the high school musical. I was so nervous for her; but she went up on stage in front of a bunch of high school students, stated her name, her song and belted out beautifully "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". I was so proud. My middle girl had me take off her training wheels and learned how to ride a two wheeler. As I let go of the bike and she rode away, God reminded me that she is His. I have to let go of her many times in her life, and trust that she is in God's perfect hands, even if she falls. He is with all my children and He is directing their steps. How awesome is that?!

Sometimes I just need to remember to let go of the bike!

And with that I will...

GET JOY!

Check out my friend's perspective on Proverbs 16!

Proverbs 15 "Cheerful Hearts"

I love to see my children having the time of their life. It warms my heart like nothing else. Their smiles can wipe away a lot of sadness. Their laughter can fill a room with light. Their joy is something that I long for them to keep as a precious gift for the rest of their life.

Proverbs has been a little heavy lately, so I fell in love with these verses;

13 A happy heart makes the face cheerful,

but heartache crushes the spirit.

30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart,

and good news gives health to the bones.

I love verses about happy hearts. I love what Family Bible notes said, "Cheerfulness is both a privilege and duty of every Christian; it contributes alike to his own comfort and usefulness, and to the welfare of those around him." Later in Proverbs 17:22, we will read that a cheerful heart is like medicine. How true is that?! I can not count how many times a cheerful person has just brightened my day.

I hope that everyday that I have a cheerful heart. Yes, there will be bad days, that is certain.
But I pray that those days do not rob the joy that is in me; that joy of salvation, the happiness that comes from knowing that I am a child of the king, the knowledge that I am Gods creation; that defines who I am and brings cheer to my heart.

May that joy not only be inside; but ooze out. I want to bring joy to the heart of others and that my words give health to the bones, as verse 30 so nicely states. The "Good News" of Christ is exactly what we need to share with others. It will bring to them that same joy that is working inside of ms.

When I look back at my life, I want to see a life of joy, not a life swallowed up in bitterness.

Today, I will let the joy of the Lord ooze out of me and...

GET JOY!

Check out my friend's perspective on Chapter 15!

The picture is of my daughter at one of our favorite vacation spots, Ludington MI!

Proverbs 14 "See the Need"

10 Each heart knows its own bitterness,

and no one else can share its joy.

I find that this is and interesting verse. I had a different view of it first and then I read some commentaries and now it has changed a little. Here in this verse it is basically talking about that no one really knows what is going on in someone else's heart except that person. We can not know the sadness or the joy thats inside.

Why is this important? I think all of us make assumptions on why people act the way they do and responded to them based on those assumptions. Oh, I have been so wrong, so many times about various people. I have had to learn the hard way. This is why Christ wants us to love others with His love. He knows all our hurts, all our joys, all our pain and all our thoughts.

I remember in one of my classes at CBC, one of my professors taught us the "Jonathan Principle". To sum up it was about how his young son "Jonathan" had taught him to look past peoples hurts and see the "need"! That "need" is their need for Christ. We can not know why people act the way they do; that however, should not change the way we respond to them.

It is easy to show love to those whose heart's is full of joy. But when they are ugly to us, "see the need". When the ignore us, "see the need". When they are shy,"see the need". When they say mean things, "see the need". When they are bitter, "see the need". When they are hurting, "see the need". When they seem indifferent, "see the need". In any circumstance in any situation, "see the need".

We can not know what God will do if we do not move out of our comfort zone and reach out with the love of Christ. There is an aspect here of not only seeing but doing something. God wants' us to reach out and meet peoples needs what ever they are. Not only is there a need for Christ; but there are other needs that we must meet. There are needs that are "felt". "Felt" needs are real life needs that need assistance like food, clothing, shelter. Those are "felt" needs. There are also physically, mental, emotional and spiritual needs. Let's look past how the person may be acting out as a result of their needs and try to help them with those needs. So that they may come to know Christ.

Our hearts should always be filled with His compassion. Then we will be able to see through His eyes. Then we will better understand what our neighbor, friend, church member, acquaintance, the homeless person, co-worker, single mom....anybody might be going through and see their need.

See "the need", move, and...

GET JOY!

See my friend's perspective on Chapter 14!

The picture is of my great grandma Clara. I love this shot of her; because you are wondering what she might be thinking.

Proverbs 13 "Black and White"

Some things in life are just simply, "Black and White". There are no shades of grey; even though we may pretend there are. Here in Proverbs 13, we find that "black and white" we sometimes dread. I think sometimes it is hard to choke down such finality; because in America we like to have it "Our Way". God's way can seem so intolerant and unbending. Yet in the truest sense, when we release ourselves to His will, we have freedom. It is a strange phenomenon, that when we obey all God's precepts we are freed from the bondage of sin. It is hard for some to understand that when you follow rules it frees you rather then binds you.



I started to look at this passage with the agenda of finding some nice "make you feel good about yourself" verse. What I saw today is, "Righteous people do this, Wicked do that".

Heed your fathers instruction, a Mocker does not listen

Watch your tongue, He who speaks rashly comes to ruin

Hate what is false, Wicked bring shame and disgrace

Take good advice, Prideful breed quarrels

Be prudent with your finances, Dishonest money dwindles away

Learn from wise people, You will pay for it if you don't

Discipline your children, Those who do not discipline hate them.

It ends with this verse,

25 The righteous eat to their hearts' content,

but the stomach of the wicked goes hungry.

We are talking about spiritual food here. When we do not nourish our self with God's Word, we become empty. When we fill our lives with His words and then we act on them, our spiritual minds begin to work properly. The school is always sending me notes about making sure my kids come to school on a full stomach. There is evidence that when they eat a healthy, well rounded breakfast, kids do better in the classroom. This is true of followers of Christ. If we do not dig into God's word than we spiritually deplete ourselves of His good nutrition.

I have to be honest here, I think I have been running on "E" for quite awhile. Oh, I have my excuses, "I just had a baby, I'm not getting enough sleep, there is not enough time in the day, to much laundry, Blah Blah Blah!" Somehow, I always make time for real food; yet, I can't seem to make time for God's food. The food that saves my soul. The food that renews and refreshes.

So, this walk through Proverbs has been like standing under a waterfall. My heart feels lighter. My soul feels more full. My heart yearns for what God will show me tomorrow. I feel no chains, these precepts free me. They call me to do the will of God, so that I may glorify Him.

When God is "Black and White" it is like a clear path for me to walk on. I do not have to guess where He is taking me. I know exactly where I need to go. It is very "Black and White".

When I can see the clear road ahead then I will be able to...

GET JOY!

Check out my friend's perspective on Chapter 13!

PURE JOY RIGHT HERE!

Proverbs 12 "DON'T BE STUPID"

Stupid Is, as Stupid Does" This VERY SMART saying from Forest Gump might be appropriate here. Verse one made me laugh today.

Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,

But he who hates correction is Stupid. (NIV)

Who loves correction...NOT ME! When I was little and I knew dad was gonna come home and I knew I was in BIG trouble and I knew a spanking was on it's way; I would get prepared. Anything that I could use to "soften" the blow would get shoved in the back of my pants. One time I even tried to get away with a book in there. We even got to a point where I offered to spank myself. You may think this is crazy; but it was sheer genius to me. I would spank myself hard enough to hurt, but definitely not as hard as my dad. Looking back, all the spanking stories are hilarious; even though the build up to it was worse than the actually event itself. My dad was brilliant that way. LOL

Here in verse one, I am told if I hate correction I am "Stupid". Well, I will have to choke that one down. I know that correction is for my good; but I have to say, "I do not love it". What is the Lord trying to get at here? I think He is trying to say, that I need to. Yikes!

As Christians, we need to allow ourselves to always be changeable. Of course not in sound doctrine; but, when we are shown that we are incorrect we need to let go of our foolish pride. So we do not do "Stupid". (my girls would be like,"Oh, you just said the "S" word. Yeah they are not allowed to call people stupid)

Proverbs 12 then gives us a list of wonderful ways we can avoid stupidity...



Don't be crafty vs.2 (Not crafty like Hobby Lobby crafty, oh Lord help me if thats what it means)

Don't be wicked vs. 3,7,10,12,20,21

Don't be disgraceful vs. 4

Don't listen to the advice of other stupid people hehehehe vs. 5

Guard your words vs. 6,13,14,18,23

Don't have a warped mind vs. 8

Don't be somebody you are not vs.9

Don't be lazy vs.11,24,27

Don't ignore good advice from non stupid people hehehehe vs.15

Watch your attitude vs.16

Don't lie vs. 17,22

Don't be anxious vs.25

Watch out for bad friendships vs.26



Oh, I know people do not like list of what they should not do. But, sometimes we all need that spiritual kick in the pants. Why? So, that we do not become stupid! Proverbs 12 ends like this...

28 In the way of righteousness there is life;

along that (stupid) path is immortality.

I will not be stupid, I will learn to love correction and then I will...

GET JOY!

Check out my friends perspective on Chapter 12!

1st Place!!!!

Okay, here is where I don't listen to a thing I write. I have to brag a little. I finally won first place for design at our churchs' pine wood derby. I have tried for three long years. 2006 My first car was a bug, for which I won 1st place in speed. Sadly, I was dissapointed in this because I was trying for 1st in design. Pathetic, I know.

The next year, I tried really hard and pulled out all the stops. I made an ice cream truck. I even bought a button that played music. What was great about this car is when it hit the end of the track it flipped and nearly took out all the other cars. It was one great Ice cream truck. Didn't even place. It was a sad day for me. So sad I took a year off. Pathetic, I know.

This year I came back with a vengance. I decided to pull at their heart strings. Because surely no one could vote against a baby. Thanks, Mary for this brilliant idea! This year I did my son in a carseat. Way to exploit my poor child. But, "IT WORKED" and I would do it again. Pathetic, I know.

So, My husband does not care for the derby and does as little as possible to participate. This year he did a door stop. He even jammed it under some doors to see if it worked. The morning of the race, he slapped some wheels and weights on it; and called it good. He came in third for speed. What? All you hardworking pinewood derby car makers are thinking. What?!!!!

My daughters did a ladybug and a tribute to "Barbie and the Diamond Castle" All in all, it was one great day. Maybe, a day to go down in the Johnson's History Books. Yay, for ME! Pathetic, I know!