"And in your brotherly kindness, love"

As any of you women know your house is "YOUR" domain. NOT!

Your house is a home to your family, a refuge for your husband where he may look forward to the end of the day, refresh himself from the world's drudge and be well loved. It is a place where your children may learn not the world's ways, but the ways of Christ in regards to loving one another.

In regards to this last statement I recall one young man saying to me about his family and brothers, "I'm his brother and I 'get' to beat him up all I want. But just let anyone outside of this family try that on my brother and I'll back him up 100%!"

On the one hand that is incredibly funny. And, to be honest, that is just how that brother was. He was quick to pick on his brother (any of them), but he would not let anyone outside of the family harm a hair on his brother's head. But, how much better if we also learn to love one another? I realize that as a "not male" person... i.e. a woman I don't always understand the importance of all things male... (beating up your brothers?) but I'm trying to learn so as to support my (almost grown) sons and my husband in a way which attests to their manhood and does not try to feminize them. That would be dreadful.

In the meantime I also have daughters and I need to help them to learn to work together as well. If any of you have daughters you know that although things may rarely get physical there are often verbal battles being fought... and not always openly. I need to learn to share "my" domain graciously and to set an example. I also need to learn to have an eagle eye and to recall that daughters and sons require some different parenting tools.

This year both girls are taking Latin. At first they begged to take it. Then they begged not to take it. But I am determined they will finish the year. Part of the plan was to have them work TOGETHER... they work on flash cards, conjugations, declensions (and what ARE those anyway?!) and all the other icky fun stuff which the study of Latin entails. (Did I mention I have NO CLUE HOW LATIN WORKS? NONE? Whenever I have tried to help, no matter how hard I try it comes out as Spanish about 90% of the time!) So, in order to receive help and practice they must learn how to work together.

Well, yesterday as we continued our discussion as to what MMH would take for a language in high school (EEK! THAT'S NEXT YEAR!) WeeOne said... "OH, then I don't have to take Latin anymore because you (me, the "mothernator") can't help me and she won't be taking it. Much to my surprise, and pleasure, MMH said, "Of course I'll still help you. Just because I'm not taking that class doesn't mean I won't be willing to help you."

Ahhh... such a sweet sound. One child willing to help another. Without being asked. Perhaps the plan is working. Not to mention that WeeOne's Latin won't begin to sound more Spanish than not. And, did I mention Senior Son coming over a few days ago and asking to help with the chores? Yes he did. He vacuumed all the dead lady bugs from our light fixtures in the basement. Seriously... for those who live in this area you know what a big job that can be. And yes, I should have done it in November, but they were still moving! Not to mention the fact that I would have missed this moment with my son. (And yes, this was a manly chore... it takes a TALL person to reach the light fixture, a brave person to open that thing up where bugs were/are living, and a strong and coordinated person to hold the vacuum in the air in one hand while maneuvering the hose with the other!)

I am truly enjoying watching my boys become men. I am also enjoying watching the girls practice the skills that I pray they need some day if the Lord calls them to be wives and mothers. I do feel very blessed and fortunate to see them learning to work (and learn) together.

Shalom, Kim

5Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge,
6and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness,
7and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.
8For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins.
10Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble;
11for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.

2 Peter 1: 5-11

Word Filled Wednesday

And if the Lord knows every bird of the mountains, how much more does he know His beloved children? Rest assured that if you are truly a child of God then He knows you, knows your needs, and knows your heart's desire. Rest in His knowing, His caring and His love.

Shalom!
Kim

p.s. for more Word Wednesday posts please visit Penny at her blog.

"All that leads a heart to knowing" ~ Word Wednesday

This past year has been a year of exploration for me. Part of what I explored was the concern if it was "good" for me to create... crafts, projects and art. It took quite a bit of time for some of my pieces, it created messes around the house and sometimes it made me lose track of what I SHOULD be doing. Or so I thought.

One thing I shared with another artsy mama friend was that it struck me that God created everything. And, every time he created something he looked at it and then declared it good. So, in my own way I looked at each thing I created and tried to decide if it was good. Not good as in "Will it sell and make me lots of money?", rather good as in "Does this honor God either in the making or the product..."

At the same time the girls and I began reading through Isaiah. I wanted them to understand that God's plans have been set from even before the beginning of time. He sent many prophets over hundreds of years to share His message with the world. My hope was to reach Isaiah 52 by the Christmas week... I wanted them to understand the meaning of Christmas. Not just joy and love and a baby in a manger, but God incarnate, come to earth, born in order to die. For us. For the ones He has chosen. He didn't come to "live a good life" or be a "good teacher" he came to call us to repentance and to provide a means of grace by which our poor wretched sinful souls might enter Heaven.

So, while I was creating and thinking these thoughts one of my pieces "created itself." The words on it are : "All that leads a heart to knowing..." referring to our one True God. The tag, "Inspire" was to remind us that God is the one who "inspires" us... who causes us to believe, trust, understand and obey.

I saw the heart already adhered to the bottle and realized it would have to show through all the layers of whatever I used. Our hearts are not golden by any means, so it would have to represent Christ. But, what I had to show was that God's chosen people were confused because they expected Messiah to come and save them... from the Romans. They wanted a glorious and powerful king... at least they wanted someone who LOOKED and ACTED like a glorious and powerful king. An earthly king. And they received Jesus... humble beginnings, never very comely, certainly not adorned as anyone of wealth and power, and yet underneath the humble everyday trappings was the heart that makes all hearts beat, the heart that calls to ours, that very heart which bled and died for our sins.

Isaiah 53
The Suffering Servant

1Who has believed our message?
And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
2For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot,
And like a root out of parched ground;
He has no stately form or majesty
That we should look upon Him,
Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.
3He was despised and forsaken of men,
A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
And like one from whom men hide their face
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
4Surely our griefs He Himself bore,
And our sorrows He carried;
Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten of God, and afflicted.
5But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
he chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
and by His scourging we are healed.
6All of us like sheep have gone astray,
Each of us has turned to his own way;
But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all
To fall on Him.
7He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He did not open His mouth;
Like a lamb that is led to slaughter,
And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers,
So He did not open His mouth.
8By oppression and judgment He was taken away;
And as for His generation, who considered
That He was cut off out of the land of the living
For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due?
9His grave was assigned with wicked men,
Yet He was with a rich man in His death,
Because He had done no violence,
Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.
10But the LORD was pleased
To crush Him, putting Him to grief;
If He would render Himself as a guilt offering,
He will see His offspring,
He will prolong His days,
And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.
11As a result of the anguish of His soul,
He will see it and be satisfied;
By His knowledge the Righteous One,
My Servant, will justify the many,
As He will bear their iniquities.
12Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great,
And He will divide the booty with the strong;
Because He poured out Himself to death,
And was numbered with the transgressors;
Yet He Himself bore the sin of many,
And interceded for the transgressors.

Shalom, Kim

for more Word Wednesday please visit "All You Have to Give"