Everywhere we see the little "Real Men" bumper stickers, proudly proclaiming what it is Real Men do. They stir their coffee with a bare finger (theirs), they love Jesus, they wear plaid, etc. It is easy sometimes for some women to get caught up in today's culture of equality with men and to compare and compete... which leads to a major unbalance in our society and destruction of the roles men and women were intended to play.
Rarely do you see "Real Women" bumper stickers and I'm not seriously advocating this is a market that needs to be filled. But think about this... it takes a Real Woman to fill the God-ordained role of homemaker, mother - helpmeet.
Although our culture decries the role of the woman as limiting or enforced slavery to a puritanical and chauvinistic cookie-cutter role, the truth could not possibly be further from this perceived notion of godly womanhood.
The next articles will be on the much-touted Proverbs 31 woman. At one point, I really didn't ever want to think of being a Proverbs 31 woman; she always seemed irrevocably connected with Victorian tea parties and over-starched lace doilies which never were my cup of tea (sorry about the pun).
Further research mingled with my increasing age revealed the truth behind this Biblical model of womanhood and I was amazed with my discovery...
...it takes a Real Woman to keep up with her!
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Promised Land qualms? (4 of 4)
It has been said that those who do not know their past are condemned to repeat it... I agree. Just two months ago, I finished a very hard three-months-in-Mexico lesson in contentment... I really learned the lesson and the memories of what I learned stuck - for about a month. Since I have NO desire to have to learn that lesson again, I must pull from history and from my relationship with God to ensure my grades stay put.
Contentment is a choice.
This is a very hard thing to remember, especially when in the throes of self-pity and myopic focus, drowning in petty problems and pathetic attitudes all caused by improper focus. Each one of us has a CHOICE to make correct decisions. You have a CHOICE when you decide to listen to the whining of your selfish inner puppy instead of giving the problem to God and moving on. You have a CHOICE when you decide to wallow in the mental gymnastics of worst-case scenarios instead of giving the problem to God and moving on. You have a CHOICE. Do you want to be miserable and depressed instead of upbeat and perky? Didn't think so.
Stop discontentment before it starts.
How? Take each thought you have and examine it before dwelling on it. There is one thought about how much you miss him. True, you do miss him. How about focus on the fact that there is light at the end of the courtship tunnel and rejoice in that fact; don't visualize how much you miss him, complete with tears. Here's another thought about how many months still remain before he can propose. True, there are quite a few separated months. Turn the focus to the fact that only a few months separate you from permanent union; isn't that worth a few months of hardship as opposed to years of just courtship??
Take control of your thoughts.
By not going down the path of thoughts that lead to depression, tears, angst, frustration, anger, self-pity, discouragement, and despair, you will save yourself hours and hours of misery. What does that mean? It means you have to adjust to a life of joy, hope, faith, patience, contentment, light, and sunshine. This is not to say life will be easy... but by taking the mental path to happiness, your life will follow.
You will be more pleasant to be around and people will notice. Who knows? Maybe your choice to see the positive side of things can help save someone else from going down the mental misery path. So make that mental decision... make a heart decision... if you can't do it, get in touch with the One who can and look for the beauty in the storm...
...it's there, I promise you!
Contentment is a choice.
This is a very hard thing to remember, especially when in the throes of self-pity and myopic focus, drowning in petty problems and pathetic attitudes all caused by improper focus. Each one of us has a CHOICE to make correct decisions. You have a CHOICE when you decide to listen to the whining of your selfish inner puppy instead of giving the problem to God and moving on. You have a CHOICE when you decide to wallow in the mental gymnastics of worst-case scenarios instead of giving the problem to God and moving on. You have a CHOICE. Do you want to be miserable and depressed instead of upbeat and perky? Didn't think so.
Stop discontentment before it starts.
How? Take each thought you have and examine it before dwelling on it. There is one thought about how much you miss him. True, you do miss him. How about focus on the fact that there is light at the end of the courtship tunnel and rejoice in that fact; don't visualize how much you miss him, complete with tears. Here's another thought about how many months still remain before he can propose. True, there are quite a few separated months. Turn the focus to the fact that only a few months separate you from permanent union; isn't that worth a few months of hardship as opposed to years of just courtship??
Take control of your thoughts.
By not going down the path of thoughts that lead to depression, tears, angst, frustration, anger, self-pity, discouragement, and despair, you will save yourself hours and hours of misery. What does that mean? It means you have to adjust to a life of joy, hope, faith, patience, contentment, light, and sunshine. This is not to say life will be easy... but by taking the mental path to happiness, your life will follow.
You will be more pleasant to be around and people will notice. Who knows? Maybe your choice to see the positive side of things can help save someone else from going down the mental misery path. So make that mental decision... make a heart decision... if you can't do it, get in touch with the One who can and look for the beauty in the storm...
...it's there, I promise you!
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Promised Land qualms? (Part 3 of 4)
Because they were not content and because of their unbelief and disregard of all God had done for them, God finally judged against them. The generation that was to inherit the Promised Land would not be allowed to enter it. Yes, the promise stood for the Children of Israel as a group, but not one person of that current generation would ever set foot in the Land.
Can you imagine the horror of this? Just across the river, within eyesight, was the Promised Land... and not one who had disregarded, who had not been content, who had been stubborn and rebellious would ever set foot there. How much sadder could this story get?!
Then I saw the parallel in my life.
Too often, I find myself focusing on the one or two little things I don't have, especially in my relationship world. It's too long. I can't wait. I miss him. When will I see him again. This is too hard, I can't do it. As I focus on this minutia, I become depressed, downtrodden, full of despair and so discouraged... the end seems so close, but it also seems it will never come.
And I forget...
I forget the miracles that have occurred. He has the dream job we believed he would one day get. He loves and cares for me with all his heart. He's working so hard to prove himself worthy of me. Never before has he been so well accepted by my family and friends. I have a job. I am making money and paying off bills. For the first time in our two-year courtship, it looks like the culmination is actually in sight. God has blessed me in so many ways, too numerous to mention here. God has blessed him in many, many ways as well.
It's time to learn the lesson...
Can you imagine the horror of this? Just across the river, within eyesight, was the Promised Land... and not one who had disregarded, who had not been content, who had been stubborn and rebellious would ever set foot there. How much sadder could this story get?!
Then I saw the parallel in my life.
Too often, I find myself focusing on the one or two little things I don't have, especially in my relationship world. It's too long. I can't wait. I miss him. When will I see him again. This is too hard, I can't do it. As I focus on this minutia, I become depressed, downtrodden, full of despair and so discouraged... the end seems so close, but it also seems it will never come.
And I forget...
I forget the miracles that have occurred. He has the dream job we believed he would one day get. He loves and cares for me with all his heart. He's working so hard to prove himself worthy of me. Never before has he been so well accepted by my family and friends. I have a job. I am making money and paying off bills. For the first time in our two-year courtship, it looks like the culmination is actually in sight. God has blessed me in so many ways, too numerous to mention here. God has blessed him in many, many ways as well.
It's time to learn the lesson...
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Promised Land qualms? (Part 2 of 4)
All the Children of Israel sat down at that point and wept and wailed. Why? Because there were giants in the land and they had big cities. What about the God who had moved hell and high water to get them there in one piece? Wouldn't He protect them and enable them to conquer their inheritance? Did anyone remember a single miracle or act of preservation?
No.
They complained and accused God and Moses of taking them to a place where their women and children would be killed. They wanted to set up a new captain, one who would take them back to Egypt. Two of the spies stood up and said, "You have NO idea what you're saying. The land was amazing! God will provide a way! Don't turn against him by complaining!" The unanimous response to this was to pick up stones and try to kill the optimists!
What ingratitude. What a myopic viewpoint. What a state of complete discontentment.
While they were slaves, they complained. While they were free, they wanted bread. When they had bread, they wanted meat. When they had meat, they said it was too much. When scoping out the Promised Land, they only focused on the negative aspects. Not being content, they desired to return to Egypt and would have killed to do it.
Here is the most heartbreaking part of the story...
No.
They complained and accused God and Moses of taking them to a place where their women and children would be killed. They wanted to set up a new captain, one who would take them back to Egypt. Two of the spies stood up and said, "You have NO idea what you're saying. The land was amazing! God will provide a way! Don't turn against him by complaining!" The unanimous response to this was to pick up stones and try to kill the optimists!
What ingratitude. What a myopic viewpoint. What a state of complete discontentment.
While they were slaves, they complained. While they were free, they wanted bread. When they had bread, they wanted meat. When they had meat, they said it was too much. When scoping out the Promised Land, they only focused on the negative aspects. Not being content, they desired to return to Egypt and would have killed to do it.
Here is the most heartbreaking part of the story...
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Promised Land qualms? (Part 1 of 4)
Let's talk about waiting with contentment...
Many, many years ago, God made a promise to the Children of Israel who were, at that time, slaves in Egypt. He promised them a deliverer; one who would lead them out of captivity and into the Promised Land. Four hundred and forty years passed until that deliverer came and when he did, many of this group of people didn't really believe him... but they followed.
The first miracle manifested as they were led out of Egypt as free men... they had been slaves under a Pharaoh that would not let them go, yet now they were free. On their journey to the Promised Land, they walked through the Red Sea on dry land, the Egyptian army was destroyed in their wake, food miraculously was provided every morning, God visibly guided and spoke with them, clothing never wore out, they had victory over their enemies, and on and on... one miracle after another, yet they never acknowledged nor remembered the miracles.
They focused on what they didn't have and wallowed in discontent.
So great was their level of discontent that when they sent 12 spies into THE Promised Land, ten of the spies brought back a bad report saying, "Yeah, the land is something awesome; take a look at these HUGE grapes we brought back... two guys have to carry one bunch; but I'll tell you what... it's really not worth conquering. There are these huge giants and there's no way we're ever going to overcome them. Their cities are huge and impenetrable... we... nah...
"We can't do it."
Many, many years ago, God made a promise to the Children of Israel who were, at that time, slaves in Egypt. He promised them a deliverer; one who would lead them out of captivity and into the Promised Land. Four hundred and forty years passed until that deliverer came and when he did, many of this group of people didn't really believe him... but they followed.
The first miracle manifested as they were led out of Egypt as free men... they had been slaves under a Pharaoh that would not let them go, yet now they were free. On their journey to the Promised Land, they walked through the Red Sea on dry land, the Egyptian army was destroyed in their wake, food miraculously was provided every morning, God visibly guided and spoke with them, clothing never wore out, they had victory over their enemies, and on and on... one miracle after another, yet they never acknowledged nor remembered the miracles.
They focused on what they didn't have and wallowed in discontent.
So great was their level of discontent that when they sent 12 spies into THE Promised Land, ten of the spies brought back a bad report saying, "Yeah, the land is something awesome; take a look at these HUGE grapes we brought back... two guys have to carry one bunch; but I'll tell you what... it's really not worth conquering. There are these huge giants and there's no way we're ever going to overcome them. Their cities are huge and impenetrable... we... nah...
"We can't do it."
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