Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

(A good article written by my granddaughter, Meadow Hall).

Here is my opinion regarding the Kavenaugh/Ford case:

I believe men who rape and sexually assault women are a huge threat to society. I know women who have been victims of rape and sexual abuse and what they have had to endure is truly sickening. Rape is a serious and evil crime. However, the "Believe Women" mantra that is being used to support accusations against men is not at all the way we should be handling these situations . . . This movement is dangerous.

To "Believe Women" is the notion that women (an entire gender) don't lie. But someone has to be lying, so this would also have to imply that men "do" lie. Not only is this idea extremely sexist, and a huge insult to men, it is entirely false. Women have been lying for thousands of years. This is nothing new.

Genesis tells the story of Joseph who was a slave in Egypt for Potiphar. Potiphar's wife took notice of Joseph and tried to seduce him to sleep with her. But Joseph, being an honorable man, refused her. Potiphar's wife persisted another day and "caught him by his cloak and said, 'Come to bed with me!' But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house." When she saw that he had left his cloak with her, she schemed to make up a false accusation against him. " She called her household servants. 'Look,' she said to them, ' this Hebrew has been brought to us to make sport of us! He came in here to sleep with me, but I screamed. When he heard me scream for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”

After she lied to her husband about Joseph, Potiphar was so angered, that he sent Joseph into prison for a crime he didn't do.

Like Joseph, there have been many innocent men who have become victims of a woman such a Potiphar's wife.

Just like rape has devastating affects on the life of the victim, so does being falsely accused of rape. The man could lose his reputation, his career, his marriage . . . and spend the rest of his life in prison. So just like a rapist is a threat to society, a woman who falsely accuses men of rape is a threat to society. Just like there should be severe consequences for a rapist, there should be severe consequences for someone who falsely accuses someone of rape.

It is very disheartening to see so many movements and causes such as "power to women,” "rights for women,” and "believe women." Society needs to stop caring only about women and start caring about "people.”

Women are not always the victims. Sometimes men are too. This isn't just about fighting for a culture that is a safe place for our daughters to grow up, it's also about making it a safe place for our SONS. Mothers should be just as concerned that there are evil women out there who could try to ruin her son's life out of the blue, without any evidence.

If we truly care about equality and the rights of "all" people, we should all be just as angered by a man who is falsely accused of rape as we would when a woman is raped.

Don't just "Believe Women". Believe truth. And believe evidence.

MEADOW HALL
Facebook: Meadow Hall
Instagram: _m_e_a_d_o_w_

He also cried out: “It is written, my house shall be called the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves” (Matthew 21:13).

Your home is also God’s house if you have dedicated it to the Lord, which I am sure you have. Therefore, we should have the same zeal Jesus had to protect our homes and families. We are faithful watchwomen who drive evil out of our home. Even if we upset everyone! I’m sure we won’t be tipping over tables and throwing money everywhere, but we’ll be strong enough to take a stand against any evil that seeks to bring darkness into our homes.

We passionately keep our homes holy.

We have the zeal of the Lord about making our home a House of Prayer! In fact, if our homes are not homes of prayer, can we call them God’s homes? We plan our schedules around our daily prayer times with our family. We don’t hope it fits in. We make it fit in to our schedule. Or better still, we make our schedule fit around our highest priority, our daily family times of prayer and Bible reading.

Jesus Christ redeemed us to be “zealous of good works” (Titus 2:14). Building your home and family for God is a good work. Do it with zeal. Don’t do it half-heartedly, allowing other things to consume your mind and time. Embrace the great commission God has given to you and pour your heart into it.

Recently I have watched mothers, who have been wonderful mothers, become zealously involved in a specific interest outside their home. It consumes them. Now, instead of continuing to build their marriage and children’s lives, they pour their life into this vain emptiness that is temporary and has no eternal value. Their home lies destitute. They are building empty castles in the air instead of building their family.

May the blessings of God fall upon you, dear anointed, zealous, passionate mother.

~ Nancy Campbell

You also have lovely dresses of love, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). You have delightful garments of tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, forbearance, and forgiveness (Colossians 3:12-17).

Don’t leave them hanging in your wardrobe. God gives them to you to wear! Read Ephesians 4: 22-24 and Colossians 3:10. The strange thing is that although we have this expensive wardrobe, we don’t always bother to wear the clothes. We are so used to our old shabby clothes of the flesh. We feel more comfortable in them. They feel familiar, so we stick with them instead of wearing our new clothes. But they belong to you! They are yours!

The J. B. Phillip’s translation says: “Fling off the dirty clothes of the old way of living … And put on the clean fresh clothes of the new life.

You can even change garments as you need them throughout the day. Are the children driving you crazy? Your anger is rising. Quick! Change into your garment of long-suffering or patience. Put it on by faith. Thank the Lord for His patience which is in you because He lives in you.

Are you starting to shout and yell because everything is getting on top of you? Put on the garment of gentleness. Thank the Lord for His gentle Spirit which lives in you.

Wear your beautiful clothes.

Blessings to you,

Nancy Campbell

I am challenged by Proverbs 9:10: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is Understanding.”

One of the greatest responsibilities we have as parents is to make sure these twins are intimate friends of our children (Proverbs 7:4). We want them to grow up with godly wisdom and understanding. But how do the get it? By getting to know another set of twins—the Fear of the Lord and the Knowledge of the Holy.

We should have two huge priorities in our lives:

1. To walk in the ear of the Lord and to teach our children to walk in the fear of the Lord. We want them to keep from the evil of this world. The Bible tells us that the fear of the Lord will keep them from evil (Proverbs 3:7, 14:16; 16:5; and Jeremiah 32:40). We must pray this prayer over them daily. We must seek the anointing of the Holy Spirit to keep them walking in the fear of the Lord.

2. To seek to know more and more of our Holy God and to teach our children of Him. The knowledge of the Holy is the greatest knowledge our children can receive. Have we got things in balance in our family life? Do our children receive more time in the day receiving the knowledge of God than they do secular stuff? Even Christian families can become very imbalanced.

One of the greatest ways we can ensure that our children receive fresh knowledge of the Lord each day is at our family Bible times where we gather our children every morning and evening to read the Word and pray together.

Don’t let go your highest priorities. “Hold the fast which thou hast, that no man takes thy crown” (Revelation 3:11).

Be blessed today,

Nancy Campbell

Two answers for you: Firstly, the word “habitation” is a Hebrew word that is used for God’s house and for houses of people. So, that means your house too.

Secondly. God no longer lives in a temple in Jerusalem. He now dwells in all who receive Him into their lives and who are born again by the Spirit of God. Our bodies are now the “Holy of Holies” of God (1 Corinthians 6;19). This is where He delights to dwell. And He loves to dwell in our homes. Therefore, your home is a habitation of God.

If God is the habitation of your home, don’t you love to be there? To be with God? We must get our thinking straight. We must think and speak the right words. Start your day acknowledging the truth. “Thank You, God, that You dwell in my home. I am living in Your habitation. I am Your habitation.”

Or confess: “I delight to be in my home today because God is here. Every mundane task is sacred because God is with me. No challenge is too big because God is with me. I LOVE being in my home with my children.”

David also confessed that he was “SATISFIED with the GOODNESS of God’s house” (Psalm 65:4). It’s good to be in God’s House. But that means, dear mother, it’s good to be in your home because your home is God’s home! Learn to be satisfied with the goodness of your home because God dwells in your home.

But there’s more. I love the way the Bible is filled with adjectives. The Bible not only talks about God’s goodness, but His GREAT GOODNESS (Nehemiah 9:25, 35; Psalm 145:7; Isaiah 63:7 and Zechariah 9:17). Goodness cannot fully describe the goodness of God. It needs more words. The adjective “great” means “abundant, exceedingly, mighty, plenteous, abounding, multitude.”

This is the kind of goodness God wants you to enjoy in your home, in your kitchen, with your children.

Be blessed in your home today.

Love from Nancy Campbell

Every woman is created to be a mother, whether she has many children, is barren, or single. God put within every female an innate desire and anointing to nurture. Even those who spurn motherhood, because of the brainwashing of our humanist society, can't get away from it. If they don't want to nurture babies, they will nurture a pet. They have to have something on which to pour out their God-given mothering instinct.

Some of the greatest mothers who have lived were not married women and never gave birth to children. Of course, we immediately think of Mother Theresa, who although a single woman, poured out her life in sacrificial love to the poor and the needy. In doing so, she was a great mother and a totally fulfilled woman. A single woman or a woman who is not able to conceive is still a mother.

There is a drought of mothering in our needy and hurting society today. Mothers are the greatest need in society, whether married or single. There are hurting children, disturbed young people, and lonely and needy elderly who are all desperate for the loving touch of an anointed and nurturing woman, whether married or single.

Single women should ask God in what direction He wants them to pour out His loving nurture He has innately put within them. God will lead them to many broken and messed up lives. Often the barren woman ends up with more children than the married. Isaiah 54:1: "Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord."

The most important thing is for each one of us, married and single, to generously embrace the lifestyle of mothering God intends for us. Mothers with children, embrace your wonderful high calling of motherhood. Don't hanker for another lifestyle; you are in the perfect will of God.

Single women or precious mothers who cannot conceive at this time, embrace the mothering anointing that God has given you and open your heart to mother all whom God brings into your life. There are so many waiting for you.

Love from Nancy Campbell

Painting by Cecile Veilhan

This is the attitude God wants us to have as wives. Then why do we get so prickly, irritated, and impatient with our husbands?

Ask God to take away your prickliness. Ask Him to fill you with His amiableness. Get into the habit of reacting with an amiable spirit rather than an impatient spirit.

The psalmist rejoiced in Psalm 84:1: "How amiable are thy tabernacles (dwelling places), O LORD of hosts." Fill your home with an amiable spirit. Toward your husband and your children.

Think of ways to be good-natured, friendly, and affectionate to your husband. That means taking time to stop what you are doing and look at him, smile at him, touch him, hug him, and kiss him.

Can anyone say Amen?

Have a wonderful day,

Nancy Campbell

Picture: My granddaughter, Meadow, with her husband, Kendall Hall and their baby, Warren.

"Okay, children, come for your surprise!" Although it is only simple, a little surprise and a little food in their stomachs will make a huge difference.

2. CHILDREN LOVE STORIES

"Come children, let's read a story." Gather the children all around you, cuddle them up tight, and read some nursery rhymes or stories to them. I found story time never failed to calm my children. Can you guess that we had story time quite frequently throughout the day? Have you purchased “Nanny’s Nursery Rhymes”? You’ll love to read these to your children: http://tinyurl.com/NannysNurseryRhymes

3. CHILDREN LOVE TO GET OUTSIDE

"Children, let's go outside for a little walk." Take them out to look at the birds, the butterflies, or any insects, lizards, or salamanders you can find. Ten to fifteen minutes or more outside enables them to let off steam, changes their behavior, and they'll come inside with refreshed spirits.

4. CHILDREN NEED SLEEP

Sometimes when a child, or all the children, are bouncing off the walls, we forget that they may be tired and no longer know how to control themselves. Perhaps they just need a nap!

With most of these little alternatives, you have to stop what you are doing! That's the secret. Children become more difficult to handle when you are engrossed in what you are doing. Stop and spend a little time with them. It makes all the difference.

Have a great day.

Nancy Campbell

It's not enough to diligently teach and train our children. We must live our God-fearing, God-loving, daily God-experiencing lives before them. More than anything else, they will emulate our lifestyle.

Why did God choose Timothy to be a vessel to impact many lives? Of course, we know that Paul chose him, but God was behind that choice. We find the reason in 2 Timothy 1:5, 6 (ESV) when Paul writes to Timothy: "I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that DWELT first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well."

Timothy grew up seeing faith first hand. Yes, his mother and grandmother taught him the Holy Scriptures from the time he was a babe (2 Timothy 3:14, 15), but he also saw it revealed in their lives. It wasn't a faith that was only in their head. It DWELT in them and therefore affected every word and deed of their lives.

The New Living Translation says: "The faith that first FILLED your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice." He couldn't help but notice it filling their lives. Do your children see your faith FILLING you and overflowing into everything you say and do? This is what will impact their lives more than anything else. And think of how many lives were reached for Christ through Timothy.

Are you raising children ready for God to use? God cannot use everyone. Only those who are trained and ready! What a God-anointed task we have as mothers.

Blessings to you today as you fulfill your divine mission,

Nancy Campbell

Painting: Moeder en dochter, Léon Augustin Lhermitte.

Arthur W. Pink comments on God's creation of man: "Not both males or both females, but one male and one female; and to make the design of this unmistakably plain God says, "Be fruitful and multiply." For this reason marriage is called "matrimony," which signifies motherage because it results in virgins becoming mothers."

We cannot deviate from God's plan except to our detriment and destruction (Romans 1:20-32)..

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

Painting: The Homecoming by Jennie Brownscombe, American 1850-1936.

"Did you sleep well last night?
Incorrect: "Yes."
Correct: "Yes, thank you, Mommy." (It is important to teach your children to address the person's name.)

At the table. "Would you like some more dessert?"
Incorrect: "Yes."
Correct: "Yes, thank you, Mommy." Or, "Yes, thank you, Mrs. Smith."
Correct: "No thank you, Mrs. Smith. I am well satisfied." Or: "No thank you, Mommy. But it was very delicious."

When introducing yourself to someone.
Incorrect: "Hi."
Correct: "Hello. My name is Caleb Rogers. It's very nice to meet you." And shake hands firmly.

To answer with one syllable and not address the person who is asking the question, is very rude. Nor does it show respect to the person asking the question. And yet I find that not only children, but many older young people answer this way. They have never been taught basic etiquette.

Do some practice runs with your children each day so that it becomes the habit of their lives.

Bless you today.

Nancy Campbell

Picture from Mrs. McVeigh’s Manners

"How do I get time to read the Bible when I have a new baby and little ones all around me?" you ask. In this season of your life you may not have time to set aside personal times, but it's amazing what you can fit in as you make it your aim.

Keep a Bible in the bathroom to read a verse or two throughout the day. Keep a Bible in the spot where you nurse your baby. Keep a Bible at your windowsill where you prepare the meals and do dishes. Open it at Psalms or Proverbs. You can look up every now and then and read words that will strengthen and calm your soul.

What about your children? Are they increasing in the knowledge of God each day? This won't happen either without your imparting it into their lives. Like you, my life is filled from morning 'til night. That's why I am so grateful for our morning and evening Devotions where we all sit together as a family to listen to my husband read God's Word. If we didn't make time for these times, we would miss out on so much of what God wants to speak to us. It's how we grow and increase in the Lord--little by little, and day by day.

Proverbs 4:18: "But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth MORE AND MORE unto the perfect day."

Don’t miss out. Make these little moments happen for you personally, and for your children.

Love from Nancy Campbell

It's not enough to have a casual understanding of the Bible and what God says to us. We must dig in. We must study. We must learn to rightly divide the Word. This takes being a Berean. The Bereans didn't gullibly receive everything they heard. They "searched the Scriptures daily" to check out if the things Paul was saying to them were true (Acts 17:11).

You may have other degrees, or you may not have any--it doesn't really matter. What matters is that mothers have a degree in correctly teaching God's truth to their children. We can't give a cloudy message. We can't be duped by a humanistic worldview. We can't tell them what we think God says. We must know what God says so that we pass onto our children a biblical worldview. We must give a "certain sound" (1 Corinthians 14:8).

The word "searched" is "anakrino" and means "to scrutinize, investigate, interrogate, question, discern, examine, and judge." That's more than a casual knowledge, isn't it?

This degree is worth working on. And start your children working on it now. It will be the best degree they will ever get. In fact, you can work on it together.

Love from Nancy Campbell

Dear mother, when you prepare meals for your family, clean up, wash dishes, do laundry, and clean toilets, you are doing sacred tasks. They are as meaningful to God as if you were doing some great ministry in a church. Every moment is a hallowed moment because God is with you.

When Christ lives within you the mundane is memorable, the daily grind is delightful, the boring is beautiful, and instead of griping you'll be giving glory to God.

1 Corinthians 10:31: "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do (every little or big task you have to do in your home today), do all to the glory of God."

May God's presence fill you home today as you do everything as a sacred task.

Love from Nancy Campbell

Painting by Tasha Tudor

Can you imagine how many meals we must cook and prepare in a lifetime as a mother? We couldn’t count. Whether you love it or not, it’s a good idea to get into the habit of loving it. What a terrible way to live—to be miserable every time you prepare another meal! We may as well get on the band wagon and do it with all our might. Enjoy it. See it as a creative project. And make every meal a love affair.

I love to prepare meals for my family, even though it takes a big chunk out of every day. I love it because not only do I get to eat the lovely meal I prepare, but I know I am going to bless everyone who sits around my table. I like to make food they will enjoy. I like to sit down to a table that is set beautifully, with a tablecloth and attractively prepared food. I love the fact that we will relax, talk together, and then enjoy a good feed from God’s Word for our souls and spirit before we leave the table.

Shall I tell you what I cooked the last two nights?

MENU FOR MONDAY NIGHT
That sounds very organized, doesn’t it? But I don’t write a menu. Nor do I prepare a menu for the week. I have been preparing meals for so many years that I can get up to the kitchen and decide what I am going to do.

I usually try to get into the kitchen by about 5.00 pm and we usually don’t sit down until 6.30 am. So, meal preparation takes time. I’ve also got to go out to the garden to gather my harvest.

1. LONG BEANS from my GARDEN. This year I planted a packet of beans (and didn’t really know what they were). I was pleasantly surprised to see these wonderful long beans growing. I let one grow and it measured 2’ 8”! How’s that for a bean? And they have no strings and are so delicious. I steamed them and added butter at the end.

2. SWEET POTATO LEAVES from my GARDEN. Did you know you can eat the sweet potato leaves? I didn’t know until our Liberian children came to live with us. We always grow sweet potatoes to eat the harvest, but now we also use the leaves during the year. I cook onions, garlic, jalapeño, and tomatoes (out of my GARDEN) together. Then add the sweet potato leaves which I whiz up in the food processor. I cook them all in LOADS of red palm oil, adding Nutritional Yeast at the end. They are so delicious. One of my favorite dishes.

3. PORTABELLA MUSHROOMS. I pre-cooked the mushrooms and then filled them with hot salsa and grated cheese and grilled them in the oven. Delicious.

4. SWEET RED PEPPERS sliced, from my GARDEN, which we ate with HUMMUS and PESTO. I picked loads of fresh basil from my GARDEN. What joy. I make my pesto by throwing some nuts in the food processor (either almonds, walnuts, or pine nuts). Then a few cloves of garlic, followed by Parmesan cheese. I then add loads of basil with olive oil to get the right consistency.

5. GREEN SALAD.

MENU FOR TUESDAY NIGHT
1. EGG PLANT LASAGNA. I always make my lasagna with egg plant as I don’t like the starchy lasagna noodles. I prepared a sauce of ground venison (we eat more venison than any other meat as that is what we have in the freezer) and a tomato sauce of my own making. I place the meat sauce in the casserole dish, add the sliced egg plant (one of my favorite vegetables), a layer of cream sauce with eggs and cottage cheese and flavorings, then cheese, and then do each layer again with cheese on top.

2. MASHED FOTATOES (TRIM HEALTHY MAMA). They are made with cauliflower of course. I steam the cauliflower and then whiz it up in the food processor. Don’t you love it with lots of butter and salt and pepper? Nicer than mashed potatoes.

3. SLICED MUSHROOMS sautéed.

4. And same as last night, GREEN SALAD, HUMMUS, PESTO, and SLICED SWEET RED POTATOES.

What are you making for supper tonight?

Or would you like to come to my place for supper? I’ve yet to decide what I’ll do for tonight

Love from Nancy

P.S. I forgot to take a picture of either of these meals. This picture is of my sweet potato leaves growing in the garden.