Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

Through the weekly and daily devotionals you can be constantly encouraged in your great role of parenting, the highest career in the nation. You can also stay updated on what's happening with the Above Rubies ministry.

Strengthening Families Across the World through the encouragement of women in their high calling from God as wives, mothers and homemakers.

MY TREASURES!

MyTreasureTreasure have I!

Not gold or fame,
But flesh, blood,
My own, my name,
Richest and dearest of all possessions,
My babies, my children.

Body, spirit!
Not cold objects
In ivory towers,
But mud and skinned knees,
Rocking-chair nights, and calls at dawn,
Beauty, love and all things rare,
My jewels, my children.

Love of all loves!
Not flashy sentimentality,
But bone and breath,
Sacrifice and heartache,
Lasting past death
And memories of unmatched happiness.

My children,
God-given,
Forever in my soul.

~ Sharon Davies

Picture: Lauren Robertson with her precious baby. Lauren used to be one of our Above Rubies helpers. She is now married with two children.

The above poem is published in QUIET REFLECTIONS FOR MOTHERS, a book of beautiful poems for mothers. Go to: http://aboverubiesbookstore.mybigcommerce.com/quiet-reflections-for-mothers-101-poems/

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THEY WATCH YOU NIGHT AND DAY

TheyWatchYou“As is the mother, so is the daughter” (Ezekiel 16:44). Isn’t this a challenging statement? Our children become like us. They watch us all day long. If we are sour and miserable, always complaining and sighing, then expect whining children! If we keep a smile on our face and praise the Lord, even in the midst of difficulties, our children learn this behavior also.

I am also challenged by the words of William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army. Back in 1884 he wrote: “Your children are young, and perhaps cannot read their Bibles at present; but now, and as they grow older and all the way up to manhood, they ought to be able to read the will of God expressed in your life. SO BE SURE YOU WRITE IT PLAINLY, AND IN LARGE LETTERS. You will always be in sight, and they can read you by night and by day all the year round.”

And here’s a little poem called (not written by me):

LITTLE EYES UPON YOU
There are little eyes upon you
And they're watching night and day.
There are little ears that quickly
Take in every word you say.
There are little hands all eager
To do anything you do;
And a little girl who's dreaming
Of the day she'll be like you.

You're the little angel's idol,
You're the wisest of the wise.
In her little mind about you
No suspicions ever rise.
She believes in you devoutly,
Holds all you say and do;
She will say and do, in your way
When she's grown up just like you.

There's a wide-eyed little girl
Who believes you're always right;
And her eyes are always opened,
And she watches day and night.
You are setting an example
Every day in all you do;
For the little girl who's waiting
To grow up to be like you.

Have a great day,

Nancy Campbell

P.S. I am not sure of the author of this poem. I have read of three different names for authors, although most times it says “Author unknown.”

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THE WORLD'S BIBLE

OnlyBibleChrist has no hands but our hands to do His work today;
He has no feet but our feet to lead men in His way;
He has no tongue but our tongues to tell men how He died;
He has no help but our help to bring them to His side.

We are the only Bible the careless world will read;
We are the sinner's gospel, we are the scoffer's creed;
We are the Lord's last message, given in deed and word;
What if the type is crooked? What if the print is blurred?

What if our hands are busy with other work than His?
What if our feet are walking where sin's allurement is?
What if our tongues are speaking of things His lips would spurn?
How can we hope to help Him and hasten His return?

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A DIFFERENT PICTURE

DiffPictureAs I read God’s Word I notice a different picture than what see in many families in the body of Christ today. It seems that the Biblical picture is too old-fashioned for modern believers today. Too archaic. Too straightjacket. And yet it is the way of power. It is the way of obedience. It is the way God planned for His people. But then again, many people think they know better than God, don’t they?

In Jeremiah 18:11,12 God says: “Return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good. And they said . . . BUT we will walk after our own devices.” How easily we tend to walk our own way rather than God’s way. God’s way is usually so different to the way of the world and we don’t want to be too different!

When the Bible talks about the coming of the Lord, it reminds how we should be living. It’s good to be reminded, isn’t it? God says that in the light of His soon coming we should live . . .

holy lives in all our conversation and behavior (including conduct and dress)
godly lives
looking for the coming of the Lord
diligently seeking to live in God’s rest and peace
spotless
blameless
denying ungodliness and worldly lusts (obliterating them from our lives rather than tolerating them)
soberly
righteously
purifying ourselves

Is this the picture of our lives? What about our children’s lives? Are we passionately praying and leading them into this lifestyle? Or are they much like the culture of this world?

You can read the above in the following Scriptures: 2 Timothy 2:19; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 12:14; 1 Peter 1:14-17; 2 Peter 3:11-14; 1 John 2:15-17; and 3:2, 3.

Love from Nancy Campbell

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WHAT IS YOUR CONSUMING PASSION?

ConsumingPassionI don’t know about you, but when raising my children I was not content for the status quo. Although our children have all grown and have all done amazing things in this life (and they will yet do greater things), I was not really so much interested in what fêtes they would accomplish, but only that they would have a consuming passion for God and His kingdom. This was my passion that they would have this passion!

This doesn’t just happen. We as parents have to be totally dedicated to God. If our children see halfheartedness in us, they will gravitate to halfheartedness. They always gravitate to the easier way. It takes hours of prayer and crying out to God. It takes steering them in a paths of righteousness and true holiness.

It breaks my heart that the majority of children today know more about their video games than they do of God’s Word. Dearest mothers, what do you want your children to be filled with? Do you want them to be FILLED with the truth of God’s Word or are you happy for them to be captivated with Pokémon and similar games that consume children today? What are the standards you have for your children? If you want children who are totally consumed with a passion for God, you can’t allow them to be consumed with the worldly games of today. I guess it comes down to the question: WHAT DO YOU WANT?

A Christian man recently wrote: “I personally have been in churches that were supposedly ‘filled with the anointing’ and watched the children in the seats in front of me playing Pokémon and dungeons and dragons while the parents ‘worshipped God’.” They must be consumed with it to be doing it in church. The sad thing is that many Christian parents are now consumed with these games! This won’t turn this nation around to God. How can this be happening in such an hour of desperation?

If we want our children to be radical for God, we better start being radical ourselves. If we want our children to grow up to turn this nation back to God, we better steer them to pursue God, not the occultist junk of this world.

I have to confess that I am tired of status quo, average, sitting on the fence, halfhearted, lukewarm, compromising, and following the trends of the world Christianity. I’m tired of the continual lowering of godly standards among God’s people.

But it all comes back to us parents. What is our consuming passion for our lives? What is our consuming passion for our children’s lives?

~ Nancy Campbell

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ANOTHER UPCOMING MARRIAGE

JosiahShelbyJosiah and Shelby who will be married 16th October.

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UPCOMING MARRIAGE

KendallMeadowMy granddaughter, Meadow and Kendall Hall. They will be married on the 10th September.

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TWO REDHEADS ARE GETTING MARRIED

2RedheadsI have inundated you with a number of family pictures the last few days, which I rarely do. However, I thought I'd catch you up with a little family news and two coming family weddings. How we love weddings!

Many of you know Meadow, Pearl's oldest daughter (Trim Healthy Mama Pearl). Some of you have followed Meadow since she was a baby! She used to come and sing at Above Rubies retreats. The Lord has now brought into her life a most wonderful young man, Kendall Hall (I'll post a picture), and they will be married the 10th September. Not long to wait now. We will celebrate her bridal shower this coming Saturday, 13th.

Shelby Potter was one of our Above Rubies helpers. Shelby came to help on two occasions, both for a number of months. She has now moved on to work for Trim Healthy Mama full time. My brother's wife and family live nearly next door to us and are part of our extended hilltop family here. In fact, Melissa, my brother's daughter, looks more like me than my own daughters. Melissa and Cal are blessed with 11 amazing children and while working with Above Rubies Shelby fell in love with Josiah Calhoon, their eldest son (I'll post a picture of them too). They will be married the following month 16th October. So you'll soon have more family wedding pictures to enjoy.

~ Nancy

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HAPPY FAMILY

HappyfamilyAfter staying for a week to rest after giving birth this sweet little family return to their home. Selah and her husband, Samuel with their three little ones: Sammy, Eureka, and newborn Kyrah Joy. Selah and Samuel are wonderful parents and are also in the process of adopting three children from Liberia (from where they originally come). These are children of family members who have passed away, one through Ebola. The hard part is the long wait to get these children. Selah is Serene's oldest daughter.

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3 GRANDSONS

3GrandsonsThree of our grandsons--Cedar Allison, Arrow Johnson, and Vision Allison.

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GREAT GRANDDAUGHTER

GreatGrandDaughterHere is another one of our sweet little great-granddaughters. Christiana with Liliana, her second daughter. Christiana is Serene's daughter-in-law.

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FATHER LOVE

FatherLoveHave you ever seen such a precious father/daughter picture? Jack Simpson (Rashida's husband) with their little daughter, Ezzie (our great-granddaughter). Rashida is Evangeline's daughter.

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OUR TWINS ARE 51 YEARS!

Twins51An old picture of Wesley, our eldest son with Stephen and Evangeline (the twins) who turned 51 this last week! Where do the years go? It seems like yesterday.

Make the most of every day with your little ones, dear mothers. These overwhelming, but precious and wonderful days, end far too quickly. Savor every memory.

~ Nancy

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CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?

CanYouBelieveYesterday our dog had 10 puppies! She kept on popping them out all day. We thought she was finished at seven, then eight, and then later we found nine and ten! Can you count them? I am amazed at how easily animals give birth and how instinctively and lovingly they mother. Goldie hasn't stopped licking and feeding them and is so content to let them nurse constantly.

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A NEW GREAT-GRANDBABY

GreatGrandbabyHolding Kyrah Joy, our 6th great-grandbaby. Selah and her husband and children are staying with us for a week while she rests from the birth of Kyrah. Selah is Serene's oldest daughter. Kyrah is barely one week. Isn't she adorable?

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LET THE LITTLE CHILDREN COME TO HIM

LetLittleChildrenIsn't amazing that when we embrace children into our lives we actually receive Jesus? Even more! Jesus states in Mark 9:37 that we not only embrace Him, but God Himself! What could be more powerful?

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HOW DO YOU RAISE YOUR CHILDREN?

RaiseChildrenI read a study about geniuses, past and present, in all different fields (although I should emphasize that we should not put this label on children). Every child, no matter who they are, is brilliant in the field God intends for them if they have opportunity to explore and develop their God-given giftings. Studies revealed three things peculiar to these children. They had:

1. A loving relationship with their parents.
2. Isolation from peers and one-on-one tutoring.
3. Rich educational environment with time to explore and ask questions.

This sounds like home education, doesn’t it?

Have a wonderful day,

Nancy Campbell

You could explore many sites, but here is one for you: http://learninfreedom.org/

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WHAT ARE YOU SPEAKING INTO YOUR CHILDREN TODAY?

SpeakingChildrenWe are a word-formed people. Our children are word-formed people. They become what we speak into their lives. Our words determine the course of their destiny--for greatness or for destruction. Children shrivel up with negative words or thrive on encouragement. As they grow, we reap the reward of the words we continually speak into their lives.

Proverbs 12:18 (GNB): “Thoughtless words can wound as deeply as any sword, but wisely spoken words can heal.”

Proverbs 15:4 (GNB): “Kind words bring life, but cruel words crush your spirit.”

Proverbs 18:20, 21 (GNB): “You will have to live with the consequences of everything you say. What you say can preserve life or destroy it, so you must accept the consequences of your words.”

What are you speaking into the lives of your children today?

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

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THE CHALLENGE

ChallengeIt’s so easy to get involved in so many activities outside the home, isn’t it? We can even get entrenched serving in the church. This is just what Satan loves to do. He wants us to become so busy doing “good” things that we end up neglecting our greatest service to the Lord, that of caring for our children and managing our home. What’s the use of helping others outside the home if your own home is in a shambles?

I am always challenged by the words in Song of Solomon 1:6: “They made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.” Ouch!

If we spend more time looking after other vineyards rather than diligently keeping our own vineyard, we do not please God. Dear mother, your greatest service for God is right in your home. Tend to your own vineyard and make sure it is watered, cultivated, and protected before reaching out to other vineyards!

Do you notice something else in this Scripture? “They made me . . .”? How easy it is to let others cajole us into doing things, even “noble” things. Let me tell you a little secret. The Holy Spirit doesn’t “make” you do things. He gently woos you to walk in God’s perfect will. If you are blessed with children, God’s perfect will for you is to be the best mother and homemaker you can possibly be to bless your family and glorify God.

Don’t get into the deception of working in other vineyards while you leave your own vineyard unattended.

Enjoy a beautiful day in your home today,

Nancy Campbell

Painting: “Tenderness” by Cécile Veilhan

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GENERATION BUILDER

GenBuilder

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Above Rubies Address

AboveRubies
Email Nancy

PO Box 681687
Franklin, TN 37068-1687

Phone : 931-729-9861
Office Hrs 9am - 5pm, M - F, CTZ