I have always been convicted by Proverbs 10:19: "In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise."
The New Living Translation is even more challenging: "Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut."
How true it is that the more we open our mouth, the more we tend to say the wrong thing. It pays to watch our words.
After all these years I am still trying to get into the habit of shutting my mouth. This is my plan: if I can't reply with something kind or positive, I shut my mouth and don't say anything at all.
Can you join with me in this habit of shutting your mouth? On the other hand, don't be silent all day. Open your mouth to say kind, positive, loving, and building up words to your husband and children.
Blessings from Nancy
Dear sweet mother, why do you cry?
There are so many hurting people, not only poor people who are struggling, but those who are affluent, and yet their lives are broken and crushed. Their marriages are tearing apart. And again, some of these are in the church, and sometimes even in leadership.
Isaiah 49:1 is a prophecy concerning Jesus Christ, the Messiah: "Listen, O isles, unto me, and hearken, ye people, from far; The Lord hath called me from the womb, from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name." What a beautiful thing that a Messianic prophecy uses the words WOMB, BOWELS, and MOTHER. God is not ashamed to declare that He called His beloved Son from the WOMB of a MOTHER.
Genesis 49:25 talks about the "blessings of the breasts, and of the womb." Blessings? Yes, God says they are His blessings to us as women. But they are ultimately His blessings to the whole world for without them mankind would come to a screeching halt!
Isn't it the most boring thing in the world to get into a rut? You're stuck. You're going nowhere. This often happens in our marriage relationship. We go from day to day in the same old fashion. We are quite happy with one another and there are no problems. But there's no spice.
God measures every inch of your life. Not one tiny thing is overlooked. Even every hair of your head is counted.
One man and one woman
Where do you go when you need help and support? Where do you go when you don't understand why you experience hardships and problems? We usually resort to people for help, but the Bible tells us the ultimate source--the SANCTUARY.
What is the first thing God did to Adam and Eve after creating them? He blessed them Genesis 1:28). Our God is a blessing God. He loves to bless. And He wants to bless people through you and me. This was the task of the priests in the Old Testament, to "bless in his name" (Deuteronomy 10:8; 21:5; and Numbers 6:23-27). Through Christ's redemption, we are now holy and royal priests (1 Peter 2:5, 7) and we still have the same task. To bless.
Did you fall yesterday? Perhaps you yelled at the children or got angry with your husband. You may have blown it already this morning. You feel terrible. You didn't want to do it.
"He who comes forth fresh form beholding the face of God will never fear the face of man. If we dwell with Him, we shall catch the heroic spirit, and to us a world of enemies will be but as the drop of a bucket. A countless array of men, or even of devils, will seem as little to us as the nations are to God, and He counts them only as grasshoppers. Oh, to be valiant for truth in this day of falsehood."
God established the family unit before anything else--before church and before government. God wants His Word to go forth into the world for it is only His truth that enables us to live in the full blessing of all the God has planned for us. How should this word go forth? The first way is through families.
Yes, you can. Not in your own strength but by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Traveling to Washington State this last weekend to speak at the Above Rubies Retreat, I sat by an older couple. We got talking about children and he shared with me that his father was from a family of 13, he was from a family of six, but he only had two children! They were rather astounded when I told them we had over 40 grandchildren.
I nursed a baby 'till he slept,
In yesterday's post I talked about going to bed instead of staying up late, forgetting your husband, and wasting time on media. Here's another reason to go to bed at a reasonable hour. This is from my daughters, Serene and Pearl of Trim Healthy Mama. It's worth reading!
I am sure we are all aware that about 10.00 pm each evening and onwards the activity on the Internet, and especially Facebook, escalates. This also happens on the Homeschooling media. It seems that this is "mommy time" for many women. After the day with the children mothers are ready for "time on their own" and to pan out.
When you have an opportunity to go out to enjoy yourself, who do you want to go with? Do you want to go with girlfriends? Or your husband? We lways want to go with our best friend, don't we?