Welcome to Friday Funnies, hosted by Kim at Homesteader's Heart. My funny for today is below...click the button above to join in on the fun.
From salvation to freedom, family and friends, I praise God for each blessing He pours out on me. They rain down upon me and I pour them back out to God in praise.
Thank you for spurring me on, sharpening me like iron and blessing me with your love and friendship. I count you all sisters in Christ and my life is richer for having known you.
Be safe in your travels and enjoy the food, time spent gathering with family and friends, and counting the blessings that God has rained down on you this year.
Love in Christ,
Awards Day
My friend, Kim, from Homesteaders Heart, has passed along the Bookworm Award to me. How sweet! I am a total bookworm! Thanks, Kim! Ya'll have got to head to her site to see what she was reading. It was so funny.
Scroll down for my At the Well post.
Linda, from 2nd Cup of Coffee, found this fun little quiz. Today I'm 'splaining my name, too. I love those fun quizzes. (My notes are in green.)
What Laurie Means |
 You are relaxed, chill, and very likely to go with the flow. (I am not spontaneous, but I am relaxed. I pretty much go with the flow unless the flow is WRONG. Then I take my stand!) You are light hearted and accepting. You don't get worked up easily. (This is all true for me. I am accepting to a degree. Again, if it's wrong, I'll call it wrong and we'll iron out our differences. You'll see it my way and we'll go with the flow together!) Well adjusted and incredibly happy, many people wonder what your secret to life is. (This is true! People always ask me how I can be so content and thankful. Then I get to tell them about this Man I know...) You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. (If I was the horoscopy type, I'd say it was the virgo in me. I'm not, so it's not, but I do strive for perfection. I'm not the best at everything, though I do have amazing beginner's luck!) You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. (Puh-huh!) You have the classic “Type A” personality. (Naw - I'm much more laid back than a Type A.) You are a very lucky person. Things just always seem to go your way. (I am blessed, and God always directs my paths.) And because you're so lucky, you don't really have a lot of worries. You just hope for the best in life. (Because I trust in God, I don't have a lot of worries - and I do hope for the best in life!) You're sometimes a little guilty of being greedy. Spread your luck around a little to people who need it. (And share the M&M's? No way! Um, seriously, I try not to be greedy. What would I be greedy over?) You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You're always up to something. (My secret is out! Not!! This is *so* not me, although I do have a fun mischevious streak in me that loves to play practical jokes via email.) You have a ton of energy, and most people can't handle you. You're very intense. (Not true at all. I have about as much energy as the rest of us who endure fibromyalgia and IBS.) You definitely are a handful, and you're likely to get in trouble. But your kind of trouble is a lot of fun. (No. I'm not a troublemaker! Well, I did completely cover a co-worker's office with post-it's one time. Hee hee!) You tend to be pretty tightly wound. It's easy to get you excited... which can be a good or bad thing. This conflicts with statements above. What's up with that?) You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it fades rather quickly. You don't stick with any one thing for very long. (Yes, I do. I love to read, hey, hang on while I stop blogging and go take a break. Okay - I'm back. Now, M&M's. Like 'em or not?) You have the drive to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Your biggest problem is making sure you finish the projects you start. (Yup. Sometimes I am like a dog with a bone. I just can't stop. Then there are the times when I stop and can't get started again.) You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone. (This is true.) You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together. (That's me! I think it's called Approval Addiction, hah hah!) At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together. (Flaky? No. Irresponsible? No. This is not me!) |
#1- How do you give thanks during difficult times?
"Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name." ~ Hebrews 13:15 (NIV, Emphasis, mine)
The word for confess here is homologeÅ, which is actually a compound of the Greek words homou, and logos. HomologeÅ means:
1) to say the same thing as another, i.e. to agree with, assent
2) to concede
a) not to refuse, to promise
b) not to deny
1) to confess
2) declare
3) to confess, i.e. to admit or declare one's self guilty of what one is accused of
3) to profess
a) to declare openly, speak out freely
b) to profess one's self the worshipper of one
4) to praise, celebrate
The transliterated Greek word for all is pas, which means:
1) individually
a) each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all things, everything
2) collectively
a) some of all types
All my needs are supplied through Him. He has me covered!
Two cars in the shop? He'll make a way.
Sick grandbabies? He'll have them on the mend.
Emotional illness? He works within me.
Chronic physical illness? He sustains me.
Wondering how I'm going to face the future? He already knows.
Hurting over sinful choices? He provides forgiveness.
Rejoicing in praise for the blessings He has given in times of need? He supplies the grateful heart and the words!
No matter what our needs are He has them all covered.
I love the definition of meet (or supply, if you're using the KJV). The Greek word is plÄroÅ. It means:
1) to make full, to fill up, i.e. to fill to the full
a) to cause to abound, to furnish or supply liberally
1) I abound, I am liberally supplied
2) to render full, i.e. to complete
a) to fill to the top: so that nothing shall be wanting to full measure, fill to the brim
b) to consummate: a number
1) to make complete in every particular, to render perfect
2) to carry through to the end, to accomplish, carry out, (some undertaking)
c) to carry into effect, bring to realisation, realise
1) of matters of duty: to perform, execute
2) of sayings, promises, prophecies, to bring to pass, ratify, accomplish
3) to fulfil, i.e. to cause God's will (as made known in the law) to be obeyed as it should be, and God's promises (given through the prophets) to receive fulfilment
"Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. " ~ Matthew 10:29-31 (NIV)
How faithful and great is our God? He is most worthy of praise. We have no need to fear. We have no need to worry.
I'm very thankful today! I'll cling to these promises as I drift off to sleep. Now I have God-bumps just thinking about how faithful He is! Knowing His will will be done is my comfort. However He chooses to supply those needs, I trust Him and accept His will for their fulfillment.
"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us." ~ 1 John 5:14 (NIV)
For more Thankful Thursday posts, visit our wonderful hostess Iris by clicking on the button below.
But God did choose to provide something else. His grace and His power. Paul accepted that. I truly admire that about him and it's one of my favorite things about him that makes him one of my favorite men in the Bible.
God's grace was called charis in the Greek language. It means:1) grace
a) that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness: grace of speech
2) good will, loving-kindness, favour
a) of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues
3) what is due to grace
a) the spiritual condition of one governed by the power of divine grace
b) the token or proof of grace, benefit
1) a gift of grace
2) benefit, bounty
4) thanks, (for benefits, services, favours), recompense, reward
1) strength power, ability
a) inherent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature, or which a person or thing exerts and puts forth
b) power for performing miracles
c) moral power and excellence of soul
d) the power and influence which belong to riches and wealth
e) power and resources arising from numbers
f) power consisting in or resting upon armies, forces, hosts
Then one day, when I least expected it, my hopes and dreams were realized and dashed within the same breath. The sign was positive, but the baby was born into Heaven. I went numb. While I was at the hospital, the radiologist asked me if I was okay to be alone for a minute while she ran and conferred with the doctor about another case while he was downstairs. "Sure!", I said, in a voice that betrayed the hurt I was feeling. About fifteen minutes later, the thoughts began racing and I never felt so alone in all my life. I called out to no one, "I'm not okay alone anymore!"
The radiologist came back, almost an hour later, and I was asleep. She said it was the pain medicine, but I knew it was God's rest. Where my tears had soaked my gown and pillow, they were now dry as a bone. God had found me in that maze of a hospital and collected my tears for me. He let me feel His grace and power once more and I got the best sleep I had in eight years in the span of less than half an hour. I got comfort. My token of His grace was my dry tears, and the power He gave me was that of strength enough to rest securely in Him through the most horrible crisis I had ever endured.
I'm not superwoman. I am not a super-Christian who has it all together. I am not anything on my own. God has given me the grace and power not to regret a single thing in my life, because each and every time I have suffered, it's all been with Him by my side and brought me closer to Him.
And because of that grace and power through God, I have learned, as the apostle Paul has, to be content.
"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." ~ Philippians 4:11-13 (NIV)
So I say...
What it Means to Stand for Your Marriage
Welcome to At the Well, where we gather each Monday to talk about our role as wives, mothers, etc., as we are in pursuit of living a life pleasing to the Lord as women. Chelsey is hosting this week at Joyfully Living for His Glory.
The topic she's chosen this week is a good one.
What does it mean to you to take a stand for your marriage?
Taking a stand for my marriage means to always support my husband, to never bad-mouth him to others, and to always be willing to remain committed to our marriage. Divorce is a word that is no longer in our vocabulary. As I said in an earlier post, there was a time in our marriage where we hit a rocky spot. More than one, to be exact. I bailed twice on him. Both times both sets of our parents told us we were better off apart. Neither set encouraged us to fight for our marriage. Fortunately, God restored our marriage. We had issues, yes, but not worth divorcing over. We learned how to communicate properly, how to love each other, what our roles were as husband and wife and daughter, and we remarried. I also learned not to say a bad word about my husband to others, especially those who loved me. After all, they only heard one side of the story, and in their own protective and loving way, it caused problems. Fortunately, God restored that, too.
I say we have been married for 17 years. Our first wedding was in May of 1991. We legally divorced in late 2002 and remarried May of 2003. We don't count that second marriage. We don't count the divorce. We only count the first time we married. Committment was obviously not part of taking a stand for our marriage in the early years. I could blame it on lack of example, but I won't. We were divided, we were spiritually immature (not that we have "arrived", but we are growing closer to Christ each day), and our parents, both sets, are happy that we've worked things out. "But God!" He seeks to unite, not divide.
When Steve and I were married in May of 1991, we recited a passage that Ruth said to Naomi in the Book of Ruth.
"Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me." ~ Ruth 1:16-17 (NKJV)
When I remembered that, I was reminded that the unity expressed to Naomi from Ruth was what I had expressed to Steve.
I believe that unity is a vital key in taking a stand for your marriage. Fight tooth and nail for it, my friend. Don't give up easily. Seek counseling if you must. But first of all, seek God. We didn't. Learn from my mistakes.
Discussion Questions
What does commitment in marriage mean?
"To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife." 1 Corinthians 7:10-11 (NIV)
This verse sums it up pretty well for me. The Greek word for separate in verse 10 is chÅrizÅ, which means:
1) to separate, divide, part, put asunder, to separate one's self from, to depart
a) to leave a husband or wife
1) of divorce
b) to depart, go away
While there are a few valid reasons we may chooose to separate from or divorce our husbands; adultery, abuse, danger, to name a few, in a good marriage, we are commanded by God to stay in it. We don't bail out on the small issues.
Some issues might not seem so small at the time. Please understand that I do not judge people who are on second, third or fifth marriages. If you've been a product of divorce and are remarried, I do encourage you to make a committment to stay in the marriage God has placed you in now. Love your husband with all your heart and purpose not to let divorce be a part of your vocabulary. If you feel you must divorce your husband, talk to your pastor or a counselor first. Obviously, we can learn from the mistakes of our past and commit to take a stand for the marriage we are in now. Sometimes we do need outside help for circumstances that arise in our marriage. Based on my experience, I believe that outside help probably needs to come from a pastor or a counselor, not a loved one.I'm going to share a few verses with you that I think are indicative of what we are called to be as wives. I'm going to bold some of my favorite qualities.
"Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God." ~ Titus 2:3-5 (NIV)
"In the same way, their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything." ~ 1 Timothy 3:11 (NIV)
"Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord." ~ Colossians 3:18 (NIV)
For those of us unequally yoked, whether we are married to a non-believer or to a believing spouse who has drifted in his walk with Christ, I'd like to add this verse.
"Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives," ~ 1 Peter 3:1 (NIV)
Here are some hopes and dreams that perhaps Bathsheba had for her son Solomon's future wife...
"A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple. Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all." Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate." ~ Proverbs 31:10-31 (NIV)
What are ways that we can Biblically stand for our marriage?
S -Seek God's best by praying for our marriages faithfully, during good times as well as the bad. "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)
T - Talk positively about our husbands and our marriage to others. Never slander him. "In the same way, their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything." ~ 1 Timothy 3:11 (NIV)
A - Admit when we are wrong and confess it to our husbands and to God. "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." ~ James 5:16 (NIV)
N - Never neglect our husbands, um, intimately. /blush/ "The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control." 1 Corinthians 7:4-5 (NIV)
D - Decide that divorce is not an option when hard times come. Seek God, seek counsel, but don't give up at the first sign of trouble. "To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife." 1 Corinthians 7:10-11 (NIV)
Thanks for visiting with me At the Well this morning. I have a big day ahead of me, including visiting with a friend for her sister's funeral visitation and some meetings throughout the day, so I may be late in visiting with you, but I'll be around later.
In the meantime, step over to Chelsey's at Joyfully Living for His Glory and visit with some of the other ladies. I have a feeling there are going to be some great things shared this morning! Would you like to share your thoughts, too? Do a blog post and link up! I'd love to hear your thoughts.
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