Make Room for Unexpected Happenings

Is your life so jammed that you have no room for unexpected happenings?

Yesterday you were exhorted to clean out your cupboards and pantry.  Throw away the spoiled, organize the food stuff still waiting to be eaten, and plan for its use.

Purposeful living is just like that too.  Periodically we need to throw away those things that jam up the flow of good, simple living.  Maybe it is your schedule that is jammed.   Maybe it is unrealistic expectations.   Maybe it is your attitude.

Today I want you to be aware of having margin in your life.  Do you remember the lined notebook paper that you used in school?  There was a red line at the left side and a blue one at the right that showed you where to begin and end your writing sentences so that you would have margin around your paper.  We need that same margin in our lives.  Think of a bumper zone where that little bit of cushion prevents bang-ups.

Now I know that with school beginning most of our lives at this time of year get so busy we feel in a whirl wind.  School lessons, chauferring, piano lessons, soccer games.  Some of us have needy toddlers and babies, constant dirty dishes, doctor's appointments, and a multitude of other activities beckoning our presence. 

Try- just try- to schedule if you can some time when you and your family does not have anything to do.  You will be most pleasantly surprised how that time will get filled up, and it certainly will.  Maybe with a spontaneous stroll with your husband or child that you do not usually get one on one time with.


I also need to remind myself about my expectations.  Having expectations so high for myself and others does not allow room for mess-ups and even failures.  We are all human and bound to disappoint one another many times this side of heaven.  Allow some room for falls to be done gracefully so that they (or you) can get back up.  Nothing stifles and smothers like judgement.
 
And lastly for today allow some room in your attitude that there is always more to learn and more wisdom to be gained.  No one likes a know-it-all.  Keep the humble attitude that there is always more room to grow.  Like Paul who professed, "Not that I have already obtained...or been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus as took old of me....I press on....all of us who are mature should take such a view of things."  -Philippians 3:12-15 (in part) NIV
 
Dear sister make room in your life for unexpected happenings and see what good things await you.
 
 
Linking today with

Homemaking Tips, Part 4- "Organizing- clean out your cupboards..."

Mother Hubbard had cupboards.... and I bet you do too.  Ones that are full.

The homemaking suggestion for this week is to clean out your refrigerator, freezer, and cupboards. 

 The tip for this week is really a great one to get an inventory of your food stuffs!  After you throw away outdated, stale, and spoiled food (I just through away a vegetable that was unrecognizable.) you will have an assessment of what you have left.  Then the next plan is to make menus using what you already have in your kitchen and pantry.

  Do you only purchase what you actually cook that week or month?  Or are you like me and tend to leave a turkey breast forgotten in the back of my freezer?  About once every season I like to go through my pantry and freezer and take stock....I then plan our meals to use everything up. 

 It is such a great feeling that the perishables are being consumed.  

I have a girlfriend that especially loves empty cupboards that she fills weekly.  Her frugality prompts her to only buy what she will use that week.  I am of the sort that if I see something on sale I grab a couple for future use.  Having two refrigerators/freezers plus a full size freezer lots of goods can get stored away.  However, I do try every season to go through my stuffs as I am suggesting to make sure everything gets rotated and consumed.  This week I found that I had five bottles of Chili sauce!  There is one particular chicken recipe that my family enjoys in which the chili sauce is crucial.  When I see that item in the grocery store I pick one bottle up so that I have it on hand if needed.  But I don't need five at once!  

(I also found 6 cans of mandarin oranges, three bottles of A1 sauce.  It is fine to stock up on items but it would take a while for our family to go through these.)   

So grab a notebook and pen and head to your kitchen.  Make a list of  what frozen meats that you have.  Then go to your cupboards and make a list of canned and dry goods that you use to make meals and desserts.  Use this list to plan your future meals. 
You will be so happy that your food stuffs are getting eaten! 

Linking today with

Newness

Fridays I am having fun taking 5 minutes to "finger paint with words" as The Gypsy Mama so creatively says. The prompt for today-

NEW.
GO.

I do not think that life would be the same without NEW.

To me there is something so grand about NEW. 

I love the smell of a new car.  (Though I have never bougt a brand new, I have gotten some that had that smell.  They must have just sprayed it in during detailing.)  It's the smell of "drive me on great excursions and unbelievable adventures."

Oh, the blank journal- I love that!  Sometimes I do not even finish the one I am using because I love the newness of the empty one beckoning me to transpose my deepest thoughts and crazy ponderings.

A new wallet.  Some of you may be using the same wallet that you have been for the last 10 years.  But I like me a new wallet every now and then.  No scuff marks, no pen marks.  New pockets and zippers all waiting to be filled with life's receipts and the green stuff.

A new book.  Love it.   A story awaiting for me to unfold and wrap my thoughts and feelings around.

A new baby.  Well, that just surpassed them all, doesn't it?  The newness of life- bringing hope, joy, expectancy, and wonder.

I love new.  It's the new beginnings of life yet to be lived and the surprises that await.




Linking today with other 5 minutes wonders at

Catch the Little Foxes

What clutter is is your life? stealing away precious time?  Causing havoc because of disorganiziation?

What little foxes come in and steal your peace and joy?  worry? fear? discontent?

Yesterday's homemaking tip was to sort through your food storage containers.  It does not take much brain but it does take encouragement as a catalyst sometimes because chores like that never seem to get done until they MUST be dealt with.

But isn't life itself like that?  Are not our hearts like that?  We have little stressors in our lives that we allow to eat away at our peace bite by bite and we do nothing about it.  We have small issues in our hearts that put just a little fog on an otherwise sunny demeanor.

I am not speaking of the things that are out of our control, like the rain preventing a planned picnic or the missing hot dogs that you bought yesterday for today's lunch and now they are gone.  With inspection you discover that your teen age son had a hot dog binge at midnight.  Well, maybe THAT one could have been in your control with better  "tell-me-when-you-plan-on-eating-the-hot-dogs" parental discipline.  Most everything is really out of our control.  However, most of what we allow into our schedules and hearts is within our realm of supervision and submission.

It is the little things that grow into big things that we are exhorted to guard and get rid of.

"Catch for us the foxes, the little foxes that ruin the vineyards, our vineyards that are in bloom." -Song of Solomon 2:15

And it is the little things that trip us up is it not? 

You are too tired to host the bible study at your house, but you are the one who invited everyone.

Your friend just bought the pair of pumps that you have been wanting and could not afford.

Your niece just got a scolarship to Yale while you are struggling to get your teen to remember multiplication.

Your kids are driving you to Google "trips to Mars" but you are the one who wanted so many- kids that is.  (Or so my husband has reminded me.)

These are some temporary causes of irritation- if we let it.  The longer I live the more I am realizing that PERSPECTIVE is everything.  EVERYTHING.  Perspective can take my mind and heart to a place of anger or depression before I know how it got there.   But perspective can also be the weapon that kills those little foxes eating all of my good grapes.  Perspective can be the salt that preserves my fruit.

I only have space to address few issues that spoil your fruit.  I have brought up scheduling and the HEART which is a huge area all unto itself.  But simply, as for scheduling- manage it.  Do what you have to do, plan for what you want to do (some of the time), and allow space to fill in your schedule when life's "didn't expect that" times arrive.

As for your heart.  Well, we have been given the entire bible to instruct us on what to do about it.  Guard your heart and keep your perspective His.  That is enough water and sunshine to keep the fruit growing.  And have no mercy on the little foxes.  They grow up and when they do they eat more.  And they meet other foxes and have baby foxes and then you are dealing with a whole lot of them.

What little foxes will you be hunting down today?

Linking today with other hunters from



by John Rae 1918 

Homemaking Tips- Organizing, Part 3, "Sort through your food storage items"

I am posting a series on "Home Making Tips- Orgainizing".  Today is Part 3. 

Now a homemaker's work is exactly practical and also deeply spiritual.  You as a homemaker are living out God's will for your life.  Read Titus Chapter 2 if you have not done so before.  Though some of the mundane tasks that must occupy some of your time are just that (by definition) m-u-n-d-a-n-e, belonging to the world, (and included for our definition here) routine and boring, these same tasks bring order, sanity, and higher functioning to your dwelling place.  So, dear sister, gird yourself.

No, if you thought that we would be discussing cleaning your toilets, hang on, something not quite as fun and fanastic.  This week make time to sort out your food storage cupboard.  This task is so dry to me that I had to give it (and my mind) a little flair with that introduction.  Because setting all of those plastic containers "just right" in their place is so "blaahhh" to me I only do it about twice a year.  I know the tie has arrived when I tire of opening the cupboard, which happens to be placed above y height, and have plastic lids and containers fall on top of my head.  I

It was just such a day.  I opened the door to put a little plastic cube in its happy spot and "Tham!" (Is that a word?  "Whack!" was not right.) down on my head topple it  bringing three others along.  I let out a noise of frustration and anger (not angry at the plastic, it cannot help being placed precariously on top of others, but at myself for not taking more time to do it "properly".) Shove!  I now shove the four containers into place, not "their" place but any open space in which they may stay. 

Just as I let go, "Tham!"  Down upon my head now comes more lids and containers.  "Grrrr!"  The noise coming from my belly is now sounding animal like and ready for warfare.  I repeat this process two more times before I cave in.  "OKAY!!!!"

I take out every piece of plastic inhabiting that cupboard.  I have my guns ready and plan to execute. Not one of those containers gets returned to a comfy new home unless it has a lid to go with it!!  I pair them up and am left with quite a few extra, not married, containers.  Now, I know the frugal in you is coming up with plans for those singles...containers to hold water when your kids paint, a lap bowl for you dog at a picnic, whatever.  I say that they do not have a lid, which disqualifies them to be in my now completely neat-because-every-container-has-a-lid-and-I-will-not-have-them-toppling-on-my-head-cubboard.   

Yes, I DID get rid of a lot of normally perfect plastic but look at the happy pairs that I left.  Each one is content and ready for service.  I know that with their lids on they take up much more room, but I did not need that many anyway.  That grew the problem; I had too many I did not even use. 

And now I am a happier Homemaker! 

Are you still getting your head toppled?

           

You are BEAUTIFUL

Today's prompt for 5-Minute Friday is BEAUTY.  It put me in mind of something that I recently posted on the subject so I took 5 minutes (or more) and edited it for you today.

YOU are Beautiful! ~make the most of yourself

Yesterday (August the 2nd) I was very practical and began a series of posts on Homemaking, and yes, practical homemaking is a very spiritual experience. The subject currently in this series is "Organizing" and I began by encouraging the ladies to sort through their make up. Get rid of the old and replace it with something fresh and lovely.

So as I walk with Him today I am thinking that writing a parallel post applying these practical subjects to spiritual principles would be fun. Well, fun because I already know the subject for today! I can foresee some weeks' posts being more convicting. But for TODAY-

I want you to see yourself as beautiful. I want you to see yourself how God sees you.

Do you consider yourself beautiful? The Lover of your soul states,

"You are all fair, my love, and there is no spot in you."

~Song of Solomon 4:7

Oh! that just gives me waves of delight!  Dear Sister, He thinks that you are perfect. My heart goes out to you who will not believe it. I cannot convince you with my own words but I pray that the Holy Spirit will speak sweet nothings in your ear. God has made you a beautiful woman inside and out. He has replaced the ugliness of your sin with beauty.

"OK" you may be thinking but what about this physical body of mine? Yes, as you consider your muffin top, or pimples, or dark circles under your eyes (my bother point), or plain-Jane face, He considers you lovely.

But with this truth there is something to be said about trying to look your best- for the rest of us. LOL.  I hope that you saw the humor with which I am coming from in that statement! Now let me speak plainly- the rest of us can tell whether you take any time at all on your appearance. While having a preoccupation with our looks is out of balance, so is having no concern whatsoever.

By dressing with care, doing our hair, and applying make up thoughtfully, we can snip preoccupation in the bud. Let me explain an example- there have been a few times when I did not apply concealer under my eyes and when I was conversing with someone all I could think of was, "Oh! she is just staring at my big black circles under my eyes! I look like a raccoon!" not even being able to concentrate on what she was saying! Pathetic I know. Maybe it is just me.

But I have found that when I dress appropriately for the circumstance that I am then being thoughtful towards the others I am with and honoring them. If your pastor should invite you into his home for dinner will you show up in the paint clothes you wore that day? or shower, dress, and make an attempt to be fresh? We all should do this at all times. (Another example, I do not know a man who wants to be greeted continuously by a woman wearing sweats and undone hair; it connotes a feeling of disorder and stress. Dress thoughtfully, apply some perfume and lipstick, and most importantly a warm smile, and he will know that you care about him.)

"I never saw an ugly thing in my life:

for let the form of an object be what it may,

-light, shade, perspective will always make it beautiful."

-John Constable

. Dear sister there is always a way to make the most out of what you have.

I have had many women say to me that they do not have the money to dress well, the skill to apply makeup nicely, or the means to get their hair doneBe creative and ask for help where you need it.

I think that deep down every woman wants to be beautiful.  But know today to the very important One you already are. Celebrate your beautiful femininity as a tribute to His glory. This will be encased differently in each one of us. Align your attitude about yourself with His and make the most of what you have physically. Say aloud, "God has made me beautiful inside and out" and believe it. And if donning a new color of nail polish makes you feel prettier then go for it! It is your attitude that will showcase your beauty most of all.

Linking with

 

The Choking Thorns

If you read yesterday's post, you were encouraged to sort through those mounds of paper in your home, specifically mail catalogues, bills, advertising flyers, notes, "to do" lists, your children's drawings, magazines...all of that paper stuff.  All of us have been overwhelmed at times from these mounds as they leave their piles of disarray across our counters, desks, or floors.  Left untamed they turn into what I call the "Paper Beast" continuing to grow in size causing distractions both visually and mentally.

Today I want to  talk with you about those cares of life that choke out the good within.  Jesus tells us in the parable about the sower of the seed (or His word) that, "The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.  But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop." -Luke 8:14 

Is God's word and work is your life producing fruit or is it being choked out by life's worries?


In our homes, thorns like Paper Beasts, can hide the order and beauty of our space.  In our hearts, life's concerns can hide the beauty of the fruit of the Spirit.  Not only hide, Jesus says, but choke it out.  We must be vigilant in our homes and vigilant in our hearts.

How does scripture exhort us to not worry? Simply- DO NOT DO IT.  (See Psalm 37:1)  Whatever your concern today- unpaid bills, the sickness of a child, a conflict with your spouse, the never-ending "to do" list- give it all to Him for He cares for you. (1Peter 5:7)

Jesus reveals to us as well qthat not only worries but riches and pleasures can choke out the word in us.  As I write this I am getting ready to embark on a trip of pleasure; we are heading out the door on our way to the beach.  I cannot wait; I love the beach!  But as I type, I am reminded not to get so distracted with the pleasures that He gives me, that I forget the Giver.  I think that is the remedy to choke out the thorns themselves. 

In  Deuteronomy 8 the Lord speaks to His people, "Do not forget the Lord thy God by not keeping His precepts...Lest when you have eaten (I cannot wait to eat Maryland crab cakes, yum!) and are full (I will be very full.), and have built goodly houses to live in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied, then your minds and hearts be lifted up and you forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the house of bondage...and beware lest you say in your heart and mind , 'my power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth  But you shall earnestly remember the Lord you God..." (See Deut. 8:11-18)

Wealth and pleasures are not sin; but forgetting who bestowed them upon us is.

Be vigilant today, so that through perseverance the fruit in your heart will grow to glorify Him.  And as you read this I will be taking in the splendor of the ocean and thanking my Father who made it.

Today I am linking with

Homemaking Tips- "Organizing- Tame the Paper Beast"

Our God is the God of order.

So, we, in creating our homes, should employ order in all we do. That may seem like a monumental task.  Perhaps one that you may have given up on!  Well, let us break it down in small steps...

 I am posting a series "Homemaking Tips-Organization".  This week's tip is Tame the Paper Beast.

This means that we will be going through ALL paper piles that have accumulated in your home!  Does this seem like a monumental task?  Select one area (such as your bill file or magazine rack) and do that one area.  Every day pick another one until the Paper Beast has been reduced to a docile, manageable pet.

I have found that the best way to keep the Paper Beast at bay is to open my mail beside the garbage can! That way I immediately pitch any unwanted catalogues and solicitations.  I DO enjoy buying from catalogues. But the marketing companies try to take advantage and put me on their mailing lists.  In one day I have received 12 catalogues!  Do you realize the space that takes up (including garbage space)?  So when I am standing by my garbage I pitch the ones that I do not want or do not want to be tempted by.  The others are saved for later perusal.

File your bills immediately instead of laying them on the kitchen counter.  I keep a decorative wooden box on the side table in my kitchen (near the garbage) where I also work to pay the bills.  This wooden box (with a lid so that I cannot see the papers; I like to "hide" stuff like that.) contains folders in which sorted mail can immediately be filed.  Each folder is titled something such as "Bills for Home", "Caleb's school info", "Hannah's dance info", "Important Papers", also files for our other businesses.  After the bills are paid the receipts are put into another filing system in a filing cabinet.  This has been a great way to keep these papers organized; as long as I do it! 

Magazines are another wonderful commodity of information, encouragement and entertainment but can metamorphose into a lively Paper Beast overflowing baskets, racks, or wherever you place your magazines. Monthly or seasonally I sort through my magazines keeping only the ones that especially of value to me.  A note here: I have kept magazines in the past because there was ONE recipe or web-site that I wanted to use as a resource later.  The mishap is that I would forget that that resource was in that particular magazine and it would never get accessed.  So now when I read through a magazine I clip recipes and write any web-sites or companies that I want to research in a notebook.

I imagine that you may have some Paper Beasts of your own made up of bills, junk mail, catalogues, and magazines.  Besides these you may also find that your sentimental articles such as your children's drawings, cards, notes, your daughter's dance recital program, the Funeral Service Memorial of  a loved one can also be WANTED paper articles in which you are at a loss of where to place them.  An idea is to purchase those pretty decorative paper/cardboard boxes at your local craft store and use them solely for these sentimental treasures.  Another idea is to have a "Scrapbook" folder in your wooden box in which everything gets placed until your are able to place them in an album or scrapbook journal.

Be brave!  Taming the Paper Beast takes consistent effort.  But the pay back is amazing.  You will be able to think more clearly and FEEL more at ease knowing that piles of unsorted papers are not beckoning your attention!

What areas of your home do you work to tame the Paper Beast?

Whole New Look for LOV!

I was already planning on linking with The Gypsy Mama today for 5 Minute Fridays and I was hoping that her prompt would fit in with what I wanted to tell you today.  Any other Friday is a stream writing exercise, but for today there is something special that I want you to see- well, you already have!

The prompt is WHOLE.

And I am pleasantly tickled to share with you the WHOLE new look for the Ladies Of Virtue! Isn't it just the prettiest thing you ever did see?

I had been wanting a more professional as well as pretty persona for the blog.  I contacted fellow blogger Traci Little from http://www.ordinaryinspirations.blogspot.com/ and she got to work. 

Hard work that she probably did not know that she was getting into because I am obsessive-compulsive about visual lay-out and color.  She created graphics which I would have her "tweek" about five times before I felt it was just right.  Did I tell you that she is FULL of patience and sweetness?  Putting up with my mania and delivering the results with complete personal panache.

Thank you so much Traci!!!!  And did I mention her rates are soooo reasonable!  And that she is a gifted visionary bringing out the EXTRA in the every day ordinary through her writing and photography?  and that she did this project for me while she was 35 weeks pregnant and giving her service at VBS?  Who says that a woman cannot capitalize and use her talents and giftings right from her home space?  

So I hope you enjoy taking-in the WHOLE new look for Ladies OF Virtue!!! Please make use of the cute "Connect" buttons and grab the LOV button for your own if you so desire.  AND please come back next week to read the continuing series on "HomeMaking Tips" and maybe the "new" pages will be full!   God bless you and have a great weekend.

Linking with

YOU are Beautiful! ~make the most of yourself

Today is Wednesday when I walk with Him.  What a privilege! 

Yesterday I was very practical and began a series of posts on Homemaking, and yes, practical homemaking is a very spiritual experience.  The subject currently in this series is "Organizing" and I began by encouraging the ladies to sort through their make up.  Get rid of the old and replace it with something fresh and lovely.  Scroll below if you would like to read that post before this one.

So as I walk with Him today I am thinking that writing a parallel post applying these practical subjects to spiritual principles would be fun.  Well, fun because I already know the subject for today!  I can foresee some weeks' posts being more convicting.  But for TODAY- 
I want you to see yourself as beautiful.  I want you to see yourself how God sees you.

Do you consider yourself beautiful?  The Lover of your soul states,

"You are all fair, my love, and there is no spot in you."

~Song of Solomon 4:7

Oh! that just gives me waves of delight!  Dear Sister, He thinks that you are perfect.  My heart goes out to you who will not believe it.  I cannot convince you with my own words but I pray that the Holy Spirit will speak sweet nothings in your ear.  God has made you a beautiful woman inside and out.  He has replaced the ugliness of your sin with beauty.

"OK" you may be thinking but what about this physical body of mine?  Yes, as you consider your muffin top, or pimples, or dark circles under yor eyes (my bother point), or plain-Jane face, He considers you lovely.

But with this truth there is something to be said about trying to look your best- for the rest of us.  LOL. I hope that you saw the humor with which I am coming from in that statement!  Now let me speak plainly- the rest of us can tell whether you take any time at all on your appearance.  While having a preooccupation with our looks is out of balance, so is having no concern whatsoever.  I think that deep down every woman wants to be beautiful.

"I never saw an ugly thing in my life:

for let the form of an object be what it may,

-light, shade, perspective will always make it beautiful."

-John Constable

By dressing with care, doing our hair, and applying make up thoughtfully, we can snip preoccupation in the bud.  Let me explain an example- there have been a few times when I did not apply concealer under my eyes and when I was conversing with someone all I could think of was, "Oh! she is just staring at  my big black circles under my eyes!  I look like a racoon!" not even being able to concentrate on what she was saying!  Pathetic I know.  Maybe it is just me. 

But I have found that when I dress appropriately for the circumstance that I am then being thoughtful towards the others I am with and hononring them.  If your pastor should invite you into his home for dinner will you show up in the paint clothes you wore that day?  or shower, dress, and make an attempt to be fresh?  We all should do this at all times.  (Another example, I do not know a man who wants to be greeted continuously by a woman wearing sweats and undone hair; it connotes a feeling of disorder and stress.  Dress thoughtfully, apply some perfume and lipstick, and most importantly a warm smile, and he will know that you care about him.) 

I have had many women say to me that they do not have the money to dress well, the skill to apply makeup nicely, or the means to get their hair done.  Dear sister there is always a way to make the most out of what you have.  Be creative and ask for help where you need it.

Celebrate your beautiful femininity as a tribute to His glory.  This will be encased differently in each one of us.  Align your attitude about yourself with His and make the most of what you have physically.  Say aloud, "God has made me beautiful inside and out" and believe it.  And if donning a new color of nail polish makes you feel prettier then go for it!  It is your attitude that will showcase your beauty most of all.

Linking today with WalkwithHimWednesdays, womenlivingwell.

Homemaking Tips- Organizing, Pt. 1

For these few weeks in August- Yes! I know that the month has just began but there will be no "lazy, hazy days of August" for us! We have a minivacation, birthdays, school lesson prep, and return to lessons!-  I thought I would post some Homemaking Tips in the area of "Organizing".  If you home educate your children (and have not already started lessons like some of my friends) and behave as I do then you are rushing around doing house projects that you are unable to complete all winter.

I actually started this "organizing" the beginning of the year working each Saturday, then had a long lull till these past few weeks.  "Going back to school" or as in the case of some of my children "going back to the dining table or couch with books" is a signal to "nest".  (Adding to this I will be going to school this year-college- if any of you are the slightest bit curious how I will still be pursuing homemaking as I enter the classroom with adults who could be my children, please let me know!!!  I am in a quandary about whether or not I will write about it.)  I try everything in my feminine skills to get the house in tip top shape: painting where chips have added to the artistic look of walls and doors, cleaning cob webs on ceiling fans, cleaning out the shed, garage, basement, attic, and everything between.  I have found that focusing on small steps- projects that I can accomplish in a few hours will bring great satisfaction instead of being overwhelmed as oft the case.

So today's tip is really fun and I hope that you try it for yourself!

This week sort through your make-up,

pitch out any old stuff.  There are various opinions as what constitutes "old".  These are the rules that I go by.  If it smells odd; pitch it.  If it is dry or flaky; pitch it.  If it is a color that you never wore, thinking that you might  (like the bright red lipstick saved for a special Valentine date with your dh) but never happened: give it away.

Now, some time this week go to a major department store that has cosmetic lines or a beauty store such as Ulta and have the sales consultant do your make-up for you.  These make-overs are free and you are not obligated to make a purchase.  You may just be pleasantly surprised by something they tried that made you look radiant.  Recently I purchased an eye product called "lemon-aid" from the Benefits line at Ulta.  I love it!  The creamy stuff is placed over your eye lid, brightening the eyes and makes them "pop"!

After your "make-over" you will be sure to leave feeling like a new, refreshed woman taking many new ideas and techniques with you.  It is really amazing how good you will feel with one small change, like a change of lip stick color.  

 

If you are "nesting" like me then you may not be able to take the time for a make-over.  At the very least try a new eye shadow or nail polish from where you shop.

Taking time for yourself in this way, you will feel the Happier Homemaker and your family will reap the benefits!

Linking today with

and  http://www.happylittlehomemaker.org/

STILL in His Majesty

I just LOVE the way The Gypsy Mama paints these words, I had to repeat it for you.

"On Fridays, a few of us have fallen into the habit of taking five minutes to just write and not worry if it’s just right or not.  Five minutes to remember that we are creatures sculpted by The WORD and made for The WORD and beloved by The WORD.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. John 1:1-3.So on Fridays, we take the dare to become Word Artists.

The prompt for today is STILL.

Go.

Sitting under big baby blues skies that fill up the expanse, called the heavens dotted with white cotton balls just enough to add accent .  Surrounding by green, luscious green, I prostrate myself on it to feel the coolness of each blade.  A soft wind blows gently moving the heat of the sun off of my face.

STILL.

How can I not bask in His glory when all of nature declares His Majesty?

I am still and I know He is here.  Nature screams of it softly.  And my heart is at peace.  Nothing else matters in this moment.  "Be still and know that I am" Spirit whispers across my heart.  "And as you know that I AM be expectant- expect goodness, expect that I will always be here.  In this stillness know that I remain but I am also in the stillness of your heart as storms rage around you.  As marriages are ravished, bank accounts go in the negative, hearts break for loss- I am always here."

I smile within.  I curl the green blades with my toes, soak up the blueness of the sky and drink it all in so it lasts- I hear someone yelling for me from the back door.



Linking today with The Gypsy Mama.

Shouts of GRACE

For two months now I have been writing journal posts that I have been referring to as "beads on a necklace".  Each bead has been my heart being molded by the Holy Spirit.  If you like read the first bead read here.  I think it is fitting to write about the clasp that holds all these beads together to form a beautiful necklace.  It is GRACE.

Grace- the wonderful, amazing, awe-inspiring phenomenon that will take me an eternity to understand the depths of.

The Greek definition is the divine influence upon the heart and its reflection in the life- CHARIS.  Isn't that beautiful?   Doesn't charis sum up the gospel succintly?  The Father has drawn us, Spirit to spirit working on our hearts and we are able to know God-intimately.  Our whole is made new and we take this grace into us, our days and His goodness is reflected in our lives.

In thinking about the past three months that is what I am left to think of when heart aches are healed, sorrows are relieved, anger is vanquished- GRACE.  He influences, He IS the influence upon my heart and my perspective changes to His.  And in Him I have nothing to fear- nothing to fear.  Oh, how good is that?

His grace are threads weaving in, through, around, between our lives making them into a beautiful relfection of His loving kindness towards us.

Read these scriptures s-lo-w-l-y.  Bask in them.  Ask the Holy Spirit to give you fresh revelation.

"...therefore the Lord earnestly waits- expecting, looking and longing- to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you." -Isaiah 30:18 Amplified. 

The Lord LONGS to be gracious to you!

Two months ago I was so down, I was not sure of when I would get up again.  But even with trials and tests, battles, effects of sin, circumstance, and chance He remains gracious.

 And I am sure of this for me and for you..."that He who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ right up to the time of His return, developing that good work and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you (and me)." -Philippians 1:6 Amplified

At that time He will put the very last stone of our lives into place- the cap stone- with shouts of "Grace! Grace!' to it.  Zechariah 4:7  For all will see by the reflection in our lives that His divine influence has been upon our hearts.

So as I conclude this chapter of my life having strung beads and a centerpiece together I fasten the clasp and shout, "Grace! Grace to it!"
  


I am walking with Him toady and living well because of His grace.  Visit others who are doing the same.http://www.aholyexperience.com/

Blessed to Be a BLESSING

I love to receive gifts don't you?  When Brooke McGothlin offered a copy of her new ebook as a thank-you for a reviewing it, I jumped, "sure!".  I was blessed.

And I am happy today to give away a copy to.....well, you will have to keep reading till the end of this post!
This give-away idea is really fun.  I should like to offer it more often.  I love to receive but I also love to give.

This attitude of course reminds me of our heavenly Father who lavishes on His children.  No good thing will He withhold from us! (Psalm 84:11)

I do not think it wrong to ask to be blessed so that I might be a blessing. 

Now I do not want to get into a theological discourse about how we should have pure motives when asking and that stated above is not one of them.  And how we should give out of what we already have not waiting to receive more.  And how we already are blessed with every spiritual blessing.  Though there is merit in those thoughts, they diverge from the simple truth that I want to convey to you today which makes it difficult sometimes to blog.   Trying to share something theological and from the heart can have too many nuances of meaning to disclose in a short blog post.

I am saying that I pray that I may be blessed so that I can bless in return.

"Oh Lord bless me indeed!"

 

Jabez felt the same way.  See 1Chronicles 4:9-10.  This man caused his mother so much grief as she bore him into this world that she signified her sorrow with his very name- Jabez.  From the outset of his life he was one who caused pain instead of blessing carrying in his name a notification that he was a pain.

 

Scripture says that Jabez was more homorable than his brethren.  I think that the Lord gave him a new brand because of the contriteness of his heart.  He cried out to the Lord, "Oh that You would bless me indeed...that You would keep me from harm that it may not pain me!"

 

Jabez knew that his own sinful ways cause him pain.  Are not we the same?  I cannot count how many times my own mouth has caused me grief.  My actions that reaped sorrow.

 

Jabez also knew that when the Lord's hand was upon him he would be blessed and he would be a BLESSING. 
 

I started this post talking of giving away a material possession.  Yes, that is good.  But there are other blessings that are too numerous to count.  How are YOU blessed today? 

 

Do you have peace in your heart?  Assuage someone who is troubled.

 

Do you have joy?  Go rub that off onto someone and make their day lighter.

 

Do you have love overflowing?  Love the unlovable.

 

BE a blessing.

 

Pray to be blessed.  Your prayer will probably be answered in part by giving you a revelation of the wealth already yours because of His goodness.  When we know that we are blessed our focus is not towards ourselves in self pity but on others.  We search out how we might BE a Blessing.

Now my turn....and the winner is of "Aspiring Writers" is-------
 

  Angela Dively from 

Congratualtions Angela!

 

Linking to time-warp-wife at

 

Filled to FULL

To share The Gypsy Mama's words, "On Fridays around these parts we like to write. Not for comments or traffic or anyone else’s agenda. But for pure love of the written word. For joy at the sound of syllables, sentences and paragraphs all strung together by the voice of the speaker.
We love to just write without worrying if it’s just right or not. For five minutes flat."

Today's prompt is FULL.

GO.

Full of Love.
Full of Grace.
Full of the Holy Spirit.
Those three phrase are poetically beautiful are they not?  And adding our life experiences they become living poetry.

That is what FIRST comes to mind when I hear, "FULL".  (besides being full of the the salty ham & bean soup, chicken salad with veggies, and chocolate with peanut butter icing that I enjoyed last night out with the LOV ladies!  I was full then!)

But as I contemplate a few seconds this also speaks back to me,  "What does it take for your soul to be full?"

Ask yourself that.

Not waxing too spiritual about it.  Think of your whole being....what makes your body have pleasure? your mind have satisfaciton? your heart burst with joy?  what makes your spirit soar?

My body.
-a bright colorful ice slushy on a 100 degree day
- a Chinese massage (I was going to say a massage fro the Chinese man with big hands- read for that post here but I have experienced one from some Chinese ladies as well who are just as talented yet not quite as strong.)

My mind.
-reading a book that sparks my imagination or feeds my intellect or tickles my fancy for words (thinking about "Pride and Prejudice" when I wrote the last comment, what a way with words!!!!  Is that how they spoke 200 hundred years ago!   Oh how our language has been dumbed down!)
-studying scripture really satisfies my brain/heart fancy, looking into the definitions in the Hebrew and Greek, the nuances of the meaning, the practical and spiritual application

My heart.
-seeing my children walking in truth
-having us all hang out in the kitchen while I am preparing dinner sharing jokes and teasings

My spirit.
-meditating on His Majesty
-trying to comprehend His Love, tasting of it and letting it fill me from my toes up.

Wow.  I have so much to be FULL with, I love it!  How about you?  Share some of your full fillings with me; I would love to hear.

Linking today with

Trust and be Green

I took my son to place that I thought as a parent I would never have to do.  I LEFT him there as I had to do for his good.  Rather he left himself there.  But I was his chauffeur and as a mother I felt the pangs of the reality this represented and the pangs of knowing what he would have to go through.

Returning to the car tears stained my cheeks and how I wished that I had taken my sun glasses with me.  When I was confined to the safety of my car heart groanings erupted that only a mother can know.  Moans from my heart depths that make me wonder if the Spirit groans like that for us when He is interceding for us.  No, scripture says that those groanings cannot be uttered, but because I have heard these groanings uttered only a few times by myself or from another mother in anguish I was thinking they are so analogous to be similar.  Expressions of sound erupting from a mouth that cannot form words.

"Oh, Lord," I moaned.  Then I began to form prayer words out of my emotions.

Clearly and poignantly the Spirit of God stated, "TRUST Me."

Uuuuummmm, I did not know that was coming- "OK".

That was all but that was enough.  I do not know His plan.  I do not know if things will turn out the way I desire.  I do not know the course of events that will transpire or their timing.  I just knew in that moment (and now) that the Spirit of the One who weaves all things for my good and has my son's eternal interests in His heart told me to "trust Him".


It was a definitive command. 

That was two days ago and since my hours have had prayers full of confidence for my son.  Not confidence in my prayers but confidence in the One who answers them.

I just read this scripture which prompted me to share this with you in a post.

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,

whose confidence is in Him.

For he will be like a tree planted by the waters

that sends out her roots by the river,

and does not see when heat comes, 

but her leaves are always green. 

She has no worries in a year of drought

and never fails to bear fruit."

-Jeremiah 7:17, NKV & NIV

The man (or woman) who trusts in the Lord hides in Him for refuge, she is confident in Him, is sure of Him, and is bold because of Him. She abides in the vine and because so, her roots drink deep of His everlasting supply of water.

Do you feel in a spiritual drought?  Here in central PA we have gone weeks without replenishing rain and our gardens and lawns are suffering for it.  Walking barefoot on the brown hard grass even hurts.  Nature waits for His supply of rain but dear believer we can have our thirst quenched and roots saturated as we trust Him.

A simple definitive command- "TRUST Me."  Must we know the rest to do so?



I am walking with Him today and living well with many other blessed souls.  Visit them.

Aspiring Writer's Giveaway!

Every writer wants an audience.  But it is a work of sanctification to write for One instead of the masses.

I am still being sanctified in this area; I still need help.  When I read the title to a fellow blogger's new ebook Notes to Aspiring Writers- Your Dream, God's Plan  I got interested.  She asked me to give a review and I was happy to do so.  Thus this post.

Brooke L. McGlothlin shares the journey of her writing metamorphosis.  She begins wanting to be a published author appreciated and adored by her readers through the path of traditional publishing means.  God changes her desires and she is changed as a writer. Through His wooing and love He helps shape her desires into His plans for her.  She now writes with the guidance of One for One.

She bears this journey candidly.  She is honest and spritiually insightful.  I could relate; some of her experiences have been mine.   Yes, I agree this is a "little book with a big message".  If you have any dream this book will encourage you place all of your dreams in His hands.   If you are an inspiring writer you will want to read it too. 

And you can receive a FREE copy from LOV!  Leave a comment concerning anything of your writing experience- how you began, what you love to write about, what your writing dreams are....AND send me an email with your email address. (mrsepple@ladiesofvirtueonline.org)  Next Tuesday the winner will be announced!

Loss of GUILT

I am linking with The Gypsy Mama today for the 5-Minute Friday post.  We take only five minutes and let our fingers fly tapping the keyboard sprawling thoughts onto the screen.  Five minutes with no editing is not long at all, especially for the prompt today of LOSS.

The meditations of my heart are running a different course than the typical subject matter of LOSS.
Today I am mauling over what it means to have a LOSS of GUILT  in my life because I am a believer.

"Therefore there is NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." -Romans 8:1 NAS

because...

"For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.  Therefore as by the offence of one judgement came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification."     -Romans 5:17-18 KJV

Are you in Christ Jesus?
I am not asking if you are living the "Christian life"- monitoring your eyes from the evils of tv, monitoring your mouth from evil slurs that you want to yell at the driver who pulled out in front of you, monitoring your heart from discontentment..... I mean are you in Christ?  Are you sticking to Him like glue?   Are you letting yourself be grafted into His vine?  Are you aboding with Him and He in you?  Are you aligning your mind to His?

The Father proclaims to us that there is no condemnation for us in Christ Jesus.  Do you live that way?  That means, though we are SOOOO deserving of the guilty sentence,  we have been vindicated in Christ.  Absolved FOREVER.  Just as in the American justice system once a person is tried and been found innocent by the panel of jurors never can they be tried again for that same crime, we once having been found as the righteousness of God in Christ CAN NEVER BE TRIED AGAIN.  woo-hoo!!!

I was standing in front of that Judge- the awesome One- guilty of every heinous crime that could have been commited, right before my sentencing Jesus said, "Wait!!!!! I have taken her punishment upon Myself.  She is as innocent as a pure lamb."

Do you remember a time when you FELT that burden of sin fall off of your back- oh, sweet release!  Have you been living with the easy yoke or have YOU put that burden back on by not living what God says of you.  YOU are the righteousness of God in Christ.  If you have never known this and Spirit is revealing this truth to your heart now- believe it.

Christ died that we might live as blissful children.  He does not want us weighted down by the guilt from sin.

Maybe right now your mind is affirming that "no" you do not live with guilt.  Then I would dig deeper and ask you to look into your soul to see if what I call "permaguilt" exists there?  It is a guilt that is embedded just below our consciousness that is always there.  I often have to extricate that blight.  It spreads like a quiet cancer through my soul and surfaces with thoughts of "Why didn't I?  Why do I?" or in another language, "For the good I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want."  This thought if not confronted with the truth of vindication stated above grows like a vine of cancer choking any joy and peace that I am meant to have in the abundant Life He gives to me.

So I cast down those thoughts and replace them with Truth.  I am FREE.  My God loves me and He will never stop!  My Father is happy with me because I am the righteousness of God in Christ.  If you are IN Him, dear reader, this truth applies to you as well.  Let this truth soak into your cells and live free today.

Live with the LOSS of guilt forever.

I want to add a note that though we do sin in this body the emotion that should accompany is sorrow.
"For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces repentance without regret , leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. "  -2Corinthians 7:10 NAS

For further study read Romans chapter 7 and 8.

I DID go waayyy over five minutes but I do not think that The Gypsy Mama would want me to feel guilty about that.


another great link- heartandsoulexchage.blogspot.com

A grain of Wheat that Dies to Bear Fruit

I am Walking with Him today as are so many others- visit the link below....

We are very familiar with the phrase, "We must be empty to be full."  But do we understand it in truth?  Do we really know what it means?

This is another bead on the string I am creating of the various posts surmising my walk with Him these past weeks.  If you have time, read last week's post as it was the centerpiece-here.  I  have called it the "centerpiece" because it was about then that I felt a turning.  A turning up- where I was beginning to learn the lessons, not just walking through the mire perplexed.  I realize as I write presently that I am presumptively thinking that it will be "up, up" from here.  "Up and out"- never to go there again. 

But I also realize that life is not like that.   There is an ebb and flow.  There are valleys and mountain tops.  By God's goodness He does not let us drown in the mire and get lost in the valleys.  By His grace He moves us "up and out".  By His wisdom He allows us to traverse the valleys because He knows that only in the valleys can we see the majesty of the mountain top.  Only where there is an ebb, an emptiness, a dessert, can we appreciate the flow of fullness.  Only in the flow of disaster, turmoil, life's aches that bring the flow up to our noses in deluge, can we appreciate the peace of the ebb.

I am still learning the nuggets of Life and Wisdom.  I have not graduated yet because sometimes I squall like a newborn wanting comfort instead of hunger and release instead of hardship.

But He turns these nuggets into gold as I am taken through the Refiner's fire.

Here is one nugget made into a golden bead for my necklace-

When I am empty I become full of all God wants me to be.



"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit."    -John 12:24

Those days not so very long ago I really did feel like a broken seed being laid upon the parched earth.  That is what I meant at the beginning of this post- We know cognitively that we must decrease and He must increase.  But have you ever experienced what this means in your emotional, spiritual being?  I cannot tell you how you can.  I can only testify that I was led through this experience.  Do we all have to experience this to have a deeper walk with Him?  I do not think so.   Again I can only say that when I was so dry, so pressed down that I could not get up on my own, so bewildered, so empty- Spirit whispered the above scripture to my heart and I understood. 

That great paradox.  Yes, Jesus was referring to Himself in the context of that scripture, but the truth also was revealed that unless I become nothing no fruit can come from my life.  And not just "become nothing" but to realize that I AM NOTHING.  I saw with my spiritual eyes that without Him I am NO good.  Nothing good within me dwells.  A moment before this experience I would have attested to the same but in only a cognitively affirming way.  This was different.  This was an experiential way of Spirit showing spirit.

I hope to keep this in my heart's grasp the rest of this life time for it magnifies His grace to me.

"Grace, grace, wonderful grace.  Grace that pardons from all my sin."

So therein lies the paradox.  I am nothing.  But when yielded to Him, broken, in losing my life I am able to bear much fruit.  I would rather take the broken lot to yield a cornucopia than the lonely seed route any day.  How about you?