Notes from the circus: January 2013

Originally I had planned to teach this in a class, in my home, and I still plan to, but for now, I wanted to make it available for everyone. This will be a seven part series, that I hope will be encouraging and challenging. Enjoy and to God be the Glory!

Part One
(Pro 31:10 KJV) Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

The Hebrew word for virtuous is; chayil, which means a force; an army, power, strong, strength. The word for far is; rachoq , rachoq which means remote, specifically precious. A virtuous woman is a strong force. She is precious to those around her. She is not your everyday, run of the mill, woman. She is needed, not needy. She is strong, but not in her own power, she draws her strength from the Lord. (Psa 18:32 It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.)
If you have ever read through Proverbs 31, you know that this woman has got it together, for her time, anyway, but how do we, as modern women apply the truth of God`s word, of the Proverbs 31 woman, to our own lives?

This is exactly what we will explore in this series. Along with a deeper look at the word of our Lord, we will look at ways that we can improve our daily lives, right now, practicle things we can do, starting today, that will help us to be more of the wives and mothers the Lord intends for us to be. I want each of us to see, maybe for the first time, or be reminded of, how we are to have strength and might in a feminine way and what that looks like through our Lord`s eyes.
If you have ever been intimidated by the Proverbs 31 woman, then be encouraged. This series is for you. My prayer for each of us is that we will soften our hearts to hear the Lord`s word and line our lives up with it. May Christ always be exalted. Amen.

The Proverbs 31 woman is full of Creativity and Wisdom

In this section we will look at the verses that relate to creativity and wisdom.

Let`s start with (Pro 31:15 KJV) She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.
You may be wondering what this verse has to do with creativity and wisdom, so let`s take a closer look.

The word layil means night. It can mean simply night, but it can also mean a figurative night, a time of trial, weeping, suffering, or communion with God.
The word Choq is the word used for portion, meaning statute or regulation. It comes from the root word châqaq - A primitive root; properly to hack, that is, engrave (Jdg_5:14, to be a scribe simply); by implication to enact (laws being cut in stone or metal tablets in primitive times) or (generally) prescribe: - appoint, decree, governor, grave, lawgiver, note, pourtray, print, set.
The word bayith is the word for house, meaning; a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.): - court, daughter, door, dungeon, family, container, hangings. home[born], [winter]house (-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, prison, steward, tablet, temple, web, within (-out).
So as we look at all these meanings, we can start to get a bigger, much deeper picture of what the Proverbs woman is doing, on a daily/nightly basis. She is working hard to engrave the laws of the Lord on the tablets of her children`s hearts, especially during times of crisis. She is there for others, as a wise reminder of the Lord`s grace and love for us, even in trying times. We too are to engrave the laws of the Lord on the hearts of our household, and those we know and love, we are to be the ones in the home, giving and establishing the word of God in our children`s hearts and lives, daily.

We are also to establish order and govern, in our homes, on a daily basis. We are the ones who set the tone and flow of our homes. The old saying 'if momma ain`t happy...' is just so true. But what if you are not home very much, what if you work outside of the home all day and you just want to veg out in front of the TV or computer when you get home? Well, obviously the ideal situation would be for you to be at home, to be available for your children and husband whenever they may need you and after studying the Word on this, I know that is what the Lord wants for families, for mothers to be home, teaching their children diligently His Mighty Word, throughout the day, but this study is about where we are right now and how we can improve today, because we are all like Paul" striving on towards the goal" and none of us is there yet. I do think it needs to be a goal to work on getting home with and for your family, but until that time, let`s see what we can do.

One of the first things we must realize is that we have got to be ready with an answer when an opprotunity to teach the Lord`s word comes up. We must be watching out for those times, especially if our time with our children is limited. This means we must know the Lord`s laws and His word. Then we must find bits of time to teach it, and to share it.

   Here are just a few ideas; in the morning when you are helping your little children get ready for the day, resite the 10 commandments together while you help them get dressed. If you don`t know them, hang them up in a few places in your home, learn them, so that you can help them learn them while driving in the car, or look for music CD`s that you all could listen to together that help you memorize scripture. You could listen to them in the car, or while you`re making dinner. Bring your bible to the table and read a few verses at breakfast and dinner. If you are not sure where to start and have not been doing this already you could start at the beginning, or you could read through the Proverbs. There are 31 chapters, one for each day of the month. Maybe you could challenge your children to memorize their "Birthday Proverb". This is just the tip of the iceberg. Pray to the Lord for creativity and wisdom in this area and He will guide you. Maybe you could keep a small note pad in your pocket or purse so that as the Lord leads, you could write things down.

Our Lord wants us, as mothers, to teach our children the "Meat of His Word". This means that we ourselves need to get into it, to know it, to apply it to our own lives, that we may be an example to them. This may mean that we need to make some changes in how we spend our time. Maybe we need to get off of the computer or not watch our favorite show. Personally I take a small flashlight to bed with me and read myself to sleep every night with my bible. Even though I am not able to read during the day, I can always tell if I skipped out the night before, my attitude is awful the next day. God does not care when you are with Him, just that you are. So, spend a few minutes daily getting re-charged, so that you can feel like you can pass on not only the Word, but the Love.

Pro 31:26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

The word pâthach (paw-thakh')is the word for openeth , which is; A primitive root; to open wide (literally or figuratively); specifically to loosen, begin, plough, carve: - appear, break forth, draw (out), let go free, (en-) grave (-n), loose (self), (be, beset) open (-ing), put off, ungird, unstop, have vent.
The word chokmâh (khok-maw') is the word for wisdom meaning; wisdom (in a good sense): - skillful, wisdom, wisely, wit.
We also see the word law which is tôrâh (to-raw'). In Strong`s dictionary it says; a precept or statute, especially the Decalogue or Pentateuch: - law.

So this verse is pretty strait forward, it re-enforces our last verse, but we should be aware that the " law of kindness" is the Lord`s law. Which again we see in His word. I don`t know about you, but I struggle in this area. My tongue can be such a two edged blade at times. I know this to be particularly true when I do not get enough sleep.

We have an opportunity to build up a person, a family and even a nation with our tongue, with our wisdom, but we must always be aware of this opportunity, and see it in that mind set. What a blessing it is to teach our children what we, ourselves, are learning in our Lord`s word, to share those personal lessons we glean from Him, each day. To do this we must see it as a blessing, not as a burden.
Psa 127:3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
Psa 127:4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of thy youth.
Psa 127:5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

The word is clear that children are a blessing, and we need to check our hearts to be sure we see them that way, all of them. Even if you do not have children of your own, you can speak the "law of kindness" to them and to their mothers and fathers. With great blessing always comes great responsiblity. If you have a nice car but are not responsible with it, do not fuel it, or change the oil, it will not run. If you have children and you do not feed them healthy foods they will eventually become sick. How much more is this true for their spiritual bodies as well? We must raise arrows who are not ashamed to speak the truth in the gates, in the public places. This takes training, with a kind heart, with love towards them, each day.

If you struggle with this, as I sometimes do, pray for the Lord to soften your heart towards that particular child. Ask the Lord to give you a way for the two of you to connect, and when He answers you, DO IT. You will be so glad you did. Another thing that helps me is to work on being slow to answer, that I might take a moment to think about my words, before I speak them. This is part of the "law of kindness".

It really all comes down to our state of mind: are my children a burden to me, if so why? Is it really that they are a hassle or is it my own, feeling sorry for myself, that makes me see them this way? It takes diligence to train our minds to think this way, but the more often we do it the easier it will get, until it becomes second nature.

Pro 31:29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

The word for many is; rab meaning-abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality)
Bath is the word for daughter meaning; a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms of relationship, literally and figuratively): - apple [of the eye], branch, company, daughter.
If we look at it`s root word banah which means to build (literally and figuratively): - (begin to) build (-er), obtain children, make, repair, we start to see something interesting.
This is a woman who was built into, by her mother. Her mother had a vision of the faith she longed for her children to have, and the Proverbs 31 woman is to do the same for her children, as are we. She does it virtuously (the word chayil, which can mean with force, strength, power,etc.) , with power, with intention. There are many she knows that try hard, but she excels in this. The word for excellest is ‛âlâh which means to ascend, intransitively (be high) or active (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literally and figuratively: - arise (up). (cause to) ascend up, at once, break [the day] (up), bring (up). She is high in her calling of wife and mother, she works hard, she has vision and intention, but what makes her different than other woman who try hard? What gives her the edge over some? I believe it is because she not only has vision, but she does all of these things with creativity. She keeps things fresh and new, she`s willing to try new things to help her husband and children. She is continually thinking of new ways to build her home. I once read a saying " Men are the builders of the structure but we build the attitude of the home". How true this is.
We are in such termoil as a nation right now. Families are breaking up, no one seems to know what truth is anymore. Many don`t seem to have a clear understanding of right and wrong, or what our founding fathers really stood for. It can seem overwhelming and hopeless if you think about it too long.

Psa 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
Psa 19:8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

It can seem overwhelming, but God`s laws and ways are right and true, if we will get serious about getting into the word, finding out His ways for us, apply them to our lives and teach them to our children, not only will we build a multi-generational faith for our personal family, but we will build our nation. Our founders knew these truths, they bet their very lives on it and that is what made our nation great. It is now our job to get back to those truths and rebuild, not only our own lives but our very nation. So, get on your knees ladies and get creative with and for the Lord. I am praying for each of you, and your families. I trust our God is going to do great things. Amen and Amen.

I recently realized it has been almost a whole year since I last posted on this blog! What a year it has been. The Lord has been so good to us this past year. We have met new friends, we sold some animals and bought new, different animals. We have 24 hens and a rooster. We also have 20 rabbits and more on the way, which we have had great success with. He has blessed us with the perfect place to start a micro-farm, which is coming along nicely.We've had some great successes, and some major set-backs as well.

For instance, we took almost a whole week to build a wonderful hoop house, which turned out nice and we were even harvesting from it. A few weeks later, a huge wind storm came through and wiped it out. But, we will make lemonade out of lemons and use the salvageable supplies to do row coverings instead.( as a matter of fact I just went out and harvested some spinach) Even in a storm the Lord provided protection. We have several bass wood trees around our house, and I sat up late through the night praying that the Lord would protect our house, that a tree would not fall. And He did! There were only a few branches in the yard the next morning. Which is hard to believe because there were trees down in other areas.

This coming year I have lots of plans, Lord willing. I have to be careful not to get ahead of myself. A large part of the front yard has the best sun on the whole .48 acre, and Wade has agreed to let me turn it into a large vegetable garden. That is a Huge blessing in itself. (He is always so good to go along with my crazy plans, even when he isn`t always comfortable with them) My goal is to eat only vegetables we have grown and have enough to put back for the winter. This is a huge endeavor for me.I have also been studying up on perma-culture, and want to come up with an overall plan for the property, including fruit trees and maybe a small fish pond.

My long term goal is to reduce our food bill so that we can get out of debt sooner, rather than later. I want to be able to have our resources free for the Lord to use instead of paying "the man" :)
Those are just a couple of things I have been thinking about for this new year.
Next week starts our first round of b-days. Every year it gets harder to believe how much my sweet children have grown, and every year I realize I`m getting closer to the age of that part of my life coming to a close. I cherish each child the Lord blesses us with and look forward to anymore He may choose to give us, but the time sure does seem to go by quickly doesn't it?

This year may each of us remember to cherish those the Lord has put in our lives and make time for them.
Blessings From Our Circus to Yours-K

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Above Rubies Family Retreat

Thursday, January 17, 2013

The Practicle Proverbs 31 Woman Series

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

A New Year, New Directions