Priority #2 - My Husband - The Beam in my Eye

Matthew 7:1-5 ISR98 - “Do not judge, lest you be judged. For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged. And with the same measure you use, it shall be measured to you. “And why do you look at the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the plank in your own eye?  Or how is it that you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the splinter out of your eye,’ and see, a plank is in your own eye?  Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you shall see clearly to remove the splinter out of your brother’s eye."


This verse is one of my social media pet peeves as it is the most often quoted but least often understood.  Perhaps you've seen this meme:  

The verse is not talking about not making any judgment calls EVER.  It is saying to be careful of the standard you use so that your judgments are righteous, that is by Yehovah's straight and narrow standard, not our fluid standard that changes with our moods.  

Think about everything about your husband that irritates you.  

He's always complaining.  Are you always grateful?  

He's always late.  Are you always rushing?  

He's too accepting.  Are you very particular?  

He's overweight.  Do you keep yourself attractive?  
He always procrastinates.  Do you finish all of your tasks in a timely manner?

For ever issue, there is a counter-issue.  If we are honest, most of the criticism of our husbands stem from the overflow of self-righteousness in our own hearts and not a genuine desire to see change in them for THEIR good.  That's another by-product of going through the self-examination questions from Yom Kippur.  I recognize that I have SO much to work on and correct in me that I don't have time to work on my husband's list.  

When I work on myself, I see a difference in the atmosphere in my home.  When I am playing close attention to my exercise habits, I have more energy to be of assistance to my family members.  When I am disciplined about planning ahead, my family follows suit.

We are created to give off a pleasant aroma in every garden in which we are planted, but it takes a lot of work for a plant to produce a vibrantly aromatic blossom.  This is a good message on being a woman of influence.

The Power to Tear Down or Build Up | Programs | Revive Our Hearts

So before you dig up a bone to pick with your husband, check your own attitude, habits, and appearance first.

Blessings,

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Rosh Chodesh, Head of the 5th Month

Over this weekend, the new crescent moon was sited in Israel.  This signals the beginning of a new biblical month.  In the millennial reign of the Messiah, all the earth will worship YHVH on these appointed days.

These Scriptures mention the New Moon.

The fourth month, for our family, involved great transition.  My good friend Sister Do Bee mentioned the word chaos.  That hit the nail on the head for me.  On Shabbat, I mentioned Genesis 1:2 ISR98, "And the earth came to be formless and empty, and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of Elohim was moving on the face of the waters."  The greater the chaos, the greater demand to come to order.  That is what I am sensing that YHVH wants to do in my life in this season, bring it to order.  This saying has been floating around Facebook this weekend.  I think it accurately describes the place where I am standing.  I'm expecting beauty at the end.

Instead of highlighting only one priority in this, my monthly blog, I figured I would say something about all of them because I feel like every area of my life needs attention right now.

Priority 1 - My Elohim
My prayer life has grown in the past month.  I am thankful for that, but I have been neglecting a Bible study that I had joined.  Facebook stopped giving me notifications and I stopped doing it.  In addition to my daily Scripture READING, and following along with the study guides for Hoshana Rabbah for the current week's Torah portion, I need to make time to do this Psalm 119 study.  I want to make sure that I have the opportunity to apply the word.  It is in the application of the Word that it becomes real.  Those who don't apply the Word are spoken of in Scripture as those who are ever learning but never able to come into the knowledge of the truth.

Priority 2 - My Husband
Friend Hubby will be starting two new ventures within the next month.  I need to stay on top of his eating.  Now is the season to prepare breakfast burritos, mason jar salads, etc.

Priority 3 - My Children
My son's hours are getting like a typical college student.  I realize he feels more productive at night, probably because the house is quiet, but he is still going to need to get some exercise in.  He is also going to need to get his Eagle project done in the next 6 months before he turns 18.  I am going to talk to some of the advisors so I can help him to get a timeline together.

My youngest daughter is getting a head start on her academics for this school year, particularly algebra and chemistry.  She wants to learn more domestic crafts.  I would like to see her learn to sew and knit by patterns, not just off the top of her head.

Priority 4 - My Home
Friend Hubby and I have been doing a lot of talking about finishing projects we have talked about doing in our home.  For the past 6 months or so, I have been working 2 part time jobs, one as an employee and one as an independent contractor.  I had been mulling it over for quite some time and now feel that this is the season to step out on faith and leave the employee status behind.  The independent contractor position will allow me to be much more flexible with my time so that I can get some things accomplished.

I am also beginning to stock up for the winter.  Friend Hubby has informed me that the freezer is too full right now, so I think on my next shopping trip I will focus on the non-perishables.

Priority 5 - Myself
Since I won't have to rush to get to work in the morning, I can go ahead and get some exercise done at the beginning of my day.  I have been enjoying Leslie Sansone videos on YouTube.  My son put more in my stability ball so I would like to do some core work as well.  This week, I am going to go ahead and send off for my college transcript.  Friend Hubby will start class two evenings a week in a few weeks.  I should go to class at the same time as he does so he doesn't miss my presence.

I am also excited to begin writing to a few pen pals.  There is a group of Facebook for Modern Day 50s housewives.  I think it's going to be fun.  Maybe in the future we can do a recipe exchange with the pen pals as well.

I also want to do a definite upgrade to my wardrobe to include more skirts, matching partial head coverings (I have seen some styles and I just want to use my creativity to do my own thing).  I also would like to make some modest feminine looking tzittzit.  All the colors, all the coordination!  :-)

Priority 6 - Ministry
There are a couple of things I would like to do.  Sister Do Bee would like to have a craft day.  Maybe I can host something like a crafting bee and everyone can just bring their work in progress.

I would like to do a live Bible study, maybe at Chick-fil-A with some ladies, leading them through the study of Psalms like the online group has done.  Social media is getting old we me.  I think I need more physical interaction.

This looks like a lot to accomplish in one month.  Since I am putting it out there, I am eagerly anticipating all of things falling into place that this month will hold.

Rosh Chodesh Sameach!  



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Priority #2 - My Husband: An Encouraging Word

Rosh Chodesh Sameach!  This post is actually going to come out a couple of days after the New Moon is sighted in Israel.

One day, I was online looking for some more to add to my prayers for my husband and I ran across the 30-Day Husband Encouragement Challenge from Revive Our Hearts Ministries.  The initial response in my mind was not positive so I had to do some self-examination and ask myself why.  My husband and I have a great relationship.  We've been together for 31 years and married for nearly 28 of them.  The only answer that I can think of that would have caused that response is maybe some residual feminist thought patterns from my upbringing.

Every now and then, an article makes it's rounds on Facebook or Pinterest from 1955.

Even those who have very little inclination towards feminism are likely to look at this and say, "Oh, hold on one minute here!"

The 30-Day Husband Encouragement is NOT asking you to check your brain and sensitivities at the door.  It is giving us as wives the opportunity to put Yehovah to the test.  Consider the following Scriptures.

James 2:17, "Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."  Faith is not fluffy clouds and feathers.  Faith is doing the hard things that YOU are able to do and trusting that the Almighty will do what HE is able to do.  If you have been praying for your husband to change, maybe the Father wants to work through you to do it, but you haven't been a willing vessel.

The Amplified Bible breaks down 1 Peter 3:1-2 like this:  "In like manner, you married women, be submissive to your own husbands [subordinate yourselves as being secondary to and dependent on them, and adapt yourselves to them], so that even if any do not obey the Word [of God], they may be won over not by discussion but by the [godly] lives of their wives, when they observe the pure and modest way in which you conduct yourselves, together with your reverence [for your husband; you are to feel for him all that reverence includes: to respect, defer to, revere him—to honor, esteem, appreciate, prize, and, in the human sense, to adore him, that is, to admire, praise, be devoted to, deeply love, and enjoy your husband]."

Are you able or willing to be a wordless witness fit for the Master's use?  Do you REALLY trust Yehovah?  "Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."  Matthew 16:24  What if for the next 30 days, taking up your cross is bridling your unruly tongue and speaking positive words over your husband?  Hmm.

Proverbs 31:11:  

In this verse, the Hebrew word for heart is lev.  It is a spelled with the Hebrew letters lamed and beyt.  Lamed in Paleo Hebrew (pictographs like Egyptian heiroglyphics) is a shepherd's staff.  Beyt is a pictograph of a tent or house.  This word tells us that a woman of valor shepherd's her husband's heart.  Her husband is secure in the knowledge that his heart is in a safe place.

 Following verse, Proverbs 31:12 in the Amplified reads:  "She comforts, encourages, and does him only good as long as there is life within her."

I always say, this walk is not about how much Word you KNOW, but how much Word you LIVE.

This is the beginning of the 11th Biblical month, let's put some feet to our faith!



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Priority #2 - My Husband: Revival

Recently, a friend recommended my listening to a message from a certain Hebrew roots minister.  The message was good, but by the end of the message, I found myself wondering what his wife would have said on the subject.  I felt like what he was teaching was a decidedly male response to a gender-less issue.  I looked at their website to see if there were any teachings from his wife, but I couldn't find any.  That day, I developed such a hunger to be fed by women's ministry.  Among Hebrew roots ministries, there just isn't anything with depth out there directed toward women.

Our ministry has grown to the point of being able to have our own women's meetings and I want to make sure I have something to share.  I don't believe in doing all the teaching, we can all grow from one another.  I began searching and reaching out to other sisters in Torah and then another amazing thing happened.  During Sukkot, my cousin texted me from two feet away and said, "Let's get the women together for our own breakout session.  I texted my husband, who was also two feet away,  so he could politely interrupt the speaker so we could leave.  LOL

It was amazing, it was painful, it was revealing, it was refreshing, but it was so NECESSARY!   So much so that my cousin wants us to get the two groups of women together quarterly.  Awesome!

Part of my search for women's ministry lead me to a program called Revive Our Hearts by a teacher named Nancy Leigh Demoss.  Because I taught on Abigail and David at our last women's meeting, I began to listen to her series of teachings on Abigail.  I have the message A Soft Answer saved in my phone.  I have been listening to the same message over and over and it has been stirring and reviving me.  She says, "When you have a heart full of love, you can say a lot and be a lot more effective than if you’re just being a contentious, domineering, controlling woman. You can say hard things to the most difficult men when you say them with a gentle and gracious spirit and with genuine concern and compassion."  Oh how I long to be THAT woman!  I recognize this kind of response can only come as a byproduct of the overflow of a heart that is totally surrendered to Yehovah.  

  
Recently, I played this video for my husband and our assistant congregational leader because I feel does a good job of illustrating the differences in male and female communication.  I was amused at the look of confusion on their faces.  They don't get it.  My husband has been married long enough to know how to pretend to get it.  LOL.  Male and female are two different elements of creation of Elohim and it is amazing that we have learned to communicate as well as we have, I think.  Sometimes my dog hops up and puts her front paws on my leg.  When I lean over and ask her what she wants, she just stares at me.  She would like for me to read her mind, but unfortunately, I can't.  Sometimes she goes away in frustration, running to shake the life out of one of her toys because she can't communicate to me what she wants.  That is how male and female communication can be at times, especially in the unfortunate event of H-A-L-T (too hungry, too angry, too lonely, and/or too tired).    

I recognize that men rarely understand all the thoughts that are conveyed in a woman's words, but a woman's actions can effectively break through that communication barrier.  The phrase "actions speak louder than words" would certainly be applicable here.  I have been teaching my daughter the same thing.  Don't come to Daddy with, "Please let me go see Suzy because she's leaving for three weeks and she's my best friend, well not my first best friend but my other best friend, and I haven't spent time with her in like forever and I'm so going to miss her because I'll only be able to text her because where she's going there might not be internet and Facebook won't be available (sniff, sniff)...."    He's not going to hear you.  You will have wasted all of those words because he will only be focused on whether or not your room is clean.      

So at this point, I am revitalized in my excitement to communicate with my husband in ways other than words, through my cooking, through my touch, through my availability in a crisis, through my listening ear.  I am excited to make first contact -- again!  To boldly go where no woman has gone before --  okay, I'm getting carried away.  

I leave you with a scene from one of my favorite Star Trek TNG episodes where Captain Picard is having to learn to communicate with another humanoid life form who communicates only within their cultural legends.  

Priority #2 - My Husband: Feeding the Hungry Thing

This was a favorite book of my children.  It is about a monster who comes into a restaurant, but his English isn't that great and the children have to guess what it is that he wants to eat.  They are afraid of what might happen if the monster doesn't get fed.  

According to WebMD, these are the symptoms of moderate low blood sugar levels:

Symptoms of moderate low blood sugar

If your blood sugar continues to drop (below 40 mg/dL), your behavior may change. Symptoms may include:

• Inability to concentrate.
• Confusion and irritability.
• Slurred speech.
• Unsteadiness when standing or walking.
• Muscle twitching.
• Personality changes, such as anger or crying.

Sometimes, when someone you love is challenged by diabetes, it can be as confusing as dealing with the Hungry Thing.  I only learned by much prayer, how important my assistance is in helping my husband to manage his diabetes.  After I finally caught on to these symptoms (they are so subtle sometimes that you may think they are just personality quirks, and become offended by some of the characteristics) I sought Yehovah diligently to deliver my husband from this and He flat out told me no.  Well, that was abrupt.  He instructed me that my role as a wife of a now middle-aged man (Friend Hubby is in his 50s now) was to change into more that of caregiver.  Of course the vivid imagination I have immediately pictured my husband in a full bodycast sipping soup through a bendy straw.  Not quite what Abba had in mind!

He wants my husband to walk in health.  Sure, He could miraculously take the diabetes away, and I would like Him to, but the discipline of learning what is proper nourishment for these walking tabernacles we walk around in is important to learn.  

So let's start with breakfast.  Most important meal of the day, right.  Every Shabbat, Friend Hubby reads Proverbs 31 over me in blessing.  I am constantly listening as he reads which verse is standing out to me to work on for the coming week.  The verse that has been shouting at me (though my husband is not shouting when he reads it) is verse 15, "She rises while it is yet night and gets [spiritual] food for her household and assigns her maids their tasks."  

SHE RISES WHILE IT IS YET NIGHT.  How I hate those words!  LOL  To say that I am not a morning person is the grossest of understatements.  However, since being led into our Hebrew roots, I am discovering so much about Yehovah's time clock and how we have tried to alter it in so many ways.  

Over the past six months or so, I have begun setting the alarms on my phone to go off at dawn, sunrise, sunset, and dusk.  You can find out what those are for your location here.

Now, I have not yet been successful it rising at those times, but I am closer than I was.  Since that is such a challenge, I have been looking for other strategies.  ENTER PINTEREST!  :-)  

I now have a board just for Slow Cooker Breakfasts.  It only has 5 pins on it so far, but it's a start.  I also have another Pinterest board called Breakfast and Brunch.  It is a much larger board.  Now that I look at it, it has some slow cooker breakfasts on it to.  I will have to adjust it.  On Sundays  I don't have to go to work until 3 o'clock.  Last week, I made a slow cooker breakfast for Shabbat morning.  It was a hit!  I like Friend Hubby to be well fed before he teaches our Shabbat services.  I see a difference in his teaching when he has eaten well first.  

My goal is to bake bread, and make breakfasts, at least for the start of the week.  I like to make quiche recipes and put bake them in individual muffin cups (if you have teenagers, you know what portion control sometimes has to be like).  I also bake my loaves of bread.  Last week when I did my Sunday baking, a friend was visiting.  My daughter came downstairs and helped (without being asked) and it became a "girls' time."  That's something I would like to see continue.  I have a friend who knows how to can.  I can invite her and her daughters over on a Sunday morning (they are also Sabbath keepers) and we can can (no pun intended) together.

But I digress.  This article discusses (more articulately than I) the benefits of a good breakfast for diabetics.  Starting the day with a good breakfast leads to a sweet disposition throughout the day, not just for the one affected by diabetes, but for their loved ones as well.              

Priority #2 - My Husband - More on Sirach

I have still been reading the Book of Sirach and how it pertains to wives:

Sirach 40:19-20 (GNT)

"Your name can be preserved if you have children or if you establish a city, but finding Wisdom is a better way. Owning livestock and orchards will make you famous, but it is better to have a wife you love. Wine and music can make you happy, but a happy marriage is even better."

Sirach 40:23 (GNT)

"You can't go wrong with a good friend or neighbor, but an intelligent wife is better than either."

Sirach 7:19 GNT

"Don't miss your chance to marry a wise and good woman. A gracious wife is worth more than gold."

Sirach 7:26 GNT

"If you have a good wife, do not divorce her, but do not trust yourself to someone you don't love."

ON BEING A TRUSTWORTHY WIFE
Sirach 42:6 GNT

"It is wise to lock things up if you cannot trust your wife or if too many people are around."

Any wonder why Proverbs 31:11 AMP says,

"The heart of her husband trusts in her confidently and relies on and believes in her securely, so that he has no lack of [honest] gain or need of [dishonest] spoil."

?

The book of Sirach also has some very unflattering things to say about women. I will not list them here because I don't want to examine them in the light of today's sociopolitical standards. But these verses on the importance of marrying an intelligent wife and making a happy marriage, these are timeless. :-)

Priority #2 - My Husband - Not the Early Bird

I am NOT an early bird. For six years, I worked until 1 and 2 in the morning. Last year, Adonai began to deal with me about my times and seasons. Even as I write this, I just finished a study Friend Hubby is doing on the Seven Covenants, and I realized that when the creation of earth began, the first thing that Elohim established was times and seasons:

"And God said, Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be signs and tokens [of God's provident care], and [to mark] seasons, days, and years." Genesis 1:14 AMP

To Noah, He says:

"While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease." Genesis 8:22 AMP

So what is the first thing He does when He brings the Children of Israel out of Egypt? He gives them His own calendar. {See Leviticus 23}

Apparently, time is important to Him. Hmmm.

So, my times and seasons have been changing. First with the Sabbath. From the time that I started keeping the Sabbath more consistently, I have changed jobs, not once, but twice, and now work exclusively in the daylight hours (with the exception of Sunday evening).

Now, it seems, that is not enough. It appears, that He is trying to make an early bird out of me. My flesh is kicking against the goads! LOL!

When I was a young bride, I used to try to get Friend Hubby to let me make him breakfast in the morning. He kept telling me no and after a while I stopped trying, but now, after nearly a quarter of a century of marriage, we both realize that breakfast would be good for him in the morning, so one of us should fix it. So far, that hasn't been me, but I'm moving closer. In the last six months I have moved from not even being aware of when he left for work to actually being up to say good-bye. Eventually, I'm sure I will be down there breaking out a skillet or two. I can feel it in my bones.



Blessings,

Priority #2 - My Husband - My Favorite Wifely Scripture

Have you ever read I Peter 3:1-6 in the Amplified version? It is an EXTREMELY eye-opening experience:

IN LIKE manner, you married women, be submissive to your own husbands [subordinate yourselves as being secondary to and dependent on them, and adapt yourselves to them], so that even if any do not obey the Word [of God], they may be won over not by discussion but by the [godly] lives of their wives,

When they observe the pure and modest way in which you conduct yourselves, together with your reverence [for your husband; you are to feel for him all that reverence includes: to respect, defer to, revere him--to honor, esteem, appreciate, prize, and, in the human sense, to adore him, that is, to admire, praise, be devoted to, deeply love, and enjoy your husband].

Let not yours be the [merely] external adorning with [elaborate] interweaving and knotting of the hair, the wearing of jewelry, or changes of clothes;

But let it be the inward adorning and beauty of the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible and unfading charm of a gentle and peaceful spirit, which [is not anxious or wrought up, but] is very precious in the sight of God.

For it was thus that the pious women of old who hoped in God were [accustomed] to beautify themselves and were submissive to their husbands [adapting themselves to them as themselves secondary and dependent upon them].

It was thus that Sarah obeyed Abraham [following his guidance and acknowledging his headship over her by] calling him lord (master, leader, authority). And you are now her true daughters if you do right and let nothing terrify you [not giving way to hysterical fears or letting anxieties unnerve you].

I don't know about you, but I need to revisit this on a daily basis and remind myself of my purpose, to bring honor and glory to YHWH through my conduct towards my husband first, my children second, and all those for whom He allows to cross my path.

Blessings!

Priority # 2 - My Husband - Sprit of Rebellion

Last week's Torah portion is about the Korah rebellion. More accurately, according to Hebrew4Chrisians, there are four different rebellions that take place in that Torah portion.

"Korach against Aaron; Dathan and Abiram against Moses, the tribal chiefs against Aaron, and finally, the entire community against Moses. The chief conspirator, however, was Korach, a member of the Kohathite clan who appears to be involved in all four of the rebellious movements."

After studying and meditating on this section of scripture, I came to the conclusion that the seed of rebellion is often fear. Consider the Apostle Peter's admonition to wives on the subject of submission in I Peter 3:6, written in the Amplified version:

It was thus that Sarah obeyed Abraham [following his guidance and acknowledging his headship over her by] calling him lord (master, leader, authority). And you are now her true daughters if you do right and let nothing terrify you [not giving way to hysterical fears or letting anxieties unnerve you].

The second seed of rebellion, I believe, comes from a lack of trust in YHWH. Remember how the children of Israel cried in their tents all night long because of the report of the 10 spies who had reconnoitered the land? Their lack of trust in the God who brought them out of Egypt led them to rebel and not enter the land. As a result, that generation NEVER got to enter the land.

How many blessings to I miss because of fear and unbelief? Oh the thought of it is overwhelming! My prayer is that Adonai will bring my anxieties to the forefront of my mind so that I can confess them and turn from them! He has given us such great promises and assurances in His word that he would be with us in our moments of great fear and doubt!

Granted, if you are married to an abusive husband, these words may not apply to you. Flee! may be the watchword for your situation, but for those who are not in that type of situation, consider these verses on fear with regards to being fearful in adaptation to our husbands (I was taught recently that in the Hebrew definition of the word that has been translated as submit in our English Bibles, it is more accurately described as the word "adapt.").

IN LIKE manner, you married women, be submissive to your own husbands [subordinate yourselves as being secondary to and dependent on them, and adapt yourselves to them], so that even if any do not obey the Word [of God], they may be won over not by discussion but by the [godly] lives of their wives.

Psalm 94:19 AMP: "In the multitude of my [anxious] thoughts within me, Your comforts cheer and delight my soul!"

Isaiah 43:2 AMP: "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned or scorched, nor will the flame kindle upon you."

Philippians 4:6-7 AMP: "Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

Psalm 46:1-2 AMP: "GOD IS our Refuge and Strength [mighty and impenetrable to temptation], a very present and well-proved help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains be shaken into the midst of the seas."

I Peter 5:7 AMP: "Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully."

My toes are more than a little crushed as I read these verses because I KNOW I'm guilty of giving in to fear and thus at times acting out in rebellion. How are your toes feeling about now?

Blessings!

Priority # 2 - My Husband - Team Work

I was blessed this morning by a blog I read at A Wise Woman Builds Her Home called Helping Your Husband Lead & Father's Day Resources.

She enumerates four character traits that we as godly wives need to have:

1. Be prayerful---before you act or speak be prayerful. A godly woman is always growing her prayer life, washing in prayer her family, herself and those around her. She knows how important it is to pray for her husband, his walk, his decision making, his character, his work, his mind, his purity, his protection, etc. (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

2. Not fearful.--Many times as wives we act out and do so out of fear. We are afraid our husbands will make a wrong decision, we are afraid of the future, what others will think, etc. We need to recognize when that is happening a realize how we can make bad decisions from it. We need to follow the example of Sarah. (1 Peter 3)

3. Be silent--Before we speak we need to make sure we are not speaking out rashly or driven emotionally. Sometimes it helps to be silent for awhile (yes, I know this is hard for many of us!) and pray and think over the situation. (Ecclesiastes 3:7)

4. Communicate biblically-- After we pray, look to scripture/get wise counsel, we need to communicate biblically. We do this with speech that expresses love, with kindness, forgiveness, submissiveness, always hoping and trusting without anger, pride, not keeping a record of wrongs, etc. (Galatians 5:22)

This really blessed me this morning. It made me think of a baseball team my daughters were on once. The coach's son was obviously gifted at baseball. He could play each and every spot on the team with great precision and skill. The problem was that in every play, he was playing every spot on the team. None of the other children were able to develop much in their skills because before the first baseman could catch the ball, the coach's son was running from short stop with his glove out, "I got it! I got it!" The other children eventually just gave up and let him do everything.

In Proverbs 31, there is a list of responsibilities that women have in the home. Food procurement and preparation, clothing, child rearing, prayer, wise investments, physical fitness, etc. These are not demeaning, they are simply responsibilities that I am accountable for and am supposed to take pride in. If I would take care of the tasks that Adonai has assigned to ME, I would spend less time judging the tasks that Adonai has assigned to my husband. Nobody likes a micromanager. Who assigned me these tasks, my husband? No! My God did and it is HE who will hold me accountable for how they were carried out.

I love how Stormie Omartian's book "The Power of a Praying Wife" begins with a prayer for "His Wife." Before I try to pull the speck out of Friend Hubby's eye, I need to look in the mirror and make sure there's not light pole sticking out of mine!

Lord, help me to be faithful to do MY part!

Blessings!

Priority # 2 - My Husband - Red, White, Blue, and Green

While attending a graveside service at a Veteran's cemetery a couple of years ago where the husband and his widow were both veterans, they gave an opportunity for those who had served to salute. I was so moved to see the widow stand at attention and solute but I was even more moved because the man who stood beside me took a step away from me to make clearance so he, too, could salute. That man was my Friend Hubby. I am more than a little proud to have been married for 12 of his 20 years of service to our country in the United States Air Force. I am also thankful to have him here with me. My heart goes out to those whose veterans have paid the ultimate sacrifice. I am also so proud of our niece who is serving as well. She has had some difficult times during deployment this past year and we are so grateful to have her home.

Last night, I got bit by a green-eyed monster - JEALOUSY! Friend Hubby was invited to go fishing with a friend this morning. He has never been fishing before and was so excited to get the invitation. I confess, I was so jealous. I didn't even take off from work today. Now I'm sad that I was jealous because my computer has a virus and instead of going fishing, at the moment, he is trying to fix my computer. He is NOT a happy camper. I pray that Adonai will give me creative ideas to make his day better from this point AND pray I get my computer fixed!

Blessings!

Priority #2 - My Husband - Sing Unto the Lord

One of Friend Hubby and my favorite things to do together is sing. On Saturday after our garage sale, I found an old song book from a choir we sang in back in the early 1990s in Germany called the Anointed Voices.



Our head director (Friend Hubby was assistant director) had put together a booklet of our repertoire with all the lyrics. It was in a box I found in the garage that we'd kept all these years.

Some of our favorites include lyric that say things like:

"I shall wear a crown when it's all over. I'm going to put on my robe, tell the story how I made it over..."

"Are you ready? Are you ready? For the coming of the Lord!"

"Make a joyful noise all ye people. Sing a song to the Lord of His goodness, love and His mercy, sing a song unto the Lord."

"If you want to be born again, say-a-a, say-a the word!"

So many songs reminded us of our season in Germany, reminded us of what the Lord brought us through and how we are still able to be standing even today. God has been so good to us!

We started singing the songs together in the driveway. If we can sing on a cold street corner in Klatovy, Czechoslavakia, we certainly don't have a problem singing in suburban central Texas!

One thing we noted was that songs that are played on urban gospel radio stations today do not have the same themes as what we sang about then. Today's lyrics say things like:

"Let's get back to Eden, live on top of the world."

"Enough is enough, I'm taking back my stuff. I'm taking back what the devil stole from me."

"Get your inheritance."

Do you see the difference? We used to sing about HIM and HIS kingdom. Now we sing about our own kingdoms.

We have recently been attending a small fellowship of believers who are researching the Hebrew roots of our Christian faith. The more I read to my children and we have discussions about the history of the Roman festival of Saturnalia and the customs of the ancient Catholic priests of trying to win converts among the Druids by mixing some of the "old" with the "new" and how much of the "old" which never actually left, I am hungering for truth, authentic, and in it's simplest state.

Friend Hubby and I have always been on a different path than those around us. It seems as though that is where we are now as well. The only thing we can do is to keep singing and keep trusting in our Lord who is leading us into uncharted territory for us. I just know that in the churches I have attended in the past few years there is too much Me-Me-Me and not enough Him-Him-Him.

"Hallelujah, salvation and glory, honor, and power unto the Lord our God. For the Lord our God is mighty. Yes, the Lord, our God is omnipotent. The Lord our God, He is wonderful!"


Blessings!