11:11, Wednesday, October 18, 2006
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ONE DAY AT A TIME
One day at a time, with its failures and fears, With its hurts and mistakes, with its weakness and tears, With its portion of pain and its burden of care; One day at a time we must meet and must bear.
One day at a time to be patient and strong; To be calm under trial and sweet under wrong; Then its toiling shall pass and its sorrow shall cease; It shall darken and die, and the night shall bring peace.
One day at a time - but the day is so long, And the heart is not brave, and the soul is not strong, O Thou pitiful Christ, be Thou near all the way; Give courage and patience and strength for the day.
Swift cometh His answer, so clear and so sweet; "Yea, I will be with thee, thy troubles to meet; I will not forget thee, nor fail thee, nor grieve; I will not forsake thee; I never will leave."
Not yesterday's load we are called on to bear, Nor the morrow's uncertain and shadowy care; Why should we look forward or back with dismay? Our needs, as our mercies, are but for the day.
One day at a time, and the day is His day; He hath numbered its hours, though they haste or delay. His grace is sufficient; we walk not alone; As the day, so the strength that He giveth His own.
Today is our Angel Food Ministeries day. Such a wonderful time gathereing, meeting & delivering food. Such a blessing. Our whole family went...I had had a bad dream about driving on the interstate & with all the truck traffic today...I was so thankful the Lord answered my middle of the night prayers. As I quietly got up early, my husband awoke & said he changed his mind & was coming....went drove to 4 cities & towns with semi's all around us. With the winds just a knocking. With my hand, I was so thankful to have him with us, fellowshipping, meeting families & driving us all. Such a lovely morning. The Lord is so good.
We then came home to put away all our goodies, make & eat lunch...to try to then cool off a bit. While our son & my husband worked out in the pastures...with 102 degrees...they could only last a few hours...then in to work while the worst heat passes. The girls peeled about 20 heads of garlic while I went out & harvested the basil. It was lovely...all the counters/tables were green with basil. My cast smells of basil.:) We then brought out 2 bags of our pecans from our harvest last year, parmesan by the gross...& gallon of olive oil. We have bowls & bowls of pesto. The garlic was so hot...I am going to be healthy for a month...as I taste when I cook. The poor hand specialist...well...I will have to wear alot of perfume & chew some peppermint just as I go in. :) We are working to get all put up before the heat or eventually the winter comes. The Lord is good to supply our needs & we praise Him for all He gives us. And even for my one hand that is working...I am so thankful to have it and be able to do what is needed. God is so good!
For those that don't know....I broke one of my hands...so that is why I haven't been posting as much lately...I have some pics from all our sewing when I post to the website tomorrow I will send some to the blog.
Having fun sewing some new things for friends & family...the Lord is good.
Lord's blessings,
Sister Kris M.
PS- I will also add the Angel Food ministry link tomorrow. Take a look & see if there is one in your area...or possibly one you all could start in your town. This is a wonderful ministry for our families & others. Such a blessing. :) God is so good!
Today it is still very quiet in the house. Not even the little puppy makes a move this morning, as she usually jumps for joy when I come in. She is still tired from a late night. :)
The farmyard has its usual morning scurry occuring. And the air is still cool from the night. Yesterday was finally hot. I can say for me...who really likes warm weather, it finally got hot. We pray for rain and cloud coverage now as we usually do in August. The fall rains will come or there will be storms in the gulf that will eventually send rain our way. We just pray they are not hurricanes. As I grew up on the coast and we lost our home to a hurricane.
We finished one order and will add some new pictures to our site in the next few days. Another order to be finished, Lord willing today. And a 3rd to cut this day. We also have some ready mades that will be going on ebay in the next week. We have been very busy praying and sewing. As we sew, we pray for each recipient...what a blessing to be able to do this.
I have some business to attend to on behalf of our family, sewing, packaging an order for mail, make some flyers for our business to be passed out Friday at a homeschool event and clean our craft area so my sweet husband can set up my cutting table...YEA!!! a cutting table, what a wonderful treat!!
Lots of laudry to get finished and I need to make some pesto as my basil is growing like crazy!
I really need about 3 clones of me.:) The children have some school work to do today. And our oldest will teach piano today. Then back to the garden to get the Fall garden prepared. We decided last night to also put in more tomatoes to hopefully get a nice little crop to put up for tomato sauce for the winter. Yum! :)
And then finally, all the canning that needs to get done. I have cucumbers for pickles, cabbage for a relish, tomatoes and pumpkin in a pumpkin butter and plain that the children want me to freeze as well. I put my foot down on the drying it for winter use. This I have noexperience with and don't want to take the chance with our beautiful little pumpkins.
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Company’s coming! Company’s coming!” This joyful call often echoes through our house. We all wait in anticipation and welcome our guests at the door. This call and the anticipation that goes with it has always been a part of my life. As a young child my parents had a never-ending stream of guests in their home. I loved looking forward to our guests and visiting with them. Singles, families and elderly, they were all interesting. Sometimes there was a special menu, sometimes folks just dropped by and ended up staying for whatever we were having at the moment. The food always reached and one theme ran throughout each event. That theme was “Gracious Hospitality.” My father and mother always made folks feel welcome. Ideas were exchanged, doctrines discussed and friendship shared. Often we spent time singing with our guests or sent them off with a song as we stood by their car. I will never forget some of these special times. Only last week I met lady that we had known when I was seven or eight. “How is your mother?” she asked. “I would come to your home sometimes when we were newly married and your mother was such an inspiration to me. I loved to watch how she worked with all her little ones. You were so close in age and she worked with you so sweetly.” The sweetness of that testimony lasted more than forty years! What a ministry!
My parents passed that love of people on to me. There are few things more satisfying than to fill our home with people, fellowship, singing, laughter and food. We love to bring folks home to share whatever we have. Sometimes we share a meal and sometimes we just fellowship. Sometimes we share our home for a few months or a few years with someone who needs it. We always want our home to be a place where folks come when they need a shoulder to cry on, a listening ear or just a friend. We always seek to share the love of Jesus, for His love was a sharing, serving, giving love.
The New Testament carries a strong message about sharing and hospitality and giving. Look with me at the following verses: Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised....”
This was the precise purpose that Jesus came to the earth for and He has passed that mission on to us. What better way can we follow His example than to begin in our homes, offering what we have to share? Paul experienced this sharing through Aquila and Priscilla while they discipled him and we have all benefited from their love and generosity through Paul’s epistles. Acts 18:26: “...whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.” He teaches this principle again and again throughout the rest of the New Testament.
An open heart is an essential ingredient for hospitality. An open heart will bring about an open door in an open home. Each of us has a home to share, however small or humble. I will never forget one family that we visited who lived in a very small house on a very low income. Things were neat and tidy but very, very simple. They served us soup and bread and applesauce with no apologies. They did it cheerfully and warmly and we were made to feel like honored guests. It is not the food or the house that makes hospitality. It is the heart. 2 Cor 9:7 “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”
I am convinced that if we learn to open our hearts and our homes in a sweet, simple way, we can reach far more people for the Master and lift many more burdens than the church at large is presently doing. If we must wait until the house is perfectly cleaned, or the budget can stretch to make an elaborate meal we will miss many, wonderful opportunities. The stay-at-home mother can be a missionary in her own home if she learns a few valuable lessons from the Master. Jesus met people wherever they were and served them there with out any fanfare. He gave what he had even if it was only fish and bread.
Another ingredient of hospitality is to give what you have when the need arises. Usually, for us that means having our children sleep on the floor so we can give their beds to our guests. Often we only have time for a little cleanup and things look just like they do every day for us. We serve them granola for breakfast and soup for lunch and we have lots of fun together. One time we had a family of fourteen for a week while the dad attended a week of meetings here. Beds were on the floor here and there with crowded conditions everywhere. The two bathrooms were kept quite busy and the food was plain. But we had lots of fun. We read together and sang together and did simple crafts while the dads went to church all day. We will never regret the wonderful days we spent together. That family has become like family to us.
Another aspect of this sharing is that your children learn to give, to share and to minister to others, if you do it willingly. It is so easy to give in to the temptation to grumble and complain about the extra work and the burden of needing to provide for others. Perhaps that is why Peter sagely advises us, “...Use hospitality one to another without grudging.” How many, many times I have failed this lesson. One day, a few years ago, the phone rang. It was a couple in distress, planning to come to our church to find help. We were maxed out at the moment with health problems and our married children were due to arrive with their families that weekend to stay for a few days. I apologetically declined to serve them, but they did not get the message. They were on their way and they were coming. I sighed a big sigh and wondered what we would do with them and how we would meet their needs. I really did not want company then. They came and we loved them and they stayed for more than a few days! Finally they found a house here to move into and we have a wonderful friendship. What a blessing we would have missed if we had not entertained these dear people in their need.
Another weekend when it really was not convenient, we kept a family that wanted to visit the church and they proved to be angels unawares. Our baby was experiencing unusual health difficulties and these dear folks provided some answers which greatly improved his health. God does move in mysterious ways and so often He provides and unexpected blessing when we are faithful to His commands.
Finally, we must do it unto the Lord. When we serve this way we can reach across cultural, nationality and age barriers. We can play a significant role in preaching the gospel to the poor; healing the brokenhearted, delivering the captives, restoring sight to the blind, and setting at liberty the bruised. The world, and unfortunately, the church, is full of people who need to see the love of Jesus lived out in shoe leather. A Christian home in today’s world is a miracle that must be shared. When we give in Jesus’ name He sanctifies our simple gift of love and our kitchen table becomes an altar where fires are lighted that burn in other’s souls. We can share the Bread of Life and the Living Water while we share our meal and fellowship. “We saw Jesus in your home,” wrote one guest. “We did not know that families could live together like that. Our lives are changed forever.” That is reward enough. I remember with fond memories, the guests from the rescue mission that stayed in our home one weekend during our revivals. That was a real cross-cultural experience for all of us. But it yielded wonderful fruit. The mother was born again during the meetings and her young son came to live in our home for the next few years. He was so thirsty for the truth and so hungry for the stability and love. Today he is 22 and living his life completely different from the sin and drunkenness and drugs of the inner city.
When we yield ourselves to God and open our hearts to His Spirit we discover with delight that He has given us wonderful tools to aid us in the “mission He has called us to. And wonder of it all, we are all able to carry out this ministry in one way or another at some time in our life. We do not need a special college degree, unusual abilities or an immaculate home. We only need a sanctified open heart and an open home. When we open our homes like this we pass on to our children the wonderful heritage of hospitality and make it much, much easier for them to serve in the same way. How often I have heard folks exclaim, “We don’t know how to do it! Where we came from, hospitality is not the norm.” Sadly enough, this is true.
Most American Christians do not open their homes to each other anymore. After church, if they want to get together they often go out to eat. When there is occasion to celebrate they go out to eat. When they go to another area, they stay in motels. No one would think of opening his home to a stranger. What has happened to the biblical injunction, “I was a stranger , and ye took me in.” Matt. 25:35
Jesus knew that our homes would provide a way to minister freely to a person, body, soul and spirit. Our homes are uniquely us, and they should be a warm, comfortable place where hearts can open and be free. This nurturing atmosphere allows us to draw others closer to our Master and make a great impact spiritually. It is a wonderful tool in discipleship.
One author challenged me by saying that she takes a bit of time to go aside and prepare her heart for her guests. When she prays for them and for help to minister to their needs she finds that things go so much better. I have found this to be true, though I confess that I do not always remember to apply that lesson. Our Father is not slack concerning His promises.
There are some practical things that you can do to make spontaneous hospitality easier. First, begin to have some order in your daily life. Make it a habit to keep the dishes washed or stacked neatly ready to wash. Sweep the floor after meals and quick-shine the bathroom when you use it. Teach your children to clean up the toys they are playing with. When they are big enough to get toys out, they are big enough to put them away. Unclutter and dejunk you house. An uncluttered house is much easier to clean and keep clean. Lower your standard a bit. You do not need to have a Better Homes and Gardens house and yard to minister through your home. In fact, that may actually hinder your ministry.
Learn to keep a few items on hand for simple meals that can be made quickly. Each family can develop their own favorites, but here are a few that we use:
Burritos and salad
Chicken soup and hot muffins
Chili and cheese over baked potatoes
Hot ham and cheese sandwiches and soup
Stir fried vegetables and rice
Beans and rice
There are many, many other possibilities. We do enjoy making really special food sometimes, but we mostly try to keep it simple and easy. That way it is not hard on our budget or our time. Paper place settings help a lot if your budget can handle the extra cost. If not, rinse the dishes quickly and stack them until later or make dish washing time a time of fellowship. Everyone washes dishes at their house, so do not hesitate to allow them to help you do yours. After all, it is one way they can help to repay you for the time you spent serving them.
Involve your children in the picking up and food preparation. Children love to set the table nicely. Train them in the days and weeks before to arrange things neatly and add a small bouquet of flowers from the flower garden or light a candle or use nice napkins by each plate. Learn to arrange the food attractively. Our children take a great delight in making a fruit tray a colorful, artistic arrangement. They experience a real sense of accomplishment when they turn a simple veggie tray into a work of art. Even the seven-year-old begs to be allowed to try his hand at it. And he can do a good job!
Use your everyday dishes if that is all you have and do not be apologetic. I do not have a Sunday set and that is just fine. I have plenty of Corelle plates from when we were married thirty years ago and sometimes I use paper plates. Add a smile and a joyful song, serve with love and your guests will be blessed. Put away anything that little ones could break or destroy so that both you and the guests will be relaxed and enjoy the visit.
Welcome your guests warmly and make them feel comfortable. Do not rush around after they are there if you can help it. Sit down and enjoy them. Learn to know who they are and share a bit about your journey in life if it is appropriate. Do not expect your visitors to necessarily have the same convictions and standards that you do. Remember that this is a ministry. You will have a far better experience if you plan ahead to keep the children well occupied and supervised. It takes only a few short minutes for things to happen that are very difficult to undo. If you have an older child take turns supervising the children. That way you both can have some time to minister and fellowship. Visit while you supervise the little ones. It is a good way to observe and learn to know your guests. Let the circumstances be vehicles for useful and up-building conversation.
Do not fret or feel tied down by your children. Use the little difficulties that come up as teaching tools and do not be ashamed to train your children sweetly while guests are present. Last week someone laughingly reminded me of her first visit at my house eleven years ago. My tiny one had grabbed a toy from her little girl. She says I called my little one to my knee and said, “Mama must smack your hand. It grabbed a toy.....“ She had never seen a mother correct a child that way and she was taking lessons. I do not remember it but the story sounds very likely. Living is always the best way to disciple. I love to see Christianity put in shoe leather.
Finally, send your guests on their way with a blessing or a bit of prayer and a song. Go out with them to their car or at least as far as the porch and wave cheerily as they pull out. This makes them feel special. Our family has wonderful memories of visiting another family years ago who was very warm and enthusiastic. They welcomed us so pleasantly and then when we left they waved and waved and blinked the porch lights as we drove out the lane. We have never forgotten that and sometimes we do it for our guests.
And last, but not least, your hospitality must begin at home. Our children and husbands deserve the same grace and the same love that we extend to others. We greet a guest with a warm welcome. Our children however, are often welcomed with, “take off your muddy boots, or pick up your toys immediately.” They need to do these things but we need to temper our commands with sweetness and love. Kindness and respect for our own families every day is a prerequisite for true hospitality. Like the statement “Charity begins at home,” so does hospitality. May it be said of us, as we serve our brothers and sisters in Christ....“ “...they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints.” 1 Cor 16:15
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We are all home and doing well. We had a very nice trip through Denver, Colorado Springs, Santa Fe and Glorieta, NM. But like all trips, it is good to be home! Everyone fared well...even our little Duchess. She is very glad to be home!
All our critters were very glad to see us. All did well while we were gone. We lost some trees due to the heat and some watering problems. But overall things are good.
We have just mailed out an order and have several on the cutting table. We have found wonderful fabric for some new orders. Also, several people have been inquiring about our capes. What a blessing!! The Lord is so good. We also have been developing some new headcoverings and trying to raise the quality on the fabrics and sewing design. So much fun and such a blessing!!
We have also been able to obtain some wonderful fabric to make some blankets for the orphanage in China our youngest came from. We are so excited to sew some blankets for the girls. Though she came from southern China...very tropical, the Chinese are very concerned with babies getting cold and love to bundle them up...even when the rest of us are in our summer attire. So we know these blankets will be put to use. Also it can be something the girls can take with them....when they go to their new forever families.
We are so excited....our local fabric store is having a notions sale this Saturday and we have our list ready. Some things on the list have been things we have only seen in catalogues and waited and waited. The store has several in stock...so we are so thankful to the Lord. God truly supplies all our needs.
We will be putting new pictures up on our site in the next couple of weeks. If you have time...be sure to stop in and visit us....www.BlesstheLordwithModestDress.com. So we are truly enjoying all the sewing taking place these days. We are so thankful to everyone being so patient with our site. I am humbled daily with this computer and am learning so much.
Well, it is late and tomorrow is another busy day. A day to serve the Lord with gladness.
Have a wonderful night's sleep and may the Lord richly bless your day tomorrow,
This is the day that the Lord has made...I will rejoice and be glad in it!!
Have a wonderful day in the Lord and be sure to get into the word. If we study the word....John tell us Jesus is the word....we will know Him better. What a wonderful way to start the day!!
Good evening. I am writing from Santa Fe, New Mexico tonight. It showered on and off all day with a very windy cold rain. We were so blessed to get to drive around and see some of our old favorite sights. Take a few pictures and some to repeat and see how much the children have grown comparitively to previous years pictures.
So much has changed and grown. We realize as we see these large cities how much we truly love our quiet little home and property. After going to Denver, Colorado City and now Santa Fe. We will leave tomorrow for Glorieta, NM....a Christian conference center. We have had to wait for a room as they were all full. So we are even considering extending our stay...1 more day to stay at Glorieta a bit longer.
As we drove around Santa Fe...everyone...even my sweet husband wanted to just go to the camp/conference center up in the mountains. What a blessing. As even my son in the last few years has had a bit of an adjustment to the country life....and my husband I was concerned as well. And the Lord is good as they have genuinely just love our life....and with this trip to the cities in the SW, they have done nothing but long for the country.
I pray all is well with each of you.
And that you are growing and learning in the Lord.
In the still quietness of morning I am finally able to write again.
We have been sewing quite a bit and now we are finishing up some orders to mail today. I write with a bit of a stiff hand from putting snaps (60+) on garments last night. :) But I only have two more garments to do today. So I am thankful.
I have sent on some wonderful articles by Charity Ministries...which has a wonderful tape ministry if anyone is interested. These articles were sent to me from a Dear Sister in the Lord on an email group. I am blessed by each one and pray they will encourage you in your walk as well.
God is so good.
Have a wonderful day serving our Lord with a glad heart this very day,
Occasionally my husband and I, others at our church, or the tape ministry will receive letters asking us how we prepare our born again young ladies for their futures. These letters are often asking if we send our girls to universities, to Bible colleges, to seminaries, etc. With currently twelve youth thirteen years and up living in our home, and numerous others in the past, we have spent much time in prayer and practical application on this area. I will try to answer the question from our own experience. I am sure there are others who could add much wisdom to the subject. This is just one family’s perspective.
Young converted girls in the home bring so much joy, vitality, and sweetness to the home. They are wonderful helpers, companions, prayer warriors, and encouragers! They teach us now! Yet their days of training are not over. Just as many people in the world will spend a fortune training their youth in colleges, we still want to invest our time, love, and prayers in the continuing of our young peoples’ preparation for life! They are a treasure and the future Kingdom of God should Jesus tarry.
It seems that in Titus when instructions are given as to how to train young women, we are to train them AS IF they are going to marry and bear children. We know that some women are called to serve God in a single state, and we want our girls to be content in whichever state God chooses for them. We explain to our girls that there is a possibility marriage will not be their future, we also explain that training in that direction will still be very beneficial. Should they remain single, they will still operate in the same "realm" in many ways: in a home with their parents or a sibling; helping a family on the mission fields; working at a Christian residential home for the disabled, orphaned or elderly, etc. God has a wonderful plan to use each of these young women for the furtherance of the Kingdom.
Homemaking
So we seriously set out to train them in homemaking: the everyday tasks of keeping a home, being self sufficient (as far as having the ability to sew, cook, can and garden), making the home a tidy, simple haven reflecting Jesus and not the world’s tastes. This takes up much of their time and these are fun lessons. (By now my girls are better than me at most of these tasks so they are no longer lessons, just lots of practice sprinkled with words of advice.) It is such a blessing when the girls find joy in these everyday tasks- it will add grace and beauty to their future homes. When the mother in a home delights in her duties, it gives an air of contentedness.
Childtraining
We guide them in the ways of childtraining: lovingly guiding children, teaching them God’s truths, and disciplining. We daily stop to point out to the older girls the very subtle, often unnoticed moments of training. We call them aside and explain why we are working on a particular sin or habit in someone’s lives and what the outcome would be if it went undealt with. We show them scriptures, expose them to tapes, let them hear our hearts on the applications, and acknowledge our failures. We are open with them concerning difficult training issues and speak to them about loving discipline, even occasionally taking them in to watch how we handle chastening. Although we encourage them to listen to tapes or to read The Pursuit of Godly Seed, we still think that watching the application and seeing the victories and failure in their own home is the most effective.
Helping in Other Homes
Occasionally our girls have the privilege of helping out in other homes. This exposes them to other godly women and to other ways of running a household. We do not want them inflexible, thinking our way is the only way. In fact I enjoy discussing their time with them when they return because I continue to learn as well!
Receiving Correction
In addition to the homemaking side, we continue to work very diligently on the spiritual side. One area is Receiving correction. At this age we work very hard at getting the girls to a point where they GREATLY DESIRE that any sin or failing which they have be pointed out to them. We are setting them up so that they will be teachable and ready when a husband, minister or other authority in their lives comes to them to rebuke or to give counsel. We believe we live in an age where young people (all people?) are not being taught that at all. Often any form of rebuke, whether it be in person or from the pulpit, is received with offensiveness, hurt, denial, etc., in the world and even in the churches. We are trying to train our young people that we have nothing to fear in admonishment and often much to gain. By the time our young people are around fifteen years old, they actually come often asking us to shine a light on some area of their lives. It is not uncommon for us to get a note or hear from them in person something along this line: "You haven’t come to me in a while about anything specific in my life. Please, if you see anything that is not pleasing to the Lord, come and point it out to me. I so want to grow and be more like Him." They are sincere in their requests; they desire input and receive reproof with gratitude. Praise the Lord. This is more exciting than a college level course in "Ethics".
How We Handle Offenses
Related to this same area, we have noticed in this age that within churches, businesses and families there is a great tendency for people to get hurt or offended over small things. How we handle offenses is so important. We spend time in these later years helping our young people with the true working out of the scripture, "Great peace have they which love thy law; and nothing shall offend them." Psalm 116:165.
Many offenses come from speculating that someone meant or said or simply implied something which is derogatory towards us personally or which puts us in a not so good light. We first try to train by word and example that we should simply give grace and assume that we are probably perceiving wrong (because we should think the best of people, especially the brethren). In addition we try to humble ourselves and realize that truly we do have many faults and there may be a measure of truth in what the person thinks about us. Thirdly we try to help them understand that even if someone is completely wrong, we must realize how many times in this life we have done something wrong that no one saw or noticed; therefore it certainly does us very little harm for the good parts of our character or personality to also go unnoticed sometimes! Or for us to be misunderstood.
Oh, you may think these are little things, but so many wives are nervous and overly sensitive because they are so often offended. They can save many years of useless tears, hurts, strivings, and counseling sessions! And give more time for ministering and caring for others. God’s way is so different from man’s way and so beautiful!
A Meek and Quiet Spirit
We train our girls to be quiet and meek, not to stand out in a crowd. It actually goes against most of our natures to be gentle and calm. In our flesh we like to be the center of attention-to be noticed-to be the prettiest or the most talented or the smartest. Today’s society pushes girls to the forefront in these areas. It is sometimes done subtly (writing long holiday newsletters bragging on the children’s every achievement) and sometimes not so subtly (talent shows and beauty contests.) We want to teach the young women God’s way of a meek and quiet spirit. One that loves Jesus and wants His name exalted.
Not to Fear Man
While training them to be meek and quiet we also train them NOT to fear man and not to be afraid of sharing about Jesus. We set up opportunities for them to die to self as far as shyness. We gather with other families and have them give reports on assigned themes, etc. We give them opportunity for door-to-door evangelism (in groups) in the inner city. They do this in a supporting role rather than a leading role.
Minister to the Hurting and the Widow
We encourage the girls to minister to the hurting and the widow. They often write notes of love, spend time in prayer or deliver meals or gifts. I wish we did it even more often!
Study the Bible
We encourage our young people in a comprehensive study of the Bible. I am so thankful that my husband teaches the children from the Bible for years on end, having studies and discussions of specific books of the Bible from the time they are little until the day they leave home. Some days we miss it. Some days we get together twice and some days once. Sometimes we read missionary books or other spiritual books. But over the years there have been hours and hours of Bible teaching and oh how these add up in our young peoples’ minds and hearts. In addition we have the privilege of being at a church where the Word of God is taught in Spirit and truth. The sermons and other messages are kept on file at our tape ministry and so there are years of topics for the growth of the soul. Occasionally our youth will study a series of tapes from the past on soul winning, or fasting. Sometimes they may study methods of reaching Muslims. There is much availability to the Word in person and on tape. But primarily the young people diligently seek the Word themselves during these important years.
Missionary Medical Intensive
Around the age of twenty, we allow our boys and our girls to take part in a weeklong twelve-hour day intensive course called "Missionary Medical Intensive." For a girl this prepares her to be a helpmeet should her husband spend time on the mission field. Or it enables her to help a missionary family or work in a mission clinic. At the end of the course there is a section on emergency midwifery. The textbooks are a tremendous resource for the future and are written by Christian MD’s. Not all of our youth will take this course. It depends on their vision and circumstances.
Advanced Missionary Training
Occasionally some of our church girls have attended a three-week Advanced Missionary Training course in North Carolina. It has proven valuable to many a future missionary. We would only recommend very consecrated girls and then only in groups so as to encourage and sustain them in a pure walk with the Lord. Should one of our daughters court a man who is headed to the mission field, we would likely send her in a group to this course if that were the desire of her future husband.
Love the Lord Jesus Fervently
Before our children leave home we want them to love the Lord Jesus fervently. We want them to have a firm mindset that they are ready and very willing to die for the cause of Christ. It is with much prayer and teaching; much exposure to the writings on the martyrs and dedicated (dedicated not glamorized) missionaries; and many hours of discussion. We watch for that turning point that seems, to the best of our discernment, to be a true dedication to that end.
Those are a few of our ideas on preparing godly young women. Do not be overwhelmed by it. It is our list not yours. And it is worked at over a long span of their youth which can be anywhere between five and ten years depending on your definition of youth and how long they are in the home. And it is a joy. It is bathed in prayer and sought after in faith that it is Jesus Christ who enables us and it is His presence in their lives that makes them into tools for His use. We are not always guiding these girls. Oh no. We are working side by side with them and daily learning things from them that make us more conformed to His image. May the Lord continue to lead us all as we serve Him together.
"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15b
What will the consequence be, if we do not adopt this resolution? -if family religion be neglected? -if care be not taken of the rising generation? Will not the present revival of religion in a short time die away? Will it not be as the historian speaks of the Roman state in its infancy, res unius aetatis: "an event that has its beginning and end within the space of one generation"? Will it not be a confirmation of that melancholy remark of Luther’s that "a revival of religion never lasts longer than one generation"? By a generation (as he explains himself), he means thirty years. But, blessed be God, this remark does not hold with regard to the present instance, seeing this revival, from its rise in the year 1729, has already lasted above fifty years.
Have we not already seen some of the unhappy consequences of good men’s not adopting this resolution? Is there not a generation arisen, even within this period, yea, and from pious parents, that know not the Lord, that have neither His love in their hearts, nor His fear before their eyes? How many of them already "despise their fathers and mock at the counsel of their mothers"? How many are utter strangers to real religion, to the life and power of it? Not a few have shaken off all religion and abandoned themselves to all manner of wickedness! Now, although this may sometimes be the case, even of children educated in a pious manner, yet this case is very rare; I have met with some, but not many instances of it. The wickedness of the children is generally owing to the fault or neglect of their parents. For it is a general, though not universal rule, though it admits of some exceptions, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."
But what is the purport of this resolution, "I and my house will serve the Lord"? In order to understand and practice this, let us first inquire what it is to "serve the Lord." Next, what we can do that we and our house truly "serve the Lord."
What Does it Mean to Serve the Lord?
We cannot perform an acceptable service to God till we believe on Jesus Christ whom He hath sent. There the spiritual worship of God begins. As soon as anyone has the witness in himself, as soon as he can say "the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me," he is able truly to "serve the Lord."
Also implied in "serving the Lord" is obeying Him, the steadily walking in all His ways, the doing His will from the heart. Like those, His servants above, who do His pleasure, who keep His commandments, and hearken to the voice of His words, these, His servants below, hearken unto His voice, diligently keep His commandments, carefully avoid whatever He has forbidden, and zealously do whatever He has enjoined, studying always to have a conscience void of offense toward God and toward man.
What Can We Do?
Let us inquire what we can do so that everyone in our home will "serve the Lord." We must endeavor, first, to restrain them from all outward sin, from profane swearing, from taking the name of God in vain, from doing any needless work on the Lord’s Day. This labor of love you owe even to your visitors, and even more so to your wife and children. To the visitors, over whom you have the least influence, you may restrain by argument or mild persuasion. If you find that, after repeated trials, they will not yield either to one or the other, it is your bounden duty to set ceremony aside and to dismiss them from your house.
Correction
Your children, while they are young, you may restrain from evil, not only by advice, persuasions, and reproof, but also by correction, only remembering, that you should take the utmost care to avoid the very appearance of anger. Whatever is done should be done with mildness, nay, indeed, with kindness too. Otherwise your own spirit will suffer loss, and the child will reap little advantage.
But some will tell you: "All this a waste of time. A child does not need to be corrected at all. They say that instruction, persuasion, and advice, will be sufficient for any child without correction, especially if gentle reproof be added, as occasion may require." I answer, there may be particular instances wherein this method may be successful. But you must not, in anywise lay this down as a universal rule, unless you suppose yourself wiser than Solomon, or to speak more properly wiser than God. For it is God Himself, who knoweth His own creatures, that has told us expressly, "He that spareth his rod, hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes" (Proverbs 13:24). And upon this is grounded that plain commandment, directed to all that fear God, "Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying" (19:18).
Instruction
We must endeavor to instruct them, to take care that every person who is under our roof has all such knowledge as is necessary to salvation. You should particularly endeavor to instruct your children early, plainly, frequently, and patiently. Instruct them early, from the first hour that you perceive reason begins to dawn. Truth may then begin to shine upon the mind far earlier than we are apt to suppose. And whoever watches the first openings of the understanding, may, by little and little, supply fit matter for it to work upon, and may turn the eye of the soul toward good things, as well as toward bad or trifling ones. Whenever a child begins to speak, you may be assured reason begins to work. I know no cause that a parent should not just then begin to speak of the best things, the things of God. And from that time no opportunity should be lost of instilling all truths as they are capable of receiving.
Using Object Lessons from Life
But the speaking to them early will not avail, unless you likewise speak to them plainly. Use such words as little children may understand, just such as they use themselves. Carefully observe the few ideas which they have already, and endeavor to graft what you say upon them.
To take a little example, ask the child to look up, and ask, "What do you see there?" "The sun." "See how bright it is! Feel how warm it shines upon your face. Look how it makes the grass and the flowers to grow, and the trees and everything look green. But God, though you cannot see Him, is above the sky and is a [great] deal brighter than the sun! It is He, it is God that made the sun, and you, and me, and everything. It is He that makes the grass and the flowers grow, that makes the trees green, and the fruit to come upon them! Think what He can do! He can do whatever He pleases. He can strike you or me dead in a moment! But He loves you; He loves to do you good. He loves to make you happy. Should not you then love Him? You love me, because I love you and do you good. But it is God that makes me love you. Therefore, you should love Him. And He will teach you how to love Him."
Praying While Teaching
While you are speaking in this, or some such manner, you should be continually lifting up your heart to God, beseeching Him to open the eyes of their understanding and to pour His light upon them. He, and He alone, can make them to differ herein from the beasts that perish. He alone can apply your words to their hearts, without which all your labor will be in vain, but whenever the Holy Ghost teaches, there is no delay in learning.
Persevere
But if you want to see the fruit of your labor, you must teach them not only early and plainly, but frequently too. It would be of little or no service to do it only once or twice a week. How often do you feed their bodies? Not less than three times a day. And is the soul of less value than the body? Will you not then feed this as often? If you find this a tiresome task, there is certainly something wrong in your own mind. You do not love them enough, or you do not love Him who is your Father and their Father. Humble yourself before Him! Beg that He would give you more love, and love will make the labor light.
But it will not avail to teach them both early, plainly, and frequently, unless you persevere therein. Never quit; never give up your labor of love until you see the fruit of it. But in order to do this, you will find the absolute need of being endued with power from on high, without which, I am persuaded, none ever had, or will have, patience sufficient for the work. Otherwise, the inconceivable dullness of some children, and the giddiness or perverseness of others, would induce them to give up the irksome task, and let them follow their own imagination.
Schooling
Ask yourself why you are sending your children to school. Is it to make them able to make it in the world? If so, which world do you mean-this or the next? Perhaps you thought of this world only, and had forgotten that there is a world to come. Yea, and one that will last forever! Pray take this into your account, and send them to such masters as will keep it always before their eyes. Otherwise, to send them to school (permit me to speak plainly) is little better than sending them to the devil. At all events, then, send your boys, if you have any concern for their souls, not to any of the large public schools (for they are nurseries of all manner of wickedness), but a private school, kept by some pious man who endeavors to instruct a small number of children in religion and learning together.
Preparing for Our Children’s Occupation
In what business will your son be most likely to love and serve God? In what employment will he have the greatest advantage for laying up treasure in heaven? I have been shocked above measure in observing how little this is attended to, even by pious parents! Even these consider only how he may get the most money, not how he may get the most holiness! Even these, upon this glorious motive, send him to a heathen master, and into family where there is not the very form, much less the power of religion! Upon this motive they fix him in a business which will necessarily expose him to such temptations as will leave him not a probability, if a possibility, of serving God. O savage parents! Unnatural, diabolical cruelty-if you believe there is another world . . . and do not regard, if he gets less money, provided he gets more holiness. It is enough, though he has less of earthly goods, if he secures the possession of heaven.
Marriage Partners
There is one circumstance more wherein you will have great need of the wisdom from above. Your son or your daughter is now of age to marry, and desires your advice relative to it. Now you know what the world calls a "good match"-one whereby much money is gained. Undoubt-edly it is so, if it be true that money always brings happiness. But I doubt it is true; money seldom brings happiness, neither in this world nor the world to come. Then let no man deceive you with vain words; riches and happiness seldom dwell together. Therefore, if you are wise, you will not seek riches for your children by their marriage. See that your eye be single in this also. Aim simply at the glory of God and the real happiness of your children, both in time and eternity. It is a melancholy thing to see how Christian parents rejoice in selling their son or their daughter to a wealthy heathen! And do you seriously call this a "good match"? Thou fool by purity of reason; thou mayest call hell a "good lodging" and the devil a "good master." O learn a better lesson from a better Master! "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness;" both for thyself and thy children, "and all these things shall be added unto you."
Don’t Get Discouraged
And suppose, after you have done this, after you have taught your children from their early infancy, in the plainest manner you could, omitting no opportunity, and persevering therein, you did not presently see any fruit of your labor; you must not conclude that there will be none. Possibly the "bread" which you have "cast upon the waters" may be "found after many days." The seed which has long remained in the ground may, at length, spring up into a plentiful harvest, especially if you do not restrain prayer before God, if you continue instant herein with all supplication. Mean-time, whatever the effect of this be upon others, your reward is with the Most High.
This is article is an encouragement to me. I pray it blesses you as well.
It makes me think of what I am doing while in the waiting rooms, hopsital visits, etc.
Am I sharing with those I come into contact with as lovingly as this dear woman? Do I share my Jesus with those around me? Even the Nurse Cross's in my life who need to know my Lord. What a blessing! God is so good.
May the Lord richly bless your evening,
Sister Kris M.
THE STORY OF EDITH BURNS...
Happy Easter!
Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas. She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips.
Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns.
One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns. When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her.
Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved.
Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying,"My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Beverly said, "Why yes I do." Edith said, "Well, what do you believe about Easter?" Beverly said, "Well, it's all about egg hunts, going to church, and dressing up." Edith kept pressing her about the real meaning of Easter, and finally led her to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Dr. Phillips said, "Beverly, don't call Edith into the office quite yet. I believe there is another delivery taking place in the waiting room.
After being called back in the doctor's office, Edith sat down and when she took a look at the doctor she said, "Dr. Will, why are you so sad? Are you reading your Bible? Are you praying?"
Dr. Phillips said gently, "Edith, I'm the doctor and you're the patient." With a heavy heart he said, "Your lab report came back and it says you have cancer, and Edith, you're not going to live very long."
Edith said, "Why Will Phillips, shame on you. Why are you so sad? Do you think God makes mistakes? You have just told me I'm going to see my precious Lord Jesus, my husband, and my friends. You have just told me that I am going to celebrate Easter forever, and here you are having difficulty giving me my ticket!" Dr. Phillips thought to himself, "What a magnificent woman this Edith Burns is!"
Edith continued coming to Dr. Phillips. Christmas came and the office was closed through January 3rd. On the day the office opened, Edith did not show up. Later that afternoon, Edith called Dr. Phillips and said she would have to be moving her story to the hospital and said, "Will, I'm very near home, so would you make sure that they put women in here next to me in my room who need to know about Easter." Well, they did just that and women began to come in and share that room with Edith. Many women were saved. Everybody on that floor from staff to patients were so excited about Edith, that they started calling her Edith Easter; that is everyone except Phyllis Cross, the head nurse.
Phyllis made it plain that she wanted nothing to do with Edith because she was a "religious nut". She had been a nurse in an army hospital. She had seen it all and heard it all. She was the original G.I. Jane. She had been married three times, she was hard, cold, and did everything by the book.
One morning the two nurses who were to attend to Edith were sick. Edith had the flu and Phyllis Cross had to go in and give her a shot. When she walked in, Edith had a big smile on her face and said, "Phyllis, God loves you and I love you, and I have been praying for you." Phyllis Cross said, "Well, you can quit praying for me, it won't work. I'm not interested." Edith said, "Well, I will pray and I have asked God not to let me go home until you come into the family." Phyllis Cross said, "Then you will never die because that will never happen," and curtly walked out of the room.
Every day Phyllis Cross would walk into the room and Edith would say, "God loves you Phyllis and I love you, and I'm praying for you." One day Phyllis Cross said she was literally drawn to Edith's room like a magnet would draw iron. She sat down on the bed and Edith said, "I'm so glad you have come, because God told me that today is your special day."
Phyllis Cross said, "Edith, you have asked everybody here the question, "Do you believe in Easter but you have never asked me." Edith said, "Phyllis, I wanted to many times, but God told me to wait until you asked, and now that you have asked." Edith Burns took her Bible and shared with Phyllis Cross the Easter Story of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Edith said, "Phyllis, do you believe in Easter? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is alive and that He wants to live in your heart?"
Phyllis Cross said, "Oh I want to believe that with all of my heart, and I do want Jesus in my life. "Right there, Phyllis Cross prayed and invited Jesus Christ into her heart. For the first time Phyllis Cross did not walk out of a hospital room, she was carried out on the wings of angels.
Two days later, Phyllis Cross came in and Edith said, "Do you know what day it is?" Phyllis Cross said, "Why Edith, it's Good Friday." Edith said, "Oh, no, for you every day is Easter. Happy Easter Phyllis!"
Two days later, on Easter Sunday, Phyllis Cross came into work, did some of her duties and then went down to the flower shop and got some Easter lilies because she wanted to go up to see Edith and give her some Easter lilies and wish her a Happy Easter.
When she walked into Edith's room, Edith was in bed. That big black Bible was on her lap. Her hands were in that Bible. There was a sweet smile on her face. When Phyllis Cross went to pick up Edith's hand, she realized Edith was dead. Her left hand was on John 14: "In my Father's house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also." Her right hand was on Revelation 21:4, "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."
Phyllis Cross took one look at that dead body, and then lifted her face toward heaven, and with tears streaming down here cheeks, said, "Happy Easter, Edith - Happy Easter!"
Phyllis Cross left Edith's body, walked out of the room, and over to a table where two student nurses were sitting. She said, "My name is Phyllis Cross. Do you believe in Easter?"
If you believe in Easter, forward this on. God works in wonderful ways, and to believe in his power is to truly be free. If Jesus had e-mail, he'd do the same for you. (Actually, maybe He just did)
Simple breakfast ideas (pick two or three for your one-week menu plan):
Cold cereal and milk Oatmeal with brown sugar, butter, and milk Toast and eggs Toast and fruit Muffins (make the night before or make a big batch on the weekend and freeze to use throughout the week)
Simple lunches (pick two or three for your one-week menu plan):
Peanut butter and jelly, fruit Open-faced tuna fish with pickles and a slice of cheese - broil for a few minutes, carrot sticks Grilled cheese and tomato soup (canned) Turkey and cheese, sliced cucumbers and peppers Mixed salad greens topped with shredded cheese and a little shredded meat, fresh bread (made in the bread machine)
Simple suppers:
-Roast beef, potatoes, carrots (Put in the crockpot in the afternoon with some water, salt, pepper, garlic salt and simmer for 5 hours), salad
-Spaghetti (Brown some ground beef with onions, pour in a jar os spaghetti sauce and diced italian tomatoes, simmer, boil spaghetti noodles), salad, bread
-Homemade pizza (Not hard to do and I can whip up this entire dinner in 45 minutes or less - You can even use a pizza dough mix from the store to make it easier. Top with about a fourth cup spaghetti or pizza sauce, pepperoni, chicken, or ground beef, a veggie or two (if you'd like) and cheese. Bake.), salad
-Waffles or pancakes or french toast, eggs, and sausage or bacon
-Southwest Roll-ups (Mix 2 Tbsp. salsa, 1 can refried beans, and 1 cup chicken - cooked and cubed. Spoon mixture onto tortillas, place seam side down in 9 x13 pan, Bake 350 for 20-30 minutes, sprinkle with 1 cup cheese.), salad
-Italian chicken (Saute 2 chicken breasts in 1 tsp. oil with 1 clove garlic or 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, with salt and peper, parsley, oregano, basil. Remove chicken and cut up. Add 1 chopped onion to the pan and saute onions. Add chicken and 1 cans diced Italian tomatoes.) served over rice or noodles, salad, can of green beans
-Pasta salad (Cook 8 oz of pasta and drain. Add 1 can black loives, 2 tomatoes diced, 1/2 cup frozen peas, 3/4-1 cup Italian dressing, 2 cups chicken. Toss and refrigerate until serving. You could also add red or yellow peppers, cubed cheese, etc.)
Some tips to speeding up dinner preparation:
-Look at your menu plan in the morning and try to do ahead anything you can. I have a short time allotment in my schedule in the morning that is for dinner preparation. Pull frozen meat out, chop up anything you can, put the ingredients into the bread machine for fresh bread, etc. Waiting until the last minute to prepare dinner always makes it harder. Believe me, I know.
-When you arrive home from the store, do all the food prep you can while putting your groceries away. Wash and chop veggies, cook the chicken breasts, chop, and freeze in 1-2 cup portions, wash all your lettuce and tear it so that you can have fresh lettuce for salads all week long.
-Double up. If you like to have bread with your dinners, don't just make enough for one dinner. Bake bread once or twice a week and plan to use it for multiple dinners.
**Other ideas or input from all you wise women is welcomed!**
I am a newlywed, who has been having a hard time mastering my kitchen! I have always enjoyed baking in the past, but since being married it has been quite a struggle to figure out and prepare for meals every day! I go grocery shopping and try to stock up on what I'll need, but it seems like my fridge is always kind of empty, and there's never anything "on hand" to make a less time-consuming meal. I have been used to dinners such as roast beef, meatloaf, casseroles, etc., mostly meat 'n potatoes type dishes, which seem to take so much pre-planning... Or is that the way all meals are? I would greatly appreciate any advice you or anyone might have on how to keep on top of food preparation! It's been my biggest "domestic" struggle since becoming a wife! ~Anna
Anna, your beautiful desire to be a Godly homemaker shines through this request. We all have our strengths and our weaknesses in homemaking. You are wise to seek out a solution for an area which you struggle with. I can't promise I have a sure-fire solution, but I'll try to give you some ideas: Cook to please your husband. Ask your husband what he likes to eat and what kind of dinners he would like to have and then base your menu off of this. Most men really don't care whether they have an elaborate six-course dinner or not, all they care is that there is something filling to eat.
Start out simply. When you are starting out and just learning in this area, don't try to fix a six-course dinner. Right now, just stick to the basics. If your husband is not one who cares whether there is a tremendous amount of variety, could you come up with one week's worth of breakfast, lunches, and dinners you feel comfortable making?
Instead of trying to plan your menu based upon what you have on hand or what is on sale, I'd recommend that you plan your menu and grocery list based upon recipes you feel comfortable with. At this point, it will make things much easier for you.
Write out a menu plan for a whole week including what you will have for each meal. Don't try out anything elaborate and don't feel badly if you alternate between two different things for breakfast everyday (one day cold cereal, one day oatmeal, etc.), slight variety with lunches, and then simple dinners with just two or three items.
Stick to recipes that can be made quickly or made ahead in the morning. My favorite recipes are those with five ingredients or so. Utilize the crockpot. Get a copy of Fix It and Forget It from your local library and find some recipes in there that you would like and incorporate those into your weekly menu plan. I also really enjoy Quick-Cooking magazine - perhaps your library has some of their bound recipe volumes. I'd also see if you library has an 30 minute dinners or less type of cookbooks.
Once you have a simple menu planned (Don't forget to include sides - not just the main dish, and also include snack items and other extras you usually like to have on hand.), get all the recipes out and go through your cupboards and refrigerator and see what you have on hand already to make these things. If you don't have it on hand, write it on your grocery list.
Print up your one week menu and post it on the refrigerator. Take your grocery list and buy everything on it (Don't worry about trying to get good deals or stay on budget right now, just stick to focusing on mastering your one-week menu successfully!).
Then, stick to your menu plan. After doing this for one week, mentally think through what worked and what didn't. Make a menu plan for the second week based upon these observations. Use the same plan you used the first week, but tweak it to be even better suited for you. Maybe add in another recipe or two, or try making a dessert for one night. Whatever you do, don't overdo! Once you get this down, you can try maybe cooking more elaborate dinners a few times a week, or cooking extra for your freezer, or planning your menu based upon sales, coupon-shopping and stocking your pantry, etc. But wait until you feel confident in a one week plan!
Cooking is something to be enjoyed, not a great burden. By keeping it simple and saving more difficult recipes for special occasions, it has really helped me to enjoy, not dread, my time in the kitchen.
Early this morning my husband woke. He decided to get on up and start the day. Little does he know this really starts my day as well. But that can really be a good thing. As in the still quietness of the morning. So much can get done. And for that I am thankful. As this week...though we never want it to be....we have just been running. We get to the point where we desire to "just stay home". We have so much to do that even when we stay home....we are running a bit.
So some of my thoughts on the good things about getting up early and being at home:
You can sit and pet the puppy while catching up on email.
You can look out the window and see all the beautiful morning views.
You can watch the birds begin to fly and gather.
You can see each hen come out of the coop as she is finished laying her eggs.
You can watch the turkeys waddle by.
You can see the cows slowly begin their day of munching the sweet grass in the fields.
You can see the guineas begin their day of scurrying through the yard....I just love to watch the guineas...they are my yard clowns. Just precious.
You can see the dew on the roses that are lacing my window view.
You can see the bunnies begin to scurry and wiggle.
I can see my husband's bees from his hive begin to buzz around and gather nectar for their honey making buzziness.
You can hear the quiet sounds...creaks, fans blowing, the paper picture my youngest drew that blows to and fro on the fridge....that the house makes in the stillness of morning.
You can have your time with the Lord and praise His name.
You can have simple fellowship with the Lord to grow and know Him better.
I can appreciate the wonderful gifts our Lord has given us in living on our little homestead and know not only the the workings of our little farm...but the intricate design of all that lives here. Even down to the bees buzzing about as they start their day.
Isn't God good!
Well, I better get the children going on their day. What a blessing to have this time this morning and get to read, write and then be with the Lord....what a nice way to start this day.
It reminds me of a song I learned along time ago as a child in church....."This is the day, this is the day, that the Lord hath made, that the Lord hath made. We will rejoice, we will rejoice and be glad in it, and be glad in it." Such good and encouraging words in light of this mornings reflections.
Company’s coming! Company’s coming!” This joyful call often echoes through our house. We all wait in anticipation and welcome our guests at the door. This call and the anticipation that goes with it has always been a part of my life. As a young child my parents had a never-ending stream of guests in their home. I loved looking forward to our guests and visiting with them. Singles, families and elderly, they were all interesting. Sometimes there was a special menu, sometimes folks just dropped by and ended up staying for whatever we were having at the moment. The food always reached and one theme ran throughout each event. That theme was “Gracious Hospitality.” My father and mother always made folks feel welcome. Ideas were exchanged, doctrines discussed and friendship shared. Often we spent time singing with our guests or sent them off with a song as we stood by their car. I will never forget some of these special times. Only last week I met lady that we had known when I was seven or eight. “How is your mother?” she asked. “I would come to your home sometimes when we were newly married and your mother was such an inspiration to me. I loved to watch how she worked with all her little ones. You were so close in age and she worked with you so sweetly.” The sweetness of that testimony lasted more than forty years! What a ministry! 
Another ingredient of hospitality is to give what you have when the need arises. Usually, for us that means having our children sleep on the floor so we can give their beds to our guests. Often we only have time for a little cleanup and things look just like they do every day for us. We serve them granola for breakfast and soup for lunch and we have lots of fun together. One time we had a family of fourteen for a week while the dad attended a week of meetings here. Beds were on the floor here and there with crowded conditions everywhere. The two bathrooms were kept quite busy and the food was plain. But we had lots of fun. We read together and sang together and did simple crafts while the dads went to church all day. We will never regret the wonderful days we spent together. That family has become like family to us.
Most American Christians do not open their homes to each other anymore. After church, if they want to get together they often go out to eat. When there is occasion to celebrate they go out to eat. When they go to another area, they stay in motels. No one would think of opening his home to a stranger. What has happened to the biblical injunction, “I was a stranger , and ye took me in.” Matt. 25:35
Involve your children in the picking up and food preparation. Children love to set the table nicely. Train them in the days and weeks before to arrange things neatly and add a small bouquet of flowers from the flower garden or light a candle or use nice napkins by each plate. Learn to arrange the food attractively. Our children take a great delight in making a fruit tray a colorful, artistic arrangement. They experience a real sense of accomplishment when they turn a simple veggie tray into a work of art. Even the seven-year-old begs to be allowed to try his hand at it. And he can do a good job! 
Welcome your guests warmly and make them feel comfortable. Do not rush around after they are there if you can help it. Sit down and enjoy them. Learn to know who they are and share a bit about your journey in life if it is appropriate. Do not expect your visitors to necessarily have the same convictions and standards that you do. Remember that this is a ministry. You will have a far better experience if you plan ahead to keep the children well occupied and supervised. It takes only a few short minutes for things to happen that are very difficult to undo. If you have an older child take turns supervising the children. That way you both can have some time to minister and fellowship. Visit while you supervise the little ones. It is a good way to observe and learn to know your guests. Let the circumstances be vehicles for useful and up-building conversation. 
Finally, send your guests on their way with a blessing or a bit of prayer and a song. Go out with them to their car or at least as far as the porch and wave cheerily as they pull out. This makes them feel special. Our family has wonderful memories of visiting another family years ago who was very warm and enthusiastic. They welcomed us so pleasantly and then when we left they waved and waved and blinked the porch lights as we drove out the lane. We have never forgotten that and sometimes we do it for our guests. 
