on being woman

on being woman

Since today…. is apparently International Woman’s Day, I just want to say that I am BLESSED to be a woman. 
#woman

I am blessed to have been created to HELP COMPLETE a man God chose for me, and be called WIFE, because only a WOMAN can be a wife. 💕
#wife

I am BLESSED to be called MOTHER, because only a WOMAN can be a mother. 💕
#mother

I am thankful that, though I could strive to do all that the men in my life can do, I don’t have to. THEY do what they need to and have learned to do, and I will do what I need to and have learned to do…
#completer

and together we can figure out the other stuff. 

We have lost a uniqueness from woman that balances the male of our society, the softness that counteracts the rigid, critical thinking that men are {mostly} good at.
#unique #soft

As a woman, I am thankful to not be exactly like my husband, dad or brother. I am glad for the emotions (when I stop and think rationally. LOL) that, when they show up, give cause for the men in my life to take pause. Some may say that women are “tossed about” by these emotions (and often we are), but God gave them to us… they have purpose. They influence US (women) to be the gentler touch, the softer word, the delicate point-of-view.
#emotional #influencer

I refuse to give up these God-given characteristics. Instead, I rather God use them to mold me into an even softer, more delicate, kinder and more compassionate WOMAN… whose very presence influences those around her (ever met a LADY like that?)
#lady #delicate #compassionate

{Biblically, I am not to “do everything a man can’t” exactly, but I was created to be a help-meet to the man I married. This means my particular personality compliments my husband’s, my completing him… and we become one.}
#complimentarynotinferior

I am content to “be woman” and to learn how to be better through God’s Word!
#letmebeawomanofGod

shared from my IG

Since today…. is apparently International Woman’s Day, I just want to say that I am BLESSED to be a woman. 
#woman

I am blessed to have been created to HELP COMPLETE a man God chose for me, and be called WIFE, because only a WOMAN can be a wife. 💕
#wife

I am BLESSED to be called MOTHER, because only a WOMAN can be a mother. 💕
#mother

I am thankful that, though I could strive to do all that the men in my life can do, I don’t have to. THEY do what they need to and have learned to do, and I will do what I need to and have learned to do…
#completer

and together we can figure out the other stuff. 

We have lost a uniqueness from woman that balances the male of our society, the softness that counteracts the rigid, critical thinking that men are {mostly} good at.
#unique #soft

As a woman, I am thankful to not be exactly like my husband, dad or brother. I am glad for the emotions (when I stop and think rationally. LOL) that, when they show up, give cause for the men in my life to take pause. Some may say that women are “tossed about” by these emotions (and often we are), but God gave them to us… they have purpose. They influence US (women) to be the gentler touch, the softer word, the delicate point-of-view.
#emotional #influencer

I refuse to give up these God-given characteristics. Instead, I rather God use them to mold me into an even softer, more delicate, kinder and more compassionate WOMAN… whose very presence influences those around her (ever met a LADY like that?)
#lady #delicate #compassionate

{Biblically, I am not to “do everything a man can’t” exactly, but I was created to be a help-meet to the man I married. This means my particular personality compliments my husband’s, my completing him… and we become one.}
#complimentarynotinferior

I am content to “be woman” and to learn how to be better through God’s Word!
#letmebeawomanofGod

shared from my IG

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d31fb     d31insta      d31twi

seam rippers hurt…

seam rippers hurt… my soul

I curse the need for this little tool because it shows me, once again, my flaws as a seamstress… and yet, I rejoice that this tool exists that I may more easily undo a mistake to salvage a project.

Sometimes God lets a little seam ripping to go on in our lives when we realize a mistake and come to Him for help, desiring the correction only He can give…

It’s not pleasant and adds time to the endeavor; but in the end a worthwhile creation is finished!

taken from my IG

I curse the need for this little tool because it shows me, once again, my flaws as a seamstress… and yet, I rejoice that this tool exists that I may more easily undo a mistake to salvage a project.

Sometimes God lets a little seam ripping to go on in our lives when we realize a mistake and come to Him for help, desiring the correction only He can give…

It’s not pleasant and adds time to the endeavor; but in the end a worthwhile creation is finished!

taken from my IG

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d31fb     d31insta      d31twi

lesson from an upholstery needle

lesson from an upholstery needle

This is taken from my instagram… posted last summer. I found it again when browsing my old pictures, and I know not everyone who reads my blog is on IG.

Sometimes sewing tools offer some pretty interesting insights for me. What I learned this day from a rather large upholstery needle, that looked as though it could withstand any amount of tugging and pulling, especially through a small mending project on my couch, was that appearances are often deceiving.

[this shows it next to a normal sized sewing needle]

Looking at this needle before I began my project, I would not have guessed the stress of previous mending projects had caused it to become so fragile. And yet, it was. I pulled, hoping to break the thread because I was too lazy to reach for the scissors; and the needle broke instead.

When we, in our often self-centered lives (remember, I’m talking about myself), neglect to notice the stresses we cause on others- through: being habitually late, unprepared, unlovingly critical… then there’s the spiritual stress of not praying for friends, forgetting to check on those we know are hurting, and many other situations that are unseen, but definitely felt- we then fail to realize that the reason someone becomes broken is often not because they were weak, but because we were too lazy to get the scissors and cut the string. We just pulled… along with everyone else in their life, and they paid the price.

Do you have a friend that is just always there? Always in his/her place at work, at church, in your school activities…? Thank them. Hug them. Send them a card. And also, don’t be late when you’re going to help… be prepared, and don’t offer criticism without a loving word or gesture. And then: pray for them; text and tell them so! You may need to pull on them, but try not to be the reason they feel broken one day.

#sewingtools #randomthoughts #designing31

 

This is taken from my instagram… posted last summer. I found it again when browsing my old pictures, and I know not everyone who reads my blog is on IG.
Sometimes sewing tools offer some pretty interesting insights for me. What I learned this day from a rather large upholstery needle, that looked as though it could withstand any amount of tugging and pulling, especially through a small mending project on my couch, was that appearances are often deceiving.
[this shows it next to a normal sized sewing needle]
Looking at this needle before I began my project, I would not have guessed the stress of previous mending projects had caused it to become so fragile. And yet, it was. I pulled, hoping to break the thread because I was too lazy to reach for the scissors; and the needle broke instead. 
When we, in our often self-centered lives (remember, I’m talking about myself), neglect to notice the stresses we cause on others- through: being habitually late, unprepared, unlovingly critical… then there’s the spiritual stress of not praying for friends, forgetting to check on those we know are hurting, and many other situations that are unseen, but definitely felt- we then fail to realize that the reason someone becomes broken is often not because they were weak, but because we were too lazy to get the scissors and cut the string. We just pulled… along with everyone else in their life, and they paid the price.
Do you have a friend that is just always there? Always in his/her place at work, at church, in your school activities…? Thank them. Hug them. Send them a card. And also, don’t be late when you’re going to help… be prepared, and don’t offer criticism without a loving word or gesture. And then: pray for them; text and tell them so! You may need to pull on them, but try not to be the reason they feel broken one day. #sewingtools #randomthoughts #designing31

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d31fb     d31insta      d31twi

How’s your {spiritual} gut health?

[Did you know that many of our physical illnesses and even some diseases have been linked to gut healthliterally the good and bad bacteria that line our digestive tract and help us extract nutrients from our food? Often, symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, joint aches, etc can be reversed through eliminating something from or adding something to your diet. Many people deal with food allergies manifested in the form of achy joints or skin issues instead of nausea or respiratory problems.]

Last week, a friend on facebook was asking a group of ladies about some health issues her child seemed to have and if any of us had dealt with similar issues and how we handled it. While there were a myriad of answers and all was civil, something struck me when I gave my answer, in part it was this:

I am finding almost every physical “problem” I have comes back to what I eat. It’s really annoying. Lol.

potluck

And right as I typed that… before I even finished posting the comment, I felt a tug from the Spirit of God in me saying, Yes, this is true in your Spiritual health also.

It was really like a sucker-punch to the gut- my spiritual gut. lol.

And a few verses came to my mind:

John 4: 13 -Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14- But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

John 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. 48-I am that bread of life.

1 Peter 2:1-Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2- As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 –If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

1 Corinthians 3:1 – And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 2- I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

Jesus is bread-not just bread, but the bread of LIFE. He is water for thirsty souls–not just water, but water that becomes a wellspring of everlasting life: LIVING WATER.

Find_a_Spring

Bible study of doctrines and life principles are milk and then meat for a Christian-the FOOD of our Christian life.

When I consume excess sugar (or other foods to which I may be allergic, we are all unique) or processed foods that hold little nutritional value, my body gets tired, sluggish; and I do not feel well. My gut, where digestion takes place, becomes off-balance; and sometimes I get a headache. Other times my actual gut hurts or my joints get achy or I may have an unexplained patch of dry, itchy skin.

But when I consume life giving foods such as fruits and vegetables, good meats and healthy fats, other plants such as beans, grains and nuts, my gut is happy and my body feels nourished and energized to do the work of the day…..

So it is spiritually.

Bible

When I am not consuming personal Bible study but rather maybe just reading self-help items or relying on previous study, when Sunday comes around and the preacher only spouts “feel-goodisms” (even using Scripture, but there is no challenge to repent and GROW) without confronting sin and challenging me towards growth and a Christ-like life, my spiritual life gets tired. I become bored and sluggish in my attempt to live the Christian life… my spiritual gut becomes unbalanced. My spirit is not properly digesting Scripture for all its nutrients to cause me to grow in Christ.

But when I daily receive something from His Word, when the preacher expounds Scripture with challenges for me to repent of sin and grow and become more Christlike, I tend to feel energized and nourished to the point of growth and spiritual work.

441509

And there are season of my life in which I look back and realize there was such a sluggishness to my walk with the Lord, and other times I look back and rejoice at realizing I grew through a period and am not the same person I was!

These are just a few applications of which the Lord convicted me… there are others, for another time. 🙂

Have you ever thought about spiritual digestion like that before?
I’d love to hear how the Lord taught you! Leave a comment 🙂

d31instad31fbd31twi

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memorizing Scripture

Have you ever decided to consciously memorize Scripture but couldn’t figure out what verses with which to begin? I’m in the process of writing a guest post for a friend and these thoughts came up in my writing process…

I have a list in the front of my Bible that contains all the references we’ve tried to help our children memorize {I think we need to have a refresher though 🙂 the younger 2 haven’t been through them all yet!}.

kids2

I also looked around online and found a few lists {many verses overlapped with my own} and came up with a list of 27 separate verses and passages [2-4 verses] that are a great place to begin our memorizing Scripture journey.

I have created a page with just these verses typed out and a printable at the end from which you can print & cut apart each passage to keep in your purse or hang around your home… and I’ll be posting about that guest post when it happens, so you can head over there and read more about why it’s important to have verses and passages hidden in our minds and hearts!

go to verses to memorize page
go to “verses to memorize” page

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