We are finishing up 31 Days of Proverbs today! I can’t help but feel some trepidation over this chapter. So much has been written on Proverbs 31 and the “virtuous woman” that I struggle to begin. I don’t think I’m alone when I say that when I read this chapter I can feel inadequate. Go…
Compared to the wisdom of others, I could come out on the short end of the stick or I might look as grand as an oak. Proverbs has taught us that being “wise in our own eyes” is a sure sign that you are not wise at all, so if we see wisdom in its…
“I’ve got bad news and good news. Which one do you want to hear first?” In a joking way, by husband often uses this phrase to prepare me for some sort of kerfuffle. (Don’t you just love that word?!) When I received that call recently, my verbal response was: “Hmmmm…” (While thinking in my head,…
“Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5 Yes, we are on day 23 of 31 Days of Proverbs, but because Chapter 23 seems to be speaking to me about discernment, I wanted this verse…
One of my favorite birthday gifts this year was a map. Remember the old maps that you could get at gas stations? The ones that took up the whole front seat when you opened them and pretty much the rest of your trip to get them folded back? Yeah, it’s not that kind of map–it’s…
It all began at the beginning. Not very profound, you say? Sometimes we have to see where something began to understand its significance. Let’s go back to Genesis: “In the course of time Cain presented some of the land’s produce as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also presented an offering—some of the firstborn…
Proverbs 20 begins with this: “Wine is a mocker, beer is a brawler, and whoever staggers because of them is not wise.” Proverbs 20:1 While I could state my case for abstinence here, I digress and move on to a less controversial topic. Not out of fear or neglect, but because I don’t want to…
“The fool says in his heart, ‘God does not exist.‘ They are corrupt; they do vile deeds. There is no one who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven on the human race to see if there is one who is wise, one who seeks God.” Psalm 14:1-2 “FOOLS RUSH IN WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO TREAD” More than just an…
Pride says, “My way is better”; wisdom says, “God’s way is always best.” While humility has been misconstrued as weakness, pride is often seen as self-esteem or even superiority. We boast in our accomplishments as if we have forgotten that our very next breath is not determined by how healthy we are or by genetics–it…
Common Sense: plain, ordinary good judgment [dictionary.com] “Why do they call it common sense when it’s really not all that common?” I laughed when I heard Pastor/husband say it, maybe because the best humor is often closely related to truth. 31 Days of Proverbs means thirty-one days, reading one chapter a day of the Book…
Wealth is not just summed up by dollars and cents, but if you make more than $10K a year, you are among the wealthiest in our world. [worlddata.info] I have a dear friend that has seemed to always struggle with the thought, “Why did God bless me more than others?” She is uncomfortable in her…
Let’s be honest. The phrase “sleeping like a baby” implies that you slept well, while it should mean that you were up in the night crying, wanted to be held, or in need a diaper change! I can actually remember the euphoria mixed with fear when my babies slept through the night for the first…
Just over a year ago, my sweet mama had a stroke that left her with an impaired memory. Events of her recent past have been erased, causing her to struggle in her understanding of the present. What she does remember, though, are stories from her past that I have never heard before. The pain of…
The door opens slowly as the anxious groom sees his bride-to-be adorned in her white wedding gown for the first time. A classic moment. Everyone stands, and most eyes are on the bride entering the room, but mine are on the groom. Anxious to see his first reaction, I am unaware of the eyes assessing…
Seriously. I don’t hate laundry. It’s not that it is a difficult job–for me, at least. An automatic washer and dryer, though dated, does the work for me and all I really have to do is fold or hang them when they’re dry. So why does it seem like a chore? Truth is, any mundane…
