Proverbs 31 Woman

Archive for April, 2007

Today, our congregation celebrated its 20 year anniversary.  Our Pastor has been preaching about addiction, temptation, Christ’s death on the cross to take our sins away, hope in the Saviour.  So, he continued the series.

An interesting observation is that as technology has developed greatly in the past 100 years, this has not improved our spiritual state.  We are just as much sinners today as the folks living 100 years ago, and going way back to biblical times.

I know this is kind of a rambling entry, but that’s ok.  An entry isn’t a polished essay to be handed into a professor.

The people in Old Testament times needed a Saviour just as much as the folks living in the Little House on the Prairie days.  And we need a Saviour just as much as all those folks.  How I give thanks for the Lord reaching down and changing my heart of stone into a heart of flesh, for washing my sins away by the blood of Jesus Christ!

After the service today, which included a celebration of the Lord’s Table (Communion), we set up tables to have a church luncheon, to sup together.  Everyone brought a dish to pass/share, and some ladies cooked chicken and pasta for all.  When we eat together, we get to know one another better.

Following the luncheon, there was a planned program of recounting the Lord’s work at our church which included a video clip of our pastor and a dvd summary of the past 20 years.  “Oh taste and see that the Lord is good!”  There was an open microphone for a while; several adults and children told how the Lord worked or recited Scripture.

It was a joyous celebration!

Let’s pray for those families who lost loved ones in the tragedy in Virginia.

Let’s reach out to those around us, those God puts in our path.  Is someone sad, distraught?

Let’s be more thankful for the gifts the Lord bestows on us, and use those for His glory.

Let’s appreciate our families, loved ones, and friends – and let them know.

Let’s turn to the Lord and meditate on the words of the Bible, storing truth in our hearts.

“Oh Lord, thank-You that You are sovereign.  Help us to trust in You.  Be with those families who lost a loved

one in the tragic event on the university campus.  May many, many turn to You to find the peace, wisdom and

comfort they need.  In Jesus’ name.”

There’s a new baby in the family, or in a young family you know.

What can you do to assist?  Visit, bring a meal, cook some food for them and put leftovers in little containers to refrigerate or freeze for future meals.  Help the new dad check the fluids in the car(s).  Help do a small home/apartment repair that’s been needing to get done.  Pray with them.  Sing with them.  Hug them.  Encourage them. Rejoice with them. Talk with them.

Take a walk with them.  If they are going to be moving, help pack boxes.  Or, go get a bunch of boxes for them so when the time comes to pack, the boxes will be there.  Buy some packing tape to close the boxes.  Sweep the floors, wash the counters, do the dishes, hold the baby.  “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.”

Serving others takes many shapes……..if we keep our eyes open we will begin to see many ways we can serve the family with the new baby…….even if it means taking out the garbage for them, or changing a diaper, or calming the baby.

Well, Opa and I, along with 2 of our daughters (now Aunties), took a long weekend trip to the South to see our first grandchild.  A good friend emailed me and asked what that was like.  I would have to say that it’s truly indescribable.  Seeing the tiny fragile features of this little grandson up close, holding him in my arms, is just tremendous!  Words are inadequate.  God is so good, and His handiwork of creating a tiny new life in the womb, then being able to meet the little one that was formed in the secret place is truly only something a loving, Mighty, Powerful God could do.  As I leave the keyboard to shed a few quiet tears of utter joy, rejoice with our family in this birth.  Truly, God is good!

Our church denomination’s magazine, called New Horizons, recently had an uplifting article called “Family Devotions: Passing Down a Tradition.” The article gives many examples of families forming the habit of reading Scripture together,memorizing it, praying, singing hymns/songs to the Lord, and discussing the Lord’s work in their lives. What struck me was the evidence of God working in a covenantal way in families, from generation to generation to generation.

That could be a whole study in itself, and entire books have been written about covenant theology. What is important in this brief column today is the importance of family devotions. Deuteronomy 11:18-19 says, “You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul…You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house.”

Having family devotions does take discipline. It means keeping children at the table in order to open up the Word. It means saying no to the doorbell ringing, phone ringing, the computer clamoring for attention, a host of activities that could usurp some time to read and pray. Forming the habit takes effort and time. But we need to take advantage of these family eating times to feast also upon our Lord, too.

What a wonderful thing bearing children is!! Now, becoming a Grandma is a reality! Our grandson was born after 2 days of labor. The water broke early Monday morning and by 3:13am Wed. the little boy was born. Children are a gift, a blessing, a joy!

Although my grandson lives out of state, I’m determined that I can still be a caring Grandma – even if it’s long-distance. With email, internet, phones, I am able to bridge the communication gap. Plus, I love old-fashioned road trips to Virginia, even done in a long weekend.

God has placed another person in my family to nurture and to reach out to. I can tell this little one about Jesus who came to earth as a babe and died the painful and shameful death on the cross that my sins may be covered over. I can, by His grace and mercy, impact yet another generation for the Gospel of Christ.

I can and do say with the Psalmist, “The Lord has done great things for me and I am filled with joy!”