Proverbs 31 Woman

Archive for the ‘Celebrations’ Category

On the right side-bar of this page under Business you will see Hearts for Family.  That is the website of the Crawford Family.  In this short entry I will review the E-Book offered at their site.  The E-Book is called “How I Make Money Sellling Homemade Skin Products (And how you can too!)”.

The E-Book begins with a description of the Crawford Family, a single income large family, and a project they had of making more homemade gifts.  This soon became their home-business.  There are many helpful tips on starting up, about how much money you need to start up, helpful websites, where to find recipes and such.  Also, Mrs. Crawford also gives suggestions on pricing, keeping financial records, and marketing.

I would recommend the E-book for anyone wanting to start a small business, especially a skin-care business.

Well, the wonders of computer technology, ha! Yesterday I spent a good bit of time reviewing 3 books from Above Rubies and when I pressed the publish button, they seemed to have disappeared into cyberspace. So, I will try again but will give a more simple description this time.

Above Rubies is a ministry that reaches out to the moms/families of the world. They also offer an array of helpful resources. I would like to briefly mention a few and would encourage you to check out the website (Above Rubies).

1. Rejuvenate Your Life – Recipes for Energy is a no-cook book chock full of recipes that have been tried, information about the benefits of eating fresh foods, living on a tight budget and eating well, and more. This is written by Serene Allison.

2. Be Fruitful & Multiply – What the Bible Says About Having Children is a very forthright book about the blessing of children. On the back cover we read, “There is no escaping the fact that the Bible is dogmatically pro-child. In fact, it declares unapologetically that the birth of many children is a source of blessing, that a key reason for marriage is to bring forth many children for the glory of God, and that parents should actively seek such blessings.” Some chapter headings are as follows: Gifts from God, Trust and Obey, God’s Provision, The Vision, What Do Children Say? and many others.

3. The Power of Motherhood – What the Bible Says about Mothers is a wonderful volume that talks about the most influential career in the nation. Loaded with Scripture, this volume is a great springboard into a lifelong study of motherhood and what God has to say about it. If you are wondering if the role of mothering is worth it, this volume would be helpful. There are 24 chapters and more!

So, check out the Above Rubies website and consider reading one of the books recommended.

Stay tuned for a brief review of a family and the natural soap business they started a while back.

Hi everyone.  I trust that the Lord is leading you and guiding you in His ways this summer.  I wanted to highlight a few resource materials from Above Rubies in the next few blog entries.  Today, there are 2 dvds I want to mention.  The first is called The Family Meal Table.  I’ve mentioned it before, but it’s such a great resource that I mention it here again.  Nancy Campbell (Above Rubies) clearly explains the importance of the family meal table.  Making the meal table a priority is her vision.  Although Nancy does most of the teaching, there are wonderful clips of various families who explain how the family is fed physically and spiritually at the family meal table.  If you’re wondering how to begin implementing this too often lost way of life, you will want to get this.  I have a couple copies for sale, but you may check the Above Rubies website as well.  Email me at    jane@vvn.net if you want to buy a copy from me and we’ll make arrangements.

The second dvd is called Rejuvenate with Serene and focuses on the basics of healthy eating.  This can be enjoyed by the whole family and is available from Above Rubies.  Serene is one of Nancy Campbell’s daughters.  There are recipes included and an interview with Nancy Campbell.  You will enjoy seeing Serene at work in her kitchen preparing different dishes and discussing the importance of healthy eating.

Celebrations, celebrations, celebrations…….that is what May and June typically consist of.  We celebrate the end of the school year.  We celebrate Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.  There may be some bridal or baby showers, graduation parties, weddings, birthdays, etc.  The book of Ecclesiastes reminds us, there is a time for everything under heaven.  God is sovereign and He reigns on high.  As we live in His fear, that is – wanting His stamp of approval on everything we do, we begin to grow in wisdom.  As we celebrate and rejoice with those around us in their milestones,  let us be ever mindful of His utter goodness, His mercy and kindness towards us.

My life is changing.  I am seeing loved ones and elderly neighbors leave this earth.  I am seeing new babies being born.  I am, by God’s grace alone, learning to accept all of these events, to embrace the moment, to enjoy even more living in His presence.

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!

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!”

This verse from the Psalms says, “Though the Lord is on high, yet He regards the lowly; But the proud He knows from afar.”

Isn’t that awesome that the Lord has great concern for His people, those who put their trust wholly in Him? Some of the definitions in my American Heritage Dictionary for the word “regard” are: to look at attentively, observe closely, look upon or consider in a particular way, to consider or to take into account, and more. I was trying to find my 1828 Webster’s dictionary but it has been moved again! We all enjoy look words up in that tome because the definitions are usually so much more rich and meaningful and at times include Scripture verses. When I find it, I’ll update this!
Are we dependent on God? Are we trusting in Him alone for our salvation? Have we humbled ourselves before Him, thanking Him for His greatness, for His majesty, His mercy, His forgiveness? He is so awesome! He has, as it were, stooped and reached down to us to forgive us, to guide us, to bind up our wounds. He is attentive to us. Lord, how I thank You for YOUR very being, You are the great “I AM”, you are the Alpha and the Omega, You are the King of Kings!