Top Ten Posts of 2013!

Here are the top ten most-read posts of 2013. If you have liked, shared, commented on, or pinned any of these best-loved posts, I am grateful! Thank you!

#10 - Haven or Hollywood? (Pin it!)

#09 - How to Deal with the Fools in Your Life! (Pin it!)

#08 - Our Afternoon Routine (Pin it!)

#07 - Take cover! (Pin it!)

#06 - Confession of a messy mom. (Pin it!)

#05 - Unfulfilled Dreams? (Pin it!)

#04 - You just don't understand! (Pin it!)

#03 - Teaching children to sit through church (Pin it!)

#02 - No wonder she's not listening (Pin it!)

and the most-read, best-loved post of 2013...

#01 - Our Morning Routine (Pin it!)

Thank you all! I am waiting with great expectation for the lessons the Lord has for me to learn & share in 2014!

Writing as He moves me,

for His glory!

~Lisha

I may be sharing this at these wonderful Link-up parties!

If this has blessed or encouraged you, please comment, pin it, or share!

Footprints in the snow

“Hannah! Follow me!” Abby pleaded. “Just follow in my footsteps, right there! It makes it easier…”

As Abby plodded her way through the eighteen(ish) inches of snow in our yard last weekend, she realized that Hannah was struggling to keep up with her older (and taller) sisters – she was in the ‘deep, deep snow’ and couldn’t even lift her legs up far enough to move. So Abby backtracked and tried to make footprints close enough together so Hannah might be able to follow.

It was still a little bit of a struggle, but Hannah did it!

I teared up a little as I watched, because I realized that Abby was giving me a glimpse of the Father:

“Lisha! Follow Me! Just follow in My footsteps – right there! It makes it easier…” In the snowdrifts of life – where I just can’t seem to move forward because there is too much in my way – He comes and whispers “my daughter, I’ve already walked this path before You. Just follow Me, and you can move.” Will it be a piece of cake to move? Maybe. Maybe not. But when I choose to follow His precepts, commandments, and wisdom, He will surely enable me to take those forward steps, no matter how infantile they might seem.

This Christmas, no matter what snowdrifts you find yourself standing in – look for the Father’s footsteps, and follow Him in the path He’s already prepared for you!

Looking for His footsteps,

for His glory!

~Lisha

Verses about walking in the Lord's ways:

Leviticus 18:4-5

1 Kings 8:60-61

Psalm 26:3

Psalm 86:11-12

Psalm 119:1-3

Proverbs 10:8-9

Isaiah 2:3

Jeremiah 7:23-24

Ezekiel 20:19-20

Hosea 14:9

Micah 4:5

I may be sharing this post at these encouraging Link-up parties!

If this post has blessed, encouraged, or inspired you, please comment, pin it, or share with your friends!

How to Deal with the Fools in Your Life!!

Does anyone in particular come to mind as you read the title of this post?

www.reviveourhearts.com

This is so timely in my life, and was utterly convicting and heartily encouraging at the same time. If you have people in your life who tend to act or speak foolishly, please take the time to listen to this 6-part series (and be ready to be challenged that you are not the one who is a fool!). God used this to show me where I tend to act foolishly!

Abigail: How to Deal with the Fools in Your Life

by Revive Our Hearts Ministries

Part 1: Caught in the Middle

Part 2: Are You Approachable?

Part 3: Diffusing the Situation

Part 4: A Soft Answer

Part 5: A Happy Ending?

Part 6: Death Brings Life

I am praying that this series is as much a help to you as it was to me!

Seeking His wisdom in all things,

for His glory!

~Lisha

*I recently posted another ROH series, Blessed are the Meek! - but don't listen to it unless you want your heart to be changed. :)

I'm sharing this post over at A Proverbs 31 Wife, Yes, They're All Ours, Growing Home, Teaching What is Good, The Time-Warp Wife, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Raising Homemakers, Deep Roots at Home, Walking Redeemed, Hope In Every Season, Serving Joyfully, I Choose Joy & Simply Helping Him!

[If this post has encourage, inspired, or blessed you, please leave a comment or share it with friends!]

If

Amy Carmichael was a Irish lady who spent 55 years of her life ministering to the children & women of India at the Dohnavur Fellowship which she founded in 1901. I love to read about her life and read her books & poetry.

One of my favorite pieces is a collection of brief thoughts & poems titled "If." They challenge my heart afresh, each time I read them. I'm sharing a few that really spoke to my heart this evening, in this season of my life. There are so many areas of my life where I 'know nothing of Calvary love'! Do you find yourself in any of these?

If I can enjoy a joke at the expense of another;

if I can in any way slight another in conversation,

or even in thought,

then I know nothing of Calvary love.

Pin it!

If I take offence easily;

if I am content to continue in cold unfriendliness,

though friendship be possible,

then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I belittle those whom I am called to serve,

talk of their weak points in contrast

perhaps with what I think of as my strong points;

if I adopt a superior attitude,

forgetting "Who made thee to differ?

and what hast thou that thou hast not received?"

then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If a sudden jar can cause me

to speak an impatient, unloving word,

then I know nothing of Calvary love.

For a cup brimful of sweet water cannot spill

even one drop of bitter water,

however suddenly jolted.

If the ultimate, the hardest, cannot be asked of me;

if my fellows hesitate to ask it

and turn to someone else,

then I know nothing of Calvary love.

When an answer I did not expect

comes to a prayer which I believed I truly meant,

I shrink back from it;

if the burden my Lord asks me to bear

be not the burden of my heart's choice, 

and I fret inwardly and do not welcome His will,

then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I can easily discuss

the shortcomings and the sins of any;

if I can speak in a casual way

even of a child's misdoings,

then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I am afraid to speak the truth lest I lose affection,

or lest the one concerned should say,

"You do not understand",

or because I fear to lose my reputation for kindness;

if I put my own good name

before the other's highest good,

then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I feel bitter toward those who condemn me,
as it seems to me, unjustly,
forgetting that if they knew me as I know myself
they would condemn me much more,
then I know nothing of Calvary love.
[Amy Carmichael]

Desperate to know ever more of Calvary love,
for His glory!
~Lisha

I'm sharing this post at Growing Home, Titus 2sday, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Raising Homemakers, Hope in Every Season, & I Choose Joy!

[If this post has encouraged, blessed, or inspired you, please comment and feel free to share with friends.]

10...9...8...7...

10 days till E's surgery.

13 days till we move.

I cannot tell you, friend, how thankful I am that in God's timing the cecostomy and the move are happening within 3 days of each other. It leaves me no time to sit around and mull over all of the "what ifs" that I was anxious about weeks ago.

I am physically spent. For three weeks now I have been packing, cleaning, and moving stuff around as much as I can during the day (while still caring for the girls, one of whom likes to unpack and unclean as I try to pack and clean!), and then packing and cleaning still into the wee hours of the mornings. [Will has been so sweet to let me sleep in most mornings for a couple extra hours while he gets the girls up & fed!] My hope is to be done packing and done with the cleaning a couple of days before leaving for the hospital so that when we get back, all that's left is to load up the van and any other vehicles and move.

For those who have been praying, thank you.

Thank you!

I have had a few days lately where I can feel that I'm being carried to the throne of grace. To be reminded that it's His strength I lean on and not mine, and that He is holding me up in answer to the prayers of others is very humbling and encouraging!

Please continue to pray!
-for the doctors, that their hands would be steady & sure and that the diagnosis & treatment are exactly what E needs. for the nurses, for wisdom, clarity, & energy as they tend to E and the other sweet kids on the children's floor.
-for us, that we would not fear nor give a moment's worry about our daughter. because the King of the universe has her in His mighty & tender hand.
-for the needs that come with moving, and a blessing over the people who will be taking time out of their lives to help us.
-for patience and joy and kindness toward the girls and each other in this season of big changes!

The countdown is on,
and His timing is perfect,
for His glory!
~Lisha :)

What are you going to be...?

The question has come up more often this year than it has in the past, so I'll answer it here.

Question: "What are your girls going to be for Halloween this year?"

Image from www.costume-cauldron.com

...it's usually asked by completely well-meaning people at the grocery store/bank/library/anywhere we go. And fair enough - most people participate. But it's met with awkwardly blank stares by my girls, and me trying to answer swiftly and politely and not open up a debate or come across as judgmental. So....

Answer: We choose not to celebrate Halloween. The girls know what it is, and they understand that some people choose to celebrate it with their families and friends. They also know that we don't. They've never been trick-or-treating. Will jokes that they play dress-up pretty much every day anyway, and it's more fun (and less wasteful) to let them choose their own favorite bags of snacks or candy the day after Halloween, once the candy is 50% off. That way, we don't get any of the gross candy (like Mary Janes and Bit O'Honey and that awful peanut butter-ish-maybe? type candy. Ugh.).

As I learn more about who God is and what He desires of those that follow Him, I've developed a few strong convictions about Halloween.

They may not be your convictions. I'm okay with that. Please don't think that if it's something you get really geared up for and enjoy that I'm sitting here thinking "whoa - sinner alert!!" - the Bible says that you (and I) are a sinner no matter which holidays you celebrate (Romans 3:23); conversely, if you don't celebrate it, don't think that I'm sitting here thankful that we're in some awesomely holy exclusive club together (Romans 3:23!). It's not about that; it's where I am in my walk with God and what I know His Word says about it. If you claim to follow Jesus, you need to reconcile your thoughts, assumptions, and feelings with His Word on your own.

For those curious, here are the reasons why Halloween is not a holiday we observe:
-A number of years ago, Will and I watched a brief documentary (if you're interested, I can find it for you) about folks who had been practicing Satanism, paganism, or witchcraft, who had made the choice to leave those ways and decide to instead follow Jesus and His teachings. One consistent topic was that of Halloween sacrifices - some said they had been part of rituals where animals, and in one interview, a human baby, were sacrificed in a mockery of Christ's sacrifice on the cross. Now, I realize that most people who read this and identify themselves as pagan or witches would never consider or have even heard of this, and I don't assume to know what you do or believe. But hearing their stories about the fact that it does really happen moved us. And it caused us to think twice before willingly engaging in a day of fun and candy when there are heinous acts being carried out to mock our Lord. I suppose that anyone could make a case that that happens every day of the year, and should we not celebrate anything in that case? That's another message for another time...

-Even though the apostle Paul exhorts believers to be all things to all people that we might win some of them to Christ (see 1 Corinthians 9:19-23), he doesn't advocate pretending to be something we're not to appease the world around us. Halloween has become a day (or, I could argue, a whole season!) of hiding behind false pretenses and trying to wow people with the grossest/most enticing/most ridiculous/most thrilling/most holy costume - for what? If I dress up and pretend to be an angel or well-known Bible character or an apostle or Jesus Himself, that's not going to convince anybody that my Lord is worthy of all glory and honor. No - God commands us to clothe ourselves daily in humility, patience, love, tender mercy, strength, and dignity, (see Proverbs 31: 25, Colossians 3:12-14, 1 Peter 5:5). Those are the adornments He will draw others to Himself with. I don't need one day a year for that wardrobe - that is a daily living wardrobe. Plus, I'm not an angel. Don't take my word for it; take His: there is none righteous, no not one; there is none who seek after God (see Romans 3). The best thing to be for God's glory is what I already am: a wretched sinner who has been completely redeemed by Jesus.

-Much of the advertising in the season surrounding Halloween is marketed to frighten us and moreso, our children. Why? Why is it necessary to fill our minds with fear? As a believer in Christ and what His death accomplished for me, I want to declare this now: I am not afraid of death (1 Corinthians 15:55). I am not afraid of the night, or what possibly lurks in the dark. I am not afraid because I know without a doubt that my God is totally in control and He keeps me in His peace. And He says that He has not given His people a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7)!! And He also bids us to set our minds to dwell on that which is good, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report (Philippians 4:8). Thus, I do not need to subject myself or my children, whom I have been called by God to guard fiercely!!!, to things that would scare or cause fear.

-Lastly, and not an entirely biblical reason, how are we still promoting a holiday that (commercially) is mostly about candy? If everyone were actually serious about the nation's obesity epidemic, people would not seriously let their children collect and consume all that candy. We'd call for a massive reduction of junk food production and promote something healthier. Biblically speaking, believers in Christ are not bound to the chains of gluttony and such a heinous lack of self-control - Jesus has set us free from that and we should take care of the bodies He has given us. And we'd teach our kids to do the same. Now, mind you - I have not arrived in that department. I still enjoy candy too much. But that doesn't change the fact that I need to work at being a better example to my daughters.

Those are not all of the reasons but they are the major ones. There are going to be some of you who disagree with me, and like I said before: okay! This is my heart now, and before the Lord and His Word this is what He's shown me. I'm totally open to an honest and deeper discussion about the whole topic - just ask. Ask. We may continue to disagree. We may learn something from each other. Our minds might be changed or our hearts may be convinced to keep searching the Scriptures for an answer. That's how we grow.

This Halloween, I want everything I do to be
for His glory!
~Lisha :)

This post may be shared at one of these homemaking link-up parties!

[If this post has blessed, encouraged, or inspired you, please comment or share with a friend!]

Showers of blessing!

Today, I had the privilege of sharing a short message at a dear young lady's baby shower at church. I've posted it here, because the Lord is teaching me this lesson in my life now!

It's written to a first-time mom, but the eternal truth echoes whether you have children or not: "I can do nothing apart from Jesus."

Learning to abide in Him alone,

for His glory!

~Lisha :)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

[John 15:4-5]

It’s audacious. And daunting. What a claim for Jesus to make – that without Him we can do nothing.

But if He is telling the truth (and we know that He is, because He Himself is Truth!), then that means that we can do nothing without abiding in Him.

You’re a mother! Apart from being one of God’s daughters and being a wife, being a mom is the next highest, most glorious calling in your life. God chose you before the foundation of the world to be the mom of this sweet little baby that we cannot wait to meet. That you cannot wait to hold and snuggle and be amazed at. That your mom & mother-in-law cannot wait to spoil with the love that only a grammy knows!! (and trust me, you won’t understand the love that drives a grammy to feed your kid sweets just before dinner even though she never ever would have done that when you were younger! But let them be Grammies!!)

But, back to the point. God picked you to be this baby’s mom, at this time in your life! Not because you are qualified, not because you have the answers, not because your parenting philosophy is awesome. Not because you’re able to handle the stress of raising a child. Not because of who you are, but solely for His glory! You are not capable of raising up a child the way He wants you to.

This revelation may have multiple responses:

1)      Fear and panic. Without Jesus by your side, in your heart, and on your mind – you cannot be the kind of mother He is calling you to be. That seems like a tall order. How in the world, you may ask, am I supposed to keep my mind fixed on Jesus while I’m changing diapers or up at 12 and 2 and 3:30 and 4 and 6…? How can my heart be full to bursting for Jesus when my heart is already bursting to full with my husband and the little one? How can I expect Jesus to want to be by my side when I’m doing the mundane, every day things like laundry (again), dishes (again), making lunch (again), or just trying to fit in 5 minutes to fix my hair in the mirror so I don’t look atrocious? How can I fix on Him enough?

2)      Freedom!!! Oh, the freedom that comes from abiding in Jesus and knowing that you cannot do anything as a mom without His help! When you start out with the truth that you, in your own strength and knowledge and intentions, are not going to be good enough – you know there will be sufficient grace to pick you up when you falter (and you will, indeed, falter)! God says that He gives grace to the humble, but scorns the proud (James 4:6). And Jesus will lift you up! If you put your energies into abiding in Him by abiding in His Word, He will gently guide you and show you what to do. And when you rest in His Word and lean on His strength, you will be able to do all the things He desires for you in your roles as mom & wife. Not in your strength, but His. And since His strength is infinitely more reliable and time-tested, take Him at His Word and abide in it.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. [Philippians 4:13]

…Apart from Him, I can do nothing. [John 15:5]

{I may be sharing this post at one of these wonderful Link-up parties!}

Delight and Desire!

Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.

For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.
Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
Delight yourself also in the LORD,

and He shall give you the desires of your heart. 

Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.
He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,

and your justice as the noonday.
Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him;

do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret—it only causes harm.
For evildoers shall be cut off;

but those who wait on the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more;
indeed, you will look carefully for his place, but it shall be no more.
But the meek shall inherit the earth,

and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth.
The Lord laughs at him, for He sees that his day is coming.
The wicked have drawn the sword and have bent their bow,
to cast down the poor and needy, to slay those who are of upright conduct.
Their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.
A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked.
For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,

but the LORD upholds the righteous.
The LORD knows the days of the upright,

and their inheritance shall be forever.
They shall not be ashamed in the evil time,

and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
But the wicked shall perish; and the enemies of the LORD,
like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish.
Into smoke they shall vanish away.
The wicked borrows and does not repay,

but the righteous shows mercy and gives.
For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth,

but those cursed by Him shall be cut off.
The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way.
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;

for the LORD upholds him with His hand.
I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,
nor his descendants begging bread.
He is ever merciful, and lends; and his descendants are blessed.
Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell forevermore.
For the LORD loves justice, and does not forsake His saints; 

they are preserved forever,

but the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off.
The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell in it forever.
The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue talks of justice.
The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.
The wicked watches the righteous, and seeks to slay him.
The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.
Wait on the LORD, and keep His way,
and He shall exalt you to inherit the land;

when the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.
I have seen the wicked in great power,

and spreading himself like a native green tree.
Yet he passed away, and behold, he was no more; 

indeed I sought him, but he could not be found.
Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright;

for the future of that man is peace.
But the transgressors shall be destroyed together;

the future of the wicked shall be cut off.
But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;

He is their strength in the time of trouble.
And the LORD shall help them and deliver them;

He shall deliver them from the wicked,
and save them, because they trust in Him.

Psalm 37 [NKJV] - www.biblegateway.com

I was meditating on this Psalm for a good part of the evening, and what a balm to my soul! With only 8 days to go until we know for sure whether or not the Lord is going to have us close up the Bible House (see my post Come and hear... for more details about this), it has been so easy to:

1) get angry and bitter and blame people for not shopping at the store;

2) pray incessantly that God gives us a better/different opportunity to serve Him right now; and

3) despair because we have fallen so far behind our bills while we know that there are ungodly people who are making more money than we are and spending it on ungodly and selfish pursuits & hobbies.

[God has broken my heart and His lovingkindness has led me to repentance for these things - for taking my gaze off of God and for having such ugly heart attitudes!]

And yet!! God has been pleading with me over the last few days (through His Word and through a dear friend who is not ashamed to speak truth into my heart) to just delight in Him and trust in Him!! Not to worry about His plan, for it is perfect and He already knows it. Not to delight in His plan, but to delight myself in Him!! And after I have made the choice to trust and delight in Him - He will give me the desires of my heart, because my desires will be in line with His heart for me. 

Oh, my Lord, show me what it means to just delight in You and all that You are, and to trust You (for You have never failed us!) - I only want to know You more!

By His grace, and

for His glory!

~Lisha :)

Grace and Wisdom: Hannah Sophia

Photo courtesy of Molly Viglione

Tomorrow we will be celebrating our youngest daughter's first birthday! It is a day of sweet significance.

A little over two years ago, on Will's birthday, we discovered that our third child met Jesus before we did after about 8 weeks of pregnancy. We were crushed, but chose to praise God for what He was doing regardless. Not long thereafter, during a routine doctor's appointment, it was revealed to me that I had a major health concern that needed to be dealt with quickly. The doctors advised us not to try to have any more children until I was healthy again. Believing that God had given these doctors wisdom, we chose to heed their advice.

...aaaaand then a few months later, we discovered that we were expecting again, anyways! 

We have not known the gender of our babies before birth - what fun is that?! The names that we had picked out were Paul William (which has been our boy name of choice since before our oldest daughter was born - we just haven't had an occasion to use it yet!) and Hannah Sophia. 

Hannah is a Hebrew name. It means "grace" or "favor".

Sophia comes from the Greek root word that means "wisdom".

How perfect her name is for the season of our lives into which she was born!

God bestowed grace on us, allowing us to even have another blessing to add to our family, and oh! the wisdom of His perfect timing. We found out about Hannah two weeks before I would have been due with our third baby, which means Hannah would be an impossibility had we not miscarried.

Hannah Sophia, you are a treasure to us; a reminder of the grace and wisdom of God in all situations. You delight us, and we know that the Lord is going to use the story of your life to bring glory to Himself. We love you!

For His glory~

Lisha

Busy, busy, busy!

I noticed a couple of years ago that whenever someone asked me how I was, one of my top three responses was "Oh, busy!" And almost everyone I met understood, and justified my busy-ness because I have toddlers. I became entrenched in the cultural lie that it is normal to always be busy.

www.librarygrits.blogspot.com

I don't want to be busy anymore. I have come to loathe "busy."


Busy means "oh, I have to run here and do this and attend this meeting and bring my kids to drop them off here and I have to make and get to all these appointments and make sure I have some do-gooder things on my to-do list and...."


Busy means I don't have much time to spend with my God, minister to my husband, disciple my daughters or take care of my home - because I'm hardly ever there!


Ladies, if you are married and/or have children, the Lord does not desire for you to live a "busy" life. He desires for you to find your real, deep joy in Him and His calling on your life, which is 1) being a wife, 2) being a mom, and 3) caring for your home.

In Paul's letter to Titus, God says it is GOOD for women to love their husbands (of course!), love their children (don't we all?), AND to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, and obedient to their husbands. Those things are what God values in a wife & mom's life! Nowhere do you find anything exhorting you to over-book your life or your family's life with too many outside commitments.


Rather, the Lord desires that a woman live a FULL life. Full, not busy. There's a difference. The Proverbs 31 woman lived a full life. Her days were full of rising early to provide food for her household; to seek out the food and other essentials needed at home; to instruct the children and be a blessing to her husband in his work; and to stay up late providing for their clothing and home needs. Her days and her life were bursting with a massive investment of time in her family and her home. And you know what? She is praised for it. Because she was living out her God-appointed role joyfully. 


I want a full life. Full of time to soak in the Word and time to help Will run the Bible House. Time to do dishes, clean bathrooms, make beds, and cook healthy meals. Time to spend every minute necessary to teach my children about and how to imitate Jesus. Time to play with the girls and teach them how to effectively run their own home someday. Time to say to a friend "oh, yes, I'm available to watch your kids in a pinch", because I've got nothing much on the schedule. Time to invest in making my home a place where people can come, put up their feet, and experience the peaceful presence of Jesus Christ - because I've made my home a place for Him.


I reject a busy life. It's not that there won't be days when we have lots of things to do; it's that I defy the word "busy" to describe my general lifestyle.


Here's to a fullness of days in Jesus, and a lifestyle that is not dictated by appointments, lessons, and daycare schedules. Here's to enjoying each day and looking forward in anticipation to how Jesus can minister to others through me, because I am available. Here's to the joy of knowing that my life does not have to be busy to count eternally - the joy of a full life, thanks to Jesus.

For His glory,
now and forever!
Lisha :)

I'm sharing this post over at A Proverbs 31 Wife, The Modest Mom, The Better Mom, Splashin' Glory, The Time-Warp Wife, Growing Home, Teaching What is Good, Far Above Rubies, Cornerstone Confessions, Deep Roots at Home, Walking Redeemed, Raising Homemakers, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Hope in Every Season, I Choose Joy, Serving Joyfully, Simply Helping Him, and Essential Thing Devotions!

Hide and Seek!

Elizabeth and Abby love to play hide and seek! In fact, they can and will play for an hour or so if I let them; longer if they've got some good hiding spots. However, they don't play according to the rules - they play backwards.

"Okay, Mom, you stay there, and I'll go find you!" That's how Abby starts every single game of hide and seek that we play. The rule is that I sit on the couch, and Abby runs into the other room, counts loudly, and then slowly makes her way back toward the couch "looking" for me in every place she can think of.

It's quite comical. Eventually, she finds me - even though she really knew where I was all along because she told me where to hide.

That sounds an awful lot like my relationship with the Lord lately. I like to play Hide and Seek with Him, but I don't play according to His Word. I make up my own rules and I play backwards.

How does He want us to "Hide and Seek", according to His Word?

Keep me as the apple of Your eye;
hide me under the shadow of Your wings,
from the wicked who oppress me,
from my deadly enemies who surround me.
[Psalm 17:8-9]

For in the time of trouble
He shall hide me in His pavilion;
in the secret place of His tabernacle
He shall hide me;
He shall set me high upon a rock.
And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me;
therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD!
[Psalm 27:5-6]

Hear my voice, O God, in my meditation;
preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked,
from the rebellion of the workers of iniquity,
who sharpen their tongue like a sword...
[Psalm 64:1-3]

The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed,
a refuge in times of trouble.
And those who know Your name will put their trust in You;
for You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.
[Psalm 9:9-10]

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints!
there is no want to those who fear Him.
The young lions lack and suffer hunger;
but those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.
[Psalm 34:8-10]

Oh, give thanks to the LORD!
Call upon His name;
make known His deeds among the peoples!
Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;
talk of all His wondrous works!
Glory in His holy name;
let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD!
Seek the LORD and His strength;
seek His face evermore!
[Psalm 105:1-4]

There are so many other verses about hiding and seeking. To me, it is clear that God wants us to hide in Him, not from Him; to seek Him at all times, not just when life is at its worst.

And that's where I tend to get it backwards!

It usually starts when I get lazy about taking every thought captive obedient to Christ. When I think, "hey, it's okay to overeat/not do chores/snap at the girls/just go a bit above the speed limit/be rude to Will...just this once. I mean, I'm justified...I've had a bad day (insert any lame excuse here). When I give a place to a "tiny" sin. Then I have to save face before God, and I start hiding FROM Him. It's ALWAYS a bad idea. Adam and Eve tried it too - and they didn't get away with it, either (see Genesis 3).

Then that little sin can get out of control and before I know it, I'm cranky, proud, stubborn, easily provoked, and a whole host of other nasty things. Hiding from God (by not praying and not being in the Word daily and by "covering up" my sin by doing other good things) leads to ruin. Ruin in my home. Ruin in my spiritual life. And that leads to needing to seek God and His mercy. Don't get me wrong - I am SO thankful that His mercies are new every morning, but I think He'd rather me not choose sin in the first place! He wants to be sought because of my love and passion for who He is, not because I've told Him "okay, You stay here, and I'll go find you!" only to wander back to Him at the end because I knew where He was all along and I'd exhausted all other possibilities.

Friend - are you hiding in God's love and grace, or are you hiding from God because your sin prevents you from wanting Him to find you out? Are you seeking God because you delight in Him and want to see His face and give Him glory, or are you seeking Him because you've exhausted all other possibilities and He's your last resort?

He makes it clear in the Bible that He wants to be our refuge in times of trial and in the 'regular' times too. He is a strong tower and a mighty fortress, and He longs for us to place our safety and trust in Him. To hide our vulnerable, mortal selves in His everlasting strength and might. So, run to Him. Hide in His strength. Seek Him in the good times - He says that when you seek Him with all your heart, you'll find Him! Don't wait until you're at your most desperate hour to seek Him. Let today be the day that you recognize that you can't hide your sin from God, and that you can find freedom and hope and life in seeking Him right now!

Only by His grace!
Only for His glory!
~Lisha :)

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. [Hebrews 4:12-13]

Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back from your captivity... [Jeremiah 29:12-14]

This post may be shared over at one of these helpful homemaking Link-up parties!

[If this post has blessed, encouraged, or inspired you, please comment or share with a friend!]

...her worth is far above rubies!

Let me introduce you to a woman that I have learned much from and have come to love dearly!

She is kind. She is strong, both emotionally and physically. She is a hard worker. She makes wise financial investments. She doesn't get tired often. She makes all of the clothes for her entire family. Her husband is a respected member of the community. She has compassion on those who are needy. She is faithful. She is not an angry or contentious woman. She is full of joy and has no fear about her future. She loves working with her hands.

She is the woman described in Proverbs 31. The "Excellent Wife" (or Virtuous Wife, depending on the translation you use). Here she is, in all her beauty:

Who can find a virtuous wife?
For her worth is far above rubies.
The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
so he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good
and not evil all the days of her life.
She seeks wool and flax,
and willingly works with her hands.
She is like the merchant ships,
she brings her food from afar.
She also rises while it is yet night,
and provides food for her household,
and a portion for her maidservants.
She considers a field and buys it;
from her profits she plants a vineyard.
She girds herself with strength,
and strengthens her arms.
She perceives that her merchandise is good,
and her lamp does not go out by night.
She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
and her hand holds the spindle.
She extends her hand to the poor,
yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household is clothed with scarlet.
She makes tapestry for herself;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates,
when he sits among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies sashes for the merchants.
Strength and honor are her clothing;
she shall rejoice in time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and on her tongue is the law of kindness.
She watches over the ways of her household,
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
“Many daughters have done well,
but you excel them all.”
Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
but a woman who fears the LORD,
she shall be praised!!
Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her own works praise her in the gates.
[Proverbs 31:10-31]


Every time I read this passage - underlined, highlighted, circled, noted to the max in my Bible - I am further inspired and convicted that I want to imitate her. In providing a husband and children for me, the Lord has placed on me the high and noble calling of growing into the Proverbs 31 woman - a virtuous wife and mother. A strong, intelligent, financially sound, wise, diligent, compassionate, selfless, (seemingly) tireless lady who spends her time taking great care of her husband, children, maidservants (I wouldn't mind having a couple of those around!), and her home.


The Lord has given me a deep desire to be more and more like this lovely lady, who smiles at all the days to come. Even though she knows each day will require hard work and there probably won't be much appreciation. She doesn't do it for the applause - she does it because she loves her family and fears the LORD. She knows this is what He is asking of her, and she tries to do it excellently!

It breaks my heart that there seem to be so few women who really desire to be virtuous wives today (there are plenty who want to be good wives by a modern standard, but not many that would follow a scriptural definition). Why is it that so many women scoff incredulously at being like the woman of Proverbs 31?


I think it has to do with the lies we've bought into about being modern-day women. 
*"Her lamp doesn't go out at night AND she's up early dishing out food, even for her maids?! When does she get her recommended 6-8 hours of sleep? I could never do that. I'm a night owl/earlybird/fill-in-the-blank-with-reasons-you-don't-want-to-be-like-her!!!"
*"When does she have girls' nights out away from her kids? I need a break from my family every so often. I could never be so diligent. I need time for myself!"
*"Make things instead of buying them?! Spend my days cleaning my house and teaching my children to be good stewards of what we have? But I've got too many meetings and too many playgroups and too many church activities; I'm tired, and I don't have the time to do those things. Besides, I can just buy food and clothes and my kids will learn real-life skills from their school!"

...and on and on and on and on they go. The many reasons why we, as wives and moms, don't believe we can fill the shoes of the woman God has lauded as 'virtuous'. She is a relic of the past; she is the standard of a different time when there weren't modern conveniences and 'liberated' women.

And some of you may be thinking...
Times have changed, Lisha! Life's not like that anymore! It's too traditional/old-fashioned/backwards/insulting to expect that a woman's 'occupation' should be only to be an excellent wife and a mom! What a waste of talent and strength, to keep a woman at home!

My friends, especially my married and/or mom friends: the honorable title of "Excellent Wife" is a great reward. It is valuable! And it IS doable! Not because women are awesome, but because God is awesome and in His grace he allows us to be slowly (over a lifetime!) transformed into a godly, virtuous wife and mom. And He gives us wisdom as we grow to see that being "just" a wife and mom is a most glorious and wonderful calling.

If God has given you with a husband and/or children, He bids you to come to Him, and He will cover your shame and shortcomings with abundant grace. He invites you to accept His forgiveness of your sins, and to walk gloriously in the role of wife and mom He's made you for!!

Does it mean that you're going to wake up early each morning with a big smile on your face and never get mad and you're going to have to be a perfect wife and mom every moment of every day? No! Because we all have sinned and fall short of God's glory and His perfect standard, no woman is capable of being a perfect wife or mom. Not you, not me (oh, golly, certainly not me! I miss that mark every hour...), not anyone. The Lord has given us mercy in that area through Jesus' atonement for our sin. He asks that we strive for excellence, not perfection. And in those moments when we fail, He picks us up, encourages us with His Word and His love and other women who are in the same situation, and gives us grace to keep striving.

My prayer right now is that you would be inspired to hope for and work toward excellence as a wife and mom, if you've been called to those. That you would desire to spend your days loving your husband and/or your children, even if it means dropping some other things. Love always involves a sacrifice; for wives and moms, it's usually a sacrifice of time (and sleep). I am praying for you, dear one, that you would joyfully realize that being a wife and/or mom is beautiful role and that you would want to emulate this lady. What better way to share (and grow in) the love, patience, grace, mercy, and forgiveness of Jesus Christ than to start with those you love the dearest?

If you'd like to take a closer look at the Proverbs 31 woman, here are some wonderful resources:
-Proverbs 31:10-31 [quoted above]
-The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace
-Beautiful in God's Eyes:
      The Treasures of the Proverbs 31 Woman by Elizabeth George

And here are some other fantastic resources for wives and moms:
-Stay-at-Home Mom by Donna Otto
-Open Heart, Open Home by Karen Mains
-My Heart's at Home by Jill Savage
-Authentic Beauty and Set-Apart Femininity by Leslie Ludy
-The Power of a Praying Wife and
       The Power of a Praying Parent by Stormie Omartian
-Becoming a Titus 2 Woman by Martha Peace
-The "I heartily recommend..." list of blogs on the left side of this page!
[These are by no means exhaustive lists!]

Dear friend, if you are a wife or mom or a homemaker, it's not just because you chose it, but because the Lord created you for it long before the foundation of the world. Your work is important to Him. It is no little thing to be "just" a wife and mom. Great men & women throughout all of history were nurtured and raised by women who took their "job" seriously and strove for excellence. Will your husband or children be raised to greatness because of your excellence and obedience, for God's glory? Join me on this journey of growth in grace and excellence...

Only by His grace, and for His glory!
Lisha

I may be sharing this post at these Link-up parties!

~~~~~~~~~~
P.S.

...her worth is far above rubies. [v.10]

Rubies are some of the most valuable gems on the planet. A real ruby is rarer than many other gemstones. And God - the God who spoke all of the rubies ever into existence  - the God who never, ever changes - declares that a wife who strives for excellence in her role is MORE VALUABLE than rubies. You, as you choose to grow in excellence, are more precious to God than the rarest gems on Earth. And infinitely more beautiful.

Want to know a bit more about rubies? Check out www.gemstone.org and search "Gem by Gem" for them. Read about how rare a perfect ruby is, and be encouraged that your work in your home and the work God is doing in your heart is worth more than the money people spend on gems.

If you can't say anything nice...

"Hannah keeps overestimating the size of her mouth!"

Will and I were watching Hannah play the other night. She would pick up a toy and immediately try to shove the entire thing in her mouth. It frustrated her quickly, because her mouth is not as large as her toys are; they just didn't fit. We were chuckling at the determination when Will made the above comment.

Almost all babies are prone to overestimating the size of their mouths. But the truth is, I think grown-ups are, too.

Babies overestimate by trying to put things in their mouths that are too big; adults overestimate by saying things that are too big and arrogant for them to be uttering.

Photo by Molly Viglione Photography, 2012
www.mollyviglionephotography.blogspot.com

I was convicted by the Holy Spirit years ago (just before I got married) while taking a course at church called "The Excellent Wife" (and also a few years later while reading the book "Beautiful in God's Eyes") of the following:

If the words that are going to be coming out of my mouth are not 1) kind or 2) wise, then I have no business saying them. NONE. This conviction is based on Proverbs 31:26: 'She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness' and James 3:9-10: 'With [the tongue] we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so!'

+Gossip should not come out of my mouth, even (and especially) when it's being said under the cover of being  a "real prayer concern." [See 1 Timothy 5:13]
+Insults should not come out of my mouth.
+Arrogant statements and assumptions should not come out of my mouth.
+Statements that make me sound like I am an absolute expert on something should not come out of my mouth.
+Words that dishonor God, my husband, my parents, or my government leaders should not come out of my mouth.
+Jokes at the expense of someone else's heart should not come out of my mouth.
+Complaints and whining should not come out of my mouth. [See Philippians 2:14]
+Rash retorts should not come out of my mouth. [See Proverbs 15:1]
+Venting anger should not come out of my mouth. ["Venting" is not healthy. It is a sign of a lack of self-control. See Proverbs 12:16, Proverbs 18:2 and Proverbs 29:11, for starters.]
+Words that mock, cut down, belittle, irritate, or purposely offend should not come out of my mouth.

"Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks." -Jesus {Matthew 12:34}
These kinds of words, when allowed to escape, are a symptom of a much larger problem. When I think that I deserve to say these kinds of things because (somebody hurt my feelings; someone has wronged me, I feel that I am owed something, etc), I am making a very wrong assumption that I'm entitled to execute judgement or justice on that person.

And those are awfully big words to be coming out of my mouth. With a very inflated heart attitude behind them.

When pondering my place before an almighty God, I realize that I am not more powerful, more entitled, more worthy, more justified than anyone else on the planet. I am a sinner. I have no right to be speaking those kind of words.

I sometimes (daily) overestimate the size of my mouth and my heart attitude. I lose my cool with my girls; I argue with my husband over small matters; I mutter under my breath at the grocery store when there are slower people in front of me or stopped right in the middle of the aisle and seem to need to read every single label on both sides before moving on. I am continually seeking forgiveness for the things that I let come out of my mouth and am working to discipline my tongue to speak only kind and wise words. James 3 is a great place to start if you want to know just how hard it is to use our mouths for God's glory by exercising self-control in that area; so is the entire book of Proverbs.

When overestimating the size of my mouth and my importance, I will find myself frustrated, like Hannah, because things do not fit the way I thought they would. I need to speak wisdom and kindness into the lives of my husband, children, friends, and everyone I meet! In matters where I've been hurt by someone's words or actions - I need to bring the hurt to the Lord and let Him take care of the matter. No comment, no hurt is so deep that Jesus cannot heal me completely.

We need to stop using ugly words. Stop airing bitterness and family politics on Facebook/Twitter/etc. Stop talking about people behind their backs. Stop snapping at our kids and our spouses. Stop complaining about people and situations that bother us. Stop mocking people who are different than we are. We need to delve into the Word of God to come up with a better solution for each of these scenarios. God's Word does not fail. And we will find, as we estimate rightly the size of our mouths and what our heart's attitudes should be that life will be less frustrating.

"[A virtuous wife] opens her mouth with wisdom, 
and on her tongue is the law of kindness. [Proverbs 31:26]

Growing in wisdom & kindness,
for His glory~

~Lisha

This post may be shared at the following homemaking Link-up parties!
{Please share this post if it has blessed, inspired, challenged, or encouraged you!}