Training Little Children

I just read a post on the KJV blog written by Auntie Em that blessed me. Naturally, I wanted to share it with you all! :)

It is on the Training Them Up Tuesday post entitled Developing a Child's Faithfulness to Jesus.

Something new will soon be in my sidebar. It will be links to good articles on training your children. I hope you are able to take the time to read them for your children's sake. A parent's most important responsibility is training your children about Jesus and His Word.

Sharon

To My Canadian Friends

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

May God Bless You!
Sharon

Holy Women ~ Lesson 17

A dear friend of mine mailed me a study guide called Holy Women written by James W. Knox. This study guide bears no copyright and is published for free distribution. Their request is that "copies and reproductions may be made, provided they are for free distribution." I thought that I would copy a lesson, of which there are 30, once a week on my blog. If you are interested in doing this study, please feel free to copy or print each lesson to work on in your own spare time.

Lesson 17

Promoting Homeworking

1. Review Proverbs 31:10-31. Evaluate the responsibilities she supervises in the home. What domestic skills has she developed?

2. Find and list expressions that reveal the satisfaction she feels in managing her home.

3. How do you see home commitments taking priority over community outreach in this passage?

4. A woman must learn to budget. What are the dangers of buying items on credit (Proverbs 22:7; Romans 13:8)?

5. What are some hard lessons you have learned through budget carelessness?

6. What are some budget secrets you would pass on to others?

7. What role does attitude play in keeping the home? Based on:

• Proverbs 15:17
• Proverbs 17:1
• Proverbs 21:19
• Proverbs 25:24
• Proverbs 27:15
• Proverbs 24:3-4

8. Write a paragraph on what Proverbs 14:1 means to you.

9. What are some ways a woman can wisely build a house? List ways in which she can tear her house down.

10. Many women are bored and frustrated as homemakers. Others are stimulated and challenged by the role. Explain the difference.

11. How can you practically encourage others to be keepers at home?

12. How can women in a church fellowship bear one another's burdens with regard to housekeeping?

13. List some of the dangers to virtue, chastity and the home a woman encounters in the workplace.

Sharon

Deborah from Songs from my Journey has a new blog set up for the KJV Blog Directory. She is going to have contributors each day of the week to post on the following subjects:

• Sunday Sharing Pearls - devotions and inspirational stories, scripture photos
• Monday Ministry Highlights - I know we have some missionary wives out there...this is an opportunity to highlight your ministry or perhaps another missionary that you know.
• Tuesday Training Them Up - anything related to training our children, particularly home schooling
• Wednesday In The Word - Bible studies, either a full message or an outline; your own or one you have permission to share. I'm not looking posts on a pet doctrine, but rather, messages of encouragement and exhortation.
• Thursday This 'n That - This is when I will do 'snippets,' a portion of a post will appear on this blog, with a link to the rest of the article. I'd like to have more than one each week, email me your submissions.
• Friendship Friday - I'll continue profiling bloggers each Friday, if I have any submitted, otherwise I may just post more snippets. If you want to be profiled, please fill out my questionnaire, as I have no one for this week!
• Saturday Home Sweet Home - all things related to homemaking; crafts, decorating, sewing, cooking. This one could rotate between the different topics...one week home making tips, one week cooking, another crafts, another sewing.
  

If you are interested in adding your blog to the directory, please click on the button icon at the top of this post and follow directions.

Sharon

Preacher's Wives ~ Please Read This

I'd like to bring a blog to your attention. It is Keepers of the Home by Jennifer and I've been reading it for a short time, and she has a wonderful assortment of posts and lots of frugal posts (which I like). Anyway, her name is Jennifer and she is a young preacher's wife. She recently wrote a post entitled Calling all Preachers Wives, Daughters and Families and has not gotten any comments about it. Now, she may have gotten some through email, but I'd like to ask any of you preacher's wives or those who grew up with their dad as a preacher to please visit her and offer advice she is seeking. Thank you!

Sharon

Blogger's Followers

I'm like everyone else when Blogger comes up with a new feature. I like to try it out. However, I believe I'm going to delete this feature in my sidebar because for some reason I feel uneasy about having this. Let me explain why...

• It allows anyone to add their site to your blog. It may be someone that has content on their site that you don't like and you don't want to link to from your site.
• I already have enough to keep up with. Why do I want to manage something else?

I haven't had any problems, but feel the need to delete it before a problem may arise. It may be something you might want to think about for your own site. I do thank you all who have added your sites to my follower. Thank you for your understanding in my decision.

Sharon

The Simple Woman's Daybook ~ Tuesday, Oct 7, 2008

Outside my Window...is a partly cloudy day with a brisky breeze blowing through the trees. The leaves are ever so slowly changing colors.

I am thinking...what wonderful online friends I have. You ladies are great!

I am thankful for...God's direction in our lives.

From the kitchen...beans soaking in water to be put on to cook soon. For supper, beans, fried okra, cornbread, pear relish, and iced tea.

I am wearing...khaki capris and a pink tee shirt with flip flops. Yes, I'm painting again! :) This time I'm rolling on a coat of dark gray paint on our back porch. Waiting for it to dry and then going to have to do some brush work around the edges.

I am reading...The Mr. and Mrs. Happy Handbook by Steve Doocy. Actually I just finished it. Sadly I have to say, "Don't bother getting this book." I like watching Fox and Friends News, but don't like how the women dress on the show. Not a good example for little girls.

I am hoping...we get some of that rain that is heading our way.

I am creating...doll clothes (using a pattern)

I am hearing...nothing but the wind blowing through the trees.

Around the house...helping hubby paint outside

One of my favorite things...being at home with my family

A few plans for the rest of the week...my oldest brother and his wife are coming up for a visit this weekend. Will be going to my parents house to visit them.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you... a picture we took on our annual-leaf looking drive last fall.

Sharon

Did You Know?

That Michelle Duggar is going to have her 18th child? That her oldest son, Josh just got married? That they have a new TV show?

I think their family is a beautiful example of a Godly family. Though they may have troubles like any family, they exhibit a joyous countenance.

Sharon

A Funny Thing Happened...

...when my hubby went to the grocery store the other day. Before I tell you this, you've got to know that my hubby does not keep up with women's issues. He's one of those tough, manly man guys.

Yes, he will go to the grocery store for me and buy groceries while he's out and around town running errands like buying shotgun shells, tools, rope, paint, etc.

Anyway, he said he was walking down the aisle where the coffee cans are located and there were pink Folger's coffee cans! He couldn't figure out why in the world Folger's would have pink cans, so about that time an employee, who happened to be a woman, was walking by. He stopped her and asked about the pink cans. She said, "Because it's Breast Awareness Week!" My hubby said he gave her a confused look and said, "I'm already aware of that." She said to him, "You know what I mean! Breast CANCER Awareness!" and she walked off as my hubby started laughing.

When he told me about this, I coudn't stop laughing! Maybe you won't think it's funny, maybe you have to know him, but can't you just imagine a guy that doesn't know what all the pink's about and then the woman mis-stating that it was breast awareness week?! The poor, embarrassed woman! The poor, confused man! :-D

Sharon

Parents Meeting Parents

We had a great time last night! Shaun's mom brought a pound cake she had made. After we ate, Judy and I went into the living room to sit down and talk. Bill and Sherrill (that's his dad's name!) stayed sitting at the dining room table and talked. Shaun and Carissa went out on the back porch and sat in our Amish rocking chairs and talked until it got dark and then they came in.

Judy and I talked about all kinds of sewing. She quilts and taught herself. I learned about her family and she learned about mine. We talked about Shaun and Carissa and how we both had prayed for them ever since they were little for their spouse one day. She told me that since Shaun met Carissa, he's gotten interested in fixing up his grandparent's brick house that is really his now. He asked his mom what to do about the kitchen cabinets and she told him to paint them and he painted them white and she got him a set of Blue Willow dishes and cups and he put the cups on cup hangers in the cabinets. He's been putting insulation in some places that needed it. :) She started laughing and told me that when he came home after that first night of eating over here (when Carissa cooked the whole meal), he came in the door and yelled, "She can cook!" ;-D

Bill and I both really like his parents and said they are fine people.

Sharon

Holy Women ~ Lesson 16

A dear friend of mine mailed me a study guide called Holy Women written by James W. Knox. This study guide bears no copyright and is published for free distribution. Their request is that "copies and reproductions may be made, provided they are for free distribution." I thought that I would copy a lesson, of which there are 30, once a week on my blog. If you are interested in doing this study, please feel free to copy or print each lesson to work on in your own spare time.

Lesson 16

Priscilla, One Who Worked at Home

1. Describe the relationship between Priscilla, Aquila and Paul (Acts 18:18-28).

2. Aquila and Priscilla moved to spread the gospel to Ephesus. Describe how they used their home for God. What resulted from their ministry?

3. Identify another way this couple used their home (1 Corinthians 6:19). How might this be done today?

4. I 56 AD, Priscilla and Aquila moved back to Rome. What risk might have been involved in the move (Acts 18:2)?

5. How did they use their home in that country (Romans 16:3-5)?

6. Review the information we have about this couple. Imagine yourself in their shoes, moving four times, constantly opening their lives to others. What types of sacrifices did Priscilla make in her commitment to use her home for the Lord?

7. What will be some of her eternal rewards?

8. Priscilla helped her husband in his home industry. Name some creative alternatives for women today to supplement the family income without seeking outside employment.

9. Define hospitality.

10. Contrast hospitality with entertaining.

11. What excuses do you make for not showing hospitality? Which of these is linked with pride? Indifference? Laziness?

12. How could you use your home in ministry to others?

Sharon

How to Get Rid of a Mouse

Right after we bought our house and moved in, we found a mouse was running around inside our house! Now, I'm the screeching kind of woman when it comes to mice. Since hubby was working long hours at the time, he suggested what I should do. I didn't like his suggestion, but neither did I like the mouse in the house.

He told me to go buy a can of that expanding foam and crawl under the house and spray it around all the pipe holes that lead into the house or any other holes I found. That next morning I rushed to the store and then warily, with wide eyes, crawled on my hands and knees under the house...thankfully we have two light bulbs in the crawl space. Still I didn't like it. There are lots of shadows under there! First, I began looking around for anything that moved! All seemed quiet at the moment and then...I was a spray foaming fiend!!! I sprayed every tiny crack I found. Boy! Does that foam expand!!! The top of our crawl space looks like it has stalactites.

Then we set mouse traps around the house and the next day I found the trapped little culprit. Okay, it had to be me who found him! :-/ I looked at the little thing and told Carissa, "Poor little thing...he is kind of cute with his little pinkish ears...but he shouldn't have come inside this house! I got the broom and dustpan to sweep the whole contraption into the dustpan and walked out the door toward the woods and sent the mouse and trap on a short air trip. I walked back in the house with a victory smile. :-D

When hubby got home from work, I told him what I did and he looked shocked that I'd throw away a perfectly good mouse trap! I promptly told him, "I was not going to touch that nasty thing!" He grinned. He loves to get a rise out of me and it worked. ;-)

Thankfully we only had one in the house. Now it's been 10 years and we've never had another mouse in the house. I'm a happy woman! :D

Sharon

Dish Towel Poll and Other Stuff

I thought it was interesting that the majority who voted in the poll said that it's time to buy new dish towels when our old ones are too embarrassing to get out when company shows up.

Well, mine are at that stage. I have two, thankfully, that are like new which will be used on Saturday evening when we have company. I won't be able to replace the others just yet. Carissa sweetly offered hers from her hope chest and I said, "No thank you."

We are having Shaun and his parents over for a fish fry. Here is the menu for Saturday night:

• Fried Tilapia
• Baked Beans
• Hushpuppies
• Cole Slaw
• Cornmeal Pie
• Iced Sweet Tea

Carissa said that Shaun's mother will probably bring a dessert as well. I foresee a wonderful time of fellowship!

Sharon

Tortured for Christ

I recently finished reading the book, Tortured for Christ by Richard Wurmbrand and it was an eye opener. This book was originally published in 1967 and again in 1998 by The Voice of the Martyrs, Inc.

This is what is written on the back cover of the book:

Months of solitary confinement, years of periodic physical torture, constant suffering from hunger and cold, the anguish of brainwashing and mental cruelty--these are the experiences of a Romanian pastor during his fourteen years in Communist prisons.

His crime, like that of thousands of other, was his fervent belief in Jesus Christ and his public witness concerning that faith.

Meeting in homes, in basements, and in woods--sometimes daring to preach in public on street corners--these faithful souls persisted in their Christian witness knowing full well the ultimate cost of their actions.

This is their story--a classic account of courage, tenacious faith, and unbelievable endurance. This history of the Underground Church reflects the continuing struggle in many parts of the world today.

Until recently, I've rarely heard about Christians who actually still suffer persecution because of their faith in Jesus Christ. It made me wonder why more Americans aren't aware of this. Could it be that we are so grossly involved with our own lives and our importance of self that we don't want to hear about those who suffer? Do we quietly place it out of our minds because of the fear that comes with thinking about it? We wonder, "Could I ever be brave enough to go through what these Christians suffer?" "How do they do it?"

I must admit that after reading this book about the torture this man and others went through (which he said he could not reveal all), made me realize how lukewarm many of us Christians are, myself included. Could I honestly say I would love and pray for my torturer? Hmmm...

Another thing that struck me was the fact that many who are persecuted for Christ's sake aren't concerned about the controversies regarding theology, Bible versions, music, dress, etc... Please read the following excerpt:

The Underground Church is a poor and suffering church, but it has few lukewarm members.

A religious servic ein the Underground Church is like one nineteen hundred years ago in the Early Church. The preacher knows no elaborate theology. He knows no homiletic, as Peter did not know it. Every professor of theology would have given Peter a poor grade for his sermon on the day of Pentecost. The Bible verses are not well known in many countries, because Bibles are not permitted. Besides, the preacher has most likely been in prison for years without a Bible. When they express their faith in a Father, it means much because there is a drama behind this assertion. In prison they have daily asked this almighty Father for bread and have received instead cabbage with unmentionable filth. Nevertheless, they believe God to be the loving Father. They are like Job who said that he would believe in God even if He would slay him. They are like Jesus who called God "Father," even when He was seemingly forsaken on the cross.

Whoever has known the spiritual beauty of the Underground Church cannot be satisfied anymore with the emptiness of some Western churches.

I suffer in the West more than I suffered in a Communist jail because now I see with my own eyes Western civilization dying.

From reading this small portion, can you see how ridiculous some of our churches must look? Christians spending more time involved in controversial subjects and pointing fingers at one another instead of ministering to a lost and dying world. Our love has grown cold! Jesus came to save the lost. Where is our love for sinners? Is our time spent in organizing church meetings, building bigger churches, arguing, pointing fingers?

Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

These persecuted Christians would be released from prison to go preach the Word of God about Jesus Christ only to be arrested, imprisoned, and tortured once again.

I cannot honestly say that I'm sure I could do that! This shows the real love of Christ and love of mankind.

Let us not forget those who are persecuted today. Let us remember our brothers and sisters in Christ in our daily prayers.

Hebrews 13:3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.

You can receive one of these books for free (one per household) by visiting the above linked website. I highly recommend it.

Sharon

Things to Do

Today was one of those mornings I woke up extra early. Probably because my muscles are so sore from all that painting! I woke up around 4 AM and laid there for about 30 minutes trying to decide whether to get up or try to go back to sleep. Well, I decided there was so much to pray about that I would get up. I put the coffee on and spent some time with the Lord. Then, I drank a cup, checked email, watched the news and headed to the kitchen.

For breakfast I made biscuits and sausage gravy. Cleaned up and then started my bread dough. Next I got out the chicken and cut up some veggies to simmer for a while to make some broth and later will pick the meat off the bones to make supper.

I've got a load of laundry done and ready to be put in the dryer and another load to go in the washer.

My main plan for today is sewing. What have you got planned for today?

Sharon