The Preachers Wife

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their ownn selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy. Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good. Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers of lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 2 Timothy 3:1-7

Perilous times are among us. According to scripture those last days will be showered with those seeking to do harm. One part in particular that stands out to me is “having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof”.

This type of people seems to be running rampant throughout our churches, television broadcasts, our schools, and our homes. They are the ones who seem to have it all, they’ve got the answers, and boy they just make you feel good about it all. Amen, my name is written in the Book of Life. Amen, I’m saved by grace through faith. Amen, my mansion in glory is being built. But, Amen, my Heavenly Father is also a God of wrath and punishment, who is jealous (And no, Oprah, Jesus is not jealous of you. He is jealous of the worldly junk we let come between ourselves and Christ. He created us for fellowship and out of pure love. Why would He not be jealous if His creation ignored Him and let silly things hinder His relationship. The One who created the Universe is by no means jealous of a measly sack of dirt like me or you Oprah. If you are unsure of what I’m speaking about research Oprah and God’s jealousy of her. You’ll be surprised and you’ll hopefully turn off the tube when she’s on.).

We are in a spiritual battle everyday God grants us to walk on this earth. We need not hold hands, cover our eyes to the destruction happening, and sing God Is So Good. Absolutely, God is SO good! However, there is a lost, Hell-bound world dying while we join hands and sing. It’s time to put on the helmet of salvation, the breast plate of righteousness, grab our sword, and go to war. For whatever reason, we tend to look at God as this sweet old grandpa, sitting in his rocker, watching all of the calamity with a tear running down his cheek. That’s not my God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Eph. 5:6

Fight the fight set before you. Set your sights towards Heaven and charge on! Upon reaching those gates Christ will look at you with eyes flaming, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou has been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” (Matthew 25:21)

A new year, a new set of adventures.

I can’t honestly say what our year could possibly hold in store for us. No doubt, ups and downs will be ahead but I’m in a little bit of an anxious wonderment. So much could take place! I feel like big things are on the horizon for my husband and I. There’s no telling where the Lord may take us. He may keep us in our small town or move us miles away. Either way, I’m still excited! For whatever reason, my mind keeps spinning with the possibilities that the next 12 months may bring. Big things are on the way, the Lord is preparing us, we feel it. So, in wonderment we wait, asking and seeking His will for our lives, marriage, and future.

Christmas to me is more than Santa, Christmas trees, snow, and yes, even more than presents.

Christmas is a time to look back to a time when a scared young woman travelled many miles only to give birth in a manger.  A time when my Savior was born into a wicked world that would one day beat him, crown him with thorns, mock him, and kill him. But my Savior, as he lay in the manger, knew one day He would defeat Hell and the grave. For He knew, on the third day He would rise again. 

Christmas is more to me than the traditional meal and fairy tale often told by parents.  Christmas is a time to stop and remember that Jesus died for each of us.  Without Him, you are destined to spend an eternity in Hell. His life and His love were so great that He died for each of us. Young, old, boy, girl, it doesn’t matter. All that you must to is to have a sincere belief on Him.

Christmas is a time to celebrate what He has done for us.  Let us make sure to stop and remember that without Him our days would be dull and wicked. With Him our days are bright and full.

So, I didn’t actually craft today but I have been in high gear for most of this week (except Tuesday) doing little odds and ends around the house.

I also made these sweet little holders for my Wednesday night kids. They were made from old corn and green bean cans I had washed and painted. I used 10lb test fishing wire (thanks to my husband’s recommendation) for the handle. Then, I stuffed it with goodies and a little name tag ornament I stitched to go inside.

Then, I made up some banana bread for the Wednesday night teachers!

Yum-o!

I’ve been a busy lady lately. I’ll be so pleased when all of the hustle and bustle is done, each of our friends and family members will be thanked and Hubby and I can spend a relaxing day opening our presents. Until then…

Currently, I have nothing.

However, I will share a story with you from last week about a man in our church. He was 71 at the time of his death and he had only been saved 7 years. (That in of itself is a miracle.) He was diagnosed with lung cancer a few months ago. He’s been on a steady decline for the last 2 months. His wife (of 53 years) is the sweetest woman ever. She just honestly loves everyone. We went to visit him 2 days before he died and it was obvious he was in pain. He had told our preacher to “go tell them to open the gates”, he knew he was going home soon. And, soon he did. His family said he had a hard time toward the end with his breathing, and suddenly he got really peacefully fixated his eyes on heaven, his eyes grew wider and wider and then, he was gone.

What a way to go.

Can you just imagine the sights he was seeing at that moment? Can you imagine the feeling and peace?

Oh my. Stories like that make me long for my sweet Beulah land.

It’s been a week since Thanksgiving? Really, days fly around the holidays.

I’ve spent the past few days in “clean mode” for no particular reason. Some days I just get the whim and suddenly I’m standing on top of the kitchen counters getting dust off of the ceiling. Yesterday, as I sat in the kitchen floor cleaning the cabinets, I sat and thought about how miscellaneous items get so dirty with neglect. My cabinets were cleaned (when I say clean I mean scrubbed and polished) less than a month ago but with the daily life and cooking that goes on in this house, the cabinets were filthy again. Isn’t that so true of our daily lives? So much junk goes into our soul and at the end of the day we’re figuratively sitting on the floor, scraping, polishing, and wondering why they got so dirty. Just like my cabinets our hearts need a daily wipe down, maybe even after every incident. Waiting until the heart looks dirty will never be prosperous. Daily, minute-by-minute cleaning and polishing is recommended. That way, you won’t get caught having to take a day just to clean it all up and get it looking the way you know it should look.

Ahh… the day of turkey, dressing, corn, rolls, pie…. yum.

Though I do enjoy it all, I really want to focus this year on the word Thanksgiving not just the food.

My Top 20 Thanksgiving Things I’m Thankful  For List (say that 3 times fast)

1. My salvation by grace through faith

2. My husband whom I adore

3. Family, new and old, all dear to me

4. The promise of provision

5. The loving and gentle words spoken to my husband and I from the Lord recently.

6. Our home

7. My husband’s job

8. Our church

9. Our ministry

10. Blessings great and small

11. Friends

12. Prayer

13. Our pastor and his wife

14. The Word

15. My washing machine and dryer, imagine life without one!

16. Our ends always meet

17. Heaven

18. Jesus’ death and resurrection

19. Opportunities that have been given to us as of late

20. Joy unspeakable and full of Glory

I teach 3rd and 4th graders on Wednesday nights at church. We started a prayer chain just a few months ago. Here’s the deal, they come in and give a prayer request, I write it on a strip of construction paper, and we put it aside. The next week, they come in, let me know if the prayer was answered or not and if it was, we make a loop chain with it. My kids are so very excited to see how long it has gotten.

The reason I bring that up is just a visual sign of the power of prayer. These kids are praying for everything from a hurt finger to grandparents with cancer. If we all stopped for a moment and really looked around at all of the answered prayers that we have been afforded, we’d be very humbled. I know that I don’t deserve all that I have and I know the One that has afforded it for me. Count your blessings today, literally. See what God has done.

I saw this and found it fitting for Thoughtful Thursday. This pastor wrote this for his wife on Pastor’s Wife Appreciation Day. May we all strive: pastor’s wives, preacher’s wives, and Christian wives to be a woman that feareth the Lord.

A Woman That Feareth the Lord

By: Pastor Tim Cruse

Pastor of Shining Light Baptist Church- Monroe, NC

A woman that feareth the Lord,

She shall be praised.

Of her love, service, and sacrifice,

We all stand amazed.

A woman that feareth the Lord,

She shall be held in high esteem.

We could never make it without her,

A fitting tribute we deem.

A woman that feareth the Lord,

She shall be respected.

Her name, her honor, her person,

Must always be protected.

A woman that feareth the Lord,

She shall be thanked.

She is a lady among women,

Very highly ranked.

A woman that feareth the Lord,

She shall be cherished.

Her influence will be felt,

Long after she’s perished.

With Thoughful Thursday upon us, I thought I would share a beach picture from our vacation just because I’m still dreaming about it.

Isn’t it gorgeous? This was taken on one of our many walks along the beach. It always made me a little tired because the sound lulled me to sleep.

Lots of fun days!

I read this following passage not too long ago (in the midst of the financial down-fall of our economy) and it spoke such comfort to me. I hope it does the same for you.

Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. Isaiah 35:4

At the end of the day, the stock market might crash, the electric bill may be late, your car may stop running, but “fear not”. The author of your faith will come and rescue you from this dieing world. Fear not, He will bring judgement, He will loosen the final rewards, He will step out of His home in Glory and extend a hand when you feel as though you are falling. He’ll catch you even when the government cuts the string. You’ll be alright. For whatever reason in days like these, when times are tough, I always think of the footprints poem. And, I remember that the Lord, God Himself has me snuggled up carrying me and my husband. Even though we may not have much, we still have our salvation. That’s enough.