May 23: Finishing the Tour

Published by Nancy Ann on May 22, 2013 in Daily Devotional Thoughts. 0 Comments

 

photo(11)The Fellowship Hall: Wrapping up my little walk through the church building, we must visit the fellowship hall (if you are lucky enough to have one) or where ever you visit after the worship service. This is another opportunity for hospitality: visiting new comers, introducing yourself, and showing your children how to be friendly. I have sometimes (though not often enough) prayed ahead of time that God would lead me to the right people and use my visiting to be fruitful. I don’t know who I should talk to. It is tempting to stick with family or close friends (not that we have to avoid them!) and not exert myself to “work the room.”  We have to think about what it must be like for the people who don’t know anyone, and we need to find them and welcome them.  There may be regular members who need encouragement or just a friendly greeting. Remember, this is my life for yours. This time is to be given away for others.

Just as I mentioned earlier about the mothers’ room, this is not a good time for the soapbox, pushing or selling your methods or Continue reading ‘May 23: Finishing the Tour’

May 22: Do unto Husbands: (Communication part 4)

Published by lizziejank on May 21, 2013 in Daily Devotional Thoughts. 29 Comments

DSC_0553The golden rule is the cute nickname that we have given Matthew 7:12. “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”

A little later in Matthew (22:37), this is brought up again with even stronger language,

“Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Now both of these are great ideas. They are theoretically profound, and we can see an occasional application to our lives. But we like to leave them out there at a little distance. We do not love to bring them all the way into our lives, into our homes, and into our petty little problems.

This series on communication has been an effort to bring these broad, sweeping statements into the places in our lives where we might be tempted to think that Scripture does not directly speak. Today I’d like to bring it into the very big issue of petty domestic strife.

Many of us are homemakers – we have embraced our calling to be wives and mothers who prioritize the home. Now the temptations that we face in our daily lives are sometimes to not value our work, or to wish we were elsewhere. But other times, and far more often for women who are completely sold on their role in the home, our temptations are to value our work too much, and to wish everyone else was elsewhere. Here are a few examples, meant to be extreme, that should communicate what I mean. Continue reading ‘May 22: Do unto Husbands: (Communication part 4)’

May 21: The Gates of Zion

Published by Nancy Ann on May 21, 2013 in Daily Devotional Thoughts. 3 Comments

The Sanctuary

“The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob” (Psalm 87:2).

God loves our homes (the dwellings of Jacob), but He loves our corporate worship (the gates of Zion) more. As we come to worship Him on Sunday, our demeanor should be one of reverence for God, love for His Word, and a holy desire to worship Him corporately with His people. This is the high point of the week, the most important thing we do. We are created to worship our Creator, and this is when we are most like what we are created to be.

Sometimes moms can create competition between the “dwellings of Jacob” and the “gates of Zion.” Perhaps your husband is serving on a committee that conflicts with family night, or you think your family worship at home is more important than Sunday morning. If that is the case, you are more likely to let things interfere with Sunday than with weekly family activities. Don’t be territorial about your family or jealous of time given to the church. Those are definitely unwanted guests. Yes, we are to gather as families around God’s Word during the week. These are what my husband likes to compare to football Continue reading ‘May 21: The Gates of Zion’

May 20: A Walk Through the Church

Published by Nancy Ann on May 20, 2013 in Daily Devotional Thoughts. 6 Comments

I recently gave a little talk to a ladies’ group who had just read My Life for Yours which is a walk through the rooms in the home. They asked for a talk that would relate to the book, so I did a walk through the church. I will break it up into a few short posts.

“Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand”  (Psalm 95:6).

As we walk through the rooms in the church, let’s consider our duties in each room as well as the unwanted guests who may sometimes barge in. First before we get into the church proper, we have to park the car. So let’s start in the parking lot. Even here we have to compose our hearts and not get annoyed that someone took our favorite spot. Envy, competition, and criticism are the unwanted guests in every room, but they can even show up here in the parking lot as you see who’s late, who’s early, or whose family is in or out of order. Leave those unwanted guests outside.

Most churches have a foyer, and if you are a church member, you share “ownership” which means you share in the hostess duties at church.  Even if you Continue reading ‘May 20: A Walk Through the Church’

May 15: Communication Part 3

Published by lizziejank on May 17, 2013 in Daily Devotional Thoughts. 6 Comments

Isn’t it brilliant that I got behind on devotionals during a series on communication? The irony of it all…. just didn’t want you to miss that!

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So now that we have talked about taking responsibility for your half of the communicating, even when you are the needy one, I’d like to address this whole topic of being the needy one.

Sometimes we really have a reason to be down. Sometimes we are struggling through some hard providences, or some difficult people, or we haven’t talked to an adult in 12 days (or just since 7 a.m. which can feel the same). Sometimes we are pregnant and exhausted, or  stretched thin and feeling like quitting. Sometimes you have needs. No wait. Always you have needs. Everyone. All of us. All the time. Your husband too. Continue reading ‘May 15: Communication Part 3′

What Every Grandma Loves

Published by Nancy Ann on May 17, 2013 in Family Stuff. 2 Comments

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My granddaughter Lina whipped up this little bouquet for me yesterday while playing in my yard. I love the grass tied in a knot around the little flowers. And I love the little hands that brought it.