I’ve had a request to write something for daughters-in-law, and though there may be something stashed away in the archives, I’ll just try to whip up something fresh.
First of all, the daughter-in-law does not have the bad reputation that the mother-in-law has. All the trouble seems to be on that end, and though that may be a wicked generalization, we should at least acknowledge that the mother-in-law, being the older party, should be the one to roll out the red carpet and do all in her power to make life easy for her daughter-in-law.
For instance, consider that most all of us who are mothers-in-law are also daughters-in-law. That should give us a terrific advantage since we ought to remember how it felt to be the new one in the family, a family with a different name and background than our own. I had a very comfortable transition into my husband’s family since I knew most them before I ever met him, and I was already quite fond of his mother. But for some of you out there, this may not be the case at all. Expect this to take time. Don’t rush it. Continue reading ‘In-laws, Out-laws’
So Nate’s blog tour has wrapped up, so be sure to check in for the grand finale.
With all the sweet babies being added to the families in our congregation, as well as the long line-up of upcoming weddings in our church bulletin, the question of who should be the one to host the baby or bridal shower is very relevant indeed. Take a look over at Protocol Matters for a great article on this tender topic.
Here is an excellent essay that moms in particular will appreciate. This should give you some reinforcement for all the effort you put in to sitting down at the table with your family every day. But everyone can benefit from this perspective on table manners and how they equip us and our children for life out in the big wide world.
Wander over here to read about our house fire that shaped a young author’s mind. Never mind his disparaging remarks about my over-zealous love for the English language and how I tried to impart that appreciation to the young minds in our house. It seems the fire was more successful than the film!
I made a comment a couple of posts ago about how wine should be something within our Christian experience, so we can understand a verse like “Your love is better than wine” in Song of Songs. And I got a question about this, so here is a little explanation. The Bible says not to be drunk, and that is as clear as can be (Eph. 5:18). In fact, that’s a simple one. But the Bible does not prohibit wine. If it did, there would not be much need for the admonishment against drunkenness.
Psalm 104:15 describes wine as gladdening the heart of man. At His mother’s urging, Jesus made quite a bit of the very best at the wedding at Cana (John 2:3). So it is safe to assume that wine is a given. At the same time, Scripture warns about misusing wine, and so we should be wise about wine. Older women are singled out in Titus 2:3 with a warning against too much wine. I have wondered what it is about the older women that creates a particular vulnerability for wine. I have a friend who suggested a good possibility: perhaps in the days before pain killers for the many aches and pains of old age, older women were tempted to rely a bit too heavily on the benefits of a glass of wine (or two). Wine is a mocker (Prov. 20:1) and “whoever is led astray by it is not wise.” Wine requires wisdom because it is potent. Continue reading ‘So What About Wine?’
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