Whew, Beth is right, I haven't updated here in a while. We took our grandsons camping in June, then we went to a family reunion with our oldest son (which also involved camping) and then we flew to Calif. to visit our youngest son for much of July. BUSY summer. I repeat, whew.
While we were in Calif, my high school buddy, Sandy, came up for the afternoon with her hubby and we all went out to lunch. We chatted about high school, me meeting Don (she was with me that night, lo those many decades ago) and other things. Sandy mentioned finding our purpose in life while we were talking, something I often think about. Since we've been home I've heard at least two sermons on this subject. According to the sermons, our main purpose is to be saved. And my thinking is that it's also to help save others, lead them to the Lord.
But does God care if I do this while having a career as a brain surgeon . . . or a garbage collector? I don't think so. I think He wants us to do our best and set a good example, whatever our job.
I used to feel guilty for staying home, raising my kids. This was in the mid-seventies when most women had just gone to work and were trying to get every other woman they knew to go to work as well. "What do you do all day at home while the kids are at school?" "I'd be soooo bored staying home." Sigh. I finally figured out I was doing the most important job of all, helping raise the next generation of Christians. I did do some work-from-home jobs that helped pay for unexpected bills over the years (babysitting, Avon, newspaper carrier, etc) but I didn't work full time until my last child was well into high school.
My staying home most of those years meant when it was time for me to draw my Social Security, it was extremely minimal. Luckily, I married a slightly older man (already 65) so I could draw off him at 62, and trust me, I raced out of the employment world as fast as I could. So what do I do all day? No kids at home? I ENJOY LIFE! Bored? Snicker.
Some folks have the notion that God has a particular plan in mind for each of us, including what jobs we take and what food we eat, etc. I don't believe He is that specific. He wants the best for us, wants us to be saved and to save others. But there is no shame in earning an honest living in less glamorous jobs like garbage collecter.
My life is whizzing by me. So is yours. Our time will be over before we know it. What to do, what to do? Figure out what talents we each have and use them to the glory of the Lord. Can we fix an extra plate for supper and take it to an elderly neighbor or church member who can no longer easily cook for themselves? Can we babysit for a new and very frustrated mother who needs a break? Can we send cards to those physically or emotionally ill? Can we visit the lonely? Can we set up a private Bible study with a new Christian wanting to learn more of His will? Sure. And we can enjoy life along the way, assuming we aren't too busy. What is your purpose for this coming week?
Hi! Good to hear from you! I appreciate your thoughts. My purpose for the week is to: keep myself feeling well without overdoing things; take care of my now 3 wonderful children who sometimes drive me crazy; participate in as much of our gospel meeting as I can without getting too worn out; get my oldest child ready to start school next week; keep up with housework as much as I can; love and encourage my wonderful hubby. :)
Thank you for your words. ( and your update) My purpose for the week is to clean my house, finish orders, get my oldest ready for school and do all of this while showing my children how to be a child of God.
Oh and of couse being the best wife, mother and christian I can be.
Quick announcement, I have been asked to fill in for one of the speakers at the women's retreat in April, so I will be doing a workshop on the promises of God. Hope some of you will be able to attend.
Update on Marla and Patrick after the fire. The utility company has admitted the fire was their fault and are working with them to replace what they lost. However it is still tough on them, living in someone else's place, having to inventory EVERYTHING and deal with adjusters, etc. Please continue your prayers for them.
I'm glad their situation will have a good ending, but so very tough on them in the meantime. I like your visual! Hmmm. I just noticed your posting date -- have they got things squared away now?
Such wonderful news about your grandson's baptism. It is so wonderful to hear of yet another family - extended family - obedient to Christ, parents and grandparents following the God-given advice of Deuteronomy 6.
I was gone over last weekend to Birmingham and Wetumpka Alabama for a mystery conference. Loved the conference, sold lots of books. BUT we returned home to the results of a severe ice storm. No power but we do have a gas fireplace which kept us warm and allowed me to heat water for tea. Late Wednesday our power was restored and we thought the worst was over. But the worst was yet to come for our neighbors and fellow Christians Marla and Patrick Mitchell and their two children.
When the electric company's workmen attempted to replace the electric line connected to their house (which the ice storm had caused to break loose) and restore power to the home, a huge power surge caused the fuse box in the bedroom to catch fire. The family was away so they are safe but they lost the house and have major damage to their personal items. The surge also damaged Marla's sister's (Kaela and Kevin Smith) house next door, but a surge protector and water leak kept the fire from spreading beyond one small area and their home is safe.
We spent part of Thursday helping the Mitchells salvage whatever they could. So did many other friends and family. Marla is strong and brave, (as is Patrick) but she had tears in her eyes the whole time. They are storing what they rescued in a barn until she and her family can sift through the mess and clean up what they can. The two kids are also in shock. This is a tough time for them, so please keep them in your prayers. Not one single inch of that house and contents was without smoke damage.
Fortunately, the electric company has taken full responsibility for the fire and will recompense them. The house was very old, Marla's mom grew up in it and it's been in the family for MANY years. Probably can not be fixed, so I imagine they will have to bulldoze it and rebuild. Meanwhile, the electric company will pay for them a place to stay.
This ice storm brought HUGE damage to trees. We have a couple down that just missed our well house and gazebo. Kevin and Kaela have far more tree damage than we do. Many people went for days without power as the teams worked to restore it to everyone.
Today Don went to the store and restocked us on gallons of water, batteries for flashlights, and firesticks to start the grill so we can be more self-sufficient if this happens again. We WERE able to stay warm, but couldn't heat food because we'd run out of those little fire sticks to start the grill.
Yes! Just as you said, reaching outward surely helps our inward needs. I enjoyed reading your "Disconnected..." I too like the Waldron books. While being holed up here on the daybed I got to reading a workbook off my shelf -- wished I had read it sooner. It would have made one of my classes easier to teach. Have you seen it? Good meat. Seasoning Your Words by Nancy Eichman. Might be a good book for you to check out with your ladies.
Hey Lonnie! I just went to our library today and found your books! I couldn't wait to tell you! It was so cool. They were on the shelf with the new fiction books. I checked one out and there was one other one there, so I assume the others have already been checked out!! It made me miss you!
Do you have any info about the weekend in Nashville yet? Julie mentioned it to me, but I never got any info about it. My email is mkemple@indy.rr.com if you have anything.
Rachel, I've sent you an email about the Nashville Weekend. Let me know if it didn't arrive intact or if you can't open it and I'll resend. Hope to see you there.
Early last year I was feeling disconnected, sort of, from other Christian women. You ever feel this way? There seemed to be a hole somewhere in my spirituality. Something missing. I *thought* I needed an older woman to mentor me. Unfortunately, nearly all of the "older" women in our congregation (translate into older than me) passed away in the last few years. Maybe the problem stemmed from that? From grieving their loss? Possibly. I know I still miss them all VERY much. What to do? I didn't have a clue.
Then serendipity or lightning or whatever struck. A young lady at our congregation was baptized. I asked if she'd study privately with me, something our elders encourage for new Christians. She agreed. I invited another young woman to join with us in this study, someone who'd studied in a group setting with me before. Then I invited someone else, and so did she. And so it spread.
One of the young women we invited can't meet with the group, her work schedule conflicts, so she and I study separately but from the same material. And another sometimes has schedule conflicts, so I meet early with her, before our Tuesday morning group meets, then head off to the class while she goes her way. Another woman babysits children while our class meets in another room of the house, then she and I study afterward. All totaled, there are at least six of us studying the same material at any given time.
And in case you are wondering, the material we're studying is the book, ALL THE WOMEN OF THE BIBLE by Spangler and somebody whose name I can't spell, but I realized we needed some help with that book, (not quite indepth enough) so we are also using the series written by Bob and Sandra Waldren for extra info. We're currently in the first Waldren book, but nearly finished with it. I HIGHLY recommend the Waldren series for study. Wow, do they ever put timelines of Bible characters into perspective, not to mention maps so you can see who lived/traveled where. There aren't any questions, so when using that book, I usually refer to certain portions and then we discuss it. And answer each other's questions, if there are any.
And you know what? I suddenly realized that my "hole" had been filled in with this study time with other women. I wasn't looking for a mentor. I was looking for someone -- anyone interested in studying the Bible with me, an in-home study which is a bit more casual than one held "at the church building" where we could study the Bible but also wander off into discussing any subject of special interest to those present. And that is now happening. And it appears to be building up everyone involved.
Are you needing to connect with other women? Feeling that hole? Try setting up a home Bible study with other women, women of any age, who are interested in learning more about God's word. Then enjoy. And may God bless you in your study.
Gotta get out and mail some of my books to people who are buying them as Christmas gifts. Wow, do I love that! But I hate going out in the cold. Brrrr. I *would* love some snow. The sled is ready. Grandkids are ready. Don and I are ready. WHERE is the snow??? Rachel, you hogging it all?
Love the subliminal message :) So glad to see you on here. I don't post very often but I love to look around. Hope you are doing well, I'm trying to get Eric to let us come for a weekend after the holidays....hopefully it won't be too long before we can see each other in person.
