Take a Hike

A true woman says, 

"Yes, Lord". The Word of God is her compass, motivating her to live intentionally and counter-culturally.

• Psalm 25:4-5 "Show me the path where I should walk, O Lord; point out the right road for me to follow.  Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me.  All day long I put my hope in you.”

Of all the hiking trails in our area, Quicksilver is currently my favorite.  The trails are nestled in the hills with panoramic views overlooking Silicon Valley.  

Once I park my car, there are many trails to choose from. I usually take the Guadalupe trail that gives me a challenging 4.5 mile hike.   

Knowing the name of the trail is not enough.  You would still need a guide or to know which way to turn at the fork.  If not, you may end up on the 15 mile loop instead.  

As you are on this walk of life.  You need a guide.  Are you listening to the Lord as he tells you which trail to take or which way to turn?  When you do, that is intentionally living.  

It may be challenging but you will not be alone.

Hiking a trail is always more fun with someone by your side.

Sitting in the Jewelry Box

A true woman says, "Yes, Lord".

She considers it a privilege and a delight to serve Him as a woman and gratefully embraces His design and roles for her life.

• Proverbs 31:10 "An excellent wife, who can find?  For her worth is far above jewels."

As a woman you have great value.  The Bible says far above jewels.  

Between Christmas and New Years, I lost a diamond out of my ring. It was not mywedding ring, but the ring that I always wore on my right hand.  I had designed the ring myself.  A simple gold band with 3 square diamonds placed in a row.  I waited a long time to be able to purchase the size and style of the diamonds to be placed in the band.   So now the ring sits in my jewelry box.  I can no longer wear it until it is fixed.  It won't be fixed until I am able to find money for a diamond in my budget.  Right- like that is going to happen any time before tax season. So there it sits.

 

 You are of great value.  You been broken, tarnished or chipped.  We all have.  You may think that you are of no value, and certainly not of great value.  That is not how the Lord sees you.  He is ready and capable of restoring you.  Go to Him and that responsibility.  Admit your own sin and ask forgiveness.  You will be restored to a right relationship with God.  

 

 My ring will never be restored by hiding out in the jewelry box.  It must be taken to a jeweler.  He is the only one able to bring value back to that ring.  It will be costly, but so worth it.

  Dear Heavenly Father, I admit that I have done wrong and often I am not the woman or wife that you desire.  I am sorry.  Please forgive me, wash me and restore me.  Let me shine, again.  Amen

Stay under the Umbrella

  A true woman says, "Yes, Lord".

She considers it a privilege and a delight to serve Him as a woman and gratefully embraces His design and roles for her life.

• Proverbs 14:1  "The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her own hands."

  If I were to ask any of you, "Would you rather be wise or foolish?"  I can, with full assurance, say that everyone would reply, "I want to be wise."  It would be foolish to even say the other.  However, more than I would like to admit, I have taken the foolish course in my life, in my marriage and with my family.    

  When I don't believe that God's way is right and go my own way, that is foolish (God is All Wise).  Let me give you an example.  I read the verse "wives, submit to your husbands", (yesterday's verse) and decide I don't want to do that, I want to do it my way.  I am going against a wise God.  God has put an order in the world for our good (God is All Good).  It is as if we are placed under our husbands umbrella and are shielded and protected.  However I step out from under that protective umbrella and go my own way.  (Pam is foolish) Then I get mad that things are not going well and my life is hard.  (Pam is not good) I am tearing down my own house. I am also taking a rock out of the very foundation of my own house, with my own hand.  (Pam is not wise.)

  What is in your hand?  The umbrella or a rock?  Are you building up or tearing down?  The rain will come.  Are you protected?  

  I feel like singing "The wise man built his house upon the Rock".

  More tomorrow- I love you!

Hated Verses

A True Woman says, "Yes, Lord."

She considers it a privilege and a delight to serve Him as a woman and gratefully embraces His design and roles for her life.

• Ephesians 5:22 "Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord."
• Colossians 3:18 "Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord."

Since the Fall of mankind and the curse given by God, these have been verses that women have hated!  We don't want a man to rule over us.  We don't want to "be subject" to someone else. However, we know that God is good and wise.  He would not say anything that is wrong.  There is a much big issue here.  Our pride.  I want to do life my way.  I want to rule my life.  I don't want to answer to anyone. I I I  see the problem?  prIde.  I am the very center of pride!

  Am I willing to submit myself to God and His ways?  How can I say "Yes, Lord" in other areas, if I haven't said "Yes" in this area?

  Once I see God and His ways as right, I will delight in God and His ways.  I can embrace His design, His plan, His role, and His purpose in my life.

Prayer:  Oh, God in Heaven, forgive me for my stubbornness.  How many times have I rebelled against your authority in my life?  I am truly sorry. Break my sinful and prideful heart in thinking that I know better than you.  You are my Father and my creator.  Please, help me trust you and do what you tell me to do.  In Jesus' name and by His grace, AMEN.

Eat Your Brussel Sprouts

A true woman says, "Yes, Lord."

She believes that God's purposes for creating male and female are good and wise.

• "Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord." Colossians 3:18
• "Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.  For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body."  Ephesians 5:23

There are some verses in the Bible that honestly, you either love them or hate them.  They are brussel sprouts.  Let me explain.  

My husband & I thought that we hated brussel sprouts.  That was until recently.  We has found a new love for them.  We are now ordering them in restaurants and fixing them for dinner. We had them just last night. Why the difference?

It could be age.  Often times our tastes change and mature with age.  

It could be knowledge.  Brussel Sprouts are low in calories and pack a lot of nutritional value.  1/2 cup is only 28 calories and lots of Vitamin C.

It could be preparation.  We had only had brussel sprouts prepared one way before; boiled, with a dab of butter, salt and pepper.  The whole house would reek of an unpleasant odor.

So what was the change?   All of the Above. 

Our tastes buds and menu has changed.

Our health is a thought when preparing and ordering food, due to being older and wider (not a typo).

The preparation:  We have now tasted them in a whole new way.  They are now one of our favorites.  Yummy!  I almost have to count them out so that we are fair with how many we each get.  I don't want him to get more than his fair share. Yes, one of our recipes will follow.

  These verse, may be like brussel sprouts to you.  Either you love them or hate them.  Let me challenge you to hang with the blog.  Next week, we will see that often time our age, our good, and the way these verses have been presented will make all the difference.  Just see if you agree.  So stay tuned.  

  Whether you ever love brussel sprouts or not, order them or not, cook them or not, I hope that you love God's word and recognize that the Word is good and wise.

Recipe:

1 lb. fresh brussel sprouts, trimmed and cut in half

2 pieces of pancetta or bacon

1/2 cup onion, diced

1/2 apple, diced

1 clove garlic, sliced or minced

cheese, (blue cheese, crumbled or shaved parmesan)

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Place sprouts on roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Roast sprouts for 20 minutes, until tender and outer leaves start to brown.

While sprouts are roasting, saute pancetta, onions and apples until caramelized, adding garlic near end, so it doesn't burn.

Lightly toss sprouts with onion mixture.  While still hot, top with a small amount of cheese and allow it to melt.  Enjoy!

WOW Moment

A true woman of God says "Yes, Lord."

She believes that God's purposes for creating male and female are good and wise.  

• Romans 1:20  "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse."

Exploring the world and seeing new places excites me.  I love to be hiking a new trail or walking along a beach.  It amazes me to see all of God's creation.  "WOW" is my response when I see the many colors and varieties of fish, butterflies, leaves, bugs and flowers, He designed.  

Creation also included woman. Woman was created by God in His own image and given a purpose at the very creation of the world.  But it did not just stop in the garden, it continues even today.  We are the creation that allows His invisible attributes to be seen.  We display His eternal power to be revealed.  His divine nature is stamped on us.  So that He will be seen and understood.  No one will have an excuse.  

  What great value that gives to our lives!  It's another WOW moment.

Your Garden

A true woman says "Yes, Lord."

She believes that God's purposes for creating male and female are good and wise.

Here are some truths:

• We are created in the image of God.  We are His little statues. (Genesis 1:26-27)
• We were created to be queen: to rule over the earth. (Genesis 1:26-27) Please read yesterday blog, so that I am not taken out of context.
• We were created to be productive and subdue. (Genesis 1:28)

We may not have the unique position that Eve did in her garden,  nonetheless, we must be productive in the "garden" that we have been placed.  We must rule and have domain over our garden.  We must subdue it.  Depending on our season of life, each one's garden will be unique and look differently than the other, so don't try to compare.  Let me give you a definition for each of the mandates that woman has been given.

• Rule- make decisions regarding a matter's course and destiny
• Subdue- bring under control by conquest and maintain control by diligent maintenance.
• Produce/fruitful- create value by multiplying, filling, and expanding in every area of life.

*Definitions taken from "5 Aspects of Woman" by Barbara Mouser.

Tomorrow we will see how when we obey His purpose for our lives it is good and wise and brings glory to Him.