A Must Read Blog Post

June over at A Wise Woman Builds Her Home has a beautiful post from this past week about many different ways to disciple to your children. Her blog has always been an inspiration to me. I hope you enjoy her post as much as I did. Blessings from the farm, Kat

Read June's Post here

A Homemade Christmas

As usual, money is tight for Christmas. We have never been those kind of people who spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on Christmas anyway. This year I am making most of the children's presents, so I thought I would post the list of what I am planning on making in case it gives any of you ideas. I will also try to post tutorials as I make these things or at least pictures of what has been made.

Petunia (age 15)
2 pairs of earrings
2 necklaces
ring
ankle bracelet
1 pair of pajamas
hanging jewelry organizer
Photo/scrap book of our trip to Maine

Katie (age 6)
1 pair of pajamas
2 necklaces
ring
2 bracelets
purse
dress
1 pair of legwarmers
Photo/Scrap book of our trip to Maine

So far this is the list. I might come up with some other things while I am working. I will update this as I go. Blessings, Kat

Why Carry?

This post is to let folks know that the time for complacency is really over. In the past I rarely carried a pistol anywhere. Really, there were very few places that I really felt that it was necessary and I have worked in some very unsavory areas in my past. I truly believed that by not putting myself in situations to be a target then I wouldn't be. That held true for most of my life, but times are different now and I don't feel like that is really true anymore. Society has spiraled downward in many ways of which I won't go into. A couple of recent incidents lately though have me convinced that the time for complacency is over. Recently a friend of mine was in a gun store. She was looking at a gun that she and her husband had been wanting to purchase. They only had two of the caliber left that she was looking at. Someone else came in and wanted to see the one that she was really leaning toward purchasing and was obviously upset when she made her decision. In fact, he hung out in the store for a good amount of time watching her. It made the owners of the store so nervous that two men escorted her out to her car and watched her until she was out of the parking lot to make sure that she was safe and not followed. This was broad daylight and not in a bad area of town. It was one of those areas that many of us are really complacent about. One thing that the gun shop owner told her while she was there was that it wasn't just the law abiding citizens that were buying guns like they were going out of style, it was the other element as well and they were buying them in droves. Then just the other day this same friend drove a couple hours away to meet a dog breeder to pick up a puppy that she was purchasing. She arrived and one of her children needed to use the bathroom so she pulled into a gas station parking lot. As she parked a man started to make a direct line to her vehicle. In broad daylight in a very busy area of town. Now grant it wasn't the safest area of town, very unsavory. She rolled down her window and told the man to stop approaching her vehicle. He ignored her and kept coming. She again told him that she had nothing for him and to stop approaching. He again ignored her. At this point she simply pulled her carry pistol out and showed the man that she had it. He immediately backed off and left the area. Fortunately, she had taken a look around her before she jumped out of her vehicle with her 3 small children. However, how many times do we harried moms get so carried away with our kids that we forget to stop, look and assess what could be waiting for us outside the safety of our car. Unfortunately our children make us a target because they weaken our focus. They are also a tool to be used by the criminal element and let me tell you that element is everywhere. I have seen it spread alarmingly in the town nearest us. Areas previously considered "safe zones" aren't anymore. The time for complacency is over. I carry because I refuse to be a victim, just like in the days that I always made sure that I parked in view of the door to the restaurant under a light. I carry because now I have children that could also be victims or used against me and I refuse to allow that to happen. I remember the police telling us business owners in a very upscale shopping area of town that we were going to have to police the area ourselves and their recommendation was to "take whatever steps necessary to protect ourselves" because they simply didn't have the manpower. The problem we were having was broad daylight crime, mostly against our customers. But any owner leaving their business for the day became a target. I refuse to be a target...that is why I carry and I believe that every mom should carry. Blessings, Kat daylight

Taking a Break

I know I haven't written in a while. We have been so busy trying to finish projects. We finished the new pig fence and the little piggies are happy as can be with their new digs. We are at a stand still with the brush fence because when my husband went to get a new chain for the chainsaw, he got the wrong size. So anyway, I am tired. We have been going hard and steady for months and I am just plain sick of farming. So I am taking a break this week from farm projects. I take care of the necessary chores and then let that be it. I am focusing on being a housewife this week which actually considering all that I do feels quite liberating. Yesterday, I purged our videos and CDs and painted a shelf to be used for books in my little ones room. Then I cleaned out an antique cabinet that was not being used where it was and brought it inside the house for the little ones school things. I want to get to some sewing this week also. We only have a few more things to finish up before winter gets here and I can do this throughout the winter. It will be nice, I need the break, my body is beyond worn out and I am mentally exhausted. I am ready to sit and sew and work on needlepoint. Spring will be here soon enough with the flurry of things to do that come with it. The weather is turning chilly and I just don't work well when my joints don't function well so it is time to finish up fall and sit back and wait for spring. Meanwhile, this little break this week is nice and gives me the motivation to finish it up and be done. So off to get the day started. Hope you all are doing well. Blessings, Kat

What to Do with My Winter "Break"

I have been really getting excited about my winter break from milking. It will cut down morning chores considerably. So I have been thinking about what I will do with my time and here is the list of things that I am excited to have more time to do:

Sewing
Maybe I will actually be able to sew some new clothes for myself this year. It is always a goal, but never really gets achieved. I will also be able (hopefully) to get the children's spring and summer clothes done well before spring and summer get here!

Writing
I have a huge list of article ideas that I simply keep adding to. I just have not been able to find the energy to sit down and write them out. Now, maybe I can find that energy and have a little extra time to spend.

Painting
Wouldn't it be wonderful if I could actually finish those paintings that have been sitting in various stages of completion! Or imagine how wonderful it would be to start new ones.

Anyway, those are the plans. Blessings, Kat

School Time Again

Well, technically it has been school for us all year. However, my daughter has had a light load for the summer with simply reading, book reports and Grammar. It is that time of year to gear up for a full load again and a full load it will be. I don't think she quite realizes that the easy stuff is over and it is time to really buckle down. Boy is she in for a surprise! Unfortunately she is at that age that we all grow through at some point or another in which she sees school as a pointless nuisance. We all go through that stage to some degree. I was different in that I saw school as a pointless nuisance because it was a hindrance to what I wanted to learn. I got tired of teachers telling me that I wasn't ready to learn more, especially in science. While I wanted to learn more, my daughter wants to learn NOTHING! Talk about frustrating! Even now at my ripe old middle age (and that is as close as you will get to finding out how old I am!), I am always seeking new knowledge. It is as if I am as thirsty for knowledge now as I was as a child. So, having a child that does not have that thirst can be a bit difficult. I simply pray that she is retaining some of the information taught to her and that the Lord will see fit to give her the desire one day to learn more. This is probably the biggest test of patience I have ever undergone, waiting for her to get some desire to learn something! Please Lord, help her soon because I am not sure how much longer I can hold out! She is a great kid and I am so thankful that the Lord saw fit to bless us with her. A kinder soul you could not find. And truly dear Lord in Heaven I am so very thankful for the blessing of this beautiful child. I just need a little help. Thanks from your faithful servant.....the frustrated mom here at the farm.

Really great short article

I just finished reading this article at A Wise Woman Builds Her Home. Truly inspiring, encouraging, and empowering. Take just a few moments and check it out. God bless, Kat

Evenings with Victoria Botkin

I just discovered that Victoria Botkin is having a women's talk online. For those who don't know the Botkin family, they are truly amazing, inspiring, and definitely inspirational. Their daughters have grown into wonderful young Christian women, seeking to please the Lord in their lives. My oldest daughter and I are reading their book, "So Much More", together now. It was written by the Botkin sisters several years ago when they were teens and written for young teen girls. However, I have found that it is something the whole family can get something out of. There is a registration fee for Victoria's sessions, but I feel that the cost is reasonable and the information invaluable. I know as a mother struggling to raise my daughters to serve the Lord in a world that seems to hate our Lord and Savior I need all the help, advise, and encouragement I can get. Victoria Botkin has been there, done that, and succeeded. There are also some very great articles available online at the website. I encourage all mothers of both sons and daughters to take a look here for more information about Victoria Botkin's Session for Women. God bless, Kat

Creative Sewing and Frugality

I accomplished quite a bit of sewing this past week and surprised myself at how cheaply I accomplished this task. Let me explain a little about that. Normally, I would have to use fabric to accomplish my sewing goals that had been purchased at the fabric store or elsewhere. This time I created almost an entire spring and summer wardrobe for my toddler and didn't use my store bought fabric unless you include the scraps that I used out of the scrap bag. As you know I have been going through my oldest childs clothes for the consignment sale next month. She had several really nice shirts that were almost like brand new. One or two had a small stain and so couldn't go through the consignment sale and a few others had some imperfections that would not be accepted. So, I got to thinking how easy it would be to turn those shirts into cute little dresses for a toddler. That is exactly what I did. I will post some photos soon, if I can get my camera to work. I will try to explain some of what I did. On one shirt that had cap sleeves, it made ties for the "dress" out of some scrap material. I then attached the ties to the bottom of the armhole and tied them in the back. This made the armhole smaller to fit a toddler and added a cute element to the "dress". It also had a small stain which I easily covered with rosettes made from the same scrap material and some decorative buttons. Then I did some embroidery around the collar, just a simple blanket stitch and rosebud in the corner. One dress, nothing spent.....totally cool. Another shirt turned dress was a tank top. So, I shortened the straps which made the armhole and neckhole smaller to fit. Where the front and back panels were now joined at the neck I tied a ribbon in a bow that lays across the shoulder on both sides. Since that shirt was multicolored, I chose to leave the adornment simple and just stuck with the ribbons at the shoulder. It is a cute little summer dress and I actually had two of them in different colors that I did that way. I had a polo type shirt that I gathered the sleeves with elastic, which closed up the armhole. The neckhole was just fine since it had buttons. The I looked through my scrap bag and made several ruffles for the bottom of the dress out of scrap fabric in a couple different prints to give it some pizazz and interest. I then lined the joining stitch between the ruffles and shirt with a ribbon trim and a flat buckle type bow. Another dress done and nothing really spent. I also made some more pantaloons out of some linen curtains that had once hung in my art gallery. When I closed the gallery, I simply washed the curtains and put them aside for later use. I have been using them to make pantaloons and bloomers for quite some time. The linen is wonderful and they wear well. I make them a little big so that they last longer and I can simply put in longer elastic to get a little more time out of them. So, I think all in all my toddlers new wardrobe cost a couple dollars in ribbon and notions that I already had on hand. She now has a cute boutique style wardrobe for the upcoming warm seasons and I certainly did not spend 40 to 60 dollars on each dress. With a little creativity and imagination so much money can be saved in clothing your children. Like I said I will try to get pictures of the dresses up this week. My camera is old, worn out and temperamental so we will see if it decides to work. Happy sewing.

When Families Clash

My husband and I have moved ourselves and our family out of the "mainstream" society and their way of thinking. As Christians, we have moved toward a more biblical structure in our family. We have moved toward a more Biblical agrarian life in which we believe that it is our duty to be producers, instead of consumers. We also look more closely at the things which influence our children and come into our home. All this being said, it has caused conflict within the extended family that still lives within the "world". They simply don't understand and don't want to understand why we have chosen this and have even gone so far as to accuse us of damaging our children's well being. In fact my oldest daughter was misbehaving at a family get together over the holidays and my husband corrected her rather sternly. Apparently, this did not sit well with the family gathered as one member later called me and told me that I needed to tell my husband to "Just shut up and let you handle it". I was really shocked at that statement. Even not understanding that my husband is the head of our household and answerable to God for the actions and behavior of his children, how could anyone suggest that one parent tell the other to shut up when disciplining a child?! So when I replied with the fact that I would in no way shape or form tell him to shut up and explained the reasons for it, I was told that I was being ridiculous. Modern society seems to think that only the mother has the right to discipline and teach the child and the father is just to be some buffoon that stays in the background. I find that so sad, because every child needs the direction of a father. Maybe that is what is wrong with the current generations coming along is the lack of a strong father. I remember when my Dad was talking about his childhood and when he would get into trouble. He said he always thought it was funny and would continue with his troublemaking as long as my grandmother was disciplining him. However, all she had to say was, "Do I need to go get your daddy?" and the very thought of Grandaddy being called into the matter would set him on the straight and narrow. Face it, we mothers can be suckers when it comes to our little ones, however daddy's can stand their ground. I know I have been guilty of caving into my children, sometimes simply because I am tired and don't have the energy. However, that is why God placed Dads in charge. They have the energy and can effectively correct and guide swiftly, whereas with a mother the correct and guide can take half a days arguing and going back and forth, so to speak. We are also very aware of the things that our children see, hear, and read. I have written before that I do not approve the Twilight series and will not allow it in my home, nor will I allow my daughter to see it elsewhere. For some reason this series has caused no amount of problems with the "family" and us. They think we are simply cruel and unreasonable. Instead of simply accepting our decision, time and again we are faced with our family pushing this Twilight. I thought I had made it very clear that this issue was not up for discussion. During the last month it has been brought up time and again. One family member wanted to take her to the movies to see, you guessed it, the latest release of the Twilight saga. Then got irate when I said no. Another family member had gotten it for her daughter and wanted them to watch the movie together, then got upset when I said no and that maybe we needed to go home if that was the plan for the evening. And on and on it goes. For some reason with this movie being pushed by so many of my family members it simply strengthens my resolve that my Christian daughter should not watch a movie that has so many adults (and children) alike bewitched so much that they need to push this film/book series. For me it truly strengthens the thoughts that I have that this thing is loaded with withcraft. Yep, I said it. Yes, I know it is about vampires, but witchcraft often surrounds things that are not blatantly about witchcraft. Even so, vampirism is against God's word! Can't these professed Christians see this?! I feel like no one can see the implications of a girl giving up life for eternal death. Do they not see that Jesus Christ is eternal life and that choosing eternal death is to not only separate from Him, but choosing hell. Is there nothing wrong with this in their minds? Then there have been the issues of our living a more agrarian life. I don't understand why someone would care whether we raise our own food or buy it from the grocery store. Why would that be a concern to anyone? However, in our extended family most see that as the most ridiculous thing they have even heard. Of course, most of the "concerns" of theirs is that our food is not safe because it hasn't been inspected. Even when you try to educate them that our food is safer than anything they could buy in the grocery store (because I don't fertilize my spinach with raw sewage) they simply won't listen. They simply think that living a simpler life in which we produce what we can for our own needs is choosing to live in poverty. Only poor people live this way, is there comment. My children are suffering because they are forced to eat vegetables instead of processed waffles and pre-made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with a side of processed junk. I am setting my family up for a serious stay in the hospital by feeding them eggs which have not been bleached first to get rid of the germs! How cruel can I be to make the kids eat meat that was walking around a few days ago and which they petted and helped to care for! My whole point in this is that once the choice is made to step outside of the "mainstream" way of life and thought process then the road can be hard even within the extended family. Even though the decision is a good one and a noble undertaking, the road is not easy and there will be many if not most who simply don't and can't understand. What the trigger to there understanding will be, I don't know. I haven't found it yet. Just know that we are not alone even if it seems like it. God is always with us and through Him we will find our strength to continue on the path that He has set for us. We are also not alone in our struggles as there are others struggling, just like us, all around the world. However, I have to say this....despite the family clash, I have never been more at peace, never been more content, never been happier than I have been living outside of the "world". It was only when our family chose to live within the Biblical outline and plan of God that we found true peace and happiness even though the "world" tries to make us think we are unhappy. For parents this is difficult because we can withstand the attacks of the world, however it is difficult for our little ones. They don't have the fortitude just yet and the world tries very hard to make them feel unhappy about their life and what they are "missing" out on. It is our job more than ever once we start to step out of the mainstream flow of humanity to armour our children so that they can grow to withstand the assault. It is no longer a black and white world in which we live, but gray has become not only acceptable but the chosen color. With God's help we can separate the gray into black and white and teach our children to do the same. May God be with us all!

Are You Hiding?

Sometimes life can get tedious and exhausting. I know it can for myself as I speed through the day homeschooling, working in the garden, preparing the harvest, feeding the livestock, caring for the home, running errands, chasing a toddler, and the myriad of other things that I do in a days time. Many times it can be overwhelming and I know other women feel this way. Sometimes it would be nice to "hide". So where do women like me "hide" from their feelings of being overwhelmed? Television, the internet and books. Hmmmmm....hiding might not be such a good thing. Where should women turn when those feelings of being overwhelmed and exhausted come up? God's word, The Holy Bible, of course! Instead of being a place where we women can hide from life, it is a source of inspiration and strength. God's word gives us the courage to face what we must and accept the challenges ahead. It is a place to renew the joy in our lives when it seems as if the joy has slipped out the door. We women tend to find all the wrong places to hide from our fears and anxieties instead of finding a place to learn how to deal with them. Hiding is no good and does nothing more than compound the problem. Once someone starts to hide from their worries then those worries get bigger and bigger. God is our strength in a world that just wants to zap every ounce of strength that we have. He is our sunshine and the silver lining! Rise each morning with the Word of God and close each day with the Word of God. We should put away our hiding places and instead gather our strength and encouragement to face our many challenges. Living the life of a godly woman is tough and it becomes even tougher when we "hide". Spending your days on the computer or caught up in frivolous tv shows or even those hideous make believe romance novels is never going to be a source of strength and you will never gain courage. In fact these things simply separate us from the one thing we should never be separate from, the Word of God. The more separated we get then the more we wish to "hide". So to all those tempted to hide, and yes sometimes even myself, I encourage you to close up your hiding places and gather your courage with God Almighty. May God bless you in your journey!

Interesting Quote

I love this quote and I hope you do also.

"A true wife makes a man's life nobler, stronger, grander, by the omnipotence of her love 'turning all the forces of manhood upward and heavenward.' While she clings to him in holy confidence and loving dependence she brings out in him whatever is nobles and richest in his being. She inspires him with her courage and earnestness. She beautifies his life. She softens whatever is rude and harsh in his habits or his spirit. She clothes him with the gentler graces of refined and cultured manhood. While she yields to him and never disregards his lightest wish, she is really his queen, ruling his whole life and leading him onward and upward in every proper path. -JR Miller

Comments on Today's Standards Part 2

Earlier today I posted about the way that solid Christian families are judged according to mainstream society. We are seen as outsiders by mainstream, or typically called extremists. Gods laws and rules are cut and dry, it is mankind that seeks to make them complicated when in fact they are quite simple. I mentioned in my earlier post that I was ok with living outside the box, and I truly am. BUT, we are also called as Christians to be the light of Christ in the world. Hmmmmmm.....that is hard to do if we never open the box. So what are we as Christians to do, especially us girls. How do we show that light by our example if society chooses to lock the box? How do we show that light by our example if we choose to lock society inside the box? I don't really know what the answers are. I think maybe the example is working with the grace of God. Among people that I communicate with online, I see more and more coming out of the box on their own free will. I never fit inside the box, but it took me a long time to find the key to the lock....God's Law. I was one of those Christians that was content with the message of salvation and that alone. I was not one of those Christians that believed we really had to follow all those rules (being a little sarcastic in tone). However, God began to impress upon me and our family that there was a different path for us to follow. A slight inclination became a tug, which then became a huge pull that could no longer be resisted. I then sought out other Christian women like me, who thought like me and followed God's law like me. Now don't get me wrong, I am certainly not perfect and neither are they. We all stumble, and sometimes fall terribly. It is a difficult road at times, especially when you have walked the easier path. I guess I have rambled enough. My whole point is that if society shuns us and ridicules us, then how can we bring the light of Jesus Christ and the peace of God's Law to them? Are we even supposed to? Do I think about this because I am one of those people that has to "fix" everything that seems off? Is this something that other Proverbs 31 wives think about? Bringing our home and our family into more of a Biblically based agrarian life brings on even more criticism/ridicule. Society is so far removed from their food supply! Even people who grew up in a rural setting just cannot believe we would eat eggs from our hens because ......they might have been fertilized! So many people in today's society do not want to provide their own nutritious food. Not only that they don't want to know how that food got to the grocery store shelf or how long it took to get there. I don't know what the answers are. I can only be an example and I can only follow my own path, and in doing so maybe God will shine His face on someone I come into contact with. My prayer is that He will, and they will let Him lead them on their own path toward peace. May God bless you all.

What an Amazing Lady! Susan Boyle

Wow, this woman is truly amazing and an inspiration to our young daughters as well as ourselves. Let her voice speak for her. Ladies meet Miss Susan Boyle:

Susan Boyle on Britain's Got Talent
by dwarthy

Angry Women

I was catching up on my reading at Ladies against Feminism this morning (you can click on the widget in the right hand column to go there) and it got me to thinking. I run into many women who are feminists because they have been deceived into thinking that it is a noble cause. Recently, I was with one such woman on an outing who is a dear person to me. We were talking about a particular event that was relegated to men only and she got very upset that women were not allowed to participate. While it does not bother me that there are activites and venues for men only, because I have been liberated by the grace of God Almighty from the idea of having to do everything a man does, she was visibly angry and upset. So it made me think (I know this tends to be dangerous). Women who have bought into the feminism lie are angry much of the time. They live their lives in a state of anger because they can't play too. Is it so terrible that men have their own activites where they can just be men and not have to worry about "ladies being present"? Do these women enjoy being angry so much? Personally, I find it nice that there are a few things that men can do that they can just be men and socialize as men. My husband has one activity that is male only. Everywhere else in his life he is drowning in the deep end of the estrogen pool. So should I be angry that he has this one small tiny bit of time to be with other men and just be a man? Absolutely not, this is just another ridiculous sentiment of socialist feminism and its attempt at castrating the male population. Women need to stop being angry all the time about what they are not allowed to participate in and celebrate what they can participate in. Ladies, it is a blessing to be a lady and we should be delighted in that and we should delight that our husbands wish and desire to be men.

Being a Proverbs 31 Wife: Part 3

Let's continue with our Proverbs 31 study.

Prov. 31:21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

Ladies, it is our duty as keepers of the home to see that our home is prepared for whatever might come. In this verse God uses inclement weather, but the event could be anything. In today's economic times it could very well be job loss. Let me use ourselves for example. My husband recently hurt his back and at his return to the doctor Monday and attempt to go back to work he was told that he is out of work for the next month until his back has fully healed and he can return to his regular duties at work. Now, his employer does have a policy that will pay him a portion of his wages while he is out of work, but this portion will cover our health insurance premiums and not much else. We have food and the living expenses are paid. I have a small nest egg that I keep for emergencies. If I had not planned for this then my children would not eat or I would have to go to family and friends for food. Are you prepared for something like this? As a proverbs 31 wife you should be, it is your duty.

vs.22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.

Ladies this verse is about appropriate dress and dressing nicely. Husbands don't like to come home to women who haven't even gotten out of their pajamas or always run around in sloppy sweats. Dress like a woman, dress modestly, and look nice for your husband. No I am not saying that you have to look like a movie star, but at least fix your hair in the morning and dress neat and tidy. It will go a long way toward your husband (who is very visual in nature) enjoying coming home to his wife.

vs.23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.

I know this verse is more about our husbands. God here is talking about men who behave and act with honor. An honorable woman should not be unequally yoked to a man without honor and respect. Does your husband behave with honor, do you help to guide him? Is he respected as a man in the community? Many women find frustration in their marriage and this can often be attributed to the fact that they have been unequally yoked with a man who does not gain this respect or level of honor. Be wise in your choice of husband ladies, and be wise in your guidance of him.

vs. 24 She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.

So for those who say that the Bible is anti working women, that is not so. A Proverbs 31 wife indeed works, but she works with her hands and contributes to the family in earnings that way. Women of days past often had their "butter and egg" money saved away to help in hard times. Butter and eggs were usually what women had extra that they could sell. Women in days past also did some things such as sewing for the community. So ladies yes you can work and earn your own money, but your main duty is to the family. The working comes from things made yourself or extras that your self-sufficient lifestyle produces.

vs. 25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

Women of the south have always been known for their strength of character, their ability to get through whatever life can throw at them and to land on their feet without losing their honor and grace. Very often when life's tribulations hit is the strength of the woman that will strengthen the family. Our husbands need our strength because when tragedy strikes they often feel helpless and less of a man. Our strength gives them the courage that they need to make it through tough times. Our children need our strength to know that their lives are not going to fall apart and that they are secure in their home and family. The honour of a woman will see that the morals and values according to God are not compromised and that the family no matter what life throws at them will continue to live in a godly manner. Ladies live their lives with strength and honour and support their family with those traits.

vs. 26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

Ladies, think before you speak. Are you speaking from the wisdom of God or the beliefs of the world? Are you teaching your children in the ways of the Lord or the ways of the world? Do we speak with a kind tongue or do we rip apart with our words. Be cautious of how you speak and what you say. The Lord is watching.

vs. 27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

Ladies, another verse about taking care of our household. We are to prepare for what might happen and care for daily needs. The old saying that a woman's work is never done certainly applies and a woman properly taking care of her home and family has no worry about idle hands. Being a stay at home wife and mother does not mean that you have time to sit on the computer all day or watch television all day. There is much to be done in the care of the family. Idle hands are the devil's playground so make sure that your hands are not idle.

That will be all for today. I will continue and finish up soon. God bless you all in your journey.

Being a Proverbs 31 Wife Part 2

I am continuing the series about being a Proverbs 31 wife. I have found in my journey to be the wife that God commissioned me to be, that it is a difficult journey at times because the outside world simply does not understand. The women's lib movement has tarnished the minds of the people and made them blind and unnaccepting of the commissions of God. All that being said despite this small difficulty it is the most rewarding journey I have made and our marriage has prospered greatly because of it. So let's continue with our journey into Proverbs 31.

Proverbs 31:15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.

Women in the days of old indeed rose earlier than everyone in the home. When the husband and children awoke breakfast was ready and everyone in the home started the day with a good breakfast and the care of a loving mother/wife. In today's times I hear of so many women that sleep til the later hours of the morning long after the sun has risen. Now I will admit that although I wake up before the rooster (5 am) that my husband does not get breakfast before he leaves home. However, this is at his request. I do make sure that he does have whatever he needs to take with him for the day handy and that his lunch is prepared and sent off with him. My children have breakfast ready when they get up, with the exception of Monday's which is cereal day. Also by arising early in the morning there is quite a bit more time to get the things accomplished during the day. It is not easy running a homestead or a family and by wasting half the day in bed much is lost and there is always of feeling of not getting much done. So get up early ladies and get that day started.

vs 16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard

Hmmmmmm....So Adam might have been the first to be commissioned to till the land but we ladies were not left out. This verse shows that we do have a say in what happens on our homestead and we do make decisions and act upon them. So many women think that the Bible simply command them to be doormats and this just is not true. It is what the women's lib folks would have us to believe. Not only do we help to provide for the family by working our own field which we have purchased, but we must bring in an income of some sort to be able to do this. We will see later where this income is coming from. For right now it is enough to know that we women also contribute to the well being of our family and we do so of our own free will. We too are commissioned to work the land.

vs. 17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.

No wimpy weak women here in this verse. Women worked hard and they were were strong for it. This kept them healthy. I know women nowadays that cannot life a 20 pound sack of dog food. Really I have seen them in the grocery store when they have to find someone to help them get it into their buggy in the aisle. It is pitiful how weak women are these days and dangerous as well. Not everything about the good old days were "good" there were evil men in those days as well. Women who were weak were vulnerable, women who could defend themselves were much better off. Which kind of woman are you? Are you vulnerable to the evils of the world, or could you make a stand if you had to? You know in the South during the Civil War women were left home alone with the children. The weak women didn't fair so well when the yankees turned to total warfare. They were raped, killed, imprisoned right along with their children. There were babies burned alive in homes because their mother's were too weak to defend them. Some women fought though and survived along with their children. I would rather know that I could defend myself and my children if needed than to live with the knowledge that I had no chance to save my children if we were under some sort of attack. And ladies, these days, women are not safe anywhere or at anytime. Just watch the news if you don't believe me. Are your muscles strong? Is your body healthy?

vs. 18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night

Yes, we are often called to work late into the night when taking care of our family. This verse tells us where the money to buy the field comes from... our own skills and our own hands. Women were allowed to work and earn money by God's word. It is a fallacy to think otherwise because right here in this verse God is talking about the merchandise of a wife. Merchandise is something that is for sale and biblical wives not only were allowed but expected according to God to produce goods from the "extras" of their family's labors to sell at market. This is the heart of the Biblical agrarian movement. Most will agree that if you start down the path toward biblical agrarianism with the idea of how much money you wish to make then you have already failed. First, provide your family's needs, and then sell what you will not use. It is the wife who gets the goods ready for market. You see the husband and wife still interwoven here in their marriage bond. It is a physical partnership and interweaving as much as a spiritual partnership. Both husband and wife working as a team and if seperated then the continuity fails.

vs. 19 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

Again the wife working for the good of the family. Ladies it is plain and simple, God expected, commanded, and ordained that laziness and slothfulness were not part of his plan nor were they acceptable. So those who think it is ok to lounge in bed half the day, then lounge around the house or spend your days shopping or some other slovenly pursuit are in trouble. 6 days the Lord labored and 6 days we are to labor.

vs. 20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth for her hands to the needy.

The family's acts of charity were shown through the wife. It was her duty to see to the needy and poor of the community. In biblical times this was probably due to the fact that most of the needy and poor were widows. Women were given the gift of compassion and empathy for a reason and this is one area where it was ecpected by God for those gifts to be used. My grandfather often told me that during the Great Depression that my great grandmother every morning would load up her car with live chickens and drive around the community to people who were in need of food. During the depression most everyone had a small garden, but for very many families meat was hard to come by. It is much easier for someone in need to accept help from us women than it is to accept from a man. Especially, if the person in need is a man because having to face another man and admit that they need help is something that many honorable men cannot bring themselves to do and simply destroys their pride.

Ok, I will get to Part 3 soon. I expect this is enough for us to think about for today. May God bless you all in your journey.

Being a Proverbs 31 Wife Part 1

Proverbs 31 is one of my favorite scriptures in the Bible. In this chapter of Proverbs God shares His wisdom and guidance about the kind of wife I am to be and the duties that I am to have. So I thought I would break this up and write a series of posts about being a Proverbs 31 wife.

Proverbs 31
vs 10:Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
vs 11:The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

To our husbands a good and virtuous woman is a priceless treasure. This seems to be something that has been lost in recent generations. It used to be that men/husbands readily showed that the one thing they treasured most was their wife. Men of old would give their life in protection of their wife. No man was more fierce than when his wife was insulted or violated or harmed. She was priceless. This reminds me of an episode of Little House on the Prairie. In this episode another man is making rude insinuations to Caroline and when she attempts to walk away from him, he grabs her arm. She does get away and is very upset over the whole incident. When Charles finds out about this he is furious because his wife was treated this way. Charles confronts the man and this confrontation escalates into a fist fight. Charles unfortunately gets beat up pretty badly. The whole point of this is that Charles so valued his wife that his only concern was to defend her. He gave absolutely no regard to his own well being. And this brings us to the next verse which explains why a man treasures his wife so. It is because she has his heart. Her most valuable possession is the heart of her husband and because a virtuous woman holds her husbands heart and values her husbands heart then no spoil (other woman) can touch him. In recent generations it seems as if infidelity has become a pandemic that has spread like wildfire across our country. Even television shows are full of it with so and so cheating on so and so and then vice versa. Why is this? Because so many women have stopped being virtuous. You see mainstream society has filled women's heads so much with the bulldooey that they need to be like men that they no longer care for the virtues of womanhood. They seek careers and independance from those things which women always in the past held dear, like family children and their husband. At one time in history a woman guarded her reputation, nowadays women do not care about reputation. If fact, the world seems to care very little about reputations of women. It has become so mainstream for women to behave like men...drinking in bars, fighting with other women, sleeping around. So as a result women are no longer virtuous and a non virtuous woman cannot hold her husband's heart. Therefore he is tempted to be spoiled. So what we ladies need to think about is our virtuousness now. Do we consider how our dress might affect our virtue? Do we consider how our friendships might affect our virtue? Do we consider how our attitude might affect our virtue? Do we consider how our language and way that we conduct ourselves might affect our virtue? If we do not consider our virtue, then our husband's won't consider it either.

vs. 12: She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

One thing I have discovered is that our husbands need constant reassurance and ego boosters, especially in their younger years. If we ladies are complaining about them and to them then we are doing evil to our husbands. We are tearing them down instead of lifting them up. Our husbands never really stop "courting" us or trying to impress us with their prowess. It is just that we wives stop seeing this. Instead we focus on their faults or their shortcomings and in doing so we stop doing him good and instead are doing him evil. Not only that but we do ourselves evil as well because this man will eventually start seeking some other means to boost his ego. Now this does not always mean another woman, but it could mean that work becomes more important than home. Our husbands need to know that what their efforts to impress us ladies do not go unnoticed, they need that ego boost. So we should do them good and be supportive and vocalize our pride in their efforts.

vs. 13: She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

As men were commisioned to til the soil, women were commissioned to make use of that effort. You see this is an example of the further strengthening of the marriage bond, the covenant with God. We ladies work as hard as our husbands and I think modern day women have forgotten this. So many stay at home wives, do nothing. They go to lunch and go shopping and flit here and there during the day. They hire someone to clean their home and put the children in daycare. There is no intertwining with the work of their husband. The bond is broken. Wives in olden days cooked and cleaned, they sewed and tended the children. If their husband was a businessman then his wife saw to it that business associates were entertained in their home. The two worked together. This always reminds me of an old saying that I have heard all my life "Idle hands make for the devil's playground". Too many women nowadays have idle hands and so they seek their happiness outside of their marriage. So many women are unhappy with their marriage and turn to shopping and other forms of satisfaction and it is all due to the fact that there hands are idle.

vs.14: She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.

Well, this reminds me of another old saying, "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach". This is so true. Men like food and they especially like food that is prepared by the woman that they have entrusted their heart to. So ladies, when we stop bringing our food to our men then we are failing in our duty as wives. In today's world of fast food and restaurants it is all too common to find wives who do not ever cook. It is fine to go out once in a while and take a break from the kitchen, but it is our food at home that makes our husbands happiest. It is our food lovingly prepared with our hands that brings them fulfillment. It is their satisfaction that gives us as women pride in what we do and satisfaction with ourselves.

So tomorrow I will continue with more of Proverbs 31. God bless and take care.

An Amazing Young Woman

This young woman is amazing and should be an inspiration to us all. I pray that my daughters grow to live their life in as Christian a manner as she. Check out Mia's blog and see for yourself.

Stepping out of the Mainstream In Your Life

It is difficult to live a goodly Christian life and especially difficult to make the transition and the move outside of mainstream society. Even mainstream Christianity is corrupted by the pitfalls of this world. The biggest difficulty in making the move to be an obedient Christian wife, and life an agrarian lifestyle is the criticism and the feeling that you are alone. People sometimes treat you as if you have lost your mind when in fact all you have done is find it. Jesus Christ never said that living according to His will and no one else's would be an easy road to walk. However, the rewards are great. I have seen tremendous changes and growth in our family since our step out of the mainstream. We are closer together and closer to God. My husband has taken the role of head of the house, as ordained by God, when at one point in time I never thought he would. It took me changing myself for him to be able to assume his role. The reason being was that I took that role from him. When I stepped back and into my role as his helpmate then he was able to be the man that God wanted him to be. I do think there are more of us women who are telling women's lib to go jump in the lake. Women's lib is one of the most evil things to come to this country. It made us women think that if we were not acting as men and trying to be men and fulfill manly roles, then we were nothing. But there is an old saying "Behind every great man is a good woman" and that is so true. When they are little boys, we raise them teach them and mold them. The way they view women is entirely up to us mothers. They learn to be strong men by seeing strong fathers and mothers who work together. We have created a generation of weak cowardly men and look where our country has come because of it. The men are weakened because women have told them that they are not needed. A man needs to be the head of the house, the provider, the protector and the guide for his family. Without that he feels he has no purpose. Being outside of mainstream in our lives is difficult at times. We do get some ridicule, but our focus is not what they think of us but what God thinks of us. Am I raising our children to follow in His ways? Am I being the best helpmate to my husband that I can be and do I allow him to actually be a man? As long as we women assume the role of the head of the house men will remain little boys. It is only when we relinquish that role that they become men. Men who take up this role that God has given them have a terrible burden on their shoulders, they are responsible for all of us and the way that we live our lives. Wow, I am really glad not to have that burden and responsibility. My husband will answer to God for my transgressions and those of our children. It will be his failing, if we fail. Women's shoulders nor their hearts were meant for this burden. Living with God's order and following His path is not an easy task and mainstream society and Christianity places a stigma on those of us who do. However, I would rather that the world hate me and God smile on me, than for the world to love me and God to shed tears for one more lost soul. May God bless you in your journey outside of the mainstream.