Do You Shed?

I asked my husband what I should write about this week as I was feeling quite dull. He got a very thoughtful look on his face and then told me that I should write about dogs and how they shed fur. I thought the same thing you are mostly likely thinking right now. What on earth does a dog shedding have to do with a bunch of moms?

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At the beginning of each autumn our dogs, especially the goldendoodle, begin to grow extra fur for the coming winter months. This comes in quite handy in our cold and snowy northeast Ohio climate. Come spring I am not as intrigued by this God designed winter coat as it all falls on my wood floors. However aggravating the shedding might be, it is a good thing. Can you imagine wearing your winter coat all summer in the heat? The dog's shedding allows for them to sleep better, play better, move around better - it's a good thing.

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The same is true for moms who shed their busy coats. Unlike my dogs, my shedding time comes in September of each year. After a fun, full summer I need to look at my calendar and begin to slow down. I home school my five children and I simply can not keep the same activity list as I do in the warm and carefree months. If I did, my home would be in a constant state of disarray and my children would be uneducated ruffians. It is much easier and more enjoyable to teach my children when I am not trying to fulfill a myriad of obligations outside of my home. My family needs to be my priority. When I am walking purposefully in my current season of life (summer, holidays, schooling, etc.) I find that the walk is more enjoyable and successful. I encourage you to begin to shed your fur for this coming season and enjoy the time at home.

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Let your eyes look straight ahead and your eyelids look right before you.

Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established.

Proverbs 4:25,26

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Prayer:

Father, thank you for this coming school year. What an honor to be home with my children, teaching them and training them in the ways You desire. Please help me to be focused on this season and what you would have me be involved in. Amen.

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Challenge:

If you have not yet looked at scaling back for this school year do so this week. Make sure that you leave time for date nights and fun stuff, but determine to have tunnel vision in regards to your home school. It is easy to get off track simply anticipating a coming event. Ask your husband to help you make wise choices with your time.

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Jen Gorton 2009

Times of Fellowship

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Colossians 3:16,17

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This week I had the opportunity to sit down with a young mom who is just beginning her homeschooling journey. She came to talk and learn more about our support group, curriculum - that sort of thing. We covered all of that, but something even more beneficial came of our time. We spent time in fellowship. Our unity in the faith drew us together until we were no longer talking about methods and learning styles, but rather we began to share what the Lord had done and was doing in our lives.

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What does fellowship look like? The dictionary says that fellowship is "the condition or relation of being a fellow." The definition of fellow is "belonging to the same class or group; united by the same occupation, interests, etc.; being in the same condition." My new friend and I are in the same condition; we were once lost but now are found. The commonality between us is that our hearts have been transformed by Christ.

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Do you have times of real fellowship with your Christian friends? Are your times filled with encouragement and sharing what the Lord is teaching you or are they focused only on where you shop, what you buy or what classes your kids are taking? This is not to say that you can not talk about other things with friends, but a portion of your visiting time should be dedicated to the Lord. As a matter of fact, as you begin to share what the Lord is doing in your life you will find that more and more of your time will be filled with testifying to His goodness and encouraging one another. You might find yourself hard pressed to talk of anything else!

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Encouraging one another in the Lord is addictive. Once you begin to share on that level with your friends you will find that everything else seems a little less exciting without "God talk"!

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Prayer:

Father, I want to honor You in my words each day. One way I can do that is by sharing what You are doing in my life and encouraging my friends in our conversations. Help me to always be mindful of opportunities to turn the conversation towards You. Amen.

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Challenge:

This week be purposeful in bringing the Lord into your extended conversations with friends. Use each opportunity to share the goodness of God and encourage other women to look for what the Lord is doing in their lives. It might feel odd at first, but I promise, you will sense a greater depth in your times of true fellowship.

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Jen Gorton 2009

Beautiful Routine

“For God is not the author of confusion but of peace…” 1 Co. 14:33

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Some people completely freak out at the very word routine, but it is not something to see as stifling and lacking in freedom. On the contrary! Routine brings freedom.
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According to the dictionary, routine is simply “a series of regular or usual activities.” While we are defining things, let’s look at the word schedule. (Are you free spirits hyperventilating yet?) The definition of a schedule is “to plan or appoint for a certain time.” That’s not so bad now, is it?

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If the dictionary does not soothe your fears of the possibility of being bound up in rigidity just remember that the Lord Himself uses routine and scheduling. Creation was worked through using a schedule. Can you imagine if the fish came before the water; or the people before the form and non-voidness? Our bodies perform routines each day while pumping blood, digesting food, and much more. Routine was created by God for us! Ecclesiastes 3 testifies to this.
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Areas of your life that might need a routine revamp could be wake/bed times, meal times, cleaning/laundry, quiet time, ministry, hobbies, and even time with your husband. Having a routine in these areas does not mean that things have to be dull and boring. Instead, think of it as time to prepare to make these daily and weekly events special and more efficient. Most importantly, when family members, including you, know what to expect and when to expect it then your home environment will be more peaceful and calm.
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Our gracious heavenly Father designed us as well as our roles as wives and mothers. He gives us exactly what we need in order to accomplish the myriad of things that come as part of the homemaker package. I encourage you not to lose joy in your homemaking because you are overwhelmed. Take the wonderful gift of routine and use it to its fullest!
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Prayer:
Father of Lights, who gives every good and perfect gift from above, thank You that you have given me a way to enjoy the work I have been called to do. Please forgive me for letting things go and not maintaining order in my home. Help me to use the gifts of routine and scheduling to provide a peaceful and joyful home for my family. Amen
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Challenge:
This week identify one area that could use a routine overhaul. Brainstorm with your husband or a friend on ways to settle into a routine in this area. If you need ideas, please email me at ccf1@windstream.net and I will happily send you the outline of this complete teaching, which contains many tips.

Boundless Mercy

I awoke on Monday with such a ‘blah feeling’. It was not that time of month so no excuses there. I sat on my comfy couch, with coffee in hand, turned on the light and talked to God; “Lord, You MUST show me what my problem is! I want You to tell me so I can fix it.” I began reading my Bible and God gave me an "Aha!" moment.

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Matthew 12:7 But you would not have condemned those who are not guilty if you knew the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to be merciful; I don’t want your sacrifices.

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You see, the day before I was rattling off to my husband a list of things he did that upset me. Poor man! In addition I had been stewing daily over my children’s behavior and frankly felt like giving up this entire thing called homeschooling! On Monday as I read God’s word I should not have been surprised to get a message straight from the Lord. This is what He spoke to me through Matthew 12:7, "Dawn, you condemned your husband and the kids who are not guilty. No matter how much you ‘do right’ by making meals, loving your spouse, serving your children, homeschooling with this method and that method, keeping a clean house, being a housewife, reading the word, spending time with Me, that is all worthless if you are not merciful. Dawn, I do not want you to focus on those ‘sacrifices’. I love you and will take care of those things. For now I want you to be merciful to your family."

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I began to search the Scriptures and found out what God thought of my ‘sacrifices’. I encourage you to read the same verses: 1 Samuel 15:22-23, Psalm 40:6, Isaiah 1:11-17, Jeremiah 7:21-23, Hosea 6:6, Psalm 51:16-17, Proverbs 21:3, Micah 6:6-8, Mark 12:33.

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Sacrifice: Anything offered to God. Yep, that’s what I was doing when I was trying to be a good wife, be a good mom, be a good homeschooler, etc, etc. God showed me over and over in His Word that what I was sacrificing was not bad, but MOST importantly I needed to be merciful.

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At this point I decided to look up the meanings of the other words the Lord kept speaking to me. Mercy – Forbearance from inflicting harm as punishment, compassionate treatment of an offender. Exercise compassion or forgiveness, willingness to spare or help. When my husband or my children offend me in some way God asks me to show them mercy. I then looked up "offender" in the dictionary because I was not certain it was truly offense that I was dealing with. I’m a slow learner! Offender – To cause to feel hurt or resentful; wound; ANNOY.
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ANNOY. That’s it! My children can often annoy me (sad, but true). When they sin or do not do things as I expect them to I get annoyed. God in His faithfulness directed me to another verse. Romans 2:1 says that I am just as bad as those I am annoyed with. I do these very same things according to God. He also showed me that I am blameless and without a single fault when I am before Him. Colossians 1:22. Wow! God shows me mercy and grace every day when I do not deserve it! That is what God wants of me when I am offended by my children, husband or anyone for that matter.

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I am silly to believe my children will not sin simply because I have taught them the right way. God says in His word that we are bent toward evil from childhood in Genesis 8:21. God is patient and does not give up on me when I come to Him with a repentant heart again and again. In Nehemiah 9:28-31 God repeatedly shows graciousness and mercy to those who do not even deserve it. What an awesome God we serve!

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God confirmed my thoughts after studying Isaiah 1:11-17. He is tired of my sacrifices. I am done sacrificing and ready to show mercy. I still have a long way to go and to be totally honest I do not understand all of God’s ways. To me, it makes more sense to do good for the Lord, sacrificing things for Him, but He says in His word, “I want you to be merciful! I have had enough of your sacrifices.” How can I possibly argue with that?

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Thank you Lord and please help me to be merciful.

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Prayer:

Eternal, Merciful God, thank You for leading me by Your Word. You speak to me clearly and give me perfect solutions to cure my sin. Please help me to keep Your Word at the front of my mind and heart at all times. Amen

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Challenge: Take the time to read each of the verses in this devotional. Each one is linked to Bible Gateway and will allow you to read them in several translations. If you struggle with being merciful to others, do your own in depth study of God's mercy poured out for you. It will change your heart for the better!

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Dawn Borris 2009

Psalm of Life

This week I would like to share some very simple thoughts from a journal I keep while having my quiet time. For the record, I do not write in it every day. Occasionally I even forget that I have a journal. So, any ideas that I am some super together chick can be put to rest right now.
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The thoughts I would like to share are from Psalm 23. For years I have thought of this passage as the "Death Psalm". Movies use this passage for dying moments; many people repeat it in times of fear and uncertainty. As I read it this past week I saw it in a completely different light.
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1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

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In King David's time shepherds guarded their flocks fiercely, killing lions and those who would try to steal or inflict harm on the sheep. A shepherd was also responsible for guiding the flock to good grazing areas. They would comb through the fields pulling out poisonous weeds and plants that the sheep might eat and in turn be sickened. This verse shows me that the Lord is my protection and my provision in every area of my life.

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2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.

3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

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The Lord brings me to a place of rest through His Word. He feeds me spiritually and gives me refreshment. Through His Word I am led down paths of righteousness in order to bring glory to His name.

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4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil;

For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

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Sometimes I must have faith in God's perfect character based solely on what He has shown me in previous good times. If I have been faithful in studying His Word and hiding it in my heart then I can rely on those times of refreshment and filling to remind me of His faithfulness and guidance, even when I feel alone and dry in my present spiritual walk.

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5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.

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When I am struggling with relationships or persecution He prepares exactly what I need to deal with the situation. The Lord pours His healing on me and gives abundantly what I need for the moment.

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6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

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The goodness and mercy of the Father are with me always. At the end of an earthly life filled with His presence, felt or not by me at times, I will spend eternity with Him. What a beautiful promise! I will no longer think of Psalm 23 as the "Death Psalm". It is a Psalm of Life!

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Prayer:

Father, thank You that in these six verses are promises of life, guidance, mercy, goodness, protection, provision, comfort, rest, and eternity with You. You truly are good and merciful! Amen.

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Challenge:

Take one verse each day this week and meditate on it. Throughout the day think of how the Lord is working out that verse in your life.

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Jen Gorton 2009