Edifying Words

Currently I have been reading "Becoming A Titus 2 Woman" by Martha Peace. In this book are many examples of how to disciple younger women. It addresses the older woman's character as well as her mandate and God-given privilege to disciple young women. I am now on Chapter Five of this book and it has taken some time to get that far, as it's one of those books that you can't simply just read. It's convicting to say the least and I have found myself meditating on her word's which are taken straight from Titus 2:3-5.

One chapter in particular has really struck me. Chapter 4 is entitled "Her Character" in which Peace considers three characteristics of the Titus 2 woman. "Older women likewise are to reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips, nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be dishonored".

The first characteristic that Peace speaks of that struck me was how we are to guard our words carefully. 1 Timothy 3:11 says, "Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things." Now there is nothing wrong with talking but too often we forget to guard our words and as I have heard said, "what comes up comes out." Too many times I have not thought about what was about to come out of my mouth and the result was that I ended up offending someone. Peace points out that the biblical criteria for the words I speak should be: to speak edifying words, speak truthful words, and speak good repute words.

Edifying Words: These words build up others. Such words are honoring to God and have an eternal purpose and worth. When speaking to anyone our desire should be to help the other person be like Christ.

Truthful Words: It is not an uncommon occurance today for people to lie. And sadly it is accepted in the world today. There are times when we aren't intentionally lying, but by omitting a part of a story or by being deceitful in some other way we are in essence lying. It is so easy to fall into the trap of gossip or even telling a downright lie. Peace cautions that even when we are telling the truth, we can still be gossiping and painting the other person in a bad light.

Good Repute Words: These words do not lead to slander and gossip. In fact they think of the other person's reputation. If it's something that will make them look bad, then go to them in private and speak to them about it. And don't go with that "holier than thou" attitude either. Be gentle and loving, but at the same time truthful, clear, and straight forward. Give them hope not despair.

I love the advice from Peace and her honesty within this chapter. The easiest way to speak edifying words, truthful words, and good repute words is simply by not talking too much! If we talk long enough we are eventually going to say something we shouldn't be saying. This is where I need to do some serious work. . . keeping my mouth shut!

All Around the World

Clewiston Performing Arts Center presented their annual Spring Recital, "All Around the World", yesterday afternoon at the Clewiston High School Auditorium. Children ranging from 3 years old to 15 years old performed tap, jazz, ballet and tumbling. These children are amazing to watch as they perform for their parents and the community. Their adult instructors and teenage assistants work diligently all year and their dedication shows each year at the recital.

Spring Cleaning 2006

The City of Clewiston sponsored their first Spring Cleaning today. Over 150 people came together in our community to pick up trash from the roadsides in our "sweet town". We all met at the youth center at 7:30 this morning to receive our assignment, trash bags, and breakfast. Then we headed out to our various destinations to pick up trash until 11:00 a.m. Various groups from the community included some of First Baptist Church Youth Group, a Senior Adult Sunday School Class from First Baptist Church, the Methodist Church, Sugar Realty, Lions Club, Camp E-Tu-Makee, Clewiston High School Students, and City Employees. After cleaning up our assigned areas we returned to the youth center for lunch, a drawing for tickets to the local movie theatre (donated by the owner), and the awarding of a prize for the most unique trash collected. Dana Jo Alley won the prize for the most unique piece of trash (a 1961 Mountain Dew bottle).

I joined our youth group for the day. My hat goes off to this young group of men and their hard work this morning. It was wonderful to see them out participating in a community event and giving back to the community. They demonstrated service to others as well as their humor. Laughter could be heard from all of them instead of grumbling. I think they think twice now before throwing something along the roadside.

A big thank you to Sean Scheffler for organizing this event. And to quote Rick Miller, City Commissioner, "this is what a community is all about. . . people coming together."

First Baptist Church Youth Group

Update on Angela

Angela's knee is still swollen today. She tried to go to school this morning but had to come home because of the pain. We went to the primary care physican for him to check it out. He pushed, pulled and tried to move it around. She let him know that it was very painful when he was doing so. He suggested that stay on the crutches for a week, alternate heat and ice, take Advil or Motrion for the pain and return for him to re-check it in a week. At that point he will be able to better access the knee and decide if a MRI is necessary. He said a lot times that these type injuries will take a week to 6 weeks to heal. If he decides a MRI is needed he will then refer us to Pediatric Orthopedics in Fort Myers.

Player Down

Tonight we traveled to Moore Haven for Angela's softball game. Unfortunately as the game began so did the rain. We sat in the dugout for 15 minutes before the rain stopped. Then it was time to play ball. In the first inning with Angela at first the batter hit a fly ball to her. She called the ball but missed it so she started to run after it and in the process turned her knee. Down she went with a scream. After finally getting her calmed down the assistant coach carried her to the dug out and put ice on it. The other team had called for an ambulance, but once we looked at it closely we decided to ice it down and call of the ambulance request. She toughed it out in the dugout through the rest of the game and cheered her team to victory (9-7). Luckily we have crutches from previous injuries and will see if the swelling goes down tomorrow. If not we will call our primary care physican and get a referral to the peditratic orthopedist in Fort Myers.

When I'm an Old Lady

When I'm an old lady, I'll live with each kid,
And bring so much happiness...just as they did.
I want to pay back all the joy they've provided.
Returning each deed! Oh, they'll be so excited!
When I'm an old lady and live with my kids
'll write on the wall with reds, whites and blues,
And I'll bounce on the furniture...wearing my shoes.
I'll drink from the carton and then leave it out.
I'll stuff all the toilets and oh, how they'll shout!
When I'm an old lady and live with my kids
When they're on the phone and just out of reach,
I'll get into things like sugar and bleach.
Oh, they'll snap their fingers and then shake their head,
When I'm an old lady and live with my kids
When they cook dinner and call me to eat,
I'll not eat my green beans or salad or meat,
I'll gag on my okra, spill milk on the table,
And when they get angry...I'll run...if I'm able!
When I'm an old lady and live with my kids
I'll sit close to the TV, through the channels I'll click,
I'll cross both eyes just to see if they stick.
I'll take off my socks and throw one away,
And play in the mud 'til the end of the day!
When I'm an old lady and live with my kids
And later in bed, I'll lay back and sigh,
I'll thank God in prayer and then close my eyes.
My kids will look down with a smile slowly creeping,
And say with a groan, "She's so sweet when she's sleeping!"

Sugar Festival

Saturday was the 20th annual Sugar Festival. It was a beautiful day to get out and enjoy the entertainment, arts and crafts booths, and food. The kids enjoyed walking around visiting with friends, watching the bed races, eating the food and checking out all the antique cars. Bubba and I, along with Steve and Pearl enjoyed just sitting around listening to Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton.

Moving Day Has Arrived

Moving day for my mom, dad, sister and brother-in-law has arrived. My parents left on Tuesday to stay at my oldest brother's house until their new house is ready for them to move into. My sister and her husband have been overseeing the moving company since Tuesday and she called earlier this afternoon to say they were on the road going to their son's house. They should be settled into their new home in Tallahassee by this time next week. Fredia and Andy spent the night at our house last night since their bed had already been loaded onto the moving truck. We enjoyed having them with us.

It is a bittersweet time for the kids and I. We are going to miss having family in town, but know that they will be happy in Tallahassee. Especially my parents since they will be back in the area they have lived their entire life. When I called Daddy today to see how they were doing they were at my uncle and aunt's house visiting them and then they were going by to see a member of the church before going by to my brother's house. I could tell by the sound of my dad's voice that they were happy to be home again where they are able to go see old friends, relatives and go to church where they have been members for over 20 years. Even knowing all of them will be so happy, we still miss them already!

Happy Birthday Ken

Today 37 years ago I was blessed with a baby brother. Through the years we have grown closer and closer. Happy Birthday Ken! I love you bunches!

Easter - What Is It Really About ?

As we approach this Easter Sunday I pray we will not get wrapped up in the world's celebration of Easter. I pray that we will each remember why we celebrate this Sunday each year. It has nothing to do with a bunny, eggs, and candy. Easter celebrates the fact that we can meet the risen Christ and our lives can be different. For without the resurrection of Christ our faith is worthless. Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up - - if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! - 1 Corinthians 15:12 - 17

Monday Night at the Fields

I am exhausted this morning! After work I went to the baseball fields to watch Angela, Brock and Jeri Lynne play ball. Brock's game started at 6:10 p.m. and the girl's games started at 7:00 p.m. We didn't get home until 10:00 p.m. Brock lost his game (16-10), Angela lost her game (9-7), and Jeri Lynne won her game (20-15). With Bubba being out of town I watched some of all their games. They are all such good athletes. Angela pitched the entire game last night. She is improving each game. She struck out more players last night than she did on Thursday night. She collided with a runner going to second and whacked her chin pretty good. Luckily there is no ugly bruise there this morning! Jeri Lynne hit the ball really well last night (she was 5 for 7). Brock smacked one out into left field for a double! All in all it was a good night at the fields and well worth being tired this morning.

Play Ball!

Softball season has officially started. Her teamed traveled to Moore Haven last night for their first game. Angela was short stop for 5 innings and finished the game pitching. She was 4 for 3 but unfortunately was stranded on base each time. Last night was the first inning she has ever pitched. She walked more batters than she struck out but with practice I'm sure she was get the hang of it. Their team lost 12-3. This week and the weeks to follow will be consumed with softball and baseball as we will not only be supporting her during her games, but will be supporting Beau, Jeri Lynne, and Brock as they play their games. I forgot to take my camera to any of the games this week but promise to post pictures of future games.

Nanny 911 - Want to Learn How to Raise Perfect Kids?

I'm ordering this book! NOT But someone happens to think it might be a great resource for me and a friend. My friend was actually told that she needed to call Nanny 911 to come to straighten her and her daughter out. Not 2 hours later this same person was telling me that I needed to put a leash on my daughter. I can take criticism from anyone as long as it's done in a kind way. But I will get very defensive when you start telling me that what I am doing is not the right way it is to be done. I know as a mom I'm still learning each day and I'm always open to suggestions. In fact, I constantly seek guidance from friends, my parents, my sibilings who have older children and from God's word. And many times when I've sought others for advice it wasn't always what I wanted to hear. Sometimes it was convicting and made me examine myself and to listen to what was being said. I appreciate people being willing to give advice (even in cases where I haven't asked for it), but what I don't appreciate is someone being rude and hurtful when they do so. Even now after being the one that was made to feel like a failure I'm examining myself to see if I've done someone else like I was done. If I have I am so sorry. I want to be an encourager to others not someone that insults.

Happy 1st Birthday Jake!

Hurricane Repairs

Friday, March 24 will be 5 months ago that Hurricane Wilma came roaring into town. As I have posted previously, we were blessed with only minor damage to our home. Other than losing some of our vinyl siding and skirting and our shed we were spared any major damage. Clewiston residents have been very busy repairing property that was damaged during the storm. We still see blue tarps and debris throughout the community, however you also see contractors steady at work. It has taken 5 months to finally get our siding and skirting repaired. There have been times when I wanted to just throw up my hands and say "forget it by the time I get it fixed another storm will come through to tear it down again." It's frustrating trying to get contractors to give estimates and then do the work. Especially when it is not a major job. It's nice to pull into our driveway and not see a blue tarp hanging from the side of our house and not see everything under our home.


Hurricane Wilma - October 24, 2005



Post Hurricane Wilma - March 21, 2006

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY FRIEND AND SISTER IN CHRIST

WE LOVE YOU LORI!

"Tis So Sweet. . .

to trust in Jesus! As I was typing in this coming Sunday's order of worship for the bulletin, I noticed that we will be singing one of my favorite hymns. I cannot fathom how anyone has any peace in this world we live in without trusting Jesus as their Savior and Lord. How does one raise a child without trusting Christ for his guidance and instruction, how does one lose a loved one without trusting Christ, how does one make a significant change in their life without trusting Christ? I could go on and on naming ways that I have trusted Christ in the trials in my life, but it's not only about trusting Christ with the trials in my life, it's trusting Him with the mundane things as well. I praise Him that He is trustworthy, that I can put all my trust in Him and that He is unchangable.

'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus"

by Louisa Stead

"Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,

Just to take Him at His word;

Just to rest upon His promise,

Just to know, "Thus saith the Lord."

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!

How I've proved Him o'er and o'er!

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!

O for grace to trust Him more!

O how sweet to trust in Jesus,

Just to trust His cleansing blood;

Just in simple faith to plunge me

'Neath the healing, cleansing flood!

Yes, 'tis sweet to trust in Jesus,

Just from sin and self to cease;

Just from Jesus simply taking

Life and rest, and joy and peace.

I'm so glad I learned to trust Him,

Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;

And I know that He is with me,

Will be with me to the end.

Girl Talk Review

"The older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things-- that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed." ~ Titus 2: 3-5

From the moment I started reading "Girl Talk" I did not want to put it down. Carol Mahaney & Nicole Mahaney Whitacre wrote in straight from experience regarding the biblical Mother/Daughter relationship. Though the book was candid and humorous, the central message was straight from scripture. The first half of the book takes a look at what the Bible says about mother/daughter relationships. The second half of the book explains how a mother can teach her daughter to speak the language of biblical womanhood. I wish I had known about this book ten years ago. Every mother should have this book on her book shelf.

Examples Must Precede our Instruction

"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." ~Proverbs 22:6

Thing about this scripture from J.C. Ryle's perspective: "Your children will seldom learn habits which they see you despise, or walk in paths which you do not walk yourself. [She] that preaches to [her] children what she does not practice, is working a work that never goes forward."

In other words, practice what we preach to our children (and others). Whether we care to admit it or not we are the ones [mothers] that have the greatest influence on our children. How can we expect our children to walk in the light if we ourselves are walking in darkness. It's not someone else job to train them, God has commanded us to be the trainer. Not only does he command us in Proverbs to do so, but in Philippians 3:17, "Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. "

To borrow a quote from Carolyn Mahaney - “Let us grab our children by the hand and say to them; come, follow me into the riches of the gospel of Jesus Christ."Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.

No Mistake

I recall the first time the nurse brought David to my room after he was born and her looking down and saying, "Oops, wrong baby!" She had two male babies in their respective bassinets taking them to their mothers and as she rolled whom she thought was the "Fountain" baby into my room she realized that the name on the bassinet didn't match with my name. It's funny now that I look back on it, but at the time I was astonished that she could get the two confused. It was a honest mistake as both male babies had a head full of red hair, only ounces apart in weight and born within 15 minutes of each other. After we brought David home he developed colic. During those hours of him screaming non-stop we would jokingly exclaim,"This is not our child, they switched them at birth." Of course, we had brought our child home with us. But how many times while raising our children and struggling with issues in raising them have we proclaimed, "This isn't my child."

Make no mistake about it, God doesn't make mistakes. In fact, as I was reading "Girl Talk" yesterday Carolyn Mahaney referred to scripture that I have read many times and never thought about it in this context. Psalm 139:16 says, " Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them." This passage tells me that even before my children (or myself for that matter) were formed God knew whom their parents would be. He ordained it! It was his desire that I'm David and Angela's mom. This is also confirmed in Acts 17:26 "And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings . . ." The family we were placed in was prearranged by God before creation was! God knew exactly what he was doing when he placed them in my care. He set it up and he will guide me to raise them. They are his perfect choice for me. God has ordained our relationship.