Team Jaxon

Hey Girls...

We have been praying for a three year boy from CBC who had major brain surgery last week. His name is Jaxon Davis and you can read his full story here http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/jaxond

Last week his parents recieved devastating news on his prognosis. They are very kind people, I have met Lenzie once at a baby shower she threw for a mutual friend. I can't say that I know her very well but its times like this when you need your sisters in Christ, whether you 'know' them or not. They are going to be traveling a fair amount either between San Antonio and Houston or San Antonio and NYC (as I understand from her blog). I was thinking we could pool our money and send a VISA gift card to this family. So if you feel moved to contribute please bring me your donation by Wednesday and I will get it to the family asap. They are also going to be setting up a care calendar for tasks and meals. Also they are selling these super cute t-shirts and I thought we could consider all buying them? The family gets a good portion of the money and it would be a good daily reminder of a very urgent prayer request. Please let me know if you want a shirt and I will order. They are $10.

Proverbs 30

Proverbs 30
Sayings of Agur
1 The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh—an inspired utterance.
This man’s utterance to Ithiel:

“I am weary, God,
but I can prevail.[a]
2 Surely I am only a brute, not a man;
I do not have human understanding.
3 I have not learned wisdom,
nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One.
4 Who has gone up to heaven and come down?
Whose hands have gathered up the wind?
Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is his name, and what is the name of his son?
Surely you know!

5 “Every word of God is flawless;
he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6 Do not add to his words,
or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.

7 “Two things I ask of you, LORD;
do not refuse me before I die:
8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.
9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God.

10 “Do not slander a servant to their master,
or they will curse you, and you will pay for it.

11 “There are those who curse their fathers
and do not bless their mothers;
12 those who are pure in their own eyes
and yet are not cleansed of their filth;
13 those whose eyes are ever so haughty,
whose glances are so disdainful;
14 those whose teeth are swords
and whose jaws are set with knives
to devour the poor from the earth
and the needy from among mankind.

15 “The leech has two daughters.
‘Give! Give!’ they cry.

“There are three things that are never satisfied,
four that never say, ‘Enough!’:
16 the grave, the barren womb,
land, which is never satisfied with water,
and fire, which never says, ‘Enough!’

17 “The eye that mocks a father,
that scorns an aged mother,
will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley,
will be eaten by the vultures.

18 “There are three things that are too amazing for me,
four that I do not understand:
19 the way of an eagle in the sky,
the way of a snake on a rock,
the way of a ship on the high seas,
and the way of a man with a young woman.

20 “This is the way of an adulterous woman:
She eats and wipes her mouth
and says, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong.’

21 “Under three things the earth trembles,
under four it cannot bear up:
22 a servant who becomes king,
a godless fool who gets plenty to eat,
23 a contemptible woman who gets married,
and a servant who displaces her mistress.

24 “Four things on earth are small,
yet they are extremely wise:
25 Ants are creatures of little strength,
yet they store up their food in the summer;
26 hyraxes are creatures of little power,
yet they make their home in the crags;
27 locusts have no king,
yet they advance together in ranks;
28 a lizard can be caught with the hand,
yet it is found in kings’ palaces.

29 “There are three things that are stately in their stride,
four that move with stately bearing:
30 a lion, mighty among beasts,
who retreats before nothing;
31 a strutting rooster, a he-goat,
and a king secure against revolt.[b]

32 “If you play the fool and exalt yourself,
or if you plan evil,
clap your hand over your mouth!
33 For as churning cream produces butter,
and as twisting the nose produces blood,
so stirring up anger produces strife.”

Proverbs 31

Hey GIrls!

Well we did it, we read through Proverbs and now we get to the final chapter, Proverbs 31. I love this chapter and its what I hold close everyday to remind me of what type of woman I am called to be.

Here is the scripture:

Proverbs 31
Sayings of King Lemuel
1 The sayings of King Lemuel—an inspired utterance his mother taught him.

2 Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb!
Listen, my son, the answer to my prayers!
3 Do not spend your strength[a] on women,
your vigor on those who ruin kings.

4 It is not for kings, Lemuel—
it is not for kings to drink wine,
not for rulers to crave beer,
5 lest they drink and forget what has been decreed,
and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.
6 Let beer be for those who are perishing,
wine for those who are in anguish!
7 Let them drink and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.

8 Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
9 Speak up and judge fairly;
defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character
10 [b]A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

My thougts and take-aways:
I hold verses 10-31 very close to my heart, its the picture of a perfect wife and mother. Its what we as woman are called to do. We are called to support our husbands, raise up Godly children, work hard, clean, cook, do laundry, study the Word, speak wisdom... So what part speaks most to you?

Also don't let this be your last visit with Proverbs, its a great book full of wisdom and discernement. I get a daily email from Proverbs31 http://www.proverbs31.org/ that encourages me.

Love to all!
M

Proverbs 29

Proverbs 29
1 Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes
will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.

2 When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice;
when the wicked rule, the people groan.

3 A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,
but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.

4 By justice a king gives a country stability,
but those who are greedy for[a] bribes tear it down.

5 Those who flatter their neighbors
are spreading nets for their feet.

6 Evildoers are snared by their own sin,
but the righteous shout for joy and are glad.

7 The righteous care about justice for the poor,
but the wicked have no such concern.

8 Mockers stir up a city,
but the wise turn away anger.

9 If a wise person goes to court with a fool,
the fool rages and scoffs, and there is no peace.

10 The bloodthirsty hate a person of integrity
and seek to kill the upright.

11 Fools give full vent to their rage,
but the wise bring calm in the end.

12 If a ruler listens to lies,
all his officials become wicked.

13 The poor and the oppressor have this in common:
The LORD gives sight to the eyes of both.

14 If a king judges the poor with fairness,
his throne will be established forever.

15 A rod and a reprimand impart wisdom,
but a child left undisciplined disgraces its mother.

16 When the wicked thrive, so does sin,
but the righteous will see their downfall.

17 Discipline your children, and they will give you peace;
they will bring you the delights you desire.

18 Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint;
but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.

19 Servants cannot be corrected by mere words;
though they understand, they will not respond.

20 Do you see someone who speaks in haste?
There is more hope for a fool than for them.

21 A servant pampered from youth
will turn out to be insolent.

22 An angry person stirs up conflict,
and a hot-tempered person commits many sins.

23 Pride brings a person low,
but the lowly in spirit gain honor.

24 The accomplices of thieves are their own enemies;
they are put under oath and dare not testify.

25 Fear of man will prove to be a snare,
but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.

26 Many seek an audience with a ruler,
but it is from the LORD that one gets justice.

27 The righteous detest the dishonest;
the wicked detest the upright.

My thoughts and take-aways:
Well its almost impossible today to not speak about the royal wedding but I find no place where it fits in with this scripture. Instead I see the following verse and it strikes me as so important:
17 Discipline your children, and they will give you peace;
they will bring you the delights you desire.
As parents its the part of the job I don't like. I don't particularly look forward to disciplining my children as it tends to be harder on the one who hands down the punishment. Its also hard with children of different ages and genders - according to James Dobson each child needs to be disciplined according to their needs. So I urge to you seek advice and look to the bible for direction and encouragement. We are told to discipline our children (in love, not anger).... just as we are to love them. What do you think?

Leave a comment....

Love to all!
M

Proverbs 28

Proverbs 28
1 The wicked flee though no one pursues,
but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

2 When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers,
but a ruler with discernment and knowledge maintains order.

3 A ruler[a] who oppresses the poor
is like a driving rain that leaves no crops.

4 Those who forsake instruction praise the wicked,
but those who heed it resist them.

5 Evildoers do not understand what is right,
but those who seek the LORD understand it fully.

6 Better the poor whose walk is blameless
than the rich whose ways are perverse.

7 A discerning son heeds instruction,
but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.

8 Whoever increases wealth by taking interest or profit from the poor
amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor.

9 If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction,
even their prayers are detestable.

10 Whoever leads the upright along an evil path
will fall into their own trap,
but the blameless will receive a good inheritance.

11 The rich are wise in their own eyes;
one who is poor and discerning sees how deluded they are.

12 When the righteous triumph, there is great elation;
but when the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding.

13 Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper,
but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

14 Blessed is the one who always trembles before God,
but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble.

15 Like a roaring lion or a charging bear
is a wicked ruler over a helpless people.

16 A tyrannical ruler practices extortion,
but one who hates ill-gotten gain will enjoy a long reign.

17 Anyone tormented by the guilt of murder
will seek refuge in the grave;
let no one hold them back.

18 The one whose walk is blameless is kept safe,
but the one whose ways are perverse will fall into the pit.[b]

19 Those who work their land will have abundant food,
but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty.

20 A faithful person will be richly blessed,
but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.

21 To show partiality is not good—
yet a person will do wrong for a piece of bread.

22 The stingy are eager to get rich
and are unaware that poverty awaits them.

23 Whoever rebukes a person will in the end gain favor
rather than one who has a flattering tongue.

24 Whoever robs their father or mother
and says, “It’s not wrong,”
is partner to one who destroys.

25 The greedy stir up conflict,
but those who trust in the LORD will prosper.

26 Those who trust in themselves are fools,
but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.

27 Those who give to the poor will lack nothing,
but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.

28 When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding;
but when the wicked perish, the righteous thrive.


My thoughts and take-aways:
I am most striken with verse 9, "If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction, even their prayers are detestable." That is right in your face, no questions asked. It brings such emotion to think that I was given the gift of Christ and his knowledge and there are times when I make choices that go against his instructions. I know we are not perfect but we do tend to follow the rules, right? I mean we stray but always try to find our way back. Never do I want my LORD to detest my prayers because I have choosen to ignore his instructions. What do you think?

Leave a comment....

Love to all!
M

Proverbs 27

<em>Proverbs 27
1 Do not boast about tomorrow,
for you do not know what a day may bring.

2 Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth;
an outsider, and not your own lips.

3 Stone is heavy and sand a burden,
but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.

4 Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming,
but who can stand before jealousy?

5 Better is open rebuke
than hidden love.

6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted,
but an enemy multiplies kisses.

7 One who is full loathes honey from the comb,
but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.

8 Like a bird that flees its nest
is anyone who flees from home.

9 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart,
and the pleasantness of a friend
springs from their heartfelt advice.

10 Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family,
and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster strikes you—
better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.

11 Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart;
then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt.

12 The prudent see danger and take refuge,
but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.

13 Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger;
hold it in pledge if it is done for an outsider.

14 If anyone loudly blesses their neighbor early in the morning,
it will be taken as a curse.

15 A quarrelsome wife is like the dripping
of a leaky roof in a rainstorm;
16 restraining her is like restraining the wind
or grasping oil with the hand.

17 As iron sharpens iron,
so one person sharpens another.

18 The one who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit,
and whoever protects their master will be honored.

19 As water reflects the face,
so one’s life reflects the heart.[a]

20 Death and Destruction[b] are never satisfied,
and neither are human eyes.

21 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,
but people are tested by their praise.

22 Though you grind a fool in a mortar,
grinding them like grain with a pestle,
you will not remove their folly from them.

23 Be sure you know the condition of your flocks,
give careful attention to your herds;
24 for riches do not endure forever,
and a crown is not secure for all generations.
25 When the hay is removed and new growth appears
and the grass from the hills is gathered in,
26 the lambs will provide you with clothing,
and the goats with the price of a field.
27 You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed your family
and to nourish your female servants.

My Thoughts and Take Aways:
Todays scriptures have three main groups that it speaks to and about - neighbors, friends and spouses. I love the important Proverbs places on neighbors and friends, especially since we are blessed in both regards. I grew up moving alot but we always had some great neighbors. We always made a point to meet and take the time to get to know our neighbors. My parents always bought a house based on the neighborhood and not the house alone. So when Jeff and I moved from Castle Hills to Stone Oak we naturally did the same thing. We were torn between two houses: House #1 was in a prestigious neighborhood, had all the features and was 400 sq ft bigger. HOuse #2 was in a very kid oriented neighborhood and the house had what we needed. We decided to drive by both houses at dark to see what the neighborhood looked like at night and it was the best advice we have ever taken. House #1 was in a gated community, we struggled to get in and at 8pm at night it was silent. Not a peep to be heard. HOuse #2 was easy to get to, and when we drove up the neighbors were all outside enjoying each other's company and the kids were all playing. We sat the end of the street for minutes watching them, truely speechless. Then we noticed that one of them was making his way to the car.... it was Greg! He is our now neighbor and the Hauglands are our rock! Jannine is awesome, she is my neighbor and sister in Christ. She is always there for me and is always willing to help. She is the best cook and can freeze anything! She always has what I forgot at the store and is just the neatest person! I love our neighbors! HOw about you.... Leave a comment!

Love to all!
M

Proverbs 26 and THE SONG

Hey There!

Good afternoon girlies! I am so excited for our time together tomorrow night and I look forward to seeing all of you there! Its Beth Moore's turn to speak and the video is 35 minutes long. I know we will all be captivated by her words!

So many of you have been trying to help me figure out the name of THE SONG that brought me to tears this past weekend at service. Phil Vega sang..... are you ready for it..... "Arms Wide Open" by Hillsong United. It was incredible and the amount of people who poured forward to be saved was incredible. Needless to say we were way off on our google searches.... I am listening to it now with goose bumps and a lump in my throat! I love how worship songs can move us in this way!

Quick note... my kids heard the music blaring and have come in to dance and have bible study! I love this moment.... can I freeze it??

My whole life is yours....Have your way....Have your way! Lord we cry out to you today with this petition!

Today we look at Proverbs 26.... let's read the scriptures!

Proverbs 26

1 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,
honor is not fitting for a fool.
2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,
an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
and a rod for the backs of fools!
4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
or you yourself will be just like him.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly,
or he will be wise in his own eyes.
6 Sending a message by the hands of a fool
is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison.
7 Like the useless legs of one who is lame
is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
8 Like tying a stone in a sling
is the giving of honor to a fool.
9 Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand
is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
10 Like an archer who wounds at random
is one who hires a fool or any passer-by.
11 As a dog returns to its vomit,
so fools repeat their folly.
12 Do you see a person wise in their own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for them.

13 A sluggard says, “There’s a lion in the road,
a fierce lion roaming the streets!”
14 As a door turns on its hinges,
so a sluggard turns on his bed.
15 A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.
16 A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
than seven people who answer discreetly.

17 Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears
is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own.

18 Like a maniac shooting
flaming arrows of death
19 is one who deceives their neighbor
and says, “I was only joking!”

20 Without wood a fire goes out;
without a gossip a quarrel dies down.
21 As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,
so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.
22 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to the inmost parts.

23 Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware
are fervent[a] lips with an evil heart.
24 Enemies disguise themselves with their lips,
but in their hearts they harbor deceit.
25 Though their speech is charming, do not believe them,
for seven abominations fill their hearts.
26 Their malice may be concealed by deception,
but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it;
if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.
28 A lying tongue hates those it hurts,
and a flattering mouth works ruin.

My thoughts and take-aways!
I know we are reading through Proverbs and usually my take-aways are from the scripture but today I want to do something a little different. I know that worship is a sweet aroma to the Lord and I want to you to have the opportunity to stand in silence and pour out to God your desires. Stand with your arms opened wide, invite Him in, and let him know your are his and he is yours! Is there a worship song that you love or one that stirs your soul? Please share your story with us.... Leave a comment!

Love to all!

M