Maggie loves her bunny...
Lily loves listening to the Bible...
...and loves her Papa...
Hanna is a beautiful young lady...
Trey is a little gentleman...
Here the girls have Bethany over to play...
...and get to play with Cooper, our neighbor's dog.
I went on a women's retreat at Mt. Gilead Bible Camp...
...and saw the amazing things God has created...
I saw this while I was having devotions in the woods...
Here we all are: Barbara, Ellen, Julia, Elizabeth, Jessica, Abbey, Dawn, me, and Wendi!
My sister Abbey...
...and Jessica and Julia!
I was blessed with being able to go to the Mount Gilead Bible Camp Women's Retreat. It was a wonderful time of laughter, worship, beauty, and fellowship. There was much conviction too. The speaker did dramatic monologues of 3 of David's wives: Michal, Bathsheba, and Abigail.
We were challenged to guard against self-focus by memorizing Scripture, "pretend" (so even when you feel yucky, choose to act joyful--Jer. 29:5), and keep away from negative focus. Hold your tongue from criticism (1 Peter 3:10), use your tongue for praise and worship (1 Thess 5:17), and speak forgiveness (Job 42:2). We talked about not having a divided focus--by guarding your relationship with God (James 1:6), by having a personal code of ethics (Job 31:1), by not taking your life for granted (Ecc. 9:8), and by not dwelling on the "facts" of our life (circumstances) but to base our life on truth (God, who He is, and what He says). I think that a good example of this is Shadrach, Meshach, and Abendigo. They were getting tossed in a fiery furnace and stated that God could save them. "And even if He does not, we are not going to serve your gods." Daniel 3:17, 18 I though that the personal code of ethics was a good idea--to know your weaknesses and lay out personal rules of behavior to protect against them. One example is--if you tend to exaggerate, be ABSOLUTELY truthful. Have verses about it. Be aware. Don't take a second look at the man who caught your attention and interest. Speak truth in love instead of pointing out the negative, or don't speak at all. Take your desires to the Lord--don't be consumed by them. I was thinking here of "good" desires, like those I have for a mom or close girl friends. I really thought about them and how I can protect myself when I am weak in these areas. Remember that with God, all things are possible. Choose to perform selfless activities when you are most lonely.
We also talked about maintaining a godly focus in which your identity is based in God (1 Sam. 25:26). Know that this life is temporary and that real life comes later (1 Peter 2:11). To quote Oswald Chambers: God's teaching is always anti-self-realization. His purpose is not the development of a man: His purpose is to make man exactly like Himself, and the characteristic of the Son of God is self-expenditure. Yikes--conviction!
The seminar I attended had to do with anger. I learned that pain and fear often bring about anger--to look at the root. There are so many ways anger manifests itself, and real practical advice was given on how to pinpoint anger that is sin. For me, I think I get angry when my expectations aren't met. I swallow the "you deserve a break today" line, and when my day is rough it makes me angry at the kids or others. The thing is, Jesus' ideas are so contradictory to the world's. In Matt. 20:16 he says the "last will be first, and the first will be last." I decided (with some other sisters) to do a Anger vs. Thanksgiving Experiment, in which we will journal our anger for a couple weeks (at least 1), and then journal our thanksgiving.
Week One--Journal of Anger
Jot down the things that push your buttons and trigger anger.
How are you dealing with that anger?
What does your anger cause you to do?
Where is God with your anger?
How do others respond to your anger? (notice their countenance)
How do you feel about yourself when you are angry?
What are you learning from your anger?
Is anger working for you?
Week Two--Journal of Thanksgiving
Jot down those things for which you're grateful for.
Notice the silver linings in dark situations and jot them down.
What does your thankfulness cause you to do?
Where is God with your thankfulness?
How do others respond to your thankfulness and gratitude? (notice their countenance)
How do you feel about yourself when you are thankful?
What are you learning from your thankfulness?
Is thankfulness working for you?
I had the opportunity to sit alone in the woods for about an hour and go over these thoughts prayerfully as well as examine Hebrews 11 for the obstacles that people of the past faced and who/what their faith was based on. The truth is that they all didn't look to the world for fulfillment, but "condemned the world", "lived as aliens", and "considered the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt." That last one is Moses. I was able to meditate on these great Scriptures and lay it all before the Lord. What a blessing!
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