I Stumble A Lot!

May 30, 2011 by 24 Comments
We are now up to chapter 3 in our James Video Series!  This chapter is a HARD one for me. It really points out so many flaws that I have. I am a woman of many words  lol! and Proverbs 10:19 says “When words are many, sin is not absent. But he who holds his tongue is wise.”
James 3 says that NO man can tame the tongue. It is filled with deadly poison.
I long to be a woman who is filled with life giving words. Who is filled with grace and mercy. But the reality is – I stumble in many ways (3:2). And when I stumble, it brings pain to others and to my own soul. I long to be free of this problem in my life – to be so full of wisdom and self-control that I never ever stumble again!
But let me be honest, I stumble!  I stumble all the time in my marriage, in my parenting, and sadly with my friendships!  Just this week, I had to email a friend and apologize for critical words I spoke.  SO embarrassing! I urge you to be very careful with your words in friendships. Pray before you send emails or post on facebook.  Pray God would show you if anything you type could hurt another. Filter your words with love and grace. Be forgiving when someone else acts immaturely. Pursue unity.
I made a video last summer about this very passage of James and included my children. Let’s teach our children while they are young the power of words. It will save them a lot of heartache and produce a generation of children who are world changers for Jesus!

James 3:1-12 ESV – Taming the Tongue
3:1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2 For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. 3 If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. 4 Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. 5 So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.

 
How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. 10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.

We will never master perfect control of our tongue.  Forever we will need to daily align our heart with God’s word, filtering our thoughts and words through the strainer of God’s word and repenting when the words we speak hurt others.  The next time someone hurts you with their words – remember grace…because you at any minute are about to slip up too!  As a matter of fact, often it’s right after someone else’s slip up that I slip up 10 times worse (for example in marriage – my husband says one word critical – and whamo – out comes 2 critical words from me.  Often what I say  is far worse than the first offense.) 

I like to journal my confessions…it reminds me how much I need Jesus.  The cross says I am flawed but it also says I am forgiven. 

Walk with the King!

This post is linked to Titus 2sdays, A Holy Experience, We Are That Family, and Raising Homemakers.

Filed Under: James Video Series, Parenting, Self-Control, Teaching Our Children Along the Way

How To Make Your Home Sing!

October 11, 2010 by 33 Comments
Last week we had a two-fold challenge, “light a candle and every time you see the glimmer of it pray for peace in your home“. I want to encourage you to keep your candles and prayers going.
 
This week’s challenge is two-fold also: Play soft music everyday in your home. Choose worship, classical or another form of peaceful music that the family enjoys. Focus on using peaceful words and maintaining peaceful relationships. Remind your family to avoid seething anger, tattling, criticism or back talk. Role model gentleness this week.

 

Let’s start with your music choice. If you need suggestions for music here are a few:

 

1. If you know how to play an instrument, play it this week! In our home, when I sit down to the piano to play, the atmosphere completely changes. All whining and complaining disappears and dancing and singing begins. This is what the book of Psalms is all about – making a joyful noise unto the Lord! So pull out your dusty instruments and start playing!

2. Sing or hum in the kitchen while you cook, in the bathrooms while you clean, or while you drive in the car. Force yourself to open your mouth and let your joy of the Lord be heard by your family. It will be contagious!

 

3. I like to listen to George Winston – my favorite CD is titled December. I have listened to it for 15 years. In college, it really helped me shut out the dorm noises and focus to study. Since then, this CD remains in the CD player ready to go at all times. Sometimes I put it on repeat mode and it will go for 10 hours straight! I love it! Here’s a sample:

 

4. I like David Nevue – I discovered his music on the blog A Holy Experience. His music is similar to George Winston’s in that it is classical piano music. To hear his music visit her site and while you are there – hang around a while and I think you will find inspiration. (I regularly open her website and let the music play while I hop around on facebook or write blog posts.)

5. I like Worship and Contemporary Christian Music – the sky is the limit on this – from hymns to Casting Crowns to the oldies like Michael Card. All of this music fills our family’s hearts and mind with God’s truth.

It doesn’t all have to be slow. Music with a beat can lift spirits and add zest to a boring day. Pick a style that fits your mood and family and get that music going. Once you’ve determined your music and have it going – it’s time to work on ourselves.

1. When you feel tempted to raise your voice, use a child’s name in a snarl, furrow your brow into a scowl or speak rapidly in anger…purposely lower your voice to just above a whisper. Proverbs 15:1 says “A gentle answer turns away wrath but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Focus on gentle words, facial expressions, and touches.

2. Purpose to not let someone else’s anger make you angry. Many times as a wife and mom I find myself responding to other’s emotions. Someone in the family is grumpy and two minutes later I’m grumpy too. Someone in the family is speaking harshly and two minutes later I’m speaking harshly too. Purpose to stay in control of your emotions and not let the other members of your family dictate your mood.

3. Yelling at a bud won’t make it bloom. Your home will not blossom into a haven if you are not controlling your temper.

4. Continue to pray for peace in your home. Persevere in prayer for your family. James 5:16b says, “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”

If you are participating in this challenge leave a comment below with how it’s going – if you are a blogger copy this button into your blog post, write about how it’s going and link up below! Thank you all so much for your accountability. I so appreciate you joining me on this journey!!! We are in it together!

Walk with the King!
I am linking up here :

Filed Under: Fruit of the Spirit, Homemaking, Peace, Self-Control

I am SO Tired!

January 11, 2010 by 11 Comments
“I am so tired.” Are those words that you think quite commonly? Me too!
I read a crazy statistic that said “In 1850 Americans crawled into bed at a reasonable hour and slept an average of 9.5 hours a night. By 1910, half the country had electricity, but our recent ancestors were still breathing evenly with their eyes closed, on average, nine hours a night. By 1950 an average night’s sleep decreased to 8 hours. And by 2008, Americans, on average, go 6.5 hours of sleep a night.” - Kathy Peel – America’s Family Manager
We are a sleep deprived nation. How do you think that is affecting our marriages, our parenting and our homemaking? I would go out on a limb and say that it is effecting them negatively. It is much more difficult to be patient when we feel tired. It is much more difficult to be consistent in training our children when we feel tired. It is much more difficult to be “joyful in all circumstances” when we are tired.
So what do we do? We must make sleep a priority. We must learn to manage ourselves more wisely!
Ephesians 5:15,16 says “Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”
Evaluate your hours in the day and consider:
1. Do I often stay up late watching television or reading on the computer? Technology is stealing our sleep.
2. Have I set up routines in my life that save time. Do you waste time trying to figure out what is for dinner or trying to find a lost piece of paper. Do you procrastinate and do all your housework in one day? Read my weekly routine here.
3. Do you view your time as precious? Just as we spend money – we spend time. We have a limited amount of time in the day – just 24 hours. Are you budgeting your time like you budget your money – wisely?
4. We’ve got to disconnect. When evening falls and it is nearing your bedtime – we need to disconnect from facebook, message boards, texting and any other technology that will steal your sleep. If this is hard for you – set a timer (I’ve been using my cell phone alarm) and when it goes off – disconnect!
5. Choose a bedtime goal and strive to be there every night. It is best for your body if you attempt to go to bed around the same time 7 nights a week.
Start the new year out right by letting yourself have an early bedtime tonight. Put the kids to bed and then you go to bed too! If you wake too early enjoy the quiet morning with a cup of coffee and your Bible. Your family will be blessed by receiving the gift of a well rested wife and mommy.

Walk with the King!

Filed Under: Healthy Living, Self-Control