Thursday, December 27, 2018

13 Pillars of Biblical Womanhood

Last week we celebrated Selah's 13th birthday.  Wow!  The time has flown!  I can hardly believe that SIX of my girls have passed this milestone now.

Selah is a sweet and compassionate girl.  She is a joy to those who know her.  Quiet, but strong, she definitely lives up to her name!

For the 13th birthday, we go through the Biblical pillars of womanhood and each pick gifts that match the pillar.  It is always a lot of fun to find gifts that go along with the encouragement of that particular pillar.

Biblical Pillar of Womanhood: A Fruitful Bearer of Children
Psalm 127 “Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.  It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.  Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is His reward.  As arrows are in the hand of a mighty warrior; so are the children of the youth.  Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.”

Biblical Pillar of Womanhood: A Keeper at Home
Titus 2:5 “To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.”

Biblical Pillar of Womanhood: A Domestic Entrepreneur
Proverbs 31:10-31 “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life. She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar. She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.”

Biblical Pillar of Womanhood: A Member of the Church
Acts 2:39 “For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.”

Biblical Pillar of Womanhood: A Helpmeet
Genesis 2:18 “And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him.”

Biblical Pillar of Womanhood: A Teacher of the Next Generation
Deuteronomy 6:7 “And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”

Biblical Pillar of Womanhood: A Woman, not a Man
1 Timothy 2:9-10 “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.”

Biblical Pillar of Womanhood: A Disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ
1 Peter 1:15-16 “But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”

Biblical Pillar of Womanhood : An Image Bearer
Genesis 1:26-27 “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

Biblical Pillar of Womanhood: Given to Hospitality
1 Peter 4:8-10 “Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.  Be hospitable to one another without complaint.  As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”

Biblical Pillar of Womanhood: A Demonstration of Unfading Beauty
1 Peter 3:3-4 “Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.”

Biblical Pillar of Womanhood: A Godly Mentor
Titus 2:3-5 “The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.”

Biblical Pillar of Womanhood: A Trustful and Submissive Wife
Ephesians 5:22-24 “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the LORD. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.”


I am so thankful that Selah has a submissive and trusting heart toward the Lord!
Happy birthday, sweet girl!😍

Thursday, December 20, 2018

Friends Forever

Siblings are a special gift.  Built in best friends of the best kind...FOREVER FRIENDS! 😍




Thursday, December 13, 2018

Calvin's 9th

Calvin turned 9 this week!  Wow!  He is such a sweet and loving boy!  So kind and considerate and tenderhearted.

I did this fun collage of his birthdays.  The years have just flown by!

Our boy...

Sibling fun...

A little mayhem...

Pecan pie (again)...


Birthday prayer...

The first crab...




Number 2...




Fun times!  Happy birthday, dear boy!

Thursday, December 6, 2018

The Baby is THREE!!!

Andrew is 3!  I can hardly believe it!

This precious boy who is so incredibly sweet is really not a baby anymore.  Yikes!  The time is passing so quickly!  This is the longest I have gone our entire marriage without expecting another baby.  It is an odd feeling, indeed.

Isn't he just the most adorable????

Sibling fun...

He insisted his cake be chocolate with blue candies.  Sherrod dyed white chocolate with blueberries, but it's really light.  But he totally counted the blueberries as candy, too! 😂

No help needed...

Birthday prayer...

Yum!

Ribbit!

Look at that face!  Paw Patrol is a favorite!

Sometimes you get impromptu "smiling lessons" when your sister finds you sucking in your top lip...



The perfect mixture of ornery and sweet...

This boy is such a blessing!  I love how he is so cuddly and loves his Momma!  He just wrapped himself right around my heart!  He is fun and energetic and thoughtful and caring and all kinds of wonderful!

Every day, I find myself wishing William could have met him.  He would have just thought Andrew hung the moon!

I often think back to how much William loved Andrew.  Before he even knew him.  I cherish the memories of him putting his hand on my belly to try to follow Andrew's kicks or putting his ear to my belly to see if he could possibly hear Andrew moving around in there.  It is with oh-so-much fondness that I remember him talking to my belly, hoping Andrew would hear him say, "I love you!"  I wish I had gotten a picture of it.

There are so many special moments that I wish I had taken a picture of.  But I didn't.  They live on in my heart, but not to share.  Nothing tangible to look at or touch.  And now, Andrew has no picture of his brother talking to him or touching him or playing with him.  Only my words and the story behind his name...

One word of advice to both young and old...ALWAYS TAKE THE PICTURE!  Don't worry about how you look or what you're wearing or if your house is perfectly clean or how much weight you've gained.  Take the picture.  It's meaningful and lasting and you may never know just how much it might mean to someone one day.
Happy birthday, my precious boy!  You are loved more than life!