February 9 Devotional Reading Our reading for February 9 is Exodus 38-40 and Proverbs 8.
Exodus 38 – KJV
1: And he made the altar of burnt offering [of] shittim wood: five cubits [was] the length thereof, and five cubits the breadth thereof; [it was] foursquare; and three cubits the height thereof.
2: And he made the horns thereof [...]
February 8 Devotional Reading Our reading for February 8 is Exodus 35-37 and Proverbs 7.
Exodus 35 – KJV
1: And Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel together, and said unto them, These [are] the words which the LORD hath commanded, that [ye] should do them.
2: Six days shall work be done, but on the [...]
I especially appreciated this scripture: "Here is your maidservant, a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord." 1 Samuel 25:41
Dear Sisters,
As many of you know, we have been a home away from home to many Marines coming to visit with our Marine sons for the past two years. It is not uncommon for us to have three or four guys under our roof within a twenty to thirty minute cell phone call - if we get that! ~Smile~ On Mother's Day we had a new Marine visit us who said our home to him was like an oasis. I am so thankful. We also had three other kids visiting with us that day as well (who Abbie was watching) while their parents were in Hawaii. They loved celebrating with us as I know they were missing their own mom.
Hospitality is very humbling.
Why do I say that? Because so often it is not a "convenient" time to be hospitable. Entertaining, however, is something of a different nature. You set it up; you invite the chosen people; and then they come and enjoy what you have provided. You also set up the convenience based on your own timetable and pocketbook.
Hospitality, however, is something of a different nature.
Rather, the LORD sets it up.
Take the other day for example. I was working in my kitchen when I heard a car drive up in my driveway. It was one of my friends with her daughter-in-law and grandbaby in tow. I didn't know they were coming, and my kitchen was a bit of a mess. I had two piles of laundry in the hallway ready to be washed. I hadn't cleaned my bathroom yet. But my living room was all "parlor" clean. So I escorted them into there and got them some cranberry juice in my fancy blue goblets. Then I went to the bathroom and quickly wiped it down in a two minute tidy in case they needed to use it. For the next two hours I sat and talked with them both, encouraging my friend's daughter-in-law as much as I could as she grapples with being a new mom in a new town.
I am always surprised by hospitality. I am almost always humbled by hospitality.
Why do I say that? Because I struggle just like every other woman who has an agenda for her day or her week, and yet finds herself instead helping someone else who needs encouragement and love in their day or their week. I know of no other way to do it than at Jesus' Feet focused on Him. He shows me the way. I am so very helpless without Him. But with Jesus, all things are possible!
"Here is your maidservant, a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord." 1 Samuel 25:41
Even when people invite themselves to our house to eat. In the past month I have had two families from our church ask to come over to our house for dinner. Art says that everyone wants to come to our house. But he says it with a big smile. My husband is the most hospitable man I know. He has taught me so much about having a hospitable heart - which I know he learned from his own wonderful, hospitable mother.
For as Mama Tweten says, "Ven you have heart room, you have house room." And that was definitely Art's mom, Rachel. She had the heart of a Hearst castle in a two room home in East Los Angeles.
Recently I became the receptor of sweet southern hospitality. Abbie and I flew to Nacogdoches, Texas to stay with my dear friend, Vicky. Vicky taught Abbie cake decorating while doing a four-tiered bride's cake and a groom's cake (that resembled a drum) for a wedding the weekend we were there. It was not a convenient time for Vicky to have two guests while putting together all those wedding cakes and teaching Abbie at the same time, but she did it with such love and grace that I will never forget. We had a fabulous six days. I came away incredibly renewed and refreshed to return to my own home and start working again focusing on my Savior. Abbie did, too. We both marveled at Vicky's refreshing of our spirits - which is the true meaning of hospitality - a virtual living encouragement from one to another in a miraculous sort of way.
Hospitality is a slice of one's day or week that brings inner refreshment to the one serving and the one being served.
It's really an amazing practice.
While we were at Vicky's, we had the pleasure of being hospitable to one of the Marines who used to come to our house quite frequently last year. Andrew is out of the service now and drove two and a half hours to see Abbie and I in Nacogdoches. We had the privilege of taking him and Vicky's family out to dinner on Memorial Day. We were thrilled to have Andrew meet Vicky and her family, as we were thrilled to "serve" Andrew on Memorial Day. Andrew had been blown up ten times in the beginning of the Iraq war and is a bronze star medal holder. We were so glad that God allowed us to be a comfort to him many weekends in a row after God led him miraculously to our family. He told us how much our home meant to him every week when he was able to come off base and stay with us, to hang out with our boys, to eat Abbie's pies and cakes, and to have deep conversations with Art in our kitchen. Hospitality often opens the door to more hospitality, as we have served our boys' friends, so those friends have brought more of their friends to our home.
" Peter invited them in and lodged them." Acts 10:23
"Be hospitable to one another without grumbling." 1 Peter 3:8-9
I wish I could say that I never grumble when it comes to hospitality. And I am working on it. But just this past month I found myself grumbling. God sent a beautiful "Martha Stewart" to my door with only a 30 minute notice. I had four Marines over besides my own son. I had been to Martha's house a few times, and it is picture perfect inside and out. This was the first time she was coming to my house. Did I pray how I could be a help to her? No, I wish I could say that I did. Instead I went around the house like a whirlwind trying to tidy every room while grumbling to my husband on the side. Finally, I gave it up when I saw all the Marine gear and laundry drying around the fence outside my living room window and also strewn about my living room floor, my boys' bedroom, and even in the bathroom. Then I started laughing inside. Really laughing! By the time she arrived, I was almost giddy with joy at being able to serve her in the Marine-midst of it all. I thoroughly enjoyed her visit, and she ended up staying for lunch with us, which was even more impromtu than her visit. By the time she was leaving, I was so thankful God had sent her my way. I have so much to glean from her, and humbling hospitality once more opened the door.
She had no sooner left than one of Gabe's friends arrived. His parents had recently divorced, and he needed to talk. I was pretty tired by this time, but I recognized he needed a listening ear. So Art and I sat in the kitchen and talked with him for over an hour encouraging him and feeding him. The Marines all headed back to base, and Art took Gabe and his friend into the living room to watch an old movie together while I tidied up.
Hospitality is a humbling practice, but an incredible gift when you receive it or give it away.
No wonder we're all supposed to share it with one another.
Change The Mood In Your Home! Written by Nancy Campbell
Do you use a timer when cooking and baking? Are you like me? If I don't use my timer, I end up with burnt offerings. I am usually doing so many things at once, that I'm prone to forget that I have put something in the oven. Often I'll put the bread in the oven to bake and then come downstairs to my office to answer Above Rubies letters. If I don't bring the timer with me, I'll forget all about it – then guess what kind of bread we have to eat?
Recently, I found another use for my timer. It all happened as I was reading the Word one morning. I was challenged by Colossians 2:7, NAS where it says we are to be "overflowing with gratitude" or as the King James Version says, "abounding with thanksgiving." Not only are we to have a daily "attitude of gratitude" but to be overflowing and abounding with gratitude. What does this word 'abounding' really mean? The Greek word is 'perisseuo' and it means 'to super-abound, to exceed, to excel, to be in excess – enough and to spare, over and above; it goes beyond that which is necessary.' Wow! I was challenged! As I continued thinking, I was reminded of how God's Word encourages us to praise the Lord all day long! Not only are we to be overflowing with gratitude and thanksgiving, but we are to be continually thanking and praising the Lord.
'How can I continually praise the Lord?' I thought. 'How can I constantly have an overflowing spirit of thankfulness?' I find that I get taken up with what I am doing and the hours go by without thinking about praising the Lord. As I prayed and walked up and down our long driveway (this is where I take my morning prayer walk) God put in my mind the idea of my kitchen timer. Yes, that's it. What a great idea! Thank you, Lord.
I decided to put the timer beside me as I work on the computer, or when I am busy in the kitchen preparing meals, or cleaning. I set it for half an hour. As soon as it rings, I stop for a minute or two and thank and praise the Lord. I then set it again for another half an hour. Now I am getting into a habit of continually thanking the Lord all through the day. It changes my whole day.
I'm sure you'll find this a great idea too. You can set the timer each day as you work in your home with your little ones around you, or as you teach your children. When the timer rings, stop for a moment and thank the Lord together. Encourage your children to thank the Lord too. What a wonderful way to teach them to live a life of constant thankfulness and gratitude. Establish this habit pattern in the lives of your children.
By the way, this idea is not just for the days when everything is going great. It's for the trying and difficult days too. This is when you need the timer the most! Maybe the timer will ring just as the children are fighting and squabbling. This is the very time to stop, hold hands, pray, and thank the Lord together. Maybe the timer will ring just as you are 'blowing your stack' and the house is in turmoil. Oh what a blessing to have the timer! You are reminded to stop, repent of your attitude, and praise the Lord instead.
Maybe you are not very happy with your husband about something. The timer rings! Stop and think of five good things about your husband and thank the Lord for him. Or perhaps there is an urgent matter for prayer in your family or for people you know. What a great idea to have the timer ring every half-hour to remind you to pray.
Maybe the timer will ring when you are in a slough of self-pity. This is just the time to praise the Lord. Of course, you may not feel like doing it. Don't worry. Feelings come and feelings go! Don't let your life be governed by your feelings. Thank the Lord anyway. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 tells us that God's perfect will for our lives is to thank Him in every circumstance and at all times.
I'll never forget the first time God used this scripture to speak to me. It was about 35 years ago when we were first married. I was four months pregnant with Wesley, our first baby. My husband, Colin, left me in New Zealand to serve the Lord on a mission in the Philippines with Tell the Nations Crusade. The horrific part was that I didn't know when he was coming back. They didn't know whether the mission would take them three months or three years. In my emotional pregnant state I imagined that I would never see him again. I wondered whether this baby would ever see his father. I was heartbroken.
I went home from airport devastated. I cried inconsolably. Then the Lord spoke to my heart; "Do you want to do my will?" "Yes, Lord," I sobbed. "Then thank me, for this is my will concerning you," I heard God whisper to my heart. Because I wanted to be in His will, I began to thank the Lord for taking Colin to serve the Lord. I didn't feel like it. I felt the opposite. I thanked Him in cold-blooded faith. I continued until I really felt thankfulness entering my heart. I won the victory. From that time, I lived in the joy of the Lord. God was good and Colin safely returned shortly after Wesley was born.
Dear wives and mothers, I trust that you will find the timer a wonderful idea in your home. You might even need to purchase a couple of extra timers, and keep them in different rooms. Set it every half-hour. Make it a habit of your daily life. Let love, joy, peace, praise, worship, thankfulness, gratitude, forbearance, forgiveness and longsuffering super-abound in your home. Remember, the word means 'to overflow with more than is necessary – above and beyond.'
Somewhere over the passing years and changing culture, women have lost their way. This book is written to lead them back home.
Regardless of how you began your marriage or how dark and lonely the path that has brought you to where you are now, I want you to know that it is possible today to have a marriage so good and so fulfilling that it can only be explained as a miracle.
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The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want; He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters; He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake.
"But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:3
