Loving Your Husbands

I just got back from our Tuesday morning, Ladies' Bible Study. We have been going through Elizabeth George's book, A Woman's High Calling. The focus is on Titus 2:3-5. Today, we looked at God's admonition to the Older Women to teach the younger women how to love their husbands. It 's interesting that He would say that, because we all think that we just naturally know how to love our husbands. Apparently, that is not the case, because God says that we need to learn how to do it. Another interesting part is that the phrase "love their husbands" is not talking about an emotion or feeling. This phrase is comes from the Greek word, philandros, which means friendship, companion, being a friend and companion to our husband.

We are called to be our husband's friend and companion, and this is regardless of whether our husband is lovable, kind, spiritual, etc. It is made more palatable (or easier) when we remember that the Bible says that Christ set His affection on us and saved us when we were unloveable and unloving. Romans 5:8 says, "God showed His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 1 Peter 3:18 says, "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God...." If God could set His affection on us nasty sinners, who am I to say that I can not be a friend & companion to my husband and set my affection on us.

There was a lot more to the study than that, but that's just a synopsis. The next time we meet (we're off for the week of Thanksgiving) we are going to discuss practical ways that we can "love" our husbands, starting with prayer.

Well, I'm headed to Orlando soon to pick up my mom from the airport. Pray that we have a great time of fellowship.

May the Lord be with you & richly bless you!

Lisa

"Walk in Him"

Hi, I am taking a break from housecleaning to make this post. The Lord has blessed me today with the ability to get many things done. I actually made everyone pancakes this morning, before they went to school. After 19 years of marriage, I am finally making breadfast about 4 days a week, relying on cereal. After everyone left, I cleaned up the kitchen, started the laundry, & sat down to pray and read. I read in James 1, where it talks about having joy in the midst of trials and praying for wisdom to walk through the trials victoriously. I also read in Psalms & then had a good time in prayer. Afterwards, I dusted upstairs & picked up the kids' "clean" rooms. They are required to make their beds & pick up their rooms before they go to school, but their idea of clean & mine don't always match. Next, I made the bed in the spare bedroom & cleaned the corresponding bathroom (my mom is coming tomorrow to stay for about a week). I took a break from that to photograph the two cards I made this weekend, of which I am posting one right now. Then I went back to my housework. I decided to take a break from that to post this update & card.

I had the idea for this card Saturday night, but I didn't have the paper. So, Sunday after church I went to Michaels & got the paper & ribbon. Unfortunately, Michaels & JoAnn Fabrics is the best we have here. I so wish we had a Hobby Lobby. I was unable to photograph the card very well, but that is the story of my life. It is one of the many ways God tries to keep me humble. I say try, because I am afraid I still have a long way to go. Anyways, I love the verse from Colossians 2 that is pictured on the card. The recipe for the card is below.

Cardstock: Christmas Red & Tan cardstock (from Michaels). Ink: Basic Black, Really Red, Versa Mark, Clearly Cocoa, Summer Sun. Accessories: Always Artichoke Brads, Antique Brads, Nestabilities, Red & Tan Grosgrain Ribbon, Martha Stewart Scallop Punch. Stamps: Inkadinkado Bird, Clear Dollar Stamps Bible Verses, Refuge & Strength.