Idols

"wives have many idolatrous affections. For example, how her husband behaves or treats her can easily become an idol even to the point of displacing the Lord Jesus Christ as her deepest affection and longing" Martha Peace in An Excellent Wife

We all have idols don't we: exercise, physical appearance, husbands, marriage, children, money, success, our homes. But our hearts should always be set on our Lord. We all look and try to get things we want and do not need, or should I say the Lord knows we do not need. Daily we should be devoted to pleasing, serving and seeking the Lord. There should be no room for idols.

If you are worshiping something other than the Lord, it is an idol. If you are willing to sin to get it or sin to keep it this is an idol. Is how your husband treats you becoming an idol? Is how you look in the mirror an idol? Repent and turn to God. Some of us may have to do this daily...........I do!

Ezekiel 14

¹Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me.

²And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

³Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?

⁴Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;

⁵That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.

⁶Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.

Blessings dear one, Tracylea

Budget......what stinkin budget??????

Again today I read in the paper of local government/schools having to close locations because there is not enough funding.

My local Library system announced this week that they "had" to close 6 branches of the library because of a funding deficit. Yet they have over spent their budgets in the past and just within the last two year built a huge library downtown that had many unnecessary luxuries added to it. (Not to mention that it was built wrong and had to be fixed.)

Can we say BUDGET?

Earlier this year our local school system announced they had to close two of our school and consolidate others, plus start charging for riding the bus and sports activities, because they too had a deficit. This school corporation built a huge football stadium a few years back, that sits empty most of the time, at a price of over $4 million dollars.

Can we say BUDGET?

Hmmmm.....this is starting to get out of hand. Just this week Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke spoke out about our growing national deficit, here. I don't think I need to even go into the overspending of our government.

What if we ran our households like this.......oh, many of us do. But it is time for all this to stop. Stop incurring debt at home, schools, churches, cities and finally our nation.

I really like Dave Ramsey and his take on things: "Debt is dumb and cash is king". Dave has some wonderful free advice at his website and he has many books that you can check out from the local library. His baby steps are a wonderful start! But we all need to start.

If you are debt free, great, how about talking to others about how you got there. If not, the time to start is now.

Blessings, Tracylea

Our lives are real

There are many days when I feel utterly inadequate as a home-keeper, mother, wife and God worshiper. I was struck by the honesty I found in this article at Ladies Against Feminism. This statement from the article is so true:

Life is not picture-perfect, but the work is worth doing. Pretty touches are needed and wonderful, but when little ones are around, it is more important to teach and live than it is to have a home where nothing can be touched or put out of place. Our lives are real, and so is the mess… but, more importantly, so is the love.

Can I get an Amen sister!

http://www.ladiesagainstfeminism.com/?p=503

Blessings, Tracylea

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Our husbands

1 Peter 3

¹Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;

²While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.

³Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;

⁴But 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.

⁵For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands:

⁶Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.

Resurrection Sunday

Low in the grave he lay, Jesus my Savior,
waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord!

Up from the grave he arose;
with a mighty triumph o'er his foes;
he arose a victor from the dark domain,
and he lives forever, with his saints to reign.
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Vainly they watch his bed, Jesus my Savior,
vainly they seal the dead, Jesus my Lord!

Death cannot keep its prey, Jesus my Savior;
he tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord!

Quite Peculiar

Romans 12:1,2

¹I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

²And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

This bible verse is so clear isn't it? Not in, of or for the world but in, of and for our Lord God. You can find a wonderful article here, on At The Well, that addresses this verse. The article asks the questions, Are you peculiar? Are you? I know at times I am. It seems we are called to be. But am I peculiar enough? Probably not.

I am going to print off this verse and place it where I will see it each morning. Then each night I am going to ask myself if I am true to it, to the Lords request.

I'll let you know my progress. Maybe you can join me.

Blessings, Tracylea