Please Don't be a Scrooge!

This is not like a normal post. Today I am just going to get my thoughts out, tell you why we do Christmas the way we do, and why please no matter who you are, family, foe, or stranger Please do not ruin Christmas for my Kids. I Love this time of year, I love the excitement and wonder in my childrens' eyes and voices so please keep your Grinchiness and Scrooge Attitude to yourself.

Let me Explain:
Yes we are Christians and yes we make Jesus the primary Focus of the Season, Yes there would not be CHRISTMAS if it wasn't for JESUS but let it be known we do Santa also. Before you judge or leave this blog because it isn't what you want to read let me explain.

1. I on a daily basis I explain to my girls ages 7, 2, and 1 who Jesus was, what he did, and why we celebrate him on Christmas.

2. I explain that presents and Santa are NOT the reason for the season, but they are just added blessings and excitement.

3. Santa brings us 3 gifts: We discuss the 3 gifts are to remind us of the 3 gifts brought to Jesus by the wise man and remind us that JESUS is the reason for the season.

4. We do all the Santa things but he isn't the focus when we talk he may be in conversation as our Elf on the Shelf Petey is too, but it isn't the focus.


A Little Background:
Now, my husband was not raised with Santa and does not indulge like I do.He would prefer to not put up a tree, not decorate, not watch Christmas movies, not do anything Christmas related. He also knows I want to make memories, and do things with my kids that are not the same things we do every other day of the year. I Love CHRISTMAS time its my favorite time of year, the sights, the sounds, the music, the food, the feeling of Love and comfort. I just love it. My husband is wonderful he does not tell my Children Santa doesn't exist, he simply tells them when asked if he believes in Santa, That he does not. When my children ask I always say "I believe in the magic, spirit and love of Christmas" This is not agreeing or denying Santa. I was raised with Santa and Jesus, and was raised to know Jesus was the reason for the season, but also was raised to be a child and have the wonder, excitement, and belief in something bigger than myself known as Santa. Growing up Christ was the main focus in our house, but we had traditions and we did Santa too. I have my favorite decoration from my parents house which is a fiber optic Mary and Joseph hold Jesus, come on that is my favorite and most cherished Christmas decoration from my house as a kid, followed by my beloved reindeer.

Why we do what we do with Christmas:
Why I don't want you to ruin CHRISTMAS for my kids, let me explain. I don't want you to ruin Christmas for my kids, because honestly I want them to stay little, innocent, and children as long as possible kids these days grow up to fast. Another Blogger said it so perfectly and I am going to paraphrase what was said so you can get the jest of why I do Santa. We as Christians want our kids to believe in God and Jesus, yes great I hope all my kids are saved and live a life following in God's will. We want our kids to believe in something bigger than themselves, we want them to believe in this older, invisible man in the sky we cannot see and put faith and love into him, and get blessings and love in return. So you see my children believing in Santa in my mind is preparing them to understand the relationship they will have with God and Jesus, How hard is it as adults to have faith and love for an invisible man in the sky whom we show faith and love to, and expect blessings from?I know God and Santa are no where close to the same thing, but I am teaching my children to believe in something bigger than themselves, have faith that something miraculous can happen (Trillions of presents being delivered in one night),  show love to someone you do not know, believe in someone you cannot see, and be blessed by the love of someone who doesn't actually know you. It teaches them to be selfless, I mean come on a man who gives you presents for no other reason than he loves you and all he asks for in return is cookies and milk, to me this demonstrates selflessness. Yes lots of parents work hard for the money they make, and the money they pay for the presents with I am no different and neither is my husband we work hard for what we have. Yes my children get toys and gifts from us, but we don't have to be the only source of gifts. Lots of parents want their kids to know that mom and dad bought all their presents and worked hard for them. I want my kids to know I love them everyday and one day of lots of presents from Mommy and Daddy aren't the way we show it. I tell my kids daily, mommy and daddy go to work and work hard for them to have food, a house, clothes, and toys. We do this daily, because my kids need to know that we work for them daily, I would have more money if I didn't have kids yes, but my heart would be empty. We also always go through our stuff and donate a lot of toys and games before Christmas always to children who have nothing, because they need a blessing too. So please before you tell my kids there is no Santa THINK! I think there is a way you can safely and successfully balance Christ and Santa during Christmas time.

Before you speak THINK!
Christmas is not about you or what you get, but what you can do for others.So if you don't do Santa that's great but it is not your right or your kids right to purposefully tell my kids Santa isn't real because you think it is not the way we should do things. If my kids ask you just tell them you don't believe in Santa don't say things like "He isn't real" or things like "Your parents are Santa" you have just ruined it for my kids and me. I want to explain to my children when they get to the age I THINK is acceptable to tell them the truth I will. You have no right to decide when my child or children are old enough to know the TRUTH about Santa.
I want my kids to believe for a long time, not too long but a long time due to the love, wonder, and excitement I see in their eyes this time of year. To hear them talk about the nativity scenes outside of churches with excitement makes my heart smile, but to hear them get excited about Santa makes me excited to. I want my kids to stay kids as long as possible. Kids these days are growing up way to fast and I don't want my kids to grow up too fast. I want my kids to be innocent and believe as long as possible. So before you take the joy, love, and excitement away from my children think. When you take this from my kids you hurt not just them but me as well. You take away part of their innocence, you take traditions, and memories that could be made, you and your scrooge attitude can go and ruin someone else Christmas but please do not ruin it for me or my Kids.
Thank you.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

A New Begining for This Blog

So just today I decided instead of trying to keep up with 2 seperate blogs, I am going to mesh my two blogs together, Instead of having one about bible verses and what they mean to me, and how I have applied to be a virtuous woman, I am going to blog about the bible and my everyday life on this blog. I mix the two together on living a Christian life. So posting parental issues and how I handled them in a Christian way or non Christian way and verses that have helped me through them, how to have a christian marriage or just struggles and blessings I have experienced in every day life will be the new main focus of this blog. I am trying to live a virtuous life daily, and have that journey so mixing and meshing them together will be better.

Thanks and God Bless.

I am back after a long and eventful hiatus

After  a Long and eventful summer. I am back this time I am working through Ruth. I am ready to get started on a new bible study a new blog, and working to help other's understand Ruth. This summer the Lord showed me a lot. My husband who is only 29 had blood clots himself and scared the begebees out of me, which I wish he did not do. He is better now and back to his normal self. I am also teaching full time and have started an UNPUBLISHED journal of my adventures being a first year teacher. Sorry I am not sharing those stories.....at least not yet ;).

Ok so now I prayed a lot this summer. Read other devotions and really thought about what I wanted my next section of the Virtuous woman to be about. I figured I would focus on some of the woman in the bible since lets face it I am a woman and trying to be a woman of God so what better place to look then to the woman of God in the bible.......makes sense to me. So the Lord definitely spoke to me last week at church when my pastor made a profound statement and got me thinking about my prayer life and my quiet time. Here is the profound statement "If you prayed as hard as you work, would you be hired or fired?" WOW. Okay Lord I hear you loud and clear, my prayer life was not where it needed to be, let me tell you in the last 2 weeks, I have been diligent about my prayer life, and quiet time and not just doing it to do it but doing it because I LOVE the Lord.


A little bit about Ruth before we begin....
Ruth was a Moabite, she was a widow who ended marrying Boaz. She became an ancestor of King David, Since we know that Jesus was a descendant of David, he was also a descendant of Ruth. Naomi and Ruth had an amazing relationship. A lot of people now a days complain about the relationship with their mother in law however Naomi and Ruth had a great relationship,

To have a loyalty like Ruth....
In Ruth 1:8-10 Naomi tell's her daughter in laws: "Go return each of you to your mothers house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with me. The Lord grant that you may find rest in each of you in the house of her husband!" Then Naomi Kissed them and they lifted up thier voiced and wept. They said to her, "No, we will return with you to your people". 

Wow how Ruth could say that to Naomi. Naomi wanted Ruth to return to her parents house and Ruth could not leave her. How many woman now a days would love to have this kind of relationship with their mother in law? Ruth saw Naomi as a mother, even though her husband had died she was still her family and treated Naomi the same. WOW!! Question to think upon.....How is my relationship with the family of my significant other?

I am pretty sure my relationship with my extended family on my husband's side is pretty good actually. I am very happy with the relationship we have and I feel welcome and loved when in the presence of my in laws. After reading the beginning of Ruth it really made me think about how people always tell Mother in law jokes, and how some people I know do not have the best relationships with their mother in laws. I wish we could all have the desire and love to have the same commitment to our extended families as Ruth did. Or how would marriages thrive better if we all had healthy relationships with our in laws or knew that if something happened to our husbands or wives that our inlaws would take us in and support us the way that Naomi did with Ruth? Just think about it.

Prayer: Lord, help me to want to have a relationship with my in laws that is honoring of my husband and you. please help me to understand that my extended family sees me as an extension of theirs. Lord thank you for my wonderful inlaws.

She is to be praised.

Proverbs comes to end, tonight will be my last post in proverbs next I will walk through Ruth, then Ester and then onto other book/verses in the bible about different topics. I want to continue to encourage anyone who reads my blog. I don't think many do but those who do, I want to encourage them,I want them to be a woman of God and draw close to him. I have to admit I was not virtuous in my thoughts this evening, I was very upset when I was talking to my husband and he didn't seem to care about my blog and acted like he had no idea I was even writing one. I was kind of upset and got frustrated but then I had to remind myself that I wasn't doing this for him I was doing this for me. I am just excited about starting and finishing a study, I have slacked off and on but I am going to do better from now on.

To fear the Lord, is more important than beauty or charm. Charm is good to have and it is good to be charming, but Satan can use charm to lie, cheat, steal, and tempt people. Beauty is not important, yes it's good to take care of yourself but do not let your looks be your God. Let God be your God, don't let vanity be the most important thing of your life. Use your hands for the good, be fruitful in the work you do and don't do it for the Glory of you, but for the Glory of God.

Proverbs 31:30-31

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. 

Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise in her in the gates.

WOW! I don't want to be deceitful, or vain. I want to be seen as a woman who fears the Lord. I want to be praised not for my GLORY but for his Glory not for mine. I want the fruit of my hands to speak volumes, I want my children to get filled by my fruit and to learn how to be Godly woman from me, as well as what a Godly man looks like from their Daddy (Hubs). Remember being fruitful and charming and beautiful is not for us it is for him and his glory. It is okay to display beauty, it is okay to take care of yourself but also remember beauty is not to be your God, Make-up, clothing, hair, things like that should be important but should not be your main priority. I have enjoyed doing this study and learning what a virtuous woman truly is and I have learned a lot about myself, my husband, and most importantly MY GOD, what he expects from he and what he wants me to be and I will continue to strive to be the type of woman he has made me to be. Beauty is not bad, I mean I am one who likes to look nice, I want to have my hair done, and occasionally make up on, mainly because I feel much better when I do and it helps me feel better about myself, I try not to be vain, but who doesn't slip up on beauty and being vain, trust me if you are a woman, you have put all of your efforts into the way you look. Think back to when you were dating your spouse you took that extra effort to look good for them, and you always wanted to look extra good for them. 

Prayer

Lord, Help me to not be deceitful in my intentions, help me to do everything for you, and not for the Glory of Samantha, but for the Glory of the Lord. Help me to not be vain, help me to demonstrate to my children that fearing the Lord and giving him glory is more important than the way you look. Help me to give me the words to my girls, that even if they aren't following the trends or aren't allowed to wear certain things that it is for the better because it is glorifying him. Lord help me to not be vain or deceitful in my intentions with serving. AMEN.

They call her blessed!

I am going to be honest yet again,  I have not been doing well with encouraging my husband. I have let the world and the enemy get the best of me. I have been selfish. I am trying to do better with encouraging my husband. On a good note though, I have been better towards my children, not that I haven't faltered in my parenting because I have. I have seen a house that is running much smoother because there is less yelling and less frustration. I am enjoying my children more due to the fact that I can let them, let loose and be goofy, as long as they aren't hurting themselves or breaking important house rules, I can just let them be kids. That is something God has laid on my heart, that I need to just let my kids be kids and let me enjoy them. I have listened and done it and it has helped my kids laugh more, and just enjoy life. I love my kids so much and I don't know why God entrusted me with them, and I thank him for them every single day.

They call her blessed, if someone looks back on my life one day I hope they can describe me as blessed. Wow to be called blessed would be amazing. I hope that in my life I can be the virtuous woman and become blessed. If I am having a relationship with God where I am blessed by him, and a blessing to others I will do it.

Proverbs 31:28-29

Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also and he praises her: "Many woman have done excellently, but you surpass them all."

I want to be a big enough blessing to my husband and children that I am called excellent. I don't have to be perfect because lets face it no one is perfect. I just have be virtuous. God has already blessed me so much in my life as being a mother, the greatest blessing I have ever had is being a parent. I cannot imagine my life without my 3 beautiful girls, or my amazing Husband. God truly blessed me when he placed all of them in my life, and I am doing this virtuous journey for them. Praise God for the opportunity for me to strive to be virtuous and for showing me what it means to be virtuous.

Prayer

Lord, help me to rise up to be the mother and wife you have made me to be. Help me to learn to be more virtuous each and every day, help me to know what it means to truly be blessed. Thank you for allowing me to have all these amazing blessings in my life, and Lord thank you for sharing in your word the attribute of a Virtuous Woman and for helping me to be that woman. AMEN.

On a side note Two more verses in Proverbs 31, before we are finished. I am thinking of moving on to Ester next.

Idleness

How was I displaying virtue I was displaying it by being grateful to my parents, not getting upset with them, by holding my tongue and by only being a Godly mother and wife to the 4 most important people in my life. I have tried my best to not get upset or frustrated. I did succeed but not in every minute of everyday. I have only 4 days or so left on Proverbs 31 but I will be continuing this journey and this blog as I continue on a journey through the bible about being a Godly and virtuous wife and mother.I will not give up on this journey just because Proverbs is over. Please pray with me as I am work towards becoming virtuous.

To be honest everyone who does not suffer from laziness or idleness? I know it is a struggle of mine. I say "Hey I am to tired, or I'll get to that tomorrow." Then I never do. Laziness is something that I struggle with that is why there is currently a mountain of about 6 or so loads of laundry in my bedroom ready to be folded and separated and put away, but I just keep putting it off and putting it off. I know it needs done, but I don't want to do it, So I let the mountain get bigger until I Literally cannot stand it any more and to be honest I am at that point.I have to admit before starting this study I was also being idle in my relationship with God. I need to work on not being idle and laziness.

Proverbs 31:27

She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.

I know I can be idle in my relationship with God. I can be idle as a mother and wife as well. I don't want that. Idleness can tear things apart. I can be a wife and mother but be going through the motions but I don't want that anymore. I just want a relationship with God a true relationship. I want to be a good mom, and wife not just going through the motions of it. I am working at that everyday. I want to do everything with purpose I want to do everything with joy and God has shown me why it is important that I do this. That no matter what I am doing do it on purpose and with joy.

Prayer

Lord help me to not idle or be lazy. Lord help me to find purpose and joy in everything I do and to show my children that idleness is not the way God wants us to do things. Help me to do everything in a virtuous way. Let me show your love in everything I do. AMEN

Be careful little mouth what you speak.

I could have not been virtuous with a situation that happened yesterday. Something that was said I could have had major backlash one, but I didn't. However I was not exactly virtuous in the item that was posted about on social media. I pierced C's ears knowing that Hubs was not 100% on board with it. I should have honored his wishes and I didn't. He and I have talked about it and we understand where each other is coming from on our views from each side. That isn't the point, the point is I tried to handle the situation in the most virtuous way possible. No one is perfect and I make mistakes as does everyone.

Another way I was very virtuous today was the way I dealt with my children. I stayed calm, with no yelling, and explained things to my children, instead of demanding and saying "because Mommy said so" I explained why I needed them to do certain things or why they need to do it a certain way. The atmosphere of the home and the relationship with my kids was positive I am trying so hard to be the virtuous and Godly mother, wife, and friend that God has made me to be but we all fall. I tried very hard not to fail today.

Be careful little mouth what you say, do you remember singing that song in Sunday school or children's choir? I do and today's verse definitely made me think of this song. I also have to remember that when my children are in my car, or around me when I am on the phone I have to be careful what I say, because their little ears are always listening. Not that I am not being virtuous but that I am not even spoiling things with my kids, or saying things that need to be discussed in private with them in the car, my 6 year old definitely asks a lot of questions if she hears my end of the conversation. I also have to be careful about what I say about people or situations. I cannot tell my children to be polite and non-judgmental if I am being the same way on the phone. I cannot tell my children not to say words such as "stupid" or "shut up" when I say the same words when speaking with certain people. WOW how today's verse really opened my eyes to what I need to do.

Proverbs 31:26

She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

 Wow Lord, you really showed me that being virtuous is being KIND! In all situations I need to be kind, in all areas I need to be kind, when I don't want to agree or when I want to yell at someone I need to be kind. When my kids get on my last nerve for yelling at each other, I still need to use kind words. Kindness displays virtue. I need to open my mouth with wisdom. God showed me with this part of the verse that perhaps I should not open my mouth unless I have wisdom to share, and the wisdom should come from GOD especially if it is a questions about things of God or situations I am helping people through. I have a hard time not having my point heard, even if I am wrong I want to tell you my point and why I am right and you are wrong. My hubs and I are the same way in that and causes a lot of clashes and head butting but I grew up in a family where you stand by what you believe and think and you don't let other tell you, you are wrong if you think you are right. I have those issues with my family some now, my views and beliefs have changed over the years and don't always line up with my family's. I am usually a lot more conservative than they are so we tend to clash and they always say things "you were not raised this way" or "When did your beliefs change?" I say this because I am my own person and my relationship with Jesus is different than what it used to be and the way I view life is different. All of that to say this; Use your mouth for wisdom and kindness, if you cannot say anything kind or wise when needed than don't say anything. If your words are going to tear someone down look yourself in the mirror and ask why you are saying the words you are saying and remember you aren't perfect either. The Lord has helped me to remember my children see everything I do, I cannot be a hypocrite. If I say don't do this, and then do it myself what kind of message is that. How can I say God does not go back on his word, when I do not display that in my house. I have to remember I am the first and last thing my children see daily, I must display Godliness and virtue in everything I do. 

~Samantha

PRAYER

Lord, help me to know I am not perfect and forgive people who have not been kind or wise with their words. Help me to be kind and wise in my words and that what I say is used as a way for people to grow and not as a way to hinder. I am not perfect Lord but I want to be virtuous, wise, and kind. I want to live for you and help to remember little eyes are seeing, little ears are listening, and little mouths sometimes repeat what mommy and daddy say. Help me and Hubs to remember that we are the example, and what we do and say speaks volumes to our children. We are their example of Godliness and virtue and help us to display that in everything we do and say. AMEN.

Dignity and Strength

Sorry such a delay.... I am sorry for the week delay of my blog. Well I have had trouble logging into the system. I don't know what was up. I am going to do 2 verses today verse 24 and 25. more on those later. A little update on my not so perfect self. WOW has God used so many opportunities this past week to show me areas where I am being virtuous and areas where I am not. God has laid it on my heart and has convicted me so much. I will be honest I am being open and honest on here, which I know a lot of people probably aren't open and honest about their lives and how God speaks to them and uses them. God showed me a lot over the last week and the last 4 days especially. It is spring break this week so I am off of work and G is home from school so I am home from work with G, H, and C all day. Don't get me wrong I love it, however I love working and teaching. Teaching is a gift God gave me and not only to teach my own children but to teach others with a kind heart and giving heart. I love the students I teach and will miss them as middle school awaits them next school year.

One way I was not virtuous this past weekend was when I was going to have a girls night with my friends, which I need like once a month. I have basically 2 good friends whom I enjoy hanging out with and I have known 1 for 10 years this fall and the other for 9 years this fall......My how time flies. I was not virtuous in the comments I made towards Hubs about me wanting to go and him having to take care of the girls, you see I felt like I was entitled to a girls night and he needed to suck it up and deal with having the kids by himself for hours, instead of asking him how he felt about it, I used his hobby that takes up a lot of free time, and turned it around and used it in a way that was degrading and disrespectful towards him. Not what I should have done. I should have mentioned me wanting the girls night in another way by saying "Hey I know your hobby takes up a lot of time, and its a sacrifice we make, but I would really like you to make this sacrifice for me and allow me to have a girls night." That would have been a better way to solve it. Hubs if your reading this, I AM SORRY! God has shown me that when I disagree with him, I still need to enrich his life and the way I approach disagreements and uncomfortable situations with him, will help me enrich him. I don't have to agree with him to enrich him, I just have to be virtuous in the words I say and my actions when having a disagreement to show him I am being a Godly woman, wife, and mother. I know that's all God wants for me and I know Hubs wants me to display Godliness to our girls and show them what that means.

I had to bite my tongue a few times yesterday to stay virtuous towards my children. I Love my girls with all my heart but sometimes when I am home all day and trying to get stuff done, I am just tired and want to scream and holler, but I cannot. I have to show them love even in discipline, I have to show them God's love in everything I do. I don't want to do laundry or cook dinner always but I do it because God has entrusted me to love and care for 3 beautiful girls whom he created special and to be an amazing part of our family. I just hope they understand how much I love them and how much God loves them. I never knew how much love my parents had for me until I became a mother, and I was worried the 2nd and 3rd time I became a mother about loving them the same, but trust me your love just grows and grows, its amazing. Our family of 5 is amazing and I wouldn't have it any other way, and being a Christ Centered family is my goal as we grow up as a family. I want my girl to look back in their teens and twenties and say, wow God really was the center of our home, and everything mom and dad did was so that we would grow up knowing about God, his standards for our lives, and demonstrate a Godly woman.

That was a LOOOONNNNG Update ;). Now onto the verses.

Dignity and Strength: We have talked about strength before but dignity now that's a new one for this set of verses. Are my actions Dignified? Are my actions because of weakness and fear or because of Strength and knowledge? Wow what powerful verses these are. Verse 24 is pretty straight forward about what a virtuous woman can do or does, she makes things and sells them at the market. Can a non virtuous woman do those things why yes, but who do you think will get more business or have more success? Will a woman who displays character traits of virtue be more successful or a woman who does not? A woman who is virtuous and those who can tell she is will be more successful in the business place and in the home, some woman the home is their business and more power to you full time moms and wives. Me my business is school and home. I have to juggle work and home, and I have to be virtuous and display that virtue even though I don't always want to. Don't get me wrong some days I am virtuous all day at work and then come home and I don't display the virtue like I need to but I have two full time jobs, teacher, and mother/wife. As a woman of virtue I need to have dignity as well and strength. I do not know what the future holds I just need to rely on God for the future.

Proverbs 31:24-25

She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant. 

Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.

OK LORD I GET IT! I must show dignity and be dignified in my life, I must have strength and not worry about the future. I have to remind myself that the future is out of my control. My life is not mine to live, it is God's and his will for me and my life is what is best even if it doesn't feel that way and even when I do not feel like I will be able to handle it or the future my strength is always in God. Yes I can go to my husband when I am upset or someone else for prayer, but my ultimate strength is in seeking God in every situation even the unknown. I sought out God on Friday when I prayed hard and long for H's hearing test. I prayed that if God's will was for her tubes not to work and her needing hearing aides, that I would get the strength I needed from him. PRAISE the LORD her tubes worked and that is not the will of my sweet H and not for our family. I just need to remember that whatever the future holds I need to find my strength in him.

~Samantha

Prayer

Father, help me to be dignified in everything I do. Help me tofind strength in you even when I want to look to others for the strength only you can give, help me to be the woman of virtue you designed me to be and help my children to grow up to be those woman, and to let me be a model of what a Godly and virtuous woman looks like in their lives. AMEN.

Reputations

Reputations can be good and they can be bad, you can be known by a reputation you had in high school and it's 10 years later. You can be the person who looks past reputations and stereotypes and be a Godly person or you can just assume that the person is the same that they were at 15 as they are at 29. Definitely not the case although, some people don't ever grow up.
Who would have thought that the way I present myself reflects good or bad on my husband? What his reputation is among his friends, colleagues, and family reflects on me? What? So lets all face it we all ask silly, crazy, and illogical at times, so when someone sees me acting that way the reputation they have of my husband and our family is that it is the same. Wow I really need to watch what I do and say in public because it is representing my husband. He is representing me, and we are representing our family.

Proverbs 31:23

Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land.

WOW what kind of impression is my husband making in front of the elders. Is he representing his family in a Godly or worldly manner? Am I encouraging and enriching him enough to become that Godly man that God has called him to be. Are we being Christ centered parents or world centered families. Keeping up with the Jones' or not working about what the Jones' are doing. I want to be a wife that encourages and enriches my husband to the point that he wants to show the world his family. Help my husband to be truthful about the person he is, the mistakes he makes, and the Love he has for his family and for Jesus.

I know a short and not very insightful post tonight. Im tired and have a sick husband.

Prayer

Lord please help me to enrich and encourage my husband so that he can be presented and be TRUTHFUL about how he presents himself in front of the elders. Help him to understand that he represents himself. his wife, and his family in everything he does. Please help me to remember to present myself in a manner that is honoring to my husband, the lord, and my vows. In your name, AMEN.

Fine Clothing

Its been a few days.... It has been a few days and I apologize I have been crazy busy with kids and life. I have been more virtuous the last few days. I have encouraged my husband off and on and prepared the way for my kids. Lets be honest being virtuous its a hard journey to be on, but I am going to be on it as long and as much as I can. I get frustrated over silliness and do and say not the best things, but I am always convicted and ready to move forward and ask for forgiveness.Short post tonight, I am tired.We had birthday parties and sickness going around so I finally have some time to just sit down and share God's wisdom of virtue with you.

She dresses in fine clothing...... I do need to present myself better sometimes. I don't also have on the nicest clothes and lets face it who doesn't love living in hoodies, jeans, and flip flops? I know that is for me, my I'm not working today outfit, and if its hot, its a tee shirt jeans and flip flops and hair pulled into a bun or pony tail. That is my go to but do I always look presentable? I have to remind myself I am representing myself as a Woman of God. Am I displaying it inside and out? Now I am not saying it has to be done fancy and with make up on and hair done everyday. No I am just saying does what I wear demonstrate who I am claiming to be? Am I wearing clothes that are modest? Do they show to much skin? I am teaching my girls to be modest, to the point that even I wear bike shorts under my skirts and dresses, my moto is if they have to then I should model it too. I wear one piece swim suits as do they. We are very modest and want our girls to dress presentably but displaying modesty at the same time. In this day and age it is hard to show a girl what it means to be a Woman of God when all around them, toys, clothes, music, movies, tv, all they see is unmodest people and things. If I dress modestly and do my make up and my hair in a presentable and not over the top fashion then I show my girls that its okay to be modest and its honoring to God to be modest. We have been having some issues with our six year old G and wanting to look in the mirror, and talk to herself in the mirror. She asks us constantly if she looks pretty and my husband and I always tell her she is beautiful inside and out, I want her to not focus on the outer beauty but on the inner beauty, I don't want her to think she can look like someone whom never takes care of themselves either. She needs to look presentable but I am learning as a parent in a Christ Centered home how to parent pretty much as I go and how to display these things too her, sometimes I mess up, but God picks me up and he helps me pick up the pieces and shows me a better way.

Proverbs 31:22 (ESV)

She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.

Now she dresses in nice fabrics and colors, we don't have to do that all the time but we need to make sure the clothing we wear is not to revealing and that we are being modest and honoring to god in everything we do. I need to explain to my girls that modesty honors God and not just say we have to be modest because Mommy and Daddy said so but because mommy and daddy honor the Lord and the Lord says to treat your body as a temple and thats how mommy treats her body, and that is how daddy sees beauty. Let me show my girls that modesty is what a Godly Man/Boy should see as beautiful not the girl who is showing all their skin. I just pray the world doesn't get to my daughters first. If you haven't heard the song I suggest you listen to and share with any girl in your life this song. "There could never be a more beautiful you" By Johnny Diaz.

PRAYER

Lord, open my eyes to see when I am not honoring you in what I wear or what my kids wear. Let me be aware that the clothing I wear is a representation of who I am in you Lord. Help me to see the Godliness in everything, help me Lord to show my kids why we need to be modest, let me explain it to them in a godly manner why it is important. Help me to prepare them to understand that being modest is honoring you and your word father. Lord help them to realize that they do not need to show skin to be beautiful because they are already beautiful. Help them to realize that a man of God sees them for their inner beauty and their relationship with you and help the men of God they will marry be raised in a family where vanity isn't what matters but love and a relationship with the Lord is. Help my girls not to be of the world but to be Godly woman living in the secular world, and showing the world what a true, virtuous, and righteous woman looks likes. AMEN

She is not afraid of snow,,,

Another Glorious day Today is a beautiful day that the Lord made. I had an amazing day, it started out good and I and my husband were on the same page about a lot of things, no bickering again, and just an overall more peaceful day at home. Praying for my husband and for the journey of becoming virtuous, I am telling you the Lord can do great things.

Crazy winter won't go away.   We all know how crazy this winter/spring has been no matter where you are in the united states, Winter has lasted a lot longer than anyone has wanted it to. Winter is not welcome anymore, hurry spring and summer and get here, my flip flops are calling me and I have been dying to paint my toes and do a pedicure. Are you prepared to speak when asked about the Lord? Are you prepared to defend your relationship when it is challenged? One struggle I have is to be able to talk about the Lord when asked about him as well as defending my relationship with him. We must stay strong and cover our houses and protect our families. We must do this spiritually, emotionally, and physically.

Proverbs 31:21

She is not afraid of snow for all her household, are clothed in scarlet.

God used this verse to show me that I cannot be fearful of the things I cannot change, I just need to embrace God through it. No matter what comes my way I need to "clothe" my family in scripture, in prayer, in anything that can help them to be better equipped to face the cold, dying world. I hope God uses you to protect your family in prayer, scripture, and in understanding. The better we understand the better we can witness. Today's is not so profound. I am almost asleep which is why,

PRAYER

Lord help me to be the woman of the bible, a woman who knows more than he knows i make. Help me to prepare the way for my children and hubs, help my children to make the right decisions surrounding my family. Help me to keep my mind focused on you. I ask all these for a special reason so I can become more godly for my kids. AMEN

Compassion, Caring, and Love

Being Virtuous can be difficult. Being a woman of God who displays Godly characteristics, that can some days be a challenge. Today was a challenge to me to be virtuous. Now don't get me wrong I am contentiously trying daily to have a heart of virtue, and to be Godly. I was not displaying Godliness and virtue in dealing with my children. G and H are the best of friends, G wants H to go everywhere with her and lay in her bed with her. H wants to do everything G is doing and just yells when she gets in the car from school everyday. They fight like cats and dogs multiple times per day. See H has had issues with her hearing, and we are not sure they are fixed and wont for another 9 days (This momma is counting). So even though H is almost 2, verbally she is not where she needs to be. I think that has a lot to do with not hearing very well. H tends to yell at G and then G yells back than I yell. I am not displaying a patience when I do this. I am learning everyday how to be patient, and encourage my children to show them what it means to be Godly.
On another note, I intentionally encouraged and enriched the life of my husband today. Hubs is not a big coffee drinker but sometimes he will drink a cup, so this morning I made him a cup and brought it to him packed him a very nutritious Lunch and just tried to encourage him with texts and calls throughout the day. Let me be honest, My marriage has been more pleasant with less arguing, less condescending talking, and less of me jumping to conclusions while doing this study. This study has opened my eyes to how I need to change I used to say "Lord speak to his heart, change him" I have learned Lord speak to my heart and change me so I can approach this marriage and Hubs in a different way. WOW has it helped.

One thing that he loved about me. One thing Hubs said he loved about me when we were dating and even now is my ability to not judge people, my heart to help, and my desire to do good. I have to admit in the last year one thing that drew Hubs to me and one of the big things he always loved about me I noticed was changing, my heart and thoughts were changing, and not for the better. I used to be the person that saw the person on the side of the road and would give them a dollar or spare change, or the person hanging outside of McDonalds that held up a sign about being homeless. I was the one who would find the money in the bottom of my pocketbook or take my money for Lunch and buy that person a meal. Well my heart to help and not judge and my desire to do good was diminishing. I did not like the person I was becoming. I was starting to roll my windows up and pretend like I didn't see the homeless person. I was the kid in elementary school who would give the kid whose family couldn't afford a coat the coat off of my back and I would go cold at recess and waiting for my parents after school so they wouldn't have to go cold. I would give someone else my lunch because I knew I would have food at home and I didn't want them to go hungry. That heart and desire Satan was pulling out of me, I was allowing him to place judgmental thoughts in my head, I was allowing him to harden my heart to the poor and hurting. How on earth could I become this person? How on earth could I demonstrate judging and criticizing of these people to my children and then preach and lecture about how we need to be accepting of all people because Jesus was?  It hit me like a ton of bricks one day and I just stopped dead in my tracks.OK LORD OK! I've said it before. God said to me "Hey Samantha, What are you doing? You are not listening to your heart, what happened to the caring and compassionate heart I gave you? What happened to the person who would do anything for anyone else, What happened to the person I mad? Where did you go?" I was like "Wow, Lord I don't know, I want to be the person you made me to be." So God showed me scripture and every time I started to judge or criticize I would pray for God to make the caring and compassionate person he made me to be. The Lord has been working on me. I don't always have Money to give, but I am going to do these bags I heard about, they have a bottle of water, a few food items, and a bible track. I want to have a heart of compassion like Jesus had. I mean come on people Jesus was friends with Lepers and Prostitutes. He dined with them when no one else would. WOW! Lord make me like them. My heart of caring and compassion that I am working on getting back, and miss greatly is a characteristic of a virtuous woman.
 

Proverbs 31:20

She opens her, hands to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.

The willingness to change is not a desire for me to change for me. It is a desire for me to change so I show God in everything I do. I don't want to change for me, I want to change for Jesus, I want my girls to understand that I don't judge and I Love because not only did he first love us but he ate with the lepers and outcasts of society that no one else would because he loved them and valued all people. All people are a gift from God no matter their struggles or their lifestyle, God loves us all the same, he doesn't love our sin but he Loves each and every one of us whom he created in the wombs of our mothers. I don't want to be in front of my daughters and say look at the things Mom did for these people. I want to sit down and say to G, H, and C look at the way God used me to touch the lives of people and show them the Love of JESUS! Look at how mommy was used as a missionary (even if here in the good ole USA) to let people know that no matter what they have done, God is a God of Love, and forgiveness. My girls should not judge it isn't their right we are all eventually judged in the end.

Prayer

Father, help me to have the heart of Compassion, Love, Caring, and Understanding that you made me to have, help me to be the woman of God you desire for me to be, continue to change my heart and make it the way it used to be. Lord I have allowed my heart to turn hard and cold and I do not like the heart I have now, Lord help me to be a better person and to see all people the way I used to see them as precious and wonderful gifts from you, that I won't judge or criticize that my girls will see me demonstrating love and compassion towards these people in a way that glorifies you and not so I get the credit but so you do. Help me to do it selflessly and wholeheartedly. AMEN.

Praising Always

Again the last 2 days have been crazy and I am sorry I missed a day of my Blog. So back to the Blog, I have not been a virtuous woman today, and well it hurts my heart to not be virtuous and for the way I speak with people on the phone sometimes. I hate knowing I was not virtuous; God showed me I was not displaying virtuous qualities.

The verse today says quite a bit..... A virtuous woman is someone who keeps busy. She is staying busy due to the fact that she must help her husband and her family. In supporting her husband and her family she is enriching and encouraging them. When a woman has done and mastered the previous verses she may be able to work outside of the home. When she works outside the home she can be profitable and spins thread. I am using the NLT version in this one, it makes the most sense to me. Sometimes I love having the Bible App on my phone where I can switch between versions.

Proverbs 31:19

Her hands are busy spinning thread, her fingers twisting fiber.

What are you hands busy doing? Are they busy doing the work of the world and the idle or are the busy doing the work of the Lord? Do you spend your time watching junk on tv, listening to music with curse words, or movies with sexual immorality? The Lord may bless you with the ability to stay home and have your home be your job. What are your hands doing at home are they doing the work of the Lord, are you working and doing it in joy? Are you complaining or doing everything you do for God? Even when folding laundry or changing dirty diapers doing your work at home you need to praise God. Praise him for the blessings in your life. If you work outside of the home, again praise him for the opportunities he gave you, praise him for the ability to help support your family. Praise the Lord for all he has done in your life. It took me a while to Praise God and give him my teaching career. My career wasn't going anywhere and I was having a hard time finding a position. When I FULLY and COMPLETELY gave it over to the LORD I was presented with 2 positions in the same school year. Praise the LORD. Whether you work inside or outside the home. Show Glory to God in all you do.

~Samantha

Prayer

Lord, help me to be virtuous, help me to show what a virtuous woman really is. Help me to be virtuous in every situtation in my life, whether it is frustrating or not, and whether I am at fault or not. Lord please help me to keep my career in your hands, and guide me in the way you want me to go and open and or close doors that you want and let me be aware that this is your will. Help me to praise you daily, even for the smallest things. Thank you Lord for sending your son and showing me in your word what a virtuous woman is. AMEN.

Her Light Does Not go out

The Last 3 days: I am sorry to all my readers that I am slacking. I had a busy and crazy weekend. It was my birthday on Friday, Saturdays was a me day, and today we were visiting with family. I have been working on being a virtuous woman the past 3 days. The truth is I have succeeded and failed. I have encouraged and enriched my husband in his life, and hopefully encouraged his walk. I have done a quiet time and I am ahead of where we are, but I am going to post a day at a time, and not ramble to much. I am a failure in biting my tongue and staying strong in the Lord. I have not been a virtuous woman to others in my life, especially with teasing some of them, and I am sorry. But this journey has helped me thus far in learning what is virtuous and what is not and how to act. I want my light to shine bright like that of a Virtuous Woman.
(If this sounds likes rambling and non-sense I am really tired)

Her Light Shines Bright At Night.
 Does your life show light? I try to show the light of Jesus Christ in everything I do. I try to demonstrate his love, his love and life were the light. So does your life show the light of Jesus shining through it each and every day? Is your life shining in everything you do? In making dinner, getting the kids off to school, driving to work, at work all day, folding laundry, rocking your babies to sleep? Do you show light in all of those things? I know it can be hard to show the light in everything especially when you are tired and just want to go to bed and ignore everything. Sit back and think about the areas your light might need to shine.

Proverbs 31:18

She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night.

What do you do to benefit your relationship with God and to set the stage for others in your life who are looking at you as a virtuous woman? I stay up some nights very late, ironing cloths, folding laundry, vacuuming the floors, doing dishes all of these things, which makes my lamp stay on, sometimes for many extended hours. I do not do this for me but for my family. I am preparing the way for my girls, I am also setting the stage for my husband, and by being virtuous at home and encouraging him, I am helping him with his walk as well. I don't always want to do this but I do this because everything I do I have little eyes watching me, I want them to see me do these things, not because I feel like I have to but because I am a virtuous woman, and a virtuous woman does this, and does it with a smile on her face, and love in her heart because that's how God would have done it. I might not be selling anything physically but my merchandise is my home. My profit the spiritual and emotional payoff I earn from my kids and husband when I decide to let my light shine not only all night but all day, and in everything I do and everyplace I go. I hope you learn that doing everything you do for the GLORY of the LORD is definitely worth it sometimes we don't want to do things but we need to do them, so we can teach others how to be GODLY.

~Samantha

Prayer

Lord I know sometimes I complain about taking care of my house and doing the things I do not always want to do but have to do. I need to do them without complaining Lord. I do get paid in a way for the things I do. I get paid in the feeling of satisfaction as well as the emotional and spiritual profit of myself and others. Help to know that all the things I don' t want to do but have to do are there for a reason and that doing them is going to make me be more vitruous that not letting my light burn out or be a very dim light, I hope learn that no matter what I have to always have my light shinning through. Help my girls to see me in this virtuous roll doing these things with the light always shinning through me and not because I have to do them but because God wants me to do them.

AMEN.

A Strength Like No Other.

Let's be honest ladies

To be honest, I think the hardest part of this journey so far in heading down the path of being a virtuous woman is the encouraging and enriching my Hubs everyday. Don't get me wrong I Love Him with all my heart. He is the Love of my life, I couldn't do everything I do without him. I have been so critical and getting frustrated and frazzled over the little stuff for so long, that not getting upset, frazzled, frustrated, or being critical is hard for me to do. You would think it was the opposite but lets be honest, the hardest part is doing what is not normal, and being encouraging and enriching to Hubs is not normal, and that is sad to say :(. Other than intentionally being encouraging and enriching I had a pretty good day. I didn't start the day off well, I slept in to start it all off and then rushed all morning. Tomorrow is a new day, and tomorrow I will be an early bird. 

So today I read one verse, since yesterday I felt like all 4 of those went hand in hand. I felt like today's verse had a lot that I could say just about it. I think it could be grouped together with the next several versus but I am definitely enjoying this study and everything the Lord has laid on my heart during this study, as well as having this study hold me accountable to make sure I am being a woman I need to be. Today's verse was 

Proverbs 31:17(ESV)

She dresses her self with strength and makes her arms strong.

I've said it once I'll say it a lot more WOW!!! God surprises me with each and every verse in Proverbs 31. Just think God gives woman a strength like no other. I mean we go through a lot as woman, childbirth, to carry and birth a child is a strength like no other. A virtuous woman dresses herself in strength, I have to be strong. I think the type of strength God is speaking about here is that yes a woman needs to be strong in the literal sense of the word, but there is a lot more to being strong than just having strength. I have been shown the ways in which I need to be strong, and show strength to my girls, and husband. I need to be strong in the walk I have with the Lord. One way that God really showed me I need to be strong in is to bite my tongue, sometimes I don't want to bite my tongue I get frustrated. I want to say things and do things that do not display an ungodly attitude around my girls. I want to be strong and be aware of everything that's going on I want to be sure I am displaying a Godly demeanor and a Godly strength in everything I do. I need to work at my house through the tiredness, through the "I don't really want to's" through all of that I need to be strong and fight through it, again not for myself but for H, G, and C. When I show them that the house is a priority I show them that their well being is a priority. When I keep the house up even though I am exhausted I show Hubs that hey thanks for all you do for your kids and me. I have to show the kids that this stuff is important and it needs to be done because when I take pride in the things I am Blessed with than, I am giving thanks to the Lord. Sometimes working through the tiredness and having strength in that way is what I need. God has given me the strength to work through the tiredness and I have to be able to do this not for me but for my family. Wow having strength that is from him is completely different than trying to do this on my own. This verse speaks to me in so many ways I could write like 10 pages on it, but I'm not going to. I am going to end it right there tonight, before I ramble on. A virtuous woman is a precious jewel, strong, an early riser, she prepares the way for her family, and encourages and enriches the life of her Husband. WOW how amazing is that, when I am on this journey that I hope never ends, even just now, how amazing of a person will I be and not because of me but because I have done this through the Lord. I am looking forward to becoming the wife, mother, and woman of God, he created me to be.

~Samantha

Prayer

Father I come to you today, to ask you to give me the strength I need to be a virtuous woman. Give me the strength to hold my tongue when it needs to be held, to be patient when I am frazzled, to prepare the way for my family, to have the desire and strength to keep my house up to show my children I am thankful for the blessings you have placed in my life. Give me the strength to show Hubs love and encouragement everyday, and to enrich his life by small and grand gestures and to change the way I approach certain situations with him, that I handle them in a way that is glorifying to you, let me be the precious jewel you made me and help me to be the Godly woman of virtue you have designed me to be. Thank you for your word and showing me what a Woman of Virtue looks like and for putting this desire on my heart to be that woman. AMEN.

She is an Early Bird, but I am NOT!

Today I was a precious jewel. I made sure I acting in a way that demonstrated I was a precious jewel of GOD! I still cannot believe that God thinks I am a precious jewel. The way I approached my girls today was much softer and loving, even in discipline I approached them in a way that was demonstrating me as a precious jewel. When my sweet G yelled at H, well I got upset because I know she got the yelling from me, I had to tell her she is a precious jewel and so is her sister and she needs to be soft and kind to her sister and that mommy was trying very hard to be soft and kind to her as well.

I tried really hard to enrich and encourage my husband, I didn't nag at him or get mad at him for silly reasons. I let him know how much I appreciated him taking H to the doctor because I wasn't able to. I let him know he is amazing and a wonderful man and husband. I am going to try to encourage and enrich him everyday the way a Virtuous woman should.

A morning person, not I. One thing I am definitely not is a morning person. I have 3 alarms set on my phone my "It should be time to get up, but you can lie in bed for 30 more minutes" alarm that goes off at 5:30AM, my "OK you seriously need to keep your eyes open now Sam" alarm that goes off at 5:55AM, and finally my "Holy Cow if you press snooze one more time you're going to be super duper late" alarm that goes off at 6:15AM. In all honesty I should get up when the first Alarm goes off at 5:30AM. I am not a morning person, that's just not how God made me, he made me to wake up at 9:00AM and go to bed at 11:00PM. Who agrees with me? Well if we read the scripture today, we will see that's not always the case God wants us to rise early, but there is a good reason and it goes hand in hand with some other verses in Proverbs. Lets look at the verses.

Proverbs 31:13-16(ESV)

(13)She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.

(14)She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar.

(15)She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household, and portions for her maidens.

(16)She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit oh her hands she plants a vineyard.

Verses 13 and 14 are talking about how a virtuous woman needs to be sure that she is always willing to work hard for her family. Some of you may get something other than what I get out of these verses but this is what the Lord laid on my heart of how these verses pertain to me and my life. Some people may say see this is proof a woman needs to work in the home to prepare it for her family. Well I work outside the home, and I enjoy my job as a teacher. I also work inside the home, but first and foremost my work inside the home should be the most important why is that? I am preparing the way for 3 little girls, I am setting the stage for the rest of their lives, I am the woman whom they will look up to more often then not in their lives. They will see how I handle a situation and say "Hey well that's how mom handled it, and she says she is a Christian so I guess that's an alright way to handle this situation." When in reality it might not be the best way to handle it. So preparing my home and working with my hands to keep it up is a way to show the Lord I am thankful for the many blessings in my life but also to demonstrate what a Woman of God does, whether she works out of the house, or stays home all day, a Godly Woman is never done working and neither is a mother. 

Verse 15, Oh verse 15. Verse 15 the verse I did not like when I read it but when I studied it, I understand why it is important and how it pertains to my life. My girls like oatmeal and other cereals for breakfast, or eggs, pancakes, really any breakfast foods. I do too, but on the weekends is usually when get the big fancy breakfasts when I can wake up at 9:30AM and have breakfast at 10:00AM. Ahh the weekends, most school days we eat a bowl of cereal (if we are lucky), toast with peanut butter, but most commonly a granola bar. I know "Breakfast of Champions" right there. After hitting the snooze button 15 times, taking twice as long in the shower as I should, changing my clothes 10 times, because I don't like the way my outfit looks (Like my 5th graders really care about me or my fashion sense), doing my hair, getting G up and dressed, hair done and ready for school I'm lucky if I have enough time to pack lunches and give breakfast to G.I just need to slow down(or get out of bed earlier) and actually slow down and enjoy my mornings. God says in verse 15 that a virtuous woman rises while it is yet night......ugh I don't get up if the sun isn't up. He goes on to say provides food for her household, and portions for her maidens.  Is he telling me I have to wake up early everyday and prepare a 3 course breakfast for my family. Well no but he is saying we should wake up early prepare the way for our family. I should wake at 5:30 feet ready to hit the floor running and prepare the way for my girls. I should have my quiet time done, breakfast made, myself put together, and any other last minute details done all before I wake up G at 6:15ish. Rushing in the morning isn't helping her and rushing gets me frustrated and frazzled, frazzled gets me upset over silly stuff, which makes me yell at my husband, which is not encouraging or enriching him, which isn't helping........AHH the vicious cycle I have created by not being a virtuous woman. WOW Lord, thanks for this eye opener of a verse, one to stop me dead in my tracks. I mean even if we do wake up early before our families everyday and prepare a giant grand breakfast just because we are supposed to doesn't mean its helping, you need to do it with a heart of virtue, an outlook of being a precious jewel, and do it to enrich and encourage not only your spouse but your kids, because in the end you will also be blessed. I know its easier to stay in the bed under the covers and wait for the world to pass you by. Verse 16 says something to me, that many of you might not agree with but this is what I got out of it when studying it earlier today. It says this: She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit oh her hands she plants a vineyard. It says that she buys a field, she plants the vineyard with her own hands. So many meanings to so many people, here is what I got. My family is my field, my house, my job, my life, everything around me is my field. I must plant my seeds all around me and nourish them and water them, I have to do this to keep them healthy and let them grow. I planted the seeds in my girls, I must show my girls how to live for God, how to pray a prayer of praise and thanksgiving not just a "Give me this, and give me that" prayer but an genuine and authentic prayer, I must show them how to truly study the bible, and how demonstrate how to be a Godly wife and mother. I must nurture and feed these seeds or they will shrivel up and die and I will  be asking myself in 20 years why don't my girls know the Lord the way he longs to be known? I can tell you because I planted the seeds but didn't nurture and feed them. My goal is to plant to the seeds and nurture and feed them so they can blossom into beautiful flowers and Women of God. My hand plant the seeds in my life and How I choose to care for these seeds will determine how and if the plants will grow.

~Samantha

                                                                 Prayer

Father God, I come to you today as your precious jewel, you made me wonderful and beautiful and to shine your light and love all around me. Lord as much as I try I know I will not be a perfect mother or wife but the purpose of being virtuous is not about being perfect its about being a Godly woman. Lord help me to prepare the way for my girls, for them to become Godly woman, for me to demonstrate and teach them what that means, and let them see how it looks in my daily life. Let G, H, and C see me encourage Hubs every day and enrich his life in many ways. Let the boys who will one day grow up to be the leaders of their households have the way prepared for them, let them be shown what it means to be a Godly man, and what it means to be a spiritual leader. Let them together plant seeds and let those seeds grow into beautiful vineyards. Lord you are amazing and wonderful and I thank you for the desire to share my journey of virtue with the woman who read this. Help this to plant seeds in the lives of others and get them motivated to become Godly woman of Virtue as well. In your holy name. AMEN.

Enriching his life!

A little about today before the next verses....
Today I was not virtuous. I was not a precious jewel. I will be the first one to admit it. I yelled at someone on the phone today for a local utility company about a dispute and said some not to nice things to them. No cursing, or screaming, a harsh tone was used. I was shown in the minutes after the phone call that I am NOT perfect. What I am not perfect this is news to me me right.....No I knew I was not perfect, but God definitely let me know I was not being virtuous and I was not acting like a precious jewel. Even though my kids did not hear the phone conversation with the local utility company, the tone I used and what I said was definitely wrong. I am a big enough person to admit that, and that's the first step in having God TRANSFORM me into the Virtuous woman he designed me to be.

What I asked myself today..... Today after the not so nice phone call I asked myself a question.
     "Just because my girls aren't around is that a way for me to act, shouldn't I be acting virtuous in everything I do?" Wow, talk about a Conviction alert. Once again Lord I hear you LOUD and CLEAR. I need to be the same person in front of my girls as I am when they or no one else is looking. Am I being that person? Looking back on the way I spoke to the person what I said and how I reacted no I am not the same person. I am one person in front of my girls and another person elsewhere. This needs to change and it needs to change now. I cannot truly be a Godly role model for my girls if I am fake in front of them, of all people to be fake in front of my kids are not who I should choose. I shouldn't be fake at all. I need to be virtuous in everything I say and do, whether or not someone is watching, because God sees how I behave when no one else does, and how would he have liked my behavior? He let me be aware immediately after it happened that I was not being a precious jewel and I was by no means being virtuous, but he knows I am a work in progress and I am trying to become that virtuous woman he intends for me to be.

His heart trusts in me?

According to scripture I have some big shoes to fill in order to be a Proverbs 31 woman and wife. I will greatly enrich his life? I will not harm him? The way God says this next verse made me stop and think. 

Proverbs 31:11-12(ESV)

The heart of her Husband trusts in her and he will have no lack of gain.

She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.

The NLT states it as the following:  her husband can trust her and she will greatly enrich his life

God, you have made it so I enrich the life of my husband? Does Hubs truly trust me? Have I given him a reason or doubt to truly trust me? Is there any thing he is holding back because he doesn't want to tell me because I might tell the whole world? What a powerful message. I know that something I am working on is holding my tongue, learning when, what, and where to say things and not to say things, what things need be kept secret between my spouse and me and what things I can share. I should ask permission before sharing certain things with specific people. Ok, now I need to find out what I need to do so that my husband can feel like he can trust me 150%. I trust the Lord and my husband that much, but do I have the same trust from my husband? I know that as a wife I do not always do and say things to enrich the life of  Hubs. I try not to bring him harm purposefully , but thinking about it when I nag him, or get upset with him  for going to play ball with his friends instead of being home with me and the kids am I not being harmful? I may not be harming him physically but am I harming him emotionally, or perhaps spiritually? The last thing I want to do is harm him spiritually. He is the spiritual leader in our house and I want him to be a Man of God. Can he be the Man of God wants him to be if I am not being the Woman of God that I am supposed to be? I need to demonstrate to my girls how be an encouraging wife who enriches the life of her husband by drawing close to the Lord, and by making sure he can truly and fully trust me. How many marriages would be different or saved if husband and wives both learned to Encourage & Enrich the lives of their spouse? How much different will my marriage be and how much will I impact the life of my husband in the long run for the things I am doing short term that will turn into long term? How is the way that I approach my husband with Love, Encouragement, and Enrichment affect the way my girls approach their future spouse? My goal is that I can teach my girls this now, so they aren't married and then figuring this out but that they go into the marriage already being a virtuous woman. Wow all of that from 2 verses in the Old Testament of all places ;) Wow how the Lord will use will me.  I am hoping this journey gets to continue and helps me grow. I am proud to be on this amazing journey to be more virtuous.

~Samantha

Prayer:

Lord, I come to you today as a precious jewel, let my life shine like that of all the jewels. Lord help me to give my husband reason to put all his trust in me and if there is a reason he cannot, let us work through it with you, because only you Lord can change our hearts and minds. Lead me to encourage my Husband Lord, do not let me purposefully or not purposefully drag him down, spiritually, emotionally, or physically but be a source of enrichment and encouragement in his life on a daily basis. Lord I pray for G, H, and C that they will see me trying to become a virtuous woman and they will strive in their lives to be woman of virtue and will understand why it is important to encourage and enrich the lives of their future husbands. I lift of the boys who will someday be the spouses of my girls, that you work in their lives and help them to be the MEN of God that they will need to be. Lord help me to the woman of virtue you have designed me to be. Thank you for showing me what a virtuous woman is and for the desire to study and share what I am learning about being a virtuous woman of God.AMEN.

This is Hubs, with "G" the one standing and "H" This is why I have decided to take this journey. I want to encourage and enrich his life as my Husband daily.

"C" being as adorable as ever

My Journey Begins

I am starting this blog as a way to encourage and journal about my journey into becoming a woman from Proverbs 31. I want to be a woman of virtue. A mother who displays a love, fear, and reverence for God. I have 3 beautiful daughters and I want them to be woman of God. 

What sparked my desire to be a virtuous woman? I chose to do this after one night of being overwhelmed at home. I had come home from work to a couple of sick babies and the day went from wonderful to not so good all by 5:30. I had the 2 older girls, H and G bathed and fed dinner all by 5:30. When C started eating, and that's when it all fell apart. Why does it seem like as soon as a routine is settled in that kids want to disturb it? Why is it when 2 kids are sick and the baby needs fed that they decide to kill each other? Why is it that the night my husband (Hubs) decide to work late the house feels like it's going to fall apart? All questions I asked myself when I was feeling overwhelmed. 

Then came the feeling..... I felt the convictions, the way I was handing the situation. The way I disciplined the girls, the way I was telling my kids one thing, and doing and thinking another thing.How can I raise Virtuous woman if I'm not being a virtuous woman? Ok God I hear you, I cannot hold them to a high standard when I don't hold myself to the same standard. Ok God I hear you I hear you.......

So what am I going to do about it? I decided after Hubs went back to work that I was going to do this. I am going to help other woman besides me become a Virtuous woman and they can follow in my journey with me to become a woman of virtue who would be proud to be called a Woman of God. How can I be a role model to my girls if I don't live it myself.

What is a virtuous woman according to the scripture?
According to the ESV which is the version I read and like the best.(to each his own, read it in your version that speaks to you) I am breaking this down daily into a verse or two here is the first verse of what it means to be a virtuous woman.

Proverbs 31:10

An  Excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels.

WOW! I am more precious than jewels. Really? Me? Silly old me? God thinks I am more precious than any jewel he created and he created them all. Oh my, that's a lot to say about me. I don't always feel I am that precious. A virtuous woman is precious? Of all things that is not what i would have expected a virtuous woman to be. Most ladies who are married or engaged have at least one precious jewel on their hand. If that jewel is not kept clean what happens to it? It gets dull and dingy and it doesn't shine like it used to when we first got it. That's what can happen to us too.

Remember in order to keep ourselves as that precious jewel we need to stay polished and clean....."how do we do this", you ask? Let me tell you what God showed me. He showed me that the way I can do this is to read his word daily, treat myself the way he would treat me, and to just take care of myself.

God wants me to shine like a precious jewel in everything I do and everyday. I need to remember that I am a precious jewel.

~Samantha

Prayer:

Father, I know sometimes I don't shine the way I should, I let life get in the way, I make myself dull and dingy and my walk gets that way too. Lord please allow me to become that bright shinning jewel that you made me to be and show your love through my life and make me the virtuous woman you intended me to be. AMEN.