Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs

And so, we continually make negative statements. I was very challenged as I read Hebrews 3:12 the other morning: “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an EVIL HEART OF UNBELIEF, in departing from the living God.” The JBP version says: “You should therefore be most careful, my brothers, that there should not be in any of you that WICKEDNESS OF HEART which refuses to trust.”

We tend to think it is a light thing not to trust God, don’t we? We are all guilty of not trusting. Well, I admit, I am. We worry, fret, and try to work out our problems with our own understanding. But God calls it wicked! Ouch!

Why is it so wicked? Because it belittles God. We make him into a little god of our own imagination, a god that can fit in with our finite thinking. But God is so much bigger. His ways are so much higher. His thoughts are beyond finding out.

In the Lord’s prayer, Jesus told us to pray “Deliver us from evil.” This is the exact same word (poneros) as the “evil” heart of unbelief. We must ask God to deliver us from this lack of trust.

Ephesians 6:16 encourages us to take up the shield of faith so we will be “able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” It’s the same Greek word again. With the shield of faith and the power of the name of Jesus we must quench these evil thoughts of unbelief. Evil? Yes, God calls them evil!

Let’s get to the nitty gritty in order understand the seriousness of our lack of trust in our God. Satan is called “the wicked one.” It’s the same word again. When we embrace belief, and make it part of our life instead of trusting God, we give access to the devil, who is the wicked one, and wants to keep us in unbelief.

Romans 12:9 tells us that attitude we must have to this evil: “Abhor that which is evil.” Same word again!

We sang at Family Devotions the other morning:
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him,
How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er,
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust Him more.

Oh, how I long to be like the holy women of old who “trusted in God” even in the most difficult circumstances (1 Peter 3:5).

Love from Nancy Campbell

Like Thy springs of running water
Make me crystal pure.
Like Thy rocks of towering grandeur
Make me strong and sure.

Like Thy dancing waves in sunlight
Make me glad and free.
Like the straightness of the pine-tree
Help me upright be.

Like the arching of Thy heavens,
Raise my thoughts above.
Turn my dreams to noble actions,
Ministries of love.

God, who touches earth with beauty,
Make me lovely too.
Keep me ever, by Thy Spirit,
Pure and strong and true.

By Mary S. Adgar

’Tis not the fluttering eyelashes
That turn my heart your way,
But the depths of passion in those eyes
And love that they convey—

A dainty queen is not the fullness
Of femininity,
But she who loves her womanhood
And all that she can be!

~ Benjamin Graber

But when you saw Him coming, would you meet Him at the door
With arms outstretched in welcome, to your heav’nly Visitor?
Or would you have to change your clothes before you let Him in?
Or hide some magazines and put the Bible where they’d been?
Would you turn off the radio and hope He hadn’t heard?
And wish you hadn’t uttered that last loud, hasty word?

Would you hide your worldly music and put some hymnbooks out?
Could you let Jesus walk right in, or would you rush about?
And I wonder – if the Savior spent a day or two with you,
Would you go right on doing the things you always do?
Would you go right on saying the things you always say?
Would life for you continue as it does from day to day?

Would your family conversation keep up its usual pace?
And would you find it hard each meal to say a table grace?
Would you sing the songs you always sing, and read the books
you read,
And let Him know the things on which our mind and spirit feed?
Would you take Jesus with you everywhere you’d planned to go?
Or would you, maybe, change your plans for just a day or so?

Would you be glad to have Him meet your very closest friends?
Or would you hope they’d stay away until His visit ends?
Would you be glad to have Him stay forever on and on?
Or would you sigh with great relief when He at last was gone?
It might be interesting to know the things that you would do,
If Jesus came in person to spend some time with you.

~ Unknown.

However, when Jesus died and shed His own spotless blood, the thick curtain separating the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place tore from top to bottom. It is now open. Now in the New Covenant God wants to dwell in our heats. Our lives are now the Holy of Holies for Him to dwell.

Is this true? Unbelievable, but yes. 1 Corinthians 6:19 says: “What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and You are not your own?” The word “temple” is “naos” which is the word for the “Holy of Holies.” The word “hieron” is the word for the temple, but “naos” refers to the Holy of Holies.

Can you get this? God has chosen you to be His residence, a Holy of Holies where He can dwell.

Because God is a holy God, He looks for holy people in which to dwell in this world. We as the people of God are to be a holy people. A set apart people. A sanctified people. A suitable vessel for God’s holiness. We cannot afford to be friends with the world. James 4:4: says “Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”

God is a holy God. The Bible states “holy” three times because once is not enough to describe His holiness (Isaiah 6:3 and Revelation 4:8). Therefore, God wants holy people. Holy parents. Holy children—yes, God wants us to raise “godly” children (Malachi 2:15). The word is “elohim,” one of God’s names. He wants children in His likeness filling this world. He wants holy families.

Let’s answer honestly: Are we a worldly family? Or are we a holy family?

Be encouraged today,

Nancy Campbell

Yesterday I posted thoughts on mothering from Debbie Erickson. Today I would like to share with you a Mother’s Day post from another dear friend, Peggy Fitzpatrick. She is also a mother and grandmother. Peggy writes on a different theme, but one which so many of us mothers relate to—the deepest longings and yearnings for our children. I know you will be blessed by her sharing also:

“My heart was awakened at daybreak on this Mother’s Day as I do many days, with the awareness of deepest longings for my children, for their well-being and happiness, for the fulfillment of their destinies, and their absolute good.

Almost simultaneously I became aware that this mother-longing exists in an inexplicable conjunction with the deep groaning of all creation spoken of in Romans chapter 8. I am in awe once again of the sharing we enter into as mothers with this profoundest, indescribably, instinctive identification with the very heart of the Creator of all humanity, an identification that is felt and echoed throughout all creation, and more deeply felt within us than even our own heartbeat.

I know this is not only a mother instinct, it is a life instinct, deeply joined to our Father’s own deep longing. However, we as mothers are given a gigantic dose of this connection with our children that determines our joy and sorrow, pain and concern, righteous anger or deep peace for as long as we live.

Rabbi Shaul wrote (with a motherly longing) in Galatians 4:19, “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you.” Again, in a very motherly description he wrote: “Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?” (2 Corinthians 11:29 NASB). And in 1 Thessalonians 2:19 (NASB) he says: “For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?”

Romans 8:22, 23, 19, 25 (NASB): “For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now, and not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for adoption as sons . . . For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God . . . If we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we eagerly await for it.”

Therefore, to all of us who are mothers, whether through giving birth or through loving deeply, may we know the honor and the privilege today of bearing in our hearts the very heart of our God who longs for us with a longing too deep for words.

And may we draw near to our Lord Jesus who went before us in laying His life down to bring us all into the fulfillment of our destinies. Let us lean into this calling of ours, with faith and hope, with joy and an eager expectation of good. May all the good we desire for our children find its ABUNDANT, more than we can ask or imagine fulfillment in Him.

~ Peggy Fitzpatrick, Nashville, Tennessee.

I read a beautiful message on Mother’s Day from a dear friend of mine, Debbie Erickson. Debbie is a mother and grandmother. She also organized the very first Above Rubies retreat in USA (held in Texas), well over 20 years ago. She wrote so beautifully of what I feel motherhood is all about it. In fact, I shared the same theme in my Mother’s Day post to you, but she wrote more movingly. Therefore, I’d love to share it with you:

“Today is Mother’s Day, a great day that the calendar marks once a year to honor mothers around our country. I think it’s a great idea. Moms need to be honored, treated well, and celebrated--and ideally, not just one day a year. We owe a lot to our moms. We certainly wouldn’t be here without them.

However, I am very keenly aware that Mother’s Day is a very painful day for many women who have longed for children of their own, but haven’t received them yet. For whatever reason--infertility, barrenness, not having found the right man yet, physical limitations, repeated miscarriages, etc., motherhood has eluded many women who desire to be mothers. And, so this can be a sad day for these women. I have had many friends who have felt this pain on Mother’s Day.

I have compassion for these women. Being a mom is a huge blessing and one of the greatest joys and privileges in my life. However, I want to put a different perspective on mothering that perhaps you have never considered before.

I truly believe that there are differences in the sexes. Beyond the obvious anatomical differences between men and women, God put in the DNA of women to be nurturers, to care for someone/something, to pour herself into someone/something to raise it up, to make it better, to help, and to love!

If you are a woman who doesn’t have a child of your own, you can still mother . . .
Yes, there I said it. You don’t have to have a child of your own to mother. So, how does that work? There are loads of examples all around us! Mother Teresa from Calcutta, India was never a biological mother, but she rescued, mothered, and raised hundreds of orphans who had been left on the streets to die. She became a mother to many.

What about the hospital volunteers who are childless women who sit and cuddle the tiny babies in the NICU’s to help their growth and development by their tender, nurturing touch?

What about all the childless women in ministry who have spiritual children all over the world that they train, teach, impart to, and love?

What about all those childless women in helping professions like teachers, nurses, and paramedics, etc., whose jobs include assist and giving aid to, even saving the lives of babies and children?

What about the childless women who give money to fund orphanages, adoptions, rescuing children from human trafficking, and feeding and clothing programs for the homeless? Children can be homeless, too, you know.

What about all the childless women in the world who love their pet dog or cat with all their heart and often give them better care than some moms give their own children?

These all represent ways that women can mother without ever having a child.

I believe in having babies. I believe in adopting babies and children. I believe in all of that, trust me! But for women who having children of their own has escaped them for whatever the reason, there are many ways they can mother, also!

Look around you, dear women!
Who needs a hug?
Who needs some words of encouragement?
Who needs a mentor to say “Come with me? Let me teach you about the Lord and His plans for you?”
Who needs a hot meal or you to invite them into your home?
Who needs a home to stay in while they are getting stuff worked out in their lives?
What single mom needs a few hours of free baby-sitting?
What baby or child needs to be adopted?
Who needs to be held and allowed to just cry it out?
Who needs their hands held while they go through something really scary?
Who needs someone to rejoice with them when things go great?
Who needs someone to grieve with them when things don’t turn out so well?
What dog needs to be rescued or bought?

There are so many hurting babies, children, teens, and adults, elderly, and yes, even animals, in this world who need a momma’s touch. And you don’t have to have had a baby be that “momma” to that child or adult.

It’s in the God-given DNA of all women to want to take care of, nourish, nurture, encourage, love on, and make people (and the world) better.

So, go for it, women! Reach out and change the world with your God-given nurturing DNA! Because it is in you! You’ve got it! God put that special something there in you! Don’t hold back for one second on mothering someone/something just because you haven’t had a child.

Because you have something unique inside of you that someone or something truly needs, I can truly say to EACH WOMAN reading this, ‘HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY” TO YOU!’”

~ Debbie Erickson, Carrollton, Texas.

Our God is a God of increase!

Conversely, I cannot find any Scripture in the Bible that tells us to limit our children to one or two.

Which Bible do we believe?

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

As I hold this baby in my arms
I’m like a picture of You,
To nurture with Your love
Is what You made me to do.”

God chose you, as a woman, to reveal His nurturing anointing to the world.

Are you a first-time mother with a little baby? This is your first official Mother’s Day. May you be filled with joy as you nurture your little darling. Embrace your God-given role. You are walking in the perfect will of God.

Are you a mother with little children around you? Or perhaps little children, middling children, and older children. You are blessed beyond measure. God has destined every child He has given you from the foundation of the world. I know you will be blessed today with your children all around you. Be encouraged to never give up. Remember that even when you face tiring and difficult days God is with you to strengthen you each new day. You are in the highest career in the nation. You are determining the destiny of the nation.

Are you single? Or a mother who desperately waits for children from your womb? You are no less a mother. The nurturing anointing resides in you. May you be blessed today as you open your heart to who God created you to be and reach out to the hurting and needy around you.

The world cries out for the nurturing anointing of God. You can become the greatest mother in the nation as you pour out your mother heart to the lonely, destitute, hurting, and unloved. Think of Mother Theresa. She did not have the blessing of having children from her womb, but she mothered thousands more than a married woman. As Isaiah 54:1 says: "More are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.”

Be blessed today.

Love from Nancy Campbell

Painting by Jessie Rasche, “Pink Love.”

What about grace? Such a wonderful word. It’s used 170 times in the Bible.

The glorious word “salvation” is used 158 times and Savior 39 times.

Faith is mentioned 338 times.

We are told to “pray” 313 times in the Bible, although there are many other words used to describe prayer.

However, when searching the Bible for the different words God uses for children I was amazed. The most common Hebrew word for children is “ben” and there are nearly 4,000 references to this word!

But that’s not the only word for children. God’s heart is so much for children that He has a different word for every stage of their growth, from birth to adulthood. I discovered 50 different Hebrew words for children in the Old Testament and 26 different Greek words for children in the New Testament. These words add up to thousands.

It’s interesting that we constantly hear messages at church each Sunday on faith, grace, love, and salvation, which is wonderful because we can never learn enough of these grand themes. But when do we ever hear a message about family life and the blessing of children? Maybe on the rare occasion? And yet God has more words for children than any other subject.

Do you think we should get more in line with God?

Love from Nancy Campbell

Painting by Corinne Hartley (available from Carmel Galleries).

You can find all the different Hebrew and Greek words for children in THE POWER OF MOTHERHOOD. Currently available ON SALE until 14th May.

Go to: http://aboverubiesbookstore.mybigcommerce.com/power-of-mot…/

When you clean toilets, sing for joy because Christ sings with you and over you (Zephaniah 3:17). When you wash dishes and laundry, acknowledge the presence of Christ with you. When you prepare another meal for your family, do it with joy and excitement because Christ is with you. He doesn’t leave you when you do the commonplace duties. He is not apart from you in the humdrum of life. He is in you and with you.

He promises: “I will NEVER leave you, or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). No matter what you are doing (unless you are sinning and grieving His Holy Spirit), He is with you.

I love Zechariah 14:20, 21 (NET): “On that day the bells of the horses will bear the inscription “HOLY TO THE LORD.” The cooking pots in the LORD’S temple will be as holy as the bowls in front of the altar. Every cooking pot in Jerusalem and Judah will become holy in the sight of the LORD who rules over all.”

Every saucepan you pick up is holy because you, and everything in your home, is sanctified by the power of the living Christ who abides in you. To prepare a meal for your family is as sacred as a minister who prepares a spiritual meal for the church!

Therefore, enjoy every moment and every task in your home today.

Blessings from Nancy Campbell

When we focus our ordinary, daily life on the eternal, it takes us from the doldrums to delight, from misery to the miraculous, from pre-occupation with self to praising God. Instead of being overwhelmed about all our challenges and problems, we lift our eyes to Christ who sits at the right hand of the Father. We give our difficulties to Him. Nothing is too big for Him to handle.

Did you know that God never gets in a state of confusion or tension? And He dwells in your heart by His Spirit? Therefore, you don’t have to get all tied up in knots? Allow Christ to take control. He’ll do a much better job than you!

Be encouraged today as you read 2 Corinthians 4:1-18: “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a FAR MORE EXCEEDING AND ETERNAL WEIGHT OF GLORY: While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which re not seen are eternal.”

Many blessings to you today,

Nancy Campbell

Here are a few quotes from commentators on Ephesians 6:1-3.

“There can be no obedience where there is no authority; and if a child is not disciplined to obedience it suffers a moral loss which can hardly ever be completely remedied in later years. Obedience to the personal authority of parents disciplines us to obey the personal authority of God.”

“The exercise of authority . . . meets him at the beginning of life with the idea so necessary for all to realize, that in this world no human will is meant to be absolute and supreme, and that the first lesson—which everyone is to learn—is the difficult, but necessary one of obedience. “
~ T. G. Begets

“It is the duty of a child to obey. It is the duty of parents to rule.”
~ R, W. Dale

“If atheism is not normal, why do certain people become unbelievers? First, it is well known that the seeds of atheism can be planted early in life. One of the most dangerous contributions a parent can make toward the spiritual delinquency of his child is a failure to instill within him a respect for authority. If the parent neglects to set the proper example as an authority figure, or refuses to exercise discipline with love, he might well be rejected as an authority-figure by his child, and thus, by transference, the child ultimately may come to disdain all authority, including the Supreme Authority, God.”
~ “Surveying the Evidence by Kyle Butt, Wayne Jackson, Eric Lyons.

Was I always diligent as I trained our children? Not always, although I took it seriously. We constantly need to remind each other of the most important things in life. And this is the most important task of parenting.

Love from Nancy Campbell
www.aboverubies.org

References:
HONORED: Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16; Matthew 15:4; 19:19; Mark 7:10; 10:19; Luke 18:20; and Ephesians 6:1-3. Check also Exodus 21:15, 17; Proverbs 15:20; 19:26; 20:17, 20; and 23;22.
OBEYED: Ephesians 6:1-3; Colossians 3:20.
FEARED: Leviticus 19:3.

Each one of us know that to counteract the onslaughts of the enemy, we must daily put on our armor. Do you remember the first piece of armor that is mentioned?

Yes, it is truth. What area of our bodies do we cover with truth? The King James Bible says it is “the loins.” Let’s read it in Ephesians 6:14: “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth.”

The Greek word for loins in this Scripture is “osphus” meaning “the hips, the strength of a man, procreative power, the seat of generative power.” The Bible talks about future progeny coming forth from the loins (c.f. Acts 2:30 and Hebrews 7:5, 9, 10). It was most important that soldiers protected their loins (their procreative power) as they went out to war.

However, I am confused. Most modern translations do not even mention the word loins. A typical translation is “Tighten the belt of truth around your waist.” The word “waist” is not mentioned in the original Greek. Nor do I find the word “belt.” I will concede that often the clothing covering the loins is attached to a belt to hold it tightly in place. So, they’ve got something there.

Men wore long robes in those days. When they did physical work, or readied themselves for action they “girded up their loins.” They picked up their robes to the knees or just above the knees and tucked them in their belt. Therefore, they could be using this metaphor.

But they eliminate the most important word, “loins.” No soldier would go to war without protecting his loins. A belt is not enough. Check the picture above. In fact, it is a shame to have the loins uncovered. When prisoners were taken captive, they often shamed them by shaving their heads and uncovering their loins!

The Bible says the loins are to be protected with truth. Are modern translators victims of the deception this Scripture exposes?

It is a fact that most of Christendom today is ignorant about the power of their loins. They are not protected with the truth of God’s Word. This area of the body has been, and is being, attacked by the enemy. Satan hates life and seeks to eliminate it every way he possibly can. He has fooled God’s people to close their wombs and cut of the power of their loins so they cannot bring forth God’s children. Satan has won a huge victory and God’s army is sorely lacking.

The loins are to be fully girded about. That means they must be protected from abortion, all the modern methods of contraception that eliminate life, and the knife that cuts off procreative power.

Not only have the loins been made lifeless, but they have become prey to sin—fornication and adultery among young people and even married couples. It’s time for a revival of strengthening the loins and bringing God’s truth and holiness back to this area of our bodies.

We must teach our young people to gird their loins with truth. It is the first piece of armor mentioned. It is the preparation for all others. If the loins are not kept pure and holy by embracing God’s truth, it’s not much use putting on any other piece of armor.

What conviction does a “belt of truth” give us? It is the loins that must be girded about.

Blessings today from Nancy Campbell

P.S. The following versions use the word “loins” which is in the original Greek: King James Version, Darby Version, Young’s Literal Translation of the Holy Bible (which I would expect it to use the correct word), Douay-Rheims, Knox, Geneva Bible 1599, and the New American Standard Bible (which is the only one I could find in the modern versions that includes the word “loins.”) If you find other versions, let me know.

However, 1 Peter tells husbands to also show honor to their wives. But it’s a different kind of honor. Let’s read the Scripture: “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them (your wives) according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.”

The word used this time means “value, esteem of the highest degree, dignity, precious.” It is the same word used of the “preciousness” of Christ (1 Peter 2:7). Husbands should come into marriage with knowledge and understanding of how to treat their wives. Many men are ignorant because of the brainwashing of feminism. Feminism takes away the beauty of femininity. They pressure women to be like men. Therefore, when men no longer see women as a prized possession to be protected and cared for, they do not know how to function correctly.

Husbands are to esteem their wife as the weaker vessel. Now I know some women don’t like to be put in that category. But this is the truth. I think I am a strong woman physically, but I am not as strong as men. Men mostly have 50 percent more brute strength than women. They are built to have more muscle, broader shoulders, and stronger physique to lift heavy weights, do hard work, provide, and protect.

I like Fenton’s translation which says: “assigning honour to their FEMININE NATURE, as to a weaker vessel.” To get back to God’s plan, it works both ways. We as wives show awe and honor to our husbands. The a more a man walks in manliness, the easier it is to show this honor.

Conversely, our husbands are to treat us with dignity and as they would their most precious possession. The more we embrace and walk in our femininity, the easier it is for our husbands to treat us this way.

Be blessed today, Nancy Campbell

Painting by Bessie Pease Gutmann

I love the words “bring them up.” Notice it doesn’t say, “Pull them down,” but “bring them up.” The Greek word is “ektrefo.” “Trepho” means “to fatten, to cherish (with food), pamper, feed, nourish.” This is what we do with our darling little ones. We want to fatten them up, don’t we? We love our fat babies with their chubby cheeks, thighs, and legs? It’s the one time in their life when we can ooh and asah over their fatness!

However, our children are more than bodies. They are souls and spirits. This Scripture tells us how we are to fatten up their inner man, “in the nurture and admonition OF THE LORD.” The highest education we give our children is the Lord’s training. We fatten them up on Christ. We nourish and nurture their souls and spirits with His life-giving Word.

We don’t choke them with these commandments. We mash them up finely. When we have Family Devotions each day with our children, we give them what is needful for them. We give them enough to satisfy them for one meal, “precept upon precept; line upon line” (Isaiah 28:10). They don’t need it all at once because we’ll give them at least two “inner man” meals a day, every day until they leave home..

If you have little ones around your table as you read God’s Word, ask simple questions to make sure they understand. They don’t have to understand everything. That will take a lifetime. But mash up one little morsel for them to get into their soul. Some families have older children, middling, and little ones. Be aware of their needs. Mash up a little morsel for the little ones and ask some “T-bone steak” questions to the older ones.

Above all, remember your source of education is “of the Lord” and His Word. This is your parenting lifestyle (Deuteronomy 6:6-9). Everything else is secondary.

Blessings from Nancy Campbell
www.aboverubies.org

Photo by Peter Mahar Photography. Taken from Doorposts.

Life with little ones can be overwhelming. Our children weren’t born perfect little angels and a lot of our mothering is teaching them how to live in this life instead of throwing tantrums and demanding their own way.

When raising our children, I found that if I was to discipline my children for everything little thing throughout the day I became a nervous wreck or a yelling and screaming mother. This is not how we are meant to mother. I believe we can save ourselves so much frustration by proactively mothering rather than letting it all happen around us.

It’s amazing the difference it makes to our children’s behavior when we have the right attitude. A joyful mother makes a joyful atmosphere. A fun-loving mother makes home life fun. A smiling mother encourages smiling children.

Many times, children become irritable and difficult because they are tired, bored, or just need some cuddle time with mother. Instead of getting upset and shouting at them to behave themselves, gather your children together and read them a story. I spent hours gathering my children around me and reading to them. Everyone of these times is another opportunity to cuddle and interact with your children.

I also decided that I would not discipline them for every childish thing. Children can be noisy, full of energy, break things, and just act like children. Well, isn’t that what they are? Children! Therefore, I overlooked much of their childishness. But, I disciplined for the important—disobedience, lies, anger, rebellion, and the things God hates. I did not stand for pouting and tantrums as they a lay a habit for that kind of attitude throughout their life.

I loved this passage I read recently in a novel I was reading. I rarely read a novel, except maybe on vacation, but recently I read one of George MacDonald’s novels which are full of biblical teaching all the way through. In “The Seaboard Parish,” the Rev. Harry Walton will soon be leaving his parish for another parish by the sea. He writes about two of his youngest boys:

“That morning rose gloriously. Harry and Charlie were turning the house upside down, to judge by their noise. . . . I never made much objection to mere noise, knowing that I could stop it the moment I pleased, and knowing too that so far from there being anything wrong in making a noise, the sea would make noise enough in our ears before we left Kilkhaven. But the moment that I heard a thread of whining or a burst or anger in the noise, I would interfere—treating these as things that must be dismissed at once.

“I listened to it (the noise) with a kind of reverence, as the outcome of a gladness which the GOD OF JOY (my capitalization) had kindled in their hearts. Soon after, however, I heard certain dim growls of expostulation from Harry, and having ground for believing that the elder was tyrannizing the younger, I sent Charlie to find out where the tide would be between one and two o’clock, and Harry to run to the top of the hill, to find out the direction of the wind. Before I was dressed, Charlie was knocking at my door with the news that it would be half tide about one. Harry speedily followed with the discovery that the wind was northeast by southwest, which determined the sun would shine all day.”

I loved the way he didn’t get upset with happy noise. I know that some parents are geared to not be able to stand noise and will parent according to their personality. For myself, I love to hear happy noise from children. I don’t mind their jumping around and shouts of laughter. My husband doesn’t find this easy and likes to keep things quieter, but I’m happy with joy and happiness, even if it’s loud.

I also loved the way he proactively dealt with his boys when they began to argue and disagree. Instead of storming in with a stick and yelling at them to stop, he gave them both something creative to do. Immediately, they obeyed, did something positive, and came back not remembering their argument.

As you mother today and face the challenges of imperfect children, be proactive, creative, and filled with the wisdom of the Lord. Don’t ever stand for disobedience, but distinguish between God’s commands and little childishness.

Have a lovely day,

Nancy Campbell

Painting: Available from: http://shop.kmberggren.com/Love_Ever_Afte…/loveeverafter.htm

Satan’s plan is to smite motherhood and scatter the mother shepherds out of the home. When he lures mothers away from their home, he can then turn against “the little ones” and entice them to his thinking and ways.

It is sad that many have fallen for Satan’s trap. It is time for watchdog, protective, lion-like, standing strong, never-giving-into-deception mothers to arise. Mothers who will not be moved from their homes and who will guard their children and homes with all diligence.

Don’t be lured away, dear mother. No one, no matter how professional they are, can ever replace you, your children’s mother! You are more important than you realize.

Blessings to you today,

Nancy Campbell