We’ve got a freebie for you today!
Each month our dear friends at Crossway Books make one title available for free for the Kindle e-book reader. This month, they’ve selected our book, Shopping for Time: How to Do It All and NOT Be Overwhelmed
I think Janelle’s working on a Friday Funny for later so be sure to come back!
Big thanks to Greg Gilbert over at the 9Marks blog for posting a recent conversation he had with his three-year-old son. We couldn’t resist using it here for Friday Funnies:
Heh.
by Greg Gilbert
Me [to my three-year-old]: “Jack, you disobeyed so you’re going to have to be disciplined now.”
Jack [with pooched lip]: “But, but, remembah what you said at Stahbucks? Jesus took our punishment for us so we could go outside and play!”
Heh.
I guess this is the kind of thing you have to be prepared for when you practice “gospel-centered” parenting. What I want to know is: what did Greg say in response?
Until Monday,
Janelle for Mom, Nic, and Kess
“Women of dominion…have been appointed to undertake a wonderful life mission. God has called them to take on grand projects which will nobly touch lives in earth-shaking ways. Sure, they’ll encounter pain and thorns and thistles in the process. Sure, they’ll need to exercise Herculean discipline and self-denial. But the wonderful final-day revelation will leave them with no regrets.” p. 47
It’s not easy playing our position. We encounter “pain and thorns and thistles.” We have to contend with the triple threat of the world, the enemy, and remaining sin in our hearts.
Mr. Chanski outlines the dangers—how we are deceitfully assaulted with lies that, if believed and embraced, will hinder us from “winning it.” He exposes both the evil root of these lies as well as their potentially serious consequences. But how we can we resist these “contemporary lies”? How can we possibly overcome the triple threat and play our position to the glory of God?
We can’t. Not on our own anyways. We need the power of Jesus Christ.
“To this end I toil” writes Paul about his passion to help the Colossians reach maturity in Christ. But how does he do it? “Struggling with all [Christ’s] energy that he powerfully works within me.” (Col. 1:29)
We cannot conquer sin or “extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one” on our own (Eph. 6:16). But the good news is that if we have repented and believed in Jesus Christ, we aren’t struggling on our own. We are struggling with Christ’s energy that “powerfully” works within us. We can “win it” only by relying on “the strength that God supplies” (1 Pet. 4:10-11). And He will be faithful to supply all the strength we need.
There’s much more that I could say about the Holy Spirit’s power at work in the believer’s heart and our own responsibility to depend upon that power. But I want to recommend a little book that has helped me immensely in this regard. I’ve mentioned it before: The Bookends of the Christian Life
So as you seek to resist the “flaming darts of the evil one” and “play your position” for the glory of God, may you abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 15:13).
We’re moving on to chapter four next week!
We’ve been excited to hear encouraging reports from those of you following along with our Womanly Dominion Book Club—like this email from Lisa:
I just wanted to thank you for your encouragement to be a biblical woman. I thank the Lord that He was merciful in giving me a Proverbs 31 mom who faithfully taught me what God’s Word says about my role as a woman from childhood on up. I am discovering more and more that most women (at least in the area I live in) have not been taught their role and are poisoned by the lies of the enemy in regards to it. Thank you for promoting the book by Mark Chanski. Reading it brings tears to my eyes as I see the convictions of my heart reaffirmed in black and white and spelled out so clearly for the average woman to understand. I lead a book club for college age young women and this is our next book pick. Their comments in regards to reading “Womanly Dominion” have included: “Let’s read something that talks about our role because this is the only all girls study we are part of.” And “I’m glad we’re doing this book because these are things I’m not learning from my mom.” So thanks for your encouragement. Keep on keeping on for the truth of the Word!
Book club post coming tomorrow…
As long-time readers of this blog well know, Elisabeth Elliot is one of my favorite authors and a hero of mine. Her faith in God marked my life from an early age and her writings have significantly shaped my biblical understanding of femininity.
Recently I discovered that her essay “The Essence of Femininity” (originally published in Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood) is available, in its entirety, online. This is a thoughtful, beautiful defense of biblical femininity and I’d encourage all our readers to take the time to read and ponder it, and share it with others. Here’s a brief excerpt:
It is unavoidable and undeniable, yet in the past couple of decades earnest and high-sounding efforts have been made in the name of decency, equality, and fairness, at least to avoid it and, whenever possible, to deny it. I refer, of course, to femininity—a reality of God’s design and God’s making, His gift to me and to every woman—and, in a very different way, His gift to men as well. If we really understood what femininity is all about, perhaps the question of roles would take care of itself.
Thanks to our friends at Crossway Books and CBMW for making this essay available.
Recently, I’ve been encouraged in my practice of prayer by a new website: an online edition of Matthew Henry’s Method of Prayer. His method, quite simply, is to “pray the Bible” and so the website is full of prayers composed almost entirely of Scripture.
“A Scriptural manner of praying,” says editor Ligon Duncan, “provides the order, proportion, and variety which should characterize all our prayers.”
So there are prayers of adoration, of confession of thanksgiving and intercession. There are also prayers for many occasions: morning and evening, and for Sundays and more specifically: “For Those Weighed Down and Burdened” or “For Parents Concerned About Their Difficult Children” or “For Those Who are Sick and Weak.”
Here’s a portion from the prayer “For Women Near the Time of Childbirth:”
“Be thou her strong habitation, her rock, and her fortress, give commandment to save her. Ps. 71.3 And when travail comes upon her, which she cannot escape, be pleased, O Lord, to deliver her; 1 Thess. 5:3 O Lord, make haste to help her; Ps. 40:13 be thou thyself her help and deliverer, make no tarrying, O our God. Ps. 40:17 Let her be safely delivered and remember the anguish no more, for joy that a child is born into the world, is born unto thee. Jn.16:21”
I also love the “Short Forms of Prayer” which includes prayers that are easier for children to pray, or for families to pray together. So if you want to grow in your practice of prayer—and who doesn’t?—let me encourage you to check out this site today.
Carina sent us this picture which her friend Missy posted in her online family album. The funny is in Missy’s caption.
That’s all for this week. We’ll see you Monday!
Nicole for Carolyn, Kristin, and Janelle
“I HAD to get a picture of this because this will never be a mom-like scenario. Why is it that when they’re with me someone’s hair is on fire at the same time the toilet is overflowing?”
“Women, whose lives are harder, need jokes more than men and make them more often.” Paul Johnson
“Dear beloved and blessed wives and mothers….I know that some of you have been long on the field, and it’s late in the game, and you’re fatigued to the point of exhaustion. Though the outside world may not applaud you, and your inside flesh may scold you, I cheer you on to “play your position.” Press on with your womanly dominion assignment. I assure you. At the end of the day, you’ll not regret it. You’ll be draped with the only medal that really matters…the Lord Jesus Christ, will personally commend you with history’s highest honor: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” Womanly Dominion, p. 43
As wives and mothers we want to serve the Lord with “joy and gladness” but we’re often “fatigued to the point of exhaustion” aren’t we? We need to have our minds realigned to the truth of our high calling. We need to have our hearts filled with holy delight in God’s purposes and plans. To that end, I recommend rereading this chapter at least once a year!
But we want to cheer on the single woman today. As much as we love this chapter, we don’t think the author clearly defines your role in the creation mandate.
You might not be able to literally “be fruitful and multiply”, but as Elisabeth Elliot says, “A single woman can have children!”
Here’s how: “She may be a spiritual mother, as was Amy Carmichael [missionary to orphans in India], by the very offering of her singleness, transformed for the good of far more children than a natural mother may produce.”
As a spiritual mother, you may do good to many more children than a natural mother. I pray God will give you a vision for the many ways He wants to use you to care for these little ones. (Read more here.)
And you might not be married, but as we’ve written before “Your helper design isn’t something you cash in come marriage….You were born feminine. Your helper role is called for today.” So, consider: how has God has called you to be supportive, responsive, and nurturing in the various spheres of your life?
John Piper sums it up better than I can:
“Marriage and singleness both present us with unique trials and unique opportunities for our sanctification. There will be unique rewards for each, and which is greater will not depend on whether you were married or single, but on how you responded to each.”
Single women, we want to be your cheerleaders! Some of you are “fatigued to the point of exhaustion” and we want to encourage you to “press on in your womanly dominion assignment” By the grace of God, strive with all your might to hear “well done good and faithful servant!”
Mark Chanski is right about this: You’ll not regret it.
(Chapter three coming up next week)
You sent in some yummy looking hospitality recipes (including, “Yummy Chicken”!). They haven’t endured the rigorous evaluation of the girltalk test kitchen (we’re still worn out from last year’s caramel contest), but it sounds like the guests who enjoyed these dishes would give them five stars. Because of my love for my chocolate chip cookies this recipe is first on my list to try. You can download all the recipes here.
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE BALL
From http://www.easymealsformoms.com
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
3/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
Chocolate or honey graham crackers for dipping
Directions:
In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in confectioner’s sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Gently stir in mini chocolate chips.
Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Shape chilled cream cheese mixture into a ball. Wrap with plastic and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Roll the cheese ball in finely chopped nuts before serving. Serve with your favorite flavor of graham crackers for dipping. (I use the graham cracker sticks).
Very well, indeed!
Once again you’ve answered the call. You sent us a bunch of easy-cooking, money-saving, kid-friendly and creative ideas for blessing guests. We’ve compiled our favorites in this file which you can download, print, and save. I know my practice of hospitality will benefit from these tips for years to come!
Your hospitality recipes are up next, but here’s a sneak peek at some of our very favorite ideas from today.
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With all the HGTV and Food Network shows, I think some of us feel pressure when showing hospitality. I know that when I am a guest, I feel loved when the hostess has taken the care to make me/us feel special. That doesn’t necessarily mean slaving all day for a Paula Deen spread.
I have found that Trader Joe’s has wonderful cheats for quick appetizers and desserts. They have fresh pizza dough that can be quickly rolled out, spread with their pesto in a jar, add freshly chopped tomatoes and some grated parmesan (already grated in a tub) and you have a beautiful summer bruschetta. Serve with cloth napkins and flavored seltzer waters or sparkling TJ lemonade and it takes less than 5 minutes to prepare.
I bought a round cutting board at a discount store and can quickly throw together a cheese board with 2 types of cheeses, 2 types of crackers and some grapes (use 2 colors) and maybe some strawberries. It feels elegant, but is not work at all.
Their tarts and flourless chocolate cakes can be set on a stand. Add fresh berries. Done.
One last elegant cheat is the frozen raspberry and brie in pastry. About $6 and can stay in the freezer ‘til needed. You can always garnish with some mint or basil from the garden. Or you can gather a few blooms in a tiny jar and stick in the center of your platter.
The idea is to keep things handy to pull out, use the semi-homemade line of thought and serve your guest without stressing (or not inviting because of the intimidation).
Heather
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*I went through the church directory and made a list of people I want to invite and have paired up couples with things in common…2 couples expecting their first baby, 2 couples who are new to the church, etc.
*I’m single and live alone, so at least once a week when I cook I prepare enough for about 6, take out my portion and then either parcel out servings for a few other single friends, or share the rest with a family in the church.
*I try to always keep the ingredients for a few simple meals and desserts handy so I can whip something up quickly.
Bethany
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I’m a single mom and I eally enjoy being able to be hospitable. My son is 5 and loves to cook, so we often make a day of preparing. I choose a recipe that needs to bake for a long time and we make it together in the early afternoon, then straighten up while we race the meal in the oven (this also works well with a dessert made in the morning). This gives him a sense of ownership over the serving and heightens his anticipation of the evening. It also allows time for us to discuss appropriate behavior as we make preparations—we both prepare our hearts for the time with others, including prayers for godly responses to our guests and those in authority.
There are three specific groups of people I try to invite over, and I prepare for each differently:
1) If I invite a family with children over, I ask them to come 45 minutes to an hour before the meal. This gives the kids time to play, and me time to discuss seating and special needs for each of the children with the other mom. I usually make a casserole or enchiladas for this—something that frees me to serve as a hostess instead of a director tied to the stove.
2) If I invite a childless couple or singles over, I usually serve dinner a little later than normal. I specifically ask the guy (usually beforehand) if he would be willing to play with my son at airhockey or catch or some such thing before the meal—my son loves this, and is then usually more willing to engage in the conversation appropriately at dinner. I bathe my son before they arrive and he eats in his PJs. After dinner, he goes to bed so that Mama can have “adult time” with her friends, and while I am putting him to bed, I ask my guests to clean up the dishes or choose a game or movie (this may sound rude, but it enables us to have fellowship instead of me being on sink-duty all night).
3) If I invite the children of different families over, I do it in the afternoon or for an early dinner so their parents can have a date without getting a sitter. The kids play together, and if it’s age-appropriate, I have a cooking activity for the kids to all participate in—either a meal or a dessert for their family that they can take home with them. Bisquick Impossible pies are perfect for dinners and brownies for desserts, as they are simple and bake unattended, and we can get back to playing! I feed them something simple, like hot dogs or pasta, that can be ready in a few minutes. This really gives my son a chance to practice drawing others out and preferring them instead of being the “little entertainer” in a room full of accommodating adults.
Dorah
