Word-Filled Wednesday ~#150~ Godly Women Let Men Be Godly Men

**WARNING** Very frank conversation below**

"Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord, for the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, His body, of which He is the Savior . . . Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to make her holy . . . For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. ~Eph. 5:22, 25-26(a), 31

"Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so the nothing will hinder your prayers." ~1 Peter 3:7

"A good part - and definitely the most fun part - of being a feminist is about frightening men." -Julie Burchill

The very first two customers through the door of the store Monday morning were a man and a woman. The man, a regular at the store ~ a friendly, polite, Christian man ~ stopped to open the door for the woman who was quickly coming up behind him toward the door. Once she got through the door, she very rudely commented about how she didn't need an man to open the door for her! This, as it often seems to go with the more militant women I have encountered, just set the pace for her shopping experience. When she comes to the store she is never happy, never kind and usually ends up chewing out an employee who is "simply there to help" her ~ as I told her that day, myself, after I got a tongue lashing by her. 

And I know I'm not alone in noticing how the last 40-50 years of "feminism" have nearly ruined man-woman and even many marital relationships. If "feminism" were simply about equal pay for an equal job, equality before the law, etc., that would be one thing, but it's NOT. It's leaders ADMITTEDLY condone the emasculating of men. And that deadly spirit also makes it's way into the church and into Christian marriages.

And in so doing, SOME (thankfully, not all) of our men begin to believe one of two things ~ and both are lies: 1) men being the head of the home, a woman's protector and covering under God, is a thing of the past or 2) "I'm going to MAKE my wife submit to me whether she wants to or not. She WILL do everything I demand of her!"

Both are lies and perversions of the truth.

The first is a lie ~ flat out ~ because Jesus Christ and God's Word "is the same yesterday, today and forever" and "will never pass away" or change (Hebrews 13:8, Matt. 24:35). Man, from the beginning, was made to be his woman's protector, her covering under God, shelter in life's storms, her confidant, her lover, her priest of the home, her trust, her heart's desire. 

The second is a lie ~ flat out ~ because BIBLICAL SUBMISSION is what a woman WANTS to do when men fulfill their godly role as being the man in the previous paragraph. Biblical submission IS NOT a master-slave relationship. Biblical submission IS a high honor for BOTH the man and the woman . . . 

BUT . . . 

The woman has to stop following our fallen culture and LET the man be the godly man he is created to be. 

Once we women "let" our men be the godly, Biblical leader of our home, we get more of the man we have always wanted, more the man we have been praying for! Frankly, I get SO TIRED of women ~ who PROFESS to be Christians, who PROFESS to be regular readers and students of their Bibles ~ who stop reading at "Wives, submit to your husbands." They seem to be deaf, dumb and blind at the next several words: ". . . AS TO THE LORD" and "Husbands, love your wives, JUST AS CHRIST LOVED THE CHURCH AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR HER . . ." 

Our men are REQUIRED to DIE for us, ladies!! 

Why are we making their jobs ~ under God ~ more difficult for them? Why are we exasperating our men into post-Biblical whimps? Our husbands NEED our love and respect (Eph. 5:33). Our attitude and our "help meeting" build up or destroy our men. Why do we want to make their responsibilities before God and in this world harder than they may already be? 

LET your man be the godly husband he was meant to be. Do you catch yourself always trying to get your own way? Stop it . . . just stop it. If you want a godly marriage it takes TWO to work toward it and we both have our roles. Have you ever thought that while you might be wishing your husband were a more godly man that he may be wishing you were a more godly woman? "What?! . . . Me?!" Yep. It works both ways.

So I issue this call ~ for our families, for our country, for our churches, for the kingdom of God ~ 

GODLY WOMEN, LET YOUR MEN BE GODLY MEN!

Our men WANT to show us how much they love and value us.
 
Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

Word-Filled Wednesday ~#143~ God is STILL on His Throne

"I will heal their waywardness

and love them freely,

for My anger has turned away

from them . . . 

The way of the LORD are right;

the righteous walk in them,

but the rebellious stumble in them."

~Hosea 14:4 and 9(b)

"'Even now,' declares the LORD, 

'return to Me with all your heart,

with fasting and weeping and

mourning.'

Rend your heart

and not your garments.

Return to the LORD your God,

for He is gracious and

compassionate,

slow to anger and abounding in love,

and He relents from sending

calamity.'"

~Joel 2:12-13

"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father . . . Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come . . . So you also must be ready because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him." ~Matt. 24:36, 42, 44

We live in such treacherous times. Our dear nation has fallen so far SO fast, particularly in the last 6 years. Everyday, I look for the Lord's return.

This wonderful country can still, as a phoenix, rise from the ashes ~ we've done it before ~ but I think we are nearing the last days. I think we are nearing the great return of our Savior, Jesus, and His taking away of His own. 

Even though the day and hour are not known, even though God is STILL on His throne, we must be ready.

I am ready . . . are you? 

SERIOUSLY . . . ARE YOU?

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

For the Modern-Day Martyrs for Jesus Christ

Word-Filled Wednesday ~#128~ In Due Time

"Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trail you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the Name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you." ~1 Peter 4:12-14

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know the your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

"And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will HIMSELF restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To HIM be the power for ever and ever. Amen." ~1 Peter 5:6-11

So often these days, my friends and I are asking each other, "WHAT is going on with this world? And especially, in our beloved founded-on-Christian-principles America?" 

But once we shake our heads in terrible wonder and try not to panic because of how far our country has fallen in the last 5 years . . . all we have to do is step back and realize, once again, that we shouldn't be surprised because we have been warned about it all (Matt. 24:4-14)

God also reminded us who is behind it ALL. Our old enemy. The one who "[w]hen he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:44) ". . . that old serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the world astray . . . " (Rev. 12:9[b])

That deceiver knows that his time is SHORT and it's getting shorter by the day. Praise God! The devil and his minions are working over-time to take as many with himself into everlasting separation from God, into weeping and gnashing of teeth, as he possibly can. And from our mortal position, it seems like he's doing a very good job.

BUT . . . that ol' mangy lyin' lion LOSES in the end! 

I have read the end of The Book: The Bible, God's Holy Word ~ and I KNOW that GOD WINS! That ol' mangy lying lion gets beaten and cast away for eternity by the authority and majesty of The Lion of the Tribe of Judah. "Then one of the elders said to me, 'Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed . . . '" (Rev. 5:5)

Hang on! Stand up! Because God Himself has PROMISED that HE will make us "strong, firm and steadfast"! And He DOES NOT LIE. 

"God is not a man, that He should lie;

nor a son of man, that He should

change His mind.

Does He speak and then not act?

Does He promise and not fulfill?"

~Numbers 23:19

". . . it is impossible for God to lie . . ."

~Hebrews 6:18(b)

God would not have landed you and I into this time slot of HIStory if He didn't think that we could impact it for His glory in some way. So remember that HE has given you His Word as the foundation of your life, so LIVE IT. 

Live it for Him and for His glory. Preach the Word by the life that you live. He will use you in ways you never imagined in these last days.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

9/11 ~ Where Were You?

This is from my DD#2's Facebook post for today. I couldn't have expressed the feelings of the day any better than she did . . . 

"Where were you? It is one of the most popular questions asked every year on 9/11. Where were you? It is amazing how God created the mind; when a tragedy happens we remember it like it was yesterday. I was young when the towers fell; but still remember my day that day. I remember it being the most beautiful clear and sunny sky. I remember worrying about being late for band rehearsal and rolling my eyes at my mom because she said "just one more minute" before we could leave the house . I remember coming down my stairs and seeing my sister and my mom in the living room, sitting there very quietly and starring at the tv with stunned looks on there faces; and I looked at the screen, seeing one of the towers on fire. I ask what happened and they said a plane flew into one of the towers in New York. About 15 minutes later, as we are watching the first building still on fire, my mom was telling us girls that those buildings are so high that airplanes can fly right next to them. And then, we saw a second plane approaching the towers and within two seconds of seeing the plane, it disappeared and a huge ball of fire and smoke was coming out of the second tower. We were shocked and stunned at what we had just witnessed; I remember even the reporter on the tv was at a loss for words and after a few minutes to get over his shock, he said, " The United States is under attack!" For a little girl seeing this first hand, it sticks with you; watching people killing themselves by jumping out of the towers, seeing people bleeding and covered in dust, people trying to contact their loved ones, people finding out that their loved ones didn't make it, brave firefighters and police officers running into a building that they knew would collapse on top of them, yet they didn't care. If I have these kinds of memories by just watching on a screen, I can't even imagine what it's like for the families of these heroes, of the ones that worked in the building or just innocent bystanders to have to relive this every year. When the buildings collapsed, I just remember thinking. "may God have mercy on these people". It was one of those moments where you're just at a loss for words. 

As time has gone on we have forgotten about this day. We don't respect it, some people even tend to forget about it. I know we all have busy lives but is it really to much to ask that you take a moment out of your day for those who are grieving right now? Just say a quick prayer for them; they need it. I love my country, I love the men and women that fight for my freedom everyday, I love patriots and what they stand for. I have not forgotten. And I will not forget. Pray for the families of the ones that risked and gave their lives for this, because they are true heroes. God Bless ya'll and may God Bless The USA. Psalm 34:18"

Never forget.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

On Being "Green"

A friend of mine posted this on Facebook and I couldn't help but share it with all of you. While I believe in being frugal, while I usually bring my own bags to the grocery, while I believe that many of the "old ways" are best, while I believe that the Lord commands us to take care of our world (Genesis 2:15), I am NOT "green." I, personally, think that the EPA and liberal political correctness is a lie and a way to take away our Constitutional rights and liberties by dumbing us down and duping the public with false guilt. I know, because I have been on both sides of the issue. 

Now, having said all that, I hope you enjoy this humorous and truthful post . . . 

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Checking out at the store, the young cashier suggested to the older woman, that she should bring her own grocery bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment.

The woman apologized and explained, "We didn't have this green thing back in my earlier days."

The young clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment for future generations."

She was right -- our generation didn't have the green thing in its day.

Back then, we returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were truly recycled.

But we didn't have the green thing back in our day.

Grocery stores bagged our groceries in brown paper bags, that we reused for numerous things; most memorable besides household garbage bags, was the use of brown paper bags as book covers for our schoolbooks. This was to ensure that public property, (the books provided for our use by the school bought with tax-payer money) was not defaced by our scribblings. Then we were able to personalize our books on the brown paper bags.

But too bad we didn't do the green thing back then.

We walked up stairs, because we didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks.

But she was right. We didn't have the green thing in our day.

Back then, we washed the baby's diapers because we didn't have the throwaway kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy-gobbling machine burning up 220 volts -- wind and solar power really did dry our clothes back in our early days. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing.

But that young lady is right; we didn't have the green thing back in our day.

Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana. In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us. When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used wadded up old newspapers to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. 

Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.

But she's right; we didn't have the green thing back then.

We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water. We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.

But we didn't have the green thing back then.

Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service. We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 23,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest burger joint.

But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the green thing back then?

Dear American Government . . .

Dear American Government ~ 

May I suggest that you take heed to this picture of our Founding Fathers. Please note their posture and positions . . . and do like-wise.

I am.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

Happy Labor Day

Happy Labor Day !

Celebrate our American right to CHOOSE where we work!

Let's try to keep it that way.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

Celebrating Freedom!

John Adams, upon our Independence, once wrote these words in a letter to his wife regarding how we should celebrate our annual Independence Day: 

"I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty; it ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more."

And, as a nation, we have done a very good job at doing those very things. So, as we are celebrating this most important day in our great country's history in our most "American" way . . . while we are playing games, enjoying picnic foods, roasting hot dogs and making s'mores around the fire, while we are enjoying the grand illuminations in the night sky . . . LET US NOT FORGET to thank Almighty God for the gift He has given us in being citizens of this great nation. Let us pray for His mighty hand of protection upon our nation from those in high positions who would try to rot us from within and that He would allow us His grace and mercy to correct ourselves. And MOST OF ALL, let us pray His protection and blessing upon the military men and women who serve to protect and defend us and our interests so that we can live free because of the brave.

Have a great 4th of July.

God bless America!

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

Word-Filled Wednesday ~#84~ Doing What is Required

"Son of man, I have made you a watch man . . . so hear the word I speak and give them warning from Me. When I say to the wicked, 'O wicked man, you will surely die,' and YOU DO NOT speak out to dissuade him from his ways, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold YOU accountable for his blood. But if YOU DO warn the wicked man to turn from his ways and he does not do so, he will die for his sin, but you will have saved yourself.'" ~Ezekiel 33:7-9 [emphasis mine, KW<><]

Within the last several days, I have been involved in two very lengthy Facebook "conversations" in which I was defending God's Word and Christianity against various lies of our culture. Specifically, issues that have been in the news that may effect believers in the long run. Now, I know that God doesn't need me to defend Him and His Word, but ~ praise the Lord ~ He uses me and allows me to do my best toward that end.

Both of the other people threw Scripture at me that I'm assuming they had been told would prove their points. In one of the conversations I actually took the time to address every verse they listed, and pointed out that they either had nothing what-so-ever to do with the point they wished to make or else, one had to have a very vivid imagination to make it work. I don't know how active you are in witnessing or defending God's Word when it is lied about but, just as with these people, often once they see that their argument is lost they turn to personal insults. Even if they hardly know you. 

This reaction is no surprise to God. Jesus was insulted and told us that we would be, too (Luke 6:22). Jesus was killed for it. Why should we think that we will not face rejection, indifference or hostility as we speak His truth to our fallen world? 

And yet, especially for those who will listen, we are required to speak up. We, as Christians, are required of God to speak the TRUTH of His Word or we are sinning ~ the hearer will then take it (to their blessing) or leave it (to their eternal loss). The poor lost souls who reject what we tell them are not rejecting us (although it can feel that way), but they are rejecting God and His Word. What if part of their eternal punishment in hell would be a sort of never-ending video that constantly replays all the opportunities they had to accept Jesus as their Savior and didn't. Lord have mercy.

We are required to do our part and plant the seeds, God will work on the harvest.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><   

Castor Oil Packs

"Everything old is new, again."

So many of us are exploring & using those good ol' home remedies ~ many that our grandmothers, & earlier, used. What would they think that with all of our modern medical marvels (& the ever-present threat of ObamaCare) that we are coming back to the simple, effective home remedy wisdom that they used so often?

The looming threat to our medical care may have actually done us a great favor ~ we are being forced to take care of ourselves. Now, I'm not totally an anti-medical care person ~ if I am, or a loved one is, in an accident or terribly ill, then to the Dr. I will go. But I am of the belief that we should do all we can & leave the Dr. & the hospital as a last resort.

Castor oil has been used for generations; I'll bet you've heard your grandparents complain about the terrible taste of the daily teaspoon of castor oil their moms made them take. But . . . it kept the well. In this post, I'm not going to talk about taking it internally, but about using it to relieve pain & inflamation.

Castor oil packs are a very useful home remedy for most back, muscle or abdominal pains, headaches, swollen joints or muscles, even small open wounds. The castor oil works when you saturate layers of flannel with the oil & use soothing, warmth from a heating pad or hot water bottle.

You will need:

~medium-to-large pan or bucket
~castor oil
~flannel ~ enough for 4 layers; you can cut up an old flannel shirt or two OR most health food markets sell packages of flannel (or wool flannel)
~a plastic sheet; plastic wrap (i.e. Seran Wrap) is fine
~electric heating pad OR hot water bottle
~a large towel
~plastic container OR gallon-sized freezer bag

Directions:

1) In a medium-to-large pan or bucket, pour as much castor oil as it will take to soak the flannel you have prepared
2) Soak the cloth in the oil; wring out the cloth so it is not sloppy & drippy
3) Apply the four layers, one at a time, to painful area
4) Cover the oil-soaked flannel with the plastic wrap; the easiest thing to do is to simply wrap it around the part of your body you are working on (waist, hips, arm, leg, knee, etc.)
5) Put the heating pad/hot water bottle of top of the plastic; start with low heat & increase as you need to. **DO NOT use really high heat, you ARE using OIL after all & you don't want to "cook" yourself
6) Wrap the large towel over the heating pad to hold in the soothing warmth
7) Lay a large trash bag or plasic on your bed or couch ~ wherever you are going to lay down to protect it from any oil leakage ~ & lay another large towel or a sheet over it for your comfort. You can keep it on for 45 minutes to 2 hours, as you need it. Relax & enjoy the soothing warmth. You may even drift off to sleep

Google  Photo

8) When you are finished, carefully unwrap yourself & gently clean the oil off of your skin; a little baking soda & water works well, or some health food stores carry a product that cuts & cleans off the oil
9) Each flannel pack can be used up to 30 times; store the used flannel in a plastic container OR a large, gallon-sized freezer bag in the refrigerator. EACH PERSON who uses one should have their own. 
10) Flannel packs should be warmed up before each use.

**NOTE** Some health food markets have kits with everything you need all in one box.

You will be amazed at the effectiveness of this old remedy. Your grandma would be proud. :-)

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><