A little bit behind but here are chapters 5 and 6...
Titus 2:3 - "the older women [are to] be...not given to much wine.
Okay, well that's not hard being that I'm Nazarene, right. Well, this can be applied to many other things.
First off, let's look at the 3rd and 4th words - to much. Paul didn't tell Titus to teach that they shouldn't drink wine but that they should not be given to much wine. We are to live in a manner that is characterized by moderation and restraint in all things and in all areas of life. This is where the bulk of the study focuses this week. Now before I get responses about whether we should drink at all...please refrain as the point of this scripture is that we are to learn self-control, moderator, personal discipline...in all areas of our life. Moderation in our food, in our purchases, in our TV watching, in our speech, in our emotions, etc.
Secondly, how does this relate to being a godly older woman and our influence on younger women? Well, you are living by example and you are allowing your life to be in control so that it allows time for you to minister to these ladies. It also makes us more approachable. If we are always out of control in our words or emotions, the younger women will see this and not be likely to come to us for counsel...and we have now lost out on a great God-given opportunity to minister to them.
There are three areas that Elizabeth talks about gaining control or being disciplined in: physical, emotional and practical. Physical being what you eat, drink, spend, watch, read, etc. Emotional being how we manage pressures and respond with a calm spirit. And practical being how we alot our time and manager our life so that we are not always behind the eight ball.
Will these three areas be easy to get under control...depends on how out of control they are. I think everyone of us has at least one thing under the physical category we could work on...and emotional...whooo. Practical would be the hardest for me because I am a no watch, last minute, figure it out kind of girl. Now that helps with the emotional area because things flow off my back pretty easily and I am able to be pretty calm under pressure. But if you talk about my discipline in cleaning or not overloading my schedule, etc. I need a lot of work and a lot of prayer in this area.
This chapter was good for me because I learned that not only is personal discipline a good thing...it's a Biblical thing that God requires from each of us. And if I'm not following these guidelines, I'm not following God's will for my life. Ouch! That makes it more of a priority now huh.
My goal, even though I'm 21+ weeks pregnant and tired all the time, God requires me to make this a priority in my life...so I will make a point of working on my practical disciplines at home this week and going forward. There are so many benefits...less work to do if you are in control of your schedule and work load, becoming a better model for my son and those around me, I will be able to spend more time with my friends and family because my environment won't have control over me but instead me over it and I will become a more godly woman.
One statement Elizabeth makes is " A woman who is in control of self, not controlled by self."
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
Chapters # 3 and 4 - the dreaded topic for women...gossip.
But what I liked from this author was that she didn't focus just on gossip as we all think of it. She expanded it to slander and false accuser. Isn't that what we do when we gossip? The greek word in the Bible for slanderer is diabolos. In Titus 2:3 and 1 Timothy 3:11 diabolos is literally translated to "she-devil" when talking about women and gossip. I don't think that's something I want to be called.
When talking about the causes of gossip, Elizabeth lists an evil heart, hatred, idleness and foolishness. "I work very hard at "wisdom," at praying for it, at reaching for it, at attaining it, keeping it, using it, and at becoming more of a woman of wisdom. And it's shocking to realize that every time I gossip, I have just declared myself to be a fool!" Ouch...but true.
When we gossip, we not only hurt the person we're talking about, but the person we're talking to and ourselves. The person we are talking to has to figure out what to do with that information - pass it on, clear it from their minds, allow it to sway their oppinion of the person talked about, etc. That is a bad thing for us to cause for that other person. And then for us, it can change other's oppinions of us as the spreaders of this true or untrue information, and it can jeopardize our ministry. Think about it - when you gossip, you are disqualifying yourself from ministry because ministry is to help people but with gossip, you are doing just the opposite.
In the study guide, Elizabeth mentions three categories of gossip. Malicious gossip - consciously and deliberately hurtful, rationalization - you have convinced yourself that you are doing it for "the good" of the other - i.e. a prayer request or personal concern, and innocent gossip - true concern but the gossiper may be trying to prove to others "how helpful she really is." Ouch to all of these. I know there have been times that I have been guilty of all three. I found myself just last week in category three and as the words came out of my mouth, I almost gasped internally. It is so easy to get caught up in gossip - especially the rationalization and innocent gossip.
One of the women in the group asked how can you know for sure whether you are gossiping or are truly concerned. My first thought was to go to the motivation of your heart and then to think about whether you would say what you said to the person you are talking about. If you are truly concerned, you would be willing to go to that person and share with them the concern...and isn't that what we should do because talking to someone else isn't going to make anything better. In this case, it was a family matter and they needed to determine a course of action...as long as the words that are being said are not slandering the person, I cannot say this is gossip.
As we talked about last week, whatever we fill ourselves with is what will flow out of us. So if we allow our hearts to be hearts of nurture and our tongues are used to glorify God, we will not be able to gossip or slander - but will be women of high calling.
How have these chapters changed me, hopefully...I am more aware of what comes out of my mouth, what I allow myself to listen to and that I have to be aware how gossip not only effects me but the hearer and the person it's about.
Prayer: Lord, may I think before I speak, may I think of those who hear my words and may they only be to build other's up not to tear them down.
But what I liked from this author was that she didn't focus just on gossip as we all think of it. She expanded it to slander and false accuser. Isn't that what we do when we gossip? The greek word in the Bible for slanderer is diabolos. In Titus 2:3 and 1 Timothy 3:11 diabolos is literally translated to "she-devil" when talking about women and gossip. I don't think that's something I want to be called.
When talking about the causes of gossip, Elizabeth lists an evil heart, hatred, idleness and foolishness. "I work very hard at "wisdom," at praying for it, at reaching for it, at attaining it, keeping it, using it, and at becoming more of a woman of wisdom. And it's shocking to realize that every time I gossip, I have just declared myself to be a fool!" Ouch...but true.
When we gossip, we not only hurt the person we're talking about, but the person we're talking to and ourselves. The person we are talking to has to figure out what to do with that information - pass it on, clear it from their minds, allow it to sway their oppinion of the person talked about, etc. That is a bad thing for us to cause for that other person. And then for us, it can change other's oppinions of us as the spreaders of this true or untrue information, and it can jeopardize our ministry. Think about it - when you gossip, you are disqualifying yourself from ministry because ministry is to help people but with gossip, you are doing just the opposite.
In the study guide, Elizabeth mentions three categories of gossip. Malicious gossip - consciously and deliberately hurtful, rationalization - you have convinced yourself that you are doing it for "the good" of the other - i.e. a prayer request or personal concern, and innocent gossip - true concern but the gossiper may be trying to prove to others "how helpful she really is." Ouch to all of these. I know there have been times that I have been guilty of all three. I found myself just last week in category three and as the words came out of my mouth, I almost gasped internally. It is so easy to get caught up in gossip - especially the rationalization and innocent gossip.
One of the women in the group asked how can you know for sure whether you are gossiping or are truly concerned. My first thought was to go to the motivation of your heart and then to think about whether you would say what you said to the person you are talking about. If you are truly concerned, you would be willing to go to that person and share with them the concern...and isn't that what we should do because talking to someone else isn't going to make anything better. In this case, it was a family matter and they needed to determine a course of action...as long as the words that are being said are not slandering the person, I cannot say this is gossip.
As we talked about last week, whatever we fill ourselves with is what will flow out of us. So if we allow our hearts to be hearts of nurture and our tongues are used to glorify God, we will not be able to gossip or slander - but will be women of high calling.
How have these chapters changed me, hopefully...I am more aware of what comes out of my mouth, what I allow myself to listen to and that I have to be aware how gossip not only effects me but the hearer and the person it's about.
Prayer: Lord, may I think before I speak, may I think of those who hear my words and may they only be to build other's up not to tear them down.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Okay, so other than at work, I don't spend a lot of time on my computer. I get flack all the time from my sisters that I don't update my facebook page or comments from you all that I need to post something to my blog. Today, it is slower at work and I told Amy a couple weeks ago I would post something, so I guess I better.
Hopefully tonight the latest sonogram picture will be posted. We are about 19 weeks along and the baby weighs about 9 oz. I understand how they can do length measurements but how can they measure weight??? Oh well, the baby (yes, we're not finding out if it's a girl or boy until we deliver which is driving everyone crazy) is healthy and growing and I'm not getting nauseous any more...so pictures to come.
As for what I told Amy I would blog about:
I am in charge of the St. Paul's women's Wednesday night Bible study. We started the book A Woman's High Calling by Elizabeth George last week. After attending the Come to the Fire conference last October, I really felt impressed to lead a study on becoming a Titus 2 woman. Amazingly Elizabeth wrote an entire book on about 3 versus from this small book - it is only on one page in the Bible I used last Wednesday so I almost missed it.
So far, I have been very drawn into what she has to say. To be honest, I started the book for selfish reasons - I wanted the older women in my life - not just in my church - to realize that they are called to be spiritual leaders to me and the other younger women, not just hospitality leaders. As I began the first chapter, I realized that while that is something I so need, God has a lot more to say to me before even talking to the ladies in the study about stepping up. So, I began last week focusing on the fact that the most important thing is for me to be changed...and if the other ladies allow God to speak to them and change them from the inside out, so be it...but I was going to soak in as much as I could for myself.
I would love to extend this study to any women who come to my blog. I'm going to try to share my thoughts and things I learn each week and hope to hear from others so we can all grow to be godly women together.
First two chapters: What is in us, is what comes out. If there's nothing overflowing from us, how do we expect other's to see God in us? I used a visual aid at our study of a pitcher of water half full. It was placed in the room before everyone got there. At the end of the study, I asked them if they noticed the pitcher. They said they saw it but didn't think anything about it. I then asked them, if it had water overflowing out of it, would they have noticed it. And of course the answer was yes. In the same way, if we are not filling our lives with whatever is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, good, virtuous, and praiseworthy (Proverbs 23:7), how do we expect people to see that flowing out of us.
Elizabeth shares in chapter two that the first two ways to become a godly woman are through the meditations of your mind and the things that leave your mouth. If you fill yourself with godly things, that is what is going to flow out of you. If you fill yourself with things that are not so godly (books, conversations, tv shows, movies, etc) and allow your mouth to speak ungodly things (slander and gossip - discussed in chapter 3), that is what other's are going to see. And when they see those things, there is no way for them to see God.
Some suggestions she gave as ways to change your mind and heart: be in prayer - prayers of praise and adoration throughout the day. Pick some place or thing you do that you do a lot throughout your day, if you are at home - choose entering your kitchen, if you drive a lot - choose a red light, etc. and each of those times, offer up a prayer of adoration to God. Choose a psalm and read it out loud in the morning - then reflect on it and make it yours througout the day. Find a hymn in your personal or church hymnal and sing it (even sing it with your families) - think of all the silly jingles that stay in your mind all day that annoy you...now think of replacing that with a hymn. Great ways to mediatate on what is true, noble, etc.
I tried a few of these last week before the study...and boy does it make a difference. Even the things that would have normally brought me down at work, didn't because I was so filled with God and thoughts of His love and protection that those things didn't mean anything. I also found myself choosing to not watch shows that I had watched for years - not ones that had in your face bad things but enough that as I thought of them - they didn't match up with Proverbs 23:7. And from that, I found more time to spend with my family, working on things that matter - my scrapbooking memories for Will, and for my relationship with God. I actually pulled out my iPod and listened to praise music - apparently singing loudly as Todd came in and asked if I could remove one ear bud so I could hear myself. :-) I told him that I was worshiping and could hear myself which he appreciated and left me to that...but I did tone it down a little...
The first week is always easy because you're gung ho about changing...the second and subsequent weeks seem to trail off a little...but I think because I am blogging and holding myself accountable, that will help.
My prayer this week - God allow me to be so filled with all that is true, pure, lovely...godly, that those things will have no where to go but to spill out to others. Allow them to see you...not me this week.
Hopefully tonight the latest sonogram picture will be posted. We are about 19 weeks along and the baby weighs about 9 oz. I understand how they can do length measurements but how can they measure weight??? Oh well, the baby (yes, we're not finding out if it's a girl or boy until we deliver which is driving everyone crazy) is healthy and growing and I'm not getting nauseous any more...so pictures to come.
As for what I told Amy I would blog about:
I am in charge of the St. Paul's women's Wednesday night Bible study. We started the book A Woman's High Calling by Elizabeth George last week. After attending the Come to the Fire conference last October, I really felt impressed to lead a study on becoming a Titus 2 woman. Amazingly Elizabeth wrote an entire book on about 3 versus from this small book - it is only on one page in the Bible I used last Wednesday so I almost missed it.
So far, I have been very drawn into what she has to say. To be honest, I started the book for selfish reasons - I wanted the older women in my life - not just in my church - to realize that they are called to be spiritual leaders to me and the other younger women, not just hospitality leaders. As I began the first chapter, I realized that while that is something I so need, God has a lot more to say to me before even talking to the ladies in the study about stepping up. So, I began last week focusing on the fact that the most important thing is for me to be changed...and if the other ladies allow God to speak to them and change them from the inside out, so be it...but I was going to soak in as much as I could for myself.
I would love to extend this study to any women who come to my blog. I'm going to try to share my thoughts and things I learn each week and hope to hear from others so we can all grow to be godly women together.
First two chapters: What is in us, is what comes out. If there's nothing overflowing from us, how do we expect other's to see God in us? I used a visual aid at our study of a pitcher of water half full. It was placed in the room before everyone got there. At the end of the study, I asked them if they noticed the pitcher. They said they saw it but didn't think anything about it. I then asked them, if it had water overflowing out of it, would they have noticed it. And of course the answer was yes. In the same way, if we are not filling our lives with whatever is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, good, virtuous, and praiseworthy (Proverbs 23:7), how do we expect people to see that flowing out of us.
Elizabeth shares in chapter two that the first two ways to become a godly woman are through the meditations of your mind and the things that leave your mouth. If you fill yourself with godly things, that is what is going to flow out of you. If you fill yourself with things that are not so godly (books, conversations, tv shows, movies, etc) and allow your mouth to speak ungodly things (slander and gossip - discussed in chapter 3), that is what other's are going to see. And when they see those things, there is no way for them to see God.
Some suggestions she gave as ways to change your mind and heart: be in prayer - prayers of praise and adoration throughout the day. Pick some place or thing you do that you do a lot throughout your day, if you are at home - choose entering your kitchen, if you drive a lot - choose a red light, etc. and each of those times, offer up a prayer of adoration to God. Choose a psalm and read it out loud in the morning - then reflect on it and make it yours througout the day. Find a hymn in your personal or church hymnal and sing it (even sing it with your families) - think of all the silly jingles that stay in your mind all day that annoy you...now think of replacing that with a hymn. Great ways to mediatate on what is true, noble, etc.
I tried a few of these last week before the study...and boy does it make a difference. Even the things that would have normally brought me down at work, didn't because I was so filled with God and thoughts of His love and protection that those things didn't mean anything. I also found myself choosing to not watch shows that I had watched for years - not ones that had in your face bad things but enough that as I thought of them - they didn't match up with Proverbs 23:7. And from that, I found more time to spend with my family, working on things that matter - my scrapbooking memories for Will, and for my relationship with God. I actually pulled out my iPod and listened to praise music - apparently singing loudly as Todd came in and asked if I could remove one ear bud so I could hear myself. :-) I told him that I was worshiping and could hear myself which he appreciated and left me to that...but I did tone it down a little...
The first week is always easy because you're gung ho about changing...the second and subsequent weeks seem to trail off a little...but I think because I am blogging and holding myself accountable, that will help.
My prayer this week - God allow me to be so filled with all that is true, pure, lovely...godly, that those things will have no where to go but to spill out to others. Allow them to see you...not me this week.
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