Wishing my Readers a Very Merry Christmas!

Please excuse the poor lighting!

Another Tag! :)

My dear friend from church, Geneva, created this tag. :)

1. Favorite color combination? Blue and brown or sage green and cream.
2.  Crocheting or knitting? I don't know how to knit, so I would have to say crocheting. :)
   
3. Shells or pebbles? Shells. Although, nice pebbles can be great in flower gardens or in certain kinds of home decor. ;).
4. AM or PM? PM, for sure.
5. Favorite X-box game?Ok, call me archaic, but I've never played X-box that I can remember. If I did, it was when I was about 5 or 6 and I would sometimes play video games with my uncle-they were always boxing games. lol
   
6. Target or Wal-Mart? Wal-Mart
7. Cake or pie? Pie
8. Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate for sure.....I love chocolate! :)
   
9. Mowing or raking? Mowing, although I never mow-my parents or brother always do.
   
10. Pants or skirts? Skirts
    
11. Neon orange or neon yellow? Orange
    
12. Fruit or vegetables? Probably fruit.
13. Sunglasses or hat? Sunglasses....it's hard to find hats that look good on me.

Thanks for the tag, Geneva; it was fun! :)

Now, if you're reading this, then tag-you're it!

Christmas Tag!

Thank you, Angel, for tagging me! :)

~The Christmas Quiz~

1.What is your one favorite dish to see on the table at Christmas dinner? That would have to be my grandmother's cornbread dressing. My mom makes it every year now, and it is fantastic!! So very tasty. Hmmm......I may just have to post the recipe here for y'all sometime! ;)


2.Do you have a Nativity scene or a creche? How many pieces does it have? We actually have two. One is just made to where it is one piece, while the other consists of 11 pieces.


3.What is your favorite Christmas movie? Well, this isn't technically a Christmas movie, but there are Christmas scenes in it-the 1949 version of Little Women. Other favorite Christmas movies would have to be It's a Wonderful Life (I think that's my all-time favorite) and The Nativity Story.


4.If you and your family could spend this Christmas in another country, where would you go? I would love to go to Israel, for sure!



5.Does your grandmother usually knit you something for Christmas, or does she give you something different -- say, a Wii? Neither of my grandmothers knit, so they usually give me clothes/jewelry, CDs, money, books, or movies....something like that. My great-grandmothers do like to crochet and sew, though.


6.Have you ever gone out of the house wearing a reindeer headband? What about a Santa hat? Not a reindeer headband, but I think I did wear a Santa hat one year when we drove around looking at Christmas lights.


7.Do you usually make or buy your Christmas gifts? I usually buy Christmas gifts, but I sometimes make gifts for people, too.


8.When do you set up your Christmas decorations? When do you take them down? We usually set them up right after Thanksgiving and take them down the weekend after New Years.


9.What kind of activities does your church usually have at Christmas? My current church is on the smaller side, so we don't really have any particular traditions or activities yet at Christmas. A church I used to go to always had Christmas musicals or candlelight services.


10.Did you ever believe in Santa Claus as a child? Yes, I did.


11.Which of the Gospels gives your favorite account of the Christmas story? Definitely the Gospel of Luke. Daddy always reads that one to all of us on Christmas Eve.


12.Have you ever acted in a Christmas pageant? What part did you play? Yes, I was in a Christmas musical at our church in Texas; it was our own version of A Christmas Carol. I played an angel named Hope (The Angel of Christmas Future).


13.Do you buy Christmas presents for your pets? Of course! ;) Cat treats and canned food for Piper and dog bones and canned food for Winston.


14.What is your favorite Christmas tradition? That would have to be what we always do on Christmas Eve together. For years we've driven around various neighborhoods in our area to look at Christmas lights. Then we come home, each open one gift, and sip homemade hot chocolate while Daddy reads us the Christmas story from Luke. We've added something new the past 3 or 4 years, though. A few years back I came up with the idea of instead of having us simply open one gift each, we should have our gifts hidden and be given clues to try to find it. So, I wrap up the gifts for Mama and Daddy, for example, and then hide them and write about 4 clues each. The first clue I hand to each of them and inside there is a riddle or some kind of puzzle to solve, the answer of which will lead them to the hidden next clue. It goes on and on until they find their gift! ;) It's a lot of fun, and has become part of our Christmas Eve tradition.



Well, that was fun, and now it's your turn! If you're reading this, consider yourself tagged (either leave your answers in the comment section, or on your blog and leave me your link). I look forward to reading your answers. :)

Faith Hill - A Baby Changes Everything - Live

This is a beautiful song! Especially this time of year, when we remember the birth of our dear Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Enjoy! :)

Well, things have been rather silent on my blog as of late, haven't they? We recently returned from our week and a half-long Thanksgiving trip to visit family in Arkansas and Texas. We had a wonderful time, and I will likely be posting some pics from our trip here soon. Now I'm busy fulfilling tea cozy orders that I received while I was gone! I hope all of you had a most joyous Thankgiving and are enjoying this wonderful time of the year!

Special Tea Cozy Giveaway!! :) Don't miss it!

If you have been wanting to receive one of my tea cozies, now is the perfect opportunity for you! Dear Mrs. Fuentes at A Wise Woman Builds Her Home is graciously hosting a giveaway for one of my tea cozies.

Head on over there to enter (just scroll down the page a bit to her Monday post)!

Meal Mondays! ~Beef and Black-Eyed Pea Soup with Cheddar-Garlic Buscuits!~

One of our family's absolute favorite dishes is Beef and Black Eyed Pea Soup paired with Cheddar-Garlic Biscuits. It is positively delicious! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do! :)

Beef and Black-Eyed Pea Soup

 2 lbs. ground beef (or 1 each of ground beef and ground turkey)

1/2 c. green pepper, chopped

1 c. onion, chopped

1 c. celery, chopped

1/2 c. butter

 1/2 c. white flour

 2 qts. water

 28-oz can diced tomatoes

 16-oz pkg. frozen black-eyed peas

 1 c. carrots, diced

2 T. beef bouillon granules

 1 T. pepper

 1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. garlic powder

1/4 t. onion powder

1 1/2 c. prepared brown rice (we actually do closer to 2 1/2 c. or so, instead)

 Directions:

Brown beef, green pepper, onion and celery in a skillet; drain. Melt butter in a Dutch oven; add flower, whisking until smooth. Cook one minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add water; stir until bubbly. Stir in beef mixture and all remaining ingredients, except rice. Bring to a boil; cover and simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour. Add rice during last 15 minutes. Serves approximately 12 or so.

 Cheddar-Garlic Biscuits

These biscuits are actually similar to the Cheddar Bay Biscuits at Red Lobster! :)

2 1/2 c. biscuit baking mix

1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese

3/4 c. milk

1/8 t. garlic powder

1/4 c. plus 2 T. butter, melted and divided

1/2 t. garlic salt

1/2 t. dried parsley

Directions:

Combine baking mix, cheese, milk, garlic powder and 2 tablespoons butter; mix well. Form 1/4 cup mixture into a ball; place on an ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining mixture. Bake at 400 degrees (adjust for your oven, if necessary) for 14-16 minutes. Mix together remaining butter, garlic salt and parsley; brush over biscuits before serving. Makes 12-16 biscuits.

And last but not least, enjoy! :)

Special Tea Cozy Christmas Sale Going on Now Through December 15th!

Watch the video for more info! :)

 

This is a special sale for my blog readers only! :)

Announcement: New Branch of the Ministry of By His Grace and For His Glory!

Aaah....the Joys of Fall! :)

Yummy apple cider

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The sound of leaves crunching beneath your feet

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Hot tea on cool nights

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The joys of a cool breeze on a nice sunny day

 

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Beautiful golden, orange, yellow, and red leaves

 

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These are some of the delightful characteristics of fall which make it my favorite season. What do you enjoy the most about fall? 

The Return of Meal Mondays is Here!! :) ~Orzo and Vegetable Pie~

About a year ago or so, I came across a really great healthy cooking cookbook that I absolutely love! I have tried several of the recipes and each time, I've been so pleased with the outcome. One of these great recipes is Orzo and Vegetable Pie, which is actually a vegetarian recipe. The only change I have made to it is instead of adding the mushrooms it calls for (not everyone in our family likes mushrooms!), I add a can of kidney beans instead. They add a great flavor and also some needed protein.

For some, this recipe may seem a little scary. ;) My mom, for example, doesn't usually care for zucchini. However, she loves this! So, I would encourage y'all to at least give this recipe a try; you may be surprised by how scrumptious it is! :)

Orzo and Vegetable Pie

2 medium-large zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4in. thick (about 2 1/2 cups)

1 1/4 cups sliced fresh mushrooms (like I said above, we do a can of light red kidney beans; feel free to experiment with different kinds of beans, if you would like!)

1 cup diced plum tomatoes (about 3 medium)  ~This last time I made it, I just did a can of diced tomatoes instead!~

1 t crushed fresh garlic (or dried minced is fine, too!)

1 t dried Italian seasoning (or more if you'd like even more flavor! ;)  )

1/8 t ground black pepper

2 T grated Parmesan cheese

nonstick cooking spray (we use the olive oil kind)

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

CRUST

8 oz. orzo pasta (about 1 cup) ~Orzo is a pasta that is similar to rice and can be found along with the other pastas at your local grocery store~

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 egg

Directions:

 1. To make the crust, cook the orzo al dente according to package directions. Drain well (this is important, or else the crust will not set up well), and return to the pot. Add the Parmesan cheese and egg, and stir to mix well.

2. Coat a 9-in. deep dish pie pan with nonstick cooking spray, and place the orzo mixture in the pan. Using the back of a spoon, pat the mixture over the bottom and sides of the pan, forming an even crust. Set aside.

3. Coat a large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray, and preheat over medium heat. Add the zucchini, mushrooms (or beans!), tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning, and pepper, and stir to mix. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 7 minutes, or until the zucchini is crisp-tender and the tomatoes are soft. Remove the cover, and cook for 3 additional minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated.

4. Spread the vegetable mixture evenly over the bottom of the crust, and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Spray the exposed edges of the crust lightly with the cooking spray.

5. Bake uncovered at 400 F. (adjust to your oven, if needed) for 15 min., or until the dish is heated through and the top is lightly browned. Spread the mozzarella evenly over the vegetables, and bake for 5 additional minutes, or until the cheese has melted.

6.Remove the dish from the oven, and let sit for 5 minutes before cutting into wedges and serving. And last but not least, enjoy! :)

Yield: 6 servings

This serves as a great dish for lunch. Just pair with a nice salad or fresh bread or both! :)

The Return of Meal Mondays!

Some time ago, I posted a poll asking y'all what you would like to see more of here on By His Grace and For His Glory. Some of you voted for recipes, and following those votes I posted a poll asking what kind of recipes you would like to see here. Well, I am excited to announce the return of Meal Mondays! :) If you are new to By His Grace and For His Glory, then you do not know that some time ago, I did a weekly "column" so to speak, where I posted a recipe or two each Monday. The busyness of life and the procrastination that has plagued me since I was little (one of my vices I'm striving, by God's grace to overcome!) led to my not posting recipes regularly anymore. Well, I am happy to say that all of that will change this Monday! Starting this Monday, the 25th, I will be posting a new recipe(s) each successive Monday. And, if there is any kind of recipe in particular that you would like me to share, just drop me a line and let me know; I'd be happy to oblige! :)

Come on back Monday for the return of Meal Mondays!

I hope you all are enjoying this fall weather as much as I am! :)

A Time for Discussion

Today is our scheduled day for the next article in the stay-at-home daughterhood article series. I am going to do something a little different this Friday, though! I have been unable to work on an article the past two weeks due to working on a large tea cozy order from a lady opening up a tea room in California, working around the home doing tasks for Mama while she was sick, etc. So, instead of an article, I want to hear from you! :) So, here's what we're going to do. Leave a comment on one or all of the topics listed below. Looking forward to hearing from you; by God's grace, this will be a great discussion!

• What have you learned so far during your reading of the articles in the stay-at-home daughterhood series?

• What blessings have you received from being a stay-at-home daughter?

• As a married woman who was a stay-at-home daughter, how did remaining at home until marriage prepare you for your life now as a married woman?

• How did you come to embrace stay-at-home daughterhood?

• Perhaps you do not agree with my stance on stay-at-home daughterhood. If not, why not and upon what do you base your beliefs?

• Do you have any questions or concerns about stay-at-home daughterhood?

• What are some myths regarding stay-at-home daughterhood that you would like to refute?

• What other issue regarding stay-at-home daughterhood would you like to discuss?

Looking forward to your input! Have a blessed weekend, everyone!

Outstanding Quotes on the Topic of Standing Firm upon Biblical Truth

 Sadly, it is all too common in our day for people to shirk away from proclaiming and living Biblical truth because they are afraid to offend someone, to lose a friendship, to be thought of as weird or archaic, etc. How tragic! Take, for instance, what the great men Dr. Martin Luther and Mr. J.C. Ryle had to say on this topic:


"Cursed be any love or unity for whose sake the Word of God must be put at stake."

~Martin Luther


"To maintain pure truth in the church, we should be ready to make any sacrifice, to hazard peace, to risk dissension and run the chance of division."
~J.C. Ryle


How very true and very convicting, isn't it?

What’s the Big Deal?: Presenting the Crucial Importance of Stay-at-home Daughterhood to the Kingdom of God Part 3

We have now come to part 3 of this article, the goal of which is to present just why stay-at-home daughterhood is so important to the strength of the church (and family and state, as well!). In the first part we discovered that this doctrine of daughters remaining at home with their families under the protection, input, and provision of their parents until marriage is important because we see it taught and lived out in the Holy Scriptures. In the second part we saw that this doctrine is also important because when women are out from under the protection and oversight of husband or father, danger and disaster can, and oftentimes do, come as a result.



It is now time to study the third reason why stay-at-home daughterhood is so important. This third lesson can be stated as follows:


The stay-at-home daughter has the time and opportunity, unlike non stay-at-home daughters, to follow in the footsteps of the Proverbs 31 woman, in that she can more fully study the characteristics thereof and better prepare to be a true Proverbs 31 woman herself. Satan, by luring daughters away from home and family into a more autonomous lifestyle, is slyly and destructively keeping them from striving to be as God’s ideal woman, a woman, in fact, after God’s own heart. A woman who finds her work, mission, and duty primarily within her home.


Following high school graduation, what does the life of most young women today look like? Well, for the vast majority, post-high school life is comprised mostly of attending college for the sake of obtaining a degree in preparation for a future career in the workforce. Part-time or full-time involvement in the workplace is also oftentimes included. What else? Not much. Note what is oftentimes not included in the pursuit of most female high school graduates: homemaking studies, Biblical womanhood studies, preparation for a future life of wifehood, mommyhood, and hospitality from the family home. These subjects are, in essence, ignored and little to no thought whatever is given to them. If any thought is given, it is solely in the arena of preparing for wifehood. However, the preparation that many college age women give to that position is contained in trying to snag a guy or writing out a list of “must have” qualities in a husband. Seldom is any thought given to becoming “Miss Right” or learning how to be an intelligent, capable helpmeet. As one can readily see, the overarching pursuits and priorities of nearly all female high school graduates are attending college in order to obtain the coveted degree, working in the workforce in some career, and striving to go up the corporate ladder. While the world (and sadly, even many professing Christians, as well) view this as normal, good, and the way things ought to be, this condition is tragic from a Biblical viewpoint. From the perspective of God’s Word, everything is upside down in the lives of many college age women today. What they should be pursuing, they are not and what they should not be giving their time to, they are. For the Biblically minded Christian, this should be heartbreaking, for God’s way is so much better and far more fulfilling than rising to the top of any corporate ladder or graduating from a university summa cum laude.

What has God Said?

What if I told you that the God of the universe, the Sovereign of heaven and earth not only made Himself known in His Word, but also provided a complete blueprint for how He wants you, as a woman, to live your life? Would that not astound you? To think that the Most High God, the all-wise, all-loving Creator of the world would not only design womanhood in a beautiful way but would also give to you a complete model for how to live your life in a fulfilling, exciting, influential, adventurous, mission-filled way is simply breathtaking! Realizing that we have just such a blessing in the Bible, would we not excitedly run to it and read it in order to discover what the Most High wants us to do with our lives? Well, one should think this would be the case for professing Christians who claim to be sold out to the Lord and love Him above all else and desire to live for Him. Sadly, however, it is oftentimes not. While we may give Christ lip service on Sunday mornings, many of us take His Word for granted, do not treat it as the treasure it is, nor strive to study and live by it. This is tragic, for it is only through following God’s Word and making it the blueprint of our lives that we find the mission and duty we were specially created for as females. The world is all too happy to lend to us its own design for womanhood and is anxiously providing us with what it thinks we ought to spend our time doing. The result is that countless girls and women today are frustrated, exhausted, and burned out. They have been trying to heed to the world’s expectations of college and career while at the same time striving to stay true to what their minds tell them they should do-look after their families, care for the home, and reach out to their neighbors. My heart breaks when I think of the countless young women today who are confused as to what they should be doing with their lives after high school. They keep asking themselves questions- “What should I be doing?”, “Do I have to go to college?”,“What is expected of me?”, “What kind of career should I have?”, and the list goes on. Sadly, the answers they are receiving from both the world as well as many “Christian” churches is that they should go to college in order to get a degree that will pave the way for a successful life-long career. This is not at all what girls should be told, for it is not what God proclaims to them in His Word. As we have seen in a previous article in this series, God decrees that women be homemakers. This is the glorious fulfilling “career” that He designed and prepared specifically for them.

Planning to Fail

Someone once said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” By following the lifestyle of most female high school graduates today, young women are planning to fail in that which God the Almighty Himself has called them to do-be homemakers. Contrary to popular belief, Biblical homemaking is about far more than merely baking cookies, cleaning bathtubs, and washing dishes. While each of these things are indeed aspects of good homemaking, they are not the sum total by any means. However, if you heed the world’s teachings on homemaking-that it is mindless drudgery, comprised only of cleaning up messes, looking pretty, vacuuming, and baking cookies, then why not go off to college or begin a career after you graduate high school? After all, how long does it take to learn how to vacuum or clean toilets? However, the world is sorely deceived when it comes to homemaking! Homemaking is not merely some cultural duty of women; rather, it is a command issued by God to women. Furthermore, as the Scriptures beautifully and eloquently present, homemaking is so much more than baking cookies-it is a lifelong mission, duty, and world-changing “career”. Becoming a godly homemaker that lives up to the Bible’s expectations does not happen overnight, nor does it suddenly happen when a wedding ring is placed on your finger. In fact, when one studies the Scriptures, it would be rather easy to despair at the picture of Biblical homemakers-it can seem so daunting and unable to be lived out in daily life. This is precisely why girls are blessed by God with the years in between high school and marriage. This is a time like no other in one’s life when a girl can learn what it truly means to be a Biblical homemaker and can begin putting into practice some of the characteristics of just such a woman, thereby preparing for future life while at the same time greatly blessing and ministering to those around her. Yet this is the precise time when so many girls are instead chasing after college degrees and successful careers in the workforce. Something is wrong here!

Giving Satan what he Wants

Many daughters today, even Christian ones, are unknowingly falling into Satan’s hands. Satan is so crafty that he sets out to seductively lead away girls completing high school into lifestyles of college and career. Why is this? Because, as Proverbs 31 and other passages reveal to us, the secret weapon of the Church is women who understand their roles, delight in and embrace them, and strive to joyfully and diligently live them out with everything they’ve got. As we will see in future articles, the woman who lives according to Proverbs 31 standards is a world changer for God’s glory! She is a powerhouse of Biblical influence. This, of course, is highly dangerous to Satan and his plans, and so he therefore must come up with a way to keep girls from preparing to become like these amazing women. He must do whatever it takes to prevent them from aspiring to God’s standard for homemakers. He must blind their eyes and deafen their ears to God’s Word and instead lead them to focus all their time and attention to becoming independent career women who are intent upon providing for themselves and leading their own lives, with their own missions, plans, and desires in the forefront. Satan, if he hopes to be successful in lessening the influence of God and His Word in the world must keep girls from desiring to be wives, helpmeets, homemakers and mothers. He must not even allow them to know that God expects them to live out the roles and duties of homemaking. Or, if they do know it, Satan must so disfigure the beautiful picture of homemaking and Biblical womanhood into some caricature of worthlessness, being a doormat, being chained to a stove, and accomplishing nothing of importance. In other words, Satan must get daughters to dedicate their unmarried years to pursuing college degrees and working in the workforce alongside men, so that their lives will be more like that designed by God for men, with no time to dedicate to learning homemaking skills. Sadly, he is doing a very good job at his mission isn’t he? Not only does he have the world following in his footsteps, he also has Christian girls falling in lock step, as well. Clever, isn’t it? Indeed it is a rather clever ploy of Satan. By distracting young women in the prime of their youth from using their youth fully to serve the Lord (1 Cor. 7:34), he is able to bar them from following after Proverbs 31 and seeking to live in obedience to God and His expectation and will for women. What folly of highest proportions for us to buy into his ploys, and to dismiss God’s blueprint for womanhood with a dejected belief that to live like the Proverbs 31 woman is either an impossible, unattainable goal or a worthless one!

The Proverbs 31 Woman

What comes to mind when you think of the Proverbs 31 woman? If you are like most of today’s Christian women, you get a little squeamish when she is mentioned. In Christendom today, many woman try to simply pass over the chapter of Proverbs 31, specifically verses 10-31, distressed, for they view the Proverbs 31 woman as some “superwoman” whom they could never in reality be like. I even read a book a couple years ago where the author stated that she was now going to turn to Proverbs 31. Instead of praising this passage, she, in essence, apologized to her readers for turning to that chapter that none of them really wanted to deal with or be intimidated by. Dear ones, this is a disgraceful way to treat God’s Word! We should be nothing short of ecstatic that the Lord would take the time to lay out in detail His will for us as females! That is a glorious blessing and yet we so often view it as a hindrance. Why is this? Could it be because we understand that the Lord calls us to be homemakers, and yet we instead want to heed the “wisdom” of the world, with its belief that homemaking is somehow demeaning and archaic?


It breaks my heart when women treat Proverbs 31 as some burden to carry around on their shoulders. The Lord does not desire to burden us or intimidate us. His reason for issuing forth to us the precious passage of Proverbs 31 was so that we as women would be able to grasp just what it is the Lord has for us to do and what He expects of us. He was showing us what our callings are and what our life work is to be. Our God was revealing to us the recipe, if you will, to living a world-changing, fulfilling life as a female.


If this is the case, though, why do so many women view Proverbs 31 with disdain and feel that they could never live up to its expectations? Well, over two years ago I spoke briefly with Anna Sofia Botkin about this very issue and we agreed that these women who feel so intimidated by Proverbs 31 likely would not feel like that today had they, as young ladies, prepared themselves for a life of following in her footsteps. How much closer to the standard found in Proverbs 31:10-31 would many women be today if they had put into practice duties and characteristics of the Proverbs 31 woman while they were yet unmarried young women! I do not write this to belittle Christian women. Rather, I write this with the desire to open the eyes of Christian girls to the importance of living out daily life in such a way that we might bring the most glory to God through living the way He expects us to, and to show why it is so important that we prepare now for our future lives as wives, helpmeets, mothers, and homemakers. We simply cannot go through our unmarried lives focused on the sole priorities of school, college, and work and then expect to become the model housewife when we marry, because that is not going to happen no matter how much we might like it to! In the 1850s, Mr. Harvey Newcomb wrote page after page in his excellent book, How to be a Lady, on the topic that what we are when we are girls, we will be when we become women. How true that is! The pursuits we spend our time on while we are yet little girls and young women and the character we build (or fail to build) at those ages will mold us into the kind of women we will be. While the Lord can certainly change adult women and reform them more into His image, it remains true that the fact is that, largely, the way we are as young women will dictate what kind of adult women we will be. So, dear ones, if, as young girls, we fail to put into practice the virtues and duties of the Proverbs 31 woman by learning and practicing various homemaking skills and the like, we will likely fail to live up to the Proverbs 31 standard as women, and we, too, will despair as many of today’s adult Christian women do when they read this passage of Holy Scripture.

What are we to Do?

As expressed at the beginning of this article, many female high school graduates are confused as to what they are to spend their time doing. While I will write far more on this topic as we continue this series, suffice it to say now that if the Lord expects us to be Proverbs 31 women, women who love the home and work therein as opposed to being independent career women in the workforce, then what do you think the Lord would desire for us to spend our unmarried years doing? Would it be to go off, live on our own, go to college for a degree in some sort of career, and work in the workplace? This sort of lifestyle seems contradictory to the one God designed for women, does it not? Instead, may we as young women delight in what the Scriptures proclaim to us should be our priorities and pursuits! May we learn to delight in the glories of stay-at-home daughterhood and the advantages such a lifestyle brings to us as we strive to be godly women.






Please return in two weeks on Friday, October 8th for the next article in this series!



A Little Glimpse into some of the New Cozies Available Now! :)

As mentioned in my previous post, I have several new fabrics now that I have been sewing into tea cozies and will be listing soon.

I thought you might like a little glimpse into some of the new designs now, though, so here you go! Enjoy. :)

~Rose Blush 6-8 Cup Teapot Tea Cozy~

~Giving Thanks 6-8 Cup Teapot Tea Cozy

~Giving Thanks 6-8 Cup Teapot Tea Cozy w/ Brown Lining~

~Shades of Autumn 6-8 Cup Teapot Tea Cozy~

 

~Floral Bouquet 6-8 Cup Teapot Tea Cozy

www.cozyteatreasures.etsy.com

Ebay ID: Cozyteatreasures

Tea Cozies, Tea Cozies, and More......Tea Cozies!

What have I been up to lately, you ask? Well, I have been very busy working to expand my home business, Cozy Tea Treasures!

I will be posting a lot more on this topic later, but suffice it to say that I have now had this business for a year and a half, and what a blessing it has been! Through operating this past Christmas season, it became evident that business picks up prior to Christmas! So, for this reason, I have been....

• LOTS of Fabric Shopping
• Cutting out Fabric
• Ironing Fabric
• Sewing Tea Cozies
• Writing up Descriptions
• ....and brainstorming! ;)

I will soon have a separate blog dedicated solely to this business, and I am so excited to share with you all the new features of this business soon! :) There are also two other home businesses that are beginning to take place now in this household about which I will be sharing more info with you all soon!

Stay tuned! :)

Where has the Stay-at-home Daughterhood Article Series Gone?

If you have been following this blog for some time now, you know that we are in the middle of an exciting, in-depth article series on the topic of stay-at-home daughterhood. Likewise, you have also likely noticed that there has not been a SAHD article posted in a few weeks. This is due to several occurrences that have taken place and various projects that I have been working on lately. It is also due to the fact that we will soon be visiting my great-grandparents in Indiana again. There are also comments on this series that I have not yet responded to, and links that my readers want me to check out, that I have not looked at yet either. I want to insure that I take care of these prior to continuing with the series, so that you readers will know that I value your input and suggestions!  For these reasons, the next article in this series will be posted on Friday, September 24th, 2010, with a new article posted every two weeks. I'm really looking forward to this, and hope you are, too! :)

For those of you who have not had the opportunity to read all the articles in this series, here is a list of the current articles in the series:

Introduction to the Stay-at-home Daughterhood Article Series

Beginning at the Beginning:: The Lord's Beautiful Plan, Design, and Purpose for Womanhood Part 1

Beginning at the Beginning: The Lord's Beautiful Plan, Design, and Purpose for Womanhood Part 2

Beginning at the Beginning: The Lord's Beautiful Plan, Design, and Purpose for Womanhood Part 3

Beginning at the Beginning: The Lord's Beautiful Plan, Design, and Purpose for Womanhood Part 4

The Biblical Case for Stay-at-home Daughterhood Part 1

The Biblical Case for Stay-at-home Daughterhood Part 2

The Biblical Case for Stay-at-home Daughterhood Part 3

The Biblical Case for Stay-at-home Daughterhood Part 4

The Biblical Case for Stay-at-home Daughterhood Part 5

The Biblical Case for Stay-at-home Daughterhood Part 6

The Biblical Case for Stay-at-home Daughterhood Part 7

A Father's Home-A Daughter's Shelter

Sheltered? Yes, Please!

Upcoming Articles in the Stay-at-home Daughterhood Article Series

What's the Big Deal?: Presenting the Crucial Importance of Stay-at-home Daughterhood to the Kingdom of God Part 1

What's the Big Deal?: Presenting the Crucial Importance of Stay-at-home Daughterhood to the Kingdom of God Part 2

Please take the time between now and the posting of the next article to read through the series as it is now!

Blessings!

Paul Washer Mocks Modern Gospel

Great video showing why the common message of "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life" is a dangerous, unBiblical one.


Belief in Christ as the Son of God, trust in His finished work on the cross, and sadness over and repentance of your sins is what is crucial!

Are you tired of polls yet? ;)

Ok, I'm sure you won't be surprised at this, but I added three new polls! Included are two fun ones pertaining to Jane Austen. :) Enjoy! And please be sure to vote now!

Have a blessed weekend, everybody!

Doll Clothes Patterns for 18in. Dolls Available Now!

Do you or someone you know have a Vision Forum, American Girl, Gotz, Our Generation, or any other 18in. doll in need of a new wardrobe? :) Well, if so, I have three Ebay auctions for you!

Ending this Sunday are two auctions of various McCalls patterns and one auction of Simplicity patterns for 18in. doll clothes-all brand new and uncut!

Here is a list of just some of the articles of clothing you can make with these patterns:

Hooded top
Assorted dresses (ball gowns, 18th century dresses, 19th century dresses, sundress)
Jumpers
Top and pant sets
Trench coat
Tote
Pajamas and robe
Leggings
Puppy and leash
Hat
Vest
Backpack
Gloves
Shawl
Bolero
Coat and muff
Pinafore
Top and pantaloons
Nightgowns and night cap
Bum roll
Apron
Bonnet
Coat
Cardigan
Cheerleader outfit
Skirts
Purse

and much more!

Below are the item numbers so that you can check out the auctions for yourself!

140443937977

130423799576

130423803939

Guess what? New polls! :)

Yes, that's right-there are four new polls up now, ready to be voted in! So, please do share with me your thoughts, and take a few seconds to vote in them. Thank you! :)

Three New Polls!

I posted three new polls this evening dealing with current events and hot topics of today. Articles on these topics will likely be posted in the near future. Before that, however, I would love to hear your thoughts on this subjects, so please vote now!

Graduation Chorale 2010!

As most of you know, I became a homeschool graduate on May 22nd of this year. :) We are very blessed to live in an area where homeschooling is very common, several homeschooling families are in our area, and our local homeschool group is fantastic! Because of this, I had the opportunity to enjoy being a part of a wonderful graduation ceremony, as part of our homeschool group's Class of 2010. A first this year was that a group of seniors got together and, for the first time, performed as a chorale at the commencement exercises. I, and several of my friends, enjoyed this so much; it really reminded me of the days when I was in children's choir! We performed two songs, the delightful hymn "For the Beauty of the Earth (a personal favorite!) and a spiritual entitled "Keep Your Lamps". It was a great experience! We were blessed with a very talented choir director and greatly enjoyed our weekly practices leading up to graduation!

The above clip was taken by my grandmother during the ceremony. It's only a portion of "For the Beauty of the Earth", but I hope you enjoy it!

In case you want to know, I'm in the middle row on the far left. :)

And, I'm sorry that the sound quality isn't that great during some portions of the video. I hope you enjoy it anyway! :)

Please Vote!

There are three new polls up now, so please do vote in them. I would love to hear from you! :)

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS COMING SOON!

Stay tuned! :)

America Rising: An Open Letter to Democrat Politicians

"The liberties of our country, the freedom of our civil constitution, are worth defending against all hazards: And it is our duty to defend them against all attacks."

~Samuel Adams

America Rising 2: An Open Letter to the Republican Party

So many Americans are more than willing to blame the Democrats for all their liberal, socialistic policies and votes. However, sad to say, the Republicans are just as much to blame as are the Democrats (and, in many cases, are nearly as socialistic!). Lord willing, they'll listen up this November! That is....if they have something to hear. Will you actively vote in your state's primary and then in the general election this November or will you sit idly by while our country is overtaken by radicals? The choice is yours....I pray you would make the Founding Fathers proud!

My Week in Review.....

I'm amazed that yet another week has flown by so quickly! For me, this week contained (among other things!).....

• Opening up a checking account.....I'm beginning to feel old! ;)
• Responding to blog comments
• Lots of reading! :)
• Cooking
• Planning a menu/ doing the required grocery shopping for a two week period
• Coming up with what to make for our church's fellowship meal this Sunday
• Grocery shopping/ fabric shopping for over 5 hours yesterday with Mama and Andrew! ;)
• As always, going through sales ads and cutting out coupons
• Listening to joyous music while going about daily home duties
• Watching an hilarious old movie last night
• Greatly enjoying cups of chamomile and lemongrass ginger tea! :)
• Writing
• Conducting Bible Study for a new article series coming up (in the research phase right now!)
• Working for my home business 
• Making calls for a local Chancellor campaign (and will go door-to-door campaigning with very dear friends of ours tomorrow!)
• and much more!

What about you? Did you have an enjoyable week? I sure hope so! I'd love to hear about it, so feel free to share in the comments section how your week went!

May you all have a most blessed weekend!

Does this bring a smile to your face today? :)

What’s the Big Deal?: Presenting the Crucial Importance of Stay-at-home Daughterhood to the Kingdom of God Part 2

The mission of this particular article is to help Christendom to come to a fuller understanding of the importance of stay-at-home daughterhood to the Kingdom of God. The magnitude of this importance must not be underestimated, but rather thoroughly pondered, considered, and researched. With this thought in mind, we will proceed with a contemplation of the second truth which girds this doctrine, on the topic of the Biblical family unit, with its importance.



As clearly portrayed in Genesis 3, terrible things can occur when women are on their own, independent of the protection, involvement, and leadership of husband or father.


This is a truth which Satan understands very well. While this is the case, it is also a truth which Christendom has largely forgotten, much to its detriment. Without a sturdy, solid, balanced, and fair understanding of this truth, Christendom begins to be chipped away and attacked by the Adversary, with his minions and ploys.


Now before I continue, I want to make something very clear. The belief presented above is not to say, as the wicked Islamist does, that women have half the brain of man and so therefore must be carefully scrutinized and meticulously controlled, so as to prevent them from making stupid mistakes and blunders which will completely destroy the family. It is likewise not to say that women should be under the domineering, watchful eye of a controlling man every minute of every day. Such is a terribly confused misunderstanding propounded by those, such as the Islamist, who rely upon their own man-made belief systems rather than upon the sure foundation of God’s Word. Now that that has been understood, we can proceed with today’s lesson.

Genesis 3

This chapter is perhaps the worst in all of Scripture in terms of the events told of therein. In this passage, man falls from a state of purity and innocence to one of total depravity, rebellion, and wickedness. In this chapter is presented the account of how sin entered into the world and the terrible consequences brought about by it. Verse 1 says, “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, “Yea, hath God said, ‘Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?’” This verse is noteworthy for several reasons, but for our particular study today, we will only discuss two of these.


Notice first how the serpent, possessed by the Devil himself, is described: he is said to have been more subtil than any other beast. Some translations describe him as being tricky, cunning, deceitful, or crafty. All of these words describe him well, and this subtlety has been what the Adversary has used ever since to slyly deceive and ensnare countless people-even those who claim the name of Christ. Satan is portrayed elsewhere in the Scriptures as parading around as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14). This craftiness and worldly wisdom provided him with a method to use in his mission to tempt mankind into committing sin and rebellion against God. What did Satan’s sly, seducing “smarts”, if you will, lead him to do? Go straight to the woman!


This is the second issue to contemplate. Verse 1, after describing the serpent as being subtil goes on to say that he “said unto the woman”. This was by no means a mere coincidence or even a mistake! Satan knew exactly what he was doing when he planned his scheme of deception so as to launch it when he found Eve alone. This is precisely what he wanted, for he knew that he would be far more successful in his mission to deceive mankind and to drive man into rebellion against God if he sought to tempt Eve when he found her alone, at a time when she was without the companionship of her husband, Adam. Speaking on this very issue in a wonderful sermon, Dr. John MacArthur says the following [presented in transcript form from a sermon on the fall of man]:

“First of all, just to note, I ask questions when I study the Bible, my first question is…why did he [Satan] go to Eve and not Adam? Why did he go to Eve and not Adam? Well I think maybe the best answer is 1 Peter 3:7, that woman by God’s design from the physical standpoint, from the emotional structure standpoint is the weaker vessel. God has poured into the lives of women sensitivities, compassions, a certain level of tenderness. She is not by created design the warrior, the fighter, the defender, the protector, she is the one to be defended, to be protected. She is the one who needs to be covered and cared for. That’s why in Ephesians 5 husbands are to love their wives and they’re to be the guardians of their wives’ purity and the guardians of their wives’ character and they are to nourish them and to cherish them. At the same time they are to be their savior, as Christ is the Savior and provider of His church. And [in] 1 Timothy 2 the Apostle Paul says, ‘I do not permit a woman in the church to take leadership, to teach, but rather she is to learn.’ And the New Testament even says she is to go home if she has questions and ask her husband. The husband is the leader, the husband is the spiritual guardian and the spiritual protector of this woman because she is wired to be tender, she is wired to be compliant, she is wired to be compassionate because that is such a critical matter in the rearing of children and in offsetting the strength of her husband. The balance is wonderful. But when a woman is taken out of that protection, there is a level of vulnerability there. That is why [in] the Bible it is normal, it is the standard approach, there are some exceptions by God’s design, but it is normal for women to have a husband, that is the design of God because a woman was designed by God to be a helper to man, to be covered, protected, sheltered, cared for by a man and to take that tender side and use it in the lives of children as well as in the life of her husband. And where a woman does not have a husband, she is still to be the special care of a father who offers her that oversight and that care that she cannot receive from a husband. And we’re reminded by the Apostle Paul in his letter to Timothy that when a young woman loses her husband and becomes a widow, she should marry because she needs that covering, she needs that protection. And that is also why wherever you have divorce with biblical grounds, you have the allowance for remarriage because God knows that women are designed not to go through the world in an unprotected fashion, particularly those women who need to be married who have been designed by God to be married, they need the covering and protection of a husband. Now this situation is exactly what Satan would have wanted, an uncovered, unprotected, sensitive Eve. This is what the Apostle Paul refers to in 2 Corinthians chapter 11 verse 3, ‘I’m afraid lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.’ What happened was, Eve was led astray. She wandered off. She was found, I’m sure, by Satan in an unprotected condition and that’s exactly what he wanted. Now he may well have succeeded with Adam, but he believed he had a better opportunity to launch this thing with Eve.”1 (emphasis added)

As we have established previously in this series and as Dr. MacArthur articulated above, God has designed the family in such a way so that women, regardless of age or marital status, will be protected and led by either husband or father. Granted, we live in a fallen world and so having a godly father or husband to lead you may be rare these days (we will discuss that in a future article). However, we cannot take this consequence of sin and use it as an excuse to live however we want to, independently from the family. Two wrongs do not make a right. Interestingly, if we as daughters strive to live independently from our families due to what we see as “less than perfect circumstances” or our own whims, then we are falling into the very trap of Satan with which he ensnared Eve. God desires for daughters to be under the care and authority of their fathers until they are given to their husbands in marriage. As Dr. MacArthur stated above, this is a beautiful and wonderful design! Ladies were created and designed by God to be more emotional that they might be true nurturers, characterized by understanding, sympathy, deep, abiding love, caring spirits, sensitivity, compassion, and tenderness. With this emotional nature, however, also comes vulnerability in some ways. How often have we heard stories of women opening their doors to door-to-door salesmen and, instead of refusing to buy whatever it was due to not having a need for the item or else not having the finances for it, proceeded to buy the worthless item because she “felt sorry for the salesman”? Instances similar to this are very common; they come as a result of our caring nature! However, it can also get us into deep trouble, as well! As Kay Arthur has explained, women are, by nature, more subjective, while men are more objective. Men see the facts that are associated with this choice or that, this event or that, while women are more likely to see another person’s feelings and think of how a certain choice might affect another person’s happiness. This can lead to dangerous situations.The Lord understands this (as did Satan, didn’t he?), and therefore has so ordered matters as to provide the woman with a strong, logical companion to protect her from seducing schemes and dishonest, untrustworthy people. Without this covering, terrible things can occur, and we females can find ourselves in dire circumstances. This is precisely the reason why the laws outlined in Numbers 30 were issued to us by our all-wise God! This is also the reason why we must take seriously the fact that when women are left alone (or go off alone), unwanted events can occur, much as they did in the Garden of Eden.

Correctly Interpreting the Meaning of “With Her”

Some would deny that Eve was alone in the Garden when she was tempted by the Devil, appealing to Genesis 3:6 for support. This verse reads, “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.“ At first glance, this passage could be made to suggest that Eve was not in fact alone, for Adam was right there beside her in the Garden when the serpent came. However, there are a few issues with this interpretation, which can be outlined as follows.

The wording of verse 1 makes it clear that Adam was not present when Eve was deceived.

As noted above, Genesis 3:1 says, “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, ‘Yeah, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?’” The serpent spoke to the woman, implying that she was alone. Furthermore, we never see the Lord telling Eve not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Rather, in Genesis 2:15-17 (prior to the creation of Eve in verse 22), God proclaims to Adam that he must not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and that if he were to disobey this order, he would suffer death. Never does the Lord go to Eve and say the same thing. From this, we can deduce that from day one, man was ordained by God to be the spiritual leader. Adam had the responsibility of teaching Eve what God had said and warning her to not sin against Him. Therefore, in all likelihood, had Adam been there standing beside Eve in the Garden when the serpent came to her, he would have strongly protested the devil’s scheme and striven to protect Eve against his wiles. Therefore, from verse 1 of chapter 3, we are introduced to the fact that Eve was alone when the serpent came to her. Yet again, here is proof that Satan found Eve in the precise condition he wanted her-alone, without the protection and oversight of her husband.

Adam’s own testimony makes it clear that the deception took place when Eve was alone.

Following Eve’s sin and her subsequent enticement of Adam, which led to his own disobedience, Adam gives an account to God of what took place and why he committed his act of sin. Genesis 3:11b-13 says, “’Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?’ And the man said, ‘The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree and I did eat.’ And the Lord God said unto the woman, ‘What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, ‘The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.’” Nowhere does Adam speak of being with Eve when the serpent suddenly appeared and deceived them. Adam was not somehow standing close to Eve when she was being deceived by the Devil, simply whistling and minding his own business (thereby somehow not being deceived) while he watched the deception taking place. He simply was not there with her when the deception occurred! Eve was deceived, but Adam was not. After being deceived, Eve gave the fruit to Adam and he ate. Obviously, shortly after the deception, Eve either went to find Adam to give him the fruit, or perhaps he appeared not long after. Either way, Eve was alone when the deception took place, for Adam testifies plainly that he was not deceived by the serpent-he simply took the fruit that Eve offered him. The way the verses read, it even appears that perhaps Adam did not yet know about the serpent’s appearance, for he speaks solely of Eve giving him the fruit-he does not mention a serpent deceiving Eve. Eve is the one who places the blame on the serpent; therefore, it is perfectly valid to state that perhaps Adam had not yet been notified of the serpent’s deception. Another proof of the fact that Eve was alone when she was deceived!

The testimony of the Scriptures present the fact that Eve was deceived; Adam was not.

“For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.”

~1 Timothy 2:13-14

The verse speaks for itself-Adam simply was not deceived. Had he been present with Eve when the deception took place, the entire account would have likely been different-he may have been deceived, as well. But he was not. This is not to say that man is infinitely stronger than woman when it comes to dealing with temptation and that Adam would have definitely resisted the deception had he been with Eve when it occurred. However, based on this verse, we can know without a shadow of doubt that Eve was in fact alone when the serpent seduced her.

The wording “with her” makes perfect sense when it is understood that Adam would have, of course, been in the same garden as Eve.

The phrase “with her” does not have to (and Biblically speaking, cannot) be taken to mean that Adam was right by her side in the garden when Eve was deceived by the serpent. Furthermore, it is perfectly understandable for verse 6 of Genesis chapter 3 to say “with her” when we understand that Adam was in the same garden as Eve, the Garden of Eden. Therefore, for the verse to say “with her” is not deceptive in any way. Adam was certainly “with her” in the garden. He simply was not in her presence at the time of the deception.

In Conclusion:

Applying Lessons from Genesis 3 to Our Day

What do we always hear from feminist circles? What is a notion that is always taught in each and every feminist circle, regardless of how liberal or conservative they may be, their race, religious worldview, etc.? That women should be free to be on their own, living independently from any father or husband, that they should freely make all their own decisions without seeking the advice, wisdom, or input of husband or father, etc. As we will study further in a future article in this series, our modern day feminism has its roots in the pagan Gnostic religion of the late 2nd and 3rd centuries, a pagan witchcraft religion which Satan used (and is still using to this day) to attempt to weaken the Church. Clearly, Satan is using the same ploy as he did in time past-lure the women away from the home and family and, by so doing, influence them with the lies of Satan. The women, in turn, (as Eve herself did) will heavily influence their families with the lies of the Devil. This is the second reason why stay-at-home daughterhood is so very crucial to the kingdom of God. Not only is this doctrine presented throughout the Scriptures as we outlined in the first part of this article, but stay-at-home daughterhood also protects daughters from the vile, seducing wiles of Satan. Undoubtedly, between the time of the fall of Satan and the fall of man, the Devil had been eagerly waiting for the perfect time to tempt mankind to rebel against God. Evidently, he had been waiting for the perfect time to pounce, so as to assure victory. What was that perfect scenario? The time when Eve was separated from Adam and alone, without his leadership, covering, and protection. All of this is not to say that women are weak-minded and weak willed and are nothing more than little children when it comes to standing up against temptation. Throughout the Scriptures, we are given examples of strong, feminine, women who fought bravely against the Devil and his attacks. However, as stated above, women tend to be far more subjective than men, and therefore more readily give in to situations that may not be the wisest, simply because they feel sorry for someone else. For this reason, God has given husbands and fathers to guard, protect, and lead their wives and daughters. Again quoting Dr. MacArthur, “She [Eve] was the object of his attack, being the weaker one [this is perfectly true-1 Pet. 3:7-and does not go against what I just said above!] and needing the protection of her husband. He found her alone and unfortified by Adam’s experience and counsel.”2 He goes on to say, “By leaving Adam’s protection and usurping his headship, she was vulnerable and fell, thus confirming how important it was for her to stay under the protection and leadership of her husband.”3


Sadly, in our day, the Christian church is experiencing a dangerous, very destructive problem. There are, thankfully, people who readily admit, as Dr. MacArthur does above, to the need wives have for their husbands to lead and protect them. However, these very same people, many of whom may be good Complementarians, when it comes to the topic of stay-at-home daughterhood, angrily shake in their boots at the very thought, proclaiming that the doctrine is legalistic and that it deprives daughters of the opportunity to do and be everything they should. I’m sorry to say, there is a major disconnect here. Are we supposed to think that daughters do not need the protective oversight and wise leadership of a father, when we know that a wife needs her husband’s leadership and protection? Are we going to say that somehow wives are in great need of that leadership and protection, but that daughters (who are generally younger and more naïve, I might add!), are not? That it is somehow ok to ship them away from home to do their own thing and take full care of themselves immediately following high school graduation? Excuse me for ranting, but how dare we be so foolish! How can we even begin to think that a husband is sinning if he is not lovingly leading and diligently protecting his wife and yet not think the same of a father who sends his daughter off to live on her own? It is high time that the Christian church be Biblically balanced rather than being contradictory and picking out the Scripture passages that they like and ignoring the ones they do not. It is high time we follow God’s Word rather than the idol of self or the idol of the world and its teachings.


Not only do we see in Genesis 3 the importance of women remaining under the protection and leadership of husband or father, but we also see the crucial importance of husbands and fathers actively leading and protecting. I will not dwell on this for very long, as it is not my jurisdiction to teach men. However, I do want to point out to the daughters, for a minute, the importance of that protection-that it is not something to shirk or disdain or even run away from. Rather, it is something to joyfully, wholeheartedly embrace and something in which to delight. Had Adam been actively fulfilling his duty to lead, protect, and guard Eve, the deception would have been far less likely to have been victorious. However, Adam was being negligent in that duty. He then went so far as to, rather than being a man and bearing his responsibility manfully, blame Eve for his eating of the fruit. “The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. (Gen. 3:12)” Ever since that day in the Garden, men have struggled with refusing to strongly, yet tenderly, lead their families. Instead, ever since that day, men have largely been either domineering tyrants or else couch potatoes who refuse to actively lead, but instead negligently do their own thing. Likewise, ever since that day, women have largely (either simply inwardly in their hearts, or blatantly like the modern day feminist) disdained the authority, leadership, and oversight of men.


May we, the Church of Jesus Christ, refuse to continue wallowing in the mire of those paths! May we, as young women, instead learn to view male leadership, protection, and active involvement in our lives as a great blessing from our Lord Who desires to protect us from the wiles of Satan to which Eve fell prey!








Footnotes



1. http://www.gty.org/Resources/Sermons/90-238_The-Fall-of-Man-Part-1



2. John MacArthur, The MacArthur Study Bible -NKJV (Word Publishing, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., 1997), pg. 19



3. Ibid., pg. 1864

A Great Reminder....

‎"Whatever ability a faithful Christian may possess, he ought to possess it for his fellow believers, and he ought to make his own interest subservient to the well-being of the church in all sincerity."

- John Calvin

New Schedule for the Stay-at-home Daughterhood Article Series!

For the benefit of all involved, as of next Friday, July 23rd, the stay-at-home daughterhood article series will be assuming a new posting schedule. As you have likely noticed, an article in this series has, sadly, not been posted since April 23. Granted, this is due in part to the busyness of life directly prior to graduation, the busyness of graduation, and our family trip to Indiana following graduation. There are, however, other reasons for this absence of posting, as well.


My father's working schedule has been changed again, in that he now has every other Friday off. Clearly, it is easiest for Daddy to read over my articles when he has more time off from work. Because he has been forced to work somewhat longer hours lately, as well, it is too much on his plate for him to have to work, have family time, read through a long article every Friday, etc. Furthermore, it has become too difficult for me to produce an article a week for this series. It's my desire to thoroughly research the topic of each article, to write and rewrite as needed, to edit as required, etc., so that each article posted is the best that it can be. And I've come to find that allowing myself only one week for this (along with all my duties around the home, other writing projects, my home business, and the like) is simply not enough time to dedicate to a series as important as this. Furthermore, having a new article posted every other week rather than one each week will provide you, the reader, with more time to read each article, to consider what you have read, to search the Scriptures and compare what you have read with what you find to be taught in God's Word, and to ask as many questions (or post as many comments!) as you may have about each article. Likewise, such a schedule as this new one will also provide me with more time to thoroughly respond to each question I receive.


So, this new schedule (of posting one stay-at-home daughterhood article every other Friday) will begin next Friday, July 23rd. In the meantime, I encourage you to read over past articles in this series.


Thank you, God bless you, and have a wonderful weekend with your family! :)

Scenes From the 4th......

"America needs God more than God needs America. If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a Nation gone under."

~Ronald Reagan

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"It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor."

~George Washington

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"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."

~John Adams

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"I've lived, sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth: That God governs in the affairs of men. If a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We've been assured in the sacred writings that unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it."

~Benjamin Franklin

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"And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever."

~Thomas Jefferson