Friday, August 17, 2012

Older Women: Listen Up!

God created Adam.   Then God created Eve--out of the man.   He put them together in a beautiful place.  God also created marriage.   He set Adam as the head-of-the-household.  He created Eve specifically to complement Adam--so that the two of them would be a complete unit.   Their marriage was perfect when they followed God's design.

God is clear in His word what He desires for our marriages and families and homes to be like.  When we follow His divine plan, we are MUCH better off;  when we learn and obey God's will for our lives, we are MUCH happier.  Our homes are sanctuaries of peace and hope.     

When we go "outside" of God's will and create our own design or follow the world's design--that is when we get into trouble, when our family life begins to fall apart, when we're dissatisfied with our "lot in life."  

In Titus chapter 2, Paul talks about "older women" training and teaching younger women to love their husbands and children in such a way that "no one will malign the Word of God."    This is another reason that all older women who believe in the One True God should be careful with the way we talk about our 

  • marriage, 
  • our husband, 
  • our children, 
  • child-raising, 
  • pregnancy, 
  • home-life.  

There are tender ears (either our little or teen daughters or young adult-women) who hear our complaints and sadly we are maligning God's Word--AND we are showing and telling these young women that being a wife and mother is a miserable, wretched job.

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  • WATCH WHAT YOU SAY!!! Your words "instruct" and "train" and "teach" those who are listening when you jest and tease and make "off-hand" remarks. Nix the complaining. Nix the angst. Rejoice in the LORD!
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  • WATCH WHAT YOU DO! Not only are infant eyes eagerly following you around the room as you putter with making dinner, little daughters model themselves after you, teen girls, your daughter's friends, your son's girlfriend or fiance,--yes, they are ALL looking to you whether they ask outright or just watch you from the other side of the room. 
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  • WHAT YOU LIVE MATTERS!   It affects your actions and words.   If your attitude is deplorable, work on changing it.   I just saw a quote worth repeating:  "What would happen if you woke up this morning with ONLY the people and things you thanked God for yesterday?"     Cultivate a "Gratitude Attitude."
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  • HOW YOU LIVE MATTERS!   Tremendously!!   You are affecting not only your own children, but their spouses, your grandchildren and the people who pass through your life.   What legacy are you creating?   
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  • LOVE your husband and children--love in words, love in actions, love in deed. Love in truth. Put the BEST construction on what you do or say or think.
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"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, 

as working for the Lord, not for men,

since you know that you will receive an inheritance 

from the LORD as a reward.

It is the Lord Christ you are serving." 

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