How To Become An Active Listener...

Artist: Carolina Elizabeth

Responding To Our Husbands

I wish I could stress enough how important this is...

Now lets just clarify right up front here ladies,

I am speaking about responding to them with our;

Words, our body language and tone of voice. And our listening to them!

And our loving them in physical ways of contact...

None of us appreciate  or enjoy being ignored when someone is not showing

Appropriate response in listening to us when we are talking.

It can be downright frustrating!

I realize at times we are so busy it is hard to just stop when, He

May be speaking to us!

We as women are always multi tasking;

But sometimes we just stop listening;

Sometimes we stop seeing the needs that are being displayed.

I can get so busy as he can also that we both realize we need some

ALONE time...

It does not matter whether you are a newlywed or have been married

For years. We all want to be heard!

And to not feel like we are talking to ourselves.

I think one of the most important skills we need to learn;

But more importantly is to use it!

Being an ACTIVE listener...

Blah blah blah

Seriously...

Husbands feel very disrespected when we do not listen to them.

When they are talking to us!

We can do so many things just right in so many arenas;

But I can tell you for sure this one thing that we might be doing;

Can and will cause great trouble!

I had an older woman tell me many years ago to STOP

Interrupting my Husband and to look at him when he was speaking to me!

( I NEVER)

Was my first thought, I was mad and embarrassed over this correction.

But she was right and very wise...

When I started doing as she suggested, the whole relationship blossomed!

We all need to be heard!

We all can learn to be an active listener!

We can respond with our eyes, and our head nodding!

We can respond in a way that he will be validated!

I am sure we have all experienced this;

When we are watching a movie;

And someone starts talking to us, we just space them out!

(Well, if this is the way you act all the time)

You can see that this can become a real source of trouble for a marriage.

Can you hear me?

Are You listening?

Do you think you are a good listener?

Coming Out Of Agreement...

 

Will you be tossed around as a wave in the sea?

There is a stronghold that can come upon a person's life;

From either opening a door on purpose or something that caught us

Completely off  guard...

I am so thankful that God gives us a way to turn from our wicked ways!

Our eyes are little cameras that take a snapshot of everything we see!

(Good and Evil)

Each and everyone of us has seen a picture that was not good;

We sometimes can see something just once and never be bothered by it!

Other times we can see just a snippet and be harassed by it.

The enemy is always looking for things that will trip us up.

So I think it is a wise thing to learn and exercise is control over our

Thoughts and images that have been imprinted on your minds.

Taking every thought captive is completely biblical!

But as with anything that has an evil intend, must be dealt with.

Firstly, God has called us to repent!

We're to repent of anything that God has not called good!

When we come before God almighty and ask for forgiveness;

Guess what what He forgives us...

Being forgiven allows us to see the freshness and purity of a restored relationship!

How to battle things imprinted is easy if you will not give up!

When that thought or image tries to come back;

You say NO WAY...

I have the mind of Christ;

I will take this thought captive and plead the blood of Jesus over my mind!

It will take practice, but I will tell you this, God has given us a way out!


Here is my post on Taking Every Thought Captive;
Click Here

Taking Every Thought Captive...

The Threshold

We are always able to change the direction of our thinking...

We are not robots that have been programmed.

But sometimes it does appear that some people are on autopilot!

We need to refocus and look into where we can go with our thinking,

That is pleasing to the Lord...

He tells us to enter His gates with Thanksgiving

I have found that when I have an attitude of being thankful;

I am able to be a better wife and mother and friend!

"We can make a choice in our thinking"

Are you aware or realize when the enemy is trying to

re-direct your thinking??

When you begin to disrespect your husband in your thoughts;

When you become jealous over what another might have.

When you start thinking angry thoughts!

When you become suspicious and think everyone is out to get you!

When we are good Christian people;

We are not out sinning and living lives that are terrible;

So the enemy has to use our own thoughts against us!

I have seen this happen over and over...

I am so thankful that I had a teaching given to me about this!

As I can now quickly discern when my thoughts are being bombarded

 with thoughts that come from the enemy.

Women are always thinking...

Some ladies even have trouble turning off their thoughts.

That is why the scripture that tells us to take every thought captive!

2Corinthians 10:5

(Imagination and arguments)

Do a word study on this verse and see the importance of this.

If you think the same negative, destructive thoughts often;

You will have a rut in your brain;

Like a default program

( I was told it looked much like the wagon train ruts on the road)

Hard to get out, once you slipped into it!

But I believe that if we read the word and be aware and take our,

Thoughts captive we can have the mind of Christ!

Keeping our minds fresh and alive and learning new things;

Will bring life...

Being a woman of a healthy mind is very feminine,

As you will not look worried or confused and upset!

We all know when this starts to creep up;

S-T-O-P

Do you realize everyday you can speak a new word and leave a great impression!

Get out of yourself thinking and its rut;

See what the Lord says about every situation!!

Just a reminder, Dear Ladies;

Being worried is sin

Being fearful breeds more fear

Think thoughts that are lovely;

About Your Husband

And others!

Speak a blessing and don't give the enemy your mind!

Use it as a key to witness and create and inspire for

His Glory...

Do you struggle with controlling your thoughts?
Do you believe we can train our hearts to think differently?



What I am up to...
I have been crocheting little hearts...
I have been trying to walk everyday, not doing really great at it!
I received an eight piece setting of the Desert Rose Franciscan China
From my older Brother today!
What a lovely gift to receive;
As it was my Mothers favorite pattern of China!

Winter White Or Winter Blues...

 

Enjoy these days of winter rest...

We sometimes think that this season of quiet is really a time

of winter blues.

This is so far from the truth!

We can sit in a chair and work with our hands with projects

That never seem to even get picked up in the summer time.

We can get off to bed a bit earlier as it gets dark so much earlier!

We can cancel different outings because the weather is bad!

We can make a pot of soup and eat a couple of meals from it!

We can make pancakes for dinner and we think it is wonderful and yummy!

We enjoy those root vegetables that we can bake in the oven;

As we don't worry about over heating up the kitchen.

We can sit with a book with a cup of warm tea in our hands and feel comfort.

I am learning to embrace these winter seasons;

I am tired of feeling aggravated over snow and cold and ice.

As it is a fact I do not live in the tropics...

I remember as a child ice skating almost every single day!

We would go sledding as a fun thing that we loved!
We can all remember lying down on the ground and making a snow angel.
( Unless of course you live where it does not snow)

How to stop the winter blues...

Can we just stop and embrace each day and season?
I can tell you for certain the more we strive the more we feel confined.
I want to encourage myself and you also;
To not allow the weariness to take hold!

Sometimes we just need to start a new project!
Clean out your closet (Now that would take up a whole day)

Keeping my heart opened to what the next thing might be helps!
We always need to help keep that anticipation for what the Lord has!
I truly believe the Lord wants us to enjoy our days!
And when we do struggle it is just another chance and opportunity to grow!
This may just be a time that we are practicing our endurance!
After all it is how we learn to overcome!

So may we all find things that will produce a harvest even if,
This may not be a planting season in the natural
God is always expecting us to use our time and talents to
Bring Him Glory and to grow us!
Being stretched is not ever really fun, but rather painful!

But we will plan and stretch and not be caught up in being ill-tempered!
It is not becoming to be rude to others or become melancholy!

Now, let us enjoy this white season and not feel blue!
Take a walk
Try a vitamin D-3 supplement
Plan a Valentine's tea party
Start making some cookies and put them in the freezer
Make a new blogging friend!
Pray and Praise
Put off this garment of heaviness...

The Good Wife And Woman...

 

Hard Work And Responsibility...

Each day has its own troubles!

Each day has its own blessings!

Being a Proverbs Women can be daunting...

But the one scripture that always gives me hope is this one,

"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman

who fears the Lord is to be praised."

~Proverbs 31:30

When I realized what would give my marriage real depth,

And honor and love and commitment would be my character:

When we are learning to trust and fear the Lord daily;

We get our eyes off all that we can't get done in a day!

You and I may not be able to match the work level of the Proverbs 31 woman!

But we can have her character...

No matter are age or ability or finances,

We can be faithful

We can be supportive

We can be sensitive to the Spirit!

We can be responsive to our Husband's needs!

(He has some)

We can become observant to prayer needs!

We can fill our Homes with creative ideas!

(In lovely decor and food that lifts the heart)

Loving in ways that show we care

Love is a verb; to show action

I think that hard work and taking responsibility is how;

We learn and grow in Godly character!

It is about whatever we set our hands to that we do well!

When we make a bed or set the table for a meal;

We can be a perfect example of the proverbs 31 woman.

Character is what fearing the Lord can look like!

We do it because He has given us the very Home as our sphere!

A good wife and woman does not do everything perfectly;

But rather she does her portion;

She asks God for His strength to do it with love and care...

A Good Wife, and woman is something every woman should hope to become;

As the scripture tells us this;

Charm is deceptive

Beauty is fleeting

But a woman who loves and fears the Lord

(Trains herself to resemble more of His character...)

I want to encourage each of us, even myself today;

May we look well to our hearts and our home;

We can make a joyous resolve to worship in all our tasks at hand!

Make a lovely meal or dessert today

Take a lovely photo for your next blog post!

Make a plan for a valentine craft!

Go to the library and bring home some books that will inspire you!

Take a walk!

Start a new Bible study for these long winter mornings!

Is there something that you are doing to encourage yourself

In the Lord?

Please share a thought or idea with us!

We long to grow in character and worth!

When Is A Living Room Really Living...

 

A Living Room

Looks clean and tidy and quiet...

See our Lazy Girl and Boy Chairs?

Nothing to do but rest and read a book at my leisure!

Well, at least most the time...

A Living Room is really only living when people are living in it!!

(Silly Goose)

This Christmas we were blessed to have all our grandchildren with us for the holidays!

And WOW did we have busy...

We had a monopoly game going on at a card table!

See the winner is the one smiling ;o)

We had the re- arranging of the mouse house and all the furniture!

We had Lincoln log cabins being built. And babies in the tub!

We had gun fights!

We had swords wielding...

We had Lego imagination!

They went on sled rides...

Cousins galore...

Connecting hearts...

Cousins to play with!!

Boys just enjoying a good Lego Movie...

My Sweet Treasures...

Relaxing with the new cousin...

She's a newbie to the family get together!

Not sure if she was ever not being held for eight days!

Our Son And Daughter;

God's Greatest Blessings

Our Children arise and call us blessed...

Thank you for our inheritance of our Grandchildren!

The Living Room is clean and tidy...

~But way to quiet and clean~

Why Blogging Is Alive And Not Dying...

 

We Are Bloggers...

The world of media has said blogging is dying---

But, I think that is not true for many reasons!

The world is running at such a fast speed that it can't even catch up with its self.

Instagram

Facebook

Tweet

Google+

YouTube

Video Chat

E-mail

But we are a rare breed dear ones...

We love the idea of a corner of our lives that we can bask in a unique space.

We have words and thoughts, that is like a good cup of tea;

It must steep for a while,

That is how it gets its strength and the fragrance fills the room.

Blogging is a little bit like an apron;

Not everyone still uses one;

But it is really nice to wear when you need to be covered;

And you seek to be inspired...
And even look cute and stylish...

Our Blogs are like a sewing room or a craft room~
Or a photography room!

Filled with lovely things

(Words and pictures and a taste of something sweet)

No drive thru- fare will fill our longings of good and steady hold you over context!

With a dash of real and the spice of life, and just enough salt
(To bring out the flavor)

We are Bloggers...

We are not a fad to tickle a quick fancy;

But rather to be consistent and realistic...

To dream and to inspire...

To challenge and to endure...

We are not a people who are of a one night stand!

We have integrity and worth;

As we encourage each other to fulfill our most important calling!

All good things take time;

Building a blog is like a family;

We learn to trust one another!

We pray for one another!

We watch each others children grow!

We laugh and crack each other up  LOL

We feel touched and our hearts move with compassion...

We live in our HOMES

We make our houses into HOMES

We learn and grow into His image...

We learn new skills to run our homes in a frugal way that gives honor,

To our Husbands, as onto the Lord!

We mentor one another with Godly wisdom...

We take joy and pleasure in the simple things in our lives!

We pray for the hurting

We pray for those who have lost a loved one!

We warn when we are aware of the danger...

We become better cooks and homemakers...

We learn beauty tips that help us to feel beautiful!

We learn ways to be healthy;

We learn how to be Godly wives!

We learn so many things that we did not know as to how to make

A wonderful marriage!

 (Yes, It is work, but a labor of love)

We learn how to grow gardens and flower beds!

We learn how to live off the land, no matter the size..

(City or country)

We gain confidence to learn how to sew or knit or crochet!

We stop believing the lie that the world tells us

 that being a homemaker is not important!

We are not alone...

We are Bloggers

Home and Hearth

Love and Calm

Tea and Coffee

We are not dead...

We live and we will blog, maybe always!

Things will come and go...

But what you grow and prosper in usually lives a long time!

For the roots go deep;

Then the fruit is produced, to feed others!

Don't give up!

We need each other...

Beware Of Accepting Terms...

The Ripple Effect...

Accept Terms

Be very careful in what you sign or click on!

I believe so many web sites have advertisement on them that if

You open them, or click the box you now have opened yourself up!

I have a very good system for keeping out junk and Pop-ups...

But like so many things in this world, things unwholesome can find any open door!

Do you realize that once you open a door and a picture or word gets in your mind,

And now your heart is open...

It is almost impossible to stop seeing those images

That is why we need to think about things that are lovely!

Things that are true...

Watching all those crime shows and suspenseful programs,

Allows our minds to  actually need them to feel entertained!

Sometimes is is even just the commercials in between what you are watching that harms!

I have seen a searing of our conscience...

My husband has always used this analogy for being slowly conditioned;
If we were to put a frog into a pot of lukewarm water,
It would just swim around and be happy!
But if an agenda wanted to increase the heat it would slowly turn it up a notch.
The poor little frog would not even realize that its brains were being cooked!
Unable to swim freely, but rather to be boiled alive!

Our minds are a wonderful and beautiful gift from the Lord!
But why do we continue to subject our minds to filth and sin?

Well, mostly because we have all been slightly boiled in the brain...
Seared in most situations---

I love a good story;
I enjoy being entertained;

A good imagination is so powerful!
You can slay a dragon in a comfortable chair in your own living room.
You can plant a garden and almost see and smell the lovely flowers!

But when you click on the picture that opens a lifetime;
Of a distorted picture of what Godlessness really looks like;
You have accepted its terms...
It is a living and breathing force that will bring your heart and mind
Into a place that has iron bars to keep you!
A prisoner in your own mind!

That is why we are called to practice and exercise self-control...
We are so exposed to the worlds ideas and Hollywoods imagination,
We can become dull of being able to distinguish right from wrong.
He warns us to NOT be deceived...

I will be having another post to address how to repent
And overcome these addictions to images that are not pleasing.
To our Father and it grieves the Holy Spirit!

Really, Even our televisions have controls to bleep out the bad words!
And to not allow nudity and violence
You must use a code to override its warning!!!!!

We need to be advised:

I will set nothing wicked before my eyes;
Psalms 100:3

May I ask you, why do you think we have become so tolerant of sinful images?