A Titus 2 Sermon

World's View vs. God's View

Last night our pastor preached an excellent sermon on Titus 2. He shared a quote by John MacArthur similar to this.

“It is tragic that many young mothers are forced to hold outside jobs because their husbands have died, been imprisoned, or have left them and pay no child support, or because they have never been married and their own families are unable, or unwilling, to help. It is also tragic that many churches and Christian friends forsake their obligation to help young women who find themselves in such straits. And when the mother is away from home, younger children most often are cared for away from home. They need to be at home as much as possible and not be deprived of their mother’s companionship and instruction.

“…The point is not so much that a woman’s place is in the home as that her responsibility is for the home.”
John MacArthur

Our pastor also shared the following.

World's View vs. God's View
Source: Dr. Constable’s Expository (Bible Study) Notes

(If you’d like to hear the sermon, please let me know and I’ll send you the link.)

I’m so thankful that God has allowed me, one way or another, to be at home with my girls all these years I’ve been single. I believe it’s made a huge difference in our home and family. I’m so thankful for those who have come along beside me to help me fulfill my obligation to my daughters.

Do you know any mothers in tragic circumstances (like above) who need help to be home with their children?

True, Beautiful Love

Hearts

Today we visited an elderly church member who is in her final days at the nursing home. Mrs. M. has Alzheimer’s disease and knows few people. When we’ve gone to see her, she’s always been cheerful and funny, and dressed in a Sunday dress with her hair and makeup on. She was always looking forward to recovering from her hip surgeries and getting back to church. Now she is confined to the bed and can barely speak. She does not seem to know much of what is going on. What she does know is her husband’s face. When he enters the room, her face lights up. She does not take her eyes off of him when he is in her eyesight. Her eyes follow him around the room. When he is not there, she gets frantic.

As we visited, Mr. M. was so tender in his care and concern for her. He frequently made sure she was warm and comfortable and had anything she needed. He was (and has always been) very kind to her. They are still so much in love after all these years, so much so, that the nursing home put a little patio table for two out on the front porch just for them, when she was able to get around. Watching them together was like watching intimate, holy moments. This is true, beautiful love, the way God intended marriage to be.

Listings 2/16/11

Listings:  Recommended Listing of LinksI am renaming my “Recommended Links” to “Listings.” Sounds so old-fashioned, doesn’t it?:)

MightyBookJr.com: Free Year of Online Kids Books—(I found this offer last week and hope it is still valid.) Mighty Books Jr. is offering a free membership to their website – a $99 value. This website has over 850 animated books online, perfect for all types of students, including children with special needs. Check it out!

What We Love Artsy Writing Project for the Week of Valentine’s Day—Even though Valentine’s Day has passed, February is still a month to focus on love. This is a great project for the whole family, and would make a great keepsake.

Nancy Leigh DeMoss, The Interview Pt. 1—Girl talk has a 4-part interview with Nancy Leigh DeMoss, from Revive Our Hearts radio. It is a blessing to read how this single woman allows God to use her. Pt. 2 | Pt. 3 | Pt. 4

Have You Started a Forest Fire Today?—True Woman has a very convicting article on the power of the tongue. I never really realized how voicing our feelings can make them worse. “Have you ever noticed how once you state something it seems to become more concrete?”

Cyber-sex Is Still Cheating—Be very careful how you conduct yourself online with the opposite sex. I personally will not chat or email with another man unless it’s absolutely necessary.

Taking Better Photos~Even with a “Cheap” Camera—Lizzie at A Dusty Frame shares some fantastic tips on getting great shots with your regular camera. I often drool over cameras I want, but now am encouraged to use what I have!

Kitchen Tip Tuesdays: How to easily access spices in your kitchen cupboard—Tammy shares a great tip on easily getting to your spices stored in cabinets. I already store mine in a basket, but never thought to label the tops. Great idea!

5 February 1957 “Sleekness in Design for ’57 and the Need For The Latest Thing”—I really enjoy reading The Apron Revolution blog, where the author chronicles how she lives her present life as if she was living in the 1950s. I really recommend reading this recent article discussing how we can get caught up trying to keep up with the Joneses. “Styles change and desires with them, but we must remember that deep down, it is all manufactured. Not only the product but the desire.”

Introducing BLB.sc!—Blue Letter Bible, one of my favorite Bible research sources, now has a new BLB URL shortener. This is very useful when you need to link to these tools on Facebook or Twitter.

500 Posts and Counting—Be sure to listen to the beautiful singing of this precious boy that has several disabilities. Oh, how precious!

Four Reasons Busyness is a Bad Idea—Busyness is something I hate and try to stay away from if at all possible. Blissfully Domestic shares great reasons to keep yourself from it.

Recommended Listening: How God Overcomes Failure in Your Family

How God Overcomes Failure in Your Family

Revive Our Hearts with Nancy Leigh DeMoss is doing a series this week called “How God Overcomes Failure in Your Family” with Bro. Voddie Baucham. You’ll not want to miss this! If you have never heard Bro. Voddie, you are in for a treat! Prepare to be convicted and encouraged by this great man of God who was raised in less than ideal circumstances. God is God over all our situations, and He can redeem each and every one of them!

Here’s what you need to know: I didn’t grow up with godly manhood in my life. I did not grow up with godly examples in my life.

I just came back from Los Angeles, and, in God’s providence, last weekend I had a conference in the LA area. I grew up in Los Angeles. I grew up in drug-invested, gang-invested, south central Los Angeles, California. I was raised by a single, teenage, Buddhist mother. I never heard the gospel until my freshman year in college. I grew up with my mother, so I didn’t have much connection with my father’s side of the family.

God’s bigger than the failures in your families. My wife Bridget and I, of the last two generations of both sides of our families, 25 marriages, 22 divorces. That’s our legacy.

Here’s what I want you to know: God is able, and He is sufficient.

Read the transcripts or listen to the series here: ROH Radio :: How God Overcomes Failure in Your Family (Voddie Baucham)

The Ideal Life for a Woman

To marry and have children is the ideal life for a woman. What career could ever be as fine? To give the world splendid men and women—isn’t that the noblest thing a woman could possibly do?
—Jessie Willcox Smith

Wives, Mothers, and Homemakers

With Mother’s Day, there has been many great messages on the radio regarding mothers and homemakers. I hope the following resources bless you!

Revive Our Hearts had a series called A Woman After God’s Own Heart.

The Longing for a Child (Day 1)
The Heart of a Mother (Day 2)


John MacArthur of Grace to You had a two-part series called Hannah: A Godly Mother.

Read Sermon | Listen to Radio Programs


Family Life Today had a series called Radical Womanhood: Feminine Faith in a Feminist World. Carolyn McCulley was the guest speaker. I have heard her many times on the radio and just love to hear what she has to say. (She also has the sweetest voice to me!) As a former feminist, Carolyn has much knowledge to share with Christian women. To find out more about her, you can visit her website, CarolynMcCulley.com, her book site, Radical Womanhood: Feminine Faith in a Feminist World, and her blog, Radical Womanhood.

On day 3 of the series, a song called “Homemaker” by Paul Overstreet was played. I had never heard it and couldn’t believe there actually was a song about a woman who ignored the world and poured her life into her family and home. I just love it! The video below is actually a tribute to Paul Overstreet, but listen to the wonderful words!


I have a book by Donna Otto called The Stay-at-Home Mom that I just love. I got it when Donna was a guest on Elisabeth Elliot’s radio program, Gateway to Joy. I was thrilled to find Donna’s website, Homemakers by Choice, and her podcasts at Oneplace. Donna had several podcasts on mothering, including one in which she shares the bad relationship with her Mom as she was growing up.

Are You Making a Living?

A friend sent me this wonderful quote from Generation Cedar blog!

A man approaching retirement called the retirement office to inquire about his pension. Afterward, he was asked if his wife worked. “She’s worked all her life making me happy”, he replied. “Yes sir, but has she earned money to receive her pension?” “When we got married we agreed on an arrangement”, he said. “I would earn the living, and she would make the living worthwhile”.

Rest of this wonderful post here: Are You Making a Living?