Tried With Fire

I'm posting at Out of the Ordinary today: When reading Titus 2:3-4 , it's easy to assume that "younger" only refers to single women, new wives, and young moms in the 20 to 40 age bracket. But we middle-agers still have much to learn and need the example of older women, too. As I considered who were the older women in my life, these three sisters came to mind. So let me introduce you to my role models... Read more here .

While working on my post for Women of the Reformation , I was surprised at the minimal information available on Idelette Calvin. There's next to nil about her life prior to her marriage to John Calvin, and the most written about her by her husband is on the event of her death.  If there had not been mention in Calvin's correspondence, Idelette would have lived, died, and been forgotten. The part of my brain that has been influenced by feminism more than I would like to admit began to spew out a few toxic thoughts such as:  "It's not fair." " If Calvin has his moment in the limelight, shouldn't his wife have the same? " "Isn't her role just as important?" This is the message that is fed to us 24/7. We live in a day where what's good for the gander is good for the goose. We live in a day of his and hers pulpit ministries. We live in a day where it's our right and duty, as women, to exert ourselves as much as possible in ...

Fact: The temperature dropped 20 degrees from Thursday to Friday, so we turned the heat on this week-end. Fact: I was feeling the beginnings of a cold Saturday afternoon. Here's a home remedy for colds that is not for the faint-hearted: swallow one small crushed clove of garlic 3x a day until the symptoms disappear or you can't bear the garlic fumes any longer. Don't take it on an empty stomach and drink plenty of liquid to wash it down. I've read that garlic has natural antibiotic and antiviral properties. More likely one's breath scares the germs away. Fact: I have 3 baby blankets and burp cloths to make this week. It's easier to find cute fabric for girls than boys. Fact: Thanks to all who were praying for me for the workshop on The Organized Heart .  God was good to use the time to encourage us in practical, grace-motivated living.  I was blessed that the sisters were willing to meet at 8:00 AM on a rainy and chilly Saturday morning. I'm also thank...

I wrote a post awhile ago on growing older but more thoughts sprang to mind as I was waiting for the verdict on my car on Friday.  One of the downsides of having to wait for your vehicle is the TV in the waiting room.  I normally don't watch TV, so enduring Regis and the other perky morning show hosts seemed like a waste of neural energy.  I did my best to not pay attention to the tube,  but I couldn't help but notice the makeover segment being shown. The victim was an attractive grandmother.  Her hair was snow white in a flattering short cut.  She wore stylish glasses. Her clothing reminded me of Land's End.  All in all, she looked fine the way she was.  But when the hip, celebrity makeover artist was done, you wouldn't recognize the woman.  Her hair was dyed reddish brown, tousled and spiked.  They must have given her contacts because the glasses were gone.  She was dressed in a very low-cut, sleeveless wrap dress in an animal pri...

Have you ever had one of those "Aha!" moments when God's truth is suddenly illuminated by the Holy Spirit? I had one of those moments last night. I was struggling these last few weeks with the topic of the next Titus 2 meeting, loving your husband. Given my situation, I didn't know if I should even go, because I didn't think I would have anything to offer. Another very real part was self pity. It still hurts at times, and it would be very tempting to stay at home and lick my wounds. But deep down I know that I need to be there. So to wrestle this out with the Lord, I began to listen to John Piper's series on marriage . I started on the ones on divorce but then went back to the beginning of the series. He gives a very different view of marriage from anything that I had ever been taught. He defines marriage as not mainly about staying in love but displaying the covenant keeping love of Christ and the church. That is why marriage is only for this life, because in...

We attended the Titus 2 women's ministry this evening. We are coming together to learn how to live as women for the sake of the gospel so that the word of God may not be reviled. Some are married, some single, some divorced. Some with children, some without. Older and younger. Different trials and different struggles, but together in Christ. I have not always had the clearest view of womanhood. I had my feminist phase. I also had my pie-in-the-sky Christian fairy tale view of marriage and family. Neither was right. Given life's circumstances, I have the potential to drift into cynicism if I'm not careful. Therefore, I'm grateful for this opportunity where we can walk side by side and point one another to the Word. I need these women in my life. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working a...