Proverbs Ch. 31 (NKJV)

Proverbs 31

The Words of King Lemuel’s Mother

 ¹ The words of King Lemuel, the utterance which his mother taught him:
       ² What, my son?
      And what, son of my womb?
      And what, son of my vows?
       ³ Do not give your strength to women,
      Nor your ways to that which destroys kings.
       ⁴ It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
      It is not for kings to drink wine,
      Nor for princes intoxicating drink;
       ⁵ Lest they drink and forget the law,
      And pervert the justice of all the afflicted.
       ⁶ Give strong drink to him who is perishing,
      And wine to those who are bitter of heart.
       ⁷ Let him drink and forget his poverty,
      And remember his misery no more.
       ⁸ Open your mouth for the speechless,
      In the cause of all who are appointed to die.^{[a]
       9} Open your mouth, judge righteously,
      And plead the cause of the poor and needy.

The Virtuous Wife

    ¹⁰ Who^[b] can find a virtuous^[c] wife?
      For her worth is far above rubies.
       ¹¹ The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
      So he will have no lack of gain.
       ¹² She does him good and not evil
      All the days of her life.
       ¹³ She seeks wool and flax,
      And willingly works with her hands.
       ¹⁴ She is like the merchant ships,
      She brings her food from afar.
       ¹⁵ She also rises while it is yet night,
      And provides food for her household,
      And a portion for her maidservants.
       ¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;
      From her profits she plants a vineyard.
       ¹⁷ She girds herself with strength,
      And strengthens her arms.
       ¹⁸ She perceives that her merchandise is good,
      And her lamp does not go out by night.
       ¹⁹ She stretches out her hands to the distaff,
      And her hand holds the spindle.
       ²⁰ She extends her hand to the poor,
      Yes, she reaches out her hands to the needy.
       ²¹ She is not afraid of snow for her household,
      For all her household is clothed with scarlet.
       ²² She makes tapestry for herself;
      Her clothing is fine linen and purple.
       ²³ Her husband is known in the gates,
      When he sits among the elders of the land.
       ²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them,
      And supplies sashes for the merchants.
       ²⁵ Strength and honor are her clothing;
      She shall rejoice in time to come.
       ²⁶ She opens her mouth with wisdom,
      And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
       ²⁷ She watches over the ways of her household,
      And does not eat the bread of idleness.
       ²⁸ Her children rise up and call her blessed;
      Her husband also, and he praises her:
       ²⁹ “ Many daughters have done well,
      But you excel them all.”
       ³⁰ Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
      But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
       ³¹ Give her of the fruit of her hands,
      And let her own works praise her in the gates.

Teaching on the history of Halloween and what it means for believers

Here's Jon Courson's Halloween teaching from years and years ago.  I really learned a lot to questions like... Why the word Halloween?  What does All Hallows Eve mean?  Why the words trick-or-treat?  Why scary tricks or pranks?  Why give a treat?  Why costumes?  Why witches?  Why the black cat?  Why the jack-o-lantern?  Why ghosts and goblins?  Why haunted houses?  Why horror movies?  Why bonfires?  Why bobbing for apples?  Why Oct. 31st?  Why the colors black and orange?  Why death and darkness?  I'm happy to be better informed than I was, and I was encouraged by what he said at the end about praying what the Lord would lead your family in how to celebrate Halloween.

Proverbs Ch. 30 (NKJV)

Proverbs 30

The Wisdom of Agur

 ¹ The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, his utterance. This man declared to Ithiel—to Ithiel and Ucal:

  
       ² Surely I am more stupid than any man,
      And do not have the understanding of a man.
       ³ I neither learned wisdom
      Nor have knowledge of the Holy One.
       ⁴ Who has ascended into heaven, or descended?
      Who has gathered the wind in His fists?
      Who has bound the waters in a garment?
      Who has established all the ends of the earth?
      What is His name, and what is His Son’s name,
      If you know?
       ⁵ Every word of God is pure;
      He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
       ⁶ Do not add to His words,
      Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
       ⁷ Two things I request of You
      (Deprive me not before I die):
       ⁸ Remove falsehood and lies far from me;
      Give me neither poverty nor riches—
      Feed me with the food allotted to me;
       ⁹ Lest I be full and deny You,
      And say, “Who is the LORD?”
      Or lest I be poor and steal,
      And profane the name of my God.
       ¹⁰ Do not malign a servant to his master,
      Lest he curse you, and you be found guilty.
       ¹¹ There is a generation that curses its father,
      And does not bless its mother.
       ¹² There is a generation that is pure in its own eyes,
      Yet is not washed from its filthiness.
       ¹³ There is a generation—oh, how lofty are their eyes!
      And their eyelids are lifted up.
       ¹⁴ There is a generation whose teeth are like swords,
      And whose fangs are like knives,
      To devour the poor from off the earth,
      And the needy from among men.
       ¹⁵ The leech has two daughters—
      Give and Give!

      There are three things that are never satisfied,
      Four never say, “Enough!”:
       ¹⁶ The grave,^[a]
      The barren womb,
      The earth that is not satisfied with water—
      And the fire never says, “Enough!”
       ¹⁷ The eye that mocks his father,
      And scorns obedience to his mother,
      The ravens of the valley will pick it out,
      And the young eagles will eat it.
       ¹⁸ There are three things which are too wonderful for me,
      Yes, four which I do not understand:
       ¹⁹ The way of an eagle in the air,
      The way of a serpent on a rock,
      The way of a ship in the midst of the sea,
      And the way of a man with a virgin.
       ²⁰ This is the way of an adulterous woman:
      She eats and wipes her mouth,
      And says, “I have done no wickedness.”
       ²¹ For three things the earth is perturbed,
      Yes, for four it cannot bear up:
       ²² For a servant when he reigns,
      A fool when he is filled with food,
       ²³ A hateful woman when she is married,
      And a maidservant who succeeds her mistress.
       ²⁴ There are four things which are little on the earth,
      But they are exceedingly wise:
       ²⁵ The ants are a people not strong,
      Yet they prepare their food in the summer;
       ²⁶ The rock badgers^[b] are a feeble folk,
      Yet they make their homes in the crags;
       ²⁷ The locusts have no king,
      Yet they all advance in ranks;
       ²⁸ The spider^[c] skillfully grasps with its hands,
      And it is in kings’ palaces.
       ²⁹ There are three things which are majestic in pace,
      Yes, four which are stately in walk:
       ³⁰ A lion, which is mighty among beasts
      And does not turn away from any;
       ³¹ A greyhound,^[d]
      A male goat also,
      And a king whose troops are with him.^{[e]
       32} If you have been foolish in exalting yourself,
      Or if you have devised evil, put your hand on your mouth.
       ³³ For as the churning of milk produces butter,
      And wringing the nose produces blood,
      So the forcing of wrath produces strife.

Morning Activity

This morning for our activity we did our first Thanksgiving project- corn painting!  I thought it looked so fun, I wanted to do one.  

They worked very hard.  I think it was silent in my house for a whole two minutes!

 

 Corn painting soon turned into finger painting.

 Finger painting soon turned into hair painting.

Too much fun!

Proverbs Ch. 29 (NKJV)

Proverbs 29

 ¹ He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck,
      Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.
       ² When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice;
      But when a wicked man rules, the people groan.
       ³ Whoever loves wisdom makes his father rejoice,
      But a companion of harlots wastes his wealth.
       ⁴ The king establishes the land by justice,
      But he who receives bribes overthrows it.
       ⁵ A man who flatters his neighbor
      Spreads a net for his feet.
       ⁶ By transgression an evil man is snared,
      But the righteous sings and rejoices.
       ⁷ The righteous considers the cause of the poor,
      But the wicked does not understand such knowledge.
       ⁸ Scoffers set a city aflame,
      But wise men turn away wrath.
       ⁹ If a wise man contends with a foolish man,
      Whether the fool rages or laughs, there is no peace.
       ¹⁰ The bloodthirsty hate the blameless,
      But the upright seek his well-being.^{[a]
       11} A fool vents all his feelings,^[b]
      But a wise man holds them back.
       ¹² If a ruler pays attention to lies,
      All his servants become wicked.
       ¹³ The poor man and the oppressor have this in common:
      The LORD gives light to the eyes of both.
       ¹⁴ The king who judges the poor with truth,
      His throne will be established forever.
       ¹⁵ The rod and rebuke give wisdom,
      But a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.
       ¹⁶ When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increases;
      But the righteous will see their fall.
       ¹⁷ Correct your son, and he will give you rest;
      Yes, he will give delight to your soul.
       ¹⁸ Where there is no revelation,^[c] the people cast off restraint;
      But happy is he who keeps the law.
       ¹⁹ A servant will not be corrected by mere words;
      For though he understands, he will not respond.
       ²⁰ Do you see a man hasty in his words?
      There ismore hope for a fool than for him.
       ²¹ He who pampers his servant from childhood
      Will have him as a son in the end.
       ²² An angry man stirs up strife,
      And a furious man abounds in transgression.
       ²³ A man’s pride will bring him low,
      But the humble in spirit will retain honor.
       ²⁴ Whoever is a partner with a thief hates his own life;
      He swears to tell the truth,^[d] but reveals nothing.
       ²⁵ The fear of man brings a snare,
      But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.
       ²⁶ Many seek the ruler’s favor,
      But justice for man comes from the LORD.
       ²⁷ An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous,
      And he who is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked.

Siah Boy is sitting up... sorta

Proverbs Ch. 28 (NKJV)

Proverbs 28

 ¹ The wicked flee when no one pursues,
      But the righteous are bold as a lion.
       ² Because of the transgression of a land, many are its princes;
      But by a man of understanding and knowledge
      Right will be prolonged.
       ³ A poor man who oppresses the poor
      Is like a driving rain which leaves no food.
       ⁴ Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,
      But such as keep the law contend with them.
       ⁵ Evil men do not understand justice,
      But those who seek the LORD understand all.
       ⁶ Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
      Than one perverse in his ways, though he be rich.
       ⁷ Whoever keeps the law is a discerning son,
      But a companion of gluttons shames his father.
       ⁸ One who increases his possessions by usury and extortion
      Gathers it for him who will pity the poor.
       ⁹ One who turns away his ear from hearing the law,
      Even his prayer is an abomination.
       ¹⁰ Whoever causes the upright to go astray in an evil way,
      He himself will fall into his own pit;
      But the blameless will inherit good.
       ¹¹ The rich man is wise in his own eyes,
      But the poor who has understanding searches him out.
       ¹² When the righteous rejoice, there is great glory;
      But when the wicked arise, men hide themselves.
       ¹³ He who covers his sins will not prosper,
      But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
       ¹⁴ Happy is the man who is always reverent,
      But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
       ¹⁵ Like a roaring lion and a charging bear
      Is a wicked ruler over poor people.
       ¹⁶ A ruler who lacks understanding is a great oppressor,
      But he who hates covetousness will prolong his days.
       ¹⁷ A man burdened with bloodshed will flee into a pit;
      Let no one help him.
       ¹⁸ Whoever walks blamelessly will be saved,
      But he who is perverse in his ways will suddenly fall.
       ¹⁹ He who tills his land will have plenty of bread,
      But he who follows frivolity will have poverty enough!
       ²⁰ A faithful man will abound with blessings,
      But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.
       ²¹ To show partiality is not good,
      Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress.
       ²² A man with an evil eye hastens after riches,
      And does not consider that poverty will come upon him.
       ²³ He who rebukes a man will find more favor afterward
      Than he who flatters with the tongue.
       ²⁴ Whoever robs his father or his mother,
      And says, “It is no transgression,”
      The same is companion to a destroyer.
       ²⁵ He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife,
      But he who trusts in the LORD will be prospered.
       ²⁶ He who trusts in his own heart is a fool,
      But whoever walks wisely will be delivered.
       ²⁷ He who gives to the poor will not lack,
      But he who hides his eyes will have many curses.
       ²⁸ When the wicked arise, men hide themselves;
      But when they perish, the righteous increase.

Today

Eli past level 2 swim lessons today!!!  He has been having trouble mastering his back floats, and I think he was a little nervous about being testing on it today because on the way there he said, "I don't know if I can do the back float all by myself."  (pause...)   "Ugh!  My tummy is punching me!"  I hope he doesn't get nervous tummy aches like I used to.  :(  Once we got there he got excited to see his friend and jumped right in... and did a GREAT job on his back float!  Here's the video!!!

For anyone that is interested this is the description of level 2 swim lesson skills:  

Floats

1. Front

2. Back

3. Side (assisted)

Glides

1. Front glide

2. Back glide

3. Side glide (assisted)

General

1. Jumping in from the side

Recovery to Vertical Position

1. Front

2. Back

Breath Control

1. 15 Bobs

2. 10 Side Bobs

Safety Skills:

1. Sizing of PFD's & proper use

2. Bob to safety

3. Visit deep end of Small Pool

4. Recovery to vertical position

Skills to be Tested:

a. Front float - 5 sec

b. Back float - 5 sec

c. Side float - 5 sec (assisted & both sides)

After swim lessons I couldn't stop hugging and praising Eli-  I was so proud of him.  We loaded up and headed over to the $ store to get a couple things to decorate the church classroom we've been teaching in.  I packed us a lunch too, so we ate in the classroom and watched Veggie Tales.  I was in such a good mood and thought we'd have so much fun.  I thought it was so good to take the boys along to the church to serve.  Umm... yeah...

Then the craziness began.  Noah had some kind of explosion in his diaper that ran down his pants and up his back.  Just a bit challenging to clean up.  And of course, I brought no extra clothes for him, so he was running around in a diaper and shoes.  Then it seemed like he was screaming and throwing a fit about everything.  OH. MY. GOSH. Then Eli would run and get in Noah's toy car to taunt and tease him, which of course fueled the fiery wrath of Noah.  Later, when I opened the door to put something away, Eli went running down the hall to the front desk to look for candy... and then naked Noah followed behind.  ( I specifically warned them NOT to do run down there when we first got there...  I guess they forgot...) I get so frustrated with my kids' behavior sometimes, and frustrated with myself in not being able to handle it quickly or not even knowing how to react.  Parenting can be SO HARD!  I feel so bad that I went from being so proud of Eli to so frustrated with him.  Ugh!  

And Noah.... oh boy... that child.  I don't know how to get through to him.  I can't figure out how his mind works.  I used to be able to reason with Eli as a two year old, and it always baffled me when people would say you can't reason with a two year old. Now I know what they mean.  And the fits.  Oh my!  Eli started fits at 2 1/2 and they were mild in comparison to the display of rage Noah puts on.  I know each child is different and they learn differently and they have different strengths and weaknesses, I'm just having a hard time figuring out how Noah ticks.  He's so unpredictable.  I was so embarrassed by his behavior today.  At least we were on the other side of the building than all the pastors' offices, but I was praying nobody could hear him screaming.  So much for serving the Lord joyfully...  I just packed up and left.  :(

Right now they're being super cute- sharing graham crackers while watching Curious George.  You would never have guessed how naughty they were being earlier.  I think this is just a day to take one hour at a time and lots of deep breaths.  :)

Proverbs Ch. 27 (NKJV)

Proverbs 27

 ¹ Do not boast about tomorrow,
      For you do not know what a day may bring forth.
       ² Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth;
      A stranger, and not your own lips.
       ³ A stone is heavy and sand is weighty,
      But a fool’s wrath is heavier than both of them.
       ⁴ Wrath is cruel and anger a torrent,
      But who is able to stand before jealousy?
       ⁵ Open rebuke is better
      Than love carefully concealed.
       ⁶ Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
      But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
       ⁷ A satisfied soul loathes the honeycomb,
      But to a hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.
       ⁸ Like a bird that wanders from its nest
      Is a man who wanders from his place.
       ⁹ Ointment and perfume delight the heart,
      And the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel.
       ¹⁰ Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend,
      Nor go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity;
      Better is a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.
       ¹¹ My son, be wise, and make my heart glad,
      That I may answer him who reproaches me.
       ¹² A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself;
      The simple pass on and are punished.
       ¹³ Take the garment of him who is surety for a stranger,
      And hold it in pledge when he is surety for a seductress.
       ¹⁴ He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning,
      It will be counted a curse to him.
       ¹⁵ A continual dripping on a very rainy day
      And a contentious woman are alike;
       ¹⁶ Whoever restrains her restrains the wind,
      And grasps oil with his right hand.
       ¹⁷ As iron sharpens iron,
      So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.
       ¹⁸ Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit;
      So he who waits on his master will be honored.
       ¹⁹ As in water face reflects face,
      So a man’s heart reveals the man.
       ²⁰ Hell^[a] and Destruction^[b] are never full;
      So the eyes of man are never satisfied.
       ²¹ The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold,
      And a man is valued by what others say of him.
       ²² Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain,
      Yet his foolishness will not depart from him.
       ²³ Be diligent to know the state of your flocks,
      And attend to your herds;
       ²⁴ For riches are not forever,
      Nor does a crown endure to all generations.
       ²⁵ When the hay is removed, and the tender grass shows itself,
      And the herbs of the mountains are gathered in,
       ²⁶ The lambs will provide your clothing,
      And the goats the price of a field;
       ²⁷ You shall have enough goats’ milk for your food,
      For the food of your household,
      And the nourishment of your maidservants.

Halloween: Innocent Fun or Spiritual Deception? Trailer

Has anyone seen this video? I'm so interested....  I wonder what nuggets of wisdom Mr. Chuck Smith has to offer on the subject?

Proverbs Ch. 26 (NKJV)

Proverbs 26

 ¹ As snow in summer and rain in harvest,
      So honor is not fitting for a fool.
       ² Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow,
      So a curse without cause shall not alight.
       ³ A whip for the horse,
      A bridle for the donkey,
      And a rod for the fool’s back.
       ⁴ Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
      Lest you also be like him.
       ⁵ Answer a fool according to his folly,
      Lest he be wise in his own eyes.
       ⁶ He who sends a message by the hand of a fool
      Cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.
       ⁷ Like the legs of the lame that hang limp
      Is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
       ⁸ Like one who binds a stone in a sling
      Is he who gives honor to a fool.
       ⁹ Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard
      Is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
       ¹⁰ The great God who formed everything
      Gives the fool his hire and the transgressor his wages.^{[a]
       11} As a dog returns to his own vomit,
      So a fool repeats his folly.
       ¹² Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?
      There is more hope for a fool than for him.
       ¹³ The lazy man says, “There is a lion in the road!
      A fierce lion is in the streets!”
       ¹⁴ As a door turns on its hinges,
      So does the lazy man on his bed.
       ¹⁵ The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl;^[b]
      It wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.
       ¹⁶ The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes
      Than seven men who can answer sensibly.
       ¹⁷ He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own
      Is like one who takes a dog by the ears.
       ¹⁸ Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death,
       ¹⁹ Is the man who deceives his neighbor,
      And says, “I was only joking!”
       ²⁰ Where there is no wood, the fire goes out;
      And where there is no talebearer, strife ceases.
       ²¹ As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire,
      So is a contentious man to kindle strife.
       ²² The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles,
      And they go down into the inmost body.
       ²³ Fervent lips with a wicked heart
      Are like earthenware covered with silver dross.
       ²⁴ He who hates, disguises it with his lips,
      And lays up deceit within himself;
       ²⁵ When he speaks kindly, do not believe him,
      For there are seven abominations in his heart;
       ²⁶ Though his hatred is covered by deceit,
      His wickedness will be revealed before the assembly.
       ²⁷ Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,
      And he who rolls a stone will have it roll back on him.
       ²⁸ A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it,
      And a flattering mouth works ruin.

Proverbs Ch. 25 (NJKV)

Further Wise Sayings of Solomon

    These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied:
    ² It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,
      But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.
       ³ As the heavens for height and the earth for depth,
      So the heart of kings is unsearchable.
       ⁴ Take away the dross from silver,
      And it will go to the silversmith for jewelry.
       ⁵ Take away the wicked from before the king,
      And his throne will be established in righteousness.
       ⁶ Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king,
      And do not stand in the place of the great;
       ⁷ For it is better that he say to you,

      “ Come up here,”
      Than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince,
      Whom your eyes have seen.
       ⁸ Do not go hastily to court;
      For what will you do in the end,
      When your neighbor has put you to shame?
       ⁹ Debate your case with your neighbor,
      And do not disclose the secret to another;
       ¹⁰ Lest he who hears it expose your shame,
      And your reputation be ruined.
       ¹¹ A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold
      In settings of silver.
       ¹² Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold
      Is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear.
       ¹³ Like the cold of snow in time of harvest
      Is a faithful messenger to those who send him,
      For he refreshes the soul of his masters.
       ¹⁴ Whoever falsely boasts of giving
      Is like clouds and wind without rain.
       ¹⁵ By long forbearance a ruler is persuaded,
      And a gentle tongue breaks a bone.
       ¹⁶ Have you found honey?
      Eat only as much as you need,
      Lest you be filled with it and vomit.
       ¹⁷ Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house,
      Lest he become weary of you and hate you.
       ¹⁸ A man who bears false witness against his neighbor
      Is like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow.
       ¹⁹ Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble
      Is like a bad tooth and a foot out of joint.
       ²⁰ Like one who takes away a garment in cold weather,
      And like vinegar on soda,
      Is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.
       ²¹ If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat;
      And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
       ²² For so you will heap coals of fire on his head,
      And the LORD will reward you.
       ²³ The north wind brings forth rain,
      And a backbiting tongue an angry countenance.
       ²⁴ It is better to dwell in a corner of a housetop,
      Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.
       ²⁵ As cold water to a weary soul,
      So is good news from a far country.
       ²⁶ A righteous man who falters before the wicked
      Is like a murky spring and a polluted well.
       ²⁷ It is not good to eat much honey;
      So to seek one’s own glory is not glory.
       ²⁸ Whoever has no rule over his own spirit
      Is like a city broken down, without walls.

Organized

Yes, I have to be this organized.  People often ask me how it is with three kids, and I say that is great because I keep busy and organized.  I don't know, maybe its a sign of low intelligence or something- that I need to follow a structure or routine otherwise I wander about frustrated and unable to get anything done.  :)  I like going to be at night knowing I've accomplished what was set out for the day.  So here it is my organization...

The Acts of Kindness heart is a way to try to keep Eli and Noah from fighting.  If they put their brother before himself, they get a sticker.  For example if they both want a toy, and Eli says that Noah can have it first, that would be being his 'brother's keeper' and he would be rewarded with a sticker.  Each sticker is worth a dime, then they get to splurge at the dollar store.  I hesitated before doing this, because it seems 'works' oriented, but Jonny thought it was an okay idea and that its a way of teaching little kids to put others first.  (Even though they're technically still sorta thinking of themself by doing something to get rewarded...)  You can tell I'm still not sure I like this...

The other things are our weekly schedule, our regular monthly routine, and a schedule for my chores and dinner menu.  Oh, it feels so good to be organized!!  :)

Proverbs Ch. 24 (NKJV)

Proverbs 24

 ¹ Do not be envious of evil men,
      Nor desire to be with them;
       ² For their heart devises violence,
      And their lips talk of troublemaking.
       ³ Through wisdom a house is built,
      And by understanding it is established;
       ⁴ By knowledge the rooms are filled
      With all precious and pleasant riches.
       ⁵ A wise man is strong,
      Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength;
       ⁶ For by wise counsel you will wage your own war,
      And in a multitude of counselors there is safety.
       ⁷ Wisdom is too lofty for a fool;
      He does not open his mouth in the gate.
       ⁸ He who plots to do evil
      Will be called a schemer.
       ⁹ The devising of foolishness is sin,
      And the scoffer is an abomination to men.
       ¹⁰ If you faint in the day of adversity,
      Your strength is small.
       ¹¹ Deliver those who are drawn toward death,
      And hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.
       ¹² If you say, “Surely we did not know this,”
      Does not He who weighs the hearts consider it?
      He who keeps your soul, does He not know it?
      And will He not render to each man according to his deeds?
       ¹³ My son, eat honey because it is good,
      And the honeycomb which is sweet to your taste;
       ¹⁴ So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul;
      If you have found it, there is a prospect,
      And your hope will not be cut off.
       ¹⁵ Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous;
      Do not plunder his resting place;
       ¹⁶ For a righteous man may fall seven times
      And rise again,
      But the wicked shall fall by calamity.
       ¹⁷ Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
      And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles;
       ¹⁸ Lest the LORD see it, and it displease Him,
      And He turn away His wrath from him.
       ¹⁹ Do not fret because of evildoers,
      Nor be envious of the wicked;
       ²⁰ For there will be no prospect for the evil man;
      The lamp of the wicked will be put out.
       ²¹ My son, fear the LORD and the king;
      Do not associate with those given to change;
       ²² For their calamity will rise suddenly,
      And who knows the ruin those two can bring?

Further Sayings of the Wise

 ²³ These things also belong to the wise:
      It isnot good to show partiality in judgment.
       ²⁴ He who says to the wicked, “You are righteous,”
      Him the people will curse;
      Nations will abhor him.
       ²⁵ But those who rebuke the wicked will have delight,
      And a good blessing will come upon them.
       ²⁶ He who gives a right answer kisses the lips.
       ²⁷ Prepare your outside work,
      Make it fit for yourself in the field;
      And afterward build your house.
       ²⁸ Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause,
      For would you deceive^[a] with your lips?
       ²⁹ Do not say, “I will do to him just as he has done to me;
      I will render to the man according to his work.”
       ³⁰ I went by the field of the lazy man,
      And by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding;
       ³¹ And there it was, all overgrown with thorns;
      Its surface was covered with nettles;
      Its stone wall was broken down.
       ³² When I saw it, I considered it well;
      I looked on it and received instruction:
       ³³ A little sleep, a little slumber,
      A little folding of the hands to rest;
       ³⁴ So shall your poverty come like a prowler,
      And your need like an armed man.

Pumpkin Patch!!!

Proverbs Ch. 23 (NKJV)

Proverbs 23

 ¹ When you sit down to eat with a ruler,
      Consider carefully what is before you;
       ² And put a knife to your throat
      If you are a man given to appetite.
       ³ Do not desire his delicacies,
      For they are deceptive food.
       ⁴ Do not overwork to be rich;
      Because of your own understanding, cease!
       ⁵ Will you set your eyes on that which is not?
      For riches certainly make themselves wings;
      They fly away like an eagle toward heaven.
       ⁶ Do not eat the bread of a miser,^[a]
      Nor desire his delicacies;
       ⁷ For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.

      “ Eat and drink!” he says to you,
      But his heart is not with you.
       ⁸ The morsel you have eaten, you will vomit up,
      And waste your pleasant words.
       ⁹ Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,
      For he will despise the wisdom of your words.
       ¹⁰ Do not remove the ancient landmark,
      Nor enter the fields of the fatherless;
       ¹¹ For their Redeemer is mighty;
      He will plead their cause against you.
       ¹² Apply your heart to instruction,
      And your ears to words of knowledge.
       ¹³ Do not withhold correction from a child,
      For if you beat him with a rod, he will not die.
       ¹⁴ You shall beat him with a rod,
      And deliver his soul from hell.^{[b]
       15} My son, if your heart is wise,
      My heart will rejoice—indeed, I myself;
       ¹⁶ Yes, my inmost being will rejoice
      When your lips speak right things.
       Do not let your heart envy sinners, But be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day; ¹⁸ For surely there is a hereafter,
      And your hope will not be cut off.
       ¹⁹ Hear, my son, and be wise;
      And guide your heart in the way.
       ²⁰ Do not mix with winebibbers,
      Or with gluttonous eaters of meat;
       ²¹ For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,
      And drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.
       ²² Listen to your father who begot you,
      And do not despise your mother when she is old.
       ²³ Buy the truth, and do not sell it,
      Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.
       ²⁴ The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice,
      And he who begets a wise child will delight in him.
       ²⁵ Let your father and your mother be glad,
      And let her who bore you rejoice.
       ²⁶ My son, give me your heart,
      And let your eyes observe my ways.
       ²⁷ For a harlot is a deep pit,
      And a seductress is a narrow well.
       ²⁸ She also lies in wait as for a victim,
      And increases the unfaithful among men.
       ²⁹ Who has woe?
      Who has sorrow?
      Who has contentions?
      Who has complaints?
      Who has wounds without cause?
      Who has redness of eyes?
       ³⁰ Those who linger long at the wine,
      Those who go in search of mixed wine.
       ³¹ Do not look on the wine when it is red,
      When it sparkles in the cup,
      When it swirls around smoothly;
       ³² At the last it bites like a serpent,
      And stings like a viper.
       ³³ Your eyes will see strange things,
      And your heart will utter perverse things.
       ³⁴ Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea,
      Or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying:
       "They have struck me, but I was not hurt; They have beaten me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?"

Ministry

I am loving teaching the 4 & 5 yr olds! I thought I might want to follow a curriculum, but so far I'm having fun thinking of the lessons on my own.  This age is so fun, and time always flies when your having fun.  :)  Jonny led worship, which, of course, was a hit for the kids.  I forgot my camera, but you should have seen Eli and Noah!  (Our whole family was in the classroom.)  While everyone else was seated on the floor, our boys pushed two chairs to the side of Jonny (who was also in a chair) and sat there the entire time.  After worship I asked if there were any prayer requests.  Oh. My. Gosh.  Four and five year olds have the oddest, cutest and sweetest little prayer requests!  Jonny and I tried to remember everything... uncles with headaches, grandmas with stomach aches, sisters with fevers, and dads with poison oak....  Then I read the the story.  We're just working our way through the Read with Me Bible (which by the way, is an excellent kids bible- the pictures are great!)  so the next story was the Garden of Eden from Genesis 2.  We talked about how God told Adam and Eve not to touch eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  I asked what obedience and forgiveness means.  Again, CUTE answers!  Anyway, it was so fun to talk to this age about good choices and bad choices because they so get it!  For the project I found this picture of a tree online and attached this verse, which I thought pertained to our talk about obedience.  "Mark out a straight path for your feet; then stick to the path and stay safe.  Don't get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil."  -Proverbs 4:26-27  The kids could color their tree and then glue leaves to it.  Noah didn't want to color, Eli didn't want to glue leaves... so there you go!

Oh, and after the project and snack I thought it would be fun to play hot potato with a toy apple.  They loved it!  Then for the last 10 minutes or so, as parents trickled down, Jonny had a great game of 'Jesus Says' going.  :)

*****************
Also, Jonny is a leader at a ministry called Young Life.  He was invited to it last year, and the couple in charge asked him to be a leader.  Its not at all like the youth group I went to as a high school student.  Its more of an outreach to get unchurched kids to come to their camps where the gospel is shared.  Jonny has more of a heart for discipleship, so he wasn't sure if Young Life was the right fit.  ANYWAY...  long story short, God opened the door for Jonny to lead a discipleshipship group for high school guys and that is his role in Young Life.  The first two nights Jonny spent being very real and sharing his testimony.  Its going so well so far- he's even had a guy open up and share some really personal things.  Its so cool to see God use Jonny in these young guys' lives.  Young boys NEED to have a godly male influence in their lives.

The boys and I went to Young Life last week because Jonny played a song he wrote when he was in college.  It was when he was really struggling in his biology classes to be taken seriously as a god-loving creationist by a whole lot of god-hating evolutionists.  The video is too long, but here are the lyrics:
(do you recognize the scriptures used?)

They have searched, for a way to turn from the truth to a lie
They have looked everywhere that somehow they’d be justified
And professing to be wise they became fools
Futile in their thoughts their foolish hearts were darkened

(chorus) For of this they are willfully ignorant
That by the word of God the heavens were made
And from the dust of the Earth Adam came
That by a flood the world was judged
And that by Jesus Christ creations sustained

And they say that all things continue as they have from the beginning of time
Why do they trust in their own understanding?
Why do they turn from the one who made them?
Why accept and love a lie?




(chorus)

Why do we trust in our own understanding?
Why do we turn from the one who made us?
Why believe men before God?
Why accept and love a lie?


(chorus)