Anniversary Trip

I can't believe it has been almost 7 years I have been married. DH and I are in Lancaster, PA for the weekend to celebrate our marriage and to go to an exciting bible fellowship meeting on Sunday.

We arrived late yesterday (Friday) and got settled in our hotel. We relaxed for a bit and then went to the Windmill restaurant so I could have Pork and Sauerkraut over Mashed Potatoes...delish!! I don't get to have that very often because DH doesn't like the smell or taste of sauerkraut. We drove around a little while and enjoyed the country air. I love it out here. I love the acres of farm land just sprouting and the little farmhouses with Peonies blooming all over. We grabbed some Apple Dumplings for dessert back at the hotel and had a lovely evening.

I am so excited for today! We are going to the Sight and Sound Theater and we are going to see the play "Abraham and Sarah: A Journey of Love." On the drive up here we listened to the book of Genesis and heard from the very beginning to the time of Jacob. It is so wonderful to have a husband who respects God and loves His Word. I am a blessed, blessed woman!!

After the show we are going to look around at some of the Amish country shops and hopefully find a wedding ring quilt in our price range.

I will be back with pictures!!!

God Bless

Spring has Sprung!!

My schooling is almost done for the semester. I am going to be focusing on my home for the summer and hopefully hosting my little brothers for a couple of weeks so my parents can celebrate my Mom's 50th birthday.

There is a lot to do in my home. It has been made even more clear by the current moving project of my dear friend Mary at Turkey Farm Treasures. I was able to help her with a yard sale and saw how much she was condensing her life to the things she enjoys and finds useful.

What perfect timing then that Simple Mom is starting her Spring Cleaning Party this week!! I have Simple Mom's book, Spring Cleaning for Normal People but have never followed through with all the steps. Now is the time! If not now, when?

So, I will be participating in Simple Mom's Cleaning Party with enthusiasm. Here we go!!

A successful first college class!

I just finished my first college class after 10 years out of school. Out of 1000 available points I got 1010!

There is something to be said for committing My time and energy fully to something.

I am still finishing my second class, but I think I'm getting an "A" in that class too.

I am looking forward to having a summer at home committing my time to De-cluttering my home and making it a haven for my husband and myself.

Titus 2:3-5 Amplified Bible

I love the Amplified Bible for it's expanded translations of the KJV. It is the first place I go when I want a deeper understanding of the verses I'm looking at. With all the resources on the internet, there is never a reason to miss out on the different translations.

Titus 2:3-5 (Amplified Bible)

Bid the older women similarly to be reverent and devout in their deportment as becomes those engaged in sacred service, not slanderers or slaves to drink. They are to give good counsel and be teachers of what is right and noble,

So that they will wisely train the young women to be sane and sober of mind (temperate, disciplined) and to love their husbands and their children,

To be self-controlled, chaste, homemakers, good-natured (kindhearted),adapting and subordinating themselves to their husbands, that the word of God may not be exposed to reproach (blasphemed or discredited).

What a great expanded understanding to be gained from this translation. I will go in more depth on each verse as time goes on. I am really enjoying this study so far.

God Bless,

Rean Day

Pursuing Titus 2

After being a SAHW and part-time student for several months now I have determined I want to further my understanding of Titus 2 and Proverbs 31. I need to put God's Word in practice in my life. I want look at what is expected from the young women as well as the aged because I am getting closer and closer to that end of the spectrum.

I want this first post to be a simple quotation of Titus 2:3-5 which speaks directly to the women of this day and this time. I will be taking some time to research the specifics of this section of scripture soon.

Titus 2:3-5

The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh
holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good
things;

That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands,
to love their children,

To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient
to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

God Bless you,

Rean Day

Exciting News! I'm a SAHW!

"Cottage Stream" by Sung Kim from Art.com

After long discussions and deep consideration my DH and I decided it was time for me to leave my job as a legal secretary. I have never made such a difficult decision in my life. I am glad I had the support of my husband and my family. It has been a long journey to this point but I am looking forward to the challenges ahead.

There have been several things I have already learned about coming home and I am anxious to share those things, as well as the many challenges I am sure will come in the days, weeks and months ahead.

I am thrilled with the changes going on around here and excited to share my journey with anyone who will listen.

Hold on folks, this is going to be a wild ride!

Purpose Driven Life - Day 3

DAY 3

Point to Ponder: Living on purpose is the path to peace.

Verse: "You, Lord, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm
and put their trust in you." Isaiah 26:3 (TEV)

Question to Consider: What would my family and friends say is the driving
force of my life? What do I want it to be?

There are five common driving factors to life.

• Guilt
• Resentment and anger
• Fear
• Materialism
• Need for approval

It was amazing reading the descriptions of the driving factors. I am driven by all of these at different times. It is so humbling to see how far from the one true God my focus has become. There was a point in the book that I wanted to share.

"Without a clear purpose, you will keep changing directions, jobs,
relationships, churches, or other externals - hoping each change will settle the
confusion or fill the emptiness in your heart. You think, Maybe this time
it will be different, but it doesn't solve your real problem - a lack of focus
and purpose."

Man oh man is this true. I feel like I have been spinning in circles for years now. I long to be a SAHW and eventually be a mother but I am fearful about leaving the workforce and falling into depression.

What's my driving factor for this job? FEAR! But, even if I change my job, my direction, I have to have a focus for where I want my life to be. A deeply rooted focus and purpose. I have not found that yet. I get really excited while I'm reading this book, I look forward to some help with my decision making and focus.

I get a little irritated with the different translations used in the book. I would prefer all KJV references, however, it has been fun figuring out which verse is being referred to and seeing if I can quote the KJV verse.

Don't forget. Enough said.

Purpose Driven Life - Day 2

DAY 2

Point to Ponder: I am not an
accident

Verse: "I am your Creator. You were in my care
even before you were born." Isaiah 44:2 (CEV) "Thus saith the Lord that made
thee and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my
servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen." KJV

Question to
Consider: I know that God uniquely created me. What areas of my
personality, background, and physical appearance am I struggling to accept?

This chapter took a lot of thought. I know God formed, made and created me but I struggle with my weight and have since I was 9 years old. I tend to be very abrasive in conversation and try to focus conversations on me. I need to hold fast to Romans 12:1

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present
your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is you
reasonable (logical) service."

I am fearfully (awesomely) and wonderfully made. I can have no condemnation. I can also bring my body into subjection to my mind. It takes a decision to begin to make a change.

Purpose Driven Life - Day 1

I have been floundering a little with what my true purpose in life is, so I have decided to work through Purpose Driven Life for the next 40 days.

There are points to ponder and questions to answer every day so I decided instead of making notes in one of my many many journals I would document my progress on my neglected blog.

Although I do not expect to agree with everything Rick Warren teaches and the variety of versions of the bible he uses, I believe I have a deep enough knowledge of the Word of God to filter the good from the bad.

DAY 1

Point to Ponder: It's not about me.

Verse: "...all things were created by him, and for him." Colossians 1:16b

Question to Consider: In spite of all the advertising around me, how can I remind myself that life is really about living for God, not myself?

This chapter was very eye opening. One section of this chapter that blessed me and made me think was the following:

Many people try to use God for their own self-actualization, but that is a
reversal of nature and it's doomed to failure. You were made for God, not
vice versa, and life is about letting God use you for his purposes, not your
using him for your own purpose. "Obsession with self in these matters is a dead
end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life."
Romans 8:6 Message Emphasis mine

Romans 8:6 in the KJV is much more powerful "For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." The point is made, however, that I can not focus on myself if I am going to find my true purpose.

It is really difficult to keep myself spiritually minded. I find it hard to let go of certain areas of my life and let God rule. I have a feeling this journey will be very helpful to me.

On the question about reminding myself life isn't all about me, I have been thinking about the amount of things I focus on and the material things in life that derail my endeavors to be a better wife and woman of God.

Advertising suggests that you can buy happiness and health. The reality is that God allows us to steward the material things we have and the bodies we were given.

One area I find television influences me is with shows like "Clean House" and "Clean Sweep." They make it look so easy that when I try to declutter and give things away, I get frustrated with how long it takes and give up.

Hm, how can I fix that? I have the tools to make my life better. What does the Word say? "Let all things be done decently and in order" "Let all things be done in moderation" "I keep my body in subjection to my mind."

Practical application of these keys is where I struggle. Not even the application, it is the consistency of application where I struggle. What does the Word say? "Faithful in least, faithful in much" "Let all things be done in moderation" "I keep my body in subjection to my mind, and my mind in subjection to my spirit."

Well, I think that is enough pondering today. : )