Sunday Morning Study: Week 6

After three chapters on the different types of guys, the girls get one chapter on their types. Apparently women aren't as complicated. :P 

To stick with the 3 types, the book categorizes girls into 3 types: Dreamer (Prophet parallel), Servant (Priest parallel), and Go-to Gal (King parallel). The traits are, generally speaking, subtler versions of the male traits. This is in conjunction with women being a completer, not a competitor. The focus of the chapter is more on becoming a good example of one's type, not only for marriage but also to be an example to those around oneself.

The Dreamer type is more creative, a little disjointed, full of ideas and plans. The trick is focusing those ideas and creativity and harnessing it to be useful. To quote the book: "Spend your youth honing down your gifts and developing skills." I'm definitely the Dreamer type, with maybe a slight dash of the Go-to Gal (but that's probably because my mom is the latter and her traits have rubbed off on me a bit).

The Servant is  more along the 'sweetheart' lines, with a mothering streak a mile wide, helpful, happy to serve where needed, etc.

The Go-to Gal is strong, capable, and 'oozing with confidence'. (This is my mom to a T, for those of you that might not have met her.) Basically they have a tendency towards dominance, they know what they want, when they want it, and how it's all going to get done, and they get. things. DONE.

With those in mind, on to the notes. It's VERY short this week because (a) there's only one Bible verse, and (2) I procrastinated until 10:00 Saturday night to make said notes. I'm a terrible teacher. D:

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Chapter 6: Three Types of Women
Focus: Live and learn well

Example: 1. One that is a representative of a group as a whole; a sample; specimen.
2. Someone or something worthy of imitation or duplication; a model; a pattern; exemplar.

Model: A person or object serving as an example to be imitated or compared

Exemplar: One that is worthy of being copied; a model

 1 Timothy 4:12 -- "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity."

(Next week's chapter is on knowledge. I'm alternately looking forward and dreading it because it emphasizes going out and doing something constructive to learn things, and I've already got SO much on my plate...sigh. Hopefully I'll be able to teach it at least.)

Sunday Morning Study: Week 5

Behind again, I know...school has knocked me down and pummeled me into submission. >.< But here goes!

Chapter 5 deals with the king-natured man (Mr. Command). To be honest, this is one of the types that I dislike the most. Part of that may be because the examples I've seen personally have always been poor ones. The forceful, bossy, rammy sort of guy has always rubbed me wrong, which is just my personal take. But, this study hasn't been here to tell me what all I like to hear and know about, so let's get started.

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Chapter 5: The King

Focus: The king-natured man

Subjection

Subject: under the power or authority of another; owing obedience or allegiance to another

In subjection: subdue to be in obedience, submitting oneself to another

Philippians 3:20-21 -- "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body."

Colossians 3:18 -- "Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord."

Titus 2:4-5 -- "Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God."

Titus 3:1 -- "Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good."

Hebrews 12:9 -- "Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplines us and we respected them for it. How much more should be submit to the Father of our spirits and live!"

James 4:7 -- "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

1 Peter 2:13-18 -- "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God's will that by doing good we should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king."

1 Peter 3:1, 5 -- "Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives...For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands."

1 Peter 3:22 (concerning Christ) -- "...who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand--with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him."

1 Peter 5:5 -- "Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, 

"God opposes the proud,

but gives grace to the humble." "

1 Timothy 2:11 -- "A woman should learn in quietness and full submission."

1 Timothy 3:4 (concerning overseers) -- "He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect."

Summary (as quoted from the teacher's guide): "When a Kingly man, lost or saved, is treated with honor and reverence by a good help meet, she will find that her man will be wonderfully protective and supportive. In most marriages, the strive is not because the man is cruel or evil; it is because he expects obedience, honor, and reverence, and is not getting it. He reacts badly."

 The book of Esther is a fantastic example of a woman treating her husband (Xerxes) with honor. Instead of crying about her fate and wondering why God had let her be married to a pagan man during such a dangerous time, she got proactive, treated him to three special meals, and appealed to him as her lord to save her people. She could have accused him of being cruel and uncaring, or given him grief for allowing evil men to influence him...but instead she made a humble appeal and won his favor.

Sunday Morning Study: Week 4

There were no ice storms to disrupt church today, so consider me back on schedule! 

Chapter 4 deals with the priest-natured man (Mr. Steady). What I find about this personality type is that they're very common--or at least, more common than one might think. They're not noticed much because they quietly go about doing their thing without a lot of fanfare or directing, but their absence is noticed when they leave because they DO do so much. As it's said in this book, he won't invent the lightbulb or lead a revolution, but he'll be on the light-bulb building assembly line or falling into the revolutionary ranks. His very stability and easy-going nature makes him probably the easiest type of guy out of the three for a woman to be married. 

(This isn't to say that there wouldn't be problems--any relationship between two people is bound to have some at one time or another--but they're far different and fewer than what one would run into with the two other types.)

On a side note, I mentioned to a guy I know that I think he's a Prophet-type, and he brought something quite interesting to my attention. He agreed that he had certain Prophet-like tendencies, but his parents think that he's a Kingly type, and he said that he works like Steady. He also mentioned that while guys have certain stronger personality traits, it's well within their capabilities to work on those traits and whittle away the bad, retain the good, encourage this and squelch that, etc. In other words, they are fully capable of developing as a person just as women are expected to do so in this book.

Like I said a few weeks ago: I like this book, but I also disagree with parts of it. I'm sure it wasn't meant in this way, but a lot of times it comes across (when describing men) that men's personalities are set in stone and the women are the ones that need to change, not the men. I know it's not all that black and white, but that's just what it sounds like sometimes. */side note*

The role of the wife to the priestly type is to be modest or shamefaced (in words as well as outwardly), cultivate her own skills to the honor of her husband and family, show initiative in ventures, and be well-rounded, accomplished women. They won't expect miracles, but being lazy or immodest in speech and actions is very disheartening for a guy who is trying to make a go of it. He wants an equal partner, not a slug or an unwise floozy.

Anyway. Before I ramble on too much more, here are the actual notes.

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Chapter 4: The Priest

Focus: The priest-natured man

Shamefacedness: 1. indicative of shame; ashamed

2. extremely modest or shy; bashful

Idleness: 1. Inactive

2. Lazy, shiftless

3. Lacking foundation; useless and worthless

4. To pass time without working or in avoiding work

5. To move lazily and without purpose

Proverbs 19:15 -- "Laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless man goes hungry."

Ecclesiastes 10:18 -- "If a man is lazy, the rafters sag; if his hands are idle, the house leaks."

 1 Timothy 5:13 -- "Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies who talk nonsense, saying things they ought not to."

(The above concerns widows and younger widows, but I had an interesting thought about the above that I'll address at the end)

Proverbs 31:27 -- "She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness." 

Ezekiel 16:49 -- "Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy."

(In the King James translation, 'unconcerned' is 'idleness')

Romans 12:9-21 -- "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

Do not repay anyone evil or evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord. On the contrary:

"If your enemy is hungry, feed him; 

if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.

In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

Hebrews 6:9-12 -- "Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case -- things that accompany salvation. God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised."

1 Timothy 2:9 (KJV) (concerning shamefacedness) -- "In like manner also, that women should adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobermindedness, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly array,  but, as becometh women professing godliness, with good works."

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Okay! Time to tackle 1 Timothy 5:13 up there! *cracks knuckles*

 Whenever I read the 'going from house to house saying what they ought not' bit in the past, I always thought of a person literally going from house to house and gossiping. But the longer I stay on Facebook and read blogs and associate with things online, the more I realize that those venues are being used much in the same fashion. I'm not about to call for a mass exodus from Facebook...but let's face it, there are a lot of people who use those venues for less than noble purposes.

(Is 'Facebook' and 'noble' in the same sentence an oxymoron?)

 The people group I'm thinking of specifically are young ladies of a certain age that (a) don't have jobs, (b) don't go to school, and (c) are unmarried. I was in that place a couple of years ago, and I cringe at the amount of time I spent going on Facebook or chatting online with people and feeling sorry for myself because I wasn't having the grand time that everyone else seemed to be having. I'm not one for gossiping, either then nor now, but having a lot of free time to waste bred a great deal of discontent and might have turned to gossip and nitpicking at people if I hadn't gotten another job and started classes. 

I have a friend who has been having a lot of trouble from girls (and their mothers) who are of this particular type of group. These girls and their mothers are the worst offenders! And to make matters worse, they say these things in the name of Christianity and to 'sanctify' others, when the end result is to tear down the very ones they profess to be building up.

I agree that going to college isn't for everybody, and some people are unable to work. But sitting around waiting to get married and doing nothing in the meantime is not only unproductive, it breeds malcontent and murmuring and gossip. That's why Paul says to encourage the young widows to remarry--these days, we're able to work and be productive when marriage isn't an option for the foreseeable future. 

So my opinion? BE PRODUCTIVE. Ladies, we're not meant to sit around waiting for life to drop a husband or other opportunities in our laps. Go out and grab life by the throat while you still can! Get a job or get a degree or volunteer or do SOMETHING--anything to keep from being discontented or a busybody or a time-waster. It doesn't help you, and it doesn't help anyone around you to be a taker instead of a giver. 

Sunday Morning Study: Week 3

Week 3 of the Sunday morning ladies' study--this is my last chapter of notes, and then I should be on a more regular schedule of just Sundays.

This chapter is the first in a series of three about types of men. Debi Pearl classifies men within three general categories: the Prophet (Mr. Visionary), the Priest (Mr. Steady), and the King (Mr. Command). This is something of a personality and 'type' sketch--most guys, I've noticed, are a combination of traits but more lean more heavily in one than the other. The idea in these chapters is to get an idea of how a guy 'works' within a type, and then adjusting oneself according to complement his traits. 

(The three categories reflect the triune nature of God, with king=God, priest=Jesus, and prophet=Holy Spirit)

The 'prophet' type is a mover and shaker, desiring to change the status quo, thriving on confrontation and a need to express themselves through some form of creativity. They're always coming up with crazy business ventures and inventions, focusing on random issues, etc. This kind of guy is a huge amount of fun and a huge headache at the same time, to be honest...I know several people who are like this, and I'm always either inspired or frustrated by them (sometimes at the same time!).

The role of the wife if she's married to this type is to watch her conversation (i.e., don't talk badly about people) because her words have a lot of impact, and while she's his #1 cheerleader she also keeps him grounded.

I'd like to interject here that I think the role of the wife is the same no matter who she's married to--but certain characteristics needs to be cultivated more strongly and given more attention depending on the type of man she marries. As for me and the prophet type...like I said earlier, I'm always inspired and frustrated simultaneously by them. If I was married to one, it'd take a lot of adjusting.

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Chapter 3: The Prophet

Focus: The prophet-natured man

Conversation: 1. An informal spoken exchange of thoughts and feelings; a familiar talk

2. Social intercourse; close association

3. Manner of life; behavior

Behavior: 1. The manner in which one behaves; deportment; demeanor

2. The actions or reactions of persons or things under specified circumstances

Synonyms: Behavior (actions on specific occasions involving essentially external/sometimes superficial relationships);

Conduct (applies to actions in more significant relationships considered from standpoint of morals and ethics);

Deportment (actions measured by prevailing social code)

Matthew 12:36 -- ^"A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken."

(this is regarding conversation--a wise wife knows when to build up and when to tear down. Plus, if she's saying good things (ideas, compliments, having a realistic optimism) instead of bad (complaining, finding fault, being a wet blanket about life), her husband is far more inclined to enjoy her company)

1 Timothy 4:12 -- "Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity."

(Start learning while young to have 'chaste conversation'! If a girl is married to a prophet-type her words can stir up his anger against herself or others. This isn't to have a Pollyanna-type look on life. It's to realize that it's not important to 'be right' or 'have the last word' or 'look better than everyone else'; the important thing is to remain flexible, smile when you feel slighted, store up your treasures in heaven, and ignore the things that don't matter)

Ephesians 2:3 -- "All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature [ Or our flesh ] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath."

Ephesians 4:22-32 -- "You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. 
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption^. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.^"
 

^{(This is a reminder to not let conversation be ruled by the lusts of the flesh)}

^{Philippians 1:27 -- "Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel."}

 ^{1 Peter 1:15 --  "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do..."}

^{(Link between our conversation and the gospel)}

^{Hebrews 13:5 -- "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,}

“Never will I leave you;
    never will I forsake you.” "

(This reminds us to be content)

James 3:13-18 -- ^"Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. ¹⁶ For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.<sup>"

(This is the link between wisdom and conversation)
  
1 Peter 3:1-2 --"Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives."

1 Peter 3:16 -- "But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander."

 (Conversation without words)</sup> 
 

^{Some of the traits that the wife of the prophet type needs to have:}

^Flexibility

^Loyalty

^{The ability to go with the flow}

^Supportive

^{Enjoying the trip}

^{Thinking objectively with common sense}

^{Staying positive and grounded}

^{Guarding against idle/negative conversation}

^{Be tough and inoffensive (not easily given to offense)
 Listen and cheerlead}

^{Faithfulness in God and her husband's ability}

^{Purposefulness with own life}

Sunday Morning Study: Week 2

Continuing in the vein of the Sunday Morning Study series, here is week 2! 

This is another chapter that I had a hard time with. It tells the story of a young lady who is approached by a young man she barely knows in order to court her. (I don't care if you say court, date, whatever--it's all semantics to me--but the book says court so that's what I'm going to use for continuities' sake.) She's very hesitant at first, but prayerfully considers it, consults others in her family and that she knows for their advice, and decides to go ahead and go for it. It works out, they get married, and there's an interview in the back going for the guy's perspective.

I had a hard time with this chapter because I don't like some forms of courting, particularly the example found in this chapter. For those who don't know, 'courtship' is like serious dating for Christians. One normally doesn't approach another for a courtship unless they're pretty sure that they want to marry them. It's not a casual approach in the least. 

My main issue with courtship is that it relies very heavily on parental involvement. I'm all over parents being involved and checking out prospective suitors and all that--but I'm a little weirded out by a guy ONLY going to a girl's father and ONLY talking to him for permission and to know about a girl, with very little contact with the girl at all. I know that not all forms of courtship are the same--I mainly have issues with the type I'm spelling out. (My dad has already told me that if someone I didn't know very well were to approach him about me, he'd say 'what does she think about you?' before going any further. A very big thanks, Dad!)

In this chapter, the guy watches the girl for a while to get an idea of her personality and character, talks to people who know her to get an idea of what she's like, and then talks to her father without giving her the slightest hint of friendliness, much less interest. This is just speaking for myself, but if someone was interested in me, I'd prefer it if he got to know me and not just about me from everyone else (and a little friendliness never killed anyone...). It seems like a very hands-off, overly cautious approach. It's nice to get to know someone, in a group setting if nothing else, before they drop a bombshell of 'I'd like to marry you'.

But anyway. That's just my personal opinion. There was still a lot of good stuff in the chapter--and like I said in the previous study post, there's times that I don't agree with the book. This just happens to be one of those times.

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Chapter 2: Courtship to Whom?

Focus: Discovering God's Will

Stubborn: 1. Unduly determined to exert one's will; refractory

2. Not easily persuaded; obstinate

3. Resistant, contrary

Obstinate: 1. Stubbornly adhering to an attitude, opinion, or course of action

2. Difficult to manage, control, or subdue

3. Difficult to alleviate or cure

Synonyms: refractory, obstinate, unmanageable, resistant, unresponsive

Antonyms: amenability, flexibility, compliant, willing

Deuteronomy 9:27 (concerning the people of Israel and Moses praying for God to forgive them their stubbornness and the golden calf)

1 Samuel 15:23--"For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry."

Proverbs 7:11--"She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house." (referring to the adulterous woman) 

The following verses are on what a young woman can do to come to a knowledge of God's will.

1 Corinthians 7:34--"An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband." 

(She honors God in her youth.)

Proverbs 11:14--"For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers." 

Proverbs 12:15--"The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.

 (She is open to counsel.)

Proverbs 31:10-31--"A wife of noble character who can find?
    She is worth far more than rubies. 

 Her husband has full confidence in her
    and lacks nothing of value. 

 She brings him good, not harm,
    all the days of her life. 

 She selects wool and flax
    and works with eager hands. 

 She is like the merchant ships,
    bringing her food from afar. 

 She gets up while it is still night;
    she provides food for her family
    and portions for her female servants. 

 She considers a field and buys it;
    out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. 

 She sets about her work vigorously;
    her arms are strong for her tasks. 

 She sees that her trading is profitable,
    and her lamp does not go out at night. 

 In her hand she holds the distaff
    and grasps the spindle with her fingers. 

 She opens her arms to the poor
    and extends her hands to the needy. 

 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
    for all of them are clothed in scarlet. 

 She makes coverings for her bed;
    she is clothed in fine linen and purple. 

 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
    where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. 

 She makes linen garments and sells them,
    and supplies the merchants with sashes. 

 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
    she can laugh at the days to come. 

 She speaks with wisdom,
    and faithful instruction is on her tongue. 

 She watches over the affairs of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness. 

 Her children arise and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her: 

 “Many women do noble things,
    but you surpass them all.”

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. 

 Honor her for all that her hands have done,
    and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.^"

^{(She proves herself hardworking and willing to be a good wife.)}

^{James 1:5--"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."}

^{(She prays for wisdom.)}

  ^{1 Timothy 2:2--"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,  for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way."}

^{(She prays for those in authority over her so that they will be watching for any  young man who might be a good match.)}

^{Colossians 1:11--"...being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience..."}

^{Romans 5:3-4--Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;  perseverance, character; and character, hope."}

^{Romans 8:25--"But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."}

^{(She waits with patience and joy.)}

^{Galatians 5:13--"Y}ou, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.^"

^{(She looks for ways to serve others.)}

^{Proverbs 19:20-21--"Listen to advice and accept discipline,
    and at the end you will be counted among the wise.}

Many are the plans in a person’s heart,

    but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails^{."
(When a man of honor asks for her, and those who have watched over her feel he is a good man, then she genuinely seeks the Lord for His direction.)}

Sunday Morning Study: Week 1

Today was the third week for a young ladies' study that I've been leading at church. I've been taking copious amounts of notes and steeping my mind in the book and the verses listed in the teacher's study guide each week before teaching a chapter...and just 3 classes have gotten me thinking a LOT.

The book in question is Preparing to Be A Help Meet, by Debi Pearl.

I would like to point out that I don't agree with EVERYTHING the Pearls teach. There's a lot of people out there who are convinced that the Pearls are harsh and rigid and unyielding people because of unfavorable reviews, especially concerning their book To Train Up A Child. However, I can disagree with some things a person says and not totally throw away everything about them. Part of the fun of teaching from these books is researching as I go along, sifting through the information, picking out the gems and throwing away the chaff.

With that said, I do agree with quite a bit of what they say. Most of their knowledge is very down-to-earth, and the abusing of said knowledge comes from taking it out of context or to extremes (funny thing, people do the same thing with the Bible all the time....hmmm....maybe we should start reading the source and stop just going by what people say all the time, yes?).

But I digress. Back to the subject on hand!

Preparing to Be A Help Meet is a book to help girls to get a head start on marriage. Most people will get married someday, and not only does it not hurt to have a head start, it can make the difference between making or breaking a new marriage. 

The book itself is very attractive, easy to read, replete with footnotes throughout from different guys' perspectives, and has a complete teacher's guide in the back. This has proven extremely helpful to me, since I've never taught a class on anything before. *gulp* Fortunately I have a group of girls attending that I know quite well and am good friends with them. Camaraderie covers up a multitude of teaching mistakes.

Without any further ado, here are my notes for week 1. As each Sunday goes by I'll post the corresponding notes from that week, and hopefully I won't get behind like this again. Each chapter has an overall theme, a word study, Bible verses, and questions.

Chapter 1 is really heavy. For a book that looks like it'll just deal with 'relationship stuff', it kicks off with prayer and the command and need for prayer. God doesn't force us to do things, and that includes not forcing us to take the blessings that are available if we just ask for them. Prayer is needed in order to grant God permission to work in our lives. (Poor description, but it's the only way I can think of how to say it)

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Week 1, Chapter 1: The Kid

Focus: Prayer

Prayer: 1. A reverent petition made to God

2. The act of making such a petition

3. Any act of communion with God, such as a confession, praise, or thanksgiving

4. Any fervent request

Communion: 1. A possessing or sharing in common; participation

2. A sharing of thoughts or feelings, intimate talk

3a. A religious or spiritual fellowship

3b. A body of Christians with a common religious faith who practice the same rites; denomination

Reverent/Reverence: 1. A feeling of profound awe and respect and often of love; veneration

2. An act of showing respect

Petition: 1. A solemn supplication or request  to a superior authority; an entreaty

Antonyms: answer, command, demand

Synonyms: appeal, implore, entreaty, supplication

A prayer can be as simple as a thought and inward speech to God, or big enough to lead an assembly.

Read aloud: Matthew 9:38, Luke 10:2, John 15:7, 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2

"Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." -- Matthew 9:38

"He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." -- Luke 10:2

"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." --John 15:7

"As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.  And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith." -- 2 Thess. 3:1-2

Why does God want us to pray? "He tells us to pray that the word they are preaching will have free course. The devils that would otherwise hinder them with sickness, strife, or worldliness will not be able to slow down the gospel message!" -- Preparing To Be A Help Meet

"In summary: One of the most important commands God gives us in His word is to pray for laborers for the fields, men and women who will go forth to give the gospel. Yet who obeys His command to pray for laborers?

~We have a command to pray.

~We have a responsibility to pray.

~Do you pray for laborers to give the gospel?" -- Preparing

 

The Hobbit: A Review

GUYS. HAY U GAIZ.

I finally got to see The Hobbit tonight! I'm now sleep-deprived and exhausted but I HAVE to write something of a review because, well, that's what I do. However, being the sensitive person that I am I'll save the review for after the break, and if you haven't seen it yet and don't want to be disappointed in any way by 'spoilers' then don't read any further. Please and thank you.

Now, on to the review!

Screwtape Letters Quotes

I was looking for a quote today from The Screwtape Letters to illustrate a point I wanted to make in a conversation. I didn't find the quote I was looking for, but here's a plethora of others that are just as good.

(For the uninformed, The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis is a collection of 'letters' between a demon named Screwtape and his 'nephew' (lower demon, I guess) named Wormwood. The book covers the human condition and spiritual warfare as seen from a demon's POV. They refer to the humans in the book as a 'patient', the devil as 'Our Father', and God as 'The Enemy'. It's a very chilling way to look at humanity.)

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“It should be (but it is not) unnecessary to add that a belief in angels, whether good or evil, does not mean a belief in either as they are represented in art and literature. Devils are depicted with bats’ wings and good angels with birds’ wings not because anyone holds that moral deterioration would be likely to turn feathers into membrane, but because most men like birds better than bats. They are given wings at all in order to suggest the swiftness of unimpeded intellectual energy. They are given human form because man is the only rational creature we know. Creatures higher in the natural order than ourselves, either incorporeal or animating bodies of a sort we cannot experience, must be represented symbolically if they are to be represented at all.” — VIII (Preface)

“Do what you will, there is going to be some benevolence, as well as some malice, in your patient’s soul. The great thing is to direct the malice to his immediate neighbours whom he meets every day and to thrust his benevolence out to the remote circumference, to people he does not know. The malice thus become wholly real and the benevolence largely imaginary.” — P.31

“Never forget that when we are dealing with any pleasure in its healthy and normal and satisfying form, we are, in a sense, on the Enemy’s ground. I know we have won many a soul through pleasure. All the same, it is His invention, not ours. He made all the pleasures: all our research so far has not enabled us to produce one. All we can do is to encourage the humans to take pleasures which our Enemy has produced, at times, or in ways, or in degrees, which He has forbidden. Hence we always try to work away from the natural condition of any pleasure to that in which it is least natural, least redolent of its Maker, and least pleasurable.” — P.41-42

“Talk to him about ‘moderation in all things.’ If you can once get him to the point of thinking that ‘religion is all very well up to a point,’ you can feel quite happy about his soul.” — P.43

“Humour is for them the all-consoling and (mark this) the all-excusing, grace of life. Hence, it is invaluable as a means of destroying shame. If a man simply lets others pay for him, he is ‘mean,’ but if he boasts of it in a jocular manner and twits his fellows with having been scored off, he is no longer ‘mean’ but a comical fellow. Mere cowardice is shameful; cowardice boasted of with humourous exaggerations and grotesque gestures can be passed off as funny. Cruelty is shameful — unless the cruel man can represent it as a practical joke. A thousand bawdy, or even blasphemous, jokes do not help towards a man’s damnation so much as his discovery that almost anything he wants to do can be done, not only without the disapproval but with the admiration of his fellows, if only it can get itself treated as a Joke.” — P.51-52

“I would make it a rule to eradicate from my patient any strong personal taste which is not actually a sin, even if it is something quite trivial such as a fondness for country cricket or collecting stamps or drinking cocoa. Such things, I grant you, have nothing of virtue in them, but there is a sort of innocence and humility and self-forgetfulness about them which I distrust. The man who truly and disinterestedly enjoys any one thing in the world, for its own sake, and without caring twopence what other people say about it, by that very fact forearmed against some of our subtlest modes of attack. You should always try to make the patient abandon the people or food or books he really likes in favour of the ‘best’ people, the ‘right’ food, the ‘important’ books. I have known a human defended from strong temptations to social ambition by a still stronger taste for tripe and onions.” — P.60

“My dear Wormwood, the most alarming thing in your last account of the patient is that he is making none of those confident resolutions which marked his original conversion. No more lavish promises of perpetual virtue, I gather; not even the expectation of an endowment of ‘grace’ for life, but only a hope for the daily and hourly pittance to meet the daily and hourly temptation! This is very bad.” — P.62

“The Enemy’s demand on humans takes the form of a dilemma; either complete abstinence or unmitigated monogamy. Every since Our Father’s first great victory, we have rendered the former very difficult to them. The latter, for the last few centuries, we have been closing up as a way of escape. We have done this through the poets and novelists by persuading the humans that a curious, and usually short-lived, experience which they call ‘being in love’ is the only respectable ground for marriage; that marriage can, and ought to, render this excitement permanent; and that a marriage which does not do so is no longer binding.” — P.81

“The sense of ownership in general is always to be encouraged. The humans are always putting up claims to ownership which sound equally funny in Heaven and in Hell, and we must keep them doing so. Much of the modern resistance to chastity comes from men’s belief that they ‘own’ their bodies — those vast and perilous estates, pulsating with the energy that made the worlds, in which they find themselves without their consent and from which they are ejected at the pleasure of Another! It is as if a royal child whom his father has placed, for love’s sake, in titular command of some great province, under the real rule of wise counselors, should come to fancy that he really owns the cities, the forests, and the corn, in the same way as he owns the bricks on the nursery floor.” — P.97-98

“There are things for humans to do all day long without His minding in the least — sleeping, washing, eating, drinking, making love, playing, praying, working. Everything has to be twisted before it’s any use to us. We fight under cruel disadvantages. Nothing is naturally on our side…” — P.102

“We must first make (Jesus) solely a teacher, and then conceal the very substantial agreement between his teachings and those of all other great moral teachers. For humans must not be allowed to notice that all great moralists are sent by the Enemy, not to inform men, but to remind them, to restate the primeval moral platitudes against our continual concealment of them.” — P.107

“On the other hand we do want, and want very much, to make men treat Christianity as a means; preferably, of course, as a means of their own advancement, but, failing that, as a means to do anything — even to social justice. The thing to do is to get a man at first to value social justice as a thing which the Enemy demands, and then work him on to the stage at which he values Christianity because it may produce social justice. For the Enemy will not be used as a convenience.” — P.108-109

“The Enemy loves platitudes. Of a proposed course of action He wants men, so far as I can see, to ask very simple questions: Is it righteous? Is it prudent? Is it possible? Now, if we can keep men asking: ‘Is it in accordance with the general movement of our time? Is it progressive or reactionary? Is this the way that History is going?’ They will neglect the relevant questions. And the questions they do ask are, of course, unanswerable; for they do not know the future, and what the future will be depends very largely on just those choices which they now invoke the future to help make.” — P.118

“This, indeed, is probably on the Enemy’s motives for creating a dangerous world — a world in which moral issues really come to the point. He sees as well as you do that courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point, which means, at the point of highest reality. A chastity or honesty which yields to danger will be chaste or honest or merciful only on conditions. Pilate was merciful until it became risky.” — P.138

“No man who says I’m as good as you believes it. He would not say it if he did. The St. Bernard never says it to the toy dog, nor the scholar to the dunce, nor the employable to the bum, nor the pretty woman to the plain. The claim to equality, outside the strictly political field, is made only by those who feel themselves to be in some way inferior. What it expresses is precisely the itching, smarting, writhing awareness of an inferiority that the patient refuses to accept. And therefore resents.” — P.163

“You remember how one of the Greek Dictators (they called them ‘tyrants’ then) sent an envoy to another Dictator to ask his advice about the principles of government. The second Dictator led the envoy to a field of grain, and then snicked off with his cane the top of every stalk that rose an inch or so above the general level. The moral was plain. Allow no preeminence among your subjects. Let no man live who is wiser or better or more famous or even handsomer than the mass. Cut them all down to a level: all slaves, all ciphers, all nobodies. All equals. Thus Tyrants could practise, in a sense, ‘democracy.’ But now ‘democracy’ can do the same work without any tyranny other than her own. No one need now go through the field with a cane. The little stalks will now of themselves bite the tops off the big ones.” — P.165 

 

 

Rose Water

I've been reading through one of my herb books a lot lately, and getting lots of ideas for things that I want to do/make/etc. The latest thing to catch my eye was two recipes for rose water.

Traditional rose water is distilled, taking 2-3 quarts (!) of fresh rose petals to make about a quart of excellent quality rose water. Originally, the idea was to experiment with that tonight--but the recipe was rather involved and I wasn't going to be able to get started until 9:30 PM.

So. With that in mind, I've saved the distilled version for another day and settled on a simpler recipe. The roses were acquired from a house that I cleaned today (the yard at said house is packed with all different kinds of flowers and herbs and vegetables, and there were tons of heirloom roses in various areas), along with some cuttings off the rose plants in an attempt to grow my own.

Aren't they gorgeous? They were so fragrant that I could smell them from several feet away while picking them. *glee*

The recipe thus far is very simple:

Rose petals

1 part distilled water (I used filtered)

3 parts witch hazel

I had about a cup of petals from all the flowers.

The finished result...dated and labeled.

In 2-3 weeks (according to my book) this will be ready to be strained off and used for whatever I need. Another recipe I have my eye on is a light cream in the same book that calls for rose water...or I can use this as a facial toner, ingredient for other recipes, etc. Some other time I'll try the distilling method and compare the two results to each other. And I need to get more rose petals to dry for teas and salves...there's too many things to try and not enough time to do them. Sigh.

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I don't have pictures for this, but for the last two nights I've been doing hair rinses with comfrey (the first night) and a comfrey/rosemary blend (tonight). I prefer the second so far--comfrey by itself seems to make my hair a bit dry and somewhat 'snarly', for lack of a better word. Plus the rosemary smells better. Comfrey makes a really pretty clear green tea, but it tastes and smells...not disgusting by any means, but distinctive and isn't exactly pleasant.

I also tried to make a homemade shampoo with some rebatched soap my mom made (I took 4 tablespoons of grated soap, mixed it with 1 1/2 cups of tea and a couple tablespoons of glycerin and let it cool. The result is...viscous. And thick.). I'm not sure what to think thus far, except that it may have to grow on me. The effect is somewhat stripping, and after my normal routine of baking soda rinse followed by a vinegar rinse, it feels rather weird.

Tomorrow I shall expound and possibly take pictures. Until then, good night little interwebs world.