Oct 26, 2007

Yesterday, we had a lot of fun picking apples and getting big old pumpkins for our porch decorations. We went to Ountalaunee Orchards, where they had a fun preschool program for the kiddos. They read Johnny Appleseed to the little one's and let them go and pick apples from the dwarf apple trees. So cool! Thanks to Tracy for heading that activity up; it was a great Church Play Group activity :)

I have tried to post pics from that activity below...hopefully it works! ;)

On the ride to the orchards yesterday, we listened to C.B.'s sermon from Sunday that we got on tape. In it he preached about the Galatians, and why God inspired Paul to write the letter he did to them, and why God inspired Paul to visit all those areas.
He said at one point in his teachings that The gospel is the most important thing; There is nothing more important than the gospel in a believers life. I was so convicted as I thought about if I really act like I believe this in my own life. Many times lesser things vie for my attentions
and successfully pull me away from keeping my eyes fixed on the one thing: Jesus.

And imagine my surprise when I logged onto the Girl Talk Blog Wednesday night and also saw that the latest post topic was, "What does it really mean to be a woman?"

I was convicted some more, listening to her audio message(there is a link to it in her post from Wednesday.)Much of what she said touched my heart, but one thing she said in particular really pierced my soul; she said that some women expect men to act like women. Quoting Elizabeth Elliot she says "Strange how easy it is for some women to their husbands to be women, to act like women, to do what is expected of women, instead of they are men! They act like men, they do what is expected of men, and thus they do the unexpected!" It dawned on me that yes, so many times I do *expect* Al to feel like me, think like me, do what I would do...and yes, I do become resentful when he does not help me like I help him, many times. If you have fallen into this trap too, Oh how I wish that you will listen to Carolyn's audio post in Girl Talk too! The conviction was flying everywhere for me!In it, she revisited the creation story and returned to the garden of Eden before the entrance of sin, as well as searched the scriptures, for the answer to that question, "What does it mean to be a woman?" At the end of my time sitting at her feet and listening to her teachings, all I could think was "Thank You,God for teaching me and loving me!" It is a powerful teaching because it reviews scripture so thoroughly to expose God's intentions in creation and for women and men to be helpers and workers and leaders. It help clarify that men are not like women, big surprise right!Lol But she calls this "The Simple Truth That Sometimes Isn't So Simple To Remember." Indeed, for me it has been a simple truth that hasn't been so simple for me to remember!


I like how she ended with this:



" ...God did not create man to function like a helper(as a woman was created), so he will never be as good at helping as she is~ he acts like a man because he was created to act like a man... When we grab hold of this truth it will protect us from resenting our husbands or growing bitter when they don't help us in the same ways as we help them. ... So, the next time there are dirty dishes in the sink, and the baby is crying, and your 2 year-old needs to be bathed, and your husband is sitting on the couch reading the newspaper, rather than resenting the fact that he doesn't even seem to *notice* the glaring need, remember this: he's simply being a man. And then graciously ask him to lend a helping hand. ... Ladies, when we appreciate that it is a man that we married, and give thanks to God that he acts like a man, and as we, like Eliza, make it our study to please our man, and as he is able to defer to us when it comes to domestic affairs like Martin Luther was able to do with Katie,we beautifully display our femininity and wonderfully fulfill our role as a helper fit for our husbands..."

Putting what I learned today into action will help me, in one more way, make honoring the gospel the most important thing in my life~ adding it's salve to one more area of my heart that desperately needs it, and bringing glory to God when my husband sees the changes of me respecting and honoring his role as a man, and mine as a woman, better~ and no longer(hopefully! with much prayer and Holy Spirit help),no longer expecting him to act like a woman! Lol.

God bless your day and xoxox's! <3 Stacey




















3 comments:

Kelly said...

Stacey, So glad you enjoyed the message! You'll have to check out the song parody they posted from the same night! I too was convicted by the same point--why do I think my man would act like me...a woman! xoxo

staceyhoff said...

I will have to go over and check it out! Sounds like it will be funny! Thank you for always being so open and encouraging and saying that you can relate to my sin struggles~ seeing as how you and Ben have been so favored by God it is very encouraging for me to know that even us "normal" people can serve God well!
Thanks for serving the way you do, being such a dedicated helpmeet for Ben in supporting him as he seeks God's will for his life,
and for caring so tenderly and affectionately for those babies you all are so blessed to have. You are such an example of God's grace in a woman!!
Love you! xoxo's

cb4swife said...

That picture of Grace taking a bite out of the apple is so adorable. Thanks for sharing the pics and your thoughts on womanhood! God Bless Stacey...