At the Well, Older Woman

So here's the questions for this week:

How are you doing as an older woman?
Do you live in a way that is appropriate for someone serving the Lord?
How is your speech, your attitude?
Are you producing the fruits of the Spirit in your life?

Well, I guess I am an older woman to some, but I know others who'd slap me silly for considering myself in that category as I'm only..... shoot!.....help me out here.....anyone?..... 31? 32? Let's go with 31. Wait, I have guilt now. I was born in Sept. of '77, you can do the math if you care, I was never good at it (math and/or caring). But I am in the position of an older woman. I am a pastors wife, and mother of 5 girls. So here's my answers to the best of my limited abilities.

How am I doing as an older woman?
Um... I taught a Bible study once or twice. Does that count? I try to be nice and gracious when people come to me with issues, and give them Scripture. That's the important part, directing women to the Word, that's the only thing we have to direct us as believers. (Of course we have the Holy Spirit within us to guide us as well. But some people can't tell the difference between the Spirit leading them to do something and the pizza they had the other night for dinner that's not agreeing with them. So I'd rather stick with Scripture for most people. The Holy Spirit isn't going to direct us against God's Word anyway.)

Do you live in a way that is appropriate for someone serving the Lord?
For the most part. I love and serve my husband, care for and teach my children (I must admit there is some yelling involved though). I don't watch T.V. more than say, 2 hrs. a week. I don't smoke, or drink. Well, only when things get a little crazy around here... kidding! (mostly). I do listen to ABBA, but hey, they're good. And I've even taken our churches' resident elderly woman to the grocery store. Can't beat that!

How is your speech, your attitude?
Dang! You got me there! I might as well quit now. Especially after yesterday. Let's just say that I shot daggers at my husband while he was preaching. NOT GOOD! But hey, we're keeping it real here. The only thing about my speech is that sometimes things pop out of my mouth before I have time to consider them. That can be pretty embarrassing at times, more for my husband than me. As for the attitude, well, I'm not a very nice person. I don't like to go outside of my comfort zone much. I will if I don't have a choice, but it's not a pretty sight, Patrick is the only one who has to deal with that side though, (God forgive me!) For everyone else I can smile my way through pretty much everything, but I know the Lord isn't pleased with that. I'm working on it.

Are you producing the fruits of the Spirit in your life?
As for the fruits, well, self-control is probably the only one I can manage at this point having come from a church where only the outside matters. But it only works with other people, not myself (as my extra 80 lbs. can testify to). The rest of the fruits either don't exist for me, or are hard, shriveled up little things. And no, I'm not making myself sound worse than I really am. Remember my bad attitude about everything? Yeah, let's leave it at that shall we?

So all in all, God really could have picked a more qualified person for my position. I don't understand why He did what He did. The only thing I can do at this point is to keep on trucking and trust that He will will enable me to do all He's called me to do. All He needs is a willing heart, but though I don't even have that most of the time, I can pray that He'll supply me with one and know without a doubt that He'll accomplish His will in my life regardless of all I do to sabotage it. Isn't He good? I am oftentimes completely overwhelmed to the point of tears over His grace towards me.

"Guilty, vile, and helpless, we;
spotless Lamb of God was he;
full atonement! can it be?
Hallelujah! what a Savior!"
Man of Sorrows! What a Name
-Philip P. Bliss

At the Well, My Husband

"And here is your assignment. Use your blog as a place to thank God publicly for your husband (make sure you are sensitive and do not share things that might embarrass him inadvertently). It should be fun to read all of the great lists!"-Sherry, At the Well

I found this awesome blog and want to participate in their weekly assignments. This one seemed like a great place to start seeing as how I don't take the time to appreciate my husband enough.

















1. He's the handsomest man I've ever seen! (It's an old pic, but my favorite :))
2. He LOVES God more than anything.
3. He LOVES his family.
4. He cheerfully gets up every morning to go to work to provide for us.
5. He'd take a 3rd or 4th job before he'd let me work outside of the home, (that's a GOOD thing!)
6. He lives for playing and having fun.

















7. He's a great preacher, I learn a lot from him.
8. He's always going out of his way to make sure I'm happy.
9. We have the best marriage EVER, (almost 13 years!)
10. He doesn't nag me to keep the house or the kids clean.

I know there's more, but that list encompasses pretty much everything, and I don't want to make anyone jealous!