Who gets the first-fruits of you?

This probably is a silly sounding title for a post, but what I am asking is: who gets the cream off the top of the milk when it comes to getting the best from you? We are so many things to so many people that we can at times be spread quite thin and we can find that we are giving the first-fruits of ourselves to people, projects and things that do not deserve first place in our life's priorities.

Because we are so many things to so many people, and we only have so many hours in our day to be that special person, I have to ask: who really gets the best of you? God? Husband? Children? Home? friends? extended family? work? or church? Is your best given to those who do not truly benefit from your best? Are you so bound up in cleaning your house that you forget to play with your babies? Are you so busy spinning your wheel that your husband gets the dregs of your best self at the end of a busy day? Did you hit the floor running this morning and forget to have some time with the LORD? and do you fall into bed exhausted and strangely discontented and frustrated because you haven't accomplished half of what you set out to do today and you feel out of control? I have been there- and still am sometimes.

I think it is then that we have to sit back and look at what is key in our life- who warrants the first-fruits of our being- our person- our spirit-our time. Do we really want to shower our lovely smiles on strangers in shops but scowl at our spouse? Do we want to be caught up in soap operas on TV or endless shopping trips when we could have spent that time playing with our children? And could we have organised our day better so that our house was clean and tidied up before our husband came home to find us agitatedly trying to do in 10 mins what should have been done earlier on in the day? Is he greeted with a scowling face because he is already home and dinner isn't even started yet? I have been there I am afraid to say.

Life is short and we owe it to ourselves and our families to settle what our priorities in life are. For all of us God is our first priority. He deserves the creme de la creme of our lives. Our love, our attention, our obedience and our service. We simply must take time to study our bible, meditate on the Word, pray and worship. And meet with the Body of Christ on a regular basis if possible.

Secondly for those of us who are married, our spouse needs a major part of the first-fruits of our being- because he is one with us. We must love, honour, respect and (yes) obey him as unto the LORD. We must plan to spend some time with him deferring to him, listening to him, paying close attention to what he is saying and taking an interest in him. This is key to having an ongoing vibrant and intimate relationship with him. It would be disastrous to our marriages if our husbands had been so neglected that they felt that they had lost closeness with the one woman they really ever need- us: the wife.

We must do all in our power to fill the deep longing for loving sexual intimacy with our husband. He must never feel that he must grovel for our favours or compete with his children- much as you both love them- he must know in his heart that after God, he is Lord. Even Sarah called Abraham Lord out of respect for him. I do not feel that we have to call them "Lord", but we must respect and love our husbands with the deferential treatment we give to our LORD as a service unto Him.

Then in our priorities comes our children. They need most of the first-fruits of our being- our love, patience, training, feeding, clothing, teaching, nurturing, nursing, and caring of bodily needs. And they deserve a mother who is there as Mom whenever they need her. Mothering never stops- not even when the children are grown. They will still call for advice with their children or with their relationships or jobs. It is imperative that we reserve our energies for them too.

Then there is the home: our haven. We have a responsibility under God to look well to the ways of our own household. Our home needs to be tended and protected for this is where the family grows and the seed of civilisation is sown. Here is where the principles of faith are not only taught but shown in the little things as well as the big. Here we train our children to cope with life, to be godly, domestic or mechanical, caring, honest and disciplined.

From here the springs of water in knowledge will flow into the hearts and minds of all who live there. The home will be firmly imprinted on our minds for good or bad- yet that imprint will be indelible. Home will forever be etched in our hearts and will draw us back in thoughts if not in deed. Your home then demands a large part of the first-fruits of your endeavours and discipline.

How can this all be achieved? I don't have my days so well planned yet that I have found the perfect answer for my own home. Some days my illness makes me extremely tired. But one thing I have found to be true- the day must be started with God. It is amazing to see how much more can be accomplished after a time with the Lord Jesus. I find that He clarifies my thinking and helps me establish my daily path. I pray about what must be achieved this very day. Then I write it down. I continue in prayer for personal needs or guidance and I finish up by playing worship music. This sets the tone of my day.

I then continue throughout the day trying to focus on that which I have planned to do, crossing off things as I finish. Because I am aware of the other priorities in my life, I try to have time set aside with my husband and I try to allow for unforeseen events such as taking my mother to the doctor or so on. No day is ever going to go to plan precisely, in fact life would be very dull without any challenges. But I truly believe if we start to realise our priorities and keep to them, then those people and things deserving of the best of our lives will be satisfied.

By establishing a routine with those priorities in mind, you will not stretch yourself too thin and the first-fruits of your life will be given to those people and projects that have eternal value. If you plan your life on these Godly priorities, I guarantee you will find rest comes easy and life is much more fulfilling.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

" So teach [us] to number our days, that we may apply [our] hearts unto wisdom" Psalm 90:12

Investing in eternal treasures

Many years ago, I studied Anne Ortlund’s Disciplines of the Beautiful Woman with a group of ladies. We discussed Mrs. Ortlund's ideas and agreed that, apart from a lot of good ideas for us being disciplined in our lives, she was off base regarding our priorities as women. For our priorities are clear in God's Word: 

• God
• Husband
• Children
• Home
• Church
• Outreach

We decided on this in light of Titus 2 and other verses, and I believe that this is, indeed, the best way to prioritise our lives. Outside ministries are fine, provided that your husband agrees and is supportive of it and that your children and household duties are not neglected. Our biggest ministry is to our own family. We shortchange them when we are neglectful of them due to over commitment and tiredness. 

How can it honour the LORD for us to give all our energy to others when our marriages may suffer and our children run wild? We end up giving the first fruits of our energy and commitment to others. I believe that we should see any form of ministry outside the home as secondary to the ministry of Mother and Wife. If duties are in order at home and your husband is not feeling neglected, then I believe you can engage in outside ministry with a happy heart. 

Many women do not see the importance of their role as Mother and Wife and feel frustrated in not being able to participate in outside ministry. God has placed us in a ministry precisely because we are wives and/or mothers. We don't have to be discontented and looking for other ministries...we have our calling already. 

I think placing priorities outside the biblical order jeopardises our happiness in our homes and families, and you can believe me, even service in ministry can be a lonely experience if you have lost those closest to you. When you put God's priorities in order, He is being served first, second, third, fourth, and fifth. He is all in all and in everything you do. 

We need to invest more time in our marriages and families, not less, and to God will be all the glory when we raise godly children--future warriors for the LORD and bearers of His name. 

Enjoy your calling, ladies; you are investing in eternal treasures.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:15-17

Memories of a vintage housekeeper

                           

My mother was a good homemaker. Some of my earliest memories were of her hanging out washing on her long line held up by props.  She used to boil up the copper and honestly, she had the whitest washing ever.  She used Rinso to wash the clothes and Lux Flakes for delicates.

When I was really young, we didn't have hot water on tap, so Mum would boil up the kettle, fill the sink- a single sink- and she used a metal cage thing with slivers of Velvet soap in it to soap up the water. Steel wool was the go for saucepans and the plates were washed with a foam rubber sponge.

Whilst she was washing the dishes, she would have the kettle on again to rinse them. Then we children would dry them for her. We had metered gas by way of a machine with a coin slot in it in the laundry. When the gas got low, Mum would put sixpence or a shilling in it...

We all bathed daily and our hot water was heated by way of a chip heater over the bath. I can still remember fighting over who was the child who was to be seated under it. It was scary to a kid's mind. In fact, I sometimes still dream of it- making sure the water tap was on before lighting the pilot light.

Pride of place in our living room was the clothes horse aka clothes airer. Mum was very careful to air all our clothes and she spent quite a lot of time arranging clothes on it daily.

Mum had it tough too because we four children were bed wetters. She worked very hard to keep up with it all. 

With all her neighbours finishing their chores by 9am, poor Mum was still washing the sheets. In fact, when they called on her for a cuppa, she would be flustered because she was inundated with work.

Mondays Mum "did through".  She vacuumed, dusted, cleaned the bath and toilet and ironed. She also polished the linoleum in the kitchen with her Hoover polisher. It was quite a chore, with applying polish, buffing it with the machine then redoing it with the lambswool pads.  Her Monday routine was as regular as the sun coming up in the morning. 

Everyday, she would also make the beds, do her washing, think about what was for tea that night, clean her kitchen and sweep the carpets with a carpet sweeper. Routines were written in stone.

Mum didn't have a car, in fact Dad didn't even have one. She would catch the bus into town and shop for groceries which were delivered to our house. No plastic bags: the bags were brown paper...

I remembered how hard she worked the day I held her gnarled hand as she passed. She certainly loved her home and family... 

I am so glad that God honours the hardworking woman. In writing her eulogy, I included that well-known and loved verse from Proverbs 31 and when it was read, everyone of us nodded our heads in agreement and acknowledgement. She was blessed.

Memories of a well kept house we were never ashamed to call home will always be dear, along with the memories of a tired but diligent homemaker and her wonderful serving of our family, and then her  second husband's. 

Yes, they're happy memories of a vintage housekeeper

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.  Proverbs 31:28

I'm my own worst enemy!

When I have no spoons or motivation to do housework, I often watch Youtube videos of people cleaning their home. Sometimes it works and I feel that I can get something done.

This can sometimes go against me because often the videos are of women half my age, with no disabilities and therefore no need to worry about spoons or flares or having to take a nana nap.

They seem to be cleaning houses that are already immaculate and they make it look so easy. Their homes outshine mine in every way, and so does their appearance. It can make me more depressed if I am in a flare of fibromyalgia, trying to get motivated to clean and teetering at the edge of the Pit of Despair. 

So I have to take Chris's advice and remember that I am an older woman with chronic health issues and try not to compare myself with them. But the desire to kindle a spark of motivation is strong and I find myself gravitating to those videos like a moth to a flame. And often it only makes me feel worse!

Sometimes, I think I'm my own worst enemy! 

Tending to our spirit

When reading the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10:40, many people think that Jesus was rebuking Martha in a negative way. But I don't believe this is so. He in fact, was liberating her from her perfectionism and showing her that there is more to life than just the mundane.

You may recall that Martha was busy serving and preparing the evening meal, whereas Mary was simply enjoying listening to Jesus. Martha was doing an important job, as do we wives and mothers when we manage our households and serve our families. 

We all know that preparing three meals a day, washing and ironing, cleaning and tidying the house, as well as caring for those of our household- and even extended households sometimes, is mundane. But no one would suggest it wasn't important. So Jesus wasn't undermining its' importance, but He was saying that putting the things of the LORD first is a better way.....

Have you ever thought about how we can so easily get too involved with the practical aspects and lose out on the social and spiritual side? I often plan to make time for Bible reading, or playing with my grandchildren or spending time with Chris, only to find that I have found something else to do. I need to prioritise my life. 

So, we must look at the Titus 2 order of priorities- love God, love your husband, love your children, then be a worker at home! This layout of priorities also emphasises the importance that our husbands be our first priority after God! That means my children are second to the needs of my husband. To clarify- that does not mean if a child is crying or needs something that we don't attend to them. It means we defer to our husband and put his wishes before our children's. Children do not run the household- you do! 

Often times we get so busy serving our husbands and children that we overlook enjoying them! Take time to enjoy the other important things in life, your children: they will grow up fast, and this season will be short! Leave the household chores that aren’t urgent to the children's nap times, and spend time enjoying them while they are awake! Make time for your husband. He will be happier for it, you will feel more fulfilled and your children will have a happier home life because you have a good marriage!

And remember to spend time with God, for He is our firm foundation. God wants us to enjoy our life. Let us then be balanced and live under His Umbrella of Protection. For in Gods' Divine Order, we will find the balance we need for the other important things.We need to tend to the mundane things like housework, but we see that Jesus says it's important to tend to our spirit too. 

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. Luke 10:40

Missionaries in our own home.

These days feminism has belittled the role of wife, mother and homemaker so much that most young women see their role as unimportant. Nothing could be further from the truth.

A woman's presence in the home, training and raising her children properly is of utmost importance, both to the husband and the children. Her input in her children's upbringing will have ramifications for eternity.

Children are a blessing from the LORD and so is a home in which to raise them. The nurturing of children, of husband and home come from a faithful woman who sees the importance of her role as a Christian woman. 

Because society has for the most part become godless, the things of the LORD such as raising children, having a successful marriage and keeping a holy home are cast aside as things of little import. However, the truly wise wife will take her role seriously and raise her children as unto the LORD.

In this dark world in which we live, we wives and mothers have the perfect opportunity to keep guard over our homes, protecting the minds and peace of both our husband and children. This includes grandmothers when having their grandchildren stay.

It is no surprise that the enemy has propagated feminism as the way forward for womankind. It is destroying family life and making women discontented with their God given calling.

We have a big influence over whether or not our child will accept Christ as their Saviour. Child raising should be our first priority.  Your daily work as a wife, mother and homemaker is of great value to the LORD. 

Make no mistake: we are missionaries in our own home. 

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:15-17

A little time to slumber

A little time to slumber all my days spent in the sun,

My idle hands were folded my daily chores not done.

I wasn’t at all rebellious as into the sky I’d gaze,

I just left my daily duties as in the sun I bathed.

I read my book for hours dishes soaking in the sink,

The meat still in the freezer for I didn’t stop to think

What I needed for dinner it lay frozen in a lump;

I’d serve meat of something be it chops or steak or rump.

Just a minute of my surfing turned to hours of my day,

As I sat online chatting to people far away.

Imagine then my panic as at last I looked around,

To see the clock now telling  my man was homeward bound.

What a rush of my adrenaline making me quickly scamper

To launder clothes still waiting in the dirty laundry hamper.

The bed was pulled up in a hurry the dishes washed and left to dry,

As I boiled up some veggies and set the meat to fry.

Which would likely take forever for it hadn’t completely thawed

And I so wanted dinner ready as soon as my man hit the door.

Feeling very guilty as I served our dinner late
I decided my many forums would henceforth have to wait.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

“Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep; so shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man” Proverbs 24:34

Hunker down in cosy nests

So there are many changes to our lifestyle since the Corona Virus. They are extremely important if we are to stop its' spread. 

Currently we are in isolation with only essential services allowed to stay open. Even the doctors no longer want to see us unless it's of an urgent nature. 

Chris and I went to our doctor today for repeat prescriptions. He gave them to us and told us that last night the Australian government have implemented a Telemed system whereby you can ring the clinic and the doctor will fax your script to your chemist.

So now we are hunkering down, shopping online and worshiping online. Woolworths asked some details from us to prove we were either aged or disabled. They will only be doing online shops for us. Last week they emailed me to say I was approved. I am happy about that. 

For me, staying at home is not really a problem. I have plenty of opportunity to rest as my fibromyalgia flares, in fact I have been sleeping a good deal.

I have also been doing some decluttering and cooking soups for freezing. There are also some projects we are doing like finally putting pretty pictures up in the bedrooms and putting my electric blanket back on for the coming winter. 

I have been playing worship music and listening to the Psalms on You Tube. Last Sunday I took communion at home after a time of personal worship.  

It is important to remember that God is with us and is not surprised by this virus. If we do as we are told, and with His help, we will overcome.

Refuse to give way to fear- feel it, then bring it into the captivity of Christ. Fill yourself with songs of praise, pray and keep the faith. 

Keep your nest clean and comfortable and full of Spirit filled words and music. Make sure your pantry and fridge have sufficient food. Enjoy some peace from the rat race world. There is no better place than home to come apart from the world and let the pestilence dissipate.

So clean your nest, fill it with good things, keep cooking nice meals, and renew your marriage and family life and your faith as you hunker down in your cosy nest.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

Come, my people, enter your chambers, And shut your doors behind you; Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, Until the indignation is past. Isaiah 26:20

Memories of Mum's housekeeping

My mother was a good homemaker. Some of my earliest memories were of her hanging out washing on her long line held up by props.  She used to boil up the copper and honestly, she had the whitest washing ever.  She used Rinso to wash the clothes and Lux Flakes for delicates.

When I was really young, we didn't have hot water on tap, so Mum would boil up the kettle, fill the sink- a single sink- and she used a metal cage thing with slivers of Velvet soap in it to soap up the water. Steel wool was the go for saucepans and the plates were washed with a foam rubber sponge.

Whilst she was washing the dishes, she would have the kettle on again to rinse them. Then we children would dry them for her. We had metered gas by way of a machine with a coin slot in it in the laundry. When the gas got low, Mum would put sixpence or a shilling in it...

We all bathed daily and our hot water was heated by way of a chip heater over the bath. I can still remember fighting over who was the child who was to be seated under it. It was scary to a kid's mind. In fact, I sometimes still dream of it- making sure the water tap was on before lighting the pilot light.

Pride of place in our living room was the clothes horse aka clothes airer. Mum was very careful to air all our clothes and she spent quite a lot of time arranging clothes on it daily.

Mum had it tough too because we four children were bed wetters. She worked very hard to keep up with it all. 

With all her neighbours finishing their chores by 9am, poor Mum was still washing the sheets. In fact, when they called on her for a cuppa, she would be flustered because she was inundated with work.

Mondays Mum "did through".  She vacuumed, dusted, cleaned the bath and toilet and ironed. She also polished the linoleum in the kitchen with her Hoover polisher. It was quite a chore, with applying polish, buffing it with the machine then redoing it with the lambswool pads.  Her Monday routine was as regular as the sun coming up in the morning. 

Everyday, she would also make the beds, do her washing, think about what was for tea that night, clean her kitchen and sweep the carpets with a carpet sweeper. Routines were written in stone.

Mum didn't have a car, in fact Dad didn't even have one. She would catch the bus into town and shop for groceries which were delivered to our house. No plastic bags: the bags were brown paper...

I remembered how hard she worked the day I held her gnarled hand as she passed. She certainly loved her home and family... 

I am so glad that God honours the hardworking woman. In writing her eulogy, I included that well-known and loved verse from Proverbs 31 and when it was read, everyone of us nodded our heads in agreement and acknowledgement. She was blessed.

Memories of a well kept house we were never ashamed to call home will always be dear, along with the memories of a tired but diligent homemaker and her wonderful serving of our family, and then her  second husband's.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.  Proverbs 31:28

Missionaries in our own home.

These days feminism has belittled the role of wife, mother and homemaker so much that most young women see their role as unimportant. Nothing could be further from the truth.

A woman's presence in the home, training and raising her children properly is of utmost importance, both to the husband and the children. Her input in her children's upbringing will have ramifications for eternity.

Children are a blessing from the LORD and so is a home in which to raise them. The nurturing of children, of husband and home come from a faithful woman who sees the importance of her role as a Christian woman. 

Because society has for the most part become godless, the things of the LORD such as raising children, having a successful marriage and keeping a holy home are cast aside as things of little import. However, the truly wise wife will take her role seriously and raise her children as unto the LORD.

In this dark world in which we live, we wives and mothers have the perfect opportunity to keep guard over our homes, protecting the minds and peace of both our husband and children. This includes grandmothers when having their grandchildren stay.

It is no surprise that the enemy has propagated feminism as the way forward for womankind. It is destroying family life and making women discontented with their God given calling.

We have a big influence over whether or not our child will accept Christ as their Saviour. Child raising should be our first priority.  Your daily work as a wife, mother and homemaker is of great value to the LORD. 

Make no mistake: we are missionaries in our own home. 

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Ephesians 5:15-17

New Year prayers

It is New Year's Eve and like millions of people around the world it is a tradition to make New Year resolutions. I have resolved to try to lose weight. 

As a chronically ill woman who truly doesn’t eat much, my weight gain is mainly inactivity and taking Prednisolone and other drugs for depression and blood pressure etc. If I dwelt on weight gain and my consequent obesity, I would be so depressed that I wouldn’t have time to write for the LORD, or feel close to Him. 

Having said that, it is my intention to give my eating to God and ask for His help in making good food choices, and in self control.  I will try to exercise gently by walking and seeking out a swimming pool so that I can exercise without hurting my muscles, back and torn meniscus. It will be a balancing act so as not to bring on a new flare of my fibromyalgia or an angina attack. 

Because obesity can effect our spirit, I would say that we have to bring negative thoughts about our bodies and weight loss in general, into the captivity of Christ and not allow it to distract us from what He has for our life. 

In practice,  healthy weight loss will take time and it will be necessary to be patient with my body as it slowly releases the fat and comes into subjection. For it is going to be a battle: I know that, and it is a battle I simply must win.

In starting each day, I will be asking God for wisdom in what to eat and when. I will be making losing weight a priority after God, one which I know is in His will and that will please Him.

I am expecting a very slow reduction in my BMI, a very slow introduction to movement and a rather rapid new intake of water daily. In return I am expecting a reduction in blood pressure, pain with arthritis, depression, GERD, and lower HBA1 C for my diabetes. I am expecting a reduction in medications. 

Boring subject that it is, nevertheless weight loss is often so depressing and consuming that it can distract us from our relationship with Jesus. In fact, weight loss can become an idol. We must avoid becoming obsessive with it.

A new outlook has taken me to seeing that loving myself enough to lose the weight that is literally killing me is pleasing to God. He wants the best for me. So knowing this, I can rely on help from the Holy Spirit in putting an end to living trapped in a sick and grossly overweight body. 

Love for God and pleasing Him,  joy in obedience in the journey, peace in being proactive, patience in the struggle, kindness to myself when I stumble, will produce a woman who is feeling better and more able to be kind, good, faithful and gentle, through obedience to God through self-control. The fruits are there for the taking after repentance and obedience. 

Pray for me as I try to regain my health.  I pray you have a blessed New Year and success in your own resolutions, whatever they may be.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

Let him lead

God created man directly under Him with a wife equal in value but in submission to her husband. Where there are two heads in a marriage, wherein the man is not allowed to be responsible under God for his decisions, there is the distinct possibility that he will feel emasculated. 

Submission is not understood. Mainly because we think that our men will take advantage of us and rule the roost without any desire to know how we feel or think about something. 

A man who loves his wife will consult with her and value her insight and will then make a decision that they are both in agreement with. If not, he is out of line in the Divine Order. 

We talk things through, evaluate the best way to go then we allow our husband to make the final decision. He is responsible under God for his decisions, ours is to pray and support him. 

God has decreed that we wives allow our husbands to lead. He is to be head of our home, even if he is unsaved. He is to treated with respect! As long as our husband is not asking us to sin, he is to be obeyed.

In no way are we meant to be treated as doormats. That is not what God wants in a Christian marriage either. We are equal to our husband yet we have distinctly separate roles. These roles are in keeping with how we are created, and they actually enhance our femininity whilst bolstering our husband's masculinity.

If we submit to our husband, we will be staying within God's Umbrella of Protection in the Divine Order.

A man yearns to be respected, a woman yearns to be loved. If we emasculate our husband by usurping his God-given role, he will resent us. Respect will bring out his better qualities, and he will feel that he can love a woman who highly regards him. 

We love God, therefore we submit to our husband because of that love. Let him lead.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so [let] the wives [be] to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. Ephesians 5:23-30

The cat among the pigeons

We are currently living in a caravan park for long term residents. Most of the people who live here are down and out and unsaved. Life has been far from kind to them, and most are living on low incomes or pensions.

Not sure how long we will be here, we are slowly getting to know the people dwelling in mobile homes and caravans alongside us in our RV. To say that most are a little rough is an understatement.

Chris and I have had many conversations about how to handle the foul language and so on without alienating them. We do want to live peacefully here while Chris recovers from his surgeries and we catch our breath. We are both very tired. 

Now, even though these people are rough, we have had them over for tea and a chat and, as to be expected, the language can get pretty salty. The F word is a particular favourite one and it is dropped with no regard to a lady being present. 

We are letting it go because making an issue of language which they are used to, would have us ostracised, so we are not taking it on board. After all, how can we witness to them and give them hope if we come across as "holier than thou"?  How would they have the ability to ask us for a reason of the hope within us if we came across as prideful? 

To be honest, colourful language generally doesn't faze me. After all, it is just a lack of proper English expression, but when they blaspheme, it really gets to me. And blasphemy is as common as dropping the F word here.

They know we are Christians and they can see the picture of Jesus in our living area. It is no secret. Yet, as is common with unsaved people, taking the LORD'S Name in vain is still engaged in, and we think perhaps it is even more so than normally. We let it go.

"Why do you let it go?" you ask? Because God knows our heart. He knows how we esteem His Name and He knows that we believe that He has placed us here to be a light in a dark place. We are living in a place of no hope. Of poverty. Of unbelief. And like Jesus, we associate with these poor folk who are no different to us, except they don't know Jesus yet.

Speaking of salvation, we have discussed that we believe we are to show God's love to these people, live out our faith in a way that is not prideful, and help minister to and show respect for these folk. That is our priority.

We are sinners saved by grace. We are not the Holy Spirit. His work is to convict and woo these people- all the unsaved, not just those who live alongside us. Ours is to live out our life with authenticity so that it makes the love of God manifest to them.

Each time someone takes His Name in vain, I have to bite my tongue and keep silent. It takes a lot of prayer and quite a lot of strength. Some days it feels like they do it to get a rise from us, knowing that we are Christian. But love and acceptance will win out if it is God's Will that someone will come to know Christ through our witness.

Meanwhile, I simply bite my tongue, put the kettle on and offer a cuppa to what seems to us to be the cat among the pigeons.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; 1 Peter 3:15

Being there for our children

When I grew up in the 50's and 60's the majority of mothers stayed home with their children and didn't baulk at being there. We grew up with Mother always being home when we got home from school, offering us milk and cookies, supervising play and homework, cooking dinner and folding up the laundry. If she wasn't home when we got home it felt as if the world had turned on its axis! Mum was our world and we pitied the few kids at school whose mums worked outside the home! Mum being there was our anchor of security and it is one of the memories of childhood I have where I felt happy and secure. Gradually I noticed that more and more of my friend's mums were working outside the home and I remember one friend in particular who would go home from school, set the dinner table, feed the dogs, and play with me until her mother came home, which was my sign to make tracks home because my dinner would just about be ready. I would skip home glad to know Mum was there bustling around the kitchen or putting her day's laundry over the airer in front of the fire. It was a routine that was as predictable as the setting of the sun. How sad I felt for my friend coming home to an empty house. She may have her gold bracelets and an Osmond's fountain pen that we couldn't afford- but young as I was, I knew which side my bread was buttered on- and as far as I was concerned, I would rather have my Mum home than the pink and white bedroom suite and carpeted bedroom my friend had all to herself. I would gladly share mine with my sister and have Mum where she was. I still feel sad for her today- to my mind she had everything except the most important- a stay at home mother. Today's world has changed so much. Often mothers have to work to provide for their children- and they do a wonderful of job of balancing motherhood and career. But an awful lot of women who could stay home with their children have been hood-winked into believing that they don't contribute to society by staying home with their children! They do not see the value in teaching and training of their children, and they are blind to the infinite blessing of nurturing to the spirit of their babies by just being there- at home! Never before has motherhood taken such a pounding by feminists, employers, TV commercials urging us to consume more and more whilst leaving the most precious of things- our children, under the care of daycare centres and people who give good care but no real love to their children. How I long for those mothers to catch a glimpse of their children's spirits as they are left day after day in the care of people who only see nurturing these children as a job, not a privilege. They are being deprived of the security of knowing that Mom is with them all day, in their own home. They don't care that the house may not be the biggest, they are just as warm in K-mart clothes as designer labels, but they do care that they are deprived of their Mum's time- they just can't express it yet! How do you know they care that their Mum isn't there you say?- I know because I have seen children woken up at early hours from warm beds or cots to be bundled hurriedly into cars to be taken to daycare! I have seen their looks of bewilderment and seen how long it takes for them to settle- granted initially at first- fortunately for them, children are amazingly resilient. And I have seen the look of delight when they see Mum come to pick them up, and I have seen too the little head nuzzling into Mummy's neck soaking up the scent of Mum and her body warmth! Heaven in a child's world! I have seen little ones clinging to carers who are forbidden to attach to one child for too long in case they bond- thus making it difficult to cope with said child if that carer isn't available on any given day! I have seen misery inside those gaily painted daycare centres where all care is taken- but no bonding is allowed. What a stage setting for bonding problems in the adult kids! If a mother could just see inside her child's heart for a moment she would reconsider her position as a working mother. She would stay at home with her children and cut her cloth accordingly. Her education would not be wasted for there is a great challenge in balancing finances on one wage, being a wise mother, cook, nutritionist, nurse, play supervisor, educator and above all else, companion and guide to little ones eager to emulate her. She would find true happiness in herself as she is less pressured for time, and she would have the enjoyment of knowing that she has made the most of the few precious years we have with our children. Our young children want their Mummies, and our older children are looking for something that is lacking- something in their spirit that is empty- the joy of being wanted- and nurtured and loved. Before the car, the house, the clothes, the toys. Before the holidays, the big Christmas presents, the expensive lap-tops. They are hungry for love and bonding. Don't let that be with strangers who offer them acceptance and belonging as they ply them with drugs! You be the one! You are the one they long for! Take back the house keys and stop them being latch-key kids before it's too late. Just be there, Mum. Make a decision in faith that God will provide for your needs- this is His Will for all mothers- it is part of His great plan! If you ever needed to be needed, it's now!  Don't think your boss can't get by without you- he can, but your kids can't. Not if they are going to be godly, loving, confident adults and parents, they can't. But it starts with you. Will you be a part of God's plan in motherhood? Will you trust Him to meet your needs? But most importantly, will you just be there for them? © Glenys Robyn Hicks "But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" Philippians 4:19

He makes everything beautiful in His time

He prayed for a loving wife, so tired of waiting to be loved again... he sought her out, eyes looking at faces in women who walked across his path... glancing for wedding rings... a glimpse of hope, a sign..... Not yet...Soon?

She prayed for a loving husband, wanting to find love for the first time in her life... she too searched faces and hands of those she met in her work.... ever seeking.... envious of gold bands on wedding fingers... sighing and lonely.... Not yet.. Soon?

They met at a local church's dinner for Christian singles.... a chance meeting perhaps one would think...but not so with these two.... for deep within themselves love reverberated with faith that God had heard their prayer for togetherness and love...Come now... Coming...

Together, they worked and planned and went to church... together they prayed and talked about God, love, family the past and their future... they married and continued in the faith....Together.... Forever...

And he loved her, nursing her through surgeries, heart problems and illness... shielding her as much as he could from the ravaging effects of her illnesses...Compassionate... Always...

And she in turn loved him deeply, passionately and faithfully, grateful to him and to God for bringing them together.... Tender... Loving Forever..

But the clouds came.... with rains that threatened to flood their lives with despair and sadness... for he was not truly of Christ.... although to her, he was her guardian angel. .. Always and forever...

With his questioning  the new birth and trying to understand it, she realised that once again she was unequally yoked... yet all the attributes of Christ were found in him.... So close. So close... yet

At worship he still sits with his arm around her.... head bowed as the preacher asks those who do not know the Saviour to raise their hand.... he does not move... she hardly breathes except to pray.... But not yet.  Not yet...

She lifts her head with glistening eyes.... in Your time, LORD... in Your time... So close...Not yet. Keep praying..... keep loving....for as long as it takes....Till we are truly one in Christ...Forever....Whenever You desire.

Written with the understanding of an unequally yoked wife...Loving and praying for my sweet Christopher...Always..........

You may wonder why I have not mentioned this previously: because really it is a matter between my husband and the LORD.  Although I am desperate for him to come to the LORD (especially with my heart problems, I want the assurance that Chris knows Jesus before He takes me home), I do not preach at him. I pray. And pray. And keep silent about spiritual matters....

Because I am not the Holy Spirit, I can leave that up to Him to convict and woo and draw my husband. My job as the wife of an unbeliever is to reverence, honour and love my husband..  Because Chris is a man of integrity as I mentioned, anything he asks me to do would not be sinful.... therefore, I willingly submit to him as the scriptures tell us to do... I would not submit to him if he asked me to sin, however....

I sometimes want to speed things along by talking too much about the necessity of being born again to truly be saved, but because I would only get in the Spirit's way, I back off and nearly bite my tongue off.  Who knows, God may very well bring my husband to a saving knowledge of Him through someone else...

It does get lonely, being unable to share biblical things a lot... but as Chris is questioning and searching, I often get the chance to witness to him.... I pray a lot that God gives me the right words and that I don't become vaccinated with a gramophone needle and talk too much!

My marriage is a real blessing, and both Chris and I believe that God caused us to meet...(see why I thought Chris was born-again... He prays to God always),  but it could be better.... but until Christ calls him to Himself, you will find me treating Chris the same as if he was a Christian already... and you will also find me on my knees- a lot!

It's in His time. In His time...Always

I wrote this post seven years ago and a lot of things have changed. Chris is born again, and loves the LORD. I praise God for this. My biggest challenge now is to keep my mouth shut from "preaching" at him and trying to make him run when he is crawling. He is still on milk, but is surprising me at times by his keen discernment of what is scriptural and what isn't.

We sometimes pray together and I would love this to be more often, but I am peddling slowly because I don't want to be pushy. Chris is encouraged to lead as the head of the home, but that is something that isn't new. He was created to lead in the home, and I have always encouraged that.

As a Christian since 1980, I am on a full meat diet, but I must be careful not to push my new born Christian husband too much. I am not the Holy Spirit. 

I think we unequally yoked wives who suddenly find our husbands have been saved, tend to want to push the envelope and have their man as spiritually advanced as them. But the whole thing is fraught with danger as it can frighten them off and they will retreat and keep their faith as a "private thing" and get back into their familiar comfort zone.

So allowing your husband to lead in prayer, say grace over a meal or have family devotions may take a long time- but it is important that we allow God to work in their life and not push it.

The same scriptures that tell us that we can win our husbands to Christ without a word still apply to him taking on the spiritual role of leading his family. We have to rein in that desire and be self-controlled. In time- God's time, your husband will gain confidence in his role and the whole being a Christian thing. We are to keep out of the Holy Spirit's way and allow Him to work in our husband's life. Likewise, ye wives, [be] in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; 1 Peter 3:1

As in praying for your husband's salvation, we are to keep praying for our husband's growth in the faith. And we are to continue to support, love and respect him even if he shows no definite signs of being ready to eat meat. 

The LORD is faithful: all we have to do is allow Him to do His work in our husband's life and pray. So don't look at the time and how long his walk is taking: leave it in the LORD'S Hands and let Him call the shots.

As you enjoy your new equally yoked marriage, there will be times of joy and gratefulness and blessings along the way and it will seem like no time at all that you realise your man is eating meat with you. Then you will exclaim as I did recently,"Would you look at the time already?" And you will know: He makes everything beautiful in his time!" 

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

He hath made every thing beautiful in his time:  Ecclesiastes 3:11a