Pink or blue?

For years we have been listening to feminists’ claptrap about men needing to find their female side and women needing to be more strident and assertive. We have been advised to teach our sons all manner of housekeeping tips and encouraging our daughters to take self-defence lessons and fix their own cars…all in a quest for equality of the sexes! And whilst there is nothing wrong with learning these skills, if this trend is pursued, we will find ourselves crossing gender boundaries.

What have we gained in all this cross-gender teaching? We have put strains on our kids that they weren’t meant to bear! Our sons have become Sensitive New Age Guys with very little backbone or drive and unsure of their sexuality. And our daughters have become Strident Shrill Task Mistresses who look, think, speak and act like men! Women who pursue men and have taken on the sexually aggressive role and men who allow themselves to be wooed!

Despite what the feminists tell you: men and women are not the same. We are created and “wired up” differently. To prove this, a test was done on babies who were crawling or toddling. At the end of a long room, the babies’ mothers were waiting for them, coaxing them to come! In front of the mothers was a barrier about 2 foot high that to the babies was impenetrable. Behind a 2 way mirror, researchers in childhood behaviour were taking notes and filming.

What happened was very interesting! All the babies headed for their mothers as quickly as they could. On reaching the barrier, all of the girl babies stopped, sat down, looked around and cried loudly. They were all terribly distressed and cried piteously with arms up-stretched to their mothers. They looked for aid when their mothers didn’t reach out for them, crying even louder.

The boy babies met the barrier, and seeing Mother wasn’t about to pick them up, immediately set about examining it. Some patted the barrier, some kicked it, some even tasted it and some eventually tried to scale it, but every one of them tried to conquer it! Not one of the boy babies cried or looked distressed but tried to find a way through, over or under the barrier between them and their mothers!

This proved what can be seen in MRI scans. Male and female brains are wired up differently. All the boy babies were proactive, logical thinkers and strategists, while all the girl babies were reactive, emotional and helplessly relied on assistance and reassurance.

These tests proved that we are created as the scriptures say: the male to have dominion over the earth and subdue it, and the female to be protected by the male and to be nurturing. Eve was after all, the mother of all things..

No matter what feminists say, men and women are different. God created men and women to be equal but to have different roles. What the feminists propose is a blending of the sexes so that the roles and characteristics become so blurred that we have asexual people or bi-sexual. Certainly, to pursue feminist’s ideas, we would have a gross trans-gender mess with neither gender acting within the bounds of their created gender or unsure what their role was.

Accepting and understanding God’s Word, we will do our girls the honour of teaching them how to be godly women, wives and mothers, and our sons to be godly men, husbands and fathers. That’s the way our Creator God wants it and that’s how it should be and we have no business trying to change it. The die has been cast at conception and it is good…Pink or blue: it’s not up to you!

© Glenys Robyn Hicks



“Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created” . Genesis 5:2

Save Jesus Christ alone

When we once moved house, we had an introductory chat with our new neighbours. I was delighted to learn that the whole end of our street were Christians. This was an answer to prayer because I had been hungry for fellowship.

Whilst we were chatting, my new neighbour told me of the people next door. They were of a different denomination to them. She told me they considered their denomination the *only* real church and that they came across as feeling superior to them. She then went on to discuss the other denominations represented in the street who happened to speak in tongues. They too felt superior to other denominations and Christians who didn't have the gift of tongues or the Baptism of the Spirit. In fact in the next 10 months we were there, they didn't even acknowledge us in the street!

In looking for a new place of worship, we discussed her Baptist Church. I felt that I would like to check it out until she mentioned the factions within about introducing charismatic practices. Sadness flooded over me.

Denominations, factions and superiority ought not to be within the Church. Unfortunately, we all know it is... we all have done it at some time or another. No sooner does one learn that one is a Christian than the judgment starts to raise its ugly head.

Christian, Catholic, Baptist, Spirit-filled, Charismatic, speaker of tongues, christened or baptised by immersion all juggle for precedence in our estimation of a Christians' worth and suitability to befriend and have fellowship with. When in fact, all that should matter is that the person is truly born-again and sees Jesus Christ as the Son of God and Him crucified. There has to be a common bond for Christians and that bond is Jesus.

Because judgments of a persons' church and worship preferences so colour our fellowship, I prefer to see myself as a Christian rather than as a Baptist, Protestant, Charismatic or whatever. Without that willingness to accept each other firstly as Christians, we aren't going to have true fellowship! I mentioned that to my new neighbour and she agreed. So there is still the possibility of ongoing fellowship with her.

Judging Christians by their denomination or manner of worship short-circuits all possibility of developing strong bonds in the Body of Christ. If we do not accept each other purely on the basis of what Christ is and has done, we rob ourselves of the opportunity of fellowship and live outside the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:3

Let's choose to see nothing else but Jesus Christ and what He has done for all of us. Surely that would be a very firm foundation to build a friendship on whilst strengthening the Body of Christ. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:2

© Glenys Robyn Hicks 

The verse that comes to mind for this post is simple: Jesus wept. John 11:35

I just want some breakfast!

I was minding my three young grandchildren this morning. It was a very early start at 4am with all three children waking up at 5am as soon as their parents left for the airport. I decided to feed them early in hopes that they would go back to bed....As the children told me what they wanted to have for breakfast, I listened to the chatter...

"Jess, you can't have Weeties, too many carbs!" "No, Liam! I am allowed bacon and eggs: Mum said I can have that cos it's got no carbs, and I'm on a fat and no carb diet!" I had to referee a fight over Jess not taking sugar in her tea whilst Liam piled his on his cereal....he is not on a diet! In fact, he could gain a pound or 2, whereas Jess takes after her Nana...ahem! Yes, life could be so unfair! Sighing, I glanced at the clock: 5:45 am and the day was still young!

Getting a bottle for Thomas, I smiled to myself: he is too young to care what goes into his bottle and he accepted it with his characteristic grin and good nature (except for this morning at 5am's outburst of horror as he realised that Mum had gone. But I digress)...Catching the morning's Nutritional Goodness theme, I mentally made a note of calcium benefits for him.

It was then time for me to have breakfast and I found myself staring blankly into the pantry, trying to keep awake. As my hand reached out for the Sugar Frosties, Liam piped up with, "Hey, Nan, they're full of sugar: are you allowed to have sugar? Sugar's not good for you: Mum said I can't have too much cos it makes me hyper!" I thought guiltily about my diabetes and I put it back!

Knowing that the smell of toast would be too much of a temptation for young Jessica to resist, I decided that I would forgo that this morning and instead I grabbed a tin of tuna as a high protein choice. But my little shadow informed me that his Mum had bought just enough tins for Dad's high protein/no carbs diet next week. Guilty again, I put it back in its place in line with the others.

My stomach was growling by now and I was getting desperate for something to fill it. Better be something healthy today I thought with an inwards chuckle. Not wanting to be warned off anything else, I made myself a cup of tea without sugar and grabbed a piece of rye bread sans butter and slowly chewed on it...

The kids returned to bed and I crept back out into the kitchen: I don't care what my diet conscious grandchildren think: I just want some breakfast! I grabbed the sugar loaded cereal and put some sugar in my tea. What they don't know won't hurt them, but please don't tell their parents!

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

"A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken" Proverbs 15:13

A moment of truth

As a young mother with 4 children under 5, I often felt woefully inadequate as a housewife and a mother. It wasn’t because I wasn’t trying to excel at these things, it was just my perception of myself. There never seemed enough hours in the day to accomplish what had to be done and I often felt frustrated with myself. This changed dramatically one day when I was taken to my friend’s sister-in-law’s house.

It was about 1 pm, when we arrived and although we had been invited to come for a visit, we were appalled by the lack of cleanliness, the untidiness and the obvious squalor around us. But what horrified us most was my friend’s 12 month old nephew standing in a dirty cot, soiled nappy and ragged singlet, crying and flushed whilst his mother sat unperturbed reading in the dust covered living room.

My friend immediately swooped on her nephew and comforted him. She inquired of his mother if he was hungry- she replied that she had given him a bottle in the morning. We looked in the cot and there was an empty feeding bottle complete with flies on the teat. We felt revolted. The unmistakable odour of the soiled nappy was overwhelming and when my friend took it off to change the little fellow, it revealed red blistered welts where his nappy had been. Immediately the child was given a warm bath and his nappy rash was plastered in Vaseline- there wasn’t anything else in the house for it.

All the time, the child’s mother kept reading, seemingly oblivious to us. It was very disconcerting. We opened the fridge to get something for the little boy and it was growing all types of green mould. The milk was out of date. The pantry was under stocked to say the least, and all we could rustle up for the baby was an egg in bread crumbs. He was starving and we were angry and sad.

My friend rinsed out the soiled nappy and singlet and opened the lid of the washer. We exchanged shocked glances as the rancid smell of half washed clothes met our nostrils. As the clothes were going mouldy, we presumed they had been there a long time. And there was no excuse for this laziness, because the child’s father had bought his fiancee a new washing machine during the pregnancy.

That day, I learnt a lot about myself. I learnt that I was too hard on myself, too perfectionistic and unrealistic. My children and home were never even on a really bad day, as bad as that. I learnt that I was not lazy, incompetent, or backward- I was exhausted and overwhelmed. Not so with this girl!

What was wrong with this girl? She only wanted to do what she liked doing- reading. That was what consumed her time and life- books. Not her little boy or her impending marriage, (which didn’t take place fortunately) but just her desires were her life. She could not see anything wrong in that. And she was a very well read and quite intelligent woman. She was to come to see that it did matter indeed.

She told my friend’s brother when it all came crashing around her ears, that she didn’t want to have to keep the house clean, look after her baby and tend to his needs. She wasn’t harming anybody by reading and she couldn’t see what the fuss was about. We were incredulous that someone could be so self-centered and unenlightened about life. And totally indifferent to her child- not even a toy was in his cot the day we visited!

The washing would get done- eventually. The child would be fed- eventually. He would be taken to the doctor when he was suffering earache- eventually- but not before repeated ear infections made him deaf in one ear.

I couldn’t help but see the contrast between the Proverbs 31 woman and her. And I certainly wasn't evenly remotely close to this selfish woman. So I lightened up and relaxed a bit. I stopped being over perfectionistic and settled for a balanced approach. I enjoyed my children more. And I made sure that I never put off doing something just because I didn’t feel like doing it.

Now whenever I see a well-kept baby,  I always remember another one- a sad, hungry and dirty little baby boy with a mop of blonde curls and a dirty nappy. And I thank God that He gave him into his Daddy’s caring hands.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

Ecclesiastes 10:18 “By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through,"

Where they come to die

How many of us have received an email chain letter? You know the kind:- if you love Jesus, pass this along to 50 of your friends..... if you don't you will go to Hell...

If you have a heart, you will forward this email to all your friends so that this little girl who needs a life-saving operation will live because Google will pay x amount towards it for every 1000 forwarded emails...

Modern technology has taken over the role of the snail mail chain letter of yesteryear.  You know the one where a 5 cent coin was taped onto the letter, urging you to invest in some pyramid selling technique. If you don't do so, you will live in poverty...

I remember once receiving one at work. The threat was if I- or whoever else it was who opened the mail didn't act on their advice and send out another x amount of copies of said letter, that I would lose my job and end up penniless. My employer would go broke yada yada... my boss said (wisely) to file it in the round file also known as waste paper basket.

We even have the modern form of chain letters on Facebook these days.... LIKE if you want to save the cute little puppy from being flayed alive for its fur in China... LIKE if you love your mother. If you don't LIKE your mother link, you are going to lose your mother.... or have 60 years bad luck yada yada..

These and many other variations of chain letters are designed to pull at the heart strings, elicit a reaction and produce an action. Usually just to delight the initiators of them.  My emails and LIKES on FB won't save the child or the puppy, keep me from going to Hell or keep me in a job. The only power they have is to promote fear. The bottom line is they survive on FEAR and SUPERSTITION.

I got an emailed one yesterday stating that a prayer which was a well known one was a novena from Mother Theresa and if I did not forward it to all my friends, I would not know Gods' blessing... I deleted it!

I deleted it because I know Whom I love and serve. And it is unworthy of Him to entertain even a moments' fear on account of an email from some airhead.  I know my worth and life is in the Hands of a loving Saviour Who has my best interests at heart. I need not fear some intimated threat from an uneducated moron who has nothing better to do with his/her life.  I have a life grounded in faith and service that relies solely on God.

I don't base my life on luck or superstition, and if any email or letter chain or message comes to me, it comes to me to die.

So if  you receive any form of chain letter, disregard it. Delete it. File it in the round file. Forget it. No harm will befall you or your family and interests.  We stand on solid ground, not the shaky sand of fear and superstition.

We serve an almighty God Who keeps us in the palm of His Hand. That's more secure than passing on an email to all my friends...

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Jeremiah 29:11

Back to the simple life

By today’s worldly standards you are considered poor if:

1. The family only has one income

2. There is only one car per family

3. There is only one bathroom and toilet per house

4. Your house doesn’t have a bedroom per person

5. Your house doesn’t have garage space for each car

6. And woe, woe, woe, if you don’t even have a garage!

7. You don’t have a theatre room, rumpus room or den

You are considered deprived and underprivileged if:

1. You don’t have a TV in your room

2. You don’t have a computer

3. You don’t have Internet connection

4. You don’t have a DS or Wii

5. You don’t have your own room

6. You don’t have your own mobile or cell phone

7. You don’t have designer jeans and shoes

And I am sure you can think of other things to add to the list! But really for all this affluence, is the world any happier? I don’t think so!

What about bygone days? What made it better whilst seeming to be hard?

1. In bygone days the average family had one income and one car

2. Houses had one bathroom

3. Children played in the street

4. Boys wore trousers with patches at the knees

5. Money was in short supply and thrift was practiced

6. Creative homemakers used leftovers

7. Families sat together watching the one TV set in the home

Mother was always home and enjoyed looking after her family and homemaking was considered honourable. Home cooked meals (often with left-overs) were the norm and dining out and take away was for an occasion.

Father went to work and enjoyed coming home to a meal on the table and a read of the paper and wasn’t expected to help with the chores after a gruelling day in a factory or office for a meagre wage.

Children were fed and bathed and put to bed at a reasonable hour and Mother would sit and knit or practice some creative craft that today is slowly dying. They would sit and enjoy a companionable moment together before retiring around 10.

For all our advancements in choices of life styles and extra incomes and possessions, we aren’t any happier than then. For then families had time for each other and marriages were stronger and memories were fonder.

So how do we fix the problem? The answer is not hard at all: it’s time to go back to the simple life.

Author unknown

Blessings, Glenys

“Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, [therewith] to be content”. Philippians 4:11

Sick wives despised by their husbands

I have recently read Debi Pearl's book "Created To Be His Helpmeet" Frankly, I think the book is scripturally unsound and borders on demeaning and insulting to women. What Debi Pearl says about the sick wife is just one area where I find a lack of compassion and an almost mysogynistic outlook. Here is what she says:

"being pitiful, hurt, discouraged and even sickly is one side of a “bad marriage” coin. Men in general (your husband in particular), are repulsed by women who project this image. A man’s spirit tells him his woman is rejecting him manipulating him when she regularly manifests a broken spirit, and he will react in anger.”

As a woman who suffers from illnesses that cause chronic pain and fatigue, I am so overjoyed to report that my husband doesn’t treat me as a faulty appliance which causes him great anger, but he cherishes me and tries to alleviate my suffering on bad days by sharing in my tasks and closing an eye to that which can’t be done on any particular day. After all, we promised to love each other in sickness and in health. Isn’t that type of commitment what God wants in marriage? So this chapter got me thanking God for the blessing of a husband who puts me first when I need it.

We sacrificial home keepers have enough on our plates already: trying to cope with our illness, be a good wife and mother and run our home. We often deal with disbelieving family members when the illness is an invisible illness like fibromyagia and chronic fatigue. Most likely you too have thought, like I do, that sometimes it would be easier to have an illness or disability that is highly visible rather than endure snide remarks about laziness and so on as we battle on.

Debi and Michael Pearl lack compassion, empathy and love. In my opinion, they lack many Christlike attributes that are the hallmark of a Christian. To put such a heavy yoke onto a sick woman's shoulders is to cause her added stress and anxiety. It is not the way of Christ.

I believe that the majority of sick women fight a courageous battle and do an overwhelmingly good job of being a Helpmeet to their husband. They are usually the hardest on themselves for they want to do that which their healthier Sisters do and they often fail. They do not need the likes of some author (Christian or not), putting the boot in and blaming them for their husbands' anger and spiritual unease. Nor do they need to be made anxious about their marriage.

Over the years, I have observed marriages where the wife is ill and I have seen that the majority of husbands are not as Debi Pearl claims. They love their wife and usually do all they can to support her in her homemaking efforts. They bring their children in line and demand that they take their mothers' health into consideration.

This is the love Christ wants for us, not the "love" portrayed by Debi Pearl. We would do well to reject her ideas on the sick spouse and to thank God that we have the Holy Spirit to lead us into Truth. He is indeed our Comforter.


© Glenys Robyn Hicks



And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick. Matthew 14:14

Housework is spiritual

As a Clean Freak and author of the e-book secret confessions of a clean freak - I can tell you - it's the results of housecleaning that are spiritual.  A clean home feels better.  Plus, you have the pride in a job well done. It's all positive - calming.

Housework left undone is very negative. A constant reminder of things you haven't done. I feel good when my bathroom walls or my stove is shiny. It makes me feel like I have control. And sometimes, that's all I have control over.

And, like all things spiritual, it takes discipline until it becomes habit. Housecleaning is a breeze once you have it under control and you have a routine. Really! I'm a single mom and I get picked on all the time for being too clean - like I have some disease! Guess I'm just a freak! author unknown.

Well, I wouldn't call this author a freak. I know from my own experience that a messy house makes me feel worse than usual and irritable. The trouble for me is getting the energy to do it. But the results of housework certainly are spiritual!

I have known a Christian woman who was part of our home bible group many years ago. Her place looked like a hurricane had struck it. Ants marched along the floor to dine and pillage her overflowing trash container in the kitchen. There wasn't a clean cup or spoon for after the study's fellowship cuppa.

We all cleaned it up so that the ladies who came would be more comfortable, but by the next week it was just the same. Instinctively, we knew that housework is spiritual and that we would not be able to focus on the Word sitting in filth. Filth is not conducive to worshiping God.

These days I am limited in how much I can clean and it often is a source of dismay to me that I can't do as much as I would like. When I do have the spoons (energy) to clean, the results lift my spirits so much that I have to conclude that housework is spiritual. Blessings as you sacrificially set the spiritual tone in cleaning your home.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks


She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Proverbs 31:27

Do you enjoy life?

In a world where there is this ‘dog eat dog’ mentality and everyone from the time they learn to walk is pushed to produce, enjoyment in life has dwindled. It is replaced by an undercurrent of anxiety that diminishes the potential any experience or act has for plain old enjoyment.

How many times have you asked someone if they play a musical instrument? Most times, if the person does play, they will tell you- and then follow it with an apology for their lack of true talent.

The hostess of a tea party may fret over the food she has served you- even though it is the most scrumptious of fare! And the young football player berates himself for the lost goal even though his wonderful efforts helped his team win the game.

We modern-age people have generally lost the art of enjoying life and having fun. Our competitiveness and the constant urging of our peers for perfection makes a lot of people not only anxious but irritable and lacking in confidence. No longer are we satisfied with doing our best- we constantly want to excel and outshine others.

Watching the animal kingdom can teach us to relax and enjoy life. A cat for example, is quite content with being simply, a cat. She lives as a cat, seems to enjoy her lot and seems to be generally content. She does not exhibit traits of anxiety as she tries to outdo the cat next door- she lives her life well according to her ability and does not compare herself to other cats. We see this in all the animal kingdom.

I believe we would do well to take a leaf out of the animal kingdom’s book and learn to be content with our best. It is not necessary to outdo everyone in life. The older a person gets, the more obvious it becomes that there will always be someone smarter or dumber than yourself. We have to learn to do our best and then relax a little.

Jesus Christ died that we might have an abundant and full life. We are to do our best and leave the rest to God. Seeking to outdo and excel others in matters brings us into the sphere of conceit and this causes discontent, envy, jealousies, arguments and strife- the complete opposite of holy living.

I believe that not enjoying one’s life is a sad state to be in and is not God-honouring. Doing one’s best and being content is the path to peace and enjoyment of the life God redeemed for you. Accepting your strengths and weaknesses will help you live a free life. Do you enjoy life?

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

‘But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. ’ Gal 5:22-23

I just want some breakfast!

I was minding my three young grandchildren this morning. It was a very early start at 4am with all three children waking up at 5am as soon as their parents left for the airport. I decided to feed them early in hopes that they would go back to bed....As the children told me what they wanted to have for breakfast, I listened to the chatter...

"Jess, you can't have Weeties, too many carbs!" "No, Liam! I am allowed bacon and eggs: Mum said I can have that cos it's got no carbs, and I'm on a fat and no carb diet!" I had to referee a fight over Jess not taking sugar in her tea whilst Liam piled his on his cereal....he is not on a diet! In fact, he could gain a pound or 2, whereas Jess takes after her Nana...ahem! Yes, life could be so unfair! Sighing, I glanced at the clock: 5:45 am and the day was still young!

Getting a bottle for Thomas, I smiled to myself: he is too young to care what goes into his bottle and he accepted it with his characteristic grin and good nature (except for this morning at 5am's outburst of horror as he realised that Mum had gone. But I digress)...Catching the morning's Nutritional Goodness theme, I mentally made a note of calcium benefits for him.

It was then time for me to have breakfast and I found myself staring blankly into the pantry, trying to keep awake. As my hand reached out for the Sugar Frosties, Liam piped up with, "Hey, Nan, they're full of sugar: are you allowed to have sugar? Sugar's not good for you: Mum said I can't have too much cos it makes me hyper!" I thought guiltily about my diabetes and I put it back!

Knowing that the smell of toast would be too much of a temptation for young Jessica to resist, I decided that I would forgo that this morning and instead I grabbed a tin of tuna as a high protein choice. But my little shadow informed me that his Mum had bought just enough tins for Dad's high protein/no carbs diet next week. Guilty again, I put it back in its place in line with the others.

My stomach was growling by now and I was getting desperate for something to fill it. Better be something healthy today I thought with an inwards chuckle. Not wanting to be warned off anything else, I made myself a cup of tea without sugar and grabbed a piece of rye bread sans butter and slowly chewed on it...

The kids returned to bed and I crept back out into the kitchen: I don't care what my diet conscious grandchildren think: I just want some breakfast! I grabbed the sugar loaded cereal and put some sugar in my tea. What they don't know won't hurt them, but please don't tell their parents!

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

"A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken" Proverbs 15:13

Lest we forget

Today is Anzac Day,

A day when we stop to remember

The brave souls who gave their all

For This Lucky Country,

Australia.


We are a proud young country,

Which many of various culture

Are now pleased to call their own,

Forever free and welcoming,

Australia.


For all we have and are to be

As time passes since that day,

We bow our heads and lift our hearts

To diggers who made her so,

Australia.



LEST WE FORGET

A.N.Z.A.C.

Australian New Zealand Army Corps

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

They helped every one his neighbour; and every one said to his brother, Be of good courage. Isaiah 41:6

Morning Cuppas With Glenys

I have written a blog over the past ten years called Morning Cuppas With Glenys which got taken over by a hacker in Indonesia! I have been posting as Blessings and Comfort blog but I have decided to revert to the old name.

This new blog Morning Cuppas With Glenys has some of those posts (and comments) as well as new posts and I am trying to fix them up for you.... it is proving to be quite a task.

Anyway, I pray that this new Morning Cuppas With Glenys proves to be a blessing and comfort to you. 

In His love,

Glenys 

To the Chief Musician. Set to 'The Lilies.' A Contemplation of the sons of Korah. A Song of Love. My heart is overflowing with a good theme; I recite my composition concerning the King; My tongue is the pen of a ready writer. Psalm 45:1

When women look ugly

As you probably know, I have been very busy minding my grandchildren for my sick daughter.  Whilst feeding the baby, I was watching the TV with my young grandson who is a wrestling fan. What I saw sickened me.

Two women were sweating and grunting, rolling around the ring whilst aiming well chosen kicks and blows to parts that were God-created areas that He designed as instruments of creation and nurture, requiring soft handling. There was a great display of muscle rippled flesh that verged on pornography due to the enthusiasm of the cameraman, trying to get the best closest shot for the male-dominated audiences.

The sickening blows and the thudding of boots on bodies was most unappealing to me, yet my young grandson was intrigued. I wondered what he would make of women as he grew up.. The portrayal of women in almost mortal combat clad in the briefest of attire must be stimulating to male audiences or it would not be ranked amongst the top favourite sports programs. But what connotations does it really have?

To my mind, it portrays women in an ungodly light. It shows women to be acting like men whilst tantalising their sexual appetite. It invites the sick minded to think of taking advantage of them in a predatory manner. It also portrays women to be of equal strength to a man, therefore stripping them of their need for protection, gentleness, deference to gender as the weaker sex, and respect.

If a woman can hold her own in an aggressive situation like wrestling another woman... and sometimes in some matches, a man- then she can hold her own in carrying in the groceries, repairing the car, being assaulted by her teenage sons in an argument, or worse still, being assaulted by her husband. She becomes a man in a general sense.

Wrestling and kick boxing, football and soccer are the most unladylike activities a woman can participate in. Along with being in the front line during a war.... these activities should be solely masculine ones.  Because to enter into them will have devastating effects on the way womankind is treated. I presume that is another reason we are seeing epic proportions of domestic violence not only against women, but men today! 

We are not as strong as men. We are created to be the gentle sex. Nurturing. Feminine. Soft. Endearing.  Child bearers. Mothers. Lovers. None of these qualities are seen in those who pursue manly outlets. As shapely as the feminine form is in the wrestlers' attire, their actions are typically masculine and tough. They try to outdo their masculine counterparts in viciousness and rank. This masculinises women and that is when women look ugly.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with [them] according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.1 Peter 3:7

Do you enjoy life?

In a world where there is this ‘dog eat dog’ mentality and everyone from the time they learn to walk is pushed to produce, enjoyment in life has dwindled. It is replaced by an undercurrent of anxiety that diminishes the potential any experience or act has for plain old enjoyment.

How many times have you asked someone if they play a musical instrument? Most times, if the person does play, they will tell you- and then follow it with an apology for their lack of true talent.

The hostess of a tea party may fret over the food she has served you- even though it is the most scrumptious of fare! And the young football player berates himself for the lost goal even though his wonderful efforts helped his team win the game.

We modern-age people have generally lost the art of enjoying life and having fun. Our competitiveness and the constant urging of our peers for perfection makes a lot of people not only anxious but irritable and lacking in confidence. No longer are we satisfied with doing our best- we constantly want to excel and outshine others.

Watching the animal kingdom can teach us to relax and enjoy life. A cat for example, is quite content with being simply, a cat. She lives as a cat, seems to enjoy her lot and seems to be generally content. She does not exhibit traits of anxiety as she tries to outdo the cat next door- she lives her life well according to her ability and does not compare herself to other cats. We see this in all the animal kingdom.

I believe we would do well to take a leaf out of the animal kingdom’s book and learn to be content with our best. It is not necessary to outdo everyone in life. The older a person gets, the more obvious it becomes that there will always be someone smarter or dumber than yourself. We have to learn to do our best and then relax a little.

Jesus Christ died that we might have an abundant and full life. We are to do our best and leave the rest to God. Seeking to outdo and excel others in matters brings us into the sphere of conceit and this causes discontent, envy, jealousies, arguments and strife- the complete opposite of holy living.

I believe that not enjoying one’s life is a sad state to be in and is not God-honouring. Doing one’s best and being content is the path to peace and enjoyment of the life God redeemed for you. Accepting your strengths and weaknesses will help you live a free life. Do you enjoy life?

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

‘But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. ’ Gal 5:22-23