Woman of Valor

I'm reading So Long, Insecurity by Beth Moore. It encouraged me about what I've always heard as the "virtous woman." Valor is definitely what we women need in today's world. Beth gives the meaning of "valor" where KJV has given it "virtuous." Sometimes we get tired of being courageous. The verse was so timely from the Proverbs 31 passage. "She is clothed with strength and dignity." Again, strength is so needed for the challenges of life. Dignity is a puzzling concept. Pride is a sin. Dignity is how we are crowned. Wow! Queen, not just for a day, but for every day. We walk in the honor bestowed on us by Almighty God. We walk into the day facing our world knowing Who is our Maker, Redeemer and Strength. Belonging to Him, His daughter, His intimate friend, all because of Jesus. How can we thank Jesus enough for the Awesome Sacrifice He gave for us? Each day I discover something more about who I am in Christ. Pride is when I am trying to put myself out there in my own strength. It sure is puny...so weak. Dignity is given to us. We must wear it well.

Attitude

Everyone knows how important attitude is. It is emphasized in the business world, personal relationships, parent/child relationships, etc. Many who are conscious of that need for great customer service and care force themselves to smile and comment to keep the status of a job or the company. What about the one who is going through a divorce, grieving over the death of a relative or friend, or death of a friendship? The charade must go on, or the secret shopper may catch a frown or sour temperament. Is there another way for a good attitude? For those who are not the Tiggers of life(Winnie the Pooh), there is a solution. Whatever our situation there is a verse in Ps 121:1-3 that says "I will lift up my eyes unto the hills from which comes my help." Each morning when I open my eyes, I lift up my spirit to "the hills". In lifting up we are refusing to have a melancholic day. We are lifting it up for God to be God today and handle whatever may come.

Approximately 2000 years ago a man who had done no wrong was "lifted up" on a cross on a hill. What is it about lifting up? How many of us want to lift something. It is not easy, but we put it above our heads. We offer it up to God. Jesus was lifted up where He willingly gave His life as a sacrifice for our sin. "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up." John 3:14 Moses had lifted up a snake on a pole. All of the people who had been bitten by snakes(symbolic of sin) could look up at the pole with the snake on it and be healed. The snake(sin) on a wooden pole(cross) brought freedom and health. Today the snake on a pole is the symbol of the American Medical Association.

For a healthy day, lift up your eyes to a hill far away where sin was conquered. This is my free gift to you today.

Connections

We connect with each other in so many different ways. One attempts to express love to another. Why is that love language foreign in the ears of the receiver? Why is the love not received? It is as though a translator is needed, because attempts to connect fall on deaf ears. Gary Chapman wrote 5 Languages of Love. There's physical contact, words, service, quality time and gifts. You can usually determine the language of the one who is attempting to show love. It becomes complicated in using that language to express love. The one who has the language of love of serving will serve food, laundry needs, housecleaning, etc. Does that same person expect service to be given to feel the love. The one who speaks love thinks it should reach the heart's target and be understood. Possibly service is more difficult. The quality time person would love to spend time without words. The verbal person expects to hear special words.

It is in allowing the Holy Spirit to move and challenge us to communicate in a language that is not natural to us, but triggers the right response in the recipient.

Understanding is not the only key. The real key is obedience to the Holy Spirit.

Acceptance/Approval

The driving force for most people is pleasing people, approval. By striving to do our best, we satisfy the needs of the business and the team goals. That's a great thing, the way to be successful. However, caught up in that mentality for our very existence clouds a vacuum in our lives. We reach the top of the ladder, and there's always another rung. We get the approval of those significant persons, and we are hollow. We are imprisoned in a world where all our energies are spent trying to gratify others.

This happens in the corporate world and in the Christian world. Paul said that "we are accepted in the beloved." Eph 1:6 As I previously blogged using Ephesians 1:4-6, our striving can rest. The acceptance is already there. The more we allow His Spirit to work through us, the more we obey the Spirit's promptings, the more we know we belong. We are at home. We are completely accepted.

There's a club at UT Austin called Koinonia Christian Fellowship. Debbie Fitz wrote "I know that my identity is not defined by what I do or by my title. My true identity is that I am a sinner forgiven by God, a child of God, His servant." http://koinoniatexas.org/2009/12/galatians-5-%E2%80%93-devotional-commentary/ This is the ultimate identity. What we do plays into the picture, but after we are fully aware and enjoying His acceptance and approval.

Somewhere in the Psalms there is a word picture of a child weaned from his mother illustrating how we are satisfied and whole in Christ.

Chosen

To choose is to pick out from others. We pick the best fruit or vegetables at the grocery store. Choosing team members involves picking the ones who will play best for the team. The decision is based on what knowledge is available and what our sense of appearance reveals to us. Others are considered inferior in the choice of the finest.

Interesting twist in spiritual things: In Ephesians 1:4-6 it says,"For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5he[c] predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves." Wow! The choosing here is with a foreknowledge that we will become The Chosen. Through Him, we will be holy and blameless. This choosing took place before the foundation of the earth.

How is this consistent with the verse that says that God is not willing that any perish (Matt 18:14)? Another verse explains it well. Matt 22:14 says that "many are called, but few are chosen." In this picture the team captain says, "You can all play." Only a few come up to the plate and offer their lives as a player. I would say this to me kids when they were growing up also. I call all of them to do some request. I could predict the ones who would respond and offer to help. My human foreknowledge is flawed. God's is flawless. The fault is not with God. He longs for all to come to Him and be all He created one to be. We are chosen!!! Chosen to be His princess or prince, His ambassador to the world, His arms, legs, eyes, smile, spoken Word to those who need outstretched arms, legs to take them somewhere, eyes to see their need and affirm them as special, smile to encourage their day, spoken Word to reveal the heart of God.

Chosen is significant in the spiritual world when we respond. The heart of our Father aches to leave the others behind. It aches when His Choice remains a vacant seat. It was reserved for that Chosen One. In reality, the choice is ours.

"New" Verses

"...and put on the new self which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth." Eph 4:24 (New American Standard Version)

"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, He is a new creature; old things passed away; behold new things have come." 2 Cor 5:17 (New American Standard Version)

Read the previous blog for applications to identity in Christ.

New

New embodies the concept of perfection. We expect that when receiving an order by mail. We expect it when purchasing any merchandise. Idealistically we expect it in a new relationship, job, move to another location, etc. Those are our expectations. When the new wears off, we see flaws in people, merchandise and relationships. Some move on to the next "new" experience. You see that in the movie The Perfect Man with Heather Lockyear, Hillary Duff and Chris Noth. The single mom is always packing and moving when things go sour. Finally she comes to a place of reality.

Yes, reality dictates that new things break and people are not perfect. There's a place of acceptance and unconditional love that holds on to relationships when the cracks and stresses appear.

Spiritually, the opposite happens in Christ. We come to Him admitting our faults and weaknesses, our independent spirit unyielding to His Perfect Direction and Will, and our full knowledge that we can't measure up no matter how hard we try. We place trust in those nail-scarred hands, and we are "new." We aren't perfect, it's true. In Lamentations 3:22-23 it says, "The Lord's loving kindnesses indeed never cease for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Here's a place where each "new" day, His love is new. We became new when we asked Him into our life. We keep "new" each time we repeat repentance(sorry for sin) and ask for cleansing. We are renewed every day.

Identity in Christ: We are a new creation. Each day we are new. Someday we will have a new body, a resurrected body, that will never wear out or decay. Wow!!! Quite the opposite of the way the natural world operates.

A Name

Our name is our identity, what people call us, how they view us and we view ourselves.
In ancient times names held the total meaning of the person. If the person changed, the name changed. Abram was changed to Abraham. Sarai was changed to Sarah. Saul was changed to Paul when his eyes were opened to truth and his life completely redirected.

The meaning of names can steer a person to great fulfillment or disaster. It is in seeing the meaning through God's eyes where true identity blossoms. One of my daughter's has a name with what seems to be a negative meaning. I know it is the name we were to give her. The meaning is "noose" which suggests bondage, and negativity. I have seen personalized items with her meaning being "devoted one." A bond can be good or bad. We can bond to Christ and be so devoted and committed that nothing can break the bond. The negative side can be in bondage to darkness and sin. Our name does not drive us. It is the choice to make the meaning into life and health.

Another daughter has a form of Mary as a middle name. The word "myrrh" comes from it. It is interpreted "bitter." Naomi said, "Don't call me Naomi, but Mara(bitter)" Myrrh was a spice used to preserve the dead. It is a very gloomy possibility. We see Mary at the foot of the cross beholding the Son she raised dying a cruel death. Any mother wants to fix things for their kids and make it better. Any mother would do all in her power to rescue and relieve pain. She stood helplessly agonizing in bitter grief. Bitter, deep pain can drive us to more bitter pain to a point where it seems irredeemable. Deep pain when embraced can "enlarge the heart." Ps 119:32. When we identify with Christ, with find identity with a Suffering Savior. In that place, we are comforted(which means "with strength") Rather than choosing to be a bitter person, the bitter pain can drive us to a deep place of identity with Christ.

Identity lesson 1

Identity is how you see yourself. Sometimes we think of ourselves more highly than we should. Other times we degrade ourselves and don't see clearly. Our identity finds real meaning when we find it in Christ. He values us so much, that he gave His life for us. Some people do give their lives for those they love, in protecting them or fighting for a cause to preserve the lives of those dear to them. Jesus, fully God, died a cruel death, so your identity and true being would be a child of God. As a child of God(our King), we are princesses and princes. We are valued beyond our comprehension.

As women, it is a deep need to be admired and looked on with pleasure. In Psalms 45 it says "The king delights in your beauty." That is what every women desires. If that is not satisfied by a human male know that your Heavenly Father "rejoices over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17 The next time you look in the mirror, see yourself as the daughter of the King.

For men, your Father is Mighty to save. See that also in Zephaniah 3:17. He wants you to "rest in His Love." He rejoices over you with singing in approval and acceptance of all you are and do. Do your best at all times. Know there is always a nod of approval, and a smile on His face. "Well done, my beloved".

Abandon

I wrote this poem when I couldn't find my daughter's she gave me years ago.

I'm using it on my blog with handlesandbangles.com for hobo bags, and the life of a hobo who leaves all behind for hope of a better life.

Abandon

The past holds one captive
To lies and mistakes
So conscious efforts fail
To create new escapes.

The future holds promise
Of relief and new life
But realizing the vision
Casts doubt in the night.

The leap of the present,
A look south and north
Involves full release of
Past clutches before.

Sweet abandon leaves all
To land squarely on board,
Empty hands freed, open
And ready to soar.

Western Roundup

In our fast-paced contemporary world, there's sometimes a yearning inside to step into a new dimension. Is that why we find pleasure in innovative country western style for a change? Possibly the country western world is at your back door. You step out and inhale the fresh scent of larkspurs and leather. For those who long for it, but cannot embrace that, we may express that with fashion or decorating. There's some adorable western handbags at handlesandbangles.com. Find them on the last page of products.
On a spiritual level, there's a reality that can be attained. I call it "eternity moments." For me, it is as though time stops and I enter a different world. Peace and awesome wholeness fill me in such a way that my spirit transports to the open spaces. This is available, because I have a relationship with the Creator of the open spaces. The relationship started when I was born into a spiritual family, and became the daughter of The Creator. That relationship did not only give me access to this "place," it started an intimate Daddy relationship that filled a deep void in my life. My father loved me, but was extremely busy in the formative years. Later it was awkward and difficult to be close.
For those skeptics out there I know what you are thinking. This person is delusional. Most people who don't have a close relationship with their father find it difficult to allow God to get near their soul and heart. I've studied psychology and know about the energy fields and probes where pain, hunger, sadness, joy can be evoked with an electrical impulse. It is not unreasonable at all to understand that God Who Is fully Person(Entity) & fully Energy can communicate and fill the void that He created in our psyche.
A handbag, accessory of beautiful landscaping & decor can give us an effect of tranquility and a release from stresses of life. However, only in the arms of my DADDY am I fulfilled. For questions email me at handlesandbangles@gmail.com

Handles and Bangles

For choices of purses and handbags check out handlesandbangles.com.

Treasures

When a young mother purchases a purse many times it is filled with an array of items which satisfy the needs of her children. For the time when delayed for lunch there's a snack. For those boring waits or meetings crayons and paper. Torn clothing could find a safety pin in Mom's purse. Torn hearts might find a Kleenex. Teachers brandish an ample supply of pens, pencils, highlighters, paper clips and note pads. The business woman holds important items for a quick restoring makeup finish before an important meeting, etc. Personality emerges from the pockets of a purse. Whatever style or person it carries your treasures...identification, debit cards, money, credit cards, license to drive a car, etc. Treasures deeper than material ones are carried in our hearts. "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. "(Holy Bible) The lasting treasure can be found in the parable of the man who bought a field, because he knew there was a ruby buried in it. The ruby is symbolic for a lasting, eternal, spiritual kingdom of God. To find that ruby simply admit you are not perfect(have sinned) and are in need of trusting Jesus, the fulfillment of God's plan for you to experience relationship with Him. Reach out and accept the ruby(treasure) of God's forgiveness and salvation. Your treasure chest will be full. Check out