Homekeepers Journal 1/25/11

I love these writing prompts. If you would like to join in visit Sylvia at Christian Homekeepers .

This week's prompt is on "Understanding". :)

In my kitchen today...Too bad I wasn't asked yesterday when I made cupcakes, haha!! Today Christian (14) made his own lunch of penne pasta and meat sauce and my husband made supper (chicken cordon bleu with a twist). So, I had a pretty easy day in the kitchen!

Proverbs 1:5 says: Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance – What this means for me is ….. Once I have learned the Word of God, that is not where it stops. I need to work toward understanding and guidance meaning I know how to *live it.*

Proverbs 17:10 tells me that “A rebuke goes deeper into a man of understanding than a hundred blows into a fool.” – So I know that ….. When someone rebukes me I need to give serious thought as to whether they are right. Hopefully it is a trusted person. Really, I don't want 100 blows so I don't to be a fool. Best to listen to the FIRST person!!

Proverbs 17:27 says that “Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.”. What this means for me as a woman of God is ……. Wow!! That's where the rubber meets the road and hits me where I live. If I can control my tongue AND have a cool spirit then I am having a really, really good day!!! I started the school year DETERMINED not to let myself get in an emotional spin (which is the spark that lights my tongue). I did well for awhile... It's so easy to just react and not to think first. When I am doing well and feel myself losing it, what works for me is to separate myself and pray. If it's really bad I need about 20 min. to myself to read my Bible AND pray. It's all about self control. ...sigh...

Proverbs 13:15 talks about favor – “Good understanding gains favor, but the way of the unfaithful is hard.” Often I assume I should have favor from my family and that is dangerous. I read once about family life that we "have the highest expectations on others' behavior and the lowest expectations on our own." That's so true. When I am under control, staying patient and calm and working toward kindness and speech and communicating that I am trying to help my family, they really do respond so, so well. It makes for such a better day for all of us!  As the mom, I often set the tone in the house. So when the tone is awful, I need to look at myself first!

And finally, Proverbs 20:5 tells me that “Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out” – This is important for me because …… When you draw someone out you are finding what is really in there and then it can often be helped. Counsel must be rooted in God's truth so it is really God that draws it out. I definitely have learned over the years that if I am not sure I have godly counsel to offer, then I ought to keep quiet and pray.

Your turn! :)