Modesty

What is it?
Modesty is an attitude/characteristic of the heart. Humility is never a defect in a person. One who is secure in their relationship with Christ will feel no competition with others. They are content to interact with others fully cognizant of who they are, functioning within the boundaries of their own capabilities, or limitations with confidence. One who lives and behaves in simplicity quietly performs daily tasks and routines without the trumpet blown before. There is no need to call attention. Modesty acts gently, but with no less perfection or care as one who may constantly announce their deeds.


In Life
We can also display modesty in life. Quietness, humility, and simplicity are values to be grasped and sought after. Colossians 3:12 says, “Since God chose you to be the holy people whom he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”
A life of modesty is lived towards God and each other. Towards God, we recognize Him as the source of all our gifts, abilities, and strength. We know that we can do nothing apart from Him, that we are fully dependent upon Him for everything we need. As a result we acknowledge Him in every undertaking fully trusting His wisdom, that He will always do what is best for us. Towards each other we show our modesty by honoring others before ourselves. We do not fight and compete but willingly allow others to have the place of prominence. Philippians 2:3 says, “Don't be selfish; don't live to make a good impression on others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself.” We must be confident that our own abilities will open any necessary door for us and so quietly, give ourselves to the pursuit of excellence. Christians are representatives for Christ wherever they go, in whatever they do. When we excel we glorify God who gave us our ability. 1 Corinthians 4:7 says, “What makes you better than anyone else? What do you have that God hasn't given you? And if all you have is from God, why boast as though you have accomplished something on your own?”


Obtaining It
Modesty may be obtained by adopting the mindset of Jesus Christ. Philippians 2:5-8 says, “Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. Though He was God, He did not demand and cling to His rights as God. He made Himself nothing; He took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. And in human form He obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal's death on a cross.” Most people do not naturally possess an attitude of modesty as characterized by humility and simplicity. We instinctively seek recognition and attention. We want others to honor us for who we are and what we have done. However, if we follow after Christ as His disciples, we will divest ourselves of all self-seeking and submit ourselves to God. Living a life of modesty is a personal determination. We purposefully set out to be content, patiently waiting for God to give the promised rewards, which do come, even in this life. God is faithful; He sees all that we do. Contrary to the modern belief that we allow ourselves to become doormats and castoffs, those who honor God and live humbly before Him have His promise upon which to depend. 1 Peter 5:6 says, “So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and in His good time He will honor you.”


Also, the modesty of our heart is reflected by the way we dress. 


Stay tuned as tomorrow I will be posting about a challenge of wearing skirts for 7 days.  

ALL the Beautiful Women?

With all of the junk that is happening in our government, as of late, here is something to encourage us from desiringgod.org.  

Know that God is in control, and that no matter what happens, He will take care of us. 

 In Esther chapter 2, King Ahasuerus finds himself without a queen.He had sacked Queen Vashti in a rage because she had refused to entertain him and his guests with her beauty, thereby encouraging uppity-ness in all the women of the kingdom.
But a king needs a queen. My goodness, where does one even begin? His advisors come up with a doozy of an idea:

'…let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in Susa the capital…And let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.' This pleased the king, and he did so. (Esther 2:3)

Yes, the king was pleased. I wonder if he gave thought to how many hearts he was breaking?
All the beautiful young virgins? Ahasuerus ruled 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia. By anyone’s measurement this is overkill. It’s a really bad policy. It’s an abuse of power and a major waste of resources.
And God used it to save his people.
One lesson from the book of Esther is that God can make excessive government intervention and very bad legislation serve his purposes and expand his kingdom.

Happy Birthday to My Dear Sister, Hope

Happy 20th Birthday, Hope!

20 yrs, wow!

I pray that God will bless you tremendously this year and that His grace will abound to you, another 20 years. :)

May you continue to grow in the grace of our Lord and Savior.

Thank you for being my best friend.

I love you dearly, my sister, my friend.

Love,

Charity

Homemade Laundry Detergent

Here is a recipe for homemade laundry detergent. It is absolutely wonderful, the best thing about it...it only costs around $.30 (cents) a gallon, yes only $.30 a gallon!

The recipe:

2 bars Dr. Bronner's Castile or Fels Nappa soap (Fels Nappa from Cracker Barrel)

1 cup Arm and Hammer Washing Soap

1/2 cup Borax

These things can be purchased at Kroger, Health Food store, and at your Local Supermaket

The Steps:

Shave or cut soap in small pieces into a non-stick pot

Add 6 cups of water

Melt

Pour into a 5 gallon bucket that has a lid (Lowes or Home Depot)

Add the Washing Soap and Borax

Stir

Fill the bucket up, leaving 4 in. at the top

Put lid on and let set for 24 hrs (by the end of the 24 hrs, it should be a gel)

Stir until it becomes liquid

Then pour in gallon milk jugs 1/2 full

When you are ready to use, fill the other half of the jug with water and shake well

This recipe should make about 10 gallons.

A Birthday Blessing for My Twin Brothers

Happy 17th Birthday, Jacob and Joshua!
It has been so wonderful to have you both as brothers.
I pray that you would continue to grow in the grace of our Lord and that you would walk worthy of the calling He has placed on your life.

I love you guys!

Happy Birthday!


Love,
Charity

Resting in Christ

Oh, to rest in Christ! What a sweet reality that is, especially to those of us who lead a busy life.

There is much rest and peace attained when we sit before the Savior like Mary did.

When we find our satisfaction in Christ alone, there is a freedom and a joy in our hearts and lives that cannot be gained by seeking out the things of this world.

Here are some Scriptures for meditation:

Isaiah 26:3,4: You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because He trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in YAH, the Lord, is everlasting strength.

Psalm 37:7a: Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.

Matthew 11:28-30: Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Psalm 27:14: Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord!

Ending thought:

Resting in the Lord requires that we have complete trust in Him, and trusting Him results from seeking Him, so let me encourage you to "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Dear Dad,

Happy Birthday! I thought that your birthday would be an especially appropriate time to say the things that I fail to say on a daily basis. I want to thank you for being my father. I don't say thank you enough for all that you do. Thank you for the way you lead and love your family. You are such a blessing in my life! Thank you for your guidance in my life, for forever pointing me to Christ by the way you live. What an example of Christ you are!
I love you.

Your loving Daughter,
Charity