My Countdown to Christmas!

(Side Note: I'm taking a small break on my series of being a submissive wife while I pray about it some more before my next post in that subject!)

I feel like I don't spend enough "Doing" time with my family. Sure we play some, hug lots, and just sit around next to each other, but we don't accomplish much together! This year my family is Celebrating advent, and one of the ways we are doing it, is by doing something together every day until Christmas starting tomorrow! I wanted to share some of my plans, maybe inspire a friend!

Day 1 (Thursday):  Make a Christmas Tree


Day 2 (Fri.): Make Cards


Day 3 (Sat.):  Read a book, using funny voices and acting


Day 4 (Sun.): Make paper snowflakes and decorate the windows


Day 5 (Mon.):  Sing and Dance around the house to christmas music


Day 6 (Tues.):  Bake Cookies for Church Office (have matt bring in wed.)


Day 7 (Wed.):  Bake Doggie Biscuits for neighbor's puppies


Day 8 (Thurs.): Bake Cookies for Mail man and Garabage men


Day 9 (Fri.):  Draw some pictures


Day 10 (Sat.):  Build a fort in the living room and sleep in it.


Day 11 (Sun.):  Paint a big Big Picture


Day 12 (Mon.): Watch the sunset

Day 13 (Tues.): Make some homemade christmas ornaments!


Day 14 (Wed.): Tape candy canes and happy holiday notes to ATMS, vending machines…


Day 15 (Thurs.): Drive around looking at christmas lights

Day 16 (Fri.): Buy a hot cocoa or latte for Salvation Army bell ringers  (brrrrr—  it must get cold out there!)


Day 17 (Sat.): Go swimming at the Civic center


Day 18 (Sun.): Go For a walk


Day 19 (Mon.):  Bake & deliver Christmas cupcakes to library employees


Day 20 (Tues.):  Visit Grandma (if she is still in town)


Day 21 (Wed.):  Make a necklace!


Day 22 (Thurs.): Blow bubbles outside.


Day 23 (Fri.):  Picture DAY!!! Dress up mis matching and take some fun pics!


Day 24 (Sat.): Christmas eve: Unwrap one small gift


Christmas (Sun.): Christmas!!

Some other Ideas you could do to count down to the holidays are:
A talk a day- Meaning you sit down write out a list of subjects and talk to your spouse/children/both to about, throw them in a jar, grab one out each day, great way to open some communication!

Community project a day- you can see a few things we'll be doing such as baking cookies for my mailman and garbage men, bring some Hot chocolate or something to the Salvation Army Bell ringers, some other ideas that didn't make it on the list this  year are take some cookies to the fire or police department, volunteer to help one of the various ministries in our community to help people, go shopping for a needy family. Things like that.

A book a day!- Read a book with your child each day until christmas! Kudo's if they're all christmas books! It's a great way to bond and talk about the true meaning of the season! ( I have a few lists of book if anyone is interested in this one)

What sort of things are you doing this season?

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I'm really stuck in this right now. I feel like I need to pray more before continueing! So this is a little spacer post to tell you I'm taking tomorrow to pray and read the work until I post!

And they shall be one flesh.

I'm having a really hard time with this post. The first two I took finger to keyboard and didn't stop until they were done. But this post, this one Is a struggle.

My first thoughts on the meaning of this is simply sex, and procreation. But it just seems like there should be more to it than that.

From what I can gather, One Flesh is literal in the since, that you were two, and now you are one. I also think it means that this relationship should now take precedence over all others except for God. Often now-a-days a man or woman, will still put more importance on they're relationships with there friends or parents, than they do with they're spouse!

I also think this means that a married couple should become one in finances, emotionally, and spiritually. I was actually shocked the first time I heard of a married couple having separate bank accounts, it's really something I had never considered.

I feel like this post isn't up to par with my other ones, so I'm going to ask for some help! I'd love to hear your thoughts, or articles on this subject so that I can revisit this on another post, at a later date!


-Cassie

Why God created woman.

I had originally intended this to be the first post in my series, but it didn't seem complete, or ready. I'm actually starting it over completely from what I had!

So! If your just tuning in, last sunday we went over How God made woman. This week I want to go more in depth as to why God made women. In Genesis 2:18 God says "It is not good for man to be alone.." Let's stop there for a moment. If we look back, this is the first time we here of something being Not Good, truly this is the first negative statement in the bible.  God continues to say "I will make a helper suitable for him"  God follows this statement up with bringing every beast he's made before Adam to be named by him, and at the end of verse 20 it says " no suitable helper was found " That is when God put Adam to sleep and made women. Because he had a special need for her, that he had not yet fulfilled even with all the Vast and wonderful thing's He'd already made, none of it was a suitable helper. I want to look at that word in it's original form, the King James version says helpmate, which the is translated from the Hebrew word Ezer Cenegdo. The word Ezer is a combination of two roots, one meaning "to rescue; to save" and the other meaning "to be strong". Both directly tie into what we learned last week! In the Hebrew language, the word helper is very different than what we usually use it for, we tend to use the word helper, kind of like assistant, but in the Hebrew language, a helper is someone who has the power to help. It's a help, that only certain have to give. God intended women, to help, in a way only she could. Cenegdo (also seen spelled as Kenegdo) is two prepositions, put together means faceing. Ke, which means like or corresponding to. Negdo means to stand in someones presence, so together is means people who are together as equals. Adam realizes all of this, he's happy saying " bone of my bones, flesh of my flesh, she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of man". This is awesome! This is also the first Name that Adam gave that we're told! He follows that statement up by saying in verse 24 " Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh" I really like the word cleave. Dictionary.com's means are "To adhere closely; stick; cling (usually followed by to.)" and  "to remain faithful (usually followed by to). And they shall be one flesh.

My application: 
 It doesn't say women shall cleave unto her husband, but the other way around, though  I believe it's instinct for us to cleave to our husbands, when we have one, at least it is for me. In my research for this post, I've learned that part of being a submissive wife is to understand all this, to be willing to read up on this, to know what God expects out of my mere existence. I am to help my husband in ways that only I can. Truly only God knows what everyone one of these ways are, and those ways are all to his grand design. They're are some ways I know that only I as his wife I can help him. One that comes to mind very easily is in bed, as his wife, I am the only one that can suit that need, according to God's purpose. Another is some of the ways mentioned in the previous post, to know him, to know his needs, to protect his heart and all that important stuff. There are many more, I'm sure.

I'd really love to hear what everyone has to say! What are your thought and opinions on the subject?

I want to end with this quote because I read it and really wanted to share " Her existence was not dependent on him as his existence was not dependent on her: their existence depended on God alone who created them both. " source <-also a source for some of the info provided in this post :) 


P.S. Next week's blog post will be called " And they shall be one Flesh" because I want to look into what exactly that means! 


-Cassie


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| How God Made Women | Why God Made Women

How God made women.

It's common knowledge among Christians that God made Eve from Adams ribs. Why wouldn't he just make her out of dust though like he did Adam? Why use a piece of Adam to make Eve? Why use a rib? Why not another bone? Well lets look at what the rib cage is.
According to wiki:

The human rib cage, also known as the thoracic cage, is a bony and cartilaginous structure which surrounds the thoracic cavity and supports the pectoral girdle, forming a core portion of the human skeleton. A typical human rib cage consists of 24 ribs, the sternum, costal cartilages, and the 12 thoracic vertebrae. It, along with the skin and associated fascia and muscles, makes up the thoracic wall and provides attachments for the muscles of the neck, thorax, upper abdomen, and back.

The rib cage does a lot. It's Surrounds the thoracic area, which has the cardiovascular system in it, along with some tendons and such. It also supports the pectoral girdle, which is a set of bones that connects the upper limbs to the center of the skeleton.


The ribs, protect this all. They also make it possible to breath by expanding the chest cavity. 


I really can't think of any other way to say this, I found this story while researching for this post, and I'm going to copy it for you to read. The original link to this was a dead one, but I found this story here: In Him, Hope Abounds

It’s amazing how God made man, and so beautiful how he made woman!
Why did God create Woman from Man’s rib, when He could
have simply created her from dust, as He did Man? This
is a story that puts a beautiful touch on the
reasoning:
“When I created the heavens and the earth, I spoke
them into being. When I created man, I formed him from
the dust of the Earth and breathed life into his
nostrils. But you, woman, I fashioned after I breathed
the breath of life into man because your nostrils are
too delicate. I allowed a deep sleep to come over him
so I could patiently and perfectly fashion you. Man
was put to sleep so that he could not interfere with
the creativity. From one bone I fashioned you. I chose
the bone that protects man’s life. I chose the rib,
which protects his heart and lungs and supports him,
as you are meant to do.”
“Around this one bone I shaped you. I modeled you. I
created you perfectly and beautifully. Your
characteristics are as the rib, strong yet delicate
and fragile. You provide protection for the most
delicate organ in man, his heart. His heart is the
center of his being; his lungs hold the breath of
life. The rib cage will allow itself to be broken
before it will allow damage to the heart. Support man
as the rib cage supports the body.”
“You were not taken from his feet, to be under him,
nor were you taken from his head, to be above him. You
were taken from his side, to stand beside him and be
held close to his side. You are my perfect angel. You
are my beautiful little girl. You have grown to be a
splendid woman of excellence, and my eyes fill when I
see the virtue in your heart. Your eyes: don’t change
them. Your lips: how lovely when they part in prayer.
Your nose so perfect in form, your hands so gentle to
touch. I’ve caressed your face in your deepest sleep;
I’ve held your heart close to mine. Of all that lives
and breathes, you are the most like me.”
“Adam walked with me in the cool of the day and yet he
was lonely. He could not see me or touch me. He could
only feel me. So everything I wanted Adam to share and
experience with me, I fashioned in you: my holiness,
my strength, my purity, my love, my protection and
support. You are special because you are the extension
of me.”
“Man represents my image, woman – my emotions.
Together, you represent the totality of God. So man:
treat woman well. Love her, respect her, for she is
fragile. In hurting her, you hurt me. What you do to
her, you do to me. In crushing her, you only damage
your own heart, the heart of your Father and the heart
of her Father. Woman, support man. In humility, show
him the power of emotion I have given you. In gentle
quietness show your strength. In love, show him that
you are the rib that protects his inner self.”

My application 
Part of being a submissive wife, is supporting and protecting. Being in ministry can be very trying, emotionally and physically. As a submissive wife, I need so support my husband. How do I do that? I encourage new ministry opportunities. I hug often. I hold him accountable. I'm willing to do what God wants.  I love him where his is. I challenge him. I do not complain about him in public. I listen. And How do I protect? I defend him when someone says something negative. I make him smile. I love him. I sense when something is off. I help where I can. I care for him. I know when he needs a day off. I know when he needs a day out.

These are just a few of the things I try to do, in being a submissive wife.

Look forward to the next post, Why God made women!


I'd Love to hear your thoughts on this subject!

-Cassie
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| How God Made Women | Why God Made Women

Day 6

I wasn't going to do another one, but decide to do one last one. Matt will be home around 8 or 9 tonight. I just heard from him for the first time since fort Lauderdale. Found out he's been trying to email me but he had the wrong email. I didn't realize how much I missed him until I heard his voice. Now I'm all teary. I can't even express how badly I want to read those emails. I tried logging into his email to read them from the sent folder, but he must have used a different email to send them because I can't find them. Marcus is being a little defiant today. I've been cleaning and cooking all day. Had to take a break so I could get on here and type out how I'm feeling, instead of bottling it up. I'm already feeling better. At first when I talked to him I felt like Bursting at the seems. Like there was something trying to claw it's way out of me, and burst forth in an array of sunshine. I can't wait to see him. I couldn't even imagine what it must be like for a military wife, not seeing her husband for sometimes years! They're very strong women. Well I have to get back to cleaning. I may edit this post if anything substantial happens.


-Cassie

Day 5

This may be my final "Day #" post, Matt get's home tomorrow and the purpose was to document my days for him while in Haiti. Anyway! I died my hair blue, well I highlighted it blue. It was a lot of fun, and messy!!

C.R. was great tonight, it was testimony night, which I love. I love hearing God's power through other people, and how he can use anything.

The kids gave me issues for bed (Rain still isn't sleeping) tonight, for the first time this week. Right now rain is  rolling around on the floor playing with Marcus' monkey. Which if he was out here he wouldn't be happy about. I've been working really hard on getting the house clean. I'm hopefully going to get my room done tonight, and just have Marcus' and the bathroom to do tomorrow, along with a few organizational things here and there. Hope I can get it all done before Matt gets home! Pray for me, it still seems like so much to do!