Guest Post: "Of God's Grace and Words"

Submitted by Meghan G.

“Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me,” goes the old and untrue saying. Words are very powerful things no matter how they are used. They can sway opinions, encourage, hurt and influence whether in writing or spoken. Hurtful words are almost indelible; they hurt so much and if more hurtful words are flung at the victim it makes an even heavier mark that stays with the victim for years.

Many times a day I hurt my sister with my words and my mother reprimands me for my behavior but in my weak flesh I do it again and again but by God’s grace and my sister’s grace I am forgiven. Though I am forgiven by both the Lord and my sister my words still leave a mark on my sister’s heart and in turn, she is sometimes unkind to our younger siblings. It is not her fault but my own. If I had simply held my tongue instead of lashing out at my sister, the hurt would not mark my sister’s heart and she would not have lashed out at our younger siblings at a later time. Psalm 55:21, “The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart; His words were softer than oil yet they were drawn swords,” accurately describes how our words can hurt and this verse also directly talks about what the next paragraph is about: our tone of voice.

The tone of voice we use has a very heavy effect on our words even if we don’t intentionally try and sound that way. Countless times I ask for help with baking, schoolwork, my handiwork and I sound like I’m whining and though it was unintentional it effected the rest of my family in the form of my baby sister whining her head off if she did not get her own way. No matter what we say it’s how we say it that matters. Something as simple as saying ‘hello’ to a relative can show them our attitude towards seeing them. In the case of having relatives who are not believers your tone will tell them what your attitude is and they’ll think, “I guess their God isn’t as good as they all say He is if they’re acting so miserable.” What kind of a Christ proclaiming witness is that?

On another note, your tone of voice, words, attitude and everything you do is an example to your younger siblings if you have any, your friends and extended family. If, like me, you are an older sister, you have one of the greatest gifts God could give you: built in accountability partners. They watch your every move, copy you from time to time, and without thinking, they show you up and ask “why did you do that?” oh so innocently and sweetly. Psalm 133:1 says, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" Substitute the word “brethren” for “Sistren” and isn’t the verse true? How good it is for sisters to live together in harmony with their siblings? I know it would make parenting a lot easier for my parents, not to mention our family relationships would grow stronger and that would spill over to how we treated our friends. Unfortunately, in our weak flesh it cannot always be like that; that is where grace from God comes in. If we try our best to act selflessly and humbly to our siblings and to control our tongue with God’s help our family environment will be peaceful and happy.

Our tongue is so untamable but for God’s marvelous grace: James 3: 8-12 "But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh." Just in these simple verses, God shows us His grace; He wrote these words through James to speak to us and convict us. That alone is grace and mercy! Hebrews 4:16: "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Grumbling about chores, commenting about a sibling’s messes, grumbling about babysitting; the list of things we complain, grumble and comment about can be endless. Many times if we comment frequently we are reprimanded but I know sometimes is goes through one ear and right out the other. It all goes directly back to our weak flesh and our tongue. Our tongue is the hardest thing to tame; it all goes back to our pride and self-centeredness. We are so focused on ourselves that we think it’s a huge inconvenience to be asked to do the dishes after lunch or we think we’re higher than doing anything but what we want to do. When it all boils down, A proud and haughty man—“Scoffer” is his name; He acts with arrogant pride, Proverbs 21:24 and Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18.

2nd Chronicles 7:14 is the answer to pride: "if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." The key to holding your tongue is self control and humility and you can not have any of those things without God’s grace and forgiveness. "Surely He scorns the scornful, but gives grace to the humble." Proverbs 3:34
My sister is so important to me, as are all my siblings. She and I are very different but yet the same in a lot of areas. I wouldn’t trade her for anything! I wouldn’t trade all the nights of she and I talking until midnight, I wouldn’t trade the little tickle scuffles we have all the time for anything. I’m sure all sisters in the world have small arguments over stupid things but I know they all repent and ask forgiveness.

There is a verse in Ezekiel and I am not sure if it reads the same in all versions, but it reads the following in the New King James version: "You, who judged your sisters, bear your own shame also, because the sins which you committed were more abominable than theirs; they are more righteous than you. Yes, be disgraced also, and bear your own shame, because you justified your sisters," Ezekiel 16:52.

There are three examples of sisters in the Bible: Mary and Martha, Orpah and Ruth and Leah and Rachel. I believe they had their ups and down’s like any other normal human being. Orpah and Ruth were sister in-laws but they probably lived together with their husbands and got to know one another; Mary was the humble younger sister and Martha was the prideful sister who that her work was more important than spending time at Jesus’ feet and Leah and Rachel had the same husband and in the Bible it says they did not get along. Just because these women were in the Bible doesn’t mean they were perfect. When the sisters were younger I’m sure they bickered a lot like any other normal little girls but it doesn’t mean they were not disciplined and punished for their actions and words. Rachel was jealous of Leah and I’m sure they exchanged angry and hurtful words many times, but they did not have the grace of God as we are so blessed to have now.

God’s wrath was not satisfied until Jesus died on the cross and before the crucifixion; the people had to sacrifice animals annually to pay for their sins. It is important we thank God daily for our families, especially our sister(s) who is a built in best friend. God’s grace is so vast and even if we doubt why God put us in our family, it is His grace He did so! He has a purpose for our life, our family and we owe it all to Him alone.

In Christ Alone, my hope is found; He is my light my strength, my song. This cornerstone, this solid ground, firm through the fiercest drought and storm. What heights of love, what depths of peace, when fears are stilled, when strivings cease. My comforter, my all in all. Here in the love of Christ, I stand.

One of my favorite hymns has a particular third verse that sums up everything about God’s grace:

O to grace how great a debtor Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it, Seal it for Thy courts above.

Only by God’s grace can we control our tongues and speak encouraging words of kindness to our sisters and brothers. But first we must realize we’ve done wrong in our Heavenly Father’s eyes, humble ourselves and ask for forgiveness from our heavenly Father and the person we’ve offended. The more we humble ourselves and ask for forgiveness, the easier it will be to hold our tongues and keep our comments to ourselves. Words hurt; sisters argue and hurt each other, but through God’s awesome (in the true sense of the word) grace, we are forgiven.

Meghan G. is a fourteen going-on fifteen young lady who loves to write, crochet, cross-stitch, read and watch old musicals. She is home schooled by her mother and is entering tenth grade-this will be her ninth year of home schooling. She is the eldest of her four siblings Sara who is twelve, Ronnie who is six and Anna who is three. Meghan loves receiving e-mails and getting to know other like-minded young ladies. Her e-mail is mmbbg72493@gmail.com

Tuesday Talks: Recipe Books

Sorry to be late with this! Today I wanted to review one of my family's favorite recipe books. It's called "Hallelujah Simple Weekly Meal Plans."

We've tried almost every recipe in this book, and all of them rank in our favorites! The best part is that the book gives meal plans for an entire month, which is very helpful! And, everything is very healthy. Perfect for those trying to eat healthier, but need some meal ideas.

Here's the website's description of the book:

Simple Weekly Meal Plans By Marilyn Polk, is a handy month-long meal planner that will help everyone on the Hallelujah Diet & LifestyleSM – from newcomers to seasoned followers! Offering four weeks worth of menus, shopping lists, and recipes, this book is an excellent resource to help you transition to The Hallelujah Diet®, or add new recipes to your repertoire. And with the menus and recipes for holidays and special occasions, you can make every day a Hallelujah day!

We have lots of recipe books, but this one is our very favorite!! You can purchase it from the Hallelujah Acres website.

Do you have a review you'd like to share? Leave your link below!

Rules and information on Tuesday Talks can be found in the sidebar.

Open Discussion: Modesty

I have a few open discussion questions for you today, readers! I've been thinking a lot about this lately.

Where do you find modest clothing in your area?

Do you think it's possible to be fashionable and still modest? If so, how?

Do you think it's harder to find modest clothing in the summer?

How do you keep cool in longer skirts/pants and sleeves?

What are some reasons why wearing modest clothing is important?

We'd love to hear from you! Leave a comment (or two!) below. After a day or so, I'll chime in with my answers to these questions. I love open discussions, it's always an encouragement to everyone involved. :)

Proverbs 31 Daughter

This article was submitted to us by Bethany T. Thanks Bethany! If you would like to submit an article, you can email us at: sahdsubmissions(at)gmail(dot)com . Thank you!

Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. Proverbs 31:10*

Who is the Proverbs 31 Woman?

The proverbs 31 woman is indeed an amazing individual. I am sure you have heard, at least once, of the qualities of the excellent wife that King Lemuel writes about. She is rare and precious and an asset to her husband. She is industrious and generous. She cares for those around her with a womanly strength. And, she is married. So, since she is married and I am not, I don’t need to bother with that chapter right? I need to be married before I can become a “Proverbs 31 women”. Wrong! A proverbs 31 woman is a woman who lives her life for Christ by serving others. You can be the virtuous woman King Lemuel writes about in Proverbs 31 even while you are yet unmarried.

Are You a Proverbs 31 Woman?

What can I learn from the proverbs 31 woman? Can she teach me things that I can use now? Yes! We as unmarried daughters can learn much from her example.

“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.”

Are you trustworthy? Can others trust you not to gossip and to keep your word? Do you endeavor to serve your family and not just further yourself? You are a virtuous woman!

“She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.”

Do you make the most of your opportunities to learn and work and use the resources you have? Do you willingly help when asked, with a cheerful spirit even when it is not enjoyable? You are a virtuous woman!

“She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.”

Do you consider before you spend your time and money, that you may do it wisely? Are you investing and developing the skills and assets you possess that you may have more with to serve the Lord? You are a virtuous woman!

“She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.”

Do you take care of your body to be healthy and better equipped? Do you do your best in everything you put your hand to, and look for ways to go above and beyond what you are required to do? You are a virtuous woman!

“She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.”

Are you ready to assist not only those who are poor in material things, but also those who are poor in friends, poor in kindness, poor in joy? Are you willing to reach out to those around you who need the love of Christ shown to them? You are a virtuous woman!

“Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.”

Do you take into consideration the clothing of your behavior, and not just the clothing that covers your body? Will you look back on your life and rejoice, knowing you have done what you can to glorify the Lord with your actions? You are a virtuous woman!

“She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.”

Is your conversation edifying and true? Do you speak of things that will encourage others? Are you gentle with your words? You are a virtuous woman!

“She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.”

Do you care for your family first, and are you ready to do what is needed? Are you making the most of your time, and endeavoring not just to be busy, but to serve the Lord whole-heartedly? You are a virtuous woman!

Endeavor to Be a Proverbs 31 Woman

You, the unmarried daughter, can be a proverbs 31 woman! Husband or no, there are people the Lord has placed in your life whom you will be a witness to through the example of your cheerful attitude and loving service.

Let’s look at the last thing King Lemuel tells us about the proverbs 31 woman:

“Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.”

Being a virtuous woman is not about outward beauty, or being admirable. It is about working the works of God. It is being a witness of Jesus to those around you. It is letting your service to the Lord show others what the work of Christ can do in an individual.

Above all else, fear the Lord and you will become a woman to be praised by God. Sow the fear of the Lord, and gather the fruit, wisdom. (Pro 1:7) Sow the fear of man, and gather the fruit, a snare. (Pro 29:25) Please, sow wisely! You will reap the fruit of your hands, whether good or bad. May Christ our Savior guide you in His path, and show you how to serve Him.

Daughter of God, strive to be a virtuous woman!

*All scripture quotations taken from the King James Bible.

Bethany T. is an eighteen year old stay-at-home daughter currently living with her family. She enjoys teaching and playing piano, being a mother’s helper, sewing, and investing in those around her.

Tuesday Talks: Piano For Dummies

Good morning!

Today I am reviewing "Piano for Dummies" here at Stay-At-Home Daughters.

I am about to begin teaching piano to several of my younger siblings, and I wasn't sure where to start.

While at the library a few weeks back, I noticed this book:



and I decided to check it out.

I was surprised at how good it was! It is divided out into 8 sections:

Part I:Warming up to the keyboard
Part II: Getting Sound Down on Paper
Part III: One Hand at a Time
Part IV: Living in Perfect Harmony
Part V: Technique Counts for Everything
Part VI: So Many Toys, So Little Time
Part VII:The Part of Tens .

It covers everything from picking out your piano to finger positions and dynamics, and different mnemonics to help you remember the notes on the staff. There is also lots of sheet music sprinkled throughout the book.

I can see that someone could easily teach themselves a lot about piano. A definite thumbs-up for me!

Note: I do not think my siblings are dummies. :) Just clarifying!

Do you have a review you would enjoy sharing? Please leave your link below!

Rules and information on Tuesday Talks can be found in the sidebar.

Guest Post: "Common Examples of Kindness"

Thank you so much for your article submissions! Keep them coming! We have recieved a few submissions which we will be publishing sporadically. First, a short, but lovely piece by Meghan G.

Kindness: a young granddaughter letting her grandmother lean on her while taking a walk.

Compassion: A schoolmarm bandaging a little boy’s knee after a scuffle.

Sympathy: A friend comforts a friend who has lost her grandmother. No words needed, just a listening ear and a shoulder.

Benevolence: a smiling face at a potluck supper cheers the grouchy old man who usually sits in the back of church.

Goodwill: After a slight, the girl just smiles and walks away without a smart retort.

Gentleness: A sister sits for two hours or more singing a lullaby to her baby sister without complaining so that her mother can get chores done.

Thoughtfulness: A girl stooping to help a old widow with her groceries even though the girl knows she’ll be a bit late for her sewing circle.

Kind words are different from proud words because they are usually spoken softly and tenderly whereas proud words are spoken loud and boisterous. In “The Primer Lesson” by Carl Sandburg, it says pride words wear long and hard boots but I think kind words would wear slippers, or a soft comfortable shoe such as loafers.

Meghan G. is a fourteen going-on fifteen young lady who loves to write, crochet, cross-stitch, read and watch old musicals. She is home schooled by her mother and is entering tenth grade-this will be her ninth year of home schooling. She is the eldest of her four siblings Sara who is twelve, Ronnie who is six and Anna who is three. Meghan loves receiving e-mails and getting to know other like-minded young ladies. Her e-mail is mmbbg72493@gmail.com

Article Submissions

Hi everyone! I hope you have had a marvelous day. I want to apologize for the recent lack of posts on my end. I have been very busy working with my family on our garden and some other things.

Do you enjoy writing? We would love for you to send us your articles for submission.

If they meet our guidelines, we will publish them here on Stay-At-Home Daughters.

Not only would we like to hear from other young women, but we would love to hear from older women who have been down the path that we are currently traveling. We would love to share your testimonies, articles, recipes and anything else you can come up with.

Guidelines:
We will only accept content that meets the following guidelines:
1. We will allow only content that is Godly. No gossip, slandering, false doctrine, or anything else un-godly.
2. Please no slang, IM/text messaging terms, or foul language.
3. Please keep content clean for all audiences.
4. Please do not re-publish other people's articles without permission.

Once we receive your article, if it meets our guidelines, we will publish it here on Stay-At-Home Daughters. If you blog, we will be happy to link to you in the article.

You can send your submissions to: sahdsubmissions(at)gmail(dot)com .

We look forward to reading your submissions!

~*~Courtney~*~,
for all the Stay-At-Home Daughters.

Tuesday Talks: The Century

Happy Tuesday! Today I'm reviewing a book called, "The Century" by Peter Jennings and Todd Brewster. It's an excellent historical resource.

The Century covers everything from 1900 to 1999. This near 600 page book is laid out in chronological order and is filled with full page photographs of everything from the Wright Brothers first flight, to World War II, Elvis, the Space program, and everything in between.

What I love about this book is that, even though it wasn't written from a Christian perspective, you can tell the writers took great lengths to hide any political biases and simply laid out the facts. Another thing I love is that on every few pages there is a story written from the perspective of someone who lived through the events being discussed, with pictures! It's amazing to read about the life experiences of these people.

Also, in the back of the book there is a 100 book suggested reading list that covers everything that happened in the twentieth century.

Here is an excerpt from the inside cover:

What was it like to watch the Wright Brothers soar into the sky? To hear the first crackling voice aired on the radio? To cower in the ghastly trenches of Europe during World War I? To lose everything in the stock-market crash of 1929, or experience the birth of rock and roll? To watch the Berlin Wall divide East and West, and then, twenty-eight years later, to see it fall under the weight of tens of thousands seeking to taste freedom? For the past seven years, researchers, reporters, and producers for ABC News have searched the world's archives for the rarest and most stunning photographs and images, consulted eminent twentieth-century historians, and discovered and interviewed hundreds of eyewitnesses and participants in the significant moments of the most eventful one hundred years in human history.

The result is this spectacular book... The Century features a narrative of extraordinary quality that tracks major themes -- the impact of technologu, the soaring of the imagination, the ghastly violence, the joy of entertainment -- through chronological chapters recounting the signal moments of each era in the century. From "Seeds of Change: 1901-1914" to "Machine Dreams: 1990-1999," each chapter is threaded through with fascinating first-person accounts of the great events of the twentieth century, and illustrated with over five hundred color and black-and-white photographs (many never published before) reproduced in exquisite depth and clarity."

I've found this book very helpful as an aid to the history of the 20th century, however there are a few things I'd like to point out. First of all, this book was not written from a Christian perspective so spiritual matters are left out as much as possible. Also, be aware that is covers everything, including some things that are not so admirable, like the 1960's drug culture, the outbreak of AIDS, and the growth of feminism. So, keep that in mind.

--Flibby

Read a book or seen a movie lately? Post your review below!

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Happy Birthday to My Mother!

Today is a very special day. Quite a few years ago, my dear mother was born.

Just a few things I love about my mother:

My mother loves the Lord. She is one of His called, and wants nothing more than to serve Him and please Him all the days of her life. She has no greater joy than to see her children walk in Truth. She brought six lives into this world. She teaches them from His Word and prays that the Lord would call each of them His own.

My mother loves her home. She loves adventure and outings along with her family, but on most days, she would rather stay home under the comfort of our roof. She serves her family constantly, and usually unacknowledged, with a sweet and quiet spirit.

My mother is brilliant, and hilarious. She is a free thinker and never hides her opinions. She takes the time to talk with all of her children, in all seriousness, but she is also able to laugh at the situations at hand. She jokes and laughs with us on a daily basis. Her sense of humor is what makes life in the Kudzu house magical! She can match anybody with her wits, and she knows it!

My mother is spontaneous, as well as my father. With the both of them as our parents, we have come to appreciate the fact that spontaneity is the spice of life! Some of my fondest memories were things that happened without any planning whatsoever. While teaching and modeling the fact that it's certainly wise to plan and prepare, my mother also has fun with us simply by being herself and taking things as they come. She can also turn anything into a school lesson!

My mother is beautiful. Literally, she is strikingly gorgeous. Truly. If you don't believe me, watch the video below. Actually, watch it anyway. I worked hard on it.

Not only on this day, but everyday, we rise up and call my mother blessed. She is worth more than all the precious jewels in the world.

Happy Birthday, Ma mére.

(Another little known fact about my mother: she loves blog traffic. And even more, she loves comments. Help make her birthday grand, head over to her blog and leave a comment! Lurkers, today is your day to come out and show your appreciation for the fantastic and whimsical, Lady Why!)