like a jewel in the nose of a pig

Busy day yesterday, enjoying friends in from New Mexico, but today's Proverbs is proving to be full of good ol' wisdom!

22 As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.

Well, on Facebook last night I posted this.

And it's good to know we have these lovely young ladies below to offer up as role models to our babes.

Ah yes, here we have Miranda Cosgrove. What 8 year old girl shouldn't be admiring her idol's I heart boys shirt?

Now, for Selena Gomez. We wouldn't catch her leaving a bar or behaving badly, at least that is what the article says. But, would we catch her actually wearing modest clothes? Or just being labeled modest when compared to good ol' Miley?

Now we have Victoria Justice. Is anyone else seeing the masterminding behind this marketing? What pendulum swing are they talking about? They say that "this" is the modest side!

Ah, and my new personal least favorite, Miss Swift. Talented? Yes, very. But innocent, sweet, and modest? No. Far from it. Please, please, please parents! The very article that claims statistics for all the damage these immodest Hollywood girls are doing, tells you that these girls are the modest ones to look up to.

I pray that someone who was viewing these shows, these songs, these idols, as harmless to their little girls, sees this and has their eyes open to the filth it is, like a jewel in the nose of a pig...

How do I respond to criticism?

That tells a lot about a person, eh?

I've been criticised a fair share in the last few years. Some of it very justified. Very. And looking back, I think I've had plenty of practice at learning how to take it well!

Some of it I had to look at who was doing the criticising and pray that I would have discernment to see if they were wise or foolish. Does that sound mean? Ah, don't the Scriptures tell us to do just that?

Anywho - today's Proverbs is a good 'un. I'm not a huge fan of The Message version, but I thought it post-worthy this time...

7-12 If you reason with an arrogant cynic, you'll get slapped in the face;
confront bad behavior and get a kick in the shins.
So don't waste your time on a scoffer;
all you'll get for your pains is abuse.
But if you correct those who care about life,
that's different—they'll love you for it!
Save your breath for the wise—they'll be wiser for it;
tell good people what you know—they'll profit from it.
Skilled living gets its start in the Fear-of-God,
insight into life from knowing a Holy God.
It's through me, Lady Wisdom, that your life deepens,
and the years of your life ripen.
Live wisely and wisdom will permeate your life;
mock life and life will mock you.

We've been talking with Ethan about how he takes criticism. Trying to help him to practice humility even when he feels it is unjust. This is a hard lesson to learn! But a necessary one to teach.

Whose your biggest critic? Is there some truth to be found in their advising?

How do you respond to criticism? If it is unjust? If it is just?

When the Word stirs

I sat under biblical teaching yesterday.

Teaching that sent me pouring through Proverbs to further investigate what a wise person looks like, and what a foolish person looks like.

I find that my flesh can be pretty foolish, yet as a new creation, I'm not given over to foolishness as frequently as I once was.

It reminded me to get back in Proverbs. We used to read Proverbs, a chapter a day, but for the past few months, we started a new Bible reading and it replaced Proverbs. I am thinking that a daily Proverbs reading is a pretty fantastic supplement.

Today, the 8th, what is my mind stirring about after reading it?

Wisdom in Creation.

What stirs your mind when reading Proverbs 8? Well, try it and see!

per Martin Luther's quote

Is it true that not everyone has the OPPORTUNITY to have the Holy Scriptures as the spine of their child's education?

What is keeping the Holy Scriptures as being the spine of your child's education?

The original quote was...

I am afraid that the schools will prove the very gates of hell, unless they diligently labour in explaining the Holy Scriptures, and engraving them on the hearts of youth. I would advise no one to send his child where the Holy Scriptures are not supreme. Every institution in which men and women are not unceasingly occupied with the Word of God must be corrupt.--Martin Luther

So, I want to hear from you guys, does the public school system hinder the engraving of the scriptures? If you say no, then you say no! No need to defend yourself! But I do want to hear the positives, really, I do! I want to hear how it's helping to raise godly young men and women.

But if you say yes, then why?

And if yes, and you use the public school system? Why do you use it? Do you think your child being taught evolution will challenge their belief in Creation? Are you just praying that it won't be that bad?

What's It Mean?

Well, let's just say that it is 2AM and I'm sitting in the floor of my living room too excited to sleep.

Darn you obsessive thoughts.

At around 12:30, we finally went to bed. Greg was watching the news and it had funny stuff about the political ads, and of course, WV was making national headlines.

Anyway, as soon as we laid down, I had a sentence running through my head, "Mama, what's it mean to be good?" Then it had a beat to it, and it was followed by, "Mama, what's it mean to be kind?" And then I was going up into the high chord, and then back to G, and then dropping down into D...and oh well...I had to get up out of bed and see what this was going on in my head.

Greg blamed it on the fact he made me a glass of chocolate milk at 9pm, I blame the 30 minute nap I took this afternoon while the kids were watching Animal Planet. Being a weirdo dreamer anyway, dreams are C to the R to the A to the Z to the Y when you're napping in the living room while a narrator is telling of how Iraqi soldiers rescued a baby camel...yeah, pretty darn weird...

Either way, I was up and in the floor here with the Ibanez, my daddy's beautiful blond, jumbo body guitar, jotting down lyrics and strumming when my cell phone rings. It says Gregaroni. I'm skeered. Sure enough shutting his door hadn't proven enough refuge from my monstrous vocals. And I was being REALLY quiet, I promise!

Now, to help you picture it, let me offer you up a photo of me I just snapped...

What's that? You don't think that is for real? Ok, so I'm busted, it usually takes me til 8 or so before I look like that on the average day...anywho - here's a for real shot of me and ol' blondie this AM...

Why am I cheesing so hard? Well, because it's warm back inside.

You guessed it. When the phone rang, it was my supportive husband asking me to take my show outside to the garage. So, since the theme of this whole friggin' song was Titus 2, I thought I'd better obey...so yeah, out I went.

Anyway - it was well worth it. This may be one of my favorite songs...EVER...finally, a song inspired by my mama, hope it was worth the wait mom!

Here are the lyrics - hope to get to perform it for all of you live sometime soon, the lawn mower, the water hose, the tool box, and the yard sale boxes all thought it rocked.

What's It Mean? It's a rocky, kinda, up-beat little diddy...

If I could go back

back to the years of my youth

Mama there's so many questions

I should have been askin you

It isn't like you wouldn't have

sat me down and gave me the truth

I guess our hearts have to be ready

for the seed to not find rock

And at that time mine was so jagged

It's amazing the battle you fought

Oh, I should have been askin'

Mama, what's it mean to be good?

Mama, what's it mean to be kind?

Mama, what's it mean to be pure?

And to not seek my refuge in a bottle of wine?

Mama, what's it mean to watch my words?

Mama, what's it mean to have self-control?

Mama, what's it mean to obey my man?

And what does it mean to be a keeper of the home?

I know that God had a plan

Even though I hadn't sought Him

He finally found rich soil

Where the rocks and weeds had been

And mama I know your prayers

Are what helped to clear them

And over the last few years

We've got to see Him at work

How he's given me so much joy

In place of so much hurt

I started askin'...

Mama....(refrain)

When I look in her eyes

a little me is what I see

And I see this world's tainted views

Tryin' to show her what a woman should be

And I pray that every day

God's teaching her through me

I wanna stand with her

As she wears her dress of white

Able to give God the praise

for the answers that night

When she was askin'...

Mama... (Refrain)

Okay, schew...I feel so much better. I think I'll be able to find some sleep!

Don't forget to check out my website at here and let me know what you think :)

Really, who am I?

Trying to put this album together is proving to be somewhat draining...I don't know if it is the process that is really draining me, but the thoughts about all of it, well, they definitely are.

I don't know the last time I felt so vulnerable.

I'm realizing how many times I've accepted an opportunity, because I'm confident in what I can do, only to walk away unsure of how it was received.

Some of you may think that doesn't sound much like the Jamie you know...but, you forming an opinion on my beliefs, well, that isn't uncomfortable for me, at all. But you forming an opinion on my beauty, or lack thereof, my abilities, or my talents, well, that's a whole 'nother ballgame.

I wouldn't consider myself an insecure person, in fact, I'm almost always too confident...that's where I get tripped up, you see. I feel as though I have a read on where I stand, how good I am, and what I can accomplish, so putting myself out there for someone else to possibly not agree, hmmm, it is slightly uncomfortable.

Humility isn't something I've always understood. But I feel as I matured, I began to realize how little my talent has to do with me...now how I choose to use it, well, I think that is where the humility comes into play. Even now, I want to be able to accept compliments without making a fuss...but it just feels weird...

As Amy would say...

If I cannot in honest happiness take the second place (or the twentieth); if I cannot take the first without making a fuss about my unworthiness, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

So who am I? A chosen daughter of the Almighty God, a help meet to a man who can't get enough of me, a mother to children who like to play with me, a vocalist who can carry a tune, a musician who can strum along...those things I am sure of...

But it's the others that leave me drained.

A daughter whose made her earthly father and mother proud? unsure...

A sister whose service to her family is notable? unsure...

A friend whose good intentions can be seen through a harsh tone, an offending post, or a disapproving glance? unsure...

A writer whose words can stir emotion, create conversation, and even trigger thoughts of change? totally unsure...

I'm having to think a lot about who I am so that I am careful to not portray myself, my songs, or my image in a way that is contrary to the consistent Jamie. This is proving tough. I just know that there are some things I'd rather be known for...and singing & playing music isn't at the top of the list.

Wednesday

Prayerful today...

Sin has been revealed that I have struggled with and questioned for a long time.

No place for guilt, no place for regret, I realize that grace has me covered.

It is an empty feeling when you are ashamed of things you've said, things you've done, ways you've behaved.

As empty as it feels, it is a good empty. A lighter empty. A load has been lifted. A chip removed from the shoulder.

I won't focus on Her...the flesh woman that stirs inside of me...I won't focus on Her desires...which are for the ways of man and not the ways of the Lord.

Thankful for revelation this morning...and for forgiveness...and for pumpkin bread, which turned out really yummy.

Now, how long before I am tested? Probably moments...God give me strength.