Week in Review

February 13

It continues to be hot and dry here, so we decided to make our rain water tank a swimming pool. The tank is on the ground so we took off the top and put the kids in (ok I was in once too). It is a bit like lake water because of the rust on the bars but the kids don’t mind. The girls have swam everyday so far. It looks kinda funny but it cools you off and everyone is happy.

Our kids have great imaginations. It is close to 100degrees and Grace puts on her bathrobe and says she is pretending it is winter time. That takes imagination!

Luka counted with Josh to 9 this week. Smarty pants. Luka is the politest little 2 year old I know. He is always saying please and thank you without any prompting.

We had a fun super bowl party on Monday. Yes, Monday at 9am we watched the super bowl replayed. None of us knew who won so it was like the real thing to us. Good game! Afterwards we had ribs, wings, and all kinds of dips and goodies for lunch. In the afternoon the kids played and swam in the pool (a real pool) while the adults played corn hole. We stayed till after 5pm so it was a fun, out of the ordinary day with friends.

The rest of the week was about the same as most. Teaching the girls (Grace fell asleep one day so I might be a bit boring), we had a really nice ladies Bible study, friends came over for a meal and games… I also went to visit one of my friends here from India. I hadn’t seen her in a long time so instead of just greeting her husband and father-in-law at the store I decided to find out where she lives and see her. It was such a nice visit! Her mother lives with her and her five year old daughter. Her mother was thrilled I came over. She told me I am like a daughter to her. I sat and talked to my friend for almost two hours. She told me about how she got married and showed me pictures of their home in India. She also shared with tears how much she loves her husband and how good he is to her. Wow, how great to hear. They want to cook for us sometime so I told them I would like to come and learn as they cook. I am so thankful for this friendship. I look forward to visiting again. I pray I can find away to share Jesus with my friends.

Tomorrow we are having a mother and daughter Valentines tea party. It will be simple but the girls are excited. I’ll tell you all about it next week!

I read Malachi this week and here is how God spoke to me through it. Malachi is another powerful book for today. God confronts the leaders (priests) of Israel who were sinning. Chapter 1:6 God says, “A son honors his father and a servant his master. If I am a father where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” The priests ask God how have we shown contempt for Your name – bold right (pride?). In verse 8 God says, “When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering that to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” I love God’s examples! We wouldn’t give people with earthly fame or power our second best but will we to God? We honor and respect our fathers and bosses but do we honor our Heavenly Father and respect the Lord of our lives? How we honor, respect and what we give to God shows how we really feel about Him and what place He is in our lives.

The priests and people were giving second best, what about us? Verse 10 God says He will not accept these offerings.

Chapter 2:1-2 God tells the priests there will be punishment for their sins. 2:7-8 God says you were suppose to preserve my knowledge and give instruction – be my messengers. But you are a stumbling block instead.

Chapter 3:1-4 promises of Jesus and that the priests will be refined and cleansed. Again they will obey and serve the Lord.

We are all leasers in some way. Are we God’s messengers or a stumbling block stopping people from knowing the Lord?

Back to chapter 2:10-16 the people were crying before the Lord because the Lord wasn’t accepting their offerings. God answers and tells them it is because they have broken faith with their wives. Divorce. Sin. Verse 15-16 God says, “Has not the Lord made you one? In flesh and spirit they are His…I hate divorce.” Why is it our churches are silent on this issue? Pretty sure God speaks very clearly here. Casual divorce is wrong.

Chapter 3:6-12 God starts out by saying, “I the Lord do not change. So you, of descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.” God is so merciful. Israel kept turning away from God and He longed for them to return. They asked God how they could return and He told them to stop robbing from Him. God said you are cursed because you rob me in tithes and offerings. And then God promises to bless them if they will only give the full tithe. How foolish we are not to believe God on this! By holding back and not giving our all to God – because of payments, wants, greed, worry or whatever – we will only suffer. If we will give God will be faithful and bless us even more for it. I can testify to this. My husband loves to give and I have trusted him in this area – stretched me. We give a lot of our income to the Lord and we are so blessed because of it. Not just taken care of financially but the joy from giving, the peace we have, contentment… God is with us. When we don’t give we see money as ours. When we give we know it is all God’s anyways. Giving is a blessing that too many are missing out on the joy of.

Chapter 3:14 the Israelites dare to say but what do we gain from obeying You God? We are so self focused aren’t we. It is not about us but God. What does He gain from me?

God ends the book with hope in Chapter 3:16-18. Those who fear Him are His. Amen.