Joseph, Planning and God's Will

I'll propose. She'll say, "yes!" Then, I'll head back to my parents' house to add on some rooms for our own home. She'll prepare whatever she needs to prepare to be my wife. We'll be married. I'll continue my carpentry business here in town. She'll be a great little Homemaker and hopefully SAHM soon. Perfect! I've got it all worked out. 


{Okay, I know Joseph probably didn't think exactly like that, but I'm sure he had some kind of plan in mind. Scripture says he was a just man who "considered" things, so I'm sure he was prudent and thoughtful in his decisions. Getting married is a pretty big decision.}


Joseph has his plan all thought-out, and then: "...before they came together she was found to be with child..." 


{Oh dear. I'm not a historian, but I'm sure that was frowned-upon in his culture, but after a night of divine visitation, he decides to keep Mary and the growing baby.}


All right. So, the girl I'm about to marry is pregnant. Not only is she pregnant, but she's carrying the Messiah, the Savior we've been anticipating for thousands of years, the Son of God! No pressure. I can handle this...I need to go chop something...


{If I had been Joseph, these would have been my thoughts: I can't believe you'd put all this on us! We can't handle something this! Why have you done this? Everything was going fine, and now, what are we suppose to do?! Still, God isn't done. Joseph's plans are crumbling to pieces, and God is still pounding into them.}

"In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child."


{My first thought when I read this was, "Seriously, Lord?!" Then I wondered if Joseph complained or got frustrated with this new situation. Not only was he about to marry a pregnant girl and be the adoptive parent of God's Son, he's also go to pack up and journey 70 miles on foot with a super-pregnant fiancé sitting on a donkey.}
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We don't know for certain what Joseph was thinking and feeling through all of this, but we do know a few things:

• He was a just man. (Matt. 1:19)
• He wasn't hasty in decision-making. (Matt. 1:20)
• He believed Gabriel's message. (Matt. 1:24)
• He obeyed the message. (Matt. 1:24)

May Joseph be an example to God's children. Christians, we must be thoughtful and patient in making decisions, and when God says to do something, we must obey. 

No matter how random and arbitrary or terrifying and humiliating God's will may be, He is a good and loving Father. He only calls us to what is most glorifying to Him. Strangely enough, what glorifies Him is always good for us, whether we believe it or not.

This post was inspired by today's Advent reading, Luke 2:1-7. This and other readings are chronicled here. 

Now, That's a Good Daddy.

I could make a long and fancy list explaining why my hubby is a wonderful dad. However, here's the (current) most important reason my great husband is also a great father.

He works three jobs, so that I may be a Stay-at-Home-Mom for Caleb. 

Some may think being a SAHM is old-fashioned and lowly and lazy, but my hubby and I are convinced it is a high calling and one to be valued and honored.

My husband goes to the office every morning at 8:00 a.m. Then, he comes home at 5:00 p.m. and begins his second job. (BTW-He can fix most iOS devices, PC's and Mac's. In case you were wondering.) On Saturday and Sunday mornings, he's at his third job. Altogether, I have no clue how many hours he works, but I know it's a lot.

The Bible calls husbands to lay down their lives for their wives, just as Christ laid down His for the church. My hubby does this every day.

I may never become the "Proverbs 31" wife and mom, but I know I have a husband who may make it possible. I am blossoming and growing and learning and enjoying this life because my hubby makes it possible.

Happy Father's Day, Hubby. I love you so very, very much. Thank you for being the husband and dad that you are. You bring glory to the name, Daddy.

Daddy--A Worthy Name

It is a high calling to be a Christian Father. All dads have huge responsibilities, but Christian dads have even more...

"You shall teach [my commandments] diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." (Deuteronomy 6:7 ESV)

"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." (Ephesians 6:4 ESV)

"For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior." (Ephesians 5:23 ESV)

Not only are dads to teach their children about fishing and motorcycles and sex and martial arts and not hitting girls, Christian dads have the added responsibility to teach God's Word to their children.

To teach it, they must know it. To know it, they must be in it and living it. No pressure?!

Let's see. That would include...purity, loving God, sacrifice, submission, authority, freedom in Christ, loving others, defining "others," character, prayer, humility, finding joy in sorrow, fearing the Lord, taking care of nature, studying the Bible, making a "joyful noise," worship...

Wow. Daddies who love Jesus have some big shoes to fill. Wives, they need us. They desperately need us.

I write to myself as I make this list.

Ladies:

• manage your household and children well. 
• spend time with the Lord each morning. 
• make your hubby the next priority beneath God. 
• free your husbands to be godly leaders for your family. 
• do NOT usurp his role, even if he's isn't leading. 
• pray for him. 
• love him. 
• cherish and serve him. 

Our husbands have a seriously intimidating role, and they need to know we're next to them, loving and encouraging them all the way.

Happy Father's Day to all the daddies! Lead us well, because we will follow you!

Blogs-To-Go (5.30.11)

10 Vacation Audiobooks for the Whole Family
The Hubby and I listened to the entire Chronicles of Narnia years ago as we traveled across the Eastern US. It was wonderful! (Aslan's voice was disappointing, but it's hard to be Liam Neeson.)

Memorial Day Infographic
Wow, so much I didn't know!

Memorial Day
Let us think on those who've gone before and those who are still fighting.

Oh, Dads...
A mash-up of Dads giving advice from the movies. (R for language.)

"You're not Santa. You're Papa."

My daddy and I have a peculiar relationship. I don't want to write anything that may dishonor my daddy, so I post this with a clear conscience.

Christmas morning my daddy gives me a gift. My dad doesn't buy stuff for people. He'll take you to dinner or to the beach or even to Disney World, but he won't buy you things. He always says, "I don't want to junk up your house, I'll let you do that," so this gift was a big, strange deal for me.

My non-gift-giving Daddy filled a multi-opening frame with pictures of Caleb from his first few days of life. It was a sweet and incredibly thoughtful gift. I hugged him, not expecting a long hug. That hasn't happened since I was little. He didn't let go. Then, he started crying. Another thing my dad hasn't done for many years, at least in front of me.

I would love to have these moments with my daddy more often, but there's a lot that would need to be sifted through before that could happen. Just the same, that gift made my Christmas morning.

Also, as an aside, he dressed up like Santa for Caleb, the other babies, and the doggies. Here's a picture to prove it.

Caleb genuinely looks interested in that big hairy man holding him. Also, the little jumpsuit that he has on was my daddy's. It says, "Toot Toot" on the back. Caleb and his Papa both live up to that name.

Oh, I love my daddy! How I pray and pray and pray that he'll love Jesus one day. So much freedom and joy and purpose he could know.