Our Olive Plants: T.U.L.I.P.

Every Thursday, Around Our Table will feature one of our children's thoughts. It will be in whatever form they decide to express themselves. This section will be titled, 'Our Olive Plants,' with a subtitle of their selection. Enjoy!

~T.U.L.I.P.~

Total Depravity, Oh! 

The remedy God gives to the sinning soul

While we were in sin, Christ came in

Sin gone away. Whole.

Unconditional Election. 

The Father's affection for His own elect

For us, sinners, chosen few

And gives light to the new

Before all time, His holy select.

Limited Atonement. Oh, what lament!

The sinner's strife 

 Choosing who gains light, 

Giving them life.

Irresistible Grace. 

Can't-won't walk away from Christ's face

Before we were saved

We were totally depraved

I can't believe I'm made new!

Perseverance of the Saints

God's grace to keep

Whoever is truly in Christ. Fully. 

Will stay in Christ.

 ~About the Author~

Ezra is a 10-year-old  that likes studying the Civil War era. He enjoys collecting different types of Bibles. He also loves to sing.

Not stooping to my daughter's level....it's hard!

I have a soon-to-be-teenage-daughter, Elise, that is wonderfully helpful....and wonderfully, well, a female. I have been seriously praying to The Lord about how to handle her, by guiding her without stooping to her "level." As much as I would like to say that I'm more mature than she is, it's easier to snap back with a sarcastic comment.

Well, to my shame, I did just that the other day. I'm embarrassed to admit that, but I'm grateful that it led me to really have to assess my behavior, before it was too late. I've heard as of recent, many accounts of women with strained relationships with their daughters. I see that as warning signs, "Do Not Enter" signs. I will heed them. They are a mercy from God.


I was fuming afterwards! Aaron came and spoke with me, and I just poured it all out to him, while simultaneously pleading to God for forgiveness and help. In that moment, I remembered from Scripture that God is a covenant making God. With that, Aaron sent Elise into the room I was in. I asked her for her forgiveness. Then, got down on my knees and made a pledge to her. I promised her to be an example of a godly woman. To encourage her. To help her. To serve her the way Jesus served His disciples.

Maybe what I'm sharing can help someone. I know that I may fail in my efforts, but I will not use that as an excuse to not put forth an effort. The pledge is to remind me that I have a duty to perform as God is watching. I will be printing out a copy for myself, and for Elise. How I love that girl, as I love all my kids. Time to put it into action! God bless you all!

Love Starts Off Messy

I am learning to allow my kids to love me, even if it is messy. Loving isn't just hugs and kisses. Love is hot chocolate even when your diet forbids it. Love is allowing them to help with laundry even if their idea of folding is rolling shirts up. Love is them offering to mop because they see you're tired and take it upon themselves to add dish washing liquid so the solution smells better. Love is teaching and then allowing them to serve. So, seeing them put into action what's coming from their hearts should not be met with disappointment, but encouragement....even when they "clean" the drawers you organized just the day before.

Our Olive Plants: Kings

Every Thursday, Around Our Table will feature one of our children's thoughts. It will be in whatever form they decide to express themselves. This section will be titled, 'Our Olive Plants,' with a subtitle of their selection. Enjoy!

                    ~Kings~

The first king was king Saul

He was strong in the beginning,

But, in the end he did fall.

King David, The Lord he did fear

Although he had some troubles, 

There and here.

King Solomon was very wise

Precious was he

In the Lord's eyes.

King Rehoboam, a fool was he

The old men's words

He did not heed.

King Jeroboam to God he did bond.

But, in the end, 

He worshipped other gods.

Now, I'm skipping through to wicked Ahab

His family and he,

All were mad.

There were many more kings

You can probably recall

Even if they were evil,

God chose them all.

                     

                  ~About the Author~

Israel is an 11-year-old who loves studying history, namely the Civil War era. He collects hot wheels, and he also likes to rap. His favorite musician is Lecrae. Oh, and he loves eating. ;)

God holds up the Universe...He can keep you from falling!

I remember in the not too distant past, things were seemingly chaotic. I mean, all that could go wrong, was going wrong...and then some. I was at my wits end. I fell to my knees and cried out to the Lord. I poured all of it before Him-my fears, my frustrations. I piled them up at His feet.

I got up, wiped my tear-stained face, and opened up my bible. I asked the Lord for a Word to feed my need. I started reading in Psalms. Then, went to Matthew. They surprisingly didn't have what I needed for that moment. A voice in my conscience kept telling me to read Genesis. I opened up to it. I really don't think I got passed the first verse when I cried and laughed and praised God.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. ~Genesis 1:1


Listen, do you really think that the same God that put the world and the stars, and all galaxies in order, is not able to sustain you? Do you really believe that He who poured out His wrath on His Son, so that we can have life in Him, will save us to then leave us to figure things out for ourselves? The same God that knows our frailties, is the same God that makes His strength known to us in our weaknesses. If I'm keeping myself, I should be VERY afraid. Oh, but it is HE who keeps His children and is able to keep us from falling!

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. ~Jude 24&25

Quit leaning on your strengths. God will always put His children in a position so that they can realize it is He who has all power. He gave you life, He keeps you, He cleanses you, and one day, He'll bring you to be with Him.

Husband, you are my lord?

"For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening." ~1 Peter 3: 5 & 6

The first thousand times, or million times, I read this passage, I would just laugh. Then, when it wasn't funny anymore, I would skip over it. Then, when I couldn't skip over it, I'd get angered by it. Then, when it was useless being angered by it, I'd cry over it. I don't know when it happened or how it happened, but the Holy Spirit grabbed hold of my stony heart, and turned it into a heart of flesh. I grieved at the fact that I could not see my reflection in this passage.

Listen, I'm going to lay this out plainly, being very well aware that this is not a favorable stance. I just don't see the point in beating around the bush. I hope all that are reading this agree that the Scripture is not meant to be just read, but lived out. And, one can see in reading the Bible, time and time again, that if one proclaims they love God, it is evidenced through how they treat their neighbor, whether it be in feeding them, clothing them, forgiving them, and so on. 

Here it goes: Why do we women NOT use this logic in respects to this passage towards our husbands?

Peter, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is admonishing Christian women to be like Sarah and holy women of old, and submit to our husbands. Notice the words, "who hoped in God." THAT is the beauty of the passage. THAT is what the enemy wants us to overlook. Our hope is not in what our husbands are doing for us. It's not wrapped up in how they treat us. This is not to say that husbands do not have responsibilities towards their wives, because in this chapter and in other books of Scripture, those responsibilities are outlined. They are to love us wives as Christ loves us, His Church. Do you realize the implications of that one statement to husbands? Can one truly measure what Christ has done for us? 

With that being said, I want us women to be women of hope and honor, not women filled with excuses and rebellion towards God's Word. We hope in Christ Jesus and Him alone. We stand on His promises. He has a plan. He has an outline of His will that He has given us. This is why we don't fear, as stated at the end of verse 6! We are not inferior to our husbands as concerning our relationship to our Father. We both are coheirs unto salvation and the abundance of riches found in Christ Jesus. However, God has set us under our husbands, because that's His will for us on earth. As Jesus submitted to the will of our Father, to save us and teach us how to walk in humility and obedience to God, so, we submit to our husbands to show OUR children how to obey and respect and honor their dads. Break this order, and, well, you get what we see today in our society. 

We say we love God? Prove it. Honor His Word. Submit to your husband.

Our Olive Plants: Lovely Is His Name

Every Thursday, Around Our Table will feature one of our children's thoughts. It will be in whatever form they decide to express themselves. This section will be titled, 'Our Olive Plants,' with a subtitle of their selection. Enjoy!

~Lovely Is His Name~

Oh, how lovely is the name

Of God our sovereign Lord.

A name to fear, a name to love,

A name to be sought for.

The One who came, and through His love,

Died on Calvary's tree,

And suffered for OUR transgression;

He died for you and me.

And from that came salvation

From Hell and misery,

To be with Him, through thick and thin,

Because of Him we see.

Now we are called His church, His elect,

Though we may stumble and fall,

And find a way to make a mess,

He helps us through it all!

About the Author:

Elise Judith is a 12-year-old that LOVES to read. She's been known to consume 7 books in a single week. She prefers to read biographies. She also loves playing the piano.