Tuesday, February 13, 2018

A Youtube Channel With Modesty Ideas & More....

I've just discovered The Texas Boys Youtube channel.  
They have some helpful videos on modesty, simple living,
 their personal journey, homesteading, etc.  


Click here for this particular video by 'Texas Mom' which I found
 especially appealing.  In it she shares lots of ideas for an inexpensive 
modest wardrobe - including sources to some great online stores.  
I had never heard of many of these.  Check it out - 
you just may learn something new too!

Blessings today... ~Joyce



Thursday, February 8, 2018

You Never Know Who Is Watching....

I'm sharing a humorous sighting I had yesterday.    Humorous - 
but also sobering and a good reminder for all of us...

I happen to be an Etsy seller of vintage goods (shop here if interested)...
 and as such was in my studio space shooting product photos.  
My studio is on the 2nd floor of our home and I was stationed right by a 
window (gotta have day light!) which faces our next door neighbor.  

A bit of movement caught my attention so I looked out.  
For a while I couldn't figure out what I was seeing as there was
 simply a car parked along the road with its flashers on.  But then I
 noticed a young man in the neighbors' front yard.  It had been
 snowing and I also noticed there were car tracks in the front yard.
  Ahh...  I was starting to put 2 and 2 together!  
Apparently the young man had driven or slidden through the front yard.  

(Just an accident?  Fooling around?  I don't know...)  But it appears 
he turned around and came back to try to hide the evidence.  When
 I spotted him - he was walking all over the tire tracks - scuffling
 them with his feet - trying to make them 'disappear'.  When that 
didn't work - he spied a shovel propped against the garage - 
went and got it - and proceeded to use that to try to hide the tracks.  

Or course none of this really helped... the tracks were still very evident.   
But what was sorta cute was that the whole time he kept
 looking in all directions to see if anyone was watching him.  
(Hello - up here in the window..!!!)  


The obvious 'take-away'?   Everything WE do is seen too - 
by Jesus if no one else.  And as Christ followers - 
that should matter hugely to us.   


I know for me - this little next-door life's lesson will be a 
good reminder going forward.

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus...
Colossions 3:17

Signing off with a childhood song running thru my mind...
 
'Oh be careful little hands what you do...'

Smile!  ~Joyce


Wednesday, February 7, 2018

Got Head Covering Questions?...

Hi folks!  I'm sure many of you are aware of The Head Covering 
Movement website.  But if not - here's your chance to get acquainted.   
They are currently asking folks to ask their 'head covering' questions.  
They've done this in the past and have provided well studied
& excellent responses (just peruse the website).



But this time, they're planning to do a video feature.  So,
 you need to take a video of yourself asking the question. 
 Click HERE for a link to all the details.

The website has been a bit inactive recently while the author battled
 cancer... but he's doing better (indeed cancer free - praise Jesus) - 
and is back to providing content.  I have truly appreciated the 
site's excellent work  The one place I would disagree is their
 current view that head covering is for public worship only.  
And even there - they leave some room to other views.

So - do you have a question?  Or perhaps you've heard of a
 question that you don't have a good answer to?  Ask away!   
And if you don't want to ask them... you can always ask me.   No video needed...
To sincere questions - God and I will try to  help!  But  know that I'm not a theologian or historian.
Just a simple gal who loves Jesus and wants to obey His Word.
   
Hugs girlfriends.... ~Joyce





Saturday, January 27, 2018

Stephanie's Head Covering Testimony...

I recently met Stephanie online and was intrigued with her story.  

She graciously shared her testimony with me and gave me permission to share it with you...



My parents were raised Mennonite and grew up near Lancaster Pennsylvania in the heart of the Amish community. Horse drawn
buggies and men with wide brim straw hats with a thick black band around the crown were a common everyday sighting. Women and girls dressed in plain almost uniform like attire including a plain cape dress of a dark color with no frills or buttons. Placed on their heads, covering their smooth bun of hair was a plain heart shaped kapp with two strings hanging on either side of their face. I often remember thinking to myself that they seemed like such beautiful and graceful creatures as they labored alongside the men in the community working hard and late and yet always full of a calm spirit full of Grace and compassion.

I did not grow up Mennonite I was adopted by my parents who by that time had changed to a more Reformed Baptist/Presbyterian approach to faith and religion. We did not wear the clothes of the Mennonites or Amish and we did not cover our heads either. As a child my hair was usually shoulder length or shorter and even though I liked the idea of long beautiful hair I did not want to make the effort to keep it up and looking nice.

After moving away from home and marrying a wonderful man I began to think on and off about the idea of covering my head again. First Corinthians called to me and I read it over and over feeling the pull of the Holy Spirit telling me to be obedient and cover my head at least during church services. I ignored the conviction as long as I could, telling myself that head covering was a cultural practice from the past and an outdated law of the ceremonial law. I told myself that a woman's hair is her natural covering so I didn't need another covering. Then a thought hit me, 'First Corinthians tells us that if a man is to wear a covering during prayer and worship it is a shame to him and men today still take off their hats to pray...Men in the church today do not go to church with bald shaven heads to avoid bringing shame on themselves by having it covered with hair...No they remove their hats or hoods on coats out of respect and submission to Christ...If Paul is telling men to remove their coverings for prayer and worship and telling women to cover their heads why am I not obeying?" The answer was so clear right in front of my eyes. The original Greek word for covering and hair is different thus doing away with the idea that a woman's hair is "covering enough". We follow other commands in the bible from even earlier written time frames then when Paul wrote Corinthians, if we hold to the belief that the whole word of God is alive and relevant and a command to follow to this day this includes head covering in my opinion.

I decided to try wearing a covering at home as a sign of submission to my husband and also my Father in Heaven. I ordered a small round lace veil and wore it to church for the first time two Sundays before Christmas. Not only did I feel a deeper sense of obedience to God but I felt a hand on my head as a father would place a reassuring hand on the head of a child both to calm and protect and show love. At home I began to wear the coverings more and more. I noticed that arguments between my husband and I became less verbally violent and I was given a calmer gentler spirit. My husband noticed the difference also and commented on it. When I place the head covering on my head there is no magical sorcery that happens. There is not a sense of "holier than thou" or an air of disdain for those who do not cover. I do not believe that covering the head is necessary for salvation and entrance into heaven. I cannot deny however, the gracious spirit and calm countenance that the Holy Spirit has given me since starting to cover my head. I cannot deny the peace and safety I feel in the discipline of covering my head. The covering no longer feels heavy and embarrassing when I wear it in public, rather it feels like my earthly crown marking me as a daughter of Christ and my wedding veil as a part of the church who is the Bride of Christ. When I place it on my head it is a joy to wear it knowing that it is a reminder to submit myself to His will and His plan and it is a helpful tangible reminder to me to know that He is watching and caring for me and that I belong to Him.


Thank you Stephanie!

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

A 2018 Headcovering Testimony & Teaching Too!...

Dear friends - I'm so sorry this blog has not been kept up the way 
it should be.  I desire to be more intentional.  God is up to 
good things... and it's a joy to hear about them.  
It's been hard to discern where to spend my time.
I'll continue to pray on it!



But for today - I'm sharing a recent audio recording from a gal
 named Abby as she briefly shares her faith and church journey.  


  

Then - she moves on and does some wonderful teaching on 
head covering.   The verse she shares at the end is sobering 
and a new thought for me.

 Enjoy...




(Make sure your computer sound is 'on'..)


Click here for the audio...

Blessings - Joyce