Harvest Happenings And Proverbs 27-30

Well, October flew out as quickly as it flew in.  We spent the last week enjoying Trunk or Treat fun, harvest style activities and spirit week at school, and celebrating Trevor's birthday.  It was a whirlwind of festivities!  These are busy years, but we are making so many wonderful family memories!

God gives us some of the most stunning sunsets in the autumn and winter months!

I bought the board game Battleship for Trevor for his birthday - it has been a huge hit!!

I am now 22 weeks pregnant and cannot believe how fast this pregnancy is flying by. We found out we are having a baby GIRL and let me tell you, she is very strong and active!  She is constantly kicking and elbowing me, and flipping around inside of me. Life is just amazing!  I spend a lot of time in prayer for this little girl.  We love her already.

I finished my Proverbs study, and it was such a great journey!  We have also been studying Proverbs in our SS class at church, and it has made for some great discussions.  I just love how practical Proverbs is for daily living!  It addresses finances, friendships, marriage, character, godly living ~ there is a little of everything and I can only imagine how much wisdom we could gain from reading it over and over again throughout our lifetimes.

Here are a few highlights from chapters 27-30...it is always so hard to choose.

Proverbs 27:1 "Don't brag about tomorrow, since you don't know what the day will bring."

*We are not guaranteed tomorrow, which should influence us in so many ways.  We never know what a day could hold.  I want to live each day for Jesus and trusting in Jesus.

Proverbs 27:4 "Anger is cruel, and wrath is like a flood, but jealousy is even more dangerous."

*Wow, have I witnessed the destructive force of jealousy in recent years.  It's easy to give into the temptation to be jealous but it is not worth the misery, destruction, and broken relationships it causes.  No wonder God cautions us against it so often.

Proverbs 27:9 "The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense." 

*A true friend will try to point you to God and the ways of God.  Godly counsel from a friend is truly sweet.

Proverbs 27:15 "A quarrelsome wife is as annoying as constant dripping on a rainy day."

*Yeah.  So this verse actually made the message at church on Sunday morning.  None of us want to be as annoying as a constant drip!  Something to think about!

Proverbs 28:2 "Where there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily.  But wise and knowledgeable leaders bring stability."

*I'll be honest, this verse concerns me with many of our current leaders and the moral state of our country.  We really need to be in prayer for our leaders that they would seek God and His wisdom.  Our morality as a nation matters.

Proverbs 28:6 "Better to be poor and honest than to be dishonest and rich."

*Choose integrity over money every time.

Proverbs 28:14 "Blessed are those who fear to do wrong, but the stubborn are headed for serious trouble."

*We should take sin very seriously.  Avoiding sin and doing things God's way makes life so much better!  Choosing sin and doing things our way can complicate our lives with many unnecessary problems.

Proverbs 28:22 "Greedy people try to get rich quick but don't realize they're heading for poverty."

*Over and over I have seen people fall into "get rich quick" schemes.  God's Word warns us to tread carefully...it may not be what it seems.

Proverbs 29:5 "To flatter friends is to lay a trap for their feet."

*It is all too easy to flatter.  It can seem so much easier to tell a friend what they want to hear rather than the truth from God's perspective.  But when we do that, we set a trap for them.  There may be times a friend gets angry when you don't flatter or validate, but we should always choose truth in love over empty flattery that could send them down a wrong path.

Proverbs 29:17 "Discipline your children, and they will give you peace of mind and will make your heart glad."

*I've said before that intentional, consistent, loving discipline can be exhausting and a huge challenge...but everything I read about discipline in God's Word reminds me that it is so worth it in the long run!!  It is for the benefit of everyone in the family!

Proverbs 30:5 "Every word of God proves true.  He is a shield to all who come to Him for protection."

*God's Word is truth!!  Trust Him, obey Him, let Him be your shield!!