How Do You Do, and How Do You...

"Doctor Foster went to Gloucester in a shower of rain. Fell into a puddle up to his middle and never went there again. And how do you do, and how do you do, and how do you do again!"

When I was a small person, my Grandmother used to set me on the table in front of her and recite nursery rhymes. I heard about Old Mother Hubbard, See Saw Margery Daw, Mary and her lamb. The cow that jumped over the moon, little Jack Horner, 'A' was an Apple pie...the list was extraordinary, all from memory, all from the heart. She did that often, taking time for a 'little person'--just one on one.

Titus 2:4 that they may train the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,

"I'm not ready to be put out to pasture yet," a dear friend, who is also an elder's wife, says to us.

"Well, you shouldn't be, the older women are supposed to teach the younger you know," she is encouraged by another sister in Christ.

"The younger women don't like it. They don't want to hear it," the first speaker replies.

"Well, then they have a problem in their pasture!" the other woman responds.

All three of us laugh. They have a problem in their pasture--how absolutely true! It has been my observation for many years now... In our society (of men bashers) you can tell a man to stand up, sit down, turn around, shut up... in short you can tell a man where to get off and where to go, but (quite honestly) you can't tell a woman anything.

It really isn't funny, it really is true--in the world, and--in the church.

Romans 1:24-26 Wherefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts unto uncleanness, that their bodies should be dishonored among themselves: 25) for that they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26) For this cause God gave them up unto vile passions: for their women changed the natural use into that which is against nature:

Yes, I know, this is talking about the sin of homosexuality, but the phrase, "God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts unto..." We know what it means. We've all seen those kind of persons...the kind that don't care what they are told, don't care what the consequences. They will do what they want regardless!

The scriptures tell us how to do things, what God expects and wants, and at what point does He finally say, 'Alright--you are going to do what you want, even after I've told you what I want--do what you want, but you will pay the price."

Titus 2:4 ...to love their husbands, to love their children,
Isn't it natural to love your husband? to love your children? Apparently not, and from what I see and hear in society today we need to learn to love our husbands and children desperately. But...what is...love?

Could we say love is putting the needs of someone else before our wants? But isn't it easy to confuse needs and wants? Too many things become 'necessities' that aren't. For example a dishwasher, a new refrigerator, any new appliance, a new vehicle, all can become necessities in our eyes and really are only 'wants'.

Ephesians 5:33 Nevertheless do ye also severally love each one his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she fear her husband.

Fear? It is meaning 'reverence', or honor. Why is it so hard to give others--honor? "Well," some may say, you don't know my husband..." Well, perhaps not, but I know the Bible and what it says. I also know that people can sometimes be influenced by what others think about them. Respect--something we want from others--especially people close to us in our lives. Something we need to learn to give.

My daughter-in-law sits on the floor by the toy box with little Jr. "Mirar" she says as she winds the toy 'music box'. Jr. reaches over and tries to wind the music box, but he wants to wind it backwards. "No, no, watch," and she shows him again. She is very patient and loving with him. Yes, discipline and love go hand in hand, but for now it is so precious to watch as she gives of her time to love and care for him.

How few children are ever treated to such personal attention any more! What folly, and madness as our world rushes on! It's too busy, much too busy, and the important things, our real treasures get cast out to the dogs or thrown out and trampled under the feet of the swine.

Matthew 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast your pearls before the swine, lest haply they trample them under their feet, and turn and rend you.

It always saddens me to see Christians--or supposed to be Christians--who are still sacrificing their children...to idols.

Ephesians 5:14-17 Wherefore he saith, Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall shine upon thee. 15) Look therefore carefully how ye walk, not as unwise, but as wise; 16) redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17) Wherefore be ye not foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Hallelujah! What a Saviour!