Here are some thought-provoking reads discovered in the last week:
We Lost a Child, and Gained Something Greater.
The Not-So-Quiet Quiet Time. HT to Challies. “”It has become common among Christians to think that listening to God means being quiet and listening to our own hearts. But here’s the problem with that: God says, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways” (Isaiah 55:8).” “That is why the Bible says that the “entrance” of God’s Word gives light (Psa. 119:130, KJV). We do not have entrance to God through any other way, except the Word of God. You won’t get to know God by reflecting on your own thoughts and feelings on the sofa with some Christian music on in the background. You listen to God with an open Bible!”
A lot of us seem to be thinking about Titus 2 ladies. The day I posted I’m an older woman…now what? Jess Connell posted The Elusive Titus 2 Woman. She has some reasons I hadn’t thought of for the seeming lack of them plus a reminder to compare their advice with Scripture. She also linked to another good post, Titus 2 IRL – Is that what you really want? I especially like this quote from the latter: “It will be difficult to find this type of relationship online, but not completely impossible. Should we have IRL Titus 2 women? Yes – but be prepared to listen and potentially get your feelings stepped on. If you want those real relationships, you have to be willing to be real and raw and teachable. Iron sharpens iron and sharpening hurts…. Is that what you really want?”
When Life Feels Like Drudgery. “Faithfulness in drudgery is what faithfulness is all about. Most of life is drudgery, isn’t it? The messes, the commute, the weeds that keep growing, the bellies that need feeding, the clothes that need washing….When I step back, I see that the cooking and the homework and the messes are part of the much more glorious picture of what God is doing in our family.”
Seven reasons why you shouldn’t read 1 Timothy 6:1-2 as an endorsement of slavery.
Hail, January. It’s my least favorite month, but this has some things to appreciate about it.
How to Encourage (or Discourage) a Writer on Deadline.
Short but sweet – a baby sea otter napping while his mom is floating:
Happy Saturday!
Stray Thoughts 
That mama sea otter and baby video is precious. It will stay with me all day! Have a blessed day.
Barbara, thank you for the links that you share each weekend. The one that I REALLY enjoyed in this week’s was The Elusive Titus 2 Woman. It gave me opportunity to pause and really think back over my years as a Christian and how I’ve been blessed in the churches we’ve been in to have a woman, say 10 years older or more than myself, who were/are wonderful examples before me as godly women. I’ve been blessed greatly…and I’ve paused here to thank the Lord for those dear ladies from whom I’ve gleaned so much godly wisdom, either by watching their example or their wonderful, sound and Biblical advice. (((hugs)))