So it begins!

Welcome to Admonishing Others!  First, let me tell you a little about myself.  My name is Casondra.  I am a wife to a wonderful husband of 7 years.  We have three beautiful girls, ages 5, 3, and 7 months.  I taught public school for 8 years, but, after having our youngest child in April of 2012, and after much prayer, we made the decision for me to stay home.  We also decided to begin homeschooling.  Life can be hectic, but I wouldn't trade it for anything!  Some days I start off knowing exactly what I need to get done in our home, then by the end of the day, the house is worse off than when I started.  Just another day!

I got the idea for this blog while in the kitchen at the sink washing dishes.  I have actually always wanted to begin a blog, but I was unsure how to start it, what to say, and never really had a purpose.  But on this day, the idea came to my head again, but this time, attached with a verse. 

Titus 2:3-5, "the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things - that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed."

Now, my first thought was, "I am not an older woman!"  Then God, ever so kindly, reminded me of a night only about a week ago.  I was at a friend's house for our first "Girls Game Night".  After a half-hour, or more, of debate on which game to play and a little conversation, we decided to play Pictionary.  The hostess also decided that we would have two teams.  Team One - "The Youngies", and Team Two - "The Oldies"...I fell in the latter.  I immediately asked, "The Oldies??"  To which she replied, "Well, you are the oldest one here."  Now, honestly, that was the first time I had ever been the oldest one at a gathering.  I was in shock!  But, it didn't change the fact that I was the oldest lady there.  So, standing there at the kitchen sink, I laughed to myself deciding that I was, in fact, slightly qualified as an 'older woman'.

Then the attacks came from the enemy.  I began to question myself and ask if this was really what God wanted.  I don't always have the best grammar, being raised in the south may have a little to do with that.   I am also not a phenomenal writer.  What if people do not care what I have to say?  Doesn't that sound like the same thing Moses had to say to God in Exodus Chapter 4?  God had instructed Moses to go to Pharoah and bring His people, the children of Isreal, out of the land of Egypt (Chapter 3).  Beginning in 4:1, Moses responds with,

"...But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, 'The Lord has not appeared to you.'" 

Then again in 4:10,

"...O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue." 

The Lord answered Moses' questions (v.11),

"...Who has made man's mouth?  Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind?  Have not I, the Lord?  Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say."

Wow, yea, I know...so, I know what I have to do.  I will be writing on exactly what Titus 2:3-5 instructs.  I want to share not only what I have experienced along the way, but also what others have shared with me throughout my rather short time as a wife, mother, homeschooler, and homemaker.  I am in no way an expert on these things.  This is why I had doubts about writing this.  If you saw my house at the moment you would probably quit reading this or type me a comment instructing me to go clean.  However, I feel like God has shown me some valuable ways of keeping the sanity in my busy house of five and showing love to those in it.

My prayer is that God will use these words to encourage you as a mother, wife, homemaker, or homeschooler to serve Him continually.  I also pray that through this, He will continue to mold me to be the woman He describes in Titus Chapter 2.  I ask for your prayers as I begin this journey.