The Simple Woman's Gazette :: Whatsoever things... {September}

 

 2022

~Issue 1~

What's inside each issue:

from my desk - greetings 

one by one - a thankful heart

sing praise - listen and worship

at the well - living water

a woman's altar - pressing in and digging deeper

noteworthy - too good not to share

the archives~ from the simple woman

From My Desk...

Hello and welcome to the first issue of The Simple Woman's Gazette! Well, maybe not the first issue, but very close to it. There may have been a few issues sent out in the past, but those are long gone over the years and forgotten.

 I was lamenting the other day of promises made and promises not kept, wondering how in the world one revives something that is nearly gone. And not only how do you resurrect it, but once it begins to breath, how do you keep it breathing?

The blog identity is on life-support in our culture or is it, things are changing so fast that you have to wonder if anything you share with another in social circles ever gets seen, cared about and most importantly has it made a difference. 

I had a long stretch of days for my emotionally charged grief since most of it was spent sick in bed. Once I was well enough to sit up, I began to sort my fevered thoughts into a plan, I pulled out a stack of notebooks full of past articles, blog posts, that maybe someday book I thought I would write, chapter after chapter, dating back to 2000. 

As I turned page after page tears began to fill my eyes. How was it that what I deemed so

 vitally important at the time as a woman, as a wife and as a mother, had now somehow become out of date, old-fashion and obsolete in the eyes of the culture. I thought surely there are others, there still must be women out there who feel alone walking their path, who feel unsupported while they raise children, who feel afraid of what the future holds, who feel lost in the noise and are lacking peace in their own hearts. 

Did I have anything to offer them? Was everything already said? Would I be adding to the noise of already harried lives? Or could I bring a ray of hope, a word of wisdom from a life lived, encouragement amidst tear stained pillow nights, or inspiration from a deep well of faith?

And then...after a few days days of pondering on these thoughts, the fog cleared from my own weary soul and I knew I had listened to the lie long enough that said, "Who would care what you write, let alone read it?" I had heard that voice before and it was then I pulled on truth that would knock it down to size and call it out for the lie it was. 

From there I would try, I had to try in order to fulfill a personal calling I committed myself to years ago, a longing that had stirred in my heart to once again revisit words. Putting words to paper had always been a joy to me, but now the reviving process was staring me in the face. 

So, I came full circle after those first weeks to the question that needed answered, "But, how do you resurrect it and once it begins to breath, how do you keep it breathing?"

I rumbled back and forth with myself knowing I had told readers in the past of upcoming content, things I had been working on, ideas that were on the way only to fall short on promises. Would it go this way again? 

Then...I opened my Bible and remembered this beautiful command.

Finally brothers and sisters, whatsoever things are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable,—if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—think (dwell) on these things.

Philippians 4:8

There it was "dwell on these things". My life outside of this blog is filled with this goodness, but I knew I had to share that here at The Simple Woman. I want to share how I live in these things (and not always from a place of perfect circumstances), live on these things, live from these things, have them be such a part of your life that they inhabit you and ultimately dwell in you. 

We all need to pass the goodness along, pass it along...

~One By One~

good health after sickness

relationships with friends

habits that bring value

making bread by hand

making a return to writing

~Sing Praise~

Turn this one up loud!

~At The Well~

I wanted to share a little idea that may be new to you and come in handy during your time spent in the Word. I love to sit at my desk and have a nice sturdy area to write and to be able to lay out all my resources. In the dark early morning though, I find a comfy spot on the couch to sit with only my Bible, pencil and Bible markers. The only thing wrong with this is not having the supported surface and the ability to bring my Bible up to a readable level...until now. 

A few months ago I was looking at the cutting boards at Walmart and saw this pretty one by Pioneer Woman. I knew there was no way my knife would be cutting on this one, but it would be the perfect size for a base to put on my lap during my morning study times. I hope you find this idea useful as well.

 ~A Woman's Altar~

Romans 8:35-39

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: For your sake we are killed all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these thins we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

If these words are not an encouragement then we must be asleep! Oh, that we might be very much awake and keeping our lamps full of oil. It is time to be vigilant and watchful. We need to be in the Word in order to find our strength and courage for each day. It is only the Lord who can sustain and keep us in times of trouble, sickness, or despair and it is running down around us nearly every day.

I read a lot about self-sufficiency, self sustaining, finding self this and that, we are not self sustaining. Ever cut your finger and see the little drops of blood drip out until we get the band-aid out of the cabinet? We are but a vapor. I wonder as we run hither and yon if we have not gotten so self dependent  that we have crowded our Lord right out of the day to day equation. Could be time to get back to the basics of Christ and dwell on that goal, instead of fretting over the next best thing.

~Noteworthy~

Out in the Fields With God

The little cares that fretted me,
I lost them yesterday,
Among the fields, above the sea,
Among the winds at play;
Among the lowing of the herds,
The rustling of the trees;
Among the singing of the birds,
The humming of the bees.

The foolish fears of what may happen,
I cast them all away
Among the clover-scented grass,
Among the new-mown hay;
Among the rustling of the corn,
Where drowsy poppies nod,
Where ill thoughts die and good are born
Out in the fields with God.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Could be that Elizabeth was onto something, could we learn from her lovely inspired words!

~ The Archives~ 

Letting my Light So Shine
{2009 journal entry}

Little pieces of summer lie around the house giving small hints of what is now behind, and like the remnants, it is the same with our past, be it a day, a month or a year. We take the best, keep them and let the others behind, like footprints in the sand...washed away by the salty sea.

I have been thinking of those little pieces of my journal that I have written here over the years. And for the past week or so have renewed my commitment of encouraging women in their walk with Christ. Having path weariness of uncharted and encumbered walks, I am turning myself gracefully to the one that I walk best, the one that is not heavy and staggered by new or changing times. 

I am finding my voice once again, be it shaky it is still there and yet to find it's time to be used for the glory of God. May the light still shine even though the bushel basket fell lightly upon it, if only for a time.

Until next time...

In closing, I pray that this first issue of The Simple Woman's Gazette has been a blessing to you. Would you consider sharing it with others or sharing the link to my blog. I would appreciate it very much!

If you would like to drop me a line, please feel free to do so by emailing thesimplewoman@gmail.com or you could always leave a comment. 

I welcome your thoughts!