May
26
Posted by Amber
Our pastor preached about reconciliation and forgiveness today, as we studied in Genesis about how Joseph and his brothers were reconciled after Joseph revealed himself to him. One point he made was that when Joseph forgave his brothers, he didn’t shuffle his feet and kick the dirt and stare at the ground and mumble:
“I, uh, um, I… forgive you.”
No, instead, Joseph looked right at them, and basically said: Read the rest of this entry »
Mar
31
Posted by Amber
Amy Jane at Untangling Tales writes a fabulous analogy between sin and dirty diapers, and encourages us to remember our iniquity and how detestable it is to God every time we have to change one. Read more here. Personally, I thought it was a great analogy and a good reminder. (Even if analogies do break down at some point!)
Proverbs 6:16-19 There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him:
haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.
Mar
16
Posted by Amber
Matthew 6:24-34:
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
Father, God, how hard to hand every worry over to You. How tempting it is to try to control the circumstances and work things out myself. But I know that you are Sovereign and that You will provide for every need. Help my heart to rest in You, without worry, or doubt, or fear. Enable me to trust You completely, and not place any thing in my life above You by giving it more credit and attention that it is worth. Regardless of my circumstances or their outcomes, may I ever praise You. You are Jehovah-Jireh, our Provider. Amen.
Mar
13
Posted by Amber
One of the things God has been proving lately is how faithful He is. Always! He always carries us through, He always provides, He always sustains. When the way seems impossible, when the world gives us nothing, when we can’t see the way out, when we have nowhere left to go - we always have God.
Lamentations 3:21-26 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.
I am so thankful that God is faithful and true. I am so thankful that He always keeps his promises and takes care of His own. God is so good.
Thankful Thursday hosted by Sting My Heart.
Mar
08
Posted by Amber
One of the struggles I have, which I’m sure is a common struggle for mothers, is teaching my daughters about makeup, and why I can wear it, and they can’t, and all that that entails.
I don’t want to pass on the wrong image, that makeup is necessary, or that makeup is what makes me beautiful.
So I try to explain that I don’t NEED makeup. That it doesn’t MAKE me beautiful. God makes us beautiful, from the heart. But that it can help me to look really nice. And that that’s okay, if I want to look nice for the right reasons, like dressing up just a little before Daddy comes home.
But then I ask myself: How can I tell them I am going to keep and use something if I don’t NEED it. Usually, the rule about stuff is “If you don’t need it, throw it out.” And how can I say that I don’t need makeup to be beautiful and then turn around and dress up for Daddy by putting makeup on? Surely this must come across as a little confusing.
To clarify, I don’t wear a lot of makeup, and most days around the home I only wear mascara and lip gloss - if I wear any at all. And trying to look clean and well kept for when my husband arrives involves making sure I’m not wearing slouchy or stained clothes, making sure that I have remembered to brush my hair today (because, yeah, sometimes I need to check), making sure my teeth are freshly brushed, and adding a touch of makeup. It’s the whole package. Not just the makeup.
Still, actions speak louder than words.
Also, even though I only wear mascara and lipgloss, I’m not saying that it wouldn’t be okay to wear more than that. I just don’t.
So what do we tell our children?
What it boils down to for me is this:
I tell my girls that makeup does not make people beautiful. Makeup can enhance a person’s features. But attitude makes a person beautiful. Or not. Even a person wearing the best-looking makeup can come across with an ugly attitude, and that is what will stand out.
Also, makeup itself is not bad or good. Things cannot be good or evil. Our attitude towards them can. If we, in ourhearts, take pride in our beautifully made up face and spend too much time in front of the mirror making it just-so-perfect… that is sin. If we covet makeup products or foolishly spend too much money on them… that is sin also.
On the other hand, if the desire of my heart is simply to be clean and pleasing to my husband, or being clean and a good witness for Christ if you are single, then that…that is pleasing to God.
Matthew 6:19-21 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Thoughts?
Mar
06
Posted by Amber
I have many blessings. My hubby is just one of them. But I am very thankful for him. Not only does he work very hard for us, but this website wouldn’t be here as it is without his help. He’s a very talented and gifted man. And I thank God for giving him to me, and I’m thankful for all the work my hubby has put in.
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
Thankful Thursday hosted by Sting My Heart.
Feb
28
Posted by Amber
Welcome to the new and improved Imperishable Beauty website! I make jewelry (and maybe later other items as well) that represent scripture verses filled with wisdom for our little girls - verses about beauty, love, patience, gentleness, and their identity in Christ. I’m gearing up to start selling with Etsy and with this “new beginning” of a sort, it felt like a change was needed.
Over the next days and weeks, I’ll be filling out my little space here and making it home. For now, I leave you with the inspirational scripture for my business name:
1 Peter 3: 3-5 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful.
I realize that this passage is about wives specifically, but as mothers we are to teach our daughters the same things, training them up in the word. God willing, they too will be wives one day.
