One of the (many) blessings of the empty nest is the opportunity to change plans abruptly. I had put a small chicken casserole in the oven before leaving for church. I set the oven timer so it would bake and be ready at 12:45 and then turn off. When we left church after the chrch service my husband turned in the opposite direction of our house. “Where are you going?” I asked. “I thought we’d just go to Bob Evans today since we’re not having company and it’s just the two of us.” Well, twist my arm! Off we went. We enjoyed a delicious meal together. (Guess what we’re having for dinner tonight? The blessing is, it’s all ready!).

Even though we didn’t have lunch guests yesterday, I did have an overnight guest, so I made Cranberry Muffins on Saturday evening so I’d have a simple breakfast to serve before we left for Sunday school. These were a new recipe to me, but I’ve learned that I can trust my Cooking Light Cookbook, and I wasn’t disappointed. Matt, our guest, liked them too, so I’ll give this recipe a 5 star!

The only change I’ll make the next time I make them is to add a little bit more cranberries – maybe 1/2 cup more. I like a muffin full of goodness! I also added about 1/4 cup orange juice to add the the orange flavor. I sprinkled the tops with crystalized sugar. It makes muffins pretty and adds a nice little sweet crunch to the top. Thanksgiving week would be a good time to try this recipe! Enjoy!

Let’s start out this post with a quiz. Look at the list below and see what each of these things have in common.

1. Keeping an appointment
2. Arriving on time for a scheduled event
3. Writing legibly
4. Returning money given erroneously
5. Finishing a difficult task
6. Keeping a promise
7. Being thankful for what I have
8. Being in a manner of prayer when others are praying
9. Using what I have in a thrifty manner
10. Responding immediately to those in authority over me

Aside from all those items being “nice” things to do or be, do you see a common thread? These are all actions of a person with character. What is character? Dr. Bob Jones Sr. said, “The test of your character is what it takes to stop you.” Dictionary.com says character is, “moral or ethical quality.” I’ve also heard that your character is what you are when no one is looking.

Which ever definition you use, character is lacking in our society today. Would a person with character cut you off in traffic, leave the grocery cart in the middle of the parking lot, cheat the government out of tax money, neglect a dirty house, send a utility bill in late or be disrespectful to our flag? No. It’s so important that as Christians we reveal godly character in our lives; character that points to our God and gives others the right opinion of Who He is.

A person of character isn’t perfect, of course, but they’re honest, alert, clean (in appearance and in their heart), avoid the appearance of evil, and are concerned for others to the point that they won’t waste their time by being late for their lunch date. Character reveals itself in the way a person works as well as their attitude towards their work. Instead of complaining about their job they’re thankful they have one. They will submit to their boss, their husband, and others in authority over them – even a president they might not support in philosophy or policies.

Why is character important? Because we are to look like Christ. I never see our Lord running in late to preach at the temple. Never sleeping when He knew He needed to pray. He didn’t neglect paying the tax – He even payed for Peter’s part! As we see character exemplified in our Savior, so must we be women of character and teach our children what it means to live a life bearing these traits.

When is our character seen? Not necessarily in planned events. C.S. Lewis put it this way, “Surely what a man does when he is taken off his guard is the best evidence for what sort of man he is. If there are rats in a cellar, you are most likely to see them if you go in very suddenly. But the suddenness does not create the rats; it only prevents them from hiding. In the same way, the suddenness of the provocation does not make me ill-tempered; it only shows me what an ill-tempered man I am.”

As we view Christ in Scripture each day, we need to take account of what His character is like and then ask Him to build those same traits in us. When others look at us do they see Jesus?

****Go here for a good list of godly character traits, their definitions, and their opposites. (At one point in our homeschooling venture I wrote a character trait on the black board in our school room and for one week I taught the definition and how to display that trait. Just a thought.)

With Thanksgiving only a week away I’ve contemplated about how I will let my family know that I am thankful for each of them.

Thanksgiving provides a perfect time to express our love and gratitude to our family. We do it frequently for others with thank you notes for a meal in their home or a gift they send, but we need to let those we love the most know how much they mean to us. You have a week to think and pray about how you can express your thankfulness for your family members. Need a few suggestions?

• Send a card in the mail to your husband – isn’t there still something special about getting “real” mail?
• Each night at supper stick a little piece of paper at each person’s plate (or hide it under the plate) telling them a reason you’re thankful for them.
• Send a text message to your teenager.
• In a central location in your home (the fridge or bathroom mirror) post a piece of construction paper and add a new reason why you’re thankful for them.
• Using the family member’s name, use each letter in their name to describe why you are thankful for them. (D – Dare to stand for the truth, A – Always unselfish, L – Look sharp when we go out!, E – Example for me to follow)

Do you have another creative way to express your gratitude? I’d sure love to hear about it!

Have you ever felt a little sick, but waited to do anything about it because you weren’t really sure you were truly sick? Waiting too long to take medicine can complicate your symptoms and worsen the condition. I hate what happens to me and around me when I feel sick.

• I don’t feel like doing anything.
• I don’t have much of a concern for anything going on outside of my household
• I’m focused on my pain or discomfort
• I lose my appetite
• I get very little accomplished in a day
• I can’t enjoy being with people
• I sleep more
• I need to be revived
  

When I think about my response to physical sickness I realize that when you and I are spiritually sick we have many of the same symptoms in our spiritual life.

• We don’t feel like doing anything – going to church, witnessing, praying, reading our Bible
• We don’t have a concern for lost souls
• We are focused on the little hurts we experience by others so much so that they become big hurts
• We have no appetite for spiritual food – preaching, God’s Word, godly music
• We accomplish nothing that counts for eternity
• We don’t enjoy being with God’s people
• We are spiritually sleepy
• We need revival!
  

When even one or two of the physical symptoms show up in my life I begin looking for what it is that’s making me sick. Did I pick up a cold germ at the grocery store? Is it the flu? Is a migraine coming on? I call it what it is, then I seek a remedy – medicine, rest, heating pad, anything that will help.

When you and I have one or two of the spiritual sickness symptoms we should wisely seek a cure before it worsens. The cure isn’t a pill or heating pad, it’s confession; calling our sin what God calls it. Did it begin with me being bitter towards someone? Am I being selfish? I must call it what it is, then ask God’s forgiveness. Waiting too long causes more symptoms to appear. It’s wise to catch it early and make it right so the healing process is quicker. Revival comes to the heart that wants to be clean.

I trust you’re feeling well today, but more than your physical well-being, I pray that you’re spiritually healthy. As you look over the list of symptoms how are you doing, really? If any of those point to your current condition, run to the Great Physician and let Him heal you before it worsens.

Isaiah 50:4 The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. This verse has been my prayer in recent days. No, let me restate that – it has been my heart’s cry in recent days.

Do you ever come to the place where you realize that you have nothing of value to say? I am becoming more and more aware of that truth every single day, and hence, I’ve pleaded with the Lord to give me the tongue of the learned so I can speak a word in season (at the right time) to him who is weary. I didn’t realize that He would at the same time give me the “ears of the learned to hear” what He wanted to say to me.

Last week I spoke a word out of season and it caused friction. I chafed under the strain I caused. The conviction of the Spirit was at work in my heart and it was not pleasant. After making it right with the Lord and those I’d sinned against, a bright light turned on as the Spirit of God spoke to my heart. It was time to listen and have the ears of the learned. The conviction of speaking a word out of season was God answering my prayer about my speech. How often I share what I’m thinking or feeling when it would be better to keep it to myself! Proverbs 17:27 He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.

While I have prayed for a wise tongue, I just assumed that Lord would help me to have the right words to say – I didn’t think about how He would strongly convict me when I was using words that were sinful and hurtful instead. I’ve learned that God answers our prayers differently then we think He’s going to, but it’s always the right way. I’ve learned that wise words are sometimes no words at all. This isn’t an easy lesson and I’m sure I’m only at the beginning of learning this, but I continue to ask God for the tongue of learned…and for ears to hear and heed His correction.