A Lady's Heart--Cheerfulness

It is often said that the mood you have affects those around you. And it is true! If you've ever been around me when I'm being a grump, you'll know what I mean. The same is true on the other side too. In Proverbs it tells us "A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones." (Proverbs 17:22)

Here is an excerpt from the book Beautiful Girlhood on the subject of cheerfulness:

"Every girl owes it to herself and to her associates to be sunny. A happy girlhood is so beautiful that it cannot afford to be spoiled by needless frowns and pouts. There are clouds enough in life without making them out of temper. A girl who is full of smiles and sunshine is a fountain of joy to all who know her. The world has enough of tears and sorrow at best, and her sweet, smiling face can scatter untold clouds. Could a girl ask for a better calling than that of a joy maker for all about her?"

Now I'm not saying we have to be happy all the time, that is impossible for anyone, I'm only saying that in certain situations a cheerful smile and a kind word can stop in its tracks a feeling of impatience or frustration. Here is another quote:

"Every girl must meet her share of bumps in life. If they do not come soon, they must come late. It is impossible that she should pass through life in the sunshine all the time. She must have her share of shadow. She cannot escape it. But it is not the deep shadows that generally cloud a girl’s life and make her unhappy and sullen. It is the little things, insignificant in themselves, and which could have been passed by with hardly a thought if resisted one by one, that irritate the temper and mar the happiness. Every day our girl will meet with circumstances in which she has her choice between frowning and sending back a stinging retort, or smiling and passing them by with a kind word. If she can pass these little bumps and keep sweet, then she has mastered the art of being sunny."

I've found that even when I am out of temper, if I smile and say something soft or sweet, it almost always changes my mood. It makes both me and those around me feel happier and more at ease! A cheerful attitude makes such a difference!

Other scriptures to read and consider would be Job 9:27, Proverbs 12:25, 15:11, 15:15, Romans 12:6-8, and 2 Corinthians 9:7.

Stay tuned for the upcoming article on gentleness.

Sincerely,
Miss S.

A Lady's Heart--Honesty & Little White Lies

The ninth of the Ten Commandments states clearly, "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." (Exodus 20:16)

In the book of Proverbs it says, "Like a club and a sword and a sharp arrow is a man who bears false witness against his neighbor." (25:18) it also says, "A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who tells lies will perish." (19:9)

It is clear that telling a lie is serious. To swear falsely in a court of law and bear a false witness would mean severe punishment for the person one is swearing against. But what about all of those "little lies"? It doesn't seem to be a big deal if I say I emptied the trash, but really didn't. Or if I say I'm reading a certain book, but I'm really not. Pretending to read a certain book doesn't sound bad at all. Especially when compared with testifying falsely in a court of law!

Though "little", these lies are big stumbling blocks when it comes to trust. If we can't even rely on our friends or family to tell the truth in "trivial" things, does that not affect our perception of what they say when it comes to important things? Also, it hurts to find out that our trust in a person is broken.

When we lie, even with something that seems insignificant, we must always examine our motives for lying. Are we lying to gain revenge? Vengeance belongs to God. Are we lying to hide our guilt? It is better to own it. Once we see what our "reasons" are, it is easier to see how wrong we are for lying.

So why am I equating such a big thing to such a little thing? Surely testifying in a court of law falsely isn't as bad as a little "white" lie, right? This is my reason. In God's eyes sin is sin. Whether murder or hatred, adultery or lust, big lies or little lies, it is all sin. It is a joy to God when we turn from wrong and follow Him.

Other scriptures to read and consider would be Proverbs 3:3, 8:13, 12:17-19, 14:25, Ephesians 4:25, Zechariah 8:16, and John 3:21.

Stay tuned for the upcoming article on cheerfulness.

Sincerely,
Miss S.

Kindred Spirit Award

I would very much like to thank Jasmine from Joyfully Home for presenting me with the Kindred Spirit award.

I would like to continue and present it to Sarah Kanz, Miss Jocelyn, and Christa Taylor. Your blogs have been a blessing and so encouraging to read!

Sincerely,
Miss S.