proverbs {paraphrased}

proverbs 14:23

"all hard work brings a profit,
but mere talk leads only to poverty"

talking is good. planning is important. but it's the doing that makes a difference. after you've made your plans, put them into action.

laboring on a project, bringing an idea to life, taking a concept from thought to reality... these are blessings from The Lord. our hands, our brains, our abilities and skills are all gifts from God and when we use them to the best of our capability, we honor Him. and He blesses our diligence.

on the other hand, the longer we think and talk and plan and imagine and sit on our hands while wagging our tongues... the sooner our dreams dissipate. and nothing comes of them at all.

proverbs {paraphrased}

proverbs 13:14

the teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.

reading and listening to the words of gifted, godly men and women will not only help you have a better day.... it just might save your life.

when we allow daily distractions to draw our minds away from the truth, we can suffer the consequences... bad moods, negative attitudes or aloof, uninterested interactions.
but, if we're willing to choose the best over the bad, our moods soften and we become tender, our attitudes become positive and we begin to interact with the people around us in love and with joy.  it starts with prayer, confession, surrender.... and a good word.

choose to turn off the tv and instead watch a message from your pastor online.  if your church doesn't archive weekly messages, pick a pastor you've heard of before or that you like.  i often listen to messages on my iPod while cleaning.  my mind is filled with wisdom, knowledge and truth.... and i'm getting a not-so-enjoyable-job completed as well.  i even find i have a better attitude about the cleaning itself when i do this.

instead of flipping through a fashion magazine or gossip rag, pick up a book by a well known Bible teacher.  let the truth of THAT sink into your brain rather than the worlds view on political and social subjects.

rather than getting caught up in blogs and websites that make you feel inadequate and fuel your insecurities,  do a Bible study written by a godly man or woman that will serve to instruct and inspire you.  you'll learn and grow in the person YOU are supposed to be and won't be so tempted to imitate or covet someone else's life.

these should not be 'alternatives' to the norm.... they should be our go-to choices

*disclaimer/confession*
i love a few tv shows. i enjoy a couple of fashion magazines. i follow several blogs.

that may at first sound like a double standard but hear me: the goal here is to get you to see the value and importance of filling up your heart and mind with truth so that when you have some extra time on your hands (extra. meaning you did all the other stuff first) you can filter through the rest and enjoy. time management is not my forte. i have to work at it. and i admit i often fail at it.  the idea here is to put the first things first, let God have the first shot at inspiring you. let his Word be the first, life-giving thing you drink. your whole life will reap the benefits.

here are some links to a few preachers, teachers and writers that God uses consistently to inspire and instruct me:

fresh life church
levi lusko
anne graham-lotz
beth moore
john piper
matt chandler
charles spurgeon
eugene peterson
mike erre
john eldredge
priscilla shrier
greg laurie
cathe laurie
skip heitzig
lenya heitzig

proverbs {paraphrased}

proverbs 14:30
'A peaceful heart leads to a healthy body; jealousy is like cancer in the bones'

the connection between our minds, hearts and bodies is not imagined, it's quite real. a calm mind encourages a peaceful heart which leads to a sound body.
our tendency to compare and measure ourselves to others, whether it's to their possessions or their position, can cause a lot more than a temporary temper tantrum.
the anxiety and fear we experience when we feed our greedy insecurities with jealousy can lead to heightened stress levels, which, in turn, can lead to depression, diabetes and even heart disease. our creativity is diminished, our happiness is held hostage and our spirit is crushed, rendering us ineffective and joyless.
enemy 10, us zip.

the only cure for this cancer is to put our hope in our Creator. (Psalm 139)
we are unique on purpose.
we are precious in His sight.
put your mind at ease and sleep well...
you are loved

proverbs {paraphrased}

proverbs 16:33

"... we may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fall."

good luck, lots cast, straws chosen, dice thrown. God is in all, he sees all, he knows all. even the events that seem accidental are really ordered by him (AMP version).  if we believe AT all, we must believe IT all, where the Word of God is concerned.  i cannot separate any part of life from what i know to be true of the Father. in the beginning, from before the beginning, he was.  he knew me.  he is.  he knows me.  every minute of my life is known by him.  before and after.

proverbs {paraphrased}

proverbs 13:3

"those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin"

when words are chosen wisely, hearts are protected, relationships preserved and lives are spared.  careful conversation proves maturity, patience and intelligence in both business and friendship.  oh, be careful little lips what you say, as the old saying is true... 'loose lips sink ships'.  those that talk too much, and get ahead of themselves, giving away too much information and betraying confidences left and right, will pay for their carelessness one way or another.

proverbs {paraphrased}

proverbs 13:4
"...lazy people want much, but get little, but those who work hard will prosper."

when you let laziness govern your life, complacency crowds out your good judgement.  when you refuse to practice self-control, ignoring the need for order in your life,  your purpose is strangled. your dreams diminished.  your promising tomorrows become empty yesterdays.

however... if you have ears to hear and you are willing to listen to the voice of reason and responsibility; if you are able to balance your days, your hours and minutes in the interest of your future and God's plan for your life, then you will be able to discern, perceive and comprehend in ways you never thought possible. 

proverbs {paraphrased}

proverbs 15:14

"...a wise person is hungry for knowledge, while the fool feeds on trash"

just as a well-balanced, healthy diet serves to fuel your body and your brain, so a sensible pursuit of all things good and pure serve to benefit your heart and mind. a perceptive person knows this and is diligent in their search for more, their appetite appeased only with the truth.  on the other hand, just as junk food filled with sugars and chemicals will ultimately sap your body of all strength and energy, so the time wasted on reality-shows, pop-culture gossip rags and romance novels strip your mind of all sense of reality and purpose.  don't get sucked in to that charade.  have eyes to see...

proverbs {paraphrased}

Proverbs 15:32

"... if you reject discipline, you only harm yourself;
but if you listen to correction, you grow in understanding."

  if you are caught in failure or sin and someone brings this to your attention,  shoving them away with a defensive attitude will hurt your heart.  a lack of humility leads to injury of relationship and ultimately to death of friendships.

however, if you are able to accept constructive criticism with meekness and a humble heart, a strange and beautiful growth takes place in your mind and spirit. your awareness and understanding expand as you allow truth to take root.

proverbs {paraphrased}

proverbs 13:20

       "...walk with the wise and become wise;
associate with fools and get in trouble..."

choose to spend time with people that will encourage, enjoy, inspire and sharpen you.  invest in relationships that will build you up, not bring you down.
don't waste your days following after foolish people that revel in rebellion, nonsense, carelessness and silliness.  those kinds of friendships bring danger and aren't without their share of inevitable hardship.

proverbs {paraphrased}

proverbs 12:12

  '...thieves are jealous of each other's loot,
                 but the godly are well rooted and bear their own fruit.'

those that steal always want what they don't have and yet, upon gaining it, are never fully satisfied... from tangible things to intellectual property... they are constantly consumed by their desire for more. they have an insatiable greed which causes undeveloped and broken relationships. they can't be happy for their friends.
but those that know the truth...which is that God is the author and creator of all things, the giver of good gifts and blessings ... they know that the true path to happiness and contentment is being fully satisfied in HIM and HIM alone. he enables his own to DO and to BE.  we know we are HIS, and as such we are able to enjoy who we are, and enjoy the significance of others.

proverbs {paraphrased}

proverbs 11:4

'...riches won't help on the day of judgement,
but right living can save you from death'

our culture is convinced that money, material possessions and upper-crust living determine your place in paradise.  but all of the wealth in this world cannot cleanse you, cannot save you, cannot clinch for you a spot in eternity.  only the blood of Jesus can do that.  the response of a redeemed and rescued heart will be one of obedience. everlasting life awaits those whose desire is to live with an eternal perspective, their hearts and minds set not on what is temporary and fleeting, but on that which lasts forever.

proverbs {paraphrased}

proverbs 10:17 {amplified Bible}

'he who heeds instruction and correction is {not only himself} in the way of life {but also} is a way of life for others.  and he who neglects or refuses reproof {not only himself} goes astray {but also} causes to err and is a path toward ruin for others'

when i diligently display obedience in my life, when i allow and accept rebuke, when i'm willing to alter my course according to constructive criticism, i'm opening my heart and mind up to growth, maturation, improvement and increase. i have the opportunity to be an example to all around me, inspiring others to keep on track.

when, however, i evade what i assume to be confrontation, when i become defensive, when i strike back at suggestions, when i make excuses and turn a deaf ear to wisdom, i am not only falling off of the straight path, and therefore doing myself great harm,  but i'm pulling others into the pit with me.  my influence, good or bad, right or wrong, is seen by all, studied by some, and similarly duplicated by those closest to me.

proverbs {paraphrased}

proverbs 15:1

'...a gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger'

when i respond in patience and humility, with a sweet-tempered tone of voice, to a comment made by someone else, whether that comment was laced with sarcasm, criticism, frustration or antagonism (which can sometimes be concealing hurt, pain or confusion), i am doing my part as a peace-maker to diffuse what could very easily become an otherwise explosive situation.
it stands to reason then, that if i react to remarks with a negative, sarcastic, impatient and otherwise high-and-mighty tone of voice, i'm sure to be doing my part to provoke an argument....and effectively tear down the other person, rather than build them up.

proverbs {paraphrased}

p r o v e r b s  4:23

'...above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.'

no matter what...whether storms come, struggles arise, circumstances change, life gets crazy, today seems   unbearable or tomorrow insurmountable... no matter what he says, she said, or they do...
protect the state of your heart.  do not neglect it. put all your care into the keeping of it.
knowing that everything you say or do is a reflection of what is in your heart.
whatever is in your heart will overflow into the moments and days of your life...from conversations to conflicts, relationships to reactions and responses, decisions and what you do, to what you see and what you say.  it all comes down to what is hidden in your heart.

proverbs {paraphrased}

p r o v e r b s  19:15

'slothfulness casts into a deep sleep,
and an idle person will suffer hunger'

when you dilly-dally around all day, not doing what needs to be done, it wears you out and makes you feel sluggish...even though you didn't actually accomplish anything.
a person that engages in do-nothing nonsense will inevitably become ineffective and dormant, not growing, producing or becoming what they are meant to.  there are choices to be made here....

proverbs {paraphrased}

{Solomon, 10 & Izzi, 8}
2004

we are currently in our 7th year of homeschooling. my son, Solomon graduated last year. my daughter, Isabella {Izzi}, has another year...at least:). at this point (with Solomon turning 18 in 2 weeks and getting married in 7 months) i'm holding on with all i've got!!!  we've tried different methods and done different things.  we have basically been a homeschool smorgasbord.  and we've had a tremendous amount of fun and adventure doing so!

early on, one of the assignments i gave to my kids was to take a Proverb each week and paraphrase it.  i was always pleasantly surprised at the various ways they interpreted their verse(s).  their interpretation and paraphrase encouraged me to do the same, and i have found fresh meaning in the scripture as i put it in my own words and squeezed the truth out of it.

that said, i've decided to add this to my blog as a regular feature. i hope you'll return frequently to peruse the paraphrased proverb of the week, but i also would encourage you to do the same.  pick up a pen...or sit down at your computer... and let the Word of God speak new, fresh truths to your heart!  after all....

{Proverbs 2} says:
that if we seek after wisdom,
spend our time on things that will make us smarter, deeper thinkers,
put our minds to work on things that will grow our relationship with Jesus stronger...
if we consider such things more valuable than all the money in the world,
if we quit wasting time on mindless games and pointless endeavors,
then...a light will go on in our minds!!!
we will gain understanding
we will gain wisdom
we. will. get it
because life flows from God.  knowledge, understanding, wisdom.
they are all extensions of who HE is.  only by knowing him, seeking after him,
PURSUING him, are we ever truly able to see