Hi Brian!
I am so sorry that I completely missed the blog again last week! These Monday holidays seem to trip me up lately! The word for this week is "irksome". It is found twice in the Amplified Bible and it caught my eye! Here are the two places:
Philippians 3:1 FOR THE rest, my brethren, delight yourselves in the Lord and continue to rejoice that you are in Him. To keep writing to you [over and over] of the same things is not irksome to me, and it is [a precaution] for your safety. AMP
These are two different Greek words that have similar meanings. In Philippians it is the word "okneros". Thayer's Greek Lexicon says: to be slow or hesitant. Vine's Expository Dictionary says: to be loath or slow to do a thing. Paul is sayng that even if he has to keep writing these instructions to them, he doesn't mind because his heart is turned toward them to help them! In 1 John 5:3 they give the definition which is burdensome, oppressive or grievous. This came from the Greek word "barus". Anything that the Word of God instructs us to do is ALWAYS for our own good and will result in God's blessings in our lives.
I know that by now you and Kristine have faced many things with four unique young ladies that you have had to deal with, and many times differently with each different personality! Yet Holy Spirit has given you the needed wisdom in each circumstance! You have both done a tremendous job of obeying Proverbs 22:6:
6 Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it. AMP
The PROMISE is that all of your time, energy and creativity is not in vain and WILL produce the desired results! Well done! The only song that comes to mind for this is Brandon Lake's "Kids" for HE "will never let His kids down"!
Love and Shalom from the Swoveys!
