Last night I went to my friend Gala’s house, where she has a once-a-month Girls’ Night Out. We have a different theme for the food each month, such as Mexican or Italian, and we bring dishes to share. Last night Gala’s husband Don slow cooked lemon-peppered brisket on the grill, and it was delicious!  After the meal, our daughter Heather did the teaching.  She did great, and I was so  proud of her!  She shared from the latest issue of Empowered Emagazine, an ezine for Christian women to be equipped and empowered in their walk with God.

Our beautiful, precious daughter Heather teaching at Girls’ Night Out

In our society today, we as women feel pressured to look the way the beautiful and perfect way that models do on magazine covers.  Empowered Emagazine’s articles encourage us that we can have God’s beauty inside and out, like the Proverbs 31 woman.   She is a great role model for us today, because she was a woman of virtue.  She feared God.  And she was just as concerned with what was inside of her as her outward appearance. Neither can be neglected.  She appreciates all she has, and she counts her blessings. Because she is thankful, God blesses her with more. She knows her strength and hope are in Christ.  She trusts in God, and is transformed daily by His word. She takes her eyes off herself and is filled up with His presence each day.

Many of us think that the Proverbs 31 woman was born this way. But Empowered Emagazine challenges us that she learned and grew into a very godly woman, over a lifetime. God’s word transformed her, day by day, by the power of His grace. This gives us hope when we struggle in our roles as wives and mothers.  God will complete what He started in us! God is making us more beautiful each day. Let your beauty in Christ shine today!

My friend Gala (hostess of Girls’ Night Out, mighty woman of God)

Debbie and Gala hugging. Girls’ Night Out is a place where we just love on each other!

 ”A good woman is hard to find, and worth far more than diamonds (rubies), Her husband trusts in her without reserve, and never has reason to regret it.  Never spiteful, she treats him generously all her life long.  She shops around for the best yarns and cottons, and enjoys knitting and sewing.  She’s like a trading ship that sails to faraway places and brings back exotic surprises.  She’s up before dawn, preparing breakfast for her family and organizing her day.  She looks over a field and buys it, then, with money she’s put aside, plants a garden.  First thing in the morning, she dresses for work, rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started. She senses the worth of her work, is in no hurry to call it quits for the day.  She’s skilled in the crafts of home and hearth, diligent in homemaking. She’s quick to assist anyone in need, reaches out to help the poor. She doesn’t worry about her family when it snows; their winter clothes are all mended and ready to wear. She makes her own clothing, and dresses in colorful linens and silks.  Her husband is greatly respected when he deliberates with the city fathers. She designs gowns and sells them, brings the sweaters she knits to the dress shops.  Her clothes are well-made and elegant, and she always faces tomorrow with a smile.  When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say, and she always says it kindly.  She keeps an eye on everyone in her household, and keeps them all busy and productive.  Her children respect and bless her; her husband joins in with words of praise; “Many woman have done wonderful things, but you’ve outclassed them all!”  Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades; The woman to be admired and praised is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God. Give her everything she deserves!  Festoon her life with praises!”  (Proverbs 31, The Message)

 Joy and Florence chatting at Girls’ Night Out

 

 Amy feeding baby Liam (held by my friend Debbie who is Liam’s grandma)

  Debbie and grandson Liam with his messy mouth

Liam and his mom Christen at Girls’ Night Out

Have you treated yourself lately? Take some time today to just unwind and do something you enjoy, with some good friends. Ecclesiastes 2:24 (NKJV) says, “Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I saw, was from the hand of God.”

Tonight Ray, our daughter Leah and I went out to eat with a long-time friend, Pat, now living in Florida. He’s working in Kansas City this weekend for his job. This time he brought his little buddy, his son Nathaniel. Nathaniel wanted to go out to eat at the Olive Garden, so we met there. I told Nathaniel he’s a keeper, and asked if he wanted to go home with us. He’s adorable!

Nathaniel

 

 

 

 

 

 Our long-time friend Pat

 

 

 

Olive Garden is always first-class, from the prompt and friendly servers in white aprons and ties, to the baskets of garlic bread and the delicious food, served in such abundance that you usually have to take a box home!  (One day I will have to try their chocolate raspberry cheesecake!)  Here are some pics recapturing tonight’s wonderful meal. I’m so thankful to God for blessings like this, and for such lifetime, good friends as Pat and his beautiful wife, Kim (holding down the fort back home this weekend).  As writer Emily Dickinson said, “My friends are my estate.”

 Inside Olive Garden restaurant

 

  

 

 

 

 

Picture on wall at Olive Garden

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 I ordered chicken alfredo – yum!

 

 

 

  

Leah got spaghetti and meatballs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

For an appetizer, Ray ordered calamari (squid). It sounds disgusting, but it’s actually very tasty with a dill and a marinara sauce.

 

 

 

   

 

Olive Garden’s famous garlic bread. Deliziosa!

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

Nathaniel enjoying his gnocchi soup. Gnocchi is like dumplings.

 

 

     

Me and Ray at Olive Garden.

Here is my first attempt at vlogging! Please let me know what you think!

A place of sanctuary from Beth Jones on Vimeo.

Do you know the love of God? Really know it? Have you had a love encounter with God your creator, the God of the universe, His Only Son Jesus who died on the cross over 2000 years ago for your sins, the Holy Spirit the teacher of truth?  Do you know how much Jesus loves you and that He wants to spend eternity with you?  Here is an invitation…God wants you to know Him and to know the depths of His love for you.   Please watch til the very end. Thanks and I pray it ministers deeply to your heart today!

We have a window over the sink in our kitchen, where I can look out of it to our back yard to admire the birds and the beautiful flowers.  Missouri has had a lot of rain lately, giving our home-grown tomatoes just the right amount of drink they have needed to thrive.  I hadn’t gone outside for awhile because I was busy working at home.  Then one day as I started washing the dishes, I looked out the window and saw a row of beautiful, pink flowers with long, bright green stems.  I wasn’t sure what kind of flowers they were until I asked my friend Theresa today. She said they are called surprise lilies and they spring up almost overnight in the summer.

Sometimes it seems as if nothing may be happening in our lives, when God is actually doing a deep work in our hearts underneath the surface, and then suddenly things start moving.  We begin to see breakthroughs and answers to prayers that we have prayed about for years.  It’s hard and can be frustrating to be patient during the waiting period, but if we will just trust the Lord, He has perfect timing for everything. And He has surprises in store for you and me – like the surprise lilies.

What is that you are waiting for in your life? What is your prayer that you’ve been requesting for some time now?

“God can do anything, you know – far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams.”  Ephesians 3:20-21, The Message