CONTENTMENT SCRIPTURES
2Cor. 4:8-10 we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
A grumble-free contented woman receives willingly
from God's hand both pain and pleasure.
She knows:
- The God Who "causes everything to work together for her good". (Rom. 8:28)
- The God Who "disciplines her for her good that she may share His holiness." (Heb. 12:10)
[Excerpted from Contentment: A Matter of the Heart
by Karen Horsey / Karen's Kreations]
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I had an interesting morning yesterday. For the first time, I spent part of the morning with a blogger friend whom I have only previously known from our online conversations (I know her parents here in town). She is just as delightful in person as she is on her daily blog about families and being a mom at home. I wasn't surprised like I said, because I know her family but it was good to know that some people online are REAL. This was something I probably would not have done except for it being in the company of others for the first time.
Everyone I have as a Facebook friend is someone that I actually know. Some of them, I used to know well, when I was younger and I have reconnected in person with a few of them due to FB. I know people who have used eHarmony and met their spouses that way. If I did that, I'd probably have been online friends with him for years before committing to a marriage (I'm not that trusting of strangers). Once in awhile I'll sell something on Ebay to someone here locally and to avoid shipping, I plan a rendezvous location that is crowded and public. I always take one or both of my sons with me when I meet a customer who is a stranger.
Women especially, need to be a bit cautious about meeting people in person that they chat with and/or do business with online. In ann online situation you can "be" anyone you want to be with no accountability. I've even heard of people representing themselves with photos of someone else who they think would be more appealing to others. I don't visit chat rooms online but I do comment on blogs and a discussion every now and then. I never give out personal information to people I do not know either. I am amazed at the amount of easily recognizable, personal and family information some people put on their blogs and on their FB. I have my privacy settings at the highest level and all my postings and photos can only be viewed by my friends.
Google, although an extremely valuable and useful service most of the time, has also taken away much of our privacy. If you know someone's last name and their city, they can usually be found, even to the point of seeing a photo of their home in zoom. When Google updated their maps last year, our home was photographed with our garage door up so you can see both of our cars. My neighbor can even be seen in their front yard.
Be careful out there. Not everyone deserves your trust and there are predators who lurk here and there in cyberspace. It can feel very safe in your home on your own computer in your fluffy slippers, but use some common sense and a little caution when opening up to someone online you do not know anything about. This is particularly true for children who have unlimited internet access. Be safe now, not sorry later.
Matt. 10:16
“... so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.
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