FAITHFUL & VIRTUOUS

Proverbs 20: 6 "Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?" Proverbs 12:4 "A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones." Proverbs 31:10 "Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies." As I begin any New Year, I reflect back on the previous one. I try to take into account every blessing that the Lord has given me that year. I also remember mistakes I made, or lessons I learned and try to purpose in my heart that I will do beter. I am sure that this is not my custom alone. I know many who reflect on the previous years and use them as a guide to what they might like to do, or not to do. Recently, my mother-in-law, Mrs. Sandy Groves, celebrated her birthday. I listened in our church services as many of our members thanked the Lord for her, and her faithfulness to the Lord's work, her husband, the position of pastor's wife, the playing of the organ, even my son stood and thanked the Lord for his grandmother and the part she played in his learning the piano (he is now our church pianist). As I sat there listening to this, I realized that there are a few blessings in my life that have been constant, and continual that I (as well as others) tend to take for granted. Though there are many, I am only going to name four...My Daddy & Mother, Rev. Charles & Mrs. Carol Savage, and my in-laws, Dr. Larry & Mrs. Sandra Groves. Few people are as blessed as I am to have been born into such a wonderful, Christian family, and likewise to have married into one as well. As I was growing up my Daddy made it a point to point certain men and women of the church out to me. He would tell me that I could learn something from them. Sometimes, in was how "to be" and sometimes it was how "not to be". Now that I am grown, I am thankful for the MANY faithful men and women who served as constant and consistent examples to me throughout my life. THANK YOU to all of you. But I am forever thankful and forever indebted to my parents and my parents-in-law for their faithfulness to Christ, and to each other. My parents will celebrate their 40th Anniversary this fall, and my in-laws will celebrate their 38th. In today's world this kind of faithfulness is hard to find. Also, My Daddy will celebrate 38 years in the ministry and my father-in-law 41 years. Both with their wives right by their side through it all. I have seen and heard and know many pastor's wives, missionaries wives, and evangelist's wives, and though I have MANY of them as friends and mentors, there are none that compare to my two mom's. I have watched these two women follow their husbands all over the United States. I have listened as people have tried to put them down and discourage them. And I have watched them do as the Bible describes, "being gracious and retaining honor". (Proverbs 11:16) I thank God that I have such a goodly, Godly heritage. I am also thankful that my sons and daughters have these four, faithful soldiers of Christ to look up to. Not only that, but they can depend on them to be there for them in any situation that may arise, KNOWING that all four of them will be on their knees praying for them and asking God for His leadership, guidance, and His will in their lives. I am sure that there are others out there who feel they are as blessed as I am, but today I just want to say THANK YOU to my Daddy & Mother and THANK YOU to Dad2 & Mom2 for being the servants of God that you are. I Corinthians 15:58 "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."