"It is not my ability, but my response to God’s ability, that counts."
"Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God!"
Feb 16, 2009
So....now I know why God impressed these wise words from Corrie Ten Boom into my heart weeks ago! The words "Hold everything in your hands lightly, otherwise it hurts when God pries your fingers open" are truer for me than ever! I read my own post today(lol) and saw that I had said "Ouch! This is so true isn't it?? If only we would hold onto things not so tightly." For sure! I have been holding some things tightly, and it is hurting to have to have God prey them out of my hands. How silly to grasp onto anything in the world, when God alone can satisfy! My heart wants a lot of things, but needs to be content with the main thing. If anyone will lift me up to the Lord today, pray for me that I will ever increasingly see, know and rest in God's sovereignty and goodness- these are things that I already know in my head, but want to see sewn deeper into my heart. Thank You! And please send your prayer requests my way!
"It is not my ability, but my response to God’s ability, that counts."
"Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God!"
"It is not my ability, but my response to God’s ability, that counts."
"Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God!"
Jan 24, 2009
"It is not my ability, but my response to God’s ability, that counts."
"Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God!"
"No pit is so deep that God's love is not deeper still."
"Hold everything in your hands lightly, otherwise it hurts when God pries your fingers open." (Ouch! This is so true isn't it?? If only we would hold onto things not so tightly...)
"Trying to do the Lord's work in your own strength is the most confusing, exhausting, and tedious of all work. But when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, then the ministry of Jesus just flows out of you."
"God's viewpoint is sometimes different from ours - so different that we could not even guess at it unless He had given us a Book which tells us such things....In the Bible I learn that God values us not for our strenght or our brains but simply because He has made us." (I am so very thankful for this!!)
"Worrying is carrying tomorrow's load with today's strength- carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength."
"Every experience God gives us, every person He puts in our lives is the perfect preparation for the future that only He can see." ("All things work together for good" Romans 8:28. I pray that I will always remember God is in control and lets everything happen for a reason!! Even now as our country is/could be going through some big changes in the near future, please don't ever forget that God is still on the throne!!)
"Today I know that such memories are the key not to the past, but to the future. I know that the experiences of our lives, when we let God use them, become the mysterious and perfect preparation for the work He will give us to do. "
~ Corrie ten Boom
"Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God!"
"No pit is so deep that God's love is not deeper still."
"Hold everything in your hands lightly, otherwise it hurts when God pries your fingers open." (Ouch! This is so true isn't it?? If only we would hold onto things not so tightly...)
"Trying to do the Lord's work in your own strength is the most confusing, exhausting, and tedious of all work. But when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, then the ministry of Jesus just flows out of you."
"God's viewpoint is sometimes different from ours - so different that we could not even guess at it unless He had given us a Book which tells us such things....In the Bible I learn that God values us not for our strenght or our brains but simply because He has made us." (I am so very thankful for this!!)
"Worrying is carrying tomorrow's load with today's strength- carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength."
"Every experience God gives us, every person He puts in our lives is the perfect preparation for the future that only He can see." ("All things work together for good" Romans 8:28. I pray that I will always remember God is in control and lets everything happen for a reason!! Even now as our country is/could be going through some big changes in the near future, please don't ever forget that God is still on the throne!!)
"Today I know that such memories are the key not to the past, but to the future. I know that the experiences of our lives, when we let God use them, become the mysterious and perfect preparation for the work He will give us to do. "
~ Corrie ten Boom
Dec 19, 2008
Next Week Is Christmas Day, the day of our Savior's birth!
MERRY CHRISTMAS, everyone!
I am looking forward to celbrating our Savior's birth with
our family, and seeing my families happy faces when they open
the gifts that God has blessed me with being able to pick out
for them.
I can't tell on here what special things I found for
folks like my husband and my Mother-in-Law~ because on
occasion one or the other will read this blog! lol
But I am excited about being able to bless each of them
with things that they love this year.
We have found the perfect tree(it was in Alan's parents yard,
imagine the coincidence!? lol) and we have decorations still
in the boxes waiting to be hung, but we have baked cookies-
and Yes, a Kellogs Corn Flakes Marshmallow-Wreath(it was 'Nummy,)
and Yes, we have wrapped all of the gifts and were able to stick
to our budget(for the most part ;)
I hope this week is a week of peacefullness, calm
and joyfullness over the Lord's love for you.
I pray that none of us will get too busy, or too
stressed out. I hope that times of fellowship and company
will be sweet and stress-free, and that all of you have
some simple-y wonderfully yummy things to bake that will
WoW your guests and please you with their easyness and few
ingredients required; I know that I do! I have all of my
wonderfully easy Tastefully Simple yummy's to serve my guests,
and we are all looking forward to the new Butter Brickle Cheesecake
for Christmas Day, and the Almond Pound Cake, Strawberries and Whipped Cream Trifle on New Years Night with our Champagne :)
We are all so spoiled in my family now that I am selling Tastefully Simple!! Hah! :) ;)
Christmas-Dinner Prayers:
Heavenly Father, Thank you for sending Your Son Jesus to earth. We not only celebrate His birth in the manger, but also the reason for His coming -- His death on the cross. We thank You for providing eternal life for each person who will accept His free gift of salvation.
Father, I thank you for my family. Life is not always easy for us, but we know that You are always with us. As Your Word says, You will never leave us nor forsake us. Thank you for the love that holds us together and for always meeting our needs. Draw us closer together through this coming year. We love You and want our time of celebration to be memorable today. In Jesus’ name, amen.
A Present-Opening Time Prayer:
Lord Jesus, Wise men travelled for miles to bring you the first Christmas presents. So may we, too, remember with thankful hearts the love that comes with each present we open. We also thank you for the amazing love you have for each of us, and we thank you for the many gifts that you give us. Amen
*~*~* Check out my TWO NEW websites~*~*~
Pretty Woman Makeup Design, for those of you who like
to get prettied up when the time is right;)
and Christian Parenting Meets ADHD, for those of you
who have a child/children with this diagnosis and are
seeking to raise them in the way they should go,
onto the Lord. Enjoy!! :)
Dec 13, 2008
1 Corinthians 11:7 "For a man ought not to have his head covered, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man."
And 11:8, "For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man."
Man is uniquely created to bear the image of God as a ruler who was given a sphere of sovereignty.
Both men and women were created in God's image.
The original creation from the "dust of the ground" was Adam only.
Eve was created later from part of Adam himself.
The male was given the dominion and authority over God's created
world and is, by that fact, the glory of God.
Woman is the glory of man, woman was made to manifest man's authority as man was made to manifest God's authority. The woman is vice regent, who rules in stead of man or who carries out man's will, just as man is God's vice regent, who rules in His stead or carries out His will.
Charles Hodge says, "She receives and reveals what there is of majesty in him. She always assumes his station; becomes a queen if he is a king, and manifests to others the wealth and honor which may belong to her husband."
And 11:8, "For man does not originate from woman, but woman from man."
Man is uniquely created to bear the image of God as a ruler who was given a sphere of sovereignty.
Both men and women were created in God's image.
The original creation from the "dust of the ground" was Adam only.
Eve was created later from part of Adam himself.
The male was given the dominion and authority over God's created
world and is, by that fact, the glory of God.
Woman is the glory of man, woman was made to manifest man's authority as man was made to manifest God's authority. The woman is vice regent, who rules in stead of man or who carries out man's will, just as man is God's vice regent, who rules in His stead or carries out His will.
Charles Hodge says, "She receives and reveals what there is of majesty in him. She always assumes his station; becomes a queen if he is a king, and manifests to others the wealth and honor which may belong to her husband."
Nov 22, 2008
I love this post I read on Girl Talk. The part that really hooked me was,
"no matter the size or shape of your fears, may I encourage you to take them to the foot of the cross?The gospel isn't an out-of-date message; it is the good news of a saving God who is “a very present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1). So repent from worry and put your trust in the glorious gospel." ....I know, I know, the Spurgeon quote was excellent too but this thought is what will be running through my mind today!
Here is their posting: November 21,2008
Our Mothering Forecast
What’s the future for your kids look like today?
"Perhaps your home is a place of peace and tranquility, your fears as insignificant as gnats to swat away.
Or maybe trials are washing over you like relentless waves. Your anxieties are consuming and overwhelming. They rob you of sleep and plague your waking hours. But no matter the size or shape of your fears, may I encourage you to take them to the foot of the cross?
The gospel isn't an out-of-date message; it is the good news of a saving God who is “a very present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1). So repent from worry and put your trust in the glorious gospel.
My husband has a Charles Spurgeon quotation as his screen saver, which we would do well to have running across the screen of our minds: “As for His failing you, never dream of it—hate the thought. The God who has been sufficient until now, should be trusted to the end.”
So let our mothering forecast be one of victory and not of defeat. We have the hope of the gospel in our souls."
http://girltalk.blogs.com/girltalk/ Nov.21,2008 Post
"The gospel isn't an out-of-date message." How many are deceived into believing that it is? How many of us can relate, in honesty, that we(if we can remember being unsaved) can remember being caught up in this lie ourselves?
Folks, if we don't believe that the gospel is true for TODAY, then we won't be able to believe that God has a sovereign plan for our lives TODAY, even if we are believers. That is where my burden lies, most of the time. Even as believers, this lie will leave us swirling in a big sea of anxiety and doubt.
A friend and I were just chatting about Christian Communicator's of PA last night, not sure if you have heard of them or not;they are an apologetics/public speaking/debate club that teaches older children how to articulate and defend their faith intellectually; I say it also gives them an even more solid grounding in their faith, meant to help them in the times when they must stand on their own faith, parent's not in the immediate premises.
We hear about MySpace suicides, children committing suicide after being teased and harassed online... It is truly stalking, on the cyber-level, and I am sure these children are terrorizing their target all day long at school everyday,as well.
Three things flood through my mind when I hear these kinds of stories, "Where were the parents?", "Why didn't the victim tell his/her parent's about what was happening, or did they and not enough was done to protect them?" and "What if this child had, had a strong foundation of faith that was living and active for today, and he/she had all the tools needed in order to scale that seemingly insurmountable mountain of evil- and what if we, the parents, just kept reminding him/her,"Honey, your almost over; keep plugging. Your gonna make it, honey. God is here; He hears you; He sees you. I'm here. I'm going to help you...."
What kind of difference would answering these questions make?
This isn't a post about how parents who have a child who is being bullied should take them out of public school and home school them, nor is this a post about chiding parents et.al for 'not knowing their kid's enough'; I'm not on a soapbox here, unless I am on one to shout out above the rising din of the crowd,"God is here! He sees us! He hears us! He is NOT dead!!" Then, maybe :) lol :)
This IS a post about the gospel- a post about how it ISN'T an out-of-date message;
about how many believe the lie that it is. I was actually just talking to my oldest friend online last week (she is a Pagan today) and she said,"I just don't understand why you people can't get it that the stories in the Bible were written millions of years ago, in a culture that allowed wife-beating and selling kids into sexual slavery to pay off debts, how inconsequential the Bible is for today's world is stunningly obvious, yet you still have people who believe it -"
Well, we had been talking Prop 8 but that conversation took a backseat as we began talking about the gospel. ( And let me not forget to thank God right now for those moments in conversation!)The key here is not rebutting what my friend has said, the real key, I believe is trusting on God to reveal Himself to them when He wants to, how He wants to and praying that if He can use us to help Him out in that, then please do. I did quickly pray in that heartbeat of a moment, and what I said was "Your right, there are many who believe; and I am one of them for a good reason; because it is true- God is alive and well today; He is sovereign and in charge; He spoke to Moses in Moses' day and He is speaking to us today, in our day. he sees us; He hears us." Was that the 'perfect' thing to say? Most likely not, I'm sure something better is out there, but God was glorified and the truth was lifted up so, that was enough for me.
That brief exchange didn't end out talk on politics and world news, we could talk about that stuff all day, but it was a sweet moment- a moment of monumentalness, not because it was such a rare moment, it happens all the time that we disagree, but because it was another moment- at another time- in yet another place- a moment in which God was glorified and no one was made to feel attacked over ther viewpoints; if I dare say so myself (and I do) it was a moment that we will both keep with us for a long time. There was a moment of silence between us after that, that stretched like a beautiful sunset before us. Not an uncomfortable silence, this was a comfortable silence of accepting each other for who we are and of meditating-for one brief moment- on that Truth.
"It is the good news of a saving God who is “a very present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1). A very present help; that's the gift I wanna give my kids for Christmas this year. That's my mommy forecast for today and for the next several months- cold, clear nights and expect lot's of opportunities for reminding the kid's and yourself that God is indeed a very present help in time's of trouble...."
Whatever the mountain is that they're slowly climbing, I want to encourage them while I climb beside them. I want them to know, to see that I climb, too. No one is at the top, looking down. No one has arrived. I remeber Jill's words to me a few years back, 'Tell Tyler and Joshy, 'Mommy needs a Savior too'," well weren't those words of truth and wisdom!
Some of the sweetest moments with my boys have come on the heels of, during, times when I have been showing them and telling them how much Mommy needs a Savior, just like they do.
"So repent from worry and put your trust in the glorious gospel."
That's right! Worry won't put one hair on our heads but God could pile an entire world full of heads with hair, if He wanted to ;) But I think he has better things in store for us than hair ;) thank goodness :) There is true joy to be found in putting our trust in the gospel. You may be the one who is reading this and already knows that, but there may be one who reads this and thinks "really?" Yes. really! There IS! Why not give it a shot? Heck, youv'e tried everything else. But you haven't given God a fair try yet. What could it hurt? No one has to know, but you and God. Give Him a chance to come into your heart and change you, while no-one's looking. Don't think that He doesn't care for you, or He's too busy. No, no He created you and He is never too busy for one of His children, he say's so himself.
Let me know if you give Him a try and you want someone to pray with you. I won't comment about it here. Send me a private e-mail and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Justanerd1975@aim.com(long story for that one, maybe I can tell you about that then too.)
I want to end my hodepodge of a post today with this particular passage of scripture
because it lifts up my soul to Jesus and reminds me yet again of His faithfulness and goodness~
Psalm 66:5-8
"Come and see what our God has done, what awesome miricles He does for His people!
He made a dry path through the Red Sea, and His people went across on foot.
Come, let us rejoice in who He is! For by His great power, he rules forever!
He watches every movement of the nations; let no rebel rise in defiance.
Let the whole world bless our God and sing aloud His praises!"
"no matter the size or shape of your fears, may I encourage you to take them to the foot of the cross?The gospel isn't an out-of-date message; it is the good news of a saving God who is “a very present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1). So repent from worry and put your trust in the glorious gospel." ....I know, I know, the Spurgeon quote was excellent too but this thought is what will be running through my mind today!
Here is their posting: November 21,2008
Our Mothering Forecast
What’s the future for your kids look like today?
"Perhaps your home is a place of peace and tranquility, your fears as insignificant as gnats to swat away.
Or maybe trials are washing over you like relentless waves. Your anxieties are consuming and overwhelming. They rob you of sleep and plague your waking hours. But no matter the size or shape of your fears, may I encourage you to take them to the foot of the cross?
The gospel isn't an out-of-date message; it is the good news of a saving God who is “a very present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1). So repent from worry and put your trust in the glorious gospel.
My husband has a Charles Spurgeon quotation as his screen saver, which we would do well to have running across the screen of our minds: “As for His failing you, never dream of it—hate the thought. The God who has been sufficient until now, should be trusted to the end.”
So let our mothering forecast be one of victory and not of defeat. We have the hope of the gospel in our souls."
http://girltalk.blogs.com/girltalk/ Nov.21,2008 Post
"The gospel isn't an out-of-date message." How many are deceived into believing that it is? How many of us can relate, in honesty, that we(if we can remember being unsaved) can remember being caught up in this lie ourselves?
Folks, if we don't believe that the gospel is true for TODAY, then we won't be able to believe that God has a sovereign plan for our lives TODAY, even if we are believers. That is where my burden lies, most of the time. Even as believers, this lie will leave us swirling in a big sea of anxiety and doubt.
A friend and I were just chatting about Christian Communicator's of PA last night, not sure if you have heard of them or not;they are an apologetics/public speaking/debate club that teaches older children how to articulate and defend their faith intellectually; I say it also gives them an even more solid grounding in their faith, meant to help them in the times when they must stand on their own faith, parent's not in the immediate premises.
We hear about MySpace suicides, children committing suicide after being teased and harassed online... It is truly stalking, on the cyber-level, and I am sure these children are terrorizing their target all day long at school everyday,as well.
Three things flood through my mind when I hear these kinds of stories, "Where were the parents?", "Why didn't the victim tell his/her parent's about what was happening, or did they and not enough was done to protect them?" and "What if this child had, had a strong foundation of faith that was living and active for today, and he/she had all the tools needed in order to scale that seemingly insurmountable mountain of evil- and what if we, the parents, just kept reminding him/her,"Honey, your almost over; keep plugging. Your gonna make it, honey. God is here; He hears you; He sees you. I'm here. I'm going to help you...."
What kind of difference would answering these questions make?
This isn't a post about how parents who have a child who is being bullied should take them out of public school and home school them, nor is this a post about chiding parents et.al for 'not knowing their kid's enough'; I'm not on a soapbox here, unless I am on one to shout out above the rising din of the crowd,"God is here! He sees us! He hears us! He is NOT dead!!" Then, maybe :) lol :)
This IS a post about the gospel- a post about how it ISN'T an out-of-date message;
about how many believe the lie that it is. I was actually just talking to my oldest friend online last week (she is a Pagan today) and she said,"I just don't understand why you people can't get it that the stories in the Bible were written millions of years ago, in a culture that allowed wife-beating and selling kids into sexual slavery to pay off debts, how inconsequential the Bible is for today's world is stunningly obvious, yet you still have people who believe it -"
Well, we had been talking Prop 8 but that conversation took a backseat as we began talking about the gospel. ( And let me not forget to thank God right now for those moments in conversation!)The key here is not rebutting what my friend has said, the real key, I believe is trusting on God to reveal Himself to them when He wants to, how He wants to and praying that if He can use us to help Him out in that, then please do. I did quickly pray in that heartbeat of a moment, and what I said was "Your right, there are many who believe; and I am one of them for a good reason; because it is true- God is alive and well today; He is sovereign and in charge; He spoke to Moses in Moses' day and He is speaking to us today, in our day. he sees us; He hears us." Was that the 'perfect' thing to say? Most likely not, I'm sure something better is out there, but God was glorified and the truth was lifted up so, that was enough for me.
That brief exchange didn't end out talk on politics and world news, we could talk about that stuff all day, but it was a sweet moment- a moment of monumentalness, not because it was such a rare moment, it happens all the time that we disagree, but because it was another moment- at another time- in yet another place- a moment in which God was glorified and no one was made to feel attacked over ther viewpoints; if I dare say so myself (and I do) it was a moment that we will both keep with us for a long time. There was a moment of silence between us after that, that stretched like a beautiful sunset before us. Not an uncomfortable silence, this was a comfortable silence of accepting each other for who we are and of meditating-for one brief moment- on that Truth.
"It is the good news of a saving God who is “a very present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1). A very present help; that's the gift I wanna give my kids for Christmas this year. That's my mommy forecast for today and for the next several months- cold, clear nights and expect lot's of opportunities for reminding the kid's and yourself that God is indeed a very present help in time's of trouble...."
Whatever the mountain is that they're slowly climbing, I want to encourage them while I climb beside them. I want them to know, to see that I climb, too. No one is at the top, looking down. No one has arrived. I remeber Jill's words to me a few years back, 'Tell Tyler and Joshy, 'Mommy needs a Savior too'," well weren't those words of truth and wisdom!
Some of the sweetest moments with my boys have come on the heels of, during, times when I have been showing them and telling them how much Mommy needs a Savior, just like they do.
"So repent from worry and put your trust in the glorious gospel."
That's right! Worry won't put one hair on our heads but God could pile an entire world full of heads with hair, if He wanted to ;) But I think he has better things in store for us than hair ;) thank goodness :) There is true joy to be found in putting our trust in the gospel. You may be the one who is reading this and already knows that, but there may be one who reads this and thinks "really?" Yes. really! There IS! Why not give it a shot? Heck, youv'e tried everything else. But you haven't given God a fair try yet. What could it hurt? No one has to know, but you and God. Give Him a chance to come into your heart and change you, while no-one's looking. Don't think that He doesn't care for you, or He's too busy. No, no He created you and He is never too busy for one of His children, he say's so himself.
Let me know if you give Him a try and you want someone to pray with you. I won't comment about it here. Send me a private e-mail and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Justanerd1975@aim.com(long story for that one, maybe I can tell you about that then too.)
I want to end my hodepodge of a post today with this particular passage of scripture
because it lifts up my soul to Jesus and reminds me yet again of His faithfulness and goodness~
Psalm 66:5-8
"Come and see what our God has done, what awesome miricles He does for His people!
He made a dry path through the Red Sea, and His people went across on foot.
Come, let us rejoice in who He is! For by His great power, he rules forever!
He watches every movement of the nations; let no rebel rise in defiance.
Let the whole world bless our God and sing aloud His praises!"
Nov 7, 2008
The Deep, Deep Love of Jesus...
Today I am finally writing one of those posts that I have seen other women write, and never thought that I could ever do as good a job as them with this. The post is a post to honor my husband(hopefully ;) I want you to read this post, Hun, this weekend as I know you will, because this is the weekend that you have sent me away to RI for the whole weekend by myself, to visit with my family and to hold that brand-new, precious baby girl of Barbara's. I will be able to help cook and clean to serve her and her husband,all because you have so selflessly planned to send me there for this time. You have even graciously offered to babysit your niece and my much-loved niece-in-law, little Julia who is just one year younger than Joshua! You have planned to serve, and you will be serving so many people with this weekend giving of yourself and your time to be a blessing :) Thank You, Lover :)
Beyond this one instance of serving, let me 'expose' my husband's growth in the Lord in the past year- I know you don't want me to get too mushy about this, Dear! So, I will do my best to get as mushy as possible about how thankful I am to God for you( that's no sin, is it?), even if you do turn a little pink about the ears ;) Over this past year, my husband has sacrificed every part of his being to help his family; to get us back on track financially, he worked two full-time job's for an entire year(a plan that was supposed to be "only for six months", or so we thought). He worked every moment that he was not sleeping. Even his one daily meal he nuked and ate on break at work over at Wal Mart on 3rd shift. Through all of his hard work, he pulled us out of what was beginning to become a slippery slope for us. He sought counsel on financial matters, cut up credit cards(six is way too many, folks!) and listened to me fully as I poured over our bank statements and sought to bring wisdom about how we, like many other couple's, literally were "nickle and diming ourselves to death" with our bank cards; you know- not Big purchases, just enough Little one's to choke the vitality out of each paycheck's deposit-.) Is it perfect yet? No. But God has always been faithful, and my husband is at his core a teachable and humble man. I want to be like my husband with respects to how he carefully (and with much thought,lol) makes specific plans to address any problem that rises up. He doesn't stick his head in the sand anymore(I'm sure that past tendency had *nothing* to do with my head being So Far out of the sand, it was probably half up his Hmmmm...;) - Hey, you read this blog, you get used to my sense of humor, right? :) Yet instead of hiding from me, even as I grad-uallllly change in some area's of pestering him, he serves our family like a servant leader and I know that God is so, so pleased with your service in this way, Honey ;)
My husband has been my closest friend and counselor in the past two years about spiritual and heart matters. My heart lies fully in his hands, and I can trust it there. He does me noting but good, all of my day's. I used to long for this kind of intimacy with my husband. No more, these days I have more intimacy than I can handle half the time ;) My husband knows me fully, sees me and hears me fully, and he still likes me(most of the time!;)
He humbly seeks to "let me off the hook" with so many of my daily jobs for the house, though he is not ever let off the hook with his jobs he must do at work. He tells me the house doesn't have to be perfect, Hun- just focus on teaching the kid's, that is enough to do for you..." ( I don't know for sure if that's his kindness towards me, or his vote of overconfidence in my abilities? LOL! ;) Just Kidding :) My husband supports our little church on Gregg St. by leading our family into being able to be together much of our time, to be Christian Homeschooler's, to be fed well at our Church and by him, when he leads us in spontaneous discussion's about something he has heard at church or on the radio that touched him.
Tears come to my eyes(Ok,spill out- but I'm Not getting mushy,Hun!)when I think about those times of discussion in the car, or about the house, or even at the mall with the kid's. My little boy's faces, as they look up at their Dad with such earnest anticipation of what he will say, and such appreciation for his counsel and teaching, fills my heart to overflowing. I know that they will find good, Godly substance at my husband's feet. Just as God promised me, He fills my cup to overflowing every day! I feel the same swelling when he leads me with sin I have confessed to him, or with a longing I have begun to place too much importance on.
My husband helps bear my burden and leads me always on the right path; my soul never needs to fear with my husband; he is truly my husband in every way, and we have truly become one ;)
I remember well when my husband and I first met. We were both younger and didn't know the Lord, he raised in a Catholic and Protestant family here in PA, myself having been raised by a Catholic Grandmother & an Atheist Grandfather, having refused to go to church(on grounds of hypocrisy in the church, I would have informed you). That is who we were when God- and I do believe that my husband is a gift to me from the Lord- when He caused us to be in the same place at the same time, and to notice each other, and come together for a night (even if it was for less-than holy reasons ;) I had a rule, friend's: never give a guy you met in a night club your number. Right? We all know that rule! Well, something inside my spirit told me that he was a good guy, and I gave him my number when he asked for it! I couldn't even believe that was me, acting like that! (Believe me, I got chided by my friend afterwards, LOL! ;) Even though we met as we did, and even though we carried on long-distance for 4 years and moved in together without marrying first, resulting in our first child together just a few months later!- God didn't decide that we were no longer worth dealing with; He had his hands all over us from the second we met and all the way up through now. And we know that He will never let us go. God has been the Great Artist of situation's
and He has been at work in us to make all of this happen. The Holy Spirit is changing us. Praise You, Lord!!!
I guess I have embarrassed my husband enough by now ;) so I will end this post now. First, I will say that I am the most blessed wife in our church, in many way's- I know you all think it's you who's the most blessed,Ladies- well, you going to have to share the wealth! ;) I'm off to prepare a lovely Apple Crisp for my love this morning, one of his favorite desserts- to bless him while I am away from him this weekend. I know you will eat half of it for breakfast in a bowl, with milk poured on it, you Silly Goose ;) Love You, Babe! :)
Beyond this one instance of serving, let me 'expose' my husband's growth in the Lord in the past year- I know you don't want me to get too mushy about this, Dear! So, I will do my best to get as mushy as possible about how thankful I am to God for you( that's no sin, is it?), even if you do turn a little pink about the ears ;) Over this past year, my husband has sacrificed every part of his being to help his family; to get us back on track financially, he worked two full-time job's for an entire year(a plan that was supposed to be "only for six months", or so we thought). He worked every moment that he was not sleeping. Even his one daily meal he nuked and ate on break at work over at Wal Mart on 3rd shift. Through all of his hard work, he pulled us out of what was beginning to become a slippery slope for us. He sought counsel on financial matters, cut up credit cards(six is way too many, folks!) and listened to me fully as I poured over our bank statements and sought to bring wisdom about how we, like many other couple's, literally were "nickle and diming ourselves to death" with our bank cards; you know- not Big purchases, just enough Little one's to choke the vitality out of each paycheck's deposit-.) Is it perfect yet? No. But God has always been faithful, and my husband is at his core a teachable and humble man. I want to be like my husband with respects to how he carefully (and with much thought,lol) makes specific plans to address any problem that rises up. He doesn't stick his head in the sand anymore(I'm sure that past tendency had *nothing* to do with my head being So Far out of the sand, it was probably half up his Hmmmm...;) - Hey, you read this blog, you get used to my sense of humor, right? :) Yet instead of hiding from me, even as I grad-uallllly change in some area's of pestering him, he serves our family like a servant leader and I know that God is so, so pleased with your service in this way, Honey ;)
My husband has been my closest friend and counselor in the past two years about spiritual and heart matters. My heart lies fully in his hands, and I can trust it there. He does me noting but good, all of my day's. I used to long for this kind of intimacy with my husband. No more, these days I have more intimacy than I can handle half the time ;) My husband knows me fully, sees me and hears me fully, and he still likes me(most of the time!;)
He humbly seeks to "let me off the hook" with so many of my daily jobs for the house, though he is not ever let off the hook with his jobs he must do at work. He tells me the house doesn't have to be perfect, Hun- just focus on teaching the kid's, that is enough to do for you..." ( I don't know for sure if that's his kindness towards me, or his vote of overconfidence in my abilities? LOL! ;) Just Kidding :) My husband supports our little church on Gregg St. by leading our family into being able to be together much of our time, to be Christian Homeschooler's, to be fed well at our Church and by him, when he leads us in spontaneous discussion's about something he has heard at church or on the radio that touched him.
Tears come to my eyes(Ok,spill out- but I'm Not getting mushy,Hun!)when I think about those times of discussion in the car, or about the house, or even at the mall with the kid's. My little boy's faces, as they look up at their Dad with such earnest anticipation of what he will say, and such appreciation for his counsel and teaching, fills my heart to overflowing. I know that they will find good, Godly substance at my husband's feet. Just as God promised me, He fills my cup to overflowing every day! I feel the same swelling when he leads me with sin I have confessed to him, or with a longing I have begun to place too much importance on.
My husband helps bear my burden and leads me always on the right path; my soul never needs to fear with my husband; he is truly my husband in every way, and we have truly become one ;)
I remember well when my husband and I first met. We were both younger and didn't know the Lord, he raised in a Catholic and Protestant family here in PA, myself having been raised by a Catholic Grandmother & an Atheist Grandfather, having refused to go to church(on grounds of hypocrisy in the church, I would have informed you). That is who we were when God- and I do believe that my husband is a gift to me from the Lord- when He caused us to be in the same place at the same time, and to notice each other, and come together for a night (even if it was for less-than holy reasons ;) I had a rule, friend's: never give a guy you met in a night club your number. Right? We all know that rule! Well, something inside my spirit told me that he was a good guy, and I gave him my number when he asked for it! I couldn't even believe that was me, acting like that! (Believe me, I got chided by my friend afterwards, LOL! ;) Even though we met as we did, and even though we carried on long-distance for 4 years and moved in together without marrying first, resulting in our first child together just a few months later!- God didn't decide that we were no longer worth dealing with; He had his hands all over us from the second we met and all the way up through now. And we know that He will never let us go. God has been the Great Artist of situation's
and He has been at work in us to make all of this happen. The Holy Spirit is changing us. Praise You, Lord!!!
I guess I have embarrassed my husband enough by now ;) so I will end this post now. First, I will say that I am the most blessed wife in our church, in many way's- I know you all think it's you who's the most blessed,Ladies- well, you going to have to share the wealth! ;) I'm off to prepare a lovely Apple Crisp for my love this morning, one of his favorite desserts- to bless him while I am away from him this weekend. I know you will eat half of it for breakfast in a bowl, with milk poured on it, you Silly Goose ;) Love You, Babe! :)
Nov 2, 2008
What good encouragment our pastor gave us at church today about the upcoming elections on Tuesday. I wanted to share what he said with you guys who were not there to hear it. The message was that whatever happens on Tuesday is what God has ordained to happen from the beginning of time. The encouragement was that we can rest in His sovereignty as the next President of the United States is decided upon.
From my notes: "God's throne is not up for election; our hope is not in the throne of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, our hope is in the throne of God."
So, I hope his words encourage you today as they encouraged me.
Let us continue to share the gospel whatever happens in this world and in our circumstances, and let us rejoice that the gospel will continue to go forth, whatever happens.
God bless and hugs to all,
Stacey
"While we were still sinners, Christ died for us :)"
Romans 5:8
From my notes: "God's throne is not up for election; our hope is not in the throne of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, our hope is in the throne of God."
So, I hope his words encourage you today as they encouraged me.
Let us continue to share the gospel whatever happens in this world and in our circumstances, and let us rejoice that the gospel will continue to go forth, whatever happens.
God bless and hugs to all,
Stacey
"While we were still sinners, Christ died for us :)"
Romans 5:8
Sep 22, 2008
Sep 20, 2008
September = Back to School! :)
I wish I had some pictures uploaded to include.
The kids have been so busy learning and having fun.
We are doing first grade with Joshua, seventh grade with Ty,
and "preschool" with Grace.
My favorite part of the homeschool day is the first two subjects
(hmmm? I wonder why that is?? ha ha ;) All kidding aside, I like those times
as this is when we do our personal time with God~ just praying, gratitude 'journal'(really list) and scripture memory verse for the week.
And then we do our Bible study, we are starting at the beginning: Genesis.
What a great way to start the day! :)
I have a special "homeschool box" for Grace; this has been such a blessing to me, and to her. She is two and a half and she needs me almost 100% of the time, so having her "homeschool box" makes teaching a lot easier for all of us.
In her box, she has crayons, paints, play dough, puzzles,scissors and paper and lot's of stickers. This is good "busy work" for her that she can do by herself
and that I do with her during quiet-work times. She just loves getting out her homeschool box!
Al and I recently enjoyed discussing chapter one of the book When Sinners Say I Do by Dave Harvey in our small group Wednesday night. It was a great time, listening to everyone share their funny wedding stories and about how God's grace has been changing them. We even had a time of the husbands and wives in attendance sharing evidences of grace in each-others lives with one another. It was so sweet.
Tonight, we are looking forward to another Crossfire parent and youth group meeting, during which we will have a wonderful time of fellowship discussing chapter twelve of Spiritual Disciplines For The Christian Life by Donald Whitney and of course playing games and have yummy snacks :)
I am so glad that I got Tyler's assignment sheets finished for the next 2 weeks last night, it will be a huge blessing to me during the week when he can just look in his binder and see his assignments there for each subject. That is less time I will have to spend explaining things between all the kids as I teach.
Time to go outside now with the little ones and enjoy this beautiful Fall day God has blessed His people with. Hope you and yours have a great time enjoying this day, too! God bless :)
I wish I had some pictures uploaded to include.
The kids have been so busy learning and having fun.
We are doing first grade with Joshua, seventh grade with Ty,
and "preschool" with Grace.
My favorite part of the homeschool day is the first two subjects
(hmmm? I wonder why that is?? ha ha ;) All kidding aside, I like those times
as this is when we do our personal time with God~ just praying, gratitude 'journal'(really list) and scripture memory verse for the week.
And then we do our Bible study, we are starting at the beginning: Genesis.
What a great way to start the day! :)
I have a special "homeschool box" for Grace; this has been such a blessing to me, and to her. She is two and a half and she needs me almost 100% of the time, so having her "homeschool box" makes teaching a lot easier for all of us.
In her box, she has crayons, paints, play dough, puzzles,scissors and paper and lot's of stickers. This is good "busy work" for her that she can do by herself
and that I do with her during quiet-work times. She just loves getting out her homeschool box!
Al and I recently enjoyed discussing chapter one of the book When Sinners Say I Do by Dave Harvey in our small group Wednesday night. It was a great time, listening to everyone share their funny wedding stories and about how God's grace has been changing them. We even had a time of the husbands and wives in attendance sharing evidences of grace in each-others lives with one another. It was so sweet.
Tonight, we are looking forward to another Crossfire parent and youth group meeting, during which we will have a wonderful time of fellowship discussing chapter twelve of Spiritual Disciplines For The Christian Life by Donald Whitney and of course playing games and have yummy snacks :)
I am so glad that I got Tyler's assignment sheets finished for the next 2 weeks last night, it will be a huge blessing to me during the week when he can just look in his binder and see his assignments there for each subject. That is less time I will have to spend explaining things between all the kids as I teach.
Time to go outside now with the little ones and enjoy this beautiful Fall day God has blessed His people with. Hope you and yours have a great time enjoying this day, too! God bless :)
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