Aim to Please Him

Carry Me by Steve Camp

2009-03-11T20:32:00.002-04:00

I've decided not to post anything right now regarding marriage, divorce, and remarriage. It's just not something I can think about right now. We've also had about four weeks of the flu between my daughters and I, and I was unable to post anything for awhile.

I was listening to the song Carry Me, by Steve Camp, this afteroon on You Tube. For some reason, I can't add the video to my blog. Just click on the song title and it will take you there.

The song greatly encouraged me, as did some quotes throughout the video. Here are the quotes that I found the most encouraging:

"Tough times won't break you if you trust God. They will make you more Godly.

"When trials come, God's grace enables us to seek his face more diligently and produces in us the character to overcome our trials. Don't despair, God is at work in your today."

"God's grace lets us look beyond our present problems to a fervent hope in God."

"No matter how dark the night, there always the down, No matter how strong the storm, there will always be a calm in Christ."

Win an ESV Study Bible - Calfskin Version

2009-02-27T14:54:00.003-05:00

There is a FREE giveaway to win the Calfskin version of the ESV Study Bible at the blog, A Boomer in the Pew.

I have been wanting an ESV Study Bible ever since it came out, but the chances of me being able to get one, much less the Calfskin version, are slim to none. Because of circumstances beyond my control, I no longer have access to money.

I'd like an ESV Study Bible because of the notes, maps, and the articles in the back. I've sat down a few times in a bookstore, just looking through one.

Continual Guidance by Charles H. Spurgeon

2009-02-20T17:29:00.001-05:00

Continual Guidance

The Lord shall guide thee continually. (Isaiah 58:11)

What aileth thee? Hast thou lost thy way? Art thou entangled in a dark wood and canst thou not find thy paths? Stand still, and see the salvation of God. He knows the way, and He will direct thee in it if thou cry unto Him.

Every day brings its own perplexity. How sweet to feel that the guidance of the Lord is continual! If we choose our own way or consult with flesh and blood we cast ok the Lord's guidance; but if we abstain from self-will, then He will direct every step of our road, every hour of the day, and every day of the year, and every year of our life. If we will but be guided, we shall be guided. If we will commit our way unto the Lord, He will direct our course so that we shall not lose ourselves.

But note to whom this promise is made. Read the previous verse: "If thou draw out thy soul to the hungry." We must feel for others and give them, not a few dry crusts, but such things as we ourselves would wish to receive. If we show a tender care for our fellow-creatures in the hour of their need, then will the Lord attend to our necessities and make Himself our continual Guide. Jesus is the Leader, not of misers, nor of those who oppress the poor, but of the kind and tenderhearted. Such persons are pilgrims who shall never miss their way.

Testing

2009-02-19T20:36:00.002-05:00

Whew! I couldn't see any of my posts since yesterday, I thought I lost it all - breathes a sigh of relief.

2009-02-15T21:34:00.002-05:00

PSALM 57

Let Your Glory Be over All the Earth

To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam [1] of David, when he fled from Saul, in the cave.

57:1 Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
for in you my soul takes refuge;
in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
till the storms of destruction pass by.
2 I cry out to God Most High,
to God who fulfills his purpose for me.
3 He will send from heaven and save me;
he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah
God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!

4 My soul is in the midst of lions;
I lie down amid fiery beasts—
the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongues are sharp swords.

5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over all the earth!

6 They set a net for my steps;
my soul was bowed down.
They dug a pit in my way,
but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah
7 My heart is steadfast, O God,
my heart is steadfast!
I will sing and make melody!
8 Awake, my glory! [2]
Awake, O harp and lyre!
I will awake the dawn!
9 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to you among the nations.
10 For your steadfast love is great to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.

11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!
Let your glory be over all the earth!

A Not too Pleasant Subject - Divorce

2009-02-14T08:35:00.005-05:00

After 19 years of a very difficult second marriage, I find myself soon to be in the throes of a separation, followed by another divorce. It is my husband who is pursuing this, and as I look back, I see that he has been planning this for a long, long time, only I just got a hint of it from him just before Christmas. There has been alot of lying, and sneaking around on his part, and I don't know exactly what he is planning on doing, despite what he says. He also might fight me for custody of our daughters to hurt me.

Several people have suggested that I watch the movie, Fireproof, and some day I will. But, there is nothing that will save this marriage, apart from God working in my husband's heart and changing it.

I will post next week on my struggles with the whole remarriage issue.

I have always said I would never get a divorce when children were involved. What I didn't anticipate was that my husband didn't feel the same way. My younger daughter is devastated and heartbroken. He said something to me in front of her recently, right before she went to bed. She was crying when we were in her room, and asking me where we were going to live, and what we were going to do for money. Children shouldn't have to worry about things like that.

One thing I can say is that what he has meant for evil, God is meaning for good. These past several months have been months of growth for me as I cry out to Lord in the midst of it all. He has proven Himself to be faithful and true. I know I have said that before, but it's true, He has. My love for Him has grown deeper, and I know He is carrying me through. I am very weak, but He has been my strength, my Rock, and my stronghold. He will also be my deliverer.

A Wonderful Day

2009-02-07T17:31:00.003-05:00

This has been the most enjoyable day I have spent in a long, long time! My daughters and I spent the afternoon together and it was wonderful. It was just us, and we listened to some music from the 70's, while they colored, and we talked and talked. It meant so much to me. The Lord worked it out, and I am so thankful.

The Lord is giving me so much joy, even in the midst of difficult circumstances, and the uncertainties. He truly is a stronghold in times of trouble. He is my Rock, my stronghold, and my deliverer.

Psalm 46

46:1 God is our refuge and strength,
a very present [2] help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

8 Come, behold the works of the Lord,
how he has brought desolations on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the chariots with fire.
10 “Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

Struggles

2009-02-04T22:55:00.004-05:00

This has been a long, difficult eight months, and they aren't over yet. Through it all I have to say that God has been faithful. Psalm 16 has been a lifeline for me:

Psalm 16 (ESV)

16:1 Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.

2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.”

3 As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
in whom is all my delight. [2]

4 The sorrows of those who run after [3] another god shall multiply;
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
or take their names on my lips.

5 The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

7 I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me. [4]
8 I have set the Lord always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being [5] rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure.
10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
or let your holy one see corruption. [6]

11 You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Because it's been such a difficult time, I have been more in survival mode than anything else, trying to work through all of this. A good friend of mine from online told me about Nouthetic Counseling. And then she, and another person online, told me about the resource, Trusting God, by Jerry Bridges. That book was helpful to me, as were some other things. What I have discovered is that truly, God is enough. There are so many Scriptures with promises to cling to. It's possible that the worst possible thing I can imagine will happen, but I know that my God is in control, and that He can be trusted. He can thwart any plans or attacks from the enemy. If He does not thwart them, He is still sovereign, and knows much better than I what is needed at this time. He knows all and sees all. My life, and my daughters lives are in His hands.

I will try to write more frequently because I do love writing. I lost that desire for many years. In fact, a few days ago I wrote a poem, and it has been at least 19 years since I have done that.

I will end tonight with this:

Psalm 73:23-28 (ESV)

23 Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
you hold my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will receive me to glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength [2] of my heart and my portion forever.

27 For behold, those who are far from you shall perish;
you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.
28 But for me it is good to be near God;
I have made the Lord God my refuge,
that I may tell of all your works.

To God be the Glory by Fanny Crosby

2008-06-15T20:00:00.004-04:00

To God be the glory, great things He has done;

So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,
Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,
And opened the life gate that all may go in.

Refrain

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory, great things He has done.

O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
To every believer the promise of God;
The vilest offender who truly believes,
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.

Refrain

Great things He has taught us, great things He has done,
And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;
But purer, and higher, and greater will be
Our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.

Refrain

Isaiah 51/Sobering thoughts

2008-06-06T15:00:00.005-04:00

I have been married for 18 1/2 years to a man who was raised Roman Catholic by the couple who adopted him when he was 7 years old. Not only am I not Roman Catholic, but I am also his second wife. As a result, I have never been accepted by his family, nor apparently are our children.

Through the years, some very unkind things have been said to me, and done to me, things that have been very hurtful. Monday night I was very upset over another hurtful thing done, this time to my daughters and I. As I was crying out to the Lord, He brought me to Isaiah 51. That chapter has brought great comfort to me since then. Just a few minutes ago, as I was continuing to be hurt by this, I took it to the Lord, and as I was reading Isaiah 51:6, I had some very sobering thoughts regarding my mother in law and I was humbled.

Isaiah 51:6

Isaiah 51:6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens,
and look at the earth beneath;
for the heavens vanish like smoke,
the earth will wear out like a garment,
and they who dwell in it will die in like manner;
but my salvation will be forever,
and my righteousness will never be dismayed.

The Lord did not HAVE to save me, he CHOOSE to save me through election, me - a filthy sinner. My sins are covered by the blood of Jesus, but hers are not. She is nearing her 90's, and has been a Roman Catholic her entire life. She THINKS she is saved.

Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.

For the first time, I am truly grieved that she is lost. She is going to have to pay the penalty for her sins. This is heartbreaking - to have her think that she has been saved her whole entire life, when in reality she is lost. By the grace of God, I have a Redeemer, she doesn't.

As I read further, the grief became worse with the next verse.

Isaiah 51:7-8

Isaiah 51:7 “Listen to me, you who know righteousness,
the people in whose heart is my law;
fear not the reproach of man,
nor be dismayed at their revilings.

Isaiah 51:8 For the moth will eat them up like a garment,
and the worm will eat them like wool;
but my righteousness will be forever,
and my salvation to all generations.”

I am humbled that the Lord would save me, and I will continue to pray for her salvation, because there is always hope that He will save her. I will continue to pray for her until the day she dies, praying that the Lord will save her, the rest of his family, and my own family.

I can rest in the Lord, and trust Him that He is working all of this out for my good, and His glory. It's also humbling to know that the Lord cares for me, and will take care of my enemies.

Romans 8:28-39

Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

Romans 8:30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Romans 8:32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Romans 8:33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.

Romans 8:34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

Romans 8:36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

Romans 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Romans 8:38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,

Romans 8:39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I cannot deny these things are still hurtful to me, but now I know that I need to look beyond my hurts, and look to this lost woman who, unless she repents and turns from her sins, and places her trust in Jesus Christ for eternal life, she will die lost, and spend an eternity in hell. And the times that I start feeling that hurt rise up again, I will pray for her, and turn to Isaiah 51 for comfort. I will also remember, as my pastor reminded me, that Jesus was rejected also.

Memorial Day - Observing it today, the TRADITIONAL day

2008-05-30T10:07:00.006-04:00

If my parents were still alive today, they would be celebrating their 61st wedding anniversary. They purposely chose Memorial Day (the traditional day - May 30th) to get married on. Here is a good link about the History of Memorial Day. The day has since been changed to the last Monday in May to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays. That is NOT what Memorial Day is to be about. It isn't about getting a day off from work, having a three day weekend, cooking out, etc. Instead, Memorial Day was originally meant to be a day to "set aside one day out of the year for the nation to get together to remember, reflect and honor those who have given their all in service to their country". If you believe that we should get back to honoring those who have given their lives in service to our country, there is a petition you can sign here.

I'm thankful to those who were willing to serve our country, and who lost their lives as a result. I thank those who have willing served our country, and all of those who are serving now. Let's remember to pray for our troops, and to pray for their families as well.

The below videos are in honor of those who gave their lives for our country, to those who were in the military, and to those who are serving now. I post them also in honor of Jaron Holliday, the son of a lady I was on a list with, who was killed in Iraq on August 4, 2007, and the first video is a tribute to him.

Please watch all four of the videos, the last two are two different ones of Lee Greenwood's song, God Bless the USA. The last two I could not choose between because they were both equally good.

Thank you to the troops who are serving now, and to those who have served our country in the past.

Also, in honor of my dad, Charles A. Brown, Jr., who was retired from the United States Navy.

Dad, I'm still a proud Navy brat.

UPDATE: My younger daughter and I just got back from a cemetery, where we put small flags on each grave of those who served our country, at least until our flags ran out. I hope this will become a tradition for us. Those men who fought in wars caused me even more to be glad that I am an American, and dare I say a proud American. One reason I am proud is because of those who have willingly served our country, some losing their lives.

Tea time with my daughters

2008-05-29T17:40:00.005-04:00

Today has been an enjoyable day. For quite some time now, my home hasn't been a pleasant place to be in but today it was so nice. There hasn't been arguing all day. We had a tea time together, something we haven't done in a long time. We got all dressed up, and wore hats. I got out the tea set they and my husband bought me for Christmas in 2005. My younger daughter's birthday was May 21st, and we had some left over cake. Brooke and I had peppermint tea, while Heather had iced sweet tea. I didn't eat the cake, but I had cheese cubes with mine, which surprisingly enough, was good together. The girls had the cake, and then ate some cheese cubes. I wish my camera battery had been charged because I would have taken pictures. After we had eaten, and they were still drinking tea, I read Chapter One of the book by called Beautiful Girlhood. I have the book but here is the link for it online, this is the book by Mabel Hale.

We plan to have these little tea parties (as we call them) during the week when my husband is at work.

I have some books lined up that I'd like to go through them. One of the bible studies I want to go through with them is by Susan Hunt. It is for both teens and pre-teens and is based on two books, both by Susan Hunt. The two books needed to do the study (for the leader only) are The True Woman, and Spiritual Mothering. Both books are cheaper at Amazon but you can read excerpts of the books if you click on the links on each title. I am almost finished reading The True Woman and highly recommend it. I will start on Spiritual Mothering after I finish The True Woman.

The other books I plan to go through with them, and not necessarily in this order, are:

Beautiful Girlhood by Mable Hale, and the updated version by Karen Andreola

Raising Maidens of Virtue by Stacy McDonald

Girltalk by Carolyn Mahaney and her daughter, Nicole Whitacre

The Look: Does God Really Care What I Wear? by Nancy Leigh Demoss

We have started things like this in the past, but never followed through because at the time I don't think they were interested. They are now 15 yrs. old and 10 yrs. old and I'm praying that this time we will be consistent, faithful, and successful.

A Tribute to Maria Sue Chapman video

2008-05-28T20:09:00.000-04:00

I saw this video at Kim's blog, Lifesong. I wanted to post it here as well so that it will always be here for me to go back to. My heart breaks for the Chapman's, and I won't forget the date since my daughter turned 10 years old on that day. The video left me in tears, it's a wonderful tribute to a beautiful little girl.

Heart issues

2008-05-05T18:18:00.010-04:00

As you guys know, I haven't written a post since February 17th. The reasons are many, one of which is that I was too heavy hearted to post much about anything. During this break, I've been studying biblical womanhood, as well as sins of the tongue. I'm not through studying either of these issues, but I have learned some things.

I'm reading the book, War of Words, Getting to the Heart of Your Communication Struggles, by Paul David Tripp. On page 54, he posted the following verses:

Luke 6:43 For there is not a good tree that produces bad fruit, nor a bad tree that produces good fruit.

Luke 6:44 For each tree is known from its own fruit. For they do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.

Luke 6:45 The good man brings forth good out of the good treasure of his heart. And the evil man brings forth evil out of the evil treasure of his heart, for his mouth speaks out of the abundance of his heart.

Luke 6:46 And why do you call Me Lord, Lord, and do not do what I say?

On page 55 he says "If we are going to understand our trouble with words, we must begin with the heart. Our tongues are a restless evil because the 'heart is deceitful above all things and who can cure it?' (Jeremiah 17:9). Word problems reveal heart problems. The people and situations around us do not make us say what we say; they are only the occasion for our hearts to reveal themselves in words."

There are those who in my household who do all they can to provoke me to anger, and when I do get angry, they gloat with their little smile. It's so easy to blame them for causing me to become angry, when in reality, they can't make me angry. I get angry because of the ugliness in my own heart. That isn't a very pretty picture of what's in my heart. Yet, it gives me a reason to rejoice. I don't want to be in the situation I am in, and have fought against it for nearly twenty years, until last week when I finally gave it all up, and surrendered it all to the Lord. The battle became more fierce within me for the past year or so.

And, then today I read that piece I quoted above. I have reason to rejoice because:

Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

Romans 8:30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Romans 8:32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Romans 8:33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.

Romans 8:34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died--more than that, who was raised--who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

Romans 8:36 As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered."

Romans 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Romans 8:38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,

Romans 8:39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

It surely isn't by choice that I am going through the things that I am in my home life, but rather God's, and He has a plan and a purpose. It is all for His glory, and my good. And if this is what it takes for Him to conform me into the image of Christ, I will say with Jesus, through tears, with many more I'm sure to be shed:

Luke 22:41 And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed,

Luke 22:42 saying, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done."

I also cling to these words, and find hope and encouragement through them:

2 Corinthians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God that is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in the whole of Achaia:

2 Corinthians 1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,

2 Corinthians 1:4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

2 Corinthians 1:5 For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.

2 Corinthians 1:6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer.

Psalm 84 is an encouragement to me also, especially verse 10:

Psalm 84:10 For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

I close with this hymn by Karolina Sandell-Berg called Day by Day. I had never heard it before last week when we sang it in church. It has become my lifeline.

DAY BY DAY

Day by day, and with each passing moment,
Strength I find, to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowement,
I’ve no cause for worry or for fear.
He Whose heart is kind beyond all measure
Gives unto each day what He deems best—
Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest.

Every day, the Lord Himself is near me
With a special mercy for each hour;
All my cares He fain would bear, and cheer me,
He Whose Name is Counselor and Power;
The protection of His child and treasure
Is a charge that on Himself He laid;
“As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,”
This the pledge to me He made.

Help me then in every tribulation
So to trust Thy promises, O Lord,
That I lose not faith’s sweet consolation
Offered me within Thy holy Word.
Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,
Ever to take, as from a father’s hand,
One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,
Till I reach the promised land.

2008-02-17T18:53:00.006-05:00

HOW FIRM A FOUNDATION

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
You, who unto Jesus for refuge have fled?

In every condition, in sickness, in health;
In poverty’s vale, or abounding in wealth;
At home and abroad, on the land, on the sea,
As thy days may demand, shall thy strength ever be.

Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen and help thee, and cause thee to stand
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow;
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

Even down to old age all My people shall prove
My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;
And when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs they shall still in My bosom be borne.

The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.

This was taken from the site, Cyber Hymnal.

Thoughts on Psalm 20:4

2008-02-10T14:35:00.000-05:00

Since being sick with the flu I was behind with my reading the Bible through plan that our church is doing. I was able to catch up with my reading this morning, and this Psalm was last. This is my prayer for you.

Psalm 20:1 To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!

Psalm 20:2 May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you support from Zion!

Psalm 20:3 May he remember all your offerings and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! Selah.

Psalm 20:4 May he grant you your heart's desire and fulfill all your plans!

Psalm 20:5 May we shout for joy over your salvation, and in the name of our God set up our banners! May the LORD fulfill all your petitions!

Psalm 20:6 Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand.

Psalm 20:7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

Psalm 20:8 They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright.

Psalm 20:9 O LORD, save the king! May he answer us when we call.

As I was reading over this Psalm again just now, I thought I would share something about verse 4 that I learned within the past year. Here is verse 4 again:

Psalm 20:4 May he grant you your heart's desire and fulfill all your plans!

Back in 1995 I was going through a difficult time, which continues today. I have my old Bible from that time, and it was one that I frequently wrote notes in, as well as highlighted many verses in. Our family was going to an Assemblies of God church at the time, and I was heavily steeped in their theology. When I read verses like verse 4 above, I thought it meant what "my" heart's desires were, and that He would fulfill all of "my" plans. The key word there being "my." I had no idea my life was to be lived to the glory of God, nor that when I became a believer it wasn't about "me" and what "I" wanted, but that it was all about God, and what HE wanted. I need to insert here that during that time I believed myself to be a believer when in reality I was not. I came to realize after I was saved that God DOES grant us our heart's desires and fulfill our plans because as Christians our lives are no longer our own, and it is no longer our wills we want, and our ways, but HIS. That was simple, yet profound for me when I grasped that.

A Christmas Story - A Triple Dog Dare You

2008-01-26T22:07:00.000-05:00

I came across this on Fox News a few minutes ago. If any of you have watched the movie, A Christmas Story, with Peter Billingsley as Ralphie, you will get a good laugh at this article. I have a 9 year old daughter, and can't imagine her doing something like this. Here is the link, but I don't know how long it will be on there.

Indiana Boys Left With Bleeding Tongues After Licking Flagpole

Saturday, January 26, 2008

CHESTERTON, Ind. — Two fourth-grade boys mimicking a scene from the movie "A Christmas Story" wound up with their tongues stuck to a frozen flagpole.

Gavin Dempsey and James Alexander were serving on flag duty at Jackson Elementary School Friday morning, with the job of raising and lowering the school's flags. They decided to see if their tongues really would stick to the cold metal.

"I decided to try it because I thought all of the TV shows were lies, but turns out I was wrong," Gavin said.

Karen Alexander, James' mother , said her son told her he got the idea from the movie, which is based on stories about a boy growing up in the northwest Indiana community of Hammond in the 1940s.

"I can't believe he did it, but they learned their lesson," she said.

James said he plans to eat a lot of ice cream to help nurse his wound.

"When you're young, you're just messing around," he said.

Billie Dempsey, Gavin's mom, said a nurse called them to tell them the boys' tongues were bleeding.

"The nurse asked them, 'OK, who double-dog dared who?"' Billie Dempsey said, a reference to a phrase that a character in the movie used to dare another child to stick his tongue to the pole.

Hailey Pictures/Evangelism.

2008-01-20T19:31:00.000-05:00

Here is a picture of our daughter in law, and granddaughter that was taken at Christmas.

Our son and daughter in law will be married ten years in February, and we are very blessed to have her in our family. They've been together since they were in high school. Our son came over with the baby today, and I laughed and told him this is a big year for both of us. He'll turn 30 in March, while I will turn 50 in May.

Our church is taking the School of Biblical Evangelism class from The Way of the Master. We just finished up the third week, and it's been an exciting class so far. Years ago I took Evangelism Explosion in an Assemblies of God church believe it or not. I learned alot from EE, and it was a good program, but for me it was hard to implement. I'm finding The Way of the Master easier. I've even been successful with memorizing bible verses so for, and for that I thank the Lord.

Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron teach the law and the gospel. Until someone understands the bad news, they will never understand the good news. I look forward to implementing more of what I'm learning.

In the first lesson, they had three questions they wanted us to ask at least two others. I'm going to throw the questions out there, and would be interested in your responses. I'll list the questions, along with my answers.

1. Do you share your faith regularly? No

Do you go out of your way to verbally share the gospel with strangers? No

2. If not, is there any reason why you don't? Yes

3. What is the main reason you don't share your faith more often? The main reason is fear - the fear of saying the wrong thing, and the fear of not being able to answer their questions. Another thing is that I seem to run into JW's and Mormons.

I also used the excuse that because I am a housewife, I don't encounter people often. It's an excuse because I DO get out. It's not like I'm locked up in my house day after day, I do go to the grocery store, and places like that.

So, what are your thoughts, and answers?

2008-01-20T14:34:00.000-05:00

To God Be the Glory

To God be the glory, great things he hath done!
So loved he the world that he gave us his Son,
Who yielded his life an atonement for sin,
And opened the life gate that we may go in.

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear his voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father through Jesus the Son,
And give him the glory, great things he hath done!

O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood!
To ev'ry believer the promise of God;
The vilest offender who truly believes,
That moment from Jesus forgiveness receives.

Great things he hath taught us, great things he hath done,
And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;
But purer, and higher, and greater will be
Our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.

Raising Teens

2008-01-15T20:50:00.000-05:00

My daughters and I did surprise my husband the night before his birthday. It didn't go exactly like we had planned, but it went well enough. He was very surprised and when the girls jumped out of the car and yelled SURPRISE, he was looking for whoever it was visiting us, lol. We're enjoying this car very much.

Now on to what's been on my mind lately. Raising children is not easy, and so many times I feel like I'm just floundering, especially now that we're raising a teen, with a younger daughter watching, and following, her example. And I just happen to be seen as Mrs. Mean Mom, and that's not an easy thing to be seen as. I guess you could say I've been in the Woe is Me state of mind lately, and having quite a pity party. I'm not quite sure that I actually was, but I do know the Lord gave me much encouragement this morning in that whatever it is I'm doing, I'm on the right track. I still feel like I'm failing in so many areas, but I did find myself encouraged this morning.

I searched online to see if I could find something that might help me in raising my daughters, and I came across a very good article on parenting teens on the NANC site with excellent articles. It was a most convicting article for me to read. Here is a link to the article, and just a portion of the article itself:

The Bible tells us how frequently God displayed His awesome power and majesty in the Old Testament. How He showed His love and concern for His people in His one-sided covenants, knowing that we would fall, but He would be true to His Word. He knew that we would frequently reject His counsel and then need to come back to Him and repent. We know,
understand and appreciate all this as long as it is about others, or even us -- just not
our children. Please, God, not our children. We have raised them better and they don’t
appreciate “how much we have done for them.”Beloved mom and dad, (I hate to tell
you this, but...) one sinner marries another sinner and they produce little sinners. I could go on. I could probably make you thoroughly depressed and anxious if I discussed all the counseling cases I have had with rebellious teens and their parents. The forces we are fighting against are
incredible. The evil that our teens are exposed to can literally overwhelm them. So much so that, by the time most parents come in to see me about their children, they are hopeless and reflect the countenance of the Proverb that says, “Hope deferred maketh a heart sick”
(Proverbs 13:12).

The highlighted part seemed to hit me the hardest, although the entire article was helpful, but convicting. Lately I've been dealing with a lot of disrespect from them, and even outright telling me no on some things. This morning I had a talk with them, (and they were bored to tears) and the talk was more like the highlighted part, a woe is Mom kind of talk.

I've been thinking about getting a couple of books by Paul Tripp, one is Age of Opportunity, and the other one is War of Words. Have any of you read those two books, and would you recommend them?

I tried to correct the paragraph that isn't lined right, but I couldn't fix it, but I'm leaving it that way.

Psst - Let Me Tell You a Secret - Shhhhhhh

2008-01-10T13:58:00.001-05:00

I have been keeping a secret from my husband since last Thursday afternoon. I kept it from my daughters until yesterday. This little secret has not been easy to keep. I told only one other person, my online friend Mrs. Cheese (teehee).

Last Thursday was one of the best days I have had in a long time. I went out to lunch with a friend, and you can read about that here. In that same post, I told you I had a surprise for my husband. I'll let you in on this little secret, which he'll find out about tonight.

After I got home, I got a call from another friend of mine from church. She told me that her father had a car that he was GIVING away because he was buying another one. He asked if she knew anyone who needed a car, and she immediately thought of us. We have an old 1989 minivan that is on it's last legs, and it was the only car we had. The power steering went completely out during the summer and I was unable to drive it, my husband can but it's getting more and more difficult for him. So, I have been unable to drive for a long, long time. The window on the passenger side, my side, would not roll down, and the air conditioning had broken down last spring. So it was one long, hot summer. Because of all of that, I just stopped going anywhere and rarely left the house. We were planning on buying a used car with our tax money sometime in the middle of February. So we were in desperate need of another car. Another thing is that our van had only lap belts in the backseat that my daughters used. Whenever we went anywhere I trusted the Lord that He would protect them.

My friend and I made arrangements for yesterday, that she was going to pick me and the girls up in the morning to pick our new car up. I still had not told the girls, but I did tell them I had a surprise for them. I sort of blew it when we got near her house because I said something like "so when I leave, I turn right, right?", and my older daughter, being the smart girl that she is, picked up on that. What was pretty funny though is the girls were sitting on the couch, and Toni gave them a late Christmas present. They opened it up, and it was those Lifesavers in a book things, and my younger daughter looked like "that's it, that's the surprise?", lol. When Toni's father pulled up, I told the girls to get up to come see our new car. Brooke, my younger daughter's eyes got big, and her mouth was open wide. She was so surprised and just couldn't believe it. She has been praying for the Lord to provide another car for us, and this has been such a good faith builder for her. Heather was surprised too, but Brooke's expression was priceless!

Our new car is a 1992 Chrysler Fifth Avenue New Yorker, and it is absolutely beautiful! It rides so nicely, and I absolutely love it. It is in excellent condition, and I am so thankful, and grateful to the Lord for blessing us in this way. I pray He will bless Toni's parents too. They are so sweet, her dad reminds me of my late father. If I can figure out how to do the disk to the computer from my new digital camera, I will take a picture of the car and post it.

I parked the car out front, almost to our next door neighbor's. Having a car parked there is not unusual because sometimes our neighbors have friends who park there. So, here's the plan for telling my husband. We're all going to go out tonight, and the girls are going to go out to the car first and hide, and I'm going to sidetrack him while they do that. They're going to get into our new car, and when my husband and I come out, we'll go to the van, he's going to open my door (like he always does), he'll look in and see that the girls aren't there. Then, the girls are going to open the car door and yell SURPRISE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tomorrow is his birthday, and so this car is a combination late Christmas present for all of us, and an early birthday present for him. It's going to be our family car.

You guys just don't know how thankful I am - both to the Lord and to Toni's parents.

An Enjoyable Day

2008-01-03T22:58:00.000-05:00

I went to lunch today with a good friend of mine from church, and we had such a good time. It was so nice to be able to do that. I enjoy her company, and I have not done anything like that in a long time.

My husband's birthday is coming up on the 11th, and boy have I got a surprise for him, Lord willing. And, no it doesn't have anything to do with babies, or anything like that, lol. So if anyone from church is reading this, or anyone else who knows him, shhhh don't tell him. All I can say is I have heard of things like this happening, but never to us, but it will be truly a blessing.

I'm reading Winnie the Pooh to my younger daughter, and tonight we read about Pooh and Piglet's encounter with a Heffalump, which is one of our favorite chapters. I may be an adult but Winnie the Pooh is a favorite of mine, all of the books by A. A. Milne.

I read to my younger daughter every night before she goes to bed, and I need to find something that I can do with my older daughter. She's 14 years old, and one of the things we have in common is a love of theology.

We've been going to our church for over two years, almost three years. We've been praying that the Lord would bring a girl around her age to our church, and He did that a couple of weeks ago. Her name is Elizabeth, and she's 15 years old. That was such a praise report.

I did get a call from our son today telling us that our granddaughter has pneumonia. He said our daughter in law noticed that she was not being herself, so she took her temperature. It was around 101.9 so they took her to the doctor, and was told she had the pneumonia. They put her on antibiotics, and thankfully, she is doing much better now, and that is another praise report.

Thoughts on Trials

2008-01-02T21:49:00.000-05:00

While thinking about trials this morning, I read the following verses from James:

James 1:2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,

James 1:3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

James 1:4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

We're told to "count it all joy" when we go through trials. I don't know about you, but I have to admit I have been anything but joyful while going through these trials. It hit me hard this morning that my less than joyful attitude is sin. It shows a lack of trust in the Lord, a lack of trust that He knows what He is doing, and of what He wants to accomplish in my life. I'm sure I've been aware before this that my less than joyful attitude was sin, but it seemed to just scream out at me this morning. What pride to think that I'm wiser than my Father in Heaven. I had to repent of that attitude.

Tonight, while thinking about it some more, I thought of my granddaughter. As my children did before her when they were babies, she too fights sleep. She fights something that is good for her, something that is best for her, something that she needs. Yet she fights it. Like my granddaughter, and like my children did when they were babies, I fight. I fight against the trials, I fight against them because I don't want these trials. I want my own way. I think I know what's best for me. A little while ago I was reminded of a Rich Mullins song called Hold Me Jesus, except in my case, it's something I, at least in my own mind, think I want.

Well, sometimes my life
Just don't make sense at all
When the mountains look so big
And my faith just seems so small

CHORUS:
So hold me Jesus, 'cause I'm shaking like a leaf
You have been King of my glory
Won't You be my Prince of Peace

And I wake up in the night and feel the dark
It's so hot inside my soul
I swear there must be blisters on my heart

CHORUS

Surrender don't come natural to me
I'd rather fight You for something
I don't really want
Than to take what You give that I need
And I've beat my head against so many walls
Now I'm falling down, I'm falling on my knees

And this Salvation Army band
Is playing this hymn
And Your grace rings out so deep
It makes my resistance seem so thin

CHORUS

You have been King of my glory

A Praise Report of God's Protection

2008-01-01T17:44:00.000-05:00

While my heart is still pounding, and it's still fresh in my mind, let me tell you of God's protection towards our family just now.

I was planning to bake a pumpkin pie, so I turned on the oven to get it heated while I got my ingredients together and mixed it up. I needed to open a couple of cans, so after I got my ingredients together, I walked over to the sink. As I walked towards it, I happened to glance at the stove, which had smoke coming out of it. I opened it up, and there was a fire inside the oven. I immediately called my husband into the kitchen, and he blew it out. It was not a small fire inside, and I thank the Lord that He had me walk over there at that time. And I thank Him for His protection. For some reason our smoke alarm didn't go off.

My husband cleaned out whatever it was that caused the fire, so now I'm off to get my pie together and bake it, all the while my heart is still pounding.

Thank You Lord for your protection over our family today.

2008-01-01T14:17:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! The past two days I've been reflecting on the past year, and how the Lord has brought me safely through it. My meditations did include the blessings He bestowed upon our family as a whole, but I wanted to focus here on His mercy and grace towards me.

The past several years have been pretty rough ones for me in many ways, but I see the goodness of the Lord in them too. It is only through His mercy that I am here today. The biggest thing I learned this year was this: "it's not about you, it's about Him," said to me by a very dear online from of mine. Mrs. Cheese knows who she is.

I want to thank Mrs. Cheese because those words were a life saver to me. During those times that I became discouraged, ore even despondent, and I hate to admit this but there were many days I felt like that, and they still come, her words came back to me, and do come back to me, sometimes to haunt me lol. There were times I didn't want to hear that little voice, and wanted it to go away, lol. But, I am so glad she said them to me because they have never failed to bring me hope, and back to my senses.

The trials the Lord has brought into my life, and continues to bring, are not fun, they hurt. But every day I see more and more how the Lord is taking the crutches, ie the idols I had, and still have, in my life, away so that I am left with the ONLY thing that really matters in this life, and that is HIM. Sometimes I don't think I can be crushed anymore, and then boom - there it is again. Through it all, the Lord has proven Himself to be so faithful, full of grace and mercy.

I want to leave you with two things. First, a reminder that it's not about us, it's about HIM, and HIS glory.

Finally, I want to leave you with this to ponder today, and this passage is 1st Chronicles 16:8-37:

1Ch 16:8 Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!

1Ch 16:9 Sing to him; sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!

1Ch 16:10 Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice!

1Ch 16:11 Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!

1Ch 16:12 Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles and the judgments he uttered,

1Ch 16:13 O offspring of Israel his servant, sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!

1Ch 16:14 He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth.

1Ch 16:15 Remember his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,

1Ch 16:16 the covenant that he made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac,

1Ch 16:17 which he confirmed as a statute to Jacob, as an everlasting covenant to Israel,

1Ch 16:18 saying, "To you I will give the land of Canaan, as your portion for an inheritance."

1Ch 16:19 When you were few in number, and of little account, and sojourners in it,

1Ch 16:20 wandering from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people,

1Ch 16:21 he allowed no one to oppress them; he rebuked kings on their account,

1Ch 16:22 saying, "Touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm!"

1Ch 16:23 Sing to the LORD, all the earth! Tell of his salvation from day to day.

1Ch 16:24 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!

1Ch 16:25 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and he is to be held in awe above all gods.

1Ch 16:26 For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but the LORD made the heavens.

1Ch 16:27 Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his place.

1Ch 16:28 Ascribe to the LORD, O clans of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength!
1Ch 16:29 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him! Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness;

1Ch 16:30 tremble before him, all the earth; yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.

1Ch 16:31 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice, and let them say among the nations, "The LORD reigns!"

1Ch 16:32 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it!

1Ch 16:33 Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth.

1Ch 16:34 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!

1Ch 16:35 Say also: "Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather and deliver us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name, and glory in your praise.

1Ch 16:36 Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting!" Then all the people said, "Amen!" and praised the LORD.

A PS to my Merry Christmas post

2007-12-25T23:47:00.001-05:00

PS - I almost forgot to add something else I wanted to share with you about how the Lord blessed our daughters.

Since April, I have been looking for the perfume, Love's Baby Soft, for my oldest daughter, and could never find it. I used to wear it in high school, so I thought they discontinued it. While we were at Walmart on Saturday, I saw it, and had to buy it for her. So, that was a blessing.

Another blessing was this. Every year I buy our daughters Lip Smackers for their stockings. This year I could not find any at Walmart and was very disappointed. And guess what? Our daughter in law, not knowing I couldn't find them, bought them for the girls. Another blessing.

One last blessing was this - my older daughter wanted a Nintendo DS game. She had it on her list for a relative of ours, but I told her it was too expensive. So I suggested some other things that were much less expensive. She ended up being blessed with one, as well as her sister, from one of her aunts.

Those things were such blessings to me because God met my daughters *wants* and did exceedingly abundantly more than I asked Him for.

Eph 3:20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,

Eph 3:21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-25T22:00:00.000-05:00

This is the first opportunity I've had to wish you all a Merry Christmas. I hope it has been a good one.

This Christmas has been the most humbling, and memorable one for me. Financially it has been a rough year for our family, but the Lord has always provided, and for that I thank Him. Because things have been tight, my husband and I decided he and I were not going to get each other anything for Christmas. We used Christmas money we received from a relative to buy our daughters some things. Plus, they received gifts from other relatives too, so they had three days worth of opening presents. Because we had less money to spend on them this year, we choose more wisely the gifts they were receiving from us due to our being blessed with the Christmas money from our relative.

This caused me to focus completely on the REAL MEANING of Christmas, and that is Christ's birth, so that's what I've been doing this month. I sang Christmas hymns during the week, and pondered the coming of Christ in the form of a baby.

Our son had to work yesterday, and so he dropped our daughter in law and granddaughter off early yesterday morning on his way to work. They spent Christmas Eve with us, including spending the night. Our granddaughter is 3 months old now, and as I held her, I thought of Jesus, and how He had once been a little baby like her.

We washed a load of towels late in the afternoon, and discovered that our dryer broke completely and we couldn't use it. We left our daughters with our son and daughter in law, and went to the laundry mat. It was about 9:00 PM on Christmas Eve. As we pulled up I saw a little girl of about five or six years old inside the laundry mat. My first thought was what was she doing in a laundry mat at 9:00 at night on Christmas Eve. She should have been in bed asleep like all of the other little children who were anticipating Christmas morning. When we went inside, she went outside, and it looked as though she was alone. I went out there because I was concerned about her, and then saw a young woman outside smoking a cigarette, and it turned out the little girl was with her. Then I wondered why a young woman would bring a little girl like that to the laundry mat so late at night, especially on Christmas Eve. Their clothes were still in the dryer when they left for a little while. As we were leaving, I noticed two sandwiches of some type, like from Burger King or somewhere like that. I couldn't stop thinking about them on our way home, and even today.

I did buy my husband one book, which he was not aware of, and it was wrapped yesterday afternoon when he left the house for a bit. This morning I did indeed learn that it truly IS more blessed to give than to receive. On Sunday, one of my brothers blessed my husband and I with a digital camera, and we felt badly because we were not able to get his family much. He has always told us that they didn't give us presents in order to receive one back. They give because they like to. That was something that I did not learn until this morning. My oldest daughter gave me a little knick knack of a girl with a guitar, and she bought me a big Peppermint Pattie. My youngest daughter gave me a coffee mug and another pretty knick knack. Our son and daughter in law bought our family a beautiful puzzle of the Last Supper. My husband, though he said little, was upset that he hadn't bought me anything. At first, for a very brief few minutes, I was a bit selfish, and my feelings were hurt a little bit until I reminded myself that my focus was on Christ, and His birth, and nothing more. God gave me the ultimate Gift when He chose to save me through the Gift of His Son. As I came to that realization, it also came to me that I bought that book for my husband because I WANTED to, simply for the pure pleasure of giving him something he might enjoy.

I was also reminded of the young woman, and little girl in the laundry mat last night. There she was, so late at night, on Christmas Eve, in a laundry mat where it isn't safe to be that late at night, but on Christmas Eve? Where was her husband? Or her parents? Who would let their wife or daughter do something like that so late at nigh, especially on Christmas Eve. Maybe she was a single mother, and had no parents, for whatever reason. I could very well be wrong, but it didn't look like she was going to have much of a Christmas, and here I was a little bit hurt because my husband didn't get me anything. I was so ashamed of myself, and my selfishness. It's not about *me*, but about Christ. I am so blessed by what the Lord has given to me, and blessed me with - a husband, children, a granddaughter, a home to live in, a job for my husband, and that list of blessings could go on and on. But most important to me is the gift of salvation, eternal life, that He has given to me. I pray that my husband will understand that he has nothing to feel badly about, that I gave him that gift because it would bring him pleasure.

I can truly say that I'm thankful for the situation we were in this Christmas because it brought me even closer to the Lord.

I pray that this was a Christmas that brought you closer to the Lord as well.

Hailey Elizabeth's First Picture

2007-12-15T19:23:00.000-05:00

Since the birth of our granddaughter, I have had her first picture as the background of my desktop. What I didn't realize was that I had not saved the picture. I had downloaded it from the hospital's website. Last night, I was on Nancy Leigh DeMoss' website and she had some Christmas desktop backgrounds to download. Stupidly, without thinking I downloaded one of them and lost my granddaughter's picture on my desktop completely. The hospital no longer has it on their site. I was so upset, and spent part of last night crying. To the rescue this morning came my oldest daughter. Thankfully, we had saved Hailey's picture on our cell phones, so she sent me an email and I was able to download onto the computer from there. I am so thankful. So I've decided to post her picture here so I don't ever lose it again. Also, this way you get to see a picture of her. She will be three months old on December 17, 2007.

Isn't she beautiful? Of course, I'm not biased or anything, :).

Our best Thanksgiving

2007-11-27T10:51:00.000-05:00

I became a Martha Stewart wannabe over the Thanksgiving holidays. I baked a pumpkin pie, sugar cookies, and made fudge. That was a first for me because I usually only make brownies or chocolate chip cookies. I'm a late bloomer, what can I say.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and we've all decided that it was our best Thanksgiving. It was just the four of us, and after we ate, the girls helped our elderly neighbor and her son, put her Christmas decorations up. On Friday, we put our Christmas tree up, and the girls decorated it. They did a great job, and it looks beautiful. We taught Brooke how to play Rummy, so we played that one day. My husband had four days in a row off, which was nice. It was nice because the time seemed to go slowly.

After dinner on Thanksgiving, we went around the table saying what we were thankful for. Besides my salvation, which is what I'm thankful for most of all, I'm thankful for what the Lord has done in my family this year. He has brought us closer together as a family, and in September, He blessed us with a beautiful granddaughter.

He is teaching me to be thankful, and as a result, He is filling me with joy.

A Lesson in Submission

2007-11-21T13:08:00.000-05:00

Last night my husband and I went out to eat for our date night. This is something we try to do if not weekly, at least every couple of weeks. It's always an enjoyable time, and it gives us a chance to discuss certain things without our daughters listening in. Because we were going to Target, he suggested we go to the place we normally go, but to a closer one. I like the tea better at the other one so we went there. Afterwards, we drove to Target to buy a roaster for Thanksgiving that they had on sale. I was afraid they wouldn't have one, and we didn't see them at first. My husband went to their customer service counter, talked with someone and I was going to call them today after their trucks came. While he was doing that, I stayed behind to look at tea pots, and things like that. On our way out of that section to head home, his eyes fell upon not only one roaster, but four of them. I was so thankful he saw that.

Before we had gone to Target, we stopped at the grocery store. We were in need of batteries for our card shuffler. I saw some batteries, and he said we should get them at the dollar store because they were cheaper there. We walked out of the grocery store with the batteries.

We have had a headlight out on our van that I had forgotten about. On our way home, as we approached the light where we turn left, I saw on the other side of the road a police car suddenly turn on their blue light. That was the third blue light we saw last night, two others had gotten stopped, and looked like they were in the process of being given a ticket. We talked about how the police officer had ruined both of their nights. So, when I saw the blue light go on, my first thought was how he was going to ruin that person's night. Much to my horror, he did a u-turn. Even then it didn't occur to me that he could be after us because I knew my husband wasn't speeding. As we turned left, suddenly it dawned on me that we had a headlight out, and he might be after us. I hesitantly asked him if the police car was behind us, and he said yes. I couldn't see the blue light on, so I asked him if he saw one, he didn't see one either. We drove a little further, and he still hadn't stopped us. At first, I thought it was because it's a small two lane back road, and there was nowhere really to stop. As you drive further on though, there are new subdivisions being built, so I thought for sure he would stop us there, but he still wasn't. As I stated in my other post, my husband is easy going, and nothing worries him. I, on the other hand, am the opposite of him. I was sitting there with my stomach in knots, wondering how much a ticket was for a headlight that was out, and was thinking that it was the worst possible time to get a ticket. He told me not to worry because if he hadn't stopped us by then, he probably wasn't going to. He added that they usually give warnings the first time. I still sat there with my stomach in knots, until he made another turn a couple of miles later.

After he turned it hit me, and with a sinking feeling I remembered that he wanted to buy a headlight about a month ago when we were at Wal-Mart. Finances were a bit tight then, so I said we needed to wait until we saw how much we had left. We left there without the headlight. With more of a sinking feeling, I remembered the batteries (and that they had them at Target for dollar too I pointed out to him when we got there), and then his suggestion earlier of going to the other place near Target. I was kicking myself inside knowing that I had done it AGAIN. Not only ONCE, but THREE TIMES last night. The Lord used that police car to show me my sin of not submitting to my husband, not yielding to him. I sat there wondering if I was ever going to get it. My disobedience to my husband could have cost us a ticket. I was so ashamed of myself, and have determined in my heart, with the Lord's help, not to do that again. Obeying God, by submitting and yielding to my husband, is much more preferable to me than having my own way, and then feeling ashamed when I sin that way again.

Honoring our Husbands

2007-11-19T15:47:00.000-05:00

Honoring my husband is something I've been thinking about alot in recent weeks. I admit that in the past I've done more than my share of dishonoring my husband to others, and am ashamed of it. I repented of that some time ago, and am seeking ways that I can honor him. It's a shame that I didn't learn this until I was in my 40's. One of my prayers is that by the time my daughters get married, they will have learned the importance of honoring their husbands, and speaking well of him to others through my example, however imperfectly I am at doing that sometimes.

The Amplified Version of 1 Peter 3:2 says it this way:

1 Peter 3:2
When they observe the pure and modest way in which you conduct yourselves, together with your reverence [for your husband; you are to feel for him all that reverence includes: to respect, defer to, revere him--to honor, esteem, appreciate, prize, and, in the human sense, to adore him, that is, to admire, praise, be devoted to, deeply love, and enjoy your husband].

I don't know if it's because I've been thinking about the issue of honoring my husband lately, but I've become more aware when wives dishonor their husbands to others, whether it be over the Internet, by phone, or face to face. It's something that bothers me a great deal.

Pro 14:1 Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands. (KJV)

Pro 14:1 The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down. (ESV)

The foolish woman tears her house down, and one way she does that is through dishonoring her husband. Several years ago when I was in my 30's, an older woman was talking to me about her husband, and added "that stupid Jack." At the time, I knew little to nothing about my role as a wife to my husband. But that comment disturbed me, and with that one comment, the respect I had for this lady disappeared. She was well into her 60's, and I never thought about her the same again.

Pro 12:4 An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones.

Which type of wife do we want to be? An excellent wife, one who is a crown to her husband, or one who brings him shame? A wife who builds her house, or one who tears it down with our words, and actions?

I want to publicly thank my husband for being a hard worker, and for being faithful. He works hard so that we can have a roof over our heads, food to eat, and a bed to sleep in. When times have been tough financially, he has worked two jobs so that I could stay at home, and take care of our home, and train our daughters. He's easy going, nothing ruffles his feathers, which is unlike me since I tend to let things distress me. He opens car doors for me, as well as other doors. We celebrated our 18th year of marriage on October 24th, and I can say that I am blessed, and pray that we have many more years together.

Something funny

2007-10-29T15:03:00.000-04:00

I haven't dropped off the face of the earth, but for the past couple of months, we've had some things going on here that were mentally exhausting. Besides that, our new school year began in late August, and it has been hectic since then. I've been trying to get into a routine with a tenth grader and fourth grader this year. I think we have finally gotten all of that down pat.

My tenth grader had to write something for grammar, and it had to be in chronological order. This is what she wrote:

"This is the way to be annoying: first you decide who you want to annoy. Then you pick one of three things. Blow in their face, get in the way of what they are doing, or ask a question several times even if you get an answer. Once you get tired of doing one thing, try another one. If you get tired of being annoying, go do something else. I certainly hope this was helpful to you."

When my son (father of our new granddaughter) was younger, he used to blow in the face of one of my brothers, and annoyed my brother to no end. My son then taught his middle sister to blow in faces too, and she was just as annoying to that same uncle.

Bill, if you are reading this - look what you have to look forward to - teaching Hailey how to blow in her father's face, hehehe.

Today my grandmother would have been 109 years old. She passed away in December, 1985. The only time she ever yelled at us, that I can remember, was when Bill and I were young, and he was pushing me real fast in a rocking chair down in the cellar. Growing up, she never seemed to age. I still miss her.

She's Here!!!!!!

2007-09-17T21:10:00.000-04:00

We are the proud grandparents of Hailey Elizabeth, born today, September 17th, 2007 around 5:10 PM. She is absolutely beautiful. She weighed 7 lbs. 5 oz., and has a full head of black hair.

A Giveaway from Tim at Challies

2007-09-04T19:03:00.000-04:00

In the month of September, Tim from Challies is having a giveaway for the below.

If you click on that, you can enter yourself in the drawing. My referral ID number is 10564. So, if you click on the below, if you haven't entered already, I would appreciate it if you would put that referral number. Thanks!

Various things

2007-09-01T16:17:00.000-04:00

I posted here about trying to find someone who was looking for my family. One night out of boredom, I typed in my grandfather's name and came across a post from April, 2000 from someone looking for him and his brothers and sisters.

To make a long story short, I did find her, and we talked on the phone the other night for over an hour. Our mothers were 1st cousins, which makes the two of us, 2nd cousins. We're five months apart in age, with me being the oldest of the two. It's been an exciting time.

While the above was happening, we started out new school year on Monday, the 27th. We have the best home school week we have ever had. It was a joy and a pleasure teaching my daughters, and learning the things that we did this week. God answered my prayers in abundance.

This year, after much prayer for guidance and direction, I have been able to come up with a plan as to how to work with both daughters. One is in 10th grade, the other is in 4th, and it has been difficult to work with my younger because it seemed to distract the older one. I have discovered that I can work with my younger one, and while she is doing her written work, I work with my older one on the more difficult subjects. I'm thankful to the Lord for showing me how to work all of this out. I am thankful to Him for the privilege of home schooling our daughters.

We've had a very busy week with home schooling, but for me, it has been well worth it this week. I have had only a little time to do what *I* want to do, like reading blogs, being on the computer for any length of time.

And, what I have discovered from taking the 12 week Seize the Summer challenge is this - how much I had been living for myself rather than my family, and how that brings me little joy, if any. I have been making an effort to die to myself, and what I want to do. I'm not always successful, but I find that when I put my family first, before the things I want to do, I am content. It isn't always easy to do, but I'm learning that I am satisfied when I do put them first, and my own desires after that.

I've become aware of how much I put my own agenda ahead of my husband's. Because I am a his help meet, his needs and desires should come first, ahead of mine. This morning when I woke up, I had things that *I* needed to do, like plan for school next week for both girls, versus what I know my husband *wanted* from me, like me to make homemade chocolate chip cookies. Although I didn't bake the chocolate chip cookies (because I'm planning to do them with my younger daughter tomorrow afternoon when my older daughter is not home), I was more aware that I needed to put my plans on the back burner to serve my husband.

Lastly, within the next ten days, I expect to be posting the news that our granddaughter has arrived!

Utah Miners

2007-08-23T18:01:00.000-04:00

Since August 6th, there have been six miners trapped in a mine in Utah. They may never be able to get to them, and it's such a sad situation. I cannot imagine what their families are going through.

It's caused me to appreciate my husband more than ever. He is an electrician, and I take for granted that he will come home safely at the end of the day. He works commercial rather than residential, and the reality is that his line of work is dangerous. I appreciate all of his hard work, and he is a hard worker. He rarely gets sick, but when he does, he goes to work, and works hard. The reality though is that no matter what a person's job is, or their age, death is no respecter of persons.

I've been following the Utah miner situation since the beginning, and it has caused me to do a lot of thinking. It just reinforces to me that none of us are guaranteed another day of life, or that we will take another breath. We assume our loved ones are always going to be there, that they will come home at the end of the day, but that doesn't always happen. I'm sure those miners believed they would work their scheduled hours and go home to their families. They didn't know they wouldn't come out alive. It's sobering to think about.

As a Christian, I trust God that whatever comes my way each day, He will see me through it. I have that hope because I am saved by grace alone, through faith alone, and through Christ alone, all to the glory of God. I was a lost sinner, dead in my trespasses sins with no hope in this world.

Ephesians 2:1-10

Ephesians 2:1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins

Ephesians 2:2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—

Ephesians 2:3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

Ephesians 2:4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—

Ephesians 2:6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

Ephesians 2:7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

Ephesians 2:9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, and the wages for sin is death.

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

As a Christian, I believe in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

1 Corinthians 15:1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,

1 Corinthians 15:2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,

1 Corinthians 15:4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

1 Corinthians 15:5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

1 Corinthians 15:6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.

1 Corinthians 15:7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.

1 Corinthians 15:8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

1 Corinthians 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

1 Corinthians 15:11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

To those who are lost, I pray that God will open your eyes to the truth and grant you the faith to believe and trust in Jesus Christ for eternal life. The only hope for sinners is Jesus Christ, and trusting in Him for eternal life, trusting in His death, burial, and resurrection. Trusting that He alone can save you from your sins through His shed blood, which was shed for sinners.

Colossians 1:13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,

Colossians 1:14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Romans 10:9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 10:10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

To my brothers and sisters in Christ, let us never take our loved ones for granted. Let's not forget to tell them how much we love and appreciate them.

My prayers are with the families of the miners.

12 Week Challenge is Almost Over

2007-08-20T12:59:00.000-04:00

This summer I took the challenge from Christa to "Seize the Summer." The twelve weeks will end on September 1st. For me, it's been a very challenging twelve weeks, but a good one. There was some confusion on my part on an issue regarding my role as a wife, but I believe that's been cleared up.

I wish I could say that I have it all down pat, I submit perfectly, and that I always respect my husband, but I can't. I'm still a work in progress, and the Lord continues to work in me both to will and to do of His good pleasure.

Philippians 2:12 "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,

Philippians 2:13 "for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure."

We've been married for almost 18 years, and it's only been within the past few years that I have begun to understand exactly what my role is. With me being 49 years old, you would think that I would be further along in this than I am, but alas, I am not. One book that helped me tremendously in understanding what marriage is to be is Martha Peace's book, The Excellent Wife. Until I read that book, I had not understood that marriage is to be a reflection of Christ and the Church. That seems to have made a big impact on me, and these past few months have caused me to be more focused as to how I can truly be a help meet to my husband. Go over to Christa's blog, she is reviewing Martha's book on Wednesdays.

I have so far to go, yet I thank the Lord that He is still working in me. I thank Him that He is changing the desires of my heart, especially as a wife.

With each passing day I see more and more how dependent upon the Lord I am. He shows me the areas I need to grow in, and along with that, He gives me the desire to grow in that same area. As the mother of two daughters, and one of them a teen, I see the huge responsibility I have to teach them how to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands.

Titus 2:3 "Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good,

Titus 2:4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children,

Titus 2:5 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled."

The King James Version uses a much stronger word than reviled. This is what verse 5 says in the KJV:

Titus 2: 5 "To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed."

"That the word of God be not blasphemed." That's pretty strong language to me.

My prayer is that the Lord would draw me closer to Himself, and that He would develop within me a meek and quiet spirit.

1 Peter 3: 4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

soaringcardinal/John and Eleanor Skrensky

2007-08-07T12:08:00.000-04:00

This post is going to be an unusual one. The other night, out of sheer boredom, I decided to do a Google search on my maternal grandfather's name. Much to my surprise, I came a cross a post on a forum from someone that was written way back in April, 2000 who was looking for the family of John and Eleanor Skrensky. She posted for her grandmother, who is trying to find her family. She said it would be like finding a needle in a haystack. Her grandmother is the youngest daughter of one of my grandfather's brothers, or sisters.

The person who posted is no longer on that forum, and I am praying she will one day do another search, and my blog will come up. I was shocked to see her post, and excited at the same time.

So, if you're out there somewhere, leave a comment so I can get in touch with you!

Streams in the Desert - August 2, 2007

2007-08-03T00:16:00.001-04:00

I hope the below is as much of an encouragement to someone as it was to me.

Classic Streams in the Desert

Make a Way by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman

"I will make all my mountains a way" (Isa.49:11).

God will make obstacles serve His purpose. We all have mountains in our lives. There are people and things that threaten to bar our progress in the Divine life. Those heavy claims, that uncongenial occupation, that thorn in the flesh, that daily cross--we think that if only these were removed we might live purer, tenderer, holier lives; and often we pray for their removal.

"Oh, fools, and slow of heart!" These are the very conditions of achievement; they have been put into our lives as the means to the very graces and virtues for which we have been praying so long. Thou hast prayed for patience through long years, but there is something that tries thee beyond endurance; thou hast fled from it, evaded it, accounted it an unsurmountable obstacle to the desired attainment, and supposed that its removal would secure thy immediate deliverance and victory.

Not so! Thou wouldest gain only the cessation of temptations to impatience. But this would not be patience. Patience can be acquired only through just such trials as now seem unbearable.

Go back; submit thyself. Claim to be a partaker in the patience of Jesus. Meet thy trials in Him. There is nothing in life which harasses and annoys that may not become subservient to the highest ends. They are His mountains. He puts them there. We know that God will not fail to keep His promise. "God understandeth the way thereof and knoweth the place thereof. For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven"; and when we come to the foot of the mountains, we shall find the way.--Christ in Isaiah, by Meyer

"The meaning of trial is not only to test worthiness, but to increase it; as the oak is not only tested by the storm, but toughened by them."

Streams in the Desert - July 30, 2007

2007-07-30T23:53:00.001-04:00

I came across the devotional from Streams in the Desert by Mrs. Charles Cowman this evening. Though I was rebuked while reading it, it was a reminder to me that I need to get out of myself. I do have cards I could send to those who are hurting, letters to write to my mother in law, and to the only aunt I have left, who has been a widow since 1969. I have an elderly widow who lives next door to me too.

Here is what I copied from the Back to the Bible site, and I hope it is helpful to someone else:

A cup of cold water only (Matt. 10:42).

What am I to do? I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good work, therefore, any kindness, or any service I can render to any soul of man or animal let me do it now. Let me not neglect or defer it, for I shall not pass this way again. --An Old Quaker Saying

It isn't the thing you do, dear,
It's the thing you leave undone,
Which gives you the bitter heartache
At the setting of the sun;
The tender word unspoken,
The letter you did not write,
The flower you might have sent, dear,
Are your haunting ghosts at night.

The stone you might have lifted
Out of your brother's way,
The bit of heartsome counsel
You were hurried too much to say;
The loving touch of the hand, dear,
The gentle and winsome tone,
That you had no time or thought for,
With troubles enough of your own.

These little acts of kindness,
So easily out of mind,
These chances to be angels,
Which even mortals find
They come in night and silence,
Each chill reproachful wraith,
When hope is faint and flagging,
And a blight has dropped on faith.

For life is all too short, dear.
And sorrow is all too great,
To suffer our slow compassion
That tarries until too late.
And it's not the thing you do, dear,
It's the thing you leave undone,
Which gives you the bitter heartache,
At the setting of the sun.
--Adelaide Proctor

Give what you have; to someone it may be better than you dare to think. --Longfellow

I do know that God is sovereign, and I have never lost sight of that. It's just that I've been struggling with these certain things, and I have to trust God through it all. I will come out of this stressful time, and work through these things that are confusing to me.

Ladies, Your Thoughts Please

2007-07-30T14:24:00.000-04:00

I've been struggling with some things for the past few weeks, along with not feeling very well, and that is why I haven't posted lately.

I'm still studying, and pondering about biblical manhood, biblical womanhood, and our roles as wives, mothers, and homemakers. During the course of this study, I came across a review of the book, Created to be His Helpmeet, by Debi Pearl. I read this book about four years ago, and loaned it to someone and never got it back. The quote below, which is found on page 260, has been bothering me since I read the review. This is one of those kinds of books that you either love it, or you hate it. I've read different blogs online, both pros and cons, about the book. There are some very good blogs out there regarding this book. Read the below for me, and let me know what your thoughts are on it.

"You can freely call your husband "lord" when you know that you are addressing the one who put him in charge and asked you to suffer at your husbands hands just as the Lord suffered at the hands of unjust authorities."

"The chain of authority must never be broken, even if it means allowing some abuse."

"first know that a husband has authority to tell his wife what to wear, where to go, whom to talk to, how to spend her time, when to speak or not to, even if he is unreasonable and insensitive."

These three quotes were in the same paragraph (I saw a copy of it at a Lifeway store here), but I think there may have been some other words between those three sentences above. So I am not sure what came after the second sentence about the abuse.

All three of the statements bother me, but the last one is the one I've been thinking about lately, and they disturb me.

I know that the husband is to be a servant/leader and the above just doesn't sit well with me. I do understand that we are to submit to our husbands unless they ask us to sin.

There are different viewpoints out there on submission which conflict one another. I am a complementarian, which suggests equality and beneficial differences between men and women. Although I do like Martha Peace, and her book, The Excellent Wife, I disagree with her view that it's okay to rebuke and correct our husbands. Here is a good article by Wayne Grudem that I found on mutual submission, and I held to this same viewpoint before I read his article.

I'm planning to discuss this with my pastor. I know that I've got unbiblical thinking somewhere in my thought process, and it's causing me undue stress because I'm not sure if what I believe is biblically correct on something. I don't mean that I am doubting my position as a complementarian, I'm not. I'm just confused as to the extent of a husband's rule over his wife I guess.

Anybody else have any thoughts about this?

5 Random Questions Meme

2007-07-11T14:38:00.000-04:00

Baxter kindly tagged me for a meme, and here are the questions, and my answers:

1. What is your most cherished memory as a child?

Hopefully a 15 yr. old is still considered a child, :). I have two older brothers, and my oldest brother was married. They always spent Christmas Eve with us, and stayed the night. A couple of weeks before Christmas, my mother put four boxes, all the same size, with my brothers, sister in law, and my name on them. I could not figure out what in the world she had gotten all four of us that was the same. I mean, what can you get that is generic, for both men and women? The suspense was killing me. Finally Christmas Day came and we all had to open our boxes at the same time. She had bought all four of us Beach Boys tickets. It was the first Beach Boys concert I had ever attended, and she had gotten us the best seats with the best view. I've been a Beach Boys fan ever since. It was so special to me because she had to go to the Sports Arena in San Diego to get the tickets, and she didn't like to drive.

2. What is the most interesting thing you have ever done?

I did volunteer work with our local Sheriff's Department for about a year and worked in Victim's Assistance. It was something I really enjoyed, but had to stop doing when I had my daughter. It would be something I'd jump at the chance to do again if I had the opportunity.

3. If you could have or do one seemingly impossible thing, what would it be?

I would move back to San Diego, CA in a heartbeat. We moved from there in December, 1978 when my brother couldn't find a teaching job in CA. My mother was very upset because he and his wife had a two year old son, my parents only grandchild at the time, and she didn't want them moving so far away. So, we all quit our jobs and moved to the East Coast, somewhere in the Southeast. I haven't been back there since we moved, and unless our ship comes in, I'll never even get back there to even visit.

4. What is the most meaningful gift you have ever received?

The most meaningful gift I ever received was the book Scarlett by my son. I broke my wrist on Thanksgiving in 1991, and was in alot of pain. I was a word processor at the time and couldn't work for awhile. So, Garrett bought me the book Scarlett for Christmas, and when I broke my wrist he told me he was giving it to me earlier so that I would have something to do while I was at home. I thought he was so thoughtful, and he was only 13 years old at the time. What made this more special to me is that technically he is my stepson, and it meant alot to me.

5. What is the most difficult thing you have ever had to do?

By far the most difficult thing I have ever had to do was to leave my newborn baby behind in the hospital five days after I delivered her. She was premature and had to spend three weeks in the NICU.

I'm not sure who to tag.

Blogger Reflection Award Nominations

2007-07-09T11:34:00.000-04:00

Jen at JoythruChrist has honoured me with a Blogger Reflection Award. This is an honor, and an encouragement to know that I am blessing another person with what I write.

The reason for the title is because this award should make you reflect on five bloggers who have been an encouragement, a source of love, impacted you in some way, and have been a Godly example to you. Five Bloggers who when you reflect on them you get a sense of pride and joy... of knowing them and being blessed by them.

Kim at The Upward Call - Kim's blog was the first one that I ever read. I don't even remember how I got there. Her blog is the first one I read, and pretty much read it on a daily basis, except Sundays. She posts so many things that cause me to think, and that I learn from. I also enjoy reading about her beagle, I've gotten quite a few laughs from those stories.

Lisa at Deo Volente - I found her blog through Kim's. Her blog is another one that I read regularly. She has a heart for the Lord, and such a passion for the truth. She has always been such an encouragement to me.

Christa at Blakey Blog - Christa is a young woman, and has alot of profound things to say. She is a wonderful example of a godly young woman. I especially like her book reviews.

Lydia, and the others at the Purple Cellar - I like this blog which posts on a variety of biblical topics, because the posts are always where the rubber meets the road. Although many times I am convicted when reading them.

BKeen - This online friend of mine doesn't have a blog, but I could not go without mentioning her. I have learned so much from her, and she has been such an encouragement to me. She doesn't shy away from telling it like it is when I ask for her advice. She always brings me back to the Scriptures. Now if I could only get her to like the *real* cheese (that would be Velveeta). She always sends such good emails too, ones that literally make you laugh out loud.

I know Jen nominated me, but I have to include her as well. Her blog is another one that I read on a (usually) daily basis. She has a good sense of humor, and I especially enjoy her posts about the book by D. Martin Lloyd-Jones.

I don't really know who else to tag because it looks like those I would have tagged have already been tagged. Thank you Jen for nominating me.

Random thoughts on men/women/worth - LONG

2007-07-09T09:52:00.000-04:00

One of the reasons for taking this summer to study biblical manhood and womanhood, and the roles of a husband and wife in marriage is due to my past. I feel that I need to find out all that God has to say on the topic, and then change my way of thinking to conform with the truths of Scripture. I've got quite a ways to go. I need to give you some background before I go any further because it will help you understand some of what I'm going to write about.

I was married before when I was in my early 20's and one thing that has always been in the back of mind was something that my ex husband told me about 23 years ago. He told me that Adam named Eve that because she was evil. He may have been joking, I don't know, but his view of women during those years was that we were inferior to males. His view came from a particular sin he had in his life that was demeaning to women, and one that doesn't see women as persons, but objects instead. He apologized to me a few years ago for how he treated me in the past, and took the blame for my feelings of inferiority, and said I felt that way because of how he treated me. My view of myself was based on how he treated me, rather than who I was in Christ. When we were together I was not saved, so I didn't have the truth to know truth from error about it.

In addition to the above, I read a book on marriage a few years ago that caused much damage to me emotionally. This was before I became reformed, and before I had ever heard of Nouthetic Counseling. It reinforced those feelings of inferiority that I had, and did nothing but make me feel condemned. I read it during a time when everything seemed to be falling apart around me.

I mention the book only because a quote from it came to my mind while I was reading Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood this morning. I'm reading chapter two, and this morning the section I was reading was talking about a husband's role, and how it's a leadership/servanthood role. Here was the question that was asked, it's question number 14 on page 59, and the answer given which caused me to think of the book I mentioned above:

QUESTION:

14. If the husband is to treat his wife as Christ does the church, does that mean he
should govern all the details of her life and that she should clear all her actions with him?

ANSWER:

No. We may not press the analogy between Christ and the husband that far. Unlike Christ, all husbands sin. They are finite and fallible in their wisdom. Not only that, but also, unlike Christ, a husband is not preparing a bride merely for himself, but also for another, namely, Christ. He does not merely act as Christ, he also acts for Christ. At this point he must not be Christ to his wife, lest he be a traitor to Christ. He must lead in such a way that his wife is encouraged to depend on Christ and not on himself. Practically, that rules out belittling supervision and fastidious oversight. Even when acting as Christ, the husband must remember that Christ does not lead the church as His daughter, but as His wife. He is preparing her to be a “fellow-heir,” not a servant girl (Romans 8:17). Any kind of leadership that, in the name of Christlike headship, tends to foster in a wife personal immaturity or spiritual weakness or insecurity through excessive control, picky supervision, or oppressive domination has missed the
point of the analogy in Ephesians 5. Christ does not create that kind of wife.

By reading Martha Peace's book, The Excellent Wife I now understand that a marriage represents Christ and the Church. I am now beginning to understand even more that the husband's role is one of leadership/servanthood. It helped to clear that up for me, as I did have many questions because of people who hold the below view. This is a quote from the book I mentioned above. When I am able to verify the page number that this quote is found on, and that it actually came from that particular book, I might post the name of the book. Here is the quote:

"first know that a husband has authority to tell his wife what to wear, where to go, whom to talk to, how to spend her time, when to speak or not to, even if he is unreasonable and insensitive."

That quote bothers me, and now I know why. It bothers me because it treats the wife as though she is a child, even worse because at least an older child chooses what they wear within boundaries. It bothers me because there is no leadership/servanthood there but rather control and domination.

Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,

Ephesians 5:26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,

Ephesians 5:27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

Ephesians 5:28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

Ephesians 5:29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church,

Ephesians 5:30 because we are members of his body.

Those verses don't sound like control and domination to me.

Back to Normal/Wasting Time

2007-07-05T14:08:00.000-04:00

I think I am finally back on track with posting now. Whew, am I glad the performances are over and we can get back to living our lives again. I have missed posting, and reading my favorite blogs. I've been off track for so long now that I'm not even sure where to begin.

During these past couple of months I've been doing a lot of thinking on how I spend my time, and how much of it I actually waste. I'm thankful my daughters were given a part in the play for several reasons. The main reason is that it has helped me rethink my priorities in the sense of causing me to reflect on what is really important. Not just important, but what is important to God. As a good friend likes to remind me "it's not about YOU," and said friend knows who she is :)

We spent five nights each week at the theater for nearly two months, which meant that we had to rush through supper, and cleaning up in order to get their at a certain time. We no longer had time to enjoy our meal at our own pace, and no time in the evenings for reading aloud. It was rush, rush, rush for five days each week.

Is how we spend our time really important to God? I believe it is important. I was listening to a CD the other day called Twenty-Four Hours is All You Get, by Susan Bradrick, which can be bought here. It reinforced to me what I believed the Lord was teaching me through the Scriptures.

Ephesians 5:15-17 says this:

Verse 15 Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise,

Verse 16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil.

Verse 17 So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

The phrase "making the most of your time" was a tad bit convicting. Okay, well maybe not a tad bit, a better word would be alot. It is far too easy for me to waste my time on things that have no eternal value, on things that are essentially worthless. As a stay at home wife and mother, I have plenty to keep me busy. I have daughters to teach what is good, to train them on how to love their husbands, their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, and how to be submit to their husbands. I am to teach them how to do those things, how to live it out so that, and this is very heavy, the Word of God is not dishonored.

Titus 2:3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good,

Titus 2:4 so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,

Titus 2 5 to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored.

If I do all that I am to do as a wife and mother, I have no time to waste on things that have no eternal value. As my favorite verse says:

2 Corinthians 5:9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.

One goal I have is to consistently apply that verse in my life. If my aim is to please Him at all times, am I pleasing Him when I waste my time on frivilous things? When I waste my time on the computer when I should be training my daughters, or managing my home I am not pleasing Him. I want to remember that this life is short, none of us know when He will call us home. In the time I have left to live my life, I want my life to glorify Him in all I say and do.

A Restaurant Meme

2007-06-25T11:03:00.000-04:00

Lisa from Blakey Blog tagged me for a fun food meme, here are the rules:

1. Link to name of person that tagged you.
2. Include state and country you live in.
3. List top 5 favorite local restaurants.
4. Tag 5 other people and let them know they’ve been tagged.

I live in South Carolina.

My favorite restaurants are:

1. Fatz Cafe - this is our favorite place to eat. Their prices are reasonable, the service is good, and it has a nice family atmosphere.

2. Longhorn Steakhouse - we've only been there one time, but they had the best steaks. Someone had given us a gift certificate from there, and it was out of our price range, so we haven't been back there since. They had good service too.

3. Ruby Tuesday's - They are reasonably priced, and have good food.

4. Ryan's Steakhouse - Our favorite thing about Ryan's is their yeast rolls.

5. Bojangles - This is a fast food restaurant whose speciality is chicken. Out of all the restaurants in our city, they have the best iced tea.

As far as who to tag, I'm not sure yet. I don't know anyone from my area who has a blog.

Hilarious Joke

2007-06-21T11:00:00.001-04:00

I'm not one to pass on jokes, much less post them on my blog. But this one is the exception. A good friend of mine online sent it to me, and last night I couldn't go to sleep for a long time because I was laughing so hard remembering it. I was laughing so hard, and so long that my oldest daughter yelled out to me to shhhhhh. I hope it makes you laugh too. I do hope nobody will be offended. I don't advocate drinking, I just thought this was too funny not to pass on.

A man and his wife were awakened at 3:00 am by a loud pounding on the door. The man gets up and goes to the door where a drunken stranger, standing in the pouring rain, is asking for a push.

"Not a chance," says the husband, "it is 3:00 in the morning!" He slams the door and returns to bed.
"Who was that?" asked his wife. "Just some drunk guy asking for a push," he answers. "Did you help him?" she asks. "No, I did not, it is 3:00 in the morning and it is pouring rain out there!"

"Well, you have a short memory," says his wife. "Can't you remember about three months ago when we broke down, and those two guys helped us? I think you should help him, and you should be ashamed of yourself!"

The man does as he is told, gets dressed, and goes out into the pounding rain. He calls out into the dark, "Hello, are you still there?" "Yes," comes back the answer. "Do you still need a push?" calls out the husband. "Yes, please!" comes the reply from the dark. "Where are you?" asks the husband.

"Over here on the swing," replied the drunk.

Wives and Submission

2007-06-19T06:29:00.000-04:00

I mentioned in May that I was putting my study of Pink's The Attributes of God on hold for the time being while I study biblical womanhood, and the roles between husbands and wives. The timing of the study has worked out well because Christa threw out a challenge to us here not to waste our summer. I committed myself here to becoming more faithful in my calling as a wife and mother.

This morning I was studying several passage but this one stood out to me:

Ephesians 5:21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Ephesians 5:22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.

Ephesians 5:24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,

Ephesians 5:26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,

Ephesians 5:27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.

Ephesians 5:28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

Ephesians 5:29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church,

Ephesians 5:30 because we are members of his body.

Ephesians 5:31 "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."

Ephesians 5:32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.

Ephesians 5:33 Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband. (NASB - the above verses were quoted from the ESV).

Out of this passage, there were three verses that popped out at me. The first one was this verse:

Ephesians 5:21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

This is a verse I hear quoted most often when discussing the issue of submission. Many fail to read further on where it explicity states wives are to submit to their own husbands as to the Lord.

Ephesians 5:22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

Ephesians 5:24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.

It goes on to state the reason why:

Ephesians 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.

The verses following verse 21 show us what each person's role is within the family. Just as in the workplace there cannot be two heads, there cannot be two heads in a household either. There must be a leader. And God has placed our husbands in that leadership position, while we as wives are to follow in submission. This is not always an easy thing to do, and I have certainly not gotten this down pat, but it is the BIBLICAL way. I find that when I trust the Lord, and rest in my husband's decisions, or when he tells me not to worry about something, I have so much more peace. I tend to worry about silly little things like if we are going to make it somewhere on time, or if we have enough time to do this or that. When I submit to his advice, there is such peace inside, and I can relax.

Another comment brought up is the issue of physical abuse. If there is PHYSICAL abuse occurring, GET OUT OF THE HOUSE, AND FIND A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE.

These roles have their root in creation: 1 Corinthians 11:3-16, Ephesians 5:21-33, and 1st Timothy 2:11-14.

The other statement that is always made is "I'll submit to him when he starts loving me as Christ loved the Church." Well, that isn't what this verse says, nor will you find that anywhere else in Scripture.

Ephesians 5:33 Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband.

We are to respect our husbands, and submit to them whether they are fulfilling their role or not. We are to individually fulfill our calling, our role as stated above, there are no loopholes, nor outs. Each one of us is to fulfill our roles regardless of what the other person does or does not do.

Lisa recommended a book to me called Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, and I second that recommendation. It can be read free online here.

Our calling is not an easy one, but I think it is an easier one than the role God gave our husbands. For those of us in a two parent household, we don't have the burden of having to lead our families, or of having to provide for them.

I pray that we will embrace this high calling as wives, and mothers.

God's Providence

2007-06-15T08:08:00.000-04:00

Last night was the first performance for the cast of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, and they did a great job. Even better than the performance was something that happened afterwards when we were out in the lobby that reinforced to me that God orchestrates everything in our lives.

This story begins nine years ago. I posted on my younger daughter's birthday about her premature birth here. That day my husband met a man in the NICU who had twin boys on May 19th, which is my birthday. One baby weighed one pound, the other a pound and a half. The baby who weighed one pound went home to be with the Lord on the day that Brooke was born. My husband spent alot of time talking with the father because they were always there in the hospital together. We haven't seen them in nine years, and every year on our birthdays, and really more often than that, we have thought about the baby and wondered how he and his family were doing.

After the performance last night we were walking down the aisle towards the lobby when an older man stopped us and told Brooke that she did a great job. As we were having refreshments, I noticed the same man standing nearby so I started talking to him. He told me his grandson was in the play and was playing the part of Augustus Gloop. He pointed to someone and said that he was the father. The father came over and as we were talking I thought his voice sounded familiar, and that he kind of looked like the father of the twins from nine years ago. Since I'm not shy about asking questions at times, I asked him if he had a nephew who was premature. He said no but his son was, and pointed to Augustus' brother. I said "aha! we know you!" It turns out that this was the baby born two days before Brooke, and the very little boy my husband and I were talking about the other night!!

I don't believe in odds, or chances, nor even coincidences, but what are the odds of that happening? When things like this happen, and it has happened to me twice before this, it so clearly shows me that GOD ALONE orchestrates EVERY single detail in our lives, right down to something like that.......having each person there in the right spot. It never ceases to amaze me when I see God's hand so clearly working in my life like that.

It reinforces to me that NOTHING happens by chance, or coincidence. God IS ruling this world and IS working ALL things out after the counsel of HIS will.

Ephesians 1:11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,

Isaiah 46:9 remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me,

Isaiah 46:10 declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,'

Isaiah 46:11 calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it.

Performance tonight of Willy Wonka

2007-06-14T14:01:00.000-04:00

Tonight will be the cast's first night with an audience for the play, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. This evening they are performing for a childrens' home so it is a benefit, and most of the proceeds will go towards the childrens' home. My husband and I will be helping downstairs with keeping the Oompa Loompa's quiet, and getting them on stage at the right time.

This is such a fun play, and all the cast members do a great job. They have the parents and the grandparents being played by ages ranging from 11 1/2 to around 17 or 18 years old. My favorite seen involves the parents and grandparents of Charlie. The grandparents are in bed asleep and snoring, and Charlie's father wakes them up by talking, and they all jump.

The play runs this weekend, June 15th - June 17th, and again next weekend, June 22nd - June 24th.

I'm hoping to take a picture of Brooke in her Oompa Loompa costume, but I'm not sure it will work. I have to use my cell phone to do it, and I'm not sure yet how to email the picture to myself.

If you would keep us in your prayers, I would appreciate it. Pray that Brooke won't get any headaches during this time especially.

One thing that I thought was cute was when Brooke, and another little girl asked where they needed to stand if anyone wanted their autographs.

Seize the Summer

2007-06-06T09:12:00.000-04:00

Christa has a great post on not wasting our summer. Because I can waste so much of my time on insignificant things, I've committed myself to being, or becoming, more faithful in my calling as a wife and mother. I came across this verse this morning, and it convicted me to do better in this area:

1 Timothy 3:11 "Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things."

Christa has also been doing reviews on Martha Peace's The Excellent Wife book every Wednesday. I encourage you to check it out. I had considered reading it again because it was so good, and I will sometime in the future, but I just ordered Helper by Design, by Elyse Fitzpatrick, so I plan on doing that study instead.

I've just finished my coffee, and now it's time to get back to work, and to the commitment I have made.

Elinor Dashwood

2007-06-05T16:45:00.001-04:00

Take the Quiz here!

I found this quiz over at Jen's blog, and admittedly, it's quite accurate.

Baptism story continued

2007-06-05T13:36:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I gave a little background as to why my husband and I were both baptised again. Today I'm going to share what it meant to me.

This baptism issue has been on my mind alot lately because it's been a topic of discussion for months now on a voice chat program that I go on. I am a credo baptist, which means I believe in believer's baptism only. It's not something that I would ever divide over, in fact, our pastor and his wife have a son who is a Presbyterian pastor. And their son preaches at our conferences. Being baptised on Sunday only added to my conviction that the Bible teaches believers baptism only. Before we were baptised, my pastor read several Scriptures.

As I stood there waiting for the others to get their robes on, I was filled with joy. I was filled with joy because I was following the Lord in obedience, making a public confession, and being raised up to new life. It was such a special time for me even though I probably embarrassed myself because, being the first one baptised, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. So, to keep myself from going under I held my nose from the beginning, lol. My embarrassement didn't lessen the joy I felt.

Baptised! A little background first

2007-06-04T10:40:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was a special day for our family because my husband and I were both baptised! We had both been baptised before but both as unbelievers. My husband was raised Roman Catholic, and was baptised as a child without faith, therefore his baptism was invalid and he wanted to be baptised again, but this time as a believer. I was not raised in a Christian home, though my dad was raised Methodist, and my mom was raised Roman Catholic.

To give you a little background as to why I wanted to be rebaptised, I was baptised for all of the wrong reasons, with the main one being that I was an unbeliever.

In 1984 I had "prayed the sinner's prayer" with a lady I worked with at the time whose husband was a pastor, and was born again, or so I thought. The truth is I made a false profession back then. There was little evidence of my being a believer. I lacked the new nature, I had no love for the Lord, nor a love for His Word. I did the same things as a professing believer that I did as a non believer.

In 1985, my first husband and I seperated, and divorced the next year. I was working for attorneys at the time, and one of them recommended a Baptist church to me. I was baptised there in 1986. The only reason I was baptised then was to join the church. I could not become a member unless I was baptised. I didn't even go to church for the right reasons. I went so I could be in the singles group, and have fun. I did have a lot of fun, but as a lost sinner, dead in my trespasses and sins.

I remarried in October of 1989, and we started going to a Methodist church, joined there, and remained there for about two years. During that time I was working for a bank, and a coworker of mine was going to an Assemblies of God. It seemed real lively to me when we visited, and she talked to me about all those dead churches out there that had no life. At that time, neither my husband nor I cared much about doctrine, and we still didn't know we were lost. We were there for ten years, and it was while at that church I started watching TBN, and between TBN and the Assemblies of God, I became charismatic in my theology, though I was still lost. I had a god of my own making, a god who was there to serve me, rather than I being on this earth to glorify Him, and to enjoy Him forever. During our time at the Assemblies of God, the church changed pastors, and it went from bad to worse. We left there and began going to a Calvary Chapel. We were there for five years, and circumstances led me to leave there a year before my husband did.

Three years ago, the Lord began working in my heart through my younger daughter's illness, and it wasn't long afterwards that I could do nothing else but surrender my life to the Lord. He showed me there was nothing good in me, and that I needed a Savior. Not only did I become born again while I was still at Calvary Chapel, but I came to the realization, through the study of Scripture, that I was a Calvinist. I no longer had a god of my own making, I was finally serving the true and Living God.

Looking back, it amazes me to see God's hand my life throughout the years, even those years when I didn't know Him. I could write page after page of how He has orchestrated things in my life and led me to Him. Instead of writing page after page about it, let me share this one thing.

I've posted before about the health scare we had with our youngest daughter here, and at the time both of our daughters were playing softball. One of the coaches asked if he could add her name to the prayer list at his church, we told him yes and she was added. Fast forward from March, 2003 to March 2005. I left the church we had been going to before my husband did. I visited a Reformed Baptist church in March, 2005 that an online friend had found for me. I began attending there, and the pastor traveled, and when he did, he had another pastor come to our church to preach. As soon as I saw this other pastor I knew immediately I had seen him somewhere but couldn't remember where. For about 8 months I wondered where I knew him from. When my husband began attending, and this pastor was there, my husband also recognized him. In fact, when this pastor saw my husband, his eyes lit up like he recognized him too. After a little while, as we began talking about it, it dawned on us that we knew him from softball.

In August, 2006 my husband and I joined the Reformed Baptist church we were attending, and because we didn't have a valid baptism, we chose to be baptised again. Because our church does not have a baptismal pool, we use the church of the pastor who preaches when our pastor is out of town. After we were baptised, and the service was over, we saw the guy from March, 2003 who had asked us if his church could pray for our daughter! So this church had been praying for our daughter for four years, and here He brought us to this church to be baptised in. I stand in awe at how the Lord orchestrates our lives, and how He has planned every little detail, and each and every thing in our lives. That is such a comforting thought!

This is such a long post, I will either post later this afternoon about the baptism itself, or will wait until tomorrow since this was longer than I intended it to be.

Happenings, thoughts

2007-05-29T13:25:00.000-04:00

Things are still pretty hectic, and the play my daughter is in will be shown on the weekends of June 15th, and June 24th.

As most of you know, she's one of the Oompa Loompa's in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. This play is going to be so good. With the Oompa Loompa's they have added some steps, and one of them is they jump out like a cat and meow. Brooke thinks that's pretty cool.

The boy who plays Augustus Gloop, the one who loves chocolate, doesn't even like chocolate at all, lol. He does a great job with his part, as does the boy who plays Willy Wonka. All of them who are involved in the play are doing a great job, and we're having a lot of fun.

One of the things she got for her birthday was a soccer ball. That was her favorite present, and she takes it to bed with her.

I also started walking about a week ago, so I'm trying to establish that routine. So far I've walked every day. There have been a couple of mornings that have been hard to get up, but I did it anyway. I forget whose blog it was I reading but she said that she loved to exercise. I hope I get to that point someday soon. I do like to walk, but right now, since I'm so out of shape, the hills get to me sometimes, though I did start out slow.

I've gotten to the point, regarding the homeschooling issue and what others think, that I don't really have to explain to others why we do what we do, and if others are not happy about it, so be it.

We have had a couple of finches to build nests on a post on our front porch every year since we moved here three years ago. My daughters and I have enjoyed watching them so much and one reason was because it amazed us how the male finch took care of the female, and the baby birds. Unfortunately, last year another bird, which we call the speckled bird, kept coming up to their nests and just standing there looking at the birds in the nest. A couple of times last year they had a fight. Our (as we call them) birds fought with them, and kept their territory. This year it was different, the speckled bird and her cohort, a male finch, fought *our* birds, and we are so disappointed that our birds lost. The speckled bird built her nest, had her babies, and last weekend the babies flew away. Sooo, I hurried up and took the nest away in hopes that our birds would come back. Today the speckled bird and male finch are back building another nest. It's pretty cool watching that bird though because she is so funny while building it. She had a poorly made nest the last time. The only thing I do enjoy about the speckled bird is that she chatters alot.

As silly as this might sound, I loved watching *our* finches because the male bird reminded me of how a husband and father takes care of his family. And I miss watching that, and miss our birds for that reason.

I do hope to get back to posting from either the Attributes of God, or another book soon.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BROOKE!

2007-05-21T17:35:00.001-04:00

Nine years ago today, two days after I turned 40, on May 21, 1998, God blessed us with a second daughter. I will always consider her a miracle because she was born five weeks early, and spent three weeks in the NICU. The day she was born my blood pressure was dangerously high. I knew that I was having unbearable headaches unlike any I had ever had before. I called my wonderful, and that is said with sarcasm, doctor at 3:00 AM, that morning because I could not stand the headaches. He told me there was nothing he could do for me at 3:00 in the morning, but to take a Benadryl and go to bed. I'm not a doctor, but all pregnant ladies know what bad advice that was. I didn't take it, but did try to go to bed.

The next day a nurse had come to our house to see how our older daughter was doing. This is something this nurse had never done before. I will never forget her, and how the Lord sent her to our house that day. My older daughter told her that I was on light bedrest, and having headaches, so she took my blood pressure, and it was so high that she made me call both my husband and the doctor before she left.

At 6:47 PM, God blessed us with a 4 lb., 9 oz. little girl. Initially she was fine, but after about an hour in the nursery, they had to send her to the NICU because she was having trouble breathing. (I'm almost making myself cry just remembering that). Her lungs were not developed, and she had acid reflux. She could only take 1 teaspoon of milk every three hours.

She came home on June 10, 1998. Because she was coming home with a heart monitor (because of her acid reflex, and sleep apnea), we had to spend the night of June 9th at the hospital. After we had gotten settled with her in the room, my husband went to Baskin-Robbins to bring us back some ice cream to celebrate Brooke coming home. This is something we used to do regularly when we lived in that area. We'd get those little small pints of ice cream and bring them home. He came back with TWO QUARTS of peanut butter chocolate. I thought it was intentional and didn't want to hurt his feelings, so I tried to eat the whole thing, and nearly made myself sick, lol. He did the same, and later told me that he accidentally got the quarts instead of what we usually got.

He was such a help to me, and would help me with her feedings during the night. One morning before he went to work he woke me up and asked me "do you want to feed Brooke?", and I asked "Brooke who?"

Brooke is a sweet little girl who loves the Bible, and like me, likes the old hymns. When I am sick with a headache, she comes into my room to sing the hymns to me.

Brooke, we are blessed to have you in our family, and we love you very much. We hope you are having a very happy birthday!

God is Faithful

2007-05-12T11:46:00.000-04:00

Though I have put my study of A. W. Pink's Attributes of God book on hold for a bit, I am praying through one attribute a week from something else that I have.

When our oldest daughter began kindergarten at home, I came across a book by Cheri Fuller called When Mothers Pray. I don't remember all that was in it so I cannot recommend it for that reason. I do remember reading about Moms In Touch International in that book. I was involved with them for several years.

To sum up what Moms in Touch is, it is two or more mothers who get together for one hour each week to pray for their children, their schools, faculty members, etc. They use what is called a Four Steps of Prayer format.

Praise - Praising God for WHO he is

Confession - Silent

Thanksgiving - Thanking God for that He has DONE

Intercession - Praying for each child, schools, faculty members, etc.

During this one hour, they pray, using Scripture, as well as praying for specific requests. They praying one accord, praying one topic at a time, and then going on to the next request. You receive a Members Sheet each week and from that sheet you pray. You pray using that sheet throughout the week.

I no longer have anyone to pray with me but decided almost two weeks ago that I would begin praying for that one hour per week due to what I perceive as a crisis. Now, this is not the only time I pray, but it is keeping me consistent. I made 52 copies of the Members Sheet, and have been praying more consistently than I have in a long time. So, every Monday night I pray for my family. It's been a huge blessing to me. I pray through one attribute a week.

Last Monday night I chose God is Faithful. The definition of that is: Constant, loyal, reliable, steadfast, unwavering, devoted, true, dependable.

Here are the Scriptures listed:

Deuteronomy 7:9
Psalm 119:90
Lamentations 3:21-24
2 Timothy 2:13
Psalm 33:4
Psalm 145:13
1 Corinthians 10:13
1 John 1:9
Psalm 89:8
Psalm 146:5-8
2 Timothy 1:12
Revelation 19:11

Between studying the attributes out of Pink's book, and the ones out of the Leader's Guide I have from Moms in Touch (MITI), my faith in the Lord has grown. The more I get to know Him, my trust in Him grows.

By the way, MITI is for public schools, private schools, home schools, and colleges. They don't pray IN the schools, but FOR the schools.

I became involved in them before I became reformed, and I now disagree with several of their book recommendations, and some of the things said in another book I'm almost through reading. Overall, I think it's a good ministry that encourages moms to pray, and my purpose for posting this was to share this method of prayer with you.

Pink's book on hold for now

2007-05-08T21:04:00.000-04:00

I'm going to have to take a break from my study on the attributes of God, out of A. W. Pink's Attributes of God. The reason is that I need to focus my studies on the reasons we home school, and also the roles of men and women, specifically that of a wife, and the Titus 2 woman. I have studied it in the past, but my ability to communicate it to others is lacking. It's become crucial that I know these things because of some questions my daughter has been asking me. This is not an option for us, as this is not God's will for our family.

It seems she might have been asked to explain why we home school, and why we do things in our family the way we do. In a way this is good because it is causing me to dig into the Scriptures to be able to communicate to others our reasons for the beliefs that we have. I did do that several years ago, but I never wrote them down, and I'm in a different place spiritually now.

The topics I need to reinforce in my own mind, and be able to intelligently communicate to others is our roles as men and women, specifically the roles of a husband and wife, and also why we home school.

If you have any good resources regarding these topics, I'd like to know them. I do have a few good resources.

A Fun Meme

2007-05-05T19:26:00.001-04:00

I was tagged by Lisa, at Deo Volente, and here are my answers. This is a neat way for us to get to know each other better.

Here's how it goes:
Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to write on their own blog about their seven things, as well as these rules. You need to choose 7 people to get tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them that they have been tagged and to read your blog!

1. My dad was in the Navy; I was born in Norfolk, VA, where we lived on the base until I was four. I've lived in Norfolk, VA; Bainbridge, MD, Weatherly, PA; San Diego, CA; Portsmouth, RI; East Meadow, NY; and the state I live in now. I changed schools three times in 6th grade. My favorite place to live was San Diego, and I still miss it.

2. My favorite thing to do when I was growing up was roller skating, and playing with dolls. I had a doll named Baby First Step, and she was my favorite.

3. I'm the youngest of three, my older brothers are six and seven years older than me. They were good brothers, who were protective of me while I was growing up. They teased me alot, and I was gullible, and believed anything they told me. I've since grown up, lol, and not quite so gullible I don't think.

4. When I was about 6, I was going up to the store to buy Sweetarts (which was my favorite candy). My dad was driving by on his way home, and asked me if I wanted a ride. I told him no because I thought he was someone dressed up, and disguised as my dad.

5. I was outside of the bank at the ATM machine of the bank I used to work for downtown, and there was a car stopped in the lane. I thought it was a lady I used to work with, so I kept waving and waving at her. She waved back, and motioned for me to come over there. Well, I did go over there, got in the car, and when I sat down, turned towards her, and discovered that I did not know her at all. She looked at me and asked "you're a friend of Jennifer's aren't you?" I had absolutely no idea who Jennifer was. I had to admit that I didn't know her after all, that she just looked like someone I knew. In defense of myself though, the car this lady was driving was the same kind the attorneys had that we worked for (when I worked for the attorneys).

6. I tend to be quiet and shy, but am breaking out of that a little bit more. I have never liked getting up in front of people to speak, and almost flunked 9th grade because of an English teacher who made us do oral book reports. I preferred getting an F rather than getting up in front of everyone.

7. I love to read, and am not much of a movie fan. We could get rid of the TV and I'd be happy. I used to read alot of fiction, but I now enjoy reading books about being a wife, and mother, theology, and counseling. I do read fiction at times, I like the Journey series, Pride and Prejudice. I also like poetry.

I'm not sure I can tag seven people because I only know a few people. But, THIS time I will muster up the courage and tag Centuri0n, whereas I was too shy before. So, I am tagging:

CenturiOn

Nicki, Catriona & Nita at Titus 2 (do they count as three?!!!?)

I think I will wait for a few days and tag a couple of more people.

God is Immutable

2007-05-02T12:44:00.000-04:00

This week I've been focusing on this attribute of God.......that He is Immutable. I have made this attribute one to use during my prayer time this week, and am using it to praise Him.

Immutable - Never changing or varying, unchangeable

Here are some of the Scriptures for this attribute:

Numbers 23:19 God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

1Samuel 15:29 And also the Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should have regret."

Psalm 33:11 The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.

Psalm 100:5 For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 102:25 Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.

Psalm 102:26 They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away,

Psalm 102:27 but you are the same, and your years have no end.

On Sunday, I went and made 52 copies of the Members Sheet from the Leader's Guide that I had from Moms in Touch. I plan to pray one hour each week for Lighthouse Academy, our home school. Here is the link to the Members Sheet if you are interested. When I went to the website to get the link, this poem was on the home page. The poem was such an encouragement to me because my teenage daughter and I seem to butt heads on a daily basis. And, it breaks my heart. So, I made concrete plans to pray for her, and the rest of our family, for that one hour each week, using the Member Sheet, and the Attributes of God, and Character of God pages that I have in my Leader's Guide. Even if no other mother joins me in prayer on those Monday evenings, I will continue praying alone.

Because of these constant battles, the fact that God is Immutable, has been a great comfort to me. I may change from day to day, my emotions may go up and down at times, but God is constant, and unchanging. There is no shadow of turning with Him, or in Him.

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. ESV

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. KJV

I can pray with confidence, knowing that when I pray in His will, that His will be done, He will answer my prayers.

1Jn 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.

1Jn 5:15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

May this post encourage your hearts today.

Short Book Meme

2007-04-30T13:36:00.000-04:00

Jen has tagged me for the Short Book Meme. This is pretty cool because I love to read, though I mostly read non fiction these days. I'm sorry it has taken me this long to do it.

Name three characters (from books)
1.) You wish were real so that you could meet them.

My answers:

a.) Elsie Dinsmore - from the Elsie Dinsmore series

b.) Marty Davis - from the Love Comes Softly series

c.) Dink - from the Journey series

d.) Ira Pointer - from the Journey series (shhh I snuck a fourth one in there)

2.) You would like to be.

a.) Melanie - from Gone with the Wind (she was always so sweet, and never thought unkindly about anyone)

b.) Elizabeth Bennett - from Pride and Prejudice (she always had a comeback for everything)

c.) Elsie Dinsmore - (she is another character who thought the best of everyone)

3.) Who scare you.

This one was a tough one for me because other than the above books, I'm more of a non fiction reader these days. I can't remember being afraid of a character in any books I have read. I'm sure there were some I was afraid of when I was growing up, I just can't remember them.

Since I can't come up with any character from books, I will list two from two TV programs I watched when I was younger.

a.) Herman Munster from the Munsters - I think he scared me because he was so big, and he looked scary.

b.) Lurch from The Addams Family - he was always so creepy to me.

Hmm, who to tag? I will tag Linda, Christa, and Connie.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HEATHER!

2007-04-27T10:05:00.000-04:00

Fourteen years ago today,
God blessed us with a daughter that day,
With pretty brown hair, and chubby cheeks,
She grew too quickly with the coming weeks.

She learned to walk at ten months old,
and loved it when the days were cold.
And then one day she prayed for snow,
The Lord answered as we well know.

Music is her life these days,
Hawk Nelson is her favorite group.
Someday she wants an electric guitar,
For that, she will have to pray hard, hard, hard.

As a newborn, she and I would get up during the night for her feedings, and we'd listen to Michael Card's, Sleep Sound in Jesus CD. I listened to it so much that I wore it out, and no longer have it. Listening to the clips, even today, still make me cry.

We have been blessed to be Heather's parents these past fourteen years. I don't know where the years have gone. When she was a baby, and as a toddler, people would tell me to enjoy it because she would be grown before I knew it. They were right. Although she isn't grown yet, these fourteen years have seemed only a day since they've gone by so fast.

Happy Birthday our sweet Heather, we love you, and are proud of you.

May the Lord bless your special day, and may it be a happy one.

ANNOUNCING - Pictures included

2007-04-26T20:34:00.000-04:00

My husband and I are the proud parents of a bouncing, 70 pound, almost 9 yr. old, Oompa Loompa.

Our little Oompa Loompa can be seen in the play, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, details to be posted later.

UPDATE on Recipe Name/Other things

2007-04-21T16:29:00.000-04:00

My daughter remembered the name of the crock pot recipe I posted the other day. It's called Cheesy Hash Browns.

I've been telling people recently that we are never busy, and that we are always home. It seems like ever since I said that, we have been on the go. We have been busier these past couple of weeks, than we have been in a long, long time.

Last weekend our youngest daughter auditioned for a role in the play, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Today they had what was labeled a Call Back for the Oompa Loompas', and the squirrels', so we had to take her there this afternoon. We'll find out Thursday evening whether she has got a part.

We have a conference starting tomorrow night at church. The conference will be on Revelation chapters two, and three. The conference lasts until Wednesday evening.

Our oldest daughter turns 14 years old on Friday. On Saturday we have a church barbecue that is held every year to collect money for mission trips to India. Next Sunday is the fifth Sunday of the month, so we will be having a meal after church on the church grounds.

So, if my posting is sporadic that will be the reason, and I am hoping you won't forget about me.

Crock Pot Recipe

2007-04-19T12:16:00.000-04:00

Rebecca has asked us to post a recipe today, so here is mine. The only problem with it is - I don't have a name for it. It takes 6 hours in the crockpot on low. It's good for Sunday's because we can come home to a nice hot meal.

Ingredients:

Hash Browns - the little square frozen ones - I buy two boxes and have a few left over

Cheddar Cheese Soup - I use about 4 to 5 cans

Smoked Sausage - cut up, and I use about 2 1/2

Using a crock pot, put the Hash Browns in first, then the Smoked Sausage, then a couple of the cans of Cheddar Cheese soup, and just keep layering it. Put the temperature on low, and then stir it about three hours later. Then, let it cook another three hours (6 hours total).

Sometimes I will cook frozen Broccoli and Three Cheese sauce to go with it. That is easy too. I don't remember who makes it, but it comes in a green bag.

Prayer and The Surpremecy of God

2007-04-19T10:42:00.000-04:00

For the past couple of days I've been thinking about prayer. I had alot to unlearn from my past experiences about prayer because I had gotten caught up in the Word of Faith false teachings. In a previous post here, I talked about the false teachings of the name it/claim it, or Word of Faith crowd. One of the things I said was this:

"Aside from the fact that the name it/claim it teaching is false, there are dangers in believing it as well. The danger comes into play when a person believes that God has promised certain things, such as healing, a restored marriage, children who never go astray, financial blessings, and the like. When the healing doesn't come, and a loved one dies, the marriage is still not restored, children rebel, and you are poor, it destroys that person's faith, and they blame themselves for whatever reason. Most of the time they believe they lacked the faith to believe God could do what they think He has promised."

The dangers of this teaching was evident yesterday in a chat room when an atheist asked about this verse:

Matthew 18:19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.

He said that he had had an aunt who had cancer, and that many Christians had prayed for her, yet she died anyway. One person in the chat room said, regarding this verse, that you have to have faith to believe. I'm not positive, but I think I had heard him say another time that he had been a Christian at one time, and that he was raised in a Christian home. He was very nice in what he said, and had many questions, yet it seemed to me like he was angry at God for not answering the prayers of those who prayed by healing his aunt.

This morning I finally began to understand something regarding this verse, and prayer itself. You would think I'd have known this already, but 13 or so years of believing falsehood doesn't go down without a fight.

I know that we pray because God commands us to, because there are too many verses to post, I won't post them here. I used to think that when we prayed for something, it changed the course of events. Since becoming Calvinistic in my theology, I found out quickly that what I believed was false, but I could never figure out the reason why we prayed, other than God commanded us too. I also could never understand how we were to pray with faith.

While reading A. W. Pink's Attributes of God, Chapter 4, on the Supremecy of God this morning, I began to understand. Here are the paragraphs that helped me understand:

When we pray, we CAN pray with faith, believing that He WILL answer, not that He will answer us in the way WE want Him too. We are to conform our will to His, He doesn't conform His will to ours. He is God, and we are not. When we pray in faith, believing that we will receive an answer, we can trust Him for whatever the outcome is.

And the verse the atheist quoted:

Matthew 18:19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.

WILL be answered, and they will receive whatever they ask IF they are praying for God's will to be done. His will is going to be done in whatever situation we are praying for.

And that my friends, gives me great hope and comfort.

The Foreknowledge of God - Part Two

2007-04-17T19:11:00.000-04:00

These past six days have been very busy days. Usually things are pretty slow around here, and we do the same things each day, none of which are time consuming. That is, until this last week.
Our son and daughter in law are expecting a baby in September, and they were here on Thursday night. They came with news of the sex of the baby, videos, and ultrasounds, which were all pretty exciting. We are going to have a granddaughter.

Saturday was hectic, and one of the last things we did was to take our younger daughter to audition for the play, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. She's 8 yrs. old, and this is the first time she has ever auditioned for anything like that. She had the lead role in a Christmas play in our old church almost two years ago, and after having others tell us we should check into it, we finally did. We find out Thursday evening if she got a part or not.

Our hectic days prevented me from posting anything, which I missed. It also prevented me from reading any of the blogs I usually read, and I have really missed that. I'm still too tired to concentrate a lot.

Continuing on with A. W. Pink's, The Attributes of God, from Chapter 4 I read this the other day:

"Scripture affirms that God, in His high sovereignty, singled out certain ones to be recipients of His distinguishing favors (Acts 13:48), and therefore He determined to bestow upon them the gift of faith. False theology makes God’s foreknowledge of our believing the cause of His election to salvation; whereas, God’s election is the cause, and our believing in Christ is the effect."

"Now the word "foreknowledge" as it is used in the New Testament is less ambiguous than in its simple form "to know." If every passage in which it occurs is carefully studied, it will be discovered that it is a moot point whether it ever has reference to the mere perception of events which are yet to take place. The fact is that "foreknowledge" is never used in Scripture in connection with events or actions; instead, it always has reference to persons. It is persons God is said to "foreknow," not the actions of those persons. In proof of this we shall now quote each passage where this expression is found."

He goes on to quote these verses:

Acts 2:23 "this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men."

Romans 8:29-30 "For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified."

Romans 11:12 "Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!"

1 Peter 1:2 "according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:

May grace and peace be multiplied to you."

"God foreknows what will be because He has decreed what shall be."

I fought foreknowledge, and unconditional election for many years. I was one of those who said I could never serve a God like that. But God knocked my theology right down the tubes, and I am so glad that He did. Because it's in times of tragedy, like what happened at Virginia Tech, and times of trials, that it's such a comfort to me.

I think that's about all of my thoughts for now. I'm still trying to recover from the busy week we had.

In Case I Don't respond until Monday

2007-04-14T07:58:00.000-04:00

We've got a busy day today, and I might not have a chance to get on the computer, and on Sundays I don't turn it on at all. So, if you leave a comment, I might not be able to respond until Monday. But, please do leave for me any suggestions you might have. I've gotten a few good ones already, for which I am thankful for.

Opinions Needed

2007-04-13T17:44:00.000-04:00

Before I go into what I need suggestions for, I have to say this - we found out yesterday the baby our son and daughter in law are expecting is a girl. We are so excited.

Now, on to the dilemma I need suggestions for. Here is a little background - we have a widow next door to us, and next to her is a Mormon couple. We've lived here a little over three years, the others moved in after that. What relevance that has to all of this I don't know, but I thought I would throw that in just in case.

I met the Mormon wife about a year and a half ago when she was sitting outside talking to the widow. As we were talking, before I knew she was a Mormon, she kept talking about the Lord. I've learned since then that not everyone who talks about the Lord, is talking about THE Lord, the one true God. It finally came out that she was a Mormon, and she invited the widow to her church. When the widow said she would visit one day, I had to speak up and say that this lady did not believe as we did, which threw the Mormon for a loop. Because I couldn't remember exactly what Mormons believe, I came home to get an apologetics notebook that I have, and took it back with me. We did talk a little bit more after that, until her husband came home and she left.

The Mormon couple pretty much keep to themselves, and so I never see her. This morning I was talking to the widow, and she told me this couple have a baby now. I'm not sure when she had the baby, but it's been several weeks I believe. I had suspected that they might have had a baby because of certain things I had noticed. The widow told me this lady has come to her house a few times, and one of those times she had asked for eggs. The widow is a diabetic, and doesn't feel well much of the time. The widow was wondering if perhaps this couple didn't have enough food, nor the money to buy it. She thinks this lady might be lonely because of things she has said. She wanted to come inside the widow's house, but she wasn't feeling well, so she didn't invite her in.

I home school, and so I am home all day. Ladies, or gentlemen if any read my blog, if this was someone in your neighborhood, what would you do?

I believe this is an answer to prayer, and now that He has placed a lost, needy person in my neighborhood, I'm at a loss as to how to go about this. I'm also not so sure that I am equipped for ministering to a Mormon. Another concern that I have is that if I befriend her, and witness to her, that she might come over on a daily basis.

So guys, I would welcome any suggestions you have for me.

The Foreknowledge of God - Part One

2007-04-11T23:50:00.000-04:00

By now, if you've been reading my posts for awhile, you already know I'm discussing A. W. Pink's book, The Attributes of God. You can read it free online here, which I highly recommend that you do. The below is from Chapter 3, which you can read here.

"There is only one safeguard against error, and that is to be established in the faith; and for that, there has to be prayerful and diligent study, and a receiving with meekness the engrafted Word of God. Only then are we fortified against the attacks of those who assail us."

How true that is. Without diligent, and prayerful study, we can be led into all kinds of doctrinal errors. Which led me to think more on what I posted about two days ago, and the Word of Faith type of false teaching.

Aside from the fact that the name it/claim it teaching is false, there are dangers in believing it as well. The danger comes into play when a person believes that God has promised certain things, such as healing, a restored marriage, children who never go astray, financial blessings, and the like. When the healing doesn't come, and a loved one dies, the marriage is still not restored, children rebel, and you are poor, it destroys that person's faith, and they blame themselves for whatever reason. Most of the time they believe they lacked the faith to believe God could do what they think He has promised. They don't understand that it's through trials that our faith grows the most. God has not promised that everything will be wonderful in our lives, or that we will never be sick, or anything like that. He does tell us in Psalm 46 that He is a very present help in times of trouble.

Psalm 46

Psalm 46:1 To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Psalm 46:2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,

Psalm 46:3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah.

Psalm 46:4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.

Psalm 46:5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.

Psalm 46:6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.

Psalm 46:7 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah.

Psalm 46:8 Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has brought desolations on the earth.

Psalm 46:9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire.

Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"

Psalm 46:11 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah.

Another thing He tells us is that ALL things work together for our good. There is a purpose in our trials, though we may not know what that purpose is, it's enough to know that He knows, and that He can be trusted.

Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

I just noticed that Lydia, at The Purple Cellar has a good devotional today about triumphing in trials. If you haven't read it yet, I encourage you to read it, it's very good.

Another blog I just came across tonight is Steve Camp's. If you are feeling discouraged, go read his blog. Both his music and his posts will encourage you, and lift your spirits.

The Knowledge of God - Part Three

2007-04-09T14:32:00.000-04:00

The other day, I posted here that God sees all we do, and that He knows every thought we have, and what a sobering thought it is.

As A. W. Pink says below, and here, it's a comforting thought as well.

"But to the believer, the fact of God’s omniscience is a truth fraught with much comfort. In times of perplexity he says with Job, "But He knoweth the way that I take." (23:10). It may be profoundly mysterious to me, quite incomprehensible to my friends, but "He knoweth!" In times of weariness and weakness believers assure themselves "He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust" (Psalm 103:14). In times of doubt and suspicion they appeal to this very attribute saying, "Search me, 0 God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:23,24). In time of sad failure, when our actions have belied our hearts, when our deeds have repudiated our devotion, and the searching question comes to us, "Lovest thou Me?;" we say, as Peter did, "Lord, Thou knowest all things; Thou knowest that I love Thee" (John 21:17)."

As I look back to where I am today, I cannot help but see God's hand in my life, especially in the last twelve years. Almost twelve years ago, I received some news that devastated me. News that is still hurtful to me at times. I thought I was equipped to handle it, but at the time we were in an Assemblies of God church, and I was watching TBN, and learning how to pray deliverance prayers, and all kinds of false things. I'm embarrassed writing that down, knowing that people are going to read it. But, I was not equipped at all, I was serving a god of my own making. I was serving a god who could heal my hurts, answer my prayers the way I wanted Him to, and then when He didn't, well then I wasn't praying enough, I didn't have enough faith, or some other lie.

Although we left that church, we then started going to a non denominational church. The theology was a bit better, but I was still not equipped to handle a certain thing. I also still had a wrong view of God. After five years there, the Lord orchestrated things in that church to the point where I could no longer stay. It wasn't until I left there that I realized I was dying spiritually inside.

It's been two years since I left there permanently, and almost two years since I've been going to the Reformed Baptist church I go to now. I had become a Calvinist right before I left the other church. As I began to be fed with good, sound, solid doctrine, I came to know the one true God, and not the God of my own making. The comfort and peace that it has brought me is indescribable. I still struggle at times with why the Lord has orchestrated things in my life the way He has. The difference now is that I know whatever I go through is for my good, and His glory, and that He has a purpose for it. Nothing happens outside of His decree, and the comfort that brings me, even in the midst of tears, is precious to me.

Romans 8:28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

Ephesians 1:11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,

Ephesians 1:12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.

Up From the Grave He Arose

2007-04-07T22:04:00.000-04:00

Even though my daughters and I went shopping for new dresses,and shoes today, the celebration of Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection is not about new clothes, new shoes, Easter bunnies, and candy. It's about the good news of Jesus Christ coming to earth to save sinners from the wrath of God.

1Corinthians 15:1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,

1Corinthians 15:2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you--unless you believed in vain.

1Corinthians 15:3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,

1Corinthians 15:4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

1Corinthians 15:5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

1Corinthians 15:6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.

1Corinthians 15:7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.

1Corinthians 15:8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

1Corinthians 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

1Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

1Corinthians 15:11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

As we celebrate the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, let me end with this hymn:

Up From the Grave He Arose

Low in the grave he lay—
Jesus, my Saviour,
Waiting the coming day—
Jesus, my Lord.

Up from the grave he arose
With a mighty triumph o'er his foes.
He arose a victor from the dark domain,
And he lives for ever with his saints to reign.
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Vainly they watch his bed—
Jesus, my Saviour;
Vainly they seal the dead—
Jesus, my Lord.

Death cannot keep his prey—
Jesus, my Saviour;
He tore the bars away—

Jesus, my Lord.

May you and your family have a blessed Resurrection day.

Thinking Blogger Award

2007-04-04T13:40:00.001-04:00

What a surprise it was to find that Jen, at JoyfulthruChrist, and Connie, at Practicing Theology, both tagged me for the Thinking Blogger Award. It was a nice surprise at that, and an encouragement to me. Thanks guys, you both made my day!

Many of the ladies who make me think have been tagged already, including the two who tagged me. But, I will take a stab at it, and though I know the Purple Cellar has been tagged already, I couldn't leave them out:

The Purple Cellar - Lydia and Jennifer's posts are both challenging, and convicting. My favorite post was on Hearts of Discretion, regarding modesty and other women's husbands.

Girl Talk - Carolyn Mahaney, and her daughters not only make me think, but they make me laugh too. You ought to check out their Friday Funnies. Friday Funnies is appropriately named because they always make me laugh.

Blakey Blog - Christa writes book reviews sometimes, and she is currently reviewing The Excellent Wife, by Martha Peace. She doesn't sugar coat anything, and tells it like it is in her review of this book. Though all of her posts are always good, her last one on quiet times is a must read.

Deo Volente - I couldn't leave Lisa out either. Lisa's writings have always challenged me to be accurate in what I say, and in what I write. She encourages me to glorify God in all that I do in living my life out before others.

Homeliving Helper - They challenge me to think about my role as a wife and mother, and to teach me how to improve in my homemaking skills.

Camponthis - Steve Camp's posts are thought provoking, and he challenges me to live out what I believe.

Paul Tripp Ministries - He's very transparent in what he writes, and he helps me think of ways I can apply the Scriptures to my daily life.

Pyromaniacs - While I like most of their posts, I've enjoyed the cessationist/continuist discussion the most. Because we were in an Assemblies of God church for over ten years, and out now for over seven years, those posts helped solidify my cessationist position.

Thanks again Jen, and Connie.

Connie, I finally added the link to your blog........I've been meaning to do that for awhile now, but kept forgetting how I got to it in the first place. I could never remember whose blog it was I got there by.

The Knowledge of God - Part Two

2007-04-04T11:00:00.000-04:00

Mourning Christian! why weepest thou? Art thou mourning over thine own corruptions? Look to thy perfect Lord, and remember, thou art complete in him; thou art in God's sight as perfect as if thou hadst never sinned; nay, more than that, the Lord our Righteousness hath put a divine garment upon thee, so that thou hast more than the righteousness of man--thou hast the righteousness of God. O thou who art mourning by reason of inbred sin and depravity, remember, none of thy sins can condemn thee. Thou hast learned to hate sin; but thou hast learned also to know that sin is not thine--it was laid upon Christ's head. Thy standing is not in thyself--it is in Christ; thine acceptance is not in thyself, but in thy Lord; thou art as much accepted of God today, with all thy sinfulness, as thou wilt be when thou standest before his throne, free from all corruption. O, I beseech thee, lay hold on this precious thought, perfection in Christ! For thou art "complete in him." With thy Saviour's garment on, thou art holy as the Holy One. "Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." Christian, let thy heart rejoice, for thou art "accepted in the beloved" --what hast thou to fear? Let thy face ever wear a smile; live near thy Master; live in the suburbs of the Celestial City; for soon, when thy time has come, thou shalt rise up where thy Jesus sits, and reign at his right hand; and all this because the divine Lord "was made to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."

What nearly takes my breath away is the fact that God loves His own with a steadfast, and an everlasting love, and that it isn't based on what we do, but on who He is.

Psa 103:17 But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children,

Isa 54:8 In overflowing anger for a moment I hid my face from you, but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you," says the LORD, your Redeemer.

Jer 31:3 the LORD appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.

A Name Change

2007-04-02T20:50:00.000-04:00

Jen, over at Joy thru Christ, has changed the link to her blog. I thought it was such a great idea so I did it too. Carla, at Reflections of the Times changed the link to her blog too. Hers is much easier to remember now.

When I created this blog, I didn't even know what I was going to call it, and had a very hard time even coming up with a URL. I'm still new to blogging so I don't even know if URL is the right word. Even though I like the name jeweltohim, the Lynn part of it was confusing to those who know me, since my middle name is Lynn, and they know me as Diane. I like the fact that my blog name, and the URL are now the same, which makes it easier to remember.

The new link is now:

www.aimtopleasehim.blogspot.com

Isn't that much easier to remember? The few archives that I have since January will still be at the old link. That's the only thing about changing names that I didn't like.