We need to spend time with God. If we don't bother praying or studying but once in a while we are not going to know Him or His plans for our lives. It's like you and a friend trying to toss popcorn back and forth. The farther you are away from each other the less you are going to make your mark. But as you step closer and closer to one another it becomes easier to accomplish the task. You get so close that you place the popcorn in the palm of the others hand.
As we spend time with God we learn His ways. Then we have to put them into practice. Throwing off the old ways. Renewing our minds to live like Christ.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! " ~2 Corinthians 5:17
"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." ~Philippians 4:8-9
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." ~Romans 12:2
Study God's word. Pray daily for wisdom to know what He has for you. Memorize His words, store them in your heart. These are the things you need to rely on daily. The truth of His word.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Women of the Bible: Eve
I was going to get up and go to work early today... but I had such a great time with the Lord yesterday, I decided not to let this time pass by without sharing it with you.
A friend and I decided to get to gather every now and again to have a Bible study. I shared this study I picked up a while back that I couldn't pass up,"Women of the Bible." It offers up 52 individual studies of the women of the Bible.... wow! Like I said I couldn't resist grabbing it. It could come in handy one day. So my friend agreed to do it with me. We of course began at the beginning with Eve.
The reading was Genesis 1-4. Yes, I have read this before... on more than one occasion, but this is classic God... He brings out new things for me every time! I saw thing that were speaking directly to me...
My Role as a Wife:
After the sin of eating the forbidden fruit occurred, God said, "Because you have done this,..." (Gen. 3:14) then handed out the consequences... He told Adam, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’
“Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, ..." (Gen. 3:17-19)
I know that this curse is already in effect, our men will toil and things will work against them... but I'm going to try to do my best to stay under the protection and authority of my husband as to not to cause any more grief. Yes, it is hard at times but we women can work at it, start anew each day. God set up a wonderful structure of authority to give us all freedom.!! He honestly did. Read Romans 13 & Ephesians 6!!
I know that I personally fail at this. Over and over! I don't think and then spout off my opinions and I sway him to follow my lead, when I should be following his. I'm bossy and feel that this is my home to run the way I want it. What happened to the man being the king of his castle? How can he be if I'm the one calling all the shots? Our job as wives is to RESPECT our husbands. His is to Love us... (Ephesians 5:33) but it's hard when we are bossy and pushy. As if he doesn't work hard enough to provide for us!
(Side note to this... it makes me think of The Taming of the Shrew! At the end she give a wonderful speech to her sister and another woman about the duties of a wife... you must see it. I wish I could get a recording for a pep talk to myself on a regular basis! This link is the best I could find. The text is under the pictures.)
My Anger Issues:
I spent too much time looking for "Taming of the Shrew" speech that I am now out of time! Ugh. But I will leave you on this. In Genesis 4, before Cain killed Able, God spoke with Cain. "Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” I need to take these words to heart. I am angry often! Typically for trying my best and not being appreciated or heard. But I do let my anger sway me to behave badly. I have to conquer the anger and not sin in it. Anger is not a sin... it's the behavior that I allow to take control of me.
Out of time. There was so much more... but I'll share later! Have a wonderful day!
A friend and I decided to get to gather every now and again to have a Bible study. I shared this study I picked up a while back that I couldn't pass up,"Women of the Bible." It offers up 52 individual studies of the women of the Bible.... wow! Like I said I couldn't resist grabbing it. It could come in handy one day. So my friend agreed to do it with me. We of course began at the beginning with Eve.
The reading was Genesis 1-4. Yes, I have read this before... on more than one occasion, but this is classic God... He brings out new things for me every time! I saw thing that were speaking directly to me...
My Role as a Wife:
After the sin of eating the forbidden fruit occurred, God said, "Because you have done this,..." (Gen. 3:14) then handed out the consequences... He told Adam, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’
“Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, ..." (Gen. 3:17-19)
I know that this curse is already in effect, our men will toil and things will work against them... but I'm going to try to do my best to stay under the protection and authority of my husband as to not to cause any more grief. Yes, it is hard at times but we women can work at it, start anew each day. God set up a wonderful structure of authority to give us all freedom.!! He honestly did. Read Romans 13 & Ephesians 6!!
I know that I personally fail at this. Over and over! I don't think and then spout off my opinions and I sway him to follow my lead, when I should be following his. I'm bossy and feel that this is my home to run the way I want it. What happened to the man being the king of his castle? How can he be if I'm the one calling all the shots? Our job as wives is to RESPECT our husbands. His is to Love us... (Ephesians 5:33) but it's hard when we are bossy and pushy. As if he doesn't work hard enough to provide for us!
(Side note to this... it makes me think of The Taming of the Shrew! At the end she give a wonderful speech to her sister and another woman about the duties of a wife... you must see it. I wish I could get a recording for a pep talk to myself on a regular basis! This link is the best I could find. The text is under the pictures.)
My Anger Issues:
I spent too much time looking for "Taming of the Shrew" speech that I am now out of time! Ugh. But I will leave you on this. In Genesis 4, before Cain killed Able, God spoke with Cain. "Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” I need to take these words to heart. I am angry often! Typically for trying my best and not being appreciated or heard. But I do let my anger sway me to behave badly. I have to conquer the anger and not sin in it. Anger is not a sin... it's the behavior that I allow to take control of me.
Out of time. There was so much more... but I'll share later! Have a wonderful day!
Friday, May 13, 2011
Measure
I have chosen to blog about what God is saying to me lately. So. Here is a little sample of scripture that is moving me this week. Two different translations.
"I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." ~John 17:22-23 (NIV)
"I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me." ~John 17:22-23 (NLT)
What a great verse to pray for, "perfect, complete unity" with fellow Christians. Why let those little things get in the way? Don't judge, forgive! Allow people to see God's love in your relationships. Right now I need this in my own life. Some days the people around me seem like the enemy and they are not! I see them as "not measuring up" to my standards. Which is totally wrong of me. I'm expecting things that are not mine to expect. We allow ourselves privilages that should not be. Who am I? Not the Judge... that's for sure... but boy do I act like it!
I am soaking in the word "measured" in my own life...
"For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?
" ~Matthew 7:2-3
Ugh... it is so easy to measure others. Lord, help me to get to a place where I don't feel I need to be the one to point out that speck!
"I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." ~John 17:22-23 (NIV)
"I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me." ~John 17:22-23 (NLT)
What a great verse to pray for, "perfect, complete unity" with fellow Christians. Why let those little things get in the way? Don't judge, forgive! Allow people to see God's love in your relationships. Right now I need this in my own life. Some days the people around me seem like the enemy and they are not! I see them as "not measuring up" to my standards. Which is totally wrong of me. I'm expecting things that are not mine to expect. We allow ourselves privilages that should not be. Who am I? Not the Judge... that's for sure... but boy do I act like it!
I am soaking in the word "measured" in my own life...
"For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?
" ~Matthew 7:2-3
Ugh... it is so easy to measure others. Lord, help me to get to a place where I don't feel I need to be the one to point out that speck!
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Word of God Speak...
I would like to point out a great verse that I have found lately.
"As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it."
~John 12:47
Hello! Believers! Did you see this?? If you are have accepted the sacrafice of Christ death on your behalf you are His. You hear His voice! Here are some verses about hearing His voice.
"I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” ~John 10:1-5
We, believers are the sheep. Jesus is our shepard. Jesus knows us all by name, He is our guide, leading us to the good pastures.
"I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live." ~John 5:25
So back to the original verse... "but does not keep them" ... let's face it. We want to keep Christ commands, but it is tough. We all fail. We are all sinners. None of us are finished. This verses shows us that we don't have to worry about whether we will loose our salvation or not...
Once we are His.... once we believe in Him... we are saved. And along with that "salvation deal" is not being Judged by the One who will judge all in the end. When we stand before God we will have been washed clean of our sins by the work of Jesus. He has already taken the punishment for your sins past, present and future. AMAZING!
So stop beating yourself up about what ever it is. God is not standing over you ready to hit you with a lightning rod! Have you accepted God's gift to you through Jesus? If yes, stop judging yourself. Confess it and be done with it. Learn from it but move on. Every day is a NEW DAY, every moment is a NEW MOMENT. Begin again!
I'm not telling you there will not be human conseqenses. You do have to deal with that, but you are allowed to hold your head high and move forward.
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." ~Romans 8:28
"As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it."
~John 12:47
Hello! Believers! Did you see this?? If you are have accepted the sacrafice of Christ death on your behalf you are His. You hear His voice! Here are some verses about hearing His voice.
"I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” ~John 10:1-5
We, believers are the sheep. Jesus is our shepard. Jesus knows us all by name, He is our guide, leading us to the good pastures.
"I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live." ~John 5:25
So back to the original verse... "but does not keep them" ... let's face it. We want to keep Christ commands, but it is tough. We all fail. We are all sinners. None of us are finished. This verses shows us that we don't have to worry about whether we will loose our salvation or not...
Once we are His.... once we believe in Him... we are saved. And along with that "salvation deal" is not being Judged by the One who will judge all in the end. When we stand before God we will have been washed clean of our sins by the work of Jesus. He has already taken the punishment for your sins past, present and future. AMAZING!
So stop beating yourself up about what ever it is. God is not standing over you ready to hit you with a lightning rod! Have you accepted God's gift to you through Jesus? If yes, stop judging yourself. Confess it and be done with it. Learn from it but move on. Every day is a NEW DAY, every moment is a NEW MOMENT. Begin again!
I'm not telling you there will not be human conseqenses. You do have to deal with that, but you are allowed to hold your head high and move forward.
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." ~Romans 8:28
Monday, May 24, 2010
HOPE
"I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe."
Ephesians 1:18-19a
Cupcakes
I'm on a cupcake craving. I'm going to try to make some yummy cupcakes this summer. It started with my love for CAKE! And there is a fun little shop in SF called Oh My Cupcakes. They close by 2:00pm. I never seem to make it before they close if I get there at all!
I've saved a few blogs on the topic. There are a few that share recipes... Elijah and I have picked out our first ones to try. I'm shooting for a Peanut Butter High Hat and she is going for a Strawberry High Hat. We are preparing them for a Dessert Auction to raise funds to support Cari Logan as she moves to Sierra Leone to work with The Raining Season. If they aren't good we won't be serving them.... so a sacraficial cupcake will need to be eaten prior to the auction! haha! YUM! We'll see!
I've saved a few blogs on the topic. There are a few that share recipes... Elijah and I have picked out our first ones to try. I'm shooting for a Peanut Butter High Hat and she is going for a Strawberry High Hat. We are preparing them for a Dessert Auction to raise funds to support Cari Logan as she moves to Sierra Leone to work with The Raining Season. If they aren't good we won't be serving them.... so a sacraficial cupcake will need to be eaten prior to the auction! haha! YUM! We'll see!
Who Me?
What do you mean, "Where have you been?"
I don't know what you are talking about! So I missed the last year. Left you hanging on with the Wild Wednesdays.... They were great!
The kids and I had a blast for the most part. We took day long trips to the wildlife reserve areas. At times the kids hated the bugs and the tall grasses. And there were even moments when I thought "I am TOTALLY unprepared if we meet a mountain lion!!" Still need to read up on that for this year. We lost the camera once at a beaver lodge. That was interesting, retracing your steps 3 times in tall grass and slew areas... It was a miracle it didn't disappear forever or end up in the water. It was close enough... But it was found. Woo Hoo.
There was a great day when we were walking and planned to picnic under the tree in the distance. The moans and groans from the kids was pathetic. "We'll get there, just keep walking." When we finally did the tree was infested with wasps! "OH OK... UM keep walking." We saw lots of great animals that day. There was a deer so close to us... We could only imagine what it was thinking seeing me with the kids both tucked up in my arms because they couldn't see over the grass. We were a 3 headed something alright!
I'm up for it again this year. Ebeni says "NO!" But I'm sure I'll win! Here are just a few highlight pics from last summer.
I don't know what you are talking about! So I missed the last year. Left you hanging on with the Wild Wednesdays.... They were great!
The kids and I had a blast for the most part. We took day long trips to the wildlife reserve areas. At times the kids hated the bugs and the tall grasses. And there were even moments when I thought "I am TOTALLY unprepared if we meet a mountain lion!!" Still need to read up on that for this year. We lost the camera once at a beaver lodge. That was interesting, retracing your steps 3 times in tall grass and slew areas... It was a miracle it didn't disappear forever or end up in the water. It was close enough... But it was found. Woo Hoo.
There was a great day when we were walking and planned to picnic under the tree in the distance. The moans and groans from the kids was pathetic. "We'll get there, just keep walking." When we finally did the tree was infested with wasps! "OH OK... UM keep walking." We saw lots of great animals that day. There was a deer so close to us... We could only imagine what it was thinking seeing me with the kids both tucked up in my arms because they couldn't see over the grass. We were a 3 headed something alright!
I'm up for it again this year. Ebeni says "NO!" But I'm sure I'll win! Here are just a few highlight pics from last summer.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Let the Summer Begin!
Well the kids got out of school on Thursday. And then there was the "gotta get my work done" on Friday.... Cleaned all weekend. I have yet to get ALL the snowmen out of the house. A thorough cleaning takes a while. We've already experienced the big black ants marching through the kitchen. So I started at the mud room door and have been systematically cleaning every inch of the house, and then spraying the perimeter of each room. All that work and I'm only done with 3 rooms. I have 3 1/2 rooms left on the main floor!
This being technically day one of my minds summer calendar I have designated Mondays as "Work" day. The kids must get their chores done before any of the fun to begin. Today their job is clean the living room and fold one basket of towels. Elijah has her own clothes to put away... a job left over from the weekend. Mondays will also be NO TV / COMPUTER day. In hopes of having no distractions from their work and having some quiet book time, homework for mom and just fresh air when play time does happen. Today the kids must get their work done by 2, because we have a birthday party this afternoon... Or they stay home. It won't be an empty threat, I have the tools to do it... and I will go without them! HAHA! Aw.. the power of putting your foot down.
Well wish me luck on DAY 1!!!
Friday, May 1, 2009
Have you ever?
This is going around and thought it would be a easy blog post.
You BOLD the ones you HAVE done.
You BOLD the ones you HAVE done.
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang/played a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David in person
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Made a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
Now if you do this let me know so I can visit yours, I have copied this from The Proverbs 31 Journey.
Monday, April 27, 2009
I'm A Bird Watcher
I just love birds! I have been watching birds since we lived on the farm. Being at home there were times you just looked out the window at the birds. So you start to notice them. And feed them... and identify them with books.
Here in town I have a few feeders and we play with the variety of food and placement of that food. We have found the Starlings, Grackles and Blue Jays love dog food. So we offer it once and a while with the corn. The squirrels like corn you know... and lollipops! HAHA!!!
Yesturday we discovered the lollipop liking... Declan had one that got left behind by the feeders. A squirrel found it and was enjoying it. Along came another squirrel and the first one with lolly in it's mouth began to chase the other all over the neighborhood. Elijah and I just laughed. Then it retreated to it's own tree to enjoy it's new snack.
We have had the typical variety of sparrows, yellow finches, red house finches, an occasional cardinal, mourning doves,... Well these last few days we've spotted a few new birds... the first is the Hairy Woodpecker, we saw a female.
And this fun little White - Breasted Nuthatch
Last week I found this bird by the water. I couldn't wait to come home to find out what kind it was. It was perched on a tree looking down to the water. When it saw a fish it would dive right in and catch one and fly to a new branch. It did this all down the waters edge then it would fly back to the beginning tree. And repeat. It was so great to watch. It sounded like a kids machine gun. I had the library book for SD birds and looked as soon as I was home. The identity is a Belted Kingfisher.
Today I just had to ahve my own copy of the book from the library and our bookstore had a copy... Yee haw!!! I've been making notes in it already. There is a nice check list in the back.
The kids are into bird watching too. Everytime something is going on someone is calling someone to come look at something! The kids were even sitting by the feeders today in camo... Elijah was even bold enough and was able to pet a bird, ask her about it... she will go on and on! Well, I'll keep you updated on any new discoveries if we have any. Hope you all have a wonderful day watching God's creation!
(ps. bird pics are from the internet, not my own.)
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