rolling along

Life keeps rolling along, doesn't it? I meant to get on here more than a couple times while we were gone but we were busy busy busy and I'm not so good with a laptop. We left June 15 and returned July 14th. How about that for a summer trip, huh?  We had a good time in New Mexico. Jamie was able to join us a couple of days and then our last night, we made smores. I couldn't believe it but my parents have both never had smores before. How is that possible? I mean ... first. you take the mallow.... right? So we have documentation that my children have toasted marshmellos and made them into smores right along with their grandparents for the first time. Even Grams had some. It was fun.

After New Mexico, Mom, Matthew and I went to my most favorite spot in all the world. St. Louis' very own Muny.  "The Muny" is an amazing out door theater. In fact, it is the world's largest still running out door theater, seating nearly 11, 000 seats. This used to be my most favorite summer thing to do with my mom and I still cherish the few times I get to go now.  We took Matthew to see his first live play... Aladdin! We all wore our Cardinals shirts and had a picnic dinner and then took in the Muny! It was awesome to watch Matthew watch it. 

After going to the Muny... the next day we headed out to the KC area and spent a precious few days with my Nic and her family. The kids love each other so much. Allie is a permanent Matthew shadow and Mark shadows Allie. It's quite hysterical. Jonathan and Matthew are the very best of best buds. We did a lot of nothing while we were there and it was wonderful. 

 

After driving the lengthy trip back to Georgia from Missouri, my sweet Matthew made one of the most important decisions of his life... he acted in obedience to our Lord and Savoir and was baptized as Christ was, believing in Him and showing the world that he, Matthew, is a Christian. Matthew will tell you that being baptized doesn't make you a Christian. It just lets everyone know you are one. He's so big. I can't get over it. Sometimes he seems so much smarter than I'll ever be. I'm beyond ecstatic--if there is a thing--that he's so very much in tune with Spiritual things. He loves the Lord and knows that he's supposed to follow and obey the Word. He knows 45 scripture verses by heart and can recite most of them without prompting. He is showing me daily kindness and gentleness with his brothers and such sweetness and helpfulness to me. I am so proud of him... July 15th, being baptized is one of the most important things he'll ever do in this life... this is eternal. My friend B's son was baptized this past Sunday and I am going to steal her words because they ring so true. She said of her son A that this is more important than anything or any other day... more important than his future wedding day or anything. This is eternal. This is Matthew committing to the Lord and agreeing to follow him. I'm so blessed to be a part of his journey with the Lord. I'm so proud of him to come at such a young age to Jesus feet and know Him.  

What was even more amazing about Matthew's baptism though, is that Jamie was the one who was able to baptize him. Matthew may not remember the words his daddy said that day, but we sure will. My heart felt as though it would leap out of my chest if I wouldn't have been holding it down as I watched Matthew take his daddy's hand and wade into the baptism pool. Jamie said that there couldn't be a more proud moment as a father... and with that he baptized Matthew in the name of the Father and Son and Holy Spirit. It was beautiful. 

We had so much family with us that day, it was extra wonderful...
though there were holes, we missed all of our sisters not being able to be there...
It still was fantastic to be surrounded with family. 

We went out to lunch to celebrate. 

After a month with them, it was very hard to say goodbye to my parents. 

I'm so glad for the time I spent in Missouri with them... 

and I'm so blessed that they were able to come

to Georgia to see Matthew's baptism. 

And, as if July 15th wasn't a big enough day 

for my newly turned 6-year old... 

he also lost his first tooth that night while brushing his teeth. 

It's hard to believe it but Summer is about over. 

We have two weeks left and then school starts back up. 

Wonder how much we can squeeze into the last few days of summer time.... 

Top Ten Predictions

This came by email... and I thought it worthy to be blogged...

Top Ten Predictions for 2011

1. The Bible will still have all the answers.

2. Prayer will still be the most powerful thing on Earth.

3. The Holy Spirit will still move.

4. God will still honor the praises of His people.

5. There will still be God-anointed preaching.

6. There will still be singing of praise to God.

7. God will still pour out blessings upon His people.

8. There will still be room at the Cross.

9. Jesus will still love you.

10. Jesus will still save the lost when they come to Him.

Things to be reminded of...

On Sunday, our former church pastor came to preach and I soaked up every word of his sermon. I thought I'd put the notes here so that others could also be reminded. I don't know where your walk in life is right now, but these things I think are applicable no matter what.

We need to be REMINDED:

1. God is SOVERN.

He is the creator, He is the only God, He is in control. We must remember to trust him at all times. And to only trust him.

Isaiah 45

³ I will give you the treasures of darkness
And hidden riches of secret places,
That you may know that I, the LORD,
Who call you by your name,
Am the God of Israel.

⁵ I am the LORD, and there is no other;
There is no God besides Me.
I will gird you, though you have not known Me,
⁶ That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting
That there is none besides Me.
I am the LORD, and there is no other;

¹⁸ For thus says the LORD,
Who created the heavens,
Who is God,
Who formed the earth and made it,
Who has established it,
Who did not create it in vain,
Who formed it to be inhabited:

“ I am the LORD, and there is no other.

2. God is AT WORK.

He is working in 1000 different ways all at the same time for His will and to bring you good if you love him and are faithful to him.

God never wastes pain. (big breath)

Romans 5

Faith Triumphs in Trouble

¹ Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have^[a] peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³ And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Butch said we don’t glory in our tribulations often at the time we are feeling attacked or at our lowly places. He said first there will be a time of whining and crying. But… when we do remember to PRAISE GOD through the rough places, He will be faithful to use those to our good.

He said again “GOD NEVER WASTES PAIN”. He said that oculd be physical pain, but also it very much can be emotional pain and internal strife. God wont waste that pain, he will use it. He will bring us up from our dark places. Because we HAVE HOPE because we HAVE CHRIST. He said “God does the best work during our trials and tribulations.”

Romans 8

²⁶ Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us^[b] with groanings which cannot be uttered. ²⁷ Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

3. The enemy is NOT FLESH AND BLOOD.

Eph 6

¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,^[c] against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Relationship have the ability to cause us pain. And the stronger the relationship, the greater the capacity for pain. Think about your marriage. Where else can God work better to strength and grow you in a relationship? Where else can God refine who you are as a part of a relationship than in your marriage? Your spouse should be like Heavenly sandpaper, God using them to help rough out the edges of your abilities in a relationship.

Eph 6

¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,^[c] against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

So be strong in your relationships. And be secure in your marriages.

The enemy is not people. The church has a enemy. And that is the Devil. And he has come to kill, steal and destroy. Don’t let him in. Stay strong and firm. And remember that people are not the enemy. … So we need to pray. You need to trust that he is what he says he is. And trust that the enemy is not physically among you.

4. Jesus expects us to PRAY for, PROMOTE, and PROTECT the unity and harmony of the church.

John 17

Jesus Prays for Himself

¹ Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, ² as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should^[a] give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. ³ And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. ⁴ I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. ⁵ And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

Jesus Prays for His Disciples

⁶ “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. ⁷ Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. ⁸ For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.
⁹ “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. ¹⁰ And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. ¹¹ Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me,^[b] that they may be one as We are. ¹² While I was with them in the world,^[c] I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept;^[d] and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. ¹³ But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. ¹⁴ I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. ¹⁵ I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. ¹⁶ They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. ¹⁷ Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. ¹⁸ As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. ¹⁹ And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.

Jesus Prays for All Believers

²⁰ “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will^[e] believe in Me through their word; ²¹ that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. ²² And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: ²³ I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
²⁴ “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. ²⁵ O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. ²⁶ And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

If your FOCUS is on the Lord, then we should have no trouble, as a church body, keeping on keeping on. It is our job to do our job. We should not be battling each other or with each other, we must keep the unity in God’s house, in God’s church and with God’s people.

“It’s not about you. It’s not about me, It’s not about preferences and traditions. It’s about the Lord. It’s about KING JESUS. It’s about doing the work of the Lord and living for Jesus and keeping our eyes on Him and our focus on Him and not on people. We have no time for sulking, pouting or crying, because GOD is seeking people who SEEK HIM.

So, get on your knees and pay attention, because He should HAVE your attention.”

5. PRAY without ceasing and DO the great commission.

1 Thessalonians 5

¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
¹⁹ Do not quench the Spirit. ²⁰ Do not despise prophecies. ²¹ Test all things; hold fast what is good. ²² Abstain from every form of evil.

Blessing and Admonition

²³ Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴ He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.
²⁵ Brethren, pray for us.
²⁶ Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss.
²⁷ I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy^[a] brethren.
²⁸ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

The last thing he said was… “Obedience is evidence of faith and faithfulness.”

Pastor's Thoughts on growth.

This is a direct copy from my Pastor's blog. It is too good to not share. If you'd like to read more on my Pastor's blog, click here! I am amazed by how much his postings are relevant to whatever I'm going through when I'm going through it. You wont be disappointed if you choose to follow it.

I’m sure you know Jesus’ parable about the seed representing how we grow spiritually. Some is picked away, some has shallow roots, and some is choked out by weeds. I’m concerned for the church of God in these days because I see people believing in Jesus but not staying close enough to Him to grow. So how do I put down good roots?

1. Be cultivated. God’s truth will never take root and produce fruit if I don’t let it in and let it do its work of breaking, convicting, and instructing.

2. Embrace the compost. You know what compost is, right? Animal waste, rotten garbage, and microorganisms. They all enrich the soil. The suffering in my life–whether self-inflicted by bad judgment or brought about through no fault of my own–is the compost accelerated spiritual growth.

3. Surrender. There’s deep, hidden work underground before a seed sprouts and grows. And if I don’t surrender the time to wait for God to do the deep, hidden work underground, I won’t surrender anything else.

4. Nourish. Plants need sun, water, and carbon dioxide. Believers need the Word, prayer, fellowship, service, and worship. Photosynthesis is the miracle of plants turning energy from sunlight into life. There’s a similar miracle through exposure to the nourishing elements of growth for believers.

5. Participate. Plants work together with other life forms for mutual benefit. God desires that I bring my uniqueness to the family of believers and participate. We have let too many mundane things take us from our commitment to God’s family, and our lack of participation is often at the bottom of stagnation and lack of growth.

I believe God wants me to bear fruit; I can’t do that unless I’m growing. Are you growing? Am I?

The Lord's day

Today in Sunday School there was some good conversation about "keeping the Sabbath" and the Lord's day... did you know that Sunday isn't actually the Sabbath? The Sabbath, in Jewish culture, is Friday at sundown to Saturday at sundown, making Saturday the Sabbath. Back in the time of Jesus (and I'm betting some small number still today) those who truly kept the Sabbath holy did no work of any kind from Friday pm to Saturday pm. And we were told today that THEN, after they'd rested Saturday then they went back to work on Sunday as the first day of the work week, then after their work was done, Sunday evening met for a time of worship and remembering of Christ's death on the cross and Resurrection from the grave. We are busy. We are a busy people with many places to go and much to do. We don't think there is time to "keep the Sabbath." But here's what the Bible says in Exodus 20: ⁸ “ Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. ⁹ Six days you shall labor and do all your work, ¹⁰ but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. ¹¹ For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

Can we even imagine that? On Saturday, to do no work. No laundry. No yard work. No house cleaning. No food preparing. ... In today's day and age, we can't even try to process this. It is a good thing that we live under God's grace. (Something else greatly talked about in the message from today's sermon) Without God's grace and mercy we'd all fall short.... And while we can't possibly do all that Ex 20: 8-11 says to do about the Sabbath. What we can do is make sure that we are honoring God. That if we have laundry to fold or the yard to be mowed, we're doing it with a clean heart and with a cheerful spirit. That we aren't grumbling or complaining. That we are living our daily tasks with God on our mind and not the world. As we go to the ball games and the concerts and the festivals and the backyard, that what we ARE doing, whatever it is, is pleasing to the Lord.

Personally I don't even like the idea of laundry or chores on Sunday. I don't think I really knew before today that the Sabbath wasn't Sunday but Saturday but even still and now knowing that... There is something about working or doing chores or even having a ball game on Sunday that has never sat right with me. I do it if it needs be done, but something about it has always made me feel funny. Sunday is the day we choose to go to church and worship as a family and take time to publicly honor God in his Sanctuary. Sunday needs to be a day to spend as a family--loving each other, praying together, helping one another... it should be a day of grumbling, arguing or being apart from each other. It should be a day we devote to God and all that we do, do it for His glory. ... I think if we can manage to attempt to do this on Sundays, then perhaps we can hold on to the attitude of Christ's a bit longer and stronger and our days throughout the rest of the week may not be so cumbersome. Not that there wont be trials. The Bible says we will face trials. I just think that if we can come together and start a fresh on the first day of the week, Sunday, as a family, strong with the body of Christ, then how mighty will our attitude be, ready to face the week ahead?!

...

Something else to say, we again sang the song during worship time Blessed be the Name of the Lord.... and there is something about that song that makes me just tear up. It says "You give and take away. You give and take away. My heart will choose to say, Lord blessed be your name."

In this past week, we've gone to a funeral and a wedding. We have seen such deep sorrow and also such great joy. We have been a part of a deep pain and a grief that is momentous to bear and we've also celebrated the happiness of a new marriage, a new life.

In all that happens in our lives, the good and the bad... Are we willing to say "Regardless Lord. Regardless of what you take or what you give... I CHOOSE to say, Lord Blessed be your Name. I choose to say that YOU are still God and you are my God and you are the God of the nations, you are the King of Kings, you are the Lord of Lords."

It is a choice.

You can choose to let something other than God rule your life...

or you can choose to say "Lord, BLESSED BE YOUR NAME!"

The Joy of the Lord is my Strength

Does anyone know this old hymn, we sang it at church yesterday?

The joy of the Lord is your strength. (I love how it goes “The joy of the Lo-o-o-o-rd is your strength.” It’s fun to sing)

The joy of the Lord is your strength.

The joy of the Lord is your strength.

The joy of the Lord is your strength.

He heals the broken hearted and they cry no more.

He heals the broken hearted and they cry no more.

He heals the broken hearted and they cry no more.

The joy of the Lord is your strength.

He gives me living water and I thirst no more.

He gives me living water and I thirst no more.

He gives me living water and I thirst no more.

The joy of the Lord is your strength.

The Pastor's text:

Nehemiah 8:10-12

¹⁰ Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

¹¹ The Levites calmed all the people, saying, "Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve."

¹² Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.

Remembering that God does not owe me one thing, I also have to remember that the JOY of the LORD is my STRENGTH. Continuing in Pastor’s series this week was joy. Last week was love… I have been thinking about what he said last week about love… You can't have joy if you don't first have God's love within you. You can't be truly happy and full of joy without Jesus. ... You can't have peace if you don't have joy and love. ... and so on. It builds on each other. And it has to start with love.

Well, this week was joy. The points of the message were (1.) that we have an enemy of joy… the devil of course. He’s ready to steal and kill your joy. The devil hates who we are in Christ Jesus. No one can take you out of your Father’s hands, but he (the devil) can TRY to steal your joy, which will result in the loss of your strength. We need to keep our focus on HIM during our trials…

We sang “Blessed be Your Name” I love the line “You give and take away, you give and take away, my heart will CHOOOOOOSE to say, Lord blessed be your Name” It is a choice! And we can choose to wallow in our sorrows, or we can choose to say that it is hard and it is sad but the Lord is still good and His mercy reigns forever! We can CHOOSE to say Lord BLESSED BE YOUR NAME…

Back to joy… (2.) the example of joy…. Remember that in Isaiah 55 it says God’s ways are higher than your ways. Also remember in Psalms that it says the joy comes in the morning. God wants us to find our joy—in Him! In Nehemiah chapter 8, the scribe Ezra stood at the wall of Jerusalem and read the scrolls of the first five BOOKS of the Bible from morning until midday… and when he did so, the people gathered around, stood and listened ATTENTIVELY. Could we say that today? Could we listen attentively, while someone read from the scriptures for HOURS???? We get itchy after an hour long church service where we’re sitting most of the time…. You know what they did after he was done reading all that time? They were convicted and they wept be/c God was talking to them. And they were told NOT to weep or mourn, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. Remember that GOD Is your strength and the only way to get to know MORE of HIM, is to be MORE in the WORD.

(3.) The entirety of Joy… remember that Satan is ready for you to lose your focus. He wants to pull at you until you are focusing on the bad, dwelling on the bad… But Phil 4:8 says Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. We’re supposed to be thinking on the Good things. Not the bad. We tend to dwell on the bad things but we’re called to “Seek first the kingdom of Heaven” and there is nothing BAD about that! Pastor asked “why is it that we let absolutely awful thoughts into our minds and hearts that have no focus on God and His goodness???” (I don’t know!,but I’m so guilty of this!) He also said that he doesn’t know how much we can control what pops into our minds, but we can control where the spotlight shines. … Pastor also gave us some strategies…

1. Memorize Scripture. This isn’t for little kids only. It’s our job to keep God’s word hidden in our hearts (Ps 119:11). It’s when we can pull out our scripture in dark times that can keep us focused on God and the good

2.Personalize Bible Passages. (I’d never heard this before… but it’s pretty neat)

Ex) God gave His only son so that Kate Hobbs will not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

Ex) The LORD is near to Kate Hobbs who has a broken heart (Ps. 34:10)

Ex) Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid, for the LORD they God will not fail Kate, nor forsake Kate. (Deut 31:6)

3.Affirm God’s Goodness! God is GOOD and He does all things for good! Tell Him so! Tell yourself so! The joy of the Lord is your strength

During the alter call, I found my heart pounding as Pastor was praying. Where has my own joy gone? I'm letting it wallow away. I felt a tugging in my heart yesterday as though Jesus was tugging at me, saying come back to me. Find your joy, Kate... it's in me.

Thank you Jesus for being my joy. The strength of my joy!

You don't owe me one thing

We're learning a new song at church for our Easter program coming up and I'm in love with one of the songs... The words are simple, the tune is catchy, but the meaning grows and grows and grows in my heart each time it's sung.

"You do not owe me one thing.
Father, you do not owe me one thing.
Father, you have already given everything.
Father, you do not owe me one thing."

Simple enough right?

But oh so powerful.

"You do not owe me one thing.
Father, you do not owe me one thing.
Father, you have already given everything.
Father, you do not owe me one thing."

Say it out loud...

"You do not owe me one thing.
Father, you do not owe me one thing.
Father, you have already given everything.
Father, you do not owe me one thing."

... how true is that?

The song is sort of broken sounded... like this...

"You ...do ...not ...owe... me ...one ...thing.
Father, you ...do not ...owe ...me ...one ...thing.
Father, you ...have al...ready giv...en ev...ery...thing.
Father, you ...do... not ...owe ...me... one ...thing."

Mmm... I'm going to pound this song in my brain and when I want to know "WHY!!!!!!!?!?!!?", I'm going to remember that my FATHER in HEAVEN already GAVE me EVERYTHING. And He doesn't owe me one thing more. GOD has already given me the ultimate gift. He gave up His only Son for me. He gave up His only Son for you. HIS ONLY SON.... HE GAVE HIM. He sent Him down from Glory to a tiny manger, had Him live in a man's body and die a horrible death on the cross so that WE would be FREE. I'm bound by sin no longer, because I have Jesus Christ in my heart!! Satan is not my master, because I have Jesus Christ in my life!!!!!! Sin will not weigh me down and keep me on the floor because the LORD JESUS REIGNS FOREVER!!!!! ... so when I want to shout into the Heavens, "WHY!!?".... I have to remember and sing this song... And though it's hard. And though the tears will fall... I am GRATEFUL for my Lord and Savior. I'm grateful to be a daughter of the Most High King. I'm grateful that I know I'll see my babies again in Heaven some day and that they are already serving their King. ...

In church this past Sunday, we sang these words "When we all get to Heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be. When we all see Jesus, we'll sing and shout the victory." I'm sure you know that hymn... And man, that is the truth for me. When I get to Heaven it will be a day of rejoicing. I'm going to praise my Savior for forever and I'll see the children I never got a chance to hold.

And until that day... I'm going to keep singing this song in my heart, whenever I'm low....

"You do not owe me one thing.
Father, you do not owe me one thing.
Father, you have already given everything.
Father, you do not owe me one thing.

You do not owe me one thing.
Father, you do not owe me one thing.
Father, you have already given everything.
Father, you do not owe me one thing.

You do not owe me one thing.
Father, you do not owe me one thing.
Father, you have already given everything.
Father, you do not owe me one thing."

8 M's to make your marriage magnificent

My friend and pastor's wife, Karen came to speak at my Mom's Club meeting this morning. I was so excited to have her speak to the club. There were about 8 moms in attendance, 6 that got to hear her. I thought I'd recap what she said on my blog, so the world could see. It was a great talk.

1. Make commitment. He is the right one. Even if you've had doubts in the past about making the right choice or doubts about where your relationship is going, where it should be, what if, ... stop. Make the commitment today that he is the right one for you.

2. Manage your time to give your husband top spot. She said "Having little kids is a high stress time in your lives" and she's so right... we often go go go go go for our kids, but when do we stop and GO for our husbands!? She said these four things to help show him priority in your life: 1. nap when the kids nap or at least close your eyes for twenty minutes a day and give your body time to rest, time to prepare yourself mentally for his arrival later. 2. make a menu to help plan the dinners for the family and also your shopping. 3. ask about his day when he comes home and then STAND STILL AND LISTEN to him. 4. don't dress comfortably every day. dress to impress him. He deserves it.

3. Manners are a must. Please, thank you, I appreciate you, I need you, I'm grateful for you, I am glad when you...

4. Munch together. Eat as often as you can as a family. Also, eat alone once a month out of the house, without the kids. Show him you desire time with him alone. You take the initiative and set up the sitter.

5. "Mother"-not. He doesn't need your mothering him. No nagging.

6. Magnify his strengths. Thank him. Tell him what you admire about him. Little things really are important.

7. Mostly Respect. "A man will gladly serve in response to being honored". be careful not to take him for granted. She recommends reading the book titled LOVE AND RESPECT. She said this book changed her life. Changed how she saw her husband and how she treated him. The book so explains how our husbands, as men, need to be respected above any other emotion.

8. Make your marriage holy. Make time to pray together and focus on God. Build your relationship on Christ if you haven't already.

Nothing Compares

This weekend our church put on our annual Christmas Concert. This year we did a marvelous Travis Cottrell book, King of Glory King of Love. Go here to check out more of his website.

The point of this blog post though is to take just a moment and share with you something from my heart. I know there are those reading that I've never met. You don't know me from Adam... here's a window into my life. Click on this video and watch our Choir sing this song called Nothing Compares. I have a solo part way into the song. I'd love to share that with you. I'd love share with you this song.... there's a line that says "I could count all the ways that my heart has been blessed, but nothing compares, to this."

Do you have that joy? I do hope so. May God bless you.

Enjoy this song.

... and ignore the larger than life shepherd standing next to me. To my right on the stage was manger scene. hehe!

Matthew 5:25-34

Today's focus verse...

Matthew 5: 25-34
²⁵ “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
²⁶ Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

²⁷ Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
²⁸ “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; ²⁹ and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
³⁰ Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
³¹ “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
³² For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
³³ But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Seeing

This was sent to me in an email this morning....



Who Will See God?

Today (10/26/09) at 9:29am

Today’s Verse: “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart…” (Psalm 24:3-4, NKJV).

Today’s Word:

Do you want to see more of God in your life? As believers in Jesus, the Bible says that He makes His home in us, but we have to do our part to develop our relationship with Him. We have to choose to submit our hearts to Him and allow Him to purify us on the inside. We have to constantly guard ourselves and not allow things to come in and contaminate us.

How do you guard your heart? By being selective about what you see and watch on TV. If you don’t want to become like the people you see on TV, don’t watch them! If you don’t want to end up like the people singing those songs on the radio, you shouldn’t listen to them. If you don’t want to end up like the people in the magazines, you shouldn’t read them. What you give your attention to will shape your heart and character. Give your attention to the Word of God. Give your attention to worship. Open your heart to the Father and ask Him to purify you by His Holy Spirit. As you do, you will rise higher and higher into the abundant life He has for you!

Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, I want to see You. Open the eyes of my heart. Purify me and cleanse my heart. Help me make the right choices so that I can honor You today and always. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

John 8:31-36

My best friend Nic has been sharing her thoughts in "blog world" with her scripture learning, studying... I use my blog to update on most every level of my life, except this often is the part I keep to myself. Well after sharing last week's women's devotional, I thought I will probably use this more and more to share the things in the WORD that God is speaking to about me...

So, our new pastor has started preaching two separate messages on Sunday mornings. A "series" in the second service. But the first service seems to be just whatever God has laid on his heart...

I can say that I'm so moved lately. I know God is working. I know HE is alive and HE is powerful. Here is just a recap from Sunday, I took a full page of notes at each service. Here are the notes from the first service, about being Free.

John 8:31-36 (New King James Version)

The Truth Shall Make You Free

³¹ Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. ³² And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
³³ They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”
³⁴ Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. ³⁵ And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. ³⁶ Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.


*most of this is paraphrased or direct quote from Pastor Joe Davis*
click here to go to our church website to learn more about Summit and Pastor Joe's messages

"Authentic Freedom"
Freedom is a great Christian word.
1. What are we free from? ... because Christ CAN liberate us, from the forces that enslave us.
-- From Guilt. . Ps 130 There is forgiveness with God
--Freedom from yourself, from sin. -- Sin is really, at it's root, at it's essence is just self-centeredness. think about the words that start with S E L F - .... over 50! Self-image, self-worth, self-help, self-esteem, self-, self-, self-, self... We are so obsessed with ourselves!
--Freedom from Fears-- fear is like a like a fungus, it grows in the dark. So by all means, why don't we drag it all out into the LIGHT OF JESUS CHRIST! Let Him deal with it!

~We are free from Guilt, as Guilt is taken away by the DEATH of Christ.
~We are free from sin, as Sin is take care of by His SALVATION
~We are free from fear, as Fear is taken care of by his EXHORTATION

2. What are we free for?
True, authentic freedom is simply to be what God created us to be-- ourselves. God created us in His image. He wants us to be like Him. 1st John 4:8 says 'God is love'. Therefore, we are not ourseves if we are not love... loving, giving, dying to our self to start living in Christ's love. Jesus says to come and be free in Him, "For if the Son has set you free, then you are free indeed"