My husband decided that we should open a bookstore and coffee shop this past May, which is my explanation as to why there are no blog entries since April. I have decided though that there is surely a free moment today to share some of the funny and truth revealing comments I overheard this morning from the dining room table, as I was eves dropping from the kitchen sink.
"Would you rather have a perfect sister or a perfect mother?", inquired my youngest daughter of my middle daughter.
"Does that mean I would have to have a different mother?", questions the middle daughter.
" Yes, it means you have to change moms.", responds the youngest.
"Well, I don't want a different mom...
Such truth...I didn't know whether to be offended or tickled. I decided to be tickled since there is no hope for my perfection this side of heaven!
Monday, November 3, 2008
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Shelter
Our praise band has the great privilege to lead worship and preach at a women's shelter once a month. It is always such a delight to see how God uses that time to reveal himself to both the members of our band and to the ladies living at the shelter. Tonight was no exception.
I have been very sick for 2 days. The Texas allergens have really taken their toll on me and I spent half of the day in bed. I considered staying home tonight but knew that the Lord always has something special in store for these evenings at the shelter and who wants to miss out on seeing God's hand at work, right?
It is so wonderful to see these women worship. They never seemed concerned about who else might be looking on. They ex hue complete gratefulness before the Lord. There is always a great feeling of humility, which I think must please the Lord. I am attracted to their humility. Most of these women have completely hit bottom. Many have come from terribly abusive situations, some are seeking freedom from a lifetime of addictions, there are many who have lost their children as a result. These women know that they were lost and now they are just so grateful to be found.
Each time we have gone to minister there I always have had the opportunity to pray with a woman. Tonight a woman approached me and asked if I would pray for her. She shared that 2 weeks ago she left her husband , who is a drug dealer. She has been off crack for 2 weeks. She hadn't seen her 11 year old son in 3 years and her 2 month old daughter was taken from her at the hospital because she was born addicted to crack.
This is not the first time I have heard stories like this. Since leaving our church almost a year ago, and joining a church plant, we have heard too many stories just like this one. It is heart breaking and causes me to wonder how it is that God saw fit to intervene in my life so early...I could have been just like her. I know that there was nothing in me that sought God. My heart was as evil as anyone else...but God saved me just in time, before I would have to suffer a lifetime of consequences for my rebellion. By this realization I am humbled, and grateful that He saved me when it was still early.
I could have been just like her.
I have been very sick for 2 days. The Texas allergens have really taken their toll on me and I spent half of the day in bed. I considered staying home tonight but knew that the Lord always has something special in store for these evenings at the shelter and who wants to miss out on seeing God's hand at work, right?
It is so wonderful to see these women worship. They never seemed concerned about who else might be looking on. They ex hue complete gratefulness before the Lord. There is always a great feeling of humility, which I think must please the Lord. I am attracted to their humility. Most of these women have completely hit bottom. Many have come from terribly abusive situations, some are seeking freedom from a lifetime of addictions, there are many who have lost their children as a result. These women know that they were lost and now they are just so grateful to be found.
Each time we have gone to minister there I always have had the opportunity to pray with a woman. Tonight a woman approached me and asked if I would pray for her. She shared that 2 weeks ago she left her husband , who is a drug dealer. She has been off crack for 2 weeks. She hadn't seen her 11 year old son in 3 years and her 2 month old daughter was taken from her at the hospital because she was born addicted to crack.
This is not the first time I have heard stories like this. Since leaving our church almost a year ago, and joining a church plant, we have heard too many stories just like this one. It is heart breaking and causes me to wonder how it is that God saw fit to intervene in my life so early...I could have been just like her. I know that there was nothing in me that sought God. My heart was as evil as anyone else...but God saved me just in time, before I would have to suffer a lifetime of consequences for my rebellion. By this realization I am humbled, and grateful that He saved me when it was still early.
I could have been just like her.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Raising Weirdos
Okay, somebody pinch me. I must be dreaming or someone may have replaced my daughter with one of those Stepford kids or something.
It is well after midnight and my seven year old comes down stairs and says, "Mom, I don't know why but I just want to do math." Of course I sent her back to bed.
What is that about?
It is well after midnight and my seven year old comes down stairs and says, "Mom, I don't know why but I just want to do math." Of course I sent her back to bed.
What is that about?
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
CHAOS otherwise known as "Can't Have anyone over Syndrome"
My mom has been trying to get me to go to this http://flylady.net/ for some time now. I've been resistant to it because it is like hearing my mom telling me to go clean my room all over again....yuck! Anyhow, I visited the site today ( at mom's request) and it is so great. I think this could really change the way I clean...or get me to clean! hehehe. I encourage any of my mom friends to take a look. I think that I could actually use this to motivate my kids to help me keep on top of the house. I think this could be revolutionary in my life. Go fly lady!
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Strawberry Picking
When I was a little girl growing up in California, my mom would take us cherry picking every summer. Well...it probably wasn't every summer. It was probably only 3 times...but I like to remember it like it was ever summer...such sweet memories. So years ago when I learned that you could grow blueberries in Texas, I looked for somewhere to take my kids blueberry picking. We have been to several blueberry farms but my favorite by far is in La Rue, TX...BIGGEST, JUICIEST BLUEBERRIES YA EVER SAW!
This year I decided to expand our fruit picking experience to include strawberries. A friend told me of a place just an hour from my house where we can go out and pick our own strawberries. The farm is in Fairfield, The Berry Patch. The drive down the old farm roads was beautiful. The weather was perfect and the berries were huge! After picking blueberries for years, it seemed so strange to drive that far and have our berries picked so quickly. Those huge things fill up a basket in no time flat! I think that we ended up with 17 lbs. We ate strawberry shortcake last night and then I finished freezing the rest tonight, for smoothies, pies and such.
Later this summer we want to go peach picking...I'm scouting out a couple places. I can already taste the homemade peach ice cream. Yum, yum...
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Sheltered
Third Graders Plot to Kill Teacher: Center Elementary Students Busted
By Jo Anne WayApr 3, 2008
A group of third-graders at Center Elementary School in south Georgia in Atlanta hatched an elaborate plot to kill their teacher, but the plan was found out and foiled last Friday when another student reported that a child had brought a weapon to school. In a shocking development these young Elementary School students aged 8-10 were linked to a planned attack on their Waycross, Georgia, teacher.
Center Elementary Students Busted (Image: Waycross Police Department)Her crime, she had allegedly scolded one of them for standing on a chair. The plan was very specific. They would knock the teacher unconscious with a paperweight, bind her with toy handcuffs and duct tape, and then stab her with a steak knife, police said. (See photo) Each student would have a specific role in the plot.
***One child's job was to cover the windows so know one outside could witness the attack and another would clean up after the attack. In another stunning development that has many observers baffled, children in Georgia can't be charged with a crime unless they are at least 13, but a juvenile court judge can declare those younger delinquent, state law says. Still police have said that the three students who brought the paperweight, the cuffs and the tape have been arrested. District Attorney Rick Currie told the Times-Union newspaper that Georgia has no detention facilities, however, for anyone as young as the third-graders.
***The paper notes that the children could be housed in a detention center with older youths unless a more appropriate facility was found and approved by the juvenile court, citing Currie as the source. The report also notes that it's possible they could be remanded to the custody of their parents, if the court deems them capable of maintaining control over the youngsters, he said.
I have many times in the past be criticized for choosing to educate my children at home. One of the most common of these criticisms is that I will shelter my children from the "real world" and that they won't know how to deal with it when they get old enough to have to go live and work in it.
I don't really shelter my children...I just keep them close enough so that we can plan together the best way to engage this sick culture. They are not unaware of the evils of this world. I just prefer to be at their sides when they have so see how sad and sick the world truly is. May God help us all!
My heart and prayers go out to these children and their families. What on earth could cause someone who is my daughters age (9) even to think along these lines? This so disturbing to me.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Beautiful Morning!
"Ooooh, what a beautiful mornig, oh what a beautiful day. I've got a wonderful feeling everything's going my way."
I was just walking Buddy out to the car this morning and broke out in this song from the musical, Oklahoma. My dad used to sing it to wake us up in the mornings. Isn't spring beautiful?
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
April Fools...Don't Be One!
The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, and their ways are vile; there is no one who does good. Psalms 53 
Psalm 74:22 Rise up, O God, and defend your cause; remember how fools mock you all day long.
Psalm 107:17 Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities.
Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Proverbs 1:32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them;
Proverbs 10:1 A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son grief to his mother.
Proverbs 10:8 The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin.
Proverbs 10:10 He who winks maliciously causes grief, and a chattering fool comes to ruin.
Proverbs 10:14 Wise men store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.
Proverbs 10:18 He who conceals his hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool.
Proverbs 10:23 A fool finds pleasure in evil conduct, but a man of understanding delights in wisdom.
Proverbs 11:29 He who brings trouble on his family will inherit only wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise.
Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.
Proverbs 12:16 A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.
Proverbs 12:23A prudent man keeps his knowledge to himself, but the heart of fools blurts out folly.
Proverbs 13:19 A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but fools detest turning from evil.
Proverbs 13:20 He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.
Proverbs 14:1 The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.
Proverbs 14:9 Fools mock at making amends for sin, but goodwill is found among the upright.
Proverbs 29:11 A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control
.Ecclesiastes 4:5 The fool folds his hands and ruins himself.
Ecclesiastes 5:4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow.
Matthew 7:26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like the foolish man who built his house on the sand.
Ephesians 5:17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.
1 Timothy 6:9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.
2 Timothy 2:23 Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.
Titus 3:3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.
Titus 3:9 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.
James 2:20 You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless ?
1 Peter 2:15 For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.
1 Corinthians 1:18-25
"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “ I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men."
Psalm 74:22 Rise up, O God, and defend your cause; remember how fools mock you all day long.
Psalm 107:17 Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities.
Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Proverbs 1:32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them;
Proverbs 10:1 A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son grief to his mother.
Proverbs 10:8 The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin.
Proverbs 10:10 He who winks maliciously causes grief, and a chattering fool comes to ruin.
Proverbs 10:14 Wise men store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.
Proverbs 10:18 He who conceals his hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool.
Proverbs 10:23 A fool finds pleasure in evil conduct, but a man of understanding delights in wisdom.
Proverbs 11:29 He who brings trouble on his family will inherit only wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise.
Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.
Proverbs 12:16 A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.
Proverbs 12:23A prudent man keeps his knowledge to himself, but the heart of fools blurts out folly.
Proverbs 13:19 A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul, but fools detest turning from evil.
Proverbs 13:20 He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.
Proverbs 14:1 The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.
Proverbs 14:9 Fools mock at making amends for sin, but goodwill is found among the upright.
Proverbs 29:11 A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control
.Ecclesiastes 4:5 The fool folds his hands and ruins himself.
Ecclesiastes 5:4 When you make a vow to God, do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow.
Matthew 7:26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like the foolish man who built his house on the sand.
Ephesians 5:17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.
1 Timothy 6:9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.
2 Timothy 2:23 Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.
Titus 3:3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.
Titus 3:9 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.
James 2:20 You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless ?
1 Peter 2:15 For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.
1 Corinthians 1:18-25
"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “ I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men."
Thursday, March 27, 2008
My Battlefield , My Mind
I had the cutest idea for a post on this my birthday. Darn it, for the life of me I can't remember how it was suppose to go, but it was very clever. You would have laughed and thought to yourself, "that Cherie is a such a clever gal." But alas, my thoughts go as quick as they come, and you will now just have to endure my sleepless ramblings. This post is dedicated to my friends who love me, and endure my ramblings. Wisdom would probably instruct me not to be posting anything after only 6 hrs. sleep over a 2 night period, but the other alternative was writing the paper that I have due on Monday...and of course blogging wins out on the list of priorities there, right! (Just remember to pray for me when you are finished reading :)
MY mind, my mind...oh yes, my mind is a constant battlefield. I would say that it is the playing field where I have experienced my greatest thrills of spiritual victory and the most agonizing spiritual defeats. Where my mind spends time, the other members of my body most often follow suit. As I wrote earlier in the week, I have had kind of a challenging week in the area of keeping the right attitude. I know that I am not the only one who is having a rough week, so this post is not for the purpose of comparing my "bad" week to anyone else's, but to share with you how frustrated I am with the inconsistency I see in my own life and how I want to mature in this area.
Consistency is what I look for when I am trying to gauge growth in my children's learning. If they know how to spell "absurd" on Monday but can't come up with the correct spelling for the spelling test on Friday, or can't spell the word correctly 2 weeks after the test, then they haven't learned how to spell absurd ( that is one of the spelling words for this week). That I can cry in one breath, "oh, how I love Jesus!" and in another complain about my circumstances, even curse them in my mind, then I have to ask myself, am I showing any growth? Where is my spiritual maturity? Example:( Last week) Our pool had turned into a swamp over the winter months and I was advised by a pro. to drain, clean and refill and the call him back. I thought to myself, "great, when this guy comes back to check the chemicals and filter I'm going to tell him about Jesus and invite him to lifegroup. (This Tuesday) My vinyl liner pulls completely out of the framework and I find myself standing in the bottom my pool cursing this man over and over in my mind.
Taking my thoughts captive is a daily exercises of obedience to Christ. I will just admit that I often fail terribly in this area, because I have become very good at "looking" like I am walking in the Spirit, when in reality my mind is playing some other pitiful, selfish, sinful scenario over and over. I WANT to love Christ well, but am painfully and keenly aware that He says that if I love Him , I WILL OBEY His commandments. I don't want the kind of outward obedience that becomes a show that I put on for men to see, but the obedience that is the result of a God transformed life. It is a consistent, inward and outward, heart, soul and mind renewing experience that I desire. It comes with spending time with God everyday, washing my mind with the renewing power of His Word. It comes with thinking on those things which are true, noble, kind, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy and taking captive the thoughts that are not. Once those thoughts are captive, they must be placed subject to the authority of Christ...that means I confess they are worthless, that I am wrong and ask for the Holy Spirit to take control of my thoughts, which almost always results in me realising the truth about the circumstances...like that they are an opportunity be grateful or to be challenged and show growth. If the circumstances are a result of a bad choice in my life, then it is an opportunity to admit error, ask for forgiveness, and make things as right as possible. Again...it is an opportunity to learn and grow, and I pray that someday I will look at my life and see more consistency in this area. I live and I learn...and here is to 37 years that God has given me on this earth so far. Happy Birthday to me! May the years to follow show that I am growing in Him!
MY mind, my mind...oh yes, my mind is a constant battlefield. I would say that it is the playing field where I have experienced my greatest thrills of spiritual victory and the most agonizing spiritual defeats. Where my mind spends time, the other members of my body most often follow suit. As I wrote earlier in the week, I have had kind of a challenging week in the area of keeping the right attitude. I know that I am not the only one who is having a rough week, so this post is not for the purpose of comparing my "bad" week to anyone else's, but to share with you how frustrated I am with the inconsistency I see in my own life and how I want to mature in this area.
Consistency is what I look for when I am trying to gauge growth in my children's learning. If they know how to spell "absurd" on Monday but can't come up with the correct spelling for the spelling test on Friday, or can't spell the word correctly 2 weeks after the test, then they haven't learned how to spell absurd ( that is one of the spelling words for this week). That I can cry in one breath, "oh, how I love Jesus!" and in another complain about my circumstances, even curse them in my mind, then I have to ask myself, am I showing any growth? Where is my spiritual maturity? Example:( Last week) Our pool had turned into a swamp over the winter months and I was advised by a pro. to drain, clean and refill and the call him back. I thought to myself, "great, when this guy comes back to check the chemicals and filter I'm going to tell him about Jesus and invite him to lifegroup. (This Tuesday) My vinyl liner pulls completely out of the framework and I find myself standing in the bottom my pool cursing this man over and over in my mind.
Taking my thoughts captive is a daily exercises of obedience to Christ. I will just admit that I often fail terribly in this area, because I have become very good at "looking" like I am walking in the Spirit, when in reality my mind is playing some other pitiful, selfish, sinful scenario over and over. I WANT to love Christ well, but am painfully and keenly aware that He says that if I love Him , I WILL OBEY His commandments. I don't want the kind of outward obedience that becomes a show that I put on for men to see, but the obedience that is the result of a God transformed life. It is a consistent, inward and outward, heart, soul and mind renewing experience that I desire. It comes with spending time with God everyday, washing my mind with the renewing power of His Word. It comes with thinking on those things which are true, noble, kind, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy and taking captive the thoughts that are not. Once those thoughts are captive, they must be placed subject to the authority of Christ...that means I confess they are worthless, that I am wrong and ask for the Holy Spirit to take control of my thoughts, which almost always results in me realising the truth about the circumstances...like that they are an opportunity be grateful or to be challenged and show growth. If the circumstances are a result of a bad choice in my life, then it is an opportunity to admit error, ask for forgiveness, and make things as right as possible. Again...it is an opportunity to learn and grow, and I pray that someday I will look at my life and see more consistency in this area. I live and I learn...and here is to 37 years that God has given me on this earth so far. Happy Birthday to me! May the years to follow show that I am growing in Him!
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Remember To Count Your Blessings
A few posts ago I wrote about how we can ask, "what has God done for us lately?" After two rough days this week I decided that I MUST spend some time refocusing. I have been consumed with "have to get dones" and "not working outs" and need to reframe my perspective on life. So here it goes... (counting my blessings)
1. God looked down on me and called me to Him, cleaned me up and filled me with His Spirit.
(okay, that's enough to change my perspective! but I will continue...I owe God that much after my stinky attitude over the past 2 days.)
2. I am having my 37th birthday this Thursday...nineteen of which I have spent loving, and following Jesus Christ. (The other 18 years serve as valuable experience, I've been there, done it, and know that I never want to go back!)
3. God has blessed me with a husband who loves Christ, and God continues to work in his life.
4. God loved me as I was, but loves me enough not to leave me that way. God is not finished with me yet!!! He is faithful to complete the work He has started in me.
5. Buddy and I will be having our 16 th wedding anniversary this next month.
6.I have 3 healthy, beautiful, intelligent daughters and the great privilege that God has given me to teach them about surrendering their lives to Him (everyday).
7. His super-abundant provision in our lives. (Our daily bread + roof, clothing, transportation, and so on, and so on...)
8. Friends who love the Lord and encourage us to continue.
9. The daily opportunity of seeing God's hand at work in our lives and in the lives of countless others! We do not serve a God that we only read about in the Bible, but a God who is alive and well and at work in awesome ways every day. We have stuff to talk about!
10. More specific things that have happened that I am thankful for include...
Making some long awaited break throughs in my eldest daughter's math.
New interest in playing instruments ( my kids). I love music!
Buddy's tuition being completely paid for (2 semesters in a row!!)
Me getting to go back to school.
That it is Spring and my garden is in bloom.
That we are getting $ back from the IRS this year. lol
My Clariten seems to be working this allergy season:)
I get a date night with my husband this Friday.
We are scheduled to go to my parent's house this summer...I haven't been in 7 years.
I will probably think of 10 more things that I should have written down as soon as I go to bed...but this is a good start.
Remember to count your blessings too!
1. God looked down on me and called me to Him, cleaned me up and filled me with His Spirit.
(okay, that's enough to change my perspective! but I will continue...I owe God that much after my stinky attitude over the past 2 days.)
2. I am having my 37th birthday this Thursday...nineteen of which I have spent loving, and following Jesus Christ. (The other 18 years serve as valuable experience, I've been there, done it, and know that I never want to go back!)
3. God has blessed me with a husband who loves Christ, and God continues to work in his life.
4. God loved me as I was, but loves me enough not to leave me that way. God is not finished with me yet!!! He is faithful to complete the work He has started in me.
5. Buddy and I will be having our 16 th wedding anniversary this next month.
6.I have 3 healthy, beautiful, intelligent daughters and the great privilege that God has given me to teach them about surrendering their lives to Him (everyday).
7. His super-abundant provision in our lives. (Our daily bread + roof, clothing, transportation, and so on, and so on...)
8. Friends who love the Lord and encourage us to continue.
9. The daily opportunity of seeing God's hand at work in our lives and in the lives of countless others! We do not serve a God that we only read about in the Bible, but a God who is alive and well and at work in awesome ways every day. We have stuff to talk about!
10. More specific things that have happened that I am thankful for include...
Making some long awaited break throughs in my eldest daughter's math.
New interest in playing instruments ( my kids). I love music!
Buddy's tuition being completely paid for (2 semesters in a row!!)
Me getting to go back to school.
That it is Spring and my garden is in bloom.
That we are getting $ back from the IRS this year. lol
My Clariten seems to be working this allergy season:)
I get a date night with my husband this Friday.
We are scheduled to go to my parent's house this summer...I haven't been in 7 years.
I will probably think of 10 more things that I should have written down as soon as I go to bed...but this is a good start.
Remember to count your blessings too!
Monday, March 17, 2008
Garden Party
A Garden Party,I'm finally having one! I have wanted to for years. I always want the gardens to be perfect first, then I realized that I've been at this gardening thing several years now and it is never perfect...just in a perpetual state of becoming more like the fantasy garden I see in my mind. It is my quiet place to reflect on all that God has done, a spiritual experience of a sorts, where His creation speaks about Him (which is always affirmed by what His Word has already said about Him). God has taught me many lessons out in my garden, lessons of patience, of discipline, of weathering trials, etc. I've decided to invite all my gardening neighbor ladies (there are many of them!). I thought that we could bring things to exchange...seeds, rhizomes, cuttings. I for one am hoping that the neighbor out front will bring some of her yellow Cannas. I am over- run with orange, but have wanted yellow for a long time. So, I am planning on hand delivering the invitations today. My real aim is to build a closer community here in my neighborhood. Life moves so fast and it is hard to connect with people. I want to connect with my neighbors and allow God to use me to share His love with them. So if you are in the neighborhood and don't mind getting your hands a little dirty, drop by we would love to share our seeds, a snack and the love of Christ. Party to be held Saturday, March 29nd @ 2pm.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Open Wide!
Okay, I'm embarrassed to admit it , but here it is for all of blogdom to read. It had been 18 years since I had been to the dentist. GASP!
My parents would just die if they knew that all the money they had spent to extract and straighten these pearlies has been so mismanaged. As I reflect on how this could have happened, I have determined that it is entirely my childhood dentist's fault. Bob Barrington, DDS is at fault for me being unable to see another dentist. I saw the same wonderful, gentle dentist for all of my childhood. He had a sweet hygienist who would brush our teeth with those cool, swirly brushing machines. She would always let us choose which flavor of fluoride we would soak in...I always chose bubblegum and when it came time to "spit it all out", as she would instruct, I would always just split for a bit so that I could secretly relish the wonderful bubblegum flavor (of course they never told you why you should spit it all out). At the end of the cleaning he had this cool treasure chest with real treasures! Ok, they seemed like real treasure to a eight year old. There were a few times that I required a few fillings...no biggie, Dr. Bob would have me sit in that cool chair...the one facing that huge picture window, and as I looked out at the birds in the pine trees outside his office, he would slip on that funny dentist mask and shine that bright light in my face, all the while gently talking to me about whatever interested me at that season in my life. NEVER, EVER did I feel any amount of discomfort or pain. It wasn't until I was eighteen that I realized that there were even needles involved in dentistry. When I found this out I told my friends that MY dentist "wiggled my teeth to sleep"...because that's what DR. Bob always told me he was doing. Since then I have seen grown men and women cry over having just come from, or having to go to the dentist. I have had to hold my children's hands while they cry in pain in the dentist chair. I have had to administer drugs (Dr. prescribed of course) to my husband before a visit to the dentist and prayed that I could move him from the house to the car on my own because he was so "out of it". Dr. Bob where are you? What happened to the wonderful world of bubblegum fluoride, swirly brushes and treasure chests.
Well, I finally saw a dentist this past week. The report wasn't as bad as I had feared. I don't have thousands of dollars of work...but I do have some work that needs done. I am scheduled to go back in April. This initial visit was pleasant ( but no bubblegum fluoride, treasure chest or picture window), jury is still out on this one. There will have to be a sequel to this blog post. More to come on my dentistry dilemma...Life After DR. Bob.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Great Quote
Today one of our elders started us off on a systematic study through the book of Acts. We have just finished the Gospel of Luke and I believe that our goal is to eventually get through Romans. Anyhow, he said something that just stuck in my brain all day. He said that, "If we loved God more we wouldn't cheat on Him so much." I loved it. It is so true. So all day I have thought about how I can grow my love for God. I thought about my relationship with my husband, to whom I have vowed lifetime faithfulness, and what it is I do to ensure my fidelity to him. I realized that these same components translate into my relationship with God. Here are some of my thoughts:
Time is a vital element in any growing relationship. I must spend time with God if my relationship is to remain strong and continue to grow. If Buddy and I never spoke again I wouldn't stop being his wife, but it sure would put our relationship to the test, and it could pose a threat to our fidelity to each other in the face of temptation. Likewise to nurture our love for God we must spend time in communication with Him, through the reading of the Scripture and in prayer and meditation. This is why True Christianity is not a religion, but a relationship...a living breathing, growing, daily walk with the One who created us for relationship.
What Have You Done For Me Lately? I'm going to show my age here! I remember that song by Janet Jackson,
"Well what' sup with this guy? Do you really like him that much?
Yes, honey, I looove him. He is fiiine, he does a lot of nice things for me.
I know he use to do nice stuff for you, but what has he done for you lately? "
It is funny but I can ask that question even about my relationship with God. What has He done for me lately? WOW...so much!!! I remember another song like that (different genre) "Count your blessings name them one by one. Count your blessings see what God has done." COUNT THEM! NAME THEM! BE GRATEFUL AND THEN THANK HIM! You will watch your love for Him skyrocket when you work on being grateful. If you have trouble getting started I suggest you start simple, like the things that you can't live without...food, water, air. Guess what? That was Him! Thank God.
Surrender to His Love. My husband and I have been mutually surrendered to each other for 16 years. I yield to him, he yields to me...we both yield to God. It works.
In the Bible it says that, "we love God, because He first loved us."
Knowing His love makes me love Him more. Knowing the price He paid (His Son) to make me His, how He loved me even when I was His enemy, how He is faithful in spite of my unfaithfulness, how He is God and I am not, how there is nothing I can give Him that He didn't give me first, how He looked on me with great love, picked me up, cleaned me off and put His Spirit in me, how could I not love Him?
So these are my thoughts on this Lord's Day and my practical application of God's Word in my life. Like my husband always says, " If we are just going to come and listen to God's Word, but do nothing to apply it to our lives, we might as well have just gone down to the IHOP for pancakes.
OR James1:21-25 "Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. "
Time is a vital element in any growing relationship. I must spend time with God if my relationship is to remain strong and continue to grow. If Buddy and I never spoke again I wouldn't stop being his wife, but it sure would put our relationship to the test, and it could pose a threat to our fidelity to each other in the face of temptation. Likewise to nurture our love for God we must spend time in communication with Him, through the reading of the Scripture and in prayer and meditation. This is why True Christianity is not a religion, but a relationship...a living breathing, growing, daily walk with the One who created us for relationship.
What Have You Done For Me Lately? I'm going to show my age here! I remember that song by Janet Jackson,
"Well what' sup with this guy? Do you really like him that much?
Yes, honey, I looove him. He is fiiine, he does a lot of nice things for me.
I know he use to do nice stuff for you, but what has he done for you lately? "
It is funny but I can ask that question even about my relationship with God. What has He done for me lately? WOW...so much!!! I remember another song like that (different genre) "Count your blessings name them one by one. Count your blessings see what God has done." COUNT THEM! NAME THEM! BE GRATEFUL AND THEN THANK HIM! You will watch your love for Him skyrocket when you work on being grateful. If you have trouble getting started I suggest you start simple, like the things that you can't live without...food, water, air. Guess what? That was Him! Thank God.
Surrender to His Love. My husband and I have been mutually surrendered to each other for 16 years. I yield to him, he yields to me...we both yield to God. It works.
In the Bible it says that, "we love God, because He first loved us."
Knowing His love makes me love Him more. Knowing the price He paid (His Son) to make me His, how He loved me even when I was His enemy, how He is faithful in spite of my unfaithfulness, how He is God and I am not, how there is nothing I can give Him that He didn't give me first, how He looked on me with great love, picked me up, cleaned me off and put His Spirit in me, how could I not love Him?
So these are my thoughts on this Lord's Day and my practical application of God's Word in my life. Like my husband always says, " If we are just going to come and listen to God's Word, but do nothing to apply it to our lives, we might as well have just gone down to the IHOP for pancakes.
OR James1:21-25 "Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. "
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Time To Be Quiet
I have recently gone through a bit of a "rough patch". Over the past month or so, my new found quietness has been taken in various ways...silence isn't always safe, as it allows for speculation, and speculation allows for misjudgement. I have learned that when I am tempted to judge another, I should try to err on the side of grace. (I don't always do this successfully, but it is my aim.) I'm looking for a community whose first instinct is grace. Grace is like glue, it will create eternal bonds between people. I have found yet another wise proverb by which to live.
Proverbs 10:19
"In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise."
I will that God would make me a quieter person. I have always deeply admired ladies who have "gentle, quiet spirits." That has never been me, in the natural. People close to me have referred to me as a kind of whirlwind of activity and emotion. I admit that I would much rather be described as pensive and wise. This though will take an act of God, an act for which I am presently praying.
1 Peter 3: 3-4
Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.
God help me.
Proverbs 10:19
"In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise."
I will that God would make me a quieter person. I have always deeply admired ladies who have "gentle, quiet spirits." That has never been me, in the natural. People close to me have referred to me as a kind of whirlwind of activity and emotion. I admit that I would much rather be described as pensive and wise. This though will take an act of God, an act for which I am presently praying.
1 Peter 3: 3-4
Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.
God help me.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Back On-line
I'm finally back after a long blogger's vacation. My computer crashed over Christmas break. My husband told me that I could use his computer, but I know better than to mess with his stuff. I won't be blamed for any problem that he has with his computer. If anything happens to his computer the kids will have to take the blame! I remember when I was growing up, we kids got the blame for anything broken or missing. Mom says that when we moved out the blame transfered to her. I will remain blamelss for at least a few more years...hehe!
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