I enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday - being around family, eating good food and just being thankful for our blessings. To cap off our visit, the other day, all of the Blossoms, the Sprouts, the Mommies and Daddies and the Grammie and Pappy went out to eat. The waitress brought our drink orders with a wry face and said, "I'm sorry, we're out of lidded cups for the little ones." Full glasses for the Blossoms and Sprouts who vary in age as follows: 8yrs, 7yrs, 6yrs, 5yrs, almost 3 yrs and 2 1/2 yrs! So, we Mommies did the best we could. All was well for a while. I turned around to hear the Sprout Mommy say to the youngest Sprout, "Use two - - - - SWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH - - - hands!" Water flooded the table, his pants and his chair. The (guilty) littlest Sprout shouted, "TA-DAH!!!!!" Evidently, he likes making a splash.
We just smiled and cleaned it up, being thankful it wasn't soda and chuckling over his humor. I'm thankful for those moments that don't become embarrassing, frustrating, mad-at-a-child moments. It just isn't worth it. I love my little Nephew-Sprout.
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Friday, November 30, 2012
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Monday, November 26, 2012
Distance
Our pastor shared these thoughts recently:
Understand that satan wants you to turn your back on God. He wants you to walk away from God. He wants you to become distant with God little by little. Every scheme is concocted with this in mind. Some people don't like the devil just because he brings sickness, pain, etc. This is all true. We must remember that he is EVIL. He is your adversary. Perhaps that term doesn't mean anything to you. He is your enemy.
This challenged me to see through every scheme of the enemy, to see that he is trying to make me distant from God. He's trying to get me to grow cold in my love for God. If I see and realize that in the trials I go through in my life, I can fight it.
Understand that satan wants you to turn your back on God. He wants you to walk away from God. He wants you to become distant with God little by little. Every scheme is concocted with this in mind. Some people don't like the devil just because he brings sickness, pain, etc. This is all true. We must remember that he is EVIL. He is your adversary. Perhaps that term doesn't mean anything to you. He is your enemy.
This challenged me to see through every scheme of the enemy, to see that he is trying to make me distant from God. He's trying to get me to grow cold in my love for God. If I see and realize that in the trials I go through in my life, I can fight it.
Fight distance from God.
Friday, November 23, 2012
SP6 - Conclusion
If you're proud because you have the Holy Spirit:
Remember that God the Father is the One Who sent the Holy Spirit to us.
If you're proud because you have no lack:
Remember that it is because Jehovah Jireh is your Provider.
If you're proud because _______________________________________:
(You fill in the blank... your kids obey, they're saved, you're husband is Godly, you're not backslidden, etc.)
I guarantee you, the response points right back to our Father. He is Everything. That is why pride in spirituality is truly unfounded and grossly sinful. I hope that reading this has been a good reminder for you, as it has been for me.
Remember that God the Father is the One Who sent the Holy Spirit to us.
If you're proud because you have no lack:
Remember that it is because Jehovah Jireh is your Provider.
If you're proud because _______________________________________:
(You fill in the blank... your kids obey, they're saved, you're husband is Godly, you're not backslidden, etc.)
I guarantee you, the response points right back to our Father. He is Everything. That is why pride in spirituality is truly unfounded and grossly sinful. I hope that reading this has been a good reminder for you, as it has been for me.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
SP5
If you're proud because God heard your prayers:
Remember that He hears the cry of the righteous and the reason you are righteous is because of Jesus' Righteousness... not your own!
If you're proud because you have faith:
Remember that God is the One who dealt to you your measure of faith.
If you're proud because you have grace:
Remember that God is the One who abundantly lavished His grace upon you.
Remember that He hears the cry of the righteous and the reason you are righteous is because of Jesus' Righteousness... not your own!
If you're proud because you have faith:
Remember that God is the One who dealt to you your measure of faith.
If you're proud because you have grace:
Remember that God is the One who abundantly lavished His grace upon you.
Monday, November 19, 2012
SP4
If you're proud because you bear fruit:
Remember that it is because you abode in the Vine, for apart from the Vine, you have no fruit.
If you're proud because you are doing the work of the ministry:
Remember it is God Who called you into the ministry.
If you're proud because you resisted the devil and he fled:
Remember that you were submitted to God's authority first and that's why the devil had to flee.
Remember that it is because you abode in the Vine, for apart from the Vine, you have no fruit.
If you're proud because you are doing the work of the ministry:
Remember it is God Who called you into the ministry.
If you're proud because you resisted the devil and he fled:
Remember that you were submitted to God's authority first and that's why the devil had to flee.
Friday, November 16, 2012
SP3
If you're proud because you have more self control than the next person:
Remember that self control is yet another fruit of the Spirit.
If you're proud because you do God's will:
Remember that it is he who leads you in the paths of righteousness and it is for His name's sake.
If you're proud because you hear His voice:
Remember that He is the One who chose you to hear His voice.
Remember that self control is yet another fruit of the Spirit.
If you're proud because you do God's will:
Remember that it is he who leads you in the paths of righteousness and it is for His name's sake.
If you're proud because you hear His voice:
Remember that He is the One who chose you to hear His voice.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
SP2
If you're proud because you're so humble:
remember that He is the One that exalts us.
If you're proud because of your patience:
Remember that patience is a fruit of the Spirit, so you can't get that on your own either.
If you're proud because you are kind, loving, joyful, peaceful, good, faithful, gentle:
Get over yourself because those are also fruit of the Spirit.
remember that He is the One that exalts us.
If you're proud because of your patience:
Remember that patience is a fruit of the Spirit, so you can't get that on your own either.
If you're proud because you are kind, loving, joyful, peaceful, good, faithful, gentle:
Get over yourself because those are also fruit of the Spirit.
Monday, November 12, 2012
"Spiritual" Pride
It's a term I don't often hear, yet I'm quite certain that anyone of us could fall to this ugly sin. Several years back, I preached a sermon on the topic of pride in your own spirituality. I shared the following thoughts with everyone. I recently stumbled on them again. Enjoy!
If you're proud about your salvation:
Remember that it is the gift of God so that no one can boast.
If you're proud about your holiness:
Remember that you're sanctified by the Holy Spirit and any righteousness of your own works is filthy rags in God's sight.
If you're proud because you love God SO MUCH:
Remember that it is His love that is shed abroad in your heart. You didn't do that either.
If you're proud about your salvation:
Remember that it is the gift of God so that no one can boast.
If you're proud about your holiness:
Remember that you're sanctified by the Holy Spirit and any righteousness of your own works is filthy rags in God's sight.
If you're proud because you love God SO MUCH:
Remember that it is His love that is shed abroad in your heart. You didn't do that either.
Friday, November 9, 2012
the Monkey Mommy?
One friend of mine, we’ll call her Monkey Mommy, is great at
something Ephesians 4:29 describes. “Let
no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good
for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace
to those who hear.” I think you might
say that she is good at edifying or building up others. I have often been needy in a moment –
downcast or weary in this Godly parenting race.
And, she has spoken to me. I’ve
walked away with the grace to obey God and keep persevering to raise Godly
children. She doesn’t always share an
easy scripture with me. But somehow, she shares it so humbly that I can receive
it and assimilate it into my heart. She
shares the things the Lord has shown her.
She shares the things she has struggled with and she responds with
things the Holy Spirit leads her to say.
My journal has many encouraging words spoken from her mouth, that helped
me to stay the course, to not give up, to not despair, to courageously obey the
Lord and to fear God instead of man. I’m
thankful that the Monkey Mommy edifies the Body of Christ, according to the need
of the moment. Her words give grace to
those of us who hear.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
the M-I-L
Here’s one that surprises most people. I have something good to say about my
Mother-In-Law. (We’ll just call her
BraveHeart. Believe me, if you’d heard
the stories of my husband’s and his brother’s childhood escapades, you’d find
this name quite appropriate!) Anyway, I’ve
been quite blessed in the In-Law department, so I’d like to highlight her
strength in the Body of Christ. BraveHeart’s
strength is the epitome of one of my Dad’s chief principles he and Mom strove
to teach me. “Prefer others higher than yourself.” She does this! She is always looking out for what the other
person prefers and desires. She
consistently and without fail puts others’ needs, desires and preferences above
her own. (And, she does this without
making a big show of how unselfish she is!)
She is quiet – very quiet - about her own needs, desires and
preferences. Being around her has taught
me to quiet down and pay attention to others. Not everyone announces what they need, want or
prefer. My BraveHeart Mother-in-Law
demonstrates unselfishness daily. Watching
her unselfishness reminds me to be unselfish – to pay attention and to make my
own needs, desires and preferences take second place to others – with a happy
heart too, mind you! Isn’t that who the
Lord would have us to think of – others?
Thank you, my dear BraveHeart Mother-in-Law. You are a living example of unselfishness and
I am learning from you.
Monday, November 5, 2012
Hmmm, Joey?
Next up is Joey.
Don’t even try to figure out where the name came from. It’s so old none of us know the reasoning
behind it. Anyway, I’ve known Joey since
I was just under 2 years old. We go way
back! J (Sisters, duh.) Her strength that I appreciate is a solid,
bold adherence to the Word of God. It is
often unappreciated, even scorned. Where
others waffle, where others trumpet their feelings, where others talk about
what they “think,” not Joey. What does
the Word say? Feelings don’t
matter. Preconceived opinions, thoughts,
beliefs and preferences swiftly melt away.
She’s the first that will throw all that out the window when she reads
the Word. And, she’s been reading the
Word and standing by her own personal convictions based on the Word since her
early teenage years. Yes, people think
she should be more tolerant, even more tactful or more concerned about other
people’s feelings. Bottom line is,
though, she’s been concerned about obeying the Word and pleasing God all
along. And, where others gray the line for
people’s sake, not Joey. Gray isn’t in
her life color scheme. It’s always been
about what God wants and what’s in HIS
Word. Isn’t that what we should all be
concerned about? The fear of God, not
the fear of man? Thanks, Joey. You stand, where others bow.
By the way, Happy 30th Birthday! May you have many more years of standing! Continue to refuse to bow.
By the way, Happy 30th Birthday! May you have many more years of standing! Continue to refuse to bow.
Friday, November 2, 2012
Mom
My mother. What can I
say? She’s the reason I am the way I
am. And, that is every bit the
compliment I intend it to be. The way I
serve God now, is because of her unceasing and tireless and relentless efforts
year after year. She is virtuous. She.works.hard. She is
loving. She has vision. She sacrifices. So many things come to mind when I think of
her. I must narrow it down though, at
least for the sake of the post. Check
out Romans 12:13, “When God's people are in need, be ready to help them…” This
is it. If anyone is in need, Mom is the
person to help them out. Anything from
teaching people how to sew, make salsa or build furniture, to getting started
homeschooling, offering a ride, lending a vehicle, training children, fixing
stuff at the church, getting projects done… anything. If God’s people are in need, Mom is always
ready to help them. She sacrifices her
schedule on a daily basis, to help people.
It is often unappreciated. It is
even taken for granted in an annoying sort of way. However, when she does stuff like this to the
least of us, she does it to Christ. So although
people aren’t always as grateful as they ought to be, she just keeps helping
people and putting her gifts and strengths out there for the taking. I’m thankful for this example, for it truly
never is convenient to help people. She
just keeps doing it though. Thanks, Mom.