"Winning Over Worry"

I so needed this today!!!

December 30, 2008
Winning Over Worry, Part 2
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV)

Friend to Friend
In Philippians 4:4-7, Paul gives us the promise of peace. However, there are conditions to be met and actions we must take in order to experience that peace and win over worry.

Action one: Choose joy

Action two: Be gentle

Philippians 4:5 gives an unusual directive concerning worry. "Let your gentleness be evident to all." "Gentleness" literally means "humility, softness and tenderness" and seems to indicate that part of dealing with worry is related to the directive that we must be gentle with everyone. The Living Bible translates "gentle" as "unselfish and considerate". Any way you look at it, this truth is in direct opposition to the viewpoint of the world in which we live. Power and assertiveness gain respect while gentleness is often viewed as weakness. In God's eyes, gentleness is harnessed strength, and a controlled power. What does gentleness have to do with eliminating worry? Paul is saying the way we treat people affects our peace. Many of us have lives filled with worry because we have relationships filled with conflict. When we are not gentle, conflict is the inevitable result. Worry and anxiety thrive in the atmosphere of conflict. What does it mean to be gentle in our relationships?

· Gentleness is willing to give up control.

James 3:17a "But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure and full of quiet gentleness. It allows discussion and is willing to yield to others." Gentleness can always find a patch of common ground, giving people room to grow and change.

Gentleness doesn't control but is willing to yield or submit to one another in love.

· Gentleness is love in action.

James 3:17b "Gentleness if full of mercy and good deeds." When gentleness sees a need, it does something about it. It is compelled to take action!

· Gentleness forgives.

Colossians 3:13 "Forgive as the Lord forgave you." Gentleness is quick to give and to receive forgiveness, always taking the responsibility to initiate forgiveness.

· Gentleness wages peace.

Hebrews 12:14 "Pursue peace with all people." "Gentleness" does not retaliate but pursues peace instead. The goal of gentleness is unity. I've read that when thoroughbred horses are under attack, they stand in a circle, face each other, and with their back legs kick out at the enemy! Donkeys do just the opposite. They face the enemy and kick each other.

We are called to wage peace. When we practice gentleness and pursue peace in our relationships, there will be less conflict, more unity and fewer footholds for worry.

Action three: Be aware of His presence.

Philippians 4:5 "The Lord is near." We often pray, asking for God's presence when our prayer should be, "Lord, make me aware of your presence." He is near but many times our lives and hearts are too crowded to see or hear Him. The more we are aware of God's presence the less we will worry. We become aware of His presence through:

· Bible

Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword."

The most powerful weapon against worry is scripture. Read it. Memorize it. Immerse your life in it. The word of God grounds us, repelling worry. When worry comes - reject it! Deflect it with the shield of God's word.

· Prayer

1 Peter 5:7 "Let him have all your worries and cares, for he is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you."

Prayer is simply conversation with God and a powerful weapon against worry. I read of a widow who had successfully raised a large family of eighteen children, twelve of whom were adopted. Yet, she never seemed to worry. During an interview, a reporter asked the secret of her peace and confidence. She said, "I'm not alone. I'm in a partnership with God. Years ago, I said "Lord, I'll do the work and you do the worrying! I have had peace ever since!"

· Friends

Ecclesiastes 4:12 "And one standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer; three is even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken."

When you share your fears with others, they grow smaller because someone has gotten under the load with you. A shared load is a lighter load. We tend to hide our fears in darkness where they grow and strengthen, instead of bringing them out into the light where they will die. When we try to be "lone-ranger Christians" and handle our fears on our own, we are susceptible to attacks that will defeat us. When we stand together, our strength is multiplied and we are not easily beaten.

· Experience

James 1:17 "Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow."

The more we know Him, the more we will understand that He really is who He says He is and that He is willing and able to work in our lives. We will naturally begin to trust Him and soon discover that He is faithful.

So much worry is buried in the unknown. The "known" victories of yesterday can destroy the fear of today's "unknown" circumstances because He is always the same. What a security comes when we realize that we can truly count on Him. God's presence empowers us to win over worry. When you are tempted to worry, stop and go back over the books, remembering the victories and celebrating them once again. The God who delivered you yesterday will deliver you today and tomorrow! The experiences of life prove Him true and underline His presence within.

Let's Pray
Father, help me to handle the relationships in my life with gentleness. When there is conflict, give me the strength to confront it in Your love. I long for Your presence in my life. Help me to be more aware of Your hand at work.

In Jesus' name, I pray
Amen.

Name above All Names

This was wall stated from a church's Advent devotional guide. Click on the title of this post and it will take you to the OUR DAILY BREAD devotion where is came from.

"Let us at all costs avoid the temptation to make our Christmas worship a withdrawal from the stress and sorrow of life into a realm of unreal beauty. It was into the real world that Christ came, into the city where there was no room for Him, and into a country where Herod, the murderer of innocents, was king. He comes to us, not to shield us from the harshness of the world but to give us the courage and strength to bear it; not to snatch us away by some miracle from the conflict of life, but to give us peace - His peace - in our hearts, by which we may be calmly steadfast while the conflict rages, and be able to bring to the torn world the healing that is peace."

You shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.
Matthew 1:21

Christmas Scrapbook

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

An Early Christmas Laugh

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

"Word Verification"

Okay, so I find it absolutely hilarious the different...words...if that's what you call them, that blogger uses as 'WORD VERIFICATION.' So, I'd like to conduct a little....survey...poll, I'm not sure what it'd be called, but basically I'd like you to "post a comment," but all you really have to say is what the "word" is that you need to verify before you can post the comment. I just want to see how many ridiculous "words" come up...and then enjoy the laughs!!!

"This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine"

Dear Lord, Thank You for the promise of a future full of peace and contentment and free of pain and suffering. That You would sacrifice Your only Son for me takes my breath away. It is my desire to live my life allowing Your light to shine through me so that all may be drawn to You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

What to give?

A question that always comes up during this season is "What do I get for so-and-so?" It would be especially hard if you thought the person has everything already. But, do they have everything?

The gift of eternal life has been given to all, but some have left it under the tree or have completely ignored it. Probably, because it's not wrapped perfectly, with shiny paper and a pretty red bow. But what most don't realize is that what's in the package is far more beautiful and greater than what they could imagine.

Jesus Christ giving his perfect life for our sin-soaked excuse of a life is nothing, NOTHING, short of gracious. We have been given a gift that we don't deserve. A Gift that is overwhelmingly given with love and joy, and we let it sit under the tree! And for some of us who have already opened it, we stick it back under the tree, and pull it out when it's convenient for us. Or, we just look at it when we walk by the tree. I am soooo guilty of that! Just walking on by, whether it's purposefully ignoring it or being distracted with other things that I don't even see it - HIM, the Christ!

As a full-time Mom, I have an ongoing list of things to do. More often than not, spending time with my Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, doesn't get put on the list. What I've also come to notice is that I can also be a little selfish with my Gift. I don't share it when I should...it's too much of an inconvenience, "What if they laugh at me?" "What if they won't like me?" Honest and common excuses. I forget, LORD, Father God please forgive me, I forget what you went through for my sake - betrayal, scoffing, mockery, persecution - verbal and physical, whipping, nailing, DEATH. And I don't want to share you because I'm afraid that someone may laugh at me!?

LORD, I give my whole self to you as "a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable" (Romans 12:1) in your eyes, because I am "washed by the water through your Word"! (Ephesians 5:26) Father, I want to share your Gift of love and grace. Please help me to overcome my fears. For You "...did NOT give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." (2 Timothy 1:7) I want to give myself to you, just as a wife gives of herself to her husband.

"...and let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband (Ephesians 5:33 - Amplified Bible)[^[f]that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates, and esteems him; and ^[g]that she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly]. [I Pet. 3:2.] (Now, this scripture passage speaks of the wife repecting and reverencing her earthly husband. But the only way that we will be able to do that for them is if we are that way towards our Heavenly Husband. It may not make complete sense, but it doesn't have to. We need to just "trust and obey." And when we do, the 'fruit' of it is oh so sweet!!!)

Sorry, for the runon thought. It's a good thing that I'm not being graded on this and how well I stick to the main point. See the thing with me, if you don't know me that well, is that when I have a thought...there's a lot of other thoughts connected to it, and most of the time I don't make/speak the connection very clearly, but there is one, trust me. So, each, shall we call them "nuggets", should be taken with a grain of salt. Follow? ;o). (I pray that my groanings to the LORD would be heard...that they would fall on open ears and hearts. That a seed would take root. God, you are so Mighty!! I pray that through this, You would show off and that Your Name would be glorified! Praise Your Wonderful Name!!!)



"As we approach Christmas, it’s good to remember why Jesus was born. The Son of God did not come to establish a nostalgic, family-oriented, commercially successful holiday. The angel told Joseph: “[Mary] will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21).

Christmas began with a present from God to His sin-damaged world: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23)." - David McCasland

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are my Savior and Redeemer. I pray I would know and trust You the way Mary did. Would You give me a heart of obedience and help me to say "yes" in the small, every day decisions? In the busyness of this season, please remind me to humble myself before You and hear Your voice. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and make Your Presence known in real and powerful ways. Help me to be faithful in the ordinary, and in that, prepare me for the extraordinary. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

"Don't worry....."

I believe that Jehovah Jireh will take care of us during this "recession", but that doesn't mean that we can just sit back and let Him do all the work. I pray that we, my husband and I, will be wise and good stewards of what we have now. I pray that we calmly and wisely pursue taking care of our responsibilities. Which will include working wherever we can to bring in some more income. I pray that we will have a healthy balance of trust and reality. I am guilty of sticking my head in the sand, partly because, well, when it comes to finances we haven't had the money to be able to pay that bill and/or this one...so I don't even address it. I know that doesn't make it go away, but I don't even communicate with the business/company that we owe the money to. I also recognize that when I bring our finances "down off the shelf" to take a look at so as to "deal" with it, I can easily and quickly get overwhelmed, and I don't want to do that either. So, I pray. I pray for wisdom to know how to take care of the situation - somewhere between ignoring it and getting overwhelmed by it. Because in either case, I end up not doing anything about it and that definitely isn't taking care of it.

Well, I'll stop rambling now, but your prayers for wisdom and clarity would be greatly appreciated!

Matthew 6:27-29 (New International Version)

27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life^[a]?

28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.

Washing Judas' Feet

I had to share this...it spoke volumes to my heart.

She Stooped to Conquer
LaTan Roland Murphy

We hope you are enjoying the Girlfriends in God daily devotions. We (Mary, Sharon, and Gwen) would like to introduce you to some of our special friends. From time-to-time, the Friday devotions will be written by one of our friends in ministry. We call them our "Friday Friends." So grab your Bible and a fresh cup of coffee and drink in the words from our "Friday Friend", LaTan Roland Murphy, author of Becoming a Woman of Interior Elegance and proofreader for Girlfriends in God devotionals.

Today's Truth
Ephesians 5:21 "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ."

Friend to Friend
"Mom, they were whispering to one another about the birthday party. They didn't want me to hear because I am not invited," my daughter said with trembling voice as tears filled her big beautiful eyes.

My heart was breaking in half as I listened to how hurt she was. "They are my best friends at school, Mom. Why would they not invite me?"

I reached out to hug her, our arms wrapping around each other tightly as she turned her soft tear stained face toward my neck. It was a familiar crying spot as she had buried her face there time and time again in the same position since she was a baby. We helped each other without speaking a word for a while. Sometimes there are just no words to make things better, so I cried with her. One week later, while driving our daughter to school, she asked her dad in a quiet voice if he would please stop at the grocery store.

"Why DaNae'? Do you need something for school?"

"Well, sort of."

"What do you need, honey, because we are already going to be late."

"I need to buy a balloon for someone who is having a birthday party tonight."

"Who is it?" I asked.

"Do you remember the girl who was whispering about her birthday party in front of me? Well, I want to take a balloon to school for her." I looked over at my husband and he looked at me, each of our hearts melting both with a sense of pride and of sadness. We knew we had to stop even if it meant we would be late. It was worth it!

Da-Nae' walked happily into the grocery store and in a few moments came running out with a huge grin spread across her seventh grade face. Her balloon was flying high in the air with a pack of chewing gum hanging from the bottom, acting as a weight. She was the happiest girl in the world!

My husband and I were so blessed by our daughter's actions that morning. She stooped to conquer feelings that could have been filled with anger and hurt. Some people might ask why she would make a fool of herself after being treated the way she was or how she could lower herself after what her friend had done to her. When Christ is the center of our lives, He empowers us to do things we could never do in our own human nature. Our daughter chose not to be a martyr. She chose to stoop a little so she could rise up on a much higher level. She chose to reject her sadness about not being invited to the party. She reaped the blessings of stooping to conquer her emotions and blessed her friend in spite of how she had been treated. When was the last time you stooped to conquer?

Let's Pray
"Lord Jesus, please give me courage to stoop to conquer emotions that are not in perfect alignment with Your plan for me. Help me to be a woman of character--- submitting to Your leading in my life each day. Show me how to respond in a Godly way when I am hurt. Lord Jesus, thank You for stooping to conquer both death and the grave for my salvation. I pray my life will reflect the gratitude You deserve." In Jesus' name, Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Hurt will come to each of us. We can't change that fact. What we can change is the way we respond to hurtful situations in our lives. Will we become bitter or better?

Think of a hurt you have carried for a long time. Think about how it has affected your life. How did you first respond to the hurt? What is your response today?

Ask the Lord to bind up your wounded heart and heal you completely. Ask Him to give you such Godly character that every response is in alignment to His perfect will.

Allow Christ to fill all the empty places in your heart

Understand that by stooping to conquer these emotions, you will defeat the enemy's ploy to destroy and ultimately win over sin!

Accept the truth that we are all made in the image of God and by submitting to one another as the scripture reference reminds us today, we will be reverencing God in the most beautiful way.

Chasing the Wind

December 4tih Our Daily Bread

The epic film based on Margaret Mitchell’s novel Gone With the Wind opens with these lines:

“There was a land of Cavaliers and Cotton Fields called the Old South. Here in this pretty world, Gallantry took its last bow. . . . Look for it only in books, for it is no more than a dream remembered, a Civilization gone with the wind.”

Not only does a way of life disappear but also the dreams that drive the main characters. Throughout the Civil War, Scarlett O’Hara is preoccupied with her love for Ashley Wilkes. But by story’s end, she is disillusioned.

Solomon saw the futility of seeking satisfaction in people and things. Despite amassing wealth and knowledge, completing great projects, and marrying many wives, he said, “All is vanity and grasping for the wind” (Eccl. 1:14).

Why does chasing transitory things leave us unfulfilled? The biblical answer is that we were created to find our ultimate fulfillment in God. Jesus promised, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

People and things come and go. But the spiritual satisfaction Christ offers sustains us in this world and will endure into eternity. — Dennis Fisher

What comes from man will never last,
It’s here today, tomorrow past;
What comes from God will always be
The same for all eternity! —Spencer

Invest your life in what pays eternal dividends.

Ecclesiastes 1:2-9, 14

Everything Is Meaningless

2 “Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!”

3 What do people get for all their hard work under the sun? 4 Generations come and generations go, but the earth never changes. 5 The sun rises and the sun sets, then hurries around to rise again. 6 The wind blows south, and then turns north. Around and around it goes, blowing in circles. 7 Rivers run into the sea, but the sea is never full. Then the water returns again to the rivers and flows out again to the sea. 8 Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content.

9 History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new.

14 I observed everything going on under the sun, and really, it is all meaningless—like chasing the wind.

Turkey Stuffing Burgers

Well, I felt creative last night. I grounded up some leftover turkey (about 2 cups was what it came out tobe after I grounded it up) in our magic bullet, and mixed it in with the leftover stuffing (about a cup and a 1/2) and then added 3 eggs to it and some salt and pepper. I molded the mixture into patties and then baked them at 350 for 25 minutes. They were actually pretty good! I put swiss cheese on top of mine. The kids aren't too fond of stuffing, but they ate most of the burger. Just another 'leftover' idea.

Thanksgiving Fun!

It was just us on Thanksgiving Day, and you know, for someone who enjoys being around people (especially for Holidays) I was excited that it was just the six of us. We had a most wonderful meal consisting of ham - major kudos to my Honey!!, loaded mashed potatoes - kudos to CountryCrock!, corn, stuffing, and cranberry sauce. For desert we made turkeys out of cookies and candies - the idea was from one of Cora's teachers Ms. Madison - thanks! The kids had a blast, though not many turkeys got fully assembled ;o). Even though Kennedy didn't get make a cookie, she was scouring the floor for any crumbs that may have fallen. She is too stinkin smart for our good! (I think that's what I meant to say....well, you know what I mean, I hope)

Okay, so how do I get the pictures to post after what I've typed, and then to be able to add a caption to each picture!?

To Play or NOT to play, that is the question

This was today's "You Make Me Laugh" email from crosswalk. I found it thoroughly amusing.

A Primer For Accordion Beginners*

Get an accordion. The cheaper the better because they all sound the same.

Do not tell anyone what you have done. It will only cause them to worry.

They will find out soon enough.

Take the accordion out of the case and strap it on. It is better if the accordion rests on your chest instead of your back but, for the first few weeks, it doesn't really make that much difference.

For sounds to be produced, three things must happen. The third is the most important:

1. The bellows must be moving in or out.
2. One or more of the keys or buttons must be pressed.
3. All potential weapons within a one mile radius must be collected and secured.

The buttons on the left side are chord buttons. The "C" button has a dimple or nipple so you can find it without looking. This is a safety feature. Before it was invented, thousands of accordion players suffered painful and sometimes disabling injuries, much to the delight of the general public.

Never use more than three buttons. "Professional" accordionists appear to be using lots of buttons but they are actually just desperately trying to find the stupid "C".

By the way, "Professional" means they have learned to smile while they do it.

Play the black and white keys. The high notes are at the bottom and the low notes are at the top. That arrangement isn't supposed to make any sense. Accept it.

Note: If you find the high notes at the top and the low notes at the bottom, you have either put the accordion on upside down or you have tried to repair it yourself. If the former, turn the accordion over. If the latter, pack your accordion up with hundreds of dollars and mail it far away for a long, long time.

Continue playing until someone begs you to stop or threatens your life, whichever comes first.

Put the accordion back in its case, order an accordion t-shirt and wear it to your state's Accordion Fest.

Prayer for hope

Dear Lord, In times of grief, help me remember You are my Hope and You are right there with me. I pray You open my eyes and heart to others who are hurting and help me remind them of the Hope. Please give me boldness and compassion during this season to introduce the ultimate Hope to others in need of hope. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

He still holds My hand

Today's 'Our Daily Bread' was based out of Psalm 73. How often I question just like Asaph - "Why do they continue to prosper (in monetary wealth)?!" Oh how I loose sight of the grander picture. Sometimes it can be so easy for me to throw a pity party. And that's just it, 'sometimes' are the times that I take my eyes off of the real prize - my heavenly reward, which will be sufficient beyond words.

Joe Stowell expresses it well in a much needed reminder:

"We all face a variety of issues that threaten to make us stumble. For the psalmist Asaph, seeing the prosperity of the wicked caused him to question the goodness of God. But God squeezed his hand and reassured him that, given the judgment of God, the wicked do not really prosper. True prosperity, the psalmist discovered, was found in the fact that God was always with him: “You hold me by my right hand” (v.23). And just for good measure, God reminded him that He would also guide him through life and ultimately welcome him home to heaven (v.24). How good is that!

So, next time you stumble, remember that the powerful hand of God is holding your hand and walking you through life—all the way home!" — Joe Stowell

"Just keep swimmin, just keep swimmin.."

Kennedy is mobile, well, she has been for almost two weeks now. Though, she hasn't quite got the leg part down. She still gets around by 'army' crawling. She also has this 'move' where she appears to be swimming. What was appropriate, only for our amusement, is that she was on the linoleum floor in the kitchen, so her movements were much more fluid. She was awfully excited to be going nowhere, for that point in time anyway, it didn't last long. What's nice about her mobility is that she stays content much longer. I can only imagine how I would be if I was confined, watch out!

When my husband came downstairs to leave for work, he stopped by Clara and started singing, "She's got freckle on her, but I love her.." or, the more commonly punctuated version, "She's got freckles on her butt, I love her..." Clara kept saying, "No I don't," playfully. Dustin kept singing it, she was getting to the last straw...it hadn't broken yet, but you could tell it would only take a couple more times. After Dustin sang the lyrics again Clara proceeded with, "I don't have pickles on my butt!" I seriously need to start a journal of all the things that she says. It probably wouldn't take long to fill one up. :o)

Too often, I take for granted what God has given me, even my legs and definitely my mouth. Father, I pray that I would be a good steward with everything that I have, currently, and everything that You graciously choose to give me. Lord, I pray that I can effectively teach my children to be content with whatever they have; that we need to store up for ourselves things in heaven, where rust and moth do not destroy. Thank you Father for all the blessings you've bestowed upon me.

"My 23rd Psalm"

Another awesome email from 'Girlfriends in God.' It's not the entire email, but it's the part that struck me most.

My Psalm 23

Lord, You are my Shepherd
[You are my Identity]

I shall not want
[You are my Provision]

You make me lie down in green pastures
[You are my Rest]

You lead me beside the still waters
[You are my Replenishment]

You restore my soul
[You are my Healing]

You lead me in the paths of righteousness
[You are my Guide]

For Your name's sake
[You are my Purpose]

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
[You are my Strength]

I will fear no evil
[You are my Security]

For You are with me
[You are my Peace]

Your rod and your staff they comfort me.
[You are my Deliverer]

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies
[You are my Hope]

You anoint my head with oil
[You are my Blessing]

My cup runs over
[You are my Abundance]

Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life
[You are my Promise]

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
[You are my Destiny]

Forever
[You are my All in All!]

Let's Pray
Father, in the midst of preparing for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, I pray that I would constantly be reminded of the truth that it really is all about You. Give me the eyes to see those in need around me. Give me the heart to reach out to the walking wounded. Help me recognize and be thankful for the amazing journey this year has been and remember that You have been there every step of the way, through every valley and over every mountain. I give You praise! In Jesus' name, Amen.

To Survive or to Live, that is the question

My husband's birthday was yesterday and work gave him a visa gift card...that was very sweet! I don't think he's ever gotten something like that from his place of employment before. Well, to my surprise, kind of ;o), after Cora and Kelby went off to school this morning, Clara came to me at the door and said, "Mommy can I watch this?" She then proceeded to hand me WALL-E. WALL-E!!?? YAY!!!! I think it could go without any disagreement, that WALL-E is the family's favorite movie of all time! So, Clara and I are currently watching it.

The movie was available for purchase starting yesterday and they're selling it at Walmart for $14.97, so for any of you who haven't seen, it is so worth buying!!! And of course for those of you who have seen it....hurry, go buy it before it goes up to $19.97 or whatever they may raise the price to. Dustin was sweet enough to use his birthday money to go get it. Though, he didn't need any prompting....that's how good the movie is, to say that it's a family movie is an understatement. It is a classic, and will be a classic, I hope anyway, till the end of time.

Anyway, there is a line in the movie, that is now my all time favorite line of any movie because it speaks volumes with so little words. It's when the Pilot is arguing with "AUTO", the ships auto pilot 'robot', about going back to earth: "I don't want to survive, I want to live!" I"m sorry if I gave away a little too much to any of those who haven't seen the movie, but man. That line, hearing it for the second time, struck a chord in me, all the way down to my heart. I don't want to survive either! I want to live! Live for my LORD!!

So, will you just survive, or will you choose to live - for a greater purpose? A purpose that was given to you by your Maker, the maker of heaven and earth and all that is in them (Psalm 146:6).

Our Knight in Shining Armor

This is an excerpt from a email letter, Girlfriends in God, I get from Crosswalk.com. Our Prince has come, and He is taking us away to a beautiful castle!

As a child, I remember reading the story of Snow White and almost crying at the fate of one so lovely. As an adult, I read the story and realize it is more than a fairy tale: it is our story as well.

Satan was once a lovely prince. Ezekiel describes him as once being "full of wisdom and perfect in beauty" with every precious stone as his covering. He was the anointed cherub who was on the mountain of God (Ezekiel 28:12-14). But pride was his downfall and he wanted to be like God. As a result, God cast Satan from heaven with one-third of all the angels (Isaiah 14:12-23). After his downfall, he was no longer the "fairest of them all." Satan, like the cruel and wicked queen, then came after us with the poisoned fruit of disobedience.

But the story of Snow White didn't end with her being caught in the evil spell. One day, a handsome Prince rode through the forest on his white horse. When he saw Snow White deep in sleep, he fell in love with her and placed a kiss upon her lips. When he did, she sat up, blinked her eyes, and sprang to life. The prince scooped Snow White into his arms and took her off to his castle where they lived happily ever after.

Oh dear sisters, a handsome prince has come into our lives as well. His name is Jesus. Our prince has placed a kiss upon our lips, taken us in His strong arms, and lifted the evil curse. Now when we look into the mirror of God's word and ask, "Who's the fairest of them all?" God answers," You are, my child" -- for He sees the reflection of His Son in our eyes.

"As a child of God
Looks daily into the Word of God
And beholds intently the glory of God
As manifested in the Son of God,
She shall, by the will of God,
Be transformed into the image of God."
~Harry Reeder

Let's Pray
Dear Lord, Thank You for rescuing me from the forces of evil in this world and transferring me to the kingdom of light. Thank You for breaking the curse that was placed on all mankind due to the disobedience of Adam and Eve in the garden and awaking our dead spirits to newness of life. I praise You that nothing, absolutely nothing, can separate us from Your love.

In Jesus' name. Amen

Rain Check

Well, that lasted all of about two minutes. The paint is a white.... it actually says "extra white" on both containers. Good thing I looked before I started painting. Man, and I was really looking forward to giving the home a more "clean" look. I may just have to check into it. Though, I'm not for sure what the actual color is that is on our walls.... it's almost like an eggshell.... with a tint of pink in it... might want to be sure on that before I start putting spots of another color over it.

"A Painting We Will Go"

Well, I am going to attempt to touch up the walls. There are... I think, two 5 gallon drums of paint in our garage. I hope I can just do a "spot" treatment that won't look spotty. We shall see. Wish me luck! I may just take some pictures too while I'm at it ;oD.

Hearing Things?

The 'noises' that we "may or may not" hear are indicators letting us know that something needs our attention. Our car....our children....our spouse....our LORD. Notice how when we put off taking care of the 'noises/nudges' they don't go away or get better..? I pray that we heed to and take care of them before they "blow up" in our faces

Dear Lord, I need You to draw my attention to those little noises in my life. Sometimes I get so busy and forget to listen. And sometimes I hear them but I just ignore them because I don't want to deal with what's not right in front of me. Lord, I know those noises are little indicators of bigger problems lurking. Help me to hear them and respond before it's too late. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

A Simple "Fall Cleaning" Prayer

Dear Lord, I want to live free of the junk of sin. I want people to see YOU in me. Forgive me and help me to live according to your Word. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Kids Say the Innocentest...? Things

In the process of leaving church yesterday, Dustin was gentlemanly-like and pulled the van up to the side entrance. I loaded Kennedy into her seat and then went on around to get in, on the front passenger side. Dustin was laughing when I got in, and I of course asked him what was so funny. He proceeded to tell me that Clara had gotten upset thinking that he was going to leave Mommy. He assured her that he wasn't going to leave Mommy, but that he was going to pick her up. She then responded with "You can't pick her up, she's too heavy." Oh sweet girl. If only she knew her part in me being "too heavy." That's okay, my chub is a beautiful reminder of the four ornery blessings that God 'knitted' in my womb. I wouldn't trade my chub for the world! :oD

How do we worship God?

This is an excerpt from the booklet to their cd 'Enter the Worship Circle.' All I have to say is...AMEN!!!

How do we worship God?

Worshiping God cannot be borrowed or "faked". Singing christian songs with enthusiasm is not worship, and neither is bowing reverently in a chapel...they are only outward exercises. True worship can never be a rehearsal of someone else's experience or tradition...we must hunger to touch God for ourselves.

So how do we meet God? Jesus sums up the radical message of the whole Bible when he says, "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father" (John 14:9). He also said that He was THE doorway for us to enter the Presence of God (John 14:6). However, Jesus didn't speak of a single, momentary encounter with the Presence of God because it was His heart that we learn to have an ongoing, supernatural relationship with... a continual encounter!

Are you exp0eriencing God? Surely you are not satisfied with only one encounter... one touch!? Through worship we can interact with God" we can ask Him for help to love Him more, we can reflect His passionate pursuit, we can hunger for more of His presence! And when He meets us... and we respond with love... then we can truly call it worship!

I can be guilty of being a copycat. No more, I want to touch you for myself! I am not going to cheat myself any longer!!

In light of Thanksgiving

Okay, I've been on a Waterdeep kick lately. They are a beautifully gifted christian band. Their song ' COme Fall on Us (Psalm 50) ' is currently playing and I just totally kicked up the crazy notch dancing in my living room to it. You Rock God!! Here's the lyrics:

The mighty One, the Lord
Calls to all the Earth
From the rising of the sun
To the place it makes its bed
He calls His people
And we will listen
We will not keep silent
'Till we feel the fire again, oh
'Till we feel the fire again, oh

A thankful heart
Prepares the way
For You, my God
A thankful heart
Prepares the way
For You, my God
Come fall on us
We fall on You
A thankful heart
Will be our rhythm
Come fall on us
We fall on You
A thankful heart
Will be our song

The mighty One, the Lord
Calls to all the Earth
For a heart that would bow down
For a head that he could lift
With eyes of mercy,
A burning passion

We will not keep silent
'Till we feel the fire again, no
'Till we feel the fire again, no

A thankful heart
Prepares the way
For You, my God
A thankful heart
Prepares the way
For You, my God
Come fall on us
We fall on You
A thankful heart
Will be our rhythm
Come fall on us
We fall on You
A thankful heart
Will be our song
(2X)

Call me, Call me
Burn me with fire,
Fall on me
Burn me with fire,
Burn me with fire,
Oh God, Oh God, Oh, oh
Burn me with fire
Burn me, burn me, oh God with fire
Burn me, oh God with holy fire
Burn me, oh God with holy fire
Burn me, oh God with holy fire
Burn me, oh God with holy fire

Tis the Season! To be Garage Saling!

I went to a garage sale yesterday, and boy did I hit the book jackpot! I bet I got 2 dozen books, it didn't help that the woman who lived in the house was, maybe still is, a teacher. I also found three skirts and a dress jacket for me. Plus, I found gifts for Cora and Kelby to give to their teachers for Christmas, and I found the most perfect gift for my brother....unbenounced to me, "Keeping Faith - A Father-Son Story About Love and The United States Marine Corps by John & Frank Schaeffer. I have never even heard of the book, but I just knew that it was for my brother.

On that note. I spoke with my brother for the first time since he's gone back out to CA for schooling. OH yeah, um, my brother is a Marine, that may be a little important to mention for those who don't know ;o). Okay, back to the phone call, well, let me preface it with; my brother has been dating a girl for almost three years and he proposed to her last Christmas, and they had set a date over the summer - Dec. 27. So, everybody in our family, except Kennedy, had a role in the wedding. What a blessing to able to be a little more involved with a special day than just sitting on the sidelines. When Zack called last, wait, two Tuesdays ago, we were just getting ready to put the kids to bed and Zack called Dustin's cell phone first. When we didn't answer Dustin's phone Zack called my cell phone. Dustin went ahead and answered it and told Zack that we'd give him a call back in just a minute, we were praying with the kids. Zack was like "Well, let me just tell you one thing You can stop looking for dresses." Okay, well that didn't sound like joyful news. Zack and Linnea's wedding is...postponed...? I mean it's cancelled and all, but not necessarily totally out of the picture. They are wanting to work on their friendship and build that first, and if they both feel like each other is the one that want to spend the rest of their life with, then they will pursue the next level of the friendship. In the meantime, they've agreed to date other people. Can I just say that I'm so proud of them!!!

Along with the whole relationship Zack was getting a horrible case of homesickness. I mean he was ready to just up and leave Monday night (the night before we talked to him). Praise be to God that there are wise, Godly men surrounding him out there on campus. And Zack was in a very vulnerable spot in which Godwas able to use to give Zack the nudge he needed to to search and ask for their wise counsel. Zack now is undoubtedly confident in his calling to be a part of the United States Marine Corps, and not only does he not want to come home, but is excited at his new found direction in life.

God has a funny way of letting us know what he wants us to do. And don't be fooled, He is very much a gentleman and does not force us to do anything we don't want to do, but child, your Heavenly Father knows and WANTS what's best for you! It's just that we think that what we WANT is what we NEED, and totter on the fence between destruction and blessing. He is not going to give you anything that you can't handle, except that which we cannot do on our own. Call Christ a crutch is you may, but in case you haven't evaluated this world lately, we're a pretty broken people. Oh, there are plenty of things that we can do, but there are plenty more things that God CAN do through us. He CAN DO what He SAYS that He can do! And I haven't known God to be much of a promise breaker, in fact, there is not a single promise that he has left unkept. Praise and Glory be to Him, the Maker of the heavens and the earth, and the Potter who saw purpose in me before I was even a thought to my parents, despite my cracks and my faded, warn out color. Thank you Jesus!!!

"No Small Affair"

This article is one that I subscribe to from Crosswalk.com - Encouragement for Today. Wow! I am SO guilty of placing these 'love expectations' onto my husband. It's SO NOT FAIR to him! He's never going to be exactly what I need when I need it - ALL the time. Dustin, I'm SO SORRY!! I caught a glimpse of this truth a while back, but it didn't stick as much as it needed to. I pray that the LORD will take hold of my heart. I need to do my part and remind myself of this truth EVERY day - saying it OUT LOUD - proclaiming it, 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. As Lysa sheds light onto this scripture passage...a perspective I had never even contemplated, that this passage is speaking of CHRIST'S LOVE for US! I am able to grow deeper in love with my Bridegroom, and release the unfair expectations on my husband. Now, of course that doesn't give the Hubby a free pass, but it allows me to get out of the way of what Christ is trying to grow in Dustin. Wives, we can be a stumbling block (well, even a mountain) to our husbands and not even know it! We NEED to take hold of the truth that God has given us in His Word, that only He can satisfy us, perfectly and completely. And let go of our husbands, or whoever we may have these unfair expectations on, so that they can experience God's perfect and complete love for them!

Thank you Lysa, for sharing what God has shown to you.

No Small Affair

Lysa TerKeurst

"Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth."

1 Corinthians 13:6 (NIV)

Devotion:

A few years ago, I sat with a beautiful young woman and watched the tears stream down her face. Six months before our meeting, her world was filled with so much -- a loving husband, a healthy toddler, and fun friends.

Life was full.

But some part of her heart still felt restless, unsettled, and a little empty.

She started to feel detached from her husband and disappointed in their relationship. Why couldn't he make her feel loved? Wasn't he supposed to right her wrongs, fill up her insecurities, and give her a lasting feeling of love?

Then one day she met a man who said things she'd longed to hear her husband say. He made her feel pretty and witty. Soon, she rationalized that she'd never really loved her husband in the first place. A web of lies was spun. She fell into the arms of the other man.

She had not wanted to come to the women's retreat. She knew it might make her feel guilty and she was past having any guilty feelings. She was just waiting for the right time to leave her husband and start over with the new love of her life. But her friends had started to grow suspicious of her pulling back from so many church activities. So, to appease them, she went.

Over the course of the weekend, the walls she'd so carefully constructed to keep everyone at a distance and her secret safe started to crumble. By Saturday night, she sat down with me and confessed her affair. She desperately wanted to know how I felt so full of God's love. She was now convinced it wasn't the love of another man her heart craved; it was the love of God.

Chasing love outside the will of God invites the exact opposite of love into our lives. 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8 is picture of God's perfect love. It is patient. It is kind. It does not envy... it is not self-seeking... it does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth... it always protects... it always perseveres. Love never fails. The things we chase in this world are opposite from God's love. False attempts at love will make us impatient, unkind, envious, self-seeking, resistant to the truth, reckless and temporary.

1 Corinthians 13 is not a description of what is inherently ours when we fall in love with another person. It is a description of God's love. This kind of love can be ours as we become more Christ-like. It is never focused inwardly. It is never about what I'm going to get from another person. It is deciding that this is the kind of love I will give away.

I am challenged by this. Because our souls were designed for God's fulfilling love, if we aren't staying closely connected to Him everyday, our hearts will start to feel empty. Restless. Unfulfilled.

Let us never get to the place where we think we are strong enough to not be tempted in this way. If we are all completely honest, we are only a few bad decisions away from the same kind of mess my sweet friend is now trying to untangle herself from. While I have complete hope in God's ability to restore her, the consequences of her chase for love will be severe on many levels.

The kind of love our souls crave will never be found in the things of this world. Lasting and perfectly satisfying love will only be found when we stop chasing the wrong kind of love and start living out the truths of God.

Dear Lord, help me rest in the security of Your love. Make me wise in how I guard my heart. May I never get lured into any kind of worldly, fake love. But if I ever start to get drawn away, God surround me with people who are bold enough to speak truth into my life. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Transgender?

Apparently I clicked on the 'male' circle instead of the 'female' one when choosing my gender in my profile. Well, I must say, being a male wasn't as exciting as I thought it would be. But to be honest, I really didn't give it a fair chance ;o).

On a side note, Nick and Willy's pizza is pretty stinkin good. That's what we had for dinner at church tonight. Oh yeah, and that oh so wonderful strawberry applesauce. The kind where you just add the strawberry jell-o powder to regular applesauce. Mmmm, one of my kids' favorites too.

Two words, Beth Moore.

What an amazing woman of God! She has a fire for God that is, to say the least, contagious. The class that I am going through on Wednesday nights is one of Beth Moore's bible studies - Believing God. Beth explains what it means to really, truly believe God - it is a present-active-participle verb. It doesn't just involve our minds and hearts, but our hands and mouths as well. God is using Beth and this study to do some major reconstructing in my life - enter the chaos mentioned in my previous entry. Yes, 'fall cleaning' has commenced. God is cleaning, organizing, getting rid of and restoring pieces of my life. And oh man, is there some dust flying. Not to mention the areas of my life that are needing to be restored, and sometimes you have to tare down before you can build it back up. Taring down doesn't exactly promote warm fuzzy feelings. But I know and trust that whatever I have to go through will be worth going through because the ends will justify the means. God is in control and He always wants what's best for me, no matter if I understand why He has to do it the way He does.

Peace amongst the chaos

How about that for a first entry. It's the simplest way I can explain what is going on with me, currently. Better yet, let me share with you the words to a song that goes beyond the simple words in the title of this entry.

Whatever You're Doing by Sanctus Real

It�s time for healing, time to move on,
it�s time to fix what�s been broken too long
Time to make right what has been wrong;
it�s time to find my way to where I belong

Chorus:
There�s a wave that�s crashing over me, and all I can do is surrender
Whatever You�re doing inside of me
It feels like chaos, but somehow there�s peace
And it�s hard to surrender to what I can�t see, but I�m giving in to something heavenly

Time for a milestone, time to begin again, re-evaluate who I really am
Am I doing everything to follow Your will or just climbing aimlessly over these hills?
So show me what it is You want from me
I give everything � I surrender

Chorus:

Time to face up, clean this old house
Time to breathe in and let everything out that I�ve wanted to say for so many years
Time to release all my held back tears

Whatever You�re doing inside of me
It feels like chaos, but I believe �
You�re up to something bigger than me
Larger than life, something heavenly

Whatever You�re doing inside of me
It feels like chaos, but now I can see
This is something bigger than me
Larger than life
Something heavenly, something heavenly

Time to face up, clean this old house
Time to breathe in and let everything out

You can watch the youtube video here.