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Fireproof–A Must See!

September 29th, 2008

You absolutely MUST see this movie!   

 

My husband and I were able to go see it yesterday–I just can’t say enough good about it!  I started crying within the first half hour due to a few scenes that hit memories (not the fighting, but the accident scene made me think of Dallas’ serious accident 4 years ago,  and a scene with Katherine and her mother made me think of my dad). 

 

Right from the beginning you see the correlations drawn between a fireman’s duties and a marriage.   Dallas and I have always had a good marriage, but this was a good reminder to not take each other for granted and to not stop "courting" each other even when married! 

 

I’ll post my Simple Woman’s Daybook either later today or tomorrow–I felt the movie was more important today!

 

Blessings!

 

~ ..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:-
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´*

"Home and family seemed by providence
to be my special field of duty."
                                     ~America Holton Ford, 1889~

Posted in Glimpses | 2 Comments »

Saturday Psalm and Praise: Trust in the Lord and Be Not Afraid

September 27th, 2008

For September 27, 2008

 

Lately I have felt like we are pressed upon on every side.   All the turmoil in our nation and in our world…..financial crises, politics, "wars and rumors of wars"…..with those who want to control our food, our supplements, our seeds, our healthcare , our children’s education (or even if we can raise our children!)–basically socializing everything from birth to death–it’s easy to be enraged, afraid, and sometimes frustrated and helpless. 

 

I often tell my children that times might seem rough, or even scarey, but we know WHO is in control!   And we can trust Him!

 

So today, Psalm 27 really spoke to me, and I’d like to share it with you, dear friend.  The little heading in my Bible for this psalm actually says, "Trust in the Lord and be not afraid"   Quite relevent!

 

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation:  whom shall I fear?  the Lord is the strength of my life;  of whom shall I be afraid?

 

2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

 

3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear:  though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

 

4 One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after;  that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in His temple.

 

5 For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion:  in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me;  He shall set me up upon a rock. (THE ROCK, Jesus!)

 

6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me:  therefore will I offer in His tabernacle sacrifices of joy;  I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.

 

7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice:  have mercy also upon me, and answer me.

 

8 When thou saidst, Seek ye My face;  my heart said unto Thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.

 

9 Hide not Thy face far from me;  put not Thy servant away in anger:  Thou hast been my help;  leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.

 

10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.

 

11 Teach me Thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.

 

12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies:  for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.

 

13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

 

14 Wait on the Lord:  be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart:  wait, I say, on the Lord.

 

`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`

What better song than "Standing on the Promises"?

 

Standing on the promises of Christ my King,

Through eternal ages let His praises ring;

Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,

Standing on the promises of God.

 

Standing on the promises that cannot fail,

When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,

By the living Word of God I shall prevail,

Standing on the promises of God.

 

Standing on the promises I now can see

Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me;

Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free,

Standing on the promises of God.

 

Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord,

Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord,

Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword,

Standing on the promises of God.

 

Standing on the promises I cannot fall,

List’ning every moment to the Spirit’s call,

Resting in my Savior, as my all in all,

Standing on the promises of God.

 

Standing, standing, standing on the promises of God my Savior;

Standing, standing, I’m standing on the promises of God.

 

`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`

 

Yes, take courage, dear heart!   Wait on HIM and Him ALONE.  Let Him be your "all in all" that will keep you though the "storms of life" and "doubt and fear assail".   He has proven His faithfulness to deliver His loved ones either from the trial or through it.  Either way, we need not fear, for His "rod and staff, they comfort me".   

 

Finally, a promise from Hebrews 13:5:

 

"Let your conversation (behavior) be without covetousness;  and be content with such things as ye have:  for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."

 

A friend once pointed out that the last part of that verse means the same read forwards and backwards:

 

"Thee leave, nor thee forsake, never will I"!

 

Amen!

 

~ ..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:-
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´*
"Home and family seemed by providence
to be my special field of duty."
                                     ~America Holton Ford, 1889~

Posted in Saturday Psalm and Praise | 1 Comment »

Frugal Fridays–Feeding My Family for Fifteen (or less!)

September 26th, 2008

                                                                                     

I’ve been inspired by Crystal Paine’s Frugal Fridays,  but I sometimes get discouraged by trying to feed my family of 11 reasonably.  Most of the sites I’ve explored so far use a LOT of pasta or grains, which is not always the healthiest, especially as we get older.  Too many carbs can lead to type 2 diabetes at worst, or contribute to weight gain and other health issues at best.  Added to that, my husband doesn’t mind some pasta dishes, but he doesn’t want them all week long!

 

It gets challenging feeding a larger family, and while I know we can cut down in many areas, I’ve gotten discouraged in trying to have decent dinners for a reasonable price!

 

So I’m hoping to join the Frugal Fridays with recipes to feed a larger family for $15 or less.  Does that sound like a lot?   At  $5 Dollar Dinners she has listed dinners to feed 4 that are fairly healthy.  So I tripled that since there are 11 of us, and that gives one extra serving for my husband for work the next day.   A lot is going to depend on the prices of your ingredients, what season it is(more garden goodies for free in the summer and early fall months!),  and whether you have special needs such as allergies to work around.

 

I’m no expert by any means!   I’m just sharing as I travel on my journey!  If you have favorite dinners that aren’t dependent on a lot of prepared items, fairly healthy and reasonable, feel free to link to my Mr. Linky and share with me, too!

 

Tonight my 16 year old daughter prepared a yummy Potato Soup, Florentine Style from Mable Hoffman’s Crockery Cookery, Broccoli/Bacon/Raisin Salad from The Best of Country Cooking, and Sweet Onion Muffins from Contest Winning Recipes.  

 

Potato Soup, Florentine Style

Makes about 6 servings (my daughter doubled it, but we probably have enough for lunch for most of us tomorrow!)

 

4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced (we use organic potatoes, so she didn’t peel them)

1 onion, chopped

1 smoked ham hock (about 1 lb.) or 1 cup chopped ham (she used the chopped ham)

4 cups chicken broth (we use Better than Bouillon)

1 tsp. dry mustard

1/2 tsp. seasoned salt (we have our own homemade)

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 (9 oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained (she used a little less)

1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Swiss cheese

She also added 1/2 cup chopped zucchini (I adjusted for the recipe–since she doubled the recipe she added a full cup–just in case you wondered!)

 

In a slow cooker, combine potatoes, onion, ham hock or ham, broth, mustard, seasoned salt and pepper (and zucchini, if used).  Cover and cook on LOW 7 to 8 hours or until potatoes are soft.  Remove ham hock; chop meat and discard fat and bone.  Return meat to cooker.  Turn control to HIGH.  Add drained spinach.  Cover and cook on HIGH 15 to 20 minutes.   Spoon hot soup into soup bowls and sprinkle with cheese (we had slices and she added it to the soup to melt in there). 

 

Like I said, she doubled this and we have a little less than half left! 

 

Seasoned Salt

 

1 cup salt

2 1/2 tsp. paprika

2 tsp. dry mustard

1 1/2 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

 

Combine.

 

Broccoli/Bacon/Raisin Salad

Yields 12 servings

 

1 bunch broccoli (she used half broccoli, half cauliflower)

1/2 cup chopped red onion (she used regular onion since we didn’t have a red one!)

1 cup celery, chopped

1 pound bacon, fried crisp, drained and crumbled (she used half this amount–also, we like turkey bacon, and my 15 yr. old daughter found cooking it on the griddle saved time and wasn’t as time intensive as the microwave nor as slow as a skillet!) 

1/2 cup hulled sunflower seeds

1/2 cup raisins

 

Dressing

 

3/4 cup mayonnaise (we usually make our own, but we had some left from our "survival suppers" during the chicken pox epidemic!)

1/4 cup sugar

2 TB vinegar

 

Combine salad ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.  Set aside.  Combine dressing ingredients together thoroughly.  Pour dressing over salad ingredients; stir to blend.  Serve chilled.  Refrigerate leftovers.

 

Sweet Onion Muffins

(she made this recipe 1/2 again to get 18 muffins)

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 1/2 chopped walnuts (we were out, so she chopped some almonds we had!)

 

1. In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  In another bowl, beat the eggs, onion and butter until blended; stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened.  Fold in walnuts (or almonds!  ).

 

2. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full (we don’t mess with the liners!).  Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

 

My daughter doubled the soup, doubled the salad, and did 1 1/2 recipes of the onion muffins.  Total cost was $15!!!  We will get lunch tomorrow, not as big portions, and not including muffins, unless she makes more.  So the actual cost may be under $10. 

 

Not too bad, really!  

 

I hope this inspires you and helps you to feed your family good meals without breaking the budget!

 

Happy Cooking!

 

~ ..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:-
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´*
"Home and family seemed by providence
to be my special field of duty."
                                     ~America Holton Ford, 1889~

Please sign my Mr. Linky linking to your site,  and post a comment so I can see your yummy recipes, too!   

 

 

 

Posted in Frugal Fridays | 2 Comments »

My Heart Is Fixed On God

September 24th, 2008

This post is from some insights during my quiet time over a month ago, as well as some thoughts from the sermon the day before.  I had (and have!) been seeking the Lord to help me keep my focus on the most important thing–Him.  It’s so easy, though, to fear, especially in the homeschooling arena!  Fear of parents or in-laws, fear of what the neighbors think or even fear of possible legal hassles.  Yet we don’t want to be driven by fear.  No "teaching to the test" or "covering subjects" in case we might be questioned.

 

It takes real faith and fortitude to do what the Lord tells you and not mind what others think!  I don’t mean have a "who cares?" attitude–but to firmly stay put on the path you know He wants you on.

 

So these musings are out of my desire to walk the path God has called us to and not let fear drive me.

 

Psalm 108:1  My heart is fixed on God.  Then I can purpose in my heart to not defile myself with the world’s systems (Daniel 1:8), but purpose to be pure and undefiled (Psalm 119:1), so I can have God’s wisdom (James 3:17).

 

Psalm 78:8, 37  To set my heart aright and remain steadfast wtih God; v.7 to set my hope in Him; v.22 believe and trust Him; vv. 52-53 He will guide me and lead me on safely.

v. 72 I feed my children with the integrity of my heart and guide them by the skillfulness of my hands (work with them!).

 

By believing His commandments, He teaches me good judgment and knowledge.

 

Proverbs 18:15  My heart gets knowledge through loving Christ first. (see also Eph. 3:17+19)

 

His name is a strong tower of refuge and safety!  (Pr. 18:10)

 

Truly the best "education" is knowing God, applying His Truth, learning to love His commands, His Word and having my children work with me.

 

Psalm 108:52-53  I can trust Him to guide me and lead me safely,

                                                     but first purity (James 3:17)

                                                           Because:

                                 Matthew 5:8  "Blessed are the pure in heart, 

                                               for they shall see God."

 

The goal is teaching them to control their thoughts, focusing them upon Christ.

 

"Be humble, trusting the Lord to give you wise counsel from His Word and bring you the resources you will need."  

                  ~Maridel Willer~

 

"The secret (of the sweet, satisfying companionship) of the Lord have they who fear (revere and worship) Him and He will show them His covenant and reveal to them its (deep, inner) meaning."  Psalm 25:14

 

`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`:`~`

 

This is what I want for my children–for them to have an intimate, living, love relationship with the Lord!  But it can only come by first having a pure heart–which He also gives.   The keys are humility and faith, and self-control in the sense of not making any provision for the flesh.  They must learn to delight themselves in Him, seeking Him in His Word as well as in prayer;  seeking His will, His companionship, in every area of life.

 

And the best way to teach them that is by my example!  I believe that is what Psalm 78:72 means.  I teach them, "feed" them, by the integrity of my heart.  I must be what I want them to be.  And then I guide them "by the skillfulness" of my hands.  I truly believe that is working with them, praying with them, playing with them  —in short, living life with them!  

 

I can’t let fears, curriculum demands, outside activities, or what others think I should be doing drive me, or I will drive my little lambs. 

 

I have heard that in Israel, a shepherd doesn’t "drive" his sheep.  He simply speaks a word, and they follow him.  Now, we’ve had sheep before, just four of them, and believe me, they didn’t follow us just by "speaking"!  Only if we were banging the feed can, too! 

 

But, neither did we spend as much time with the sheep as this shepherd obviously spent with his.  Trust built on a relationship–they knew they could trust him, and they knew his voice (I suppose that meant he talked to them a lot!  I never talked to our sheep…..)  They knew when he spoke the word and got up, they were following him to better pastures.  They didn’t need to fear because they were trained to trust his leadership.  

 

Of course there are rich spiritual analogies here!  

 

The opposite is the way other shepherds "herd" or drive their sheep.  Sometimes with dogs, sometimes just on horses, or maybe even ATVs now!    But it’s bedlam!  

 

Which do I want?  Well!  That’s no contest!  Of course I want the peaceful "just speak a word and they follow" kind of shepherding!

 

But it takes time.   Investing my life.   Speaking often so they "know" my voice.  And I bet that means keeping my voice soft and sweet, because shrill yelling gets tuned OUT!  (Besides that, it really scares the sheep!)

 

The wise in heart shall be called prudent:  and the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning."  (Pr. 16:21)

 

"Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones."  (Pr. 16:24)

 

Ah!  So that’s how I feed them—with the sweet honey of my lips, bringing sweetness and nourishment by the words I speak (Song of Solomon 4:11).   That only comes through a pure and sweet heart, nourished by the sincere "milk of the Word" (I Pet. 2:2). 

 

After that, my actions will flow out of a pure and sweet heart, with my only desire to glorify God, especially in leading my children to Him.  He grants the skill to my hands, and by His grace I become "God’s fingerprint, leaving His impression with my loving hands."  My love for Him will result "in beautiful works done in trust and honor to His Name." (Laine Amivizca)   And what are the most beautiful works I can do?

 

Building up my "home", my husband and children.  When my heart attitude is right and focused on serving them, they will feel my love as I serve Him by serving them!  My heart will be revealed by my loving deeds!

 

So as I work with them, whether on phonics, fractions, writing a letter, doing the dishes, making a pie or hanging out laundry–I am building relationships.   And remember–as those "Rs" of relationships are in place, then the other "3 Rs" will flow naturally out of life.

 

And you’ll wonder why you made it so hard!  Why you didn’t trust Him sooner!

 

Trust Him, beloved friend in the Lord!  He is the Good Shepherd.  He will not drive you, but gently lead you.  If it seems unfamiliar, remember He is only leading you to better pastures, and He will protect you from any true danger to your or your family’s souls.  He will feed and guide you as you feed and guide your lambs. 

 

Remember–you must be what you want your children to be.  Humble.  Surrendered to Him.  Totally yielded.

 

Just listen for His voice……and follow.

 

~ ..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:-
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´*

 

 

"Don’t let another priceless moment slip through your fingers because
you are ‘too busy’.  While you have the time, take the time."
                                                            ~Crystal Paine~

Posted in Real Life Learning | 1 Comment »

Simple Woman’s Daybook 3

September 22nd, 2008

For today, September 22, 2008

 

Outside my window….  it is a nice summery day, with a breeze gently blowing through the trees, the late afternoon sun lighting up the drying bean field around us to a golden hue.

 

I am thinking…. about my dear friend Heather, whose birthday is today!  Happy Birthday, Heather!

 

From the learning rooms… we’re still recuperating from the chicken pox, although everyone is doing much better than this time last week!  Some blogging going on, little girls are playing with dollhouses, one is sewing and another making supper.

 

I am thankful for….. being on the other side of the chicken pox "hurricane"! 

 

From the kitchen….. hearty beef enchiladas (a favorite!), homemade bread and homemade ginger snaps!  Yummmm!  Also lots of tomatoes, cherry and roma!  We might get some sauce afterall!

 

I am wearing…. my birthday present from Leah–a jumper made from Debbie Mumm fabric, blue basket weave background with sunflowers, the inserts with smaller sunflowers.  Also wearing my white blouse with big square collar I’ve had forever!  The jumper is one of my favorites–I love the fullness the inserts give!   (If no one were looking, I might twirl round and round!   )

 

I am reading….. A Woman’s Call to Prayer by Elizabeth George, and continuing to read at Lifestyle Homeschool.   I’m also savoring my issue of TEACH magazine from Lorrie Flem! 

 

I am hoping…. to slowly get us back onto a routine.

 

I am creating…. a framework for our routine.

 

I am hearing…. the clatter of dishes as the little girls clear the table.

 

Around the house… hubby is in his office, the girls are clearing the table and stacking dishes (I’ll join them in a few minutes!).

 

One of my favorite things…. is my morning prayer time–especially if I can combine it with a walk in the cool morning!  My absolute favorite is when it’s slightly foggy out–it feels as if I’m hemmed in away from the noise of life!

 

A few plans for the rest of the week…. getting our internal "clocks" reset to get to bed before midnight and get up before 9 a.m.!   My main goals are to get back to my T-Tapp exercise routine, get up earlier, and get our Bible time started again.

 

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you:

 

Isaiah and Noah in their "boat"!

 

Hope you enjoyed this peek into my day!  Please share your day and link with Mr. Linky so I can enjoy yours!

 

 

Blessings on your day!

 

~ ..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:-
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´*
"Home and family seemed by providence to be my special field of duty."
                                                              ~America Holton Ford, 1889~

 

Posted in Simple Woman_s Daybook | 3 Comments »

Serenity

September 21st, 2008

I just got my new issue of TEACH Magazine (which I highly recommend, btw!), and the theme is Serenity.   How appropriate!  If you read my Saturday Psalm and Praise for September 20, you already know that seems to be where the Lord has me!

 

I have felt, for most of the time during our quarantine, a profound sense of peacefulness.  I was a bit concerned for the young lady whose wedding we were to play for, but deep down, I knew it would all work out (she was able to find someone else, thankfully!).   Other than about 4 times, when different children were at their "peak itchy" point and nothing would help, I felt a calm that almost seemed unreal!   It reminded me of the calm when we lost our first little boy, as well as the calm when Dallas had his serious accident.  Now, chicken pox has not been NEARLY as serious as those times were!  Yet the peace that settled on me seemed to be like being in a "bubble", where the cares of life didn’t seem to touch me like they usually do. 

 

According to the Random House College Dictionary (1988), Serenity means:

 

The state or quality of being serene, calm, or tranquil;   synonyms:  composure, calm, peacefulness

 

serene:

 

calm, peaceful, tranquil; unruffled

 

Ah!  What beautiful qualities to have, yes?

 

The Webster’s 1828 has some of the same ideas, but a few more that really help round it out:

 

serenity:  Calmness; quietness; stillness; peace; calmness of mind; evenness of temper; undisturbed state; coolness

 

serene:  calm, unruffled, undisturbed

 

Here is a quote from Dr. A. T. Pierson that, for me, really portrays this meaning:

 

"The peace of God is that eternal calm which, like the cushion of the sea, lies far too deep down to be reached by any external trouble or disturbance;  and he who enters into the presence of God, becomes partaker of that undisturbed and undisturbable calm."

 

Yes, as I stated before…..the Prince of Peace can come into our troubled seas of  life and calm the storm, but He extends His peace another way, too.   He might, instead of calming the storm, take you deeper–deeper into Him and His presence, away from the turbulent seas.   The hurricane boiling on the surface doesn’t affect the ocean floor.   Near to the heart of God, we can weather the storm because He is letting us partake of His peace, His serenity.   All it takes (all!) is a heart surrendered and at rest in Him.

 

If I’m not resting in Him, then I am saying, in effect, "You can’t take care of me!  You don’t know what’s best for me!  I just can’t trust you!"  Listen to to that!   WHAT am I saying?!  The God of the universe, Who sacrificed His life for me….I can’t trust Him?!    When you put it like that, well!   It’s so easy to see it for the lie it is, and to run to Abba-Father’s arms.   No matter the storm, close to Him is the safest place to be!

 

One of the thoughts in TEACH this issue was that serenity is not something we seek after.  It’s "not something we go looking for, because where we will find it is in our response to and in the middle of the fires of life." 

 

It all goes back to:  What is my choice?   Philippians 1:18 says, "What then?  notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice."  Paul was responding about those who were preaching Christ out of their own vanity.   He could have been hurt, displeased, angry–but he chose  to rejoice!  "… and will  rejoice"!   Do I choose to rejoice, even when circumstances collaborate to anger, displease or hurt me? 

 

Being in "quarantine" means we haven’t been to church for a few weeks.  Dallas had a cd he borrowed with a message by Dr. John MacArthur on….contentment!  (Hmmm….I see a theme developing here!  )

 

He was mainly in Philippians 4, and it was rich!   The actual title is "An Encouraging Call to a Contented Life"  based on Philippians 4:1-9

 

I won’t write out ALL my notes (that started on my infamous sticky notes and went to a bigger scrap piece of paper….), but here are some highlights–think of this and how it applies to "serenity"!

 

"It’s not about what I have, but about Who has me!"

 

"Discontent is sin because it denies the right of God to do with us as He will, and it ignores the fact/promise that God will not give us more than we can handle.  It fails to believe that this is God’s best for us."

 

"It saps our joy and peace."  

 

"Contentment rides over our circumstances."

 

Here are his points–but trust me!  You will get a LOT MORE from the cd if you can listen to it!  He also pointed out how many of these went along with the fruits of the Spirit–I found all the fruits could be incorporated.   His are in italics, mine in parentheses.

 

1. Cultivate Love for Others (in the fellowship) 

Love

 No circumstance of life could strike a blow at Paul’s contentment because his contentment had nothing to do with his circumstances!

Contentment grows in the soil of selfLESSness.

 

2. Cultivate a(n) Attitude/Spirit of Rejoicing 

Joy

v. 4  Rejoice in the Lord, not circumstances!  Our primary source of joy is obedience–training the heart to rejoice in the glorious truth that the Lord is my Shepherd and I shall not want!

 

3. Learning to Accept Less than You’re Due

Longsuffering  (Meekness; Gentleness)

Facing life with a patient, humble, reasonableness that demands little. 

v. 5 "Let your ‘forbearing’ (KJV-moderation) be known to all."  The word for forbearing actually means:

a sweet reasonableness, generosity, magnanimity;  meekness and gentleness in the face of hostility

 

It gives the picture of one who demands nothing!  No "I got my rights" attitudes!  This reminds me of a quote from Stormie Omartian’s book on praying for our husbands–about longing to do right more than be right–to give life rather than to get even.

 

4. Confident Faith in the Lord

Faith

 

v. 5 The Lord is nearby–close–His personal presence!  He is your true security!

 

 

5. Reacting to Your Problems with Thankful Prayer

(Peace)

v. 6  Ask with thanksgiving…"I thank You that You will do what is best".  Just leave it there with Him–you can trust Him with ALL of it!

The answer is not the issue–taking the burden to Him and leaving it with Him is.  Peace is resting in the wisdom, power and purpose of God.  Peace protects the heart and mind thought patterns from discontent

 

6. Think on Godly Things

(Self-Control)

 

v.8  To keep your heart focused on Him.   If you rehearse all that’s wrong, you’re feeding your discontentment!  What’s there to worry about?  Don’t carry God’s burden, especially the burden of the future.  You can sleep in peace because God doesn’t sleep….ever!

 

7.  Follow a Good Example

(Goodness)

v. 9  Paul is as good as any!  The same Shepherd that guided Paul will guide us as well!    May our contentment be a testimony to Him!

 

 

And finally, some absolutely beautiful words from Andrew Murray’s Holy in Christ:

 

"….where God enters to rest, there He sanctifies."  p. 23

 

"God rests only in what is restful, wholly at His disposal.  It is in the restfulness of faith that we must look to God the Sanctifier; He will come in and keep His holy Sabbath in the restful soul. We rest in God’s rest; God rests in our rest."  pp. 25-26

 

"Rest.  What a simple word!  The rest of God!  What an inconceivable fulness of life and love in that word.  Let us meditate on it and worship before Him, until it overshadow us and we enter into it–the rest of God." p.26

 

"And teach me, Lord, to understand better how this blessing comes.  It is where Thou enterest to rest and refresh and reveal Thyself that Thou makest holy.  O my God, may my heart be Thy resting-place!  I would, in the stillness and confidence of a restful faith, rest in Thee, believing that Thou doest all in me.  Let such fellowship with Thee, and Thy love, and Thy will be to me the secret of a life of holiness.  I ask it in the name of our Lord Jesus, in Whom Thou hast sanctified us. Amen."

 

AMEN!

 

~ ..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:-
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´*
"Home and family seemed by providence
to be my special field of duty."
                                     ~America Holton Ford, 1889~

 

 

 

Posted in In His Presence | 1 Comment »

Saturday Psalm & Praise: Only in God is My Soul at Rest

September 20th, 2008

 

In light of the crazy week we’ve had, the song by Wendy and Mary  "Only in God" (Psalm 62) has really ministered to me.  Today I felt through all my readings the theme was rest and abide.  Truly only from Him is my salvation, my stronghold, my Savior–I will not be afraid at all–I will not be moved.  It’s been tough, especially when there was nothing this mama could do to relieve her suffering children, but pray.  Pray and cry out to God!

 (click above to see how to participate!  Click here to read Jacque’s post for today.)

Psalm 62

 

1 Truly my soul waiteth upon God:  from Him cometh my salvation. 

2 He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved.

5 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him.

6 He only is my rock and my salvation:  He is my defense; I shall not be moved.

7 In God is my salvation and my glory:  the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

8 Trust in Him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before Him:  God is a refuge for us.  Selah.

 

He has seen us through.   He has proven faithful, once again.  I have felt very much being under the shadow of His wings.

 

Because the Prince of Peace resides in my heart, I can choose to trust Him, the Ruler of all storms.  I don’t always! 

 

Psalm 132:13-14 "For the Lord hath chosen Zion; He hath desired it for His habitation.  This is My rest forever:  here will I dwell; for I have desired it. "

 

This speaks to me, of my heart.  My heart can’t be at rest if it’s bitter, or fretting, or fearing.  When my heart is at rest in Him, it becomes a beautiful dwelling place for my Master, my Heavenly Bridegoom and Lover of my soul!  

 

He seeks a place of rest in my heart–and yours.   Our part is to trust, rest in His love, abide.    And when He comes on in, because now the "door" is thrown wide open, He brings immeasurable "peace that passes understanding". 

 

"Return unto thy rest, oh my soul;  for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee."    Psalm 116:7

 

Amen!

 

Blessings,

 

~ ..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:-
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´*
"Home and family seemed by providence
to be my special field of duty."

Posted in Saturday Psalm and Praise | 1 Comment »

Last Day of Sale!

September 20th, 2008

Head on over to Kelly’s site Generation Cedar to have a look at her wonderful e-books!  I bought three of them and am enjoying them immensely!   Today is the last day of the sale–but if you miss it, they are still worth every penny!

 

Here are a few quotes (used with permission!)

 

From Think Outside the Classroom (Relaxed Homeschooling):

 

"A Word About Relationships

So often I’ve seen parents trying to implement their idea of what homeschooling is, even to the detriment of the relationships with their children. I’ve said before, if my children learned NOTHING except how tolove the Lord, and we had their hearts, I would consider it a successful homeschool experience. No academic goal is worth losing the priceless relationships with our children. I’ve advised frustrated mothers to “take off” for the remainder of the year and just focus on building relationships. Once those are established, homeschooling gets so much easier! And to borrow from the Scriptural concept, “What does it profit a man to gain the world and lose his own soul?” I ask,  “What does it profit a parent to raise studious children and lose their hearts?”"

(p. 10)

 

 

 

And here is a wonderful gem from Getting Your Children to Obey:

"A word about relationship.

A most crucial thing to remember as a parent charged with the responsibiltiy of raising up godly children, is to maintain fellowship and a loving relationship with them. Many parents make the tragic mistake of being strict, expert disciplinarians, but then lose the heart of their children because they failed to keep a loving, close relationship with them. Our training and insistence on obedience MUST be balanced with a tender, loving relationship. The simple rule to remember is: “rules without relationship equals rebellion”.

 

Furthermore, true respect is only accomplished when a child feels safe and secure in hisparents’ love. He must know that a parent’s motivation for discipline is out of his utmost love for him.  If he feels a parent is simply trying to wield his superiority, he will never truly respect  his authority."

(pp. 9-10)

 

Those are just a few of the wonderful gems I’m finding in these books!   Getting Your Children to Obey is, to me, a wonderfully concise resource.  I feel it condenses the most important aspects of child training in a short, readable, doable book!    There’s even a chapter entitled "Am I Too Late?"  (The answer is NO!)

 

Think Outside the Classroom  is also worth every penny!  If you haven’t figured out by now, I am a very relaxed homeschooler, and although some would think I’ve figured it all out, I haven’t!!!  I love resources that God uses to reaffirm the path we’ve chosen and help us keep the most important aspects of homeschooling (and really, being a family!) top priority!

 

Since Kelly has written that book, I don’t have to write one! 

 

This is a great opportunity you don’t want to miss!  You will feel a breath of fresh air reading both these books!  (I didn’t get the one on Finding Financial Freedom , but I can only imagine it’s as wonderful and practical as her others!)

 

Click on her blog name above–that will take you to the entry with the sale prices—but hurry!  They’re only good through today!   And when you have time, check out her blog–she’s doing a "MakeOver" series interspersed in there, and it’s been great! 

 

Blessings on your day!

 

~ ..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:-
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´*

 

 

"Home and family seemed by providence
to be my special field of duty."
                                     ~America Holton Ford, 1889~

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Unicorns?

September 19th, 2008

In case you’re visiting and you hear The Irish Rovers singing "The Unicorn Song", I want to let you know that I don’t believe in the mythical unicorns, nor do I think Noah had to gather all the animals!    But the song is one from my childhood, and I just couldn’t resist! 

 

Some of my dearest friends especially might have been worried about me!    LOL!

 

Chalk it up to being sleep deprived for the 5th night in a row…… 

 

~ ..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:-
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´*
"Home and family seemed by providence
to be my special field of duty."
                                     ~America Holton Ford, 1889~

Posted in Smiles | No Comments »

Wonderful Resources, Wonderful Prices!

September 18th, 2008

Kelly over at Generation Cedar  is having a SUPER sale on her e-books!  Head on over there and take a look!

 

~ ..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
¸.·´ .·´¨¨))
((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:-
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´*
 
"Home and family seemed by providence
to be my special field of duty."
                                     ~America Holton Ford, 1889~

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

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