~Perception~

My Pastor started a new series last Sunday morning called  "For God's Glory, by God's Grace."  Both of the words glory and grace are hard words to define.  He had three points to help us out on the word "glory" that were taken from Rev 4:11 and Col 1:15, 2:9.

• The glory of God includes praise - includes any type of worship/ giving
• The glory of God includes pleasure - ask what would please the Lord right now
• The glory of God includes perception - what perception do I leave?

My mind is stuck on the last point.  He reminded us that anyone that met Jesus walked away with the right perception of God.  Am I the image of the invisible God?!?!?!

~A Vapor~

I started the year by studying the book of James.  I have managed to take a seven week study and make it 9 weeks ☺  I take days off here and there for the lessons I am teaching our Jr church and to our single mom kids.

I have learned so much and should have been sharing all along... I tend to remember more when I share it!

Anyway, last week was a good study for me!

vapor coming off my coffee mug this morning

James 4:14

Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. 

For what is your life? It is even a vapour, 

that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

I learned several things about this "vapour" over the course of several days.

• Our life is a vapor. The eternal view of this is that God is only asking me to do this hard thing called life for a few minutes... I can be faithful!
• My life may be a vapor, but I am still valued by God. After all, he did send his son to die for me.
• My life is a vapor, but each day is willed by God for his pleasure. (Eph 1:5)
• My life is a vapor, and I often waste it by pursuing prosperity over the presence of God... God, however, wants me to pursue him and he will prosper me. (Jer 29:11)

~Seminary~

I am currently reading a book called "Killing Fields Living Fields."  It is about Cambodia.  It is a slow read for me but such an interesting one that I will finish... I will.  It is a good thing that I can put the book down, I've got way to much going on right now to be lost in a book for a few days. Anyway, the author gave a definition for Seminary that I really have been thinking about.  I am very visual and love this visual picture!

It really has me thinking about our homes and churches.  I am all for education, but I'm not totally sold on all forms of "higher education."

I do not have a green thumb, but I've made some observations.

1. Plants sown from seed or cuttings are fragile... sun, heat, water... you have to be very careful and very vigilant.
2. The piece of ground needs to be fertile.  Some ground has nothing to give... some ground has already given up it's nutrients and needs to be re worked.
3. Transplanted plants still need "encouragement"... late season hail storms, high winds, sometimes animals or they may just need to be staked up.
4. If plants are not transplanted when ready, they can actually wilt and look sickly

As I think about my kids/my home, the church kids/church I was applying it this way...

1. Are we properly caring for them? Strengthening them? Slowly getting them weathered?  or are we planting and walking away? or are we planting and sending out too soon?
2. Is my home/church fertile.  Are we able to feed them properly?  Am I reworking my life so that I can continue to give to and to feed others?
3. Those that have moved on to serve whether a mission field in the church or across the globe, are we encouraging them? Supporting them?  When the winds blow, do we check in on them?
4. Are we holding anyone back?  Is someone ready and willing to serve and we haven't encouraged or made an effort to find a place for them to serve... not serving can cause a person to wither.

 Seedlings were always meant to be transplanted!

~Thinking Thoughts~

1. Sunday church was about peace in turmoil (am) and grace to endure (pm).

2. A sweet post here about children and warning labels and instructions for raising children.

3. I found this Child Training Bible idea... it made me realize how often I don't train correctly. Too many "that is bad" and "stop it" I need to focus on the name of the sin and show them, in scripture, what God says about it. This way of marking your Bible would be excellent!

4. I'm reading about the special feasts in the Jewish year. It is really interesting to read how they started, how they changed and how they are now. The author is also showing some prophetic things... that is hard for my brain to grasp.

5. Also in my book, I'm still thinking about the idea of "counting the cost" (Luke 14:25-33) We normally look at this passage as we need to count the cost of following Jesus. What if it is actually Jesus counting the cost?!!?? I know, my brain hurts! If it is Jesus counting the cost... and he has decided it is worth it... we should just trust and obey.

My pastor is going to be teaching through this book at some point. The reading is easy but the thoughts are deep. I'm looking forward to further explanation in some areas! I'm so glad I read it once before he teaches... it will give me some extra brain power to keep up with him!

~Thinking Thoughts~

1. This blog post about the respectable sins we allow in our lives (and the lives of our children). They may seem like nothing... but they truly damage a good foundation.

2. Listening to this CD on my Tuesday walk... The song entitled Did you Learn How to Love really impacted me. Here is the chorus...

"Did you learn how to love?

Did you dig beneath the surface

and mine that vein of gold

the treasure found in souls?

Did you choose the best part?

Did you give to them your heart?

Did you lay down your desires for souls?

Did you learn how to love?

I listened to this three times in a row. I kept thinking, fail... fail... fail! My love is so selfish. I totally miss opportunities to mine treasures found in souls... I don't lay down my desires... I have not learned how to love.

3. This blog post about marriage!“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” We need to invest in this earthly treasure called marriage!

4. This blog post about children. A funny and creative way to help you make decisions:-)

5. I really liked the way my book of the month (Through Jewish Eyes) brought together passover and communion. In God's timing, we have communion tomorrow!

6. Thinking about the ways I can walk worthy of the vocation (motherhood) wherewith I was called... lowliness (no room for pride), meekness (emotions under control!!!!), longsuffering (enduring to the end). From my devotions in Eph 4.

~Thinking Thoughts~

1. The difference between translation and transliteration... yes, my brain did hurt. (Through Jewish Eyes)

2. The reason why God chose the Levites to be sanctified (Ex 32) when he had before said it would be all the firstborn. (Through Jewish Eyes)

3. Paul said he was made a minister, "according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power." (Eph 3:7) How else could any of us minister!

4. How to let Christ "dwell" in my heart (dwell is to be at home in). (Eph 3:17)

5. Praying for me and mine to "know (experience) the love of Christ." Once we experience the love of Christ we won't want to walk away from it. (Eph 3)

6. Wondering how my faith is without works... (James 2:15-17)

~Thinking Thoughts~

1. This wonderful reminder from here...A man approaching retirement called the retirement office to inquire about his pension. Afterward, he was asked if his wife worked.“She’s worked all her life making me happy”, he replied. “Yes sir, but has she earned money to receive her pension?” “When we got married we agreed on an arrangement”, he said. “I would earn the living, and she would make the living worthwhile”.“Make the living worthwhile”…have we forgotten the very essence of that? Have we forgotten to live for someone else, that doing so IS what makes a living worthwhile?

2. I listened to Nathan's new Patch the Pirate CD . He was so excited about the story and thought it was great that I was listening with him. One of the songs was "Stokin' up the Fire." I was able to tell Nathan what that meant and that it was something God was showing mom right now. It was so neat to talk with him about it!

3. Another thought from my friend "Patch"... If God has called you go be a Preacher don't... lower yourself to become a king.

4. From my current book "Through Jewish Eyes" - God used examples in Acts 8, 9 and 10 of three different men getting saved. These three men were from the line of each of Noah's three sons... showing that every people group is represented.

5. From my Ephesians study - Chapter two says "children of wrath" That means having a close relationship with God's wrath...yikes!

6. Also from Ephesians - Chapter two goes on to say we have no hope.... no hope...

7. Keep reading and you find out about our peace!

8. I really liked this "A Letter to My Children About Marriage"

What a good week of thinking~ It is amazing how many things I would be forgetting if I wasn't purposefully writing them down!

~Thinking Thoughts~

My Saturday post filled with thoughts I've been thinking on:


1. Beauty for ashes... it is a promise from God for those mourn. BUT I have to give him the ashes (the ruined, burned up, worthless leftovers of a disaster) in order to get the beauty. Isaiah 61:3 Hanging onto the ashes isn't worth it! Give it to God! (from Sunday's sermon)


2. Beauty for Ashes... my husband wrote it on my white board for me... he put it in the pray for section. I first thought, that is not where that goes... then I realized there was no more perfect place!


3. “I don’t want to get to the end of my life and find that I have just lived the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well.” thought from here


4. I was half way through my walk Thursday when I remembered I was supposed to be listening for something to stoke my fire. I came across this Cd and the song "All are Welcome":
*come and lay your burden down, you have no reason to hide... accept his grace, let him take control...He will take away your guilt and shame, lay it at his feet... - I'm in the midst of reading Grace for the Good Girl. This ties in perfectly!
*Let his healing begin - also from Grace for the Good girl - I just read the chapter about the difference between closure and healing. I would have never picked up on this had I not been purposefully listening!


5. In reading Grace for the Good Girl she mentions "beauty for ashes"... just like the message on Sunday!


6. Blog post by Monica talking about the Prov 31 woman... extending grace. Hadn't seen it that way before.


How cool is that that the message from Sunday, my book, and my music all were working together! I would not have known it without purposing to listen and to stoke my fire.

~Thinking Thoughts~

One of my favorite verses is Luke 24:32. "And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?"

I want my heart to burn like that... but so many days it doesn't. If you think about it this way... you have a 15 hour day and if you only fill yourself with 20 minutes of fuel... you are not going to burn real long or real hot. How can I change this to not only sustain me through the day, but to give warmth, heat and light to those around me?!?!!?

Lets use the example of stoking a fire. When you get up in the morning you need a good pile of wood to heat up the house. As you go through your day you need to add a log here and there. Some days when it is really nasty... you have to add extra logs.

So, to make this idea a part of my life this year, I am going to make an effort to stoke my fire throughout the day.

7 am personal devotions
9 am Bible with the kids
12 noon Memory verses over lunch
3 pm walk with good music
8:30 family devotions
10 pm one chapter in a good book

I have been doing most of these things but I don't always get something out of it... and when I do get a great thought to think on, I often forget what I wanted to remember. I am going to try to keep a running list of things so that I might have a better chance of remembering.

I am going to try to make a Saturday post with the major thoughts I was thinking each week.

Here is my first post:

My Saturday post of what has made me think this week:

1. This blog post was very encouraging. You don't have to love every moment of mothering to be a great mother.

2. I ran across these verses in devotion time with the kids:

1 Peter 1:3-4 (KJV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope
by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

It gave me a sigh of relief and strength for the day!

3. I forget where I read this but... I want to raise adults... not children!

If there is one thing our society is lacking these days, it
is Responsibility. Responsibility for our own actions.
Responsibility for our own consequences. Responsibility for our
behaviors, emotions, and reactions. All too often it is someone else’s fault
or someone else’s job. In fact, so many people have outsourced their
responsibilities to the point there is no one left to take responsibility for
anything.

And I refuse to be a part of the problem.

No more finger-pointing. No more sitting around making
excuses. I want to raise adults. Real adults. Adults who are
responsible, discerning, and purposeful.

4. I read this quote from Martin Luther while in my personal devotion in the book of Eph:

The law says, “do this,” and it is never done. Grace says, “Believe in this,” and everything is already done.

So, there we have it! Let the burning begin!

~Yom Kippur and the Passover~

Last week and we had a Jewish man as a special speaker at our church. He was helping us to see the scripture through Jewish eyes. I really enjoyed listening to him and anything along those lines has been catching my attention.

This radio broadcast stopped me in my tracks. If you don't have 4 minutes to jump over and listen, here is the main point....

Yom Kippur is the day of Atonement. The day when the Israelites sacrificed for their sins. First a bull then a goat. They also sent a scape goat out into the wilderness (symbolizing a pardon for sin). The question was... why didn't God send his Son to die on this day... rather than the Passover. I thought that a very good question indeed!

Two reasons were given

1. Jesus was never mentioned to be a bull or goat, but a lamb. The lamb was sacrificed in the Passover.

2. Yom Kippur was something the people did. The Passover was something God did.

There is no sacrifice that we could take part in that could save our eternal souls. It is totally a God thing...Grace. Isn't God great!

~A Pattern of Good Works~

I was reading this well written blog post tonight.. and this verse jumped out at me...

Titus 2:7 In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,

But before I dug in, I read the verse before it...

It was written specifically to young men. Interesting that these qualities are directed toward young men who in our day are just "enjoying their youth." I would have assumed this was written to older men who had learned life's lesson and have grown in the Lord.

Back to the verse...

"In all things" means ALL things... simple, yes!?!?

"shewing thyself a pattern of good works:" Do I exhibit or show valuable or virtuous deeds? If so, is it as a pattern would be (consistent), or maybe it just happens haphazardly!?!??

"in doctrine shewing uncorruptness," Is the instruction I'm living pure to the Word?

"gravity" Is the instruction I'm living honest?

"sincerity" Is the instruction I'm living genuine?

I saw this verse through the glasses of raising children (scripture must be applied!) Am I instructing them with a pattern of purity, honesty and genuineness. If not, my children will notice... even if no one else does! If I am... this next verse is a gem!

The next verse says...

Titus 2:8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.

Isn't that just the icing on the cake?!?!? Wouldn't that be wonderful if my deeds were so pure, honest and genuine that I could not be condemned... and that would lead to someone (most likely my children) seeing Christ in me... and they are quieted? Hopefully left thinking about what they are missing (either Christ Himself or growth).

I want to live a consistent life of valuable deeds: I choose to pattern for my children purity, honesty and genuineness. What a fine goal... totally unattainable on my own! Yet He Abideth Faithful!

And, of course, I made a verse card... because my memory is short:-) Feel free to copy it and print it for yourself!

~Encouragment for this Exhausted Mom~

I've been running low on cheerful strength and high on discouragement the last few days... not a good combination! I occasionally grow weary of all the toiling that goes on around here. Cooking, cleaning, training... repeat! I came across this encouraging verse in my devotions today and thought it might encourage someone else!

2 Corinthians 12:15

And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.

And I will very gladly - My toil should be cheerful and willing... not begrudging

spend - I am willing to spend my strength, time, life and all that I have for your welfare... at any expense.

and be spent - Greek work means be exhausted and worn out in my labors... sounds like a mom to me!

for you; - Greek work actually means their soul - so I'm laboring for their souls

though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved - love that is willing to toil no matter whether the other person is grateful or not (sounds like children:0).

Do not be discouraged!

In case you are like me and you'd like this on a 4x6 card to put in your purse or hang by the sink...

~The Ultimate Bad Day~

No, not my bad day... Just something I read in my devotions this morning:-)

I was reading about how Elijah had to run for his life. He obeyed God and got into a sticky situation. He ran a days journey and crashed under a juniper tree... then "he requested for him that he might die."

That would be a really bad day.

My mind went back to a sermon preached last month. It was about Moses (Num 11), Elijah (I Kings 19) and Jonah (Jonah 4).

• All three men were trusting & obeying God.
  
• All three men were trouble by fatigue, fear or frustration.
  
• All three wanted their life taken from them.
  
• All three were totally taken care of by God in their time of need.

Just thought I'd share:0)

I took this photo of our neighbors sheep yesterday.

I am so glad the Lord is my shepherd!

~Thinking Thoughts~

I was able to attend our home school convention last week. I did a lot of shopping and saved a lot of money by buying some used books! I also spent a lot of time in seminars. I think there were over 40 seminars just on Friday!

I have spent the week pondering some things.

* "It is not what you add to your life but what you abandon" - Wow! Mark Hamby shared that thought. I wish I knew who originally said it.

* Something practical - Use a visual timer for children that get easily distracted. The ticking sound of a normal timer can drive everyone crazy. This is a great idea!

* "Choose hard real relationships over easy virtual ones" - Todd Wilson was great! So funny and so true! It is so much easier to chat on facebook than to turn around and engage in my children. Choose the hard thing... the payoff is much greater in the end!

* Feed your children. Just like we make our kids eat veggies, we must teach them to be hungry for the good stuff... the right goals and appetites. If children get hungry enough they eat dirt. That is true for their brain growth too... if I am not feeding them good stuff they will find dirt to fill their mind with. Remember that sheep graze all day! Maxwell class

* Value your children more than you trust them - also from the Maxwells. Sometimes "trusting" your child is the worst thing you can do. If you say your child has a heart for God I remind you of David... but my child is wise, what about Solomon... my kids are strong, and Sampson. We all mess up. If we value our children we need to not even get to the part of trusting them. I trust my husband, but I value him more so we put up boundaries to protect our marriage. I hope this makes sense because it really was a great point!

* We don't know how liberal we really are - Doug Phillips. This one also made me think. If we could look through the eyes of someone from the past what would we see. We are so immersed in our own culture that we don't really see how far we have strayed. Makes me think of this movie (if you don't have it, get it!!!).

A great day! I still have to finalize some of our subjects and finish ordering... but I need to get this year done! ONE MORE DAY!!!!

~Seek ye my face~

From my morning devotions:

Psalm 27: 8

"When thou saidst,

Seek ye my face;

my heart said unto thee,

Thy face, Lord,

will

I

seek."

Brought to my knees again today. He is faithful.

~I am only one...~

Edward Everett Hale wrote:

"I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. What I can do, I should do and, with the help of God, I will do."

~Two Thoughts~

In our Daily Life we must see that it is not happiness that makes us grateful, but greatfulness that makes us happy.

We are not over loaded, we are under burdened.

~Sharing a Video~

~Some Study Notes~

Just some thoughts I've been thinking

* "And when the people complained, it displeased the Lord:" Num 11:1. We have had that verse on our kitchen wall for probably a year now. When I first hung it up, it was a constant reminder and I quoted it often. It has kind of gone unnoticed the last few months. I ran across the verse this morning in my devotions. I'll be moving our verse to another location so I see it more often!

*Going along with that in Numbers 11:10 says "and the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly; Moses also was displeased." I'm wondering how often I am simply "displeased" with something that God is outright angry about it. Probably most of the time.

*The word "displeased" in verse 1 (how God responded) is a much stronger word than the "displeased" in verse 10 (how Moses responded). Looks like Moses and I have something in common:0)

Our pastor recently brought this up and our family greatly enjoyed the illustration.
*Eph 6:16 "Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked." Are you like me and picture little darts flying through the air... often missing their target. If you look up the definition it also includes missiles. I'm thinking fiery missiles don't often miss;0) Better get that shield up!

~Dots and Stars~

Sometimes I never know what I am going to see when I walk into a room. One morning last week I found Nathan and Kiersten covered in shiny little star stickers! My mind immediately went to this book...I realized I had never read it to my younger boys so I grabbed it off the shelf so I would remember to read it later on during our reading time before naps.

Just seeing it sitting on the couch brought back so many memories.

The first time I read it... I cried. That "because you are mine" part gets me every time. I remember Jordan (just a little thing) looked at me like I was crazy;-) Every time I read it I get choked up at that spot.

A year or so later, I had the youth group girls over for a sleep over. I was really trying to come up with a devotional, but couldn't put anything together. I felt like a failure! I grabbed this book and read it to a group of teen girls. I found out several years later that the book impacted more than one girl. One of them, now a mother of 3, decided to decorate her nursery with this theme. Gregg and I made this lamp for her...
Anyway, all this bla bla bla is going somewhere! I was thinking that I am really good at giving my kids star stickers... or gray dot stickers. How awful! It has really challenged my thinking the last few days. I have been more purposeful in making sure my children understand it is only God's opinion that matters. Not friends, not mean brothers and not even moms stars or dots should stick.

One part in the book states that some Wemmicks give dots to someone just because they have a lot of dots already. That made me think of one of my boys that has been extra challenging lately. I have really had to think if I have been giving him dots just because he had dots... or am I lovingly training him in the way he should go.

If you have never read this book I'm sure you are totally confused:-) Our local library has a copy so you might want to check to see if your library has it. There are several in this series. Thanks to my MIL for sending it to my two boys several years ago!

It is funny to see what God uses to get my attention. He is certainly creative isn't He!