I am still reading Max Lucado's "Facing Your Giants." I have refrained from blogging many quotes from this good book. I was reading this morning from the chapter where Lucado describes how David grieved over the deaths of Saul and Jonathon. Lucado quoted verse 4 from the following passage in Ecclesiates. I was interested in it, so I read the whole chapter in a few different translations. The entire chapter spoke to me, but I highlighted the verses that I gleaned the most from. It is hard to accept that sorrow is a good thing. God is teaching us in our sorrows. Solomon is telling us that it isn't for the best to wish for "the good old days."

Ecclesiastes 7 (New International Version)
1 A good name is better than fine perfume,

and the day of death better than the day of birth.
2 It is better to go to a house of mourning

than to go to a house of feasting,

for death is the destiny of every man;

the living should take this to heart.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter,

because a sad face is good for the heart.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning,

but the heart of fools is in the house of pleasure.
5 It is better to heed a wise man's rebuke

than to listen to the song of fools.
6 Like the crackling of thorns under the pot,

so is the laughter of fools.

This too is meaningless.
7 Extortion turns a wise man into a fool,

and a bribe corrupts the heart.
8 The end of a matter is better than its beginning,

and patience is better than pride.
9 Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit,

for anger resides in the lap of fools.
10 Do not say, "Why were the old days better than these?"

For it is not wise to ask such questions.
11 Wisdom, like an inheritance, is a good thing

and benefits those who see the sun.
12 Wisdom is a shelter

as money is a shelter,

but the advantage of knowledge is this:

that wisdom preserves the life of its possessor.
13 Consider what God has done:

Who can straighten

what he has made crooked?
14 When times are good, be happy;

but when times are bad, consider:

God has made the one

as well as the other.

Therefore, a man cannot discover

anything about his future.
15 In this meaningless life of mine I have seen both of these:

a righteous man perishing in his righteousness,

and a wicked man living long in his wickedness.
16 Do not be overrighteous,

neither be overwise— why destroy yourself?
17 Do not be overwicked,

and do not be a fool— why die before your time?
18 It is good to grasp the one

and not let go of the other.

The man who fears God will avoid all extremes . [a]
19 Wisdom makes one wise man more powerful

than ten rulers in a city.
20 There is not a righteous man on earth

who does what is right and never sins.
21 Do not pay attention to every word people say,

or you may hear your servant cursing you-
22 for you know in your heart

that many times you yourself have cursed others.
23 All this I tested by wisdom and I said,

"I am determined to be wise"— but this was beyond me.
24 Whatever wisdom may be,

it is far off and most profound— who can discover it?
25 So I turned my mind to understand,

to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things

and to understand the stupidity of wickedness

and the madness of folly.
26 I find more bitter than death

the woman who is a snare,

whose heart is a trap

and whose hands are chains.

The man who pleases God will escape her,

but the sinner she will ensnare.
27 "Look," says the Teacher, [b] "this is what I have discovered:

"Adding one thing to another to discover the scheme of things-
28 while I was still searching

but not finding—

I found one upright man among a thousand,

but not one upright woman among them all.
29 This only have I found:

God made mankind upright,

but men have gone in search of many schemes."

I am very thankful for Peyton and Paige's two grandmothers! I love my mom and my mother-in-law very much and so do P & P. Grammy (my mom on the left) has been keeping the girls almost every weekend while I work. This past Saturday night, they stayed with Nana (Brad's mom). I can always count on them to be loved, cared for, and have a great time when they are in the care of the grandparents.

Below, the girls are glad to be home again from the long weekend, and hanging out with Ella, who they missed very much!

 

Football fever

Before Christmas, and long before it was decided who would play in the Super Bowl this year, Brad told me he wanted to get the girls jerseys. He wanted Peyton to have a pink Manning jersey. He had me get a Grossman jersey for Paige off of ebay. We didn't get them given for Christmas, because we wouldn't have them in time. I found the Manning jersey at Dick's in Indianapolis yesterday, so we decided to give them to them today as an early birthday present. (ok, a month early, but we want them to have plenty of time to wear them before the big game). However, Paige wanted Manning and Peyton wanted Grossman. (I believe that color, not team preference played into this decision). So here they are, showing their stuff and posing with their daddy in one of his jerseys.

Peyton (Thornsbrough, not Manning ;) in the Grossman Jersey, Brad in 32 and Paige hamming in the Manning jersey

 

grace? forgiveness?

I am moving ahead in the bok "Facing Your Giants" by Max Lucado. By chapter 3, he has already talked about how David took his eyes off the Lord when he was running for his life, and some of the things that transpired from that. Some very interesting thoughts, you should read the book. But then he got into how David had, not one, but three opportunities to kill Saul. He was running for his life after 6 attempts were made to end it, all by Saul. David prayed for Saul. He showed him grace. "It's one thing to give grace to friends, but to give grace to those who give us grief? Could you? Given a few uninterrupted moments with the Darth Vader of your days, could you imitate David?" Job 5:2 tells us that "Resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple."

"Vengeance fixes your attention at life's ugliest moments...Will rehearsing and reliving your hurts make you a better person? By no means, it will destroy you." (Lucado)

How is this possible? David accomplished it by looking at Saul as God did. After all, he was "God's annointed king." "David didn't applaud Saul's behavior; he just acknowledged Saul's proprietor-God. David filtered is view of Saul through the grid of heaven. The king still belonged to God, and that gave David hope." Again, this gave me chills. Did David honestly have HOPE for Saul? Acccording to Lucado, God would say '"What he did was unthinkable, unaceeptable, inexcusable, but I'm not finished yet."' I am SO glad that God isn't finished yet.

One last quote from Lucado says, "Your enemies still figure into God's plan. Their pulse is proof. GOd hasn't given up on them. They may be out of God's will, but not out of His reach. You honor God when you see them, not as His failures, but as His projects."

Ok, I was wrong, here is another quote. "To forgive is to move on, not to think about the offense anymore. You don't excuse him, endorse her or embrace them. You just route thougths about them through heaven. You see your enemy as God's child and revenge as God's job....We, like Saul, have been given grace. We, like David, can freely give it."

Meet Peyton...

Peyton reading a school book , while Ella cuddles up

Peyton prays...."Dear Jesus, help mommy to bless you..."
gulp, is that what she prayed? Has the child, who is perceptive, been inside my head tonight??
Peyton went on to pray for me, for my safety etc.. She also thanked God that I was so happy about something her Daddy said to me last night. (He told me I was doing a "good job.") This child is very sensitive, and she is also very sensitive to my feelings. Peyton has her own style. She hates to have her hair done up at all, even though she wants it long. She likes to wear oversized inside out t-shirts, along with silky pj bottoms to sleep. Peyton prefers "boy toys" though she can hold her own with Barbies and other girlie stuff. Not long ago, Peyton declared Daddy to be her "best friend." I can't help but be envious of the declaration. However, tonight, I was just plain convicted by the prayer of my small child. I DO want to bless God, but I am too busy asking Him to bless ME! Peyton also prayed for God tonight, for the hurt that sin causes God. I know that much if what she has heard, she parrots in her prayers. However, I can't help but think that she really does understand much of it. I am thrilled that my not quite 7 year olds might be grasping the pain that our sin causes God. Frankly, this thought never occured to me in all the years I have been a Christian. I have been far too concerned with how things affect me! Thanks baby doll, you are one of a kind! For any that are concerned lest Paige be left out, I informed the "can I tell you something? queen tonight that she is one of God's greatest blessings. She grinned at me, as if to say that she already knew that!

 

One little, two little, three little....

Paige cuddles Ella

Peyton joins in

They want Mommy in the picture too!

 

Sleepyheads...but not until we were ALMOST home!

Paige

Maddie

Peyton (I couldn't even tell she was in the CAR from the drivers seat!

 

rotating doors are SO much fun!

 

Spending the day with Maddie Mae

Mandy and I and the girls headed to Indy today to visit our friend Jen, who is expecting quads! You can read Jen and her husband Brad's blog by clicking here
Peyton, Maddie and Paige playing GameBoy


Peyton took a pretty good shot of Paige and I

Peyton, Paige and Maddie make a card for Jen

The Giant Slayer

I started readingMax Lucado's "Facing our Giants" tonight. I have a feeling I will be blogging about it alot! This is the story of David, best I can tell, because I am only 8 pages into it.

Giants. We must face them. yet we need not face them alone. Focus first, and most on God. The times David did, giants fell. The day she didn't, David did.

Lucado goes on to describe how the Bible shos in I Samuel 17, that David observed only two things about Goliath. He only made two small comments about him, none about his abilities, or his size or strenght. He then, in the same passage, made 9 references to his Lord. God-thoughts outnumber Goliath thoughts nine to two. How does this ratio compare with yours? Do you ponder God's grace four times as much as you ponder your guilt? ...Are you four times as likely to describe the strength of God as you are the demands of your day? ...Lift your eyes, giant-slayer. the God who made a miracle out of David stands ready to make one out of you.

Wow. This quote gives me chills. I have trials, fears pain to face. But I know that I am not facing them alone. This first chapter of Lucado's book convicts me about thinking of God more, and my giants less. Instead of describing my troubles, I could describe how strong, true and capable God is. I absolutely cannot do anything to make change on my own. I am not even certain what God has in store. But I can be absolutely certain that keeping my focus on God and His truth, rather than myself and my problems, is the best way to solve my problems.

That las line that I quoted is what gets me the most. I love how Lucado writes. He is SO easy to quote. Lift your eyes (focus on God) , and He will work miracles in your life. And my life.

I am SO looking forward to the rest of this book!

Wednesday night fun at the church

You can tell it is winter time around Calvary Baptist Church when the families are hanging around in the gym after the services and the jump ropes come out. I decided to do some quick video of the kids playing and jumping rope. I dedicate these short clips to Josh and Gretchen, who are greatly missed! (look for my two little ones jumping around, Paige is in a white shirt and jeans, and Peyton is in a hot pink shirt and jeans. Of course, they have NO shoes on! Also don't be alarmed about the man in the suit trying to jump rope, that is just Pastor Scott!)

Click here for Part 1

Click here for Part 2

Click here for part 3

Click here for part 4

Ok, Stephie, you asked for it!

I do not have a scanner, but I decided try our taking a digital picture of some of my scrapbook pictures. (This is working great, because P & P are upstairs looking through their books, which they haven't seen in a long time.) Anyway, the quality isn't that great, but I wasn't much to look at when I was pregnant! (actually, I was ALOT to look at, considering how big I was). I fully expect all my blogging friends to follow Stephanie's lead, and put in some shots in them with big bellies, faces, feet, etc...

Probably around October of 99. I found out I was having twins Sept 28, 1999, and I couldn't button my jeans within a month. Strange, really, since I wasn't keeping ANY food down!

January 1999, between hospital visits. I was 5 months pregnant

27 weeks, a rare shot of me at this time. The week before delivery, when I was in the hospital

 

Brittany emailed this to me, so I decided to Blog it..

Have things changed for you?

Do you think differently in 2007 than youdid in 2006?

> 1. What is your occupation? A nurse on the weekends, a mom all the time.

> 2. What color are your socks right now? Don't have any on

> 3. What are you listening to right now?Peyton making up a song while she plays

4. What is the last thing you ate? a lean cuisine, apple and orange

> 5. Can you drive a stick shift? Yes, but I haven't needed to since we sold the Saturn 5 years ago. But don't ask me to drive a difficult one, unless you want to go through the windshield or get car sick!

> 6. If you were a crayon, what color would yoube? I wish that I could say yellow or hot pink. But I am probably more of a green.

> 7. Last person you spoke to on the phone? my sister, Jamie

> 8. Do you like the person who sent this to you? Yes, definitely, I got it from my sister in law, Brittany

>> 9. How old are you today? 32, but i behave either 7 or 87!

>> 10. Favorite Drink? diet cherry coke, but I also really like the indulgance of a turtle Latte

> 11. What is your favorite sport to watch?

> 12. Have you ever dyed your hair? yes

>> 15. Favorite food? I hate this question, it depends on my mood

> 16. What was the last movie you watched? The girls and I watched "A cinderella story" the other night.

> 17. Favorite day of the year? The Fourth of July has always been a fav or mine

> 18. What do you do to vent anger? yell!

> 19. What was your favorite toy as a child? a dollhouse

.
> 20. What is your favorite season? I love summer

> 21. Hugs or kisses? Hugs ( eskimo kisses are great from my girls too)

> 22. Cherries or Blueberries? Cherries

> 23. Do you want your friends to email you back? Duh! Yeah!

24. Do you vote? Not as often as I should

25. Do you know who your congressperson is? no

> 26. Living arrangements? Me, Paige, Peyton, the dog, the cat and the hermit crabs.

> 27. When was the last time you cried? hmm, last Friday ( I cried more in 06 than all the rest of my years combined, except for maybe the first two)

> 28. What is on the floor of your closet? my boots, some shoes, and a gym bag

> 29. Who is the friend (not family) you have had the longest that you are sending this to? since I am blogging it, it is going to all my friends

> 30. What did you do last night? Did aerobics with Mandy, went to Steak n Shake with my new friend Julie

> 31. Favorite smells? banana bread just out of the oven, Brad's cologne on his clothes, my kids' breath when they are asleep

>> 32. What inspires you? Encouraging biblical quotes. My kids

> 33. What are you afraid of? didn't I just answer this questions??

> 34. Plain, cheese or spicy hamburger? Cheese!

> 36. Favorite dog breed? I am still a lab girl, but my new doggy is growing on me, except I can't spell it, still

> 37. Number of keys on your key ring? just my car and door key

> 38. How many years at your current job? Present employer, 12 1/2, nurse, almost 10, mom getting pretty close to 7

> 39. Favorite day of the week? Wednesday (hey, I work weekends)

> 40. How many states have you lived in? 1

> 41. Favorite holiday? FourthofJuly

>> 42. Ever driven a motorcycle or heavy machinery? No, but I love to ride along on the tractor and combine .

>> 43. What is your favorite NFL team? it is actually a good time to have been born, raised and married into die hard Bears families

>> 44. Do you have a house phone that is NOT cordless?no, not one that works anyway

.>> 45. 10 inches of snow or 100 degree weather? that depends on if I have to drive, go to work, or work outside. If we can be in the air and at the pool, probably the heat. If we can "snowed in" and not have to go out, the snow would be better.

I finally got tagged..thanks Brittany

Ok, Brittany tagged me to do the abc's, SO here goes...

abc's

a: available or single?: married and committed

b: best friend: Hm, I have to spread it around, I am alot of work these days, But probably my two girls, Peyton and Paige

c: cake or pie: cake, unless it is chocolate pie, and I love that too!
d: drink of choice: diet cherry coke
f: favorite color: saphirre blue

g: gummy bears or gummy worms: worms are the best!

h: hometown: __Danville __________
i: indulgence: nutter butters

January or February: February, because my girls were born the 25th
k: kids and names: __Paige Elizabeth and Peyton Amanda_________
l: Life is incomplete without....: God and His blessings!
m: marraige date: June 1, 1996

n: number of siblings: 1

o: oranges or apples: apples,though I JUST ate an orange!
p: phobias or fears: Not knowing the future. And I have a phobia of large costumed adults (it is true, ask Brad about the giant Pooh Bear that nearly did me in!

q: favorite quote: From Job, "I had heard of God, but now I have seen God." (sorry, a paraphrase)
r: reasons to smile: my girls asleep in their beds, my cute little Ella
s: season: summer all the way

t: tag three or four people: I don't know anyone to tag that hasn't been already....how about Jen Murray, Betty, and Aunt Shawn

u: unknown fact about me: I once won tickets for my whole family to a Cubs game by winning a reading contest at our local library (what a strange prize for a group of avid readers!)

v: vegetables you don't like: Green beans!
w: worst habbit: emotional eating, letting clean laundry pile, biting my nails. (the list goes on and on!)

x: Hey, there's no x!
y: favorite food: hmm, not sure what that would be, probably something Mexican

z: zodiac: Leo

A little Glimpse of Heaven

During the Sanctity of Life Service at Second Church of Christ today, One of Brock's songs was used as the background music in a video that featured all of the previous years miracles for the church and their families. Here are the words to this precious song. This song dates back to the first baby born into the youngest generation of Thornsbrough kids, over 9 years ago now. Check out my previous post "family album" to see the 6 kids in this generation. All children are miracles of God. However, these 6 kids represent what God brought out of pain, fear and loss felt by our family. Thanks kids, for all being a "gentle reminder of the great things God can do." to me!

GLIMPSE OF HEAVEN
Words: Brock Thornsbrough

Music: Brent Wilson

c. 2004

A prayer from a longing heart

Reached to the Father above

A request for a miracle

Granted from God's great love

We've waited for so long

To hold you to our Chest

Through many losses and gains

God's now given us his best

Chorus:

He sent a little glimpse of Heaven in you

He sent a little glimpse of Heaven in you

You're a gentle reminder of the great things God can do

He sent a little glimpse of Heaven in you

The pureness of your cry

Is music to our ears

Just one look into your eyes

Makes us forget all our fears.

'cause God sent us his love

When He granted our prayer

He placed you in our arms

And put you in our care

Choose Life

Yesterday, I attended the morning services at the church my brother and sister-in-law attend. It was "Sanctity of Life" Sunday, and this is the day that this church chooses to give a "blessing" to those babies born the previous year. It was a beautiful service, and I was blessed to be surrounded by my family. The minister spoke from Deuteronomy, and he spoke on "Critical Choices" that we as Christians must make. We were admonished to "choose life." I was convicted by the passages in Deuteronomy that I must "choose life." We are each given a choice between "death and destruction" and "life and prosperity." I for sure want to choose the life part! But each day that I live to please self, or focus on my "misery" instead of what God is doing in my life, I am choosing death and destruction. He promises that when He asks for our obedience, it is not too difficult or our of reach. And when we choose obedience, we choose life. This passage also expresses that this choice, thought made by each individual to himself, also affects our children. This passage promises blessing. And if there is anything that God has taught me over the past few months, it is that even if no one else in my life will keep promises-God always keeps His promises.

Deuteronomy 30

11 Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. 12 It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, "Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?"

13 Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask,

"Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?"

14 No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.
15 See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction.

16 For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.
17 But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient,

and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them,

18 I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed.

You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.
19 This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.

Now choose life, so that you and your children may live

20 and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.

For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Family Album

little Brock, little Granddad, take your pick, Nathan definitely looks like the Thornsbroughs

Nana, Brock, Amie, Mia Kate and Grandad Steve at Mia's dedication

The whole group of grandkids at Lauren's birthday party

 

Good morning from Ella

Ella woke up the girls this morning. I don't think I have ever woke them up and had them be in such a good mood about it!

 

Is she gonna be a blogger??

Better pictures coming soon, after the battery on my digital camera gets to sit in the charger tonight.

Ella making herself right at home in front of my keyboard!

Grammy, Ella and Peyton

Just us girls! Paige, Peyton and me. Don't tell the cat, we don't want him to feel left out!

 

Ella pictures coming soon!

Well, the battery on my camera died, leaving me unable to post a picture of the newest family member around here. We brought home a beautiful 2 year old black 7 pound doggie with pretty pink bows in her hair (those will never fall out, right?) I would tell you what kind of dog she is, but I can't spell it, am too lazy to look it up, and I don't want to mess it up. Anyway, she is an absolute doll. The girls are in bed, and Ella (the dog) and I curled up on the couch to watch one of my few television indulances (The Suite Life of Zack and Cody doesn't count). I am way too embarrassed to confess the names of the two televisions shows that I watch with any regularity , but tonight, I found out that Ella likes to watch tv. She also likes to fall asleep watching TV. Scary, I have been living with that for years! However, I swear I heard her whisper her that she already loved me and would curl up on the couch next to me whenever I feel like it. Now if only I could figure out when she needs to pee!

Thanks again to Crosswalk.com
Your Future According to God

Chip Ingram

Satan once put his tools up for sale in a garage sale.

All of them were there: hatred, envy, jealousy, deceit, pride-each with an individual price tag.

Off to the side was a harmless-looking tool, well worn, but priced very, very high. One of the shoppers asked him what that tool was and why it was so expensive.
?That's discouragement, he said. It's more useful to me than all the others put together. I can get at someone's heart more deeply with discouragement than with anything else. It's so worn out because I use it on almost everyone. And the best part is they rarely know I'm using it.?

The enemy still uses discouragement as a tool, and he uses it on each of us day in and day out. Because discouragement often comes from pessimism about how things will turn out, one of the best ways to overcome it is to get God's perspective of our future. In order to do that, we have to let go of two myths.

The first myth about the future is that our situation will always be this way. If your job has always been terrible, you'll eventually embrace the myth that it always will be. Same goes for a marriage, a home, parents, children, or whatever else you struggle with. Discouragement interprets the past and present as an unbreakable pattern, which leads to more discouragement. If we want to see life from God's perspective, we have to reject that myth.
The second myth about the future is that when we make a change for the better, we expect things to start improving almost immediately. Many people find themselves in an overwhelmingly difficult situation and begin praying, going to church, studying the Bible, and overhauling their lifestyle as a result. And when they've stuck with it for a week, a month, or even a year, and nothing seems to be getting any better, they feel like they've gotten a raw deal. Never mind that they've been sowing bad seed into a career or a family situation for twenty years. Most of us feel that if we've made the right changes, we ought to see the right consequences happen pretty soon. And while God mercifully works that way sometimes, He doesn't always. Sometimes the fruit of our obedience takes a long time to grow.
God's perspective on our future is this: Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him? (James 1:12).

That's a great promise. It encourages us that things will change; whatever we feel stuck in now isn't permanent.
But this promise also reminds us that change requires perseverance. It doesn't usually happen overnight. God honors loving obedience and faith that can stick it out over time. And the reward for enduring is a crown of life.
God promises deep fulfillment and rich joy beyond your wildest dreams. When you come through your trials, you begin to experience it. That's why, if you've ever met a gentle, loving, wise person who radiates the love of Jesus, I can almost guarantee that he or she has suffered deeply. The way God produces that kind of person is through adversity. They don't give up, the life of Christ begins to manifest through them, and they have an inner joy and fulfillment from God that can't be touched by circumstances now and that is greatly magnified in heaven.
Are you looking at your future through the lens of whatever problems you face today?

Or do you see it through the certainty of God's promise?

Don't give up and don't give in. God says you will receive a reward when the test is finished. You'll get a fulfilling life on this earth in communion with Him, and you'll receive an eternal heavenly crown. And discouragement will be an old, worn-out tool never to be used on you again.
About the author: Chip Ingram is President of Walk Thru the Bible in Atlanta, GA, and Teaching Pastor of Living on the Edge, a national radio ministry.provides you with practical, insightful and easily understood Biblical teaching, training and tools. We help you to apply God's Word to your life and equip you to disciple others by providing local, national and international seminars, the Living on the Edge radio ministry, as well as small group curriculum, magazines, books and Bibles.
For additional resources or to learn more about Walk Thru the Bible, please visit

I had an interesting day, and I am too keyed up to sleep yet. I guess I shouldn't have had any caffeine tonight, but I am paying for it now. I ended up in the ER tonight with a friend who's little girl had a cut over her eye. Thankfully, it was able to be glued, and the little girl isn't forever scarred at the thought of going to the doctor! I was very proud of the ER where I work tonight, everyone made a great impression on my friends, and that made me feel good.

I had a long conversation with a good friend with whom I have a strained relationship today. Being able to talk with this person is this strange mix of wonderful and sad and frustrating. It reminds me that I am a person still being worked on by the hands of the Potter. I am thankful that I can rest in the Grace that comes from God. If I couldn't, days like today would put me in depression for quite a while. I struggle with what to say to this person that is encouraging and edifying. Tonight, I walked away with the impression that I had not sinned in any of my statements, and that God's work in my life was abundantly clear.

When I came home tonight, I flipped over to the 17th on my Power of a Praying wife calendar. The statement made was very encouraging, especially in light of some of the statements that I made in my conversation. "Dying to yourself is always painful. Especially when you are so convinced that the other person needs more changing than you. But this kind of pain leads to life." Currently, I am not sure that there is anyone on earth that needs more changing than me! Just as soon as I think that I am getting somewhere, God reminds me that I have SO much more to unravel and let Him change about me. I am definitely aware that the dying part is painful. I SO get that. But a rebuilt life on God's chosen foundation, with God's carefully chosen building materials is SO worth the process. (my daughter like's to say I am SO not doing that, it kinda sounds cute when she says it;)

However, God's faithful work in my life gives me a great deal of hope in the promise that he is working in others' lives. Even when I am not allowed to see these works in progress, I must choose to believe that God does what He says He will do.

The truth....again

Thanks again to the devotional that crosswalk.com sends me daily. It spoke volumes to me again today. God is teaching me exactly how much freedom He graces me with if I live by truth.

John 8:31-32

Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Thoughts on today's verse

There are few things more coveted than freedom.

People die for it.

People pray for it.

People strive for it.

True freedom comes from knowing truth.

Knowing truth only comes by living in obedience to Jesus.

Truth is not something you merely think about or believe.

Truth is something you do, you live.

Jesus' teaching always ends with the exclamation:

Blessed are you who do these things!

Only by doing will we ever know the truth that liberates us.

Prayer:
To the only true God be glory, honor, power, and praise. Father, I seek not only your presence in my daily life, but also your pleasure in the choices I make. Please teach me more of your truth as I pledge to live today in obedience to your word and your will. Through Jesus the living Word I pray. Amen.

My friend Gretchen
Gretchen with a group of the kids at the Blue Kangaroo Book store where she was working
Miss Gretchen with Paige and Peyton

The 1st and 2nd graders worked hard to memorize a scripture response to questions about faith in God. This past Sunday, they shared it in my Berean Sunday school class. We were blessed and impressed by their hard work, so they were invited to do it again in church. Peyton and Paige both are part of this class. Many thanks to Miss Gretchen for all her hard work with the kids. She and her husband Josh left today for Louisville, KY so that Josh can go to seminary. This is a huge loss for us, but we send them out with prayer for them and what God will do through them. Thanks Gret, we love you! Click on the link below to check out the kids in front of our Sunday School class.

click -> Peyton and Paige's class reciting in our Sunday School class

Upward Basketball

Paige during warming up

Daddy pointing out things that Peyton needs to know while they watch Paige's game

Ready for their first game-they were going up against each other