Coming Home

The girls and I had a great trip. Mom and Dad met us at the Kentucky-Tennessee border, and we traveled together to Lexington to stay in a Holiday Inn with an indoor pool.

Mom, Paige, Peyton and Dad just inside Kentucky. The girls literally squealed with delight when they saw them pull up in their truck. Both girls immediately got in with their Papa for the ride to Lexington

Me, Paige (being held by Peyton) and Mom in the pool. My camera battery ran out soon after this picture, so I will have to get more pictures from my parents camera. This was a fun time for all off us. We all attempted to teach Grammy how to swim!

I know I already blogged this picture, but I cleaned it up a bit with my computer program, and it is one of my favorites from the trip

 

Psalm 139: 3&5

This is the verse I am claiming for travel today and for always:

Psalm 139:3&5

You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment you know where I am.

You both precede and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.

Time to head home

Well, the girls and I are heading North in the morning. I am both ready and dreading heading home. My parents are meeting us in Kentucky, and we are going to stay at a hotel with an indoor pool. The girls are very excited. My dad plans to swim with them, I am sure I will get some cute pictures of that!

Charity's church services today were very good. It is a special 15th anniversary weekend for the church, so there was a great deal of singing. The pastor spoke on the wise man building his house on the rock, and the foolish man building his house on the sand. It was earily like a homework assignment from a counseling session I had a few weeks ago. The pastor pointed out similiarities and differences between the two builders. Both builders heard the word and made a choice. Both builders also encountered difficulity or adversity. The differences were the choice of foundations, and how they reacted to when the storm hit. The Point was, Jesus' words must be done. Doing His words is more than listennig, liking or learning the words. If you don't live the Word, you are not obeying, and therefore believing the Word. While Matthew 7:24-27 tells us the parable; John 8:31-32...If you continue in My Word, then are ye my disciples indeed, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

The Pastor stated that there are two types of people in the world, those who do the Word, and go the narrow way, and those who don't do the Word, and take the broad way. Am I doing His sayings? We can know if we are doing and not just hearing if the teaching of the Word brings about change, and if times of difficulty strenthens us.

The evening service was full of powerful and uplifting music. I was truly blessed. Toward the end, Peyton and Paige were flanking me with their arms wrapped around me. I felt blessed by that too. To share an uplifting church services with my two girls like that was a powerful encouragement to me. I am more and more determined to raise them the way God wants me to raise them. There are SO many mistakes to be made in parenting, it is scary to think I might not get it right. But I know that I can rest in the fact that God will lead if I stay obedient to Him. The day will come when they must make their own choices, and I want to help prepare them for that day. I am convicted by this verse Matthew 18:4-6 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is te greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Wow, what a warning!

Anyway, I appreciate all who have prayed for me on this trip. I ask again that you will pray for us for the trip home and in the coming days and weeks. Our future is still unclear, but the Bible says "be anxious for nothing" in Phillippians 4:6, and that is what I am striving for.

Jesus prays for us

I have been feeling pretty down today. I have read the word and continued to battle with my own sorrow and my own thoughts. But then I was prompted to read a part of John 17 through my Biblegateway.com. I am posting the entire chapter, because it is the prayer of Jesus. He is praying for us! Jesus is praying for us to be protected from the evil one. Jesus wants us to be in unity so the world will know about Him and He will be glorified. Even when my prayers don't seem to be working, I can read how Jesus Himself prayed for me! This gives me great hope.

John 17
Jesus Prays for Himself

1After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: "Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.

2For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.

3Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.

4I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.

5And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
Jesus prays for the disciples

6"I have revealed you[a] to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word.

7Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you.

8For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me.

9I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours.

10All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them.

11I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one.

12While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. 13"I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.

14I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.

15My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.

16They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.

17Sanctify[b] them by the truth; your word is truth.

18As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.

19For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
Jesus Prays for All Believers

20"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,

21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one:

23I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

24"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

25"Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me.

26I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them."

For Elijah....

Peyton's Hermit crab JJ
Paige's hermit crab, Princess
together in front of their home

Good morning from South Carolina

(click on pictures to enlarge)

Matt made me special chocolate chip pancakes, I needed the smiling face this morning

Paige and Josiah
Sam loves her for her video games! Sam and Peyton up on Sam's bunk first thing this morning, only acceptable behavior for a few short more years! Look at that hand on his shoulder!

A night out with the girls & thankful for babysitters!

Diane and Charity

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Anne and me at Portafino's

Me and Charity

the kids during a "forced" sit down time (watching a movie)

a beautiful day in Downtown Greenville

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(click pictures to enlarge)

Peyton on a rock by a pretty waterfall

Me and the girls
Paige on the rocks

What is Love?

Today is sunny and cool in South Carolina. I woke up feeling calm and feeling God's grace. The kids are playing, breakfast is over, and we are making plans for our day. Today is Brad's 2nd foot surgery, and I have been in prayer for him. It is difficult not to be with him for his surgery. This is his 4th surgery in the past 14 years and the first time that I am not with him. I rest in the fact that I am exactly where God wants me to be this week. I know that God doesn't need me to help Him take care of or deal with Brad. This is very reassuring. I am continuing to read "The Road to Forgiveness." I was tempted to quote another huge passage from the book, but I guess it is better that I just recommend it to anyone who is struggling with forgiveness, understanding God's forgiveness; and how God can use evil, terrible circumstances that happen in our lives for good.

My Prasso study today is teaching me that GOD IS LOVE. "Believers and non-believers alike have trouble reconciling the love of God with pain and sorrow. Part of the problem lies in a faulty concept of love. Love is an act of the will whereby you commit yourself voluntarily to bring about good where the welfare of another is concerned though they may seek the worst for you." Eph 1:4-5 tells us that God made a conscious choice to love us even before we were born. This cost us nothing, and cost Him everything. Another part of the study that struck me is "..recognizing God's right to control your circumstances...You want Him to make it all go away instead of allowing Him to walk with your through the bitter experience."

God cares about my circumstances. Matthew 10:31 says "Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows." God cares about me, He loves me. My prayer today is certainly that God will allow restoration, but more importantly to thank Him for walking with me through my trial, and allowing him to teach me through it.

School work on the road

Paige takes a school work break, Peyton reading her school book to Sam while Josiah looks at his own book. Paige, looking forlorn because she is tired of doing school (click on each pic to enlarge)

what's wrong with knowing good and evil?

I am continuing to read from the book "The Road to Forgiveness." Before I went to sleep last night, I read a chapter written by the father, Bill Griffiths, about his search for why there had to be death. He examined Genesis for what went wrong in the Garden of Eden. He asked "what's wrong with knowing good and evil?" in reference to the fruit from the forbidden tree. He asks "why would God not waht His young creation to know what to do and what not to do?" He then saw the verses referring to "you shall surely die." This was a promise of God, just like the promises in the Bible of blessings. The author feels that the word "know" refers to experience, not just head knowledge. An example would be how you "know grief" when a loved one dies. The tree of knowledge represented God giving man free will to choose. If there had been no tree, then man would have loved God because he had no other choice. Because of man's choice, we know the difference between good and evil in that we experience it. "The fruit Adam and Eve ate was the fruit of selfish ambition, pride, and the determination to be in charge of themselves." But the good part that man would know is the "opportunity to make another choice." "God is love-and te ony way to redeem the sin committed was to redeem it Himself, through the death of His Son on the cross."

Again I have read about the origin of sin, and heard many sermons about it, but I have never thought much about why the choice was necessary. I have given alot of thought to the choice we all have to serve self or to serve God. We are given this choice each day of our lives, and we always have the ability to choose to believe the truth. Joshua 24:15 states "But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourself this day whom you will serve..." I know that I have spent many years daily making decisions based on what felt right to me. Just serving myself, having idols in my life, and satisfying my flesh. I now know that God is a jealous God, and He wants first place in my life, regardless of the circumstances of life. I also know that he gives the grace necessary to make the right choice, and he offers forgiveness when I fail. Psalm 32:5 "I said 'I will confess my transgressions to the LORD' and you forgave the guilt of my sin."

A good book on a rainy day

Taking a break from my new Bible study, I have begun to read the book, "The Road to Forgiveness." This book is written by a husband and wife whose daughter and the wife's mother were killed in a car accident by a drunk driver. The book is full of scripture that this family used during their time of sorrow. A verse that stuck out to me that I wanted to write about is John 16:33. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation (trials and sorrows): but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

A quote from the mother, Cindy Griffith also spoke to me"...set my mind on what is yet to be. I realized that if I spent all my energy looking back at what I could not have, I would be missing out on the present and the future."

more cute kids (especially asleep)

click on pictures to enlarge

Peyton talking to Aunt Jame
sleeping as if they were in the womb after a hard day of playing
kids eat free at the Mexican place!
Josiah, Peyton, Paige and Sam having a great time in the yard

pictures from our trip

click on pictures to enlarge

Grammy, Paige and Peyton still asleep before we left

Sam and Peyton playing in the yard

Paige and Peyton took over Josiah's bed, while Sam kept his top bunk

Paige, Peyton, Josiah and Sam working on school work

Peyton and Paige in Charity's yard, they had a great time playing with the boys

Does it pass the test..or..can I park here?

I had a wonderful time at Prasso last night. Charity and I stayed up way too late and talked and did some laughing. The morning came much too early. Today, the kids were up early despite overcast conditions (except Paige).

I was blessed to listen to Laura Baker give a lecture last night. She is the author of the Prasso study that I am starting. In her lesson, she stated that living in victory over sin was simple if we could stick to just 6 words. Resist the devil, submit to God. Of course, it isn't always that simple. She encouraged us by saying that there are many thoughts that come into our minds, we can't control everything that gets through our senses to our minds. However, we are totally responsible for where we park with our minds. As thought roll through our minds, we are often in the habit of parking on destructive thoughts. She told us that right thinking is something that must become habitual through having a renewed mind. A quote used was "We must have a renewed mind because our minds cannot make good decisions with bad information." Romans 12 :2 states be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.

I know that I want a renewed mind. I know that it needs renewed daily, sometimes hourly! I know that I have habitually dwelled on destructive thoughts. This can create a new stronghold pretty quickly. And you all know that I am dead set against strongholds! So, if I am responsible for what thoughts I park on, how do I make sure that I am thinking right? This is accomplished through the Phillippians 4:8 test. whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. And I love the next verse, verse 9 because it says if we do the things that Paul admonishes in Phil 4, the God of peace shall be with you. Notice it doesn't say might be with you. It says shall! That is a promise that I am counting on! If I allow myself to park on thoughts that don't pass the test or are destructive, I must confess them as sin. I need to replace these thoughts that tempt me with truth.

Now that I am more aware of this principle, I can watch it happen in my life. I can see that when I allow discouraging thoughts or conversation, my joy begins to fade out, I begin to worry, and wonder, and borrow trouble. I want to have joy and peace in my life despite painful circumstances. I believe that God gains glory in our weakness this way.

Please continue to pray for me that God will reveal more of himself to me each day. Also please continue to pray for the restoration of my family in God's timing and in God's way.

Everywhere I go, I learn more about the same..

I arrived at Charity's house last night feeling invigorated that I had taken my first solo trip. (meaning no other possible drivers or map readers). Of course, I didn't really go alone because I felt God's constant presence, and I know that he protected me from getting off course. I felt the prayers of my friends and my family as I traveled. I am grateful and touched by this.

As we talked last night after putting the kids to bed, Charity filled me in on "Prasso." This is a Bible study at her church for "A place to start new beginnings." That is me, I do believe. God has been faithful to me in my trials, and he again proved to be faithful. Tonight is her Prasso group, so she gave me the book. Today, while the kids did lessons, I began to do the study sections that will be covered tonight. I fell in love with the study immediately and I am SO grateful to God for this provision. This weeks lesson is on Changing Sinful thought patterns. Anyone who reads my blog or talks to me much knows that my thought pattern is one of my biggest struggles. There were many great scriptures included, many of which I have been working through at home in my work on strongholds. Actually, this lesson talked alot about strongholds, and how they totally mess up your way of thinking. Romans 13:12-13 & Eph 4:22-23 talk of casting off the works of darkness, putting off the old man. Another version called it "shedding the old life like dirty clothes." It worked into spiritual warfare, instead of worldly thinking to tear down strongholds. I have heard the weapons of spiritual warfare as they are listed in Eph 6:10-18 for many years, but never examined them so closely to see if I am actually applying them to my life. Truth, reading the word, prayer, faith-I just can't even take my next breath without them now!

Probably what struck me most was the story in Judges 7 about the Midianites and the Isrealites. God told Gideon to fight the Mideonites. They armies were 135,000 men to the Isrealites 32,000 men. God instructed Gideon to keep lowering the number of men so that it ended up being 450 to 1 odds against the Isrealites. Then he gave them his choice of weapons, not what man would have chosen to fight with. And of course, the Isrealites were the victors. Why? Because God wanted the glory for the win. God loves to give us victory over impossible situations because this gives Him glory. This is very encouraging to me because I feel like I am in a Spiritual warfare battle in an impossible situation! I can rest in the fact that God wants the glory, and He doesn't need me to do anything. All I want to do (or need to do) is pray, seek God, walk in obedience. God wants us to be totally dependant on Him for victory. The Prasso study guide gave this statement that I quote," You must come, in your desperation of heart, to the same place. You must have a heart that is convinced that God's way is the only way and if you are to truly change you must abandon yourself to Him."

Well, I still have 3 more days to do of this weeks study, so I am excited for the rest. I am also excited to start at the beginning of the study guide and work through it. What a nice gift for Charity to give to me. Please continue to pray for me as I go on this exciting journey. Even though I struggle every day with self, and with my own painful circumstances, I can rest in knowing that God is enough and that He has SO MUCH more to teach me each day!

Road trip for the girls...

Sandy Peyton and Paige at Grammy's house


We are headed to South Carolina in the Morning to see Charity, Matt, Sam and Jo again. The car is packed and we are ready! Even if Grammy isn't ready for us to go;)

 

Today I had a breakthrough. Or rather, God broke through to me. I have been pouring over the Word daily, and asking God for Grace. I have been following the "think right, act right, feel right" plan from Ephesians 4. I have also been identifying lies I have been believing and replacing them with God's truth. I would get grace that I asked for, but it wasn't long before I was discouraged, scared, bitter and a whole wealth of emotions again. A good friend of mine called me on this yesterday, and my sister in law told me this morning she had been praying for me differently because I seemed bitter. I had no idea I was so tranparent to the people in my life. Lucky for me, these people are pretty understanding, loving and supporting. Before I went to sleep last night, I began to think again about strongholds. A stronghold is a "mindset and conclusion in thinking that is contrary to scriptures." I began to search my heart this morning as to what my strongholds are. I know that there is no room in my heart for more strongholds. I don't want Satan to have any ground in my life.

When my friend confronted me last night, she talked about what I was allowing myself to think about, and how it was affecting my joy and grace. We talked about bringing into captivity every thought. This comes from 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 for though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every hight thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every though to the obedience of Christ. I knew that in order to bring my thoughts into captivity, I must pull down strongholds. I don't know why this hit me so hard as new information, since I have been thinking about it so strongly in regards to another person in my life. I thought that I had the root of my strongholds, I was wrong.

My friend and I got to talking about how I have a huge fear of rejection. This fear is rooted in rejections I felt as a child. Until I developed a relationship with the teenage boy that I eventually married, I always felt rejected by others. This included close friends. When we married, I would comfort myself if there were disagreements with friends or family that I had him and he would never reject me. That is alot of pressure for one person! Idolotry is a sin against God and he hates it. I have been aware of the problem with idolotry for a while, and striving to change it, but I wasn't quite getting to the root, so the weed kept growing.

I believe that God wants his covenant marriages to work and be glorifying to him. However, he will not tolerate idolotry forever. So even though I am a slow learner, It is with great joy today that I talk about what God is doing with me in the tearing down of strongholds.

-Strongholds are developed when we are offended by another. (Mt 18:15).
-we are given grace by God to forgive our offender ((I cor 10:13, Heb 12:14-15)
-we reject the grace and refuse to forgive the offender (Eph 4:26-27) this gives "ground" over to the devil
-Satan uses this authority to create a stronghold in our mind/will/emotions (2 Cor 10:4-5).

Because of this stronghold, we live in bondage to a lie. For me, this lie is that all could reject me except the one that I married, and that God was not enough for me. I had to truly be rejected by that idol before I began to begin to apply the truth that God is enough. God will NEVER reject me! That is a wonderful and powerful truth. His word says that he will never leave me nor forsake me.

Inside of the strongholds, live tormentors such as lust, anger, anxiety and depression. For me, the biggest tormentor was anger. I would feel bad about the anger, and at times try to make it right, but it would always be in my heart as long as the stronghold stood. Because of this, it is impossible to live in victory over the tormentors. Hmm, all this stems from unforgiveness.

So, I asked God to reveal to me people in whom I felt unforgiveness. THen I went through these steps:
1) I confessed bitterness as sin (I John 1:9)
2) I asked God to regain the surrendered ground (Eph 4:26-26) (ps 23:3) (Rev 12:11)
3) I asked God to teardown the strongholds with the truth (2 Cor 10:4)
John 8:35 the truth will make you free.
4) show mercy by forgiving your offender (mt 6:14-15) (Eph 4:31-32)

This turns loose our right to avenge the wrong. This does not negate possible consequences of sin. It leaves the other person to God.

This was immediately freeing for me. Of course, I will have to continue to regularly seek God for more truth, and guard my heart against unforgiveness and strongholds. There is one person that today, I have grace from God to forgive, and I choose to, even if I don't feel like it, because there is no room in my heart for bitterness and strongholds. So I will continue to pray for her.

I know that God has much in store for me. I don't know what my future holds. I do know that I must take steps forward toward God each day and teach my children to do the same. I must pray for those in authority over for me, and also pray for my peers. I will continue to daily pray for restoration in our family and for the heart change necessary to make that happen. I want God to gain glory. I believe that this is possible if I choose to walk in obedience and forgiveness each day. I believe that this will enable me to "bring every thought into captivity" so I can "think right, do right, act right."

pray with confidence in our time of need

Hebrews 4:14-16 (New International Version)
Jesus the Great High Priest

14Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens,[a] Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.

15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.

16Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

cute kids...

Paige and Peyton and Granddad and Granny's house

Great Granddad and Mia Kate (babies always love his belly)

Peyton Brad and Paige
their first skating trip, OUR first one in MANY years!

 

This morning, I begged God to help me with my emotions in a painful decision I was making. I tried to call a friend, and no one was available. I knew that I needed to pray and seek God in his word. So I began to read the Psalms, and I got to Psalm 13. I began to pray Psalm 13 out loud to God. What a blessing for God to give me the words to pray!

Psalm 13 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
Psalm 13
1 How long, O LORD ? Will you forget me forever?

How long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts

and every day have sorrow in my heart?

How long will my enemy triumph over me?
3 Look on me and answer, O LORD my God.

Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;
4 my enemy will say, "I have overcome him,"

and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
5 But I trust in your unfailing love;

my heart rejoices in your salvation.
6 I will sing to the LORD,

for he has been good to me.

We will serve the Lord

Joshua 24:14-15 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
14 "Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.

15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."

This is the stand I am taking for my household. Please pray for me as I hold fast to this and as I strive to stay in obedience to God.

welcome to the family, Lauren!

This is my niece, Lauren. She is 8 years old. This Sunday, which was a difficult day for our family, she made a personal decision to accept Jesus as her Savior. I am so excited for her and her parents. I know that her entire family sees this as a beautiful thing during a difficult time.

 

Psalm 32

Psalm 32

1 Oh, what joy for those

whose disobedience is forgiven,

whose sin is put out of sight!

2 Yes, what joy for those

whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt,[b]

whose lives are lived in complete honesty!

3 When I refused to confess my sin,

my body wasted away,

and I groaned all day long.

4 Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.

My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.

5 Finally, I confessed all my sins to you

and stopped trying to hide my guilt.

I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.”

And you forgave me!

All my guilt is gone.

6 Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time,

that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment.

7 For you are my hiding place;

you protect me from trouble.

You surround me with songs of victory.

8 The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.

I will advise you and watch over you.

9 Do not be like a senseless horse or mule

that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.”

10 Many sorrows come to the wicked,

but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord.

11 So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey him!

Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!

God is enough...even for broken relationships

Even when those closest to us hurt us and cause us pain, God is still hearing our distress call, He is still there to rescue us, He is still Enough! These verses taken from Psalm 55 describe how I am feeling today. Even though I would like to "fly away" and escape, I don't need to because I can believe that "God, who is king forever, will hear me and humble them." And He will keep me safe from the "battle waged against me."

Psalm 55 (New Living Translation)

Psalm 55 :1-2, 4-8, 12-14, 16-22

1Listen to my prayer, O God and answer me,

for I am overwhelmed by my troubles.

4 My heart pounds in my chest.

The terror of death assaults me.

5 Fear and trembling overwhelm me,

and I can’t stop shaking.

6 Oh, that I had wings like a dove;

then I would fly away and rest!

7 I would fly far away

to the quiet of the wilderness.

8 How quickly I would escape— far from this wild storm of hatred.

12 It is not an enemy who taunts me— I could bear that.

It is not my foes who so arrogantly insult me— I could have hidden from them.

13 Instead, it is you—my equal,

my companion and close friend.

14 What good fellowship we once enjoyed

as we walked together to the house of God.

16 But I will call on God,

and the Lord will rescue me.

17 Morning, noon, and night

I cry out in my distress,

and the Lord hears my voice.

18 He ransoms me and keeps me safe

from the battle waged against me,

though many still oppose me.

19 God, who has ruled forever,

will hear me and humble them.

For my enemies refuse to change their ways;

they do not fear God.

20 As for my companion, he betrayed his friends;

he broke his promises.

21 His words are as smooth as butter,

but in his heart is war.

His words are as soothing as lotion,

but underneath are daggers!

22 Give your burdens to the Lord,

and he will take care of you.

He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.

Meet Gavin Braden

We headed straight to Joe and Trish Walder's house from seeing Mia Kate. Here we meet Gavin, who is a week older than Mia. The girls were in baby heaven!

 

Holding Mia Kate

Paige and Peyton got to hold their new cousin for the first time yesterday. Too bad she never woke up to meet them. Oh, well, there will be plenty of time for that later!

 

Psalm 84

No good thing does he withhold from those who walk blameless!

Psalm 84 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
] 1 How lovely is your dwelling place,

O LORD Almighty!
2 My soul yearns, even faints,

for the courts of the LORD;

my heart and my flesh cry out

for the living God.
3 Even the sparrow has found a home,

and the swallow a nest for herself,

where she may have her young—

a place near your altar,

O LORD Almighty, my King and my God.
4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house;

they are ever praising you. Selah
5 Blessed are those whose strength is in you,

who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baca,

they make it a place of springs;

the autumn rains also cover it with pools. [b]
7 They go from strength to strength,

till each appears before God in Zion.
8 Hear my prayer, O LORD God Almighty;

listen to me, O God of Jacob. Selah
9 Look upon our shield, [c] O God;

look with favor on your anointed one.
10 Better is one day in your courts

than a thousand elsewhere;

I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God

than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield;

the LORD bestows favor and honor;

no good thing does he withhold

from those whose walk is blameless.
12 O LORD Almighty,

blessed is the man who trusts in you.

I fight authority...authority always wins...

Over the past few months, God has been teaching me how important it is to be submissive to authority. I have learned that authority is protection for me and my family. Today, I wish to give thanks to God for setting up his chain of authority in my life. God is glorified, and he also blesses us when we choose to submit. Along with God's promises of blessing and honor for submission, he also states that he will punish those who rebel against authority. It is my prayer today that I can remain submissive to my God given authority, and to teach my children about this principle.

Romans 13:1-5 (New Living Translation)

Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. 2 So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. 3 For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. 4 The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. 5 So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience.

trick or treat...at the hospital

Since Aunt Amie and Mia were still in the hospital on October 31, we decided to "trick or treat" there at the waiting room. Nana, Granddad, Uncle Brock, Aunt Amie and Aunt Brittany's family were there anyway. (way fewer stops than usual).

Paige, Brad, Brock and Peyton (Mia is behind the window :)

Peyton, Brookelyn, Paige, Lauren and Nathan (reinactment with Mia coming soon)

Uncle Brock (the new Daddy) holds Nathan the lion

 

A little more on the responsibilities we have to our children, and all children we come in contact with. Both of my children have now prayed the sinner's prayer and asked God to save them from their sins. They did this without prompting. In fact, I put them off when they asked if they seemed at all unsure. I have been saved for many years, but I am still learning that I want my faith to be childlike. I want to have hope as children hope. I also believe that this passage shows us tremendous responsibilty we have toward the children in our lives. I had a new niece born this week, and I feel she is one more mission field for me. I want to "receive one such child in My (Jesus's) name." These verses convicted me about how unacceptable it is to God to offend a child, particularly a new babe in Christ.

Matthew 18
1At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
2And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
3And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
4Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
6But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
7Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!

care of children is a HUGE responsibility...

Matthew 18:4-7 (King James Version)

4Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
5And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.
6But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
7Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!

Living in the light

Ephesians 4:17-32 (New Living Translation)

Living as Children of Light

17 With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. 18 Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. 19 They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.

20 But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. 21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

25 So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. 26 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.”^[a] Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

28 If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. 29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own,^[b] guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.