Still Like The Children of Israel...

I just wanna say I'm grateful to God for His goodness to our family! He's brought us through so much in the past year-and-a-half.  We're still working through some current family situations, but He is faithful!  Praise God!  

In our ladies Bible study we are studying the life of Moses.  I have gotten in on the tail-end of the study, but am thoroughly enjoying it.  I do believe that we (His children) are so much like the Children of Israel were in the Old Testament.  We are whiners, complainers and demand what we want from God!  We stray away from Him when we think "we've got this" and make Him second place.  Then when He allows us to have what we want, and things go topsy-turvy, we decide that we really DO need Him and come running back.  Does that sound familiar?  :)  The only thing that has really changed is that we don't have to abide by all the sacrifices and O.T. Laws (with the exception of The Ten Commandments). Unfortunately, so many churches today still try to govern their people by laws rather than by freedom in Christ.  Putting down laws for people to uphold in order to maintain their relationship with Jesus Christ will never work.  Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice for us and came to give us liberty, not bondage. 

The ESV puts it this way, "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1

I like the NLT version, "So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law." Galatians 5:1

It's so easy to get "tied up again" as the NLT puts it.  It can sneak up on you so slowly that you don't even realize you're "tied up again" until you are in the thick of it, suffocated, in chains, and you wonder how you were ever so blind-sided. Thank God for His faithfulness in showing us His truth and love!!  

Having freedom in Christ doesn't mean we can go out and do anything we want and still make it to Heaven.  If that's how one feels, he/she better go back and check their conversion.  :)  We are called to live Holy lives.  Holy doesn't mean we will be perfect, but it does mean we strive for perfection.......we strive to be like Jesus!  He is the perfecter of our faith!  I like the way the NASB puts it, "fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2

I want His Holiness in my life!  I want Him to be present in what I say and how I live my life.  

Jesus, make me more and more like You each day.  Help me in my weaknesses. Perfect my faith in You.  Give me Your strength to face the challenges that come day to day.  

Love,

Me  

Weight Watchers, Patience, Trust And Other Stuff!

So I just broke down and splurged on some caramel cake.  I wish I hadn't.  I did amazing yesterday and never consumed it last night for my hubs actual party. Big problem?  I came home from shopping feeling like I was starving!  I am consoling myself by saying that even Weight Watchers gives you bonus points and allows you to bank unused ones, right?  Ha!  Oh, well!  I'll do better tonight!  ;)  

I am on the weight loss path right now and have lost 5.2 pounds in just under two weeks to be exact! Whoo-Hoo!!!  Go, Me!!!  :D   But, I think I just gained it all back, though.  Boy, what harm a little chocolate cake with caramel can do to your waist line!   

On a positive note, I had a wonderful lunch today with a new friend.  We found out just how fast time can fly when two women get together and gab!  We opened our mouths with the first word and zzzziiiippp........it was two hours later!  Ha!  Once again, God used words from another Godly person to slow down my need to have answers and try to fix things.  Why am I such a fixer? EGAD!!!  I am obsessed with "having the proper answers" and that really isn't always necessary.  The Lord gently reminded me through her soft spoken words that we don't need "labels". We don't have to have an exact appropriate diagnosis for everything that goes wrong in life.  We just have to do the best we can with what we have and go forward one step at a time.  God is working, but He sure is taking His sweet time!  A few weeks ago at my ladies Bible Study I learned something very important.....:D "We live in a microwave world, but we serve a crockpot God".  Boy, what truth!  :)  I want it yesterday!! So, I guess maybe God is trying to teach me patience.  What an irony!   When Roy and I got married I was always the patient one, and he the impatient one.  My, how times have changed!  God DOES have a sense of humor!  :D 

If you are struggling, remember that God works in His own time. Maybe He's teaching you to be patient like He keeps trying to teach me.  Maybe He's trying to teach you to trust like He keeps trying to teach me.  (Wow! I think I have issues!  Ha!)  Don't give up.  God loves you!  He just wants you to trust in Him and give your problems to Him.  That doesn't mean that we shouldn't be proactive.....we definitely need to be.  But, do the best you can and remember to keep your eyes on Jesus.  

Isaiah 40:31 - But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint.

Psalms 27:14 - Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Love,

Me

Good Morning!

Good morning, Friends!  Today is my husband's birthday!  We have quite a day planned, and somewhere in there I have to squeeze in sweeping, mopping, straightening and bathroom cleaning.  Yep, we are having company tonight!  :)  I just wanted to pop in and wish you a blessed day in case you stop by to sit a spell (that's all it'd be cuz I don't have much written yet...Ha!).  I hope you hang in there with me.  I'm really looking forward to the days ahead.

Love,
Me

A Little Birdie Told Me So...

I came across a verse today by way of my daughter that really struck a chord with me.  Ezra 8:22 (ESV), “The hand of our God is for good on all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.”  I grew up believing God was always angry and ready to bash me into hell for any little wrong that I did, but He is actually a loving Heavenly Father to His children.  I never knew that for over 20 years of my Christian life, and I've been His for over 30. I suppose that's why I struggled so badly for so many years.  To be honest, I still struggle every once in a while, and God has to use gentle reminders that He's still the same loving Heavenly Daddy He's always been.  He still has to remind me here and there (okay, maybe a lot more frequently than that..:D) that He's still in control and can STILL take care of me and my problems.  I was backing out of the driveway this morning, and for the first time that I ever remember, there was a little bird perched on my mailbox. He was standing there tall and proud like he was just waiting for me to notice.  God had sent me a piece of "mail".  He had a message just for me.  In that moment, God reminded me that if He watches over the sparrows (and other little birdie's) that He is also watching over me and our family, and He is taking care of the situations that we are presently facing.  The love of my Abba, Abba (Daddy, Daddy) washed over me, and I realized once again that He is so much more capable of handling our problems in life that to us look HUGE, but to Him they are small. 

I'm a fixer, but I think that's because I'm a mother and NOT because I'm an extrovert. Ha!  If you know me, you will laugh at that!  :) I am entirely introverted and passive, except when it comes to my children.  When problems arise that involve my kids, I go into fix-it mode pretty fast, and I tend to get ahead of God.  He has to remind me of past promises, and give me fresh, new ones to keep my mind focused on Him.  I spent part of last week in fix-it mode, and it caused me to stress and worry about things that were out of my control.  God had to once again remind me that I wasn't trusting Him, but that I needed to.  I'm happy to say that I have handed the problem back to Him.  Oh, I'll probably try to take it back again, but He'll be right there to remind me yet again of where I need to leave the situation.  I am grateful for His faithfulness, and love, and mercy.  Oh...and grace. :)  

Blessings,
Me         

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog!  I used to blog regularly years ago, but through circumstances took a break from the blogging world. After encouragement from a dear friend, I am going to give it another whirl!  You will see serious posts, funny posts and just plain down to earth things that are going on in my life and the lives of my family.  You may even see some crafting projects that I do here and there.  It's my new hobby!  Thanks to another dear friend I have found a way to de-stress. Sometimes the stroke of a paintbrush can melt away all anxieties and muscle aches.  I guess it depends on what you are painting, though.  If it's a whole room, I  might need my Epsom salts bath and a few days in bed.  :)  

I hope you enjoy what you read here!  We'll take this journey together through tears, laughter and projects.  Projects are always good! They keep the mind in a safe place.  ;) 

Love,

Me