A 2-year-old Sings the Lord's Prayer

Then Sings My Soul Saturday Meme

Lately, I have been feeling more convicted about doing better at raising my children as Christians. They go to church and youth group, but I feel like I should be doing more at home. They are growing up so fast and I want them well prepared for when they go out on their own.

For years, my son has enjoyed listening to Adventures in Odyssey on the radio. He has learned so many Biblical truths and character lessons through this show. My daughters haven't had the same enthusiasm about listening to it. They want to run around outside a 4:00. So this week, we started listening together on the Internet, right before bedtime. It has worked out well, so far. These episodes are quite entertaining for adults, too.

I'm also trying to add more impromptu family praying. Yesterday, the neighbor boy (from a non-Christian home) borrowed our Thou Shalt Laugh DVD. It's a Christian comedian DVD. He wanted to watch it with his Dad. Right after he left our house, I got the kids together and I prayed that the DVD would be a witness for this family.

I'd like to continue trying more ideas. I want Jesus and Christianity to be part of our family life throughout the day. Does anyone have any ideas for me? Please share.

Hope and Perseverance

Tuesdays in Other Words Meme

Much of our difficulty as seeking Christians stems from our unwillingness to take God as He is and adjust our lives accordingly. We insist upon trying to modify Him and bring Him nearer to our own image.

~ A. W. Tozer ~

I am a "seeking Christian" woman desiring to grow closer to the Lord. However, I struggle with "taking God as He is". Though I tell Him daily that I want to do His will, I still resist totally surrendering my will and trusting Him wholeheartedly.

The reason that I want to hold on to some of that control is because my faith has not been perfected yet. I'm still working on having the kind of faith that is explained in Hebrews 11:1 - Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

I have my days (like today) where I wonder if things will really get better. I have ideas about how God may use me in the future. But, will my life improve to the point where these things can become a possibility?

The enemy would want me to believe:

• Too much time has gone by, things aren't going to get any better.
• God was going to use me, but I blew it and missed my opportunity.
• By the time I am able to serve God in that way, it will be too hard physically and emotionally for me to do it. Just let another Christian do it.
• I've already tried hard enough and I am exhausted emotionally. Just let it go and do something easier.

But the Bible tells me:

• Our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 1 Corinthians 4:17
• God is always at work for the good of everyone who loves him. They are the ones God has chosen for His purpose. Romans 8:28
  
• I will bless you with a future filled with hope--a future of success, not of suffering. Jeremiah 29:11
  

I need to keep God and His Word as my priority. I need to perfect my faith and continue hoping even though I don't see anything happening for years and years. The enemy would want me to give up. The Lord wants me to persevere - trusting in His ways and His timing.

Read more posts about this quote at Deborah's blog - Chocolate and Coffee

Bring Me to Life

Then Sings My Soul Saturday Meme

YouTube Video: Bring Me to Life

Written by Bebo Norman and Jason Ingram

I am a barren land
And it’s all I can do to stand
I am thirsty, I am thirsty

Father, reach out Your hand
I have given all that I can
Still I’m sinking, I’m still sinking

I want to run into the deep
And let the deep call out to me
I want to lose myself in Your love

So let it rain down over me
As I fall down to my knees
Let the ocean rise to meet me
I need You to bring me to life

Well of eternal things
Endless is all the life You bring
Be the water that I long for

And show me Your Kingdom Come
Father and let Your will be done
Here in me as it is in Heaven

Dear Lord,

I need you to bring me to life. I want to get fired up - to become passionate about serving You and to follow Your will for me. You are the One I need. I should deeply desire Your love, Your comfort, Your strength. I need to go to You for everything.


© 2006 Appstreet Music (ASCAP) / New Spring (ASCAP). All rights for the world on behalf of Appstreet Music (ASCAP) administered by New Spring (ASCAP). / Peertunes, Ltd./GrangeHill Music/J Ingram (SESAC)

Tagged: My List of 4's

Shontee over at A Mommy's Life tagged me with this meme:

4 Jobs I've Had:

• Fabricland Sales Clerk
• Hickory Farms Cheese and Beef stick Sample Lady
• Christian Book Press Warehouse Worker
• Waitress at the Old Country Buffet

4 Places I've Been:

• Maui & Oahu, Hawaii
• Budapest, Hungary
• Krakow, Poland
• Prague, Czechoslovakia
  

4 Favorite Foods:

• Chocolate Ice cream with chocolate stuff in it
  
• Burritos or Nachos with lots of cheese
• French Fries
• Fried Chicken and Mashed Potatoes (no, I'm not a Southern gal)
  

4 CD's Recently Listened To:

• He Reigns - The Worship Collection by Newsboys
  
• All of the Above by Hillsong United (my son's)
• The Alter and the Door by Casting Crowns (my son's)
  
• Hannah Montana/Meet Miley Cyrus (my 13-year-old daughter is always playing it)
  

4 Things You Can Do to Make My Day:

• Clean My House
• Melt This Snow
  
• Give Me Chocolate (not really, I'm trying to lose weight)
  
• Give Me Flowers

4 Shows on my TiVo/DVR:

• What's a TiVo/DVR? My TV hasn't worked since Christmas, so I don't think that I can answer this one.

Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday Meme

I am thankful for Jen at One Mom's World for starting Operation Spring Weight Off for Moms. This is probably the motivation that I need. If you want to, you can still join in.

I am thankful for the nice phone conversation that I had with my sister. I'm thankful that she is doing well, since she is 4 months pregnant. She has had complications with her other pregnancies, so I'm thankful that God is watching over her and her baby. If you have a sister - why not give her a call.

I am thankful for all you wonderful blogging women that leave such nice, encouraging comments. You women are really neat and I love reading your posts and following along as you grow closer to Jesus.

I am thankful for my daughter Boo Boo who turned 8 this week.

I am thankful for my daughter Nettie who turned 11 this week.

Wordless Wednesday: Tissue

Wordless Wednesday Meme

Unborn Babies

An unborn baby's heart begins to beat at 10 days. At 40 days she has measurable brain waves. An unborn baby shouldn't be thrown away like a piece of tissue.

• Unplanned Pregnancy Website
  
• Local Pregnancy Care Centers (they offer free services, counseling, pregnancy tests, and Ultrasounds
• Baby Center Site - The Everything Site about Pregnancy and Babies

Making Time for Christ

Tuesdays in Other Words Meme

We must assess our thoughts and beliefs and reckon whether they are moving us closer to conformity to Christ or farther away from it.

~ by John Ortberg ~

I've found that if I want to be more Christlike, then I must reject some other things in my life. Naturally, I need to do away with those things that are sinful. However, I've been realizing that I need to be more balanced in all the good areas of my life, too. Visiting Christian blogs, reading Christian books, listening to the Christian radio station are all very helpful as I grow closer to Christ. But, I have way too much that I want to do and read, and not enough time.

Pastor Rick got my attention when he preached on this topic at our church. He told us that all of these Christian materials are beneficial, but they don't replace reading the Bible and praying with the Lord. I wish that I had taken notes as he preached. I can't remember all of his points or the scriptures that he referenced. However, he got this one significant message through to me.

That sermon was so convicting and whenever I find myself running out of time at the end of the night, my conscience gets to me. I'll blog for hours - reading inspirational posts and worshiping with Christian YouTube videos. But if I haven't gotten to my Bible study or had some alone time talking with Jesus, I start to feel a prompting to do so. I don't want to just know about Jesus, I want to have a personal relationship with Him. That means that I must reject some of the other things that I want to do in order to spend time with Him.

Soapbox Sunday - How Much?

Soapbox Sunday Meme

Today, I'm going to stand up on my soapbox and write about something that has been affecting me. At first, I didn't think that there was anything spiritual about this topic. However, after I got writing, I was able to add in a spiritual message to this post after all.

I've been without a vehicle for the last 8 weeks. The hardest part has been having to shop at the nearby neighborhood grocery store. I'm very grateful to my next door neighbor, Roger, who gave me a couple of rides so that I could buy food for my kids. However, I do have a complaint and since it's Soapbox Sunday, I'm going to express it.

Why does the local store have to charge 2 - 3 times the amount for the same grocery products that I can buy at a store just 20 minutes down the road? I would think that more people would be able to support their local grocery store if the prices were lower. Instead, most people here drive the 20 minutes to load up on food and pay 1/3 of the price. The only reason that I would ever go back to this store is if I'm in another desperate situation.

While shopping, a few days ago, I didn't get every item that I had on my list. I just couldn't bring myself to pay $2.39 for a small can of pears or $7.95 for a bag of chicken nuggets. We will just have to replace a couple of planned meals with pancakes, hot dogs, and boxed macaroni and cheese. I'll have to make a lot of bread or biscuits to fill up the kids' tummies.

If there is some way that I could make this post of importance, I guess that it would be to try to motivate you to shop around for the best deal on your food. Even if you have to drive an extra 20 minutes, it will save you a lot of money. You may need to buy 2 weeks of groceries at a time so that you only have to drive the distance twice a month. Try comparing the prices and adding up the totals that you save. You could end up saving hundreds of dollars every year.

The Bible tells us to be good stewards of the money that God had entrusted to us. Just cutting back on the cost of your groceries will add up - month after month after month. If you don't know what to do with the extra money, ask God. There are orphans, missionaries, and Christian organizations that He could tell you about.

Everybody Has a Seed to Sow

Then Sings My Soul Saturday Meme

What would happen if we all witnessed - to the people in our own little area of the world? Many of us want to leave the evangelizing up to the "Called" or to the missionaries. But, I don't think that is what Jesus intended for us to do. He said: "And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

Michael W. Smith & African Children's Choir



What can you do?

• Deliver Church Event Fliers or Holiday Gift Bags to Your Neighbors?
  
• Help Christian Orphan Ministries?
  
• Witness through the Internet?
  
• Minister to the Neighbor Kids?
  
• Pass Out Tracts?
• Start a Bible Study at Work or Home?
• Start a Play Group at a Church to attract neighborhood women?
• Volunteer to Help at Church Evangelistic Events?
  

You can search through hundreds of ideas and find one that fits with your personality at Easy to Evangelize.com

Leave a Comment

Standing Up for the Truth

God Stop Friday Meme

This week, God has shown Himself to me in these ways:

• The kids and I had a nice Easter weekend, even though Dad is still working out of town. We kept the Christian radio station on all day on Good Friday and we heard so many neat songs and shows that talked about the Resurrection.

• My husband found and bought us a van. We got exactly what we wanted at the price we wanted. Thank you for Your provision, God. I wrote about this topic yesterday. (If you're interested.)

• I feel like God is encouraging me to become more bold and to stand up for the truth. So, I'll write the rest of the post about that.
  

This week, I added something new on my sidebar. It is a daily "pray for your husband" idea. It also links to the site that has come up with all of the prayer suggestions.

A few nights ago, I was using the 25th prompt to pray - That my husband will be courageous in his stand against evil and injustice, that he will stand for the truth. As I was praying, I realized very quickly that I needed to pray for myself in this same area.

Ephesians 6:14 tells us to stand firm against evil with the belt of truth.
1 Corinthians 13:6 tells us that true love does not delight in injustice but rejoices with the truth.

However, if the truth brings about a lot of controversy, then that's hard for me to handle. I try to avoid controversy. I'm a "keep the peace" kind of woman. I've had 3 negative comments on my blog and I sure didn't like that. I know. That's what comment moderation is for. And I don't have to take the negative comments personally. Well, I'll be honest and admit that I did tone it down a bit when writing my posts.

I don't feel right about doing that though. I need to become more bold in writing about the truth. So, I've decided that if I feel prompted to write about something controversial like Pro-life or Creationism, then I'm going to do it. It's more important for me to obey God.

Those of you who agree, I would appreciate a quick prayer. I need God's strength with this. It seems to be an area in my Christian faith where the Lord wants me to grow. I'd like to encourage you to think about this and to stand and speak out for the truth, also. We have a wonderful opportunity to influence people through our blogs.

A few days ago, I noticed that Ben Stein has a new movie coming out April 18th called Expelled. The movie is going to expose the fact that educators and scientists are being ridiculed, denied tenure and even fired for believing that there might be evidence for creationism. Now that is standing against injustice and standing up for the truth. If Ben Stein can do it, then I can do it. And he has so much more to lose than I do.

Thankful Thursday - A New Used Van

Thankful Thursday Meme

In previous posts I've mentioned that my husband has been working out of town. Well, he's been gone longer than he had originally thought. His 3 week trip turned into 6 weeks. When it was the day before he was supposed to leave to come home, he called me and said that the transmission went out on the van and it isn't worth it to fix it. This van is our only vehicle. Now he would have to stay and figure out how to buy another van.

Normally, this situation would have stressed me out - my husband is 1000 miles away and we no longer have a vehicle. But, I told God about the problem and I told Him that we were going to need His help. Lately, I've been trying to give my problems to Him and ask for His intervention.

So, here is the part that I am thankful for. My husband called yesterday to say that he bought a van. It has the features that we need - 8 seats and it is extended in the back - at the price that we wanted to pay. I can't believe that we got it for that low of a price.

Unfortunately, my husband has to stay and work longer. But, we are thankful that there is more work for him to do. That way he will be able to pay for the van in full. We won't owe anything on it. Howard Dayton from the Money Matters Christian Radio Show has convinced us that paying cash for a used vehicle is possible if you're determined and you pray about it. That's what we did and God blessed us with the perfect van at the perfect price. Thank you, God.

Trusting God With My Life

Tuesdays in Other Words Meme

"Throughout the history of God's people as given to us in the Bible, we see that life is a test. We have before us the option to trust God "no matter what," or to walk away from Him. To walk away from God is to leave the fragments of our dreams in pieces on the floor, but to trust Him is to let God pick up the pieces and make us whole again. When we choose to let Him make us whole again, he will make our lives more beautiful than before."

"What I Learned from God While Quilting" by Ruth McHaney Danner & Cristine Bolley~

The words from this quote "Life is a Test" stood out to me. I did a Bible study on Genesis, last month, and I noticed that when God used people, they had to be willing to change their own plans. Some of them argued with God and doubted that they had the ability to do what He asked of them. Some of the people God used actually gave in to their sinful nature. I don't think that they realized how God was using them - that we would be reading about them and learning from their stories a few thousand years later.

I'm the type of person that likes to make my plans and goals and then see them accomplished. However, things end up usually not going my way. 19 years ago, I had a plan to become a nurse. But, I got married and had 5 kids. I'm still raising those kids and homeschooling them. !9 years ago, 5 kids and homeschooling were not in my plans. I had no intention of putting the nurse dream on hold for this long. There were many times that I grumbled and was frustrated that I couldn't get back to doing what I really wanted to do, especially when I saw other women going back to school.

Things are different now. I realize that I am doing exactly what God wants me to be doing. I really feel like I am living in His will. I've realized that for our family, homeschooling is the best thing for us. It's allowed us to grow closer as a family, travel through out the year, and to teach our children academic and spiritual lessons through real life situations that arise during the day. During this last year, I've felt a conviction to help encourage my children spiritually. Their Christian growth is so important and I have a real desire that they learn about serving God and following His will.

As far as becoming a nurse - I don't want to do that any more. Now I realize that I never really wanted to do it. I liked the idea of being a nurse and I knew that it would be easier for me to get a job. God has given me other interests in counseling and social work and when the timing is right, I'll go back to college to learn about what I really want to do. Jobs in this field won't pay as well, but I'm getting beyond that.

I'm seeing that it's best to figure out what God wants me to do and to trust Him. When I feel like I'm living in His will and being used by Him, I feel content and secure even though my physical world doesn't appear to be successful.

Miracle Monday - God Healed My Daughter

Miracle Monday Meme

The day that this miracle took place was April 20, 1999. It was the same day as the Columbine High School Shootings. (That is totally unrelated to this story, except it is how I remember the date of this miracle.)

While I was watching the news, my 4 year old daughter started throwing up. She did it repeatedly over a few hours. Eventually, she was throwing up black stuff. That's when I really got worried. I had never seen anyone throw up like this before.

My husband had the car that day and I didn't have any neighbors near by to help me. I was getting close to calling an ambulance. But then I didn't know how I was going to get myself and 2 other children to the hospital. So, I prayed and prayed and prayed that God would heal her. I didn't even know what was wrong with her. She hadn't been sick. She just started throwing up and wouldn't stop.

Eventually, it did stop and she rested with me for a little while. Soon, she was up and playing. Then, she was outside climbing on the jungle gym and yelling to me "I'm hungry. Can I have a snack?" She ate and kept all the food down.

She was back to normal. I don't know what my daughter had for those few hours, but I believe that it had been something bad and God healed her from it.