Holding On...

Today I am at over at Holding On, visit with me there to read the rest of the devotion below...

Worshipping God yet Serving Idols…

Jonah 2:8-9 “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. But I with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the Lord.”

I have had some very hard days lately… I have had to make a stand for my Lord and Savior in a way I never thought I would have to. It has been excruciatingly hard, for some do not understand why I have to be obedient to His Word and to my decision to follow Christ, no matter what… and I never thought I would be in this position. However, I am, and I have chosen to follow my Lord and Savior, to be obedient to His Word, and to cling and hold tightly to Him.

This situation has also led me to examine myself, to lay my heart and life open on the altar before the Lord; so He can reveal to me what in my life is not pleasing to Him. I desire for Him to open my eyes to the things in my life that He longs to remove and replace with Himself…

Word-Filled Wednesday

For more WFW posts visit 160acrewoods, but first go and spend some time in the Word of God, asking Him to speak to you through His living word!

Wordless Wednesday #19

The Counsel of a Mom...

As I was reading through my daily Bible reading the other day this verse literally jumped off the page and into my heart and mind, “…for his mother was his counselor to do wicked.” (2 Chronicles 22:3) It really made me stop and think.

My first thought was “How in the world could any mother counsel her child to do wicked, that is horrible!” Then it was as if the Lord spoke to me in His quiet, still voice, and said, “You can counsel in ways other than just your words.” And it hit me… we counsel our children everyday in how we act, in the example that we live before them, in the way we live.

I began to take inventory of how I counsel my children each day, and I was not necessarily pleased with all the things the Lord brought to my mind. I began to ask myself the following questions:

How do I counsel my children through the way I…

• Treat their daddy
• Treat them
• Talk to them and others
• Respond to their neediness
• Discipline
• Shepherd, teach, and train them
• Treat our neighbors, especially the ones who aren’t nice to us
• Spend my time

And I realized that at times I am counseling my children, not with my words but with my actions, …

• To be selfish with their time
• To place their own priorities and interests above those of others
• That if we are upset it is ok to respond in a frustrated and irritated way rather than a gentle and loving way
• That we do not have to be nice when others aren’t nice

This realization that I counsel my children through basically everything they see me do and say has led me to realize that I need to be constantly and consistently holding my heart, motives, and thoughts before the Lord, allowing Him to examine them and show me anything that needs to be changed and brought into alignment with Him, His ways, and His Word. I desire to counsel my children to do good, not evil; to live life the way the Lord instructs us in His Word. To do that I need to be willing to lay my heart open before Him and allow Him to change me and mold me into the wife and mommy He has created me to be.

I want my counsel to be like the counsel spoken of in Proverbs 6:20-23:

“My son, keep your father's commands and do not forsake your mother's teaching. Bind them upon your heart forever; fasten them around your neck. When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you. For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life,”

I desire for my counsel to be a guide to them, to watch over them, to speak to them. I want my counsel to be a light for them, pointing them to Jesus, who alone can lead them in the paths of righteousness. As it is stated in 1 Kings 10:15-16, I want them to “come with me and see my zeal for the Lord.”

So what about you? Are there things that you are counseling your children to do through your actions that you would never counsel them to do with your words?

Are you willing to take the time to lay your heart open before the Lord, allowing Him to show you what needs to be changed and molded in your heart and life to enable you to more effectively counsel your children in the ways of the Lord?

Father God, please forgive me for the ways I have counseled my children through my actions and behaviors to live in a way that is contrary to your Word. Please work in my heart, reveal those behaviors in me that need to be removed, and replace them with the Godly behaviors that need to be there. Please help me to always give Godly counsel to my children, through my words and my actions, and to lead them down paths of righteousness rather than unrighteousness. Thank you for your precious Holy Spirit, who lives in me and can work in me daily to make me be the wife and mom you have created me to be. In Jesus’ precious and holy name, Amen.

Quotes from my readings...

The following quotes are from some books I am currently reading. They spoke to me and ministered comfort and encouragement in some situations going on in my life right now and I just wanted to share them, in case they minister to anyone else...

From "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan:

"But the fact is that nothing should concern us more than our relationship with God; its about eternity, and nothing compares to that. God is not someone who can be tacked on to our lives." (page 94)

"When we put it plainly like this - as a direct choice between God and our stuff - must of us hope we would choose God. But we need to realize that how we spend our time, what our money goes toward, and where we will invest our energy is equivalent to choosing God or rejecting Him. How could we think for even a second that something on this puny little earth compares to the Creator and Sustainer and Savior of it all?" (page 95)

And from the Pursuit of God by A. W. Tozer:

"to seek God does not narrow one's life, but brings it, rather, to the level of highest possible fulfillment." (page 6)

Does these speak to anyone else? Have a great weekend!

Thankful Thursdays

“With my mouth I will give thanks abundantly to the LORD; And in the midst of many I will praise Him.” Psalm109:30

Today I am giving thanks for:

• The simple things of life: building lego houses, the smell of fresh cut grass, pictures drawn with crayons hanging on the frig, library books and kids in my lap, the sound of birds singing in the morning, sunrises…
• Friends with pools and fellowship!
• Lazy days of summer
• My husband’s job
• The stillness and quietness of the morning before everyone rises
• Snuggling with my husband
• Morning prayer times with my husband
• Being able to help out a friend
• Being able to run in the mornings
• The laughter of my children while playing together

Don’t forget to take time to stop and be thankful. We have so many things to be thankful for, but we often take them for granted. For more TT posts stop by Sting My Heart.

Word-Filled Wednesday

For more WFW posts visit 160acrewoods...

Wordless Wednesday #18

Impressionable Children...

Today I was reminded of how impressionable our children are, and how important it is that we as parents guard what their little ears and eyes take in. We were in the van to go to the movie theater (their 1st time ever to go to a real movie!), and I was listening to a bit of a sermon on 88.5.

I had just turned it on and the pastor started talking about the "Lake of Fire" and the fact that people were going to get thrown into it. One of my boys asked, "what is the lake of fire and why are they throwing people into it?" So I explained that if we do not know Jesus and do not ask Him to forgive us of our sins we will get thrown into the lake of fire too. I explained that that is why it is very important for us to know Jesus and for us to tell others about Jesus, so that instead of being thrown into the lake of fire we can go to Heaven to live with Jesus. We talked about this all the way to the theater, about 15 minutes.

Well, this afternoon the boys were out back playing, and they were pretending they were digging and making a lake of fire to throw people in! What a thing to play! But it made an impression on their little hearts and minds.

They also have really enjoyed watching a David and Goliath video we recently purchased. Yesterday they were playing, Paul was the father, David was the son, (David) and they were slaying giants. How cute is that!

It all just made me think, what am I putting in my heart and mind and what is coming out? Is it the things of the Lord, the things that are above, or am I putting worldly stuff in my mind and heart?

What about you? Take an inventory of what you are allowing to enter your mind, your eyes, and your ears... are they things that will draw you to God or draw you away from Him?

Calling 911...

Well, the end of the week last week and this weekend were a bit CRAZY... but we are surviving, but not just surviving, I would say that we are thriving, because we have Jesus!!

Thursday afternoon I opted to let my kids skip nap and go to church with me to scrapbook for a few hours. We had been there about 15 minutes, long enough for the boys to find their favorite "church" truck to play with, when I hear David start crying and Paul says (very calmly), "Mommy, David has a boo-boo."

I run in the other room and find David with his face and hands absolutely covered with blood!! I grab him, run towards the bathroom, and scream, "Denise, I need help!" We get to the bathroom and find the source of all the blood, he has a big gash on his forehead, right at his hairline, and the blood is flowing. We decide we need to call 911, so the church staff jumps into action mode! They were wonderful, all I had to do was hold David's hand and try to comfort him, for he is crying uncontrollably.

I ask someone to check on Paul, I figured he was really worried about his brother. He was fine, he wanted to go outside and wait for the fire truck! So that is what he and the others did...

The firemen arrived and decided we needed to go to the ER, I talked them into letting us go to our doctor, and they canceled the ambulance drive (calling 911 was enough excitement!) So Paul stays to play and "scrapbook" with the ladies and I take David to the doctor.

I call my dear, sweet husband on the way and tell him he needs to meet me at the doctor. He was having lunch with Mr. Steve before he left town, so Mr. Steve got to come to the doctor with us. I told him that David just loved him so much he just had to see him again!!

David's cut was very straight so the doctor was able to glue it back together. He told us not to get it wet for 5 days...

Well, Saturday at lunch I noticed that some of the glue was gone; David had pulled it off. We had a big talk about how he did not need to bother it or that his boo-boo might get worse and we could have to go back to the doctor. He said he understood...

Fast forward to Sunday afternoon, naptime (Father's Day)... I hear him in the bathroom and go to check on him, he is getting a washcloth, looks up at me and says, "the glue fell off." I am so sure that glue just fell off! His cut is now open and bleeding again, not bad, but still bleeding, and open! So we call the nurse on call, and she tells us how we can fix it ourselves. So my poor husband spent the majority of his Father's Day fixing David's boo-boo, it took quite a while and a couple of trips to Wal-Mart for supplies! But what a wonderful Daddy he is. I think we did a pretty good job and that it should heal up nicely, if David will just leave it alone!

Hopefully we will have an uneventful week, the boo-boo will heal and we can go to the pool for the 1st time of the summer! I am so ready to swim!!

Thankful Thursdays

"In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
2 Thessalonians 5:18




Today I am thankful for the following:

• A great visit from a good friend, Mr. Steve, whom we haven't seen in 4 years, but it felt like we had just seen him yesterday! (He was the best man in our wedding!)
• A fun day at the zoo with family and Mr. Steve...
• Seeing David soooo excited to ride Mr. Steve's motorcycle and then help him clean the mud off of it from their ride.
• Seeing our boys really take to Mr. Steve and tell him they love him!
• Starting back running this week and still being able to walk up and down our steps!
• Much needed rain that we have gotten
• God's Word, good books, and great music...
• The guidance and direction of God's Holy Spirit...
• Homemade peach cobbler!
• Air conditioning!
• Hearing the precious prayers of my boys when they say their own prayer at the dinner table...

So, what are you thankful for today? For more TT posts visit Iris over at Sting My Heart.

Holding On...

I am taking part in a new devotional blog, Holding On. We are a group of ladies who are seeking the Lord and holding on to the Truth, and we were blogging anyway; so we decided to get together and do a devotional blog.

Today that is where I am, at Holding On, so come on over and visit with me there to read the rest of this devotion....

This Sunday in church we heard from several men who have been set free from the addiction of drugs and alcohol. They were all set free by the Truth, by Jesus Christ. He and He alone is their deliverer! Praise to Him for the mighty power of His deliverance which brings complete freedom from the bondage of sin!

“You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32 What is this truth, and what does it set you free from?

Word-Filled Wednesday

This week I have been trying to focus on how great and awesome our God is!! He is MIGHTY, AMAZING, MAGNIFICENT, HOLY, BIGGER than we can even imagine or get our minds around. He is SO GREAT that all our days should be spent worshiping and adoring Him! Go read Psalm 104 in its entirety and spend some time worshiping our wonderful Creator today!

For more WFW posts visit the 160acrewoods.

Wordless Wednesday #18

Perfection...

Last night I had some alone time at home, it was wonderful. All my boys (even daddy) went to bed early and I spent time reading and seeking my Lord. I just have to share with you what God showed me through reading a chapter in "Passionate Housewives Desperate for God" entitled Too Good to be True: Freedom from the Bondage of Perfectionism. Here is what I wrote in my prayer journal:

"Thank You Father God that You are a perfect God - and that You do not expect me or need me to be perfect! In fact, you need me to be weak and humble, so that Your strength can be demonstrated in my weakness - and so that You get glorified!

Thank You that You are continually day by day sanctifying me - to one day make me perfect - when I get to be with You in Glory!

Please deliver me from the mentality that I need to be the perfect wife, perfect mom, perfect housekeeper, perfect cook - and help me be who You have called me to be, totally dependent on You to make me into someone who brings You glory."

I do not know why it took it until now, but the light bulb went off in my head! I do not have to be the perfect wife or supermom, when I have a perfect God! I do not have to keep striving to have a home fit for the pages of Southern Living (mine is far from that anyway), to have children who never do anything wrong, and to have a husband who is always satisfied with everything I do and say - all that is impossible! But when I am weak, then God can show Himself strong through my life, and He will get all the glory! So now I am going to do my best to take pleasure in the hard, frustrating, sometimes stressful times of my days, and look to God, for the power of Christ to rest upon me, to work in my situations in a way I never could on my own!

2 Corinthians 12:9-11
"And He said unto me, 'My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.' Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong."

"Read it again sisters! When you are weak, let out a whoop, because whatever you are able to do comes through the grace of God. When you are nothing, shout "Hallelujah!" because Jesus is getting all the glory and honor for what you accomplish. God loves His weak, imperfect, needy people. He didn't choose us because we won some international awards for strength, beauty, or intelligence. He made us for Himself, and He is going to provide us with everything we need to serve Him and love others through our imperfect homes and families. What a joy to serve our perfect Creator, Who made us in His image and is transforming us (slowly, but surely) into the image of His perfect Son." (Passionate Housewives Desperate for God, page 81).

Is this liberating for anyone else? I would love to hear from you!

New Books & Random Thoughts...

I have started reading a couple of new books and wanted to share them with all of you.

The first is a great devotional geared towards moms of little ones, "Ordinary Mom, Extraordinary God" (Encouragement to Refresh your Soul) by Mary E. DeMuth. I have only read the 1st 2 devotionals in this book but they have been wonderful. She uses her life with her little ones as her springboard and shares how God has spoken to and ministered to her through her children. She gives very practical applications, I have loved it so far.

The second book is one that was recommended by our pastor for the entire church to read, it is "Crazy Love" (Overwhelmed by a relentless God) by Francis Chan. This is one that I have had to make myself put down, it is very good and I believe it is going to change my relationship with my Lord for the better. I will probably share more when I get deeper into the book.

Last night as I was reading Crazy Love I was directed to think about the magnificence and the greatness of our God. The author wants us to come to a greater realization of how big and how awesome our God is. He is HUGE, He is MIGHTY, He is the ULTIMATE CREATOR, He is bigger and more magnificent than we can even get our minds around.

So all this was in my thoughts this morning as I had my quiet time, and I read the following: "For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust. As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes." Psalm 103:14-15

We are like dust... dust, that stuff we wipe off our furniture before people come to visit. That is what we are like, basically we are nothing, just some dust that can be wiped away in an instant...

Yet, the amazing Creator God of this universe has chosen to pursue us with a relentless love, with a love so strong that He would allow His only Son to die a horrible death on the cross so that we can come to Him. He longs to have a personal, intimate relationship with me and with you. He is acquainted with all of my ways, He knows when I sit down and when I rise up, and when every other single person on this earth does too! Even though I am just a speck of dust, the God of this universe longs for me to know Him and to love and worship Him; and that is what I am determined to do, with all my heart, soul, and mind.

What about you? Will you join me on this journey to know God more and love Him more?

I Need Another Vacation!!

I feel like I need another vacation!! Here is why...

Saturday night when we got back from vacation David kept us up all night with his ear hurting, I got 3 hours of sleep (I now remember what it is like to have a newborn).

Sunday I had to call and find nursery replacements, we were scheduled to keep the nursery. Then we took David to the after hours clinic, he had a middle ear infection and swimmers ear. Poor thing, he pain appeared to be excruciating!

We come home from the doctor, eat lunch, and everyone gets a nap, except me. I had to go decorate for VBS... that night I got about 4 hours of sleep...

I did not work VBS Monday, David was too sick, but I did take Paul...

I have worked VBS every other day this week, I taught the preschoolers and kindergarteners Bible story and missions, we had 20 in each class just about every day! I am exhausted and ready for another vacation, ready to be still, as God has been speaking to me to be through several avenues lately, even in my Bible reading this morning...

1 Kings 19:11-12
"And He said, 'Go out and stand on the mount of the Lord, and behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire [a sound of gentle stillness and] a still, small voice."

I am looking forward to the rest of our summer. We have no more major plans, and I am looking forward to lots of times to be still with my Lord, to dig into His Word, and spend ample time in His Presence. For in His Presence there is fullness of joy, there is peace, and there is rest for our tired and weary selves.

Thankful Thursdays

“At all times and for everything
giving thanks in the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.”
Ephesians 5:20

Today I am thankful for:

• The Word of God
• Time to be still…
• Peaceful, worshipful music that leads me to the throne of God…
• Books that challenge and encourage me…
• Family vacations, laughter, memories…
• My wonderful Godly husband and his hugs and affection…
• Big, strong, tight hugs from my little boys…
• Yummy ice cream on a hot, summer day…
• My church family…
• Surprise cards of encouragement in my mailbox…

Don’t forget to give thanks at ALL times and for EVERYTHING! So what are you thankful for today?

For more Thankful Thursday posts go to Sting My Heart.

Word-Filled Wednesday

I read a couple of books at the beach that were Christian fiction, by my favorite author Karen Kingsbury, and the theme throughout both was this verse. I have always heard people quote the first part of this verse, but never realized what came after it.

When we stop, and are still before God, bringing before Him all our concerns, trials, temptations, worries, anxieties, and on and on, and allow Him to work in our lives and in our different situations, rather than trying to do everything ourselves He will be exalted in our lives and in our world and nation.

So take time today to stop and be still before God, allowing Him to do what only He can do in your life and the lives of your loved ones.

For more WFW posts visit 160acrewoods.

Wordless Wednesday #17

Be Like A Tree

Psalm 92:12-15

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,
they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;
planted in the house of the Lord,
they will flourish in the courts of our God.
They will still bear fruit in old age,
they will stay fresh and green,
proclaiming, “The Lord is upright;
he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.”

As we traveled to the beach the boys wanted to listen to some of their praise music. The following song is one of my favorites from their collection of music, it makes me want to sing and dance, and I thought I would share the lyrics with you. When they were smaller we would listen to it and sing and dance in their room, but as we traveled and I listened to and pondered on the words, it spoke to my heart. The message is really simple but has deep spiritual meaning if you ponder on it.

Be Like A Tree

I've gotta be like a tree
Planted by the water
Trusting in the Father
To keep me strong

I've gotta be like a tree
Planted by the water
Trusting in the name of the Lord

I've gotta be like a tree
Planted by the water
Trusting in the Father
To help me grow

I've gotta be like a tree
Planted by the water
Trusting in the name of the Lord

The deeper the roots go
The better the fruits grow
The blessings bloom out
For all to see
The deeper the roots go
The more my life shows
That Jesus is the Lord of me
Lord of me

I've gotta be like a tree
Planted by the water
Trusting in the Father
To keep me strong

I've gotta be like a tree
Planted by the water
Trusting in the name of the Lord

I've gotta be like a tree
Planted by the water
Trusting in the Father
To help me grow

I've gotta be like a tree
Planted by the water
Trusting in the name of the Lord

John 15:4-9

"Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love."


So I have come back from the beach with a renewed desire to abide more and more in My Lord, in His Word, and in His presence. I desire for my roots to grow deep, the fruits to grow out, and for Jesus to be the Lord of all of me. How about you? What are you abiding in?

Family Vacation

We have been to the beach for a week, and I thought I would share my top 10 highlights from our family vacation. Here they are:

1. A week with my husband and children without any plans except family fun!

2. Eating out for lunch everyday!! My sweet husband does not like for me to have to cook on vacation, so we went out for lunch everyday (lunch is cheaper, and it gets us off the beach at the hottest time of the day). Our favorite restaurant is DeSoto's (we went 4 times) and our favorite dessert was the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip pie from Oyster House!

3. Lazy afternoons hanging out on the beach watching the kids play. Everyday after the boys napped (and us too!!) we would head back out to the beach. It was the perfect time of day, not too hot, and most people were going in to get ready to go out to dinner.

4. Not having to do one bit of housework!! And not having to bathe the boys!! They did get showers, which they took with daddy!!

5. Traveling in our new mini-van!

6. Seeing our boys have loads of fun in the ocean, running from the waves, jumping over and into them!

7. Going to sleep and waking up to the sound of waves crashing!

8. Watching the boys play with their daddy in the pool!

9. The beauty of God's creation! How can anyone be at the ocean and not think of God? I always think of the song by Sheila Walsh "Love vast as the ocean".

10. Time alone by myself on the beach to read! I read 2 books by Karen Kingsbury, my daily Bible readings so I am not behind, and Desperate Housewives Passionate for God!

Thankful Thursdays

“… Give thanks to Him; bless His name. For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting, and His faithfulness to all generations.” Psalm 100:4-5



Today I am thankful for the following:
• For God’s provisions in my life, both spiritual and physical
• For the indwelling of His Holy Spirit and for the power, counsel, and guidance He gives through His Holy Spirit in my life
• For my new (to me!) mini-van!
• For the beauty and majesty of sunrises
• For soldiers who serve our country and for their safe return home!
• For warm summer days and for air conditioning
• For peaceful moments throughout my day, not matter how fleeting they are, at least I have a few!
• For friends old and new and the times of fellowship we have
• For my family
• For coupons for free milkshakes from Chick-Fil-A!

So what are you thankful for today?

For more Thankful Thursday posts head on over to Sting My Heart.

Word-Filled Wednesday

I just love the wording of Psalm 23 from the Amplified Bible and wanted to share it today. May God's Word minister to, comfort, and encourage you!


Psalm 23

The LORD is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack.

He makes me lie down in [fresh, tender] green pastures; He leads me beside the still and restful waters.

He refreshes and restores my life (my self); He leads me in the path of righteousness [uprightness and right standing with Him - not for my earning it, but] for His name's sake.

Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my [brimming] cup runs over.

Surely or only goodness, mercy, and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and through the length of my days the house of the Lord [and His presence] shall be my dwelling place.

For more WFW posts visit 160acrewoods.

Wordless Wednesday #16

Unexpected Desire Fulfilled!

Last month I wrote a post about Desires.I shared that God had spoken to me regarding which desires in my life were driving me. Were my spiritual desires or my earthly desires driving me? While I have many earthly desires, I honestly do not feel driven by them the majority of the time. I have tasted of the things this world has to offer, and I have tasted of life with God at the helm, and life with God is tremendously better and more fulfilling.

I also shared this post as a devotion with some of our ladies from church at one of our ladies nights out. I asked them what some of their desires were, earthly desires, and I gave the example that I would love to have a mini van; that it wasn't a necessity or really something I had to have, I just would really like to have one, to be a "mini-van mom!"

Well, I just wanted to share with you what a personal God we have, and how sometimes He will provide for that earthly desire we have just because He wants too! My husband works for Drivers Way and cars are frequently traded in there and he watches for a good deal to come through. Both of our cars are in need of replacing, mine has 241,000 miles, and his has around 150,000, so he has been watching closely. The Lord sent a great Camry across his path that we were most likely going to buy, which would have been great, but... I currently have a Camry (we both do), so it wouldn't be very exciting to get the same type car, with the same basic body style, and the exact same interior. However, I told him that it would be fine, I would be happy with it. And I really would have, it just wouldn't have been "exciting" and it wasn't my hearts deepest desire. I never complained and I never grumbled, I just thanked God for providing for us.

While the car was being worked on, God sends a mini-van across my husbands path that catches his eye. It is a one-owner van, in great shape with only 75,000 miles. And it is now mine!! Parked in my garage, got the tag for it today. I am so excited and my boys are loving riding in it! And we are most likely going to get the Camry also, to replace his car! Isn't God just amazing in how He provides! We both get "new" vehicles, and we still will not have a car payment!! Now that is a God thing and another answered prayer I can mark off in my prayer notebook!

,

Gentleness

“Let your gentleness be evident to all...” Phil. 4:5

My Lord has been speaking to me through this verse for about a week now. It all started last week when I saw a gorgeous picture put to this verse for a WFW post. It seemed as if my Lord spoke to me so gently and said, “Is your gentleness being seen by all, but more importantly is it being seen by your children and your husband?”

Ouch! My God was asking me if those that see the real me inside my house are seeing my gentleness. My honest answer was “Not all the time Lord, and lately not much at all.” It is not that I have not wanted to be gentle, but I have had a huge struggle with letting the gentleness out and keeping the frustration and irritation away. It is like Paul says in Romans (I think), I do what I do not want to do, and that which I want to do I do not do (my paraphrase).

So I have struggled the past couple of weeks with wanting to be gentle with my family (during those times where it is soooo hard to be gentle) rather than reacting out of frustration and irritation. I do have 2 4-year olds! And they definitely are testing their mommy right now and trying to help God develop some character in me, with all the disobedience, backtalk, and disrespect!! However, God would not have given them to me to raise if He had not planned on equipping me to be a Godly mother.

God convicted me that I was trying to do it all myself. I was trying to be supermom and superwife out of my own power. I do not think I was consciously saying “I can do all this myself.” I just wasn’t taking the time to stop when the difficult times would arise during my day and call on Him for help then and there. I was having my quiet time in the mornings very faithfully and consistently, but then I was forgetting to call on Him in my times of need throughout the day. So for the past couple of days I have made a conscious effort to call on Him when the difficulties arise, when one or both of my children have a fit, when they respond to me disrespectfully or with a bad attitude. I have asked Him to fill me to overflowing with His precious Holy Spirit, for wisdom in knowing how to deal with the situation, for a gentle and quiet spirit, and for understanding of my children (why are they acting this way). And God has answered! As He always does if we acknowledge Him and call upon Him! God has given me a gentle and quiet spirit with my children, wisdom in knowing how to deal with them, and He has given me peace instead of strife and frustration.

And just today while I was doing the dishes and thinking about all of this, it is as if my Lord spoke to me ever so gently again and said, “If you will just find your contentment in Me and not in how well your children behave or act, then you will have peace and will have a gentle and quiet spirit, and your gentleness, which is a fruit of my Holy Spirit in you, will be evident to all.”

Isn’t our God just awesome? Have you heard Him speak to you lately? Are you listening?

The Invisible Woman

I found this to be so encouraging, may it encourage you as it has encouraged me!

Thankful Thursdays

Philippians 1:3-5
“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,”


Today I want to give thanks for the people God has used mightily in my life to encourage me in my walk with Him and to help me grow spiritually…

Marisa – a Godly woman who loves the Word of God, she lives it and breathes it! God used her to teach me His Word, and to give me a hunger and thirst for His Word and for more of Him in my life! She is also a powerful prayer warrior who guided me in the beginning stages of my prayer life.

Charles – a Godly man who prays as if he knows God inside and out! He taught me soooo much about prayer and about boldly approaching the throne of grace. I spent many hours praying with him in the prayer room, and what a blessing those hours have been to me!

Denise & Kim – Two Godly single women whom I spent many hours and weekends with during my single days. We would get together and spend our time digging into God’s Word and spending time on our knees in prayer about anything and everything going on in our lives. Those were some of the best times, we really had no worries and no huge responsibilities; we could just spend hours “soaking” in the presence of the Lord. How wonderful those times were!

Craig & Jamie – a Godly couple who love Jesus with all that they are! Craig prayed over my first date with my husband, and then he and Jamie became our “unofficial mentors” as we dated. We spent many hours in prayer with them in the prayer room at our church on Sundays. It is very fitting that he was the one to marry us and pronounce us “man and wife.” We were the first wedding ceremony that he performed!!

Elaine – another Godly lady God placed in my life for a short season, but meaningful none the less! Elaine was the first teacher I sat under after having children, and boy did I need to learn what she had to share! I thank God for teachers of His Word who speak the Truth with boldness and without fear! The words she spoke pierced my heart and helped me to allow God to work on me to make me a better wife and mommy.

DeeDee – a precious Godly lady whom God is currently using in my life! I have sat under DeeDee’s leadership for several Bible studies now, and God always speaks something to me through her that draws me to Him and makes me hungry for more of Him in my life. DeeDee shares from her heart and from her life, and her love for Jesus is so very evident in how she cares for her family and for others. She has taught me countless things, and I am blessed to have her in my life!

So, who has been an instrument in your spiritual life that you would like to give thanks for? I would love to hear from you!

For more Thankful Thursday posts visit Iris over at Sting My Heart.

Word-Filled Wednesday

"Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow."
Psalm 51:7

I thought this was a great visual of how absolutely filthy we are from our sin when we come to Christ, but praise be to God that He can wash us and make us whiter than snow! And I also praise God for waterhoses, soap, and water!!

For more Word-filled Wednesday posts go to 160acrewoods.

Wordless Wednesday #15

Are you willing to be inconvenienced for God?

Melanie, over at Fruits of the Spirit, has written a post about being willing to be inconvenienced for God. I would encourage you to stop by and read it, it has really made me think and examine my willingness or unwillingness to do what God calls me to do when I feel I do not have time to do it.

I tend to be selfish with my time, my schedule, and my agenda. I am a list maker, I am organized, and I like to consider myself productive. But sometimes God, the creator of everything, has different plans for me than what is on my "to do list". Imagine that, the God of this universe wants me to take time away from "my plans" to do something that He has planned for me. He wants me to take part in His bigger plan!

I am sad to share that sometimes I choose my plans over His... Why do I do this? I know that the times that I have chosen His plans over mine, I have been so fulfilled and energized because I have participated in what God called me to do. And you know what else, all those things that I thought would not get done if I did what God was calling me to do, somehow got done. God always provides, and He always gives us time to do all that He has planned for us.

So why do I often choose not to be inconvenienced for my God. I am inconvenienced for my family all the time without it really bothering me. I cook for my family when I get to have a night out and don't have to cook for myself, I wake up in the night when my children need me, I bathe my children 2 or more times a day because they get so dirty playing outside (not everyday now!), I do things to help my husband even when I don't always want to because he needs me to, and on and on. I do these things out of my love for them.

So why is it hard to put down my plans and follow what God is calling me to do? I say I love God more than I love my family. Sometimes it is the uncertainty, sometimes it is pride, sometimes the fear of man, sometimes it is feeling unequipped or unprepared, sometimes I am just tired, and sometimes I just want to do what I want to do (I get that from my kids:)).

Thinking about this reminds me of something I heard Beth Moore teach about at a conference last year. She spoke about what drives us... do the comforts of this world drive us, or are we driven by the love of Christ? After that conference I really began praying for God to reveal to me where in my life I was driven by comfort rather than the love of Christ. God opened my eyes, and he gave me boldness to step out and do what He was calling me to do; and when I did what He was calling me to do, I had overwhelming joy, a lasting peace, newfound strength, and encouragement.

Somewhere along the way these past few months I have forgotten to continue to ask God to show me what is driving me. So I am going to start asking Him that again. I plan to consciously choose to be more inconvenienced for God and to be driven by the love of Christ rather than the comforts of this world and the things that are just convenient for me to do.

Father God, Please reveal to me the motives in my heart, whether I am driven by the love of Christ or by what is comfortable to me. Please alert me through your Holy Spirit and through Your Word when I am allowing "the comfortable" to drive me rather than the love of Christ. Give me the desire, the energy, and the strength to be willing to be inconvenienced for You, to take part in Your plans, and to share the awesome love of Christ with others. Thank You, that You, the God of the universe, even considers having me come alongside You in Your Kingdom work! What an awesome privilege! In Jesus name, Amen.

2 Corinthians 5:13-15 "For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are of sound mind it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf."

Happy Mother's Day!

Kisses for Mommy!!



Me and my mom!

I hope all you mothers out there had a wonderful Mother's Day!

Boys, Dirt, & Love!!!

Since it rained A LOT yesterday, we had a wet and rather muddy backyard today. I had planned to not let the boys play out back today so they would not get filthy, but after a few hours stuck in the house with some miserable kids I decided to let them go have fun out back so I could have a few moments of peace!! As you can tell from the photos they had a blast. At one point David was absolutely covered in mud; I had to wash him down with the water hose.

We had lunch on the porch, (I wasn't about to let them in the house!!), and then they played out there for about another hour before nap. It was after lunch that they discovered the water hose! I almost told them NO!! but decided they needed to be washed off anyway, and they were having more fun washing each other off than I would have had washing them! They had a blast, enjoy the pictures!









These are some precious cards the boys came home with from 3-K on Thursday.


Paul's said: I Love You Mom! I love my mommy's light and long hair, and blue eyes. I love my mommy because she prepares good food for me like chicken. I like to help mommy by pushing the buggy to find flower that like the hot. My mommy is 10 years old and she weighs 30 pounds.

David's said: I Love You Mom! I love my mommy's black hair, and blue eyes. I love my mommy because she prepares good food for me like chicken and muffins. I like to help my mommy by buying stuff at Wal-Mart. My mommy is 8 years old and she weighs 10 pounds.

I just LOVE my boys, DIRT and ALL!!!

Thankful Thursdays

"In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thessalonians 5:18




Today I am giving thanks to God my Father:

• For answered prayers!!
• For the fact that my God is the God who works wonders! (Ps. 77:14)
• For the fact that God gives us of His Spirit without measure! (John 3:34) (I know that I desperately need an unlimited supply!!)
• For the wonderful ways that my husband provides for our family!
• For the way God works in my life through trials and hard times...
  
• For the pure joy that my boys find in just simple everyday things... Last night David went on a short trip to Wal-Mart with me, just me and him, and he had the BEST time! He was so excited to be all by himself with mommy!!
• For our wonderful home!
• For my roses that are blooming! They were previous gifts for Mother's Day and birthday, and they are the gift that keeps on giving! I love cutting them and putting them in vases around the house!
• For modern conveniences like dishwashers, washers, and dryers...
• For good books to read...

So, what are you thankful for today? I know you can find something to be thankful for!

For more thankful Thursday posts head on over to Sting My Heart.

Word-Filled Wednesday

How wonderful that the Word of our Lord stands forever!!

We can always have hope in His Word, we can always find peace in His Word, we can always draw strength from His Word, we can always receive guidance and instruction in His Word, we can always find Truth in His Word.

God's Word is a treasure, have you dug through it today?

For more Word-filled Wednesday posts go to 160 Acre Woods

Wordless Wednesday #14

Awana Awards!

Sunday night Paul & David participated in the Awards Night for Awana. They have been in the cubbies class this year and have absolutely loved it! You can see their cubbies vest in the picture above; they achieved their badges by memorizing scriptures. I am so proud of my boys, they memorized 31 verses this year!! Isn't that great for 4 year olds!! They got an award for completing their book for their class.

It really amazed me that they could memorize scripture so easily. We really did not have to spend lots of time working on their verses before they knew them. They just picked it up really quick!

My goal for the summer is to review all of the verses they learned, in hopes of keeping them in their heart. I also have plans to work on memorizing a larger portion of scripture with them, either Psalm 23 or the Lord's Prayer, I haven't decided which one yet. Who knows, they may do one so quickly that we will be able to do both, haven't thought about that until know.

So, do you have anything you plan to work on with your children this summer? I sure hope I stick to my goal; pray for me that I will be diligent and will follow through with my intentions. We all have these grand plans but sometimes they never come to fruition because we don't make steps to make them happen. I don't want to look back at the end of the summer and say, "Wow, that was a great idea, I sure wish I had followed through with it."

Thankful Thursdays

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!"
2 Corinthians 9:15




Today I am giving thanks for:

• My salvation and my relationship with my Lord & Savior! I am so glad that He knows me and I know Him, I just long to know Him better, deeper, more!!
• I am thankful for the help, love, and support of my Lord and Savior; "Unless the LORD had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death. When I said, 'My foot is slipping, ' your love, O LORD, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul." from Psalm 94
• The fact that I won the blog design contest hosted by Blessed! I can't wait to get my new look!! Keep checking back so you won't miss it!!
• For our screened in back porch, for the nice weather that allows us to eat our meals out there, and for the fact that my kitchen table and floor stay much cleaner when we get to eat on the porch!!
• For my sweet husband who just called to see if we could eat lunch together!! (the boys are at 3-k right now!!)
• For precious friends who leave sweet comments on my blog that make me cry!
• For the opportunity to exercise outside everyday before my husband leaves for work, and the motivation and energy to do so!
• For my children, for their abundant love, hugs, and kisses!!
• For all the artwork on my refrigerator and everywhere! (They can tell if one is missing so I do not dare remove one without their permission!)
• For Publix!! My favorite grocery store!

Don't forget to be thankful today! It just does something for your heart to sit and think about all that you are thankful for, and to acknowledge Him who gives you all things for which you are thankful! For more thankful Thursday posts head on over to Sting My Heart. What are you thankful for today?