Music...

Music... I love it, certain kinds that is... mostly praise and worship music, anything that points my heart and mind to Him. And how I wish I could sing beautifully. I look forward to Heaven and the beautiful voice that I will have there to worship my Lord and my King, my Master and my Savior.

My husband has found a great new website (at least new to us) that you can go to to listen to uplifting and inspirational music while on your computer. He has been using it to listen to while he does his computer work at work. I have really been enjoying it and thought I would share it with all of you... It is called Majesty Radio and you can listen to praise and worship, majesty radio, or conference center, your pick. And when you minimize it you get this cool little control bar on your lower task bar (at least on my computer you do!) Check it out and let me know what you think!

Also, I am in need of some new upbeat songs to load onto my ipod for my morning runs. I am getting a little tired of what I currently have. If you have a favorite upbeat song that would be great to exercise to please leave me a comment and let me know what it is... I will check it out online and buy it from itunes if I like it! Thanks and have a glorious day!

Proof...

I have proof that I am not a perfect mom (as if anyone needed proof of that!) This is in regards to the post I posted before this one...

It is now around 5:30 in the afternoon, and I am just now realizing that one of my boys has had his pants on backwards ALL day long! I even took him to 4k with his pants on backwards today! I do lay their clothes out at night and they get dressed themselves every morning, (maybe he thought it was backwards day at school like it was backwards night at AWANAs a few weeks ago) but you would think that a mother would notice if her child's pants are on backwards!

Oh well, as I said, I am not perfect....

Have a wonderful weekend!

A Journal Entry...

I was reading through my journal from this past year earlier in the week and thought I would share the following entry from June of this year...

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 give in to the weakness/or be weak (so to say) so that Your strength can be demonstrated in my weaknesses - 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 to be who You have called me to be, totally dependent on You to make me into someone who brings You glory.

This then followed my journal entry:

God gave me twins:

• To make me and keep me humble
• So that through my weakness He could be strong
• To drive me to Him more
• To bless me
• To help me learn to give thanks in ALL things
• To help me learn to be joyful in the midst of stress
• So that I would never think "I've got it all handled - I am supermom!"

How I praise Him that He has and is delivering me from my thinking that I need to be perfect, for I can do nothing good apart from Him. Anything good I do as a wife, mom, friend, sister, daughter, or any other role I have, is because of Christ working in and through me. He is my all and all, and I desperately need Him daily!

How about you? Do you journal? If so, look back over them from time to time and see what God has done in your life... it will increase your faith

Thankful Thursdays

“Oh, that men would praise [and confess to] the Lord for His goodness and loving-kindness and His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul and fills the hungry soul with good.” Psalm 107:8-9

Today I am thankful for:

• The God of all comforts, and the comfort and peace that only He can give!
• The love, support, encouragement, and comfort that my husband so willingly and eagerly gives when I have hard days…
• Ladies Bible studies with a wonderful teacher who passionately loves the Lord and ladies who are seeking Him!
• The precious girls in my class on Wednesday nights… the past couple of weeks we have had really good classes, the girls really seem to be listening and learning, and many have been eager to share what the Lord is showing them and doing in their lives! Praise Him!
• The precious and sweet things my kids say. This week Paul asked when they would be grown up. I told him they would be grown up when they were bigger and could move out of our house and live on their own. Paul quickly and very emphatically responded, “No, Mommy, we love you, and we will never move out and leave you all alone!”
• Answered prayers! I have been praying for God to multiply our gas and improve our gas mileage in our van… well, we have gone from getting around 13 mpg, to 16 mpg, and now we are getting 21.5 mpg!! Praise God! He is our wonderful and amazing provider!
• The cooler weather and that fact I do not have to shave my legs as often since I am wearing pants more!!
• The fact that all our needs are met!
• Being able to get lots of things on my to-do list done this week!
• And last, but definitely not least, another day of life, to live, breathe, and enjoy my family!

Please take time to stop and give thanks to our Lord and Savior today for His goodness, His loving-kindness, and His wonderful works to you. He deserves more praise and thanks than we could ever give! To see what others are giving thanks for today visit Grace Alone.

Word-Filled Wednesday

How wonderful that every single little word in the Word of God is tried and purified! Every single word is true, no matter what people try to change His Word to say... His Word is true and faithful! It is a treasure, it is a guide, it is a light unto our paths, it convicts, it instructs, it imparts grace and mercy... it gives life! Take some time to dive into God's Word and find out what He has to say to you today, for His Word is living and active!

For more WFW posts visit 160acrewoods.

Wordless Wednesday #30

Thankful Thursdays

"O Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon His name, make known His doings among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; meditate on and talk of all His marvelous deeds and devoutly praise them. Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those rejoice who seek and require the Lord [as their indispensable necessity]." Psalm 105:1-3




Today I am thankful for:

• For God blessing me with His Spirit and the way His Spirit can work wonders in my heart when I surrender, submit, and yield to Him!
• For the blessings that come with obedience, especially with radical obedience! We are studying "What Happens When Women Say Yes to God" at church, and this week God really spoke to me through the chapter for this coming Sunday nights class... good stuff!
• For the peace that surpasses all understanding that only He can give!
• For precious, memorable moments spent with my children this week... no really big things, just small daily blessings that I am so thankful for...
• For my husband going out of his way to do little things for me to let me know that he loves me so!
• For cooler, enjoyable weather and meals enjoyed together on our back porch...
• For God's provisions, no matter how bad things appear to us, our Lord always provides for His own, and that so graciously...
• For quiet, peaceful moments when my children are napping, or at least having quiet time in their rooms...
• For books to read... oh how I love to read, and my children love me to read to them! What a blessing books can be!
• For my mother, today is her birthday! The boys and I are going to meet her to go to a Children's Hands-On museum and out to lunch!

What are you thankful for today? We can always find things to be thankful for, even in the midst of hard and trying times, and focusing on our blessings helps put joy back into our hearts! I would love to hear how God has blessed you, leave me a comment and let me know!

For more TT posts visit Sting My Heart.

Word-Filled Wednesday

These happy hearts definitely were good medicine for my heart this past Saturday. After an exhausting week of dealing with children who were having a hard time obeying, this family time full of joy and laughter was just what I needed. This week has been much better! I am trying to keep my focus on Him rather on the things here. I am trying, as one prairie chick has taught me, to live in light of eternity...

Make sure you spend some time in the Word of God, it also is medicine for your heart and brings healing where we need it. For more WFW posts visit 160acrewoods.

Wordless Wednesday #29

A Nugget from the Word!

I just wanted to share this "nugget" I found in the Word of God today during my morning quiet time....

"I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread." Job 23:12 NIV

"I have esteemed and treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food." Job 23:12 Amplified Bible

Do you treasure the Word of God? If you do you will spend time in it, hunting for treasure. Have you found a treasure today, if so I would love to hear what you found!

Bye for now! We are off to the park for some playtime and a picnic!!

Is Your Heart Completely His?

Is your heart completely His? If so, I have good news for you! According to the Word of God, 2 Chronicles 16:9, God strongly supports those whose hearts are completely His!


"For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His." 2 Chronicles 16:9 NASB


I have read this verse countless times before, but recently had to read it in a Bible study I am slowly working my way through, and it just jumped off the page at me. The part that grabbed my attention was "strongly supports". I don't know about you, but I want the strong support of the LORD! And He gives it to those whose hearts are completely His... so the question is, are our hearts completely His, are do we only give Him a portion of our hearts?


The Bible study I have been working on, No Other Gods, Confronting Our Modern Day Idols, by Kelly Minter, is focusing on modern day idols, those things, or even ideals in our lives, that we allow to have a portion of our hearts, if not all of our hearts. This leaves us with a heart that does not have room for our LORD, who so desperately wants to abide there. Now today just about everyone would say that they do not worship idols, but the idols of today do not look like the idols from biblical times. Here are a couple of definitions she gives to help point out our idols of today:

"Most of us think of an idol as a statue of wood, stone, or metal worshiped by pagan people... In biblical terms, it is something other than God that we set our heart on (Luke 12:29; 1 Cor. 10:19) that motivates us (1 Cor. 4:5), that masters and rules us (Ps. 119:133; Eph. 5:5) or that we trust, fear, or serve (Isa. 42:17; Matt. 6:24, Luke 12:4-5). ... An idol can also be referred to as a 'false god' or a 'functional god'".


"An idol is something within creation that is inflated to function as a substitute for God. All sorts of things are potential idols, depending only on our attitudes and actions toward them... Idolatry may not involve explicit denials of God's existence or character. It may well come in the form of an overattachment to something that is, in itself, perfectly good... An idol can be a physical object, a property, a person , an activity, a role, an institution, a hope, an image, an idea, a pleasure, a hero - anything that can substitute for God."

So join me in searching our hearts, allowing God to shine His spotlight and reveal any idols that have been set up and are preventing Him from having our whole heart. For nothing in this world satisfies like our Lord Jesus can, and I want no substitutes attempting to take His place in my heart. I want my heart to be totally and completely His... how about you?

A Better Day!

Today has been a much better day! We had a really nice time at the park today...


We had a picnic...
The boys rode bikes...
They played with the remote control monster truck...
They had a tickle fest with Daddy...


And we all came home and took naps! Thanks for everyone's encouraging words and the prayers! Have a wonderful Sunday tomorrow worshiping
our Lord and Savior!

A Hard Day...

Have you ever had a hard day? Well, that is what I am having today...

I almost titled this post the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day... but it has not been that bad... but it has definitely been a hard day...

Mostly because my children are choosing to be disobedient and disrespectful today, and yes I believe it is a choice, we all have a choice to make in how we behave and treat others. And my boys know this too, we talk about it often, and they know that they can chose to obey or they can chose to sin... and sometimes they chose to sin.

It all started when my feelings got hurt a bit this morning, not going to say by who... but my heart was a bit wounded...

It got worse when Paul and David started fighting over who was going to brush their teeth first!! Can you believe it, such a silly thing to get in a fight over; but they did, and Paul ended up having a fit on the floor. Daddy deals with it and then we brush his teeth.

Then we sit down to have our morning devotions... and Paul has another fit because David is sitting where he wants to sit!!! I am on the couch with David on one side, waiting for Paul to sit on the other... they both would have gotten to sit next to me... I just don't understand! Such silly things to have fights about... once again Paul falls out in the floor and has a fit! At this point I lost it and said to forget devotions, (which I am sure is what Satan wanted me to do) ... I tell them to go get in the van so we can go to 4K, and we all stomp off to the garage. Daddy was leaving but sees us coming out of the house and knows that something is wrong, so once again he deals with it and we head off to 4k.

After dropping them off I have time to cool down and do some thinking... Why do I let them get to me so? Why is it at times that I am so quick to fly off the handle? Why can I not put my flesh to sleep and walk in the Spirit when I need to the most? Why do I have such a hard time consciously choosing joy when I am frustrated and irritated? I desire to choose joy... Why is it at times like this that I have a hard time having the same attitude as that of Jesus Christ? I know I should do that, that was our memory verse and "theme" for the summer. I am convicted that I am not making the choices I should make either, and I definitely should know better, and I even had my quiet time this morning!!

The day got a little better. I was able to go buy groceries and get them all put away. I enjoyed meeting a young lady whom I previously mentored for lunch. My husband called unexpectedly to tell me that he loves me :)

I pick the boys up and they are happy and appear to be in good moods, but it did not last for long. I told them we need to run to Publix to pick up just a few things that Wal-Mart did not have, they were excited. They love going to Publix because they get to ride in the car buggy and they usually get a cookie. All starts off well, even when they did not get to ride in the buggy they wanted because someone grabs it right out from under us... but they were big boys and had good attitudes about it. So we find another buggy and go get their cookie... the peace does not last long (thank goodness I only needed a few items). They begin to fight because they do not want to sit next to each other, they are screaming at each other in the middle of the aisle at Publix. Everyone who walks by just looks at me with "that look" on their faces, you know that look, "Lady, can't you control your children." This is very humiliating and very embarrassing, I want to crawl into a hole and never come out. I separate them, but they continue to hit and kick at each other. I explain to them that they WILL be disciplined when we get home, and that the more they fight the more they will be disciplined, they finally quiet down. I get the rest of my items and quickly leave Publix. They will not go back with me for a LONG time...

Discipline has been administered, they are in separate rooms resting, and I am here venting...

Tonight I am going to scrapbook with some other ladies. I am definitely looking forward to being away for a while, and hopefully tomorrow will be a much better day.

The bottom line is, we all have a choice to make. We can choose to give in to the flesh and then regret it, or we can choose to surrender to the control of the Holy Spirit, and by the grace of God, respond to life's difficulties in a way that is honoring to God. Praise God that when we do give in to the flesh, and choose to sin, God is waiting to offer His forgiveness and mercy, all we have to do is confess and lay it all at His feet. I blew it today, but I have confessed, to my children, my husband, and most importantly to God, and they all have freely offered forgiveness, and I have received it!

And I have hope that tomorrow will be a much better day!

Thankful Thursdays

"It is a good and delightful thing to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to Your name, O Most High. To show forth Your lovingkindness in the morning and Your faithfulness by night." Psalm 92:1-2 (The Amplified Bible)




Today I am giving thanks:

• For God's Word, and for the fact that God longs to have fellowship with me, and He longs to satisfy my every longing and need, and He does!!
• For the fact that God continually works on me and that He never gives up, although He probably does become frustrated with me at times. Lately God has been doing a little "heart work", doing what only He can do to make my heart more pleasing to Him, to make it a better place for Him to dwell, to tabernacle... now isn't that just an awesome thing! God wants to tabernacle with us!
• For my wonderful husband and his desire to do his absolute best at everything he does...
• For the "flowers" the boys bring home to me each day when I pick them up from 4K. They eagerly jump in the van with a handful of weeds and proudly tell me of the "flowers" they have picked just for me! We have to put them in a vase right away when we get home, and they usually admire them for days!
• For my health... I am so thankful to be healthy, and I think that sometimes I take my health for granted.
• For the health of my children and my husband... I know so many people who are sick, who have sick loved ones, or who have children who are sick or recovering from accidents, our life can change in an instant, and I am grateful that for today we are healthy.
• For a great time of fellowship last weekend with other believers here at our house, we had good food, good fellowship and sharing, and good music as we sang with Matt while he played his guitar.
• For the cooler weather! The past few days have felt absolutely wonderful! The boys have thoroughly enjoyed playing outside and my morning runs have been less sweaty :)
• For lunches out... I just love meeting a friend for lunch, for fellowship and for good food!
• For praise and worship music that leads me to the throne of God...

What are you thankful for today? It will fill your heart with joy and create in you an attitude of gratitude if you will just stop and think on what God has blessed you with, and thank Him for it!
For more WFW posts visit Sting My Heart.

Word-Filled Wednesday

I don't know about you, but right now (it is Tuesday night, my husband has worked very late and I have had 2 rambunctious boys all day while not feeling my best...), I feel like I need to be renewed. I need to carve some time out to sit at His feet, let His Word wash over me, and allow His love to cover me and comfort me. Oh, how I praise Him that He satisfies our desires with good things, how He satisfies me with His presence in my life, and that time spent with Him can renew me more than any day at the spa ever could! I encourage you to find some time to spend in His Word today, let Him satisfy and renew you!

For more encouraging WFW posts visit 160acrewoods.

Wordless Wednesday #28

Circumstances or Goals...

"I want to know Christ, and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:10-14

I heard a pastor on the radio the other day make a statement that has stayed with me, and wanted to share it with you. "You are not controlled by your circumstances, you are controlled by your goal." This just jumped out of the air ways and into my heart and mind and I have spent much time pondering it. How often do we believe and act like our circumstances are what controls us rather than our goal in life? How many of us really have an active goal for our lives? One that we are consciously pursuing... it really made me stop and think.

I think I frequently allow myself to be controlled by my circumstances rather than by my goal, it is a choice I make. I am not an innocent bystander controlled by my circumstances... I am responsible for my choices. I can choose to let my goal for my life dictate how I respond to my circumstances, or I can choose to let my circumstances "control" my response.

I have done much thinking on what is my goal for my life, and I think Paul in Philippians sums it up quite nicely... "I want to know Christ," I want to know Him more and more intimately, and through knowing Him, He will impact every other area in my life. Through knowing Christ and seeking to imitate Him, He will make me a better wife and mother, a better daughter and sister, a better friend and neighbor.

So today I am deliberately trying to make sure that what I do and say is done with the goal of getting to know Christ more, rather than doing just what I think my circumstances may dictate. What about you? Does the above quote speak to your heart? Do you have a goal for your life that you are actively pursuing? I would love to hear from you!

(On a side note, there is a family who needs lots and lots of prayer right now, I have added a link to their caring bridge site on my side bar, it is the one for Josiah Carrier. Please lift him and his family up before the throne! Thanks!)

Thankful Thursdays

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Philippians 4:6

Today I am thankful for:

• My health...
• My husband's job, his work closed one of their stores last week, we are so thankful that he has a job!
• The fact that I was able to run 3 miles this week! This may not be a big deal to some of you who run long distances all the time, but it was a great accomplishment for me!
• New neighbors who are friendly...
• Hearing my boys say their Bible verses...
• The girls in my youth girls Bible study... they are precious and a joy to lead!
• Things to look forward to: lunch with a friend on Friday, dinner out with my husband for our anniversary on Friday night, and a Sunday School get together here at our house on Saturday night!
• Friends who pray for me...
• My check from the consignment sale :)
• My time alone with my Lord and Savior...

So what are you thankful for today? Take time to be thankful for the things God has blessed you with, the big and the small. For more TT posts visit Sting My Heart.

Word-Filled Wednesday

This is one of my favorite verses, it brings me comfort and joy. Comfort because it reminds me that God is with me, yes, even little, ole me, and He is mighty to save!! And joy because it tells me that the God of this universe delights in me, quiets me with His love, and even rejoices over me with singing! That is just too much to really comprehend, but how awesome it is! For more WFW posts to encourage and bless your heart visit 160acrewoods. And do not forget to go spend some time in His Word, let Him delight in you and rejoice over you with singing as you spend time with Him.

Wordless Wednesday #27

Be Still...

Boys & Mud!!!

What is it about my boys and mud? They are drawn to it like nothing else!! James dressed them today in some fairly nice clothes so we could all go do something after doing a few things around the house, then he sends them outside to play with NO instructions, and after it had rained last night and this morning. They do know better but some instructions are always nice to reinforce what they already know... So, of course they find their way to the mud, and it ends up everywhere!! James has bath duty today so I am inside staying nice and clean :)

Enjoy the pictures... and if your kids do not like mud... be thankful!

Thankful Thursdays

"Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18




Today I am thankful for:
The comfort of God...
God's mercies that are new every morning...
God's amazing grace and redeeming love...
Quiet moments of peace when everyone else in the house is sleeping...
Friends who are friends for life and not for just a season...
My husband and our wonderful 8 years together...
The opportunity, the ability, and the motivation & energy to exercise...
God's Word and the peace it brings even in the midst of heartache and hard times...
Butterfly kisses from my boys...
Another day of life...

What are you thankful for today? Take time to stop and find things to be thankful for, it just might change your attitude and your outlook for the day. For more TT posts visit Iris over at Sting My Heart.

Word-Filled Wednesday

Have you spent time in God's Word today, finding treasures to store up? If not make some time to sit and dig for treasures in His Word, you will find more than your heart can contain. For more WFW posts visit 160acrewoods.

Wordless Wednesday #28

8 Years Ago Today!

8 years ago today... I married my sweetheart! God has blessed me beyond my wildest imagination with my man! He is wonderful and treats me like his prized possession! He graciously puts my needs before his own, and does his very best to make sure I am happy and provided for. He is faithful, honest, loyal, trustworthy, and dependable. He is caring, sensitive, kind, and loving. He is handsome and strong. And he is a man who seeks after God, and for that I am most thankful!

We married exactly a year after we met...

I met him when I went to Driver's Way looking to purchase a new car. Before going in I prayed, "Lord, I am available for Your plans and purpose only for going in here." I meant regarding purchasing a car, not finding a husband!! Anyway, James was not my salesperson, but I did talk to him while I was looking at cars on the lot. My salesperson, while filling out a form asked if I was single, I said yes, thinking it was a question on the form. He then said that there was someone there who was interested in me, ( I assumed it was James), and asked if he was a Christian. The answer, "Boy is he ever!" I figured if people at work knew he was a Christian he must be, and gave him permission to give him my phone number.

We went out the next weekend... James picked me up at my church after the service and we went to lunch and then for a stroll and had a long talk on a swing at our local Botanical Gardens. I was very bold during our conversation, and told him I was a good thing, and that I was praying that the Lord would help my husband to find me, according to Proverbs 18:22 "He who finds a wife, finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord." This did not scare him off!!

The next Sunday we went out again, after church. He picked me up and we drove to a waterfall in Gadsden and had lunch. Then we traveled to DeSoto Falls and hiked and viewed the falls there. It was a great day, one of our all-time favorites! In fact, it was so memorable that he took me back there to propose, and even made the same kind of sandwich he had made for our 2nd date!

Thanks Honey for the wonderful life, home, and family you have given me. I am blessed beyond measure by your love. Thank you for loving me, and for asking me to be your wife, I love you more than words can say!

All my love,
Tricia