Lori Is Doing Well

I just wanted to let you know that my beautiful friend and MOPS sister is at home and doing well. Keep her in your prayers, as she's still have some vision problems and headaches. We praise God for bringing her home!!!!! He definitely answers our prayers!!!!!

Do You Ever Feel Guilty?

So how's your guilt gage these days? I would imagine that generally speaking, most people struggle with guilt in some form. I do.

Guilt over eating those chips when I knew I wasn't really hungry.

Guilt over playing on Ebay when I should have been doing laundry (well...sometimes-ha!).

Guilt over being irritated with my kids, when I know I'm being tooooo irritated.

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Guilt over not cooking a decent dinner...opting for peanut butter sandwiches, when I've had all day to cook something yummy.

Do you ever feel guilty over not spending enough time with God? I do.

This week has been like a whirlwind. I knew it would be because it's the last week before school starts back. We've bought everybody's gym shoes. We've gotten snacks & school supplies. We've had lots of friends over to spend the night. All the errands and fun things we've accomplished this week have taken so much time.

Have we taken time for God? Have I? How can I spend more time on my laundry than my Lord? What's up with spending more time on the dishes than with THE Divine Presence in my life that makes everything work together for my good? This week has been consumed with so many extras. My time with God has suffered. In all honesty, I'm looking forward to school starting, because I desire to be in regular fellowship with Him. Do you?

Friends, life just isn't the same without talking to Him. So many times we talk to Him about our problems. But what about our blessings? Don't you think that He'd like to hear about how much we love our family? Our home? The very fact that He's there? How about some praise time? And by-the-way, how can we know what He has planned for us each day, if we don't be still and know He is God?

I may have mentioned this in a previous blog, but when I was a kid, my Grandma would always say "be still" when I was too loud or causing a ruckus. Especially if she was on the phone. Every time she said that, I would wonder why(???). Why not just say, "Shut-up" or "Close your mouth" or hold up her fingers as if to THUMP me on the head...to get me to be quiet (my Daddy's specialty...only he would always DO IT and not threaten!). I never could figure out why she would say "be still" instead of "be quiet".

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Until I had kids.

Psalm 46:10..."Be still and know that I am God."

Being still is faaaaar different than being quiet! My Grandma needed us to settle down. To pay more attention to what she was doing. To listen. And that's the way God is. When He speaks, He wants us to pay attention. We can be quiet and still not do that. But when He calls us to "be still", He's telling us to pay attention to Him.

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Let Him speak...and YOU listen.

So, I feel guilty sometimes for only being quiet (I love PEACE!!!!), and not being still. There is an incredible blessing in being still. In knowing that He is God.

In knowing that He will NEVER fail you.

Knowing that even when we are too busy, He waits. He doesn't hold it against us when we fail to communicate with Him. He's God. And it's for OUR benefit to be still.

Our guilty gage is a great monitor for being still. When we are heavily burdened, He will lighten our load...change that gage...if we'll be still.

And then we'll know beyond a doubt that He is God.

Zucchini Bread

Years ago, when we lived in Charlotte, I had the MOTHER of all neighbors. And no, I'm not picking up bad language to add to my hick vocabulary! Shelley was/is truly a remarkable woman. She would make all kinds of suggestions for me as a homemaker and a mom...all very much appreciated, considering that her children were older than mine (except for Joshua...he & Tyler were the same age). She and her family lived a frugal but comfortable life. I always admired them. A simple life.God wants us to live a simple life, because if we don't...

we'll miss the most valuable experiences in life.

A life spent helping others and bringing glory to God. A life full of habitually taking what God blessed them with and stretching it to gain the most from those blessings that they could. They lived that way. Can you imagine living in such a way that new cars and fancy new homes just didn't matter? Can you imagine opening your home and sharing those blessings on a regular basis? Mr. Jon had a decent job, but Shelley was a stay at home Mom, raising four kids and even homeschooling them. Their pennies had to stretch quite a ways, sometimes, but they actively served God at every opportunity, and were so thankful for what He gave them.

The thing I'll always remember about Shelley is her friendship bread. She would tell me to just try baking some bread and freezing it to enjoy during the winter season. The last thing she ever gave me was a loaf of friendship bread, as we pulled out from our beloved neighborhood in Charlotte for the last time...headed for the Tennessee hills. She didn't just bless me with friendship bread, she blessed me with her friendship. Acceptance and understanding. And let me tell you that those things are far more precious than a girls night out! Don't get me wrong...girls night outs are fun. In fact, some of the most fun I've experienced have been participating in dinners, etc, with girlfriends. But when it comes right down to it, the relationship, and the time spent being "real" with others is what life is all about. It's where we grow and learn. It's where we experience the Lord's arms wrapping around us when we so desperately need it. It's where we're reminded of the hope that Christ brings us.
With Shelley and her family on my mind, I've decided to start taking some of those suggestions that she made so many years ago. Zucchini bread is a favorite at our house! It's yummy and it makes us feel good...a warm piece of zucchini bread with milk. Maybe someday I'll venture over to friendship bread.

As God has pulled me into a simplier lifestyle, I've learned to appreciate even more, the treasure that's found in being caught up in your family and leading a life that is simply God's doing. That's not to say that I'm never tempted to be caught up in the things of this world. I guess I'll always be "The Ebay Queen"!!!!! But I've learned that there really isn't anything more valuable than to be at home with your family...loving, teaching, leading...living with the ones that God has blessed you with. It's actually there that you find your closest friendships...your best times...your most favorite memories.

And my most favorite memories are of being at home together. Whether just with my parents and brother, or out on the screened porch of my Ma's house...eating cheese & crackers with my Pa.

We're now making memories by sharing Zucchini bread.

Slather it with butter and inhale it! My family will be thrilled when they get home to discover...

that I've got some in the oven right now!
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Pull up a chair on the porch, eat your hot bread, and watch as the kitties and the kids chase fireflies.

The Truth

In 1 Corinthians 15, God speaks plainly, through the inspired apostle Paul about our relationship with death. He says, "Christ has truly been raised from the dead-the first one and proof that those who sleep in death will also be raised." In verse 22, He goes on to say that "in Christ all of us will be made alive again".

Are YOU in Christ?

If you are, then death has nothing on you! You will experience physical death at some point, but it will be like walking through a door into the physical presence of God. Death, I'm speaking of...not suffering.There are probably some people reading this who do have a relationship with Christ. But there are probably some who don't. Let me share this with you:

God is perfect, and He made all things perfect...until sin was introduced into that perfection by way of Adam & Eve in the garden. God and sin don't jive. God is perfect, God is not sinful in any way, thus He can't be part of sin. So when Adam & Eve decided to be part of sin...to commit a sin...God had to separate Himself from that sin. The only way man and God could ever unite again was through a blood sacrifice...an offering to pay for the sins that people committed "back in the old days", usually a lamb. Now that doesn't mean that God took a vacation and allowed the world to play in it's corrupt nature. It just means that He didn't bless sin. He did love the people, however.

Then came Jesus.

God sent Jesus. To die. To pay for people's sin (yours and mine), ONCE AND FOR ALL! Jesus came to this earth and lived a human existence, just like we do...only with NO sin (imagine never EVER having told a lie...never EVER having eaten too much, or NEVER feeling like you wanted to choke your kids-HA!). So Jesus went through a horrible death on the cross to pay for our sins. If you accept that, and ask God to forgive you of your sins and be Lord of your life, and believe Him...trust Him, you will be saved by your faith in Him.

Let's look at 1 Corinthians again. Paul is talking about physical AND spiritual death here. The spiritual death is what I want to bring to your attention. In sin, we are spiritually dead. When we accept the free gift of salvation through Christ, we are then "in Christ", and become spiritually alive. "Now since we preached that Christ was raised from the dead, why do some of you say that people will not be raised from the dead?" If you're preaching it/claiming it, then you know it, so get off of your duff and SHARE it! "If no one is ever raised from the dead, then Christ has not been raised." Is your salvation a lie? "And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is worth nothing, and your faith is worth nothing." Do you live as if Christ's resurrection from the dead didn't happen? How valuable is your faith to you? "And also, we are guilty of lying about God, because we testified of him that he raised God from the dead" Do you believe God? Do you trust God? "And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith has nothing to it; you are still guilty of your sins" Do you live a victorious life...or a defeated one? "And those in Christ who have already died are lost" How does YOUR faith effect others? So many live as though they really ARE lost. "If our hope in Christ is for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone else in the world" How deep is your relationship with Christ? Because if it's not really a relationship, but more of a convenient religious feeling...you need to reevaluate what Christ really means to you...and if you've asked Him to be Lord of your life.

In verse 31, Paul asks, "Why do we put ourselves in danger every hour?". He is speaking of the ministry that he and Sosthenes were doing to further God's truth. He was asking the people of Corinth to reevaluate if the ministry was all for nothing! In other words...why share a gospel that isn't even true, when we could be looking elsewhere for the truth of life!

Understand this...ANYTIME you don't know the truth, you are in danger! In danger of falling into sin. Or living your life as a lie. And he warns us in vs 33, "Do not be fooled: Bad friends will ruin good habits." You should make it a habit to learn the truth, study the truth, and know God. If you don't, you'll be in danger of falling.

Paul says to not live a life of sin, but to "come back to your right way of thinking and stop sinning". Sin equals death, which is why we must experience death. But if you are "in Christ", you will also experience the resurrection.

That is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me...

God...

Pam Coxwell

I ran across this wonderful artist on Ebay named Pam Coxwell.
She draws these gorgeous pictures and writes scripture around them. I ordered more than a few of her drawings to hang in Luke's room, and plan on ordering a few more for the girls' rooms.


Her prints are not just "stuff",
but a beautiful reminder about the promises of God!


.Here's a link to her items on Ebay:
http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ25QQsassZfromtheheartartQQssPageNameZSTRKQ3aMEWNQ3aMESOI


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And her website is: www.fromtheheartart.com

If you're at all creatively challenged when it comes to decorating your home, her prints are a great way of putting scripture on the walls without having to stencil it yourself!

ENJOY!

When God Is Silent

Silence. Do you experience it? I can honestly say that silence doesn't come often in our home! With a family of seven, at times I can't decide if it's more like a zoo or a farm. Between the giggles, the squeals, the arguments, and "Mooooooooom", it's hard to determine if I'm hearing cows or children!!!

Have you ever experienced God's silence? I have. And it's always when I'm too loud.

No comments are necessary on that one, Friends!

I would imagine that God doesn't like to be silent. Because I know how much He desires to be in a close relationship with each one of us, I can't imagine that He really enjoys being silent. In our relationship with Him, I mean. It's like being frustrated with your son because no matter what you try to say...he's not listening...he's just being too loud.

God is silent when we decide to be too loud (even though He's still working). And why shouldn't He be? After all, He's wasting His breath...His time...His effort, when we refuse to listen to Him. When we complain about our life...when we complain about our lack of control over the things that enter into our lives. We tend to be discontent so much of the time.

So how do we stop being so loud? It's simple...

Shut-up.

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Pray.

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Read your Bible.

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and...

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LISTEN!

Give God time to speak, and HE'LL BLOW YOUR MIND!!! He's waiting everyday to reveal something incredible to us, if we'll shut-up, chill out, and give Him the opportunity. No matter what, He's working in your life with every breath you take.

He is so crazy about you! And He has ALL the answers! What in the world are we thinking to NOT sit at His feet every single day? It's the only time that it's okay for the laundry to sit. For the dishes to wait. And for you to tame the zoo animals or life on the farm.

Give Him a little bit of time each day, and He'll give you the desires of your heart.

So when you realize that you haven't heard from Him lately...just realize that sometimes God is silent until we are silent.

Then...SHUT UP!

Trust

This blog is for one of my soulmates, whom I love and trust.

And that's saying A LOT.

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Trust...we don't have much of it. Whether it's in friendship, marriage, work, or our relationship with God.

Oh, sure...we trust that our couch is not going to fall through the floor when we plop down on it. We trust that the bristles on our toothbrush won't fall out when we put it to our mouth. We trust that there will always be a spring, summer, fall, & winter...

But will there?

In Ecclesiates chapter 3, God promises that there is a time for everything. "a season for every activity under heaven". So we know that there WILL be seasons. God isn't just speaking of the weather.

He's talking about life.

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He mentions a time to be born...a time to die. A time to plant...a time to uproot. A time to tear down...a time to build up. A time to kill...

And a time to heal.

A breach of trust kills. But God heals. In fact, God is the only One who can ever truly heal.

Trust is fragile. And it's something that God takes seriously. He wants us to trust Him in everything. In every season. But...there are always challenges for us to overcome in order to trust God. We must walk with Him daily, even when the hurricanes of life devastate, and we barely know our own name. We must communicate with Him daily, even when we struggle to make sense of those hurricanes. We must communicate with Him daily...period. God never promised that life would be easy. In fact, while He promises that life happens in season, He includes the downers of life...tear down, kill, uproot...die. We mourn these events. We hurt. We die in certain aspects.

Which reminds me of why we experience death in the first place. Death of a friendship...death of an idea or dream...death of a marriage...death of a way of life. So many times, we experience these deaths due to lack of trust. Do you trust that your friend will truly care about you? Do you trust that your dreams are reasonable?...that your idea of life is achievable? Do you trust that your spouse will always keep your best interest at heart and stay loyal? Do you trust that the way of life that you love so much, will always be there?

Let me stress to you, friends, that the only One we can trust for ANYTHING is our Creator. Every other person that you ever encounter in life, no matter how dedicated, will disappoint you. No way around that fact. Sometimes we're disappointed in how someone reacted to us, or we feel that our trust was misplaced. But sometimes, it means the death of a relationship and/or the way of life we know.

We may never know the answers to why our trust in others is broken. Of course, when hurtful things happen to us at the hands of those we trusted, we have no other option than to withdraw any ounce of trust in that person. Understandable...completely. But there is Someone we can never make the mistake of pulling away from. Someone who has NEVER broken our trust. Someone who may cry with us, when our heart breaks, but is not knocked off His throne or surprised by any season under the heavens.

The ultimate form of Truth, He is.

God.

He knows every detail of every hurricane that has ever come into your life. And guess what? He is still on His throne. He is still in charge. He has not forgotten you. In fact, He saw the bad weather coming long before you actually experienced it, and has, in ways you may not realize, even prepared you for it. And if you'll have the faith of a mustard seed, He'll speak to you more loudly than the winds of the howling hurricane. And you'll have more peace than you could ever explain.

Remember that in the same verse of Ecclesiastes, God promises us that there are times to be planted...a time to be born...times to build up...

And times to heal.

As my beautiful friend off of Ebay (Pam Coxwell) reminded me today...

"My God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus" Phil 4:19

Soulmate...this is your time to heal,

this is your time to trust God.