Oikodemeoo Ministries

NASA - NASA TV

2011-07-23T09:06:00.000-04:00

Pour Out Our Hearts To Him!

2011-05-15T07:46:00.000-04:00

Penny Raine's Orange-Silk Cream Giveaway

2011-03-11T21:28:00.000-05:00

Here's a most excellent blog to bookmark, it is by Penny Raine. At this particular posting, she is showing products by KIT Natural. So many times, we want items that are healthy and excellent for our skin. I've briefly read through the descriptions of these products. Plus read at KIT's web page that they "fuse," the products. Please click here, to view Penny Raine's Giveaway Offer.

An Encouragement Break!

2011-02-23T11:52:00.001-05:00

God's Faithfulness and Perfect Care!

2011-02-22T11:26:00.002-05:00

Caution . . . Work Zone!

2010-10-04T07:35:00.006-04:00

Isn't easy to take things for granted? Like being able to walk around without any assistance. Rejoicing in life's simple pleasures . . . having make up on for the first time since surgery; my hair looking great; and being content with the new normal that is just a temporary bump in the road right now in my life.

I'm reminded of the Apostle Paul when he wrote Philippians while in prison. Consider chapter 4 and verse 11 of this incredible epistle.

"Not that I am implying that I was in any personal want, for I have learned how to be content (satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or disquieted) in whatever state I am."

Has it been easy for me? No, I'm a rather stubborn and very independent person. I like to have things done my way. You may ask, "how is that working for you? Let's get honest, we all can be this way. It's when we have the interruptions in life, the unplanned moments where the rubber meets the road that we see what we're made of or what's in our hearts.

On the other hand, moments like these can be a time of allowing others to minister to you and it's okay to ask for help as well as accept help. Remember we're the body of Christ, not the island of Christ.

I'm listening to the classic book, "Stepping Heavenward." Just recently in this book, the author stated that sometimes it's the quiet moments that can be spiritual and a service to our Master. I know that I don't like this route but I'm choosing to enjoy the scenery and trust the Lord for what He has in mind.

All of us have moments in our lives that were unplanned or interrupted and these moments served to grow us up and into Christ. That's my prayer for myself as well as for each of you.

In conclusion, we are being conformed and transformed to the image of Christ, consider Romans 8:28-30:

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

Happily to be a work in progress and confident He has the Master plan!

Introducing LibrioVox

2010-09-23T23:22:00.006-04:00

One my favorite new sites to visit, click here. It's LibrioVox, acoustical liberation of books in the public domain. Recently discovered "Stepping Heavenward," by Elizabeth Prentiss (1818-1878). I've actually have a copy of this book. I have read the first two chapters, but have allowed the distractions of life to prevent me from completing it. Now I've downloaded it to my iPod and am listening to it as I'm writing this posting.

Click here for the particulars of "Stepping Heavenward." Enjoy the possibilities! The book is a must-read.

Selah-All of Me

2010-09-12T02:00:00.003-04:00

A Powerful Quote by James Denney!

2010-09-09T11:21:00.001-04:00

Read this quote by James Denney,

a Scottish theologian (1856-1917),

"No man can at the same time prove

that he is clever and

that Jesus Christ is mighty to save."

The Hand of God

2010-09-09T11:17:00.001-04:00

"Praise God for the hammer, the file and the furnace.

The hammer molds us, the file sharpens us,

and the fire tempers us."

Sam Rutherford

Sharing & Comparing

2010-09-09T11:15:00.001-04:00

Earlier this summer was reading Job 16:1-5, it was a gentle reminder as to when to give advice to those who are suffering or growing through great difficulties in their lives. Job called his friends, "sorry comforters."

Then Job answered,

"I have heard many such things; Sorry comforters are you all.

"Is there no limit to windy words? Or what plagues you that you answer?

"I too could speak like you, If I were in your place. I could compose words against you And shake my head at you.

"I could strengthen you with my mouth, And the solace of my lips could lessen your pain.

Sometime it's tempting when we share similar difficulties to think that our situation is a lot more difficult than the person we're having the conversation with. Personally I find this extremely annoying. Each situation, procedure, or difficulty is unique just as each individual is. There is no way anyone could fully understand what another person goes through. I realize that often times these statements are made because of anxieties that individual has and perhaps this is their only way of working through the trial. Regardless of the rationale they may give, I'm choosing to exercise grace and mercy.

As I ponder what Scripture teaches us, it doesn't teach us to put ourselves or our situations above another individuals. It clearly instructs us to bear one another's burdens. It tells us that in the body of Christ the part that seems more unseemly, we need to give greater honor.

So the next time, you're tempted to share and compare, watch over your heart with all diligence. Please make sure you don't minimize the other person's situation and think only of your situation.

Observations in My Garden

2010-08-22T00:40:00.002-04:00

Late Saturday afternoon, I was out in our backyard watering some herbs . . . observed this beautiful butterfly and was blessed to capture it with my camera.

A vivid reminder of God's incredible and majestic creation! May it serve to remind you of the minute care our Heavenly Father has for His creation . . . how much more He cares for you and I.

(original photo by Kathy Lundberg, 08/21/10)

(Please do not copy or reproduce for any form of media. Thanks!)

Our God Is Greater!

2010-07-09T23:38:00.003-04:00

Indeed Our God Is Indescribable!

2010-07-09T23:34:00.002-04:00

2010-06-24T23:49:00.005-04:00

Consider this quote by Corrie Ten Boom,

"Never be afraid to trust

an unknown future

to a known God."

CF Didn't Define Christina & Ali

2010-06-24T22:19:00.001-04:00

A Personal Reminder from God to Me

2010-06-02T23:20:00.001-04:00

Lessons from a Godly Preacher

2010-05-11T11:22:00.007-04:00

Voddie Baucham is one of my favorite preachers. Another preacher that I'm coming to enjoy and listen to is, John Piper. Here's a note from Voddie regarding John Piper's recent announcement of his 'leave of absence." Please click here to read the whole article.

(graphic courtesy: www.heartlight.org)

Extending Grace

2010-05-05T10:56:00.007-04:00

Today an issue has come up where my sweet husband encouraged me to extend grace. Oh how hard it is. Yet on the other hand, it's consequences to our spiritual well-being is great affected and we allow roots of bitterness to creep through our life. The picture that comes to my mind is grass growing through the sidewalk or a parking lot. If the construction company does not treat the ground and prepare it for the paving, sometimes the grass continues to grow. Likewise, we must apply God's Word in and through our lives whereby not allowing roots of bitterness to take seed. Please click here to read a wonderful posting at the "Proverbs 31 Ministries."

(graphic courtesy of www.heartlight.org)

Refuge in the LORD!

2010-04-07T09:27:00.009-04:00

But let all those

who take refuge

and put their trust

in You rejoice;

let them ever sing

and shout for joy,

because You make

a covering over them

and defend them;

let those also

who love Your name

be joyful in You

and be in high spirits.

- Psalm 5:11 (Amplified)

2010-04-03T14:55:00.003-04:00

Anything that dims my vision for Christ,

or takes away my taste for Bible study,

or cramps me in my prayer life,

or makes Christian work difficult,

is wrong for me; and I must, as a Christian turn away from it.

J. Wilbur Chapman

1859-1918

American pastor and evangelist

source: http://www.wholesomewords.org/biography/biorpchapman.html

Security of Those Who Trust in the LORD, and Insecurity of the Wicked - Psalm 37

2010-03-27T09:38:00.005-04:00

1 Do not fret because of evildoers, Be not envious toward wrongdoers.

2 For they will wither quickly like the grass And fade like the green herb.

3 Trust in the LORD and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.

4 Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it.

6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light And your judgment as the noonday.

7 Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes.

8 Cease from anger and forsake wrath; Do not fret; it leads only to evildoing.

9 For evildoers will be cut off, But those who wait for the LORD, they will inherit the land.

10 Yet )a little while and the wicked man will be no more; And you will look carefully for his place and he will not be there.

11 But the humble will inherit the land And will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.

12 The wicked plots against the righteous And gnashes at him with his teeth.

13 The Lord laughs at him, For He sees his day is coming.

14 The wicked have drawn the sword and bent their bow To cast down the afflicted and the needy, To slay those who are upright in conduct.

15 Their sword will enter their own heart, And their bows will be broken.

16 Better is the little of the righteous Than the abundance of many wicked.

17 For the arms of the wicked will be broken, But the LORD sustains the righteous.

18 The LORD knows the days of the blameless, And their inheritance will be forever.

19 They will not be ashamed in the time of evil, And in the days of famine they will have abundance.

20 But the wicked will perish; And the enemies of the LORD will be like the glory of the pastures, They vanish--like smoke they vanish away.

21 The wicked borrows and does not pay back, But the righteous is gracious and gives.

22 For those blessed by Him will inherit the land, But those cursed by Him will be cut off.

23 The steps of a man are established by the LORD, And He delights in his way.

24 When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, Because the LORD is the One who holds his hand.

25 I have been young and now I am old, Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken Or his descendants begging bread.

26 All day long he is gracious and lends, And his descendants are a blessing.

27 Depart from evil and do good, So you will abide forever.

28 For the LORD loves justice And does not forsake His godly ones; They are preserved forever, But the descendants of the wicked will be cut off.

29 The righteous will inherit the land And dwell in it forever.

30 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, And his tongue speaks justice.

31 The law of his God is in his heart; His steps do not slip.

32 The wicked spies upon the righteous And seeks to kill him.

33 The LORD will not leave him in his hand Or let him be condemned when he is judged.

34 Wait for the LORD and keep His way, And He will exalt you to inherit the land; When the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

35 I have seen a wicked, violent man Spreading himself like a luxuriant tree in its native soil.

36 Then he passed away, and lo, he was no more; I sought for him, but he could not be found.

37 Mark the blameless man, and behold the upright; For the man of peace will have a posterity.

38 But transgressors will be altogether destroyed; The posterity of the wicked will be cut off.

39 But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength in time of trouble.

40 The LORD helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, Because they take refuge in Him.

Psalm 2 Amplified

2010-03-26T21:44:00.003-04:00

1) WHY DO the nations assemble with commotion [uproar and confusion of voices], and why do the people imagine (meditate upon and devise) an empty scheme?

2) The kings of the earth take their places; the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and His Anointed One (the Messiah, the Christ). They say,

3) Let us break Their bands [of restraint] asunder and cast Their cords [of control] from us.

4) He Who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord has them in derision [and in supreme contempt He mocks them].

5) He speaks to them in His deep anger and troubles (terrifies and confounds) them in His displeasure and fury, saying,

6) Yet have I anointed (installed and placed) My King [firmly] on My holy hill of Zion.

7) I will declare the decree of the Lord: He said to Me, You are My Son; this day [I declare] I have begotten You.

8) Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations as Your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth as Your possession.

9) You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them in pieces like potters' ware.

10) Now therefore, O you kings, act wisely; be instructed and warned, O you rulers of the earth.

11) Serve the Lord with reverent awe and worshipful fear; rejoice and be in high spirits with trembling [lest you displease Him].

12) Kiss the Son [pay homage to Him in purity], lest He be angry and you perish in the way, for soon shall His wrath be kindled. O blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) are all those who seek refuge and put their trust in Him!

Perfect Love

2010-03-24T23:50:00.002-04:00

Silent Testimonies But Loud Praises To God!

2010-03-23T01:15:00.002-04:00

Dug Down Deep Review

2010-03-17T02:43:00.003-04:00

A favorite blog of mine is "Worship Matters." Click here to read Bob Kaulfin's more recent entry. Also, if you are looking for well-balanced and biblical perspective to worship, please bookmark this blog.

A Detail Review of the "Be Still DVD"

2010-03-13T08:23:00.005-05:00

Rob and I own the DVD, "Be Still." We have previewed it a couple of times. We are alarmed at the false teaching that is entering into the church at a rapid pace. What concerns us is that folks have set up certain popular Christian speakers on such high podiums that when they read their gurus are promoting false teaching, they protest. Perhaps what they are really saying, "my favorite guru cannot be wrong. I love doing their Bible studies and going to their conferences."

Here's the link to a detailed explanation of the "Be Still, DVD Please click here to read Marcia Montenegro's article.

I encourage you to "step away your emotions," and honestly read this article. What these high profile Christian speakers are promoting is absolutely contrary to biblical teaching. These teachings need to be exposed and the folks held accountable for leading many astray.

Inspiration ~ Part 3

2010-02-11T07:43:00.003-05:00

Inspiration ~ Part 2

2010-02-11T07:26:00.003-05:00

Inspiration ~ Part 1

2010-02-11T07:20:00.006-05:00

Answer to Your Decisions

2010-02-03T12:14:00.001-05:00

How's Your Love?

2010-02-03T12:00:00.000-05:00

Who Are You Trusting In?

2010-02-03T11:54:00.002-05:00

(graphic courtesy of: www.extravagantgrace.net)

Making Tea!

2010-01-21T20:52:00.000-05:00

Needing A Reminder As To the Greatness of God?

2010-01-14T20:57:00.002-05:00

How's Your Temple?

2010-01-14T11:53:00.005-05:00

It's so easy to rationalize why we eat the items we do. Or why we don't have time to exercise. I too have been guilty of making excuses in what I put into my mouth as well saying, "oh I don't have time to exercise."

Earlier this week I learned that my cholesterol levels are still high. My doctor suggested that I see the nutritionist again. I will not go on cholesterol medicine. However, as our pastor has been preaching on godly living the thought came to me, "I tell my doctor that I'm a believer and that I will exercise to get my levels down." Yet a year later, they are still up. The Holy Spirit has convicted me of my deceitfulness in how I present myself. So with a renewed commitment in the Lord's strength, I am determined to follow through. I do want my words to be honest and truthful.

It's not that we don't know what do do. We neglect to do the fundamentals across the board, whether spiritually or physically.

We have several Leslie Sansone's DVDs of her "Walk-at-Home," program. So Rob and I are without excuse. Today I resumed exercising. Tonight I will put in one of the DVD so it will be ready for Rob in the morning. This is how we can help our spouses. Does exercising make your more spiritually? No. However, it will allow you to have the energy you need to listen and serve the Lord. When our minds and bodies, we have clearer thinking, thereby honoring our Lord with the temple He indwells.

Click on here to see Leslie Sansone's website.

(graphic courtesy: www.heartlight.org)

Praying Daily for Your Children

2010-01-14T10:29:00.005-05:00

A wonderful resource to use as you pray daily for your children. Click on here to view the PDF.

Then take the time to print it out. Some suggestions would be to print it out on beautiful paper and put the prayer calendars in frames located in prominent places throughout your home. It may be near a comfy chair where you have your time with the Lord. Sometimes in our busy schedules, we need visual prayer prompters to gently remind what huge blessing and opportunity we have to intercede on behalf of our children. Or you can use it as an example and make up your own calendar that suits you and your family. Truly it doesn't matter the motif. What does matter is that we have a plan to pray for our children and we PRAY!

(graphic courtesy: www.heartlight.org)

Lessons Learned From Laundry

2010-01-12T00:21:00.008-05:00

You [are like] unfaithful wives

[having illicit love affairs with the world

and breaking your marriage vow to God]!

Do you not know that being the world's friend

is being God's enemy? So whoever chooses

to be a friend of the world

takes his stand as an enemy of God.

James 4:4 (Amplified Bible)

Last night when it was time for me to empty out my washer, I discovered hundreds of wet pieces of paper fuzz all over and in my laundry. I immediately knew what I had done; I had left paper napkins in the pockets of my slacks. Our laundry room is off our living room and outside. It was way too cold to stand on my back porch and shake out each item. Therefore, I had no other option but to bring the basket into our living room and shake the wet paper fuzz off each piece one by one. At the conclusion of this fun exercise, there was huge pile on the carpet. I rejoice that we have an excellent vacuum cleaner.

The thought occurred to me this is how sin is. We get careless and think what we do, say or participate in has no bearing in our Christian walk. It does. What we think is an innocent activity can become a lifestyle or a habit. Thereby attaching itself to our lives and giving the appearance of that we are living like a non-Christian. That is what I immediately thought of when I saw all the paper fuzz over all my laundry and yes, inside my washing machine.

I'm indeed grateful for the mercy, grace and forgiveness God grants us. I want my life to count for Christ. The statement that our pastor said yesterday, "What I believe about God will determine how I live and behave."

Today as I did several loads of laundry, I made sure the pockets were emptied. I can share it's been a "paper fuzz free day." Also, it's been a day whereby the activities I did throughout the day honored Christ.

I conclude with this wonderful verse from 1 Peter 2:12, "Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation."

A work in progress!

Sola Gloria Deo . . . to God alone give glory!

Philippians 3:7-15

What Is Your Faith?

2010-01-11T00:03:00.005-05:00

"If what you call your 'faith' in Christ

does not involve taking the slightest notice

of what He says, then it is not Faith at all

---nor faith or trust in Him,

but only intellectual acceptance

of some theory about Him." ---

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Bob Kauflin's Perspective on Worship

2010-01-08T18:11:00.002-05:00

A Worship Leader's Reflections

2010-01-08T17:28:00.005-05:00

Recently I came across several videos on YouTube where Bob Kauflin was being interviewed on the subject of worship. Early this evening, I clicked on to his blog, "Worship Matters." Immediately, I felt a deep connection with him and so appreciate his biblical perspective to worship.

The entry that caught my attention in particular was entitled, "Reflections on Turning 55." Perhaps because in two years, that will be my age. Aging is something none of us can prevent unless God calls us home and then it becomes such a minute issue.'

Here's a small part of it to wet your appetite.

"Yesterday's entry to his blog,

"Worship Matters,"
07 Jan, 2010
Reflections on Turning 55
Posted by: Bob Kauflin

55.

A speed limit. Five years past half a century. LV. Double nickels.

And today, my age. I finally qualify for the 10% senior discount at Jiffy Lube.

I remember when 55 seemed really old. Right now it feels like the prime of
life. What does a 55 year old worship leader think about? Here's a sample . . .

Click here to read his entry in its entirety. I promised you will be most blessed.

An Incredible Song by Bob Kauflin

2010-01-06T09:05:00.001-05:00

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

2010-01-02T09:52:00.003-05:00

I've always wanted to read, "Mere Christianity," by C.S. Lewis. It is considered a classic book in Apologetics. Recently I discovered the 35 part reading of this profound book on YouTube. Here is part 1. There are 35 parts altogether. I challenge each of you to listen to this one as well as the other 34 parts. On my Facebook wall, I am posting a reading each day. So by the end of January, one will have listened to the whole book being read.

A Greater Yes

2010-01-02T08:38:00.003-05:00

Here's a movie that honestly deals with how God chooses to answer prayer. I highly recommend this video.

Prayer for the Courageous Movie

2010-01-01T20:52:00.002-05:00

A Timely Book

2009-12-29T11:24:00.010-05:00

We purchased this book for Christine this Christmas. It is beautifully written and illustrated. On the back cover of this charming book, Jennie Bishop, the author has written the following.

"Christmas as come again to the kingdom, but the king and queen (the original princess in "The Princess & the Kiss) have a serious problem. Their precious daughter is becoming spoiled. No longer does she appreciate her gifts as she should nor does she remember the true meaning of Christmas. Her troubled parents come up with a plan to cure the princess of her selfishness. This Christmas will be different---she will receive on three gifts, each one as precious as the princess is to her parents.

What will the princess do with the gifts she receives? Will she at last discover the true meaning of Christmas?

Children and parents alike will treasure this timeless story that reveals the biblical truth---the best gifts come from the heart."

(source: The Princess and the Kiss: The Three Gifts of Christmas, published by Warner Press Kids)

C.S Lewis's surviving BBC radio address

2009-12-28T22:35:00.005-05:00

Sarah's Choice ~ A Must See DVD!

2009-12-26T15:21:00.003-05:00

Our Greater Focus

2009-12-23T08:50:00.007-05:00

Whenever God changes our traditions

during this Christmas season,
don't be dismayed or alarmed.
Perhaps He desires to do a new work
in you and your families.
Reflecting on the video that I've posted below,
"Who Is There Like You?"
Let's not allow the distractions or our agendas
keep us from worshipping
the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

(original quote by Kathy Lundberg, 12/22/09)

Peppermint Bark

2009-12-10T11:50:00.006-05:00

Peppermint Bark

Ingredients/Materials:
* white chocolate
* crush peppermint
* waxed paper.

Directions:
Melt the white chocolate as directed on the package. Add crush peppermint. Spread the chocolate onto waxed paper and let cool. Break into pieces and serve. Or place into beautiful Christmas gift bags and/or tins to give as gifts.

It's About The CROSS!

2009-12-10T09:18:00.002-05:00

Ten Commandments in a Fun Version

2009-12-10T09:13:00.000-05:00

New Twist to Learn the Books of the Bible

2009-12-10T09:08:00.003-05:00

Motherhood in Living Pictures

2009-12-10T09:02:00.004-05:00

Christmas with a Capital "C"

2009-12-10T08:59:00.003-05:00

Keeping Christ in Christmas

2009-12-10T07:26:00.013-05:00

We keep our Christmas books and even past Christian magazines and some secular ones that have excellent articles about Christmas. In fact, we have one box devoted to Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Last night I pulled out our Christmas books and found two magazines with 2 wonderful articles to help us with our focus during this blessed season. Rob is going to use one and I will use the other in this morning's entry to my blog.

The ABCs of Keeping Christ in CHRISTmas

by Tonya Grant

With all the glitz and glamour of the holiday season, it is easy to lose sight of what is important. Reclaim Christmas and make the holidays more meaningful with this A to Z list.

A - Accept - Accept responsibility to model your faith this season.

B - Blessings - Take the time to count your blessings.

C - Carols - Gather as a family one evening to rejoice in the season and sing carols.

D - Donate - Go through your closets and find gently worn clothing, shoes, and coats to donate to a local charity.

E - Encourage - Challenge family members to say one word of encouragement to someone every day in December.

F - Friends - Call or meet with friends and family during the holidays to let them know that you are thinking of them.

G - Remember the gift God gave to you --- JESUS! Give to others this Christmas.

H - Happiness - Bring joy and happiness to others by doing simple things, such as surprising a neighbor with freshly baked batch of cookies.

I - Invitations - Invite others to church with you this Christmas.

J - Jesus - Read aloud from the Bible to your child about the birth of Jesus. Discuss how Jesus is the reason for the season.

K - Kindness - Show acts of Christian kindness to others. Smile and say thank you to a salesperson or postal worker for all of her hard work during this hectic season.

L - Light - Matthew 5:16 says, "Let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven." Make sure you let your light shine this holiday by performing good deeds that overflow from the love God has given you.

M - Money - Instead of spending too much money buying many expensive gifts, try making ifts or setting a limit for each gift you buy.

N - Nourish - Nourish your soul by praying and making a stronger commitment to reading your Bible every day.

O - Openness - Openly tell others of your relationship with Jesus. Remember, the seeds you plant today may one day result in fruit.

P - Peace - After the birth of Jesus, the angels appeared and said, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people He favors." (Luke 2:14). Discuss this verse with your family. How can you help bring peace.?

Q - Quiet - Take time this holiday to sit quietly, pray, and think about the birth of Jesus and what it means to you.

R - Reflect - Reflect on what Christmas has meant to you over the years. Talk with your family about how each member can make the holidays even more special. Make a list of the ideas. Then hang the list where everyone can see it.

S - Spirit - Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you to the true meaning of Christmas and then share it with others. One way to do this is to take your family to view a live Nativity scene. If one is not available where you worship, visit a nearby church that has one.

T - Tradition - If your family does not observe a holiday tradition, start a new one this year. Several years ago, my husband and I decided to rethink our traditional gift-giving. Instead of giving our children lots of gifts, we decided to limit gifts to three per child just like the wise men who brought three gifts to Jesus. [Personal note: There may have been more than 3 wise men; I encourage one to keep the symbolism in perspective. Plus the wise men were not at the stable. See Matthew 1:9, "young Child."]

U - Understand - Make sure your child understands that there is more to Christmas than gifts and decorations. It is a time to spend with loved ones. Tell them that Jesus is the reason for the season.

V - Volunteer - Volunteer as a family to serve and bless others. Trying spending time in a hospital, nursing home, or shelter. Look for opportunities in your community to help others. [Use discernment this flu season; some places are limiting the visits from outsiders but you can bring items to these places.]

W - Worship - Enjoy a Christmas program or service. Talk with your family about how you can worship Jesus.

X - eXamine - Examine your past Christmas habits. Ask yourself which habits you should keep and which habits you need to eliminate. Start making changes today.

Y - Yield - Avoid overspending. Write a gift lift and decide on the amount you plan to spend. Do not give in to temptations to overspend. Instead, yield to God and His perfect guidance toward good stewardship.

Z - Zero - Zero in on how you and your family can keep Christ in Christmas. This may mean spending less, volunteering more, ore becoming more Christlike in your actions.

How will you spend your holiday? Decide as a family how you will celebrate the true reason for the season. Get started today.

-------------------------

Tonya Grant is a teacher and freelance writer. She lives with her husband and their two children in Lithonia, Georgia.

Article is from ParentLife, December 2006, pages 36-37

Not a Lo-Calorie Cookie But Delicious!!!

2009-12-08T15:22:00.006-05:00

Today I'm baking cookies for our Ladies' Fellowship tonight at church. We're having a cookie exchange. Normally, I would bake only what I've tried before. I did make my favorite oatmeal cookies. So as not to be on "cruise-control," and wanting to be somewhat adventuresome; I baked two new kinds. Here's a delicious and very nice looking cookie to make for your family or to give as gifts. I found the recipe at the Family Fun website. Click here to read the recipe for "Chocolate Crinkles." They're yummy!!!!

A Treasured Christmas Memory

2009-12-08T12:55:00.005-05:00

Today I've been baking Christmas cookies for our Ladies' Fellowship at our church. The Lord brought to my mind a treasured Christmas memory I had back when Christine was born. Christine's original due date was July 15 but she came 12 weeks early the day after my birthday, April 24 on Thursday, April 25, 1996 at 7:29 p.m. at Albany Medical Center Hospital. Needless to say, Rob and I were pretty well spent dealing with all the facets of having a premature baby

One Sunday in November or early December, after church I went out to my car and in the backseat was a bags of baking supplies so I could bake Christmas cookies. Although I wasn't able to bake them during Christmas, several months later I did. At that particular time, I didn't know who was the person who blessed our family. By December, Christine was 8 months old chronologically but was about 5-6 months in her actual development. As you can imagine, Rob and I were first time parents and our family was in Massachusetts and my family in Texas. We had to be extra careful insofar as Christine's outings and such. Back in October we had a scare of RSV so we were extra careful.

We did manage to put up our Christmas tree and decorations. The daily routine of caring for a premature infant and early doctor's appointment. Let's say, my motivation level to put up our Christmas decorations after Christmas was zero. You know how it is when you have a "heart's cry moment," and only you know what your need is along with your Heavenly Father. God in His amazing grace had Cindy Jurewicz, a friend from Trinity Baptist Church call and asked me what my needs were. During our conversation, I shared that it was early February and that our Christmas decorations were still up. She arranged for a time and came over, lovingly packed them and put them up in our attic. Now that is love in action.

It's always good and very healthy to have moments of personal reflections during the Christmas season. The temptation to allow the frustrations and disappointments to take root in our thinking is pointless and expends unnecessary energy. With the homecoming of Mom (Rob's Mom) to Heaven back on September 25, it would be easy to allow the sadness to overtake my thoughts. Instead, I'm finding ways to honor her by keeping my focus on Christ, serving my family and ministering to others.

My Mom said, "if you need something, give it away." If I'm in need of kindness, why not focus on being kind to others and re shifting my focus.

Thankful for this particular treasured Christmas memory! What ones do you have? Let's be deliberate and make many more.

Daystar

2009-12-06T23:12:00.002-05:00

While You Were Sleeping - Casting Crowns

2009-12-05T20:43:00.004-05:00

I dedicate this video to all our service personnel

and their families.

Thank you for your service and sacrifice.

You are most appreciated and not forgotten.

I can blog tonight in freedom

because of you keeping our country safe.

Merry Christmas to all!

Kathy, Rob & Christine

Christmas is all in the Heart

2009-12-05T15:58:00.001-05:00

Buzzwords

2009-12-04T08:21:00.003-05:00

Responding to Cultural Buzzwords: Tolerance, Multiculturalism, and Relativism

Have you ever been placed in a situation when you have pointed out particular problems in our culture, only to have someone respond back with "Judge not, lest you be judged..."? In that encounter were you ever given the chance to finish it for them? In many cases, Christians are not given a chance. It is because we are told that "toleration" in a pluralistic, multicultural society is the "new edict."

To read Rob's entire posting, please click here.

Fleeting Moments

2009-12-04T00:13:00.010-05:00

Whenever one has a small living space; how to decorate for Christmas can be quite challenging. We do not have our tree up nor our decorations. Yet we are preparing our hearts. My highlight earlier this evening was cuddling with Christine on the couch as we opened my two favorite Advent books to read. I thought to myself, "be careful girl not to allow such moments to fade." This is my exhortation to each of us this Christmas season.

In the busyness of this season, let's evaluate and choose the "best," over activities that are good or perhaps expected to attend and/or participate in. As a child, my family didn't have a lot of materials things as we were growing up. However, I have treasured memories of my Christmases both in Texas and at both sets of grandparents in Oklahoma. Time goes way too fast so let's make sure we don't squander our time away.

I must confess that I had good intentions of starting the Advent books Sunday evening. Alas, I allowed things to crowd in on those plans. God's grace and mercies are new every day. Tonight we began our Advent celebration. The book, "Let Every Heart," is unique in that it has a ready for each day and the music for a Christmas carol. It's the actual music and not just the words. We sat down at the piano and sang the songs for each day from Sunday up to this evening. We have a picture of Rob's Mom on our piano. Mom would be so pleased. She was always encouraging me to reminder what was "the main thing."

As I share honestly and candidly; I exhort us as Moms to guard your family time during this Christmas season. If you find yourself on the go way too much, do not complain. Instead, take ownership of your decisions and try to limit your commitments. God never intends for us to be totally stressed regardless of the season. Our time with our spouses and children goes so quickly. I know there are things perhaps we cannot change. However, I'm convinced that we are our worse enemy in that we sabotage ourselves and our families loose in the process.

Dear one, you can start fresh right now. Sit down as a family and decide what is truly priority and perhaps take things off the calendar. The word, "no," is okay to incorporate into your family's vocabulary. We cannot do it all.

Truly this can be a great time to reflect and bask in our Father's love for each of us! Let's don't miss these special moments during the Christmas season.

Thankful To Have Been Blogging for 2 Years!

2009-12-03T13:03:00.005-05:00

As of today, have 184 entries to my blog. I'm thinking that when I do entry "200," I will celebrate with a special article. So keep reading and utilizing the excellent resources that are on my blog. Thank you for clicking on and reading. May God continue to bless you and encourage each one of you.

In His Grip!
Kathy

Fun Ways to Decorate for Christmas

2009-12-03T10:54:00.001-05:00

Quick Ways to Add Pizazz to Your Home

2009-12-03T10:47:00.004-05:00

To Mediate or To Visualize . . . What Is a Person to Do?

2009-12-02T09:06:00.004-05:00

Is there a direct correlations to Eastern religions and practices when once chooses to mediate or to visualize? No, I'm not talking about mediating on God's Word, God's way. What I have reference to is blatant Eastern practices and even occult practices that are in the church. There are folks in the Emerging Church movement that have put a spin on it and folks are buying into it.

Our friend Marcia Montenegro, of Christian Answers for the New Age (CANA) has written an excellent article on the subject. Here is a sample of it for your exhortation and edification.

OUT OF YOUR MIND: MEDITATION AND VISUALIZATION

By Marcia Montenegro

[Note: The writer formerly practiced Tibetan Buddhist, Zen Buddhist, and Hindu meditation, as well as visualization and psychic techniques taught to her by those deeply involved in those traditions. She also experienced the trance/meditative states as part of her practice of astrology and methods learned in psychic development classes. ]

A voice intones: "Close your eyes...relax...let each muscle relax...let your mind go blank...see yourself as a cloud...floating...getting lighter and lighter..."

Click here to read the entire article. May we not be guilty of call evil good. (Isaiah 5:19-21).

(graphic courtesy: www.heartlight.org)

A Description of Our World

2009-12-01T15:52:00.003-05:00

2 Timothy 3

"Difficult Times Will Come"

¹But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.

²For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,

³unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,

⁴treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

⁵holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.

⁶For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses,

⁷always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

⁸Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith.

⁹But they will not make further progress; for their folly will be obvious to all, just as Jannes's and Jambres's folly was also.

¹⁰Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance,

¹¹persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me!

¹²Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

¹³But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

¹⁴You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them,

¹⁵and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁶All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;

¹⁷so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:1-17

NASB

Calling Evil Good When God Calls it Darkness!

2009-12-01T15:45:00.004-05:00

19) Who say, "Let Him make speed,

let Him hasten His work, that we may see it;

And let the purpose of the Holy One of Israel draw near

And come to pass, that we may know it!"

20) Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;

Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness;

Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!

21) Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes

And clever in their own sight!

Isaiah 5:19-21

(New American Standard)

The True Meaning of Psalm 46:10

2009-12-01T09:49:00.005-05:00

In recent years, there is such a buzz in the evangelical world on meditation and "being still before God." Yet in their quest, they are being misled and misguided.

Please take the time to read, Meditation and Psalm 46:10 by Marcia Montenegro. Click here to read the article.

What is Contemplative Prayer?

2009-12-01T09:35:00.007-05:00

Dear ones, we have an onslaught of various Trojan horses in many evangelical churches. What I'm referring to is "Contemplative Prayer."

Marcia Montenegro from Christian Answers for the New Age or CANA has an excellent three page article on this subject. Please click here to read the whole article.

(graphic courtesy: www.heartlight.org)

Thoughts on the "Be Still DVD"

2009-12-01T08:48:00.006-05:00

A personal note, both Rob and myself own the DVD, "Be Still." We have watched it at least twice. Personally I found it disturbing in that folks we had admired were aligning themselves with New Age and Eastern forms of mediation. I immediately did some preliminary research on the subject. The more I read about it, my spirit was deeply disturbed. My purpose in sharing this article by Marcia Montenegro is to help us become more discerning in what we read and participate in.

THE BE STILL DVD: AN ODE TO SILENCE
By Marcia Montenegro
[First published in the Midwest Christian Journal, Spring/Summer 2006; modified for website March, 2008]

Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.
Col. 4:2 NASB

NOTE: This is an evaluation of the DVD "Be Still," and not an attack on the participants who appear to be genuinely sincere in their assertions. However, as instructed in God's word, we are to test all teachings carefully. DVD participants include Richard Foster, Dallas Willard, Max Lucado, Beth Moore, Henry Cloud, Peter Kreeft, and others.

Before salvation in Christ, the writer of this article was involved for many years in New Age and Eastern forms of mediation, including Tibetan Buddhist and Zen Buddhist meditation.

To read the rest of the article, please click here.

Thankful for my family!

2009-11-29T23:57:00.000-05:00

Speak O Lord

2009-11-29T23:19:00.005-05:00

Cranberries ~ An Excellent Fruit!

2009-11-26T22:09:00.005-05:00

Compounds in Cranberries May Be

Antibacterial Agents

ScienceDaily (Nov. 14, 2007) — Cranberry sauce is not the star of the traditional Thanksgiving Day meal, but when it comes to health benefits, the lowly condiment takes center stage. In fact, researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) have found that compounds in cranberries are able to alter E. coli bacteria, which are responsible for a host of human illnesses (from kidney infections to gastroenteritis to tooth decay), in ways that render them unable to initiate an infection.

To read this article in it's entirety, please click here.

What You Can Do With Fresh Cranberries?

2009-11-26T21:42:00.012-05:00

Cranberries are so nutritional. Here are two recipes we found at the Ocean Spray website. Click here for more recipes.

Bon Appetite!

Cranberried Lemon Yogurt Bread

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups flour2 teaspoons baking powder3/4 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup lowfat yogurt, plain
2 eggs
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 6 ounce package Ocean Spray® Original Craisins® Dried Cranberries
1 lemon, zest of 1

GLAZE:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan.

Combine flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a large bowl; set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter or margarine and sugar in a medium mixing bowl, until light and fluffy. Add yogurt, eggs and lemon juice; mix well. Stir in dried cranberries and lemon zest. Add to dry ingredients. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.

Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Makes 1 loaf.

CRANBERRY APRICOT BREAD

INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons yeast
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 eggs

FILLING:
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
3 1/4- 3 3/4 cups flour
1 cup Ocean Spray® Craisins® Original Dried Cranberries
1/2 cup apricot jam
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

DIRECTIONS:

Combine 2 cups flour, sugar and yeast in a medium mixing bowl. Combine milk and butter and heat to a temperature of 120ºF - 130ºF. Add to dry ingredients, mixing thoroughly. Add eggs; mix well. Add enough of remaining flour to make a soft dough that is not sticky when handled.

Lightly grease a medium mixing bowl. Place dough in bowl and roll around so that it is lightly covered with grease. Place bowl with dough in a warm place until it has doubled in size. Set aside. Meanwhile, combine egg and water in a small mixing bowl; set aside. Combine filling ingredients in a medium saucepan. Cook on low heat until jam has melted, stirring occasionally.

Bake at 350ºF. Grease a cookie sheet.

Punch down dough and place on a floured surface. Roll into a 13 x 11-inch rectangle. Cut into 3 11 x 4-inch strips.

Spread about 1/3-cup filling on each strip, leaving 1/4-inch all around. Brush egg mixture on edges. Fold strips over lengthwise, pressing to seal edges. Place seam side down on cookie sheet. Repeat with other 2 strips.

Braid the 3 strips. Press ends together to seal, tucking underneath braid. Brush with egg mixture. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in size.

Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 1 loaf.

Seven things we can be thankful for

2009-11-25T20:59:00.005-05:00

November 25, 2009 | By Amanda Reinecker, The Heritage Foundation

As we gather with family and friends to celebrate our blessings at Thanksgiving, we should remember how fortunate we Americans are to live in a free and just nation.

America was founded upon sound conservative principles grounded firmly in human nature and not in radical idealism. And today, we see that these principles, though under attack from the Left, are still very much alive. As Heritage Foundation scholar Matthew Spalding explained in 2003, Thanksgiving maintains the tradition of the American Founding and affirms that "while we are committed to upholding religious liberty, we remain one nation under God."

Click here to read the rest of Amanda Reinecker's article off MyHeritage.org. I am certain you'll be encouraged.

Meanwhile, have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Kathy

Heart Full of Thanks!

2009-11-24T00:28:00.002-05:00

Frugal Homemaking Tips

2009-10-31T11:40:00.017-04:00

This morning as I was cleaning our kitchen, I wondered if there was a homemade type solution that I could make up that would clean our floors better. So I did a Google Search, "homemade floor cleaners," to discover this excellent site.

Creative Homemaking . . . Dedicated to your homemaking needs ~
Cleaning tips for kitchens, carpets, floors, laundry, general cleaning, and more! ~

You can access it by typing in: http://www.creativehomemaking.com/cleaning/floor-cleaners.shtml

Of course, there are many resources available that have similar recipes for homemade products. Just think of the immediate benefits, no harsh chemicals, more money in your household budget plus it's fun learning better ways to clean our homes.

Just a side note, you can buy the squirt bottles at Dollar Tree and other discount places for reasonable prices. Get your children involved and have

them make their own labels for their own cleaning products. Yes, I realize that perhaps some of the cleaning recipes you find online will not be original but you may experiment; soon they will become personal favorites.

Maria, in "Sound of Music," had a song, "My Favorite Things." Well here are some of my favorite things to use when I'm cleaning.

* White Vinegar (help with the smell; add lavender essential oil and lemon juice)

* Baking Soda

* Lemons or Lemon Juice

* Borax (use wisely; it can scratch items; if in doubt, use baking soda)

* Salt

* Peroxide

* Club soda (carpet mishaps)

* Tea tree oil

Here is an idea that I picked up from a web site; "the tree hugging family." Although their worldview and mine are different. We can learn from others.

A Glass Cleaner That Doesn't Smell Like Vinegar

Use straight up lemon juice or club soda. If you use club soda than newspaper is the best scrubber to use. If you use lemon juice than use an old less linty cloth.

I'm a work in progress insofar as learning to use the items I have in my kitchen to clean our home.

A sweet reminder from God's Word, "Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily (from the soul), as [something done] for the Lord and not for men," - Colossians 3:23 (Amplified Bible)

Happy Cleaning!

Kathy

A Reminder to What A Real President Was Like Even Before Becoming One!

2009-10-23T20:21:00.004-04:00

We Come To God On His Terms Not Ours

2009-09-12T23:16:00.005-04:00

Hey, Wake Up!

2009-09-09T23:43:00.003-04:00

Where's Your Obedience?

2009-09-09T23:40:00.003-04:00

Are You A Sheep or A Goat?

2009-09-09T23:22:00.002-04:00

Let's Not Be Guilty of . . .

2009-09-08T10:42:00.003-04:00

Enemies Within the Camp

2009-09-08T10:08:00.008-04:00

¹BUT UNDERSTAND this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear].

²For people will be lovers of self and [utterly] self-centered, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate [greedy] desire for wealth, proud and arrogant and contemptuous boasters. They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffing), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane.

³[They will be] without natural [human] affection (callous and inhuman), relentless (admitting of no truce or appeasement); [they will be] slanderers (false accusers, troublemakers), intemperate and loose in morals and conduct, uncontrolled and fierce, haters of good.

⁴[They will be] treacherous [betrayers], rash, [and] inflated with self-conceit. [They will be] lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements more than and rather than lovers of God.

⁵For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it [their conduct belies the genuineness of their profession]. Avoid [all] such people [turn away from them].

⁶For among them are those who worm their way into homes and captivate silly and weak-natured and spiritually dwarfed women, loaded down with [the burden of their] sins [and easily] swayed and led away by various evil desires and seductive impulses.

⁷[These weak women will listen to anybody who will teach them]; they are forever inquiring and getting information, but are never able to arrive at a recognition and knowledge of the Truth.

⁸Now just as Jannes and Jambres were hostile to and resisted Moses, so these men also are hostile to and oppose the Truth. They have depraved and distorted minds, and are reprobate and counterfeit and to be rejected as far as the faith is concerned.

⁹But they will not get very far, for their rash folly will become obvious to everybody, as was that of those [magicians mentioned].

¹⁰Now you have closely observed and diligently followed my teaching, conduct, purpose in life, faith, patience, love, steadfastness,

¹¹Persecutions, sufferings--such as occurred to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra, persecutions I endured, but out of them all the Lord delivered me.

¹²Indeed all who delight in piety and are determined to live a devoted and godly life in Christ Jesus will meet with persecution [will be made to suffer because of their religious stand].

¹³But wicked men and imposters will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and leading astray others and being deceived and led astray themselves.

¹⁴But as for you, continue to hold to the things that you have learned and of which you are convinced, knowing from whom you learned [them],

¹⁵And how from your childhood you have had a knowledge of and been acquainted with the sacred Writings, which are able to instruct you and give you the understanding for salvation which comes through faith in Christ Jesus [through the leaning of the entire human personality on God in Christ Jesus in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness].

¹⁶Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God's will in thought, purpose, and action),

¹⁷So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work. - (2 Timothy 3:1-17 - Amplified Bible)

(graphic courtesy: www.heartlight.org)

The Battle Is The Lord!

2009-09-07T00:36:00.002-04:00

(graphic courtesy: www.heartlight.org)

Who & What We're Fighting Against!

2009-09-07T00:34:00.002-04:00

(graphic courtesy: www.heartlight.org)

It's Spiritual Warfare!

2009-09-07T00:31:00.003-04:00

(graphic courtesy: www.heartlight.org)

Proverbs 6 - in the Amplified Bible

2009-09-07T00:12:00.002-04:00

¹MY SON, if you have become security for your neighbor, if you have given your pledge for a stranger or another,

²You are snared with the words of your lips, you are caught by the speech of your mouth.

³Do this now [at once and earnestly], my son, and deliver yourself when you have put yourself into the power of your neighbor; go, bestir and humble yourself, and beg your neighbor [to pay his debt and thereby release you].

⁴Give not [unnecessary] sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids;

⁵Deliver yourself, as a roe or gazelle from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

⁶Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider her ways and be wise!--

⁷Which, having no chief, overseer, or ruler,

⁸Provides her food in the summer and gathers her supplies in the harvest.

⁹How long will you sleep, O sluggard? When will you arise out of your sleep?

¹⁰Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to lie down and sleep--

¹¹So will your poverty come like a robber or one who travels [with slowly but surely approaching steps] and your want like an armed man [making you helpless].

¹²A worthless person, a wicked man, is he who goes about with a perverse (contrary, wayward) mouth.

¹³He winks with his eyes, he speaks by shuffling or tapping with his feet, he makes signs [to mislead and deceive] and teaches with his fingers.

¹⁴Willful and contrary in his heart, he devises trouble, vexation, and evil continually; he lets loose discord and sows it.

¹⁵Therefore upon him shall the crushing weight of calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken, and that without remedy.

¹⁶These six things the Lord hates, indeed, seven are an abomination to Him:

¹⁷A proud look [the spirit that makes one overestimate himself and underestimate others], a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

¹⁸A heart that manufactures wicked thoughts and plans, feet that are swift in running to evil,

¹⁹A false witness who breathes out lies [even under oath], and he who sows discord among his brethren.

²⁰My son, keep your father's [God-given] commandment and forsake not the law of [God] your mother [taught you].

²¹Bind them continually upon your heart and tie them about your neck.

²²When you go, they [the words of your parents' God] shall lead you; when you sleep, they shall keep you; and when you waken, they shall talk with you.

²³For the commandment is a lamp, and the whole teaching [of the law] is light, and reproofs of discipline are the way of life,

²⁴To keep you from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a loose woman.

²⁵Lust not after her beauty in your heart, neither let her capture you with her eyelids.

²⁶For on account of a harlot a man is brought to a piece of bread, and the adulteress stalks and snares [as with a hook] the precious life [of a man].

²⁷Can a man take fire in his bosom and his clothes not be burned?

²⁸Can one go upon hot coals and his feet not be burned?

²⁹So he who cohabits with his neighbor's wife [will be tortured with evil consequences and just retribution]; he who touches her shall not be innocent or go unpunished.

³⁰Men do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy himself when he is hungry;

³¹But if he is found out, he must restore seven times [what he stole]; he must give the whole substance of his house [if necessary--to meet his fine].

³²But whoever commits adultery with a woman lacks heart and understanding (moral principle and prudence); he who does it is destroying his own life.

³³Wounds and disgrace will he get, and his reproach will not be wiped away.

³⁴For jealousy makes [the wronged] man furious; therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance [upon the detected one].

³⁵He will not consider any ransom [offered to buy him off from demanding full punishment]; neither will he be satisfied, though you offer him many gifts and bribes.

(graphic courtesy: www.heartlight.org)

1 Corinthians 13 . . . With A Twist

2009-08-28T08:55:00.011-04:00

A friend had sent me a version of I Corinthians 13 for Homeschoolers and I did a Google search and found this one as well. At the bottom of this posting is the source where I found it. I want to make sure to give credit where credit is due. This one was even more convicting than the first one I posted earlier. Please take the time to read it and then spend time in prayer asking God for balance in your family's lives.

Let me introduce you to Misty, a forum friend of mine. She just posted the following on the Sonlight forums. It totally challenged and encouraged me. I wanted to share it with you, as I'm sure many of you also struggle with being loving, whether or not you're a mom or a homeschooler. If it blesses you, then say so over at Misty's site, (http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/MistyKrasawski) where she also has it posted.

1 Corinthians 13 for Homeschool Moms

If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and teach my children Latin conjugations, Chinese and Portuguese, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal, and no matter what I say, they will not hear me.

If I have the gift of prophecy,and know my children’s bents and God’s plan for their lives, and know all mysteries and all knowledge,and am the keeper of the teacher’s editions and solutions manuals, and if I have all faith, so as to move mountains, and even keep up with my giant piles of laundry and dishes, but do not have love, I am nothing, even if all the people at church think I’m Supermom.

And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and my formal dining room gets turned into a schoolroom and our family vacations look more like educational fieldtrips, and if I surrender my body to be burned, never having time to get my nails done, put makeup on or even take a bath, but do not have love, it profits me nothing, because all my family cares about is the expression on my face, anyway.

Love is patient with the child who still can’t get double-digit subtraction with borrowing, and kind to the one who hasn’t turned in his research paper.

It is not jealous of moms with more, fewer, neater, more self-directed, better-behaved or smarter children.

Love does not brag about homemade bread, book lists, or scholarships and is not arrogant about her lifestyle or curriculum choices.

It does not act unbecomingly or correct the children in front of their friends.

It does not seek its own, trying to squeeze in alone time when someone still needs help; it is not provoked when interrupted for the nineteenth time by a child, the phone, the doorbell or the dog; does not take into account a wrong suffered, even when no one compliments the dinner that took hours to make or the house that took so long to clean.

Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness or pointing out everyone else’s flaws, but rejoices with the truth and with every small step her children take in becoming more like Jesus, knowing it’s only by the grace of God when that occurs.

Love bears all things even while running on no sleep; believes all things, especially God’s promise to indwell and empower her, hopes all things, such as that she’ll actually complete the English curriculum this year and the kids will eventually graduate, endures all things, even questioning from strangers, worried relatives, and most of all, herself.

Love never fails. And neither will she. As long as she never, never, never gives up.

Source: Source: http://thelandofcurlyhair.blogspot.com/2008/12/i-corinthians-13-with-twist.html

I Corinthians 13 for Homeschoolers

2009-08-28T08:49:00.002-04:00

Though I teach my children how to multiply, divide, and diagram a sentence, but fail to show them love, I have taught them nothing.

And though I take them on numerous field trips, to swim practice and flute lessons; and though I involve them in every church activity, but fail to give them love, I profit nothing.

And though I scrub my house relentlessly, run countless errands, and serve three nutritious
meals every day but fail to be an example of love, I have done nothing.

Love is patient with misspelled words and is kind to young interrupters.

Love does not envy high SAT scores of other homeschool families.

Love does not claim to have better teaching methods than anyone else,It is not rude to the fourth telephone caller during a science lesson, does not seek perfectly behaved geniuses, does not
turn into a drill sergeant, thinks no evil about friends' educational choices.

Love bears all my children's challenges, believes all my children are God's precious gifts, hopes all my children establish permanent relationships with Christ, and endures all things to demonstrate God's love.

Love never fails.

Where there are college degrees, they will fail; where there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

For we know in part and we teach in part.

But when the trials of life come to our children, the history, math, and science will be done away and faith, hope and love will remain; but the greatest of these is love.

(Note: This was emailed to me, I do not know the source.)

Do you need a transplant?

2009-08-25T12:11:00.000-04:00

(clip art courtesy: www.heartlight.org)

What Is Your Attitude?

2009-08-25T12:10:00.001-04:00

(clip art courtesy: www.heartlight.org)

This Says It For Me!

2009-08-25T12:08:00.004-04:00

(clip art courtesy: www.heartlight.org)

In His Hands by B. J. Hoff

2009-08-20T18:57:00.007-04:00

Almost 24 years ago, Rob's first gift to me was the poem, "In His Hands," by B. J. Hoff on a stained glass item that folded in half. Recently, I discovered, it had cracked on one side and needs to be discarded because it could cut fingers or hands. I must confess that I am sad because I would love to give it to Christine as a keepsake.

In His Hands

The hands that made the world

And gave the sun and moon their light

Are the tiny hands of a baby

Born one cold December night.

The hands that still the wind

And tame the fury of the sea

Are the calloused hands of a carpenter

Who lived in poverty.

The hands that held the power

To break the binding chains of sin

Are the gentle hands that washed the feet

Of tired and dusty men.

The hands that cleansed the leper,

Healed the blind, and raised the dead

Are the praying hands of one who cried,

"Not my will but Thine instead."

The hands that shaped the universe

And flung the stars in space

Are the nail-pierced hands of a dying man

Who suffered in our place.

The hands of our creator,

Lord and King of Heaven above,

Are the Saviour's hands, forever

Reaching out to us with love.

B. J. Hoff

(graphic courtesy: www.heartlight.org)

Amazing History!

2009-08-18T14:49:00.003-04:00

Spiritual Hugs

2009-08-12T11:40:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was a definitive reminder of Psalm 34:15, "The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry." Caring for a loved one during and after surgery can be very stressful. When one becomes sleep-deprived, the flesh is weak and basically, "it ain't pretty." Suffice it to say, it was just a rough morning for me. God in His infinite mercy quickly turned it around through several individuals and situations.

When one has a teen who has back surgery, the day-to-day process like showering and so forth can become challenging. I called my friend Nicole and she bought some anti-bacterial shower gel which was like a huge blessing. Then Gerald and Hazel stopped by with some ice cream, some jewelry trinkets for Christine which encouraged both Christine and myself.

While these precious saints were here, Lee called and invited us to use their "sit-down," shower to bathe Christine and wash her hair. It's the little things that oftentimes trip us up. God had an answer to my prayers and all I had to do was to ask. Instead I wasted time fretting which is sin. Thankful for a long-suffering and patient Heavenly Father with abundance forgiveness.

Who would have thought, our first outing would be to take care of Christine's hygiene? God did and He provided over-the-top. Another blessing from our time with Lee and Beth was their family was scheduled to bring us a meal. By going over to their house, we were able to take a plate of food to Rob at the dealership. This is something we normally do, "take meals to Rob at the dealership." So this outing had many side benefits to it as well.

On the way to the dealership, Christine said to me, "This was fun and we can do more outings." Anyone who has had surgery, the normal tendency is to stop doing ones regular activities. I'm not speaking of the normal restrictions that come with surgery. What I'm speaking of is the reluctance to resume ones normal life again. Yesterday, was a benchmark for Christine in that she realized, "life goes on and she will be just fine."

Before our first outing, Christine received a sweet card from Charlotte and Jacob which she read to me and shared it made her smile. Todd, Debbie and Evan, dear friends of ours sent Christine a care package which had some neat items inside it. God used Debbie's card to convict and redirect my thinking pattern.

Caregivers get exhausted and I was and it was showing in many ways. God's grace was liberally poured out to me throughout the day and the night.

Last night we went for a 15 minute walk due to the lateness of the hour. We rejoiced that the weather a tad cooler. Christine doesn't like thunderstorms so she asked if she could sleep downstairs. She slept on the couch while I slept on the cot. When she woke up this morning, she said, "we both got a good night's sleep." I replied, "we sure did!."

My former pastor during my college and seminary years, Dr. John Bisagno taught me, "sometimes the most spiritual thing one can do is to rest." Isn't it amazing how rest refreshes us and our outlook changes?

My dearest friend, Leigh Brawner from Schenectady, NY and my "Mother Mentor," sent me a book the other day. It is entitled, "The Rainy Day Book, Pick Me UPs For When You're a Little Blue!" She and her family lost her precious husband to pancreatic cancer. She totally understands. One of the Bible verses in a paraphrase version reads as following, "People do what is right may have many problems, but the LORD will solve them all." - Psalm 34:19

In the NKJV it reads, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all." In my margin I had written, "Dealing with a 2 year old . . . Do You Need A Hug?" Apparently I wrote this when Christine was 2 years ago. God knew 11 years ago that I would need and read this verse. Isn't God gracious?

With hearts of gratitude and great praise!

Kathy, Rob & Christine
Psalm 62:8

(graphic courtesy: www.heartlight.com)

(Note: This entry comes from Christine Lundberg's Caring Bridge Page, August 12.)

A Word from Kirk Cameron on the National Bible Bee

2009-07-23T13:20:00.001-04:00

Take time to click on this link and hear a message from Kirk Cameron on this thoughts on the National Bible Bee that is coming up in November 5-6 in Washington, D.C.

Living with Scoliosis

2009-07-21T10:11:00.013-04:00

Our daughter has Scoliosis and will be having surgery very soon to correct her 43 degree curve in her thoracic portion of her spine. I have it as well. However, I didn't learn of my curve until age 18. Although one never desires to have their child go through surgery. We're thankful that medical technology has improved in this area and she has the opportunity to have a healthier spine.

If you have a child who needs to have their spines evaluated, we strongly encourage you to do so. Secondly, here is a great link for you to bookmark to educate yourself or to give to someone who may have to have surgery.

Please click here for the SpineKids website.

Meanwhile, we covet your prayers for this new journey in our family's life. Knowing our Heavenly Father is fully aware of every detail and will meet all our needs in Christ Jesus. Please note, God doesn't intend for His children to bear their burdens alone. We will need all our brothers and sisters in Christ each step of this journey.

Our goal is to keep family and friends updated via Facebook, a Caring Bridge page, and email.

[clipart courtesy from www.heartlight.org]