Blogging poorly...

So I just realized, I have been spending more time on my other blog. Do forgive me friends. Life has been very temporal, very busy, and my thoughts it would seem, have not been running very deep.

Love your neighbors as yourselves.

Tough stuff. To love a family member, to love a child, a husband, a friend, even this can be challenging some days...

When we recall that Love is patient, Love is Kind, never jealous never boastful never rude, that Love believes all things Hopes all things, endures all things, and that Love never fails... we do, love doesn't... we can fail to love... but the love...
it never fails us...

But beyond the very love able loves of my life, loving neighbors is tricky. Now I have some pretty great neighbors, Tracy and Tim and their son Ryan are pretty easy to love, Tracy and James and their lovely girls are easy to love, Lauren and John are super neighbors, again easy to love. But everyone else is my neighbor too.
The hockey hooligans, the loud teenagers, the grumpy man in the suite next door, (not that he is grumpy, or anything, just if he was...) the guy with the scary t-shirt and the piercings, and the tattoos, the "lady" soldier, they are all my neighbors. They all are to get my love, my patience, even when they are rude, my kindness, even if they are mean, my humility, even to their pridefulness, my constance to their inconsistencies, and this love it is to endure. It is a love of Christ, not a love of my own making...
I can't love like this.
But the question is,
will I let Christ Love them, through me. Can I die to myself, my prejudices, my pre conceived notions, my opinions, and let Jesus Love them through me...

When I think that the lady across from me needs to discipline her child, can I just smile lovingly if her child whips a grape my way.... or a spit wad or what ever....

How do we measure up at Love your neighbor.... How do I measure up... not well.... I am convicted by the Lord to really start praying about this, really start letting Him take over, really start spreading more grace, at least as much as I have received, which is A WHOLE LOT...

It was by grace I was saved, a gift of God, not of works, I don't get to boast,
but I ought not hoard it either,
I have the grace, I need to share it....


We love Him, because He first loved us...

So I love because He loves me, so If I have this love
I need to love others....
It isn't as hard as it seems,
I just naturally like to hoard things... I like a full fridge, a full pantry, clothes in my closet, I like holding on. I think I must have a drawer full of love, I need to start spreading it around, and like the loaves and fish, like the oil, it will be replenished....
Will I ?
Will you?

We don't do TV. We don't have cable. We do watch movies. :) We are rather selective, and our favorite rental place is our local library! One new movie we just viewed was FLYWHEEL. It was put out by a church, Sherwood Bible Church (I think).
It is wonderful!
The same church that put this out, also put out FACING THE GIANTS. They both have made it to our top family fun movies. I highly recommend this movie! (both actually) It was a wonderful tribute to God, a wonderful story of redemption, and restitution. My kids loved it! When I was asked by the children who my favorite character was, I could only reply .... GOD was! :) He was the Hero, He was ever glorified, ever present, all powerful and sovereign. You will enjoy this film!
we laughed we cried, what a wonderful story!
check out this movie, and FACING THE GIANTS.Some time next year keep your eyes peeled for the next movie from Sherwood, called FIREPROOF!
Please keep this ministry in your prayers, what a mighty work God is doing in and through them.

drowning out....

Some moments are like water washing over you. Fresh and clear, cold and nearly overwhelming.

Yet He is my Rock. His Word washes over me and makes me new. It is the Holy Spirit that holds me up in the midst of the fall.

We dwell in the midst of the Fall...

Our Lords Word is sure, it is pure, it will wash us. And Upon this Rock, we can stand. Jesus is our Rock. Our eternal hope, what we cling to, what holds us up higher, than we could ever be with out Him. I remember when I took this picture. We were on a business trip in North Carolina, not far from Asheville.. It was so loud, so many drops of water rushing down a mountain side, crashing on the rocks, melting together once again. It was so loud, it was difficult to hear anything but the sound of the water. Oh how I wish I could live out my days hearing Gods word rushing over me like that. O, how wonderful to drown out all the distractions, trials and troubles, with His Word, His Spirit, His presence. I know the day will come... But there are moments. Have you had moments with Jesus, where all else slipped away and it was just HIM?

There is a sweet security in knowing He is my Salvation, My Rock, My Redeemer, a security in knowing that my sins are washed away, that His Word will sanctify me, that I have a Counselor, Teacher, Comforter. There is such a joy, I don't mean "happy happy joy", I mean JOY.. In knowing He is the Way, the Truth, the Life... that I am His; That He picked me; That there was NOTHING I did; That I have His promises, His Word, to hold fast to in times of difficulty, and jubilation.

I am not my own, I was bought with a price. Jesus is my KING. I only hope to serve Him better tomorrow than I did today.

you are loved... May His word wash over you, and drown out the temporal, so you can dwell on the eternal... even if it is only for a moment.

I have been

Tagged.

What does that mean? Well it would seem that it means that we still can be just silly girls, and play silly games. But those games sure were fun. So here goes.. I was tagged to share 8 things about lit'l ol' me... things you may not already know... I suppose. So here it goes.

1. One of my children weighed 10 lbs 6 oz at birth...

2. I briefly attended Culinary Arts School...

3. I took every public speaking course offered at my College at the time, but was going for an early ed degree. Had I switched majors I would have graduated earlier... NO one bothered to tell me till after they had all my $$

4. I was once a nanny...

5. I loved Ronald Regan passionately ! I campaigned for him in my elementary school, and would defend him to anyone, anywhere, regardless of age... I wrote him personal letters about all my concerns about this country. I am still on some kind of Regan Memorial Mailing list.

6. I know virtually all of the Abba songs by heart, along with Neil Diamond,from years of brainwashing in my childhood.

7. I love to wear dresses or skirts. I home school all my kids, bake bread, cook from scratch, and never breastfed my babies who were all born by C-Section. *(this always surprises people)

8. I met my husband when I was fourteen. When he first looked at me, he thought I was the girl he'd like to marry. When I first looked at him, I thought he was terrible. I now adore my husband ! He is a man who loves God, loves me, and loves our children. He is an excellent provider, friend, and leader. There is none I would rather walk with nor follow. I have known him for more than half of my life.

So If I find 8 ladies to tag, and you read mine, just find 8 ladies & tag them to tell 8 things about themselves. This was fun... Thanks Saralyn

Buttons Buttons, more and more Buttons...
There are two new buttons on my side panel.
One is a moms for modesty website. I find modesty to be quite an issue in today's girls apparel. I find immodest hussy wear offensive, and I actively seek clothing that is both beautiful as well as modest. Modest doesn't have to mean frumpy. But some of the girls clothing at stores today are utterly unacceptable. This website is neat, and they even have a petition you can sign, to influence retailers into a more modest way.
The other new button is about TRUE foods. By true it is meant, NO Genetic engineering, or not Genetically modified. When you click on this link, you can also get a list of company's and products that are, and a list that are not genetically modified.
So THAT is what the new buttons are about! Be blessed!

doe ray me fa SEW la tee doe

Sew ....
a needle pulling thread.....

"did she say "sew"...?"
yes. I did.

Yesterday we had our first little gathering of new "sewing" gals... Alicia, Kiah and I all got lessons @ Oma's house today!
Hurray!
We got off to a slightly late start, but that was fine. It was fun!
We watched the introductory video that came with my machine, and Oma made us pause it, and go to our machines and do whatever it told us to do. With each of us having a different Brother Sewing Machine it made it a bit tricky; but NOTHING that Oma couldn't handle. :)

Oma even made snazzy sandwiches for us for lunch! It was terrific.

I was working on a straight stitch, (I am a novice, so we picked something simple) and with the straight stitch, I made 1 valence for my boys' room! :) yippee

Alicia, (I am a tad jealous) started on a beautiful apron. How gorgeous and feminine... Watching her labor away, I really thought it was a great project.. One I will have to try my hand at as well.. but not yet... I have pillows to do next. Pillows that will match the curtains in the boys' room.
Kiah, started on a Christmas stocking for her bunny rabbit. Yes, it is even lined. No one else in our whole family has a lined stocking. but for this fine creation of the Lord.... Only a lined Christmas stocking will do.

Well, I will try to buy some batteries to put in my camera, to take pictures, to download, and upload and all that jazz, to put on the blog for you to see. really.... I will. honest....

We have decided to try again for another "sewing day" next week. We are all, quite excited to learn from Oma. I think Oma enjoyed herself too...

What a blessing family and friends can be. Sometimes it feels easier to ask a stranger to teach you, or to sign up for a class somewhere. But if there is someone who loves you, someone who knows you, why not be willing to open up, and let them, beg them, to teach you. It really is a beautiful thing! It rather makes me want to sing....
Laaa -- a note to follow sew.... (this is that "note")
tea ----a drink with jam and bread..
that just makes me hungry...
it is too late to eat.....

Rejoicing in those moments... They come so often that we take them for granted. They are so fleeting that we often don't notice that we have them, till they are long gone. Gratitude to God for the simple smell of a clean baby, snuggling in your arms rather than wrestling. Thankfulness for songs to sing to a blessing about God, and life, and salvation.

Blessed Assurance Jesus is Mine... Oh what a foretaste of glory divine,
Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.... I once was....
To God be the glory great things He hath done, so loved He the world that He gave us
Jesus, lover of my soul, I will follow you all of my days....
Praise God from whom all blessings flow, praise Him all creatures here below.....
Pass me not O gentle savior, hear my humble cry...
Imortal Invisible God only Wise, In light inassessable hid from our eyes, most blessed most glorious .....
God of Wonders beyond our galaxy... YOU are holy... holy
Holy holy holy, Lord God Almighty, early in the morning our song shall rise to thee....
Blessed be the name of the Lord.... blessed be Your glorious name...

Contentment isn't just being ok that stuff is the way it is... It is being joyful doing, or being right where the Lord would have you right now, knowing that is wonderful, even if right here and right now is so hard.... If it is what He has for you, and He is good, it is good where you are, and better where you are headed... There is such hope in contentment. Contentment is NOT apathy.... Not at all...