....okay so, who was watching me?
Monday, September 26, 2011
Monday Meanderings - 09/26/2011
Bible Study... 1 Peter 3
Memory Verse... Matthew 18:3-4
"And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
Husband Encouragement...
♥ Encourage him
♥ Be a good "keeper of the home" so he can relax when he comes home
♥ Pray for him
Train Them Up...
* Buy him jeans that fit! (his waist is just too tiny)
* Work with him
Personal Goals...
* Work on book
* Excercise as much as I can
* Continue to eat healthy (I've lost 6 lbs!)
New Habit of the Month...
* Season my words with grace
MUST Do...
* Get all laundry washed, dried and ironed
* Go to post office
* Get groceries
* Begin packing (which will be a challenge!)
Zone... living room
Menu
M - Not sure yet. Going to decide after I get offline.
T - Deer steak, corn, ??
W - Revival - Church food!
Th - Revival - Church food!
F - Revival - Church food!
S - Revival - Church food!
Su - Revival - Church food!
FUN THINGS!
* Brooklyn's 13th birthday Thursday!
* Seeing my husband's family this week
* Two revivals, beginning Wednesday!
* Visiting with family and friends!
* Writing songs!
3 things I'm thankful for today...
1. Good sleep
2. The peace which passeth all understanding
3. Healing
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Doctrine or Opinion? Divorce and Remarriage
Past Posts:
This is a touchy subject but one that is in dire need to be confronted. The Light of Truth should be shown over every area of our lives and although sometimes we would rather run from the Light, let us choose, instead, to walk in it, shall we?
We all know that marriage was the first institution established by God in Genesis, chapter 2. Samuele Bacchiocchi wrote, "No one knows how divorce began. The Biblical record shows that, unlike marriage, divorce was not instituted by God. There is no indication in the Bible suggesting that God introduced and institutionalized divorce after the Fall as part of His order for human society. Divorce is "man-made," not divinely ordained. It represents human rejection of God’s original plan for the indissolubility of the marriage bond." Agreed. It is a holy and sacred covenant that symbolizes the relationship between Christ and His Bride, the Body of Christ. Honoring and upholding the marriage vows brings honor and glory to the Lord and also produces many blessings upon our lives. Marriage is not only a covenant between the man and woman but a covenant with God.
Maybe you got married too young or before you knew Christ, and maybe God had nothing to do with your selection of the person. But let me repeat doctrine and make it clear: It makes no difference. Once you make that commitment in marriage, God recognizes it as a covenant no matter who you married (1 Corinthians 7:10-17). In today's society, a fad that is in the church as much as it is in the world is to not take the marriage covenant as seriously as we once did. The recent "no fault" divorce law makes the dissolution of marriage so easy that some lawyers advertise divorce services for less than $100.00! Today, if a Christian wants a divorce, they twist the scriptures to fit their desire, they refuse to be soft and reconciling, and they heed the voices that say, "There, there...it's okay. You deserve better anyway. You have to think about yourself, you know." They then try to justify their decision, coming up with all sorts of wild ideas why it's okay to divorce. But hear me out....that is not what Jesus, our God, taught.
Jesus taught that marriage was intended to be permanent. And, to get into the subject today, He taught that remarriage after divorce is adultery. We are all familiar with the scene in Matthew 19 and also in Mark 10 when the Pharisees come to Jesus and asked Him about this very thing. It says:
"And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you? And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away. And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." - Mark 10:2-9
Samuele Bacchiocchi wrote: "Christ’s answer is characteristic. He immediately calls attention to God’s original plan for marriage, almost chiding them for failing to realize that divorce is totally alien to such a plan. God’s original plan consists of a man and a woman being united in a marriage bond so strong that the two actually become one flesh (Gen 2:26; Matt 19:6; Mark 10:8). The "one flesh" unity of the couple is reflected especially in their offspring who partake of the genetic characteristics of father and mother, and the two are absolutely inseparable. Jesus affirms that it is God Himself who actually joins together a couple in marriage and what God has joined together no human being has the right to separate."
As John Murray puts it, "Divorce is the breaking of a seal which has been engraven by the hand of God."
So we can see that Jesus took marriage quite seriously. In fact, in Matthew's account, Jesus corrected the Pharisees with their verb usage. In chapter 19 of Matthew, verse 7, the Pharisees say that Moses commanded them to give a bill of divorcement. Jesus, then, corrected them by reminding the Pharisees that Moses suffered (i.e. allowed) a bill of divorcement to be written. Jesus goes on to say some pretty strong things about divorce and remarriage....
Mark 10:11-12
"And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery."
Notice that there is no "if's" or "but's" or "unless" used here. It's plain and simple. You divorce and remarry, no matter what the situation is, it is still adultery. And for heaven's sake, let us please begin to call sin, sin.
Romans 7:2-3
"For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.”
1 Corinthians 7:10-11
"And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife."
1 Corinthians 7:27
Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.
1 Corinthians 7:39
"The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord."
Luke 16:18
"Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery."
Obviously, Jesus does not recognize divorce as terminating a marriage. The reason a second marriage is called adultery is because the first one is considered to still be valid. So Jesus is taking a stand against the culture in which all divorce was considered to carry with it the right of remarriage. And I stand with Him. Pretty simple, hm? That shouldn't be too difficult to interpret. But man still often has problems with it. Big problems, in fact. Throughout time, man has attempted to make God's law say what he wants at the time. But try as we might, the truth still stands and endures forever.
Now on to some big questions....
Q) What if I am divorced and remarried already?
A) To that, I say this: There is grace and forgiveness. However, just as Jesus said, "Go and sin no more," we should do the same. 1 John 1:9 tells us that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins. I know plenty of couples who divorced and remarried before becoming believers in Christ. Is is still a sin? Yes. Is there forgiveness? Yes, when we call upon the Lord and confess and repent. But let it be noted that though our God offers grace to us, that NEVER means we are to justify sin under any circumstance. If it's in the past, then call it what it is and cry out to God for forgiveness. Then move on and allow Him to teach you more. There will be limitations as to what you will be allowed to do (i.e. be a Pastor, serve as a deacon, etc.) but God can still use you, just as He used the murderer, David; the prostitute, Rahab; the adulteress, Mary of Magdala; and the self-proclaimed chief of sinners, Paul.
Q) I divorced and am now remarried. Can I be clean again?
A) Of course. David not only committed fornication and adultery, he also murdered and deliberately disobeyed God. And in Psalm 51, he goes before God, confessing his sins, crying for mercy, and longing to be clean again. Over and over in that chapter, he expressed his desire to have "a clean heart," to be purged, to be made "whiter than snow." We serve a God who said that He can (and will if we repent) make our sin white as snow (Isaiah 1:18). After all, ALL sin is black. And ALL sin can be forgiven. And, praise God, when HE forgives, He forgets.
Q) What if I am remarried but decide to go back to my first spouse?
A) This is considered an abomination according to the Word (Deuteronomy 24:2-4; Jeremiah 3:1). To go back and forth is only polluting and defiling the land and the people of God more and more. Obviously, it is best to never divorce in the first place. Uphold your marriage vows. Remain true to your covenant. By doing so, you will reap good things. If you break them and remarry, you have committed adultery. But to leave and remarry yet again is only vomiting out more filth.
Q) Does God hate me? Does the Church hate me because of what I've done?
A) It is important to remember that God hates divorce....not the divorcèe. God hates sin...not the sinner. Yes, He will judge and chasten those who go against Him, but His ears are always listening and His arms are always open to those who will come to Him for mercy. As Christians, we need to remember to speak the truth, but also to show love. We should reflect Christ’s compassionate attitude toward those who have experienced the trauma of divorce, just as we should show grace to those who have murdered, lied, fornicated, etc. Christ dealt graciously with the Samaritan woman who had been married five times (John 4:6-26). We ought to do the same. And let us also remember that divorce and remarriage is not the unpardonable sin. Though it is a grave and serious sin that should be called what it is, it is no more of a sin than ours.
The simple appeal I would like to make is this: Can we please stop justifying sin? Do we really and truly believe that we grow closer to the Lord God by deliberately disobeying God, then justifying our sin and making our blackness "no big deal"? Don't you think that we will be more blessed and have a better understanding of truth and grace if we chose to agree with Jesus Christ and what HE has said, and then humbly come to Him for forgiveness? I think so....
Doctrine or Opinion? Your Thoughts...
Doctrine or Opinion? Drinking.
Doctrine or Opinion? Living Together Before Marriage.
Doctrine or Opinion? Divorce.
* Divorce and remarriage. Is it right? Is it wrong?
Doctrine or Opinion? Drinking.
Doctrine or Opinion? Living Together Before Marriage.
Doctrine or Opinion? Divorce.
* Divorce and remarriage. Is it right? Is it wrong?
This is a touchy subject but one that is in dire need to be confronted. The Light of Truth should be shown over every area of our lives and although sometimes we would rather run from the Light, let us choose, instead, to walk in it, shall we?
We all know that marriage was the first institution established by God in Genesis, chapter 2. Samuele Bacchiocchi wrote, "No one knows how divorce began. The Biblical record shows that, unlike marriage, divorce was not instituted by God. There is no indication in the Bible suggesting that God introduced and institutionalized divorce after the Fall as part of His order for human society. Divorce is "man-made," not divinely ordained. It represents human rejection of God’s original plan for the indissolubility of the marriage bond." Agreed. It is a holy and sacred covenant that symbolizes the relationship between Christ and His Bride, the Body of Christ. Honoring and upholding the marriage vows brings honor and glory to the Lord and also produces many blessings upon our lives. Marriage is not only a covenant between the man and woman but a covenant with God.Jesus taught that marriage was intended to be permanent. And, to get into the subject today, He taught that remarriage after divorce is adultery. We are all familiar with the scene in Matthew 19 and also in Mark 10 when the Pharisees come to Jesus and asked Him about this very thing. It says:
"And the Pharisees came to him, and asked him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you? And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away. And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." - Mark 10:2-9
Samuele Bacchiocchi wrote: "Christ’s answer is characteristic. He immediately calls attention to God’s original plan for marriage, almost chiding them for failing to realize that divorce is totally alien to such a plan. God’s original plan consists of a man and a woman being united in a marriage bond so strong that the two actually become one flesh (Gen 2:26; Matt 19:6; Mark 10:8). The "one flesh" unity of the couple is reflected especially in their offspring who partake of the genetic characteristics of father and mother, and the two are absolutely inseparable. Jesus affirms that it is God Himself who actually joins together a couple in marriage and what God has joined together no human being has the right to separate."
As John Murray puts it, "Divorce is the breaking of a seal which has been engraven by the hand of God."
So we can see that Jesus took marriage quite seriously. In fact, in Matthew's account, Jesus corrected the Pharisees with their verb usage. In chapter 19 of Matthew, verse 7, the Pharisees say that Moses commanded them to give a bill of divorcement. Jesus, then, corrected them by reminding the Pharisees that Moses suffered (i.e. allowed) a bill of divorcement to be written. Jesus goes on to say some pretty strong things about divorce and remarriage....
Mark 10:11-12
"And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery."
Notice that there is no "if's" or "but's" or "unless" used here. It's plain and simple. You divorce and remarry, no matter what the situation is, it is still adultery. And for heaven's sake, let us please begin to call sin, sin.
Romans 7:2-3
"For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.”
1 Corinthians 7:10-11
"And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife."
1 Corinthians 7:27
Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.
1 Corinthians 7:39
"The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord."
Luke 16:18
"Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery."
Obviously, Jesus does not recognize divorce as terminating a marriage. The reason a second marriage is called adultery is because the first one is considered to still be valid. So Jesus is taking a stand against the culture in which all divorce was considered to carry with it the right of remarriage. And I stand with Him. Pretty simple, hm? That shouldn't be too difficult to interpret. But man still often has problems with it. Big problems, in fact. Throughout time, man has attempted to make God's law say what he wants at the time. But try as we might, the truth still stands and endures forever.
Now on to some big questions....
Q) What if I am divorced and remarried already?
A) To that, I say this: There is grace and forgiveness. However, just as Jesus said, "Go and sin no more," we should do the same. 1 John 1:9 tells us that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins. I know plenty of couples who divorced and remarried before becoming believers in Christ. Is is still a sin? Yes. Is there forgiveness? Yes, when we call upon the Lord and confess and repent. But let it be noted that though our God offers grace to us, that NEVER means we are to justify sin under any circumstance. If it's in the past, then call it what it is and cry out to God for forgiveness. Then move on and allow Him to teach you more. There will be limitations as to what you will be allowed to do (i.e. be a Pastor, serve as a deacon, etc.) but God can still use you, just as He used the murderer, David; the prostitute, Rahab; the adulteress, Mary of Magdala; and the self-proclaimed chief of sinners, Paul.
Q) I divorced and am now remarried. Can I be clean again?
A) Of course. David not only committed fornication and adultery, he also murdered and deliberately disobeyed God. And in Psalm 51, he goes before God, confessing his sins, crying for mercy, and longing to be clean again. Over and over in that chapter, he expressed his desire to have "a clean heart," to be purged, to be made "whiter than snow." We serve a God who said that He can (and will if we repent) make our sin white as snow (Isaiah 1:18). After all, ALL sin is black. And ALL sin can be forgiven. And, praise God, when HE forgives, He forgets.
Q) What if I am remarried but decide to go back to my first spouse?
A) This is considered an abomination according to the Word (Deuteronomy 24:2-4; Jeremiah 3:1). To go back and forth is only polluting and defiling the land and the people of God more and more. Obviously, it is best to never divorce in the first place. Uphold your marriage vows. Remain true to your covenant. By doing so, you will reap good things. If you break them and remarry, you have committed adultery. But to leave and remarry yet again is only vomiting out more filth.
Q) Does God hate me? Does the Church hate me because of what I've done?
A) It is important to remember that God hates divorce....not the divorcèe. God hates sin...not the sinner. Yes, He will judge and chasten those who go against Him, but His ears are always listening and His arms are always open to those who will come to Him for mercy. As Christians, we need to remember to speak the truth, but also to show love. We should reflect Christ’s compassionate attitude toward those who have experienced the trauma of divorce, just as we should show grace to those who have murdered, lied, fornicated, etc. Christ dealt graciously with the Samaritan woman who had been married five times (John 4:6-26). We ought to do the same. And let us also remember that divorce and remarriage is not the unpardonable sin. Though it is a grave and serious sin that should be called what it is, it is no more of a sin than ours.
The simple appeal I would like to make is this: Can we please stop justifying sin? Do we really and truly believe that we grow closer to the Lord God by deliberately disobeying God, then justifying our sin and making our blackness "no big deal"? Don't you think that we will be more blessed and have a better understanding of truth and grace if we chose to agree with Jesus Christ and what HE has said, and then humbly come to Him for forgiveness? I think so....
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
The Proverbs 31 Quest || pt 3
Miss 31's role as a wife continues with verse twelve in Proverbs chapter 31....
Wow. All the days of her life??
A few years ago, I read that portion and it took on a whole new meaning. ALL the days of her life. Notice that it does not say "all the days of her married life." Could it be that this speaks of purity? In our culture, there is the belief that we can live however we'd like, having fun in the dating world, stacking up dozens of past flights and relationships. Then when we marry, we suddenly have the assumption that commitment will come easily; that honor is a given; that loyalty and faithfulness are natural products of marriage. Far from it. If we, as singles, do not develop a lifestyle of honor and purity before marriage, then we should not assume that those things will come easily once our marriage vows are spoken. Miss 31 does her husband good and not evil all the days of her life. She brings him honor before their wedding day ever arrives. She brings him favor and joy, both prior to marriage and throughout their marriage. If you are reading and you are single, I challenge you to take this season of singleness to do your future husband good and not evil. In this season, I challenge you to honor him NOW in your actions and lifestyle. When you are in the company of men, I pray you will think of your future husband and imagine him beside you, then act accordingly. When you are tempted to flirt or seductively reveal parts of your body in immodest dress, I pray you will chose to bring your future husband favor by bringing dignity to his future wife - you! Begin a lifestyle of doing him good right now! And if you are reading this and you are married, then I challenge you to bring your husband kindness and cheerfulness and delight. I hope and pray that I will learn to opt for a more good approach when my flesh is tempted to react in mischief and evil. When he leaves his socks on the floor or makes a mess in the kitchen, instead of reacting with impatience and deciding to "tell him how it should be," let us chose to serve our husbands and develop a kind attitude. When he comes home frustrated and short, instead of letting it get to us and reacting with irritability, let us chose to act with grace and goodness. If you are anything like me, I'm sure you have a lot to learn too.
As we continue on our Proverbs 31 quest, let us seek the face of God and allow Him to reshape us into a woman who will do her husband good and not evil. Let us allow Him to mold our hearts and make us more soft and sweet, acting with cheerfulness and kindness instead of reacting with trouble and sorrow.
Proverbs 31:12
"She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life."
Proverbs 31:12
"She will do him good and not evil
all the days of her life."
"She will do him good and not evil
all the days of her life."
"She will do him good and not evil...."
* Good - kindly; delight; cheerful; favor
* Evil - mischief; trouble; sorrow
* Good - kindly; delight; cheerful; favor
* Evil - mischief; trouble; sorrow
I am guilty of this. In only a year and half of marriage, I have failed many times, choosing to do my husband "evil" instead of "good." When his attitude has not been to my liking, many times, I have opted to bring him sorrow as a sort of payback for his frustrated snap or shortness. Instead of submitting my emotions to the Lord and choosing to be kind and cheerful to bless my husband, I have chosen to take matters into my own hands which always leads to more evil than good. Miss 31 doesn't do that. She brings her husband delight. She brings her husband favor. She is a delight to be around and refuses to bring him harm with irritability.
Now, again, we all know that Miss 31 was not perfect. And we all know that we can never be perfect. However, the knowledge that perfection is unobtainable while we live in a sinful world, should never warrant our refusal to pursue the attributes and lifestyle of the Proverbs 31 woman. It is in our Bible for a reason. Jesus Himself said to be holy as HE is holy. Though we will never "arrive," Christ calls us to walk in the direction of holiness. In like manner, we should walk in the footsteps of Miss 31 and follow her example as a godly wife and mother.
Now, again, we all know that Miss 31 was not perfect. And we all know that we can never be perfect. However, the knowledge that perfection is unobtainable while we live in a sinful world, should never warrant our refusal to pursue the attributes and lifestyle of the Proverbs 31 woman. It is in our Bible for a reason. Jesus Himself said to be holy as HE is holy. Though we will never "arrive," Christ calls us to walk in the direction of holiness. In like manner, we should walk in the footsteps of Miss 31 and follow her example as a godly wife and mother.
"...all the days of her life."
Wow. All the days of her life??
A few years ago, I read that portion and it took on a whole new meaning. ALL the days of her life. Notice that it does not say "all the days of her married life." Could it be that this speaks of purity? In our culture, there is the belief that we can live however we'd like, having fun in the dating world, stacking up dozens of past flights and relationships. Then when we marry, we suddenly have the assumption that commitment will come easily; that honor is a given; that loyalty and faithfulness are natural products of marriage. Far from it. If we, as singles, do not develop a lifestyle of honor and purity before marriage, then we should not assume that those things will come easily once our marriage vows are spoken. Miss 31 does her husband good and not evil all the days of her life. She brings him honor before their wedding day ever arrives. She brings him favor and joy, both prior to marriage and throughout their marriage. If you are reading and you are single, I challenge you to take this season of singleness to do your future husband good and not evil. In this season, I challenge you to honor him NOW in your actions and lifestyle. When you are in the company of men, I pray you will think of your future husband and imagine him beside you, then act accordingly. When you are tempted to flirt or seductively reveal parts of your body in immodest dress, I pray you will chose to bring your future husband favor by bringing dignity to his future wife - you! Begin a lifestyle of doing him good right now! And if you are reading this and you are married, then I challenge you to bring your husband kindness and cheerfulness and delight. I hope and pray that I will learn to opt for a more good approach when my flesh is tempted to react in mischief and evil. When he leaves his socks on the floor or makes a mess in the kitchen, instead of reacting with impatience and deciding to "tell him how it should be," let us chose to serve our husbands and develop a kind attitude. When he comes home frustrated and short, instead of letting it get to us and reacting with irritability, let us chose to act with grace and goodness. If you are anything like me, I'm sure you have a lot to learn too.
As we continue on our Proverbs 31 quest, let us seek the face of God and allow Him to reshape us into a woman who will do her husband good and not evil. Let us allow Him to mold our hearts and make us more soft and sweet, acting with cheerfulness and kindness instead of reacting with trouble and sorrow.
"She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life."
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Five Months Old
It just hit me. Nathan will be 6 months old next month. He's nearly half way to a year old. I'm not sure how I feel about that.
So what's new with my little man?
Now.... PICTURES!
Sleeping in the car
"Hi Momma!" .....isn't he just the cutest ever?
Workin' on holding that bottle
All dressed up for Church!
With mommy
My little country dude :)
Chewing on his spoon
So what's new with my little man?
- So his sleeping patterns have changed a bit. He's been wanting to go to bed in between seven and eight each night and has been waking around around 7 a.m. each morning. Not bad at all. :)
- We have introduced solids to him and, so far, so good. He has eaten carrots, sweet potatoes, green peas, bananas, prunes, and apples. However, he hates oatmeal. I'm pretty sure it's the texture he isn't fond of. We'll try again some other day. No biggie. No biggie at all.
- He is rolling over, laughing out loud, coo-ing all the time, and playing with his feet constantly. He will grab his feet and just hang on. He will pull his toes up to his mouth and suck, chew, and who knows what else. I think it's hilarious and so very cute.
- He is doing great job at holding on to objects that we give him and he's doing a good job at picking up items...and of course, they all go directly to his mouth. He is also reaching out towards faces (and jewelry).
- Lately, Grant has been loading him up in his Baby Bjorn and taking him out to feed the dogs. He is mesmerized. They have even went four wheeler riding in the backyard which, judging his expression, Nathan loves!
Now.... PICTURES!
Sweet little boy....
"I'm gonna get it!"
Story time with daddy
Sleeping in the car
"Hi Momma!" .....isn't he just the cutest ever?
Workin' on holding that bottle
Playing....
Baby food!
"Ooooh! I like it! Gimme more!!"
All dressed up for Church!
My little country dude :)
Chewing on his spoon
"I'm FIVE months old!"
Monday, September 12, 2011
Monday Meanderings - 09/12/2011
Bible Study... Titus 2
Memory Verse... 2 Corinthians 10:5
"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ."
Husband Encouragement...
♥ Be his help meet
♥ Cook healthy
♥ Be a better support system
Train Them Up...
* Do a better job at Scripture time
* Go through his clothes and pull out the fall stuff!
Personal Goals...
* Journal
* Work on book
* Exercise hard and eat healthy (we'll see if I actually do this, this week)
New Habit of the Month...
* Season my words with grace
MUST Do...
*
* Finish laundry (workin' on it)
* Vacuume living room and bedroom
Zone... living room
Menu
M - Honey Mustard Chicken (didn't get to this last week)
T - Cajun Squirrel meat with steamed carrots
W - Deer wraps?
Th - Soup
F - TBD
S - TBD
Su - TBD
FUN THINGS!
* WWC this weekend!
* Spending time with family and friends this weekend!
* Writing songs!
3 things I'm thankful for today...
1. Music
2. God's Word
3. Good health
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Have We Forgotten?
Ten years ago, our nation was attacked by a great enemy; the same enemy who has raged war with the world for centuries. This enemy was born out of sin and disobedience to God. This enemy hates our country's Christian heritage and despises our beloved friend, Israel. (I would like to add that though this is our enemy and we must protect and defend our country from our enemies, let us not forget to PRAY for our enemies as Jesus told us to do in Matthew 5:44)
On September 11, 2001, my family and I were conducting a revival in Mississippi. I remember my mom awaking me that morning and telling me that the north tower of the World Trade Center had been hit. I got up, dressed, and went into the Church's fellowship hall where my family sat with the pastor, watching the live footage. Just moments later, we all watched as Flight 175 crashed into the south tower. Like probably most of you, I felt like I was watching a movie. It didn't seem real.
Where were you ten years ago today?
Did you watch along, in horror, as people jumped to their deaths?
Did you gasp as the towers collapsed and fell to the ground?
Did you sit, open mouthed, at the footage from Iraq as many gathered in the streets rejoicing?
Have we forgotten the 3,497 lives that were lost that day? Have we forgotten the hatred our enemy (who we now bend-over backwards for) had - and still has - for us and our country? On that day, our nation banded together and there was massive prayer. Suddenly, everyone was desperate for God. Have we forgotten that too? It appears so.
Watching the footage of September 11, and watching the 10-year-anniversary specials on the event, I am burdened all the more for the state of our world. I mourn those lost. I wonder how many opened their eyes in hell on that day. I mourn those families who have, no doubt, endured ten years of overwhelming grief. I applaud the firefighters and police force and countless heroes that gave their lives to save others.
Have we forgotten them? I pray we never do.
But other than the events of September 11, 2001, I believe there is much more that we have failed to remember.
Have we forgotten that in the United States, 3,700 are aborted (i.e. murdered) each day for "convenience" sake? Worldwide, 115,00 per day are killed.
Have we forgotten that every day 6,000 children all over the world die from water-related illnesses?
Have we forgotten that about 25,000 people die every day of hunger or hunger-related causes – a huge majority of them being children? (That’s one person every three and a half seconds.)
Have we forgotten that every 45 minutes, someone dies due to drunk driving?
Have we forgotten that every day, approximately 150,000 die without Christ?
I pray, just as we vowed in 2001 to "never forget," that we will make that vow once more and NEVER forget the dire need all around us. Those hurting. Those grieving. Those hungry. Those in desperate need of love. Those searching for truth....
People need the Lord.....may we never forget that.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Homemade Reeses Cups
So last night Grant and I had a sweet tooth. In an attempt to do something different (and also fulfill more unimaginable culinary goals aroused by Pinterest), I rolled up my sleeves and made homemade Reeses cups. Trust me, if you know my husband and his insane love of peanut butter (and if you know ME and MY insane love of chocolate), then you can bet that he was thrilled when I handed him this desert.
For the chocolate:
1 1/2 cups chopped semisweet chocolate
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
Pinch salt
For the filling:
12 tablespoons (or 3/4 cup) natural peanut butter
1/3 cup evaporated cane juice or light brown sugar or even powdered sugar
2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs, optional
Pinch salt
Prepare a standard muffin tin with 12 paper liners.
Combine chocolate, peanut butter and salt in a sauce pan and cook on low heat until melted, stirring occasionally.
Place 2 teaspoons melted chocolate in each cupcake liner and carefully spread it with the back of a spoon at the bottom and only 1/4 of the way up the liner. Repeat with all 12 liners.
Place the chocolate-covered liners onto a plate in the fridge to firm up, for about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling: Stir together peanut butter, sugar, optional crumbs, and salt.
The chocolate should be hard by now, so divide peanut butter paste into all 12 liners, about 1 heaping tablespoon per liner, pressing down gently to make sure the paste goes everywhere. Place in fridge to firm up, for about 20 minutes.
Top with 2 teaspoons melted chocolate, spreading carefully so that none of the peanut butter can be seen.
Let cups firm up in fridge for at least one hour before enjoying. Store in fridge or freezer.
Yield: 12 candies
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
GO HOGS!!!!
Football season is here! And, being true to his state, Nathan modeled his support for the Hogs yesterday afternoon. :) My little boy is just adorable.... :)
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Movie Recommendations -- 09/06/2011
This is a great movie! I watched it for the first time a few years ago and instantly loved it. "The Ultimate Gift" is about Jason Stevens, a spoiled little rich kid, living on his trust fund, who believes money is what brings happiness. When his insanely wealthy grandfather dies, Jason discovers that his grandfather left him a very big gift. Believing it to be money - and lots of it! - Jason agrees to twelve tasks, which his grandfather calls, "gifts" which, in the end, teaches him what life is truly all about. I have watched this movie many times over and am always reminded the greatest gifts in life are the ones that money could never buy. Again, this is a fantastic movie that I highly recommend it!
This is one of my all-time favorite musicals. Set in Tsarist, Russia in 1905, the story centers on Tevye, a poor, Jewish milk man and the father of five daughters, and his attempts to maintain his family and Jewish traditions while outside influences encroach upon their lives. I adore this musical and often go around singing songs from the movie (Grant even bought the soundtrack!). It is very humorous, very sobering, and a very great watch!
I like the Veggies....especially the older ones. This is the first full-length feature film that Big Idea produced. The movie weaves two stories together. The first takes place in the current day and concerns a mishap that occurs on the way to a concert. The second, set in ancient Israel, is based directly on the story of Jonah. Through both stories, we learn that we must be compassionate and merciful, and that everyone deserves a second chance. It's a cute movie for children that does a good job at mixing Bible values with "Saturday morning fun."
This is a wonderful movie. Buchan and his family move from Zambia to South Africa. With nothing more than a caravan on a patch of land, the Buchan family struggles to settle in a new place. Faced with ever mounting challenges, hardships and personal turmoil, Buchan quickly spirals down into a life consumed by anger, fear and destruction. Finally, his wife convinces him to attend a local church, where the testimonies of other farmers influence his decision to give his life to Christ. His life makes a complete turnaround and he is challenged to grow in his faith. Believing he is led by the Lord, Buchan plants potatoes - a massive risk due to the drought in the area. He calls for prayer and plants potatoes in the dry dust. I cried as I watched his struggle to believe, in faith, that the Lord would answer his prayers and it inspired me to have faith "like potatoes."
If you like to read, go check out the books by Beverly Lewis. This movie is based upon her book, The Redemption of Sarah Cain. I have heard about this movie for a while and was finally able to watch it a couple of weeks ago. The movie begins as Sarah Cain, a successful columnist in Oregon, is told by her boss that her column has been rejected. She isn't writing about life anymore, just cheesy little articles that have no meaning. Frustrated, she leaves for a restaurant when her phone rings. To her dismay, she is informed that her older sister, Ivy, has just died of heart failure. Upon hearing the news, she rushes to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where her sister lived as an Amish believer, for the funeral. Once there, she finds that as the sole surviving relative, the court has appointed her as the legal guardian for the five children. She begins to write about her days events and soon discovers that the readers want more. After that comes a sweet story of family, self-denial, forgiveness, and redemption. A good watch!
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