In The Words of Jane Austen...

"What dreadful hot weather we have!
It keeps me in a continual state of inelegance."

~ Jane Austen

Top 10 Courtship Pick-Up Lines

I saw this and thought it was halarious! Even though my courtship has ended and I am now married, I am still becoming more and more inclined toward courtship and the more purity-based way of doing things. This is a fun little "Top 10 List" for all you likeminded readers out there!



10. "So I talked to your dad last night..."

 9. "I lost my phone number. Maybe through a purposeful relationship, we can find out if I'm supposed to have yours."

 8. "Your Bible...or mine?"

 7. "We're perfect for each other. Our parents have so much in common!"

 6. This one comes right out of the book of Song of Solomon, "You're so, so, how can I say this biblically? Your teeth are like a flock of ewes that have come up from the washing...Your hair is like a herd of goats running down a mountain!"
 5. "Do your feet hurt? 'Cause you've been running through God's plans for me all eternity long!"

 4. "Let's get our siblings together and go out sometime."

 3. "I can't wait to see what you look like at 50."

 2. "Your modesty's showing."

 1. "My parents are back in town. Wanna come over?"

The Weather Is Fine

How I wish it would rain!!!

The picture above is what the sky looked like yesterday afternoon. As I went to pick up the mail, I got all excited. RAIN!!!! Finally! ....but my excitement was short lived. It barely sprinkled. And now, I am wistfully looking outside the kitchen window at the overcast sky, praying for a thunderstorm and a small mini-flood.

*sigh* Oh well. It may be a draught outside, but today I have had an internal shower! I had a refreshing drink from the Word today.

This morning, I decided to go back to Genesis and read the big story of creation, man and woman, sin, and God's long suffering forgiveness. I was blessed at the reminder of my sinful state and the Lord's redeeming love and mercy. I don't know about you, but I am finding out that I need to be reminded daily how gloriously sweet His salvation is. Sometimes we forget how much we need our Savior. I was reminded anew this morning. And my, was it refreshing!

After my morning devotion, I went about picking up the kitchen and putting on a load of laundry. Then I began scrubbing some paint spots I discovered on our kitchen floor (oops!). While I worked, I decided to put on some "cleaning music." So I plugged in my ipod and set it to one of my old favorite groups, Point of Grace. Lo and behold, I heard these words...

I need you to rain down on me
Please pour down your light
For this is my life-line
I need you to rain down on me
The weather is fine when you rain on me

The power of gladness takes control
When it's streaming from Your face...

Holy water falls as I lift my eyes
Then heaven flows straight through my spirit
As it carries your embrace....

The weather is fine when you rain on me



Well, outside may be dry. But inside me? My cup is overflowing. :)

Canning Salsa

I canned salsa! Hooray!

Basic Salsa Recipe for Canning

Ingredients you will need:

24 cups chopped tomatoes

2 cups white vinegar

2 cups diced jalapeno peppers with seeds included

2 cups diced bell pepper

2 cups diced onion

2 small cans tomato sauce

3 to 6 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon canning salt

** I added about 1/4 c of lemon juice.
You can also add a ¼ bunch of cilantro.

Bring tomatoes and vinegar to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for one hour, stirring often. Add in jalapeno peppers, bell peppers, onions, tomato sauce, garlic and canning salt and cook another one to two hours or more to desired consistency.

Put the mixture in hot Mason jars. Process 15 minutes in a boiling water bath.

You can thicken the salsa by simmering the mixture in a crock pot with the lid off until you reach the desired thickness. This helps prevent scorching.

Are We Seeking His Face?

A man in our Church has this saying that fits very well with this post. He often asks, "Are we seeking God's face? Or His hands?" Profound. And very true. Very often, when we pray, we are seeking the hands of God, instead of desperately seeking after His face.

What are we seeking??

“You can’t have serious interest in prayer when you’re full of yourself. The prayer is a farce. The typical local church prayer meeting is a joke. It’s disgusting. It’s grievous to the Holy Spirit. Some pastors jokingly, and yet I suppose seriously, say ‘Our church prayer meeting is the organ recital. And all the organs of the body are talked about and prayer is requested.’ And here’s a nation rushing to hell and we concern ourselves with broken fingers and pains in our side. We haven’t taken prayer seriously, and we can’t because we haven’t humbled ourselves.”
- Richard Owen Roberts

"If you have any pride in your life it is because you have not yet had a full revelation of Christ."
- Richard Owen Roberts

My List of Goals

I have been doing some thinking and I decided to jot down a list of goals I want to accomplish in my life, my home, and my marriage. There is actually a website you can use if you are interested in creating a list yourself. http://www.dayzeroproject.com/



PERSONAL:

• Finish Honeymoon scrapbook
• Make a Wedding scrapbook
• Make a pregnancy scrabook
• Make a baby scrapbook for Nathan
• Practice music for at least 20 minutes every day
• Buy more skirts
• Read 20 books in one year
• Read 50 books in one year
• Read 75 books in one year
• Begin a "Birthday calendar"
• Rid self of one bad habit per week
• Become more joyful
• Establish more healthy and Godly habits
• Bring a Godly, peaceful atmosphere into my home every day
• Get back to writing my book
• Get back to writing music
• Make a budget for Christmas 2011
• Make Godly encouragement a lifestyle

SPIRITUAL

• Spend at least 30 minutes in prayer a day
• Memorize a new Bible verse per week
• Pray more specifically
• Sit down with Grant and do self inventory once a month
• Share Jesus with someone every day
• Begin prayer journal

HEALTH:

• Exercise every day
• Walk one mile
• Run a mile
• Run two miles
• Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day
• Maintain a healthy, good weight during pregnancy
• Lose 15 lbs

HOMEMAKING

• Learn meal planning
• Make a household notebook
• Try to save at least $5 a month
• Learn couponing
• Build up my Recipe Box
• Organize pantry once a month
• Experiment with cake baking and decorating 
• Organize all closets once a month
• Try a new recipe once a month
• Plant a garden
• Clean out the garage

MARRIAGE

• Encourage Grant daily
• Start monthly dates with Grant
• Read a book together
• Make honoring and encouraging Grant a more joyful challenge
• Spend more undistracted time together
• Study more on being a "help meet" (Genesis 2:18)
• Write a song together
• Spend more time praying for and with him

FAMILY:

• Read a Bible chapter every day
• Begin blanket training

FRIENDSHIP

• Call a friend at least once a week  
• Start inviting people over once a month
• Contact someone when God puts them on my heart

SHAME and AMEN!

Right now, the two words going through my head right now are - AMEN!!! and SHAME!!!

Why?

Because yesterday, I saw mothers on television debate over the upbringing of children in regards to abstinence....and the lack thereof. One group of women waved the flag of being "buddies" with their children and giving them birth control (among other things) since their children are "going to do it anyway." And many of those mothers were shocked to find how little they knew of their children's promiscuity. For that, I say SHAME! The other group of women were firm and vocal about waiting for marriage, or at least until they are older and more responsible (which, in today's society, even that is a step-up). One woman proudly said that she was raising her son to wait for his wedding day. For that, I say AMEN!!

When talking to the children themselves, one 15 year old girl had to stop and think of all the sexual partners she's had, counting them in her head, before concluding that she has had a total of eight partners! Another 14 year old girl said that everyone at school knows and talks about the sex act and thought that she might as well get it over with. How heartbreaking. To see the place we have come to, where love and intimacy and the beauty of marital lovemaking is trashed and reduced to nothing more than the usual "thing to do" once you arrive in Health class. Like getting your driver's license when you turn 16, it is just the average act of teenagers.

Do Christians have any idea of the epidemic we have??

Furthermore, do we do anything about it?

Being raised in a home where abstinence and chastity were taught, I learned quite a few things about purity and honor. Such as:

• Purity and abstinence education and commitments should be more than just a list of rules.
• You should saturate your children in what the Bible has to say about chastity and abstaining from immoral conduct. (Matthew 5:8, 1 Timothy 5:22b, 2 Timothy 2:22, 1 Thessalonians 4:3, 1 Peter 2:11)
• God's way should be taught as the beautiful, worthwhile thing that it is.
• You teach by example.

I think it is wonderful when parents desire to be close to their children, but there is a fine line between a close parent and confidant and a "buddy." A parent should set the tone of the household, the rules of the household, and lead by example. They should spend time with their children, teaching them, loving them, learning them, and inspiring them. A buddy is no more than an older version of their school and play mates. That is quite a difference. My heart breaks for the children. But in reality, I am more burdened over the parents, who literally have no clue. Instead of having such low expectations for their children, they should be raising the bar, setting high standards, inspiring them, and showing them that there is a greater life and purpose for them in the eyes of God.

SHAME to those who refuse God's way and will not heed His voice. AMEN to those who "ask for the old path, wherewith is the good way." (Jeremiah 6:16)

Proverbs 22:6
"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."