a life blessed

I am so full right now I could just explode!!  Not physically full but spiritually full.  Todd & I are participating in a couple of Bible studies together - one is a discipleship training class called "Not A Fan", and the other is for our 6th Grade Sunday School class: "Experiencing God - Youth Edition."  I have mentioned in earlier posts that I am trying to have a Mary mentality for 2012.  We are very rarely home, so the Martha mentality tries to overtake me whenever I do have a scoop of time at home.  When we do make it home after a work day, we are usually home just long enough to make a mess only to have to turn around to go to another function and leave the mess behind with a promise to tend to it as soon as time becomes available.  Over the years, I've developed a practice of giving it a 'lick and a promise' for another day!  Frustrating. (especially if company comes over -- EEK!) Because of this busy-ness, I alw...

Have you ever read a scripture that 'screams' at you so loudly that it seems as if you've just heard it for the very first time?  That happened to me today.  My reading today included  1 Corinthians 3:7 - " So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase ." (NKJV)  This is my new favorite verse!! This is the version from The Message - " It's not the one who plants or the one who waters who is at the center of this process but God, who makes things grow ." Those who buy the seed are important.  Those who plant the seed are important.  Those who water the seed are important.  But they are not the center of the process.  God is.  (The "I AM.")  It is  for God that we do all these things.  Each one of us have been given different gifts to help in God's process of Kingdom growth.  The important thing to remember is that it is "GOD....who makes things grow." ...

(I'd like to apologize beforehand for a lengthy post!  The material was just so rich I could not bear to shorten it.) After coming off a whirlwind of 2011, my goal for 2012 is to 'gear down' in this Martha-esque world and make a determined, intentional resolution to take time every day and sit at the feet of Jesus and earnestly seek His face as Mary did.   In a world of  'to do' lists, and feelings of satisfaction with every check mark of completion making me feel productive, my main purpose of twenty twelve is nurture the relationship I have with my Father. Nothing else matters. Everything else will fall into place. I have been reading a very small but powerful book entitled 'Towards a Powerful Inner Life' by Graham Cooke. (A big 'thank you' to my friend, Jacque, for this gift!) I should have read it all in one sitting but have been savoring over each page for several weeks now.  The material is so rich I can only tak...

Christmas at Dad's. Family Traditions kindling a climate of love and warmth which create a sense of completion....a family bond ... family unity. Cords that cannot be broken. There's nothing else like it.   And it was all captured through the eye of the lens. Christmas was at Darin & Jen's house this year (my brother & sister-in-law.) Jennifer, adding the last minute touches Jennifer did an outstanding job creating a festive atmosphere with all the decor that was so very simple but elegant and Martha Stewart-ish, with her own personal touch of course. I love this! The food and trimmings were out of this world (thanks to a family of great cooks!) Lots of side items to go with the BBQ & baked beans, yum! And along with the BBQ, baked beans and side items, there were lil smokies and lots of desserts. The peppermint cake is absolutely my dad's favorite! My mom used to make my dad's favorite peppermint candy...

It's been a 'month of Sundays' since my last blog, but time has just not been a friend to me in my blogging world!  I would LOVE to be able to post every day, but for now....only as time allows! This Thanksgiving season as I thought about our fast-paced life and wallowing in self-pity for those things I desire to do that time doesn't allow, the Holy Spirit reminded me that in every situation I should be content (Philippians 4:11-13; 1 Timothy 6:6.)  Oh, I am not really wallowing in self-pity, although I have before, and I DO desire to do things that time doesn't allow:  - there are many books purchased of which I've not been able to peruse past the 1st page  - many blogs I've posted in my mind simply because of no time to put it in type  - giving my house 'a lick and promise'... a promise to clean deeper the next time....only to have to do the same the next time  - and blah, blah, blah...many others too ...

We must plan - in advance - every day, to remain faithful to God.  In this way we will be sure to please Him. And it's important to teach this to our children. Every day, especially as they get older, our children are faced with certain situations that we cannot control because we aren't with them 24/7 as when they were younger.  Easter 2011 with their youngest cousins Every step of 'letting go ... ' is something God ordains for their lives, in order to become healthy, independent adults. At each phase of 'letting go', we must have instilled in them that they must plan in advance - before ever stepping out the door - to remain faithful to the Lord, so that when they are thrust into certain situations, they already know what their response should be. The best way to teach them is to lead by example.  (Easier said than done) Planning to stay faithful will help increase victory! I pray that the meditations of my heart and the words of my mouth be...

I love to read magazines.  Especially those that help me grow spiritually!  I used to be your tabloid, People, Glamour kindof girl, until my thirst for God overpowered my thirst for useless information.  That's when my search for periodicals became one in which would help me gain the wisdom and knowledge that God promises to give freely when asked. My two most favorite magazines of all time have been Pray! magazine and Discipleship Journal magazine. Sadly, both of these magazines have stopped publication.   Devastating!  :-( I have since not been able to find another magazine that can match the caliber of information as was submitted by these two magazines.  I am still in mourning even though it's been (give or take) a year or so.  I did run across a magazine that I had stockpiled to peruse at a later date whenever time allowed.  It's back from 2009!  (Where has the time gone?!) ...