Time

Time is a great commodity.  We all have the same amount of time in our day, 24 hours...not one second more or one second less.  How is it that some people seem to get so much more done with their 24 hours while others get hardly nothing done it all? 

I am pondering this thought this morning as I plan out my day and my to do list.  So often it has to do with what we prioritize in our lives.  Do we do what is most important first or do we do the little insignificant things first?  What steals my time and productivity? 

It all begins with a plan and a list!  However, it is also being sensitive to the Holy Spirit as He may put things in our path that is not on our "plan and list."  Today, as I go about my day...I want to follow my list while being sensitive to the little "interruptions" that may make for the greatest highlights of my day! 

The power of words

Death and Life are in the power of the tongue,

And those who love it will eat its fruit.

Proverbs 18:21

Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,

Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.

Proverbs 16:24

...the words of the pure are pleasant.

Proverbs 15:26

Have you ever thought about the words you speak?  God created the world with his words alone.  We are created in God's image and carry great power in the words that proceed from our mouths.  I am challenged every day to speak life.  The Bible also says that from the outflow of the heart the mouth speaks.  Watch your words.  What are you words saying?  In light of the verse above, does it make you ponder what is in your heart?  I want to challenge us to really think about each word proceeding from our mouths.  Make those words be full of life and watch how the world around you changes!

Grace

Law demands.  Grace bestows. 

Law commands but gives no strength to obey.  Grace promises and performs, doing all we need to do. 

Law burdens and casts downs and condems.  Grace comforts and makes strong and glad. 

Law appeals to self to do its utmost.  Grace points to Christ to do all things. 

Law calls forth effort and strain and urges us toward a goal we can never reach. 

Grace works in us all of God's blessed will.  ~Andrew Murray

As 2009 ended I was continually pondering fasting:  its benefits, what the WORD says about it, Jesus did it and I want to be like him, so I should do it to.  They were great thoughts!  But everytime I tried, I failed.  I came across a great e-book and the author (Mike Bickle @ Internation House of Prayer in Kansas City) said something that turned my fasting world upside down.  Grace...Grace for fasting.  I know about the whole grace vs law issue, but I had never thought to pray for grace in the specific areas in my life I knew that my Abba daddy was calling me to walk in.  I just thought "I walk in grace."  Obviously, I did not or was not walking in the fullness of it, or maybe the specificness of grace. 

At the beginning of the year the Lord said to me, "Tithe to me the first 37 days of 2010 from sugar and begin a weekly fast for one 24 hour period.  BUT, ask for MY grace to do it.  I have a well of grace for you as you learn to walk in this discipline."  I am on day 15, and I have discovered that I am not fasting, when I fast it is a work, but HE is fasting thru me by the result of HIS grace, NOT my works!  Wow, that was great revelation. 

Last night I made a commitment, crazy probably considering all my daily responsibilites, but I made it none the less.  Kendall and I commited to get through the whole P90X (extreme homework out, for those of you who don't know what it is) before we leave for China in April.  As we began, one of his friends told him he had a blog called The Ultimate P90X Group and was challenging people to read the whole bible in that same 90 day period as you are doing P90X.  For our body it tempory but our soul is eternal.  Yes, we need to take care of our earthly temples but NOT at the expense of our spiritual health.  I woke this morning and as I was drinking my coffee, the Lord said, "Ask me for the grace for this as well, it is a good thing...when it is your works it becomes legalistic, but it is grace that sustains, it draws you into more intimacy with me."  I want to walk in specific grace, grace for the moment, grace for the day...abundant, vibrant grace.  Things, that with my natural eyes I have no ability to do, with GRACE I can do.  It is no longer a burden, an addition to my "to-do list," NO it becomes a JOY!  "Grace undertakes to work our whole life in us, and actually give us strength for every moment for whatever Father would have us be and do." ~Andrew Murray

A New Year!!

It is a new year!  I love new starts, there is such anticipation.  In our lives we have much anticipation this year.  We are excitedly looking forward to what God is going to do.  China awaits us in the spring.  Kendall is off to Nicaragua in February.  I am starting a new business on Etsy (a webstore that sells homemade items).  It will be fun to watch God bless the work that I enjoy doing and make a thriving business out of it!  So with much joy and excitement...

Welcome 2010!!

Come Abba Daddy and do YOUR work thru us this year!!

What do you think on?

Our lives are bombarded with stuff...sensory overload you could say. From TV to movies, from magazines to billboards, everyone wants you thinking about something. I am horrified at what is allowed to be printed or recorded not only for me to see but my innocent children. How to we combat this barrage of information that constantly takes our thoughts away from where they need to be? Paul says in Philippians 4 "to think on these things"....things that are:

TRUE

NOBLE

JUST

PURE

LOVELY

GOOD REPORT

VIRTUOUS

PRAISEWORTHY

How can we do that? By taking every thought captive and replacing it with thoughts that are true, lovely, noble, just, pure, virtuous, praiseworthy, good report. It begins with consciously doing it. One way we consciously do it is by not allowing evil to come before our eyes, as David says in the Psalms. As we begin to walk this path, really paying attention to what we see and think about, we make decisions on a moment by moment basis to think about some thing true (go to the word of God) or something Praiseworthy (sing praises to the Father). Then we will find that we begin to walk in a more intimate relationship with the father. Why? Because our minds are continually focused on HIM. I don't know about you, but that is my hearts desire!

Who do you strive to please?

"For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ" ~ Apostle Paul, Galatians 1: 10

This begs the question to ponder, "Who do I strive to please?" So many times every decision and action I make throughout the day comes from the root of who will be pleased. Often it is not a conscious decision but one breed out of habit, the desire to be important to someone, worthy of something or someone. I believe that if I change the motive of my decisions, actions, words to how would Christ have me respond, it would radically change my life. Supernatural living because my flesh is crucified and Christ is living through me, loving through me. I want to be a bondservant of Christ, not a man pleaser. It is not man whose blood covers all my sin. NO, it is Christ who died for me, who took on all my nasty, ugly sin so that I could live intimately with HIM. So again, who do I strive to please?

Oh Father that you would give me a heart that seeks hard after you, after pleasing you. That I would not be concerned with man's thoughts and desires and pleasures, but that you would be my only thought in each and every decision I make. It is the essence of supernatural living; the Holy Spirit indwelling in me.

The Garden in Daily Living

As my family and I are preparing our garden, I found this quite fascinating...

Plant Three Rows of Peas

1. Peace of mind
2. Peace of heart
3. Peace of soul

Plant Four Rows of Squash

1. Squash gossip
2. Squash indifference
3. Squash grumbling
4. Squash selfishness

Plant Four Rows of Lettuce

1. Lettuce be faithful
2. Lettuce be kind
3. Lettuce be patient
4. Lettuce really love one another

No Garden Without Turnips

1. Turnip for meetings
2. Turnip for service
3. Turnip to help one another







And We Must Have Thyme

1. Thyme for each other
2. Thyme for family
3. Thyme for friends

Water freely with patience and cultivate with love.Remember, you will reap what you sow.

Author Unknown.

Belief

God is not a belief to which you give your assent. God becomes a reality whom you know intimately, meet everyday, one whose strength becomes your strength, whose love, your love. Live this life of the presence of God long enough and when someone asks you, “Do you believe there is a God?” you may find yourself answering, “No, I do not believe there is a God. I know there is a God.”

~Ernest Boyer, Jr.

A Merry Heart, A Happy Home

Proverbs 17: 22 "A merry heard does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones."

Our cheerful, merry heart determines much in regard to the way our day goes, how smoothly our home runs. Waking up on the "wrong side of the bed" is reflected in our home and our family throughout the whole day. Have you ever heard that the mother/wife is the thermostat of the home? That is a big responsibility. Praise God that "we can do all things thru Christ who strengthens us" (Phil 4:13). He is the one that can change us, mold us, shape us when we go to Him daily and allow Him to gently remind us that it is all about Christ and the Kingdom. He has called us into this walk as wife, mom, homemaker. He has promised us that he will give us all we need to fulfill this very calling. Let us rest in His arms as we go about our days, allowing His sweet presence and aroma to fill our spirits and our homes with love, peace, and joy!

Integrity

"The righteous man walks in his integrity; his children are blessed after him."

Proverbs 20:7

Am I walking in integrity in all things?  There are little feet walking beside me, behind me, all around me who are watching...I desire blessing for my children.  Change me O God so there is integrity and godliness in EVERY detail of my life.