Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Anyway

This song really encourages me to continue to do things "Anyway." Sometimes I wonder why I should pray, love, dream, believe or sing. It seems as though "What's the use?" Will I get hurt again? I should do it "Anyway!" The Lord tells us to pray and seek Him through HIS Son, Jesus. We can believe in HIM and He gives us the desires of our heart. So I pray my desires are HIS desires. I can love others because He loves me. I hope this song encourages you as much as it does me.
Blessings in Christ--





Anyway Lyrics

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Thanksgiving Day


Remember to give thanks to the LORD! We certainly have much to be thankful for today.


Good, healthy families

Plenty of provision—shelter, food, and clothing

Good Jobs

Vehicles

Pets

Friends

The Word of God that has the power to change our lives!

Jesus—our salvation


I’ve read on several blogs of family traditions. Traditions of turkey, pumpkin pie, football, movies, watching Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade on TV and so many other things. Our family is unique in that from year to year we do something different. This year we’re gathering with friends for the afternoon. My brother and his family are at the Dallas Cowboys game in Dallas. My Mom and step Dad at their home.


Let’s remember those who can’t gather with their families today—those who are serving in the military, law enforcement (federal, state, and local entities), doctors and nurses tending to medical needs of the infirmed and others that must work today to support the family. My husband and I have worked before on many holidays. Let them know that you’re thankful for their service. They’ll appreciate it.


“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”- Colossians 3:15


Happy Thanksgiving!

Thursday, November 15, 2007

It's Normal Now!

It’s normal now to see people talking as they stare at boxes on the shelves, look at clothes on the rack, walking down aisles and alone in the vehicles driving down the road. They appear to be talking to themselves, but upon closer inspection you see a “bug” attached to their ear. Oh the “Bluetooth” technology.

I remember as child I asked my mother, “Is it normal to talk to yourself?”


I remember her saying, “As long as you don’t answer yourself. They’ll think you’re crazy.”


All these years, I’ve concealed the fact that I talk to and answer myself. Why not? David encouraged himself in the Lord. (1 Sam 30:6) Maybe he talked to himself too. Perhaps that is what it takes me to get encouraged in the Lord.


I now have a solution to so I don’t look crazy. I attach a “bug” to my ear. I can now talk to myself (and answer myself if I reach a solution) wherever I go and no one suspects a thing! I appear normal! Or peculiar?


1 Peter 2:9 KJV

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;


Blessings in Christ--

Sunday, November 11, 2007

What was I thinkin'?

Stinkin’ thinkin’ will cause problems if not controlled!


What such timing God has! We’ve heard it said, “God is never early, never late; but right on time!”


No matter what Bible study I’m participating in, God seems to reach me where I’m at and teach me what I need to learn. In Beth Moore’s A Heart Like His, she taught about sin in our lives and how it can affect us. Well I got a test this past week.


We can sin in our thoughts. That really hit me as I had dismissed wrongful thoughts as not being sin as long as I didn’t say or do anything wrong. I wrestled with this revelation. I asked the Lord, “Can I sin in my thought life?” I felt like I got a response of “Let Me show you.”


After studying that segment in the Bible Study (those of you familiar with Beth Moore’s study knows there is much more covered in the material, but this part worked me over), I was tested.


I tried to reach a friend I wanted to talk to on the phone. She didn’t answer. I would run into someone and heard she went to one place or another with someone else. My thoughts started to become frustrated. I tried to call again. No answer. I started rationalizing that she was screening my calls and not answering upon seeing the caller ID. My frustration started to turn to anger. Another two days later, I tried again. Still no answer. Anger started to give way to what I wanted to say when I did reach her. She didn’t even return my calls.


I started praying for the Lord to bless her and to guide her and to guide me. I kept telling myself and the Lord that I wanted to give this situation to Him. I talked to the Lord but I felt like I wasn’t getting any response.


Finally I decided I’d try again after a week. She answered this time. She started explaining the things that were going on in her life before I had the opportunity to share any of my stinkin’ thoughts about the situation. I’m so glad the Lord moved her to speak first. If I had spoken, I would have hurt our relationship. Not only that, as she explained the situation she was dealing with, I realized she was the one who was sent in response to prayers I prayed that I felt the Lord lead me to pray. When I told her I’d been praying about that, her response was, “I knew the Lord put us together.” Whoa! I felt this was deep.


If I were allowed to speak my thoughts, I would have not only messed up a relationship, but the work the Lord is doing through her. I thank the Lord He didn’t let me speak. I repented for my wrongful thoughts. I realize now that a lot of situations I deal with are fabricated in my mind and never truly exist.


The things we do and say start with our thoughts. If our thoughts don’t line up with the Word of God, then we’re to take them captive and make them obedient to Christ.


2 Corinthians 10:4-6

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.


I learned this last week to confess and repent of my sins in the thought stage. Jesus knows our thoughts anyway.


Matthew 9:4 NIV

Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?


Sins confessed in the thought stage will prevent the sin from progressing in the word and deed stages. I am learning and experienced a good lesson.


Lord, I ask for forgiveness of wrongful thoughts. Lord, I pray to take captive these evil thoughts and make them obedient to Christ. Lord, I ask You to lead me in my thoughts. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Sunday, November 4, 2007

Victory




Yes—today I feel like I have a victory.


I have tried to control my environment so that I wont stumble into an eating self-indulgence binge again. I see, however, it is not possible to control my environment and this morning in my quiet, devotion time the Lord showed me that I can and must exercise self-control.


Titus 2:11-12 (NIV)

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age


My son’s soccer team was knocked out of the play-offs today and the team wanted to meet a popular buffet pizza place to have pizza and let the kids play. Of course, you pay as you go in and everyone has to pay. I used to say something like this to myself, “I’m paying for this food, I better eat all I can.” But today, by the grace of God, I said, “I’m paying, but that doesn’t mean I’m eating everything.” I stuck to the salad bar and did not eat any pizza. I drank tea instead of soda. Thank you Lord!


My nature during this time wants to hibernate. But I cant hide myself away. I have two Bible studies this week, a baby shower and company coming to stay next weekend. Food is involved in all events. I am not allowed to hibernate and separate myself from people. So I must exercise part of the fruit of the Spirit—self-control.


Galatians 5:22-25 (NIV)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.


Day by day I pray for victory by the grace that God brings. I pray to live a self-controlled life each day.


Thank you for your prayers…


Blessings in Christ--

Saturday, November 3, 2007

One Day at a Time



Matthew 6:11
Give us today our daily bread.

The words of this song say it for me.

"One day at a time sweet Jesus
That's all that I'm asking from You.
Lord give me the strength to do every day what I have to do.
Yesterday's gone sweet Jesus and tomorrow may never be mine.
Lord help me today show me the way one day at a time. "

I trust He will give me what I need for each day. His grace is sufficient. How do I know? Because He said so. It's in His word. Thank You Lord for Your Word!

It seems that so much of our social lives have food involved. Does anyone have suggestions on things to do with husband, children (10 years & 17 years) and friends (not all active & I don't crochet, knit, can food, etc.) that does not involve food?

Blessings in Christ--

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Praise & Prayer

I praise the Lord for he alone is worthy to be praised!


Psalm 145:3 (NIV)

Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.


I praise the Lord for he alone is God and in Him I find hope!


Psalm 62:5

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.


I have a choice to praise Him and I will tell my inner most parts to praise HIM!


Psalm 103:1-5

1 Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

2 Praise the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits-

3 who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,

4 who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,

5 who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.


I shall choose to praise HIM even when I don’t feel like it.


I have so much to be thankful for as some blogs host Thankful Thursday, I’m reminded to give thanks for so much. I have good health. My family has good health. God has blessed us to be able to live on one income and I can stay home with the boys. We have a nice home and good vehicles. We have plenty of food to eat. We are truly blessed & I am thankful.


I do have petitions and battles, though nothing catastrophic, nevertheless battles. I occasionally battle migraine headaches and I’m having one today. These set me back two days at a time when they occur. Please lift me up in prayer about the headaches.


Romans 7:18-25

18I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.[c] For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

21So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22For in my inner being I delight in God's law; 23but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!


The Lord has shown me what I ought to do, and I want to do good. But something is waging war with my mind and the law of sin is at work within me. Please pray that by the grace of God and our Savior Jesus Christ—this sin in me be conquered that battles against me!


I battle with food addiction. This is affecting more than just me. Please pray I be set free once and for all! I'm too tired to go at it alone anymore and I am requesting your support in prayer.


Thank You & Blessings in Christ--