SHOW ME.....

I have to admit - I'm not one to sit at a desk and blog ~~ here is my typical way of working:

This is me sitting in my recliner, with a fuzzy blanket, 2 cats, and my laptop!!! AAAAHHHHH true comfort!!!

So ~~~ how about you??? Where do you blog??? I'd love to see where you work!!!

ARE YOU SERIOUS??

GET SERIOUS

"For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." Romans 15:4

Are you seeking a closer relationship with the Lord? Last night Jeff was preaching on “making a Difference.” One of the things that he touched on really hit home with me – and was being complacent. Once we become complacent with our service, our walk, and our relationship with Christ, we stop growing.

Each of us should always be seeking a closer walk with the Lord. There will never be a time when we can say, “we have arrived!”

There is a way that we can be closer to the Lord and that is by knowing Him through His Word. I hear people say things like, "I wish I was closer to God!" or “I wish I knew my Bible better!” Then, when I tell them they can have those things by just spending time with the Lord in prayer and time in His Word, they act like that is impossible ~ like there is just NO WAY they could ever do that.

Sadly, our society is becoming a very lazy society. They want fast food, easy fix’s, and things that require little effort on their part to achieve. But when it comes to serving God and building a close relationship with Him, the only way is through time, effort, and a true desire.

How many times do we put off our Bible reading until “later?” I admit that I have. But when we do that we are putting off our time with the Lord. The Scriptures are here for our learning and to give us comfort.

If we don't know the Scriptures then we don't know God. If we don't know the Scriptures we don't know the full extent of God's mercy, forgiveness and love for us. By spending time in prayer and reading the Word of God and the things that He has done then we will develop a true love for Him!

Read the Bible, you will enjoy it!! If there are times when you don’t feel like reading it ~~ READ IT ANYWAY. Those times when you don’t feel like reading it…that is our sin nature trying to draw awedge in our relationship with the Lord. That sin doesn't want us to read the Bible, because the Bible teaches us and comforts us and that sin doesn't want us to live a spiritually healthy life.

Sin wants us to fear and to be separated from God. If you want to be close to God, then take God’s words seriously and open the Bible! Get serious about your walk with God and open your Bible!

Thank You Denise

Denise ~ my wonderful baby sister ~ made this picture for me. She will never know just how much it means to me either. When I saw this, my tears just flowed!!!!

Denise took my life verse ~ Colossians 2:5 ~ and put it with a picture of my angel. That precious little boy you there is Steven.

In the picture he is about 5 years old. Steven went home to be with Jesus when he was 12 ~ on August 22, 1999. Today he would be 19 years old.

Thanks Denise ~ This means the world to me!!!!!

Where Is Your Trust?

Psalms 62:8 Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.

There are 14 places in the Word of God that tell us to “trust in him” and as I was studying today I was looking at those verses. Psalm 62 really touched my heart ~~ we are told to trust in him AT ALL TIMES.

I really took time to think about that. Why is it so hard to trust in God AT ALL TIMES??? It seems easy to say or to tell others, but then trials come along in our lives and we tend to replace our trust with worry and fret.

Psalms 37:7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

The reason is because we take our eyes off the Lord and put them on whatever is going on around us. When we take our eyes off the Lord we cannot rest in Him or trust in Him.

I admit I am guilty of doing this far more than I like to admit, but then the Lord points me back to His Word. He reminds me that He is there all the time, and as Psalm 62:8 says, He is waiting for me to pour my heart out before Him and find my refuge in Him.

STAND BACK ~ HE'S GONNA DROOL!!!!

This is Elliott.

YES ~ his tongue is always sticking out

YES ~ that is drool falling on my hubby's pillow!!!

We're BBQing!!!!!!

For those of you who don't know, I live in North Dakota - and this is not typically BBQ weather!!!! Usually there is snow on the ground and the air is COLD ~~~~ but not today ~~~~ today it is a beautiful 60 degrees!!!


I have steaks marinating and potatoes prepared to throw on the grill. It is such a treat to be able to BBQ this late in the year and we are going to take full advantage of it!!!!!

What a wonderful way to start the week!!!!

"I Feel Pretty, Oh So Pretty"

Yes, that is what my house is singing right now!!! It is shining from top to bottom and side to side now ~~ and I feel better now too!!

I had such a good time cleaning Thursday night - AND I even had time to do a Leslie Sansone Walk Away The Pounds workout ~~ WOO HOO!!!!

Last night we had an adult fellowship at the church. It was SO much fun. We played some of the funniest games, had a great time of devotion, and then sat around and visited over coffee and dessert. Some of the couples were joking about not remembering the last time they had "partied" so long on a Friday night. It was great to laugh and enjoy each others company - and some wonderful memories were made!!

At this moment I am sitting in my recliner (I am so thankful for laptops!!) with a fuzzy blanket and my favorite cat in the whole world (Tanner) curled up on my legs. I just know God put this cat on earth just for me!!! I have a hot cup of coffee (with just a touch of flavored creamer in it), the kids are all out running a couple errands with Daddy, and my house is silent. AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!! Does any one want to join me????

I have no major plans for the day - so, I think I'll go read some blogs and enjoy the peacefulness of my day!!!

Have a great day, all!!!!

MY MIND IS BEGINNING TO CLEAR

Boy, the last few weeks it just seems like my mind has been in a fog. Just last night I told I thought I was finally starting to feel more like my normal self again. Things have just been crazy around here!!!!

In celebration of my normal self finally making an appearance my hubby is giving me the house to myself for 3 whole hours tonight!!!!! Does that sound strange to you?? Well, here is the scoop....

NORMALLY ~~~ I am a cleaning machine. I absolutely LOVE to clean my house. (So, maybe I'm NOT completely normal after all!)

But over the last three weeks I have just kept things "looking" clean to anyone's eyes who might be looking.

So, this evening my sweet hubby offered to take the kids with him while he teaches Bible Institute to give me three whole hours of UNINTERRUPTED, DEEP CLEANING!!!! I am so excited!!!! Watch out wall, doors, doorknobs, cabinets, and any other dust bunnies that my be hiding......HERE I COME!!!!!!

What a Bummer!!!!

I sent all week doing a monthly menu and chore chart. It is beautiful!!! It has appointments, meals, chore rotations, etc. for the whole rest of November. When I was all done I printed it off (in color even) and THOUGHT I saved it!!



Now, I get ready to blog (which I know I haven't done all week) and post my pretty calendar - and it's GONE!!! I can't find it anywhere. I am so thankful I saved it.



So, you don't get to see this month's, but at least I can use it to start December, then when the 1st of the month comes around I'll be ready!!

THE WOMAN AT THE WELL

The noonday sun beat down in oppressive waves as she made her way through the empty streets toward the well. Each step was heavy and labored. She was burdened with far more than her clay water jars.

Shame, guilt, embarrassment, contempt . . . these were the weights around her neck, pulling her attention to the ground in front of her rather than to the eye level of those she may have encountered. Her reputation was well known in the community, forever marking her as untouchable, unapproachable, and unlovable.

What must she have been thinking? Fine, then. You people do not need me, and I certainly don't need you. Or perhaps, Why should I care what you people think? You've never done anything for me.

Maybe, though, her spirit was more broken than she realized, and her inner voice squeaked out, Love me. Look at me. Talk to me. Please.

Whatever her thoughts, they were interrupted by the voice of the stranger sitting at the well. "Will you give me a drink?" he asked.

Recognizing him as a Jew, the Samaritan woman could not conceal her shock at this surprise encounter. Racial tension was at an all-time high, and polite exchanges between Jews and Samaritans simply did not happen.

"You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" she responded. In her mind, a flurry of other questions arose. Can't you see I'm here at this time of day because I don't want to see anyone? Don't you know it is improper for a man to approach a woman in public like this?

The stranger's answer confounded her. "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink," he said, "you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."

"What are you talking about?" she asked. "You do not even have a jar to draw water from the well; where can you get this living water?"

The love in his eyes and voice broke through her defenses as he answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst." Her curiosity was piqued. "Sir," she asked, "give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water." She silently finished the statement, . . . because I want to stay safe at home and not subject myself to judgmental stares.

Suddenly, the stranger caught her off guard with a request.

"Go, call your husband and come back."

"I . . . I have no husband," she replied through gritted teeth and pursed lips. Her curiosity, which had turned to suspicion, now gave way to amazement and embarrassment as the man revealed his awareness of her private indiscretions. Her heart raced. Who is this man? How does he know about my life? The current discussion was too personal for her comfort, so she attempted to change the subject to a more theological issue.

The stranger redirected the issue back to her private affairs. She realized that he was interested, not in talk of religion, but in the condition of her life.

She had never seen such godly passion in any other person. Perhaps this made her think of the Jews' and Samaritans' shared prophecy of a coming Savior. She gave voice to her hope, saying, "I know that Messiah is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us."

She trembled as the man looked deeply through her eyes and into her soul and said, "I who speak to you am he." And then, she knew. This was no mere man, no simple teacher, no ordinary prophet. This was the Christ, God's Holy Son. Her shame vanished and her guilt fled as she stood tall in the love of the Lord.

Leaving the scene, the woman ran back to town. Down the same path she had just crept quietly, hoping not to be seen, she now bounded wildly looking for people to tell. For the first time in years, she did not feel like a walking scandal. Instead, she had a new job: she was a messenger of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. She no longer hid; now, she yelled in the streets, "Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?!" Perhaps to her own surprise, the people did come. They came in droves, and Scripture records that many in that area came to a saving knowledge of Jesus through this one restored woman's testimony.

She began with no hope and no purpose. Jesus changed that. He used a most unlikely messenger to transform the lives of many in Samaria, and He began with the one person who needed Him most.

Has Jesus changed your life? There is a power in your testimony that you may never have realized. If you have the Living Water in your life, take a lesson from this woman at the well and let it out. The results may astound you.

No Excuses.....

Where have you been, so of you may be asking. All I can say is......here. My mind has kind of been preoccupied with some things and every time I thought of blogging I would draw a complete blank.

I admit that part of it had to do with "me." I am the type of person that always wants to encourage. I want to see people smile and I want people to know that no matter what is going on in a person's life they should rejoice. After all God's Word tells us in Philippians 4:4 ~~ "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice."

Over the last couple of weeks I have almost been "faking" my happiness. What I mean is that I AM rejoicing in all that the Lord has done (and is doing) in my life - but I have been having a hard time exhibiting it. Because of that, I have just been kind of quiet lately. It's kind of like the old saying, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." It's not that my words wouldn't be nice - but my thoughts just haven't been as encouraging as I would like to share with others.

There ~~ now that I have rambled on and on, what I want to say is.....

I AM SO BLESSED ~ I LOVE THE LORD AND I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT ~ MY LIFE IS SO RICH I COULD NEVER EVEN LIST ALL THAT GOD HAS DONE FOR ME

This morning Jeff was getting ready for church and singing:

"So, rise and shine and give God the glory, glory
Rise and shine and give God the glory, glory
Rise and shine and
Give God the glory, glory
Children of the Lord!!!"

About halfway through the song he had us all singing along!!

How about you......are you ready to rise, shine, and give God the Glory??? I pray you are this wonderful Sunday!!!!!