Preparing My Heart

Ezra 7:10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.

As I was reading through the book of Ezra yesterday, this verse kept coming back to my mind. How many times have I sat down to read, study, or instruct my children and not taken the time to prepare my heart?

According to this verse, Ezra prepared his heart to do three things:

1. To SEEK the law of the Lord
2. To DO it
3. To TEACH it

I should be doing the same. I need to prepare my heart so that I can LEARN what God would have for me, DO what I have learned, and TEACH what I have learned to others.

How about you ~~ have you taken time to prepare your heart today for what God wants you to do?? If not, stop right now, and PREPARE. It will make the rest of your day so much better!!!

Fruit Inspector

I got this in an email today – and thought it was too good not to share. I am going to be sharing this with my children today also.

Fruit Inspectors

"Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." (Matthew 7:16-20)

When choosing friends and entering relationships we need discernment. The wrong friends can lead us down the wrong path. In choosing friends watch their actions and listen to their words. Do their words build people up or tear people down? Do their actions show a kind and loving heart or a hateful and selfish heart? To help you walk down the right path choose friends and relationships with people who demonstrate righteousness and the love of God

I've Been Quiet

I’ve been awfully quiet lately, haven’t I?!?!?!? I don’t know why – just a lot going on and a lot on my mind – and not enough time to put it all out on print.

The Lord have really been working on my heart over some things ~ nothing bad, nothing serious…just things that have I’ve been thinking on over the last couple of weeks and God have helped me put into perspective.

January tends to be a busy month for me too. It seems by mid-month tax season is in full swing and people are lining up wanting to have their taxes done. I also have a few companies that need their year end and quarterly reports due. It keeps me busy – but I love the work.

I will post my menu for the week – mainly because I need to get back on track with several things and getting back into my old routine will help with that.

MONDAY ~~~ Tuna casserole & Crescent Rolls

TUESDAY ~~~ Chicken Parmesan over noodles, corn

WEDNESDAY ~~~TAKING MISSIONARIES OUT TO EAT

THURSDAY ~~~ Fish stick, mac-n-cheese, & Tater tots

FRIDAY ~~~ Patty Melts & French Fries

SATURDAY ~~~ Marinated steaks, Baked Potatoes, and Fruit

SUNDAY ~~~ Grilled Cheese Sandwiches & Chili

If you think about – whisper a prayer for me today. God is refining my heart and life in some things, drawing me closer to Him, and a few extra prayers sure would be appreciated throughout the process.

BIBLE THOUGHTS FOR TUESDAY

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

Being a preacher’s wife I get all kinds of ladies that come to me wanting advice about parenting and raising our children. One statement that I have heard over and over is, “I don’t understand why they are doing (fill in the blank). I raised them in church and in a Christian home.”

Ladies, I’m no expert – and I definitely haven’t done everything right – but I do know that that isn’t enough. Our children need more than just being taken to church and told they live in a Christian home. They need to see your faith in practice each and every day. They need to see faith in ACTION, not just in word.

They also need to be trained to put their own faith into action. Too many times children try to “ride the coattails” of their parents faith – and while that may seem work when they are little, when they get older and begin going through their own trials and temptations they need to know HOW to pray, WHY to pray, and WHERE to turn to during those times.

We won’t always be there to say, “Let’s pray about it,” or “I’ll pray about this for you.” They need to have their own faith to fall back on.

They also need to know that serving the Lord brings great joy. If all they see is the “Woe is me”, “I’m such a martyr”, and the “serving God is so hard” attitude in their home they will look somewhere to find happiness.

Sometimes it is so easy to get so overloaded with the daily cares of our life that we forget to make each day fun. There needs to be love and laughter in our homes and our kids need to be a part of it. Don’t lose your kids to the world because they think it is the only place to turn to have fun and enjoy life. Help them put their own faith in action and learn to:

(1) Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.

(2) Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

(3) Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

(4) Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

(5) For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

Psalms 100:1-5

ANOTHER NEW WEEK

I can’t believe we’re already into the second week of January!! Time just seems to fly by. This week be a week of juggling the work schedules of my husband and one of my sons – and planning meals that fit around those schedules and time spent in the car dropping people off and picking them up. (Who said it got easier as they got older??)

MONDAY ~~ Chicken Alfredo, Broccoli, & Homemade bread

TUESDAY ~~ Meatloaf, Baked Potatoes, and Fruit

WEDNESDAY ~~ Fajitas, chips and salsa

THURSDAY ~~ Beef Stew and rolls (CP)

FRIDAY ~~ Swedish meatball, Rice, and veggie

SATURDAY ~~ Egg rolls & fried rice

SUNDAY ~~ Leftovers (Lunch) / Homemade Pizza

The weatherman is saying we may actually get a taste of winter here in North Dakota this week, with temperatures dropping to zero and below for a while. That means I’ll do more baking too, just because it makes the house seem more warm and cozy.

Hop on over to Laura’s Blog and check out all the other weekly menus there are there. It’s a great place to get and share ideas!!!

BECAUSE

Have you ever said (or heard someone else say), “I love the Lord because…”? I know I’ve said it and I’ve heard it said many times myself. Last night I discovered that that phrase is in the Bible too.

Psalms 116:1-2 I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.

This is the only time throughout God’s Word that this phrase is used and is says SO MUCH. I know each of us could list numerous reasons for why we love God. But, really, what it all comes down to is we love Him because He first loved us.

The Psalmist said he loved God because God heard him and heard his needs and cries. God was there when no one else was…because God loved him.

1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.

Revelation 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

Above and beyond anything else GOD LOVES US!!!! How great is that?!?!?!?

What's Cookin' this Week??

I know, I know - I'm a little late in posting my weekly menu..but yesterday was a busy day at our house and I never got this far.

MONDAY ~~ We had a buffet going of appetizers, finger foods, snacks, and desserts

TUESDAY ~~ Tacos

WEDNESDAY ~~ Cheeseburger casserole, apple slices, & crescent rolls

THURSDAY ~~ Spaghetti, corn, & French Bread (Crock pot)

FRIDAY ~~ Pork chops, rice, and stuffing

SATURDAY ~~ Lasagna, salad, and green beans

SUNDAY ~~ Roast, potatoes, carrots & rolls

For other great weekly menu options hop on over to Laura's!!!

Have a great week of family eating and enjoying time around the table!!