Thought Provoking Thursday

“God never place us in any position in which we can not grow. We may fancy that He does. We may fear we are so impeded by fretting, petty cares that we are gaining nothing; but when we are not sending any branches upward, we may be sending roots downward. Perhaps in the time of our humiliation, when everything seems a failure, we are making the best kind of progress.” 

~ Elizabeth Prentiss

                                                                                

Christmas with my brother Chris & family

Josh

 

 Amanda & Joanna

 

Amanda & Alexis

 

Christmas Day 2009

This has been a rather eventful Christmas this year. Both of my sister-in-laws announced they are expecting and my dearest friend Charity became engaged Christmas Eve! Looks like July and August are going to be busy months with new babies and lots of wedding plans (and an empty pocket book :).

Here are a few pictures from Christmas Day:

 

 Joanna opening her Elsie Dinsmore doll

 

My niece Annie

 

  Johnny IV

I didn't really get any good pictures of the adults. I am afraid I may get in trouble if I post the ones I did get. At least the kids were cute... :)

Free Knitting and Crocheting Patterns

Lion Brand website has numerous free patterns available. Check it out by clicking here

Merry Christmas!!!

The
Christmas
tree reminds
us of the Christ;
its top pointing to
heaven, its lights denoting
the Light of the World, and all
the presents beneath it reminding us
that every good gift comes from above.
Thanks
be to
God!

Thought Provoking Thursday

"Do not have your concert first, and then tune your instrument afterwards. Begin the day with the Word of God and prayer, and get first of all into harmony with Him."
~ Hudson Taylor

Christmas Presents

I have made all of these for Christmas presents. I am still hoping to get a couple more finished at least before Christmas. The small pink one is for my 3 year old niece, hence the small size.

Where is Your Mission Field?

Read this really great post by my dear friend Anna by clicking here

One Small Act of Kindness

One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school. His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books. I thought to myself, 'Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd.' I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.

As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him...

He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes. My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye. As I handed him his glasses, I said, 'Those guys are jerks.' They really should get lives.

' He looked at me and said, 'Hey thanks!'

There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude. I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before..

He said he had gone to private school before now. I would have never hung out with a private school kid before. We talked all the way home, and I carried some of his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid.  I asked him if he wanted to play a little football with my friends. He said yes..

We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and my  friends thought the same of him.  
Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again.

I stopped him and said, 'Boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!' He just laughed and handed me half the books. Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends...

When we were seniors we began to think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem. He was going to be a doctor and I was going for business on a football
scholarship..

Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd. He had to prepare a speech for graduation. I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak

Graduation day, I saw Kyle. He looked great. He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him. Boy, sometimes I was jealous! Today was one of those days.

I could see that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said, 'Hey, big guy, you'll be great!' He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled. ' Thanks,' he said.

As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began, 'Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach...but mostlyyour friends.....

I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them. I am going to tell you a story.'

I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile.

'Thankfully, I was saved...My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable..'

I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment. I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile.

Not until that moment did I realize it's depth. Never underestimate the power of your actions...With one small gesture you can change a person's life. For better or for worse....

God puts us all in each others lives to impact one another in some way. Look for God in others.

Please note: I receive this as a forward. I am not sure the author of this story although I have heard it on several occasions. No copyright infringement is intended.

Thought Provoking Thursday

When you look around and can't see a way out, look up and praise God for being good to you.

Living to the Hilt

The Lord has taught me some things this fall which have really changed my thinking and outlook on life.

I have a burden and a desire to serve the Lord in full-time service. Right now though, I am in a transitional phase, waiting for the next "big" step. I have a desire, if it is the Lord's will, to serve Him on the mission field.

While in this waiting stage, my initial thinking was, "I could serve Him so much better right now if I was on the mission field or serving Him full-time." I also have other friends who are waiting for God's will in different areas. Some are waiting for visas to get to the field, others are waiting to meet "Mr. Right" and still others are waiting for the Lord to open up some area of service. In each of these cases, as well as my own, I have thought the same thing. "Wouldn't we be serving God so much better if our circumstances were different, the way we think they should be?"

God has taught me though, that the best place I can serve Him, is right where He has placed me. I know that I am in His will living at home, working the jobs I have and helping in my home church. It is not God's will for me to "Go" yet. Therefore, the best place I can serve God today, is right here. Who even knows what tomorrow will bring? We are so caught up in how we are going to serve God that we forget to serve Him today, this very hour or minute. 

Recently, in a message, our pastor made the statement that the will of God begins with the vacuum cleaner. The VACUUM CLEANER?!!! I always had the mindset that cleaning and other such tasks had little or no eternal value when in reality they do. God has commanded that we do all things decently and in order. Maybe all God's will for me today is to improve on doing things decently and in order by cleaning and organizing. The little things in life matter much more than we comprehend. They do add up!

Jim Elliot said, "Wherever you are, be all there. Live to the hilt ever situation you believe to be the will of God." If you know you are in the center of God's will, then give it all you've got! Who knows if you'll even have another day to serve the Lord?

Colossians 10:31 

"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."

"The will of God is like a rose, unfolding one petal at a time."

Today's Fun Project...

 

Creamy Potato Soup

8 med. potatoes, peeled & cubed

2 celery stalks, diced

1 med. onion

3 tsp. chicken bouillon

1 qt. water

5 T. butter

1/4 c. flour

2 tsp. salt

1/4-1/2 tsp. pepper

1 qt. milk (may substitute rice or soy milk, if using rice milk add some extra flour)

Instructions:

In a large soup kettle, combine potatoes, onion, celery, water and bouillon. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover. Let simmer for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Place half of the potato mixture in a blender and puree, then set aside. Add butter to soup kettle, then stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually add milk and bring to a boil. Boil and stir for 2 minutes. Return pureed potatoes back to the kettle and heat thoroughly. Garnish top of soup with bacon and shredded cheddar cheese.

Merry Christmas!!!

Thought Provoking Thursday

Humility is seen through selfless acts of service for others.

~P. Chappell

Wordless Wednesday

Birthday Tea

Thought Provoking Thursday

"Better to love God and die unknown than to love the world and die a hero; better to be content with poverty than to die a slave to wealth; better to have taken some risks and lost than to have done nothing and succeeded at it."
- Erwin Lutzer

Pin Cushion Link

Check out this cute pin cushion project at "Blessed Femina"
It looks super easier and a great way to use scraps.

Missionaries are the cream of the crop of Christianity.
A few decades ago, a missionary was working hard at spreading the Gospel in China. Impressed by the advances he was making with the Chinese government, the Standard Oil Company offered the missionary a weighty sum of money to work for them in developing a branch of the company in China. The missionary promptly turned them down. Shocked, the company doubled their offer, giving him a sum of money that would draw even the strongest of people to consider the life of luxury it could offer. Again, the missionary refused the job. Puzzled, the company asked him what it was he wanted. "We can't offer you any more money." The missionary replied, "The money's not too small; the job is."

Thanksgiving Plans

For Thanksgiving this year it is just going to be my younger sibs, me and my parents at home. Hopefully it will be a peaceful and relaxing day aside from all the dishes to wash. Josiah is flying into Baltimore late tonight. Hopefully he makes it in ok.

I am looking forward to Friday too. We are going to Sight and Sound with my older brothers and their families and my grandmother.

Some things I am thankful for:

Family

Friends

Tea & chocolate
(two things necessary for survival)

Church

Freedom

God's Word

Books

Time Management

I haven't shared much about what I learned at the conference yet. I thought I would share about one of the sessions which I have been working on applying in my life.

One of the sessions that has made a difference in my life was on time management by Jeremy Rands. What he shared wasn't really profound, it was just something that I needed some encouragement and motivation to apply to my life. He emphasized the importance of having a schedule and just being organized with how you use your time by good planning.

I used to be fairly good with this but have been slipping in this area more recently. As a result, I have been wasting a lot of time. Then things don't get accomplished that need to be done and the frustrations and stress begin to mount. Ever been there?

I have tried in times past to go by a detailed schedule everyday but have found that this just doesn't work for me. So, the first step I have taken is to just stick to going to bed at a certain time and getting up at a specified time. This has helped me to be well rested and also to get a good start on my day with spending a good amount of time with the Lord. It is amazing how much better the day goes when it gets off to the right start.

I have found the best way to get the things accomplished that I need to is by making a list and then set an amount of time to accomplish it in. I have also been trying to use up small amounts of time that usually go wasted. I am also working on getting my areas of the house better organized and working to keep them that way. I have decided that even if I am in a hurry, in the long run it saves time if I put things away instead of leaving it out to do later.

One thing Bro. Rands also mentioned is that sometimes it is the spiritual thing to say no to people. It is not God's desire that we live overwhelmed lives, constantly under stress and pressure. One thing my pastor said in his sermon on Sunday was that sometimes we may need to seem standoffish just to be sure that we are keeping God in His proper place. We have to keep things in the right priorities and our relationship with our Lord must be placed above all else.

"If you are too busy, hectic, and overwhelmed, you are not effectively ministering to people."

"The purpose to being organized is living a life that glorifies and honors God and helps others to do the same."

From my bookshelf...

I have just finished reading Life is Tremendous by Charlie "Tremendous" Jones. This is one of those books where you can really feel the author's enthusiasm. He encourages you to get excited about life and to learn to love what you do even if it's not what you love doing.

One of the things he says in the beginning of the book is that he doesn't care what you remember from the book but how your thinking is changed through the book. I have been pondering this and thinking this is how it should be with the sermons we hear, what we read in our devotions and the other inspirational books we read. What I remember is not as important as is how my life has been changed and what actions I am taking as a result.

I do not love life based on my circumstances but because of a decision that I have made.

Twas the month before Christmas*

*When all through our land,*

*Not a Christian was praying*

*Nor taking a stand.*

*See the PC Police had taken away,*

*The reason for Christmas - no one could say.*

*The children were told by their schools not to sing,*

*About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.*

*It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say*

* December 25th is just a ' Holiday '.*

*Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit*

*Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!*

*CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod*

*Something was changing, something quite odd! *

*Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa*

*In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.*

*As Targets were hanging their trees upside down*

* At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.*

*At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears*

*You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.*

*Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty*

*Are words that were used to intimidate me.*

*Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen*

*On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton !*

*At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter*

*To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.*

*And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith*

* Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace*

*The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded*

*The reason for the season, stopped before it started.*

*So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree'*

*Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.*

*Choose your words carefully, choose what you say*

*Shout MERRY CHRISTMAS ,

not Happy Holiday !*

Please, all Christians join together and

wish everyone you meet during the

holidays a

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Christ is The Reason for the Christ-mas Season!

Wordless Wednesday

I am back home now from the conference. It was absolutely an awesome conference! I am very glad that I was able to go. It was definitely life changing. The preaching and sessions were exceptional. We are hoping to get more people from our church to go out next year. Hopefully, I will be able to go again. The only down side is that I am exhausted. I did not get much sleep last week and have also been recovering from sickness and am still dealing with migraines. Please pray for me as I will be going through more testing to try to figure out what exactly is causing the headaches. I have had them almost continuously since the summer.

At the conference, I bought several new books which I am eager to start reading. I will post reviews about them after I finish them. I have a stack of books I am in the middle of, so I need to finish those before I start anything new.

Rejoicing in the Lord!

“It takes character to cope with life
when duty rather than excitement
is the sustaining force.”

Well...tonight I am off to Ohio. I am going to be attending the "Loving and Leading" conference in Milford. There is going to be a number of excellent speakers. I am very exciting about this and hoping to gain lots of new ideas and be challenged. I will be getting back late Saturday night or Sunday morning (yay!). I am also looking forward to catching up with a friend from college while out there.

I have yet to finish packing so I will best be going!

Missions Conference

Here are a few pics from our missions banquet last Saturday night: