A Weak Mother

I read an article in one of my magazines that I thought was good enough to share. The article was reprinted in the magazine (with permission of course) from a site called, Desiring God.

Here is the portion that really struck me, but go to Desiring God to read the entire article-A Weak Mother is a Good Mother.

"This is so what I want: to know deep in my soul that a good mother is not one who bakes intricate treats, who schools a certain way, who manages her household within an inch of its life, or who has her children in a million wonderful activities. A good mother is one that acknowledges her need for the power of God to train and teach and change the hearts of her children.

The most important thing I can do for my children each day is to trust God and acknowledge my weakness, not rely on myself. He will take my meager offering and turn it into a miracle."

Throw Back Thursday

I was going through some old posts and came across How Do You Love Your Enemy. This really stuck out to me because I was just thinking about this person last week and still wondering if I had chosen the right path.

My life is definitely better since cutting off communication. I have lots less stress and anxiety. However, I don't know how she is doing. Has she come to know the Lord personally? I don't know and I'm not sure it matters if I know this side of heaven or not. While I do pray that she did come to a saving knowledge of Christ (or will in the future if she hasn't already), I still don't think it is my job to "make sure" she does. I have learned, however, that just because I "think" something, it doesn't mean that it is God's will for me. This is probably something that I will consider more in my life.

Busy

Just the other day, I was talking to a friend about one of the problems with our world is that we are too busy. We are too busy for the things that matter in life. We think that busyness means we are productive and worth something.

There is a major problem with that!

Many times we are busy with things that just don't matter. We are too busy with inconsequential things that we don't have time for the things that really matter-relationships.

This friend and I try to get together often just to talk, have tea, and share what is going on in our lives. We do this not only because we know someone is listening to us, but because we then know how best to pray for each other. As what happens too often, it had been a few weeks since we had been able to get together or even talk on the phone. When I said I was coming over, she asked if I had time to do it. My response, "I will make the time because it is needed."

We need to spend time in relationship with others. Being open and real with others helps us get through the tough times.

God created us for relationship. He wants to have a relationship with us, but He also wants us to have relationship with others.

Don't let your life get busy with things that don't matter.

Also, remember that just because something is a good thing doesn't mean that it is meant for you. Too many times we are too busy with "good things" that we miss out on the best things that God has for us.

Do you find yourself too busy? I would love for you to share your thoughts.

Qualifications

God Deserves Our Best

Count It All Joy

He Was Faithful

Daniel 6:3-5 KJV 

3 Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm. 4 Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. 5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.

I was led to read the story of Daniel and the lion's den this morning. When I opened my Bible, I wasn't expecting much as I have read and studied this story many times before, but as always, God surprised me. I shouldn't be surprised-

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. ~ Hebrews 4:12

His Word became alive to me this morning and I was able to see something that I am sure I saw before, but it went deep in my soul this morning.

Daniel was a success. As I am sure many people know, there are those who get jealous of those whom experience success and instead of trying to become successful themselves, they try to tear down those who are. That is the case here.

Daniel was lifted to a position of authority in the kingdom and those under him didn't appreciate having to answer to an Israelite. They took it upon themselves to find a fault in him in which to use against him. But guess what? They couldn't find anything!

Oh, how I wish I could say the same thing! This is what bothers me the most about my life. People will look at my life and say that I'm a hypocrite because of such and such. Now, what they see may be a one time mistake in my life, or something that was true in the past but isn't anymore, or it may be something that I struggle with and am learning to have victory over, but that doesn't stop them from using it as a fault against me.

How I wish I could be like Daniel! Those men tried hard to find fault against him and had to make something up to catch him in a fault and even when they did that, it wasn't really a fault--He was faithful to God no matter what! That is as far from a fault that you can get.

My prayer is that I can live a life without fault before my God. I pray that even if others find fault within me that it be a "fault" like Daniel's and not really a fault at all. I pray that I am always faithful to my God and that no fault may be found in me.

Throw Back Thursday--Recipe updates

I was looking back over some of my old posts and came across two recipes that I had posted that we still use. However, we have made some adaptions to these recipes.

In the case of Cinnamon Roll Bread, I still use this recipe, but have changed my flour as we are now grain free. I now use 2 1/2 cups garbanzo bean flour, 1/2 cup tapioca flour or arrowroot powder, and then 1 tbsp of guar gum. We use this combination because we are able to get a 55 lb bag of garbanzo bean flour for between $35 and $37 through our local Amish store so it is the cheapest option. By adding some tapioca flour or arrowroot powder, it gives it more lift and decreases the bean flavor. We switched to guar gum not too long ago because I read that xanthan gum was derived from corn.

As for the Homemade tooth powder, I still will make it this way, however, sometimes I will add in a drop or two of peppermint essential oil. I have also flavored it with ground cinnamon and have even done away with all flavorings except for a drop or two of lemon essential oil. I like that we have a healthy option for cleaning our teeth and can adapt flavors to what we prefer.

I hope you have enjoyed looking back at some of my older posts and seeing how we still use them today!

Think on These Things

Philippians 4:4-8 KJV 

4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. 5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

So often I allow myself to be burdened with what isn't going well in my life. I focus on what has gone wrong, is going wrong, or even what may go wrong. How wrong is that?!

I am to rejoice always-even when things go "wrong". I need to take everything to God in prayer and leave it at His feet. But most importantly, I need to focus on the good.

I need to focus on how much God has blessed me, how much He loves me, and how much He has always taken care of me. I need to think on truth and not lies. I need to think on what is pure instead of letting my mind wander into those dark waters.

Lately, I have been focusing on the wrong things. Join me today in focusing on the good, the true, the lovely.

• I am thankful for beautiful weather.
• I am thankful that two of my girls got deer during youth hunt.
• I am thankful for friends who even though it may be weeks between seeing each other, we know we are praying for each other everyday and that when we do get a chance to get together, it will be blessed.
• I am thankful for the ability to home school. It might not always be easy, but I love being with my children and seeing them grow not only in knowledge, but also in the Lord.
• I am thankful for my blog and my followers. I have always had a desire to write and this gives me an opportunity to do so and if I can help or encourage someone else along the way--what an added blessing!

Please share a few things you are thankful for today!

Trust

9-18-16 Sermon

Clarity vs. Trust

I heard the following story on the radio while on my way to go grocery shopping one day.

Mother Theresa

“When John Kavanaugh, the noted and famous ethicist, went to Calcutta, he was seeking Mother Teresa … and more. He went for three months to work at “the house of the dying” to find out how best he could spend the rest of his life.

When he met Mother Teresa, he asked her to pray for him. “What do you want me to pray for?” she replied. He then uttered the request he had carried thousands of miles: “Clarity. Pray that I have clarity.”

“No,” Mother Teresa answered, “I will not do that.” When he asked her why, she said, “Clarity is the last thing you are clinging to and must let go of.” When Kavanaugh said that she always seemed to have clarity, the very kind of clarity he was looking for, Mother Teresa laughed and said: “I have never had clarity; what I have always had is trust. So I will pray that you trust God.”

I often pray for clarity because I want to make sure that what I think God is telling me is actually what He is telling me. This puts it in a whole new perspective!

Do I not trust Him enough? Do I need to let go of my need of clarity? How about you? What are your thoughts?

In the Beginning

Still Keeping Busy

I just wanted to share another project that has been keeping me busy.

I make a new outfit for my children for their birthdays. My 5th born turns 10 today. She loves the colors yellow and blue and loves parrots so when she saw this material (see picture) in my stash, she knew she needed her outfit made from it. However, there wasn't enough material to make the dress pattern she picked out. She said that should would take a skirt from it and then I could just buy a shirt to match. Well, after cutting out the pieces for the shirt (just a simple ruffle skirt idea-no pattern needed), I realized that I should have enough material left for a peasant style shirt as well. I used the basic pattern and then added the ruffles to the sleeves and bottom of the shirt (per birthday girl's request). I had just enough material (there are a few scraps left that she asked one of her sisters to use to make a hair clip for her).

As you can see from the smile on her face, she loves it! I am by not means an expert seamstress, but my girls love to be able to receive a special outfit every year based on their choice of fabric and pattern and usually I do a decent enough job that it can be passed down for at least a few more girls.

Do you do anything special for your children on their birthdays? Do you sew at all? I would love to hear more about you in these areas!

Are You Busy?

Well, I thought I would start having time to get back to writing, but things just keep popping up to keep me busy. I'm not complaining, mind you. While I enjoy writing, all the things that are keeping me busy are good things.

What is keeping me busy right now is preserving food for the winter. A friend offered to let us pick apples off one of their well-producing trees. We filled 6 5-gallon pails and 2 bushel baskets full of apples! I was hoping to do applesauce with those on Monday, but another friend dropped off 2 boxes full of broccoli, 1 box of tomatoes, 1 box of sweet peppers, and more apples. Since the broccoli and tomatoes needed to be done immediately, we set to work on those and the applesauce waited until Tuesday. Of course, our own apples need to be picked and hopefully our own tomatoes turn soon so we can process those.

Keeping busy can be a good thing as long as you don't allow it to draw you away from time with your Lord or your family.

Are you busy?

Love Fulfills the Law

9-11-16 Sermon

Hard Heart

Throw Back Thursday

As I was looking through old posts, this one really caught my eye. How many times do we think we are living right only to realize that we have unconfessed sin in our lives that we try to mask as not really an issue?

Humble Me O Lord