Saturday, July 30, 2011

Don'ts for Husbands ~1913~

Borders is going out of business.  For me that brings about feelings of sadness.  One of my favorite things to do is spend a few hours in my favorite book store, searching through the shelves of books, and finding something special.


Last night as I was leaving a Borders, I found this tiny little hardback book titled: Don'ts for Husbands.  I was intrigued.  I was not necessarily intrigued by the title but instead the date, 1913, that was stamped on the front. I opened the little book to find that it was originally published back in 1913 in London. This more recent copy that I was holding was published back in 2007.  The author of this little book was Blanche Ebbutt.


As I read the Preface I was immediately drawn in by her charm and wit.  I love history.  I love any opportunity I have to sit down with those who have lived much longer than me and hear their stories.  That is what I heard coming from the pages of this book that was written almost one hundred years ago.  


As I explore the pages of this treasure, I want to share the many snippets of entertaining advice that still ring true ten decades later as well as think of them in terms of the way we live today.


I have discovered that there is a companion book as well that she wrote for wives which I will now search out to find.  Wish me luck! 


Friday, July 22, 2011

Mocha Club - Join my Team

Mocha Club -

I am asking for you to take the time to read about the Mocha Club. It was introduced to me and I am excited to introduce it to you today.

Mocha Club is an online community of people giving up the cost of 2 mochas a month – or $7 – to fund relief and development projects in Africa. We work in five main project areas: Clean Water, Education, Child Mothers + Women At Risk, Orphan Care + Vulnerable Children, and HIV/AIDS + Healthcare. For as little as $7 a month you can help someone have clean drinking water. You can help provide the means for a young mother to leave the streets of prostitution and gain an education.

I'm asking that you join my team today and help make a difference in the lives of these women.

Thanks!!

Nicole Greene

“Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?"
Matthew 25:44

Ruby Red Dead

So we are dealing with a monstrous heat wave.  Heat index reaching 115.  This heat is killing our cars.  Mine died yesterday.  Thankfully it was decided that it was not "her time" to go just yet.

Yesterday in the late hours of the afternoon, Ruby (my car) died.  Her poor battery was drained.  It was fried. At first there was success with the use of jumper cables.  She was revived for a couple of more start ups but her time was limited.

I took the kids and met up with friends for dinner last night at Chick-fil-A.  We spent several hours chatting while the children played. I shared my story of the suffering battery.  Thankfully when it came time to leave Ruby's battery decided to run and we were able to make it home.

A few hours later I received an email from my dinner friends saying that they wanted to buy Ruby a battery.  I was overwhelmed.  What a way to minister to this single mom of five.  It was a HUGE blessing and an answer to a prayer.  

This morning when it was time to take my little people to school Ruby wouldn't start.  Due to extreme temperateness,  she just could not take anymore and refused to start.  She had had enough. One last jump from the neighbors next door? It's all I asked.  I begged her.  I just needed to get the kids to school and then meet my friend who was going to purchase my battery.  A quick prayer, a turn of the key, a little sputter and she started.  Thank You! 

A couple hours later I headed to Advance Auto (after leaving my car running the entire time as to not chance it not starting again) where I met my friend.  My friend purchased  a gold battery and stayed with me while they installed it.  Once said battery was installed it was time to give it a try.  The key was turned, a small sputter and success.  Ruby was revived!!!!

What a blessing!  Another amazing example of God's faithfulness and provision.  I am so thankful for the people that God has placed in my life.  I have never known this type of love and friendship.  I have never experienced the body of Christ working and ministering in my life as I have over the past year.  The past few years have been tough but God has remained faithful. We may not always understand why things happen but He has a plan.  He has worked out my messed up life for His glory.  He is using my life as a way for me to share with others His awesome goodness and faithfulness to His children.  

God is good!!  He is full of compassion!!! He will never leave us!!  His mercies are new every morning!!!! He is faithful!! 

Thursday, July 21, 2011

An unbearably hot pit

I need to write.  It seems like it's been ages since I've written anything.  Truth is I'm a little intimidated by the new Blogger format.  It looks all professional.  I feel like I should be submitting some great work of art.


So here is my thought for today....

Have you ever wondered what the devil is doing while we grumble over unimportant things?    Last night I watched a 20/20 episode and they were talking about the devil.  They were asking people if they believed in the devil and if he had influence over people.  I was surprised to hear "worldly people" say they did believe in the devil. One of the people that they interviewed said the devil's arms are too short to box with God so he boxes with us instead. 

Interesting thought.  Satan cannot get to God.  He has no power over God.  No influence.  What does he do instead?  He goes after God's kids.  He gets to God through us.  Then he stands back and laughs at our small attention span taking total advantage of our distracted state of mind.

He is able to do this by placing obstacles in our path or thoughts in our head that create issues between believers.  We end up arguing or becoming focused on things that are totally not important in the grand scheme of things.  Satan knows our weakness and this is where he attacks.  If he can find a way to take our eyes off of the goal, sharing Truth to the lost, he gains a huge head start on his agenda which is dragging as many people down with him because he knows that in the end, he will lose.  

Satan doesn't care about anyone but himself.  All he wants is to hurt God.  To steal His children.  Sadly, he often succeeds.  How often is God brought to tears over our stupid arguing?  What color carpet?  Traditional or praise music?  The list goes on and I'm sure we all have been a part of one these discussions at one time or another.  It is so incredibly frustrating to me.  While people are heading for an eternity spent in hell, we are worried about silly little things.  Do you get what I'm saying?  While we talk about carpet people are headed for hell.

"Simply put, it is horrendous beyond words!
An unbearably hot pit;
Pitch blackness you can feel;
Endless deafening screams of tormented souls;
An overwhelming putrid most disgusting sulphurous smell;
Fighting and gasping to take in even the smallest amount of this foul air;
A terrible feeling of isolation with no privilege or comfort of talking to anyone;
Extreme body weakness whereby one can hardly move a muscle;
A feeling of total exhaustion yet you can neither fall asleep nor rest;
Hateful and vicious demons tearing at your flesh and tormenting you;
A sea of maggots and other terrible creatures all around;
A sense of total confusion and chaos and despair;
A distorted perception of time where every minute feels like a year;
…..yet the flesh is never fully consumed by all this horror."

Bill Wises description of hell

Focus people.  We have a battle to fight.  In the end, we know who will ultimately have the victory and win the war.  How many will end up on our team?  How many will you have led to join the winning team?  Satan is recruiting his army daily.  The demons don't sit around discussing shades of blue.  

If you are a part of the winning team then fight for those who haven't joined yet.  Put aside your own feelings, desires, comforts and needs and fight for those who haven't joined your team.  Give Satan a run for his money and let him know we aren't going to give up or give in so easily.


Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Happy Birthday Sunshine

One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But when the disciples saw this, they scolded the parents for bothering him.
 16 Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. 17 I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.”
Luke 18:15-17
Four years ago today, late on a Friday (the 13th) evening, I was blessed with my precious ray of sunshine.  My fifth baby was born and my world changed forever.

From the age of four, my oldest daughter had prayed for a baby sister.  Not long after her sixth birthday, we were shopping at Target when my little girl picked up a pair of tiny ballet slippers. She wanted to buy these tiny slippers for the baby sister that was in my tummy.  I laughed for there was no baby in my tummy. For the next few minutes, we argued back and forth about the baby that was not in my tummy.  After many minutes of the back and forth banter the four year old finally won and I bought the pair of slippers.  Three days later, I had a positive pregnancy test in my hand.  I was flabbergasted.  My six year old was thrilled.  I asked her how she knew that mommy had a baby in her tummy and she said, “Because I asked Jesus for a baby sister.” 

The faith of a child.  There is nothing like it and nothing more precious. Why can we all not have that kind of faith in God? 

Before we are corrupted by sin and the world, our faith is great.  We believe that God can move the mountains if only we ask.  I see that in my now four year old baby girl every day.  When it rains, “mommy, God is giving the snakes water.”  When she eats “thank you God for my mommy’s good food.”  When she plays “God lets me have lots of toys.”  She understands where things come from and does not question.
Jesus said that the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like the children.  We have to believe as our children believe.  We need to see the world and those in it through the eyes of our children.  Wow.  That is tough.

It is amazing how when dealing with difficult and big things, God seems so much smaller. As I dealt with depression, I went through many days of questioning God.  God became a lot less big to me than He had in the past.  He felt so much farther away from me. Why did God bring this little girl into my life, the world?  Here was my beautiful little girl who would never remember what it was to have mommy and daddy together on vacation or for birthdays.  It brought so much anger into my heart.  For me, it was not acceptable.  I was wrapped in pain and hurt and my world was dark. 

One evening I was tucking her into bed and said her prayers.  I went through the normal thank for …. where we name everyone in our family. Part of that prayer included praying for daddy and that God will keep him safe.  Once we were done praying, my sweet little girl looked at me and said, “Mommy, I love you, I love granddaddy and grandmommy and I love daddy”.  Now the first part of that sentence was the norm.  She always said she loved me, granddaddy, and grandmommy but this was the first time she said daddy.  Now don’t get me wrong.  It was not that she suddenly realized that she loved her daddy.  The kid is crazy for her daddy.  Instead, it was a God moment.  He spoke those words through her to my heart.  Tears streamed down my face as I looked at her and said “and mommy and daddy love you so very much too.”  My sweet girl put her little hands on my face and said “Mommy don’t be sad.’  I told her I wasn’t sad. That mommy’s tears were happy tears because she was such a special little girl.  I kissed her goodnight and said “mommy and daddy love you very much and we will always love you very much.” 

That moment was huge for me.  The sun began to pierce the darkness of my heart.  The hurt and anger began to melt just a little.  God was using that precious little gift that He had given to me to soften my heart and love when I just didn’t feel like loving.  To forgive when I just didn’t feel like forgiving.  To move forward when I just didn’t feel like budging. 

God knew what He was doing when He created my special sunshine.  Throughout the past two years He has used her so many times to remind me to love above all else.  To smile when it would be so much easier to cry.  To cherish every moment and everything, recognizing that they all are precious gifts from God when we are so undeserving. 

Happy Birthday to my sweet ray of sunshine! 


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