Saturday, October 30, 2010

i spy.

can you spot the person who can sew knit fabric??






here's a hint.. she's the one that missed all the photogenic genes in the family.  she who sews on knit and is successful should be hailed as a hero. You can send gifts or flowers, i know she accepts both.

Friday, October 29, 2010

He gives good things, everyday.


there are days when i think I know what Your will is.

then, there are days when I doubt my own motives.

then, there are days when I scratch my head
 and wonder what are You are up to 
and i'm knocked off my rocker 
with how good your gifts are. 

but everyday deep down, 
i know i'm loved. 
and that i can say 
warms my heart, and my feet
 and if i'm really blessed
my kitchen, for the rest of winter. 

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

if you give a world changer the day off...

The world changers don't have school today. it's 10am and they are still not "up and at 'em."  (What does that even mean?)  I just pulled from the oven a breakfast pizza made with my own hands and secretly I'm hoping they can't smell it, so i can eat at least one piece, but i know soon, very soon they will be slowly coming to life and eat my precious pizza, and then they'll have a couple bowls of cereal, and maybe some toast, topping it off with  some frozen waffles in the freezer, and then for good measure they will find the pop tarts in the cupboard.

then it will be time for lunch.





Tuesday, October 26, 2010

narrow is good and hard.


For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life,
and those that find it are few." Matthew 7:14

Monday, October 25, 2010

gripped by goodness.

 The aroma is spilling through the house, and i can bet you that if I told my family they could eat any of the bread that just came out of the oven it would be gone in a heartbeat. There is something about fresh bread that beckons people to belly up to the table and eat.

i hope God's word is that for you. fresh and sweet smelling. i know my time time spent with Hezikiah has been rich and life-giving. He truly was "holding fast to God," except, well, when he wasn't, and that's today's topic.

No sooner had Hezikiah gotten well, when folks from Babylon showed up to congratulate him and shower him with presents. So, being a great host, 

"Hezekiah welcomed them, and he showed them all his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his armory, all that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them." 2 kings 20:13

um, yah. i really have no comment on what Hezikiah did with his visitors and well wishers, except to tell you what his friend, Isaiah said. (yes, THEE Isaiah.. you know the one..) 

Then Isaiah the prophet came to King Hezekiah, and said to him, “What did these men say? And from where did they come to you?” And Hezekiah said, “They have come from a far country, from Babylon.” 2 kings 20:14

did you notice that our sweet Hezekiah left out the answer to the first question that Isaiah asked? hmmmm makes me wonder what he's hiding.

Eventually, Hezikiah comes clean and the story continues with Isaiah and a word from the Lord.

Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the LORD. And some of your own sons, who shall be born to you, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” 2 kings 20:17-18

And to Hezikiah's credit, he repented of his pride of showing off his "stuff" and called the words that Isaiah gave him from God, good.  

Good. 


i don't know about you but when i'm called out on a sin, especially pride, my first thought is not  "God's words are good."  maybe they should be. yah, i'm sure they should be. God is good. 


God gave Hezikiah 15 more years on earth to walk, to make a difference, to praise Him, but the consequence of his pride was deeply felt, for in that 15 years Hezikiah had a son.

Manasseh was his name... and he was far from good. 

Sunday, October 24, 2010

a tight grip

Imagine if you will, being in the fight of your life for your country and fighting for it for 17 years. It would get pretty old. You'd be hard pressed to find an American that waits for 17 years for anything, It's the "i want it right now" culture we live in. I guess that's why I can sympathize with King Hezikiah when he becomes sicker than a dog, and his oomph has lost all it's oomph, and he's prolly thinking that God isn't' going to deliver on his promise of deliverance from that icky king.

But in walks Isaiah.  Yah, the prophet. The big cahoona. Thee Isaiah that wrote about Jesus hundreds of years before Jesus was even born. He walks in and tells Hezikiah that he needs to get his house in order because he's going to die. (2 kings 20:1) and then Isaiah walks out.

Hezikiah loses it. He turns in his bed towards the wall and cries out to God in prayer, and of course he's weeping bitterly.

And even before Isaiah gets outta the house, God is answering that prayer of Hezikiah's.

Isaiah goes back into Hezikiah's room and tells him what God wants him to hear.. and boy is it a doozey.

Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD, and I will add fifteen years to your life. I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city for my own sake and for my servant David’s sake.”

In all of the whole entire Bible, Hezikiah is the only person to know exactly how many days he has left. You'd think it was a gift, and really I thought so too.. until i started to think about it. 

Every birthday you'd think to yourself,  i only have ___ left. It's a short time,15 years. I struggled in my heart pretty much all week weather this was a good thing or not for Hezikiah. Then, i realized that God wasn't done with him, and Hezikiah was about to learn his greatest heart issue, an issue that God would gladly put more years on anyones life just so that you could see it, and with His help, deal with it. 

what's so important to losen your grip on??

pride.

The last 15 years of Hezikiah's life are pretty important to not only him, but the nation of Israel. i can't wait to tell you about it.. 

Saturday, October 23, 2010

grip switching.

meet a king, his name is Hezikiah.


in the book of the Bible, 2 Kings, we are given a short description of who he was.  

He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel, 
so that there was none like him among 
all the kings of Judah after him,
 nor among those who were before him.
 For he held fast to the Lord

when i find myself holding fast to things other than the Lord it usually means trouble, with a capital "T"  so i've been wondering and reading, why on earth did this king gets this little phrase in his intro?? what did he actually do to receive the words "he held fast to the Lord??"  and i found there is just not one answer. there are of course many.


one particular time Hezikiah was pretty distressed about this neighboring king who was quite the big bully, and Hezikiah was just plain fed up with this kings power and blasphemy toward God... so he prayed about it. and God answered through his prophet Isaiah in 2 Kings 19 21-28. God's answer went something like this.. (and i double dog dare you to read the following list out loud.. really, do it. and read it slow.. and then read it again. it's that amaxing)


God will protect you like a parent protects his/her daughter.

God counts sin as an injury to Him- and He will repay.

God is in even the most unreachable places.

God is unstoppable.

God is the author and the beginning of His church, 
He will never let it be completely destroyed.

God gave enemies strength, they will flourish for a time, and later decay like flowers.

God knows everything about me.

God has a hook in the nose and a bridle in the jaws of all His and our enemies. 


did you read it out loud? gosh i hope so. if fact, if you didn't read it loud enough for someone to look at you weird.. go ahead and read it again... no worries, i'll wait..

goooooooooo do it..

whew.. wow. i'm in awe of it all. God's words are  timeless and alive in my capital "T" world and i am reminded again,  to let go of what i find myself holding fast to at the moment and switch my grip to hold fast to the only thing that matters, God. He's got it. i don't have to hang onto anything but Him. 

Hezikiah was promised by God that he would be free from this neighboring king, that God would win. For a while Hezikiah believed and walked in that truth, then his gripped switched.

 but  i'll tell you about that tomorrow...

Friday, October 22, 2010

i'm in love with another......



title.

yes, it's true. i can't deny it any longer.  please don't tell the lead singer, he just wouldn't understand.  it's just that this Charles guy is a wonderful and perhaps the best title writer ever. i'm in awe.  

 and guess what?!?!!?!

THIS BOOK ISN'T in the CHRISTIAN FICTION SECTION!!!  (can i hear a Hallelujah??)

so upon returning the last book by this guy to our local library. i checked to see if we had anything newer.. and we did.

in fact, this is his newest book yet, which means, of course, i loved it for it's hardcover at first, but when i finished the book last night in the wee hours i really started to like it for it's title. 

and this morning after thinkin about it all some more.. i LOVE the title.

seriously. this author is amaxing and gifted, and he's written 7 books. so i only have 5 left to find. 

but this book is so much more than the title.  of course i laughed, giggled and cried my way through it..you should read this book...for reals.









Thursday, October 21, 2010

again.

today i..
  • got to open the grape juice bottles at breakfast, spilling all over my skirt.
  • was in charge of 5 littles when it came to getting ready to play outside, none had coats, 50 OTHER littles in the hall coming in from playing, three women talking about how they can't believe i would even think about taking those 5 littles outside without a coat.  of course i didn't. 
  • ran up a hill and down a hill three times with 9 littles.. musta been a site to see as the littles were shouting.. "hey look a teacher is running!" 
  • picked up more fruit and veggies than one kitchen should have.
  • cuddled with a  little who's daddy just past away. 
  • ate beef sticks for dinner.  (i'm pretty sure they are illegal in some states)
  • rode the short bus without a helmet
  •  while riding said short bus was asked if i was wearing underwear under my skirt. i told the little pervert it was none of his business. 


yup, i'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

when crickets cry.


three things about this book i dislike
  1. it's paperback
  2. it's from 2006
  3. it's in the Christian Fiction isle at the library. 
ok, ok, ok, i can hear the WHATs? already. i forgot to tell you that i really can't stand most Christian fiction? oh, i'm sorry. it's not really all bad, in fact, some of my favorite books (Mark of the Lion series, by francine rivers ) are found in the Christian fiction isle. most, in my humble opinion are full of cheesy love stories and down right blasphemy.. so i steer clear of them.. usually.

so two days ago,  i'm desperate for a book, i look behind the boss's desk, where we keep the brand new fresh outta the UPS truck not even checked in waiting to be processed books.. did i tell you it's my favorite place to be in the library?  i love me new books. 

i pick this book up, love the cover so easily i decide to read it. THEN, realized it's from the publisher Tommy Nelson..yes, it's a christian fiction book. 

but the title is amazing

and the cover is awesome

and i'm currently not reading anything.

so why not??.... 

three things that i love about this author
  1. he's an incredible title writer.. it suggests you need to know why crickets cry. did you know they could? 
  2. his characters are real people who are trying to live for God in a very real way among very difficult circumstances.
  3. the plot is engaging and made me feel for the characters. really feel.

i laughed.
i cried.
i learned a ton about the human heart
it was, almost the perfect book. 

almost? 

yeah, it's still in the christian fiction isle.






Friday, October 15, 2010

the yuck inside.

it's always bothered me a little. here's this guy, 100% hearing and following God. in fact, he's one of the few i believe that actually got to hang out with God while he received the 10 Commandments, you know who I'm talking about? yeah. Moses.

the same Moses that killed a man, the same Moses that confronted Pharaoh on many occasions, the same Moses that lead the Israelites across the Red Sea, the same Moses that listened for 40 years to a bazillion Israelites complain and whine about their feet hurting, the food, and I'm sure the dust in everything they owned. Moses had to put up with a ton, actually more than a ton in my book.

But then there is this time, when the people wanted some water real bad and God told Moses to strike a certain rock and then give Him the glory, well, Moses struck a rock and water came out, but he didn't give God credit.  God actually said "because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that i have given them" Numbers 20:12

so let me get this straight.. this uber God guy who is putting up with a whole bunch of whiners that God himself told him to lead to the promiseland... doesn't get to step one pinkie toe in that promiseland???

and i think my life is unfair??!!??

Moses had to let go of the dreams of milk and honey in his mind. He wasn't going to get that "perfect" life in the promiseland. His life was severely altered by disobeying God.

But Moses chose not to react in hate towards God.

I'm not saying he didn't get angry, or upset, scripture doesn't tell us how he felt about not getting into the promsieland, but when he decided to love those grumbly Israelites enough to help them remember where they came from and where they were headed, he acted out of love. Moses didn't want anyone to forget about a God so big and so mighty and so gracious and so forgiving, that I'm sure he wept deeply for his sin and it's effect on him and those that surrounded him.

Moses could have just said to "hell with it all" but he didn't. he started writing. He wrote and wrote, and today we read his writings in the Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

and there's where we see it. Where we see the whole point, in my humble opinion...

it doesn't matter how many "things" you did in God's name in the past. When God looks at your heart and sees even a bit of something that doesn't glorify Him.. He will call you on it, and ask for you to give it to Him, and when you do..no mater how hard, and painful. God will say..

"My Love, now i can finally use you."



Let the Words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O lord, my rock and redeemer. Psalm 19:14

Thursday, October 14, 2010

obviously.



obviously, when you have a book sale you can't also have story time in the same teeny space.
 obviously, littles really do have to go to kindergarten someday.

obviously, i miss them.
BUT 
i obviously have more time to love on those that matter most in my life...  

they obviously need me 
more than anyone in the world. 

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

turn it UP!

all kinds of happiness in this song for me.

so much better than Petra.

specially when your dying on the ellipitcal in your parent's basement.

feel free to replay lots today and have a HaPpY DaY!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

noise

i'm not naive enough to believe that what i write each day isn't just another thing in your life to read. there is a ton of noise in the world and i really don't want to be part of it. at all. if it were up to me, i'd hide away in my house and sew, bake bread and read books minus the TV, radio, and internet. (ok, so maybe i'd keep the internet) If you read the first post, this blog is about God and what He's doing in my heart, an honest look at a chick whose trying, but often fails at walking with her Creator, but the last thing i want to be in your life is noise.

so today i just have to ask you..

what if the Author of the world is trying to get you to see something that only He can give you in His Word

would you consider that noise?

or would you stop and listen and know that He's trying to communicate with you.

i ask you today, if there is too much noise in your life... how will you ever hear?

Isaiah 66:2

Monday, October 11, 2010

living in a swimsuit.



there are these two rivers in yellowstone that meet. one is boiling hot water and the other well, it's freezing cold water. and where they meet is a place to sit and enjoy yourself in your swimsuit. it's like a God made hot tub, where one minute your toes are freezing and the next they are scorching hot. it really is an amazing place. it's located kinda off a beaten path, and the park doesn't really advertise it, so it's mostly by word of mouth that people find it. which makes it extra special and a unique experience.

it doesn't really surprise me that the cold water runs oh so much faster than the hot. in fact, my sister in law and i watched a young lady swept away by the fast current only to be caught by a man down river.

in contrast the hot water is a slower waterfall that empties into the fridged water making both temperature water bearable and invigorating at the same time. it's the place where everyone wants to be, so it's crowded and you find yourself huddled up to strangers in a swimsuit. yeah, it's kinda weird, but it's a comfortable uncomfortable, if i can use that?


my main concern was to keep my children and my teeny tiny uber cute niece from floating down the river of cold when i was there, so i didn't really get to enjoy the place for what it was.

so today, i am.

the middle "hot-tub" water is full of people that can go either to the cold water or hot. we found that where you sit upstream from them dictates what kind of water they get downstream. if you move even your leg a fraction of an inch it sends a rush of hot or cold to your neighbor. i can tell you from experience that the hot water is a much more welcomed temperature.

it's really an odd thing when you realize how much impact you have on those around you, and they on you, while your sitting there doing life together in your swimsuits.


Friday, October 8, 2010

nope.

three weeks into my not using Facebook..

~my world changers don't yell when i'm taking a picture "she''s going to post that on facebook!"

~ i don't think of random status updates at odd times.

~i don't know if your dog died, what the weather is like in Wyoming, if your pregnant, your having goulash for dinner, or what the current topic of interest is for your 2 yr old. and that makes me happy.

~i have read a bazillion books... so far nothing really worth talking about.

~face to face (or voice to voice) relationships really are worth the effort. duh.

~ places in my house have been sorted, cleaned, and stuff sold or blessed to someone else.

~ 15 lbs gone off this body of mine.

~best of all. i have eliminated "noise" in my heart.... and i can concentrate on loving and living for the One who gave it all for me. being quiet has it's perks!

do i miss it?

nope.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

dear thursday,

i had so many plans for you, such as conquering the mountain of laundry just waiting for a ride over to the neighbors (yes, the washer still is busted.) i was then going to travel to the fabric store to nab a few yards of sweet luscious fabric for christmas presents, and then i was going to even visit my fave print shop to bind a book for a study that i wanna start. it was going to be a great day of just odds and ends.

until..

i had to save the day at a preschool over in a neighboring town.
i had to shorten my workout/devotion time
i got to spend quality time with the lead singer cleaning the chicken coop
and then, i find this in the garage...

my middle world changer thinks aspiring to be a hippy is bad.
i have failed as a mother.


Wednesday, October 6, 2010

consider yourself warned.


next time you wanna spend sometime behind my piano,
you won't be alone.


Tuesday, October 5, 2010

87 steps and 7 letters

a few weeks back now, i had a feeling that i needed to do something. something huge, that will affect my whole family. it was as if God spoke to my heart, and i immediately knew this was going to be a battle of utmost importance in my life.

God told me to put a For Sale sign at the end of the driveway.

hmmm.. i know there are a bazillion reasons that this acreage isn't ready to sell. (remember the bathroom door isn't even on.) but God still whispered to my heart. just put the sign out.

maybe it's not God, let's go to some Godly friends of mine and ask. they all stared blank eyed at me and encouraged me to obey God. i felt stoopid and silly even saying that "God wants me to put a for sale sign out at the end of the driveway." it's the most unnatural thing in the world nowadays to put your house on the market.. there are so many, and did i mention that it's no where near ready to sell?

the next week i'm in a car with one of my bosses. she tells me that she might have to take a phone call from her realtor. She lives 2 miles out in the country, and one day just went out and put a sign up and well, 2 weeks later a buyer shows up and she's moving out at the end of October. yah, i'm flabbergasted. if she can do it, why can't i? it's just a sign. 7 letters. that's all. heck, it's not even that long of a walk.

Then, i realize that it's not about the for sale sign at all. God loves me and will give me everything i need, and right now there is a super big need for some room in our budget. but, what if it doesn't sell? i guess that's why i'm draggin my feet to the end of the driveway. how will i look if this acreage doesn't sell? how can i ever "hear" from God again if i get this wrong? i know, discernment can't be taught, it has to be learned. but i never thought it had to be this hard.

when God told me to put the sign out, it was just that, put the sign out. not a detail was mine to worry about. i was just to walk to the end of the driveway and put a for sale sign up. but after thinking and praying and diving into my own emotions and feelings on this.. i know that if Christ lives in me, i too am a house. and i need to put a sold sign on my heart.

so, i walked one more step toward God, and the 87 steps to the end of the driveway and put up both signs... knowing I am blessed. loved. and i'm moving outta the house that was God's anyways.

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies,
it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. John 12:24