Chicago~ My Kind of Town

Have you ever heard that song?  (I put the vid at the bottom.) 

Chicago isn't all glitz and glamor. See those benches?  Late at night, they become beds for homeless people. 
We (our church) went downtown to help serve the homeless and poor last night.  It was a very cold night, although it will get much colder.  My husband and I had the privilege of meeting several people. 

they have names
they have faces
they have feelings
some of them have a desire to bless not just be blessed

Freddie the Fish: 

• Has found a place in my husbands heart
• Homeless
• Cold
• Sleeping in a garage
• Used to sleep on a bench but became friends with a guy who is dating a transvestite and moved up in the world
• Needed a sleeping bag to be more comfortable
• Friendly
• Wants to bless others and gave my dad a small package of instant coffee ~ bless his heart
• Sells newspapers for $15 a day

Cooper:

• Says he is a Believer but needed to be reminded about who he is in God's Kingdom 
• Trying to make his life right
• Currently staying away from drugs and alcohol
• Was homeless but is in an apartment
• Is so excited about his apartment that sometimes he doesn't leave for 2-3 days at a time (bless his heart)
• When he was homeless, he was sleeping on a bench last August - got knocked in the head with a hammer and stabbed in the eyeball with a knife
• Has a huge scar on his face and a glass eye
• Has a job
• Trying to get re-established and move forward in life

Linda:

• Jewish lady
• Kind of slow
• Needed someone to vent to
• Talks a lot
• Not a believer but is best friends with Mario who is
• Wants to bless me and bring me a Menorah next time I go there

The wind-chill factor was 0 last night.

What is a wind-chill factor?

Wind chill is the apparent temperature felt on exposed skin due to wind. The degree of this phenomenon depends on both air temperature and wind speed. The wind chill temperature (often popularly called the wind chill factor) is always lower than the air temperature for values where the wind chill formula is valid.
More info from Wikipedia

Step out of your comfort zone ~ wherever you live. 
Help someone ~ anyone. They don't have to be poor or homeless.
Become a giver.
Give ~ even when it hurts.

 

 

 

Please Help A Sister In Need

Sorry for the duplicate post.  I goofed on the first one.

Show a Sister some LOVE and Help.


Greetings to you all!

I went to a women's conference and met a homeless lady. She is very young and was being helped by a local organization. She accepted Christ as her Savior that day and I had the privilege of walking her up the isle. She has continued to go to church and she got baptized with 300 other people! Also, she has gotten "out on her own" and has an apartment in Gary. She isn't "homeless" anymore. (The town helps her pay for things.)

God has brought her across my path several times since then. I was in a local town one day and there she was walking down the sidewalk. She was going to walk from that town to another (several towns over) 
with bronchitis because she had a chance to see her daughter. I also ran into her at her church recently.



Since she has gotten a place to stay and doesn't have anything, she could use some help. She has NOT asked me for help. I offered her my refrigerator and microwave and she was grateful.


This girl doesn't have a bed or anything else for that matter. I had given her a Bible at the conference and just can't bear the thought of her having to sit on a floor in this apartment to read it. I believe that she does read it because she carries it with her in her purse.

I know that this is a long post but I wanted to give you info on her since I am asking for help.


Can you help me get some things to her? I can not bear the thought that she is sleeping on the floor in this apartment.

I am going to make a list of things that she needs for sure and things that she has. Please let the LORD lead you in your giving. If you ask for wisdom, He will give it to you.

Has:
Some dishes (I will give her more)
Refrigerator
Microwave
Blankets (not sure of condition)
I am going to buy her an air bed and sheets

Needs:

Her car is leaking oil and needs looked at and fixed
Pillows (?)
Small table with chairs
Living room chair or loveseat
*****A pay as you go phone with minutes
Something wonderful to hang on the wall ?
Some bowls for cooking in the microwave
I don't know if she has a stove
A simple devotional for women

Most of all she needs prayer.  She has a lady who lives next to her who does drugs and just leaves them out on a table. Her father does drugs and cares about his drugs more than her (she told me). Her mother lives in another state and seems to only care about herself. She will soon be visiting the area and "staying" with her.

She seems to try to stay away from the negative people in her life.


Please email me if you can help.
homeiscool4u@yahoo.com

Galations 6:10 (AMP)


So then, as occasion and opportunity open up to us, let us do good [[i]morally] to all people [not only [j]being useful or profitable to them, but also doing what is for their spiritual good and advantage]. Be mindful to be a blessing, especially to those of the household of faith [those who belong to God's family with you, the believers].

Learning Hebrew

I am SO excited!  I just read my first Hebrew word!  You can too!

Chanukah Cartoon

Basics of celebrating Chanukah
When is Chanukah
When is Chanukah 2010?


Chanukah is celebrated December 01, 2010
(begins at sundown)*
When is Chanukah 2011?
Chanukah is celebrated December 20, 2011
(begins at sundown)*

My Love

Yeshua!

Ice, Ice Baby!

No, not the song ~ Our driveway and car!  I went out this morning and everything was covered in ice.  The car was frozen shut and I broke a nail trying to open my door!  Boo hoo. 

I decided to go around my car and go through the passenger side door.  Oh boy, that brought back memories of my poor, premarriage days!  As I tried to round the car, I started to slide down our driveway BACKWARD!  As I slid, I lost my balance and had to put my hands down on the driveway too so that I didn't splat.  So, I slid backward, hands down in front of me with my backside straight up in the air.  I had a big, wool coat on so I'm sure my backside didn't look smallish!

I can just imagine the laughter going on in the homes across the street!  As a matter of fact, I was laughing so hard I had wished I could share that carefree moment with someone.  Well, I suppose I did because my Heavenly Father was watching me!

I have a bloggy friend who says that she's never seen a snowflake!  I'll bet she's never slid rear end up, down her driveway either! 

Have a beautiful day!
Janet

When was Yeshua (Jesus) really born?

I have studied this and after looking at the evidence, have come to the conclusion for myself that He was born at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles.  That would be late September - early October.

 

You can read a great article about it here:  Was Jesus really born on December 25th?

 

Either way, I agree with the article:

 

• Take a humble attitude about it
• Our LORD was born and ransomed us from the wages of our sins
• Scripture seems to be more focused on the life, death and resurrection of Yeshua (Jesus) than His birth

 I celebrate my Yeshua everyday!  I can't possibly celebrate Him any more at Christmas, Easter, Passover, or any other feast than I do every single day!

 

I love Yeshua!  He is my salvation!

 

Yeshua 
Meaning Salvation in Hebrew. Commonly replaced with Jesus, which is a greek form on the Messiah's name.

 

Yeshua was not called Yashuah, as some think, because the Seraphim did not tell Miriam that his name was Yahshua(Yahweh is our Salvation), but rather Yeshua (Salvation).
"And you shall call him SALVATION."

Duplicate

Our house that we are renting is a duplicate of the one that we left for full time ministry ~ that was later taken (not sure from who ~ Freddie Mac/Fanny scam).  Our lawyer told us it was stolen ~ I don't know...it may have been a God thing to show us His glory later ~ which is now.  Not sure.

Same square footage, similar closet space, open concept, basement, high ceilings, ceiling fans, similar bathrooms, similar back doors ~ these are some things that are similar.  Our house then was a victorian and this house is new.  How weird is that?

Nope ~ it's not weird. 

But God!!

He is amazing!  He is so good to His kids.  He takes you through it so that you will learn to trust Him, grow, and it will, in the end, show His glory!

Troubles? Trials? Rescue Is Coming

Don't give up in the middle of the trial!  The reward at the end is worth it!  The lessons learned are worth it!

Speak it out loud: (if that means you have to go into a room by yourself then do it)  God blesses~ God disciplines~ God rewards~ He is blessing me~ It's already done! He loves me!  I am His child!  LORD ~ I believe!  I receive the blessings that you have in store for me.  Please help me stand firm on the rock during this time of testing.  It's already done!  Thank you Heavenly Father God of the universe!

Isaiah 43:15-19
15I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.

16Thus says the Lord, Who makes a way through the sea and a path through the mighty waters,
17Who brings forth chariot and horse, army and mighty warrior. They lie down together, they cannot rise; they are extinguished, they are quenched like a lampwick:
18Do not [earnestly] remember the former things; neither consider the things of old.
19Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

Here is a video of a song that spoke to me during the last 6-9 months:  (I don't know about the second song, I'm talking about the first song.)

Thoughts From Below

Some things that I learned in the basement:

• No matter how little you have ~ choose to give.  Give something.  If you don't have money to give, give something that belongs to you!  It's hard but soooo worth it and rewarding in the end.
• I now appreciate all things.  I was very thankful before, but it's on a different level now!  Laundry wasn't my favorite thing to do.  Now, I appreciate the fact that I get to do laundry and in my very own washer and dryer.
• My husband and I saw each other in a different way than we ever have.  Vulnerability...  He saw my tears and my often tear stained pillows.  (Mascarra and tears stain ~ now a constant reminder.)
• A family can grow VERY close in a trial.  Praise the LORD, we grew together.
• When you are in the pit, find someone who has it worse and help them!  There is always someone going through something worse than you.  Reach out to them.  We started going to the church in downtown Chicago to feed the homeless and poor.  That will change your perspective quick!

**********************************************************
I didn't get too many pictures of the house today.  I'll be honest, I was too busy enjoying myself!  The boys had friends over so I'll post a pic of them playing.  What a blessing!

...and another thing!

(I'm a blogging mad-woman today!  3 posts in one morning!)

There is another thing on my mind lately. 

You know, we as "Christians" or believers can be soooo judgemental.  We HAVE GOT to remember that everyone is on a journey toward holiness.  (This is something that God showed me while I was in the basement.)

On a scale of 1-10, 10 being the "perfect" follower of God (Like there is such a thing!):  Say there is someone who lives their life on the level of an 8 or 9.  It seems as though they can get the mindset that they are so much better and living above others.  "Well, I do this for God and I do that. He or she doesn't believe this so they aren't on the right level.  They are so off base." 

I know that is an extreme example but you get the idea. 

We have GOT to guard our hearts from becoming proud of what we "do" for God.  We are to live holy not haughty!  (Oh, I like that!  I'm going to make that font bigger!)  Our lives should reflect our LORD and draw people to Him no matter what "level" we are on in our journey toward holiness.

Blessings be unto you today!  

He Is

That is what is on my mind for today.
 
He is...

My Father has been blessing us so much lately but He is so much more than that.  Yes, He gives blessings.  Yes, there is a time for trials and a time for blessings.  Yes, He gives and He takes away. 

but

He is...
Yahweh: is the covenant name of God
EL: God ("mighty, strong, prominent")
ELOHIM: God
EL SHADDAI: God Almighty or "God All Sufficient."
ADONAI: Lord
JEHOVAH: LORD
YESHUA: (Yeshua) "Savior"


Interested in more names of God?  Names of God

He is so good...

Have I said lately how good my Heavenly Father is?  Of course I have but I want to tell you what He did for me yesterday. 

As you know, we moved last week.  (It STILL feels like a dream!)  Since the move out of the parsonage 20 months ago, I can't remember what worked and what didn't; what I got rid of and what I kept.  It seems as though my dryer (a VERY important appliance) doesn't work right.  The door won't latch, it took all day to dry a few things and the cycles never stop!  Can you say, "fire hazard"?

I really like to shop thrift so I thought I'd stop by the Salvation Army to get the boys a shower curtain, since I can't find theirs.  Well, guess what I found?  A brand new dryer for only $55!!!!!  $55!!!  Not a mark on it!  My Dad hooked that baby up and it works wonderfully! 

Then, as IF that were not enough... 

My husband told God that when He gave us a home, we would use it to minister to others.  This home would be a tool.  Our small junked up table for 4 just wasn't going to be able to hold MANY people for the ministering and parties that he wants to have. 

Well, as I was waiting for my FIL to get to the store to pick up the dryer ~ I found THE table to go in THE house!  No joke!  This thing has 2 leaves and seats 10!  TEN!  We can easily fit 10 people at our table!  Although, it only came with 4 chairs and 2 captains chairs.  The set is a Hooker Furniture set!  They are expensive!  How much did I pay?  $180.  That's it! 

I don't know why I get so amazed when Jehovah Jirah provides for  us.  God our Father loves us.  Why wouldn't He provide for us?

I'll post some picks of the house tomorrow.  Many of you have asked to see.  I didn't want to put too many of the mess but it's all getting put away by now.

Thank you for your prayers and support. 

I love Yeshua!

Unpacking~

Ok, I am an organized person.   Organizing is in my blood.  It is a sickness!  When we packed for the move out of the parsonage and into my in-law's house I had plenty of time to pack and correctly label; all of my things stayed that way in storage. 

When we moved this time, I labeled the best that I could with other people helping me.  When we moved our things to this house ~ our home, I wasn't here to "direct".  It all happened soooo fast!  I have no idea where our stuff is.  I'm constantly looking for this and looking for that. 

It's funny and quite an adventure!  ~ Especially being the "organized" person that I am. I HEART an adventure!

I now have a different perspective on life, in many ways.  I am more accepting and laid back about things.  (Saying that out loud... is that going to be tested? LOL)  In the basement, I have learned that things can't always be perfect.  You have to make do and go with it.  The LORD will lead and guide through life's circumstances just like He did His people in the desert.

Now, back to worshipping while I put things away.  I love to worship the LORD all the day long.

Janet

I'm HOME!

Well ladies, I'm finally home!  It feels like a dream ~ like I'm stuck in the Twilight Zone ~ even this very minute!!  It has been so awesome.  So many people pitched in and helped or stopped by to say hi.  We've already had an impromptu party and we've only been here 24 hours!  Yeah Jehovah Jirah! 

As our friends prayed over our house and different people have spoke words about our home, the word "PEACE" has been the word to surface.  My prayer is that people will feel the peace of God as they enter and as they are drawn in to stay.  It seems to be working already.  My sister in law and my mom were saying how warm and comforting it feels here. 

I am still in awe that this is the house that God hand picked for us Himself.  He is so good.

Thankful Thursday ~ We Are Moving!!!

For more "Thankful Thursday":  Truth4theJourney

My Thankful Thursday post will be a little different today.  I started this "Homeward Bound" blog so that I can remember things past as we go forward in our journey to both a Heavenly home and our earthly home. 

Well, today is the day ladies!   Today we move!  My friend said, "You mean you're not going to be a bottom dweller anymore?"  That's right!  We're movin' on up!  Goin' right up those stairs to ground level!

After 1 year and 8 months in our make-shift home ( my in-law's basement) we are moving!!!!

(Now, in my excitement, I don't want to be boastful.  Please know my heart.  As I tell in future posts what the LORD has done and what our new home is like, please know that I am not bragging.  I want to boast in the LORD and testify about His working. Basically, I'm like a little kid telling what they got for Christmas!)

My thankful post will tell just a smidge of what God has done.  It is a TRUE miracle.  I will tell the whole story at a later date because, after all, I DO HAVE TO PACK today!  You can read my thoughts for the moring of November 30th here.

• We pray for a moving story that includes a miracle of Jehovah Jirah ~ The LORD will provide
• Husband found house ~ twice the rent in our budget (??Let me just say now, I thought he was crazy)
• We received a word of prophecy at another church ~ "something will happen to change your circumstances on November 30th"
• November 30th ~ husband sees strange ad for that same house ~ "make me an offer"
• Husband makes offer of half rent plus reminder of  God's blessings for blessing His people
• Owner replies that he is a believer too and wants to work something out with the rent
• Everything progresses and we move into the house (our dream house) that Jehovah Jirah provided

That's it in a nutshell! 

I AM THANKFUL!  It all feels like a dream.

My Hebrew Name

I found this website that you can put your English name into and get the Hebrew name.

Here is mine:

Over the Top Blog Award

I received this blog award from Angie at Messy Cars and Muddy Shoes. Angie is a mother of a large family and the wife of a pastor. Blessings to her!

I nominate:
Michelle at Delightful Learning: her blog is over the top because she loves her YHVH and has great homeschool ideas.

Jen at Beautiful Mess: because she is such a sweet hearted, Christian woman who loves God and loves others.

H-Mama at Family Team: her blog is beautiful and her pictures are over the top awesome!

Rhonda at down to earth: She has over the top recipes, natural ideas and homemaking tips all the way from Australia!

Rachelle at With One Step: Her blog is cute and they have just adopted twin boys from China! They call them the "twin men". Those boys are totally over the top!

This blog award comes with questions that are supposed to be one word answers. ?? Is that even POSSIBLE? We women have 35-50,000 words that we have to get out of our mouths each day ~ AS WE BIBLICALLY HOLD THE TONGUE!! Hmmmm.... is this considered temptation? Thinking... slow to speak, quick to listen... Ok, that was ALL written BEFORE blogs!

1. Where is your cell phone? on the table next to me

2. Your hair? needing washed

3. Your mother? suffering from shingles but is well in Jesus/Yeshua!

4. Your father? just put in a new fireplace for her

5. Your favorite food? Mexican

6. Your dream last night? I pulled glitter out of my hair and sprinkled it all over (my secret wish is to be a pixie)

7. Your favorite drink? coffee

8. Your goal? uhhhh, that's too deep

9. What room are you in? the basement ~ but not for long!!!!!!!!!!!

10. Your hobby? decorating, painting, scrapbooking

11. Your fear? failure

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? busy with children

13. Where were you last night? church and our new house!!!

14. Something you aren’t? a phone talker (kinda makes it hard to get those words out!)

15. Muffins? lemon poppy seed

16. Wish list item? a home of our own again someday (it's on the way!)

17. Where did you grow up? in the house my mother grew up in

18. Last thing you did? took a nap

19. What are you wearing? jammie pants and my shirt from earlier

20. Your TV? don't have one until Christmas ~ my brother is giving us their BIG screen (husband: loving that!)

21. Your pets? Boxer

22. Your friends? becoming closer

23. Your life? Blessed and highly favored!

24. Your mood? very excited

25. Missing someone? uhhh, don't think so

26. Vehicle? dirty

27. Something you’re not wearing? anything constricting

28. Your favorite store? Salvation Army or anything thrift

29. Your favorite color? pink

30. When was the last time you laughed? yesterday

31. Last time you cried? not too long ago

32. Your best friend? Dream Latte

33. A place that I go over and over? Meijer

34. Someone who emails me regularly? my mom

35. Favorite place to eat? I don't know... I like food ~ I said, "LIKE"

Word For the Day

אלהים

Ecclesiastes 3:14-15 (NLT)

And I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God's purpose is that people should fear Him. What is happening now has happened before, and what will happen in the future has happened before, because God makes the same things happen over and over again.

God:
H430
אלהים
'ĕlôhı̂ym
el-o-heem'
Plural of H433; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative: - angels, X exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X mighty.

Fear:
H3372
ירא
yârê'
yaw-ray'
A primitive root; to fear; morally to revere; causatively to frighten: - affright, be (make) afraid, dread (-ful), (put in) fear (-ful, -fully, -ing). (be had in) reverence (-end), X see, terrible (act, -ness, thing).

Blog Award

I feel so bad. Someone left me a blog award a couple of weeks ago and then I left for out of town. (Or I was out of town.) I didn't have time to pick it up and now I don't know where it is.

Can you help? Did you leave one for me?

Thank you,

Janet

God

I don't know who this is for but God just placed something in my mind to say:

God's love knows no bounds.

Have a beautiful day!

Holding the Tongue

Let me tell you, sometimes God decides to test me on holding my tongue. (Or practically biting it OFF!) That is HARD for me especially if I know you are wrong! (Hah!) It is HARD for me especially if the person is speaking out like a fool. Seriously, it's HARD for anyone I suppose but it's REALLY hard for me.

I know that there is a time and a place... yada, yada...

I was tested and I'm sure it won't be the last time. (Did you know that they don't stitch tongues? They just let them heal.)

Let me tell you, I have been in a great stretching and growth period for a long time now ~ WITH NO BREAK! I'm ready for a break... I guess I better just rest in Jesus because life IS growth.