Going through it.

Sorry to be such a party pooper in this post.

I don't know what is going on.  After years of not being sick, our family has been struck hard.

I've had the flu 3 times in a month in a half, twice in a week.  ? My husband who hasn't been sick in years and years has had it 2 times in a month.

After moving out of my in-law's home and into a beautiful house that we know God led us to, we have had another upset.  At the 2 1/2 month mark, we were told that the owner is going to sell the house or he will lose it.  Now, we have to clean it, pack up the kids and dog and leave for several hours at a time while strangers roam through this house.  

We are trying SO hard to keep our eyes on God.  He loves us and has a plan.  We know that.  No one ever said it would be easy.  (It sure would be a lot easier if we didn't have the flu every couple of weeks!!)

I will say it again, I TRUST GOD!  Please, be our strength, LORD.


Anyway, in effort to boost our immunity naturally, I came across this article and thought I'd share it with you.

10 Ways to Boost Immune Health

You asked!

MY BIBLE

I am SO thankful for the beautiful ladies who told what version of the Bible they use and explained why in my post, "Hot Topic: Versions of the Bible".  I asked that you not bash versions of the Bible but explain why you use the one that you use.

You asked, what version do I use?  I use the NASB.  When my husband first started to preach, he used his NIV.  That is what he was reading from so that is what he preached from.  The time came to get a new Bible so he did some research.  We found out that the NASB is the closest translation that we can understand and use so that is where the LORD led. 

We have a bunch of versions and even a collection of very old Bibles.  One of them even looks like it's some sort of goth Bible from the dark ages (or a long time ago anyway).

I really like to use http://www.biblegateway.com/.  You can look up any passage in any version online.  There are TONS of versions.

Now, a little about my Bible.  Once I decided to go to the NASB and leave me NIV, I found the New Inductive Study Bible put out by Precept Ministries.  It doesn't have chapter headings, there are no notes, and it leaves room on the sides for writing.

I LOVE it!  It's kinda huge but I love letting the Holy Spirit lead even in filling out the chapter headings!

So, anyone else want to chime in?

Hot Topic: Versions of the Bible

1.  I'm curious... What version of the Bible do you most use and why?

I know that this is a hot topic but it is an interesting one to me.  I am not asking for you to trash talk other versions.  I want to know why YOU use the one that YOU use. 

2.  Have you done research (I mean REAL research) into the version that you use in order to choose it over another?

Look in the mirror. How do you look?

No, I don't mean on the outside.  I'm talking about that inward mirror. 

When others and or God look at you, or hear you, do they see a complaining Israelite?  Do they see someone who is prideful?  Stubborn or hard headed?  Demanding?  Bossy?  A negative speaker?

NONE of us want to see those things in ourselves. 

What do the things that come out of your mouth say about you? 

We can LOOK good!  We can sound good!

Psalm 33:1

New American Standard:
Sing for joy in the LORD, O you righteous ones;

Praise is becoming to the upright.


The Message:
Good people, cheer God! Right-living people sound best when praising.

That's right!  Praise looks good on you!  Are you lookin good?

Awarded to...

Jen at Beautiful Mess and Deb at Heavenly Humor gave me this blog award!  I'd like to pass it on.

This award goes to..... drum roll please....


Lady Claudette at A Girl After His Heart - she is a college girl, new Christian and wants to go into missions!  ~and what a beautiful spirit.  I'd love for you to meet her and leave her a note of encouragement.

Ministering to Me

I know it's not time for weekend worship but this song is ministering to me today.

He (Yahweh) IS God alone. He IS the Almighty! He IS my Daddy! He IS the God of the Universe.

He IS...

The Sacred Room

This post is meant to be an encouragement, to give you ideas and some things to think about.  I was at a Pastor's wives conference and this topic was talked about but I believe it applies to anyone who is married.

PS - These bedrooms are NOT mine! 

What is your bedroom like?  Is it messy?  Is the bed always unmade?  Are the pillows flat?  Do you have sheets hanging over your windows for curtains?  Are there piles of clothes all over or in the corners?  Is your purse on the floor and shoes strung throughout?

Sometimes we make sure all the rooms in the house are presentable or even beautifully decorated and our master bedroom gets the leftovers. 

Our bedrooms should be a place of quiet rest after a long hard day - a refuge.  As married people, the part of our lives that takes place in the bedroom (that's the normal room anyway) is sacred, holy, set apart.  Why should a sacred part of our lives take place in a room that is a disaster, dumpy and stinky?

When decorating your master bedroom, your husband should be taken into consideration.  He is not necessarily going to feel manly and well rested in a room that is overly feminine.  Now, I'm not saying to decorate with motorcycle parts and sports memorabilia.  I am saying that the bedroom should reflect both persons not just the wife. 

If your bedroom is a wreck, you don't have to go spend a fortune to get it into shape.  This may take from several months to a couple of years.  It is a process.  You can get nice new/used items from thrift stores if need be and descent pillows from discount stores such as TJ Max.

Here are some pointers that I have picked up:

• CLEAN UP - get rid of piles and clutter - if you do nothing else, do this
• Make sure it smells nice and fresh - not like dirty laundry
• Change your sheets often - once a week minimum - just think about the germs from a long day out and about that may be on your bed
• Paint - a very affordable way to spruce up any space
• Replace old, flat, saliva stained pillows - have plenty of pillows for a soft, comforting bed
• Make sure your door has a lock
• Keep children out as much as you can - they need to learn to respect their parent's privacy and need for intimacy - this is not a playroom for kids
• The TV is an intrusion!  I know I am treading on thin ice but it needs to GO!  Keep your bedroom between yourself and your husband.
• Have some sort of dim lighting - this helps to create a soft, calming atmosphere - even candles from the dollar store would work
• Purchase nice sheets - I have gotten brand new, very nice sheets at thrift stores for a fraction of the cost of new ones - this has allowed me to have several nice sets

Is creating a beautiful, relaxing, intimate master bedroom a goal for you?  If so, how do you do it and how long has your process taken? 

Photos from ugly house photos,  gharexpert , easternshorehousing

I Trust You

Some things have started to go... I don't know... I don't want to say bad.  Umm, something is changing... could be good... WILL be good! Yes!  WILL be good and I praise my God for what He is going to do!!

Sinse I don't know how to pray for this situation I am just saying, "I trust You.  I trust You.  I trust You.  I trust You.  I trust You.  I trust You."

I trust Him.  Yahweh

He loves us.  We are His children.
You can trust Him too.

Spiritual Gifts

Have you discoved your Spiritual gifts? 

What are they?  Do you use it or them on a regular basis?

My heart broke ~ Hair India

I watched this documentary a couple of weeks ago.  My heart broke as I watched families go to the temple to dedicate their hair to their god.  They are shaved bald!  They didn't know, nor did they care, where their hair was going after that because they were doing it to please their god. 

Once the hair was given to the temple, it was sorted by working women and sold to a hair extension company.   The movie shows modern "westernized" women buying the extensions.  My heart broke for them too.  They aren't doing it to look beautiful, they are doing it to look "western".  They are believing the same lie that women in the U S are believing. 

Oh how He Loves Them...  Oh how they NEED Him...

People all over the world AND in our back yards need Yeshua (Jesus). 

Who are you telling?

Photo from hotdocs.ca

When I (YOU) get around to it...

There ya go! 

Now you've got a round tuit!

What are you going to do that you've been putting off?

What kind of blessing do you get?

"Do I tithe off of my gross or off of my net?"

That depends, do you want a net blessing?

OR

a gross blessing?

Tuesday Challenge

If I had a dime for every time a person has told me, "I just don't have the patience for that" I would be a rich woman!  Usually, it is in regards to homeschooling but, often, it is in general. 

In my head, I say, "Oh no?  That's funny, God says that you CAN have patience."  I would love to say that out loud but there is a fear that I would offend someone.  (There is a time and a place to say things. Another lesson for another day!)

I find myself working on my "patience" when I am in line.  Let me tell you, I really don't like standing in line!  That is a great place to start working on acquiring patience from the LORD.  You can pray, take deep cleansing breaths, work on your SMILE, worship God in song (maybe in your head would be best), mark things off of your list, etc.  CHILL OUT!

Just a little side note:  Don't make phone calls!  When you are checking out at the store, it is MOST rude to be talking on the phone.  This is a GREAT opportunity to be kind to the cashier.  Even if she is rude to you, you can send kindness back her way.  (That's actually kind of fun!)

In Galatians chapter 5, we are told that the Holy Spirit gives us a list of things and in that list is PATIENCE!  No kidding!  Do you have love?  Of course!  Do you have joy?  Quite often!  Are you kind or good?  Do you consider yourself faithful? 

Then, why would the Holy Spirit NOT give you patience?  You mean He has given you love and hasn't given you patience?  How strange!

Asking God for patience isn't asking for a death sentence.  Just start working on it.  News FLASH:  He's already given it to you if you have the Holy Spirit!  You just haven't opened up the gift!!

NASB
Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.


The Message:
Galatians 5:22-23
But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.

(Tags: fruit of the Spirit, patience, Galatians 5:22, God's gifts)

Expecting!

Am I expecting?  Well, not the way that you are thinking!!  Are you expecting? 

Are you expecting to hear from Yahweh (God)?  I am.
Are you expecting Him to look your way?  I am.
Are you earnestly waiting for His victory, joy, peace, FAVOR in your life?  I am.

Isaiah 30:18 AMP

And therefore the Lord [earnestly] waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are all those who [earnestly] wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him [for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy, and His matchless, unbroken companionship]!


I am EXPECTING!
Are you?

The question is, what are you doing to get His attention?