My heart hurts for these precious ones

Isaiah 5:20
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!

2 Tim. 3:1, 13
1But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
13But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Have you seen this video?  My heart breaks for these children.  Look at the precious children towards the end of the video

We're in and...

...all is well.  The house is looking really cute and I am glad that we are living in the country.  I especially like the view as I pull out of the driveway. It looks something like the following photo. I will put an actual photo on later.

It's very strange seeing this being that we are so close to Chicago!  That's the way it goes around here.

How Much Is Too Much?

If only it were this easy!

Today is the BIG moving day.  Whatever is left in the house (like beds) we are moving to the farm house.  As I look around, I think... "Oh my goodness.  How much stuff is enough?"  Our family lives on the simple side compared to most Americans and I still think that we have too much.  I am a "thrower outer" so that does help.  It's not that I think we need to be poor paupers or live in a hut with only a pot to... cook in.

This is our third move in 2 1/2 years.  That's strange to me because when I was growing up we only moved once when I was about 5.  My kids have moved 4 times in 7 1/2 years.  Yesterday, one of them said, "Wonder where we are going to live after this house?"  At least they're taking it well!

Anyway, as we pack all of our stuff, I wonder how much is too much?  When do you say, we have too much stuff and start to throw out more?  I keep some things because we are renting.  Rental houses are usually smaller than a home would be if we owned it.  When we rent, we are usually settling on something rather than getting something that actually meets all of our needs.

I don't know... I'm just thinking "out loud".  Really, I'm procrastinating.  As soon as I finish my coffee I have to start packing the rest of our stuff!!

Thank you for hanging in there with me.

Many of you have said that you are praying for us.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!  May God send special blessings your way!  

Moving Day!

Thank you so much for praying!  I appreciate your online/offline friendships!  Over the next two days we will be moving.

We found a house!  I wrote a post earlier saying that we are settling on a house and nothing has changed.  We thought we were settling but after a paint job and new carpet, the house is shaping up quite nicely!  We aren't sure how long God will have us there but... it's all in His hands anyway!

• The house is an old farm house built in the 1800's
• Our whole family fits nicely including the dog
• Plenty of privacy... I think
• Room to have people over
• Lots of space for the boys to explore outside
• Closets everywhere
• Best of all... we will be saving money

Want God to Ambush the Enemy?

Let God fight your battle for you!

Praise and singing go before the battle.
God fights the battle for us.
He causes the enemies to be confused and they destroy each other.

I have included the Scriptures that this is based off of.  2 Chronicles 20:17-37  The Bible (in the New Testament) says that these things were written for our learning. 

I have the links for songs that you may like to download that go with setting up the "Ambush."  I downloaded them all from Amazon.com.  To go along with the songs, I have verses listed.

2 Chronicles 20 (NASB- bold type mine)

 ¹⁷'You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, ^(T)stand and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem ' Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, ^(U)for the LORD is with you."
 ¹⁸Jehoshaphat ^(V)bowed his head with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD, worshiping the LORD.
 ¹⁹The Levites, from the sons of the Kohathites and of the sons of the Korahites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel, with a very loud voice. 
 ²⁰They rose early in the morning and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa; and when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, ^(W)put your trust in the LORD your God and you will be established. Put your trust in His prophets and succeed."
 ²¹When he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who sang to the LORD and those who ^(X)praised Him in holy attire, as they went out before the army and said, "^(Y)Give thanks to the LORD, for His lovingkindness is everlasting."  (PSALM 136)

 ²²When they began singing and praising, the LORD ^(Z)set ambushes against the sons of ^(AA)Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; so they were routed.

 Say So Video

1. Redeemed – Gal 3:13-14

We Wait Upon You


2. Wait all the day – Psalm 25:5

For your healing – Isaiah 53:5

Restore us – Lamentations 5:19-21

I Sing Praises to Your Name
3. Sing Praises to Your name – Psalm 18:49

I Call Your Name
4. Faith, name of Jesus – Acts 3:16

Call to Him, He will tell you great and mighty things – Jeremiah 33:3

Holy, earth is full of glory – Isaiah 6:3

Rock, fortress, strength, I call, He is worthy – Psalm 18:1-3

Love controls us, new creature – 2 Cor. 5:14-15

Moving Forward


5. Take up cross and follow – Matt. 16:24

(You are an) Awesome God (Free Chapel)

6. Awesome God – Nehemiah 1:5-10

Dominion – Eph. 1:21

Fail Us Not
7. He will not fail you – Deut. 4:29-31

Everywhere That I Go
8. Goodness and mercy will follow – Psalm 23:6

He will not leave nor forsake – Joshua 1:5

Thanks Be to God (we have overcome)
9. Overcome – 1 John 2:13

Overcome, faith – 1John 5:4-6

Jesus Thank You
10. Cross, power of God – 1 Cor. 1:18

Justified by blood – Romans 5:8-11

Adoption, blood – Eph. 1:5-7

Cleansed, new heart, restoration – Psalm 51:1-17

He must increase, I must decrease – John 3:30

Praise Him In Advance
11. Lord is rock, confuse the enemy – Psalm 144

My God

My God is a God of miracles!

Nothing - NO evil - is bigger than my God!

My God is ALL mighty!

My God deserves ALL of my praise!

Praise confuses the enemy and my God sets up ambushes through my praise!

BFOW - What?

Ever hear that one? 

It stands for:  My Best Friend on the Web!

Do you have one?

Wait and Praise!

Waiting for a breakthrough? Waiting for a deliverance?

Wait and praise.

We wait upon You


Praise Him!!

Found something strange

I was looking up a word from the Bible and came across an explanation of crystals used in New Age therapies.  (No, I don't practice that.)

This is what I found:

Amazonite:

Properties: This stone represents prosperity. Great over a door to bring in new business. It is wonderful for entrepreneurs and those in sales. This hope stone is important to have when starting a new business or financial venture. Amazonite's energy works very well when combined with other feldspar stones such as topaz and aqua aura.


Do you see it? 

End of summer concert - Press Play!

Ladies and Gentleman, introducing..... PRESS PLAY!

The people in Press Play lead worship at the LA Dream Center where they house and rehab the homeless, orphaned, druggies, prostitutes and those escaping human trafficking.  Press Play is supported by Holt International (adoption agency).

In case you haven't already noticed, this is what our family is about.  This is our family mission - we help the homeless and the down and out.

Have you ever heard of Press Play?  Maybe you've heard the new song, "NY to LA."  We surprised the boys with a family date night, end of summer fun.  We took them to Steak & Shake and we all got meals and shakes.  (From 2-4 PM all drinks are half off. The whole meal only cost us $24.)  At dinner, we let the news of the surprise out; we are going to see Press Play!

Here are some photos:

Double Espresso by stage (white t). We were right up front, great seats!

The lighting at this concert was really fun!

It wasn't all fun and dancing around.  They also played some great worship songs.

Here is a video from the concert:

Press Play Official Video:


If you'd like to go see Press Play, here are the dates of their tour:  Press Play
I think all of their concerts are FREE!

(I know that this isn't everyone's style of music.  I also know that some people are strictly hymn singers but please respect our preferences.)

Science Giveaway

Have you checked out my latest giveaway on my homeschool blog?  Anyone can enter!

Homeschooler Cafe

Gratitude

Join the Gratitude Community

We all have things to praise YAHWEH (the LORD) for.  Even in the hard times, we can lift our praises up to our God.  He is worthy to be praised!

1. I belong to Him
2. I am saved by grace through faith
3. God still speaks
4. LOVE
5. Belly laughs! 

I don't want to brag...

...or make you jealous, but I can still fit into the earrings I wore in high school.

Do you know Him?

STUFF

This is what it looks like around here!  Boxes, Duct Tape, markers and labels lying around.  Actually, they don't lie around for long, my husband grabs them up and it's off to storage.

Why do I have so many boxes going to storage?  Because I have decided to try to live more simply this time.  I know that it isn't easy.  We Americans have PLENTY of STUFF!  I went through most of our "STUFF" and got rid of a lot of it.  Boy, that felt good!  (BTW, I'm a thrower outer not a pack rat!)

Could I have gotten rid of more?  ...yah...  That's what is causing so much guilt.  Being married for 15 years, we have accumulated STUFF.  To be honest, we don't have as much as the next guy.  Actually, we have less than most people we know.  I still have guilt (I don't think it's conviction) that we have too much.  Thoughts swirl through my head about the poor African lady living in a hut with her children and NO STUFF.  Then my husband reminds me that I'm not a poor African lady but rather a blessed American lady. 

Well, maybe when we move again (and I know we will) I will sift through our STUFF and get rid of some more.  When I do, I will bless more people with our STUFF!

Ewww - a spider!

We found a house.  It's not great but it is ok.  It fits us all and our dog and that is what is important!  The boys will have plenty of room to run and play hide-n-seek this winter and we can still have people over. 

To be honest with you, we are settling.  It's the only place that we have found!  We will be making a final decision by this weekend.

Anyway, I was in the basement organizing boxes and I felt a spider web across my face.  THEN, I felt a spider wiggling in my right nostril!!!!  EWWWW!  No kidding!  A little spider crawled into my nose!

That's enough excitement for one day...

Prayer

 In every place of worship, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy.

1 Timothy 2:8

1 John 5:14-15
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of him


Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus

James 5:16
…The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective

Matthew 21:22
And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.

Very Touching

My mom sent this video out in an email.  It is so touching that I am posting it today. 

This is the week ~ House story part...10

I don't know if it is really part 10!  I'm just guessing.

This is where we stand:

• Our rent is paid up until the 15th
• New owner (who would like to live in the house that he bought) gave us a notice that he is doubling the rent due on the 15th (which by the contract, he can legally do) - his way of getting us out
• Still on the hunt to find a place to rent
• Having a dog makes it very difficult
• This part of the country - cost of living is very high
• We can afford up to $900 a month and most houses rent for $1100 or more (yes, $200 out of our budget would be a big deal)
• Most apartments are in crime filled areas or are full

Odds are stacked against us.  It's very easy to become discouraged right now and I have to fight that daily.  This is what I am standing on:

Isaiah 45:2-3 (NASB)
"I will go before you and make the rough places smooth;

I will shatter the doors of bronze and cut through their iron bars.
"I will give you the treasures of darkness
And hidden wealth of secret places,
So that you may know that it is I,
The LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name.

• He goes before us
• He is the blesser of His beloved children
• I am His child
• He will never leave me or forsake me
• Whom shall I fear when He will protect me
• His strength is made perfect in my weakness
• Yet I will rejoice in my God, YAHWEH

I know the One who holds the key!

His Strength In My Weakness - a page full of verses to help in times of distress