To Trust or Not To Trust

^{Phillipians 4:6} 
 Be careful {anxious} for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

{Warning: Sermon Ahead}

Worry, worry, worry. It worms its way into your consciousness, takes over your thoughts, and before you know it, it's running your life. You give worry an inch, and it takes 5 miles. It affects every part of your life, and spills over onto the people around you: namely, your husband and children (or anyone else you come into direct contact with on a daily basis). How do I know? Because for the last month or two, I've been a bon-a-fide Worry Wart. 

I've fretted, I've cried, I've stewed. Because, see, we are about to make this life-changing move, and I wanted everything to happen just like I thought it should. Give me a straight line from point A to point Z,  and let's get this thing done. Things are rolling, A - B, OK, that worked out great, but somewhere between C - D, we began to encounter some bumps in the road. Well, maybe more like road blocks than bumps. Or, maybe more like that detour you took once when you had NO idea where you were or when you were going to end up back on the familiar road you left hours ago. Yeah, I think that describes it. 

The root of worry  is lack of trust. The reason we are making this move in the first place is because God said, "Go here." So, we waited on Him to open up the door, and then stepped out in faith. So, basically, He is calling the shots. He is in the driver's seat. We're trusting Him to make the way clear.

Sometimes, the kids and I hop in the van and of course, they always want to know where we are going, why, and how long is it going to take for us to get there. Once these facts have been established in their brain, these kiddos have rock-solid faith that that is just exactly what is going to happen. We are going to Wal-Mart to get some milk and bread and coming right back home.  So when Mama sees a Garage Sale sign and turns down a side road, you can except an uproar of, "Why are we going this way? This is not the right way to Wal-Mart!" or "Are you sure you know where you're going, Mom?" and on and on until I say, "Just sit back and relax. Don't worry about it. I know where I am going and I am going to get you to where you need to be, eventually."

We adults, we are a lot like my kids. God is the driver, and we are trusting Him to get us where we need/want to be. Sometimes, he takes a different route and we get confused, anxious, and doubtful about where we are going to end up.  I definitely never dreamed our move would result in my family living in a travel trailer instead of a nice little rent house somewhere. Not that I am complaining--I'd rather live in a clean travel trailer that is my own than in some of the awful houses that were available to us while we were looking (ugh). This is way God has worked it out for us. But in between looking at old, nasty, over-priced rent houses (you'd be shocked) and settling on the decision to buy a travel trailer, I was acting just like my kids.  I can imagine the Lord listening to my whining and going, "Would you just relax? I am your Father. You are my child. I am going to take care of you. Just wait and see. TRUST ME." 

One morning during my Bible reading, I came across this verse, and it forced me to ask myself some hard questions:

• "Be careful {anxious} for nothing;...." Nothing, Lord? You mean you've got every detail under control? But if I give You control, that means I have no control! Augh!
•  "...but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."  Have I been been bringing my needs to You, and asking You to meet them, or have I been trying to figure it out on my own? And thankful? How can I be thankful when I am complaining every breath? 
• "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Peace? Yes, yes! Let's make a trade. I'm giving up this worry in exchange for PEACE.

So now I have un-wrung my hands, the knots have left my belly, and the furrow  has left my brow. It is going to be OK. And it was going to be the entire time. What did all the worry accomplish? Nothing, but a whole lot of unnecessary tension and headaches. If you're on a road of uncertainty, and you've given Him the wheel, sit back, and enjoy the ride. He is going to get you to the right destination, in His own time and His own way.  

About Little Things, Again

So much to say about little things.

  They spoil vines, after all. They get between your toes when you're walking on the beach.

 They scatter over your floor and hurt really. bad. when your foot finds one in the dark {or the light for that matter}.



They stimulate imagination and awe.

Invoke creativity.




Strengthen the motor skills of little fingers in play.

You can't ignore such things. They demand attention and a response.

So...why do we think the little things we do don't matter? That unless we accomplish some great feat, we'll never make a difference in this world?

Don't fall into the trap of believing the lie that what you do doesn't matter. Because it DOES. God sees.

He sees every dish you wash, every towel you fold, every little tooth you brush.

Every bo-bo you kiss (we call them bo-bos around here, not boo-boos).

Every test you grade, every bedtime story you read.

Every. single. prayer you pray.

Every door you knock on, searching for a child in need of Sunday School, and every one that slams in your face.

The phone call you made to say, we missed you at church.
It's important. More than you know.

The text you sent that said, You're awesome. Glad you're my friend.
It lightened a load.



There's a bigger picture here--each little thing you do to the best of your ability is a stroke of paint on the canvas of your life.  Sometimes the colors are bright and vibrant, sometimes they are muted and gray, and everything in between. But He sees the melding of it all, that completes the portait that He is painting of you. He sits back, tilts His head, and smiles in satisifaction with what He has made.

So the next time you get frustrated with sweeping the floor (again), know that He is still holding the paintbrush and just because your task is little, doesn't mean it's doesn't matter.




*All photos were borrowed from Google images*

About Little Things

Big brother, he has the sparliest eyes ever sparkled :)

I'm just a simple girl, really. I don't need a Coach handbag or a pedicure a week or even a Mom's night out once a month (though that last one sounds tempting) to put a smile on my face and contentment in my heart. Neither am I one of those gals who is bursting at the seams to go shopping or on a trip every weekend.....makes me tired just thinking about it.

A new nephew, arriving just in time to usher out the old year:). Who needs fireworks?

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate appreciation (can I say that?) and if anyone wants to buy me a Coach for my birthday(it's on the 17th) just knock yo lil' self out!! But, if we're not careful, we get this idea that unless the people we are important to in life make a big show, then we haven't been appropriately recognized. I've been there...wondering when am I ever going to be taken on that cruise or wake up and find someone has hired me a maid for the day. Wow that last one sounds nice. But you know what? That kind of thinking is breeding ground for discontentment. And a discontented woman is like the proverbial drip, drip, drip, to the nerves of her family.

Nieces & Daughters, playing dress-up in their great-grandmother (Nanny's) hats, purses, and gloves.

As I look back on 2011, it's not extravagant family vacations or expensive date nights that highlight my memories, but the little, rich moments of meaning that just about took my breath away. I think they are special because they were unexpected, little pops of color in the midst of ordinary days. The mason jars of "weeds" that continually decorates my kitchen sink windowsill, the "Here, sit down, you look like you need a back rub" from my husband, the email from a friend who read this little blog and found encouragement here (who woulda thunk). An overheard conversation, between big brother and littlest sister, offering comfort and love to each other in the middle of a sick, dark night. The, "You're the best cooker EVER, Mom." Oh, my. What blessings surround me!

Last year was not the year I dropped 60 pounds or earned an award for my blog or won a million dollars.But it was full of a hundred, a thousand little things that fill up more space in my heart than any one of those bigger things ever could. So, thank you, 2011 for your gifts. I sure do appreciate them :).

The Power of Praying Scripture

The Word. Although it seems we are most often encouraged to use it in the defensive sense, it is also a powerful, dangerous offensive (as in attack or assault) weapon to use against the enemy. Jesus showed us the defensive technique in Luke chapter 4 when he had his own tempting duel with Ole Slewfoot.

I've always used Scripture in prayer, but recently I've rolled up my sleeves and sharpened the edges of the blade, and it's been very encouraging to see the results. I'm going to be very open and transparent with you here (and maybe too personal in some people's opinion) but I felt a strong leading of the Lord for me to me share this in blog form.

As a mother and housewife, I often find myself stuck in the rut of repetition. I perform the same tasks over and over and sometimes it seems that I don't accomplish much more than the basic gotta-be-done chores. The beds get made, the floor gets swept, the laundry gets done. But those needful deep-cleaning tasks remain neglected and untouched.

To apply this spiritually, each day I make sure that my daily Bible reading and prayer time is marked off the list, but there are areas of struggle where I still have not had the breakthrough that I need. And I remain frustrated when the issue springs up and reminds me it's still there, hindering me and pulling me down. Just like the black-scuffed baseboards that scream, "paint me" (that's never been painted) and the dust on the wall-vent or the clutter in the closet. The longer I avoid it, the worse it gets and eventually I am so overwhelmed that I lose the courage to deal with it. I need something extra, a little "umph" to motivate me to punch through the barrier walls of my weaknesses.

I recently read a book called "The Excellent Wife" by Martha Peace, and one thing I liked about the book was how the author listed a chart with issues of marriage and corresponding Scripture that deals with each issue. So I took this an applied it to my own struggles, in an act of desperation:

1) The tongue. What more can I say? I talk waaay too much!

* Psalm 131:3, 4-- (3)Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips. (4) Incline not my heart to any evil thing.....

* Prov 21:23 "Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles."

* Psalm 19:14 "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in the sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer."

*Proverbs 10:19 "In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips [is] wise."

2) Raising my voice at my children in frustration and anger. I pray every morning that God will give me a gentle spirit in dealing with and training my children, but sometimes, no matter how hard I try to supress it, the yeller in me comes out :). This leaves me feeling deeply ashamed and disappointed in myself. Then I realize that I cannot do this on my own; I must lean on the Lord and His Word.

* James 1:19-20 "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20) For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

*Prov. 15:1 "A soft answer turneth away wrath but grievous words stir up anger."

*Eccl. 7:9 "Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools."

:::There are many more good verses on this subject, but I am including those that have been the most helpful to my situation.

3) Hasty reactions and decisions. I tend towards spur-of-the moment decisions and reactions that get me in trouble and feeling regret.

Proverbs 21:5 "The thoughts of the diligent [tend] only to plenteousness; but of every one [that is] hasty only to want."

Ecclesiasticus 4:29 "Be not hasty in thy tongue, and in thy deeds slack and remiss."

Proverbs 29:20 "Seest thou a man [that is] hasty in his words? [there is] more hope of a fool than of him."

We all have our different areas of struggle, deeds that we are striving to mortify. You may not struggle with any of these issues in particular. It may be jealousy, doubt, worry, laziness, ungratefulness, discontentment, criticism, or un-submissiveness. Whatever the issue, if you truly want help and want to change, you can't do it on your own, but you can do it with God's help. You can't give up after a failure or a slip. Proverbs says, "For a just [man] FALLeth seven times, and riseth up again:..."

Search and study the word for your particular area of struggle and ask God to lead you to verses that will give the most help. Start a notebook and write them out so you have easy access. Meditate upon them every morning and memorize them. When you find yourself in the middle of your weakness, pull out your sword and go to battle!

There is hope and we can be overcomers if we use the tools God has given us!

p.s. I have nooo idea why the above text boxes are there are how they got there. Couldn't get them to go away! Crazy--I couldn't do that on purpose if I tried! :)

Got Wisdom?

Do you ask the Lord for wisdom? Do you seek for it, thirst for it, hunger for it? And yet, does it seem to elude you?

Ladies (and gents), we need it. We need it to make out our grocery list. We need it in our conversations. We need it when we discipline our children. We need it to love our husbands. We need it to encourage other sisters in the Lord. We need it for home school. We need it when we minister. We need it to witness effectively.

So why does it seem so hard for some of us to obtain it? It is, after all, a gift of the spirit. Think about that. It's a gift. Here--I want you to have this, the Lord says. Be blessed.

I've prayed, for months, maybe even years it seems, for God to give me wisdom. I've dug deep in study of the Proverbs. And, finally, I feel like I'm gaining some ground. And let me tell you what made the difference.

One morning I was reading my Proverb for the day (there are 31 of them, for each day of the month) and a portion that I'd read at least 50 times before just jumped out at me. Isn't it cool when God's word does that?

Proverbs 18:1-2~

1. Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.

OK, so #1--you gotta have a desire. #2--you gotta separate yourself. #3--you gotta seek for it.

2. A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.

This is the verse that really stabbed me in the heart. You may not see it, but what it said to me was, Amy, are you just trying to discover your own heart? In other words, what is your *motive* in asking for wisdom? Is it so people cay say, "Wow. That gal's really got a lot of wisdom." Ouch. Sometimes the Lord knows how to cut it down to the chase really quick! The reason He gives gifts is so that we an use them to glorify HIM. Not ourselves.

So that was the beginning of my progress. But He wasn't finished with me yet {He's still not}. I started to apply what I had learned, and to separate myself. Through a series of sermons (don't you love how God uses your pastor to speak to you?), times of prayer, and reading different materials from other wise women, I realized the reason that I was not being filled with wisdom, was because I was too full of other stuff. It was time to separate.

Stuff like:

***Facebook

***Christian fiction (romance novels)

***Myself

I'm not saying you're sitting in the lap of sin if you take part in these things, but they proved to be a huge hindrance in my life. Facebook is a huge, huge, time-waster. It leads to speculation, gossip, and carnality. If used in the right way, it's wonderful. I had deleted my account but recently re-activated it because there is no other way for me to contact some people that I need to be in contact with. I use it strictly for getting in contact with friends and family.

Please note these things are personal convictions and I'm not slamming anyone who takes part.

Christian fiction--. Y'all, I love me some Francine Rivers and Lauraine Snelling and Dee Henderson. But, really, what does it profit us spiritually? The romantic tales push our female-emotion-mush-loving buttons and we fall in love with the hero and then we put the book down and suddenly we're discontent with our own in-the-flesh husband. Not good.

But I love to read!! So I'm reading books on homemaking, spiritual growth, herbal remedies--things that interest me and that I can apply in a practical way to improve the quality of life for me and my family.

I recently read "A Woman After God's Own Heart" by Elizabeth George and let me say if you have not read it you NEED to read it. It's powerful. Elizabeth suggests that you start 5 "Fat Files", or categories of things that interest you in different areas and collect information on those things. Or in my case, find all the books you can on those things and read them.

And finally, SELF. Me, myself, and I. There is no room for selfishness in the life of a Christian, wife, or mother. True JOY: J= Jesus, O=Others, Y= Yourself. And you know what I've found? When you put God, your husband, and your children {in that order} first, you'll never feel like you're last!! My husband does things daily to let me know that I am FIRST in his heart, as do my children. You should see the bouquets of wildflowers that don my kitchen windowsill.

Since getting rid of some of this "stuff", I feel SO free, y'all! I didn't realize that they were in fact weights that were slowing me down. Did you ever play the tread water game as a kid? We would all go to the deep end of the pool and see who could tread the longest. Can you imagine doing that with weights on your hands? You'd give up a lot sooner and sink to the bottom.

I don't wanna sink. I wanna soar. I wanna fight without anything holding me back. If there was every a time to fight, it's now.

Get wisdom. Use it as a weapon. Fight the good fight.

Going Beyond Yourself

If you've been a long-term reader of my blog, you may have noticed that it's been a long time since I posted one of my "sermonettes" (which isn't exactly a word). So, it's time. Get comfortable, pour a cup of tea/coffee, and get settled in. This is gonna take a while :).

We are beginning today our 4th full week of homeschool. It took the entire first week and half of the 2nd to find our groove, but we're grooving right along now. I'm certainly not doing everything perfect; just hoping not to mess my kids up for life :).

Homeschooling makes for interesting conversation. I have a close circle of homeschooling Moms for support, but there are many, many others who find the idea a little, well, foreign?
One response I seem to hear a lot of is, "I could never do that! I wouldn't even try." And behind my polite smile I'm thinking, "Nope, you sure couldn't--not with that attitude". Now I know that homeschooling is not for everyone. But a few years ago, maybe even a few months ago, I had a similar attitude. The truth is, I didn't have the desire to homeschool. I rather looked forward to the day when I could send my kids off to school and enjoy a few hours of kid-free-ness. Wow, think about how much I would get done!

But when I gave it a good, honest look and prayed about it, I realized that was not what was best for us at this time. Or maybe never? Not sure yet. Anyways, I'm doing something that I never thought I could do. And if I'd never tried, I'd never have known what I was capable of. Doesn't the verse say "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" ? (Phil 4:13).

Now, let's apply this spiritually: What's your greatest challenge, spiritually? Is it exceeding your {or establishing a} daily prayer time? Is it understanding the Scriptures? Witnessing, getting to church on time, forgiving the one who has wounded you, having love for the unlovable? You know what it is--that wall that you keep beating your head up against, that you can never conquer. Allow yourself to think, for a minute, about what life would be like if you could. If you could let go of that weight, how much faster could you run?

You've shaken your head and said, "But I don't have the energy, I don't have the time, I don't have the personality to do THAT." But what if you did? What if you went beyond yourself and did it anyway? If you will take the first step, He will equip you with whatever you need to keep going. When we stand in judgment before a holy and just God, we're going to be devastated when He shows us the great, the awesome, the mind-blowing things He wanted to do with our lives, but we drew the line and said no. I. can't.

I'm going to share something pretty personal, but I feel like it fits here: A few years ago, I was in a place where I knew I had taken some steps back in my experience with God. On my knees, I prayed, "God, please make me what I used to be." Now, I'm not a person who goes around claiming God speaks to them all the time, but at that moment he stopped me and said, "I don't want you to be what you used to be. I want you to be what you've never been before."

He is doing it. I'm seeing things unfold in my life that I've never seen before. Because I'm stepping out of the boat, making small, but consistent and faithful steps to climb higher, to go further, to TRY.

You CAN do it! Through Him. The question is, how bad do you want it? How far are you willing to go? Close your eyes and JUMP IN! The results will take your breath away.

Clothed With Scarlet

Proverbs 31:21 "She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet."

I'm so thankful for God's Word. What a great blueprint God gave us to follow in Proverbs 31! In this one chapter we receive direction in so many different areas as women, wives, mothers, and even employers. Each time I read it, I get something new out of it that I didn't get before! God's word is alive and always challenging me to step it up!

There are different ways to look at this verse. It could be interpreted as completely spiritual, with snow (or winter) representing death and scarlet representing the blood of Jesus. Meaning that her children have been fed spiritually and are saved and ready to meet the Lord at the time of their death. Or, one could apply it literally, as meaning a virtuous woman plans ahead and makes sure that her children have warm clothes to protect them from the elements of winter.

For me, the key message here is that this woman thinks ahead, she manages her time and her resources in regard to the clothes her children wear, for each and every season. Now, in this day and time we live in, it is easy to get caught up in commercialism and trends. The marketing world knows that we Moms like to dress our children well. We will dress them well when we ourselves may not have anything to wear! Speaking for myself, it is hard for me to purchase things for myself when there are so many cute things that I could buy for my children. So it is easy to go the wrong way, if you find yourself thinking that your child HAS to have these clothes even if you cannot afford them or if they do not really need them. A few months ago, I was convicted of a competitive spirit regarding dressing my children for church. I wanted them to be the cutest kids there! What a stench in the nostrils of God. But thankfully, He showed me and helped me to change my ways!

That doesn't mean that I stopped dressing my kids in clean, neat, and well-fitting clothing that becomes them. I am particular about what my children wear when we are out anywhere. My husband often get frustrated with me because I want my girls to have a hairbow in their hair even if we are just going to Wal-Mart! But the truth is, we already look different to the world. I am a dresses-only woman, I do not wear makeup or jewelry, and I have very long hair. I stick out like a sore thumb! As do my children. And the world is watching. They are already critical. If I take my kids out in public looking like they just rolled on the ground and dug their clothes out of a Salvation Army bin, what kind of impression does that make?

Especially for those of us who have larger families (more than two by today's standards), we should be extra careful in how we present our children. Yesterday, I went to town with a friend of mine and we met up with her mother and eight younger siblings. Talk about people staring! They just couldn't get enough of all of us and our kids (seventeen in all). While we were eating, a couple of people approached our table and commented on how well-behaved they were, and how cute they all looked with their hairbows and dresses (there were only three boys in the whole bunch). But what if we had all went in with them mis-matched with their hair uncombed and hanging in their faces? The reaction would've probably been more of pity for those poor kids who looked like nobody took the time to take care of them.

Yes, it takes time to bathe, dress, and groom small children. Shoes get lost. Clothes get stained. This is where we have to manage our resources and time like the woman in verse 21. If you know you are going somewhere, lay clothes out the day before. Find the shoes they need to wear and put them up somewhere out of reach so you are not searching for that lost mate at the last minute. Have a certain basket designated for stained garments so you can stain-treat them before you wash. When an outfit is outgrown, put it up where you don't have to dig around it in the drawer or closet. Put bibs on messy children (I still put one on my almost 4-year-old). Take care of what you have. For your children's sake.

A few years ago, I was sitting in the waiting room of a doctor's office when in came this mother with a passel of children! I counted as they walked in, single file, and sat down in the chairs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6!! Not one of them moved when their mother walked to the desk to sign in and fill out papers. They were all dressed neatly and attractively. This mother had it together! I was in awe! To give an opposing scenario, I once knew a family of five children whom you heard before you ever saw them coming ;). They would come to church with their hair halfway combed and their clothes ill-fitting and mis-matched. I felt sorry for those kids, when other kids snickered and steered clear. It really wasn't their fault. I heard people talk about large families negatively, because of the impression this family left. Again, it was all in the Mother's abilities or inabilities to manage her children's appearances.

Now, I'm not saying it's right, but how our children look leaves the impression of how we take care of the rest of our lives. If we don't take the time to do our best for our children, which is our most precious commodity, then will we put the time into other aspects of our lives? It is a reflection. Even more so for those of us with 3-plus kids. If we are going to hold forth the standard of large families, we need to do it right!

May we strive to give our best in every aspect of mothering :).

Spiritual Spring Cleaning, Part 2

Are you as happy as I that spring is finally here? We've had that "Easter snap" that reminded us that winter has not quite loosened its tight-fisted hold on the weather just yet. Groan. I don't know about you, but I'm ready for old Mr. Frosty to melt completely away. At least until July and then I'll be wishing for some cooler days. The warmer weather has given me an energy boost, despite the time change (another groan). Who ever came up with that idea and why??

Pretty soon I'll be making my weekly spring cleaning list. Believe me, it's going to be slow. Probably a room a week. I'm striving for balance here. Keep priorities in line, Amy (read Titus 2 for priority list). I'm hoping that my spiritual house spring cleaning will continue at a better rate than the one in my physical house.

So, last week we talked about some cobwebby corners that I've been dusting out. I'd like to elaborate on those a little bit.

1. Too much computer time. How much computer time is too much? Here's a good judge. You sit down to read your favorite blog and just when you get settled, you're interrupted by "Mo-om! I need you!" With a frustrated huff and puff, you trudge off to grudgingly take care of that little one's need. You rush through it, disgruntled and ready to get back to your blog reading. The poor little tike is wondering what he/she did to make Mommy so short and snappy. Or (try this one on for size) you reward yourself with little "computer breaks" when you cross a task off of your to-do list. Just to check your e-mail. But then you have ten Facebook comments from friends saying how cute your kids are (thankyouverymuch) and you have to open Facebook so you and see which pics were commented on and give a reply comment. Then you see that Aunt Suzie in Idaho posted pics of the new baby and you have to look at those too (and comment accordingly). Before you know it, you've been on for an hour, and that time is...wasted. An entire hour that you can never get back. Yikes. And how much time did you spend in Bible reading this morning? OUCH. Yes, my friends, this sad and shameful story is not unlike those on the Friday night Lifetime Movie Network lineup. It's true. Ahem.
A second point about computer time--you can read all the blogs there are (and there are some fantastic ones out there) on the subject of being a virtuous woman and a good wife and a great homeschooler, but if all you do is read about it, what good does it do? Get up and apply that great information to your home and family! Don't just read about how others are living a full life--live your own!

The remedy: Turn. The. Computer. Off. Talk about feeling freed. Just turn it off and set aside a set time each day that will be your computer time. Maybe in the early morning or late evening, or whenever it will not take away from your time with spouse and children (er...that's a tough one). If there are things that you must do online, like pay bills or order something,or email someone, make a list of those things and do them all at once. You'll spend less time doing it all at one time than if you hop on and off when the idea pops into your head.

Ephesians 5:16 tells us about "redeeming the time because the days are evil." Maybe your time-snatcher is not the computer. Maybe it's talking on the phone, or texting, or exercising, or watching T.V. Whatever it is, if it distracts us from our home and children and time with God and His Word, it's not worth it. Once you realize that, you'll feel so free and realize that when God asks you to give Him something, He will not leave you empty-handed. He will replace that cumbersome weight with a delightful reward!

I did not plan on writing so much about the first point on my Spiritual Spring Cleaning List, so it looks like I will have to continue to point 2 in Spiritual Spring Cleaning, Part 3. Remember, cobwebs of carnality create a home for the spider of sin.

Spiritual Spring Cleaning

It's that time of year, Ladies. Have you started yet? Scrubbing baseboards and ceiling fans, cleaning out closets and sweeping cobwebs. There's something about pretty weather that makes us want to see our homes looking just as fresh and beautiful as the outdoors. Today, I want to talk about a different kind of spring cleaning that's been going on around here--spring cleaning of the heart.

A few weeks ago I wrote a post about what the Lord had shown me about discretion, and my lack thereof. That was the beginning of a season of soul-searching for me, one that I hope never ends. Towards the end of his life, the apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians that he was still striving to attain all that God had for him in his spiritual life.

***Philippians 3:13-15 (King James Version)

13. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
15. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

Now, if a man like Paul, full of the power of the Holy Ghost, whom God took up into the third heaven and showed him wondrous things that could not be uttered, felt like He still had room to grow, how much more do we need to improve on our hearts? Have you ever heard the little children's song, "He's Still Working On Me?" Here are the words:

He's still working on me to make me what I ought to be.
It took Him just a week to make the moon and stars,
The sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars.
How loving and patient He must be, He's still working on me.

1. There really ought to be a sign upon the heart,
Don't judge her yet, there's an unfinished part.
But I'll be perfect just according to His plan
Fashioned by the Master's loving hands.

2. In the mirror of His Word reflections that I see
Make me wonder why He never gave up on me.
He loves me as I am and helps me when I pray
Remember He's the Potter, I'm the clay.


For quite some time, I've been longing for revival in my life. The kind that produces fruits and gifts of the Spirit. I just got sick and tired of being in the same place spiritually for SO SO long. It is SO very important that we be not lukewarm in this hour. It is a very dangerous place to find one's self in. So I asked God if He would show me areas in my life that were acting as walls between myself and spiritual progress. Guess what! He showed me! And like I said in the post about discretion, it wasn't pretty! The corners of my heart are thick with dirty cobwebs that provide a home to the creepy-crawly spider of carnality (the enemy of God).

Do you have any of these cobwebs in your heart?:

* Too much computer time
* Wordly TV shows (you don't have to own a TV to watch these, ya know)
* Romance novels (even "Christian" ones)
* Selfishness
* Laziness
* Lack of an effective prayer time
* No time for the Word

I know some of these things may seem a little extreme, and are harmless in their own right. But God knows us better than we know ourselves, and He knows what He is doing when He says "no". Don't we get frustrated with our children day in and day out when we tell them "no" about something and they fight us on it? Their little innocent minds cannot comprehend the danger that we try to steer them away from and they stubbornly insist on having their way. There's a reason why we say "no" to candy and soft drinks and excessive screen time and playing in the road. Because it's harmful to them. "But Mom," they cry, "candy is so good and this computer game is so much fun and there's no cars coming!" In much the same way, our heavenly Father tries to show us the danger in things that seem perfectly innocent. I bet He wants to pull out his spiritual paddle and give us a good whipping! :)

If you want to read more about the cobwebs I've swept out of my heart, and the results, look for Spring Cleaning The Heart, Part 2--coming next week (hopefully) ;).

Multitude Monday

Humans. To be the most intelligent beings on earth, we can be really stupid. No wonder God compares us so much to sheep in His Word, over and over. We're really stubborn, falling into the same traps time after time. Wandering away in the same direction over and over. Returning, weary and brow-beaten, determined not to repeat our mistakes. And yet. Here we are again, in this uncomfortable position, wedged between a rock and a hard place.

Listen. Hear the footsteps, those familiar, patient, searching footsteps. Before long, you'll see the crook of his staff as it swoops down, as he scoops you up and carries you back home again.

My place, the uncomfortable position I repeatedly find myself in, is the pit of discontented, negative thoughts. It spills over onto my children and my husband, and makes everyone around me miserable, but most of all it makes me miserable.

I'm so tired of doing the same thing over and over again. I'm so tired of my kitchen being torn out. I'm tired of not having running water. I'm tired of this, tired of that. Nasty, nasty, ugly, ugly.

So, I really, really needed this today. Love this quote she included in her post:
"In other words, you choose your life, that is to say, you choose all the conditions of your life, when you choose the thoughts upon which you allow your mind to dwell."
~Anthony Bloom

Right now, right here, I redirect my attitude and my thought life. Through Him that strengthens me.

#1. Today, I see the beauty in the imagination of the little girl, playing so intently with her Barbies that she forgot to stop and go potty.

#2. I see Jesus in two brothers in the Lord who came over to fix our pipes.

#3. I see strong, simple faith in the innocent eyes of a 45-year-old mind that never developed past 4 years, and count it a privilege to converse with such a mind.

#4. I look at an unfinished kitchen, and I feel the pride and accomplishment of a DIY job well done.

#5. I see that gleam in my husbands eye, and find joy in the arms of a man who gives his all for his family every day.

Can't wait to report back next week for another Multitude Monday. Care to join me?

On a lighter note...

Well, goodness. I never thought my little blog post would get so much attention. I would like to say I think I clarified myself on the judging Baptists thing, and although there is much more I could write to expound upon it, to continue to do so would be to beat a dead horse, so to speak. Discussion over. Let's move on.

I do think we should be able to share our own beliefs and opinions without making personal references and attacks and/or insults, and if such arises I will just choose not to show that material on here (I have now enabled comment approval). And if what I write is offensive to you, well, just don't read it. It's a free country.

It will probably be a few days before I post on the subject again, as it takes time to write such "deep" material, and I am studying as I go along. It's not something I want to just slap up here real quick, ya know? So stay tuned.

Until then, it will be back to normal "dry" stuff about my happy little home and its inhabitants. :0). Hugs!! (you know who you are).

OH! And I was thinking about starting a new blog, solely for the purpose of discussions and topics like the previous post. What do you think?

What Christmas Means To Me

My friends, I have recently experienced a major lack of interest in blogging. I guess it's the rush of the holidays--I'm just too busy to get creative :). So I thought I would repost this from last Christmas, to have something up here. We are having our family Christmas tomorrow, so maybe that will inspire to get back to the keyboard :).


I have struggled with whether or not I should blog about this, because I do not want to cause undue strife or hurt to people I know and care about. I want my blog to be something that lifts up and encourages, not the opposite. This has been burning in my heart and mind for about a week now, even more so since some conversations have taken place, and a comment was left on my post about our family Christmas. I was not offended or angered by this comment; on the contrary, it has caused me to look at my view of Christmas with more scrutiny and make sure I have all things in the right perspective and especially what I am teaching my children about this holiday.

Every family has their own take on Christmas, creating their own traditions and deciding where to put the most emphasis--Santa Clause or the birth of Jesus. Some families have decided not to include a Christmas tree, or anything that resembles the traditional Christmas celebration. Their convictions on this stem from the fact that the Christmas tree is pagan in origin.

Jeremiah 10:1-4
1 Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:
2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.


I know people who would not accept a picture of our children because there was a Christmas tree in the background. I have some friends who do not put up a Christmas tree, but instead hang ornaments and put gifts around a snow-man figure. My pastor, who was my pastor from birth until I got married and moved away, did not put up a Christmas tree, but instead put up a manger and put their gifts under and around it. These families all have their own way of coming up with creative ways to fit the holiday around what they believe. This is good. We should not do things blindly because they have always been done that way, but we should know why we are observing and/or participating in a specific tradition.

I must admit that as a child, the most exciting thing about Christmas was the opening of the presents. My parents did not have a lot to spend on my brothers and I, but they always made the part about Christmas morning exciting and fun, because it was a time for us to all be together, participating in giving something to one another. As an adult, I can say that the Christmas tree is nothing more to me than a decoration, like a wreath on a door or a picture on the wall. It is a decoration that ushers in the celebration of a period of time that we acknowledge and celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. I cannot ignore the fact that it is pagan in origin, but this begs the question, what things do we partake in on a daily basis that are pagan or ungodly in origin? There are things that have evolved with the culture and are now thought of as the norm, and would never be put away or ceased from practicing because that would be termed fanatical or legalistic by today's church world.

Makeup, for instance, red lipstick in particular, was originally worn only by prostitutes or women of the lowest repute. The only woman of the Bible who was mentioned to wear paint on her face was cursed by God and eaten by dogs. Let me clarify--am I saying you are wicked or calling you a prostitute because you wear makeup? No. I am just drawing attention to where it came from.
Also, the practice of women cutting their hair began in France in the early 1900s when women there began to openly practice homosexuality. Women began wearing bluejeans during World War I when all the men went off to war and the women stepped into their places as the breadwinners and providers for the family. They had to do men's work, so they donned men's attire. But when the men returned, they decided they liked their newfound role and refused to give it back to its rightful owner, their husbands. Thus began the feminist movement, and women began to seek careers over homemaking. I know this because this was the topic I chose for a research paper my senior year of high school. Now do you think people today would give up these things because of how they originated? I think not.


Yes, Christmas has been overly commercialized and cheapened by the department stores and their advertisements. Parents feel their kids have to have the best and then there are all the Christmas parties to bring gifts to and people find themselves racking up senseless debt to meet the demands of the season. It would be better to take this money and put it where it is needed in the name of Christ, no doubt. But what about the other debt that we build up the other 11 months of the year? We eat out too much, we buy large vehicles that guzzle gas, we go on expensive vacations, and then there's the cable bill and the internet bill and so forth. Why don't we refrain from those things and give that money to missions instead? Ouch.

It has been suggested that too much emphasis is put on the baby Jesus at this time(!). After all, we don't celebrate a child's birthday on the very day he is born, we wait until he turns one. This is on the verge of being offending to me, as a Christian and one who Jesus is my all. How can we not put emphasis on him as the Christ child? No, we do not celebrate the birth of other babies because their births were not of miraculous conception, their mothers were not virgins, and their birth was not the fulfillment of hundreds of years of prophecy, foretold and foreshadowed throughout the entire Old Testament. The fact that that little baby is there in that nativity scene showed me the great love Jesus has for His children. He was willing to give up the splendors of heaven to come and be born in a dirty, dark, smelly stable surrounded by filthy animals so that He may one day die a cruel and brutal death. He traded his immortality for this itchy, sweaty, weak flesh and gave up Paradise for the harsh elemants of earth. That baby is my hope, my joy, my salvation. Celebrating his birth is not taking away from His life, His death, or His resurrection. I worship Jesus Christ from beginning to end, every part of Him, and I wish to know more about the parts I lack in knowledge and experience.

I once taught a Sunday School class of teenage girls, and on one Christmas Sunday I was teaching about this very thing. A comment was made about how Joseph was not Jesus' biological Father, but he took on the responsiblity of this child anyway, because of his faith in God's Word. A girl spoke up emphatically, "Yes, he was Jesus' father!" I then explained that because of the miraculous conception and virgin birth, Jesus and Joseph were in no way blood related. I could not BELIEVE that this girl, 13 years of age, whose grandfather was a minister, in whose home she was raised, had missed this basic fundamental of the Christian faith!!! What in the world?? Let us not be guilty of letting ignorance on such an important fact be found in the lives of our children.

Let us search the Word and pray for wisdom and discernment for all the things of this world, and to what extent we let them into our lives. Too much one way or the other will cause a dangerous imbalance and confuse our children. And whatever we choose to believe and practice, let us be respectful of one another's decisions, and not seek to tear down what another family deems acceptable and right for theirs (unless it is in direct opposition to God's Word, but that's another blog, another day).

~Amy