...As A Little Child

Mark 10:15 ...Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

Even though I am not homeschooling any longer, this week I took out one of my favorite homeschool unit studies to read for myself, as a devotional. The first week of this unit study has been so refreshing spiritually to me. It is teaching the basics of what Christianity is all about, which is: having a personal, living, and vital relationship with Jesus Christ. It is a week to renew your personal and family commitment to Christ, and a time to establish the discipline of daily prayer. As I read the scriptures and pray the very basic prayers focused on this week, I have been so blessed. As an adult we make things so complicated sometimes. Even prayer. I must admit, I have had so many things on my mind and so many things to do lately that it has been difficult to have a meaningful prayer time, if one at all. When I woke up this morning, I was not in the best of moods, I'll admit. A scripture from yesterday about praise came to my mind and I was just not feeling it. Todays prayer focus was: Pray that the Lord will help you grow spiritually in your christian walk. Pray specifically for help in establishing daily disciplines of prayer and time in the Word of God. Pray for your neighbors. Even though I've been a christian many years I really felt a need to pray these prayers. Just remembering my need of a closer walk, of the importance of this prayer time and time in the Word, and even remembering the needs of my neighbors and the responsibility I have to them, ignited something in me and in my prayer time that I needed today. Don't feel silly praying childlike prayers, for unless you become as a child, you cannot enter the kingdom of God.

Our Favorite Sunday Meal

On Sundays I normally prepare a large dinner (lunch for some) and have company over after church. Last Sunday my brother-in-law commented that he didn't know how I found time to do it. Well, today we had our favorite, corned beef brisket with cabbage and here's how I did it. Last night I chopped up 2 heads of cabbage and put it in a plastic bag and back in the fridge. This morning, first thing I did when I got up was get out 2 crockpots. I put a large corned beef brisket, that you buy with the seasoning packet in with it, in the larger pot and a smaller brisket(just in case) in the other pot. I put as much cabbage as would fit on top of both, put the lid on, and turned them on high. Before I left I threw a couple of tea bags in a pot of boiling water, turned it off and left for church. When I returned home I finished making the tea, made some instant potatoes(which I only do on Sunday), and lunch was ready. Actually, today my car wouldn't start when I came out of church so my daughter put the finishing touches on lunch thanks to her. And, my mom brought over a wonderful cake that she could never give me the recipe for because she never makes a cake the same way twice.

Homeschool Success Story

Please note that these posts are not meant to boast or brag on our accomplishments, but to give encouragement to you moms who are presently homeschooling. I know from experience how intimidating and discouraging it can be at times. Now, for todays topic. Do you moms who have children who have finished homeschooling ever have people asking what your kids do now? If you google "homeschool success stories" you'll find sites wanting to find out what these young people are accomplishing in life now that they've graduated. Let me introduce you to my daughter, Kara. Today she is married to a great, christian young man, and they have a son(who I showed you a couple of days ago). Kara is a stay at home mom/wife and loving it. I could not be happier. She is already leaps and bounds ahead of where I was at that time in my life, both as a mom and as a wife. Maybe that's because she has been at home with me watching and helping all of her life. I'm sure she learned from the good and the not so good examples(what not to do). She is a great cook, housekeeper, bookkeeper, mom. All the things necessary to run a home. Yes, I do know she's not perfect, but I am happy with the way her life has turned out and I give God the glory!

Hebrews 12:1-2 Keep On Going!

My husband and I just came back from walking. This new year we resolved to start running (which turned into walking, we were over ambitious) and try to eat healthier. We found out we are fair weather exercisers. Last week was pretty cold, so we didn't make it out. Well, I could tell it tonight. The same is true with my spiritual walk. When I let other things come in and interfere with my daily walk with God I can really tell the difference.
Today, I also started a much neglected task of cleaning out and organizing my paperwork. There were so many old useless papers in my files I didn't have room for the more current, important papers. Does that remind you of your life at times? Do our days become filled with things that have no eternal importance? Are they cluttered up with things that waste time and have no real purpose? Are these things crowded out time with God, time with family, time to serve God?
...let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

1 Corinthians 13:4

"... charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up." (does not brag, is not arrogant) This is the verse I've been studying this morning. Do you think it applies to grandparents?

P.S. This is Nolan Dallas at birth (9/24/08) and at 3 months.

Crockpot Crazy

I was looking at the ingredients in the flavored yogurt I found at the store and was not impressed. I started searching the web for a super easy way to make it and ran across www.crockpot365.blogspot.com . This lady challenged herself to cooking in the crockpot every day last year and posted her recipes. I love to use the crockpot, but have a limited amount of dishes that I actually use it for. I'm really anxious to try out some of these recipe and thought maybe you would be too. By the way, the yogurt turned out great!

Watch Your Mouth!

Proverbs 31:26 - She openeth her mouth with wisdom and in her tongue is the law of kindness. I've been meditating on this scripture a lot lately. (I guess the Holy Spirit has had occasion to keep bringing it to my mind.) What comes out when we open up our mouth women? Is what we are saying wise or is it just foolish words, sarcasm, whatever pops in our head at the moment, words that are spoken out of anger, resentment, bitterness?
Law of kindness - law according to Webster means a rule, that which governs. Do you have rules for yourself about what you can and cannot say? Is one of those rules that it has to be kind? Do you desire to be a Provers 31 woman? You better watch what comes out of your mouth!