Proverbs 2:13, study among sisters in Christ

8/29/08
http://www.letgodbetrue.com/proverbs/proverbs.php?chapter=2

Proverbs 2:13
Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;


Backsliders are a grave danger! Carnal Christians are a threat to your soul! Evil men do not stay in the way of righteousness, even when taught well. They soon compromise what they were taught in order to pursue sin (2:12-15). The purpose of wisdom, knowledge, discretion, and understanding is to save you from such wicked compromisers (2:10-17).

I can see how "backsliders" could be more of a danger to "soft" christians than your average every day unbeliever. As a christian, "soft" or well-versed, an unbeliever is usually easy to spot and easy to avoid or engage in religious conversations. However, a "backslider" may only be easy to spot because you know them personally and they aren't usually receptive to any religious anythings! Sadly, my husband is experiencing this first hand with his brother, who he credits for helping to plant the seeds of knowledge and truth in his life. Since those seeds were planted and took root in my husbands life, his brother (who used to teach Sunday school in a baptist church), has gone through adultery, divorce, leaving the church, partying, marriage to an unbeliever, more adultery, and facing another divorce. We tried to have a very candid conversation with him before his first divorce, and it fell on deaf ears. Matt takes every opportunity to talk with him about his "backsliding," but those are few and far between. We don't pray for him enough!

Altho this passage brought the above incident to mind immediately, it isn't the only thing that came to mind. I also thought about people like me who are professing believer's, go to church regularly, who are involved in church, who are very hungry to hear the word of God preached every Sunday (by a fantastic pastor and man of God), who know their transgressions like the back of their hand, and who still choose sin over God regularly. AND THEN there are the same types of professing believer's who fit all of the same above mentioned descriptions, but DON"T know their transgressions quite so intimately. Whether its because they aren't being convicted by them or because they have excuses for them, either way, its still sin. So, my point is this...we are all going to be judged for the sin in our lives. The bible makes it clear that there are those that will be judged more harshly: "backsliders" and shepherds who lead their flocks astray, to name a couple. How harshly am I going to be judged for knowing the truth and rejecting it daily? I don't know, and I can't even begin to imagine. But I know this, I will face Him, I will fall on my face in front of Him, and I will be with Him forever. Whatever I have to face will be worth the gift He has promised me. So, knowing that, I need to pray every day for the strength to choose Him first in my life, and only in my life. For there is no room for any other choice, and He won't share the spotlight. Thank God!!!

Dear heavenly Father, please help me to allow Your rule over my life. Please do the same for my sisters. Amen.

Proverbs 2:12--study among sisters in Christ

8/27/08
http://www.letgodbetrue.com/proverbs/proverbs.php?chapter=2

Proverbs 2:12
To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;

Wisdom, knowledge, discretion, and understanding provide the precious ability to identify evil men and avoid them. Knowing the way of truth clearly and the danger of friendship with fools, a wise man is saved from their destructive lifestyle and efforts at seduction. These evil men often expose themselves by a froward, or perverse, mouth.

I am torn on how to respond to this. I want to say that I do pray, and will continue to pray, for the wisdom and knowledge that will bring me understanding and discretion so as to avoid evil men. However, I feel like a hypocrite because I often feel like the evil man others should be avoiding. Tonight at church I joked with a couple about not looking so lovey-dovey in front of those of us who don't get along so well. Altho it was a joke, it certainly wasn't very uplifting or edifying or appropriate. So, to the couple I made the joke to, to a friend of mine who heard it, and to my husband...I am sorry and I will try to work on my attitude.

Dear Lord, deliver me! Deliver me from sin, deliver me from myself, deliver me from the evil ways of men, deliver me into Your grace-filled hands...as only You can. Humble me, break me, use me. Help me to help others. I do not want to sound like a hypocrite, or live like one. Please give me the desire and the ability to change my sinful ways. Please give my sisters in Christ the time they need to spend with You. Amen

What a day!

We, my 2 kids and Karen Stevens and 3 of her kids, started today at the zoo. It was a GORGEOUS day! We ran into Brooke, Shelli, and Karter Gage and Ryan Travis (all church family members) at the train. After riding the train (it was a first for Timothy Steven's),











playing at the playground,

and eating some lunch, we ran into the Gage/Travis group once again outside of the manatee exhibit. After a brief conversation, one disobedient child (that would be Austin) walked into an area where he didn't belong and got caught in a burr patch. So, me being the compassionate mom that I am (and I didn't know he was in burrs as he was whining and beginning to cry), told him
to just pull himself out of it.

Thankfully Shelli goes to a family farm often and knew he couldn't get himself out, so she rescued him. It took 3 of us to pick the burrs off of his clothes and shoes (Karter was nice enough to pick the ones off of me that Austin managed to share). However, I spent the next 1/2 hour in the bathroom with him, wetting his hair w/water first and then lots and lots and lots of foamy hand soap (thank you Brooke and Shelli for the idea), coaxing out each and every individual burr. THANK YOU Karen for watching all the kids, which included to 8 month olds, and having to watch the manatee movie at least 7X!


















After riding the carousel (which was the first for all 3 of Karen's kids),
















































we all went back to my house. The kids played in the baby pool for a bit,

we ordered pizza for dinner, Austin peed through 4 shorts and underwear outfits and spent the rest of the night in his room. Whew!

Grandma and her VERY happy grandson Justin

While we were all sitting around the dinner table listening to daddy talk about his job interview, Justin was more interested in kicking the table and smiling for the camera.

Proverbs 2:11--study among sisters in Christ

8/25/08
http://www.letgodbetrue.com/proverbs/proverbs.php?chapter=2

Proverbs 2:11
Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:

Discretion and understanding will preserve and keep your soul and life. They are aspects of godly wisdom that will protect you from foolish errors, wicked persons, and sin. They will keep you out of all sorts of trouble, spiritual and physical. Life without them is hard and difficult (13:15; 22:5). You need to be in a church where the Word of God is taught faithfully and frequently, and you need to apply yourself in personal reading, meditation, prayer, and study. Then you must apply your learning to the life situations that God will bring your way (Heb 5:12-14).


This is going to sound silly, and it might not be as big of a surprise to some as it seems to be to me (it isn't really a surprise to me, just very interesting and comforting), but....as I continue to study the bible, listen to sermons at church, and study in Sunday school, it all ties together very nicely. There seems to be "connective' themes. I am currently studying in Proverbs with 2 of my sisters in Christ. It has been mostly about wisdom and knowledge and asking God for it and the consequences of not asking for it. In church the past few weeks we have been studying in James. Quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger. All things you must have control over in order to ask for and receive knowledge and wisdom from God. Then there's the book we are studying in Sunday school, R.C. Sproul's The Holiness of God.We have discussed God's divine justice and mercy, both of which we get, or want, and are a result of how much wisdom and knowledge we have.

So, its either a divine Being that made it so, OR, that same divine Being is trying to tell me something without putting a baseball bat to my head. My guess is it's a little of both. :)

Dear heavenly Father, please open my eyes and mind and heart and ears to Your Word, Your Truth, and Your Wisdom. Help me apply Your truths to my life. Help me be discreet, which is NOT one of my strong suits. I want to know You and love You and understand You and glorify You more every day. But I know, more than anyone, that I need Your strength to get through each day to be in reverence of You. Please help me. Please continue to help my family through our immediate needs and uncertainties. Please be with my sisters in Christ as they look to You to be the center of their lives and homes. Amen

"Yes I can me do."

That is Austin's latest response to me when I tell him he doesn't need something, specifically when we are at the store. It sounds very funny. He has also been saying, "Oh yes it is," when I tell him something isn't where he told me it was or something can't be played with because its broken. Its more the tone that he uses than just the words, but very funny! Justin is into HIGH pitched screaming/yelling right now. Guess we won't be visiting any restaurants anytime soon. He has been making the funniest wrinkled nose faces lately. He does it mostly smiling and laughing, but has been known to do it prior to a melt down. Grandma Paula and Grandpa Gary remember Austin doing the same thing, with his nose going slightly crooked. That didn't last very long with him, so we will see how long this lasts with Justin. He has been doing it since Uncle Josh's birthday party on 8/8/08. He is a very happy boy.

Proverbs 2:10--study among sisters in Christ

8/23/08
http://www.letgodbetrue.com/proverbs/proverbs.php?chapter=2

Proverbs 2:10
When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;

Do you desire success and safety in life? Here are the conditions for them! If you choose to love the wisdom of God, and if you choose to appreciate knowledge as a precious gift, then certain and substantial blessings will surely follow. But if you are not willing to meet these conditions, your life will be a dysfunctional and painful experience.

My husband and I were just talking about this sort of thing tonight. Why our life is so different from our siblings. Neither one of us is worldly book-knowledge smart, especially compared to one or more of our siblings. He and I have made many of the same mistakes our siblings have made, some not as bad, some worse. However, we have wisdom from God, which makes all the difference in this world and the next.

Dear heavenly Father, please give Matt and I hearts for You. Please give us the desire to hear and receive Your divine wisdom. help us to get to know You better, love You more, grow to love each other as we should, and raise our boys to fear and revere You. Please give my sisters in Christ the time necessary to study Your word and continue to keep each other accountable. Amen

Proverbs 2:9--study among sisters in Christ

8/21/08
http://www.letgodbetrue.com/proverbs/proverbs.php?chapter=2


Consider a very small sample of the righteousness, judgment, and equity of the Bible. It protects mother and baby birds (Deut 22:6-7), teaches that all races have the same blood (Acts 17:26), provides for working oxen (Deut 25:4), puts the burden of marriage and family on the father (Eph 5:25-29; 6:4), provides for the poor (Lev 19:9-10), teaches that mercy is more important than sacrifice (Matt 12:7), allows one church member to bring any matter to the church (Matt 18:15-17), financially rewards virginity (Ex 22:17), requires churches to take care of widows (I Tim 5:3-16), and teaches that the true love of God can only be shown by loving others (I John 5:1-2). No other book compares!

Compare a small sample of the righteousness, judgment, and equity of the world. It kills over ten million unborn children annually by the most violent means imaginable and yet demands funds to protect animals and birds on seven continents! It prohibits corporal punishment of children but incarcerates the resulting criminals like animals in cages for years! It subsidizes debt and slothfulness and penalizes credit and diligence by income tax laws. It "protects and honors" women by advertising lascivious fashions, promoting casual sex, protecting pornography and prostitution, and allowing divorce for any cause.

But these three things are not all that is offered to the man seeking wisdom! The proverb also offers, "Every good path"! What is every good path? It is every other virtue and grace not in the list of three! Glory! Reader, is there a better sentence in any language? If every good path is offered, then the means for your perfection is being offered!

Righteousness, judgement, equity, and every good path. Is there anything left to be said? Why can the bible scream promises from every page, and yet we are conveniently deaf? In Proverbs 1 I was pretty sure I had a hearing problem, now I am certain that I do.

Dear heavenly Father, please heal my deaf ears. Please direct my eyes unto a path of righteousness. Please forgive me for choosing sin over You again and again. Please bless me with another day to do Your will. Please continue to give my sisters in Christ the time they need to spend with You each and every day. Amen

keeping each other accountable

8/20/08

I am contemplating ways to keep a certain sister-in-Christ of mine accountable. We have had several discussions over the past couple of years about keeping each other accountable for various things: me being respectful and submissive to my husband, she being more honest w/her husband regarding money, us eating more healthfully and exercising to lose weight, and most recently; to study a verse a night (or every other night now) in Proverbs. This started at the beginning of July. We are doing this with "another" sister-in-Christ. Three of us, to study a verse a night, and we all agreed to read it, read a commentary on it, and give our $.02 worth on what it said or meant to each one of us. I fully expected to be blown out of the water by the other 2 ladies. I can only do any real reading or studying when my 2 little boys are asleep at night, so I am usually doing it between 10pm and midnight. I am not complaining, I have been thrilled, and grateful at the thought that I might be "kept accountable," to do it. However, as it turns out, I am the only consistent one doing it. The "other" sister-in-Christ does pretty good at reading for herself and on occasion commenting. The sister-in-Christ I am referring to has admitted to not only not participating regularly, but pretty much not at all. She told me that I had a right to be mad at her. Which got me thinking, again, how can I keep her accountable/we keep each other accountable? She and I have discussed, in the past, ways to keep each other accountable. We never came up w/a way that worked. How do you keep one another accountable? The "other" sister-in-Christ has suggested that all you can really do is walk along beside them spiritually and pray for them and with them. However, I would like to explore some other options that might, lets say, have a more worldly influence. I told her I was going to give her a good tongue lashing tonight, she asked me to wait until tomorrow as she had already had one today. (Tongue lashings haven't worked with my husband so I am not holding my breath on that one.) I told her I could spank her and send her to her room because I just didn't know what else to do with her. (Sadly, altho she wouldn't like a spanking, she might just endure it for the respite of being sent to her room, alone, no children, no responsibilities.) We both laughed. I could show up at her door-step every other day and wait there until I have witnessed her read and comment on that days verse. (With gas prices as high as they are and our family on 1 income, that's not going to happen.) OR, I could walk along side her spiritually and pray for her fervently and honestly and often and pray with her regularly. Sound familiar?

So, all that to say this to my you-know-who-you-are-sister-in-Christ; I love you like a sister, I respect you as a believer (not necessarily every decision you make), and feel for you like a mother to a child. You are not holding up your end of this "keeping each other accountable" thing. I know you are busy, more busy than I in 3-going-on-4 respects. However, I need you. And that should be enough for you to participate. I never, well almost never, ask anything from you. You know you will benefit from this if you participate. So, I am committing to you, right now, that I will do my best to walk along side of you spiritually, pray for you regularly, and pray with you every day, if you will let me, beginning tomorrow (well, today since it's past midnight). I want US to walk with God together. I have needed you in the past, will probably need you in the future (like when my husbands job status is uncertain and I begin to try and play God instead of letting go and letting God), and I am here for you now. :) I will call you later this morning, hopefully you will have read this first.

Justin's 4th tooth & a t.v. update

8/19/08

Justin got his 4th tooth today, upper left. WoW! he's blowing his big brother Austin away in the tooth department at this age.

I mentioned in an earlier blog that it was time to get rid of the t.v.'s. All of them. I mentioned it to my large-flat-screen, sports-loving, PS2-playing husband. Needless to say, he isn't in agreement. We have a total of 3 t.v.'s hooked up. 2 upstairs (1 in the living room and 1 in the spare bedroom) and 1 (the large flat screen) downstairs. He finally said that he would compromise, and I could take the one out of the l.r. (the only one I usually watch). I told him I would need to take the one out of the spare bedroom (Matt's clothes are in there and he watches t.v. w/Austin in there) also since it would still be to much of a temptation for me. That was over a week ago. Today I finally disconnected one t.v. from upstairs, the one in the spare room. Still haven't gotten to the l.r. one yet, go figure!

Proverbs 2:8-study among sisters in Christ

8/19/08
http://www.letgodbetrue.com/proverbs/proverbs.php?chapter=2

Not only is the true and living God the source of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding (2:6), He is the Benefactor and Defender of those who seek Him and His wisdom (2:7-8). And it is this glorious combination of blessings and rewards that completely supplies the righteous with all they need and desire (2:9). He will keep them and preserve them (2:8).

First thing I should say is, i need to go back to doing this every night. When I was doing it every night, my husband didn't see any change in me, but since I have gone to every other night, he says I am worse. Hmmmmm

I want to be protected by God. Who wouldn't? What do I need to do to insure that I am being protected by the ultimate Shield? Seek after His wisdom daily. Reject the wisdom of the world daily. Prostrate myself before Him in humble adoration. Pray endlessly and meaningfully.

Dear Lord, I want to be protected by You for eternity. Please help me to be humble and submissive and quiet this week. Please protect my sisters in Christ as they seek Your wisdom. Amen

my little boys

8/18/08

I just feel the need to say how much I enjoy spending time with my 2 little boys. We went to the zoo today, and it was so much fun to watch Austin, who isn't quite 2.5, get so excited about everything! "I want to see the pink birds. Lets go see the manatees. I wanna see the snakes mommy. I wanna ride the carousel horsey, a brown one, no, a black one! Can we ride the train? Can I kiss the snakes? Bye Bye manatees and fishies." It's TO CUTE! And little 8 mo. old Justin just chews on toys, watches everything, takes it all in, and kicks his feet up on whatever he can as he relaxes in the stroller awaiting his next meal or nap. Oh how precious.

When was the last time I said, or felt, that about God? I wish I could say that I will have to get back to you on that one, but the sad truth is, probably never. And if I don't learn to put Him first, and glorify Him above all things, and worship only Him, He will take my other gods from me, one way or another. I have a lot of praying to do tonight.

Proverbs 2:7--study among sisters in Christ

8/17/08
http://www.letgodbetrue.com/proverbs/proverbs.php?chapter=2

The great God has blessings for your obedience - wisdom and protection. He provides true and valid wisdom in abundance for righteous men. God has all the wisdom in the universe, but He has made much available for good men. And He will also be a buckler to them as well, which shows strong protection by using the metaphor of a battle shield.

I have to admit that I am curious about just how much wisdom does he have 'allotted" for me? And I really REALLY wish I could remember regularly that He is the best protector I have. I feel like I worry to much about the safety of my home, my belongings, me, my husband, my immediate family, and mostly my children. Is the alarm on? Are the doors locked (house and vehicle)? Are the windows closed (house and vehicle)? Would the kids be safe in their room at night w/o alarms on the windows? I could go on forever! Truly! And then, I usually remember to take a breath and say a prayer, and ask Him to do it all since I can't.

Now, having said all that, there is an entirely other side to my issues with safety which sound more like deadly & unlawful. Talking on the phone while driving (hello, there are babies in the car!). Taking the baby out of the car seat, while someone else is driving, to pacify. Reaching for toys and sippy cups and snacks for the kids while driving. Today, Justin was having a melt down on the way back from the zoo so I took both hands off the wheel, and my seat belt, to get a football he had been playing with that was WAY out of my reach! Are you kidding?! I have often thought, and said allowed to some, that there is no excuse for the things I have done, especially if it ever involved hurting or killing one or more of my kids, or anyone else's. I can only pray, and I do often, that those fearful thoughts will not become a reality as a way to teach me a lesson. Does anyone else see psychotic here? "Lord, please don't let anyone one get hurt while I knowingly and willingly choose to ignore all laws of safety and man." Really? Duh!!! Is anyone else ready to slap me yet?

Lord, Lord, Lord I BEG YOU to give me wisdom where my thinking starts, processes, and follows through. I feel like there is a disconnect (my black heart maybe?) and I would really appreciate a reconnect. Please help me make these changes before I have to live with anymore bad choices. Please help my sisters in Christ to make better choices than I, Godly choices! Amen

Proverbs 2:6-study among sisters in Christ

8/15/08
http://www.letgodbetrue.com/proverbs/proverbs.php?chapter=2

Reader, where have you been looking for wisdom? What have you been trusting for knowledge and understanding? Solomon would say, "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths" (3:5-6). Confidence in your own opinions and thinking is folly.

I do not look often enough in the right place for wisdom. (The right place would be the bible, of course!) I look to other people, I look to the t.v., I look to the newspaper (not very often, but still to often), and I look to myself. I either have the right answer or I am confident in my wrong answer. And, yes, I do have to have to have an answer. Don't you? If I don't have one, then someone might think I am not informed, or smart, or wise. Being born into a family of VERY smart people means I have to do anything I can to hold my own. If I can't do it on the IQ scale, I will do it on the accomplishment scale. I'll go to college and get a degree, or 2. I will achieve nearly the highest level possible in my trade. I will be prettier and thinner (don't anyone show me a mirror yet, let me finish!). I will have more money and more things. I will have a lot of problems! Without looking to God and wanting Him to be at the center of my life, I might as well have had the high IQ that I always wanted, because it would have gotten me just as far in my walk with Christ, NO WHERE! It is very difficult for me to put myself on the same "smart" level with people w/o a high IQ, but, I only need to remember 1 thing, I know where my life is going to end...in heaven. I am sure there a people I know who have a higher IQ than I do who can't say the same thing.

Dear Lord, please help me desire and ask for the wisdom You have promised. Help me to have an open mind and an open heart and open ears. Again this week I ask that You help me have a mouse-sized mouth. Please continue to help my sisters in Christ w/the needs and desires of their hearts. Amen

Proverbs 2:5--study among sisters in Christ

8/13/08
http://www.letgodbetrue.com/proverbs/proverbs.php?chapter=2

Too proud to listen? Too lazy to review? To stubborn to submit? Too carnal to desire it fervently? Too busy to pray? Too distracted with pleasure to seek it? Then die foolish! Wisdom will not be mocked; your calamities are coming; and there will be no mercy from heaven (1:20-31). He will even remove what you think you have (Luke 8:18).

Yes. Yes. Very yes. Yes. I didn't think so, but I must be since I don't do it often enough or thorough enough. Yes. Oh boy! It makes me sick to my stomach and very very sad, and apparently not scared enough, to even begin to think about what He might take from me that I think I have. If I answered the way I did to all of those questions and I have the aforementioned fears, then WHAT IN GOD'S NAME IS WRONG WITH ME? Literally! Why does the writing on the wall seem so plain and obvious and clear cut and understandable, AND YET I/we continue down the same destructive sinful paths? Damn that itsy bitsy black thing in our chests called a heart that is engulfed in sin.

With all of that said, I want to tell you that I have agreed to be a prayer partner for Answers in Genesis for 1 year. I have agreed to pray at least once a week for them and fast 1x per month. I hesitated before signing up, to afraid I couldn't keep the commitment. And that's exactly why I did sign up, so that hopefully I will approach it as a duty, a good duty, a righteous duty, a sinless duty. I was afraid to take on the Proverbs study with my sisters in Christ over a month ago because I was afraid I would fail at keeping my word. I was afraid I would let them down. However, I have discovered that is no longer the driving force behind why I do it. i do it because I enjoy it! Almost every night (when we were doing a verse per night--and now every other night) I can't wait to re-read the chapter and study the next verse. I hope I am being of some help to my sisters, but more importantly I am helping myself. (Somebody PLEASE tell my husband! I know I know, if I or someone else has to tell him, I still have a long way to go!)

Dear heavenly Father, thank you for the time I get to spend with you every day. Please help me realize I have more time to give to You. Not only are You worth every second, You have demanded more of me. Help me glorify You in all that I do. Please continue to comfort my sisters in Christ. Love them, heal their bodies as only You can, wrap Your heavenly arms around them, and continue to bless them. Amen

Proverbs 2:4--study among sisters in Christ

8/11/08
http://www.letgodbetrue.com/proverbs/proverbs.php?chapter=2

Dear friend, do you read the Word of God? Do you read it with passion and effort? Do you study it? Do you crave to hear it taught? Do you meditate upon it day and night? Do you speak of it others? Do you give up pleasure for it? Do you buy tools to help?

I certainly do not do any of these as much as I should. But the one that grabbed me the most was 'Do you give up pleasure for it?' Not only do I not do that often enough, if at all, but I should consider It the pleasure. And I certainly fall short there. I wish I could say that I sought after Him they way I would for any other worldly treasure. Sometimes I embarrass myself as I type out my confessions.

Dear good and glorious Father in heaven, thank You for being faithful when I am not, for being diligent when I am not, for being loving when I am not, and for having abounding grace when I do not. Please correct me, reprove me, and reposition me on the road to You. Please continue to comfort and love and protect my sisters in Christ. Amen

Proverbs 2:3--study among sisters in Christ

8/9/08
http://www.letgodbetrue.com/proverbs/proverbs.php?chapter=2

When did you last pray for wisdom, dear reader? When did you last pray passionately for it? Study may make a scholar, but only prayer will make a saint. Much reading may increase your learning, but only the revelation of the Spirit can give you wisdom. If you crave wisdom, crave it from your knees; and from your knees beg the God of Solomon.

I would love to revere and love and worship and fear God SO much that the only way I could, and would want to, spend prayer and worship time with Him was on my knees with my head bowed.

Dear God in heaven, bring me to my knees. Bring me to my knees in humbleness, in repentance, and in awe-ness of You. Break me, heal me, deliver me. Mold me and make me into a vessel worthy of saving. Amen

Ohio State fair

I would love to post cute pictures of the kids on Austin's second trip ever to the fair and Justin's first, but alas, my camera malfunctioned (hopefully not permanently). Do you know the song "Oh Where O Where has My Little Dog Gone...?" Well, we had the strangest experience today. At some point Austin took off his socks and shoes while riding in the stroller. I put them underneath with everything else: diaper bag, mom's purse, a couple of baby toys, Austin's backpack, 1 map, 1 book of fair things, 2 recipe booklets, and a prize toy that we (mom & I) spent $7 on for Austin. By the time we headed for the AG building area for our last stop before returning to the car, we realized that both socks, 1 recipe booklet, and the prize toy were gone. Weird! I know, you think with all of those things how could we NOT have lost something. But you have to know this stroller. It is a double, so both seats take up a lot of under storage room, so things normally get stuck under both seats and foot rests instead of lost. So, "Oh where oh where has my: son's socks, mom's recipe book w/coupons, and Austin's $7 deflated 7' baseball bat gone?"

i am the anchor and my brother is the sail

Are you picturing a boat? These were my brothers words, not mine. He thinks he could be the sail on a boat because he has lost so much weight, and has so much extra skin, well, you get the idea. Now, on to me being the anchor. Remember, his words, not mine. I don't think it needs any further discussion. Are my brother and I very close? Not anymore! :) I need to send out a late "Happy Birthday Joshua" to him. His birthday was yesterday and he turned 31. The little brother I always wanted and then was ready to send back :)

I want to say a special prayer for him. Dear Father God in heaven, please open his eyes and heart and mind to Your truth. He is one of those that has dabbled enough in religion's to make him dangerous, and I mean to himself eternally. Please use the trials that he goes through to move him closer to You instead of further away. Please help me to remember to pray for him more often and more sincerely. Please forgive me for not always being a godly example to him. Amen

give me a break, part 2

In an earlier blog I mentioned my disgust w/a radio commercial from a local church regarding 8/8/08. My understanding is that if you give them $88.08 they will pray for you. GREAT! NOT!! I will be glad to pray for you for free, and I am CERTAIN my prayers will be heard. Anyway, I haven't looked at their website, but I was told that by a very reliable source (Hi mom!). To listen to the commercial I can't imagine how you would make that connection. Secondly, even if you could that's not the point. The point is, as my husband would put it, "They are hit in the mouth!" Because today was the beginning of the olympics, at exactly 8:08, I learned more about the significance of the numbers (or not!). The Chinese revere the number all the time, but this is the year of the 8. It made me even more disgusted at the church, to think that they are playing into this whole 8 thing. Shame on them, and shame on their shepherd who will be in big doo doo for his role in leading people astray!

Proverbs 2:2--study among sisters in Christ

8/7/08
http://www.letgodbetrue.com/proverbs/proverbs.php?chapter=2

But why should a child incline his ear to his parents, if they do not incline their ears to the sound preaching of God's word?

WoW! Talk about being hit between the eyes. Talk about needing to pray more specifically more often. Talk about a reality (ok, God) check. I know part of my heart desires to be open to God's word and truth and wisdom, however, my mouth and the black part of my heart (which just so happens to be very very big) and my pride desire to love this world more. Oh, again, woe is me. Oh how badly I need Christ involved in every second of every waking minute of my life. Oh then why do I insist on following the road more traveled instead of the one less traveled? The road that will only lead me to redemption and glory? The road that has a glorious promise at the end? The road that God has commanded me to take 'or else.' And yet, I continue to choose 'or else.' I want so badly to love my husband unconditionally, submit to his authority, and support him. And I don't. I won't. I need to 'or else'.

Dear heavenly Father, forgive me for not doing this study in a timely manner. I decided to sleep instead of honor You. Maybe things would have been different today had I spent that special one- on-one time with You. I beg of You to crush my pride so that I may have ears more open to You, a mouth sealed shut for You, and a life worth glorifying You. If I can't honor my husband in the ways You have taught me from the bible, then not only can't I honor and glorify You, but I can't expect my children to honor me. And I am certainly not a good sister in Christ. Lord, I ask that You bless my sisters in Christ that they can meet Your demands of them. I also ask that as my own sister takes the time to read these proverbs study's that she will be convicted and awakened. Amen

why why why why why

Austin's newest thing to say. It's been going on for close to a week now. It was cute the first day, but I knew what we were in for. And we are in for...

He has been doing really well with potty training. I started him this summer outside w/nothing on his lower half (the neighbors were THRILLED!) and a shirt that was to small on top (daddy LOVED that!). I put his little potty chair outside on the patio and his outside toys and a little baby pool, and he went on it like a champ. (Anytime that first week that we were inside his potty chair was on the kitchen/dining room area vinyl.) He was just getting into gum about that time (literally, w/o asking), so I decided to use it as a reward, not a bribe (is there a difference?). That kid chewed, and swallowed, lots of gum in those first couple of weeks. The second week we were outside we kept on the shirt that was to small (daddy is STILL loving it!) and we put on underwear. We practiced pulling them down. The third week we put on a regular shirt and shorts that were easy to get down. We practiced getting them down and off quickly. By this time he was regularly going on the big potty in the house w/the help of a smaller seat and a stool. The smaller seat only lasted a couple of weeks, he soon took it off. He still needs the stool to get up. He has more accidents now than in the first month of potty training. He waits to long to go, and then goes on the bathroom floor right in front of the toilet. We only used a diaper for nap time for the first 2 weeks. He always stayed dry, so that was easy to quit using. However, I am not ready to take that chance at night. I would say he stays dry overnight 90% of the time, but that other 10%, coupled with daytime accidents he can avoid, will keep him in a nighttime diaper for awhile. But he knows he is suppose to keep it dry. If we put it on him too early at night, he takes it off to go to the bathroom. And in the morning when it is still dry, he is very proud of himself and says what a good and big boy he is. In regards to pooping, he has only ever had 3 accidents in his underwear, and all three times he was on his way but didn't make it. Thank God he is not the type of child who will hide and do it or just not care that he has done it. Truly, thank you Lord for the ease of this child's potty training. I was not thrilled about taking this on, but God blessed me with a child who was ready. Not to bad for a kid that turned 2 in May.

Justin talking

yes, talking. at least it is to us. 1 week ago today i was in the grocery as he started spouting "da-da-da-da." i wasn't sure if this was his official first word until he continued the rest of the day. if i were to tell anyone he was saying "da-da-da," he would start saying it also. so, i have decided, he has officially started talking. (sometimes it sounds like "daddy" and sometimes "hi daddy," but mostly just "da-da)." he has been sitting up unassisted for a few weeks. he got his first 2 teeth at the end of june (beating his older brother by nearly 3 months). however, he still has 0 interest in tummy-time or rolling. he has rolled back to belly 2x...once about 4 months ago and once a few weeks ago. thats it. daddy says its his fat cheekies that keep him from being able to roll. if he wants to get anywhere, he just scoots backwards by pushing w/his legs. he has done this for a couple of months, and generally runs head first into something, like the stone fireplace or a wall. prior to this type of movement, he would just scoot himself into a 360 degree circle by flopping his legs and back. he looked a lot like a fish out of water, which went right along with his habit of grabbing my face and pulling to his own and sucking on my chin. it reminded me of a sucker fish.

Proverbs 2:1--study among sisters in Christ

8/5/08
http://www.letgodbetrue.com/proverbs/proverbs.php?chapter=2

what? did anyone hear (see) that? i was sure something just passed between my ears (eyes). not sure, a lot of empty space in there!

altho this first 2nd chapter seems to reiterate some of/a lot of what chapter 1 said, tis verse made me wonder, again, if i am really open to God's word. i am currently reading a book by R C Sproul, and in it he has a chapter or two on the holiness of God (maybe more, i am only in chapter 4). he makes the point (with many examples and references and quotes) that when we are in the presence of God we are in awe and in fear. we are scared to get close to something, or Someone, we don't know or can't "categorize." altho i pray many times for the willingness to be open to His word and truth, am i really? what would i do if confronted on this earth w/a glimpse of His holiness? i can only hope i would be broken as Isaiah and Peter were. i can only hope that i will be broken of my sinful self.

dear heavenly Father, please humble me. please break me. please help me. please give me grace & mercy as only You can. please continue to oversee the lives of my sisters in Christ so they may also be broken & humbled so that they may continue to experience Your grace & mercy. Amen

Proverbs 1:33--study among sisters in Christ

8/3/08
http://www.letgodbetrue.com/proverbs/proverbs.php?chapter=1

"What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth" (Ps 34:12-16).



ladies, this has been terrific! forgive me for not doing this last night, but it was so late i chose to do our sunday school homework over this. from here on out i will commit to doing 1 verse every other night instead of every night so that i can focus on my wednesday night notes, BEFORE wednesday night, and our sunday school readings. will see you in 2 days for chapter 2, verse 1.

Dear Lord, please keep my tongue from evil and my lips from speaking guile. Please help me to depart from evil, do good, seek and pursue peace. Please help me to apply these truths to my life every day. Thank You for this time that I have been able to study this first chapter in Proverbs with my sisters in Christ. Please help us continue to make time for You, forgoing t.v., secular reading material, and other such activities that take our focus off of You. We want You to come first in our lives, we want You to become a habit in our lives, we want You to be the center of our lives. Please help us tomorrow, and every day that You give us. Amen

Proverbs 1:32--study among sisters in Christ

8/1/08
http://www.letgodbetrue.com/proverbs/proverbs.php?chapter=1

i was in the car about 6 hours today, and had the opportunity to listen to a little bit of radio. the channel finally chosen, a christian station out of columbus (one that i didn't even know existed). in the course of about 4 hours of listening off and on i heard a range of theological beliefs, free will vs. predestination to name just one. todays proverbs verse talks about the destruction of the simple and the wealth of unjust gain. hearing several different theological positions on 1 station in the span of a few hours made me think of the simple and wisdom-less influences all around people every day, even professing christians. how many will be surprised when they are destroyed?

dear Lord, give me strength! give me the strength to put Your wisdom in to action. close my mouth, open my ears, move my body, submit my heart and mind, give me grace! fill my black sinful heart with Your powerful merciful love. break me each day. squash my pride. help me to let go and let You. Amen