it is so difficult to admit

...when I have failed.

I have always taken pride in a job well done. I { typically } don't start something that I don't finish. When I come across things I am ignorant on, I do my best to become learned. I don't believe things are too difficult...

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

I pray each morning for help with planning my day that I may glorify God with all I do (and doing away with things that do not).

As of late I have had some days that I considered unproductive. I felt that I had failed because I had not completed tasks that I had planned. Silly me...

It only took a little quiet time with God to realize I had failed because I did not listen for and obey His plan for my day.

See, God's plan for us does not include days that are "unproductive". He wants us to be happy, healthy and successful. He sets us all on a path that leads toward Him and it is only once we make our own plan that we fail. I need to remember that my actions and words throughout my day need to glorify Him...

1 Peter 4:11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

So, as you browse through my page and you find that I only completed 8 of the 52 Weeks photo challenge, try not to judge. He just had a different plan for me on those days!

Psalm 91

Two weeks ago I was requesting quotes for a new roof. After receiving what I thought was pretty high prices from a couple guys, I brought it to God letting Him know what I wanted to pay. One of the roofers is someone in the Church and I assumed God would speak on his heart to lower his quote. Although a roofer came back with a much lower price, it wasn’t who I thought it would be, but I trusted God and hired this guy. I gave him a pretty large sum of money

and then didn’t see him for the next 4 days.

I expressed concern over this to a friend and was reminded that everything will work out fine if I had prayed before making my decision. So I again brought it to God.

The next day materials were dropped off at my house and the tear-off began.

Saturday morning the roofer was showing me some areas he was working on when his brother came by to let him know rain was headed our way and he shouldn’t start tearing off the next section. As he turned back to continue our conversation he put his foot through my roof! He was not injured and it was the part of the roof that was scheduled to be done next, so no big deal…
until 11 PM when I walked into the kitchen to see my paint on my ceiling and above my windows had bubbled and rain was dripping down the wall.

Within moments I was praising and thanking God! See as I pulled the paint down, I discovered that mold and mildew was growing on the walls.

I realized immediately that if the work had started 4 days sooner that the roof above this part of the house would have been completed and this problem would have gone undetected. I was sorry that I had not trusted God. I know His timing is perfect but I had allowed my impatience to get the better of me.

As we go forward in our days and events in our life do not happen as we would like or think they should, I pray that we all are able to remember that He is protecting our every step.
 

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

 ²I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

 ³Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

 ⁴He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

 ⁵Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

 ⁶Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

 ⁷A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

 ⁸Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

 ⁹Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

 ¹⁰There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

 ¹¹For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

 ¹²They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

 ¹³Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

 ¹⁴Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

 ¹⁵He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

 ¹⁶With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

9 out of 21, not too great

My Sunshine thinks he knows everything. It's really irritating. What's even more irritating is when he knows more than me.

It doesn't happen often.

Today we quizzed out of the book

A Funny Thing Happened On My Way Through the Bible

200 pages of questions and answers...some basic, some detailed, some silly

My score on the first quiz was a whopping 9 out of 21.

His, 13.

My score on the second quiz: a pathetic 6 out of 21.

His, 9.

I know there are A LOT of details in the Bible but it's almost as if I have retained N-O-T-H-I-N-G!

This is definitely a book I would suggest. It is fun and certainly encourages looking up passages in the Bible (when you find you don't know what you thought you did).

BTW, you can find a used copy at Amazon for .01, one penny!!

U? K? OK

Each night my children and I select a topic to read / study in the Bible. Last night was one we have let others dictate for us...until now.

As we sat gathered around our dinner table eating

{ beef stew }

I asked if anyone could tell me where in the Bible it states that animals that were once unclean, are no longer considered such. We all knew some of the verses that are assumed to mean that:

Mark 7:18-19

Acts 10:12-15

Ephesians 2:15

Romans 14:14

But I am more concerned with verses like:

Matthew 5:17-18

Matthew 13:47-48

Revelation 16:13

Revelation 18:2

Romans 2:21-25

In my house we feel pretty strongly about following the Bible. While we do not claim to be Holy, we certainly strive towards it. I see clearly where God commands which animals/beasts are abominable and unclean and therefore unable for us to eat. I do not clearly see where this was changed.

I know the inconvenience of eating Kosher is a big put off, and maybe even why families don't. I feel it is a small sacrifice. Deny ourselves is what the Bible says. In this day, in this world, it is not easy. We will have to sacrifice fast foods and restaurant eating, some of our favorite snack foods, even some fellowship dinners.

What we will gain will be more time in the kitchen with each other, more time fellowshipping with those who have the same beliefs, healthier bodies, and a greater respect for our LORD.

I am not saying there is no salvation for those who make other choices for themselves and their families. I in fact hope that Judgment Day is a whole lot more flexible than I think it is going to be...but I am not going to take the chance simply because I like bacon, well done, with my eggs.

Why the picture of the snack foods above? Well, it turns out that pork is hidden in all of them. We also emptied our refrigerator / freezer of pork products...cheese (several types - block cheddar, artichoke cream cheese spread, cottage cheese, feta cheese...we used to love a lot of cheeses!), salad dressings, corn dogs, chicken kievs, burritos, pizza, raviolis...I have yet to get to the things in the back of the freezer but I am sure there will be more.

Want a quick way to know if the foods on your shelves are Kosher? Those that are, bear a letter symbol - It may be a "U" or a ". Spend 5 minutes looking. You might be surprised how n o t restrictive eating Kosher is.

how do you do your do?

The kids and I went out this evening to fellowship with a group of people we used to know before we switched churches. The 2nd thing I noticed was my friend had cut her hair. She never wore it long but I suppose I didn't pay attention enough to ask her about it...until tonight.

She told me that she thought it was starting to look dried out. What she meant to say is that her husband likes it shorter (I know this because she has told me how he feels about his daughters' hair). But then I think she may have felt the slightest conviction because she asked me if I cut mine anymore. What she meant to say is that she noticed since I switched churches I have let my hair grow. I told her that I don't but then said no more. I didn't want to get into a very involved conversation as we had just walked in and I hadn't yet spoken to our host, but if she is having the thoughts I believe she is having, we will have the conversation soon.

I spend a great deal of my time reading the Bible. I want to know, as do my children, what the Bible commands of us.

People like to minimize what the Bible says. It is certainly more convenient to dismiss things that might offend or those instructions that somehow seem lesser than others. One of these areas is a woman's hair.

Not only does the Bible speak of hair, both men's and women's, but to me the message is clear. We study and live by King James Version, but feel free to check the Bible you have at home...it states the same thing:

1 Corinthians 11 : 5-16

 5But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.

 6For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.

 7For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.

 8For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man.

 9Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.

 10For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.

 11Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.

 12For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.

 13Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?

 14Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?

 15But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering.

 16But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.

I'm not here to judge or point fingers or offend or provoke anyone in any manner. For almost 40 years I didn't read this message and I wish someone had shown it to me.I do not think this is a lesser point than any other in the Bible. It was given to us as direction and I intend to heed its message. As I look around at others I wonder why so many choose otherwise.

So, as my post is titled,

{ How do you do your do? }

I am curious to hear if other women have felt this impressed on them or if most consider this a minor detail that doesn't need attention.

Oh, and if you're curious as to what the first thing I noticed was, I was the only woman wearing a skirt.

dedication

September 20, 2009

I dedicated Miss Thang and Baby to God and asked Him for His blessing.

 

I promised to God

that I will raise my children in an environment that is rich with His Word,

to lead by example,

 

to love and nurture the children He has blessed me with,

so they will grow to love Him and seek a greater relationship with Him.

Titus 2 : 3-5

Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.