It seems every single blog lately has been on the topic of Halloween. Around our house it's know as my Moms birthday. I have never ever gone tricker treating or ever given out anything to any tricker treaters. My parents did not want us to celebrate it. But now I am a mom (still weird to me) and so King Los and I had to decide what we wanted to do. It wasn'ts a hard decision for us to make because after hearing a women who was a witch and then later in life become a christian, there was never a dout in our minds if we wanted to participate in Halloween. But instead of telling you my opinion (because really my opinion does not matter) I would like to challenge all of you if you are having a hard time deciding what to do this year for Halloween.
Look to God's word. Check out the orgin behind Halloween. Go with you conscience and live in love, don't judge others!
Monday, October 11, 2010
Monday, October 4, 2010
Easy Peasy Serving
I know this post is way overdue but we made a decision to end our Internet last week henceforth making it a little hard to blog. However I will still continue to try and blog from my parents house since I spend a fair amount of time there.
So back to Easy ways to serve from home
*The best and easiest way to serve others from home is prayer!
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Ephesians 6:18
My Granny a wise and godly woman, spends so much time praying. She says that because of her age she feels as if she cannot do much anymore so she spends lots of time in prayer for her family and others. Lots of people call her and tell her their prayer requests and she adds them to her written list and spends time in prayer on each of them. She prays for anyone and everyone no matter if she knows them or not. She is a prayer warrior and inspires me to pray more. Sometimes there is not much we can do for people, but people can always use prayer! Whatever you do. Do not be a person who says they will pray for someone but always forgets. When you commit to praying for someone or a situation, write it down and make sure you pray for it. Prayer is such a great way to serve others.
* Another thing that is of great encouragement for others is sending notes or cards. We live in a time where people barely have time for a simple phone call but there is nothing like receiving a note or card. Telling someone you are praying for them (and actually are) or telling them you have been thinking of them is so encouraging. Wether they are going through a difficult time or just busy raising their little ones it always means a lot. It's so simple and you can buy blank packs of cards at the dollar tree!
*Taking meals. I'll admit the idea of that often sends me into a panic. I never know what to take people and alway fear I am not a good enough cook. But taking someone a meal after a baby is born, a love one passes away, someone has surgery, or just to give them a night off is such a blessing! I cannot begin to tell you how thankful I am to my friends and family who brought me meals after princess Eli was born. You don't even have to take a meal you could just send a plate of brownies with your hubby to take to the guys at work or to the unsaved neighbors. These kinds of things set us apart from the world and show God's love through small things. I know the guys at King Los' job love when I send stuff like peach pie and brownies and all kinds of goodies and I know it makes King Los proud to take them.
*Babysitting. Paying a babysitter can get expensive and not everyone is blessed like to me to have their family around them. How bout once a month offering a couple with young child a night of free babysitting so they could have a date night. Marriages right now are falling apart and one of the best things for couples is time alone together. What a blessing to offer a couple a free night of babysitting or a busy mom a few hours to run errands.
*Hosting exchange students or fresh air kids. This is such an excellent way to show God to unbelievers. I have had the privilege to see my parents host several exchange of which were not Christians but were able to find about Jesus and the gospel while staying here. You can build lifelong friendships through these kinds of programs and can really impact kids lives for the lord. You never know what kind of an impact just one or two weeks at your home watching your family could do for a non christian from china or anywhere in the world.
There is so many other great ways. Volunteering at a homeless shelter. Giving food to a food bank. Working on your elderly neighbor's yard. Sponsoring an orphan. Pray and ask God for opportunities to serve and he will show you! He is glad you are choosing to put your family first and will always show you people and ways you can serve while still doing that. Not to mention the best way to serve is right a long side your family teaching them how to live out God's word through serving and instilling the love to serve in your children.
So back to Easy ways to serve from home
*The best and easiest way to serve others from home is prayer!
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Ephesians 6:18
My Granny a wise and godly woman, spends so much time praying. She says that because of her age she feels as if she cannot do much anymore so she spends lots of time in prayer for her family and others. Lots of people call her and tell her their prayer requests and she adds them to her written list and spends time in prayer on each of them. She prays for anyone and everyone no matter if she knows them or not. She is a prayer warrior and inspires me to pray more. Sometimes there is not much we can do for people, but people can always use prayer! Whatever you do. Do not be a person who says they will pray for someone but always forgets. When you commit to praying for someone or a situation, write it down and make sure you pray for it. Prayer is such a great way to serve others.
* Another thing that is of great encouragement for others is sending notes or cards. We live in a time where people barely have time for a simple phone call but there is nothing like receiving a note or card. Telling someone you are praying for them (and actually are) or telling them you have been thinking of them is so encouraging. Wether they are going through a difficult time or just busy raising their little ones it always means a lot. It's so simple and you can buy blank packs of cards at the dollar tree!
*Taking meals. I'll admit the idea of that often sends me into a panic. I never know what to take people and alway fear I am not a good enough cook. But taking someone a meal after a baby is born, a love one passes away, someone has surgery, or just to give them a night off is such a blessing! I cannot begin to tell you how thankful I am to my friends and family who brought me meals after princess Eli was born. You don't even have to take a meal you could just send a plate of brownies with your hubby to take to the guys at work or to the unsaved neighbors. These kinds of things set us apart from the world and show God's love through small things. I know the guys at King Los' job love when I send stuff like peach pie and brownies and all kinds of goodies and I know it makes King Los proud to take them.
*Babysitting. Paying a babysitter can get expensive and not everyone is blessed like to me to have their family around them. How bout once a month offering a couple with young child a night of free babysitting so they could have a date night. Marriages right now are falling apart and one of the best things for couples is time alone together. What a blessing to offer a couple a free night of babysitting or a busy mom a few hours to run errands.
*Hosting exchange students or fresh air kids. This is such an excellent way to show God to unbelievers. I have had the privilege to see my parents host several exchange of which were not Christians but were able to find about Jesus and the gospel while staying here. You can build lifelong friendships through these kinds of programs and can really impact kids lives for the lord. You never know what kind of an impact just one or two weeks at your home watching your family could do for a non christian from china or anywhere in the world.
There is so many other great ways. Volunteering at a homeless shelter. Giving food to a food bank. Working on your elderly neighbor's yard. Sponsoring an orphan. Pray and ask God for opportunities to serve and he will show you! He is glad you are choosing to put your family first and will always show you people and ways you can serve while still doing that. Not to mention the best way to serve is right a long side your family teaching them how to live out God's word through serving and instilling the love to serve in your children.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
His work His way!
Before I post about some great ideas of serving in easy mom friendly ways that still make a big impact, I want to share something God has been showing me about this whole serving topic.
First off, we are all called to serve!
However just because we are all called to serve does not mean we are called to do ALL things!
I love how the ladies from Passionate housewives desperate for God by Jennie Chancey and Stacy McDonald, talk about this subject.
"God has a lot for us to do! His work for women isn't small, narrow, or confining. It calls forth the best in us and requires the faithful use of the talents he bestows. At the same time, God desires us to do his work His way!"
We DO NOT have to be doing "BIG" things to be making a BIG difference in peoples lives! Sometimes the little things get swept under the rug to make room for the big projects which are time consuming and don't always have the best rate of one on one time with people. Doing little consistent things make a big impact on non-believers because they are seeing God's word lived out through our lives!
Our husbands should come first and then our children and then of course others. We cannot forget that we are our husband's only help meet and our children's only mother.
Serving should be a way of life! It should be something you do throughout your day and something that your children grow to just do naturally because that is what they have seen from their parents!
Just because a program is making a huge difference in peoples lives and it seems all the doors are being opened for you to help with it, does not mean that is really what God wants. If that ministry is taking away to much time from your family and your main priorities it is not what God wants for you. If you are like me and are not extremely organized and great at balancing at time you will have to be really careful with saying yes to many things. It's so easy to just say yes to so many things then become overwhelmed. I know I needed to learn how to say the No word a lot more.
You will never regret the time you spent investing in your children and being the best possible help meet for your husband. You may regret all the time missed while you were busy volunteering for different projects that caused you to miss precious moments of time in your little ones lives. (I already had to learn this the first year of princess Eli's life and I had to actually step down from a ministry I was involved in.)
Take some time to talk God about your priorities and if you are really doing His work His way!
First off, we are all called to serve!
However just because we are all called to serve does not mean we are called to do ALL things!
I love how the ladies from Passionate housewives desperate for God by Jennie Chancey and Stacy McDonald, talk about this subject.
"God has a lot for us to do! His work for women isn't small, narrow, or confining. It calls forth the best in us and requires the faithful use of the talents he bestows. At the same time, God desires us to do his work His way!"
We DO NOT have to be doing "BIG" things to be making a BIG difference in peoples lives! Sometimes the little things get swept under the rug to make room for the big projects which are time consuming and don't always have the best rate of one on one time with people. Doing little consistent things make a big impact on non-believers because they are seeing God's word lived out through our lives!
Our husbands should come first and then our children and then of course others. We cannot forget that we are our husband's only help meet and our children's only mother.
Serving should be a way of life! It should be something you do throughout your day and something that your children grow to just do naturally because that is what they have seen from their parents!
Just because a program is making a huge difference in peoples lives and it seems all the doors are being opened for you to help with it, does not mean that is really what God wants. If that ministry is taking away to much time from your family and your main priorities it is not what God wants for you. If you are like me and are not extremely organized and great at balancing at time you will have to be really careful with saying yes to many things. It's so easy to just say yes to so many things then become overwhelmed. I know I needed to learn how to say the No word a lot more.
You will never regret the time you spent investing in your children and being the best possible help meet for your husband. You may regret all the time missed while you were busy volunteering for different projects that caused you to miss precious moments of time in your little ones lives. (I already had to learn this the first year of princess Eli's life and I had to actually step down from a ministry I was involved in.)
Take some time to talk God about your priorities and if you are really doing His work His way!
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Being a wife and mom is not enough!
Do you ever feel that way?
I have sat with a few friends and have discussed the fact that it sometimes feels like we are not doing enough for the lord or that we aren't doing anything "big" enough.
But, for most of us moms especially with little ones getting involved in ministry takes to much time away from the family and fills our schedules to full. We have to face it that our children and husbands are most important ministry we have!
These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Deuteronomy 6:6-7
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6
Really we are doing something that will impact the world and future generations by training our children!
So how can we still serve others like God asks us to? I mean don't we have to volunteer for all kinds of projects, groups, and all kinds of community outreaches?
Nope! (Not that doing those things is wrong. We must each decide for ourselves what the lord is asking of us and our families.)
So tomorrow I will give you some ideas the lord has been laying on my heart of ways I can serve!
And whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. Mark 10:44-45
9Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. 11If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:9-11
I have sat with a few friends and have discussed the fact that it sometimes feels like we are not doing enough for the lord or that we aren't doing anything "big" enough.
But, for most of us moms especially with little ones getting involved in ministry takes to much time away from the family and fills our schedules to full. We have to face it that our children and husbands are most important ministry we have!
These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Deuteronomy 6:6-7
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6
Really we are doing something that will impact the world and future generations by training our children!
So how can we still serve others like God asks us to? I mean don't we have to volunteer for all kinds of projects, groups, and all kinds of community outreaches?
Nope! (Not that doing those things is wrong. We must each decide for ourselves what the lord is asking of us and our families.)
So tomorrow I will give you some ideas the lord has been laying on my heart of ways I can serve!
And whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. Mark 10:44-45
9Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. 11If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:9-11
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Love Languages
Don't you love when you have those moments of "Not sure why I didn't figure this out till now.". I have those a lot and I know it's all just part of the learning process.
Well while I was at the Women of Faith Conference (which is so worth going to if it's coming to a city near you) Andy Andrews was talking about the love languages and I started to think. I am pretty sure I know King Los' love language. But, I was deteremined when I got home to look at the book the Five love languages by Gary Chapman and talk to King Los about it.
I am so glad I did that! Not only did I discover I was not loving him with his love language I realized I was actually loving him with my love language which is pretty normal to do.
See I had been affirming him with more words then he needed. I mean seriously I thought to myself who could ever here enough great things about themselves and what they do. Although King Los appreciated those nice things I had been saying I realized he appreciated acts of service so much more.
He would much rather have a clean home, yummy cooked meals, and of course something yummy baked then hear a hundred kinds words. It seems so obvious now and of course I had heard of the love languages a million times I just thought I had it all right.
If you haven't checked out this book you need to! There is also one for kids and one for teenagers love languages too.
So talk to your spouse and find out if you could be showing love better to them.
Well while I was at the Women of Faith Conference (which is so worth going to if it's coming to a city near you) Andy Andrews was talking about the love languages and I started to think. I am pretty sure I know King Los' love language. But, I was deteremined when I got home to look at the book the Five love languages by Gary Chapman and talk to King Los about it.
I am so glad I did that! Not only did I discover I was not loving him with his love language I realized I was actually loving him with my love language which is pretty normal to do.
See I had been affirming him with more words then he needed. I mean seriously I thought to myself who could ever here enough great things about themselves and what they do. Although King Los appreciated those nice things I had been saying I realized he appreciated acts of service so much more.
He would much rather have a clean home, yummy cooked meals, and of course something yummy baked then hear a hundred kinds words. It seems so obvious now and of course I had heard of the love languages a million times I just thought I had it all right.
If you haven't checked out this book you need to! There is also one for kids and one for teenagers love languages too.
So talk to your spouse and find out if you could be showing love better to them.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Canning... in your oven
How to Can in the oven!
So if a few of you ladies are like me you aren't quite lucky enough to have a pressure cooker or canner. You'll be as excited as me to find out you can actually can peaches and pears in the oven. It's so simple and the process is pretty much the same as if you were going to use a regular canner.
*Preheat your oven to 250 degrees.
*You still fill the jars nice and full of peaches. Then make your syrup and add that in the jar.
*Then move your bottom oven rack as low as it can go and put two cookie sheets on it.
*Put six jars on each cookie sheet making sure that none of the jars of touching each other. You should put no more then a total of 12 in at a time.
*Then bake for between one hour and 15 and one hour and twenty minutes.
*Make sure when you take them out that the liquid inside looks like its bubbling just a little because that means it will seal for you. Also it's fine if a little of the liquid spilled out just keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't all spill out.
*Then of course let me sit for twenty four hours and they should seal nicely for you!
*Also another fun little tip is to add about a tsp of vanilla to every four cups of syrup to add a little extra flavor to the peaches.
Make sure you save some fresh peaches to make some yummy peach pies. King Los took one to work for the guys he works with and they absolutely loved it so make sure you make one for your family and one for a gift!
Monday, August 23, 2010
Love your enemies... For Real!!
Ouch.. God made something painfully obvious to me this weekend.
I do not LOVE my enemies!
I think I'm a pretty easy person to get along with. I don't like confrontation and I often keep my opinions to myself as to not offend or hurt others. I feel as though I can get a long with pretty much any person. I love people and I love having friends!
I didn't think I really had enemies. Don't get me wrong sometimes people hurt my feelings and sometimes I meet someone who just rubs me the wrong way. I even sometimes find myself holding a grudge agaisnt someone every once in awhile. But, I usually have no problem forgiving and getting over it.
BUT.....
What about when you have a real enemy? Someone who has tried to destroy your family, your marriage, or just you in gerneral. Someone no matter how you have tried to handle it only seems to want hurt or frustrate you. What if this person is someone who has seriously injured, killed or maybe even raped a family member. Maybe it's a person that has spread awful rumors about you. Can you really love that person?
I thought I was doing pretty good with "that" person. I thought I had forgave! But, in my mind I was secretly hoping that what they did to me would also happen to them. That they would see how it felt to be hurt so much by someone. I was not letting go and letting God! I certianly was not LOVING them!
So God told me to look up some verses and heres a few I found.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good".Romans 12:17-21
But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Luke 6:27-28
Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. 1 John 2:9-10.
Feed your enemy! Cloth your enemy! Pray for your enemy! Love your enemy!
With tears in my eyes I admit I have failed horribly! I am so thankful for God's grace and the fact he never gives up on me!
I do not LOVE my enemies!
I think I'm a pretty easy person to get along with. I don't like confrontation and I often keep my opinions to myself as to not offend or hurt others. I feel as though I can get a long with pretty much any person. I love people and I love having friends!
I didn't think I really had enemies. Don't get me wrong sometimes people hurt my feelings and sometimes I meet someone who just rubs me the wrong way. I even sometimes find myself holding a grudge agaisnt someone every once in awhile. But, I usually have no problem forgiving and getting over it.
BUT.....
What about when you have a real enemy? Someone who has tried to destroy your family, your marriage, or just you in gerneral. Someone no matter how you have tried to handle it only seems to want hurt or frustrate you. What if this person is someone who has seriously injured, killed or maybe even raped a family member. Maybe it's a person that has spread awful rumors about you. Can you really love that person?
I thought I was doing pretty good with "that" person. I thought I had forgave! But, in my mind I was secretly hoping that what they did to me would also happen to them. That they would see how it felt to be hurt so much by someone. I was not letting go and letting God! I certianly was not LOVING them!
So God told me to look up some verses and heres a few I found.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good".Romans 12:17-21
But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Luke 6:27-28
Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. 1 John 2:9-10.
Feed your enemy! Cloth your enemy! Pray for your enemy! Love your enemy!
With tears in my eyes I admit I have failed horribly! I am so thankful for God's grace and the fact he never gives up on me!
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