"Why do you seeking the living among the dead", the angel said. The tomb is empty! Jesus is alive!
Thank you Lord for dying on the cross and arising from the dead so that I might have life!
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
Alone
Music is something that really ministers to me. There are times when I get more from a service from the music than I do a sermon. During the week, in my car or at home, I love to have music playing. The older I get the more I have become stuck on listening to just praise and worship type music. Don't get me wrong I do enjoy other types of music and I will occasionally listen to other types but there is something about praise and worship that I just love.
I find that some Christians feel that they can only worship God while at church that they can't be at home or in their car and worship God. There is something to be said of just singing a praise song to God while you are alone.
An explanation I once heard was that, “Worship is the individual adoration of God.” It’s you and God, wherever you are, whatever you are doing.
There is a song I have found that kind of sums up how I feel about worshiping God. All the wonderful bands and orchestras that churches have are beautiful and I love hearing them. I love hearing a good Choir sing, I have a great choir I direct at my church but there is something to be said of worshiping Him alone.
This song is called Alone by Clint Brown.
Lyrics are:
You don’t need majestic choirs
With awesome voices raised
You don’t need a congregation
To offer Me your praise
You don’t need a mighty orchestra to bless Me with your song
You get all of My attention when you worship me alone.
When He is not worshiped alone, He is not worshiped~ Augustine. What a powerful statement. Do you worship Him alone? What are you dependent on to enter into worship? Do you create an atmosphere of worship in your home for your children to see? We need to instill a lifelong desire and passion within our children to worship God, alone, without us next to them, without a congregation surrounding them. How do we do that? By setting an example. Worshiping God where ever you may be and what ever you are doing. Not just at church but at home, at work, in the car, where ever you are.
“From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise…” Psalm 8:2
"I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth." Psalm 34:1
I find that some Christians feel that they can only worship God while at church that they can't be at home or in their car and worship God. There is something to be said of just singing a praise song to God while you are alone.
An explanation I once heard was that, “Worship is the individual adoration of God.” It’s you and God, wherever you are, whatever you are doing.
There is a song I have found that kind of sums up how I feel about worshiping God. All the wonderful bands and orchestras that churches have are beautiful and I love hearing them. I love hearing a good Choir sing, I have a great choir I direct at my church but there is something to be said of worshiping Him alone.
This song is called Alone by Clint Brown.
Lyrics are:
You don’t need majestic choirs
With awesome voices raised
You don’t need a congregation
To offer Me your praise
You don’t need a mighty orchestra to bless Me with your song
You get all of My attention when you worship me alone.
When He is not worshiped alone, He is not worshiped~ Augustine. What a powerful statement. Do you worship Him alone? What are you dependent on to enter into worship? Do you create an atmosphere of worship in your home for your children to see? We need to instill a lifelong desire and passion within our children to worship God, alone, without us next to them, without a congregation surrounding them. How do we do that? By setting an example. Worshiping God where ever you may be and what ever you are doing. Not just at church but at home, at work, in the car, where ever you are.
“From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise…” Psalm 8:2
"I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth." Psalm 34:1
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Not Me
I am convinced that we have a 7th person living in our home. This person is very inconspicuous most of the time. I never find them at the dinner table or on an outing with us. The strange thing is they seem to leave messes and do things in the house that no one else does. It is the oddest thing. Just this morning this 7th person left a huge mess on the kitchen table. I of course, incorrectly thought my oldest son had forgotten to clean up after himself but my son informed me it was Not Me that had left the mess. Funny though I never saw Not Me eating breakfast. But this was not the first time Not Me has done something. Apparently, he or she does things all the time and leaves it to be blamed on my poor innocent children.
I told my children I was so tired of Not Me blaming them for all of these messes. I am ready to kick Not Me out of the house! He or She must go out on their own. Since we seem to not catch Not Me, I informed the children I was going to have cameras set up all over the house so we can catch Not Me red handed. It seems I am the only one in the house that has not seen not me, even my beloved husband has had a few encounters with Not Me. My family is under attack and it is time to take revenge on Not Me!!
Once I catch Not Me, I will be sure to post a picture of them so other mom's can be sure not to let him/her into your home too. I have heard he travels from house to house causing havoc.
I told my children I was so tired of Not Me blaming them for all of these messes. I am ready to kick Not Me out of the house! He or She must go out on their own. Since we seem to not catch Not Me, I informed the children I was going to have cameras set up all over the house so we can catch Not Me red handed. It seems I am the only one in the house that has not seen not me, even my beloved husband has had a few encounters with Not Me. My family is under attack and it is time to take revenge on Not Me!!
Once I catch Not Me, I will be sure to post a picture of them so other mom's can be sure not to let him/her into your home too. I have heard he travels from house to house causing havoc.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Calgon take me away
I woke up this morning and laid in bed contemplating of whether or not I should hit the snooze button. My first thought was to turn off the alarm and just go back to sleep but then I knew my daughters therapist was expecting us and if I didn't call and cancel the session I would be docked. My brain worked overtime thinking of what excuse I could give to the therapist the next day for not showing up in hopes of her some how forgiving the no show. My car wouldn't start, the alarm didn't go off, the car broke down on the way in, but none of them seem good enough and I knew I couldn't lie! By this time I had laid awake for 15 minutes and I knew we would be late if I didn't get up and get the kids up and going soon. So after all that thought I finally dragged my body out of bed.
This to me is a sure sign that I need a vacation and I need one soon! If I don't get away soon you may find me standing in the midst of screaming children saying "Calgon take me away!"
For those of you who don't know what Calgon is here is an old old commercial.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KJoSsC9sCs&feature=player_embedded
This to me is a sure sign that I need a vacation and I need one soon! If I don't get away soon you may find me standing in the midst of screaming children saying "Calgon take me away!"
For those of you who don't know what Calgon is here is an old old commercial.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KJoSsC9sCs&feature=player_embedded
Sunday, April 10, 2011
It is Well
The hymn "It is well with my soul" was written in 1873. It is a beautiful hymn with inspiring words but what makes the words that much more inspiring is the story behind why he wrote the words.
The author is Horatio Spafford. He wrote the hymn after two major traumas in his life. The first was the great Chicago Fire of October 1871, which ruined him financially (he had been a wealthy businessman). Shortly after, while crossing the Atlantic, all four of Spafford’s daughters died in a collision with another ship. Spafford’s wife Anna survived and sent him the now famous telegram, “Saved alone.” Several weeks later, as Spafford’s own ship passed near the spot where his daughters died, he was inspired to write the words to this hymn. They speak to the eternal hope that all believers have, no matter what pain and grief they have on this earth.
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!
Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
What words we all should strive to live by. I can't imagine having lost all that this man had lost. Even though he lost his children and his fortune he still found the Peace of God and stood steadfast and said It is all well with my soul God. What strength that took. What a steadfast faith that took to stand in the midst of it all and say, God, no matter what, I am with you and you have made it all well with my soul.
I pray that God gives me that same kind of steadfast faith. Is it well with you soul? It is well with mine!
The author is Horatio Spafford. He wrote the hymn after two major traumas in his life. The first was the great Chicago Fire of October 1871, which ruined him financially (he had been a wealthy businessman). Shortly after, while crossing the Atlantic, all four of Spafford’s daughters died in a collision with another ship. Spafford’s wife Anna survived and sent him the now famous telegram, “Saved alone.” Several weeks later, as Spafford’s own ship passed near the spot where his daughters died, he was inspired to write the words to this hymn. They speak to the eternal hope that all believers have, no matter what pain and grief they have on this earth.
When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
Chorus
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
Chorus
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
Chorus
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
Chorus
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!
Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!
Chorus
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
What words we all should strive to live by. I can't imagine having lost all that this man had lost. Even though he lost his children and his fortune he still found the Peace of God and stood steadfast and said It is all well with my soul God. What strength that took. What a steadfast faith that took to stand in the midst of it all and say, God, no matter what, I am with you and you have made it all well with my soul.
I pray that God gives me that same kind of steadfast faith. Is it well with you soul? It is well with mine!
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Saving game
I am addicted to coupons. I have been using coupons for about 3 years. Before I started using coupons, I would go to the grocery store and buy what was need for the next two weeks and if it happened to be on sale that particular day, yeah me. Then my husband lost his job and I had to find a way to cut expenses, so I started cutting coupons out of the Sunday paper. When I first started using coupons, I found I was actually buying things I didn't need just because I have a coupon. Then I stumbled on a coupon website called southernsavers.com and I read through all of her information and learned the best way to use coupons. It changed how I shopped and I started seeing my monthly grocery bill go down. In about 3 months time of using coupons the correct way, I saw my grocery bill go down to $50 a week!! That is $50 a week for 6 people and includes all my paper goods, cleaning supplies and tolietries!! I will never go back to paying full price for groceries again.
People ask me all the time, how I do it. They think I spend countless hours making my shopping list and getting coupons. That is so far from the truth! i spend approximately 2 to 3 hours a week working on my shopping list and getting the coupons together I need and I do it sitting on my couch watching TV at night with my husband. So really, for the amount of time I put in and the amount of money I save, it is soooo worth it!
This week I went to Publix and bought $130 worth of groceries for $48 bucks and this week I actually bought a couple things that weren't on sale because of my daughter's B-day. I look at cereal and think wow did I actually use to pay $4 a box? I bought 4 boxes of cereal for $4 dollars this week!! We eat better now than we did before I used coupons. I also am able to help out my church's food pantry by buying things for cents and donating it to the pantry.
I love it! Check out www.Southernsavers.com if you want to learn what I do. If you live in the Bay area, I will be teaching a free coupon class showing people how to use coupons on April 30th. Send me a message if you are interested in learning more about the class.
People ask me all the time, how I do it. They think I spend countless hours making my shopping list and getting coupons. That is so far from the truth! i spend approximately 2 to 3 hours a week working on my shopping list and getting the coupons together I need and I do it sitting on my couch watching TV at night with my husband. So really, for the amount of time I put in and the amount of money I save, it is soooo worth it!
This week I went to Publix and bought $130 worth of groceries for $48 bucks and this week I actually bought a couple things that weren't on sale because of my daughter's B-day. I look at cereal and think wow did I actually use to pay $4 a box? I bought 4 boxes of cereal for $4 dollars this week!! We eat better now than we did before I used coupons. I also am able to help out my church's food pantry by buying things for cents and donating it to the pantry.
I love it! Check out www.Southernsavers.com if you want to learn what I do. If you live in the Bay area, I will be teaching a free coupon class showing people how to use coupons on April 30th. Send me a message if you are interested in learning more about the class.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Do you believe?
I have several friends that would classify themselves as atheist. You may ask, how could I someone with a strong faith in God be friends with someone who doesn't believe in God. It is called respect. They know how I believe, I know how they believe and we respect that. That doesn't mean occasionally we have a good debate, one friend in particular, we debate often. I find it intellectually stimulating to debate. He will never change me and it sharpens my faith when I debate. I found some good quotes about atheism. Thought I would share them for those atheist friends of mine. Those of you who do believe will get a kick out of them too!!
Maybe the atheist cannot find God for the same reason a thief cannot find a policeman.
~Author Unknown
Humanism or atheism is a wonderful philosophy of life as long as you are big, strong, and between the ages of eighteen and thirty-five. But watch out if you are in a lifeboat and there are others who are younger, bigger, or smarter. --William Murray
Atheism is a crutch for those who cannot bear the reality of God. -- Tom Stoppard
The worst moment for the atheist is when he is really thankful, and has nobody to thank.--Dante Gabriel Rossetti
If there were no God, there would be no atheists. --G.K. Chesterton
Atheists express their rage against God although in their view He does not exist. --C. S. Lewis
Shouldn't atheist have an equal obligation to explain pleasure in a world of randomness. Where does pleasure come from? –G.K. Chesterton
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