Created To Bring Him Glory

When Blogging Is a Chore

2011-05-22T18:20:00.000-04:00

That's right. Blogging has become one of those things on my To-Do list! And what a shame!

I love blogging. I love to sit and type what is going on with me. If someone reads it and is encouraged in some way, then I am happy. If someone reads it and goes away scratching their heads, then I'm still happy! At least I got you to think. LOL!

But, unfortunately, keeping up with this has been a chore. I am always thinking that I need to post something to keep it up and running, but just finding the time to do it has been a challenge.

Right now, my little arrow is sleeping, thankfully. So I thought I would rush and post what is on my mind now.

Should I let my blog sleep a while? Or should I just simply close it? Naw! I would miss it too much. I love reading the blogs that I follow, so I will keep it running. But just knowing that this thing is just sitting here dormant bugs me.

So, what should I do?

If you leave me a comment to let me know YOUR thoughts on it, to let me know if you're even interested, that would be great.

Thanks and Blessings to Ya!

To All the Wonderful Moms Out There

2011-05-07T21:06:00.000-04:00

Does It Really Matter What We Believe? Young Earth Creation vs. Evolution and Other False Teachings

2011-04-30T00:06:00.000-04:00

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. Romans 1:16

Ahh... Creation vs. evolution... Why is it that such a topic brings about so many different emotions in people? I know that for some, it just makes their blood boil. For others, they just cringe and try to ignore it. Then there are those who have the idea that it really doesn't matter, just as long as everyone remains calm and happy.

But is this the way it should be? Should we, who call ourselves Bible believing Christians, sit on our comfy little seats in Church and ignore the fact that there are so many out there that just don't know what to believe? And I'm not just talking about non-believers, either! I'm talking about Christians!!!   Those who call themselves born-again, faith-walking, Bible-talking Christians!

Sure, we all can say beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus died on the Cross and was raised from the dead on the third day... all to save me and to save you from our sins. Praise God!

BUT... What does that mean?? And what does it have to do with Creation vs. evolution... and others, anyway?

I am not ashamed of the gospel...

So, here's a question. When exactly does the Gospel begin? I mean, in the Bible. Does it begin at Matthew 1:1? Mark 1:1? Luke 1:1? John 1:1?

Or, could it possibly begin at Genesis 1:1???

If we don't have a clear picture of how sinful sin is, and an even clearer picture of the holiness of God, we will never truly understand what it is we are being saved from. The word "sin" is used so flippantly in the world today that no one really understands what sin really is and what sin is to God Almighty!!

A little sin here and a little sin there, but God is a God of love, so He will forgive me. Right?

Well, that's not exactly what the Bible says. Yes, God is love, but His Word says that He also hates workers of iniquity! Yep, that's right! He hates people who are workers of iniquity! Look it up...Psalm 5:5. Before I go on, and before you stop reading all together, consider this... Does God's Word lie? Is God the same today, yesterday, and forever? Did God say that, or not? But you say, "God doesn't hate! He can't! God IS love!" Well, yes, but you can't ignore Psalm 5:5! Also consider James 4:4 and Exodus 20:3-6. God says He is a jealous God.

Now, let's look up the word iniquity. Noah Webster's 1828 dictionary defines iniquity as Injustice; unrighteousness; Want of rectitude in principle; a sin or crime; wickedness; Original want of holiness or depravity.

That was me! God actually hated me... before I trusted in Christ to pay a ransom for me and save me from my sins. That was you, too, until you trusted in Christ to save you!

Now, let's look at the Gospel again. When does the Gospel begin exactly? Dare I say that it begins at Genesis 1:1?? The very FIRST verse of the Bible that you and I trust in to be THE WORD OF GOD. That's right. The Gospel of Jesus Christ begins at Genesis 1:1 and remains until He comes back!

This whole thing... argument, debate, or whatever you want to call it, about Creation vs. evolution is not about Creation or evolution. It is... and it isn't.

What its really and ultimately about is the Authority of God and His Word!! The Gospel means nothing until we really understand Who God Is and who we are. And if we are questioning God's Word from the very first verse, then who's to say that the rest of His Word is true? If we question the account of creation from Genesis 1 as being literally six days, then why don't we question the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead as a literal account??? Have you ever thought about that? Why is it that we so easily believe the resurrection account, but yet we question creation? Isn't it the same God that raised Jesus from the dead the same God Who says He created the world in 6 literal days? Does God lie?

This is where the problem stems. Questioning God and His Word.

But what, or shall I say, who, does this sound like? Does it not sound familiar to you about questioning God and His Word? Was it not Satan himself who caused Eve to question what God had told them in the Garden? In the Beginning?

See, its the same ol' trick of the enemy. If he can cause us to question the Authority of God and His Word, especially from the very first verse, then certainly he will succeed in getting us to question the rest of His Word. Isn't that his plan? To seek us out, to steal, kill, and destroy our hope and faith in our Living Savior!

You see, the true story of creation is the foundation of our faith!! The very foundation of the Gospel! And if our enemy can make our foundation crumble, then it will be easy for him to ultimately destroy us!!

God is not a liar, our enemy is. If God said He created the world in 6 literal days, then I believe Him. God did not leave any room for anything else. There's no room for millions of years. There's no room for even the so-called "intelligent design." God said HE did it and He told us How He did it!! Plain and simple.

We just have to make the choice if we are going to believe Him or not!

Do you believe Him? Or have you been caught up in the lie of millions of years? Do you even care? Do you think it even matters? If the subject is brought up in your presence, what is your first response? Do you get angry, defensive, or do you ignore it?

Feedback. Tell me your thoughts on the matter. Leave me a comment. I want to know what others are saying and believing on the subject.

So, what do you say, does it matter what we believe??

Part 2 of this series will be coming soon. Have you been "evolutionized"? And how does that affect our everyday thinking?

I Really Hit That Floor Hard!

2011-04-28T19:07:00.000-04:00

As I woke up Wednesday morning, I felt really heavy. Not sick, just heavy. I knew I probably would feel like I had the flu since I was experiencing mastitis symptoms again. I had taken a pain pill to get me through the night until I could call the doc the following morning. But before I could make that call... I hit the bathroom floor!

Yep, I passed out in the bathroom. Actually before I even made it to the bathroom, I started feeling like I was going to faint. Weak legs, tingling arms and hands, tunnel vision. And boy, was it scary! I barely made it, but by the time I got in the door, my legs gave way.

But since I did not have the common mastitis symptoms I was told to go to the emergency room. Wow, 4 hours in the emergency room getting pumped with fluid and an antibiotic was tough. And finding out that apparently it was just a severe mastitis infection, I was annoyed because I could have just called in for an antibiotic. The docs in the emergency room seemed to have a hay day at talking down to me as if I didn't know what I was talking about. After all I have had mastitis twice before. I know what its like.

The whole ordeal was a fiasco. At one point I thought maybe I was having heart issues, because I seemed to be having symptoms of a heart attack, but yet that extreme soreness was there. (Nursing moms know what I'm talking about.) So, I didn't know what to think.

But, thankfully, things are on the mends now. Today is the 2nd day of antibiotics and a lot of rest. I am beginning to feel normal again.

I have fainted several times in my life, and it is never fun. The way it is shown to be on old movies is not real! Its horrible and you feel horrible afterwards. I pray that it never happens again!

Another Blog Party! Join Me!

2011-04-01T00:50:00.000-04:00

Welcome fellow bloggers! I just love blog parties, don't you? Its fun to find new and interesting blogs that are out there. So, if you are here for the first time visiting through the UBP 2011, then I shout out a hearty welcome! I will introduce myself...

I am first of all, a disciple of the Lord and Master Jesus Christ. I am slowly and painfully learning what it means to die to myself and live wholly for Him. I call myself on this blog Saint Shellie only because I know who I am in Christ. I by no means feel as if I'm better than anyone else, but just as the early Christians were referred to as saints even when they were living sinful lives, because they had been bought with the precious blood of Christ, they were saints in Him. And so I identify myself as a humble saint in the Lord.

Secondly, I've been a wife to my dear hubby for 20 years and a mom and home educator to my 2 sons. And now at the age of 40 I have a new son, who is now 8 months old! Whew! That will either keep me young or ultimately show my true age!! LOL!

This blog has been a way for me to share my joys and frustrations in sanctification. God growing me up, in other words.

So, some of the things I enjoy is blogging... (who would of thought?), reading and learning from those who have gone before us... a.k.a. the Puritans, Missionaries, and other biographies. I also love to read fiction that has strong Christian content. An example would be the Lamplighter Publishing books.

I am a young earth creationist, believing the Bible beginning with the very first verse. I love Answers in Genesis and our favorite place to visit is the Creation Museum.

So, that's a little about me. I hope and pray that whoever reads what I have to say here will be blessed and encouraged in some way. As followers of Christ, we are called to be salt and light. I hope my blog will be just that.

Now, its time for me to go check out some new bloggers. And hopefully meet some new friends.

Happy Blogging!

I Am Saddened By This

2011-03-30T16:38:00.000-04:00

Yes, we went to the big homeschool convention in the South East and had a blast. We just love going to these things. Not only do we get to shop for more curriculum, books, dvds, games, and the like, we also get to hear some encouraging seminars by those who have gone before us, and who are still on the path. We had a great time! And to tell the truth, we spent a lot of money!! I LOVE books, my dh loves books, my kids love books. So you can guess that we bought a lot of books!! Among other things...

So, what is it that saddens me so? Well, (with a big sigh), I am so sad to find out that Ken Ham and Answers in Genesis has been kicked out of these conventions!!! WHY?

For being bold enough to speak TRUTH!! Believe it or not, in a "Christian" homeschool convention, he is accused of being non-christian, among other things!! To get the full report on this ridiculous account, you can read about it here.

I am so sick about this. I am so sick of the Church willingly falling into the same old trap of the enemy! I can say this because myself, and my family, fell into it. The compromise trap. Yes, we were deceived by our enemy, but because the TRUTH of the origins of the earth and creation and the age of the earth is NOT preached from the pulpit!!!!!!! And by the grace of God, we learned of our errors, which in reality is SIN! Then we repented of our sin, and decided to actually believe the Bible for what it says. For what Jesus says in HIS Word. I will be posting more on this later...

Any way, I am declaring that I am a young earth creationist, Bible believing Christian! But why does that even matter? Well, I will be posting about that, too. Since so many Christians just don't seem to get it. I realize that this may sound harsh, but so be it. Truth can be hard to swallow. I know it is for me sometimes.

So, I will leave you with this to ponder... If your child was in the middle of a pool drowning, would you jump in and save them? Or would you just stand there and yell to them, "Well, I thought you learned how to swim. You better try to learn now, on your own, because I've got better things to do."

I think we all know the answer.

And by the way, my dh got a picture with Ken Ham. Without me! What a shame. Maybe next time, when we go back to the Creation Museum!!!

More to come...

(this post is also on my homeschool blog.)

He Is There~ Multitude Monday

2011-03-20T23:07:00.000-04:00

We go through tough times and we go through smooth, easy times. But in it all, through it all, HE is there. While you're going through those tough times, its easy to forget His Presence, His Sovereignty, and His Love. And in those smooth, easy times, oh how easy it is to remember!

Or, during your tough trials, you can remember that He IS always there, with you, keeping you, holding you tight, to get you through it... in His Love.

The trials should be the catalyst in your relationship with Him. Drawing you closer to Him. That is how my many trials have been for me. A force pulling me toward Him, like gravity. Closer to His Love, getting to know Him more in His Sovereignty. Knowing Him... and ultimately knowing myself more.

Seeing the sin that so easily entangles me!!

And strangely enough, I'm thankful!! I'm so thankful to see and recognize that I haven't arrived. But the fact that I am recognizing this shows me that He loves me and is still working on me. He disciplines me because He loves me, and He is molding me and making me more like His Son.

And I say, thank you!

Thank you, Jesus, for the gifts you give. Large and small, seen and unseen, thank you!

And the counting continues...

36. New friends.
37. Meeting up with friends that we haven't seen in a long while.
38. Homeschool Conventions!!
39. Encouragement from those who have gone before us...
40. Confirmation on our "narrow path" convictions.
41. Seeing Tim Hawkins live~ he's so funny!
42. The ability to buy some new things for our family's education and pleasure.
43. My new computer!
44. A husband who bought that new computer for me...
45. Lasagna from the freezer.
46. Books... and more books... I just love books!

Have you joined the journey yet? If not, consider what gifts He has given you today, and start counting them with me. Until next time...

Keep Pursuing Him!

It Is Our Fundamental Right!!~ Urgent Message!

2011-03-08T19:10:00.000-05:00

So, did anyone see The Child documentary? Well, I did, and I'm fired up! I knew about this, but I am ashamed to say that I didn't follow up about it by calling our senators and representatives. This is such a crucial thing that I feel the need to really stress it.

Do you believe that you, as a parent, know how to care for YOUR child?

Do you believe that you, as a parent, have the "Fundamental Right" and responsibility to make the decisions for YOUR child?

Do you believe that you, as a parent, have the "Fundamental Right" to educate YOUR child the way YOU see fit?

How about health care?? Do you believe that you, as a parent, have the "Fundamental Right" to choose how YOUR child is taken care of when he or she is sick?

If you do, then PLEASE, PLEASE, if you were not able to see it, or just chose not to, please consider checking out the Parental Rights website here, and look into what this is all about. If you are a parent who loves your children, then you need to see this. And get involved, spread the message... tell your friends and family to check it out! We can't let "them" take our fundamental rights away, and lose our kids in the process!!

Stand Firm!

He Knows Me~ Multitude Mondays

2011-03-07T07:05:00.000-05:00

¹ O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
² You know my sitting down and my rising up;
         You understand my thought afar off.
³ You comprehend my path and my lying down,
         And are acquainted with all my ways.
⁴ For there is not a word on my tongue,
         But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether. Psalm 139: 1-4

He knows me! It's scary, but true. Nothing passes Him. I can't try to hide from Him, because no matter where I go, He's there. To think that every thought, every ugly, and beautiful thought, is known by Him. Every ugly, and beautiful word, before I even speak them, is known by Him.

And yet, He loves me! He died a horrible death for me! He bore God's wrath in my place! Even when He knew the depths of my wicked heart.

How can I repay Him? How can I even comprehend it all?

And yet, He gives gifts... gifts beyond compare... gifts that we don't seem to even recognize, but still, they are gifts...

From the Almighty, Who knows. The Creator, Redeemer, and the Lover of my soul.

Gifts.

25. Sweet baby sleep.

26. Quiet during the sleepy times.

27. Ceiling fans... to clear the air of all the smoke from my cooking...LOL!

28. Kids cleaning the kitchen without being asked.

29. Water~ you appreciate it more when you can't have it.

30. My hubby's patience with me... ever forgiving me when I truly don't deserve it.

31. Health... knowing that there are so many families dealing with horrible diagnoses that are so hard to bear.

32. Freedom... we may not have it soon!

33. The sound of the piano being played by my son, who really enjoys playing it.

34. The sound of his little brother "playing" the piano with him. One day he'll learn to play a real song!

35. Realizing the fact that my past is truly redeemed, and I've been set free from it all!! Praise God!

So, join me in the journey of seeing 1000 Gifts from our Savior. Until next time, keep Pursuing Him!

I'm Still Making It Sing~ A Little At a Time

2011-03-07T06:05:00.001-05:00

A Little At a Time... that's been my motto lately. A little here, a little there, and things are slowly disappearing. Less is definitely more! More space to breathe in deeply the calmness of a cleared area. No more distractions by all of the stuff.

Yes, at the time, that stuff was a blessing from the Lord. But now it's time for someone else to be blessed with it. "Thank You, Lord, for blessing us in so many tangible ways, with things that give us joy at certain times in our lives. Now, please bless someone else with all of this stuff. And thank You for the fresh, renewed space... without the stuff."

Remembering to Make My Home Sing...Will you join me?

Are You Aware of What's Going On? ~ A MUST See!!

2011-03-05T16:18:00.000-05:00

Are you aware of the fact that "they" are trying to take away our rights as parents? And this isn't something that we can just sit back and say, "Ah, well, it won't really happen. At least not in my lifetime." Well, think again!! It's closer than you may think.

The Lord tells us to be "sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith..." 1 Peter 5:8

"They" want to devour our families. "They" want to take our children. "They" want to have the power to say what we can and can not do with our own children. And if we let them have that power, they will!!

Please watch the trailer to this documentary that will be airing this Monday, March 7th. You can watch it on the given channels or, like us, watch it on our computer and itouch.

Be Aware! Be Brave In Christ! And Stand Up for What Is Right!

Happy Birthday To Me!

2011-03-02T07:00:00.003-05:00

Today I am the big 40!! Happy Birthday to me!!

So, where's the chocolate?

The Gift of Suffering?

2011-02-28T07:30:00.003-05:00

If you have read any of my posts lately, it is quite evident that things have been a struggle, to say the least. And yet, life goes on.

But God is so good to me, an unworthy saint, to lead me to things that I need to read and/or hear, that puts things into proper perspective. One of those things is a message by Elisabeth Elliot titled, "The Gift of Suffering."

Say, what?? The gift of SUFFERING??? How can suffering be a gift? Well, for one, God says that He disciplines those He loves. (Proverbs 3:11-12) And, Jesus tells us to "deny ourselves, and take up our cross..." (Matthew 16:24-27)

This message, and others by Elisabeth Elliot, have really helped me lately to step back and consider things differently. (I am loving my itouch, since I can download these messages, among other things, and I can listen to them whenever I feel the need to be reminded!! LOL!)

Another thing is this wonderful book by Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are. I have already begun counting my 1000 Gifts a while back in a previous post, but shamefully it has just been sitting and waiting for me to continue!! And now that I have started reading this book, on my handy-dandy itouch kindle, I am ready to open my eyes and to recognize the little gifts, again.

11. Slobbery kisses from a 7 month old.
12. Hugs every morning from an 11 year old.
13. Talks with my 14 year old, knowing that teenagers need their mommies, too.
14. My hubby's new work schedule, even when its hard to get used to. It really is a gift from God.
15. The fact that my husband has a job!!!!!
16. Feet running to help when they hear their baby brother crying.
17. Baby brother laughing at his big brothers. He loves them so!
18. Computers... even when they give you troubles!
19. Husbands who know how to work on troubling computers! :)
20. Sleepless nights... knowing that there is a baby who needs his mommy. And she is there to give him what he needs. Yes, I am thankful for this!!! :)
21. My itouch. Have I mentioned that I really like this thing??? Hee Hee!
22. My new treadmill!!!!! Some wives would be mad for receiving this as a gift from their husbands, but not me! Thank you, Honey.
23. My Bible... need I say more??
24. Laughter with friends, knowing that they accept me anyway!

So, join me. How has the God of the Universe touched you lately? Maybe things haven't been so easy for you, either, but we have to make ourselves look for the little things... the little ways that He touches us with Himself. Isn't that what its all about??

Until Next Time, Keep Pursuing Him!

A Little Humor!

2011-02-25T16:39:00.000-05:00

Sometimes we just need a little laugh to get us through the day. And THIS made me laugh really hard! Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Well, Its Been a While

2011-02-09T18:25:00.000-05:00

Man, its been a long time since I've posted anything!! I feel so out of touch with the bloggy world. And I really miss it. I just haven't had the time to even open up my pc, much less type a post.

So, what have I been up to?? Besides parenting, catching up on school work, trying to renew a sense of routine, I really haven't done very much.

But, WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE??? What have I been doing?? Each week seems to just fly by with little to show for it. Its amazing how a baby can change everything!!

I've had to learn to slow down... to take in the small moments... to notice the little things that usually go unnoticed. Like the times when my 11 year old son wants to just talk... and talk... and talk... and talk... I am learning to stop and listen.

I'm having to learn again how to stop what I am doing to give a baby what he needs... time with mommy to just hold him and snuggle. To read a book or just to talk to him. I do love our kissing sessions when he grabs my face with his little hands and gives me some big sloppy, drooly kisses!!! By the end of all of the laughing and kissing, my face is so wet with what only a mommy could love...drool!!! That's my little arrow. And can you believe he's already 6 months old!!

This hasn't only been a time to get used to a new baby, but a time to get used to my Dh's new work schedule. And boy, has this one been tough!! After 20 years of the same "5 day a week" schedule, a swing schedule is a monster to behold! I never can remember, even when I have the calendar in front of me, when he is working!!! It has totally messed up my so-called schedule. Plus its such a distraction to have him home so much! Now, don't get me wrong, I like having him home with us, but my kids get behind in their school work, and I get distracted from my normal responsibilities. For instance, he will be home with us ALL of next week! So, I have to figure out what we can realistically get done with him around.

BUT, there is some good news to tell! Recently, I have gotten the decluttering bug again! And I've been reaching far and wide to get rid of "stuff" that no longer is welcome here. And how refreshing it feels to be rid of it. Just today I took several boxes and bags to Goodwill. I am on a mission! Once the mood hits me, I'm on a roll. I just need to stay on this roll for a while to declutter every room. Then, its the maintenance that I really have to work on. I will post about my progress! Maybe that will keep me going, just so I can keep my word on that.

So, there it is, my rambling about nothing much. Just to be back in touch with my blog...

Smiles!!

Reflecting on the Past Year...

2011-01-11T16:30:00.000-05:00

I've been reading over some of my posts from 2010, just to reflect on how things have come along, and I am amazed at how the Lord has answered my prayer!!

What prayer, you ask? Well, reading my post for the new year, 2010, my prayer was a bold one. To reduce me, to make me decrease so that He can increase! And boy, He heard me.

I was serious when I prayed that, and I still am. But it has been a really hard year! 2010 was extremely hard for me, and in so many different ways. And of course, it showed in a lot of my posts!!

So, what is my prayer for 2011? THE SAME!! God is revealing so much of my heart to me, that it even scares me at times. But I serve a Gracious and Loving God that is growing me and pruning me. I am learning day by day to lean on Him and to trust Him more and more. As this season of trials continue, my prayer, also, is that His Light would shine through me and that people would see Jesus in me. May they see a difference in me this year!!

That is my prayer for 2011.

Pressing On in Him,

A Perfect Time for My 100th Post!

2011-01-02T21:03:00.000-05:00

Yes, I'm still here, among the living! I've been missing my blog for some time now, and as Christmas slipped by and how the New Year is here, I thought this would be the best time for my 100th Post!!!

Wow!! 100 big ones! When I started this blog, I was definitely a newbie. To put myself out there for the world to see was a step of faith for me. I'm not one to share so much about myself, as a way to protect myself. And yes, I have been criticized rather harshly before about something on here, so to be this far in the journey of blogging is quite an accomplishment. Accomplishment?? Sure for me, to stick with something this long, knowing that there are some who just do not like what I have to say. :)

So, where have I been all of this time?? Well, since you're so curious...

Well, mostly sick! The whole family has had "something" in the last 2 months. And I had "it" twice!! Not to mention caring for the baby, trying my best to keep him well. With much prayer and disinfecting, he stayed well mostly, until just recently. To hear him gurgle in his chest is so pitiful, but so far it hasn't changed into anything too bad. It's been amazing to watch how week by week, someone else would get sick!! UGH!!

Other than that, which has been bad enough... getting ready for Christmas, traveling to see family, and playing with my new toy!!

What?? A new toy? Yep, I got an iTouch!!!! Yea, me!! I love my iTouch!! Now, I know that I shouldn't be in love with a "thing", but I have to admit, I am....

I am amazed at all of the things you can do with this thing. And I will say that my favorites are what you can do with the Bible apps. Plus I found ( and paid for ) a Memory Verse app. Its just amazing. So I have been playing a lot, too! LOL!

Its the New Year and time to get back to work and a regular,( if there is such), routine. Yep, I said ROUTINE! We have been so far away from that word, that I don't even know what it means anymore. So, tomorrow is the day of reckoning. I pray that we will be able to acquire a sense of routine in our days, with baby and school work. Not to mention normal home blessing chores and everyday living. My Little Arrow is 5 months old now, so it is just a bit easier, but not entirely. So, I will need much prayer and grace.

Now that I'm back, hopefully in the coming days I will have the time to post more often. I love to share my heart and convictions... and yes, opinions.

Happy New Year Everyone!! May God bless you all!

Much Needed Time Off

2010-12-06T18:04:00.000-05:00

The last couple of weeks has been a time of reflection and just plain ol' nothin". What I mean is, a time to just do a bunch of nothin'.

I have been so caught up in the frenzy of trying to stay afloat among all of the trials, that I was losing all sense of joy. Just trying to remain calm amidst the storm, was becoming impossible. So, with Thanksgiving and a week with my son being sick, I just used that time to relax.

We put away all school work, along with a lot of the chores, (which we now are working on to catch up on) and just enjoyed ourselves.

Are we behind on everything? Absolutely!! But right now I don't care. I'm okay with it. We will get the things done that need to be done, but in God's timing.

I'm slowly learning to let go and let God decide what needs to be done. Does that mean that I have let go of all responsibility? No! But, right now at least, I am relaxed about it all. Will I be this way next week? I certainly hope so. I am so tired of fretting so much. I'm just simply tired of trying to keep up with the Jones'!!

Our homeschool is so far from perfect, as the name suggests, and I'm learning to be okay with it...Finally!! I think!! :) My home is in a "functionally" cluttered state at the moment. And right now I'm okay with that, as well. So, my home is singing among the functional chaos and it's alright with me.

I've been having such a hard time for so long that I just needed to step back and reflect. Trying to do everything with a new baby was proving to be impossible. I can't do school like we used to and I can't keep up with the house like I used to. I can't even keep up with daily meals anymore, but we are surviving! We haven't missed a meal yet, it just may not be the best meal at the time. So, my kids are learning to be thankful for what they get. :)

Much needed time off! And I'm thankful for it.

Tis the Season

2010-11-23T21:10:00.000-05:00

Already Thanksgiving is upon us, and next will be Christmas! Where has the time gone? This time of the year can be very stressful if we let it, but can also be a time of reflection and joy.

But other than the seasonal holidays that we celebrate, we also go through "seasons" in life.

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1

I am definitely in a season! And what a season it is! After the last few weeks of constant trials, I finally asked the Lord, "What is going on??? Why can I not catch a break?? Each and every week brings another, if not several, new challenges and trials. And all at once! What is going on??"

I must admit that some of these trials have been so hard and exhausting that I haven't handled them very well. And then I am reminded...

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience." James 1:2-3

And boy do I need patience!! So, what do I take from this? I am in a season of testing. To test my faith. And to produce patience in me.

Today, I was meditating on this, and the Lord told me that I need to enjoy the time. I need to sit back and enjoy this season!! Can you imagine enjoying trials?? "Count it all joy!" I need to enjoy this time with my baby, even though nothing is getting done. Piles are getting larger, dust is getting thicker, meals are getting to be a rare occasion, our kids are getting an inconsistent education, the flu is raging AGAIN, sleep is nonexistent, and its all getting to me! I so want to enjoy this time...BUT...

I need to have some sense of order, a routine, a way to be rid of the chaos!! I need peace. I need my home to be clean and orderly. I need life to calm down, to give me just a day to get things back together. I need to catch up!! Once I plan to clean and to catch up, something else happens...again. Every week has been like that since I had the baby. Every week has been days of constant trials, always something new and different, but always the same...trials!

Am I complaining? Yes! Do I want to have a better attitude? Yes! Is it possible for me to even consider enjoying this season? I guess. I know that I will have to make a conscious choice to enjoy it. (As I am typing this, which has now taken me 2 and a half hours to do, my baby is screaming!) Right now in this moment I choose to enjoy, but its being quite difficult. My patience is thinning.

Tomorrow I will choose to enjoy... by God's grace.

And I will be thankful in my circumstances... by God's grace.

Word-Filled Wednesday~Hiding God's Word

2010-11-17T07:00:00.001-05:00

Word-Filled Wednesday~Praise & Thanksgiving

2010-11-10T07:00:00.003-05:00

Counting My Blessings, Naming Them One By One~ Multitude Monday

2010-11-07T20:30:00.000-05:00

I have to admit, the way things have been going lately for me has made it quite difficult to stay in a positive mood. Managing a new lifestyle with a newborn, getting used to my dh's new work schedule, keeping up with a homeschooling schedule of sorts, and then being sick for a week, makes life challenging. Honestly, I feel as if I've been under an attack from the enemy. Things just keep coming at me all at once, and I haven't been handling them very well. Attacks from the enemy, or tests from my Lord? I don't know. All I know is, I need a new attitude. I've gotten away from doing Thankful Thursdays, shamefully, so now I'm going to take on the challenge of recognizing 1000 Gifts from the Lord from A Holy Experience. I pray that the Holy Spirit will open my eyes to see the little things and the big things that He blesses me with. The simple things that get over looked and taken for granted. Those are the things that make up life... the simple ways that God shows us that He is always with us. But we just have to recognize His presence. So, I start now, looking and seeing His blessings toward me...

1. Jesus, my Savior
2. My Bible and the freedom to read it!
3. Prayer... the freedom to approach the Throne of Grace!
4. My dear Hubby
5. My Black Belt Linguist
6. My Platypus
7. My new Little Arrow
8. My mama
9. My dad
10. And yes, my in-laws!!

Word-Filled Wednesday~Wisdom & Knowledge

2010-10-20T19:10:00.002-04:00

Its That Time of Year Again!

2010-10-19T13:19:00.001-04:00

Okay, this is not based on my opinion, but on The Word of God, Who is H-O-L-Y! As followers and disciples of Christ, do you think it is wise and glorifying to HIM if we participate in halloween?? What are the origins of this so-called holiday, anyway? Do we really know, or do we think that its okay and "celebrate" it all in the name of F-U-N?? Is it harmless? Or is it the opposite, damaging to our souls, minds, and spirits? Is it a sin, therefore offensive to our H-O-L-Y God?

I know that by posting something like this can be offensive to some, because some do see it as harmless fun. BUT, we are called to be different! We are called to "exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." (Hebrews 3:13) I believe that this so-called "holiday" is a snare of the devil, and we have been taken captive by the devil to do his will!!! (2 Timothy 2:24-26)

Please take the time to watch this video about halloween and Christianity. It is very insightful. It just might make you think twice about it! Blessings to all of God's Saints out there!!!

The Dangers of Idleness

2010-10-18T21:09:00.000-04:00

During the last few months things have been such a whirlwind that I wonder, "What has happened?" A lot of things have happened, but because of these things, I have fallen short in my Pursuit!

No, that doesn't mean that I've fallen away from the faith, but I have been slack in watching myself. And because of that, old habits have crept in. Slowly and steadily crept in and they are showing their ugly faces.

What are these habits that I speak of? Well, euphemisms, for one. I tend to say little things that seem okay, but really are not. Dead words that will lead to the death of me and my hearers.

Sarcasm. I'm really bad about this one. It may seem funny or amusing at the time, but sometimes it can hurt someone.

And there are others...

Jesus says to "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation." And I haven't been watchful! I haven't been considering the deceitfulness of sin, the sinfulness of sin and the fear of the Lord. God is a H-O-L-Y God and He HATES SIN, any sin!! No matter how seemingly small it is or how big it may be... sin is sin to our HOLY God.

The other day, I had a blow out with my son. Yes, I went back to him to apologize and ask for forgiveness, but I had to take a good hard look at myself and ask WHY? What is going on in me?

Sin, of course! While we are here in this world, we still have indwelling sin that needs to be mortified. Killed. Stomped out. Put to death. God's Word says, "Put to death your members which are on the earth..." Colossians 3:5. Also, "If by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." Romans 8:13b.

John Owen, in his book, The Mortification of Sin, says this:

The choicest believers, who are assuredly freed from the condemning power of sin, should also make it their business all of their days to mortify the indwelling power of sin.

And...

It is the constant duty of believers to render a death blow to the deeds of the flesh, that they may not have life and strength to bring forth their destructive influence.

And...

Sin is always active when it seems to be the most quiet, and its waters are often deep when they are calm. We should therefore fight against it and be vigorous at all times and in all conditions, even when there is the least suspicion.

And...
If sin is always acting, we are in trouble if we are not always mortifying. He that stands still and allows his enemies to exert double blows upon him without resistance will undoubtedly be conquered in the end. If sin is subtle, watchful, strong, and always at work in the business of killing our souls, and we are slothful, negligent, and foolish in this battle, can we expect a favorable outcome?

No! I've been slothful, negligent, and foolish in the battle! And I can tell. Along with everyone else.

Owen, again says,

He that is appointed to kill an enemy, has only done half his work if he quits before the enemy is dead. Galatians 6:9, Hebrews 12:1, 2 Corinthians 7:1

So, you see, its the "little foxes that spoil the vine!" (Song of Solomon 2:15) And if I'm not careful to kill them, then they will eventually kill me.

I am so thankful for God's grace through Jesus, His Son. And I'm thankful for His Holy Spirit for grabbing my attention and reminding me of my duties, as I grow with His help. My Pursuit has become awakened in me. And I pray that for those who read this will be stirred to a walk toward Holiness! With me!

I'm Frustrated!

2010-10-18T10:17:00.000-04:00

Yep, I'm frustrated. I've been so busy trying to catch up with school plans and home duties, that I haven't been able to blog! Boo-hoo!

Yes, I know that I'm complaining, but I miss my hobby. I do have several things I want to post about, just haven't had the time.

Hopefully tomorrow!!!

This Speaks For Itself!

2010-09-26T21:37:00.000-04:00

Back To a Routine~ Sort Of

2010-09-26T21:18:00.000-04:00

Well, at least, I'm trying to get back to a routine. This chaos is driving me crazy. I miss having a routine, a somewhat of a schedule. But with new baby, all of that was thrown out the window. AND with dh's new work schedule, with him being home more often, really has messed me up. It's nice having him home, of course, BUT he can be a bit of a distraction!

With this past week with our homeschool finally getting under way, a routine is definitely needed. So, I'm not going to wait any longer to establish that routine, again. Like Nan said, what am I waiting for?

So, this week I am going to focus on the weekly clean up and decluttering schedule. AND following a menu plan. That is a must!! I really miss my menu plan.

We'll see how it goes.

Now, I must get to my screaming baby...

Happy Singing!

Remembering When

2010-09-23T23:18:00.001-04:00

Today I had a great conversation with a friend, just gabbing about this and that. And within the exchanges of somewhat funny, and not so funny, life experiences, I was reminded of how much I was saved from!!!

What do I mean by this?

While I was remembering when I did this, and when I did that, things that I am not so proud of, I am humbled and amazed that Jesus would save me! I don't deserve to be saved! I will never be able to understand why He would even want to save me.

I was bad! I mean really, really bad! And as John Newton said, "I am a great sinner, and Christ is a great Savior!"

I left my friend with a deep, deep love for my Savior like none before. I wanted to thank Him over and over, knowing that He loves me more than I can imagine.

Just to think how He saved me from myself!

Where would I be today, if it wasn't for HIM? And the Cross! My chains have fallen, all because of HIM. That's the Power of the Cross!!

Faithful Friday Followers Blog Hop

2010-09-23T21:47:00.000-04:00

Welcome Fellow Bloggers to my blog. My prayer is that what you see, read, and hear on my blog will be a blessing to you. May God bless your stay and encourage you to come back to visit!

And remember that God loves YOU and if you do not have a relationship with Him, He desires to have one with you. He wants to show you how much He loves you by revealing His Son to you. If you do not know Him, please leave me a comment with any question you may have, and I will gladly get back to you.

Blessings to Everyone!

My Home Is Singin', But With What?

2010-09-20T20:58:00.000-04:00

Baby cries, baby coos, Daddy talkin' baby talk.

Brothers laughing at Daddy talkin' baby talk. Mama laughing at Daddy talkin' baby talk... Just how ridiculous can he get??? And all for a sweet baby.

Singing? Sure, that's Daddy singing made up silly songs for baby.

And did I mention dancing? Yep, that's Daddy doing the jig for the screaming baby. The jig and the song, silly and ridiculous. If only he could see himself.

Hmmm. Maybe a sneaky video could capture it! LOL!

No, my home is not clean. There's clutter everywhere, school work that needs to be planned, papers here and there, and clothes that need to be washed. But singing? Yep, my home is singing!! Literally!

And all for a baby!

I'm Hoppin' Along

2010-09-17T20:05:00.000-04:00

Doing the blog hop again! And lovin' it. Thanks for stopping by. Hopefully you will find my blog to be an encouragement to ya.

Pictures~ Finally!

2010-09-10T16:14:00.001-04:00

Here are some pictures of our Little Arrow... since so many of you are so interested!!! LOL!

His birthday!

Isn't he so cute?

Proud Granny and Papa!

Proud Grandma and Granddad!

Now he's 6 weeks old!

What a cutie!!

He loves his daddy!!

Big brother feeding him his first bottle!!

Platypus loves being a big brother...Finally!

I'm sure there will be more to come.

Blessings!

Friday Blog Hop~ Join Me!

2010-09-09T23:01:00.000-04:00

I love Blog Hops!! What a great way to meet other bloggers! How about join me?

Being Frugal Blog Has Been Closed, But...

2010-09-07T22:57:00.000-04:00

Yes, I closed my third blog simply because I just don't have the time to keep up with it. I love sharing how I save money on things, and that is why I started the blog in the first place. But it was just too much. So, the link bar will direct you to posts on this blog. I will use this blog to share my frugal tips.

So, happy saving!!! Still.

Needing an Attitude Adjustment

2010-09-07T15:48:00.000-04:00

Yes, it's true... I need an attitude adjustment. I admit it. Being a new mom, with a colicky baby, is not easy. But that's not all. I have 2 other kids who need me, a home that is in dire need of a deep cleaning, meals to cook that would include REAL food, homeschool plans to be made and organized, and let's not forget the dear hubby!!

But that nagging question keeps popping up in my head: "Well, what about me?"

Can someone please take this crying baby from me and soothe him while I go hide in a quiet room??

Can someone please cook me a home cooked meal, instead of offering fast food???

Can someone please get down on that floor and clean it thoroughly?? And what about those toilets?? A thorough vacuuming would be nice.

Well, I can forget about someone doing the homeschool plans. That is something only I can do. I am the primary teacher and planner, so dh can't really help in that. And the kids certainly don't want to help with this one... Why would they want to hurry and get back to school work???

Yes, I admit it, this has not been easy for me! As I hold my little arrow all day long, all I can seem to think about is all of the stuff not getting done. But what about my attitude in all of this?

Well, its obvious that I need an adjustment!!

Where do I need to go for this adjustment? Of course, God's Word! What do I need to be meditating on from His Word? This is it...

"Greater Love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." John 15:13

I've been reading the chapter of The Servant Mother in Sally Clarkson's book The Mission of Motherhood, and boy do I need this chapter right now. I believe Mrs. Clarkson wrote this chapter for me!!! She knew that I was going to need this one day... Actually, God knew that I would need it, so He caused her to write it for me!! This is just a glimpse of the chapter...

What does it mean to practice servant leadership as a mother? I believe it starts out with a choice. I have to choose to serve Christ by giving my time and energy to my children- not just when I feel like it but when they need me. This means I often must sacrifice my own needs and desires for the purpose of giving my children what they need and modeling for them the depths of Christ's love.

Wow! I need to chew on that one!!! And another powerful one...

But what is my sacrifice compared to the one Jesus made?

How can I possibly complain when I consider Christ's sacrifice for me?? I deserve a spanking every time I complain about not having any "me" time, or anything else!! When I think about Jesus and His sacrificial life and death, how can I complain? There is the adjustment!!

He laid down His life for me, so to show my love and appreciation, I should lay down my life for my family. And in doing so, I am laying down my life for my Savior! I thank God for His grace to enable me to do this. Moment by moment I need to choose to forget myself and my needs and wants, and to consider their needs and wants.

My attitude is always a choice!!

I hope I can remember this tonight when my little arrow is screaming his lungs out... And when he wants to nurse every 15 minutes... And when the computer is too slow while he is sleeping, then he wakes up just as it is beginning to work...

Attitude... what will it be??

Please pray for me!

I'm Back... Finally!

2010-09-02T17:39:00.000-04:00

After being out of the blogging loop for the last 5 and 1/2 weeks, I am finally back!! I've missed blogging and seeing what my blogging friends have been up to. Being a new mommy has been extremely challenging and exhausting, giving no time to do the normal things in life. And of course, blogging is one of those "normal" things!! LOL!

So, what have I learned in these last few weeks as a new mommy?? I know you all are so anxious to find out, so here it goes.

First, dying to yourself is not easy!! Having someone who is totally dependent on you makes you realize quickly just how selfish you are.

Second, I miss sleep!!! Just to sleep for 3 straight hours would be a dream. No pun intended.

Third, having a colicky baby is not fun. And giving up all dairy foods for that colicky baby is definitely LOVE!! I miss my dairy.

And fourth, but not the last, having a family that helps is PRICELESS!!

So, hopefully I will be back more often to post. But taking it day by day will only be the way to go.

By the way, it has taken me 1 and 1/2 hours to type this short post!!! Oh well!

Until next time...

My Little Arrow Is Finally Here!!

2010-07-30T12:55:00.000-04:00

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth. Psalm 127:4

Yep, he's finally here!! Born Sunday, July 25th weighing 6 lbs. 4 oz. and 18 and 1/2 inches long.

Praise God!

"...She Will Be Saved In Childbearing..."

2010-07-16T17:00:00.001-04:00

Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control. 1 Timothy 2:15

As I sit here for another day waiting for baby Noah to enter this world, I decided to turn my attentions to the holy calling of motherhood. And the view that the Lord has of children.

First of all, I had to repent for not keeping my eyes "on the prize", and for complaining instead. Yes, I've been so focused on being uncomfortable and miserable, and complaining about it all. And I have not been too easy to live with, either. So, I made a conscious decision today to change my focus while I wait.

This Scripture speaks a lot to me. First of all, it is NOT saying that the only way for women to be saved is through childbirth. No. Our salvation is through Jesus Christ alone, and not by our works in the flesh... which would include childbearing. This is talking about our calling as mothers and how we are to fulfill it and the future rewards for it.

So, how is it then that we would be saved through childbearing???

First and foremost, we would be saved from ourselves!!! Our sin natures!!! I can honestly say that God has shown me my TRUE SELF through my kids!!! It's funny that being married doesn't do that... BUT being a parent does!

Over the years of being a mom, God has graciously shown me my SELFISHNESS, PRIDE, ANGER ISSUES, MY MOUTH ISSUES...(MY WORDS), etc., etc., and etc.! The list could go on and on. The Lord has revealed to me the condition of my heart! And I have to say that I am truly thankful for that. It has not been easy to face it, and it certainly is not easy dealing with it, BUT my Lord is a good God and a gracious God Who is working in me to change me for His glory and for my good!!!

Wonderful, Beautiful is what You see
When You look at me.
You're turning the tattered fabric of my life into
a perfect tapestry!
The Real Me by Natalie Grant

Now, we have to look at the rest of the verse. Considering the fact that we, as mothers, will one day answer to God (and not man) about how we fulfilled our calling as mothers, we should really take a closer look at the rest of the verse. "...If they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control."

Childbearing, child rearing, or child training, can become mundane, irritating, and downright horrible and unfulfilling...IF we let it. But if we walk by faith, walk in unconditional love like Christ did, pursue that holiness that God requires, and learn self-control...THEN and only THEN will we be rewarded in our efforts.

Being a mom is definitely a Holy Calling! And I have to remind myself of that. Not only are the kids learning about themselves and about me, but I am learning about myself, as well. As the kids grow up, so am I!! So, I have to ask myself...

Am I walking by faith, or am I keeping my eyes on the problems???

Am I walking in love as Christ did, or am I being conditional with my love?

Am I continually pursuing holiness, or am I pursuing my wants and desires?

And the best for last... Am I learning self-control, or am I continually losing control???

This is a high calling, for sure!!! A noble calling! A holy calling! One that I love and desire to grow in. One that I despise at times because it can be so hard! But, HE is changing me and purifying me for His glory and for my good!!!

Lord, my solemn prayer is for You to continue working in me Your Presence and Your Love to change me and purify me. You have blessed me tremendously with two boys, and now with another one on the way. How humbled I am that You would entrust me to them. I know that I have screwed up so many times, but You can redeem it all!! I put my trust in You and only You to help me in this high and holy calling. My flesh is weak, but I am strong in You. I will continually remind myself to "rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." Thank You for "turning the tattered fabric of my life into a perfect tapestry." I humbly and gratefully pray this in Your Precious and Holy Name. Amen

Okay, I Have A Confession To Make!

2010-07-14T20:00:00.000-04:00

Well, here it is...

I shouldn't have joined the 90 Day Bible Reading Challenge!!!! There, I said it. I knew at the time that it would be difficult right now, but I did it anyway. Well, I read everything on the first day, but then the second day came around, and I just couldn't do it!!! There was no way I could read that much in one day. Not now. So, I am asking everyone to forgive me. I still love the idea, and I love challenges that motivate me. But the timing is all wrong right now.

Why?? Well, I'm in pain!!! Waiting on this baby is just about killing me. And I have so much on my mind and so much to do that this challenge is just going to have to be put on the side for now. I printed out the daily reading schedule and have it in my Bible. I WILL use it!!! I may not sign up to do it, but I will do it on my own.

Just not now!

Please forgive me for my lack of diligence when I had invited others to join me. Hopefully God used me, even in my weakness, to steer someone else to the challenge. That is my prayer.

Keep Pursuing HIM!!

I've Joined the Challenge~ Oh, My!!

2010-07-05T21:09:00.000-04:00

Well, call me crazy, but I stumbled upon this challenge and I went for it. I must admit that I've never read the Bible all the way through, although my son has. I tend to study the Bible by topics. Or whatever I am in need of. So, this 90 Day challenge is just that... A CHALLENGE!! Especially with the baby coming in 3 weeks.

Will you join me? And maybe YOU can keep me accountable!! Visit Mom's Toolbox for all of the information. Or grab the link on the right.

Now it's time to start reading!!!

Blessings to you,

Cooking, Cooking, & MORE Cooking!

2010-07-05T18:47:00.000-04:00

Well, the clock is tickin' away, so I am cooking till my feet want to fall off!! I stocked up with more meat on sale...check out what I paid here. My freezer is quickly filling up and my home is singin', knowing that meals are being provided!!

Maybe I will post some pix of the freezer once I'm done. Right now, I just need to rest my back and my feet!!

Thank You, Fellow Bloggers!

2010-07-05T14:30:00.000-04:00

Today, I was so encouraged by a comment left by a fellow blogger. I turned right around to tell her thank you for encouraging me! So, right now, I want to say THANK YOU to ALL of my readers and all of those that I follow and read. I know that I don't always leave a comment when I should, shame on me, but I am so encouraged by so many of you, that I just want to take the time now to tell you.

My prayer is that whoever reads my meager words on my posts would be encouraged and challenged in some way. I pray that the Lord would use me to touch someone's heart and that they would "see" the Lord in me. This life on this earth is not our home, we are just pilgrims on the narrow path together. And when I read posts from other Christ Loving bloggers, I am reminded that I am not alone. So, THANK YOU!!!

Have you been encouraged today by another fellow blogger? Or from someone else in your life? A friend, a spouse, a pastor, or teacher? Or maybe one of your kids? If so, tell them. Let them know when they give you a boost in your spirit. Maybe that will,in turn, give them a boost, as well!

Blessings to ALL of YOU!!

Trusting AND Praying

2010-07-02T22:45:00.000-04:00

Learning how the Lord wants us to fully and completely trust Him has been the main area of study for me lately. I've been so anxious about baby Noah coming into our lives and not being ready for it all, that trusting God has been in the forefront of my mind. I do trust God, that He will see me through and that everyday will take care of itself. But, the Lord still expects me to pray about my anxieties. I shouldn't just sit back and expect God to just take care of everything. But, as an act of obedience and surrender, praying shows Him that I am truly dependent on Him.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

Thankful Thursday

2010-07-01T23:02:00.000-04:00

It's time to be thankful!! Not just because its Thursday, but everyday I am thankful to my Savior! Lately, I've been meditating on God's divine Providence in my life and learning to trust Him with every detail of each day.

With baby Noah on the way... (Yep, that's right, Noah seems to be the name we have chosen for this little one), I am thankful, first of all, that he seems to be a healthy little baby. I've had 3 different ultrasounds due to different concerns, and with each one, he seems to be quite healthy and growing normally. We praise God for that.

And since I have only 3 weeks and 5 days left before I am induced,(Not that I'm counting, or anything!), I am thankful!! I am having more aches and pains now more than ever. So, when it is over, I will be really thankful! Whew!

I am also thankful for the change in my dear hubby's job. He has been waiting and praying for some kind of change for about 10 years now. Be it a new job in a new location, or whatever, and to his dismay and my anxious prayers, nothing seemed to be happening. But thanks be to God, He opened the doors for a change within the company that offers less hours and more pay. And what timing!!!! With a new baby, we also get another blessing in this way!!!

Another thing to be thankful about is our homeschool. Yes, I am greatly thankful for the privilege of being a mom and one who can educate her kids for the glory of God! I am one of the biggest students in our homeschool due to the fact that I am learning to let go of my way and letting God teach me how to trust Him!!

I praise God for His loving care of me and my family. For His saving grace and for His Word. There are so many things to be thankful for, but this post would not be able to hold them all.

Are you thankful today?? Link up here to share your thoughts.

Check Out My New Frugal Blog!

2010-07-01T21:23:00.000-04:00

I've always wanted to start a blog about being frugal, so I finally did it. I just started it, so its in the beginning stages. If you are interested, click on the link in the linkbar!!

Blessings!

Fill the Freezer Challenge Update

2010-06-30T22:04:00.000-04:00

The last couple of days have been a whirlwind of cooking. I am so proud of my sons for being hard workers helping me and learning how to cook. So this is what we accomplished:

7 packages of cooked hamburger meat... Can be used for spaghetti sauce, tator tot casserole, more mamwich/chili mix, etc.

3 packages of mamwich/chili mix... Can be used for mamwiches and hotdog chili.

2 huge packages of Korean beef stir fry with carrots, onions, and bell peppers... Can be served with rice or noodles.

That really doesn't sound like too much for now. But we needed to start somewhere. I am so proud of the boys for learning how to brown the meat and how to chop the vegies. Also, my linguist cooked up the bunches of mamwich mixes, since he really likes it. And training him how to chop the vegies was a hoot. His future wife will be thankful!! LOL!

With the next round of grocery money, I will work on chicken recipes and more turkey or beef recipes. Maybe I will include pictures of our success. Until then, need to clean up all of the mess and then rest my feet!!

And of course, if anyone has any ideas for freezer meals, please leave a comment to share. I would greatly appreciate it!

Happy Cooking!

Fill the Freezer Challenge!

2010-06-28T21:15:00.000-04:00

As I am now on the last weeks of waiting for baby, I am facing the challenge of "what are my kids and hubby gonna eat?" when I'm not available??? I'm pretty sure that I'm not gonna be "around" to cook for the guys, so I need to make a plan to fill the freezer.

Honestly, I love this challenge. I think its fun. AND I'm gonna involve the kids to do some of the cooking, too. I've been saying for a while now that they need to learn to cook, so that when they are married they can cook for their wives. How nice is that thought?? My dear hubby is terrible in the kitchen!! He can clean rather well, but cooking is NOT his thing!! It's embarrassing to even think about it. So, I need to plan and provide some nutritious meals that are available at any given moment of hunger.

So, today I went and stocked up on some beef that was on sale at the local grocery store. I love doing that!! And my platypus learned how to brown the ground beef!! He did so well! I was so proud of him. Next, after it cools in the fridge, I or we will bag it up into individual bags for future meals. I like doing it that way, instead of making a whole meal to freeze. You can just decide what you want to cook, but already have the meat fixed. We will, however, make up some batches of homemade "chili" with the meat to use for mamwiches or hotdog chili. And then freeze that in individual bags. My hubby and older son love that.

Tomorrow will be spent teaching my other son, the linguist, how to brown more ground beef and how to chop some vegies for a Korean beef recipe. He will learn the recipe and how to assemble it to marinate in the freezer.

After that, I will come up with more freezer friendly meals that my sons can learn how to cook. I just love that idea!!

So, after all of the cooking and planning, I will be one step closer to being ready for our baby.

How are you going to make your home sing this week? Join Nan and the others at Moms the Word to share what you are doing.

Happy Singing Home!!

Just Waiting

2010-06-25T22:02:00.000-04:00

Well, I have just a little over four weeks left until baby is due. So, besides getting things ready, expanding in size, and trying to breathe, I am now just waiting.

Due to my history, my doc wants to induce me! History? Well, since my platypus came so fast, and since we were really close to the hospital at the time, but now so far away, she thinks it is wise to induce. She actually thinks I may not make it to the hospital in time!!!! Could you imagine??? I have a friend who gave birth to her 2nd child in the hospital parking lot!!! So, yes, inducing sounds great right now.

So, time is ticking away as I sit and wait...

Four weeks will be here rather fast, I know. So, I really need to get busy getting myself ready, our homeschool year planned, and our home decluttered and organized a bit.

Oh, and did I say, get myself ready?? I think that's the biggest thing. Am I ready for this? I haven't had a newborn in more than 10 years!! I hope I am ready for this. Oh, Lord Jesus, help me!

Okay, waiting can be so excruciating at times, but the time will be well spent. I think the time will pass rather quickly...

So, I need to get busy!

Right now.

I'm Having "Bubble Trouble"!!

2010-06-07T21:58:00.001-04:00

Have you ever felt like your mind was spinning with all the things that you need to do? I need to do this, and I need to do that, and I really need to do this, too. And all of it needs to be done right now!!

That is what bubble trouble is.

Bubble Trouble is a movie made by a homeschooling family that shows what it would be like if you could see everyone's thoughts... as in bubbles. It is a great little movie. There is one scene where the mom is shown with all of her "bubble" thoughts popping one at a time. And she was able to answer a question at the same time. Now, when I saw that, I had to laugh out loud, because it portrayed what I, as well as most, if not all moms, go through.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who goes through this. Some call it multi-tasking, but I call it chaos of the mind!!! Sometimes I feel like I have so much to do, but not enough time to do it all. And I know, we are not called to do everything, but there are so many things to do to keep things running smoothly. Just how smoothly do I want to keep things, is the question at the moment. And, what are the priorities?

Making my home sing with more and better organization, ending our imperfect homeschool for the year, planning for next year's imperfect homeschool, getting ready for baby, figuring out what to cook for my family tonight, laundry in the dryer, blah, blah, blah, etc., etc., and etc.!!! The list is even longer than this, but I won't bore you with the gory details. You get the idea.

The list seems to be never ending. And as I sit here typing this, I'm also thinking about what I didn't get done that really needs to be done TODAY!! Well, there's always tomorrow. Those bubbles will faithfully be there to remind me of their presence!!

Who needs to write things down when they have bubbles popping in their heads????

So, what will I be doing to make my home sing this week? Well, popping one bubble at a time, I guess!

Popping till I Drop,

OUCH! That Really Hurts!!

2010-05-25T23:13:00.000-04:00

Take it from me, don't bite your lip while you are eating!!! THIS is what can happen! My platypus bit two huge junks out of his lip, and in turn, suffered from 2 huge ulcers!!! The poor thing woke up a few days later with the biggest lip you have ever seen. And those ulcers! How awful and how painful. He couldn't eat for several days. But thankfully, he is better today with a normal lip and the ability to eat again.

So, what can you take away from this? Try not to bite your lip!!

"Do You Trust Me?"

2010-05-18T11:47:00.000-04:00

"Do you trust Me?"

I remember those words in my ears, so audibly, so clear, as if I could actually feel the breath of God.

"Do you trust Me?"

This was years ago when I was facing a moment of fear in my mind. And as soon as the fear entered my thoughts, God spoke to me.

I will NEVER forget that moment! God was challenging me and my faith. Of course, I answered, "Yes, Lord, I trust YOU!"

Now, ever since then, when things come along to bring doubt, confusion, fear, and anxiety, I have to remember those words. "Do you trust Me?"

But, every time I have to ask myself, "Do I trust Him?" Can I honestly say that I trust God all of the time???? If I were completely honest and forthcoming, I would have to answer, "No!"

I forget! I lose sight of my Savior in the midst of the problem, just as Peter did when he was walking on the water. Peter was able to walk on the water as long as he kept his eyes on Jesus. But, as soon as he looked away and focused on the raging sea, he began to sink. THEN he cried out to Jesus for help.

Trusting God with all of our lives, with all of our circumstances, is just as important to Him as pursuing holiness and walking in love. As Jerry Bridges says in his book, Trusting God, "It often seems more difficult to trust God than it is to obey Him." And that is so true. Obeying God is something that we control, but trusting God in things that are ultimately out of our control is difficult.

The first thing I have to remember is that He is in control of EVERYTHING!!! The good, the bad, and the ugly! Consider what is said in Lamentations 3:37-38...

Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come?

God is Sovereign! He is God, the One and Only!! And if I would just remember that, then I would be able to rest. To rest assured! God is good and He does look out for our good. But what is our ultimate good??? Let's consider a Scripture that we all know, BUT a lot of us tend to leave out the most important part of it. Romans 8:28 AND 29...

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son,...

The ultimate good that God is talking about is not to make things turn out to keep us happy, BUT to conform us into the image of Christ. Our ultimate good is to be more like Christ, to reflect Him, and to bring Him glory!!! Isaiah 43:7 says,

"Everyone who is called by My Name, Whom I have created for My Glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him."

So, if I can just remember that everything that happens in this life is in God's hand. In every circumstance, He is there!! Even when I can't see Him, He IS there!! The good, the bad, and the ugly things of life. When something comes up in my day that I wasn't expecting, when sickness comes, when my son chooses to do something that puts his life in danger, when family members just can't put their feelings aside and forgive, when homeschooling is not working the way I want it, etc., etc., etc... God IS in the middle of it all!!

So, do I trust God?? Can I trust Him?? Yes, I can because He promises to never leave me. Will I trust Him? Well, I'm learning to day by day.

Do You trust God with everything in your life?? Leave me a comment and tell me your thoughts on this. How has God brought you through something that increased your faith in Him? How has He proved His faithfulness to you? I would love to read about it.

Keep Pursuing Him,

Help! I'm Stuck in a Rut!!!

2010-05-13T18:19:00.000-04:00

I've fallen in a rut, and I can't get up!! The last 3 weeks have been hard on me and I can't seem to get myself out of the "ho-hum" mood. I really hate it when I feel like this. Nothing seems to motivate me!

Is it the pregnancy blues? I'm waiting on the nesting stage to kick in. It would be nice if it kicked in about now. It doesn't help that I can't breath half the time.

Could it be homeschool burnout? I'm definitely ready to call it quits! But knowing that we won't get much done in August means that we need to keep pressin' on at least until July!

If anyone has any suggestions, or any motivational tips, please let me know. Any encouragement would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Keep Pursuin' Him!!

Happy Mother's Day, Mama!!

2010-05-09T17:00:00.000-04:00

Roses Pierre de Ronsard

Mother's Day brings many different emotions to many people. Happy feelings, sad feelings, and even angry, resentful feelings. Some may even have guilty feelings stemming from their own mothering. But for me, today, I have grateful feelings for my mom. We have not always seen eye to eye on many things, but even so, she remains loving and accepting of me. Being a mother myself, I know how hard it is to let go and let God... And my mom has done that graciously. And I am thankful for that. She has loved me like any mother would love her child... unconditionally.

Thank you, mama, for being my mom. Thank you for putting up with me and for trying to understand me, even when you didn't know how. Thank you for all of the advice you have lovingly given me over the years. And especially, thank you for praying for me!!!

I pray that today you will be blessed, knowing that I love you dearly! May you have many happy and joyful days ahead. Remember, the Joy of the Lord is your strength!!!

Many Hugs and Kisses!!!
Your Daughter

What's Been Going On

2010-05-06T19:28:00.000-04:00

As you could see from my last post that I had a terrible week, last week. This week has been a "gettin' it together" week, I guess. But even still, not doing so well. Not enough school work... so we're still behind.

Not enough sleep... baby and brain keeping me up.

Dealing with worry... will post about that later.

A new member to the family... will share pictures soon... so having to get used to her being here and taking care of her.

Lots going on, at least in my brain, but not much to show for it.

Till next time,
Keep pursuing Him!

Shock and Recovery!

2010-04-30T23:24:00.000-04:00

This has been a week I wish I could forget! One thing after another!

First, Monday, I received some discouraging news about my dad's health. Such a bummer, but God is good and faithful, and we are trusting Him through this.

Then, Tuesday seemed to be going okay UNTIL...

My son decides to do the unthinkable!!! A parent's worst nightmare!! Without disclosing any details to protect him, I will say that he made a horrible decision that put his life in mortal danger!!!!! And I'm not joking here! I don't think I have ever been so afraid in my life. I do believe that my biggest fear almost came true.

So, on Wednesday, I could not function. The shock and the "What IF's?" kept haunting me. My husband even said that he could barely function at work, also. Just getting through that day without coming apart at the seams was a miracle.

Yes, I was, and still am, thankful that God had His angels round about him to guard and protect him. If it had not been for the Lord's intervention, who knows what would have happened?

But, the SHOCK and the haunting thoughts of "what if?" keep coming back. By Wednesday night, I have cried so much that I was purely exhausted.

Now, by Thursday I was just about passed the shock stage... and into the ANGER stage. "What was he thinking?????" Does he even realize what he did and what he put his dad and I through? I don't think he quite understands the danger he put himself in. And yet, he is going about his day as if nothing even happened. So, I had a talk with him to explain how I was feeling.

My fears... My haunting thoughts... My shock... and now my anger. Did he understand? I really don't think he grasped it all. Maybe when he's a parent himself. Maybe then the light bulb will go off.

So, after we had our little talk, I felt somewhat better. I don't think he will be doing THAT ever again!! And maybe now he will think twice before he makes another crazy decision without asking his parents first.

Now, Friday is here, and I am having to plan a trip to my best friend's mom's funeral!!

How could all of this happen in one week?? My heart has gone through too much in just 5 days. The Lord promises not to give us more than we can handle, so I cling to Him for strength. He is Sovereign and Trustworthy. He is always Faithful and He loves me dearly... And He loves my son, my dad, and my best friend.

And I thank Him!

Here is a song that has been in my mind all week. I listened to the CD this past weekend, and oh, how it is what I was in need of this week!!

Gaining a Fresh Perspective~ Making My Home Sing

2010-04-26T21:11:00.000-04:00

Last week, my home was not singing very much due my attitude. Well, the first part of the week was okay, but by the Wednesday, nothin' was singing. I certainly was not singing, and my kids weren't either. Let's be brutally honest here, I had a temper tantrum!!!

Yep! I said it; I admit it. I had a down right temper tantrum about my son and his schoolwork. Why?

Mostly because I lost my vision and the proper perspective of education. Why do we homeschool? Well there are many, many reasons why we do what we do, but some days I forget!!!!

My son struggles, which then I struggle. I struggle inwardly with fear. Is he ever gonna get it?? Will he ever have a better attitude about his education?? Why is it always a battle with this kid??

I am learning (the hard way), that his attitude is a direct response to MY attitude!!! I am reflecting an attitude of fear of academic failure, which then leads to his attitude of hating to do his schoolwork.

God is gracious enough to show me my waywardness in this. He is gracious enough to show me my sin in this!!! And yes, I admit that this is a sin!! I have asked my son, and my Heavenly Father to forgive me. Now we are gaining a fresh perspective TOGETHER about education and the importance of OUR attitudes.

So, this week is all about gaining a fresh perspective on education and what God says about education. Are we singing? No, not really, but maybe a little humming!

Thank God for His forgiveness and grace!!

Not a Happy Post!!

2010-04-21T18:46:00.000-04:00

Today was another day I long to forget. It was one of those days where patience, love, and kindness were not my strong suits. Shamefully, I admit this, knowing that I still have a long way to go!!!

I should have known that today was going to be testy when I read this morning,

A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.

The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness. Proverbs 15: 1-2

Part of my problem is that I allow my son to push me and push me until I lose my cool with him. Instead of being diligent to discipline in areas where he needs constant attention, I let things slide... until I burst!!

So, part of his problem is me! My lack of diligent discipline. My lack of self-control when I want him to have self-control. My lack of taking heed to myself when I want him to take heed to himself! When will I ever learn????

What a wretch I am! Who will save me from myself?? Thank God, He will, through Jesus Christ!!!

I am a great sinner, and He is a great Savior!!!

Perfection?? Far From It!!~ Making My Home Sing

2010-04-18T21:23:00.000-04:00

I read Nan's post for this week about trying to be the perfect homemaker, mom, and wife. Well, I have to say that I was quite encouraged! Thanks Nan!!

I have to admit... I struggle with this. I expect perfectionism from myself, along with my husband and my kids!! When it comes to making plans for the week, be it school plans, menu plans, chore plans, decluttering plans, or whatever else I could come up with, and they don't happen like I would want them to...Well I get a little irritated!!! I can plan so much for the week and end up so disappointed at the end of the week. Especially when it's about my decluttering or cleaning plans.

Life happens...plans have to be changed, altered, rearranged... to meet the needs of others or something more pressing.

I am learning the hard way to make my plans, and then give them to the Lord. Only He knows what the day holds. Only He knows what it is that I need to learn that day. I just need to learn to give it to Him.

I am getting into the habit of making intentional plans for my week and homeschool. It keeps me focused during the day. BUT I have to trust God that He knows better than I do what needs to be done. So when MY plans don't work out the way I want them to, then I have to make myself remember that He is in control.

BUT, I also have to reevaluate myself to see if there are areas where I am being lazy and idle with my hands when I should have been more intentional to get things done. Believe me, I have to watch myself...If I turn on this crazy computer and even glance at my blog or emails...I can be on it for an hour without even realizing it!!!!!

Perfection...we will never reach it, but we still should strive to be better each day. What can I do today that I didn't do so well at yesterday? Do I need to apologize to someone today? Do I need to forget my plans so that I can focus on playing a game with my kids? What are my priorities? Following my plans to the point of frustration, or letting go of them to maintain peace in my home?

My plans for this week are to get back into the swing of things with schoolwork and homemaking chores... How broad is that? But taking a week off makes it difficult to get back to normal life. So if we make it to Friday with a somewhat normal amount of schoolwork done, with a half way decent menu plan, and the house somewhat in order, then I will be satisfied at the end of the week. Perfect? No, but that's okay...Well, at least for this week! LOL!

We Love the Creation Museum!!

2010-04-15T15:20:00.000-04:00

This week has been a grueling and wonderful week at the same time.

Grueling? Why?

Traveling in the car for 10 or so hours while you're pregnant is not easy!!!

Wonderful? Yes!!! We made it back to one of our FAVORITE places to go! The Creation Museum!!! This was our second time to visit. We loved it so much, we couldn't wait to go back. I've often told people after our first visit that if you want to take your family somewhere that builds your faith instead of tearing it down, then go to the Creation Museum!!! My first reaction to the place was its overall environment. Peaceful!!! Even though this place, along with its founder and President, Ken Ham, have been threatened by evolutionists... the atmosphere was so peaceful. And still is.

As Christians, we have ALL been indoctrinated with evolution throughout our childhood and all throughout our education. Even the Church has fallen for this LIE from Satan. My husband and I didn't realize how much we were victims of this lie...until we found Answers in Genesis!!

So, when we heard a few years ago that they were building a museum to reveal the Truth according to God's Word and NOT man's word... we were beyond excited!! The Truth about Creation in 6 literal days and not millions... The Truth about dinosaurs being created on the SAME day as the first man, instead of 65 million years ago... The Truth about the Global Flood and the correct size of the Ark...etc.

When we learned that we were not exactly taking God's Word literally about His Creation in 6 literal days... we realized that we had been duped by our enemy! How can we believe that Christ came and died and resurrected in 3 literal days if we didn't believe Creation in 6 literal days...in the beginning??? If we questioned God's Word from the beginning pages, how could we say we believed the rest of His Word????

And that is the whole point of Answers in Genesis!!! If we question the BEGINNING, how can we tell the world to believe the rest of the Bible??

The Beginning leads to our Savior!!! But that's not all. The Beginning leads to the End!!! So, there's hope for our future, because we know that we can trust the End of the Story. If we believe the Beginning, we can have hope for the End.

So, riding in the car for sooooo many hours was ultimately worth it! When your kids are excited about going to such a place, instead of some worldly, flesh-pleasing place...it's worth it!!! Go to the website and check it out. Prepare to Believe!!!!

Join Me In the Party!!~Its a Blog Party

2010-04-08T20:05:00.004-04:00

Welcome to my blog. My name is Shellie, but on my blog I call myself Saint Shellie. Not as a prideful thing, but as a way to show that I know who I am in Christ. From the world's point of view I am not a saint...definitely not. But in the eyes of God, I am a saint, as well as all persons who are in Christ. To learn more about this, if you are curious, go here. Otherwise, I will tell about myself.

First of all, I am a woman seeking to know my Savior, Jesus Christ, more and more each day. I am married to a wonderful man and have 2 great boys, ages 13 and 10. And in August, we are expecting another boy!! Wooh! Pregnant again after 10 years is definitely a different experience. I had forgotten what it was like! And at my age, well, things can be quite a trip!!!!

Along with being a helpmeet to my hubby and a mom to my boys, I am also a homeschool mom. I just started our homeschool blog to share our ups and downs with this journey. Hopefully to offer some encouragement to other homeschool moms and dads. And to the kids, as well. I am excited about this blog because I have always wanted to share what we have been doing and what we plan to do...if the Lord wills. I love to talk about my convictions and beliefs, and blogging is the perfect outlet for me. Being a homeschool mom tends to be a bit lonely at times, so blogging is great.

So, I hope you enjoy checking out my blog. I hope it will be an encouragement to everyone who visits. My prayer is that everyone would see that my desire is to glorify God, because its not about me. Its all about HIM!!

This is my first time to be a part of a blog party, so I'm excited about checking other blogs that are out there. So join me in the party. Go to 5minutesformom.com to join the party. Maybe we can have a chance to win some prizes!! The party officially starts tomorrow.

Blessings to you,

And before I forget, my prize wish list would be...
1. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls provided by Susie's Homemade Chocolates
2. A $100 gift eCertificate to Restaurant.com, immediately redeemable online at over 13,000 restaurants nationwide, provided by Earnest One.
3. For one winner a little extra something to use with your Nesting Pillow or on its own, The Nest Egg gives support for your head, arm, breast, or for a little extra height under baby’s head, provided by Blessed Nest.
4. $25 Target Gift Card! Provided by frugalnovice.com.
5. $25 gift card to Starbucks, provided by Feels Like Time.
And that's about it. Thanks everyone!!!

Check Out Our Imperfect Homeschool Blog!

2010-04-07T21:43:00.000-04:00

Well, I finally did it. I started a new blog solely about our homeschool. I've been wanting to do it for a while now, just hadn't taken the time to do it. I want it to be an encouragement to all those out there that may need encouraging. The same way I have gleaned encouragement from other homeschool blogs.

Right now, its just in the beginning stages, but I have many plans for this blog. I have so much I want to share. So, check it out, if you want, and come back often to see what is added.

You can use the handy dandy linkbar at the top of the page, or go here.

Thanks and Blessings,

Staying on Track...Sort of~Making My Home Sing

2010-04-05T19:41:00.003-04:00

Well, my biggest problem is having a plan and sticking to it. I'm s-l-o-w-l-y and painfully planning ahead and trying to actually DO what's on the plan.

I have to admit that things seem to go more smoothly when there is a plan. Its so much better than "winging" it. The last 2 or 3 weeks I have intentionally planned our homeschool days, and things have been much better. BUT...

What about the days when your plans just won't happen??? Everything else under the sun happens besides YOUR wonderful plans??

Today was one of those days. This morning, I prayed that despite my plans, I wanted God to be in control of my plans. That whatever He wanted for our day, that was what I wanted.

Well, that is exactly what happened! Of course, nothing that I planned happened. Everything seemed like chaos. So, I ultimately had to admit that God obviously had other plans for me and my kids. The school work was accomplished, eventually, just not in my time frame. So, everything did finally work out, just not the way I would have wanted it.

I have to be brutally honest, though. Planning ahead does make things more peaceful and fruitful. I have been working on keeping a menu plan. Last week was an awesome week of meals that my family seemed to rave about. So, that was inspiring!! Enough motivation to keep that up.

So, if I could just get in the act of a daily cleaning/chore list and STICKING TO IT, then maybe things would be perfect!! Huh? Perfect? No. We all know better than that!!!

Thank you, Nan, for hosting such a motivational meme, so that I can get some hope and inspiration from others. I feel so much better knowing that I'm not the only one out there that desires to have a home that honors God, but yet still struggles in many areas. Yes, I have that "toddler" in me that peaks its little horrible head out occasionally, who wants to just do nothing but eat chocolate and watch some stupid movie, or be on the pc all day!!! Actually, I pretty much did that this past Saturday...!! Oops! But then...Well, I pay for it! It's amazing how much can pile up in just one day.

Blessings to all of the ladies out there that are on the path with me to have a home that honors God. May the Lord teach us all the glorious calling that we have as moms and wives, to nurture and serve our family with all our hearts with joy. Even while we clean those toilets!! LOL!

Now, back to those planning pages...

Happy Resurrection Day~Reflectiing on the Cross!

2010-04-04T21:39:00.003-04:00

Today we remember our Savior's Resurrection. All that He left, to come down to us and to BE one of us... to be tempted and tried like one of us... to be misjudged and misunderstood like one of us... to be counted as unworthy of honor and respect like one of us... to be unloved and forgotten like one of us...

God in the flesh to walk among us and to BE one of us...

God came down... God willingly gave it all up to come down... God came down to pick me up... God came down to set me free from myself... to lift up my head... to look me in the eyes and tell me everything will be okay...

He came down to be one like me...

He came down to set me free!

Thank You, Jesus!!!

Controversial! Read at Your Own Risk!!

2010-04-03T13:22:00.004-04:00

I am aware that I may not have many, if any, readers after this post. But I will not apologize for this. My convictions are too strong to turn around now. So, here goes...

I title this,

Happy Easter?? What a slap in Christ's Face!!!

I begin with a quote from The Restored Church of God. org:

Most people follow along as they have been taught, assuming that what they believe and do is right. They take their beliefs for granted. Most do not take time to prove why they do the things that they do.

When my family and I learned of the TRUE origin of easter, we were stunned. The meaning of the word easter, the origin of easter eggs, the meaning and origin of lent, all are NOT Christian at all!!! They have nothing to do with Christ!!

Now, I will ask a question. And please consider it before you jump to answer. When we learn the TRUTH about something, and yet we DO NOTHING to change it, are we honestly PLEASING OUR SAVIOR AND GOD?????

This is a question that has been in my spirit for a while now. If one person doesn't stand up to speak the TRUTH, then how can we, as the Church, be changed??? How can we be SEPARATE from the world?? The Word says to

NOT BE CONFORMED TO THE WORLD, BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF OUR MINDS SO THAT WE MAY PROVE WHAT IS THAT GOOD AND ACCEPTABLE AND PERFECT WILL OF GOD!! Romans 12:2

I know that I may be offending some people, but for the sake of my Savior, I have to speak up. My Savior suffered for me, not so that I could be deceived by the world, but so that I could be wise and alert to the world's ways. We, as the Church, have been duped and we don't even realize it!!!!!

Again, I say, we have been duped and we have been brainwashed to believe a lie!!! We have exchanged the TRUTH for a lie!!!

If there are any brave ones out there, I challenge you to research this for yourself. Don't take my word for it, look for it yourself. Ask the Holy Spirit, Who is the HOLY Spirit of TRUTH, to lead you to the truth of this. To help, I will direct you to this website. It gives a great outline and research of the origins of "easter" and the other paganistic rituals of this holiday.

Now, am I saying not to worship Christ tomorrow??? NO!!!! But I do say, be careful. Compromising the things of God with the paganistic things of the world does not please Him! Pagan worship and Christ worship DO NOT MIX!! When you go to Church and say, "Happy Easter", think about what you are saying. "Happy Paganism????" "Happy Worship of Baal?" "Happy worship of the goddess of fertility?"

AND THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE SAYING!! In essence.

We have chosen to say, "HAPPY RESURRECTION DAY!!!"

And consider this... All of the Churches that are having easter egg hunts all in the name of our children's happiness and "fun"!! I just want to shout, "Do you realize what you are doing???" Obviously not!!

Another question for you, if you are brave... Do YOU study what your Bible says, or do you take whatever your human pastor says for the "truth"?? Are YOU brave enough to look up in your Bible what our HOLY GOD says about this?? I challenge you. I double dare you to let God speak to you from His Word. Open up your Bible and concordance and do some actual studying!! Am I trying to bash your pastor?? NO! But, I will say that he is fallible, just like I am, but God's Word is infallible.

And if you don't know where to begin, then check out this website to get you started. If you are brave!! And if you just don't have the time, then please watch and consider this video.

and

and

My prayer is that you would let the Lord search your heart, as I am doing, and allow Him to teach you the TRUTH about this. Paul, in the New Testament, tells us to admonish one another... that means to warn each other about wrong practices!!! We serve a HOLY God, who COMMANDS us to worship Him in Spirit and in TRUTH. I desire that. I desire to learn to worship with a PURE heart, not my way of doing things. My heart is deceitful above all things, and I know how my heart can lead me astray.

"Lord, please forgive me of wrong thinking and for allowing myself to be deceived. Thank you for revealing Your Truth to me, even though it has taken this long for me to see it. I pray for my fellow followers of Christ and I ask that You strengthen them to "be brave"."

Will you stand up with me and say, "Happy Resurrection Day!"? Make people notice what you are saying. Ask your pastor if he realizes what he is saying. Be bold, be different than everyone else. It won't be easy; people will look at you as if you are crazy. But should we be concerned about that? Or should we be more concerned about pleasing our Savior??

Here's another shocker for ya...

My husband says that we won't be going to Church tomorrow!!! What? No Church on the most visited day of the year??? That's right. He says that he is tired of the "easter" stuff. We will worship at home.

I have to be honest. I "feel" weird about that, but I like it.

So, Keep Pursuing HIM, Be Different, Be Brave!

Reflecting On the Cross~Sundays March 28th~It's All About HIM!

2010-03-28T18:09:00.002-04:00

More of Him and Less of Me!! That has been my focus for this year. Wow, what a challenge.

Keeping my eyes on my Savior, looking away from all that would distract me, and thinking on the Cross, causes me to shrink in humility. My flesh gets distracted from whats really important... which is HIM!! Jesus, Yeshua, my Redeemer, my Lord and my God.

I named this blog Created to Bring HIM Glory, because that is what we are all created to do. Not to glorify ourselves and our "so-called" victories, but to magnify HIM in everything we do. That is my heart's desire, but my deceitful heart gets in the way!!!

I've been praying more and more that He would help me to see my selfishness, in the little ways that I put myself first. And that is a dangerous prayer. I've been humbled in so many ways, that its almost embarrassing. But...

Just as John Newton has been quoted to say, I like to say as well, "I am a great sinner, but I have a great Savior!" The more I get closer to Christ, the more I realize I need Him and His saving power and grace on the Cross!!

Resurrection Day is almost here. Our Savior lives and His death on the Cross and resurrection from the dead applies to every single day of our lives. Reflecting keeps us in focus, keeps us on the narrow path toward holiness, and should always keep us humble.

Reflect with me!!

Are Things Hopeless??

2010-03-22T20:30:00.003-04:00

Well, some may be wondering now if things are hopeless for us in our seemingly "free" country. As you know, I normally don't post about politics and the such, but I feel compelled to share what I'm feeling about this so-called "health care" bill.

Am I for it? Of course not!! Any Bible believing follower of Christ should see the terrible consequences of such a thing as this. If you do any digging, you would find out that it has nothing to do with "health care". It is the paved road toward SOCIALISM!!

Again, if you do any digging about socialism, you would find out the true meaning of the word. Where did the word "Social Studies" come from? And how about the wonderful question of "What about your kids being "socialized"? Where did these phrases come from in the first place?? From SOCIALISM!!!

This "ObamaCare" is a scary thing, I will be the first to admit, but I PUT MY TRUST IN THE LIVING GOD!!! My hope and trust is not in this country, government, or man. I have to tell myself that GOD IS STILL ON THE THRONE AND HE IS IN CONTROL!!

Praise Him for that!!

So, now what do we do?? PRAY! And pray hard!! May our knees be raw from being on them more than ever!!

Persecution is coming, even more so than we can ever imagine, but persecution will cause us to WAKE UP!! Persecution will bring us closer to our Savior! Isn't that what we really want????

God help us!
Keep Pursuing HIM!!!!

No truth is more evident to my mind than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people. Noah Webster

Reflecting On the Cross~Sundays March 21st~

2010-03-21T21:57:00.003-04:00

As I reflect on the Cross of Christ, I am reminded of my complete dependence of Him! I've had a rough week this week, dealing with myself. And what I mean is, my "self".

The Word says,

"Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there." James 3:13-16

When I am focused on "me" so much, and not on what is important, then confusion is there. And it says, "every evil thing"!!!!!! That's scary!

Jesus didn't suffer for me so I could just focus on me, myself, and I. He suffered so I could be FREE from myself!

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20

I long so much to be pleasing to my Savior, but how often do I forget that I was bought, and I am no longer my own. He owns me. And that is not a bad thing. It is so freeing to be...free!

That's what the Cross means to me, right now, today. Tomorrow I will have to remind myself of this, again!

Blessings,

So, How Did I Do This Week?

2010-03-19T21:40:00.002-04:00

Not so good!!!!

This week has been one thing after another. First, Monday was very busy away from the house. Piano lessons, TaeKwon Do Lessons, and time with friends tend to make for a full afternoon. So...Not much was accomplished that day! :(

Tuesday, son #2 decides to pretend he doesn't feel well so he can get out of doing his schoolwork. Actually, it all started Monday evening. I'm not such a terrible mom; I let him stop the work he was doing and go lie down. He had no fever, but I understand that you don't have to have fever in order to feel bad. But...

When you have a kid who will do ANYTHING to get out of his schoolwork... Well, I have a problem with this. I had to explain to him, AGAIN, that sometimes even when we don't feel 100% wonderful, we can still do what is required of us. Oh, what troubles!! The same heart to heart talk for the millionth time!!!! So, miraculously he became new again and was able to do his work! What a miracle! Huh Hmm!!!

Distractions!!!

Thursday, plans for the day were changed. My son #1 attended a speech and debate competition. I was glad for that. I have always wanted him see what it was like, so that he could maybe get involved with it in a couple of years. Believe it or not, I was able to get a little house "stuff" done during this time.

Then Friday comes...

Do you think I got anything accomplished??? NO!!!

Son #2...AGAIN!!!

The same old thing!!

Just about a whole afternoon was wasted on the same issue! He has issues with complaining, dawdling during his work, and not being responsible!! By the time Dear Hubby got home, I was over the edge. I had had enough. AGAIN!!

Thankfully, tomorrow is a new day!! New beginnings. New chances to get caught up!

AGAIN!!

Convictions, Priorities, and Time~ Making My Home Sing

2010-03-15T07:30:00.001-04:00

Yes, I've been busy with my home these last few days. After cleaning the laundry room, I've been motivated to declutter more. But what comes with it is...

Convictions! This week the Lord has been dealing with me about how I've been using His time that He has given me. My priorities have been out of whack. Old habits have crept up over the last 3 or 4 months that are hard to break...again.

For one thing, this blogging thing can be a trap for me!!! I enjoy it too much. So, in order for my home to sing, then my choices need to lead in that direction. Nan asked the question, "Who does your home reflect?" Well, I want my home to reflect Christ. But...

God is not a God of disorder but of peace. 1 Corinthians 14:33

A quote from Marilyn Rockett in her book, Homeschooling at the Speed of Life:

God gives instruction to His people to do things decently and in order because that reflects Who He is. Chaos in the things we do, whether it's in our worship or our homes or our lives, does not please Him.

Wow! That is a favorite quote of mine! I desire so much to please God, but is my home reflecting Him and pleasing Him? Am I being a good steward of what He has given me? Time is a gift from God. Have I been wasting His gift? Lately, yes! I need to be purposeful with my time. So, what does that entail for me?

Planning ahead. Making a schedule and sticking to it!! Menu planning. Shopping strategies, instead of just winging it. More intentional homeschool days with sons. Planned organization and decluttering...and sticking to it!!

The list could go on and on...

All these things used to be a part of our lives, but they have flown out the window in the last few months. I miss the days of structure. They give me a peace of mind, not cluttery thoughts.

So, this is my plan. I will be more intentional to plan out my days. School work will be planned 2 weeks in advance. Chores will be planned out and the time that they need to be accomplished. While I am working on decluttering the kitchen and pantry, a menu will be planned. Also, the grocery list and coupons will be updated. My expense notebook will be updated at each and every purchase. AND I will only be on the computer for 30 minutes 3 times a day!!!

I have to admit, that last one hurts!! I know that my list seems rather vague and too much to work on at one time. But my life and my home needs it! With God's grace, He will enable me to accomplish the things He desires for me to do. So, keep me in your prayers. And check back to keep me accountable!!! I will post about this along and along. I will leave you with another quote from Marilyn Rockett:

Purposeful family living relates to organization that relates to self-discipline that relates to diligence that relates to commitment. Self-discipline is a mutual effort between the indwelling Holy Spirit and our will yielded to God's authority~ something in which we all can improve. The path is not the end; it is the means. To be the family God has designed, we must have commitment; but commitment won't take us anywhere without diligence in the means to get there. Diligence requires self-discipline or self-control (a fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22-23) that leads to organization in the best sense of the word~ those choices we make~ which produces purposeful family living that gives glory to God.

Making my home sing~ to the glory of God!!!

Reflecting On the Cross~Sundays March 14th~The Blood

2010-03-14T08:00:00.000-04:00

And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear, knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 1 Peter 1:17-19

Reflecting on the Cross makes me think of the precious Blood that redeemed me. What can wash away my sins? NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD OF JESUS!!

Its the Blood that washes me, cleanses me, redeems me, sanctifies me, purifies me, protects me from my enemy, makes you and I saints in God's eyes, and ushers me into the presence of God. I could go on and on about the Blood.

Have you ever considered that if Christ hadn't died once and for all, we would still be needing to kill animals to have their blood be our atoning sacrifice! I can't stand the thought of that. And especially since it didn't do the job!! At least, not completely! When Moses read the Law to the people, he had to sprinkle everything and everyone with the blood of animals in order for them to be cleansed. Can you imagine having blood put on you? Honestly, it sounds gross. I'm sorry if that offends anyone, but I'm just not a fan of having blood being put on me. Its one thing to get a cut or something, but to have an animals blood on me just doesn't appeal to me.

But that is the way it was for the people to be cleansed for a HOLY GOD Who can not and will not stand for sin!! The Law was given in order to show us our complete sinfulness and to lead us to Christ and His Blood shed on the Cross. (Romans 7:13, Galatians 3:22-29, Romans 15:4, 1 Corinthians 10:11)

And according to the Law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. Hebrews 9:22

I am so thankful that all I have to do is have faith in the shed Blood of Christ on the Cross!! He is my Redeemer, my High Priest. He owns me because He bought me with His perfect Blood. I am His forever and ever because of that Blood. And He is mine. I can say with John the Baptist,

"Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:29

So, as I reflect on His Blood and what It means for me and you, I include a song to help us worship Him.

And remember, if you want, write a post on your blog about your reflecting on the Cross, then link it here on MckLinky. Then, leave me a comment.

Blessings,

Thankful Thursday~March 11, 2010

2010-03-12T03:57:00.002-05:00

Right now it is 4am Friday morning...My mind is reeling with so many things I need to do. Sleep is a luxury for me these days. So, here I am being Thankful!

First of all, I'm thankful for my Savior and His loving convictions. He has convicted me this week about many things. Even though it can be painful at times, it is also very rewarding knowing that He cares for me enough to set me straight. Thank You, Jesus!

Secondly, I am thankful that my ultrasound of our baby BOY looks healthy and normal. I praise God for that! Now its time to forget about all the GIRL names, and focus on BOY names!!!! Boy number 3 is going to make life even more interesting!!

Thirdly, I am thankful for my family. Even though they laugh at me every day, I know that they love me...even with all my faults. I am thankful that we laugh together as a loving family. "Baby brain" keeps them on their toes!! LOL!

Fourthly, I am thankful that our new heating and cooling unit is still working, even though it looked as if it was not working properly last week. And I'm thankful that my hubby kept his head on straight (somewhat, with a little encouragement from me) during the whole deal.

And Fifthly, I am thankful for SLEEP... when I can get it!!!!!!

Making My Home Sing~Laundry Duty!

2010-03-08T08:00:00.001-05:00

Laundry! Ugh! Just the thought makes me cringe. But I got a hankering the other day to clean up the laundry room...Maybe I'll be more thrilled to do the laundry if the room is little more...Shall we say, Inviting?

So, here are the results. But beware, the before is a little ugly!

BEFORE

And AFTER

Boy, was the floor a mess! So much dirt and sand and grime built up in that little area. Clothes lost in the bottomless pit of piles. Things I had forgotten that I had to wear. It was almost as if I went shopping again!! LOL!

Now, to just keep it this way.

I'll think about that tomorrow... When I'm doing another load of the never ending laundry!

Reflecting On the Cross~Sundays March 7th

2010-03-07T10:45:00.004-05:00

In this is Love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 John 4:10

When I think of the Cross of Christ, I am AMAZED!

It amazes me that God would love me so much to suffer for me. Who am I that He should look upon me and love me so??

It amazes me that Jesus would even consider becoming my sin in order to save me from it!!

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

It amazes me and even makes me cry sometimes when I gaze upon the Cross and think how I've been so unfaithful to Him in my life. Oh Jesus, forgive me! He loves me even in my unfaithfulness!

It amazes me how the Cross still, and always will, work in my life. The power of the Cross will stand forever.

Jesus Amazes me!

Are you amazed?

Reflecting On the Cross~Sundays

2010-03-06T19:44:00.004-05:00

Welcome! As Resurrection Day is approaching, I want to take time each Sunday to reflect what the Cross of Christ means to me. The Beautiful Cross, the Terrible Cross, the Awesome Cross of Christ! Considering what He endured for me to set me free from the bondage of sin.

Join me each Sunday, until Resurrection Day, or even after that. Write a post, mentioning "Reflecting On the Cross" and link back to me. Come back and link up with MckLinky. Share your post with the rest of us, so that we can all be encouraged as we "reflect" together. Also, after you link up, leave me a comment. Would love to hear from you.

Grab a button, too, and add it to your post if you like.

Happy Reflecting,

I Got a Makeover! What Do Ya Think?

2010-03-05T21:54:00.003-05:00

I was desperately in need of something different, something new and fresh. Pleasing to the eye. So, I started searching, and searching, and searching.

What I found was Lena at Simply Fabulous Blogger Templates! Her templates are great. She has free ones and premade ones. Since I obviously don't know what I'm doing, I chose a premade...Which it turns out to be a good thing because...

When everything was put into place, meaning the template, when I checked on it, everything was going crazy!! And Lena comes to the rescue! Across the entire country she calls me to help. How nice is that?

She went far beyond the extra mile to help me.

Thank you, Lena! You saved the day, and you saved my blog! May God bless you!

Then Sings My Soul Saturday~ Lead Me To the Cross

2010-03-05T20:53:00.003-05:00

This is my first time to be a part of this. I love music, especially Praise and Worship songs. Be it contemporary or hymns...If they praise and magnify the Lord and what He has done for you and for me, I love it.

So here's the song that I picked for today. I love this song...It leads me to God's presence to worship Him... to love Him... to remember all that He has done for me... to remember that it's not about me... More of Him and Less of me!!! Lead me to the Cross of my Savior!

Making My Home Sing!! March 1st

2010-02-28T20:58:00.000-05:00

This is my first time to be a part of "Home Singing Mondays" hosted by Moms the Word. This is such a great idea!! Thanks, Nan.

This week is my birthday week, so I plan to do some things that I've been needing to do and been wanting to do. First, the cleaning started this weekend. And I mean REAL cleaning!! The "get down and dirty" cleaning has been neglected for a while, so the house is desperate. I'm tired of looking at all the dust and grime everywhere. So... I'm motivated to work!!

At least, today! Tomorrow is my birthday, so the cleaning may have to wait. Maybe that's something the kids can give me~~ A sparkling clean home!! One son will do anything to get out of doing his schoolwork! Tee Hee! Hmmm, I must think about this some more...

Of course, I need to wash some of those "lost" clothes. They're lost in that huge pile in the laundry room. Hopefully, I can squeeze myself in there to get to the washer.

Another thing that needs to be done is the menu planning. I say this probably every week. But I tend to "wing it" more often than I like. Winging it just doesn't come naturally to me since I'm not a bird!!

So, you see, there are a lot of things that I need to do to make my home sing. We'll see how things go...After all, it is my birthday WEEK!! LOL!

Forgiveness is Required...

2010-02-28T18:14:00.003-05:00

...even when we are justified in our anger and frustration!!! Even when those who have "trespassed against you" is not worthy of forgiveness. They did it again!! So I feel that I am justified in feeling unforgiveness toward them. BUT...

Jesus says, "If you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses!" (Matthew 6:14-15)

I NEED God's forgiveness. Especially in moments like this, when I feel justified. I need to humble myself under the mighty hand of God and be a doer of His Word. I need to remember that they are just people just like me, and I mess up all the time.

So, right now, I choose to forgive them! I choose to think good thoughts toward them and walk in love.

This is not easy, but with the help of the Holy Spirit, I can do it. My pursuit is too important to me.

"Lord, my prayer is that you would bless them right now. Protect them and keep them in your care. Draw them closer to You so that their soul and spirit would be quenched with Your presence. Amen."

Thankful Thursday~February 25th, 2010

2010-02-25T18:24:00.002-05:00

It's nice to get back in to the habit of Thankfulness! Honoring God is my main goal in life, so I desire to magnify Him with Praise and Thanksgiving.

First, I am thankful, of course, for my Savior and Lord for rescuing me from the bondage of sin. He is teaching me so much about living a holy life for Him. I am grateful for His constant presence and my constant growing!!

Second, I am thankful for my loving Grandad, who had blessed me in so many ways in my childhood years, and now in his death, he has blessed me even more. As being a beneficiary in his life insurance, he has provided a way for my family to be able to purchase a new heating and cooling unit. If it hadn't been for the money from his insurance, we would not have been able to purchase a new unit. We have been desperate for a new unit, but no way to buy one. So, now we have a new one, praise God! Now we will hopefully have bills that are affordable each month, thanks to God and my Grandaddy.

Thirdly, I'm thankful that my husband is able to install the new unit, himself. He is so knowledgeable about things like this, that it makes it easier on us not having to hire someone else to do the job. Thank you, hubby!!

Fourthly, I am thankful for my kids and my new baby on the way. The pregnancy is going pretty well right now, so I'm thankful for that!!

Lastly... (not really), I am thankful for my blog which gives me a way to reach out and be a light to someone out there. I am hopeful that my words will bless someone and honor my Lord. May I encourage someone to pursue holiness and righteousness throughout their days through my struggles and triumphs!!

Blessings to all of His Saints out there,
Saint Shellie

Biblical Submission: Week 3 Part 1

2010-02-21T17:33:00.005-05:00

The difference between Submission and Obedience is something I've never really thought about before. So I appreciate Sunny's perspective on this.

Its all about the heart! What is my heart's attitude toward my husband? Am I willing to adapt myself to him? That would be me yielding to him submissively, according to the definition of submission. Am I willing to change my wants and desires for his sake, in order to show respect and honor to him? And changing my wants and desires to line up with his wants and desires!! That would be true yielding and adapting, which would definitely take a good, honest relationship!!

Obedience, on the other hand, requires "submission" without having to like it!! I really don't need to yield or adapt myself in order to obey.

But, I would like to say that, in order to keep a relationship with my Heavenly Father, I must submit to HIM and OBEY HIM. So, obedience does require some sort of relationship experience. I obey the Lord because I love Him and want to please Him. I want to yield and adapt myself to Him, which is submission! So, my opinion is that submission and obedience are so closely related and it all depends on the heart!!!

Until next time... Keep Pursuing Him!!!

Is Genesis for Today??

2010-02-17T15:44:00.010-05:00

I believe most Christians would answer that question with a firm "NO!" But why? Is the Old Testament meant to be forgotten? Did Jesus do away with the Old Testament? Certainly He came to fulfill the Law and Its requirements, but did He do away with them forever? And another thing, what Law are we talking about?

Let's get this straight. We are talking about the 10 Commandments and the other laws that GOD gave to His people, NOT the doctrines of men!! If you read the New Testament carefully, you will notice that when Jesus rebuked the Pharisees, He was NOT rebuking them for teaching and obeying the Law, but for teaching DOCTRINES OF MEN.

Now that we got that straight, let's get back to our original question. Is Genesis for Today? Or is it something that we should just gloss over when we read it?

My family and I love the Answers in Genesis ministry! We have learned so much in the last few years from them and it has changed our way of looking at things. That's actually called Worldview! They, along with the Holy Spirit, have shown us that to effectively evangelize...you have to go back to Genesis!! Many, many times Jesus quoted Genesis, including the LITERAL SIX Creation days, Adam and Eve, and Noah and the flood. And that was not all. When He quoted Scripture, He quoted the OLD TESTAMENT!!! If you think about it, there was NO New Testament yet!!!! If you read the Gospels, Jesus says many times, "Have you not read...?" And He was speaking of the OT!!! So, if Jesus thought Genesis was important and LITERAL, then I do, too!!!

Speaking of evangelizing, Jesus started at The Beginning and so did Paul and the other apostles. When Paul and the others were evangelizing the Jews, they didn't have to explain the Creator, Creation, and how Sin was "birthed" into this world. The Jews already had that foundation!!! BUT, when they evangelized the Gentiles, they always started with the Creation story and explained how Sin entered the world!!!! That foundation had to be laid for them to understand WHY they needed a Savior!!!

Is it any different today???? When you mention a Savior to an unbeliever, do they really understand what you are talking about?? In this country, the word "sin" is sometimes misunderstood. I think it is even a lost concept. I think people really don't understand what they need to be saved from!!

Well, that's where Genesis chapters 1-11 come in. The Beginning! The Six Day Creation! The First People and the entrance of Sin!!! The Flood, which was the first Judgement! AND the Promise of a SAVIOR!!!!! Jesus was promised to us in the book of GENESIS!!!! How can we forget that?? How can we say that Jesus wanted to do away with that??? If we won't believe the literal History of Genesis, then we are saying that we don't believe the literal History of Jesus!!! If we won't believe the beginning, how can we say we believe the other parts?? And how can we ask unbelievers to believe the New Testament if they shouldn't believe the Old Testament from the very first verse????

I will encourage you to re-think Genesis. What are your beliefs about it? Do you believe the Literal-ness of it, or do you think its just a cute story??

Please scroll down to the bottom of the page to listen to a short radio segment from Answers in Genesis. It is just under 2 minutes, so it won't take too much of your time. My prayer is that the Lord will bless you!!!!

Keep Pursuing,
Saint Shellie

Dealing with Emotions

2010-02-16T19:49:00.005-05:00

Every day I wake up with a different emotion. I never know how or what I will be thinking and feeling when I awake. And it can be so frustrating!

The night before, I go to bed being thankful that the day is over and another is on the way. The Lord's compassions are new everyday, and I lean so much on that promise. Knowing that a new day is ahead, with new beginnings, is a refreshing thought to me.

BUT, when I wake up with so many thoughts and who knows what emotion, my day will sometimes not start the way I want it.

Some days I will be motivated to seize the day, but most days I'm either unmotivated, slightly depressed, discontented, frustrated, and sometimes even angry.

So, what's a girl to do? Taking my thoughts captive can be a hard thing to do. Especially in the mornings... before I have my coffee!! LOL!

I am thankful that I don't have to listen to my feelings, or be a slave to my feelings. But God has provided a way for me to conquer my emotions. For one thing, I can pray and seek His Presence and His Word to renew my mind.

Lately, I've been dealing with discontentment and frustration with myself and others. And the Lord has been dealing with ME about this, as well! These are little subtle sins that I sometimes hold on to, even when I know that I shouldn't. But like I said, God is helping me to see the deception of these sins. I am learning contentment, just as Paul did. I will post my thoughts on this in the next few days.

My emotions can sometimes take me by storm. It has been said that the wife and mother sets the tone in the home. So when emotions are stirring in my mind and in my heart, I know that the tone that I am setting is not so good.

Lord, help me with my emotions. Help me to gain control of my thoughts and feelings when they are leading me astray, so that I can ultimately glorify You in my heart and mind and in my home. In Jesus Name, Amen!!

I'm Back!

2010-02-08T20:46:00.003-05:00

I know that I haven't posted anything in a while. Honestly, there have been many things in my head that I've wanted to post, but the "daily-ness" of life has gotten in my way. I'm feeling better these days, so now I'm a bit motivated to get back into the swing of things. So that means cleaning, cooking, exercising, school schedules, and...blogging!

There has been many things going on with me and my family during these non-blogging days, so now I just need to catch up with what I want to post.

So, stay tuned.

Blessings,
Saint Shellie

Walking In Love In the New Year

2010-01-20T17:36:00.005-05:00

In my pursuit for holiness, my heartfelt desire has been for the Lord to reduce me to love. My prayer at the beginning of the year was that of John the Baptist, "He must increase, and I must decrease." But how sad it is to see in myself how badly I want to stay right where I am!! That is a dangerous prayer to pray because God is definitely testing me.

And being pregnant doesn't help in this endeavor. Perpetual PMS symptoms can keep me in a state of mind that does NOT want to walk in love, much less walking in "like". :) And of course, the people that God uses to test you are the ones you live with.

So, for the coming months, my kids and I are going to focus on learning to walk in love. In our Daily Bread studies we are focusing on Sowing Seeds of Godly Character. We began this by learning what God says about sowing and reaping a harvest. Then about our hearts, because that is where the seeds of God's Word is sown. We are the "farmers", cultivating the soil in our hearts and then sowing the seeds, while God is the One Who gives the harvest of Godly Character Fruits.

While doing and practicing Godly Character, we could have began with diligence, responsibility, self control, thankfulness, etc., etc. But I was feeling the tug to start with Love. Why?

Well, 1st Corinthians 13 tells us that we can do all these good and Godly things, but have not love, we are NOTHING!! Boy, that will make you think! Now, I must put this in~~~ Is walking in love always lovey-dovey all the time? No, there is a time when tough love comes into play. But that is another post...

Getting back to the reason I felt we needed to start with love was this verse:
1st Thessalonians 3: 12-13 And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all the saints.

Wow! In our pursuit, we must begin with love for others while we are dealing with our "pet sins". I'll admit, this is going to be difficult for me. Sure I can walk in love for fellow believers, but when it comes to ones I live with, I need help!!!!! I am a selfish person!! I am a proud person!! I like to be right!! I like to have the last word!!

So, as you can see, this is going to be quite a challenge for me. But, I'm up for the challenge, hormones and all.

Here is a favorite quote by Cynthia Heald:

"Anytime love is pursued, the pursuer can never be the same, for it is the nature of love to transform."

Keep pressing on,
Saint Shellie

Do You Deal With Any "Respectable" Sins?

2010-01-09T20:40:00.004-05:00

I've said before that I really believe that the Lord is bringing up a remnant of followers that will stand up and do what's right, no matter the cost. And that "cost" may be other believers who just don't understand your convictions and your change of lifestyle, and accuse you of being legalistic! Now, in order to do what is right, we must know what God says in His Holy Word, New Testament and Old Testament! Yes, we have His Grace now through the Blood, but that doesn't mean we can just do what we want!! God still wants us to please Him with our actions... And our motives behind those actions. Look up the word please in your concordance in the NT, and find out what God says about it.

Why do I think that the Lord is bringing up a remnant? Well, its the last days and God requires a spotless Bride!!! Think about it.

Now my challenge to you (and to myself) is to examine yourself and ask the Lord to examine and search your heart to reveal if there is ANYTHING that needs to change. Ungodliness, pride, anger, selfishness, your tv viewing choices, your choice of clothing, gossiping, etc... The list could go on, but you get the point. Throughout the NT, the Lord commands us to examine ourselves. But do we honestly do that? Do we honestly do that, comparing ourselves to the Standard of a Holy God?

God is a Merciful God...AND He is a HOLY God!!!! He loves us, so much so, that He doesn't want us to continue in our "little, respectable" sins.

Please take the time to watch this video. I saw this on another blog that I enjoy. And I had to add it here.

Blessings,
Saint Shellie

HELP! I Can't Function Like This!!

2010-01-03T17:19:00.005-05:00

Sleeping all day can sometimes be a paradise, but when you really need to get some things done, sleep can be a tremendous problem!!! Having absolutely no energy is no fun! My poor family is suffering so. I haven't cooked in so long... Their getting sick of cereal and sandwiches! I've tried to tell my dh that he needs to learn how to cook!!! Maybe now he will understand why.

The house is a dusty mess. The floors need to be vacuumed. Chores come in handy at times like these. So, really no worries here.

My biggest concern at the moment is... our homeschool!!!! We are supposed to start back tomorrow, but how am I going to get myself up to do it??? Help! We are so far behind already.

I don't remember ever being this exhausted with my other pregnancies, so this is so new to me. I'm hoping the next few weeks will be better.

Just musing,
Saint Shellie

Pregnant at the Ripe Ol' Age of 38!!

2009-12-28T19:37:00.005-05:00

Yep! You read it right. I'm just at 9 weeks pregnant! The days have been filled with complete exhaustion and frequent nausea. And because of this, housework and schoolwork has been slipping and sliding to the wayside! Christmas has come and gone for another year, so now is the time to get back to "normal" living... if that is even possible at the moment.

I will post, of course, about my journey through this pregnancy, along with what God is doing in me to prepare me for this new season in our lives.

Blessings,
Saint Shellie

Two of My Favorite Christmas Movies

2009-12-15T18:32:00.004-05:00

There are so many Christmas movies out there, and so many versions of the same ones. But out of just about all of them, my two favorites are...A Christmas Carol and It's a Wonderful Life. This month, my son and I are reading A Christmas Carol and he is doing a lapbook to reinforce his learnings of the literature. This is the first time to actually read the story, so we are getting so much out of it. I love it so much because it is a redemption story...through Christ!!! Not only is Scrooge changed to "do good", but is actually born again!! That fact can't be denied in the story. And another thing I like about it is that it's never too late for redemption! No matter how old you are and how many mistakes you've made, Christ is ready to save you!! Of course, we are also watching one of the movies. My absolutely favorite version is Scrooge. Albert Finney plays Scrooge, and he is such a fantastic actor. And this is the version I saw as a child when our school class went to see it in the theater... in the '70s!! So, if you havent't seen it, try to find it and watch it with your family. It's great!!

Another favorite is It's a Wonderful Life. What a great movie for your kids to watch to see what it really means to "reap what you sow!" James Stewart is another great actor and this has got to be his greatest film. At least, that's my opinion, even though I haven't seen all of his films. LOL! Just to see how he put his wishes aside to help so many people in his community...And then to see how they come running to help when he was in desperate need! Sowing and Reaping! What a concept.

So, to reflect on our own lives... How can we change our ways to look more to the poor around us? What ways can we sow into other people's lives? Just a thought to ponder!

I know this time of the year can be quite busy. But how about get some popcorn and hot chocolate with your family and kick back and watch these movies. You may just get a new perspective.

Blessings to You and Merry Christmas,
Saint Shellie

Dealing with Anxiety

2009-12-09T16:34:00.003-05:00

Troubles come and troubles go. Questions arise, with or without answers. Many days come along and go as planned, without a second thought about it. But then there are days that bring with it many unexpected things that can bring on anxiety!

How do we deal with this anxiety? These questions in our minds? These doubts that plaque us continually throughout the day, or week, or maybe a month or more? Is anxiety good for us? Can it bring us closer to our Savior, or does it ultimately lead us away from Him? Does anxiety come from our Lord, ... or from our enemy??

To tell the truth, I deal with anxiety at the oddest times. Early in the mornings before I even wake up! From out of nowhere, a thought will pop into my head about something I need to do, something I forgot about, or something that seems so urgent at the time. How annoying this is!! Then, of course, I can't go back to sleep because I'm fretting over this thought that won't go away. Well, if I get up, have my coffee and time with the Lord, I will eventually get over it and will realize how ridiculous it was.

But there are some days that an anxiety will get the best of me. What do I do? Fret and pray. Then, honestly, fret and pray some more. Now is this honoring God? I would have to say, "No!" Now here's a bold question for ya, ...

Is anxiety a sin??

Let's look at the Word of God and see what He says about anxiety.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Now back to my question... Is anxiety a sin? Well I look at God's Word as commands, not suggestions. So when Paul, who wrote this under the inspiration of God, says to be anxious for NOTHING, then I see that being full of anxiety is going against The Word.

Is anxiety, itself, sin? Well, I would say no, but it's what we DO with it that can be sinful. When we take that anxiety and run with it and fret about it, then it is sinful. We have to ask ourselves, "Do we really trust God?" Do we trust God's providence in our lives? Can we believe that this "thing" that we are experiencing is part of a bigger plan to make us more like Him? And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son... Romans 8:28-29.

God tells us to cast all our cares on Him because He cares for us. (1 Peter 5:7) So, He knows that we will have things that make us anxious and worrisome, but He wants us to take those things and give them to Him. Isn't that something to be thankful for? Being anxious about something does not make me feel good. I physically feel terrible when I'm anxious. But to be able to give it to Him... and then trust Him to deal with it, that makes me feel better.

Jesus, Himself, had an extreme anxiety attack when He was praying about His upcoming crucifixion. So much so that He was sweating blood! Now was that anxiety sin? Of course not!! We're talking about sinless Jesus!! It's what He did with this anxiety. He prayed that the Father would take the cup from Him, BUT not His will, but the Father's will be done!! He was casting His care on His Father, giving it to Him, and was trusting in God's Providence!!

This morning was one of those mornings when something came up and made me very anxious. Of course, I fretted and prayed, but then fretted some more. I finally had to face up to it and do what needed to be done, but only after I finally gave it to God. I had to tell myself to not worry, that God would take care of the situation, regardless of the outcome. And it turned out that everything worked out beautifully. Better than I even expected! God is good! He's always good, even when things look bad. We can always trust His Providence! So, don't fret, don't worry, He is our Father who loves us with an everlasting love.

The next time anxiety attacks, my prayer is that you (and I) would be encouraged by these words and would quickly remember to be anxious for nothing and to cast our cares on Him!!

Blessings,
Saint Shellie

A Change in Focus! And a Challenge to You!!

2009-12-03T21:00:00.004-05:00

But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly, or of necessity; For God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9: 6-7

We've made a decision... This Christmas season, we are taking the focus off of ourselves and putting the focus on our Savior. Each year we get sucked into the "gimmes" and what we want, but not this year! We are going to do what Jesus would want us to do. To be extravagant givers!!! We are going to give each other a gift, just not many gifts. Instead, with the money that we would spend on ourselves, we are going to spend it on families who need help. We have adopted 2 families in our area who can't afford to buy gifts for their kids. We hope to shower them with gifts that show them the love of our Savior. Sprinkled with little notes hidden in the wrapping to share that God loves them and He cares for them. And that there is someone praying for them.

Of all the "things" that I would love for my kids to get for Christmas, THIS is the one I want them to "get" most of all!! It's not about us, but about HIM! To take our eyes off of ourselves is a practice in dying to ourselves. The "gimme gimmes" only feeds selfishness. Our lists of all our wants only feeds our carnal flesh. That doesn't honor God. But being extravagant givers does please Him!

I'm excited! My kids are even excited. We all are excited about doing this. And I'm excited about how my family will be blessed. I'm excited about how these families will be blessed and how seeds will be sown into their hearts. Who knows, they may have never been told that they are loved and cherished by their Creator. But they will know now. Because we will tell them! I am believing that God will use this for their good.

So, my challenge to you is... What are YOU willing to do differently this Christmas to reveal the real meaning of the season?? Let me know. I would love to hear your thoughts.

Blessings to You this Christmas!
Saint Shellie

P.S. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on my Christmas message to you. You will be taken to another page (kids4truth). I promise, you will enjoy it.

A Wife's Biblical Submission~Week Two, Part Two

2009-11-30T18:22:00.004-05:00

The Modern Day Rib... To Bless and Protect...

As I said in the first post, I understand the blessing part, but not necessarily the protecting part. Aren't they supposed to protect us? We are the weaker vessel, after all...

I can see ways in which I should protect my hubby. Nowadays, men are put down, feminized, and made to look stupid. And yes, I will admit, I am really bad about focusing on his faults! I tend to notice those things before I TAKE notice of all the good things that he does. Shame on me! And believe it or not, I have been working on this.

And, I have gotten better about protecting him from family members who can tend to be demanding of his time. What it means that he worked all night long and he needs some rest!! Some just can't understand that. But anyway...

I know that I have a long way to go in blessing and protecting my hubby. Over the years, I have moved forward in my walk with the Lord and I have changed in the way I treat my dh. For the better, of course. But I still have a long way to go.

Thank you, Sunny, for the wonderful insight!

May You Have a...

2009-11-25T18:58:00.002-05:00

Blessings,

Banana Bread~Modified! :)

2009-11-24T12:23:00.004-05:00

This is my first recipe to post. I have modified it from the original recipe provided by Jane Fonda in her book, Cooking for Healthy Living. I have experimented with this recipe many times, using different flours and sugar substitutes. I also added chocolate chips! Each time was pretty good, but the last time it turned out dry. But this time, I have to say, it turned out quite yummy! :) So here's the original recipe with my BEST modification.

Jane's Recipe:~~~~~~~~~~~~~~My Recipe:

2c unbleached flour~~~~~~~~~2c unbleached Whole Wheat flour

2tsp baking powder~~~~~~~~~ 2tsp baking powder

1/2tsp baking soda~~~~~~~~~~ 1/2tsp baking soda

1/2tsp salt~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1/2tsp salt

4 large, overripe bananas~~~~~~ 4 large, overripe bananas

2 egg whites~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2 egg whites, or 1 egg

3/4c sugar~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3/4c Organic Agave Nectar

1/4c lowfat buttermilk~~~~~~~~ 1/4c milk

1tsp vanilla extract~~~~~~~~~~ 1tsp vanilla extract

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ some chocolate chips!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl from the wet ingredients. Then mix dry with wet, or vice versa. Mix slowly, never too harsh. Then add chocolate chips.

Bake for 55-60 minutes and voila!! Now you have a moist and tasty banana bread! Enjoy!

A Wife's Biblical Submission~Week Two

2009-11-22T17:53:00.002-05:00

The Wife & The Rib~~to PROTECT and BLESS...

I've always thought about why God chose to use Adam's rib to form Eve. Sure, I've thought about husbands not walking all over their wives and wives being by their husband's side. Notice how that kind of thinking is for MY benefit!!! How selfish of me!

I can honestly say I've never thought of the woman being formed in order to protect and bless her man! Sure, to bless him...I get that. But to protect him? Isn't that what the man is supposed to do for his woman?

I love my husband, and I know that God has brought me a long way to move me away from the feminism movement and that line of thinking. I try to bless my husband by serving him. But protecting him is so new to me.

Can't wait to get to Sunny's next lesson to see what the Lord has revealed to her about this.

I Want To Be a Separatist!

2009-11-22T15:16:00.007-05:00

Being a part of a Church that is so large can be somewhat...lonely. When we started going to the Church that we attend, it was not so big. It was easier to meet people and be a part of things. I felt like I was among them and belonged with them.

But now, after 10yrs. of being a part of this Church, it has grown to be a mega Church in our city. Now I feel so lost in the crowd, a needle in a haystack. As a family, we aren't "connected" with anyone there anymore. Our family has been going down another path, one that has been different than our Church. BUT we ( mainly my dh) have not felt led to leave. I mean, where do ya go??? Where can you can find a group of people that want to serve God, even if it means giving up your comfortable lifestyle?

Well today, we visited a very small Church that was giving a presentation of the true history of the first Thanksgiving. It turned out that I knew the pastor's wife, who is a homeschool mom, and another homeschool mom. And it appeared to be full of homeschoolers. ~~~Sometimes you can just tell.~~~ :)

So afterward, I was thinking...These people were basically Separatists, just like the first Separatists leaving the Church of England. This small Church was filled with people separating themselves from the "Church of America." They were different! Not your usual " I'll go to church, but let me be" group.

My sons didn't know what to think bc they aren't used to this type of church. They're used to the praise and worship music, not hymns out of hymnals. So, they felt totally out of place. And I'll admit, it was a bit different.

But I have to ask myself, "Do I want to be comfortable, or fruitful?" "Do I want to be like everyone else, or do I want to go down that narrow(er) path that He's been leading me down?"

All I know is that I want to be a part of a Church that is not afraid to speak the Truth!!! Even if it means that you could be arrested!!! Call sin for what it is...Sin! Call wickedness what it is...Wickedness!!! The Church we are a part of has gotten so afraid to offend anyone!!! And I'm so sick of it!

So, I've decided... I want to be a Separatist! Of the Church of today's America. My prayer is that He would lead us to another Church... One that desires to live separately!!!
Saint Shellie

Thankful Thursday~November 19th

2009-11-19T23:16:00.004-05:00

Today, I'm thankful for...

God's Word...This week, it's been Psalm 37! I really needed that Psalm!!! God is Faithful!

My family's good health.

Tomorrow's Friday! Praise God!

My DH's job. God always provides!

Friends and Family!

A shredder! No explanation needed!

Blessings,
Saint Shellie

Things I've Recently Learned

2009-11-19T15:40:00.004-05:00

You can freeze cooked sweet potatoes. Who knew? Well, obviously not me!

A shredder gets jammed if you put a CD in it. Even if it does say that it can shred CDs. And it's hard to un-jam them!!! That Beauty just didn't want to let go!!!!

Sometimes it's best to keep your mouth shut!

It's hard to catch up...

Too much information can sometimes be, well,...too much!

I really do have friends who actually like me...for me!~~Even if they are "virtual"! LOL!

Saint Shellie

Why Do I Call Myself a Saint?

2009-11-16T19:50:00.014-05:00

I can understand why some may find it offensive that I call myself Saint Shellie. Let's face it, in our society today we are taught that saints are someone who live their lives in perpetual "perfectness". Never giving in to their flesh, but always doing everything exactly right...ALL THE TIME. Now, we know that no one ever lives to that standard; only Jesus Christ did. And I will be the first to admit that I am far from that perfect life.

But I do know who I am IN CHRIST! In Christ ALONE, I am a saint. But before I go any further, let's take a look at what God's Word says. Who does God call saints? What "kind" of people are they?

2 Corinthians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the Church of God which is at Corinth, with all the SAINTS who are in all Achaia.

1 Corinthians 1:2 To the Church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are SANCTIFIED in Christ Jesus, called to be SAINTS, with ALL who in every place call on the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Now, taken from the book Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges...

The church at Corinth was all messed up, both theologically and morally. They were proud and fractious; they tolerated gross immorality, sued each other in court, flaunted their freedom in Christ, abused the observance of the Lord's Supper, misunderstood the purpose of spiritual gifts, and were confused about the future resurrection of the believers. Yet when writing to them, Paul addressed them as "saints."

The popular meaning of words often changes over time, based on their common usage. So today we wouldn't think of those messed-up Corinthians as saints. We might call them worldly, carnal, or immature, but certainly not saints. In the Roman Catholic tradition, sainthood is conferred posthumously on Christians of exceptionally outstanding character and achievement.

Well, I have to say, if I were Catholic, I would never be considered for sainthood after my passing because I definitely do not measure up to their standards. Rather, I tend to be more like the Corinthians. Now more from Respectable Sins...

How then could the apostle Paul address the messed-up believers at Corinth as saints? In fact, this form of address seems to be a favorite of Paul's. He uses it in several of his letters and frequently refers to believers as SAINTS. How could Paul refer to ordinary believers, even the problem-plagued ones at Corinth, as saints?

Romans 1:7 To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints.

Romans 16:15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.

Ephesians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 37:28 For the Lord loves justice, and does not forsake His saints.

And others...Philippians 1:1
Philippians 4:21-22
Colossians 1:1-2

Now, let's go back to Respectable Sins...

The answer lies in the meaning of the word as it is used in the Bible. The Greek word for saint is hagios, and it refers not to one's character but to a state of being. Its literal meaning is "one who is separated unto God." In this sense, every believer- even the most ordinary and the most immature- is a saint...

God's Word calls ME a saint. God's Word calls you a saint, if you are in Christ Jesus. Should I then be ashamed to call myself a saint? I don't think so because HE says that I am. Am I having a "holier than thou" attitude by calling myself what my Savior calls me? I would hope that the Scriptures, themselves, would be able to answer that.

I, by no means, consider myself perfect, but "I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore, let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind." Philippians 3:14-16

My prayer is that everyone who reads this, or anything else in my blog, would be able to see me, as I truly am...

A great sinner who has a great Savior... Who calls me (and you) His saint!!!

May God Bless You, His Saint!

Saint Shellie

*Quotes from book are in red only.

A Wife's Biblical Submission

2009-11-14T20:51:00.003-05:00

I came upon this study when I was searching for a Proverbs 31 Bible study. There are quite a few out there, but this one caught my eye. I am looking forward to each lesson and gleaning from other sisters in Christ in their walk toward complete Biblical Submission.

Thank you, Sunny, for following the Lord's leading and sharing your heart and wisdom. May I learn more of the Proverbs 31 woman, and truly walk in what pleases my Savior in sanctification and holiness.