Girlfriends of Grace

Here and Now...There and Then Week 3

2010-09-24T08:40:00.000-07:00

Revelation this week was Great! I loved this video. In Bible Study we are doing Here and Now, There and Then, by Beth Moore. In Session 3 we had an overview of Chapters 2 and 3, and reviewed Revelation 1:10. How encouraging that each letter includes a promise to those who overcome! It is the will of God to use the things we are going through in life to strengthen us. In whatever crisis we may be in or facing (health, job, finances, family, friends)...we are not under it...it is under you! We are overcomers, live on top of it, not underneath it. Say that to yourself every time you think of that particular situation!

These seven letters make two facts unmistakable: He is completely PRESENT and acutely AWARE! There is nothing that happens to us that surprises our Maker. He is completely PRESENT and acutely AWARE, all the time! We praise you Lord for that!

I enjoyed learning about the church in Ephesus. They hated what God hated, but did not love what He loved. Wow, something we should examine in our own lives! Our two major commands as believers are number one, to love the Lord God with all your heart, soul, and mind. The second is to love your neighbor as yourself. Love is our priority, we will never shine brighter than we love. The church at Ephesus had forsaken their first love. Jesus needs to be our first priority, when we fill ourselves up with Him, He is the one that will help us to love others. I often let the busyness of life sweep me away from my first love. What a good reminder to put God first, do not forsake your first love! Week three was great. I am excited to see what next week bring. I am praying for a fresh revelation from Jesus!

Do You Love God More Than You Love Yourself?

2010-08-04T10:35:00.000-07:00

The quest to live a holy life does not seem difficult to understand. We are to love God, follow his commands, and love others. So, why is it so difficult? Well, it is so hard because we must die to self. We must put ourselves last and take all focus off what we want.

So hard to do, my friends. As we wrapped up our studying on, "Living Like You Belong To God," the thing that struck me the most last night was the phrase, "Do you love God more than you love yourself." Just take a minute and really think about that statement. Sure, if we were to answer that right now we would say, "Of course." Examine your actions, do they match up...are you spending more time focused on God than yourself. I would have to say I fail in this area. Maybe you do too. Never fear, let's get up, dust ourselves off and jump out from that mirror of looking at how everything affects me and what I want and desire and get moving in the opposite direction. The direction of loving God more.

Take some time this week to get with God, all by yourself, leave the distractions behind (no cell phone, email, etc). Lay out what a life that is completely focused on God would look like. What areas are you measuring up, what areas are you falling short? Take a good honest look, and don't get discouraged, you are taking a huge step in changing your mindset! Make a simple checklist for yourself of things you would like to do daily. Make it a realistic list (reading my Bible each morning for 15 minutes, praying for my day before I get out of bed, show love to a neighbor in need by the end of this week). You can add to this and increase your time spent with God as the days and weeks go by.

As you look at the check marks as the days and weeks go by, feel encouraged! You are well on your way to living a God centered life!

Girls Gone Wise Book Blog 18: Influence

2010-08-04T10:33:00.000-07:00

Read the eighteenth point of contrast between a Wild and a Wise Thing (Pages 227-235)
Download and complete the Chapter Questions for Personal Reflection
Post your comments on the Blog

How can you tell when someone is exerting a negative influence? What are some symptoms?
What are some common rationalizations that women use to justify keeping the wrong company?
Describe a time when someone had a positive influence on you. What was it about him/her that impacted you positively?
What is the best way to exert a positive influence on others?
What do you need to do to be more wise and less wild when it comes to the influence you accept and exert in your life?

Girls Gone Wise Book Blog 17: Speech

2010-08-04T10:32:00.000-07:00

Read the seventeenth point of contrast between a Wild and a Wise Thing (Pages 217-225)
Download and complete the Chapter Questions for Personal Reflection
Download and complete the Conversation Peace Quiz
Post your comments on the Blog

What’s the difference between a legitimate compliment and flattery?
What’s the problem with talking excessively?
How can using words to beguile, control and manipulate a man backfire on a woman?
In which main area does your speech need improvement?

Girls Gone Wise Book Blog 16: Reliability

2010-07-22T06:47:00.000-07:00

What happens if you cross your heart with your right hand, and cross your fingers with your left? Do you still have to keep your promise? What if you’re really mad at the person with whom you’ve made the agreement? Can you get out of it then? The Wild Thing of Proverbs 7 thought so. In this Girls Gone Wise video book blog, you’ll learn about covenants. You’ll discover that even if you don’t cross your heart or sign a piece of paper—even if you just shake your head and say “yes”—even if what you said you’d do is just a little thing, your word is your word. A promise is a promise.

Read the sixteenth point of contrast between a Wild and a Wise Thing (Pages 207-215)
Download and complete the Chapter Questions for Personal Reflection
Post your comments on the Blog

Describe a time when someone close to you broke a promise they made. How did you feel? How did it affect your thoughts and feelings towards that person?
Why is it important that we are faithful in little things?
Why is keeping our word particularly important in marriage?
How can you be more faithful in the little things?

Girls Gone Wise Book Blog 15: You Deserve a Break Today

2010-07-16T06:29:00.000-07:00

The underlying message of most ad campaigns is, “Indulge. You deserve it!” The Wild Thing would agree. She feels entitled to indulge in all sorts of pleasures… visits to the spa, beauty treatments, splurging on the sexy red dress and that pricey, exotic fragrance. And if she decides to indulge in a night of forbidden romance and pleasure, who’s to say she’s shouldn’t? It’s not anybody’s business but her own! In this Girls Gone Wise video book blog, you’ll learn that a woman who willingly forfeits gratification can be infinitely happier than the one who insists on
her right to indulge.

Read the fifteenth point of contrast between a Wild and a Wise Thing (Pages 199-206)
Download and complete the Chapter Questions for Personal Reflection
Post your comments on the Blog

What are some things our culture tells us we deserve?
How does keeping our eyes on a positive future reward help us forfeit immediate gratification?
Explain what you think Paul meant when He said, “She who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives.” ( 1 Timothy 5:6)
Is there anything that the Lord is asking you to forfeit for the sake of the greater reward?

Girls Gone Wise Book Blog 14: Shop Till You Drop

2010-07-08T07:07:00.000-07:00

Calling all shopaholics… Is the pride-and-joy item in your closet a pair of Manolo Blahniks? Do you like to have a look at the label and see designer names like Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino, Armani, or Versace? If so, you may have a lot in common with the woman of Proverbs 7. She had impeccable taste! This Girls Gone Wise video book blog points out that Wild Things are intent on filling their homes and closets with designer-label fashion and all sorts of beautiful things—but that if you’re smart, you’ll set your heart on getting so much more!

Read the fourteenth point of contrast between a Wild and a Wise Thing (Pages 191-198)
Download and complete the Chapter Questions for Personal Reflection
Post your comments on the Blog

What kind of “power” does luxurious living offer? Do you feel the pull of this attraction?
What type of behavior would you expect to see in someone who “treasures the riches of the Kingdom more than the riches of the world?
Other than money, what are your most precious resources?
What can you do to invest yourself and your resources for eternity?

Girls Gone Wise Book Blog 13: Neediness

2010-07-08T07:06:00.000-07:00

Read the thirteenth point of contrast between a Wild and a Wise Thing (Pages 181-189)
Download and complete the Chapter Questions for Personal Reflection
Post your comments on the Blog

Describe some symptoms of CGS (clingy girlfriend syndrome) that you’ve observed in friends or family.
What do you think a needy woman is looking to get from a man?
Why do some women feel a sense of neediness more acutely than others?
Why will no earthly relationship ever completely quench a woman’s thirst?
What practical advice would you give to a woman to help her rely less on man and more on the Lord?

Girls Gone Wise Book Blog 12: Authenticity

2010-07-08T07:03:00.000-07:00

How do you spot a fake? Most of us wouldn’t dare deal in counterfeit cash. But yet we tolerate counterfeit spirituality. We are two-faced. Our public persona doesn’t match our private one. You can spot a counterfeit designer handbag by opening it up and examining the details. This Girls Gone Wise video book blog outlines seven signs of hypocrisy that you can spot in the life of a Wild Thing. They’ll help you know what to look for so you can tell the difference between real and fake.Read the twelfth point of contrast between a Wild and a Wise Thing (Pages 171-179)

Download and complete the Chapter Questions for Personal Reflection
Post your comments on the Blog

How does the image of a masked actor accurately reflect what a hypocrite is?
Why do woman fear being “found out” for who they really are?
Which one of the seven marks of hypocrisy do you battle with the most?
Why do you think it’s so important to aim for true authenticity?

Girls Gone Wise Book Blog 11: Boundaries

2010-06-26T08:06:00.000-07:00

Read the eleventh point of contrast between a Wild and a Wise Thing (Pages 153-169)
Download and complete the Chapter Questions for Personal Reflection
Download and complete the Personal Hedges Worksheet
Post your comments on the Blog

How does failing to heed boundaries expose a woman to potentially dangerous or compromising situations?
Do you think we can come up with a hard and fast list of boundaries that are appropriate for all circumstances? Who or why not?
Were there any hedges on the Personal Hedges Worksheet that you liked or thought were particularly important? Were there any you disliked or thought were overly restrictive?
Has anyone ever pressured you to cross a boundary that you felt uncomfortable crossing? How did you respond?
What are some challenges you face when it comes to maintaining personal hedges?

Girls Gone Wise Book Blog 10: Sexual Conduct

2010-06-26T08:05:00.000-07:00

Read the tenth point of contrast between a Wild and a Wise Thing (Pages 135-151)
Download and complete the Chapter Questions for Personal Reflection
Post your comments on the Blog

Which quote from the book do you think best explains why God created sex?
Why do you think that wrongful sexual conduct is so offensive to the Lord?
How does an unmarried woman tell the story? How does a married women tell it?
Has this chapter caused you to think differently about sex? How do you think it will affect your sexual conduct?

Summer Bible Study

2010-06-18T11:15:00.000-07:00

It was so great to meet together Wednesday night, I'm excited that so many of you are taking this journey with me this summer! I hope you liked the first night of our study, "Living Like You Belong To God." I think it will be a great six weeks! True holiness is the key to true happiness, so I'm excited to dive in!

I have set up an email list for prayer requests and other messages that need to go out. If you have not received an email yet, and you are in our class and would like too, please email me at katew806@hotmail.com and I will get you on the list!

Here is a quick look at what we discussed in week one.

This first week of study we focused on "A God Who Separates Light from Darkness." We saw that God separated the light from the darkness in Genesis 1:4, and that spiritually speaking He has been doing that ever since. I challenged us to examine our lives this week and think about the areas that were most light and most dark in our lives.

We saw that what distinguished Israel from all the other nations was that God was going with them (Exodus 33:15-16). So what about you, what distinguishes you from the world around you?

We saw in Leviticus 10:1-5 that Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, offered up strange fire to the Lord. God was not pleased with their worship and they died. In this context holy means to be set apart from the common and to be treated with great respect. The priests treated God as common and with great disrespect. Do we at times treat our role as a holy person, bought with a price (the price of the blood of Jesus), as common and with disrespect on occasion?

We saw that in 1 Peter 1: 14-16 "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance,

¹⁵but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior;

¹⁶because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY."

The way we handle these truths affects our representation of Jesus in the world! Is your holiness clearly visible to a dark world? I made this cake on Tuesday. It was very pretty, but did not have much flavor (so I won't be recommending this recipe). However, when I made it, it made me think about our lives and holiness. You see before I cut into this cake, it looked like any other cake with buttercream icing. You couldn't tell what was special about this cake. From the outside, there was nothing that would distinguish this cake from any other cake. However, when you cut into it the beautiful colors were displayed for all to see. Are you like this cake? From the outside do you look like everyone else in the world, blending in so no one can tell there is anything different about you? Or are you displaying the beauty of Jesus in you for all the world to see?

Please feel free to continue the discussion we had the other night right here on the blog. Comment below if you have anything you would like to add or discuss!

I cant' wait to see you all back next week as we talk about belonging to a Holy God!

Girls Gone Wise 9: Who Wears the Pants?

2010-06-18T11:11:00.000-07:00

Who wears the pants? And does it even matter? Because anything guys can do, girls can do better. Right? Well maybe-maybe not. But according to the Bible, roles aren’t based on who’s more capable or competent, or whose turn it is, or who wants to have a go at it. In this Girls Gone Wise Video book blog, you’ll find out that there’s a really important reason why roles matter, and why it should be the guy pursuing the girl… and not the other way around.Read the ninth point of contrast between a Wild and a Wise Thing (Pages 119-134)

Download and complete the Chapter Questions for Personal Reflection
Post your comments on the Blog

How common is the Girls-Gone-Wild pattern of the girl “seizing” and the guy “following”?
Why do you think our culture reacts negatively to the idea of differing roles and responsibilities for male and female?
Why does it matter who “wears the pants?”
Has your thinking on male/female roles changed over the years? In what way?
How does sin make it difficult to delight in our created design?
Which of the 12 gender markers do you struggle with the most?

Girls Gone Wise Book Blog 8: Flirt to Convert

2010-06-15T07:15:00.000-07:00

No one wants a reputation of being a BIG flirt—but what about just a bit of flirting? What if you just flirt for fun? Or flirt to convert? The ancient prophet Isaiah had something to say about women who’d perfected the art of “the walk” and “the look”—you know the look he’s talking about… that sultry, steamy, “come get me” one. In this Girls Gone Wise video book blog, you’ll find out when you should use body language to turn on the charm.

Read the eighth point of contrast between a Wild and a Wise Thing (Pages 93-108)
Download and complete the Chapter Questions for Personal Reflection
Post your comments on the Blog

Girls Gone Wise Book Blog 7: Appearance

2010-06-10T21:16:00.000-07:00

Read the seventh point of contrast between a Wild and a Wise Thing (Pages 93-108)
Download and complete the Chapter Questions for Personal Reflection
Post your comments on the Blog

What does it mean to dress “as a prostitute?”
How might the concept that clothing is meant to display deep and profound spiritual truths about the gospel change the way a woman dresses?
Refer to the second paragraph on page 102. Which pitfalls about the practical question of what and what not to wear have tripped you up?
In what way do the principles that a woman’s clothing ought to be “becoming, decent and moderate” challenge you?
© Mary A. Kassian, Girls Gone Wise. Visit Mary’s Website at: GirlsGoneWise.com

Girls Gone Wise Book Blog 6: Focus

2010-06-10T21:13:00.000-07:00

Read the sixth point of contrast between a Wild and a Wise Thing (Pages 83-92)
Download and complete the Chapter Questions for Personal Reflection
Post your comments on the Blog

Can you describe a time when you went “wild” lying in wait for something?
At what point does the pursuit of a legitimate desire change from being wise to wild?
Why is laying a trap so dangerous to the one who lays it?
Who gets more: the woman who is focused on getting, or the woman who is focused on giving? Why?
What can we do to maintain a Kingdom focus?
© Mary A. Kassian, Girls Gone Wise. Visit Mary’s Website at: GirlsGoneWise.com

Girls Gone Wise Book Blog 5: Habits

2010-06-05T18:59:00.000-07:00

Read the fifth point of contrast between a Wild and a Wise Thing (Pages 71-82)
Download and complete the Chapter Questions for Personal Reflection
Post your comments on the Blog

Why is it important to attend to your private world first?
Do you agree that God created women with a unique bent for the home? Why or why not?
Why do you think culture devalues the importance of a woman’s unique connection to the home?
What important habits and disciplines does a wise woman incorporate into her life?
What areas of your private life do you have a tendency to neglect? Can you share any ideas or suggestions for habits that have worked for you?

Girls Gone Wise Book Blog 4: Attitude

2010-06-01T18:33:00.000-07:00

This chapter was all about Attitude! Isn't it so true that in society today if you have a sassy and defiant attitude you are considered desirable. Culture says this kind of attitude is a virtue and calls it self confidence. I delight in the fact that the Lord created me to be soft. "According to Scripture, it's woman's softness, her ability to receive, respond, and relate, that is her greatest strength (pg 64)."

So today, take a few minutes and watch the video below by Mary Kassian and then turn in your book and ask yourself, "What kind of attitude am I going to cultivate in my life?" Enjoy!

Read the fourth point of contrast between a Wild and a Wise Thing (Pages 57-70)
Download and complete the Chapter Questions for Personal Reflection
Post your comments on the Blog

What type of disposition does culture encourage women to cultivate?
How do you feel about the fact that Adam associated manhood with “strength” and womanhood with “softness”? What do you think that means?
Do you delight in the fact that the Lord created you to be “soft”? Why or why not.
What factors might keep you from becoming increasingly gentle, calm, and amenable?
© Mary A. Kassian, Girls Gone Wise. Visit Mary’s Website at: GirlsGoneWise.com

Girls Gone Wise Book Blog 3: Approach

2010-05-28T14:48:00.000-07:00

Here is the video blog to Chapter 3: Approach

Read the third point of contrast between a Wild and a Wise Thing (Pages 45-55)
Download and complete the Chapter Questions for Personal Reflection
Post your comments on the Blog

What are some specific ways pop culture encourages women to manipulate men?
Which type of manipulation have you used the most? The least?
Can you describe an instance when being wily has blown up in your face?
How can we become less wily and and more wise in our relationships?

Girls Gone Wise Book Blog 2: Counsel

2010-05-25T15:08:00.000-07:00

Chapter 2
You can find the video book blog at www.girlsgonewise.com or you can watch it at the end of this post!

Read the second point of contrast between a Wild and a Wise Thing (Pages 35-44)
Download and complete the Chapter Questions for Personal Reflection
Take the Media Reduction Challenge
Post your comments on the Blog

Do you agree or disagree that “you’ll become what you expose yourself to”?
Do you think you’ve been influenced by things you’ve seen? How?
What adjustments have you made (do you want to make) to your media intake?
My responses to the questions above. Comment if you have anything you would like to add!

1. I agree that you'll become what you expose yourself to. You might not think it could ever happen, but it is easy to become desensitized to what you put yourself around (see, hear, and think about). Just like Mary Kassian said, it is a slow, steady drip, drip, drip, and then by the time you have been exposed to something 30 times you have it imbedded in your mind and thoughts.

2. Yes, I think I have been influenced by the things I have seen. I will never forget watching a movie with a group of friends in high school one Friday night. It was a violent movie, one that I didn't want to watch. There was a very violent scene where someone was killed, and to this day it still send shivers up my spine when something makes me remember it. I hate that it is stuck in my head. I think things we watch influence us; our moods, what we want to buy, eat, etc.

3. I have already made some adjustments in the last week by limiting my "media" intake. I cut down the amount of time I spent watching television. I thought that this would be something that would be incredibly hard for me, but surprisingly it wasn't been hard at all. I have found other things to do and occupy my time. Now, when I have actually been sitting down to watch TV I haven't even been finding it as enjoyable. I keep thinking of all the other things I would like to be doing.
The next step for me is to cut back on my internet time. I spend too much time on the internet.

Are You Swept Off Your Feet?

2010-05-21T06:17:00.000-07:00

Chapter One was all about the heart-foot connection. I encourage all of you to watch the video below even if you aren't reading along with us. You can gain little nuggets of truth even in this seven minute video. I have shared my thought below on these questions. Please share your answers and insight by commenting below.

Read the first point of contrast between a Wild and a Wise Thing (Pages 23-33)
Download and complete the Chapter Questions for Personal Reflection
Post your comments on the Blog.

Explain why the Sage told his son to take careful note of a girl’s feet.
How would the behavior of a woman who is “swept off her feet” by Jesus differ from one who is swept of her feet by other things?
What things in your life compete for the center spot in your affections?
How can you keep Christ at the center?

1. Explain why the Sage told his son to take careful note of a girl's feet.
The Sage Father tells his son that he will be able to tell a lot about a women by her walk (so true). Why? "Her walk demonstrates where her loyalty lies. It reveals whether her heart is inclined toward the Lord or toward other things--whether she's moving toward Him or away from Him, whether she prefers the path of uprightness or the path of wickedness, God's way or the world's way--whether she favors being wise or wild"(page 24-25). The small steps she takes daily add up to reveal what is important to her or where heart is in relationship to God.

2. How would the behavior of a woman who is “swept off her feet” by Jesus differ from one who is swept of her feet by other things?
If a woman is swept off her feet her attitude and speech and conduct are pleasing to God. She follows the Lord, and relies on Him. One who is swept of her feet by other things will do the things which are pleasing in her own eyes. "She will follow her own desires, turn aside from the straight and narrow, go after things she has no right to, and mess around with sin" (pg 25).

3. What things in your life compete for the center spot in your affections?
I think that a lot of times it is the "busyness" of life. I find myself getting up and wanting to get this or that done before I get into my quiet time with God. That is not the way it should be. I need to put all things aside until I have had my time alone with God. He should be my number one priority, not throwing a load of laundry in the washing machine. It can also be "me time," or what I want to do. If I find a free few minutes I will turn on my sewing machine or want to scrapbook; before I have had my time with God. Page 33 tells us that an important characteristic of a girl gone wise is that "Jesus Christ occupies first place in her heart. He is the object of her greatest affection." A good question to ask yourself is, "Are you swept off your feet in love with Jesus?" If the answer is no...you need to do some reprioritizing.

4. How can you keep Christ at the center?
By focusing on Him. Stop living the world's way and live God's way. "The more a woman's heart is seized with affection for Jesus, the more her life will be transformed to walk His way" (pg. 32).

Girls Gone Wise Book Blog Intro: Wild Thing

2010-05-18T05:45:00.000-07:00

Here is the first book blog from Mary Kassian on Girls Gone Wise (you can view her comments about this introduction at the bottom of this post by clicking on the play button). She will be posting twice a week. This post is on the introduction chapter Wild Thing. The instructions are below. I have posted my responses to the first set of questions below.

Now it’s your turn:

Read the Introduction of Girls Gone Wise, entitled “Wild Thing” (Pages 1-20)
Download and complete the Chapter Questions for Personal Reflection
Post your comments on the Blog.

What’s your definition of a Girl Gone Wild?
Do you think that women nowadays are wilder than they used to be?
Do you see any evidence of “wildness” in your own life?
What is required of us in order to withstand the pull to be wild?
Here is what I have to say about these questions. Feel free to post your responses to these questions. There is also discussion on Mary Kassian's blog site here.

1. My definition of a Girl Gone Wild is anyone who is relying on her own way (doing things on her own), rather than God's way and relying on God. I think every woman can fall into this category at some point (at different times of the day). It is important for me to remember not to rely on my own strength or on what I think I should do in a particular situation. I need to turn to God and ask Him to help me and turn to His Word to guide me. A Girl Gone Wild does not rely on God's Word to guide her conduct. To me this is the key of a girl gone wild and it can be found on page 17, "Wild is what we are whenever we disregard God and rely instead on the world's advice, or on what seems right in our own eyes."

2. Do you think that women nowadays are wilder than they used to be? My answer would be yes and no! I think woman have been wild since the beginning. We can see this as evidenced with Eve. She went against God and ate of the fruit. I think that being "wild" is more acceptable in our society today than it used to be. It is actually even viewed as attractive.

3. Do you see any evidence of "wildness" in your own life? I touched on this in the first question. There are times I try to do things my way without going to God and seeing how He would have me do them. This is wild too, not just the obvious women we see out there who are wild. I think it is important to recognize this as wild so we don't fall prey to thinking there is not "wildness" in our own lives. We must look to God and His word for guidance

4. What is required of us in order to withstand the pull to be wild? To know what it is to be wild is the first thing in helping to withstand the pull. When you know the characteristics and can then begin to see them when they start in your own life it will be easier to combat them. We must be in the Word to show us how we should live, and be in close commune with God.

The "GPS" of our Soul

2010-05-14T07:30:00.001-07:00

Girlfriends, journey back with me to five years ago when I was a newly married twenty-four year old woman. Chris and I were traveling around the country with Kidz Blitz Live, an interactive shared family experience for children and their families. This particular week we had arrived in Houston, Texas at a church called Champion Forest Baptist Church. Back in Kansas City, I was participating in my first Beth Moore Bible study, which was the Patriarchs study, and I was learning so much and enjoying her style of teaching. I remembered hearing Beth Moore say, in one of the videos in that series, that she had a Sunday night Bible study at her church in Houston. I looked it up online and realized I would be there when the Bible study went on. I was so excited. I wanted to try to go. Unfortunately, it was during the event that we had at Champion Forest. Chris encouraged me to go even though he could not drive me there.

What?...me drive by myself on the freeways of Houston and not get lost? I am someone that can get easily flustered on roads that I am not used to driving on. I like to drive on familiar roads where I know exactly where I am going. If you know Houston at all, they are not only known for crazy traffic, but also for their crazy highways. They are everywhere! They crisscross, intersect and go this way and that. They are built on top of each other and soar so high in the sky that you often feel like you are on a roller coaster.Here is a picture for all of you who have not had the pleasure of driving on these amazingly engineered freeways; and yes, you do drive on the very top road that is way up high in the sky (see what I mean about roller coasters:)

Chris said he thought I could maneuver the roads just fine. He said we would set the GPS (global positioning system) and away I would go! Well, the nice lady's voice sweetly guided me on my way. I had my hands gripping the steering wheel so tight. I was soon switching from one freeway to another like I was a seasoned pro and began to feel more at ease. Then the nice GPS lady's voice came on and told me to get on a certain freeway and I look up and make sure I am in the right lane and I see a big orange sign slapped across the sign of the lane I am to be in that said CLOSED. I immediately panic. What do I do. My palms were sweaty and I had 7 different lanes to pick from. I immediately had this gripping fear that I would become lost on the Houston freeways never to be seen again!

I quickly decided to stay in the lane I was in and the nice GPS lady started trying to recalculate my route. Luckily, within a few seconds she found me a new route to take and I was able to safely make it to my destination. As I pulled into the parking lot of the church a huge wave of relief swept over me! I had made it! I ran into the church with seconds to spare and found an open seat in the class room eagerly waiting to see Beth Moore emerge to teach us from the Word of God. I waited, and kept looking at my watch..five minutes went by...then ten. Finally, a nice woman came out and took the microphone. She said, "Hi, my name is Karen. In a few minutes we will be starting class. Beth Moore is not able to be here tonight so I will be leading our study this evening." What? Oh, no...I came all this way and braved the Houston freeways and do not get to sit under the teaching of Beth Moore. Then, I suddenly remembered....I had to get back in the car and do this all over again!

Girlfriends, just like I had a GPS guiding me through the freeways of Houston, we also have a "GPS" or Shepherd, His name is Jesus! ("For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." 1 Peter 2:25). If you have given Your life to Him and asked Him to be your Savior, He knows you, and hears your voice ("I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father and I lay down my life for the sheep." John 10:14, 15). He is willing and waiting to guide us through the highways and byways of life. He is just waiting for us to ask Him for help or guidance. With the good Shepherd guiding you, you may not know where you are going or where He is leading you, but that is okay. He is our path. He does not leave us or forsake us. And He has promised to stay until the very end. Matthew 28:20 says, "I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Girls Gone Wise in a World Gone Wild Video Blog Starts This Tuesday

2010-05-13T10:25:00.000-07:00

The Girls Gone Wise in a World Gone Wild Video Blog begins next Tuesday, May 18th. Don't miss out. Get your copy of the book today so you can join us on this journey as we go chapter by chapter through the book with the author Mary Kassian. I have never participated in a video blog book club before. I am excited to see what this is all about.

I have already started reading and this book is very good. I have especially loved chapters 2 and 3 and can't wait to discuss them!

What Does God Require of Us?

2010-05-11T04:26:00.000-07:00

Micah 6:8
"He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God."

I know many people ponder the question "What does God really expect from me?" I heard a great sermon by the senior pastor of my church that really helped answer this question. People usually fall into one of two categories. The first being that God doesn't expect much of us. The second being that God requests more than we can give (never really understand grace). Neither one of these is true. To help everyone better understand what God does require of us here are three main characteristics. Use these to check yourself and see if you are living up to what is required of you.

First, we must have a Reverent Attitude. We must walk humbly with God. I looked up the word reverent in the dictionary and it says, "feeling, exhibiting, or characterized by reverence; deeply respectful." I think the key here is it is not only an outward action and how you act when others are looking. Are you reverent to God when no one is looking as well? Pastor Steve posed the question, "How's your attitude?" He said that 95% of reverence is attitude and the other 5% is action. You will be ineffective for Christ if you have a bad attitude.

Secondly, do we love the things that God loves? Are those things what are important to you? Do you impart mercy, and it should be ongoing (not just every once in awhile) just like our Lord does.

Micah 7:18 "Who is a God like you,
who pardons sin and forgives the transgression
of the remnant of his inheritance?
You do not stay angry forever
but delight to show mercy."

Lastly, we must do what is right (to do justly). Do you have a righteous walk and a lifestyle of truth? If you sow the seeds of dishonesty that is what you will reap. A small example would be if you were given more change back than you should have received at the bank...what would you do? Would you be honest and return it, or would you think it was your lucky day and keep it? This very thing has happened to me in stores before and when I return the money they are always surprised. Amazing...this is what we should do, yet, all too often people sow their dishonest seeds.

If you are consistently doing these three things then you are doing what God requires of you! Girlfriends, I pray that you have a reverent attitude, love the things that God loves, and do what is right. If you feel you are having trouble in any of these areas, simply pray and ask God for help and guidance in doing these things. He loves you deeply and wants only the best for you!

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-09T13:11:00.000-07:00

As I sit back and reflect on the three years and 23 days (every day counts, right!) that I have been a mother I am first of all how amazed at how quickly it goes by. This was again reiterated to me the last few days as Chris, Max, Cooper and I spent time in Tishomingo, OK. We drove down to attend the celebration service of Chris' cousin Ryan's life. Ryan was only 33 years old when he passed away unexpectedly after marrying the love of his life in March (only a little over a month ago). The common theme that I heard was that those who knew and loved him best wished they would have been more intentional in being with Ryan.

This Mother's Day I think the greatest gift I could give myself would be to take this advice to heart, to be more intentional in the time I spend with my boys. I feel guilty as I think of all the times Max wants me to play with him and I will quickly rush through my time with him so I can get on to the next thing I need to do. This Mother's Day I am vowing to spend more time just "being" with my boys; focusing on them, playing with them, and loving on them. I challenge you to take more time and be intentional in the time you spend with your kids. For we do not know the Lord's plans nor how many days we have on this earth.

Happy Mother's Day...cherish every moment you have with your loved ones!

"Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." James 4:14

The Attitude of Your Heart Towards Your Trouble

2010-05-03T08:08:00.000-07:00

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

I love this verse. It is one that often brings comfort to those facing difficult circumstances in life. I wanted to take a closer look to see if I could gain more insight into this scripture. Thanks to the help of my study Bible, my husband, and commentaries here is what I found.

Count it all joy. The greek word for count may also be translated "consider" or "evaluate." What is your natural human response to trials? Not to rejoice, right? It is easier to have a doom and gloom attitude towards them. That is why we must remind ourselves to face each one with joy. It is not something that will always come naturally, me must be conscious about it!

The Greek word for trial connotes trouble or something that breaks the pattern of peace, comfort, joy and happiness in someone's life. The verb form of this means to put someone or something to the test with the purpose of discovering that person's nature or that thing's quality. God brings such tests to prove--and increase--the strength and quality of one's faith and to demonstrate its validity. For example, if an athlete never works his or her muscles they will not grow stronger and not improve in their sport. Every trial becomes a test of faith designed to strengthen: if the believer fails the test by wrongly responding, that test then becomes a temptation, or a solicitation to evil.

This is a very interesting fact that I did not know until my husband shared it with me. The word trial and temptation are the same word in the greek. It can either be from God who is proving our faith, or from Satan who is trying to destroy our faith. Another good reason to press on with faith, my dear sister!

Testing means "proof" or "proving." Patience...better translated "endurance" or "perseverance." Through a test, a Christian will learn to withstand tenaciously the pressure of a trial until God removes it at His appointed time and even cherish the benefit. (It's important to note that God does not give us trouble for troubles sake, there is a purpose in mind).

Perfect. Not a reference to sinless perfection, but to spiritual maturity. The testing of faith drives believers to deeper communion and greater trust in Christ--qualities that in turn produce a stable, godly, and righteous character.

My girlfriends, life is constantly throwing trials at us. We do not need to know the source of the trial, but we do need to know the source of our strength through the trial. When the waves of life are buffeting you, look to God and He will get you through. Once on the other side you will be more spiritually mature, and have more of the abundant life (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control)!

Mission Organization: Part 2 Managing Your Mail

2010-04-30T13:03:00.000-07:00

If you are like me you love to get mail! An exciting part of my day is walking to the mailbox and seeing what is inside, especially if I am expecting something! However, it can quickly pile up and become a daunting task deciding what to do with it all. I am excited to have found The 15 Minute Organizer, a book by Emilie Barnes, that a great friend let me borrow. I was overjoyed to find a chapter on "How to Manage Your Mail." I am hoping that the advice I found in this chapter will help me change my "mail messy" ways for good!

Barnes gives us three easy steps in organizing our mail.
1.) Designate an area where you open and process your mail.
2.) Don't let it pile up. Make sure you go through your mail daily and determine what is important and what can be thrown away.
3.) Make decisions--don't put it down, put it away, and don't be a mail scooter. I fit into this category. I have a pile of mail that usually ends up on my kitchen island and then when I clean I end up moving the pile or "scooting" it up to my study/office.

Barnes advises to make categories:

Throwaway mail-junk mail, advertisements, etc.
Mail you need to read, but don't have time for now
Mail you need to file away, such as bills, insurance papers, and receipts.
Mail you need to ask someone about--husband, children, etc.
Mail that needs a phone call.
Mail to be answered. Personal letters, forms to be filled out and returned, RSVP's for invitations.

All of these categories can be labeled on a file folder and put into a file box or cabinet. I have decided to put mine in folders but keep them in a desktop organizer so they are easily accessible. With file folders we still need to be aware of piles ups as now they will be out of sight, just don't put them out of mind.

I like some of the tips that Barnes gives.

Toss the junk mail. It is a time waster, just toss it. Don't fall into the trap of "I might use this or need this someday," because you very likely will not.
I love this idea! When you don't have time to read publications, place them in a file folder and take them with you in the car. When you have time to read them (waiting at the doctor's office, for children, or even in a long line) you can have time to catch up on your mail reading.
Make address changes immediately upon receipt! I often will say I will make the change later and then when I need the new address the paper is missing. If you do it immediately this will not occur.
An RSVP should be answered as soon as you know your plans. This is a common courtesy to the host or hostess.
Mark dates on your calendar as soon as they arrive. Also write down birthdays, appointments, and other significant reminders immediately. With our busy lives it is best to not rely on our memories!

Taken from The 15 Minute Organizer by Emilie Barnes. Pages 206-207.

Now onto what I did. I searched online and found some great ideas for organizing mail. Some varied in price. One of my favorite ideas I found at the Container Store. It is a stainless steal magnetic wall pocket. You could then put the file folders in here and hang it on a wall or refrigerator. It costs $21.99 at the container store. However, when I was at Target today (I love that store), I found a desk organizer for $4.99 and pretty file folders (to make it fun) for $3.99 (for 12 folders). So for a total of $9.00 I am set! Here is my set up! I love sliding the mail into its corresponding spot, especially since the folders are so fun! I have never had any kind of folder other than the plain manilla folders. I just might be able to keep this system running!

I would love to hear your tips and tricks on organizing mail. Leave me a comment!
Happy Organizing!

A God Walk

2010-04-25T20:59:00.000-07:00

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1:1

Max, Cooper and I loaded up the stroller and took a walk. The sole purpose of this walk was to take in the beauty and splendor of our Lord Jesus Christ. I called it a God Walk. I told Max to point out everything to me that God made. It was a great teaching time as well as a great time of reminding us of all the God has made and all that He does for us. I took the camera and told him we would take pictures of everything that God made and then we would make a book out of it. It was so sweet to hear him telling me, "Mommy, God made the grass...trees...
clouds...

flowers......water, and birds (we couldn't get a close up picture of a bird)!...
sun...
...and Cooper and me!
For me it was a great time to focus on God and His creation and to not focus on myself and what I needed to get done that day. So take a moment, get outside, and be thankful for everything God has made!

R-E-S-P-E-C-T!

2010-04-20T19:44:00.000-07:00

Are you singing the song in your head....or out loud yet? I can hear it! Well, it is the number one thing that you can give your man. I have been reading the book For Women Only by Shaunti Feldhahn. This book looks at what you need to know about the inner lives of men. I'm sure you are all going to be racing out to get this one after hearing the subtitle. I believe Chapter 2 is a huge thing for all of us as women to understand. The chapter is titled "Your Love Is Not Enough." Respect means more to our husbands that even our love. They definitely want our love, but without our respect, the love doesn't mean anything to him.

Feldhahn surveyed many men and asked them "If you had to choose, would you rather feel alone and unloved in the world OR would you rather feel inadequate and disrespected by everyone?" Men hands done said they would rather feel unloved and alone. Women asked this same question said they would rather feel inadequate and disrespected by everyone. While women need love....men need respect, especially from his woman, his partner in life. Actually the men surveyed felt that the two choices were not even different. "What that translates to is this: If you want to love your man in the way he needs to be loved, then you need to ensure that he feels your respect most of all." To do that here are a few interesting tidbits that might help us.

-Anger is often a man's response to feeling disrespected.

-Just as our men can choose to demonstrate love toward us even if they don't feel it at the moment, we can and should choose to demonstrate respect.

Need #1 Respect his judgement. Our men deeply need us to respect their knowledge, opinions, and decisions. This means don't question their knowledge or the argue with their decisions all the time. Feldhahn said, "Several men confessed that they felt like their opinions and decisions were actively valued in every area of their lives except at home. Some men felt their comrades at work trusted their judgment more than their own wives did." This is very sad to me. I don't want my husband to feel this way. I was to make sure that I respect his judgment.

Need #2 Respect his abilities- Men have the strong need to be able to figure things out for themselves. I can relate here, because I am someone who likes to try to figure things out too. I know how I feel if someone starts to questions whether I can do something or if I know how. It makes me feel really small. This is what it does to our men too. Even if you get lost and your man is at the wheel...let him figure it out. Don't insist that he pull over and ask someone for directions.

Need #3 Respect in communication. "Women hold an incredible power in the way we communicate with our men (both husbands and sons) to build them up or to tear them down, to encourage or to exasperate."

-Some things just push a man's buttons. This goes beyond what we say--and into how we say it.

A large number of men also read something negative into the simple female reminder. More than one-third of these men took that reminder as nagging or as an accusation of laziness or mistrust. Remember the verse Proverbs 21:9 that says, "Better to live on the corner of a roof than to share a house with a nagging wife."

Need #4 Respect in public. Ladies this means building him up in front of others not tearing him down or teasing him. Be respectful even when he is absent. Showing public respect goes a long way.

Need #5 Respect in our assumptions. This means always assuming the best of him and not the worst. For some reason, it is easy for us as woman to jump to conclusions and assume things.

The bottom line "a man's heart is powerfully touched by a few simple words: 'I'm so proud of you.'" Remember this and tell him often. Affirm your man, he needs that affirmation from you more than anyone else. He is the man you choose to do life with. Love on him. Respect him. I love what Feldhahn says on page 50, "If a man's wife believes in him, he can conquer the world--or at least his little corner of it."

Girls Gone Wise in a World Gone Wild-Come Read With Me!

2010-04-19T12:37:00.000-07:00

"Be careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise." Ephesians 5:15

Hey Girls! I am going to be reading the book Girls Gone Wise in World Gone Wild! I am hoping that you all will join me. The book is by Mary Kassian and she is going to be doing a video blog twice a week to go along with the book. It sounds like a lot of fun. Here is a little note from her below.I’m inviting you to study the “Girls Gone Wise” book online with me on the Girls Gone Wise Video Book Blog. The Video Book Blog will start on May 18, 2010, right here on GirlsGoneWise.com, and also on TrueWoman.com. We’ll study the book chapter by chapter. Twice a week, I’ll post a new video blog. You can watch the video blog, read the corresponding chapter, answer some questions for personal reflection, and discuss the chapter online with others. It’s a great way to learn. Plan to join in–it’ll be a lot of fun!

I just ordered my book off of Amazon.com and it was only $10.19. I hope you will all want to join me! I will also be posting on this blog my responses to the book, and would love to have you all do so as well and have an ongoing dialogue/discussion about the book. Let me know if you are thinking about joining me! Go to the website Girls Gone Wise if you would like to check it out!

Mission Organization: Part 1 Hall Closet Catch-All

2010-04-16T12:00:00.000-07:00

Do you have a spot that is the catch all place? You know, a go to spot for clutter? The place where when you don't know where something should go, you go put it there. Well, this place for me is the coat closet. I wanted to do a little organizing. It was about time (as you can see from the picture). It was confirmed to me after we had our dinners for six group over to our house for dinner. Chris opened the closet to hang up their coats and there was no where to hang them. Yikes! So, I'm about to let you take a peek at what it looked like before. Oh, this is hard for me. Here goes....Okay, I did it. Look at that floor. It was in need of a makeover, bad. So, I decided to do something about it. For only $7.47 (for this hanging organizer) I organized the entire closet..... ....and it looks like this now! Tah dah! What do you think?First I started off by taking everything out of the closet and making piles. Three piles to be exact: throw away, keep, and give away. Then everything that needed to go back in I started to organize. This hanging organizer is a great way to organize all of the hats, gloves, and scarfs. Each family member has a shelf (I have two...what can I say I'm the only girl in the family;) I can't take the credit for this awesome idea I saw it in the January issue of Parents Magazine! Here's some close ups.

This is another great idea...which is not my own either. I place all of my gift bags (for all occasions) in this plastic tub. Whenever I have a gift that needs wrapped I go to the closet and get in the tub. Think of all the money you will save not buying gift bags for every gift. Recycle!I am so glad my closet is now organized. The other day I walked over to it to hang up a jacket and almost jumped a foot backward as I was in complete shock at how organized it was. It made me smile!

Whispers of Encouragement

2010-04-13T06:38:00.000-07:00

"I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of His power." Ephesians 3:7

Be Available for God's Work

You simply have to be yourself--at any age--as God made you,
available to Him so that He can work in and through you to bring about
His kingdom and His glory.

Luci Swindoll
(From the book Whispers of Encouragement--Daily Encouragement for Women)

Strawberries! Kids in the Kitchen

2010-04-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

Max and I made a fun treat on Friday afternoon that I thought I would share with you. It is a great recipe to get the kids involved in the kitchen. It was fast, easy, and cleanup was quick! Here is everything you need.Strawberries
Strawberry Marshmallows
Baker's Dipping Chocolate
Skewers
Sprinkles
Wax Paper

First you need to follow the directions on the back of the Baker's Dipping Chocolate. When it is melted you are ready to go!
2. Put a strawberry marshmallow on a skewer and dip in the chocolate
3. Sprinkle the chocolate marshmallow and then lay it on the waxed paper. When you complete the chocolate process on the desired amount of marshmallows place the waxed paper full of chocolate marshmallows in the refrigerator to harden (approximately 10-15 minutes). 4. When ready wash the strawberries and place a fresh strawberry on the skewer with the marshmallow. Enjoy!

Hard Truths That Hit Close To Home

2010-04-09T07:18:00.000-07:00

A word from our guest blogger Amy Vance.

Have you ever been hit with a really hard truth from God? I'm sure we all have. I'm in the process of learning a difficult lesson about something that hits very close to home. In my home if you want to be technical about it. Let me start at the beginning...

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my family! I have a wonderful husband that I'm very much in love with. I have a beautiful little girl that I absolutely adore. I think about them all the time: 1st thing in the morning, all day long and as I'm falling asleep at night. I want to make sure they have everything they need to make life as good and easy for them as possible. I want our home to be a place they enjoy being-safe, clean, and comfortable. I want them to eat well and have the best food they can get (within my abilities, of course) and for them to be healthy and happy. I think about all the best ways to teach my daughter to be kind, loving, respectful and to one day follow after Jesus. I think about how to make time for my husband, to be attentive to him and let him know that in the midst of everything he is loved. After all, I'm a mom. That's our job. We think about these things (and so many others)-ALL THE TIME, ALL DAY, EVERYDAY. And when we aren't thinking about keeping them happy, healthy, well-fed, safe and loved we're worrying about what else we could have done better or differently. And when that's done we start thinking about what they'll need for tomorrow! Am I speaking to anyone, here?

This is where the difficult lesson comes in...I'll do my best to explain. I read a passage of scripture out of Matthew that really stepped on my toes. Matthew 10:37 says, "The person who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me." Ouch! Then I came across Luke 14:26 which says, "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters-yes, and even his own life-he cannot be My disciple." What did He say? Hate my family?!? Why would he say that? Aren't we supposed to love others? And wouldn't that especially apply to our very own families?

Here's the deal. The amount of love we have for our families should look like hate compared to the love we have for Christ. He wants all of us. He wants us to make Him our very top priority. And the fact of the matter is, the Bible says that God is Love. And that's not love as a verb, but love as a noun. He IS love. Without Him there is no love at all. But that's not where the lesson has ended for me. I started thinking about how I had put my family in the position that God should have been in my life: #1. And you know what the cold, hard fact about that is? I've made my own family into an idol that I had begun to worship. No, I haven't built an alter to my husband or my daughter in my basement or anything. But they had consumed more of my thought life, my time and my affections than God had.

Now, remember what I said before about God being love? The crazy thing about all of this is that by putting my family first I've actually robbed them of the most spectacular love I could ever give them. You see, when I put God first in my life, He fills me and He gives me a capacity to love far more than I could ever do on my own. What a weird cycle: by esteeming my family and not the Father, I've actually taken away from the love I could be giving them.

So my mission, that I'm choosing to accept, is to love my family the way God intended me to love them. I'm trying to put them in their proper place in my heart and that is right after my Savior!
Amy resides in a suburb of Kansas City. She is a Bible study teacher, wife of a pastor, and mother of one sweet little girl!

He's Alive!

2010-04-06T09:43:00.000-07:00

"Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness...Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD." Psalm 150:1-2, 6 NIV

I hope everyone had a fantastic Easter. I did. It was a great day for me. Sunday service was probably the first time since Cooper was born that I was able to worship and enjoy the service without any distractions! I left service that morning feeling uplifted and encouraged.

I thought we would discuss what Easter means to us. This year Chris and I really tried to communicate the true meaning of Easter to Max. I'm not saying the "bunny," eggs and candy are bad. I just wanted to make sure that these were not the first thing Max would think of when he heard the word Easter.

To me Easter is a time to remember what Jesus did for us. Through Jesus we see the ultimate sacrifice of His life for each one of our lives. He paid the price so we would not have to. He did this so we can live forever with Him. All we have to do is simply believe that He is our Lord and Savior, and live for Him.

Easter is also a time to celebrate the miracle! He is Alive, ("Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him." Mark 16:5-7). I love that it is no coincidence that Easter happens at the start of spring when new life is witnessed in everything we see. The old is gone (winter), and the new has come (spring). Just like when we give our lives to Jesus we are a new creation. The old is gone!

Lastly, it is a time to ask myself if I'm doing my part? Jesus came to seek and to save that which is lost. What is my job to help His message fulfilled? To tell others! A sweet friend who has been in ministry for many years recently told us (at a gathering) that in one of her first years of ministry a little boy came to her and motioned for her to bend down. He whispered in her ear on Easter morning, "He's Alive! Tell someone!" It gave me chills. Something so simple, but that is our mission here on this earth!

So, as you walk along the way remember this..."HE'S ALIVE, TELL SOMEONE." Please share any other thoughts you would like to share about Easter and what it means to you.

Monday's Mothering Moment-Letting Go

2010-03-22T11:58:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my Sunday School Class on Parenting finished up. James Dobson's was talking about Erma Bombeck and how she described parenting and when the time comes when we have to let go. It was quite timely for me yesterday as I dropped off my second born in the nursery for the first time. I know my parenting journey is far from what is described here, but it still brought tears to my eyes as I can see how quickly that time will approach and how I must enjoy the "ride." Here is the excerpt from Dr. Dobson's discussion.

Humorist Erma Bombeck described this difficult process in terms that were helpful to me. She said that the task of raising kids is rather like trying to fly a kite on a day when the wind doesn't blow. Mom and Dad run down the road pulling the cute little device at the end of a string. It bounces along the ground and shows no inclination of getting off the ground.

Eventually, and with much effort, they manage to lift it 15 feet in the air, but great danger suddenly looms. The kite dives toward electrical lines and twirls near trees. It is a scary moment. Will they ever get it safely on its way? Then, unexpectedly, a gust of wind catches the kite, and it sails upward. Mom and Dad feed out line as rapidly as they can.

The kite begins pulling the string, making it difficult to hold on. Inevitably, they reach the end of their line. What should they do now? The kite is demanding more freedom. It wants to go higher. Dad stands on his tiptoes and raises his hand to accommodate the tug. It is now grasped tenuously between his index finger and thumb, held upward toward the sky. Then the moment of release comes. The string slips through his fingers, and the kite soars majestically into God's beautiful sky.

Mom and Dad stand gazing at their precious "baby," who is now gleaming in the sun, a mere pinpoint of color on the horizon. They are proud of what they've done -- but sad to realize that their job is finished. It was a labor of love. But where did the years go?

That is where you are today -- standing on tiptoes and stretching toward the sky with the end of the string clutched between your fingers. It's time to let go. And when you do, you'll find that a new relationship will be born. Your parenting job is almost over. In its place will come a friendship that will have its own rewards.

Remember: The kite is going to break free one way or the other. It's best that you release it when the time is right!

I will leave you with a picture of my little guy who turned 3 months old yesterday!

Hand Chosen by God!

2010-03-01T11:42:00.000-08:00

Thank you all for your comments! I have really enjoyed reading them, please keep them up! I have included some questions and would love to hear your answers.

A little pick me up for you today, or at least it was for me!

Ephesians 1:3-4 "All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes."

The part that is really special to me is "even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ." He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing! We are hand picked by God! How does that make you feel? Even when we feel rejected by the world we must remember that God chose each one of us. How do the feelings of being rejected compare to the feelings of knowing God chose me? Do you feel justified, chosen, and forgiven? How would you live differently if you believed you were all of these things?

Thank you Lord for choosing me even before the world was! Lord help me to be more like you everyday.

Holiness

2010-02-25T07:30:00.000-08:00

"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer." Psalm 19:14

I have been really convicted lately in the area of holiness in my life. I want to live a holy life that is pleasing to the Lord. Lately, when I watch TV I have been amazed at the filth that is broadcasted to homes all over the world. I have been really aware of it, and embarrassed of the trash that I have been letting come into my home. Many of these shows are really pushing the envelope and things and words that used to not be allowed anywhere near 7:00 pm are out there for all ears and eyes to see. I think it would be interesting to see statistics on how fast this has happened with the rules and guidelines. I think back to the shows I watched as a kid on Friday night (good ole TGIF) and they were clean shows, that now would probably be laughed right off the air.

I want to be holy and my life to reflect the holiness of God. I love this song, it has been around for awhile but a good one to remember.

Holiness, holiness is what I long for.
Holiness is what I need.
Holiness, holiness is what You
want from me.

Holiness, holiness is what I long for.
Holiness is what I need.
Holiness, holiness is what You
want from me.

So, take my heart and form it.
Take my mind and transform it.
Take my will and conform it.
To Yours, to Yours, oh, Lord.

Faithfulness, faithfulness is what I
long for.
Faithfulness is what I need.
Faithfulness, faithfulness is what.
You want from me.

Brokenness, brokenness is what I
long for.
Brokenness is what I need.
Brokenness, brokenness is what
You want from me.

Having it Together!

2010-02-24T13:22:00.000-08:00

I was just emailing a dear friend, and I shared with her that I am still adjusting to adding another little one to the mix. I told her that just when I think I have it all together, something happens to make me realize that I don't. Then I had a light bulb moment! This is a good thing. God is not trying to smack me in the head with my failures and shortcomings; He wants me to lean on Jesus (not rely on myself) and He will take care of the rest. Short and simple. Isn't He good!

"You answer us with awesome deeds of righteousness,
O God our Savior,
the hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the farthest seas"

Psalm 65:5

Monday's Mothering Moment--The Strong-Willed Child

2010-02-22T12:11:00.000-08:00

"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." Proverbs 22:6

I am in a twelve week Sunday School class that is going through Dr. Dobson's Your Child: The Essentials of Discipline. Yesterday's topic was Compliance vs. Strong Willed. I found this chapter very interesting. Did you know that the ratio of strong willed children to compliant children is 3 to 1? Wow! My 2 1/2 year old is definitely strong willed. I'm not sure if my nine week old is or not, that is still to be determined. However, if his not wanting to sleep anywhere but my arms is any indication....he might be strong willed too!

We learned that it is important to determine if your child is strong-willed so that you can establish authority. It was also helpful to hear that we need to shape our children's will by disciplining without breaking their spirit. Another important thing to note is it is important to make the distinction between the strong-willed and compliant child in order to protect the rights of both and deal with them differently.

I also learned that 74% of strong-willed children rebel in their teen years while only 3% of compliant children do. This was not a comforting fact to me; however, I can be proactive and start getting on my knees and lifting this up to God now. It is never too early. It also showed me the importance of establishing authority now when my little guy is young so that maybe he won't rebel in his teen years.

What's the best news to parents raising a strong-willed child? There is a rapid decrease of rebelling in young adulthood, and 85% of strong-willed individuals will return to the values that their parents instilled in them. Whew, this is a relief! When I heard this in class it was comforting and not comforting at the same time. Yeah that compliance will come eventually, but in young adulthood!?!

It was a great week with good information. Here's what I would like to hear from you.

I would love to hear about your children. Did or do you have strong-willed children? For all of you mothers who have children that have left the nest, did you find it true that your strong-willed child settled down in their early 20's and returned to the values that you instilled in them? I'm very curious about this one! Also, any tips and suggestions of what has worked for you in regards to your strong-willed child.

And lastly...here's another resource that I am seriously considering reading very soon (The New Strong-Willed Child by Dr. James Dobson).

10 years from now?

2010-02-03T07:45:00.001-08:00

Me and my newest baby, Cooper

I was reading a blog a few days ago and the subject really caught my attention. The woman was celebrating her 10 year anniversary and reminiscing how far she had come and was imagining what ten more years would bring. That got me thinking. What was I doing ten years ago? I ventured back in my mind and realized I was beginning my second semester of college. I could not even believe that was ten years ago, it doesn't feel ten years ago. The road I have traveled since then has been sprinkled with many experiences, accomplishments, joys, sorrows, and everything in between. Here are a few of the highlights...

-Changed my major 5 times (really, how can you know what you want to do for the rest of your life at age 19?)
-Learn to live with three different roommates (all different in their unique ways)
-Completed thousands of assignments, quizzes, tests, and finals
-Traveled through a 3.5 year relationship with someone who did not have the same beliefs as me
-Had my own apartment for a year
-Graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration
-Moved home not knowing what would come next
-Got a job offer in accounting, turned it down
-Went to work for my then church in assimilation
-Met the love of my life (I didn't know it then) on my first day of work
-Got engaged
-Planned a wedding
-Got married
-Adjusted to new family dynamics
-Bought a house
-Traveled to lands near and far to take the gospel to families with Kidz Blitz
-Started a business with two friends (painting, and Christmas decorating)
-Decided that business above wasn't for us
-Had a baby boy
-Learned how to be a mommy- (changed hundreds of diapers, stayed up into the wee hours of the night, watched milestones be reached, gave love and received much love from my babies, and many more things that mommy's experience).
-Traveled to more lands near and far with Kidz Blitz
-Started a business Kate Williams Designs (sewing hip items for moms and their children)
-Came off the road to share our lives with the wonderful people of Lenexa Baptist Church (Chris in role of Children's Pastor)
-Watched my business grow
-Led my first Bible Study
-Had another baby boy
-and still trusting in Jesus

There was a lot more in between all of these events. I realized that everything I have gone through and my experiences have shaped and molded me into the woman I am today. I have no idea what the future or the next ten years will look like. I would hope it would all be good, but I know that is not what life on this earth looks like. There is sin in this world and it is not perfect. But one thing I do know is if I hold fast, put my trust in Jesus no matter what the circumstances, that He will help me through anything I may encounter along the way. I would not want to know what life would be like without Him as my Savior. Thank you Lord for the last ten years of my life. Thank you for being my guide every step of the way. Lord, I pray that my life be honoring to you.

[Jesus comforts His disciples] "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me." John 14:1

Multi-Tasking Mayhem

2010-01-30T09:36:00.000-08:00

I found this daily devotion at Proverbs 31 Ministeries. I just love it! I think many women today can probably relate to it and wanted to share it all with you. It is so comforting to know that God knows our limits. I found it very interesting that taking on too many responsibilities, no matter how "good" they may be, can often render women ineffective for service to God. So, next time you say no to "one more responsibility" because you feel that God has not called you to that area at this time in your life, do not feel bad. Keep this statement in mind.

By: Karen Ehman

"But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, 'You are my God.' My times are in your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me." Psalm 31:14-15 (NIV)

"Mom, quick…look at that lady!" My fourteen-year-old-in-driver's-education-child shouted at me as we were headed down Michigan's US-27 interstate on an errand-running Thursday afternoon. "She should not be doing that," he added for emphasis.

I glanced over at the car next to us, expecting to see someone without her hands gripped properly at the ten and two o'clock positions like my by-the-rulebook-boy does when he is behind the wheel. Instead, I nearly ran off the road while gawking at what my resident Driver's Ed patrolman had spotted.

Next to us was a woman who was doing all of the following: talking on a cell phone by cradling it on her right shoulder, holding an open fast-food salad container in her left hand, ripping open a salad dressing packet with her teeth and her right hand…all while steering her car with her knees! What in the world!? My boys and I thought surely, if she kept up this multi-tasking method of driving, she was going to cause a crash.

"I would NEVER attempt to do all of that when I drive", I smugly thought to myself. "Entirely too dangerous and probably against the law." Yep, when it comes to being a safe-driving etiquette expert, the apple doesn't fall far from the "Honey-you-didn't-use-your-blinker-back-there" maternal tree.

It wasn't until later that night that it hit me. Yes, I may not try to dangerously multi-task when it comes to driving my car, thereby putting myself and others at risk of a collision. But in my day-to-day life? In my schedule? In my "sure-I-can-take-on-one-more-responsibility-so-everyone-will-like-me" way? Well, I sometimes dangerously multi-task to the point where I too am headed for a crash.

God nudged my heart a few years back, after dealing with some stress-related medical conditions that would not go away, that I needed to do a major plate scraping in my life. Taking on too many responsibilities, no matter how "good" they may be, can often render women ineffective for service to God. He knows our limits. He understands are capacities. He is willing, if we will ask Him, to help us navigate the waters of busyness and activity that often drown many a woman.

On one of my so-busy-I-couldn't-breathe days, I read today's verse. While I'm sure that the author David was talking about actual physical enemies -- men who could chase you, catch you and ultimately hurt you – I thought that day of busyness as the enemy. Too many activities and responsibilities outside of my four walls were about to do me in. They chased me, they cornered me and worst of all, they were about to go in for the kill.

Thankfully, God rescued me from the barren life of busyness. And He can do the same for you. He's longing for us to hold our too-full plates up to Him, scrape off all the activities and responsibilities, and then, place back on our plates only the items HE longs for us to possess.
Then, we can create white space in our calendar and places of sweet respite in our days where we can connect with the God of the universe who is just waiting for us to slow down and sit still; to listen and learn from the very Creator of time itself.

So, how about it friend? Rubber spatula ready? Keep reading below and let's start scraping before we crash and burn!

Dear Lord, Forgive me for allowing busyness to overtake my life, crowding out others and worst of all You. Help me as I purpose to place only those items on my plate that You long for me to have. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
To discover more on this topic and enter to win an organizational giveaway centered around Karen’s book on time and home management, visit Karen’s blog

The Complete Guide to Getting and Staying Organized by Karen Ehman

A Life that Says Welcome by Karen Ehman

Do You Know Him?

Application Steps:
List on paper all the commitments you have said yes to outside of your job or home responsibilities. Catalog approximately how much time you devote to them each week. Pray about what you discover.

Reflections:
What activities and responsibilities have I said "Yes" to that I know in my heart I shouldn't have?

How can I thin out my optional tasks and duties, freeing up more time for the places where God wants me to focus my efforts?

Power Verses:
Matthew 6:33-34, "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." (ESV)

Genesis 2:2, "And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done." (ESV)

2010-01-18T18:10:00.000-08:00

Proverbs 3:19-24 "The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding He established the heavens; By His knowledge the depths were broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew. My son, let them not depart from your eyes--Keep sound wisdom and discretion; So they will be life to your soul and grace to your neck. Then you will walk safely in your way. And your foot will not stumble.

Grace to your neck--The wisdom of God will adorn one's life for all to see its beauty.

I love this! If I keep sound wisdom and discretion, they will be life to my soul and grace to my neck. I pray that this year be a year that I draw closer to God more than I ever have. I want my life to be pleasing to the Lord. Please God, help me to strive for excellence and purity in this life. I do not want to be a halfhearted believer fitting Christ into my life when it suits me or my situation. I want Jesus to be at the forefront of my thoughts and actions. I want others to see the beauty of Christ living in me!

Growing Like Jesus

2009-12-30T08:19:00.000-08:00

I have been MIA for awhile. I was trying to get caught up on everything before baby Cooper Lane made his appearance. He is now here! He was born on December 21, 2009 at 5:39 pm. He weighed in at 8 pounds 11 ounces. A whole pound larger than his big brother. I am so glad that he is here. He is the perfect addition to our family.
Christmas Morning

As this year comes to a close I have been thinking about my goals for next year. However, I was challenged to also think of goals for Max and Cooper as I am "training them up in the way they should go (Proverbs 22:6)." In the new issue of Mom Sense magazine that I got in the mail there was the perfect article about this very thing!

Luke 2:52 is a great verse for this time of year. "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men." The article challenges us to examine four different areas where we can grow too: intellectually (wisdom), physically (stature), spiritually (favor with God) and socially (favor with men).

Will you take the Luke 2:52 Challenge? Be intentional about challenging your children to grow in all four areas. Make and use a chart to keep track each time they do something to grow like Jesus did.

"Growing My Brain"-some fun age-appropriate intellectual goals might be to teach your child which colors mix together to make other colors or to help him learn to count in another language.

"Growing My Body"-choose a physical goal such as trying a new fruit once a week or teaching her how to pedal a tricycle or bicycle.

"Growing My Faith"-A spiritual goal could be acting out a Bible story together each week or teaching your child to pray out loud by repeating after you at bed time or meal times.

"Giving to Others"-Social goals for your kids may involve meeting new neighbors and scheduling a play date or regularly making pictures to mail to grandparents or other relatives who live in a different city.

There are many options to stick in each quadrant. I am challenged to use these four areas to help train up Max and Cooper.

Mom Sense Magazine-January February issue pg. 16

Is My Jesus Enough?

2009-11-20T14:08:00.000-08:00

by Lysa TerKeurst

I was stopped in my tracks the other day as I was mindlessly singing a beautiful praise song. I say mindlessly not because I wasn't focusing on God. I was definitely lifting up my heart to Him. But the mindlessly part came when I realized I had no clue of the weight of the words in this song. Did I really mean what I was singing? The song said this: "(Jesus) You're all I want. You're all I ever needed."

Really? Did I really mean those words? Is my Jesus enough? Ultimately the question should be: Is my relationship with Jesus in such a place that if He was truly all I had today, would I still stand and sing those powerful song lyrics?

My husband Art is flying on a small private plane today. You know the ones you hear about that crash with no survivors... yes, that kind of plane. As I kiss him goodbye in a few minutes can I send him off with full confidence that no matter what, Jesus is enough?

My son Jackson just got his driver's license and will be driving to a friend's house to watch the football game in a few minutes. His friend lives less than five miles from our house. But don't the statistics show that most car accidents happen on the roads we are most familiar with, closest to our homes? Will I be able to smile, tell him to be careful and let him drive down our driveway with full confidence that no matter what, Jesus is enough?

I don't know what kinds of twists and turns might come during my life journey. But, I know the only way to travel with a joyful peace is to settle in my heart the answer to this question once and for all. So, today, I declare Jesus is enough. Before I even know in what way this declaration will be tested, I've made the decision to say it, believe it and settle it.

Jesus is enough.

I think this is why one of my favorite portraits of a godly woman in the Bible says, "she can laugh at the days to come," (Proverbs 31:25). She was filled with such incredible joy not because life was perfect but simply because she had decided to make laughter, peace, and true happiness the hallmark of her life. Proverbs 31:30 goes on to say this was a woman to be praised because she so reverenced God in the shrine of her heart that she knew without a doubt, He was enough.

Lysa TerKeurst is a wife to Art, mom to five priority blessings and a nationally known speaker. She is an award-winning author of 11 books including her latest, "What Happens When Women Say Yes to God." She has been featured on Focus on the Family, Family Life Today, Good Morning America, Woman's Day Magazine, "O" Magazine and on the Oprah Show.

Monday's Mothering Moment

2009-10-26T17:20:00.000-07:00

Week 4 of the Deceptively Delicious Challenge!
The Testers for this week: The Beach Family
I met Autumn this year through MOPS and have so enjoyed getting to know her (she is so fun to be around). We both have two year old boys, so we have a lot in common!

Recipe: Quesadillas

Ease of Recipe: I will give this recipe a 3. I found the prep work to be somewhat involved – cooking the chicken and pureeing the butternut squash. Lots of clean-up, too. But once the prep work was finished, this recipe zipped right along! You basically just make a tortilla sandwich and bake for five or six minutes. Also, this was my first experience with pureeing! I found it quite enjoyable, as did my two helpers. Who knew pureeing was fun for the whole family?

Child Rating: I would say my two-year-old son would rate the quesadillas a 1. He hustled to the table eager to try mommy’s experiment. Picked one right up and took a big bite. However, his enthusiasm ended at that. No other bites were taken, and when I asked him if he liked it, his response was “no”. But at least it looked good enough to try that first bite!

Adult Rating: My hubby gave this dish a 2. I, unfortunately, have to agree. However, add some salsa, and the quesadillas are muchos better. I would even bump them up to a 3.

Additional Comments: Keep in mind, I live with two of the world’s pickiest eaters. So, other children/husbands may enjoy the quesadillas. I didn’t think they were too bad considering butternut squash and navy beans were involved.

Issues, Issues, Issues!

2009-10-22T07:11:00.000-07:00

In week three, day 3 of Me, Myself, and Lies by Jennifer Rothschild we are looking at "Speaking Truth to Your Issues!" We are looking at the circumstances of the woman in Mark 5:25. Who is that woman you may ask...well we do not even know her name, but we can learn a lot from her thought closet, because it was full of wisdom.

One thing that all of us have in common on this earth is that we all have issues. Issues like illness, financial troubles, insecurities, relationship conflict, fear, and sadness. Our thought closets are filled with a lot of tricky things. As we look at the woman in Mark 5 we see that "this woman had a single, insurmountable issue, and she had endured it for 12 long years. It had challenged her physically, strained her emotionally, drained her financially, and ostracized her socially."

She had been dealing with the same issue for 12 years. I'm sure some of you can relate to her as you may have endured or have been in the middle of a particular issue for many years. Take heart, daughter of God, and lets look at what this issue laden woman did in Mark 5:27-28. "When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. For she said, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well." She practiced some soul talk. "She encouraged, counseled, and advised her soul. Her wise words prompted her action. With that brush of homespun cloth across her fingertips, her great need ran head-on into His limitless provision. In that instant, her courage met His compassion; Her hope met His holiness."

We see in verse 29 that the blood was dried up and she was healed of her affliction. "The most important thing isn't that she talked to herself. It's what she told herself that matters. She didn't mouth a bunch of happy talk of feel-good phrases." The key is that "she spoke words of wisdom and truth to her soul. Wise soul talk helps us overcome our issues."

What brought her healing you may ask; Mark 5:30-34 holds the answer. Jesus told her that her faith had made her well. Rothschild remarks, "Jesus never said her soul talk made her well. He said it was her faith. Her faith invited healing. Her soul talk contributed to her faith, but it didn't replace her faith. She spoke truth to her soul in the same way you and I need to speak truth to our souls. By faith we receive truth. By faith we believe truth. And by faith we act on truth." It is important to remember that "soul talk can never substitute for faith. The woman could never have talked herself into healing--not in a hundred years. But she did talk herself into seeking Jesus, and that was what she needed. Soul talk is faith's companion, not its replacement."

This days ends with a story,

"Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there was a desperately unhappy woman who talked to herself.
She might have said any number of things. She might have told herself to cheer up, to walk on the sunny side of the street, to whistle while she worked, or to simply accept her lot in life. She might even have told herself that her problems were illusions; she was really healthy and whole.
But those aren't the sort of things she said when she spoke to her soul. What she did say led her to an act of faith more daring than anything she could have imagined. When this woman talked to herself, it initiated an encounter that brought immediate healing to her body and soul. It was all because of what she had in her thought closet during one of the most important conversations of her life. She told herself the truth, and that led her straight to Jesus. May you be that woman."

"Give This Christmas Away" Music Video Amy Grant and Matthew West -VeggieTales Bonus Song

2009-10-17T04:15:00.001-07:00

I am always so excited when it is time for Operation Christmas Child. It is such a great organization. I have participated several times and just love going to shop for what I am going to put in my shoe box. We are so blessed and receive so much, it feels great to give especially to kids who this may be the only present they receive. Last year Max and I helped get all the donated boxes boxed up. It was a great way to start showing Max even at 18 months how to give back to others and serve. Get involved, you won't be sorry! Here is the link to Samaritan's Purse. You can find a drop off location near you. http://www.samaritanspurse.org/

The Rich Home

2009-10-13T13:24:00.000-07:00

By Sharon Glasglow

"Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions." I Kings 10:1 (NKJ)

The Queen of Sheba was rich and beautiful. She had everything a queen could want - gold, silver, ivory, precious jewels and servants taking care of her every need in the palace. What more could a woman want?

She heard about the fame of Solomon concerning the Name of the Lord. Even though her people had many gods to worship, none penetrated her heart as the name of the Lord God of Israel. Her heart was so moved by His name that she decided to take a 1,400 mile trip across the desert sands of Arabia to visit this man who knew this God personally.

The trip would take her approximately six months each way with camels being able to travel around 20 miles a day. She took a great caravan of servants, loads of spices, gold and unusual wood to give as gifts. Her heart and soul longed for riches that she did not have, and she sensed they would be discovered through Solomon. Finally, she arrived. It was the grandest palace she had ever laid eyes on. But her purpose wasn't to see the most beautiful archeological place ever built, it was to find a secret treasure.

The secret entrance to the wisdom of the One and only God of the Universe would be worth a year of travel. She talked to Solomon for hours, asking him deep questions about God. She was exhausted, but satisfied by his answers. She found what she had longed for and she said, "Blessed be the Name of Lord."

Jesus mentions the Queen of Sheba in Matthew 12:42. He honors her desire for His wisdom. The Queen of Sheba took great pains and trouble to find wisdom, yet the wisdom available to her at that time was the lesser wisdom of a man. The wisdom we have access to through Jesus far out shines that of Solomon. If the Queen of Sheba would travel six months to find truth, how much more should we search for wisdom by opening our hearts to Him who freely gives wisdom, truth and the secrets of His heart?

When people travel to our home it is not the seasonal decor or the cleanliness that will ultimately impress our visitors. It is not the perfectly sculpted yard or the new car in the garage. It's the pearl of spiritual insight that they will be drawn to through the Holy Spirit living through you. They will be full and satisfied when they have departed, and the richness of the visit will live on forever when you impart to them the riches God has placed in your heart.

Your home is where your heart is. Ask God for wisdom. Spend time getting to know Him and you will not only be spiritually rich, but those who enter your home will find treasures that people have traveled the whole earth in search of.

Our Thought Closet Recap

2009-10-11T15:19:00.000-07:00

Wow! Our first week of Bible study really packed a punch! The introduction video to Me, Myself, and Lies by Jennifer Rothschild held so much good information for all of us as we begin our journey to cleaning out our thought closets!

Women have an inner dialogue of 150-300 words per minute. This totals 41,000 to 51,000 thoughts per day. Now, most of these are harmless thoughts like, "Don't forget to get milk at the grocery store." However, we have to be careful of the damaging things we tell ourselves because if you do not control your thoughts, your thoughts will control you. We must monitor what we tell ourselves!

We learned that our thought closets are divided into these six areas:
Cares and Concerns-our responsibilities (as a mom, daughter, and wife), worries, thoughts are we doing a good job?
Likes and Dislikes-who we are, preferences, what we like and don't like to do
Objectives and Goals-dreamy plans, travel, house
Secrets-What we really think about certain things, secrets we have kept inside
Eternity-designed for eternity, eternal matters
Treasures-reflect where your heart is

When looking at which of the closet sections gives me the most problems I realized that I need to place more of God and less of me in my thought closet.

Jennifer also said that our thoughts lead to our destiny. This is why it is so important to have good and true thoughts! We learned that...if you sow a thought, your reap an action, if you sow an action you reap a habit, if you sow a habit, you reap character, if you sow character you reap a destiny! You can trace your destiny back to your thoughts. What is in our thought closets is what we clothe ourselves with.

"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my redeemer." Psalm 19:14 KJV

Up this week: "What's In Your Thought Closet?"

Monday's Mothering Moment

2009-10-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

Week 3 for the Deceptively Delicious Challenge!
The Testers for Week 2: The Grisier Family
Jana is a great friend of mine. Her two beautiful daughters Jaylen and Emmie are pictured above as they help Jana cook!

Recipe: Scrambled Eggs

Ease of Recipe: 4 – I wouldn’t give any of these recipes a 5 for being easy, because making the purees does take some extra effort.

Adult Rating: 4, They are pretty good and healthier than my usual way of making scrambled eggs.

Child Rating: 5, Both of my picky toddlers eat them happily.

Additional Comments: Cauliflower seams to be one of the easiest purees to make and can be hidden in any meal easily. I am likely to continue making eggs with both the white and yolk as old habits die hard.

Recipe: Banana Bread (our favorite recipe in this book!)

Ease of Recipe: 4

Adult Rating: 5 - I think this tastes best when it is a day or two old instead of fresh out of the oven.

Child Rating: 5 – They think of it as a dessert.

Additional Comments: This recipe always takes longer to cook in our oven than the 60 minutes suggested. It is a long time for a kid to wait! If you make this banana bread, you have to add the streusel topping. It is so good!

Recipe: Spaghetti Pie

Ease of Recipe: 3 – It has a lot of steps and is time consuming.

Adult Rating: 1 – It was runny and looked nothing like the picture in the cook book. I tried to cook it longer to dry it out with no success.

Child Rating: 3 – Emmie (2 yrs) ate it gladly, but Jaylen (3 yrs) wouldn’t even consider eating a meatball.

Additional Comments: After having so much trouble with my runny Spaghetti Pie, I did some research online to find out that other people were also having this problem. In the future I would just add any vegetable puree I have on hand to our regular spaghetti sauce.

Just a Little Update

2009-10-03T15:25:00.000-07:00

"Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him." Psalm 127:3

God is amazing. That is all I have to say. I went to MOPS on Thursday morning before departing on my 2 1/2 days away from my little boy for the first time. The segment at MOPS "God Word For a Mom's Heart" was written especially for me that day, unbeknownst to the speaker/writer. But, that is exactly how God works, isn't it. Dropping the right word in your lap at exactly the right moment. Sandy, our speaker, was talking about letting go of your children, and how the process starts right from when your children are born. I had never thought of it that way. You are beginning to let go from the moment that you let someone other than you or your husband hold your baby. Then leaving your child with a sitter for the first time, leaving them overnight, dropping them off at preschool, and on and on. It happens in small little steps. Sandy said, "We need to hold on to our children tight, but not too tight, always remembering that they belong to God."

That was exactly what a needed to hear before departing for my weekend away. The Lord sent me a little word, a word that brought me so much peace. The weekend went extremely well. My little guy did great, and we had a great time away. It was fun to come home to my little boy running full speed into my arms and holding me tight. Thank you God for our children, for they are a gift from you. I pray that we seek to honor you in our parenting everyday, knowing that our precious babies belong to You!

Peace Like a River!

2009-10-01T03:52:00.000-07:00

I have to do something very hard today. I have to leave my two year old overnight for the first time ever. I am praying for God's peace today. This verse will be at the forefront of my mind for the next few days.

For this is what the LORD says: "I will extend peace to her like a river, and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream; you will nurse and be carried on her arm and dandled on her knees.

¹³ As a mother comforts her child,
so will I comfort you;
and you will be comforted over Jerusalem."

Isaiah 66:12-13

I am so thankful that the Lord is our Comforter! I am praying for God's peace for you all today!

What kind of a light are you?

2009-09-27T16:00:00.001-07:00

¹³"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

¹⁴"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Today's sermon was one that really made you evaluate yourself and do an inventory. How do I measure up? Am I a shining example to the world? Those that are a shining example stay on the path of living a righteous life. Pastor Steve asked, "Do you live a marked life?" Is your life marked by a uniqueness, are you different and can others tell? He then challenged us to quit trying to live a unique life in our own power and stop and ask the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you the strength and power to do it. He commented that if you think about the people you know who live a life that is marked by uniqueness that they share a common trait, consistency. They will not waffle or waver, but walk in consistency. I don't know about you but that is the trait I want to possess, consistency! Examine yourself today, what kind of light are you? Can others tell you are a believer, or is your light so dim that others do not even notice?

Record Breaking Granny: 1,400 Relatives

2009-09-24T10:56:00.000-07:00

I heard this story while driving to the gym yesterday on K-Love. I'm sure some of you heard this story as well. Here is an excerpt from the article.

Rachel Krishevsky was 19 when she married her cousin Yitzik from within the ultra orthodox Haredi community in Jerusalem. The young couple then set about following the Jewish commandment to be “fruitful and multiply.” And they certainly succeeded.

By the time she passed away last Saturday in Jerusalem aged 99, Rachel had according to her family, no less than 1,400 children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and even great-great-grandchildren. She and her husband had seven boys and four daughters. Among the ultra orthodox jewish community large families are seen as a blessing. Each of their 11 children followed in Rachel’s footsteps, resulting in 150 grandchildren. In turn these descendants had 1,000 children of their own and in the last few years several hundred great-great-grandchildren started to appear.

According to one unnamed grandchild Wednesday, “grandma knew all of her descendants by name.”

This really amazed me. She had 1,400 children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren and she knew all of them by name. WOW! That seems like an amazing feat to me. As amazing as it is here on this earth, that cannot even hold a candle in comparison to God and the love He has for His children. My mind instantly went to our one and only Father who knows all of His children so intimately that He even knows the number of hairs on our head! I don't know about you, but that brings me such comfort. He loves me and cares so much about me, that He knows the number of hairs on my head.

"Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother's womb. I thank you, High God--You're breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration--what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I'd even lived one day."

Psalm 139:13-16 The Message

I thought it would be neat to read this verse in the Message translation. How comforting that the Lord not only formed me, made me, and knows all about me. He watched me grow from conception to birth! He can see all the stages of my life. All the days of my life were all prepared before I had even lived one day. I want to live all of those days to the fullest for my Maker. I thank you God for making us just how you have fashioned us to be. I give thanks to you today, for Your love endures forever!

Happy First Day of Fall!

2009-09-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1

I love this verse. Thinking about the seasons reminds me me of how there is a time and a season for everything under heaven. God is in control!

In honor of the first day of fall I have complied a list of the 20 things I love about fall!

1. The changing leaves (what beautiful colors!)

2. The nip in the air

3. The weather (cooler temperatures)

4. Fall scented candles (Pumpkin Vanilla from Yankee Candle is my newest fall scent)

5. Taking a trip to the pumpkin patch

6. Switching to Fall/Winter clothes (clothes you have not worn for awhile)

7. The smell of fireplaces when you go outside at night

8. The anticipation of the upcoming holidays

9. Fall decorations

10. Pumpkin Pie (with whip cream)

11. Hay rides

12. Football (not that I really watch), but fond memories of college football games

13. New shows are back on the networks (no more repeats)

14. Cozy sweaters, sweatshirts, hats, and scarves

15. Hot Chocolate and Hot Tea

16. Soups and stews (comfort food has returned)!

17. Thanksgiving food (need I saw more)!

18. Day after Thanksgiving shopping

19. putting up the Christmas tree/lights

20. ...and this year the anticipation of the arrival of our new baby boy in December!

I would love to hear what you love about fall. Feel free to add your comments!

Monday's Mothering Moment

2009-09-21T12:42:00.000-07:00

Blueberry Oatmeal Bars (with Spinach)

Created by Jessica Seinfeld

Crunchy and sweet, but full of spinach! Let the bars cool completely before serving so that the taste of the spinach has a chance to disappear completely.

Ingredients:

Makes 12 bars

Nonstick cooking spray
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup Balance trans-fat-free soft tub margarine spread , chilled
1 cup low-sugar blueberry preserves
1/2 cup spinach puree

Preheat oven to 375°. Coat an 8" x 8" baking pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and vanilla and stir to mix well.

Add the margarine and cut it quickly into dry ingredients with two knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal and is no longer powdery. Do not overmix—bits of margarine will still be visible.

Set aside about half of the oat mixture; press the rest firmly into the pan. Bake until lightly browned at the edges (but not fully baked), 13 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the preserves with the spinach puree in a small bowl.

Spread blueberry mixture over the partially baked oat layer, then sprinkle with reserved oat mixture. Bake until topping is slightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Set the pan on a rack to cool completely before cutting into 12 bars.

From the book Deceptively DeliciousSM

The Testers for Week 1: Deceptively Delicious

The William's Family (Chris, Kate, and Max)

Ease of Recipe: I would give this a 4 out of 5. The recipe was easy except for the pureeing of the spinach. I was also surprised at how 1 bag of spinach did not make very much puree.

Adult Rating: I would give this a 3 out of 5. The bars did not taste too bad. You really could not taste the spinach. However, I did not like the texture that came along with the spinach being included (slimy).

Child Rating: 4 out of 5. My son did not seem to mind the texture!

Additional Comments: I will not give up on this cookbook! I have heard too many good comments on some of the other recipes. I would probably not make this recipe again in the future.

Are you a Disciple?

2009-09-18T18:58:00.000-07:00

I am just loving this study on 1 Thessalonians. It is amazing how you can read something and not get anything out of it, but when you take a study it closely, the word can come alive and things just start jumping off the page at you. Wednesday night we were talking about Paul and studying how his journey to Thessalonica came about.

We see how Paul met Timothy in Acts 16:1. "And a disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek, 2) and he was well spoken of by the brethren who were in Lystra and Iconium. 3) Paul wanted this man to go with him; and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek."

Timothy was circumcised to be a witness. He would not have had to have done this. That was law back in the Old Testament. He did this on his own accord not wanting the Jews to be able to say anything about his unbelieving father. He went above and beyond what would have been required. We see that "being a disciple is optional" not everyone is going to be able to do it. Sure anyone who has accepted Christ as their Savior will be in Heaven, but when I get there I want to hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant." I don't want to do the bare minimum. I want to be a disciple for Christ. I hope everyone asks themselves the question "What is it that I can do to serve and do exactly what God wants me to do?" Not just what would be easy for me to do, but what is God calling me to do? It may get me out of my comfort zone and I may not like it, but if that is what God is calling me to do, I want to be found faithful.

Monday's Mothering Moment

2009-09-14T10:27:00.000-07:00

The next month of Monday's we will focus our Mothering Moment section on Healthy Eating for our families! Whether you have young children, teenagers, or an empty nest I think you will find this series both interesting and beneficial.

This series is going to consist of tips and tricks to get your family to eat more healthily. It is also going to involve an "experiment." I hope I have peeked your curiosity. We will have a variety of woman trying out and rating some of the recipes in the cookbook "Deceptively Delicious" by Jessica Seinfeld. "In Deceptively Delicious, she shares her solutions: easy, mouthwatering recipes that even the most overwhelmed families can make-stealthily packed with unseen veggies, pureed so kids will never suspect."
This week I wanted to share my healthy eating findings from kidshealth.org. According to them these are the five best strategies to improve nutrition and encourage smart eating habits at any age.

Have a regular family meal. "Family meals are a comforting ritual for both parents and kids. Children like the predictability of family meals and parents get a chance to catch up with their kids. Kids who take part in regular family meals are also:

more likely to eat fruit, vegetables, and grains
less likely to snack on unhealthy foods
less likely to smoke, use marijuana, or drink alcohol

To get teens to "buy into" the family meal here are some tips.

allow your teen to invite a friend to dinner
involve your teen in meal planning and preparation
Keep mealtime calm and congenial--no lectures or arguing

2. Serve a variety of healthy foods and snacks. "Kids, especially younger ones, will eat mostly what's available at home. Here are some guidelines from kidshealth.org for serving healthy foods.

Work fruits and vegetables into the daily routine.
Make it easy for kids to choose healthy snacks
Serve lean meats and other good sources of protein
Choose whole grain breads and cereals
Limit fat intake
Limit sugary drinks

3. Be a role model by eating healthy yourself. The best way is to eat fruits and vegetables and not overindulge in the less nutritious stuff. Also, it is important to serve appropriate portions and not overeat.

4. Avoid battles over food.

Establish a predictable schedule of meals and snacks.
Don't force kids to clean their plates.
Don't bribe or reward kids with food.
Don't use food as a way of showing love.

5. Involve kids in the process-"Most kids will enjoy deciding what to make for dinner. Talk to them about making choices and planning a balanced meal. Some might even want to help shop for ingredients and prepare the meal. At the store, teach kids to check out food labels to begin understanding what to look for.

If you would like to read this article in its entirety please click the following link to visit www.kidshealth.org
Come back next week for our first installment in the Deceptively Delicious Experiment!

Alive Again

2009-09-11T08:26:00.001-07:00

I had a wonderful time of worship on the treadmill this morning. The song "Alive Again" by Matt Maher came on the radio. I loved the words and wanted to share it with you.

Matt Maher says of his song, "'Alive Again' is my attempt to use language and music in the form of a pop song to re-create the moment when God reached in and grabbed my heart for the very first time. There's nothing more compelling than waking up in a dark world and knowing that God is fervently pursuing me and shouting my name -- even if, at first, I don't recognize His voice."

I love the words "you called and you shouted," I often find God calling and shouting to me when I let the busyness of life and my own selfish desires get in the way with my relationship with Him. I hope you enjoy!

Taking one another by the hand

2009-09-10T15:34:00.000-07:00

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. ²⁵Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:24-25 NIV

I am in a Precepts Bible study (Kay Arthur) on Wednesday nights. We are studying I Thessalonians-You Blameless at His Coming. We were watching the video and it was amazing how what Kay was discussing was so timely, I just had to share it with you!

I Thessalonians is a letter that shows how we can come along side others believing, caring, teaching, urging, encouraging, and exhorting others! Wow, that is the purpose I would want for this blog.

Kay was saying that she believes that there is so much "sin in the camp" of believers today because there is not someone to come along side people and care and love on them. We need to encourage, exhort, and comfort one another. We need to spur each other on in the faith!

Kay ended the video with a challenge to each of us that I would like to extend to you as well. She said that we should be praying about who we can come along side and encourage today.

Girlfriends of Grace be encouraged in the Lord Jesus Christ!

Birthday Surprise!

2009-09-09T06:05:00.000-07:00

My doorbell rang yesterday and I was greeted with the most beautiful flowers! My amazing and thoughtful husband had sent me flowers on my birthday. It was so exciting. As I was gazing at them last night I could not help but behold their beauty. I was reminded of Proverbs 31:30 "Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised."
These beautiful flowers that are so vibrant, and so alive at this moment cannot last forever. That is the sad part that comes along with enjoying flowers; their beauty does not last. Just as nothing on this earth ever will. However, we can look forward to eternity where nothing will ever fade away!

I hope you take the time to enjoy the beauty around you today, remembering the Maker of all things!

The Best Apple Pie I've Ever Had!

2009-09-08T06:35:00.000-07:00

A month ago I had the best Apple Pie I have ever had! We had gone to a party celebrating the end of my husbands sand volleyball summer league season. There were two of these pies setting on the counter. I came upstairs from watching my son play with all of the older kids in the basement when I heard all of the men in the kitchen raving about this pie (that tells you how good it was)! I fixed myself a piece and topped it off with some vanilla icecream. I was not ready for what I was about it encounter. It was so amazing! I like Apple Pie, but it is not my favorite dessert. However, if this pie was in the line up...I would have to have a piece.

I made this pie this weekend for a Labor Day Barbeque that we attended. The recipe is from the Pioneer Woman website. She has some amazing recipes. If you make this Apple Pie, be sure to also make the crust from the recipe link she has included. It is the best, most flaky crust I've ever had! Enjoy!

2009-09-04T14:25:00.000-07:00

Psalm 92:4 "For You Lord, have made me glad through Your work; I will triumph in the works of Your hands."

I am so excited to have the blog up and running! I want this to be a place that will inspire and encourage you on in the faith. Our God is so good and it is so easy to get bogged down by the everyday issues, circumstances, and responsibilities of life. We need to make sure that no matter what our circumstances or mood is this day, that we rejoice in the Lord, for He has made me glad!

I have many exciting ideas for the blog that you will see unfolding in the coming weeks. Everything from guest columnists, parenting tid bits, recipes, tips on how to be an effective manager of your home, how to love on your family, how to balance the responsibilities of life, etc! If you have anything that you would love to read more about or see featured please send me an email (katew806@hotmail.com) or leave a comment and I will research/check into it!

Welcome!

2009-09-01T12:13:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Fall Bible Study! This semester we will be studying Me, Myself, and Lies by Jennifer Rothschild. I am very excited not only for this study, but to get to know all of you.

Here is some information on the study, Me, Myself, and Lies.

Adapted from the trade book, Self Talk, Soul Talk, in the Bible Study, Me, Myself and Lies, Jennifer shares practically and helpfully from her own life and from Scripture to show how every woman can turn her words—and her life—around for good.

This six-week Bible study for women encourages them to clean out the junk in their thoughts and replace these hidden negative thoughts and failures with positive truths from God’s word. Rather than struggling with self-esteem, body image, stress and other unhealthy thoughts and emotions learn to replace the lies you may have been telling yourself with the truth from God’s word.

Information you might find helpful!

The Me, Myself, and Lies Bible Study will start Tuesday, October 6, 2009 and run until Tuesday November 17, 2009.

Time: 9:00-11:00 am

Where: Lenexa Baptist Church in room 244

Books are available in the Lexena Baptist Church Bookstore anytime church is in session.

Invite Friends! Please feel free to invite friends to this study. If you have someone who would like to join our class please encourage them to come!

Childcare: Childcare runs from 8:50-11:00 am. I will make sure that we are done with the video and discussion so you can pick your little ones up by 11:00 am. If you would like to continue chatting after 11:00 am please pick your little ones up and them come back and stay as long as you would like!

I can't wait to meet you. See you soon!