30 Days of Blogging v2

Day 02- The meaning behind my blog name

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” 1 John 3:1

mmmmmm

I picked three beautiful eggplant today which means eggplant parmesan tomorrow night. It would be tonight but we're headed down for a bbq at my brother- in- laws tonight. Should be a great time. :o)
This morning's message was great. I love it when a pastor isn't afraid to teach difficult verses in scripture. Like 1 Cor 14:34-35
Well done.
And even more exciting, we have our first meeting with our EF (educational facilitator from the Charter school tomorrow morning and we'll get all of our curriculum for the year! Woot woot! It's like Christmas when the boys open their boxes and get to see all the fun stuff we get to "play with" all year.
After that, we are having some friends from church over to play and stay for lunch. Should be a fun day!

In very sad news, a very sweet friend of mine confided that they've miscarried a second time yesterday while trying for their first child. Please keep them in your prayers. Thanks.

Ten Ways NOT to Look at Children

Ten Ways NOT to Look at Children
by R.C. Sproul Jr.

Wisdom is a narrow path. Folly, on the other hand, is a wide, gaping desert. Our conversations in the church about children tend to be contentious and emotional. Few things touch closer to home. Which is why we need all the more to develop a careful, thoughtful and sober understanding of the Bible's wisdom on this issue. Below are ten common ways we err in our thinking. May He give us grace to fill our quivers with blessings, and our hearts with wisdom.

10. Children are a hassle to be avoided. What has become conventional wisdom in the world is now conventional wisdom in the church. We quip about longing for school to start, about dreading when they outgrow children's church. We make the same stupid jokes- "Do you know what causes that?", flaunting our folly. We are so biblically illiterate in the church we have no idea we are calling God a liar, who tells us children are a blessing from His hand (Psalm 127). We are so historically illiterate we don't know that every denomination in Christendom condemned practices designed to avoid blessings from the beginning of the church until little more than fifty years ago.

9. Children are more precious than rubies and must be attained at any cost. On the other side of the above spectrum are those who see having children as the only blessing, and their purpose on the planet to conceive as many babies as humanly possible. The truth is that wisdom is more precious than rubies. God, however, is the one with all wisdom, and so is best equipped to plan our families. Seeking to pry babies out of His gracious hand, employing sundry technologies and timings, ironically, like the above problem, separates the blessing of the marital act from the blessing of children. What is to be a joy, on both counts, becomes a duty on both counts.

8. Children can be ordered like new flatware from the Pottery Barn. The Bible reminds us that God is the one who opens the womb, and the one who closes the womb (Genesis 16). To suggest that you can have children of this sex or that, this far apart or that is hubris of the highest magnitude. If you want children, God may bless you, or He may not. If you don't want children, God may bless you or He may not. In the meantime you look pretty silly sitting in your baby car seat turning your toy steering wheel, thinking you are driving.

7. Their lack of children is a sign of God's peculiar disfavor. I'd like you to meet your friend Job. To affirm that children are blessing from God does not mean that those who have not been so blessed are not God's friends. God has many kinds of blessings and He gives them, in His grace, as He sees fit. You can no more measure a man's piety by the size of his quiver than you can by the level of his suffering. Neither is someone's family size proof of any error in their thinking on children. You can't rightly assume that those with small families are guilty of error #10.

6. My abundance of children is a sign of God's peculiar favor. The flipside of #5, only here the pride is slightly easier to see, and yet equally ridiculous. Children are a gracious gift, not a paycheck.*

5. Children are an unalloyed blessing. That the blessing is alloyed doesn't mean it's not a blessing. It does mean that children, even the ones in large families, sin, wake up in the middle of the night, throw up and break things, sometimes even our hearts.

4. Children are God's version of the "Hitler Youth." Our children fill our quivers in the battle against the seed of the serpent. We are drill sergeants, raising them for battle. And they are soldiers right now. But the Bible doesn't call us to do this only for the sake of battle. Instead the Bible says children are a blessing, a joy. If you are not enjoying them, you're doing it wrong. If you think the kingdom comes by breeding, you are missing the point. The kingdom comes by joy, and joy comes from many places, including the blessing of children.

3. Children are given for our glory, or our comfort. It is true, and a blessing that godly children bring honor to their parents. But that honor comes to us not as they live for us, but as they live for Him. My children do not exist to spread my fame, but to manifest the glory of the reign of Jesus Christ. There is a thin line between letting your light shine before men and praying on street corners like the Pharisees. You will only know which side you are on by humbly and honestly examining your heart.

2. Children are no longer needed; the world is overcrowded. There are plenty of thoughtful arguments to gainsay this folly, filled with statistics and sound economic theory. The simplest one is this- God said to be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it. We'll know we're done when He tells us we're done.

1.We have to have more children before the west is overrun. Though the west has been profoundly blessed by the impact of the gospel, it is the gospel, not the west that matters. We don't need more white children; we need more covenant children. We don't need more Americans; we need more Christians. We don't need more Republicans; we need more citizens of the kingdom of God.

These mistakes, of course, come from all sides. Large families can make some, small families others, and some both sides can make. We would go a long way to combat all of them, however, if we believed this simple truth- children are a gracious gift from God who opens and closes the womb, for His glory and for His kingdom. We might go even farther, however, in combating these errors this way, by being certain to hug and bless the children He has given us.

* = My personal opinion and is not included in the quote.
*Octomom, Jon&Kate and even (gasp) The Duggars.... I'm looking at you.

Wordy Wednesday!

I'm taking a break from my Psalms devo to pray through the book, "Praying the Scriptures for your Children: Discovering How to Pray God's Will for Their Lives" by Jodie Berndt.

I've done this devo before and after an epiphany yesterday about why some animals eat their babies am feeling led to pray through it again.

Today I read Ch 8 which is Praying for Self-Control, Diligence, and Self-Discipline.
I'm only going to cite a few of the verses because I fully want you all to go out and buy this book. It's awesome!

"Help _____ to be self-controlled. Let him show integrity, seriousness, and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose the gospel may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about him." Titus 2:6-8

"May _____'s sin find him out, so that he will be drawn back to You, Lord, for forgiveness and Your gracious blessing of a new beginning." Numbers 32:23

"Cause _____ to make every effort to add to her faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. Let _____ possess these qualities in increasing measure, so that she will be effective and productive in her knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:5-8

And one of the Prayer Principles says;
"When you pray for your children to learn things like diligence and self-control, you are asking God to give them attributes that are absolutely essential to their future happiness and success."

Get your own copy here:
http://www.zondervan.com/Cultures/en-US/Product/ProductDetail.htm?ProdID=com.zondervan.9780310232162&QueryStringSite=Zondervan

Wordy Wednesday!

Theme Because God is Creator, Lord, Savior and Deliverer, He is worthy of our trust and praise. Because He is faithful and His Word is dependable, we can rejoice and sing, giving thanks and praise.
Author Anonymous
Psalm 33
1 Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous;
it is fitting for the upright to praise Him.
2 Praise the Lord with the harp;
make music to Him on the ten-stringed lyre.
3 Sing to Him a new song;
play skillfully and shout for joy.

4 For the Word of the Lord is right and true;
He is faithful in all He does.
5 The Lord loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of His unfailing love.

6 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made.
their starry host by the breath of His mouth.
7 He gathers the waters of the sea into jars;
He puts the deep into storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear the Lord;
let all the people of the earth revere Him.
9 For He spoke, and it came to be;
He commanded and it stood firm.
10 The Lord foils the plans of the nations;
He thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
11 But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever,
the purposes of His heart through all generations.

12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people He chose for His inheritance.
13 From heaven the Lord looks down
and sees all mankind;
14 from His dwelling place He watches
all who live on earth-
15 He who forms the hearts of all,
who considers everything they do.
16 No king is saved by the size of his army;
no warrior escapes by his great strength.
17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;
despite all it's great strength it cannot save.
18 But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him,
on those whose hope is in His unfailing love,
19 to deliver them from death
and keep them alive in famine.

20 We wait in hope for the Lord;
He is our help and our sheild.
21 In Him our hearts rejoice;
for we trust in His holy name.
22 May Your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord,
even as we put our hope in You.

Wordy Wednesday!

Theme Declaring loyalty to God. If we are genuinely commited to God, we can stand up to the opposition and examination.
Author David, possibly written during the days of Absolom's rebellion

Psalm 26 of David.
1 Vindicate me, O Lord,
for I have led a blameless life;
I have trusted in the Lord
without wavering.
2 Test me, O Lord, and try me,
examine my heart and my mind;
3 for your love is ever before me,
and I walk continually in Your truth.
4 I do not sit with deceitful men,
nor do I consort with hypocrites;
5 I abhor the assembly of evildoers
and refuse to sit with the wicked.
6 I wash my hands in innocence,
and go about your alter, O Lord,
7 proclaiming aloud your praise
and telling of all Your wonderful deeds.
8 I love the house where You live, O Lord,
the place where Your glory dwells.

9 Do not take away my soul along with sinners,
my life with bloodthirsty men,
10 in whose hands are wicked schemes,
whose right hands are full of bribes.
11 But I lead a blameless life;
redeem me and be merciful to me.

12 My feet stand on level ground;
in the great assembly I will praise the Lord.

* Now initially when I read this, I was a little unsure what to think about David claiming to lead a blameless life. Was he being self righteous or even worse trying to decieve the Lord? Because, for real, no one is "blameless." And then the verses about not sitting with hypocrites or deceitful men was troubling because I have friends who are unsaved and I pray that while being their friend and enjoying spending time together they will see Jesus shining through me and that they would know by my actions and heart why I am different and hopefully want it for themselves. But when I looked into the notes at the bottom of the page, I found some excellent insights.
26:1-3 In asking God to declare him "blameless," David was not claiming to be sinless- that is impossible for any human being to achieve. Instead, he was pleading with God to clear his name of the false charges made against him by his enemies. We also can ask God to examine us, trusting Him to forgive our sins and clear our record according to His mercy.
26:4-5 Should we stay away from unbelievers? No.Although Christians should avoid some places, Jesus demonstrated that we must go among unbelievers to help them. There is a difference, however between being with unbelievers and being one of them. Acting like unbelievers harms our witness for God.
Ask about the people you enjoy: If you are with them often, will you become less obedient to God in outlook or action?
If the answer is yes, carefully monitor how you spend your time with these people and their affect on you.
26:12 Too often we complain about our problems to anyone who will listen and praise God only in private. Instead, we ought to complain privately and praise God publicly.

Wordy Wednesday!

I know, I know! The trend is "wordless Wednesday" but I decided that doesn't work for me. This is my blog after all, right? So, every Wednesday I'll be posting the Scripture that I studied during devos that morning. Ok? Ok!

Psalm 12
ThemeThe proud and lying words of people versus the true and pure words of God. A call for protection against those who try to manipulate us.

For the director of music. According to the sheminith. A psalm of David.
1 Help, Lord, for the godly are no more;
the faithful have vanished among men.
2 Everyone lies to his neighbor;
their flattering lips speak with deception.

3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips
and every boastful tongue
4 that says, "We will triumph with our tongues;
we own our lips - who is our master?"

5 "Because of the oppression of the weak
and the groaning of the needy,
I will now arise," says the Lord.
"I will protect them from those who malign them."
6 And the words of the Lord are flawless,
like silver refined in a furnace of clay,
purified seven times.

7 O Lord, You will keep us safe
and protect us from such people forever.
8 The wicked freely strut about
when what is vile is honored among men.

This is from my NIV Life Application Study Bible that I use on a daily basis if you're wondering what translation this is. Although we study NKJV at worship services at our church which is a Calvary Chapel, I LOVE all of the notes and insights in my NIV. It really explains in depth how to apply the verses to modern life and other scriptures (of course) for further study.

Quiet time...

So, I just began Psalms again and everyday I'll read a chapter or two and a jot down notes or insights along the margins and, of course, pray. Well, the Lord is the Lord and He knew full well that beginning Psalms again was exactly where I needed to be. I cannot tell you how fortifying and encouraging His words are to my heart. And I've been blessed to share the Word fresh in my heart and mind during a time of need.
This week has been such a vivid example of how we are simply vessels made to be filled up so that we can pour into others.
I will just share a few short verses of what has been soo uplifting.

But You are a shield around me, O Lord;
you bestow glory on me and lift up my head.
To the Lord I cry aloud,
and He answers me from His holy hill.
Psalm 3:3,4
I will lie down and sleep in peace,
for You alone, O Lord,
make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 4:8
But let all who take refuge in You be glad;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread Your protection over them,
that those who love Your name may rejoice in You.
For surely,O Lord, You bless the righteous;
You surround them with Your favor as with a shield.
Psalm 5:11,12

God is good all the time and all the time God is good.

TV Free!

And FREE Indeed! We decided to unplug our tvs (and thus anything necessitating one) for lent because the kids tv/computer/video games habit had gotten very out of control during the last few months. I was a little nervous about how they'd react to be completely honest.
However, they have only asked to watch something once and since that one time have only asked every few days or so, "How many more days till Easter?" It's been like heaven. They're playing well together and reading more books and spending oodles of time outside where they belong, climbing and jumping and bug hunting, etc.
I'm ashamed to admit that there have been several times, though, that I have wished they'd just sit and watch a movie! Good grief! They are so fun and I am just a party pooper cause I'm so exhausted still and just can't keep up!
All in all, this has been the most wonderful experience and I'm praying about how to reintegrate small amounts of the activities that they've so readily given up if at all...
TV free.....?

Hillsong United...

What an amazing night of worship and fellowship!!! Finlay came with us and slept almost the entire time.

Happy Easter!!!!

Bama and Papa Mike were here visiting from Indiana. We went to Santee Lakes to have our picnic. There, we flew kites, played on the playground and Milo went fishing with the Papa's. We had such a wonderful day, celebrating our Risen Savior!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25259743@N05/sets/72157604361923751/show/