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Posted By Sister Lori in Devotions and Bible Study
November 23
Giving Thanks Is Better Than Casting Blame
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house . . . ; he kneeled upon his knees three times a day. Daniel 6:10a
Beep, beep, beep! “Why is that vehicle in front of us rolling backwards while we wait on the red light?” questioned the driver we were traveling with. The eighty-year-old man did not realize that he was to blame, for it was his vehicle that kept easing forward until it almost made contact with the car ahead of us. My wife and I were witnesses from the back seat of his car.
How often the Lord sees our misdeeds, while we blame another. In the Scripture reading today, Daniel was put to the test. He would have had plenty of reasons to blame others. Yet not one accusation escaped his lips. Daniel was aware that the prohibition against prayer had been signed by the king, but it did not make him stop praying to his God. He trusted God and blamed no one. He did not even blame the king for signing such a decree. Because of Daniels fervency in prayer, his life was spared.
This is my prayer today. Lord, help me to see myself as You see me. Help me to see that I cause myself more problems than anyone else has ever caused me. Help me to realize as I focus on You and surrender my talent, time, and abilities for You, I will be more and more like You.
William Troyer, Huntland, TN
Overlook the faults of others, and look into your own.
Bible Reading: Daniel 6 One Year Bible Reading Plan: James 4 Ezekiel 27, 28
Used by Permission of Vision Publishers PO Box 190, Harrisonburg, VA 22803 Phone: 877-488-0901 E-Mail: [cs@vision-publishers.com] |
Posted By ~Melissa in My Life
Well, Dh came up today and said he liked my haircut this way. This is not like him at all. He rarely takes notice of any outward appearances of mine, so for him to mention my haircut twice... I'm thinking it must really be something he likes. I tried blowdrying it one day as it was cold and when I dry it, my curls go to frizz, so I just try to brush it straight, and he didn't like that, said it was still tooo poooofy. My hair straight is poofy, and I laughed at the sight of it. My kids thought it was funny that my hair would poof so much... I hadn't blow dried my hair in a long time so they probably don't recall seeing what that does to my hair! Dh just said, please don't blow dry your hair... I like your curls. LOL ~~~~~~~~~anyways... We had a nice potluck after church. Two soups to choose from. I choose the vegan creamy tomato soup. I had that before and I enjoyed it. I like a bowl of it from time to time. I made the recipe myself, once, and it is too much for me to eat it all week long. I was happy it was at potluck so I could enjoy a bowl again. We had sandwiches to go with and some side dishes as well. We enjoyed some good conversation. My daughter's friend from college had come to church to visit. We enjoyed getting to know her. She is a nice girl, quiet, much like my daughter. This afternoon we taught a couple girls at church "Silent Night" in sign language. They enjoyed learning and singing. We took some time for them to also learn singing harmony as a group. We plan to present this to the adult SS around Christmas time. The girls are all excited as well. I enjoyed a quiet evening tonight at home as well. My older girls went to vespers with some others from church and then planned to go bowling with a friend from church who's grandchildren were visiting for the weekend. Because of that, I was able to have a quiet house. I made fried potatoes (with a few thrown in veggies) for supper for Dh and me. Not much else to say... I just really enjoy the quiet some days! Our sermon today was about faith. Well sort of. LOL. The sermon itself had a different route than where my thoughts were taking me. I ended up getting the faith message from the texts shared today. That has been on my heart today as I've enjoyed the quiet.... Faith. Warmly, ~Melissa |
Posted By Sister Lori in Country Doin's
Blessings!
I wanted to share one of our favorite things...researching and learning about the origins of things. In this case...Christmas:)
Christmas Day
In pre-Christian times, the birth of the "Unconquered Sun" was the most important festival of the Roman Empire. In adapting some of the practices of non-Christian festivals, the early Christian church captured the spirit of the festival, which was rebirth, and transformed it to signify the coming of Christ. Thus, Christmas now celebrates the birth of the "Unconquered SON".
In all Christendom, Christmas remains the most festive holiday of all the year. But it has not always been so. The history of the day owes much to those secular winter celebrations. Christmas past has ranged from lavish celebrations to actual bans on any observance at all. Added to this mix of sacred and secular, celebrations and bans, were charming and unique customs from many cultures, all of which contributed much to what is now the rich tradition of Christmas Day.
A Day For Christmas
The Gospel stories of Jesus' birth do not reveal to us the year or the date of His nativity. Biblical scholars have long agreed, however, that there is enough factual evidence to place Jesus' birthday in the year 6B.C. We are told that Jesus was born during the reign of Herod the Great, and it is known that Herod's reign ended with his death in 4B.C. Just before he died, Herod ordered all male children under the age of two to be executed. His order, issued out of fear, was meant to rid the world of the boy being hailed as the new King of the Jews. Jesus, if He were born in 6B.C., would have been approaching the age of two when Herod's violent decree was issued.
For more than three centuries, as Christianity spread slowly throughout the world, Christians remembered and celebrated the birth of Christ on different days and in different fashions; it was not until the Roman Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity that December 25 became the official Christmas Day. Constantine had taken root in Roman culture in the third century A.D. On December 25th, Mithraists celebrated the festival of Dies Invicti Solis, or the Day of the Invincible Sun, in honor of Mithra, who was said to have been born on this date. When Constantine declared himself a believer in Jesus Christ, he left Mithra behind, but he decreed the official Roman day of celebration of the birthday of Jesus Christ to be December 25, the same day as the celebration of Mithra. This was also the season of the Roman holiday of Saturnalia and the Kalends of January, two highly spirited celebrations marked by great feasting and revelry. In those days, Christianity grew in a world full of mythology, superstition, and competing gods; and Constantine understood that the best means of winning converts was not by forbidding the old celebrations, but by turning the old traditions to the new Christian purpose.
One element almost all pre-Christian cultures and religions shared was the winter solstice celebration--rituals and festivals meant to help the people through the darkest, shortest days of the year and hasten the return of spring. Christmas Day became the new center of the winter solstice, and Jesus Christ the new light in the darkest time of the year. In 350 A.D., Pope Julius I decreed December 25 as the official Christian celebration day for the birth of Jesus. Two centuries later, Roman Emperor Justinian gave further permanence to the date by declaring it a civil holiday on which all work must cease. Jesus Christ may not have been born on December 25, but more than fifteen hundred years have proven that there is no more wonderful time to celebrate His arrival.
I have many more to share but I thought this would be a good start:)
God be with thee!
Sister Lori |
Posted By anoldfashionedgirl
Yes, gone, by by, see ya later. That is the story of my Suburban. I guess I should back up a little. When the gas prices were so high, my hubby and I talked quite seriously about getting a newer suburban, because people getting rid of them left and right. My hubby did not feel like it was the right time, so we didn't persue it. Well, on Monday, someone we know asked my hubby if he was wanting to sell our suburban and my hubby told him yes, if the right person came along and the timing felt right. To make a long story short, that was Monday and as of yesterday (Friday) I no longer have a suburban. We got on the internet last night and today and did some searching for a newer one. We found a couple things that we called on, but our plan is to travel to Spokane, WA (a 4 hour drive) next Saturday and see what the car lots have. We have heard that the market down there is flooded with suburbans, and so they are going pretty cheap. I guess we will see. We have a certain amount of cash set aside that we will take and if we cant find something in that price range..... well, I guess I will just get used to driving an old truck for a while. So, that is the latest around here. There is never a dull moment it seems! Have a blessed day all! |
Posted By blessed mom in Frugal Mama
Last weekend I posted about my latest project -- refinishing our old pedestal table....... I sanded the top off and applied new stain and it turned out like a brand new table!! I have also been on the lookout for pressed back vintage chairs. I have been checking www.craigslist.org for good deals and this past week I was able to pick up some more chairs! I actually picked up the following chairs, 4 of them in this style for $75 and the owner also gave me the pedestal table that came with it! Not sure what I am going to do with the table for now... but I cleaned the chairs, and applied new stain/finish.
The chairs were fairly worn, especially in the seat area. I prepared the chairs by clearning with mineral spirits and then adding some stain & finish. You do not have to completely strip the wood of it's original varnish to give it a "fresh" new look..... just clean well and then apply a stain / finish wood sheen product. I used Minwax finish -- it's a stain & finish in one, and I applied a colonial walnut color. Really easy to do. Just rub on with a soft clean cloth. Make sure to wipe off any residue of the stain after applying a coat. It dries within a few hours. I have applied this stuff to old antiques to freshen them up. It works wonders!
I also picked up these antique chairs....... aren't they beautiful? I love the "cut" out at the top....I need to get them cleaned up with a coat of the finish/stain too.
So far, I have 10 used chairs I have been able to pick up for great prices and I need to find 2 more! It's a little work to find a bargain -- but well worth the money saved! These chairs are over $100 a piece brand new, so the savings is big! ~ gloria ~ |
Posted By blessed mom in This 'n' that
I recently came to listen to the music of Christian Artist, Twila Paris..... and all I can say is "wow"! This Christian Woman truly has been given the gift of music! She clearly uses her music to glorify the Lord! If you have not listened to twila's beautiful music and heard her lovely voice...... you need to! Currently my favorite song is " Keepin' My Eyes on You".... beautiful! ~ gloria ~ |
Posted By blessed mom in From the WORD
Last night I went to bed with a heavy burden on my heart...... crying out to God to help me to see what I needed to do to resolve this challenge -- the Lord led me to this passage in the Bible. It was exactly what I needed to read! Isn't God great? He gives us the answers we need right from His word! Thank you Lord! Jehoshaphat found himself in a predicament when he was told that a "vast army was coming against his people and was already at En Gedi" ( 2 Chronicles 20:3) . Alarmed, Jehoshaphat immediately turned to the Lord God and proclaimed a fast for all the kingdom of Judah. The Bible tells us that "the people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord, indeed they came from every town in Judah to seek Him." ( 20:4 NIV) And this is what Jehoshaphat told the people: " O Lord God of our Fathers are you not the God who is heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. ... if calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgement, or plague or famine we will stand in your presense ... and will cry out to you in our distress and you will hear us and save us... O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do , but our eyes are upon you." 2 Chron. 20 : 6-12 NIV So many times in life, when faced with a particular challenge, " I don't know what to do"...... but will my eyes "be upon Him"? Will I seek His help as Jehoshaphat did for the kingdom of Judah? Will I seek His help when my family is faced with a particular trial or challenge? I pray that I will do just as Jehosphaphat did and turn immediately to the Lord God for guidance! As I fell upon my face seeking God' s help with a particular challenge I was having with one of my children --- the answer came so very clearly from the Lord....... " Take up your positions, stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you ... Do not be afraid ; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow and the Lord will be with you. " 2 Chron. 20: 17 NIV Will I take my "position" and "stand firm" and see God's deliverance? Shall I be afraid? Shall I be discouraged because the battle seems so overwhelming? Shall I not go out and realize God will be with me to fight my daily battles? And Jehoshaphat's response to this counsel was: " Jehosphaphat bowed with his face to the ground and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down to worship before the Lord.... then some levites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel with a very loud voice. Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehosphaphat stood and said, " Have faith, in the Lord your God, and you will be upheld ; have faith and you will be successful. After consulting the people Jehosphaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and praise Him for the splendor of His holiness as they went out ..." 2 Chronicles 20: 19-21 NIV So shall I not do the same? Shall I not gather all my children and bow down before the Lord with our face to the ground and worship Him? Shall I too not have faith in the Lord God that we will be upheld in our challenges and trials we face? Shall I not appoint some of my children to sing to the Lord and praise Him???? I know that I am not facing an huge army -- but I am .. and "we are all" facing the enemy in some aspect in our lives.... for we fight not against "flesh and blood" but against principalities and powers....against "spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" ( Ephesians 6:12) Shall I not do as Jehosphaphat did and call my children together and fall down before the Lord, having my eyes upon Him and then go forth without fear knowing full well He will fight the battle for me/us! So take courage my heart! Do not be discouraged o soul! The Lord our God does continue to fight the battles of His people -- whether that be armies and legions or whether that be the daily battles that face us in our homes as we raise our children and live with the flesh. Oh God please help me to be like Jehosphaphat! Help me O Lord to keep my eyes upon you Lord! Let me praise your name in the midst of the 'army' that stands before me! Let my children and I lift up our voices in praise of your Holy Name! ~ gloria ~
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Posted By Sister Lori in Devotions and Bible Study
November 22
Thank God for Your Home
And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4
Nineteen-year-old Jason stormed out of the house in a fit of rage. Dad had made him mad again. Couldn’t his parents ever get along with each other? He had had enough. He was going to get back at his parents for the way they had treated him. “The next time you hear of me, it’ll be in the headlines,” he called over his shoulder angrily.
He drove off in the car and picked up his friends, Pat and Freddie. They left their home state of South Carolina and drove to Atlanta, Georgia. There they decided to rob a bank or steal a vehicle. After searching awhile at a mall for a chance to do this, Freddie left his two friends and caught a bus back home. The other two boys continued north and happened to end up in our small town. They decided to steal a vehicle. One day, our local newspaper ran the sad story of an elderly couple murdered in their own house. Their pickup truck and about $300 were stolen. The two boys were eventually linked to the murder and arrested.
Last week our local newspaper bore the headline that one of the boys, Jason, was convicted and received two life sentences plus ten years in prison. A sad story it is, and yet so typical of the world about us. Children end up doing things they never imagined in reaction against their parents’ treatment. Neither parents nor children can be blamed for the other’s mistakes, and yet parents have a great responsibility to influence their children for the right.
Have you thanked God today for your godly parents? Do it now. If you do not have godly parents, have you thanked God for your salvation, that you can teach your children what is right? Do it now. If your father made mistakes and did not treat you right, have you forgiven him? Do it now. If there is bitterness in your heart toward your home life, have you rid yourself of it? Do it now.. Life is too short and eternity is too serious to hold a grudge. Purpose now to be the kind of person that you would wants others to be to you!
Tim Mast, Crossville, TN
A happy family is but an earlier heaven. —Sr. John Bowring
Bible Reading: Ephesians 5:25—6:9 One Year Bible Reading Plan: James 3 Ezekiel 24—26
Used by Permission of Vision Publishers PO Box 190, Harrisonburg, VA 22803 Phone: 877-488-0901 E-Mail: [cs@vision-publishers.com]
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Posted By Sister Lori in Country Doin's
Blessings! Well, we finally met the Landlords...well have of them anyway:P Last weekend we received an email from his lovely wife letting us know that he would be arriving the next day (Sunday)~! It's not easy finding a day in the fall up here in Oregon, that is dry let alone sunny:P So, it's important to check the weather daily to see if there will be a window of time. They did and he was on his way. I want to share a wonderful thing here quickly. I was blessed to see the title of the email that she sent..."Greetings!! From your landlords wife!" It was wonderful to see that she acknowledged that she belonged to her husband:) Not as a possession but rather as his helpmeet, his adoring wife! Something not to be ashamed of in the least. It was truly refreshing:) Back to the visit:) He showed up Sunday morning around 10:30am. I had not been feeling well the night before and so had not slept well. This meant sleeping in just a tad the next day;P Miss Sarah was the only one dressed so she greeted him first while Miss Mary-Ann and I got dressed. Shame on me for being so lazy that day:P I went out to meet him and my what a blessing. He was very sweet and pleasant. For all of my silly conserns about things, it was wasted as he had no real expectations of us and so the fellowship was quite sweet and encouraging:) He spent time speaking with our Miss Sarah while she helped him at one point which she enjoyed greatly. She has since shared some little stories that he shared with her about himself.:) I had the blessed opportunity to correspond with his lovely bride and get to know her a bit better. I am looking very forward to getting to meet her in person. Perhaps Spring:) Lord willing:) We sent him home a few days later with some homemade soaps, peaches, pearbutter and oatmeal cookies which I've been told he ate half of on his ride home:P We have truly been blessed by the Father in our moving her. He has given us godly landlords, plenty of room for our homesteading needs and the sweet fellowship of this past week:) How could we ask for more? I know they read our blog now and again so I want to say...Brother and Sister...thank you for your sweetness and your encouragment here. You are truly a God breathed blessing in our lives. God be with thee! Sister Lori |