Siesta Memory Verse

Verse Three

You make known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Psalm 16:3

Hosting In Other Words

I have the honour of hosting In Other Words on Tuesday.  Please join me as we ponder how God irreversibly changes our lives.

"I will never be the same again,


I can never return, I've closed the door.

I will walk the path, I'll run the race

And I will never be the same again."
lyrics by Geoff Bullock

Look forward to seeing you on Tuesday!

In Other Words--For the Worst and the Best

It was the worst of times...
....life was chaotic,
kids were not listening,
Mom was frustrated,
voices were raised,
feelings were hurt,
forgiveness was needed.

He came for days like these.

The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.
1 Timothy 1:14-15

It was the best of times...
....paycheck was on time
bills were paid,
sun was shining,
everyone was healthy,
hearts were happy,
the world was there for the taking,
forgiveness is still needed.

He came for days like these.

For whoever wants to save their life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?
Mark 8:35-36

"Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God’s grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God’s grace.”
~Jerry Bridges~

Thank you Father for coming for my worst of times and for my best of times. Make my life worthy. Amen.
Today's hostess is Jennifer at Scraps and Snippets. Whether you are experiencing the best of times or the worst of times, come and be blessed.

Happy Birthday

One day


One Year

Turn around twice and....

Now You are Six!!

Happy Birthday Flower!!!


(in all accuracy, this picture is her blowing out the candle at Christmas...I don't have her birthday pics loaded yet).

In Other Words--Hard Times to Deeper Faith

Last night, German and I were transferring photos from our old PC to our new PC. Then we were looking for a few "good" ones to print to take to family in the States on our upcoming holiday. With the exception of the cruise, we had very few photos from the last year...or the year before. For a family that had averaged 1000 photos a month it was a dramatic change. I made the comment that it was a stark reflection of just how difficult the last two years have been that we have not recorded every moment with digital pictures. German's response was just a wry laugh.

These two years may not be recorded in virtual ink, but they are recorded in something far more lasting. They are recorded in depth of faith. The difficult things that we have faced, some things that I could never even put into the private thoughts of a journal, have underscored a clinging to God that nothing else in my life has ever created. Difficult circumstances that are beyond my human control have herded me into the arms of my Father. For that I am grateful.

For Christmas, I gave Rod this canvas painting that says "God is Good, All the Time." It was our motto before the difficult period. It became our lifeline during that period that no matter how bleak we felt, God was still good. It is our testimony on the other side. We know that whatever we face in the future we face it with a good God who helped us through the trial.

I asked German the other night if things were truly that much easier here, or if it was just our new normal. He thought for a moment and said that they are easier because the emotion of the difficulty has passed. What he left unsaid, and what we both knew from the eye contact we exchanged, was that it was also the new normal because we were forever changed by the circumstances. And it is a good new normal. It is more dependent on God and less dependent on others. It is more resilient, and it is more compassionate to others' circumstances. It is a good place to be.

God loves you. He loves you so much that He's allowed this trial to push you to the point where you have no choice but to look to Him."
~When Life is Hard ~James MacDonald~

The wicked lie in wait for the righteous,
intent on putting them to death;
but the LORD will not leave them in the power of the wicked
or let them be condemned when brought to trial.
Hope in the LORD
and keep his way.
He will exalt you to inherit the land;
when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.
~Psalm 37:32-34~

I led them with cords of human kindness,
with ties of love.
To them I was like one who lifts
a little child to the cheek,
and I bent down to feed them.
~Hosea 11:4~

Father thank you for your gentle leading during the trials of life. Thank you for your faithfulness to my family when so many others were unfaithful. Forgive me for the times I focused on the circumstances instead of on you. Thank you that these two years were not wasted years, but were used by you to kindle a deeper relationship. Help me to not forget your faithfulness and to trust in your plans for the future. Amen.

Today's hostess for In Other Words is Debbie at Heart Choices. Please go and read what others are saying. You can always find a blessing at Debbie's blog!

Siesta Memory Verse

Verse Number Two:
Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders You have done. The things You planned for us no one can recount to You; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.”
Psalm 40:5 NIV

In Other Words--Choosing Confidence in God

“Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God
whose ways you may not understand at the time.”

~ by Oswald Chambers ~

We had only been in our home six weeks when we received the notice that we would have to leave. A disadvantage of being a tenant is you have very little recourse if the landlord turns out to be irresponsible. I believed that God had led us to that house. We were making friends in the neighbourhood. Yet, we were being forced to move, again, and it seemed impossible. None of it made any sense.

In all of that turmoil, German and I would remind ourselves that God never leaves. In fact, we almost daily would lie in bed and say, "I still believe he brought us to this house, and he will bring us to the next." It was a deliberate daily choice to focus on God's sovereignty when nothing else made sense.

I still grieve the losing of that house. But God was faithful to bring us to a new house--a house better situated for ministry in the church he had already set in our hearts. It is nearer church friends, nearer house group and better situated for hosting guests. It has already seen four parties in the three months we have been here. His blessing is all over it. I believe we see that blessing because we deliberately chose to look for his hand in the chaos.

It is easy to get caught up in the what ifs of life, to see the chaos instead of the sovereignty, to focus on the circumstances instead of the possibilities. Faith is having confidence that God is going to do what he says and he is bigger than the situation. Sometimes we have to be more deliberate in that choice to place our confidence in him. It is then we find the blessing of choosing faith.

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
~Hebrews 11:6~

Father thank you for your faithfulness during the chaos of the summer and the moves. Thank you for a husband who leads to make that deliberate choice to place our confidence in you. Thank you that as we verbally chose you in the situation, you gave us peace. Thank you for this house, and these friends, and the ministries that you are already organising for our future. May we be faithful in what you give us. Amen.

Our hostess this week is Nina at "Mama's Little Treasures." Visit and be blessed.

Visual I'm Pondering

Yesterday was an observance of communion at my church. In this church, communal cups are passed in the rows. I had the girls with me and German was not there, so I was most concerned about Jewel not dropping the cup as it was passed to the person on the other side of her. I find that a common occurrence whilst observing communion is that everyone seems to take hurried sips and passing it on, rather than contemplating the significance. And hurried is how I felt yesterday as I sipped the cup, passed it through Jewel's hands and then took a quick moment for prayer.

Then, God showed me how it should be.

I looked up just as one of the praise band members received the cup. He held it firmly in both hands, breathed in the aroma of the wine, then drank deeply. He held the cup a moment more, then passed it on to the next member.

He was not hurried.
He would not be rushed.
He appeared unaware of everything around him as he breathed in the aroma and drank deeply of His Father's sacrifice.

It is an image I've been pondering ever sense. I want to not be hurried. I want to be so focused on my communion with God that I am not rushed by my perception of others around me.

I want to drink deeply of my Father's Love in His Sacrifice.

January 2011 Goals

1. Connect with home ed group in our new town
2. Get hair cut and coloured
3. Lose 5 pounds
4. Finish entering one box of genealogy information
5. Finish one page on Name of God cross stitch
6. Memorize 2 verses
7. Read 2 books just for fun
8. Enjoy my holiday