It's all about Him!

  “As the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you. Remain in My love.  If you keep My commands you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commands and remain in His love.

 “I have spoken these things to you so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. This is My command: Love one another as I have loved you.  No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends.  You are My friends if you do what I command you.  I do not call you slaves anymore, because a slave doesn't know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from My Father. You did not choose Me, but I chose you. I appointed you that you should go out and produce fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give you.This is what I command you: Love one another. John 15:9 - 17

  It's all about Him! Jesus. We've been studying John at our church, and yesterday the words in chapter 15 of John affected each of us differently.  Do I show the world that I have joy and that it is complete? How do we show love? Am I showing the world that I am a friend of Jesus, that I have His love? Or do I complain and whine when things aren't going my way?  Do I remain in His love? 
   It really made us think about how others see us. As for me, I am more determined today to pray that God will show me how to love in a way that glorifies Him and that He would strengthen my desire/ hunger for Him and His word.  
   Several months ago I noticed that I was feeling overwhelmed and complaining about many things in my life. The worst part was that it was effecting my relationship with my husband and my daughters. I wasn't sure what to do about it though. I seemed to have been caught in this vicious circle of stewing on something that was wrong and then complaining to my girls about it. Then I'd feel bad and be depressed over it. I noticed that my girls were getting quieter and that my sweet Hubby was even pulling into a shell. (Thank You God for letting me even notice.) ( Every wise woman builds her house, but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands. Proverbs 14:1) I knew that it had to stop. The first thing that I did was buy myself a journal. I call it my Cry Out to Jesus Journal. This is a journal for me alone. In it I write the thoughts of my heart. The things that bother me, and the things that worry me.  He's much better able to handle my whining and complaining than my family is. He is certainly better at handling my problems than I am. How blessed to just rest in Him and His strong arms. Like a child I can crawl up into His arms and hold on and cry my heart out, knowing that He will handle it all. He comforts me and stills my mind when I focus on Him.
   I've been writing in the journal for a few months now. Yesterday, I looked back at some of the first things that I wrote in it. Funny thing, well not really, the things that I wrote about don't seem so important any more and my family is feeling much more connected again.  Not all of my prayers have been answered the way that I expected or even wanted, but I trust and believe that Jesus is handling each one.  His way, His timing. 
   In the mean time blessings abound and I find myself being thankful for some of the smallest things.  I read an awesome book over a year ago.  One Thousand Gifts  Thankful for a sweet friend that told me about it. Now I am reading another book that is touching my heart, that was given to me by another precious friend. Kisses From Katie   Oh, my heart. Jesus, here I am, use me... 
   Blessings to All ~S~
   
  
    
   

Venting

   Today seems to be a day of venting for my children. I was so excited because, the day had started out so very well. There was Bible time and time to read and then get started with the house work. Prayer of course before Jessica left for work.
  Somewhere around lunchtime though a bug flew in (the bug is called frustration) and first one daughter called and started venting before she took it out on the ones that she lives with. Then the other daughter came in while I was still talking to the first one and it was obvious that she was frustrated with things that were going on around her today.
   So I tried to be a good Mommy and listen closely and then remind them both of the grace that God has given us. If it is me that is being tested, Lord I pray that I passed. If it is them, Lord I lift them up before your throne and pray that you would hold them close. Give them the peace that comes from you alone.
   The week has been long and I'll post more about that later.
    On a side note, I learned a valuable lesson this week. Don't take your eyes off of a three year old when she is playing with your Kindle. Otherwise you might be buying things that you hadn't planned on. No harm done though because Amazon is really understanding and took the $3 off of my bill. So now I have learned how to password protect purchases. YaY! \o/
  Any way, that's been my day. I'm getting my house cleaned up, but I'd rather be sewing today. Hmmm wonder where I can stash some of this stuff? Guess I'd better put it all away where it belongs. Next week we will be starting our summer school, so I'll have to have things organized.
   My Aimee will be a Sr. next year and I've got to make sure that she has everything that she needs for graduation. I think that I will miss teaching my children. Well...on second thought, I don't think that I've stopped yet. Maybe just the academics. Thank you God for my special blessings.
   Blessings to All ~S~

Happy St. Valentine's Day

1 Corinthians 13

Amplified Bible (AMP)

13 If I [can] speak in the tongues of men and [even] of angels, but have not love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such ^[a]as is inspired by God’s love for and in us), I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

² And if I have prophetic powers the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), and understand all the secret truths and mysteries and possess all knowledge, and if I have [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but have not love (God’s love in me) I am nothing (a useless nobody).

³ Even if I dole out all that I have [to the poor in providing] food, and if I surrender my body to be burned or in order that I may glory, but have not love (God’s love in me), I gain nothing.

⁴ Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.

⁵ It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].

⁶ It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.

⁷ Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].

⁸ Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose, it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].

⁹ For our knowledge is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect), and our prophecy (our teaching) is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect).

¹⁰ But when the complete and perfect (total) comes, the incomplete and imperfect will vanish away (become antiquated, void, and superseded).

¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; now that I have become a man, I am done with childish ways and have put them aside.

¹² For now we are looking in a mirror that gives only a dim (blurred) reflection [of reality as in a riddle or enigma], but then [when perfection comes] we shall see in reality and face to face! Now I know in part (imperfectly), but then I shall know and understand fully and clearly, even in the same manner as I have been fully and clearly known and understood by God.

¹³ And so faith, hope, love abide [faith—conviction and belief respecting man’s relation to God and divine things; hope—joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation; love—true affection for God and man, growing out of God’s love for and in us], these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Love is also letting your child have wings to fly and to touch others with the love of Christ that you have taught them. 

There is so much going on in my heart today. A young man has approached me with regards to his feelings for my Jessica. Having only conversed with him on line and through video chat, I'm not sure of anything yet. He does appear to be a strong Godly young man so far. With good character. But until I know him better I will with hold judgement. Currently meeting him face to face is out of the question since he is stationed in Va. with the Navy. But if he wants to court my daughter, meet him we must. Just like with Nick and Kelly, the standards are high and the young man that wins the heart of one of my daughters has a lot to measure up to. 

 My one question though is: Why do these young men not live close to this Mama? They come in here and just fly away with my daughters. These young men keep telling me they are impressed with my daughters and then they tell me that they love my daughter and then that they are moving close to their Mama and family. Funny but the marriage vows say something about the man leaving his Mother and Father and clinging to his wife. I don't remember hearing anything about the wife/daughter leaving her family. 

 Even Tony is telling me that soon he will be moving to SC. So it isn't just my daughters that leave. 

 Well, my vent is over. My hope is in Christ alone. At least my sweet hubby is by my side. 

  So with that said, Happy Valentine's Day to my sweet Hubby who asked me to marry him on this day 27 years ago. I love YOU!

Blessings to All ~ S

Wedding Day!

   My Kelly was married this past weekend. She and Nick welded (as our Pastor says) the knot! It was a beautiful wedding. Beautiful Bride and very Handsome Groom!

   There are so many people who helped us out with putting it together. I can never hope to thank them enough. Nick's Mom helped with so much. She also cooked an awesome rehearsal dinner. Nick's Aunt made the most awesome cakes and cupcakes.

Miss Connie, our Pastor's wife decorated the sanctuary and the fellowship hall for the reception. It was so wonderful with the winter wonderland theme. There were snowflakes in silver and blue and white and blue lights and snow! Well not real snow of course but there was real evergreen boughs! They came all the way from Texas! 

   I have to just get used to not having my girl here at home now. I miss her bunches. But I know that this is all part of growing up on both sides. I saved most of my tears for the night after the wedding when it finally hit me  that she wasn't coming home that night. Then the next morning when she thanked me for teaching her to be a Godly wife and homemaker. Well, I cried again. But I am doing much better now. Trying to plan a trip to see them when I get our vehicle back. 

  Yea, about the truck... Well, the Father of the Bride and the Groom went to pick up breakfast and on their way home, a deer jumped out of the woods and hit our truck. 

So I am using a rental car for the time being, but that might be short lived since I only can do that for about 3 weeks. Hoping that our truck is fixed and home long before the time is up. Any way, I didn't believe when they first told me because Dad was so calm about it. Then when I saw the picture, I was thankful that no one was harmed. And no they didn't bring the deer home. I gave them a hard time about not being more like the Duck Dynasty folks and filling our freezer with venison. But since there was a wedding to attend I didn't give them to hard of a time. =]
   One thing about the wedding that several people have commented on is that it glorified God in an awesome way. I am so glad that they felt that way. It was something that I believe Nick and Kelly both wanted. Oh, how I love those two! People have said that they were touched by the scripture that was used, the hymn that was sang during the ceremony, and how the groom came partly down the aisle to get his bride symbolizing the transfer of headship from Father to Husband and also a picture of Jesus coming for His Bride.
   Dad had a hard time not crying, and as I said I did ok, unless I looked at the brides maids who were all wiping their eyes. Then when Wayne, (our Pastor) choked a little when he introduced them as Mr. & Mrs. I had to battle the tears.
   I can hardly wait until our photographer finishes editing the photos. I'm sure that they are awesome, since all of the sessions that I've seen of hers are just beautiful. When we get the pictures I  will post more.
   So for now, I pray that you all have a blessed day.
Blessings in Christ Jesus ~S~