Word-Filled Wednesday ~#34~ The Difference

PASSAGE: "Then Peter said [to a crippled man], 'Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.' Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, & instantly the man's feet & ankles became strong. He JUMPED to his feet & began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, WALKING & JUMPING, & PRAISING GOD.'" ~Acts 3:6-8 [emphasis, mine]

"Yet I [Jesus] hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent & do the things you did at first . . . " ~Revelation 2:4

LESSON LEARNED: How long have you been a Christian? What was the difference in your life after your salvation?

I remember the very night I became a Christian ~ I was with a new group of Christian friends {one of those new friends, seated in front of me, would later become my husband} who had taken me to an Imperials concert. The 1st thing to strike me was that, having grown up in music & listening to rock/contemporary music, I learned that Christian music wasn't JUST hymns. (Don't throw stones at me, here, I love most of the older hymns but that is NOT the music that the Lord used to make Himself attractive to me. He used what He knew would work in my life. He's a big God.) Then, as He used that music to draw me in, He completely & utterly revived my soul as they sang "All my life ~ never knowing what I was reaching for . . . always feeling somehow there must be more . . . Looking back ~ Jesus through my life You were everywhere, picking up the pieces I'd scattered there, holding them for me 'til my heart could care . . . " Oh my! THAT was ME!

I prayed the prayer of salvation that night (May 20th, 1982) & I walked out of that concert hall a brand new creature in Christ (II Cor. 5:17). Clean. New. FORGIVEN. I felt like I must glow in the dark. All my filth & sin & shame were gone! I was squeaky clean. I went home & I DANCED!!!

But . . . like so many things in this earthly life, we can take even the best & dearest in our lives for granted; whether the things of Christ or family members or friends. Let's NOT do that any more. We are living in a dying world, let's let our joy & our light shine before men. And when we fail (&, being human, we surely will), let's ask for forgiveness from God & whomever we have offended ~ which will set us apart from many, in itself ~ dust ourselves off & REJOICE once again in being clean, new & FORGIVEN.

THAT's the difference.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

The Simple Woman's Daybook ~#131~ 8/9/11

For Today . . .

Outside my window . . . the sun is trying to shine after a night of loud, booming thunderstorm.

I am thinking . . . for the encouragement & creativity of bloggy friends.

I am thankful . . . for dreams. ~~“The longings of your heart are not incidental, they are critical messages. The desires of your heart are not to be ignored, they are to be consulted. As the wind turns the weather vane, so God uses your passions to turn your life. God is too gracious to ask you to do something you hate.” ~Max Lucado/Just like Jesus

In the kitchen . . . bread baking day, making another batch of laundry detergent.

I am wearing . . . jeans, pink shirt.

I am creating . . . a peaceful, Christ-centered home.

I am going . . . to take DD#2 to work & I will be going to work, later. One of those days when Hubby gets home as I am leaving. :-/

I am wondering . . . why 3 steps forward so often becomes 2 steps back?

I am reading . . . Bible: Esther; Mother Earth News articles about canning & dehydrating.

I am hoping . . . to be able to help DD#1 pay for as much of her wedding as we can. (We're still recovering from DH's lay-off & former low-paying job.)

I am looking forward to . . . wedding dress shopping w/DD#1. :-)

I am hearing . . . radio, typing fingers, DD#2 moving around as she gets ready for work, Maggie barking at birds outside the window.

Around the house . . . general pick up, would like to pull some weeds from my front herb garden (I'm so ashamed at what I've let it become lately . . . having to go back to work has not been good for my little garden), more homeschool assessments today.

One of the favorite things . . . the deep belly-laugh of a baby.

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . family time, work, homeschool assessments, worship practice, Sunday worship w/the saints, homemade ice cream on Sunday!

Pondering these words . . . {From Sunday's sermon} Do people see REAL CHANGE in me ~ from my B.C. life to now? Do people see a real difference ~ between me & the world ~ that will attract them to Jesus Christ?

Scripture thought . . . "Then Peter said [to the cripple], 'Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. Int he name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk' . . . He JUMPED to his feet & began to walk. Then he went w/them into the temple courts, WALKING & JUMPING & PRAISING GOD." ~Acts 3:6,8. "He JUMPED . . . Walking & jumping & praising God" ~ I LOVE that!!!

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you . . .

One of my favorite pictures of Jesus.

Enjoy 100's of other Daybooks at Peggy's Simple Woman's Daybook!

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

Marmee-isms #4 ~ Even Marmee's Girls Grow Up

"That evening . . . Jo slipped upstairs into Beth's room, &, finding her mother in her usual place, stood a minute twisting her fingers in her hair, w/a worried gesture & an undecided look.

"'What is it, deary?' asked Mrs. March, holding out her hand, w/a face which invited confidence.
"'I want to tell you something, Marmee.'

"'About Meg?'

"'How quickly you guessed! Yes, it's about her, & though it's a little thing, it fidgets me.' . . . settling herself on the floor at her mother's feet. 'Last summer Meg left a pair of gloves over at the Laurences', & only 1 was returned. We forgot all about it, till Teddy told that Mr. Brooke had it. He kept it in his waistcoat pocket, & once it fell out, & Teddy joked him about it, & Mr. Brooke owned that he liked Meg, but didn't dare say so, she was so young & he so poor. Now, isn't is a dreadful state of things?'

"'Do you think Meg cares for him?' asked Mrs. March, w/an anxious look.

"' . . . In novels, the girls show it by starting & blushing, fainting away, growing thin, & acting like fools. Now Meg does not do anything of the sort: she eats & drinks & sleeps, like a sensible creature; she looks straight in my face when I talk about that man, & only blushes a little bit when Teddy jokes about lovers . . . '. . . 'Oh, dear! I know you'll take his part: he's been good to father, & you won't send him away, but let Meg marry him, if she wants to. Mean thing!' . . . and Jo pulled her hair again w/a wrathful tweak.

"'My dear, don't get angry about it, & I will tell you how it happened . . . he was perfectly open & honorable about Meg, for he told us he loved her, but would earn a comfortable home before he asked her to marry him. He only wanted our leave to love her & work for her, & the right to make her love him if he could. He is a truly excellent young man, we could not refuse to listen to him . . . '"

" . . . Mrs. March sighed, & Jo looked up w/an air of relief.

". . . 'I was wrong to sigh, Jo. It is natural & right you should all go to homes of your own, in time; but I do want to keep my girls as long as I can . . . '"

Little Women ~ Ch. 20

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

It Happened . . .

Over the last few weeks DD#1's boyfriend has been working his way up the ladder of our family & asking for her hand in marriage. He started w/DD#2, then popped in where I work last week &, last night, met w/my DH. Well, apparently, he didn't let the ground get cold underneath him after talking to Hubby before he popped the question to DD#1, b/c her Facebook status for this morning is:

"Oh, so by-the-way, I'm engaged! :D"

So . . . looks like there will be a wedding in our near future.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

Sausage Stars

Looking for something different & tasty to take to a carry-in, or your next Home Group snack or even for Christmas (STARS ~ get it? ;-))? Try these Sausage Stars ~ you & everyone else will fall in love with them.

As our girls used to say when they were little, they will be yummy in your tummy!

You will need:

~1-2 lbs. cooked & crumble sausage (Bob Evan's sage sausage is my favorite)
~1-1/2 c. grated sharp Cheddar cheese
~1 c. prepared Hidden Valley Ranch original salad dressing
~1 can (2.24 oz.) sliced, ripe olives
~1/2 c. chopped red pepper** (**OPTIONAL ~ I don't use these)
~1 pkg fresh OR frozen won ton wrappers
~cooking oil (I use either olive oil OR safflower oil)
~muffin tin(s)
~baking/cookie sheet

Directions:

1) preheat over to 350*
2) after sausage is cooked & crumbled, blot sausage dry w/a paper towel or two & combine w/cheese, salad dressing, olives & **red pepper
3) lightly grease a muffin tin & press one wrapper in each cup; brush lightly w/oil
4) bake 5 minutes
5) remove from tins, place on baking sheet; fill w/sausage mixture
6) bake 5 minutes until bubbly
7) ENJOY

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

Word-Filled Wednesday ~#33~ Budding, Blossoming & Producing

PASSAGE: "The LORD said to Moses, 'Speak to the Israelites and get 12 staffs from them, 1 from each leader of each of their ancestral tribes. Write the name of each man on his staff . . . The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout' . . . The next day Moses entered the Tent of the Testimony & saw that Aaron's staff . . . had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed & produced almonds." ~Numbers 17:1,2,5,8

LESSON LEARNED: "Bloom where you're planted." "Bear fruit for the Lord." We've all heard those phrases, if not had them said directly to us. And we all try to do just that ~ we try to find out where we fit, where we will benefit the Body of Christ right where we are.

But some of us wander around in the desert wondering just what it is that we are to do.

Here's something to think about to help you find your way out of the desert & into a ministry ~ ask yourself: What are my gifts & talents? What am I good at, where is my heart telling me to go or to do? If necessary, make a list of things you are good at. Is it organizing? Praying? Teaching? Musical talent? And remember that MANY of the most beneficial gifts & talents are not the "out front" kind. Are you gifted at painting walls or exteriors? Gardening? Office organization? Are you able to give money to a project, a missionary or secretly to a family in need? Are you good at plumbing? You know, a functional restroom is a VERY necessary thing to a church congregation or to a family who's bread-winner is laid off & can't afford to call a plumber! Even lovely "little" things like decorating the alter table or making sure candles are lit before the church service benefits everyone &, I think, pleases the LORD.

And the more you exercise your gifts & talents, the bigger the blessing of the Lord will be . . . both for the beneficiary AND the giver.

By exercising your gifts & talents, not only will you sprout, but you will bud, blossom & produce.

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

The Simple Woman's Daybook ~#130~ 8/2/11

For Today . . .

Outside my window . . . lovely sunshine although it's a little hazy & humid. Lots of cicadas chirping & their shells are all over our maple trees.

I am thinking . . . about our country's future.

I am thankful . . . for opportunities to pray for customers where I work. It's really the most amazing thing, it's like Christian "radar", they always find me. :-)

In the kitchen . . . not much today; already baked bread for the week & I need to go to the grocery.

I am wearing . . . jeans & my work t-shirt.

I am creating . . . a peaceful, Christ-centered home.

I am going . . . to work, later this afternoon . . . the night shift, ya know.

I am wondering . . . what God has planned for His people.

I am reading . . . the books of Ruth & Esther, of the Bible. I'm looking into the "lady" books for wisdom from the lives of other godly women.

I am hoping . . . for peace for my mom as her mind drifts farther & farther away.

I am looking forward to . . . a weekend vacation that's coming soon.

I am hearing . . . radio, typing fingers . . .

Around the house . . . general pick up, laundry.

One of my favorite things . . . reading my favorite blogs.

A few plans for the rest of the week . . . family time, work, doing a few homeschool assessments, getting my hair trimmed :-),

Pondering these words . . . "The greatest outcome of the American Revolution was this: the indesolvable bond between the God of the Bible & government." ~John Quency Adams.

Scripture thought . . . "And the LORD said to Samuel: 'See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle." ~I Samuel 3:11

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you . . .

Enjoy 100's of other Daybooks at Peggy's Simple Woman's Daybook!

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

Another Family Farm Being Threatened

A college professor (who'da thunk it?!) wrote a beautiful, politely scathing letter to a California DA who ~ for NO reason other than because he CAN ~ is trying to shut down a family farm for LEGALLY selling goat shares for raw goat's milk.

You can read the letter HERE. (Thanks to the lovely Dalyn for the head's up.)

As any regular reader knows, I LOVE my farm fresh milk & brown eggs & we all know that what happens in one area can easily happen in another. This kind of obnoxious power grab by liberal/socialist/fascist government officials MUST stop while we are still FREE enough to stop it!

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

Marmee-isms #3 ~ Once Upon a Time...

"Tell another story, Marmee, ~ one with a moral to it, like this. I like to think about them afterwards, if they are real, & not too preachy," said Jo, after a minutes' silence.

"Mrs. March smiled, & began at once; for she had told stories to this little audience for many years, & knew how to please them.

"Once upon a time, there were 4 girls, who had enough to eat & drink & wear, a good many comforts & pleasures, kind friends & parents, who love them dearly, & yet they were not contented." (Here the listeners stole sly looks at one another, & began to sew diligently.) "These girls were anxious to be good, & made many excellent resolutions; but they did not keep them very well, & were constantly saying, 'If we only had this,' or 'If we could only do that,' quite forgetting how much they already had, & how many pleasant things they actually could do. So they asked an old woman what spell they could use to make them happy, & she said, 'When you feel discontented, think over your blessings & be grateful.'" (Here Jo looked up quickly, as if about to speak, but changed her mind, seeing that the story was not done yet.)

"Being sensible girls, they decided to try her advice, & soon were surprised to see how well off they were. One discovered that money couldn't keep shame & sorrow out of rich people's houses; another that, though she was poor, she was a great deal happier, with her youth, health, & good spirits, than a certain, fretful, feeble old lady, who couldn't enjoy her comforts; a third that, disagreeable as it was to help get dinner, it was harder still to have to go begging for it; & the fourth, that even carnelian rings were not so valuable as good behavior. So they agreed to stop complaining, to enjoy the blessings already possessed, & try to deserve them, lest they should be taken away entirely, instead of increased; & I believe they were never disappointed, or sorry that they took the old woman's advice."

"Now, Marmee, that is very cunning of you to turn our own stories against us, & give us a sermon instead of a romance!" cried Meg.

"I like that kind of sermon. It's the sort father used to tell us," said Beth thoughtfully, putting the needles straight on Jo's cushion.

Little Women ~ Ch. 4

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><

A "Word" to the Wise

"My friend, if you are too busy to read the Bible every day you are busier than God Almighty ever intended any human being should be, & you had better let some things go, & take time to read the Bible." ~D. L. Moody.

"For the Word of God is living & active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul & spirit, joint & marrow; it judges the thoughts & attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered & laid bare before the eyes of Him to Whom we must give account." ~Hebrews 4:12-13

"Do not merely listen to the Word, & so deceive yourselves. Do what it says . . . keep oneself from being polluted by the world." ~James 1:22, 27(b)

"How, then, can they call on the One they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the One of Whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'" ~Romans 10:14-15

"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because I know Whom I have believed." ~II Timothy 1:12

How can we know the Lord? And once we have met Him, how can we know Him better unless we read His Word ~ His love letter to us ~ & pray? How can we take His message of salvation to a dying world unless we KNOW it?

And to KNOW it we must READ it.

Cults are notorious for taking a little piece of Scripture & altering & twisting it to say what they want their prey to hear & take the bait.

Scripture will always prick our hearts . . . we MUST KNOW God's Word in order to discern truth from lies. Lies can sound so good . . . but will kill us in the end.

We must be "good Bereans": "Now the Bereans were of more noble character . . . they received the message with great eagerness & examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true." ~Acts 17:11 Examine what is said, compare it to Scripture to see that it is true &, IF it is, then take it to this dying world.

We have to READ our Bibles to KNOW the truth. My heart aches for this world that is looking for Truth in all the wrong places. We are here "for such a time as this."

"And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" ~Esther 5:14(b)

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><