He was LISTENING!

So are you ready for this?
We have an answered prayer.... that's right...you and me!

We have a job!
Yes, Keith got a call and he will start working on Tuesday!
Praise God!
The owner called him back today and said that he will start
with a commercial company laying brick.
He will start at an hourly rate that is really great for our area and if the guy sees that Keith really knows what he says he knows.... it will go up.
So.........Praise God!
Later in the year it will most likely be that Keith will be used as a foreman
which will be great for his body that is getting a little older. :)

So how was your Thanksgiving?
I hope that it was filled with great time with family and friends.
And that you felt the loving hand of God as you spent time eating good food
and thanking Him for the abundance He has supplied.
I spent the day with my brother and his family.
It was different.... but good.
The food was great and we had a pleasant surprise when my SIL's mom decided to drop in as a surprise. Now I would not normally try new dishes when I know it is not just going to be family testing it...but it all came out fabulous. Yes, my nephew love the macaroni and cheese. Although I did have to tell him at first that I might have to hold him down and force feed him to get him to try it. ;) I guess once you have had the boxed kind it is hard to imagine that anything else could be better. LOL :0!
He loved it and came back for seconds and was please when I left the rest of the pan for him.
I made a warm artichoke dip and it was really good although next time I think I will try it with rotel tomatoes instead of regular.
The grand finale was oh so good.
I thought at first it would be sickening sweet...but it wasn't.
Here is the recipe.

1 can of sweetened condensed milk
2 bananas-sliced
1 container of cool whip
1 graham cracker crust or a ginger snap crust

Now the only thing time consuming is the preparation of the condensed milk. It must be boiled for three and a half hours fully covered in water--don't open the can of course. It must be covered with water because it will explode if it is not.
Once this is done it turns the condensed milk into a toffee. It will be firm almost like jelly.
It is pictured bellow. The good thing is that you can do more than one can at a time and just store what you don't use in the cabinet till you are ready to make a new pie.
I thought that the finished product would also be great to serve with sliced apples or warmed as a fondue sauce. Great for the holiday functions you might attend or have.
While the condensed milk is still warm spread it on the bottom of the crust. Once it cools cover it with sliced bananas and whipped cream. You can use the pre made variety or whip your own. Sorry about this picture but I forgot to get a picture of the finished pie. This was the last slice.
My sister in law said that she would have like more bananas...so you can try that too.
It is now as sweet as I thought it would be...which was nice after a heavey meal.
I found this on line and I thought it looked like a really cool way to do this pie.
You can use your cheesecake spring form pan and layer the pie...they topped theirs with extra graham cracker crumbs which I though look really great.
I will probably do it this way next time.

Thanks again for your prayer...we make a great team. ;)
Talk to ya soon!

Love you guys!

Want Some Free Christmas Music?

If you are interested....... for the next 48 hours you can download free Christmas music here----
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I need a good recipe for Mac and cheese

This is a call out to all ya'll who like to do homemade macaroni and cheese.
My nephew loves mac and cheese from the box...oh the horrors!
I am going to make some home made stuff for tomorrow and I would like
those of ya'll who do the homemade thing
to give me a few hints if you have time.
I have done it before but it was foo foo and I think he would probably not prefer
the fine dinning version.
I have heard that instead of making a bechamel sauce that I should use evaporated milk and eggs.
??????
Just looking for what works best for you.
If you have the time I would love to have your hints.
Thanks...and I'll let you know how it all works out. ;)

So here's the deal

Thanks again for all the prayers....after the melt down.
And it was a true meltdown.....I haven't been that emotional in awhile. Guess we all need one now and then....as I told someone... it cleans out the tear ducts. :)

Ya'll know that Keith and I knew without a shadow of a doubt that God cleared the way for us to come here. We felt He was leading us to the mountains and if that involved a ministry to the body...we were all for it. We still are.
So here we are..... in our camper..... in the mountains.....still.
As each month I have paid the bills my concern has grown as the money has slowly begun to disappear. And the fact that in my head I had planned for it to go toward a down payment on a house....well, my concern began to turn to panic. Panic then begin to turn to anger and confusion.
I began to talk to God about it......since He knew it was there already I figured it would be a good idea. At first the concern was that He would hurry up and show Keith the job so that then we could go to the bank and get a loan for a house. Keith kept looking and applying and still no job.
What is really funny....not in a LOL way....was that He moved us into an area that is dying for jobs. The unemployment rate is horrible...really.
So my prayers.....through my human understanding were....
Um, God did we not hear you right?
Maybe we moved to quickly? Surely you don't mean for all of our house money to be spent on just surviving in a camp ground. I thought the plan was to bring us here and put us in a house.
If you don't do something soon that huge down payment is not going to be so huge.!!!!!

And then God would remind me once again that YES, this is where we are supposed to be....just be still and know that He is still God.
And so I would rest......until another month went by without a job.
We have now been here since the end of July.
I thought about Sarah and Abraham and their journey.
Abraham followed what God had told Him and Sarah followed Abraham. I wonder what in the world she thought of her husband.....and did he share with her word for word what God told him to do. I think from experience later on...probably not.
Can you imagine him telling her...Sarah, say goodbye to your son because the God we serve wants me to take him up on the mountain and offer him up as a sacrifice. So, no I don't think he shared everything with her. :)

They knew the promise God had made(a baby) and yet saw no evidence of it...till eventually time passed and the promise was now humanly impossible.
And so Sarah decided she had to take over.......surely her husband had gotten it wrong.
My guess was that Abraham had started to doubt too.
.........why else would he so easily have followed the wishes of his wife?
This is where I am now.
I don't ever want my times of doubt to cause my husband to do something that distracts from the glory of God's promise. Then come the times where the common sense side of me steps in and says, Now Sharon you know that Keith has to have a job. God is not just going to plop one in his lap......he needs to be out pounding the pavement everyday......showing God that he is working to take care of you.
(I wish there was a picture that I could put here of me pulling my hair out...but I wouldn't do that to you.)

And then I remember the horrible example of Sarah.......and I shut my mouth.
Hey, I am not dumb..... I want to be in that faith hall of fame!
I want ya'll to know that I do not have a lazy husband. He has worked hard for us for the past 12 years....not always perfectly....but he is a worker. He is also a man of faith.
And sometimes he walks by faith a whole lot easier than I do.........afterall, it is a whole lot easier to walk by sight. And of course my whole need for security gets all twisted around my feet and before I know it I am flat on my face......in a puddle of my tears.
Then it only takes one thing...like a crummy 20th anniversary.... to convice me that--See, you are right- you are not on the top of the list of your husbands pirorities.
Goodness...how ever does he live with me?

Sunday morning I did not go to church......I just could not handle having to smile nice.
I went out and stood by the creek and looked into the sky and just cried out to my Daddy God.
There was a whole lot said....but the gists was that I needed Him to hold me.
I needed to put my head on His chest and just hear the steady beat of His love for me.
And you know what? He did just that.
By the time I got up my heart was tender toward my husband again and overflowing with love for my God. I wish you could have felt the love that was covering me.

I am sharing this because you need to know my heart. It beats strong for my God. And if this is the journey that He wants me to walk.....I want to walk it out loud.
I wasn't going to share all this until I got an email devotional from someone I have grown to love very dearly....I call her "my tomorrow girl".
Here is a part of an email she sent me yesterday and God used it to affirm that we are on the right road and God is just calling us to wait and keep our hope.
I have asked her permission to share it so here it is-
"Hi Sharon, .......... Somehow I always see you as a Pioneer in the Faith, like the women on the Oregan Trail...blazing a trail for the next folk to come, paving a way...just a thought that came and not what I was going to be typing about...........I didn't sleep well last night and prayed for a few folk and I prayed for you too, for your future, for Keith's job and the sense I got - not sure if I'm right but that you are in the right place at the right time and to hold and stand fast and wait (oh joyful word!).........The world says jump, make your own way - but God often has us on very alternative paths.
I am still getting that feeling of you being a Pioneer woman in the faith, not in your wagon but in your camper van. There is a tenacity, there is a warrior, a woman who is all woman, but she is not going to have her inheritance snatched - she is fighting in the spiritual realm, she is being refined as gold."

Is our God personal or what?!
If you have stuck with this post this long.....you are a real sweetheart!
Thank you for walking this walk with me.....it means more than you will ever know.
Thanks for spending time on your knees before the Father......I know He has heard a lot about me lately. :) I am back on me feet....waiting....waiting and waiting some more....till Daddy God says it is time to go.
Love you guys!
Walking with you has been such a blessing!

A Sign Of His Love

This is a story that I read a few years ago in a Christian magazine. The truth of the story grabbed my heart. It became a visual reminder to me of His love and limitless patience as He constantly sends us reminders of His presence and undying love.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The story begins with a mother who is dying of cancer. Her only daughter is grown and although they are close, the path ahead sets the Mom on a path of great loneliness brought on by hours spent alone in pain. Finally the time came where she began to wonder if God had forgotten her. Her body was weary of its battle and her mind sought a sign from God.

Lost in the pain that was her constant companion she asked God for proof that He was with her and she had not been forgotten. In her bed she spent the day looking out the window at a world she was sure was passing her by. Late one afternoon she noticed a red bird as it landed in the window. It was beautiful and bright and took her mind off her pain for awhile as it sat there. It spent time walking back and forth, flying off for a short while to return once again.

The next day much to her amazement the bird reappeared. This time it came and stood for awhile looking in the window before it flew off. A short time later it landed in the window and stayed till the sun began to fade. Day after day she looked forward to first sight of it.

As time passed she could not help but realize who had sent her companion. And she was sure to tell other that she knew it was God's way of showing His love for her and that He had heard her and answered her prayer. He was there. Really she had always known that He had never left her…..but the red bird had become a visual reminder that He was there with her and that He loved her dearly.

Soon the time came and the woman went home to be with the Lord. She was in no more pain and with the one who loved her dearly.
And although her daughter was happy that her mother was no longer in pain-- she felt left behind and was heart broken. She did not how she could make it without her mother. She can not seem to be able to get past the pain and loneliness of having to live without her.

One afternoon while out driving through the country she began to call out to God as tears made their way down her cheeks. "Have you forgotten me, she asked? Don't you care that I am lonely? Didn’t you know how I would feel now that Mom is with You?" Pulling over to the side of the road she gave into the tears and wept from her loneliness and pain. Tears began to slow and taking a deep breath she lifted her head from the steering wheel and reached up to wipe her cheeks and blow her nose. Trying to calm herself so that she could get back on the road she looked around to clear her eyes. Trees to the right…trees in front…and the view to the left brought a cry of stunned amazement.
Right there before her eyes was a deep green field dotted with at least a dozen red birds at rest in the sun.

Putting her head on the steering wheel she poured her love back on God. She had not been forgotten and His presence was near. She thanked God for the sign of His love and for His patience in showing her He was near.

Thank You

I can breathe again.
I felt like I was being crushed under the weight of all the recent events...and it was too much.
I became a soggy emotional basket case.
Good thing it was not closer to Christmas
they might have thought that Rudolf was here already. :)

Why do we think sometimes that we can't bother others to pray for us?
Almost like we would inconvenience them...or maybe we just don't really think we should bother God with what He has chosen to allow us to walk through?
Chin up...tough it out and all that good stuff.

I can't even begin to explain how God visited me this morning.
Such love.
Thanks to all of you who talked to God about me. :)

I'll be back tomorrow........I got a little email from Karen..formerly of Karen's Ramblings.
And I think I need to share where I am and what is going on.
Maybe it will help someone else.
Thanks again.......you have a spot that will always be yours...right here in my heart.

Just me

I am having a very rough time right now.
So if you could just pray for me I would really appreciate it.
Thank you.
Love ya'll

Prince Of Peace

Not so long ago in a small town named Peace, peace was nowhere to be found.
People scurried here and there-
numbly unaware of just how much their inner turmoil had warped their lives.
They scrambled from their beds.... pushing and shoving to get out of the door on their way to “something important.” Roads are clogged with cars flying in every direction. Bumper to bumper no one seems to making any progress. Many times the people of Peace were found in the streets and on the sidewalk fighting.......disgruntled souls flaring and rising to the surface.
The town was anything but peaceful.

Still travelers often came to this town because of its name...... looking for something that could not be found elsewhere. They searched for the one thing that would make life better-maybe make life worth living. Thinking that they had just missed something
they often moved to Peace, but only found that a strange feeling of discontentment seemed to have followed them. They wondered why they had bothered.
Streets were crowded, filled with people all in a hurry to get to “it”.
The strange thing was that not one person asked, seemed to remember what "it" was.
And yet they were the people who had lived in Peacethe longest.

And then the day arrived.
No one escaped the nervous energy in the air.
Leaving their homes they they looked up and breathed deep.
Smiles touched their lips as they noticed with relief the banners hung during the night.
Welcome Home Prince of Peace
Strange wonderful anticipation filled their hearts.
Something life changing was about to take place. Streets were cleared.
People were not in a hurry and noticed those around them.
As the day progressed the nervous feeling that had filled their hearts...well, it began to slip away. People were more relaxed and even found time to smile at those they passed on the streets. They has forgotten they could feel this way. There was a sweet smell in the cool air.
Those sitting out in the sun soon found that previous plans had simply melted away.

No one want to be found inside when the “Prince of Peace” arrived.
Then out of silence a glorious melody began to rise.
In the recesses of their minds they knew what it meant.
He was coming!
All rose with hearts fluttering in anticipation.
Parents hurried to lift their children, relief filled the air as all anxiety slipped away.
At last the Prince of Peace would return to reign.
It had been so long.
Peace would once again rule the town.

And it did.

Come LORD....... come soon!

Vote for me?

Over on the Siesta blog they are having a fall picture contest....which of course I entered.
This is the picture I put in the contest.
Look familiar?So if you have an extra minute would you go over and vote for me?
It is only open for voting till Saturday.
And, thank you very much....in advance! :)
Go here to vote!
You don't even have to leave a comment here...but go vote..please.
They are giving away a gift card that will come in handy for Christmas. ;)

A little of this and that

Just stopping in for a minute to say, Hi! :)
I have been busy, busy, busy..but that should calm down soon.

Last night I went with my brother to music night and actually took my dulcimer.
They were practicing Christmas music since they have a few places they will be playing during the coming season. Notice I said they and not we. :)
I sat off to the side and played along as quietly as possible. No, I am still not ready for a solo performance...maybe one day. My brother had to twist my arm to get me to bring my baby...but it ended up being good.
No one could really hear me..... so I could have been playing On Top Of Old Smokey while they were playing The Little Drummer Boy....they would have never known :)
It was good practice.

Then today I went to my last class for the Guardian Ad Litem program.
We did some role playing and when it was my turn it got really warm in the room all of a sudden.
I knew the material but boy did my face get red. I am sure they probably thought my head was going to explode....but no one called 911.
That is all done with and tomorrow morning I get sworn in by the judge.
And if I read the director right.... I think she already has a case planned for me. :0
We shall see....we all have a lot to learn.
The cool thing is that anywhere I go I can take my certification with me.

I had to leave class a little early to run over to Julia's audition with a group named
Voices in the Laurel.
The woman who started this choir is also the music teacher for Julia's school. About a week ago the school had a program and to my surprise they gave Julia a solo part.
Come to find out Julia has a very mature voice for her age......surprise, surprise.
The music teacher asked me if Julia could come and audition and that took place tonight. She did great and will start with the group in January since they have already been practicing Christmas music for awhile now. She will be taught to read music....that in itself impressed me.
They have traveled to Australia, opened for Dolly Parton, and have sung with a few others that to my embarrassment I did not know. I just smiled and said, Wow, that sounds great.
Julia was excited she made it and a little more secure since there were a few children she knew.... so all was good.

Please keep praying for Keith as he is looking still for a job.
He has had a couple of good leads, turned in a lot of apps and is waiting to hear back from two he applied for that were very interested in him. Anyone who gets him will be blessed.
I did some real freaking last week......and then God brought me back around again.........maybe someone out there has been praying for me? ;)
Thank you!
That is it for now.
Talk to ya after I see the judge. ;)

(clearing throat)......Mememememememeeee

My sweet, funny, make you smile friend Jane, of Shore Stories has kindly given me a little award with strings attached. ;)
That string look like this, M----E----M----E.
I have begun tho think that these MeMe's are a test of how well I know myself.
The good thing for you is that you just have to read and not sit here and watch me think and ponder the subject of the MeMe. You don't have to wait while I begin delving ever so deep into the dark cavernous recesses of my mind.
Anybody have a flashlight? :)
So the object of this is for me to list 5 things that I love.....and make them interesting enough that you don't wake up tomorrow morning still here slumped over your computer.

1. I love a good discussion. And if there are one or two who have different opinions..that is the icing on top. I don't like to argue.....but I like turning the facts around and looking at them from all different points of view. I love that God has given me a sound mind and I am capable of maintaining my thoughts and convictions even if others don't agree.
I love chewing some good meat with people.
And just in case you wondered.....politics is not something I enjoy discussing.
Go there and you are likely to hear some snoring coming from my corner.

2. I so love a good cup of coffee.
And nothing thrills em more in the morning to put on that pot.....have everyone leave....and spend some time in the Bible and then with you. I will be honest....it does not always happen in that order.....but I try to aim for that.
I love coffee cups.....ones that hold about a cup and a half. You know they have to be big, because once you get that cup hot and just right...you want to to stay around awhile.

3. I love working with food. No not the normal everyday stuff.....but the stuff I can play around with and come up with something new. I love the blend of flavors and being able to play with a recipe and it still come out good.
I can't wait to be able to have all my kitchen out of storage and unpacked in my own kitchen so that I can have people over for food and good fellowship.I love the look on someones face when they try something for the first time and love it.
I think it must be what an artist feels when a painting is finished and he gets to watch people as they see it and enjoy it.

4. I love reading a good book. It is better than going to the movies.
I become part of the story in my head and I get lost.
I love that.
Right now I am in Europe. Ha, bet you didn't know that.
I am reading Leonardo's Chair by John DeSimone.

5. I love nature and how God speaks to me through it.It is amazing how when I am looking for a sign of His love that He usually shows up there.
Today while going to Walmart I saw a beautiful rainbow. It was clear and huge.
The sky was dark all over the tops of the mountains....we are expecting snow.....but right there over Wally world....a huge rainbow. I had to smile and told Him that I loved Him too.
I have had some doubts going on lately....and yes, I asked for a sign.
When I came out after shopping it was still there.....and on the way home I realized that there were two rainbows...it was pretty cool. Do you think God likes to show off for us?
It was like He said, You thought that was cool...watch this.

Hello, hellooooo!
You can wake up now.... I am finished. You have been such a good sport.
If you would like to do this......I would love to hear some of the things you love.
There are a few of you bloggers out there who are a little new in my neck of the woods, so I would enjoy learning some more about you.
Tell me you are doing it or wait and I will find out when I come around. :)
Don't forget to take the button if you are going to do the MeMe.

Enough!

I'm having a serious objection about the aggravating ungodly things on my T.V. lately.
So if you will excuse me one hormonal minute-- I would like to jump up on my soap box
and do a little grievance sharing.
First, I want to say that I don't know that there are many commercials that come into my home- that actually come across as if they are intending to make contact with a person who has half a brain. Um...just for the record..I have a full brain and I do try and use it. And, when I depend on the Holy Spirit, he makes sure I don't miss the important things.
I don't like being treated as though I am slow and
can't understand what they are trying to sell or advertise.
I don't like being manipulated or played to.
Do they not know that...

When I see a mom in a house all alone with her child and all of a sudden someone breaks in and they are terrified---that I won't understand that they are playing on my need to be secure and safe. And then after stirring up my fear then they want to cash in on it take my money. HELLO!!???
Don't even get me started on all the commercials that tell me that by buying their product I will become beautiful, rich and popular to boot.
HEY......God gave me a brain!
And I did not check it at the door.

Next is the commercial I have a huge beef with right now.
It aggravates me so much that I want to turn it off every time it comes on-sometimes I do.
I think we have all seen it.
Woman dressed in black dress getting ready for guests.
She quickly reaches over and pulls the label off the candle she lights.
Enter the girls I would assume she calls friends. Noticing the pie like smell in the air, a friend mentions it......welcoming hostess decides that telling them the name brand would be uncool and make her look cheap....so, she LIES.
And o.k, I will give the company some credit for correcting a wrong....she gets caught
by the label stuck to her patoot.
And her friends laugh and DON'T LEAVE!
Not funny in my opinion. And no, I did not feel the need to run out and buy their product.
Matter of fact whenever I see it in the store, I now think how irritating the commercial is.
And did they stop with this one commercial? No.
This poor lady has a problem telling the truth.
Next, we see her lying about the plug in air freshener she uses.....again to friends.
I"ll have to check the next time and see if they are the same ones.

The final one that got me was when she decided to lie to her husband and family about how she was planning to spend her day. She tells them she will be busy, busy. She then sprays the house down with this product and goes out to play and have fun until the time comes when her family will come home and she will LIE to them. :0 And yes, once again she gets caught.
Will she learn the lesson that telling the truth is best?
Probably not....they have a few more products to sell. Ouch!

Just tell me what the goal was behind picking this lying theme for their commercials?!!.

I don't know......I am just sick of seeing how the tube is going down the tube.
And soon I think it will be time to say goodbye to it.
Soaps during the day and soaps at night.
I was so proud of Charles Stanley,
and the stand he took this past Sunday on soaps and trash on t.v.
This about sums it all up...
The other day someone asked me if I watched a certain program..... and I said, no. They then said, Well, it is a really great program......it does have some some bad things in it....you just have to ignore it. :0 !!!!!
This is what I wanted to say in response,
"Hey have you eaten out of the dumpster at the fine dinning restaurant in town?
I know it has got some rancid rotten food in it,
but if you just eat around it you'll find some really good left overs".

How many Christian are really dumpster divers in disguise?
I have been guilty of this myself in the past.
Question for us all....
Do I look and act like my Master?

Stepping down off my soap box.

Strrrrrech.........my brain on God. :)

For you Moms that home school this is probably going to be a duh post.
But this girl has been gone from school for a long time... and well, I either learned it for the first time or it had been tucked away in storage so long that it had been lost.
Remember the scene in the Riaders of the Lost Ark where the Ark was being rolled away into storage in the huge warehouse filled with of all those crates pack high to the ceiling?Photo from Raiders.net
I think my brain and its filing system is some what like this warehouse. :)
I have always loved this picture...don't ask me why. But when those moments come and I can't remember what I should be able to remember....I think of that poor guy trying to remember where he put the ark. In my case it would be why leaves turn color in the fall.
Go ahead...call me a goober...I deserve it.
Now, when a new piece of info is introduced my brain has two choices...send that little man with the little cart (squeak, roll, squeak, roll) to try and locate info taken in over 25 years ago......or maybe it would just be easier to create a new crate to store it in.
What usually wins? A new crate. Thus the warehouse is looking extremely over crowded.

Boy talk about rabbit trails!
What was this post about? Oh yes, fall leaves and why they change color. Now I did slightly remember why leaves are green....they are feeding the tree. That is the simple no frills answer. :) But what I did not remember is that the green we see.....well it is not the true color of the leaf and that the only time you see the true color of a leaf is in the fall.
All the time they are doing the task they were created for........ they are hidden
amongst the crowd.
Only when they have completed their task and are in the process of dying-are you for a short time able to see the beauty of who God created them to be.
So for most of their lives they are not really even seen individually-they
just blend in with all the rest. Um yes, I think I already said that...but this repetition is good.
And of course there is the whole reason why leaves finally fall off the tree.....I thought that had great application to our walk with God too.....but I won't go there in this post.
So if you are feeling unseen......hold on.

In His own time He will make the great reveal. Till then...continue to feed and minister to the body. Provide shade for those who are weary and worn out and need some cool rest. Allow Him to bear fruit in your life.......that will give food to the hungry.
Your seasons will come and go. Hidden for awhile and then revealed.
Hidden while raising small children......revealed when they politely and respectfully respond to an adult. Hidden while while fixing dinner over and over......revealed when that little one looks up into your face at the end of the day and says, Mommy you are the best!
Hidden while smiling at the cranky cashier......over and over again.....revealed when you stand before Him and He says, Well done my good and faithful servant.
Can you even imagine the color of the "trees leaves" then?
His creation finally revealed for what it was created to be.

The creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.
Romans 8:18-20.

Class is now excused for the day. ;)

Where do I start...hmmmm

So, where do I go with this post?
Do I tell you the quote that I loved the most from Sunday service?
Before the service they run all kinds of quotes from great people of the faith...I like it because it gets my mind running.
Here is the one that really caught my mind--

Get out on a limb-that is where all the fruit is.
--Unknown ....I assume this was or is a great person of faith. ;)
Pretty good don't ya think?

There were so many things that caught my attention Sunday. In Sunday school class we talked about how satan strives to destroy or hinder our relationship with others so that he can then cause a separation of relationship between us and God.
I know that scripture says that nothing can separate us from the love of God....but have you noticed that when you are on the outs in a relationship that you often have a hard time coming boldly before the throne as scripture tells you you can?
So since this is a class on marriage.....satans goal is to cause problems between us and our mate so that eventually it will cause problems between us and God.
The whole destroying of the triangle.
GodKeith-----------------Me.
He is after those relationships. And, sometimes God lets him go after them. God allows our enemy to sift us like wheat because in the end-like Peter- God knows it will be for our strengthening and His glory.
I realized that right now God has allowed some sifting to take place in my life.
He has allowed an area of security to be touched and questioned. It is causing me to have to renew my mind to the truth very often. I am trying to keep my mouth shut and allow God to scrub out my heart before things come out of my mouth.
How am I to walk through this time? In prayer
leaning and learning to depend on the one who Jesus sent to be my guide, teacher and comforter.
Bottom line.....who do I trust and who am I willing to learn to trust?
Do I trust that God can take care of me even if others around me seem, to my emotional state to possibly be untrustworthy?
In advance I want you to know that I am not saying that my husband is not trustworthy......he has never given me a reason not to trust him. But in the past circumstances in life planted seeds and I allowed them to grow...and now those around me are in danger of getting hit
by rotten fruit.
I know, how sad. I hope that they are carrying their shields until God has taught this heart of mine how not to sin when all these emotions start flying.
Slowly God has been teaching me that through HIM.... I can trust safely in my husband even when things don't look the way they should- or things are not going the way my mind has figured them out. How cool would it be to feel toward my husband what the man in Proverbs 31 felt about his wife.

11The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

12She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

For someone who has had trust issues.....this is a big time of testing for me. I do realize that some of you wouldn't understand how you could possibly love someone and not
blank check trust a person. And I guess if you told me to really think about it I would tell you that Yes, I trust my husband. I trust that he would put his life on the line to protect us.
So what is the deeper issue for me?
I believe God is going after a deeper trust in His position in my life.
This whole thing is pretty deep. ;)
....but this is where I am. At least I know I am not sunk because I have the promise below. :)

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13
~and~
LOVE-
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
1 Corinthians 13:6-8.

So you see...Sunday was a good day. I think I am going to enjoy this Sunday school class. The teacher seems like she enjoys getting into the meat of the word and how it applies to our everyday lives.
She called on our class to remember what scripture says about the God we serve. That scripture says that He will not stop until He completes the work He began in us.
And that work includes our marriage. Nobody has a perfect marriage...simply because we are not perfect yet. We go through times that are beautiful...kind of like mountain top experiences with God...and then it will be time for the valleys. Sometimes those times in the valley feel like they are going to break you....I guess I pray that they will. Yikes did I say that?
I do pray that He breaks my trust in what I have felt safe with and expands my trust in Him .............and the ones He has put in my life.
So there you have it........lessons that are being learned so that in the end this
servant will hear-Well done my good and faithful servant.
I do love my man......I desire for my heart to trust safely in him (all the time)....and
God desires that too.

A Victor

The Magnitude of Grace

My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Our weakness should be prized as making room for divine strength. We might never have known the power of grace if we had not felt the weakness of nature. Blessed be the Lord for the thorn in the flesh, and the messenger of Satan, when they drive us to the strength of God.

This is a precious word from our Lord's own lip. It has made the writer laugh for joy. God's grace enough for me! I should think it is. Is not the sky enough for the bird and the ocean enough for the fish? The All-Sufficient is sufficient for my largest want. He who is sufficient for earth and heaven is certainly able to meet the case of one poor worm like me.

Let us, then, fall back upon our God and His grace. If He does not remove our grief, He will enable us to bear it. His strength shall be poured into us till the worm shall thresh the mountains, and a nothing shall be victor over all the high and mighty ones. It is better for us to have God's strength than our own; for if we were a thousand times as strong as we are, it would amount to nothing in the face of the enemy; and if we could be weaker than we are, which is scarcely possible, yet we could do all things through Christ.

The above By Charles Spurgeon

If God opens your eyes to grasp this truth......be careful to treasure it like the finest gold.

My favorite part in this....."a nothing shall be victor over all the high and mighty ones".

And if He called us more than conquerors through the work of Christ Jesus.....then it is time to pick up our swords......there are a lot of high and mighty ones out there flashing the power of the enemy in our faces. We are the defenders of the truth that is trying to be swallowed up by the dark cloud of evil.

How dare they......unless we- the warriors, "a nothing"-- allows it.

Rise up, O men of God!
Have done with lesser things.
Give heart and mind and soul and strength
To serve the King of kings.

Rise up, O men of God!
The kingdom tarries long.
Bring in the day of brotherhood
And end the night of wrong.

Words by...William P. Merrill

This and that

It has been ages since I have had a tag
to do......hmm maybe I shouldn't have spoken that out loud. :)
But, a new friend GranJan , tagged me for this little tidbit.
So without further to do here are the guidelines....

Pick the 4th picture folder on your computer

Pick the 4th picture in that folder

Explain what the picture is about

Tag 4 blogging friends to do the same

Well I was going to find a picture
of Brad Pitt to post......just so it would be a little interesting for your eyes.. but I resisted.
Sad to say but the fourth picture saved to my pictures is something you have already seen.
Recognize this?

Yes, it is my header for my blog.
I got a little tired of it and so it is in resting till I am in the mood for it.
See.....Brad Pitt would have been a tad more interesting. ;)
If you would love to join in this little game.....let me know so that I can come by and see what secrets you have stored on your computer.

And since it seems to be a day to take care of bloggy business I want to pass something along that I got from a sweet friend awhile back.
I have enjoyed getting to know Denise of (Shortybears Place)
over the past year...she is a sweetheart.....she passed this on to me
and now I want to pass it on to a few of you.
I am going to pass this on to....
Leslie of Do You Weary Like I Do?,
Denise of Edge Of Design,
Melanie of MelanieJoy,
Rebecca of Organizational Determination
and Jane of Shore Stories.

And this next one is for all of ya'll who know me because I visit often. ;)
.......and
Have a fantastic weekend!

My favorite book

Ephesians
6

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
~~~~~~~

Be prepared.
You're up against far more than you can handle on your own.Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued,
so that when it's all over but the shouting
you'll still be on your feet.Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words.
Learn how to apply them.
You'll need them throughout your life.
God's Word is an indispensable weapon.In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare.
Pray hard and long.
Pray for your brothers and sisters.Keep your eyes open.Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.

~~~~~~~

"If we distrust either our cause,
or our Leader, or our armour,
we give him
(our enemy)
advantage.
Matthew Henry..commentary on Ephesians 6

Who has the advantage in your life today?

I am going to be a G.A.L

And you say.......... but Sharon we already thought you were a gal. ;)
Yes, you are right......I am a gal. (Sorry a little brain dead and it is showing)
But I am in the process
of going through some training to become a
Guardian Ad Litem.
I am sure that some of you already know what this is...but for those of you who do not--
I am becoming a court appointed child advocate-they will not live with us
but I will be a voice for them.
Yes, I will be sworn in by a Judge on the 20th of this month.

After sitting around twiddling my thumbs for far too long- someone who shall remain nameless suggested that I look in my area for places where I could volunteer.
So the next morning I got on my computer and started doing a little research.
I found an organization called Angel Food Ministries and I sent them an email. Although I have not seen them in action I have heard good things about them. Then I found a site on the web that is for volunteers looking for things to do in their area. They were looking for volunteers in my area for the G.A L program I mentioned. I sent them an email on the same day.
The next day I got a call from the Guardian Ad Litem program...yes, that was quick. And yet almost a week later I have not heard from the Angel Food Ministry program. ?
The woman I spoke to was the head of the program in our area....my county.
She said that they only train twice a year and they were in the middle of training now. The next training would not begin till spring. Coincidence?
I don't believe in those. ;)
She said she just happened to have another woman coming in for training to catch up and if I was interested in getting started that I could joining them....I did.
WOW!
I can say that I left the cram session with my head spinning.
I won't bombard you with details......yet. :)
Today I went for another class and yet again left with my head spinning.
This is such an important job.
I have prayed about this...talked to hubby, my former pastor and a few friends.
It will take some time but it should not
take time away from my family...which is my biggest concern.
Children need a voice.....I will become one child's voice.I shall be called a GATHERER. I kind of like that name.
I will gather information (interviewing all those involved in the life of the child)
to make sure that child is taken care of
and does not get lost in the system. And then I will suggest
before a judge what is in the best interest of that child for the future. Of course we know who will be making the suggestion through my voice. ;)
So, I am still praying. I don't want to start something and not finish it.
Two more classes and I will be sworn in by a Judge. Kind of scary.
That is it for now......we will see what God is up to.

And yes, I voted. ;)
God help us.

Bring your iron

Something has been on my mind a lot lately....Grace.
I have heard it used quite often and sometimes something about the way it is being used...well, it bothers my spirit. So I have decided to do a little searching around.....in the Bible and in some sources available.
I am concerned that in the coming times we may not have been prepared in the way that
God intends because we are taking a gift given freely...without any type of "exchange life".

So I will be thinking and praying on this.
If a warrior goes through much training....giving up the life of freedom like one does when enlisted in the services-- then as a believer who has given their life over to God.....what does that life look like? What does the enlistment requirement time look like?
I think it is a little more involved than...Ops, I messed up let's slap a little grace on it.
Ops, there I went again where is the bucket of grace to throw on it.

I know that sounded a little harsh or sarcastic.....not the attitude I am going for...promise.
I just want to know if at any time or in any way I am
using or selling a...... Cheap Grace.

So that is what I Googled this morning-----cheap grace.
I found this......

The Cost of Discipleship

by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945)

Has anybody heard of this guy and is this a good trust worthy source?

I don't want someone to make me feel good and tickle my ears.
God told us the road would be narrow and few would find it.
If this walk is so easy-let's face it we are not being beaten for our faith nor do we find ourselves really hurt by the ridicule of unbelievers--- so do you think maybe more are on the wide road and they think it just has expanded or the years?

Romans 5:20 (The Message)

20-21All that passing laws against sin did was produce more lawbreakers. But sin didn't, and doesn't, have a chance in competition with the aggressive forgiveness we call grace. When it's sin versus grace, grace wins hands down. All sin can do is threaten us with death, and that's the end of it. Grace, because God is putting everything together again through the Messiah, invites us into life—a life that goes on and on and on, world without end.

Romans 6:1-3 (New International Version)

1What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

.

I think I can.....I think I can

I found this over at Mandy's blog.
It was cute and drove me a little batty and so I thought I would share it with you. ;)
So if you are in for a little tightening up of those brain muscles....go on over
here
and give your brain a test.
Fun! Fun!

Another look at the sword

Here is a little something that I heard the other day...it kind of excited me and so I thought
I would share it. I hope that I can get the wording right because I thought it was pretty cool.

Why do you think that God chose the cross to bring about the death of Jesus?
And then why was Jesus constantly telling us about the need to carry our cross?
Why would we need to take up a cross to be worthy to follow Him?
Why would we need to bear a cross after He already did?
And yet in His own words He instructed us to take up our cross...not His...ours.
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
Mark 8:33-35

And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Luke 14:26-28

Crosses were very heavy in those days......carrying one around does not seem
that it would benefit us or Him.
So why?
Have you ever thought about the crosses that some carry? Some of us have dealt with diseases, accidents that cause problems for the rest of our lives...those are huge crosses to carry. Still others are never far from issues of their past....no longer ruled by those things...yet they are still who they are because of them.
And still others carry the cross of the responsibility that God has asked them to carry-maybe it is a sick child or parent-a lost job-a wayward child. All of these are things that our Savior asks us to carry at different times--all the while He supplies the power and strength to rise up under it.
So why did He label these issues as crosses?
Could it be that He knew once we saw our crosses from His perspective... He knew we would see our cross as our weapon instead of as our burden?
What does the cross upside down remind you of?
That picture gives a whole new meaning to take up our cross...doesn't it?
When we take up our crosses to follow Him with a heart that is pure and filled with His love---our cross becomes our greatest weapon against our enemy.
The bigger the cross we carry...the bigger the damage we have the chance to do.
Just imagine how our enemy rejoices when horrible things come our way. But, just imagine the honor that God knows He is laying on our shoulders when He allows these things to happen.
And all this should bring a whole new meaning to the verse that says.....

28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,^[a] who^[b] have been called according to his purpose..Romans 8:28

What an awesome wise God we serve!
Because of the death of Jesus on the cross.....the cross became the tool that would bring an end to the authority of the devil. And it would then also become a tool that would help us stand in the fight against our enemy until he is locked away at the end of the age.
Instead of seeing yourself as one bowed down under the weight of the cross you carry.....see yourself becoming a strong mighty warrior because of the cross you have been given.

This ought to put you on your feet!
\o/