Hi All, Last night Sid and I flew home from San Antonio. On the flight they showed a movie called Julia and Julie. (It was free because we sat on the tarmack for 1 1/2 hours while they put a screw in the wing.) It was the true story of Julia Child and another gal named Julie. Julie decided to try all the recipes in Julia Child's cookbook and make them all in 1 year.
Thinking of Julia Child, makes me think of cooking, which makes me think of recipes, which makes me think of Thanksgiving. Do you have any Thanksgiving recipes that are extra special that you would like to share?
Also, if you have any ideas for celebrating Thanksgiving that have worked for your family....I'd love to hear about them as well.
Happy Thanksgiving!
"In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." I Thess. 5:18
Monday, November 16, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
Train up a child...
Dear Ladies,
How is your summer going? Has it flown by? Has it been a summer with purpose?
I'm ready to look back on mine and in some ways it has been a blur!
There have been camps and funerals and Bible studies and friends and dinners and my children have been home.....
Tomorrow my youngest leaves for college. It has been a joy to help her get some of her packing done. To pick things she likes to take with her to decorate her college dorm.
Today a friend asked if I was "ready" to send her off....I said, I've already had my "moments" and I'm ready. She will be 2 hours away and at a quality college. My friend and I then went on to discuss how you "let go."
Perhaps you have some tips on how to "let go" of your children, or should I say young adults.
For me it has been a process. As tiny babies parents have great control over them, they need us, almost every moment. Then they grow to become a toddler and we help them along, they still need our care. As they grow we let them choose and help them to be able to make good choices for themselves.
As they enter Junior High age, they let you know that they want to make more and more choices on their own....and you allow as much of that as you can, since they don't need you as much as when they were younger. Then it's High School and they must be given room to make more and more choices...it seems that 18 year mark comes quickly and "legally" they can walk away after that at any time.
It can be difficult to pry the hands off and allow them to make their own decisions.
"Train a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn from it."
Proverbs 22:6 There appears to be a training time and a time to let go.
How is your summer going? Has it flown by? Has it been a summer with purpose?
I'm ready to look back on mine and in some ways it has been a blur!
There have been camps and funerals and Bible studies and friends and dinners and my children have been home.....
Tomorrow my youngest leaves for college. It has been a joy to help her get some of her packing done. To pick things she likes to take with her to decorate her college dorm.
Today a friend asked if I was "ready" to send her off....I said, I've already had my "moments" and I'm ready. She will be 2 hours away and at a quality college. My friend and I then went on to discuss how you "let go."
Perhaps you have some tips on how to "let go" of your children, or should I say young adults.
For me it has been a process. As tiny babies parents have great control over them, they need us, almost every moment. Then they grow to become a toddler and we help them along, they still need our care. As they grow we let them choose and help them to be able to make good choices for themselves.
As they enter Junior High age, they let you know that they want to make more and more choices on their own....and you allow as much of that as you can, since they don't need you as much as when they were younger. Then it's High School and they must be given room to make more and more choices...it seems that 18 year mark comes quickly and "legally" they can walk away after that at any time.
It can be difficult to pry the hands off and allow them to make their own decisions.
"Train a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn from it."
Proverbs 22:6 There appears to be a training time and a time to let go.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Troubles in your life?
Dear Ladies,
Recently I received news that a friend had cancer. It was news that hit like a brick thrown to the head! It hurt and I wondered, why, why her? Perhaps you don't have cancer but you have other "news of some illness" that hurts and you've wondered, why?
A few days after hearing the news an unrelated friend sent me an article by John Piper called:
"Don't waste your cancer." He had 10 points he wanted to make on the subject since he was undergoing surgery for cancer that he was dealing with. I was interested because here was someone with experience!
After reading his article it came to me that what he had written would apply to any sort of illness or hurt in our lives.
Here are the 10 statements he made......you will have to google the article if you'd like to read his explanation behind each one. (Please note I have added my own wording as well in Italic.
1) You will waste your cancer or your pain if you do not believe it is designed for you by God.
2) You will waste your cancer or your pain if you believe it is a curse and not a gift.
3) You will waste your cancer or your pain if you seek comfort from your odds rather than from God.
4) You will waste your cancer or your pain if you refuse to think about death.
5) You will waste your cancer or your pain if you think that "beating" cancer means staying alive rather than cherishing Christ.
6) You will waste your cancer or your pain if you spend too much time reading about cancer and not enough time reading about God.
7) You will waste your cancer or your pain if you let it drive you into solitude instead of deepen your relationships with manifest affection.
8) You will waste your cancer or your pain if you grieve as those who have no hope.
9) You will waste your cancer or your pain if you treat sin as casually as before.
10) You will waste your cancer or your pain if you fail to use it as a means of witness to the truth and glory of Christ.
John 11:4 "When he heard this, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. Not it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it."
When we are ill, when are loved ones are ill, when we are in pain for any reason.....are we able to look to the Lord, draw strength from the Lord, live so that He gets the glory? Are we able to draw closer and closer to Him during these difficult times? Difficulties can and should be for His glory otherwise we waste the pain.
Recently I received news that a friend had cancer. It was news that hit like a brick thrown to the head! It hurt and I wondered, why, why her? Perhaps you don't have cancer but you have other "news of some illness" that hurts and you've wondered, why?
A few days after hearing the news an unrelated friend sent me an article by John Piper called:
"Don't waste your cancer." He had 10 points he wanted to make on the subject since he was undergoing surgery for cancer that he was dealing with. I was interested because here was someone with experience!
After reading his article it came to me that what he had written would apply to any sort of illness or hurt in our lives.
Here are the 10 statements he made......you will have to google the article if you'd like to read his explanation behind each one. (Please note I have added my own wording as well in Italic.
1) You will waste your cancer or your pain if you do not believe it is designed for you by God.
2) You will waste your cancer or your pain if you believe it is a curse and not a gift.
3) You will waste your cancer or your pain if you seek comfort from your odds rather than from God.
4) You will waste your cancer or your pain if you refuse to think about death.
5) You will waste your cancer or your pain if you think that "beating" cancer means staying alive rather than cherishing Christ.
6) You will waste your cancer or your pain if you spend too much time reading about cancer and not enough time reading about God.
7) You will waste your cancer or your pain if you let it drive you into solitude instead of deepen your relationships with manifest affection.
8) You will waste your cancer or your pain if you grieve as those who have no hope.
9) You will waste your cancer or your pain if you treat sin as casually as before.
10) You will waste your cancer or your pain if you fail to use it as a means of witness to the truth and glory of Christ.
John 11:4 "When he heard this, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. Not it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it."
When we are ill, when are loved ones are ill, when we are in pain for any reason.....are we able to look to the Lord, draw strength from the Lord, live so that He gets the glory? Are we able to draw closer and closer to Him during these difficult times? Difficulties can and should be for His glory otherwise we waste the pain.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Mother's Day
Dear Ladies,
Did you have a nice Mother's day? As mother's many of us look forward to Mother's Day to see if we are remembered and how we are remembered. What is it that shows you that you are loved?
Years ago a young single girl told me that love does not need flowers.....I'm still pondering that. Real love may not need flowers but for many flowers help. :) Perhaps you have some thoughts on that?
I think what really helps me is to know with certainty that I'm loved by the Lord. When we know we are loved by Him, we can rest in that love and if others don't show us love we can forgive them.
Many of us don't know how to show love to others. Books have been written on the subject of how to show love.....even books that help us determine what it is that shows us what our personal taste for showing and receiving love might be: a gift, a word of kindness, a deed etc. Perhaps you have sorted out what shows you love and if so, I hope you have communicated that to your family so that they know what brings you joy on Mother's day.
If you are single, what brings your Mother joy? Do you know? You might observe her this next year and see what you discover and then act accordingly next year.
At any rate, I do hope you had a nice Mother's day!
"Greater love has no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends."
Did you have a nice Mother's day? As mother's many of us look forward to Mother's Day to see if we are remembered and how we are remembered. What is it that shows you that you are loved?
Years ago a young single girl told me that love does not need flowers.....I'm still pondering that. Real love may not need flowers but for many flowers help. :) Perhaps you have some thoughts on that?
I think what really helps me is to know with certainty that I'm loved by the Lord. When we know we are loved by Him, we can rest in that love and if others don't show us love we can forgive them.
Many of us don't know how to show love to others. Books have been written on the subject of how to show love.....even books that help us determine what it is that shows us what our personal taste for showing and receiving love might be: a gift, a word of kindness, a deed etc. Perhaps you have sorted out what shows you love and if so, I hope you have communicated that to your family so that they know what brings you joy on Mother's day.
If you are single, what brings your Mother joy? Do you know? You might observe her this next year and see what you discover and then act accordingly next year.
At any rate, I do hope you had a nice Mother's day!
"Greater love has no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends."
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Have a cup of Tea
Dear Ladies,
Recently I read an article telling of how to have "Tea for One". At first I thought who would want to have tea for one person? But after reading the article I realized the author was talking of slowing down and taking time to be thankful.
Now that sounded intriguing! Time to stop and reflect....time to talk with the Lord....In thinking about it you really would be having "Tea for Two"!
The author wanted you to find your own special spot for the tea time. To create an atmosphere with fresh flowers and soothing music. (How wonderful that we can have a time with the Lord anywhere, anytime).
Then they suggested that you sit in the natural light in order to benefit from it. "In Him is light" so even when it's raining, snowing, hailing or sunny we can be with the Light of the world!
You were then to make a pot of your favorite tea....the article said that if you were using Green Tea you were not to use boiling water, but rather water than was 30*'s below the boiling point since "you want to extract the nectar from the leaf, not cook the tea"....that was a new tip for me.
After you brewed your tea you were to take a sip and give thanks for the quiet moment you created and with each sip afterwards you were to be thankful for some other aspect of your life.
How wonderful to be thankful and to let the Lord know that you are thankful! In 1 Thess. we read, "Rejoice evermore, Pray without ceasing, In everything give thanks for this is the will of God concerning you."
Do we rejoice? Do we pray without ceasing? Are we thankful....in everything? Do we really realize that the Lord is working all things together for our good? If so, we can have a rejoicing "Tea for Two" at any time and in any place....we just might be missing the tea....
How special though to take the time to make a tea for you and the Lord. To really set up a special place for you to be alone with the One who loves you more than anyone else. To really make some tea and with each sip of that tea or with each breath we breathe to be thankful. To thank Him for all He has done for you! Sound good....well I'm off to boil some water.
Recently I read an article telling of how to have "Tea for One". At first I thought who would want to have tea for one person? But after reading the article I realized the author was talking of slowing down and taking time to be thankful.
Now that sounded intriguing! Time to stop and reflect....time to talk with the Lord....In thinking about it you really would be having "Tea for Two"!
The author wanted you to find your own special spot for the tea time. To create an atmosphere with fresh flowers and soothing music. (How wonderful that we can have a time with the Lord anywhere, anytime).
Then they suggested that you sit in the natural light in order to benefit from it. "In Him is light" so even when it's raining, snowing, hailing or sunny we can be with the Light of the world!
You were then to make a pot of your favorite tea....the article said that if you were using Green Tea you were not to use boiling water, but rather water than was 30*'s below the boiling point since "you want to extract the nectar from the leaf, not cook the tea"....that was a new tip for me.
After you brewed your tea you were to take a sip and give thanks for the quiet moment you created and with each sip afterwards you were to be thankful for some other aspect of your life.
How wonderful to be thankful and to let the Lord know that you are thankful! In 1 Thess. we read, "Rejoice evermore, Pray without ceasing, In everything give thanks for this is the will of God concerning you."
Do we rejoice? Do we pray without ceasing? Are we thankful....in everything? Do we really realize that the Lord is working all things together for our good? If so, we can have a rejoicing "Tea for Two" at any time and in any place....we just might be missing the tea....
How special though to take the time to make a tea for you and the Lord. To really set up a special place for you to be alone with the One who loves you more than anyone else. To really make some tea and with each sip of that tea or with each breath we breathe to be thankful. To thank Him for all He has done for you! Sound good....well I'm off to boil some water.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Dear Ladies,
Happy Day to you! This past month my husband and I took a trip to Israel. It was so exciting to be there and to see the many places the Lord Jesus walked and to imagine what it was like when He was there.
Jerusalem is a bustling city with every culture. The shopping in the Arab sector is interesting since they want you to barter with them and that is one thing I'm not very good at! I feel like I'm stealing when I offer $5 for a skirt and get it or $3 for a beautiful scarf that would cost 10 times that much here. But the shop keepers say, it's business and that they enjoy it.
I still find it hard to believe that I was walking around Jerusalem with my son and husband. If I hadn't taken pictures I would still be questioning myself. If you ever get to go, be sure and keep a journal of each day and where you traveled, that way when you get home and get the photo's developed you'll know what they are of... :)
Please take a moment and pray for Israel and those who are there. Many, many need to be saved and there are lots of wonderful Christian groups working there to get out the word of God, to get out food and clothing for the many Jews and others that are pouring into the area. They ask that we "pray for peace in Jerusalem."
Also, if you would pray for the printer in Hong Kong that is printing up the copies of Titus Two and Tea that would be wonderful. We have come to the end of making "homemade" copies and look forward to receiving a large number from the printer. If you know of anyone who would like a copy please have them contact me.
May the Lord richly bless you!
Happy Day to you! This past month my husband and I took a trip to Israel. It was so exciting to be there and to see the many places the Lord Jesus walked and to imagine what it was like when He was there.
Jerusalem is a bustling city with every culture. The shopping in the Arab sector is interesting since they want you to barter with them and that is one thing I'm not very good at! I feel like I'm stealing when I offer $5 for a skirt and get it or $3 for a beautiful scarf that would cost 10 times that much here. But the shop keepers say, it's business and that they enjoy it.
I still find it hard to believe that I was walking around Jerusalem with my son and husband. If I hadn't taken pictures I would still be questioning myself. If you ever get to go, be sure and keep a journal of each day and where you traveled, that way when you get home and get the photo's developed you'll know what they are of... :)
Please take a moment and pray for Israel and those who are there. Many, many need to be saved and there are lots of wonderful Christian groups working there to get out the word of God, to get out food and clothing for the many Jews and others that are pouring into the area. They ask that we "pray for peace in Jerusalem."
Also, if you would pray for the printer in Hong Kong that is printing up the copies of Titus Two and Tea that would be wonderful. We have come to the end of making "homemade" copies and look forward to receiving a large number from the printer. If you know of anyone who would like a copy please have them contact me.
May the Lord richly bless you!
Monday, February 16, 2009
Growing in Christ's image
Today I read a thought that I wanted to share with you all.
"So often we miss life's beauty because we are preoccupied by its flaws. Instead of taking off our shoes to feel the feathery soft grass beneath our feet, we complain that it's growing so fast we don't have time to mow it. Rather than enjoying the gregarious woman behind the supermarket counter, we blame her friendly chatter for delaying the checkout line. And what about us? Who stares back from the mirror each morning? A child of God who is growing daily in his image or someone whose nose is too big or too small, whose hair is in a state of perpetual rebellion, or whose skin is aged and worn?" Ann Spangler
As women, we tend to details of life every day from our faces to our lists of things to do.
Do we see them all as flaws or busywork or as something that will help us grow into the image of Jesus Christ as we live the day out? This is a challenge for me.... to see life through the Lord's eyes and sensibly go about what needs to be accomplished.....how are you doing with your daily attitude?
"So often we miss life's beauty because we are preoccupied by its flaws. Instead of taking off our shoes to feel the feathery soft grass beneath our feet, we complain that it's growing so fast we don't have time to mow it. Rather than enjoying the gregarious woman behind the supermarket counter, we blame her friendly chatter for delaying the checkout line. And what about us? Who stares back from the mirror each morning? A child of God who is growing daily in his image or someone whose nose is too big or too small, whose hair is in a state of perpetual rebellion, or whose skin is aged and worn?" Ann Spangler
As women, we tend to details of life every day from our faces to our lists of things to do.
Do we see them all as flaws or busywork or as something that will help us grow into the image of Jesus Christ as we live the day out? This is a challenge for me.... to see life through the Lord's eyes and sensibly go about what needs to be accomplished.....how are you doing with your daily attitude?
Friday, February 6, 2009
Valentine Love
Happy Valentine's Day! Feb. 14th will be upon us soon and let me be the first to let you know that married, engaged or single....you are loved! With "everlasting love" Jeremiah 31:3 It's a love that is deeper than any human love imaginable. Rejoice in this love!
Recently my husband gave me an article by Ruth Bell Graham called, "Ever-deepening Love."
Ruth started by saying that she pities the couple who expects too much from each other. She said it is foolish if a woman expects her husband to be to her what only Jesus Christ Himself can be.
"Jesus is always ready to forgive, totally understanding, unendingly patient, invariably tender and loving, unfailing in every area, anticipating every need and making more than adequate provision."
Her thoughts were that if we expect our imperfect husbands to be what the Lord Jesus is, perfect, it puts great pressure on him.
What woman could be all these things to her husband? I'm know that I fall short in many of these areas. What if our husbands put pressure on us to be perfect at all times? I think I'd be a wreck!
Perhaps this Valentine's day, if we are married, we might look for the ways our husband is loving to us rather than expecting him to be. Perhaps when we look for the good, we will find it?
Recently my husband gave me an article by Ruth Bell Graham called, "Ever-deepening Love."
Ruth started by saying that she pities the couple who expects too much from each other. She said it is foolish if a woman expects her husband to be to her what only Jesus Christ Himself can be.
"Jesus is always ready to forgive, totally understanding, unendingly patient, invariably tender and loving, unfailing in every area, anticipating every need and making more than adequate provision."
Her thoughts were that if we expect our imperfect husbands to be what the Lord Jesus is, perfect, it puts great pressure on him.
What woman could be all these things to her husband? I'm know that I fall short in many of these areas. What if our husbands put pressure on us to be perfect at all times? I think I'd be a wreck!
Perhaps this Valentine's day, if we are married, we might look for the ways our husband is loving to us rather than expecting him to be. Perhaps when we look for the good, we will find it?
Friday, January 23, 2009
Reverence.....what is it?
What a good question....how do we kill someone with kindness when we are exhausted, distracted etc? And what a good suggestion that we tell the Lord how we are feeling and count on Him to give us the energy to do what is needed or to do what is right.
Now on a slightly different note:
It was purity and reverence that Peter was talking about in I Peter 3:1-2, that will win an unsaved man over. Perhaps we need to look at our lives and ask: Am I living in purity? If not, what needs to be changed? Am I willing to change in order to gain my husband's salvation?
And then ask ourselves: Do I display reverence for the Lord? If not, why not? What might need to be changed in my life? Is my disrespect for the Lord causing my husband to reject salvation?
If we reverence the Lord, it will be easier to reverence our husbands, saved or unsaved. Perhaps you are asking, "What is reverence." It means to honor or respect. We show the Lord honor by reading His Word, by praying, by worshipping Him and respect by trusting His Word, by obeying His Word, and willingly applying it to our lives......even if we are tired.
The Lord honors obedience to His Word.
What thoughts do you have on this subject?
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Happy New Year Ladies.....amazing that it's 2009. I remember as a child thinking the world would blow up in 2000....then as I grew a little I thought the Lord would surely come by 2000.....It seems that He is pleased to keep us here so we press on for Him.
One of you lovely ladies asked about women submitting to men they were married to that aren't believers.....I've been thinking and praying about that. It's hard to respond to something you haven't experienced. But, I must quickly add that I was tempted to marry a non-believer once and it was only by the Lord's mercy that I escaped that fate and I'm thankful that He interceded for me and that I took the way of escape that He provided. I could have kept on with the plans.
What do women do that are married to a non- believer, should they submit? Recently I was attending a luncheon where most of the women were older than myself and this very subject came up in the conversation, so I was eager to hear what these "older woman" had to say on the subject. The advice to the woman who was asking was: Kill your husband.....with kindness!
I Peter 3:1-2 says basically this.
"Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands, so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the hehavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives."
I can only begin to imagine that this would be difficult but not impossible....since we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, we have power beyond our own to help us.
Any thoughts on this subject from the rest of you?
One of you lovely ladies asked about women submitting to men they were married to that aren't believers.....I've been thinking and praying about that. It's hard to respond to something you haven't experienced. But, I must quickly add that I was tempted to marry a non-believer once and it was only by the Lord's mercy that I escaped that fate and I'm thankful that He interceded for me and that I took the way of escape that He provided. I could have kept on with the plans.
What do women do that are married to a non- believer, should they submit? Recently I was attending a luncheon where most of the women were older than myself and this very subject came up in the conversation, so I was eager to hear what these "older woman" had to say on the subject. The advice to the woman who was asking was: Kill your husband.....with kindness!
I Peter 3:1-2 says basically this.
"Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands, so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the hehavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives."
I can only begin to imagine that this would be difficult but not impossible....since we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, we have power beyond our own to help us.
Any thoughts on this subject from the rest of you?