Merry Day after Christmas!  I hope you had a wonderful Christmas day with family and/or friends.  Ours was quiet with 2 of our 3 "children" home with us.  My daughter made wonderful bacon wrapped dates and warm brie and crackers for the appetizer.  We were able to reminisce that we had these at our wedding.  I remember my dear friend Lynda who manned the kitchen and those who tried to serve them being mobbed as they came out the kitchen door.  They are soooo good!

After the yummy dates and brie with crackers we opened gifts while the rest of the dinner cooked.  Dinner was tasty and after dinner and all seemed settled we headed out for a hike on the mesa to watch the sunset.  Up about 2,000+ feet we found embedded in the mountainside shells from the ocean....how do you think they got there?  Well, that's another subject...

This morning, the day after Christmas, I was reading in Mark 11 where Jesus told two of his disciples to go into the village ahead of them and as they entered they would find a colt tied, they were to untie it and bring it to Jesus.  If anyone asked they were to say, "The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly."  11:3  Sure enough someone asked what are you doing untying the colt?  And they answered as Jesus had told them to and the people let them go.

This made me wonder how I would have responded if the colt had belonged to me?  Would I have said no way!  Or would I have quickly loaned it to the Lord for His use?

We all have belongings, maybe not a colt, but what do we do when Jesus needs our things?  How do we respond?   Do you find this challenging?  In 2012 perhaps we could challenge ourselves to give back to the Lord for His use all the things that really belong to Him anyway when He asks for them.

My son asked me if I had a New Year's resolution...well I didn't but perhaps this will be mine...to be willing to say to the Lord when He asks: "Oh, you need this...take it!"  Or if He says, "I need you and your talents I've given you here and here and I'll respond, Yes Lord use me as you would like."

May 2012 be a year that we listen to the voice of the Lord and respond by giving to Him what He asks with a cheerful heart and then wait to see what He does with them.  Grace to you!

Merry Christmas!

Hi Ladies! Christmas season is upon us and so is the pressure it brings. A friends sent me this "card" and I wanted to share it with you. I'm hoping you'll be able to slow down and enjoy Jesus this Christmas. It is a time to remember Him and His birth. He desires to have special moments with us each day.....I hope you'll seek Him each morning before the rush of the day begins, that you seek Him at mealtimes to thank Him for your food and that you seek Him before you go to bed at night. He is always with you, so you can communicate with Him any time you want. What great love He has for you! Enjoy Jesus this Christmas! Love, Linda

Loving your children

Hi Ladies,
   Happy Thanksgiving!  It's coming up in just a week and I'm sure we are all thinking about the preparations we need to make.  I'm so excited that two of my "kids" are coming home for the holiday.  The third one will surely be missed!
    This gives me a sense of how important these celebrations are when you do have all of your children in the home with you.  Celebrations and traditions help to unite a family. They can become a chore and a trial at times with all that it takes to put together a family celebration but we can learn to pare things down and do things simply.  Let's desire that this holiday will help create a loving atmosphere in our family and wonderful memories for the future.
    Be sure to let the children help you with the preparations.  They can set the table, do some of the stirring of the various items you plan to serve, and they can even help with the cleaning of the house.
    In the end you will be thankful you backed away and let them do their part.  This year our two that are coming home have already asked if they can help.  One wants to make the side dishes and the other the pies.  My job will be to set the table and cook the turkey.  It will be a wonderful relief to have some help and to think they asked to do it!  I'm hoping someone will volunteer for the dishes....
    Perhaps you have a tradition that you enjoy at Thanksgiving.  I'd love to hear about it, so feel free to reply.Thanksgiving is a time to remember all the things we are thankful for.  What are you thankful for?  Your family, your friends, a home, food, or animals?  The list could get very long if we really took the time to think of all that we are thankful for.
    Are you thankful for a God that loves you so much He was willing to give His Son for you so you could be saved for all eternity?  "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish, but will have everlasting life."  John 3:16  Jesus lived, died, rose from the grave and has ascended to God's right hand.  He is there praying for those who love Him.
   I hope you know God, as you owe your very existence to Him and that you have accepted His Son.  He loves you so very much and desires a personal relationship with you, you are one of His favorites.  If you don't know Him personally let this season of Thanksgiving be the time you confessed to Him that you are a sinner, that you need a Savior, and that you believe His Son can cleanse you from those sins.
  May the Lord bless you and your Thanksgiving celebration!

Cleaning out the closets...

Good morning ladies!
How are your closets doing? Are they stuffed to the gills with things you like and dislike? How about the closets of your spiritual life? Recently I've read a couple of articles on closet cleaning. One was called: "My closets are overflowing, how do I create more space?" and the other was called: "My heart Christ's home."
One spoke of cleaning out the closets of our home and the other the closets of our heart.
Let's talk about the home first. It gave some wonderful suggestions. If you want to create more room in your wardrobe. They suggest you first take all your clothes out and pile them on your bed. Then pick up a piece of clothing, one by one and put it in one of 5 piles: 1) love, love, love it..I wear this all the time. Keep! 2) love, love it...this I wear on special occasions. Keep! 3)Use to love. I don't wear this anymore. Consider giving away. 4) Like. I feel OK but can't say I love it. Give it away. 5) Eh, I thought I liked this but...I'd rather have space in my closet.
Then hang #1) and 2) back...ask yourself about pile 3) do I want this in my closet taking up space and then with piles 4) and 5) get a box or bag and donate them.
I gave it a try and must say I like how the closet looks. There were many things I didn't want cluttering my closet and I have two extra large bags of clothes to give away.
Now, let's consider the closets of our hearts. The first 2 chapters of the book of Colossians talk about Christ's love for us and what He has done to save us. Because of this great love and work on the cross which we have accepted we are to "Set your minds on things above and not on earthly things." There may be some things hidden in the closet of our minds/hearts that need to be cleared out. "sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed which is idolatry" Read Colossians 3:1-6
Then Paul gives us another list of "unspiritual clothes" we need to get rid of: "Rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with it's practices, and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator." Colossians 3:7-10 Is anger in your spiritual closet? Is rage? Is malice and slander: speaking evil of others behind their backs? How about filthy language? Take this week and look into the closet of your mind/heart and really evaluate if these things are there and if they are rid the closet of your mind/heart of them by confessing them. You may even need to confess to someone else that they are there and be accountable to someone to help you rid your spiritual closet of them. Then repent and go the other way....don't let these things back into your spiritual closet.
Let's start cleaning out the closets of our minds/hearts and homes.

Peace in a troubled world....

Good morning ladies!
I'm hoping you woke up to a day of peace. "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world gives, give I unto you." "Let not your heart be troubled..." John 14:27
How do we get peace in a world riddled with trouble? I recently read a story of tow painters who each painted a picture to illustrate peace. The first chose a still scene a lone lake among the mountains, so very serene.
The other painter painted a thundering waterfall, with a fragile birch tree bending over the foaming water. At the fork of the branch sat a robin on its nest.
Which painting describes your day today? Full of a quiet lone mountain lake or sitting on a nest over foaming water? I'm for the lake but the nest over the foaming water is reality....but how could this bird rest there? Confidence in it's creator. Do I have confidence in my creator?
Can I trust Him to carry me through even on a day of foaming waterfalls?
Jesus Christ's life was one of tempest, tumult, the waves breaking over His life at every turn but He was not troubled, He trusted His Father. Even when being hunted down by evil men He could say to His disciples, "My peace I give unto you, not as the world gives give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled."
Won't you trust Him today to give you peace in this troubled world? There is nothing like His peace.

This summer I'm studying the book of Colossians on a site called: Internet Biblical Seminary....it is certainly more difficult that I imagined. They go into great detail and actually make you "think" about what you are reading in the passages.





I'm learning that that gospel is key to living a victorious christian life. When we truly realize what we have been delivered from, keep this forefront in our minds, we strive to live a life pleasing to the Lord.





Do we really realize the domain of darkness that we were delivered from? Do we daily thank the Lord for this deliverance? I can't say that I've been truly aware of the domain of darkness.....and now the light I've been brought into, the kingdom of God's beloved Son. How was I delivered from darkness? By accepting the work that the Lord Jesus did on the cross of Calvary. He died so that I might live....





What type of a life do I want to live now with this in mind? Do I always want my own way, my own desires, my will or do I want His will and purpose for the day? Am I willing to set aside my thoughts and live as the sister, wife, mother, etc. that He desires for me? It won't always be fun, exciting but it will be fulfilling, it will be joy if I see it as service to the Lord Jesus.





Today give some thought to your salvation...to your deliverance from the domain of darkness into the light...and then consider how you might live for Him today out of gratitude for what He has done for you....

What does the Lord Jesus' death mean to you as a woman, a wife, a mother, a sister? I've been thinking about this lately since I've been reading Colossians.


Paul wrote to the Colossians to hold fast their faith and live a life worthy of the Lord, because they knew that they had gone from a life of darkness to one of light.


Do we really remember what the Lord Jesus has done for us? In most of our churches we have an opportunity to "Remember" what the Lord did. It is called communion by many....


"For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes." I Cor. 11:23-26


Why did He die? So you and I could come from darkness to light...do you realize this great love and live to thank Him for it? Do you take the opportunity to remember Him? Or do you only remember Him when you are in trouble or a difficult situation?


I recently read an interesting chapter in a book....this is what it said: "When you fail today, you need the comfort of the good news: Jesus died for that very sin! Tell yourself about His death. When you feel overwhelmed by your responsibilities, remember that He is ruling sovereignty over every facet of your life, and soon he will return to right every wrong and relieve you of your trouble. When you wonder if your life will ever change, He wants you to remember that He is coming back and that this life as it is won't last forever.


Will you remember Him today....dear sister, wife, mother, grandmother...?

Respect Acrostic

Hello Ladies, This past week I was in a Bible study with some other women. One of the women shared with us what the Lord is doing in her life as He helps her through her pain. She had a daughter pass away from cancer in December and then in a very unusual moment a month or so later, she fell down some stairs and broke a bone in her shoulder. During her healing process she began to realize how wonderful her husband was. He had been through the pain of these things as well and was such a great help to her. One morning she wrote down this interesting acrostic using the word respect. She said the Bible tells us we are to respect our husbands. R- respond instead of reacting to what he says. Do this with joy and grace. E- encourage with love and acceptance of who he is. S- support and not undermine his work or ideas. P- protect him when others say bad things about him. E- Enable him to be God's man in every way he can. C- connect with his needs. Give constructive criticism if necessary. T- temper my pride. Engage my brain before opening my mouth. She went on to say that our acrostics might be a bit different from hers and we were free to write our own. Many wanted a copy of her acrostic and she has allowed me to pass it along to you. If you were to write an acrostic using the letters in respect what would yours say?

An Alphabet of Praise

Although things are not perfect
Because of trial or pain
Continue in thanksgiving
Do not begin to blame.
Even when the times are hard
Fierce winds are bound to blow
God is forever able
Hold on to what you know.
Imagine life without His love
Joy would cease to be.
Keep thanking Him for all the things
Love imparts to thee.
Move out of "Camp Complaining"
No weapon that is known
On earth can yield the power
Praise can do alone.
Quit looking at the future.
Redeem the time at hand.
Start every day with worship
To "thank is a command.
Until we see Him coming
Victorious in the sky
We'll run the race of gratitude
Xalting God Most High.
Yes, there'll be good times and yes some will be bad, but
Zion waits in glory...where none are ever sad.

I'm not sure who is the author of this poem but it gives us a daily challenge to be full of praise.
How are you doing today? Are you able to praise through your pain? He is coming soon!

the rhema marvanne story

the rhema marvanne story

Still Looking for Prince Charming? - FamilyLife.com

Still Looking for Prince Charming? - FamilyLife.com

How to Cook a Husband

Hi Girls,

Happy Valentine's day! That day will be upon us sooner than we realize. I hope it is a happy day for you. Especially that you realize how loved you are by the Lord! He has given us His Word which is the best Valentines ever! "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down His life for His friends." "I have loved you with an everlasting love."

Now concerning Titus Two and Tea....recently a young friend reminded me of an old recipe for cooking husbands. I think you'll enjoy it if you haven't read it before. Here goes...

HOW TO COOK A HUSBANDFrom a Moravian Cookbook, 1910
A good many husbands are utterly spoiled by mismanagement. Some women keep them constantly in hot water; others let them freeze by their carelessness and indifference. Some keep them in a stew by irritating ways and words. Others roast them; some keep them in a pickle all their lives. It cannot be supposed that any husband will be tender and good, managed in this way, but they really are delicious when properly treated. In selecting your husband, you should not be guided by the silvery appearance, as in buying mackerel, nor by the golden tint, as if you wanted salmon. Be sure and select him yourself, as tastes differ. Don’t go to the market for him, as the best are always brought to your door. It is far better to have none unless you know how to cook him. A preserving kettle of finest porcelain is best, but if you have nothing but an earthenware pipkin it will do, with care. See that the linen in which you wrap him is nicely washed and mended, with the required numbers of buttons and strings nicely sewed on. Tie him in the kettle by a strong silk cord called comfort, as the one called duty is apt to be weak and they are apt to fly out of the kettle and be burned and crusty on the edges, since, like lobsters and crabs, you have to cook them alive. Make a clean, steady fire out of love, neatness, and cheerfulness. Set him as near this as seems to agree with him. If he sputters and fizzles, do not be anxious; some husbands do this until they are quite done. Add a little sugar in the form of what confectioners call kisses, but no vinegar or pepper on any account; a little spice improves them, but it must be used with judgment. Do not stick any sharp instrument into him to see if he is becoming tender. Stir him gently; watch the while, lest he lie too flat and too close to the kettle, and so become useless. You cannot fail to know when he is done. If thus treated, you will find him very digestible, agreeing nicely with you and the children, and he will keep as long as you want, unless you become careless and set him in too cold a place.

Perfect peace - John Waller, lyrics