Verse For The Day - August 30 & 31, 2008

"...a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." Prov. 31:30

Proverbs 31 - wow - what a chapter! I used to want to run from this passage in the Bible and from this picture perfect woman who seemed to do EVERYTHING well! I mean, I just couldn't relate, it's all I could do just to work on a "few" of these qualities mentioned, reading about all of them sent me into a state of overload! Martha Stewart to the 10th degree, ugh! But through the years, I've actually begun to kind of "like" the Proverbs 31 woman, I guess I could almost call her a friend now, not because I'm really any more like her now than I was then, but more because I think I understand some of what God is wanting to say through "her."

Some Bible teachers suggest that she is not even a "real" person, more an image of what a woman should strive to become, possibly meant to be more an inspiration to us than anything else. But, real or not, she has become a WOMAN OF INFLUENCE to so many of us through the years. God has given women, yes, even you & me, such an amazing responsibility in life to be "influencers" in the world around us...all through the Bible we see these incredible examples of women who chose to greatly influence those around them & the generations to come. God used many of them in powerful & positive ways - Sarah, Ruth, Rahab, Abigail, Mary, etc...,amazing women who had, more than anything else, a sincere reverence for God! Others chose to exert influence in their own way, for their own benefit & it reaped terrible consequences - Jezebel, Sapphira, Potiphar's wife, etc...

We see in this Proverbs 31 woman, so many outstanding abilities, but really ALL of these qualities - her wisdom, compassion, strong character & accomplishments - are a direct result of her reverence, or "fear," of God. It says nothing of her outside appearance, which our culture places SO much importance on, but her attractiveness & influence came entirely from her character, who she was "on the inside," a woman who chose to fear & honor God in all that she did.

Hmmm...who do you want to be like? Hopefully, we'll choose our example here from this passage. Don't run away from her, don't get sidetracked with who the media says is most important, don't say, "I could never be like that!" It's amazing what God can do with us, when our lives are FULLY in His hands. I'm so blessed to know so many of you amazing women - you are INFLUENCERS FOR GOD in this generation!

Verse For The Day - August 29, 2008

"Discipline your children, you'll be glad you did - they'll turn out delightful to live with." Prov. 29: 17 from the Message Bible

Oh wow, that big important word that every parenting expert talks about, as if it's so easy to do - DISCIPLINE! But wait, there's more - CONSISTENT discipline - now that's the key to great parenting. Oh, but hold on, don't forget about - LOVING & consistent discipline - that is really what raising great kids is all about, right? Well, if you're like me, I'm just plain weary sometimes. It is exhausting to feel like you're constantly repeating yourself, correcting, disciplining, leading your 2 yr. old back to time out, etc.., etc... Sometimes I think to myself, it would just be "easier" to let them do what they want, I'm TIRED! I just need a "Calgon" moment to take me away & in all reality, I don't even own a box of Calgon, nor do I even know if they make Calgon anymore!

But, once I can come back to my senses, I'm reminded, "O.K. God, you say in your Word, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Galatians 6:9 It's difficult at times to not be able to see "quick tangible results" from being loving & consistent in our discipline, nor do I remember a moment yet that any of our children have come back to say, "Thanks mom for that time out, that really did me a lot of good," or "wow, I so appreciate you setting boundaries for me, what would I have done without those limits you & dad imposed?" Of course, all 3 of our kids are ages 6 & under, so maybe that will come later? Who knows! Even if it doesn't, I know one thing now, we CANNOT GROW WEARY in our parenting. We've got to stay connected, stay with it, not give up.I'm reminded of the fact that God has not grown weary of His loving & consistent discipline with me, thank you Lord! He will never give up on us!

Verse For The Day - August 28, 2008

"He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses." Prov. 28:27

I love God's Word because it is often completely contradictory to the way "we" think or to what our culture would say to do. Our society would say, "to get rich, seek to accumulate more...hold on to what you have...if you give it away to others you'll have nothing left for yourself." But God clearly says that we become "richer" by being generous. He blesses those who give freely of their resources, time, & energy.

Giving also helps us to keep the right perspective on what God has given to us, we remember it's not really "ours" to begin with, it all belongs to Him! The Message Bible sums it up so well in this verse,"The world of the generous gets larger and larger, the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller" Prov. 11:24. Now that's what "living large" is all about! When we give, we gain SO much - freedom from our "stuff", from the love of money, from our own selfishness, and joy in knowing we could be a small part of helping someone else - who may at some point be a huge help to us if we find our own lives in a place of need. And most of all, I can't help but think that God is SMILING over us when our lives are reflecting a picture of who HE really is, the Best & Greatest Giver of all!

"For God so loved the world that He gave His One and Only Son..." John 3:16

Giving Them More As They Walk Out The Door

School has begun & Dawson (& mom) have done really well these first 3 days, thank the Lord for that! Here's a picture of Dawson on his first day of first grade & a picture of Noah who wanted to "pretend" that he also was starting first grade (& insisted I take his picture too - WITH the backpack & Dawson's shoes on). The other is the bus stop picture with neighbor friends, so fun.

The realizations that this school year is one of transition, new school, new friends, riding the bus, etc..., made us wonder if we would face the same fears that started our year of kindergarten last August (check out the archives blog from Aug. 2007, whew!). But things have gone very smoothly so far & Daws seems to be adjusting great, enjoying his new teachers, making friends, & loves to get to ride the bus, he thinks that's so cool! Just like last year, his favorite time of the day is still recess...some things never change. (:

Years ago, my sister in law told me, "when your children go out the door every morning to school or wherever it is they're going, speak a word of blessing over them as they go, it's something they can hold onto for years to come." Troy & I often remembered that last year, and before Daws would walk out the door every morning, we would look him in the eye & speak a word of blessing to him. Maybe something like, "Dawson, remember you are a warrior for God's kingdom today," or "you can do all things through Christ," or "greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world," or "Daws, God has called you to be a leader, & leaders love people, serve others, & are a friend to everyone," whatever it would be, it would be a word of truth that he could hide in his heart. Unfortunately there were many days, I'd forget to do that, or some days we'd be running so late, I'd be yelling it out the door after him as he ran to the car (I know, our neighbors probably thought I was strange, oh well!).

In listening to a parenting CD last week by a wonderful bible teacher Lynelle Zandstra, I was reminded that so often as our children leave our home in the morning, the first & maybe only thing we think to say is "have a good day!", I found myself doing that very thing again this morning. And there's nothing wrong with those words necessarily, but is that all we really want for our children that day? Is to have a "nice" day? Or do we want them to remember through the day, that they BELONG to God, that He has PURPOSE for their day, that He LOVES them so incredibly & is with them even when they can't see Him.

We're praying that as parents, we'll remember to speak blessing over our little ones (& big ones!) as they go out into the world each day. Let's give them MORE to hold onto to carry them through the good days & the kind of hard days too - let's give them the Word of Truth!

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." Psalm 119:105

"I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." Psalm 119:11

Verse For The Day - August 27, 2008

"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." Prov. 27:17

One thing is clear, God didn't intend for us to live in this world on our own. Throughout His Word, we see that God made us, created us, to be "relational." The life of Christ shows that friendships were important to Him, He spent time with those closest to Him, teaching, encouraging, challenging, & I think, knowing Jesus, He just had a lot of FUN with His friends too.We need each other!

We need faithful friends in our lives to "sharpen" us mentally & spiritually, to influence us in a positive way, to speak the truth to us in love. I just hardly know what I'd do in life without my girlfriends (& how in the world would we women get in "all our words" in one day without each other?)! The closest bond that friends can share is the bond that Jesus Christ brings between us. Seek out those who are "sharp" in Him, those that will sharpen us just by hanging out with them, who challenge us to pursue Him above all else.

You may feel like you don't have that kind of friend in your life right now, PRAY, ask God for that, believe me, He wants it for you more than you could imagine! His Word says that He will set "the lonely in families." Years ago, I was there in that same place, feeling very lonely, longing for some good friends who would encourage me in my walk with Christ, in great need of some good role models. God was so faithful to provide dear godly women in my life that I still keep in touch with today.

If you've already been blessed by the life of another friend "sharpening" you, then seek out someone who may need a mentor or friend in their life. Ask God to cross your path with another that needs encouragement, that needs to know that He is real, one that you can influence for Christ - and then make the time to be a FRIEND! I'm thankful for YOU today. So many of you have been amazing examples to me of giving, serving, faithful friends, I'm grateful to God for your influence in my life & in the life of my family. Bless you today!

Verse For The Day - August 26, 2008

"Without wood a fire goes out, without gossip a quarrel dies down." Prov. 26:20

O.K., I know we've all been there - the dreaded "gossip" war within us that either wants to talk about someone who has so irritated us we just don't know what to do, or join in with talk about some "big news" of someone else we've heard, or even spiritualize our gossip by sharing it in the form of a nice little "prayer request." Yea right. We can find such freedom from the "sickness" of gossip when we MAKE THE CHOICE to not add another piece of wood to the fire, but instead to cut off the fuel line by refusing to talk or complain about someone else.

It's not always easy, that's why it requires a choice ahead of time, before you're in the moment of temptation! Now, we still may have "irritations" here & there with others, or be so concerned about what someone else is walking through we just want to share it with another person, but I'm learning to take those things STRAIGHT & ONLY TO GOD. With Him, we've got that constant listening ear & we can trust that He's not going to go "tell anyone else." And the amazing thing is this, and He does it every time, He changes MY heart for that person, I actually start to see them in a different way, have a desire to pray for them, actually feel "love" for them. He is amazing, isn't He?

Verse For The Day - August 25, 2008

"...God delights in concealing things, scientists delight in discovering things. Like the horizons for breadth and the ocean for depth, the understanding of a good leader is broad and deep." Prov. 25:1-2 from the Message Bible

If you've been alive, walking , & breathing for any length of time here on this earth, one thing you've probably already realized is this - we can't always figure out God! We just don't always know what He's doing, we can't see the big picture He sees, we can't fully understand His ways, except for what He's willing to reveal to us. Frustrating at times I know, but it does make me so glad I can fully trust our lives to Him, because of that very reason...He does know what He's doing and He loves us & has such amazing purpose in His plans for us.

In the same way, we can't always fully understand the decisions our rulers, or those in authority over us, make. I'm reminded that we don't always know what they know, we don't have the same information, we may not be seeing the full picture they are seeing, that's where trust comes in again. And that, I know, can also be hard at times.

In these days ahead, the political scene in our nation will continue to heat up and be in the spotlight of every news segment & media avenue. I encourage you (& myself!) to become more informed, so that we can have a part in electing a leader in America that we can trust - trust the choices he is committing to make, trust that God is at work within him to enable him to be a good leader & to make wise choices for our nation. Check out http://www.pray-the-vote.org/, an incredible website that I've learned soooo much from already. Because one thing is clear, you can't always trust what you hear in the news, that's for sure! Praying that God will give us wisdom and the motivation to stay involved & be informed, especially over these next few crucial months. Bless you today friend!

Verse For The Day - August 23 & 24, 2008

"By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established, through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures." Proverbs 24:3-4

Like many of you, I love to decorate, I call it a more "creative" decorating, because it's most always on a budget. (You can actually find some great "treasures" on Craigslist, resale shops & even at garage sales...our house is filled with some of these "rare & beautiful treasures," some are more "rare" than "beautiful" but they do work so I guess that's O.K.) Most of us love to see beautifully decorated homes, there's something in us that are just drawn to homes that have been tastefully put together.

This verse is such a picture of how our lives are like a house being built. We can choose to fill our lives with all kinds of things the world may offer, but if we instead choose to build "wisdom" from God's Word & "understanding" into the very foundation & framework of our lives, the Bible says that we are storing our minds and our hearts, our "rooms," who we are inside, "with rare & beautiful treasures."

Praying that our lives will be like beautiful houses that others are drawn to...not for what we reflect on the outside, for what the world may see, but for the treasure we are filled with on the inside. Bless you today!

Verse For The Day - August 22, 2008

"Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." Proverbs 22:6

That's probably one of the most quoted verses in the category of parenting. I think for a long time I saw this verse as a "promise" from God, "O.K. God, if we do our part, then you do Your part." But really, part of what this proverb is saying is that when we live a life of teaching and training our children to make wise choices, they will be better equipped to learn to make their own wise choices as they grow up and to continue to walk on a right path.

Does this mean they'll never make wrong choices? Unfortunately not. Does this mean we won't ever have battles or struggles in our own homes about the right choices we're wanting to teach? Most definitely no. It does mean that if we have been "trained," and a wrong choice is made or a "stumble" is taken, we CAN get back up and get on the right path again. It may take some longer than others to get there, some may rarely even seem to stumble along the way, but for all of us who believe, we have the truth of God's Word living in us! That is more powerful than anything!

Let's "train" our children to choose the right way - every day, keep the course, don't give up, don't check out - as parents, we are daily building into their lives and futures, I can't think of anything more important than that. Together with you on this journey!

Verse For The Day - August 21,2008

"In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has. He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor." Proverbs 21:20-21

Our spending - does it honor God? Or merely please ourselves? Ouch. Troy & I have our own personal story in what God has taught us about money, saving, and giving, and it hasn't always been an easy process for us to learn! Many of you are probably faster learners. (:

Our society unfortunately makes it very simple for one to not only spend "all he has," but "more than he has" through credit, quick loans, cash advances, etc... Living on the edge of that type of over spending and credit crises can quickly lead to a big, deep hole that takes much longer to climb out of as it did to get there in the first place! Believe me, we know.

If you find yourself there today, don't give up, just start climbing & keep going no matter what!
"Pursue righteousness," it's not going to just come our way and fall in our lap, it takes effort on our part to live as God instructs.

Praying today, that we will be wise with what God gives us, that we will spend less than we earn, have the self control to save for the future, and the heart of wisdom to give to others as God leads.

Pine Cove Family Camp!

We just arrived home from one of our favorite get away times ever - Pine Cove Family Camp, so FUN, spiritually refreshing, encouraging, challenging - we loved every moment & can't tell you enough how much we recommend these camp weeks for families. Check it out at http://www.pinecove.com/ & GO!

The kids loved staying in a "real" cabin the whole week and the fun, games & activities seemed endless for them! We're still repeating so many of the chants & songs we heard all week, "Can't stop, Wild Kids rock, let me see that right foot drop, boom, shake it up, shake it up...etc..." I know if you've been there, you know what I mean! Each of our kiddos had their "favorites" from our time there...

Dawson loved the huge pool slide, riding the rocket inflatable behind the boat, getting to shoot BB guns, & playing with new friends. Spy Night was a hit for him, so fun. We were all challenged to try new things that week...Daws was so brave to go off the big high dive for the first time & to "try out" the zip line...that story is one to be continued...next year!

Noah loved boating, the big sand pit, and swimming, swimming, & more swimming! I think he has a crush on the "Bubble Princess," he's still talking about her. But what he seemed to love more about camp than anything else was just the dirt, he was a walking dirt ball & then after it rained, he turned into a one big mud ball. (:

Gracie loved going off the diving board, her first ride on the tube behind the boat (I tell you, the girl has no fear, that makes me very afraid), & getting to meet sooooo many new friends! I think she got to know just about every counselor there. She loved the attention & I loved the help.

Troy & I really, really appreciated the hearts of these counselors, their love for Christ is contagious. These college kids come from all over the U.S. & are ready to serve with diligence, they do such an incredible job! Mealtimes for moms had a whole new meaning, we actually got a chance to eat (imagine that!), while our table server helped with the kids meals, poured the iced tea, & got up to get every little request made known to them by those at the table - they were wonderful! I'm still trying to figure out how to get one of them to come live at our house for a few years. (:

The 2 date nights were fun times away for couples, and our early morning date times were so great too (a counselor came to our cabin at 6:45am to sit with our kids, wow!). We went on a trail ride one morning & ate the most delicious maple soaked bacon you have ever tasted, yum, nice & healthy. Another morning we went skiing on that nice early morning calm lake water, so beautiful. Our boat driver taught us both how to wakeboard (it kind of looks like a snowboard), O.K., let's just say I wasn't "quite" as good as my husband. (:

Troy's all time favorite thing from the week was definitely riding horses, the guy is just a cowboy, you should have seen him in the cattle round up. He's a natural, he loved it and I loved watching him, what a man!

My favorite parts were being on the water again, being together as a family & being totally unplugged from the world for that short time frame. I so appreciated the new friendships that God brought across our path that week, the encouragement that comes from just hanging out with other families who love God more than anything. And this week, one of those families we met while there is moving from Austin to Cypress, into our very neighborhood just a few streets over from where we live! How cool is that?

To sum it up, the week was one that "encouraged us onward!" So often, everything in the world around us can bring discouragement, feelings of defeat, busyness that can crowd out even our most important relationships. I know that we can't all just go live at Pine Cove forever, we do live in a real world that is kind of, well, hard sometimes. But we can bring back a part of Pine Cove to our lives everyday - serve others, encourage those around you, have fun, don't be afraid to try new & challenging things, be a friend, & most importantly, just LOVE GOD.

Hope to join you there at camp next summer!