wedding bells

“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

- Ephesians 5:31-32

This weekend we are overjoyed to witness the marriage of our nephew.

They are an adorable couple and the event will be amazing.

While we look forward to sharing in their big day, we also look forward to being with our family for the weekend.

I am so blessed by this family, they have taken me in, taught me about love, faith and God.

I can’t wait to hang out with everyone this weekend.

do you know a teacher?

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

- Psalm 32:8

Pretty much everyone reading this has been through some sort of school, whether it was public or private education or home schooling, we have all had to learn.

Who was your favorite teacher and why?

I had a couple of favorites, but I would have to say hands down, my German teacher was my favorite. 

She taught me German for four years and I also had her for American Literature for one year.

I loved her because she had passion for teaching, and she made it a point to know her students individually.

I grew a lot in her classes, she was more than a teacher, she was an inspiration.  

Our number one job as a Christ follower is to GROW.

We can’t grow if we don’t learn, and we can’t learn if there is not a teacher.

Aren’t we lucky that we have the best teacher ever in Jesus?

great

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.” The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

- Lamentations 3:22-26

Oh you know it is time for a song reference!!

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

There are a couple of songs I could have referenced here, but I really love this one.

It’s old-time hymn like to me.

Sometimes, when things are looking down, we just have to remember that Our God is faithful, compassionate and He loves us.

He will guide us through what ever obstacle is in our way.

His love is everlasting.

invisible

Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,

- 1 Peter 1:8

People ask me all the time how I can believe in a God that I cannot see.

They challenge my faith, and bring Bible verses to me, asking how my God can be so good when clearly He is vengeful.

The God of the Old Testament was vengeful, and bad things did happen, but there was a lesson in every word.

We teach our children not to touch a hot stove because they will get burned. 

Then when we aren’t looking, the child touches the stove and is indeed burned, does that make you a vengeful parent or does it mean that you don’t care about your child because this bad thing happened?

It is the same thing with God, He left us instructions, He left us with directions.

If something bad happens, it is not because He doesn’t care, it is not because he isn’t there, and it is certainly not because he is vengeful.

But you have to know in your heart that He is there and that He loves you and will take care of you. 

Maybe not in the way you think things should go, but I bet somehow it all works out.

I believe in the sun even if it isn’t shining. I believe in love even when I am alone. I believe in God even when He is silent.

Anonymous

no shortcuts

Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

- Matthew 5:23-24

I really have to learn this, because I am well known for holding a grudge.

What good it is doing? More than likely it bothers me more that it bothers them!

Don't ignore the relationships around you  - if someone is angry - work it out, even if you have to agree to sever the friendship, you should still do so with a clear conscience, let them know this is the choice you are making and why.

Don't expect to be blessed if you are shortcutting your relationships with others.

plans get broken

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

- Proverbs 19:21

I have done a lot of planning.

And a lot of those plans have fallen through. 

There were trips to be taken, shopping to do, adventures to take.

And my heart breaks when things don’t go quite the way I want them to go.

And then I realize, that my plans very possibly did not honor God.

My plans, no matter how organized and thorough, are not God’s plans.

If my plans fall out of line, then maybe I need to listen to what God has to say.

why i do this

My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

- Colossians 2:2-3

When someone tells me that they really appreciate the messages I send each day, I am very thankful for their kind words.

I love that I am able to share the Gospel and what it means to me with friends and even strangers every day.

I admit that I am sad when I see on my blog that only 10 people read my message, I wonder what I need to do to engage a larger audience.

And then I realize that it doesn’t matter how big the audience is on my blog, because if one person is reading the message of the Bible, that person is considering my words, the words that God gives to my heart.

Maybe as a result of reading what I wrote yesterday, that person was kinder to someone today.

Maybe the person they were kind to, then turns around and is kind to someone else.

Have you ever noticed how good and full your heart feels when you do nice things?

Just like this verse, my goal is to encourage others that they may understand the fullness of the Father, that they may seek and find the treasure He has for us.

ouch

How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?

- Matthew 7:4

Quite often I catch myself complaining about other people.

Most of the time, I am pretty sure that I know what they need to do to change whatever it is that is annoying me at the moment.

Interestingly enough, I never see that I am probably just as annoying to those people as they are to me.

Facing your own sin is much harder than pointing out someone else's problems - it is tempting to "fix" others - but their issues are between them and God.

I am going to do my best to start cleaning up my own yard, instead of sitting on my deck complaining that the neighbor needs to mow.

call out

And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”

- Isaiah 6:3

Oh – immediate song reference here!

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
Holy, holy is Thee
Sing a new song to Him who sits on
Heaven's mercy seat

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
Holy, holy is He
Sing a new song to Him who sits on
Heaven's mercy seat

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty
Who was and is and is to come
With all creation I sing praise to the King of kings
You are my everything and I will adore You

Clothed in rainbows of living color
Flashes of lighting rolls of thunder
Blessing and honor strength and glory and power be
To You the only one who's King

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty
Who was and is and is to come
With all creation I sing praise to the King of kings
You are my everything and I will adore You

Filled with wonder awestruck wonder
At the mention of Your name
Jesus Your name is power, breath and living water
Such a marvelous mystery

Oh, You're worthy, mystery
You are worthy

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty
Who was and is and is to come
With all creation I sing praise to the King of kings
You are my everything and I will adore You, I will adore You

It is no secret that I love to sing.

And singing for Him, well that just makes it even better in my opinion.

The people in this verse called out to each other, telling each other of their God.

Shouldn’t we all be doing that?

I want people to know that my God is amazing, my God reigns (did you pick up two more song references there?)

If the way to do that is by calling out how holy He is, then let’s get started! 

it’s not all about you

The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure.

- 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NLT)

I have so much to say about this verse.

There are many variations of this verse floating around, but I like this one.

I like it because it points out that we all go through the same things.

Take my husband and I for example, he can have a bag of m&m’s sitting on his desk for weeks and never touch it.

But me? Once that bag hits my desk, all bets are off – that bag is gone!

OK that was fun (still true) but in reality what is being said here is that no matter what is going on, you are not the first person to have to deal with it, and guess what? I’ve said it before – you are NOT alone.

God is not going to let anything take you down when you are raising your hands to Him.

(Have to throw in a song reference here)

So I'll stand
With arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the One who gave it all
So I'll stand
My soul Lord to You surrendered
All I am is Yours

Turn to Him in everything. 

He will show you the way.

Happy Flag Day!

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for His inheritance.

- Psalm 33:12

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

Here is a little history lesson from CNN:
September 18, 1892 - The pledge is published for the first time in the juvenile magazine "The Youth's Companion." The pledge is written to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America.

1924 - The words "the flag of the United States of America" put in place of "my Flag." The pledge was originally written - "I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

1942 - The pledge is recognized by the US government.

1954 - President Dwight D. Eisenhower asks Congress to add "under God" to the pledge. Congress adds the phrase, it was during the Cold War. Many members of Congress reportedly wanted to emphasize the distinctions between the United States and the officially atheistic Soviet Union.

1998 - Michael Newdow files suit against the school board of Broward County, Florida to get the phrase "under God" removed from the pledge. Newdow argues this is a violation of the First Amendment and that that his daughter should not be subjected to the pledge at school. The suit is dismissed for lack of standing because Newdow's daughter is not in school yet.

2000 - Newdow files a lawsuit against Elk Grove Unified School District in California arguing that making students listen to the words "under God," even if they are not reciting them, is a violation of the First Amendment. The case makes it to the Supreme Court in 2004, where it is dismissed for lack of standing, because Newdow does not have full custody of his daughter.

2005 - Newdow and several parents in the Sacramento, California, area file a new lawsuit, seeking to remove the phrase "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance. In March 2010, Newdow loses when the 9th Circuit US Court of Appeals rules that the pledge does not represent a government endorsement of religion, prohibited by the Constitution.

October 5, 2012 - Michigan Governor Rick Snyder signs legislation requiring public school students be provided the opportunity to recite the Pledge of Allegiance each school day. However, students can't be forced to say the pledge.

May 9, 2014 - The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts rules that the Pledge of Allegiance does not discriminate against atheists, saying that the words "under God" represent a patriotic, not a religious, exercise.

One nation under God.

I wish this was not so difficult – because we want to be a blessed nation, yet we turn our backs on Him.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.

That is where I stand.

Photo credit: http://lisbonreporter.blogspot.com/2012/10/incredible-american-flag-photo.html

Fact Check: https://www.cnn.com/2013/09/04/us/pledge-of-allegiance-fast-facts/index.html

a lesson

This, then, is how you should pray:

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

- Matthew 6:9-13

Today, I have a lesson in prayer.

Jesus clearly taught us how we should pray, but so many times, we just tell God what we want Him to do,

We don’t take the time to praise Him.

We rarely thank Him.

So here you go . . .

Lesson one: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name - first we honor God's name, tell Him how awesome He is, don't we all want to know we are loved and appreciated?

Lesson two: your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven - we need to give up the control we try so hard to have on life.  His will be done.

Lesson three: Give us today our daily bread  - one day at a time.  God supplies our daily needs - we don't have to think about tomorrow because His comfort and strength are enough.

Lesson four: forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors - forgiveness . . . we should not ask God to forgive us if we won't forgive others.

Lesson five: lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one  - God will never ever lead you into temptation.  you might lead yourself or the devil might lead you, and the closer you follow Jesus, the more temptations you will face.

So now you’ve learned how you should pray.

Do you want to practice right now?

it's time to trust

Praise be to the Lord, for he has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.

- Psalm 28:6-7

I have always been the type of person that relies only on myself.

It is hard for me to give up stuff, simple stuff like teaching someone how to maintain a spreadsheet sends me into a tailspin of freaking out because I have to trust someone else to do what I do.

I need to learn to trust, not necessarily the people, but God.

My prayer is to ask God to  help me to trust Him.

I turn over my fears,  my tears, I will trust Him.

I give up my anger, my frustration, I will trust Him.

I don’t want my  doubt, my unbelief, I want to trust Him,

I want to trust Him with every detail of my life, with every moment.

Lord, help me trust You.

who do you love?

If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?

- Matthew 5:46-47

Obviously you love those who love you, family, friends.

Perhaps you are one of those who easily strike up conversations with strangers in the checkout line.

But how do you treat people that some consider to be “beneath them” (I really hate that expression) such as a store assistant, wait staff, desk clerks, admins?  (let me remind you that these people are not beneath you, no matter how highly you think of yourself).

What about homeless people or people that are demonstrating or picketing something, perhaps an agenda which you do not agree?

Regardless of who it is or what they do, we should go the extra step and love all people.

It is showing Christ's love.

hide -n- seek

Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always.

- Psalm 105:4

Children’s games are often look at exactly as that – children’s games.

Take Hide -n- Seek for example, I still play this with my cats!

Song reference

Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
Oh God, You are my God
And, I will ever praise You
I will seek You in the morning
And I will learn to
Walk in Your ways
And step by step You'll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days

I will seek Him. 

And here is the fun part – I know I will find Him.

I love my God!

inside out

“Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them?”

- Mark 7:18

Partial song reference!

In my heart and my soul
Lord I give You control
Consume me from the inside out
Lord let justice and praise
Become my embrace
To love you from the inside out

If we give Him control, He is on the inside, and nothing from the outside can get in.

What more do I need to say?

I absolutely give Him control

What else could I possibly need? 

overflowing

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

- Colossians 2:6-7

I am so thankful, for so much.

I have been so blessed in my life.

Don’t get me wrong, there has been plenty of tragedy in my life, (including crazy technical issues today!) I have even had people question how I can possibly still believe after some of the things I have endured.

But my faith has brought me through.

And I am ever thankful.

what is your foundation?

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

- Matthew 7:24-25

Crazy flooding has been going on this spring.

People that we all know and love are losing their crops, their property, their homes.

Jesus said that houses not built on a firm foundation will wash away, but he was not talking about construction.

Jesus was talking about people, those who hear the word of God, learn it, live it, put it into practice and teach it to others as well.

Those are the people with strong foundations.

The people that will not be swept away.

I want to be one of those people.

5 articles of clothing

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

- Colossians 3:12

I know that I am a child of God.

I think that I am good with compassion and kindness (maybe not so much humility, huh?) and gentleness, but patience . . . I struggle with that one.

A lot.

God wants us to have all five of those things, all five.

Compassion for the hurting.

Kindness for the lonely.

Humility about your own self.

Gentleness for the weak.

And patience, patience when dealing with others, and when waiting for answers.

Be one of God’s chosen people.

saved, not crushed

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

- Psalm 34:18

Last week I was pretty crushed, having said “see you later” to very dear friends.

I am better now; we have talked a few times via facetime and exchanged a lot of text messages.

It is true that the Lord is close to the brokenhearted, I don’t know how I would have made it through last week without Him.

I am saved.

Through Him, my spirit is saved.

I don’t know why my friends had to leave, but I know that they will be back, and until then, the Lord will keep our spirits lifted.

Have a blessed day!