Reflecting God's Glory

Have you ever just sat and watched as the sun sets and the light bounces off the clouds as they quickly

change colors?

 

I love watching God paint the sky.

 

God paints the most mesmerizing masterpieces.

 

It was a warm summer evening, glancing out the window I noticed the crimson clouds and the blazing,

fiery sun peeking through the branches of a tree in our front yard.

 

This was a sunset I knew I did not want to miss.

 

 

The heavens declare the glory of God,and the expanse proclaims the work of his hands. Psalm 19:1

 

The girls and I decided it was imperative to get a better vantage point in order to fully enjoy the

masterpiece that God was painting.

We ventured out to the front of the driveway to have a less obstructed view of the sky as it became

more illuminated with flaming reds and with vibrant oranges mixed with streaks of yellows and hints of

purples adorning the clouds. The glowing sun pierced through the clouds and was reflecting its red

glow on everything the light touched.

My daughter climbed up on the mighty anchor that graces the front of the property to get a better view of

God’s work in progress. I looked up at her knowing she had found the best vantage point to enjoy the

symphony of color dancing before us. I could not help but take this picture. There is so much truth

captured in this fleeting moment.

 

 

The solid foundation that the giant anchor is supported on.

My daughter seated securely on top of that great anchor.

While wearing a shirt that says “faith” in the design of a cross.

Her face reflecting the radiance of the sun as she looks intently at the sunset.

What a perfect picture of what our lives in Christ should look like.

Is Jesus your foundation?

“Therefore the Lord God said:

‘Look, I have laid a stone in Zion,a tested stone,

a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; 

the one who believes will be unshakable.’”

Isaiah 28:16

 

Is Jesus your anchor?

“...we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before

us. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.

It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain.

Jesus has entered there on our behalf as a forerunner,

because he has become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”

Hebrews 6:18b-20

 

Where are you securely seated?

“God—he clothes me with strength and makes my way perfect.

He makes my feet like the feet of a deer and sets me securely on the heights.”

Psalm 18:32-33

 

Who do you put your faith and hope in?

Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us,

let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us.

Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus,

the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.

For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame,

and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Hebrews 12:1-2

 

Does your face reflect the glory of God?

“As Moses descended from Mount Sinai—with the two tablets of the testimony in his hands

as he descended the mountain—he did not realize that

the skin of his face shone as a result of his speaking with the Lord.”

Exodus 34:29

Further Up and Further In

I love The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. I have read the entire series more times than I can count. There were many nights as a child where I would read my book by the night light in my room until the wee hours in the morning and then take my book to school so I could read it whenever there was a moment. I love how each story intertwines with the previous story and the deep symbolism that is written into every tiny detail. Every time you read the series you can find new little nuggets of connection between the stories. If you only read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe but have not read the others, you have read a very incomplete story. If you have only read the first three but did not read the last four you have also not read the complete story. You must read all seven stories in the Narnia Chronicles in order to have read the complete story. And you should really reread the entire series so you can fully appreciate the epic adventure, of a creator who pursues his creation, that C.S. Lewis unfolds, layer by layer, chapter by chapter, book by book. Reading the Bible is the exact same. The Bible from Genesis to Revelation is the story of The Creator pursuing His Creation.

Growing up, I was told the Old Testament was less important than the New Testament for Christians. I was told the Old Testament is good and foretells of Jesus but Christians don’t really need to know the Old Testament like they do the New Testament. As a Sunday School Graduate, I can retell every simple Bible story from Creation to Paul and Silas and everything in between. If it was on a flannel board, I know the story inside and out. I also, could quote every over-quoted memory verse without fail. And in Sunday School there was the mindset that the Old Testament was not as important as the New Testament to a Christian, even though we learned every Bible story from both the Old and the New. I remember sometimes a nagging question about a story or lesson I learned that I would dismiss as doubt because the Sunday school teacher is supposed to know everything. (At least when you are 8, that is what you think.)

Fast forward to being an adult and reading through the Bible from start to finish more than once. Noticing not so subtle similarities between what Jesus said and what was said by a prophet or psalmist of old. And some of those nagging questions began bubbling up to the surface. I started digging deeper, going further in, seeking out what God was really saying. God was showing me that the Old Testament is just as important as the New Testament. The New Testament is a continuation of God’s story, not a new one. And the New Testament is really a part of the Old because they are woven together to tell one continuous story. When Jesus spoke, he would quote the Old Testament and then expand on it. He said he came not to destroy the law but to fulfill it. When Jesus spoke during the festivals he would tell the people how he was fulfilling what the festival represented. (The Passover lamb to name the most obvious.) The letters written by the apostles quote the Old Testament and talk about how Jesus fulfills the prophecies and the laws. And how to take the Old and live in the New, because they are very much intertwined with each other.

Recently I heard a message from one of my favorite people to listen to, because I always rethink what I already “knew” and learn that there is so much more that God wants to show me. It was a message on the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4. If you did not already know, Jews did not talk to Samaritans, ever. It was a huge deal that Jesus, a Jew, would even talk to this Samaritan, who was a woman. Men did not talk to women in public. And she was of poor status, she was probably marginalized for being a woman who had been with five different husbands/men during her life, she was not one who would be sought out by any person of importance. Oh the uproar that passer-bys might have been in as they realized what was transpiring. I can just imagine the gossip that started to ensue right there at the well in the middle of the day. A Jewish man was talking to an unimportant Samaritan woman in public! As a kid, I would hear this story and be told that she was living in sin because of how many husbands she had. I think also there is this mindset that because she wasn’t a Jew, but a Samaritan, she must be a sinner. But then as a kid I would have that nagging thought in the back of my head, was she really an adulterous, harlot, sinner who did not follow the laws of the Old Testament? Jesus didn’t call her a sinner, he did not tell her to sin no more. Whenever Jesus ministered to or healed someone who was a sinner, he would call out their sin and tell them to stop sinning. He didn’t do that with her. And that is where the sermon spoke so clearly to me. This time, I was being told, it is possible that we missed the mark while reading this passage. If we dig deeper, we might find that we were wrong on the surface and what is underneath is so much better than just Jesus talking to a sinner. I won’t go into all my notes as there were many and some were written so quickly that they are now illegible, but here are a few thoughts.

Jesus talked to this woman, he initiated the conversation. It was not permissible for men to talk to women in public like that. She was of no special social status, Jesus chose to minister to those who were outcasts, marginalized, and of poor social status all the time. Jesus went through Samaria to meet this Samaritan woman. He did not need to go (he could have taken a different route), he chose to go through the place that Jews of that time would avoid at any cost. Jews of the time refused to have anything to do with the Samaritans. Jesus didn’t actually call out her sin. He agreed with her statement about not having a husband and then told her that he knew she had been with five men. (Why she had been with so any men wasn’t said. It could have been that her first husband died and then she needed a new man who then left her because she burnt his toast. Who knows. But in that time, a woman needed to be with a man for survival, she would end up a prostitute or desolate without having a man to provide for her.) Jesus gave her a word of knowledge so he could tell her what he needed to tell her. This encounter where Jesus declares to her he is the Messiah, the one everyone was waiting for, was at a well. In the Old Testament we find that Jacob met his bride Rachel at a well and that Moses met his bride Zipporah at a well. Jesus was meeting his bride (the Samaritan represents all of us) at a well! That is not the only deep significant part of the story. It is just one facet of a deeper story, one that cannot fully be known unless we know the whole story. What does the Old Testament say about what was spoken at this well? So much more than I can type in this already long post. If you read the exchange that John writes and then dig deeper into what is said in the Old Testament not just the New Testament, you find that this divine encounter was one to show that Jesus came to save everyone. Oh the love he has for us that he wants a relationship with us. He was willing to ruffle feathers and break with tradition to have encounters with everyone so that everyone could hear his message of truth, love and redemption. Yes, she was a sinner as we all are. But I am sure that was not the point of the story that John was telling.

My point is this. You cannot dismiss the absolute importance of the Old Testament if you are a Jesus follower. The Bible in its entirety is for us to read and then read again and then read again. Finding the connections and symbols between old and new. 

What does God want to show you in something you have read over and over again? Slow down and meditate on His Word, dig deeper. Ask questions and also understand the culture and time that the story was written. Don’t dismiss the Old Testament as being less significant because the New Testament is saturated with the Old Testament. And without it, you will not get the full story. The epic love story of God pursuing you and wooing you with His unconditional, unfailing, unconstrained and immeasurable love for you.

Harmony is Hard

The other day I was outside taking pictures of a butterfly and the bees that were gracing a bush with their presence. I was watching the butterfly hanging out on a bunch of flowers where there was also a wasp enjoying our brief moment of sunny weather. They were both doing their thing, and pollinating the flowers as they enjoyed the nectar without any squabbling. I could not help but think how crazy that was. That two creatures who are characteristic opposite, at least here, were living together in harmony with each other. Around here, the wasps are evil little jerks who seek us out to chase us. Seriously not pleasant to be around, ever. The butterflies dance in the air with each other and peacefully flit around the flowers enjoying life. Later on in the day, I opened one of my Bible apps and Romans 15:5-6 was the Verse of the Day.

Now may the God who gives endurance and encouragement allow you to live in harmony with one another, according to the command of Christ Jesus, so that you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with a united mind and voice. Romans 15:5-6

I could not help but think about the wasp and the butterfly I had seen earlier and marveled at how God, once again, put nature in front of me to bring His truth to life. I posted the picture on Instagram to share this little bit of truth with anyone who wanted to read about what God had showed me, thinking that was all He had for me. But I was of course, so very wrong.

Live in harmony with one another. Romans 15:5

A quick background. When Paul wrote the letter to the Romans, it was late in his ministry even though it is placed right after the book of Acts in our Bible. The church in Rome had become exceptionally divided in their beliefs in what it meant to be a Jesus follower. The last part of the letter (chapters 12-16) is all about how we, as Jesus followers, no matter our customs or convictions should live together in peace and unity because we are all saved or justified not through the law, but through Jesus who fulfilled the law.

Now back to the verse. This week, I kept rereading the passage. I kept thinking how it was sort of awkwardly worded. Why did Paul say that God is the giver of endurance and encouragement before telling us to live in harmony? Then a conversation with one of my daughters happened. She was expressing how she had to be diligent in order to walk in peace and harmony with some other people she had worked with. It’s not that she doesn’t like these people or that they are mean or anything, it’s just hard to always walk in harmony with them. And immediately the verse came to mind. God is the giver of endurance because living in harmony is HARD. We need endurance in order to walk in harmony with our fellow believers because we all have different opinions, likes and dislikes, thoughts about how to do things best, and strong wills. God did not take a cookie cutter and make a bunch of clones. He created each one of us to be very different from anyone else. God is the giver of encouragement because it can get discouraging to walk in harmony with others when there are great disputes and when others do not care to walk in harmony.

We glorify God when we live in harmony with those that God called us into family with. I am not just talking about our physical family, even though I know all too well how difficult it is to live in harmony with your physical family. But also our spiritual family as well.

Happy Wife...

Have you ever seen a dam where the water is just released? The water rushes so quickly as if unstoppable. As wives and moms, when we do not hold our tongue, we open that dam of strife. So many times the things that bother us can just be "let go" and we can move on with our day. Instead, so often we choose to open the dam allowing the enemy in to do destruction like an out of control flood of dissension. 

Women control the mood in the home. Like the sayings go, "If mama ain't happy no one's happy," or, "Happy wife... happy life." As women, wives, and mothers it is so important for us to hold our tongue and keep the flood-waters of strife contained so we can stop it before it starts.

Proverbs 17:14
To start a conflict is to release a flood;
stop the dispute before it breaks out.

This post was originally written in June 2008 and it is just as true now as it was true then. I am linking up with Adrienne at The Mommy Mess for #goinggreen and recycling my old blog posts.

Christmas Planning 2012

Thanksgiving week is upon us already and that means I am seriously planning for Christmas. Each year, we spend the month of December studying all things Christmas. I make it a point to make sure that Jesus stays the center of everything we do while having all the fun we can have. We take a break from doing "normal school" and focus our attention on the eternal while throwing in some math and reading along the way. By this time in our school year the kids are ready for a break from the norm and I am ready to give them what they need. We spend the entire month doing crafts, baking, watching movies, snuggling with good books and making sure we rest.

I have been scouring cyberspace checking out all the fun ideas for nativity scenes, lapbooks, games, and of course Advent. Every year I do a post that links up to the great ideas that I find. Below are the links that I have found this year. Some links are from posts past but many of them are new. I have just covered the very tip of the iceberg of Christmas ideas here, but hopefully it gives you a good start. This is such a long post, I have broken it into several smaller sections to make is easier.

 Lapbooks & Unit Studies

Every year, we do a lapbook and or a unit study for Christmas. It is the perfect way to get our school in and do fun things at the same time. The kids love them and I always enjoy doing them with the kids.

Christ is Born Lapbook – This is a quick little lapbook that is perfect for 2-4 year olds. The pieces go in a little pocket so the kids can act out the story over and over again.

Twelve Days of Christmas - We had a lot of fun putting this lapbook together a few years back. While there is no real evidence that the twelve days of Christmas has anything to do with the Bible it was a great way to help the kids remember some basic info like the books of the Bible, Fruit of the Spirit, Apostles and more.

The Legend of the Candy Cane - We really enjoyed completing this lapbook last year. Studying candy for Christmas and yet keeping Christ as the center is a win, win.

The Nativity Lapbook – This lapbook is great for elementary ages. It covers the whole Nativity and includes some parts from the movie if you want to use them. I used elements from this lapbook a few years back when we did an all-inclusive CHRISTmas lapbook. 

Names of Jesus Unit Study – A unit study of the names of Jesus. I really like this idea. 

History of Christmas Carols – This is a unit study about the history of several Christmas carols and hymns. It looks fascinating and something those who enjoy music and studies like that (that would be me) would have fun doing. 

Jesse Tree Devotional - Ann Voskamp has this free Jesse Tree devotional on her site for this year. I have never done Jesse Tree with the kids but this really looks amazing. I have been thinking about doing Jesse Tree for a few years now but just haven’t gotten to it. 

 

Advent

Growing up I didn’t do Advent. I didn’t even know what Advent was until I was an adult. We have been celebrating Advent in some form for the past few years. Last year we lit candles for the first time. This year, we plan on doing it again. Lighting a candle is a way of being intentional in how you celebrate Christmas. And since we want Christmas to be much more than presents and stockings we have over the years made a point to read the Bible and talk about how Christ came and why Christ came and focus our hearts on the Savior.  I have found that Advent has been a great tool in helping us keep Christ in the center of Christmas which is what I want. Advent starts on December 2nd this year.

Inductive Advent Bible Study - We did this Bible Study last year and it was so awesome. All of the kids enjoyed some component of this study and all of us got something out of it. If you have older kids I highly recommend this study. There are some elements for the younger kids also so the whole family can do this study. It has been updated for this year. I am thinking about doing it again. I know that we will get something new out of it each time.

Advent Treasure Hunt - This idea looks like fun. Every day the kids have to find the day's activity that is hidden somewhere inside or outside the house. Just the idea of hiding our daily verse and activities gets me excited about doing this.

St Margaret Mary Advent Calendar – I don’t normally link to something I am not able to fully check out first but I am totally intrigued and curious about what will be under each day. It says no peeking so I guess we will just have to wait until it’s time.

Advent Story Printable Book – I have printed this out for all of my kids to do at some point. I really like it. While you are on that site, explore, she has several Christmas activities and teaching ideas oh, and color pages. 

Felt Advent Calendar - This is a tutorial on how to make your own felt advent calendar. There are a lot of steps but it is so totally cute. If I had time I would make this, maybe next year. Seriously this is so cute.

Advent Activities – This is perfect for the little ones. There are so many great little activities to do and they focus on Christ.

 

 

Nativity Scenes

Tradition in our house is to make a Nativity Scene for Christmas. In years past we have all made some part of it and then we put the whole thing together. Often it is like a giant mural on a wall.  Two different years, we actually left the scene up on the wall until Easter, partly because I just never took it down and partly because the kids were just so proud of it. Last year we did something totally different, each of the kids made their own Nativity scene. I found so many different printable and DIY Nativity Scenes we were not able to do them all last year. We haven’t decided what we will do this year.

Nativity Scene Board - I have used these for bulletin board figures, or you can even put them together in a manila file folder and use them like you would a folder game. (Top right picture below.)

Nativity Scene with Toilet Paper Rolls - This one was made by Miss K last year she really enjoyed it and it turned out so cute. (Bottom right picture below.)

Make Your Own Nativity Scene - Little Man made this one last year. It's small and compact, perfect if you don't have a lot of room to display it. (Bottom left picture below.)

Nativity Scene Display – Miss H made this one last year. The figures are cone shaped, the animals we had to brace a bit to keep them standing but it still turned out adorable. (Top left picture below.)

Paper Doll Nativity Scene - This one is cute and gives you the instructions to make a diorama like Nativity Scene. 

Birth of Jesus Nativity - This one has two versions, one with and one without the Wise Men. 

Nativity Craft - This is really cute with little terracotta pots. Perfect for those who want to do more than just cut, color and paste.

Paper Nativity – This one looks sweet and pretty simple.

Spool Doll Nativity – Oh my goodness is this cute. It is perfect for an older kid who has moved beyond just coloring some paper.

Nativity Scene from a 2x4 – Okay so this one is for an older for sure. I know that a younger could totally help with making it. I love this. It can be played with over and over and is so incredibly cute.

Nativity Scenes 2011

 

Games & Activities

What is the Christmas Season without games and activities? It’s part of what makes the month of December so fun. Here are some resources for you.

Christmas Bible Printables - This site has puzzles, mini books, verse cards and so much more. If you want simple activities for a 3-6 year old that are Christ centered this is where you go. 

Christmas Folder Games - There are so many Christmas themed folder games on this site. We love playing folder games and what a better way to keep the learning going but by a folder game that is in the shape of a candy cane or Christmas tree?

Nativity Pre K Pack – This is a free packet full of things for your preschooler. Patterns, matching, cutting practice, and prewriting practice.

Nativity Pack – Here is another Nativity pack for 3-5 year olds. This one is also totally adorable.

Advent Activities – She has such great ideas all year round.

Nativity Dominoes – These are so adorable.

Nativity Finger Puppets – These would be fun for a little one.

My hope and prayer is that this post inspires you to do some intentional parenting during the hectic Christmas season that is upon us and remember to focus on the eternal. What do you do to keep Jesus the center of Christmas? Let me know in the comments, I am always looking for new ideas.

I participated in 31 Days along with over 1,000 other bloggers
hosted by the Nesting Place.
What happens when life gets in the way of blogging?
Posts that were supposed to go up in October being posted in November. 
Or any homeschool post becomes a 31 Day post.

31 Days Peace in the Chaos

You know the story about Jesus on the boat during the storm and the apostles were freaking out about the storm while Jesus was sleeping? The apostles woke up Jesus in a frenzy - reacting to the storm that was all around them not fully realizing that the One they were with was already in complete control of the storm.



How many days are we like that? If you have put God in the center of your life then the very Creator of the universe is right there with you in the midst of the chaos and the storm that you are dealing with. This goes for those really not so great homeschool days that you just want to forget about and for the everyday life that we face each and every day.

During the storm, first Jesus rebuked the wind - the cause of the waves and unrest of the sea. Then He told the sea to be calm. The sea was reacting to the wind and the apostles were reacting to the waves and probably the wind too. But do you see, it was like a chain of reactions?

Matthew 4:39 ~ He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence! Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. (ESV)

Shh Peace Be Still

So how do I apply this to my homeschool day?
If I can remember to stay focused on Jesus and not on the storm around me, then I can take a moment to see what caused the day of chaos, distractions, dissension or whatever. If I see the cause of everything toppling down around me, I can rebuke it and let God take control of it. Then the seas - aka the kids (and more often myself) can be calmed. Most days the cause means I need to reevaluate my approach to the day or I simply forgot to pray and give the day to God in the first place. Don't get me wrong, there are so many days where the calm means you step back, and take the rest of the school day off to do some regrouping and that is how you calm the seas. But other days a simple, "Shh! Peace be still." will help the day along much smoother.

I'm participating in 31 Days along with over 1,000 other bloggers hosted by the Nesting Place.

31 Days God's Grace

I cannot count how many times I have been asked how I homeschool four kids. I can tell you that it is only by God’s sufficient grace and no other way. That is the only way I can homeschool or be a mom or be a wife or do any of the things that I do at any point in time. I recently heard a message about grace that got me rethinking God’s grace.

"But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me" ~ 2 Corinthians 12: 9 (ESV)

The word “sufficient” means that God’s grace is cut to the perfect size and shape for what one is facing. God’s gives the exact grace I need to homeschool each of my children. The grace God has for me is not the same grace that He has for any other mom. God’s grace is not a one size fits all; it is specific to each one of us. Not only does God give me the grace I need as a homeschooling mom, but He also gives my kids the exact grace they need to be my homeschool kids. Isn’t that amazing? God is perfect and all He gives us is perfect, even grace.

I'm participating in 31 Days along with over 1,000 other bloggers hosted by the Nesting Place.

31 Days Walk in Truth

Our homeschool has a verse instead of a motto.

Teach me your way, O Lord,that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. Psalm 86:11

We chose that verse several years ago when we realized that no matter what, in the end we want the kids to walk in truth no matter what.

It is the verse that I hold as the standard to all that we do.

Do you have a school or family verse?

I'm participating in 31 Days along with over 1,000 other bloggers hosted by the Nesting Place.

Summer Time Goodness

Where have I been? What have I been doing? Am I still here? Are you wondering? If you aren’t I won’t be hurt. I know you are probably just as busy as I am trying to fit every ounce fun, responsibility, rest, more fun, and craziness into the very short 24 hour days as I am. I have been so incredibly busy that I can’t remember all that I have done.

We led our church junior high camp a few weekends ago. To say that the weekend was amazing would not come close to describing it. We spent each night in a different location and found ways to bless those around us everywhere we went. God’s glory and power was evident every step of the way.

P52 Week 30 - Sunshine

Cotton Candy Ice-Cream

The first night before hitting our camping destination we stopped for ice-cream. Little G ordered cotton candy flavor and showed everyone how to savor every last lick as she became one with the cone. I think adults can take a lesson from littles. We often forget to savor every moment as we get so caught up in doing what needs to get done and moving on to the next thing.








Little G got to go camping for her first time that weekend. She absolutely loved the whole experience of staying up too late, sleeping on the hard ground, waking up at the crack of dawn and getting dirty without having to take a bath right after. And the older kids got to go tubing on the lake for the first time. They all had a blast and loved every minute of their time on the lake. That weekend is our favorite part of the summer so far.

P52 Week 32 Summer Favorites

Another first for Little G this weekend was her overcoming her fear of dogs. She has been afraid of dogs since she was tiny. Looking over and spying this moment made me smile big. She fell in love with this dog and as G petted and played with her, so did I.

P52 Week 31 - Dog Days of Summer

PB&J with Love

One afternoon we gave sandwiches to homeless people in town. Little G insisted that she had to make a sandwich to give away also. I have never seen her make a sandwich so carefully before, and she has made her share of sandwiches. She clung tightly to the baggie while we walked around and she intently looked for that special person she made the sandwich for. She rejected all my suggestions of whom to give that sandwich telling me each time that the sandwich she made was for someone special. And she was right, that sandwich made its way into the hands of someone who was hungry. All of the students we had with us and even my little ones who tagged along got to see God move like that everywhere we went.

Never underestimate what God can do through even the youngest of kids. And never underestimate what a young person can do when they are walking in their gifting.

I got to see my kids grow in every way imaginable while we were camping and I was stretched in ways I didn’t expect. A long time ago I learned to stay teachable and over the summer I have been learning to hold my plans loosely (Thanks Kendra for that bit of wisdom.) and allow God to direct my steps. That weekend was like taking a final exam in that lesson, as almost nothing went as we had planned it. God had much bigger plans than we did and His plans are always better. Always, even when we don’t think so, they are.

Proverbs 16:9 A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps. 

Life is still going full speed ahead and I have been learning so much about who God is and how He works recently, I wish I had time to write it all down so I don’t forget any of it. I will leave it at that for now as this post is longer than planned, but know, there is so much more to come.

This post is linked up at Project 52 with Kent Weakley.

Planning Adventures

I'm getting ready for a great adventure with some amazing junior highers this weekend. As I have been prepping and planning with the other leaders, one thing keeps coming to mind.
We can have great ideas and the "perfect" plans but God's plans and ideas are so much more better than ours. As we embark on our great adventure with our itinerary in hand, I am confident that it will be just a guideline of sorts that can totally change as we let God take the reins.
Life is like that if we let God take absolute control, our plans are then just guidelines as God directs our path.

A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord determines His steps. ~ Proverbs 16:9

P52 Fiesta or Siesta

This week’s theme for the P 52 Photography Challenge is – Fiesta or Siesta. Really having no idea what I was going to post for this picture, I started going through all the pictures I took this week while we were on a field trip to an Arboretum a couple hours away from us. The Arboretum was so much fun but the temperature dropped quickly and we had to cut our visit a little short. I hope we can go back again soon; there are so many more areas to explore.

While at the Arboretum, we spied this little turtle taking an afternoon siesta in the afternoon sun while floating on the algae in the creek.

I cannot relate to turtles at all. Really, to take an afternoon siesta, just doesn’t happen for me. I have to consciously make an effort to relax. I always have a list of things to get done. Even when I go to bed, I am running through the list of things I accomplished and moving what I didn’t onto the next day’s list while trying to figure out the best way to fit everything in. And I never get it all done no matter how hard I try. Life seems to always get in the way of my over planned day. I am very much a Martha and have been for as long as I can remember.

I really need to remember that it is okay to be a Mary and rest at His feet. This year God has been reminding me to just rest in Him. Take a siesta (figuratively), be quiet and still so that I can just soak in what He has for me. Some days are easier than others to remember to take a few moments to just be. Making my brain stop is hard though. Even when I am too tired to think, it seems I am still over thinking, and remembering to rest in the Lord and rejuvenate is difficult to do. I know I need to the lesson of the turtle, take it easy and just rest a while.

Luke 10:38-42
While they were traveling, He entered a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who also sat at the Lord’s feet and was listening to what He said. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, “Lord, don’t You care that my sister has left me to serve alone? So tell her to give me a hand.”
The Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.”

This post is linked to P52 Photography Challenge with Darcy at Life With My 3 Boybarians.

God Sings

Have you ever thought about what God sounds like when He sings?

Have you even thought about God singing?

Think about it, God sings.

Zephaniah 3:17 (ESV)
The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

Last Night's Sunset - God paints too, isn't it magnificent?

That's right God sings. Of course He does, why wouldn't He. We sing, whales sing, even the stars sing. So naturally God sings. I wonder what His singing voice sounds like.

This post is linked to Sweet Shot Tuesday with Darcy.

P52 - Sacrifice

“Sacrifice” is the theme for the P52 Photography Challenge this week. I have been so excited about this theme since I first saw it on the schedule. For me, the very word "sacrifice" brings Jesus to my mind every time. Jesus was the perfect lamb sacrificed on the cross to end all sacrifices. God demonstrates His perfect, amazing love for us through Jesus, dying on the cross for our sins.

Romans 5:7-9 (HCSB)
For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us! Much more then, since we have now been declared righteous by His blood, we will be saved through Him from wrath.

From the beginning of time the very plan for Jesus was set into action. Many believe that Jesus was "Plan B". That if it wasn't for Eve we would still be frolicking in the garden and Jesus would have never had to come. It was all her fault He had to come otherwise He wouldn't have had to conquer death so that we may have life abundantly. But that is not truth.

Truth is that from the very moment that God set the stars into the sky, God's intention was for Jesus to come and demonstrate His love for me. Before Eve even had the thought of eating that fruit, God knew the very moment that Mary would conceive so that His glory would be known to all nations at just the perfect time.

Truth is that God knew from the very beginning that Jesus was going to be born in Bethlehem of the tribe of Judah and that He would die on the cross as the perfect Passover lamb at the very moment of "In the Beginning." At the moment He spoke the stars into existence, and separated the day from the night, His perfect plan was already in action. There is no way we could know His love for us, or see His glory more clearly than to know that greater love hath no one than he who lay down his life.

That is true sacrifice. Christ died almost 2000 years ago that I may have life abundantly. Me, He was thinking of me, before I was knitted together in my mother’s womb He had already planned to conquer death so that I may have life, so that you may have life.

John 10:9-11 (HCSB)
I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Christ had to come and die for you and for me so that we may have life. But if Christ died and did not rise again than it would just be a touching story and nothing more. Instead just as it was foretold, Christ conquered death and the tomb was empty on that third day. That is what makes this sacrifice the sacrifice to end all sacrifices. You see I didn't focus on the cross in the picture. I focused on the empty tomb.

Romans 10:8-10 (HCSB)
On the contrary, what does it say? The message is near you, in your mouth and in your heart.[a] This is the message of faith that we proclaim: If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. 

That empty tomb is what is the most important. Jesus conquered death! He rose again on the 3rd day just as He said He would. That was the plan from the beginning of time. That is God's perfect plan for you and for me.

This post is linked to P52 Photography Challenge with Darcy.