7-day recap

Sometimes life is full of stuff - just stuff. Sometimes it is serious. Sometimes it's not.

This is just some of the good stuff in my life over the last few days.

April 23: Rock through the window of our car - not so good

Zero deductible on comprehensive insurance - good stuff

April 24: Our son-in-law got sick - not so good

Spent time with our grandson anyway - good stuff

April 27: Away from my husband - not so good

Women's bible study - good stuff

April 29: Finally taking Easter pics off camera

Find picture of my son with his nephew - good stuff

April 29: Watching how I eat - not so good

Starbucks released new ice cream flavors - good stuff

(Seriously - Starbucks ice cream is soooooo amazing!

And it would be wrong to not end with dessert)

A Front Row Seat

Every so often God allows us a front row seat to His marvelous and mysterious ways. I've had the privilege of being in the front twice recently. A couple months ago my husband preached his first sermon. The church we attend makes dvds of every service and offers them for sale. We certainly weren't buying them and handing them out - except at the threat of our daughter who did get a copy.

But tonight my husband got a phone call from a family member who told him that another family member got a copy of the dvd and that they got it from so and so and so and so. And on the story went. For a wide variety of reasons, we didn't tell any of them that he was preaching or that he had. Interestingly enough all of the people who either watched it or got a copy would never have set foot in church at this point in their life. One of them that we are certain watched (or will watch) the dvd would have only watched it out of curiosity because he knew my husband way back "when". He might have watched it so that he could make fun, but the Word of God is living and active and will accomplish what God desires and achieve the purposes for which God sent it. (Isaiah 55:11) The other people we know that told us they watched it also were not going to probably set foot in our church to hear the Word of God. But God has a purpose. It's His Word and it will go forth as He intended.

My husband preached the word that God gave him. How easy to think that it was for someone in the sanctuary that day. How like God to have the purpose of Kenny's preaching be for someone outside the walls of the church building who needed to hear it and this would be the only way they would.

I don't know God's purposes and I won't pretend that I do. However, I love imagining all the various possible scenarios and the whys and hows and what-ifs. Sometimes God allows me the front row seat so that I will stop thinking within the confines of my finite mind. The front row seat allows me to see a God who is bigger and grander and more powerful than I could ever hope to imagine.

It is His Word for His purposes for His people in His time in His way. May we never sell God's power and work short of all that he intends it for. So in case you are thinking that so and so will never set foot in church and hear the word of God or the message of salvation, think again. God can send his word out any way and any time He chooses. You can count on that.

Scripture Memory and other Randomness

Do you ever look at the calendar and wonder "Where did the time go?" I have felt a bit like that. For four weeks in March, I spent my Saturdays at team meetings for an Emmaus walk. The next weekend was Easter and our daughter, Jillian, and son-in-law, Shane, and grandson Simon came to spend some time with us. Went to church on Easter morning and then to my parents for the evening for Easter dinner. Had a fabulous time of prayer with a group of women on Tuesday, cooked like a mad woman on Wednesday before heading out on Thursday for 4 days on the Emmaus walk. Monday prepared for Tuesday as we started a new women's bible study this week and then spent the next couple days playing catch up. Saturday was the groceries, errands, cleaning house and meeting in preparation for Called to Belong. Sunday church. Nap! And now here I am.

In the midst of all the busyness of life, I have found myself contemplating quite often that I do not live out of the place and mindset that God wants me to. Physically speaking, I know that I am not taking care of my body the way that God would desire. I am also not relying on him to help me. If I keep thinking I can do it on my own, I am setting myself up for failure. I like food and hate exercising way too much to have any success at getting in shape. Viewing my body as God's temple and dwelling place helps me to realize that I am taking care of something that is actually important to God.

There are also those times when I know that I am not viewing situations properly from a biblical standpoint and not allowing God to shape and control my thoughts. When that happens, my fleshly anxiety and worry take over. Guess what - I then tend to eat to comfort my anxiety and worry and the roller-coaster ride continues. I know that the Word of God is true and powerful and there is not other place that I would want to turn for truth and direction.

My memory verse for this time around seems to fit well with both of those places:

1 Corinthians 3:16 (NIV) Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?

Praise God for the victorious living that comes from living under His authority and power.

Called to Belong - some more

In 2008, God called us to be a part of this:

And in August 2010 - we are doing it again! More details will follow in the days, weeks and months to come. But for now, I had to get it out of my system and let it be known. May God be worshiped in the same powerful way all over again.

Scripture Memory

One of the books I am right in the middle of today is "Generous Living" by Ron Blue. I expect to finish it by Friday. It is just that good. Over the last several months, we have been trying to tackle some old and new expenses and get them paid off asap. I hate debt. So doing everything possible to be good stewards of everything that God has given us and pay off expenses and cut back on grocery bills, etc., I find myself still giving but without the same amount of joy. That is not a place I want to stay. Over the years since we started tithing and giving offerings, God has blessed us in unspeakable and unimaginable ways. Not once has He ever disappointed us - imagine that!

Reading "Generous Living" has renewed my sense of giving with joy and doing it for all the right reasons with the right heart. Just like God to provide a verse that I find will provide me with even more motivation:

Psalm 37: 26 They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be blessed.

Generous living blesses others, blesses me and my children. I praise God for his perfect plans and perfect and abundant provisions.

Happy Box Day to Me

I came home after bible study Tuesday night to find boxes. First there was this one:

It is a fabulous baking dish that I won on a blog give-away from Gigi at In the Throne Room. Thank you so much. Stop by and tell her 'hi' and see what else is happening there.

And then there was this one:

And inside was . . . .
Our next bible study workbooks and dvds. I am so totally excited. We will start this study on April 13th. The life of David will be anything but boring.

How much fun is this. Baking and bible studies - two of my favorite things.

The Clampetts Get a Car

The time had come. Our vehicles were getting to the point that something needed to be done. So after much prayer and putting it off as long as possible, two weeks ago we finally broke down and did it. Kenny & I, aka The Clampetts, headed off to Brook Park to check out a used car. Car buying for me is almost like a root canal, but at least you have something to show for it when you are done.

Up until this particular trip, most of my car buying experiences involved old coffee in cheap Styrofoam paper cups while we sat on straight-back chairs covered in orange vinyl with a slight rip in the seat where the foam would stick through. And quite frankly I am fine with that. It is one of the joys of small town living. You knew you would be taken care of and could generally trust the salesman. I was also happy that the profits weren’t increased so they could have nicer furniture. Times have changed (not to mention prices!) since we last bought a used car seven years ago.

Most of the ‘shopping’ occurred on-line thanks to my diligent husband. So on a very dreary and misty Saturday we crawled into our 1997 Acura with 237,000+ miles, a slightly large ding in the front and a smattering of rust spots and headed to Brook Park. We had officially stepped into a different world than what we were accustomed to. After bringing the car in from the lot and drying it off for us, we were handed the keys and told to take it for a spin and come back whenever we wanted. Hmmm. Test-drive over we returned and were then escorted to the coffee bar and lounge area. Please note above my previous experience. So to now be offered fresh-brewed Starbucks, fresh baked warm cookies and a comfy couch where you could gaze upon the salt-water aquarium made me a bit nervous. I honestly was looking for a donation basket to put in money for my coffee. People don’t just give you free Starbucks for cryin’ out loud. Ultimately, we bought the car and headed home. We still have the 1997 Acura; after all it might be good for another 100,000 miles. May I also mention it is paid for and gets 37 mpg.

Fast-forward to yesterday. I am still trying to figure out all the buttons and switches in this car. It might be 8 years old, but that is still far newer than anything else we drive. This country girl understands quite well vehicles that don’t have power windows or automatic transmissions; so 5 buttons on my rear-view mirror left me in a quandary. The mirror seemed to have a funny tint and I was hoping one of the buttons would change that. Driving along, push the first button. Nothing. Push the second one. Nothing – oh wait. Is that a voice I hear? A woman repeatedly saying “Pardon, pardon”. Yep. On-Star. Who knew!