Refresh

We, or probably more I, am in need of some refreshing. Time away with my family and time with God without distractions. I always know I should spend more time with God and of course always see a difference when I do. Yet, that doesn't override my choices ... Time away from everyday life seems to be a good place to start fresh and be refreshed. I'm going to read a couple good books (I open to suggestions) and spend time listening to my Maker. I'm very much looking forward to this!
Sometimes we think that because we don't feel close to God He isn't there but He is always with us,sometimes we move farther away... God says in James 4:8
"Come near to God and He will come near to you."
So it's up to us, it's up to me. I'm going to go:)

Momma Monday ...on Tuesday!

My boy Matthew is a joy to be around. He brings a smile to our faces and lights up the rooms he enters. This Christmas in each of our stockings he had a verse for us that God gave him to share. They are always the most perfect and appropriate verses for each of us. My stocking verse came from the book of Proverbs chapter 14 verse 30 and says " a peaceful heart leads to a healthy body " As a mom, part of my job is to bring and enable peace in our home. Sometimes I do just the opposite, this was a good reminder for me from my precious tender hearted boy!

Merry Christmas to All!

It finally snowed!  Of this I'm very happy!  It feels so much more like Christmas with the ground being covered in a clean white layer!  Hopefully the rain holds off, or some more snow comes in the next couple of days!  

Visiting with (Great) Grandma Sibley :)

Merry Christmas to you!  Please take time to look ahead to Christ's coming!  Prepare your heart.  Love. Serve. Give.  Make your Christmas season different than the world's - Christ centred, as each day should be.  Give Him time.  Enjoy one another :)

Light of the World!

In the beginning when God started to create, in Genesis 1:4

God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.

The word light is found many many times in the Bible.  We are drawn to light and captivated by it.  Of course, as the Bible says as well in John 3:19 people do love darkness.  

This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil

However, we still have that choice.  Darkness, being the absence of light, is so hopeless.  We can have an eternal hope in Christ.  To live forever with Him where there will be no need of the sun because the glory of God will shine so brightly!  How awesome!  Jesus says, in John 9:5

While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

Momma Monday

My "little drummer boy" showed his talent today at our Christmas lunch.  We had a couple of neighbours over for a yummy meal and visit and they requested some singing.  So I brought out the guitar and we all sang some Christmas carols.  It was really lovely, I enjoyed it a lot!  All of my kids were more than willing participants, we even had a few songs already out from Sunday morning's service so they were ready to go.  Ryan sang with us for a few songs, then realized what was missing.  He went and got the djembe (hand drum) and played along.  He's got music in him and can really play the drums well!  It amazes me how well he can play at such a young age and without any training.  He plays the drum kit at church when I lead the music.  He also plays during the week every other Wednesday for youth and every Thursday for Boys and Girls Club.  There have been a few times that we'll be worshiping God through music and I completely forget that my son, now 11 years old, is the one on the drum kit.  God has truly gifted him.  He continues to improve more and more each time he plays.  It doesn't take him long to figure out new patterns and rhythms.  Music has such a way to show emotion.  It can bring joy in our hearts and release emotion.  All through the Bible music was used to celebrate, soothe hearts, and praise God!  In 2 Samuel 6:5 it says,

David and all Israel were celebrating with all their might before the LORD, with castanets, harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals.

I pray that my little drummer boy will continue celebrating and praising his Lord and Saviour!

Food Friday :)

I like potatoes...almost in any form, I can't think of a way I don't like them.  But I also like things that crunch...these shredded potato pancakes (at least that's what the kids called them)  were absolutely delicious with some scrambled eggs and fruit.  mmmm.  Another food experiment gone well!  And very simple to do, just shred the potatoes, and dry with paper towel (this is the most difficult part)  they sure do have a lot of water in them!  Then put in a pan - that already has some heated oil and cook until golden brown, flip until the other side is the same!  You can of course add salt and pepper for seasoning.  :)

A mostly unrelated but encouraging verse from Matthew 6:31-32

Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things

God knows us and loves us and will provide what we need.

White Christmas

Please, we need snow for Christmas!!

Loneliness

I have often prayed that God would show me needs in my community.  I would love to be able to help, and often feel I have time that could be used in a better way to show Christ's love to others, but I don't know what the needs are, or necessarily how to find out what they are.  In some ways, I know people are hungry, so we can give to the food bank, I know people are cold, so we can buy/make scarfs and mittens, things like that but there are more needs, deep needs, like loneliness.  I think we have all felt loneliness so we can relate to those who are lonely.  Even in my own home with my family there have been times that I have felt alone, so with those who don't live with family, I imagine the loneliness is even stronger.  I guess I have been wanting God to just say, hey - go here, visit this person, chat with so and so....well, today He did just that.  I had a phone call from someone who, until tonight was a stranger to me, and now I feel like I've known her for such a long time!  Rachel and I went to visit and chat, craft, and help out and it was such a wonderful time!  She let me know of some needs of those around her, and I just feel so blessed to know this and be able to help love these people.  It's really amazing when God speaks and we listen.  I especially like when He makes it so clear for me :)  2 Corinthians 1:3-4 sums up what I've felt this evening...

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, ⁴ who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.


I think, more than anything, I enjoyed the company, I enjoyed talking, listening, sharing...it was so refreshing and...such a blessing!  We are certainly able to use those cleaning skills (and ideas from 31 Days to Clean) in homes other than our own too :)

Momma Monday

Funny that I posted a picture of myself for Momma Monday :)  However, it does make sense!  A couple of weeks ago I was making a newborn owl hat, I finished it on a Wednesday evening while I wasn't at home.  Thursday, the kids did their school work in the morning, then the afternoon was a bit of free time until we had to leave.  About 2 PM the boys got so excited and said that Rachel had a surprise for me!  They were jumping all around and just overwhelmingly excited and proud of this mysterious surprise.  I thought, maybe she made me a card, or ...something along those lines, I was shocked!  when she gave me this crocheted hat!  It was unbelievable! Literally!  She didn't use a pattern, had never made a hat before, and had only watched me make hats!
Titus 2 is a very cool chapter in the Bible that talks about how important it is that we teach the younger generation, and that we learn from the older generations.  Also, how important it is that we do what is right for Christ.  In verses 3-5 it says,

 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. ⁴ Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, ⁵ to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

I didn't really teach Rachel how to make a hat, but she did learn by watching, and also by a lot of wisdom in what she had been previously taught, and God must have given her some wisdom as well.  She whipped up 4 hats in a few days, the boys were more than anxious to have one of her creations, and she made one for herself.  She sure is a super talented and beautiful young lady!

Foooood :)

We really love food.  Of course I guess most people do :)  But we love making food, trying new recipes (if it sounds/looks good)  and of course, eating it!  Last week we made the most delicious sweet potato fries!  The problem with things like this is .... haha...the kids find out they like it!  That shouldn't be a problem I know, but when  we've been to a restaurant with my mom, and she's ordered sweet potato fries and offered them, the kids have always declined thinking it wouldn't taste very good (which of course they were wrong!)  But sometimes, in my selfish nature I'm ok with them not trying so that I can have more!  But, when we made them at home, I said everyone should try some, as we always try to do...and they found out they are DELICIOUS!  Click here to see the website we looked at when first making them.  We've since made them a few times and they never let me down...mmmm so good!  I think we'll make some more again today.  Thinking about the kids not wanting to try things I remember a story Tim always tells about when the kids were younger and he would serve bacon, they would turn their nose up at it and refuse to eat it.  They thought it didn't look too appealing and so they wouldn't try it.  Now it doesn't last on the plate very long and there isn't extra for Daddy anymore :)

Hebrews 6:4-6 is a pretty hard passage to swallow - nice word play ha- but it relates so much to this illustration of a child's unwillingness to try new things, and then the transformation that happens once they have tasted the goodness.

 ⁴ It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, ⁵ who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age ⁶ and who have fallen^[c] away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. 

Once you've had the bacon, or the sweet potato fries, you can't deny how good they are, nor will you be likely to refuse them when they are offered to you.  As with Christ, when we have heard/read/seen his goodness we can't deny who He is.  And when we think of it as with kids and foods....it makes it seem really silly that with Christ sometimes we tend to deny or doubt Him, when we have tasted and seen that He is good.  There are eternal consequences, let's be careful in the choices we make, and remember that God is good.

Cleaning...ugggh

Here I am posting twice in one day!  Can you say procrastination? :)  My house needs to be cleaned, we were away for a couple of days...and the house shows, Christmas Concert time is here and all that comes with it.  A while ago, I bought this e-book  31 Days to Clean and it has been amazing in our home.  It can be really easy to not have time to clean my house, but the way that Sarah Mae writes helps make it a little easier, and doesn't make you feel awful about yourself if you get a little behind.  You can take cleaning your own pace, but really feel great when you see what you've accomplished, I know I do anyway!  Some of those things I just don't remember on a daily basis are put in throughout the 31 days.  I highly recommend this book to anyone who might need that little encouragement with cleaning, and with having a "Martha home, the Mary way."  She challenges the heart as well as helping organize the home.  The great thing is it doesn't have to end in 31 days, you can do it over.  I know when I did it, it was longer than 31 days, since I took it at my own pace.

31 Days to Clean

Luke 10:38-42 shares the story,

³⁸ As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. ³⁹ She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. ⁴⁰ But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

   ⁴¹ “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, ⁴²but few things are needed—or indeed only one.^[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

It is important to keep our house in order, but so much more important to spend time with Jesus :)

Purity

How is your life in terms of purity in devotion to God?  This is a question that was in my devotional book this morning.

It really made me think.  I know often when I think of the word “purity”….it’s not in terms of my relationship or devotion to God.  But I guess, when I think about it, keeping myself from other things would be having a pure relationship with Christ.  I was doing a youth devotional last night and talking about not serving God our leftovers, referring to the verse in Mark 12:30 that says,

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.

The same passage is in a few of the Gospels.  Anyway, we were talking about how we have a tendency to give our time, talents, money, ect. To other places and things first, then remember, oh yeah…God…um…here God I’ve got a few minutes left, or a few dollars left, here ya go!  But God wants all of us.  I wouldn’t have a good marriage with my husband if I gave him my leftovers.  I wouldn’t have good friendships if I only gave what was left.  We all set our priorities, and I think we do this sometimes without really thinking about what we’re leaving out…oftentimes God. 

You know those purity rings, the one our daughter has says this, “Today, I promise I will wait agreeing to stay pure, because I know God loves me and His blessing is in store.”  When you think about it, it can really be relevant in our relationship with Christ as well and our devotion to Him.  Our heart should not be shared be other influences, by TV, internet, other medias, temptations, cravings, desires, God should be the one we are devoted to. 

So, purity in devotion to God.  Hmm.  I’m going to make it more of a thought-out goal.  I challenge you to as well.  Put God first, purely, wholly. 

Momma Monday

Colossians 3:17

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Ryan's love of basketball is very strong.  What I love to see is that his love for God is growing even stronger each day.  He is learning how to use the gifts that God gives for God's glory, and thanking God for them.  He is also learning how to be a light where God places him.  He is, I think my most focused child.  He knows what he likes, and he does it.  He practices, alll day long, or as long as he can anyway.  He tries drills over and over, shoots baskets over and over, loves every part of the game.  He's been blessed to be able to do a competitive league that continues into the New Year.  He was so thankful to God and to us for this opportunity, and that we said we would make the time.  It was sweet seeing my boy mature and see how important this is to him, to play the game he loves :)

Broken.

God has plans.  His plans are good.  I've got that part.  Now...how exactly does this work.  It doesn't mean that everything works out, even  if we try to follow Him, and think we're following Him.  sigh.   Ok.  Ahhh...just had to get that out, and maybe there's a bit more to get out here.

I have the tendency to get involved, full heartily, with most things.  It can be good of course, but this week...it was bad, very bad.  It's kind of like just before vacation, you get all ready, you're packing, imagining yourself on the beach, the waves lapping, ahh isn't it nice...and then, you get to the airport and...they cancelled your flight, they will not be rescheduling done. over. go home.

Doesn't that just make your heart sink.  My heart. sank. broke. And over more than a vacation.

Through it all I try to remember...God know's what's best.   He has plans.  Good plans.  In fact, in Psalm 18:30 it says...  

As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. 

He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.

So.  I will continue to try putting this in my heart.

mmmmm

Chocolate fondue, best way to eat lots and lots of fruit!