Gleanings

My husband and I attended a leadership retreat in July of 1999. Jim Tolle was the speaker and I recently came across some notes from his lesson. Here are some quotes by Jim Tolle:

Skepticism lets you see the miracle but not partake of it.

You are God's poem

When you are worn out it is easier to sin.

God sometimes takes our best away so it doesn't become idolatry.

Speaking on the level of living in day to day comfort but not living in victory he says...At this level everyone eats well, sleeps well-run to win-be willing to experience the pain for the victory.

Allow God in your junk drawer

God chooses lepers, liars, prophets and adulterers.

The Beast - The Victor

I am reading a book called Foundation to Freedom. It is speaking of all types of addictions and says "The more we feed the beast within, the hungrier it becomes until it devours our very soul, leaving nothing but a hollow echo of what God has created"

If you have struggles with any addiction you will know this to be true. If you are battling any addiction at this moment I urge you to starve your beast and it will shrink away. Do not feed it any longer. God is stronger than your stronghold. He created you an amazing person, created in His likeness to show His glory.

When you are weak, He is strong. May His name be praised.

Power of a Praying Parent - Part V

Establishing an Eternal Future
an excerpt from "The Power of a Praying Parent " by Stormie Ormartian
Above all else, we want our children to come to a knowledge of who God really is and to know Jesus as their Savior. When that happens, we know their eternal future is secure; we know that when they die, we will see them again in heaven. What a wonderful hope that is!

Stormie wrote the lyrics and her husband wrote the music for Debby Boone's recording of :
ABOVE ALL ELSE
So much to say and just a lifetime left to say it.
How quickly time passes.
If I had my way, I'd keep you safe within my arms
While the storm of life crashes.
I won't always be with you, my child, but words I can give.
When the winds of hope are dying down, these words will live.
Above all else, know God's the One who'll never leave you.
Look to Him above all else.
He is love you can depend on, a heart set to care.
If in the darkest night you should be lost, He will be there.
He's the Everlasting Father,
In His hands you'll never fall.
He's the One who holds it all,
Above all else.
He's the Author of your laughter,
He's the Keeper of your tears,
He's the One who you must fear
Above all else.
He's the Giver of the kingdom
Bought for you right from the start,
And He'll ask you for your heart
Above all else.
So much to say
And not enough time left to day it,
Just love the Lord
Above all else.
copyright 1987 by Michael and Stormie Omartian for See This House Music / ASCAP

PRAYER*****
Lord, I bring (name of child) before You and ask that You would help him/her grow into a deep understanding of who You are. Open his/her heart and bring him/ her to a full knowledge of the truth about You. Lord, You have said in Your Word, "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9). I pray for that kind of faith for my child. May he/ she call You his / her Savior, be filled with Your Holy Spirit, acknowledge You in every area of her / his life, and choose always to follow You and Your ways. Help him/ her to fully believe that Jesus laid down His life for him/her so that he / she may have life eternally and abundantly now. Help him/ her to comprehend the fullness of Your forgiveness so that he / she will not live in guilt and condemnation.
I pray that he / she will live a fruitful life, ever increasing in the knowledge of You. May he / she always know your will, have spritiual understanding, and walk in a manner that is pleasing in Your sight. You have said in Your Word that You will pour out Your Spirit on my offspring (Is 44:3). I pray that You would pour out Your Spirit upon (name of child) this day.
Thank You, Lord, that You care about his / her eternal future even more than I do and that it is secure in You. In Jesus' name I pray that he / she will not doubt or stray from the path You have for him / her all the days of his / her life. -Amen

Verses**************
John 6:40 This is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees teh Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

1 Timothy 2:3-4 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

1 John 5:20 We know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.

1 John 5:11 This is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.

John 14:16-17 And I will pray to the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever-the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

Update

My goodness.....did you all think I flew the coop? Well this mother hen finally has her chicks all home. Lauren returned from a week long water ski trip last night. This week also started my next online class for Fascinating Womanhood this week. The first week is always very hectic with last minute sign ups. I apologize for the delay in blogging.

I did complete my dresser. I refolded all my dainties and got rid of single socks.
Next.....my Master Bedroom TV area.

Invitation to the Thirsty

Isaiah 55 (NIV)

Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!

Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.

Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?

Listen, listen to me , and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.

Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live.

I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.

See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander of the peoples.

Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations that do not know you will hasten to you, because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor.

Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.

Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts.

Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. declares the Lord.

As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.

This will be for the Lord's renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed.

SIP AND SAVOR by Carole Mayhall ( a comment on Is 55:1-2)

This Scripture exhorts the thirsty to do three things: come, buy and eat. We don't need any money to "buy", so all we have to do is "come" and ask for the two things mentioned here- wine and milk. But why specifically wine and milk?

A glimmer began to grow into the light of understanding. Milk represents what we need for health, for life, for sustenance- the needs of life. On the other hand, wine is used in Scripture for celebrations, feasts, joy and (so it seems to me) not for what we need to have but what we want to have- the extras desires in life.

As a mother, I was obligated to meet my daughter's needs. But what a joy it was when I could delighter heart by giving her some of the fun stuff too-surprises, a few things I knew she wanted, extras-just for pure pleasure.

Our Father's giving is like that-only much, much more! He is the perfect parent, and in this passage he declares that he wants to supply both our needs and our wants- what we need for health and what is for pure joy. God does indeed delight to delight each of us.

Oh, he isn't going to give us what he knows will harm us-even if we ask for it. He won't give us what would spoil us or indulge our flesh. But, as the God who knows all things, who does all things well, who is an all-loving Father, he longs for us to ask him for everything -for "daily bread" (Matthew 6:11) certainly and whatever will meet our needs. But he also asks that we ask for the extra serendipities that he takes great pleasure in giving us as well.

Now, I get excited about that!

copied from Women's Devotional Bible 2

Master Bedroom

OK- we are continuing to create order in our master bedrooms. We started last week with our doorway and went to the left. Continue on today. The next part of my room is my dresser. Just take 15-20 minutes and do what you can. I will clear the top off and dust the knick knacks. Tomorrow I will clear out the drawers. They aren't too bad so it shouldn't take too long. Go ahead. What's next for you. Remember God is a God of order. We are striving to reflect God's order in our homes and in our lives.

Matthewisms

Matthew, newly turned 8, told me today that a new molar is growing in. He asked me if this means he is growing up. I told him that yes, he is getting older everyday. He asked me if the molar means he is starting puberty. ..... My goodness they are in such a rush to grow. Puberty...that hit me out of left field. I do have a few years left don't I?

Discipline for Godliness

Discipline for Godliness
Excerpt taken from Disciplines of a Godly Woman by Barbara Hughes

"We Christian women need to get rid of every association, habit, and tendency that impedes godliness. The writer of Hebrews talks about this shedding of hindrances:'Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily enables, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.' (Hebrews 12:1)

"What is weighing you down today? Those things will have to go. Once you've removed obstacles and hindrances, your call to training also demands that you direct you energy towards godliness. 'But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified,' writes Paul (1 Cor 9:27).

Do We Have To?
"Why should we Christian women turn our attention to the disciplines that will train us for godliness" First of all, because in today's world and in today's church, disciplined Christian lives are the exception, not the rule. One reason that stands out is fear of legalism.

Legalism is self-centered; discipline is God-centered. The legalistic heart says, "I will do this thing to gain merit with God." The disciplined heart says, "I will do this because I love God and want to please Him." The true heart of discipline is relationship- A relationship with God. John Wesley's words express this relationship beautifully:

O God, fill my soul with so entire a love of The that I may love nothing but for Thy sake and in subordination to Thy love. Give me grace to study Thy knowledge daily that the more I know Thee, the more I may love Thee. Create in me a zealous obedience to all Thy commands, a cheerful patience under all Thy chastisement, and a thankful resignation to all Thy disposals. Let it be the one business of my life to glorify Thee by every word of my tongue, by every work of my hand, by professing Thy truth, and by engaging all men, so far as in me lies, to glorify and love Thee. -John Wesley

Your Life Behind the Scenes

Your Life Behind the Scenes-an excerpt from The Gentle Ways of a Beautiful Woman by Anne Ortlund

Where is the real you? It's deep inside of you, where your thinking and deciding really take place. Your life is like a wheel, with the hub the true center of who you really are. The rim is all the places where your life touches this world, where there's apt to be plenty of friction, heat and dust.

But in the center is the true you. If you have made God your highest priority of all, he is there. You are learning to abide in Him, and He in you. there is calm, there is peace. He is your refuge, to which you continually run. He is organization, and living in Him you sense control and plan. He is spirit-your living and breathing, your laughter and tears- and all of it becomes holy because His spirit is holy. Wonderful! Alleluia!

If this is true, your mental and emotional life should reflect his presence, whether there's nobody around but you, or kids everywhere. "Whatever is true, ....honorable, ....right, ......pure,......lovely, .....of good repute...let your mind dwell on these things." (Phil 4:8)

Also if this is true (that God is at your life center) then you immediate surroundings ought also to reflect him. Your immediate surroundings - your drawers, closets, your bedside table, your desk - are the filmiest clothing of you most personal, private life. Even if you have tem children, those arease should be your alone, and they should reflect the order and peace of your inner life with God.
-End of excerpt from book



So now with this new challenge before us, let us reflect God's glory and holy order in our homes. Today we will start with our bedrooms. This is our most personal space. This is where we sleep, cuddle, dress, read, etc. Start from your door and go to the right. Stop at the very first thing your feet or eyes get to. Mine is a pile of 2 bins filled with toys. I did say this was the Master bedroom didn't I? Ok clean up that first area! If you have fininshed quickly continue on. Try to spend about 15-30 minutes on this. Throw away! Put away. Don't move piles! OK 1...2...3....GO!

Matthewisms

Oh my boy Matthew....He turned 8 years old today!! He is now as tall as my shoulders. I took him out to lunch at Pick Up Stix in Hermosa Beach. We were sitting at the table and I asked if there was anything else he wanted to do for his birthday. He said very slowly, "I would like to go somewhere to just sit and talk......I know we can go to therapy!" Where do these kids get these ideas?

Thoughts for a Friday

"As long as our minds rehearse the strength of our stronghold more than the strength of our God, we will be impotent."

"The giant step in the walk of faith is the one we take when we decide God no longer is a PART of our lives. He IS our life."
-Beth Moore

Happy August

August, time of sunshine, playing at the park, fishing at the Pier, enjoying family and resting up for the school year that is just around the corner.

Above is a picture of Yosemite Valley in Northern California. On the left you see the taller peak is "Half Dome". Lauren, 16, just returned this week-end from a week long trip with the Landes family. She, along with 5 others, hiked up to the top of Half Dome. Luckily, I didn't catch wind of the hike until it was over and everyone was safely down. May I just add that Lauren has no hiking experience, they did not use safety devices. Apparently the top is all rock and the park has attached a cable running up the rock. There are "shelves" every 5 feet or so. You can hold onto the cable and climb up to each resting shelf. I am really proud of her for pushing herself to complete it but goodness gracious what these children get themselves into.....

August is an exciting time for our family. Matthew's birthday is this Saturday. He will be 8. Lauren will be taking Matthew to the X Games on Thursday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. They will be attending the skateboard events and are hoping to get a piece of Shawn White. Lauren has been a fan for years and years.

This Sunday, Lauren will be leaving for her second trip to New Orleans. She will be going on this missions trip with our church Hope Chapel. It will be a different group of kids going but many of the same leaders. She will again be ministering to the community and helping to clean up and rebuild.

Matthew has a trip planned to Seaside Lagoon and a camping trip with his Dad to Catalina Island. Both trips are with the Cub Scouts.

Mike and I will be celebrating our 12 year wedding anniversary on the 20th. Ahhh the love just gets sweeter and sweeter each passing day. May I just say how honored I am to be Mikey's wifey. His love knows no end. His kindnesses and plentiful. His forgiveness is quick for this silly lady who messes up daily. His patience is extended hourly for this family of growing flowers. He helps us "weed the garden". He guides us with a loving hand used with gentleness. Sounds a lot like Jesus, a man He is trying to emulate. Well done Mikey, well done.

That pretty much brings us swiftly into our new school year at the end of August.