Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Isaac's way to play piano


This is how I found him. He planned it all out. Crazy Kid!!! He was very proud of himself!

Monday, October 13, 2008

17 Years Later



I had a chance to get together with my closest high school friends this past Friday night. It's been 17 years since the first "prom" photo. Ironically, I was 17 years old in the picture.

Tara, Nicole and Tina - I really enjoyed catching up! I sure hope we do not have to wait too long to do it again!!! Love you guys!!!

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

devotion

The Grace Challenge

by Karol Ladd

Key Scripture: Leviticus 19:16-18

“Do not spread slanderous gossip among your people.
“Do not try to get ahead at the cost of your neighbor’s life, for I am the Lord.
“Do not nurse hatred in your heart for any of your relatives.
“Confront your neighbors directly so you will not be held guilty for their crimes.
“Never seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.”

Mom’s Reflection

With thousands of Israelites trudging together through an unknown wilderness, a plan for civility was essential. The people had a long way to go, and they would never make it to the Promised Land if they turned on one another. So in the Book of Leviticus, God provided laws for dealing with both people and circumstances. As you can see from the brief passage we just quoted, those laws of civility and decency were not always easy ones to follow. Yet if we as mothers were to employ even a few of these laws in our relationships today, we would be so much better for it!

As Christians, of course, we are no longer under the rule of Levitical law; we are under grace, thanks to Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for us. As recipients of God’s glorious grace, then, we ought to be showering grace on others in turn. And what does grace toward others look like? I think it looks a lot like today’s passage. Guarding our mouths from gossip, forgiving, not holding grudges—all of these are practical ways we can shed God’s grace on the people around us. Let’s teach our kids, through our words and our example, to reflect on the goodness of God’s wonderful grace and, in turn, to offer that grace to others.

My Prayer

“God of grace and mercy, thank You for pouring Your grace on me through the sacrifice of Your Son. I praise You that through faith in Jesus, I am forgiven. Help me now to forgive others. Guard my mouth from gossip and my heart from grudges. Teach me to be a conduit of Your grace, so that grace flows freely through me to my family members and all the other people in my life. Thank You for Your Word and the direction it gives for living and loving in grace. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.”

My Choices

This week I will choose to focus on God’s great love and grace toward me.
This week I will choose to show grace toward others.
This week I will choose to ask God’s help in guarding my heart and mind.
This week I will choose to: ____________________
For Further Reading: Ephesians 4:28-32

Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin and live unto righteousness.
―Westminster Catechism

Lord, give us grace and strength to forbear and to persevere. Give us courage and gaiety and the quiet mind, spare to us our friends, soften to us our enemies.
―Robert Louis Stevenson


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Reprinted from The Power of a Positive Mom Devotional and Journal by Karol Ladd, Howard Publishing Co., Inc., ©2006.

About Me

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I am the daughter of a King. I am the apple of His eye. In addition, I'm a wife to the most wonderful man in the world - seriously - he puts up with me and loves me no matter what. I am so thankful for Brian! Most importantly, he loves the Lord with all of his heart and is a Godly role model to our children and others. Because of him, I'm a mom to four wonderful children - Ezra who's almost 9, Grace is 7, Elliana is 3 and Isaac who was a year on April 18. Life is a crazy whirlwind full of unexpected turns. This blog is to stay close to many friends and family throughout the US.