Saturday, December 5, 2009

Prayer needed


If anyone stops by today please pray for our friend Katelyn and her family. She is 8 years old and quite sick. All prayer would be appreciated. Thank you.



I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.
In this world you will have trouble.
But take heart!
I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)



Father,
It's easy to be positive and encouraging when everything is going our way, isn't it? We know every one is going to have obstacles to overcome in life. Problems have a purpose, and part of Your purpose for allowing us to face obstacles is to test our attitude. That's why we need to be positive even in negative situations. We know You want us to live life to the fullest. And You have provided a way for us to enjoy these lives, even when we're going through hard times.

In John 16:33. Jesus has just told us that we will face tribulation. But then He says, "Take heart!"

Thank you, God for telling us that we can choose to be joyful and positive no matter what happens in our lives. The reason we can do this is because Jesus has already won our battles, whatever they may be!

Please, Father, bless Pat and Gary to overcome their fears and anxieties during this hard time and help them to see the joy on the other side of it. Grant them calm hearts and minds. Guide the doctors with knowledge and a kind bed-side manner. Place your healing hand on Katelyn and use this situation as a way to bring more to your table. Bring us a miracle that others may see your awesome Glory and be amazed!

When this time passes let their hearts and lives be that much more full of Your love and grace. Strengthen them in this time of need with extra energy and extra faith to get through it. Comfort and keep them safe in this time and help them to make clear decisions according to Your will. Take heart!

All this we pray in You precious and Holy Name, AMEN

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Reusable shopping bags


Are these reusable shopping bags really so "eco-friendly?"
Read this article and see what you think:


Reusable shopping bags


Maybe there should be an alternative bag that says: "Say no to fungus on my food!"

This really makes you think. I believe that if you can't wash it, don't use it

Are these reusable shopping bags really so "eco-friendly?"

Read this article and see what you think:



If you can't wash it, don't use it---





Here are my top 10 alternatives to using those bags:




  1. Reuse your paper bags --they hold boxed items and bread better anyway!


  2. Ask for paper in plastic. This makes a strong bag. When you're done fold them up still stuck together and bring along with you on each trip. You are reusing-yes?


  3. Never put raw meat in reusable bags. Some bags were made to be used only once!


  4. Always put produce in washable bags, launder at least every other week. Think of who and how many people have touch these precious vegies before you - ick. Note: always wash before eating.


  5. Always make sure bags are dry (from dairy or frozen food) before folding and storing - damp bags will breed fungus, mold and all sorts of yucky stuff.


  6. Use a plastic cooler for frozen or dairy. Wipe with a disinfecting cloth and dry after each use.


  7. Question why you're "buying" a shopping bag with the store logo on it?!? Make your own, there are lots of patterns on-line.


  8. Co-op and stores like PriceRite do not give you bags but are happy to give you stock boxes. Take the empty ones from the shelf and pack in those. They are nice and sturdy and can be easily recycled at home.


  9. Keep plastic bins in your trunk. Ask to have your groceries packed back into the cart. When you get to the car unpack the cart into the appropriate plastic bin - that way all the dairy, boxes, can, etc. are together. Note: Make sure you or your kids can lift a full bin! You will also need to clean these with disinfectant once a week.


  10. Don't use your grocery bags for anything else - this just exposes them to more bacteria.


Love to hear your ideas on this topic!


Monday, July 27, 2009

Experiencing God...Day 12,13

Today we work on that LOVE Relationship...



God created you for eternity. The time - your lifetime on earth - is for you to grow your relationship with Him.



What can you do right now, today, to grow that relationship?



Make a list of how you spend you time, then divide it up as time that works towards the Eternal and time that is just Passing Away.



Some of the things can be really easy, like time with kids, husband, homeschooling, church groups. But, dear reader, I caution you... Take a deeper look at these times and what you're doing within that time. Is the mom's meeting a time of praise to God or is it a time to complain and sympathize with other women. Is that homeschool time used to homeschool or to meet with play groups for your enjoyment.

I don't mean to get on people's cases, I'm just trying to encourage other's out there that there is more...More to your relationship with God, more to the growth of the love and time with family, and much, much more to the life you will lead for Kingdom.

I welcome any disagreement or comments on this topic and hope that it will help us all to examine the use of this earthly time as a building block to the relationship we all strive for in the Kingdom!



Father, to be loved by you is my highest calling. Help me live a life worthy of my calling based on eternity as your created me. Help me to let my present be shaped by my future and not my past. I want o make sure I am investing time in things that are eternal and not passing away. i know only you can guide me to incest this time in worthwhile ways to Your Glory. Amen

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Experiencing God


A few thoughts today on my Experiencing God "experience"


I am thrilled to say I am focusing on Him more than me these days. I always thought that's what I was doing, but lately, I'm not so sure....


I always put other's first but I'm learning that I may be doing that in order to ignore the changes I need to make to myself...Does that make sense??


I think sometimes it's more selfish to constantly be working to serve other's when you know God wants you to work on yourself. A while ago I blogged on "Spiritual Gifts" and I must say the Lord has really been putting this on my heart lately. Christians have all the gifts in them, they are just to be used at different times in your walk.


The "Experiencing God" series has taught me that the Holy Spirit is the gift. The Holy Spirit is an actual 'piece of God' that is in me - WOW! That is AWESOME!


That being said, I must not have only one spiritual gift, I must have the whole multitude of heaven's gifts at my fingertips! Simply put, I must align my thoughts with God's, find where He is working, pray for my role in it, and use the particular Spiritual Gifts necessary to accomplish His purpose. He will equip me for what is necessary to complete His task. We think so small sometimes!

We need to think only of the purpose and the Purposer. If it is God's purpose He will give us all we need.


Don't try to align His will to your desires and then call it a blessing....pray for the discernment to be guided. If you are a saved Christian, you have the gift and it is just what you need.



God said "I AM that I AM" (Exodus 3:14) - meaning He is all and everything you need or could possibly need at any given time. A piece of this I AM is given to you when you accept Christ as your personal Savior. Therefore everything you could ever need to accomplish God's will is actually there ready to be used for His Glory! GOD is so COOL! We can at any time ask the Holy Spirit to guide us and help us understand it all. That's what He does....


So much to take in, I would love to hear any comments you have on this subject.


Follow me at Twitter in my sidebar or just comment below:)



Thanks for stopping by--

Blessings

Elizabeth


Monday, July 20, 2009

Experiencing God...Day 11


God's love for me was settled at the Cross!


A love relationship with God is more important than any other single factor in your life.

If you missed that read it again....A love relationship with God is more important than any other single factor in your life.


It takes work, like any other relationship. It doesn't just happen. Does you marriage just happen? Do friendships just happen??




The entire purpose of your life is to have a real and personal relationship with God.


He takes all this earthly "time" to grow you into the one He wants to spend Eternity with! Now that's going to take some work for most of us, isn't it!!

There's more to this story than meets the eye. You see, dear reader, your relationship with God not only effects your relationship with Him it effects every other relationship in your life - from you spouse, to your children, to your friends, to your co-workers, to your paperboy....a poor relationship with Him with result in poor relationships overall. But, on the flip-side - a great, loving relationship with the Father will result in great relationships with others!


You will not be able to have the relationship with others you want, if you can't have a pure love relationship with the Father.




Describe your relationship with Him - can you honestly say I LOVE HIM! Or do you not feel worthy? Is your relationship based solely on obedience, worship and fear? Base your relationship solely on LOVE and the rest will come naturally. We respond the best to those we love, don't we?





Take a look at your relationship with your earthly father. I was blessed to have a wonderful father. He loved, provided, and fulfilled my needs as a child. That made it super easy to accept that God could accomplish all that in my adulthood.
Others that I have spoken to are not so fortunate...their relationship with their father was absent, hurtful, or broken. This makes it really difficult for future relationships on earth, as well as with your Heavenly Father. Difficult but NOT impossible!!



Start here-- pray and be faithful to His Word. Work on that love relationship and let that influence all your relationships.
Let the future dictate who you are not the past!



Father, I love You seems so easy to say yet is not said often enough. Thank You that You want to have a love relationship with me. Thank You for making me conquer my difficulties with love and for never leaving me. Deepen the quality of my love relationship with You. I love You. Amen

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Experiencing God...Day 10



God Speaks with a Purpose




If God speaks to you, why would you wait to act??
It almost seems like a foolish question when you ask it that way, doesn't it?
But, many of us are guilty of just this kind of foolishness. We ask around to make sure that other's think it's God speaking. Or, we sit on it because it seems too big, so God must be mistaken, that's meant for someone else.
We know God doesn't make mistakes, and one sin that rarely receives any attention is the all-too-common:
PROCRASTINATION
I admit it to you and all who read - I am a procrastinator. I have mastered it to an art. I can put off just about anything until a more "convenient time." Sometimes if you're cleaver, you can disguise it as anticipation, or allowing others to participate, or even better "I'm waiting for God to be more specific." OUCH! Sometimes it hurts to even write it!
I suppose I won't know the result of my procrastination until I reach the gates and see what I have missed as a result of my hesitation. I pray no one has lost out on the gospel because of my procrastination. I pray I will get another chance with them. I pray to drag my feet less and run more!
If your boss says jump you should ask how high? I say if God says "Jump" you'd better get up and start jumping and don't stop until He's says so...

So what do you believe??
Believe God will equip you for the challenge - Believe God develops character to match the given assignment.


Believe you're not prepared for the assignment, when He calls you. That way you are open to all the adjustments He wants you to make without clogging the path with your own ideas of growth.

Believe He wants you to respond immediately- this is God's timing, not yours. He will build you into what you need to be in order to complete the assignment for His glory.

Believe God has a right to interrupt your life any time He wants to....If He uses a big assignment for you He will expand your character to match.



Father, help me to respond to you the moment You speak to me. Teach me your timing. Develop my character to match the assignment You have for me. I have accepted you as Lord of my life, you have the right to interrupt my life. You are my LORD. Amen






Friday, July 10, 2009

Experiencing God...Day 9





God Speaks to His people


When did God speak to His people??

God spoke:

----in times past - through the prophets

----these last days - by His Son



John 14:26 Jesus promises that the Father would send...the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, in his name...

The work of the Holy Spirit is -


'to teach you all things and remind you of everything I have said to you.'



The one who hears what God says - belongs to Him

The one who doesn't hear Him does not belong to God




When Jesus returned to Heaven, God sent the Holy Spirit: He speaks to us:


--through the Bible,
Prayer,
circumstances and
the church (other believers)


He wants us to know Him! It's not a big secret! He longs to:


--reveal Himself, His purposes and His ways




The Key to knowing God's voice is all in the intimate relationship...


--God does not use a "formula"-- you have to actively and fully desire the relationship
Need more assurance, need some"time"?

--Asking for a sign signals unbelief

--Scripture is good but shouldn't be totally relied on as a 'sign'. Only the Holy Spirit can reveal God's Truth of Scripture to you for a particular circumstance.




Father, I pray that I will grow in my relationship with You so much that when you speak, I will immediately hear and respond. Amen

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Experiencing God...Day 8



God takes the Initiative....will you answer the call??


He reveals Himself. It is an invitation to join Him. You can't remain the same afterward. You have to make major adjustments in your life to walk obediently with Him.


Are you READY?!?


When you are God-centered, even the desires to do the things that please Him come from Him! His activity in your life stirs the wants and desires to join him...


Phil 2:13---


"It is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.."


A self-centered life tends to confuse its selfish desires with God's will. Circumstances do not always indicate clear direction.



I used to say if God opens the door, I'll walk through it. But, I don't say that any more because sometimes doors open and allow for free will. You really need to check what you presume to be God's guidance and check it with honest prayer, Scripture, and circumstances to see if they all agree.


Learning to Walk with God


1. Sincerely seek God's direction


2. Patiently wait on God until you have a word from Him.


3. Look to the Holy Spirit to teach through Scripture.



DO NOT


1. Lack honesty in your heart. Convincing yourself that God's will is your will will only lead to more problems.


2. Lack uprightness before God. He always knows your heart.


3. Be impatient. God's timing is always better than yours. Look how long Abraham had to wait or Moses, or Elizabeth...odds are you will not have to be patient as long as them, but you do have to be patient.


4. Prefer council of men to the Word of God. Although God does speak to us through other believers, you should never seek their council over His. It may seem right when people agree with you or give you a quick fix to your circumstances, but a true friend or believer will encourage you to rely on the Father, not man.


Start today by getting your heart in such a state that it no longer has a will of it's own. Sure we all have free will but don't use that as a crutch for your sin-nature..


Align your heart with God so your will aligns with His. When your heart is right you no longer reach for that free-will ticket...all you want is God's will!



When your will is the same as God's will



that is truly FREE-will!



John 8:32



"And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”




Father, I no longer seek my own will. I give up my free will and pray to be in such a state that I have no will of my own in any given matter. Let Your will be my will, and let Your will be done. Amen

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Experiencing God...Day 7

GOD's Plan


Understanding what God is about to do where I am is more important than telling God what I want to do for Him.


Remember, God delivered His people out of Egypt, not Moses.


God is not glorified or impressed by making our plans succeed...He receives His Glory when His will is done in HIS way.


Psalm 81:10-14 tells us "if my people would but listen....."

Don't be satisfied with your own plan, assume God has a better one for you!

Things to remember:


--God will accomplish more in 6 months through people yielded to Him then we could do in 60 years without Him.


--I am God's servant. I adjust my life to what He is about to do, not the other way around.


--Just do it GOD's way....


Father, Today I pray that you will guide my responses to you in my personal life, in my work, in my family, in my community, in my church, and in my nation. Help me adjust my life to what you are about to do. I yield to you. Amen

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Experiencing God...Day 6


Looking to God....


"Some trust in chariots,
and some in horses,
But we trust in the name of the Lord our GOD"


I am constantly amazed at the love and patience of our Father!
We, being the self-centered, sinful beings that we are, have to constantly remind ourselves that it's not all about us....or about what we can do for Him. We can do NOTHING for Him.


I am not just talking about what can I do for God today. That sounds prideful, like you're doing Him a favor.


I am talking about: How can I position myself to be present in God's activity and accept His invitation to work THROUGH me.


That being said, I am focusing on:

* God's purposes - not my own, or my own thoughts of how He should work through me.

* I must seek His perspective rather than from my own distorted human outlook.

* I must wait until He shows me what He is about to do through me.

* I must watch to see what He is doing around me and join HIM.


Father, I pray to pursue your purposes and not my own. I pray to focus on You and not on my self. I pray to see what you are doing and be willing to join you without hesitation. I thank you for your never-ending patience with me. Amen.

Monday, June 29, 2009

Vacation....Maine Coast

Just got back from a mini-vacation on the Maine Coast.
God's Majesty surely shines in the oceans.
No other words are necessary... Hope you enjoy the pictures!














Thursday, June 25, 2009

Experiencing God...Days 4, 5

I am going to combine Days 4 and 5 today because the workbook uses it in 2 parts and because I cannot post tomorrow. I am extremely busy today (trying to buy a house! packing for vaca! running daycare! managing family!- deep breath, exhale) but I wanted to get this posted for you:)



God called Moses, He invited him to join Him...




When God is about to do something, He reveals it to His people. He wants to accomplish His work through His people. When He's about to do something through you, He need to get you from where you are to where He is - NOT the other way around - so He tells you what He's doing ... Join Him

The Bible is designed to help us understand Him. Then when God starts to act in your life, you will recognize that it's Him...Accept the invitation!

Are you in?!?

Change is necessary...You cannot stay who you are and join Him.


God uses the insignificant to accomplish SIGNIFICANT things...think Moses, Elijah, Mary, the boy with the fish and bread....it goes on and on....
You are INSIGNIFICANT.
Do you feel weak, limited, or ordinary...you're just right for the job. You see God's standards are not our standards! He doesn't look at what we can accomplish FOR Him, He looks at what He can accomplish THROUGH us!

"When you believe nothing significant can happen through you, you have said more about your belief in God than you have declared about yourself." --Blackaby

You see, my dear sisters--- You are not being humble you are being disrespectful and unbelieving! Yikes!!

Bet you didn't see that one coming!! I sure didn't when I read it.



Father, Thank you for revealing to me what You are about to do. I accept your invitation to join You where You are. I realize I can't stay where I am and go with You and I know You can do anything with an ordinary person who is consecrated to You. Here I am!...I am so thankful Your standards are different from the world's. I wholly yield to Your invitation to be pleasing to You even if it means being insignificant in the eye's of the world. Amen.
Many blessings to you all--Beth





Please visit Proverbs31 Wisdom

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Experiencing God...Day 3




Learning to Be a Servant of God

The servant by worldly means is merely one who finds out what the master wants and does it. A lot of people think that's the godly definition, too.


Think again...


A Servant by godly definition is one who God works THROUGH for a purpose.

To be a servant of God, you must first be moldable, and be RESPONSIVE to the Master.

And, secondly, you must REMAIN in the Potter's hands. Even though the Potter has stopped making the pot, it still can do nothing on its own.


An effective servant will:


--Relate to God

-----Respond to Him

-----------Adjust his life to Him so that he can do what he wants to do through your life!


Father, You are the Great Potter and I am the lowly clay. I want to be molded by you and remain in your hands for you to work through. Help me relate to You, respond to You, and adjust my life to You so You can do what You want through me. I don't want to just do something, I am standing here for You! Amen


Thanks for stopping by---Elizabeth

Monday, June 22, 2009

Experiencing God...Day 2



Jesus Is Your Model


Always go to the Bible and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth of your situation to you.
Experiences alone cannot be your guide!
Every event must be understood and interpreted by the Scriptures.
Get rid of your feelings - they are deceptive. Look to see what God says and how He works in the Scriptures.
Make your decisions and evaluate your experiences based on Biblical Truths.
God doesn't change (Malachi 3:6) He will lead the way.
Worldly solutions, programs, and methods cannot solve spiritual problems. God's Word is the only guide on how to live life.
Have you ever asked God what is His will for your life. Blackaby says we are probably getting the right answer but asking the wrong question. The question we should be asking is "what is God's will (period)." Learn God's will and adjust your life to Him.
Follow Jesus' model. He perfectly completed every assignment given to him by God.
Jesus watched where His Father was at work and joined Him!
Let's remember these truths as we go about today:
1. The Bible is my guide for Faith and Practice.
2. The right question is "What is God's Will?"
3. Watch to see where God is working and join Him.
4. God is always at work around me.
It's personal! Get personal with God. Start that loving relationship today!

Father, Today I want to ask the right question: "What is Your will?" I expect an answer because your Words assures me of it. You have always led other in the Scriptures and I know you will lead me. I will be watching to see where you are working so I can join in. Help me to recognise you as you work around me today and follow the model of my Savior Jesus. Alone I can accomplish nothing but with you I can accomplish anything! Amen

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Experiencing God...Day 1


I am so excited to share my walk through :


Experiencing God



with you. I hope it will encourage you to begin your own study. The materials are not too expensive and you don't have to have a small group. We can group and share right here.



Let's begin---The study is broken into 12 units with 5 days study for each unit. I am not planning on doing a study every day but will try to do 5 each week as time and spirit allow.




The first unit is -- "God's Will and Your life"


I am not the best at memorizing but I can do it with His help. So, I find it works best for me to focus on key words and then memorize it in pieces using those key words to anchor it all together.




Memory Verse:


John 15:5


"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."


Day 1--Jesus is your way


Blackaby notes that Real Christianity is ...a relationship with a Person. We are to pursue an intimate love relationship with God.


Step 1 - A relationship with Jesus. Now is the time to commit yourself to Jesus and accept him as your Savior. If you are not sure how to do this please click the big, RED ready button on my side-bar.


This is the first step because Spiritual matters can only be understood by those who have the Spirit of Christ. If you are not filled with the Spirit, none of this will make any sense to you.


As John 14:26 tells us the Holy Spirit will be your personal teacher!


The 7 goals of this course are:


1. Hear when God speaks to you

2. Clearly identify His activity i your life

3. Believe Him to be and do everything He promised

4. Adjust your beliefs, character, and behavior to Him and His ways

5. Recognize a direction he is taking in your life and identify what He wants to do through your life

6. Clearly know what you need to do in response to His activity in your life.

7. Experience God doing through you what only He can do!



How exciting is that!!!


Finally let's concentrate on what I found to be the most inspiring part of today's activity and that was that Jesus is the MAP!


He knows all the paths that lead to a certain destination in our lives. You don't need the map or the GPS (stop being a backseat driver!)




You just need to trust that He knows the way and to TURN when He tells you to - no questions asked!


You can probably already guess one of the key versus for today:


John 14:6 "I am the way and the truth and the life."


When you don't trust in Him to guide you at every step, you will have fear and worry over each and every decision you have to make.


We need to focus on "What does God want me to do TODAY?" Not tomorrow or next week. I think a lot of us spend way too much time worrying about tomorrow when we are totally lost about today.


Our goal should be to follow God day by day so He will keep you in the center of His will.


Claim this verse today:


Phil 2:13


"It is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose"



Father, I know if I follow you I can be in the center of Your will. Please make that a priority for me and help me to stop looking for the big map and just turn when I'm told to. Thank you for providing the Way and help me to know what you want me to do TODAY. All for Your glory...Amen



Thanks for stopping by--- Elizabeth

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

The Journey....humility

1 Peter 5:6-7


6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,


7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.



I've often wondered why God put these verses in this order. It seemed a bit backward to me. So there must be something more to it that I wasn't getting.


God's mighty hand tells us He is in control of everything to ultimately accomplish His purpose. One thing we all need to work on is patience. God humbles us through the experiences we face - thus the purpose of each journey.


I think as wives and moms we can sometimes get down and feel unappreciated. We do a lot and though we may all preach humility, let's be honest - it's nice to be acknowledged once and a while....


My husband has a wonderful way of putting me in my place when I fish for a compliment. He can do it in a way that lets me know he appreciates me yet rebukes me for my pride.


I think this is what our Lord does. He wants us to feel good about what we're doing but rebukes us when we fish for a compliment. You see, dear reader, compliments are self-glorifying. It means the reason for doing it was to feel appreciated, not to glorify God.


But, do not give up yet. The passage continues to tell us that He will exalt us in His time.
Moms will, in time, be fully exalted for all their hard work. Before you think no one appreciates you, remember He does. He's the one who give you the job.


He has given us the hardest, worst paying, sometimes most thankless, job there is (in a worldly sense). Further, He expects us to do it with humility, grace, no appreciation, no pay, and with a servant's heart.


Pay? We will get paid in full, at Heaven's gate.


The verses aren't misplaced. They are right in line to the way we are to think. God knew there would be times of impatience, despair, and discouragement. He told us to cast those feeling off onto Him. Throw them like dirty laundry and know His plan is already in motion.


Submit, be humble, and trust that His plan is way better than your plan.


Those are 3 very important areas to work on for victorious Christian Living.


Thanks for stopping by----Elizabeth

Monday, June 15, 2009

The Books are here!!!! Feeling Retro!

The Books are here - The BOOKS are here!


My church is holding weekly Bible study on the Blackaby series -

Experiencing GOD

I have provided a link for these, and I thought we could share this study with you :


Experiencing God




I was so excited to get these. They arrived in 2 days and I didn't even use express shipping!

I also bought the workbook "damaged" and the only thing wrong was some rubbing marks on the spine!





So, while I was saving all that cash on damaged items I got the Youth Edition for my 14 year-old. I'm not sure if our youth pastor is going to take them on this or if he will just study independently with us.

I will be sure to devote at least one day a week to this study! Adult and Youth. I hope everyone is up for it - I've heard it's wonderful:)




Here is a site from my mom. It is just a bunch of pictures of retro items - and by retro I mean 50s-60s not 70s all you young girls! LOL

I think you will enjoy looking at them - I did! Those kitchens looked just like ours and I can still remember going to Woolworth's for a hot cocoa on special days, TV dinners, drive-in movies, of coarse, I was just a baby then...... - Wow, takes me back!

Hope you enjoy it!

RetroLife











Thanks for stopping by---

Elizabeth

Friday, June 12, 2009

Flag Day Freebies....Homeschool....Pic of the week



Flag Day is this Sunday. I always remember this because it's my parent's Anniversary (51 years!!)

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!!


And here are some great home school freebies for you.

Home school Helper offers a free mini unit study on the flag.

Here is a USA flag fact sheet.

Here is a Pledge of Allegiance activity sheet.

US flag.org offers a lesson in folding the flag.

You can take a virtual tour of the Betsy Ross House at this link.

Read about Betsy Ross's life here.

Did you know you can cut a star in one snip? Betsy Ross did, and you can learn how here.

Here is a really great timeline of the American flag.

Learn about flag rules and regulations.





Sage in full bloom. Yes, it really is this color!
Stop by Everything Sage for information and recipes using Sage!





Thanks for stopping by!
Please check out my other blogs for:




Coffee House


and Friday Fun Night!


Wednesday, June 10, 2009

The Homeschooler's 23rd Psalm






The Homeschooler's 23rd Psalm
Saturday/June 6, 2009: Daily Focus

"I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep" (John 10:11).

The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want.


He maketh me to live on less sleep:
He leadeth me through the noise of many voices.

He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me to teach
The right lessons each day, for His name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of undone
Laundry and kitchen messes, I will fear no evil:
For thou art with me, my teacher's guides and
Answer keys, they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence
Of threatening school officials and critical family members:
Thou anointest my head with heavenly wisdom, my cup runneth over.

Surely educated and godly children shall follow after me
All the days of my life: and I will dwell again one day
In a clean house with the Lord forevermore.

Praise God, we do have a good Shepherd who leads us through every homeschooling problem and provides for our every need. Best of all, our Shepherd knows us and promises never to desert us when the wolf comes seeking to destroy (John 10:11-13). As we listen to the Shepherd's voice and follow Him, we are sure to receive a great reward, as we reach the peaceful green pastures of Christ-like, educated children. "And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away" (1 Peter 5:4).

Father, how I praise You for leading my children and me in the path of homeschooling. Without You, we surely would be confused and lost. We come to You again this day and pray for Your continued blessings as we follow You. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Day 4 - TOP 10 Be On GUARD!

Are you living---


Day 1 - Godly vs. Gaudy

Day 2 - The Great Closet Clean-Out

Day 3 - The Great MIND Clean-Out






Romans 12:1,2 gives us sure guidelines to what should enter our bodies...









1 "...by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.





Here are 10 things you can fix right now that will increase modesty in your walk today-I could blog a week on each of these.....

  1. Guard your wallet. When it comes to purchases watch out for excessive purchases of makeup, hair products, etc. Who are you impressing??



  2. Guard your mirror. Would you wear that outfit at the gates of Heaven? Would you wear that wedding dress to be married to Jesus?



  3. Guard your coffee table. Throw out any magazines whose main focus is on celebrities, gossip, sex, or all-about-me articles.



  4. Guard your TV. Turn off TV shows you would not watch if Jesus was sitting next to you (because He is).



  5. Guard your personal reading time. Toss all fantasy and romance novels, even Christian ones that motivate you to daydream and covet another's life.



  6. Guard your computer. Stop visiting and Delete any Internet sites in your favorites that are not godly or promote ungodly behavior.



  7. Guard your relationships. Stop building relationships on-line and off-line that take you away from your family duties. It's fine to comment or discuss with a nice group or on blogs or join a pray group, but it should not provide an 'escape' from your daily life or encourage ungodly behavior like gossip, nagging spouses, or coveting.



  8. Guard your thoughts. That means staying busy! Idle hands definitely the devil's tool.



  9. Guard your mouth. Watch what you say. That doesn't just mean gossip, it means foul language and ungodly topics, laughing at jokes made in poor humor, and forwarding ungodly e-mails to un-believing friends.



  10. Guard your heart. That means renewing your mind constantly and without ceasing. This can only be accomplished on way - by being IN THE WORD every day!


    An immodest mind shows a heart willing to flirt with the world.




Without careful discernment you will not be alert to effects the world has on you. One area is hard enough to maintain, as godly women we need to maintain ALL of them (and that of our young'uns).


1 Corinthians 6:19-20 reminds us of some very important things:



19Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.




Who are you honoring??

Thanks for stopping by. I hope today's message has been encouraging to you. Please feel free to comment and tell me how God has been working in your life and if you have found new changes to gain modesty.

Waiting at the door---Elizabeth


A little something extra....

Trouble with math??
Here's a simple trick for learning the 9's times table:

9 times table tricks

Monday, June 8, 2009

Day 3 -- Cleaning out your Mind

Happy Monday!

Ready for the next challenge - today we prepare for :


The Great Mind Clean-Out!!



Challenge 3 will be easier for some than others. Parts of it will take no time at all, but some parts may take a lot of time. It all depends how many bad habits, my dear reader, that you have! And, since we are dealing with your MIND you are the only one who knows what's really in there.



Take a moment and read on to see if you are hiding any "dirty laundry" or "out-of-style" behaviors in the closet of your mind....



Colossians 3:2 and 5 tells us:



"Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things...



Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly



nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. "


You may take a quick glance and think you've got no worries, but let's dig a little deeper and see if there are areas that need addressing...

Matthew 15:11
"It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man."

The trouble is what happens after it enters you, gets processed and comes out. That is is what Paul is warning us about. But we all know that what we hear and see stays with us, good or bad, and it is up to us as PROVERBS 31 WOMEN to guard what is in front of our eyes and ears and that of our families.


Everything that goes into through the eyes or ears runs through the same simple process...it all starts with...

1. What goes into the mind - via books, TV, radio, Internet, talking with others

2. What is within the mind - What you meditate on, think about, dwell on

3. What comes out of the mind - your attitude, conduct, demeanor and of coarse, the words you speak

Your CHALLENGE today and for the better part of this week is to look at what is around you, and take note of what influences your decisions for TV, radio, Internet, books, magazines. What are your family members devoting their time to???

*Do you read romance novels or watch afternoon (or evening) dramas and soap operas?
*Do you spend huge amounts of time building relationships on-line that are not with Christians?
*Do you read magazines that promote idolatry of money and fame?
*Do you enjoy "reality shows" that use profanity, encourage hateful behavior, and gossip...and promote cheering for someone to get "fired", all for ratings?
*Do you watch shows that promote a "view" point that is not Christian?
*Do you listen to music that has profanity, violence, or bad behavior promoted through out it?

If you find that you have slipped in some of these areas, don't be too hard on yourself.

It happens to the best of us...
I while back my husband and I used to watch a simple cooking reality show. Until one day we actually watched and said --this is really not a show we would watch if Christ were sitting here with us....needless to say our viewing choices have changed - drastically!!!

One book that helped us clarify what is "of the world" was:

Worldliness: Resisting the Seduction of a Fallen World




Take note and we will continue this closet-cleaning tomorrow with a TOP 10 list you won't want to miss....

Top 10 Modesty Quick-Fixes!

Meanwhile, drop me a comment and let me know how it's going. Are you taking the modesty challenge, have you neglected any areas in the past that are now clean??

Thanks for stopping by------
Elizabeth

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Modesty - Check Please!


As spring unfolds and as summer draws nearer, families around the nation are turning their thoughts to sunnier days, warmer temperatures and spending more time outdoors. For some values-minded parents however, generally parents of tweens and teens and particularly of girls, a sense of uneasiness is taking hold as they consider the types of clothing they will allow their kids to wear this summer that actually fit their description of modesty. Anticipation of arguments to come can lead these parents to a full-blown sense of anxiety.

But, psssst… let me whisper so that your kids won’t hear… modesty has made a comeback in our culture and this year it’s likely to make a parent’s job at least a bit easier.

Read the article in full at Modesty Makes a Comeback
We are to present ourselves as godly women
not gaudy women!


“A chaste, pure woman can draw others to the Savior (1 Peter 3:1-2). As women we can either choose to highlight our female body by wearing teasing or revealing clothes or we can choose to draw attention to our soul and to our Lord.”
--Wanda Kennedy Sanseri, God's Priceless Woman: A Bible Course for All Ages

Read my full article on this at Proverbs31 Wisdom

Thanks for stopping by please see my other blog at:

Monday, June 1, 2009

Pure or Dirty - What's on Your Mind??



Titus 2:4-5 tells us:



4 Then they can train 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.

HAGNOS defined:


Found in the New Testament:


1 time - Chaste (1 Peter 3:2 "when they see the purity and reverence of your lives")


1 time - Free from sin (1 Tim 5:22 "Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. ")


1 time - Innocent (2 Cor. 7:11"See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be pure in this matter.")


5 times - Pure (2 Cor 11:2 "For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin";


Phil 4:8 " Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things";


Titus 2:5 (above);
James 3:17 "But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy";


1John 3:3 "And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure."


I would like to encourage everyone to read and meditate on these. Notice these versus are not all about women. Plenty of the information is about all Believers.



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Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Top 10....Don't Give Up!



Are you having a tough day homeschooling??? Before you throw in the towel read this great list from Camille Kendall at TOS.

Top 10 Reasons Not to Give Up!
  1. If you stop homeschooling and enroll your children at the school down the road, you will have to have them all up, dressed, fed, and outside waiting for the bus by 6:45 every weekday morning with their books and school supplies in tow. Personally, with seven school-age children living under one roof, I don't think that is humanly possible.
  2. If you stop homeschooling, you will have to graciously endure comments such as, "I knew that homeschooling thing was a totally hare-brained idea. It's good to see you finally came to your senses and decided to do the rational thing." Of course, such comments will come repeatedly and enthusiastically from those unsympathetic relatives who have offered so little help and encouragement all along.
  3. Those same dear relatives will also offer the following words of comfort: "Now your kids can finally be normal." Gack! Now there's one compelling reason to NOT give up! Visit your local shopping mall on a Saturday night, take a long look around, and ask yourself if you really want your kids to become "normal."
  4. At our house, homeschooling means our children have a diverse people group influencing and shaping their lives--70-year-old grandparents, 90-year-old WWII veterans, middle-aged farmers, college professors, trapping buddies, young cousins, and children of family friends. Giving up and going the more "normal" route would mean limiting their peer group primarily to a knot of same-aged friends with little life experience, diversity, or wisdom.
  5. If you give up and send the kids away to school, who will feed and take care of the chickens? And the horses? And the cow? And the family dogs and cats? Who will check the boys' trap line every day, and who will tend the bees and cultivate the orchard? Who will help with the 4-5 loads of daily laundry, and who will cut and split firewood for the fireplace? Do you really want to take ALL THAT RESPONSIBILITY on yourself?
  6. If you give up, just think of the educational opportunities you will miss. Already in my homeschool "career," I've mastered advanced algebra, discovered the difference between world history and the history of Western Civilization, contemplated Plato, recited Samuel Taylor Coleridge, conjugated a verb in a foreign language, learned a few basic principles of economics . . . oooooooh, this is just way too much fun to give it up!
  7. Babies are beautiful; toddlers are terrific; pre-schoolers are precious; elementaries are exciting; pre-teens are precocious; high schoolers are absolutely fantastically amazing. Do you really want to miss even one single stage of this incredible journey?
  8. I can't think of anything more intensely sanctifying than living together in the crucible of shared family experiences. In this context, none of us can escape the reality of our own sinfulness, and none of us has the opportunity to go too long without the correction, compassion, and/or encouragement of a brother or sister or parent or child. Each of us is challenged by those around us--those who observe us constantly and who see us without a facade--to align our practice with our faith, to love our Lord and our neighbor "not in word or in tongue, but in deed and truth." Call it Extreme Sanctification: Homeschool Edition. Where else will you find so many daily opportunities to run to the cross, to repent and to rest in the sufficiency of the work of Christ, if you give up homeschooling?
  9. Homeschooling is an investment not only in your children, but in their children, and in their grandchildren after them. It is an investment in your church and your community, and in the churches and communities and countries where your descendants will live and have influence as adults. Imagine the long-term "returns" of continued investment over a lifetime--and don't give up!
  10. What would you give this homeschool labor up for--what would you have instead? A clean, quiet, orderly house? A career and a sense of relevance in the broader culture? Another income for your financially-strapped family? Time to develop underused talents and pursue suppressed dreams? I would have given up homeschooling for all of these and more at different points in the journey, but God in His good providence thwarted me. Now, with two adult children and more on the very brink of manhood and womanhood, what encouragement can I offer to NOT give up? Persevere, for the rewards truly will far, far outweigh the costs. Words cannot express the joy and the humble amazement that is mine when I look at the children God has given me and consider the men and women they are becoming--nor can words convey the depth of gratitude I feel for God's allowing me--even constraining me--to participate in His purposes for them.
Thanks for stopping by!


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