Why We Go To Church

Why we go to church is really simple.

God gave Moses the 10 commandments and one of them said to Keep the Sabbath Day Holy.

Exodus 20:8  Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.

Jesus went to Church.  According to scripture it was His custom to go to church on the Sabbath. 

Luke 4:16  He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom....

The Bible tells us that we are to imitate what we see God do. 

Ephesians 5:1  Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children

John 5:19  Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.

John 10:30 I and the Father are one.”

There you have it, that is my simple explanation of why I believe that Christians should go to church.  God said keep the Sabbath Holy.  Jesus kept it Holy by going to church.  We, as believers are supposed to do what we see God and Jesus do.

Jesus went to church and so should we.

Following Truth, Rejecting Lies

The summer my son went off to camp for the first time was a HUGE deal for me.  Other than the occasional night at the Grandparents or to a very close friends house my kids are always home with us.  I don't let them stay away from me very often and more than one night has happened only once before and that was with their Grandparents. 

I packed my son's Bible with a little note from me (his loving mother) securely tucked inside and sticking out only enough that he could see it telling him how proud I was and how much I loved him. 

When he came home and I was helping him unpack, I pulled his Bible out of the suitcase.  "So, did you read your Bible every day"? I asked.  "Yes"  he responded.  "What did you read?"  I inquired.  Then he went on to tell me some things that he had read.  As I looked at his Bible I noticed the note still inside, still in the same set of scripture, and still sticking out the same amount as I had fixed it the week before.  "So, did you get my note that I left you"?  I said.  "NOTE?"  My son questioned.  "Yes, my note I wrote for you".  I said  By this time it was obvious that he not only hadn't read my note but that he probably hadn't even opened his Bible the whole week he had been gone. 

After some talking he confessed that although he had intended to, he just hadn't gotten around to spending time in the Word.  I was bothered that he hadn't taken the time to read but even more than that was that he had lied when first asked.  He assumed he would get in trouble if he hadn't read and to avoid that or any conflict he chose poorly in telling his momma a lie, a fib, or whatever you want to call it.

The Bible clearly says that God and Jesus are TRUTH. 

John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

It also clearly says that the Devil is a LIAR. 

John 8:44  You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

It is important for our children to tell the truth.  The Bible also says that a tree is known by it's fruit.  So is a person known by the fruit they bear whether it be good or corrupt. 

Matthew 12:33  Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.

I do as Stormie Omartian said she always did with her children and I pray and ask to show me what I need to see or know about my kids that may not be out in the open.  I ask God to show me the secret things and I also ask Him to make my Spirit sensitive to His leading.  God will show us what we need to see and know if we will ask and wait on Him.

Have you ever encountered lying with your children?


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From the Book

(The following are quotes and passages from Stormie Omartian in her book "The Power of a Praying Parent")

The more lies you tell, the more you place in your heart to Satan's lying spirit, until eventually you can't stop yourself from lying.

Stormie says she prays and asks God to reveal to her anything she needs to know about her children.

Proverbs 12:22  The Lord detests lying lips,  but he delights in people who are trustworthy.

Snow and a Leaf Pile

Just wanted to share a couple pictures of my son having fun outside over the past few weeks. 

My Youngest son got to play in the snow - complete with sledding, building a small snow man and a "snow day" from school before we had a chance to make a leaf pile for him to play in. 

October 30th

November 16th

Proverbs 31 Woman - A Different View

As I have mentioned before some friends and I have just finished up doing the Proverbs 31 Bible study through Good Morning Girls.  I have learned so much about myself and my friends throughout the course of the study.  I have heard from some people that the Proverbs 31 woman is not an achievable goal, that we will never be like her.  I have been told by some friends that they don't feel like they measure up to her or others of us doing the study and to that I have a little different view to add.  I am not adding to scripture just simply looking at the Proverbs 31 woman in a little different light so that those of you who think you can never be like her may possibly change your thinking.  I believe we can be like her - if we want - if we focus on God first and trust Him for guidance.  I also believe we should want to be like her, as a Christian woman, as wives and mothers - we should desire to have her same qualities and traits and should look to her as a mentor, role model and example for our own lives.

We all need to remember that only God is perfect and while we compare ourselves with this beautiful Proverbs 31 woman we need to realize this list describes her "good" qualities.  Is it at all possible that there was a different side to this strong woman?  I believe so. 

She was human just like we are and I am sure she had rough, lazy, I just don't want to do this kind of days.  There could have been days that she slept late, over slept or went back to bed.  I would venture to say she had days that her plans failed and she accomplished next to nothing even though she had high hopes for the day.  I am sure she had days that her children and husband got to hear her fuss or complain about not being appreciated for all she did and possibly she snapped at them in anger from time to time.  She could have on occasion slipped and said something hurtful to a friend or family member.  She probably had days that she burned her dinner or lacked the necessary ingredients she needed to prepare her families food for the day. It's totally possible that she spent more money than she should have on an "impulse" buy while shopping.  

If you think that this view of the Proverbs 31 Woman just couldn't be true look at Jesus.  He was Perfect but while He was on the earth He was human.  He got mad at the people selling in the Temple and overturned their tables (John 2 and Mark 11:15-19).  He got upset with His disciples for not staying awake and keeping watch while He went to pray (Matthew 26:40).  He had real human emotions and feelings just like the Proverbs 31 woman and just like you and me.   

BUT just as this scripture (Proverbs 31:10-31) doesn't focus on that aspect of her life - neither should we focus on that part of our own life. 

If you have a bad day or a bad week don't let that get you down.  You can do this and so can I. 
Determine where you need work, pray and ask God for help and start now to change that area for the better as you work your way towards being the Proverbs 31 Woman.  If there is one thing I know for sure it's that I need help doing this.  I can't be the best person, wife or mom that I want to be or am supposed to be on my own.  The Bible says that with God ALL things are possible (Matthew 19:26). 

What are your thoughts on the Proverbs 31 woman?

My friend Dee wrote a beautiful summary of the Bible Study over on her blog and I encourage you to check it out.  Click HERE to read her post.

AWESOME Tub and Shower Cleaner

My mother always said that blue dawn dish liquid was good for just about everything and she was right.  Between it and white vinegar I have an arsenol of money saving homemade cleaners.  Today I am sharing one of my new favorite mixtures. 

Equal Parts of Regular Dawn Dish Liquid and White Vinegar mixed together makes an awesome tub and shower cleaner.  It cuts the soap scum and dirt so easily that you hardly have to put any "elbow grease" into it.  I like to spray it on, leave it set just a couple minutes then use a wet Mr. Clean magic eraser to clean with.   

I mixed mine in a spray bottle and Margo from Joyful Homemaking mixes hers in a dish scrubber wand.  I have been known to just mix mine in a small bowl as well.  This can also be used on appliances, sinks, etc...

 

 

 

Pumpkin Pie Spice

I have spent a lot of time this fall baking pumpkin recipes and sharing them here on my blog. 

 

I found this recipe for pumpkin pie spice over at The Purposeful Mom blog and wanted to share it with you as well.

 

Do you have any homemade spice mixtures that you make??

 

Cheesy Potato Soup

 

This soup is quick and simple to make and is very tasty.  This is basically my regular potato soup recipe but I change it up several ways to make different soups.  I will tell you about them in a later post. 

 

Ingredients:

Potatoes - diced

Carrots - I like to use either canned or shredded carrots

1 onion - chopped

Water

Chicken Bouillon or chicken broth

Cream of Chicken Soup

Milk or Cream - either work great

Cornstarch

Velveeta Cheese

Salt

Pepper

Red Pepper Flakes

 

In a large pot I put water, potatoes, carrots, onions, chicken broth or bouillon, salt, pepper and pepper flakes and cook until potatoes are tender.  Then I add in 1 can cream of chicken soup and either 1 can of cream or about 1 cup of milk that I have mixed cornstarch with to the mixture.  The cornstarch mixed with the milk will make your soup thicken up.  Reduce your heat and add in however much Velveeta cheese you want.  I cut it up in small cubes so it will melt faster and I usually use about 1/2 of one of the large blocks for my large pot of soup. 

 

We like to eat ours with oyster crackers.

 

Check out some of my other soup recipes here.

 

Proverb 31 Bible Study

I mentioned back several weeks ago that I was leading a Good Morning Girls Bible Study group on the Proverbs 31 Woman.  Well after 10 weeks of digging deeper into God's Word we are finishing up the study this week.  I have learned so much about myself, my friends and what God expects of us as women, wives and mothers through this study.  

This is definitely a study that I will revisit yearly just to refresh my vision and purpose.  In the past I have read these verses many times but I had never really studied it until now.  My eyes have been opened to many things that I am supposed to be and do.  I have realized area's where I do well at my calling and area's that need A LOT of work.  I also now know the kind of woman I am to teach my son's to look for in a wife according to scripture.

If you would like to do the Proverbs 31 study through Good Morning Girls you still can.  Simply go Here and Check out their archives at the bottom of the pages for the study.  It comes complete with a P31 ebook, blog posts and video's, and a scripture reading schedule.  I know you will be blessed by the study. 

Being the Person God Created

Week 10

Becoming The Person God Created

Wouldn't it be great if we came with instructions when we were born that clearly stated what our future would look like and what God has created us to be?

I remember when I was in 8th grade we had to take tests and surveys to try and figure out what we were supposed to be when we grew up.  I thought it was silly then because at the age of 12 or 13 how in the world was I to know what I wanted to be.  I chose a career path and once in high school I was briskly heading down that path.  I took classes that were geared toward that career and spent a great deal of time working towards that goal. 

Flash forward about 20 years (shhhh, I know - I am old) and I am a MOM.  Proud to be a MOM and I know that this is where my calling is for this time in my life.  Those 8th grade plans never panned out and my life went in a totally different direction. 

The reason?  Prayer. My 8th grade plans were not covered in prayer or prayed about at all for that matter.

Throughout the past 14 years or so I have questioned my "JOB" as a MOM.  I have prayed for God to show me if I am supposed to do something different.  I even went back to work when my youngest started school and worked a part time job outside of my home for 3 years.  I prayed about that as well and felt it was where I was supposed to be for those 3 years.  God placed me in my job for that time to make a difference and I believe I did.  I quit that job with the blessing of my husband for several reasons but mostly because even though I had no children at home through the day - my heart, my job and true calling are right here at home.

While my job as a MOM is right where I believe God wants me, it would have been much easier to figure that out when I was younger if I had prayed about it or had others praying for me concerning my future.

It is so important for us to pray for our children to find out the direction that God wants for their lives and then encourage them in that so they will succeed. 

I want my children to have clear direction for their future and not question or doubt the path they are taking.  We make sure this doesn't happen by praying for them and with them about what God has created them to be.

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From the Book

(The following are quotes and passages from Stormie Omartian in her book "The Power of a Praying Parent")

We become the person God created us to be when we ask God for guidance and then do what He tells us to do. 

Pray for God to reveal to you what their gifts and talents are.  Along with that ask for wisdom as to how to best encourage, nurture, develop, and train them to be all God made them to be.  Helping them to appreciate their strengths and not dwell on their weaknesses was part of that. 

Pumpkin Dip

 

1 large can pumpkin pie filling

cinnamon and pumpkin spice - to taste

1 small box cheesecake instant pudding mix

1 small box vanilla instant pudding mix

1 8 oz. block cream cheese softened

1 small container cool whip

 

Combine all ingredients and mix until smooth and creamy.

 

**  Serve with Graham Cracker sticks

Check out my other pumpkin recipes by clicking here.

Disappointed in Man BUT Full of Hope in God

To say that I am disappointed in the people of our Country would be an understatement.  America as a whole is much better than it is being represented.

The election is over.  We have a President staying in office that in my opinion has not been good in any way for our Country.  

But what is a person to do?

* We are going to continue praying for our leaders. 

I Timothy 2:1 - 4  says I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— ² for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. ³ This is good, and pleases God our Savior, ⁴ who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

* We are going to continue trusting in God and His Power and Provision.

Proverbs 3:5 - 6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart;  do not depend on your own understanding.  ⁶ Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

Psalm 43:5 Why am I discouraged?  Why is my heart so sad?  I will put my hope in God!  I will praise him again—my Savior and my God!

Matthew 6:26 - 32 ²⁶ Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? ²⁷ Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?

²⁸ “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, ²⁹ yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. ³⁰ And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

³¹ “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ ³² These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.

* In the end, We WIN!

Colossians 2:9 - 15

For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,
¹⁰ and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. ¹¹ In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh^[a] was put off when you were circumcised by^[b] Christ, ¹² having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
¹³ When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you^[c] alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, ¹⁴ having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. ¹⁵ And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

I encourage you to put your hope and trust in God no matter if your candidate won or not.  We elected a leader for our country but God is still King of King's and He is still on His Throne.  Last nights election results did not change that. 

Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments. 

Developing a Hunger for the Things of God

Developing a Hunger for the Things of God

This is so important for us to pray for our children.  My husband and I pray this all the time for our boys.  We pray for them to have tender hearts to hear the voice of God.  We pray for them to always be receptive to His teaching and for them to always seek after God and His ways. 

We teach our children to have a hunger for the things and ways of God by:

• taking them to church regularly
• keeping them involved in children's/youth ministry at church
• praying with them
• praying for them
• taking time to do devotions with them
• reading God's Word with and to them
• living a life that honors God in front of them
• encouraging them always in their walk with God

The world is full of things and people that would love to see your children choose them over God but we must pray for them to love, respect and honor the Lord and to seek Him for direction in their lives.
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From the Book

(The following are quotes and passages from Stormie Omartian in her book "The Power of a Praying Parent")

Proverbs 10:27  Fear of the Lord lengthens one’s life,  but the years of the wicked are cut short.

Start right now by praying for your child to fear God, have faith in Him and His Word, and develop the kind of heart that seeks after Him.  This could be the determining factor in whether your child will have a constant struggle living in the flesh or be fulfilled and blessed living in the Spirit. 

Psalm 34:9  O fear the Lord, you His saints [revere and worship Him]! For there is no want to those who truly revere and worship Him with godly fear.

it's never too early to begin praying about this.  Don't wait another moment.

Pumpkin Roll

It's Friday and time for another Pumpkin recipe as we work our way towards Thanksgiving.  Yesterday evening I made 2 pumpkin rolls and 1 pumpkin bread and my house sure smelled good with the aroma of pumpkin and spice in the air. 

If you have never made a pumpkin roll and feel a bit intimidated to try it, don't be.  It really is pretty simple to do. 

 

Pumpkin Roll

3 eggs beaten well

1 cup sugar

1 cup pumpkin

1 Tblsp. cinnamon

1 Tblsp. lemon juice

3/4 cup self rising flour

 

Blend all ingredients together.

Spread ingredients on cookie sheet - see directions below.

 

How to Prepare Cookie Sheet

lightly spray with cooking oil spray

cover with wax paper - leaving "handles" on each end about a couple inches

lightly spray wax paper with cooking oil spray

 

After you have spread your pumpkin batter onto wax paper lined cookie sheet,

Bake 15 - 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

When finished baking you will flip the pumpkin roll out onto a dish towl that has been covered with confectioners sugar - using your wax paper "handles". 

Peel wax paper off and roll up in dish towl while hot.

Allow to cool completely then unroll, add icing and roll back up.

Thats it!  Your done!

 

Icing

2 Tblsp. soft butter

8 oz. block of softened cream cheese

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar

 

Check out my other pumpkin recipes here: Pumpkin Recipes

 

DIY Blue Jar Soap Dispenser

 

 

I have seen these beautiful soap dispensers for years but they cost a bit much for my taste.  This summer while visiting a friend I commented on her blue jar soap dispenser in her kitchen.  I told her how much I loved them but didn't want to pay a fortune for one.  It was then that she informed me that this one was homemade.  She went on to give me instructions on how to do it. 

What???  You can do that???  Oh yea!

So, I came home and told my dear husband all about this beautiful DIY soap pump.  Since I have a big supply of old blue jars already on hand it cost me $0.00 to make this (well for my husband to make it).

One blue jar. 
One dial hand soap pump - (I already had in the bathroom).
Drill.

*Simply remove or break out the porcelain inside of the lid and drill a hole in the lid the size you need for your pump to fit.  Then silicone around the inside of the pump and lid to make it hold and voila!

Fill with your favorite soap and you are in business! 

What creative ideas for DIY projects do you have?

Shared at www.repurposemylife.com