Christopher, I Promise

by Dorothy R. Colgan

I promise to give you the best of myself
and to ask of you no more than you can give.

I promise to respect you as your own person
and to realize that your interests, desires and needs
are no less important than my own.

I promise to share with you my time and my attention
and to bring joy, strength and imagination to our relationship.

I promise to keep myself open to you,
to let you see through the window of my world
into my innermost fears and feelings, secrets and dreams.

I promise to grow along with you,
to be willing to face changes in order to keep
our relationship alive and exciting.

I promise to love you in good times and bad,
with all I have to give and all I feel inside
in the only way I know how,
completely and forever.

A Strong Woman -Vs- A Woman Of Strength

A strong woman works out every day to keep her body in shape...
But a woman of strength kneels in prayer to keep her soul in shape.

A strong woman isn't afraid of anything...
But a woman of strength shows courage in the midst of fear.

A strong woman won't let anyone get the best of her...
But a woman of strength gives her best to everyone.

A strong woman makes mistakes and avoids the same in the future...
A woman of strength realizes life's mistakes can also be God's blessings and capitalizes on them.

A strong woman walks surefootedly...
But a woman of strength knows God will catch her when she falls.

A strong woman wears the looks of confidence on her face...
But a woman of strength wears grace.

A strong woman has faith that she is strong enough for the journey...
But a woman of strength has faith that it is in the journey that she will become strong.

By Cathy Berry

Watch Out!

Watch your thoughts--they become words.

Watch your words--they become actions.

Watch your actions--they become habits.

Watch your habits--they become character.

Watch your character--it becomes your destiny.

Wisdom

You can take the man in and feed him the fish or you can teach the man how to fish so he can provide for himself.

Birdcage

I love birdcages. I really don't know what the attraction is because I have never had a desire to own a bird.

What Kind Of Home Do You Have?

Here are some characteristics of the children in the Child-Centered home:

1. Interrupt adults when they are talking.

2. Use manipulation and rebellion to get their way.

3. Dictate family schedule. (include meal times, bedtimes, etc.)

4. Take precedence over the needs of the spouse.

5. Have an equal or overriding vote in all decision making matters.

6. Demand excessive time and attention from parent to the detriment of the other biblical responsibilities of the parents.

7. Escape the consequences of their sinful and irresponsible behavior.

8. Speak to parents as though they were peers.

9. Be the dominant influence in the home.

10. Be entertained and coddled (rather than disciplined) out of a bad mood.

Now contrast that with children in the God-centered home:

1. To joyfully serve others.

2. To cheerfully obey parents the first time.

3. To not interrupt parents who are speaking to each other.

4. To understand they will not always get their own way.

5. To work their schedule around their parents' schedule.

6. To have input into family decisions but not necessarily an equal vote.

7. To understand that God has given their parents other responsibilities in addition to meeting their needs.

8. To suffer the natural consequences of their sinful and irresponsible behavior.

9. To not speak to parents as though they were peers but honor them as spiritual authorities.

10. To esteem others as more important than themselves.

11. To fulfill various household responsibilities (chores).

12. To protect themselves from certain bad influences.

13. To not divide parents over disciplinary issues.

(List from 'The Heart of Anger' by Lou Priolo)

Praise God!

WE

ARE

FREE!


Happy Independence Day!

Random Quote

"It's not how busy you are, but why you are busy. The bee is praised. The mosquito is swatted."

Where Did The Time Go?

Do you ever feel like you have a billion things to do but not enough time to do them? (Just for fun, let's put a "billion" in perspective: One billion seconds ago it was 1959. One billion minutes ago...are you ready for this one? Jesus walked the earth!)

I always say, If only I had more time! There are so many things in life I need and want to do, but I feel stifled by the restraints of time. I know I don't use my time wisely. I am a slave to time and I have allowed it to be stolen from me more times than not. What a waste!

"So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12

We are never going to "find" more time, which is why we are commanded to use it wisely. (Ephesians 5:15,16) God has given you...sufficient time in each day for you to fulfill His perfect plan-including the interruptions!

"Those who make the worst of their time most complain about its shortness." La Bruyere

I need to manage my time better so I can be more efficient in concentration on the important things in life.

12 Sins We Blame On Others

It started in the Garden. Adam said to God, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate." Genesis 3:12

The first man, caught in the first sin, turns to blame his wife and then he extends the blame to God as well. He implies that he would have remained innocent if God hadn’t put Eve in the garden with him.

The blame-shifting in the Garden continues today. Our proud hearts send us desperately looking for someone else to point to every time we’re confronted with our own sin. There must be someone else—our spouse, sibling, parent, boss, co-worker, friend, or God himself. We are so desperate to justify ourselves that we become irrational.

Here are 12 examples:

1) Anger
I wouldn’t lose my temper if my co-workers were easier to get along with, or if my kids behaved better, or if my spouse were more considerate.

2) Impatience
I would be a very patient person if it weren’t for traffic jams and long lines in the grocery store. If I didn’t have so many things to do and if the people around me weren’t so slow, I would never become impatient!

3) Lust
I would have a pure mind if there weren’t so many sensual images in our culture.

4) Anxiety
I wouldn’t worry about the future if my life were just a little more secure—if I had more money and no health problems.

5) Spiritual Apathy
My spiritual life would be so much more vibrant and I wouldn't struggle with sin if my small group were more encouraging, or if Sunday school were more engaging, or if the music in the worship service were more lively, or if the sermons were better.

6) Insubordination
If my parents/bosses/elders were godly leaders, then I would joyfully follow them.

7) A Critical Spirit
It’s not my fault that the people around me are ignorant and inexperienced.

8) Bitterness
If you knew what that person did to me, you would understand my bitterness. How could I forgive something like that?

9) Gluttony
My wife/husband/roommate/friend is a wonderful cook! The things they make are impossible to resist.

10) Gossip
It’s the people around me who start the conversations. There’s no way to avoid hearing what others happen to say. And when others ask me questions, I can’t avoid sharing what I know.

11) Self-Pity
I’ll never be happy, because my marriage/family/job/ministry is so difficult.

12) Selfishness
I would be more generous if we had more money.

Making excuses like this is arrogant and foolish. It’s a proud way of trying to justify our actions and pacify our guilty consciences and it keeps us from humbling ourselves before God to repent of our sins and seek his forgiveness.

We have to accept the humbling truth that “each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.” This will end the blame game, and it will send us pleading for Christ’s mercy and grace.

Mother, Mom, Ma, Michele, Mimi.....

You gave me love as well as life; so whatever goodness I may bring to earth began with the gift of my mother's heart.

12 Rules to Live By - Robert Louis Stevenson

Make up your mind to be happy. Learn to find pleasure in simple things.

Make the best of circumstances. No one has everything and everyone has something of sorrow.

Don’t take yourself too seriously.

Don’t let criticism worry you. You can’t please everybody.

Don’t let your neighbors set your standards; be yourself.

Do things you enjoy doing but stay out of debt.

Don’t borrow trouble. Imaginary things are harder to bear than actual ones.

Since hate poisons the soul, do not cherish enmities and grudges. Avoid people who make you unhappy.

Have many interests. If you can’t travel, read about places.

Don’t spend time brooding over sorrows and mistakes.

Do what you can for those less fortunate than yourself.

Keep busy at something. A very busy person never has time to be unhappy.

This Weeks To Do List

Monday: Wash Day
Lord, help me wash away all my selfishness and vanity so I may serve you with perfect humility through the week ahead.

Tuesday: Ironing Day
Lord, help me iron out all the wrinkles of prejudice I have collected through the years so that I may see the beauty in others.

Wednesday: Mending Day
Lord, help me mend my ways so I will not set a bad example for others.

Thursday: Cleaning Day
Lord, help me to dust out all the many faults I have been hiding in the secret corners of my heart.

Friday: Shopping Day
Lord, give me the grace to shop wisely so I may purchase eternal happiness for myself and all others in need of love.

Saturday: Cooking Day
Lord, help me to brew a big kettle of brotherly love and serve it with sweet bread of human kindness.

Sunday: The Lord's Day
Lord, I have prepared my house for you. Please come into my heart so I may spend the day and the rest of my life in your presence.

God Has Changed Me!

Two years ago I would have never been moved to tears while watching a video of people helping other people. Today at church, a video was re-played from our Life Giving Weekend back in November 2007. Though I did not participate, just watching the video welled up emotion that I never felt before I became a Christian.

Part of our walk as Christians is to be of service. Christ taught and demonstrated this time and again. It's not about pleasing yourself, it's about loving others.

Before I was selfish and lazy, but today I am compassionate and giving. God has changed me.....there is no other way to explain it!

"In every way I showed you that by working hard like this we can help those who are weak. We must remember what the Lord Jesus said, We are more happy when we give than when we receive." Acts 20:35

My Little Protege!

Happy 38th Wedding Anniversary Mimi & Peapaw!

REST

"He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul."

Psalm 23:2

I always key in on the "He makes me lie down…" part in that verse. Maybe it’s because I make my kids lie down in their beds for a nap. My kids need to rest and they would never go take a nap voluntarily. So..... they need me to enforce this much needed down-time.

What Does This Phrase Mean To You?

LIVING ONE DAY AT A TIME

Living one day at a time is important to me because I tend to always look ahead and never experience "the now". Sometimes I rush through things instead of just slowing down to enjoy them.

This is what LIVING ONE DAY AT A TIME means to me:

• Living in the moment
• To not be concerned about the past or the future
• Bringing my attention to the things at hand
• To control my wandering mind that gets pulled away from today by worries about the future or regrets over the past
• Getting rid of anticipation and preparation that keeps me from enjoying the moment
• To approach today's tasks as if they were the only difficulties I will ever face

"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes." Matthew 6:34

Philippians 4:13 ~ "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

The road to success is not straight. There is a curve
called Failure, a loop called Confusion, speed bumps called Friends, red lights called Enemies, caution lights called Family, and flats called Jobs.

But, if you have a spare called Determination, an engine called Perseverance, insurance called Faith, a driver called Jesus, you will make it to a place called Success.

Thank you Aunt Cathy for this sending me this cute analogy!

52 Weeks Of Conscious Contact

I have a book that I really enjoy and I wanted to share it with my family, friends, and fellow bloggers. It's called 52 Weeks of Conscious Contact by Melody Beattie.

What gets in the way of serenity? For most people, the answer is life--those everyday distractions, obligations, and frustrations that cause chaos and clutter. This week-by-week guidebook brings more balance into my life by

• nurturing inner peace


• reaching out to others


• carrying through on good intentions


• making time for fun


• cultivating a deeper prayer life

Blog And Drive

I get most of my blogging ideas while I drive in the car. Since I have to travel 20 minutes to get to the nearest store, needless to say I'm in the car A LOT! Sometimes when I get a great idea, I will scramble for a scrap piece of paper or a napkin to jot down it down while I am sitting at a red light.

What I need is one of these dorky things! I used to make fun of people who drove around with these notepads stuck to their windshield. Now I am considering buying one!