These are so easy and so yummy! I have made pumpkin pancakes that were just as delicious, but not quite as simple. This recipe was given to me by my sweet neighbor. Thanks for sharing, D!
Sweet Potato Pancakes
1 cup Pancake Mix
1 cup water
1/2 cup sweet potato puree
cinnamon to taste (I used a tsp. or more. I didn't really measure)
Mix together and pour batter on to a griddle or hot skillet. Cook just like you would any pancakes.
Hope you enjoy them. Sorry, I don't have a picture.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Love of Reading
We are a family who likes to read. I love that my boys have a love of books/reading. Nathan blows through chapter books in about 2 days, sometimes less. Ryan reads away and enjoys a variety of books. He has been reading for a couple of years and he's only 6. I can't wait to see how they both blossom in their love for reading.
Their school held a Family Reading Night. We arrived to find a list of games broken down by grades and location. We decided to start outside with the P.E. coaches. I thought it was neat they had them involved too. The first game the kids had to attempt to shoot a basketball into the hoop. If they scored a basket, they chose a colored sentence strip from a stack. Then the next child in line took a shot. Once all the strips had been chosen, they had to put them in order to make a story. The two older boys got busy grabbing and putting them in order. Little Ryan starting reading them. He found something that wasn't right and moved it to make sense! That's my boy! 
For the 2nd P.E. reading game, one of the coaches tossed a ball to them (according to their grade level). For Nathan, the ball had labels with different words they had learned this year. Wherever his thumb landed, he read the word and had to give the definition. The labels had Math, Science, Language, etc. words. I was impressed! Nathan did a great job! Metaphor was his first word and he nailed it. 
Ryan's labels were alphabet letters. Where ever his thumb landed, he was to tell the letter and give the sound that it made. Coach was quite impressed he knew them all without skipping a beat and even knew 2 sounds for C. Way to go, Ryan!
Inside the gym each grade level had tables with at least 2 games for the kids to play. Parents were also given copies of the games so we can play them at home. 
Then onto the computer lab to play games on, well... computers, of course. Ryan headed straight for the iPad. I am amazed more and more all you can do on those! Yes, now we all want one of those too.I was given a list of educational reading games for them to play at home. 
Last we ended in the library for the book fair. They each bought a new book. Which they began reading as soon as we got in the car. We had a great time and learned along the way. I love it when kids learn and don't even realize it because they are having so much fun. It's a win/win situation! Now, I think I'll go read something.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Endurance
Anyone remember the Presidential Fitness Awards in school? I do! Not necessarily with fond memories though. The testing always made me nervous. Test anxiety... even in P.E. Sheesh! Anyway, a few weeks ago Nathan brought home his fitness scores/goals for P.E. He always looks forward to P.E. but has really locked in on running. The mile run was his favorite. His best was 10:30 and he was happy with that. He just wanted to do better. Yeah, he's competitive like that. To receive the PFA you have to beat 9:30. His goal was to do even better and try for 9:00. I was proud of him of setting a goal to work towards.
For a few weeks, he's been talking about what he needed to eat the morning of the endurance race. What he wore, was just as important. He really listened to what the coaches had to say about pacing themselves to run the mile too.
For breakfast I made sweet potato pancakes, farm fresh scrambled eggs and a yummy vitamin packed smoothie. We all enjoyed the delicious start to our day, running a mile or not!
And of course he has a little shadow who wants to be just like his big brother. Thursday, April 7, 2011
Artistic Ability
Crafty? Yes! Artistic? Not so much. So, I thought. That's until Saturday night when a few of us girls got together for a painting party. Girl's Night Out!
We all had a great time and walked about with beautiful handmade painting to remember the night by!
Six of us met up at a local spot to try our hand at painting on canvas. I was really excited. I'd been wanting to try it for quite some time. We had to decide on one painting before we arrived. I have to say... I was pretty impressed that we all found one we agreed on.
I am a perfectionist and told myself ahead of time that whatever the outcome was... it would be okay! I wanted to enjoy the night, not stress over it. I am proud to report, that I did a pretty good job. The finishing touches made me nervous, but with a little help.... I am quite proud of the final outcome.
We all had a great time and walked about with beautiful handmade painting to remember the night by!Tuesday, April 5, 2011
AAHH...Mazing!
I wish I hadn't waited so long to use my giftcard to the spa. I mean, I am one to savor things, but really?? Even I know how ridiculous it was to hang on to this one for umm, yeah... a long while. Ok, you want to know how ridiculously long? Uh, like 3 yrs., well, no... only 2 1/2! ONLY! Ha!
Anyway, so I finally decided (yes, I am indecisive) on the service I wanted. It's not an every day occurance to get a treat at the spa. But oh, how I wish it were. Ok, I'd settle for once a month! Really, I would! So, I had planned on getting a massage, but I wanted to wait to use it for the most beneficial time. You know, really stressed or lousy feeling. Well, I had plenty of those days in the past 2 1/2 yrs. and I still didn't schedule a massage.
Finally last week, I decided to try something totally new. I am so glad I did. For one, I found a coupon for $10 off a service I'd never tried before. That did it! I called and asked about a few different facials they offered. After finding one that offered a hand, foot and scalp massage along with the customized facial. I scheduled the 85 mins. of pure bliss!
I think I was spoiled, and I sure did enjoy every. single. minute!
Anyway, so I finally decided (yes, I am indecisive) on the service I wanted. It's not an every day occurance to get a treat at the spa. But oh, how I wish it were. Ok, I'd settle for once a month! Really, I would! So, I had planned on getting a massage, but I wanted to wait to use it for the most beneficial time. You know, really stressed or lousy feeling. Well, I had plenty of those days in the past 2 1/2 yrs. and I still didn't schedule a massage.
Finally last week, I decided to try something totally new. I am so glad I did. For one, I found a coupon for $10 off a service I'd never tried before. That did it! I called and asked about a few different facials they offered. After finding one that offered a hand, foot and scalp massage along with the customized facial. I scheduled the 85 mins. of pure bliss!
Seriously, I had NO idea it would be as theraputic and aaahhh..mazing as it was! The entire experience was incredible. There was just one problem, it made me want to do it again. And again. And again. I could become quite accustomed to the pampering.
It's not like me to take time out for me. I feel guilty when I do. But I am learning to work on that. This sure helped jumpstart me wanting to take time for me. Having a giftcard helped too!
My skin felt incredible. Let me rephrase that. My whole body felt incredible. It was like a massage and facial all in one, really. I didn't know that I could be so relaxed. I have NEVER been that relaxed in my life! Now are you seeing why I want to go back, tomorrow... um, I mean ..... next month?!
For those who KNOW me, you'll never believe what I did when I left. I had to run some errands before picking the boys up from school. So naturally, I planned ahead and took my make-up with me. I mean, really... to go out in public without my make-up on. Uh. NO! Right??? But.... I did! I really did! And ya know what? I didn't care. My skin felt so fabulous that I didn't want to put ANYTHING on it. I didn't even want to be outside with all the impurities in the air. I know.... a little overboard in my thinking. But, that's what I was thinking. So, I ran my errands without a stitch of make-up. I still can't believe I did it. No make-up the entire day!
Want to know what else made the day so amazing? My sweet Bible Study leader called that morning and said she was bringing us dinner. So.... I didn't even have to cook! I got to spend the afternoon/evening relaxing with my boys!
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Grace
This is one of my favorite songs! I could listen to it over and over. It brings tears to my eyes. Every. Single. Time. God's grace... I am so blessed!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Going Bananas!
Not me, silly! I'm talking about my ripened bananas. They were going... bad... and I had to use them up. What better way than to bake some delicious banana bread. We love a yummy banana bread. Oh, yeah! But wait.... I tried a new recipe and it was a hit! I made bread, muffins and even mini muffins (all from 2 batches of this recipe). You know what makes it so delicious... Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chips! Yum!
Thought you'd might like to try it for yourself. The recipe, that is. I'd love to hear your thoughts after you try it.
By the way, it's a healthier version. Don't worry, it's very tasty and moist. Applesauce replaces the oil in this recipe for a low-fat, high-flavor bread (or muffins).
¾ t. baking soda
½ t. salt
2 very ripe bananas
2 large eggs
¼ c. applesauce
¾ c. creamy peanut butter
½ c. chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350°.
Combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
Mash bananas with a fork; stir in eggs, applesauce, peanut butter and chocolate chips. Add banana mixture to flour mixture and stir until blended.
Pour mixture into a lightly greases 9x5x3” loaf pan, and bake 45 mins. Or until loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Yield: 15 servings.
Note: If you are out of applesauce and have vegetable oil on hand, you may substitute it in equal amounts for the applesauce; you may also use crunchy peanut butter in place of creamy. Reduced-fat peanut butter works in this recipe, too.
Per serving: 202 calories, 9.7g fat, 29 mg. cholesterol, 206 mg. sodium
Thought you'd might like to try it for yourself. The recipe, that is. I'd love to hear your thoughts after you try it.
By the way, it's a healthier version. Don't worry, it's very tasty and moist. Applesauce replaces the oil in this recipe for a low-fat, high-flavor bread (or muffins).
Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
1 ½ c. all-purpose flour
½ c. sugar¾ t. baking soda
½ t. salt
2 very ripe bananas
2 large eggs
¼ c. applesauce
¾ c. creamy peanut butter
½ c. chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350°.
Combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
Mash bananas with a fork; stir in eggs, applesauce, peanut butter and chocolate chips. Add banana mixture to flour mixture and stir until blended.
Pour mixture into a lightly greases 9x5x3” loaf pan, and bake 45 mins. Or until loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Yield: 15 servings.
Note: If you are out of applesauce and have vegetable oil on hand, you may substitute it in equal amounts for the applesauce; you may also use crunchy peanut butter in place of creamy. Reduced-fat peanut butter works in this recipe, too.
Per serving: 202 calories, 9.7g fat, 29 mg. cholesterol, 206 mg. sodium
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
The Hairbrush
I received this in an e-mail today. Wow!! Take the time to read it, you'll be glad you did.
HAIRBRUSH EXPERIENCE OF BETH MOORE AT THE AIRPORT
For those of you who do not know Beth Moore, she is an outstanding Bible teacher, writer of Bible studies, and is a married mother of two daughters.
This is one of her experiences:
April 20, 2005, at the Airport in Knoxville , waiting to board the plane, I had the Bible on my lap and was
very intent upon what I was doing. I'd had a marvelous morning with the Lord. I say this because I want to tell you it is a scary thing to have the Spirit of God really working in you. You could end up doing some
things you never would have done otherwise. Life in the Spirit can be dangerous for a thousand reasons, not the least of which is your ego.
I tried to keep from staring, but he was such a strange sight. Humped over in a wheelchair, he was skin and
bones, dressed in clothes that obviously fit when he was at least twenty pounds heavier. His knees protruded from his trousers, and his shoulders looked like the coat hanger was still in his shirt.. His hands looked like tangled masses of veins and bones.The strangest part of him was his hair and nails. Stringy, gray hair hung well over his shoulders and down part of his back. His fingernails were long, clean but strangely out of place on an old man.
I looked down at my Bible as fast as I could, discomfort burning my face. As I tried to imagine what his
story might have been, I found myself wondering if I'd just had a Howard Hughes sighting. Then, I remembered that he was dead. So this man in the airport... An impersonator maybe? Was a camera on us somewhere? There I sat; trying to concentrate on the Word to keep from being concerned about a thin slice of humanity served up on a wheelchair only a few seats from me. All the while, my heart was growing more and more overwhelmed with a feeling for him.
Let's admit it. Curiosity is a heap more comfortable than true concern, and suddenly I was awash with aching
emotion for this bizarre-looking old man.. I had walked with God long enough to see the handwriting on the wall. I've learned that when I begin to feel what God feels, something so contrary to my natural feelings, something dramatic is bound to happen. And it may be embarrassing. I immediately began to resist
because I could feel God working on my spirit and I started arguing with God in my mind. 'Oh, no, God, please, no.' I looked up at the ceiling as if I could stare straight through it into heaven and said, 'Don't make me witness to this man. Not right here and now. Please. I'll do anything. Put me on the same plane,
but don't make me get up here and witness to this man in front of this gawking audience. Please, Lord!
There I sat in the blue vinyl chair begging His Highness, 'Please don't make me witness to this man. Not now.
I'll do it on the plane.' Then I heard it...'I don't want you to witness to him. I want you to brush his hair.' The words were so clear, my heart leapt into my throat, and my thoughts spun like a top. Do I witness to the
man or brush his hair? No-brainer. I looked straight back up at the ceiling and said, 'God, as I live and breathe, I want you to know I am ready to witness to this man. I'm on this Lord. I'm your girl! You've never seen a woman witness to a man faster in your life. What difference does it make if his hair is a mess if he is not redeemed? I am going to witness to this man.'
Again, as clearly as I've ever heard an audible word, God seemed to write this statement across the wall of my mind. 'That is not what I said, Beth. I don't want you to witness to him. I want you to go brush his hair.'
I looked up at God and quipped, 'I don't have a hairbrush. It's in my suitcase on the plane. How am I supposed to brush his hair without a hairbrush? God was so insistent that I almost involuntarily began to walk toward him as these thoughts came to me from God's word: 'I will thoroughly furnish you unto all good works.' (2 Timothy 3:17)
I stumbled over to the wheelchair thinking I could use one myself. Even as I retell this story, my pulse quickens and I feel those same butterflies. I knelt down in front of the man and asked as demurely as possible, 'Sir, may I have the pleasure of brushing your hair?' He looked back at me and said, 'What did you say?' 'May I have the pleasure of brushing your hair?' To which he responded in volume ten, 'Little lady, if you expect me to hear you, you're going to have to talk louder than that.' At this point, I took a deep breath and blurted out, 'SIR, MAY I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF BRUSHING YOUR HAIR? At which point every eye in the place darted right at me. I was the only thing in the room looking more peculiar than old Mr. Long Locks. Face crimson and forehead breaking out in a sweat, I watched him look up at me with absolute
shock on his face, and say, 'If you really want to.' Are you kidding? Of course I didn't want to. But God didn't seem interested in my personal preference right about then. He pressed on my heart until I could utter the words, 'Yes, sir, I would be pleased. But I have one little problem. I don't have a hairbrush.'
'I have one in my bag,' he responded. I went around to the back of that wheelchair, and I got on my hands and knees and unzipped the stranger's old carry-on, hardly believing what I was doing. I stood up and started brushing the old man's hair. It was perfectly clean, but it was tangled and matted. I don't do many things well, but must admit I've had notable experience untangling knotted hair mothering two little girls. Like I'd done with either Amanda or Melissa in such a condition, I began brushing at the very bottom of the strands, remembering to take my time not to pull.
A miraculous thing happened to me as I started brushing that old man's hair. Everybody else in the room disappeared. There was no one alive for those moments except that old man and me. I brushed and I brushed and I brushed until every tangle was out of that hair I know this sounds so strange, but I've never felt that kind of love for another soul in my entire life. I believe with all my heart, I - for that few minutes - felt a portion of the very love of God. That He had overtaken my heart for a little while like someone renting a room and making Himself at home for a short while.
The emotions were so strong and so pure that I knew they had to be God's. His hair was finally as soft and
smooth as an infant's.I slipped the brush back in the bag and went around the chair to face him. I got back down on my knees, put my hands on his knee and said, 'Sir, do you know my Jesus?'
He said, 'Yes, I do' Well, that figures, I thought. He explained, 'I've known Him since I married my bride. She wouldn't marry me until I got to know the Savior.' He said, 'You see, the problem is, I haven't seen my bride in months. I've had open-heart surgery, and she's been too ill to come see me. I was sitting here thinking to myself, what a mess I must be for my bride.'
Only God knows how often He allows us to be part of a divine moment when we're completely unaware of the significance.This, on the other hand, was one of those rare encounters when I knew God had intervened in details only He could have known. It was a God moment, and I'll never forget it. Our time came to board, and we were not on the same plane. I was deeply ashamed of how I'd acted earlier and would have been so proud to have accompanied him on that aircraft.
I still had a few minutes, and as I gathered my things to board, the airline hostess returned from the corridor, tears streaming down her cheeks. She said, That old man's sitting on the plane, sobbing. Why did you do that? What made you do that?I said, 'Do you know Jesus? He can be the bossiest thing!' And we got to
share.
I learned something about God that day. He knows if you're exhausted, you're hungry, you're serving in the
wrong place or it is time to move on but you feel too responsible to budge. He knows if you're hurting or feeling rejected. He knows if you're sick or drowning under a wave of temptation. Or He knows if you just need your hair brushed. He sees you as an individual. Tell Him your need!
I got on my own flight, sobs choking my throat, wondering how many opportunities just like that one had I
missed along the way... all because I didn't want people to think I was strange.God didn't send me to that old man. He sent that old man to me.
Please share this wonderful story.
'Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!
HAIRBRUSH EXPERIENCE OF BETH MOORE AT THE AIRPORT
For those of you who do not know Beth Moore, she is an outstanding Bible teacher, writer of Bible studies, and is a married mother of two daughters.
This is one of her experiences:
April 20, 2005, at the Airport in Knoxville , waiting to board the plane, I had the Bible on my lap and was
very intent upon what I was doing. I'd had a marvelous morning with the Lord. I say this because I want to tell you it is a scary thing to have the Spirit of God really working in you. You could end up doing some
things you never would have done otherwise. Life in the Spirit can be dangerous for a thousand reasons, not the least of which is your ego.
I tried to keep from staring, but he was such a strange sight. Humped over in a wheelchair, he was skin and
bones, dressed in clothes that obviously fit when he was at least twenty pounds heavier. His knees protruded from his trousers, and his shoulders looked like the coat hanger was still in his shirt.. His hands looked like tangled masses of veins and bones.The strangest part of him was his hair and nails. Stringy, gray hair hung well over his shoulders and down part of his back. His fingernails were long, clean but strangely out of place on an old man.
I looked down at my Bible as fast as I could, discomfort burning my face. As I tried to imagine what his
story might have been, I found myself wondering if I'd just had a Howard Hughes sighting. Then, I remembered that he was dead. So this man in the airport... An impersonator maybe? Was a camera on us somewhere? There I sat; trying to concentrate on the Word to keep from being concerned about a thin slice of humanity served up on a wheelchair only a few seats from me. All the while, my heart was growing more and more overwhelmed with a feeling for him.
Let's admit it. Curiosity is a heap more comfortable than true concern, and suddenly I was awash with aching
emotion for this bizarre-looking old man.. I had walked with God long enough to see the handwriting on the wall. I've learned that when I begin to feel what God feels, something so contrary to my natural feelings, something dramatic is bound to happen. And it may be embarrassing. I immediately began to resist
because I could feel God working on my spirit and I started arguing with God in my mind. 'Oh, no, God, please, no.' I looked up at the ceiling as if I could stare straight through it into heaven and said, 'Don't make me witness to this man. Not right here and now. Please. I'll do anything. Put me on the same plane,
but don't make me get up here and witness to this man in front of this gawking audience. Please, Lord!
There I sat in the blue vinyl chair begging His Highness, 'Please don't make me witness to this man. Not now.
I'll do it on the plane.' Then I heard it...'I don't want you to witness to him. I want you to brush his hair.' The words were so clear, my heart leapt into my throat, and my thoughts spun like a top. Do I witness to the
man or brush his hair? No-brainer. I looked straight back up at the ceiling and said, 'God, as I live and breathe, I want you to know I am ready to witness to this man. I'm on this Lord. I'm your girl! You've never seen a woman witness to a man faster in your life. What difference does it make if his hair is a mess if he is not redeemed? I am going to witness to this man.'
Again, as clearly as I've ever heard an audible word, God seemed to write this statement across the wall of my mind. 'That is not what I said, Beth. I don't want you to witness to him. I want you to go brush his hair.'
I looked up at God and quipped, 'I don't have a hairbrush. It's in my suitcase on the plane. How am I supposed to brush his hair without a hairbrush? God was so insistent that I almost involuntarily began to walk toward him as these thoughts came to me from God's word: 'I will thoroughly furnish you unto all good works.' (2 Timothy 3:17)
I stumbled over to the wheelchair thinking I could use one myself. Even as I retell this story, my pulse quickens and I feel those same butterflies. I knelt down in front of the man and asked as demurely as possible, 'Sir, may I have the pleasure of brushing your hair?' He looked back at me and said, 'What did you say?' 'May I have the pleasure of brushing your hair?' To which he responded in volume ten, 'Little lady, if you expect me to hear you, you're going to have to talk louder than that.' At this point, I took a deep breath and blurted out, 'SIR, MAY I HAVE THE PLEASURE OF BRUSHING YOUR HAIR? At which point every eye in the place darted right at me. I was the only thing in the room looking more peculiar than old Mr. Long Locks. Face crimson and forehead breaking out in a sweat, I watched him look up at me with absolute
shock on his face, and say, 'If you really want to.' Are you kidding? Of course I didn't want to. But God didn't seem interested in my personal preference right about then. He pressed on my heart until I could utter the words, 'Yes, sir, I would be pleased. But I have one little problem. I don't have a hairbrush.'
'I have one in my bag,' he responded. I went around to the back of that wheelchair, and I got on my hands and knees and unzipped the stranger's old carry-on, hardly believing what I was doing. I stood up and started brushing the old man's hair. It was perfectly clean, but it was tangled and matted. I don't do many things well, but must admit I've had notable experience untangling knotted hair mothering two little girls. Like I'd done with either Amanda or Melissa in such a condition, I began brushing at the very bottom of the strands, remembering to take my time not to pull.
A miraculous thing happened to me as I started brushing that old man's hair. Everybody else in the room disappeared. There was no one alive for those moments except that old man and me. I brushed and I brushed and I brushed until every tangle was out of that hair I know this sounds so strange, but I've never felt that kind of love for another soul in my entire life. I believe with all my heart, I - for that few minutes - felt a portion of the very love of God. That He had overtaken my heart for a little while like someone renting a room and making Himself at home for a short while.
The emotions were so strong and so pure that I knew they had to be God's. His hair was finally as soft and
smooth as an infant's.I slipped the brush back in the bag and went around the chair to face him. I got back down on my knees, put my hands on his knee and said, 'Sir, do you know my Jesus?'
He said, 'Yes, I do' Well, that figures, I thought. He explained, 'I've known Him since I married my bride. She wouldn't marry me until I got to know the Savior.' He said, 'You see, the problem is, I haven't seen my bride in months. I've had open-heart surgery, and she's been too ill to come see me. I was sitting here thinking to myself, what a mess I must be for my bride.'
Only God knows how often He allows us to be part of a divine moment when we're completely unaware of the significance.This, on the other hand, was one of those rare encounters when I knew God had intervened in details only He could have known. It was a God moment, and I'll never forget it. Our time came to board, and we were not on the same plane. I was deeply ashamed of how I'd acted earlier and would have been so proud to have accompanied him on that aircraft.
I still had a few minutes, and as I gathered my things to board, the airline hostess returned from the corridor, tears streaming down her cheeks. She said, That old man's sitting on the plane, sobbing. Why did you do that? What made you do that?I said, 'Do you know Jesus? He can be the bossiest thing!' And we got to
share.
I learned something about God that day. He knows if you're exhausted, you're hungry, you're serving in the
wrong place or it is time to move on but you feel too responsible to budge. He knows if you're hurting or feeling rejected. He knows if you're sick or drowning under a wave of temptation. Or He knows if you just need your hair brushed. He sees you as an individual. Tell Him your need!
I got on my own flight, sobs choking my throat, wondering how many opportunities just like that one had I
missed along the way... all because I didn't want people to think I was strange.God didn't send me to that old man. He sent that old man to me.
Please share this wonderful story.
'Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!
Speak to Me
Do you ever hear God speaking to you? Maybe not in an audible voice. But, He speaks. Oh, He speaks! In the past year, I have heard Him speak more than I ever have in my life. Can I just tell you how very awesome it is?! Well, and to be honest, sometimes it's a little scary. Not scary THAT He speaks, but WHAT He says. Oh, it's not bad. No, that's not how God is. It's just that I don't always want to do what He asks.
Just like a child. You ask them to make their bed, clean their room, pick up their toys, brush their teeth, come down for dinner, etc. They don't want to. They want to do it their way. When they want. How they want. You know how it goes. Well, we are the same way with our Heavenly Father, aren't we? I know I am. It's beginning to REALLY sink in that He knows what's best. Just like we know best with our kiddos. Right?
When God asks us to do something, He is asking us to obey. When we hear the voice of God, we must adjust our lives to join with Him and what He's doing in our life. Even when it's scary! Even when it doesn't make sense to us! Even when we down right DON'T. WANT. TO!
Reading online this morning I came across this post by Leah @ Internet Cafe Devotions. Reading these verses with MY name in them was Oh, so powerful! I've done this before with a verse or two. But this morning.... it was different. Maybe it was reading several at a time with MY name attached. Or maybe it was the specific verses that she had posted. One thing I do know.... God spoke to me through them. And it's just what I needed to hear!
Here they are with MY name:
Now, go back and read them with YOUR name in them.
Sometimes it's through scripture that I hear God, like this morning. A lot of times it's through song. In circumstances I've felt God speak and He's used others to speak to me. Until you've experienced it... you don't know just how AWESOME it is! One thing for sure though, if you aren't talking to the Lord AND watching and listening for Him, you'll never hear. You are missing out on something incredible. God is saying.... "Speak to Me." Go to Him. Talk to Him. Then be still. Wait to hear from Our Father.
Just like a child. You ask them to make their bed, clean their room, pick up their toys, brush their teeth, come down for dinner, etc. They don't want to. They want to do it their way. When they want. How they want. You know how it goes. Well, we are the same way with our Heavenly Father, aren't we? I know I am. It's beginning to REALLY sink in that He knows what's best. Just like we know best with our kiddos. Right?
When God asks us to do something, He is asking us to obey. When we hear the voice of God, we must adjust our lives to join with Him and what He's doing in our life. Even when it's scary! Even when it doesn't make sense to us! Even when we down right DON'T. WANT. TO!
Reading online this morning I came across this post by Leah @ Internet Cafe Devotions. Reading these verses with MY name in them was Oh, so powerful! I've done this before with a verse or two. But this morning.... it was different. Maybe it was reading several at a time with MY name attached. Or maybe it was the specific verses that she had posted. One thing I do know.... God spoke to me through them. And it's just what I needed to hear!
Here they are with MY name:
“Karen, I will not forget you! See I have engraved you on the palms of My hands.” Isaiah 49:15-16 (NIV)
“Be confident of this, Karen, I will complete the good work I began in you until the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6
“Karen, My love for you is so great and so deep that I sent My only Son to die for you. For you, Karen, so that by believing in Him you may not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
Karen, call upon Me and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, and I will bring you back from your captivity.” Jeremiah 29:12-14a (NIV)
“I am the Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, who saves; I will rejoice over you with gladness, Karen. I will quiet you with My love, I will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17 (NKJ)
“Fear not Karen, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are Mine.” Isaiah 43:1
Now, go back and read them with YOUR name in them.
Sometimes it's through scripture that I hear God, like this morning. A lot of times it's through song. In circumstances I've felt God speak and He's used others to speak to me. Until you've experienced it... you don't know just how AWESOME it is! One thing for sure though, if you aren't talking to the Lord AND watching and listening for Him, you'll never hear. You are missing out on something incredible. God is saying.... "Speak to Me." Go to Him. Talk to Him. Then be still. Wait to hear from Our Father.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Hello?
I had to share this because it made me laugh. So. Hard! I don't know what I would have done if I had actually seen this while out and about. Anyway.... enjoy! Go ahead, laugh. You know you want to.
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