Go tell it...

Have you heard the song "go tell it on the mountain (over the hills & everywhere!), go tell it on the mountain, that Jesus Christ was born." ?

Jesus, himself, said that we are to go & make disciples of all nations. Yet, many folks don't know what to say or how to say it.

I think there is a reason he said let the little children come to him too. They get it! If evangelism isn't your thing, listen to my 5 year old simply sharing the good new of Jesus. If she can, I know you can too. (and try to have the excitement that she has about the Holy Spirit, can you?)





Matthew 28:19 -- Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 18:3 -- And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Thankful Thursday - 9/24

5 things I'm thankful for this week:

1. I'm thankful that my new Bible study group is going well. I love the leader, she is so nurturing and caring, and I am happy to be in the group!

2. I'm thankful for my cooking co-op which started back up last week! Meals delivered to my door 3 nights a week. Don't know what a cooking co-op is? Visit my link here.

3. I'm thankful to get back to the gym. (I'm hesitant to write this. Every time I mention the gym, it gets cancelled). But I'm glad I'm starting to go again and work on getting in shape.

4. Thankful for coffee dates with friends. This week with Sue J., next week with Sonya, the following with Patterson 5. So nice to catch up and fellowship.

5. I'm thankful that David sang his praises to God in the Bible, and that from that we have beautiful praise songs so we can sing too. I love singing praise songs to God!

What are you thankful for this week?

Random Dozen Meme for Linda

1. Please share one middle school memory. It can be good, bad, ugly, funny. Pictures or words, I don't care, just share. This is from my eight grade graduation, it is my dad and me. Thankfully I grew out of this stage. Does anyone had positive memories from middle school?

2. What's your favorite Beatles song? I don't like the Beatles, but my favorite song by them is Long & Winding Road, performed by David Archuleta.

3. If I asked you to describe your most comfortable outfit, what would it be? Cotton PJ Pants and a cotton t-shirt.

4. Would you rather host a party or be a guest? Be a guest! What time should I be there?

5. Do you think we will move completely from traditional books to digital ones, and if we do, are you OK with that? I love holding a book, underlining key phrases, and everything about it. I will miss books.

6. Do you learn best by reading, listening or experiencing? I guess by listening. I'm not sure.

7. If you are (or when you were) single, what is the kiss of death for you concerning the opposite sex? (That is, what is one trait or behavior or habit or anything at all that immediately turns you off from considering that person a potential match for you?) Well if I can remember back that far (!), I like cleanliness. Clean nails, well dressed, just a lot of care about personal appearance. (Like who knew right, I am the germ-freak.)

8. Snacks. Salty or sweet? Sweet!!!

9. Look around you in a four foot radius. What object is around you that you didn't realize was there or forgot was there? How long has it been there? There is a wrapped graduation gift I bought for my kids former sitter when she graduated from high school 2 years ago. I always meant to give it to her...never did. I need unwrap and regift I guess.

10. What is your favorite Tom Cruise movie? Days of Thunder. Although Rain Man and Jerry McGuire were both good too. "Show me the money!"

11. You buy a bottle of shampoo and discover that you don't like what it does to your hair at all. What do you do with that full bottle? Give it away. I usually ask my sisters, and one of them will use it. However, I've been using the same shampoo (Redken Fresh Curls) for a long time and love it.

12. Your favorite Fall comfort food? (Last week it was beverage.) I love a good stew or soup. And BREAD!! Give me a hot roll and a bowl of soup and I am a happy gal.

Alligator Scars

Some years ago on a hot summer day in south Florida a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house.

In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went. He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore. His mother - in the house was looking out the window - saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, she ran toward the water, yelling to her son as loudly as she could.

Hearing her voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his mother. It was too late. Just as he reached her, the alligator reached him.

From the dock, the mother grabbed her little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs. That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the mother, but the mother was much too passionate to let go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard her screams, raced from his truck, took aim and shot the alligator.

Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived. His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal and, on his arms, were deep scratches where his mother's fingernails dug into his flesh in her effort to hang on to the son she loved.

The newspaper reporter who interviewed the boy after the trauma, asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs. And then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, "But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my mom wouldn't let go."

You and I can identify with that little boy. We have scars, too. No, not from an alligator, or anything quite so dramatic. But, the scars of a painful past. Some of those scars are unsightly and have caused us deep regret.

But, some wounds, my friend, are because God has refused to let go. In the midst of your struggle, He's been there holding on to you. The Scripture teaches that God loves you. If you have Christ in your life, you have become a child of God. He wants to protect you and provide for you in every way.

But sometimes we foolishly wade into dangerous situations. The swimming hole of life is filled with peril - and we forget that the enemy is waiting to attack. That's when the tug-o-war begins - and if you have the scars of His love on your arms be very, very grateful.

He did not - and will not - let you go.

(Author Unknown)

The Bread Project

I've taken on a new project. On my part this project takes diligence and determination. It takes strong organization skills. It takes daily work on my part. The project? Amish Friendship Bread.

Oh, it started out innocently enough. I friend offered me some delicious chocolate sweet bread. After I complimented her, she asked "Would you like a starter?" Oh sure! I'd love to make some chocolate bread. However, that was before I realized it was a 10 day obligation. Say what? Oh yes, I must daily knead the bag. I must (on the correct day mind you) add sugar & flour & milk. Then I have to find 3 friends to take starter bags from me. But I'm continuing the project, work though it may be, in hopes of the delicious chocolate bread at the end.

You know, being a Christian can take work too. It starts out innocently enough someone asking you if you'd like to have eternal life, if you'd like to know Jesus. Oh sure! You'd love to know Jesus. But just like the friendship bread, this Christianity project should take diligence and determination too, and daily work on your part.

See, once you know Jesus, you should desire to be more like Jesus. I don't know about you, but in my life that takes real work! That gossip I just heard? I need to hold it inside, or even better refuse to hear it in the first place. That snide remark on the tip of my tongue...bite it. And don't even get me started on submission. Honey, that takes diligence, determination, and work!

Daily I should be reading the Bible and praying. You know this project, like my Amish Friendship Bread, isn't easy. So why do I keep it up? For the bread.

Just like the hope of the reward of that chocolate bread, I have an even bigger hope in Jesus, the "bread of life." The hope of eternal life. And not only does Christianity offer me that long term hope, but short term I have the hope that now Jesus is with me every step. The Holy Spirit lives in me, helping me with my life on earth.

I could buy a box cake mix, and be done in an hour. But at the end of these 10 days I will have not only the chocolate friendship bread, but the pride that I stuck it out and I did it. At the end times, I hope I have the pride that in my Christian walk I also stuck it out. With the help of Jesus, I did it!

John 6:35 -- Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry.

John 6:48-51 -- I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.

Thankful Thursday - 9/17

Five things I'm thankful for this week:

1. I'm thankful that God is with me, even when I don't "feel" Him. (I started Beth Moore's Esther Bible study yesterday, and that is the intro topic.) Sometimes we don't feel His presence, but we believe that He will never leave nor forsake us.

2. I thankful I live in a free country where I can openly study God's Word, then blog, facebook or twitter about it. No underground church house for me. Friends, that is something to be hugely thankful for.

3. I'm thankful for my husband. Whether its bouncing ideas off of him, or getting a backup in my parenting decisions, I'm thankful that I'm not in this life single.

4. I'm thankful for my kids. I love my kids so much it makes my heart hurt. And to think that my Heavenly Father loves me MORE THAN THAT?? Amazing.

5. I'm thankful for blogging. Who would have thought that this little thing called blogger could have lead to so many friendships, prayer partners, and fellowship. Thanks y'all!

The Real Housewives of....

Okay, full disclosure, I've never actually seen any of the Real Housewives television shows that appear on the Bravo Network. I have, however, seen ads and comments enough to know a little about these ladies. One allegedly has money issues, has been evicted from her home and looted it in response. Another allegedly keeps company of a married man called "Big Poppa." On the season finale, one housewife cursed out another and flipped a table...with children in the room.

Well, the photo above is of the real housewives that I know. We are the real housewives of our community.

We too may have experienced money problems from our husband's lost jobs or pay cuts and a suffering economy. But we pray for one another, and believe that God will provide for our needs.

We may not have perfect marriages. But what we do have is a belief of a covenant between our self, our spouse and God. We strive to make our marriages work, even when times are tough.

Sometimes we even hurt one anothers feelings. We're may mis-speak or take things the wrong way and get our feelings hurt. But we work to resolve those issues amicably. We know we are forgiven, so we forgive...even when its hard.

We real housewives may not have a television show about our lives, but we have eternal life. We're not that different from the other "real housewives" in that we have issues in our life. But how we are different is that we have Jesus in our life. And that one difference makes a huge difference. We are the real housewives of our community. We serve a real God. Bravo!