Join Me On the Journey

Understanding faith has been a hard thing for me. I have struggled with it for most of my Christian life.

First, I didn’t really know about faith. I went many years without really thinking about it. I just muddled through my Christian life and I didn’t really experience life much differently from other non-believers around me.

As I got older, I started really listening to the pastor’s sermon on Sunday morning. I spent a lot of time in church and I would take notes and try to listen and understand, but I didn’t often think of God outside of church.

Then, I started listening to teaching tapes. I learned a great deal about God and about faith that way. I also learned how to study the Bible on my own. There have been times in my life when I spent a great deal of time digging into the Word and learning about faith and other things for myself; listening to teaching tapes and learning from other who had the gift of teaching. But, I still struggle with consistency in my study. (It is the bane of my existence! I’m getting better, though.)

Recently, I’ve been thinking about faith again. I have realized that I already have all the faith that I’m ever going to have.

Now, I’m going to say some things that many of you will have trouble believing, but I urge you to read the scripture and allow it to plant a seed in your heart that God can grow.
(read the rest of the article…)

Popularity: 3%

JEN has tagged me to complete this meme.

Here are the rules: Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to write on their own blog about their seven things, as well as these rules. You need to choose 7 people to get tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them that they have been tagged and to read your blog!

So, here are 7 things about me you may not know!

1. I used to play classical piano. I performed a senior recital in high school and went to college as a music performance major. However, I didn’t stay a music performance major for long. I have lost a lot of my technique because I don’t practice regularly, but I do have a piano.
2. I hate to sleep. To me, sleep is a waste of a good six hours of my day. I HATE it! But, no one can survive without sleep…not even me.
3. I have a lead foot. I really have to guard against speeding. One time, when the speed limit was only 65 mph on the interstate, I was driving between Kansas and Michigan. I got a ticket for going 82 mph in a 65 mph zone. (SHAME, SHAME!) I figured that statistically, I wouldn’t get another ticket on the same trip, so I drove 75 and 80 the rest of the trip as well. (I am MUCH better now that I have children in the vehicle with me!)
4. I am addicted to time management tips. I have read thousands and thousands of pages of time management material. Most of it focuses on changing behavior, but doesn’t address the underlying attitudes. Also, there isn’t much out there about time management for specific temperaments. I would love to remedy that some day.
5. I am currently milking four goat and I have chickens and guinea fowl as well. I decided to get goats and chickens so we wouldn’t be eating so much processed food. We drink raw milk and “farm fresh” eggs. It’s great. It saves a lot of money at the grocery store, too.
6. I’m a Dave Ramsey fanatic. My hubby and I are determined to get out of debt this year. We have already paid off several old bills and our van and we’re working on the last few credit cards. NO MORE DEBT!
7. I don’t really like housework, but I especially HATE laundry. Over the last several years, I have come to grips with keeping my house clean. (I still have A LOT of clutter.) However, laundry is a hard one for me. It was a little better for a while after I got my high capacity washer and dryer, but right now I’m MAJORLY behind.

Now, I just have to decide who to tag. I hope you enjoy finding out new facts about me.

Popularity: 2%

This morning, I was reading the book of I Samuel and there was a verse that really struck me.

Now in those days messages from the Lord were very rare, and visions were quite uncommon. I Sam 3:1b (NLT)

I got to thinking that “those days” are these days…present day in our lives. We’re not hearing from God. Messages from the Lord are very rare, and visions are quite uncommon. Why is that?

I believe there are two reasons: we don’t give God the time to speak and we don’t get quiet enough to hear Him speak.

First of all, many of us do not give God the time. It takes time to get to know someone…even God. Knowing God is like knowing another person here on earth. How do you get to know your husband or know your friend? You spend time with them. Time listening. If you have a friend and whenever you get together, you only talk and never listen, how long do you think that friendship is going to last?

Think of your relationship with God as more like a friendship and think about how your friends would feel if you treated them like you treat God. That can be an eye-opening experience. (Of course, our relationship with God is different because God isn’t fickle. He will “never leave you, or forsake you.” (Heb 13:5) But, it is helpful to think of our relationship with God in these terms sometimes.)

Secondly, we have so much noise in our lives. Who among us takes the time to truly sit in quiet with God on a regular basis? Even during our quiet time, we have the radio on or praise music on. Now, I’m not saying that we shouldn’t listen to praise music. That can be a vital part of our quiet time, but I am saying that there is a benefit to “quiet” during our “quiet time.”

And, during the day, how much quiet is there in your life? Do you have the TV on? the radio on? your iPod stuck in your ears? your kids running pell-mell through the house? Can you take a few moments and turn everything off? It takes practice to hear the voice of God.

When Elijah wanted to hear the voice of God, do you remember what happened?

“Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. I Kings 19:11-12 (NLT)

I want to encourage you that it doesn’t take long for you to receive the blessing of hearing from God. He is so happy when we begin talking and listening to Him an a regular basis.I can say that I have had a regular quiet time for several months now. (It was about time, considering that I have been a Christian since I was a small child!) I cannot even begin to list the blessings that I have received in the last months as I have begun to learn to listen to God. He is so faithful.

Won’t you begin to take the time and get quiet before God? I promise that you too can hear His voice.

Popularity: 4%

Well, it’s one of those crazy weeks, ladies. This will truly be a test of my commitment to pray every day.

My little cross-eyed girl will be having surgery tomorrow to correct her strabismus, so I will be a bit preoccupied with that. I would appreciate your prayers both for her and for me (selfish woman that I am). Being a doctor has its disadvantages sometimes. You know more than the average person when your child has to have a simple surgery under general anesthetic.

This morning, though, my wonderful sister-in-law, Stacey, sent me this link to a video that helped take my mind off things for a few minutes. If you are a mom with a mini-van, you must go visit this link. It is so funny.

MOM my van

Thank you so much for keeping us in your prayers.

Popularity: 4%

Did you ever stop to think that most of us treat prayer like a spare tire? After all, what is a spare tire? It’s our back-up plan. It keeps us on the road if we have a flat. So, how does that relate to prayer?

Most of us are driving down the highway, speeding toward our own plans and dreams and wants. As long as things are going well, we don’t really take time to pray. We are, often unconsciously, saying, “God, I don’t need You right now. I’ve got everything under control. But, thanks for being there just in case I need You.”

But then, we hear that familiar noise and feel the slight pull on the steering wheel. Our plans fall apart; our dreams fade; and our wants dance tantalizingly out of our reach. What do we do then? “God, I need You!” “God could You work this out for me?” “God, go get it for me…pleeeeeeeeease!” “God, show me what to do.”

I am so grateful that God is there for me when I call. I’m so glad that I never pull Him out from the back of the car to find that He is flat.

My desire is to make Him the steering wheel instead of the spare tire. Won’t you join me?

Popularity: 6%

I wonder…Did God miss me when I wandered so far away all those years? Did He grieve when there were times that I didn’t thank Him for the life He had given me and I didn’t ask Him what would be the best next step in my life? I wonder, did He miss me when there were triumphs in my life that I didn’t share with Him? I wonder, did He grieve when, in the lowest times of my life, I didn’t call out to Him for help?

As I share each and every day with my children, I think sometimes about how God feels. I see my children discover new things and connect ideas. What is the absolute first thing that they do? “MOMMY! Clarissa’s having kittens!!!!” “Mommy, why are the guineas fighting?” Mommy, what does outdistance mean?” “MOMMY, Sophia fell out of the tree!”

Every day, a thousand times a day, my children come to me with their pains, their frustrations, their questions, their triumphs…sometimes just for reassurance. Yes, it’s overwhelming sometimes, but mostly, it is just precious.

And every day, my children tell me in so many ways how much they love me. I’m a very touchy-feely, verbal person. (Sanguine ) Two of the four children are like me in that respect, and several times a day, they will spontaneously say, “Mommy, I love you!” I never get tired of hearing it.

I think God must be like that, too. He must never get tired of hearing that I love Him. He must really want me to share every little thing in my life with Him.

Today, I have asked forgiveness for all the time I spent shutting God out of my life and I made a new commitment to include Him in every aspect of my life. Won’t you Join Me On the Journey?

Popularity: 5%

I have admitted to myself that I don’t have a good prayer habit. I know that the first step toward change is admitting that I need to change.

Part of that is examining whether making a habit of prayer is truly important to me. It is, by the way, okay to admit that prayer just is not a priority in your life. This applies not only to having a regular prayer or quiet time, but with everything that requires discipline in your life. There are seasons of life, and no one can do everything at every point of their lives.

I would contend that prayer is a vital part of the believer’s life and shouldn’t be ignored, but if you aren’t truly committed to praying every day, the fact is, you are not going to do it. You will do one of the things that I have done in the past. You may mentally assent that you need to pray and then promptly forget about it (except for the times that it comes up and nags you). You may decide that you are going to pray regularly, but not form a solid plan and so it doesn’t last.

The second step is to get a plan. The plan for praying regularly is to ask yourself questions.

1. Why do you want to pray?
2. When are you going to pray?
3. Where are you going to pray?
4. How are you going to pray?

(read the rest of the article…)

Popularity: 4%

Isn’t it wonderful to have children? Isn’t it wonderful to be a homeschool Mom?

My computer is in the corner of my front room and there is a bank of windows that face the south. The sun comes in and bathes the room in natural light…which I love. This afternoon, I’m sitting here at my computer watching my little girls “fly kites” in the front yard.  I’m able to watch them fly kites in the front yard because we homeschool and they’re home with me all day.  It’s so awesome!

Now, they don’t really have kites. What they have are pieces of paper that they have cut out and attached to string. It doesn’t matter to them that their “kites” don’t fly up in the air, they are just having fun running back and forth with the paper trailing behind them in the wind.

It is incredibly windy here today…which is not unusual in North Dakota. And my children have thought of a wonderful way to celebrate the wind instead of curse it. They don’t rail against what they cannot change. Why is it so hard for me to live that way? Luke 18:17 says, “Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.” Help me, Father, to receive the kingdom as a little child!

Popularity: 1%

I would like to invite you to read or download the third issue of my e-zine, Intentional Living! This issue is all about the fruit of the Spirit. Please visit my website and enjoy this issue and my back issues as well. If you would like to receive future issues automatically, there is a sign-up box at the right. This will also enable you to receive notification of each new blog post.

God Bless You!

Popularity: 2%