Winter Blues
February 7th, 2008
It’s nearly eleven a.m. on this incredibly frigid day in the middle of this incredibly frigid week. I’m sitting on the couch in the living room, feet up on the coffee table (coffee within reach), laptop on my lap. Bad Dog Neezy is sprawled out on the love seat snoring across the room. The Atlantis Space Shuttle launch is being broadcast live on Fox News. My feet are really cold.
Ramble With Me
January 25th, 2007
That flowy black blouse I love to wear because it covers my bum and is not form-fitting in the least (and I never have to iron it)—well, Bren wouldn’t let me wear it tonight. She hates that blouse. She went to the laundry room in the basement and brought up my green striped button-up Lands’ End shirt, then pinned back my too long bangs with a few bobby pins, and put a pair of her earrings on me. Giving me a once-over, Bren delcared me fit to be seen in public and we were out the door to church.
We didn’t make it to church. I took the ramp to the highway and drove us to The Mother Ship instead. Oddly enough, I run away to that very public place when I don’t feel like being around people. What’s really going on when I do this is I don’t want to be around people I know. I was irritable and didn’t want to plaster on my fake smile and say, “I’m fine, thanks”, when I really didn’t feel fine. I would have rather worn a sign around my neck that said, “I’m grouchy, don’t talk to me.” It’s difficult not being able to talk or pray myself out of feeling that way.
Long Post, Grab A Cuppa Coffee
January 21st, 2007
Click on the scripture references to read the text in NKJV.
Make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding; for if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding; if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will discern the fear of the Lord, and discover the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding” ~Prov. 2:2-6
I read a lot of books, articles, magazines, blogs, ezines, and sermons. I listen to sermons online and at church. I attend a women’s bible study and receive additional bible teaching at church on Wednesday nights. I have a varied church backgroud having been a member of Assemblies of God, Church of Christ, PCA: Presbyterian Churches of America (Reformed), three Southern Baptist churches, and three Independent Baptist churches, one of which we are currently members of. (Any military family will understand all these moves!). And I completed two semesters of bible college (I had the pleasure of being the first student to receive an F from one of the professors, so I have nothing to boast of here).
Good Night/Bad Night
January 20th, 2007
The movie The Queen was awful. Don’t waste your money or your time. I give it a half a star solelyor the excellent portrayal Helen Mirren gave of Queen Elizabeth. Abbie, Bren, and I had planned to go see Miss Potter, but the film hasn’t made it to our local theater yet so we had to choose an alternate. Wrong choice.
After the movie we went to Wally World, Fred Meyer, then to a Thai restaurant for dinner which had a very relaxed, quiet atmosphere. Eating at places like Chili’s on the weekends stress me out because they’re so busy and noisy and the food takes forever to arrive. The Thai place was perfect.
I fear I was lousy company this evening for Bren and Abbie as I have been feeling poorly for a couple days now. I hope I can shake this real soon.
I should have mentioned that the quote below is something I came across while looking into predestination and man’s ability or inability to repent and accept Christ for salvation of is “own free will”. Does the bible teach faith—> regeneration—> repentance—> salvation, or —> regeneration—> faith —> repentance—> salvation, or something else, and does it matter, if so, why?
Just thougth I’d clear that up as context is everything dahling!
Alice In Wonderland Is Creepy
January 18th, 2007
Auditions for the high school production of Alice In Wonderland began today which had Bren in a bit of a state. I was glad we began the day with bible study at the chapel, as hearing great teaching from God’s word has a calming effect on her. Bren felt the audition went well and is looking forward to attending the second session today after school.
(For some reason, I have never liked Alice In Wonderland, even as a child. It was just too weird for me then, and it still is today. Tell! Is there a story that creeped you out as a kid?)
Still not feeling to great, after dropping Bren off at school I came home and napped, waking up when Rick returned home from work a bit early. He had a dinner to attend in town this evening so we didn’t go to church. I was feeling ill and Bren had a lot of school work to get done, so we laid around the livingroom; she working on a paper, and I on my bible study lesson. At around 8:45 p.m. we turned on the t.v. and AI was on. We watched a bit but ended up switching the channel to watch Top Chef. It was unbearable listening to all those awful singers audition. They weren’t worth enduring, even for the ocassional halfway decent voices. I second Keith’s sentiments big-time!
Tomorrow is going to be busier than today was. Bren has her class at the college in the morning then will spend her afternoon at the high school for drama and more auditions. I invited two friends over for dinner tonight (Thurs) and haven’t a thing in the fridge to eat, so I will be doing some grocery shopping and housework to prepare for them. One of the gals, whose husband is deployed to Iraq, has a little boy that she’ll bring with her. I hope he likes the poopers. I look forward to talking with the ladies and getting to know them better.
I’m so thankful that God keeps us even when we are so busy and our minds are far from Him for a time. I pray I will be sensitive to the Holy Spirit in the midst of the busyness so at the end of the day I don’t have that feeling of having missed Christ. He’s here with me; I don’t have to miss Him!
Much About Today
January 16th, 2007
Good:
Not So Good:
Surprising:
Enjoyable:
Wanting:
Looking Forward To:
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Bren’s Favorite Sermon Pt. II
January 6th, 2007
I left off with my notes on John MacArthur’s sermon Taking The Mystery Out of Knowing God’s Will here, with It is God’s will that we repent and be saved.
Continuing:
II. It is God’s will that we be Spirit-filled
Eph 5:17 “Do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”
Eph 5:18 “...do not get drunk with wine….but be filled with the Spirit…”
The issue is control. It’s a filling in a controlling sense:
In John 16:16 sorrow is in control
In Luke 6:11 madness is in control
In Luke 4:28 wrath is in control
In Luke 5:26 fear is in control
So dominated by that force as to be completely controlled by it. Allow yourself to be controlled by the Holy Spirit.
Bren’s Favorite Sermon
January 4th, 2007
Not long ago I received a DVD in the mail from Grace to you of John MacArthur preaching a sermon on knowing God’s will. I put it in one night after Rick and Bren had gone to bed. About five minutes into the sermon Bren came down the stairs saying she couldn’t sleep so I invited her to join me watching the DVD. It took us two hours to get through it because we kept stopping to look up scripture and talk about it. After we were done Bren declared it was the best sermon she had ever heard. She is no longer confused about what God’s will is for her.
So here I give you the notes I took that night.
The sermon was an hour long, give or take a few mintues, and my notes are many. I am posting part today, and will post the rest tomorrow. I don’t think I added my own notes, so pretty much everything here I am quoting from John MacArthur. You can order the DVD here directly from Grace to You.
Night Owls in Rehab
July 20th, 2006
This morning, after showering and grabbing cups of coffee, Bren and I met at the dining room table to work on our bible studies.
We had been slacking off lately, so we met for a mini-powwow to determine what has been going on to distract us, and how we could get back into a good routine. We decided that this looming assignment to Alaska had shifted our focus, and also, our staying up til the wee hours of morning the was making us groggy and less-than godly during the day.
Read the rest of this entry »Avoiding a Toxic Spill
July 17th, 2006
It’s a hot, hazy, humid Monday, perfect for hibernating. Summer makes me so grouchy and I really have to guard my thoughts and attitudes. I need to submit my heart and mind to my bible study and prayer before I decided to sit and write. It’s much easier preventing a toxic spill than cleaning one up!
It’s a Bird! I’ts a Plane!….
June 28th, 2006
Last week Rick got online and secured us tickets to the new Superman movie which we will see about two hours from now. The really fun part will be going to see it on the IMAX screen in 3-D. I’ve never been a huge Superman fan, but I look forward to this.
I’m tempted to sit and write more about silly stuff, but I need to get in the shower so I’m ready to go when Rick is.
Okay. Later then.
Update:
Note to Self
June 22nd, 2006
Still no word today on our possible assignment. I have been encouraged by the biography I’m currently reading on Hudson Taylor, as early on in the book there is much told about the years of preparation and waiting he endured getting ready to go to China. Although God’s not sending us out on the missionary field, waiting is waiting and patience is patience, right? God will move us when and if He desires to do so, and in the meantime we need to be going about His business in the lives we are living now.
I need this reminder. I have been pouting like a spoiled child the past few days, trying to make God make the powers that be give us a phone call – or an email. Anything.
