My favorite quotes I have heard this month

"Faithfulness is a long obedience in the same direction. " Eugene Peterson

"It is therefore necessary that we should be subject from the first to the last to the scourges of God so that we may from the heart call on Him. For our hearts are enfeebled by prosperity so that we can scarcely make the effort to pray." John Calvin

"It's better to do something than nothing because maybe in the journey we will figure it out." Buddy Hoffman, Grace Fellowship Church, GA

One last finger post/New Year's resolution

Great news. I received a good report when I went for a followup appointment on my fingers last week. Even though much healing has taken place, my finger was in a certain position for so long that I don't even realize now when I am favoring it. I will be carrying something or picking something up and my husband will ask me why my finger is sticking out instead of gripping the item as a normal person would do. I don't even realize I am doing this and have to consciously make my finger do what it is suppose to do. My finger needs to have a new way of thinking and remember that it is now okay and can grip just fine.

In the same way in our Christian walk, we often have old habits that don't need to be there anymore. We may not even realize we are still doing them. We need a new way of thinking. One way to get new habits is to have a new way of thinking- God's way of thinking. Each year I pick a verse that I want to work on being a part of my life for that year. For 2009, I have chosen Joshua 1:8 which says "Do not let this book of the law depart from your mouth; but meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be successful and prosperous." If I can follow this verse, I will have more of God's thinking and less of mine. Slowly my old habits can be replaced with habits that God would want me to have.

How will I practically make this verse a part of my life. The first I will do is make my Bible my most read book this year. I need to be in it daily. Secondly, I need to memorize God's word. When I memorize I am able to see each part of the verse more clearly and meditate on what it is saying. With God's word in me, I will be better equipped for battle. My thinking will be able to be transformed to God's way of thinking. My first chapter is Titus 3 and is a challenge from a online group. We are currently on verse 3 if you would like to join us.

Dear God, In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. May your word rest in me. May I hide your word in my heart so that I will not sin against you. May my thinking be conformed to your thinking. In Jesus name, Amen

Farewell to our airplane

About 2 years ago, my husband bought an airplane to build up his flying hours and to do training in. A bonus was that he flew us all sorts of places during that time. We have been to Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Montana, Idaho, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Nevada. Of course we have flown in Texas where our favorite flight was to go eat Barbecue at Hard Eight in Stephenville. It has been a great experience for our family allowing us to experience adventure as we go to visit family and friends. To the kids, it was just like riding in car except we got there faster.

Sometimes the ride was smooth and sometimes it was bumpy. Every one except my dh had the privilege of using a barf bag at least once. We flew over the clouds, through the clouds and under the clouds. Our flights could be short or very long but together we experienced life. The kids became experts at spotting other planes. I became an expert at not touching anything I wasn't suppose to. Our family was the flight crew. We had our trusty pilot who guided us as we pulled the plane in and out of the hanger and loaded baggage. I even got to help with maintenance now and then if you call holding something helping.

These two years we got to see God's creation from a different perspective. These two years I did some praying from high above. These two years I have been amazed at how well my husband can fly and remember all the things he needs to remember. I am thankful for all his hard work planning the trips and taking us with him. I am thankful for how he always enjoyed taking friends and family for rides. He even went and picked up a friend and her girls once and brought them home from Ohio. I am thankful for God guidance and protection as we have traveled. It has been a memorable season for us.

Wimpy Theology Makes Wimpy Women

I was taking my children to a friend's house when these words came over the podcast I was listening to. My daughter immediately picked up on the word wimpy thinking that would be a word you should not say. What followed was a discussion of what would wimpy theology be and would it make someone wimpy. We decided we did not want to be wimpy women.

Here is some of what John Piper said as he was speaking at the True Women 08 conference to hear more you can go to this link and listen to the message titled The Ultimate Meaning of True Womanhood.
"Wimpy theology does not give a woman a god big enough, strong enough, wise enough, good enough to handle the realities of life in a way that enables her to magnify Him and His Son all the time. He's not big enough.
Wimpy theology is plagued by woman-centeredness, or as we usually call it, man-centeredness.
Wimpy theology doesn't have a granite foundation of God's sovereignty underneath. It doesn't have the steel structure of a great God-centered purpose for all of human existence, including the worst of it.

So I turn to my main point, the ultimate meaning of true womanhood, and I start by stating that solid steel structure of God's ultimate purpose in all things. God's ultimate purpose for the universe, and all of history, and your life, is to display the glory of Christ in its highest expression in His dying to make a rebellious people His bride. That's the reason the universe exists: To display the glory of God's grace in its highest expression as the Son of God dies to make a rebellious people His bride. "

Dear Father in heaven, Thank you that you are too big to put in a box. Sometimes our problems seem so big but help us to remember that nothing is too big or impossible for you. May I display the glory of Christ in all that I do." Amen

Are you within hearing range?

A few years ago when we moved to this house, I realized my kids needed more outside time then I could spend outside. We lived on a cul-de-sac and my kids were older. So we came up with a system. They could play outside without me there if they would come when I called. At supper time or chore time, I will go outside and yell my children's name. They usually respond that they hear me and then come running. But once in a while, I call and no one answers. Upon further discovery, I find they have either wandered a little too far or are too engrossed in their play that they do not hear me.

The question is am I within hearing range of God's voice. In John 10: 3b-4, Jesus talks about how "the sheep listen to the voice of the shepherd. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he brings all his sheep out, he goes ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice." Do I know his voice? Have I gotten so caught up in my world that I can't hear him. Am I listening to too many voices and can't distinguish His voice from the others. Like my children, I need to be listening for His voice and stay in hearing distance. Often with God, I need to be still and just listen. I don't want God to have to come looking for me just because I didn't hear the first time. I don't want to wander to far from my good shepherd. God knows me by name and leads me that is enough.

Dear God, Thank you that you are the good shepherd and that you know my name. Help me to hear your voice as you lead me. Give me ears to hear and feet to obey. Amen