Terri's Memes

Miracle Monday

2009-09-21T11:44:00.004-05:00

This is a new meme I am going to be participating in. Go on over to A Mom's Life for more miracles in this world!

The miracle I want to share today is about God's timing. Have you ever noticed that His timing and yours never seem to be the same? Well, I have learned through experience that God's timing is always perfect!

Right now my family is living in God's timing. With dh still out of work, homeschooling a middle schooler and having my dad become home bound we live leaning totally on God. God is so faithful, He provides all our needs and a lot of our wants! He gives us courage to face each day, comfort to know He will be there and wisdom to handle what comes our way. To me that's the miracle. No matter the situation - He is there!

So, if you are feeling a little overwhelmed, God is there! Just reach out, call His name and then listen to what He has to say!

Psalm 23: 4 has become one of my favorite verses. Whenever we experience change, in a way we experience death.

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." Psalm 23:4

God is with you through the valley, He walks down with you and brings you up on the other side!

May God bless you richly as you look for the miracles in your life.
Terri Sue

WFW: Redeemed

2009-02-18T07:31:00.003-06:00

Hebrews 12:2
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

For more Word Filled Wednesday go over to 160acreswood.

Tuesdays: in "other" words

2009-01-20T08:57:00.002-06:00

This is my Father's world.

O let me ne'er forget

that though the wrong seem oft so strong,

God is the ruler yet.

This is my Father's world:

why should my heart be sad?

The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!

God reigns: let the earth be glad!

3rd verse from the hymn "This is My Father's World"

by Maltbie D. Babcock

Today is a great day in our American history. Today the first Black American will be sworn in as president. While, he is not the man I voted for and I have great misgivings about the next few years, the hymn reminds me that God is still in charge. God raises up the leaders of the nations. God knows time throughout all of eternity. God is still in charge!

So I challenge everyone to pray for our president and his cabinet. Th Presidential Prayer Team is a great way to do this. Please go here to sign up and join us in prayer: http://www.presidentialprayerteam.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ppt_homepage

Writing Canvas host in "other" words.

May God bless us all!

Continuing to memes

2009-01-17T07:39:00.003-06:00

I have been praying and deciding if I was going to continue this blog. I created this blog because I love memes, but some people don't like to read memes and I didn't want my homeschool blog to be filled with them! Then sometime around September I stopped participating in memes. I went through a season where writing and blogging just wasn't happening.

As the new year came about I had to wonder, do I need this blog anymore, was this blog reaching anyone, and did this blog glorify God. Then, someone commented on one of my memes in a very positive way. I went back and read my meme and it blessed my day. I have decided to continue this blog. I still enjoy my memes!

I am sad that some of the memes I did are no longer there! I am looking for new, Christian based memes out there.

So saying that, I'll see you out in memes world!

Be blessed!

Thankful Thursday: Change

2008-09-26T07:24:00.002-05:00

Iris hosts this meme over at Sting my Heart. Today I'm going to stick with her theme of change!

I am thankful that God is patiently waiting while I throw a fit about change.

I am thankful that change brings me closer to God.

I am thankful that God gave me a wonderful husband that is walking with me through change.

I am thankful for friends who pray for me during change.

I am thankful for a son who bends in the wind waiting for mom to change.

I am thankful for Jesus Christ who through his sacrifice on the cross I can change!

May you be blessed today!

Bloggy Break

2008-09-07T14:42:00.000-05:00

Due to some family situations going on in my family, I am taking a break for now. Please lift my family up in prayers.
Love,Terri Sue

Wordless Wednesday

2008-08-13T06:40:00.005-05:00

I'm hot! I'm tired! Leave me alone! So, is the heat of Texas make you feel!

Be blessed by going over and enjoying more Wordless Wednesday at Tiany's.

Thankful Thursday: Church Family

2008-07-17T10:50:00.002-05:00

One of the things I have been thankful for lately is our church family. This is why I am thankful:

wonderful women who are great mentors
youth minister who our son loves and respects
preacher who speaks the truth, even when I didn't want to hear it
our life group and the closeness we have with those families
my husband growing spiritually because of the opportunities given to him
the outreach program which allows us to help with our community
the older men and women who have so much wisdom to share
the amount of prayers these people pray
how generous these families are to each other
the love that is shown

We have been truly blessed with our church family!

Go on over to Sting my Heart for more great blessings!

WordFilled Wednesday

2008-07-16T10:17:00.005-05:00

Amydeanne host this meme with awesome uplifting scriptures and pictures! Go on over and look!

Philippians 4: 6-7

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

On our recent trip to Fiesta Texas I took this picture of the new roller coaster "Goliath" I took it while riding the Ferris Wheel. I remember thinking that I would be very anxious if I was standing in line to ride, and this verse came to mind. God wants us to pray about all parts of our lives even when we are having fun at Six Flags! By the way, I did not ride the roller coaster. Those days are in the past!

Be blessed!

Update! My son informed me that the roller coaster in my picture is not the "Goliath", but the "Texas Twister". Sorry about that!

Wordless Wednesday

2008-07-16T10:03:00.005-05:00

Tiany host this great meme of wonderful pictures! Go on over and see!

On our trip to the zoo this summer, this bird caught my eye because she was out where the people were and wasn't even fazed that we were walking right by her nest. I love the hair-do! I'm sorry that I don't remember what species she is!

Be blessed!

In "other" words

2008-07-15T09:55:00.002-05:00

“When we are set free from the bondage of pleasing others, when we are free from currying others approval-then no one will be able to make us miserable or dissatisfied. And then, if we know we have pleased God, contentment will be our consolation.
~Kay Arthur-

Learning to live for the Lord instead of for man is something I have struggled with all my life. It is so easy to fall into the trap of "keeping up with the Jones" and never be satisfied with what you have been given by God. Over the last few years I have learned to be content where I am. Here are verses that help me stay that way:

Job 36:11 If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment.

Hebrews 13:5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

Philippians 4:11-13 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

1 Timothy 6: 6-8 But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.

When Kay says you are set free from bondage, that is how I feel now. There are times I still want things and wish for things but I have learned to give those over to God. He will supply those things when His timing is perfect!

Is it easy? No, especially what you want is something that would be beneficial to you and your family. Right now we are a one car family and when I look with my earthy eyes I don't see how we will ever get the 2nd car back up and running but I know that God has a plan and I trust in His plan! My job is to keep the right attitude about this and show my contentment to our son and my husband so that added pressure isn't on him.

I pray for all that read this that you are being set free from this type of bondage. Jesus wants us to come to Him with all our needs and wants! Lean on the Savior, he will never fail you!

Be blessed!

Cafe Chat

2008-07-12T12:22:00.002-05:00

What is one woman from the Bible that you can relate to, and explain why you relate to her?

My most favorite woman in the Bible is Rahab! I love that God can use someone no matter where the are spiritually.

Rahab taught me that anybody can hear God calling them -- so never give up on people!

Rahab teaches me to step out on faith -- even when you don't know the outcome.

Rahab teaches me to go against the norm -- I'm sure her family wondered why they had to come to her place to be safe!

God teaches me through Rahab that generations will be changed by one person coming to God -- look at the linage of Jesus!

I love that God had someone in mind to love Rahab and give her a family. That teaches me that God already has a plan for me if I will just listen to his calling!

Go on over to the Cafe and share your favorite lady in the Bible!

Be blessed!

Tuesday: In "other" words

2008-07-08T08:52:00.003-05:00

I want to take a moment and thank Amy for all she has done in hosting In 'other" words. I ask for God to abundantly bless her in all her new projects! I also want to thank Loni for taking up the baton and keeping IOW going. It has truly blessed me over the year!

Today's In "Other" words is hosted by Bonnie at Ink it Blot, so go on over and be blessed!

“The Christian life is a pilgrimage. At times the road is difficult and we get lonely. Sometimes we may get discouraged and consider abandoning the journey. It is at such times that God will place a friend alongside us. One of God’s most precious gifts to us is friends who encourage us and lovingly challenge us to ‘keep going.’ "

~By Henry T. Blackaby & Richard Blackaby ~
from their devotional book, Experiencing God

Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

This verse came to mind when I read the quote above. God created us never to be alone. All the way back in Genesis, God saw that Adam needed a helpmate and created Eve. The Bible gives us stories of people who had someone to help them through the hard times:

Joshua had Caleb

Ruth had Naomi

David had Jonathan

Paul had Silas, then Timothy

I imagine there where times that each of these people wanted to give up. You look to the Psalms that David wrote and know he felt that way! God provided each of them that special person to help them keep going.

The great thing is that God does that today. I have been blessed with many people who have walked along side me through the difficult times.

The first and foremost is my husband and best friend. For the last 25 years we have walked this path together and I look forward to the next 25 years. It amazes me that in all that time we both have never been down together, ready to give up. God has always had one of us strong when we needed to be!

My mom came to mind next, she's been there for 45 years! She has never given up on me and always encourages me to do my best. She also reminds me that I am able to handle all that comes into my life as long as I let God in there first!

God has brought so many ladies from our church to teach me how to be the Titus 2 woman God needs me to be. Each one has given me her wisdom, her love and her acceptance wherever I was at that time.

Now, it's my turn. God has put it on my heart that it's my turn to be that mentor, to encourage those young moms out there, to reach out to the homeschool community here where we live, to share Jesus with all who come into my life. (I found it was easier being the one to receive than the one to give!)

Is God still providing those people? You better believe He is! I pray for those He will bring into my life. That I will learn the lessons they have to share!

There is one friend I want to share with you. He will be with you at all times, He never will desert you. His name is Jesus Christ and He wants to be a companion to you. If you don't know my friend and would like to, please leave me a post and I will share the wonderful things he has done for me! Grab a Bible and read the book of John!

Be blessed!

In "other" Words

2008-06-17T07:34:00.002-05:00

Today Joyfully Living is hosting this great memes! The quote she has chosen really speaks to my heart and convicts me that some of the decisions I have made lately are the right decisions!

"As Christian women, we must repudiate the world's agenda for women and seek to understand the Word's agenda for women... we must determine to be obedient to the Word of God no matter what is says, with no compromises. This is what is means to be a woman of the Word. We must find out what the Bible teaches about marriage, about children, about men and women and their roles, and then we must be obedient with no apologies, no matter what the cost. Is this radical Christianity? No. This is basic Christianity."

The Fruit of Her Hands, Nancy Wilson

Some background on myself, I had bought into the world's point of view about how a woman should be! When I married my husband 25 years ago, I wore the pants, hitched the belt and added steel toe shoes! I look back at that time and shake my head, standing amazed we made it through the first years of our marriage. I now know God has a plan for everything that happened to you!

It took a journey of about 17 years to realize I needed God as my pilot, not my co-pilot. During these years I took side trips to be with God, ones where things were still run my way. I now called myself a Christian woman in a worldly environment. I listened to women who talked about God's ways and read books that I liked reading because they told me what I wanted to hear! I just forgot to read the Bible and find out what God wanted me to be!

God never gave up on me. He patiently waited for me to open my arms and embrace Him. When I was ready, He guided me to a church full of women who lived Titus 2! He opened my eyes gently and with much love. I still battled him daily sometimes because at the same time He was grooming my husband to become the man he is today and frankly I didn't think God was doing that fast enough! Oh, how God must shake his head at me sometimes!

Finally, 2 years ago it was time for me to be put to the test. Would I stand up and not fall? I had been equipped this time with God's word, His wisdom, and the things Godly women had been teaching me. You see, God moved my family out of our comfort zone -- to a new town, a new job, a new homeschool group, a new church, you get the idea. For the first time, I really had the challenge of submitting to my husband with joy and love -- not grudgingly and mad. I am pleased to say, I passed that test. It was a hard one, but God saw me through!

Now, 2 years later God had another test for me. To examine my time and give up what He wanted me to. God wanted me to be focusing on His priorities, not my own. It was time to change my identity even more, to give up more of self and let Jesus shine through the cracks.

I am blessed that my husband is now truly the spiritual head of our home, I know without a doubt he submits to God and God's will. It is now time to let go of those last few things that the world has taught me, in how to be a woman. It is time to step out on faith, to be content in working with my husband in his ministries, to be content in being the mother I need to be and perhaps the hardest right now for me, to be content in being my dad's caregiver. I no longer need ministries of my own making, just the ones God has for me.

I had someone tell me that this all came about because I am becoming more mature. I sure feel like I'm taking baby-steps! This time though, I am hanging on to God's unchanging hand!

Cafe Chat

2008-06-14T07:39:00.004-05:00

What is one of your favorite attributes of God, and why?

My most favorite attribute of God is his compassion!

Lamentations 3:22-24

Sometimes I think I know what a word means but when I look it up, I have totally forgotten how much more depth the word has.

Compassion: sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it.

Compassion is not only knowing about a person's distress but having the desire to help that person relief the distress. Many times I have know of people's problem but never done anything about them God promises us that every morning HIS compassion is new and fresh.

He is faithful every morning. No matter how much I messed up the day before, He is there every morning. That blows me away, that God loves me so much, He will meet me every morning to begin again!

One of by most favorite hymns is written on this verse.

Great is Thy Faithfulness

Thomas O Chisholm

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father; There is no shadow of turning with Thee; Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not; As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see. All I have needed Thy hand hath provided; Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest, Sun, moon and stars in their courses above Join with all nature in manifold witness To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see. All I have needed Thy hand hath provided; Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide; Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see. All I have needed Thy hand hath provided; Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

May you experience God's compassion today.

Thankful Thursday

2008-06-06T06:49:00.004-05:00

This week I am especially thankful for the power of prayer, God's word and friends. My family has had a week of Satan's attacks and I know it is because we stand on God's word, the Bible, that we have been able to withstand this!

James 4: 7-8

"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."

I know that the prayers that have been lifted already, and the prayers that continue to be lifted up are what keep my family strong.

Psalm 88:13

"But I cry to you for help, O LORD; in the morning my prayer comes before you."

And I thank God for His mercy, love and understanding that when we fail that He is new every morning!

Lamentations 3: 22-26

"Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassion's never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. "

The last thing I am thankful for is that God gives me the ability to fight the good fight. Every day I have the opportunity to put on His armor and to be able to stand.

Ephesians 6:10-18

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. "

May your family be blessed this week.

Go on over to Sting my Heart for more Thankful Thursday.

2008-06-04T07:37:00.004-05:00

Isaiah 61: 10-11

I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.

This picture was taken in our backyard of plants that grew from the birdseed our son had put out to the birds for a science project.

It reminded me that we are planting seeds everyday in the kingdom of God. I asked myself, what kind of seeds am I planting? Do the seeds I plant ever grow into plants?

Go on over to 160AcreWoods for more encouragement!

Cafe Chat

2008-05-26T10:15:00.002-05:00

What is a positive tradition or godly character trait that you learned from your extended family that you hope to pass down to your own family?

To read my Bible everyday! To look to the Bible for all the answers!

The neatest thing that happens at my home is when I tell B it's time for personal reading and he goes gets his Bible. We read it together as a family bit nothing is better than when you personally get into God's word!

For more great post go over to Cafe Chat!

Aloha Friday

2008-05-23T21:13:00.004-05:00

In honor of my birthday today here is my question:

What is your favorite birthday memory?

My favorite memory is just last night when our son gave me a beautiful birthday card he made himself. It is special because no one asked him to do it. As a preteen I wonder sometimes what he is thinking about, but last night he was thinking about his mom!

Go on over to An Island Life for more fun!

Word Filled Wednesday

2008-05-21T13:43:00.003-05:00

Job 33:4

"The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life."In honor of our son B's birthday!

Go over to 160acrewoods to be blessed!

2008-05-19T07:58:00.002-05:00

What is one habit, negative pattern, or sin that has been passed down your family line from generation to generation that you do not want to pass down to your own family line? What steps are you taking to make sure the habit, pattern or sin is not repeated in your own family?

The one negative habit I want to stop with me is yelling when I am angry. This was something that happened all the time as I was growing up. As our son has grown up I have tried very hard to control this habit and only by the grace of God has it gotten better.

The most important thing I do after yelling is ask forgiveness from God and the person I yelled at. That was a very humbling experience the first time I had to ask forgiveness from my son. I also have asked God to intervene somehow when I am about to yell. It is amazing how many times the phone rings!

Another thing I do is pray before a situation happens. God has let me see what things can make me want to yell. This way I can put extra armor on with scripture and prayer to help me fight against this sin.

I do think I am breaking this cycle. It takes persistent and consistent working on but I hope and pray one day my grandchildren will say I am a soft-spoken women.

Aloha Friday

2008-05-16T08:37:00.003-05:00

Today's question is:

If you had a chance to travel to outer space, would you? Why?

I have always wanted to go to outer space. This is probably why I liked Star Trek growing up. I even researched buying a ticket to the moon when I was in high school. The thought that God knows each star by name just makes me shiver with pleasure!

Go visit An Island Life for more fun!

Thankful Thursday

2008-05-15T08:55:00.003-05:00

Life comes at you fast and furious! This has been one of those weeks! But through it all, when you stop and look, you can see the hand of God and how HE cares for you! Today I am thankful for the following:

That last night storms turned and passed us by.
That we are getting the rain we need.
That dh's grandfather (99) came through surgery and is doing better than expected.
That step dad is responding today and seems more alert. (He fell last weekend and hit his head, has had seepage in the brain)
That my mom sounded more positive on the phone this morning.
That are school year is almost done. Projects are being finished!
That I have a God who listens to prayer.

May you all be blessed richly this coming week. Go on over to Sting my Heart for more posts.

Word FIlled Wednesday

2008-05-14T14:39:00.004-05:00

Psalm 100

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness;

come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the LORD is God.

It is he who made us, and we are his ;

we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise;

give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;

his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Be blessed!

hosted by 160acrewoods

Tuesday: in "Other" words

2008-05-14T09:24:00.002-05:00

Today Beloved Mama has chosen a beautiful Bible verse to write about.

Mark 1:31a

So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up.

This verse is taken from the story of Jesus healing Peter's mother-in-law. I love this story, one because it tells us something about Peter and his family and also it tells me of the love Jesus has for all of us!

The verse also teaches me that Jesus will lift me up. In all circumstances, he will come to me , take my hand and lift me up. Sometimes, I fervently pray for Him to do this, and He does, but even in the times when I don't ask He is there holding my hand!

It is in these times, when Jesus held my hand without me asking that I have learned to love Him more, how much He loves me no matter what, and how awesome His power is in this world.

Please don't let people convince you that God isn't in control anymore or that He doesn't care. Those are lies that Satan uses to confuse you from searching and depending on God. Satan does have reign over this earth, but God has reign over all the universe.

1John 5:18-20

" We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him. We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true—even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life."

Jesus continues to lift me up, what joy I have knowing that He is there. Right now He is not only lifting me up, but He is holding my Mom's hand. My step dad is in the hospital and they are many miles from where I am. As much as I would like to be holding her hand right now, I can't. All I can do is continue to pray for strength, wisdom and comfort for my mom.

My prayer is that you know for certain that Jesus will lift you up! If you have questions please comment to me and I will email you!

Be blessed!

Prayer request

2008-05-11T21:02:00.001-05:00

Tonight my post is to ask for special prayers for my step dad, J. Yesterday he fell on his head and had to have 9 stitches. He is also bleeding inside the skull and the doctors have found an aneurysm in the CAT scan. He is very coherent though and knows whats going on. Please pray for the bleeding to stop by in the morning when they do the next CAT scan and for wisdom of the doctors treating him.

Thank you!
Terri Sue

2008-05-10T21:36:00.003-05:00

I have a new meme! I love it! Go on over to Cafe Chat for a great time? By the way, my cup is filled with hot cider and caramel!

What is the greatest lesson you learned from your mother or a mom like figure in your life?"

The greatest lesson I have learned from my mom is to "bend in the wind". She has such grace when she gets hit with crisis. She stays calm and handles things with dignity. I didn't realize this as I was growing up. In fact a lot of time I thought she was being wimpy and letting people walk on her. I know realize as an adult she handled the situations the best she could.

Right now my mom is walking in a crisis, my step dad fell tonight and is in ICU with blood on his brain. They will do a CAT scan in the morning to see what can be done. Please pray for them. When I talked to her a while ago, she assured me everything would be fine and to get some sleep. I wish I was there to hug her!

Be blessed!

Thankful Thursday

2008-05-07T21:35:00.002-05:00

Today I am thankful for the following:

My Dad's foot is not broken only has heel spurs
We have finished our co-ops this year and did great!
One of the ladies we have been studying the Bible with was baptized on Tuesday.
Our school year is coming to a close and it was a great year
I'm cleaning my carpets this weekend
Our rent did not go up this year
The Outreach program at church is going strong.

I am mostly thankful for my Savior, Jesus Christ who loves me through all my life.

Go visit Sting my Heart for more post.

Be blessed!

Wordless Wednesday

2008-05-07T09:47:00.004-05:00

The Beauty of God's colors

Go on over to Tiany's for more beautiful pictures,

Word Filled Wednesday

2008-05-07T09:33:00.005-05:00

Luke 15:10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

Yesterday my husband had the privilege to baptize a dear friend into Christ. My picture today is in honor of this!

Be blessed!

Go on over to 160AcreWoods to be blessed!

Aloha Friday

2008-05-02T09:34:00.003-05:00

Welcome to this week’s edition of Aloha Friday.
In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing heavy or too thought-provoking.

These are the instruction's given to participate. Go on over to An Island Life to have more fun.

My question is: What is your favorite pet?

Be blessed!

Friday: Show and Tell

2008-05-02T07:45:00.005-05:00

Today I wanted to show something fun from my girlhood! My Partridge Family records!

I came across them while looking for another album. I can't even imagine how many times I played these albums. We are blessed to have a record player with our stereo system and of course, I have to listen to them again!

Our son, B is amazed we have to turn the record over to hear the other side. He also wanted to know why the thing was so big! Oh, how things have changed!

Are there anymore Partridge Family fans? Come on, be honest and tell me!

Be blessed today and go on over to Canadagirl for more great Show and Tell!

Thankful Thursday: Prayer

2008-05-01T08:40:00.003-05:00

Today is our National Day of prayer, so I thought I would share reasons I am thankful around this theme.

I am thankful we live in a country where we can still pray out loud.
I am thankful that I am able to teach our son how to pray and about prayer without fear of retribution.
I am thankful that we still have some people in our government that pray to God.
I am thankful that God gave us the Bible to teach us how to pray.
I am thankful for a wonderful husband who is a prayer warrior.
I am thankful for things that have been answered because of prayer, this way I can share God's glory with others on a personal note.

May you join me today in earnest prayer for our country and families!

Sting my Heart is today's hostess!

Word Filled Wednesday

2008-04-30T09:49:00.003-05:00

Psalm 23:4

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. "

No matter the valley that you may be walking through, always know God is there!

Go over to 160AcresWoods for more great pictures!

Tuesday's in "other" Words

2008-04-30T09:11:00.004-05:00

"'If Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!'" We smile as we read the wall plaque in the novelty store. But our smile quickly turns to a frown if truly "Mama ain't happy." This is because the wife and mother in a family often "sets the tone" in the home. The "tone" God wants her to set is one of joy, optimism, and a delight in the Lord and in her family. If your family were called upon to describe you, what would they say?"~Martha Peace, "The Excellent Wife"

One of the lessons I learned early when I became a wife was that I set the temperature in our home. Not just the physical thermostat, but the emotional one as well. Then when I became a mom, the lesson was brought to my attention again! This is one lesson I try very hard to pass on to new wives and moms!

Being an emotional person, I know I truly influence how our day will be. Being a stay at home mom and homeschooler it is important to always "set the tone" at the beginning of the day. It never fails, that the first hour of my day and how I spend it, will determine how the rest of the day goes!

So how do I set the tone?

I make a choice to start my day with God in prayer and Bible study. The days I do this, things go so much more smoother!

I make the choice to put on the full armor of God! (Ephesians 6). When I do this, I stand against Satan's attacks.

I make the choice to be an example to our son instead of an influence with my emotions.

And when I forget to do all this, as I so frequently seem to do, I choose to stop my day, fall on my knees, and ask God to come on in and take over!

It's never too late to set the temperature!

Please visit As Gold Refined to read more!

Word-Filled Wednesday

2008-04-23T21:45:00.007-05:00

Dueteronomy 11:19 "Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."

Very simple, but to me very powerful.

Be blessed by going over to 160acreswood!

Tuesday: in "other"words

2008-04-22T08:02:00.003-05:00

Today, Ink It Blog is hosting!

"To be intimate with others is to reveal our innermost selves to them, including our emotions, thoughts and desires. For such deep sharing of the soul and spirit to occur, people must respect and trust each other. ... In a world controlled by sin, however, to choose to be intimate is to choose to be hurt. Yet Jesus calls us to this kind of intimacy with Him and with one another."~ Kenneth A. Schmidt ~

I've been really thinking and praying about this statement since I got up this morning. I know for me it is hard to find that person (other than my husband) who I can truly share everything. God has blessed me over the years with certain women who I have felt close enough to be open and honest with.

It is hard in today's world to build the relationships needed to be this close. Our world (at least mine) is so busy with things I often wonder will even matter in the long run! It is so important to me to take time out periodically and reevaluate where I am spending my time with and who that is also.

Our church tries to help with this by providing life groups. I really love the people in our life group but honestly, how do you get to know someone intimately that you spend 2 hours with a week. IS it my responsibility to get to know these people? Absolutely! But it goes back to being busy with so much.

I believe that "busyness" is one of Satan's tools to keep us from connecting together. The Bible tells the believers to meet together, to stand together, to work together, to know one another. If I am going in so many directions how can I make this happen in my families life?

I guess where I'm going with this, in reference to the quote, is that it is my responsibility to build that relationship, that I can be open and honest and that the other person knows me well enough they also can be. This is something Jesus has called me to do, not have someone to do for me!

So the challenge is, do I want to change? Do I want to make the effort to build this type of relationship? Am I going to stop, look at my schedule and change what needs to be changed? I'm not talking about adding one more thing to my already full calender, I'm talking about giving up what ever it takes to build the relationships God wants the believers to have.

I think I need to spend some more time in prayer!

Be blessed!

My Six Word Memoir

2008-04-21T08:36:00.002-05:00

A new blogger friend, has tagged me with this and I really thought it was interesting to think about what those six words would be.

Here's my six words: God's daughter, Christ covered, Grace given

Thank you Rosie for tagging me. Go visit Rosie over at Parenting Issues . I don't tagged certain people, I just let those who want to join in! Leave me a comment and share your six words.

Be blessed!

Aloha Friday

2008-04-18T10:05:00.003-05:00

I found another meme to participate in!

This is the instructions on how to take part: In Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that we take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So I thought that on Fridays I would take it easy on posting, too. Therefore, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Nothing heavy or too thought-provoking.

So please answer my question, then go on over to Aloha Friday for more!

Who is your most favorite Bible
character and why?

Thankful Thursday

2008-04-17T08:23:00.007-05:00

Today I decided to combine two of my memes, Thankful Thursday and Thirteen Thursday in celebration of the Psalms.

I am very thankful for the men who wrote the Psalms. Men, like David, who had a heart for God. Through the Psalms I can worship the Lord and call on Him in times of stress!

So here are my first 13 favorite Psalms. I thought I would give a verse that means a lot to me, but I encourage you to look up and read the entire Psalm!

1. Psalm 1:6 "For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish."

2. Psalm 8:3-4 "When I consider your heavens,the work of your fingers,the moon and the stars,which you have set in place,what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?"

3. Psalm 16:11 "You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence,with eternal pleasures at your right hand."

4. Psalm 33:20-22 "We wait in hope for the LORD;he is our help and our shield.In him our hearts rejoice,for we trust in his holy name.May your unfailing love rest upon us,O LORD,even as we put our hope in you."

5. Psalm 40:4 "Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust,who does not look to the proud,to those who turn aside to false gods."

6. Psalm 42:1 "As the deer pants for streams of water,so my soul pants for you, O God."

7. Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God;I will be exalted among the nations I will be exalted in the earth."

8. Psalm 51:10-12 "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me."

9. Psalm 63:1 "O God, you are my God,earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you,my body longs for you,in a dry and weary land where there is no water."

10. Psalm 66:5 " Come and see what God has done, how awesome his works in man's behalf!"

11. Psalm 84:5 "Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage."

12. Psalm 86:11 "Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name."

13. Psalm 100
"Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations."

May you all be blessed by today's Thankful Thursday. Go on over to Sting My Heart for more blessings.

Word Filled Wednesday

2008-04-16T11:18:00.003-05:00

I hope you’ll be blessed by todays Word Filled Wednesday.The purpose of Word filled Wednesday is to share God’s word through photo’s & a verse! Go on over to 160acreswoods for more!

Psalm 29:11 "The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace."

Through the storms of life, when we have Jesus Christ in our lives we know we have strength to stand! May you be richly blessed by the Lord today.

Tuesday: in "Other" words

2008-04-15T09:42:00.004-05:00

Today, Forever His is hosting. Please go over and visit!

What a great quote for today, at least for me. Sometimes I need a swift kick in the pants to remind me that God is so much bigger than anything I can imagine and there is always something I can learn from Him. I get complacent in my Bible reading , thinking that I've read this so many times already. That's when I know there is definitely something to be learned because Satan is really tempting me to skip my reading!

I remember this wonderful older woman who told me she had read the Bible through every year of her life she could remember. I looked at her and asked "Why?" I had no concept of God's greatness and that His Bible was filled was such treasures. I have yet to make it through the entire Bible in one year, but I am trying!

God really shook our world the last couple of years and that nice comfortable life we were living came to an end. But through this, we found that God will provide all your needs. He continues to love us, to watch over us and to mold us into what He needs us to be. I wouldn't change the last years because God has let us see some of the fruit of this season. I'm so glad I knew and still know where my source is!

Be blessed!

Show N Tell

2008-04-11T11:35:00.003-05:00

Today I want to show my Nanny's cookie jar. I don't remember it full of cookies but I do remember her having a whole set of dishes to match. When we were at my mom's a couple of weeks ago we found the jar in her shed.

Go on over to Canadagirl's to see more!

Show N Tell

2008-04-04T09:16:00.005-05:00

Canadagirl host this meme every week! Go on over and enjoy what others have shared!

Today I want to share the precious gift I received last night from my secret prayer sister. For the last 6 weeks a group of women at our church have been praying for each other. Last night we had a dinner to reveal our secret prayer sister and exchanged a gift.

Here are the gifts I received:

This is a Sarita Basket made in Peru. This particular basket is a Stash Basket. My friend has put a jasmine candle inside.

This Is Texas Bluebonnet Soap! This soap was handmade here in the Hill Country.

I have been so blessed to have Carolyn praying for my family. Thank you, Carolyn!

Be blessed!

Terri Sue

Thankful Thursday

2008-04-03T08:58:00.002-05:00

Iris over at Sting My Heart host this memes every week. This meme is one of my most favorites because it makes me stop each week and give thanks to the Lord, something I should be doing on a daily basis!

So today I am thankful for a Lord who loves me through all my faults and weaknesses.

I am thankful for Iris and the many others who take time today and stop to share.

I am thankful for the opportunities God gives me to share my faith, may I see them all!

I am thankful for a husband who gets out of his comfort zone to reach out to people who need to hear the message of God.

I am thankful to be back into our "normal" routine.

I am thankful that I live in the USA and the freedoms I have, I just pray for us everyday!

May you be blessed today!

2 Corinthians 3:16-18

"But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit"

Wordless Wednesday

2008-04-02T11:43:00.009-05:00

God's Brilliant Colors

Go on over to Tiany's for more great photos!

Word Filled Wednesday

2008-04-02T08:30:00.004-05:00

Luke 19: 37-40

When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!"
"I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."

My prayer is that these stones will never have to cry out!

Be blessed!

The 160acrewoods is hosting today!

Tuesday: in "other" words

2008-04-01T09:33:00.005-05:00

We must assess our thoughts and beliefs and reckon whether they are moving us closer to conformity to Christ or farther away from it.~ by John Ortberg ~

2 Corinthians 10: 4-5

"The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

This verse came to mind when I read the statement by Mr. Ortberg. In order for me to be moving closer to Christ I must watch what I think. This requires me to be careful of what I put in my head! I have had to give up certain books, TV shows and music in order to have my thoughts be obedient to Christ. This doesn't mean someone else has to do exactly what I have done! I have to be careful not to judge others on what are stumbling blocks for me!

For me and my family it is important to take time to reevaluate what we are allowing in our home through the media. My husband and I were raised with the TV on all the time and we both love video games. Until our son was born we didn't even think about what was on or what music was played. We had a sense of morals, but not a sense of truly thinking of what we were hearing. Now we are more careful to screen what goes on in our home. We talk about why we do this to our son, so he will understand the importance of guarding what goes into his heart.

Using the question "What would Jesus do?" to help us make decisions has also helped us in training our son to seek God's word for guidance. The only way to know what being more like Jesus means is to get in the Word and learn. When I stopped giving my opinion and started searching the Scriptures for the answer, more was learned. There will come a day that we, as parents, won't be there when our son needs to make a decision and my goal is to have him so used to searching the Bible for wisdom that it will be second nature to turn to God.

Be blessed in your walk today!

Friday Show N Tell

2008-03-28T11:21:00.004-05:00

I finally am able to join this meme because I learned how to get my camera to communicate with my computer! Canadagirl is the great host!

This photo was taken at the park we went to the most when we lived on the Panhandle of Texas. I took it when we went back over Easter. Notice how low the waterline is! It has been a long time since we have been able to see the bottom of the trees, they are usually submerged in water! I loved seeing all the ducks there though because it just shows that life moves on!

Know and Tell Friday

2008-03-28T09:10:00.005-05:00

To Know Him is taking a blogging break for the next few weeks but since I missed last week I thought I would do this last set of questions!

1. Do you color your hair? Never have! I'm a natural redhead so will probably have to since I am told we don't gray gracefully. Right now, even though I have some gray, I am growing my hair for Pantane Locks which make wigs for adult women who have cancer.

2. What is one thing that you do with your family (or by yourself) to celebrate Easter? We read the account of Jesus' last week from a chronological Bible so that all the gospels are combined. This year we traveled to my mom's to spend the weekend with her and my step dad.

3. How old was your oldest living relative (still living or in the past)? I have had grandparents live to their 90's. Right now, my husband's grandfather will celebrate his 99th birthday in April.

4. What is one thing that can be a "time waster" to you? Playing cards on the computer!

5. Most annoying bug? The Fire Ant! I can't get near them without having an allergic reaction and unfortunately they are all over the Hill Country of Texas.

6. What does Easter mean to you? Paul wrote to the Ephesians about the unity of Christ.

Ephesians 4: 3-6 "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. "

To me , Easter is the celebration of this, the realization that what Jesus did for me gives me the promise of oneness with Him.

7. Is there currently a sin that you are holding onto, and you know you should let go of? The sin of gluttony is one I fight all the time. God is now letting the consequences of this sin affect my health and waking me up to the fact that I need to get under His control.

Be blessed!

Thankful Thursday

2008-03-27T08:26:00.004-05:00

Today I am most thankful for my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

I am thankful we had a safe trip to visit my mom.

I am thankful for a son who everyone compliments us on! Thank you God for the wisdom and patience to be the parents we need to be!

I am thankful we got to see our nephew pitch his first at-home game in college! I am even thankful for the sunburn that came with it!

I am thankful that my mom and I got to play lots of games of Skip-Bo!!

I am thankful to be home, to get back in routine and to look forward to the next visit!

I am thankful to be back at my computer blogging.

For more Thankful Thursday visit Sting my Heart .

Be blessed!

Terri Sue

Word Filled Wednesday

2008-03-26T15:48:00.003-05:00

Job 37:6

"He says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth,' and to the rain shower, 'Be a mighty downpour.' "

Go on over to 160acreswoods for more great scriptures and pictures .

On Spring Break!

2008-03-17T08:32:00.001-05:00

We are going on Spring BReak! I will miss my memes but won't have access to a computer! Oh, to have a laptop! Anyway, see you all in a little while!

Be blessed!

What kind of dog am I?

2008-03-14T19:17:00.001-05:00

Golden Retriever
The Charmer

Laid-back, sociable and well-groomed, you've got your own hip little pack of groupies who just love to be around you. You have a brain inside that adorable little head of yours, though you use it mostly to organize your hectic social calendar. You never poop out at parties, and since you're popular with ladies and men, as well as children and adults, you dish out your wit, charm and luck to whomever is close enough to bask in it. The top dog likes you and wants to be your best friend, despite the fact that he doesn't really know what the heck you do. No one does, in fact, but everyone loves you all the same. A true foodie, you’ve got your keen ears fine-tuned to make sure you don't miss out on the opening of a trendy new place to nosh. But your youthful days of being able to wolf down food 24-7 are wagging behind you, meaning you've got to watch what you eat so you don’t pull a Brando and outgrow your coats.

Know and Tell Friday

2008-03-13T23:19:00.004-05:00

I'm up late tonight and decided to go ahead and do this now since To Know Him already has the questions available. I missed last week because Fridays are extremely busy for my family!

1. What can you draw well? Nothing! I bought a book to teach me to draw Biblical stick figures to help teach my pre-K class at church.

2. Name a TV show (at any period in your life) that you watched that you were probably a little too old to watch. OK, I don't agree with this at all, but most people think that 45 is too old to watch Scooby Doo. I have over 100 hours of various Scooby Doo shows that I watch on pretty much a daily basis. It's the way I relax at night. My hubby says I listen, not watch anymore! Our son and I are looking for the mistakes at this point! I am disappointed in the way the movies have been wrote lately and I hear there's a new series on WB but we don't get that channel!

3. What color is the dominant color of your wardrobe? I don't have any one color more than another!

4. Favorite donut? Krispie Kremes glazed and their cake donuts! As long as it doesn't have chocolate on it I would probably eat it! I know, I'm weird because I don't care for chocolate!

5. Wear painful shoes just because they are cute? No, I don't even understand this concept. First of all I don't own that many pairs of shoes. Now, my mom on the other hand, loves shoes!

6.Is there anything that you believe you do not believe God about? Boy, this hit home! I tend to question God in the small things that seem so big to me, you know like where grocery money is coming from. God has worked some incredible feats in my life and I still question if He will do it again!

7. In general, do you think it is ok to be frustrated with people? No, because there is a lot of damage done to both parties. I say this because I tend to get frustrated easily and God is using our son to teach me to control this emotion. We homeschool and I can tell you every time we have a challenging day it's because I have let myself get frustrated!

I feel the need to ask for prayers. I am struggling with a financial situation right now and I do want to believe God will provide. If you would all lift me and my family up I would appreciate this!

Have a great weekend. I won't be posting next week because we are going to see family that has been over a year to have seen! See you in two weeks!
Be blessed!
Terri Sue

Thankful Thursday

2008-03-13T08:31:00.003-05:00

Today I am thankful for the rain we have gotten over the last few days. Our grass is getting green and the signs of Spring are here.

I am thankful for the birds that live in our trees and the fact that I can hear them sing.

I am thankful for the daffodils that are pushing their way up out of the ground.

I am thankful for the bees I see coming out to pollinate the flowers.

I am thankful for the warmer temperatures!

I am trying to find a reason to be thankful for the fire ants that are already at work!

I am most of all thankful for God, who has created all this beauty to see!

Genesis 1:11-13

"Then God said, "Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds." And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day."

May you be blessed richly by the Lord today!

Terri Sue

Wordless Wednesday

2008-03-12T12:50:00.003-05:00

9 months until Christmas! I'm ready now!

This is the first time for me to participate in this memes. Go on over to Tiany's for more!

Word Filled Wednesday

2008-03-12T11:25:00.003-05:00

John 3:16-18
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.

For more uplifting images go over to 160acrewoods.

Tuesday: in "other' words

2008-03-12T11:07:00.003-05:00

How fitting that what I left incomplete yesterday was this post! You know what? It was okay! I believe there are things you need to be timely with but at the same time it is okay not to finish everything!

One of the first things I learned in homeschooling is that everything I want to get done in a day isn't going to happen. One of the first years we homeschooled I was tied to my list and worried and fretted when it didn't get done. That lead to the year of no schedule and that wasn't any better! thank goodness, God brought people into my life that helped me find the middle ground! I still schedule more than we can do everyday but I don't sweat it if we don't get it done!

I thank God everyday that he is infinite! He can handle all things! This gives me comfort to know that He takes the time to be with me! Now if I would only take more time to be with Him!

I look forward to reading every one's post this week. Go on over to Lori's for these great posts.

Recipe Swap

2008-03-08T20:55:00.002-06:00

I am taking part of a recipe swap over at Cricket's Corner ( one of my other blogs). Go on over and see my recipe and the link to a lot of others!

Be Blessed!
Terri Sue

Thursday Thirteen: Scooby Doo

2008-03-06T11:04:00.004-06:00

Today I am going to list my 13 favorite Scooby Doo shows!

What a Night for a Knight
Mine your own Business
Which Witch is Which?
Spooky Space Kook
The Dynamic Scooby Doo
The Haunted Horseman in Hagglethorn Hall
The Caped Crusader Caper
The Fast and the Wormious
The Gruesome Game of the Gator Ghoul
The Monster of Mexico
The Loch Ness Monster
Where's My Mummy?
Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed

Be blessed!

Terri Sue

Thankful Thursday: Simple Things

2008-03-06T10:31:00.004-06:00

I am thankful today for the simple things I take for granted everyday!

the telephone: so I can call my mom everyday
the heater and air conditioner: down here you never know which one you will need
running water
indoor bathrooms
hot water heaters
washing machine/dryer
ceiling fans: for those between times
food in the refrigerator
our computer
pencils with erasers
scissors and glue

Most importantly I am thankful for my precious Bible!

Go on over to Sting My Heart for more TT post.

Word Filled Wednesday:Path

2008-03-05T15:44:00.003-06:00

Psalm 16:11

You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Tuesday: In 'other' words

2008-03-04T09:06:00.003-06:00

"The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision."
~ Hellen Keller ~

My thoughts turn to being spiritually blind.

Matthew 6:22-23 "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!"

Matthew 15:12-15 "Then the disciples came to him and asked, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this? He replied, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit." "

It scares me to look around and see the blind leading the blind! Right now, in this time of voting it can really be seen. When I hear comments like "I'm going to vote for him because he's so cute!" or " Maybe it's time for a woman to be in charge!" or "Things are ok, why change?" I know there are going to be pits full of people out there!

But more importantly I see the work of Satan in our world and how he has distorted the vision of people to believe there is no absolute truth.

2 Corinthians 4: 3-6 " And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.

The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory displayed in the face of Christ. "

So, how can the blind be helped to see?
By me getting out there and telling what Jesus has done for me!

How can the next generation not be blind?
By my husband and I laying the foundation in our home that Jesus is the light!

Matthew 28: 19-20 "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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

So, do you have a vision?

Mumblings of a Mommy "Monk" is hosting today!

Know and Tell Friday: a day late

2008-03-01T09:17:00.002-06:00

I really like this memes because it makes me think about what I really do believe in! Go on over to To Know Him for more great reading!

1. I can't bear the sound of_________. Nerf gun bullets whizzing by my head as soon as I get up! Actually , I can't stand the sound of much for at least 30 minutes after getting up in the morning!

2. I would love to time-travel back to_________. The old west is my first pick, I love old westerns! I would probably end up like Calamity Jane though! No way, would I want to go back to the ole south and have to wear those dresses!

3. Shop alone, shop with mom, or shop with friends? I really don't like to shop! If I have to go I like to go with my husband, it's time for us!

4. Worst movie ever? I'm not much of a movie person but I remember when hubby and I were first married we walked across the field to go to the $1.00 movie. It was a 3-D take-off of Raiders of the Lost Ark (a great movie) called The Hidden Treasure ( I think). It was horrible! I have went to see another 3-D movie!

5. Have you ever had your heart broken (by the opposite sex...not by a family member, or close friend)? Yes, but so glad I did because then God brought my Husband into my life!

6. In what area of your life have you felt the most judged (by others or even self condemnation)?
In our decision to homeschool. In the first couple of years it was from other people until,mostly family members, until they realized that we truly believed that God had called us to homeschool. Now, I have to be very careful about not judging myself or our son with others standards!

7.(relates to number 6) Are you now free from that judgment, and how did you get free if you are? I would say that I am free from that judgement because I spend a lot of time in prayer asking God to give me wisdom and strength. But, like all things if I am not careful, Satan can put thoughts and ideas in my head that I start to question. Then is when I spend more time praying and reading God's word. God has always graciously sent me someone to help get through these times!

8.What is one new way you could be a blessing to your pastor (or other ministers) this year?
I guess I should ask him! I know I pray for our ministers on a regular basis!

Be blessed!

Thursday Thirteen: Bible

2008-02-28T09:22:00.002-06:00

Today I am going to list my 13 favorite people of the Bible! Jesus is always #1 on my list! This list will be the next 13 in no particular order.

1. Eve - she started all over

2. Rahab - she had courage

3. Jochebed - she did what she had to, to save her child

4. Peter - he was so real

5. Andrew - even when doubting, he was seeking

6. Paul - he went the distance

7. David - he loved God with everything

8. Jael - she did what needed to be done

9. Joshua - he stepped in when it was time

10. Caleb - God blessed his faithfulness

11. Lydia - she lead her family to Jesus

12. Gentile woman - persistent in pleading with Jesus

13. Abigail - she did what was right before God

What wonderful examples God has given us!

Be blessed!

Word Filled Wednesday

2008-02-27T11:30:00.003-06:00

Deuteronomy 31:8

The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."

Know and Tell Friday

2008-02-22T13:03:00.004-06:00

1. Do you read or study best in silence or in a place with background noise? Why?

I read and study better with background noise. I never thought about why. I'll have to ponder on that while I listen to Scooby Doo!

2. If you were to write a book about your life, what would it be called?

"Living on the Edge of Chaos and Loving it!"

3. Why do you think divorce is so prevalent?

Because the world is full of sin and believes Satan's lies! Now I will step on some toes with this one, because women have been taught to live a role God never made them to fill! Lastly, because absolute truth is not being taught anymore in the world!

4. What's the best way to resist peer pressure?

Have a great relationship with the Lord, with your family and with your church family. God gives you the guidelines, hopefully parents are teaching them and your church family will support them!

5. What is the most serious illness or injury you ever faced?

The issue that I am clinically obese right now. I have spent the last few months facing the fact if I don't get it under control now, I may not be around to see my grandchildren one day. So, this week I started at Curves, I'm cutting back on the Diet Cokes and I'm working on those portions of food!

6. When was the last time you felt like you had a laugh with God?

I think God laughs a lot! I can't think of a specific time, I just know he smiles and chuckles with me!

7. What do you say to someone who is going through a tragic or hard time?

Would you like me to pray for you? And then pray! Also, can I give you a hug? Sometimes the touch makes the person know they are still loved!

Have a great weekend walking with the Lord!

Terri Sue

Thankful Thursday: Prayer

2008-02-20T23:40:00.006-06:00

John 17: 20-21

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me."

I am thankful that God sent Jesus and that when He prayed this prayer He was thinking of me.

Acts 2:41-42

"Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer."

I am thankful for all my brothers and sisters in Christ who are praying with me and my family.

Ephesians 6:18

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."

I am thankful that Paul has left me instrustions on how to pray.

Philippians 4: 6-7

I am thankful that God tells me to pray and promises me peace.

James 5: 13-16

"Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."

I am thankful that God teaches me why to pray.

I am thankful for the privilege of prayer.

Sting My Heart host TT every week!

Word-Filled Wednesday: Mentor

2008-02-20T19:37:00.005-06:00

Titus 2: 3-5

"Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God."

160acrewoods has more great pictures!

In "other" words

2008-02-19T09:47:00.004-06:00

Heather over at Titus 2 Woman is hosting today!

Momma prayed, momma cried, momma laid awake at night.She would fight my battles while I slept away Cause momma knew life is hard without somebody on your side I don't know how, but there is power in the way,The way my momma prayed.

words and music by Jeremiah Olson of 40milesNorth

I don't think there is anything on this earth more powerful than a Mother's prayers. When I hear moms say 'the only thing I can do is pray", I wonder what else could you do! This is standing in the gap for our children! Prayer tells God how much you love your children and how thankful you are for His precious gift! I'm still reaping benefits from my mother's prayers!

I have a blog called Passion for Prayer where I wrote about praying for my son's mate. I can't think of a better gift that to be praying for the wife and mother of his children. I am so blessed that a good friend of mine taught me early in my son's life to begin to pray for him!

Lifting Hands has a wonderful blog about interceding for our children!

I can't imagine our son not thinking and knowing we are always on his side. Let your children know you are praying for them! Teach them to journal prayers so they can see them answered! Most of all never give up! God wants to hear our prayers!

Can I challenge you to maybe offer up prayers for other children also! I know I feel comforted to know that others are praying for my son! Look around and pick a child or children that you will commit to praying for on a daily basis. Our children of this world are at risk and through offering these prayers we are "standing in the gap"

Be blessed!

Know & Tell Friday

2008-02-15T08:13:00.003-06:00

I missed last week so glad to be back on my schedule! To Know Him host this great meme!

Question 1 Did you eat candy this Valentine's Day?
Yes, because a dear friend gave me some! I'm not a big chocolate fan but this was dark chocolate with caramel inside! I also had a chocolate covered cherry from the box given to my dad by our son.

Question 2 What is something you do to relax?
We have an extra room that I have just turned into "my space". Our family dynamics have changed over the last year and I have felt the need for a more girly space! I now can go upstairs and watch all the Scooby Doo I want! (I have over 100 hours on tape!) My Dh says I listen to Scooby Doo because I am always doing something else while it's on!

Question 3 What is the best approach for resolving conflict?
Pray! Pray! Pray! Ask God to give you wisdom and insight. In our home we never go to sleep angry. With others outside our home, we try and follow God plan for dealing with conflict.
Ephesians 4:29-32
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Question 4 How would you define "freedom"?
Freedom is the right to make decisions for yourself. Now, not all those decisions may be good if you are not grounded in the right foundation! To me and my family that foundation is Jesus Christ.
Colossians 2:6-15
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.
For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.
When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Question 5 On a scale of 1-10, how happy do you usually feel? Explain.
I was going to get all philisophical about this question but decided just to answer it simply! I am one of those people that see the glass always half full. I don't like to see the negative side of things and when I have to face that it really takes a lot out of me. So, on this scale I would give myself an 8!

Question 6 If you could choose one "SIN" that you would never have to struggle with for the rest of your life what would it be? Gluttony! Would solve most of my problems!

Question 7 What is one thing that breaks your heart?
People who reject the teachings of Jesus Christ. It hurts terribly when someone I know and love turns their backs on God.

Thursday Thirteen

2008-02-14T13:03:00.004-06:00

I found a new meme! I love it!

MamaArcher has this great meme I'm going to do! I'm going to follow her example and list 13 things on my desk.

1.a cola-clock made by our son B

2. B's mp3 player

3. my homeschool support group's notebook

4. a multiplication wipe-off book

5.a stack of assorted cards I give out at church

6. A Call to Prayer handbook

7. my soda

8. my camera

9. my address book (we sent cards to relatives this week)

10. pen holder with pens

11. a list of things to do today (oh, this was yesterday's list, oops)

12. a stapler

13. my big calendar that dh is hoping gets me organized

Thankful Thursday: Love

2008-02-14T11:55:00.005-06:00

How appropriate for today to be thankful for all the love shown in my life!

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." John 3:16-17

I love these verses. I've always thought there should be a comma between these sentences instead of a period because so many people stop at verse 16.

I thank God that He sent his Son to save the world not condemn it!

I am thankful for my beautiful family God made just for me!

I am thankful for a day put aside that people think of love, I just pray it will carry over to other days.

I am thankful for drawn valentines, crooked cut-out hearts and dinosaur stickers that have been a part of my Valentine Day cards over the years.

I am thankful for a son who doesn't understand why we need a special day because "aren't we to show love everyday"!

I am thankful for a marriage of 25 years and looking forward to 25 more!

Sting My Heart has more great thanksgiving to read!

Word Filled Wednesday: Praise & Love

2008-02-13T08:55:00.004-06:00

Psalm 100

A psalm. For giving thanks.

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

The 160acrewoods has more great pictures to share.

Tuesday: In "other" words

2008-02-12T11:43:00.000-06:00

As Gold Refined is hosting today!

"Why do our days seem so unimportant, filled not with romance and adventure but with duties and demands? We feel unseen, even by those who are closest to us. We feel unsought--that no one has the passion or the courage to pursue us,to get past our messiness to find the woman deep inside. And we feel uncertain--uncertain what it even means to be a woman; uncertain what it truly means to be feminine; uncertain if we are or will ever be.......And in all the exhortations we have missed the most important thing of all. We have missed the heart of a woman."

Quote taken from: "Captivating" by John and Stasi Eldredge

In my humble opinion the United States has made it hard to be the woman like God created me to be. I was raised in the 70's and married in the early 80's and what I remember most is learning about "girl power"! How we were as smart, strong and even better than men because we had more compassion. I bought in to that thought process and have taken the last 15 years reteaching myself what God has wanted me, as the woman he created, to become.

I praise God for all the Titus 2 women He has provided for me to be mentored by in the last 10 years. As I move into the phase of being the Titus 2 woman, I thank God for the examples I have had.

Titus 2:3-5 "Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. "

These women have taught me not to be afraid of the Proverbs 31 woman, but to embrace her!

Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character
A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.
Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.
She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.
She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls.
She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.
She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.
In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.
When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.
She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.
She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children arise and call her blessed;her husband also, and he praises her:
"Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all."
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

I know that God wants me to share Him with all the women I come in contact with, to show them that through Him they can be the "princess" they have dreamed about. The men in our lives will fail us but God never will! He is always there waiting to bestow jewels in our crowns! He is the KING!

Word filled Wednesday - even the lowly

2008-02-06T08:51:00.000-06:00

Psalm 138:5-6

May they sing of the ways of the LORD, for the glory of the LORD is great. Though the LORD is on high, he looks upon the lowly, but the proud he knows from afar.

I hope you’ll be blessed by todays Word Filled Wednesday.The purpose of Word filled Wednesday is to share God’s word through photo’s & a verse! Go over to The160Acres
for more blessings!

Tuesday's In 'other" Words

2008-02-05T09:14:00.001-06:00

Bonnie over at Ink It Blog is hosting today. Go on over and enjoy reading!

Today's quote is:

He [God] is very patient with us when we are trying to be patient with Him."

~ Elisabeth Elliott ~

I always seem to find myself chuckling when I read the quotes from each week. Maybe it's because I see myself in them so much! Today is no different.

Today's quote was written with me in mind! I know that God shakes his head at me all the time and just wonders when I will finally get it! Actually He already knows! I used to pray for patience, then add can it come now! So of course, God has to insert a life lesson there!

Not once, but twice in the last six years has my husband been out of work. The first time was for only 3 months but the second time was for nine months. Through this time we learned patience, trust, how to receive blessings with the right attitude and that change is not bad, just hard. We also learned that God has a purpose that will be fullfilled in His own time. His timing is perfect, not our timing!

Through all this God was very patient with us, as we fought moving, complained about the circumstances, questioned His wisdom (I still laugh at that one), searched scripture to validate our point of view! We did it all the wrong way until one Wednesday night we came home to a message from a company that wanted to know if we were willing to move. My husband and I realized right then we were just talking about wanting to do God's will, we weren't walking the walk! After praying together for forgiveness and giving over the situation, God started showing us what He wanted. While that job didn't come about, the job that came did require us to move to another city and make some changes in our family dynamics. He very patiently walked us through all this!

The other thing I think about when I read this quote is how patient God is with unbelievers. I sometimes get so impatient when someone I'm studying with just doesn't get it as fast as I think they should! God then takes me to Peter's letter:

2 Peter 3:8-10
"But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare."

The first two verses tell me how important it is to be patient with everyone. To let God work in peoples lives on His own and to just share His word. The last verse tells me to keep on fighting because the more people I share with, the more that may not perish. God is very patient with us all!

Thank you Bonnie for sharing this quote! May all be richly blessed today!

Know and Tell Friday

2008-01-31T21:50:00.001-06:00

To Know Him does this really neat meme!

Question 1
1. Who do you wish you could meet?
Ok, I have to tell you that the first person I thought of was a fictional character, Mrs. Jane Marple. I love her style in Agatha Christie's novels. Then the next people I thoought of are dead, Charles Schultz and Louis L'Amour, two of my most favorite authors. So, now if I could meet someone who is still alive it would be Alton Brown of the Food Network. I really like his show, Good Eats.

2. Best food comes from which country?
Tex-MEx food ROCKS!!!

3. If you are familiar with the movie/musical "Grease", what girl character would you be (let's apply this lightly...I know some of the behaviors of the girls was not too nice).
Well I have to say first of all I really don't relate well with Sandy at all, at least at the first of the movie. I have to say Rizzo (did you know her first name was Betty). I can be a bit of a rebel even now. I like to walk my own path! Thank you, Jesus that I'm walking with you!

4. Would you be more likely to toilet paper someone's house, or would you be the one that has their house toilet papered?
I couldn't toilet paper someone's house unless I came back and cleaned it up!

5. Do you like small talk, or deep conversations?
I think there is a time and place for both. I like both kinds!

6. Who do you most want to encourage this year?
I have two people, my husband and our son. Both are at places in their lives that decisions and changes are being made and I want to make sure they know I'm behind them 100%

7.If those who know you best gave you one piece of advice, what would they say? Would they be right? What will you do about it?
Just keep praying and letting the Lord lead your life. I am a true "Ms. Fix-It". I keep praying and keep reading God's word.

Thankful Thursday: Compassion

2008-01-31T09:05:00.001-06:00

Colossians 3:12-14
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

I am thankful for God's Word that continues to teach me everyday. This is my verse to memorize right now. As I move into the early teenage years I know God is helping me get ready when he reminds me of this scripture!

I am thankful for all the people who have shown compassion to me.

I am thankful for a husband who lives this verse. He is a great example!

Go on over to Sting My Heart to be blessed!

WFW: Forget the past

2008-01-30T16:32:00.000-06:00

Sometimes to forget the past I have to remind myself who I need to be trusting in!
So Proverbs 3:5-6 always answers my question.

Go on over to The 160acrewoods for more WFW!

Tuesdays in "other" Words

2008-01-29T11:02:00.000-06:00

Today Extravagant Grace is hosting.

“But remember, for all your adult life you’ll be a woman. And how you live your life as a woman, all by yourself before God, is what makes the real you. Nothing on the exterior can touch or change that precious inner sanctuary—your heart, his dwelling place—unless you let it. And God, who loves you very much, has tailor made all your outer life—your circumstances, your relationships—to pressure you into becoming that beautiful woman he’s planned for you to be.”

~ Anne Ortlund ~

the quote can be found in
Disciplines Of The Beautiful Woman(p. 123) &
The Gentle Ways of a Beautiful Woman: A Practical Guide to Spiritual Beauty (p. 96)

This is an awesome quote! My first thought was how important it is that I listen to God when he wants me to mentor that younger women. I wish I had that older woman in my life earlier than I did. Unfortunately I didn't want to listen to my mom as much as I should!

Titus 2:3-5
Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

This scripture tells me why God allows circumstances to happen in order that I may become more like the older woman. Then I have a responsibility to teach the younger women. If through my experiences I can help one other women walk closer to God then it has all been worth it.

I read this quote again and realize that no matter what the outside influences are, if my walk with Christ is right, I can have peace in Him. I don't have the pressure to judge myself against the worldly standards. I have God's standards to live by and they are much easier! They are easier because I have a constant helper in the Holy Spirit. I truly believe the more I love God, the more His beauty will show through me. That's what I want the world around me to see, God's beauty.

God does allow circumstances in my life to happen in order to refine the beauty He wants me to have. That's why I try very hard to find the joy in all circumstances. This is a Biblical principle!

James 1:2-3
Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

After these trials, His beauty shines forth even more!

Saturday Psalm & Praise

2008-01-26T10:08:00.000-06:00

Jacque has one of the neatest and one of the most meaningful memes I am doing. Nothing, but God's word speaks to me more than music. The best is when I find them put together! Today I want to share a song and scripture.

I love Southern Gospel music and one of my most favorite songs in Stand Still by the Isaacs. Here are the words:

Stand Still

The Father has a plan, though it's hard to see it now;
You feel you're walking all alone, but He is there no doubt.
When the storm around you rages, and you're tossed to and fro
When you're faced with life's decisions, not sure which way to go,
Stand still and let God move,
Standing still is so hard to do.
When you feel you have reached the end, He'll make a way for you,
Stand still and let God move.
When the enemy surrounds you, and the walls are closing in;
When the tide is swiftly rising, and you wonder where He's been.
Friend, there never was a moment, that His arms weren't reaching out;
You can rest assured and be secure, God is moving right now!
Stand still and let God move,
Standing still is so hard to do.
When you feel you have reached the end, He'll make a way for you,
Stand still and let God move.
When you feel you have reached the end, He'll make a way for you,
Stand still and let God move.
The answer will come, but only in His time.
Stand still and let God move.
Stand still and let God move.

This song speaks to me everyday because one of the hardest things I can do is to stand still. I have to be busy all the time. God has called me this year to really work on this and I have to confess this last month I have not been still near enough!

Psalm 46:10
"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

Exodus 14:14
The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."

Psalm 37:7
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Zechariah 2:13
Be still before the LORD, all mankind, because he has roused himself from his holy dwelling."

Mark 4:39-40
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

Everyone of these verse tell me how important it is to God for me to stand still and let Him work. Things will be so much better if I would only do this.

Why do I have such a hard time doing this? It's called control! When I stand still, I am no longer in control of the situation. When I read the story in Mark of how Jesus calmed the storm, I see Him turning around and facing them when he ask they why they were still afraid. In my mind I hear Him tell me, "Don't you know who is in control of everything? It doesn't matter what is raging around you, if you just stand still in my presence, I'll take care of it."

Dear Father, God, help me stand still. Not just this year, this month, this day, but this very moment help me to stand still! Forgive me for not letting you be in control. Let me have the assurance that you know what is best and have the path all laid out for me. Help me be in your presence more! In Jesus name, Amen!

Know & Tell Friday

2008-01-25T20:18:00.000-06:00

Question 1
What is your favorite fairy tale?
My favorite fairy tell is "Beauty and the Beast". I love Belle's heart! I love that people (even beast) can change, and I love that someone cared enough about the prince to shake his life up! Isn't that what God does for us if we let him!

Question 2
If you could be guaranteed a spot on the reality show "Survivor", would you go?
Absolutely NOT!!!! I don't like to be outside anymore than I have to!

Question 3
Meanest thing you ever did to a sibling???
Being an only child I can honestly say, nothing!

Question 4
Best Fashion Era... 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's or now...
OK, I'm batting a thousand here, fashion is not my thing. I still wear the same type of clothes I did years ago. The last time I went to get my haircut the hair stylist told me she couldn't cut it the way I said, it was too 80's!

Question 5
Have you ever skipped to the end of a book before you finished reading the book?
All the time, I want to know if the author is thinking along the same way I am thinking. It hasn't really spoiled a book for me yet! I have also done it when bored with a book to see if the ending is worth finishing the book. Usually it isn't!

Question 6
What's the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year?
Help me lose 70 pounds. I'm way too controlling right now!

Question 7
What is one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God?
Read the Bible more! Simple answer, hard thing for me to do!

Go on over to To Know Him for more fun answers!

Thankful Thursday: Hope

2008-01-25T20:07:00.001-06:00

I know today is Friday but I haven't posted all week due to a sudden death in our family. A cousin of mind died from an aneurysm on Monday. She was in her 40's and didn't have any warning. I know her heart and soul were with God! So the first thing I am thankful for reflects that.

1. I am thankful to know that MaryAnn is in the presence of Jesus and we will meet again.

2. I am thankful for the church family that is holding up my family in prayer.

3. I am thankful I have woke up every day this week to see my husband and son.

4. I am thankful because I know that if this were to happen to me I also would see Jesus. If you do not have that assurance, please email me so I can share with you my assurance in my Lord, Jesus Christ!

5. I am thankful for God's Word which has comforted me this week.

Be Blessed!
Terri Sue

Tips and Tricks

2008-01-19T11:19:00.000-06:00

The tips I want to share are more about attitude.

Tip #1 Don't be afraid to try anything new, even if it doesn't fit your teaching style. It may just fit you child's learning style better!

Tip #2 Don't give up too easily. I think we all at some time say "I've had enough", but don't get discouraged. Get on your knees in prayer, call a friend and know in your heart what you are doing is the right thing!

The greatest "trick" I have used with our son is to get him writing. Not by having a writing time but by incorporating writing into history and science. Then it's not such a chore.

Go on over to HeartOfTheMatter for more great tips and tricks!

Know and Tell Friday

2008-01-19T10:42:00.000-06:00

Well I'm a day late, but here goes with the questions!

Question 1
Which is worse? Being gossipped about or being lied to?
I think being gossiped about would be worse because I would then be hurt by the people gossipping. I know I would be hurt by the lies but gossipping seems so much more because it involves people thinking about what they are saying and still going ahead and doing it!

Question 2
I see that a lot of ladies out there in blogville are "Starbucks" gals... What is your favorite "Starbucks" drink?
Sorry, but I'm one of the few who can't take Starbucks! The smells of all the coffee types really messes with my allergies and I have never liked the taste of coffee.

Question 3
Name an embarrassing moment (Make it good).
The most embarrassing thing I every did was make a speech in science class during high school. The word on my paper was organism but by tongue got twisted and another word came out! The kids feel out of their chairs laughing. You know I can speak in front of anyone now though because I got through that!

Question 4
I figure that most of us ladies out there are bargain shoppers and that we find ways to save money, but what is one thing that you don't mind spending your bucks on?
Curriculum for school! I know that's not real personal but I have learned if the curriculum fix our son's learning style it's worth the cost. On a more personal note, I always try and buy brand name potato chips, the store brands just don't taste the same!

Question 5
Is it hard for you to ask some to forgive you when you have wronged them?
Oh yes, then I have to admit I screwed up! The hardest person I have to ask is our son, but I have learned it's one of the most important lesson's I need to teach him.

Question 6
Give one of your best parenting tips...something that you have learned through experience...
When you are mad at your children, don't let yourself talk above a whisper until you are in control! It really works to defuse the situation and to be able to calmly take care of what is happening!

Go on over to ToKnowHIm for more great answers!

Thankful Thursday: Grace

2008-01-17T07:50:00.000-06:00

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. ~ Ephesians 2:8-10 (ESV)

God's grace is so mind-blowing to me. That he extends it to all of us freely as a gift. I have a hard time just giving grace to those in my home. But then, that is why he is God!

I am thankful most of all today for God's Word. Because I have read, meditated and tried to commit to memory Scripture, yesterday when an event in my day could have became a "crisis" because of how I reacted, I was able to call upon the Lord in prayer and have Him speak to me in scriptures. Thank you Lord!

I am thankful for all the people, who through example, has shown me how to show grace to others.

I am thankful to the Lord for showing me grace everyday of my life.

Welcome back Iris! Thank you ladies for keeping Thankful Thursday going these last three months. May God bless you all richly.

Go on over to StingMyHeart for more posts.

Word Filled Wednesday

2008-01-16T08:51:00.000-06:00

The purpose of Word filled Wednesday is to share God’s word through photo’s & a verse!

Go over to 160acrewoods for more beautiful verses.

Tuesday In 'other" Words: Living our faith

2008-01-16T07:42:00.000-06:00

I am typing a day behind, but go on over to WritingCanvas for other wonderful blogs to read.

“A family without a commitment to the God of the Bible has no hope of stemming the tide of cultural onslaught. If we mix a little biblical truth, a little secular physchology, a little romance novel idology, and a little eastern mysticism, we will get a deadly mixture of lies. Unfortunately, this is what many Christian families do . . . If we are to experience multigeneraltional faithfulness we must come to a place where we throw off the shackles of our culture and live in the fullness that is found only in Christ. We must be people who live the Word in our homes.”
by Voddie T. Baucham, Jr. ~ from his book,
Family Driven Faith: Doing What it Takes to Raise Sons and Daughters Who Walk With the Lord

Wow! What a statement! It is one I totally agree with though. I look around today and see so many people picking and choosing religion like they are in a grocery store. They take what they like and leave the hard stuff. I hear statements like "Well, Terri, God loves everyone. He's not going to be so mean. I'm a good person." That just scares me and convicts me how much I need to share my Bible with others.

God does love everyone. Peter shares with us this in his letter.
2 Peter 3:9
"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

God truly wants all to come to him, but there is a price, repentance. I don't see a lot of repentance in our world today!

When I listen to the statements that God just can't be that mean, I agree. But, He can and is a just God. Read the book of Revelations and you can understand that!

Then I'm told, Terri, I live a good life, I'm a good person. Look at all the mean, nasty people out there! I think of the rich, young ruler that came to Jesus.

Matthew 19:16-22
And someone came to Him and said, "Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?"
And He said to him, "Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments."
Then he said to Him, "Which ones?" And Jesus said, "YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER; YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY; YOU SHALL NOT STEAL; YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS; HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER; and YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF."
The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?"
Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."
But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property.
I believe this man was a good man, but he still didn't have all it took to be a follower of Jesus.

For me and my family, what it comes down to, is always studying God's Word, the Bible. I have to be careful not to get off on "bunny tracks" reading commentaries and other peoples opinion but to always come back to God's word.I really appreciate writers who encourage you to go back to the Bible for the final authority on a subject.

The other thing I am convicted of is how important it is to be sharing Jesus Christ with those around me. Right now, in the season I am in, that means giving a strong foundation to our son and those in his life. This means living Jesus all the time and the only way I can do that is by staying in God's word and doing a lot of praying!

The example I set today, by opening up my Bible and studying, by praying about all things, by talking about God openly and by sharing my failures and God's forgiveness is the greatest legacy I can pass on to our son and the generations to follow.

Super Simple Spiritual Sunday

2008-01-13T14:22:00.000-06:00

This is a really neat memes that HeartofWisdom host. The purpose is to share blogs that have encouraged me this week. Here is my list:

1.HomeschoolingwithEncouragement My friend Valerie has such a heart for encouraging homeschool moms.
2. Standing on Isaiah54:13 If you are a homeschool mom using Tapestry of Grace and have 3 boys, this is the blog for you!
3. LysaTerKeurst one of my favorite writers from Proverbs 31 Ministies.

Each of these blogs and their writers has helped me this week! Thank you ladies!

Prayer Request Sunday

2008-01-13T07:49:00.000-06:00

My friend, Valerie has many prayer requests from families all over the world today. If you can, please head over and pray for those families.

Have a blessed day walking with the Lord!

Saturday Song and Praise

2008-01-12T09:41:00.000-06:00

When searching for a memes for Saturday I came across this one from SeekingRestintheAncientPlaces I've emailed her to see if she is still hosting but decided to share because I love songs of praise to God!

My all time most favorite hymn is "How Great Thou Art"

"How Great Thou Art" is a Christian hymn written by Carl Gustav Boberg in Sweden in 1885, translated into English by Stuart K. Hine. I think it is awesome that we still sing songs of praise that were written so long ago!

O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made.
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power through-out the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee:
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

When through the woods and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze:

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee:
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

And when I think that God, His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin:

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee:
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

When Christ shall come with shouts of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration,
And there proclaim, my God, how great Thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee:
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

This song was always special to my husband and I but never more special than the day we brought our son home from the hospital and when we got into the car, a tape was right at this song. I remember looking at my husband and realizing how awesome God was to make us a family. We made the decision to sing this song to B as much as we could. To always share how great God is and to always point to God in everything we do!

For the first 5 years of B's life, this song was his "night-night" song. He called it "The Rolling thunder" song. I remember the first time he heard it sung at church and wondered why we were singing this song, it wasn't time for bed! Now,there isn't a time that we have congregational singing that B doesn't request this song. It's the song we sing when we need to focus on the Lord not ourselves. It's our special family song!

Know and Tell Friday

2008-01-11T07:53:00.000-06:00

This is a new memes for me! ToKnowHim is the sponsor of this one and looks like fun!

Question 1
Favorite season and why?
I never thought about having a favorite season because I like all of them and the specific things they accomplish for our world. God shows me such an example of being orderly through the seasons! For a purely selfish reason, I like summer because my allergies are better then!

Question 2
How many times have you moved in your life?
This one I had to get out scratch paper for! I have moved 21 times in my life. 10 times before I got married, then I married a Navy man and moved to 5 different states within 9 years (some across the US), and within those major moves moved form house to house! Then after Navy moved 3 more times when God blessed us with a son so moved back to out original home state and in the last 11 years have moved 3 more times within that state.
People laugh because when they come to our home the furniture is always moved to a new location. I tell them it's because I can't move anymore from house to house so I move furniture!

Question 3
What kind of chicken wings do you like? Mild, medium, hot, or singe your eyebrows off hot?
The only chicken wings I will eat is barbecue! I can't eat hot, spicy foods! I even have to dip the barbecue wings in ranch dressing sometimes!

Question 4
Which is worse? Shopping for Jeans or a bathing suit?
Well, I don't wear jeans at all, bit then I don't swim very much, so this is a toss up! If I had to chose I would probably buy the swim suit first!

Question 5
What is your favorite kind of pizza?
My most favorite kind of pizza is hamburger, extra cheese and onions. OK, I'm hungry now! My son just said I like anything but sausage!

Question 6
What is your favorite book of the Bible and why?
The book of Colossians will always be spacial to be because when I started seeking the Lord again as an adult, this was the book I read all the time!

Question 7
Think Evangelism...I assume that most of my readers are Christians... I post a lot about my walk with Christ and it seems most people that comment encourage me in my journey. Saying all of that, what kind of witness (telling others about Christ, spreading the gospel) are you? This question is not meant one bit to make anyone feel guilty...so choose not to answer this one if you do not wish too. I am just wondering what how others feel when it comes to sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with the World....
I really believe at this season of my life, a stay at home mom and homeschool teacher, that my biggest witness for Jesus is just how I live my life day to day. How I show Jesus to our son and his friends, the other families in our group, the neighbors, all the people I come in contact with is what is on my mind daily. Some times I get a chance to share with people and I feel it's important to be like Peter tells me, to be ready with an answer to the hope I have in Jesus Christ.
My dream has always been to share the Lord with women through ladies retreats and hosting Bible studies but right now that's not where God wants me to be!

Organized Thursday: Cooking and Meal Planning

2008-01-10T21:41:00.000-06:00

The best thing I ever did to help myself get organized with meals is to use my cookbook magazines called "Quick Cooking". These cookbooks use everyday items in a variety of ways. I pull out the ones for that particular month and make my menu from them. It has really helped me stay on task with what to cook.

The other thing I have done this year was plan the side dishes for my main dishes. That sounds really simple but has really helped me not buy so much at one time or food that spoils because I don't use it fast enough.

Go on over to Between the Worlds for more tips!

Thankful Thursday

2008-01-10T08:04:00.000-06:00

Today I want to share how thankful I am for my family.

I am thankful for a husband who works hard every day allowing me to be a stay at home mom. He always keeps a positive attitude even when things are negative because he knows God is in control of all situations.

I am thankful for our son. We had been married a few years when God blessed us with B. He is such a joy! As he enters his teenage years I pray for wisdom to guide him along the path God needs him to go. He has such a heart for God!

I am thankful for my dad who now lives with us. This has been an adjustment over the last year and will continue to be challenging. God is teaching and guiding me in many ways as my husband and I are now caregivers to my dad. I am thankful that God has allowed us time to recreate a relationship with my dad because I didn't have one with him growing up.

I am thankful for my mom and step dad who we miss very much since our move. They are supportive and we know they love us very much.

I am thankful for my in-laws, who raised such a wonderful son. We have had the privilege to become closer over the last couple of years and their influence has been great.

I am most thankful for my Father in Heaven and my brother, Jesus Christ. Because of their love and sacrifice, I have an eternal home. I pray you each have this to look forward to!

May the Lord richly bless you!

For more Thankful Thursday posts go on over to Spiritually Unequal Marriage.

Wordfilled Wednesday

2008-01-09T08:44:00.001-06:00

Proverbs 3:5-7

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;

6 in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD and shun evil.

8 This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.

This is my verse for this season of my life!

May you be richly blessed today!

Tuesday "in Other words"

2008-01-08T15:03:00.000-06:00

"In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet."
Proverbs 31: 19 - 21

I love the Proverbs 31 woman because she reminds me of the perfectness of Jesus. The day I realized that I was never going to be just like her, but I could use her as a guide, was the day I became a happier wife.

God has planned for us different seasons. Within those seasons I believe we are to accomplish different things. Right now my season is mainly to be a stay at home mom and homeschool teacher. I still do a lot of other things but these are my main focus. So what I try to do is incorporate all the things I do within the place God has me right now.

With that in mind, part of our school is service projects with the outreach group at church, taking care of the household becomes "Home Ec" days because I want our son to be able to take care of his own home one day, and the crafts I like to do, like scrapbooking has for this season became lapbooks for school!

I am complete in this stage because I am complete in Jesus Christ. No matter the season God has you in, being complete in Jesus is all that it takes! Please don't feel discouraged when you read Proverbs 31, feel inspired! May God bless you richly!

Marriage Monday: Roles

2008-01-07T11:09:00.001-06:00

I have decided to be challenged and join Fruit in Season for Marriage Mondays. Today she ask us to answer the following questions:

1.What is your definition of a traditional marriage? Do you consider yours traditional or contemporary?

To me a traditional marriage is one where the mom stays home and takes care of the home and the dad works and brings in the income. I think there is a difference in a worldly traditional marriage and a Biblical traditional marriage. In the Biblical marriage added responsibility is added to each mate. The man is to be the spiritual head of the family and is to love his wife. The wife is to be submissive to the husband and to respect her husband. Both of these show the children how to treat their parents with love and respect.
As for my own marriage, I would say that after 25 years our marriage most closely resembles a Biblical marriage than it ever has. For the first 14 years I would say we had a contemporary marriage, I worked outside the home and was the head of the home. After we began going to church on a regular basis and reading God's word, our marriage has changed for the better! We are both still growing in our roles but now we are growing with God and each other. I have learned that it's great not being the head of the home, less stress there! I love my role as wife and mom as God wants me to be. Does this mean my husband makes all the decisions and I just nod and say great! Nope! We still discuss things and I still make decisions for our family but I try very hard to always include my husband in everything I do!

2. What scriptures do you turn to when determining your role in marriage?

The first scriptures that come to mind is Titus 2: 3-5 "Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. " When I was able to attend class with older Christian I began to learn what God wanted my role to be. I can't stress the importance of a good mentor. I have been blessed with some great ladies over the last 11 years!
Psalm 1 is also a scripture that means a lot to me. It would not be picked as a traditional verse on marriage but I feel it has a lot to say about how I am to live my life with God. This then helps me to reflect that onto my marriage.

3.In the sharing of duties in your home, are you both satisfied with how things are done? If not, what would you change?

I really feel we are both satisfied with how things are done. My husband is such a blessing! He loves to cook and takes over whenever needed. He and our son cook on Friday nights and that is so wonderful. I think the most important thing to remember her is that your marriage needs to be what you are both comfortable with! Please don't compare yourselves with others and how they have duties separated! As long as you have God as the head whatever you both decide is great.

The most important advice I feel I can give is for you and your husband to pray together. This can be as frequently as you can, in my home it's about once a week. I know that we are praying all week long but we come together once a week to connect and pray. If this is not a part of your life now, start out easy, try once a month! Just pray!

Organized Thursdays: Calendars

2008-01-03T19:29:00.000-06:00

My calendar has become my best friend. I actually have 3 calendars. One, a desktop in front of the computer, one for my homeschool group and one for my purse. This last year has been a lot better since I started using a calendar.

The calendar on my desktop and the one in my purse match. I check them once a week to make sure everything is the same. I had to start using a calendar because my dh was tired of me complaining that I had overbooked or double booked myself or the family. It just took be 24 years of married life to finally give in! That gives hope to all out there, it's never too late to start!

My 3rd calendar is just for the homeschool group. It has all the classes and activities our support group offer. I have this calendar in a binder that I carry to park days or anywhere new people may have questions. It has really helped seperating this calendar out because our group is very active.

My goal this year is to color code my calendar in my purse. I would like to have 3 seperate colors for church, homeschooling and family. The only thing is that I would need that many pens in my purse at all times! Maybe I do the desktop instead!

For more tips go over to Between the Worlds and enjoy!