Sep. 18, 2009 - Spending time in the Word

In Sunday school, we had a substitute covering for Pastor K.  He asked us if we believe everything we read in newspapers/magazines.
Next, he asked us if we believe everything we hear on tv (mainly the news).
Then he followed that question with "Do you believe everything in God's Word?"
Finally, he asked, "How much time do you spend in the Word, which you do believe, compared to how much time you spend reading the paper and watching tv, which you don't fully believe?"  Ouch!  That one really convicted those of us attending the class.  You could hear the audible, "ouch" coming from the mouths of several of us, myself included.  (We need an icon stepping on toes.)   :D

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Aug. 5, 2009 - If Only I Had a Maid

I received this devotion by email.  It was so good that I wanted to share it here.

If I Only Had a Maid
by Blair Massey

But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" Luke 10:40 (NIV)

Have you ever felt like Martha? You look at all the things you need to do and think, "How can I get this done by myself? Oh, if only I had a maid!"

If you've looked at the woman in Proverbs 31, you've seen that she was someone who accomplished a lot. I remember thinking to myself, "How is she able to get so much done? She has the same 24 hours in a day that I do, how come she is able to be so productive? "

After many years of studying the Proverbs 31 woman I can tell you that there are five things she does that guarantee her success. Let's take a look at a few of the passages pertaining to the Proverbs 31 woman to see what we can learn from her.

1. She Worked Early.

"She rises while it is yet night and gets food for her household and assigns her maids their tasks." Proverbs 31:15 (Amplified Bible)

Yes, that's right. She was up early in the morning. Not only was she up early, she was "working" early. Notice that she was busy preparing breakfast for everyone in her household. In today's world we don't have to get up before dawn to make breakfast, but there is much that we can accomplish when we get up early.

Oh, I can just hear some of you moaning, "I'm not a morning person." Well, I understand how you feel. I felt the same way myself. Then I realized that God thought it was so important that He put it in the Bible. This is the kind of thing you have to put into practice before you have a change of heart about it. It was that way for me. The Lord had to show my stubborn heart over and over that I need to get up early before I understood its benefits.

Now, I get up early with a joyful heart. I am able to have my quiet time with the Lord, shower and get ready, put in a load of laundry and get organized for the day. When I do these things early I am ready for just about anything that comes my way that day because I have prepared my heart and my mind.

2. She Worked with Strength

"She girds herself with strength and strengthens her arms." Proverbs 31:17 (NKJ)

The Proverbs 31 woman was no couch potato. She understood that in order to do all that she had to do, that she must be in good physical shape. She knew that her family depended on her and therefore her health was important to her.

It is easy to get busy with taking care of your family and end up neglecting your own physical well-being. Making sure that you are eating right and getting enough exercise is important. How else are you going to be able to pick up your crying toddler, vacuum the house, clean out the car, play with your children and still have energy left to have a romantic time with your husband (if you get my drift)? You have to be in good physical shape.

3. She Worked Smart

"...and assigns her maids their tasks." Proverbs 31:15 (Amplified Bible)

I remember when it hit me that the Proverbs 31 woman had maids working for her. I thought, "How unfair it is that she had maids and I have to do all this work on my own (pout, pout)."

Then the Lord opened my eyes. He helped me realize how many maids I actually had! There was the washing machine and dryer, the vacuum cleaner, the dish washer, the microwave, the slow cooker, the oven, the toaster, the coffee pot and my favorite -- the bread machine. When I stopped to think about it, all my appliances were performing services just like the maids of the Proverbs 31 woman. How convicting. No more pouting for me!

Now I use all my maids, I mean appliances, to their full potential. I finally realized that I needed to work smarter not harder. Delegation was the key. After all, the Lord had blessed me with theses machines. Why was I not using them as I should? Now, on any given day you will find that I have my bread machine, slow cooker and my washer and dry going so that I am free to be productive in other areas of watching over my home.

4. She Worked Carefully

"She carefully watches all that goes on in her household and does not have to bear the consequences of laziness." Proverbs 31:27 (NLT)

This was a woman who was on top of things. She understood that what went on in her home was her responsibility. She carefully watched over everything and made sure that whatever needed to get done got done. She didn't let anything distract her. She had a plan and she worked her plan.

5. She Worked for the Lord

"Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised." Proverbs 31:30 (NIV)

The Proverbs 31 woman did have one secret weapon in her home management arsenal. Today, that secret weapon is available to all Christian Homemakers. What was her secret? She had a healthy fear of the Lord.

She feared the Lord not because she was afraid of Him but because she had a healthy respect for the Him. She wanted to do what was right in His eyes because she loved Him. What she did, she did whole-heartedly out of love for the Lord.

She also knew that she could rely on Him to help her with all that He had asked her to do. This woman didn't run around fretting about getting things done or complaining that her load was too great. She got her strength from praying to the Lord.

We all have times when we feel overwhelmed by our responsibilities. Many times I have thought how nice it would be to have someone come in and take care of things for me. But that is not what managing a home is about. If we take the time to learn from the Proverbs 31 woman we will see that although she had a lot to do she was wise about how she did it. We can all be as productive as the Proverbs 31 woman if we put these five principals into practice.

© 2002 - 2009 Blair Massey

Christian Lifestyle expert Blair Massey publishes the popular Christian Homemaking Newsletter with over 20,000 subscribers. If you're ready to get organized, manage your time better, and provide a peaceful, beautiful home for your family, sign up for her FREE newsletter now at www.christian-homemaking.com

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Apr. 25, 2009 - My Name is Pride

My Name is Pride

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Nov. 6, 2008 - Thankful Thursday & Mental Health

I am thankful that my God is still on the throne, no matter who is the President of my country!  I am thankful that God can use even the ungodly to fulfill His purposes. 

No matter who is President:

-- God's purpose and His plans for my life will not change.                 

-- God will still give His children peaceful rest at night.

-- God will still provide for the needs of His children.

-- God will never leave me, nor forsake me.

-- God's character remains the same.

-- God is still in control and is not taken by surprise with the election results.

For all of the above, I am very thankful.  I am so very grateful that I stand on the Solid Rock, that He is my fortress and my hiding place.

 Today's devotion: 

Mental Health

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Oct. 16, 2008 - Thankful Thursday and Into the Fire

After spending nearly 40 minutes trying to get access to the Internet, I am thankful for finally being able to post this!

I am thankful for the fun dd and I had last night during a power outage.  It was near dusk, and with the thick clouds, the house was getting dark very early.  We played hide and seek in the dark.  What fun!

This week I am thankful for the opportunity to attend the Mom's Night Out where I shared on the topic of preparing for high school.  It was wonderful to spend an evening with like-minded ladies.  What a refreshing evening!

I am also thankful that my aunt and my cousin were not murdered over the weekend.  They live in a 2-apartment dwelling.  Someone set fire to the other apartment.  Thankfully, my aunt and my cousin were able to escape. 

I am also thankful that my parents will be returning home tomorrow, after having been on a trip for the last two weeks.

I didn't attend church for two Sundays (one so we could have a family day together and one because I wasn't feeling well), so I am thankful that I was able to be in fellowship with my church family again this week.  I know people say that you don't need to attend church to be a Christian, but I need that connection with the Body of Christ, and I'm not ashamed to admit it! 

I am very thankful for those of you who prayed for me last week while I was going through some tough things.  I am doing much better now after spending a lot of time with the Lord. 

Speaking of going through a tough time, I wanted to take a moment to suggest that each of you pray for your pastor's family.  Our pastor's father was not expected to make it through the night.  On top of that, they have a son in the hospital, needing a heart transplant.  Their "plate" has been quite full.  You may never know what your pastor's family is dealing with behind the scenes, but God does.  Lift them in prayer today.  They need your prayers.

This week's devotion:  Into the Fire

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Oct. 9, 2008 - Thankful Thursday and Building on the Rock

This week, I am thankful for tears.  I am going through some really tough things right now, and the tears have been a sweet release to my pent-up emotions.  I feel so alone right now, so I am thankful that I know my God has not left me, nor will He leave me, in spite of how I feel.

 

On a more positive note, I am also thankful that I managed to get my new website up and running. 

This week's devotion:  Building on the Rock

~~ Stacy ~~

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Oct. 2, 2008 - Thankful Thursday - The Convenient Zone

This will be a very short post today.  I just received word this morning that AOL is going to quit hosting free websites for their members.  This means my entire website, filled with devotions, is going down.  (Picture a panic-stricken face here.)  After praying about what to do, the Lord has led me to move all of my devotions here.  I have a LOT of work to do on this endeavor before they shut down all free websites, thus the reason I'm not listing several things for which I am thankful.  What I am thankful for is that this didn't catch the Lord by surprise, and He is more than able to help me accomplish what needs to be done to get all of my material transferred over before the deadline.

The Convenient Zone

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Sep. 25, 2008 - Thankful Thursday and Pop Goes the Bubble

This week I am thankful for laughter, for a merry heart does good like medicine.  My husband told me just the other day that I laugh so much that I should be the healthiest person on earth.  Speaking of laughter, if you take the time to read the devotion posted below, I am sure that it will give you a  .

I am also thankful for the gentle voice of the Holy Spirit.  I have written devotions several times regarding my own struggle with computer usage.  I have done much better lately, as far as making sure that I am doing something productive.  However, the productive things I've done have required MUCH of my time.  I recently switched history curriculum to go with a more literature-based curriculum, which required a LOT of time on the computer, trying to find the books I would need for this program.  I am also in the process of preparing to speak at a Mom's Night Out on the topic of preparing for high school.  In the midst of these endeavors, I have quit spending as much time in the Word.  Because of that, I have felt the nudge of the Holy Spirit to pull back from my computer time again. 

I usually take a Sabbatical the month of October from visiting my favorite forums on the Internet.  It always helps me to regain a proper focus, as well as prepare my heart for the soon-to-come holiday season.  I am so thankful the Lord is patient with me in this struggle to find a balance amidst the computer usage and the myriad of other things that seem to cry out for my attention.  Lord, help me to grant that kind of patience to my dd as she struggles with things in schools, with her ever-changing hormones, and with life, in general. 

I remember when Rachel was only 2.  She was in the bathtub, and passed gas.  She looked down into the tub, and excitedly exclaimed, "Oh! Bubbles!"  Needless to say, I cracked up.    Even as she grew older,  she was still fascinated with bubbles.  She could be in the tub playing, and I would hear her yell, "Mommy, come here!  You have to see this bubble!"  Invariably, the bubble which brought her so much joy would be gone before I could make it in there.

Please don't misunderstand, I am not knocking women who MUST work outside the home, but oftentimes, working outside the home is because we "MUST" have this new house, this bigger house, this fancy car, the fancy clothes for us and for our children.......It becomes a matter of working, not to provide for the family, but to get THINGS to satisfy us.  Oops, did the "bubble" just pop again? 

The lure of the mall.  We get bored so we go shopping.  We get frustrated, so we go shopping.  We get happy, so we go shopping..... You get the picture.  The mall is a lure to many women.  While we are there, we tend to buy impusively.  Later, when we get home, and have to explain the charges on the credit card, or why we don't any longer have the money to buy the groceries, the temporary "high" which we get from shopping so quickly fades. 

The lure of activities for our children.  I see so many families, who get their children involved in so many activities.  So many, in fact, that they hardly ever get to spend much time together.  They miss out on the precious family meal times, or the chance to just spend an evening playing games.  Too often, it ends up being a time where everyone is rushed, Mom is yelling, the kids are arguing......and the list goes on.  Once again, the "bubble" pops, and the glitter of this activity fades away. 

There are even some things which are good, noble causes.  BUT, if God has not given us the OK to be involved in these activities, the "bubble" will pop again.  For instance, maybe you want to be involved in Women's ministries at your church.  But being involved there can put another demand on your plate, which is already full, just trying to take care of the family, the house, the laundry, the grocery shopping.  You may be maxed out with just the everyday tasks that HAVE to be done.  Being involved in women's ministries may make you feel like you are being a better Christian, or that you are doing your good deed by being there, but it could also be the thing that leaves you frazzled because maybe this just isn't the "season" for you to be heavily involved in anything besides your own family.  

Let me explain a little further on these things.  The Bible says that there is a season for everything.  I can give you a personal example regarding the women's ministry.  (I used that illustration because it fit my situation.)  Our women's group would meet on Tuesday mornings.  I wanted to be there and be part of the group, but I homeschool, so which is my priority?  Yes, I could rearrange the homeschool day so that I could teach later, but for me, my better hours of the day are in the morning.  If I didn't get school done in the morning, chances were very high that it wouldn't get done at all.  The teaching and training of my child on Biblical principles and academics was higher on the priority list than attending the women's Bible study.  (A side note on this - now the women's group is meeting on Wed. nights.  Since we are there every Wed. anyway, this has turned out to be a real blessing to me.) 

Father, may you help us to see clearly the purpose you have for us at this time.  Yes, it may change down the road, but help us now to see it, to embrace it, and to welcome it.  Help us to be content in the ministry where you have placed us, and to find joy in the journey.  Help us to focus our energies on the things which would bring honor to Your Name, and to pull ourselves away from those contaminating, luring things which this old world would love to offer us.  Help us to find that life abundantly - the life which is in You, alone.  Amen. 

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Sep. 18, 2008 - Thankful Thursday - Homeland Security

This week I am thankful for the wonderful time we had last weekend, celebrating my parents' 50th wedding anniversary.  What fun!

I am thankful for the beautiful weather we are currently having.  I am also thankful that when the remnants of Ike blew through this area, we didn't have flooding and lose power like many others in our state did.

I am thankful for the privilege of homeschooling.  Since my husband is out of town this week, we had some homeschool friends join us for lunch on Tuesday.  It was wonderful to take a break and spend some time visiting with them.

I am thankful for a comfy bed in which to rest my weary body at the end of a long, busy day. 

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Sep. 11, 2008 - Thankful Thursday and Terrorist Attacks

To share what I am thankful for this week, I must tell you a bit of a story. 

When I worked at the hospital several years ago, I met a wonderful Christian gal named Judy.  I always called Judy my kindred spirit.  It was a very special friendship because each time we talked to each other, there was something encouraging shared.  Our talks always led to discussing the Lord.

While I was pregnant with my dd, Judy was taking fertility treatments and ended up expecting triplets.  She went into labor at 26 weeks.  Unfortunately, two babies died very shortly after birth.  Zachary died the Sunday before Thanksgiving.  It was heartbreaking.

When I was grieving over my miscarriage from the year before, I needed to talk my way through it.  Judy needed to grieve privately.

We ended up losing contact because at the time Judy gave birth, I was a SAHM and didn't see Judy at the hospital every day.  It has been over 11 years since I've seen her.

Just within the past six months, I asked the Lord (again) to make a way for me to find Judy.  I dearly miss her.  I even used the internet, trying to find her, all to no avail.

I joined a new small group at church last night.  As we went around the table introducing ourselves, I heard a lady say her name was Betty C***.  She is Judy's mother-in-law!  I finally have a way to get in touch with my precious friend again!  I was overwhelmed with emotions when I got home from church -- so much so that I began to weep at the goodness of the Lord.

So this week, I am thankful God made a way for me to reconnect with my dear friend Judy.    For those of you who have been praying for something years, don't give up!

In honor of 9/11, I decided to go with this devotion:

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Sep. 4, 2008 - Thankful Thursday & Crawling into His Shell

1. I am so thankful this week for the Lord's provision.  Last weekend, I took an inventory of all the meat I had in the freezer.  I sat down to write out my menu plan for our evening meals.  Before I knew it, I had my menu plan done through October!  Yes, you read that right.    Not just September, but also October!  With the exception of needing to buy a couple of packages of meat and one can of salmon, all of my meat is provided for through October! 

This provision of the Lord has come at a great time.  DD is outgrowing her clothes, so as soon as the long-sleeved shirts are on the racks, we will try to find her a few new ones, along with hitting the Goodwill Store.  Why is it that the stores will put out Christmas items in late September or early October, yet they fail to put fall clothing in the stores the month when fall arrives? 

Pastor Jeff''s son is on the heart transplant list.  It has been a very bumpy road for the family.  Richard suffered cardiac arrest over 2 weeks ago, and is still on the ventilator.  Pastor Jeff was talking about faith.  He said, "Sometimes faith is a lump in your throat."  So very true.  His message was great timing for many in this community because over 600 people have recently lost jobs at a local factory.

4. I just realized this week that we are now 1/4 of the way done for the year in math, language arts, and vocabulary.  That makes me

Crawling Into His Shell

I often hear women complain that their husbands won’t ever talk to them.  Invariably, they refer to him as having crawled into a shell.

On the other hand, women rarely seem to have trouble talking when something is bothering them.  We whine, complain, nag, and yell.  We are often like the constant dripping in Proverbs 27:15-16.

Why is it so hard for men to open up to us?  Many times, the answer lies with us.  We make it impossible for them by making them feel that they don’t measure up to our expectations.  We have a keen way of making them think they are never good enough.  Opening up to a woman like that when a man feels so vulnerable would be like entering a snake pit, with her poisonous tongue striking again and again.  It’s no wonder men would prefer to crawl into a shell!  

If we want our husbands to open up to us, there are a few things we can do.

1. Choose to do him good and not harm. (Proverbs 31:12) Sometimes the best way we can “do him good” is by lending him a listening ear.  Many times, he is not looking for a solution to his problems; he simply wants a safe place to vent.

2.  We can clothe ourselves with strength and dignity. (Proverbs 31:25) We need to develop the strength to restrain ourselves when we are tempted to say something critical.  When we clothe ourselves with dignity, we have a proper and godly self-image.  People who don’t have a godly self-image often do not have a lot of self-respect.  They are often people who have been hurt.  Hurt people will hurt other people.  Frequently, the one hurt is our husband.

3.  We can choose to speak words of wisdom and faithful instruction. (Proverbs 31:26) One way to do this when our husband needs to vent, is to say, “Honey, how can I help you?”  We could say, “Would you like for me to pray with you about this?”  It shows respect to him because we are not pushing our opinions on him.

4.  Put a guard on your mouth. (Psalm 141:3) The best way to guard our mouth is by daily submitting it to the Lord, asking Him to help us speak words that are loving, kind, gentle, and full of grace.

If we are diligent to do these four steps, instead of watching him retreat into his shell, we may hear him praising us. (Proverbs 31:28)

Don't forget to read about the contest that announces my new Monday Meme! 

© 2006, Stacy R. Miller

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Aug. 28, 2008 - Got Critics?

This week I am very thankful for the change in the weather.  I love fall time, and from the remnants of Fay, we have had lots of breezy, cool days, though no rain.

I am thankful for the Word of God.  I have been doing an in-depth study on Psalm 119, and it is so rich!  I wish I could have you gals over so we could "feast" on this portion of scripture together.   

I am thankful for my family, friends, church family, and my blogging friends.

Once again, I am having serious computer issues this week.  I cannot get most pages to load, let alone post a comment. 

For those who have asked, my wrists are both bothering me a lot -- still lots of pain and tingling.  On top of that, my back is acting up again too.  I am praying that it heals quickly because I really don't want to miss church on Sunday!  I just LOVE the new church we've been attending and can't wait to get there each week! 

Got Critics?

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Aug. 21, 2008 - Thankful Thursday & Solitude

What I am most thankful for this week is that we found out dd does not have juvenile diabetes!!!!!!!  PRAISE THE LORD!

I posted several weeks ago about a new door the Lord was leading us through, but couldn't go into detail.  I feel that I can now share the details.  We have started the process of looking for a new church.  This has been a very hard thing to do because I have been at our current church for nearly 25 years, and have been very involved in ministry there.  I love the leadership there.  They are wonderful, and deserve the highest respect for their service to the Body.  However, the church has dwindled over the years to the point that there are basically no ministries for my dd, who is 12 yo.  The topics they discuss in youth are a bit over her head.  The time has come to look somewhere else so that dd has some teaching in a group setting that she can understand.

This week, we attended a church on the other end of town (7-1/2 miles away, whereas, our previous church is five BLOCKS away).   It was simply wonderful.  I felt like I was "home."  I am so thankful for a refreshing time from the Lord while visiting there this week.

A lady I know, who has a dd with juvenile diabetes, is on the prayer team at this church.  Since that is what my dd was being tested for on Monday, we had her pray over dd.  What an awesome prayer it was!  I wish I could have recorded it!    Having walked this road with her own dd, she knew exactly what to pray.

I am so thankful that though I was a visitor in a new church, I was made to feel like one of the family.

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Aug. 18, 2008 - Monday Meanderings & Rebuilding the House

Monday Meanderings with 

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Aug. 14, 2008 - Thankful Thursday & Without Love

This week I am thankful for God's mercy, for the truth found in His Word, for His patience towards me, and for His everlasting love.

I am also thankful for a wonderful time I had with extended family when two of my cousins were in town with their families. 

I am thankful for some very deep discussions I have had with some other Christian ladies on a homeschool board I visit.  It has been very refreshing to read the comments by others and see their views.

I am thankful that my wrists are doing a bit better, so I was able to list several homeschool items on Ebay.  I even listed Auralog Spanish, which is highly recommended by TOS. 

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Aug. 11, 2008 - Monday Meanderings & Bionic Woman

Monday Meanderings with 

Journey Momma

Though we officially started school last week, we will be doing partial days on Monday and Tuesday of this week.  Monday we need to do some shopping for dd, so we might as well do it when they are having great back-to-school sales.  On Tuesday, we go back to the doctor for a follow-up visit regarding dd.

I am done teaching my Sunday school class, so I can now cross that off my weekly list.  Yet, whenever I read a book, I am always thinking, "Would this be good for a class?" 

Mostly, my focus is going to be on getting back into the routine of school.  The laundry is done for a few days, so there is one more thing I can cross off my list! 

I also need to continue limiting my computer time, as I am still dealing with the carpal tunnel symptoms. 

Since the school year is now upon us, I decided to go with this devotion to remind us that our strength is found in our Lord.  I think we can get so focused on our agenda for homeschooling that we may neglect the truly important things.

Bionic Woman                

Years ago, there was a show called “The Bionic Woman.”  This woman could do amazing things.  She could run incredibly fast and never grow weary.  She was able to leap higher than any NBA star could ever hope for.  She even had a bionic ear, enabling her to hear conversations from far away.  

As Christian women, we have the ability to also be a Bionic Woman.  We are told that we can do all things through Christ who gives us His strength. (Philippians 4:13)

We can be a bionic runner, having the ability to run and not grow weary. (Isaiah 40:31) Just as the Bionic Woman had to wait upon her creator to enable her to do bionic things, we also need to wait upon our Creator.  In waiting, He increases His strength within us to be able to accomplish great feats for His glory.

We will all face intense times of spiritual warfare.  We may find ourselves taking a bionic leap over our spiritual foes of darkness.  Like King David, we may find that with God’s help, we could run through a troop and leap over a wall. (Psalm 18:29)

We can have bionic eyes, allowing us to see wondrous things in God’s Word. (Psalm 119:18)  We can even have a bionic tongue.  In Isaiah 50:4, we see that we can have an instructed tongue that knows what to speak to the weary.  Our words can give strength to the weary.

We can also have a bionic ear, allowing us to hear God’s soft and gentle voice speaking to us above the clamor of the world.  Isaiah 50:4 mentions how God wakes him up every morning, awakening his ear like one who is being taught.  One night, just before bedtime, I had turned that scripture into a prayer for myself.  Suddenly, I’m awakened at 2AM, and could not go back to sleep.  It was during that time of sleeplessness that God spoke this devotion to me.  When I shared this experience with my Sunday school class, one lady said that God must have been on Israeli time instead of Indiana time when He awakened me!

At times, it was necessary for the Bionic Woman to see her master creator for a check-up, or to have him fix her broken parts.  It’s the same with us.  When we’ve been broken, only God can bring us the much-needed repair.  When we’ve been hurt, only God can help us to forgive and move on in spite of the hurt.  When someone has stabbed us in the back, only God has the true healing oil to soothe and heal those wounds.  It’s only as we take the time to visit our Master Creator that we can be fixed so that we won’t come apart emotionally, physically, or spiritually.

So, how are your bionic parts?

© 2005, Stacy R. Miller

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Aug. 7, 2008 - Thankful Thursday and Trashy Love

I am having some physical problems right now, so will likely be taking a break from blogging so often.  I am showing signs of carpal tunnel -- tingling from my wrist to my elbow, swollen fingers in the morning, and the worst symptom of all is the constant twitching in my left index finger.  In the interest of trying to stay healthy, I will have to cut back on my computer time.  This makes me very .  Hopefully, it will only be temporary. 

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Aug. 4, 2008 - Monday Meanderings & Judge Not

Monday Meanderings with 

Journey Momma

1. This is our first official week of  , so my main focus will be on getting back into the swing of things.

2. Since dh will be going out of town, my parents are taking dd and I out to eat on Monday evening. 

3. DD has a dental appointment Tuesday morning.

4. Since dh will be out of town, I wanted to let dd have a slumber party.    However, since he will only be gone a very short time, we may not be able to schedule it.  Here we are, officially starting school this week, yet we are already taking a day off!  That's just one of the blessings of homeschooling - having a schedule that works for you! 

Judge Not

 

Judge not, lest ye be judged.  Matthew 7:1

 

On Little House on the Prairie, there was an episode where Alberts girlfriend became pregnant by a man who raped her.  Mrs. Oleson listened in on a phone conversation and mistakenly concluded that Albert was the father.  Overnight, the girls name was tarnished because of Mrs. Olesons inaccurate judgment.

 

We would expect that type of behavior from unsaved people.  Yet, it is all too common among the saints.

 

I remember a time when a young woman would bring a can of soda into the sanctuary every Sunday morning.  Immediately, people began to make comments.  Yet, if they had cared enough to find out why she was bringing soda into the sanctuary, they would have discovered that she was under orders from her obstetrician to do so because she had been showing signs of hypoglycemia.

 

Another precious Christian family had a child who was born with Downs Syndrome.  This was a very difficult time in their life.  They came to church, in hopes of finding sanctuary from their trials.  Instead, they were approached by people who told them they must have sin in their lives to have given birth to a baby with Downs.  What a sad testimony to the Church.

 

I have faced judgment on numerous occasions.  First, my husband and I were judged because we didn't have any children.  What these ignorant people failed to realize was that at that time, I was on medication that prevented me from becoming pregnant.

 

Thankfully, the Lord healed me and I gave birth to our dear Rachel just a few years after that.  Unfortunately, that did not stop the judgmental comments.

 

In homeschool circles, it is common to meet families who believe in the full quiver concept -- having as many children as God sees fit to give them.  Unfortunately, there are some who become holier-than-thou in their attitude.  A few have pretended to be my friend, yet make it clear that they feel I am out of Gods will because I only have one child.

 

If they had taken the time to talk with me, and learn more about me, they would have learned that I nearly died giving birth.  The only thing that saved that Rachel and I from death was an emergency c-section.  They would have discovered that my husband and I felt it was the Lords will for me to be a stay-at-home mom, which meant we lost our insurance.  We did not feel right about having more children and letting the government insurance pay for it because we didn't feel that was biblical.

 

I made a judgment about someone based on having known a relative of hers who stabbed me in the back.  Thankfully, I pushed past that judgment and reached out to her.  Today we are best friends.

 

As a new Christian, I was very judgmental of those who were divorced.  Years later, when a lady in our church was facing a divorce, I reached out to her.  What an awesome privilege it has been to see her develop such an elegant grace and a heart of wisdom through her trials.  Had I held on to my earlier judgments of divorced people, I would have missed out on a very special friendship.

 

I remember another time when a lady started attending our church.  She had invisible walls around her, making her appear very unfriendly.  I decided not to be intimidated by her behavior, and kept reaching out to befriend her.  As the Lord tore down those walls, I found a lady who had a sense of humor, much like mine.  I remember several times when we would laugh until we cried.

 

What blessings might you be missing because you have incorrectly judged someone?

2008, Stacy R. Miller

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Jul. 31, 2008 - Thankful Thursday and Blasphemy

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Jul. 28, 2008 - Monday Meanderings & Leaks

Big update on dd!  She does NOT have mono!  PTL!  All the tests came back negative except for showing her white cell count was quite high.  Diagnosis:  She had a nasty viral infection.  She can now go back to normal activities.  Thank you all SO much for your prayers.  Obviously, they worked!   

2. Dd informed me last night that she wants to start doing ALL subjects in school starting on August 4.  What an angel!    OTOH, that means ONE WEEK of summer vacation left!  This will now be my "de-clutter and organization" week.  I will be working on cleaning out cabinets, drawers, and closets so that things will be better organized, and thus, the household will run more smoothly once school gets started. 

3. Call the doctor's office to see if it is OK for dd to be out in public now that she is getting her energy level.  Also ask them if any of the test results have come back. 

4. Take time to keep myself spiritually fed so that I can be a joyful, peaceful Keeper at Home. 

5. Revamp my menu plan since I stocked up on meat sales at Kroger on Sunday.  Got that one done yesterday!  PTL!

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