Monthly Archives: July 2012

Faith illuminations

30 Monday Jul 2012

Posted by in armor of God, beach sunsets, crafts, faith, Fun stuff for kids, peace, wisdom and understanding, worry

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“Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”   Ephesians 5:15, 16

Have you ever felt like you were under attack?  It happened to me this morning while I was trying to think about how I should do this post.  I couldn’t concentrate and I felt like the devil was aiming one fiery arrow after another at me.  Arrows of doubt, worry and anxiety about finances, health concerns and other problems like a swarm of hornets kept stinging my mind.  In a previous post I had talked about how to push the delete button when these worry thoughts enter your mind, but truthfully it’s just not always that easy.  Certainly replacing them with positive thoughts helps but the devil is very cunning about the ways he tries to get control of our mind and render us useless to God.  The devil always finds our weakness and takes advantage of it.

“So if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall.”                     I Corinthians 10:12  

Then it hit me that in truth, my faith was being attacked.  What I needed to do was put on the armor of God.  I imagined that I was taking up “the shield of faith, with which I would extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one” just as it says in Ephesians 6:16.  I also imagined putting on the helmet of salvation to protect my mind and thoughts.  I wanted only God’s wisdom to enter my mind.  I also carefully placed over my shoulders the breastplate of righteousness to protect my heart and emotions which seem so fragile and easily wounded.  But I remembered there was more and each piece of armor was important.

“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.”   Ephesians 6:13   

Ah yes, when the devil attacks he often knocks us off our feet and I want to be ready. So we must “stand firm with our feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.”  I’m still pondering what this readiness means.  Perhaps it is to be ready to help when we see the need of a neighbor or to be ready to speak out about injustice or just to blog about whatever the Holy Spirit lays on our hearts.

The next verse states the importance of putting the belt of truth around your waist.  The devil hates truth and is the author of all lies.  And so when your armor is in place take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God and pray.  You will always stand firm if you are securely anchored to the rock of God’s promises.

“Be self-controlled and alert.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”   I Peter 5:8


Fun Stuff For Kids:  Suit of Armor

I made the suit of armor for our grandson out of a heat shield that blocks the sun coming in the windshield of your car.  I also made shields and swords with a bible verse from Ephesians 6:10 attached to each for the 2nd grade Sunday school class that my husband and I taught.  I always teach the children that “Our God is bigger than any problem.”  Our God is awesome!

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.”   Ephesians 6:10

You may have noticed that these are “bubble wand” swords.  I like to think that the devil’s lies can be popped just like bubbles by the sword of the Spirit.  But if you are not familiar with the word of God you won’t be able to stand on His promises and recognize the devil’s lies.  Teach your children those promises so that they will be prepared when the need arises.

“But the LORD is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.”   II Thessalonians 3:3  

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”    Philippians4:7

 

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Olympic Gold illuminations

23 Monday Jul 2012

Posted by in Christianity, favorite songs, Friendship International, Fun stuff for kids, gold medals, Olympic games night, wisdom and understanding

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“Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.  They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”      I Corinthians  9:25   Olympic gold medal winners achieve their goals through hours and hours, days, months and years of strenuous training.  Their time and energy is continually focused on their goal and when they stumble and fall, they get up and try again because quitting is not an option. I admire their courage and perseverance as well as their abilities.  One of the things I love best about sports is when one of the athletes gives Glory to God.  They are an inspiration to many others who watch and hope to follow in their footsteps.  The time they spend training is never wasted because the wisdom they have gained along the way has eternal value.

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God the Father in heaven.”      Colossians 3:17  

Our entire world is in love with sports.  If we are not participating in a sport, we like to watch them on T.V. and we encourage our children to be active in sports when possible.

We love watching the Olympic games and encourage our children to watch with us.  Each of the participants is an inspiration for younger children to watch and imitate hoping to achieve excellence.

When our younger son and daughter were in preschool, we attended a preschool Olympic Games night.  The kids really put their hearts into it as you can tell by this picture of our little girl participating in the tug of war.  All the proud parents were thrilled by the presentation of medals and of course every child was a winner.  The children couldn’t have been more pleased if the medal had been pure gold and presented at the real Olympics.  We are also obsessed with being fit and healthy.  We spend our time energy and  money buying exercise equipment, healthy foods and vitamins.  We are all looking for the quick fix that will give us a healthy, disease free body.

But how much time is spent training our souls and feeding our minds with wisdom from God’s Word?  Soul starvation is an epidemic in our world.  What about you, do you spend as much time training and feeding your soul as you do your body?  “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?”    Matthew 16:26

When I was looking through some old papers I discovered the words to a song that the ladies in Friendship International sang on Friendship Sunday many years ago. “Friendship International is a gift of Christian love from American ladies to Internationals living in the Lexington area.  The purpose of it is to help make the adjustment to the American way of life easier, to provide activities of interest and to facilitate building cross-cultural friendships.”  There are many Friendship International groups in cities around the United States.  Here is a list of some of the classes that are offered:  Bible Study, Cooking, Crafts, Crochet, Cross-cultural, Needlepoint, Quilting, Scrap booking, English (levels 1,2,and3) and Spanish.   Since the Olympic games are being held this summer I thought this song would be perfect to remember and sing during it.  It only takes one little candle to make a difference so put this song in your heart and let your light shine and brighten the world for everyone.

One Little Candle

  • One little candle burning bright,   
  • One little gleam of radiant light,
  • Shimmering softly in the night
  • Makes the darkness fade away.
  • One little song that’s freely sung,
  • one little bit of good that’s done,
  • Brightens the world for everyone,
  • Like a candle’s golden ray
  • Keep your light, shining bright,               
  • Like a torch of hope held high.
  • Let it glow, let it show,
  • Keep the flame of love alive.
  • One little smile for someone new,
  • One little word of kindness, too,
  • Kindles the friendship flame anew,
  • Soon the loneliness is gone.
  • One little candle flame when shared
  • Spreads through the darkness everywhere,
  • Reflecting in hearts of those who care,
  • And they pass the light along.

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said,  “I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”   John 8:12

“In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”      Matthew 5:16

The Good Life illuminations

16 Monday Jul 2012

Posted by in Christianity, Fun stuff for kids, joy, peace, success, wisdom and understanding, worry

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“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”   Jeremiah 29:11

But the way that a man thinks in his heart will most likely determine how his day goes.  How do you have a good day when everything seems to be going wrong?  Determine that the moment you think a negative thought about anything or anyone, you will delete it and replace it with a good one.  I’ve found that the quicker I push that delete button in my mind the happier I am.  If you don’t believe it’s possible try this little experiment for a day or a week in your life.  It is found in God’s Word.       Philippians 4:8         “Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.”     

Think about how a child views life.  He wakes up enthusiastic and can’t wait to begin the day.  He bounces out of bed and begins looking for the next exciting adventure that life may send his way.  He doesn’t worry about the danger or the cost or any of the “what ifs” that older and supposedly wiser people think about.  At night he says his prayers and asks God to take care of him and his love ones and falls soundly asleep in minutes.

The next morning, he wakes up ready to face a brand new day of possibilities. He thinks about what he can achieve. Perhaps he will build a fort or a tree house.   Maybe he will go for a ride on a big tour bus.  Or perhaps he will learn how to pilot a helicopter.   He may even decide to start up a sandbox bakery business.   He doesn’t worry whether he can do it or not or what others will think because he is not afraid of failure.  He is filled with hope and he only dreams about the wonderful amazing things he can and will do.  He hums as he works and his mind is alive with ideas.  His eyes twinkle, his mouth smiles, and he is energized to do great things.

The good life is filled with the energy and renewing power that comes from God.  The word enthusiasm comes from en Theo – full of God.  If you are not sure how to become an enthusiastic person, try praying these two verses for yourself and family  (from the prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21) every morning before you begin your day.

“I pray that out of His glorious riches He will strengthen me with power through His Spirit in my inner being so that Christ will dwell in my heart through faith…..and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that I may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”  

Did you notice that you are praying “to be filled to the measure of fullness of God?”  God wants us to be filled with His power and love so that we can follow His will and discover the wonderful good life that He has planed for each of us.

But if we never take time to talk to God and listen to Him we will never know His plan.  

“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”   Jeremiah 33:3   Is this not what Jesus had in mind for each of us when He said we must become like little children?  The unquestioning love and trust of a child is a requirement for living the full life that God intended for us.  But we must also know God and be obedient to His commands in order to live the good life.  Material blessings and wealth can be obtained without knowing God, but His most precious blessings of peace, hope and joy are reserved for His very own children and come from an intimate relationship with Him.

“O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you.”    Psalm 84:12

Unfailing Love illuminations

09 Monday Jul 2012

Posted by in beach sunsets, Christianity, depression, wing like clouds, wisdom and understanding, worry

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“How priceless is your unfailing love!  Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.”         Psalm 36:7   

“Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits- who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.”   Psalm 103:2-4

Do you feel like your life is in a pit and you can’t crawl out?  Or maybe you’re just caught in a rut and can’t seem to change your direction to a more satisfying path.  Perhaps you were pushed into the pit by someone else and you’re suffering from a divorce, financial problems or have lost your job.  Or maybe you have been digging your own pit with bad health habits, drugs or alcohol.  Possibly the pit is so deep that you don’t see any way out.  But the good news is that there is a Friend who can help you climb up and out.  

Only Jesus can give you the strength to quit bad habits and forgive those who have wronged you.

Only Jesus can heal you of your diseases and forgive your sins.

Only Jesus will take compassion on you and redeem your life with His love.

Only Jesus can renew your life and give you a fresh beginning.

“Why are you downcast, O my soul?  Why so disturbed within me?  Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him my Savior and my God.”  Psalm 43:3

Take hold of His hand and trust Him.  He will help you.  His love never fails.

Jesus replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”   Luke 18:27

Backyard Fun illuminations

02 Monday Jul 2012

Posted by in Best Friend Dogs, crafts, fun stuff for grandparents, Fun stuff for kids, homemade ice cream, rafting, recipes, stay-vacation, therapy dogs, wisdom and understanding

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“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!”        Ephesians 3:20, 21

We decided to take a stay at home vacation this summer.  I usually prefer to go to the mountains where the nights are cool or spend time on the beach enjoying the ocean breeze on early morning walks.  But with the cost of everything skyrocketing, it seemed like a wise idea to stay home. I wasn’t sure how much fun this would be, but I was sure that God always does “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.”  Following is a list of some of the fun things we’ve done in our back yard during past summers with our children and grand kids.

Big Box Fun:  

My husband brought home a large refrigerator box and the grand kids had a ball rolling down the hill in our back yard inside the box.  It is possible to also use it for a clubhouse cutting out windows  and a door and letting the kids paint it with poster paints.  There are so many things you can make with a big box.  It can be turned into a lemonade stand, a rocket ship or used as a sliding board, the possibilities are unending.

Huckleberry Finn Fun Rafting:

It just takes a little imagination, a few inner tubes and a creek.  We are blessed to live in the woods on a creek and it has always provided fantastic  entertainment for our children and grand kids.  It is only about a foot deep and on hot summer days, it gives hours of fun rafting with just some peanut-butter and jelly sandwiches for a picnic along the way.  Add in a little imagination and oh the wonderful places you can go!

Croquet Games  

Our kids have always enjoyed a good game of poison croquet.  Regular croquet is   better for very young children who do not appreciate having their ball sent rolling away when they were just about to tap it through a wicket.  But the older ones understand the humor and advantage of playing a challenging game of poison croquet.  Our biggest problem is keeping our Golden Retriever from retrieving the balls.

Delicious Dinners

Evenings provide endless opportunities for delicious meals of grilling out  hamburgers and hotdogs which seems to be everybody’s favorite.  Another favorite of mine is shrimp brushed with a little garlic butter and grilled to perfection.  Frozen pineapple chunks make a great accompaniment and so do raw carrot sticks, celery, broccoli and cauliflower served with a sour cream, parsley and dill dip.  Fresh corn on the cob and a few chips finish out an easy summer meal that never requires heating up the oven.  My husband sometimes likes a grilled pineapple ring placed on top of his burger which gives it a taste of Hawaii.  Grilled chicken with pineapple is another favorite of ours.  While waiting for dinner a little down time in the hammock is always great.

Sour Cream, parsley and dill dip,                                                                                 (a favorite of mine)

  • 1 1/2 cups sour cream
  • 3/4 cup Miracle Whip
  • 1Tbsp. dried minced parsley
  • 1 Tbsp dried minced onion
  • 1 tsp. beau Monde seasoning
  • 1 tsp. dried minced dill weed

Stir together and let chill in refrigerator over night to blend the flavors.  Enjoy!

Strawberry Ice Cream Recipe:

Desserts have always been my favorite part of any meal and what could be better than homemade ice cream!  This is the recipe for strawberry ice cream we made when I was growing up and it is yummy!

  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 Tbsp flour
  • 1 1/4 cup sugar
  • few grains salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 pt. half and half cream
  • 1/2 pt. whipping cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 qt. strawberries

Scald 3/4 cup of milk, then add flour which has been thoroughly mixed with 1/2 cup of the sugar and the salt.  Beat the egg with remaining 1/4 cup milk, then add to the hot milk mixture, stirring constantly.  Cook while stirring about 3 min. or until mixture coats the spoon.  Thoroughly cool; and add vanilla extract.  Place mixture in refrigerator to chill.  Put strawberries thru food mill to puree.  A blender can also be used but the food mill gets out most of the tiny seeds.  Add the remaining 3/4 cup sugar to the strawberry puree (sometimes I add a little more sugar and sweeten to taste).  Chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.  After dinner pour the puree, custard mixture, cream and half and half into your ice cream freezer can adding a little extra cream or milk until mixture reaches fill line.  Be sure to have plenty of ice and a box of rock salt on hand and mix together according to manufacturer’s directions.  I usually buy an extra bag of ice and extra rock salt just in case we don’t have enough.  Enjoy!  

Basketball In The Driveway

After dinner the kids all like to play basketball in the driveway.  But as for me, I’m usually ready to sit down and relax for the rest of the evening with a good book.  This summer I plan to read “Stillmeadow” by Gladys Taber again.  It is a charming book with some delightfully funny moments .

The grand kids never get tired and after running and romping all day long they only sit quiet for a moment before asking, “what can we do now?”   Lightning Bug Lanterns  

I try to keep on hand a supply of clear plastic jars with lids for these lanterns.  Empty plastic peanut butter jars are great for this.  Cut a few breathing holes in the lid and turn the kids loose to run in the back yard. Thankfully this always gives  the adults some much needed quiet time to relax and enjoy a little dog therapy.