o.k Beth this is for you. Beth has never heard puff the magic dragon and my dad use to sing this song to me all the time when i was a little girl. it would always make me cry because I felt so sorry for puff. it was also made into a cartoon that would come on once a year when i was a child. it is a great cartoon and i would recommend it to anyone. enjoy !
because I am a terrible sinner who is in a constant battle inside myself and most of the time failing miserably. will God get tired of dealing with his rebelious child and brush his hands of me?
Michael and I have been talking about how it is time to go back to the mountains. We try to plan a camping trip at least once a year and the mountains are calling our name. It’s getting cooler, the leaves are changing, and the air is so crisp and clear.
It is so wonderful to get out and live in God’s world instead of staying inside and reading about it. His creation has so much beauty and wonder.
In this month’s “home life” there are suggestions to help your adventure into God’s world be a success.
1. PLAN AHEAD- check out hiking trails on line to make sure they are compatible with your time and fitness level.
2. PACK A BAG- flashlight, water, compass, nuts, granola bars, sunscreen, and first-aid kit.
3. DRESS APPROPRIATELY- dress in layers and in clothes that fit.
4.PLAN FOR SAFETY- always let someone know where you are going and when you will be back. cell phones don’t always work.
5. CONSIDER YOUR COMPANY- if you have children with you play ” i spy ” to keep it interesting and don’t do challenging trails with your children.
6. ENJOY THE JOURNEY- notice all God created and rejoice in his magnificence. Breathe fresh air and hear the sounds of animals. Say a prayer of thanksgiving for God’s creation.
JAMIE’S TOP HIKING TRAILS
1. lINVILLE fALLS- located in Pisgah Forest.
2. 3 FALLS- outside Ashville in Dupont Forest.
3. MT. MITCHELL- the highest peak east of the Mississippi.
you better hurry with this one because it will close for the
season soon(due to bitter cold and snow). tHIS IS MY FAVORITE
BECAUSE I STAY AT THE SUMMIT AND DRINK HOT CHOCOLATE
WHILE MICHAEL RUNS UP THE TRAIL AND TAKES A PICTURE FOR ME.
HAVE FUN AND HAPPY CAMPING!
2 Timothy 1:5- I have been reminded of your sincere faith. Which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and I am persuaded, now lives in you also.
I am sure that when you think of awesome women in the Bible, Lois and Eunice are not the first to pop into your mind ( mine either ), but they were women of “sincere faith” and great influences and important. Paul credits them for Timothy’s maturity. The lives these women lived in their home, in timothy’s sight, was the influence that lead to Timothy’s spiritual growth. It helped him become a believer and the person who grew to be a deeply trusted co-worker and friend to Paul.
Timothy saw in them that no matter what the struggle, Christ is up for the challenge.
Paul saw in them sincere faith- genuine, with no hypocrisy, no pretending, no fakeness. They were committed to passing this faith onto their grandson and son.
As women (men), a mother(father), a grandmother(grandfather), you have the greatest influence possible on those around you. Your life speaks volumes, whether you open your mouth or not. What message are you communicating?
Friday night was a great night of hearing God’s word. Jason invited Michael to play music with him at the “surveying the wondrous cross” conference. I want to personally say THANK YOU for the invite. I was truly blessed for going.
The first speaker talked about ” the guilt of man and the glory of God”, Romans 3:21-26. That was a great message. We are guilty and totally undeserving but God gave us this awesome gift.
The second speaker talked about “boasting only in the cross of Christ”, Galatians 6:14. WOW! I was blown away. He did a overview of the book of Galatians, but focused on 6:14. There is no works we can preform to get to heaven. It is a gracious wonderful gift from our creator. Who sent his son here to us to show us how to live and then took our punishment (what we deserve) for us. we can only boast in him. He is the only one who is great around here.
I just really had a great time. What a great way to spend a Friday night ( and the football game cancelled do to rain, so we still get to go to that on Monday). We didn’t go saturday because Michael had to work but I hear Jason has all the sermons on his blog to download. I recommend everyone get them and listen to them. Really they were good.
We also picked up some books that look good. “worldliness, resisting the seduction of a fallen world”, can’t tell who the author is but foreword is by John Piper and edited by C.J. Mahaney. “spectacular sins, and their global purpose in the glory of Christ”, by John piper. last but not least or maybe i should say last and least, a book called “humility, true greatness” by C.J. Mahaney. I have already started reading this book. I started reading it in the car that night on the way home. It looks like a good one. I can only read one book at a time, so I’m sure over the next few month’s I will be posting on these books.
I did this post because I really want you to listen to those sermons. Go to Jason’s blog and get them today. Thanks.
James 3:17 & 18- The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
As some of you know, Monday was Columbus Day and I don’t know about you but because I don’t work at a bank I didn’t think much of it.
Every night while we are sitting at the table eating our dinner, we ask the kids how their day at school was and Rachel our Kindergartner (those of you who know her know she always has a lot to tell) had a lot to tell us about Christopher Columbus. I thought it was so cute to hear her little voice tell us all about it. I wish I had her recorded but I am not that technical. She told us that “he went to America. He sailed on a boat. He thought he was in India so he named the people Indians.”
It is really cool to see our children learning history. Things we really don’t think about, they are reminding me. Has anyone reminded you of something lately?
Well we are still in the book of Amos, the old testament prophet, on Sunday and Mr. porter is on a roll. It was an awesome sermon. I like the Old Testament. There is a lot to learn and it is very interesting.
In Amos 5:18-27, God is really letting the Israelites have it. In verse 21 God says ” I hate, I despise your religious feasts; I cannot stand your assembles.” The Israelites are having a celebration with music, food, and dancing. It was designed by God to outwardly express their faith in and love for him. But God hated the very festival he had created. It was like an extravagant party where the guest of honor is uninvited and no one even notices or cares. Their celebration looks good but is insincere. They attend the necessary feasts and offer the necessary sacrifices, but God is not fooled. He clearly sees the lack of devotion behind the hoopla.
Does God love our sincere worship? or can he not stand our worship because it is not truly in our hearts?
I went to the pumpkin farm with Molly’s class yesterday and they were blaring Johnny Cash over the outdoor speakers and I thought it was hilarious. While little children were playing and feeding goats and picking out pumpkins in this farm wonderland, they were hearing, ” I shot a man in Reno. Just to watch him die.” It was really weird. but what was even weirder was standing under one of the speakers was a boy who couldn’t have been older then 8, whom I didn’t know, said to me and Molly as we past him, ” Did you know this was the last song he wrote before he died?” (not this song another one). Cash is popular with all ages I guess. Just a strange day.
I found this video on you tube and it is from 1974 recorded in the Tennessee State Penitentiary’s gymnasium. The inmates are the audience. check it out.
Isaiah 55:8- for my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
I use to get really upset about the things I didn’t understand. I couldn’t understand how God could allow any of his creation to go to hell or why God would let suffering and sorrow dwell in the world. I just couldn’t wrap myself around any of it. Until Michael said this verse to me. I thought about it long and hard and I still do often have to tell myself this verse.
While God is far above us he is still with us. In other places in Isaiah, the Lord says that his arm is long and ready to save, that he loves unfailingly, and that he acts on behalf of those who wait for him (Isaiah 50:2, 42:6, 43:4, 54:10, 64:4). He is not a God who distances himself from us. Evidence points to a father who lives in a “high and holy place”, who hovers over his children and lives among us.
I think that although God reveals himself to us, we can’t understand everything about him or his ways, because he is the master of the universe. He is the creator and we are the creation.
because he has great love and care for us, we can trust him even when we don’t understand him.
