Otis (The Runaway Dog)

August 2, 20115 Comments

Our dogs were use to being able to run free in Mississippi. We lived in the middle of a National Forest consisting of thousands of acres. But now their environment is somewhat different. Annie is confined to a small backyard and leashed walks around the neighborhood. Otis (Abigail’s Maltese) has free range of the house as well as the backyard. However, in the one month we’ve lived here Otis has escaped several times. The little fugitive will slip out the front door when no one is looking. We’ll send out a search party and find him wandering all over the neighborhood. The scenario has quickly become old.

A few days ago Otis attempted to runaway again. I caught him this time at the next door neighbor’s house. When I called for him, he looked at me in disdain. He had no intentions of returning home until he had made his rounds. Determined to not be outwitted by a dog I said the magic word – TREAT. “Otis, Do you want a treat?” Would you believe that he was in the kitchen before I could turn around? He sat with his tail wagging and eyes fixed upon the cabinet where treats are found.

As I was sharing this story with my husband this morning, he made a profound statement. He said, “How many times are we just like Otis? When our Master calls we ignore Him and do what we want to do, that is, until there is hope for a blessing.” I know this has been true in my life. Often my obedience is based on the amount of blessings I expect to receive. While we are promised blessings through obedience, (A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day, Deu 11:27) should that be our only motive? Psalms 32 paints a striking picture of the relationship between us and our Master. “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee, Psalm 32:8-9. What exactly is the Lord saying here? Simply put I believe He is saying that we should not act like a dumb animal that must be bribed or enticed to come near. Our eyes should be fixed upon Him and not upon what He can give us. Scripture tells us to seek Lord’s face (I Chronicles 16:11, 2 Chronicles 7:14, Psalms 24:6, Psalms 27:8, Psalms 105:4, Proverbs 7:15, Hosea 5:15) not His hands. Yet, many times I come to Him seeking only what He can give.

I am thankful that my Master is much more understanding than Otis’ master. This dog is in the doghouse! He is not in good graces with me. But I can learn something from him. His actions can serve as a great reminder. Lord, help me to seek Your face. Help me to draw near. Help mine eyes to stay fixed upon You. And let my obedience come from a heart’s desire to please You in all things.

“Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us, Psalm 123:1-2.

Family Movie Night’s “Who Is Simon Miller?”

August 1, 2011Leave a comment

This Saturday, August 6th, “Who Is Simon Miller?” is set to debut on NBC at 8/7 c. This fast paced family spy drama brought to you by P&G and Wal-Mart is a part of their effort to bring more quality entertainment to families.

Synopsis: When unassuming geologist Simon Miller mysteriously disappears one night, the Miller family is thrown into a desperate search to find him. Simon’s wife Meredith and their two kids, Sarah, 18 and Kevin, 15 frantically search Simon’s office for information. When they find a stash of passports, all with Simon’s picture but each with a different alias, they realize that their father has been keeping more than a few secrets. Who is Simon Miller? And what has he gotten himself – and his family – into? Not sure they can even trust the dad they thought they knew, the Millers embark on an international mission to get him back. It’s a heart-pounding adventure that tests the limits to which families will fight for each other.

I previewed the film last week. Wal-Mart and P&G are successful in providing another family friendly film. While watching this movie, parents do not have to worry about their children viewing questionable content, filthy language, or suggestive innuendos. For a mother who is concerned about the value of what her family watches, this is so refreshing. Unfortunately, there were not as many teaching moments in this movie as there were in some of the previous Family Night movies. But overall, I did enjoy the action packed film and the high significance of family that this film portrays. Go to the website or Youtube and watch the trailer. And be sure and pop some popcorn and gather your family up this Saturday night and find out for yourself, “Who is Simon Miller?”

Disclaimer: I received access to watch “Who Is Simon Miller?” in exchange for an honest product review. I do not receive any other form of compensation for the reviews posted on this blog.

I’m All In (CD Give-A-Way)

July 25, 2011July 25, 20112 Comments

Those of you who have followed my writings know how I feel about music. God designed it to stir your soul. Music will either stir your soul toward God or away from Him. This week as my family and I have listened to Robert Pierre’s newest album, I’m All In, our hearts have been stirred toward God!

Robert is a very talented young man. In addition to writing, recording, and playing on a summer tour, he also leads regular Sunday morning worship at his church. And he’s done it all as a high school senior. I’m All In is his third studio album and is set to release tomorrow (July 26^th).

I’m All In is a collection of enthusiastic songs filled with the deep truths of God. For example, my favorite on the album is Who R U. There is a theological term found in the Scriptures known as antithetical parallelism. God’s Word is full of antithesis. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life” Romans 6:23. “Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins” Proverbs 10:12. “Depart from evil, and do good” Psalm 37:27. All through Scripture opposites are clearly revealed: life and death, love and hate, good and evil, saved and unsaved, narrow way and broad way, blessed and cursed, wise and foolish, fruitful and withered, etc. Robert expounds of this concept throughout his song. He sings,

You’re either hot or your cold – either yes or your no – will you stay or will you run – who will you become – you’re either in or you’re out – either soft or your loud – when He calls for His own – I want to be known

My husband says this is great “driving music”. His favorite song is “Stranger In This Land.”

This world will try to shut me down – Push and shove me to the ground – but I’ve been covered by the blood of Christ – I am His and He is mine – I may be hated but this ain’t my town – persecuted constantly beat down – but there’s a joy in the suffering – cause He is my identity – I’m not of this world – I’m a stranger in this land

I am giving away a copy of Robert Pierre’s I’m All In to one of my readers. Just leave a comment and one week from the release date (Tuesday, August 2^nd) I will draw a winner and have a copy sent to you. Tell your friends and increase your chance to win. Leave separate comments for each posting on social media (face book, twitter, blogs, etc) for additional entries.

Disclaimer: I received “I’m All In” to review in exchange for an honest product review. I do not receive any other form of compensation for the reviews posted on this blog.

Book Reviews

July 21, 2011Leave a comment

I recently finished my third book, From the Mouth of Babes. The review are trickling in and it has been a humbling experience. I wanted to share a few of them with my faithful readers.

Full Circle Homeschooling

The Bishop’s Wife

The McClanahan 7

We Love to Homeschool

Through the Calm and Through the Storm

Over the past year I have had many opportunities to review various books, curriculum, music, and such. It is an honor when a person asks you to take a peek into their work and offer your honest opinion. But like anything else, until you have walked on the other side, you cannot comprehend all it holds. Unless you have done it, it is hard to understand what it is like to pour yourself into a work and have others critique it. I greatly appreciate the time and engery from these reviewers.

The First Week

July 11, 20116 Comments

It has been 10 days since our move and I can say that this is the first time that I have had a few minutes to sit down. It has been a relaxing morning and I thank the Lord for it.

Our move went extremely well. We had so much help from friends and family. It took us around 13 hours with the U-Haul truck to make the trip. Here is a picture of my children at Lake Village Arkansas. Aaron’s friend, Levi, went with us from Arkansas back to Mississippi to help us pack and move. He’s in the green shirt.

We took our time and made it to my parent’s house around 9 p.m. We parked the truck and spent the night there. The next morning feeling refreshed and ready to start unloading we drove to Bentonville (30 minutes north). It is a lot easier unloading than it is loading. In fact, when we first loaded we couldn’t fit everything on the truck. Thankfully, we had some dear friends offer to bring their trailer and drive it to Arkansas for us on Saturday. We were able to put our couch, washer, dryer, and our outside stuff on it. What a blessing! Thank you Bill and Karen!

The 3^rd was our first Sunday at Cornerstone. Although tired, we had a very good day.

As you can tell, there is a lot of road construction going on. The front road of the church will be a 5 lane highway and the side road will be a four lane highway when they are finished.

We spent the 4^th cooking out at my parent’s home. It’s so nice being close to my family again. We truly thank the Lord for bringing us back up this way.

Wednesday through Friday I had a good friend drive up from central Arkansas. She came to help me unpack all those boxes and decorate my home. We worked hard! Jayna has a very creative eye and she helped me turn this house into a beautiful home.

This is the front of our home. We have decided that Abigail will be in charge of all the plants. After all, we want them to live.

This is the foyer area from our front door. When you walk in the door on the right is my office.

I LOVE my office! Since this home is smaller than our last one we had to bring one of my kitchen tables in here. It turned out that I loved the way it looked. There is a beautiful, large window where the table sits. It’s a great place to visit with a friend over a cup of coffee!

Isn’t the fireplace lovely! My children have already mentioned how they can’t wait to get our first big snow this winter.

We felt very blessed to find our$80 craigslist fridge!

The kitchen is open which will encourage me to keep it clean!

The house has a split-floor-plan with the master bed and bath off the kitchen. This is one view of my bedroom. I won’t show you all the boxes pilled up on the back wall!

One of my favorite parts about the house is the master bath.

Abigail’s room still needs a little work but it will be beautiful when we are finished!

My friend also went through my wardrobe with me and talked me into getting rid of half my clothes. Thanks Jayna! I needed that! We enjoyed ourselves last week but were exhausted by Friday.

After Jayna and her children left Friday afternoon I took a much needed three hour nap!

Saturday we spent the morning looking for bedroom furniture for the boys. We hit a few yard sales and some furniture stores. We ended up getting a bed from craigslist that afternoon. I picked up this really cool desk for Andrew at a yard sale for $8.00.

That evening one of the couples from the church invited us out for dinner. It was a good time of fellowship.

Yesterday’s services went very well. We had several visitors. Dana gave an introduction to the book of Ephesians. He will be expository preaching through it on Sunday mornings. We had a pleasant surprise in that our former pastor, the man Dana surrendered to preach under, showed up for the services with his wife and son. I insisted they come to the house for lunch. I had a pork loin, mashed potatoes, green beans, and homemade rolls ready. It was so nice visiting with them.

We’re trying hard to get to know everyone at Cornerstone. It will take some time. Next week we are taking a group (I believe 14) to church camp at Grand Lake, OK. My children are very excited about that. When we get back we have VBS.

I have my first homeschool meeting tomorrow night. With over 4,000 homeschoolers in this area it won’t take long to get plugged in. We have friends here from the past and are already meeting new ones.

It’s been an exciting 10 days! I’m looking forward to watching the Lord work in our family and in the ministry here! Keep us in your prayers!

Packing Tape, U Hauls, and Friends

June 27, 20112 Comments

Moving is bitter/sweet. Something about packing up, saying good-bye, and building a new life is always difficult. Hence, the bitter part. However, we have complete peace (that passes all understanding) about this transition in our lives. It is exciting to know that you are in the will of God, that He has great things in store, and that the future is secure. That is the sweet part!

I must say that God is good…all the time! He has provided for us above and beyond all our needs and even our wants. He has upheld his servants and protected our family. He has answered specific prayers precisely. He has brought into our lives the most precious friends who are there for us exactly when we need them the most. Many of these friends will be here this week with us. We will be working hard, packing, telling stories, laughing, and crying. We might even find the time to take a break over a cup of coffee or two. And at the end of the week, we will say good-bye.

I know in my heart that it is very likely that some of our friends we will not see again this side of heaven. But we will see them again. I’m reminded of the 4^th verse in the song Blest Be the Tie. It goes like this: “When we asunder part, It gives us inward pain; But we shall still be joined in heart, and hope to meet again.”

Pray for our family this week. I believe in the power of prayer! And to all my family and friends reading this, here is my prayer for you…

“For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” (Eph 3:14-21)

Lessons from Jesus

June 14, 2011Leave a comment

“Jesus, didn’t you know your words would offend them?” Obviously, the disciples reasoned, if the Lord knew that the truth he spoke would offend then he would not have spoken it, right? No, our meek and lowly Jesus still spoke the truth even when he knew it would offend the hearers.

The story I am referring to is one that was covered Sunday in our women’s class taken from Matthew 15. The scribes and Pharisees came to Jesus accusing the disciples of breaking the tradition of the elders by not washing their hands before eating. Jesus answered the accusation by asking the religious why they would break the commands of God by their traditions. There are many lessons in this text.

The first lesson is that we better be careful when we accuse other Christians. Simply put, Revelations 12:10 tell us that Satan is “the accuser of the brethren”. Unless we want to line ourselves up with him we should consider every accusation carefully.

Another lesson learned is this. The truth will offend those who oppose it. Those that are blind and walk in darkness hate the light. Those that love wickedness and evil hate all that is good and wholesome. Those that love lies hate the truth. And those with sinful, hypocritical hearts hate it when their hypocrisy is revealed. But, the Bible in Psalms 119:165 says that, “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” If you love the Words of God you will not be offended when truth is spoken. I think that is the reasons so many are offended today, even professing Christians. They simply do not love the Words of God. Oh, they will say they believe the Bible and that they love God’s Words but when it comes down to it their actions declare loudly that they do not. Great peace waits for those who love God’s law. There sure are a lot of Christians walking around today without God’s perfect peace that passes all understanding.

There are many other lessons from this story. And if you haven’t read it lately why don’t you make a point to read Matthew 15 today. But the final lesson I want to share is found in verse 12-14.

“Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.”

Jesus declares what will happen to those who refuse to hear His Words. They will be rooted up… “Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” (Mat 7:19-21)

He also said to “let them alone…” There is a principle of not casting pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6) and shaking the dust off your feet (Luke 9:5). Sometimes people will just not hear. Their ears are stopped. Jesus had a perfect ministry. He was the perfect preacher. Every word he spoke was perfect and many still did not hear Him. Many refused to listen. Why do we think that as (imperfect) Christians that everyone will listen to us? Why do we think that just because we have the truth that people will understand? Only those with open eyes and ears to hear will listen to the truth. Only those who love the law of God will not be offended by His Word. Proverbs 23:9 says, “Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.”

He explained that they are blind leading the blind… “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” (2Co 4:3-4)

If the stories we read from Scripture do not have practical application to our lives today, they are just stories. But God’s Word is much more than just stories. It is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword (Hebrews 4:12). And it is given by inspiration of God for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).

Those that love the law and have ears to hear, let the precious Word of God mold and shape you and give you perfect peace. And may the lessons from our Lord encourage us to keep standing on His truth.

Field of Vision

June 10, 2011Leave a comment

Sometimes doing the right thing cost you something. I have seen this in my own life many times. And sometimes doing what is right involves standing alone. However, we should always stand on principle, though we may stand alone, we can cherish the sweet reflection that our voice will not be lost.

For some time families have been voicing a need for someone to rise up to produce some family friendly movies. Families are tired of the (at best) questionable material that flows into American homes and (at worse) the outright filth produced. We want to be able to gather our children around a clean movie that gives more than mere entertainment but teaches solid morals.

I must say that once again Wal-Mart and P&G have done it. They have brought to the airwaves another family friendly movie. I reviewed Field of Vision this week and for the most part I was impressed. The movie portrays the family structure as being strong, loving, and supportive. It sheds light on the problem of bullying in our modern school system and teaches that no matter the cost we need to stand up for what is right. There are some great lessons taught. One is that truth should always be upheld. Another is the power of our words, written and spoken. And an influential cord woven throughout the entire movie is friendship.

My only complaint was that I did not care for the magical aspect of the mysterious video camera. It seemed out of place in the movie. However, the attention given to it was in small detail which left the viewers drawing their own conclusions.

Field of Vision airs tomorrow (Saturday, June 11, 2011) 8/7 Central on NBC. Pop some popcorn and gather up your family. It’s a great opportunity to discuss some important issues in life while enjoying each other. Click here to view the trailer.

Movie Synopsis:

Through mysterious footage captured on an old malfunctioning video camera, Sinclair High School’s star quarterback, Tyler McFarland, learns that some of his teammates have been bullying Cory Walker, a troubled new transfer student. Aware that sharing this information with the coach might get his friends kicked off the team and ultimately cost the school the state championship, Tyler must choose what’s more important: winning or doing what’s right. As these events unfold, the camera also reveals more surprising footage to Tyler’s kid sister Lucy. She learns that Cory has a secret past, unknown even to him. Now Lucy must convince her mom (Faith Ford, Murphy Brown) and family that the camera’s revealing insight is not a product of her imagination as she enlists their help to find the answers Cory so desperately needs. It’s a compelling and intriguing story that shows both the challenges and rewards of doing the right thing even when it’s tough to do.

Disclaimer: I received Field of Vision to review in exchange for an honest product review. I do not receive any other form of compensation for the reviews posted on this blog.

Women of Worth

June 6, 20111 Comment

It’s Monday but not your typical one. It is the Monday after spending four days on the beach in Gulf Shores with a group of amazing women I just met. I had a great time at our Women of Worth Retreat!

Physically, my sunburn has now turned into a nice golden tan. But my body is tired. Surprisingly, sitting at the pool and on the beach is draining. I didn’t realize that resting could be so pleasantly exhausting. Of course my fatigue might be due to the eight hours I spoke this weekend. But I really had a lot of time for relaxing. In fact, in between our sessions I was able to start and finish a book I had brought to read. That is my idea of a peaceful weekend.

Emotionally, I am glad to be home. I missed my family. Four days without my husband and children was a first for me. And four days without me was a first for them. We all made it and although I have always felt like my husband and children appreciate me, I really feel appreciated now! Last night when my husband picked me up the children were helping out at a local VBS so Dana took me to Hattiesburg for a nice quiet dinner. When we picked the children up they about knocked me over.

Spiritually, my spirit is soaring. We had a very uplifting time in the Word of God. As we studied several examples of Women of Worth we all grew closer to the Lord. I spoke on women who seek wisdom, women who diligently work, women who are not weary in well-doing, women who faithfully witness, and women who reverently worship. It was a time of honesty and an opportunity to be real without judgment. It was a time of prayer and worship. It was a time of exhortation and encouragement.

I thank my dear friend, Angela and her church for the invitation. I thank my family for parting with me. And I thank the Lord for the opportunity to be used and for His divine guidance and protection these last few days. And I am thankful that in Christ I can be a Women of Worth!

Thursday night after the second group of ladies arrived at the condo some of them were anxious to check out the water.

One night (way into the night) our room played a game of Phase Ten. The following night we played a dice game called Farkle until 1 a.m. (Sorry, there will be no pictures of that game!)

A few women hanging out before one of our sessions…

Heading to dinner one night. I had some great seafood on this trip.

9 of the 16…..dinner and shopping.

Some pictures need no explanation.

Here are the ladies that were in my condo.

“The Best Gift” skit and our last session…

Packing up…

One last picture of Kim, Kim, Kim, and Kim.

Hitchhikers

May 31, 20111 Comment

I have never picked one up. It’s not that I do not want to offer a ride to someone who needs one. I just know better. But I always wonder about a person on the side of the road who is hitchhiking. Where are they going? Where have they been? How did they end up on the street? What would it feel like to be completely dependent upon others to get you from one place to the next? Would it be hard to trust people?

I’ve been encountering a lot of hitchhikers lately. These hitchhikers are of a different sort. They are hitchhiking Christians. These are the people who depend upon others for their spiritual growth. They want a free ride. They will cling to their family’s Christian heritage and not build one for themselves. When it comes to learning the Scriptures, they will ride along on the spiritual knowledge of someone else. They do not read the Bible for themselves. They do not pray as they should. They do not study to show themselves approved. Instead they ride from Sunday to Sunday on the preachers words. They ask others to pray and never spend time on their knees. They take what others have studied for themselves, never checking to see if it is true.

When you faithfully attend church and hear weekly sermons it is very easy to hitchhike your way through life. Yes, it is easy but very dangerous! One reason it is dangerous is because when it comes to eternity we will not be able to hitchhike our way into heaven. Each man and woman must stand in judgment before God alone. Your church membership will not be able to stand with you. Grandma’s sweet prayers will not be there either. A Christian heritage will not make a difference. Our only hope is the One who traveled the road before us and paved the way – Jesus Christ the Righteous. It is in Him alone that we have access to the Father.

When it comes to spiritual growth, a hitchhiking Christian doesn’t get very far down the road either. I know because I’ve been one. My husband came into the faith at 19 years old. He knew nothing about Scripture. Early in our marriage he would ask questions like, “Why do you believe this…?” My answer was simply because that was what I was taught. In other words, my beliefs were not really mine. I just took what someone else believed and rode alone with them. Many of the things I believed were truth. But it was not until my husband challenged me to know what I believe and why I believe it that the truth became mine. Then there were those things that I thought I believed and when I began to search out the Scriptures I discovered that I really didn’t believe it. When I finally began to search out the Scriptures for myself the Word of God became a powerful force in my life. It became alive. And I started growing in my faith.

Do you remember the story of the Berean church? The Apostle Paul, with Silas, came to Berea to preach the gospel in Acts 17. Paul was God’s man. God had anointed him in a powerful way. He wrought miracles everywhere he went. He preached with authority. And God would use him to write more books of the Bible than any other. However, when he came to Berea the believers there “searched the scriptures daily” to see if the things he taught them were true. They did not hitchhike along on Paul’s knowledge. They studied for themselves. And God called them “more noble” because they received the word with all readiness of mind.

We must be ever diligent in the Scriptures. We must be careful to not rely upon others for our spiritual growth. We need to put our thumbs down and quit hitchhiking. Instead, we need to lace up our shoes and “walk worthy of the Lord… increasing in the knowledge of God,” (Colossians 1:10).