Proverbs 6 for today...

"A book for life."

Full of contrasts between the wise and the foolish.

Full of real life examples...everyone knows what an ant is!

God has removed all the guess work out of what He expects of His children.

I don't have to wander around wondering what I should do or not do.

Over and over...He pleads for us to follow in obedience through the pen of the various writers of each book of the Bible.  Different people, different walks of life, different perspectives...but all with the same message...a message of hope for the hopeless!

So many of us are living in defeat...and that is not part of God's plan...

it wasn't from the beginning.

But somebody, a created being, thought he knew better than the Creator..

and the questioning started.

We haven't stopped yet...

and every single time ends in failure...

it doesn't matter what it is.

Proverbs 6:1-23

"My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, [if] thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger,

Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.

Do this now, my son, and deliver thyself, when thou art come into the hand of thy friend; go, humble thyself, and make sure thy friend.

 Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.

 Deliver thyself as a roe from the hand [of the hunter], and as a bird from the hand of the fowler.

 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:

 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,

 Provideth her meat in the summer, [and] gathereth her food in the harvest.

How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?

 [Yet] a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:

So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.

He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;

Frowardness [is] in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.

Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.

These six [things] doth the LORD hate: yea, seven [are] an abomination unto him:

A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

 A false witness [that] speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

Bind them continually upon thine heart, [and] tie them about thy neck.

When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and [when] thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.  For the commandment [is] a lamp; and the law [is] light; and reproofs of instruction [are] the way of life: "

So many thoughts in these verses...chapters...

and every time I read it, I am convicted and challenged in my thinking!

Yes...it is a book about life...for life! 

MORE fun with felt!

Because January tends to be so dull of color after the sparkles and red/green of December...

AND there is no snow to cover up the dead brown and grey of winter...

we kept the snowmen and sparkly things in place to cozy it up around here!

A sunny 48 degrees on January 5th...not what you'd expect...but we are enjoying it!

"Can you tell them for me?" I asked.

"They don't even know me and they gave me a thank you gift of things I enjoy!"

I made a variety of cards (and forgot to take a picture of them) because he asked me to do so.  Just because.  They turned out cute!  He delivered them...and they really liked them.  They told me so today. 

"I didn't do it to receive anything...I was just glad to do it!"  I love to sit and put cards together while the kiddos are doing their schoolwork.  I do a variety of things to keep my mind, heart, and hands busy.

I don't want to be idle and waste such big amounts of time each day...waiting for a question or help time with the kiddos.  They need to see me being productive too. 

You just never know what or how God can use your hands when you keep them busy!  I thought of the verse..."work with your own hands..." and started reading the whole chapter...

I Thessalonians 4:9-12

"But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.  And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;  And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and [that] ye may have lack of nothing."

When one of you pays attention to those that you are around every day...and another is able to meet a need...and you follow through with the plan...there is an impact.

You just never know...

Right, Dad and Mom?!

It is not as peaceful as it seems...

Chevy is content now that he can snuggle up to me in the chair. I am content with a cup of coffee, knitting, and listening to KNVBC.com.  Waiting for a fresh-baked treat to come out of the oven...it smells wonderful!  The song "Haven of Rest" is playing.  Beautiful.  Peaceful.  Encouraging.

What you can't see...

my husband in the basement fighting to understand his Algebra class listening to teaching/tutoring sessions...

"Factoring trinomials...who comes up with this stuff?  B doesn't have any factors in my opinion!"

AND

two children fighting over the game Ants in the Pants, "You're cheating!  You can't do that!"

It looked good, didn't it!?!

He has found his routine again!

 

And so have we.  It wasn't as bad getting UP this morning...it was the getting GOING that hurt!

 But we took care of our morning routine...used the new pencil sharpener and got busy!  "Mom, this is the sharpest our pencils have EVER been...all evenly sharpened and not breaking the second you start to use them."  Yes...we have had issues with our pencil sharpener...evidently...it was dull.  Now we are using our festive pencils!  Wood pencils are great...it is the festive wraps that mess up the sharpeners...I'm guessing.

 

I am busy at my desk too...

finding all sorts of ways to fill our days...with our newly sharpened pencils!

"Tomorrow is a new day...with no mistakes in it...yet!" said Miss Stacey to Anne.

That scene from Anne of Green Gables plays in my mind every time I look at a new calendar...

a record of our routine...and looking ahead because we know...

the best is yet to come!

Was it hard for anyone else to get back into the groove today?

We did fairly well...considering Ted called this morning to make sure we were up.  It was a good thing he called...I thought it was 6:30am.  It was 7:10am!  Whoops!  Alarms are already set for tomorrow.  There was a little whining about having to get up and get going...but after our coffee...we managed.  Chevy seemed to have the hardest time!  He wandered back and forth like he didn't know what to do.  He kept whining while the kiddos were downstairs in the schoolroom, and he snuck down several times.  He didn't have anyone to cuddle up with on the chairs or couch.

The last evening of Christmas vacation

Ashlynn spent the day with Grandma...all. by. herself.

Teddy and Dad had their first practice for the Upwards season.  New grade, new color, new team mates, new practice night, and new Saturday game time!  We get the later slot...10:00am!  Woohoo!

Alisa and I had a date...our supper eaten in the familyroom in front of the tv for a movie! 

What a restful day...some of us had!

Christmas is being put away...

but the snowmen are still out!  It seems to be the only glimpse of snow we are going to see for awhile.  Teddy informed me that the light flurries of today "don't count"!  He was aggravated to hear that Grampy and Grammy got 6 inches on Saturday into Sunday, "It's too bad we're not surprising them THIS week!"

The house looks a little bare inside now...but clean and smelling cozy.

My favorite gift this year...

was a new Bible from my children and husband.  Ted had asked our three loves what they wanted to get me for Christmas.  They had already talked about it and were ready for Dad's question.

"She really needs a new Bible.  Her other two are falling apart.  When she opens them to read, she always has to fix the pages that are sliding out..."

They went shopping online and picked out something similar to what I had.  They picked out the color and added a special message...rather than my name.  I cried when I opened this gift, and choked back sobs when I heard the conversation with their Dad surrounding their choice.  I know I don't always handle things "the right way" and I worry that they will remember me for all the teaching/correcting parts of mothering.  But my desire is to leave the memory of their mother going to the Bible for answers, reading till the tears fall, and praying for them each day.  I won't get rid of my old Bible...it has many notes from my Daddy's messages and many tear-stained pages. 

I'm thankful for God's Word...that hasn't changed through my 42 years...and more! 

I pray that I will continue to grow and change as I read!

This blessed old book that I hold in my hand,

It's true from beginning to end.

It's the solid foundation where I firmly stand,

Sin kept me from it, now it keeps me from sin.

It's a well of pure water when I'm thirsty and dry,

Bread when I'm hungry and worn.

When the battle is raging, it's my faithful sword,

My shelter from life's troubled storm.

It's a light to my pathway and a lamp to my feet,

When the world gets so dark you can't see.

And I've not made a change in one word that it says,

But it's sure made a change in me.

This blessed old book that I hold in my hand,

It's true from beginning to end.

It's the solid foundation where I firmly stand,

Sin kept me from it, now it keeps me from sin.

When I think what it cost just to hold in my hand,

It reminds me that I owe a great debt,

To all of the martyrs who'd gone to the stake,

And quote it with their dying breath.

Well its critics are many and believers are few,

But there's one thing I've found to be true.

If you find when you read it that there's something wrong,

Then there's something wrong with you.

This blessed old book that I hold in my hand,

It's true from beginning to end.

It's the solid foundation where I firmly stand,

Sin kept me from it, now it keeps me from sin.

Because we haven't eaten enough these last few days...

I made two pies this afternoon!  To share, of course...so now we only have part of the coconut pie left to finish.  So far...we haven't felt too compelled to make any "resolutions" for the new year...

It is nice to have friends who like to eat sweets and with whom we can share!

And I know...The Best Is Yet To Come!

"Happy New Year!  Happy 2012!  Glad that 2011 is over. Wonder what this year will hold.  Have you made your resolutions yet?"  Those are just a few comments I have heard repeated over and over so far.
We sat in the Wednesday night service in Wisconsin, and Dad presented a thought pattern for this new year...I Peter 1:25 "the Word of the Lord endures forever."  We need to be thinking theologically!
"When Jesus comes...all is changed!"
2 Timothy 3:14
I have that blessed assurance...and I don't have to be anxious...for anything!  The Bible has the answers I need for this year...and every year.
2 Timothy 3:15-17
I can be wise or foolish...and it will affect how I live!  There is confidence, stability, and profitability to be found in God's Word.  I can trust each Word.  God's Word brings cleansing, encouragement, and instruction so that I may be thoroughly furnished.  I don't have to flounder in sinful behavior...acting "weirdly" and thinking "funny".  Those are results of guilt brought on by sinful choices.  The only way to be cured from the guilt...is God's forgiveness!  What wonderful hope that offers!
I don't want to live my life making excuses and "just making it through" with everyone feeling sorry for me and my hard times.  We will give an account when we stand before God.
Dad asked the question, "Is the Lord still blessing?" Proverbs 28:20
He is...when we are walking in obedience to His Word and His way!

This year, like no other, I have learned that God's Word holds every answer for every question I have.  God holds us accountable for those things that we have heard and learned.  He expects us to be examples in word and deed.  There are too many voices shouting out what they think is best...drowning out that still small voice that speaks peace.  I am more convinced than ever...satan is working overtime to distort and drown out the truth of God's Word...and he uses any means to do it.  I've seen enough this year to know that I must be in His Word daily.  I've seen what His Word can do in my heart and life.  And I will continue operating and speaking from that premise...no apologies. 

"Never feel bad for compelling people to obey God. Obedience leads to blessing!"

C. Schmidt

I must measure everything by God's standard...not how I feel...or what I want because 

"THE BEST IS YET TO COME!"

I have been thinking of these words ever since Alisa did her book report.

There is a book that is part of the Third grade reading curriculum we use for school called The Secret In The Maple Tree. The sequel to this book is presented in Fourth grade, Song Of The Brook. In this continuation, Bestefar (the grandfather) always says, "The best is yet to come." He spends time talking with his grand-daughter and teaching her what God's Word says when she is faced with things that trouble her.  Sometimes, she struggled through his words to her, but she knew he loved her and loved God.  She trusted that he had her best interest at heart.

After looking back at this past year, we know that this is true!

God has a plan.  He is working to accomplish His plan in our life.

We are just pilgrims.  This world is not our home. 

The best is yet to come!

How easy it is to lose sight of this fact as we walk through each day...week...month...year!

We don't know God's plans for us this year...but we know He has given us life. 

He has plans for each of His children. 

He wants to give His children life more abundantly. 

We just need to follow Him...

no matter what...

no matter where...

no matter when...

no matter how...

because His way and timing is best!

(and a little extra blessing...I found a stamp in the craft store bin that says just that...)

THE BEST IS YET TO COME!

Try as they might, other friends don't even come close...

"A sister is God's way of proving we will never walk alone."

The gifts that my sister picked out for me this year were all about reminding me of our sister bond. 

Two pieces of jewelry that I can wear and remember...

not that I would ever forget, but a visual reminder around my neck and as I work with my hands.

"There can be no situation in life in which the conversation of my dear sister will not administer some comfort to me." 

It seems funny now...the same hands that we wanted to use to wring each other's necks...are the same hands that long to give that supportive hug, hold a hand, and help when the weight of life seems too heavy to bear.

Sisters know how, where, what, when, and why...when no one else on earth does.

"Sisters don't need words.  They have perfected a language of snarls and smiles and frowns and winks - expressions of shocked surprise and incredulity and disbelief.  Sniffs and snorts and gasps and sighs - that can undermine any tale you're telling."

I am thankful that we can fold our hands in prayer...for each other...knowing that God cares and answers...when the miles separate us! 

Love you, sissy! 

Thank you...

"Sister to sister we will always be, A couple of nuts off the family tree."