"To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1 Now is the season to raise my children. Now is the season to garden. Now is the season to make memories. Now is the season to pray for my family . . . And the list goes on.
I am finding that I don't have much time for blogging; there are other priorities that come first. We are all given the same amount of time in a day . . . how am I using it? Lately I've been challenged to redeem my time. Life is not just for enjoyment. It is a battle and determines our destination for eternity . . . our lives affect others and their eternal destiny.
"Redeeming the time, because the days are evil." Ephesians 5:16
Thursday, July 28, 2005
Thursday, July 21, 2005
Mentors
Who is a mentor? There are three different ways ladies have been a mentor to me lately.
One lady has touched the practical side giving me wonderful ways and ideas to implement spending quality time with my children each day, teaching my children to work, ect. She also has invested time into me . . . talking with me, sending meals over and showing me that she cared.
The other lady doesn't know she is my mentor. We don't talk very often, but I see from "afar" her dependancey on God. I see shadows under her eyes at times, I see tears of repentance for her own willful ways, I see a pure heart, I see a loving heart opening up her home to children other than her own when she could say "I already have my hands full." I hear her speak of Colossians 1:11 "Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness . . ." and say how much this means to her right now. I've seen her tired as all get out and yet abounding, I've seen her pick up her Bible at any possible moment and gather strength even when her body cries for sleep . . .
I've just had glimpses into her life, but it has been enough to spur me on. It touches my heart to see her live out in the day to day activities of mothering these verses that God surely meant for us moms!
Sunday evening we were talking about mentors at church and one lady shared that the biggest mentor in her life was her mother watching her spend time with the Lord and watching her go "into her closet" to pray. And her life examplified that that time was well spent . . . Her face radiated, her walk was Godly. What a challenge for me!
I praise God for living examples!
One lady has touched the practical side giving me wonderful ways and ideas to implement spending quality time with my children each day, teaching my children to work, ect. She also has invested time into me . . . talking with me, sending meals over and showing me that she cared.
The other lady doesn't know she is my mentor. We don't talk very often, but I see from "afar" her dependancey on God. I see shadows under her eyes at times, I see tears of repentance for her own willful ways, I see a pure heart, I see a loving heart opening up her home to children other than her own when she could say "I already have my hands full." I hear her speak of Colossians 1:11 "Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness . . ." and say how much this means to her right now. I've seen her tired as all get out and yet abounding, I've seen her pick up her Bible at any possible moment and gather strength even when her body cries for sleep . . .
I've just had glimpses into her life, but it has been enough to spur me on. It touches my heart to see her live out in the day to day activities of mothering these verses that God surely meant for us moms!
Sunday evening we were talking about mentors at church and one lady shared that the biggest mentor in her life was her mother watching her spend time with the Lord and watching her go "into her closet" to pray. And her life examplified that that time was well spent . . . Her face radiated, her walk was Godly. What a challenge for me!
I praise God for living examples!
Friday, July 15, 2005
If We Faint Not
"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap if we faint not." Galations 6:9
Recently in the midst of garden, yard and daily duties which is so numerous in the summer,I have been fighting battles, battles against sluggish obedience from my children. "Right away, all the way and with a happy smile" is the logo we're trying to instill.
I don't know why but training my children seems a great deal harder than the easy, "pat" answers you read in different childtraining books . . . or sometimes the advice you get from "onlookers". And many, many times I grow weary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
. . . But we will reap what we sow.
Ecclesiastes 11:6a "In the morning sow thy seed and in the evening withhold not thine hand."
Psalm 126:5&6 "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him."
Many times in my faintheartedness I go forth with tears, tired of having to do this discipline, training, reminding and explaining. But I must not give up . . . and by the grace of God I will rejoice today and in days to come!
Recently in the midst of garden, yard and daily duties which is so numerous in the summer,I have been fighting battles, battles against sluggish obedience from my children. "Right away, all the way and with a happy smile" is the logo we're trying to instill.
I don't know why but training my children seems a great deal harder than the easy, "pat" answers you read in different childtraining books . . . or sometimes the advice you get from "onlookers". And many, many times I grow weary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
. . . But we will reap what we sow.
Ecclesiastes 11:6a "In the morning sow thy seed and in the evening withhold not thine hand."
Psalm 126:5&6 "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him."
Many times in my faintheartedness I go forth with tears, tired of having to do this discipline, training, reminding and explaining. But I must not give up . . . and by the grace of God I will rejoice today and in days to come!
Thursday, July 07, 2005
Song of Praise in This Heart
This past weekend at our church campout, the Lancastor Children's Choir gave a program. This song keeps running through my mind.
"God is good, all the time. He put a song of praise, in this heart of mine! . . .
God put so much love in my heart for my children that I could burst at times. I guess God know we needed to know how much He loves you and me!
Umm . . . I got these pictures in the wrong order. Loraine wouldn't cooperate for a better picture but we had to get some daisy pictures before the season is over. Summer's in the North here fly by. It has been busy especially with me taking a trip. Actually yesterday I went past and Dawson had just mowed it down for hay. Yes! Just in time! . . . Wish I would've gotten Wayne too!
It is becoming a family tradition to take pictures in our neighbor's daisy field. We started before Japheth was born. Partly because I love flowers and partly now in rememberance of our little ones in heaven, one being named Daisy.
"You'll never know dear, how much I love you . . ."
"God is good, all the time. He put a song of praise, in this heart of mine! . . .
God put so much love in my heart for my children that I could burst at times. I guess God know we needed to know how much He loves you and me!
Umm . . . I got these pictures in the wrong order. Loraine wouldn't cooperate for a better picture but we had to get some daisy pictures before the season is over. Summer's in the North here fly by. It has been busy especially with me taking a trip. Actually yesterday I went past and Dawson had just mowed it down for hay. Yes! Just in time! . . . Wish I would've gotten Wayne too!
It is becoming a family tradition to take pictures in our neighbor's daisy field. We started before Japheth was born. Partly because I love flowers and partly now in rememberance of our little ones in heaven, one being named Daisy.
"You'll never know dear, how much I love you . . ."
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
Song of Praise in This Heart
This past weekend during our church campout here in our own backyard, the Lancastor Children's Choir gave a program. Their song God is Good keeps running through my mind!
"God is good,
All the time.
He put a song of praise,
In this heart of mine!"
"God is good,
All the time.
He put a song of praise,
In this heart of mine!"
"The Plans I Have For YOU!"
"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5 & 6
Recently, I've been so amazed at God! Just by looking back in different "yesterdays" of my life and seeing God's hand guiding me and using EVERY circumstance and thing in my life for a purpose.
For example: I did not know that all those times rushing around in a great hurry to get cleaned up after chores would prepare me for getting four littles ones, my husband :) and myself ready to go out the door for church Sunday mornings.
I did not know that getting up in the mornings to milk cows would prepare me for getting up in the night to nurse my baby or clean up after sick children who don't know how to use a bucket or couldn't make it to the toitlet in time. When Japheth is jarred up out of a deep sleep in the middle of the night, he almost gets sick himself! I do just fine . . . although sometimes I wish I had a good excuse :) !
I did not know at the time of being a schoolgirl that the sweet friendships God gave me there at Berea Christian School would last for a lifetime and help pull me thru the ups and downs of life.
I did not know that God would use our trip to Thailand, two years ago, to make us reach out with out stretched hands and hearts to "our Malaysian girls"( Uniersity students here in our own home town). At times I have wondered did we miss God's direction in this . . . feeling called to serve there yet God closing the door for us right now. But now I see a bit more clearly . . . and someday face to face we will see and know!
I did not know that God would use what my husband went through a young boy being molested, to help me better understand a friend and her heartache right now.
I have been able to grasp in a fuller way what God means when He says in Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose."
And today I do not know what God is planning in this time of upheavel in Japheth's life. He will be quitting his job as a sewing machine salesman and technician which he has had for eight years. But I know God has a purpose . . . and someday we will look back and see the thread of God's intent.
It is exciting to be a Christian and know that someone as big and loving and just and merciful as God our Creator is orchestrating our lives. It is thrilling to watch Him work out the plans He has for my life . . . and yours!
All I know is that my God "giveth beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning. the garment of praise for the spiriy of heaviness" Isaiah 61:3. He is the best!!! I will serve no other!!!!!!!!!!
Recently, I've been so amazed at God! Just by looking back in different "yesterdays" of my life and seeing God's hand guiding me and using EVERY circumstance and thing in my life for a purpose.
For example: I did not know that all those times rushing around in a great hurry to get cleaned up after chores would prepare me for getting four littles ones, my husband :) and myself ready to go out the door for church Sunday mornings.
I did not know that getting up in the mornings to milk cows would prepare me for getting up in the night to nurse my baby or clean up after sick children who don't know how to use a bucket or couldn't make it to the toitlet in time. When Japheth is jarred up out of a deep sleep in the middle of the night, he almost gets sick himself! I do just fine . . . although sometimes I wish I had a good excuse :) !
I did not know at the time of being a schoolgirl that the sweet friendships God gave me there at Berea Christian School would last for a lifetime and help pull me thru the ups and downs of life.
I did not know that God would use our trip to Thailand, two years ago, to make us reach out with out stretched hands and hearts to "our Malaysian girls"( Uniersity students here in our own home town). At times I have wondered did we miss God's direction in this . . . feeling called to serve there yet God closing the door for us right now. But now I see a bit more clearly . . . and someday face to face we will see and know!
I did not know that God would use what my husband went through a young boy being molested, to help me better understand a friend and her heartache right now.
I have been able to grasp in a fuller way what God means when He says in Romans 8:28 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose."
And today I do not know what God is planning in this time of upheavel in Japheth's life. He will be quitting his job as a sewing machine salesman and technician which he has had for eight years. But I know God has a purpose . . . and someday we will look back and see the thread of God's intent.
It is exciting to be a Christian and know that someone as big and loving and just and merciful as God our Creator is orchestrating our lives. It is thrilling to watch Him work out the plans He has for my life . . . and yours!
All I know is that my God "giveth beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning. the garment of praise for the spiriy of heaviness" Isaiah 61:3. He is the best!!! I will serve no other!!!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
Thy Sleep Shall Be Sweet!
Aimee means "Beloved" . . . I often think of the verse in Psalm 127 "for so He giveth His beloved sleep" and wish that that would mean I would always get lots of sleep! Yeah, wishful thinking!
Today I was just in that almost asleep stage and Wayne woke up early. I try to get all my "chicks in a row" for naps at the same time. Yet Japheth Jr. now four years old does not take a nap very often anymore (But I do make him have some quiet time while we are down). Jeremiah has to have it around 2 or 3 oclock. Loraine is in a inbetween stage in her napping and sometimes she will have a nap in the morning and sometimes not, which them messes up her afternoon schedule. Wayne doesn't really have any schedule. So to line them all up is quite FUN! . . . Oh and then Japheth Sr. can't sleep before 10:00 and likes his "company" to be "bright eyed and bushy tailed" . . . or at least awake. I can't blame it all on him . . . Wayne likes late nights too . . . sometimes even later than his Papa! The few times that I have stayed up later than my husband . . . It was rather lonely!
And I am one of those people who cannot sleep on bus or car or airplane (and probably boat).
I used to be a morning person I tell Japheth. He doesn't believe me . . . all he has known is a wife sometimes desparate for sleep who finds it hard to craw out of bed in the mornings. Oh, the alarm clock thing . . . when it is time to get up (we rarely use the regular one, the roosters do a VERY FINE job, in fact they are over qualified! I think we should fire them!) Japheth has to have a few minutes to "wake up" before he steps out of bed . . . and I am different of course (oppposites attract don't you know) I either have to jump out of bed the instant the clock rings or else immediatly go back to sleep (I despise wasted time!!!) .
I really was a morning person, I grew up on a dairy farm and did most of the milking. I loved getting a good start on the day before others even were awake. . . watching the sun come up . . . getting the cows in in the early morning dawn. I miss it once in a while. But things changed when I got cancer and then pregnant and I have never gone back to being an early bird . . . yet. Someday I might again enjoy the advantages of being "up before the dawn" (actually in the winter we always get up before the sun :) part of living in the North.)
Right now though I have little one to raise and it takes all I've got and more! God is so GOOD! His grace is sufficient for me! . . . and His strength is made perfect in my weakness.
About "quiet time" with God I have room to grow . . . As soon as your feet hit the floor or before babies are crying, breakfast needs to be made, a lunch to pack and the day flies by! Sometimes I give up my much needed nap . . . sometimes its just a few minutes here and there . . . but I try to spend time in the Word before other reading or blogging or whatever. This season in my life especially is a time of desparte need of God and God's wisdom, love and patience!
Psalm 4:8 I will both lay me down in peace and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety" I thank the Lord that I do sleep and sleep in peace . . . even if war was around me I could still have peace knowing that me heart is right before God. Verse 7 "Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased."
"Yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet!" Proverbs 3:24b
Today I was just in that almost asleep stage and Wayne woke up early. I try to get all my "chicks in a row" for naps at the same time. Yet Japheth Jr. now four years old does not take a nap very often anymore (But I do make him have some quiet time while we are down). Jeremiah has to have it around 2 or 3 oclock. Loraine is in a inbetween stage in her napping and sometimes she will have a nap in the morning and sometimes not, which them messes up her afternoon schedule. Wayne doesn't really have any schedule. So to line them all up is quite FUN! . . . Oh and then Japheth Sr. can't sleep before 10:00 and likes his "company" to be "bright eyed and bushy tailed" . . . or at least awake. I can't blame it all on him . . . Wayne likes late nights too . . . sometimes even later than his Papa! The few times that I have stayed up later than my husband . . . It was rather lonely!
And I am one of those people who cannot sleep on bus or car or airplane (and probably boat).
I used to be a morning person I tell Japheth. He doesn't believe me . . . all he has known is a wife sometimes desparate for sleep who finds it hard to craw out of bed in the mornings. Oh, the alarm clock thing . . . when it is time to get up (we rarely use the regular one, the roosters do a VERY FINE job, in fact they are over qualified! I think we should fire them!) Japheth has to have a few minutes to "wake up" before he steps out of bed . . . and I am different of course (oppposites attract don't you know) I either have to jump out of bed the instant the clock rings or else immediatly go back to sleep (I despise wasted time!!!) .
I really was a morning person, I grew up on a dairy farm and did most of the milking. I loved getting a good start on the day before others even were awake. . . watching the sun come up . . . getting the cows in in the early morning dawn. I miss it once in a while. But things changed when I got cancer and then pregnant and I have never gone back to being an early bird . . . yet. Someday I might again enjoy the advantages of being "up before the dawn" (actually in the winter we always get up before the sun :) part of living in the North.)
Right now though I have little one to raise and it takes all I've got and more! God is so GOOD! His grace is sufficient for me! . . . and His strength is made perfect in my weakness.
About "quiet time" with God I have room to grow . . . As soon as your feet hit the floor or before babies are crying, breakfast needs to be made, a lunch to pack and the day flies by! Sometimes I give up my much needed nap . . . sometimes its just a few minutes here and there . . . but I try to spend time in the Word before other reading or blogging or whatever. This season in my life especially is a time of desparte need of God and God's wisdom, love and patience!
Psalm 4:8 I will both lay me down in peace and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety" I thank the Lord that I do sleep and sleep in peace . . . even if war was around me I could still have peace knowing that me heart is right before God. Verse 7 "Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased."
"Yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet!" Proverbs 3:24b
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