Confession time. One thing led to another, which led to another, which led me to stop posting. I have started writing again, though have not posted anything new yet. Just want to let you know that things are in the works, including putting together all of the lessons from the study I led on Ephesians last year into e-book form. (Be looking for the chance to get a copy for free) This is an awkward time of year for me to get motivated to write as the summer schedule of my college professor has never been geared toward knowing what one is doing from one day to the next. So I plan to just do a hit and miss sort of operation here until the school year begins again. Lots of changes on the horizon, both of our sons are moving to another state this summer...I wish I could remember what a wise woman from church said once about it not being an empty nest...if anyone does recall her words I think I am ready to hear them now. I am not immune to ignoring my very sage advice to make a habit of a daily quiet time, to be sure and spend time in the Word. I do not think I can call what I have been doing these last months anything near what my ideal is...it took some rather harsh words to shake me out of my little self-righteous pity party. That is one of the drawbacks of being a...choke...gasp...sputter...stubborn woman. We can all be thankful that we serve a Lord who is never slack in His love for us nor His desire to bring us victory over that which would trip us up along the way. So while I am a few months behind I am jumping back in with both feet into my daily reading plan and getting back to Philippians. I am not going to try to play catch-up, just opening my Bible to the current days reading and moving on. As far as the Philippians study is interesting for me to see how my thoughts this week are so different from what I originally wrote. There is quite the confession to come when I actually get the nerve to hit "publish." When I think about what "rubbish" I have been holding on to lately rather than letting it go for the sake of the Lord.... It amazes me in the midst of all that has been going through my mind of late that the Lord has been so good to answer my prayers...His mercies are indeed new every morning, even when I am not at my best. So here is to an end of excuses and getting myself back to work. In the meantime, happy Independence Day. I love the following quotes as we consider the heritage we have as citizens of the USA. Our country may not be all that the Founding Fathers desired, but there is still hope for all of us whose true citizenship lies in the Kingdom of God.
"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." -John Adams "And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of people that these liberties are of the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever." -Thomas Jefferson "I've lived,sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing the proofs I see of this truth: That GOd governs in the affairs of men. If a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We've been assured in the sacred writings that unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. I firmly believe this, and I also believe that without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel."-Benjamin Franklin Blessings, Deb
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New this week at Tuning-My-Heart.com: Work Out Your Salvation with Fear and Trembling- This post on Philippians 2:12-13 was particularly challenging for me to write this week. Two verses that contain so much for life and godliness. Holding Fast- Philippians 2:14-16 Paul encourages us to hold fast to the word of life. A Drink Offering- Paul talks about being offered as a drink offering in Philippins 2:17-18 Bread in Five Minutes a Day?- Really? I share my experience with Leo Hertzberg and Zoe Francois' method for making Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. Favorites from around the Web: What's at the Center of Your Life- Courtney at Good Morning Girls is one of my favorite bloggers and it is from her that I learned about the SOAP method of Bible Study. She is currently going through the Gospel of Luke. This post just hit me where I am at this week, thinking about how to live my life in this world as a bond-servant of Jesus Christ. -When Helping Hurts- This is the second time this book has been brought to my attention in recent weeks. Good review here. I think it will be going on my must read list, and I would love to hear what you all think about short-term mission trips. Getting back in the swing of managing a home and a job and making time for all those things that I love to do has left me with little to share this week as far as fun stuff. That is not to say that I am not having fun. But my quilt room door has been closed all week, and I need to get in there and do some work. I am happy that I am finding time to continue writing as that is so important to me and my growth as a follower of Jesus. I think I am going to have to develop some recipes that are ready to eat when we get home on the days I go into the office. I only work six hours a day, but carpooling with my guys means I am in Abilene from 7:30 in the morning to 5pm. I think I will have to start planning on having meals prepared on my days off that can stretch to those three days that I work. One of the things I am anxious to try is five minute a day pizza dough. You can read my review of this method under the recipe tab here. I ordered a copy of Artisan Pizza and Flatbread in Five Minutes a Day because it will be so much better than picking up a pizza on our way home if I have the dough and toppings ready to be put together and baked in the oven. I love Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois' other book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day and I think I will find this one equally inspiring. We continue to enjoy spring...or is it summer...or is it winter here in Texas. We went from 94 to 29 in less than 12 hours this week. Woke up to freezing rain on Wednesday morning. Thankfully all the plants we had added to the gardens seemed to have survived. As I write this, it is 81 according to my thermometer. The flowers are looking good and I went out an Blessings!
Deb |
AuthorI am a wife, a mother, a quilter, and most of all a follower of Jesus Christ. Join me on facebookFollow me on TwitterCategories
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