28 Things Your Family Needs to Hear You Say

Found this on Pinterest & just had to share it here.  Our words to our family matter always.  Even when our kids get older & leave our home, our words to them matter.

We can either build them up or tear them down.  (Proverbs 14:1)

Attitude...keeping it in check

While I continue to learn the importance of surrendering my own plans & idea's I have been reminded lately of the importance of my attitude about out present living situation.
I know- surprising isn't it that I could have a bad attitude about something(insert major sarcasm here).  There are plenty of things these days that I could (& often do) have a bad attitude about.  Keeping this in check is an ongoing thing & keeping scripture in front of me is a must if I am going to overcome my yucky-ness.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8

This quote by my pastor is also a big help to me.

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.

Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude... I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.

And so it is with you... we are in charge of our attitudes.

Chuck Swindoll

Trust in the Lord, Not in Yourself

Originally posted: November, 2009

Recently, I was faced with a very difficult decision.  I was faced with either compromising my relationship with a friend or compromising my relationship with my Lord God.  If I chose my friend all things around me would remain the same and there would be no break in our relationship. However; if I chose to keep my relationship safe with my friend I would be in direct disobedience of what God was specifically telling me to do.
After agonizing over my decision, I knew what I had to do & ask the Lord for strength to obey.  He answered my prayer.
The days & weeks following my decision were horrible.  My relationship with my friend was broken and will never be the same again.  This was agonizing for me.  I prayed that God would restore our friendship, that one day she would understand why I made the decision I did.  She weighed heavy on my mind.  As I continued to pray a verse I didn’t expect began to flow through my mind.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and hi will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

I had done a study of this verse last year in preparation for a talk I gave to a mom’s group.  I went back to my notes to review and was surprised by the reassurance I gained from it.
Trust= the act of leaning on.  Not standing in your own strength or abilities.  To relay on someone or something for support and strength.
My visual picture in my mind is my leaning against a strong mature tree.  The tree is supporting most of my weight.

Trusting in the Lord means I do not trust in myself and I definitely do not trust in others more than I trust in the Lord. I do not rely on myself or others for wisdom and strength.  I don’t do what seems right. I don’t do what feels right.  I do what is right, because I am trusting in the Lord.  The decision I had to make didn’t seem right or feel right, but it was clear what I was to do and I know have to trust the Lord that He knows what is right.
“with all my heart”
Trusting the Lord with all my heart means that I don’t sort of trust him.  I don’t trust him when it is convenient or easy.  I don’t trust him in some area’s of my life and not in others.  I trust him with all my heart!  With all of me, my mind, emotions, spirit; I trust him.
“Lean not on your own understanding”
This tells us what not to do, because if we are doing it we are not trusting him with all our heart.  Do not lean on your own understanding. Remember the tree?  Trusting him is like leaning against the big strong tree.  The tree is obviously my God.  It supports me, provides shelter and rest.  If I am leaning on my own understanding, that is like leaning against a small new tree.
This tree in the picture looks much like a tree in our front yard.  It is very small with a small trunk & if I leaned against it, I would push it over.  It cannot provide me with shelter or rest.  It would not support me at all.
If I am depending on my own understanding, it is much like me relying on this little tree to hold me up. My understanding is covered in sin and selfishness.  My understanding only brings me trouble.  It is very dangerous for one to depend on human wisdom alone. 

Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.”

Our world is all about doing what feels right.  Or doing what others think you should do.  Many times in the life of a believer, we will stand alone as we trust in the Lord with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding.
“In all your ways acknowledge Him”
This is a call for total, unwavering commitment in trust for obedience in all things.  ALL THINGS.  Not some things, not just the things that will make us look good to others, all things.  In all we do, acknowledge him.  This is a mental and emotional awareness of who God is.  I can tell you that as hard as it was to go forward and obey what God was telling me to do, the reassurance of knowing  my God is what gave me the strength I needed to obey.  I knew he knows better than I do, I knew that he knew my friends’ heart better than I did, I knew that he is sovereign and His will is always done.
By obeying God, I was acknowledging him as the Sovereign Lord in my life.  By trusting him and not relying on my own wimpy understanding and as I obeyed what he told me to do, I acknowledged him.  The rest of the verse is the promise of a blessing when we trust him.
“…and he will make your paths straight.”

He will guide us, strengthen us and give us the wisdom we need to handle whatever comes next.  That is where I am right now; trusting God to give me the wisdom I need to handle the effects my decision had on my friend of whom I love so much.
My God is so faithful even when I am not, why would I not want to trust him.  He has never failed me. It is I who has failed him, yet he continues to keep his promises to me.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5-6

Are you Wasting the Gift of Rest?

Originally posted February, 2011.  With the hot summer heat, I thought this post would cool us off & inspire also.

Our street with a solid 2" sheet of ice on it.

This has been a crazy week for us! If you live in Texas, you already know what I'm talking about. Monday they forecast temps for the week would be freezing & we may get some ice. Instead, Tuesday morning we woke up to 2 inches of ice & today is Friday & the ice is still there, now with 6 inches of snow on top of it. We are not used to this kind of weather here. Ice for a day or so, but not for 4 days!
Needless to say, we are a bit tired of this. Roads are too dangerous to drive on, all activities were canceled and we are running out of toilet paper!

For the first few days we tried to keep things normal around here. School was still on. I tried to keep things normal anyway. But just knowing that we can't go anywhere seem to add an edge of panic in everyone. Finally by yesterday I surrendered & just let them play.


The older kids play Xbox or Wii while the younger ones try to make the best of it on the ice outside, but it proved to not be so much fun. Sam's nose is proof of how hard that ice is when you hit it!  Gracie has a bump on her head from falling & Ben bruised his hand, so the ice is not forgiving at all.
I would like to tell you that we snuggled in with good books & hot cocoa and made the most of it, but we didn't.  Kids played video games, wore the same clothes everyday and we ate when we wanted, whatever we wanted.  Dinner last night was cereal for some & chicken strips for others.

Facebook has been full of updates from friends who are struggling with this winter weather too.  So many are complaining of the cold weather, boredom, missing friends, etc...
What is it about this weather that makes us act like this?
I was reading on Priscilla Shirer's blog this morning & she nailed it I think.  She wrote;

Are we so addicted to constant movement (and even stress) that we don't even know how to relax anymore? Isn't there anything that remains attractive about stillness, simple fun and family time?

We like the thought of not having to do anything, but when we are forced into it, we complain, fidget, and can't wait to get back to normal busyness.

Be still & know that I am God Psalm 46:10

Just reading that calms us down at times, but in reality, we really don't like being still.  It forces us to face our weaknesses.  This week, we have had to stay home.  We can't go anywhere.  When the pantry was getting empty we felt like we would never get food again.  When the electricity went out because of rolling blackouts we panicked thinking we would never get power back on.  Ridiculous!  We are so spoiled!
Paul really ministered to my heart this morning in light of the abnormal week we have had.

Philippians 2:14, Do all things without grumbling or questioning.

We have done our fair share of grumbling week. Rolling black outs. Super cold temperatures.  Constant pile of wet gloves, coats & hats by the front door. Bored children.

Philippians 4:11, I have learned in whatever situation am to be content.

Really, how many times does it snow & ice in Texas?  Not many, but when it does I want it to be warm again.  When it is 102 degrees, I want it to be cold.  Can I ever be content?

Philippians 4:19, And my God shall supply every need of your according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

The pantry is getting low of food.  Scott can't get to work. Did I mention my kids are bored?  Yet, we have electricity, food, healthy people & running water.  Many have not had it as well & have had frozen pipes, no electricity & have sick family.

So here I am at the end of a week of a God induced Sabbath rest.  He has provided us with a week to be still, dig into His words, enjoy our family, and rest and I spent most of it complaining & waiting for the temps to get above freezing.
I'm so thankful he gives us a new minute...hour...day to start all over and do it right!  After all, I hear that we are to get more snow next week!

Here are a few pictures my husband took this morning on the way to the store.

 Thank you Lord for your gifts and help me to see them as just that...gifts!

Wouldn't ya know it!  It's snowing again!