Thank you to each of you for your thoughts, comments and prayers this week. It truly is amazing when friends can come together and share and not feel scared. Satan has tried hard this week to get to me. In fact, I told one friend that Satan had been whispering to me after several comments had been posted that they really didn't mean that. They were just being nice. My sweet friend reminded me that you would not waste time to write something if it didn't mean anything. I have had several good days thought wise this week and others not so good. Satan knows I am trying hard to change my thought patterns and he is out to stop me. I am bound and determined to not let him. The few times I have given in this week my sweet husband has felt the brunt of the complaining. I have had to apologize several times. He has been a trooper for taking it and I am thankful for the patience he has with me. (Amy--I need a bracelet!!)
It has been a crazy busy weekend and so of course that only really tested my thought patterns. Saturday night the congregation had their annual progressive dinner. We were the dessert house. So, we spent pretty much all day Friday and then Saturday morning cleaning and getting ready for the event. On top of that Madison had a gymnastics tumbling meet on Saturday afternoon. So, Satan definitely had his share of darts to throw during that whole craziness of a few days. He tried to tell me we didn't have a nice enough house and what would people think of a house that wasn't "fancy"? I tried really hard to not listen to those thoughts. I cleaned to a Christian radio station in town. That always helps me!! Positive lyrics is an amazing thing!
I have been doing much better with study time and prayer time. Wednesday and Thursday were nice days outside and so I read my Bible outside on the deck while the kids played. It was really nice. Friday and Saturday I will admit I had no study time due to cleaning. I just plain didn't stop to do it. It was 3 am Friday night when I went to bed, I thought about it but decided that I would not absorb anything anyway. I have done a better job at sitting down to pray this week also. That really has helped. I think I am going to find a book or something to help me study. Every time I have done Beth Moore studies I really do better at studying. So, I am going to look.
One of the scriptures I read this week outside was I John 15-17. It says, "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." WOW!!! I try too hard to care about what the world thinks of me and the possessions I posses. I look WAY too much to the world. God is the giver of our possessions in the first place. I should be looking to him and not caring what others think. My prayer for my thoughts this week is to not worry about the world and what it thinks, but concentrate on God and how I am striving to grow my relationship with him. Keep praying for me and I will be praying for each of you and that your thoughts and my thoughts reflect the Father's thoughts.
Here is the video from Madison's gymnastics meet:
She placed 2nd in her division of 5 yr olds! Her score was a 7.3 out of a possible 8.0! She did great!
Tonight our congregation and the two congregations we have church planted got together after services at a roller skating rink. We had a blast. I haven't skated since Junior High or High School and I did okay. I didn't fall one time! Madison had a blast learning! She was doing pretty good by the time to leave. Jeremy wanted to skate but they didn't have size 15 skates in wide width. Emma threw a fit when we put hers on so, she didn't skate. It was nice to get out and go around a few times by myself and just think and have a little exercise. That always gets positive thoughts flowing.
It takes skill to keep yourself and someone else up while going around!
Emma wanted to walk with us, so here she is walking on the carpet and Madison and I are going slowly around the rink!
5 comments:
Rachel, thanks so much for having such a wonderful blog for me to read this Monday morning. Way to go Madison!!
I think God lets a person go through your struggles to strengthen you. I noticed a long time ago that people who never get big tests stay sort of immature in their faith. For a faith as big as yours it takes a big test, all you have been through in your walk has put you in the advanced class!
I also know what you mean about your house and the insecurities of having people over. I've always felt like as soon as I repaper this room or redo the front flower bed I'll have someone over. It is just satan stopping good fellowship. I had a friend that taught me by example about this, she would have us all over, and her house was horrible!! But we all had the best times there and still love each other and send Christmas cards 25 years later. I needed her good example of her open home above pride in accomplishment. I also think if we use faithfully what God has given us, he gives us more to use faithfully. I think that is taught in Hebrews the last chapter. Which might explain why you have a big nice house and I have a hotel room, Hah! Love you girl, hang in there!
Hey Sister - Thanks for updating us on how you are doing - I am so impressed with how you are staying with what you have in mind to do - you really have some good self-discipline going there! Glad you had a fun weekend- way to go on the roller skates, you are such a cool mom!!
Love you!
Hey! I ordered the bracelets! I will get one to you as soon as they get in! I can't wait to see you this week. I hope that the dessert went well. I am sure it did! We are having a great time at great nana's. The weather has been beautiful so we have had lots of fun outside play time. She lives just a few miles from an airforce base and we are hoping to see a stealth fly over...they do all of the time. That sounds funny..."see a stealth"! Love ya! I am praying for you.
Hey Gal! Thank you so much for your open heart being shared...I know I can relate with almost everything you have said. I appreciate the scripture and the words of wisdom that you are speaking. I am reading Beth Moore's book Believing God right now and she gives five great key points to always remember.
God is who He says He is.
God can do what He says He can do.
I am who God says I am.
I can do all things through Christ.
God's Word is alive and active in me.
I think the one where I am who God says I am can stick home for many ladies out there including me. We are His children- He loves us- We are beautiful to Him.
I love you and let me know what this bracelet thing is that Amy is getting you. I may have to find one. :) Sarah
I totally understand your comments about your house. An elder's wife at our church in Dallas almost always had laundry on her couch when we visited. When we'd go into the living room after dinner she'd say, "Sorry about the laundry. You can either sit on it or fold it!" What a great example that was to me as a young mom. The greatest part of this story is that she told me a few years later that she always left her laundry out on purpose for me to see. She had noticed how uptight I was and how incredibly clean my house appeared every time she came over. After being married for 35 years, and raising three children, she knew better than to think I "had it all together." I still, to this day, tell that story to as many young moms as I can, especially after they apologize for imperfection in their house.
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