2.27.09

Numbers 21:4 They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; 5 they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!"
6 Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. 7 The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people.

8 The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live." 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.

I did not have to look hard for what my verse of the day would be. This speaks to me so clearly. The children of Israel were tired of the long march round the land of Edom. They speak discontentedly of what God had done for them, and distrustfully of what He would do. And you know what? I am just like them sometimes. Lately I've been acting the same way. I am frustrated that I cant snap my fingers and make everything line up the way it should be. I've forgotten of the promise that has been spoken over my family. I've been trying to do it all on my own. When will I stop? Like Israel, when will I be pleased? What more will it take? I already have the word of God, my source, my promise - so what more should I need?

Matthew Henry said this: "Let not the contempt which some cast on the word of God, make us value it less." It is the bread of life, substantial bread, and will nourish those who by faith feed upon it, to eternal life. We see the righteous judgment God brought upon them for murmuring. He sent fiery serpents among them, which bit or stung many to death. They felt the bite. And God made a wonderful provision for their relief.

Compare their disease and ours. Sin bites like the snakes did. Compare the application of their remedy and ours. They looked and lived, and we, if we believe, shall not perish.

Lord, I put my trust in you!!

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Last night we had dinner with my Aunt Sherri. I was so happy to see her! I wish we lived a little closer so that I could see her often. I hope some day soon we'll be able to take Hannah up north to see all of the sites around where my Aunt lives, just like I did when I was a little girl.

I am putting my trust in the Lord for God's provision in a job for Tim. The world says that there are no jobs, but my God has a perfect plan for His kids. :)

Stay tuned....

2.26.09

Psalm 28: 5 Since they show no regard for the works of the LORD
and what his hands have done,
he will tear them down
and never build them up again.

This is plain and simple... those who show no regard for the Lord in turn have no knowledge of His true nature or His works. From Adam Clark commentary: "This is a remarkable prophecy, and was literally fulfilled: the Babylonian empire was destroyed by Cyrus, and never built up again; for he founded the Persian empire on its ruins. Even the place where Babylon stood is now no longer known."

I think a lot of people get God all wrong. They think He is this mean angry being who loves to watch the destruction of the world. What they do not understand is that God has been giving them chances of redemption all along. He has compassion for His creation and grieves when they disobey Him.

We, as His children, have an opportunity to evaluate our own lives and the state of our world. What are we doing that impacts this? Are we really being the hands and feet we are called to be? I know in my own life I could be doing a much better job.

I haven't been on here in a while, so let me repeat my hopes in posting my journaling... I hope my evaluation of myself will bring you encouragement and hope to do the same. We all get one chance at life. What are you going to do today that will make a difference?

Lord, help me to see this as a challenge, and to not feel content just because I have assurance that I am saved. What will You have me do to help people regard You as the Lord in their own life? I love You Lord, and I know You love Your creation. I am here to serve You alone. Amen

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We've been getting into somewhat of a routine, although we are still trying to find full time work for Tim. We're in limbo with so many parts still so I cannot wait to step into what God has for us.

Hannah started preschool and is doing well. She loves the new toys to play with and her new friends, especially one of the teachers - Pearl. She is still learning how to nap in a new environment, but I think she'll settle in nicely soon.

I am so grateful that my dad has let us stay with him during this time. It is making the transition smoother and gives us some quality time together.

That's it for now... stay tuned....

Again??... come on...

Yes, I have been saying that to myself over and over again since the last time I wrote a post. I have been having trouble staying consistent at posting while I have been getting used to my new drive (and the new commute that comes along with it). needless to say, I am exaughsted. I love the new job, but the drive is really killing me because ti cuts in on my family time. I am thankful that my dad has given us a roof over our head until we can get back into our house, but I am so over the drive!

I have a lot to be thankful for though... so I can deal witht he drive for a little while longer.

I am enjoying the newness (or re-newness, rather) of everything. Its weird coming back to a place where you grew up knowing that you've have changed over the past year. I say changed because I have gained a new perspective on things while out in AZ last year. There are so many possibilities before us, but I am looking to what God would have for me personally and for my family. It really is exciting.

I think its hard for some to understand our story over the past year - where God brought us to and then brought us back. But I am not affraid to tell it. I have gained so much from being out in AZ and I will never regret any of it.

Its like in our daily reading today (Acts 18)... I dont think Paul made the plans for his coming and going. He left that up to the Lord. I want to be like that.

This all may be very confusing, but that is the outcome of pouring out your heart sometimes! :)

Stay tuned...

2-4-09

I got to have lunch with some of my new coworkers today. It was great -- and well, kinda funny since two of my coworkers I went to high school with, and the other is a close friend of my older sister. Funny how we all got brought into the same office. :)
I am trying to get a balance between work hours and home life, since the hours are very different from when I was working in AZ. My focus is to make the time I get to spend with my family real quality time.
Hannah was really cute the other night... Calliou was on PBS, and Hannah is a big fan. Tim was wearing his Rock for Life shirt which has a baby that looks like... well, you guessed it - Calliou. So Hannah went up to his shirt and said "Calliou!!" It was the cutest and funniest thing. Pure comedy.

-Daily Devotional-
Psalm 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,
making wise the simple

I heard this being said of this verse: "It [the law of the LORD] is distinct and certain, reliable, right, pure, holy, and true. Hence it revives those depressed by doubts, makes wise the unskilled (2Ti 3:15), rejoices the lover of truth, strengthens the desponding (Ps 13:4; 34:6), provides permanent principles of conduct, and by God's grace brings a rich reward."

Wow, that is right on. I want to be a lover of God's law because it is the only thing I can count on. All that is int his world will fade and pass away, but the law of the LORD will remain. When I seek it, it will make me strong in all areas.

Thank you Lord that I can trust in You. As I seek Your law I know that it will wash me with truth and make me wise. Thank you Lord for your law! As difficult as it may seem at times, I know You are showing me the way... help me to see.

Daily Devotion from StudyLight

34Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.

The scene before Peter enlarges his conceptions of the purpose of God; for he now sees that his mission is designed not for the benefit of Cornelius alone, but for a large number of his Gentile friends; and if for all these, then, there is to be no further national limitation to the gospel. He gives utterance to this conception. (34) "Then Peter opened his mouth and said, In truth I perceive that God is not a respecter of persons; (35) but, in every nation, he that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him." This expansive thought was sufficient to burst asunder all the exclusive bonds of the Mosaic institution, and should be sufficient now to explode the equally injurious theory of an arbitrary predestination of certain men and angels to their eternal destiny. [See Westminster Conf., ch. iii: sec. 5.] It is a positive declaration that God respects not persons but character. To fear him, and to work righteousness, and not any other distinction between persons, is the ground of acceptability with him.

Action Needed Now

Let me begin by saying that I don't understand how so many people can stand back and silently accept what is about to happen to our country. How can you pretend to live in a world of puppy dogs and rainbows just hoping that our lives will go on unaffected by our new government? I'm happy for those of you that can go about your lives ignoring what's going on, but for the rest of us we have got to stand together to do what is in our power to keep this place together. Remember, no one is going to do it for us.Want to do something? Visit this site:http://www. cagw. org This is the website for Citizens against Government Waste... Click on the link: Tell Your Senators: Vote NO on the So-called "Economic Stimulus" Bill!Then, read this article. It only touches on some of the recipients of the new bill.Stimulus': Your Money for Illegals, Welfare Recipients,Arts, and SexJust how outrageous is this shameful $819 billion stimulus?For starters — and this will shock you — both the House and the Senate programs have a loophole that even gives illegal aliens cash payouts.Here's how The Associated Press explained it: “Undocumented immigrants who are not eligible for a Social Security number can file tax returns with an alternative number. A House-passed version of the economic recovery bill, and one making its way through the Senate, would allow anyone with such a number, called an individual taxpayer identification number (TIN), to qualify for the tax credits.”In case you didn't know it, any illegal can get a TIN number from Social Security, no questions asked.This means illegals who broke the law to get here will be eligible immediately for federal cash — up to $1,000! It gets worse.Let me detail for you some facts from the “stimulus”: More than $4 billion is earmarked for "neighborhood stabilization activities" — money that will go to groups like ACORN, which worked closely with the Obama campaign, the same group accused of massive voter fraud.Almost half of the proposed spending will directly benefit the Service Employees International Union, federal, state, and municipal employee unions, or other Democratic-controlled unions, according to writer Ben Stein.$600 million goes for news cars for top government bureaucrats.Obama promised major infrastructure projects — yet only 5 percent of all the money goes for this.$50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts.$75 million to fund anti-smoking programs.$650 million for the switch from analog television to digital.$335 million to help prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.$600 million for “climate change” research programs.This is just a small part of the long laundry list of trivial, weird, and simply outrageous programs being funded in the Obama stimulus bill, which goes on for 680 pages — so long no one in the House was believed to have read it before voting for it! Just to show you the tremendous waste, there is so much money appropriated in this bill you could give every unemployed person in the nation a check for $75,000 for the amount being spent.

Here in CA!

Hello... here in California - got here safe and living out of boxes. Will write more soon. :)