Summer Bible Study ~~ LIVE AND ON THE AIR ~~ JOIN IN US IN CHATZY!!

Good evening all,

I hope you are all ready for a wonderful evening of Bible Study.

This evening we are trying a new site for our discussion. It is on Chatzy.com and here is the link. I hope that works okay.

If you are a regular and are trying to get onto Chatzy and are having trouble, please look at the top right corner of that site. If it shows your e-mail address, you should be able to get in. If it says login then you need to login in using your user name and password. If you can't remember what that is the helps off to the side of what your trying to access will help. I hope that makes sense.

If you still cannot get on for whatever reason, please come back over here and comment on this post. I will keep it up in another tab and check it periodically, and if I see you are having trouble I will know to help you troubleshoot to get on.

So all this technical stuff aside, let's dig into some Word.....Shall we?

Summer Bible Study ~~ Session 3 Together

Today is SBS '10 -- Session 3 ~~ YAY!!!

This study is challenging me and dropping me to my knees. I hope it is doing the same for you.

This evening as we meet, we will have a new chat room to go to together. I am SO excited. I think this will make it much easier for us to "get together" and see each other's comments more simultaneously without all the refreshing. You can refresh in the chatroom. Note: it is on the sidebar and says refresh. If you have not received the link from me and would like to join us please just e-mail me and I will send it to you. It is really easy to get set up and started. We will meet this evening at 7:00 PM (CST).

There is MUCH I could write about today that has been meaningful to me in the last two weeks of study, but I'd like to head over to the intro to the second week of study for us this time.

Kelly says: "Ruth is on the brink of heading to a threshing floor under the canopy of night, alone. Because, let's face it, some places we can only go with God by ourselves--there's just no way to take anyone with us...."

I know this threshing floor place. I have been there. I am currently there. Me and God. Doing what me and God do. Me being pitiful and God being mighty. Me crying, God soothing. Me whining, God telling me to cut-it-out and Believe. Me and God, and then I see the problem....God and me. That's better.

You see in the smallest of things, God needs to be first. In the largest of things, God needs to be first. In the all of life, God needs to be first. I am learning what this truly means. There are things that will never happen in your/mine life, unless God is first; unless we are willing to go to the threshing floor of our lives with just God and work it out. Let Him work out in us that which He alone placed in us to begin with, and it starts at the threshing floor.

Kelly goes on to say: "It was simply a walk of faith, a humble obedience with no strings attached. And this is the way we must approach our own threshing floors. Without demands. Sometimes in the dark. Alone. But with the expectation that God will always be found faithful and good."

And He will be, always. Always faithful. Always good. Always. No matter what. Always.

I hope this encourages you today. God is doing such a work in our lives girls. Let's not let fear and busyness keep us from ALL that He has for us today. Let's put Him first in it ALL and watch how He blesses and uses our obedience to Him.

I love you so ~~ see you at 7:00 pm (CST) ~~ oh and I will have a quick post up at 5 till 7 this evening as well, just as a reminder to anyone who'd like to join us and at that time I'll include the link.

Thanks ~~ love and hugs ~~ Have a Blessed day,

Living on the Extreme Edge of Faith....

Again today, I'd like to share with you something I read out of this study. It is really good.....anyway....have I told you how much I'm enjoying it?.....anyway.......

Kelly says: "There's a lot to be enveloped by, though for me one consistent thread has knit its way into my soul, not letting me off its spool: Ruth's abandonment to living on the extreme edge of her faith, Ruth's decisions have not been made out of selfish ambition or even normal reason but out of a pursuit of God that is anything but ordinary."

I was wondering as I read that this morning, do I do this? Do I live on the EXTREME edge of my faith? Lately I have been trying to do just that and it is leaving me feeling VERY vulnerable.

I have a very dear friend that listens to me NO MATTER WHAT and offers only what she feels she can, and other than that, she just listens. She doesn't speak just to say something. She says something only when she has something to say. That is invaluable in a friend. Well, the other day I called her and told her that she needed to talk me down off of the emotional cliff. And since then I'll call and tell her I need some "cliff talking". She's ALWAYS there for me. I believe I could call her at 3:00 AM in the morning and she would be there to listen and "talk me down".

So what has brought this on for me? Well it is me living on the EXTREME EDGE OF MY FAITH; MAKING DECISIONS OUT OF A DEEP PURSUIT OF GOD THAT IS ANYTHING BUT ORDINARY for me!!!

WOW it takes some REAL dealing with stuff, but it is necessary. I read this morning about God's plans and how He is directing my steps. It makes each step a little lighter; a little easier to take; a little more sure in my moving forward. I am SO thankful for the hope that living out my faith brings. Fear is subsiding and faith is springing forth.

This study is just amazing for me. I am so enjoying learning about Ruth.... and Dawn. What a journey............ I knew about Ruth.... and Dawn, but God (love that)..... knew I needed to know more about both....AMAZING!!!

_____________________________

So I wanted to leave you with a couple of pics of what's been going on in the garden the last week or so......
Oh aren't they lovely?.....















Yep, Just beautiful.....and good eatin' too!!!

I think there's some salsa makin' days in my future =)

Love you ~~ have a Blessed and Beautiful day,

The Gift of the Broken...

This study has come at a time in my life that I absolutely needed a little Ruth. God knew that. Don't you just love that?!! He knew EXACTLY what I needed and provided it through a little book between Judges and I Samuel called Ruth.

Her story leaves me excited and refreshed everyday that I read it. Even the sad parts are leaving me hopeful. This story is a beautiful story of love and redemption. Yes it is a precursor to our Lord. I love that!!

Today I'd like to share with you something that hit me hard. Something I had never really considered, but it is the direct place that God has me right now and He spoke. I love that too!!!

Kelly Minter references that Ruth gave to Naomi of the barley she harvested; not out of her wealth, but out of her poverty. I know this concept. I understand it, giving when your broke. It makes no sense in our human, logical brains, but in God's economy makes all the sense in the world. But she takes this idea of giving in our broke-ness a whole new level. Here, see what I mean:

"...we all have something to give even if we're broke or broken."

Okay, ummmm WOW!!! I had never considered giving in my broken-ness. This hit me so hard, because this is where I am at RIGHT NOW, and God has been asking me to give in my broken-ness. That is one reason that this Bible study went LIVE online for me. It is what God asked me to do. I didn't understand it at the time, but when I read this line from Kelly I knew. It was a way for me to give in my broken-ness. A dear friend of mine has asked me to help her with something that only God could lay on her heart to ask me to help with, again, so I have opportunity to give in my broken-ness. I need that right now.

Sometimes I think that broken-ness will get the better of me and I will retreat to my bed with the covers pulled over my head, determined to try another day, just not this one. But God....don't you love that?!!.... will not let broken-ness in me become self-pity for long. I am so thankful....oh I've had my moments, my too long moments, but God lovingly brings me back to that place of commitment and trust. I love Him so!!!

So in this season, I am determined to give in my broken-ness. I am learning deep, abiding lessons in this season of broken-ness, that I would learn no other way. I am thankful that even though I'm going through some stuff, He is on His throne and has never left, nor will He. Praise His Name!!!

Thank You Father for the gift of broken-ness. Thank You for speaking to me specifically about this through this study. You are the BEST Father!!! Thank You for the plan of Redemption, that started long before Christ set His beautiful feet here on this earth. You were working out Your plan and You still are today. Oh how I praise You and Love You Lord!! In Jesus Name,

Amen.

Have a Blessed day,

Summer Bible Study ~~ LIVE AND ON THE AIR ~~ JOIN US!!!

Welcome!!

We go live in five =)

See you here!!!

Summer Bible Study ~~ Ruth: Loss, Love & Legacy

Good Tuesday Morning to you ~~ hope you all are ready to go for our Tuesday Bible Study meeting this evening right here on the blog at 7:00 pm CST.



I will post just before our "meeting" and let you know we're about to go live and then we will meet in the comments of that post. Unlike the last time we met, I will not have a lengthy post on the evening post. It will be short and sweet so you don't have to do a lot of scrolling to get to the comments section. Yep I live and learn. Thankfully. I saw last time that wordiness on that post just will not do, so just be looking for a short and sweet ready to go post.



We have at least one new lady joining us. Her name is Teresa and she is such a sweetheart. I am SO thankful she is joining with us. Welcome to you dear one.

If you have a moment today, drop by The LPM Blog and check out Beth Moore's video to us and her questions. If you don't have time for the video, the questions are always typed out under the video. We will be going through those questions in our study this evening.

I hope you are enjoying this study of Ruth. I am learning a lot about Ruth and myself. Interesting how that works. We've been through two weeks of a six week journey of a four-chapter book. I'm so happy to be able to take time and really dig into the elements of Ruth.

One thing that is on my heart this morning is a question Beth posed to us last time about the one word that describes our lives right now. Mine was "hard", but to be honest, I've been a little convicted over that, because I don't think it adequately describes this season of my life. I think that "growing" more adequately describes it and growing is, well, hard.

God is taking me OUT of my comfort zone and putting me into difficult places to glean nuggets of truth I would otherwise not have. The overwhelming thing that I am learning through this process is trust. It is the theme that has been reiterated over and over during this time. Lately, it has been really well, hard. It is so cool how God works in me when I'm having a particularly hard day.

Last week, I was driving down the road, and on this particular stretch of road you can see the clouds as clearly as you see the road. You see it all together. Beautiful. As I topped the hill and saw the clouds stretched out before me, one of the clouds was shaped like an angel wing and just to the left of the wing, where the other wing should be, was like the shape of the face or body of the angel. It was so beautiful. In that moment I knew that God was showing me He is ALWAYS on. He doesn't take a vacation. He doesn't rest. He is ALWAYS in the midst of me, ALWAYS.

Well, yesterday, again a difficult day, I topped the same hill, and this time I saw two clouds, one dark and one bright and they were touching. In the middle of these clouds was an opening and through the opening you could see the bluest sky. God was again speaking to me through these clouds and telling me that it was going to be okay. He is God for crying out loud!!! I need to start putting feet to my faith and believe beyond what my eyes can see. Because isn't that what true faith is really all about?!?!!

So that is where I find myself today, this morning, this minute. Knowing that my God is able and He will see me through this time. He is working out His plan. I need to make sure that I stay right in the direct center of His will.

Yep Ruth is bringing out some beautiful truths in my life. I hope it is doing the same for you. I am still chewing on weeping forward and spoken words. Yep be chewing on those for a while.

I will see you back here this evening.

Have a Blessed and Beautiful day,
Dawn

The Spoken Word ....

Well I tell ya, my speech is a topic that is up for great debate most days in my head. I will think, "now why did I say that?" or "why didn't I say that" or "Really Dawn?!!?!" Yep that kind of stuff goes on in my head a lot.

There is a verse that has come up twice in the last three days and generally that means I need to take notice. It is Proverbs 25:11. It came up in Kelly Minter's "Ruth: Loss, Love & Legacy" Bible study and then this morning in the Neil T. Andersen daily devotional I receive.

It says:


Proverbs 25:11 (New American Standard Bible)

11Like apples of gold in settings of silver
Is a (A)word spoken in right circumstances.

Well my goodness, now what could that mean? Ummm yes, it could mean that I need to be paying attention to what I say.

In this current season it has been of UTMOST importance for me to keep it shut, or to speak when spoken to, or to just speak only what NEEDS to be said, but really I haven't been very good at any of that until just very recently. God has been really delving into this area of right circumstances speaking over the last several days. And I am so grateful.

In my study, Kelly says this: "But keeping Ruth's words to Naomi in mind, today we'll look specifically at the use of our spoken words - especially as they relate to the people in our lives."

ummm yeah, I wrote off to the side, "WOW am I in trouble with this one -- smile =)"

But instead of heavy conviction and rebuke, I felt hugged by God; like He was saying that He knew I needed help in this area, and He would provide the help, I need only to let Him. I love Him so!!

So how's your spoken words? Do they inflate or deflate? Do they encourage or discourage? Let God work it out in you child, and hold on for one wonderfully, wild ride!!!

Love you ~~ Have a Blessed day,

Long Obedience ....

So those of you who know me pretty well, know that I love me a good Study. Whenever I can get in the Word and grow, I'm all about it.

Well that is exactly what is happening in this study of Ruth by Kelly Minter. If you have not had the opportunity to start, it is not too late. This is such a good study.

I wrote on Friday about how "weeping forward" is a place I find myself in life right now, well seems as if I also find myself in a place of "Long Obedience". Where the Lord is telling me to keep on keeping on obeying and loving Him.

You see sometimes I want to obey and be through the trial.

I don't want to linger in it, and yet I know that there is much God wants to teach us through our trials. Sometimes I just want to be on the other side of the trial having learned and am now smarter and ready to move on. Yes, I know.....I am a mess....

And yet sometimes I have this persistance that is just unstoppable, much like Ruth. She knew she needed to go with Naomi and she wasn't taking no for an answer. That is perserverance in it's lovliest form, don't you think? Here is Naomi not wanting to hold her daughter-in-laws down, and also I think wanting a little time to her self, but that was NOT to be. Ruth would have none of it. She was persistent in going with, and so she did. I love that tenancious spirit of hers!!

Sometimes "long obedience" is hard, but there is MUCH to be said for obeying and keep on obeying even if its in the same issue. God is teaching me that. It is part of this whole Trust issue that He calls us to as Christians.

We live in such an instant world and we want things right.this.minute. But God (don't you love that) has designed things differently, slower paced if you will. Be Still. That is His take on our busy world.... And KNOW that I AM God .... Yep we know that He is God in those moments that our hearts are still before Him and we are basking in His sweet Presence..........

Yes Father, You are the I AM....You are my God!!! Praise You!!!!! Help me to be Still before You and to KNOW You in those deep places of my heart. You know I hurt. You know I get weary. Thank You for the gift of "long obedience" Father. You are my everything ~~ Amen.

Have a Blessed day,

Love & a Recap .....

Well last night was the kick off to our Summer Bible Study through The LPM Blog. If you are not in a SBS and would like to join us, please do. You can go to Beth Moore's blog here or look at the tab in my side bar entitled "Summer Bible Study" to join us. It is wonderful to be in the Word of God, especially with a group of ladies stretching across the miles.

If you'd like to read the incredible insight these ladies had to share last night, just look at the comments on my last post. They were simple amazing!!! I felt God all over this computer last night, and I am so pumped to see how He will use this study and these friendships in each of our lives. AMAZING!!

Well, Sunday as y'all know was Father's Day. Me and my man (the best Father I know on this earth) went to his daddy's (also an outstanding Father, yep Dick was well taught) and spent the afternoon.

My SIL took this picture of my man and I, and it just makes my heart swell. I LOVE this man so much. He enriches my life every.single.day.

I told you the pillow story yesterday, well last night when I was getting ready to start Bible study, he came in and wanted to know if the compressor in the garage would bother me.

That was such a sweet thing for him to recognize. It didn't bother me at all, but how sweet of him to consider that it would. And yes he would have stopped what he was doing for me if it would have bothered me. Yes he is just that thoughtful.

He really is like that all the time. He thinks of me and honors me in ways that I know I don't always realize. He is the best man I know!!! THE.BEST.

Thanks Barb for this picture and thanks honey for being the man that you are.....my hero!!!

Have a Blessed day and take some time to hug your heroes today and thank God for them ~~

Summer Bible Study ~~ LIVE AND ON THE AIR ~~ JOIN US!!!

Well, it is finally ~~ Summer Bible Study!!

I don't know about you, but my summer could sure use a good dose of the Word.

How this will work as far as our meeting goes through this blog.

Please log into The LPM site in another tab or window. Right here is the link, and have that at the ready, so you can refer to the questions Beth Moore asks as we go through them.

To view comments you will have to refresh your page. I know this can be a little confusing, but it worked for McMama, and she was having hundreds of comments in minutes, so I thought it might work for us to. I will be looking at a little better way to do the discussion part of it, but for tonight, you will need to refresh your page to bring up new comments. You can do that by right clicking and hitting refresh or by typing in the address again at the top.

Leave comments on this post only, so we can all view them and discuss.

After our discussion this evening, I will be recapping on the LPM blog and let them know how many we had in our virtual home =) where the candles are glowing, the food is delish and the company.........divine!!

Thanks so much for joining me on this journey.

I'm believing God for BIG things this summer. I find my self in a very difficult season during this Bible study series, so I KNOW that God has some BIG things that He wants to reveal to me through it and through you ~~ can't wait ~~ well, just a little longer on the wait.....

I'll "see" you in five ~~ love you,

Summer Bible Study Kick-Off ~~ WOOT WOOT!!!

Welcome to Summer Bible Study!!!

I wish I could have you all in my home over the next few weeks to study the Word of God. What a rich and rewarding experience it ALWAYS is!!! Anytime you commit yourself to studying the Word you grow. I LOVE THAT!!

So if I were going to get to have you all in my home, you might be welcomed with a pretty bouqet of my favorite flowers.....

I mean seriously, how gorgeous is this bouquet?!! I need to make one of these...














Or maybe a whimsical little cake like this one..... have you ever.....

Or possibly a more sophisticated cake like this one. WOW there are some EXTREMELY talented people out there.... These cakes are AMAZING!!!

But since we are meeting across the miles I send you BIG smiles and hugs......

and Ruth!!!

I am so looking forward to this study and what it will pull out in me. As I was thinking about it this morning, one word kept coming to mind, with an example. How cool is that? Love it when that happens =)

anyway....

The word that kept coming to mind was sacrifice. Ok STEP AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER KEYS ~~ DO NOT SHUT DOWN THE COMPUTER!!! Sacrifice often times is misconstrued. People sometimes think of it has a bad word, but not so.

When I started thinking about this word, God led me to example that happened in my life LAST NIGHT!!! WOW!!

So last night my man and I went for a bike ride. I new at the start, it probably wasn't a good idea. From the first peddle my knee was hurting. But I pressed on.........

Well, just over about half-way through my knee started really giving me problems and I had to stop....started again.....had to stop.....I.was.bummed. So we took it REALLY slow on the way back. Made it back to the house, iced, elevated and hurt. bummer.

So we went to bed, and my knee was still really hurting, and since I am generally not the pill-popping kind, I decided not to take anything for it. Well, about 30 mins into the whole trying to sleep thing, I mentioned to my husband that I wish I'd grabbed another pillow to put between my knees, thinking this might help. WITHOUT HESITATION he took the pillow from under his head and gave it to me. He never even bat an eye. He could have grabbed one on the floor, he could have said that wouldn't work, he could have told me to quit whining and go to sleep =) but nope, he grabbed his own pillow and gave it to me. He didn't even have to think about it. This may seem like a small thing, but to me it was huge, and it helped tremendously. I tried to give it back, but he wouldn't hear of it. I kept that pillow for several hours, until I woke up and my knee felt better, so I returned that pillow to its rightful owner, my dear man.

Sacrifice.....it is the stuff of champions. Just like my husband, he is a champion to me. And that is the way I want to be, a champion. So to succeed at this Bible Study, I am going to have to sacrifice some things. I find myself in a very busy season, and really didn't think I had time to "fit this in". Silly girl. So I will be sacrificing some TV time, and possibly even some sleep over the next several weeks, to spend some time gleaning in the harvest fields with Ruth. I am so very glad that you are joining me on this journey.

Even if you didn't buy the book or are not doing the study, please join us. This evening at 7:00 PM CST we will be doing a live chat right here on my blog. I've never attempted this before, but I've seen it done, and thought we'd give it a go. I am going to check on doing maybe a Ning chatroom or Google chat or something like that for next time, but for today we will be chatting here on the ole blog. I am so very excited to meet you all here. Just before 7:00 pm CST I will post a little post =) and then we'll begin at 7:00 pm. So jump on over....

I'm looking very forward to what Beth Moore has for us through the LPM site and also what Kelly Minter says to us in the pages of this study. But most importantly I am ready to hear from God. Are you ready?

Let's go.....

Love and hugs,

The Path to Understanding...

There are many avenues that Father takes us down to gain understanding in our lives. Now please let me be clear, THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY TO FATHER AND THAT IS THROUGH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. But when it comes to our walk, there are many different ways that God brings us to understanding, and one of those is through Bible Study. It is just one of many things that God is using to bring me closer to Him. And I love it!!!





Our Ruth study is fast approaching, so today I wanted to give you just another glimpse of this study, and some of the fun things the Lord has laid on my heart for this blog part of the study, and then just a note on this beautiful path to understanding. WOW since when did I get so uniform in my approach to blogging? Generally I am a wild flower kind of gal, not the manicured lawn kind of gal. Yep so far, this has been manicured. Interesting.....





anyway....





This is what Miss Kelly Minter says about Ruth, the person of Ruth: "She is a flesh-and-blood example of integrity, kindness, purity, commitment, faith, and hard work. She is godliness with its sleeves rolled up, expressing her love for God even when she was profoundly devastated and left with a mother-in-law who had changed her name to "Bitter." (I think this means they weren't baking a lot of cookies together.) All this in the middle of a culture distinctly hostile to Israel's God."

The discription of Ruth in the first part of this sentence as "flesh-and-blood example of integrity, kindness, purity, commitment, faith and hard work..." is an Amen prayer to me; let it be Father. For so long I've prayed to be the kind of wife and mother that Dick and Dak deserve and need. I pray to be that Proverbs 31 woman, and I pray to be a woman of a gentle quiet Spirit. So this sentence spoke volumes to me of the longing in my heart to be a woman of God, with all the attributes that He instills including; integrity, kindness, purity, commitment, faith and hard work. Some time I would like to take each of these attributes mentioned here one by one and do a post of what each one means to me in my life. I long to be a Woman after God's own Heart. I long to be!!

Godliness with it's sleeves rolled-up, WOW!! Let's do some work in this study shall we?!! I mean let's roll those sleeves up and step out in faith in this study and get to the heart of the matter. I believe Ruth is going to take us on quite a faith journey and I am ready, how about you?

So as we study Ruth, set your heart toward Father. Let Him speak to those deep places in you that need Him to open the door that you long ago locked tight. Let Him help you to open it and carry you as you walk through the Loss, Love and Legacy of Ruth and you. Child it will be a beautiful thing!!

In honor of this Bible study I made some yummy treats on Tuesday: Honey Roasted Brownies. Oh my stars ~~ get-out-of-town good!!!.... or so they tell me =) I didn't partake because of all the butter and sweetned condensed milk, and y'all know of my love for the vegan diet, so I didn't partake, but oh did my family and friends love these!!! So I will post this recipe in my recipe tag later today ..... you're welcome =)

There are many recipes in this book that I thought might be fun to try. So each week, I'm gonna try at least one out of the book on my family and then I'll let you know how they like it. So if you'd like to join me, please do. This is a fun part of Kelly's studies. The recipes!!!

Also, I am working on maybe a specific time for us to "meet" here on my blog every other Tuesday for a chat. I'm thinking maybe 7:00 pm CST for about 30 minutes. I haven't worked out all the particulars but would love your feed back on this. What do you think? If y'all have ideas please let me know. I've seen others do chats on their blogs and it works pretty good if your group isn't too big, you just have to refresh to see the new comments, what do you think?

I'm looking so forward to the "meat" of this book, I can hardly stand it!!! God's going to work in us. I'm ready....How 'bout you?!!

So let me leave you with this little bit on a path to understanding. I am currently in a VERY painful season of growth. Father is teaching me to trust Him no matter what my eyes may see. It is difficult, but I know that God is working and He is calling me to Trust and Trust Deep!!! So I am really looking forward to this study and all the understanding and knowledge and wisdom I will gain through it to touch me right now in my place of need and growth.

Well let's get ready for some Bible study shall we?!!

Love you ~~ have a Beautiful day,

Lovely Weekend....

This weeked has been so much fun. It has been full. I love full, fun relaxing weekends like this one. Nothing to serious. Just fun.

On Saturday morning I met a new friend for coffee at Hebrews Coffee. It was SO good and SO fun.

I am just over the moon, excited about how God is orchestrating this friendship. It truly has His stamp ALL OVER IT!!!

Perhaps one day I will share the beginning of the journey of this friendship, but for now, I will keep it in my heart. It is special and it is deep. Thank You Jesus!!!

I look forward to many more meetings at Hebrews Coffee with my new friend K.


Then it was back home and lounging with the family for a little while and then hubby and I headed out to eat.

I went it to tell Dak that we were leaving and he looked at me like I'd grown a third eye. Apparently that is not allowed =)

Convo:

Me: Hey son, see ya later...
Dak: Where are you going?
Me: Dick and I are going out to eat....
Dak: Really?
Me: Yep. Date night.
Dak: You two are so cute....
Me: Yeah, I know. hahahaha

Then we were off to the Garden Cafe for pizza and sandwiches and AMAZING conversation!!! I LOVE being with my husband. The love in which he shares his wisdom with me is truly rock solid and inspiring. I am currently working through some stuff in my life. Ya know like the "what am I going to do with my life" kind of stuff. BIG stuff!! The kind of stuff that God is ALL OVER and my hubby is the biggest encouragement to me and gives me the most sound advice and loving me all the way through it. (BTW as I am typing this he is vacuuming. Yep he's a keeper =)

anyway....

I love that God doesn't stop, He doesn't give up on us...on me. My calling in life is different than my wanting in life. Does that make sense? Why is it that when God gifts and calls and you know it, that you want a different gift or call sometimes. Oh brother....I am pathetic.

In church this morning, God seriously got a hold of me on this subject. Yep He knows me. Pastor Curt (our Senior Associate Pastor) spoke this morning, and the boy was on fire I tell ya. What a message!!! He was preaching out of Ephesians 3 and he said this in regards to verse 2 which talks about being stewards of God's grace. Pastor Curt said this:

"What God has given you to do is important. Stop having gift envy and do what God has given you to do. Serve Him in the call and gift on your life, right where you are."

Oh snap. Yep I got called out on this one. I knew exactly what he was saying, and that one was just for me. So I am now moving right on in the call and gifting that God has on my life. And I do so with a joyful and expectant heart. I can't wait to see how God will use this in my life. Yep it is an exciting time for me. My heart is full and ready. I've so needed to get off the Spiritual couch and get on with what God has for my life. Amen? Amen!!!

Well in other exciting news, next Tuesday starts our Summer Bible Study Series. If you want to join us, it's still not too late. Looking so forward to all that God has in store for us.

Y'all have a Beautifully Blessed day ~~

~~ Random Friday...Sir Cuteness Style ~~

Welcome to Random Friday the Sir Cuteness Edition.

I get to watch this little bundle of joy full time and oh the fun we have.

Yesterday mom had an appointment to get her port flushed at the Cancer Center, and so since Sir Cuteness can't go into the lab area, we decided to check out the Healing Center Gardens. It is on the second floor (there are seven floors total) of the Cancer Center on the roof of that floor. It is so beautiful!!

My friend Penny did a beautiful job!!!

Here is sir cuteness in front of the fountain that he couldn't stay out of.
He loved picking up rocks and throwing them in there.

Here he is on the ramp and in front of some of the beautiful flowers that they have planted in big, beautiful pots. Look at how big Sir Cuteness is getting. WOW!!!

This place is so peaceful and beautiful. What a gift to the Cancer Patients and their families to be able to spend a few peaceful, breathing moments in the midst of such a tough time.

I love this picture. Looks like Sir Cuteness is bustin' a move =)

Then we headed to the Nature Center. Sir Cuteness had such a wonderful time hanging out with the frogs, see?!! heehee

And of course karate chopping the frog....letting him know who's boss!!!


Oh my, look at the beauty of this place.

Sir Cuteness had such fun out here. He kept telling me to "c'mon maw-maw"

Here he is saying no to the Paparazzi =)

"No pishur maw-maw" hahaha

Oh be still my g-babe, nature lovin' heart!!!

Next time come with us. I mean seriously the cutest g-babe ever in the most peaceful setting = perfect moments in time.

We have another taker for the Summer Bible Study Series. I am SO excited!!! If you'd like to join us, it is NOT to late. It doesn't start until June 22nd. It is going to be a beautiful time in The Word. Please leave me a comment if you'd like to join us or you can e-mail me, and I'll give you all the details.

I'm gonna try to get those recipes I mentioned yesterday up this weekend. Also I have a couple of garage and thrift store finds to share in the "Creativity" link. Oh so happy about that!!!

Have a Blessed weekend,

Summer Lovin' Part 1

Oh how much I am lovin' summer, even before it has actually begun. But it certainly feels like summer to me. It's been hot and humid here in our cottage corner of the world.

So here we go.........my summer loves........

1). ~~ Lovin' homegrown sunflowers ~~
I looked out two evenings ago, just before it got dark out and what did my eyes see?...
Yep, a beautiful, lovely sunflower bloomed out. Oh how gorgeous!!! My fav flower!!


2). ~~ Short Summer Hair ~~
Lovin' my shorter do -- I went yesterday afternoon and got it schussed up. Oh I'm lovin' it!!

3). ~~ Summer Purses ~~

I have been looking for a lovely summer purse. I have been really liking those trendy mustard yellow purses, but couldn't find any that I wanted to pay the money they were asking for, but I've still continued to look. Well, I went into Cato's the other day and they had this purse on the clearance for $6.99. Yep it is so lovely and a keeper!!! GREAT summer purse!!

4). ~~ Summer Lovin' Sir Cuteness ~~

This kiddo makes me so happy!!!

So what are you sitting on Sir Cuteness?

Well, toliet paper of course Maw-Maw!!

How funny is this!! We'd just been to the

grocery store and this was his "chair" that

whole day. Hahahaha so cute!!

And this is just a bonus pic for you ~~ your welcome =)

5). ~~ Summer Lovin' my family ~~

A couple of weeks ago my dad was in and we had dinner with him. This is from L to R: My baby sis, Dena - my dad - my sis Rhonda - me.

Side note: my sis Rhonda brought us her famous Chocolate Cake with Coffee Icing last night. How nice was that? She brought us 2 bowls and Dak ate an entire bowl by himself. So funny!!! He LOVES Aunt Rhonda's cake!! Thanks sis!!!!!




6). ~~ Summer Lovin' Front Door Fun ~~

Yesterday I got this very cute flower on a clearance at a local nursery,

so I bought it thinking I could somehow make this a front door lovely....

and oh look how cute she is!!!

This was so easy and fun. I love how it turned out!!

7). ~~ Back Porch Summer Lovin' ~~

We have a very modest back porch, but I love it. And this year I've decided to get it fancied up. Look how cute!! Yep this is a nice place to sit in the evenings.

8). ~~ Summer Lovin' Canning Salsa ~~

Tuesday G and I made 21 pints of salsa from last years tomatoes that we'd froze. So now we are ready for this years harvest. Now let me just say that I couldn't have done this without G. She did most of the work, while I chased a baby, tried to figure out teenage world stuff and had the bug guy here to spray for ants outside. WOW!! It was a day!!! Thanks G for all your help!!!!!





9). ~~ Bible Study Siestaville Style, Summer Lovin' ~~

I'm really looking forward to this study for the summer. I do love me some Summer Bible Study. I'm picking up two more books today for two ladies who will be joing us. There's still plenty of time for you to join us. There are five of us now that will be doing this through my blog. If you'd like to join in, please just give me an e-mail and I'll send you the details.

10). ~~ Summer Lovin' Recipes ~~

This week I have made two very easy recipes. I will be posting these recipes this afternoon hopefully. Pasta Alfredo and Black Bean and Corn Enchiladas Both keepers!!

Well there you have it. My first of probably many "Summer Lovin' " posts.

What are you lovin' this summer?

Have a Blessed and Beautiful day,

Reading the Familiar...

As you know, I will be participating in the study of Ruth with The LPM Blog in June, and I'm so excited for it that I've invited you along. It is not too late to join us, just leave me a comment in this post or any other for that matter, to let me know you'll be joining us, and I'll send you an e-mail out to let you know the particulars. (And to those of you who will already be joining me, I'll be getting an e-mail out to you in the next day)..... I'm really looking forward to it.

I went and bought my book a few days ago and have been enjoying going through it. I wanted to give you a sampling of what we will be enjoying from Miss Kelly Minter in this study.

"I think the point is for us not to let familiarity with something make us think we don't have to give it our all. Seeking God with our whole hearts through the age-old avenues of Scripture, prayer, and fellowship will always prove valuable, no matter how many times we've heard it."

I loved that, and it was a great word for me to hear. Lately, I have been reading Scripture and seeing things in such a different light. It is like I am reading it for the first time, and some of the Scriptures I am reading are very familiar to me.

Like:

Deuteronomy 8:3 (New International Version)
"3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD."

What stood out to me from this verse is the role of God here. He humbled them, He caused them to hunger, so He could feed them. I was so moved by this picture of God. We somehow think that we are doing things on our own sometimes, like it is us that has made us successful, or us that has caused us to prosper, but then when things go wrong, why did God allow this to happen?... it is really crazy how at least, I think sometimes. But lately, God is really making it plain to me, His role in my life, and it is everything!!! He is causing the sun to rise and set, He is giving life to our beautiful garden, He is also showing His might in us through the trials we are currently in, and it is a beautiful thing.

So as you read Ruth or any other familiar Scripture, take a moment and really let what your reading set it. God has something to say to you for sure.

Have a Beautiful Lord's day ~~ love to you,

Any takers? .... Are you game?....

So on Tuesday June 22nd, The LPM Blog (Beth Moore's Living Proof Ministry Blog) will be starting their third year for the Summer Bible Study. I have participated the last two years and have grown through both of those experiences.

Well, they are ready to start again and this year they are back to a Kelly Minter study. The first year it was the NOG study by Kelly, "No Other gods" and then last year it was "Me, Myself and Lies" from Jennifer Rothschild (local girl ~~ go Jennifer =) and then this year it is Kelly Minter's newest study "Ruth".

Well, the first year I hosted a group of ladies in my home, and it was a beautiful thing!!! We saw one lady trust her heart to the Lord in Salvation and we had such sweet fellowship breaking bread together and getting to know each other better. Yes, it was indeed a sweet time.

And then last year I was in a different season in my life and different feel that I could tackle having a study in my home like I had the year before, so my dear friend Carrie and I did the study together. It was GREAT!!!

Well, this year finds me in yet another season in my life and again I will not be hosting it in my own, and this year will not even be able to do a one-on-one like last year, but I do have a proposal for you my bloggy peeps =) Would any of you like to do this study with me here on my blog?

The way it would work, is to do the study through the week and then every other Tuesday, starting June 22nd and running through the first week in August (I think) I'll do a post on here including BMoore's questions and my answers to those and then you can leave your answers in the comments or you can e-mail me personally if that works better for you.

Every year there have been SO many who do not have anyone to do the study with. It always makes me want to be able to have them ALL in my home, but that is just not possible, but through blogs it is possible to host someone into your blog home and make them feel comfy and loved. Ya know? ....

So here is the link to the LPM blog post outlining Summer Bible Study for this year. Please let me know if you're interested. I know that many of you like myself, are so busy. I really didn't know how I'd be able to work this study into my life right now and that made me sad, because I really want to do it. And then this idea just came to me ~~ haha that makes me laugh!!! I know that God placed this in my heart.

So any takers? ~~ Are you game? ~~ I'm game if you are ~~ let me know what you think =)

Have a Blessed and Beautiful day ~~