On my Heart.

For the past couple of days it seems that the Holy Spirit has been whispering this Scripture in my ear. I wanted to share it here for others but mainly as a reminder to me.
Have a blessed day.

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Homeschool Sports

Josh will just have a fit b/c he is dressed in his "sleeping shorts" but I had to share these.

Funny Jenna

Little Jenna is so funny. As most of you know her Dad is a preacher. Well, a few weeks ago she woke up on Sunday morning and looked at him and said "It's time for you to get ready to go scream to the people!" Needless to say Greg got a big kick out of that. It is something when a grown man has to "scream at the people" to get them to think of our Creator and to try to persuade them that there is "just one way to the pearly gate."

Happy Birthday Jenna

This child has blessed me in so many ways (they all have in their own way). She was the child that broke us out of the mold of the family with one boy and one girl. She made me rethink everything I had thought I wanted in my family. She is a joy. She always has a song on her heart. Jenna is very bright and does not know that she is just 4 years old. : ) There are not enough words to express my love for my children. I am exceedingly glad that God sent her to us. What a joy to celebrate another birthday!

So Blessed

Well this past weekend was very emotional and stressful. It started with that all too familiar croup sound coming from my little Jenna around midnight on Friday night. After a trip to the emergency room for a shot and a breathing treatment she was back home around 5:00 am. This poor child is tortured by the croup and absolutely hates for her nose to run. Of course, as it is with a cold and other children in the house the baby caught the cold but thank the Lord she did not croup.

So then we go to bed Sat. night. Before the sun came up I heard Josh and Greg stirring around and then I smelled smoke. I jumped out of bed and was stunned to see Josh's room filled with smoke. I hurried back to my room to get the baby and then met the others on the front porch while Greg investigated the smoke. I had checked on Josh around 1 am. I thought he was sleeping. Sometime after that he turned on the lamp to look at a book and fell asleep knocking the lamp onto the mattress. He had the door completely closed. The room was absolutely full of smoke. Greg and I could not stop coughing just trying to get the mattress out of the house. I am telling you that God had to have His mighty hand over Josh's face. The child never coughed not once. He had calmly walked into the room to get his dad saying "Dad, I need you in my room." No yelling, no excitement, just "Dad, I need you now."

Then on Monday Greg had to go to a meeting with the company he works for and was told. "If you have a job you will come home in your company truck, if not you will go home in a taxi" Needless to say, waiting for him to call and tell me if he was still employed was a long day. All thanks to God, he made it. Had he been one man lower on the totem pole he would not have. Several of his friends lost their jobs that evening. All of them have families. Please pray for them.

I feel like we went through a storm and all I can do is thank God for His mercy, grace, protection. I tell you I do not have the words to express how I feel. I am very humbled by it all. I know that I do not deserve any more than anyone else.

I love my family. I am so thankful we are all still together. I can't think about what could have been, if I do I just cry. God has been so good to us.

The Sum of the Matter

Well, let me start by saying I am still here. Oh, have we been busy and it just does not seem to be slowing down. The baby is crawling and pulling up on everything. She is 8 months today.

Wow. Time flies!

Jessie has started taking violin lessons at a local college and she still takes piano lessons.

Jenna is busy, busy, busy and demanding to have school (she will be 4 in July) she told me " Mom, I need to know what I need to know." Where she got that I do not know.

Josh is as wonderful as ever and helpful. He loves to work and looks forward to helping my brother restore a 1966 truck. He gets to help on this about once a week.

We have been in several revivals and have a couple more in the coming months. Life is good. These are the best of times. I try to remember that when no one can find matching socks and the baby is eating what she finds on the floor. : )

Now to the topic. Greg and I have been talking a lot lately about the Christian walk. Here is my theme:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in his wonderful face
and the things of Earth will grow strangely dim
in the light of His glory and grace.

The things of the Earth will grow dim. Um.

How dim are the worldly things in our life? Are we walking with Him or are we drifting too far by compromising. Remember you can NOT serve two master.

Luke 16: ¹³ No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Now, don't get all up in arms. I know we have to live in this world, but dear reader we do not have to fill our head and lives with its ungodly influence. Let us gauge all that we partake of in the light of the following scripture.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:8

The more we think of these things (the things of God) the less we will want to be turned to the things of the world. I don't have to list ways that we do this. The scripture is sufficient to rebuke. You can take the prodding of the Holy Spirit or you can ignore it. You can follow Him and reap the rewards or you can follow your will. Where will this lead? Our creator has a path for us. This is the one I want to take. I am fearing the Lord too much to go out on my own.

I owe Him my life.
All of it.
All of me.

Really, I think of it like this. If the next moment finds me in a life or death situation with a loved one. Will I feel guilt when I cry out to God for a life not true to Him, or will I be able to humbly cry out and know that although my righteousness is as filthy rags I am still able to come boldly to His throne and bring my petition to Him?

What is going on in our churches and in the lives of Christians? Too many compromises. Too much world. Too little scripture in our lives daily. Too little denying the flesh. If you are loving too much of the world it will be real hard to totally give yourself to God in the worship service.

He must increase, but I must decrease. John 3:30


Does a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? James 3:11

So the sum of the matter is this.

So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Rev. 3:16 KJV

It is time to take a stand. If we say we love the Lord then we must prove it with our lives. No more compromise. What is at stake? The lives of our families. Unbelieving loved ones. Oh, they are watching. What do they see?

Who are we serving?
Who are we yoked with?
What is our zeal for?

Today is Memorial Day. Oh, how grateful I am to our military, past and present. But, let us remember that our Lord sacrificed His life for us. Not just that we may live in a free land. God has been so good to America, our struggle for independence tells of it. The odds of our little young country rising up to defeat the British army and winning the Revolutionary War was nothing more than the hand of God. As mighty as this was it pales in comparison to the battle won on Golgotha's hill. The sacrifice that Jesus made is above all other! We may loose our freedom in American, we can never loose the blood that Jesus shed for us. (We can loose our testimony, that is another post) Now, that is something to remember and celebrate. How does He ask us to do that.

But as He which has called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation. Because it is written, be ye holy; for I am holy.
1 Peter 1: 15-16

Blessings,
Melanie

There is nothing much sweeter than

waking up beside a precious sleeping babe.

Great Fellowship

Two of the cutest hobbits you will ever see!

Sharing the love of piano.

Best Bud's

Happy!

What could be more fun than this?

I am so thankful for the fellowship we have with our friends and fellow homeschoolers. You may recognize them from the blog How Sweet the Sound. For many years I prayed that the Lord would send our way a family that lived close enough that we could have regular visits and that our children would get along and enjoy each others company. Add to that the wish that the Moms would also love to talk and spend time together and be able to encourage each other. Well, the Lord answered my prayer greater that I could have anticipated.....the other mom is also a preacher's wife and makes a good cup of coffee! God is good....He is so thoughtful of the little things that bring joy. (Like our book and movie collection and that with each visit we walk away with our own sack of borrowed books, audiobooks and dvds!)

Cutie Pies : )

Hey, Summer that is a pretty baby....

Janie, let me see if you are as soft as this doll.

Wow, this is a good book Janie.....

Want to see?

Spring

This is worth reading....PLEASE do so.

National Protest a What Day!!
(click the link)

I know that my blog has become really, really boring. I just have not had time to think about it. We have just came through two weeks of revival and have two more to go. Along with all of the other things that I am suppose to be accomplishing during the day I just can't think deep enough to put some of my thoughts into a coherent blog post.

However, my friend Tara can and she has a post today that can't be ignored. This is bigger than just people protesting Crisis Pregnancy Centers (although that is just insane in itself). When you think about the Pastor in this post being put in jail for peaceably witnessing for Jesus you must realize that this is a direct attack on our constitution, you know that free speech thing? Being married to a Pastor myself this really hits home with me. It is time we woke up and realized just how close we are coming to losing all of our freedoms because of the heathen that are getting elected by the ignorant masses. They are ignorant of the Constitution, the realization of how close we are to socialism, the fact that the government is closer and closer to regulating our entire lives all for the promise of a stimulus check being dropped in the mailbox.


Protesting a Crisis Pregnancy Center. What could be more absurd. They sit quietly in our little communities witnessing to those WHO COME IN ON THEIR OWN FREE WILL for help!

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Isa. 5:20

She's Got An Ear For It.

Timely Products

Check out these products from Vision Forum. I am especially interested in the one on growing your own food. I know, like I have time for that right now. But, would it not be a great homeschool project? It would also be great for us all to work together and spend time away from all of our technological time robbers (iPod, Internet, Wii and so on....I am only throwing the first stone at myself as I am totally immersed in the audio version of The Count of Monte Cristo, all 47 hours of it, thanks to my friend Tara.)
Anyway, click on the picture above to go to their site and check out these items.

A Song on my Heart

This song has been on my heart for a couple of days. It is so beautiful.

Promises
Dottie Rambo

He didn't promise that I would never stumble,
But He did say He'd be there if I fall
He didn't tell me He'd hear complaints I whispered,
But He did say He'd hear me if I call.

Cho:
Promises, promises, and all of them true.
He's done exactly what He said He would do.
He didn't promise my heart would not be broken,
But He did say He'd mend it again.

He didn't promise my cross would not be heavy,
But He did say that He my load would bear,
He didn't tell me He'd grant my hopes and wishes,
But He did say He'd hear my earnest prayer.

What a Beautiful Day!

Can you tell Janie is teething?