Speak Truth

Ephesians 4:14-16
...speaking the truth in love...

Luke 11:33
No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light.

John 8:11
...And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more."


As Christians we are not called to be popular.  We are called to speak truth.  We are not called to keep our faith to ourselves to hide it deep within.  We are called to be a light.  Even if it is an unpopular light.  If fact the world may even hate you if you are a Christian.  (1 John 3:13)

I will not sugar coat my faith.  People are dirty, rotten sinners and I am one of them.  Compared to the purity and holiness of God, I am as dirty as the most rotten and vial of murderers that have ever walked this earth.  By comparison we are all.  Thankfully, I have salvation.  I am saved because of my faith in Jesus Christ.  My sins are washed clean as soon as I repent.  And I am set free.

Christ brings us all to conviction in our sins at different times.  Otherwise we would completely give up.  Can you imagine being convicted of all the sins you do in just one day?  It would be quite discouraging.  But we have a gentle Lord, he changes us.  Sometimes it is immediate, and as is my case, sometimes it is gradual and gentle. 

Here is the thing, people.  Sin is sin.  It is what it is.  It is not a gray scale.  It is Black.  It is darkness and it is there.  We can not say that a sin or sins do not exist, with the thoughts that without them, more people will come to Christ.  Hatred is Murder.  A lie is a lie, even if you think that is for the better good... to save feelings from being hurt... even to bring more people to Christ.  Sexual perversion is sin.  They simply are.  I could go on and on about all the sins in this world that separate us from God in his Holiness.  Here's the thing, if it was not a part of God's beautiful plan at the Creation, before the fall, then it is not of God.  It is Sin.  And it is of Satan.  And it keeps us from God.

The beauty in all of this is that God redeems the mess that our self gratifying flesh has gotten itself into.  God redeems it all through the beauty and perfect sacrifice at the Cross.  Christ is our redemption.  He didn't just die on a cross.  He toke the wrath, the wrath of GOD... all of it.  The wrath that was due to us because of our sins.  Christ, perfect and blameless and not deserving an ounce of that wrath, took it ALL.  For us sinners.  Love perfected. 


Then he beat death and rose from the grave.  He sent the Holy Spirit to guide us.  Through the Holy Spirit we are molded.  And made a new creation.  A continuous process of beautification.  It becomes not about me, but about Him.  It becomes not about you... but about Him.

If you have not accepted that Christ is the Son of God, the Savior, or you would like more information on God and Christ, I encourage you to contact me or to find a Bible believing Church. 

I am preferential to the Free Methodists... ;)

May God bless you as deeply as he has blessed me.  And more.

Someday When I'm Old and Gray

A week and a day ago my superhot husband and I celebrated our 7th year of wedded bliss.

Not 2 minutes ago I had my sweet little 4 year old, Annie snuggled up in my lap. 

Annie: "Mama, can I twy on yours wedding wing?"

Me:  Sure honeygirl.

And so, I slipped the ring off my finger that her father gave me almost 8 years ago.  And slipped it onto her little ring finger. 

And as it sat there on her tiny finger, it struck me.

Someday this little girl is going to be a big girl...

and then that big girl is going to be a teenager...

and then a young woman...

And someday a young man is going to slip a ring on her not so little anymore finger.  And ask her to marry him.  TO MARRY HIM!?  My little girl will be a young woman, who a young man asks to marry.   

And so I told Annie this. That one day a man would come who would love her and he would give her a pretty ring much like the one on her finger and he would ask her to marry him.  Just like her daddy asked me to marry him with that pretty ring. 

And it was then that I realized that THAT man...

THE MAN.  My daughter's future husband.

right now...

RIGHT NOW...

is a little boy. 

And I hope that his Mama and Daddy are teaching him to be a good man...

a pure man...

a man of God. 

And then I realized that I have to do something about this.  I HAVE TO DO SOMETHING!!  I mean, my baby can not just marry ANYONE... what if... what if...  

Here's the thing...
I NEED to PRAY for these things. 

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 
~Matthew 7:7

Especially, if I want my girls to marry men who are as good and noble and trustworth and honest and Christ/family oriented as their father.  For I am blessed.  And I pray that they will be as well.

Pray for your children, and as was revealed to me today, pray for their spouses who are children right now too.

BIG

I'm going to share with you a couple verses from the Old Testament.  They were preached on today in church and I thought the message worth sharing.

1 Chronicles 4:9-10
 ⁹ Jabez was more honorable than his brothers. His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.” ¹⁰ Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request.

This translation does not really encompass all the meaning of this passage.  Jabez literally means He who makes sorrow.  His mother did not just birth him in pain, but she bore him in sorrow.  Can you imagine baring a child and naming him "sorrow."  Makes you wonder what kind of event brought about such a birth...

BUT here is what we can learn from these verses.  Look at verse 10.  Jabez whose life literally started out as sorrow, still rose above his name.  Not only did he rise above his circumstances and live 'more honorable than his brothers.'  But Jabez CRIED OUT TO THE GOD OF ISRAEL! 

And what do you think God did? 

God granted his request.

Jabez is not unique.  It doesn't matter if your life started out as sorrow.  It doesn't matter if your DAY started out as sorrow.  Live honorably.  CALL out to Him!

Rant

Frustrated. 

I would like a bit of meat. 

Not the fluff we are being fed. 

Being a pastor is not a career people.  It is a calling.  SO listen to and follow God or get off the box.  

The end.

UPDATE:  Today at church one of our pastors did a sermon that had conviction to it.  I think it applicable to my above rantings.  Anyhow, here is the verse that our lady pastor quoted. 

Ephesians 5:14-17
¹⁴ ...
“Wake up, sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”

¹⁵ Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶ making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. ¹⁷ Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.

Usually I underline parts of a verse that I find to be vital.  In this case, it should ALL be underlined.  I feel that these verses speak to the culture of church that Americans have created.  It saddens my soul.  We are all asleep.  AWAKE SLEEPER!  Be Careful, be wise, make the most of EVERYTHING. 

Stop doing ___________ as if it matters for eternity.  (Insert: Blogging, Watching Ball Games, Watching TV, manicuring your lawn to perfection, sewing, Facebooking ect ect ect...) 

I am not saying that I am a perfect Christian.  Or even close to it.  I just expect the leaders in our church to not be more consumed with this world than I am.

Christians WAKE UP!

A good reminder for all of us.

I think I need to find this little poem as one of those wall word thingies...  I am totally reposting it from someone's facebook status but I thought it a good reminder for all of us.  Because we all need to be reminded of the power of our words to hurt or heal.

A careless word may kindle strife;

A cruel word may wreck a life.

A bitter word may hate instill;

A brutal word may smite and kill.

A gracious word may smooth the way;

A joyous word may light the day;

A timely word may lessen stress;

A loving word may heal and bless.

I've been a busy girl...

SO, it would appear that I haven't posted in about OOOOOOOOOOO 3.5 months.  And you all missed A LOT.

So.  Here's the down low on the past 3 months.

We went camping.  Alone.  As in without Chris.  Just the kids and mommy and a bunch of other kids and their mommies.  Surprisingly, It was lovely.

We came home and I was exceedingly tired.

EXTREMELY DEEP IN MY BONES TIRED. 

Not regular camping tired.

So I packed up the shorties and headed out to the local stuff marts and bought some stuff and some beer and some pregnancy tests...

...turns out I didn't need the beer...

...and I only needed 1 pregnancy test.

SO.  Baby Cole isn't the baby anymore...

BUT HE IS!!!!

Okay, so I'm still coming to grips with the whole "God doesn't make mistakes" thing and the whole "Babies are a blessing" stuff and the whole "Natural Family Planning really works" spiel.  But really, I'm excited.  I am!  And also?  I have exceedingly low Vitamin D and Vitamin B levels... really, I do. The Midwife told me so.  I even got a notice today...  in the mail... in case I forgot in my general state of BLAH.

Which I did. 

SO, then my baby Cole turned 1. 

And about a month later he started walking.

And a day later he started running...

And climbing...

And about 2 weeks ago, we started Kindergarten homeschooling.

And then 1.5 weeks ago, my husband left for 3 months of training in the Polygraphs. 

And a week ago, we started a lovely Kindergarten/PreK Waldorf-ish homeschool co-op group at my house.

And 4 days ago, I threw up while brushing my teeth.

And 2 days ago, I mopped my kitchen floor for the first time in 17 weeks.

And today, I found Baby Cole in the bathroom sink... still can't quite figure out the dynamics of THAT.

And just about 37 minutes ago, my dog got sprayed by a skunk. 

SO, that's what I've been doing. 

Want to know what I have NOT been doing?  Harvesting.  Canning.  Cooking in general.  Great blog name.  Betcha thought you were going to get all kinds of harvesting, canning and cooking in general information.  Heh.  Guess again.

How about you?  What have you been doing?

Wait for the Cake

Hard to imagine that it's been 5 years.

Today my Gracie-girl turned 5... FIVE!!!  That's a whole hand!  Or foot!  Where did the time go? 

James 4:14 

For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time, and then vanishes away

Dear Lord, Thank you for bringing this verse to mind.  I need help remembering to cherish these little ones before the vapor vanishes away.  Help me to raise them so that we are glorifying to you. 

Lord, thank you for giving me a husband who brings these home to his special birthday girl.

Thank you for providing for us with enough that we can give her this...

My cup runneth over...

Amen.

And now for what you've all been waiting for...

The BEST (Gluten free) Carrot Cake EVER!!!

Really it is!  People RAVE over this carrot cake... they don't even know it's gluten free.

1 c rice flour

1/2 c tapioca flour

1/2 c potato starch flour

2 cups sugar (I use 3/4 c raw sugar and 1 c white sugar)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp ground cinnamon

4 eggs

3 c finely shredded carrots

1 cup cooking oil

Combine all dry (First 8) ingredients. 

In a separate bowl beat 4 eggs.  Add the shredded carrot and oil.  Mix until well combined.

Add the dry mixture to the wet and mix until thoroughly combined.

Pour batter into 2 greased 9 inch round cake pans.  Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. 

Cool for 10 minutes.  Invert cakes and cool completely before frosting.

Yummy Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese

1 stick butter (softened)

1 lb powdered sugar

Beat cream cheese and butter until blended.  Slowly add powdered sugar.

For extra fanciness use chopped pecans around the outer frosting. (See photo)