Here's music to bless your soul.

Let His Love flow over you today.

Be blessed,

Debbi

Amazing Grace....

I have often been asked about my religion and my usual response is

"I don't have religion, I have a relationship".

Someday I will tell my story

but for today...

enjoy...

Be blessed,

Debbi

"A Call to Resurgence" by Mark Driscoll, a TBN book review

WOW! A MONTH? REALLY?

I can't believe I've been AOL from my blog for almost a whole month, and I've missed you all so much too. :-)

Now that the holiday rush is over, and most everyone in the family is healthy, it's time to get back into my routine, and I will start with my Tyndale Blog Network book review.

I have to tell you, I love TBN.  They have tons of great books, and this month I chose the book

"A Call to Resurgence" by Mark Driscoll.

What caught my eye was the writing on the front of the book, "will Christianity have a funeral or a future?".  When I watch the national and world news I am amazed at just how much our world and world views have changed, and not all for the good (in my opinion).  And I become concerned for the future of my children and grandchildren.  As a child of God, and a disciple of Christ, I want to leave them a better place to live, and I thought that this book would give me a place to start for change.  I was slightly disappointed over that point.  It wasn't a "how to" book, or even gave concrete suggestions on how to change.  But the book was very good at describing how we Christians cause most of our own problems, which I totally agree with, like that old saying, "the army of God is the only army that shots it's own wounded".  Unfortunately that's true.  But Mark calls for all of us to work together to bring change.  Here are a few lines that I enjoyed and highlighted for future reference.

"The church is facing a great opportunity - to be part of a far-reaching and substantial movement of the Holy Spirit to see many come to Jesus".

"How much time and energy is wasted in warring that could be better invested in witnessing?"

"We are a minority in an increasingly hostile host culture, and the sooner we accept that reality, the better off we will be.  We have to stick together around the national border issues, stop wasting our energies on infighting, and start investing our energies in evangelizing."

And my very favorite line in the book...

"The Bible is not a book of principles to live by but rather a Person to live for"!

The rest of the book is an overview of the way too many different denominations and the history of the churches.  So over all it was a good read and I give it 3 out of 5 stars.

Until tomorrow...

Be blessed,

Debbi

**Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of Mark Driscoll's book, 

"A Call to Resurgence" for my review. **

what to do, what to do

Well, my kids are at Tweetsy with our church youth group, and hubby and I have the house to ourselves..

we dropped them off at 8 am, what should we do?  

We went looking for yard sales, only found 2 with nothing much in them.

We came home and took a nap.

We went to the corner diner for lunch and stopped at Walmart for chlorine.

We came home and hubby is taking a second nap and I'm reading blogs.

And it's only 1:30!

Hmmmm, I wonder what time the kids are coming home?

Here's a few pictures my friend texted to me.  They don't look like they are missing us much. hahaha

Be blessed,

Debbi

Our church vacation bible school started last night and while we don't get "hundreds" of kids, we do have fun with the ones we have...the theme this year is "Praise the King".  Our wonderful youth leaders want to get our kids out of their comfort zone, and just enjoy praising.

They were dancing to a cool song that Greg and Amanda shared...

at the end of the evening they played a game where they raced to find their own shoes....

and being the loving mother that I am...I hid one of Hannah's shoes!

BWAHAHAHAHA

We'll be going back tonight for more fun and fellowship.  Do you attend a church?  And does it host a vbs for your neighborhood children?  It's a great outreach.

Be blessed,

Debbi

my first TBN book review...Chivalry by Zach Hunter

I love to read, but never seem to find any extra time lately, so I decided to join the Tyndale Blog Network.  Now I can justify my reading time, and get free books to boot.  For my first review I chose the book "Chivalry.  The quest for a personal code of honor in an unjust world." by Zach Hunter.  

This is not a "story" book, it is a "study" book, and a very good one.  I became interested in this book because I have noticed the  seeming decline of plain old common courtesy in our children, to the point that we have pulled our daughter from the public school and will home school her again.  While this book is geared towards teens, I found myself underlining and highlighting passages and comments, and that's a sure sign of a good study book.  There are 10 chapters so this is a perfect length for a group study, and each chapter starts with a short story.  And at the back of the book there is a study section for each chapter, complete with thought provoking questions and a code to live by.  I enjoyed this book so much, I shared bits and pieces with my children, and will be giving this to our youth pastor at our church.

If you want to learn more about Zach and his idea of chivalry, you can listen to him on this video.

Or read this question and answer interview...

I highly recommend this book, not just to youth pastors, but to parents, grand parents, aunts and uncles, any one who is interested in investing in our future, our kids.

Be blessed,

Debbi

(the link at the top of this post will take you to the website where you can purchase this book)

My list for 2013

The year I turned 50 I wrote a bucket list for myself...and accomplished nothing, lol.  That was 2 years ago.  So I guess it's time to revisit and update my list.  In no particular order, here is my "want to do" list for 2013.

 

Get my motorcycle license and my own motorcycle.  If not a motorcycle, then a 1976 white Pontiac Transam with a T-roof and a slant 6 motor.  Think of Smoky and the Bandit!

 

Re-learn German.  I took it for 4 years in high school, so just a refresher should work for me.  Then on to learn Spanish and American Sign Language.

 

Rent a beach house in Virginia Beach for a whole week!  And then spend a day in Colonial Williamsburg.

 

Go to Florida to see my great-grandbabies!

 

Go to Vermont to see my great-grandbabies!

 

Paint more, and I DON'T MEAN WALLS IN MY HOUSE, LOL.  Chuck got the me the nicest oil painting set with a new easel 2 Christmases ago, and I haven't tried it yet.  I think I'm scared that my talent isn't that good.

 

But most important, I want to get closer to my Daddy.  Because without Him, my life has no meaning.  And I pray that I will be stronger in my ability to share Him, and His love, with the people that I love.  Thank you Jesus, for all you have done for me through out my whole life.

 

So, what is on your list?

 

Be blessed,

Debbi

I've been missing my CAPsteam

It's been way too long since I've been on schedule with my blog, and way way too long since I shared the talent that abounds in the CAPSteam on Etsy.  CAPSteam stands for Christian Artists Promoting Shops, and not only do they do that, they share prayer needs and praises for prayer results.  A simply wonderful team.  So here we gooooo....

I was searching thru all 697 members of the CAPSteam and my eye got caught on ashleyqueen because she is from....outer space! lol  So, of course, I had to check out her shop, and came across this lovely Over The Rainbow necklace.  Over the Rainbow? She must have brought this with her from outer space, hahaha.

Now look at this face....how can you resist this face?  I couldn't, that's why I visited the shop of boondogglers.   This is her avatar, and I just want to pinch them cheeks!!! (yes I'm a grandmother and that's what we grandmothers do.)  This shop has some really cool pieces of jewelry, crochet hats and this Children's Owl Hat.   Whoooooo wouldn't love this?

 Ok, whenever I do a feature like this, it is sooo easy to find girls stuff and kids stuff and baby stuff, and even pet stuff.  But I just found a shop with men's stuff.  We all know men are just big boys with bigger toys, and here at Natural Bamboo,  you'll find some really cool things made with metal and bolts.  Like this Nuts and Bolts Motorcycle.  You'll also find boats and airplanes and army jeeps, a real mans' toys-r-us, hahaha.  Time to get ready for Christmas!


And it's time for me to get ready for our evening church service.  So be blessed everyone, and thank your Heavenly Father, the source of all your blessings.
Debbi

Celebrate...for He is risen!

After the Sabbath, as the first light of the new week dawned, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to keep vigil at the tomb. Suddenly the earth reeled and rocked under their feet as God's angel came down from heaven, came right up to where they were standing. He rolled back the stone and then sat on it. Shafts of lightning blazed from him. His garments shimmered snow-white. The guards at the tomb were scared to death. They were so frightened, they couldn't move.
 The angel spoke to the women: "There is nothing to fear here. I know you're looking for Jesus, the One they nailed to the cross. He is not here. He was raised, just as he said. Come and look at the place where he was placed.
 "Now, get on your way quickly and tell his disciples, 'He is risen from the dead. He is going on ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there.' That's the message."
 The women, deep in wonder and full of joy, lost no time in leaving the tomb. They ran to tell the disciples. Then Jesus met them, stopping them in their tracks. "Good morning!" he said. They fell to their knees, embraced his feet, and worshiped him. Jesus said, "You're holding on to me for dear life! Don't be frightened like that. Go tell my brothers that they are to go to Galilee, and that I'll meet them there."

The Tapestry

My life is but a weaving, between my God and me,

I do not choose the colors, He worketh steadily.

Oftimes He weaveth sorrow, and I in foolish pride,

Forget He sees the upper, and I the underside.

Not till the loom is silent, and the shuttles cease to fly,

Will God unroll the canvas, and explain the reason why.

The dark threads are as needful in the skillful Weaver's hands,

As the threads of gold and silver, in the pattern He has planned.

anonymous

my God...my testimony

*here's part 2 of my promised 3 part series.  There is a time in each person's life, a defining moment, of "knowing" God.  An indisputable incident that cannot be explained, but which we can (and often) ignore.  When that moment happens to you, examine it, and accept it for what it is, God reaching out to you, His child.  If you choose to ignore it, (and it is your choice), that may be the only chance you get.  So, here's my indisputable incident, and I am so glad that I did not ignore it.*

It was on a Saturday in the month of August 1982.  My husband had moved out of state with some buddies of his, and I was living with my mom.  Here I was, 23 years old, mother of 2 small children, and back living with my own mom.  Fun, wow.  How did I get here, I wondered.  What happened to all my childhood plans.  College, career.  I was going to be the next Lucielle Ball and Carol Burnett.  Instead, I'm home with my mom, and caring for 2 babies without my husband.  The worst part, I didn't even miss him, too many problems in our very young marriage.  So, here I am, sitting and doing nothing, when my mom says "let's go to church".  On a Saturday?????  A friend of hers had been inviting us to her church, so today mom decides that all of us girls would go to church.  So mom, sisters, and I pile into the car and head off.  It turns out to be a Messianic Jewish Temple.  This could prove to be a very interesting day.  The music is fast and lively, and then this man gets up and starts to talk.  Not "preach", just talk.  And he talks about God like he knows Him.  And I mean really knows Him.  Not just words in a book, but God as a being with feelings, about me.  Then the man talks about Jesus.  And I am amazed.  I heard about Jesus in my church.  But only as part of the trinity.  This Jesus the man talks about, is a Man of Love, Power, Truth, and Love.  (Love is always worth repeating).  My life was a mess, but here was an offer of love, despite (or maybe because) of the mess.  I don't remember the words, but I do remember the feeling, inside me, churning and breaking.  The man starts to talk about how Jesus died for me, but more than just died, how He suffered and cried for me.  Then I realize, I am crying.  For the first time in years, tears are just pouring down my face, and I can't stop.  So I bow my head, and cry out His name, and dare Him to prove Himself real.  (Yes you can dare God, and He delights in proving Himself to you.)  Suddenly I feel a touch on my shoulder, so I open my eyes and look around but noone is there.  So I close my eyes again, and then I feel a touch on my head.  Not just a brush of wind, but a real firm touch, so I look around, and again, nothing.  Now the third time I bow my head, I don't close my eyes because I am bound and determined to catch whoever was messing with me.  That's when I feel it.  Two hands, covering the top of my head.  And the heat!  I touch the top of my head and can feel the heat on my own hands.  The heat starts to flow down my face and neck, into my heart.  It was something I could not explain, but I knew that is was Jesus.  The preacher man tells everyone to close their eyes, and if you want to learn and know more about Jesus to raise your hands.  My hand went up.  Then comes the moment of decision.  The preacher man says that if you are ashamed of Jesus, He would be ashamed of you.  If you raised your hand, come down front, and let us pray with you and share more with you.  I was TERRIFIED!  My legs would not move, literally, I could not place one foot in front of me if the building had been on fire.  An usher came up behind me and told me that he saw my hand and asked if I wanted to go up.  I got mad at him for peeking!  There was a woman I didn't know sitting next to me, she calmly took my hand, and walked with me down that long aisle.  They surrounded me, prayed with me, explained to me, and gave me a bible.  The service was over, but my mom had to wait, and wait, and wait for me.  I laughed all the way home, and for months afterward.  My life circumstances did not change overnight.  In fact, things got worse before they got better.  But that heat stayed with me.  Whenever I doubted what had happened, that heat came back.  Awesome.  Now, at anytime during this service, I could have chosen to ignore the touch, or explained it away as my over-active imagination.  And God would have let me, but I firmly believe that there is a place in each and every one of us that was created only for God, for Him to live there, in us and with us, all the time.  Don't blow Him off when He comes knocking at your door.  That may be the only chance you get.
Debbi

blah

too pooped to post.  hubby sick, sun finally shining so yard work waiting, bathroom emptied and waiting for someone, anyone, to paint it.  Then there's homeschooling.....ahhhh but I love my life and feel tremendously blessed by my Father.  We have a roof over our heads, food on our table, and love in our family.  What more could I ask for?  Oh yea, Mandy and Brandon moving home this weekend :)  God is soooo good, all the time.
Debbi

the love of adoption

Chuck and I went on a little "alone time" long weekend trip, without children. And boy did we miss them. We have a beautiful 9 year old daughter that entered our life when she was only 5. I need to back up a little and give some background. About 16 years ago (1994), when my husband and I were newly married and blending our families, we went to a church service with our pastor and his wife. After the service, the preacher came up to my husband and I and told us that she saw us with a blond haired, blue eyed little girl. We just nervously laughed it off, and promptly forgot about it. Now fast forward to 2004, Chuck and I are new empty nesters, so we started to do foster care for high risk children. These are children that have been abused and neglected and find family life difficult. In 2006 a little girl moved into our home, after her prospective adoptive family (the second family) decided they didn't want her. So she was bumped up to a level 2 (therapeutic care) and deemed "unadoptable". She moved into our home in August 2006 and DSS hoped that we could help her work through her issues so she could someday be adopted. Now this little girl was severly neglected, and abused, and she was only 5. One day she was having another meltdown, and after trashing her room, she was throwing herself around the living room floor screaming how she hated us, and herself, and wishing she was dead. I was sitting on the sofa, crying and praying, when I remembered that long ago church service, and heard a Voice, clear as a bell, saying "there is your blond haired, blue eyed little girl". I wish I could say that like Mary my response was "Your will oh Lord". But it was more like "God, You must be joking!" When my husband got home from work I was updating him on our day, when I remarked, "remember that service at mother huntley's church"? Chuck stopped what he was doing, looked at me, and said "well, then I guess we need to adopt her". I wish I could tell you that we all lived happily ever after, but it's been a long 4 years since then. BUT NOW....Hannah is so much a part of our lives, it's hard to imagine what life would be like without her.

People remark how she looks like me, but she acts like my husband. He says she gets her smart mouth and artistic skills from my side of the family, and I say she gets her stubborness and daredevil risk taking from his side of the family. And we both say "she is ours!"

So if you have ever considered fostering or adopting a child, don't hesitate. A blessing from God could be waiting for you.

And Hannah, Mommy and Daddy will be home soon!

Debbi

wonderful Sunday

Ah, I love Sundays. Getting up early, dressing up nice, then......church! God is so good, how can I not gather with my friends to praise Him? I can't, and I don't understand people who claim to love Him, but do not gather to worship Him. I know, I've heard people say "I can just as easily read my bible and pray at home", but do they? Or, "I can watch those preachers on tv without having to leave my lazyboy recliner". Really? Or my worst favorite "why go to church when there are hypocrites there?" Does that absolve you from your responsibility for your own relationship with Him? When you get hungry, do you go to a restaurant? Or do you stay home and eat frozen tv dinners because there are hypocrites in the restaurant? You know, they order diet soda to wash down their deep fried chicken because they are worried about their health. Well, you don't stay home, you still go out and eat. And that is what corporate worship, or a GOOD church service should be. A feast of fantastic food for your spiritual health. We had such an awesome service this morning, and it started right in Sunday School, right up until we were dismissed. I could not wait to go back this evening. So where were all the people who were shouting and praising this morning???? Home in their lazyboy recliners? Still napping? Agh, I'm just venting. I know that everyone will answer to Him, not me. I just want to see a Christian who's walk lasts all week, not just Sunday mornings.


And all this brings me to my CAPSteam from Etsy. Here are a group of artists that truly give glory to God for their talent, and boy are they talented. I want to share with you some treasuries highlighting some great items created by these wonderful people. So enjoy. And thank the One who blesses all.

Hats off to the Capsteam by whatshername

colors from nature by cjscraftscorner