God has always wanted our hearts more than sacrifice. This is something that is hard to grasp sometimes, and I know I can't be the only one. I mean, isn't going and being a missionary in a foreign field, better than 10 minutes spent in reverence? Well, yes and no. It all depends on where your heart is.
Last night my husband and I read Malachi 1 as part of the Bible-in-a-year we do each year. And I hate to say it, but some of the minor prophets are so hard to read through, or at least for me. But sometimes, while reading about how God is going to punish disobedient nations, I come to these 'wow' verses that just make me stop in my tracks and really think about how great a God we have that makes things so relevant to us several thousand years later!
Malachi 1: 6-14 talks about how the people showed so little respect for God that they gave blind and lame sacrifices. In fact, God says 'How I wish one of you would shut the Temple doors so that these worthless sacrifices could not be offered!' He would rather the place of worship be empty than full of people offering half-hearted service! God says that what they were giving, was something that they wouldn't even give their governors, because of how worthless the sacrifice was.
When I was reading these verses (you should go check them out!) I kind of reworded it in my head and it stung a little to think about how these verses would apply to today: (this is my own wording of these verses, not scripture in the least, please go and read these verses for yourself before taking my word for it!)
God says
You show respect for your parents, or authorities, but you show no respect for me!
You, the great church go-er says 'How is that possible?!'
You give me worthless worship
'How is that?' you ask
When you go into the house of the Lord, and pretend to love my people but are cursing them on the inside, isn't that wrong? What about the half hearted singing, or your yearning to get out of church so you can get to the restaurant before the other churches let out? There are other people around the world worshiping me, and giving me pure service, but you have no respect. I would rather the church doors be shut than this kind of service be offered. You also dishonor me with your actions. What about when you are outside of the church. Is is okay to sacrifice your time going to church, then turn around and act as if you don't even know me? You argue that worshiping me is too time consuming, and too hard to do, but do you realize that you would give your country better service than me?
How sad it is for those who promise worship with their lips, but turn around and give their hearts to something else!
Hurtful isn't it? I know it's hard to hear, but my prayer is that I'll not just give lip service, but my whole heart over to God. He is the King of kings, and deserves everything, so why should I give him just part of me?
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Resolutions: Saving Money
I know money may be a hard subject to talk about right now, especially as you watch it quickly slip away with every person you cross off your Christmas gift list. Because of this, it is often a resolution to budget better, or save more, so I thought I would share some things that perhaps can help you achieve that goal! I am not boasting to be an expert on the subject at all, just someone sharing tips from personal experience that will hopefully be applicable to your situation as well!
Even though I stay home, this lesson is still being learned, but for the most part my husband and I have 2 times per week we go out: Friday and Sunday. Even though we go twice, we still try to cut costs by looking for coupons, ordering water, and splitting the meal. Normally we can get out of Chili's for $15!
I make a list based on what I plan to make (I am horrible at meal planning, so I just think of a couple of meals then make sure I have the basics to make other meals as well). If you frequent the store enough times to have its aisles memorized, then you can list your groceries based on where they are in the store (e.g. our store has dairy in the back, then paper goods, then baking supplies, so you would write your list like: milk, paper towels, sugar). This way you only have to walk down the aisles where you need things, and you don't pick up unnecessary things. I also put an estimated price by each item so I can see about how much everything will cost. This helps me determine what is necessary and what is not.
It may take a few minutes more, but you will be surprised at how much it saves. We spend at least $10 less than we did at first, and although that may seem like a little, it adds up fast! However, these are just suggestions, and if you are unable to put as much time and effort in it, don't worry. The main thing is to find what way works best for you. For me, I hate to coupon and have never been great at catching sales, so this method works best.
Saving money is all about thinking ahead, and figuring out what your 'needs' are and what 'wants' you can do without. Because this post has gotten so long, I'll stop here for now, and may do another money saving post at a later time. I'll leave you with this verse, which reminds us that money shouldn't be such a big thing in our lives, and that we have a wonderful Savior who takes care of our needs!
"Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5
Eating Out:
Do you find yourself just picking up fast food on the way home from work because, well, it's just easier? Not only is this bad on the wallet, but on the waistline as well. If you missed my last blog on being healthy you can find it here (http://ayouthpastorswife.blogspot.com/2013/12/resolutions-being-healthy.html), and in this post I mentioned slow cooker meals, which can be a great help especially if you are a working wife/mom (or even husband/dad) and need something simple and easy. Instead of paying $5-$10 a meal you can spend just a couple of dollars (once the meat/veggies have been divided per person) on a homemade meal that's much healthier.Even though I stay home, this lesson is still being learned, but for the most part my husband and I have 2 times per week we go out: Friday and Sunday. Even though we go twice, we still try to cut costs by looking for coupons, ordering water, and splitting the meal. Normally we can get out of Chili's for $15!
Grocery shopping:
'You can't just go to Walmart to pick up one thing', I have often heard, and believe it with all my heart. To be honest, I try to avoid the place when possible, but it seems that it has the best prices most of the time, so I am forced to go. To cut down on time and money I only go once week and my husband goes with me. Why is that important? He hates it worse than me! He has one thing on his mind: Go in, get the groceries, get out... He is so focused on the task at hand, that it caused me to start doing something that has really helped our finances.I make a list based on what I plan to make (I am horrible at meal planning, so I just think of a couple of meals then make sure I have the basics to make other meals as well). If you frequent the store enough times to have its aisles memorized, then you can list your groceries based on where they are in the store (e.g. our store has dairy in the back, then paper goods, then baking supplies, so you would write your list like: milk, paper towels, sugar). This way you only have to walk down the aisles where you need things, and you don't pick up unnecessary things. I also put an estimated price by each item so I can see about how much everything will cost. This helps me determine what is necessary and what is not.
It may take a few minutes more, but you will be surprised at how much it saves. We spend at least $10 less than we did at first, and although that may seem like a little, it adds up fast! However, these are just suggestions, and if you are unable to put as much time and effort in it, don't worry. The main thing is to find what way works best for you. For me, I hate to coupon and have never been great at catching sales, so this method works best.
Saving money is all about thinking ahead, and figuring out what your 'needs' are and what 'wants' you can do without. Because this post has gotten so long, I'll stop here for now, and may do another money saving post at a later time. I'll leave you with this verse, which reminds us that money shouldn't be such a big thing in our lives, and that we have a wonderful Savior who takes care of our needs!
"Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5
Friday, December 6, 2013
Resolutions: Being Healthy
I thought the next 'resolutions' post would be about healthy eating/living since I'm pretty horrible at it and want to get it out of the way. When I say horrible, I mean that even though I have made some changes to the way I eat, I still know I'm not eating the healthiest, however I have gotten to where I eat cleaner. Although, let me preface this by saying, I am not one of those, organic, vegan, anti-sugar people (no problem, if you are one, although you are missing out on some wonderful things like microwave popcorn, Steak!, and syrupy sweet tea, just saying). I have just decided to eliminate as many processed foods, or boxed meals as I can on our budget. We normally spend about $40 a week (more about that in my upcoming post on budget...another thing I'm not the best at) so, if I can eat better on a small budget, so can you! Here are some tips that I've found helpful over the past couple of years of married life:
If you have resolved to eating healthier, a great way to start is by trying to do more homemade things and less going out to eat, or tv dinners. I know that if you are a working mom or don't have a lot of time on your hands, Pinterest can be your friend when it comes to healthy crock pot meals (I also have a link to a couple of meals that take 30min or less to put together:http://ayouthpastorswife.blogspot.com/2013/05/a-newlyweds-approach-to-cooking.html, you will see that I use some canned tomato sauce, and even canned pizza dough, but this can be substituted for homemade)
Also you can switch to spicing up your water (with things like lemons or strawberries) instead of cokes(cokes is southern for sodas). This lessens your sugar intake and makes coke an actual treat when you do have one, instead of being a necessity. And for you southern folks, maybe 1 or 2 glasses of sweet tea instead of 4 or 5? If that's too big of a change, maybe slowly lesson the amount of sugar you put in, so that it's not quite so bad! You can also substitute chips and other snacks for fruit, nuts and healthier snacks. Another no brain-er but when there's junk in the house, I'm always going to choose it to snack on rather than perhaps an apple. Make junky items as scarce as possible, so you will be less tempted to grab (this is something I'm still working on!), and put healthier items in its place.
You've heard this verse before: 'Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.' I Corinthians 6:19-20. This is a great verse when trying to motivate yourself to eat healthier. Being healthy can help you spiritually! If you are constantly focused on food and sweets, you may be making it your god. Also, if we tell God that we give him our lives in service to him, how can we fulfill that, if our bodies are in service to something else?
I hope these tips help you stay healthy during the holiday season, and throughout the new year!
1. Ditch all the boxes!!
Hamburger helper, mac and cheese, tv dinners...ahh the things that make our lives easier! You also hear about all the strange, or horrible ingredients that are contained in them. I don't know how much is true, or horrible (I believe everything in moderation) but I figure, since I'm able to stay at home, I can try to make as many things myself as possible. My husband loves that I make my own mac and cheese, dirty rice, pasta sauce, and even tortillas. As a disclaimer, we do have boxed mac and cheese every once in a while (we got a grocery pounding, and so hey, I'm not going to let that food go to waste!), but on the whole, my husband would much rather have the homemade, and it doesn't take very long to make so why not have control on what ingredients go in?If you have resolved to eating healthier, a great way to start is by trying to do more homemade things and less going out to eat, or tv dinners. I know that if you are a working mom or don't have a lot of time on your hands, Pinterest can be your friend when it comes to healthy crock pot meals (I also have a link to a couple of meals that take 30min or less to put together:http://ayouthpastorswife.blogspot.com/2013/05/a-newlyweds-approach-to-cooking.html, you will see that I use some canned tomato sauce, and even canned pizza dough, but this can be substituted for homemade)
2. Make all the substitutions!
This a bit of a no-brainer, but it can be pretty pricy to switch from margarine to real butter, from normal to organic stuff. And actually unless it's on sale, I normally don't. I do look at sales papers, and during the holidays, especially, I'll buy real butter (and freeze all that I can), and ingredients to make healthier meals (like sweet potatoes instead of normal ones).Also you can switch to spicing up your water (with things like lemons or strawberries) instead of cokes(cokes is southern for sodas). This lessens your sugar intake and makes coke an actual treat when you do have one, instead of being a necessity. And for you southern folks, maybe 1 or 2 glasses of sweet tea instead of 4 or 5? If that's too big of a change, maybe slowly lesson the amount of sugar you put in, so that it's not quite so bad! You can also substitute chips and other snacks for fruit, nuts and healthier snacks. Another no brain-er but when there's junk in the house, I'm always going to choose it to snack on rather than perhaps an apple. Make junky items as scarce as possible, so you will be less tempted to grab (this is something I'm still working on!), and put healthier items in its place.
You've heard this verse before: 'Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.' I Corinthians 6:19-20. This is a great verse when trying to motivate yourself to eat healthier. Being healthy can help you spiritually! If you are constantly focused on food and sweets, you may be making it your god. Also, if we tell God that we give him our lives in service to him, how can we fulfill that, if our bodies are in service to something else?
3. Do all the exercise!
This is my greatest weakness. I hate exercising!! I was made to bike a few miles a day at one time and because I was told to do it, and had no one to converse with (I am a social exercising person) I quickly developed a great distaste for it, and thus exercising all together. Once my friend suggested doing the indoor workouts together, I liked it much better, and still do that type today. Even though I do it by myself and don't like doing exercise alone, I try to squeeze in at least a 20min if not 30min workout per day (gym people, please don't hate me! This is seriously the longest I can go so far. I would like to work my way to doing it for longer!). I have said all this to say, if you hate doing it alone, get a workout partner! If you hate doing it with someone, find a way to do a private workout! The most important thing is to stick with it (another of my greatest weaknesses, and the reason I've put on pounds after my marriage).I hope these tips help you stay healthy during the holiday season, and throughout the new year!
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Resolutions: How to blog!
1. Figure out what you want to write about:
To me this is the most important, because what you are wanting to write about will be the motivation you need to keep going. I love to write, and what better way than to blog (although I still love to sit and write fiction on college ruled notebook paper whenever I get a new idea). I love to share Jesus, so that became my motivation. Even though I like to throw in some recipes, and would eventually like to throw in some diy's my main goal, my main focus in this blog is to help your relationship with God (and mine too!). There are other things to write about: your kids, travels, short stories, crafts, the topics are endless.
2. Figure what blog hosting site to use:
Since I use Blogger, I will talk about it more, however, if you would like to use a different site that's fine! I don't have any pros or cons for you, because I have only ever used Blogger. To use it, I would suggest having a gmail account, and then following their instruction for building a blog. It's easy to change the layout and add things like 'most popular posts' 'follow button', etc. Some things I have had a hard time with, is the Pinterest button. I am a low tech kind of a girl, so I have still to figure out how I can Pin separate blog posts.
Once you've written a few posts and don't want the older ones to get hidden away by your new ones, you can go to pages, go to new page, and write titles for the page (like Home, About Me, Recipes, etc.) and type what the blog post is called underneath, take your mouse and highlight the word, click link, and copy and paste the link to the blog post you want. When someone else clicks on the link it will open a new window to where you want them to go. This principal is used here: http://ayouthpastorswife.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_15.html (sorry, but I don't know why the one link is blue...like I said, I'm a low tech girl!)
If you want to earn a little money, you can sign up for ad-sense. I haven't done so just for the fact that I want full control of what goes on my blog, and until I have enough viewers to warrant me letting companies display ads on there, I will wait.
There are other things you can change, like the background, how your posts are laid out, etc. but I think playing around with it will help you more than me ending up making you more confused than when you got on here! There is something that I would like to tell you about though, and it comes under:
3. Figure out how you want your blog to look:
There are different themes you can have through blogger, but they just aren't quite as fun as: http://thecutestblogontheblock.com/, where you can get free backgrounds and banners for blogger, and I believe for WordPress as well. Thankfully I don't have to give a long tutorial on it since they give fairly detailed instructions on how to use it (hey, if I can do it, you can!). Just one tip: it's best to copy and paste near the bottom of the layout of your blog (this sentence will make more sense once you read their instructions.) This site is just my suggestion, feel free to get as creative as you like!
4. Have fun!
Explore blogger, check out other blogs for inspiration, and have fun writing whatever it is that you are passionate about! Don't worry about how many views you have (at least not too much...I tend to look a lot). If you share on Facebook when you write a new post, it will remind your viewers to go and check your blog. If you have questions, feel free to comment below...happy blogging!
Sunday, November 24, 2013
What I'm Thankful For: The Thankfulness Series Pt.5
Tonight in the lady's Bible study we read 2 Samuel 22 which is David's psalm of praise to God. We are following the life of David, so it was just God's perfect timing that we studied this chapter the week of Thanksgiving. I love David's psalms and this one is no exception, and I hope you go and read it for yourself!
The thing I am most thankful for is my Savior and my God. Following a psalm-like format, I've tried writing my own psalm of praise and thanksgiving to God. As our pastor's wife pointed out tonight, God is such a personal God, and He certainly is to me. This is why I'm so thankful for Him:
God is my Salvation, the One in whom I've put my trust
He is my provider, when I need Him, or even when I think I don't,
He is my rock of stability when the world seems to spin out of control
God is my great redeemer, the One who gave his son for me
He carries me when I am weak, helps me to my feet
And allows me to continue the race
God is my comforter, the One who sees me always
He gives me joy and peace in the hard times
And guides me when I go astray
How I love you Lord!
I pray your praise will continually be on my lips
I am nothing without you, and when you are with me I can do anything
I am so thankful for who you are
Monday, November 18, 2013
What I'm Thankful For: The Thankfulness Series Pt. 4
After a weekend long mini conference, today I am thankful for the everyone in our youth group. They are definitely like a second family, and even though I may get frustrated with a few of them at times, you better not hurt any of them (don't even try, because I can hit the unfriend button so fast you won't even know what hit you)!
I get so thankful for the ones who are getting involved in other areas of the church besides youth group. I see them making such good decisions and they have such passion for wanting to follow Christ! I love getting to disciple them and getting to see them grow in Christ. Keep up the good work!
I still love the ones that can't seem to keep themselves awake during Sunday School, or just flat out are making wrong decisions in their lives. My husband and I try our hardest to help them make right decisions, but we only get them for a few hours each week. By the way, if you are a mom or dad of a teenager, never say that it's the youth pastor's fault, or that it's our turn to raise your kids!! We can only do so much, whereas you have so many opportunities to make decisions, and to raise them so that they will follow Christ(Proverbs 22:6).
Basically, I love my youth group, and am so thankful that God gave me the kids that are there. I know I only get them for a few years, but I pray that through God's help my husband and I can make a difference in their lives, and that they see good examples in our lives as well. I pray that we continue to live for Christ, so that they will want to follow in our footsteps.
Monday, November 11, 2013
What I'm Thankful For: The Thankfulness Series Pt. 3
God has blessed me with the greatest family in the world. When I was a kid (and even to this day) my Pawpaw (that's Texan for Grandpa) would tell me how blessed I was to be brought up in my family, and how there was no other family as great. Granted, to say he was being a little prideful of his family would be an understatement, and unfortunately that has made a few eyes roll and misunderstandings, but he is right about one thing, I am blessed to have been brought up in my family, and later a family I married in to (believe it or not, there are families who are just as great, if not greater!).
Sometimes we may look at our families and think, 'I have to be thankful for them?! I know way too much about them to actually like them. They get on my nerves!!'
Do you know (even if it's not always verbal) that they love you? Be thankful.
(If it's your parents) Did they provide for you as a kid, and now encourage you as an adult? Be thankful.
Does the person annoy you because they care? Be thankful.
If you don't have a family who loves or cares, there is a Heavenly Father who, if you have trusted in Him, has adopted you and calls you his own! He has given us an even bigger family, and they can be found in our local churches. Perhaps you do have a loving family. Do you see someone who doesn't have a loving home to go to for the holidays (and other days as well!)? Invite them over, and let them join in!
We can be thankful for our families, whether they are the ones who are physically kin or spiritually kin. Sometimes family can be the hardest people to live with, and yet where would you be without them? Seriously, you wouldn't be here! So be thankful!
Monday, November 4, 2013
What I'm Thankful for: The Thankfulness Series Pt. 2
The person I would like to spotlight today...wait for it...is my hubby!! The greatest husband any wife could ask for! It's also his birthday this week, so I thought he would be a good person to start off the 'What I'm thankful for' posts. This smart, handsome, amazing guy is all mine (so back off ladies!)...actually he is all God's and knows that, which is why I love him so much. In all seriousness though, he has often told me that 'I love you the most, after Jesus', and that marrying me was the greatest thing to happen to him, after salvation. This guy has got his priorities straight, and when looking for a future husband/wife those are things you should be looking for!
Not only am I thankful that his priorities are in the right place, but I am also thankful for his leadership in our home. He initiates the Bible reading we do in the evenings, and he leads us in prayer (I do it every once in a while). He makes financial decisions and pays the bills, and even though he makes the final decisions on things, he always wants my input, and listens to me...which brings me to the next thing...
He listens to me even though I talk his ears off!! I will say though, I warned him the first time we ever sent messages back and forth over Facebook (we had an interesting long distance courtship...if you would like to know the full story, just let me know!). Thankfully he hasn't seemed to get tired of me talking, which is good, because I have a hard time stopping!
There are so many more things I could talk about (like how fun it is to watch Doctor Who together and then use phrases from the show in front of people that have absolutely no idea what we are talking about!) but there are clothes to be washed, a kitchen to be cleaned, a floor to be vacuumed, etc., etc. so I will just end by saying that my husband is amazing, and I am so thankful God gave him to me!
Saturday, November 2, 2013
Being Thankful
Halloween candy is now being sold for 50% off, and Christmas wreaths now don the shelves that once held costumes. I absolutely love this time of year, the music, the weather, getting to wear big bulky sweaters, you get the picture, however, even though I am just as bad as the rest when it comes skipping November and wanting to head right on over to Christmas, now is a good time to step back and take inventory of all the wonderful blessings God has given us.Of course, I believe that we should be thankful 365 days of the year(Ephesians 5:20), but if you haven't started being thankful, now is always a good time!
One of my piano students told me 'It's November, I love November, it's my favorite month! Do you know why?' I expected him to say it was because of his birthday, football weather, or something centered around him, but he answered 'I like it because it's a time that we all give thanks to God for the things he does for us!' Someone is raising him right! He really put me to shame, because I might have said the reason I love November is because Starbucks serves lattes in Christmas cups! The thing about being thankful, is that you realize how big and great God is, and how small we are. It isn't about us, it's about him, and for that reason:
It's not easy!
Psalm 116:17 says 'I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord.' The Psalmist calls thanksgiving a sacrifice! Why? Because saying that it was because of God's grace you received something, and not something you independently did it is a hard thing to admit sometimes! When I play the piano, I love pats on the back, but it isn't me...it's God giving me the strength, the talent (although some may say that's debatable!), and the courage to get up and play before the church. I am just an instrument for God, and I need to be thankful that I am being used by him to minister to others. Another thing about thankfulness, is that:It is something we should do all the time...and in all circumstances!
This is something that is also hard to do! You may say, you don't know what I am going through! I have lost someone, lost my job, my savings, etc., so how can I be thankful for that?! Since I feel like I've had a pretty easy life so far, I can't imagine what you might be going through, but there was a man in the Bible who lost everything. He lost his job, his friends, and almost his life on several occasions! He was beaten, thrown in prison, shipwrecked, and stoned until people thought he was dead. His name was Paul, and he wrote these words to a church (while he was most likely in prison):'Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ' (Ephesians 5:20, also similar words in I Thessalonians 5:18). How could he say this? Because no matter what you are going through, if you are a child of God, then you can be thankful for his salvation, and perhaps you can use what you are going through to help someone else in the future. I know that it is tough, and it's hard to even think about, but it's true.
From now until the end of the month I will try my best to post once or twice weekly about things I am thankful for. Feel free to comment about things that you would like to thank God for as well!
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Benefits of Homeschooling
I was homeschooled from pre-k to graduation, and I'm here to write a post from the homeschooler's perspective! Okay, please stay calm, because I am not going to bash public school, or say that homeschooling is the only way to go. I know there are some bad homeschool situations, and there are some wonderful public schools (my husband teaches at a great one!). I was asked to talk about the benefits of homeschooling from my point of view, with the key words being, my point of view. Each homeschool experience is unique, and is one of the things I like about it. I plan on homeschooling my kids in the future, but I don't think you are doing it wrong if you don't. It's your decision!
So, benefits of homeschooling:
#1. Socialization: What! You thought that homeschoolers have no socialization skills or opportunaties?! Like I said before, every person's experience (and personality!) is different. I know a family that lives quite a ways from town, and only hangs out with people at church and at home with their immediate and extended family. I also know a family who homeschooled because they travel and sing at so many places, and this gives them the opportunity to get to know hundreds and hundreds of people. I wasn't involved in sports or anything (first, because I hated playing sports, and second, because my parents have 6 kids and driving 6 different kids to all different sports events can be a nightmare) but I have always been outgoing, and as a teenager was super involved with our local homeschool association group. I love the fact that I have friends that are 17 and friends who are 60, and that it was that way for me growing up. It didn't matter the age, and I never was intimidated (however, I was taught to respect my elders) by 'grown-ups'.
#2. Having curriculum that fit me:
When I was a teenager I loved, loved, loved to write. I would write poems, short stories and even start (only finished two) novels. My mom caught on to my love for writing and found an English curriculum that taught me everything an 11th grader need to learn while getting to write a novel! Math and I never saw eye to eye, but because Mom saw my love for literature and history, she allowed me to read biographies and historical literature, and only lightly use stuffy textbooks (My brother, on the other hand doesn't think textbooks are stuffy, and actually quite likes them, so another instance where we got curriculum that fit us!). Actually being able to read literature and biographies for history caused me to have a greater love for it, and I still enjoy watching documentaries and reading about history (and squeal when the doctor goes back in time!).
#3. The lack of bullies and negative socialization:
I have a friend who's son is dealing with teasing and bullying at school, and it makes me so thankful to have been homeschooled. I'm not saying that my life was perfect, because when I was a teenager I did go through the normal 'be friends with a group of girls who talk about you behind your back, or who love to create drama whenever possible' stage, but what I went through was pretty minor compared to some. I also heard the 'sex talk' from my mom, and not from young teenage girls who know way too much, and yet so little.
#4. Having God be the center of our schooling:
It was because of a homeschool Bible lesson at the age of 6 that I accepted Jesus as my Savior, and every morning we continued to study, learn and grow as a Christian.
These are just a few of the reasons I loved homeschooling. Like I said before, everyone has their own unique experiences and opinions. These are mine, and I hope it helped you perhaps see it in a different light, or be encouraged as a homeschool mom to know that hey, maybe this homeschooling thing will work out after all. Hope this helped and blessed!
Oh, and one of my favorite videos from Blimey Cow about homeschoolers!
So, benefits of homeschooling:
#1. Socialization: What! You thought that homeschoolers have no socialization skills or opportunaties?! Like I said before, every person's experience (and personality!) is different. I know a family that lives quite a ways from town, and only hangs out with people at church and at home with their immediate and extended family. I also know a family who homeschooled because they travel and sing at so many places, and this gives them the opportunity to get to know hundreds and hundreds of people. I wasn't involved in sports or anything (first, because I hated playing sports, and second, because my parents have 6 kids and driving 6 different kids to all different sports events can be a nightmare) but I have always been outgoing, and as a teenager was super involved with our local homeschool association group. I love the fact that I have friends that are 17 and friends who are 60, and that it was that way for me growing up. It didn't matter the age, and I never was intimidated (however, I was taught to respect my elders) by 'grown-ups'.
#2. Having curriculum that fit me:
When I was a teenager I loved, loved, loved to write. I would write poems, short stories and even start (only finished two) novels. My mom caught on to my love for writing and found an English curriculum that taught me everything an 11th grader need to learn while getting to write a novel! Math and I never saw eye to eye, but because Mom saw my love for literature and history, she allowed me to read biographies and historical literature, and only lightly use stuffy textbooks (My brother, on the other hand doesn't think textbooks are stuffy, and actually quite likes them, so another instance where we got curriculum that fit us!). Actually being able to read literature and biographies for history caused me to have a greater love for it, and I still enjoy watching documentaries and reading about history (and squeal when the doctor goes back in time!).
#3. The lack of bullies and negative socialization:
I have a friend who's son is dealing with teasing and bullying at school, and it makes me so thankful to have been homeschooled. I'm not saying that my life was perfect, because when I was a teenager I did go through the normal 'be friends with a group of girls who talk about you behind your back, or who love to create drama whenever possible' stage, but what I went through was pretty minor compared to some. I also heard the 'sex talk' from my mom, and not from young teenage girls who know way too much, and yet so little.
#4. Having God be the center of our schooling:
It was because of a homeschool Bible lesson at the age of 6 that I accepted Jesus as my Savior, and every morning we continued to study, learn and grow as a Christian.
These are just a few of the reasons I loved homeschooling. Like I said before, everyone has their own unique experiences and opinions. These are mine, and I hope it helped you perhaps see it in a different light, or be encouraged as a homeschool mom to know that hey, maybe this homeschooling thing will work out after all. Hope this helped and blessed!
Oh, and one of my favorite videos from Blimey Cow about homeschoolers!
Monday, October 14, 2013
Blog Post #30 and 2000 views!!
Actually it's about 1,900 views, but I figured it was close enough to do a special post! I want to first say thank you to all who have taken the time to read my blog. My goal in these blog posts is for your walk with God to become stronger and closer (and to perhaps help you with some recipe ideas from time to time)!
So...there is a surprise in this post. You decide the next topic! You can comment on my Facebook wall, or comment on this post any topic, or any question you may have. I will then randomly choose (put your questions/names in a hat or something) the topic and then blog about it in the next post.
I would prefer the questions or topics to be of a biblical nature, however, if you want to ask questions about what it's like being a youth pastor's wife, my life in Thailand, or even about daily routine, etc., ask away.
I can't wait to see what questions you may have!
So...there is a surprise in this post. You decide the next topic! You can comment on my Facebook wall, or comment on this post any topic, or any question you may have. I will then randomly choose (put your questions/names in a hat or something) the topic and then blog about it in the next post.
I would prefer the questions or topics to be of a biblical nature, however, if you want to ask questions about what it's like being a youth pastor's wife, my life in Thailand, or even about daily routine, etc., ask away.
I can't wait to see what questions you may have!
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Everything Rides on Hope Now
I've heard the song 'Hope Now' by Addison Road many, many times, but the other day something really stood out to me. My name is Hope, and I heard the phrase, 'everything rides on hope, now' and thought 'what if everything rode on me and what I did?' Basically that would be horrible. But thankfully I don't have to worry about going through life alone, because things aren't riding on my performance, my abilities, or my power. God is in control, and he will never make you or me face things alone. I know this post might be short, but my goal is for you to be encouraged and know that whatever you may be going through right now, if you have a personal relationship with Jesus, you don't have to go through it by yourself.
Here are some verses to take comfort from:
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
Be bold and courageous to share the gospel with others, and do what God has called you to do, because God will be there with you and for you!
The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. Psalm 28:7
I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13
Be Courageous! Be Encouraged! Those who trust in Jesus Christ can gain comfort, a shield, and strength, because not only is He on your side, but He is with you!
Here are some verses to take comfort from:
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
Be bold and courageous to share the gospel with others, and do what God has called you to do, because God will be there with you and for you!
The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. Psalm 28:7
I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13
Be Courageous! Be Encouraged! Those who trust in Jesus Christ can gain comfort, a shield, and strength, because not only is He on your side, but He is with you!
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Look what I did!
Facebook has given me a lot of inspiration for blog posts, and today is no exception. This month is pastor appreciation month, and I encourage you to do something for your pastor (and his wife!) to show how much they mean to you. Unfortunately the person on Facebook decided to do something for their pastor and to post in great detail what they were going to do. It really felt like they were saying 'Please! Look at me and see all the wonderful things I'm going to do, because, if I'm going to do a good deed, I would like to get as much praise from it as I can'.
Now I want to say first off, that doing good things for people is wonderful! It is also human nature to want a pat on the back when we get done, but it's not God's way of doing a good deed. You see, as a Christian, if we do a good deed for others to praise us, then we are doing it for all the wrong reasons! We are supposed to be doing everything for the honor and glory of God (I Corinthians 10:31)
Jesus talked about this in his 'Sermon on the Mount'. He was talking about a people group called the Pharisees, who looked religious on the outside, but were very evil on the inside. This is not saying that those who let people know of their good deeds are evil, actually they are probably doing it with good intentions, I am just stating the fact that it's not God's way of doing things. I must admit, I've told people what I've done a time or two, so I could get recognition, but when I did that, I was doing the good deed for the praise, and not for God anymore.
Jesus said:
'Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.'
Jesus said that when we let others know what we have done, then we get our reward then and there. If we wait for a heavenly reward, how much sweeter will it be! So the next time you want to support a missionary, help your pastor, volunteer at a homeless shelter, or when you want to fast, or be in prayer, don't be quick to let everyone know what you are doing (I mean, if you are trying to raise awareness for a cause, I understand that you want to let people know about it, but it doesn't mean you have to have an attitude of 'look what I've done'). Do good for Christ, and let him be the reward-er! If it seems like you will never get your reward, remember this verse:
'And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.'
Galatians 6:9
Now I want to say first off, that doing good things for people is wonderful! It is also human nature to want a pat on the back when we get done, but it's not God's way of doing a good deed. You see, as a Christian, if we do a good deed for others to praise us, then we are doing it for all the wrong reasons! We are supposed to be doing everything for the honor and glory of God (I Corinthians 10:31)
Jesus talked about this in his 'Sermon on the Mount'. He was talking about a people group called the Pharisees, who looked religious on the outside, but were very evil on the inside. This is not saying that those who let people know of their good deeds are evil, actually they are probably doing it with good intentions, I am just stating the fact that it's not God's way of doing things. I must admit, I've told people what I've done a time or two, so I could get recognition, but when I did that, I was doing the good deed for the praise, and not for God anymore.
Jesus said:
'Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.'
Jesus said that when we let others know what we have done, then we get our reward then and there. If we wait for a heavenly reward, how much sweeter will it be! So the next time you want to support a missionary, help your pastor, volunteer at a homeless shelter, or when you want to fast, or be in prayer, don't be quick to let everyone know what you are doing (I mean, if you are trying to raise awareness for a cause, I understand that you want to let people know about it, but it doesn't mean you have to have an attitude of 'look what I've done'). Do good for Christ, and let him be the reward-er! If it seems like you will never get your reward, remember this verse:
'And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.'
Galatians 6:9
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Being a Mary in a Martha World
At the church I attend, not only am I the youth pastor's wife, but I'm also the pianist. When I first started playing for the church I would get extremely nervous, cringe over every missed placed note, and just the other night I became completely embarrassed when I started out in the wrong key (in my defense, it was one of those songs that ended in a 'alternate choir ending' in a higher key)! I really want to get it perfect, because I am playing for so many people, oh yes, and for God.
Before I ended the 'back to the basics' series, I felt led to talk about Mary and Martha in this post.
Luke 10: 38-42 says:
Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
So, let's delve into this story by looking at these two ladies.
But what about Mary? Wasn't she slacking for not being as busy for the Lord as Martha?
As Christians we are all about being busy for God, and sometimes we confuse being busy for God for being more mature spiritually. Even though serving on the Sunday School committee, volunteering for community service, and hosting a ladies' Christmas party may be wonderful things to be involved in, don't let it distract you from the most important things, worshiping God, reading His word, and prayer. We need to be still (Psalm 46:10), sit at His feet, and get to know more about our wonderful Savior, Jesus!
Before I ended the 'back to the basics' series, I felt led to talk about Mary and Martha in this post.
Luke 10: 38-42 says:
Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
So, let's delve into this story by looking at these two ladies.
Martha
I think we can all relate to Martha, I mean, wouldn't you want to make sure the house was clean, the best meal prepared, and eaten on the best china, if you knew that Jesus was coming to your house? I get very wrapped up in making sure the house is clean for even my ten year old piano students! There is nothing wrong with Martha wanting her house to look nice and welcoming, but something happened to Martha. She got distracted (v. 40). She got so wrapped up with making sure that things were perfect, that she forgot the reason Jesus came! When I want all my my notes to be perfect, I forget the reason I'm playing them!But what about Mary? Wasn't she slacking for not being as busy for the Lord as Martha?
Mary
When Mary was first introduced it said that she was sitting at Jesus' feet listening to His teachings. She acknowledged Jesus' wisdom, and understood 'one thing is necessary'. Mary wasn't worried or distracted with all the little things that needed to be done to make everything 'perfect'. She just wanted to be still and know Jesus better.As Christians we are all about being busy for God, and sometimes we confuse being busy for God for being more mature spiritually. Even though serving on the Sunday School committee, volunteering for community service, and hosting a ladies' Christmas party may be wonderful things to be involved in, don't let it distract you from the most important things, worshiping God, reading His word, and prayer. We need to be still (Psalm 46:10), sit at His feet, and get to know more about our wonderful Savior, Jesus!
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Back to the Basics: Giving
I believe this will be the last post for the Back to the Basics series. If you missed any of them, you can go here: http://ayouthpastorswife.blogspot.com/search/label/Back%20to%20the%20Basics%20Series, and check it out! The reason this series is called back to the basics, is because the topics are a little on the 'no duh' side. We all know to pray, go to church, and we all know to give! There are a few things that are important to realize when giving, like:
This verse is pretty self explanatory, and when we give cheerfully, God will bless us(Luke 6:38)! It may not be exactly in our time frame, and maybe not even until we get to Heaven, but He will bless us. When I give cheerfully, I see God work in my life, and I have seen him bless me so much. The blessings might not always be immediate, but you will be so glad you obeyed God and gave back to Him.
If you give to your church and missionaries, you can be a part of what God is doing through them! Who knows who might come to know Christ because you decided to give!
Nothing belongs to us!
When you get your paycheck, it's hard to see part of it go, when you can think of all the things you could buy with it. When the church has a work day on Saturday, it's hard to give it up, when you can think of all the things you could do with that day. Why is it so hard? It may be because as humans we love to be in control and in ownership of our own lives, time and money. As Christians we have no reason to worry, since God is in control and knows what's best for our lives, but we do, and I think it's because we are grasping at having control. What we have to realize, is that it's not our life, our time, or our money to begin with (Psalm 24:1, James 1:17), it's God's. When we give up our time and money, we are only giving back what is already His.Do I have to give money?
One time the missionary at the church I was attending, was teaching on tithes and offerings, and was stressing the importance of giving God at least 10% of what we are paid. A lady that was not very well to do raised her hand and asked that if she didn't have very much money, couldn't she just wait and give when she did have money? His answer was thought provoking, if your employer told you, I don't have enough money for your salary this month, can I just pay you when I have enough money? It may be difficult, but if we are given money, it's God's and the best thing we can do is to give some back to him!(Matt. 6:19-21) Especially in America, money takes prominence in everything. It is our god, our idol, and in the verses in Matthew 6, it shows us that whatever we make our treasure, there our hearts will be(Matt. 6:24). If God is our treasure, then we will give to back to Him to show where our treasure lies. This is why that just giving time, or just giving your talent (although good things to give!) is not enough(Prov. 3:9-10).God loves a cheerful giver
That phrase comes from this verse: Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7This verse is pretty self explanatory, and when we give cheerfully, God will bless us(Luke 6:38)! It may not be exactly in our time frame, and maybe not even until we get to Heaven, but He will bless us. When I give cheerfully, I see God work in my life, and I have seen him bless me so much. The blessings might not always be immediate, but you will be so glad you obeyed God and gave back to Him.
If you give to your church and missionaries, you can be a part of what God is doing through them! Who knows who might come to know Christ because you decided to give!
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Back to the Basics: Going to Church
Note: Much of this post has been inspired by this article: http://bible-truth.org/whyatten.htm. Even though it may seem long, it is very good and will go into more detail than I will here.
It's Sunday Morning and you look at the alarm and gasp to see that it's already 8:30! You rush around trying to get ready, while you really wish you were back in bed sleeping, or perhaps outside in the beautiful sunshine, or maybe in the living room feet propped and watching TV. You do like the preacher, and the Sunday School class that you have, so you speed out the door and head out to church. After church you grab a lunch and settle on the couch, begin to dose and don't wake up until late in the afternoon. Whoops, you overslept, but that's okay, because Sunday night isn't as big of a thing; people will understand that, besides anyone hardly ever goes.
As you know I am the youth pastor's wife, and on Sunday Mornings we run about 15 students (sometimes up to 20!). On Sunday nights, we have been quite excited to have 4 or 5, since for the longest time, we had only 2 students who were faithful Sunday Night goers. I tell you this to say, that there is a great difference and decline in those who attend Sunday Morning and those who attend Sunday Night. I have this feeling that they feel like Sunday night isn't that big of a priority. Let's delve into this issue by first looking into a well known verse on attending church:
19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Church isn't all about me
What! Yes, Church isn't for just sitting on a pew soaking in a message and going home. It's for 'stirring up one another to love and good works...encouraging one another'. When you skip out on church, you are basically saying that you don't care about other believers and their relationship with Christ. I often get caught up in staying in my little sphere, but Christ calls me to be intentional in helping others love and do good works.This is why just watching a church service on TV doesn't cut it. Church isn't about the building, the sermon (although, going to a church where the true gospel is preached and sermons are biblically correct is extremely important), or the carpet, it's about fellowship and encouraging fellow believers.
Sunday and Wednesday Nights are important too!
'Not neglecting to meet together' isn't talking about just Sunday mornings (although Sunday Mornings are very important!). You see, the way you live your life is all about priorities. If you watch TV instead of going to church on Sunday nights, then you are saying that TV is more important than church. You may not think it's a big deal, but remember that people are watching you. What you make as a priority will be watched by the saved and unsaved alike (and I think most importantly, your children). We have been bought and paid for by the precious blood of Christ (Heb. 10:-21) and we should want to 'draw near in assurance of faith...and not neglect to meet together'.If you would like to learn more about the church, and how it functions, 1 Corinthians is a great book to read. My challenge is, will you make a commitment to attend church every time there is a scheduled meeting? This is not something that God calls someone to do, but He commands it!
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Back to the Basics: Studying the Bible
I am not going to lie to you...I love books! The feel of them in my hands, the ability to travel to unknown lands, and time periods: you get the picture. However, when it comes to the greatest book known to mankind, the Bible, I struggle to sit down for 30 minutes and read it. Why is that? I think it has something to do with this verse:
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work"
(2 Timothy 3:16-17)
Reproof? Correction? Ouch! I think this is one of the main reasons that it is hard to read the Bible: It convicts you! The Bible is exciting, no doubt about that, and if you get a translation like the NLT, it even makes it much easier to understand what the Bible is saying. So how does one go about getting better at studying the Bible? Here are some things I've found helpful:
Although that might be a fun thing to do one day, it is not ideal in the least. If your Bible study consists of doing that, then you are missing out on context and better understanding of what you are reading. Context is a big issue with reading the Bible; it divides denominations, and theologies. My suggestion is to start with a book, perhaps John or Romans, and go from there. My husband and I use YouVersion on our iphones to read the Bible in a year. This is a great way to get through the whole Bible, and it helps from wondering 'What should I read next?'
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work"
(2 Timothy 3:16-17)
Reproof? Correction? Ouch! I think this is one of the main reasons that it is hard to read the Bible: It convicts you! The Bible is exciting, no doubt about that, and if you get a translation like the NLT, it even makes it much easier to understand what the Bible is saying. So how does one go about getting better at studying the Bible? Here are some things I've found helpful:
Set aside a time for just you and God
I really love my husband's and my time with God. We read the Bible to ourselves from the Old Testament, read out loud to each other from the New, and the Psalms and Proverbs. This way we hold each other accountable, and we can also talk about what struck us the most. We also have a certain time we do it: before going to bed. Jesus spent time with God in the mornings(Mark 1:35) but I think that not all people are coherent enough at that time. Set aside a time that is the best for you, where you can give God all your attention and focus on Him. Also, if you are just starting, you may want to time yourself, or set aside so many chapters to read until you get in the habit. This brings me to my next tip:Have a plan
'I read the Bible, I just close my eyes and stick my finger in a place, open and read!'Although that might be a fun thing to do one day, it is not ideal in the least. If your Bible study consists of doing that, then you are missing out on context and better understanding of what you are reading. Context is a big issue with reading the Bible; it divides denominations, and theologies. My suggestion is to start with a book, perhaps John or Romans, and go from there. My husband and I use YouVersion on our iphones to read the Bible in a year. This is a great way to get through the whole Bible, and it helps from wondering 'What should I read next?'
Let the transformation begin!
Warning: Read 2 Timothy 3:16-17 again. You will be changed! When God pricks your heart and you are called to live a life more pleasing to Him, do it! Yes it will convict, reprove,correct, discipline, but it will also teach you to be 'competent, equipped for every good work'. Don't let conviction keep you from reading the Bible. A true child of God will want to become more like the Christ that gave His live for them, reading the Bible and doing what it says will help you do just that!Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Back to the Basics: Prayer
Prayer is often seen as asking things of God, as one would Santa Clause: 'Please give me a new car, help me land a job interview, please give me a girlfriend/boyfriend, etc' are often the prayers we pray. Today, I would like to hopefully show that there is more to just asking God for the the things you want. Now, I am only going to be scratching the surface of the subject of prayer. Prayer should include thanksgiving (Psalm 95:2-3), and acknowledgment of who God is(Matt. 6:9). Jesus teaches us how to pray in Matt. 6:5-15, and the Bible also gives us an example of one of Christ's own prayers in John 17. I encourage you to go and read those verses, but today I am going to examine one particular verse on prayer, James 5:1b.
However, I do believe that we can go further to say that to have an effective prayer we need to be in God's will. We see a great example of this in Acts 4: 23-31. We see here that the church members prayed for boldness not for the persecution to stop, or for their lives to be all peachy but for the courage to stand up and proclaim the name of Jesus. We see that in verse 31 that prayer was heard and granted. You see, if I am in God's word (more on that in the next post) and striving to live in His will, then I am going to ask for things that are in accordance to His will. When Jesus was about to go to the cross he asked that only if it be in God's will that the cup be passed from him. If Jesus sought God's will above all else, then we should certainly do the same!
When I think of fervent, I also think of, repetitive; not in that we say the same prayer over and over again, until the meaning is lost, but in that we go to God and make our request known to him often. Jesus gives an example of a lady who goes to court wanting justice done. The judge doesn't listen at first, but after great persistence, gives in. Jesus ends the parable by saying that even though the judge was unjust, he still gave the lady justice because of her persistence 'So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night?' (Luke 18:2-8)
So in other words, for our prayers to be effective, we should passionately lay our requests before God, doing so from a heart that yearns to do His will above all else.
"The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."
Righteous Man (or Woman!)
Are you a righteous man/woman? First off, 'none is righteous no not one' Rom. 3:10. What?! Paul was saying this to show that it didn't matter what nationality we are, we are all equals in that we've all sinned and can never be righteous according to the law. Thankfully Christ died for us so that we could be made righteous in his sight (Rom. 3:22). This means that to have an effective prayer, you must first be saved.However, I do believe that we can go further to say that to have an effective prayer we need to be in God's will. We see a great example of this in Acts 4: 23-31. We see here that the church members prayed for boldness not for the persecution to stop, or for their lives to be all peachy but for the courage to stand up and proclaim the name of Jesus. We see that in verse 31 that prayer was heard and granted. You see, if I am in God's word (more on that in the next post) and striving to live in His will, then I am going to ask for things that are in accordance to His will. When Jesus was about to go to the cross he asked that only if it be in God's will that the cup be passed from him. If Jesus sought God's will above all else, then we should certainly do the same!
Fervent
Fervent is defined as 'exhibiting or marked by great intensity of feeling', in other words, passionate. How many times have we talked to God and said the exact same words as we did the last time we talked to Him? If we again, look at how Jesus talked to God before going to the cross, we see such passion and intensity of feeling exhibited by him (Hebrews 5:7)(Luke 22:44). When is the last time you literally cried out to God, and wept over your sins, or over the thing/person you were praying for?When I think of fervent, I also think of, repetitive; not in that we say the same prayer over and over again, until the meaning is lost, but in that we go to God and make our request known to him often. Jesus gives an example of a lady who goes to court wanting justice done. The judge doesn't listen at first, but after great persistence, gives in. Jesus ends the parable by saying that even though the judge was unjust, he still gave the lady justice because of her persistence 'So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night?' (Luke 18:2-8)
So in other words, for our prayers to be effective, we should passionately lay our requests before God, doing so from a heart that yearns to do His will above all else.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Back to the Basics: The Gospel
My Story...
It was a day in April, 1996, that my life was changed forever. My mom was teaching about Jesus' death in our homeschool Bible study and even though I had been to church and Sunday School all of my six years I suddenly became very inquisitive. I don't remember the questions, but I remember there were a lot of them. My next memory is of that night laying in bed with a feeling like a hammer hitting my heart. I sat up. I knew what I had to do. I realized right then and there that if I died I would go to Hell, and I certainly didn't want to go there! My sister asked me some sort of question, and I told her to be quiet, because I was going to get saved. I don't remember the exact words I said, but since I grew up in a Christian family I'm sure it was along the lines of asking Jesus to forgive my sins and come live in my heart. I didn't understand much, but I understood that I did bad things and that Jesus died for those bad things so that I didn't have to pay for them, if I accepted Him, He would let me live with Him one day.
Like I said, I don't remember a whole lot, but I do remember that there was no burden on my heart anymore. I know that I no longer was in fear of dying, and I didn't want to do those bad things anymore because I was living for Jesus now!
I have doubted my salvation many times since then, but when I do I go back to that day in my mind, and I remember that I was no longer the same. I see how much Jesus has worked in my life, and know.
I Timothy 2:4-6 (NLT)
'Who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time'
Do you feel like there is no point in life? Let me introduce you to Jesus. Do you feel like you're a slave to your sin? There is a man who gave His life to purchase freedom for everyone, and His name is Jesus! Have you already accepted the gift of salvation? Tell someone else about Jesus!
You may ask: But there are so many other religions and beliefs out there, so how do you know that Jesus is the true way? I know because I once was lost but now I'm found...was blind but now I see!
It was a day in April, 1996, that my life was changed forever. My mom was teaching about Jesus' death in our homeschool Bible study and even though I had been to church and Sunday School all of my six years I suddenly became very inquisitive. I don't remember the questions, but I remember there were a lot of them. My next memory is of that night laying in bed with a feeling like a hammer hitting my heart. I sat up. I knew what I had to do. I realized right then and there that if I died I would go to Hell, and I certainly didn't want to go there! My sister asked me some sort of question, and I told her to be quiet, because I was going to get saved. I don't remember the exact words I said, but since I grew up in a Christian family I'm sure it was along the lines of asking Jesus to forgive my sins and come live in my heart. I didn't understand much, but I understood that I did bad things and that Jesus died for those bad things so that I didn't have to pay for them, if I accepted Him, He would let me live with Him one day.
Like I said, I don't remember a whole lot, but I do remember that there was no burden on my heart anymore. I know that I no longer was in fear of dying, and I didn't want to do those bad things anymore because I was living for Jesus now!
I have doubted my salvation many times since then, but when I do I go back to that day in my mind, and I remember that I was no longer the same. I see how much Jesus has worked in my life, and know.
I Timothy 2:4-6 (NLT)
'Who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time'
Do you feel like there is no point in life? Let me introduce you to Jesus. Do you feel like you're a slave to your sin? There is a man who gave His life to purchase freedom for everyone, and His name is Jesus! Have you already accepted the gift of salvation? Tell someone else about Jesus!
You may ask: But there are so many other religions and beliefs out there, so how do you know that Jesus is the true way? I know because I once was lost but now I'm found...was blind but now I see!
Friday, August 9, 2013
Ruth and Boaz: The Wedding
If you are new to my blog, I've written a few posts about relationships and if you would like to read them go to 'lables' and click on relationships.
We see that Ruth and Boaz's relationship:
Put God First
In the first part of the chapter we see that even though Boaz loves Ruth, he still obeys the law by seeking out the closer relative, and conducting the transaction just as the law commanded (Ruth 4:1-9, Lev. 25:29). Sometimes putting God first isn't easy, but when you start your relationship that way it makes it so much sweeter. (I write more about this in: http://ayouthpastorswife.blogspot.com/2013/02/jesus-comes-first.html)
Stayed Pure
In chapter 3 we see that even though Ruth had made herself beautiful and lay in the same room as Boaz, they both remained pure and resisted temptation. Because Boaz was putting God and His law first, Boaz waited and made his marriage a public affair (Ruth 4:10-12). If you don't remain pure in your relationship, this can lead to regrets and heartache, which may not come until after the 'lovey dovey' stage is over.
Were Unselfish
Technically, Ruth's first son would have been claimed for her deceased husband, not Boaz (Ruth 4:10). Boaz could have refused to redeem the land, because it entailed having a child that wasn't able to be claimed as his, also he could have refused because Ruth was a foreigner, but he didn't. When we put our spouse, and others ahead of ourselves, we can have a relationship that acts out 1 Corinthians 13.
Being blissfully in love is a wonderful thing, but a relationship built on a biblical foundation is absolutely beautiful. It will give you a relationship that will last!
Friday, August 2, 2013
Ruth 3: Virtuous Character
I am now back to my Ruth series, and just one more post should finish it up. Ruth 3 has always intrigued me, because Naomi's advice to Ruth seems so strange and bazaar to my 21st century brain. Why would Naomi tell Ruth to go to a man's dwelling and have her propose to him! Wow! Crazy stuff right? But through this chapter we can see 3 types of virtuous character that we all need to have, no matter in what time period we live.
Boaz sounds pretty excited about Ruth's request, when he could have groaned about her lack of money and family background (her being a foreigner). He is honest with her when he tells her that there is another kinsmen redeemer, but gives her a promise and a gift to go home with. In all this we see how Boaz's conduct is honorable and selfless. He could have easily taken advantage of her, or have shooed her away in disgust but he did neither.
How we act in awkward, or bad situations shows how real Christ is in us. As it says in Matthew 5:16 'In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.'
1. Naomi's Selflessness
Naomi really appeared grouchy in chapter one, and who could blame her, right? Well, her wallowing in self pity had caused her to let one of her daughters-in-law go back to a pagan country and to pagan gods. By chapter 3 we see Naomi tell Ruth 'My daughter, should I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you?' Basically she's telling Ruth that she wants to find a more permanent home (marriage) for her so that she wouldn't have to scavenge for food or rely on other people's generosity. What Naomi suggested isn't so bazaar as it might sound once you read Deuteronomy 25:5-10, although it still sounds pretty strange to me, and I am sure to Ruth as well, who wasn't originally from Isreal. This brings me to my next virtuous character:2. Ruth's Courage
Instead of going 'What?' (Imagine this in a minion voice) Ruth says 'All that you say I will do.' That is a pretty courageous thing for her to do! It was something that was lawful, and it was advice given to her by someone she respected, but it still must have been a nerve racking thing to do. When there is something I know that is good to do, or I know is the will of God for me to do, do I do it? Or do I give a million reasons why I shouldn't, or can't because it's something that will make me feel uncomfortable? Joshua 1:7 says to 'be strong and courageous' to do the things God commands.
3. Boaz's Honorableness
Boaz sounds pretty excited about Ruth's request, when he could have groaned about her lack of money and family background (her being a foreigner). He is honest with her when he tells her that there is another kinsmen redeemer, but gives her a promise and a gift to go home with. In all this we see how Boaz's conduct is honorable and selfless. He could have easily taken advantage of her, or have shooed her away in disgust but he did neither. How we act in awkward, or bad situations shows how real Christ is in us. As it says in Matthew 5:16 'In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.'
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Forgiveness
If you have been following my blog you know that I have been talking about Ruth...I would like to get to that perhaps in a future post, but I wanted to write about something that has been on my mind. There may be a few things, so be patient, we will get back to Ruth eventually!
Matthew West wrote a song called forgiveness; here is the first verse:
Matthew West wrote a song called forgiveness; here is the first verse:
It’s the hardest thing to give away
And the last thing on your mind today
It always goes to those that don’t deserve
It’s the opposite of how you feel
When the pain they caused is just too real
It takes everything you have just to say the word…
Forgiveness
Forgiveness
And the last thing on your mind today
It always goes to those that don’t deserve
It’s the opposite of how you feel
When the pain they caused is just too real
It takes everything you have just to say the word…
Forgiveness
Forgiveness
Is there someone who has hurt you physically or emotionally? Every time you hear their name mentioned it gives bad memories and possibly bad feelings that you must battle. I too have had to struggle with forgiving someone that I felt hurt me emotionally a few years back. I heard a sermon the other day (I've heard several lessons and sermons on this subject, but this one inspired me to write this post) which helped me not only put forgiveness in perspective (looking at how much God forgave us)but let me know that forgiving doesn't necessarily mean forgetting.
To forgive someone we must first realize:
This means that although we sin constantly, and do things that hurt God, he doesn't treat us like we have! Because of His love He gave up His only son to be our Savior and remove our sins as far as the east to the west. We don't have to worry about God taking revenge upon us because of past sins, because he has forgiven us and has shown compassion on us.
That should make us realize that no matter what someone does to us, it is no comparison to what we have done to God. We are the reason that He had to give up His son! So if anyone should be holding a grudge, it should be God, but he isn't, so why do we? Please go and read Matthew 18:21-35 to see what Jesus said about forgiveness.
We must put away our pride
To forgive someone we must first realize:
God has forgiven us!
Psalm 103:10-14 says: He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.This means that although we sin constantly, and do things that hurt God, he doesn't treat us like we have! Because of His love He gave up His only son to be our Savior and remove our sins as far as the east to the west. We don't have to worry about God taking revenge upon us because of past sins, because he has forgiven us and has shown compassion on us.
That should make us realize that no matter what someone does to us, it is no comparison to what we have done to God. We are the reason that He had to give up His son! So if anyone should be holding a grudge, it should be God, but he isn't, so why do we? Please go and read Matthew 18:21-35 to see what Jesus said about forgiveness.
We must put away our pride
It flies in the face of all your pride
It moves away the mad inside
It’s always anger’s own worst enemy
Even when the jury and the judge
Say you gotta right to hold a grudge
It’s the whisper in your ear saying ‘Set It Free’
Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Forgiveness, Forgiveness
It moves away the mad inside
It’s always anger’s own worst enemy
Even when the jury and the judge
Say you gotta right to hold a grudge
It’s the whisper in your ear saying ‘Set It Free’
Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Forgiveness, Forgiveness
'It's not me that's wrong, it's him! If anyone should be talking about forgiveness it should be him!' I used to tell myself that, but it doesn't work. The Bible commands that we should forgive (Matthew 18:21-22), and not only that, but it causes our focus to not be on strengthening our relationship with God, but on how best to get that person back. Even if you don't feel revengeful, your thoughts are on the hurt the person has done you (making it to where the focus is on you).
My challenge is that you read the scriptures I've posted on here, pray about forgiveness, and ask God to give you strength to forgive, then, let it go. I have found the best way to help the healing process is by starting to pray for that person. It doesn't mean that it is always easy, which brings me to my final point:
Forgiveness doesn't mean you are deaf, dumb, and blind!
Yes, often the relationship you had with them can never be restored to its former glory, because of the broken trust, but it doesn't mean that you haven't forgiven them. It does mean, however, that you must treat them with love, and if they are Christians then it means you must treat them as a brother or sister in Christ, and if they are not then it means you must show love and forgiveness to them so that they might understand God's forgiveness.
It’ll clear the bitterness away
It can even set a prisoner free
There is no end to what it’s power can do
So, let it go and be amazed
By what you see through eyes of grace
The prisoner that it really frees is you
Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Forgiveness, Forgiveness
It can even set a prisoner free
There is no end to what it’s power can do
So, let it go and be amazed
By what you see through eyes of grace
The prisoner that it really frees is you
Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
For I know the plans...
Last week in Ruth, the first part of chapter 2 we saw how Ruth responded in the situation she was in. This week, we will see how God blessed her because of the way she responded.We left her in a situation of destitution, and loneliness, that she responded to with humility, diligence, and trust. When we get into situations that seem dark and uncertain, we can always remember Jeremiah 29:11:
Are you in a situation that seems dark, and that there is no way out? Struggling to make ends meet? Here are some verses that I hope help you during this time.
Philippians 4:19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Matthew 6:26
Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
My prayer is that you will put your life and situation in God's hands, for he will take care and provide for you better than you ever dreamed.
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope"
If you can, look up Ruth 2:5-23. You will see that God provided for her through a man named Boaz, who, because of her reputation (her willingness to help her mother-in-law, and her diligence to work in the fields), took care of her, provided for her food and safety. I do want you to see that Ruth still had to work for her food, but God provided more than the normal foreigners portion, and safety from anyone harming or bothering her.Are you in a situation that seems dark, and that there is no way out? Struggling to make ends meet? Here are some verses that I hope help you during this time.
Philippians 4:19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Matthew 6:26
Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
My prayer is that you will put your life and situation in God's hands, for he will take care and provide for you better than you ever dreamed.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Very Berry Muffins
When it's springtime in the south, you open your door and the scent of honeysuckle and freshly mowed grass make a sweet smelling mix. The chirping of birds and the humming of bees can be heard if you listen closely. Along my fence there are prickly vines of fat juicy blackberries just calling to be picked. Aside from the storms, I love this time of year when everything is warming up and making everyone want to be outside (unless you have allergies, then you might want to stay inside). This morning I went and picked several of the ripe blackberries dangling from the fence, and then started looking up a healthy recipe to make with them.
So far I've made two blackberry cobblers, and although it tasted great, it was packed with butter and sugar...so, I figured I would try to incorporate some healthier ingredients, that I have around the house. Nothing on pinterest or other internet recipe sites had exactly what I was looking for, so I decided to do what I have wanted to do for a while now, bake something freestyle. I was really nervous about it, to say the least! Getting the flour and milk and so on to be just right to have the right consistency, then to have enough sugar that it wouldn't be too sweet (or not sweet enough), was going to be difficult. I tried, and I succeeded! Really happy about how it turned out, and besides the sugar and white flour, it is really healthy! Here is the recipe for you to try. Let me know what you think!
Enjoy!
So far I've made two blackberry cobblers, and although it tasted great, it was packed with butter and sugar...so, I figured I would try to incorporate some healthier ingredients, that I have around the house. Nothing on pinterest or other internet recipe sites had exactly what I was looking for, so I decided to do what I have wanted to do for a while now, bake something freestyle. I was really nervous about it, to say the least! Getting the flour and milk and so on to be just right to have the right consistency, then to have enough sugar that it wouldn't be too sweet (or not sweet enough), was going to be difficult. I tried, and I succeeded! Really happy about how it turned out, and besides the sugar and white flour, it is really healthy! Here is the recipe for you to try. Let me know what you think!
Berry Muffins
1 1/4 c. self-rising flour
1/2 c. white sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar (I put a couple of handfuls, not much)
1/2 c. whole grain old fashion oats
2 t. cinnamon
1t. vanilla
1 egg
1/4 c. plain fat-free yogurt (to replace butter)
3/4 c. milk
1 1/2 c. berries (I used a mix of blackberries and strawberries)
Pre-heat oven to 350F and spray muffin cups with Non-stick cooking spray that have been placed in a muffin pan. In a mixing bowl, mix together flour, sugar, oats, and cinnamon. Add vanilla, egg, and yogurt, and mix until a little clumpy. Slowly add milk and stir until it's the right consistency then add the berries. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full of mix and bake for about 14 min. Should make about 14 muffins.
Friday, May 24, 2013
How do you respond?
Note: Before you get started reading this post, it would be great if you can read over Ruth 2, the first half (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ruth+2&version=ESV found here). Last week, we looked at how Ruth committed herself to God, and Naomi, and now in Chapter 2 we are seeing how she responds to her situation and how God provides for her because of that commitment.
Last Wednesday in youth, the invitational song was a prayer of commitment saying 'I'll follow you into the world', and I thought about how that so many times I have been scared of committing to God, because I have been nervous about where in the 'world' He may need me to follow him to. You see, when we commit to Christ, He may put us in situations that we may not like. Take Ruth, because of her commitment, she was now in a foreign land, a widow trying to scrape a living for both her and her mother-in-law, and had no prospects of marriage. And yet we see that Ruth responded to this situation with:
We also see that Ruth responded with:
Because of how Ruth responded to her situation in the first half of Ruth 2, we see how God provided for her in the second half. If we respond to bad, or unpleasant situation (really any situation!) then God has a chance to use us, and show us how he can provide.
Last Wednesday in youth, the invitational song was a prayer of commitment saying 'I'll follow you into the world', and I thought about how that so many times I have been scared of committing to God, because I have been nervous about where in the 'world' He may need me to follow him to. You see, when we commit to Christ, He may put us in situations that we may not like. Take Ruth, because of her commitment, she was now in a foreign land, a widow trying to scrape a living for both her and her mother-in-law, and had no prospects of marriage. And yet we see that Ruth responded to this situation with:
Humility (Ruth 2:2)
Ruth asks Naomi if she can go to other people's field and reap the orphan's and foreigner's portion( Deut. 24:19-22). Even though the Israelites were commanded to do so, she states that she will check beforehand to make sure it's okay with them. This shows how humble Ruth is to accept what is the 'poor people's' portion of the harvest.We also see that Ruth responded with:
Trust
Ruth trusted God to provide for her. This is something we can all relate to, since there comes a time when we have to rely on God to take care of our needs, whether physical or spiritual. God saw Ruth through, and he will see you through as well. Sometimes I see a situation and think there is no way out, or no way I can make it through, but God always provides, and I can trust that he will take care of me(Jeremiah 29:11) .Diligence(Ruth 2:7)
Ruth didn't mope or complain, but went about her mission with all her strength. How would the story of Ruth worked out differently, if she had been lazy or moped? Once God has put you in a situation to do something he has called you to do, how do you work at it? Do you complain or do it halfheartedly?Because of how Ruth responded to her situation in the first half of Ruth 2, we see how God provided for her in the second half. If we respond to bad, or unpleasant situation (really any situation!) then God has a chance to use us, and show us how he can provide.
Friday, May 17, 2013
A newlywed's approach to cooking
In high school, I hated cooking. I would have much rather been bent over a Jane Austen book than over a stove making something that would be devoured by 8 hungry people in less than an hour! When I moved to Thailand, I became best friends with my uncle's housekeeper, and watched her as she cooked, and then later made trades with my adult English students: one hour of English, for one hour of cooking lessons. I got to where I knew how to cook more Thai dishes than American ones. Since I got married about a month after returning to America, I became really concerned with my lack of cooking skills. My husband told me that he would love me regardless of whether I could cook or not :) but I wanted to be one of those wives who has a delicious hot cooked meal when the husband returns tired from work. So, I determined to learn to cook!!
In our first weeks, I went strictly by recipe, and did simple things like hamburgers, fried rice (like I said, I could do Thai food better than American), fried chicken, and baked potatoes and salads. Once I became more comfortable with cooking, and the recipes I began experimenting, adding my own flair, and adding things to my numerous Pinterest recipe list (Pinterest is amazing for beginning cooks! Normally the pins come from blogs, which have numerous comments that give reviews on the recipes. That way you know if it's a good one before you start making it).
I have done all this introducing, to say, that I love cooking now! There is something so rewarding about cooking for your husband. If you don't feel like you're that great of a cook, do exactly like the recipe says for a while, until you feel comfortable, then think 'how can I make this even better' and try it!
Today I am giving you a few dinner recipes that take less than 30 minutes to prepare, for those who don't have a lot of time on their hands. My first dish is one that I make the most often, every Wednesday, in fact, since we leave for church right after dinner, and I love how it's in one dish. All of these make about 3 servings, since I make it for my husband and I, and then for his lunch the next day.
In our first weeks, I went strictly by recipe, and did simple things like hamburgers, fried rice (like I said, I could do Thai food better than American), fried chicken, and baked potatoes and salads. Once I became more comfortable with cooking, and the recipes I began experimenting, adding my own flair, and adding things to my numerous Pinterest recipe list (Pinterest is amazing for beginning cooks! Normally the pins come from blogs, which have numerous comments that give reviews on the recipes. That way you know if it's a good one before you start making it).
I have done all this introducing, to say, that I love cooking now! There is something so rewarding about cooking for your husband. If you don't feel like you're that great of a cook, do exactly like the recipe says for a while, until you feel comfortable, then think 'how can I make this even better' and try it!
Today I am giving you a few dinner recipes that take less than 30 minutes to prepare, for those who don't have a lot of time on their hands. My first dish is one that I make the most often, every Wednesday, in fact, since we leave for church right after dinner, and I love how it's in one dish. All of these make about 3 servings, since I make it for my husband and I, and then for his lunch the next day.
Dirty Rice
1/2 pound hamburger meat
1/4 cup chopped onion
Cajun and Italian spices (I use everything in this dish: Garlic salt, Italian seasoning, Season All, and red pepper flakes)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/4 cup Chicken broth
1/2-3/4 cup rice (I use Jasmine rice)
Add just a bit of oil to a skillet (I use Olive oil) and add onions and hamburger meat. Chop up meat and cook until brown. Add seasonings to taste (maybe a teaspoon of each? I really just wing it!). Add broth, then rice, turn the stove to med. heat and cover the pan. Set a timer for 15-18 minutes and let simmer. Uncover, and serve!
I recently made pizza and decided to create my own sauce. I looked at a few recipes and then incorporated a little bit from each, and made my own. The hubby really liked it, so I decided to make it a bit thinner and use it as a pasta sauce. Whether using it to make pizza or pasta sauce, this takes very little time to make. If you boil your pasta while cooking the sauce, your meal will be ready in no time at all!
Tomato Pasta Sauce
1-2 Tablespoons Olive oil
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup onion
6 oz can tomato paste
chopped tomato, optional
Tomato sauce to preferred consistency
Italian spices, oregano, minced basil leaves (optional), garlic salt
salt and pepper to taste
With the stove at high heat, add olive oil, and garlic and onion to saucepan. When the onion starts to change color, add tomato, stir, then add paste. Try to stir as best you can (I know it will be thick) to incorporate the onion and garlic. Start adding the tomato sauce a few teaspoons at a time (then maybe a little more) until desired thickness. Add your seasonings, then once the sauce starts to boil, turn down heat, and let simmer until time to serve over delicious penne or spaghetti pasta (or pizza!)!
If you are wanting a meat to go along with the pasta, here is a recipe that I love from Rachel Ray: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/parmesan-crusted-chicken-breasts-with-tomato-and-basil-and-potatoes-with-peppers-and-onions-recipe/index.html
(I know that this includes a potato recipe, but it shows a video on how to do the chicken).
If you it's too expensive to use up all that Parmesan, then just take a piece of bread, a handful of Parmesan, and some Italian spices and put it in the food processor. Take a whisked egg and dip the chicken in the egg then the bread crumbs, and fry it in a skillet with the bottom of the pan covered in oil, and fry until done.
For the pizza I used walmart brand roll out crust, then added the homemade sauce, cheese, pepperoni, more cheese and Italian spices.
Here are a few of my 'specialties' that I do at the house. I may add a few more later, and perhaps later I can add some appetizers and desserts! Comment on which you would like to see first!
Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy these recipes. Let me know how they turned out!
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Committing to trust God
I have been struggling with what to write about this week (as stated before, if you ever have a topic you would like me to talk on, please comment. I would love to at least try to tackle it), and I have looked at several topics, verses and chapters, but nothing gave me peace about writing it. Recently in our Bible study at night we went through the book of Ruth, one of my favorites since it's a book about a women! The more I've thought about doing a series on it, the better I feel, so I'm going to try to do a chapter by chapter study of it.
So, go grab your Bible, or quickly look it up on your phone, and turn to Ruth Chapter 1, and look at the first 18 verses. Although heavily quoted verses 15-18 are the main ones I want to look at today.
15 And she said, “See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” 16 But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” 18 And when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more.
There are two things I want us to look at:
Have things happened to you that you think God doesn't care about you any more? Have you prayed and prayed to God and it seems like He hasn't answered?
Psalm 9:10 And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.
Sometimes things happen to us that seem like God has turned against us, but the facts are that if we put our trust in the Lord, He will not forsake us. Naomi's family had a history of not trusting to begin with, by moving out of their home country and into a foreign land, but if she had trusted in the Lord to see her through I think we would have seen a much less bitter Naomi! Even though she has a lack of trust, God still provides for her, by sending Ruth with her.
Will we be a Ruth or a Naomi? Will you trust God with your future?
So, go grab your Bible, or quickly look it up on your phone, and turn to Ruth Chapter 1, and look at the first 18 verses. Although heavily quoted verses 15-18 are the main ones I want to look at today.
15 And she said, “See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.” 16 But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” 18 And when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more.
There are two things I want us to look at:
Naomi's lack of trust in God
Yes, you saw right. From these verses I think we can see Naomi's lack of trust as she has seen her husband, then two sons die, and now a separation from a place she's lived in for many years to a place that although her home, probably won't be easy for her since she is a widow. She believed God was against her (Ruth 1:13) and felt it was better that her daughters-in-law to go back to their parents and back to false gods than to go with her and trust God with their futures.Have things happened to you that you think God doesn't care about you any more? Have you prayed and prayed to God and it seems like He hasn't answered?
Psalm 9:10 And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.
Sometimes things happen to us that seem like God has turned against us, but the facts are that if we put our trust in the Lord, He will not forsake us. Naomi's family had a history of not trusting to begin with, by moving out of their home country and into a foreign land, but if she had trusted in the Lord to see her through I think we would have seen a much less bitter Naomi! Even though she has a lack of trust, God still provides for her, by sending Ruth with her.
Ruth's commitment
Ruth must have seen a difference between her family and Naomi's family for her to decide to put her trust in the Creator God. Even though Naomi didn't trust her future to God, Ruth did. She made a commitment to stay with Naomi her entire life, even though that meant leaving home, being a foreigner and having to scrape by for a living. She made a vow, a promise to stay with Naomi forever, and, she made true that vow! I see such commitment and trust in Ruth! When we make vows and promises, are we as serious as Ruth to keep them? How about the vow to our marriage? How about the promises we make to others? Most especially, how about our commitment to Christ? Are we willing to be so committed to Christ that we take up our cross daily (submit and die to our selfish desires) to follow him?Will we be a Ruth or a Naomi? Will you trust God with your future?
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