This following is part of a script from a challenge presented by Nancy Leigh DeMoss.  I heard this the other day on Revive Our Hearts and had to stop what I was doing and bow before the Lord to repent of my proud heart.  Read on if you dare; it’s quite eye-opening and convicting!

Proud people focus on the failures of others, but broken people are overwhelmed with a sense of their own spiritual need. Proud people are self-righteous. They have a critical, fault-finding spirit. They look at everyone else’s faults with a microscope but their own with a telescope, and they look down on others. But broken people are compassionate. They can forgive much because they know how much they have been forgiven. They think the best of others, and they esteem all others better than themselves.



Proud people have an independent, self-sufficient spirit, but broken people have a dependent spirit and recognize their need for others. Proud people have to prove that they’re right, but broken people are willing to yield the right to be right. Proud people claim rights and have a demanding spirit, but broken people yield their rights and have a meek spirit. Proud people are self-protective of their time, their rights, and their reputation, but broken people are self-denying.


Proud people desire to be served, but broken people are motivated to serve others. Proud people desire to be a success, but broken people are motivated to be faithful and to make others a success.


Proud people desire for self-advancement, but broken people desire to promote others. Proud people have a drive to be recognized, to be appreciated. They’re wounded when others are promoted and they are overlooked. Broken people have a sense of their own unworthiness. They’re thrilled that God would use them at all in any ministry. They’re eager for others to get the credit, and they rejoice when others are lifted up.


Proud people have a subconscious feeling, “This ministry is privileged to have me and my gifts.” They think of what they can do for God, but broken people have that heart attitude that says, “I don’t deserve to have any part in this ministry.” They know that they have nothing to offer God except the life of Jesus flowing through their broken lives.


Proud people feel confident in how much they know, but broken people are humbled by how very much they have to learn. Proud people are self-conscious, but broken people are not concerned with self at all.


Proud people keep others at arm’s length, but broken people are willing to risk getting close to others and to take the risks of loving intimately. Proud people are quick to blame others, but broken people accept personal responsibility and can see where they were wrong in the situation.


Proud people are unapproachable, but broken people are easy to be entreated. Proud people are defensive when criticized, but broken people receive criticism with a humble, open spirit. Proud people are concerned with being respectable. They’re concerned with what others think, and they’re working to protect their own image and reputation. But broken people are concerned with being real. What they care about and what matters to them is not what others think but what God knows, and they’re willing to die to their own reputation.

Proud people find it difficult to share their spiritual needs with others, but broken people are willing to be open and transparent with others as God directs. Proud people, when they have sinned, want to be sure that no one finds out. Their instinct is to cover up, but broken people, once they’ve been broken, they don’t care who knows or who finds out. They are willing to be exposed because they have nothing to lose.


Proud people have a hard time saying, “I was wrong. Will you please forgive me?” But broken people are quick to admit their failure and to seek forgiveness when necessary. When confessing their sin, proud people tend to deal in generalities, but broken people are able to deal under the conviction of God’s Spirit to acknowledge specifics.


Proud people are concerned about the consequences of their sin, but broken people are grieved over the cause, the root of their sin. Proud people are remorseful over their sin, sorry that they got found out or caught. But broken people are truly, genuinely repentant over their sin, which is evidenced in the fact that they forsake that sin.


When there’s a misunderstanding or conflict in relationships, proud people wait for the other to come and ask forgiveness, but broken people take the initiative to be reconciled. They race to the cross. They see if they can get there first, no matter how wrong the other may have been.


Proud people compare themselves with others and feel worthy of honor, but broken people compare themselves to the holiness of God and feel a desperate need for His mercy. Proud people are blind to their real heart condition, but broken people walk in the light. Proud people don’t think they have anything to repent of, but broken people realize that they have need of a continual heart attitude of repentance.


Proud, unbroken people don’t think they need revival, but they’re sure that everyone else does. Whereas humble, broken people continually sense their need for a fresh encounter with God, for a fresh filling of His Holy Spirit.

Will you need to do as I and simply fall before the Lord and ask forgiveness for being proud?  The blessing of it is, He hears the prayer of the broken!

With love,

I admit it. When it comes to the dentist –  I. am. a. chicken!

 In other words, the wise person waits for the Novocaine to take effect.  They wait.  They pray.  They think. Then they speak.

Have you recently spoken words without  any anesthetic?  Though the pain may have already been inflicted, a soft answer turns away wrath (Prov 15:1).  Tell the offended one you were wrong to speak as you did and ask them to forgive you (after you’ve asked the Lord’s forgiveness).  Then ask the Lord to give you gentle words – like the hands of a kind dentist. 

From my parsonage window,

• someone else had the other half!
• I could never depend on his devotion
• there was no commitment
• there were no certainties

• someone or something else has the other half – a hobby, a habit, an object, a person
• the Lord could never depend on me – Will I be available for Him to use?
• there is no commitment – My commitment depends on my feelings
• there are no certainties that I’ll do what he says – Again, I obey if I feel like it

Southern summer suppers are so yummy!  Fresh fruits and vegetables with a little chicken and/or corn bread and dinner is ready!  We have been blessed with dear friends who have lovely gardens and they’ve shared their bounty with us. Putting to use the things we were given, this meal consisted of:

I love Fried Green Tomatoes.  I got this recipe from my mom.  They are really good; crispy with lots of batter.  If you’re going to have something fried you might as well go all the way, right? 

1 large egg
1/2 C buttermilk
1/2 C flour, divided
1/2 C cornmeal
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
3 medium green tomatoes (Cut 1/3″ slices)

Combine egg and milk
Combine 1/4 C flour, cornmeal, salt & pepper in a shallow bowl.

Dredge tomato slices in seasoning 1/4 C flour; dip in egg mixture, & dredge in cornmeal mixture.

Pour oil to a depth of 1/4 – 1/2″ deep in skillet; heat to 375 degrees.  Cook 2 minutes on each side or ’til golden. Drain on paper towels or racks.  Sprinkle with salt.



Oven-Fried Chicken Parmesan

I love this chicken. The Parmesan coating on it is so good and it couldn’t be easier since it’s baked in the oven!  This is a great main dish!

Oven-Fried Chicken Parmesan
1/2 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 C flour
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
Dash of pepper
2-3 lb. cut up fryer
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 T milk
1/4 cup margarine, melted

Combine cheese, flour and seasonings.  Dip chicken in combined egg and milk; coat with cheese mixture.  Place in baking dish; pour margarine over chicken.  Bake at 350 degrees, 1 hour or until tender.



Chocolate Chip Cookie Bowl

This dessert was served to guests we had Thursday night.  I baked chocolate chip cookies on the bottom of a muffin tin whose bottoms had been covered with foil.  Use every other muffin cup so they won’t touch.  Bake 9-10 minutes; let cool 10 minutes on tin.  Remove and peel foil from dough (next time I might spray with cooking spray before baking).  Cool, then fill with ice cream!  Great summer treat!

That’s what’s been cooking in my kitchen…what have you been creating in yours?

From my parsonage kitchen,

THE look.  Every mother has one.  Perhaps the eyebrows are raised and her head shakes slowly.  Maybe she squints her eyes and purses her lips.  Or maybe her foot is tapped and she looks expectantly.  Every mother’s look is different, but one thing is certain – every child knows his mother’s look!  I’m not talking about looking like the Wicked Witch of the West, but a loving, yet firm face that says you mean business.

That look can speak at a time when words can’t be spoken – like at church.  When a child is misbehaving, simply looking down the pew and giving THE look tells them all you would say with words. When you’re in someone’s home and your child is beginning to say or do something unkind or rude, it takes placing your hand on their arm and looking at them for them to know they need to stop what they’re doing right now.  When you’re engaged in conversation at the grocery store and your child is interrupting you, turning and giving them a look should stop the behavior.

What is behind THE look?  It is time at home teaching.  Talk to your child while you’re preparing dinner together about how to behave in church, about the invitation you have to have dinner at The Smith’s house next week and how to be kind while there.  Tell them about your trip to the grocery store or the mall and how you expect them to behave while there.  Teaching them and talking to them beforehand will  prepare the way for what you expect of them in each of those scenarios.  If they “kick out of the traces” a simple look will say, “Remember what we talked about at home?”  A slight shake of the head will say,”That is not acceptable.”  Then, when you get home you can reinforce THE look by reviewing the teaching.  “Did you remember not to beg and whine for a treat when we were at the grocery store?  I looked at you while I was paying because you were disobeying what I’d asked you to do.  What will you do the next time we go?”

Many kinds of misbehavior can be taken care of beforehand by another means – preparation on your part.  If you’re going to the grocery store, why not take some Goldfish Crackers in a ziplock bag and let your child eat those while you get your groceries?  Take a bag of toys and/or books in the car with you only to be looked at when at appointments.  Get  some felt books at the Bible book store only to be played with during church services.  Make up some car games and toys to keep them busy while traveling. 

Parental teaching is key to how our children will respond to situations.  Talking to them  and preparing beforehand won’t stop all misbehavior, but it will certainly help!  Things will be so sweet you know what you’ll find yourself saying?  There’s no place like home!

See you in church!

With love,