Lies of the devil. They’re easy to believe, but not always easy to detect. After all, he is the father of lies! There is no truth in him, so when he tells a lie, he’s doing what he does best.

How many of his lies are you and I believing? I heard this list of his lies at church last night…but it’s amazing how many times I’ve heard these statements in simple conversation, in quotes from Oprah or Dr. Phil, or on people’s Facebook status!

See if any of these sound familiar to you…

1. Look out for Number One – We’re supposed to make sure we get what we want before anyone else – or even in spite of anyone else, because if we don’t look out for ourselves, who will? You and I deserve nothing, Friend. Our God will supply our needs and go before us to look out for us! Phil 4:19, Deut. 31:8 And the LORD, he it is that doth go before thee…
2. God helps those who help themselves – Where do you read that in Scripture? In contrast we read in II Cor. 3:5 – Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God. Helping myself puts all the focus on what I can do…which isn’t much!
3. Surely God doesn’t expect me to stay in an unhappy situation – Is God’s goal for our lives happiness? No, it’s Christlikeness. Do we really believe that Romans 8:28, 29 can be fulfilled in our lives if we’re trying to hop out of every difficulty?
4. I’ll forgive, but I won’t forget! – The Lord doesn’t bring our sin back up in our face. He throws it into the sea of forgetfulness and to be like our Savior, we must do the same.
5. I don’t get mad; I just get even – Greed isn’t just associated with money – but also with wanting a pound of flesh! Romans 12:9 Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
6. I deserve better than this! What we deserved was hell, but God in His mercy He delivered us from that fate! Titus 3:5

We need to line up what we’re believing about each situation with the Word of God. If it cannot be backed up by Scripture or is contrary to it, then it is a lie of the devil and we must discard it.

Thankful for Truth,

I promised I’d share the Blueberry Streusel Muffin Recipe this week, so I guess I’d better do that today. But first, how about these dreamy treats…

I made these over the weekend and froze half of them (don’t tell my family they’re in the freezer!). These are Peanut Butter Blossoms from my Hershey cookbook. They are so good. Even just one…

with a glass of milk, of course! It’s a great combination of flavors – peanut butter and chocolate! Mmm! Try them if you haven’t made them. I’m warning you, though – you’d better freeze half as soon as they cool or they will disappear before morning!

Here was the Blueberry Muffin for last weekend’s breakfast. This is my new favorite muffin recipe! It came from Taste of Home.

So, what will you bake this weekend? I’ve shared lots of my new recipes to give you some ideas. What’s keeping you from baking up some cookies or muffins and inviting some folks over for fellowship? Add a pot of coffee or a glass of milk and you have all you need to offer your guests!

I’ve been reminded this week through a couple of events the Lord’s allowed me to participate in that we need one another! We need friendships to encourage and prod each other along. Don’t try to be the Lone Ranger. As I heard someone say, “Even he had Tonto!” Call up a friend or a family and invite them over this weekend. You’ll be glad you did, and so will they!

A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

Proverbs 18:24

See you in church,

I like change; ask my husband. He never knows what he’s going to find when he comes home. For starters I like to change – the placement of the furniture, accessories in my decor, the rings on my phone, my menu, and the background picture on my computer!

It’s hard to believe, but most public schools have started by now. Many homeschooling families are rolling out the desks and chalkboards too so they can get a jump on the school year. It will feel good to take a break in early fall, knowing that many weeks of school have been accomplished!

I know I already posted about school lunch ideas, but I found some cute things on Family fun’s website and thought I’d share them with you today.

Here are some peanut butter & jelly Blossoms. They’re sandwiches cut into flower shapes. Cute.

Cupcakes are all the rage right now, and take a look at this combo of a cupcake and a couple of chocolate graham crackers! Even a high schooler would think that was cool!

This cupcake looks adorable and is super simple. I believe that’s a Good and Plenty serving as the chalk!

This is the meat and cheese! Can you believe it? The instructions are below.

For each pencil, cut off one end of a cheese stick so that it’s flat. Use a paring knife or apple corer to cut a 3/4-inch circle out of the bologna.

Dab one end of the circle into the mustard, then attach it to the flat end of the cheese stick.
Snap off the end of a Bugle so that its edges are even, and gently press it onto the other end of the cheese stick. Slide half a raisin onto the Bugle for the pencil tip, and you’ve got a snack that’s just write!

Leave it to Family Fun to create such great ideas to make lunch that much adventure!

Enjoy!

Often the way of a child of God is like an overgrown garden. It’s full of weeds. The once neat pathway is thick with wayward plants, branches and thorns. We see the mess and ask, “Which way am I to go?” Or, “How will my loved one know God’s direction?” It seems difficult to proceed because we do not know the way. Making the right decision or doing the right thing lies in the promises of God…