Uncategorized

Family Spats and Getting Back

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Here’s a post from the past you might find encouraging if you have more than one child in your house!

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When I was raising my girls, I was always seeking ways to bring the Scripture into their daily lives.  I wanted them to see for themselves how applicational the Word of God is to everything we experience.  One tool that I used to accomplish that was kind of a “cheat sheet” of Bible verses.  The verses touched on sins that needed to be addressed when they happened – disobedience, lying,  rebellion, etc.  I also tried to look for examples in the Bible to help the girls understand how to handle problems.

Recently, I was reading a passage in  Numbers 12  that I wished I had shared when the girls were young and at each other’s throats fussing.   This is when Miriam and Aaron spoke out against their brother, Moses.  They basically snubbed their noses at the fact that he was the one in charge and they were not!  It never tells us that Moses raked them…

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ministry · Uncategorized

Unplugged

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It was a typical Apples of Gold morning – I was getting dressed while listening to my Bible app on my phone.  I was also receiving texts from friends who were praying for our upcoming mentoring class that would happen in a couple of hours.  Just as I was sending a message my phone STOPPED in mid-sentence.  It wouldn’t type or go back to the home screen. Then it went black.  The sickening feeling in my heart lived out to be true – my phone (less than a year old) died.

The kind Verizon rep at the store told me later that afternoon that there was some glitch in the phone and they would replace it, but my replacement wouldn’t be here until at least two or three days from now.  I became UNPLUGGED.

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It’s ironic that it happened when it did, because in another area of my life, as of today, I’m becoming “unplugged.”  It’s ministry.  You see, my husband and I have been given an extraordinary gift from our church – a 31-day sabbatical!  

Sabbatical is just a period of absence.  The goal for ours is to rest, refocus and reload – those are my terms. This is what I’m praying these 31 days will accomplish in my life:

  • Rest – This is pretty obvious.  We have had an exteremely busy spring and summer.  Our minds and bodies are tired.  We need to shut down and rest.  Sleep, leisure and a slower pace is our goal.
  • Refocus – It’s easy to be so busy doing that you lose the sight of where you’re headed – of what you really want to accomplish and why.  I long to take a step back and consider the days ahead carefully and then make plans that support those choices.
  • Reload – I need some time to fill up.  Time to pray, study and be alone with the Lord.  More than anything I’m praying this will be a spiritual retreat for us both.

That being said, I’m not really sure what my blog will look like in these 31 days.  I’m not planning on abandoning it, but maybe to just cool it a bit.  I might just write to give you a look into our sabbatical.  It might just be a picture or a quote – I’ll let the Lord dictate the content, as I do every day.

So, here we go – 31 days of being UNPLUGGED.

With love,

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accessories · Christian Life · Praise

That Looks Good On You!

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You put on your new blue blouse, which happens to accentuate your blue eyes, and all day long you hear, “That color looks so good on you!”  Or you find a dress that fits you perfectly and step out from the dressing room and your teen daughter says, “Oh Mom! That dress looks like it was made for you; that looks so good on you!”

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We love it when we find that “just-right look,” don’t we?  I have something for you to wear that will look perfect on you – as a matter of fact, I have God’s Word on it!

Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.
Psalm 33:1

To be “comely” means attractive.  This verse is telling us that praise looks good on a believer of Jesus Christ!  I’ve made plenty of bad fashion choices in my lifetime, but when I use my mouth to praise the Lord, I’ve put on a perfectly beautiful accessory that will always look good!

How have you used your words today?  Are they negative, complaints, whining or sarcastic?  That doesn’t suit you, if you know Christ.  Run to the dressing room of prayer, ask for forgiveness, then use your mouth to praise the Lord for Who He is and what He is doing in your life.  That will look really good on you!

With praise to our God,

memories · Uncategorized

Getting Over Hump Day

RefreshHer2 Comments

Sometimes weeks roll by, each day the same, boring by nature.  We get to Wednesday, “Hump Day” and we are told if we can just get past it, we’ll roll right into the weekend and we will have survived another week.

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Is survival the best way to face a week or each day?  I don’t think so.  Scripture reminds us that we should number our days and apply our hearts to wisdom.  If you find yourself just limping through this week, why not change things up a bit and add some fun, some life and some interest to even today?  Here are some suggestions:

  • Drive to work on a different route, if you can.  Take the country roads, if possible.
  • Pull the sun roof back a little, or roll down a window and get some fresh air.
  • Ask the Lord to show you someone with whom you could stop and pray today.
  • Do something different at lunch. Take your lunch and eat it at the lake, a park or outside at the restaurant.
  • Go out for ice cream at a drive-in after dark.  Splurge on the sundae.
  • Take time to sit on the front porch and just be still.  Watch the traffic or read a magazine or book you’ve wanted to start.
  • Search ideas for a new hair style.  Change the way you fix your hair – even if it’s just parting it differently or adding some curl.
  • Go to bed early and sit in bed and read a passage of Scripture with your mate before you turn off the lights.
  • Go out for breakfast somewhere you’ve been wanting to try – that bagel place, the local pancake house or Cracker Barrel!
  • Have your Bible reading outside early in the morning.
  • Pray for the neighbors as you walk past each house in the neighborhood.
  • Get a new color of fingernail polish and paint your fingernails.
  • Find an interesting You Tube video and watch it while you do your hair in the morning.
  • Make a sweet bread or muffins to take and deliver to someone who needs encouragement.
  • Go through the drive-through restaurant and “pay it forward.” (Pay for the person’s order in line behind you.)
  • Make plans to have someone over on Friday night.  Make up a fun menu – grilled pizzas, or S’mores.  Make it easy, but plan for fun.
  • Watch a movie outside after dark on your lap top or tablet.
  • Write a note to someone and tell them how much you appreciate them.  Send it in the mail.
  • Journal about the best part of the day.

The possibilities are endless.  The point is, don’t just endure the week.  Make every day count, because they each do!

Refresh your week,

Christian Life · Uncategorized

Why I Posted a Fashion Video

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The purpose of my blog is to refresh  women in their hearts, homes and lives.  I desire to give encouragement, inspiration and biblical insights in those areas.  Why, then, would I post a video last week that included outfits?  Let me explain:

  • Dressing and putting outfits together is something we all do every single day – it’s a regular part of our lives , so I would like to remind us that putting an outfit together can refresh yourself.  What we wear tells others what’s in our hearts before we even open our mouths. They see, they notice, they make judgments.  Our clothes are part of our testimony.
  • I desire to teach that our outfits can bless or disgrace.  So many women just throw clothes on, giving little thought to what it looks like on them.  I think it’s because often there’s an attitude of “So What?!  I want to be comfortable!  I don’t care!  Big deal!”  That kind of attitude says so much.  Scripture tells us to dress modestly.    We can do that and also be neat, stylish and looking our best.  As I shared little tips about how to keep a top in place, or show how to wear summer clothes that are cool, but still cover, I desire to show that others can be blessed, rather than embarrassed by our attire.
  • I desire to remind us that putting outfits together doesn’t have to be a drudgery, neither does it have to be something we make an idol.  Buying certain staple pieces and switching them around can give many different outfits.  Have fun and add pieces of jewelry or a scarf and make it look completely different!  On the other hand, we don’t need to be consumed with clothes and shopping every minute of every day.  Give it some forethought and make wise purchases of good items that will last a long time.
  • I also want to remind us that we don’t have to spend a fortune to have nice clothes.  Bargain shopping, Goodwill stores, and clearance racks can be our friends when it comes to buying what we need for our wardrobe.  I’ve seen some Instagram accounts that make me wonder if shopping is all they ever accomplish.  We should never make clothes an idol, and there are ways to dress nicely without being consumed with fashion – that is not my goal, nor is it something I want to be known for!

The bottom line is that I want my testimony to be one that would exalt Christ, and my outfits shouldn’t distract from that.  I believe it is possible, and it’s with that heart that I posted the video, and would post another one perhaps in the future. My God is El Roi – The God Who sees; He knows my heart.  Others only see the outside.  My outfits should reflect what’s inside in a gracious, lovely way.

Whether therefore ye eat or drink, do all to the glory of God.  I Cor. 10:31

I really desire to be on the alert about my clothes and what they say to others.  Therefore, I’m always looking for new ways to do that, and then to pass along to you what I’ve learned.  Thank you to so many of you who encouraged me after the video.  Thanks for understanding my heart.  May the Lord be glorified each day we walk out wearing yet another outfit!

Lovingly,

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