Equipped To Love

I am reading a book called "Equipped To Love - Building Idolatry-free Relationships," by Norm Wakefield.  Tim read this book a few years ago, thought it was helpful and has even passed the book along to others, but I never got around to reading it. 

Recently, I saw the book on his shelf and decided to read it, and then my friend Julie contacted me on FB and said they were reading it and invited me to do a group study with them!  I think the Lord wants me to read this book!

Here is something that Rosie, Julie's daughter, said recently -

"I have been thinking, how it is so true that we so very often see "good" things and "nice", kind, loving, caring, sensitive- people as coming from the Lord, and the difficulties and "hard people"- the ones that don't notice, say mean things, ignore us, or don't react in the way we think that they should, as coming from the devil.
However, really God purposely allows, and even puts them (things and people), in our lives (whether they are positive or negative), to change us, and to point out in our lives the things that we need to grow in...(the making idols out of people). They are sent by the Lord, to show specific things in our hearts and lives that need to change."

Isn't this so true?  We tend to think of only the pleasant, wonderful things as from God's hands and surely not the difficult.  But how wonderful to think that our God has lovingly allowed the difficult to help us to grow and to weed out idols and other things from our lives!

Julie shared a link to an article from "Lifestyle of Learning Ministries" that was really good and challenging regarding teaching our children to love.  You can read that article here. 

It is hard work to do "heart work" in our own lives and the lives of our children.  However this is where character is formed - where self is weeded out - and thinking of others comes to the forefront.  It requires dying to self daily, moment by moment.  It is something that we do not like in our flesh.  We want what we want.

As a parent one of the worst things I can do is to NOT curb this natural desire for self in my children.  Of course that means I have to allow the Lord to curb this desire for self in me...


I am taking this book on vacation with me.  I am looking forward to how the Lord will use this in my life.

 

Ch-ch-ch Changes!

           www.allposters.com

There is something about this time of year that appeals to my heart.  After a very hot week, we have now cooled down to more seasonable temperatures and even rain, which is highly welcome after a terribly dry summer.

Yesterday morning while preparing food for our church picnic, I asked Rachel to head to the garden to look for a few tomatoes to put in the salad.  Tim and Kyle joined her and soon we had two bowlfuls of many varieties of little tomatoes...Sweet 100's, Riesentraube - German for "Big bunch of grapes", Tiny Tim....they have been delicious all summer and are still abundantly producing.

Nate is recovering well, and hopes to be able to go on a work trip he was supposed to take starting Thursday.  They also need to be moved out of where they are living by then.  We are having Kayleigh and Kamryn move in here with us.  Nate will be staying at my parents home until their home sells.  Our hope is to help them to set goals and achieve them.  Pray for all of us...she is not used to our kind of family and will likely be looking for part time work.  She also will be starting college at the end of October, so she is going to have a lot on her plate.  She is excited to do some sewing projects with Emily - they have plans for a diaper bag and a few other bags, and could possibly sell them!  

In other news, my parents are going ahead with the addition to our home, and will be putting their home on the market soon.  Please pray for a good sale, and in a reasonable amount of time.  Their realtor said anywhere between 30-90 days is the going time around here.  Then they will be moving in and the construction will begin!

Someone said it will be just like in the Walton's with Grandpa and Grandma, Momma and Daddy, lots of kids and even a grandchild!

We know that it could be stressful at times, but we also that God is with us and in control.  What a blessing it is to be able to help Kayleigh and to have my parents able to put in law quarters on our home.  It will be such a blessing to have them nearby, if they ever decide to get old!  And with Kamryn here there could be 4 generations under one roof!

We are rearranging some things downstairs, in our finished basement, for Kay and Kamryn and that is where Lindsay and Emily will go during construction, too.  I said to Kay it will be like "The Sister's Sorority".  I think she kind of likes that.  

When you think of us, please pray that God will be glorified in all we say and do.  To Him be all praise and honor....

Breakfast Out

My niece Carrie and I went to breakfast this morning. We have started a new tradition of having her come of Friday nights and stay over night with us. Last night we watched Fireproof. If you haven't seen this movie - you should! It is really good.

But back to breakfast. Carrie didn't realize that Cracker Barrel served breakfast so that is where we went. We had fun, eating and talking (although poor girl, I talked alot!)
She and I want to get together once a month to go out. If we don't go out, we are surrounded by her fan club of little and big cousins, who all want her attention. She is pretty popular in our family!

Right now they are enjoying the fact that it is going to be almost 50 degrees out today and they have the horses in the arena and are likely going to ride.

Can I just say that I love my life....We may not have it all, but what we have is pretty nice!