Mom Stuff

My girls are growing so fast.  Lisa is about to turn 13 in a few weeks.  How can this be?

It seems like just yesterday I was holding her in my arms as an infant and now she is a young lady.
There are some things she does that really crack us up.  She adores her daddy.  She thinks he is the coolest dad around (unless she is in trouble).  She thinks he is hilarious and will copy word for word what he just said, laugh and say "that is so funny".  Mike and I just look at each other and can hardly keep the laughter in.
I taught her how to shave her legs last week.  She didn't want to learn and that warmed my heart.  But there comes a time in life when a girl needs to learn how to shave her legs and this was the time.  I showed her on about one inch of her leg and she took it from there and got into it.  Then she exclaimed "My legs are soooo soft.  This is great."  She may have said the word "Coolio"  a few times.  I think that means cool.
Katie is at an in between phase in growing up.  She is still a little girl, but is rapidly maturing into a young lady.  In our society it is a challenge to keep them from growing up too fast.  I love that she still likes to play with her stuffed animals (along with the cats whom they dress up in doll clothes).

 

 

Lisa is getting confirmed next week.  She will take her first communion and will verbalize for herself her faith and trust in our Lord.  For Confirmation we let Lisa pick out her own Bible.  She picked out an HCSB Study Bible and we had her name engraved on it.  We picked it up today and she was thrilled.  My prayer is that she has a passion and is on fire for God, His Word and continues to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:13)

 

 

 

This is a picture of Lisa and Ellie (with Pastor Tucker) when they acolyted together a couple of weeks ago.  Lisa got the privilege to acolyte for the Good Friday service. Our Good Friday service is one of my favorite services of the year.  The Pastors each take Jesus's words from the cross and do a devotional on it.  The lights get dimmer throughout the entire service until the end when it is very dark.  There is no benediction, everybody just leaves in silence.  She said that at the very end after the pastors finished stripping the alter,  her and the other acolyte got to go up to the alter with the pastors, bow and leave.  She felt so humble and started to cry.  We came home and she got to watch The Passion of the Christ for the first time.  We all cry during that movie--because we know it is more than just a movie--it was payment for our sins--and we really cannot grasp the depth of it. 

 

We asked her what she thought of it afterwards and she said with tears streaming down her face,  "It was horrible." 

 

Yes, sweet girl, it was.  But this is how we know what love is:  Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.  1 John 3:16





 

 

Stress and Philippians 4

Today at church we started a new sermon series.  Actually they started it last week but that was Easter and we went to the sunrise service, so we missed out on the actual first sermon for this series.  I may go back and listen to it.  Anyway, yesterday I posted that I may write out Philippians when I finish the Psalms because I felt like I was lacking in the joy department.
Well today's sermon was just for me.  Funny how God does things like that!

Philippian 4:4-13

English Standard Version (ESV)

 

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. ⁵ Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; ⁶ do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
⁸ Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ⁹ What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
¹⁰ I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. ¹¹ Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. ¹² I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. ¹³ I can do all things through him who strengthens me.


(As a side note:  Biblegateway.com does not have the NIV 1984 version anymore.  Mike sent a note to them for which they have not yet replied.)  The following are notes from our sermon and ABC class.

Our sermon series is:  Illusion:  The Devil's Deceptions Revealed.  Today's topic-Stress

Stress affects us mentally, physically, spiritually.  Two illusions of stress is that all stress is bad and there is nothing you can do about stress.  There is good stress (eustress).  It is the zone where stress causes good performance.  Too little and we slack, too much and we get distressed.

Background:  Paul is in Caesar's jail, which was like maximum security prison.  He was waiting for his trial to be in front of Emperor Nero.  Paul was under stress.  The Philippian's at this time were not under stress.  They were experiencing an economic boom, there was lots of agriculture, they were living the easy life.  Why would Paul want to write them a letter about stress?  Because a day would come and they would be stressed.

Seven stress relievers from Philippians 4:

1.  It begins with attitude.  "Rejoice".  It is a command--it is about perspective.  We could lose everything here on earth, but we still have the Lord--and eternal life.  Rejoice is also present tense in the greek language--rejoice right now.  In the greek, rejoice is plural--it is like us saying "y'all rejoice". 
2.  Slow down.  Let your gentleness be evident (in the NIV 1984 it does say gentleness).  Pastor had us touch our eye.  He noted that nobody went at it full force, but did it gently.  The faster we go, the less gentle we become.  I do like the word reasonableness in ESV.
3.  Pray.  That is the antidote for stress.  Prayer is a gift from God.  "Present" our requests to God.  In ABC the illustration was about re-gifting--present.
4.  Take control of your thoughts.  "guard your hearts and minds"  Guard-phroureo-a detachment of Roman soldiers.  The Philippians had soldiers stationed around the city.  They felt safe.  Be in God's Word.
5.  Solve problems, don't marinate in them.  In verse 8-9 Paul list's some gifts:  whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, praiseworthy...think about such things.  It was brought to my attention that this list is not stress free.  In our culture standing up for truth can be stressful.  Living a pure lifestyle goes against our cultural beliefs.  Who are we going to stand up before on the final judgment day?  The world or God?  (uhmm....that would be God).
6.  Practice contentment.  The Philippian's were people who cared and prayed for Paul.  V18 states that he received the gifts they sent and was amply supplied.  When I am stressed, is there someone who helps?  Yes,  my husband, my sister, my friends, my church family, even counselors if need be.
7.  I belong to God.  I need Christ's strength.  There is this philosophy called Stoic Philosophy that people believe "I can do it on my own".  Been there, done that.  It never ends up pretty.

Philippians 4:13 I can do everything through Him who gives me strength. 

Philippians 4:19  And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

Already on Psalm 139 and Other Things

Psalm 139

1  O Lord, You have searched me and You know me
    {most literal translation: You have searched me and you know.}
2  You know when I sit and when I rise; You perceive my thoughts from afar. (about those thoughts from afar Lord....)
3  You discern my going out and my lying down; You are familiar with all my ways.  (help me change those all too familiar ways that are not pleasing to You)
4  Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord.  (put a guard on my mouth Lord--even my tone of voice)
5  You hem me in--behind and before; You have laid your hand upon me.  (so comforting)
6  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.  (I would mess it up)
13  For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb.
14  I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully (unique) made; Your works are wonderful,
I know that full well  {ESV version says 'My soul knows it very well'--I love that}

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I am currently writing out Psalm 139.  I cannot believe that I will probably finish writing out the Psalms within the next month.  I started this journey last May and it has been a wonderful experience.  I am kind of sad to see it that it is coming to an end, but am looking forward to whatever else God has in store for me to do.  I have been thinking of possibly writing out/memorizing Philippians.  I have been a little lacking in the joy department lately.

I am facilitating an evening women's Bible study at church.  It just started this past Thursday and it is a new experience for me.  There are about 18 ladies who are going to join me for the next 6 weeks as we study Jonah--Navigating a Life Interrupted by Priscilla Shirer.  On our first evening (which was just 2 evenings ago), we didn't break up into small groups (we will next week), so I had the ladies introduce themselves and say a little about themselves or any thoughts on the video we had just watched.  I think it helped to bring about a spirit of being sisters in Christ.

Lisa and Katie are already in the last quarter of the school year.  I cannot believe how fast this year has gone.  I told Mike the other day that we are in a "sweet spot" with the girls.  They are old enough to stay home by themselves for short periods of time and we don't have to worry about them driving off or any of their friends driving on over.

We are giving them a little bit more responsibility and teaching them how to do stuff for themselves--stuff they will need to know how to do when they go to college.  Mike is better at that than me.  I know they need to learn by doing this stuff, sometimes it is easier to just do it myself-- it is something I am learning along the way--giving up control.

What difference does it make how the dishes are loaded in the dishwasher or how the towels are folded or any number of ways I am set in my ways?

Will they remember a nagging mom or will they remember an encouraging one?
Will they remember a mom who kept a spotless house or embraced a warm home?
Will they remember a mom who loved their daddy?
Will they remember a mom who loved Jesus?


Mike continues to adjust to "retirement" without any problems.  He also has A's in his two classes he is taking (advanced A&P and Law & Ethics).  Next will be advanced pharmacotherapeutics.
First he will have to learn how to spell it.  :-)