Monday Thoughts

Motherhood is not for whimps, that's what my mother always told me when I seem to be going through tough times with my children. Well, she is right. I wish my young adult children would obey our wishes. God will see this, and they will be His people and if they walk in all the way God commands them, it may be well with them. Just like my verse of Jeremiah 7:23.

I feel like when you try to bake a cake from scratch and it does turn out, you just say oh well that's okay. But with kids I can not just turn my head and say that is okay. I have to keep baking and trying as a Mother, even though I'm older and tired of it. I must try again, and pray and memorize my verses for wisdom.

My new verse of the week is this: Daniel 2:20-21 "Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of God, forever and ever to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons he removes Kings and set up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. Daniel 2:20-21

God can change things for my family, I'm seeking wisdom with my new memorizing verses for the year 2010, and I'm very excited about it. It is wisdom and calming to know, God changes times and season, he removes kings and sets up kings.

My prayer is to bring my adult boys to Jesus and bring wisdom to their hearts not folly. Just like my Pastor said this past Sunday, when he was teaching us about the woman wisdom and the woman folly in Proverbs 9. Great sermon, thanks Pastor James.

Blessed be the name of God, forever and every to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. Daniel 2:20-21

In Christ Alone,
QB

Verse of the Week

Jeremiah 7:23
"But this commnad I give them: Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you." Jeremiah 7:23

Off to church, I will be back later to post ways to memorize.

Love,
QB

Heaven's Promised Treasure

I was looking on the Hope in God site and found their newsletter, talking about prayer being Heaven's Promised Treasure. I want to share and believe what Calvin wrote. I have many things to pray about, my adult son is on the tip of my heart to pray for. He is on his own, he needs to be with Jesus, to handle his life with his Savior. I intend to pray more each day. Here is what I found in the newsletter.
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Calvin introduced prayer by pointing out first that in ourselves we are “destitute of all good” and “devoid of every means of gaining our own salvation.” But he goes on, saying that in prayer ... “the Lord kindly and spontaneously manifests himself in Christ, in whom he offers all happiness for our misery, all abundance for our want, opening up the treasures of heaven to us, so that we may turn with full faith to his beloved Son, depend on him with full expectation, rest in him, and cleave to him with full hope.”
With another metaphor, Christ is called an “inexhaustible fountain” in whom all the fullness of God dwells whom we are compelled to seek in prayer, especially because God both invites and commands us to present our requests to him:
»»“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6)
»»“Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” (Psalm 50:15)

Calvin ridiculed the neglect of prayer, comparing it to being told where to find a fabulously rich buried treasure, yet foolishly allowing it to remain buried in the ground. In contrast, he said that real faith and relentless prayer fit together: “Call upon him in whom you have believed” (Romans 10:14). Such “calling” is thought of as the most profitable kind of “spiritual prospecting” imaginable because, as Calvin put it, “Prayer digs up those treasures which the Gospel of our Lord discovers to the eye of faith.”
Consider Jesus’ parable of the hidden treasure ...
“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” (Matthew 13:44)
At the outset of Prayer Week, look at the bounty that lies within our grasp! Calvin’s call is to get on our knees and dig up promised treasures, the treasures of …

Great God,
In public and private, in sanctuary and home,
May my life be steeped in prayer,
Filled with the spirit of grace and supplication,
Each prayer perfumed
with incense of atoning blood.
Help me, defend me,
until from praying ground
I pass to the realm of unceasing praise

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Dear Heavenly Father, Through my praying please may I find relief, peace, and my heart not to hurt anymore, nor my back with pulsing pain. God please bring my sons, my daughter, and myself and my husband to Jesus in a closer relationship than ever before this coming new year. May I pray more and find the Heaven's Promised Treasure with a joyful heart.

Thank you for this Christmas season of being with family and loving my family through meals I have prepared and my home open to them, may I please keep my home to be able to continue to do my gift of hospitality.

Guide me God, to love my husband in the way you want me to. Teach me to guide my adult children through memorizing verses, with prayer and with my actions. May they see you through me.

Give me strength to continue my day with my hurt foot, and sore muscles, I am so tired of being a limping lady.

I feel you there thank you, In Jesus Name Amen

Verse of the week

Today is Christmas Eve, I'm having my devotions with God. I want to start sharing the verses I am going to memorize each week. This week is special but I'm going to try and post them every Saturday.

Jeremiah 1:12b

"I am watching over my word to perform it."

My verse to memorize, I will try to post one every Saturday.

Merry Christmas
Love,
QB

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

"Count your Blessings" has always been a best-loved thanksgiving song. It was written by Johnson Oatman, Jr., and composed by Edwin Excell who created the tune for the hymn.

Yesterday I was talking about sleep positions, I thought I would share with you if you have a hard time falling asleep; "Count Your Blessings" and you will start to relax and fall asleep, it worked for me last night, this helps you to see you do have a lot to be thankful for.

This maybe a great Thanksgiving song, but I'm using this song during Christmas 2009, when money is tight, and there is so much on my mind lately, about my adult children, and my weight. This song is PERFECT to remember all the wonderful things I must be happy about. Happy, Happy, Smile, Smile, Joy, Joy, Peace, Peace.

When upon life's billows you are tempest tosed, When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, Count your many blessings name them one by one, And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

CHORUS
Count your blessings name them on by one, Count your blessings see what God hath done; Count your blessings name them one by one; Count your many blessings see what God hath done.

I love verse 2:

Are you ever burdened with a load of care? Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

Verse 3: When you look at others with their lands and gold, Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold.

Verse 4: So a mid the conflict, whether great or small, Do not be discouraged God is over all.

This song is a Christmas song, You know what God hath done? He gave us His son! He gave us Himself to us! The words above have displayed;
"What He Has Done"

Which Way Do You Sleep?

Last night I could not sleep very well, probably due to learning things about my son and his friends or partly due to my hip pain and foot pain. I kept trying different positions in bed. Which made me start thinking what really is the best way to sleep, for your back, neck and organs?

So I googled What is the proper way to sleep? I found these three:


Back Sleepers:

Yes, this is actually the preferred position to sleep because it places the least amount of stress to your spine-IF you:

Place a cervical roll or rolled-up towel under your neck. Make sure that your head is in a neutral position (that you are neither looking up or down). If you find that you cannot be “in neutral” then you need a smaller roll.

Place a pillow under your knees-This takes stress off
of your lower back. You could buy a special pillow for this, but a
regular pillow works just fine.

Side Sleepers:

If you sleep on your side, then follow these tips to minimize the
amount of stress to your spine.

Use a cervical pillow-Ideally, the pillow should take into account how wide your shoulders are-the wider your shoulders, the taller the pillow should be. This is because you want to keep your neck in a neutral position.Place a pillow between your knees. Not only will this feel more comfortable, if you have hip joint pain-this definitely helps.Try not to sleep on your side with your arm up over your head-this causes stress on the nerves that come out of the neck and into the arms and cause tingling or numbness down the arms.

Belly Sleepers:

This position places the most stress on your neck.
In this position you have your head turned to one side or the other for hours at a time. This is quite stressful to your neck muscles and joints.

Your body will try to shift your position to compensate. This is why people who toss and turn the most are belly sleepers.

To sleep more comfortably(belly sleepers):

Place a pillow under your waist, and do not use a pillow for your head.

Well, I decided last night before I read the above, that I like to sleep on my side and I do use a pillow between my knees, while I also love to sleep on my back but I have the tendency to put my arms above my head, so I try to tuck my arms in my pajamas to keep them down.

And while I'm awake in all this deciding moments, I try to pray for what's really on my mind, sleeping positions or my adult children, my husband, or Christmas? When my mind gets so cluddered, I try and force myself to Look in His Eyes, and the things of this earth will grow strangely dim.

How do you sleep? Maybe next time, I'll get into my position and sing to myself the Doxology. Prasie God, from whom al blessings flow; Prasie Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above ye heanly host; Prasie Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. AMEN

Peace be with you.

Monday

When someone calls you and tells you your son is doing things he shouldn't or he is hanging around someone that is doing things he shouldn't, what do you do?

Well, I could feel it's all my fault or I could focus on Jesus. I've had a few moments to feel sad and talk to my son. Now, I'm going to wait for my husband to come home, so we can talk.

I've been in so much pain lately with my leg, but the pain in my heart seems broken too, when your children choose to do things they shouldn't this may just hurt worse.

I love the song "Tammy's In Love", so sweet and smooth, I even remember watching the movie a long time ago. I love the part where she says if she was in his arms she would sing like a violen.

My heart sings so joyfully. Debbie Debbie is in love. Jesus knows what I'm dreaming of is my children to love you so, I wish they could just feel what I feel. Just like the song. I pray for the ripple effect to pour onto them.

I feel Jesus loves me, I want to be in His arms. Debbie Debbie is in love.

Peace it's Christmas time.

I'm feeling a little better

There is power in prayer, and power in seeing God's face. Turn your eyes upon Jesus look full in His wonderful face and the things of this earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His wonderful face. Yes, that is what I did, and prayer is what you did.
God is good, no matter what we go through. Sometimes it's just hard to tune out the pain and the hurts and the sad things going on around us, but we have to tune them out and see His face that is what counts.
Just the same we have to do with Christmas so many Santa's so many pretty decorations and lights and food and presents, but we have to tune them out and see His face that is what counts.
Jesus is the reason for Christmas, God gave Him to us to bear all our sins now and our future sins, and He gave us the Holy Spirit to help us each day to focus on Him.
The trinity is what I believe in.
Which reminds me of the word Believe. I've been hearing it a lot from our pastor too. We are studying in the book of Romans.
I would like a sign that says Believe, and maybe someone will say; "Oh you believe in Santa?" and I will say; " I believe in Jesus, His Father our God, and the Holy Spirit lives right in my heart."

I'm feeling better, much better.
QB

Why is my pain unending?

Jeremiah 15:18
Why is my pain unending and my wound grievous and incurable? Will you be to me like a deceptive brook, like a spring that fails?

Job 33:19
Or a man may be chastened on a bed of pain with constant distress in his bones, so that his very being finds food repulsive.

Job 33:26
He prays to God and finds favor with him, he sees God's face and shouts for joy; he is restored by God to his righteous state.

I have a sprained right quadricep according to the nice chiropractor in our town, it hurts tremendously. This time of year is not a good time to be a cripple. I want to decorate to clean and prepare nice meals, but by the evening time, my leg is so stiff and hurting I have to sit down.

Limping in Henry's grocery store, or hobbling alone the parking lots, while cars are letting me cross the road, is not fun. I'm in pain constantly, so much my pain in my heal is gone, which is another story.

Since June 2009, I have been in physical pain with a bone spur, the doctors call it something else, but oh it did hurt severely. Now my hip and groin area are so sore, that I have to take two Aleve's in the morning and two in the evening. I'm trying to ice it every three hours or so, but I'm still in pain.

I know I must relax and quit questioning God or asking why? May my Lord, be gracious to me and have compassion please heal my hurting leg.

May this wound be a Romans 8:28 may I See God like Job did, may I see your face and know everything is going to be okay. May I remember in Christ Alone my hope is found, He will do to me whatever he wants to do to me, I will always be His for His purpose. I do know Him, I'm just in pain.


QB

Plan on six small meals spread throughout the day to prevent hunger

I'm going to try and loose 50 pounds, with a hurt leg too. I have not been able to exercise due to a bone spur in my heal, now a sprained quad, resulting in lots of extra pounds on my body. I'm feeling weak and sad about my looks. Today I decided to count my calories keep it at 1200 calories a day, and when my leg feels better, I will add in more exercise.

It sounds silly starting just nine days till Christmas but I feel the time is right and if I blow it on Christmas eve or day, I will not be too sad about it.

My goal today is to plan six small meals for me.

I keep talking about blooming for the King, well I need to start treating this flower with good food and water.

QB

My Orange Trees

The Spanish brought oranges to their settlement at St. Augustine, Florida in 1565 and by 1579 the groves were flourishing. Again the native people of the area became enthusiastic about oranges, planting them in their own groves and also carrying them as food on hunting trips. Today 9 out of 10 oranges grown in Florida is processed into juice. California produces the most eating oranges in the U.S.

With that bit of history about oranges I do believe it to be true, my oranges in my back garden are delicious eating oranges. We have three orange trees, they seem to be the ripest during Christmas time. We enjoy our oranges as dessert or as orange juice. I was thinking maybe this year I might make marmalade, but they taste so sweet already.

I planted one orange tree in honor of my hubby's father Frank. Being from England he was always outside when he came to visit. He liked getting his picture taken in front of our lemon tree or our orange trees.

I love orange tree blossoms too, in the late spring my trees give off the sweet smell of orange blossoms mmmm good.

I think I'll go eat another orange.

My trees are blooming for the queen of the French Family.

QB

Fill My Family With Christ

Christmas time is a good time for me to share Christ with others. It's a time I can be an example in my home with my decorations, most of all with my actions. Dear Heavenly Father, fill my family with Christ, use me for your teachings. May my family hear your inward call for them to come to You, everyday by using me.

Our family shares Christmas hospitality, we rotate between homes for our family gatherings during Christmas time. This year it is at my home, I have asked for it to be on Christmas Eve instead of Christmas Day. I have invited my Dad and my Mom, and my sisters and brothers and all their children, to come to our home church this Christmas Eve. After church I will have soup in my crock pot and hot warm bread for them when they come over. We will eat dinner and Christmas desserts, and play games, while we enjoy each other.

Eagerly I want them all to come to my home church, "Grace Church", I know my sinful nature will be sad and resentful if they do not attend. This morning I am preparing myself to pray for wisdom, and for Jesus to keep teaching me in my heart, and for the Holy Spirit to give me power to be the example God wants me to be, to fill my family with Christ. I am praying for myself to keep calm, and happy. I must remember if it is God's will they will come to church.

I see things different than some of my family, I'm not better than they are, I just see going to church with Grandma and Grandpa, could be the last time, or all the Aunts and Uncles and cousins, could be a joyful time to praise and worship God. My heart's desire wants this to happen to make it a special and unique Christmas Eve. I tried to explain that to one sister, but she kept saying do not get your hopes up.

Which made me think of our family verse of this year "2009" is Romans 5:5 "Hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us."

I found a website that said I can make my own Christmas cards for free and only pay shipping of $3.50, since I'm trying to be frugal with our money, I thought this would be a great thing. I put Romans 5:5 on our Christmas cards, this wonderful verse that shows the Holy Spirit is living in our hearts, and God will never disappoint us.

Whoever believes will be saved, may I never neglect the larger scope for God's plan.
May I lavishly serve, show, and share others the gospel this Christmas Eve. Fill my family with Christ.

Bloom for the KING!
QB