Inspiration from Isaiah 41 {Nature and Verse}

Have you ever read Isaiah 41? 

I'm sure I have before, but it came back into my view today and I spent some time reading it and

I will Give You Rest

It was one of those days. 
The kind of day when you feel it boiling inside of you.
The bad attitude.
I felt it simmering. I don't know really where it came from. Probably an inconvenience of some kind aggravated me. And then *pop* just like that the bad attitude emerged. 

Future and Hope {5 Minute Friday}

I cannot believe that this is the first Five Minute Friday post for June--because I am in denial that it is even June!! Hello? 2017? What are you doing to me?! This week the theme is "Future", and there is nothing more perfect for this, than a favorite scripture and song. So join me as I jot some notes over the next 5 minutes about "Future".

AND GO

Future
There is a song that I sing as a duet with my mom that has the most gorgeous words and it is based on one of my most favorite scriptures in Jeremiah 29:11-13. I encourage you to click on this link and then read the words as you listen to this most inspiring and encouraging song about a future filled with the love of God the Father.

Biblical Wisdom for Wednesday: Everything is Mine, Job!

I thought that this week, I would try starting a new feature. I would technically call it, Lisa's Ramblings about What Struck her Fancy during Bible Study...but instead I decided on Biblical Wisdom for Wednesday. LOL. I plan on sharing tidbits of thought that came from either my own studies, or things that pop in my head after my bible studies with the boys. Just extra tidbits that I wanted to share. I hope they will maybe encourage you. Or inspire you.
This week, we started learning about the story of Job from the Old Testament. Job has always been a favorite story of mine--I LOVE

Refine Me, Lord...gulp {Five Minute Friday}

Happy Friday! Can you believe it is already the 20th of January? I'm sure many of you are staying up to date on the events occurring in Washington DC today. It is hard to believe we will be swearing in a new president today. New changes on the horizon, and like always, we have no idea how things will play out. The one thing that I take comfort in, is that my Father is in control. He puts people into power, and He removes people from power as He wills it. He is an active God. And He is definitely active in my own life. And that leads me to today's Five Minute Friday word...refine.

AND GO

Refine
When I think of refining, I think of a process of removing flaws and impurities. My dad worked in steel and so he knew a lot about what goes into the refining process. No impurities could be in the steel he was using or the pipe fittings they created would be jeopardized. Refining is a long process. And it involves HOOOOOOOTTTTT conditions for it to work. And then there can be beating of metal. And plunging into icy water. And then it can repeat and repeat.

I will bring the one-third through the fire, Will refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them. I will say, ‘This is My people'; And each one will say, ‘The LORD is my God.' ” ~Zechariah 13.9

God talks about how He is working to refine us the way that one would refine gold and silver. Research that process. Watch it. Now think of God doing that to YOU. Holding you in a fire until JUST the last moment when you will be compromised and useless to Him, and then removing you from it. If it isn't to His satisfaction--back into the fire you go. It is said that a refiner knows that the work is done when he/she can see their face in the object they are refining. Thus it stands to reason, when God can see attributes of Himself in us, He knows He can remove us from the fire.

Thus, my heart must ask Him to refine me.
Refine me, Father.
Make me shine so You can see Your face in me.
Even though that means I must go through a hot fire.
Even though that means I might have to go to the very limit of what I can stand without breaking.
All the same...
Refine me, Lord (gulp)

AND STOP

I hope your family has a simply marvelous weekend! Need a dinner idea? Make sure you check out my latest recipe--Chicken and Biscuit One Skillet Pie...It's like Chicken Pot Pie, but healthier and easier!

Remember Now {Five Minute Friday}

Hello my friends! We are here on one of the last Fridays of the year. Did you know today is my birthday? Yes indeed. I was blessed to be able to have a day to run errands by myself, and when I came home I discovered my mom had my boys clean my house nearly spotless! What a birthday present! And then she fixed the dinner I used to request every year when I was younger. She hadn't been able to make it for years, so she was very excited about that. My family gave me a TON of love. And tomorrow night, I believe we are all going out for dinner and to see Rogue One. I love spending birthday's with family!

It is another Friday, and that means a new word for Five Minute Friday--this one is simply: Now.

AND GO

Now.

What do you think of when you think of the word NOW? Does it have a sense of urgency? I mean when we are young we know that when our parents say "Come here NOW!" That means, get your butt in gear and move. Or when you are in a race, you might here--and "NOW!" and you rush to start. Now means to do immediately. It's an action word.

One of my most favorite scriptures uses the word "Now"...

Remember NOW your Creator, in the days of your youth, before the difficult days come..." Ecclesiastes 12:1

Why? Why the admonishment to remember NOW?

Well, if you think about it, our lives are fairly untroubled in our youth. So if we build a relationship with our God when we are free from a lot of the world's troubles, it will fill our tank. Fill our tank for us to pull on later when we are older and the "difficult days come..."

I love to look on all HE has created and ponder all the time and care involved. I like to think on how much He cared to make the Earth perfect--and how much more He cares about man. These moments of peace definitely help when trouble comes.

What are you doing to remember your Creator now?

AND STOP

***

I hope you and yours have a most wonderful weekend! On Sunday I will be working hard on a new venture for me that sort of just popped up out of nowhere. I look forward to sharing it with you, and giving you a run down of other things that are going on. Think of Sunday as being a catch up! And of course, we have the upcoming TEN FAVORITE REVIEW ITEMS from 2016. That will be fun to share with you!

Finding Joy {Five Minute Friday}

Hello my friends! I am so sorry that I have missed the last couple weeks of Five Minute Friday! It's been so busy! I hope that you are staying sane in the craziness of this time of year. We are looking forward to peaceful completion of the year, and we hope to finish the year with...joy.

AND GO

Joy The word JOY has a special meaning for me. As many of you are aware, my husband and I have had infertility issues for several years. When I experienced my second miscarriage (I've had four, including an ectopic), I was at a very low point. I was very bitter. I saw several unmarried young girls getting pregnant during that time, and went through the "why not me" stage. Then in the fall of 2012, I discovered I was pregnant after trying since January 2011. I was so happy and thankful. We went to Georgia to attend our annual week long Feast of Tabernacles--and on the evening before everything began, I started having a miscarriage. There I was away from home, celebrating one of my most favorite of God's feasts--more joyous and eager to celebrate thanks to our blessing that year--and then BAM. I have to start with a miscarriage. There was no joy. There was pain. There was sorrow. There was bitterness.
The next morning--for the sun always rises no matter what--I got up and I felt bitterness to my core. I was full of the "not fairs". So I decided I needed to have a long talk with God. I walked out onto the beach of Jekyll Island. As I climbed up onto the bridge that goes over the rocks to the beach, the golden sun hit the water and made it sparkle. The waves crashed on the shore. The sand stretched seemingly endless. And I felt so very small. The vastness of creation weighed down on me. But it was beautiful. Even in my bitterness, I was moved. So as I admired God's handiwork, I gave my heart to Him again. I asked that He remove the bitterness. That I needed to find...joy. I didn't even know what to pray. 
So I simply asked Him: "Lord. I need You to help me find JOY every day." 

"Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” ~ Nehemiah 8:10

Would you also believe that a few hours later, when we attended church that day--the very first of my friends that I saw was a darling beautiful woman...and when I saw her moving towards me, I just cried...because her name--is Joy. God brought me Joy--I had asked, He had answered in a way beyond what I had even prayed for. And as it turned out, Joy found me every day that week. She put her arms around me and together we praised God for His mercy and love. 
God answers prayers. His joy is our strength. His joy is MY strength. 
I continue to seek the Lord's JOY every day. 

AND STOP May you and yours have a most blessed weekend--and a most refreshing Sabbath day to those who keep it.

What We Have In Common {Five Minute Friday}

Ah. Another week almost done. A crazy week if you ask me. People losing their minds. People acting like toddlers when they don't get their way. Us vs. them. Red vs. Blue. Him vs. Her. Aren't you so over it? I know I am. As we shift into a new presidency, the emphasis needs to be on unity. But in order to do that, we must shift our thinking. And that leads me to this week's Five Minute Friday prompt.

AND GO

Common.

When you think of the word common, you should think about the things that are similar. If we have a common background, it means we share similarities--maybe the family structure, schooling, environment. It brings us together as we celebrate things we have the same.

Have you ever stopped to think that the main mantra for our society is--

CELEBRATE OUR DIVERSITY! or CELEBRATE OUR DIFFERENCES!

Seek Ye First {Five Minute Friday}

Oh it's been so busy here! We only just got home at 11pm Tuesday night, and the rest of the week has been about getting caught up! But here we are again at another Friday. I am so thankful for my Sabbath rest coming up...I need it! Here we go with this week's Five Minute Friday!

AND GO

Eat. When I think of eating, I think usually of the physical action. I love food. I love to eat. When I am hungry, I actively seek out something to make me feel better. Just like I know you do. But when I think about eating, it also makes me think of one of my most favorite passages in the bible:

“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today." ~Matthew 6:22-26

I am a worrywort---are you? Yet, here we are admonished to not worry about what we are going to eat or drink. Or wear. Or worry about tomorrow. We are to fix our eyes straight ahead on our ETERNAL future. That if we are focused on filling ourselves with all things related to God, Christ, and our future home in His kingdom, everything else will fall in line. Don't worry about what we are going to eat. Remember--Jesus is the bread of life. If we "eat" of Him, we will not be hungry. If we fill ourselves with God's word, we will be full.

So what is your focus in regards to eating? Are you making sure you are focusing on the right food?
AND STOP

Want to Join in?
***

I hope you and yours have a most blessed weekend and happy Sabbath to all of those who keep it. It's hard to believe we are just a handful of days before the month ends---November is around the corner! Be safe this weekend, as I know it can be pretty crazy in some areas. 

The Value of a Letter {Five Minute Friday}

Can you believe it's already the middle of October? This month is going to fly by for me, because it is the month when my family celebrates the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) with other brethren of our church. This year, we are heading down to Florida for a feast site--actually on our way right now! We eagerly await this annual week long Holy Day and are just bursting with excitement when it's time to pack up and leave. Even though we are on the road, I didn't want to forget to participate in this week's Five Minute Friday.

AND GO

Mail When I think of the word mail, I don't think about the junk. No, I think about the surprise letters. The ones that make you pause, fill you with curiosity, and then make you smile. Isn't it funny how mail has the power to ruin a good day, or make it the best day ever? More often than not, it seems we get more bad. This is why I am one of the few who regularly send out snail mail. I have a stack of stationary--always grabbing new packs too. You see, I've learned the value of a letter.
For some reason, God has granted me the knack of knowing WHO needs a letter. I love writing them--simple notes, long notes, funny notes, notes of sympathy. And I never quite know who will get a letter when I start out. So I pray before opening my address book--and then the names that jump out? Those are the receivers.
EVERY SINGLE TIME.  EVERY single time, I have received either a note in return, or a word from the person at church, effusive in their thanks for my words. Every time, my note arrived on a day when they desperately needed someone to care or share in their burdens. I have strengthened friendships with a single note. 

It didn't cost me anything but a stamp. 
Yet the value of that letter brought, was priceless. That's not me. That's God.
AND STOP.

Want to Join in? ***

I hope that you and your family have a simply marvelous weekend! I hope to post a book review or two over the upcoming week, and maybe even share some photos of what we are up to down here. Right now, I'm just enjoying driving past the fields of cotton as we drive through Alabama. It's so unusual. My boys love seeing "real live" cotton pickers and the peanut harvesters. A nice change to the soybean, wheat, and corn combines we are used to.

Oh That They Would Listen {Five Minute Friday}

Ah. Here we are at another Friday evening. Aren't you so glad that the week is over? I know I sure am. I am heading into my Sabbath now and am so thankful for the rest. As I said last week, I am continuing my participation in the weekly 5 Minute Friday series at Heading Home. Won't you join me as I spend 5 minutes writing about this week's theme?

AND GO

Listen.  When I think of the word LISTEN, I think of the fact that it's an ACTIVE word, even though you are silent. So LISTEN is to be completely engaged on something with all your heart, mind and body. Some refer to it as active listening.
It's hard for humans to really do active LISTENing. We are easily distracted by sights, sounds, and even our own thoughts. How much of a conversation we really miss because we are not devoting ourselves to LISTENing. 
If we have trouble LISTENing to our own selves, is it any wonder that we struggle to LISTEN to God? Time and time again, we can read that we must have the ears to hear His word. That He will talk to us if we would just LISTEN! 
There is a scripture in Psalm 81 that I think really just sums it up.

"Oh that My people would would LISTEN to Me, that Israel would walk in My Ways..." ~ Psalm 81:13

What follows next, and what is really the theme of the whole chapter is the blessings that God would shower down upon the nation if they would only LISTEN to what He (God) had to say and do it.
Last week, I mentioned how God promised to HEAL our land if we turned to Him. Turning to Him requires LISTENING to what He has to say.

Unfortunately, man doesn't want to hear what God has to say. So he refuses to listen.
STOP.

Want to Join in? ***

I hope you and yours have a simply marvelous weekend. It's a spectacular harvest moon outside and the night is just fabulous. I love the changing from summer to fall, don't you?

Heal Their Land {Five Minute Friday}

I have decided that I will be starting to participate in a delightful new series called 5 Minute Friday hosted by Kate of Heading Home. It's easy--just me spending just 5 minutes writing a blog post inspired by a word or idea. I thought it would be a nice break from all my homeschool reviews and book reviews I flood my blog with. To just write some thoughts rolling around in my brain about random things. I hope you like it.

And GO.

Heal. That's the word for this week's 5 Minute Friday. Want to know what's interesting? That word was in a scripture I read today. It's one of my favorite scriptures really.

"If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and HEAL their land." ~2 Chronicles 7:14

Heal their land.

Have you ever thought about what that would be like? We always focus on the fact that God promises forgiveness of sin, but do we forget the magnitude of the other promise?

To have God who created this earth, HEAL the damage that man has done over the thousands of years we've been caretakers? Only He is able to do it, you know.

HEAL the oceans.

HEAL the freshwater bodies...the lakes, rivers, creeks.

HEAL the grasslands.

HEAL the forests.

HEAL the atmosphere.

Could you imagine the beauty that would unfold? (read Isaiah 35 for an idea) The crops that would abound? The animal kingdom that would be saved? The prosperity man could experience? 

And all it takes is for mankind to turn to God, his Creator. His Father. To turn to God. To confess our sins before His face. To repent fully for our sins. To move forward in obedience.

That's it.

It's simple.

Yet man refuses.

And so the world continues to be sick.

I am so thankful I know the hope of a better tomorrow...

STOP

Want to join in?

***

Well, it's the weekend again. I hope you and yours have a blessed weekend. I have some odd ball posts to share over the course of the next few days. A recipe I have been promising for awhile, and a list of book reviews to knock out. Not to mention, I need to get my "official" list of the curriculum we are going to be using this year typed up to share. Busy busy. 

Don't forget, you can always follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for quick daily peeks into life here on the farm!

Nature and Verse Graphics to Snag for Saturday 7/16

It has been awhile since I shared any of the nature and verse graphics I like to put together. It is always fun to sort through photos and then match them with scriptures. Sometimes the scripture come first--other times the photo. Today, I have two graphics to share with you--and in both, the photo came first. 
Please feel free to use these on your social media sites if you desire, but as always, I'd love a nod of some kind to let people know where you found them. 

This one will fit a cover photo for Facebook.

Aren't they just lovely? I especially love the cover photo. So much peace in that scene. And the world needs peace. Lord knows we do. 
May you have a beautiful and blessed Sabbath today, and a gorgeous weekend!

Psalm 124:8 {Sabbath Silence}

May you and yours have a most beautiful and blessed Sabbath with your loved ones.
*****

Sabbath Silence for 5/2

Have a most blessed Sabbath and beginning of your May!

Sabbath Silence for 4/25

 May you and yours have a most blessed and peace filled Sabbath day.
*****

Nature and Verse for 2/8

A friend took this photo and I just fell in love with it and had to put it with one of my most verses to share with you on this most beautiful and blessed Sabbath day.

Nature and Verse for January 18th

On Monday, Love-Of-My-Life called me to hurry and come see the sunrise from our kitchen window. I'm so glad I did because it was gorgeous! 

After a few minutes I took a second photo and the colors had lightened up to pretty yellow and purples...

Have a lovely Sabbath and peaceful weekend!