Apple Heaven

We have a system in the family that if you get a bumper crop of produce, anyone who helps process the fruit gets to also share in the labors. Needless to say, I was thrilled to help my mom process some apples that she had been given. We made jars of sliced apple slices which can be used for pies or fruit salad. We also used my Ninja blender to turn a second batch into apple sauce.

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. 

Give or Get--your choice! {Biblical Wisdom for Wednesday}

I don't have a lot of time to blog today, so I thought I would simply go for another installment of Biblical Wisdom for Wednesday. Today I was thinking about the word GIVE. It's a short word. A verb. It's a transitive verb. Meaning it requires a direct object to be complete. If someone says "give", the next response is.."give what?" Give is an action that requires people to sacrifice. 
What? A sacrifice? 

He Will Be Your Guide {5 Minute Friday}

Whew! After a busy week last week with the 5 Days of Back to School Blog Hop, it was nice to have a slower week of blogging. I have been busy canning my garden produce instead. That's a lot of work, but the reward of seeing your jars on the shelf makes it totally worth it! Today is Friday, and that means it's time for another edition of Five Minute Friday. This week, the word is GUIDE.

GUIDE.
What is the definition of guide?
Well, as a noun there are four definitions:
1. a person who advises or shows the way to others
2. a thing that helps someone form an opinion or make a decision or calculation
3. a structure or marking that directs the motion or positioning of something
4. a soldier, vehicle, or ship whose movement determines the position of others

And then there is guide as a verb:
1. show or indicate the way
2. direct or have an influence on the course of action

Have you ever thought about how the God and His Son Jesus Christ fulfills all of these definitions?

God is our Guide--someone who advises and shows us the way. He is a guide who helps us form opinions and make decisions through His Word (the Bible) and Holy Spirit. His words to us through the Bible are a structure and marking that directs the motion we should be making. And He is a guide like a ship that should determine our movement as we follow Him. But let's not forget that He also GUIDES. His Son guides us by showing us the way we should go. He even calls Himself "the Way". And God directs and has an influence on the course of action this world takes.

Here are a few scriptures that reveal this to us:

Psalm 31:3
"For You are my rock and my fortress;
Therefore, for Your name’s sake,
Lead me and guide me."

Psalm 32:8
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will guide you with My eye."

Psalm 119:105
"Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path."

Isaiah 49:10
"They shall neither hunger nor thirst,
Neither heat nor sun shall strike them;
For He who has mercy on them will lead them,
Even by the springs of water He will guide them."

John 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

So this boils down to the question I have for you today...
Will you let God be the full definition of guide in your life?
Will you let Him BE the guide AND guide you?

I know how hard it is to let someone else take control, when I am so confident that MY WAY is best. It takes humility to allow God to be the Guide in your life, not battling Him for control. It takes a soft and willing heart to allow Him to guide is in the way we should go. I pray that I will allow Him to be MY guide and that I will seek after His guidance with my whole heart.

Join us this week!

May you and yours be blessed today and as we enter another weekend.

Dear Homeschool Mom ❤ {5 Days of Back to School Blog Hop}

Dear Homeschool Mom (or whoever you are), Hi. It's me, another overwhelmed homeschool parent. I am like you right now. Staring at another year in the trenches. Taking deep breaths. Trying to convince myself that I've got this. I've already knocked out six years, so I should be a pro now. 
Except I'm not.

Shoulda Woulda Coulda {Five Minute Friday}

Can you believe we've already knocked out the first week of May? This year is going by so very very fast, isn't it? There are just so many things that I wanted to have done this week, this month, this year...but sadly, I still haven't got to them yet. But it IS another week for Five Minute Friday--and the theme for this week is...should.
AND GO
Should The word should has a couple definitions in the dictionary... 1. used to indicate obligation, duty, or correctness, typically when criticizing someone's actions
2.used to indicate what is probable
3. used in a clause with “that” after a main clause describing feelings

Is it Enough? {Five Minute Friday}

Here we are in April with the first of this month's Five Minute Friday posts. I really like these, because they give me a change to just sort of ramble about something I might not normally chat about. This week's FMF theme is inspired by the word...enough.

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Enough What do you think of when you hear the word? I hear it several ways in my mind. I hear a mom who has had it up to HERE yelling "ENOUGH!" I hear a worried provider of a service, asking "Is there going to be enough?" I hear a coach asking his team (while they are running stadiums) if they have had enough. One word. So many uses or implications. 
I like to think of a well known Bible story in Matthew 14 dealing with "enough". In this story, the disciples of Jesus are worried about there being enough food. You know the story. A multitude gathered together to hear the word of Jesus. And then they get hungry. And Christ wants to feed them with physical food. So He asks what there is. The disciples respond "ONLY 5 loaves of bread and two fishes." 
Clearly they knew it was NOT going to be enough to feed the 5,000 hungry mouths.
But for Jesus...it was enough.
We know what happens next. He tells them to separate the food into twelve baskets. And it is enough. MORE than enough. It's enough to the point of leftovers.
Did you know this happens AGAIN? Yes, in Matthew 15. Again, another multitude. Again, a desire of Christ to feed them. And AGAIN a disbelief of the disciples that there would be enough. The funny thing is that there are less people and more loaves/fishes. After what they saw just a short period of time previously, why were they worried about it being enough? Shouldn't they have known without a doubt that it was? Shouldn't they have brought him the 7 loaves and few fish, confident in the fact that all would be fed?
How does this play out in your life? Do you ever feel like the disciples? You look at your needs. You compare your needs to what you have. You don't see how it could possibly work. It won't be enough. So what do you do? Do you simply accept that it isn't enough? Or do you ask God to bless what you have--just as Jesus blessed the small amount of food available? Could it be that what you see as not enough--God says it IS enough? 
I can't tell you how many times I have been in a situation where on paper--it shouldn't work. Logic says it won't work. Yet, with God---it works. 

Because God is enough.  No matter what the situation. No matter what the odds. No matter who is involved.  With God, you have enough.
Remember this verse--one of my most favorites, and one I draw comfort from time and time again:

But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. ~Matthew 19:26

We must not get so caught up in the things we can see, that we forget the power of the One who is unseen. 

AND STOP

Biblical Wisdom for Wednesday: Faith Like Gideon

Here I am back for another lesson to share from our family bible lessons this week. As I explained with my initial blog post in this series, this is nothing more than a journaling of some thoughts that I've had while studying God's Word with my boys. Last time, I shared a lesson I learned from the story of Job, but we have moved forward in our story. We are now reading the book of Judges right now--and let me tell you. If you want to pack the lessons of obedience and disobedience succinctly? Read your children the book of Judges. There are some super awesome stories in there of men and women who did incredible things. My boys were nearly bug-eyed during a few stories (Um. Like General Sisera's death via tent peg. LOL). But one of the stories that I loved sharing with them the most, was that of Gideon. I think in many ways most Christians can identify with Gideon. Because most of us have faith like Gideon. 

So Gideon's story can be found in Judges 6 and it isn't pretty when it starts. We find the tribes of Israel under attack on nearly all sides by their age old enemy the Midianites. It's gotten so bad that the Midianites have driven Israel to move into the mountains, to hide in caves and dens (Judges 6:2). But you know, it was Israel's own fault. They were yet again suffering the consequences for their disobedience to God with their abhorrent idolatry. But there they were. And as before oh so many times, they begin to cry out to God to have mercy on them. To save them. Again. 

Meet in the Middle {Five Minute Friday}

Hello and happy Sunday! I hope that your weekend has been going along just wonderfully. Were you in the path of the supposed major winter storm Jupiter ice storm? We were at the edge--but it ended up completely fizziling out and doing nothing but dump rain. I am so happy they were wrong with THAT forecast! Here is my Five Minute Friday post. It took me a bit to be inspired, but I think I have something to share about this week's word...middle

AND GO

Middle
What do you think of when you hear the word middle? I would venture to say most of us simply think of being in the middle of a creek. Or reaching for something in the middle. Or maybe you are the middle child? It's the one that isn't first, nor last. Somewhere in between.

When I think of middle, an older country song pops into my mind...it's from the band Diamond Rio, an old favorite band of my parents when I was younger. Here is how the chorus goes:

I start walking your way, You start walking mine. We meet in the middle 'neath that old Georgia pine.We gain a lot of ground, 'cause we both give a little. And there ain't no road too long, When you meet in the middle.("Meet in the MIddle", Diamond Rio)

You know. With the chaos that is around us these days, it sure would be nice if more people in the world practiced this philosophy. Wouldn't we be able to accomplish so much more in this country if each "side" started walking towards each other? If they both gave a little? Why do we think it is so wrong to meet in the middle on things? That's how you make things work! That's how you make relationships work! So why can't we apply that philosophy across the board? Are we so incredibly stubborn that we would rather watch our country fail, than work out a compromise where EACH is willing to GIVE UP SOMETHING for the better of the whole?

If you have children, isn't that what we teach them when they are young? In essence, it's the idea of sharing. So why can't we continue to practice this when we are "old"?

AND STOP

***
I hope you have a simply wonderful week! And remember--if you are a homeschooler and haven't read my post about SchoolhouseTeacher website and their INCREDIBLE deal, you need to do it TODAY. Because there is a coupon included that will give you a 50% off price--and TODAY is the last day to use it before they raise their prices tomorrow (1/16/2017)!

Be Safe, Be Kind, and Share Love

Hello my friends. Can you believe that it's already December 23rd? This year has just FLOWN by and there have been so many changes here, and I'm sure in your own life. This could be one of the busiest weekends your family may have this weekend--My family is attending a church wide family weekend hosted at the Great Wolf Lodge. We will be joining almost 1500 others as we enjoy time together with sports events, bible studies, seminars, and just a great time.  I hope that you will remember at least three things no matter what your plans are this weekend: 1. Be Safe Please. This weekend is absolutely NUTTY on the roads. Watch out for the crazies out there and be safe. People leave their brains at home when they are driving these days.  2. Be Kind Please be kind. What? Well, this weekend is so hectic for so many people, that simple kindness goes a long way. Let other cars merge. Let someone go in front of you in a line. Hold the door for the young and old. Pay it forward with buying a coffee for the next one in line. Offer to help a mom with her hands full. Just simply smile at a frazzled parent. Let's promote kindness in all that we do this weekend--and forever forward. The world needs A LOT of kindness right now. 3. Share LOVE This goes hand in hand with kindness. Let's make sure everyone in your life knows without a DOUBT that you love them and care for them. It might be JUST what they need to hear about today. Have fun my friends. And I will see you sometime Monday...

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!

Stay Between the Lines {Five Minute Friday}

Ahhh. The first Friday of November. It feels so good to know that tomorrow is my Sabbath and a day of rest. I know we will appreciate it, especially with this gorgeous fall weather! With it being Friday, that means it's time for another Five Minute Friday. I'm feeling a bit...poetic.

AND GO

Stay Between the Lines by Lisa McKinney
We all know that life's a journey and sometimes the road seems long But if we keep our vehicle between the lines We will keep from steering wrong.
The lines are the Word and laws of God They help us to know The Way And keep us from straying off the road No matter if its night or day.
Like the Israelites back in Exodus We have something to follow behind They had the cloud of fire and smoke We're lead by the Savior of Mankind.
The journey is long, but the end will come It's going to be sooner than later Keep your eyes lifted up, stay between the lines And you'll be blessed by the Creator. 
AND STOP ***

Want to Join in? *** We are pretty excited about the rest of the weekend, because my parents are in the middle of their official moving road trip here. They are a mere 500 miles away now--resting for the Sabbath in Iowa. We expect them to finish their journey on Sunday, and arrive Sunday night. Needless to say, all involved are very excited about this. Their house is in the middle of construction--all framed and sheeted now--and their pole barn is completed. They haven't seen it yet--having had to rely on my photos and videos, so they are dying to arrive. I know they will be happy that part of THEIR journey will be over--and a new adventure can begin.
Have a simply wonderful weekend and may it be full of peace and blessings!

Park yourself {Five Minute Friday}

I almost forgot about Five Minute Friday, because we are down here in Panama City Beach, FL keeping the Feast of Tabernacles with about 1100 other brethren. I'm busy with worship services, music practice, and family adventures--so I can hardly recall what day of the week it is! LOL. But here we go. 

AND GO

Park When I think of park, I come up with three concepts. 1. A place to relax outside--with a playground maybe. A nature escape. (a noun) 2. The act of putting my car between two lines in a parking lot or on a road (a verb) 3. To put yourself in a place to stand still or sit. "park yourself here in the chair!" (a verb)
It's funny, but the first one of these that really hit me, was the third one. Park yourself. I always think about that in regards to going somewhere and STAYING there. Park...stay...Go there and stay there. 
When it comes to God and His way/truth/life, I want to PARK myself in His word. I want to go there and stay there. I did a search to see if the words park or stay are used in that sense in my Bible translation. They aren't. But I can find cases where I can read "remain" or "keep" in the same sense.

Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. ~John 15:4

Do you park yourself in God's word? Do you do a focused attention to it and STAY in it every day? I know I need to work on it. That's something that I am learning while down here listening to the messages. Over and over they are reminding us that we need to OWN our faith. To STAY in the faith. To PARK ourselves in God's word.
May God help me to do so.
AND STOP

Want to Join in?
***

We have a few more days left, and a lot more worship and adventures to do! I hope you and yours have a beautiful Sabbath day, gorgeous weekend, and blessed week!

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.

The Refiner's Fire {Five Minute Friday}

Here we are at the end of yet another week in October. I am praying for those people who are stuck in the South Eastern Seaboard during this scary time waiting for the hurricane. I hope that if that is you, that you will be safe! Because it is Friday, it is time for another week of Five Minute Friday, and fortunately, this time it was easy to think about what to write!

AND GO

Test

When I think of the word test in regards to God, I think of one of my most favorite scriptures:

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

I always think of that phrase that talks about how God tests His people just like gold. He refines us. Refining isn't a pleasant thing. It's hot. And uncomfortable. I always think of the scripture where it says that we will call on His name. But this time I think about how it's connected with what is previously said. It is like God KNOWS we will call on Him in the middle of our refining and He promises to answer. And because He answers, if we truly have faith and belief in Him, we will claim Him as our God, and thus He will call us His people. 

So think about that the next time you are feeling tested. God tests to see who you will call for. When you call on HIS name, He answers. And when you call Him your God, He calls you His child. And when God has your back...this world has nothing you can't handle.

AND STOP

Want to Join in?

***

I hope you have a beautiful weekend and please remember those in the South Eastern United States who are in for a rough ride, and the people in Haiti who have already suffered and lost. 

He Will Collect {Five Minute Friday}

It's another Friday--and not just any old Friday, but the last one of the month--which happens to be the last DAY of the month. I can't believe that October begins tomorrow, can you? But as it IS Friday, it's time for my weekly Five Minute Friday post! I was stumped for a little while on today's word...

AND GO.

Collect.

To collect. 

To gather.

To me, the words are really inter-changeable. Both refer to the same thing.

Tonight as I was thinking about this word, I started thinking about how God promises over and over in the scripture that one day He will GATHER His people. Sometimes it feels like we are scattered here and there. Evil surrounding us. Hearts broken. Despair running rampant. Like God has forsaken this world. 

So I found a wonderful verse that really captures this...

“For a mere moment I have forsaken you, But with great mercies I will GATHER you." ~ Isaiah 54:7

It's a promise! God has promised that although it seems like He's turned His back on the world He created (and honestly, He does say over and over in the scriptures this will happen to those who are disobedient and rebellious like the world at large), He has greater plans for the future. 

In His incredible mercy, He WILL gather His people to Him. He will COLLECT His people. Collect, gather...like a child gathers precious items. Like we collect and gather the things that matter most to us. The treasured things. The things of high personal value. 

THAT'S US! 

He WILL gather us to Him one day.

It's a promise from God.

Rejoice in this and eagerly await that day!

AND STOP. 

Want to Join in?

I hope you and yours have a blessed weekend and kick off to the new month of October! Unlike last weekend, fall is actually here! I just love the cool weather and foggy mornings. We've had the loveliest damp autumn days lately. I was so happy to pull out my jeans again! This is really my most favorite season...is it yours?

Five Words {Five Minute Friday}

Can you believe it's already Friday again? My dad flew in for the weekend so he could take care of some business stuff related to their new property here. So we are enjoying the time with him before he flies out again on Sunday night. Because it IS Friday, it's time for another 5 Minute Friday post. I found the theme for this week a bit harder than the last two weeks, but I will give it a go.

AND GO

Five. 

It's Friday and tomorrow is my Sabbath, so I start thinking ahead to my special time extra focused on God. And I come up with five words that I keep in my heart to help me in my daily walk with Him.

1. WAIT

Wait on the Lord.

Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD! ~Psalm 27:14

This is probably the hardest command God gives us. To wait for things to happen in HIS time, and not our own. But it definitely helps me build the much needed patience.

2. TRUST

Trust that God knows what He's doing.

But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord GOD... ~Psalm 73:28

Oh this one is nearly as hard. I think of all the times when I just throw up my hands, because what's happening in this life, makes no sense, or overwhelms me. So I just have to keep my trust in the one constant. God.

3. HOPE

Hope in the Lord.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. ~Jeremiah 29:11

I have a hope for the future that nothing on this earth can take away. It's because of this hope that I can get through the trials that life throw at me. I know my future. I know the plans God has. Nothing in this world is better than that.

4. BELIEVE

Believe that All things work together for good to them that love the Lord.

But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. ~Galatians 3:22

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. ~ Romans 8:28

I don't have much to add to that. I just have to BELIEVE that what God has written WILL happen. Believe that it's true. Believe that God is in control. That He follows through on his promises...

5. FAITH

Shield of Faith.

Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. ~Ephesians 6:16

I lift my shield of faith every day to fight off the fiery darts of the adversary. It's when I don't gird myself through daily Bible Study and meditation that I falter. So I must lift my shield and keep it steady.

AND STOP.

Want to Join in?

I hope that you and yours have a simply fabulous weekend. It was the first day of fall yesterday, but it still feels like summer at 90+ degrees! I'm so ready for fall!!!

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?