My Best Deal...series Bible Journaling Book

Today's best deal - I actually came by it accidently. You see I did not realize what an awesome resource this book was or what a great deal I was really getting when I bought this book. I had went to my local hole in the wall thrift store looking for some special devotional books I had seen just a few days before. I was really hoping they would still be there. There is never a guarantee that things will still be there in a few days. Well I lucked out and the books I wanted were still there. And I decided since I was there to look around. And underneath some other stuff I found this awesome book:

One of the classes that the church that I am going to has been offering has been a Bible Journaling class - hence my interest in the book. I am so glad that it worked out that way because otherwise I might have walked away from this awesome deal!

Notice what this says:

I didn't notice that until the second time that I picked up the book after I got home with it and was looking at it. My first thought was that there would be a good chance that the stickers and all are gone at this point - but they were not!!!

Right now this little thrift shop is running a 50 cents a book sale! Yep! What a deal!!

I looked the book up and here is what I found out:

Then you have to add shipping cost on top of the prices you find on the internet usually. So I got an even better deal finding it in person! 

I could almost kick myself in the butt. About a month ago there was a good sized Bible that had wide margins. I debated about getting the Bible a couple of times, but because I already have several Bibles- seriously like 4 or 5 maybe more - I decided not to get it. Now I find this great Bible journaling book and am wishing I had have bought that Bible. I will just have to keep my eyes open for another one. :O) 

I just have to share - when shopping at thrift stores - you are not always going to find awesome deals. Many times you will leave empty handed. And that is alright because you want to find good deals. I just wanted to share that because with me sharing about good deals I have found it would be easy for someone to think that I always find great deals every time I go. There was one week(last week), that I went to 4 different thrift stores in one week and did not buy at thing at any of them. Lucky for me on Friday on my way to get groceries- I decided to stop by a goodwill and I found 4 tops! You just have to be ok with leaving the store without anything sometimes because that is just the way it is. But when you find the great things- you will be happy you passed up all the other mediocre things. 

Added to My Favorites List

Last week I heard this song on the radio. I loved it the very first time that I heard it!! It is excellent. I hope you enjoy it! :O)

New Insight into Psalm 23...series

"In Isaiah 43:1-3 the Lord in speaking to His own says: "I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the water, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flam kindle upon thee. For I am the LORD they God, the Holy One of Israel, they Saviour; I gave Egypt for they ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee."
These verses do not promise immunity from sorrow. They do not guarantee that the floods and fires of sorrow and affliction will not come; but they do guarantee that when they come, the Shepherd will go through them with us and will see to it that the floods do not overflow and that the flames do not kindle upon us. He proved that He was as good as His word in Noah's day and in the day of the three Hebrew children. He is still proving every hour of every day that He is as good as His word."
~page 79

Some Shows Can Inspire

Recently I have came across an awesome show- "Life Below Zero" It is a show about people who live in Alaska - and live off of the land. This show has helped inspire me to think of ways I can make do or do things differently than what I have been. We live in a convenient, face paced life. We think we need to have this quickly and that quickly- but many times we pay for that convenience. And I am thinking outside of the box to see how maybe I can do things differently and not only save money but live healthier lifestyle while I am at it.

It really has caused a domino effect of trying new things and finding I really like it and it leading me to try something else and something else. You will see what I am talking about as you read my "Ways to Save" series.

I think many times there are the things we need or want much easier accessible than what we think - we may have to do a little extra work or like I said earlier think outside of the box. But it is so exciting to find better ways of doing things. It helps me feel more accomplished.

I had felt kind of down and discouraged about life, but watching this show and seeing how easy I really do have  has really helped me find more joy in life. And it has given me excitement about the possibilities of things I can do. As these people make do with what they have has inspired me to do the same thing.

Be watching for a post about an awesome resource that I found at my local park - I will also offer you the opportunity to do what I will be trying. Hopefully I can get that post written up and posted soon. Be watching for "An Unexpected Resource."

Too Busy To Type Up Post...

Sunday afternoon we found out the Sweetpea would out of school on Monday and Tuesday which meant that she would be staying with her daddy till Tuesday at 6pm. Thankfully I didn't have anything that just had to get done on Monday and Tuesday- I would be talking care of Sweetpea. We had a lot of fun and had some excitement as well. I will share more about this "excitement" soon. I just wanted to let you know why I wouldn't have a healthy tidbits pots today. I have been to busy to get it written up.f

Thankfully I already have Thursdays post ready and hopefully by Friday I can get a post typed out that I have been working on. Funny thing how our weeks can seem like they might be a slow week but come to find out it is filled up just like every other week. Next week looks like a slow week but I'm sure as it approaches it, too, will fill up. Hope you all are having a great week. Spend it with the ones you love. :0)

New Insight into Psalm 23...series

"We look at the tapestry of our life with its beautiful pattern of variegated colors, and there is a particular spot which is woven in deep crimson. It was there that we suffered so terribly. We reach out and tear that crimson spot out of the whole beautiful fabric and say, "this is life. It is hard. It is cruel. It is unfair." But wait. Put that crimson piece back into the tapestry and stand off and view it in its relationship to the golds and the purples and the blues which surround it, and you will discover that it required just that crimson spot in your life to complete the beauty in the pattern. Without it the whole pattern would have been flat. So often we tear one page out of the book of our life- that page which was written in scarlet letters  of awful agony- and we say, "This is life." No, put the page back into the book and read the whole book- begin with babyhood, read on through childhood, youth, young womanhood, young manhood, on down through the sunset days of old age- and you will discover that the book would have been terribly dull were it not for such pages. Our trouble is that we forget the blues and the golds already woven into the pattern, and the pages of pleasure already written into the book, and since we cannot see what the future is to produce, we get terribly afraid as we view the awful present. But remember that you are in the one who sees it all and, seeing to the end, He turns to you and whispers, "Fear not."
If we could see what HE sees, if we could see ourselves arriving with Him and in Him at the destination of eternity, then our fears would be allayed. No, we cannot see what He sees, but I'll tell you what we can do: we can hear what He says; and in spite of all the tragedy and suffering which His omniscient eye detects as coming into our life in the days ahead, He sees with that same omniscient eye our safe arrival in eternity. So, cannot we trust Him even though we cannot see? If by some means you could be made absolutely certain that you were going to arrive safely and without harm at a certain destination, would not that assurance and guarantee in itself be sufficient to allay any fear which might be occasioned by a bit of rough going enroute? The one who not only sees the end from the beginning, but who also maps out the course and does that driving, whispers in your ear today, "I am the first. I am the last. I was dead. I am alive. I know all the way, and I know the end of the way, and I am saying to you today, 'Fear not.' "
~page 74

Ways to Save.....series Homemade Laundry Detergent

So about a week or so ago I decided to start making my own laundry detergent again. I had bought stuff and made it in the past but got lazy and stopped doing it. Then recently I decided to start making my own again. I already had most of the ingredients. I had to go buy the bar soap - but for 97 cents and being able to make up enough laundry detergent for quite some time is very worth it to me.  You can look up different recipes but the recipe I use is from a blog that is no longer running - at least I know it closed down - she may have started blogging again but I haven't found her.

1 C. Borax
1 C. Washing Powder
1 bar of fels Naptha or Ivory soap grated

We run the bar soap through the food processor on "grate" and then we dump the grated soap into small bowl and we trade out and put the chopping blade in to the bottom of the food processor and pour the grated soap on top and run that through till little tiny pieces. Then we add one cup of each borax and washing powder and process it for a bit.

Then we pour this into our older Tupperware container that is used for this purpose only.

Directions is to use 1 Tablespoons per load. If you have a very large load or very dirty load you may want to go to 1 1/2 - 2 Tablespoons.

** An important thing to keep in mind here is that Amazon or that type place is probably not the way to go about buying these ingredients - it is much cheaper in the stores.

Walmart prices
Borax ~  $4.47 (65 ounces per box)                    
Washing Powder~  $3.97 (55 ounces per box)
Fels Naptha~ $.97 per bar

16 Tablespoons per cup - so each batch will make over 32 uses.

I have not figured out how many cups are in each box of washing soda and the borax, but I do know that I have made several batches of laundry detergent and some other stuff and I still have a decent amount left- enough to make another batch or two of laundry detergent.

I have found Ivory is sold in a 10 bar package and is cheaper. I'm sorry I forgot to get the price of it but I believe it was like $3.something.  Anyway it's something to look into, it would bring  the cost down. Plus I think the Ivory soap has a milder scent than the Fels Naptha.  If you use Ivory I am thinking you would want to see how many ounces the Fels Naptha soap is and use that amount of ivory- which if I remember correctly ends up being 1 and a half bars of Ivory- but it's been a long time since I did that.

This is just one of the ways I like to try to save money. This really did turn into a domino effect- can't wait to share with you the other things I have been doing. When you start trying to see what you can do to save money it opens the door to a lot of possibilities. :0)

My Best Deal ....series quilting ruler

I have found some pretty cool deals lately and if I can get them typed up and put together, I should have a post every Sunday for at least the next several weeks.

You never know what you will find at thrift stores. You just have to look around and evaluate if this or that would be a good deal or not. Sometimes you will find that something may be a good deal in theory but it really doesn't end up being that great of a deal.

Today I want to share with you about something I found last Sunday at my favorite little thrift store. Apparently a crafter and someone who tried their hand at quilting had donated a lot of their stuff. I got 2 zippers for 10 cents a piece. These are for a project that I have made in the past and already have some fabric cut out to make more. That was an awesome deal, yes! But that is not the highlights deal I wanted to share with you today.

I found a brand new looking Omnigrid 6x24 quilting ruler! Priced at $1.00!! I looked up on-line and found some on Walmart website for $23.21. And Joann's had a better price at $14.99- this was an on-line deal only- regularly $24.99 So the one dollar I paid made this my best deal!!!

It is very hard to get a good photo of these rulers since they are see through so I am borrowing the photo that Joann's Fabrics store had online.  Now they say they are none

I have shared this little tip before - but if you are a quilter or use this type of ruler or other plastic rulers - I highly recommend you to use sand paper dots. You put the dots on the underneath side of your rulers to help hold them in place so they do not slide around.

Here is a link to where I got the photo- I am sharing this one because this is the brand I have used.
There are other brands and I am sure they all work well.

New Insight into Psalm 23...series

"Considering further our little side trip into Colossians under the subject of guidance, we would point out that there are seven direct results enumerated by Paul which will be found in the life of every individual, and in the collective life of every church, where the will of God is known and done in God's way. Paul prays that these Colossian Christians may be filled with the knowledge of God's will in order that they may walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing(in all things to please God), that they may be fruitful unto every good work, that they may increase in the knowledge of God, that they might be strengthened with all might according to His glorious power, that they might have all patience in longsuffering , that they might be joyful, and furthermore, that they might give thanks unto the Father. Here, then, are seven things which will characterize the life of every person who knows and does the will of God in God's way. He will be obedient, fruitful, growing, strengthened, patient, joyful and thankful."
~page 63

New Insight into Psalm 23...series

"It was alone with God on the back side of the desert that Moses learned a lot of things about God, as well as learning how to do His will...…
When He calls us to come aside and spend some time alone with Him then He can make us realize just how precious and wonderful He is. There, alone with God on "the backside of the desert, the
enemy of your soul cannot gild the sands of that spot!
There, alone with God, the din and confusion of the world do not fall upon your ear in that distant place.
There, alone with God, the crash in the money and commercial world is not heard.
There, alone with God, the sigh of ambition is not heard.
There, alone with God, the world's laurels do not tempt.
There, alone with God, the thirst for gold is not felt.
There, alone with God, the eye is never dimmed with lust.
There, alone with God, the heart is never swollen with pride.
There, alone with God, human applause does not elate.
There, alone with God, human censure does not depress.
There, alone with God, nothing is seen or heard except the stillness and light of God's presence.
Would to God that all of us would know more about "the backside of the desert" of an aloneness with God!
Alone with God is the place of searching for the guidance of God, and the place of committal to it.
The experience of the "backside of the desert" of an aloneness with God may mean for you what Isiah meant. When speaking of Christ's ministry to us he said, "To give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD that he might be glorified.(Isaiah 61:3). "
~page 61

How Should We Carry Our Cross?

Today I wanted to share one of my recent Streams in the Desert devotionals. It was too good not to share. Hope you enjoy it. :O)

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"Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself,

and take up his cross, and follow me" (Mark 8:34).

The cross which my Lord bids me take up and carry may assume different shapes. I may have to content myself with a lowly and narrow sphere, when I feel that I have capacities for much higher work. I may have to go on cultivating year after year, a field which seems to yield me no harvests whatsoever. I may be bidden to cherish kind and loving thoughts about someone who has wronged me--be bidden speak to him tenderly, and take his part against all who oppose him, and crown him with sympathy and succor. I may have to confess my Master amongst those who do not wish to be reminded of Him and His claims. I may be called to "move among my race, and show a glorious morning face," when my heart is breaking.

There are many crosses, and every one of them is sore and heavy. None of them is likely to be sought out by me of my own accord. But never is Jesus so near me as when I lift my cross, and lay it submissively on my shoulder, and give it the welcome of a patient and unmurmuring spirit.

He draws close, to ripen my wisdom, to deepen my peace, to increase my courage, to augment my power to be of use to others, through the very experience which is so grievous and distressing, and then--as I read on the seal of one of those Scottish Covenanters whom Claverhouse imprisoned on the lonely Bass, with the sea surging and sobbing round--I grow under the load.
--Alexander Smellie

Healthy Tidbits

If I have already posted the information that I share on this or any Healthy Tidbits posts - I apologize. Maybe just maybe someone really needs to see the information again.

Today I wanted a little information about Vitamin C. Vitamin C only stays in your body for 24 hours - for this reason it is suggested to drink water with lemon juice added to it first thing in the morning - to replenish your bodies supply of Vitamin C. It is best to use freshly squeezed lemon juice- but if you don't have that - you can actually purchase Lemon Juice in the Freezer section. This would be almost as good if not the same as freshly squeezed.



You will find this in the freezer section at Wal-Mart and HEB(not sure of other stores - haven't checked) it runs about $1.58 per bottle.

My husband doesn't do lemon water - but he does add lemon juice to his tea- so at least he is getting vitamin c.

It is all of these little choices that add up for the good of our health or harming our health. It is our choice to decide. Choose Health!

New Insight into Psalm 23....series

“These days we need to know the secret that’s been occupied only with Him and not with “things.” Martha got into trouble worried about “things.” Mary got into blessing by being occupied with Him. As a faithful Shepherd our Lord must lead us into the shadows as well as into the sunshine. It is how we react that makes the difference between defeat and victory. If we become preoccupied with the shadows, we will become cynical, bitter, discouraged, and defeated. If we become preoccupied with the sunshine, we will become self-satisfied, self-centered, thoughtless the other, and worse still, forgetful of Him. But if we remain preoccupied with the Shepherd, regardless of shadow or sunshine, we will survive the peril of both with Victory!” page 46

Ways To Save...series

My very good friend Susan over at Susan's Spot has been sharing how she has been saving money in her series Frugal Fridays. Click on link to check out her blog.

Out of necessity, I have begun to work a little harder at finding ways to save money as well. So a bit of a back story to begin with. The addition of several large hospital bills and some other unexpected bills, our electric bill and water bill  being much higher in the summer, and the fact that our vehicle tags and inspections come due in June, July, and Aug, it has really caused our budget to get very tight. So because of this and my friends blog posts and her suggestion to start writing down what you are doing to save money - I began to get more serious about saving money. I will not be doing a every week post on all the ways I saved money but what I will be doing is begin to share with you weekly - if I can, some of the things I am doing to save money.

So today I want to share something that I discovered that in the long run will help me save a good amount of money.

I love to use coconut oil - especially when I make popcorn! I have tried a few different brands and found that I love the flavor of Nutiva brand Coconut Oil the best. I was buying a 29 ounce jar of it at a local Nutrition store for $17.99. Because I was trying to find ways to save money I decided to check out Amazon to see if they had this coconut oil and come to find out I found a 54 ounce jar of it for just $2.00 more! So almost double the product for only 2.00 more! I kept my smaller jar and when the new, large jar arrived - I poured coconut oil into my small jar(it was very warm outside when it was delivered so it had melted). And I still have 1 more time that I can fill up my smaller jar. That is a very good savings for sure!!

29 ounce jar - for $17.99 - I was paying 62 cents an ounce
54 ounce jar - for $19.99- I only paid 37 cent an ounce

What a savings!!

I have compared other things with the prices on Amazon and it is not always cheaper. You have to do your home work. Know your prices. If you have Amazon Prime and you find the price cheaper on Amazon - it is certainly worth ordering the product. I am happy I looked up my  Coconut oil - and I am happy that I found such a great deal! This will be my new source for Coconut oil - unless the price goes up.

So be sure and compare prices. And be vigilant - keep up with pricing and compare - the next time you need something it might be cheaper to go a different direction. You never know till you check it out.

New Insight into Psalm 23....series

Today we are looking at the New Testament. 

"Has the Spirit been able to write with your life.?
Our love of the "green pastures" of the Bible will be greatly intensified if we realize that on almost every page of it we will find our lovely Lord waiting for us. Here is where we can find Christ at least once in every book of the Bible:

In Matthew
He is the King of the Jews (2:1).

In Mark
He is the Servant of Jehovah (entire book)

In Luke
He is the perfect Son of man (3:38, 4:1-13).

In John
He is the Son of God (1:1).

In Acts
He is the ascended Lord (1:8-9).

In Romans
He is our righteousness (3:22).

In 1 Corinthians
He is the firstfruits from among the dead (15:20).

In 2 Corinthians
He is made sin for us (5:21).

In Galatians
He is the end of the law (3:10; 3:13).

In Ephesians
He is our armor (6:11-18).

In Philippians
He is the Supplier of every need (4:19).

In Colossians
He is the preeminent one (1:18).

In 1 Thessalonians
He is our returning Lord (4:15-18).

In 2 Thessalonians
He is the world's returning Judge (1:7-9).

In 1 Timothy
He is the Mediator (2:5).

In 2 Timothy
He is the Bestower of crowns (4:8).

In Titus
He is our great God and Saviour (2:13).

In Philemon
He is the Father's Partner (vv. 17-19).

In Hebrews
He is the rest of faith and Fulfiller of types (chap 11; 12:1-2; Chap 9).

In James
He is the Lord of Sabaoth (5:4).
(So I looked this up and did not see Lord of the Sabbath in that verse but I found it is Matthew 12:1-21 and Mark 2:27-28)

In 1 Peter
He is the theme of Old Testament prophecy (1:10-11).

In 2 Peter
He is the long suffering Saviour (3:9).

In 1 John
He is the Word of life (1:1).

In 2 John
He is the target of the Antichrist (v. 7).

In 3 John
He is the personification of truth (vv. 3-4).

In Jude He is the believer's security (vv. 24-25).

In Revelation
He is the King of Kings and Lord of lords (19:11-16).

Your Bible will be a new book to you when you learn to discern the outline of His glorious person in the story of other persons and events recorded there."
~page 36

Reassurance of His Leading

Had a little free time this afternoon so I thought I would jump on here and share a bit of a blessing with you all. Last Sabbath was a rough day for me. I had a pretty emotional time and came to a place of wondering if it had truly been God's leading for some of the choices I had made recently. It was a rough several hours but thankfully my husband reminded me that it was more than likely an attack from the adversary. And as the day wore on I handled things better. Well today God made up with it by me having a great experience in my Sabbath School which reaffirmed that I was where I was suppose to be. Yes - God was leading me.

We need to be very careful to not allow the fiery darts to discourage us. We have been told in the Bible that we will have tribulations and trials. Things will not always be roses and sunshine. When we are following Him - we will have problems. But we can depend on Him to get us through. When we face those hard times and wonder if God has led us - all we need to do is go to our knees and ask God to guide us and to show us the direction He wants us to go and to reassure us that we are in deed following Him. And if not - for the doors to be shut.

I was reassured that I am exactly where I need to be and I just need to keep trusting God and His leading.

New Insight into Psalm 23 ....series

"Has the Spirit been able to write with your life.?
Our love of the "green pastures" of the Bible will be greatly intensified if we realize that on almost every page of it we will find our lovely Lord waiting for us. Here is where we can find Christ at least once in every book of the Bible:

In Genesis
He is the Creator and Seed of the woman ( 1:1, 3:15).

In Exodus
He is the Lamb of God for sinners slain (chap. 12). 

In Leviticus
He is our High Priest (entire book).

In Numbers
He is the Star out of Jacob (24:17).

In Deuteronomy
He is the Prophet like unto Moses (18:15).

In Joshua
He is the Captain of the Lord's host (5:13-15).

In Judges
He is the Messenger of Jehovah (3:15-30).

In Ruth
He is our Kinsman-Redeemer (chap. 3).

In Samuel
He is the despised and rejected King (1 Sam. 16-19).

In Kings and Chronicles
He is the Lord of lords and King of kings (1 Chro. 12:38-40).

In Ezra and Nehemiah
He is the Lord of heaven and earth (entire books)

In Esther
He is our Mordecai (chap. 10).

In Job
He is our risen and returning Redeemer (19:25).

In Psalm
He is the blessed Man of Psalm 1.
He is the Son of God of Psalm 2.
He is the Son of man of Psalm 8.
He is the crucified one of Psalm 22.
HE is the risen one of Psalm 23.
He is the coming one of Psalm 24.
He is the reigning one of Psalm 72.
He is the Leader of praise of Psalm 150.

In Proverbs
He is our wisdom (Chapter 4).

In Ecclesiastes
He is the forgotten wise Man (9:14-15).

In Song of Solomon
He is my Beloved (2:16).

In Isaiah
He is our suffering substitute (Chap 53).

In Jeremiah
He is the Lord our righteousness (23:6).

In Lamentations
He is the Man of sorrows (1:12-18).

In Ezekiel He is the one sitting on the throne (1:26).

In Daniel
He is the smiting stone (2:34).

In Hosea
He is David's greater King (3:5).

In Joel
He is the Lord of bounty (2:18-19).

In Amos
He is the Rescuer of Israel (3:12).

In Obadiah
He is the Deliverer upon Mount Zion (v. 17).

In Jonah
He is the buried and risen Saviour (entire book)

In Micah
He is the everlasting God (5:2).

In Nahum
He is our Stronghold in the day of wrath. ( 1:7).

In Habakkuk
He is the anchor of our faith (2:4).

In Zephaniah
He is in the midst for judgment and cleansing (3:5, 15).

In Haggai
He is the Lord of presence and power (1:13).

In Zechariah
He is the smitten Shepherd (13:7).

In Malachi
He is the sun of righteousness (4:2). "
~ page 34

Oh MY!! What a lot of typing. Come back tomorrow for the New Testament. :O)

Continue to Grow in Grace

This year has certainly been a year of "Grace." It seems I run into it every now and again. When I am in need of a reminder of grace, God places it clearly in my pathway.

The evening before my very first of four small study groups I was feeling a bit nervous. When I signed up for all of these classes I had felt very confident and I felt that God was leading me. But about a week before the start of the first group beginning a few things happened that caused a lot of anxiety and fear to sprout in my soul. After a conversation with a godly friend, I had come to understand that what I was feeling was an attack.

 Once I realized that, I felt a lot better. So the night before this class was to begin and I was feeling a bit nervous- I shouldn't be surprised at all that God led me to notice what Bible verse was on my calendar on the wall.

I know it is hard to see in the photo - but the verse is 2 Peter 3:18 "But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen."

I looked up the verse in my Bible Commentary (which are now located right next to my desk!) and this is what I found:

"Grace is one of the spheres in which the Christian is to grow; he is to become still more firmly established in a personal experience of Christ's own gracious kindness."

Under the word Grow in the verse - my commentary says:

"The tense implies 'keep on growing.' Peter's readers had already made tremendous strides in conduct, but they were not to be satisfied. They were to continue their spiritual growth."

It goes on to say that not only will we be growing on this earth but that growth will continue when Jesus comes to take us to heaven. "The Christian can look forward to endless growth in character and in understanding the will and ways of God. There will ever be new worlds of mind and spirit for him to conquer, new heights to climb, new doors of adventure and opportunity to open."

I looked up 2 Peter 3:18 in several of my Bibles and love how one of my Bibles says "Continue to grow in grace." As soon as I read the verse I knew that these classes that I had signed up for would certainly help me to continue to grow in grace.

New Insight into Psalm 23...series

“History tells us that Napoleon once called all of his soldiers to stand in review before him. He told them that there was a very important and dangerous commission to be carried out. He informed them that it would take only one man to do it, but that it would mean certain death to the one who undertook it. He said he would turn his back for a moment, and the one who would volunteer should step forward one pace. When he looked again at his army the ranks were unbroken. Not a man was found. One of the soldiers, seeing the grief upon Napoleon’s face, said, “Sir, we all step forward.”
What a day of revival and blessing there would be in this world if every child of God would “step forward” to every command of our Commander!”
~ page 32

Health Tidbits~ What Causes Weak Bones?

We have talked about things that help with osteoporosis so today we are going to talk about just a few things that cause your bones to be weak.

• lack of exercise
• Smoking
• Vit C, D, and Calcium deficiency

This is just a list of the main reasons why our bones may be weak.

We are worth taking care of , our bodies are the temple of God. What can you do today to take better care of your body? :O)

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Speaking of exercising, I sure am glad that I was able to get a walk in on Sunday and Monday because we are having another shower of rain this morning so I will be spending my exercise time working out withJennifer from Rise Up Ministries. I am thankful that I have this resource. I know we really need all this rain but my yard is beginning to really need to be mowed and weedeated. So now you know what I will be doing once it dries up enough. Believe me I will have a lot of catching up to do. Last time I was able to do yard work I hadn't quite finished everything so I certainly have a lot to do now. But for now I am enjoying the rain and praising God for it!!

New Insight into Psalm 23...series

"We will have gone a long way in solving the secret of a happy, victorious Christian life when we discover that not a single blessing of the Christian life has any value or significance if divorced from the Person in whom all these blessings are deposited. Preoccupation with the Person of Christ is the secret of a life of victory."

"Jesus Himself is the believer's attraction. Luke 24:36 reads, "Jesus himself stood in the midst of them." Preoccupation with Christ is the secret of a life of victory.

What Christ did in His cross work is the ground of our pardon.

What Christ is doing at the Father's right hand is our assurance of security and cleansing.

What Christ is in His position and person is the measure of our acceptance and standing.

What Christ possesses is the amount of our blessing and property.

What Christ can be in us is the cause of our Christlikeness and daily victory.
What Christ was in His daily life is the pattern for us to follow.

What Christ says is the ground of our faith and the reason for our action.

What Christ will yet do is the hope of our expectations.

What He is in His image will be the measure of our likeness.

What Christ is in Himself is the delight of our love. "

Patience Needed for Both

I love making my own bread. I have bought some of the higher dollar "healthy" breads they don't have anything on the bread I make. No temptation to spend the money on that bread any more.

This summer I have found out that in order not to be baking my bread during the heat of the day - if after my quiet time I start my bread then it can be rising while I exercise and shower and then I can get it baking and finished before 10am usually.

One of the best reasons why this schedule works for the bread is because I am not rushing the bread. Sadly I have found myself rushing the breads rising time when I have other things to do or errands that I need to run. So my new schedule at least my summer schedule has allowed me to be more patient with my bread.

Patience is needed when making bread. Another area in which patience is needed is in our Christian walk. We want to hurry up and produce the fruit of the Spirit, but it doesn't come all at once. We do not all of a sudden arrive and perfection. It is a process that takes time, just like it takes time for my bread to rise.

Rushing the bread does not result in a good loaf of bread and neither does it benefit the Christian to rush towards Christlikeness. Now I am not saying to just mosey along at a snail pace. What I am saying it to be patient with yourself when you fail. We need to allow God to work with us and mold us just as the dough allows the baker to mold it. God knows just what is needed to perfect our characters - we need to trust Him and the process and be patient.

6Being confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Philippians 1:6

 

14Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart:

 wait, I say, on the LORD.

 Psalm 27:14

 

Domino Effect

There seems to be a domino effect going on in my life. As I have allow God to lead me to another church(and Sabbath School) I have noticed that He is working on growing me in many areas of my life. After a couple of weeks there were some classes offered and I decided to go to the tatting class. It is challenging for me to learn things sometimes. I have tried several times to learn to crochet in the past and couldn't make it past a chain stitch. It was very disappointing indeed. So it has been so encouraging for me to slowly be picking up this whole tatting ability. I have made mistakes and had to start completely over and then I was about halfway done with the project for the second time when somehow a little knot got into my string - and I quickly became aware that because I did not take care of it before I worked more in my project - I was stuck - that little knot- tiny little knot prevented the string to be pulled through and stopped my progress in its tracks. I am on my third try with this project and am working through this and that little mistake. As I do I realize that in order to learn we will make mistakes. Each of these mistakes has taught me important lessons.

The Summer classes ended and a whole new set of classes - small groups are fixing to start. As I said last week or so that I signed up for 4 classes.

• Pressure Points
• Bible By Design
• Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing
• Uninvited

Click on them to learn more about each book if you are interested. The Bible By Design is a series that shows how the Bible works together- we are going to create binders to help us understand it better. Sounds interesting. In fact, all of these sound interesting.

It is funny how things have progressed - Going to a new church, taking the tatting class has lead me to more of a desire to learn. It has widen my horizons when it comes to books as well. I actually have 3 going right now. "I shall not want," one on learning better people skills, and one that is designed to help me to accept myself better. I feel that God has led me to all of these books and classes and that He is pressing me to grow even more. As we saw in the Bible verse in Philippians "6Being confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" That God will work on us until the day of Jesus Christ. Continue to allow Him to work in your life. You may be surprised at the domino effect that you see!

New Insight into Psalms 23....series

"The virgin womb opened and gave us the good Shepherd. The virgin tomb opened and gave us the great Shepherd. The virgin skies will open and give us the chief Shepherd.

It is because of all this revelation in Psalm 23 of such abundant blessing and supply for daily, victorious Christian living that we were led to say in the beginning that the psalm sets forth an experience with the Lord Jesus sadly unknown to thousands of born-again believers, Psalms 23 is the highest, widest, most glorious experience into which it is possible for God to lead a born-again believer this side of heaven."

1The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

2He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

3he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths

for his name’s sake.

4Even though I walk

through the darkest valley,^a

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

5You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

6Surely your goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord

forever.

Psalm 23 NIV

 

 

New Insight Into Psalm 23...series

"He is not forever to live solely in the glorious realization of sins forgiven through the crucifixion of the good Shepherd. The appeal is to move on from that blessed vantage point into a fuller, richer, deeper, sweeter experience of an increasing knowledge of what the risen Shepherd wants to do for him here and how. This is the story of Psalm 23."

Please remember that as I share these awesome quotes from this book - I am only sharing tidbits of the book. There are so many wonderful quotes sometimes it is hard to decide what to share. I hope that these quotes bless your heart. :O)

Thrifted Outfits

This is a repeat outfit. Sadly it does not have tags so there is no way of knowing the brand of this dress. I paid $5.00 for it. I love this dress for its versatility - I can wear it during the summer as is and then when it gets cold - I have several jackets that I can wear with it. That makes it a great piece to have in my closet!

 

Total outfit cost $5.00



Healthy Tidbits ~ Osteoporosis 2

Eat Beans or Legumes at least 5 times a week and you will cut your risk of fractures in half!!

If you want to increase your life span - eat beans.

These were a few things that were shared at one of the seminars- this information was attained from Dr Joel Fuhrman's book - Eat To Live


Here is a list that he suggests eating at least every day:

•  a large salad
• 1/2 c. beans/lentils
• 3 fresh fruits
• 1 oz of raw nuts or seeds
• 1 double size serving of steamed greens

You will experience better health if you work towards having a plant based diet and trying to make sure you eat at least this list. There may have been other things he said but this is the basic list that was shared with me. Read the book if you want to learn more.

A Sneakpeak for You

 Today I thought I would give you a little sneak peak into where I find some of the best books!!!

When you first turn a corner in a house turned thrift shop and look towards the books - this is what you see:

 

The black bookcase to the left has mostly Ellen G. White books - the top two - three shelves for sure. There are Bibles on top and to the left of that bookcase.

 

This next photo is when you take a few steps forward and are standing in front of the books stacked on the small bookshelf. The books stacked and the books under them are the books that written in Spanish.

 

If you look at the tall bookcases on the back wall - the bookcase on the right side is the bookcase that has cookbooks and such on it. The bottom section has "How To" type books. To the right of this bookshelf is another large bookshelf that has mostly fiction and that sort. The two large bookshelves to the left of the cookbook bookcase are mostly Christian books. Lots and lots of books!! I love this store. I have serious found the best books in this store. The last couple of weeks she has been running a sale on books - 50 cents a book.

 

I am so thankful to have such a great resource to finding great books. I never need to worry about running out of great books to read. I have quite a few already and I keep an eye out always - you never know when God is going to bring just the right book for me to read at that time. I certainly feel that way with most of my books. I see layers of understanding being laid out before me. When I get one understanding then God adds just what I need to understand at the point.

I hope you have a great store that has a great book area. Sadly I figure most places don't because it will depend mostly on the community that donates the books to the store. Lucky for me - there is a great community that has many awesome libraries. And when someone passes away many of the great books are donated to this store!

 

 

Big or Little It really doesn't matter

Eight weeks ago I started going to a much bigger church. I had come from a church that probably had about 200 give or take people going to church each week(I am only estimating) now I am going to a church that has more like 1200 give or take. They have 3 services. I prefer the first service that starts at 9am. It is much easier to find a parking spot and much easier to find a place to sit. Sabbath School starts at about 10:15am area.

During our Sabbath School today we were discussing our last chapter of the "13 weeks to peace" book. In the last chapter the author suggests going to a church that has about 150 members or so. Because it is easier to get to know everyone that you go to church with. And we were discussing what we could do to get to know people at this large church. The fact that our church has many different Sabbath Schools was a great way to get to know people. Also being involved in small groups were suggested. This church is starting at least 5- 6 smaller groups in the next month or so. Many great things will be studied: Mount of Blessings, Uninvited(a women study- there is a book - you can look it up), Pressure Points(another book study - this one is one done on the book of James- I really like the book of James), Bible By Design are just a few of the groups that will be starting. I am very interested in all of these.

During this class and very interestingly I also heard what I am about to share with you on a sermon that I was listening to while I was getting ready for church. It was said that most people can only be close friends with about 5 people and then friends with about 150 - it seems they said. Anyway I share this because I would like more friends and part of me is very worried that maybe if people can only handle a certain amount of friends- they maybe there is a chance that with going to a large church many of these people already have there quota in friends. It is challenging for me to make friends - partly because I am an introvert but I am thinking partly because I just don't have all the proper social skills. I don't know. I am really working hard at changing this as much as possible. I just am thinking all of this through and I think that I am under attack. I have felt so positive about these changes in my life and they are moving in a good direction but I am really feeling under attack. I would sure appreciate prayers.

Going to the smaller church for many years helped me know a lot of the people there - but many of them I just knew who they were - I really did not know them. There were not a lot of opportunities for me to get to know people. Lately we had had many people leaving that church and then people coming in - the church has a church school so many of the families coming in were there because of the school - which means - me with grown children don't have much in common with these younger families. So all of this to say - just because you go to a small church does not mean that the people have their hearts open to new relationships. And just because you go to church at a large church does not mean that you will not have a chance to get to know people- you just have to be open to where ever God leads and trust Him with the outcome. It may mean that you have to move outside of your comfort zone but if God leads you - He with give you the strength and courage. Can you tell I am also talking to myself here. I am nervous - I have signed up for 4 of the small groups and I am praying that it was the right thing to do. I want to grow closer to God and I want to develop more friend, who also are wanting to grow closer to God. What better way to do that than go to small groups who are studying about God!