New Internet Finds

Just wanted to let others know about two new sites I've just discovered. Many of you may have known about them for a long time but sometimes I'm a little slow on the internet discoveries. First is Pinterest.com and second is Tipjunkie.com There are so many neat ideas on both these sites. I'm still learning about pinterest but it is interesting so far. Check them out if you never have and you get the chance.

Preventive Maintenance

Here are three principles of life taught at a couples retreat from this past weekend...
1. Maintenance will cost you something--but not as much as its absence.

--when it breaks due to lack of maintenance it will cost way more than the time and money spent if you'd have maintained it. -----true in all areas

2. Long term neglect will often give rise to sudden trouble.

--it will break at the most inopportune time!

3. You will never be sorry for taking care of what's important but you will be sorry for neglect at some point.

--when the repair bill comes or when you go to re-sell something and value is kept

All of these principles can also be applied in our spiritual walk and all our relationships.

Our spiritual walk and our relationships take time and effort to keep their value, and to keep them going strong.

Just some thoughts to ponder.

A Goat or A Sheep?

Are you a goat or a sheep? In God's eyes you are one or the other. Sheep hear His voice and He calls them by name. You become one of His sheep when you accept Christ as your savior. Some day God will send His Son to separate the goats from the sheep and to call the sheep home to live out eternity in His kingdom. The goats will spend eternity in hell.

I was pondering over this today while driving home from a luncheon with my sisters. So many people think they are sheep but are actually goats. They are trusting in church membership, being a not so bad person, being a person who helps others, being born into a Christian family, baptism, living right and the list goes on. However, the only way to become a sheep is to put your trust and faith in Jesus and His work on the cross as your payment for sin that separates you from fellowship with God. I am teaching on "Becoming Like a Shepherd" in my series "lessons from the farm" tonight at Kindred Hearts Ladies meeting. I love the scenario in the Bible of the shepherd and the sheep and Jesus being the Good Shepherd and all that goes along with it. The next lesson (coming as soon as I can fit it in around Walmart schedule!) will be "Becoming Like a Sheep" and will be the final in the series. I did a study and then lesson on the 23rd Psalm and when you understand the role and duties of a shepherd in Bible times it makes the psalm come to life.
If you are trusting in anything besides only Jesus to get you to heaven then you are in fact a goat. Why not become a sheep today? It is as simple as realizing you are a sinner and that because of your sin you deserve to go to hell but you also realize and trust that Jesus paid your sin debt and put your faith in Him, knowing there is nothing you can do to aid in this. You call on the name of the Lord (or ask Him to save you) and He promises that if you do that sincerely He will save you from hell.

Where does a PW go for help?

I have a burdened heart lately for several issues. I love being a pastor's wife as I have blogged before but I do understand how difficult a role it is. Often when a pw has a burden or a trial there is no where for them to go ... no one in whom they can confide and bear their souls- except of course the Lord. But sometimes a person needs to be able to share a conversation and hear verbal response. What if the difficulty is with an inner struggle we are having or with an observed struggle we believe our husband may have? We cannot go to a church member for fear of what they may think or in fear of lowering their opinion or respect of us. I thought at one time that preacher's fellowships and possibly ladies retreats were a place of help, but I have, unfortunately, found that not to be the case. When someone asks you how things are going with you or the church they don't really and truly want to know. They only want to hear that it is wonderful and that God is blessing. If you try to receive help and open your mouth to the contrary about a struggle going on that you could use help or advice on, the subject is often changed and the person will quickly retreat to somewhere else. Perhaps you say that we should not concern ourselves with other's opinions but that is much easier said than to live! Here again, fellow preacher's wives and preacher's opinions do matter. If you express an idea or thought you may be shunned or ostracized. There are already so many "political" realms to the IFB circles that it makes some things harder.--Like raising support or just being allowed to be part of the circle. It often depends on what Bible college you went to or if you went at all, what pastor you had, whether or not you come from a line of preachers or who donates to what college or sits on their board. I'd just like to know where do we go for the help we may need? --The Bible? Prayer? What if you still need answers explained?

Valentine Decore

Just wanted to share a pic of a Valentine decoration I made this week.

The whole thing cost me about $1.50. I think it turned out pretty cute. I'm going to put it in the church tomorrow.

Denying Jesus

In the Gospels we read about Peter denying Jesus three times. Some wonder how he could do that. However, don't Christians do the same thing? How many times have you denied knowing Jesus?
Matt 10:33 -  But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
How do we deny him? In many ways actually...
We deny him when we don't speak up that we know him or that we are a Christian.
We deny him when our actions do not match that of a Bible believer.
We deny him when we don't speak up when sin is going on around us.---ex. cursing, taking Lord's name in vain, lying, telling of dirty jokes, etc.
We deny him when others see that we do not trust him with our daily lives.
We deny him when we do not try to stop others from their sinful choices or when we stay in questionable situations.

We all have loved ones that may be lost or that choose to participate in things they should not, however we can love them and not condone their actions or be around them when they engage in them. --ex. drunkenness, drugs, etc.

This was just something to get people thinking. Not sure who even reads this blog anymore but if it makes one person stop and think...."Am I guilty of denying Jesus?" then it has served its purpose. I know I don't want to be guilty of denying.

Choices Define Us

First of all, Happy 2012 to everyone! I pray this year is better than the last one. Not that I don't have plenty to praise the Lord for but it was a difficult year. I lost my mom to lung cancer after a long battle,six weeks later I lost my aunt, our church had to move to a smaller building and Bob took a large pay cut to accommodate the church's new income, my daughter moved to Seattle and my son has had trouble getting to welding school for financial reasons that we can't currently help with. However, God has given me the strength to make it through all these trials, given me a job to supplement our income, and our church is beginning to bounce back.
That was just a little update and has nothing to do with today's post.

Choices...have you ever thought that our choices define who we are? Even small choices. When we get married, we are now defined as a wife or husband or spouse and if you are a lady you more than likely take a new name. Becoming defined by that. When you choose to accept Christ as your Savior, you become a child of God (and not until then by the way!) and therefore a Christian and you are going to have a future in heaven. Your daily choices should reflect and define that you are a Christian. If you smoke you are defined as a smoker, if you drink you are defined as a drinker or even partier. If you do drugs you are defined as a druggie or worse. If you steal you are defined as a thief. If you are giving, caring, and compassionate you are defined as a "good person" or "loving" or some other good quality person. The point is, all of these things mentioned are personal choices that a person makes daily.
I had quite an interesting conversation on Tuesday with a local repairman. (Our furnace had gone out - he fixed it for now) He gave me lots of things to ponder. But one thing he and I both agreed on was that if you always make the same choice, nothing changes. For there to be a change there must first be the decision to do something different and then the action taken to do different. It must be a conscious choice. Choices often become habits. Make sure your daily choices become good habits.