Well, I've been fighting "the crud" for 4 days now and I am exhausted. I'm glad the worst of it was over the weekend with Mark and Jessica here but today has been rough. Kirsten has it now and has been running a fever of 102 all day. I am on day 3 of a Z pack and still not feeling better. It doesn't help that all the cough suppressant/expectorant meds make me feel sea sick so I can't take them. The house is disgustingly messy and I'm behind on some design work for a client.
How's that for a good whine!
I'll post again when we all feel better!
Monday, January 30, 2006
Friday, January 27, 2006
Burdett's Tea Shop
Tracie discovered this fabulous place. We went there yesterday for my birthday. It was delightful! Thank you so much Tracie for this special treat. We had the Tea for Two which was just right! Everything tasted heavenly. I am really craving one of those raisen scones this morning! I can't wait to go again and I encourage you all to make the drive to try it!
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
A Woman's Heart - session 1
We had our second Bible study meeting last night. It was technically session 1 as last week was the introduction.
The video segment was centered on the word "covenant" and what that means to us and why God made covenants with man. Two of the first covenants God made with man were with Adam and with Abram. The covenant with Adam occured when He created Eve and instituted the covenant of marriage. The covenant with Abram occured when He promised Abram that his decendants would be more numerous than the stars.
Beth sites three major purposes of the first covenant:
1. The ultimate purpose: to reveal Christ and His Bride
2. The corporate purpose: to produce godly offspring
3. The intimate purpose: to no longer be alone
"God will confront us with our need to show us He is the only answer to that need."
Characteristics of the enemy of every Godly covenant:
1. His chief goal is to make us doubt God's word.
2. He is a liar.
3. He often appeals to man through the beautiful and inviting.
4. His certain end is destruction.
What can we learn about our relationship with God from Genesis 3?
1. Women were created with a unique power of influence.
2. Believers must learn to apply Matthew 10:16 ("I am sending you out like sheep amoung wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." In other words, having wisdom of the enemy and his ways but remaining Christ like.)
3. Shame is satan's stamp of approval. (If you are ashamed of something you have done, said or thought, that is a sure sign that it is sin)
4. God created man to walk with Him, not hide from Him.
5. God's provision always matches our need.
This was all pretty deep and I am still absorbing some of this information. Mostly, this gave me hope to know that God is there, His promises are real. And because of who He is, He cannot break His promises. His purpose for creating man is the same today as it was when Adam took his first breath. We are given this life to choose between God and ourselves. He wants our love and worship to be honest and pure. Of course He could have created us to be born loving Him but it means more to Him for us to choose to love Him.
I am anxious to see what this week's homework will reveal!
The video segment was centered on the word "covenant" and what that means to us and why God made covenants with man. Two of the first covenants God made with man were with Adam and with Abram. The covenant with Adam occured when He created Eve and instituted the covenant of marriage. The covenant with Abram occured when He promised Abram that his decendants would be more numerous than the stars.
Beth sites three major purposes of the first covenant:
1. The ultimate purpose: to reveal Christ and His Bride
2. The corporate purpose: to produce godly offspring
3. The intimate purpose: to no longer be alone
"God will confront us with our need to show us He is the only answer to that need."
Characteristics of the enemy of every Godly covenant:
1. His chief goal is to make us doubt God's word.
2. He is a liar.
3. He often appeals to man through the beautiful and inviting.
4. His certain end is destruction.
What can we learn about our relationship with God from Genesis 3?
1. Women were created with a unique power of influence.
2. Believers must learn to apply Matthew 10:16 ("I am sending you out like sheep amoung wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves." In other words, having wisdom of the enemy and his ways but remaining Christ like.)
3. Shame is satan's stamp of approval. (If you are ashamed of something you have done, said or thought, that is a sure sign that it is sin)
4. God created man to walk with Him, not hide from Him.
5. God's provision always matches our need.
This was all pretty deep and I am still absorbing some of this information. Mostly, this gave me hope to know that God is there, His promises are real. And because of who He is, He cannot break His promises. His purpose for creating man is the same today as it was when Adam took his first breath. We are given this life to choose between God and ourselves. He wants our love and worship to be honest and pure. Of course He could have created us to be born loving Him but it means more to Him for us to choose to love Him.
I am anxious to see what this week's homework will reveal!
Monday, January 16, 2006
I'm It!
I've been tagged by Tracie. So, here goes!
4 jobs that I have had:
1. Golden Corral (I think everyone should work in the food industry at some point, so they know how to treat people in the food industry!)
2. One Price Clothing (retail also, for the same reason!)
3. Hermitage Kitchen and Bath (assistant kitchen designer)
4. Currently SAHM and freelance designer
4 movies I love:
1. The Sound of Music
2. My Fair Lady
3. O'Brother Where Art Thou
4. The Fisher King
4 places I have lived:
1. Lebanon, TN
2. Dugway, Utah
3. Madison, TN
4. currently and most of my life, Gallatin, Tn
4 TV shows:
I really have stopped watching TV but I do like the following:
1. CSI
2. Without a Trace
3. Numbers
4. Alias (but I'm behind a season)
4 Places I've been on Vacation:
1. Virginia - Charlottesville, Virginia Beach, Williamsburg
2. Did a school tour of NYC and DC
3. Gulf Shores, AL
4. Going to Disney in March!
4 Websites I visit daily:
1. Two Peas
2. Various blogs (I check about 10 daily)
3. The local news site
4. Then I just surf if I have the time
4 favorite foods:
1. Anything Italian
2. Chocolate
3. Bread
(I think I see the reason the area between my waist and knees is not very attractive!)
4. Drink of choice: Dr. Pepper
4 Places I'd rather be:
1. I really am happy and blessed to be home with my kids
2. But I would love to be on a nice, warm, white beach somewhere with a good book
4 Bloggers I'm tagging:
Well, this is pitiful but I don't know any other bloggers who haven't been tagged. So, if you read this and haven't been tagged, then You're it!
4 jobs that I have had:
1. Golden Corral (I think everyone should work in the food industry at some point, so they know how to treat people in the food industry!)
2. One Price Clothing (retail also, for the same reason!)
3. Hermitage Kitchen and Bath (assistant kitchen designer)
4. Currently SAHM and freelance designer
4 movies I love:
1. The Sound of Music
2. My Fair Lady
3. O'Brother Where Art Thou
4. The Fisher King
4 places I have lived:
1. Lebanon, TN
2. Dugway, Utah
3. Madison, TN
4. currently and most of my life, Gallatin, Tn
4 TV shows:
I really have stopped watching TV but I do like the following:
1. CSI
2. Without a Trace
3. Numbers
4. Alias (but I'm behind a season)
4 Places I've been on Vacation:
1. Virginia - Charlottesville, Virginia Beach, Williamsburg
2. Did a school tour of NYC and DC
3. Gulf Shores, AL
4. Going to Disney in March!
4 Websites I visit daily:
1. Two Peas
2. Various blogs (I check about 10 daily)
3. The local news site
4. Then I just surf if I have the time
4 favorite foods:
1. Anything Italian
2. Chocolate
3. Bread
(I think I see the reason the area between my waist and knees is not very attractive!)
4. Drink of choice: Dr. Pepper
4 Places I'd rather be:
1. I really am happy and blessed to be home with my kids
2. But I would love to be on a nice, warm, white beach somewhere with a good book
4 Bloggers I'm tagging:
Well, this is pitiful but I don't know any other bloggers who haven't been tagged. So, if you read this and haven't been tagged, then You're it!
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Bible study homework
I had a wonderful conversation with my friend Tracie today about our struggles as Christians and our relationship with the rest of the world. So as I sat down to do my "A Woman's Heart" homework, there were scriptures to support our conversation. These kinds of "coincidences" happen all the time if we keep ourselves open to them.
First of all, the key verse for the day:
For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him. (2 Chronicles 16:9)
This was just want I needed to hear after considering the daily onslaught of sinful thoughts, images, etc. we receive every day.
Beth goes on to talk about how our hearts are deceitful and the only guard we have is to give our hearts fully to God. She then leads into a study of Noah. She compared how Adam and Eve were in the midst of perfection (all the right circumstances) but made the wrong choice. Then there was Noah.
"He lived in a society where wickedness was rampant. Sin ruled. Perversion prevailed. Righteousness was as rare as a perfect gem. People followed every inclination of their evil hearts without restraint. The only absolute was absolute depravity. In the midst of all the wrong circumstances, Noah made right choices. How? Noah walked with God. Surrounded by a perverse generation, Noah knew that righteousness could not be attained and could not persist on the basis of a one-time commitment. Scripture does not even say that Noah religiously renewed his commitment every Sunday. He walked with God. He was in a constant state of habitual fellowship - day by day, hour by hour."
Then she concludes by saying:
" We are surrounded by every conceivable practice of sin and the continual mockery of God. We can be victorious but only if we walk with God. As we have seen, God was faithful to Noah, and the One who never changes will be faithful to us."
This is the answer to the questions Tracie and I were pondering. A relationship with God will protect us and strengthen us and give us what we need, when we need it.
First of all, the key verse for the day:
For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him. (2 Chronicles 16:9)
This was just want I needed to hear after considering the daily onslaught of sinful thoughts, images, etc. we receive every day.
Beth goes on to talk about how our hearts are deceitful and the only guard we have is to give our hearts fully to God. She then leads into a study of Noah. She compared how Adam and Eve were in the midst of perfection (all the right circumstances) but made the wrong choice. Then there was Noah.
"He lived in a society where wickedness was rampant. Sin ruled. Perversion prevailed. Righteousness was as rare as a perfect gem. People followed every inclination of their evil hearts without restraint. The only absolute was absolute depravity. In the midst of all the wrong circumstances, Noah made right choices. How? Noah walked with God. Surrounded by a perverse generation, Noah knew that righteousness could not be attained and could not persist on the basis of a one-time commitment. Scripture does not even say that Noah religiously renewed his commitment every Sunday. He walked with God. He was in a constant state of habitual fellowship - day by day, hour by hour."
Then she concludes by saying:
" We are surrounded by every conceivable practice of sin and the continual mockery of God. We can be victorious but only if we walk with God. As we have seen, God was faithful to Noah, and the One who never changes will be faithful to us."
This is the answer to the questions Tracie and I were pondering. A relationship with God will protect us and strengthen us and give us what we need, when we need it.
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
A Woman's Heart - Intro
The women at my church started a new Bible study last night. We will be meeting every Tuesday night and I will, hopefully, give a recap here on Wednesdays.
Last night was the introduction to the Bible study, "A Woman's Heart - God's Dwelling Place." This is a Bible study by Beth Moore. We have done two other studies by her and have attended 3 of her conferences. I have to tell you, she is awsome! God has annointed her with a love and understanding of His Word that is hard to discribe! If you ever have the opportunity to hear her speak or participate in one of her Bible studies, then run, don't walk!
"A Woman's Heart" is a perfect example. We are going to be studying the building of the Tabernacle in the wilderness and how it's significance is relevant to us today. The first time I heard Beth speak, her message was based on Old Testament scripture and I was amazed at how she opened my eyes to the relevance to my life. It was on the journey of the Isrealites out of Egypt, through the wilderness and finally to the Promised Land. She compared this to the different seasons of our lives and our relationship with God. It was amazing! I can't wait to see how this one comes together.
At each Tuesday night meeting we watch a video of a message from Beth and then we have 5 days of homework in a workbook to complete on our own. As I mentioned, last night was the introduction. She gave us 10 goals that we want to strive for during this Bible study. They are:
1. To encounter God's perfection against the backdrop of our poverty. (meaning we are poor in spirit and the realization that we cannot save ourselves. She also said this should be an ongoing reflection of what we would be like without Jesus)
2. To arrive ultimately at the same destination (the Holy of Holies), even if we have traveled at different paces. (she made the point that each of us will work at a different pace, will crasp the information in different ways, etc. but our final destination will be the Holy of Holies or the ultimate place of intimacy with God)
3. To encounter and acknowledge the reliability of God's Word. (She said, "A lack of faith does not affect God's fact. But His fact deeply affects our faith." I have not been able to get this out of my head. It is so profound!)
4. To develope further an honest relationship with God.
5. To gaze at the details of the tabernacle and discover Christ. (I can't wait to see how this come together)
6. To develop a fresh appreciation for what it means to be called by name.
7. To substantially increase our knowledge of scripture through the great Teacher.
8. To develope a deeper relationship with God as Father.
9. To have our focus changed from ourselves to our Savior.
10. To become living proof that Jesus lives.
I am so excited about this Bible study! The other two I have done have been equally exciting but I have to admit that I did not committ to them totally. I am going to really be serious about this one. I don't know if each entry on Wednesdays will be this long, or if you want it to be! Please tell me if this is too much info or if you would like to see more. Thanks for reading!
Last night was the introduction to the Bible study, "A Woman's Heart - God's Dwelling Place." This is a Bible study by Beth Moore. We have done two other studies by her and have attended 3 of her conferences. I have to tell you, she is awsome! God has annointed her with a love and understanding of His Word that is hard to discribe! If you ever have the opportunity to hear her speak or participate in one of her Bible studies, then run, don't walk!
"A Woman's Heart" is a perfect example. We are going to be studying the building of the Tabernacle in the wilderness and how it's significance is relevant to us today. The first time I heard Beth speak, her message was based on Old Testament scripture and I was amazed at how she opened my eyes to the relevance to my life. It was on the journey of the Isrealites out of Egypt, through the wilderness and finally to the Promised Land. She compared this to the different seasons of our lives and our relationship with God. It was amazing! I can't wait to see how this one comes together.
At each Tuesday night meeting we watch a video of a message from Beth and then we have 5 days of homework in a workbook to complete on our own. As I mentioned, last night was the introduction. She gave us 10 goals that we want to strive for during this Bible study. They are:
1. To encounter God's perfection against the backdrop of our poverty. (meaning we are poor in spirit and the realization that we cannot save ourselves. She also said this should be an ongoing reflection of what we would be like without Jesus)
2. To arrive ultimately at the same destination (the Holy of Holies), even if we have traveled at different paces. (she made the point that each of us will work at a different pace, will crasp the information in different ways, etc. but our final destination will be the Holy of Holies or the ultimate place of intimacy with God)
3. To encounter and acknowledge the reliability of God's Word. (She said, "A lack of faith does not affect God's fact. But His fact deeply affects our faith." I have not been able to get this out of my head. It is so profound!)
4. To develope further an honest relationship with God.
5. To gaze at the details of the tabernacle and discover Christ. (I can't wait to see how this come together)
6. To develop a fresh appreciation for what it means to be called by name.
7. To substantially increase our knowledge of scripture through the great Teacher.
8. To develope a deeper relationship with God as Father.
9. To have our focus changed from ourselves to our Savior.
10. To become living proof that Jesus lives.
I am so excited about this Bible study! The other two I have done have been equally exciting but I have to admit that I did not committ to them totally. I am going to really be serious about this one. I don't know if each entry on Wednesdays will be this long, or if you want it to be! Please tell me if this is too much info or if you would like to see more. Thanks for reading!
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Is it Spring?
It is the first of January and it is almost 70 degrees outside. I have been putting away the Christmas decorations, organizing and cleaning for the past two days. I thought to myself, "Is this spring cleaning?" I guess it is more fitting that this is the start of a new year and I am trying to get my act together. I wasn't ready to put away the Christmas stuff but now that I have, it feels good to have it put away. I've sort of reorganized my scrap area. Now I just have to actually do something! I have a pile of photos I need to organize first and 15 rolls of film to get developed! Another reason to go digital but buying a new camera and printer is not in the budget for right now. I probably won't get any scrappin' done until next week when Courtney goes back to school. She is so ready! I've actually enjoyed not having to get up and out the door early in the morning!
Before you think I'm on top of things here cleaning and stuff. I do have some motivation. Mark's family is coming over Friday night for his birthday so I have to clean for that. Mark made the comment once that he didn't mind people coming over because that got me to clean and declutter the house! I will say that I do feel better when the house is clean and everything is in it's place! In case you were wondering, I didn't get that house elf for Christmas so I'm having to do all this work myself!
Before you think I'm on top of things here cleaning and stuff. I do have some motivation. Mark's family is coming over Friday night for his birthday so I have to clean for that. Mark made the comment once that he didn't mind people coming over because that got me to clean and declutter the house! I will say that I do feel better when the house is clean and everything is in it's place! In case you were wondering, I didn't get that house elf for Christmas so I'm having to do all this work myself!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)