Use Sorrows and Fight the Good Fight

Like I have said before, I love Oswald Chambers devotional, "My Utmost for His Highest". I am reading it for the fourth time. I pull it out every few years and use it again for my yearly devotional. Ahhhhh. Like an old friend who always teaches me new things and keeps me accountable. Anyway, a few this last week have been on sharing in Jesus' sufferings and dealing with difficulties in life. I know, I know, stuff I hate to think about too. But we have to because it does happen...bumper stickers say so, so it has to be true. Just kidding.

We are all aquanted with hardships. But how do we handle them, view them? None of us are aquainted with grief like Jesus. He was innocent and endured. We, we are not so innocent. We are born sinning and sinful and like to justify our behavior. We try our best to overcome and do good, but our best efforts fail and we are frustrated and somehow surprised. Why? We must recognize that sin is a fact. It happens every time we put ourselves before God and others. It will happen, but we still need to fight against it. We need God's help though. We must come to the point where we realize that either God or sin must die in my life. Ouch!

"If sin rules in me, God's life in me will be killed; if God rules in me, sin in me will be killed. There is no possible ultimate but that. The climax of sin is that it crucified Jesus Christ.... It is the only explanation as to why Jeus Christ came and as the explanantion of the grief and sorrow in life." So fight the good fight and fight sin. You can't fight it if you don't see and recognize it in your life.

"My attitude as a saint must be not to ask that sorrows and difficulties be prevented but that I may preserve the self God created me to be through every fire of sorrow." It is in the fire of sorrow that we find ourselves because the sorrow burns up the shallowness in us. It can either make us better or bitter. It eitehr gives me myself or destroys it. We must make a deliberate choice in handling sorrow. Always come to God with it so he can use it. If you hold onto it, it will consume you. God to God and let him fight for you when you cannot.

Seven Little Words

Ok, my new obsession has been an iphone game called "seven little words". I still do "words with friends" and "solitaire" but this new game is soooo addictive. I keep staying up half the night playing it, on top of doing it in my spare time (which is too little with work full time, kid's karate and swim lessons, friend's birthday party, and daily chores like grocery and cleaning,etc.) Like I need more of my time sucked away.....but I can't help it. It is awesome. Try it and you will see....just "seven little words". That's it, my obsession, and what I have been up to lately. So try it...no peer pressure...but try it. Ha! Then you can thank and curse me both. Enjoy!

Lord I Love the Way You Hold Me

I am sooo crazy about this new song and artist. Her name is Jamie Grace and she sings the song with Toby Mac. It is "Hold Me" and here are the lyrics...Read them and let them be a praise song to our Lord. They make me so happy. To do justice you need to google the song and listen to it. The tune and lyrics together transform my mood in an instant to pure happiness!!! Enjoy.


(I love, I love, I love, I love the way you hold me) (I love, I love, I love, I love the way you hold me)

I've had a long day. I just want to relax. Don't have time for my friends, no time to chit-chat. Problems at my job, wondering what to do. I know I should be working, but I'm thinking of you. And just when I feel this crazy world is gonna bring me down, that's when your smile comes around. Ooh, I love the way you hold me. By your side you'll always be. You take each and every day, make it special in some way. I love the way you hold me. In your arms I'll always be. You take each and every day, make it special in some way. I love you more than the words in my brain can express. I can't imagine even loving you less. Lord, I love the way you hold me. (Toby Mac: I love, I love, I love, I love the way you hold me.....)

Summer Break

Sorry its been so long since writing last. Been busy with Max turning eight and then Jason had surgery to have two hernia's in his stomach repaired, then my brother and sister in law, Trent and Holly came into town. Last weekend we painted my bedroom to freshen it up, cleaned all the blinds in the house for the first time ever....gross and whew! Then came all the last week of school stuff to wind down for summer. Thursday was the last day and yesterday Sam went to his church 1 day camp at camp Lophridge so I took Max swimming at a pool we can pay to swim at.
Last night our air conditioning went out so the kids and I went to my mom's and hung out until Jason called to say the a.c. was fixed. I am ready for a real, cool, relaxing rest. Monday the boys start summer camp at Whiteside Park. I hope they have fun. Monday evening also starts swim lessons. Now I just have to figure out how to fit karate and my job into the schedule and things will be great. Oh well. Who ever said summer was relaxing? I guess hoping doesn't make it so.
Just finished reading the Chronicles of Narnia series. I have read a few of them as a kid, but not all and I love them. What are you reading? I still haven't gotten my hot little hands on the book, "Racing in the Rain". I keep meaning to read it but haven't gotten the book. I have been writing again some, working on an old book lately. It goes in spurts.
Sam just won first place in an art contest for the Dog Show. His picture was named "Trick or Dog Treat" and has our dog Maizie carrying a pumpkin candy container in her mouth and Sam dressed up like a bat holding her leash walking at night. It is really cute. He got his first check, $20, for it and the picture of his art was in the dog show book. Sam is still obsessed with drawing and any kind of art or projects. Max is still obsessed with reading and even more so, computer, DS or Wi video games. (Oh and my iphone games too).
Sam has officially finished kindergarten and is now a first grader and Max is a third grader now. Hard to believe. It goes soo fast. I am preparing myself mentally for the big, notorious leap in school work difficulty with the third grade. Hopefully Max will do fine. He does well in school and does his homework for the week all on Monday or Tuesday so is willing to work hard and not put it off. Surely that will be a help.
I hope everyone's summer is starting off with a bang, and not tooo hot yet. I am just grateful at the moment to have airconditioning back on. Aaaaahhhh!