Lessons from the Vine

If you want to make some very good use of your children’s naptime or bedtime hours,every mom and dad should listen to this powerful message by one of my all time  favorite teachers of the Word, Voddie Baucham.  Be ready to be inspired, challenged, and blessed as he encourages parents to step up to the plate in regard to the discipleship of their children! I promise you will not regret taking the time to listen….make some tea, grab your hubby (or some unfolded laundry if he’s not around), and be blessed!

Here’s the link…
http://www.championforest.org/worship/archivedaudio/050731.mp3

And please, let me know what your thoughts are!

Here are some awesome lyrics from one of my favorite bands that I’ve been thinking about on this Good Friday….

"Beautiful Scandalous Night"
(Robbie Seay Band)

Go on up to the mountain of mercy
To the crimson perpetual tide
Kneel down on the shore
Be thirsty no more
Go under and be purified
Follow Christ to the holy mountain
Sinner sorry and wrecked by the fall
Cleanse your heart and your soul
In the fountain that flows
For you and for me and for all

At the wonderful, tragic, mysterious tree
On that beautiful, scandalous night you and me
Were atoned by His blood and forever washed white
On that beautiful, scandalous night

On the hillside, you will be delivered
At the foot of the cross justified
And your spirit restored
By the river that pours
From our blessed Savior’s side

You can listen here:
http://www.rhapsody.com/robbieseayband

Blessings and have a wonderful Easter…..this is my favorite celebration because I wouldn’t be living this awesome life it weren’t for my Saviour and best friend, Jesus Christ.

Don’t you just love the sense of promise that seems to linger in the air around this time of year!  As you look back on the past year it’s easy to remember the joys and blessings and unfortunately even easier to remember the trials and hardships.  The apostle Paul offers some great wisdom in the book of Philippians though, and I think we’ll all benefit to keep this in mind as we embark on a whole new year….."forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead." (ch.3, v. 13)  He goes on to say that ultimately we are to press on toward the goal of the prize of the upward call of God in Jesus Christ.
If I could resolve to do only one thing this year it would be this….to walk with God.  It’s when I’m doing this one simple thing that all else falls into place.  He alone is the only One who can take all of our joys, all of our trials, all of our sufferings and weave them together to make a gorgeous tapestry.  If you’ve ever seen the back of a tapestry then you know that it’s hard to believe that all those different threads going every which way could ever produce anything even remotely nice.  But when you turn it over, utter beauty and distinct elogence prove you wrong.
It’s the same with our lives.  He takes all that we experience in life…the good, bad, and ugly…and uses it all to make us into the women He created us to be.  His plan for us is to give us hope and a future and to prosper us spiritually so that we are equipped to do His work, which He planned for us before the foundations of the Earth.  Do you believe that today?  Start your year off right by offering up a prayer of promise to walk daily with God.  Don’t settle on just getting by, but tap into His abundant resources and reach forward for all that He has for you!

I can’t believe it’s that time of year again.  This year has certainly been a full one with a new baby, making 3 children underfoot, along with the busy task of being a virtuous wife(well, trying to be=) and homeschooling newbie.  With all that being said, I decided(for sanity’s sake) to forgo sending Christmas cards this year so I just had to take a few moments to type out some warm wishes to those whom I love!  After all, that is what this season is all about.  Allowing God’s love for us to flood our hearts and abundantly overflow into the lives of others. 
As we hustle and bustle and busy ourselves making lists and checking them twice, let’s pause to remember the true reason for the season.  I know that sounds so cliche`,  but really……Christmas is so much more than trimming the perfect tree, decking the halls to amaze,  entertaining to utter exhaustion, and wearily running about to and fro to the point of physical and spiritual depletion.  It’s remembering that Almighty God of the entire universe, loved us so very much that He sent His one and only Son into this world to be our Lord and Savior.  He lived a perfect life, free of sin, showing us the ultimate example of sacrificial love by laying down His own life for us while we were yet sinners.  Now that is something to celebrate….and not just at Christmas, but everyday of the year.
1 John 3:16 says,  " We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren."  During this busy season when we’re tempted to take our focus off Christ and get caught up in our own holiday agendas,  as we spend time with family and friends, let us purpose together to lay down our own lives by loving and serving them.  And when we do this, His glorious love is perfected in us.  What better gift can we give this Christmas, than that of God’s love!
God bless you all and a very Merry Christmas to each of you….from our family to yours!

Don’t give up on me, gals.  Thanks to those of you who have been checking in on me, via phone and email, to make sure I’m still alive. =)  I am doing so, so good!  I guess you could just say that I’ve been reflecting on a new little saying that I’ve recently learned…."Good, better, best…never let it rest…til your good is better and your better is best."  Needless to say, my relationship with the Lord and my family are and have always been my number one priority and so I guess you could say that I have just been very busy doing my "best" to serve my loved ones.  I am working on some great new blogs for the new year so don’t forget about me.  I am praying about some very neat things that I hope will provide much encouragement for those who visit me here!
Many Warm Christmas Blessings to you,
Heather