Advent Begins

I am so glad that the Advent Season is beginning. I now have a reason and purpose in making daily "devotionals" with the kids last for an hour! Ok, maybe not an hour, but close.

Last night, we read from Jotham's Journey and put our first Jesse tree ornament up. I love the anticipation of the Season. There is a growing intensity in me (that started weeks ago as I prepared).

I think I know the purpose of all this. Preparing the heart.

I read recently that the celebration of Advent is not only looking back in history to the first coming of Christ, but looking ahead to His second coming. I have missed that prophetic part of this celebration for years. 34 of them, to be exact. I pray that all this will build an excitement and anticipation in my own children's hearts.

Presumptous sins - Psalm 19

Yesterday, I heard Adrian Rogers speak on Gideon's army. God doesn't look for the strong, the smart, the capable. He chooses the weak things to confound the strong. The foolish things to confound the wise. That started the process of recognition of sin in my own life. I'm not being used of God for my own ablilities. If God allows me to join with Him at all it is because I'm humble enough to recognize my own frailty and inability and have faith that only He can.

Secondly, I heard from Moon Williams that meditation on the Lord is the central birthing place for right thinking in believers. I recognized that my meditations weren't pure as of late. I've been meditating on my own worth and ability. (Yuck - it sickens me to admit this.) My test came and I failed this one.

Psalm 19:13-14 says, "Also keep back Thy servant from presumptous sins:
Let them not rule over me:
Then I shall be blameless,
And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Thy sight,
O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer."

Presumptous sins. Unfortunately, that sums it up for me. Arrogant, immoral actions. Haughty thoughts and words. I'm done with it...again. I'm so thankful for the grace of God that leads me to places of restoration!

More books...

You might think I'm a reader or something. I dabble in most things...including reading. Here are more books that sound great!

References for Future use

I found a great list of books on Amazon that I might research for the kids.

I'm currently considering getting The Young Peacemaker and The Princess and the Kiss as resources for the kids as well. I'm not sure where they'll fit in...church or home. Just don't know.

Book Nook

I recently saw an amazing book shelf that picqued my interest. But, I knew that it wouldn't work for me. So, I was pleased to see this simple alternative. I think this would be great for library books which are treated like gold at my home. No one carries them to off to unseen nooks. They must be returned to a given spot after each read.

Having a "holy experience"

I'm just beginning to dig into Ann Voskamp's site...holy experience. And it is.

This morning I tearfully read about her need to feel validated in the doing. If you don't have proof of all that you accomplish, then what's the use, right? Hah! I hear my heart in her words.

I'm so touched by my first brushing encounter. I will be back to dive in!

How much do I grow in 36 hours?

In 36 hours, God has caused me to grow...even to be stretched!

Wednesday, our cell group discussion centered around doing the will of God and walking by the Spirit. We read Matthew 26:36-46, Philippians 2:1-11, and Galatians 5:16-26. There were fruitful discussions about the cup that Jesus prayed would pass from Him, where faith comes from, and whether we need more faith or if we just have to exercise what we have.

Faith became the focus of the evening as did this passage.

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Luke 11:13 repeats this final Word as follows, "If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Faith is still the issue. I haven't been asking, seeking and knocking recently. I have been accepting. Accepting sometimes requires faith in the sovereignty of God. But, God wants me to exercise my faith. I know this.

Thursday morning, a friend posted this on fb. I was floored at the exactness of this message in addressing what we talked about. The final analogy of 70% diet and 30% exercise was a perfect period on the conversation, or so I thought.

An hour or so later, a new/old friend called. She went to high school with me. Now, she's joining our homeschool group and we're getting to know one another. She has her own mountains to move. Really. I told her that talking to a new homeschooler (just like a new believer) is refreshing and brings excitement to my own journey. Her response was profound. She said, "I'm a new believer. I learn something new and get to believe anew all the time." {She got saved at 8 years old!!} I'm still carrying the excitement of those words with me. Faith is new all the time, that is, unless I'm not using it AT ALL.

I am a new believer, too...
and there is no period on this conversation