Warning! Women Only!!

Isaiah 64:6
But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnessesare as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

II Corinthians 5:21
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Isaiah 61:10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herselfwith her jewels. Somebody once pointed out to me that the term "filthy rags" means menstrual rags.  I looked it up.  It's true.  I can't think of anything that is more disgusting than used pads and tampons.  I handle ick (that's the technical term) on a daily basis at my job.  Menstrual ick is by far the worst! THAT'S DISGUSTING!!!  So for years, I ran around thinking, "ewwwwww!  Sin is like menstrual rags!" Then I actually looked closely at the verse.  Isaiah 64:6 says the that our RIGHTEOUSNESS is as filthy rags.  If the GOOD THINGS we try to do are like dirty, menstrual rags in God's eyes.  Imagine what our sin is like to God! So, the GOOD THINGS we try to do for God in our own strength are like the nastiest thing I can imagine to Him.  So God sent His Son to BECOME sin for us.  Jesus not only took our sins on Him, He BECAME SIN for us!  And not only that!  Jesus took the filthy, menstrual rag-like sins that we were covered in on Himself and covered us with HIS OWN righteousness.  He traded clothes with us!  He wore our sins on the cross so we could wear his royal robes and be accepted by a holy God. If you have been saved by the grace of God, when He looks down on you, He sees the righteousness of Christ covering you.  But do you ever try to do things in your own strength?  That's like saying, "Wow!  The kitchen counter is nasty!  Hhmmmm...oh!  Here's a dirty pad.  That's convenient.  I'll clean the counter with this!" Just as we cannot be saved by our own efforts and strength, we cannot please God in our own strength.  We must utilize Christ's strength and righteousness if we want to make a difference for Him.   Ever feel like you are just"spinning your wheels"?  Maybe you are trying to clean your kitchen with a used pad! Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

What's in your food?

This post was written by a friend of mine.  I thought it was very kind and gentle (which I'm not very good at).

What's in your Food?

I have been save since April of 2006 and my food diet has changed many times over the years, I have godly friend who research this subject so closely and so thoroughly that they know what " organic " food has GMOs and what food has cancer causing chemicals in small and large dosses ....and do you really know whats in your water? they do. And boy are they in shape they ether run 3 or more days a week or go to the gym and workout like a mad-person. I thank God for these people because they feel so passionate about the health of the body that they send me endless info on all this and why I need to stay away from certain kinds of foods as well as to stay in shape, to encourage me to care about the health of my body ....they care about me and the health of other women, they are after all my brother and sisters in Christ why wouldn't they encourage me to do my best.

So here is my point, as a sister in Christ I am going to give you all the info I can fined on halloween (IE BAD FOOD THAT HAS WICKED SPIRITUAL CAUSING CANCER) Christians and Halloween fredfieswordpress.com, Halloween is for Devil Worshipers- www.letgodbetrue.com/bible/holidays/halloween.
God in the Bible gives VARY clear standers on this in order to be spiritually "in shape or healthy" you have to be just and diligent about what you allow into your spirit 2nd Timothy 2:7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.
Please read 2nd Timothy 2:1-26
2nd Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

Okay all that being said, no I don't feel offended when someone gives me info on healthy living or comes to me directly and says "hey have you been taking care of yourself?"   maybe hurt because I didn't recognize my  need before they did, but never do I think their judging me or casting stones. I just know they LOVE and CARE about me and that helps me to step back a take a good look at myself, my lifestyle if you will.
Psalms 26:2 - Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.
1 Corinthians 9:3 - Mine answer to them that do examine me is this,
1 Corinthians 11:28 - But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
2 Corinthians 13:5 - Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
The same goes for me, I LOVE and CARE for my bothers and sisters in Christ, I want them to know about spiritual wickedness "disguised in the costume of fun" IE Halloween. And my prayer is that you will look to the Lord for the answers and not be angry at me, but angry with me FOR the saints, that satan would not have this kind of spiritually blinding effect on Christians "in the costume of fun".    
Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
Really, the decision is up to you just like what you eat and make for your family to eat.  In all of this I hope you ‘consider’ because I hope you will think about what the Bible says and apply it the way God does.   Asked the hardquestions that you must answer for yourself and your family.  I am glad that we each have access to God’s Holy Word and His Holy Spirit and that is where we must make our decision.  And then the question of Halloween can be settled for your family. May God bless you and keep you safe.
 Love in Christ,
Jodi.

Lollipop Moments

Lollipop, lollipop, oooooo, lolli, lolli, lolli,  lollipop.....

Anybody remember that song from the Chordettes?  From...a long time ago.

I have a very special memory associated with that song, and subsequently, lollipops in general.  A friend of mine (actually, more my friend's younger brother) sang that song to me once.  I was in my Senior year of college and he was in his freshman.  We were standing on the varsity commons at PCC waiting for some more friends to show up so we could go....wherever we were going.  To be honest, the details are a bit fuzzy.  But!  The moment is VERY clear in my mind.  Just cause it was so....unexpected. 

 Josh turned to me and started singing that lollipop song, complete with eye movements and head bobbing and the {pop} part.  I can't even describe it to you! It was hysterical!  He gets half way through and says "sing with me!"  So I did...till the rest of our group showed up and we both started acting like we had sense again.

Ever since that day, I can't hear that song or even see a lollipop without thinking of that moment!  It always brings a smile to my face.  And recently, a tear.  Josh was killed in an accident a few weeks ago.  

My family and I were sitting in a restaurant last night, and this song came on.  What do I do with this song now, God?  I was still smiling at the sweet memory, but...what do I do now, God?  That still small voice answered, "pray."  So I have decided to use that memory as a "lollipop moment".  Every time I hear that song or see a lollipop, I am going to pray for Josh's family!  If I am in a position to write a card or send an e-mail, I'll do that.  I will use that to remember to do...

Joshua 4:4-8

Jos 4:4    Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man:

Jos 4:5    And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel:

Jos 4:6    That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?

Jos 4:7    Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.

Jos 4:8    And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, as the LORD spake unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there.

God told the Israelites to place a "monument" in their lives so they would remember something.  This was a "lollipop moment" for them.  Look up the word remember in a concordance.  God gave the Israelites many things to help them remember to do, or be, or teach.....In fact, God gave Himself a monument to help Him remember something (see Genesis 9:16, notice the rainbow is for God's benefit!). 

I have a friend from college who prays for civil authorities when she is stopped at a red light.  Another friend prays for souls whenever she passes a wheat field.    What kind of "lollipop moments" do you have in your life?  Do you need to create any of them to remember to pray for anything in particular? Maybe you can set up a "lollipop moment" to help you remember to send a card or make a phone call?

I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about and have plenty of these yourself.  Please share some of your "lollipop moments" with me!  I'm sure they will be a help and a blessing  to the rest of us.

Go back to sleep!

Have you ever been so tired you just didn't care any more?

I have!  Quite often, actually.

The other day I had worked a night shift and then come home and worked in my stay-at-home-wife-and-mom capacity, so by the time bedtime came I was rather exhausted....I abandoned my husband to watch TV on the couch by himself and went to bed.  About 3:00 in the morning, the bed began to shake and it sounded like someone was trying to break into the house....with sledge hammers and ice picks!  I picked my head up off my pillow and looked around.

What were my thoughts during this home invasion, you ask?  I'll tell you....

My dog is lying in his bed by my side of the bed...."useless dog!"(I love my dog, but he's useless!)

I look through the door of my room into the living room....just in time to see my husband cross the room and head for the back door..."go get 'em, Tiger."

Then I woke up at 7:30 the next morning...."I wonder if Lee's ok?"  He's taking a shower..."oh, good!"

My point is, I probably should have been a bit more concerned about the situation as it was happening than I was.  But I went back to sleep without any problems for two reasons:

1).  I was too tired to deal with it.

2).  My husband was all over it.  I trust him.  I've seen him defend his family before...I have nothing to worry about.

Have you ever been there?  Have you ever been there in your Spiritual life?  Too tired to care.  I probably should do something.  Oh!  Wait!  God's starting to move!...goodnight.

Psa 116:7    Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee.

I don't know if I'm explaining this right, but....the whole experience just reminded me of how sometimes we fight and work and slave away and....and....and...and       And then we are just too tired to do anything anymore.  And then we get a chance to rest knowing God has it under control.  We've seen Him work before.  He doesn't need me...I'm going back to sleep.

Now if only we could remember this when we're not exhausted!

P.S.  It was a Javelina...BIGGEST ONE EVER, I'm guessing.  With tusks as big as an elephant's!  Did some pretty gnarly damage to the side of our house.  As soon as we (I say "we"!  Hahahah!)...as soon as LEE catches it, you're all invited over for a pork roast wrapped in bacon!!!

Are you "Spooky"?

Psalm 107:28-32 28 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.

29 He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.

30 Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.

31 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

32 Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

See also, I Peter 3:1-6

In my study for the meekness post last week, I had "stumbled up" some really interesting things regarding the QUIET aspect of a meek and quiet spirit.  I hadn't decided yet if I was going to do a follow up or not.  And then, last week, God showed me the best example of a QUIET SPIRIT I have ever seen!  I wanted to share that with you.

First of all, let me say, a quiet spirit does NOT mean you sit in a corner and only speak when spoken to, or you are seen and not heard.  In the Bible, the word "quiet" has the idea of sitting still and undisturbed in the face of difficulty.  My dictionary said its the state of "properly keeping one's seat" and "having possession of the mind". 

My church is watching our pastor and his family go through one of the most horrible trials that I can imagine.  To be honest, due to my past experience as a pediatric ICU nurse, I have seen quite a few people face this same trial.  But none the way our pastor did this Sunday!  He preached...twice!  And the power of God was evident on him.  I don't think I could have done that.  My pastor exemplified the idea of "properly keeping one's seat" and "having possession of the mind".

 And...yes...I am going to relate it to a horse!  

Going back to my previous post, a properly trained horse will not "spook" at alarming situations.  The last thing you would do is bring a nervous horse into battle!  It would cause much more harm than good.  God tells us that a wife (or any woman , for that matter) with a meek and QUIET spirit is of great price to God.  Do you "fly off the handle" or "flip out" when trials and struggles come your way?  Can God trust you in this spiritual battle?  Taking it a step further, can the people around you trust you in a time of difficulty?  Or do they walk around on egg shells hoping you won't flip out?

My pastor's wife says that nothing comes into your life that has not first pasted through the filtering hands of God! If God allows it, then I know He will help me "properly keep my seat" during it.  I thank God for my Pastor and his wife, showing us how to bring honor and glory to God while facing what the world considers to be a tragedy!

The Meekness of a Horse

What pops into your head when I say "meek"?

      Moses, the meekest man?

      Humility?

      "Strength under control"?

Those are all great ways to explain meekness!  But did you know meekness has a deeper meaning than all of those?  

It is the opposite of self-assertiveness and self-interest.  It is working UNDER THE CONTROL OF ANOTHER to accomplish more than the two can accomplish alone.

      I Peter 3:1-4 says,

1).  Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;

2 ).  While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.

3).    Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;

4).  But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

Meekness has the idea of a bridled horse. 

Alright!  Hold on.  I'm going to be using verses about meekness and horses.  I'm comparing us to horses in the context of meekness.  Don't read too much into it.

I love horses!  I've never owned one, but as soon as my husband gets right with God....just kidding.  My husband doesn't like them so....guess I'm out of luck.  Anyway....

What comes to mind when I say "horse"?

      Strength?

      Beauty?

      Furry friend?

      That time you were bit by one?

       Destruction?

      Terror?

See?  It can go both ways!  

I think of the beautiful horse galloping across the open field, or pulling the sheep cart along the front of our apartment building (story for another time), or the friendships you can develop with them...

My husband thinks of the time he was bit by one...and the time he was slobbered on...and the horse took off with him...or the movie where the horse destroys the whole barn and kills all the other animals and two of the people (I'm sure it wasn't the horses fault)!!!

Anyway, you get the idea.  A well-trained horse is a joy and pleasure.  An UN-trained horse is beautiful, too.  Till you try to actually USE it!

The word meek has the idea of a well-trained, bridled horse.  Before cars, trucks, and tractors people depended on horses and other animals much more than we do now, but I think we can still see the point here.  

Wild horses are beautiful, galloping across the prairie. But you have to train it and bridle it for it to be USEFUL!  In fact, an unbridled and untrained horse can cause a lot of damage...

The same is true for us.  We, as people (women in particular), often have natural beauty or strength.  God-given, I might add! We may even have more strength and abilities than those people God has placed over us.  "Just let me do that!  I'll get it done while you're still staring at the pieces!"  Ever have a thought like that?  "If you want something done right (or at all), you've got to do it yourself!"  How about that one?

Women often have  such incredible strength and ability!  And it's hard for us to...pardon my language...SUBMIT to the people God has placed over us.  I'm not just talking about our husbands!  ANY authority: husbands, pastors, Sunday school teachers, parents, bosses, civil authorities.... We "buck" authority! 

This can cause a lot of damage!  We rush in and try to do things the "right" way and end up making a mess of things.  Because we were wrong and we aren't capable of doing stuff?  No...because we weren't allowing the right Person/person to control us.   (Psalm 33:17; 147:10)

What's my point?  

      1).  An "unbridled horse" can cause GREAT damage and suffering to those around her.  Yes!  She's strong!  But that strength, when not controlled, is dangerous.  That's why we all like to look at wild horses...from a distance!

      2).  A "bridled horse" is USEFUL.    A horse willingly submited to her "authority" can be a great asset.  In fact, a well-trained horse is necessary to accomplish great things!  (James 3:13). Before cars and trucks and tractors, horses were needed for most things.  The trained, bridled ones, that is...

      3).  Willing submission to the "rider" allows both the horse and rider to:

                 A.  Accomplish great things

                 B.  Develop a deep friendship

                 C.  Look beautiful in the process

***I think wives, especially, would love to see these things accomplished in our marriages!

      4).  A submissive, well-trained horse only needs gentle pressure to redirect her course.  Do people have to hit you up side the head to get you to cooperate?  Does God have to do big, awesome things to get your attention?  The life of a submissive horse is much more comfortable for the horse...for the rider, too!  (Psalm 37:11, I Corinthians 4:21)

      5).  The rider can accomplish much more with the strength of the horse.  Are you hindering your authority by refusing to submit?

      6).  The rider will be able to trust the instincts and intuitions of the submissive horse.  God gave horses instincts that people don't have.  Horses can "sense" things people can't.  A wise rider will listen to his horse, if he can trust her.  If she "flips out" at the smallest thing or tries to go her own way all the time, the rider will not be able to recognize when she has a point!  (II Timothy 2:25)

      7). A submissive horse trusts her rider.  God has put your authority in your life for a reason.  When it comes to our husbands, God has given men insights and instincts he doesn't give to women.  Authority, in general, usually has a broader view of the big picture than we do.  We can get into a lot of trouble when we refuse to trust the authority God has placed over us! (Isaiah 63:13)

      8).  A submissive horse is of "great price" in the sight of her rider....and God! (Zechariah 10:3, I Peter 3:4)

Who's controlling you?  Do you run amuck and do your own thing, leaving a trail of carnage behind you?  Does the authority God has placed in your life control you?  Does the world control you (I Timothy 6:11)?  Does the  Holy Spirit of God control you?  Think hard about this!  

What you accomplish in life and how hard your life is depends a great deal on who you allow to control your life.

My Mission Statement....I guess...

Boaz was a wealthy landowner.  An upstanding Israelite.  Rich.  Powerful.

Ruth was a poor outsider.  A heathen.  A Widow.  Her only means of supporting herself was gleaning the grain that fell out of the sheafs of barley and wheat being harvested by local landowners.

In Ruth 2:16, the Word of God tells us that Boaz instructed his workers to leave extra grain on the ground....just for Ruth.  Ruth was nothing to Boaz.  But he chose to love, protect, and provide for her!

The same goes for our Heavenly Father.  We are not worth anything....But He chose to love, protect, and provide for us.  And He wants us to know about Him, so He provided His Word for us.  And as we study it, and let the Holy Spirit work, God will leave us "handfuls of purpose"!  Little bits of "food".  Not so much that we choke on it...but, just enough to satisfy and leave us coming back for more.

I find this to be so true in my own life.  I love to study God's Word.  And I love to teach God's Word. Sometimes I am so full with all the "gleanings" I've received from Him, I just HAVE to share it, or I feel I will explode!  So that's why I started this blog....to share some of things that God has left for me.  I hope the thoughts I put here will bring blessings and help to you.  But more than that, I hope they will bring glory to God!

What are some of the topics you might see?  I'm glad you asked!

The best way to tell you that is to tell you a little about myself, and explain where my heart and burdens are....

My name is Kristi.  I was blessed to be born into a Christian family.  I was the second and youngest child.  As a matter of fact, my one and only sister (Angela Vance, of Hidden Treasures) is the one who talked me into starting this blog.

 My dad was in the U. S. Air Force and we moved about every three years.  I loved it! Because of my military upbringing, I am EXTREMELY patriotic!  But don't worry...I avoid politics like the plague! If you do see something political, you can be sure I have prayed long and hard about it before posting it!  But, don't be surprised if you see patriotic stuff.

 I was saved while we were living in Spain,  I was about 5.   Evangelist Ed Carter came to preach at our church.  He preached on Hell.  When we got home that night, I got in trouble for....something....I don't even remember what.  My Dad spanked me.  And I realized I was a sinner.  I would never be good enough or do enough to get to heaven on my own.  I cried and told my Dad I don't want to go to Hell.  He took me aside and told me how much God loved me and that He  sent Jesus to die for me.  He explained that only by accepting Jesus' sacrifice for me on the cross can I be "saved" and go to heaven.  I accepted Jesus as my Savior that night.  Best decision I ever made!  I was baptized about a year later.

As I grew up, I served on several ministries in the various churches we attended - Jr. Church, Awana, Bus ministries, summer camps.  And I currently teach a 1st -3rd grade class at our church.  Children's ministries are very important to me.  You will probably see posts about those.

I got my nursing degree at Pensacola Christian College.  I love science!  Quite a few of my posts will have a start science-y...stuff.  Not technical stuff, just "I was looking at an ant with my kid the other day, and God reminded me of..." kinda stuff.

So those are the big three that I find are my "jumping off points" for the most part.

I do hope this blog will be a blessing to you!  Please feel free to leave comments and suggestions and whatnot.

Alrighty!  Let's give this blogging thing a try.....