Laughter IS the best medicine...

Lately I have been going through a rough time. When I step back and look at what I've been going through it really isn't that bad; but it has been really hard for me emotionally. Let's just say life has not been going the way I think it should and I've been very frustrated!

Last night after all the kids were in bed, Matt and I were going to bed like any normal night. I can't even remember now how it got started, but one of us said something that we thought was hilarious! After that we kept laughing, and laughing over stupid stuff. We were literally rolling around on our bad cracking up! I had tears rolling down my face I was laughing so hard; and we just couldn't stop! We were trying to be quiet because the baby was asleep in our room, but it felt so nice to just let go and be silly together!

After we finally calmed down and said our nightly prayers I was laying there thinking about how good it felt to laugh together like that. It really did seem to relieve the tension of the past few weeks a little bit. It also felt nice to know that Matt and I could still be like that together. Sometimes with the responsibilities of life we sometimes forget to just enjoy each other and be friends. I honestly believe that Matt is my best friend. Last night really showed me how important laughter is in a marriage. Even though it was really dumb and silly, it was just what I needed. Even though my problems haven't changed I feel better somehow...



Also I read this Bible verse this morning, it was a nice little reminder:

"Use hospitality one to another without grudging.

As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God."

I Peter 4:9-10

Smells

By the way, we had a really good weekend at the cam pout. I always enjoy seeing all the brethren. There were good meetings and lots of good visiting. It was wonderful to spend a weekend surrounded by so many loved ones. There was a baptism and a beautiful ordinance supper. I looked down the row of all my beautiful sisters and my heart just burst with love and joy to see all of them and feel the wonderful fellowship.

There were 6 bishops from different assemblies there. I had them all pray for me for a private problem I've been having. I didn't feel like it was important enough to call the elders to come to my house; but I decided to take advantage of the opportunity of them all being there. It was a wonderful feeling to have them all gathered round me as they lay their hands on me. I could feel so much love to and from them. I thought about each one and how I've known all of them for quite a few years; some for as long as I can remember. They each hold a special place in my heart and are good examples before me and my children. So far it seems that the problem they prayed for is gone! Yahhh! It was very bothersome.

All in all it was a good weekend.

I believe it was Sunday morning I woke up early to help with breakfast. When I stepped out of my cabin a horrible smell met my nose! It smelt like maybe somebody had some fertilizer or something. I teased one of the teenage boys about using too much cologne; and I told Bro. Jim that it smelt like Tulare! (a major dairy town, for those of you who don't know). Even as I joked about it I got to thinking about a prophesy I may have mentioned before. It told me that my sacrifice was pure and that I was a sweet smell unto the Lord.

I thought about how I know that all too often my sacrifice is not so pure and I wondered if there were times that I smelt like dung unto the Lord, or worse. In one of the meetings a brother got up (I forget which one) and was talking about the scribes and how the Bible says they were like sepulchres. They looked beautiful on the outside, but inside there was corruption and rotting flesh. I thought about how horrible that sacrifice must smell unto the Lord.

Throughout the weekend I kept smelling different smells. While breakfast was being cooked there was the wonderful smell of bacon in the air, that fertilizer smell never did quite go away, though sometimes it wasn't as bad as others. Sometimes I would get a whiff of someone's B.O.; or I would walk by someone who had some good smelling perfume or lotion. Even though I didn't smell it this weekend I thought about how someone could use too much cologne or perfume and it could end up being a bad smell. As I smelled each smell I kept thinking about how each sacrifice has a different smell unto the Lord.

Some people's sacrifice has a wonderful smell; others not so much. There's even those who do too much on their own without God's lead and direction and their smell is too overpowering. It really got me to wondering how my sacrifice smells unto the Lord. It really made me want to give the Lord a better sacrifice. I sure don't want the smell of dung, corruption, B.O. or any other such thing to reach the Lord's nostrils because of me.


Here is a couple of verses that I read yesterday that I thought were uplifting:

"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 3:13-14

A Good Day

Yesterday was a very good day for me.



We had a pretty good meeting. There was some of the ministry that seemed like they were holding up a mirror to me and saying "you need to work on this." It was very good for me.



After church we went to Bro. Dennis and Sis. Trina's for a potluck dinner. There was A LOT of good food. I've been scared to get on the scales today! I feel like we had some pretty good conversations and fellowship too. There was one conversation that was especially good for me that I needed to hear:



I had been having some child rearing issues, I knew that what I was doing wasn't really working, but I didn't really know a better way to deal with it. My dear sisters talked with me about it and gave me some really good advice. I want them all to know that I greatly appreciate there input and the loving and caring way they did it. I now have some different options to try and hopefully things will go better.



The big reason yesterday was such a good day for me is because it was a learning day for me. God has a wonderful way of showing me where I need to improve. Usually I listen and decide that I'm going to do better; and most of the time I do better, but then it seems like I get back into my usual groove and the Lord has to show me all over again that I need to improve.

I really prayed yesterday, last night and this morning that I could follow through with my intentions and actually form so lasting good habits. So far today I feel like I've done pretty good; but I really need prayers that I wouldn't slack off, that I would continue to do things how I should. My family and others would be so much better off if I would.

One of the first things I did this morning is took some time to read again. Today I read the 4th chapter of Ephesians. This is how the chapter starts out: It was exactly what I needed to read...

"I therefore the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called.
With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in Love,
Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

I so much want to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith I was called. I also feel like that how my sisters strived to help me yesterday was the fulfilling of the next 2 verses. Sometimes I wonder why God has so much patience with me, when I mess up and fail so many times, but I sure am glad he does!

Well, here I go to continue to try and walk worthy...

Paul's Blessing

Today I took the time to read a chapter in the Bible. Paul was talking to the Ephesians, but I felt like he was talking to me too. It seems like it was a blessing that he was requesting from God for all of God's children. I thought I would pass this blessing on to all my blogging buddies. Paul wrote from his heart to the Ephesians, and I share it with you from the heart. It's from the 3rd chapter of Ephesians; from the 16th verse to the 21st...

"That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man,
That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in Love,
May be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth and height;
And to know the Love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."

Reading this just gave me a wonderful loved and cared for feeling. God really is wonderful! I especially liked the part where it says he'll do even more than we ask or think. I'm so glad I'm a part of this and that I have a taste of the wonderfulness of God!

Last night I was reading Matt the weekly report I get emailed to me about our baby's growth. After reading it he said he really doesn't understand how people can see all the miracles (such as babies forming) that there are in nature and still not believe there's a God. They'd rather believe that things just happened all of a sudden on their own, or somehow evolved. When I feel the Love of God, the comfort of the Spirit, and feel the fullness of God, I'm so thankful that I'm not one of those who only believe in what they can see. I'm thankful that I can feel the Love of Christ that passeth knowledge. I'm glad I took the time to read this morning.

THE FAITH

There is something that I've been really thinking about lately and Bro. Lee got up yesterday and talked along the same lines. I've been thinking about how we call our walk as brethren living the Faith. Most of the time when we say that, it's more of a title than anything else; but lately I've been thinking about the definition of Faith. This is what Bro. Lee talked about. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Basically when we are living the Faith we are providing the evidence of things not seen. The love of the brethren, the wonderful works we've seen done that only God could work out; the spirit that we feel bringing forth the wonderful things that we have the opportunity to experience. It's all the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. I've just never quite thought of it along those lines before.

Also when I was finally taking time out today to read my Bible I came across a verse. It's one of those verses that I think get overlooked a lot. I've read it lots of times, but never really thought about what it means before. It's the second to the last verse of Galatians; so I guess I've just thought of it as a closing verse, without any real in dept meaning. Anyway, here it is:

"From henceforth let no man trouble me for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus."

All of us who have the Spirit in us have the marks of the Lord Jesus; so we really have no reason to be troubled by anything that man could throw at us. I just thought this was an interesting verse worth sharing. It's in the 6th chapter of Galatians. That chapter is full of a lot of good things, but this verse really stuck out for me this time. Maybe God was sending me a message to not let myself be troubled or worried about the things of this world. If God be for us who can be against us.

God's Protecting Hand

I'm finally posting again!!! Yahhh! Here are my excuses: I got sick, plus I've been having a hard time coming up with something to blog about. There you have it, I know it's pretty lame. Anyway...

The other day I was taking care of some errands around town. I had pulled into a corner gas station to get gas. The place where I pulled out was a light where I wanted to turn left. It just so happened that the way was clear for me to get right into the turning lane; and the light was green so I just kept on going. As I was going out into the intersection I noticed the little sign that said that I was supposed to yield to oncoming traffic if the light was green. Sure enough there was a line of cars coming. Somehow we all just kept going and missed each other. It all happened so fast that I didn't even have time to react at all. I didn't step on the brakes at all. Now that I think of it, if I'd have slowed down I might have hit someone (or them hit me).

Later on I told Matt about the incident and how I felt like through my mistake and bad observance skills, God had protected me and the kids from getting into an accident. Matt told me of a very similar incident that had happened to him a few days ago. I am so thankful for God's protection to us.

I've still been trying to read the Bible sometimes. I don't have some glorious insight about what I've been reading, but it's all good stuff; so I decided to sometimes post my "verse(s) of the day". Technically this is my verses of yesterday since I read them yesterday, and I haven't yet done any Bible reading today; but here it is:

"But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully.
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity. For God loveth a cheerful giver.
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work."

From reading these verses in context, I believe it's talking about donating physical items, but this could be applied to other ways of giving too. Basically God wants me to give from the abundance that he has given to me, to help others who are in need. Whether it be giving things, money (even giving to the church), or just using my health and time to help others, or just saying the right words; or sharing the spiritual blessings that God has given to me; so that I can encourage others. I guess kind of like writing about my near accident the other day. I really believe that the Faith is all about giving. If I'm not cheerfully giving what God wants me to give; then I'm not living the Faith as I should. I know that I need to work on this.

Showing Care

I hope that you all aren't getting tired of me putting these kind of posts on, but I was reading my Bible again this morning and found a very interesting verse:

It's the 12th verse of the 7th Chapter of 2nd Corinthians. I believe that Paul is refering to his first letter to the Corinthians in this verse.

"Wherefore though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered the wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you."

Reading this verse gave me a little different outlook on the kind of attitude to have when I want to help those that are in sin, discouraged etc. If I'm just out to fix a problem, that seems like a good cause, but I should really be out there helping them because I care for them as souls that God wants to save.

I know that sometimes I'm afraid to reach out to those that really need it because I'm afraid to push them farther away; but if I can have this right attitude. That I can truly be out to save their souls, and not just to fix everything that I see that's wrong in their life. If I can figure out how to convey to them that I just want to save their souls and not just point a finger at them I wonder if I could reach them better, and actually help them?

I really don't often extend myselves to help those that are truly in need of this kind of encouragement. It's really out of my comfort zone. There's sometimes that I think of different ones who have strayed from the faith and wonder if there's any way I can help them, but I don't act on that thought; besides praying for them of course. Maybe sometimes that's all God wants me to do, but if there's anything else I can do I sure would like to have the right attitude about it and do what I can to save them, "For God is not willing that any should perish."

5th Chapter of 2nd Corinthians

I almost didn't read my Bible today because I had so much to do today. Maybe that's why I decided to; so I could prolong the dreaded housework! Whatever my reason was I decided to sit down and read a Chapter in the Bible this morning. Unless I feel otherwise inclined I just pick up where I left off last time. So today I read the 5ht Chapter of 2nd Corinthians. I thought I would share with all of you some of what I found; and the insight that I feel God gave me. I should stope being amazed at how this happens a lot to me. Anyway, here goes...

"For we know if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens.
For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from Heaven:...
For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life....
Therefor we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
(For we walk by Faith, not by sight)
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent we may be accepted of him.

Now I did skip a few verses in this part of the chapter. I'm sure if you want to read the whole thing you can. Sometimes it's hard to put into words what the Lord shows us. I prayed about how I would explain in words what I felt God was telling me when I read this morning. Basically I'm not supposed to be comfortable here on earth in this earthly body. That's not to say that I shouldn't strive for certain comforts here on earth. I felt like God was telling me that my desire for Heaven should be greater than my desire for earthly things. If my soul stops "groaning" for the Heavenly home which is in Heaven; (or it's just become a muted thing in the back of my mind); then I need to re-examine my life. I feel like God was reminding me that I am here on earth so I can earn that home in Heaven. I should stop giving these earthly comforts so much importance and concentrate on what is important for me to make it to Heaven.

There was another verse farther down in the chapter (the 20th verse) that I guess I've never really examined before:

"Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christs' stead be ye reconciled to God."

I've heard over and over again the ministers saying how we are ambassadors for Christ. It wasn't until this morning that I really thought about what an ambassador was. An ambassador is someone sent to another country to speak on behalf of their home country; to try and persuade the foreign country to conform to their way of thinking. We are supposed to be speaking on behalf of Christ, beseeching others to be reconciled to God. I guess I really already knew this, I just did't quite think of it in this way before.

The last verse of the chapter (21st verse) speaks for itself:

"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."



I would like to make a note to everyone:
For some reason spellcheck hasn't been working for me; so if there's any misspellings, you'll have to bear with me. I'm not sure what the problem is, but hopefully it stops pretty soon.

The Character Building Chain

Yesterday in church Bro. Dennis read the first Chapter of 2nd Peter:

"And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue: and to virtue knowledge;
And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
And to Godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."

I've heard this scripture a lot; and it's a very good scripture to examine myself with. It's amazing though how you can hear something so much, but every once in awhile you get some insight that you've never had before. As Bro. Dennis was reading this scripture I examined the order more closely. I thought about how it would be hard to be truly virtuous if you didn't have Faith first. He also explained how virtue had the same core word as virgin, meaning pure and undefiled. I thought about how it would be hard to have the true knowledge of God without first having virtue; because if you didn't have virtue it would be easy to have knowledge that wouldn't be the pure and undefiled knowledge of God. Again, it would be hard to have temperance if you didn't have the knowledge of God to help you be temperant; and I think it would be nearly impossible to have patience if you weren't temperant. I also think there is no way you could truly have Godliness if you didn't have all those other things first; and it would be hard to have true brotherly kindness if you weren't Godly first. My dad is always quoting the scripture that Charity is the end of a perfect work. I've never really thought what exactly was the perfect work it was the end of, but I think this scripture kind of explains that.

I have to say that my baby got loud, and I had to leave while Bro. Dennis was still up; so I don't know what all he said, but I was glad that God allowed me to hear what I heard.

Now to start working on my character building list.....

Bible Reading

I've decided that I need to read the Bible more. I say more, but I really haven't been reading it at all. So last night and today I've read a few chapters. What I read this morning was really what I needed; so I thought I'd share it with all of you.

"Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
As is is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that Loved us.
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the Love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:35-39

Let me repeat the verse that especially helped me because I like it so much!

"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that Loved us."

Sometimes I feel like I just can't get through something, like I can't conquer a problem I'm having that's bogging me down in the Faith, but God is telling me that through Christ I can more than conquer these things. Just please pray for me that I can walk in the spirit and allow God to help me.