Who Created Everything? Wizzy Gizmo Review

Do you struggle making Bible time interesting for your kids? Do you want something to make the Bible come alive? Need some quiet time activities to keep the littles occupied and interested?

 

Wizzy Gizmo has just the thing for you. Who Created Everything? is an audio CD from the book of Genesis. We reviewed Episode 1 which is Chapter 1.

 

I pulled out the CD and put it in the player hoping it would catch the attention of the kids. It did. They didn't want to listen at first but very quickly the room quieted down and they were listening!

About Wizzy Gizmo

We are parents, pastors, worship leaders, Sunday School teachers, and Homeschoolers who are committed to our children for life, by planting them firmly in God's Word; and we want to help you do the same! Why? Because we believe that, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

 

Who Created Everything? would be a great tool to use for Bible Study, Bedtime Stories, Homeschool Resources, Devotions, and so much more. It is great to have handy to turn on when you need the kids to settle down and get a lesson or two.

The Audio Drama we received tells the story of how it all began. "It all begins when Wizzy Gizmo places the Bible on his incredible Gizmovision invention. The machine whirls and hums, the room begins to vibrate and shake, lights flicker on and off. The invention is surrounded by tiny arcs of electricity as a sphere of blue-green light emerges and begins to grow bigger and bigger. There is a flash, and then things really begin to happen..."

 

I really love this CD. The voices are sweet in their characterizations and the music is engaging. I was humming it for days after listening the first time! Our 4yo does not sit still easily but when I put this CD on, she was sitting within minutes and was engrossed. That is incredible in and of itself!

 

She sat listening for quite a while and what better thing to listen to than Bible Stories? I am so thankful for Who created Everything? and the solid Biblical teaching it offers.

If you want to hear samples of Who Created Everything? head over to this page and listen. You can also purchase the CD's or Digital Downloads starting at $9.99. The target age is 4-12 but older kids will enjoy them on car rides or just for the quiet it brings to the house when the younger kids are listening!

Wizzy Gizmo also has a Book Series, Fast Track Bible Packs, Free Resources to check out. Find out more about Wizzy Gizmo on their About Page and find Who, What, Where, When, and Why for your questions.

You can connect with Wizzy Gizmo through

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Check out what other reviewers thought over at Home and School Mosaics.

 

A Tale of Two Kingdoms and God's Unfolding Story of Salvation Mosaic Review

A Tale of Two Kingdoms by Heather A. Kendall is a book worth reading and owning. (this is saying a lot because I won't buy a book or recommend someone buy it unless it is incredibly good) It is a book that will draw you closer to God and help you see the the map of God's story better. The epic story unfolds as an "overview of the Scriptures is presented in an interesting and evangelistic way. Many will find the prophetic interpretation challenging."

Students of God's Word will want to devour this book.

Primary purpose:

To trace the development of God's plan of salvation through Jesus, the promised Seed, from its beginning to its triumphant end in the new heaven and new earth.

Secondary purposes:

1. To consider how Satan has continually tried to thwart God's plan of salvation, but he will never succeed.

2. In the Old Testament God declared Israel to be his special people. In the New Testament the church became God's special people. How did those first Jewish believers respond to this difficult transition?

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Description:

The entire Bible is God’s story of salvation. In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, everything was very good. This included Satan. Then puffed up with pride, Satan sinned by coveting the throne of God. Later, in the Garden of Eden, he was ecstatic when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate the forbidden fruit. From that moment they became members of Satan’s kingdom. Yet God was not taken by surprise. Before creation the Triune God had already devised a plan of salvation. He loves us so much! Therefore God promised Adam and Eve that one would come who would destroy Satan’s power.

The Old Testament describes God’s gradual preparation for the coming of his Son. At first only a few believed and waited for the promised Seed. Then God formed the nation of Israel and set them apart as his special people. Through the prophet Daniel, the Lord even gave the Jews the due date for the arrival of Jesus. He expected his people to wait for the birth of the Saviour. When God was silent for 400 years between the Old and the New Testaments, people were not. The Pseudepigrapha or false writings describe the heart attitude of some of the Jews. These writers influenced many people. Finally, the promised Seed was born exactly when God planned.

Meanwhile, in the Old Testament, Satan actively tried to prevent the birth of the promised Seed. Realizing that Jesus was born did not prevent him from continuing to try to thwart God’s plan. At Jesus’ death, Satan likely thought that he had finally succeeded in his evil desires to usurp God’s throne. His plan, however, backfired. At his resurrection Jesus triumphed over Satan, once for all time. Now, until the end of the world, God’s kingdom is rapidly expanding. Satan is a defeated foe. One day Jesus will return to gather believers into the eternal kingdom and to judge nonbelievers.

Heather also includes her own testimony throughout the book. The Points to Ponder at the end of each chapter serve as devotional aids. A timeline, maps, and index help in Bible study.

 

The other book I received for review was God's Unfolding Story of Salvation. This is a Christ-Centered Biblical Storyline you won't want to miss. This is a Bible Study broken down into 38 Lessons that have you diving into the meat of Scripture. "No one can appreciate the size or shape of a forest without flying over top to view the big picture. The Bible is like a forest and individual books are similar to tress. Studying small portions of Scripture is worthwile and necessary. Nevertheless one of the first steps of discipleship after salvation should be an understanding of the big picture of the Bible."

Each Lesson is broken down into Scripture reading, questions, Reflection, and a Summary. The questions are thorough and thought provoking.

Description:

No one can appreciate the size or shape of a forest without flying over top of it to view the big picture. The Bible is like a forest and individual books are similar to trees. Studying small portions of Scripture is worthwhile and necessary. Nevertheless one of the first steps of discipleship after salvation should be an understanding of the big picture in the Bible. God’s Unfolding Story of Salvation will teach believers that the biblical storyline is Christ-centered.

Often people think of redemptive history only in terms of its promises in the Old Testament and its fulfillment in the New Testament. There is much more to the story than that. In the Old Testament the Holy Spirit also points to Christ through preparation for his birth, pictures or types, and anticipation. Since God’s story ultimately affects each one of us, it is worth the time and effort required to understand it. If you do this, you will discover a pearl of great value. Forgiveness of sin and reconciliation with God are the greatest needs of everyone past, present, and future. This redemption story brings glory to God and benefits believers.

 

Both of these books are recommended by me without hesitation. They are useful for instruction and to further your journey in learning God's Word and God better. You can purchase them Here, A Tale of Two Kingdoms is $23 and God's Unfolding Story of Salvation is $22. Visit Heather's website Here or her Blog Here.

To find out what other reviewers thought of these wonderful books head on over to Mosaic Reviews and check them out Here!

 

 

Waterproof Bible-the Bible you just have to have-Review

We have all been in this situation: We are going somewhere and we really want to take our Bible but there is a chance it will get wet so we leave it at home. Or we are sitting doing our Bible Study or devotions and our little ones come in fast for a hug causing us to spill our beloved coffee all over our precious Word. Then there are the children that leave their Bibles on the kitchen counters or dining room tables with cups full of liquid tipping precariously toward their Bibles. One bump and the cups pour out all over the Bibles.

Each one of those times the Bibles get wet and are quite possibly ruined. If they aren't ruined then the pages will never be the same. They are crinkled and brittle causing you to have to be even more careful when you turn the pages. It's just not a great place to be. The material they use to make the pages in our Bibles is very fragile. While that may not be a problem for some, for this mom of 5, it is. Our 8yo isn't as careful as she should be with her Bible and the 11 yo puts hers down in wet spots all the time! The 13 and 15 yos leave theirs in bags to get mushed and beat up.

It's a problem people!

But fear not! Mosaic Reviews was fortunate to review The Waterproof Bible and let me tell you, we loved it! This Bible really is waterproof! And coffee proof and the list goes on.

The Waterproof Bible from Bardin&Marsee is a fantastic addition to your Bible shelf. It comes in KJV, NKJV, NSV, NLT, AND NIV (2011 edition). There is a complete Bible as well as just a New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs. There are multiple covers to choose from and you can even personalize them! They have covers, pens, highlighters, and more on their website.

The Waterproof Bible uses a different kind of material for their pages, binding, and cover. The pages are thicker than a regular Bible and don't feel as flimsy. They are durable. They really are. I used to work in a Christian book store selling Bibles and I love the feeling of a brand new straight out of the box Bible when the pages are crisp and the edges stick together slightly. We would open them up, placing them on the counter, and gently pull the pages apart. If you weren't careful enough the pages would rip before anyone was able to use them. The pages were oh so fragile and sometimes even the oils from our fingers would mark the pages. There were some of the more expensive Bibles I wouldn't even touch for fear of ripping the pages!

I have to honestly say that I didn't believe it when this Bible claimed to be waterproof. I really didn't. I mean, how could it be? And even if it was a little water resistant it wouldn't stand up to being dropped in a puddle of water or having coffee spilled on it. That just wasn't possible. Was it?

Is it?

Yes, it is! The Waterproof Bible is really waterproof! I know I've already said that but I just can't help it. I am astounded that it didn't get ruined with the tests we put it through. The first being the scenario with the coffee I mentioned above. My 3yo decided to love on me while I had my coffee cup sitting on the coffee table right next to my Waterproof Bible when she bumped me, the table, and the coffee cup, spilling it all over the Bible. I have to admit that I wasn't the happiest momma at that moment because I didn't really believe the Bible would hold up to the coffee.

But, it did. The coffee was all over the pages and I was able to just wipe it off without any stains or the pages bubbling or rippling. There was no evidence of any liquid having been spilled at all. It was epic! Life changing even. If I didn't have to worry about spilling anything on the Bible then I could take it anywhere!

ANYWHERE People! The swimming pool, backpacking (not that I do that but I could now if I wanted to), on the lake, the coffee shop, soccer games, and the list just goes on and on. There is no end to the places you can take this Bible. It will go ANYWHERE. Did I already say that?

Watch these two videos we made.  Have a little grace on us-they aren't very good but the kids had fun demonstrating the Waterproof Bible!






The Waterproof Bible from Bardin&Marsee is available on their website where you can see the options they offer and the extras they have as well. You can use dry highlighters with this Bible and there will be NO bleed through. Let me say that again. There will be NO BLEED THROUGH on the pages if you use the dry highlighters. That is big, people. You can also use ball point pens and pencils without bleed through or smearing. If you're like me then you take notes and underline in your Bible all over the place. Bleed through can be a real problem with regular Bibles. ( don't use roller ball, gel pens, or Sharpies because the are liquid and won't absorb onto the Waterproof Bible's material.)

I really encourage you to head over to their Our Story page and find out more about Bobby and Anna and the Bardin&Marsee company. While you are there check out their Community page and the Customize page to find out how many different options there are for your Waterproof Bible.

If you want to purchase your own Bible they range in price from $24.95 for the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs to $44.95 for the whole Bible.  You can also purchase pens, highlighters, covers, journals, and more on This page.

Renita

Hey God...Review and GIVEAWAY

I love telling my children Bible Stories.  I love listening to them as they think through them and ask questions I never would have thought of!  I love how their minds work and the innocence they possess.

I really love it when a product comes along that can help me teach my kids a love for The Word.  HEY GOD, I'VE GOT SOME GUY NAMED JONAH IN MY STOMACH AND I THINK I'M GOING TO THROW UP! is just such a book.  This book is adorable and creative in it's approach.  I love the illustrations and the different way of looking at the familiar story of Jonah.  In this book 'the whale tells his side of the story' and it is precious.  This is a great book for the grade school and younger set although I would have my olders read it to my youngers anytime the youngers wanted them to.  That way they are both hearing the Truth in the book!

How adorable are these illustrations?

In the back there is also a Parent Connection.  This is a page to help you as the parent connect the dots with your children and get them talking about the story.  There is also a Do section to put into action what they have learned.

This is a really great book that would be a sweet addition to any household.  And I have one to GIVEAWAY!!  More about that in a minute...


About the book:
Oh sure, we've all heard the story of Jonah and the Whale a hundred 
times. But have we heard it from the perspective of the whale who experienced that history-making event?


Hey God, I've Got Some Guy Named Jonah in My Stomach and I Think I'm Gonna Throw Up! imagines how that great sea creature from the incident might tell his side of the story, helping kids ages 4 to 8 discover a creative way of learning about that guy who was supposed to go to Ninevah.
The "Parent Connection" feature (inside the book) will help moms and dads take the story further with scripture references and tips on how to talk with their children about what really happened. 

About the Author: 
Troy Schmidt has writing and video production credits ranging from assignments with Disney (The Mickey Mouse Club) and Nickelodeon to Max Lucado's Hermie franchise. He is currently the lead writer for The American Bible Challenge hosted by Jeff Foxworthy on the Game Show Network. Troy and his wife have three sons.

The series:  This is just the first in a series!  Other books available include Hey God, Can You Stop the Rain so I Can Get off Noah's Smelly Ark? and Hey God, I'm Having an Awful Vacation in Egypt Thanks to Moses!




Brought to you by B&H Kids, Available May 1, 2013.
This book is just $9.99 and will entertain you and your kids!  Available here.

Website:  http://www.bhpublishinggroup.com/books/products.asp?p=9781433679643
Facebook page for the author, please use:  https://www.facebook.com/troyeschmidt

 https://www.facebook.com/bhpublishing?fref=ts

Twitter: @troyeschmidt

Check out the links to find out more info on this great book and see the others in the series.

**Now for the GIVEAWAY.  I have one Copy of Hey God...to give away to one lucky reader.  This can be an international reader as well!  To enter tell me you favorite Bible Story and leave me your email.  I will draw a winner on May 6th.


"Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Ugh, Why do we do that?

The girls have been doing BSF for several years now so you would think we would have the system down by now.

You would be wrong.

Very wrong.

We always seem to wait until Tuesday morning to get the Bible study done.  It is a mad dash of doing school, BSF, chores, and everything else that needs done during the day.

BSF shouldn't be done all in one day but that's the only way we seem to get it done.  :-(

Better planning, I need better planning.

And time. 

Much more time.

So...

My blog is being scraped again.  If you are reading this on a website other than www.crazyhomedaze.blogspot.com you are reading a stolen copy of my content.

First of all let me just say that no church is perfect.  Churches are made up of sinful people following after Christ and can not be everything to everyone.  Those that have been with me on this journey will understand completely what you are about to read.  No offense is meant to anyone, it is just my heart speaking about where God has us in this season of our lives.

So, after about 15 years or more of going to the same church we have decided that it was time to change churches.  This has been a decision that was years in the making.  If any of you have known me very long like my Bewildered Ladies, you know that this is a decision that has caused us great heart ache.  This is not a decision that has been made lightly.  It is a sad thing to realize that the church you have called home is no longer home.

For the last three years I have wanted to leave our church due to various things that I won't go into.  (again, my Bewildered Ladies know all about this!)  But, Steven felt that God was not releasing us to leave.  That is so not what I wanted to hear at the time.  lol  Praise God Steven listened and obeyed God.  Because God's timing was perfect, of course, and we found a church that fits exactly what we were needing.  And I do mean needing not wanting.

Yesterday, with much trepidation, we visited a new church.  It was a sad and tear-filled day for all of us, but we knew that this is what God was calling us to do.  When we showed up at the church, we walked in and found seats.  The congregation filled the seats fairly quickly and the service started.  What we witnessed during the service was refreshing to our souls.  The praise set was real and honest.  It didn't feel rushed, just full of praise.  Then the pastor got up and introduced a gentleman that was giving his testimony about a missions trip he had taken and then more worship music.  When the music was over, the pastor got up and preached straight from The Word.  Nothing else, just The Word.  They are doing a verse by verse study on the book of James.  The simplicity of just reading The Word and studying it together was amazing.  I can not tell you how amazing it was not to have to wade through all the other stuff to get to the study of the Bible.

It was just where we needed to be.  The sense of peace that we felt testified to us that this was the right decision.  Next week we will visit the children's and youth areas to see what they are like.  From what we have read, the curricula in those departments focus on teaching straight from the Bible, too.  Awesome!

It is a double-edged sword to make this decision, though.  Our girls have never known another church and are sad about leaving but excited by the new possibilities.  I'm excited to be following God's leading and can't wait to see what He has in store for us.  It will take some getting used to, but I'm sure that God in His goodness has already made a way for us through this season.

Just Obedience?

My blog is being scraped again.  If you are reading this on a website other than www.crazyhomedaze.blogspot.com you are reading a stolen copy of my content.

Obey: to submit to authority; to follow orders

Willingness: desire; decision-making capacity; by choice; without reluctance

These two words have been stomping through my head for the last month or so. I have been chewing on what they mean and trying to understand them better. I will never fully understand but this is what I have come up with so far.

We want our children to obey. We train them daily in the act of obedience so that they will be safe, learn to make wise choices, and ultimately to obey their Heavenly Father.
Obedience is a must. It just is.
As a child, we must learn to trust our parents enough to obey even when we don’t understand the whys and wherefores of why they are asking. Sometimes it is very difficult and sometimes it is easier. But it is imperative.

Obedience isn’t an optional activity it is an imperative one. In fact, I wonder if our children don’t learn to trust and obey their parents when they are young how much harder their lives will be when they are older.

Especially when God calls them to do something that they don’t understand. How tragic would it be to miss the blessings God has for them because they couldn’t trust and obey?

Now, we want our kids to obey even when or maybe especially when they don’t want to; but that can mean that their hearts are unwilling and they are just going through the motions. That’s okay-sometimes. However, I think we are missing out on an important matter that goes hand in hand with obedience.

Willingness

Willingness is a state of the heart. It indicates an implicit trust of the person doing the asking. By being willing to obey, even when they are scared they are completely trusting that person with/for their well-being. Without the willingness the heart is not involved and I would dare say even a little hardened. We should be striving to win our children’s hearts just as our Abba strives to win ours. He is constantly showing us that He is trustworthy. God wants our obedience and our willingness. He wants our hearts to be so in love with Him and so trusting of Him that we are willing to obey no matter the task. There shouldn’t be anything we are not willing to do for the trusted keeper of our hearts.

In the story of Abraham, I believe we see this concept in action. Abraham had obeyed (and disobeyed) God in many things and on many occasions. Throughout his life he learned to willingly obey God. Abraham waited a very long time for Isaac but he trusted God to fulfill His promise. Then, God asked Abraham to do the unthinkable. God asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son. In Genesis 22, we see God telling Abraham to go to the region of Moriah and kill Isaac. What did Abraham do? Did he argue? Whine? Complain? Did he even question what God had just said? Verse 3 says this: “Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac.” He obeyed, willingly. I believe his heart was breaking even while he obeyed. How could he obey that request? That seems like too much to ask doesn’t it? I think we can find the answer in verse 8. Isaac had just asked where the lamb for the sacrifice was and Abraham says, “God himself will provide the lamb…” Abraham knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that the God/Father he trusted and obeyed would do what He promised. Abraham willingly obeyed the God he loved even though it seemed like it was too high a price. Abraham trusted God with everything he had because he knew God would do what was best for him. God had won Abraham’s heart.

Winning our children’s heart is a daily task. It is in the little things as well as the big ones. It is being there to kiss the boo-boo’s and to listen to their secret desires, hurts, and joys. It is in holding their feet to the fire even when it is painful for you both. Standing firm so they have an anchor to hold on to when life is scary or messy. It is in being transparent and showing them that you make mistakes too.

As we watch our children learn and grow we can see a reflection of our own walk with God. The lessons we are trying to teach them are the very ones God is trying to teach us.

School and Life Lessons

School.  It is the bane of my existence lately.  Not because I don't like it anymore, but because it is pointing out my shortcomings and faults in blaring reality.

I don't like that.

At all.

I don't really want to post about it yet.  I think I want all of us to get through it first and then I'll post.  For now let's just say that homeschooling is painful.

For them and for me.

Today marked the re-instating of the schedule.  Again.  We have done the schedule off and on and we always do better when we follow it.  So, why would I not?  Your guess is as good as mine.  It completely takes the stress off of me because the schedule tells them to do something not me.  It also makes us stay on track.

Believe me, we need all the help we can get.

So, I pulled out my planner and filled it in after checking their planners for the second time in two days.  Yup, that's what I said.  There were some shall we say creative entries in them that needed cleared up and more follow up was required from mom.  Yippee.

As the day wore on, I checked off their assignments in my planner and could see the progress which helped me with that feeling of failure that I have been battling.  We have also set up check points on Wednesdays and Fridays to check their planners and their books to be sure work is getting done and done well.

The 'we' I am talking about is Steven and I.  He is jumping on board in a more visible way to help me out and I appreciate it so very much.

The last few weeks are what have me longing for the yellow bus that passes by here twice a day.  I know that that is not what God has called us to and that might just make it more difficult.  I feel so inadequate and yet He is expecting me to do this.

He gave me my children with the personalities they have to refine both of us, not just them.  I'm not so sure I like that sometimes!

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness."  2 Peter 1:3

I need to remember this and recite it often.  Like tomorrow when we don't get Free School because the girls are too behind in school work and don't get the privilege.

But today was a good day and I am planning on tomorrow being one as well.

Bible Shmible

It is becoming increasingly alarming how many people that proclaim themselves Christians say things that are opposite of what the Bible believes.  I have read so many things that grieve my heart in the last few days that Bible believing Christians should 'know'. 

For instance:  "They are such a good person.  I know they say they don't believe in God the way I do, but how could God keep them out of heaven?  I just know they will be there standing beside me when I get to heaven."

No, they won't.  If they don't believe on Jesus for their salvation and profess Him crucified, buried, and resurrected then they will not be in heaven.  God won't be keeping them out, they will have kept themselves out.  The Bible, God's inerrant Word, states very clearly that the ONLY way to heaven is through Jesus Christ.

John 14:6 states it clearly:

 "Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Seems pretty clear to me.  What about this one:

Matthew 7:21-23
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'"

Being that I have family that proclaims to be atheist, this makes me very sad.  But it is their choice.  There are many Scripture that talk about this and explain it very clearly so how can we think otherwise?

There is only one way to heaven.  One way to God.  It is not a religion, a church, a pastor, or on our own.  It is through the blood of Jesus Christ. And Him only.

That is just one of the many things I have been reading lately and it breaks my heart.  When we try to interpret the Bible to mean what we want, we do no one any good.  We might as well not even read it.    Yes, I believe the Bible is to be taken literally.  The earth was created in seven literal days bc it says so.  The Bible is the most historically and archaeologically proven book, ever.  Why would I not believe it?  You may not believe it and that is your choice.  But I refuse to water down it's life giving message to anyone just because it might offend them. 

Honestly, sometimes it offends me because I don't want to admit that I need a Savior.  I don't want to admit that I can not do it all or that I am not the end all-be all to everyone and everything.  I am a vain, selfish person that wants what I want when I want it. 

Where has that gotten me?  In pain, in need, and friendless. 

I choose to believe God and His Word.  I will not alter it to fit man's needs or desires.  (I will try anyway, I am but a sinful creature you know  ;-) )  Yes, I know that not everyone believes as I do.  That is their choice.   But I firmly believe that if you are going to call yourself a Christian then you better behave like one and follow the teachings of the Bible.  Don't pick and choose based on what you want and don't want. 

Okay, I am done.  I just couldn't hold it in any longer.  More may follow, I don't know.  I'm just fed up with people who say they believe one thing and then act, say, do another.  And lest you think I am leaving myself out, I am not.  I am chief among sinners and the worst of hypocrites.  I struggle with this daily and strive to walk the talk.  Daily.  It doesn't always work and I have to apologize and try again.

If you don't agree with what I've written, no problem.  That is your choice.  But this is my blog.  Please be respectful if you feel the need to leave a comment.  Ugly or hurtful comments will be removed without apologies. 

Confessions of a Five Year Old

Tonight, our youngest, came home from Bible Study Fellowship in tears.  She came to hug me good night and started sobbing into my neck.  She was trying to talk but I couldn't understand her.  I asked if something was wrong and she nodded.

I asked if it happened at BSF, another nod.

My stomach is starting to knot at this point.

She tries talking again but it is incoherent.  I am really getting worried.  She is obviously very upset about something.

I calm her down and tell her to try again.

She takes a deep breath and proceeds to tell me this:

"I'm so sorry, Mommy.  I want to tell you but I didn't want you to be mad at me."

um, okay...

"When I go to the bathroom, I don't wash my hands."

heavy sigh from the parental unit

me-"You mean when Daddy and I ask you if you washed your hands and you say that you did, you really haven't been?"

more serious sobbing form the 5yo

"Yes, and I'm so sorry."

me-"Did you talk about sin tonight in BSF?"

"Yes" said with a prolonged eeeeee due to sobbing

We went up to talk to Daddy so she could confess to him as well.  It was a very sad and sweet sight.  We prayed with her and helped her to talk to Jesus about it. 

What a bittersweet moment it was to usher our dd into the knowledge that she is a sinful being.  But, what a wonderful moment to introduce her to a loving and forgiving savior.

What a tender heart.  May she always hear the Holy Spirit so clearly and may she always obey His leading.

New Things

This week started the regular way, Homeschool group, soccer, etc.

But, then it changed.  I started BSF this week!!  I got into a group and I got to go!  Yay!!  I am so excited to be in it and thrilled to be studying the book of Isaiah.  Can't wait to see what God is going to reveal to me through this.

The next new thing for the week is sitting on the couch next to me on my 11yos lap.  It is a baby boy!  No, it is not mine.  We have started babysitting a 6mo baby boy.  It is quite an adjustment to get used to a babies schedule again. 

Not sure how we are going to manage this schedule with school but somehow we will.  ;-D

Hopefully that is all the new things for the week because I don't like change!  I don't handle it well.  It makes me cranky.  Seriously.

A New Place

I love it when God brings you to a new place and you can just sit back and relax, knowing it is right.  I got to have that feeling tonight.

Tonight was the first meeting of BSF for the year.  Bible Study Fellowship is a great organization that just studies the Bible.  I have been to CBS, which is very similar, but wanted to do the same study as the rest of my family!

I sat listening to the expectations and rules and such and was pretty convinced that this was where I should be.  But then I heard the lecture and knew.  This is where God wants me right now.  This is what He has for me to learn.

I am so excited to see what God will show me this year.  And I can't wait to be able to talk about it as a family.   ;-D

Responsibility

The sermon at church this weekend was on Responsibility.  It was a great sermon that caused much soul searching.  I loved how it applied to not only my life but the lives of my children and how I am raising them.  How am I doing at making them responsible for the things that they choose to do or not do?  Are they going to be responsible adults or will they try and shift blame for everything to someone else?  The Scripture reference was 2 Samuel 11 & 12 when David took Bathsheba. 

In order to take responsibility for your life you have to be willing to deal with your baggage.  We all have baggage.  Be it emotional, physical, spiritual..we all have it.  But baggage is not something that Christ wants us to carry around with us.  Our past experiences can either be a source of strength, wisdom, and compassion; or it can be a source of guilt and self-condemnation that we use as an excuse for not succeeding at things. 

What will we do, how shall we live?

Here were some questions that were on the back of a handout we were given in church.  I thought that they were appropriate to keep in mind.

1.  Do you make excuses as to why you can't be happy?
2.  Do you find yourself throwing up walls to distance yourself from people or experiences?
3.  Do you find it difficult to let go of past hurt or experiences?
4.  Do you frequently find yourself in conflict?
5.  Do you hold emotions in, in hopes of avoiding certain confrontation?
6.  Do you find yourself blaming others for past and present events happening in your life?
7.  Are there always reasons as to why you don't achieve what it is you set out to achieve?

I'm not sure where they got these questions from, but I think they are handy in attempting to figure out why we do what we do. 

In all things, we should seek Christ and follow His leading.  We can't do that if we are consistently answering yes to these questions. 

Just some thoughts...what do you think?

Theology on a T-Shirt

So I've been thinking a lot about my t-shirt lately!  Sound strange?  It probably is; but that's me, strange.  :)

The shirt I have been thinking about is the one that says, "Jesus loves you...but I'm his favorite".  A conversation at Wal-mart has me pondering it.

The checker at Wally world is one we have had before and he is very nice.  He does a great job and offers fun conversation while he works.  The last time I was in and had him as a checker, I was wearing my shirt.  We had been talking when he looked at my shirt.  He read it and said, "Oh no, that's not true!" 

I laughed lightly because some people have been known to be offended with this shirt.  Usually they are proclaiming Christians.  Don't ask, it infuriates me.  "Sure it is" I replied.  He eyed me warily and we continued on with our light bantering.

But the thought struck me when we were getting the groceries out of the car and into the house.  Which part did he not believe was true?  That Jesus loved me or him?

I am pretty sure this guy is not living a moral life and looking back I can see that he might not believe that Jesus loves him.  I missed my chance.  I missed a perfect opportunity to tell him about the love of a God that pursues us even when we are wallowing in our sin.  The love of a Savior that willingly died so that we didn't have to to pay for our sins.  The love of a Father that was greater than any love he could ever imagine.

I failed to see the opportunity that was staring me right in the face.  Literally.

So, my question is this:  Do you really believe what this shirt says?

1.  "Jesus loves you"(the other person)?  If you did, would you be so irritated with them when they didn't do what you wanted them to?  How about when they cut you off on the highway?  How about when they were mean to you?  Maybe when they spoke truth to you and you didn't want to hear it?  Did you believe it then or did you get irritated with them?  Did you speed past them on the road thinking bad thoughts?  Maybe yelling out a few 'safe' mean words?

2.  "I'm his favorite"  Now before you get all worked up, I know that God is not a respecter of persons and that he truly doesn't have favorites but it's really about more than that.  It's about knowing that He loves ME so much that He pursues me and loves me enough to not let me stay in my sin.  He loves me enough to discipline me and steer me on a different path for my own good.  He loves me enough to let me help glorify His name and kingdom.  Do I really believe that he knows the numbers of hairs on my head and that he knew me before I was born?  That's pretty intimate and it takes initiative; His not mine.  He chose me.  He loves me.  Not because I am better than anyone else but because I am not anyone else.  I am who He made me to be (at least I am trying to become that!) for His glory, His honor, and His praise.

So, what do you think?  Do you know that Jesus loves you and that you are his favorite?  ;-)

Stones of Rememberance

As we are reading through the Old Testament, we keep reading how the Lord commanded the Israelites to build altars as a way for the coming generations to remember the things He had done for them.  God knew that they needed a constant visual reminder of His goodness.

I started thinking about our own journey with the Lord and wanted a way for our family to have a visual reminder of His goodness and provision.

So...

I bought a basket and we are making Stones of Rememberance.  Each child started with three stones and they were to put on them things they were thankful for.  Every time something significant happens, we will write it on a stone and place it in the basket.  On each stone is the item of rememberance, the persons name, and the date.

Hopefully, this will be a continual reminder of everything that God does for us and we will learn to live in a state of thankfulness.

In my devotion time I picked up a book that I had previously put down for a long while. Now, I'm not sure why I ever put it down! It's the Busy Mom's Guide to Bible Study by Lisa Whelchel and I had forgotten how much I enjoyed it and just how much I learned by reading it.

The exercise for the day was one of my choice. I could read the Scripture aloud and emphasize one word at a time, choose a Topical Study, or use the Dictionary to re-define words and make the passage more clear.

I chose the Dictionary. I enjoy this exercise. It is interesting to me how the understanding of a verse can change slightly when the words are pulled out further.

The verse to practice this on was John 14:6.

"Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

I looked up nine of the words and then tried to put it all together in some meaningful way! It is a little clunky but here it is.

Jesus spoke with authority to him, "I have been and always will be the only path and manner of living, an established fact, in addition to the principle or force that underlies the distinctive qualities of animate objects. Not anyone arrives or appears to the Creator of the Universe but by way of me."




I highly recommend this book and am thinking of trying out some of her other books. But not until after camp!

A Few Less Wrinkles

I was doing laundry the other night (big surprise there) and I was thinking (even bigger surprise!). My wonderful dh is very patient when it comes to his laundry, he never complains how long it takes to get his shirts ironed. I appreciate that more than he will ever know.



Now, I like to iron. Really I do. There is something about the instant gratification of watching the wrinkles disappear that satisfies my OCD. I enjoy seeing the material smooth out and become fresh looking. I know, I'm weird; I am okay with that!



Well, this last round of ironing I got to thinking about sin and the parallel between it and the wrinkled clothes in front of me. You don't see it? Let me explain.



I have this shirt on my ironing board that is of no use to anyone. It is wrinkled and looks awful. My dh wouldn't wear it because it would make him look bad at work. It would reflect badly on him and give an impression that he does not want to give. I can either discard it or I can take the time to iron it out and make it useful again. I decide to iron it; clothes don't grow on trees you know!



As the iron heats up, I turn the dial so that the iron will emit steam in short bursts while I press the material. Not too much, but just enough to force change in the material. If I don't know the material I am working with, I can ruin it. I smooth the shirt out on the the board making sure to keep the shape of the shirt so that it will look right when I am done.



When the iron is hot I gently glide it across the material slowly so that the material gets hot enough to relax and change. It is not a quick process nor is it without its share of frustrations. If the wrinkles are stubborn, the steam gives an extra boost of heat as an incentive to change. After time and patience, the shirt is in usable condition and looks beautiful again.



Now, when we sin, we are like that wrinkled shirt. We are not usable in our present condition. If we are confessing Christ and wear our 'dirty, wrinkled rags' around, we are not giving a good impression of what Christ is like. We are sending the wrong message. We must confess our sins and present ourselves to God for change. Take off the wrinkled rags and let Him iron them out. You've heard of the Refiner's Fire?



Well, my dhs shirts are not going to magically become un-wrinkled hanging in the closet and they are not going to be presentable if I try to hide them. They are going to require work and heat and pressure to change.



Neither am I going to change without pressure, heat, and work. My life/clothes are as filthy rags and the only way they will be presentable is if I let God use His Divine heat to apply pressure to my heart and force the sin out. Now, I'm not saying that God is forcing the sin out, it is my choice, but if He is going to inhabit my heart then sin has no place and should be sent packing. The only person that knows me well enough to apply just enough pressure and heat without destroying me is the One who made me. He knows what I am made of and how much pressure I can withstand. He also knows how much heat to apply to get my attention and cause me to change. My heart will be presentable and usable again because of the love and attention from a Holy God.



Does it last forever? Unfortunately no. We are sinful creatures and fall prey to our own desires, but we can always come back to the fire and be pressed, heated up, and changed to be more like Christ.

Where is the Line? (VERY long)

I have been troubled for a while now (just ask my dh) about the ‘Seeker Friendly’ movement. It grates on my nerves and quite frankly I think it is a wrong approach and focus. But where is the line between being aware that people are coming to your church that have never heard the gospel and feeding the people that are already there? Where is the line on what you allow to enter God’s house and influence the worship of Him? Can you apply the term “All’s fair in love and war” to this situation? Is all fair in filling the pews? Now, I’m not saying that all churches that use this approach are only focused on filling the pews; but, I think the focus can get skewed when you continually focus on the ‘new’ people.

I know I have posted about this before and I will probably continue to because it is bothersome to me that the Church is denigrating herself to please the unbelievers. When did learning and worshiping the Creator of the Universe become about tickling men’s ears? Are we so unsure of the life-changing message of Christ that we have to pander to the masses to get them to come to our church just so they can feel good about themselves and continue on as they were? Has the world become so deprived that the Church has to use any measure to entice them to come? Well, yes the world is that bad. BUT, the Church isn’t helping.

I realize that I’m being harsh. I do. But, honestly I am tired of the excuses that the Body of Christ is offering for the alterations that are being made to the way the Church worships. When did the focus change, when did it become about the ‘Seeker’ and not about Christ? Why do we feel like it is our job to get people to come to church, I thought that was the work of the Holy Spirit? Isn’t it the Spirit that calls all men to salvation?

Where is the line? And who draws it?

I am a black and white person. Right is right and wrong is wrong. There are very few really, truly gray areas if you think about it. Many gray areas come from not wanting to offend or make hard choices. I know that that is not a popular opinion, that’s okay, I can handle it. It doesn’t win friends or influence people either. People don’t like to know that there is a right and wrong, they want to believe that whatever they are doing is fine as long as it’s not hurting anyone else.

Relativistic truth.

Blurring the lines so that we can do the things we want to do. What we fail to realize is that the line is still there and we are mocking God with our arrogance.

So I ask again, Where is the line? How far will we go to get people to come into our church buildings? Will we play more upbeat music that sounds more like what they are used to hearing in the world so they will feel comfortable coming in? How about setting the ‘stage’ like we are putting on a play with sets and lighting? What about the leaders on stage wearing costumes to lead worship? What about using secular music in worshiping a Holy God? Or not mentioning how much God abhors sin and our need for a Savior and just glossing over it instead.

Where is the line? I think we have slid past it in our attempt to climb a slippery slope that we had no business being on in the first place. Now, I am not against “Praise and Worship” music. It has its place. I am also not opposed to using staging and lights to make the message more effective. However, our worship should be founded –rooted, grounded – in truth, not emotion. (Kay Arthur)

On to the use of secular music and/or video clips in worship services. Again, I am not completely against them. There is some music that doesn’t have an ungodly message that can be used to make or further a point. There are other songs that should never be sung in worship services. The ones whose very words fly in the face of all that the Bible is teaching. How can we stomach the use of vulgar lyrics in our churches? Well, we tie it in to the message we are presenting. As long as it fits the ‘theme’ of our service, all’s fair, right? Video clips from movies or T.V. shows that are known to be morally bankrupt may have a place, in small doses, in teaching us what not to do; but should we be watching them during services? Should we have to put a caveat or disclaimer in our bulletins that says that we do not endorse all of the material presented in our services? If we are showing them or singing them, we are endorsing them unless we hold them up to the Light of the Word and strongly show how they are morally bankrupt. Again, I ask if this is a line that we should be dancing on.

Now before you think that I am exclusivistic or stuck in the olden times wishing for days gone by, let me tell you what I think church should be like. (By the way, I am esclusivistic –Jesus is The Way, The Truth, and The Life and only by Him can we reconcile with God) I read the New Testament accounts of the early church and am amazed at what the Holy Spirit accomplished through these people. At the end of Acts 2 we see about three thousand people accepting salvation because they saw the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of godly men. The entire book of Acts is filled with the preaching of the Word and the salvation of souls. And none of it was done by altering what they started out preaching. They preached Jesus crucified, buried, and raised again. “He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” Acts 10:42-43

If we were living in complete abandon and surrender to God, our lives would make a difference for the Kingdom and the love of God shining through us would attract people to Him. Not to us or to our church, but to Him. The only thing of value that I have to offer is the message of God coming to earth as a man, dying and taking my sins upon Himself and raising from the dead to conquer death and sever the hold that hell had on me. There is nothing else of importance. There is nothing else that matters.

Our focus is wrong if we are trying to make our churches ‘pretty and inviting’ and then not tell them the truth of their sin and the truth of God’s love for them. There is balance to be had, but I think the scales are heavily weighted against us in that we are sinful creatures who sway to what is easiest. The book of Revelation talks about seven churches and God lays out the grievances against them. What will Christ say of our churches? Will we be like the church in Ephesus who forsook their first love, or the church in Pergamum who allowed idol worship in their midst, or the church in Sardis who has a reputation of being alive but is dead. Will he find us lukewarm and spit us out because we could not stand for the Truth?

Where is the Line? I can’t answer that. Only One can.

Life is Short

This morning I was sitting at McDonalds having breakfast with my 'Sunday Morning Crew' talking. We were minus some people and so we didn't do our Bible Study, we just talked.

Well, a little ways into the conversation my friend noticed a 'little old man' on a mo-ped and we noted how cute he was. He looked to be about 70ish. He was just being as polite as he could be in the parking lot.

A few minutes later, there were all kinds of sirens racing around. There was an ambulance, fire truck/rescue truck and we noticed that they were stopping across the street from the McDonalds.

We decided to drive by on our way home -morbid curiosity :(. Well, when we did, we noticed the little red mo-ped sitting there on the side of the road and the little old man laying on the road. They strapped him to the back board and loaded him in the ambulance.

The point of this story?

We saw him not 5 minutes before he was struck by a car. I don't know if he is going to live or die; but, it just took one moment to stop everything in his life.

My question is this: When this moment happens for you, will you be ready? Will you be ready to look into the face of God and stand accountable for either knowing Jesus or not knowing Him.

I don't mean relying on a church, a religion, a certain book, a certain person, or anything else. I am talking about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the one true Son of the Living God.

Do you know Him?

Who You Aren't

That seems like a weird question, doesn't it?

Usually, people are asking the question, "Who are you?" In Christian circles they are referring to whether you know who you are in Christ. That is a good question.

However, I have been challenged to think about the other question.

I have started to do the Beth Moore study, "Beloved Disciple" at home. My church let me borrow the videos and I am glad.

Not thrilled.

It is not the study I wanted to do. I am doing it because God told the Women's Ministry Leader at our church that I wanted to. I am not kidding!

I had called her a few weeks ago asking to borrow a study. (I did not tell her which one, it wasn't this one) She said that they would have to wait and see what they were offering at church and she would get back to me.

She did. She called and said that they had an extra copy of this one and she 'just knew' that I wanted to do this one.

I did not.

I accepted, however, because they are doing a favor for me and I didn't want to appear ungrateful. :)

It was a God thing, let me tell you.

The first lesson starts out with NOT filling in the blanks on the page. UGH. I am a blank filler-inner! That is what you are supposed to do. If there is a blank, fill it in. It is a simple concept with great rewards, right?

The rewards? Being able to look at the page and seeing the 'work' done.

That was her point. This relationship with Jesus isn't about filling in the blanks to get the work done. That is part of my problem.

I sometimes think that if I have all the blanks filled in and the list is checked off, then my relationship is good.

NO, NO, NO

God is rocking my empty line page and getting to my heart.

The first question that challenged me (besides the empty lines) was this question, "Who are you not?"

I did not get it at first. Then, she sent us to the Scriptures, of course! The verse was John 1:19-31. This is the section where the priests and Levites were asking John the Baptist who he was.

"Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ."
They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?"
He said, "I am not."
"Are you the Prophet?"
He answered, "No"
Finally they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"
John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.' "

Now, who did he say he wasn't? The Christ, Elijah, the Prophet. He knew that he wasn't these people. He had a right view of himself in this aspect.

I can say that about myself, I am NOT those people.

BUT, it didn't stop there. He also said that he was not fit to even tie the sandals of the one who was coming after him. (v. 26)

Is he having a pity party? Maybe low self-esteem. Maybe he is depressed because God didn't give him a bigger and more important job. Maybe it is false humility and he is really looking for kudos from everyone.

No.

He just simply knew who he wasn't.

He also knew that 'his life had value through its connection to Christ.' (Beth Moore, p. 11) Jesus gave him value just by being connected to him.

So, my question is this:

Do you know who you aren't?