My Anthem for 2011

My husband has used this in several of his sermons and I love it.  It's my 2011 anthem~my battle cry for 2011.
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The decision has been made. I'm a disciple of His. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is hopeful.
I'm finished and I'm done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tame visions, mundane talking, chintzy giving, and dwarf goals.
I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotion, platitudes, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by His presence, learn by faith, walk by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power.
My face is set. My gait is fast. My goal is Heaven. My road is narrow. My way is rough. My companions few. My God reliable. My mission clear.
I cannot be bought, compromised, returned, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.
I won't give up, shut up, or let up until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and preached up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus.
I must go until He comes. Give till I drop. Preach till all know, and work till He stops me. And when He comes for His own, He'll have no problem recognizing me. - Author Unknown
If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple - Luke 14:26

A Christmas Miracle!

"....He commanded our fathers to teach their children so that a future generation
--children YET to be born--
might know.

They were to rise and tell their children so that they might put their confidence in God 

and not forget God's works but keep His commandments.  

Then they would not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, 

a gerneration whose heart was not loyal and whose spirit was not faithful to God."

My last post was asking for prayer for my mother.  Anne graciously let me know that she would pray for her.  Anne, thank you...from the bottom of my heart for that!  

So I wanted to let you know how God has heard and answered this prayer.  The doctor who was doing the biopsy found this mass after doing an endoscopy.  He then did xrays and a CT scan to try and determine what was going on.  He also said he was certain that this mass had "been there awhile".  The xrays and CT scan only made him more concerned.  He said was "at least moderately concerned" a few days ago in his office and today before the procedure he said he was "very concerned".  He was preparing us for the worst.  But cancer is no match for my God.  Cancer was only a tool used to build our faith and help us to rely more on Him!  It was a tool to teach us.  

The doctor took my mother back into the surgery area in order to do the biopsy.  He came back a short while later and told my sister in the waiting room (I'm 3 hours away and had no babysitter) that he doesn't understand what happened but it was practically gone.  He still biopsied the little spot that was left but he was no longer concerned about this at all.  He doesn't know what happened but I do.  

My God happened! 

So Anne, here is the result of your prayer and many other's.  Thank you so much for praying.  

 

The scripture at the top of this blog is part of what I've been praying over this...that God would intervene in such a way that I can tell my children and grandchildren of His wondrous works and goodness so that a generation, not yet born will learn to fear God and worship Him and Him alone. 

 

Merry Christmas!

☺♥☺♥☺♥Michelle☺♥☺♥☺♥

"Komen for the Cure" supports Planned Parenthood

I found this article today and was shocked. Ever since my mother-in-law died three years ago of breast cancer, I've been buying "pink".  I have tried for 2 years to participate in a fund raising walk and had decided I was just going to have to participate in the Atlanta walk, Susan G. Komen's 3 Day Walk for the Cure.

Most of you will not care about this article, but for those who do, did you know that Komen is supporting abortion????  Did you know there is a pretty significant link between breast cancer and abortion?  When I've been buying all those "pink" Komen yogurts, wrapping paper, cereal's etc.  I have been inadvertently been supporting abortion.  And more women will probably get breast cancer because of it.

Now that I know, I'm responsible for how I use this info.  Now that you know, you are too.  Just saying.

P.S. Much like the major medical organizations who, for years...decades even, claimed that smoking does NOT cause cancer...then it was "may" cause cancer, some claim that abortion does NOT cause breast cancer.  There is enough evidence to convince me that no responsible organization would support abortion if they are truly trying to cure breast cancer.  

Is He still God?

Recently, we found out that my mom has a "mass" in the back of her throat or in her nasal cavity.  Tomorrow, she goes in for a biopsy.  I've tried hard to not let my mind wander...and to not call mama crying about being scared of losing her.  I'm a mama's girl to say the least.  I'm trying so hard to not let my imagination run away with me or to let my thoughts be consumed by this.  For the past few days, as I've thought and prayed about this, God has whispered some profound words into my heart.  "Am I still God? Am I still on YOUR throne? Will I still be on the throne *if* this is cancer?"  The more I've thought about this...the more I've poured out my heart to God (which frankly, has not been very well....sometimes words just fail me) the more I've soaked in His truths.  One particular one that I read this past week was:

This isn't happening TO you....It's happening FOR you. 

Did you catch that?  It's happening FOR ME....and MY MOM...and MY SISTER, etc. God gives us an awesome promise in His word that brings this into perspective. 

"We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose."~Romans 8:28 

It should come as no surprise that because of this ongoing conversation and meditation that I've had going all week, I've had a type of peace that I don't usually have under these kinds of circumstances.  So when my husband called me about 7:30 a.m. this morning to tell me that he'd been in a wreck and had totaled the van, I was far more peaceful. It happened for us...not to us !

God hasn't given me any promises that tomorrow's biopsy will reveal that Mom doesn't have cancer.  But it has reminded me that, yes, He's still on the throne.  No. Matter. What.

In His hands,
Michelle

P.S. My sister wrote an excellent blog about this trial that is very encouraging.  My niece is amazing and I think her story will bless anyone who's going through a trial right now.

If you have time and feel led, please pray for my Mom!  I would so appreciate everyone's prayers and so would my mom. 

A Simple Lunch

Finding recipes that my family will eat that is also healthy is a challenge around here.  One thing I like to make that is healthy (and simple) is just mixed fruit.  I cut up various fruits and mix them up in a bowl.  This kids love this!  Usually, I try to get fruits that are in season and the least expensive, so the fruits vary, but it's always good.  Today, I tried to make a easy "dressing" that turned out well and the picky-kids loved it.


Fruit Salad Dressing

8oz cool whip (thawed)
3oz Jello (they recommend strawberry, cherry or banana but I used orange because that's what I had in the pantry. I had lots of oranges in the mixed fruit anyhow so it turned out well.)


The recipe actually calls for 3oz of cottage cheese, but my children aren't huge fans of it so I left that out.  Just a spoonful on a bowl of fruit coats the whole bowl.  Yummy!

GREAT Parenting Advice

"For this reason, each time our child needs discipline we must deal with the heart, not just the outward manifestation."~Anne @ http://iliveinanantbed.blogspot.com/

Once in a blue moon, I run across some parenting advice that is exceptional.  My blogger friend, Anne, has given such advice. I agree with every word she has written and her advice is exactly how my husband and I have chosen to parent our children.

I am told quite often how "wonderful" my children are and sometimes people will follow this up with how "lucky" I am to have such children.  I've even had parents that have told me that  I didn't know what it's like to have such "strong-willed", "ADD" children.  There is no "luck" involved in it.  Anne's blog explains so well what I just don't have the writing skills to explain.
Read her blog here and be blessed by her wonderful words of wisdom!

Praying for Your Pastor's Wife...

Often, we remember to pray for our pastor, but how many of us remember to pray for our pastor's wife?  If there is one (human) person in a pastor's life that can bring out the best in him OR bring out the worst in him, I think it's the pastor's wife.

Keep Your Breasts to Yourself, Please and Thank You

I have a couple of blogs that I really love, written by Christian women.  These women seem to truly love the Lord. One of them has a food blog and I love her recipes!  The other offers women lots of godly advice on being a wife and mother. I appreciate these women's hearts!  Occassionally though, these women are dressed in clothing that falls short of being modest. If I go into Walmart and see breasts, I'm not surprised.  But when women present themself as representing Christ, and they do this...then I admit it....it bothers me.  If I can see your breasts, it's not modest. I love this video of Beth Moore and her take on modesty!  My sister shared this video with me awhile back and I thought some like-minded people might enjoy hearing it also.  And if you aren't like-minded on this subject, maybe it'll cause you to think about this topic from a different perspective. Beth Moore has an some EXCELLENT advice for women on the subject of modesty and clothing. 

Deliberate effort

 

"People do not drift towards holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people
do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith
and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it
...tolerance; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indicsipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated." D.A.
Carson, from For the Love of God

Christmas Yummy's

For years we've made what I call "Christmas Cookies" (because we only make them at Christmas time).

It's a very simple recipe.  You put peanut butter between 2 Ritz crackers to make a sandwich cookie. Then, you melt white almond bark (we always called it "white chocolate" but the package usually says "white almond bark") in the microwave and then you dip the Ritz cookie in the almond bark.  Set it on some wax paper to dry. Leave it plain or add some sprinkles to jazz it up.  We've dipped nuts and pretzels in it before also. Christy Jordan has given me some new ideas for a new twist on this old idea!  I think I'm gonna let the kids make some of these to give away to their Sunday School teachers and neighbors.  And for me.☺

Recipe for Holly Jollies here.

I'm baaack......

I know everyone has been standing on edge, awaiting my next post, lol.  Well, you're in luck. (jk)  I'm in the "mood" to write tonight. ☺

So where have I been?  Doing the family "thang" of course!  And giving thanks to God for my uncountable, innumerable, uncontainable blessings from a very personal, almighty, loving God.

Here's a rundown of my past week:
Monday - I was up bright and early and @ the church by 6:45 a.m.  I managed to clean the carpet in the nursery and spot clean in the hallway.  I was at Walmart by 8:15 a.m.  I have now decided that's the BEST time to go to Walmart, especially at this busy, commercial time of year. Came home and spent the remainder of the day packing and cleaning in prep for going to see my wonderful family for the holidays.
Tuesday - Finished packing, loading, and cleaning.  (why is it I just *have* to have the house spotless when I leave???)  Went to SC for Thanksgiving.

Wednesday - Went grave-hopping.  Visited my son's grave, tried to find my brother's, went to my father's.  Never made it to my mother-in-love's. Baked food in prep for our feast and let the kids bake cookies and decorate them.  They never get tired of this!  Ended the evening playing games:)

 Thursday - Watched the parade on TV...love the parade!  Then we had a wonderful day eating our feast with family and thanking God for His many blessings throughout the day.

 
Friday - We celebrated my beautiful nieces birthday's with an ice skating party!  They are wonderful young ladies and so sweet! Afterwards, I enjoyed dinner with my Mom.☺

My beautiful Mother with Jessica and Hannah

Saturday - Off to The Nutcracker:)  We enjoyed this event with almost my entire family and it was wonderful!  So much fun:)