1st time

obedience! That's my conviction this week. In my lecture this week at Bible Study, she talked about first time obedience....and I have been slacking as a parent....I so bad want to give my kids chances to obey because I don't want to discipline them. I never would have thought that first time obedience would come in the middle of Deuteromony, but it did.
The chapters were a review of what had happened so far in Israel's journey from Egypt. Moses talks about how he disobeyed by striking the rock twice instead of simply doing what God asked which was to speak to the rock. Therefore, Moses wasn't able to enter the promised land, which is a pretty mild punishment when he could have been struck dead, like other disobedient Israelites.
You know, God could have said, "I know what you meant, you were angry, you meant to just speak but you accidently hit the rock. Next time....." But he didn't. He said (in my own words) You disobeyed and here is your punishment, no excuses.

So my question this week on my Bible Study is "how am I going to apply what I learned at lecture?" Well, I am trying to work on that first time obedience once again (I go in out of phases of this)....
Obey
without challenge,
without excuse,
without delay (from the book Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp)

Have a great day!

"Glow" the Musical....

starring Drew! Well, not really starring, but he was a part of the 1st and 2nd grade musical this year and was a butterfly. He is our star!

Yea! It's Spring!

My tulips have bloomed and I am enjoying them....now I wish I just new how to plant flowers properly....I may be digging them up and moving them. Oh, well, I guess I just keep learning....I wish I knew more about landscaping.

I am so ready for this warm weather this weekend! Yea!

The kids enjoyed playing in the hot tub at Grandma and Grandpa's-the highlight of their Sunday!

And another sign of spring is Jack's soccer has started!

What's the Hurry?

Do you ever feel like you are too busy? Sometimes....it kinda goes in waves for me. I will have a couple weeks were things are good....you know, playing with the kids, spending time in the Word... then there are weeks where I don't even know what time it is and I am running around like a chicken with it's head cut off and I know some of you have seen me crazy busy.

This world we live in is so high speed....even the internet is high speed, forget the "dial up" life or the "snail mail" life. When I am so "high speed" I tend to forge things because I am focused at the end point and not the steps to get there (like the "t" I forgot in "forget" in the previous sentence:) Of course it's great to look at our final end point and have that as a focus....but being in the Word daily are those steps we need not to overlook.

Here are some questions to ponder:

On a scale of 1 to 10, how fast does your family operate?

What kinds of activities or opportunities tempt you to pile more onto the schedule?

How hard is it for you to recognize when you've reached your load limit?

What kind of ship do you think you are? (a barge: slow and steady, a sail boat, a party cruise liner, an aircraft carrier (that's me))

What kind of ship do you think your spouse and kids are?

And here are some signs that you may be living to fast:
Like I said, "may", it doesn't mean you are.....just some things to ponder.

• You're cheating on sleep to get everything done
• McDonald's drive thru knows you on a first name basis
• You have no time for the Lord
• You have to speed to get from point A to point B
• You are always running late
• You don't have any family meals together
• You have to have your daily mocha or coffee or diet coke to function thru the day

John 10:9 Jesus says, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the FULL." What is a full life?

Someone told me, "A FULL life is not the same as a FILLED UP life."

John 15:4-5 talks about bearing fruit and abiding in Christ....

so slow down and bear fruit.

Have a FULL life in Christ by emptying a little out of our FILLED UP life. That will leave room for walks with our children, pointing out God's beauty in nature, or sitting down at the table as a family to enjoy each other.

Thanks to any of you who actually read this whole blog and ramblings....I am not a great writer and usually it's a jumble of thoughts/convictions.

Blessings,

abby

Sometimes by Step

I came across this verse today and can't believe I haven't ever seen it before, but I love it.

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." Proverbs 16:9

Sometimes those steps move sideways or backwards detour. Sometimes God steers us away from horrendous unseen obstacles while we mistakenly think that He not answering our prayers.
--------------------------------------
Sometimes I think of Abraham
How one star he saw had been lit for me
He was a stranger in this land
And I am that, no less than he
And on this road to righteousness
Sometimes the climb can be so steep
I may falter in my steps
But never beyond Your reach

Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
Oh God, You are my God
And I will ever praise You
I will seek You in the morning
And I will learn to walk in Your ways
And step by step You'll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days

And I will follow You all of my days
And I will follow You all of my days
And step by step You'll lead me
And I will follow You all of my days
And I will follow You all of my days
-quoted from Rich Mullins song "Sometimes by Step"