Back to our Roots...♥

Sometimes SevenSisters seems like a mystery...to me anyway...if i was one of you, the readers that is.

Yeah i know there's an "about us" page at the very top up there...yup...no...back...too far...THERE...yup, right there...(now read somethin' about us would ya? If ya haven't already?!) but really, truly, who are we...

Sunday we all went to the lake to spend a last lingering summer day together (lemme say, it definitely felt lingering as it poured down upon us lighting and thunder)...but more importantly to celebrate new life...of the eternal sort. 

One of our husbands, and two of our daughters wanted to be like Jesus.

Buried in the likeness of His death...

Raised in the likeness of His Resurrection.

You see, even though we're all seven very different girls...some of us are crazy (cough) some of us are level-headed, some shy, some not (cough), some of the sisters like their privacy, others want to shout from the rooftops...but of all these differences...one thing is constant:

We are daughters of The Most High...followers of a sweet Savior...sisters bonded through the Holy Spirit.  And through all the crafting, cooking, Betty Crockering and Martha Stewarting...we desire most to follow Jesus, we desire most to have people see Jesus in us. Oh, i know, sometimes...ok, a lot of times (speaking for myself here) we fail miserably, other times we trip and fall...but we get back up, in His Name we are lifted up, and we try again, we keep on trying...and I think through that love, His love, we can carry our husbands to Jesus, we can carry our children to Jesus, we can guide our friends to the One True Healer of all Souls...the One who is compassionate, gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love...

this is the glue that holds us together. 

One Life.

One Death.

One Resurrection.

This is who we are.

   we remember...

they remember...

He remembers...














photo sources: googleimages.com

But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, 

I wait for God my Savior... Micah 7:7

Procrastination Anyone?

Procrastination has always been my worst enemy it seems. I come home from a long day at work and look at the load of laundry and think, “Hey look, laundry! Should I do it now? Do I really need to? I just had a long day at work, I deserve to take a break.” I then proceed to do other things and put all thoughts of doing laundry out of my head.


It would seem that procrastination and motivation go hand in hand. I can be really, really motivated on the way home from work. My 30 minute drive home consists of all these awesome things I’m going to do when I get home. I get super excited about doing laundry, picking up around the house, working out, and a miscellaneous list of other things that I have been meaning to get out of the way for a while. My house will be clean as a whistle with everything put neatly in its place and I will look fantastic while I do it. As soon as I get home, I seem to fall into the same routine of procrastination. How can I lose that much motivation in just 30 minutes?


We like to put up the façade that we are proactive and never procrastinate. I like to hide behind a mask of “yes! I am on top of things and ahead of the game!” In reality, I struggle to keep up with simple things like birthday gifts and events where I bring a dish to pass. Everything is left to the last minute. I have become quite the expert in efficiency when time is precious.
After things pile up for a few days, I finally am able to make myself motivated enough to get a ton of things done. It ends up making me feel stressed because I can’t believe that I didn’t do it when I should have.
My husband and I are currently in the process of a complete bathroom gutting and remodel, so our house has been a little crazier than normal (wait not crazy, psychotic!). There is dust everywhere, tools everywhere, supplies everywhere, and it all just makes for a stressful environment.
This is where I take a deep breath and try to maintain some control of my emotions so I don’t explode with raging madness at the mess! As odd as this sounds, I procrastinate, but I like to have things a certain way. My house is not a cesspool, but it sometimes isn’t spotless either. I consider it in “lived in” condition. I clean and keep things in relative good order (even more so when company comes over), but I don’t always get to do the things I should do in a timely manner. I am always waiting until the last possible minute.


Prov 13:4
The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.


Then I think, what if Jesus had procrastinated? What if he put of dying for us, what would have happened? I shudder at the thought. I am thankful for everything He has done and try to remind myself not to procrastinate. It’s time to be diligent for Jesus.

                                                           

Talking with God

Okay girls, I have a theme going this summer that was totally unplanned and it is "talking to God". Three different things have been placed in my path in the last couple weeks that all have to do with meeting God in person. First, I am (finally) reading the book The Shack by William P. Young. It has been on my mental reading list for a long time but my mental reading list sometimes gets lost! I was at the library last week and already had a armful of books when I noticed a copy of The Shack that was just hanging around, not even in the correct row, someone else must have picked it up and then laid it down randomly. I rescued it. ☺ It is definitely a book you have to be awake to read (haha), there is a lot there to chew on. The part I am most intrigued by is that a previous reader has underlined many passages and put smiley faces next to certain parts. I am not sure why you would do that in a library book that you then have to give back to the library but I am finding it really interesting to see what parts captured their attention.

We also just watched the movie Evan Almighty. Has anyone seen it? It is hilarious! It is a modern day story of God telling Noah to build an ark because a flood is coming. Morgan Freeman plays the part of God. How about that on your resume...yeah, I was in that movie, yeah, I was...God. Trump that. Anyway, a really cute and funny family movie. God tells "Noah" that the way to change the world is through one Act of Random Kindness..A..R..K.....ark! My kids LOVED that part, one act of random kindness...anyone can do that. Go do it!

The third piece of media in my own personal "talking to God" series ☺ is the book by Todd Burpo called Heaven is for Real. It is a precious account of an almost four year old boy's visit to heaven. Colton Burpo becomes gravely ill when his appendix ruptures but he is misdiagnosed. He nearly dies as the days pass before he is operated on. After he recovers he starts to talk about the things he saw and people he met when he went to heaven. The book was written years later by his dad, a pastor, and it is really moving. I read the book first (it's quick, about 2 hours) and then read it out loud (through some tears) to my family while we drove to Cedar Point. I have looked at the reviews of this book and many people are skeptical that the story is true and attribute it to the imagination of a small boy who sat through many Sunday school lessons. There are also reviews by Christian theologians that say why would God show a small child a glimpse of heaven when He has already revealed everything we need to know about heaven in the Bible. Hummm...I felt that the story was told with humility and for good purpose by a loving, Christian dad. Did this story make me feel closer to God...absolutely. Could this story give peace to someone who lost a loved one or had a miscarriage?...certainly. Does reading this book make you a little more excited about a future in heaven?...totally! I thought it was terrific. The best part for me was how for years after his illness, anytime Colton's family would see a picture of Jesus they would ask Colton if the picture REALLY looked like Jesus. He would always say that the hair or the beard or the eyes weren't quite "right" as to what he remembered when he met Jesus in heaven. Then came one particular painting by a young girl and Colton saw it and said "that's him!". That painting is in the book and you can also find it on line and I just got shivers thinking that you could be gazing at a likeness of our Lord and Savior!

So, what was the best thing we ate this week? Hands down, it was the fresh blueberries that we picked on Wednesday. Beautiful, fresh and sweet, like eating candy! Lulu and I picked 8 pounds of berries and I don't think any of them are going to make it to the freezer! Next Friday I will share some of the yummy things we made with the berries.

"every famous last word"

The other day, a song came sing-songing its way through my brain - a song I haven't heard in a loooong time, but often listened to while I was in college (which seems FOREVER ago!!!).  It's called "Every Famous Last Word" by Miracle of '86.  Probably a band you've never heard of, and honestly, this is the only song of theirs I ever knew.

Anyway, the lyrics go;

"for every famous last word
there are a million last words
and they're last words that no one's heard."

Famous last words.  It's a catchphrase we've heard often before. The phrase usually makes me think of (aside from this song) soap opera dramas, or movies...how many treasure hunt movies began on the lips of someone's last words?? Why do we put so much stock into last words?

And what about THE MOST famous last words?  Who's were they?  Who would you attribute the most famous last words ever to?  Personally, I think Jesus!  Would you believe there were seven phrases He said while on the cross?  (Coincidentally God's number).  With Easter coming up quickly, it can be a lot easier to brush by the painful journey of Good Friday and skip to the happy ending of Resurrection Sunday. But Jesus' attitude towards the cross and His "famous last words" can still teach us something so important.  (By the way sisters, do I get Sister Points for moving from obscure indie rock to Good Friday in one graceful swoop?  No? Maybe?) Ok, on with the show...  Jesus' last words before His death were...

Jesus forgave us.
Luke 23:34 "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do"
Ok, my husband could eat the last Snickers peanut butter egg and I'd have trouble forgiving him for AT LEAST a week. But Jesus forgave us for crucifying Him WHILE IT WAS HAPPENING. It makes my every day skirmishes seem petty in comparison.

Jesus saves us.
Luke 23:43 "Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise."
Jesus' famous last words to one of the theives being crucified with Him.  Jesus didn't just forgive His "good" followers, He forgave ALL of us.  His forgiveness and salvation is immediate, all we have to do is believe Him and ask for it!

Jesus wants a parent/child relationship with us.
John 19:26-27 "When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold they mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home."
Jesus understands the need for a caring parent/child relationship. Not only on earth, but a heavenly one as well. Just as He said to Mary, "behold thy son," He wants to say about us, "behold MY son" or "MY daughter."  Jesus is proud when we seek and desire a personal relationship with our heavenly Father!

Jesus was willing to separate himself from God to show us His love.
Matthew 27:46 "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
If His love for us isn't clear by the painful death on the cross, let's not forget that Jesus actually spent over 30 years away from His heavenly home. He had to pray to God just as we do to communicate. There was no more "throne to throne" conversations as I imagine there are today.  He was just as human as you and I.

Jesus physically, emotionally, and spiritually suffered for us.
John 19:28 "I thirst."
The pain on the cross was real.  Jesus REALLY FELT IT. As I said above, he wasn't in some supernatural body that didn't feel pain.  God didn't give him some spiritual anesthesia. He suffered the worst possible death, because He felt the love of a father towards His children. He would do anything to take our place.

Jesus ushers in an era of salvation by grace through faith.
John 19:30 "It is finished"
The pain He felt was not for nothing. Jeus closed the door on an era of salvation through countless rules and sacrifices and works. He opened the door to a simple message, salvation by faith through grace. Jesus' blood on the cross on "Good Friday" covered our sins and opened the doors for anyone willing to come to know Jesus.

The ultimate reward for salvation is everlasting life with God the Father!!
Luke 23:46 "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit"
In the end, Jesus found Himself back with His Father once again. He had suffered and died a physical, human death as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, and so we would never have to pay in like manner. He had risen from the dead and proven that He was who He said He was. Because He loves us.


These were Jesus' last words before His death... but they weren't His last words on earth. His last words included a commission for us to share His story with others.  I hope I have been able to successfully do so today. And if you take one thing away after reading, I hope its that God's ultimate goal is for your salvation. As Good Friday approaches, I hope it's a reminder to not let another day go by without a personal relationship with Jesus.  He can change everything!

a proverbs 31 challenge

 A Proverbs 31 woman is sweeter than cheesecake. 

--me

find this yummy cheesecake recipe @ everyday art
(gluten free via Bob's Red Mill All Purpose GF Flour and organic vanilla..
also i don't have a spring form pan and just cooked the crust in a glass pie dish)

If you've never read Proverbs 31, I encourage you to do so now!

I love reading this passage and challenging myself to be that Proverbs 31 woman.  It would make my day week year if someone said that I was a Proverbs 31 woman (or at least striving to be?) :).  I can think of a lot of wonderful women in my life who remind me of this woman, and who challenge me to be a better wife, daughter, sister, woman and friend.  Wouldn't it be nice if we could show honor to these women in our lives?

Enter a cute little printable I made to download and give to those Proverbs 31 women that you know!  Download it for free HERE! In honor of ♥J's birthday, and because she's definitely one of those encouraging ladies in my life, I've already written one up for her.. Happy Birthday ♥J!!!

So here's the Proverbs 31 Woman, Seven Sisters, Pay it Forward challenge for today... print out the freebie and give to three women in your life who you would like to encourage and bless by letting them know they are an encouragement to you as a Proverbs 31 woman!  I've got one down and two to go!

Happy giving!!

Linking to:

Rachel's Challenge

A very special program was presented at Lulu's middle school this week. It is called Rachel's Challenge. It is in memory of Rachel Joy Scott, the first student killed in the Columbine school tragedy on April 20,1999. Rachel was 17 when she was shot and killed as she ate lunch on the grass outside her high school. She was a remarkable young lady because even as a teenager she was already making it her mission to show compassion and start a chain reaction of kindness. She wrote in journals about how she wanted to make a difference in the world. She wrote about her love for God. After her death, her family started bringing this program into schools with the hope of showing students how to make positive changes in the way that they treat one another and put an end to bulling and violence.

Rachel's family members are the presenters, her uncle led the assembly at Lulu's school. Lulu came home very excited about it. She said it was awesome, a lot of students were crying but were also challenged to make a difference! They are challenged to let go of all prejudices. They are challenged to show love to those in their school who have no friends, kids who are handicapped and students who are new to the school. They hear a story about how Rachel invited a new girl who was sitting alone to join her and her friends at a table for lunch. When the new girl shyly declined, Rachel and her friends picked up their own lunches and moved to the girl's table. One of the follow through programs at Lulu's school is the formation a group of students who will meet anyone who is new to the school on their first day. A student is positioned at the school entrance to welcome the new student when they arrive and talk to them, help them out, etc. I can imagine that a friendly face and a kind word could go a long way on your first day at a new school.

It just seems such a remarkable feat, to take something as horrible and hateful as what happened at  Columbine and use it to empower and inspire kids to be examples of kindness...only God could do that. He is using that family to make a difference in kid's lives even 12 years later!

When Rachel was 13 she traced her hands on the back of her dresser and inside the outline of her hand she wrote..."these hands belong to Rachel Joy Scott and will someday touch millions of people's hearts".
Do something for someone today, you may never know how far a little kindness will go.

fruit from the ♥...

often times i'm drawn back to Galatians 6 (which honestly should be everyday, cause i'm seriously lacking in fruit of the spiritual kind) and i'm always amazed at how our Heavenly Father so gently put these qualities in His Word for us to study and apply...think on these things with me guys...

Galatians 5:22~23

But the fruit of the Spirit is...

 Love♥ A feeling of strong attachment induced 
by that which delights or commands admiration; 

preeminent kindness or devotion to another; affection; tenderness...

Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, 

and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1John 4:10
 Joy♥ gladness; exhilaration of spirits; delight.

And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation. Psalm 35:9

Peace♥ A state of quiet or tranquility; 
freedom from disturbance or agitation; calm; repose

Great peace have they which love thy law. Psalm 119:165

Longsuffering♥ patient endurance of pain or unhappiness.

But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, 

and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. Psalm 86:15

Gentleness ♥ softness of manner, mildness.
Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great. Psalm 18:35

Goodness♥ excellence; virtue; kindness; benevolence.

Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee. 

Psalm 31:19

Faith♥ belief (plain and simple)

If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed...

nothing shall be impossible unto you. Matthew 17:20

Meekness ♥ A calm temper of mind, not easily provoked.

With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love. Ephesians 4:2

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, 

kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering. 

Colossians 3:12

 Temperance♥ moderation, patience; calmness.

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. 2 Peter 1:5-7

....against such there is no law. 

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.  
let us all have the desire to walk in the Spirit Lord, give us a pure heart ♥

Sister ♥ Mar's Yummy Fruit Dip

Beat cream cheese until smooth, add sour cream and brown sugar, 

mix until blended...add vanilla, cream and cinnamon mix again...serve...yummilicious...

Free "Heroes for Christ" Valentine's Day Card Download!

As I've mentioned before, my husband and I aren't your usual Valentines celebrators.  Our typical scenario involves a homemade card and a "better than average" home-cooked meal.  We're pretty low maintenance when it comes to the whole "Cupid, draw back your bow" stereotypes (not that there's anything wrong with that! This year I even got a little gift for him! woahhh!).  We do put a lot of thought into our cards though. My husbands' always crack me up, and mine run the gamut from sentimental to funny to weird..(ok, ok we both do).

a Valentine's Day card from my husband in the days of yore

This year, I was feeling sentimental, and wanted to give him a more spiritually inspired card.  I've been reading through Joshua and Judges lately, and in our Friday night Bible studies, we've been going over the same as well.  Now usually I would consider these two books to be "man reading." I mean, give me a love story in Ruth and Esther any day over war heroes and military campaigns, thankyouverymuch.

But, as I read the books, I was surprised to find an idea forming for a Valentine's Day card for my funny valentine.  Some of the manliest men can be found in these books, with the likes of Gideon, Joshua, Caleb, etc.  What a wonderful compliment it could be to be compared to one of God's mightiest warriors!  So, it got me thinking - what does God say about these men?  What were they like? Can I find the qualities of my husband in one of these men?  I decided to focus on three; Joshua, Caleb and Gideon.

• Joshua - He began as a servant and became a leader.  He was a forerunner for his people, when spying out the Promised Land with Caleb, he was one of the two out of twelve who wanted to encourage the people to obey God and take the land.  He didn't care what other people thought.  When he was in battle, he prayed for help and mercy - he knew he could not face his battles without God, and was certain of God's will for the battle to be won so much so that he commanded the sun to stand still, and God allowed it to happen.  He was a man of action!  He didn't waste time.  His testimony preceded him beyond his days in battle as the Bible says all the days of his life the people worshiped God.

• Caleb - The Bible says that Caleb chased giants (sons of Anak)....uh...WOW!!  Caleb was confident but calm.  He was the second spy with Joshua who wasn't scared to go to battle for the Promised Land.  The Bible even says when all the Israelites started arguing  and bickering about whether they should fight now or wait, he quieted the people.  I imagine Caleb as someone strong, tall, with a big voice.  He could motivate people, encourage them.  At least three times in the Bible it says that Caleb was someone who "wholly followed the Lord."  Three times!!!  You know God really really means something when he says it more than once!  At the end of Caleb's story, there is even a brief portion describing how he provides land for his daughter.  Can you imagine Caleb as your dad??  He chased giants!  And he was a provider for his family!   

• Gideon - Gideon was not a trained soldier; he was a humble farmer, but he was a God-fearing one.  He did not seek out fame or honor in battle - in fact, God comes to find him!  Proof that God can use anyone!  God knew that there was something in Gideon that the people needed.  Gideon was someone the people would trust, an obedient hero.  Gideon was careful and planned. He didn't make a move without consulting God and asking several times for God to show him for sure what the right answer was.  God gave him victory in battle, and despite this, Gideon remained a humble spirit with a thankful heart.

At a glance, the men can seem very similar - they are all heroes of war.  But when you take a closer look you can see how different they each are.  Joshua, the fearless man of action; Caleb, the confident and calm motivator; and Gideon, the meek and humble hero.

So, I made a Valentines Day card for each.  I'm calling them my Heroes for Christ Valentine's Day Card Collection! :) The front of the card details characteristics of each Bible character.  On the inside it says "You are my Joshua" (or Gideon or Caleb depending on which card you give).  On the back of the card are a list of Bible verses I used to figure out what each persons characteristics were in my study.  And oh yeah, they're free for you too!  Just click this link, pick which guy your hubby/fiancee/boyfriend is most like, print it 2-sided on card stock (optional: trim the sides a bit after printing), and give!

Caleb                                                                    Gideon

Joshua

Oh, and I bet you're still wondering which one I'm giving my husband?  He's my very own Gideon. :)  Who would you pick for your Valentine?

 do you like my wrapping? I just used a bit of paint and my thumb to make the fingerprint hearts!

Linking to:



Cardboard Testimonies....

If you've ever wondered if God is alive and well and still working in people's lives, please watch the first part of the video using the link below. It is a video clip of our church service this past Sunday morning. It really touched my heart-- maybe, because most of these people are friends of mine... But, I'm sure that you will be blessed seeing how the Lord has worked in these people's lives.

Let's put our trust in the one and only God who can bring true victory over sin and destruction!

Thank you Jesus, that you are my Redeemer and for NEVER giving up on me!

VIDEO:

http://www.opendoorchili.org/SermonsV10.cfm?link=121210m&title=The%20Fullness%20of%20christ%20-%20John%201:16

Romans 8:38,39

"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."

Philippians 1:6

"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."

Jesus is the Reason....

I've been thinking a lot lately, on how I can teach my children to be thankful. I chuckle because we are thrust in to one of the most indulgent seasons of the year, immediately following a season of gratitude. I've been trying to come up with some ways to keep my families focus on Giving vs Getting, Gratitude vs Greed, and most importantly... JESUS. Because He is the very reason for the season. What's a mom to do? :)

Here are a few ideas that I came up with....

1. Show gratitude in my own life and by my own actions. (Why does complaining come so easily, when I have set my mind to be thankful..... OY! I'm still a work in progress!:)

2. Teach my children to show gratitude to the people who make our civilized lives possible... ie, the policemen, the firemen, soldiers, the snowplow driver, the mailman, etc. We can show our gratitude to them by sending a card, baking cookies, etc. I thought it would really impact my daughter more if I made her part of the entire process.... You know, going to the store... buying the ingredients... picking out the card... driving to the stations, etc.

3. Give a gift as a family to someone who needs an extra blessing this time of year. Maybe it is someone without a family, someone who has lost a loved one, or maybe someone who is sick... Again, I want to make my daughter part of the whole process... Hopefully, it will teach her how to be sensitive to hurting people. The world is filled to the brim with people who need some good ol' fashion TLC :)

4. I try to talk to my daughter every day about the the TRUE Christmas story. (Sorry, fat guy in the red suit!) Jesus humbled himself enough to come to a world that hated Him and rejected Him-- to save sinners like me! My husband bought her one of those sticky decals for her bedroom window. It's a picture of Jesus, Mary and Joseph at the manger... It's a great conversation starter for me because she loves to play with it 24/7.

Please share with me ways that you encourage your family to be thankful and keep the right focus this time of year... I need all the help I can get! :)

I LOOOOVE the snow! :) Isn't it pretty? :)

"I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive."

Acts 20:35

Seven Princesses

I love this artwork! It makes me laugh so hard. Especially Sleeping Beauty who has always been my favorite Disney Princess. Who knew she could give such a good noogie?

(I promise, there was no fussing or treat involved in getting him to do this, when the camera comes out, he is a willing victim!)

Do you know who my (current) favorite princess is?

Princess Hatshepsut.

Yea, I know...Princess Hatshep-whooo?? That's ok. She's certainly no Disney princess, and it's only a scholar's guess that Hatshepsut is her actual name. For the sake of our sanity...we'll call her Princess Hattie.

Princess Hattie is most notably known for pulling a certain important Biblical character, oh, you know, MOSES, from the river. Oh, IS THAT ALL? In fact, it isn't.

The Biblical account says in Exodus 2:5-6;
"And the daughter of Pharoah came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it. And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrew children."

So, here's your quick background check; Isrealites move to Egypt to escape famine, current Pharaoh likes them, Israelites multiply. New Pharaoh comes to power, enslaves Israelites, they build big statues. Now too many Israelites according to new Pharaoh, solution: kill newborn boys.

Princess Hattie was the Pharaoh's daughter, so we can assume she knew full well what Daddy P was up to. He had standing orders to kill EVERY male Hebrew newborn because he was worried the Israelites were becoming too powerful. I am certain Hattie was no stranger to this law.

But she saw that the baby wept and was helpless, and she had compassion on him. So much so that she didn't just go and hand him off to a maid to raise, she took personal responsibility in finding the baby a nurse and then raising him as her own. That included a royal upbringing, education, etc. And she knew he was a slave child!!! She's like an Old Testament version of the Good Samaritan! As it turns out, that baby, Moses, ended up being the Israelites deliverer from their slavery.

Today, I'm going to try to be like Princess Hattie. If I see someone in the reeds, I want to be the one to have compassion on them and pull them out of the river. Sometimes all it takes is a little encouragement, or a nice word, or compassion, and we can change the entire outcome of someone's day. This isn't necessarily my strong point, but I am always trying hard to change it.

It's so easy to walk by people and think something as simple as "I love her shoes!" but not actually tell the person. Well, what if that person was having a completely bad day up until some stranger walked by and complemented her on her shoes? Sometimes it's as little as that, and sometimes it's bigger. But I want to challenge myself to be more aware of those opportunities and react to them. Even if that means helping an old lady put her eye drops in at the craft store parking lot (true story!).

Sure, Princess Hattie had no son, and when she saw Moses probably thought that he was a gift from the god of the Nile. But the verse still says she knew he was a Hebrew, and thus by her father's orders, should have been killed. That didn't sway her one bit though, and she still took him in as her own. She had compassion on one tiny baby, and by it, changed the outcome of the entire Israelite nation.

Hats off to you, Princess Hattie.

b e a u t i f u l...♥

...lately girls, (well not lately...always) i must confess i've been stuggling with my role as mom...struggling with motherhood...there's the days i feel like the rope in tug of war, and others like a yoyo bouncing from "good mom" status to "bad mom" status...i know all mom's wrestle with similar emotions, but for some reason i've been really down on myself...

it wasn't till after sharing this with my precious friend (and going through Lysa TerKerust's book "am i messing up my kids?") that i realized when i stand in the shadows and compare myself to other moms, or to the standards by which the world measures my "mom deeds" by...i will never measure up...i will never compare...
but! yes, but...when i step out and stand in the light of Calvary - the price paid for me...i am beautiful in His eyes...i am filled...i am overflowing...i am satisfied...

"my flesh & my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart,
and my portion for ever" ♥ Psalm 73.26

...Lysa says in her book..."and suddenly it occurred to me: with God, i'm never a bad mom...i might be having a bad moment...or two...or seventeen, but a few bad moments do not define me as a bad mom...God's grace is there to cover me...teach me...and even in the middle of a bad moment, interrupt me, redirect me, and change me...forgiveness is there...love is there...a second chance is there...and another one after that...you are a good mom, my friend...even if like me you've had a few bad moments...you are exactly the mom God knew your children needed...let's live in that truth today..."


"bless the Lord, o my soul, and forget not his benefits...
...who forgiveth all thine iniquities...
...who healeth all thy diseases (we're talkin spiritual here)...
...who redeemeth thy life from destruction...
...who crowneth thee with lovingkindness & tender mercies...
...who satisfieth the mouth with good things...
...the Lord is merciful & gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy...he will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever...he hath not dealt with us after our sins: not rewarded us according to our iniquities...for as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him...
...as far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions...
...for he knoweth our frame...
...the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children..."
♥ Psalm 103

...so...for right now i'm choosing, and asking, one day at a time, that my Heavenly Father would give me His loving perspective of how He sees me, resting is His lavish love...asking for forgiveness for some of my actions, and then letting them go...
...and knowing in my ♥ that i am beautiful...in His eyes...




ps.thanks Mar for pavin' the way for me :)
i guess our hearts were in the same place this week ♥