When Kings Pray and Fast

Originally posted May 11, 2007

I had finished the book I started this past week. That's quite an accomplishment. Why? Because it's been YEARS since I have been able to read a book all the way through.

The title of this book is When Kings Pray and Fast by Kingsly Fletcher. It's an AWESOME book. And it's not talking about when the kings of this world pray and fast. It's talking about when WE as kings pray and fast. Revelation 1:4-6 shows us that we are kings and priests with Christ.

I usually accompany my husband to church on Thursday nights. He's there to practice with the worship team and I'm there to get out of the house and spend some time by myself. :)

I left my computer at home (on purpose) and brought my crochet and the book. I was left alone for a good 10 minutes and started reading the book. I started weeping while reading it. Not because of anything the authored had said, but because of what I believe the Lord was working in me through the book. So, I got up from the table where I was at and moved into the "mother's nursing room" so I could be alone when people started showing up. I spent the next 2 1/2 hours in that room reading, praying, weeping, interceding for certain things. Let me tell you it was the most awesome 2 1/2 hours I have ever spent. I also finished the book. I read over 200 pages in that time. I came out of that room completely refreshed. It was awesome.

Now, I don't know if the Lord will do that to everyone who reads this book, but I started this book for a reason. I know that a fast is to abstain from food or to abstain from SOMETHING. But I needed to dive deeper into the life of prayer and fasting. This book opened my spirit to that. It showed me the importance of a life of prayer and fasting. I pray. But the fasting part has always been a bit of a struggle with me. Knowing more about this has changed my mind.

If you are at all interested in the life of prayer and fasting, I suggest you get this book. I would even loan it to you if you are unsure if you want to purchase it.

Gun Control

Originally posted on May 10, 2007

Someone on a forum I am a member of posted a link to this video. It pretty much sums up my views on gun control.


Link to ABC video

Little Baby Caytie

Originally posted May 6, 2007

My 2nd daughter, who we affectionately call "Little Baby Caytie" turns 12 today. She was such a little baby and is still little today.

During her first couple months of life, I would bring her to work with me. I worked at a Home Heath Care Agency and there were quite a few nurses who worked there. Two nurses in particular would take her from me and make a little bed in a file box for her. So cute!

I cannot believe she's twelve today. *sigh*

Happy Birthday Caytie girl. I love you.

I am blessed

Originally posted March 29, 2007



Due to damage done to our home from Hurricane Wilma, we had to have our roof replaced, portions of our ceiling in the kitchen and living room and the entire ceiling replaced in one of our kids' rooms. We also had 2 walls in that room replaced, portions of the living room and kitchen walls replaced. Because of that, we needed to paint the living room, kitchen and the bedroom.

The bedroom was finished last year, but work was being done this week on our living room and kitchen. We chose a brown color called "First Anniversary" (where do they come up with these names?). I cannot remember the brand of paint - we picked it out at Home Depot. We decided to paint the living room and kitchen the same color. When in the living room, one is able to see a kitchen wall and when in the kitchen, one is able to see a living room wall. I wanted the rooms to flow since they didn't before.

Yesterday, finishing touches were done and floorboards were installed.

Wow. What a difference a coat of paint makes. Not to mention floorboards. We hadn't had floorboards since we got new flooring which was almost 3 years ago. I'm not much of a housekeeper. I want to be, I just get sidetracked and want to do something else. But seeing my "new" walls makes it seem like a new house. Maybe I can get into the habit of keeping it clean. Maybe.

But I'm happy. I'm more satisfied with my house. With the high cost of homes in the area equaling higher taxes, I was VERY content with staying in my small, humble home. The "new" walls makes it TONS easier being even more satisfied.

During the offering time at our worship service on Sunday, Mike prayed that we would be satisfied. And the way he said it wasn't the normal sense of being satisfied. It wasn't, give us everything we want until we're happy. It was, help us to be content with what we have - satisfied. I never equated being content with being satisfied. Maybe I should have.

Lord, I want to be satisfied with everything You have given me. I enjoy the "toys" You give me, the "extra toppings", but I want to be satisfied with what I already have. Satisfied and thankful. And, Lord, I am thankful for what you have given me. I have a loving husband and 6 beautiful, healthy children. I live in a state where I am able to freely educate my children. My state also allows me the honor and privilege to protect myself and my family. We have a home. We have a roof over our heads that You have allowed us to get fixed so it doesn't leak. We are able to enjoy rain showers and thunderstorms again. (Bring those in, Lord! We need rain!) We have 2 vehicles that are OURS. We have food in the house and gas in the tanks of our vehicles. My husband has a job and I am able to stay at home with the children. We are able to freely choose the house of worship we attend. The list goes on and on and on.

I am blessed. I am loved. I am a Kings Kid.

Suburban

Originally posted March 1, 2007

We bought a Suburban for me! Yay! I had wanted one since I was in grade school. It's large enough to fit all the family plus cargo. Awesome.

37 degrees

Originally posted:

Monday, February 19, 2007

I live in South Florida. The tropics. Sun, sand (all over the house), palm trees, rain and heat.


We, ok, I'll say I, am blessed with a few days throughout the year of cooler weather. Being from Wisconsin, I tolerate the heat when I'm outside, which isn't often. I mostly stay indoors, out of the sun and the heat. So when the temperature drops to 75 or lower, the windows get opened and the fresh air comes in.


This past weekend, it was COLD. I enjoyed it, knowing it wouldn't last long. But I did have a blanket in the truck with me to lay across my lap. Sunday morning, I woke to rain. And wind. And cold. Not a good combination. Brrrrrr!


This morning, it was cold in the house. I had wished I had another blanket to sleep with. When the alarm went off, I got up to make coffee and peeked at the thermostat. 65. Walking around the house in shorts and it's 65 inside. I wonder what it's like outside? No, I didn't open the door to check. I was still sleepy. ;) I checked weather.com and it said 37. Scott is still under the covers, wishing away the alarm. He asked me how cold it was. I told him if I said how cold it was, he wouldn't want to get up. He insisted. I told him. It took him another 10 minutes or so to get out of bed. Hee hee.


I think my early risers may sleep in a bit this morning. They won't want to get out from under the covers. Maybe then I can sleep in a bit. Ha ha!


So, I like the cold, but this is freezing. Not literally, of couse. I do know that freezing is 5 degrees colder than what it is right now. But in my book, it's freezing. It's a simple reminder that I love where I live. I do not miss being so cold I can't get warm. When it feels as if my hands are burning because they are so cold. No, give me Florida heat over Wisconsin winters anytime.


My kids keep begging me to see snow. I try to tell them they can live perfectly happy, productive lives without ever seeing that stuff. But the unknown has intrigued them. They pray for snow. They ask if we can take them to see snow someday. Sigh. Ok. One day we'll go see snow.

Sweet Tea recipe

A year ago I stopped drinking Coke. I had purchased a Mr. Coffee Iced Tea maker that was working out very well. I would just add sugar to my glass of tea. I tried to make sweet tea once, but it got clogged with the sugar.

Two weeks ago, I decided to try my hand at making sweet tea. I found some recipes online and had been interested in the kind where you make a sugary syrup first and then brew and add water/ice. I think I found my ideal recipe.

Get a pot with a lid. Add water (it doesn't matter how much water you use) and 1 1/2 cups sugar. Bring to a boil and add 4 Family size Lipton Iced Tea bags. Remove from heat, cover and brew for 2 hours. Add to a pitcher and add 2 trays of ice and fill the rest of the way with water.

YUM!

I'm loved by God

I do know that He loves me. A friend requested that if someone had a word from the Lord for him, he sure could use it because he's been feeling quite down lately. I wanted to get a word for him, so I sought the Lord. I looked at my verse of the day on my page. Although this is a word for all, of course, I wanted something more. I found something that I thought was for my friend and sent it to him.

During that time, I received 2 e-mails from friends. They were the sort of e-mails that are sent out to a bunch of people - the sort of e-mails I usually just skim through and delete. But today I read them. And I felt the Lord speaking to me through them.

I think that since I had been so focused on hearing from the Lord on behalf of my friend, the Lord is opening my eyes to His love all around me. Even though today is Monday, I have yet to make my bed, my kids are arguing and I have not started school today, there is a joy in my spirit and an excitedness about what today will bring.

My prayer today is that the Lord will continue to open my eyes to His goodness and love for me and for all who are in need of it.

May your day be blessed. May you allow the Lord to reach out and capture your heart. May your ears be open to the wonders and mysteries He longs to share with you. May your heart be open to others that they may see the love of God in you.

His soul could no longer endure

I've been reading the book of Judges. It is interesting to read how the Israelites would follow the Lord under one judge, but then go back to worshipping false gods under another. And the Lord looks on that like adultery. His anger would burn against Israel and He would deliver them into the hands of their enemies. And after a few years, they would cry out for deliverance.


In Judges 10:14-16, the Lord responds to the cries saying, "Go and cry out to the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in your time of distress." The children of Israel admit that they have sinned and deserve whatever the Lord will do to them, but they plead for deliverance. They then put away the foreign gods and served the Lord. And His soul could no longer endure the misery of Israel.


So, because the Lord had a covenant with them and because they were His chosen people, He could not turn from them. Even though His anger burned hot against them for turning from Him to false gods. When they finally came back and served Him, He could no longer endure their misery.


I take comfort in knowing that when I put my trust in anything but Him, I can still return and He will not be able to endure my misery. The knowledge also helps me to not want to turn from Him and serve Him even more. Think about it. God's soul could no longer endure their misery. His love is so great that when His children turn back to him, He is not able to endure their misery. THAT's the God I want to serve.

Victory with 300 men

Judges 6:27-7:23


The Lord caused Gideon to do something that made the Midianites angry enough to come against Israel to fight. Remember that the Midianites had forced them out of the land into caves and ruined crops and killed their animals.


The Lord had Gideon bring together men to fight the Midianites, but said that the 32,000 that were there were too many. He brought the numbers down to 300 so that Israel would know that this was done by the Lord's hand.


The army gathered around the countless men of the Midianites and Amalekites and did as the Lord had said. This caused the enemy to turn against themselves.


I take from this that no matter what comes against us, no matter how difficult things may seem, if we seek the Lord and do what He tells us, no matter how strange it may seem, He will prevail.

But Lord, how can I ...

Judges 6:15, 16

God does not look at outward appearances or even our physical strengths (or lack of them). He searches to find those whose hearts are open to Him so that He can work through them.

Gideon stated that he was the "weakest in Manasseh and the least in my father's house." So of the thousands of Israelites, God chose someone who said that they were the weakest in their tribe, the least in their family. He didn't choose the one who looked like he could whoop some, well, you know what. He didn't chose one who was great in his tribe or family. He chose Gideon. And I think this is why. In Judges 6:13, we see that Gideon is questioning why war has come to Israel, why they have become impoverished, why the nations are rising up against them, when they should be the ones taking the land. He questioned. He rememberd the stories from his fathers about the Lord's miracles and the Lord bringing them up out of Egypt.

Seek the Lord, remember his promises, remember what He has done in our lives and in the lives of those that went before us. He uses those who seek His face and remember His deeds.

I want to be used by God.

War and Peace

Leonard Jones had posted a bulletin about peace and war and in this bulletin, he said, "peace does not mean an absense of war, but in the Kingdom that is inside of me there is peace in the midst of war".

I had been reading the book of Judges. Israel had been told to drive out the inhabitants of the land He had given them. But after Joshua's death, the Israelites fought, took over the land, but did not drive out the inhabitants. In Judges 3:1-2 the Lord shows us that the Lord used the enemies still living in the land to teach the Israelites to know war. I think it's important for us to know war. To not sit back and peacefully accept the enemy in our land i.e. sickness. We are to fight the enemy. How? With the tools that the Lord has given us.


In the account of Deborah, Barak, Jael and Sisera (Judges 4), I believe the Lord is showing that peaceful negotiations would not have worked in this situation. Could Jael have said to Sisera when he passed by her tent, "My lord, please come in and have a seat. When Barak comes through, you all can sit down and talk this through." No, it was God's will that she take action. Angie Thompson has said that Jael used a tool, something that she was used to, something she probably used everyday to bring down the enemy. The Lord used her to stop someone who was coming against His people. God did not use peaceful negotiations, but violent action.

When we come up against the enemy of our souls, we are to take action. We are not to peacefully accept what the enemy is bringing against us. We are to violently fight. Fight with the tools our Lord has given us. Fight with crochet hooks, guitars, fight while we cook and clean. In doing all things as unto the Lord, we are violently advancing the kingdom of Heaven. We are being obedient to the call the Lord has on our lives.

Scents

I have been blessed with a wonderful sense of smell. I could say it's a curse, but really, there are so many wonderful scents out there, I would hate for it to be taken from me. I am able to pick out certain scents even if they are not strong. Comes in handy when I smell smoke. I can tell right away if someone accidentally pressed the dry button on the dishwasher.

It did seem to be a curse during my pregnancies, however. I felt I could always smell cat urine, even when we didn't have a cat. That was not fun.

Today some of my kids are eating waffles and some are eating Honey Nut Cheerios. For some reason, I just do not like the scents of either. And having both of them overwhelm me at the kitchen table makes me wish my recent purchase from Yankee Candle of Tart Wax Potpourri would come in. I got a bunch of different scents - Autumn Wreath, Biscotti, Cinnamon Vanilla, Cranberry Peppermint, Roasted Coffee, Sage & Cinnamon, Spiced Cocoa and Sugar Cane & Vanilla.

I'm looking forward to filling my home with these wonderful scents.

Evaluations

The evaluations are over and were a success! It's a simple reminder that the God of the universe loves me.

Evaluation

I pushed back our evaluation from last Tuesday to tomorrow (8/23). I'm wishing now I hadn't. I am so not looking forward to this, I feel sick. I know, the worst that can happen is that they will not progress. But I just have this awful fear of failure and what the evaluator will think of me. I know - silly. Fear of man thing and all. But I just went through the girls' books and, well, I just want to buy those books.

Scott is coming home for the evaluation, it's at 1. I'll check back in when it's over.

Evaluation

I homeschool 4 of my kids.

The first year I homeschooled, I gave my daughter a standardized test and turned it into the state.

The second year, my daughters were seen by an evaluator. She was a bit rough around the edges, but things went fine.

The third year I took my girls to her again. She passed my youngest daughter and did not pass my oldest daughter. Her understanding of my daughter's curriculum was incorrect. And her basis of evaluation was incorrect. She did not look to see if my daughter showed progress - she looked at my daughter's age and said that she should know cerain things that she did not know and did not pass her. I turned that into the school board instead of getting a second opinion. I was not a strong person and just didn't think of getting a second opinion.

But that evaluation caused me to believe that I couldn't teach my children effectively. But I knew that the Lord called me to homeschool my kids. There was a war going on inside my head and I was going crazy.

I continued to homeschool my daughters the next year and my son also joined the ranks. But when it came time for evaluations, I couldn't take them to the other evaluator for fear of the same thing happening as last year. But I also didn't pursue getting another evaluator because I was afraid of what to tell the other evaluator and I was afraid I would be judged and my kids wouldn't pass. I told you I wasn't a strong person.

The next school year, I homeschooled 4 of my kids. A friend of mine was looking for an evaluator and told me that she found someone and gave me her number. I called her because I knew I needed to get the evaluations done, but I was a year behind and cowering in fear. The school board hadn't contacted me about the missing year, but I was so scared to open my mailbox everyday for fear that they would suspend my right to homeschool.

I saw Wendy, the new evaluator, and explained that we hadn't had the kids evaluated in 2 years, can she do 2 years for us. She did. She wrote up 2 letters per kid, well, the three that needed them and one for my son who had just started.

2005 - I was feeling insecure again in this area since we started out thinking we would do unit studies. Homeschooling 4 kids and having 2 babies was stressing me out. I did one unit study, had them do math and for a couple of months (they go by so fast), I did only Math. I didn't have all the books, and the fear just started taking over because of my procrastination.

I think it was January when I started getting back on track with the school work, but I was having the kids correcting each other's work. I still was having a difficult time managing everything.

Then I found out that Wendy moved out of state. I was crushed because I thought we had finally found someone who worked for us. Now we would have to find someone else.

I sort of left the ball in my friend's court since she was the one to find Wendy in the first place and I knew she would have to find someone for her son. They went away on vacation during July and I got to spend that whole month worrying.

We started up homeschooling again this past week, just picking up where we left off with one exception. I am now sitting down with them. We all work on the same subject at the same time. I work with them to make sure they are understanding their work. I read aloud and work with them on their problems. I still hadn't found an evaluator. My friend came back this week, but I hadn't spoken to her. I realized it really wasn't up to her to find me an evaluator, although, it would easier that way. I had been praying nearly every day for the past month that the Lord would send us an evaluator.

My friend called today to let me know she found someone. I called him and he sounds very kind. He had 7 children of his own that are homeschooled. He has been an evaluator for the past 10 years and has taught highschool, middleschool, been a principal and is now writing curriculum.

I had gone through the boys' work last week because their drawer was completely disorgainized. I don't think the girls' work will be too difficult to go through.

I have an appointment with him to evaluate my kids on Tuesday at my friend's house with her son. I am so scared. I guess I'm still weak. I am trying so hard not worry about what other people think, not to be a man pleaser, but my kids future with homeschool lies in this man's hands. Ok, it lies in mine, but if I blew it last year, he has the power to pass or fail them.

So, tomorrow and Monday I will be going through their books to gather a sample of their work for the evaluator to go through. I will be praying that the Lord give me peace and help me stop worrying. It is what it is. I cannot go back and do things over. I need to accept responsibilty for my actions and hope that things go well on Tuesday and make this next year our best year so far.

This phone call today should have increased my faith. The Lord answered my prayer and sent me an evaluator. But I am still feeling so insecure in my ability to teach my kids that I forgot to look at that as an answered prayer - a blessing.

If you believe in the power of prayer and believe in Jesus Christ and believe that God still answers prayers today, if you are reading this and it is not yet Tuesday, August 15, 1:00 PM EST please pray for me. Pray for Bill, the new evaluator and pray for my kids.

Thanks.

Necklace

Some friends and I pitched in to purchase a necklace for another friend for her birthday. I contacted Melissa from Glory to God Designs and told her what I had in mind, based on a vision I received while in prayer about this. I had seen hands cupped together with blue inside.

Well, I received the necklace today and it's beautiful! She did such a great job on it.

The silver bowl is about the size of a quarter. Around the blue opal, it says, "Before the lamb holding golden bowls of incense prayers of the saints singing worthy" - parts of Revelation 5:7-9.



  


I highly recommend Melissa if you have any jewelry you'd like to have made. She's professional and a joy to work with.

Exercise

I exercised today. It was the first time since June 9. I could feel that I gained weight and last night I just knew I needed to start up again. Although it was difficult, I could tell that my body so desperately needed this. It was good to get back in it again. I was glad when the 25 minutes were over, but I was also happy that I did it.

Finding crochet in worship or finding my worship in crochet

For quite a while now, I had been desiring to create my own crochet pieces. But I get stuck on the idea that I just don’t know how to put stitches together, or, in the aspect of making doilies, how much to increase with each round.

It’s been catching up on me, though. The need to create my own projects. And, yes, I believe it’s a need. The Lord has given me this gift and the desire to crochet. I love that things are created with yarn and a hook. It’s amazing to me. But there was something missing.

I have been working on a Superman blanket that I charted out myself and have come to the conclusion that cross stitching on an afghan stitch canvas would yield better results. I will be finishing the blanket how I started it, but I want to try out the cross stitch on an afghan stitch canvas.

Well, today I had decided to practice the afghan stitch/Tunisian stitch. This is a first for me because I usually do not practice crochet stitches, I just pick a pattern and crochet it. But I was a little intimidated by cross stitching on an afghan stitch canvas. I had attempted to do the stitch about 2 or 3 times. The first was successful, however, I got some other requests for items to make so the afghan stitch got put to the side. The other 2 times I just couldn’t get it.

I went into my stash and found some grey yarn that I probably wouldn’t be using for anything else and thought this would be good to practice with. After practicing and researching the “curl” and finding out that this is something that happens and that I can work with, I decided to go forward and make a canvas.

As I was crocheting, I turned on some teachings from Morningstar. It’s from a series called Beholding His Glory and is a teaching series on worship. In the teaching, “The Life of a Worshipper”, Leonard Jones points out that we need to give over our grey matter of our minds to creating new things. I smiled as I watched the grey yarn creating a canvas, knowing this was an encouragement from the Lord that I was going in the right direction.

So, we've been having work done on the house all week. We've had damage to ceilings and wall due to hurricane Wilma last year. My four oldest children are at my mom's for the week. Good timing as I don't know what I would have had the kids do while the work was/is being done. For the moment, the babies and I are either confined to the living room or, later, to my bedroom.

It's been a hard week emotionally. Scott has had something to do outside work/home Monday and Tuesday. He's been working late the other days. I'm stuck at home with no vehicle and no privacy.

Although I'm so happy this work is getting done, I'll be so happy when it's over and I can have my home back.

So, tonight I was feeling a bit emotional. I was listening to these awesome cds by Misty Edwards called Always on His Mind and Eternity. There is this one song that just really spoke to me. I'm going to type out the words, but I found that the music speaks more to me than the actual words do. The music and the way the artist sings it, which cannot be captured in written word. But here it is anyway:

What Only You Can Do

I'll take my cold, cold heart
I'll take my unrenewed mind
I'll take Your word in my hand
and I'll give You time to come and melt me
2x

I can't even love You 'less you call my name
I can't even worship 'less You anoint my heart, God
I can't even want You 'less You want me first
Come, fan the flame
Come, fan the flame

I'll take my cold, cold heart
i'll take my unrenewed mind
I'll take your word in my hand
and i'll give you time to come and melt me

Do what only You can do
Come, fan the flame

Do what only You can do

Just let my heart be alive
Let me be living deep deep on the inside

Come, fan the flame