Killer Gnat?

Last night I took the teen to Walmart to get something and she (accidentally of course) ran into her boyfriend who WORKS there and as we were leaving she was telling him bye and from the back seat I hear the preschooler squealing like a stuck pig. I figured she saw a spider or a gnat or some other KILLER animal. I asked what was wrong and almost in tears she said "EEWWWWW! SISTER KISSED A BBBOOOOYYYYY!"

Let's Review!

Saturday I saw the Beth Moore conference that was simulcast to over 500 churches across North America. Several of my friends have seen her before or have done her Bible studies but I hadn't until Saturday. WOW. She really is a good speaker. She is SOOO high energy. The conference was material was more than I can process in just a few days. It will take quite a bit of studying my notes and Bible before it all sinks in. Here are some of the highlights as I see them in my own words, along with some other random notes I took while there that were not clearly stated by her but noted all the same.

*Sometimes our pits are not a direct result of our sin but are sudden circumstantial changes.
*Sometimes we slip into a pit little by little. It might start out innocent or as a 'little' sin and might look more like a pot hole, but develops into the Grand Canyon
*Sometimes we KNOW it is a pit (sin) and jump in anyway.

*Beth has an amazing way of making people OWN UP TO IT, not by minimizing the sin but loving people anyway. Yep, I knew my biggest pit was a Grand Canyon and jumped in anyway!

*The enemy is not flesh and blood but he uses flesh and blood.
This simple statement speaks so clearly to me. Love the person, hate the sin...Even if I am that person.

*God can and wants to deliver me.

*Satan is GREEDY for my total destruction. Beth got lots of laughs when she said "Na Na Na Na Na!" to satan but the point really hung with me. Part of getting out of a pit is realizing that satan wants us totally separated from God. The fact that I am not, no matter how awful this pit is, is in itself a partial win. Accept that, and use the faith it produces to get out!

*God can not only handle it, but DESERVES it when I break down and CRY out to him. Not the prayer he gets when I am with other people, the calm and collected prayer it does have a good purpose...but the 'at the end of my rope' CRY to him out of total desperation prayer. This implies that I have to be desperate to get outta the pit. There in lies the problem. I personally have had to pray for the DESIRE to get out of a pit (although at the time I didn't call it a pit).


*I need to learn to grieve with my feet on The Rock.
Mourn and then move on! Get over myself!

*Satan can oppress but CANNOT, CANNOT, CANNOT possess me. :)

*He can and WILL kick me when I am down. Now that I know this, expect it and deal with it with my feel on The Rock.

*Out of nowhere I have a note to myself in all caps. READ IT OUT LOUD. I wish I had written down why, but I intend to do it all the same. I always read my Bible to myself, I wonder if it will really make a difference to read it out loud.

*Don't just believe IN Him, Believe Him at his word.
This also seems simple, but is SO profound.

BRF - Psalm 119

Being the SIMPLE, black and white, no frills type person I am, I have never enjoyed literature much. I prefer everything to be quick and to the point so I wasn’t really expecting to get much or enjoy much from this Psalm. I love that I was so wrong.

It is all I can do to write my review before reading the others! I use the Message, so my wording may be slightly different.

What I found in this Psalm is that almost every stanza includes the same 4 basic principles simply reworded: Teach me, help me meditate on your Word, help me live by the Word, and don’t let go of me.

Here are a few synonyms…every one says so much to me.

Train me: I learn the pattern of your righteous ways, show me, give me clear directions, breathe your wisdom over me


Meditate: Look for your truth and wisdom, watch for your words, treasuring your revelation, when I take a long careful look at your ways, keep a steady gaze, haven’t relaxed my grip on your counsel, reverently ponder it all day long, concentrate, absorb, lovingly embrace, honor your words,

Live the Word: I post your road signs, stay the course, my whole life one long obedient response, trust your words, In step with your word

Don’t let me go: Don’t ever walk off and leave me, build me up again, Get me on my feet again, hold me tight, revive me, save me, stick with me and I’ll be all right, should I wander seek me.

One of the most striking things I found is the BOLDNESS of the author. He plainly tells God don’t walk away and leave me. He pleads and demands it. The passion amazed me.

Approximately the first half seems to be the author acknowledging that he needs to be taught, meditating and living on the word and demands God not to let go of him…he implies softly that he himself is who he needs to be saved from. The second half shifts slightly to the author acknowledging that he still has enemies but he himself isn’t so much one of them and that he is stating more in a past tense you did teach me, I did meditate so that I could live by the Word, but I still need you to not let go of me.

That just about sums it up, but there are other very important messages to be found. I personally have been trying to make a decision about where to serve at my church…whether to stay in a particular place or to make a move to fill another need.

“Let those who fear you turn to me
for evidence of you wise guidance” Psalm 119:78

HELP!

I need some parenting advice! I have a teen who LOVES to talk on the phone...past her cut off time of 10 on school nights. We seem to go round and round on this issue. We periodically discuss various rules and make changes as she ages and matures...and learns to adhere to the rules as given. I recently extended her talking curfew on Friday and Saturday nights, but I firmly believe that 10 is late enough on school nights. She knows if there is a special event that if she asks and proves her case..."Momma I know calling past 10 will not disturb her family and I really want to tell her what happened today, please can I have 10 minutes" .... I usually allow it. She has always been a great kid...the kind that you tell ONCE in her lifetime do not jump on the bed (or whatever) and she never ever does it again...until the teen years hit. Other than housework or lack of really, the phone is the biggest issue we have.

To ground a kid from their cell phone (all we had until recently) is quite an inconvenience for parents. We either take it away completely and then have an issue keeping up with them or allow them to keep it and only call us. Neither option is good. To take it away totally means we cannot call them when we need them (this is a bigger issue for a single working mom like me than one that picks up their teens from school and chauffer them to and from work and sporting events). In the past I have chosen the second option to allow her to keep the phone but only call me or answer my calls. This seems to me similar to dangling candy in front of a small child and expecting them not to eat, but it was the option I chose.

I have tried to go really soft with minimal grounding time, I have left the time period open ended and lifted the grounding when I saw an attitude change, and I have grounded her for a day for every minute over curfew. She knew when I went soft if that solution did not work the next punishment would be a day of no phone for every minute past curfew. She went 40 minutes past curfew within a few weeks. After 40 days of no phone she got her full privileges back 2 weeks ago. Last night she was on the phone til 10:25. Since she has been old enough to write, part of her punishment for any wrong doing has been to write a paper including: what rule was broken; what she was thinking at the time; why she did it; how will she correct the issue; what does she think is a fair punishment; and whatever else I think of just to add a little more PAIN to the paper writing process. She hates this part of the punishment as much or more than the grounding or whatever.

Nothing seems to be helping. Should I expect a change or just..ride the ride going thru the circle of crime and punishment hoping the lesson is being learned even if there is no immediate change in behavior?

I question myself on all issues especially this one wondering if it is just a normal part of the teen years or is it an unrealistic rule. Some I had to change or get rid of all together after through reevaluation but this one I think is a good one as is. To me there is more for her to learn here than just when to get off the phone. It is self discipline, following rules you do not like, and planning ahead to be sure that commitments (curfews) are met. She has always been mature for her age and usually I can appeal to her mentally. She agrees with the other house rules, so this one is unlike the others and cannot be punished the same. It really is more than just phone use.

I would like some advice, even if you don't have teens what do you remember from your own teen years that might be helpful?

Secret

I have never been good at keeping secrets. Just not my thing I guess. Today I have a secret that I am just busting at the seams to tell...so I figure this is the best spot. If by chance you know me outside of my bloggity world, please don't tell.

I have a dear friend that is suffering thru the aftermath of a divorce. She is a wonderful teacher, Christian, friend, and mother. It troubles me to no end to see her suffer. Even in times of great distress she is a role model and an inspiration. I am so glad to know her.

When I picked up and moved from the Dallas area to my small town I didn't know a soul in this town. Not one. My friend was one of my daughter's teachers. When I started looking for my church home here in town we went to several ok churches but none that really seemed like home. We then visited the FBC in our area. When my teen and I walked into the sanctuary, late of course, her teacher knowing we were new in town RAN down the isle and said Hi, I am so glad yall are here to visit, come sit with me. Even now typing this it brings tears to my eyes. How often does that happen? We are still at FBC.

So, back to the secret. I put some flowers and candy by her door this morning. I didn't leave a card or anything so she will never figure out it was me! :) I have been in the best mood all day. It has been the best valentines day I have had in...well...maybe ever.

Book Review Friday

Book review

I have been doing a study on the book of Esther. Here are my thoughts, please share any thoughts you have, even if they conflict with mine. I am using The Message translation primarily and using crosswalk to do word studies and translation comparisons.

The book is a historical account of events during the reign of King Xerxes also called King Ahasuerus in other versions. The main theme is God will use his people to stop evil.


In doing my studying, I have come up with more questions than answers but that is OK. I have some new observations as well.

*First of all, it seems really BOLD to me that Vashti refused the King's invitation. Was she aware that he just wanted to show her off like a child does a new toy for show and tell? Or was she annoyed that she was asked to leave her own party? Or something else?

*The King, oh where to begin? He appears to drink to much and encourage others to do the same. He also seems to question his own judgment after the drinking is done. He is conceited about his wealth and wastes money. He seems smart enough to ask for advise before making new laws, however I think is judge of character is lacking.

*One thing that really jumps out at me is a really random issue: Why in ch. 1 does the King send 7 eunuchs to get Vashti? Why not 1, or maybe 2 to keep each other company? But he sent 7. ODD.
Also in ch. 1, the King uses 7 advisors. That number again! Out of the 7, only one is known to offer a (I use the term lightly) solution and the King goes with the first suggestion he hears?

Brief over view by chapter:
1. The King bans Queen Vashti from his presence for refusing his invitation.

2. a.The King makes Esther his new queen.
b.Mordecai is used to stop the plot to assassinate the King.

3. Haman makes plans to massacre all Jews.

4. Mordecai and Esther make plans to try to counter Haman's plans.

5. Esther risks her life in an attempt to save her people.

6. King realizes that Mordecai needs to be honored for saving his life.

7. At a dinner with the King and Haman Esther exposes her racial background. Haman is hanged.

8. A new law is written to counter Haman's plot allowing the Jews to defend themselves to the death.

9. After 2 days of killing in the city and 1 out in the country an annual celebration starts celebrating their victory.

10. Mordecai is second in command.

Lavatory Madness

Does anyone else think it is strange for a toilet to know with some accuracy when you are finished? I cant be the only person offended by the thought. Maybe it is my simple mind that makes it so difficult for me to understand the need for a toilet that flushes itself. Then, there are the faucets that sense when we are close and presumably need to wash our hands. I can see how this is a nice feature to keep you from using your fresh clean hands to touch a dirty handle to turn the water off, but has anyone else noticed that these faucets usually dont have enough water pressure to even rinse the soap off your hands? I think the initial purpose was for sanitation but some/MOST companies have just gone too far with the water and paper conservation. When that fun is complete, it is time for the automatic hand dryers that blow the soap around until it dries on your hands. Now that is sanitary! That certainly will prevent the spread of germs...if they are stuck to your hands in the dried soap. If there is no automatic dryer, there is the paper towel dispenser that refuses to dispense anything but shreds. At least with paper towels we have the option of using them to open the door.

I really shouldn't complain. I need to focus on the positive...at least the there arent any automatic butt wipers, yet.