Easter Blessings

This is an Easter picture of Paige and Leah from 2002. They won't wear smocked dresses and frilly socks anymore. boohoo

As they got a little older I didn't want Paige and Leah to think Easter was all about new dresses and shoes. I wanted them to understand that we celebrate Easter because Jesus conquered the grave. After His death on the cross and His burial, He rose from the dead. This is what Easter is about.

Isaiah 50:6 Jesus speaking thru Isaiah the Prophet says:

I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheek to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.

Isaiah 53:11 (NLT):

When He sees all that is accomplished by His anguish, He will be satisfied. And because of what He has experienced, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for He will bear all their sins.

Mark 16:6

"Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.

Have a Blessed Easter!

Love,

A Legacy of Love

This is a picture of Fern Nichols and me. I'm kind of leaning away from Fern. I have a horrible head cold and would have hated to pass it along to Fern.

On Wednesday I had the privilege of meeting for the first time Fern Nichols. She flew in from San Diego to Houston to speak.
Fern is the founder of Moms in Touch International (MITI).


She shared with us about leaving a Legacy of Love for our children. The way to leave a legacy of love is by praying for them. I can even be praying for future generations of my family right now and those prayers will outlive me.


Prayer is such a powerful tool....from that first prayer of surrender to God when we give our life to Him and know we have no hope for eternity without Jesus and his saving work on the cross... to the daily prayers we lift up interceding for others and offering praise and thanksgiving to God.
As Fern reminded us that God shapes the world through prayer and Intercessors can shape history.



If you are a mom go to the Moms In Touch website and see if there is a group of moms praying at your child's school. There are groups all over the world.


I know you probably pray for your children on a daily basis, but just meeting with other moms and hearing them pray for your child will mean more than you can imagine.


At Moms In Touch they reassure Moms that: When you pray God's Word you pray God's will.

That is why at MITI we use scripture to pray for our children. We simply insert their name into a scripture.

For example: a prayer to be safe from harm....



God Most High, I ask that You would command Your angels concerning ____ to guard____ in all his/her ways (Psalm 91:11)


Me and a couple of my praying mom friends along with Fern:

It was a wonderful day...head cold and all...hopefully I didn't contaminate too many people.

Scripture to Memorize this year #1

This year Beth Moore at The LPM Blog has challenged all the "Siestas" that read her blog to memorize 24 Bible verses or passages during 2009. So on the 1st and 15th of every month you are suppose to post your memory verse that you are working on. She suggest getting note cards that come spiral bound so you can keep them all together.

Remember that word 'DEEPER' that I'm using this year. Well this is part of it. I want to memorize more scripture.

Another Beth at Be Still Beth is hosting an accountability group. Since Beth Moore's blog has more than 3000 people listed as participants she decided to make a smaller, more intimate group that could be accountable to each other.

This is late, but I'm posting it and will post again on the 15th of the month. But the scripture I'm working on right now is:

Psalm 119:1-2 NIV

Blessed are they whose ways are blameless,
who walk according to the law of the Lord.
Blessed are they who keep His statutes
and seek Him with all their heart.

Join us at Be Still Beth's blog and challenge yourself to memorize scripture this year. It will be fun to do it together.

same kind of different as me

This is a book you need to read this year.

A friend suggested I read it. She didn't really give an explanation of the book. Just said "you need to read it".

So on her recommendation I went to the Library. It was checked out. I reserved it. I finally got the notice it was my turn to read the book.

What I didn't realize it was my turn to share in the personal life of an actual Texas family and a homeless man. This book is written very honest and straight forward. There are two authors and each writes a chapter to tell the same true story from their perspective.

This is definitely a book that I had to read with a box of tissues. But I promise if you read it you will not regret it. It has opened my eyes to see things more compassionately. It has changed my views on some issues. It is a challenging book.

The book title is:

Same kind of different as Me by Ron Hall & Denver Moore
Publisher Thomas Nelson

If you read it, come back and let me know your thoughts.

The Word Is...

I was reading over at Penless Thoughts blog the other day and she wrote about her word and goal for 2009. I started thinking about it and praying for a word that I could use to express my desire for me this year. This morning I found it....

Deeper.

In Luke 6:46-48 (The Message) we read about builders and foundations.

Why are you so polite with me, always saying 'Yes, sir,' and 'That's Right, Sir,' but never doing a thing I tell you? These words I speak to you are not mere additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundation words, words to build a life on.

"If you work the words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who dug deep and laid the foundation of his house on bedrock. When the river burst its banks and crashed against the house, nothing could shake it; it was built to last.

I want the foundation of my life to be deep and built on the truths of God's word.

Ephesians 3:18 (The Message)

I ask Him to strengthen you by his Spirit - not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength. - that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite Him in. And I ask Him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all Christians the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love.

Reach out and experience the breadth!

Test its length!

Plumb the depths!

Rise to the heights!

Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.

God can do anything, you know - far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.

So as I type I also pray these scriptures that I will plumb the depths this year and grow deeper in my relationship with Jesus.

In future post I"ll share some ways I will be digging deeper.

If you have a word for the year, please share it.

♥

O Little Town of Bethlehem

The words to the Christmas Carol O Little Town of Bethlehem were written by Phillips Brooks in 1868. He was an Episcopalian Minister in Philadelphia, PA. He was able to travel to Israel in 1865 and spent time in Bethlehem and rode on horseback out on the same fields where the Shepherd were believed to be the night the Angel visited them and told them...Today in the City of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:8-20)

He didn't pen the words to this Carol until a few years later for the children's choir at his church.

I love the feel he gives us for the town of Bethlehem and what it must have been like that night. The picture he paints of a town and it's residents basically going about their nocturnal routine....sleeping deeply in the still night and darkened streets oblivious to the miracle that just took place in their midst.

It makes me think of our lives and the towns in which we live. The routines, the comings and goings, activities, life as we know it just happening. Some realize the miracle that we know happened over 2000 years ago and sadly some do not.

The people of Bethlehem did not know what happened that night. It was just another night in Bethlehem. It took Shepherds who came into town and saw the baby with their own eyes and then spread the word.

I pray for the town I live in and hope you pray for yours as well. I love the last line of the last verse that says "O come to us, abide with us, Our Lord, Emmanuel."

Pray that the meek souls of your town will receive Him still, and let the dear Christ enter in. (verse 3)

♥

Merry Christmas,