Let It Go!

LET IT GO:

This time I've got to trust You
I've got to accept Your plan
I have tried to guide my circumstance
But there's just no way I can

When will I learn this lesson
Your ways are not like mine
Lord, help me to surrender
The control I try to have on my life

When I let it go
You take my hand and gently lead me
Then You let me know
Just how peaceful my life can be
When I let it go
Your never-ending blessings
Like a river start to flow

When I let it go

Too many times I'm searing
For the things I think I need
When I try to look for more
I always seem to give You less of me

Lord, help me gain this wisdom
My foolish mind still lacks
'Til I find a way to let go
Of the part of me I'm holding back

Sierra-When I let It Go

TURN ON THE LIGHT:

Have you ever been searching around for something in the middle of the night? You are groggy and your equilibrium isn't the greatest, and then add in PURE DARKNESS. Not a pretty site. Yet, you continue to fumble through the darkness, grabbing for the wall... and then the surging pain through your body arrives - you stub your toe!

You get mad, down right furious at the pain echoing through your body.

Don't we do this with God? We think that we can get by "feeling for the wall" stumbling through life without turning on the light of His Holy Word. Are we afraid that the light will hurt our eyes? Have we been in the darkness so long that it might be blinding and painful?

Don't lose heart! Your eyes will adjust, and your heart will be warmed as you come back into His presence. The longer you stay in the light, the less "blindingly-painful" it will be. So stay in the light of His Holy presence!

Luke 18:1 tells us that we should pray always, and not lose heart. What is troubling you today my sister in the Lord? God's solution: Pray! (James 5:13)

Need Some Bloggin' Beautification?

Feel free to check out my most recent "Custom Header" creation over at For A Lifetime. I really like how it turned out. Please check out Charlotte's blog and feel free to follower her. It is her desire to glorify God through her blog and encourage others. (Of course, I am a HUGE fan of that)!

See her review:

Hello Blogger World!

I recently asked Traci at "Ordinary Inspirations" to design my blogger page so that I can add more to it and have it the way that I want it.
I have to tell you that I was a little nervous at first due to the fact that I am new to all this. The nerves were ridiculous for me to even have, because she was so easy to work with and didn't mind that I had so many questions and thoughts. I was very PLEASED and very blessed to have found her to help with the adjustments that I needed. Please if you are looking for someone to help you to design your Blog or to help with HTML work; I recommend that you work with Traci. Feel free to hop on over to my Blog; For A LifeTime to see exactly what she has done for me. You will be truly blessed with the outcome.

~Charlotte @ For A LifeTime

Need some blog beautification of your own. Just visit my graphics site: CLICK HERE

My Prices:

1. Custom Header: $15.00

2. HTML Help: $5.00

3. Custom Blog Button with code: $10.00

4. Changing Your Blog to a 3 Column Look: $5.00

5. WHOLE BLOG RE-DO: $50.00 Includes:

• Custom Header
• Blog Button w/code
• Converting to 3 column
• Custom Signature
• Post Divider
• Frames for your Sidebar pictures
  

Thanks for your prayers and support!

How Easily I Forget- "Never Forget" Post Revisited

My precious little son, Carson James, has a double ear infection once again; the second time in less than two months. As I listened to the screaming coming from his room at 2:00 AM this morning, I cringed. "No Lord, I just want to sleep. Please help him just go back to sleep."

The crying did not silence, the screams of pain continued to echo out of his room.

Begrudgingly, I stumbled, half-out-of-it into his room, scooped him up, and plopped down into the glider. He cried, he screamed (which is totally not like this normally, jolly, smiley boy).

I gave him medicine, changed his diaper, gave him a little milk.... still nothing could sooth him. He just could not sit still; his little head kept banging into my chest, his head nuzzling me in pain.

After about 45 minutes of this, I had simply had enough. I longed for my bed... couldn't he just fall asleep?

AND THEN I REMEMBERED: READ HERE

I had forgotten... and for the next 10 minutes I held him tight; I kissed his forehead; I stopped wishing away this cuddle time;

I was just so thankful to have him.

I can deal with ear infections, I told the Lord; if it means having him here! He fell asleep.

Maybe God just had to remind me; to not forget what He had done in our precious son's life!

I Know You Smell It To!

Fall is in the air! My absolute favorite time of the year... for so many reasons: cozy sweaters, the smell of chimney smoke billowing off rooftops, apple picking at our favorite farm, glazed donuts, warm apple cider simmering in a crockpot, pumpkin picking, face painting, kids buried in a ginormous pile of colorful leaves, apple crisp, pumpkin pie... the list goes on. The reason why I love it the most, is it is centered around creating family memories.

So, if you love it as much as I do,

1. Write a cool post about a fun Fall recipe, craft idea, family event, you name it.

2. Copy this pretty logo for your post (okay, can you tell I'm a little bias? I created this for Thrifty Northwest Mom's Blog Carnival)



3. Head over to Thrifty Northwest Mom's Blog (Click Here), and link up with your Fall post of the week (every Friday). You will also be able to get super sweet ideas as others link up too!

This is a cake I want to make this Fall:

(Pumpkin Harvest Cake Recipe CLICK HERE)

One "event" that I'm super excited about is APPLE PICKING! We plan to go in the next month (The Apple Farm~ Victor, NY). They have tractor rides, donuts, cider, animals to pet, and much more! You should check it out if you live in the Rochester area!

Here are a few pictures from last year's pickin':

Will You Choose To Be Courageous In A Cowardly World?

Imagine with me for a moment: The God of the universe holding you in the palm of His nail pierced hand. You fit perfect there, so snug and cozy, into that scarred hole, where the nail of your sin (and mine) once drove through His flesh. The pain, the anguish He felt; but there is one thing that He wants us to know. He submitted Himself to the will of His Father, God; and so must we. His sacrifice was the ultimate sacrifice of His love for you and I. He died, that we may live an abundant life, not spotted by our fear and failures. You are tucked away in His nail pierced hand; because you are His! He loves you with a love that surpasses all eternity. You are safe there; nothing can harm you. You will have troubles, you will have heartache, but you are never out of His loving hand!

Last Thursday, I talked about 5 Practical Ways To Rid Fear (Click Here) to catch up if you missed out on Part 1 of our series on "Saying Goodbye: A 4 Part Series on Fear".

Part 2 of 4- Examples of people who were overcome
by fear/cowardice in the bible, and those who had courage.

We are overcome with a surge of emotions as women. Ever seen those silly faces with the emotions written under them: Happy, sad, frustrated, lonely, depressed, confused, infuriated, angry, confident, etc...

If we changed our "faces" throughout the day, I think that we could safely say that we'd exhaust all of them, at some point.

We are emotional beings; God made us that way. BUT, He gave us a choice on what we set our affection/mind on. Colossians 3:1-2 (Set it on things above); 2 Corinthians 10:5 (Stay your mind on Christ); Isaiah 26:3 (He promises to keep you in perfect peace if you do this); Philippians 4:8-9 (Think on truth from God's Word).

It is a lie that we can't control our emotions, that we have every right to talk the way we do to that person that wronged us, to our spouse that just doesn't know how to be sympathetic to a menstruating woman; hasn't he learned by now?! (Sound familiar)

You and I may not be able to help feeling the strong, and very real emotions that we face each day; but we do have a choice as to how we will deal with them. (I have to remind myself of this).

So, when we are fearful, we must choose to believe TRUTH; the truth found in God's Word.

God's Word says "Do not be afraid" - John 14:27. It says "Don't worry about anything" - Philippians 4:6.

A Woman in the bible with great courage and faith: Noah's Wife

Her name is not mentioned; but her faith cannot be forgotten! She was a woman that submitted to the leadership of her husband, even when it seemed crazy to do so. She endured a lifestyle subjected to toiling the land, working with her hands; a life of a farmer. Did you forget about a hundred-plus years of boat building, trying times of zoo-keeping, and supporting her husband's ministry of spreading the good news to a people who constantly rejected and mocked at them.

How did she do this? By being a good wife and mother; she trusted her Savior. She had never seen rain, yet trusted in God, and submitted to her husband. She raised 3 sons in an ungodly, and perishing world; the sound of smashing metal in her ears, day after day; yet she chose to be a faithful follower of Christ, and example of Courage/Faith to her 3 boys.

A Woman in the bible who let FEAR overcome her,
causing her to be disobedient: Sarah
Genesis Chapters 15 -21

The wife of Abraham. She agreed with her husband to lie about her real relationship with him. Pharaoh took her in as one of his concubines. All the promises in the scriptures are given to us, man or woman. God loves us and he will protect us. Sarah showed her lack of faith and cowardliness in this situation.

Woman, take your protection from God's promises in His Word,

NOT by what you can see or cannot see.

If your husband is putting you or your family in danger, pray that God will touch his heart if you think he is making unwise decisions. Share your heart/concerns with him but do it with a spirit of submission and humility.

Later in her life, having no child and thinking it was her fault, she asked her husband Abraham to have a child through their servant Hagar (Genesis 16). If only she had WAITED for God's time. The result of Sarah's fear (based on her lack of trust in her Sovereign Lord) was trouble in the home (jealousy, hatred, strife, loneliness).

How often do you an I jump ahead and make hasty decisions because of our fearfulness? What about times you've blamed your husband for something that you helped to cause, because fear took hold of you?

Faith is the substance of things HOPED FOR, the evidence of things NOT SEEN. (Heb. 11:1)

Speak God's words and promises constantly over yourself and over your family and children. There is POWER in God's Word! His Word does not, and will not, come back void!

His Word is QUICK and POWERFUL, sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder! WOW! (Heb. 4:12)

Initially Sarah did not believe God's promises to her (Genesis 17: 17-18, Genesis 18: 11-12) . She even laughed, thinking about even the possibility of having a child at such an old age.

Her longing and desire for a child was very real, very deep. She finally chose to keep trusting her faithful God. She believed that God was a rewarded of those that diligently seek Him. (Heb. 11:6)

So ladies, let us choose to be a "Noah's Wife" and not a "Sarah". It is better to trust God and leave it in His hands, then rush ahead of him and suffer a life of misery because of our lack of faith and trust in God.

When a man is no longer afraid, but is prepared to welcome whatever comes, because he sees in it the appointment of a loving Father, why, then he is in a happy state; from a sweet fountain of thought, we shall have sweet waters of talk.~ Charles H. Spurgeon

Please come back next Thursday for Part 3 of our series on FEAR.

Matthew 10:29-30 "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs on your head are all numbered! So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."

Tasty Tuesday - Creamy White Chili

Check out more great recipes:
It's Tasty Tuesday @ Beauty and Bedlam

Do you smell it?

Fall is IN THE AIR!

I love love love Fall time... everything about it!


Enjoy this yummy dish to get you in the mood:

Creamy White Chili

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 medium onion
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 T. oil
2 (15 1/2 oz) cans Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14 1/2 oz) can of chicken broth
1 or 2 (4 oz) cans chopped green chilies
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cumin (optional)
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream

In a large saucepan, saute chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream and whipping cream. Serve immediately. Yield: 7 servings.

Visit my friend Danielle's blog for some great Crock Pot Chili Recipes!
Delectables

There Will Be "Those" Days

Today I had one of "those" days... you know, when you just feel "blah"; nothing seems to go right;

toddler daughter doesn't nap,
= extremely cranky

8 month old son teething,
= extremely cranky

mom tired and frazzled, with the feeling that she just can't catch up,
= extremely cranky mom.

But there are ALWAYS things to thank God for;
so I will try to remember back over this past week:

#73-82

#73. a day-trip on the boat with just my husband and me

#74. feeling the breeze, listening to the "quiet" together... enjoying one another's company

#75. Spending the day outside; enjoying the brisk, cool air; the beginnings of Fall

#76. Watching my daughter be the "mechanic" in the family

#77. Taking in this beautiful site of sibling love

#78. Full out belly laughs!

#79. Oh, but they don't last long...

#80. Watching my son's contagious smile

#81. Enjoying some frosting... even if it has to be lived vicariously through my daughter's taste buds... oh the joys of dieting!

#82. Tender hugs

See... I feel a lot better now.

Do you need a Pick-Me-Up? Had one of those days? Come join the gratitude community over at
A Holy Experience!



My COUNTDOWN of 1,000 Gifts
with the Gratitude Community:

#1-10 (A Heart of Gratitude)
#11-21 (The Secret is Out)
#22-49 (A Life-Giving Spring)
#50-72 (The Things I Would Miss)

Completely Candid @ I Heart Faces

I Heart Faces
Completely Candid



"Spent"

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5 Practical Ways To Rid Fear, Part 1 of 4

I talked about it a couple weeks ago: Click Here . . . This thing called FEAR!

I use to be scared of going blind when I was young... afraid to have the light removed, thinking that I might be blind "for real" at that moment.

Another silly thing I did was practice drawing with my mouth.... yes, my mouth... thinking that I might be paralyzed some day like Joni Eareckson Tada. Hey, I could always "practice - up" just in case right?

Then there is the fear that comes after becoming responsible for another human life; a life that I carried in my womb for 9 months; a child.

Oh, I never experienced Fear "for real"until I became "Mama".

The news is NEVER a good thing to watch when I hear of horrific and tragic accidents involving children. Doesn't your mind carry you away with the

"What ifs"

when you see stuff like that?

If you have made it through raising children, now it might be the fear of something happening to your precious grandchildren.

We all have fears, phobias, whatever you want to call it. Fear of failure, fear of not measuring up, not being "perfect enough", the fear of standing up in front of a room full of people and talking; my personal "high" when it comes to fear! - probably above a fear of death.

So, enough talk about this gripping and paralyzing thing that squeezes its hands firmly around our throat, or the fact that fear isn't shy about unleashing that load of hefty bricks upon our chest.

We ALL know what it feels like, right?

But Remember:

11 Timothy 1:7
For God hath NOT given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

FEAR IS NOT FROM GOD!

5 Practical Ways To Rid Fear Today:

1. Trust in Him/Bathe Yourself In His Word
Be Made Perfect in Love

1 John 4:18 "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear; because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love."

Romans 10:17- "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God!"

2. Dwell/Abide In HIM

John 15:4 "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me."

Psalm 91:1 "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most high, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty!"

3. Seek Him First
He promises to deliver you from ALL your fears

Matthew 6:33 "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His Righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you!"

Psalm 34:4 "I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from ALL my fears"

4. Confess Your Sins
So you can live a life "unashamed"

1 John 1:9 "Confess your sins, for He is faithful and just to forgive you of your sins, and cleanse you from all unrighteousness."

Psalm 34:5 "They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed."

How beautiful is that?! Picture God's peace sweeping across your body,
scooping up every burden that you are carrying, right now!

Have you ever thought that fear might be the cause of
unconfessed sin, and therefore shame, in your life?

5. Believe that He is Sovereign/Tell of His Goodness

Psalm 73:28 "But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds."

Are you experiences constant Fear? Apply these 5 practical steps today!

Stay tuned for Part 2 of 4- Next Thursday we will talk about examples of people who were overcome by fear/cowardice in the bible, and those who had courage.

An awesome and exciting comparison that you
WON'T WANT TO MISS!

What Makes God's Heart Smile?

Restoration

Healing

Change

That comes ONLY from Him!

If you have 14 minutes (even if you have to pause, and continue at a more convenient time) please watch this video.

*****REMEMBER TO PAUSE MY PLAYLIST TO THE RIGHT*****

PASSWORD: hartz
once you type in the password,
wait 10 seconds and it will come up

Josh and Lindsey's Story



If you are doing other stuff on the computer, just minimize the video and listen as you are working.

And Visit Lindsey's Blog:

A New Life

Is your marriage in trouble? Are you headed for divorce? There is hope!

To Feel Your Heart Beat

"Heartfelt prayer is the sense of passion and urgency that needs to come before progress can take place. This is where prayer becomes more real and transfers into an authentic connection with God, not just regarding Him as a vending machine for meeting our desires."
Richard Krecjir

This is the first time I've ever heard this song. I love it! Be Blessed!
(It's The First Song On My Playlist To The Right If You Wanna Listen)

The more I seek you,
The more I find you
The more I find you, the more I love you

I wanna sit at your feet
Drink from the cup in your hand.
Lay back against you and breath, feel your heart beat
This love is so deep, it's more than I can stand.
I melt in your peace, it's overwhelming!

Kari Jobe

My First Blog Award!

So, over the weekend I was awarded the Honest Scrap award by Jacky from The Sweetest Petunia. This award is for bloggers who are honest in their writing!

Thanks so much! {I even put my foot in my mouth and said that I thought blog awards were cheesy.... but Jacky was kind enough to look past my strategically placed foot ~ Thanks Jacky!}

The rules here are to pass the award on to 7 bloggers who I think are honest in their blogging and to list 10 honest things about myself.

Okay, so 10 honest things about me? Here goes - It won't be hard since they are already in my sidebar.... {look at that, ahead of the game!}

1. My husband actually taught me how to make a bed "the correct way".

2. I spent most of my days as a child, frolicking in the woods and creek behind my house.

3. I am not very smart... I have to study my brains out to "retain" anything.

4. I am left-handed, and have horrible penmanship.

5. I took computer classes in school to "hide-out" from any sort of public speaking.

6. With that being said, I am scared to death to teach a Ladies Bible study in the Fall. But God's grace is sufficient and His strength is perfect. {Side note: My first class was this morning, and by God's grace, it went well!}

7. I never thought I would make a decent homemaker ~ I had no interest in making my home inviting, cleaning, cooking - until I got married!

8. I love sports, games, any sort of "competition".

9. While I was pregnant with my daughter, I craved Lime Tortilla chips dipped in cottage cheese. Yes, I ate it!

10. I have Hyperthyroidism, and have struggled with my weight my whole life! It is a constant battle I face.

There ya go! As for the 7 nominees...

1. Amy from I'm Just Sayin
2. Jen from ThriftyNorthwestMom
3. Sisterlisa from AGMinistries
4. Tiffany from Tea With Tiffany
5. Linda from Linda's Patchwork Quilt
6. Jennifer from For Such A Time As This
7. Rachel from Young Homemakers