Guarding our kids against being a Delilah

This is my Sunday School lesson tomorrow so I thought I would share...

Samson, Delilah, and the World

The Lord has a specific plan for your life, but we can alter that plan by the decisions and choices we make and letting the world come between us and the Lord!

Judges ch 14-16

*Samson had a downfall – WOMEN

*Samson had a problem – WOMEN

*Samon’s parent allowed him to give in to his indulgences (ch 14:3, 5, 7)

*Woman #1

- Ch 14:7 – a wife of the Philistines - these were the people who had them captured; so these were the enemy

-A lot happened with this woman, while on his way to see her Samson killed a lion with his bare hands (he wasn’t supposed to touch anything dead) and then later on when he went to see her again he noticed a bee hive inside the carcass of the lion.  He got the honey and not only did he eat it, he gave it to his parents!  IT WAS UNCLEAN!

*Our sins can led others around us to sin!  His parents unwittingly broke the law and it was Samson’s fault!  But if they had put their foot down and said no, none of that would have happened.

-They had a feast for his father to meet his wife and Samson told the guys that came to the feast a riddle (about him killing the lion) and told them that if they could figure it out that he would give them thirty sheets and thirty changes of clothes (v. 12)

-They couldn’t figure it out so they threatened his wife that they would kill her family.  So she set out to find out the answer to the riddle.  V. 16-17 – After 7 days she wore Samson down and he told her the answer.

-He knew that she had told them so he killed 30 of those men.  Her father, while Samson was gone, gave her to a “friend” of Samson’s.  V 20 says a companion who he had “USED” as a friend (don't just use people to make them your friend).

-Samson killed a bunch of Phillisitines after all of that happened with his wife. And became a judge in Israel for 20 years.

*Woman #2

Ch 16:1 – a harlot (one night stand)

-After he left her the men of that city tried to kill him, more trouble!

*Woman #3

Ch 16:4 – Delilah (he fell in love)

-Delilah asked Samson 4 times to tell him where his strength came from in ch 16: 7, 11, 13, 17 – Finally in v 17 he told her. (READ V. 16-17) She had worn him down, but I also believe that he knew she was going to cut his hair!

-WHY WOULD HE TELL HER? I mean she had tried everything that he had said up to this point.  He was so infatuated with her that he was blind to the truth.  He didn’t want to see that she meant him harm.  He was out of touch with the Lord and He believed that he could handle the situation.  He thought his strength could get him through.  That’s what happens to us. We forget where our strength comes from.  We start thinking we can do everything by ourselves and we don’t need any help from the Lord! V. 20

 *Something to think about

*Every time Samson starts fooling around with the opposite sex he gets in trouble!  He lets them come between him and his relationship with the Lord.

*Delilah wore Samson down, don’t let the world wear you down!  Don’t let the opposite sex wear you down to give in to their desires and wants!

*He gave Delilah his heart!  Don’t give your heart away!  It will get you in trouble!  Let the Lord have your heart, not only for Salvation, but after you get saved, make Him your #1 guy and I promise He will lead you to the right person and in the right direction!

*The rest of the story…

-We all know the story, the Phillistines took Samson and enslaved him.  

-They forgot about his hair and it grew, they were having a feast to one of their gods and wanted to make fun of Samson, they brought him out and he asked a child to help him lean on the pillars of the house, he prayed (v.28) and acknowledged his need for the Lord’s strength and pushed on the pillars of the house, it fell down killing about 3000 people.

*Something else to think about

*Do you want to live your whole life chasing after things that aren’t good for you?

*Samson died right with the Lord, I don’t believe the Lord would have allowed him his final request if he hadn’t been right with Him, but think about what Samson could have done with his life if he had just followed the Lord.

*The wiles of the world wore him down, the opposite sex for him, what is it for you?  Boys, money, clothes, acceptance, beauty...

*We have to beware of how we present ourselves to the world and the opposite sex, we don’t want to be that person who leads someone astray or hinders their relationship with the Lord by enticing them. 

*So don’t be a Delilah and lead the opposite sex astray with your enticements!

*And don’t be a Samson and think you can make it without the strength of the Lord!

Here's another blog that is WONDERFUL!!!  Here are a couple of her posts that are related to this topic.

http://www.girldefined.com/christian-girls-post-seductive-selfies

http://www.girldefined.com/guys-speak-girls-showing-cleavage

Growing Up Ellis: Back to School

Growing Up Ellis: Back to School: Well, it's that time!  We've had 2 months off with our families, to get caught up on some much needed housework, cleaning out closet...

Back to School

Well, it's that time!  We've had 2 months off with our families, to get caught up on some much needed housework, cleaning out closets, painting, "spring" cleaning...you name it, we get it done during the summer, but now it's time to start back over!

RESOLUTIONS

Most people make their New Year's Resolutions in January.  I think it would be safe to say that most TEACHERS, however, make theirs in August.  This is our new year, this is when we get a fresh start.  Starting over is not easy sometimes, but it is refreshing.  The beauty of starting over is you can do that anytime.  We don't have to wait for a certain time of the year to start over.  I love the verse in Psalms where David says Your mercies are new EVERY morning! That is a beautiful verse, because no matter what we've done or how we've messed up, the Lord forgives and lets us start over when we ask for forgiveness!   

HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

This year, as I contemplate my resolutions, I want to be a better person.  
So here are some resolutions:  
1.  Don't wear my feelings on my sleeve. 
 *Now this is much easier said than done.  People offend us and we get our feelings hurt.  

Proverbs 19:11King James Version (KJV)  The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.  It is in our best interest to pass over a transgression and defer our anger.  Biblically speaking we are not supposed to be easily angered or easily offended.  Look at what Christ did for us!  What right do we have when Jesus did so much for us and forgives us?

Lord, please help me to not be easily offended and angered by the things that go on or that people do and say.  Help me to be a light and always have a smile!  

2.  Don't be so judgemental.

*I encounter alot of different people.  Sometimes I am guilty of thinking, "They could do better."  As JP's brother says in his sermons, "They can't do better, they don't have any do better in them."  We as Christian people can do better, but the lost world can't do better.  They don't know any better, it's our job to show them to Christ so they can know and do better.  Until we reach the world for Him it is going to continue to be a dark place with sin abounding everywhere!  Sin already abounds in the believers life, and we have the Holy Spirit convicting us and telling us to STOP!  Imagine not having that, what keeps the lost person from stopping their sin?  NOTHING!  It's our job to point them to the cross so Christ can break their chains of sin.  

Lord, please help me to remember that we live in a lost world and help me to see the lost and point them to YOU!  

3.  Be a better witness.

*My last resolution is that I pray that the Lord will help me be a shining light for Him.  That when people see my attitude, my actions, and my reactions that they would see Him shining in me.  I can't lead people to Christ if I am not acting or behaving in a way that makes them want what I've got.

Matthew 5:16King James Version (KJV) Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Lord, please help me in this new school year to be like you.  To love and help and be a witness and a shining light in our world.

OK, so now it's time to get up and get going!  Let's get it done!!!!

Relaxing and Being with the Lord and the Beginning of School

Relaxing is hard for me to do, but that's exactly what I'm doing today and tomorrow.  Of course I'm still washing clothes, doing dishes, and cooking, but that is all!

WHY RELAX?

Why is it so hard for us to relax? It is a command from the Lord.  He tells us in His word to "Be still and know that I am God."  So why do we have such a hard time?

WHY NOT BE STILL?

Am I the only one who struggles with this (may be that I'm a smidge ADD)? I think it's because our flesh doesn't want us to have time alone with God.  When we get alone with the Lord we have to face our sin.  We, as people, don't like to admit when we do things that are wrong.  We don't want to admit that we hurt feelings, reject the Lord, say no to Him, miss opportunities to serve.  We don't like to see ourselves less than perfect.

WHAT KEEPS US OCCUPIED?

We stay so busy.  Of course, we have to take care of our families, work and do regular every day tasks, but we NEED to and HAVE to slow down.  We always have things going on...radio, TV, you name it we can find things to occupy our minds.  This is a downfall of mine, just recently I have begun turning off the TV when no one is in the house but me.  I enjoy a little quiet.  That's when the Lord speaks to us, during our quiet time.

WHAT DO WE DO?

We have to be still!  True confession time:  during the summer I basically have no routine.  I try to ride my stationary bike, but not always, and this is when I have my quiet time.  So therefore, during the summer I don't always do right.  I try, I'm convicted, I'll read, but then the day goes by and I haven't read it yet again.  

I love summer because I like to not be tied down to anything,  but I am not a very disciplined person and I need a routine (kind of like a baby).  I believe we all need a routine! School is about to start back and I'll have a routine.  When school is in session I get up at 5:00 every morning to read my Bible and pray while I ride my bike.  I dread getting up at 5:00, but this is what I have to do in order to have my quiet time.  

It's not good as Christian people to miss our time with the Lord!  It depresses us, it makes us not who we are supposed to be, it makes us grumpy and easily irritated!

CHALLENGE

I want to challenge you, as well as me, to set aside a time daily to read our Bibles and pray daily!  Our flesh doesn't like it when we do this and I'm not going to lie to you, it's not easy, but it must be done!  It's vital to our sanity and well being.  

So today, as I finish up with this post I'm about to go and do just that, read my Bible, pray, and ride my bike...and to be still and focus on the Lord and what He has for me in this new year as school begins again.

Homegrown Cream Corn

The corn was ready to pull last week.  I love to eat corn, but I HATE to put it up!!!! Of course, it's a necessary evil, so I did it.  I didn't do it with the best attitude, but we got it done!  

JP, K, and L went and pulled the corn, LOTS of corn, and they shucked it.  Sorry, I didn't get any pics of that, I wish I had though! 

So they bring all of this corn in the house that needs to be silked.  I learned this trick from my Mamaw, you silk it with a toothbrush, a dry, clean toothbrush.  Just brush the corn, sort of vigorously, and most of the silks will come off.  JP and I did this...horrendous task!!!

We get this corn silked and I begin to cut it off of the cob.  You just hold it and barely cut the tops off of the kernels.

Then you take the knife and scrape the corn, sometimes I scrape it with the back of the knife and sometimes I scrape it with the blade.

And yes, I did cut myself a few times...did I mention I HATE putting up corn?

Add water to the corn, we had about 10 cups of corn and I added about 5-6 cups of water, and then boil the corn that has been cut off.

And bag it up.  I usually put about 1/2-3/4 cup per person in a bag.

Did you notice the corn all over my shirt, arms, hands, and if you could have seen it, my face and head?  Well, it's a messy task, but it's REALLY good to eat!!!
So we did this with about 1 million ears of corn, well, not really, but it felt like it.  It was more like 200 ears, and let me just say, we only got 5 bags of corn...yep, you read right! 5 BAGS OF CORN!  Oh well, that will be 5 good bags of corn to eat.  Joyful attitude...I really had to keep reminding myself of this!  So I thank the Lord for this corn and the ability to be able to put it up for my family.  

We WILL eat them sparingly!  So if you come to my house and want to partake in our cream corn, I probably won't let you...hahahahaha! Just kidding, I'll let you eat our corn with us!  

Brown Sugar Body Scrub

I'm always wanting to try new things.  I love body scrub, I love the way it makes my skin feel, but I don't like to buy it...it's usually pretty expensive.  

Well, I decided to explore Pinterest and find a recipe for body scrub.  I found one, imagine that!  Heehee!

I mixed up my first batch (a double batch), put it in 2 containers and used it all up!!!!  It did take me about 6 weeks to use it all and it was AMAZING!!!!!

I have been out for a couple of weeks and yesterday I mixed up some more, I couldn't find my recipe from the first batch so I just winged it, and it went a little like this:

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2/3-1 cup baby oil 

I mixed it in a Gelato Ice Cream jar. I like the way the jar looks, and it has a screw on lid.  It's also a good excuse to buy and eat Gelato...I need the containers so I can give away my body scrub as gifts!

The first time I mixed it up I used Olive Oil.  I think the Olive Oil moisturizes your skin better, but I don't like the way it smells, I smelled like I was about to bake or something.  I definitely like the way the baby oil smells much better!  You could also add lavender, vanilla, or some other scent if you wanted.

I love the way it makes my skin feel and it's just as good as any I've bought from the store and it literally only took me about 5 minutes to mix up.  

Jamberry and Matthew 6:31

Worry...I do that A LOT!  I don't know why, the Bible says we can't change one thing by worrying, but I do it anyway!  

As you know I have started selling Jamberry Nails.  I have several teacher friends on Instagram from various parts of the country who wear them and I thought they were adorable.  I had one of the ladies to send me a sample and I tried it.  I was hooked!  After praying about it and thinking about it for a couple of weeks I decided to join as a consultant.   And let me just say that I am so excited!!!!

I love doing my fingernails!  And I love all of the styles that Jamberry has to offer, so I ordered my kit and 6 days later it was in.  It got here on Monday, and well, we were at the goat show on Monday and when we came home we came in through the back door.  I had no idea that the UPS man had brought my package! When JP got in from work Tuesday morning (at 6:00AM) he told me my package was here!  I was so excited that I couldn't sleep.  I immediately got up and started unpacking my kit and doing my fingernails. 

I have booked a party for myself for the 25th, at my house, and  let me tell you, I am extremely nervous! I don't talk in front of adults, put me in front of a group of kids and I'm A-OK, adults are a different story!  Worry...

Well, bless her, I suckered my mother-in-law into letting me do a run-through last night with the ladies in our family (there are quite a few).  They said I did good and they gave me some good pointers for my own show Friday night!  Anyway...

I am still worried...
I am worried that this is going to flop.
I am worried that I shouldn't have done this.
I am worried that I'm going to get tired of doing it and not want to do it anymore.
I am worried that people aren't going to want to have parties.
I am worried that I won't have anyone that wants to be a consultant with me....

I could go on and on, but the Bible tells us in Matthew 6:31, Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed.  

This is Jesus talking!  He's is talking to us!  We are not supposed to worry about these BIG things, much less the little things!  I mean eating, drinking, and having clothes on our backs are pretty big things, but Jesus tells us don't worry about these things, He tells us in the next couple of verses that He knows that we need all of these things.  In other words, He's got this...
And in verse 33-34 He says, But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself...

If we seek Him first (daily devotions and prayer), and His kingdom (winning the lost for Him, pointing others to Him, and helping those in need) and His righteousness (being set apart so that others can see Him in us), then all of these other things will fall into place.  All the things that we worry about will seem so trivial and minute in comparison to His kingdom and His righteousness!

I thank the Lord for these reminders in His Word!  He knows just what I need and when I need it...

LIfe Lessons in Goat Showing and Matthew 20:16

Today we showed goats, well, not we but K (our 16 year old).  We loaded up the goats and all of the things needed for showing goats, which is ALOT, and we drove to a show about an hour away.  We left this morning about 8:30 and didn't get home tonight until 8:00.  Goat showing is hard work ;).

There is much preparation that goes into showing goats.  First, the goats have to be washed.  Then the goats have to be dried and all of their hair shaved off (except on their head and their legs).  These few things happen a couple of days before a show and that's just the beginning!

The day of the show we load clippers, feed, buckets, extension cords, dryers, chairs (because there is a lot of waiting and watching), a stand, and the goats into the back of the truck.  Then we drive to the show.

Once we get there we unload everything and the goats have to be washed again, so they'll be sparkly clean and pretty for the show.

Let me just tell you...all of this goat hauling around is not for the faint of heart! Goats are STUBBORN!  If you want them to go one way they want to go the other and they jump and they buck and they kick.  It's a good thing that the heaviest one we have now only weighs 88 pounds.

So we get there today and get everything unloaded, goats washed and fed and watered and then we wait.  We finished washing the goats and got them in their pen by about 12:00.  The show didn't start untill 3:00!

This is K and a friend that accompanied us to the show today! Everything is better with friends!  L was there too, I just didn't happen to get any pics of him.  He doesn't like showing goats, he'll help, but he doesn't show and I say to each his own...baseball is his thing.

We generally have a good time while we wait, we talk and joke and just chill and relax (if you can relax in a 100 degree barn).

So about 3:30 it's time for K to show in showmanship.  It's divided up by age and there were 6 people in K's age division.  The judge begins asking them questions about their goats and walking around to make sure they know what they are doing.  You see, in showmanship it's all about how you present your animal and how controlled you are.  You are supposed to keep the animal between you and the judge at all times and maintain eye contact with the judge. Well, K made one little error, just one and bless her, she came in last place.  She was really bummed.  We had a little talk about it and what she had done and what she could do different and after we sat there for a little bit (remember, there's a lot of waiting) she was fine.  

This is Katie talking to the judge before her teeny, tiny error.  

OK, so fast forward to about 5:00 and it's time to show the goats in their weight division.  This time it's about the goats, now you still have to show them, but it isn't so much about the child as it is the goat.  

Well, the goat, bless him, came in last place in his weight class.  And she doesn't just show one, she shows two.  The other goat is in a different weight class, and bless him, he comes in last place too!  

That was 3 times in last place today!  That has never, ever happened!  We usually do pretty well!  

This is K showing that same goat in his weight division.  By the time she showed the last goat we were tired and just ready to pack up that's why there aren't any pics of him.

JP had to work and my sweet mother-in-law went with us today, and as we were sitting there I just mentioned that I hate that any of these kids have to come in last place.  She looked at me and in her wisdom told me that somebody has to come in last and that is how we learn our lessons in life.

I started thinking about that.  I've really been contemplating it this evening.  The Lord gave me this verse, Matthew 20:16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.  I know that is not what this verse is referencing, but just follow me here...

Now I could bad mouth the judge and say he didn't know what he was doing (and I have been guilty of that before, well, maybe today too), or I could let the Lord teach ME a lesson!  After I got over MY hurt feelings because my baby had come in last 3 times today I started listening to the Lord. (I really am working on listening before I speak!)

I told K that she had gotten her feet knocked out from under her today, and then I asked her was she planning on showing goats again to which she replied yes.  I told her that is the way it is when we serve the Lord or when we are walking through this life.  Is it always fair, do we always deserve it? No, but sometimes we get our feet knocked out from under us.  Sometimes it's because of things we've done to ourselves and sometimes it's just life, and sometimes Satan comes along and knocks our feet out from under us.  When this happens are we supposed to just lie there and not get up and go on? NO, we need to pray and ask the Lord to help us with His mighty hand and lift us back up and set us on the Solid Rock!  His Solid Rock!  

THE SOLID ROCK

Keith W. Ward
Scientist
Coatesville, PA

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;

I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

When darkness veils His lovely face,

I rest on His unchanging grace;

In every high and stormy gale,

My anchor holds within the veil.

His oath, His covenant, His blood

Support me in the whelming flood;

When all around my soul gives way,

He then is all my hope and stay.

When He shall come with trumpet sound,

Oh, may I then in Him be found;

Dressed in His righteousness alone,

Faultless to stand before the throne.

Refrain: 

On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;

All other ground is sinking sand,

All other ground is sinking sand.

Thank you Lord for your forgiveness and Your great Mercy toward us by helping us time and time again when we need You! 

The Three Most Important Choices in Life that We Need to Teach to Our Children

I have the privilege of teaching Sunday School.  Right now I'm teaching 3-6 year olds, but up until a few months ago I was teaching the 6th-8th graders.  I love teaching the little ones, but I LOVED teaching the older kids :).  

When I was teaching the 6th-8th graders we would talk a lot about life and what the Lord expects of us in this life.

I always told them that there are 3 major decisions in life that you make that will impact the rest of your life. I just want to talk about those things today.

1.  First and foremost the most important decision you will make in your life is accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior.  Our life cannot be whole or complete without this most important step.  It doesn't matter where you come from, what you've done, who your parents are or were, or what is going on in your life, if you don't accept Jesus as your Savior your life will not be complete.  Many people try to fill their lives with many things: drugs, alcohol, sex, material things, and the list could go on and on, but they are looking to fill a void with worldly things.  That void will only be filled with: #1 Admitting that you are a sinner (Romans 8:28 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God), #2.  Asking Christ to forgive us of our sins (1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness), and #3. Asking Christ to come in to your heart and save you and develop a personal relationship with Him (Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

2.  I believe the second most important decision that we make in our life is who we marry!  I believe that the Lord knows who He has out there for us and I believe we should be teaching our children to pray about and for their future spouse. Marrying the right person is such a joy.  Serving the Lord with the ONE with whom He has chosen for you is a blessing.  Raising children is hard, I cannot imagine doing that without the right person in your life!  Does that mean it's always easy? Nope! Does that mean you won't argue, disagree, and fuss? Nope! But it does mean that we are supposed to forgive and move on and let it go! 

I believe we should teach our children to pray and let the Lord show them who they need to be with.  I don't believe that it is Biblical for children to "date around." Why do our girls and boys feel like they need to have multiple boyfriends and girlfriends?  Every time they do this they are giving away a piece of themselves.  Our culture is inundating them with the false teaching that they need to do this and we as Christian parents need to teach them different!  Filling their life with multiple relationships could quite possibly go back to the matter of the heart which is salvation.  It's OK to ask your children to tell you about when they got saved!  They could be trying to fill their hearts with the opposite sex instead of Jesus.

 JP loves to share with our children that he began praying for the Lord to send him the one that He had for him when he was around 15 years old.  It wasn't long after that that the Lord called my family to the church where JP attended (my dad is a preacher) and he said he knew when I walked in that I was the one the Lord had for him!  I wasn't as spiritual as JP and hadn't been praying for my husband, but thankfully the Lord knows what we need and answered JP's prayers, it took a little convincing for me ;) but I came around, and thank the Lord I listened.

Song of Songs 3:4 ...but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go...

3.  I believe the third most important decision that you make (for the child of God) is what you will do with the rest of your life.  

Our children (especially junior high and high school) need to be praying about what they will do with the rest of their lives.  We need grown men and women who are going to serve the Lord in their professions or, if the Lord chooses, to become preachers or missionaries!  

Our oldest will be a Junior in high school this year.  She is on the cusp of determining what the Lord would have her to do with the rest of her life.  I believe that the Lord has gifted her with certain talents and gifts with which He wants her to use.  He made her, He knows her heart and He knows that she will be amazing doing a certain task for Him!  He doesn't design our children by accident, or us for that matter.  Jeremiah 29:11 is one of my favorite verses: For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give us an expected end.  The Lord thinks about and has a special plan for us and our children, isn't that a comfort and a blessing?

I'm so glad that He loves our children and gave them to us for a while!  It is such a blessing to be a parent!

Thank you Lord!

Laundry Room, Green Beans, and Our Front Porch

JP and I are currently in the process of expanding the laundry room.  We have knocked out a wall, walled up an old doorway, replaced sheetrock in the ceiling and on the walls where the wall was knocked out.  After we patched all of that with the sheetrock I TRIED to tape and mud!  Let me just say...I'M NO GOOD AT MUDDING!  And unfortunately niether is JP!  So we are looking for somebody local to help us out!  My kitchen has been taken over by laundry room STUFF!  I can't wait to finish it up and share our pics!  I did scrape the popcorn off of the ceiling this morning and let me tell you, it was a HUGE mess!  I despise popcorn ceilings, but I don't know if I don't hate scraping them worse!  

After I finished scraping the ceiling I jumped in the pool while JP went to the garden (don't judge, I hate the garden).  I've been putting up more squash and peppers and some green beans. 

 I haven't shared with you how I put up green  beans so I thought I'd do that.  JP snapped them into 1-2 inch pieces and pulled the strings off of them (when you snap them you'll notice the strings, just pull them off and toss them to the side along with the ends).  

This year I'm freezing them in Zip-Lock bags.  In order to do that I simply place them in a pot, cover them with water and bring them to a boil.  When they have boiled for a couple of minutes I turn off the heat, let them cool, put them in the bags and place them in the freezer!  Easy cheesy!

I wanted to share a few pics of my porch with you too!  Last year I took my great-grandmother's bed and made it into a porch bed/seat!  I wouldn't have done it but the bed was broken and not fixable.  I left the headboard in tact, cut the foot board in half and used it as the sides.  I had another full size bed that was broken (we are really rough on beds around here) and I used it as the seat.  I reinforced it with braces in the middle on the front and back.  Then I mixed up my own chalk paint, painted it, sanded it off in places, and put a stain over the chalk paint (I love the look of this, it gives it a glazed look).  

My sister-in-law gave me an old baby bed mattress and I used a sheet, and some pillows to finish off the look.

The desk was my JP's grandfather's as was the black cabinet in the corner.  

I bought the accessories at various places around town (my favorite is the lantern that I purchased at Burke's), the flower pots came from Lowe's and so did the flowers :), and JP's cousin made the door hanger.  I made the sign by the front door. 

  And I made the cross in the flower pot!

Thanks for stopping by again today!  May the Lord bless you!

Raising Up Children!

It's a different day in time that we live in.  The problems our children face are not necessarily completely different than the problems we face they just faced them earlier and in different ways.  They have access to so many things and so much information right at their fingertips.  

I will never understand the parents that allow their children on social media sites and they themselves are not on those sights.  JP and I do all we can to stay up-to-date with the postings and sites that our children visit.  I'm not going to say that they won't post/do things that we don't know about but it won't be because we weren't trying to be vigilant about their doings.
I know as Christian parents we want our children to remain Holy and Pure before the Lord until their wedding day!  We say these things and yet we allow them to be in situations where they might lose their purity. Whether that be through social media or physically.

I don't know why, we as parents, are afraid to tell our children no.  Are we afraid that they won't like us?  Well, if they like us all of the time we are doing something wrong!  Are we trying to be the "cool parent"?  Let me tell you, you can be cool and remain strict at the same time, just look at me!  No, I'm just kidding, but I do know of a guidebook that is the best tool to use in rearing children and that is the Bible!  

If we would use the verses in the Bible that guide us and lead us in child rearing the world would be so much better off!  If we would just use the Bible for EVERYTHING in our lives we would be better off!

Just last week we had the privilege of taking several of the youth from our church on a mission/youth trip.  On our last night there one of the chaperones shared his personal testimony.  It was so powerful that the girls went up to their room to talk and share.  One of them was struggling and one of the other girls asked her if, when she died, and she stood before the Lord was she going to explain to Him that she was so busy worrying about what her friends thought that she couldn't serve Him and live for Him?  

That is the question we need to be asking ourselves about our own children and our relationship with the Lord (one day we will give an answer as to how we raised our children that He entrusted us with).  Are we so busy trying to make them happy that we don't care what the Lord says about raising them?

I recently bought the book Growing Up Duggar for our 16 year old daughter.  (I'm reading it before I give it to her :) ).  In the book they talk about a girl who was longing for her father to care about her.  She felt he didn't care because he never checked out the boys whom she was going out with.  (p. 25-26; Growing Up Duggar)  http://www.amazon.com/Growing-Up-Duggar-About-Relationships/dp/1451679165/ref=sr_1_1/181-2204313-3054216?ie=UTF8&qid=1404829109&sr=8-1&keywords=growing+up+duggar+book

Our kids are begging for attention and to know that they have parents, not best friends!  It's hard! We fall short so many times, we pray continuously for guidance and help!  

The Bible says in Proverbs 22:6 to "Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.  If we train our child to serve the Lord and do good, the Bible promises that they will not depart from that training.  I also believe in turn that if we train our children to be selfish, manipulative, and ungrateful they will not depart from that either.

Here are several more verses about child rearing, don't give up, if you are parents of teenagers (like we are) it's extremely difficult.  We believe the Bible precepts that are taught and if they are taught consistently and enforced consistently you CAN NOT go wrong! The Bible promises that!!

Ephesians 6:4 - And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Proverbs 29:15 - The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left [to himself] bringeth his mother to shame.

Proverbs 23:13-14 - Withhold not correction from the child: for [if] thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.  Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.

Colossians 3:20 - Children, obey [your] parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.

Proverbs 29:17 - Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.

Proverbs 22:15 - Foolishness [is] bound in the heart of a child; [but] the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

Psalms 127:3 - Lo, children [are] an heritage of the LORD: [and] the fruit of the womb [is his] reward.

Proverbs 13:24 - He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.