Was that an awesome service yesterday or what Gals?!?! I don't know that I have cried like that in years...before I get started this morning, I just want us to praise God for what He is doing in our lives...we just need to stop what we are doing today and let Him know how thankful we are for His love and His guidance in our lives...God is so good! Again, words don't have the capacity for us to tell Him just how much we love Him do they? Happy Monday Ladies...it's a new week and a new beginning! Let's get started!
Acts 5:27-42
(Paraphrased)
The Apostles were brought to the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the High Priest. He said,"We gave you strict orders not to teach in His Name! Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man's blood." Peter and the other Apostle's replied," We must obey God rather than men!" The God of our fathers raised Jesus from the dead-whom you had killed by hanging Him on a tree!" God exalted Him to His own right hand as Prince and Savior that He might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.
When they heard this they were furious and wanted them put to death. But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. Then he answered them:"Men of Israel consider carefully, what you intend to do to these men. Sometime ago Theudas appreared, claiming to be somebody, and about 400 men rallied to him. He was killed and all his followers were dispersed and it all came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people to revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God."
His speech persuaded them. They called the Apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the Name of Jesus and let them go.
The Apostles left the Sanhedrin rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ!!!!!
AMEN to that!!!
Reflection:
Who are some of the people that have had the greatest influence on your life, and what do you most respect about them?
Name one or two of the best pieces fo Godly advice you've ever received. What has God enabled you to do (or protected you from doing) as a result of knowing and applying this?
One of the most awesome and wonderful concepts about the Word of God concerns the plan that He has for our lives. In Galatians 1:15, Paul descibed God as the One "who from my mother's womb set me apart and called me by His grace." YES! God had a plan for Saul from birth. Nothing in the young man's life would be a waste unless he refused to let God use it.
It's no wonder that Saul took a seat in the classroom of the rabbi Gamaliel, grandson of the great Hillel-names of considerable importance in the history of Judaism. Gamaliel continues to be so highly esteemed. He was referred to by the Jews as, "the beauty of the law."
All of Saul's religious training, his countless hours spent in Scripture and study, and his brilliance in spiritual matters would all be parts of God's ornate plan. God would use what Saul learned at the feet of Gamaliel, who was "clearly a remarkable man, the first to whom the title Rabban (Master) was given."
He was almost liberal in comparison to many of his contemporaries. Bighearted, wise, and open-minded, Gamaliel had been raised on the teachings of his grandfather Hillel, whose words often had a remarkable similarity to the Greatest Rabboni who would ever live, Jesus Christ. "Judge not thy neighbor until thou art in his place;...my abasement is my exaltation; he who wishes to make a name for himself loses his name;...what is unpleasnat to thyself that do not to thy neighbor; this is the whole Law, all else is but its exposition. Do those words sound familiar girls? God in His wonderful wisdom made sure that the law was taught to Saul with a touch of rare grace.
God included a sample of Gamamliel's teachings in the passage we read from Acts 5. During the early days of the young church, the Jewish officials wanted to put the Apostles to death but Gamaliel advised them: "Stay away from these men! Leave them alone! For if this plan is the work of men, it will be overthrown, but if it is the work of God then you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even be found fighting against God! (vs. 38-39)
Obviously, Saul sat at the feet of one of Judaism's most grace-filled teachers.
Let's pray:
We love You Lord and we are so thankful to be a part of Your work Father. How honored we are for Your love and Your mercy. Knowing that You have Your mighty hand on our lives is more than our small minds can wrap around. Just being able to serve You is more than we deserve but to be able to do Your work and lead others to You is above and beyond what we can comprehend. We praise You! We love You! Lead us Lord, guide us Father, show us what You would have us to do to glorify Your Name... All of these things we ask in Your precious and Holy Name!
Amen!
I love you Girlies and I am praying for you all today!!
In Him We Remain,
Shana
Monday, February 28, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
Frugal Friday!!
CHOCOLATE CHIP ZUCCHINI BREAD:
1-1/4 CUP SUGAR
3 EGGS
2/3 CUP APPLESAUCE
1/3 CUP OIL
1 TSP VANILLA
2 CUPS WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR
1 CUP WHITE FLOUR
1 TSP SALT
1 TSP BAKING SODA
1TSP BAKING POWDER
1TSP CINNAMON
2 CUPS SHREDDED ZUCCHINI
1 CUP MINI CHOCOLATE CHIPS
1 CUP CHOPPED NUTS (OPTIONAL)
BEAT SUGAR, EGGS, APPLESAUCE, OIL AND VANILLA TOGETHER. BLEND IN DRY INGREDIENTS TOGETHER. STIR IN ZUCCHINI, NUTS AND CHOCOLATE CHIPS. POUR INTO TWO GREASED LOAF PANS. BAKE FOR 50-60 MINUTES AT 350 DEGREES.
ENJOY!
1-1/4 CUP SUGAR
3 EGGS
2/3 CUP APPLESAUCE
1/3 CUP OIL
1 TSP VANILLA
2 CUPS WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR
1 CUP WHITE FLOUR
1 TSP SALT
1 TSP BAKING SODA
1TSP BAKING POWDER
1TSP CINNAMON
2 CUPS SHREDDED ZUCCHINI
1 CUP MINI CHOCOLATE CHIPS
1 CUP CHOPPED NUTS (OPTIONAL)
BEAT SUGAR, EGGS, APPLESAUCE, OIL AND VANILLA TOGETHER. BLEND IN DRY INGREDIENTS TOGETHER. STIR IN ZUCCHINI, NUTS AND CHOCOLATE CHIPS. POUR INTO TWO GREASED LOAF PANS. BAKE FOR 50-60 MINUTES AT 350 DEGREES.
ENJOY!
Monday, February 21, 2011
Happy Monday!
Happy Monday! I just could not wait to get up and get movin' this morning! I am so excited to learn more about Paul with you girls! Let's continue to pray for each other and our families this week...we all have alot to be in prayer about don't we...I am thankful we have Jesus to go to with those prayer requests aren't you? I can't imagine not having Him, Grace Baptist Church, or you all...Let's get started...Ready?
Acts 21:37-22:3
Paul Speaks to the Crowd
As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander, "May I say something to you?" "Do you speak Greek?" he replied. "Aren't you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the desert some time ago?" Paul answered," I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people." Having recieved the commanders permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. When they were all silent, he said to them in Aramaic. "Brothers and fathers, listen now in my defense." When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic they became very quiet. Then Paul said, " I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. Under Gamaliel I was thoroughly trained in the law of our fathers and was just as zealous for God as any of you are today.
Reflection:
Looking back, what are some of the things you misunderstood about Christian life and practice, things you were once adamant about but have since plastered over with grace?
Why are legalism and judgmentalism such safe havens for us? What is it about them- what do they provide us- that we keep going back for?
Although Saul's education in a Pharisee's home was probably typical, his response to this instruction was certainly atypical. We might say, " He took to it like a duck to water."
Saul was an excetpional student. Hebrew fathers were not notorious gushers, so his father probably didn't brag on him alot. Yet he no doubt considered the wisest approach for Saul's future, not unlike a modern father looking for the best University for his gifted son. In the search for the best continuing Jewish education, he set his sights on Jersusalem, the homeland-the fountain of Jewish learning.
Mixed emotions must have filled the heart of the young man as he prepared for the journey to Jerusalem. Like most teenage boys, his emotions probably swung to the same extremes as his changing voice. Like any 13 year old going so far from home, he was probably scared to death. Yet as a Jewish 13 year old he was considered a man. He packed his bags with articles foreign to us but common to the ancient Jew: prayer shawls, phylacteries, sacred writings, and customary clothing. He probably didn't gaze with affection over familiar contents in his room prior to leaving. The Jew was not given to domestic decor and did not believe in images on the walls.
All his life Saul had heard about Jerusalem. His father probably made the journey often. Three annual feasts beckoned Jewish men from near and far to the city of Zion. A proper Pharisee traveled to Jerusalem for the annual Passover Feast. Saul likely stayed home and watched over the family affairs while picturing the busy streets and solemn assemblies of the sacred city. Saul probably devoured every story his father told about Jerusalem upon his arrival home. Now it was his turn.
Mose assuredly, Saul's father sought a Jewish traveling companion for his young son, someone who could provide proper supervision as the young student traveled from Tarsus to Jerusalem. As Saul boarded the boat at the docks of Tarsus, he had no idea just how familiar the nauseating heaving of a sea vessel would ultimately become to him. The boat sailed almost due south as Saul gazed at the ancient coastal cities of Sidon and Tyre in the distance. After several rather unpleasant days on board, he probably arrived at the port of Caesarea with a chronic case of sea legs. There he exchanged rubbery limbs for the peculiar soreness of riding on the back of a beast over rough country. 35 miles later, he caught his first glimpses of the city set on a hill-Jerusalem, the City of David.
Young Saul's eyes beheld far more cosmopolitan city than had his ancestors. Just a few decades prior to Saul's visit, Herod the Great sought the favor of the Jewish populace by rebuilding not just the temple but the entire city of Jerusalem. The desert sun danced on city walls built of Jerusalem limestone. Saul probably dismounted just before the city gate. The elders sitting at the gate looked up only long enough to notice the young traveler. No heathen was he. Noting his age, they probably nodded with approval over his father's obvious choice of further education- a budding Rabbi no doubt. Just inside the gate, Saul cast his eyes on the impressive fruit of Herod's labors:a large theater, a palace, an ampitheater, a hippodrome for horse and chariot races, imposing fortified towers, and probably perfectly blended architecture. But all this paled in comparison to the structure on top of the hill- Herod's Temple. Herod rebuilt the temple bigger and better than its predecessor. Huge, richly ornamented white stones mounted upon another created a lavish feast for the eyes. Young Saul witnessed one of the most magnificent buildings in the entire world.
Saul probably ran up the main street of Jerusalem to the house of the Lord. He surely conjured up pictures of King David dancing around that very street. He hurried up the many stairs to greet magnificent porches surrounding the entire enclosure. Then he walked to a wall, one that held tremendous significance for the Jew, but one that would hold far more significance for a Jew who would ultimately become the world's most renowned missionary to the Gentiles.
When from a prison cell in Ephesus, Paul wrote that Christ had broken down the wall that seperates Jew and Gentile, the apostle was not simply referring to a figurative wall of partition. He was referring to an imposing structure he had faced on the temple grounds as an adolescent many years before. Being raised in a Gentile City, young Saul had no problem reading the noticeds inscribed in Greek and Latin. This literal middle wall of partition in the temple forbade access of the defiling heathen into the inner sanctuaries of the house of God. As a young man born into a postition of religious privelage, he stood a little taller- as he read those words. What a contrast of emotions he would feel many years later as he came to despise the prejudice of those who would not recognize the wall crumbled by the cross. To them Saul would write,"For He is our peace, who hath made both [Jew and Gentile] one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us."
Even with our clear understanding that God has accepted us by grace through faith, do you all still find yourself appealing to Him on the basis of your good works and best efforts? How can freedom in Christ coexist with a zealously disciplined lifestyle?
Happy Monday girlies!! I know this one was a little long...but so necessary!
Love you so much!
In Him I Remain,
Shana
Acts 21:37-22:3
Paul Speaks to the Crowd
As the soldiers were about to take Paul into the barracks, he asked the commander, "May I say something to you?" "Do you speak Greek?" he replied. "Aren't you the Egyptian who started a revolt and led four thousand terrorists out into the desert some time ago?" Paul answered," I am a Jew, from Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no ordinary city. Please let me speak to the people." Having recieved the commanders permission, Paul stood on the steps and motioned to the crowd. When they were all silent, he said to them in Aramaic. "Brothers and fathers, listen now in my defense." When they heard him speak to them in Aramaic they became very quiet. Then Paul said, " I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city. Under Gamaliel I was thoroughly trained in the law of our fathers and was just as zealous for God as any of you are today.
Reflection:
Looking back, what are some of the things you misunderstood about Christian life and practice, things you were once adamant about but have since plastered over with grace?
Why are legalism and judgmentalism such safe havens for us? What is it about them- what do they provide us- that we keep going back for?
Although Saul's education in a Pharisee's home was probably typical, his response to this instruction was certainly atypical. We might say, " He took to it like a duck to water."
Saul was an excetpional student. Hebrew fathers were not notorious gushers, so his father probably didn't brag on him alot. Yet he no doubt considered the wisest approach for Saul's future, not unlike a modern father looking for the best University for his gifted son. In the search for the best continuing Jewish education, he set his sights on Jersusalem, the homeland-the fountain of Jewish learning.
Mixed emotions must have filled the heart of the young man as he prepared for the journey to Jerusalem. Like most teenage boys, his emotions probably swung to the same extremes as his changing voice. Like any 13 year old going so far from home, he was probably scared to death. Yet as a Jewish 13 year old he was considered a man. He packed his bags with articles foreign to us but common to the ancient Jew: prayer shawls, phylacteries, sacred writings, and customary clothing. He probably didn't gaze with affection over familiar contents in his room prior to leaving. The Jew was not given to domestic decor and did not believe in images on the walls.
All his life Saul had heard about Jerusalem. His father probably made the journey often. Three annual feasts beckoned Jewish men from near and far to the city of Zion. A proper Pharisee traveled to Jerusalem for the annual Passover Feast. Saul likely stayed home and watched over the family affairs while picturing the busy streets and solemn assemblies of the sacred city. Saul probably devoured every story his father told about Jerusalem upon his arrival home. Now it was his turn.
Mose assuredly, Saul's father sought a Jewish traveling companion for his young son, someone who could provide proper supervision as the young student traveled from Tarsus to Jerusalem. As Saul boarded the boat at the docks of Tarsus, he had no idea just how familiar the nauseating heaving of a sea vessel would ultimately become to him. The boat sailed almost due south as Saul gazed at the ancient coastal cities of Sidon and Tyre in the distance. After several rather unpleasant days on board, he probably arrived at the port of Caesarea with a chronic case of sea legs. There he exchanged rubbery limbs for the peculiar soreness of riding on the back of a beast over rough country. 35 miles later, he caught his first glimpses of the city set on a hill-Jerusalem, the City of David.
Young Saul's eyes beheld far more cosmopolitan city than had his ancestors. Just a few decades prior to Saul's visit, Herod the Great sought the favor of the Jewish populace by rebuilding not just the temple but the entire city of Jerusalem. The desert sun danced on city walls built of Jerusalem limestone. Saul probably dismounted just before the city gate. The elders sitting at the gate looked up only long enough to notice the young traveler. No heathen was he. Noting his age, they probably nodded with approval over his father's obvious choice of further education- a budding Rabbi no doubt. Just inside the gate, Saul cast his eyes on the impressive fruit of Herod's labors:a large theater, a palace, an ampitheater, a hippodrome for horse and chariot races, imposing fortified towers, and probably perfectly blended architecture. But all this paled in comparison to the structure on top of the hill- Herod's Temple. Herod rebuilt the temple bigger and better than its predecessor. Huge, richly ornamented white stones mounted upon another created a lavish feast for the eyes. Young Saul witnessed one of the most magnificent buildings in the entire world.
Saul probably ran up the main street of Jerusalem to the house of the Lord. He surely conjured up pictures of King David dancing around that very street. He hurried up the many stairs to greet magnificent porches surrounding the entire enclosure. Then he walked to a wall, one that held tremendous significance for the Jew, but one that would hold far more significance for a Jew who would ultimately become the world's most renowned missionary to the Gentiles.
When from a prison cell in Ephesus, Paul wrote that Christ had broken down the wall that seperates Jew and Gentile, the apostle was not simply referring to a figurative wall of partition. He was referring to an imposing structure he had faced on the temple grounds as an adolescent many years before. Being raised in a Gentile City, young Saul had no problem reading the noticeds inscribed in Greek and Latin. This literal middle wall of partition in the temple forbade access of the defiling heathen into the inner sanctuaries of the house of God. As a young man born into a postition of religious privelage, he stood a little taller- as he read those words. What a contrast of emotions he would feel many years later as he came to despise the prejudice of those who would not recognize the wall crumbled by the cross. To them Saul would write,"For He is our peace, who hath made both [Jew and Gentile] one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us."
Even with our clear understanding that God has accepted us by grace through faith, do you all still find yourself appealing to Him on the basis of your good works and best efforts? How can freedom in Christ coexist with a zealously disciplined lifestyle?
Happy Monday girlies!! I know this one was a little long...but so necessary!
Love you so much!
In Him I Remain,
Shana
Friday, February 18, 2011
Frugal Friday!!
Better late than never! Sorry Gals...it was a long, long, long day....
Just saw this today...I don't do laundry but my Roy does and we'll see how well it works...
Fabric sheet smell for less...
Wet a washcloth with a 1/3 cup of fabric softener (we use Gain Island Fresh..I had to go look :))
throw in the dryer with your clothes. On each load re-wet the washcloth, this should last for at least 4 more loads..hmmm....I'll let ya know...apparently we use the liquid AND the dryer sheets...didn't know that...
Just a tip:
Plastic wrap untangling tip...leave it in the freezer and it won't cling together when you tear it from the roll...I do this on my freezer days...works great!
Frugal recipe:
Save your potato peels!
After peeling your washed potatoes, pat dry and place in a heavy skillet with about a 1/4 inch of oil, let heat to at least 350 degrees and fry up in batches. Makes great homemade potato chips and you get all the extra fiber and vitamins from the skins, add salt after removing from the oil...enjoy...I like mine "xtra" crunchy...:)
Love you ladies!
In Him I Remain,
Shana
Just saw this today...I don't do laundry but my Roy does and we'll see how well it works...
Fabric sheet smell for less...
Wet a washcloth with a 1/3 cup of fabric softener (we use Gain Island Fresh..I had to go look :))
throw in the dryer with your clothes. On each load re-wet the washcloth, this should last for at least 4 more loads..hmmm....I'll let ya know...apparently we use the liquid AND the dryer sheets...didn't know that...
Just a tip:
Plastic wrap untangling tip...leave it in the freezer and it won't cling together when you tear it from the roll...I do this on my freezer days...works great!
Frugal recipe:
Save your potato peels!
After peeling your washed potatoes, pat dry and place in a heavy skillet with about a 1/4 inch of oil, let heat to at least 350 degrees and fry up in batches. Makes great homemade potato chips and you get all the extra fiber and vitamins from the skins, add salt after removing from the oil...enjoy...I like mine "xtra" crunchy...:)
Love you ladies!
In Him I Remain,
Shana
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Thankful Thursday!
A whole week without "thankfuls".......What's up with that????? So sorry...
1161. a week's worth of thanksgiving!
1162. JC and the trip!
1163. JC's LOVE for Sydney!
1164. getting to travel with JC
1165. a yard FULL of robins!
1166. paper snowflakes ( a reminder to enjoy whatever season we are in)
1167. Dove chocolate (who said candy fast?)
1168. Kim
1169. Diana
1170. Mine Shana!
1171. Dollar store drier sheets ;)
1172. lasagna
1173. kid's dinner night!
1174. Sydney riding her bike!
1175. "chocolate" footprints ;)
Love you much! Don't forget to leave JC some comments! Try to everyday - please and thank you!
In Christ,
Sandy
1161. a week's worth of thanksgiving!
1162. JC and the trip!
1163. JC's LOVE for Sydney!
1164. getting to travel with JC
1165. a yard FULL of robins!
1166. paper snowflakes ( a reminder to enjoy whatever season we are in)
1167. Dove chocolate (who said candy fast?)
1168. Kim
1169. Diana
1170. Mine Shana!
1171. Dollar store drier sheets ;)
1172. lasagna
1173. kid's dinner night!
1174. Sydney riding her bike!
1175. "chocolate" footprints ;)
Love you much! Don't forget to leave JC some comments! Try to everyday - please and thank you!
In Christ,
Sandy
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
The second time......
JC's new blog........Going Back With God - Again!
Please leave him some words of encouragement and most importantly keep him in your prayers.
Love you much!
In Christ,
Sandy
Please leave him some words of encouragement and most importantly keep him in your prayers.
Love you much!
In Christ,
Sandy
Monday, February 14, 2011
Happy Monday!
Happy Monday Girlies!
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Hear O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your strength. The commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Reflection:
In what ways do you (or could you) keep the truth of the Scripture more readily available and accessible to you throughout the day?
What have been some of the greatest benefits of memorizing Scripture? How has God used His internalized Word in both dramatic and everyday fashion?
Saul was 13 years old he was considered a son of the law. Like an adult Jew he assumed all the religious responsibilities. During his morning prayers he started wearing phylacteries, called tefillin, during weekday morning prayers. Phylacteries are made up of two black leather cubes with long leather straps. Each cube held certain passages from the Torah written on strips of parchment. Saul wore one of the cubes on his left are facing his heart. The other cube was placed in the center of his forehead. The leather straps on the left arm were wound precisely seven times around his arm.
Code of Jewish Law prescribed that a Jewish man 13 years or older was to put on the tefillin at the first moment in the morning when enough daylight was present to recognize a neighbor at a distance of four cubits. Perhaps these practices seem very strange to us but we should appreciate their attempt to interpret Scripture as literally as they knew how.
Exodus 13:9 says annual observance of the Feast of Unleavened Bread was to "serve as a sign for you on your hand and as a reminder on your froehead, so that the law of the Lord may be in your mouth." You can see that for the strict Jew, the phylacteries were a literal act of obedience.
The left arm was chosen because it was ordinarily the weaker. They were to wear God's Word as a banner and shield over their weakness. We don't practice the outward espression of the jew, but we are wise to share the inward principle.
Saul would have placed the phylacteries around his forehead and arm in total silence. If interrupted while putting on the phylacteries on any given morning, he would have started the procedure all over again, repeating the appropriate benedictions. You see girls...a 13 year old Hebrew boy could not even get up out of the bed in the morning without remembering who he belonged to. As he wound the straps of the phylacteries around his head and arm, he was reminded of his binding relationship to his Creator. Soberly he assumed the responsibility of the one associated with God. The Law of the Lord was his life.
This really made me think this morning. I haven't been waking up in the morning remembering who that I belong to. Do you girls? Shamefully, I get up in the morning and just try to make it to the coffee pot quietly so that I don't wake up the kids, my main concern is just gettin through the first hour of my day without having to speak to anyone...I am NOT a morning person...
How do we bind ourselves like Saul did? He wound the straps of the phylacteries around his head and arm, as a reminder of his binding relationship to his Creator. It was a deliberate conscious effort everyday...Since we have started our Bible in 90 days, I have felt like I have made a deliberate conscious effort, till now...as soon as I am done reading...I move on to the next "task" of the day...God is more than a "task" that needs to be read or completed.
Psalm 19:10- They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.
God's Word is more desirable to us than gold, sweeter than honey...even sweeter than honey from the comb! We will stay hungry for it! We will be faithful also to share it with others, with our children! God said, " Teach a youth about the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it" ( Proverbs 22:6).
Let's pray together this morning:
Heavenly Father, we love you Lord! You are sweeter than honey from the comb to us Lord. We hunger for you continually...help us Father to seek you first thing in our mornings. As soon as our eyes open Lord, let us remember to whom we belong. Help us to stay in your word and teach it to our children and help us to be faithful to share it with others also Lord. Watch over us this week, keep us safe and healthy Jesus...Your so precious to us Father that words don't have the capacity to explain the love we have for You...in Your Holy Name we pray...AMEN...
I love you girls...don't you all forget that!
In Him WE Remain,
Shana
Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Hear O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your strength. The commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Reflection:
In what ways do you (or could you) keep the truth of the Scripture more readily available and accessible to you throughout the day?
What have been some of the greatest benefits of memorizing Scripture? How has God used His internalized Word in both dramatic and everyday fashion?
Saul was 13 years old he was considered a son of the law. Like an adult Jew he assumed all the religious responsibilities. During his morning prayers he started wearing phylacteries, called tefillin, during weekday morning prayers. Phylacteries are made up of two black leather cubes with long leather straps. Each cube held certain passages from the Torah written on strips of parchment. Saul wore one of the cubes on his left are facing his heart. The other cube was placed in the center of his forehead. The leather straps on the left arm were wound precisely seven times around his arm.
Code of Jewish Law prescribed that a Jewish man 13 years or older was to put on the tefillin at the first moment in the morning when enough daylight was present to recognize a neighbor at a distance of four cubits. Perhaps these practices seem very strange to us but we should appreciate their attempt to interpret Scripture as literally as they knew how.
Exodus 13:9 says annual observance of the Feast of Unleavened Bread was to "serve as a sign for you on your hand and as a reminder on your froehead, so that the law of the Lord may be in your mouth." You can see that for the strict Jew, the phylacteries were a literal act of obedience.
The left arm was chosen because it was ordinarily the weaker. They were to wear God's Word as a banner and shield over their weakness. We don't practice the outward espression of the jew, but we are wise to share the inward principle.
Saul would have placed the phylacteries around his forehead and arm in total silence. If interrupted while putting on the phylacteries on any given morning, he would have started the procedure all over again, repeating the appropriate benedictions. You see girls...a 13 year old Hebrew boy could not even get up out of the bed in the morning without remembering who he belonged to. As he wound the straps of the phylacteries around his head and arm, he was reminded of his binding relationship to his Creator. Soberly he assumed the responsibility of the one associated with God. The Law of the Lord was his life.
This really made me think this morning. I haven't been waking up in the morning remembering who that I belong to. Do you girls? Shamefully, I get up in the morning and just try to make it to the coffee pot quietly so that I don't wake up the kids, my main concern is just gettin through the first hour of my day without having to speak to anyone...I am NOT a morning person...
How do we bind ourselves like Saul did? He wound the straps of the phylacteries around his head and arm, as a reminder of his binding relationship to his Creator. It was a deliberate conscious effort everyday...Since we have started our Bible in 90 days, I have felt like I have made a deliberate conscious effort, till now...as soon as I am done reading...I move on to the next "task" of the day...God is more than a "task" that needs to be read or completed.
Psalm 19:10- They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb.
God's Word is more desirable to us than gold, sweeter than honey...even sweeter than honey from the comb! We will stay hungry for it! We will be faithful also to share it with others, with our children! God said, " Teach a youth about the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it" ( Proverbs 22:6).
Let's pray together this morning:
Heavenly Father, we love you Lord! You are sweeter than honey from the comb to us Lord. We hunger for you continually...help us Father to seek you first thing in our mornings. As soon as our eyes open Lord, let us remember to whom we belong. Help us to stay in your word and teach it to our children and help us to be faithful to share it with others also Lord. Watch over us this week, keep us safe and healthy Jesus...Your so precious to us Father that words don't have the capacity to explain the love we have for You...in Your Holy Name we pray...AMEN...
I love you girls...don't you all forget that!
In Him WE Remain,
Shana
Friday, February 11, 2011
Frugal Friday!!
Chewy Granola Bars
4 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup of honey (I use 3/4 cup)
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups miature semisweet chocolate chips
* You can add any combo of chips,( I am going to try PB chips next time), sunflower seeds, raisins, chopped dried fruits, M&M's,chopped nuts, etc.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly greased a 9x13 inch pan.
In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, flour, baking soda, vanilla, butter, honey and brown sugar. Stir in chips or other combo of ingredients.
Lightly press into pan and bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes then cut into bars. Let bars cool completely in pan before removing or serving.(That's a joke in my house...the kids have them eaten before they ever cool! )
Love you ladies!
In Him I Remain,
Shana
4 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup of honey (I use 3/4 cup)
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups miature semisweet chocolate chips
* You can add any combo of chips,( I am going to try PB chips next time), sunflower seeds, raisins, chopped dried fruits, M&M's,chopped nuts, etc.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly greased a 9x13 inch pan.
In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, flour, baking soda, vanilla, butter, honey and brown sugar. Stir in chips or other combo of ingredients.
Lightly press into pan and bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes then cut into bars. Let bars cool completely in pan before removing or serving.(That's a joke in my house...the kids have them eaten before they ever cool! )
Love you ladies!
In Him I Remain,
Shana
Monday, February 7, 2011
Happy Mondays with Paul!
Wow!! What a weekend Girlies!! I have to say that I am super unorganized right now and I am going to blame that on my Roy...since he came home I have wanted to do nothing but spend time with him! I have let so many important housewifey things go that this week I will be one busy Momma! Anyway..I am praying that you all are more organized than your sister! So, I am oober excited to start on our new devotional on Paul! Let's get started shall we?
Genesis 17:1-11
When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him and said," I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers. Abram fell facedown, and God said to him,"As for Me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God." Then God said to Abraham, "As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between you and Me."
Reflection:
You may or may not come from a family line of Christian belief. But what value do you place on religious heritage? What do we give up by living only in the present?
What role do ceremony and tradition play in your family's life, especially your life of faith? How have you been blessed by keeping these spiritual markers over the years?
Pauls journey of faith:
Paul grew up in an orthodox Jewish home in a Gentile City. The Bible gives us only a few pieces of info about his upbringing, but based on these tidbits, we may draw a number of conclusions.
I like to imagine Paul as a little newborn baby boy...(drawing from Scripture and Jewish code of law)
Eight days had passed since his birth. Today would be his Berit Milah, an infant boys first initiation into Judaism. There is a small house full of people, the father, a Pharisee and Roman Citizen, was an impressive man. He was one of the few men in the community who seemed to command a certain amount of respect from both Jew and Gentile. When the family all arrives the ceremony begins. The father leans over the sandek (the Jewish Godfather) to oversee the circumcision of his beloved son. He then hands the knife to the mohel (the most expert circumcisor in Tarsus). Circumcision. The father could not help but smile as he competed with his wailing son for the attention of the quorum as the spoke the benediction, "Who hath sanctified us by His commandments and hath commanded us to bring him into the covenant of our father Abraham." With the exception of the sandek, all who gathered stood for the ceremony and responded to this benediction with the words,"Just as he has been initiated into the covenant, so may he be initiated in to the study of the Torah, to his nuptial (marriage)canopy, and to the performance of good deeds." The child laying on the sandek's lap was yet another piece of tangible evidence that God was faithful to a thousand generations. He cradled the child with a moments comfort and then handed him to his father, who's voice resonated throughout the candlelit home, "His name is Saul!!"
Girls...girls...girls...need I say more? This was such a powerful devotional for me...this little baby boy, a mere 8 days old...think of what he would do in his lifetime...
I love you girls! Happy, Happy Monday!
I praise God for you all today!
In Him I Remain,
Shana
Genesis 17:1-11
When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him and said," I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless. I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers. Abram fell facedown, and God said to him,"As for Me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God." Then God said to Abraham, "As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between you and Me."
Reflection:
You may or may not come from a family line of Christian belief. But what value do you place on religious heritage? What do we give up by living only in the present?
What role do ceremony and tradition play in your family's life, especially your life of faith? How have you been blessed by keeping these spiritual markers over the years?
Pauls journey of faith:
Paul grew up in an orthodox Jewish home in a Gentile City. The Bible gives us only a few pieces of info about his upbringing, but based on these tidbits, we may draw a number of conclusions.
I like to imagine Paul as a little newborn baby boy...(drawing from Scripture and Jewish code of law)
Eight days had passed since his birth. Today would be his Berit Milah, an infant boys first initiation into Judaism. There is a small house full of people, the father, a Pharisee and Roman Citizen, was an impressive man. He was one of the few men in the community who seemed to command a certain amount of respect from both Jew and Gentile. When the family all arrives the ceremony begins. The father leans over the sandek (the Jewish Godfather) to oversee the circumcision of his beloved son. He then hands the knife to the mohel (the most expert circumcisor in Tarsus). Circumcision. The father could not help but smile as he competed with his wailing son for the attention of the quorum as the spoke the benediction, "Who hath sanctified us by His commandments and hath commanded us to bring him into the covenant of our father Abraham." With the exception of the sandek, all who gathered stood for the ceremony and responded to this benediction with the words,"Just as he has been initiated into the covenant, so may he be initiated in to the study of the Torah, to his nuptial (marriage)canopy, and to the performance of good deeds." The child laying on the sandek's lap was yet another piece of tangible evidence that God was faithful to a thousand generations. He cradled the child with a moments comfort and then handed him to his father, who's voice resonated throughout the candlelit home, "His name is Saul!!"
Girls...girls...girls...need I say more? This was such a powerful devotional for me...this little baby boy, a mere 8 days old...think of what he would do in his lifetime...
I love you girls! Happy, Happy Monday!
I praise God for you all today!
In Him I Remain,
Shana
Multitudes on Mondays
Since mine Shana is very busy I thought I would go ahead with Monday!
1141. a red sky
1142. the book of Esther
1143. a black cat on the porch rail
1144. the ticking of a clock
1145. I am not my own
1146. cold fingertips
1147. heartfelt prayers
1148. offers of help
1149. work to do
1150. another day to try again....
Love and prayers....
In Christ,
Sandy
Friday, February 4, 2011
Frugal Friday!!
I love this one!
Homemade Cheez-Its
1 cup Flour
3/4 tsp. salt
4 tbls. cold butter
2 cups extra sharp chedder cheese
3 tbls. water
Blend all ingredients except cheese and then add cheese 1/2 cup at a time and add 1 tbls. of water at a time until it forms a chunky dough. Form into a ball and chill for at least an hour, roll out dough to 1/8 inch thickness and cut into squares or use little cookie cutters, be creative ladies!
Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Once cooled store in a plastic container. Mine never lasts long enough to put in containers! The kids lovem!!
Love you ladies!!
In Him I Remain,
Shana
Homemade Cheez-Its
1 cup Flour
3/4 tsp. salt
4 tbls. cold butter
2 cups extra sharp chedder cheese
3 tbls. water
Blend all ingredients except cheese and then add cheese 1/2 cup at a time and add 1 tbls. of water at a time until it forms a chunky dough. Form into a ball and chill for at least an hour, roll out dough to 1/8 inch thickness and cut into squares or use little cookie cutters, be creative ladies!
Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. Once cooled store in a plastic container. Mine never lasts long enough to put in containers! The kids lovem!!
Love you ladies!!
In Him I Remain,
Shana
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Something happening
I feel something spiritual happing in my dorm and the Devil is fighting against us. I have prayed for so long for God to use me and show me why HE has put me here at Job Corps and tonight something happened and I just feel it is God moving and the Devil is trying to stop us. I ask for your prays for me to have the knowledge and wisdom to fight back and to make a difference and change the hearts of some of these young men. Solomon prayed for knowledge and wisdom and look what he got accomplished.
Love, Tara
Love, Tara
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Thankful wednesday
1131. Sea-monkeys
1132. coffee filters
1133. making students laugh
1134. math
1135. wash house
1136. foot powder
1137. showers
1138. proverbs
1139. love
1140. sunshine
Love you girls,
Tara
1132. coffee filters
1133. making students laugh
1134. math
1135. wash house
1136. foot powder
1137. showers
1138. proverbs
1139. love
1140. sunshine
Love you girls,
Tara
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Thankful Tuesday!
1121. my Chad is coming home tomorrow!
1122. the Pastor's conference
1123. fellowship for the men that attended
1124. a new free Jesse Tree devotional for this year!
1125. being able to drive across the bridge! (Thanks J.C.)
1126. talk of trees
1127. seeds
1128. birds-everywhere!
1129. the hope of Spring!
1130. a new heart...........
In Christ,
Sandy
1122. the Pastor's conference
1123. fellowship for the men that attended
1124. a new free Jesse Tree devotional for this year!
1125. being able to drive across the bridge! (Thanks J.C.)
1126. talk of trees
1127. seeds
1128. birds-everywhere!
1129. the hope of Spring!
1130. a new heart...........
In Christ,
Sandy
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