Fourth of July Delights

I was so happy to carve this simple basket. The girls had never seen one before. So that was very telling of my neglect of the fancy fruit. Now it will be a favorite request. I remember doing so many for a variety of occasions, before they were born. This was a quick simple one, yet it had the best reward. KISSES!

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kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkThe Ladies' Buffet of Treats

Chocolate Cake baked and decorated by Little Mommy with some finger licking help from Minnie Me!

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Beautiful Stars and Stripes made with loving hands for Bubba. Homemade cheese cake with sugared blueberries and cherries. A huge hit with the men folk here. Thank you MawMaw!

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The Battle Is Not MINE

"This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's."

2 Chronicles 20:15

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My son, my heart, is soon to fly from the nest. I imagine all sorts of battles he will face. Fear and worry stir with vigor in my mind. I know there is a vast army ready to do battle with him in this world. He is enlisted in the service of the KING. Bubba, as he is known by his sisters, is currently on a mission trip in MI. There he is serving needy children through music and mentoring. Soon, too soon, he will board another airplane and be absent from our lives for months. Little Mommy says it's as if he is going to die. I praise Jesus for the blessing of Minnie Me. Closer in age they will remain together for a long time.

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I do take comfort that our Jedi knows the battle is real and which side he is on. He took great pains choosing a college to prepare him for Worship Ministry. Looking near and far. Finally comfortable with a tiny Bible College. All our hearts are at peace with Bubba's desire to follow where God is leading. Pleased with his plans and offering daily prayers for protection and guidance, my love will travel along this pilgrims path.

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"Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel." 2 Chronicles 20:19

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The end of the gorge in the desert is a place I have been often. The enemy attacking inside and out, climbing through my thoughts, spreading fear, doubt and depression. Stealing Hope. How I have thirsted in those times yet too weary to drink. Baking in the desert. The command "MARCH", "March against them", is painful to the ears of my heart. I just want to give up at the moment of my defeat. Knowing there is nothing left of me with which to rise. Yet HE calls with command again! "MARCH!" The loving voice cradles my beaten spirit, whispering the question, "Do you trust me?" Holding out HIS HAND, "take hold and close your eyes to all around you, I AM HERE. Do you trust ME?" An automatic response is on my lips with yes, LORD. HE replies, "March. March, you trust. Don't march, you don't trust. Trust, you believe. No trust, you don't. AM I who I AM? AM I who I say I AM? AM I who you say I AM? Do you believe your fear or ME? March. So I set my heart and mind to move the useless limbs. They move. I rejoice. Hope springs and floods my thoughts banishing the foe's infecting clouds. Humbled by the speck of obedience blessed.

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"You will not have to fight this battle." 20:17

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Shudders of relief run through the arteries of dying flesh. Faint with relief. I don't have to do it. My Savior IS HERE. Doubt still tries another attempt with limiting reality to human realms. Stating the obvious impossibilities with petitioned arguments. Calling the Savior a fairy tale of fantasy dreams. Accusing the loss of mind for so called faith. Beyond foolish, labeling CRAZY. Tempted to float, I am anchored with tears. The Savior is my only hope. There is no other. He alone can save me. "Be gone, I will believe."

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"Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem." 2 Chronicles 20:17

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Obey. He will fight for me. He will save. He will deliver. He will fulfill His promise. Yet, HE IS with me. I must be with HIM. A real relationship is not one sided. He wants me with HIM. HE IS doing battle for me. Stand up and watch me. "I love you", "I will fight for you". "Remember, don't ever forget it. Be strong with your love for me. Know I AM. Show your faith in me as I show mine in you.

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"Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you." 2 Chronicles 20:17

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Tomorrow the LORD is with me. The old dragon of fear is once again vanquished by the TRUE KNIGHT. I pray my son walks with the LORD through the battles. Faith is built in the battle, strengthen when weak, blessed when believed.

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"Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the LORD. Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the LORD, the God of Israel, with very loud voice." 2 Chronicles 20:18

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Some stood up and praised the LORD, the God of Israel, with very loud voice. Some? Why only some. Even among believers, some may be all that stand up and praise. Some may be all that truly believe. Some are not just going along with the crowd or leadership. To some it is very personal. To some it is uncontainable. Will I be among the "some"?

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"Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful." After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying:

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"Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever."

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Sing Praise! Give Thanks! Before, just believing as if it already was. Our Bubba wants to be one of these who go before the army singing PRAISE. May I sing praise everyday before the LORD. May He delight in our song.

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"As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. The men of Ammon and Moab rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another. When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped." 2 Chronicles 20:22 - 24

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The LORD honors our first breaths of praise. HIS victory is complete.

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"....all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the LORD had given them cause to rejoice over their enemies. They entered Jerusalem and went to the temple of the LORD with harps and lutes and trumpets."

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More MUSIC!!!! Before, during and after the battle. Praise JESUS, HE IS my Savior. So many battles in my past, so many yet to come. My hope is in the LORD, My HERO.

Psalm 61

"Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer.
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From the ends of the earth I call to you,
I call as my heart grows faint;
lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
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For you have been my refuge,
a strong tower against the foe.
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I long to dwell in your tent forever
and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.
Selah
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For you have heard my vows, O God;
you have given me the heritage
of those who fear your name.
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Increase the days of the king's life,
his years for many generations.
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May he be enthroned in God's presence forever;
appoint your love and faithfulness to protect him.
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Then will I ever sing praise to your name
and fulfill my vows day after day. "
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You, Lord and no other are The Strong Tower. Thank you for showing me my dependence on you through my children. Help me give them a heritage of a mother that fears YOUR NAME.

Show Me YOUR WAYS

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
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Plans. The LORD has a plan for me. It's one I don't know. It's one HE is asking me to trust HIM. As I look back I can see, I didn't have a clue. So, why is it so hard to trust HIM now? I do trust HIM with so much. This fear just keeps creeping in. What about this or this God? Are you considering this or that? If this is going on in my head, I am limiting His GODness. I am confining Him to the boundaries of HIS creation. He is the Creator. I gotta remember that. HE is MORE than all of it together. More than my imagination. More than all of history or all of the future. More than every mind's thoughts at once. I cannot truly understand it. Hence my fears. I get it in theory. I wanna get it in reality.
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I love to plan. I don't always love carrying out the beautifully made plans. It is a season of planning for me. Homeschooling, Co-op, Bible study, parenting, homemaking, and the list goes on and on. Over my head. Praise Jesus, it's not over HIS.
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What I'm wanting is more hope. Hope and not feelings of defeat upon planning my year. How I wrestle with the LORD. I give it all up to Him and then at the first sign of doubt, grab and tear it away from Him.
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So for today I am going to remember the picture above, and not abort His promise in me. Remember that I am adopted by the KING of KINGS. It's His Kingdom. And I'm His Princess. The plans are going to be great! Full of surprise to delight my soul. Not with the begrudging attitude of a preteen's heart but that of a dancing child spinning in dress up clothes. I'll never be grown up in Christ. What a treasure it is to know He takes joy in me as I grow. The more I trust Him, the more He smiles at my dancing.
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I don't know the plans HE has for me. I'm not suppose to. What I am to do is trust Him with my future. So I will seek His will, make all my plans and be ready to follow Him off my plans on to His when He calls, taking His hand and holding tight. What I do know is that no matter how much I plan HE IS going to surprise me with changes and challenges. My heart is set not to be derailed by this but anticipate it. Eyes open looking for Jesus. Not afraid of harm. Looking towards prosperity.
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"He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor." Proverbs 21:21
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"Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old." Psalm 25:4 - 6
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My lips are left singing, "Show me your ways, that I may walk with you. Show me your ways, I put my hope in you........"

Filled with JOY

"When the LORD brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them." The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy." Psalm 126:1 - 3
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How many times has the LORD come to my rescue? I can't even remember. How many dreams has HE filled? Too many to count. The question has never been if the LORD brings me back from some form of captivity. But, WHEN. Did I sing songs of joy so much so that all peoples around me knew the LORD had done great things for me? Did I let HIM fill me with joy or stop the flow when I thought it was enough? Did I stop Him from filling my mouth with laughter? If I was full there would be no room for anything else. So I must face that I cut GOD off. Because when HE did, I said how much and what's it gonna mean. And I set the boundaries of just who would know about it. I even made the parameter of how much I'd let it change me.
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Jesus is a giver of fresh starts. HE is happy just knowing I want a fresh start. I wanna sing for joy and not focus on losses or difficulties. I wanna know HE is in control and has a plan so I don't have to. I wanna laugh. My life has been so full of problems to solve, deadlines and the business of living that I'm missing the joy. Sure I have joy in the moments. But that is not the kind of joy Jesus has for me. It is not the limited joy I pull out at times but an abiding joy oozing out, spilling on others. The kind of joy that can't be contained. The kind of joy that is contagious! I want what the LORD wants to give me!
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Three stones of remembrance are laid in my life so I will NOT forget. Three great blessings the LORD has done for me. They are a challenge everyday. What do they remember of me each day they go to sleep? What will they remember of me when they grow and fly away? Yes, they DO need to be under authority. Yet, it is joy I want them to take with them and remember. It's what I want to remember too.
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The old saying, If Momma ain't happy nobody's happy, is convictingly true.
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"The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down." Proverbs 14:1
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Surely to open up to the LORD's filling is wise. It appears foolish to the world, even to myself. I am the blessing blocker. It is to my shame. Save me. Bring me back to your heart Jesus, once again. Leave my heart seared with your joy, singing for all to see the great things the LORD has done for me.
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"Therefore I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing praises to your name." 2 Samuel 22:50
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"Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts." 1 Chronicles 16:9
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"Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him." Psalm 33:1
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Thoughts of MERCY

It's crazy, but sometimes my little dog Mercy lives it better than me.

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"For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings." Hosea 6:6

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"He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8

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Mercy is a faithful pet. She is never sour and always ready to please. She loves. We named her Mercy to encourage our children to value it's virtue. Mercy for me was a religious word growing up without relevance to real, everyday life. It was theology not breathing Christianity. It was quite simply not taught. Give in, give over, be the bigger person, do the right thing, and the like. But never love mercy for it's self. I never knew this was part of a three fold requirement from the LORD to me. Also I believed mercy was weak.

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Mercy, my little dog is always just, always loves mercy, and always walks humbly. She knows I am the master. Her desire and pleasure in life is to please me. Really just to be with me. All she wants is to be with me. Nothing else compares to her desire for me. I am so unworthy of her. She is a better dog than I am a master. She, of our three dogs is the most able. She is strong and fully able to protect pups or reign over the other fur balls. But she chooses me over being Queen herself. The two others have a constant struggle to have their own way. She is the only one I can trust. I love them all, but she, has a heart after me.

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Jesus is worthy! May HE walk me everyday. May I be thrilled to be in HIS presence. May I love mercy.

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"Do not withhold your mercy from me, O LORD; may your love and your truth always protect me." Psalm 40:11

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My basic understanding of mercy is this: Not getting what I deserve. I am a sinner and deserving of it's consequences. Not getting it. Just imagine how strong mercy has to be to hold off and protect the sinner. No, not weak at all. Much, much stronger than giving the sinner what is deserved.

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"But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

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Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear - hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

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To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy - to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen."

Jude 1:20 -25

Freedom Stitches

"You my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather serve one another in love." Galatians 5:13

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Stitching states on a quilt. Is that what the LORD has done with our country? How is it that we imagine we did it ourselves. What self made stitches need pulled out?

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Freedom is really beyond my ability to understand having been born in the US. I take it all for granted. In doing so my sinful nature does creep in and serves self, not others. The love of self is the only thing I see when freedom rings. What's in it for me? What is the impact on my life? How can I enjoy my freedom? Why don't I have more freedom? I'm gonna protect MY freedom. It's all about me.

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The gift becomes abused. The purpose and meaning missed. Totally blinded by my sinful nature, the love of others becomes a chore and responsibility.....even the cost of freedom.

God's purpose for freedom is to set me free from myself. Captive by self is a prison only Jesus can set free. The path to freedom is obedience to love others in love. In love not a chore but desire.

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Our freedom is to love. This is our purpose. Free from self to love. Free from fear to love. Self will lie to self. How horrible that is, yet so true. Seeing the path to freedom with its sacrifices does not look appealing to self. It screams turn back. Do not seek the treasure. The treasure is empty.

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I praise Jesus that HE alone can anchor me. No matter how far my heart betrays me or Him, i am roped to the Rock through His Word. That small flame, He bursts with power.

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"Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God." 1 Peter 2:16

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Chose to live as servant of God and we are free. Free without worry of corruption. Free from self justification. Free from excuses. Free to LIVE a real life.

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May God continue to bless America stitching hearts as well as states.

He Settles Me

"He settles the barren woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the LORD." Psalm 113:9


My plans have never been the Master's. I live a life that was unknown to me in my youth. How could I have known. How could have I embraced sorrow and loss for the joy set before me. I did not have that kind of faith, trust and love for God in me. I didn't think anyone did. Not really. After all, I was a Christian living among Christians. But this was not fair. I was a good girl. I didn't deserve this. I did not see or know faith walkers. I loved Jesus, but wasn't in-love with Him. I loved Him cause He first loved me. I did not love Him like He was Everything.

The idea that HE settled me, "the barren woman", as a happy mother is heart changing. He really is GOD. And i'm not. HE really is able. And i'm not. HE really is in control. And i'm not. Big change from my youth of believing I was able and in control. (Taking God along with ME.)

The LORD chose to stretch me to the point of breaking each time becoming mommy. That was by design. My flesh does NOT like this. Also, the point. The LORD had HIS purposes to pursue in me. Ouch! Cry! Wine! Complain! Bringing all sorts of disgusting impurities to surface. HE was after COMPLETE surrender!

The LORD, my GOD is faithful and blessed me when the fight against Him as King perished. My heart forever circumcised pledged to Believe HIM. Trust Him. He settled not only motherhood but my entire life through it. Nothing is the same. What I knew in word, I now know in fact. What a precious gift. He gave me faith, despite me. He won my heart. He settled me alright. My heart can be at peace whatever the circumstance life surrounds me with. Because HE settles me..

"I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances." Philippians 4:11

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16 - 18