Messing Up, Making Mistakes, and Being Downright Rebellious
Have you ever wondered why we go through one difficulty after another? I have. Sometimes it seems that no matter what we put our hands to fails. Other times, things seem to be going great only to find that we’ve made some mistake. I’m reminded of Anne of Green Gables when she mistakenly puts linament in the cake she’s prepared for Marilla and a guest for tea. Oh my, what a surprise that cake was!
I’ve been reading through the early chapters of the Old Testament the last few weeks. Praise God, it’s been so alive to me as I read. It’s been great to read about all the details that God was involved in, every detail of the Israelites’ lives. In many chapters, they were messing up, making mistakes, being downright rebellious, being punished, and returning to the Lord. In fact, that’s what they did over and over. Their stubborness and willfulness lead them to spend their entire lives in the desert instead of reaching their promised land. I’m almost afraid to draw comparisons to our lives; but, it is something I know I must ask the Lord to reveal to me. Perhaps that’s why some of my trials seem to be unending.
As I’ve been reading and talking with the Lord, I’ve thought of many things I’ve not thought about before. One thing I’ve come to realize is that God is not just a God of Love but also a God of Holiness and Justice. I was taught that sin is “a known transgression of the Word of God”. In Numbers and Leviticus, God spoke over and over of unknowingly sinning. He talked about sacrifices for unknowingly sinning. That tells me that my need for Jesus Christ’s death, resurrection, and atonement for my sin is much greater than even I know.
When I became a Christian at the age of 15, I went to a New Testament church. Basically, that meant that we didn’t open the Old Testament. It didn’t apply to us. Now, I am finding, more than ever, that it does apply to us. If in no other way, it applies to us because it shows our need for a savior. It shows just how blessed we are to be living in the times we are with the opportunity that God has given us in His Son, Jesus Christ.
Thank You God!
Laura
Blessed to be saved from my sins by Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for me.
Love and Fear
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”
1 John 4:18
Where is the Pancake Recipe?
New Healthy Pancake Recipe is now on my other blog, Harvest Lane Cottage. There’s also a list of my other recipes including all the ones on this wordpress blog.
I’m Rich!
I’m Rich!
I’ve got a great big three ring binder full of recipes. I’ve got a great big tall stack of cookbooks. I’ve got a shelf of cookbooks. I’ve got two full recipe boxes and another box started. I’ve got loose recipes in a drawer waiting to be filed in a box or binder. I’ve got recipe pamphlets in the same drawer. I’ve got recipes on my blog. Did I mention that I’ve got recipes?
As I look about me, I realize a couple of things. First, even though I’m surrounded by recipes, I tend to prepare the same meals over and over. Second, I’ve got more recipes surrounding me than I could prepare in a lifetime. I think it’s time to pare down a bit.
I was looking through my big binder a few minutes ago for a recipe to share with you all. I found that most of the recipes in my binder are ones that I’ve collected off the internet or from friends. Most of the recipes are untried. Now, if I’ve had this binder for two or three years, and I haven’t tried most of the recipes yet, why am I keeping them?
Does it make one a good cook to have lots of recipes? Does it make one a good homemaker to have lots of cleaners, recipes for cleaners or books about cleaning? Does it make one a good mother to have lots of books about child rearing? Does it make one a good Christian to have lots of Bibles and Christian books?
I think not. I think that there are many areas in our lives wherein we do not see the clutter. The truth is, I can go through my recipes and just keep my favorites and a few that I’m sure I want to try. I can go through my cookbooks and save my favorites and just write off the ones I like from the books I want to discard. The same holds true for other things in my life as well.
What about you? Are there things in your life that you are holding onto just in case? Are they things you really need? Really want? Are there things that are just clutter?
Now, I really cannot write all of this without sharing a nice salsa that you can make during the winter that is just delicious.
Kitchen Cupboard Salsa
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 medium diced onion (I prefer sweet.)
1 small can of chopped green chiles
1 T sugar
1 T dried parsley
½ t freshly ground pepper
½ t salt
½ t ground cumin
½ t garlic powder
Stir all this together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for an hour.
Laura
Recipe Rich
Beth Moore…Pray for What You Lack!
“Remember not to get discouraged because you don’t have or don’t presently practice everything God desires of you. Pray for what you lack! When we pray God’s will, we will receive what we ask! Pray for a mind to diligently seek Him. Then immediately begin walking in faith as one who already has what she has asked. Start seeking God through His Word and spending time in prayer, at the same time asking Him for a hunger and thirst to seek Him diligently. He will develop in you what you are seeking!”
~Beth Moore
Believing God Workbook
From Dave Ramsey….
“If you want something you’ve never had,
you’ve got to do something you’ve never done.”
Dave Ramsey
Verdict Changed
Israel had been going their own way for awhile. The Philistines had captured the Ark of the Covenant and had recently returned it to the Israelites. Interesting story there…boils sores and misery, read about it in I Samuel 5 and 6. Seems no one wanted to keep it because it brought trouble to the Philistines no matter which town it went to. The Philistines sent it back and it was kept at Abinadab’s house and his son Eleazar was consecrated to guard the Ark.
Fast forward to chapter 7. Twenty years later, the people of Israel mourned and sought after the Lord. That is when Samuel sacrificed and sought the Lord for the people.
“And Samuel said to the whole house of Israel, ‘If you are returning to the Lord with all your hearts, then rid yourselves of the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths and commit yourselves to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.’”
Samuel did, they did, and the Lord did. Of course, not much later, the Israelites were falling away from the Lord’s will again. Much like you and me.
What struck me about this story, as I read it this morning, was it’s application to us, His people today. I found myself asking myself if I truly am seeking God with my whole heart. Am I committed to the Lord and serving Him only? Sadly, I can think of times even today when I not only was acting in the flesh but justifying myself as well. It’s that old pointing the finger thing that started with Adam and Eve. Does it justify my sinful feelings and thoughts? No. Alas, I’m not judged by how someone else is treating me but by how I respond. Today, the verdict is guilty.
Thankfully, I’ve got someone else who served my sentence before I even committed the sin, before I was born. His name is Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah that Jewish people looked forward to for so many years. Because of Jesus, I now have a new verdict– not guilty. He took my guilt and was crucified and resurrected. He paid the price for me. I only need look to Him and faith and believe. I need to return and commit, repeatedly if need be.
“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word has no place in our lives.” 1 John 1:8-10
I think I need to spend a bit of time in prayer now. What about you?
Laura
Thankful for the Sacrifice that Changed my Verdict
Music Fills Our Home
I had the great privilege to see my daughter, Emily, lead worship Sunday morning with her good friend Chelsea. It was a joy to see the girls as they gave their attention and adoration to the Lord.
Music fills our home. Someone’s usually singing; Michael, Emily, and Amy are all learning to play guitar; Emily is learning to play piano. There’s just a lot of making a joyful noise in our house. Along with all the talk and noise that kids make, I call it the sountrack of our lives.
Last week we watched the musical, Annie Oakley. That set off a whole new set of songs. Here’s one of the kids’ favorites. I hope you enjoy it!
Laura
Wash Rinse Repeat
I just finished reading Joshua.
Perhaps you remember Joshua. He was one of the twelve spies that Moses sent ahead of the Israelites to Canaan. He was one of just two, Joshua and Caleb, who returned with positive reports that the people could be conquered and the land claimed. He was one of only two of his generation who was privileged to live and enter the promised land. Caleb was the other. The rest died in the wilderness. Only Joshua and Caleb were spared. Joshua went on to be Moses’ replacement as leader of the Israelites.
During Joshua’s life, the Israelites worshiped God, the one true God. God gave them numerous victories over their enemies and gave them the land. Joshua and the elders kept the nation’s focus on the Lord. After Joshua’s death, the focus changed. The next generation began to turn away from the Lord and to worship other gods and idols of the nations around them. Things had been going well for them. They forgot the Lord and the things that He had done for Israel. So God gave them over to be conquered and taken as slaves and such. After awhile, they would repent; and God would help them. Then it was wash rinse repeat.
This has direct application to us. If we allow ourselves to lose our focus on the Lord, even though He may be on our minds and in our hearts, we can lose a lot. If the next generation, our children or granchildren cannot see that our lives are focused on the Lord, how will they know how important he is? How will they learn to love the Lord with all their hearts and minds and strength?
This is just a little something to think about.
Laura
who has much to be thankful for including the forgiveness of my sins.
Homemade Gift Bow… Another Way to Use It Up, Wear It Out, Make It Do or Do Without
Look at this! What a great idea for reusing old magazines and newspapers! The bow is made from a magazine page and the wrapping from a newspaper! I love finding ways to use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without!
Go to How About Orange to see how to make this frugal bow. Thank you to Backyard Farming for sharing this with us.
The best way to get through hard times is to think creatively about what you have on hand. We can do this!
Blessings,
Laura
