“And for Thy Pleasure…”

Take joy oh my heart, God has desired us! We are HIS desire, created by Him to bring great satisfaction to Himself.
Ahhh, doesn’t that make you feel so good? Even secure, knowing we are not a mistake; or just something else that is living on this earth.
It clearly states in Revelation 4:11: “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” (KJV)
The original greek term for Pleasure is Thelma; meaning ‘will’. In this God was filled with determination and purpose to create everything and everyone!
This passage is one of my children’s many memory verses. They quote this everyday and for some reason they forget to say “and for His Pleasure…” . I don’t know why, but I hound it in them each time. Today, it pricked my heart. The word pleasure, it just popped out and spoke to me so clearly. My God does take pleasure in ME. Silly, stupid, old me! I have a purpose! Guess what? You have a purpose, my kids learning this verse, everyone  God has carefully chosen and desired to live a life in Him and through Him has a purpose.
Yet, why can’t He hear us sing praises all day long. Returning to Him the thanks due? In
Col. 1:16, 17 it says; “All things were created by him and for him, and he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” So, that is why we hear the birds sing all day, why animals don’t look like they are in a panic like we humans. I watch my Labrador through out the day, she just lounges out in the sunshine and enjoys her little life.
Revelations 4:11 starts off with “Thou art worthy, O Lord to receive glory, honor and power…”. Isn’t He ever!
He created it all, everything and everyone! Even the past and the present and yes the future.
Know this today: YOU ARE HIS DESIRE, HIS WILL, HIS PLEASURE! So, in turn tell Him: “Lord, I give You all the Glory, Honor and Power and Praise!” Just love Him today, show Him by how you live a joyful life of worship in each moment that comes your way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJy1yd4f_jg  THOU ART WORTHY the song.

A Promise I Needed At Midnight

THE HOLY WAY

Is. 35:8 "And a highway shall be there, and a way; and it shall be called the Holy Way. The unclean shall not pass over it, but shall be for the redeemed; the wayfaring men, yes the simple ones and fools, shall not err in it and lose their way.
v.9 No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous best come up on it; they shall not be found there. But the redeemed shall walk on it.
v.10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing, and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away."
[Amplified Version]
It exists! It's real, a true path for me that leads to everlasting JOY! For me! I am amazed that the Lord cared enough to keep me wide awake weeee hours in the morning to receive a promise that I desperately needed. You see, it's been an incredible what some would say; "ride"! I knew when we accepted our Lords call into the ministry including also for me to be a home school mom (that means a stay-at-home-mama): that life would have its struggles for sure. But, WOW! [Yet, I must say there have been far more rewards!]
This past year,  just a few months ago we lost our house because of this lovely recession (though we NEVER missed a payment); presently facing another type of foreclosure and my husband not getting work for months on hand. We have such a longing to do so much more in the ministry that it literally HURTS! Presently, my dh is facing surgery now...we see souls hurting and needing ministered to, the believers needing to be taught and a lot of work to do with the outreach ministry of our church, gobs and gobs of stuff. Yet, we find our hands tied to do nothing.
One thing I know I shouldn't do is ---DWELL ON ME. The Lord has taught me this over and over again. Lately, He has had me listen almost daily to: When I Think About the Lord . Man! When I do that--everything seems to flow right where they are suppose to be giving me His Peace and Contentment.
You see that is the HOLY WAY! When this happens, again I am filled with that 'everlasting joy'! God, You are too good to me! Thank You! I hold tightly to this Word from You!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THgccy_EyFY

Sunday Afternoons

Picture taken on a fun family day 2009

Wow, have Sunday afternoons ever changed for me! What about you? I grew up in a Pastor's home, thus on this 'first' day of the week...we were always in church. Starting way in the morning hours for Sunday School flowing right into the morning service. Then the funnest part came when we went out to eat. Oh, my it was either at a fine church ladies house for some home made fixens or at times with the church folk to a Mom and Pops eatery where we could get the best fried chicken. We then would come home and mama made sure we kiddos would get a mid-afternoon nap in. That was NOT my favorite time of the day. But, it was a necessity for sure.
Sunday evenings came...I just loved to hear my daddy preach! They were the best services. Everyone was more relaxed and just enjoyed worshipping God and hearing His Word. Best of all, praying around the alter. Then yea, the fun part again--in the summer times we would go out and get some ice cream. Then during the cooler months we did a funny thing; we would go to the grocery store and everyone in the family picked out their evening snack. Mine was sardines and a candy bar of some sort.
We would relax and watch some type of movie on tv and then bed.
When my husband and I began our ministry adventure...we kinda kept the same routine for several years. Then culture changed on us,  (its been about 5 years now), Sunday nights attendance dropped down to the point that we had to stop having our services. Yet, the Lord gave us a great peace about this. We had to work outside the church at this time in our life and even for us it gave us more time with our family and our people with theirs.
For our little ones this is what they know now more than our oldest.
Sunday afternoons have become totally dedicated to just the family. We rest together, play together and lets not forget eating together.
Today, for example...we actually vegetated on the couch for a couple of hours and watched a movie. Then we took our chocolate lab (Hershey) to the lake to swim and play. We enjoyed the simplicity of it all, laughing and just playing together. My oldest, Nathan decided he was going to plug up a hornets nest with a stick. The problem came when he missed...all five us ran as fast as we possibly could. We looked so crazy!
All of us love to play outside playing fun, silly games, also going for drives in the country and just listening to one another share stories.
Sunday afternoons are 'family-afternoons' and I would never trade them for anything in the world. With the busyness of  life through-out the week, families barely have the opportunity to eat and pray together. Exhaustion can be another issue; but that still means we all need to be more diligent than ever about  being together during the week. Sunday afternoons is a 'no-brainer' for us.
How about you? How do you spend your Sundays? I hope and pray they are indeed with the gift God has given you--Your Family!

SnowDEN with the Fam': Teaching My Daughters on Virtue

SnowDEN with the Fam': Teaching My Daughters on Virtue: "Presently my 12 year old daughter Felecia and I are doing our Bible curriculum on virtue. We are reading Raising Maidens of Virtue by Stacy..."

Teaching My Daughters on Virtue

Presently my 12 year old daughter Felecia and I are doing our Bible curriculum on virtue. We are reading
Raising Maidens of Virtue by Stacy McDonald.
Excellent writer; she mesmerisers you with use of words and allegory.
We have only read two chapters and wow! The first one was on Fence Dwellers. Then today was on femininity in today's world. I love how she noted that people do not refer to the girls as daughters much any more.
In the old days, young woman were referred to as maidens and virgins. Being a virgin wasn't really about sexuality but the young woman as a whole. Today that is what it is all about.
She asked the question how my daughter felt people thought of her. Could they look at her by her appearance and how she postures herself that she indeed is a Christian? Much much more. I am so glad the Lord led me to this book.
I never intended to do a book review. But, this is how I long to teach my young maidens; for one day they will be wives serving the Lord by serving their husbands.http://www.visionforum.com/browse/product/?productid=68538&cid=596

Out Learnin How to Blog with the Girl Friends

Having gobs of fun with my girlfriends learning how to 'blog'.