This is a sobering video I found today. The man is Paul Washer speaking at the Revival Conference in Atlanta this year.  We must be in prayer and in the Word because I see evidence of this happening already.  God will help us to stand strong For His Name's Sake.

 The following passage of Scripture has meant a lot to me recently.  It is the first haftarah portion of the new cycle of this Biblical calendar year.  Isaiah 42:5-43:10.  The portion talks about God's creative and redemtive works and also about His covenant faithfulness toward His people Israel.  It also talks about bringing the nations into that covenant.  It was a wonderful message of hope to the people living in exile over 2,000 years ago and likewise to those of us who are grafted into the commonwealth of Israel today.  For His Name's Sake.

"Thus says God the LORD,
Who created the heavens and stretched them out,
Who spread out the earth and its offspring,
Who gives breath to the people on it
And spirit to those who walk in it,
"I am the LORD, I have called You in righteousness,
I will also hold You by the hand and watch over You,
And I will appoint You as a covenant to the people,
As a light to the nations,
To open blind eyes,
To bring out prisoners from the dungeon
And those who dwell in darkness from the prison.
"I am the LORD, that is My name;
I will not give My glory to another,
Nor My praise to graven images.
"Behold, the former things have come to pass,
Now I declare new things;
Before they spring forth I proclaim them to you."
Sing to the LORD a new song,
Sing His praise from the end of the earth!
You who go down to the sea, and all that is in it
You islands, and those who dwell on them.
Let the wilderness and its cities lift up their voices,
The settlements where Kedar inhabits
Let the inhabitants of Sela sing aloud,
Let them shout for joy from the tops of the mountains.
Let them give glory to the LORD
And declare His praise in the coastlands.
The LORD will go forth like a warrior,
He will arouse His zeal like a man of war
He will utter a shout, yes, He will raise a war cry
He will prevail against His enemies."I have kept silent for a long time,
I have kept still and restrained Myself.
Now like a woman in labor I will groan,
I will both gasp and pant.
"I will lay waste the mountains and hills
And wither all their vegetation;
I will make the rivers into coastlands
And dry up the ponds.
"I will lead the blind by a way they do not know,
In paths they do not know I will guide them
I will make darkness into light before them
And rugged places into plains
These are the things I will do,
And I will not leave them undone."
They will be turned back and be utterly put to shame,
Who trust in idols,
Who say to molten images,
"You are our gods."
Hear, you deaf!
And look, you blind, that you may see.
Who is blind but My servant,
Or so deaf as My messenger whom I send?
Who is so blind as he that is at peace with Me,
Or so blind as the servant of the LORD?
You have seen many things, but you do not observe them;
Your ears are open, but none hears.
The LORD was pleased for His righteousness' sake
To make the Torah great and glorious.
But this is a people plundered and despoiled;
All of them are trapped in caves,
Or are hidden away in prisons;
They have become a prey with none to deliver them,
And a spoil, with none to say, "Give them back!"
Who among you will give ear to this?
Who will give heed and listen hereafter?
Who gave Jacob up for spoil, and Israel to plunderers?
Was it not the LORD, against whom we have sinned,
And in whose ways they were not willing to walk,
And whose Torah they did not obey?
So He poured out on him the heat of His anger
And the fierceness of battle;
And it set him aflame all around,
Yet he did not recognize it;
And it burned him, but he paid no attention.But now, thus says the LORD, your Creator, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel,
"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
  I have called you by name; you are Mine! 
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they will not overflow you
When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,
Nor will the flame burn you.
"For I am the LORD your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I have given Egypt as your ransom,
Cush and Seba in your place.
  "Since you are precious in My sight,
Since you are honored and I love you,
I will give other men in your place and other peoples in exchange for your life.
"Do not fear, for I am with you;
I will bring your offspring from the east,
And gather you from the west.
"I will say to the north, 'Give them up!'
And to the south, 'Do not hold them back '
Bring My sons from afar
And My daughters from the ends of the earth,
Everyone who is called by My name,
And whom I have created for My glory,
Whom I have formed, even whom I have made."
Israel Is God's Witness
Bring out the people who are blind, even though they have eyes,
And the deaf, even though they have ears.
All the nations have gathered together
So that the peoples may be assembled
Who among them can declare this
And proclaim to us the former things?
Let them present their witnesses that they may be justified,
Or let them hear and say, "It is true."
"You are My witnesses," declares the LORD,
"And My servant whom I have chosen,
So that you may know and believe Me
And understand that I am He
Before Me there was no God formed,
And there will be none after Me.

I recently received the Voice of the Martyrs prayer calendar.  Several of the quotes from modern day martyrs are profound, but one of them hit me in a significant way.  From a Vietnamese pastor,

"We have learned that suffering is not the worst thing that can happen to you.  Disobedience to God is the worst thing."

FOR October 27, 2008...    
Outside My Window...We had light flurries on and off all day today and the wind whipped around outside.  I wouldn't have minded so much, but I ended up having to walk home from a volunteer project because of miscommunication....over 2 miles.  I was not adequately dressed.
I am thinking...
I am thankful for...A warm home and groceries in the cupboard.
From the kitchen...my husband made the best meal for me last night, chicken, black olives, onion, green pepper, rice , garlic, and chili powder.
I am wearing...jeans, black turtle neck sweater, and grey sweatshirt
I am creating...red mittens, ripped out several times, but finally getting it after I asked for some help from ladies shopping at Herrschners.
I am going...to lay low this week.  Still going to volunteer at the crisis pregnancy center, but Josh has off at the high school on Thursday and Friday.....I love those kind of days.
I am reading...I haven't been doing much reading so I am still on the same books as last week.  I need to do better on that.
I am hearing...my son play the piano--"Phantom of the Opera"
Around the house...dust and clutter.
One of my favorite things...I just bought a  cute new red henley and I can't wait to wear it to the center this week.
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:Besides volunteering at the center I have a baby shower for a friend to attend and then we have fellowship again this week.  Oh, and Bible study again.  We  are having a neat study, if I haven't mentioned this before,  we are studying the history of Israel from King Solomon through the division of the Kingdom and the captivity, then we will study through to the 2nd temple period which will include the Apocrypha.  This is a study that not many people know very much about, including me so I am very excited to study this. So forgive me if I have mentioned this before.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Again, you can find more entries for the Simple woman's Day book here.

My internet friend Beth has tagged me with a meme.  Let's just call it the "Quirky Things Meme".   The rules are these:
* Link to the person who tagged you.
* Mention the rules in your blog.
* Tell about six unspectacular quirks of yours.
* Tag a new set of six following bloggers by linking to them.

I don't even know if I can think of six unspectacular quirks about myself and I don't have my children around to help with this so here goes:

(Updated later in the evening)

Josh says that one of my quirks is that I always have my family say what my quirks are.  Buck says that I don't have any quirks, I'm perfect.  I think he is a little biased and only sees what he wants to see.

1. I'm a messy, I live in a household of messies, and I am totally embarrassed by that.
2. I could watch Fox News all day.
3. I don't like to sweat.
4. I don't like to talk on the telephone, hate to call people on the phone.
5. When I wear makeup I feel like I am wearing a mask.
6. I am an only, a middle, and an oldest child in my family of origin.

Whew, I did it.  Now I am going to break the last rule.....I don't think I can come up with six other blog.   Hmmm, let me think here.  I can at least tag my daughter, Hannah, .Other than that, I have been out of the blogging loop for so long that I couldn't even name any other blogs for this meme.  Sorry.

FOR TODAY October 20, 2008...
Outside My Window...Today was a cool, but sunny fall day.  It was beautiful outside.
I am thinking...I am not sure what I am thinking.  I have been feeling attacked today, perhaps it is spiritual warfare from the banquet and from caring for my friend.
I am thankful for...My  like-minded community of friends to share the Biblical holidays with.
From the kitchen...My husband made his special chicken-rice-bean dish for me to take to our festival dinner so I would have something to eat.
I am wearing...a sweatshirt and jeans.
I am creating...knitting a pair of mittens for a friend's daughter for Christmas.  They will be just like Laura Ingalls ' from "Little House on the Prairie"
I am going...Oh, I am just going to rest and take it easy for awhile.  The last few months have been exhausting for me.
I am reading...still reading "Finding God" by Larry Crabb and "The Committed Life" by  Esther Jungreis
I am hearing...the O'Reilly Factor on tv, my son at the other computer and my husband flipping the newspaper in the kitchen.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:Josh is planning to go to his buddy's concert tomorrow night and to play in the pep band on Thursday.  I plan to work at the center again this week.  We had a wonderful banquet last Saturday evening.
Here is picture thought I am sharing..my husband, myself and my son in our sukkah celebrating God dwelling with His people during our Feast of Tabernacles celebration yesterday.  It was a little cooler this year than it has been in years past.

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You can read more of "The Simple Woman Daybook" from others  here.

FOR TODAY (October 13, 2008)...
Outside My Window...It is a cool rainy evening after a lovely, sunny fall day.
I am thinking...Ir's time to go and rouse my husband to get ready to go to work for the night.  I wish I could let him sleep, but I am glad that he has his job back.
I am thankful for...the Goodness and Faithfulness of God which I have seen over and over again in the last few months through my husband loosing his job and getting it back again; also through the situation we had of taking in a friend who has needs which we are not equipped to help her with.  God provided grace over and above what we could ask or imagine.
From the kitchen...I haven't had to make much in the kitchen lately.  We went to a surprise anniversary party on Saturday night and they sent us home with a huge tray of cut veggies which we have been putting on salads ever since.
I am wearing...the same capris I had on  in  August when I wrote this daybook and a red t-shirt.
I am creating..Just finished knitting an ipod cover. I was asked to make a pair of mittens for someone for a Christmas gift.
I am going...to get my bangs cut sometime this week, they are driving me crazy.
I am reading...the Torah portion, the "Messianic Moadim Devotional", and "Finding God" by Larry Crabb which is one of my daughter's textbooks in school
I am hoping...that the snow that I have heard is in Montana and Wyoming already will in no way hinder Hannah and Danny from coming home over their break at Christmas time.
I am hearing... Bill O'Reilly on television and Buck preparing his lunch for work
Around the house...I blew out the belt on my vacuum cleaner today.  I vacuumed up the nob to the air conditioner today and it severed  the belt in my vacuum cleaner.  While that happened there was not a little smoke that came out of the bottom of the cleaner which made for a very smelly.....oh about a half hour.  I had no idea that the nob of the air conditioner was on the floor.  Who would have ever thought that was where a nob would be?
One of my favorite things...was to be able to surprise my brother-in-law and his wife at their anniversary party.  We drove 3 1/2 hours to their party and they were so happy that we had come.

I also had the opportunity, this morning, to testify to the faithfulness of God and I love doing that.  There is nothing in me but His grace and I have seen it over and over again in these last few weeks.  I have seen it so clearly.  My He be blessed!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Tomorrow I will be going to the crisis pregnancy center to help with some of the final things that need to be done before our fundraising banquet on Saturday.  Then  Buck and I will be attending the banquet.  I am praying that those who attend will be blessed and that they will get a heart for the ministry of the center and want to bless the center in return.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...Actually, I have two today which I took last Friday during the high school Homecoming Parade.

You can read more of "The Simple Woman Daybook" from others here.

For months I have been trying to get into my blog to write an update.  We have had so much going on and have seen so many ways God has worked, learned so many lessons.  But, I couldn't get into my blog!  Having gotten a new laptop earlier this year, I couldn't remember the password to get into my blog to access the page to write.  For some reason I came in tonight and tried a couple of different possible passwords and here I am!  I'm in!

So now I can give some updates as to what has been happening here.  My husband has been back to work for about two to three weeks now.  He got his job back exactly six weeks to the day that he was fired.  We were at no point worried that God would not provide for us or that we would loose our home or go without.  The day after Buck was fired we were given two deer for our freezer, two bushel of peaches, and three bags of corn.  The Lord sustained us and continually gives us grace to walk out what He calls us to do.

As I have mentioned previously, we have had a homeless woman living with us.  She has been with us for four months.  It has not been easy and there have even been times I wanted to give up or pull my hair out, but invariably God would give the grace to turn around and take the next step.   He is so good.  The time has come for our house guest to move on which is a difficult transition for her.  I pray that God will give her the grace that He has shown me.  I believe He will because I know that He has shown Himself faithful to her if she chooses to see it.

Hannah is doing well in Spokane.  She has had no problem acclamating to college life although she does miss us, but I wouldn't want it any other way.  Hannah loves her classes at Moody Bible Institute, especially her Intro. to Counselling class.  She found a job at a coffee shop in the mall which she also loves and works about 23 hours a week.  One of the assignments she has to do for class is to visit a number of area churches before she decides on the church she will attend for the rest of her time in Spokane.  She and her boyfriend have attended a number of different churches including Greek Orthodox and Emergent.

Josh is doing well.  He is now officially 1/2 inch taller than his dad.  He travels on his moped 4 times a day up to the high school to participate in four different bands with four different instruments: trumpet, baritone, tuba, and trombone.  This is his last year of Bible quizzing so he is working hard and memorizing the entire book of Luke to try to finish strong.

Then there is me.  I am still volunteering at the crisis pregnancy center.  Other than that, my time has been mostly taken up lately with my friend who has been living with us, but this will hopefully change after this week.  I am looking forward to writing more, knitting more, reading more and loving on my family more.

For His Name's Sake.

FOR TODAY (August 18th, 2008)...

Outside My Window...The sun is bright, the day is close, as my mother-in-law would say. It is definitely an August day.

I am thinking...of my daughter,Hannah, who left last evening on a long road trip to Spokane, WA where she and her boyfriend, Danny will be attending Moody Bible Institute for the next school year. We talked to them today about noontime and they had made it as far as Montana. My husband, son and I were all very teary yesterday when they left.

I am thankful for...wonderful, blessed friends who gave me a wonderful day celebrating my birthday today.  The ladies from my home fellowship group gave me a lovely breakfast tea on the enchanting sun room of one of the ladies.  It looked as if it came right out of a Country Living magazine.  They each took time to bless me and it was wonderful just to spend time together.  In the afternoon the ladies from the Bible study that I teach celebrated my birthday and it was a delightful time just to be with them also.  What a blessing to feel loved.

From the kitchen...My breakfast tea was served with scrambled eggs made with summer squash and parsley sprigs.  We also had a wonderful apple crunch made with oatmeal and granny smith apples.  Being gluten and sugar free makes for a trial when other people try to cook for you.

I am wearing...I am wearing a brand new pair of denim capris that are a size smaller than the ones I had on this morning.  They were on clearance at Fleet Farm.

 I am creating...strengthened relationships and a place of shalom for my family by the grace of God. Perhaps I will say more about this at another time.

I am going...to visit my mother on Thursday.  She will be having surgery on her back on Wednesday if all goes as planned.

I am reading..."The Committed Life" an inspiring book by Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis who talks about walking out the principles found in the Torah and how this applies to all of mankind.

I am hoping...

I am hearing...the women's gymnastic competition on television since I am finishing this post at a later time than I began it.  The Chinese girl just finished her uneven bar performance and there is a tie for first place.

Around the house...my dear husband is playing Risk on the other computer across the room and my son has gone to bed.  Since the last few days have been busy with getting Hannah packed and loaded to leave for school and then today was spent celebrating, my home is a mess and tomorrow will be spent doing laundry and trying to get things back in order.

One of my favorite things...is spending time with the ladies at my Bible study like I did today.  They are all older than I am being in their 70s and 80s.  After our Bible study, which is currently in the Book of Acts, they have to have their social time in which we always have coffee and some kind of dessert.  Then we sit over our coffee and solve the worlds problems.  We do a pretty good job, too, if only someone would listen to us, lol.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: after getting things back in order, I plan to spend sometime recharging my batteries, spending some extended time with the Lord and preparing for days ahead which I will write about in the future.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

This is a picture of Hannah and Danny that Hannah took when they had just bought a new point and shoot camera earlier this year.

This post is inspired by my blog friend, Beth. You can read Peggy's original Simple Woman's Daybook here.

For His Name's Sake.

Lately, all I can do when I come into the Presence of the Almighty is to be still. I bow in awe of His goodness, His mercy, and His power. He works in mysterious ways. He allows certain situations into our lives to mold us, to shape us....even tonight I was talking with someone about the fact that if the Son of God learned obedience by what He suffered, why shouldn't we. We need to stand before Him with our hands open ready to receive what He is wanting to give, whatever that is whether it is a fish or something we would consider a scorpion. Our Heavenly Father only gives good gifts so why do we see the things in our lives that are unpleasant as though they are not gifts from His hand.

We have been waiting nearly three weeks. My husband had been investigated for an accident that he had with a work vehicle and also for falling asleep for a brief time. Since he works 3rd shift this is a very easy thing to do. Yesterday, we received the news with regard to the accident; a 10 day suspension, 5 of which would be taken immediately and 5 carried over the next 6 months to be taken in the event of another accident. This was great news considering our expectation of a 30 suspension without pay. Today we received the news with regard to the other investigation--dismissal from his job. We were in shock.

But, our shock lasted only briefly. We know that our God is faithful. He so often meets the need before we know that we have it and just within the last week the guys have gotten $100 in tips in their paper routes. Before we even knew that we needed them. God is good....all the time. There are many at the railroad who are upset with this decision. The union is going to appeal. The correct protocol was not followed. "You would have been better off taking drugs!" someone suggested because drug users get 6 months off and at least get to keep their jobs.

My Redeemer is Faithful and True and every morning His mercies are New! We have been trying to teach the homeless woman who has been living with us this very fact and now we get a chance to live this out before her. To walk with God. Oh the depth of the riches! God WILL provide what we need! And I will keep you updated on the progress!

For His Name's Sake.