Quiet Time is a Good Thing

I read a lot of articles on popular Christian websites. They appeal to the trendy, young, twenty-somethings group of Christians. Maybe what you'd call "hipster". ;) Fun stuff a lot of the time! I sometimes find myself reading those articles and wanting to post in response, though. Challenge the thoughts. It worries me where young adult Christians are getting advice from sometimes. But at the same time I don't want to become a cynical critic, ya know?
For instance, tonight I found someone writing about how the popular "quiet time" notion just didn't work in his schedule. The first red flag that went up was that he only used one tiny portion of a verse in Psalms to support his entire article. However he gave some excellent ideas about other ways to serve God, seek God, and grow closer to God throughout our days. For example, he suggested making exercise time a prayer time as well.
But all that got me to thinking of all the places in the Bible it mentions devoting special time for prayer with the Lord. Several of the Psalms talk about rising early to talk with God. Even in the Gospels, we see Jesus Himself rising early and withdrawing to a quiet place for prayer. I think that is such a precious example He set for us.
Granted, I am NOT one whose example you should follow. I am still working on establishing a time for devotion. Usually, like to try to read in the morning before I get going with the day. And I've found that this funny, awesome thing happens when I give God the firstfruits of my day- He multiplies my time.
Don't think that I am saying following a quiet time regimen makes you a good Christian. For we are told in Romans that our lives- the day to day interactions, everything- are to be worship to God. But quiet time is a good practice toward that. It shows God that we seek Him, and that we ask Him to guide our day. It gives you something to have in your mind to think on as you journey through life. I sincerely believe it is a very good thing.

NOT Having an "Ex" is NOT That Shocking: What Should We Think of Dating These Days?

"You're 17 years old and you don't have an ex-boyfriend?! That is shocking."
(this line is from a movie that is about to be released this year, called The Spectacular Now.)

I find that line a little bit offensive and also confusing. Hey folks! Its Emmy.

The teenage boy that said that line in the movie automatically assumed this girl he just met has dated one or more guys previously. Why must that be the mindset and obligation of teens these days? That they NEED to date multiple people throughout their high school career and that every cute person they meet or flirt with has an "ex"?

I am 17 yrs. old and a senior in high school and I have not dated AT ALL throughout my HS career; I have never had a boyfriend during high school or previous to it. This must be "shocking" to most teens out there because today's world is telling them: "You have to date as many people as possible, especially while you are a teen so you can figure out the kind of person you want to spend the rest of your life with." So those teens are usually shocked and surprised when they find out that some people have never dated anyone at all, because they have become so used to doing that-- dating many people throughout their HS careers, and they assume everyone does it these days.
Many teens have fallen into this mindset that they become ensnared in the priority of always being on the look-out for someone to date.

You really don't have to date someone in high school, or while you're very young, just because everyone does it and just because the world is telling you to. Steer away from the trends and patterns of this world. What does God want you to do? Pray to Him, that he will guide you down the path he has already set for your life-- especially down the path of dating/relationships. He is very concerned and interested in our love stories, more than we are. We just have to trust that he will bring the right guy along when the time comes.

What we've been up to! How about you?

Hello on a hot, sunny, humid Oklahoma afternoon!

I'm moved in to my apartment and classes haven't started yet so I have oodles of time on my hands. Last night I ironed and listened to some Nancy Leigh DeMoss programs. This afternoon I am going to share some pictures from the summer.

What a summer it has been! A week after I got home from school, my mother came down to Oklahoma to care for my ailing grandparents. That left Em and I with more housekeeping responsibilities. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but we missed our Mommy!

We had a time of back-and-forth from CO to OK because of my grandmothers failing health during July. On July 18 she received her eternal reward and began the ultimate reality of life in Heaven. But boy, do we miss her. She was our only grandmother, and we couldn't have picked a better one from a garden! Her life of godliness and servanthood inspires me to make her proud in the way I live mine.

Since we had some pretty slow days of just waiting around at the g'parents, Em and I did some exploring. We visited the OKC bombing memorial and the historic town of Guthrie.

Oh and amidst all of that, I got to spend some lovely time with our newest addition, Molly Brown, when I was in Colorado! She is the most docile, sweet, and fun 10-year-old bay roan mare you will ever meet.

Now to the fun part.......PICTURES! There's a lot so get comfy :)

Z groups are z best!

Happy fourth!

This was one of my favorite monuments. It reads "Our deeply rooted faith sustains us." Faith, indeed, is the victory that overcomes the world!

We enjoyed fun time with our little cousin! He's a hoot!

Playing the game "what is this?" while going through Grammy's closet!

Who says playing dress up is just for little girls?

Cute little Heidi!

Monsoon season in Colorado

Miss Molly Brown!

Isn't she a beaut? (both of them are!)

Precious baby bunny!!!

Greetings pals and gals! I have the sweetest little tidbit to share.

This afternoon we got back home from running errands and I went downstairs and was looking in all the window-wells to see if there were any critters hanging around in them. I am so glad I did, because when I opened the blinds in my dad's office, I saw a teeny-tiny baby bunny! It had its eyes closed and looked so scared. It must have hopped away from Momma and fallen in.

Here's some pictures:

****UPDATE**** We tried to care for Nutmeg as best as we could but because of some unseen illness or injury, Nutmeg went to bunny heaven the next morning. :(

Coming Soon to a Dutch Umbrella Near You...

 Once I get my pictures uploaded to the computer, I am eager to update you on our summer. It has been a roller coaster, hither and yon, which is why we have let this go by the wayside.

For the meantime, let's make some silly faces and smile because life is blessed!

The Wrong Way to Do Right

As I may have mentioned, last week I was a counselor at church camp on the campus of my college. I went there growing up, so it was really neat to be able to give back and be on the "other side".

Every day we went to two Bible classes in the mornings. They were on all sorts of topics, but all related to the theme of the weak which was "Lead Me". So we had classes about "Lead Me" to serve, to forgiveness, to humility, to partake, and to obey. One class in particular held my interest though. It was about doing right.

I think the main point the teacher wanted to make was that there is a wrong way to do right, and that is when we try to attain righteousness on our own. This was a class in which God revealed an area I ought to have more grace in my life.

To illustrate his point, he talked about the Pharisees' attempt to protect the Sabbath laws. Here's what went down:

God gave His people laws regarding Sabbath. The Pharisees wanted to protect those laws, and ultimately God's word. So they implemented "suggestions" for themselves and their people. These suggestions were crazy things including: you can't spit on the ground, because that makes mortar which is used for brick making which is work; or, my personal favorite, wearing jewelry is not a good idea because the earrings weigh down your earlobes and thus cause them to "work". Anyway, they Pharisees were imposing their suggestions onto the people and treating them as law.

That reminded me of certain things some Christians do nowadays in the name of being Biblical
.**Let me first interject by saying it is certainly noble to do all you can to protect God's word, but it takes special discernment. It is fine to implement practices for yourself but we must be careful about what is truly essential for others to practice as well. Is it a command of Christ or a personal safeguard?**
For instance, Christians who do not homeschool or attend a private Christian school are looked down upon sometimes by the ones who are. Or women are told that in order to be modest you must wear skirts only. Or even sometimes women are told that working outside the home is being feminist and rebellious to God's plan.
That is where the issue gets sticky. Are they the way to righteousness? By no means! We must tread extremely gracefully because even though these are excellent lifestyle choices, some Christians may not be convicted toward them as other Christians might be.

So the wrong way to do right in this instance would be to frown upon those Christian families who do not, for whatever reason, live the way we do. That does not make them wrong, nor does it make us right.

That is the beauty of grace through Christ. His love unites all sorts of different people, with diverse backgrounds and walks of life. This issue had been on my heart for a while so I was really thankful for that class which helped me tie all these thoughts together!

I hope this could be thought-provoking and encouraging!

True Woman | Single-Focused: Nine Tips for Singles

True Woman | Single-Focused: Nine Tips for Singles


This is an excellent list! Helps me remember that singleness does not lessen your value and purpose in God's kingdom!

That awkward moment when your grandmother's friends ask, "A pretty girl like you, I'm surprised you're running around by yourself! Have you met someone special yet?" To which you must reply, "Not yet...but hopefully soon!"

Naaah, it's not really that awkward. But I do pray that I can positively answer that question someday soon.

If I have learned anything to help me with that it is this: I can completely trust in God's timing.
I may have said that before but I feel the need to reiterate it (mainly to solidify it in my heart and mind).

The Lord places the right people in the right places at the right times. He is the master composer and conductor in the orchestra of our lives; and when we follow His Spirit's guidance, the result is a beautiful symphony of circumstances and people coming together for His glory.

That Fudge was Too Easy!

Hey everyone! It's Emmy. 

I found the easiest recipe for fudge & I want to share it with you all.

It's so simple, and hardly takes much time at all.

Wanna give it a whirl? 

Okay, here's what you'll need:

• 1 pound of confectioners' sugar (this is equivalent to 2 cups)
• 1/2 cup of baking cocoa
• 1/4 cup of milk
• 1 stick of margarine (or butter; whichever one you have one hand)
• Pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup of chopped nuts (these can be optional. the first time i tried this recipe, i didn't use nuts.)

Directions:

• Combine the confectioners' sugar, cocoa, and milk in a large glass bowl.
• Cut margarine into 4 portions & add into bowl.
• Microwave on HIgh for about 2 minutes or until margarine is melted. Mix until smooth.
• Add vanilla (and nuts); mix well.
• Pour into greased dish; spread evenly.
• Let stand for 20 to 30 minutes or until cool & firm.
• Cut into squares.

Yields 1 1/2 pounds. 

Happy baking!! 

Aaaaand We're Gone

I took this from our house on Tuesday evening. Not much later the sheriff came by and told us to get ready!

Can I please solicit your prayers for the area of Black Forest and the city of Colorado Springs?

These are some tough fires and the weather is making it hard to get them under control. We really need the intervention of God's mighty arm.

Like many families, we were evacuated from our home on Tuesday night. However we realize that many people are in a harder situation than us, and our hearts go out to them. Our house has been listed as "appears unaffected" and we have many friends and church family reaching out to help us. For that we praise God. But like I said, while our home was spared around 379 homes were not.

We also praise God for good news this morning that they had a good night, and no structures were lost.

Our prayers are with the firefighters and law enforcement for working tirelessly.

http://mapsengine.google.com/map/view?mid=zynfDqx-iJig.k3otgkqnCm-A

This map shows the evacuation areas.

http://rsg.epcsheriff.com/

This is a good website of information.

http://www.koaa.com/home/

One of our local news channels to get up to date information and learn more about the fire.

Thank you for you prayers!

How to make (or copy) McDonalds' Filet-O-Fish Sandwich

Howdy friends! It's Emmy.

Have you ever tried the Filet-O-Fish sandwich from McDonald's? If you haven't, I would recommend it! It's so yummy!
I really like that sandwich, and wanted to make my own. When I thought of all the ingredients required for it, I thought "These are easy ingredients & we have all of them! I could just make this myself!"

 Here's what you'll need:

• A hamburger bun (or hot dog bun; whichever one you prefer)
•  One frozen fish fillet (can be found at wal-mart in frozen food area; great value brand)
• Slice (or two) of cheddar or colby jack/monterey cheese (again, whichever one you prefer)
• Squirt of tartar sauce on both top & bottom bun

The assembly is pretty self explanatory, but if you need further instructions:

1. Microwave the fish fillet, 2 minutes, low power level
2. Prepare the bun by spreading tartar on and placing slice of cheese on bun
3. Take the fish fillet out and put it on the bun & place top bun over it (do this quickly b/c the fillet will be hot, and the cheese will need to melt)

There you go! You've got your very own, home-made version of the Filet-O-Fish from McDonald's!
Bon appetit!

 My Filet-O-Fish Sandwich

 

McDonald's Filet-O-Fish Sandwich

God surely spoils His children! These do not even begin to capture the majestic beauty I encountered on my walk, but they are a small taste. I am always dumbfounded at the measure the Lord lavishes loveliness in His nature. He gave us the colors of the flowers, the towering mountains, the smell of pine trees, the warm sun, and gentle breeze. Praises be to the Almighty!!

Very Precious in God's Sight

but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. 1 Peter 3:4 ESV

Greetings on a beautiful Sunday afternoon! I hope it's as lovely in your neck of the woods as it is in mine. I think my dog, Pearl and I will go for a walk around a nearby trail after I post this!

1 Peter 3:4 was the verse to meditate on for today's SheReadsTruth devotional. So I pondered that verse. Here's what I came up with:

What a contrast that verse is to our culture today. Even in churches, sadly! Modern day women are esteemed for being loud, speaking their minds, and acting boisterous. Being wild and crazy is a valued "quality" for today's girls. Just watch what girls get the most attention in youth groups and at schools.

Girls who have a naturally quiet spirit are viewed as shy and reserved. Sure, they are labeled "sweet" (which is good) but they sort of get swept aside. They don't get the high acclaim their noisy peers do, and are made to feel ashamed for being of the quiet type.

However, in the Bible we learn that God thinks something entirely different about these type of girls. To him, quietness and gentleness are virtues that are highly valued and viewed as "very precious"!

This particular verse isn't just targeting women who already possess gentleness solely to encourage them. It is pointing out how precious it is to God for all women to cultivate a spirit of gentleness and quietness. Not only is it precious, but it is also imperishable!

There's nothing wrong with being cheerful and outgoing. And having a quiet and gentle spirit does not mean you sit alone in a corner and do not engage in conversation. It means you conduct yourself with the regal dignity of a daughter of a King. It is time for women to start holding this virtue in high esteem! It is time for ladylike behavior to make a comeback! Possessing a gentle spirit is also something that helps women of God be set apart from women of the world.

If you see a young lady who has these virtues, acknowledge her for it. Let her know how much you value her spirit and, more importantly, how much God values it in His sight!

Fun Giveaway @ Deep Roots at Home!

Friends, friends, friends!!! One of my favorite blogs I recently discovered, Deep Roots at Home is having a lovely giveaway of some adorable post cards made at the Breezy Tuliip Studio!

Ok, you caught me. Posting this helps me get more entries BUT I also want you to visit her delightful blog and have the chance to enter! Do it and you won't regret it.

Here's you a little peek ;)

When we love the least of these

Just finished with my congregation's Family Bible Week (like VBS, but parents also have a speaker). I had the privilege of being the group leader for the Kindergarten age. It was a wonderful and encouraging time! God never ceases to reveal things to me almost every time I am working with children.

What did God teach me this time? To keep loving them. The ones hardest to love. The ones who seem to be raised rough around the edges.

Many of us are aware of the sad and confused state our society is in nowadays. We can clearly see the horrors of the effects of a sinful culture and media on families. Case in point: we had a little girl in our group whose tongue was pierced and whose bellybutton was pierced (apparently so it would hurt anyone who tried to punch her in the stomach, she said). Broke. My. Heart. A six-year-old with a bellybutton piercing?! Anyway, she was definitely our challenge this week.

I don't know her background but I can assume she has not had many boundaries in place because she would not respond to a simple, "Please do not touch that anymore." Getting her to obey took time. 

I also learned about this girl that she came with a relative who had recently been baptized and started attending our church. So there is no telling what the background our challenge-girl came from.

With children like that it is easy to get quickly frustrated. It is easy to be upset at having to make the effort to discipline them, what feels like endlessly. But tonight God taught me to keep at it. Keep giving them the boundaries that help them feel secure. Make the effort.

Why? Because to trouble-kids, I might be the only correction they get. At home they may not be surrounded by adults who are seeking after Jesus like they are when they're at Family Bible Week. The "discipline" they receive at home might be destructive rather than constructive. Our pierced-tongue girl desperately needs to see examples of what godly girlhood looks like. The Lord put her right where she really needed to be. Praise God for the relative that brings her to church!

If you are a young lady striving toward Christ centered femininity and Biblical womanhood, may I encourage you to be involved with the children in your congregation? Especially to visiting children, your example to them can mean the world.

I love the song by Audio Adrenaline that says, "Girls will be queens, boys will be kings wrapped in Your majesty when we love the least of these." How powerful those words are! Oh to love the child that is troubled, who needs someone to patiently take the time to guide them in God's paths and teach them His word.

I am pleased to announce that after 4 or so years, I have just finished reading Emma (by Jane Austen)! It's not that I'm a slow reader--okay, maybe I am. But really, between school and reading other books, Emma just kind of got pushed to the back burner. As much as I love Jane Austen, I feel as if I don't get sucked into her writing as much as I do, say, Francine Rivers. Overall it was a great read, but Pride and Prejudice still holds first place for me! :) Comparing Mr. Knightley and Mr. Darcy, I gotta give it to Mr. Knightley as my favorite leading man. His character was noble and honest and upfront from the get-go. And I found the characters in Emma to be very entertaining as well!

Come and Break Bread has a really interesting series going on now called "31 Days to Better Understanding the Bible." I stumbled upon this at just the right time.

Yesterday I was driving through the fog to pick up Emily from her last day of school at our church (she is a senior now! Congrats baby sister!), and I will be honest with you-- I had been struggling with living by the Spirit. It was like I was checking off a list, but had no heart behind it. Recently I was given the opportunity to speak to the teen girls at our church about modesty, but I felt completely uninspired for my upcoming talk! I knew in my head that it was something that needed to be done, but my heart was not right before God.

So somewhere on that drive into town, amidst the fog I realized, "I am sitting, wallowing in my filth of sin and Jesus has offered me His very own righteousness. He is the only one to pull me out of this!" Praise God for the blood of the Lamb that continually cleanses us from our sins. Anyway, the Spirit prompted me, "If you are to teach anything to these girls, you yourself must first be soaked and saturated in God's Word, and His love."

Although I had been reading the Bible on a regular basis it is time to really dig into it and start memorizing and meditating on God's Word. So that series was a delight to find this morning!

Friends, sometimes we go through dry spells where you just don't feel anything. Perhaps there is a link to that and hormones each month ;) Nonetheless, I encourage you to surround yourself with uplifting, edifying, Godly music and teachings; and keep pressing on and into the Bible, and ultimately Jesus.

He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. (Psalm 18:16 NKJV)

 Grace and peace as you go through your day!

"Held" by Natalie Grant

Two months is too little
They let him go
They had no sudden healing
To think that providence
Would take a child from his mother
While she prays, is appalling
Who told us we'd be rescued
What has changed and
Why should we be saved from nightmares
Were asking why this happens to us
Who have died to live, it's unfair
This is what it means to be held
How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved and to know
That the promise was that when everything fell
We'd be held
This hand is bitterness
We want to taste it and
Let the hatred numb our sorrows
The wise hand opens slowly
To lilies of the valley and tomorrow
This is what it means to be held
How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved and to know
That the promise was that when everything fell
We'd be held
If hope if born of suffering
If this is only the beginning
Can we not wait, for one hour
Watching for our savior
This is what it means to be held
How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life
And you survive
This is what it is to be loved and to know
That the promise was that when everything fell
We'd be held

Ombre tea!

Hooray for banana-oat smoothies!!

Spray spray spray

I'm fairly pleased with the results of my spray paint adventure. However, my technique could use some improvement. It is uneven in places and on some spots you can see the paint dripping down. At least I didn't sink a lot of money into itand can always try some more!