New Post

Good morning my blogging buddies!
I have yet to resolve my blogging issues! However I have determined that it is most likely operator ignorance! I obviously have figured out how to make a new post, though that had eluded me for several days. I also, was able to read the comments that were made to my posts. The problem is I can't seem to make comments on your blogs. It is incredibly frustrating. I have 2 resources that have been suggested to me, both of which are out of town at the moment so I'm having to sit tight.

Please bear with me as I make a few comments in my actual post. :) Please read the whole post. Don't be put off or feel left out if it has a name in the beginning. I still posted for all to see and read.

Ms. Julie--this is my new post. I am still visiting your blog and web site. I did get your family newsletter. Thank you. What a busy life you lead!! It is so wonderful to get a newsletter that talks about the things that the Lord has done in your life. Conner is so wonderful! I am so jealous of the grandmother loving he gets. That statement sounds really strange, but I can't explain here in public. When will you and Dave be headed to Alaska?
I read your post about why Christians don't change. My question: The person that states they actually believe in Christ and are Christians, but have not really recognized their sinful state, will they be in heaven? Isn't the first step in accepting Christ being able to admit your sinful state and need for a Savior? Course then there is me who I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I will be in heaven and since that date I can track growth and changes in my life. However, there are still days when I struggle mightily with the same pattern of sin. I must admit that though I do not think you wrote the article in reference to my Daddy post I immediately went there. He struggled so horribly with his drinking. Though I could see times when he had an inner strength to turn from the stuff and be dry for a spell. Some people are able to turn cold turkey from the sins that bind them and others of us struggle the rest of our time here on earth with the same thing. Perhaps it is a lack of faith and trust in our Savior? No, I like your explanation better. It is our inability to see ourselves as foolish sinners in need of our Savior. OK, I feel as though I am turning circles here and this is the wrong time to be this incredibly heavy.

Ms. Mishel-- Woo-hoo windows!!! I feel like I should have a marching band standing in your front yard playing as loud as possible! I sure hope you are feeling better. Gab said you wouldn't let her stay in the nursery the other day because she sounded so bad. I think that hers is all sinuses, but now you have a cold after being around her. I'm sure all that cold air swirling around in your house isn't helping! Would you please stop in at Heather's (Just Laugh) and let her know where I am now? I haven't been able to comment at her blog so she can't find me any more.

Ms. Heather--I so enjoyed your Christmas post. Like the rest of you I have struggled with the whole how to celebrate Christmas also. Unlike you guys, I made a decision based on what I felt was right. I didn't go before the Lord nor did I seek Godly counsel. I just decided that there would be no celebration with tree and decorations and pitched it ALL. Yep, all the ornaments that had been given to us through the years, all the Christmas bears with the dates on them that my Grandmother had given to me. Beautiful decorations gone. Let me clarify 2 things. I did talk to my husband and he was in agreement and this occurred many years ago. See Heather I didn't have the wisdom you had. Let's do this for one Christmas and see what happens. Then Michael and I spent years talking about what we could do different and still celebrate Christmas. We usually fell back into the comfortable. What I believe I did was take away something with out any plan to replace it with something else. So the whole point of changing was lost. Not to mention the memories that were pitched in the trash. We did go back to putting up a tree and decorating. I do try to keep Santa low on the totem pole and focus on God made things. Holly evergreens, poinsettias. I thought I was over the whole Christmas delima. Then I started reading all of the different post, seeing the pictures of Christmas trees in Christian homes. Then I read the post where we all struggle with the same thing. How to keep Christ in Christmas, where to draw the line and how to focus. I have to tell you that my heart did back flips. I'm normal!! We all struggle with this issue. Many of you are far more eloquent in your expression of it. But we all celebrate Christmas; with Christ in our hearts and trees in our living room. :) I did get a little jealous of all the little traditions you guys have. That's what knits a family together through the generations. I had that when I lived at home with my parents. I believe I have failed to provide that for my children. But, I still have a few years to change that. :) I look forward to hearing follow up reports on how your experimental Christmas went, Heather.
Now, the missing post. Again I can relate. I struggle with how to balance what to do and what not to do. Only I don't have an excuse. I'm just plain lazy and selfish. Taking care of your family and their needs is your first priority. Seeking the Lords guidance and your husbands wisdom is *all* you need to do. You will not answer to any one but God and you will not live under the same roof with anyone but your husband. What I finally did at my house, and it worked for a whole 3 months, before self took over again. I sat down and looked at all the things we *had* to do. I decide which ones would be done no matter what. This comes from Ms. Julie's advise of doing what's right because it's right no matter what I feel like or what the circumstances are. Of course you aren't going to make a sick child go to church for obvious reasons. Then the other stuff that came up was up for discussion. It is very easy for me to sit here and type suggestions and comments; taking my own advise and following up is another story.

My favorite comment is: I answer to God not anyone else. Well, that's all fine and dandy if Christ is your center. If you are doing devotions, seeking His will, and reading the Bible. I will still answer to God regardless of what my daily walk with Him is. However, if I'm going to be making decisions that others don't agree with and using that as an excuse I'd better make darn sure I'm in the center of His will or all I have is a house of cards that will crumble around my ears--FAST. We are to be God pleasers not man pleasers.

One last request. Please pray for my sister!! She is really having a rough time. Pray also for me that I will recognize that it is her problem not mine. I can't ride in and save the day. 'bout the only productive safe thing I can do is pray. So I'm asking for you guys to join me. Honestly, I'm having a hard time praying coherently at this time. I pray that the scales are removed from her eyes in the Lord's timing so that she can deal with what she sees. I pray that the Lord will surround her with His peace and strength and His people to under gird her for the battle that I believe has to come. Any time there is change even good change it is hard and it hurts. See, pray for me to stay in my place and pray. For both my sister and I to have faith and trust in our God to resolve this issue. She needs strength from Christ.

I must go. I wish to camp on this issue, but I can not. I must respect her privacy. I know she wouldn't mind any and all heart felt prayers that you are willing to offer. Her name is Melissa.
She homeschools her 4 children and is wife to a preacher. She is also a nurse. I think she works mostly with the babies. She has done some work in the neonatal intensive care as well. She delivered 3 of her 4 kids at home with a midwife. She is a wonderful, intelligent young lady. When she was young she had a wonderful sense of humor and quite a mischieious streak to her. It would be a wonderful blessing to see that joy back on her face and to hear it in her voice. Just to give you an idea of mischeiviousness. My daddy used to boil eggs for his lunch and put them in a seperate place in the fridge. One day Missy switched the eggs. When he got to lunch at work that day he cracked a raw egg not a boiled one! Good thing for her, dad had a good sense of humor as well. I'm sure he retaliated in some way, but I can't remember.

Thanks for reading my ramblings! Have a wonderful day!