Scripture Update

Here it is, as promised...

I am human!

Good morning everyone! I made a mistake. Thank you to my brother for finding it. I am human and in my rush to create our new memory verse, I goofed. It should be Joshua 1:9, not James. Please make a note. I am without a computer until Wednesday evening. I will make a pretty new printout as soon as I can.

Marvelous Memory Monday

Here is our new Scripture for this week:

Not sure about you, but I had trouble with the sizing last week. It printed out huge! It is supposed to be 3x5. I posted differently this week, so hopefully it works better.

Grumbling Jar

I heard a little grumbling last week after I posted our Memory Scripture. I agree, it is an easy one to memorize, not so easy to actually do. That being said, I know I am going to hear even more grumbling this week!

It is not enough just to memorize God's Word, we must actually let His Word transform us. Our challenge for this week is to actually use and apply this scripture to our lives.

First you will need a Grumbling jar (or cup or bowl).

This week we will be "catching" the grumbling, arguing and complaining. If I catch the kids arguing this week, I will say, "Do everything without grumbling or arguing. Philippians 2:14". They will have to put a coin in the jar (we decided on a nickel). If they grumble about being caught, they put in another nickel.

The thing is, Mom and Dad, the catching goes both ways. We cannot expect our kids to stop grumbling and arguing if we are not willing to stop ourselves. Please remember this is for the good of our family, so when our kids catch us, we can't get upset with them. We must lead by (a good) example.


To take it a step further, here are some questions for discussion:

1. Why does God want us to stop grumbling, arguing and complaining?

2. Why is it so hard to stop this bad habit?

3. How do we make it right with others and with God when we are caught grumbling or arguing?


Decide as a family what you will do with the money you collect in your Grumbling Jar and let us know!

Be Still

"Momma, I can't sleep." It was his third visit to my reading chair since I put him to bed a minute ago. "Let's go," I said. I stood and ushered him back to his room.

"Be still," they were the only words I spoke as I re-tucked blankets and re-rubbed his back.

Sitting in the silence of his room, my worries from the day came quicker than his sleep.



Isn't that what my Father says too?

“Be still, and know that I am God" Psalm 46:10a

Always so much easier to say than do.


He is God, able to do abundantly more than I can ask or imagine (Eph. 3:20) and yet there are days I am captive to my thoughts and doubts. There are days I am unable to accomplish anything because everything is too big.

Why can't I just be still for a moment and turn to Him, the One who can?

Why won't I surrender and say "it is not through my power, but through Your's"?

Why don't I know that He is God?

Be still and know.

Father God, thank you for reminding me you are always with me. Please teach me to be still and remember that you are in control. Help me to know that you are abundantly able to do all things. In Jesus Precious Name, Amen.

Marvelous Memory Monday

Happy Monday! It is amazing (and sometimes convicting) the way God uses our kids to speak to us. Recently, Little Miss came to me and said she wanted to start memorizing scripture. I have stopped and started this habit several times, so I told her I would join her on this journey.

I chose a scripture that is fairly simple to get us going. I created a printable 3x5 card that I will post in several spots around the house to help us commit the verse to memory (and maybe get more people involved).

Would you like to join us?

Just click on the picture and print as many as you want.

We will keep this scripture for two weeks and then move on to a new one. Make sure you stop in next Monday and see how we are doing on our memorizing and I will have some fun ideas to make the memorizing more fun.

Please let me know if you plan to join us! I want to talk with my kids about the impact one idea can have on other people. Leave a comment here or on FB and let me know you are in! (We would love to hear if your kids are "in" too.)

Where are you?

My heart was pounding and terrible thoughts began tormenting me. My son was missing. Minutes before, I had sent him to his room for bullying his older sister. She isn't always innocent, but this time she was minding her own business and he stepped in being mean. 

"Go to your room and come back when you are ready to be kind," I ordered. This punishment usually doesn't last long. He typically returns within moments. But after 20 minutes, I was suddenly aware of the quiet. Every mom knows that silence means trouble. 

I went searching for him and slowly opened his bedroom door in hopes that he was happily building with legos. The lights were on, but he was nowhere to be found! 

I looked in the bathroom and several other rooms with no luck. Like every good mom, I thought, “you better be ok, cause when I find you, you're in big trouble.” My mind was racing at this point and I returned to his room for a more thorough search.

Beyond the usual mess, I realized that all of the tubs had been pulled out from under his bed. I got down on all fours and saw his arm, under the bed. His bed is low to the ground and I panicked thinking he was trapped, until he snored. My precious Mr. D had decided to hide in his shame and then fell asleep under his bed.

How many times have I done something wrong and decided to hide?

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. - Genesis 3:8

Sometimes our actions and the resulted feelings can get the best of us and instead of confessing our mistakes we hide. 

There are times I catch myself in a tight spot hiding from God. I have learned that my hiding typically follows a repetitious sin. It is something that God and I have dealt with before, yet I am back, making the same mistake. 

God doesn’t want us to hide from him. He wants to make us whole. He is able! The further we run, however, the deeper we fall into trouble and even depression. 

God forgives us the moment we ask. He loves us and wants to make us whole. There may be consequences to our mistake, but there is also restoration to our relationship with God. That, my friend, is the best place to be.

Abba Father, thank you for loving me even when I am unloveable and stubborn. Please forgive me for hiding from you instead of confessing my mistakes. Thank you for your faithfulness and forgiveness. Amen.