Gullible or Trusting?

All of my life I've always been the girl to take you at your word.  Some may call it being gullible, but in all honesty, I think it has more to do with I trust what you are telling me to be true.  Here are some examples:

"Dust bunnies are real"

Me-"Really?"

"Yes, can't you see them move?"

Me-"No way!"

"They are..."

*insert laughter here

"We're giving you a nickname"

Me-"Cool, what is it?"

"L. D. ....it means little darling"

*this period of time I put L. D. all over everything

Later as an adult.....

"You know what L. D. meant right?"

Me-"Little Darling"

"Nope, Little Dummy"

"Do you know how Blue Spruces were made?"

Me-"No, how?"

"Well, they cross pollinated Kentucky Blue Grass, with a regular Spruce, and that's how it got that blue tint."

Me-"Really?

"Yep, really..."

Me-"That's pretty cool!"

*insert laughter here

I'm not going to say who did this to me, but I will say it was people who I shouldn't have to question whether they are telling me the truth or not :)  It doesn't stop with the funny stories, even though we will all be laughing from here to eternity...

I do believe that God created me to be trusting.    The upside to that is that I see the best in people, that no one really wants to be misleading, to lie, or to hurt, sometimes when there doesn't seem to be a "best" in them.  The downside is, I am realizing, that it can be misused.  I can't blame others for mistreating my trust in them, because, you see, I am responsible for who I trust...family, friends, acquaintances, teachers, leaders, pastors, most importantly...myself.  I can, and do trust all of these people in my life, but most importantly, above all I have to trust God above everything and everyone else.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

    and lean not on your own understanding;

⁶ 

in all your ways submit to him,

    and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5-6

i.am.so.weak.

Trusting myself to God...I've done a great job on my own so far...NOT.  Why do I seek others, even people I don't know, for truth, how to be a better Christian, pray-er, wife, mother, daughter, friend..."the easy way", "in 30 days", all the while doing it "biblically".  Is it really that simple?   For someone else to diagnose my stumblings, for someone else to correct my ways?  Do this, do that...all the while not seeking God?  Putting their truth above THE Truth?  Some of the things over the years that I took to be truth, because I trusted the people who were speaking it, and not seeking it on my own, are not truth in it's entirety.  A realization that we are all human, fallible, and want to put our own spin on what God has to say.  But in my weakness, I'm turning to the One who is strong.  In 2 Corinthians Paul talks about the thorn in his side, that Christ's power is perfected in our weakness.  It is believed that he is talking about about a physical issue, but goes on to talk about all weaknesses:

But He (the Lord) said to me,“My grace is sufficient for you, for power^[b] is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. ¹⁰ So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, catastrophes, persecutions, and in pressures, because of Christ.For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

What am I saying, you may wonder...I'm saying don't take my word for it.  Take God's Word for it.  Take what you understand to be true, and take it to the Truth.  

This is what I'm learning.  

I wasn't going to do the "word of the year" stuff, but I think what I will work on for now...maybe not the whole year is TRUST.  To only trust the One who created me to be trusting.

*pictures are just randomly placed...

The Reason for the Season

I've heard it said so many times that "Jesus is the reason for the season", I believe this is 

true. His coming changed history, but have you ever thought that "YOU are the reason 

for the season"? YOU are why He left His Heavenly Home. YOU are the reason He lived, 

preached, loved, died and was raised from the dead, all for YOU. He came to make a way 

so YOU could live, love, and join Him and Father to live for eternity. 

And the angel said unto them, 'Fear not:'Behold I bring you good tidings of 

great joy which will be to all people, 

Unto YOU is born this day a Saviour which is Christ the Lord.'

Luke 2:11

~Susan Everett

I DON'T WANNA!

I feel like a two year old.  I really do!  I want to stomp my feet, scream at the top of my lungs "I DON'T WANNA!!!!!"

Why you ask?  I don't know.  Well, I do, but it is all so petty and selfish.  Life is happening to me, and I don't want to deal with it.  I want to crawl in a hole until it all passes.  I want to fast forward to the end, where God has it all worked out.

It would make it easier if I would spend time with Him, talking it out, seeking His guidance...

I say I have faith, and I do, I know it will all work out, it always does.   He has proven it to me time and again...so why is it now, when things aren't as tough as they were a year and a half ago, that I find myself so distant?

Look, I am about to do something new;
even now it is coming. Do you not see it?
Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness,
rivers in the desert.
Isaiah 43:19

This is the scripture that I dug up that represented what God did in the life of my husband and I last summer. He made our marriage new, I couldn't see what He was going to do, but when all I could see was wilderness, and everything seemed dry and barren...well...you get it.

Life gets in the way, but only because I let it.  Worries (what happens when things don't work out?), riches (or lack there of?), pleasures (but what if I can't have them?).

Like I said...selfish and petty.

I feel like the seed among the thorns:
The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. Luke 8:14

So, I will pull up the thorns, till up the ground, fertilize the soil, and patiently wait for the crop to spring up.
 But the seed in the good ground—these are the ones who, having heard the word with an honest and good heart, hold on to it and by enduring, bear fruit.  Luke 8:15  This is my prayer, to endure, and bear fruit.

So, tell me, do you ever feel like this? I hope that my ramblings meet you where you are and encourage you.
Blessings!
Cara

Self-Discipline

I am the least self-disciplined person I know.  I don't want to do things just because I don't want to do them.  I look for reasons excuses for every little thing that I know is required for me to do as a Christian, wife, mother, homeschooler.  And it just makes me sooooo mad!  Because when I do the things that I need to be doing it feels so good to have them done.

All that to say...I have been truly convicted to become more disciplined.  It is apparent that I need it in everything I do.  How can I expect my girls to do what they're supposed to do with school...if I can't even get it together to prepare things?  How am I to expect them to manage their time...when I don't?  How am I to expect them to be obedient to the Word...when I myself don't spend time in it everyday, seeking God's will for me and my family?

“God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline” 2 Timothy 1:7

So, that's why I long for it?!?  Of course!  His spirit is in me, so the spirit of self-discipline is there!  But, I have to give myself over for it to come through.  

I hate to brush my teeth...hate it.  But it has to be done.  I'm probably on the road to dentures in a few years, but I can take care of them while I have them...right?  I don't want to wash my face...because it's a pain to have to do that every night.  That was my first step in self-discipline.  A nightly routine of brushing my teeth, and skincare.  I didn't like it, and still don't most nights...honestly, I prayed that God wouldn't allow me to sleep until these things were done.  

So today, even though I slept late, and still had to vacuum two rooms, and clean the kitchen in less than 30 min.  I began to sing "This is the day the Lord has made" it got my focus back on Him, and as soon as I could, I sat down with my Bible, and notebook and began to pray "Lord, I know this isn't the ideal situation for me to seek You, be in Your Word, and pray...I'm going to do it...or else it will have to wait until tomorrow, and then tomorrow there will be something else...and there's always another tomorrow."

I'm going to do my best to stop looking to others for what I want God to tell me and just seek him...no matter if there are kids screaming, music playing, toys clanking...God will still meet me there in those places...and I have to remember that.

Biscuits (previous Facebook Note)

Biscuits...what can't you say about them?  Honestly, I feel that they are the backbone of my childhood, and definitely love for cooking!

I was inspired this morning (8/19/11)...I made biscuits for the boys before school (now before you go congratulating me, you should know, that I rarely do this, and the reason I did it this morning is because we were out of milk for cereal, and didn't have enough bread for toast).  They had to be some of the best ones I have made in a long time.  Maybe it's because even though I made them out of necessity...I DID IT OUT OF LOVE.  Just to know that I was able to do that, and they enjoy them (because they were amazing!), and to see them smile when I talk about how good the biscuits are.

 I used to laugh at Ma Everett when she tasted the food that she had prepared...because she would smile, cackle, and say "MMMMMM, that was good".  I found myself doing that without realizing it, and I feel privileged to do it, because that means there is a little bit of that wonderful woman is a part of me.  I will never be able to cook them like hers, and that's okay...I can still remember them (and I like to think that when I get to heaven there'll be a pan of her hot biscuits, and sorghum syrup waiting on me).

Ultimately my Moma is the one who really taught me how to make biscuits, I can still remember One of the first times I made them was a Sunday dinner down at Papa and Dee's...how proud I was!  It probably was hard as rock, but thank goodness Papa and Dee never let on...or I wouldn't be the biscuit making woman I am today.

I'm gonna give you some pointers!
use a sifter (it makes them extra fluffy)
use buttermilk (it just tastes better)
use butter...and cream cheese (just because Crisco may have less calories, does not mean it is better for you!)
use your hands (it's just more fun that way "a good cook is a messy cook")
don't overwork them (it will make them tough)
don't overcook them (it's just gross...and it can make them hard...I like mine a light golden color)

Share them with everyone you know!  (who doesn't like a hot buttered biscuit?)

You can melt cheese in them,  use your favorite jelly, jam, or preserves, honey, sorghum syrup, Karo syrup and peanut butter (Matt), smother them in white gravy, or in chocolate gravy (Monte), add fried bologna, or any other type of meat, eggs, you can toast the ones that are left over...or eat them cold...with ketchup (Diane).  Needless to say...you can eat them however you want!

If I haven't had the pleasure of making biscuits for you, please let me!  Not because they taste good, but just because I love you...and fortunately (or unfortunately) that is how I show my love!

(and when you eat my biscuits you have to sing "The Biscuit Song")
Hot out of the oven!

Too good not to eat!