Sunday Psalm

Psalm 1

Blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.

Not so the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

Thankful Thursday: Back from vacation

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16

This past week we've been on vacation in Virginia visiting our church family and friends from when we used to live there. And we just returned home last evening. It was a great week but also challenging as we got hit with sickness at the end of the week.

This week I am thankful for...

* My husband. He surprised me by setting up a spa appointment for a massage and pedicure for me. I've never had this before and it was a really amazing morning getting pampered like that! Very relaxing and a nice retreat! What a thoughtful man!

* Eli's sickness. That it was toward the end of the trip and it gave me a new sense of patience with his fussiness. Once I knew he was not feeling well, I was more sensitive and loving toward him when I had been very frustrated before.

* My husband. He took care of all the cleanup after Eli was sick. I am so glad that he was there. If we had been home and Kevin at work, I don't know how I could have taken care of Eli AND get everything cleaning up at the same time. I am so thankful Kevin was there to help out!

* My sickness. That it was at the very end of the trip. And thank goodness for garbage bags. Enough said.

* Eli. There were a lot of new things for him during the trip. The 10-hour drive, new room, off schedule, out all the time, new boundaries and things he wasn't allowed to touch. But through it all he did very well, and I am so thankful for him!

* Our friends. It was so great to see everyone! We still miss them!

*Our friend Ken. For letting us stay at his house. It saved a great expense and made the trip affordable! He was a real trooper about us taking over with baby stuff everywhere. We really appreciate his hospitality throughout the week!

* Safe travels. We're home. And it's good to be home.

Weekly Memory Verse

After I posted last week's new verse, I actually sat down and made new slips of paper for practicing my verses throughout the week. Now this week I need to back in gear with actually practicing them! Any fun ideas that you do? How do you practice your verse throughout the week?

This week's memory verse:

1 John 3: 18
Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

This will be a really great verse for me this week. I've really been losing my patience a lot lately and I can clearly see how it affects the others in the house. I need to focus on my actions and what example I'm offering to my son. Love is so much more than just the words we say. it's about how we live.

Previous memory verses:

Colossians 2:6-7 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

Psalm 119:9-11 How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

Hebrews 10:24-25 Let us consider how may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together--as some are in the habit of doing--but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Psalm 86:11 Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart that I may fear your name. I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify Your name forever.

Joshua 1:8 Do not let the Word of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night so that you will be careful to do everything in it; then you will be prosperous and successful.

Luke 10:27 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind. And love your neighbor as yourself.

2 Corinthians 3:5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.

Colossians 4:6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in your richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.

1 Thessalonians 5:16 Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances,
for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

If you'd like to join me this week in memorizing 1 John 3:18, sign your name below (even if you don't have a blog).

Sunday Psalm

PSALM 103

Praise the Lord, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits--
who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed
like the eagle's.

The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all the oppressed.

He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel:
The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him:
as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the lord has compassion on whose who fear him;
for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.
As for man, his days are like grass,
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.
But from everlasting to everlasting
the Lord's love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children's children--
with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.

The Lord has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.

Praise the Lord, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.
Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will.
Praise the Lord, all his works
everywhere in his dominion.

Praise the Lord, O my soul.

Husband Encouragement Challenge--Vacation Style

Alright, it has been soo long since I’ve even thought about the ongoing challenge of being encouraging to my husband. I’ve forgotten my goals, and I haven’t been making much of an effort at all to hold my tongue and choose my words wisely.

It’s a rainy day today, I’ve got music playing, and I’m feeling contemplative. We have vacation coming up TOMORROW and since this can sort of be a stressful time for me (since I'm such a planner), I thought I would come up with a few things I can specifically work on so I’m encouraging to my husband throughout this trip.

1. Really hold my tongue about making any driving comments. Even though Kevin doesn’t drive the same way I do, he is still a safe driver, and I trust him. AND I really appreciate him driving so much because I get sleepy after just an hour or so!
2. Work on not getting stressed about keeping schedules.
3. Thank Kevin when he pumps the gas, and even offer to do it a couple times so he can just enjoy the break when we stop for a few minutes since he’s the one who drives the majority of the time.
4. Offer to get drinks for us when we stop and then get a sweet treat Kevin would enjoy.
5. Bring some of my own entertainment (books, email, Sudoku, etc) so that Kevin can enjoy some computer gaming time with his friend Ken without me complaining about what I might do while he’s playing.

Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Weekly Memory Verse

I've been really unmotivated about memorizing my verses lately. So we're going to do the same verse again this week.

1 Thessalonians 5:16
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances,
for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Previous memory verses:

Psalm 119:9-11
Proverbs 3:5-6
Psalm 86:11
Joshua 1:8
Luke 10:27
Romans 15:13
2 Corinthians 3:5
Romans 12:2
Colossians 2:6-7
Colossians 3:16
Colossians 4:6
Hebrews 10:24-25

A little someone has completely crumpled/ripped my little memory verse slips, so I'm going to rewrite them tonight in preparation for some good review this week.

Why memorize scripture? (Taken from THIS WEBSITE)

1. His word is truth God has given us his word so we can learn to identify truth from error. Hebrews 4:12, 2 Timothy 2:14-17, Psalm 12:6
2. His word is a delight to my soul. The entire 119th Psalm is dedicated to the praise of the Word of God. Read it several times and you will see how David, Israel's King, finds special delight and freedom in knowing and following God's Commandments. Psalm 119:35, Psalm 119:32, Psalm 119:45-47
3. His word is nourishment for my soul. Each day my body needs air, food, water and sleep. These things keep my body healthy. It is important to learn to care for yourself. If you fail to do so, after an extended time, you will start to loose your health. The human soul and spirit are no different. We need to feed on the word of God on a regular basis. Psalm 19:7-8, Matthew 4:4 You have head the expression, 'you are what you eat'. It equally true to say 'you are (and are becoming) what you think about'. Exposure to the word of God can purify your mind and your heart.. Luke 6:45, Matthew 15:18, Matthew 7:20-23, Proverbs 27:19, Proverbs 4:23
4. God instructs us to keep his word close to our heart! This makes sure that we do not stray from Him. Deuteronomy 6:6-9, Deuteronomy 11:18-21, Joshua 1:7-8, Colossians 3:16, Psalm 119:148

Click here for info on how to memorize scripture.

Sunday Psalm

Psalm 29

Ascribe to the Lord, O mighty ones,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strenght.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.

The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
the God of glory thunders,
the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.
The voice of the Lord is powerful;
the voice of the Lord is majestic.
The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars;
the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon.
He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
Sirion like a young wild ox.
The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightening.
The voice of the Lord shakes the desert;
the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh.
The voice of the Lord twists the oaks
and strips the forests bare.
And in his temple all cry, "Glory!"

The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
the Lord is enthroned as King forever.
The Lord gives strength to his people;
the Lord blesses his people with peace.

What an all powerful God we have!
May all praise be to His Glory!

Our new deck!

While Kevin's family was here and his dad was here to help he got the new deck put at our place. It's nothing extravagant because it's just a townhouse and a small area, but it still takes a lot of planning and hard work. So I'm very proud of my husband and what he's accomplished! I think it looks great and wanted to show it off!

Before

In progress

The end!

Thankful Thursday

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16

I know it's late in the day for this post, but I'm finally getting some free time, and hey, it's still Thursday, right? =)

This week I'm thankful for...

1. Family. We've just had two wonderful weeks of family visits, first being my parents and second being the in-laws. And it was sooo great having them here! Being in the military, we live a thousand miles away from family and flying home is more like a once-a-year thing, so I'm so grateful that they are able to travel here to see us sometimes! The in-laws just left yesterday and are still in route, so pray for a safe trip!

2. Tylenol. We're going through another bout of teething with Eli. He usually sleeps very well at night and we don't hear from him until morning. But last night he cried out 3 times before 10pm, the third time being quite a fit in which I had to intervene with a dose of Tylenol and lovins. After that he was good to go for the night and slept soundly.

3. Timely phone calls. Eli just turned one and every week is also turning more into a toddler. I was having a very frustrating day today and was losing it when I got a call from my friend Angie who is dealing with many similar frustrations with her little one. It made me feel a lot better just knowing I'm not the only one this week!

4. Our new deck. It's nothing fancy, just a platform really to cover the small ugly cement slab that was there. My wonderful husband worked so hard on it while his dad was here to help, and I think it turned out really great! And the best part is that our landlord is paying for it!

5. Quiet evenings. Hubby is back to working nights the rest of this week. And as much as I miss hanging out with him in the evenings, I really appreciate the quiet time. It's not very often that I get actual "me time" without feeling like I should be doing something else. So this is good for me, especially after such a busy last two weeks.

6. My Hubby. I can't have a thankful list without mentioning him! He's so amazing! These past two days when I've been super frazzled with Eli, he's been really great about taking turns, and helping me stay calm when we have to let Eli cry for a little while. He's flexible about dinner plans when I'm too exhausted to cook. He's great at helping get the house back in order after a week of company. And he's sweet and loving to me!

Fruit of the Spirit Blog

I have been nominated to display this Fruit of the Spirit graphic on my blog. The fruits of the spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23) It is my prayer to live out these virtues in my life, and apparently someone else thinks I display these qualities through my posts and offer a glimpse of the fruit in my life.

As you can see on my sidebar, the goal of my blog is to "learn from others, encourage others, and share my journey as I seek God's will for my life." And I'm so pleased that I have been encouraging to others, and as I continue to display this graphic on my blog, I will remember to keep that as my focus of my writing.

I'm in the process of getting the Fruit of the Spirit blogroll added to my sidebar. So check back later for a list of other blogs displaying the fruits of the spirit.