New House, puppy and a birthday

We close on our house Tuesday afternoon! Our household goods arrive the following Monday and we will be painting and cleaning during the time in between. I am so excited. I cannot wait to get my things back. You would not believe how much I have missed my Kitchen Aid and can opener. I also miss my clothes as we have been wearing the clothes that fit into our suitcases for 2 1/2 months and I for one am getting tired of wearing the same thing. 

We just got a new puppy, a 10-week-old rottweiler. We named her Annabelle Lillian and she is too cute. As soon as we get our stuff and can post pictures, I will. Annabelle and Milo play and get along great. She is already bigger than he is and it won't be long before she is huge. Her mom is 110 pounds and daddy is 150 pounds. She will probably be somewhere in between. She whines a lot, but that is to be expected for her age and the fact that she came straight from her mom, dad and sisters. 

Dd's 10th birthday is Thanksgiving day. We went out to Cracker Barrel for dinner last night and she will get her presents Thursday morning.  She has been counting down the days since early November and has been asking what the date is for the last week. She has requested a sugar cream pie instead of cake, but we will do that next weekend, once we get our appetites back.

Whatever you ask in my name

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful...No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me...If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing...You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit-fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name." John 15:1-2, 4-5, 16

I have read or heard this portion of Scripture many times. I picked up something new this morning, however. Jesus says that He is the vine and we are the branches. Just like in an actual vine the branches cannot do anything if they are separated from the vine. The vine gives the branches nutrients and health. It is only when the branches are receiving those nutrients that they can bear fruit. If the branch is unhealthy it will not produce fruit and if it is weak it will not be able to hold up the fruit it does produce. 

So often I have read the last portion of the Scripture and thought that we only have to ask for things in Jesus' name in order for them to be given to us. Not so! Jesus says that we must remain in Him in order for our petitions to be granted. How do we remain in Him? We must seek each day to do His will. The only way to know His will is to stay in constant contact with Him. We must pray continually for guidance and wisdom. We must study His Word so we may know the truths He has written for us. We must place our focus on Him. It is easier said than done in this busy world we live in, but if we truly desire to remain attached to the vine, we must make a conscious effort every single day. 

Satan is just waiting for a gap to open up so he can squeeze in and pour poison into our lives. We must not give him the opportunity.

Ready for Battle

Today I am reading about Gideon and his battle against the Midianites. Quick summary from Judges 6-7: The Israelites had continued to do evil in the Lord's sight so He gave them over to the Midianite's for 7 years during which they were cruelly oppressed. An angel came down to Gideon as he was threshing wheat and told him that the Lord was with him and he was to save Israel from Midian's hand. Gideon of course was dumbfounded as his clan was the weakest in Manasseh and he was the least in his family. (Sounds kind of similar to David.) Gideon goes on to defeat the huge Midianite army with only 300 men! He originally came with 32,000 men, but the Lord weeded out 31,700 in order to prove to the Israelites that it was God and God alone that won the battle. 

I love this verse-"The Lord answered, 'I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together.'" Judges 6:16

God did not sent Gideon out to do a job by himself. He went with him! Defeating the Israelites was a seemingly impossible task, but God caused Gideon and his tiny army to triumph, and they did not even go into the battle with swords. They walked into the enemy's camp with trumpets and jars. It reminds me of the story of Joshua and the fall of Jericho. Joshua and his men were supposed to march around the walls of the city once per day for 6 days, then on the 7th day they were to blow their trumpets and shout. At this point, the wall collapsed. The Israelites did not even touch the wall. 

I don't know about you, but I would much rather be on God's team than on the enemy's team. There are too many events in history that speak of God's power and the enemy's defeat. When God calls us He also equips us.

Just As I Am

Just as I am, without one plea,

But that Thy blood was shed for me,

And that Thou bidst me come to Thee,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, and waiting not

To rid my soul of one dark blot,

To Thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Just as I am, though tossed about

With many a conflict, many a doubt,

Fightings and fears within, without,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come...

Just as I am, of that free love

The breadth, length, depth, and height to prove,

Here for a season, then above,

O Lamb of God, I come!

-Charlotte Elliott (1789-1871)

I came across this hymn in my reading this morning and it expressed what I so often feel and see in others. I know so many people who don't come to Christ or who don't grasp the full relationship with Christ they could have because they don't feel they are worthy enough. I am so grateful that we don't have to be perfect before we come to Christ. He takes us just the way we are and loves us like a brother or sister. He wants to share His kingdom with us. Isn't that amazing! Even though we don't deserve it, He died for us so we can share eternity with Him.

New House

We are in the process of closing on our house here in South Carolina. We originally put an offer on a house three doors down from the current one, but that is a long story that ends with us dropping NFCU as our loan processor. The house has 4 bedrooms, 2 1/2 bathrooms and has 2,100 square feet. Jeremy is excited that it backs up to a golf course. Unfortunately we are on hole 4 so he will not be able to pop in for refreshments between holes 9 and 10. The kids have already picked out their bedrooms and did not fight during the discussion.  The downstairs is very open and roomy. The large living room with fireplace opens to the dining room that we are going to use as our office. The kitchen is right next to the dining room and opens to the living room, so I can cook and still be with the family. Our last 2 homes (that we owned) had the kitchen separated from the living room. I hate cooking by myself. 

I am already looking at paint colors and trying to figure out what will look good. The living room and office share a long wall, so we will have to use one color for that and since the kitchen is open to the living room the colors for both rooms will have to coordinate. The you have the foyer area to deal with, and "oh, boy" is my head swimming. I would really like to do a stormy blue somewhere but don't know where. I am also debating on a pretty turquoise color for the kids bathroom. I may take that color for my bathroom, though. Argh, help!

Jonah's Prayer

In my distress I called to the Lord, 

and he answered me. 

From the depths of the grave I called for help, 

and you listened to my cry.

You hurled me into the deep,

into the very heart of the seas,

and the currents swirled about me;

all your waves and breakers

swept over me.

I said, 'I have been banished

from your sight;

yet I will look again 

toward your holy temple.'

The engulfing waters threatened me,

the deep surrounded me;

seaweed was wrapped around my head.

To the roots of the mountains I sank down;

the earth beneath barred me in forever.

But you brought my life up from the pit,

O Lord my God.

"When my life was ebbing away,

I remembered you, Lord,

and my prayer rose to you,

to your holy temple."

"Those who cling to worthless idols

forfeit the grave that could be theirs.

But I, with a song of thanksgiving,

will sacrifice to you.

What I have vowed I will make good.

Salvation comes from the Lord."

Jonah 2:2-9