If you are feeling a bit stressed or upset?

" 'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.' "

Jeremiah 29:11

"A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control."

Proverbs 29:11

"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."

Proverbs 3:5-6

" ' In your anger do not sin': Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry."

Ephesians 4:26

"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."

Ephesians 4:31-32

" ' Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy , and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.' "

Matthew 6:19-21

" And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who live him, who have been called according to his purpose."

Romans 8:28

"Because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."

Hebrews 12:6

August Somethings

from this past month, here is something I:

*****

loved: 

This month was one of the craziest months of my life.  From the minute it started it was a whirlwind, and an amazing one at that.  You know, it can take a lot of patience to trust God.  But when you get the pleasure of seeing Him at work in your life, it's so incredible and exciting.  And getting the honor of seeing that for an entire month...I am just amazed and gracious for it.  Among the whirlwind, some specific things that I loved...getting to see my besties again among other good friends as well, picking out where we will be moving to, getting to interview (and surviving my nervousness leading up to it!), eating so. much. food!, Malachi starting school again...for free!  Oh man, what a great and crazy month.  Glory be to God.

*****

listened to:   

The Olympics closing ceremony, especially the part with The Spice Girls, haha.

*****

watched: 

Did you really doubt for even a second that I would be watching Big Brother?  Oh, and my apologies about the above speedo!

*****

read: 

Malachi and I are currently studying Revelation.  We are reading it in a Bible, a Study Bible and then in God Cares Vol 2.  It's been fun.  And I feel like we've been studying it for a while, but we are still just on Revelation chapters 2 and 3!!

*****

learned: 

Touching back on what I was talking about above, all that God has done for me this month, I've really thought a lot about one thing.  Who am I to deserve this?  The verse Psalm 8:3 "who is man that You are mindful of him?" could never ring truer to me.  I see all the horrible things happening in this world that are on the news daily.  And yet, for some reason, God cares about my seemingly insignificant troubles as well?  Enough even, to create an intricate masterpiece of occurrences that had to take place in order for things to act out so perfectly.  God is amazing.  Trust Him with all your heart.

Happy Easter Sabbath

From this man’s descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as he promised.

Acts 13:23

March Somethings

loved:

Malachi!  Well, and the record breaking warmth we had for pretty much the entire month.  BEST SPRING EVER!

listened to:

Judge all you want, buy I love my pop culture talk radio.

watched:

Psych.  Have you guys watched this show?  We recently finished the most recent season on Netflix and I can't get enough of the obscure 70's to 90's pop culture references and the hilarious expressions and banter those two guys have.  Can't wait for the next season!

read:

Now that I have a smartphone, I can enjoy the pleasure of apps.  So I've been reading my daily Sabbath School lesson with this app.  So much easier than dedicating some time to the podcast.  Although I do love that guy's voice on the podcast.

learned:

Life does not go as planned, but that can be a beautiful thing.  You just have to rise to challenge of living the unexpected.  And above all, trust God.

Happy Sabbath

"In one sense, as far as our own personal experience is concerned, the Second Coming is as 'soon' as our death.  We die, and regardless of how long after we are in the grave--two years, two hundred, two thousand--we sleep, and the next thing we know, in an instant, in a twinkling of an eye, Jesus has returned.  Thus, one could argue that from our own personal perspective alone, from what we personally experience ourselves, the Second Coming takes no longer than the span of an individual human life.  Although the Second Coming itself is a literal universal event that impacts the whole earth, we experience it only as individuals."

----

If you read your quarterly this week, then you have already heard that once this week, since I copied it right from Thursday's reading.  But I liked it, so I thought I would share it with the rest of ya'll :)

Happy Sabbath

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” 

Galatians 5:22-23

happy sabbath :)

“Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.”

Deuteronomy 7:9

 ¹ Blessed is the one 

   who does not walk in step with the wicked 

or stand in the way that sinners take 

   or sit in the company of mockers, 

² but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, 

   and who meditates on his law day and night.

-----

Psalm 1:1-2

 ¹⁷ “Blessed is the one whom God corrects; 
   so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.^[a] 
18 For he wounds, but he also binds up; 
   he injures, but his hands also heal. 
¹⁹ From six calamities he will rescue you; 
   in seven no harm will touch you. 
²⁰ In famine he will deliver you from death, 
   and in battle from the stroke of the sword. 
²¹ You will be protected from the lash of the tongue, 
   and need not fear when destruction comes. 
²² You will laugh at destruction and famine, 
   and need not fear the wild animals. 
²³ For you will have a covenant with the stones of the field, 
   and the wild animals will be at peace with you. 
²⁴ You will know that your tent is secure; 
   you will take stock of your property and find nothing missing. 
²⁵ You will know that your children will be many, 
   and your descendants like the grass of the earth. 
²⁶ You will come to the grave in full vigor, 
   like sheaves gathered in season.

-----

Job 5:17-26

 ⁸ “But if I were you, I would appeal to God; 
   I would lay my cause before him. 
⁹ He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, 
   miracles that cannot be counted. 
¹⁰ He provides rain for the earth; 
   he sends water on the countryside. 
¹¹ The lowly he sets on high, 
   and those who mourn are lifted to safety. 
¹² He thwarts the plans of the crafty, 
   so that their hands achieve no success. 
¹³ He catches the wise in their craftiness, 
   and the schemes of the wily are swept away. 
¹⁴ Darkness comes upon them in the daytime; 
   at noon they grope as in the night. 
¹⁵ He saves the needy from the sword in their mouth; 
   he saves them from the clutches of the powerful. 
¹⁶ So the poor have hope, 
   and injustice shuts its mouth.

-----

Job 5:8-16

 Resentment kills a fool, 
   and envy slays the simple.

------

Job 5:2

 ² “If someone ventures a word with you, will you be impatient? 
   But who can keep from speaking? 
³ Think how you have instructed many, 
   how you have strengthened feeble hands. 
⁴ Your words have supported those who stumbled; 
   you have strengthened faltering knees. 
⁵ But now trouble comes to you, and you are discouraged; 
   it strikes you, and you are dismayed. 
⁶ Should not your piety be your confidence 
   and your blameless ways your hope?

------

Job 4:2-6

(accents below are by me)

¹³ One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, ¹⁴ a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, ¹⁵ and the Sabeans attacked and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

 ¹⁶ While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The fire of God fell from the heavens and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

 ¹⁷ While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

 ¹⁸ While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, ¹⁹ when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

 ²⁰ At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship ²¹ and said:

   “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, 

   and naked I will depart.^[c] 

The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; 

   may the name of the LORD be praised.”

-----

Job 1:13-21

-------------------------------------

I've been thinking a lot about Job lately, so I decided to read it.  It really hit me that Job went from having so much to having nothing (on earth) in just a matter of minutes.

 In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.

------

Job 1:1

Happy Sabbath

December Somethings

This past month, here is something I:

loved: 

Christmas!  It's just such a great time.  I love having my family surrounding me.  And it's certainly an easy time to recognize God in my life because what He has given me is all very apparent. Family, friends, happiness, love, food, warmth.  Thanks be to God.

listened to: 

I've already mentioned a couple of times the new Christmas CDs I purchases this year, which I have been listening to a lot.  So let me mention of few of the other Christmas CDs that have also been in the mix this month: The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection, Wintersong (Sarah McLachlan), Joy: A Holiday Collection (Jewel), and Chirstmas Album (Celtic Woman).

  

watched: 

I've really gotten into the show Parenthood.  It's on it's 3rd season this year.  I like to have a little drama in my tv shows, mixed with some comedy and feel good moments.  And this show has a nice mixture.  It is filling the void that was created when Brothers & Sisters went and killed off Rob Lowe.  Seriously?!?  You NEVER kill off Rob Lowe.  Ever.  Thank you Parks & Rec for literally picking him up.

read: 

Get Out of That Pit - Beth Moore.  This book was mediocre.  Nothing ground breaking.  But what I did really like is how much scripture she puts in there.  One of my favorite parts is where she compares the water reference in these two verses:

"The first passage refers to life on earth.  The second refers to life in heaven...

Psalm 23:1-3 says: "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.  He restores my soul."

Revelation 7:17 says, "For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water."

learned: 

I've been frequently reminded this month of the importance of trusting God.  Another quote from the above mentioned book, "Somewhere along the way we confused faith in God with faith in ourselves".  That quote is repeatedly true in my life.  And this entire month has been extra stressful for me with work.  The reason being that there are a lot of lay offs happening and will continue to happen into January.  And going to work in an atmosphere of fear and agitation due to this, only builds to the stress.  So it's been easy to lose sight of the FACT that God has got my back if I just let Him.  But I keep working at letting go.

One more quote from Beth Moore:

"Having a firm place to stand doesn't mean life isn't hard and temptations don't come.  It doesn't mean you get everything right...It just means that you've determined your position no matter what comes your way."

---

"And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you."  Philippians 1:6 (Amplified Bible)

"She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from all their sins."

--

Matthew 1:21

"Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord;

O Lord hear my voice.

Let your ears be attentive

to my cry for mercy.

If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins,

O Lord, who could stand?

But with you there is forgiveness;

therefore you are feared.

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,

and in his word I put my hope.

My soul waits for the Lord

more than watchmen wait for the morning,

more than watchmen wait for the morning."

-----

Psalm 130:1-6

Happy Sabbath

(this is one of my very favorite verses)

"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him"

--

1 John 5:14-15

Happy Sabbath!

"God has delivered me from going down to the pit, 
   and I shall live to enjoy the light of life."

--

Job 33:28