A Snippet from this mornings Sermon...

Here's a snippet from this mornings sermon from Pastor Chad at Cross Assembly:

He  was  teaching  from  Romans  14  (be  sure  to  read  the  chapter).  

I  still  need  to  watch  Victory's  service  from  this  morning.  I  haven't  had  a  chance  to  do  that  as  of  yet  but  will  before  the  day  is  over.  

We  watch  both  services  every  week.  Both  of  these  church  Pastors  are  amazing.  They  don't  hold  back  and  they  speak  truth  whether  you  wanna  hear it  or  not.  They  don't  sugar  coat  things.  They  won't  "tickle  your  ears"  but  they  will  "speak  truth"  from  God's  Word!

Milestone Moment...

Today Tim took his 1st solo drive to the gym to do his weightlifting training.  He made it safely.  Thank God for the Life360 app that helps give us nervous parents more peace of mind.

It's never easy to let go of the apron strings with our children but they do have to grow up at some point and we've got to let them.  We miss the times when they were younger as they grow into adulthood and take steps outside the nest of safety that we've had them in all these years but they will never know how to fly unless we allow them.  A wise momma bird pushes her young out of the nest and forces them to fly and so must we with our kids.  We've got to trust that we have done our job as parents well and that they will soar in life as they begin their journey of life without us.  

Tim is growing to be an amazing young man.  His dad and I are so proud of all that he's accomplished and survived in his young life.  God has kept him on this earth for a reason.  He has a plan for Tim and we pray that Tim lives out God's plan for his life.  

We know that as he grows and learns more of God's plan + reads and studies God's Word that he will do well in this life, such as it is currently.  

We are so incredibly thankful for God's blessings in our lives and we pray for God's ministering angels to guard around about Tim as he does life.  We pray safe journeys everywhere that he goes.  We pray God's hand will lead and guide him every step of the way of his journeys.  We pray that God meets him right where he's at.  We pray to God for protection, wholeness, and completeness always and forever.  And thank you God for giving us, as parents, a peace that passes all understanding as you guard our hearts and minds as our son steps out into the world to do life without us with him constantly.  In Jesus Name, Amen & Amen!

John 13:34 (ESV)...

Footnote From NIV Application Bible (v.34-35):

Jesus' statement in these verses is dramatic.  Disciples are to reflect a love expressed through committed obedience.

    But the word "new" may mean something more (v.34).  The "new command" may be a signal that Jesus is talking about life in a new era - a messianic era.  In that era, love must characterize his followers; a love patterned on the generous, loving act of God that saves his people.

Isaiah 43:19 (NIV)...

NEVER  LOOSE  FAITH!

JUST  WHEN  YOU  THINK  IT'S  OVER,

GOD  WILL  MAKE  A  WAY  FOR  YOU!

National Dog Day - August 26th...

Forgot to share this with you... 

Exodus 14:14 (NIV)...

Footnote from NIV Application Bible (v.14-15):

We should understand v.14 in the context of the Israelites' faithlessness in the light of what God has done. Why is it, after the Israelites cry out in v.14 and Moses rebukes them for their lack of faith, that Moses is reprimanded by God for crying out?  There is a close identification between Moses and the people he is leading.  He is the mediator who connects the people to God (e.g., 32:9-14).  Their guilt becomes his.  

Deuteronomy 31:8 (ESV)...

Footnote from NIV Application Bible (v.7-8):

Moses publicly passes the mantle so that Joshua will be seen as the divinely chosen successor.  V.8 offers Joshua the grounds for courage: Yahweh goes before him and guarantees his presence.

Week 1 of A Jesus Shaped Life...

This week I learned this:

Christoformic Orthopraxy = a way of right living that is rooted in our transformation into the likeness of Christ.

    

    Broken down into roots:

       Christo = Christ or Christ-centered; Formic = form

Christoformic (adj.) = refers to the ways in which we are shaped into the likeness of Christ. 

"If our pursuit of biblically orthodox theology doesn't ultimately have a Christofromic effect on us thereby drawing others toward Jesus Himself, then our pursuit is at best shallow, at worst sabotaged by self-serving movtives."  ~Lisa Harper 

So Why Theology?  Theology is unique because it is NOT something meant to be studied in a way that is disconnected from our lives.  It IS meant to TRANSFORM US!

Our Bible is a collection of 66 books, comprised of Old and New Testaments.  Each of these books points us toward the character of God and tells the story of God.  

The Bible is a grand narrative that points us to Jesus as the ultimate embodiment of God Himself.

The Bible is an incredible, rich story of pursuit, love, and redemption we just can't compare to anything else.

The Scriptures illuminate Jesus for us!

"More often than not, the phrase 'word of God' in the New Testament isn't used to describe a physical Bible; instead, it's referring to Jesus."  ~Lisa Harper

Bibliology = a field of theology all about the Bible; the study of one's belief about the Bible.  Theological study of, or conversation about, our collection of holy books known as the Bible.

• Biblio = from the Greek (Gk) work biblios meaning "scroll" or "book" (from this root we also get the English word "bibliography")
• Logy  = from the Greek (Gk) word logos, meaning "word" or "study"

The study of Scripture is a wonderful Christian spiritual practice that can draw us deeper into relationship with Jesus and is a way we can participate in our own spiritual formation.

Theology, a conversation about God, is an invitation to deepen our relationship with Him as we grow in our knowledge and experience of Him in our lives.

Biblically orthodox theology:

• Biblically = rooted in Scripture
• Orthodox =from the Greek (Gk) roots orthos (straight) and dosa (belief or opinion), in other words, something that is grounded in correct Christian faith and tradition
• Theology = a belief system and worldview based on the promises and parameters found in God's Word

Biblically Orthodox Theology refers to developing our own theological views that are 1) rooted in Scripture, 2) grounded in historical Christian truth, and 3) based on our study of God.

"As we dive deeper into biblically orthodox theology, it's likely that most of us will have to jettison theology we've inherited along the way and sincerely thought was true."  ~Lisa Harper

Jesus, as the true vine, is the source of all of our nourishment and allows us to flourish.  If we are able to see theology as an invitation into relationship, we can remain connected to Jesus, the true vine, and we can bear spiritual fruit.

In John 15:9 (and you'll have to look that up) the invitation into relationship is infused with the love of God.  Remaining in the love of Jesus, then, is vital to our theological study.

And that's all from week 1's study.  I'll share week 2's study with you soon.  

Isaiah 26:4 (ESV)...

Leveled Up ⏫ Today...

He leveled up ⏫ today. He’s looking forward to driving alone. Me not so much😳😢😭. Going to the Wendell DMV was a much better experience than going to Goldsboro. They were so much nicer. We had an 8am appointment and we were driving home by 8:35. Now that’s how it should be done at the DMV. We were in Goldsboro for 5 1/2 hours with an appointment and had to walk away because Tim needed to get home so he could get to training. It should have never taken that long with an appointment.

Word of advice: MAKE AN APPOINTMENT & BE NICE, ALWAYS BE NICE!

Next stop for Tim will be his full Class C when he turns 18 in May of 2026.

#wendelldmv4thewin.

Bardominium Ideas...

We ultimately want to rebuild on our land and put up a Bardominium.  Here are a couple that I really like:

Of the three I like the first one the most.  I totally love the layout of it.  I also love the layout of the second one as well.  I like the third one but I don't know if we will ever actually own an RV and I'm not totally loving the layout of it.  They all have very nice floor plans though.

A bit of History...

 

Every American should put this bit of history to memory.  

The democrats are the ones that want to enslave the people.  They want total control.  The very thing they harp that the republicans are after is what they are after.  They are yelling it from the rooftops blaming the other party when it's their own party that seeks to destroy our nation from the inside out and turn us into a communist country.   If we keep playing follow the leader with the left that is just what will happen if not worse.  Remember Hitler and the concentration camps.  That will be us if we allow it.  

A history that is not taught or remembered is a history that is doomed to repeat itself!

Isaiah 40:31 (ESV)...

Footnote from NIV Application Bible:

The God of all strength can give his people exactly what they need at the right time, whether to "soar", "run", or "walk".

The Bible gives us hope for transformation when we surrender our lives to God's purposes.

Romans 12:12 (ESV)...

Footnote from NIV Application Bible:

If the three exhortations in v. 11 (and you'll have to go read it) all relate to service, the three exhortations in v. 12 combine to encourage believers to "stay the course" in their fight against the influence of the world.  

My "New Large Print" NIV Application Bible...

Yes folks I am at the age where I need a large print bible.  Regular print bibles are just too little for me to read out of anymore.  You might be thinking that's what digital bibles are for.  Not for me because I like having a real bible in my hands to read and study out of.  I like to highlight and make notes in my bibles as well.  And yes, I know that you can do that on digital too but it's just not the same as with a real one.  So here's what my new bible looks like:

Matthew 6:33 (ESV)...

Footnotes from NIV Application Bible:

(v.34) The use of the imperative "seek" does not mean to look for something not present.  Jesus has already announced the arrival of the kingdom.  In this context, it means that his disciples are to make the kingdom of heaven the center of their priorities.  

(v.19-34) If we put Jesus at the center of our lives, we will avoid the modern idolatry of worry.  We probably do not think of worry as a form of idolatry, but it is when we allow it to take our eyes off Jesus.  We substitute despair, hopelessness, or fear in place of God and turn to our own efforts at trying to control our environment.  This can be a harsh world, and worry can consume us.  A way of reversing the trend toward anxiety is to look around at what we have and what God has done and then say, "Thank you."  He is our Master and Provider, the One who has given us kingdom life, kingdom priorities, and kingdom values, by which we can truly say, "Thank you."

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV)...

Footnotes from NIV Life Application Bible:

(v16-18) Our joy, prayers, and thankfulness should not fluctuate with our circumstances or feelings.  Obeying these three commands - be joyful, pray continually, and give thanks - often goes against our natural inclinations.  When we make a conscious decision to do what God says, however, we will begin to see people in a new perspective. When we do God's will, we will find it easier to be joyful and thankful.

(v17) We cannot spend all our time on our knees, but it is possible to have a prayerful attitude at all times.  This attitude is built upon acknowledging our dependence on God, realizing His presence within us, and determining to obey Him fully.  Then we will find it natural to pray frequent, spontaneous, short prayers.  A prayerful attitude is not a substitute for regular times of prayer but should be an outgrowth of those times.

(v18) Paul was not teaching that we should thank God for everything that happens to us, but in everything.  Evil does not come from God, so we should not thank Him for it.  But when evil strikes, we can still be thankful for God's presence and for the good that He will accomplish through the distress.

My Greatest Blessing...

Telling our kids often that we love them is so important to their self esteem.  It's important that we build them up as often as we can and that they never have to wonder if we love them because they already know.  

Tim knows because we tell him all the time how much we love him.  He also knows how proud we are of the man that he's becoming because we tell him all the time.  He never has to wonder how we feel about him because he knows.  

Tim knows he is wanted.  He knows he is loved.  He knows that he will always be wanted and loved.  He is God's greatest blessing to his father and myself.  I'm thankful everyday that God allowed me to be his mother and that we have raised him the way that we have raised him.  He is becoming an amazing young man, at 17 (a senior in High School), who knows who he is and whose he is as well.  I know that God has great plans for him and his dad and I can't wait to watch how those plans play out in his life.  

Psalm 119:105 (ESV)...

Footnote from NIV Life Application Bible:

To walk safely in the woods at night we need a light so we don't trip over tree roots or fall into holes.  In this life, we walk through a dark forest of evil.  But the Bible can be our light to show us the way ahead so we won't stumble as we walk.  It reveals the entangling roots of false values and philosophies.  Study the Bible so you will be able to see your way clear enough to stay on the right path.  

A Jesus Shaped Life...

Started this bible study Monday and I'm loving it already.  I'm looking forward to diving into the subject of sound biblical theology and how it deepens my relationship with God and others.  

Already I've learned:

(Definitions derived from Greek Words)

• Theology = theologia = a belief system and world view based on the promises and parameters found in God's Word.  
• Theos = God; Logos = Words/conversation.
• Hermeneutic = the lens through which we see and understand.
• Orthodoxy = Orthos = right; Doxa = belief
• Ask yourself, is what I claim about God in line with Scripture and the core beliefs of the Christian faith?
• Orthopraxy = Orthos = right; Praxis = practice
• Ask yourself, does what I claim compel me toward right ways of living?
• Orthopathy = Orthos = right; Pathos = feeling
• Ask yourself, is my heart and emotion attuned to God in light of my theology?

This study has already got my blood pumping and excited for learning more.  I can't wait to do day 2's solo work/homework today.  I'm looking forward to sharing more with you as I do this bible study.  

Happy 53rd Birthday to My BF from HS...

Today is my BF, Joanne's, 53rd Birthday.  She's the only friend from my HS days that I have stayed in touch with.  Time can pass but when we are together it's like no time has passed at all.  She is one of the only ones that really knows me worts and all.  I only have a few friends that I can say that about.  I'm praying that she has her best birthday to date today.  

1 Peter 5:8 (ESV)...

Footnote from NIV Life Application Bible (v.8&9):

Lions attack sick, young, or straggling animals; they choose victims who are alone or not alert.  Peter warns us to watch out for Satan when we are suffering or being persecuted.  Feeling alone, weak, helpless, and cut off from other believers, so focused on our troubles, that we forget to watch for danger, we are especially vulnerable to Satan's attack.  During those times of suffering, seek other Christians for support.  Keep your eyes on Christ, and resist the devil.  Then, says James, "he will flee from you" (James 4:7).

Psalm 84:5 (ESV)...

Footnote from NIV Life Application Bible (v.5-7): 

The pilgrimage to the temple passed through the barren Valley of Baca.  No specific valley has been identified with Baca.  Because Baca can mean "weeping," it may have been a symbolic reference to the times of struggles and tears through which people must pass on their way to meet God.  Growing strong in God's presence is often preceded by a journey through barren places to our lives.  The person who loves to spend time with God will see his or her adversity as an opportunity to re-experience God's faithfulness.  If you are walking through your own Valley of Baca today, be sure your pilgrimage leads toward God, not away from Him.  

Hebrews 12:1 (ESV)...

Footnote from NIV Life Application Bible:

This "great cloud of witnesses" is composed of the people described in Chapter 11.  Their faithfulness is constant encouragement to us.  We don not struggle alone, and we are not the first to struggle with the problems we face.  Others have run the race and won, and their witness stirs us to run and win also.  What an inspiring heritage we have!

(v.1-4):

The Christian life involves hard work.  It requires us to give up whatever endangers our relationship with God, to run patiently, and to struggle against sin with the power of the Holy Spirit.  To live effectively, we must keep our eyes on Jesus.  We will stumble if we look away from Him to stare at ourselves or at the circumstances surrounding us.  We should be running for Christ, not ourselves, and we must always keep Him in sight.

Happy Birthday Stella!!!

from Me

from Tim

from Scot

Stella’s 1 year old today. We found her in a shopping center parking lot all alone. She was too tiny for us to keep so we gave her to a cat rescue to help get her nourished to health, all her shots and spayed so we could adopt her back and bring her home for Tim as his Christmas present. She loves Tim to pieces and the feeling is mutual. She spends her mornings with me in the home office bird watching while I work. She’ll chill on the couch with Scot in the evenings but all other times she is with Tim.

Happy Birthday In Heaven Popsie...

There's not a day that goes by where we don't think about and miss you.  We were incredibly blessed to have all the years that we had with you and we will cherish those memories of you always.  While family gatherings just aren't the same anymore with you not here we know you are loving being with Jesus and Nan and all of your loved ones that have gone on before you.  Party hard with them all today and give them all hugs from us.  We love you & wish you the Happiest of Birthdays in Heaven Popsie!  

#gonebutnotforgotten #cherishingthememories #familyiseverything 

What a Resemblance....

Everyone always talks about how much Tim looks like Scot because when you see the old pics of Scot it looks like he just spit Tim out as a duplicate of himself...LOL! When you look at this picture you can't deny that he also looks a lot like me as well...LOL! Tim really got a great mix of Scot and I.  Now I can say, "he's definitely mine...LOL!"  

Success...

Truth!!!

Then & Now...

1st Pic was taken the year I graduated High School!

Luke 1:49 (ESV)...

The Best Coaches...

Tim has been blessed to have a coach like this in the sport that he is doing now.  His coaches resolve to help his team be the best they can possibly be in such a positive way has been huge for Tim.  He's had such negative coaches throughout the years and it has been a breath of fresh air to have a coach that really is in his corner and is all about what is best for Tim.  He's not ego/pride driven and that has been such a huge thing for Tim.  

Coaches that are consumed with their own ego's, that make decisions about their students/team based on their own pride, are not coaches that you want for your kids or even yourself.  They will break you down and tear you apart just because of their own ego/pride.  You might ask, How do you know?  Because we have lived it with coaches in the other sport that Tim used to do.  

The Bible tells us that PRIDE GOES BEFORE A FALL!  Believe me when I tell you that it might take some time but that fall will happen if you are with a coach that is full of ego and is prideful.  It's unfortunate that the coaches aren't the ones taking the falls but their students/team are the ones that take the falls for their ego/pride.  There's no consistency of winning with a coach of that nature.  They talk a good game but, in the end, being with coaches like that will result in loss over loss for the competitor/student/team.  It results in a mental breakdown of the student/team overall.  The biggest way, that I have seen, of how to know if a coach is falling because of their ego and pride will be by looking at how their students/team are doing overall.  If only a few are winning, and they aren't consistent wins, then the win/loss ratio tells that coaches story.  If there is no positive reinforcement and all you hear is negative coming out of the coaches/team/students mouth that tells the coaches story too.  A competitor/team regurgitates what has been put into them by their coach.  If you go into a sport with your eyes wide open and know what to look for you will know pretty quickly if you should stay or move on before you get too invested into the coach/team your kid or yourself are a part of.  The signs were all there for us and we stayed longer than we ever should have in Tim's old sport. 

Now, Tim's the strongest mentally that he's ever been because of his weightlifting coach.  His coach focus's on the positives and not the negatives.  He doesn't dwell on things but presses on.  He's more about the long game and not the short game.  He's doesn't tear his team apart if they go to a Meet and don't bring home medals.  He focus's on how to help them make forward progress so that they can earn a medal at a Meet in the future.  He doesn't dog them about what they've done wrong but praises them for what they're doing right and corrects them with positive reinforcement where needed.  He's great about pulling Tim out of his comfort zone because he sees the version of Tim that Tim can't see yet. 

THAT,

MY FRIENDS,

IS A GREAT COACH!!!

Acts 20:35 (ESV)...

Footnote taken from NIV Life Application Bible:

These words of Jesus are not recorded in the Gospels.  Obviously, not all of Jesus' words were written down (John 21:25 - "Now there are also many other things that Jesus did.  Were everyone of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.").  This saying may have been passed on orally through the apostles.

Nahum 1:7 (NLT)...

The relationship we have with God is up to us.  To those who love Him, His mercy is a refuge, supplying all their needs without diminishing His supply.  To those who refuse to believe or trust in Him, God's punishment is like an angry fire.  What kind of relationship will you choose?

Yesterday's Dental Appt for Tim...

Tim had his 6 month checkup yesterday.  He is doing a fantastic job with his brushing.  The hygienist was thrilled that he's doing so great.  she was like most kids his age don't do as well as he's doing.  I told her that I hound him about making sure he's brushing his teeth properly...LOL!  He did, however, have a small developmental cavity.  What that means is that Tim had a grooved area in one of his back teeth that food could easily get trapped in which caused a soft spot which caused a cavity.  His dentist assured me it was nothing he did wrong because he's doing great on his care of his teeth.  What was even better was that he could take care of it right then without our having to return for another appointment.  It was Tim's first Tim having to have any work done and the dentist didn't think about explaining the whole process to him before he did it😳.  After getting over the shock of not having it all explained Tim was like that wasn't all that bad but I just wish he'd told me what was happening instead of just doing it...LOL!   He mad it 17 1/2 years with no cavities🙌🙌🙌!!!  

That's way better than most on my side of the family have done.  It's definitely better than I did.  I was really young when I had my first cavities.  Back then because they were baby teeth they'd pull them and put in spacers until the adult tooth grew in.  My parents didn't push us like I've pushed Tim to brush his teeth.  we are doing things right with him so that he won't have the teeth problems that I've had all of my life.  If my parents had done better with us kids my teeth would be in an all together better place than they've been.  But my parents were dirt poor and they could scarcely put food on the table at times much less buy tooth brushes and toothpaste for all us kids to brush our teeth.  Dental visits were free because we were getting government assistance.  And Government assistance didn't give you free tooth brushes or tooth paste.  just food stamps, free cheese, Peanut butter & powdered milk.  That's just how it was with poor folks back when I was growing up. 

I'm so thankful that Tim's not ever had to have those experiences and that we've been able to help him take great care of his teeth all these years.  He will have much better teeth in his adult years than I have had.  I'm ever so thankful that we've not had to raise him how I was raised.  I'm thankful that we have had the funds to take proper care of Tim's teeth.  Thank you Lord for your many blessings to us!  

Matthew 5:16 (NLT)...

"Light Shines Because It Is Its Nature To Shine!"  

~Jesse Duplantis 

" A Changed Life Must Become In Turn A Life Changer!"

~Jesse Duplantis

"Light Is Spread From Person To Person In Order To Kindle The Gospel!" ~Jesse Duplantis

Footnote From the NIV Version of the Life Application Bible(v.14-16):

Can you hide a city that is sitting on top of a hill?  It's light at night can be seen for miles.  If we live for Christ we will glow like lights, showing others what Christ is like.  We hide our light by 1) being quiet when we should speak, 2) going along with the crowd, 3)denying the light, 4) letting sin dim our light, 5) not explaining our light to others, or 6) ignoring the needs of others.  

Be  A  Beacon  of  Truth  -  Don't  Shut  Your  Light  Off  From  The  Rest  of  The  World!

Tim's 2024-2025 Yearbook from LCHA (Lighthouse Christian Homeschool Association) Is Here...

Tim received his yearbook today and he was thrilled with it.  It is one of the best yearbooks that Lighthouse has put out to date.

Point of Life Quote...

Isaiah 60:1 (NLT)...

As we read these promises, we long for their fulfillment.  But we must patiently wait for God's timing.  He is in control of history, and He weaves together all our lives into His plan.  

Luke 12:40 (NLT)...

Footnotes from NIV Life Application Bible:

Christ's return at an unexpected time is not a trap, a trick by which God hopes to catch us off guard.  In fact, God is delaying His return so more people will have the opportunity to follow Him.  Before Christ's return, we have time to live out our beliefs and to reflect Jesus' love as we relate to others.

People who are ready for their Lord's return are 1) not hypocritical, but sincere (12:1), 2) not fearful, but ready to witness (12:4-9), 3) not worried, but trusting (12:25,26), 4) not greedy, but generous (12:34), 5) not lazy, but diligent (12:37).  May your life be more like Christ's so that when He comes, you will be ready to greet Him joyfully.    

Proverbs 31:30 (NLT)...

Matthew 16:24 (NLT)...

 

Footnotes from NIV Life Application Bible:

(16:24)When Jesus used this picture of his followers taking up their crosses to follow Him, the disciples knew what He meant.  Crucifixion was a common Roman method of execution, and condemned criminals had to carry their crosses thought the streets to the execution site.  Following Jesus, therefore, meant a true commitment, the risk of death, and no turning back.  

Matthew 10:39 (NIV) says, "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."  

(10:39)This verse is a positive and negative statement of the same truth; clinging to this life may cause us to forfeit the best from Christ in this world and in the next.  The more we love this life's rewards (leisure, power, popularity, financial security), the more we will discover how empty they really are.  The best way to enjoy life, therefore, is to loosen our greedy grasp on earthly rewards so that we can be free to follow Christ.  In doing so, we will inherit eternal life and begin at once to experience the benefits of following Christ.