Dwelling on Other's Sins

Something kind of minor happened recently (it did involve me), but I've just let it get to me. 
I kept dwelling on it.  Why...? 

This morning I looked up and my eyes landed on this post-it note above my desk. 
I thought, So true!  
And I decided to post it on facebook.  But as I did... I realized my own sins.  I have many. 

I haven't even prayed for this person. 😞
My sin may be different than theirs, but I still sin! 
Had I even examined my own heart recently? 
--Their sin was bothering me more than my own!! 😞

I had my eyes on them, not on the Lord.  When we have our eyes on things around us instead of the Lord, we sink. (Peter walking on the water).

I was reading this chapter when I had noticed the post-it, and then read this verse:
Psalm 41:4 KJV
I said, LORD, be merciful unto me: heal my soul; for I have sinned against thee.  

I need to be asking the Lord to show *me what *I have done, areas *I need to work on! 

Psalm 69:5 KJV
O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee.

Psalm 19:12 KJV
...cleanse thou me from secret faults.

♪♫ Turn your eyes upon Jesus!  ♥


sMiLeS,

Dumb Blond Moment...

Actually over an hour, not just a moment, haha. 🤪

Trying to get my printer to work... when it was just working fine earlier. Printed out 9 pages then.
I needed to print 6 copies, and I'd tried 3-4 times, so I just knew all the sudden it was gonna spit out 24 pages before I had time to stop it. So I removed all but 6 sheets of paper.

Trouble shooting, googling what-in-the-world is this thing telling me to do... downloading updates, making sure everything was plugged in the correct places, correct printer set at default, starting over with the trouble shooting, etc, etc... Finally it said to print a test page... and it worked! 😀

But... then I tried my 1-page document, and it did nothing.
Hmmmm... I opened something else and printed that page just fine. 🧐🤷‍♀️
But the one I needed 6 copies of, was still just not working...⁉️

Finally, I was checking all the print settings - fast draft, etc, and saw........ I had told it to print PAGE SIX, not 6 copies. 🙄😆
There is only 1 page. 🤦‍♀️ 😂😂😂
Well, at least it is updated now! LOL! 😊


sMiLeS,

Controlling my Tongue...

Is there someone that seems to constantly bring out the worst in you?  And before you realize it, sarcastic or condescending words are coming from your mouth....

That was me.  (And still is sometimes.) 😬

I really got back into reading my Bible faithfully in 2012.   And not just reading, but reading carefully.  Thinking about every word and phrase, and going as slowly as needed, re-reading previous verses to get the meaning, etc.  As I read, I searched for what God wanted to show me.

In Proverbs, I kept coming across verses about the tongue, and God was convicting me about the come-backs I'd say to my husband; sharp comments made in ​a flash of ​anger or even just frustration.
I included in my reading, 1 chapter in Proverbs each day, so I was coming across verses like these almost daily!

A few months later, my husband made some little comment (​I don't remember what, but I do remember it was minor!) and I realized that usually I would have felt irritated about something even as frivolous as that.  But I was amazed that I literally did not feel a reaction.
At all.
I didn't even have to *try bite my tongue...  It just didn't bother me a bit.
It was like he had simply said, Hello, or something...

Normally I was ready to "catch" any little thing and point it out or be snippy.  😟   And I had previously tried many times to change. But before I would knew it, unkind words would be flowing out of my mouth.
But... in that moment, I realized...
God​ had​ changed me.
I didn't even have to TRY to change.  HE did it!!  I certainly couldn't!
I realized I was calmer, and that I was not speaking back to my husband with a raised tone, or sarcastic, or anything like that.
And in turn, my husband had changed as well with his tone.  ​(I mean, if a wife is always nit-picking over everything you say or do... It's no wonder if a person says something back!)
​
It was amazing.
I Wasn't. Even. Trying.   
Just reading and letting God convict me... and it happened.

I still am not perfect, haha.  We all have those "Till Death Do Us Part" problems!  Those areas that just always seem to get the best of us at the worst times... This will probably always be something I need to watch out for. 
But I know what to do and Who to turn to if I hear a snippy tone come from my mouth, or even have an attitude.  (It's not always what we **say...)

I have continued to read through Proverbs every month.  And a few months after God working on me about my tongue, he began working on another area.  I just kept seeing verses about it, convicting me... And again, later he showed me more areas, things I wasn't even aware of...
It's like a flashlight in the middle of the night.  You can see right in front of you, but if you never take a step, you'll never see any further.  The more you obey, the more God will show you!  ♥

Psalm 90:12 "...cleanse thou me from secret faults."

James 4:8 "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you..."

But just reading quickly thru daily Bible reading will not work.
It's like smelling the meal, maybe even tasting a little... but there is no real nourishment.  You don't get anything from it.
So it can't do anything for you.

He already knows our faults...

Psalm 69:5 "O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee."

I've found the more I read and actively search for where God wants me to change, the easier it is to do what He wants!  And the easier it is to give up ​some ​things that once I thought would be crazy if anyone suggested it.
And the more I want to read.  ♥




May, 2020 

I recently got to thinking about the verse in Proverbs 14 that says, "Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox."

My mom had mentioned that verse to me once, in reference to children, making messes, etc. 

But the other day, I thought about my husband...  There are so many good things about him that definitely outweigh any downfalls! 
(I mean, if I had to trade one fault for a different "equal" one... would I really?)  So many things he does NOT do that I am really happy about!  I really wouldn't want to trade, nope.  
And I myself have many faults, and he puts up with me! 
I am working on focusing more on the good things about him.  I should start a list. ♥

I remember before my daughter got married.  She told me she prayed (and still does) that God will blind her to her husband's faults.  ♥


sMiLeS,

I found money! 💲💰

Super excited... I found $230 that had been missing for 2 years. 😊
That may not seem like a lot to be so excited about, but it has been missing!  And I just could not figure out where it went!

And God's timing is perfect! Hubby has been out of work several days the past couple of weeks, so this was a blessing!

It wasn't even my money, so I'd had to re-pay it. I had given up on finding it... I had it in a "safe place" lol.
But today while going through old papers, installation CDs, and instruction manuals... 🤪 I found the envelope! It was inside a CD box...? 🤔 I do not remember putting it there. In my mind, it was in another specific place where I always put important papers, etc. Except it wasn't. 😄

Also, I finally told my husband about something else that has been missing awhile... I was nervous about telling him, and was just hoping I could find it myself.
Our Social Security cards. 😔
Again, they were supposed to be in the "safe place." But I have learned (and I should have known this would happen...) If I move something from where it has always been, I will not be able to find it.
In just minutes, he found them and brought them to me. 😮
I had looked high and low! For several months!!

In thinking about this... this is a lesson to me.
I should trust my husband and not keep things from him. 😔
Also, why do we not take things to the Lord, instead of trying to do it on our own?
And if I'm doing something God showed me that I need to do... don't change it!

Proverbs 3:5-7
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

sMiLeS,

Enjoying the Journey

The Enjoying the Journey broadcast began by featuring short podcasts of a study of Philippians.  I especially enjoyed the episodes on Paul's prayers for the people of Philippi.
Bro. Pauley has continued to add more studies on his podcast.

To find the below episodes online, click here, or download the Podbean app to your phone, from iTunes or Google Play, then scroll to the correct date or podcast. (Also on  Spotify now)

If you are using the app, be sure to "follow" the Enjoying the Journey podcasts so you can easily find the new podcast each day.

1. Philippians - 42 podcasts - began on Dec 28, 2017 (download list)
2. The Daily Christian Life - 13 podcasts - began on Feb 28, 2018 (download list)
3. A Revival of Bible Reading - blog post - 5 podcasts - began on March 19, 2018 (download list)
4. A Journey Through Scripture - blog post - began on March 25, 2018, and will briefly go through each book of the Bible
5. A Word to Our Listeners - a single podcast - June 30, 2018 - listen here
6. The Journey is Not Over - a single podcast on methods of Bible study - July 2, 2018 - listen here
7. Journeying with John the Baptist - blog post - 19 podcasts - began July 3, 2018
8. What God Says about Alcohol - blog post, blog post#2 - 5 podcasts - began July 30, 2018
9. Prayer Principles and Promises in God's Word - blog post - began August 6, 2018
10. Seeking God's Direction - Part 1 (3 weeks) - Which Way Do I Go?
      Part 2 (3 weeks) - Psalms For The Traveler - blog post - began Sept 24, 2018
11. A Season of Thanks - The Power of Praise - blog post - began Nov 5, 2018
12. A Christmas Series - blog post - began Dec 3, 2018
13. Meditations For A New Year - blog post - began Dec 31, 2018
14. The Gospel of Mark - blog post - began Jan 7, 2019
15. Letting the Bible Live in Me - blog post - began May 17, 2019
16. On The Edge Of Eternity - the book of Jude - blog post - began June 3, 2019
17. The Need Of Our Nation - blog post - began July 1, 2019
18. Go With the Gospel - blog post - began July 8, 2019
19. God's Strength For Man's Weakness - Samson - blog post - began August 5, 2019
20. God's Construction Zone - the book of Haggai - blog post - began Sept 9, 2019
21. What The Bible Says... - blog post - began Sept 23, 2019
22.  The Lord's "To Do" List - blog post - began Nov 11, 2019



Each episode shows as around 10 minutes, but is actually only about 7-9 minutes, minus the intro and follow up.
On the Podbean app, you can edit your Seek settings for 15- or 60-second increments, and also turn off notifications for other recommendations, etc.  That setting was my favorite, ha!

About a year and a half after I started using this app, I realized it had been automatically downloading new podcasts, and taking up a ton of space on my phone!  So I changed that setting, deleted all the downloads, and freed up 1.5 GB! 😊

Bro. Pauley is an evangelist, and was previously the Vice President of Administration at Crown College of the Bible where my daughter graduated from college.
Click here for a preaching message by Bro. Pauley.  =)

sMiLeS,

A Right Spirit

Proverbs 14:3

"In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride..."

This was me yesterday.

I was gossiping about someone who (to me) appeared prideful... All the while being somewhat proud that I wasn't like that person.

Oops. 😞

I didn't mention the name, but the person to whom I was talking guessed it after like 2 sentences.

Oops again. 😔

And said she knew, because another person had told her some things.

😕😞☹️😯

Thankfully we were interrupted before she could tell me what things... But later she told me she wasn't going to tell me anyway. ♥

(*Now I say "thankfully"... But before I read Proverbs this morning, I was still curious to know.)

►We don't always *consciously we think we are "better."

Sometimes we just think they are not as good/spiritual/kind/humble (really?), etc. as we are... That they are somehow beneath us...

And these were just from things I thought about the person, from what I observed from my limited viewpoint...

I Samuel 16:7 - "... the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."

So that means he knows my sinful heart too.

Jeremiah 17:9 - "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?"

Proverbs 21:2 - "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts."

Our tongue can cause a lot of trouble... 

Proverbs 15:2-4 - "The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness."The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good."A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit." 

Proverbs 11:9, 13 - "An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered."A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter."

Proverbs 31:26 - "She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness."

Today is the 15th, so I read Proverbs 15, but I know God caused my eyes to fall on that verse from chapter 14. 

And that interruption we had?  Something that rarely, if ever, happens.  🙂

sMiLeS,

The Lord in the Bible

I see my Lord in the Bible whenever I chance to look.

He is the theme of the Bible, the center and heart of the Book.

He is the Rose of Sharon; He is the Lily fair,

Whenever I open the Bible, the Lord of the Bible is there.

He is in the Book’s beginning. He gave the earth its form.

He is the ark of safety, to bear the brunt of the storm.

The burning bush of the desert, the budding of Aaron’s rod –

And whenever I open the Bible, I see the Son of God.

The lamb upon Mount Moriah, the ladder from earth to sky,

The scarlet cord in the window, the serpent lifted high,

The smitten rock of the desert, the shepherd with staff and crook –

It’s whenever I open the Bible, I see my Lord in the Book.

He is the seed of the woman, the Saviour virgin-born.

He is the son of David, whom men rejected with scorn,

The Lord of eternal glory, whom John the apostle saw,

The light of the Celestial City, that Lamb without spot or flaw.

The Bridegroom coming at midnight, for whom his people look,

Yes, thank God, whenever I open the Bible, I see my Lord in the Book.

“The Lord in the Bible” from The Poetry of Preaching

--Author Unknown

Whatever He Wants for Me

1. Surrendered to the perfect will of God
I dare not give him less
Though he should lead my steps from here abroad
I want his will my life to bless

Whatever he wants for me, his will, his will I must know
Wherever he wants to send me, his way, his way I must go
If he but speaks I’ll obey at his voice
I’ve already decided His will is my choice
Whatever he wants for me, his will, his will I must do

2. My plan must not oppose his perfect will
I want to live his thought
My words and deeds his purpose to fulfill
For I am his, so dearly bought

Whatever he wants for me, his will, his will I must know
Wherever he wants to send me, his way, his way I must go
If he but speaks I’ll obey at his voice
I’ve already decided His will is my choice
Whatever he wants for me, his will, his will I must do

Louis Paul Lehman, 1914-1986

sung by Alvin Martinez (link)



I posted this... but would I do anything...?  We like to hold on to things.  Or like things to stay the same way.
We like to think we'd do anything God wanted, but it starts small, and it starts at home.  Things like cleaning the bathroom, lol... or forgiving someone, and loving them.  Or giving something up.  We have to be willing to do the jobs or commands we have already been given.  Not so easy when I think of it like that.
If I can't do these things that I don't care for, would I really be able to do something "big"?

He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much.  Luke 16:10

DIY Iced Coffee

Yum!  =)

I am already a Nana... and just started drinking coffee a couple years ago!  Lol.

My sister-in-law had brought me an iced coffee from McD's several times, and I started liking it.  Sometimes it was okay... and other times it was quite bitter (imo).  I found if it wasn't too bitter, I could add a little extra hazelnut creamer to get it to my taste.

But then I decided I could just make it myself, and have it any day, any time I wanted.
And I accidentally discovered that I could eliminate the bitter taste by leaving the coffee to fully cool to room temperature before putting it in the refrigerator. 

Letting it cool... 

This calls for planning ahead, and making coffee in the morning even if I already have quite a bit in the fridge.

Not tea!  Lol

After cooling (I even let it sit for up to 8 hours sometimes), I pour the coffee into a pitcher that is distinctive from the tea pitcher, lol.  I did label it for awhile until everyone who came over knew which was the coffee pitcher!  =)  I had to get a gallon pitcher because all my kids and their cousins want iced coffee too!  =)

You can also add chocolate milk mix for mocha coffee!

My son likes hazelnut mocha iced coffee.  =)
1.5 oz creamer, 2-3 spoonfuls dry choc milk mix, fill to the top w/ coffee in a 20 oz bottle.  Shake well!

I found these cute cups at Walmart 

I don't usually add ice, but if you prefer ice and don't want it to get watery, you can freeze coffee, or coffee and creamer already mixed.
Or make a frappuccino, which is something I plan to try soon.  I went to Starbucks last week for the first time ever!  (I was given a gift card, ha!)  My daughter ordered for me - a toffee nut frappuccino, with cream.  It was fabulous!

My first coffee jug... before teens and young adults learned where to get the free iced coffee!  =) 

I do drink hot coffee... occasionally.  =)

My daughter's coffee and my iced coffee.  =)

sMiLeS,

Two resources -- for Psalms and Philippians!

►A Ready Reference for the Psalms - by Bro. Scott Pauley 

"The book of Psalms is God’s devotional book for His chosen people. It is both the Hebrew Hymnbook and a Personal Prayer book. Use God’s devotional book!"In the Psalms you find both prayer and praise. The purpose of the book is to bring every experience into the presence of God. The psalms are expressions of the heart for every experience in life. They have become a great help in my personal worship and devotional time."

Rediscover the Psalms -- This resource is for each chapter in Psalms, that you can keep in your Bible or notebook, or like I have, you may prefer to have screenshots of the pages.  The page folded in half will not fit in my Bible or notebook, and I would get the pages all bent, so I opted to do screenshots (below) which you are welcome to save to your device for your own use.

If you would like a printable version, you may go to the link above and put in your name and email address, and it will be emailed to you from Bro. Pauley's website.

You may also access the printable here.  For my printer, I had to choose double-sided, with the flip "up" option, to get it to print correctly.


Whether you prefer the printable version or the screenshots, I suggest you still read the blog article (the first link above).  You may want to do a screenshot of that too!  =)

(How to get your pics side by side like that, lol)

►A Study of Philippians - by Bro. Scott Pauley 
Learn the secrets of living the joyful Christian life. 

This is the Enjoying the Journey broadcast, which began by featuring short podcasts of a study of Philippians.  I especially enjoyed the episodes on Paul's prayers for the people of Philippi.

To listen to past episodes online, click here, or download the Podbean app to your phone, from iTunes or Google Play.

If you are using the app, be sure to "follow" the Enjoying the Journey podcasts so you can easily find the new podcast each day.  

1. Philippians - 42 podcasts - began on Dec 28, 2017 (download list)
2. The Daily Christian Life - 13 podcasts - began on Feb 28, 2018 (download list)
3. A Revival of Bible Reading - 5 podcasts - began on March 19, 2018 (download list)
4. A Journey Through Scripture began on March 25, 2018, and will briefly go through each book of the Bible

Each episode shows as around 10 minutes, but is actually only about 7 minutes, minus the intro and follow up. On the Podbean app, you can click the 30-sec-forward button twice to skip the intro.
Or you can edit your Seek settings for 15- or 60-second increments, and also turn off notifications for other recommendations, etc.  That setting was my favorite, lol!

Bro. Pauley is an evangelist, and was previously the Vice President of Administration at Crown College of the Bible where my daughter goes to college.
Click here for a preaching message by Bro. Pauley.  =)


sMiLeS,

Italy Mission Trip

Please pray for my son JohnDavid and his friend Danny as they are in Italy for 2 weeks with a missionary family there, Paul and Kelly Childers. Prayers for continued safety during travel and while they are out, and that the Lord will allow them to reach souls for Christ, and to be an encouragement to the Childers family who graciously allowed them to stay in their home, and to others.

The Tyrrhenian Sea

sMiLeS,

New pic ♥

My daughter and her family.

sMiLeS,

Avocado!! ♥♥♥

Avocado Tuna Salad & Avocado Cream Cheese Bacon Roll-Ups

I love avocado, even by itself... it just needs a little salt.
Seriously.  Avocados are a great snack!  ♥

So I saw a recipe on facebook that had avocado, with tuna.  Avocado Tuna Salad.  I was a bit dubious... mess up my avocado w/ tuna?!
But I tried it and although not a hit with my guys, lol, it was pretty good!
Pics and recipe here.  I added tomato.  =)


She has more avocado recipes!  =)





But the Avocado Cream Cheese Bacon Roll-Ups were divine!
I added a little more bacon than the recipe called for, and a little less tomato, for my guys.  ;)

I used these low-carb tortillas (5 net carbs each), and spread it on pretty thick, and the recipe made five.  These are about 8 inches across, and are thin and easy to roll up.  After refrigerating awhile, they slice pretty easily.

I cut the cream cheese into about 6 chunks and microwaved 30 seconds at a time until it was spreadable.  I only mashed up the avocado with a fork because I don't mind if there are small chunks.  =)
Add in crisp bacon, diced onions, and seasonings.
Yummy!

Pics and recipe here.

My youngest daughter knows how to drive...
but she doesn't avocado!


sMiLeS,

Sweet Little Family ♥

My daughter and son-in-law with their little ones. ♥

Caleb & Rebekah, with Carson and Callie ♥

sMiLeS,

♥Notebooks and My Bible Reading

So I'm kind of excited!  This is something I just can't wait to share, and it may not matter to one single other person, but that's okay, because I am excited!  =)

I love notebooks.  I enjoy studying... (okay, I've lost a few of you already, lol).  But I really do!  I love sitting at my desk with my notebook and Bible, favorite pen, highlighters (yes, I like several colors!), my Old or New Testament Survey book, and anything else I might need!  Like whiteout.  =D


For several years now, I've been filling up notebooks.  I use the same notebook for sermon notes, ladies meetings, etc. as well as my daily Bible reading.  During my daily reading, I usually only write down verses that mean something to me, and not too many notes.  And I don't even write something every day!
Those notebooks aren't pictured here - too messy, lol, and just my own scribbles...

I do make notations in my Bible, highlight or underline in my Bible and my Survey books, and cross reference when I see something I want to remember later.
(If you have small children, don't despair... I didn't do this when mine were small!  Or even medium...)

But when I come across a great verse or passage that I really, really want to remember later, in my notebook I will highlight the reference or a phrase in the verse... but then I can't always find them.  I have a small stack of notebooks with lots of stuff in them...  =) =)



So last month, I actually paid $10 for one medium-sized notebook.  I seriously did.  I came across it at a Mast General Store in Boone, NC, and there was only one.  For me.  ♥ ;)
I was so excited because there was a different design on every page!  I prefer color, different designs, something that does not look the same on both sides (kind of like my face, lol).
I didn't know yet what I was going to do with it, but I have a weakness for pretty notebooks.  I simply had to get it.  And it is has a sturdy, hard cover.
The designs inside this particular notebook are not already colored in, but I've used a highlighter on a few pages.

Lang notebook, artist for this notebook - Susan Winget

I was pleased when I finally decided that I could use this notebook as a place to write down my favorite verses and passages that really touch my heart!♥  In addition to scripture, I am including songs or quotes that I treasure as well.

This song is also called I Am Thine, O, Lord.

These verses speak to me... Ps. 139:17-18, 23-24; Ps. 119:97-105

The second notebook that I will talk about is a disc-bound notebook.  It has removable pages, but the whole notebook lays flat and can fold back similarly to a regular notebook, not a binder.  (I just... honestly do not care for binders.... ;)
(This video talks about different brands.)
I haven't used subject notebooks in a long time... When my kids were homeschooling, we had one notebook for math, and one or two notebooks for everything else!  But too many times I wished I could insert another page somewhere... or sometimes ended up with a section that simply didn't get used up and had blank pages sitting there.

I had seen these notebooks several times at Staples, and loved them.  But again, didn't know what I would use it for!  I finally did purchase it when I had a $5.00 coupon that was about to run out!  =)

Love the color and design! ♥

So far I'm using this notebook for two things, one being my prayer list.  I like to write out more things than just a simple list; I want to be specific.  For example, I have listed for my husband and children things I'm thankful for, as well as particular things to pray about.  (For me too!  So I hope no one reads my list!!)  But sometimes I have updates to add that require another page, or just more pages in a certain section, and it's easy to put in an extra page when necessary.

UPDATE: I'm now using PrayerMate - an app that does exactly what I want.  I can have daily lists, lists for certain days of the week, or even a day of the month.  Or the 1st, 10th, and 20th.  etc.  Or if someone has an upcoming exam, or a surgery, you can schedule several days ahead to remember to let others know ahead of time to pray... or to schedule food for their family, etc.  However you want.
It even works well with the Charlotte Mason method of reviewing scripture you've memorized!

Also available are divider pages like the green tab on on the left, as well as pocket pages and other accessories.

--I advise not to remove pages too often.. =)

The main things I'm putting in this notebook for now are verses and passages that are so necessary for those problem areas in my life!  We all have them - those "Till Death Do Us Part" problems!  Those areas that just always seem to get the best of us at the worst times...

I already had a few "go-to" passages and chapters, and am adding more to my list as I come across them.  I have a few verses that are just good to review frequently, and I've grouped others into categories.  I'm writing out some of the smaller passages and individual verses, so it is easier than having to go look them all up each time I have need of them!
The longer passages or chapters are only listed by their references.


sMiLeS,

Callie & Carson ♥

2 years old and 6 months old

Love her little feet sticking out! ♥

He's a happy baby! =D 

sMiLeS,