Making My Life a Christian Praise Song

I can't sing or play an instrument, but I can use my words to "sing" Christian Praise Songs to express my devotion and love to the Creator.
In 2002, I learned the value of journaling when I read Elizabeth George's "Woman After God's Own Heart". I always had problems with my mind wandering while reading my Bible and seeking God's presence.  The discipline of writing helps me to stay focused while I communicated with God.  
This page is an attempt to share and to record new facets of God's love and character that He reveals to me each day.  Since nothing communicates this better than music, each post includes a link to a Christian Praise Song, Christian Instrumental Music or Christian Piano Music that helps communicate the thoughts my words are trying to convey.
If you are reading my posts, please know that I am praying for you and that I am hoping that you will be blessed and that my attempts would draw you into a closer walk with the Lover or your soul, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.


***Disclaimer***  I do not own the rights to the songs included on this page.  They are linked from YouTube for your enjoyment.  If you like them, I encourage you to support the artists, by purchasing their music.">

Biblical Advice and Counsel

I really enjoy using The Thompson Chain Reference Bible for my word studies.  They call it the "self-commentary" Bible because the Chain Reference allows you to see what he Bible says about a subject as you follow a word through the Scripture from front to back.
Anyway, I was looking for counsel/advice because I was trying to learn to make decisions based on God's will and not my own understanding or emotion.  In the process I gleaned an interesting insight that I wanted to share.

¹⁹ Listen now to me and I will give you some advice, and may God be with you. You must be the people's representative before God and bring their disputes to him. ²⁰ Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform.

Ex 18: 19-20

New International Version

This passage relates to the advice that Moses received from his father-in-law.  I have read it many times, but never thought about how it relates to me.  As I read it today, seeking wisdom concerning advice, it became clear to me for the first time that I am often put in the position that Moses was in - having to settle disputes among the people.

Any parent with more than one child is regularly called upon to play judge.  It is frustrating because you never know what really happened and there are always two vastly different stories!  It never occurred to me to take it to the One who actually KNOWS what happened!

When I pray with the warring sibling, asking God to settle their disputes, I can take advantage of the opportunity to teach principles of Christ-likeness.

• consider others before yourself Ph 2:3
• let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouth Ep 4:29
• develop the attitude of Christ Ph 2:5
• forgive others as Christ has forgiven you Lk 6:37
• love is patient, love is kind... 1 Cor 13:4

If I just brush it off or tell them to work it out themselves, I have missed an opportunity to guide and direct my children.
I am praying for you, and for myself, that we don't allow ourselves to become to busy or distracted to take advantage of teachable moments when they present themselves.

Busy at Home

Today has been delightful.
My morning began with precious time alone with my husband ;)  We have been married 30 years and have just discovered how lovely it is to spend some time together before anyone wakes up.  It is definitely worth waking up earlier.
He left for his workday and I headed into to town to take a child to work and went to the grocery store.  8 am. is definitely a great time to go to the store.

• I had the store practically to myself-no bumper to bumper traffic!
• The meat manager was just marking down the items that were about to go out of date-I got some great bargains.
• My brain was still working clearly before being bogged down with all the little issues of the day

When I got home I prepared a huge pot of Beef and Vegetable soup, two Chicken Pot Pies, and am slow cooking a large Boston Butt on the grill for BBQ sandwiches. I put one Chicken pot pie in the freezer and the other will be tonight's dinner.  Most of the soup and the BBQ will also be put up in the freezer of a later meal. 

What is so remarkable about my day is having the freedom to spend half a day in the kitchen.  For much of the last 10 years I have worked outside the home striving for money, fulfillment and recognition.  When I lost my job 2 months ago I grieved for weeks.

Today, I am rejoicing over the freedom to serve my family by providing some good eating!!
I saved a ton of money by doing my grocery shopping before the crowd.  I am fulfilled by the joy of a job well done for people who love and appreciate me, and the recognition I receive as my family enjoys my offering is very gratifying.