Homemaking 911

He Loves You, Part 8, Conclusion

va — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 03:09:49 +0000

He Loves You at All Times.

Click here to read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7

I could go on and on sharing proof and stories of God’s love with you straight from God’s word, or from my own life, or from the lives of all the believers I know. But the truth of the matter is, my friends, He LOVES you at ALL TIMES.

There is not a single moment in time when the heavenly father did not LOVE you.

Jeremiah 31:3 says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.”

But ladies, the Gospel Message is not just about God’s INCREDIBLE, UNBELIEVABLE love for us. It is also about what he wants us to do with the knowledge of this love. See, I love my children. And even when they seems rotten to the core, I cannot help but love them. However, that does not mean that I want them to stay that way.

Sisters: Jesus thought that you, as women were important. All throughout the gospels, Jesus proved time and again that You, women, are worth stopping for. You are worth listening to. You are worth talking to. You are worth ministering to. You are worth healing. (Paraphrased from Liz Curtis Higgs) He does not want you to walk away tonight with just a head knowledge that says: yes, I am loved. He wants you to walk away with the knowledge of his love and let it transform your heart. Just knowing how deeply personal and how closely he stands by you, and if you are a believer in Jesus Christ, how close he is within you- it must change you.

His love, his all-powerful resurrection love cannot abide within you and leave you the same weak person you were before you knew him.

He wants to take your life, no matter where you are right now and transform you into something more beautiful, more Holy, more like His Son than you have ever conceived.

Beloved, when you know the Love of God, you will want to be more like him. You will want to please him. Your eyes will turn easily away from the things that are not holy, pure and pleasing to your God. You will find yourself unable to speak harsh words, or use vulgar talk.

You will walk humbly with your God.

You will pray and know your prayers are heard and answered.

You will ask, seek, and knock and know it will be given to you.

Knowing all about God’s love will make it easier to understand how to love your wayward family member, or the husband who is neglecting you, or the child who is vexing you.

You will learn to take your eyes off your own cares, and worries and sorrows, no matter how deeply felt they are and give you the strength to take all that energy and use it to serve others, to love others, and to share the message of eternal life with others.

Take this wonderful news to heart my friends, and live a life in light of the fact that you are loved, adored, and appreciated, at ALL TIMES. Let the truth of this soak into your very soul and then let it transform you.

Your special daisy in heaven has only one message for you!

HE LOVES YOU.

He Loves You, Part 7

va — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 03:08:45 +0000

When You Are Hurting, He Loves You

Click here to read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6

We need to turn the corner a little bit now and think about the times when we are hurting. John 16:33 Says: In this world you will have trouble. Some of the painful things that happen in our lives are unspeakable because they hurt so much. I know that there have been things that have happened in my life, that you could have run over me with a train and I think it would have hurt less.

Those are times when it is so easy to feel like you are outside the grasp of God’s love. After all, your loved ones may be sitting right at your side going through it with you, but you are even numb to your beloved’s care for you. How much harder is it to feel the love of a celestial being that seems to far away during times of real trouble? I just want you to know that when you are hurting like this, your heavenly father absolutely loves you and wants to heal your heart.

Do you remember the story of Jesus and Mary and Martha upon the death of their brother?

Here is what it says in John 11

³²When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” ³³When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. ³⁴“Where have you laid him?” he asked. ”Come and see, Lord,” they replied.

³⁵Jesus wept. ³⁶Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”

Now, we all know that Jesus had the power of resurrection. Was he truly weeping for his friend Lazarus? See, I think he was weeping over the mourning of his beloved friends, Mary and Martha and all the friends that accompanied them. He came upon the scene “Too late to heal” Lazarus, knowing that God intended to show his glory through raising him from the dead. But just because he knew the rest of the story does not mean he did not feel the pain right along with his friends.

See, Jeremiah 29:11 tells us: ¹¹ 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.” And beloved, he knows the eventual good that will come to you as a result of the current pain you are in, or in spite of your current painful circumstance. But that does not mean that when you go through pain and through hard circumstances that he does not love you.

Another story in the Bible I can relate to is the story Hannah which you can read in 1 Samuel. I remember vividly the picture of her weeping in the temple. The exact words were: “In bitterness of soul Hanna wept much and prayed to the Lord.” Hannah was so heartsick because she had been unable to conceive a child. A little further in scripture we read that in the course of time Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel saying: “Because I asked the Lord for Him.” Later she says: I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. ²⁸ So now I give him to the LORD. For his whole life he will be given over to the LORD.” The Lord loved Hannah through all her pain and despair, and eventual healing caused her to grow with such spirituality, that later in scripture she says:

“My heart rejoices in the LORD;
in the LORD my horn ^[a] is lifted high.
My mouth boasts over my enemies,
for I delight in your deliverance.

² “There is no one holy ^[b] like the LORD;
there is no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God.

So, ladies, when you are hurting, I can say with confidence: He Loves You.

To read the last installment click here

He Loves You, Part 6

va — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 03:07:47 +0000

When You Spend Your Time in Quiet Service, He Loves You

Click here to read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

Let’s not only focus on the times when you have failed to do what is right. He also loves you when you are doing his will and doing GOOD. See, he observes all the little sacrifices, all the small moments, all the private blessings you bestow on others, And he loves you for it.

Sometimes you get involved in some type of service activity, you may find yourself wondering if the effort and time you spend is even worth it. People may not appreciate you. No one remembers to say, “thank you” anymore because they just expect that you are always going to come through for them. Well, sisters, God has a special word just for you.

Are you are very familiar with the story of Nathanael in the Bible? If not, don’t be disappointed. I asked a room of over 50 women this same question and not one could recall his story. Well, there really is not much to tell, and I guess that makes my point even better. In John 1 it says:

⁴⁷When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false.” ⁴⁸“How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” ⁴⁹Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” ⁵⁰Jesus said, “You believe^[a] because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that.” ⁵¹He then added, “I tell you^[b] the truth, you^[c] shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Whatever Nathaniel was doing was so quiet and so private, that even the words of scripture do not give us a glimpse into what he did. We know it was some good deed or act because the Lord Jesus praised him because of it. Perhaps it was as simple as bending his knee in prayer. Perhaps he was holding the hand of an elderly person. Perhaps he was rescuing a child’s toy from the tree. We just do not know. But what we do know is that Jesus saw, and he encouraged him and he loved him for it.

All of you at home that are changing diapers, rocking babies, taking communion to a shut in, taking the time to clean up the sanctuary, or to write encouraging notes to other believers, He Sees YOU and he Loves you!

When you do good things, even those private little sacrifices that you make that no one else notices: HE sees, and He Loves You.

To read the next installment click here

He Loves You, Part 4

va — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 03:06:47 +0000

When God Disciplines You, He Loves You

Click here to read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Now, if you are like me, there have been times when you, just like David, have fallen into sin. When you are sinning and thus rejecting our Holy and just God, you can and will come under discipline. This should never be a time when you are deceived by the enemy into thinking that you are beyond the reach of God’s love.

In Proverbs 19:18 scripture says: “Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death. “ In Proverbs 3:12 we can read: “because the Lord disciplines those he loves as a father the son he delights in.”

I have, after years of being a parent come to fully understand what this means. Parents know they are not doing themselves or their children any favors by neglecting to discipline them when necessary. In fact, the more I love my children, the more time and energy I am willing to devote to their training and discipline. I have witnessed parents, and at times been a parent who was so caught up in their own world, their own needs, their own issues that even basic discipline does not happen. This is truly a heartbreaking scenario. Children who could absolutely thrive under the proper love and discipline are left to their own foolish ways and end up on a lifelong path of self destruction. The Lord wants so much more for us!

When you find yourself in a season of discipline, I have GOOD news for you: God is never too busy for you, never tires of your company, and never stops loving you, no matter WHAT you think, or say or do! Isn’t He Amazing!

So let’s put this petal to rest now: When you are under God’s discipline, He loves you.

To read the next installment click here

He Loves You, Part 5

va — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 03:05:55 +0000

When You Reject the Lord, He Still Loves You

Click here to read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

What about the times that you have rejected the Lord? You may not have openly rejected him in so many words, but perhaps you have rejected his command and walked on your own path. Or maybe you really have rejected Him entirely at times of your life. Well, guess what? There are a few stories in scripture written just for you.

You see, you are not the first to reject him. The parable Jesus shared of the prodigal son tells the kind of reception you will receive when you do turn back to Him.

This parable tells of God’s incredible ability to forgive, without judgement, or condemnation a son who ran away with all his possessions to a far away land where he squandered his family’s fortune in a life of sin. In fact, when this prodigal son returns, he is not just accepted. He is lavishly blessed. In Luke Chapter 15 The father says: “Quick! Bring the best robes and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet ²³Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. ²⁴For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate. That is what awaits you if you rejected the father, and then choose to return to Him. You will be celebrated, blessed and accepted, never scorned or sent away in shame.

So, even when you reject him, and run away to your far country, He is looking down the road for you every day, waiting with hope and anticipation that he will see the dust on the horizon and it will be his beloved returning home. Even when you reject God, He loves you.

To read the next installment click here

He Loves You, Part 3

va — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 03:05:11 +0000

When You are a Sinner, He Loves You

Click here to read Part 1, Part 2

Now beloved, here is where many of us lose our way with the whole daisy. You see, here is the first challenging petal. What about when I am a sinner? Let me make this clear: there is no one that is not a sinner. Even when you were sinning, or when you sin, the Father still loves you.

When I look at what I would consider God’s big Top Ten sins, I would most definitely include things like: Murder, Adultery, Lying. But really, any sins can fall into this category of things which separate us from God. Many of us believe that being separated from God means he cannot love us. This is not so!

Let’s look at adultery first: In John 8:7, Jesus faced an angry mob that was eager to execute a woman caught in adultery.

John 8 says:

¹… Jesus was… at the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. ³The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group ⁴and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. ⁵In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” ⁶…But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. ⁷When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” ⁸Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. ⁹At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. ¹⁰Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” ¹¹“No one, sir,” she said. Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

John 3:17 tells us that God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Am I saying that adultery is okay with God? Oh, no, no, no. The Old Testament Is full of verses for how to deal with the penalties for all kinds of sins.

1 Corinthians 11:32 tells us that “When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.”

What about another horrible sin? Murder? I named my son David because in the Book of Acts 13:22 it says: “God testified of him: I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart, he will do everything I want him to do.” Imagine that. This man that the Lord himself testified about fell into a horrible pattern of sin - even leading to murder. And yes, he had to be disciplined by the Lord. He had to come under judgment for that sin. But it did not mean that the Lord did not love him. You can see that God’s redeeming love for David lead to some of the most uplifting, most inspiring words in Scripture.

So let’s put this petal to rest now: When you are a sinner, He loves you.

To read the next installment click here

He Loves You, Part 2

va — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 03:04:16 +0000

To read the first installment click here

When You Were First Conceived, He Loved You

Now, once you were conceived and became a living being in your mother’s tummy, the Bible tells us that even then, the Lord is with you. Psalm 139:13-14 tells us: You, Lord created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

You see, the process happening in your mother’s womb was not just an indifferent division of cells the way scientists describe it today that multiplied and made you into the woman you are. The Lord knit together your physical body deliberately, specifically, and with fear and care. I have been watching my youngest daughter learn to knit and I see how she labors over every single row she makes. She is often seen counting stitches, unraveling rows that do not meet her standards of perfection.

You see, she is highly concerned with the final outcome because she is generally working on gifts for people she values and loves and wants to give them something they will cherish. The heavenly father sees you the same way. Every unique fiber he put into your being, whether you think it is a gift or not, is the way that God thought you would be the most beautiful product for his creation. He meant all your unique attributes to be a blessing. You may be appreciative on your father’s eyes, your aunt’s chin, but maybe wish you had not inherited your mother’s hips. But you know what? The Lord did intend for you to inherit JUST what he gave you, He knows and he loves your frame.

Most of us have a pretty firm grasp on God’s love for little children, so it is easy to see how the first two petals can say: He Loves Me.

To read the next installment click here

He Loves You, Part 1

va — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 03:03:26 +0000

Before You Were Conceived, He Loved You.

When I was in grade school it was common practice to pick flowers and use them to tell whether or not our love and devotion were well placed. We would find a daisy and as we pulled each petal, we would grow closer and closer to the final answer: Does he love me or not? He loves me. He loves me not. Each time we pulled a “He loves me” petal, our hearts would jump with hope and anticipation. When we pulled a he loves me not, often some little flaw of ours would come to mind. At the end, were left holding a dead looking flower stem and the answer. We would leave the scene in a good mood if He Loves ME was the final petal standing, and often throw it down and pick another if we got the wrong answer.

You see, even in grade school we wanted to know that *we* were special and loved by someone, even if that meant nothing more than someone who would sit by you on the bus, pass notes to you in Social Studies, or stand behind you in line when it was time to move from class to class.

I have great news for you! Let’s pretend there is this great big daisy in heaven just waiting for each of us. But this one is special because every single petal has the same answer. He LOVES YOU.

Today, we are going to talk about the love that our heavenly father lavishes on us. It is not the kind of love that you read about in romance novels or see on TV every night. Instead we are going to talk about the unique and precious love of a Holy and Living God who wants nothing more than for you to fully grasp the message of His love for you, and let it do a transforming work in your life.

1 John 3:1 says: ¹How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

One of the first Bible songs many of us memorize is: Jesus Loves Me.

Jesus loves me this I know.

For the Bible tells me so.

Little ones to Him belong.

They are weak, but He is strong.

I think that most Christians know that Jesus loved us even before we ever existed. Just in case you need a reminder, you can just review John 3:16, one of the most basic verses that tells us:

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only begotten son so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. You know that even before you were conceived, God loved you.

To read the next installment Click here

Congratulations to my Dad!

va — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 13:01:00 +0000

Congratulations to my Dad who just received an award for 50 years in Aviation. My father spent 22 years in the military then worked at Central American Airways in Louisville, KY for many more years, and has spent the last several years of his career working for the FAA. He is a brilliant man and has always been a hard worker. As you can see, my dear mother was also honored at the ceremony. She has been by his side through it all.

I am so proud of you both!
Love,
Malia

Review: Countdown to Easter by Amy Puetz

Christina — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 19:02:44 +0000

Every once in a while you come across something that is really special, old-fasioned and sweet and you just cannot wait to share it with your family. Well, Amy Puetz has put together a beautiful book called Countdown to Easter. Even though it is created for the 14 days leading up to Easter, I am so excited about this that we will start it this week. That will also help if I get inconsistent near the end (as I am prone to do), so I will have a couple of extra weeks to complete the activitites.

Let me tell you what is included:

Amy has included many stories written in the 18 and 1900s with their charming appeal and timeless wisdom. Each story is short enough to be manageable to read- even with many young children in the household, and their godly lessons will not be lost on your older children. Along with the beautiful stories and illustrations are activities.

These activities include much more than coloring pictures of ducks. Included are directions and patterns to make your own beautiful, handcrafted cards. Since I am not very creative, but am very good at following directions, these will be a real blessing to our family. There are also the words and music to many beautiful Easter hymns. In addition, there are wonderful recipes complete with step-by-step directions and photos. She even includes photos for creative presentation and wrapping.

This beautiful resource has more than 80 pages. In the introduction Amy Puetz states it is her wish that this book will be used to create wonderful memoroes for your family. I think she is right on point. So much of the Easter story can be lost on our children as we spend time going to Easter Egg hunts, preparing a big Easter dinner, and even packing baskets full of Easter candy. None of these will teach our children about Christ and the Resurrection- so why not spend some time focused on that as well?

If you are interested in getting a copy for yourself, you can find these on her site:

E-book Version:

http://amypuetz.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=5&products_id=24

Printed Version:

http://amypuetz.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=5&products_id=60

Homemaking 911 readers can get a discount of 20% off, just use the discount code: EGG

Here is the detailed description from her website:

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Memory Making Stories and Activities for 14 Days Before Easter
85 pages
View Sample Pages!
Listen to an interview about Countdown to Easter.

Do you long to make this holy holiday the best ever? Do you wish to escape from the commercialism that hounds us from every corner? Do you want to get back to the true meaning of the Easter season?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then I have a wonderful e-book that will brighten your Easter. Countdown to Easter has family friendly stories and activities for every day from the Monday before Palm Sunday to Easter. Imagine your family gathering each day reading an Easter story and then participating in a fun activity. This can become a reality when you purchase Countdown to Easter. The book is broken up into daily sections. Each day has a story and an activity that should take about 30 to 45 minutes to go through.

Some of the stories included are:

Finding Easter By Carolyn Sherwin Bailey
Easter Eggs By Christoph Von Schmid
Playmates in Egypt By Elma Ehrlich Levinger
Harold’s Happy Easter By Carolyn Sherwin Bailey
Love Triumphant By Florence Morse Kingsley
The Triumphal Entry from Luke
The Odor of the Ointment By Zona Gale
The Nazarene By Lew Wallace
The Passion of Christ from Matthew
Young Jesus at the Temple By Peter Parley

Nearly all the stories in this book were written in the 1800’s and early 1900’s, so some of the language may seem a little old. I have modernized some of the spelling but I left most of the stories intact because the Victorian people had such a beautiful way of using words. It is always good to stretch our own vocabulary. Many of these stories have not been reprinted since their first publication, and I’m so excited to share these with a whole new generation. Countdown to Easter will appeal to a large age group, but children from 6-14 will probably enjoy it the most.

The activities include:
Games, Crafts, Cooking, Riddles, Quizzes, Singing Carols, Etc.

It is my sincere wish that this book will be used to create wonderful memories for you and your family. This book has a mission to help families grow closer together. Easter is the most significant holiday on the Christian calendar but sadly in recent years it has been overlooked and disregarded. The resurrection of Christ should be celebrated with as much enthusiasm as Christmas. If there had not been a resurrection the birth of Jesus would have no meaning. Celebrate Easter this year!
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May your family be blessed as you study and enjoy the true richness of the Easter holiday!

Malia Russell