Join us on October 24 at Chestnut Hill, Bucks County, Lansdale, Boulevard, Spanish 1, Lawndale, Maranatha, and Spanish 2 for our annual Great Appointment Sabbath that supports the Worthy Student Fund at Huntingdon Valley Christian Academy.  If you can not make it, you can still help by contributing to the Worthy Student Fund.  All money donated is tax deductable.

Send funds to:

Huntingdon Valley Christian Academy

1845 Byberry Rd

Huntingdon Valley, Pa 19006.

http://www.tangle.com/view_video?viewkey=72199b84295456dbda21

I am so thankful for this man! Although he has a large paper due this week, Bret took time to build a pillow pile and wrestle with Luke.

After all this fun, though, I’m most thankful that Bret finished up play time with this:

I love this! What a great daddy to teach his son about the Heavenly Father, to point his little eyes to Him, by daily, hourly, living in obedience before him, reading the Word to him, and praying with him. I am so blessed!

Living in Florida we have had the joy of tubing down a river enjoying the scenery and the cool, refreshing water.  There is nothing quite as relaxing and fun as spending hours together floating down the springs.  However, it is of utmost importance to  stay in the current  in order to avoid the sides where spiders and snakes may dwell.

It is the same in our marriages – our lives are spent together day after day enjoying (or trying to enjoy) what life sends our way.  It is just as important that we stay in the current!  What we mean by this is not holding onto anger, resentment or ill-thoughts towards our spouse.  If we attempt to ignore these issues and pretend they’re “nothing”, we’ll find ourselves sidetracked into all kinds of danger and mucky water.  “Keeping current” with your spouse means committing yourself to share with them your feelings, observations and heartaches.  We must quickly ask forgiveness when we’ve sinned against them, and we must quickly extend forgiveness when they’ve sinned against us.

We don’t realize how these little choices day after day will fuel the current of our relationship successfully bringing us to a place of marital unity years from now.  Sadly, many couples hold onto offenses and refuse to let go of past hurts.  They hurl the pain back onto their spouse at every opportunity.  It’s like permanently pushing your spouse into the shallow water of adversity and hoping they’ll stay there! And to what does this avail?  Only misery and more heartache.

As Christians we must resist such behavior!  Why?  Because Christ has not treated us this way when we deserved it most!  He has extended forgiveness to us for the unforgivable acts we have committed.  The Cross stands as our motivator giving us the ability to stay current.  Love is choosing to do the right thing even when we’d rather not!

“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”  Colossians 3:12-13

Speaking words of encouragement is an essential part of Christian relationships. As I grow in my faith, I realize how important it is to speak and hear these words. As a pastor of mine recently reminded us at a mission rally, Christians, even with their hope firmly planted in Christ, still need to hear encouragement and be constantly reminded of the promises of God.

Some ways to encourage others:

*Emails

*Post scripture in my twitter and facebook accounts.

*Speak words of encouragement to these people face to face What if we spoke more encouraging, Christ centered words in our life? How would that affect the people around us? Especially those who do not have faith in the one true God?

Acts 18:9 :: And the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision “Do not be afraid any longer but go on speaking and do not be silent; for I am with you…”

Many people find encouragement cheesy and trite. And it can be when spoken out of obligation or by using cliched phrases. But true encouragement will uplift and refocus the one on the receiving end. It will also cheer the giver – I am usually encouraging myself when I try to encourage others. Focusing on the hope in the promises of God, speaking them allowed to one another, and carrying them on our hearts will help us to walk more like Christ and pursue God’s Kingdom first.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 :: Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.

Ephesians 5:18-20a :: And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ…”

Peace and Blessings.

I am so thankful for this man! Although he has a large paper due this week, Bret took time to build a pillow pile and wrestle with Luke.

After all this fun, though, I’m most thankful that Bret finished up play time with this:

I love this! What a great daddy to teach his son about the Heavenly Father, to point his little eyes to Him, by daily, hourly, living in obedience before him, reading the Word to him, and praying with him. I am so blessed!

A few publications have requested to “hold” this article for possible publication. But it’s been awhile, so I decided to post it here before my boys are grown!

I love being a girl! Makeup, hair, and lots of clothes: Is there anything more sublime. As a child I was all about Barbie and baby dolls. And shopping is the only sport I’ve ever excelled at. With two sisters, four female cousins, and 10 female nieces, I don’t have a “tom-boy bone” anywhere in my body.

And then, IT happened. At the naïve age of 29, I gave birth to an alien: a bouncing baby boy I named Cody. His itty bitty hands and feet, and beautiful bald head made me swoon. And don’t even get me started on his smile. Just shy of three years later IT happened again. I gave birth to my second son, Shane. He was the perfect baby. Really. He came out of the womb sleeping through the night and thoroughly enjoyed an eight-hour shopping stint. Life was perfect.

But then IT really kicked in. About the time that Shane starting crawling, sweet baby Cody became a boy. And before I could even blink, my little peanut, Shane, was right there behind him. My girly girl world of doing my nails, wearing high heels and stylish clothes, and decorating my living quarters with pretty baubles and such came to a screeching halt. I had just entered the world of all things male.

Barbies were replaced with Power Rangers. And shopping with impromptu boxing matches. For someone used to all things feminine, it’s seriously like entering a foreign country. Nothing makes you NEED Jesus more than having sons! Trying on clothes at Mervyns. “Jesus, please don’t let Cody open the dressing room door while my pants are off.” Eating out at nice restaurant like Chile’s (That’s as nice as it gets with boys.) Jesus, please make Shane stop throwing food at the nice couple in the next booth. And, Lord, above all else, PLEASE, PLEASE make my husband stop laughing!”

Have you ever gone out in public with your sons whooping and hollering like cowboys and Indians and seen the appalled expressions on the faces of those girly girl moms and their precious daughters? In my head I’m thinking, what are you looking at? They’re actually being good. They haven’t tied anybody up……yet. Parenting sons is a world only those that experience it first hand can truly understand.

Boys are not all ADHD. They’re simply, male. It’s a world of loud noises, constant activities and unique smells. A world in stark contrast to a girl’s. And like their fathers, most boys’ ears are not tuned into the range of the female voice. Mothering boys is a tremendous challenge with tremendous rewards. There are many days I’m throwing up my hands, tears welling in my eyes. I just haven’t seemed to figure out how to reign my little guys in. Maybe it’s because our gender differences make it impossible for me to completely understand exactly what makes them tick. Or maybe it’s just simply because they wear me out. There is no such thing as a quiet dinner or a calm tea party at our house. It’s all about karate kicks, rock music and bodily functions.

But on the other side of the coin, raising boys is a world filled with excitement, new horizons and honor. Mommy’s little boys will one day be God’s men. A role held in the highest regard in The Bible. After all, there was no greater son than Jesus. What a privilege to have a hand in shaping the future of tomorrow’s husbands, fathers and maybe even spiritual leaders. And nothing, absolutely nothing, can compare to the hugs and kisses of a doting son.

Although a boy’s world will always remain somewhat of a mystery to the female sex, raising the little buggers can be done. Look at Billy Graham, Ronald Regan, even Kirk Cameron. They were all little boys once. But a mommy of boys support group is a definite must. Surrounding yourself with other moms who know what you’re going through is the key to keeping hold of your sanity. And hanging on to your girly girl, childhood dreams will take you the rest of the way.

Someday I’ll own my dream home and it will have an extra room in it just for me filled with all things pink and beautiful, and a big sign on the door that reads, “No boys allowed!”

Remember when you first knew you loved your spouse?  Not the first moment you noticed them, but the moment you knew this person was different from all the rest.  What was it?  Take a moment to think of it, even it it’s been years…

What was it that drew your heart to theirs?  How long has it been since you reminded them of how your love began?  We must give thanks to God and our spouses for what a miracle our love is!

This post is designed to be a dedication page where you can quickly post (using the comment feature) the first thing that captured your heart for him/her.  Comment and then, forward our link to your spouse!  It may cause your hearts to “Fall In Love” all over again. May we never tire of repeating to them our love and how it began.

Miracle of miracles…God has given them to us and we are blessed!

NOTE:  Remember to enter in our Fall In Love Contest.  The deadline is October 27th.  Click the link for all the details!