sufficient grace for home-school moms

8/7/2019 Sufficient Grace for Home-School Moms

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Sufficient Gracefor

Home-School Moms



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Marsha Iddings

Sufficient Grace For

Home-School Moms

40 Day Devotional/Journal

Sufficient Grace Publishing

Clarkston, Washington



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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the King

James Version of the Bible.

©2008 by Marsha Iddings

Published by Sustaining Grace Publishing

Printed by Lulu

www.lulu.com

Printed in the United States of America

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,

stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or

by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,

recording, or otherwise, without the prior written

permission of the author.

Marsha IddingsEmail: [email protected]

To Order Additional Copies:

http://www.lulu.com/Marsha-Iddings



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Dedicated to home-school moms everywhere.

I am grateful for the ministry of Port Cities

Reformed Baptist Church of Lewiston, ID for

teaching me so much about God’s sufficient grace.

I am grateful to God for His grace, mercy and love.

He alone is to be praised.



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About the Author

Marsha has an Associate of Arts Degree in Theology from

Western Baptist College (now Corben College), Salem, OR. She has

been married for 25 years to her husband Rick and has a son and a

daughter. She has been a home-school mom since the children were

old enough for school and plans to home-school through high

school. She has been a devotional writer for Beyond Surviving

Home School, a web support group for moms with chronic illnesses,since 2004. She has been blessed with opportunities for spiritual

growth through dealing with her own physical challenges of

osteoporosis, chronic pain, and gluten intolerance as well as the

health challenges of her husband. She lives in Eastern Washington

with her family and Daisy-pug.



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Introduction

This devotional is the result of several years of writing

devotionals for Beyond Surviving Home School, a support group for

moms who home-school and deal with chronic pain/illness. God has

graciously taught me many lessons over the years. I think the biggest

lesson has been that of learning to embrace my challenges rather

than merely cope with them. The difference is this: When I merely

cope with what is happening, it is all on the physical level, my own

sheer will power to manage. However, when I embrace the

challenges that have come, I go beyond what I see to the unseen

through faith and draw on the strength God offers me. I seeaffliction and change in my life as an opportunity for growth instead

of something to simply cope with.

We as home-school parents have many challenges that come

our way with home-schooling. I pray that as you read these

devotions that God will speak to your heart and you too will see the

blessing of embracing the challenges that come your way.

Marsha Iddings

To order more books go to

http://www.lulu.com/Marsha-Iddings



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Table of ContentsDay 1 Planning the New School Year page 10

Day 2 God’s Order for Education page 12

Day 3 Sibling Rivalry page 14

Day 4 It's All About Him page 16Day 5 The White Board page 18Day 6 Plans and Divine Interruptions page 20

Day 7 Small Things page 22Day 8 God is Gracious and Merciful page 24

Day 9 Learning to Race page 26Day 10 The Piercing of a Sword page 28

Day 11 Keeping Our Focus page 30

Day 12 They Call Her Blessed page 32Day 13 The Positive Side of Hay & Manure page 34

Day 14 Our Stronghold page 36

Day 15 Just One Step at a Time page 38

Day 16 The Refiner page 40

Day 17 How Does Your Garden Grow? page 42

Day 18 Thick Darkness page 44

Day 19 Clinging to the Rock page 46

Day 20 Turn Toward the Wind page 48

Day 21 Time Out page 50Day 22 Let Your Light Shine Through Me page 52Day 23 God & Time page 54

Day 24 The Theory of Chaos page 56Day 25 Anxious Anticipation page 58

Day 26 The Joy of the Lord is Your Strength page 60Day 27 Run Your Own Race page 62

Day 28 Contentment page 64

Day 29 Another Lap Around Mt. Sinai page 66Day 30 Success page 68

Day 31 Do All to the Glory of God page 70

Day 32 Complaining, Disbelief and Giving Thanks page 72

Day 33 Burned Chicken and Soupy Pudding page 74

Day 34 Brains in a Binder page 76

Day 35 The War on Clutter page 78

Day 36 A Still Small Voice page 80Day 37 Seeing the Trash in a New Light page 82

Day 38 A Lesson in Blackberry Picking page 84Day 39 Ants and Cowbirds: Lessons from Creation page 86

Day 40 School of Hard Knocks page 88Appendix page 91



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Day 1

Planning the New School Year

Proverbs 16:9 A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD

directeth his steps.

When the end of the current school year rolls around, I find

myself looking ahead to plan for next school year. The curriculum

catalogues begin arriving in the mail and thoughts of a new

beginning and new school books begin dancing in my head.

What I have found, however, is that many times my best laidplans for the following school year end up getting changed as the

year progresses. When I first started home-schooling I was not very

flexible. I purchased this curriculum and, by George, we were going

to use it and get through it one way or another! That hasn’t always

turned out well.

We can plan and buy and begin to implement it all in the new

school year, but sometimes the Lord changes our plans. Perhaps

what we had in mind is too advanced or too easy for our child.Maybe it doesn’t fit with his or her learning style. Or maybe we just

plain got too lofty in our expectations and planned way more than

what could be accomplished in the time allotted. Our circumstances

often change too. Illness, injury or other family matters might come

up that require a change in the schedule for either the short or the

long term. The Lord directs our steps.

These detours are not what we planned and sometimes we get

upset thinking we will fail in our mission that we set out on. If we

can remember to think of these detours as being set up by the Lord,

it will positively impact how we react to these things.

So the challenge is to schedule some flexibility into the

school year, so that when we come to a detour that the Lord has set

up for us, we can be flexible and meet the change in our schedule

with grace and patience.

How is your school year working out? Have you had somedetours? If you are planning for next year, have you scheduled in

some flexibility for the detours the Lord might have in mind for you?



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My Journaling Space

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God has not called me to be successful; He has called me to be

faithful. [Mother Teresa (1910-1997)]



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Day 2

God’s Order for Education

2 Peter 1:5-7 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith

virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and

to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness

brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

I attended a home-school graduation where the mother of the

graduate spoke and told us how these verses were their key verses

for the home-schooling years. She explained that foundational to all,we need to teach our children to have saving faith in God. Secondly,

we need to teach them virtue (good character) and then knowledge

(academics). If we make academics the most important thing, then

we miss the boat.

It's so easy to get caught up in the school work and not focus

on the other enough. I was telling my husband about how I was

feeling the need to try to work our son back into a particular

curriculum for math because it teaches the math concepts that I don'tknow. The other curriculum I had been considering states up front

that I would need to teach it before he does the work and I didn’t see

where they had anything that would teach it to me first. I told my

husband that I was concerned about transitioning him back into the

other program because he gets so upset when the program marks him

wrong on certain types of problems. I suggested maybe just

skipping those so I wouldn't have to deal with his attitude. My

husband reminded me that this is a character issue and it needs to be

dealt with.

I am beginning to realize that instead of avoiding those

activities that precipitate bad attitudes, I need to ask God for wisdom

in how to deal with the underlying character problem. I need to pray

fervently for him to come to saving faith in Christ and work on

helping him correct his character issues.

Are there areas of schoolwork that you avoid with your children because they get upset and have an attitude about it? Have

you asked God to help you identify the character issue at hand that

need to be dealt with? Does your child have saving faith in Christ?

Set aside time today to pray about his/her salvation and begin to

work on your child's character with His help and wisdom.



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My Journaling Space

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_______________________________________________________ The family is the only means by which real and substantial

change for good might be effected. [James Stewart (1839-1901)]



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Day 3

Sibling Rivalry

Proverbs 17:14 The beginning of strife is like releasing water;

Therefore stop contention before a quarrel starts. (NKJV)

Like most siblings, my children get to picking at each other

once in a while and before I know it an all out argument is in full

swing. Sometimes I have ignored these little bicker sessions,

thinking maybe if I don’t acknowledge it it will just go away.

However, that doesn’t usually happen. Instead it escalates.Recently I was reading my Bible and come upon the jewel

above. How true! Just a little strife…a little knit-picking…an

insulting comment here or there and suddenly it’s like turning a

water faucet on high. You end up with a big argument on your

hands.

Since reading this, I have been putting a stop to any remarks

that my children make that are designed to irritate the other. The

minute it comes out their mouth, I stop them dead in their tracks andcut the conversation off. It has done much to make the atmosphere

of our home more pleasant and I am finding the children are getting

along better with each other now than they did before. It’s so nice to

hear them playing together and laughing as they are enjoying each

other’s company.

Do you have any dripping of contention in your home? Do

the children knit pick at each other? Begin cutting the drips of

contention off before they turn into a steady stream and see how it

affects the atmosphere of your home.

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There is no other place where the human spirit can be sonurtured as to prosper spiritually, intellectually, and temporally,

than in the bosom of the family’s rightful relation. [John

Chrysostom (c. 344-407)]



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Day 4

It's All About Him

2 Corinthians 4:15 For all things are for your sakes, that the

abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to

the glory of God.

I used to be Scholastic Books Coordinator for our local

home-school group. I still receive the brochures and I see all the

titles of the books that are being peddled to our nation's children.

One caught my eye. The title was “It's All About Me".This focus fosters a mentality that says I am the center of the

universe and everything better go MY way. One could easily twist

the verse above to say that all things will go my way...otherwise how

can they be for my sake? I can see how one would read it that way

with the mind-set of today's society.

However, in context, “all things" in the verse above refers

not to everything that goes our way, but rather to all those things that

don't go our way. Listen to the verses that follow it:

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man

perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our

light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a

far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we

look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which

are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but

the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-

18)

Another verse that talks about "all things" is Romans 8:28-29.

And we know that all things work together for good to them

that love God, to them who are the called according to his

purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinateto be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the

firstborn among many brethren.

Is it really all about me? Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth,

and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." If I always



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expect things to go my way, then I am not going the right way,

because Jesus is the way. It's all about Him. Romans 14:11 says,

“For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to

me, and every tongue shall confess to God." Also in 1 Corinthians

10:31 it says, "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye

do, do all to the glory of God."

Frank Sinatra sang a popular song that says, "I did it my

way..." This also fosters the idea that it's all about me. What many

people don't realize is that in the end we will all do it God's way.

Philippians 2:10-11 says,

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in

heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And

that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to

the glory of God the Father.

No, it's not all about me. Let's remember it's all about Him.

May God give us the grace to give glory to Him every day.

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A man is wise as long as he searches for wisdom; he

becomes a fool the moment he thinks he has found it.

[Tristan Gylberd (1954- )]



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Day 5

The White Board

Psalms 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he

removed our transgressions from us.

Isaiah 43:25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for

mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.

1John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us

our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

One of the most useful things I have purchased for our home-

school is a white board. We use it daily during math, writing out

equations in bold black dry erase ink and wiping them off when we

are done with it. It cuts down on waste paper and helps keep the

work area free of unnecessary paper clutter.

When I sin, it's as if bold black marks are made on God's

white board. It can get pretty ugly over time if I neglect to confessmy sin to God and make things right with Him. But when I do, it's

as if God takes a cloth and wipes the white board clean again and He

does not remember what was there anymore.

It's easy for me to get that white board all marked up and

looking ugly. All it takes is a rise in temper when things don't go the

way I want them too. But it is comforting to know that even when I

fail and sin, God is there waiting to wipe the board clean again. I

only need to come in humble prayer and confess my sins to Him.

How is your white board looking today? God loves you so

much and He is just waiting for you to come in true confession to

Him and He will wipe it clean.

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When I am dead, I hope it may be said, though his sins were scarlet,

his books are read. [Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953)]



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Day 6

Plans and Divine Interruptions

James 4:13-15 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we

will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and

make a profit"; whereas you do not know what will happen

tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for

a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, "If the

Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that."

If you are like me, you have a daily planner where you writedown all the things you want or need to accomplish during the day,

week, month or year. And, if you are like me, you have certain

things that you want to get done at certain times. What happens

when something comes up to keep you from getting your plans

accomplished?

The Lord has been working on me in this area. There have

been times when I have planned my day out in detail and invariably

something happens to get me off track. I have planned certainactivities for certain days of the week or month and I have planned

for the kids to accomplish a certain amount of school work in a

given time. But when these things have not panned out, I have gotten

upset and cranky.

It has taken chronic health issues to teach me the value in

saying to myself, "If the Lord wills I will do this or that." I am

learning to look at the interruptions of life such as headaches,

tendonitis, a needy friend on the phone, an unplanned for work tripout of town with my husband, unexpected trips to the vet, or to

physical therapy and the whole myriad of things that can throw a day

off track as Divine interruptions.

God is in control of my days. Before I was ever born He had

all my days written in His book. Psalm 139:16 says, "Your eyes saw

my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were

written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of

them." If He chooses to interrupt my day, then I need to be willing to

allow it with a right attitude. This is hard for me, especially when the

interruption is a headache or some other physical pain.

I see the value of planning flexibility into each day if

possible. The tree on the ragged rock cliff side learns to be flexible



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with the wind that whips it around. If it did not bend with the wind it

would just snap and break off. In order for it to bend with the wind,

it also needs roots that are deep and wrapped around the rock or it

could be uprooted. For us to be flexible with God's

Interruptions, we need to have our spiritual roots growing down deep

and wrapped around the Rock of our salvation. If they aren't, then

we are apt to topple over in our faith when life gets rough.

How are your daily plans? Do you have some flexibility

planned in so you can absorb God's Divine Interruptions with grace?

Are your plans so important to you that an interruption would make

you cranky with those you love? The saying, "Take it one day at a

time" is Biblical. Proverbs 27:1 says, “Do not boast about tomorrow,

For you do not know what a day may bring forth.”

My Journaling Space

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A Christian should follow his occupation with contentment.Is your business here clogged with any difficulties and

inconveniences? Contentment under those difficulties is no little part

of your homage to that King who hath placed you where you are by

His call. [Cotton Mather (1663-1728)]



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Day 7

Small Things

Psalm 119:141 I am small and despised: yet do not I forget thy

precepts.

Zechariah 4:10 For who hath despised the day of small things? for

they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of

Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which

run to and fro through the whole earth.

Many of us dealing with issues in our lives, that limit us, feel

like our small contribution to the Lord's work doesn't amount to

much. We feel small and despised. Yet, Zechariah asks the

question, "Who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall

rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with

those seven;..." He is talking about just building the foundation of

the temple. It was a small thing in relation to the whole building.

But they had to start somewhere.It is so easy to look at how big the task is and become

discouraged before even beginning. Take the laundry. Sometimes it

looks like a mountain and I know I can't get through it all in one

sitting. But if I just fold for 15 minutes, look how much I get done!

Even if the start is small, it is a start that you can build on from there.

The same goes for sharing Christ with others. I spent some

time witnessing to some boys. Nothing I said seemed to faze them.

It all seemed to go straight over their heads. Yet, God can take only

one small nugget of truth...just a seed and plant it in their hearts. I

may never see the results of the seed God plants and it would be easy

for me to throw up my hands in despair and say that my small effort

at sharing the gospel with them is a waste. But God knows why He

brought those boys to my house and He knows years down the road

where they will be. Perhaps one small seed planted in their hearts

while sitting in my living room visiting with me, will take root andgrow and they will come to know the true God of the Bible.

Sometimes I feel like a miserable failure because I see no immediate

results, but I should not despair. My small and feeble effort at

sharing the gospel could yield a crop for God one day.



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Our efforts at parenting and schooling our children may seem

like monumental tasks and we get overwhelmed. But each small

thing we do in that regard soon adds up to a large chunk of the task

getting done and before we know it they will be grown up.

Be encouraged. Small things do count. Our physical ability

may be small and we feel small and despised like the Psalmist says,

but God encourages us not to despise the day of small things.

My Journaling Space

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The most extraordinary thing in the world is an ordinary man and

an ordinary woman and their ordinary children.

[G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936)]



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Day 8

God is Gracious and Merciful

2 Chronicles 30:9 For if ye turn again unto the LORD, your

brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that

lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for

the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn

away his face from you, if ye return unto him.

"... the soul of the people was much discouraged because of

the way."(Numbers 21:4) Is your way discouraging? The children of Israel became discouraged because of the way. The journey they

were on was difficult and they were discouraged. In Deuteronomy

1:28 Moses is recounting their way through the wilderness and he

reminds them of things they said. "The people is greater and taller

than we; the cities are great and walled up to heaven; and moreover

we have seen the sons of the Anakims there."

Discouragement is the sister to burnout. As the beautiful fall

season turns to the rainy gloomy days of winter, there is a feeling of being overwhelmed that commonly hits about this time. It's a

melancholy that makes us feel like we can't keep up with the pace

and we want to throw in the towel and quit. This is not a unique

problem to home-school moms, although, it sometimes hits us harder

then it does others simply because we wear so many hats and we are

spread so thin. We begin to feel like the Israelites did. Our problems

are greater and taller than we can handle. We run into road blocks in

what we want to accomplish and it seems there is no way around

them and we can't climb over them. Our problems seem like big

giants looming over us and we feel as if we've been taken captive by

them. This is the beginning of burnout. I know, because I have been

there.

But God is always gracious and merciful when we turn to

Him. He waits for us to come to Him to find strength an

encouragement to continue. Just when I needed it most, two home-school newsletters showed up in my email. Each one had a message

of encouragement. One spoke about discouragement and the other

about burnout. Are you discouraged, burning out? Get alone with

God. Ask Him to show you what you need to do to turn it around.

Evaluate your daily routine. What causes the stress? Does something



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need to be changed to ease it? Schedule time, just for yourself,

regularly. What are your expectations for yourself, your home and

family? Are your expectations too high? Perhaps you need to lower

them. I read one time that if we got rid of our expectations, we

would never be disappointed. Perhaps this is a bit unrealistic, but it

has an element of truth to it. God encouraged me with these

newsletters.

The most important piece of information I read was to stop

and take time out alone in prayer with God. Our verse above says to

turn again unto the Lord and you will find compassion, grace and

mercy for your time of need.

My Journaling Space

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The giver of every good and perfect gift has called upon us to mimicHis giving, by grace, through faith, and this not of ourselves.

[Nicholas of Myra (c. 288-354)]



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Day 9

Learning to Race

1 Corinthians 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run

all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

This past week I learned a little about how to "race". We

had a long car trip and for the first time, I drove most of the way to

and from our destination. It was approximately an eight hour trip.

Driving long distance is not my favorite thing to do. It usuallyterrifies me. But God gave me strength and peace about the drive

and I was able to do it and actually enjoy it. Of course, it's easier to

enjoy when you are behind the wheel of an Impala SS with a

Corvette engine under the hood and the car handles like a dream.

The Rocket was gifted to us by my father-in-law in his will.

When driving through freeway traffic where there is a

cement divider on my left and a semi-truck on my right, I tend to

panic. If I look at the truck beside me, I begin to steer toward thecement divider on my left. Then I see I am getting too close to that

and I over-steer to the right toward the truck. It's a scary proposition.

On this trip, I learned something. When I am in this kind of situation,

I learned that if I stare straight ahead toward what is in front of me

and don't look to my left or to my right, I can easily pass the truck

without a panic. (I also learned I can zip it up from 60 to 80 in a

matter of seconds and that helps too.)

The Apostle Paul says we are to run that we may obtain

the prize. He goes on to say "I therefore so run, not as uncertainly..."

(1 Corinthians 9:26). I was "racing" with uncertainty when I was

allowing the truck on one side and the cement divider on the other to

terrify me. But when I began "racing" with my eye on the destination

ahead, I was no longer terrified by my circumstances.

Are you looking around at your circumstances, and

allowing them to put panic into you? There are so many ways thiscould be applied. The Jones' home-school is so much more perfect

than what I am doing. The next door neighbor keeps such a perfect

house. I can never measure up to that. Joe Blow has the perfect job

and family. Why can't I do that well? And it could go on. Does it feel

like things are closing in on you? Don't look at your circumstances.



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Look up and look ahead toward your destination. Press

toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God. (Philippians

3:14)

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Always try to drive so that your license will expire before

you do. (Uncle Ben’s Quote Book)



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Day 10

The Piercing of a Sword

Proverbs 12:18 There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword:

but the tongue of the wise is health.

James 3:5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great

things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

Guilty as charged! There are incidents when I hurl insultswhile talking about another person who has irritated me or when

someone cuts me off in traffic. Little do I know my kids are

listening. Later when they start hurling insults at each other, I am

wondering, "Now where did THAT come from?!"

Matthew15:18 says, “But those things which proceed out of

the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.”

I have been reading "Created to Be His Help Meet" by Debi

Pearl. It's a book for women on how to make your marriage better. Ihave been impressed and convicted by what she has to say about the

power of a wife's tongue. It can either make a marriage stronger or it

can tear it down. What she says about the tongue applies to all areas

of life.

The tongue is such a small member of the body, but what

damage it can do and has done! I am just as guilty as the next person

of speaking before I think. Once those words are out, the damage is

done. It would be so much easier to just not say anything than to

have to try to do damage control after spewing out whatever comes

to mind.

Do you have trouble in this area like I do? Do a study on the

word tongue or mouth in the Bible and see what you can learn. Pick

a few of the verses that speak to you best and memorize them. Let's

see if we can start a new habit of thinking before we speak or click

the send button on the email.

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If you wouldn’t write it and sign it, don’t say it.

(Uncle Ben’s Quote Book)



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Day 11

Keeping Our Focus

Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our

faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,

despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne

of God.

I took a jet boat ride with my children to see the Christmas

lights after dark. It took some getting used to. First, you have the

movement of the water to deal with. Second, you have no frame of reference because it is dark out. And third, every time there was a

place where there were really pretty Christmas lights they did a

complete circle in the middle of the river so everyone could get a

good view. This wasn't a wide circle but a turn on a dime. For me, it

was a challenge because I had just come off of a really bad migraine

and the side effects of the pain reliever I took for it. Too keep from

getting motion sickness I had to glue my eyes onto the Christmas

lights on shore and try to keep looking at them as we did the turn.Lately I have been feeling like this in my life. It's like I am

out in a boat after dark with no real good frame of reference, trying

to keep my equilibrium with the movement of the water. There are

so many holiday activities, added to the pressures of daily life,

home-schooling and physical difficulties that it's easy to lose my

frame of reference and equilibrium. Do you feel like this too

sometimes?

As I lay in bed early this morning thinking on this, it

occurred to me that just as I had to focus my eyes on the Christmas

lights to keep my sense of direction and equilibrium, so it is in life.

We must keep our eyes focused on Jesus if we are to maintain our

frame of reference and equilibrium. With so many activities and

things to do through the holiday season and life in general, especially

if you home-school too, it's easy to forget our real purpose in life and

allow circumstances to get us down. It's something I struggle with alot.



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The best way to live in the world is to live above it.




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Day 12

They Call Her Blessed

Proverbs 31:28 Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her

husband also, and he praises her: (NKJV)

Mother's Day was coming and my friends were talking about what

their families were getting for them for Mother's Day. I sat and said

nothing because I knew my family couldn't afford to buy me

anything but lunch at a restaurant and a card. I remember the days

when I wondered if I would ever be a mother and how Mother's Dayonly served as a painful reminder that I was not a mother.

And so, Mother's Day dawned and I made my way to the breakfast

table and found a nice card from my husband. He wrote, "You are a

great mother to our kids and special wife." Later, I saw my son

bringing a homemade card upstairs that said simply, "Happy

Mother's Day". It was his special way of remembering me and I

appreciated his thoughtfulness. As I passed by the dining room tableI saw a piece of paper laying there that said, "Happy Mother's Day!"

I turned it over and found this:

"I know I've said I'd run away

And I admit, I've screamed and cried

But please don't take it that I hate you

'Cause I really do love you deep inside!

I never called the taxi to take me from one friend's house to another

Who could be better qualified than a kind and loving mother?

You'll cook 'n clean all day, without a penny of pay

I've got 4 words to who'd do all of this: Hip-Hip-Hip-Hooray!

You clean up the whole basement and one day later it's a mess

Who do ya suppose did that? I know just the two people to guess.

Whoever wrote that children should be seen & not heard I thought must surely be mistaken

But then again, why else would your poor head be so badly achin'?

And this concludes my poem, a tribute to my mother



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Your the best mom I could ever have, I'd trade you for no other!"

My friends talked about the expensive gifts they got for Mother's

Day, but I was given the best gifts of all.

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_______________________________________________________ Happy homes are the responsibility of husbands and fathers---but

inevitably it is wives and mothers who make it so. [Theodore

Roosevelt (1858-1919)]



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Day 13

The Positive Side of Hay & Manure

Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation (lifestyle) be without

covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he

hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

I read a story to my children about two brothers. One always

found the negative side to everything and the other always found the

positive in everything. They were put into two separate rooms. Thediscontented boy was put into a room full of all the toys he could

ever want while his brother was put in a room full of manure and

hay. After twenty-four hours, their father looked in on them.

When he came to the room with all the toys, he heard wailing

and crying. He looked in and the boy was crying that the rocking

horse tipped over if he rocked too hard, the sail boat wouldn't sail

unless he blew on the sails and the train whistle blew too loudly for

his liking. When the father went to the room full of manure and hay,he could hear shuffling noises. He looked in and the boy was

shoving hay and manure this way and that. When his father asked

him what he was doing he said, "There has got to be a baby cow in

here somewhere with all this hay and manure!"

How are your circumstances today? Are you in the room

with all the good things or are you in the room with the hay and

manure? Which ever room you find yourself in, God is there. He

has said He will never leave you, nor forsake you. Can you findsomething positive about your situation that you can be thankful for?

Paul said in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever

things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are

just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely,

whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if

there be any praise, think on these things.”

As I read this story to my children and the Bible study that

followed it on contentment, I was pricked in my heart a

challenged to think on the positive things about my ow

circumstances instead of dwelling on the negatives. And the most

positive thing of all is that God will never leave me, nor forsake me.



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There is nothing better than that assurance in the days in which we

live. He is in control of all things.

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To be happy at home is the end of all labor. [Samuel Johnson

(1709-1784)]



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Day 14

Our Stronghold

Nahum 1:3, 7 ...the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the

storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet. The LORD is good, a

strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in

him.

Storms are bound to blow into the lives of God's children at

one time or another. Some of us seem to experience more than our share of storms. At times we feel as if we are going to be sucked up

in the whirlwind of chaos, out of control of our circumstances.

God uses the whirlwinds and storms that come into our lives

for His own good purposes. The Lord has his way in them. Since

the Lord is good, we can be assured that His purposes in the storms

of our lives are also good.

We can be assured that as we come to Him in our storms that

He will be our stronghold. He will be our anchor in the storm. He isthe firm Rock that will not be moved. As long as we cling to Him,

we will not be blown away with the wind.

It is a great comfort to realize that the God of the universe

knows those who trust in Him. He is a personal God. He is

intimately involved in our lives. He doesn't just stand off in the

distance and watch as we go through the storms of life. He is there

with us. He knows us. He has a plan for us even in the middle of

our storms. He knows what we need. So cling to Him in the day of trouble.

The clouds are the dust of His feet. Look at the clouds and

be reminded that He is there with you.

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Truth crushed to the earth shall rise again,

The eternal years of God are hers.

[William Cullen Bryant (1794-1878)]



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Day 15

Just One Step at a Time

Psalms 119:133 Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity

have dominion over me.

Psalms 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD:

and he delighteth in his way.

"Just one step at a time, Mommy. Just one step", my then

four year old son told me.He had broken his leg and had a cast from his thigh to his

ankle. I was concerned about how he would be able to get

downstairs the next morning, but was surprised to see him already on

the couch before I had come down stairs. I had asked him how he

got down the stairs and that was his response.

His attitude toward his difficulty spoke volumes to me. I had

just been diagnosed with two tumors on my thyroid and had several

tests and a surgery to go through to determine if it was malignant or not. I was also suffering from a broken rib, although at the time I

didn't know it was broken. Later I would learn I have severe bone

loss that caused my rib to break. And, I was in physical therapy

because of neck pain and stiffness. It was tempting to go to pieces

(and I did a few times) with worry over what would come next.

My four year old taught me through example to take it all one

step at a time and the Lord taught me to trust Him for wisdom and

grace to take each step as it came. Now, I don't claim to have thelessons all down pat. I get impatient and I still find myself trying to

take five or six steps at a time. But I am learning with each trial that

comes my way to take it one step at a time and let my Lord do the

leading.

We as home-school parents can apply this advice to our

home-school experience. If we look at the magnitude of the task we

will crumble in despair. We have to take the task of educating our

children one step at a time. Then later we’ll look back and see

God’s faithfulness to lead us through this adventure.

Are you in the middle of a trial, worried about what's ahead?

Try taking the advice of a four-year old. It's really good advice!



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Courage is not having the strength to go on; it is going on when youdon’t have the strength. Industry and determination can do

anything that genius and advantage can do and many things that

they cannot. [Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919)]



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Day 16

The Refiner

Malachi 3:3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and

he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver,

that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness.

1Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious

than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be

found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus

Christ:

The refiner sits when he purifies the silver and gold. He heats

it up over the fire and the impurities come to the surface where they

can be skimmed off. The fire must not be too hot or it will harm the

precious metal, but it must be hot enough to cause the impurities to

rise to the top. And so the refiner sits by the gold or silver to make

sure it is not harmed in the process and the heat is just right. He

skims the impurities off as they rise to the top and he knows theprocess is finished when he can see his own reflection in the gold or

silver.

So it is with us. Our faith is more precious than the gold or

silver, and God, the Refiner tries it with the fires of affliction. He sits

by the fire next to us as the heat is turned up. We can be assured that

all through the process He is there to skim off the impurities of our

lives as they rise to the top and to be sure the fire is not too hot. We

may feel like the fire is too hot and that we can not take it anymore,

but He knows how high to turn up the heat and He knows what is

going to best accomplish His purposes in our lives. He is there

skimming the impurities off as they rise to the top and one day He

will be reflected in our lives as we submit to His purifying fire.

Praise, honor and glory to God should be the goal in all that we go

through.

Are things getting tough? Are you discouraged in your home-schooling? Take heart. The Refiner is there sitting right

beside you. He knows exactly what He is doing and what His

purposes are in your life. Persevere through the trials and you will

come forth as gold.



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God chastens us with many instruments, but they are all held in His

ever-loving hand. (Uncle Ben’s Quote Book)



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Day 17

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Genesis 41: 51-52 And Joseph called the name of the firstborn

Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and

all my father’s house. And the name of the second called he

Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my

affliction.

Joseph had been wrongfully sold by his own brothers to be a

slave in Egypt. In Egypt he was wrongfully accused of seducing his

master's wife and thrown into prison. Years later in prison God gave

him the interpretation of the dreams of two men who were in prison

with him. One was executed and the other restored to his position as

Pharaoh's cup bearer. The cupbearer promised to put a good word in

for Joseph to get him released, but he forgot. Joseph sat in prison for

a number of years more before Pharaoh had a dream that hismagicians could not interpret. Finally, the cupbearer remembered

Joseph. Joseph was called to interpret Pharaoh's dream and then was

put in charge as second in command over all the land to save the

people from a coming famine. God gave him two sons. One he

named Ephraim, meaning, "For God hath caused me to be fruitful in

the land of my affliction".

Do you ever feel that you are suffering wrongfully? Do you

wonder "why me?” Joseph had ample opportunity to ask "why me?”However, we see him taking his circumstances patiently and with

good character.

As Christians, we are to develop the fruits of the Spirit, in our

lives.

Galatians 5: 22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,

peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness,

temperance: against such there is no law.

Affliction is the garden in which the fruit of the Spirit can

flourish. Home-schooling can be that garden. When our children

grumble about their schoolwork, are uncooperative or have learning



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difficulties, this is the garden where the fruit of the Spirit needs to

flourish.

How is your garden growing? Are you bearing the fruit of

the Spirit there? Sometimes it is not very pleasant when God tills

our garden with affliction, but He does it so that we will bear much

fruit to His glory.My Journaling Space

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THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT---LOVE

JOY is love exulting.

PEACE is love in repose.

LONGSUFFERING is love on trial.GENTLENESS is love in society.

GOODNESS is love in action.

FAITH is love in endurance.

MEEKNESS is love at school.



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TEMPERANCE is love in discipline.




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Day 18

Thick Darkness

Psalm 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High

shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Psalm 18:11 He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round

about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.

1Kings 8:12 Then spake Solomon, The LORD said that he would

dwell in the thick darkness.

Have you ever felt overwhelmed and depressed, like a dark

cloud just followed you wherever you went? Have you ever felt like

God has taken the sunshine of His love away from you? Maybe you

feel like that today.

Read the verses above and see what it says about darkness.

Those who dwell in the secret place of the most High abide under

the shadow of the Almighty. What is the secret place of God?Darkness. It seems to be an unlikely place for God to dwell. Yet,

Scripture tells us that the Lord said he would dwell in the thick

darkness.

I remember visiting Mark Twain’s Cave in Hannibal, MO a

few times as a child. When we were deep into the cave they shut the

lights off to show us how dark it is. The darkness was literally so

thick we could not see our hands even when we had them less than

an inch from our faces. We could not see that anyone was near us

even though they stood right beside us. When you are in a dark time

in your life, you may not be able to see that God is right there in the

darkness beside you. Perhaps He is silent and you feel that He has

left you. He has not. He is there. He dwells in the thick darkness.

He is giving you an opportunity to exercise your faith even when

you can’t see or feel Him in your life. This is the place where your

faith is exercised. When we exercise, what happens? It makes usstronger. As you exercise your faith in the dark times of your life,

your faith becomes stronger.

Don’t give up. Don’t despair. God is with you. He has said

He will never leave you nor forsake you.



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_______________________________________________________ Patience is accepting a difficult situation without giving God a

deadline to remove it. (Uncle Ben’s Quote Book)



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Day 19

Clinging to the Rock

Philippians 4:6 Be careful (anxious) for nothing; but in every thing

by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be

made known unto God.

How often have I had this verse drilled into my head and

heart? I bring my requests to God, endeavor to leave them there and

not worry and stew about them. But what guilt it brings when I

realize I am suffering from stress-related health problems! Then Ibeat myself up for letting the stresses of life affect me. Is this the

way God meant it to be? I don't think so.

Can a person "be anxious for nothing..." and still be affected

physically by the stresses he or she encounters? Does being affected

physically by these things necessarily mean I am sinning by being

anxious?

Think about the unsheltered tree on the side of the cliff by the

ocean. It is beat up daily by the forces of the wind and the rain. Itsroots cling to the rock. Its appearance is twisted and gnarled due to

the stresses put upon it. The more stress it endures the deeper it

sends its roots down to cling to the rock. Physically, it might be

short, missing limbs, bent over and not looking all too good. The

stresses of life have affected it. But what we don't see is the tree's

root system clinging to the rock and becoming stronger and stronger

with each gale that hits it.

We may be under a tremendous amount of stress as we

home-school our children. We may have stress in other areas of our

lives as well. Our bodies can take only so much before stress related

diseases and conditions begin to show up. Of course it is important

to take measures to do all we can to manage the stress in our lives,

but sometimes we just can't do anymore about it. We become like

that beat up tree on the cliff side. It's not a sin that our bodies break

down under stress. The sin is in being anxious about the stress. Thatonly adds more stress to what we are dealing with. The storms of

life will beat you up and possibly break you down physically, but let

those storms make you stronger spiritually as you send your roots

deeper, clinging to the Solid Rock.



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Wisdom is oft times nearer when we stoop than when we soar.

[William Wordsworth (1770-1850)]



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Day 20

Turn Toward the Wind

Mark 6:48-50 Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind

was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came

to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by. And

when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a

ghost, and cried out; for they all saw Him and were troubled. But

immediately He talked with them and said to them, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”

As you look at the task of home-schooling, do

sometimes sink in despair? Does it seems like the wind is against

you and you are not making any progress? As I was reading this

passage, I see Jesus coming and saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do

not be afraid.”

I am reminded of a book titled, “Turn Toward the Wind” byDale Bourke. A couple years ago, I was in the hospital waiting room

waiting to have an x-ray when I looked down and saw this book. I

picked it up and began to read, “...times of crises become moments

of insight or insulation, a time to move closer to God as he truly is or

a time to stubbornly hold on to our image of him.” As I read on, the

author tells of her experience in learning to sail a sailboat. Her

instructor told her to find the wind and then aim her boat at an angle

toward it. She could hear the spirit of God whispering in her heart,

“Face the winds of change and use them to propel you forward.”

Are the winds blowing against you today? When the winds of

adversity blow into your life, don’t strain against it. Jesus says, “Be

of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” Be of good cheer, turn your

sails toward the wind and allow it to propel you forward toward

Him. Allow it to teach you more of Who He really is and allow it to

strengthen your faith in Him.

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The great cleavage throughout the world lies between what is with,

and what is against the faith. [Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953)]



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Day 21

Time Out

Mark 6:31 And He said to them, "Come aside by yourselves to a

deserted place and rest a while." For there were many coming and

going, and they did not even have time to eat. (NKJV)

I often find myself rushing about through my day, not taking

time out to rest and relax. If it weren't for my family, I might skip

meals to add a few more minutes of productivity to my day. Mydoctor and my physical therapist have both expressed their concern

that I take time out from the concerns of the day and find time to

relax away from it all. Jesus tells His apostles, "Come aside by

yourselves...and rest a while." Jesus knows the need for us to get

away from it all and take time out to de-stress.

How are you doing in this area? Do you have a regular time

when you take time out for rest and relaxation? Start today to do this.

It will help clear your mind and make you more productive. If Jesussaw it as important, so should we.

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His way is best,

I cease from needless scheming

And leave the ruling

Of my life to Him.

All will be well,

Though how all wrong, ‘tis seeming.

All will be clear That now to me seems dim.

So I am blest.




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Day 22

Let Your Light Shine Through Me

2 Corinthians 4:7-10 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels,

that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are

perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck

down, but not destroyed-- always carrying about in the body the

dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested

in our body. (NKJV)

Sometimes there are weeks where I feel hard pressed,

perplexed and struck down by a number of difficult circumstances. It

is hard to not feel crushed, in despair, forsaken and nearly destroyed.

But I am not.

God has chosen us weak earthen, cracked pots! If we were

strong, and self-sufficient, then the world would see our own human

power, but we are broken, cracked pots---nothing impressive for the

world to look at, so that when God shows His power there will be noquestion it is Him that is working, not us. It will be Jesus and His

power that people will see in our lives, not us. In order for that to

happen, we must be dependent on His grace, not trying to struggle

through the difficulties on our own. His grace is sufficient. His

power is made perfect in weakness. We also must be willing to wait

for His timing too. We learn patience when we come to the place

where we think we can't take it anymore. When we get to our wit's

end, that is where God will bestow grace and patience to meet the

need when we humbly depend on Him.

Having a hard week? Feeling hard pressed, perplexed, struck

down? Let God show His power in you. Depend on Him. He won't

forsake you.

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Step out in faith.[Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)]



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Day 23

God & Time

Deuteronomy 32:3-4 For I proclaim the name of the LORD:

Ascribe greatness to our God. He is the Rock, His work is perfect;

For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice;

Righteous and upright is He.

I read these verses in my morning quiet time on Saturday.

Sunday we had a guest speaker at church who spoke on the topic of

God's relationship to time. He brought out some of the following

points:

• God is self-existent.

• God's time signature is "I AM" Exodus 3:14, John 8:58

• God is not bound by time, space and matter as we are. Psalm90:4

• God created time. Genesis 1:1

• God is sovereign over time. 1 Timothy 1:17 (King eternal=-

literally, "King of the (eternal) ages." or King of time)

• God does not exist in time; therefore He has never learned

anything and never gains anything. Nothing is new to Him. He

knows it all. Psalm 102:25-27 He does not change.

• God inhabits eternity. Isaiah 57:15

• God who created time understands it and fully comprehends it

even though He is not limited or bound by time.

• God already knows the future.

• For God, past, present and future are all equally

Revelation 1:4

As I pondered on these things, the verses I read the day beforebecame more meaningful to me. Our God truly is great and these

things should make us want to fall down and worship Him for Who

He is. The word LORD means Jehovah or self-existent One. God's



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ways are perfect because He sees past, present and future all at once.

He knows exactly what He is doing and why. Everything God does



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is done in justice, truth and righteousness. When things don't go the

way we think they should we sometimes feel He is being unjust with

us. That is because we are bound by time. We can not see what His

purposes are for what He has allowed to come into our lives and so it

seems unjust. God on the other hand sees the whole picture all at

once...past, present and future. He knows everything that is going to

happen and is not surprised by anything. His way is perfect and I can

take comfort in knowing that whatever He does is for a good

purpose. (Romans 8:28)

Are you worried about the future? Take comfort in knowing

that God is already there. He goes before you into the future and

nothing takes Him by surprise.

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I know not the way He leads me, but well I know my

Guide. (Martin Luther)



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Day 24

The Theory of Chaos

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to

them that love God, to them who are the called according to his

purpose.

At the Hatfield Marine Science Visitor Center, my husbandpointed out a sign to me that made me feel a lot better about my

house keeping. Here's what the sign said:

"What is chaos? Most of us think of chaos as total

confusion--an unpredictable state with no order or pattern. This

dictionary definition differs from the scientific theory of chaos that

states that events may look "random" but are actually orderly and

predictable in the short term. Long term predictions are not possible,

and so the events appear random."For those of us who are organizationally challenged, these

words come as welcome relief! (Grin)

Seriously, though, being challenged with adverse

circumstances, whether it be illness, financial difficulties, death of a

loved one, or whatever it may be, can make your life seem like it is

turned upside down and chaotic. Yet, the Apostle Paul says "...that

all things work together for good to them that love God" and in

Ephesians 1:11 he says, "In whom also we have obtained an

inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who

worketh all things after the counsel of his own will."

The theory of chaos fits really well into God's plan. What

seems random and chaotic is actually orderly and predictable from

God's point of view. One day we will be able to see it all from His

point of view and we will see that it is true. Hang on to these

promises. They are an anchor that will see us through tough times.

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The wise does at once what the fool does at last.

[Baltasar Gracian (1601-1658)]



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Day 25

Anxious Anticipation

Matthew 24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your

Lord doth come.

I stood behind the door in the dark garage, my hear

pounding with anticipation, wondering when one of my children

would come around the corner and yell, "I found you!" Even though

I knew one of them was going to eventually find me, when mydaughter finally came around the corner I screamed a blood curdling

scream of surprise because she came so suddenly and quietly.

"You're fun to play hide and seek with, Mommy, because

you scream so loud when I find you!" she laughed.

What will it be like on that day when our Lord returns? Are

you waiting in anxious anticipation for His return? The Bible says

we do not know the hour when He will come. Therefore we are to

watch and be ready.

1 Thessalonians 4: 8-10 tells us how to be ready for Christ's return.

But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the

breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of

salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to

obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us,

that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with

him.

When Christ returns there will be some changes. I am

looking forward to that day when my body will be changed.

1 Corinthians 15:51-53 says,

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but weshall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,

at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead

shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For

this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal

must put on immortality.



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No more sickness or pain! What a day that will be! Were it

not for the trials here, I would not be waiting in as great of

anticipation for Christ's return. These trials work to wean me off this

world.

Are you watching and ready with anxious anticipation for our

Lord's return? I'm looking forward to meeting Jesus and you in the

air with our perfect bodies one day! What a day that will be!

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Hearth and home are the cornerstones of help and hope

and happiness. [Mark Twain (1835-1910)]



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Day 26

The Joy of the Lord is Your Strength

Nehemiah 8:9-10 ...This day is holy unto the LORD your God;

mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the

words of the law.Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat,

and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing

is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry;

for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

For some reason, I've had the phrase "the joy of the LORD is

your strength" going around in my head. Maybe it came from a song

I listened to. It has been good for me to meditate on that and to think

about it. So I decided to do a search for that phrase to see if it was in

the Bible. The verse above was the only verse that was returned in

the search.

It is in the context of when the wall of Jerusalem was rebuilt

and they declared a holy day to worship the Lord. All the peoplegathered together to hear the law of the Lord. When they heard it

read they began to cry and to mourn. The people were told, "This

day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. Go

your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto

them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our

Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved."

Verse twelve tells us, “And all the people went their way to

eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth,

because they had understood the words that were declared unto

them."

Can you imagine the celebration they had simply because

they understood God's law? There are many times as I study God's

Word that suddenly I will understand something and joy swells up in

my heart because of that "light bulb" moment. I get excited and itseems to renew my energy.

The Joy of the Lord. Have you ever noticed how joy will put

a bounce in your step and you just feel like you have more energy?

The joy of the Lord truly is our strength. For those of us who have

physical challenges to deal with, it's easy to start complaining and



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that drains our strength. But when we have the joy of the Lord, even

when we don't feel well, our energy can be renewed.

How can I have the joy of the Lord? First of all by being a

child of God, one who has the joy of knowing their sins are forgiven.

In our day to day life, there are several ways in which we can have

the joy of the Lord. I have found that playing joyful uplifting

Christian music gives a boost to my soul. Before long I find myself

humming or singing along with the music even when I don't feel

well. Daily reading of God's Word and prayer also helps to focus

my thoughts on Jesus and gives me that heavenly perspective of

joyful anticipation of heaven.

Perhaps you need a lift to your spirits, the joy of the Lord.

Won't you join me in taking action on some of the suggestions

above?

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Jesus

Others

You

What a wonderful way to spell JOY!



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Day 27

Run Your Own Race

Hebrews 12:1-2 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about

with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and

the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the

race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher

of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the

cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of thethrone of God.

I was watching a TV program where one of the main

characters was being coached on how to play chess. After several

moves, her coach said, “Remember that you need to play your own

game. Don’t try to play someone else’s game.”

I was reminded of what the Apostle Paul said in the verse

above. “…run with patience the race that is set before us…” Godhas set a particular race before each one of us. Your race is not my

race. In a race, each runner runs his own race. He cannot run a good

race if he is looking at the other runners, thinking about what they

might do or how they might run their race. If he does this he is

going to get off course and he may not even make the finish line. He

is trying to run the other person’s race instead of concentrating on

his own race.

God has given us a race to run. Some of us have physicaldifficulties, obstacles in our race to overcome. It is tempting to look

at the race God has given others to run and grumble because we

think He has given them an easier course.

Sometimes we have perceived ideas of what others expect of

us and try to run the race in a way to please them instead of Jesus.

We feel frustrated with our physical limitations and instead of saying

no to other’s requests of us when we know it's beyond our physical

limits, we say yes and then reap the consequences of taking on more

than we can handle.

We need to keep our eyes on Jesus. He is the goal we need

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distracted by how others are running or what we think others are

expecting of us. Our goal will be to please Him.



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appear in the arena, but the wreath is for those who

contend aright. [James A. Garfield (1831-1881)]



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Day 28

Contentment

Philippians 4: 11, 13 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have

learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I can do

all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

How can we be content when things seem to go wrong? The

Apostle Paul said that he had learned to be content in whatever state

he was in. What was his secret of contentment? How was he able to

"do all things" and remain content?I am reminded of the popular way of saying things. For

example: "I don't do windows." "I don't do toilets." "I don't do the

flu." "I don't do chronic illness." The Apostle Paul did "do ship

wrecks", he did "do hunger", he did "do beatings" etc. and through it

all he learned to "do contentment". Verse 13 tells us he did it

through Christ who strengthened him. I wondered, "How exactly

does this work?"

A song I love, by This Hope, gave me a little more insightinto this. Listen to the words of the last verse of "Joy Anthem":

"Your joy is strength, oh Lord,

It lifts us up in troubled times

We find our hope in you

Remembering that you brought us life

When we see You, not circumstance

Then we will be content at last. "

Did you notice the last two lines? “When we see You, not

circumstance, then we will be content at last." This is the secret to

contentment that the Apostle Paul had found. Instead of seeing his

circumstances, he saw the Lord in his circumstances.

Are you fearful and anxious, looking at your seemingly

impossible circumstances and wondering how you will ever manage? Look up and see the Lord in your circumstances today.

Focus on Him today.



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We should learn to see things in a higher light.

[Booker T. Washington (1856-1915)]



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Day 29

Another Lap Around Mt. Sinai

Deuteronomy 8:11-12,17-18 Beware that thou forget not the LORD

thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and

his statutes, which I command thee this day: Lest when thou hast

eaten and art full,...thou say in thine heart, My power and the might

of mine hand hath gotten me this...( fill in the blank). But thou shalt

remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to...

(fill in the blank).

I have been having such a good month! Much has been

accomplished. I have been proud of all that I have been able to do.

I’ve been very busy. Too busy. I have neglected my quiet time with

the Lord.

One morning recently, I was awakened at 5:30am with a

tremendous headache. I got up, took a couple Tylenol and went

back to bed. Finally I was able to sleep some more and woke up

later, still with a headache, but at least it was bearable. I didn’t feellike getting out of bed though, so I rolled over and picked up my

Bible and began to read where I had left off. “..forget not the LORD

thy God...lest thou say...My power and the might of mine hand hath

gotten me this...remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth

thee power to...” Uh, oh. It’s time to take another lap around Mt.

Sinai...until I learn that it is God that gives me the power and

strength to accomplish anything. It is He that gives me the good

days. It is all by His mercy that I am able to do what I have done.

It is so easy to take credit and become proud. It is often

tempting in home-schooling to be proud of our accomplishments or

to push our children harder then we should so WE can be proud of

what we have accomplished. I’ve noticed two things as I read the

Old Testament that God hates. He hates pride and he hates

complaining. He sends me on wilderness excursions around Mt.

Sinai often for these two things.How are you doing? Will I meet you coming around the

other side of the mountain in the wilderness? I hope not. There is

one comfort in all of this. It is said in the Old Testament as well as

the New:



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Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man

chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee.

(Deuteronomy 8:5)

For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth

every son whom he receiveth. (Hebrews 12:6)

If God disciplines you, then it means you are one of his

children. He won’t discipline those who are not his own. I find

comfort in this. Since God comes after me when I mess up, I have

assurance that I am one of His children.

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As pride sometimes is hid under humility, idleness is often

covered by turbulence and hurry. [Samuel Johnson (1709-

1784)]



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Day 30

Success

Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does

the LORD require of you but to do justice and to love mercy and to

walk humbly with your God?

Lately, I have been challenged with the question of, "What is

true success?” Our society says success is having a good job and

earning lots of money, getting good grades in school, being popular,having nice cars, and homes as well as other possessions. In the

arena of the church, high attendance numbers, people walking the

isle each Sunday, programs with lots of people busy keeping them

going and a high profile in the community seems to be the measure

of success. In the home-school community, we tend to measure

success by how well we are meeting the standards set for us by the

state, family and friends and how well we measure up to other home-

school families.What does God see as success? Success is doing justice,

loving mercy and walking humbly with God. Galatians 5:22-26 tells

us,

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,

kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's

have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we

live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not

become conceited, provoking one another, envying one

another. (NKJV)

Success in the church doesn't necessarily mean large

attendance. A successful church is one that keeps God's word and

does not deny His name. It is one that perseveres in the truth anddoes not compromise the truth. Success in home-schooling isn’t

getting the entire curriculum done on schedule or measuring up to

standards put on us by others. It is persevering in teaching our

children truth, to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God.



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Revelation 3:7-8,10 "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia

write, 'These things says He who is holy, He who is true, "He who

has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and

no one opens": I know your works. See, I have set before you an

open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have

kept My word, and have not denied My name... "Because you have

kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour

of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who

dwell on the earth.”

The worldly idea of success is nothing like God's idea of

success. God's economy is different. If we are being faithful to God,

walking humbly with Him, allowing the fruit of the Spirit to develop

in our lives, then we are successful in His sight.

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My worth to God in public is what I am in private.

[Oswald Chambers 1874-1917)]



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Day 31

Do All to the Glory of God

1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, o

whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

I was impressed recently at church with the idea that we are

to do everything to the glory of God. For example, if God has called

you to be a garbage collector, then you should collect the garbage to

the glory of God. If the idea of doing all things to the glory of Godpervades our thinking, then we will be motivated to do the best job

we can.

However, as I began to think on this, I realized this could

bring a lot of guilt on those of us who have chronic health

conditions. Sometimes our health prevents us from doing the best

job possible or from doing a job that needs to be done. As home-

schoolers, our job of teaching our children is taxing and sometimes

we aren’t able to keep our homes up to the standard of the “Jones’”.Dear Friend, we don't have to feel guilty or beat ourselves up

because we can't keep things up to the standard we feel would be

glorifying to God. Hebrews 4:15 tells us,For we have not an high

priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities;

but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Jesus

knows our weaknesses. He knows our limits. He also knows our

heart's desires to glorify Him.

What has God called you to do today? If God has called you

to home-school, do it to the glory of God. Has He called you to

clean the toilets or the refrigerator? Do it for God’s glory. Are you

ill or in chronic pain? Has God called you to lie in bed or on the

couch today because of physical problems? Do all for the glory of

God. Do you see what a difference this will make in how we

respond to our circumstances?

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If we look externally there is a difference betwixt thewashing of dishes and preaching the Word of God; but as

touching to please God, in relation to His call, none at all.

[William Tyndale (1494-1536)]



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Day 32

Complaining, Disbelief and Giving Thanks

Psalms 27:13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the

goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.

Psalms 106:24-25 Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they

believed not his word: But murmured in their tents, and hearkened

not unto the voice of the LORD.

God has impressed upon me the idea that complaining about mycircumstances is just another form of disbelief. In Psalm 27:13, the

New American Standard Version renders it, “I would have

despaired, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in

the land of the living.” You see, according to these two verses

disbelief in God’s goodness and God’s word result in despair and

complaining. This strikes hard at my heart. So often I find myself

complaining about my circumstances. Sometimes I might not

complain outwardly, but my heart attitude is a complaining attitude.When I complain I am showing that I don’t believe God’s word and

that I doubt His goodness. We are commanded in Philippians 2:14

to do all things without murmurings and disputings.

So not only am I showing that I doubt His goodness and His

word, I am disobeying what He commands me to do.

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of

the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

(Colossians 3:17)

The alternative is to give thanks. Giving thanks is God’s will

for us. We are to do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks

to God and the Father by him. Have you ever heard anyone

complain in the name of the Lord Jesus? How absurd! These two

things just don’t go together.Now I have to admit, that I have not mastered this. I know I

will fail and I often do, but as I go to God and ask His forgiveness,

He will give me strength to do better next time.

How about you? Do you find this area a challenge? Let’s

meditate on these verses and see if we can do better together!



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Thank God for dirty dishes,

They have a tale to tell;

While others may go hungry

We’ve eaten very well.

With home, health and happinessI shouldn’t want to fuss,

By the stack of evidence

God’s been very good to us!




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Day 33

Burned Chicken and Soupy Pudding

Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my

heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my

redeemer.

Ephesians 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and

the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

We came home from church to find the chicken burned to acrisp in the crock-pot and my attitude in need of adjustment. I

finished fixing the rest of the meal and we sat down to eat, burned

chicken and all. After the main part of the meal, I decided to fix

some pistachio pudding. I measured out whey milk because at that

time we were avoiding regular milk. Then I read the ingredients on

the pudding box and discovered there was milk already in the

ingredients! There went my attitude again. My husband even

commented on how cranky I was. I found an alternative dessert for my son, went ahead, and mixed the whey milk with the pudding mix.

Then it dawned on me I should have used regular milk since my son

wouldn't be eating any. There went the attitude again! So I got out

the wire whisk and whisked away waiting for it to thicken up. It

didn't thicken, but my attitude did. I poured the soupy, sloppy green

stuff into cereal bowls and served it with straws. My husband

commented that it was one of the most unique meals I've come up

with yet. I said, "Ok, there's got to be a lesson here somewhere. I

wonder what it is?"

As my husband helped me fill the dishwasher, he made a

comment about our pastor thanking God for each food individually

that was on the table. I realized that instead of getting cranky about

the meal, I should be thanking God that we have food to eat, even if

it didn't turn out right, when so many go without.

How often do we grumble and complain about ourcircumstances? Yet, if we take time to look around us, there are

many in far worse circumstances than our own. Would we want to

trade places with them? I doubt it. We have much to thank God for.



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He enjoys much who is thankful for little. (Uncle Ben’s

Quote Book)



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Day 34

Brains in a Binder

Psalms 39:4 LORD, make me to know mine end, and the measure of

my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am.

Psalms 90:12 So teach us to number our days, that we may apply

our hearts unto wisdom.

Ephesians 5:16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

The Lord has really impressed upon me the importance of

time and how I use it. For those of us who have physical challenges

plus the added responsibility of home-schooling our children, time is

precious. Our time is limited anyway by the time it takes to teach

our children. Having them under foot all day everyday taxes our

energy reserves and creates extra work for us. So when our health

takes a plunge, many household things don't get done at all.

When I have good days I find I really have to pace myself or I wear myself out. The temptation is to jump in over my head and

work myself until I am exhausted trying to catch up on all the things

that have gone into chaos while I was unable to do much. We really

need to pray that God would help us to number our days and apply

our hearts unto wisdom. When the days are good, we don't know

how long they will last. We need to make a list and ask God to show

us what items on that list are the most important ones and do those

first.

When I have a string of really good days, it is easy for me to

begin to think I am invincible. That God has healed me! Before I

know it, I am not being very careful, not pacing myself and doing

things I shouldn't be doing. This is where I would do well to post

David's prayer up where I can see it each day. “LORD, make me to

know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may

know how frail I am. “ In the middle of my good days recently, God allowed me to

wake up with an all day whopping headache on one morning and a

terrible locked up neck for the morning of another day. These only

lasted a day and a half and then I was fine. But it reminded me, that

I am not invincible.



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I find that a daily planner is a necessary item for me. It is my

brain. It has a place for menus, shopping lists, daily chores,

appointments and notes to remember. It’s my brain in a binder. I

write everything in pencil so if I set too many goals for myself on

one day or get sick, I can easily erase them and assign them to

another day. It is a wonderful tool to help me redeem the time.

I hope I have inspired you in some way in the area of time

use. It's hard to keep a handle on our time when illness and other

unexpected events arise. But if we have things written down, we

don't have to get knocked off track. Just move to a siding until you

can get moving again or switch to a different track and keep

chugging along.

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Genius is seldom recognized for what it is: a great capacity for hard

work. [Henry Ford (1863-1947)]



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Day 35

The War on Clutter

Hebrews 12:1-2 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about

with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and

the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the

race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher

of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the

cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the

throne of God.

I just took a full car load of stuff to the Good Will today.

The clutter in my house is driving my crazy. It keeps me from being

able to efficiently clean without a lot of extra effort. Things have a

way of disappearing into thin air too. The clutter is controlling me

instead of me controlling the clutter. So today I declared war on

clutter.

We see in these verses that the writer is likening the Christian

life to a race. One who is in a serious race will eliminate anythingextra in the way of clothing, music players, etc. that would add extra

weight and potentially slow him down in the race. So the writer says

we are to lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily slows

us down.

In order for my home to be a place of refuge for my family

and me and to bring glory to God, I realize I need to let go of some

weight...the clutter that is slowing me down in the race that God has

set before me.

But the temptation is to let the clutter make me crabby and to

fly around the house with a big black garbage bag, grabbing

everything that is not necessary to life and throwing it in the bag to

pitch out. This would greatly upset my family as they see their things

getting tossed out. I certainly would not make any points with them.

It would stir up bad feelings and wouldn't be glorifying to God. So,

I must temper my temper, and go a bit more slowly than I wouldlike, allowing the family to have a say in what things of theirs I

pitch. This takes patience. But then, our verse above says to run the

race with patience too.

How's the clutter at your house? Getting you down? Ready

to declare war? Not feeling physically up to the task, yet it is driving



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you nuts? Take heart. Set a goal of just 15 minutes a day to de-

clutter. You don't even have to do your 15 minutes all at once if it's

too hard. Do 5 minutes three different times during the day. Put it

in a grocery sack and store it in the garage until you have a load for

the Good Will. But, no peeking! Once you put it out in the garage,

don't go through it again or you will bring it back in! No one in a

race stops and goes back to get things to weigh them down. That

would be crazy! Are you ready? Get Set! Go declare war on

clutter!

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_______________________________________________________ Any coward can fight a battle when he’s sure of winning; but give

me the man who has the pluck to fight when he’s sure of losing.

That’s my way, sir; and there are many victories worse than a

defeat. [George Eliot (1819-1880)]



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Day 36

A Still Small Voice

1Kings 19:11-12 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount

before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great

and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks

before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the

wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And

after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and

after the fire a still small voice.

Elijah had run for his life from Jezebel into the wilderness

where he asked God to take his life. He was tired and discouraged.

God graciously provided food and water and allowed him rest. Then

he traveled forty days until he came to a cave where he decided to

stay for a while. The voice of God said to him, “What doest thou

here, Elijah?” And he began to tell God about how zealous he had

been for the Lord and how he was the only one left who was faithful

to God. He exaggerated a bit. Later the Lord says in 1 Kings 19:8,“Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which

have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed

him.”

God told Elijah to come out on the mount and the Lord

passed by. He wasn’t in the wind. He wasn’t in the earthquake. He

wasn’t in the fire. God came to him in the still small voice.

I see some things here that we can learn from this.

1. When we are tired and discouraged, take time to get

adequate nourishment, water and rest. God allowed

Elijah to rest, gave him food and water.

2. Realize that you are not alone. When you are

overwhelmed you may feel like you are the only one

who feels like this. Elijah said he was the only oneleft who was zealous for God and they were seeking

his life. It wasn’t true.

3. Understand that God doesn’t always work in dramatic

ways. He often works in quiet ways behind the scenes



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and we must be still to hear him. God says, “Be still and

know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

It requires patience and trust on our parts to be still before

God and wait for Him to work. Often His work is done in still, small

imperceptible ways. Can you wait for Him?

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Forewarned, forearmed; to be prepared is half the victory. Wisdom

comes of such a recognition. [Miguel De Cervantes (1547-1616)]



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Day 37

Seeing the Trash in a New Light

Psalms 37:25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not

seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

I opened the cupboard door under the sink to take the trash

out and found it overflowing. It's not usually the first thought that

goes through my mind when this happens, but today this is what

went through my mind when I saw the overflowing trash:

Praise God from whom all blessings flow,

Praise ye creatures here below,

Praise him all ye heavenly hosts,

Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost!

Wow, that was a strange thing to have gone through my mind

when I saw the trash overflowing. But then I got to thinking about

it. We complain about having to take the trash out and get irritatedwhen it overflows and no one in the house seems to have the

technology to take it out but Mom.

Have you ever thought about the fact that the overflowing

trash is a visible reminder of all the blessings God bestows on us

each day? We have food wrappers, milk cartons and egg cartons

because God provides food for our family. We have boxes and

wrappers from toys, and products that we buy to help make our lives

more enjoyable. God provides the ability for someone in the

household to bring in an income so we can have these things.

Taking out the trash can become a time of worship and praise

to God for all He provides for us each day. How's your trash today?

Overflowing? Are you the only one who has the technology to take

it out? Turn it into a time of praise to God for His over-abundant

blessings on you.

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I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to

accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble. Theworld is moved along not by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but by

the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker.

[Helen Keller (1880-1968)]



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Day 38

A Lesson in Blackberry Picking

Colossians 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord,

and not unto men;

My children and I went blackberry picking. We found a big

patch of blackberry vines and started picking. I was struggling,

trying to get those berries that looked so good, but yet just out of myreach. I was getting scratched and straining my neck and shoulders,

which I knew I would pay for later in terms of pain. As I came

around the edge of the patch, my daughter said,”Mommy, just look

down underneath. That’s where all the good berries are!” Sure

enough, I lifted a few leaves down low and there was a bunch of nice

ripe, fat juicy blackberries. I thought to myself, there has to be a

lesson somewhere in this. As I began to think on it later, I

discovered the lesson.I was looking too high; stretching and straining to reach those

berries that were just out of reach, knowing I would pay for it in

terms of pain later. How often have I set my goals too high, whether

it is housework, or home-school, or other pursuits and as I push to

get it all done, I pay later in terms of either, frustration and/or

physical pain?

“You have to learn to pace yourself” is a familiar refrain that

I have heard from my physical therapist when I have over done it. Ineed to learn to set my sights a little lower. Learn to not over do it.

Schedule fewer things into the schedule and just concentrate on

doing those few things well that I am able to do.

Are you trying to accomplish more than you can d

realistically? Are you frustrated that you cannot do as much as you

used too? Try these suggestions:

• Set fewer daily goals for yourself

• Choose a task, set a timer for 15 minutes and work

until the timer rings, then rest.

• Do those few things heartily unto the Lord….play

some praise music to help you.



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You will be pleasantly surprised at how much you

can get done in just 15 minutes! At the end of the day you

can see just how many "berries were hiding under those

lower leaves".

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I am of certain convinced that the greatest heroes arethose who do their duty in the daily grind of domestic affairs

whilst the world whirls as a maddening dreidle. [Florence

Nightingale (1820-1910)]



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Day 39

Ants and Cowbirds: Lessons from Creation

Proverbs 6:6 ¶ Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and

be wise:

Recently I sent my daughter up to the garden to do some

weeding. She came back excited about what she had seen. She had

pulled up a clump of weeds and underneath was an ant colony

nursery. As she watched, the ants quickly began carrying the eggsdown a tunnel deeper underground. There were hundreds of eggs,

but it only took them five minutes or less to accomplish the task of

carrying them all away to safety. I have had the same experience of

being able to witness a scene like this. Sarah was amazed at how

organized they were and so was I when I got to see it.

Isn't it amazing how God provides the tiniest insect to teach

us about diligence, and organization? He says to consider her ways

and be wise. They knew exactly what to do when their colony wasinvaded and their eggs were threatened. We didn't find them

running around in a panic. They saw what needed to be done and

immediately set about to do it. Further on in the Proverb He says the

ant "provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the

harvest".

On the other hand, there is the cowbird. In my Birds &

Blooms Magazine, a reader sent a picture of a song sparrow feeding

a baby bird that was much larger than itself and wondered what wasgoing on there. As it turns out, the baby bird was a cowbird.

Cowbird parents are irresponsible parents. They don't want the

bother of raising a brood. So mother cowbird will flush a smaller

mother bird out of her nest right after she has laid her eggs and then

swoop in and quickly lay her own eggs in the nest of the other bird.

Then she flies off and never looks back. Sometimes the host bird is

able to recognize the eggs that don't belong to her and can push them

out of the nest. Sometimes she doesn't recognize the eggs as not

being her's and will hatch them and raise the baby cowbird as her

own. In the case of the Yellow Warbler, she can tell the egg is not

her's but she is too small to push it out. So she will build more

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Yellow Warbler nests have been sighted that have as many as six

stories...new nesting material lain over cowbird eggs that kept

getting laid in her nest. Unlike the ants who diligently look after

their eggs and young, the cowbird is an irresponsible, lazy parent

that causes trouble for other birds by taking advantage of them.

God gives us so many lessons through His creation. Just in

two of His creatures, we have lessons of responsibility, organization

and diligence. What a wonderful God we have!

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The family is the primary building block of our culture. Nay, it isitself our culture. [Henry Cabot Lodge (1850-1942)]



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Day 40

School of Hard Knocks

Proverbs 30:8-9 Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me

neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:

Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be

poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.

Psalm 119:71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I

might learn thy statutes.

I often must learn my lessons in the school of hard knocks.

When I was in Christian grade school, the principle would often

threaten to apply the board of education to the seat of knowledge if

we misbehaved. I never had to experience that but I came close.

As God’s child many of the most valuable lessons He has

taught me have been learned through tough times. When things are

going my way and I am comfortable, I tend to get too busy and

neglect my quiet time with God. I become “full” and in a sense deny

Him. I may take for granted what I have and become dissatisfied

and in a sense take God’s name in vain by complaining that I don’t

have enough.

God brings affliction my way to drive me to my knees and

back to Him where I belong. He pulls the rug out from under me

and lets me tumble in order to bring me back to my senses.

Often our children get too comfortable with what they haveand become dissatisfied. They begin to complain and grumble. It is

then that we need to follow God’s example with us. Discipline is not

fun for either them or us, but it teaches life lessons that they need to

learn. Hebrews 12:11 says, “Now no chastening for the present

seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth

the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised

thereby.”

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The greatest advances in human civilization have come when we

recovered what we had lost: when we learned the lessons of history.

[Winston Churchill (1874-1965)]



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Appendix

On the following pages is a listing of all the Bible references I

could find that describe our God. This would make a good guide

for your personal devotions. You can take one verse each day and

meditate on it, thinking about God in light of it and applying the

truth to your own life. I hope you will find this profitable as you

learn more about God.



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97Our God

Numbers 23:19 God is not a man,

Deuteronomy 6:4 The LORD our God is one LORD:

Deuteronomy 6:15 (For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among

you)

Deuteronomy 10:17 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath

are the everlasting arms:

2 Samuel 22:33 God is my strength and power

2 Chronicles 30:9 ...God is gracious and merciful,

Job 33:12...God is greater than man.

Job 36:5 God is mighty, ... he is mighty in strength and wisdom.

Job 36:26 God is great,

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in

trouble.

Psalm 47:7 God is the King of all the earth:

Psalm 48:14 For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will beour guide even unto death.

Psalm 54:4 God is mine helper:

Psalm 59:9 God is my defense.

Psalm 68:20 God is the God of salvation;

Psalm 73:1 God is good ...to such as are of a clean heart.

Psalm 75:7 God is the judge:



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Psalm 84:11 God is a sun and shield:

Psalm 94:22 God is the rock of my refuge.

Psalm 99:9 God is holy.

Isaiah 12:2 God is my salvation;

Daniel 9:14 God is righteous in all his works

John 3:33 God is true.

John 4:24 God is a Spirit:

Acts 10:34 God is no respecter of persons:

Romans 1:9 God is my witness,

2 Corinthians 9:8 God is able to make all grace abound toward you

1 Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful,

1 Corinthians 1:25 the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the

weakness of God is stronger than men.

1 Corinthians 14:33 God is not the author of confusion, but of peace,

2 Corinthians 1:18 God is true,

Galatians 6:7 God is not mocked:

Hebrews 6:10 God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour

of love,

Hebrews 12:29 God is a consuming fire.

1 John 1:5 God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

1 John 3:20 God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.



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1 John 4:8 God is love.

John 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life:

John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light

of the world:

John 10:7 Then said Jesus unto them again, I am the door of the

sheep.

John 10:11 I am the good shepherd:

John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life:

John14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:

John 15:1 I am the true vine,

Revelation 1:17 Fear not; I am the first and the last: (compare with

Isaiah 44:6, Isaiah 48:12 I am the first, and I am the last; and

beside me there is no God.

Revelation 22:16 I am the root and the offspring of David, and the

bright and morning star.

Luke 24:34 The Lord is risen

2 Corinthians 3:17 the Lord is that Spirit:

Philippians 4:5 The Lord is at hand.

1 Thessalonians 4:6 the Lord is the avenger

2 Thessalonians 3:3 the Lord is faithful,

Hebrews 13:6 The Lord is my helper,

James 5:11 the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.



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1 Peter 2:3 the Lord is gracious.

1 Peter 3:12 the Lord is against them that do evil.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise,

Exodus 15:2 The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become

my salvation: he is my God,

Exodus15:3 The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.

Exodus 18:11 the LORD is greater than all gods:

Numbers 14:18 The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy,

forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means

clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon

the children unto the third and fourth generation.

Joshua 22:34 the LORD is God.

1 Samuel 2:3 the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions

are weighed.

2 Samuel 22:2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my

deliverer;

Psalm 10:16 The LORD is King for ever and ever

Psalm 14:6 the LORD is his refuge.

Psalm 16:5 The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my

cup:

Psalm 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd (compare with John 10:11 I

am the good shepherd :)

Psalm 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; (compare with

John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the

light of the world :)



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Psalm 28:7 The LORD is my strength and my shield;

Psalm 34:8 the LORD is good:

Psalm 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart;

and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

Psalm 89:18 For the LORD is our defense; and the Holy One of

Israel is our king.

Psalm 92:15 the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no

unrighteousness in him.

Psalm 93:1 The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the

LORD is clothed with strength,

Psalm 95:3 For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all

gods.

Psalm 96:4 For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to

be feared above all gods.

Psalm 103:8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and

plenteous in mercy.

Psalm 111:4 the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.

Psalm 113:4 The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory

above the heavens.

Psalm 118:6 The LORD is on my side;

Psalm 121:5 The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon

thy right hand.

Psalm 125:2 the LORD is round about his people from henceforth

even for ever.



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Psalm 145:18 The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him,

Proverbs 15:29 The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth

the prayer of the righteous.

Proverbs 22:2 The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the

maker of them all.

Isaiah 30:18 the LORD is a God of judgment:

Isaiah 33:5 The LORD is exalted;

Isaiah 33:22 For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver,

the LORD is our king;

Jeremiah 10:10 But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God,

and an everlasting king:

Lamentations 3:24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul;

therefore will I hope in him.

Nahum 1:3 The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will

not at all acquit the wicked:

Nahum 1:7 The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble;

and he knoweth them that trust in him.

Genesis 17:1 I am the Almighty God,

Exodus 15:26 I am the LORD that healeth thee.

Leviticus 19:4 I am the LORD your God.

Exodus 31:13 I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.

Isaiah 42:8, Isaiah 43:11 I am the LORD

Isaiah 44:6, Isaiah 48:12 I am the first, and I am the last; and beside



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me there is no God.

Isaiah 44:24 I am the LORD that maketh all things,

Isaiah 45:5, Isaiah 45:6, Isaiah 45:18 I am the LORD, and there is

none else, there is no God beside me

Isaiah 48:17 I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit,

which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.

Jeremiah 9:24 I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness,

judgment, and righteousness,

Jeremiah 32:27 I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any

thing too hard for me?

Ezekiel 7:9 I am the LORD that smiteth.

Malachi 3:6 I am the LORD, I change not;

sufficient grace for home-school moms

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