Prosper

Deuteronomy 30

This is a very encouraging passage. Like a breathe of fresh air following chapters full of laws and direction. Our God is a God of order, and at the same time that he is certain about passing judgement on for our transgressions, he speaks of the grace, love and compassion He has for us and how we can live in that love when we repent and come back to Him.

My favorite verses are 9-11. Not only do we have the promise that He will prosper us if we obey His commandments, and love Him with all our heart and soul, but He knows we doubt if we are capable of doing and just as any loving parent, He gives us a boost of confidence that we can indeed do this.

When we look up the word "prosper" (or plenteous in the KJV) as was used in this verse in the Strong's concordance, we find that it means just that. To have more than enough. In life, this is what the majority of us are working for, not to have to struggle week to week, but to have more than enough. And don't you think God wants that for His people? To show favor on His people? So that we believers can bless others with our more than enough? So why is it that when we have a promise before us on how to fulfill that, that we often times do not want to follow the formula but do our own thing?

Lord, open our eyes to be convicted in the areas our of lives that we have not given fully to you. Touch our hearts to know where we are not loving you with all our heart and soul. What am I afraid of losing by doing so? For thru obeying you I have only to gain. Lord woe my heart so that I lose all fear of following you unconditionally and completely.

God Smacks

God Smacks is what we call it when someone does something they shouldn't have and appears to get away with it, only it ends up having a negative outcome in the end. Some would call this karma. Some God Smacks this week:

*Made a cake and butter cream frosting. Left the room and explicit instructions for no one to taste the frosting. Come by to find someone had taken a finger full of what they thought was white frosting in a little bowl on the counter. I'm sure they were surprised to taste Crisco.

*Every time I make Chicken Enchiladas I hear, "They are really good, but not as good as Aunt Gina's". So tonight I added her secret touch of running the chicken thru the blender. We do smoothies often, so at the sound of the blender, kids came running begging for just a spoonful. When I turned my back, Wyatt had taken off with the entire bowl of chicken filling with green chilies. I'm guessing definitely not the smoothie he was hoping for.

Thank you Lord for keeping my back with these kiddos.

The Covenant with Grace

The Old Testament is difficult to read simply just understand for me. There are so many laws and covenants referenced back and forth that it really does take me some digging to follow. I enjoy history, but dates escape me. This past week I started digging deeper into Deuteronomy 29 & 30. And am pleased that I did. Most of the Old Testament is in preparation for the Messiah and it is so amazing to put little bits and pieces together and see it forming what we already know of the story coming in the Gospels.

The very 1st verse of this chapter reads almost as in a foreign language. What we need to know is that this new covenant was to include not only the children of Israel, but as we see later in the chapter, to include the stranger, the Gentile, as well. This covenant was also different in content as that it not only included the renewal of the covenant made almost 40 years prior, but along side this came promises of grace, which had not been made before. Giving room for repenting and returning hearts echoing the times of the future Messiah.

What was the previous Sinai Covenant? See HERE
Key Elements of the Sinai Covenant? See HERE
What was the main weakness of the Sinai Covenant? See HERE
How can we obey God's commandments? See HERE

We find the grace God bestowed in this renewed covenant in Deut 30:1-3-
1AND WHEN all these things have come upon you, the blessings and the curses which I have set before you, and you shall call them to mind among all the nations where the Lord your God has driven you,
2And shall return to the Lord your God and obey His voice according to all that I command you today, you and your children, with all your [mind and] heart and with all your being,
3Then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion upon you and will gather you again from all the nations where He has scattered you.

And then we find the New Covenant of the Messiah: See HERE


Thank you Lord that you have made way for each of your children to find grace and restoration and a desire to repent and turn to you thru the Holy Spirit you have gifted to us. Lord give me ears that hear your every word and a heart that is quick to obey your voice and laws. Renew me Lord to love you with all my heart and all my soul so that I can glorify you in my life.

A Month of Sayings In Our House

Quotes from Brian:

As he was trimming the bushes "If I can just get a couple cups of coffee and a flashlight I could do this all night!"

As Allen was leaving for work, Brian rushed out after him and yelled, "DAD! Whatever you do today, don't feed any squirrels caffeine!"

"I wish we had a flat top roof. That way I could have meetings. Business Meetings and talk about starting new businesses. That and ride my bike up there. Of course I think I could ride my bike up there now. Can I?" (For those who don't know...we have a 2 story with a steep roof.)

At supper Allen asked, "Brian, do you not like your bread son?" He answered, "I do. I'm just sculpting it into a snail's shell."

"There are lots of names for nuts, huh?" Yes. Name some. (As he did, I realized we were thinking of two different kinds of "nuts".)
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Quotes from Gabby:


"Mom, can I use the chainsaw?" What for? "To build a deck."

"I can remember when McDonald's used to be a drive thru only restaurant." Me: It's always been an eat in place, we were just a drive thru family when you were all little. :) Surprise!

"Wish we could go to Grandma's for snack time. She has REAL snacks. The kind you buy. Not just fruit."

"Mom, this is how I want my headstone when I die..." What are you planning to do today Gabby?

"How come when I shake really hard I can't feel my uvula move?" Me: What did you say?! Then I had to look up what exactly was an uvula.
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Quotes from Makensie:

"We are pretending to be a wealthy family. Kinda like us in real life." (For those who don't know...we are NOT wealthy.)

A Month In Our House

What happened to the rest of the Parmesan Cheese (or Farmer John Cheese as my kids call it):

Nature Study assignment: Gather something outside to study.....

They gathered a bird. This is actually the 3rd one they caught.

Our new little kitten, Friday.

Gabby's early birthday present of Project Runway Design Gallery, which she is loving. Right up her alley....but hopefully she chooses not to wear the clothes she is designing.

17 pairs of underwear on the boy, 17 pairs of underwear.....

Graduation Cakes

Ballet Performance

Honey I shrunk the kids:

Our new tenement on wheels:

Beautiful! And as you can see under the cabinets right above Wyatt's head is the 8 track player that still works and we even acquired an entire collection of 8 track tapes.

"Now don't go gettin attached, cuz we'll be takin it with us when we leave here next month."

- Cousin Eddy

Cookies for a soldier coming home:

Catch of the Day:

Summertime with friends:

My precious niece on the Merry Go Round....I didn't know if it was ever going to stop:)

Early Impromptu Birthday Party at Grandma's:

Brian's 1st plane ride:

Safely on the Ground again in his cowboy boots, with Grandpa John and Aunt Gina: