Letter to Satan

Satan,

I know you've been doing your best to pummel me lately. You've launched attacks on my health and safety. You've tweaked our car so it won't run right and put a leak in our bank account. You've tried to torment me with discouragement, fear, anger, and shame. You've even done your best to destroy the very foundations of my faith and family. What's more, you blame everything on me, placing false guilt on my shoulders.

I admit you've shaken my emotions, but you and I both know that you can't really touch me, and that's why you're so mad. You know your future includes imprisonment and a horrific lake of fire, and that my future is filled with hope and joy.

So go ahead, give it your best shot! I am not afraid of you!  I am hard pressed but not in despair. I am persecuted, not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed. Though the earth trembles and mountains topple, I am not afraid!

I am under the protection of Almighty God. He is my refuge and strength. He is El Roi, the God who Sees me, and nothing can separate me from Him! I run to Him each time you attack me, and He is attentive to my needs. He will not let you succeed. Because of His victorious work in me, I am more than a conqueror. You SHALL NOT defeat me!

(see Psalm 46, Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8, 2 Corinthians 4,  Revelation 20)

Follower

I have a follower on my blog! Yay! Just one, but still, I have a follower! 


I've been thinking about following lately. I'm not a good follower. I'd rather be the leader. But I'm supposed to be following God. 
Revelation 17:14 says, "They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because He is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with Him will be His called, chosen and faithful followers" (NIV). 


His job is to call and choose, our job is to be faithful and follow. 
I know I am called. 
I know I am chosen. 
I want to be a faithful follower. 


Today, my goal is to start unconnecting. That is, after these 15 minutes (yes, I have a timer going!) I'm getting off of the computer, even if I'm in mid sent....










Just kidding...


But I've been on the computer WAY too much lately. I have been "following" my computer. That means sometimes Josiah is pulling on me to go play and I get irritated with him... when in reality he should be my first priority. 


I've been asking myself who or what I've been following. I don't want to be following anyone or anything except for Jesus. In fact, I don't just want to follow without passion, listlessly dragging along. I want to be running after Him! How do I redirect my attention to the One I should be following? 


Who or what have you been following? What can you do to step away from those things and run after the One who has chosen and called you?

Louisiana Red Beans and Rice

Here's how I make red beans and rice. First, gather your helpers:

Next, get a pound of dry red beans or red kidney beans that you have soaked and rinsed according to the directions on the back of the bag (overnight is the easiest):

Put the beans in some water so that the water is about half an inch above the beans, like this:

Get an onion and some garlic

 Chop it up

Stir it in with the beans, and heat to boiling on high. 

Once it's boiling, lower the temperature so that it's simmering, put the lid on it, and wait about an hour and a half to two hours, until the beans are soft.  This is the temperature I set it on:

 Now, since you already have your cutting board out, you might as well cut up your sausage while the beans cook. Manda sausage is the best, but you may only be able to get it in Louisiana, so just use your favorite.

By now your helpers are tired, and want a snack.

Even if they're too young for one...

Now, here's about how much sausage I used, and it actually turns out to be a lot, so use less if you like:

This is where you get to be creative. Cut your sausage however you like. I like the smaller chunks, because they're harder for the sausage-stealer in your family to pick out, but you might prefer to cut the chunks larger so you get a mouthful of sausage:

Put the sausage in another pan

And cook on medium-high

 

Until lightly browned, like this:

Set the sausage aside

Now pull out your salt, pepper, and Tony Chachere's. Once the beans are soft, add the sausage and season to taste, as spicy and salty as you like it.

 Stir it up, and cook it for another hour or so, so the flavors meld.

Serve over rice. It's best with homemade cornbread, deviled eggs, and sweet tea. 

Hope you like it!

Gorgeous

This morning I was reading about Rebekah, who was adorned with jewelry before she became Isaac's bride. She was beautiful (Gen. 24:16). In the same way, the bride of Christ is beautiful. Christ will present His "radiant" (Eph. 5:25, NIV) bride "in glory" (NASB) and "in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but holy and blameless" (HCSB). And "if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (KJV). We who are forgiven and know Him intimately are His bride. 


Another verse I read today is 1 Peter 3:3-4. "Your beauty... should consist of what is inside the heart." 


Did you know God? Have you been poring over His Word? Do you want to deepen your relationship with Him? If so, you are beautiful! 


I like how Beth Moore says it: "Imagine Christ looking at His Father right this moment and saying, 'Isn't she gorgeous?'" 


Know that you are forgiven, pure, beloved, and beautiful. Bask in this knowledge, and live it! Be a pure, beautiful person! You are gorgeous! 

End of the Day

I do not know how to be quiet.
I buzz and babble and bellow.
I like the cacophony of noise.
But once the day is done,
And all sounds are muffled,

I like the absence of noise.
It descends and dwindles and drops,
And settles, sinks and slides
Until it subsides to a trickle
And noise has lapsed to silence.

Still and soft, as in sleep,
Muted with words unuttered.
Words so full, held back in reserve
HUSH
For silence has fallen.

3 Months Old and a Good Routine

Today Hadassah is three months old. This is also the first week since her birth that we have had a good routine (i.e. it has worked 5 days in a row!). Here is our schedule:

7:00- Wake up to alarm, say "hi" to Josiah as he plays quietly in his room, feed Hadassah
7:30- Shower, breakfast, get Josiah dressed, start load of laundry
8:30- Clean kitchen, change clothes around, make bed, etc.
9- My quiet time
9:30- "School" with Josiah (he's working on the alphabet, numbers, colors, and shapes and we read books)
10- Feed Hadassah
10:30- Declutter the areas people notice most and finish laundry
11- Lunch
12- Lay Josiah down for a nap, read a fun book or talk on phone while I wait for him to sleep
1- Feed Hadassah
1:30- Play on the computer, then get up and do housework (cleaning or organizing)
3- Josiah gets up from his nap, has a snack, and watches a movie while I clean
4- Feed Hadassah
4:30- Go for a walk and check the mail (sometimes we stop at the playground), cook dinner
6- Dinner, Clean up kitchen
7- Feed Hadassah
7:30- Josiah takes a bath and picks up his toys, we read some books
8- Josiah goes to bed, I set out tomorrow's clothes and straighten up
8:30- Free time!
10- Feed Hadassah
10:30- Get to bed and sleep for about 8 hours (aren't you jealous!??)

If you couldn't tell, our schedule is structured around one person: