Sorry about that...

The past three weeks have been a blur.  A complete and utter blur causing me to have moments of complete and utter, I'm forgetting something!  I know I am forgetting something important! moments.


I'm resigned to being the girl with the calendar attached to her person.  Yes, my beloved red hacienda.  {Yes, I am aware that hacienda means house...however to a know-it-all-who-truly-doesn't-know-it-all, the word means calendar.  (Insert me laughing at the memory of this word blunder.)}


Do you want a recap of where I've been or should I just move on from here?  I feel like I owe it to my loyal blog-stalkers to explain where I've been and the kind of shenanigans that I have taken part in. 


Well, the last time I blogged was more than a week ago...and before that it was truly hit or miss...soo how about I start with last weekend.  Oh, I've been meaning to tell you about last weekend.


The last weekend of September I found myself in Whitewater, Wisconsin at my beloved Camp Joy.  Ladies Retreat.  {Blissful sigh.}  Our speaker was Mardi Collier.  She spoke on knowing God.  The whole weekend was ways that we can know God...and when we know Him, we will trust Him more.  I truly loved ladies retreat this year.  In times past, I've left with notes detailing law, law, law...  And while it's true, we need the law...where I live, I need the grace.  I need grace for today so that I can remember to share grace with others as we walk side-by-side in life's journey.  This ladies retreat was a complete and utter encouragement and refreshing to my weary soul.


My roomies at retreat were delightful and fun.  We played pool where I was nearly injured as roomie #1 hit the white ball and it jumped across the table and assaulted me.  No worries...I survived.  Traumatized, but I survived.  It's disturbing to see a pool ball sailing at you...and in my moment of panic, I froze. 


As with all good things, a day and an overnight and retreat was over.  Honestly, this was one retreat that I did not want to see end.  I could've spent a week there...or two or three. 


The following Monday ~ I went with the girls out for sushi at our new favorite sushi place, Spider Sushi.  If you're in the market for good, not over-priced sushi, try Spider Sushi @ the corner of Alpine and Harrison.  It's deeeelish.  They have gluten-free which, of course, makes my anti-gluten little heart go pitter-patter.  We are attempting to dine there atleast once a month (if not twice) and try everything on the menu.  I'm not looking forward to trying the fish eggs (gag!) but I will...because what if I like it?  I mean, I went nearly 35 years without ever trying guacamole and that's just a hate crime against avocados which I now love.  Also, cashews.  Same story - different food.  I love them.  I never knew I love them. 


Tuesday brought about yarn store shenanigans and coffee with Lauren, Leah, and Ruthie.  In our best attempt, Leah and I tried convincing Ruthie to sign-up for a knitting class and we rejoiced with Lauren and her new-found-love of knitting.  I fell prey to the soft yarns and the most adorable cupcake hat.  When I say "fell prey" - I mean, I bought some lovely, good quality yarn and set out to make a little hat for the newest member of our church, Faith.  Yarn purchased...but I had some pattern-related questions was instructed that the knitter of the hat would be working on Saturday.  DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH SELF-CONTROL I HAD TO EXERCISE TO NOT TRY KNITTING THE PATTERN????  THE NICE YARN WAS CALLING TO ME..."ANGIE GOOD, KNIT ME!!!!"  I had to set the bag out of sight and put it out of mind for 4 whole days.  It was tough.


Wednesday night ~ I helped at the kids' consignment sale.  It was actually quite fun.  My favorite Wednesday night shopper was a kid buying a light saber.  He as pretty sure THIS light saber was real.  Another fellow told me he was thinking that sharing his new toys was going to be hard and he really wouldn't be able to do it.  Oh, the honesty of four-year olds.  Let's be honest - when I get a new office supply, I really don't want to share it with my engineers. 


Thursday night ~ MY BEST YES NIGHT!!!!!  I haven't blogged about Lysa TerKeurst's study...but like all of her other books - this study is soo helpful and applicable.  The most recent BEST YES epiphany I have learned is to evaluate all decisions on four levels...spiritually, emotionally, physically, and financially.  She said if even one area is a NO, than you should probably say "No" because it won't be your best yes.  I'm doing this study with a dear friend who such an encouragement and a cheerleader reminding me to keep on keeping on...even after I had a horrible meltdown and said yes when I should've said no. 


Friday night ~ I hit the gym because that was a BEST YES decision before going to work at the consignment sale.  This was my genius moment.  Friday was a rough work day...which is fine because it's work and not vacation.  I get it.


Saturday ~ Helped all day (literally) at the sale before sneaking away to Knit One Purl Two to discuss the cupcake.  Remember the pretty yarn?  I was totally wanting to work on the hat.  Knitting seemed like a great stress-reliever...until I started using slippery double pointed knitting needles and very soft yarn.  I was knitting along and everything was going well.  I started adding the frosting and did the tricky part where you do a series of loops and such and pick up a pre-knitted frosting stitch to knit two together to get the ruffly edge...and then I noticed a stitch had fallen off the needle and I didn't catch it in time and it unraveled...and then I unraveled as I unraveled the whole project.  Of course, Miss Cup-half-full, I told myself, "Angie Good, this gives you another opportunity to start again and re-work the pattern."  {She drives me nuts some times with her delightful notions.}


Sunday was spent being delightfully lazy...enjoying all of my Fallish faves...apple crisp for breakfast and then sweet potatoes with my lunch.  Mmmmmmm...I heart food.  Especially comfort foods.  Sweet potatoes...soup...apple crisp...pumpkin muffins... 


This brings me to last night - we started our new Bible study which was delightful.  It was nice to meet together with the gals from church and discuss what the Lord taught us.  After the study, we celebrated our pastor's wife's birthday.  Birthdays are my favorite.  You are celebrating someone.  You're not celebrating an accomplishment or some job well done.  Birthdays are celebrating a person!!! 


And here it is Tuesday evening.  It's a full moon tonight...and I must admit, it wasn't too crazy at work today which is always nice.  Full moons, when you work with small children, the public and/or the elderly, can be kinda scary.  Today wasn't bad.  Busy but not bad.  We are on the brink of doing three big jobs.  One was re-scheduled and moved up a month - with a four day notice.  Wow - thanks for the WHOLE four days (I say sarcastically!).  Could I not get 5 days or better yet 7 to 10 days?  {Sigh.}


It's only Tuesday and sadly, I am already looking forward to the weekend...which is now going to be plan B.  Plan A was me taking a roadtrip to Indianapolis to hear a most beloved author...but turns out there's too many ridiculous work factors that when left to other hands, the task unravels - much like my first attempt at the cupcake hat. 


No more cupcake unravels for me - I purchased bamboo knitting needles.  According to the Internet, these little wooden gems will keep my slippery yarn from moving around. 

Lazarus

I've been thinking and contemplating John 11:1-44.  Earlier this morning, I read through the first third of our Ladies Club Bible study book, Refresh My Heart by Claudia Barber.  Our lesson tonight is having a peaceful heart.  We all want more peace...maybe in the form of peace & quiet...or peace with a friend or family member. 

I know that I love to have peace in my workplace - not that it's tumultuous all the time.  It's just tense right now as we gear-up for big projects and I am forced to work with a procrastinator.  I don't like to procrastinate.  Infact, not procrastinating was one of my 2012 resolutions and I must confess, only by God's grace did I not procrastinate too much last year.  :)  Too much might be the key phrase. 

Here's what happened in John 11.  The Angie paraphrase is...

Lazarus, friend of Jesus, was sick. He lived in the city of Bethany with his two sisters - Mary and Martha.  If you read verse 2, the Bible tells us this very Mary was the one who anointed the Lord's feet with ointment.

Mary and Martha knew Jesus could heal their brother, so they sent word to him - most likely via a messenger.  "Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick."

When Jesus heard the message, He said "This sickness is not unto death..." (verse 4).

I love verse 5....  "Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus."

When Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick, He did not drop what He was doing and go attend to Lazarus.  Verse 6 says that He stayed another two days where He was when He received the message.

After two days, He said to the disciples, "Let us go into Judaea." 

Imagine the disciples shock when the Lord told them Judaea.  You see, by going there, the disciples knew the Jews had attempted to stone Jesus during the previous journey. 

Jesus knew His mission and it was to travel to Judaea so he explained to the disciples that they needed to go there because men are walking around in darkness (spiritual darkness) and they need THE LIGHT.

Jesus went on to tell them that Lazarus sleepeth.  When He used the word sleepeth, He wasn't referring to a nap or slumber.  Jesus was referring to Lazarus' death.  He even went on to plainly say that he is dead (verse 14). 

In verse 15, Jesus explained why they needed to go...

"And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him."

Jesus is telling them that something BIG is going to happen and I don't think that disciples fully comprehended what was about to take place.  The magnitude of what they would witness.  In verse 16, Thomas basically told the others, "Let's go with him so that we can die too."

The journey must've taken them two days since when Jesus received word of Lazarus' illness, He stayed two more days before going to Judaea.

Jesus enters Bethany to see a great group of professional mourners.  The first time I ever heard about this - I was amazed.  People were hired to come and cry and wail and mourn.  Basically they were paid actors/actresses. Paid to grieve.  If you are paid to grieve, how sincere is your grief?  Not very, I would think.

Mary, Martha, and the mourners were gathered.  Mary stayed in the house while Martha ran to meet her Lord.  Mary immediately declared, "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died."

God oftentimes does not remove us from trials and make our way paved with yellow bricks.  No, He sometimes leads us through storms and the brambles to teach us to trust Him more. 

Jesus tried explaining to Martha that she would see Lazarus again, when He said, "Thy brother shall rise again."  Martha thought He meant in the resurrection of the saints but Jesus was speaking plainly.  Your brother is going to live again...TODAY!!!!!

Jesus delivers a powerful I AM statement in verses 25 and 26, "I am the resurrection, and the life; he that believeth in me though he were dead, yet shall he live.  And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die.  Believest thou this?"

Martha answered that she does indeed believe and then in verse 28, she exits stage left and goes to find Mary.  Martha informs Mary of Jesus arrival and Mary arose quickly and came unto Him.

Verse 30 gives us some useful information.  Martha had met Jesus when He wasn't in town yet; therefore, when Mary went to find Him, the crowd thought she was going to Lazarus' grave to weep.

When Mary found Jesus, she fell down at His feet and told Him that had He been there, Lazarus would still be alive.  Jesus saw her weeping.  He saw the crowds weeping.  What sadness.  In verse 35, we see His compassion - Jesus wept.  I speculate that He wept for their unbelief and for their sadness.  Do you ever  cry when you see someone else crying?  I do...and for the longest time, I thought (and was told) that being too compassionate was a bad thing.  It's not.  The world needs more compassionate people.

When the Jews saw Jesus weeping, they said, "Behold how He loved him!"

The next scene takes Jesus to the cave where Lazarus was buried.  There is a stone.  Jesus commands the stone to be rolled away.  The sisters point out the fact that Lazarus is going to stink!  (It's what sisters do - state the obvious.  I think it's our sisterly duty!) 

Jesus then said, "Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?"  Basically - if you were to only believe, then you would see the blessing of the glory of God!

They removed the stone.  Jesus then prayed to His Father and then in a loud voice, Jesus commanded, "Lazarus come forth!"  Can you even imagine what it would've been like to be gathered with Mary and Martha and see Lazarus come out of the cave? 

Imagine sharing this story with others...
Neighbor:  "What did you do yesterday?  Me - not much.  Fixed the wagon wheel."
Me:  "I saw Jesus and He raised Lazarus of Bethany from the dead!  I SAW IT!"

We can share with others the wonderful miracles that Christ has done in our lives.  How He's transformed us from an old creature and made us to walk in newness of life.

Ornament Exchange

* Homemade peppermint chocolate brownie concoction that the master baker warned, "Angie, these contain gluten.  Sorry."  * Homemade guacamole & blue corn chips (safe for the author of this blog) * snowman cupcakes * Christmas punch * Hot coffee and peppermint coffee creamer * Veggie tray * No-Bake Peanut Butter Cocoa Oatmeal Cookies (say it 5 times fast, I double-dog dare you!) * and sweet friends...

Add in the mixture an ornament exchange and you have the makings of a fabulous Monday evening.

It's so weird to me that it's 60 degrees out and we just had our Christmas ornament exchange.  I remember a couple years ago, the roads were iced-over and several of us dared not to even go out.

My ornament contribution was the fabulous hippo - from a few posts ago.  She was won by my friend Stephanie.  :) 

The ornament I selected has a vintage-looking lady holding a coffee cup and it reads, "Behind every successful woman is massive amounts of coffee." 

Isn't it funny that out of all the ornaments, I selected the coffee one...  :)

Ornament Exchange

Sooooo every December, my ladies Bible study group has an ornament exchange.  Up until two years ago, I used to hunt and search for a "sensible" ornament - you know, something nice.  Traditional. 

Well, last December, I was standing in the ornament aisle at Hobby Lobby and I had an epiphany.  (There wasn't a bright light or anything.  :))  What kind of ornament would FUN Angie bring?  Oh -- did I ever find the perfect ornament - she was a cute froggy with a bow and I believe a boa.

This year, in keeping with the Fun Angie tradition, I went back to Hobby Lobby and perused the aisles.  There are sooo many ornaments.  My decisions were down to two - the above pictured hippo or a girlie zebra - complete with red sparkly heels on all four feet!!! 

The hippo won...  I mean, seriously - look at her sparkly dress.  Her shoes are also hot pink and sparkly. 

While I was standing in the aisle holding the hippo and the zebra, a clerk came up and asked if I needed help finding coordinating ornaments.  If she would've asked, "Did you need help?" and stop at that...well, the answer would've been affirmative.  When I went on to explain that either of these ornaments would be for our ladies Bible study party, she laughed and walked away.

Yes, I know I am not right; however, tomorrow night, someone is going to go home with this adorable hippo.  And maybe a year from now, this hippo will be hanging on the branch of Christmas tree in another state...and maybe the recipient will remember me and smile.  :)

Ummmmm....and what says "Merry Christmas" than a dolled-up hippo???

No Bake Gluten-Free Cocoa Peanut Butter Cookies

I love baking!!! 

Monday night is our Ladies Club Ornament Exchange party and I am co-hostessing this fabulous event.  I wasn't sure what sweet treat I wanted to make...until I had a hankering for these yummy treats from my youth.

A couple of clicks of the mouse (my computer mouse :)) and I found a recipe for gluten-free no bakes. 

I'm so excited to share these yummy treats.

I've already consumed two...just to insure that they are edible and good for the others.  :)  Hopefully I will not fall in to a diabetic coma...I'm not saying it wouldn't be worth it.  These tasty treats are marvelous!!!

Trusting Heart... Part Three

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Lastly, we can trust God because He is loving.

To know if you qualify for God’s love, think about these questions…

Are you one of the people on earth?  If so, God loves you. 

Are you a sinner?  If so, God loves you.  Romans 5:8

Are you a part of  the body of believers, the church?  If you are saved, you are.  You are one of his special “called out” ones and He loves you.  The Lord uses marriage as a metaphor of His loving relationship with us. 

Ephesians 5:25-29 *Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.  So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.  For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

He sweetly loves us – the church.

Because God does love us, we learned from the verses just read, God has goals for us…

* to be sanctified

* cleansed

* be without spot

* be holy

When difficult circumstances come in our life, we need to remember that God is too loving to not be trusted.

I John 4:8 * He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

This verse tells us God is love.  He is not merely loving.  He is love.  Love is His essence and His nature.  As long as He is God, He will love and He will love you.  You can trust your loving heavenly Father.

Last week, I was reading and studying about the life of Rahab.  The authors of the study wrote something that jumped off the page – “When we trust God, He will always use our faith in someone else’s life as well.” 

I’d like to conclude with a short excerpt from Lysa TerKeurst’s book:

"Because we love God, we look for and trust in 
His purpose in everything.  The persistent person 
understands the meaning of Romans 8:28 , 
“And we know that all things work together 
for good to them that love God, to them who are called 
according to His purpose.”  This does not mean that 
everything that happens to us will be good, but that 
God will work in and through every situation to bring 
good from it.  And let’s not miss the last four words of 
this verse, where we are reminded that it is all “according 
to His purpose.”  God has a purpose, and His plans to 
accomplish that purpose are perfect.  Trusting God’s good 
purpose, and seeking to understand that He takes all the 
events from our life and orchestrates good from them, 
leads to a changed perspective."

We need to remember that we can trust God because He… is omniscient – knowing our past, present & future; faithful and just; promises to supply our needs; does not lie; is powerful – controlling nature, people, & circumstances; has power over angels and over death.  And lastly He is loving.

A Trusting Heart...Part Two

God knows our past, our present, and He certainly knows our future.

You can trust your Heavenly Father to meet every coming need.  Women are experts at worrying about the future – at imagining all the horrid things that could happen.  I think it’s our tragic flaw. 

How comforting it is to know the Lord can see all the way down the road and that He has anticipated every need.  Just as long-distance hikers have supplies for their upcoming trail, you have supplies from His inexhaustible resources waiting along your path.  They will be there for you, exactly when and where you need them.

Philippians 4:19 *  But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

God has promised to supply our every need.

Numbers 23:19 * God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

God does not lie!  He is God and not man.

God gives us two commands in Matthew 6:33-34 *   But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.  Seek His kingdom and His righteousness

What does this mean?  We are to love what God loves and seek Him in every area of our lives.

In What Happens When Women Say Yes to God, Lysa shared this statement about obeying God.  “It [obedience] is having the overwhelming desire to walk in the center of God’s will at every moment.  Don’t stumble over fearing you won’t be perfect or that you are sure to mess up.  Saying yes to God isn’t about perfect performance, but rather perfect surrender to the Lord day by day.  Your obedience becomes radical the minute this desire turns into real action.  Radical obedience is hearing from God, feeling His nudges, participating in His activity, and experiencing His blessings in ways few people ever do.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 * Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

James 1:5 * If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Isaiah 46:4 * And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.

Deuteronomy 33:25 * Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.

We can trust God to supply what we need today for today.  We don’t have to worry or fret.  God cares about the sparrows and He surely cares about us. 

One of our cantata songs, titled If God Sees the Sparrows Fall, the lyrics spoke to my heart.

If God sees the sparrows fall and watches flowers grow, 
I know He’ll care for me each day that I live on earth below; 
Though trials come my way and life may troubled be, 
If God sees the sparrows fall, then
I know He’ll care for me.  
 Though trials rise that I don’t understand, 
I know it’s part of God’s 
almighty plan; In the time of pain I can trust God above, 
I lean on Him; it’s Him I love.

God is omnipotent.

A friend, a sister, or even your husband may sympathize but be helpless to solve your problems.  God, however, can change your circumstances.  As the ultimate Ruler of the universe, He can do anything.  He has the power!

Let’s see how God controls nature.

 Isaiah 40:12 *  Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, and meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?

Psalm 147:8-9, 16-18 * Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.  He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.  He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes.  He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold?  He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow.

Mark 4:41 * And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

Psalm 89:9 * Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.

Nothing that we would consider as a natural disaster is out of God’s control.  Nature should stimulate us to worship the Creator – not worship His creation.

Psalm 36:5-6 * Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds. Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep: O Lord, thou preservest man and beast.

No matter what happens in nature, Psalm 36:6 says – God keeps all men and animals safe!

I was thinking about His protection and in Mark 4:36, Jesus told the disciples that they were going to go across the Sea of Galilee to the other side.  Somewhere between the two sides, a storm arose.  The water was coming over the boat and everything was amok.  The disciples thought for sure that Jesus had lead them there to drown.  Jesus didn’t say, “Let’s row out to the middle and drown.”  He told them they were going to other side.

No only does God have power over nature; He also has power over people. 

Proverbs 21:1 * The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.

Romans 13:1 * Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

Both of these verses tell us the king’s heart is in God’s hand and we are to be subject to God because He is the “Higher Power.”  Jesus Christ made His authority over human governmental authority unmistakable in a remarkable exchange with Pilate in John 19:9-11.  Pilate threatened Jesus, asserting he had power to put Jesus to death.  Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all unless it came from heaven.”  Even if rulers do not believe in our heavenly Father, He still exercises power over them and uses them to protect or chastise us.  Political leaders are subject to God’s rule.

He has power over angels.

Good angels.  Angels are God’s servants.  One of their assignments is YOU! 

Psalm 34:7 * The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. – the angel surrounds us to deliver us.

Psalm 91:1 * He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. – They are to watch over us.

Your kind, loving Father has provided you with these helpers and protectors.  You can trust Him.

Evil angels.  Demons are fallen angels – Revelation 12:9 tells us  the angels who rebelled with Satan against God’s authority. 

James 2:19 * Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

The demons believe and tremble.

In the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, demons encountered Christ on earth.  They even called Him “Son of God” and “the Holy One of God.”  They feared He would send them to what they know is their ultimate destination – everlasting fire.  Demons are already-defeated foes of God and His children.  They are active in this world but face doom in the next.  These ugly “powers of darkness” cannot harm you, the child of God they fear.  You can trust your heavenly Father to protect you from their attacks.

He has power over death.

Unless the Lord returns in your lifetime – you will die.  It’s something we have to accept.  We do not need to fear death.  We don’t need to fear it because physical death is not the end of life – it’s simply a passing from our earthly life to our heavenly life.  The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:8 – when we are absent from our bodies, we will be in the presence of the Lord.

I Corinthians 15:12-22 * Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?  But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.  Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.  For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.  If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.  But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.  For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

Christ’s resurrection is important because it’s the epitome of our faith.  Without His resurrection, all else is vain.  In those verses, without faith in the resurrection, we are most miserable and without hope.

God has power over nature, people, angels and even death.  We can trust Him.

A Trusting Heart... Part One

For the past 2 months (or so), I've been studying having a trusting heart.  Instead of posting the entire lesson in one post - and potentially scaring you by the length of it (smiles) - I am going t post the lesson in three parts.  :)  

I hope and pray that this lesson is a help to you.  It was such a blessing and convicting to my not-so-trusting heart.

~ Angie

* * * * * * * * * * *

God is omniscient.  This means He sees all eternity at once:  past, present and future.  God is all-knowing.  He knows your past.  He is aware of your present and has full understanding of your future.  “The more you know God, the more you will trust Him.” 

Lysa TerKeurst, in her book What Happens When Women Say Yes to God?, she writes,

"Being a woman who says yes to God

means making the choice to trust Him

even when you can’t understand why

He requires some of the things He does.

It also means that once you’ve said yes

to God, you refuse to turn back, even

when things get hard."

Corrie Ten Boom has been noted as having said:   “When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don't throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer.”

We need to ask ourselves some pretty pointed questions:

Does your heart (and my heart) trust God believing that He is working out everything for your good?  Or do you (and I) worry that He may make mistakes? 

We need to consider God knows our past.  You may be tormented by your personal history, even the moments over which you had no control.  God does know about all your yesterdays. 

Perhaps it’s the memory of past sins that haunts you.  If so remember this:  If you have confessed those sins to your Father and asked for His forgiveness, they are gone.  He has freely forgiven you of the guilt and penalty due for those sins.

I John 1:7-9 * But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.  If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

According to those verses, Jesus’ blood cleanses us from sin.  We are not able to work out a payment plan for our sins.  Jesus’ blood paid the entire debt.

According to verse 9, the only “if” condition we have to be abide by is – If we confess our sins. 

Two attributes of God are listed after the conditional “if” statement…God is faithful and just.

Micah 7:18 * Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.

Our sins are cast into the depths of the sea.  They can never ever be retrieved.

We’ve seen that God knows our past.  Now we need to realize God knows our present.

I can choose to trust Him because He knows what is going on right now.  Let’s be honest – trusting Him is a choice!  Every single day, we are given “trust-opportunities.”

For me, trusting God with my singleness has been a bit of a struggle.  My single status is often looked-down upon.  I’ve been told by well-meaning people to lower my standards.  The closer that I get to the Lord, the more in love with Him I fall.  When I am lonely, I trust Him because He has promised to my ever-present Guide.  He knows where my road is leading.  He can see what lies ahead.  He knows my concerns.  He knows what I feel.  He knows the pain I cannot explain to someone else ... God knows. The fear of the unknown—He knows. And He offers me Himself.  Perhaps you feel overwhelmed today. You may be experiencing some sadness, loss or worry. You may find that God has called you to a difficult path. "Surely," you think, "God has an easier road for me to travel." 

The truth is, we aren't wise enough to assume another path would be best for us. Maybe the easier road won't make us into the person God intends us to be.  Perhaps the difficult road is a path of grace—protecting us from the worst.  Maybe this road is about learning something new about God or ourselves. Could it be the difficult journey is the path that prepares us for a greater purpose or a greater faith in God?  In my kitchen, I have a hand-painted sign with the verse Proverbs 18:30:  “As for God, His way is perfect.”  I can trust God because He knows the best path.  Isaiah 55:9, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  This verse tells us, we can trust the path God has laid out for us today. We can trust, and not fear, in His infinite wisdom and love. And we can be certain that God will never lead us down the wrong road.

Psalm 139:2-4 * Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.  Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.   For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.

There was quite a list of mundane activities of our daily life that God knows.

Downsitting, uprising, our thoughts (daydreams), our path, lying down, and the words we speak

Psalm 139:8-12 *  If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.  If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.  If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.  Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

Here we see places of escape…Heaven, Hell, flight, swim, darkness, daylight.  We see that we cannot escape from God and His presence.  We cannot escape from God because He is omnipresent.

God knows where you are every moment.  He is a Father watching over us…as a shepherd watches over his sheep.  Yes, He does have to correct me – OFTEN…but He is always there…watching and guiding me.  The closer I stay to Him – the less likely I am to stray off and do my own thing.  God watches over us – this should comfort us.  His purpose, according to verse 10, is to lead and guide us.

Psalm 139:17-18 * How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!  If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

God is continually thinking about me.  Me.  Angie Good.

The God of the universe doesn’t think about you just forty-two times a day.  His thoughts are continuous – He never stops!  Why does He think about so much?  What is His purpose? 

Proverbs 24:12 * If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?

Random Stamping Extravaganza Photos

All ready for stamping!!!

Tonight is our Stamping Extravaganza!!!  {Note:  Every time I am involved in planning an outing or event, I like to throw the word extravaganza on the end.  I follow K. Whittenburg's rule:  "If you are going to use the word extravaganza, you must use three exclamation points."}

Many thanks to Nancy for being a blessing and coming out on a cold, rainy, blustery Thursday evening...  She answered my call of "HELP!"  

The tables are up.  The sample cards are on display.  The candles are in the windows.  The coffeemaker is cleaned and ready to go.  I found the cutest...Cuuuuuuuuutest fall-ish coffee cups.  (I promise to post pictures!!!)  Decaf coffee and pumpkin spice creamer purchased.  

This year, Nancy sorted my loose stamps into themes.  We, then, took the themes and put them in baskets and placed them randomly around the room.  Nancy, geniusly (pretty sure that's a word) sorted my colored card stock and placed it on a table with the bags o'scraps near their color.  She, also, sorted the brads and such in this fashion.  

I have a small To Do list when I get to church...turn on the coffeemaker (blissful sigh), put out some white cardstock, bring 3 more chairs from the library to the stamping area, and then relax.

This event came together quite nicely.  Many, many thanks to Kari for the email reassurances.  What a blessing - all the way from the Promise Land.  :)

I've been looking forward to this event for many weeks.  Praying over the details and gathering supplies.  

Keep calm and stamp on.