Best momma ever...

Arwen had her baby and was changing her baby as I was changing little Lincoln.

me: "Okay, he is going to eat now..."

Arwen: "My baby is hungry too..."

me: "Okay we can feed them together! Do you need to go get your bottle for your baby?"

Arwen with an air of indignation: "My baby does NOT drink from bottles... she drinks from my milks!"(Milks are Arwen's term for breast :)

We sit together and feed our babies :)

Pics are Arwen and her new baby brother... she is such a great big sister and a great momma!

Splinters

Okay, so yesterday morning Arwen comes into the bathroom where I was getting ready and very matter of factly proclaims, "I don't let moms (as if she has more than one) get out my splinters... I just let the Lord do it"

Where does she come up with this stuff?

I told her well maybe God likes it if you let your mom (emphasis on the one) help you get splinters out... I asked her if she had a splinter...

She replied, "No, (she doesn't have any splinters) but I just like for the Lord do it..."

Arwen the beautiful!

BABY BOY!!

Just realized that I haven't let some of you know that I am having a baby boy... we will be seeing his beautiful face sometime at the end of October/beginning of Nov. Arwen and Aiden can hardly wait!

Aiden is 5...

We had one of the best birthday's ever... Aiden had the typical cake, ice-cream and presents, but those were not even close to the highlights.

It began by Richard talking about how the Jewish people initiate their boys at five to the Word by writing a scripture with flour and honey and letting the students lick the honey off to remind them that the words of Yahweh are sweet like honey. He then began to share with Aiden and his family the importance of Aiden entering his youth and where he was to go during this important time to seek wisdom. Then Aiden stood before his family and answered questions concerning Jesus and Jesus' plan for his life. All those at the party blessed him...

It was intense, stunning and glorious! Check out some of the scenes...

Having trouble getting your PJ's on...

Well one day Aiden and Arwen did too... but then the fam came up with a great little rap... it now works every time... feel free to use :)

Worship

Famous Brother...

My littlest bro is famous :) Great job brother. This is back before all the fame when life was simpler :)

New Baby!!

Hurray!!! New Baby coming soon. :)

Aiden and Arwen are so excited. Aiden has told me that he is going to teach him how to play with legos and playmobiles.

Arwen said she is going to teach her how to play dress up, princess and how to go potty :)

This morning Aiden and Arwen had a great time talking to my belly telling their youngest sibling all the fun things they were going to do together when he/she comes out :) Aiden even read the baby a story. So fun!

Aiden questions

I will never be able to look at this sign without a big grin remembering...

Aiden on a walk today saw this sign and said "Dad, how come they don't let P's here?

I love him.

The Call on Saturday...

Randy had this article posted on his blog but in case you missed it...

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Imagine a huge Christian rock concert where the names of the speakers and bands are not announced ahead of time. Instead of a mosh pit, the grounds are filled with twentysomethings with their arms lifted high, lost in worship, repentance, prayer or a combination of all three.

The Call, a combination revival and repentance fest, is coming to town, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Aug. 16. Get this: There will be no food sold at the gathering...

Read the rest of the article...

Creating Space for God...

Discipline is the other side of discipleship. Discipleship without discipline is like waiting to run in the marathon without ever practicing. Discipline without discipleship is like always practicing for the marathon but never participating.

It is important, however, to realize that discipline in the spiritual life is not the same as discipline in sports. Discipline in sports is the concentrated effort to master the body so that it can obey the mind better.

Discipline in the spiritual life is the concentrated effort to create the space and time where God can become our master and where we can respond freely to God's guidance.

Thus, discipline is the creation of boundaries that keep time and space open for God. Solitude requires discipline, worship requires discipline, caring for other requires discipline. They all ask us to set apart a time and a place where God's gracious presence can be acknowledged and responded to. - Henri Nouwen

Really... you have to read...

Not for Sale: The Return of the Global Slave Trade--and How We Can Fight It by David Batstone

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
So Saturday night is date night and last night Richard took me to borders so that I could check this book out. We sat at a little table while I drank coffee and he read the first two chapters to me.

We were hooked, or at least I was... I am the night watch in the family he is the morning so though he was interested was also very sleepy.

I went to the prayer room to finish the book and pray! This book is incredibly sobering, informative, and well written... the only thing that could have been more moving was is if Lou Engle was reading certain key lines from Abolitionist referred to in the book out loud to me... though Richard did read a few key lines in a Lou voice with motions and all... (let the Lou fans understand)

Don't read in a place you can't cry out to the Righteous King...

View all my reviews.

biker babies... well not so baby anymore...

Thanks to Aunt Ellen we have great photos of the kiddos on our new roommates sweet ride :)

Kingdom likened unto a wedding...

I was wondering what kind of man John must have been in order to be chosen to receive the Revelation of Jesus. That question led me to begin reading the Gospel of John… I was struck afresh with John’s passion and zeal for Jesus - The Word becoming Flesh.

Also, I couldn't help but begin to feel what John must have felt during the wedding of Cana... which sparked another MCV posting...

MCV John 1-2 (Marci's creative Version)

I was born in the days when the wine of God had been long gone… so long gone, that most had begun to regard our history as fables or exaggerations to give hope to a tired nation. I grew up among a thirsty, confused, disappointed “chosen” people...

One day, almost from nowhere came a man crying out in the wilderness,

“Make straight the way of the Lord…”

John, called the Baptizer, claimed he was a fulfillment of the words of Isaiah the prophet.

The first time I heard this Baptizer teach, a burning in my heart and a pain caused me to physically fall to my knees… I couldn’t help it. I could remember hearing the stories of Abraham, Moses, and David all my life. I grew up wanting to believe, wanting to be like David… I had longed for the God I had heard of, but not yet seen, to once again pour out His glory…

I watched Jesus as he reclined at the table laughing with the other disciples and his family…

The Baptizer had called this man

“The Lamb of God”

… he said Jesus was the one he had been talking about… that we should follow him and I had heard the voice and seen the dove… so we left our beloved Baptizer and followed his cousin.

All of us, fresh disciples of Jesus of Nazareth, had followed Jesus to a relative's wedding. On the third day of this feast I felt quiet, unsure of my decision to leave John the Baptist… Jesus conversation with the others and my wonderings were interrupted by an obvious dilemma between the bridegroom and a servant in corner of the room behind our table.

We all turned to see the bridegroom’s face drawn tight and red… his finger pointed at a pale servant. It was obvious that the groom was trying to hide the content of the discussion but anyone looking could see the heated emotion. The servant seemed to shrink out of the room and then Mary got up and went after the servant.

Mary came back quickly and spoke to Jesus,

“They have no wine”

She looked directly at him when she spoke and her tone suggested he do something about it.

“Mom, what does this have to do with me… It is not yet my time.”

I had no idea how to interpret this exchange. Obviously I was missing something and me being me did not want to be on the outside of whatever was happening. I started to ask Jesus but Mary got up and told the servant waiting on us,

“Do whatever he says” pointing to Jesus.

Again, I had missed something… Jesus had just said “no”, hadn’t he?

My mouth opened again to get to the bottom of this… but, then Jesus stood, smiled wide and looked at each of us and walked out of the room. Something about the way he looked at us caused us to quickly go after him.

Jesus was standing outside with the servants,

“Fill the Jars with water” He pointed to the empty jars that were used during our purification rites.

The desperate servants quickly filled full the jars with water. Peter stepped forward to ask Jesus what he was going to do but Jesus held up his hand... His faced had changed -he seemed very serious all of a sudden about this wine that had run dry.

The filling of the jars was intense labor and the sounds of the water being poured out drowned the noise of the feast inside.

Jesus kept silent, his eyes fixed on the filling of the jars... the mood of our teacher had changed. The servant poured in a final bucket and water overflowed the brim of the jar.

Jesus then commanded the servant, “Now, draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.”

I was really confused and felt awkward about all that had transpired in the last 15 minutes. I just mustered up the boldness, to again, attempt to ask Jesus what was going on when the Master of the feast called to the bridegroom,

“everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now."

Suddenly my stomach turned upside down, and I ran out. I fell down behind the building weeping filled with knowing that the Glory of God had been manifested to me… to us. Even as I began to believe more revelation flooded my soul.

Hadn’t John told me that he would baptize me with water and then God himself would baptize and fill me with the Spirit of God… John had said that this was the lamb that would take away the sin of the world…

How long had I vigorously washed myself with water from those same kinds of Jars, hoping to feel clean and close to God but left with clean hands and a disappointed heart.

John had told me that the former glory of Moses would seem small compared to what was to come... the best wine was yet to be served...

Weeping I called out to God,

“I believe. I believe. God, I believe.”

Revelation 1:1 - The Revelation of Jesus Christ...

The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave Him to show His servants --things which must shortly take place. And He sent it by His Angel to His servant John... Revelation 1:1

Just wondering why God chooses this process ...

From the Father to Jesus then through His angel then to John then on to the churches... why the middle man... God, this process... I mean the wisdom of man is to be efficient, save time and energy by skipping the middle man... why do You do it this way?

I think he would answers me something like:

I am not like man. My leadership and efficiency is geared toward another age. An inside out upside down kingdom.

I like the “mess” of people.

I sent out the newly ordained 12 disciples to do the “stuff” (healing, miracles, cast out demons raise the dead and preach the gospel) even before the were mature they would all deny me and even one of those would betray me unto death.

I like partnership even before it is perfected. I want all to enter into the kingdom and partake of the rulership over the earth...

I am working towards an equally yoked bride and friend not just servants that don’t know what their master is doing.

I am secure in my dominion over heaven and earth and so I freely love...

My wisdom in leadership is completely other than the lofty thoughts of man, the self-serving ideas of your world. The world looks to the efficiency of this age alone. They strive for first, control, best, looking how to promote themselves. This is not the way of the Kingdom. The first will be last. The greatest serves... the greatest makes others great.

“Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth.” (Mat 5:5)

MCV (Marci's Creative Version)

Meditation on Luke 5:1-11:

The people were pushing and crowding their way in. “I am about to get pushed into the water if I don’t find a better place to talk from” Jesus thought to himself.

There were so many, all straining to hear what He had to say. His forehead wrinkled in concentration. He knew some were just there to ridicule. Some were just there because of all the rumors that had been spreading lately. He continued to scan the crowd and tried not to remember all the different titles he had been given in the last few weeks.

Then he saw her and his heart leapt with joy and thanksgiving to His Father. The prostitute carefully hiding her face from the crowd under her shawl was here again today. She was one of the few in this large crowd that was hungry for the bread that only he could give.

As he was looking around for a place to stand he saw Simon and his brother.

“Ugghhh… let’s get these nets in and clean. We are obviously done for the day.” Simon spit the words out frustrated and hungry.

Jesus almost laughed out loud at Simon’s outburst, remembering again how much he loved Simon’s passion and zeal. Jesus’ smile widened as a perfect idea entered his mind. Under his breath Jesus whispered, “Oh Simon, I know how to win you… you just wait…”

“Hey Simon! Could I use your boat for a bit to talk to these people?” Jesus yelled over the voices of the crowd.

Simon, looks at Jesus. A few days ago, Simon was listening to this new teacher and something about what he said caused a churning in Simon. Simon wasn't convinced it was a good churning and he wasn’t sure what to think about this Jesus. But, Simon didn’t think he evil as some were saying. Simon nodded, “Sure, why not? Old thing is not doing me any good today.”

Simon went back to cleaning the nets and tried to pretend he was working, not listening to the new teacher…

Simon’s heart burned as Jesus spoke but his mind reminded him that it was just another day, and the prophecy about the Messiah was given over 400 years ago.

He laughed at himself at actually entertaining any thought that this new man was “the One.” If he was “the one” would he actually be using a poor fisherman’s boat to talk to the people? Everybody knew "the One" was a mighty king and would reign on David's throne...

Simon was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn’t realize that Jesus had stopped talking and that many of the people in the crowd had left. He saw Jesus walking toward him.

“Simon, take your boats out again and put your nets into the deep water to catch the fish for today.”

Jesus said this so matter of fact that Simon, was at first startled and confused, then angry at such arrogance… Wasn’t this guy a carpenter’s son? What did he know about fishing. Simon had been fishing since He could walk. No, even since before he could walk his dad had taken him out into the deep waters to fish... "Who was this guy?" Simon thought to himself.

Simon, tried to stifle his anger but remain authoritative,
“Teacher, we have worked all night and we didn’t catch anything.”

Jesus locked Simon’s gaze and held it. Only seconds went by but it felt like minutes for Simon.

Some unspoken, deep unto deep trust, love, and intense power came from his eyes and beckoned Simon’s heart and soul. Simon didn’t know what to think and he was completely unsettled by the whole thing. He thought about running but where would he go… Simon, when he could find his voice said, “Okay, teacher if that is what you say, I will do it…

Plato said if you want to govern a nation and you have to choose between art and politics, choose art.”

Richard and I do not usually go to movies together on date night because most movies are not worth seeing. But, this week we were so excited to go see Bella. It was absolutely stunning. My heart was moved and shaken to the core for real. I laughed, and cried. Great art is supposed to do that...

Check out an excerpt from an article (the full article is a pdf file. To read lick on the word "article" and then choose the box on the left that is titled Eduardo Verastegui and 'Bella' by Anita Crane July - August 2007) relaying the story of the main actor. His testimony and stance for righteousness is unbelievable.

When I asked Eduardo to guide young artists on the limits of compromise, he was absolutely clear. He said, “I won’t do anything that will offend God. Period.“When you kill somebody in the movies, you’re not killing anyone. But when you kiss someone, it’s really a kiss,” Eduardo stressed. “In sex scenes, you’re really half naked. So I would recommend that people be careful, because you are working with fire and you’re gonna get burned.

Don’t risk yourself for some role. I know because I did it. And I’m telling you, 12 years of that was nothing but emptiness, pain and suffering.” Eduardo described sex scenes as what they are: “legal adultery.” And because a kiss is sacred, he vows to kiss no woman unless she’s his wife. “Every single person in Hollywood, including hardcore Catholics, told me I wouldn’t work,” Eduardo admitted.

“So if changing my path to follow Christ means that I will never work, thanks be to God. I’m free, because you know what? I wasn’t born to be a movie star. I was born to be a saint, just like you. And this is not going to get in my way. Or God will make it happen in a way that I don’t have to compromise.”

Not by chance or circumstance...

And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed and said, "You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place." And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. - Acts 1:23-26

We are getting a glimpse here of the most godly men on the planet at this time in history and the way they interact with God when making decisions. Does anyone else find their method slightly strange?

The way they decide to best go about this really big decision is to
1. Use reasonable wisdom to set a criteria for who it should be
2. Then they pick out 2 of the 120 (or however many fit that criteria)
3. Then they give God a choice of picking one out of the two that they chose from the 120.

I’m thinking, “Uh, Guys, shouldn't God get the bigger picking pool… ”

They get to pick from 120 or so, and God gets to pick from 2?
Hmmmm… why not let God pick from the 120 to begin with… I mean they cast lots in the end anyway.

Jesus, in the 40 days after His resurrection, when he was expounding on the Kingdom must have really hit hard that His people have a bigger part than they can even imagine in the shaping, influencing and bringing of the Kingdom.

This makes me excited all over again about life, my real decisions that God honors, and intercession, partnership with God to bring the Kingdom... I mean won't God bring about Justice for us, who cry out day and night to Him?

The Creator, King of all the earth is backing this thing... giving us real ownership.

As Lou says, "Let's be History Makers"...

Beloved, Let's change things forever!
Amen. Let's stand. :)

I call her "mom" but Jesus calls her friend and He tells her things...

So my mom started a family email journal and we write stuff and the whole family gets it (grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins etc...) This is what my mom wrote to the whole family recently and I wanted to post it for the world to see or at least the like 3 of you that may read my blog :) I call her "mom" but Jesus calls her friend and He has revealed His heart to her...

As you all know - I like to read and I am consistently looking at new books to see what is out there. It has become more and more alarming to me to see a strong trend of books on the idea that belief in God is harmful - individually and to our society.

Here is a book from the best seller list: Equally comedic and insightful, Letting Go of God. Anyone who thinks that Julia Sweeney is just the comedian who played "Pat" on Saturday Night Live, doesn't know Julia Sweeney. Letting Go of God, an elegantly written and beautifully performed monologue about her loss of faith. It made me laugh - a lot - and think even more. Far from being an angry atheistic creed, it is an uplifting journey of the heart.

Here is a website that is blatantly against God. Not fun to read through but it shows how direct the fight has become to wipe out Christianity. Godisimaginary.com

I realize that there are some crazy beliefs out there and also that organized religion has been harmful many times. But there is a strong movement away from God and toward the darker side of spirituality. I noticed a huge outbreak of novels about vampires. You may have heard that Anne Rice became a believer and gave up writing about vampires. It seems that Satan's response to that has been to raise up 100's of people writing about vampires. Many of them are sexual and involve a woman meeting the man of her dreams who just happens to be a vampire. We all have a longing for more - for something beyond us - something supernatural. As God becomes less and less a good option - people are moving toward the dark side of spirituality.

The picture I have is that we are again before the tree of Life and being offered the apple. Satan is offering the lie of all knowledge - that we don't need God, in fact we can be God -we can have the power ourselves without waiting for God or without letting him hamper our ideas or desires.

Not taking the apple, the other option we are offered, is so against our culture. Submitting, waiting, trusting, believing – these all go against our culture of having what we want when we want it. Eve didn’t want to wait – she didn’t want to learn through relationship – waiting till the evening for God to speak with her – she wanted it all immediately. How much easier it would be if we could just eat and apple and have all the knowledge we need down-loaded to us. God could do that - but instead he chose relationships - he wants to spend time with us -teaching us - helping us grow.

I used to read the account of Sodom and Gomorra and wonder how a society could get that way, so off course, so self centered that all they cared about was what fed their desires. I am beginning to understand for I am seeing it happen all around me. People choose to believe the things that allow them to do what they want to do. - As God becomes more of a liability and people lean more into their own selfish desires and pursuits - we move into the days of Sodom and the days of Noah - where God was broken hearted by the people he made and judgment came.

I am writing this because I am concerned that we stay diligent - that we know the times - like the sons of Issachar. How easy is could be to become one of the 5 virgins who had run out of oil. I feel urgency in my prayers - that we guard our spirits - that we make sure of our hearts. The spiritual atmosphere is quickly changing in our country. It is moving from knowing and trusting God to trusting in our selves and our dark nature. How did England go from a Great Awakening to a country that does not believe in God? It can happen here and is well on the way. I feel that we have to be sure of our own personal pursuit and knowledge of our God - not just church activities but our own response to him. As Evan used to tell me - we must know God so deeply that we understand what he is doing in these difficult times so that we will not be offended by him. This scripture from Ezekiel keeps coming to me. .

Judgment on Persistent Unfaithfulness - Ezekiel 14

12 The word of the LORD came again to me, saying: 13 “Son of man, when a land sins against Me by persistent unfaithfulness, I will stretch out My hand against it; I will cut off its supply of bread, send famine on it, and cut off man and beast from it. 14 Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness,” says the Lord GOD. 15 “If I cause wild beasts to pass through the land, and they empty it, and make it so desolate that no man may pass through because of the beasts, 16 even though these three men were in it, as I live,” says the Lord GOD, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters; only they would be delivered, and the land would be desolate. 17 “Or if I bring a sword on that land, and say, ‘Sword, go through the land,’ and I cut off man and beast from it, 18 even though these three men were in it, as I live,” says the Lord GOD, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters, but only they themselves would be delivered. 19 “Or if I send a pestilence into that land and pour out My fury on it in blood, and cut off from it man and beast, 20 even though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live,” says the Lord GOD, “they would deliver neither son nor daughter; they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness.”

It is vital that we be able to stand even if we have to stand on our own. Things could change very quickly and we could lose our support systems – we have to be know what we believe and whom we believe in.

poop...

I know some significant time has elapsed since my last post but some things move a person to write again. In my case, its poop.

I never really had to think much about poop until I started having babies. All of a sudden I started having to carry another whole bag with me wherever I went just in case there was poop. I got used to that after a while and even stopped noticing the extra amounts of time that I had to dwell on poop.

Poop has once again caught my attention.

In my 6th or 7th hour of sleep Aiden lets me know that he has to poop. Sleep ends and the day begins with poop.

Later, that morning poop surfaced again. Literally. My basement flooded through the floor drain. Apparently tree roots had conspired against me and decided it would be amusing to stop the normal flow of water and sewage that usually politely leaves my house. Aiden's morning treasure was amidst some other lovely expressions of human waste floating around my basement.

Bible verse: God doesn't like to step in poop...

Det. 23:12 - 14 “Also you shall have a place outside the camp, where you may go out; and you shall have an implement among your equipment, and when you sit down outside, you shall dig with it and turn and cover your refuse. For the LORD your God walks in the midst of your camp...

mishap turned date...

So what really could have made a day, not so happy -turned out to give me time for a much needed spontaneous adventure with my husband... :)

We were working at the FSM office together -which is difficult in itself because we only have one laptop... one laptop between 2 jobs when the IHOP world is connected through email... and we work at a school which means sylabus, storing grades... etc...

Anyway, then the cord to the laptop breaks or short circuts or something because the computer will not charge and we are in the red warning zone as far as battery power goes... We decide our only recourse is to travel to the MAC store together... to put into use my three year warranty... Which was my idea to get... Richard was against it... but, I pressed for it :) ... not that I rubbed it in too much ... but we are receiving a new keyboard, battery and power cord all for free!!!

And the best part it is I was able to take a 1.5 hour fun errand with my husband... Oh man, I love him so much!

i cussed... Grammy, if you are reading this... there was a really good reason... :)

I was having an intense meeting with a student discussing whether or not he should stay in school or drop to audit.

I began to ask questions... It came out through the course of our talking that he has had this cycle of doing something, going hard, getting overwhelmed and quiting... probbing deeper into this subject I found out his step dad had repeatedly told him starting in 6th grade that he did "everything half-a**" ...

Anyway, after hearing some of his story I asked Richard and Karen (fellow fsm worker) to pray with me for him. We wanted to pray and ask God to break off the curses spoken against him and give him power through the Holy Spirit to follow through on the call of God over his life...

So, you know I am feeling the fire, for real my hands are on fire, and I am going after that thing and all of a sudden I find my sentence leading to the breaking off of that phrase and I say, more like stumble over the phrase... very awkardly... because I am not good at cussing -never really did that... the three of them break out laughing at me (Richard starts the laughing -because he is watching me pray and sees my face as I try to get that phrase out...) I could have probably rearraged my words and not said it but they came out to fast...

I sheepishly admitt that I am not a good cusser. They laughed even harder and Richard points out that I am only good at cussing at him on certain choice occassions... I plead the 5th on that one and we go back to praying.

Once everyone has had their good laugh at marci... :) we recover and Karen, Richard and I all get some really key prophetic words for the guy and the Power of the Holy Spirit hits him and he is weeping -intense. I love intense!!!

Major stuff went down and anyway long story short he wants to stay and knows God is working in his life to bring redemption and bring to completion the good work He started.

Then we put some "Power of the Focused Life" (one of my favorite Mike B. teachings) into action and made a schedule to plan out how to get him caught up with his work.

Ahhhhhh.... all in a day's work...(actually that was just the afternoon) pretty sweet!

Puppet Challenge...

So... i am so very tired but I miss you guys and wanted to share my victory :)

Richard and I had a "who can make the coolest sock puppet real quick to stop crying babies contest" I won -hands down.

(This is probably because I organized all the craft like items and know where they are... but that is a minor detail that creative genius could have overcome...)

Got milk?

Evan sent me this link today... I laughed :)

For real... best cookies ever... you have to try

Delicious Cookies are the perfect way to tell someone you love them on Valentine's day...

Marci’s Famous Cookies... (I didn't make this up or anything but I am famous for eating them...)

2c. Butter
2c. White Sugar
2c. Brown Sugar

Beat together until oh so smooth…then add:

4 eggs
2tsp. vanilla

Beat that together until smooth…
Mix in a separate bowl:

5c. oats
4c. all-purpose flour
2tsp. baking powder
2tsp. baking soda
1tsp. salt

Combine the oats/flour bowl with the butter/sugar bowl and mix until well combined. It’s pretty dry so you’ll have to work at it.
Mix in the following:

3c. pecans
10 oz. chocolate chips
10 oz. peanut butter chips

Now cook them at 350 degrees until they’re done. Should take about 8-10 minutes.

Let me know what you think... :)

A proud mom...

It was finally warm enough for me to brave the outdoors and so I took the kids to the backyard. It was kind of exciting because it looked totally different without snow and the kids were finding stuff from christmas that had been burried underneath the snow for the last two weeks. It was like getting new toys all over again.

Aiden was playing with trains and I was convincing Arwen to not put things like dirt, rocks or the random charcoal pieces she found in her mouth. (Aiden recently decided to decorate the lawn by scattering the charcoal and then it snowed so we couldn't see them... Arwen was doing a great job finding them all for me :)

So, then I hear Aiden and he is saying to his toy Thomas train characters "okay, we are going to the House of prayer... to the house of prayer lets go..." and he is taking all his little trains on their journey to the house of prayer! Then after a few minutes of that he says "Okay, it is time to go get a latte!" ... going to get a latte"

I am stunned at the annointing and genius of my son :) It makes me proud!

So, folks you heard it from the mouth of babes...to the prayer room and then get the latte... or reverse the order if needed! :)

Servants only

Revelation 1:1
This is the Revelation of Jesus of Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants-Things which must shortly take place.

This great mystery is not reserved for scholars or prophets. This great treasure is not entailed away to a lineage of earthly kings. This peering into the heart of the uncreated, all-powerful God is restricted to all but the meek and obedient servants.

Revelation is given to the servants -funny how it so equals the playing field -making this possible for the billions… yet at the same time so few will say “yes”…

I want to say “YES!”…

“God designed our Spirit to long after greatness… God invites us to greatness without regard to our outward achievements or the size of ministry impact. Rather, it is based on the development of our inner man in love, meekness, and revelation or in righteousness, peace and joy in the Spirit.“ -Mike Bickle

Mt 20:26-27
Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. Whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave.

It's been a long time...

Hey friends... thanks for having mercy and loving me despite my writing lull.
I am looking foward to being back and reading all of your blogs :)

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Mark 11

Mark 11
12 Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. 13 And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 In response Jesus said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again. And His disciples heard it.

My first reaction to this is “ummmm”… now, I know that God is not like a man who throws a tantrum because He can’t immediately get what he wants. And Jesus doesn’t just get angry and kill things for no reason. So why does He curse that tree?

So I pray… God, why did you do that? Verses come to mind…

Matthew 25:29 ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.

Revelation 3:1 “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.

Then the picture of Jesus, hungry… going to look for food.

He spots a tree… the leaves are plenty and green. A tree that by all appearances should have fruit. When He gets there -though having the appearance of fruit it has none.

So He shocks the disciples and curses the tree.

He sets an imprint upon their hearts of quick and speedy justice for the fruitless trees.

… from Him who does not have even what He does have will be taken away.

So, while Richard is cooking dinner that night (yummy) I ask him about it because He has been studying Mark with commentaries and stuff. He tells me that fig trees -before they have the actual fig fruit have some kind of pre-fruit that is edible. If the fig tree has these than it will bear the true fig in due season, if it does not have these than there will be no figs that season.

Richard also lets me know that Mark, sort of sandwiches truths together as a literary technique to emphasize the meaning of particular truths… Look at the events that sandwich the fig tree scene…

7 Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes on it, and He sat on it. 8 And many spread their clothes on the road, and others cut down leafy branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Then those who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:
“ Hosanna!
‘ Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’
10 Blessed is the kingdom of our father David
That comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest!”
11 And Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple. So when He had looked around at all things, as the hour was already late, He went out to Bethany with the twelve.

This crowd has correct language… from a distance the leaves look green but they shout words that have no corresponding reality in their hearts … they crucify Jesus just a minute later.

15 So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 16 And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. 17 Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’”

The temple -the place of worship... the place designed for meeting with God had nothing of substance to offer the people. God has zeal concerning His house and having shepherds that are able to feed His people. He is not interested in a place with a name that assumes life -but is dead.