"Healing is in Your Hands" ~ Then Sings My Soul Saturday

The ensemble I am blessed to sing in is currently working on this song.  It's stuck in my head, so I thought I'd join in with Signs, Miracles and Wonders and share it with you....so it can be stuck in your head, too! You're welcome.  ; ) 

What greater peace and encouragement could we ask for.....to know that nothing can keep us from His love?  It is steadfast; it is strong.  In Him, we are victorious ~ more than conquerors, no matter how things seem and no matter how we feel.....a Truth I need to be reminded of this week.  Covered by His blood, we find the strength to keep on keeping on ~ even on the days when we feel weary, dreary and beaten......or just plain exhausted and when it seems we have nothing left to give.

Healing Is In Your Hands

♫ No mountain, no valley, no gain or loss we know

could keep us from Your love

No sickness, no secret, no chain is strong enough

to keep us from Your love

to keep us from Your love

How high, how wide

No matter where I am, healing is in Your hands

How deep, How strong,

And now by Your grace I stand, healing is in Your hands

Our present, our future, our past is in Your hands

We're covered by Your blood

We're covered by Your blood

How high, How wide

no matter where I am, healing is in Your hands

How deep, How strong

And now by Your grace I stand, healing is in Your hands

In all things, we know that.

We are more than conquerors.

You keep us by your love.

You keep us by your love. ♫

{mute the auto player at the bottom of the page to hear the video}

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"Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."

Romans 8:37 NKJV

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"For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Romans 8:38-39 NKJV

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"...that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. "

Ephesians 3:17-19 NKJV

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The Homeschool Mother's Journal ~ Joining The Journey

Linking up with The Homeschool Chick and The Homeschool Mother's Journal today.....because Homeschool Moms are my favorite kind! ; )

In my life this week...

CHAOS.  Frustration. <------Not School-related.   Productivity......and not.  Fast food.  : (   Busy days.  Sleepless nights.  Migraines.  Tears <------Also not School-related.  Laughter. Smiles.  Songs.  Friends.  Sweet notes of encouragement. 

My house feels like it's been turned upside down.  Furniture piled up against walls and items that could be moved to other rooms have been moved to make room for new flooring and new paint.  After living this way for a week, I'm starting to go crazy!!  Flooring is still not down.  After several days of fighting with it, it has been decided to do something else. 

Aggravation.  Claustrophobia.

I have Sweet Diva orders to complete and very little room to move!!  I can't think when there's chaos.  When there's no room to move.  Must. Take. Deep. Breaths......Often.

The painting, however, is looking great! =)  It's going to be worth it.  When it's over!!


In our homeschool this week...

Due to some of the above, we have done a half-school week.  Co-op subjects were done.  Science, History, Writing.  Math and Language Arts ~ we'll catch up on when most of our friends are taking their Spring Break.  Or add a little to each regular day until we're caught up.  It's a freedom we relish.  =)


Places we're going and people we're seeing...

Lowes. Walmart (yuck).  Target.  Grocery Stores.  Yes, I know.  The excitement of running errands is overwhelming.  ; )

♥ Hobby Lobby ♥ Church ♥

Co-op. =)

My favorite thing this week was...

2 things: 

~ Watching my 5th grader sing with his choir in church Wednesday night.....for the last time as a 5th grader (except for our children's musical coming up) while praying that he will not lose the song in his heart, his devotion to the Lord, and his sweet, sensitive spirit in the years to come.  Bittersweet. 

~ On the way home from church that night, my 3rd grader says, "Mom, I got the words to my solo that I'm singing next time we sing.  Do you want me to sing it for you?" ♥  There is nothing sweeter than a child's voice singing songs to the Lord. ♥  And yesterday, when I wasn't feeling well, "Mom, do you want me to sing my song for you?  It might help you feel better."  And so he did, repeatedly throughout the day. = )  Did it make me feel better?  Oh, yes.....it did.  Every single time.

What's working/not working for us...

Not thrilled with the writing program at co-op.  Will def. be adding to it next year.....trying to decide what that will be.  Love, love, love Shurley English, but afraid that both will be too much.  I can't decide on anything right now.  Because of the chaos, clutter, and claustrophobia.  They cause my brain to short-circuit.  Really.  I have issues. ; )

Homeschool questions/thoughts I have...

Will I ever reach a point where I'm not second-guessing everything I/we do?  Will I ever feel I am successfully balancing all of my resposibilities?

Can I take a nap?  For a week? 


A photo, video, link, or quote to share...

from my 3rd grader ~ you can enlarge the pic by clicking on it if you care to read it =)

Maybe I'm doing something right, after all. ♥

"Lies Women Believe...." Blame Shifters

Lie #16  "I Am Not Fully Responsible For My Actions and Reactions"

I love the quote that the author uses to introduce Lie 16, so I'm going to use it, too. : )

"At Three I had a feeling of ambivalence toward my brothers,
And so it follows naturally I poisoned all my lovers.
But I am happy; now I've learned the lesson this has taught;
That everything I do that's wrong is someone else's fault."
 ~ Anna Russell's "Psychiatric Folksong"

How true this seems to ring in our society today!!  I am not one to dismiss hurts and wrongs that have impacted us into becoming who we are.  There is no doubt that all the things we experience shape us, in good ways and bad. 

The problem is that in a pattern begun long ago with Adam and Eve, we use these experiences to shape us into "blame-shifters", giving us nice (and some would say valid) little excuses for our behavior that allow us to shirk our responsibilities for our own actions.  Regardless of what has influenced us to make the choices we do, our choices are OUR choices.

Several testimonies in Lies Women Believe....and The Truth That Sets Them Free by Nancy Leigh DeMoss illustrate how expertly we do this:

"By constantly blaming others, blaming circumstances, and blaming God, I found myself totally irresponsible for my life, my sins, and my choices -- and then I was trapped and felt helpless and out of control." 

"I used to believe I was easily depressed due to being a victim.  I felt like being depressed was not my fault.  When I began to realize that my depression was caused by my choice to be angry, I began to take responsibility for my sin and found freedom."

"I had an ungodly relationship with a male coworker.  I relied on him for emotional support and affection because my husband was keeping secrets from me, using pornography, and not "being there" for me.  In my eyes, my husband's behavior had pushed me into this relationship.  I was giving myself a reason and an excuse that 'it was not as bad as what he was doing'."

It is so natural to want to shift the blame ~ at least part of it ~ onto the people or circumstances in our lives that have "made" us the way we are.  Many of us have loved ones that will help us do so.....because they care and want to see us treated well, because they feel our pain, and because they understand whatever we're going through.

Unfortunately, we alone are responsible for our choices and our behavior.  That also goes for whoever may be making it more difficult for us. ; )

Satan wants us to believe that if we accept our personal responsibility for our own actions that we will be plagued with unnecessary guilt.  The Truth is that we can only ever fully be free from guilt by accepting complete responsibility for our attitudes and actions, repentance and forgiveness in Christ.

"Sin is the best news there is, the best news there could possibly be in our predicament.  Because with sin, there's a way out.  There's the possibility of repentance.  You can't repent of confusion or psychological flaws inflicted by your parents -- you're stuck with them.  But you can repent of sin.  Sin and repentance are the only grounds for hope and joy."~ John Alexander

True Story.  I've experienced this one for myself.  Repeatedly.  = )

My Mustard Seed Planting verse(s) for the week:

"Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness;  According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,  Blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin.  For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me. Against You, You only, have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight— That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge.  Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,  And in sin my mother conceived me.  Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.  Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.  Make me hear joy and gladness, That the bones You have broken may rejoice.  Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me." 

Psalm 51:1-10







Raising the Cuteness Factor of a Onsie ~ Ballerina Style.....

I'm so thankful for my ♥ friends ♥ that are having babies or attending baby showers!  They give me excuses to make ♥sweet♥ little baby things that I otherwise would not have any use for anymore.  Because MY babies aren't babies anymore.  They keep getting bigger.  Despite my protests.  Boo.

I made this ♥sweet♥ little ballerina onesie several weeks ago, but didn't get a chance to deliver it or visit the new arrival until this past weekend.  I think I'm in love......with the baby, that is.  Although I do think the onesie is adorable!  I'm hereby offering my services as little Miss Olivia's official babysitter, and can't wait until she gets big enough so that I can see her in this:

My only regret:  that I didn't take better pics of it.....so much cuter in person!

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And whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. ~ Colossians 3:17

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Linking up with:

Multitude Monday: 1,000 Gifts 159 - 175

"It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that makes happiness."

~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon

159.  New flooring piled up in front of my fireplace

160.  Furniture outside on the back deck, and piled into the center of the room

161.  New paint ~ good-bye 12 yr. old faux finish and color scheme I have long ago tired of; hello clean, simple, tranquil colors!

162.  The therapeutic benefits of covering worn, dated walls with a new fresh look ~ although I have to admit, it was much more therapeutic before I had 3 children old enough to help......and argue  debate and chatter NONSTOP throughout the whole process

163.  My ♥daughter♥, who is work-horse when she wants to be!

164.  Child Labor ; )

Yes, that is a tent in the backyard.  ~ Sigh ~

165.  Organic produce, quite literally fresh from the garden ~ one of my sweet friends introduced me to a local apiary and organic produce farm located nearby this past weekend!  We visited it, and the owner took us through her garden, explaining what each variety of produce was, then cut what we wanted!  We are so enjoying our selections this week....and I love supporting my local economy!

166.  Gorgeous weather

167.  Wisdom to make the time to enjoy it ~ ok, so maybe you wouldn't call it wisdom.....maybe Spring Fever.  But when my children say to me "Thanks, Mom....I had fun with you today" before bed ~ I'm going with wisdom ; )

168.  Butterflies

169.  Bunny rabbits ~ esp. when they hop right over to me, hoping I have a treat

This is Jack!

170.  Sunshine

171.  Green grass

172.  Windows open

174.  Daisies ~ my favorite!

175.  ♫ For the beauty of the earth, For the glory of the skies,
             For the love which from our birth, Over and around us lies.
             Lord of all, to Thee we raise, This our hymn of grateful praise. ♫

Curried Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I am starving.  Really.  So hungry right now.  And I want to make this....but I don't have all  the ingredients.
Sigh. 

Seriously, this is one of my most-loved chicken salad recipes.  Eat it by itself, stuff it in a pita pocket, roll it in a tortilla....or, as the name and pic suggest ~ make a pretty and low-carb lettuce wrap! 

I sometimes try to make it just for myself.  You know, make a batch for a healthy and delicious lunch option that will last me a few days because it's so good I don't get tired of it.  But these beggars that live with me always have to stick their noses in my business! ; )

Turns out they love it, too.....so that batch that is supposed to last me a few days usually lasts ONE.  Ahhhh....the joys of family life!  Sharing is sometimes highly overrated.

Curried Chicken Lettuce Wraps

The pic doesn't do it justice........just trust me.  I like good food!

Ingredients :

1/2 cup sour cream (or reduced-fat sour cream)

1/4 cup mango chutney

1/4 cup mayonnaise (or light mayo) 

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup celery, diced

1 apple, cored and chopped

1/4 cup red onions, diced

2 cups diced cooked chicken breasts

1/2 cup dried cranberries

12 lettuce leaves (I use leafy green - or serve on a bed of fresh spinach)

1/4 cup sliced almonds

Directions :

Mix first 11 ingredients together (sour cream to dried cranberries).

Put approximately 1/4 cup mixture on lettuce leaf and sprinkle with 1 tsp almonds.

Roll up and enjoy!

Picking Up Where I Left Off....."God Can't Forgive What I Have Done"....

....from "Lies Women Believe and the Truth That Sets Them Free".

You can view Lies 1-14 by clicking on the Lies Women Believe tag at the bottom of this post or on the side of the page.

15.  God Can't Forget What I Have Done

I imagine Satan likes this one particularly well considering it is pure blasphemy of the Truth that is revealed at Calvary.  How many hurting hearts and bleeding souls remain hurting, bleeding, lost and searching due to this lie?

No matter what you have done, no matter whether or not you feel that you deserve forgiveness, is is there for the taking....at the Cross.  There is one ~ and only one ~ solution to the guilt of our sins.

A  beautiful description of Jesus and what He did for us on the cross is found in Psalm 85:10:

"Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other."

At Calvary, Jesus paid the price for all the sin of the world.  For you.  For me.  For the one on death row, the one on the street, the prostitute, the thief, the drug addict, the alcoholic........every single one.  Nothing is to big for God to forgive.  The Cross shows the incredible cost He paid to redeem us from our huge, ugly, grotesque, unimaginable sins.....as well as our "weaknesses", our "little" sins that we trivialize in our minds.  The Cross also displays the love and mercy of God for even the "chief of sinners".

I love music, and love the old hymns.....many are so deeply embedded in my memory that they will unexpectedly pop into my mind, usually just when the words of encouragement and Truth within them are needed most.  I especially love hearing the stories of the hymn writers and what inspired their penning of those hymns.  One hymn writer's  story was provided in the book.....

"William Cowper was one of the finest English writers of the nineteenth century.  But he carried significant emotional baggage and turmoil into his adult years.  As a young man, he experienced a mental breakdown, attempted suicide, and was placed in an insane asylum for eighteen months.  It was during this confinement that he read a verse of Scripture that changed his life.  He discovered that Jesus Christ is "set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God" (Romans 3:25 KJV).

Once he saw the Truth and embraced it, Cowper entered into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and was granted the knowledge that his sins had been forgiven.  Years later, he expressed the wonder of that forgiveness in a hymn that has brought hope to repentant sinners for more than two hundred years."  ~ Lies Women Believe.....

♫ There is a Fountain ♫

This video contains some graphic images of Christ.  Mute the auto player at the bottom of the page to hear the video.

Linking up with Mustard Seed Planting.  My verse for the week:

"If You, LORD, should mark iniquities,O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You,

That You may be feared. I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, And in His word I do hope."

Psalm 130: 3-5



Multitude Monday: 1,000 Gifts 143 - 158

Thou hast given so much to me,

Give one thing more, - a grateful heart;

Not thankful when it pleaseth me,

As if Thy blessings had spare days,

But such a heart whose pulse may be Thy praise.

~George Herbert

143.  The Bible Study Group my daughter just joined ~ ever heard of Bright Lights?  What a wonderful mentoring ministry......if you have one in your area, you should check into it (or consider startin one)!  My daughter left so happy and eager to go back.  "Mom, all the girls there were so nice!  I really liked it!  They were so nice!  I mean, everyone!!  I really liked it!  Can I go next time?" ♥

Now, if I could just find one of these for my boys.....seems there's so few opportunities like this for them.

144.  The ♥sweet friend♥ who invited her to go.....

145.  .....and her ♥sweet mom♥ who is my friend who invited me to go out w/ her while our girls were at the Bible Study ~ and who was not even slightly offended when I yawned my way through the whole evening ; )

146.  Getting to catch up with another ♥sweet friend♥ after church Sunday evening, whom I have missed ~ drat those busy schedules!

147.  The enjoyment of gorgeous, mild days before the suffocating heat returns

148.  Long walks with my favorite people....

149. ....Including little boys with big sticks... ~ he finds a new one every time

150. ...on our journey to a nearby park...

151.  ...where they're still not too big to swing and climb...

152.  Or, take a water/snack break and talk with their ♥mom♥

153.  "Squirrel!!"  moments  : )

154.  A little bit of love to take home with me ♥

155.  Nature trails in the midst of the city that have been the place of countless wars and adventures ~ and house many secret forts....

156.  ...and that offer a much needed refuge from a hectic, busy life...

157.  ....and the perfect place to talk with God...

158.  ♫  I am weak, but Thou art strong;

             Jesus, keep me from all wrong;
             I’ll be satisfied as long
           

            ~Refrain~

             Just a closer walk with Thee,
             Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
             Daily walking close to Thee,
             Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

            Through this world of toil and snares,
             If I falter, Lord, who cares?
            Who with me my burden shares?
            None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee.

            ~Refrain~

             When my feeble life is o’er,
             Time for me will be no more;
             Guide me gently, safely o’er
             To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore.

             ~Refrain~  ♫