Have Patience

Posted by Andrea

Read Psalm 94 and Galatians 5:16-26



I talk a lot about patience with my kids.

“I’ll get your toy when we stop the car. Be patient.”

“Dinner will be ready in 5 minutes. Be patient.”

“You will be four on your next birthday. Be patient.”


OK, so maybe I just say “Be patient” a lot. We sing the song from Music Machine to mix it up a little.

Have patience. 

Have patience. 

Don’t be in such a hurry. 

When you get impatient you only start to worry. 

Remember. 

Remember that God is patient too 

and think of all the times when others have to wait for you.

Patience is a pretty important character attribute in the New Testament. It is an aspect of the definition of love (I Corinthians 13). It also made the short list in the Fruit of the Spirit.

The Key to the Kingdom.

Posted by Andrea


Read Matthew 5:1-12


At a secret society meeting the other evening (sounds more glamorous than Weight Watchers), the speaker was discussing something called self-talk. This is one of the dumbest terms self-help “psychiatry” has come up with to date. I’m sorry, it just is. The concept is to talk to yourself, like a crazy person, in an attempt to convince yourself to change a certain habit or in an effort to feel better about yourself.


I talk to myself all the time. I mutter things in the grocery store like, “Don’t forget milk.” Thank goodness I have children along usually and can pretend I’m talking to them. The difference here is I am reminding myself of a fact--I will forget milk if I don’t hear someone, even myself, tell me to get it. I am not trying to trick my subconscious into believing something that may or may not be true.

This Is My Costume.

Posted by Alysun from Resolved2Worship, written by Alyssa (used with permission)

Read Psalm 51

I found this at a thrift shop for a dollar and I couldn't pass it up. I think it fit Bubbie perfectly.

I struggle with what others think of me. I don't think this is anything new that I type here this afternoon. I do think though, praise God, that He has brought me a long way concerning this in my life. He's used quite a few difficult situations and people to expose my heart and He continues to test my mind, heart, and soul along these lines because He and I both know I can fall quick and fast back into the old thought patterns.

Small, Hard Things

Posted by Andrea via The Rebelution

Read Philippians 2:1-18

Real life is full of small, tedious things. Things that are not fun, but are requirements for a healthy, happy life. The following article was borrowed from a blog called The Rebelution. The concept is all about doing small, hard things to the glory of God. What is quite possibly the most amazing thing, is that the blog (and the book that followed) were written by teenagers! Alex and Brett Harris currently have a thriving ministry to youth (and are no longer teenagers), but their message is significant for moms too.

It is not extremely difficult for us to convince ourselves that the faithful practice of doing small, hard things should be valued as vital preparation for future achievements. It is, however, much harder to view them as significant in and of themselves. Can we assign meaning to these simplest and humblest of acts?

Just to be nice.

Posted by Alysun


Read Philippians 2:1-11


Our culture has strayed far from “nice” as normal behavior. A friend dropped by my house the other day to give me a gift. She went WAY out of her way because I live about 15 minutes from town. She also had no excuse to give me a gift – it wasn’t my birthday or Christmas or Tree Day. Simply, she thought of me and was being nice. It was incredible.


New neighbors moved in last year and when talking to them, my husband found out they didn’t have a large mower to mow down the grass around their pond. My husband offered to come mow it when he was doing the mowing around our place. After he finished the job, our neighbors asked how much they should pay him. He said, “Nothing, just being neighborly.” They were really shocked since they came from a large city in California where “nice” isn’t free. Ever.

Getting Comfortable

Posted by Andrea

Read Genesis 11:1-8


I saw a casserole dish the other day that I fell in love with. It was so beautiful with it’s fluted edges in a cheery turquoise blue. I imagined setting it on the table filled with lasagna that would taste so much better because of the dish it was in. I imagined it holding fresh apple crisp ready to be so much more wonderful because of the container. And dishwasher safe! I fancied myself loading it into the dishwasher, smiling in satisfaction because together, the two of us had created a meal that fed and pleased our family. And it was on an amazing sale! Oh, how I love a good deal!


And it was sold out.

Can We Find A Friend So Faithful?

Posted by Alysun



Read Isaiah 40:26-31



Plain and simple, my feelings were hurt. It was what was implied as much what was said and I left the encounter wanting to cry. My thoughts and feelings whirled around in my head at every available opportunity. My emotions were a wreck. Errands, tasks, and chores kept me occupied only for a moment before the sadness swelled up again and I ruminated once more on those feelings.



Several times throughout the rest of the day I tried to call my short list of people who will listen to me vent. I wanted some comfort for my hurt feelings and someone to say, “That person is so mean! They have no right to treat you like that. You are really wonderful.” But every call either went to voicemail or I was interrupted before I could share any details.

Dancing In The Minefields

‘I do’ are the two most famous last words

The beginning of the end

But to lose your life for another I’ve heard is a good place to begin

Cause the only way to find your life is to lay your own life down

And I believe it’s an easy price for the life that we have found.

Picking up After Pride

Posted by Andrea


Read Romans 8



Pride is nasty business. It comes just before destruction, Proverbs says. It’s what got Lucifer kicked out of heaven. I’m still thinking about this from the Pharisee post a few days ago. Pride was the root issue that caused their troubles. But perhaps a more contextually appropriate word would be self-righteous.



Righteous is one of those words we toss about in church. It means perfection is all. That’s probably the reason we don’t throw that word around in church. People would run scared if you phrased I Peter 6:11 “But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue perfection, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.” How is that even possible?



In the book of Job, one of his kind-hearted (or not) friends asks the question this way: “Dominion and awe belong to God; he establishes order in the heights of heaven. Can his forces be numbered? Upon whom does his light not rise? How then can a man be righteous before God? How can one born of woman be pure? If even the moon is not bright and the stars are not pure in his eyes, how much less man, who is but a maggot a son of man, who is only a worm!" (Job 25)

How to Make Things Grow

Posted by Andrea via Inspired to Action by Kat

Read James 1



Faithfulness makes things grow.

If we water our garden faithfully it will grow. If we bake faithfully every day, our skills will grow. If we run 500 yards every day, our ability to run fast and far will grow. It’s how we’re made.


Things done faithfully ALWAYS grow.