Devotional: Trials Turned to Gold

Job 23:10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

I was reclining out in the hot around mid-morning trying to get the knots to relax out of my neck/shoulder muscles when I looked up at our tree in the back yard. I don't remember what kind of tree it is, but it has all those helicopter seed pods that spin as they fall to the ground.

This particular tree though is reluctant to drop its seed pods. So each Fall the wind blows the leaves all off it, leaving these ugly seed pods clinging to the branches. The tree really is ugly this time of year.

The morning sun was shining and as it hit the seed pods the light was reflected. They looked like gold nuggots hanging all over the tree. It was really pretty.

I thought there should be a lesson here, so I asked God what lesson I needed to learn from our tree. Here's the lesson:

The tree represents us. The Fall season when all the leaves fall off and all that is left are the seed pods represents when trials come into our lives that strip us of things that we love. It has the potential of leaving us ugly with all these ugly seed pods (attitudes) clinging to us. If we respond to the trials in a godly manner, those ugly seed pods turn to gold when the Sonshine of God's love shines on them. Others see the golden beauty of Christ being reflected to them and they are encouraged and blessed by it.

So the question remains, what do I look like to those who watch me as I go through trials. Are the seed pods of trials (attitudes) clinging to me and causing me to be unattractive to others? Or is the golden love and Sonshine of Jesus being reflected to them? When others see the glory of God in my response to the trials I go through, this is when trials turn to gold.

Marsha's Musings: Thankful we got to Go

We got up Thanksgiving morning, had all the stuff sitting in the basement ready to be packed into the car. I grabbed the electronic trunk/door opener for the car and it didn't work. Oh, well, the battery must be dead in it. So Rick grabbed his, same result. So he opened the door with the key, got in and tried to start the car and it was deader than a door nail.

Our red car is dead in the driveway and has been for three weeks. But we still have the Blazer and it works, but we couldn't drive it on this trip because the tires are weather checked and cracked. That caused us to be stranded in the middle of no where this summer in the red car when one if the tires peeled apart. We didn't want to take that chance again. So the Blazer was not an option. We didn't know how to do jumper cables, so I ran in and brought up step by step instructions on the internet and printed them off, while Rick got the Blazer started and in position next to the Black car. I read the directions and he did the steps. We were able to get our Black car running! Yippee Skippee! We were in business. We left the car running while we dashed in and got all our stuff and loaded it in the car. The dog stood behind the gate at the top of the stairs and yelled and hollared and shrieked (she's a pug...they do that) because she thought she was going to be forgotten.

We got everything else in first then I went up to get the dog. She has a bad back so I have to carry her on the stairs. Her curly tail twirled like a helicopter blade she was so happy. She was happy to go into her "suitcase" and get strapped into the back seat, and we were off for a fun Thanksgiving Day.

We enjoyed our Thanksgiving Day with my sister and her husband and my parents this year. We have much to be thankful for!

Thanksgiving Week: What are you thankful for ?

This past month, God has impressed upon my heart how unthankful I am at times as evidenced by when I grumble and complain. This is Thanksgiving week. Let's focus on being thankful. In the comments section, post what you have to be thankful for. I'll start it out by listing what I am thankful for. This comes from my Christmas letter that I wrote this weekend:

• This has been a good year at our house. God has been good to us in many ways. He has blessed us with friends and family like you! We are grateful for each one of you.
• 
  We are grateful to God for providing for our needs. Rick still has a job with the State of Washington and is able to bring home the bacon each month. We are still able to put food on the table and have a roof over our heads. We have much to be thankful for.
• 
  We are grateful to God for our health. Our kids are healthy and Rick and Marsha have their health issues but overall we are doing great and able to do what we need to do. God’s grace is sufficient.
• 
  We are grateful to God for the body of believers that He has put us with at church and for the faithful teaching of God’s Word that we hear each Sunday.
• 
  We are grateful for our dog, Daisy. She has irritating habits, but she is also a sweet pug-dog and she makes us laugh.
  
• We are grateful for our children. It blesses us to see that they get along so well with each other and missed each other enough to talk for 30 minutes or more each night when they were separated for three days. We were blessed by their happy laughter when we were all reunited again. Homeschooling pays off big dividends.
• 
  We are grateful for the lessons God teaches us each day as we study the Bible and pray individually and each night as a family.
• 
  We are grateful for God’s wonderful provision of two free nights stay at the Coeur d’ Alene Resort and free admittance to the Family Life Marriage Conference. It was beyond our expectations.
• 
  We are especially grateful for God’s gift of salvation through His only Son Jesus Christ. This is the reason we celebrate Christmas! Without Christ in Christmas there is no Christmas. So as we exchange our gifts this year, remember the best Gift of all, God’s gift of salvation through the Babe in the Manger.

Add what you are thankful for in the comments link below!

Price Increases on My Books

Lulu.com, where I published my books has had a significant increase in publishing costs recently. I have had to raise the price of some of my books as a result of this. I have not raised the cost on all the books and have instead on some of them decided to just take less of a commission from them. However, some of the books I had to increase because the price hike made it so my profit on some books was below one dollar.
I am sorry for this inconvenience. I guess the poor economy is hitting all sorts of places.

Devotional: A Purpose for Suffering #14

Job 5:17 ¶ Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: 18 For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.

In previous devotionals on God's chastening, we have learned...

• that God corrects those who are His children
• that suffering is often employed in correction
• that God uses chastening as a means to conform us more to the image of Jesus Christ

For these reasons we are not to despise God's chastening in our lives. Instead, we can rejoice because when God chastens us, it confirms that we are His children. We can also rejoice knowing that God is giving us opportunity to grow in Christ-likeness.

I really like verse 17 above. This is a real comfort to me. When God makes me sore and wounded in the process of sanctifying me, I can be assured that He will finish the job. He will not leave me sore and wounded. He always finishes what He starts.

Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: {perform: or, finish } (KJV)

He will finish the job by binding up the sore spots and making us whole again. I think of a surgeon and my own experience. I was born with a mouth that didn't work right. Because of my severe overbite, I could not bite into a sandwich or cookie with my front teeth like other people could. I could not eat corn off the cob and I could not chew my food properly. To fix the problem, I went through three years of braces and then the surgeon had to cut my upper jaw in two to saw off the excess bone. If he had sawed my upper jaw off and didn't finish the job, I would be in pretty bad shape today. But he finished the job and bound up my wound so it could heal. Today I can eat normally. Sometimes God has to wound us to shape us into the people he wants us to be. But He will always make us whole in the end.

Where are you in this process? Are you wounded? Are you sore? Take heart. God will finish the job. He will bind up your sore spots and He will make you whole.

Birds of Prey-WSU

Birds of Prey-WSU

Birds of Prey--WSU

Birds of Prey-WSU

Birds of Prey--WSU

Birds of Prey--WSU

Birds of Prey-WSU

Marsha's Musings: Pure Religion

I was reading James 1 today and came across verse 27.

James 1:27 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

Here is what Adam Clark's Commentary says about this verse:

To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction] Works of charity and mercy are the proper fruits of religion; and none are more especially the objects of charity and mercy than the orphans and widows. False religion may perform acts of mercy and charity; but its motives not being pure, and its principle being defiled, the flesh, self, and hypocrisy, spot the man, and spot his acts. True religion does not merely give something for the relief of the distressed, but it visits them, it takes the oversight of them, it takes them under its care; so episkeptesyai means. It goes to their houses, and speaks to their hearts; it relieves their wants, sympathizes with them in their distresses, instructs them in Divine things and recommends them to God. And all this it does for the Lord's sake. This is the religion of Christ. The religion that does not prove itself by works of charity and mercy is not of God. Reader, what religion hast thou? Has thine ever led thee to cellars, garrets, cottages, and houses, to find out the distressed? Hast thou ever fed, clothed, and visited a destitute representative of Christ?

I don't know about you, but this hits home with me. I give through compassion and I throw some change in the Salvation Army bell ringers pot at Christmas. I donate clothes to the Good Will and St. Vincent de Paul, but do I actually go and find those in need and minister to their needs and hearts? It's so much easier to send money or donate clothes or food to the second hand store or food banks than it is to give of myself and my time to meet their needs. This is convicting stuff for me.

Marsha's Musings: On Being Sick

It has been a long week. I've been sick since last Friday. This is day eight.

I have a laptop computer that I am working on from the couch. I have my books gathered around me on the floor and on the coffee table. The phone sits on the coffee table as well.

I have often complained that I am so busy that I never have time to sit down and just read a book. I have many books in progress. Well, this past week I have gotten ample time for reading!

To some degree I have been chafing because I want to get started on my decluttering and as I sit on the couch resting, I see the clutter stacking up around here.

I am finding it is difficult to rest when I am standing up in my heart fretting about what needs to be done.

Frugal Friday

It's Frugal Friday!

If you would like some frugal tips click on the icon above. It will take you to a website dedicated to Frugal Tips.

It's Frugal Friday!

Don't be embarrassed to take things back for a refund when you find the same items cheaper elsewhere. Recently I went to Staples and picked up a 21 pocket expand-a-file and a package of small mechanical pencils. The file was $14.79 and the pencils were $5.99. I had to go to Walmart so I looked at them there. I nearly fell out of my shoes! The file was $7.88 and the pencils were $3.96. A difference of $8.94! In the past I have gulped and ate the difference. I was too proud to go back to the other store for a refund. But today, I swallowed my pride. I purchased the items at Walmart and then I went back to Staples and told them I wanted to return the items for a refund because I found them cheaper elsewhere. It was all very painless except for the extra stop I had not planned on, but that extra stop was worth $8.94 to me!

Marsha's Musings: Organization/Clutter

Many of my regular readers know that clutter and organization are things I struggle with. I really need to do something about it. My problem is that I keep getting a good start and then something comes up...trip out of town, get sick, pain issues etc. and then I fall off the wagon and can't seem to get going again.

Recently I came across some really good websites/blogs on the issue of organization/clutter. One in particular deals with chronic clutter and ADD issues relating to clutter. She has an hour long phone call recorded on her website that you can listen too and it's really motivating and helpful. Many of these websites have free helpful forms for getting you started as well as helpful advice on how to get started. One even has a very helpful e-book on organizing your home office, but the tips can apply to the whole house.

The 2009 Calendar is here!
http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=9AFkN&m=1cDeM7nUcDV.FD&b=lG_w7gLhUSaHLdvOOBlQQA
2008 is here :
http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=9AFkN&m=1cDeM7nUcDV.FD&b=JQ.f.Cnnq0GTW3LsKpVNWw
***
At the Blog
The Simple Woman's Daybook
http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=9AFkN&m=1cDeM7nUcDV.FD&b=v6YfqxX6_ngJyp.0nsbGLQ
A Real Weekend
http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=9AFkN&m=1cDeM7nUcDV.FD&b=zW_JnBVYRbPaqgbUbEj7aQ
Setting Your Intention
http://www.mysimplerlife.com/blog/2008/11/12/setting-your-intention/
Neat and Simple
http://blog.neatandsimple.com/

My Simpler Life

Marcia's organising tips

Marsha's Musings: I'm Sick

Here I sit, sneezing, blowing my nose, eyes watering, throat scratchy and just generally feeling under the weather. I have been sick for since Friday. I keep telling people I've been sick for three days...I have lost count of the days apparently, because if I've been sick since Friday, then I've been sick for six days! Where does the time go? Obviously my brain is not opperating at 100%.

I had good intentions of getting started on the clutter in this house. I made my Eat the Frog list Sunday night and I actually got six of my seven items done on it for Monday. But maybe I pushed myself too hard being sick and all. Now I am worse. So my Eat the Frog lists hangs on my wall and nothing is getting done on it now. Sigh. I had to decide to put it aside until I am feeling better. No use to pushing myself and making myself sicker yet.

This is a good day for a fire in the fireplace, but since I don't have any business going out and dragging in firewood, I decided to do the next best alternative...a candle on the coffee table. Not exactly the same effect, but oh well. At least I have a flame.

Weekly Simplicity Tips Plus setting your intention

I recently began subscribing to this newsletter to help me focus more on what is important and to motivate me to not get so distracted. Here is the first newsletter I recieved. Maybe you will want o subscribe too! Marsha

Weekly Simplicity Tips Plus setting your intention

November 17, 2008 CONTENTS Welcome Weekly Tips Sponsor Declutter Calendar At the Blog About Welcome to this week's issue of Weekly Simplicity Tips. You have subscribed because you want encouragement in creating a saner, simpler life. Please pass this along to friends who are looking to simplify their life. 1. Keep your master list of everything that needs to be done, separate from your daily to do list to prevent overwhelm. 2. Pause for a few moments to look outside. 3. Buy your presents now. 4. Are you caught up on your bills? 5. Stay in at least 2 evenings this week. 6. Finish planning your Thanksgiving. 7. What does your body need right now? =~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~ Get Things Done Procrastination Course Have you had great ideas, but never followed-through? Do household chores and work tasks not get done because you don't like to do them? Do you want to start exercising and eating right, but just haven't gotten to it yet? Do you spend so much time on other people's projects, you don't have time for your own? Do time wasters like TV, chatting and shopping eat up time for your goals? Does the thought of all your to do's drain your energy? http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=9AFkN&m=1cDeM7nUcDV.FD&b=Z3WCskCf7bc8tcjyE2Jfpg *** The 2009 Calendar is here! http://www.mysimplerlife.com/calendar2009/2009.htm 2008 is here : http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=9AFkN&m=1cDeM7nUcDV.FD&b=JQ.f.Cnnq0GTW3LsKpVNWw *** At the Blog The Simple Woman's Daybook http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=9AFkN&m=1cDeM7nUcDV.FD&b=v6YfqxX6_ngJyp.0nsbGLQ A Real Weekend http://www.mysimplerlife.com/blog/2008/11/15/a-real-weekend/ Setting Your Intention http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=9AFkN&m=1cDeM7nUcDV.FD&b=pKdbktoR6n5yI0RGwE8vcw *** Warmly, Beth Dargis beth@mysimplerlife.com www.mysimplerlife.com =~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~= Copyright (c) 2008 Beth Dargis, Zeeland, Michigan. All rights reserved. You may use these articles on your website and newsletters as long as the footer is included. Permission is granted to reproduce, copy or distribute this e-letter so long as this copyright notice and full information attributing Beth Dargis is attached.

PO Box 233, Zeeland, MI 49464, USA

To unsubscribe or change subscriber options visit: http://www.aweber.com/z/r/?zCwcbCystCzMLBwsbBzstEa0LAzMnIyMbA==

Ghosts...departed dead or demons?

At dinner we were talking about the “lady in blue” that they say lives in down town. She is a “ghost” from the 1800’s and quite a few people and reporters have seen her after dark. A few years ago they were in the Liberty Theater hoping for an encounter with her. One of the reporters said he forgot his pen and asked his partner for one and suddenly a pen just materialized out of the air in his hand.

So we were speculating about ghosts tonight and I posed a question. “Do you think these are really the souls of departed dead that come back?”

My daughter had a profound answer. She said she thinks they are demons. Her reason? She said, “Why would people who have gone to heaven come back like that to scare people and cause a stir? There would be no point in that. And those who have died and gone to hell can’t get out of hell to come back…once you are there you are stuck. So all that leaves is angels and demons. Angels have better things to do with their time than to just run around appearing to people for no reason like that. So all it leaves you is demons.”

You know what? I think she is right. The Bible does indicate that once a person’s soul goes to Hell, there is no coming back. So we know it’s not the souls of the departed who have gone to Hell. See verse 26 below.

Luke 16:22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

And like she said, logic would tell us it isn’t angels or the souls of those who have gone to heaven…what would be the point in them appearing to people at random, scaring them to death and disappearing again. There is no purpose to that. So it only leaves one option. Now that is kind of creepy as my son would say.

Staying Strong in the Midst of the Storm

Here's a great article from Family Life. Click the link to read it.

Devotional: A Purpose for Suffering #13

Hebrews 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Does it seem like the Lord is being cruel to you when you are suffering? Do you wonder why He is allowing what He has into your life? I've been there. But take a look at this verse. If we are not chastened, then we are not loved by God.

God gives us correction, and many times it is "reality discipline" because He is our loving Father and he does it for our own good. Reality discipline is a term coined by Keven Lehman, a Christian psychologist. Reality discipline is when a parent just lets their child learn from the hard knocks of life. He lets the child experience the natural consequences of his behavior. A parent does this so that the child will learn from his mistakes. When they must feel the sting of the consequences, then they are ready to listen to our correction.

God deals with us as His children and He allows us to suffer sometimes in order to teach and train us to trust His judgment over our own and to bring us to maturity and holiness. Consider the verses below:

Hebrews 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

Are you experiencing God's correction in some area of your life? If so, then rejoice. You are one of His children! If not, maybe you need to take stock of your relationship with Him. Are you really one of His children? There are only two kinds of people in the world: Those who are God's children and those who are the children of the Devil.

John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Which one is your father?

Marsha's Musings: Five threats to Oneness in Marriage from Family Life Conference

The path to isolation leads to despair, but the path to oneness leads to hope. These five forces will threaten the oneness in your marriage.

• Failure to make necessary adjustments to move toward oneness.
• Entering marriage equipped only with the world's pattern.
• A failure to anticipate selfishness in marriage.
• A failure to grasp God's perspective through difficulties and trials.
• The escape to extramarital "affairs" such as materialism, careers or love affairs.

Frugal Friday Tips

It's Frugal Friday!

If you would like some frugal tips click on the icon above. It will take you to a website dedicated to Frugal Tips.

Oh dear. It looks like I have fallen off the Frugal Friday Bandwagon the last couple of weeks! I completely forgot to do Frugal Friday for the last two weeks! Dear me.

I honestly don't have any ideas at the moment, but click on the picture above and it will take you to a site that does have some ideas.

Marsha's Musings: God's Purposes for Oneness from Family Life Conference

The path to isolation leads to despair, but the path to oneness leads to hope. Understanding God's purposes for marriage leads a couple toward oneness.

• God created humanity to mirror His image on planet Earth
• Oneness in marriage is God's provision to mutually complete each other and experience companionship.
• Oneness in marriage is necessary in order to multiply a godly legacy.

Remember, your marriage is taking place on a spiritual battlefield, not a romantic balcony. Our enemy Satan wants to destroy your relationship, but God desires for you to grow in oneness.

Is Obama planning a Gestapo-like "civilian national security force"?

I am not a fan of Obama, but I also think there may be a lot of false speculation about what he will do. There is a lot of fear being spread around. I am not posting this because I am promoting Obama and I don't think there is nothing to fear from his administration. I am posting this only to give the other side of the story. I think that there have been lies flying around from both Democrats and Republicans. Before the election, lies were abundant on both sides in order to put fear in hearts of people so they would reach deep in their pockets to support their particular party. Now Obama is president-elect and there are emails flying around on the Republican side about all the terrible things Obama will do as president. As I read these emails, I see they are designed again, to get us to reach deep in our pockets and send money to our political groups. It all smells of fear-mongering to me. I think that claims are being very exagerated to instill fear. So I am posting the opposite side of the story here...this site claims to be unbiased and during the election that seemed to be so. They posted lies that were told by both parties. So for what it is worth....read and make up your own mind.

November 11, 2008
Q:
Is Obama planning a Gestapo-like "civilian national security force"?
I read a quote from Rep. Paul Broun from Georgia which stated that Obama wants to set up a civilian national security force that was similar to the "Gestapo" or the Nazi Brownshirts.What is the truth behind Obama's statements that he wants to create a "civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded [as the military]"?

A:
This false claim is a badly distorted version of Obama's call for doubling the Peace Corps, creating volunteer networks and increasing the size of the Foreign Service.

This question stems from an interview that Republican Rep. Broun of Georgia gave to The Associated Press Nov. 10. The story carried a headline, "Georgia congressman warns of Obama dictatorship." It said that Broun "fears that President-elect Obama will establish a Gestapo-like security force to impose a Marxist or fascist dictatorship." And it quoted him this way:
Rep. Paul Broun, Nov. 10: It may sound a bit crazy and off base, but the thing is, he's [Obama's] the one who proposed this national security force. ... That's exactly what Hitler did in Nazi Germany and it's exactly what the Soviet Union did.Similar claims have been circulating in right-leaning blogs and conservative Web sites ever since July, when Obama made a single reference to a "civilian national security force" in a campaign speech in Colorado.

Obama's detractors make much of his expansive (and exaggerated) description of such a force as being "just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded" as the U.S. military. They also ignore the context.Obama was not talking about a "security force" with guns or police powers. He was talking specifically about expanding AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps and the USA Freedom Corps, which is the volunteer initiative launched by the Bush administration after the attacks of 9/11, and about increasing the number of trained Foreign Service officers who populate U.S. embassies overseas. Here is the relevant portion of what Obama actually said, with the sentences quoted selectively by Broun and others in bold.


Obama, July 2, Colorado Springs, CO: [As] president I will expand AmeriCorps to 250,000 slots [from 75,000] and make that increased service a vehicle to meet national goals, like providing health care and education, saving our planet and restoring our standing in the world, so that citizens see their effort connected to a common purpose.

People of all ages, stations and skills will be asked to serve. Because when it comes to the challenges we face, the American people are not the problem – they are the answer. So we are going to send more college graduates to teach and mentor our young people. We'll call on Americans to join an energy corps, to conduct renewable energy and environmental clean-up projects in their neighborhoods all across the country.

We will enlist our veterans to find jobs and support for other vets, and to be there for our military families. And we're going to grow our Foreign Service, open consulates that have been shuttered and double the size of the Peace Corps by 2011 to renew our diplomacy. We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we've set.

We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded. We need to use technology to connect people to service. We'll expand USA Freedom Corps to create online networks where American can browse opportunities to volunteer. You'll be able to search by category, time commitment and skill sets. You'll be able to rate service opportunities, build service networks, and create your own service pages to track your hours and activities.

This will empower more Americans to craft their own service agenda and make their own change from the bottom up.Does that sound like a force that could kick down your door in the middle of the night and haul you off to a Gulag or concentration camp? You decide.
-Brooks Jackson
Sources
Evans, Ben. “Georgia congressman warns of Obama dictatorship.” The Associated Press, 10 Nov. 2008.“Sen. Barack Obama delivers remarks at a campaign event, Colorado Springs, CO.” CQ Transcriptions, 2 July 2008.

Marsha's Musings: Intimacy In Marriage from Family Life Conference

Intimacy
A satsifying sex life is the result of a satisfying marriage relationship.

Focus on...

• creating campanionship
• strengthening commitment
• encouraging passion
• growing in spiritual oneness

Curcumin: Natural COX-2 Inhibitors' Promise

Natural COX-2 Inhibitors' Promise
While COX-2 inhibition may seem to clearly describe one pharmacological effect of several common and widely recognized natural products, such a benefit cannot be confirmed until each is systematically tested for such activity. However, the odds seem in favor of the following compounds serving as natural modulators of pain.

Curcumin is one of the pungent active ingredients of turmeric (Curcuma longa), the deep-yellow powder found in virtually every curry dish made in the world. Besides being a culinary delight, several clinical trials have found curcumin to be a notable anti-inflammatory and analgesic compound.9 Moreover, recent in vitro studies have explored whether curcumin, a chemopreventive agent, inhibits the expression and activity of COX-2 in several different gastrointestinal cell lines: colon, esophagus and small intestine.10

In one study, Fan Zhang, Ph.D., and colleagues from the Cornell University campus in New York City, exposed gastrointestinal (GI) cells to two known tumor promoters, either bile acids (BA) or phorbol esters (PMA). The team found COX-2 to be induced in several of the cell lines, accompanied by a 10-fold increase in the synthesis of inflammatory-causing prostaglandin E2.10

However, dose-dependent treatment of the cells with curcumin suppressed both BA- and PMA-mediated induction of COX-2 protein, genetic COX-2 expression (as measured by mRNA), and the synthesis of prostaglandin E2. Most impressive, however, was the discovery that curcumin directly inhibited the enzymatic activity of COX-2.

Although the Zhang study did not examine the action of curcumin on cells mediating chronic joint inflammation, it does offer a provocative suggestion that curcumin may modulate chronic inflammatory GI events such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

An additional study presented at the 1999 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) conference also examined the pain-relieving properties of curcumin. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, and the Veterans Administration Medical Center, San Diego, investigated whether curcumin could suppress COX-2 expression in human colon cancer cells.11

After exposing such cells to curcumin, the researchers found the compound not only inhibited cell growth but also reduced the expression of COX-2 mRNA in a time- and dose-dependent manner.11

Therefore, curcumin would appear to be a safe, natural COX-2 inhibitor in humans, given its safety profiles and demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity.


I have been taking Curcumin now for about two and half months. At first I didn't see much difference. After taking it for some time, when I run out I notice a marked difference in my pain levels with my tendonitis. Before I could hardly do anything without pain. Now I can do almost anything I want except gripping & lifting at the same time. However the pain with this is far less than what I had before. It costs me about $20 a month. I take four first thing in the morning and one at noon or dinner time.

Marsha's Musings: Resolving Conflict from Family Life Conference

Scriptures on Resolving Conflict

• Live in harmony with one another...Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing. 1 Peter 3:8-9 NIV
• Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it will give grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4:29 NASB

When resolving conflict,

Focus on:

one issue rather than many issues

the problem rather than the person

behavior rather than character

specifics rather than generaliztions

facts rather than judgment of motives

"I" statements rather than "you" statements

understanding rather than who's winning or losing

Marsha's Musings: 5 Tips for Expressing Yourself from Family Life Conference

• think before you speak
• determine what you want to say and when to say it
• not everything you feel needs to be expressed--sometimes silence is best
• ask to make sure you're being understood
• speak to encourage

Marsha's Musings: Four Tips for Listening from Family Life Conference

• give focused attention
• listen with acceptance and understanding
• ask clarifying question;make summarizing statements
• focus on what is being said, not the way it is being said.

Marsha's Musings: Family Life Marriage Conference: Weekend to Remember

I just got back from a whirlwind weekend at the Family Life Marriage Conference. My mind is whirling with all the information we got there and all the work I need to do to make my marriage better.

First, I have to tell you that our weekend, room and conference fees were all paid for. My husband entered a drawing and we won the Grand Prize. I wasn't expecting a lot in the way of accomodations. We had stayed one other time as a family one night in the off season in one of the cheaper resort rooms. It wasn't much bigger or better than Super 8. So this is what I expected for accomodations. I was in for a big surprise! All I could say when we walked in was, "Wow. Oh wow." I was speechless. It was a spacious room with king size bed, desk, full couch, recliner with foot stool, and all the other standard amenities. One whole wall was mirrors and another wall was windows that over looked the lake. It was beautiful and very relaxing. This morning, (I'm writing Sunday night) I woke up an hour earlier thanmy husband and I took our snuggle blanket and sat on the couch to read my Bible and pray and gaze out the window at the lake. It was so peaceful and relaxing. It was refreshing.

The conference was intense. There was so much territory to cover! But the speakers were wonderful. They brought a lot of humor to subjects that would be difficult to cover and yet sensitively helped us to come to grips with areas of our marriage that we need to work on.

In the front of our workbooks was a place to write down six things to remember or apply from the weekend and a place to write down my top three priorities. I want to share them here and I hope someone out there in cyberland will ask me about it from time to time to help keep me accountable. I plan to talk to my pastor's wife and ask for her help in this too. Here they are:
Things to remember:

• Don't let the culture dictate your expectations in marriage. Refers to Hollywood romance, novels etc.
• The issue is the attitude you take toward your differences between you and your spouse.
• If we believe our spouse's differences are wrong and we want to change them, then we are doubting God's goodness.
• Oneness in marriage is a result of oneness with God.
• Our battle is not against flesh & blood...my mate is not my enemy!
• Improve your marriage & sexual intimacy will follow.

My top three priorities:

• To make my relationship to God a priority and apply what I learn in Scripture to my marriage.
• To work on my attitude--to be content;be thankful for my husband and his qualities.
• To be the person I want my husband and children to be.

I plan over the next week or more to post up tidbits that I heard at the marriage conference. I hope they will challenge and bless you as they have me.

Devotional: A Purpose for Suffering #12

Hebrews 5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

As I was doing the research for this verse, I came upon this jewel by Albert Barnes:

Verse 8. Though he were a Son. Though the Son of God. Though he sustained this exalted rank, and was conscious of it, yet he was willing to learn experimentally what is meant by obedience in the midst of sufferings.

Yet learned he obedience. That is, he learned experimentally and practically. It cannot be supposed that he did not know what obedience was; or that he was indisposed to obey God before he suffered; or that he had, as we have, perversities of nature, leading to rebellion, which required to be subdued by suffering;--but that he was willing to test the power of obedience in sufferings; to become personally and practically acquainted with the nature of such obedience in the midst of protracted woes. The object here is, to show how well fitted the Lord Jesus was to be a Saviour
for man-kind; and the argument is, that he has set us an example, and has shown that the most perfect obedience may be manifested in the deepest sorrows of the body and the soul. Learn hence, that one of the objects of affliction is to lead us to obey God. In prosperity we forget it. We become self-confident and rebellious. Then God lays his hand upon us; breaks up our plans; crushes our hopes; takes away our health; and teaches us that we must be submissive to his will. Some of the most valuable lessons of obedience are learned in the furnace of affliction; and many of the most submissive children of the Almighty have been made so, as the result of protracted woes.--Albert Barnes Commentary

I don't think I could have said it any better than what Albert Barnes says it, so I won't comment much further on it. The question must be asked, however, where are you in learning obedience to God? Are you allowing your trials and afflictions to drive you in obedience to the feet of Jesus or are you fighting against them?

Marsha's Musings: Christmas Season Under Way

I can't believe how fast the time flies anymore. It's already Christmas season for us. The stores have their Christmas decorations out already.

My son and daughter are planning to volunteer today to help decorate Locomotive Park. The photos above are from year's past. This is S and her freind K.... This is a huge community thing. It generally takes three Saturdays to decorate it and many volunteer hours. Places donate hot chocolate and lunch for the volunteers each Saturday they decorate.

The finished project is fantastic. The Locomotive is all outlined in lights. All the trees are lighted from trunks up. The bigger trees at the center of the park are decorated with lights attached to sound so that when the music plays through the speakers in the trees the lights turn off an on to the beat of the music. There are also lights attached to the dance pad in the center of the park where people can dance to the music and as they dance the lights turn off and on to the beat of their dancing. That is great fun for the kids to figure what part of the dance pad makes what light strand work. Different parts work different lights.

There are archways to walk through that change color as you pass under them, and a big gas fireplace where you can go sit on the hearth and warm yourself if it is cold out. It is a favorite place to visit around the holidays.

The lighting of Locomotive park is a huge deal. Crowds of people show up and they have an hour or more of entertainment by local dance companies, school bands, choruses etc. After the entertainment then comes the big moment when the switch is flipped and all the lights come on. It's is a winter wonder land of color.

Free Homeschooling Resource Web Sites

These are a few of the web sites I found today that I thought might be helpful to you in your homeschool adventure. Marsha Iddings

The Home School Mom

http://www.thehomeschoolmom.com/

Let’s Homeschool

http://www.letshomeschool.com/

Home School Math

http://www.homeschoolmath.net/

Free Homeschooling Curriculum

http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/materials/Free.htm

Tipz Time (free articles)

http://www.tipztime.com/printables.shtml

School Express

http://www.schoolexpress.com/

Christian Parenting Source (free curriculum)

http://www.christian-parenting-source.com/

Free Stuff for Education

http://homeschooling.about.com/od/freestuff/Free_Stuff_for_Education.htm

Home School Tracker (Basic is a free download. I love this program!)

http://www.homeschooltracker.com/

Homeschool Your Child for Free

http://www.writerspost.com/hsfree/

Off to the Family Life Marriage Conference & Free Two Night Stay at the Couer d' Alene Resort!

We are off to claim our Grand Prize...free registration at the Family Life Marriage Conference and two free nights at the Couer d' Alene Resort!

I hope this will be a wonderful weekend of fun, relaxation and marriage enrichment for us. We've never done anything like this before.

Marsha's Musings: Thankfulness...again

Last night as a family were watching a DVD of old I Dream of Jeannie reruns. Major Nelson becomes unhappy with the way Jeannie acts and wants to change her behavior. He buys her a book about the Arabian Nights and tells her to read it and learn from it how she is to behave as a Jeannie. He has never read the book and doesn't realize it's all about how Jeannie's can torture their Masters. He insists that she do what the book says and she is upset because of what she will have to do to him. So she obeys him and he gets tortured in many ways...beds of nails, being barred out of his own bedroom and having to sleep on a cot, hanging by his hands from a rope suspended over a crocodile pit etc.

Major Nelson finally decides to sit down and look at the book with Jeannie and realizes what he has made her do and why he was being tortured. He apologizes to her and explains that he was not thankful for her as she was. He says he realizes now that love means accepting the good with the bad and not trying to change the one you love.

I am a sentimental person and I have to admit I teared up with this scene. But what touched me most was the message. So often I am not thankful for what God has given me and I want something different and "better". Many times what I want that I think if better isn't. When we are not content with what we have, then we are being unthankful. This is an insult to God Almighty. We are basically telling God that He doesn't know how to provide for us. Life is filled with good and bad. We need to learn to take the good with the bad and be thankful for what we have. So much of Hollywood and advertisements are aimed at making us unthankful.

Marsha's Musings: Pug Personality

Pugs have a personality all their own and it is very different from any dog I have owned.

1. They want to be near their "staff" at all times.



2. You are their staff, they don't have owners.



3. They are very bossy, yet are very endearing.



4. They are very playful. Old pugs, if they are not in pain are just puppies in adult bodies.



5. They are very good at showing displeasure.



6. They don't whimper like other dogs...they scream and hollar.



7. They are extremly noisy. They squeak, and snore all the time.



8. You have to clean their wrinkles, put eye drops in their eyes and clean their ears because they are suseptible to irritation.



9. Their feet are their's and you better not try to mess with them!

I recently took my Daisy-pug to the vet for her shots and a toe nail trim. She does not like anyone to mess with her feet! The vet said all pugs are like this. This dog only wieghs 17 pounds but it took two people to trim her feet! She screamed like they were killing her and when that didn't work, she peed. That didn't work, so she started farting up a storm and when that didn't get her out of her predicerment she shot poop across the table. When they were done and she was on her feet again, she wanted me to love on her, which I did but the whole time I was petting her she was aiming her rear at the assistent. As the assistent moved closer to me to get out of her aim, she kept moving her rear end so she was still aiming at the gal. We were cracking up.

These little dogs are just so much entertainment and fun. They are very expensive dogs...$500 and more, but we got Daisy at the animanl shelter for $65. When she is gone, I'd like to rescue another pug if we can come across one. I love them.

An Open Letter to Obama: Please Prove Me Wrong!

Dear Sir:
As you are aware, there are many of us out here who did not vote for you. President Bush has his War on Terror. There are many of us who think that as president, you will have a Reign of Terror. Sir, you do not know how much we want you to prove us wrong! Please prove us wrong in these areas...

• I think that you might allow known Terrorists to have free access to our nation...prove me wrong!
• I think that you might end the War on Terror and allow Terrorists to have free reign all over the world...prove me wrong!!!
• I think that you might try to remove my religious freedoms or greatly restrict them...prove me wrong!
• I think that you might try to further remove the rights of the unborn...prove me wrong!
• I think that you might try to champion the cause of those who want the sins of Sodom and Gomorrha to be acceptable....prove me wrong!
• I think that you might try to remove my health insurance that I am perfectly happy with and replace it with your national health care. Please let those of us alone that are happy with what we have and just target those who have no insurance. Please prove me wrong on this!

I am sure there is more I could write, but I think you understand my thinking from this. I really want to have egg on my face and be proved absolutely wrong on all these points. Would you please prove me wrong? It would make my day!

I also want you to know, that although I did not vote for you, I will pray for you and I will try my best to be respectful of your office when you get there.

Marsha's Musings: Report on the War on Clutter

Well, I have posted about the clutter we live in and my desire to fix the situation so that I can be more effective and efficient. So here is the latest on the clutter war front.

I am starting with the kitchen. I am trying to establish a habit of making sure the kitchen sink is cleaned out and cleaned up. I am trying to establish a habit of making sure the table is cleared off of vitamin bottles and other clutter that doesn't need to be there all day. I am trying to keep my counters cleared of unnecessary clutter so I have space to work during meal prep and I am working on keeping my pots and pans put away in the cupboard (instead of all over the stove) no matter how inconvenient it is to get them in there (I am very short on space in this kitchen and I have to take half the contents out of the cupboard out to get the pans in where they fit.)

I have read that the kitchen is half the battle. If you can stay on top of the kitchen, the rest of the house will follow, but if the kitchen is always a mess, the rest of the house will always be a mess too. Not sure why that is, but I do find it is easier to tackle clutter in the remainder of the house when I can see my kitchen looks nice.

Marsha's Musings: Election Night

I have mixed feelings about the elections results. On one hand I am dismayed and my heart is sinking to my toes. I do not feel Obama has enough experience to lead our nation in a responsible way. I do not feel that he will uphold morals that would be God honoring in our nation. I do not feel that he will act in any way favorable toward Biblical, God fearing people. In my heart I feel that the next four years or more will bring change alright. But it will not be the kind of change that is good or positive. And so my heart sinks.

But I remember what I read in my Bible reading for today.

Lamentations 3:21-26, 31-32 ¶ This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 22 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. 24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. 25 The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. 26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD. 31 For the Lord will not cast off for ever: 32 But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.

Lamentations 3:37 ¶ Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not? 38 Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good?

I learn from this that God is sovereign. God is in control of who got elected president. He has his purposes for doing what He has done. He is faithful, so no matter what comes of this presidency, I can be assured that He will be with me and His mercies will sustain me through it. I will hope in Him.

Gluten Free Carrot Spice Muffins From Glutenfreeda

Gluten-Free Recipe of the Week:
Carrot Spice Muffins

Difficulty: Easy Makes 12 standard size muffins.

Ingredients:

• 1-1/3 cups Gluten Free Pantry French Bread Flour Mix
• 1 cup sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon gf baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1-1/2 cups finely grated carrots
• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 1 cup golden raisins

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 8 ounces gf cream cheese
• 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons gf vanilla
• 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• Grated lemon or orange zest (optional)

Directions:

For Muffins:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease muffin tins or line with muffin cups.

In a large bowl, thoroughly whisk all dry ingredients together. Add oil and eggs, beating on low speed. Stir in carrots, nuts, and raisins.

Divide batter into muffin tins. Bake until a toothpick inserted into 1 or 2 muffins comes out clean, approximately 15-18 minutes. Let cool for several minutes before removing from pan.

Set on baking rack and allow to cool completely before frosting.

These muffins will keep, covered for several days.

For Frosting:
In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until just blended. Add powdered sugar, one-third at a time, until just smooth and frosting has reached desired consistency. (Optional: `stir in lemon or orange zest for additional flavoring.)

This frosting will keep refrigerated for about 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months. Soften and stir until smooth before using.

Tips:

This recipe is made for 12 standard size muffins, however you can also use jumbo muffins tins, or mini muffin tins - just adjust the baking times as follows:
Jumbo - bake for 22-25 minutes
Standard - bake for 15-18 minutes
Mini - bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

Have all ingredients at room temperature, 68-70 degrees F.

Tips for Cream Cheese Frosting:
Don’t overbeat the cream cheese.
Cold (not softened) cream cheese produces the best texture of frosting.

We used The Gluten Free Pantry’s Country French bread flour mix for the gf flour in this recipe.

Marsha's Musings: Giving Thanks

The following quote is from Jerry Bridges. It really hits me where I live.

Lamentations 3:38 says to us, “Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come?” That is, God is in sovereign control over the difficulties and the pain just as much as he is in control over what we would consider to be the good things, the blessings of this life. Now we should thank God for the good things of life. We are to be thankful people. But what about the bad things, the things that we would not choose to have in our lives?

Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 to “give thanks in all circumstances,” and then he adds, “for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” That is to say, it is the moral will of God that we give thanks in all circumstances....How do we do this? We do it by faith. We don’t just grit our teeth and say, “Lord, I don’t feel thankful, but you said to give thanks, so I’m going to give you thanks even though I don’t feel thankful.” That’s not giving thanks. We do it by faith. We do it by trusting in the promises of God. We do it by faith in the words of God through Paul in Romans 8:28–29, where he says “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love him.”

And then he defines the good in verse 29 as being conformed to the likeness of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is what God is after. He wants to conform us to the likeness of Christ; so he brings or allows these various circumstances, circumstances that we ourselves would not choose. He brings them into our lives because he wants to use those circumstances in his way to conform us more and more to the likeness of Christ.

And so by faith we can say, “Lord, I do not know what particular purpose you have in this difficulty or this pain, this trial. But you said that you will use it to conform me more and more to Jesus Christ, and for that I give you thanks.” So we give thanks by faith.

Marsha's Musings: Candy

I really hate this time of year. At church functions there is always a bowl of chocolate candy sitting out staring me in the face. I am happy to say that I resisted the temptation to snitch even one "fun sized" candy bar or bag of M & M's. It was torture to sit there with the bowl of candy right in front of my face this evening and not take even one. But I did it and I am happy I did.

This is one of the most difficult times of the year for me due to all the sweets that are around everywhere I go. There are sweets at church, at the chiropractor's at the physical therapists, at relatives on the holidays etc. It's so hard to resist.

This is going to be a test of my will-power this year to see if I can behave myself.

Devotional: A Purpose for Suffering #11

Romans 5:3-5 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

The Apostle Paul is amazingly positive about his trials. This is a man who in his own words was,

Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. (2 Corinthians 11:24-27)

Can you imagine saying what he says in our verse for today about your trials? It takes a great deal of spiritual maturity to be able to say that.

Paul is basically giving thanks for his trials. Why? Because it is in trials that he learned patience. Have you ever thought about the fact that you can never learn patience unless you experience difficulties of some sort? Patience is a godly character trait that we all need to develop, but it can't happen outside of difficult circumstances.

Paul knew that learning patience means you have learned to persevere. This is what is meant by the word experience. Life's experiences teach us that "this too shall pass" and we can persevere with patience. Having this experience under our belts, helps us to look at how God has been faithful to bring us through other difficulties in the past and it gives us hope for the future, knowing He will be faithful to help us persevere through our present trials.

We don't have to be ashamed (disappointed) of the hope we have in Christ because He has given us His love by the Holy Spirit which He has given us.

Are you learning patience today? Then you must be dealing with some trials in your life. Don't fight against the winds of adversity. Turn your sails toward the wind and let it propel you toward learning patience, perseverance and hope. God is faithful. He will bring you through it and He will make you a better person because of it if you don't fight against the winds that blow against you.

Gluten Intolerance & Sugar Blues

I had some kids over Thursday for smores around our fire pit. I had a giant Hershey's Bar open, along with Graham Crackers and Marshmallows.

First off, I didn't have the good sense to stay out of the Hershey's Bar. Chocolate affects me later in the month even it I eat it earlier. So I shouldn't have even been drooling over it in the first place.

Secondly, I never even thought about the fact that the kids would drop cracker crumbs on it while fixing their smores. So when I ate some of the chocolate bar, I got glutenized.

Thirdly, I didn't have the good sense to eat only one or two roasted marshmallows, I ate five of them!

So Saturday morning I woke up at 5am in a mess. My head was pounding with a sugar hang-over, I was having a low blood sugar episode and nearly fainted in the kitchen and I had canker sores on my tongue.

Did I learn my lesson??? No! Last night I saw the remainder of the Hershey's Bar sitting on the counter and I rationalized that if I didn't eat it my husband would and he didn't need the soy. The thought never even entered my mind that it was contaminated with gluten! I woofed it down when no one was looking. As a result, I didn't sleep all too well last night. The canker sores on my tongue have gotten more painful and I was being awakened every time I had to swallowed. It was not a good night. I am so frustrated with myself for being so careless and for succumbing to the temptation to eat it! I craved it. It was like I couldn't control myself as long as that chocolate was staring me in the face! I am paying for it now, but I'll pay for it again big time when that time of the month comes. It's a double whammy and it is all my fault. UGH. I hate that.

I think sin is like that. Perhaps this was sin! It looks you in the face and it is so inviting. It looks so good! You just start to feel like you can't do without what ever it is. Then when you give in to the temptation, the results are far less than desirable and you wish you had never even considered it in the first place. It causes you all kinds of grief and trouble in the long run.

Man, I think this goes back to the issue of unthankfulness that I have written about in other posts. When you want something so badly, that you just HAVE to have it, perhaps you need to step back and ask yourself, "Am I content with what I have? Why do I have to have THIS thing so badly that I'm willing to compromise my health (or reputation, relationship with God, etc.) to have it? Am I thankful for what I have? If so, why do I think I need this other thing?" Why do I have to learn these lessons the hard way so often???

Book Review: Daily Truth for Godly Youth

Daily Truth for Godly Youth by Howard Bean is a really good devotional for teens and adults. We recently purchased this devotional and are using each evening in our family devotions.

It is very Bible based. Each day has a good portion of scripture to read, then the devotional that makes the scripture applicable to daily living.

The devotions are divided up according to topic. There are around 5 to 7 devotions per topic and there is a devotion for each day of the year. Right now, the topic is relating to the opposite gender. It has mostly to do with what to look for in a prospective marriage partner. It is very practical. The next series of devotions are focused around The Lord's Prayer. These are so good that I hate to miss any of them!

It is published by Christian Light Publishing, a Mennonite publisher. Although I am not Mennonite, I see very little, if any in this book that I would disagree with so far. It seems to be very Bible based, and just focuses on daily Christian living.