For today ... Tuesday, December 23, 2014
Outside my window ... it is gray and very
wet. Supposedly the Midwest is to get
some huge storm that will bless us with Christmas snow. Though
I'll believe it when I see it, I sure hope it happens because if I hear one
more time, "It just doesn't feel like Christmas. We need snow!" I think my head may
spin. The temps aren't helping either - it
feels like spring. I think I hear robins
outside now (LOL).
I am thankful ... that Farmer is able
to provide us with a roof over our heads, a warm farmhouse, food, and
clothing. We may be having a lean
Christmas, but we are having one and the fact is, every single basic need is
met, and then some.
I am thinking ... how my approach
has been very different for Christmas this year. It feels like I haven't had the time to get
everything done as I have in years past and when I start to stress a little
over it, I hear a voice telling me that our traditions are nice, but the real
reason for Christmas is and should be very different. We aren't do many of the things we've done
before, we aren't even getting together with others on the scale we have during
other Christmas's, and though it is different, it isn't bad. I'm trying to reconcile all of this.
I am creating ... a heart that desires to obey and follow Him in all I do.
I am wearing ... fleece pjs with hearts
and a purple sweatshirt. Basically, I am
a total eyesore!
I am going ... to finish
organizing the dining-room, do a little baking, get with the girls to wrap
dad's gift, and check on a kitten.
I am wondering ... what happened
overnight. We have a kitty who is
terrified of the outside. She got up her
courage to check/hang out in the garage last evening, going so far even to use the
doggie-door to the big outdoors. She is
friends with our big cats, so we wondered if she was learning the ropes and how
to stalk at night, etc. This morning Farmer
found her up against the door to come inside from the garage, with a puncture
wound, and she was shaking. I checked
her over and then took her upstairs to Barrel Racer's bed where both are now
fast asleep. Farmer and I feel terrible.
I am reading ... KJ Bible - Job (study
with my daughters) and First Impressions, A Novel of Old Books, Unexpected
Love, and Jane Austen - Charlie Lovett.
I consider myself a bibliophile and I enjoy Jane Austen, so I keep
giving this book another chance, yet I'm having a difficult time getting past
the first few chapters. I believe it
being the time of year, trying to sell a horse, wrapping up our school year and
getting lesson plans going through spring 2015 is putting a damper on my being
able to relax and get lost in this book.
*sigh*
I am hoping praying ... for our
country. No doubt about it, spiritual
warfare is at an all-time high.
I am looking forward to ... Christmas
morning/day! Our family hangs out with
and enjoys each other's company all day long, while in our pajamas. I look forward to Farmer reading the
Christmas story, the birth of our Saviour, as he does each year. For reasons I can not reveal yet, I just know the reading will be more special this year.
I am learning ... to parent with
grace. I never realized how difficult
this would be. I am a firm believer in
consistent rules and discipline, but I also need to make sure our girls know
that we love them no matter what, just
the same. Finding that balance can be
challenging and I'm thankful and hopeful that He is growing me in this important
area of life.
Around our home ... some laundry will get done today, a
little bit of baking, and this evening I have small grocery shopping to do.
In the kitchen ... there
are some magic bars left from baking yesterday.
I need to make more, along with cookies.
I am pondering ... the size of a
garden to plant in the spring.
Last year I went big and it was overwhelming. And it was a flop.
A favorite quote for today ... "We do not need to get good
laws to restrain bad people. We need to get good people to restrain us from bad
laws.” ― G.K. Chesterton
Scripture ... Job28:28 - And
unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is
understanding.
One of my favorite things ... to be gathered with
Farmer and the girls, each of us warm under soft blankets, all cuddled up and
lost in our reading. Our Christmas tree
glows under the soft white lights and a few packages underneath tempt our girls;
there is a secure warmth coming from the pellet stove while the reflection of
the flames paint a rosy hue around our living room. Now and then one of us gently reaches out for
our glasses of milk to compliment whatever baked good we have nibbled on while
getting lost in the written words between the pages of our books. This is a favorite pastime of mine!
A few plans for this week ... hmm,
I am not sure. Seems like there is
something important for Wednesday, and especially Thursday ... :)
I
pray each reader here has a Merry Christmas and Blessed 2015!
A picture to share (and some truth) ... There
once was a king who had a very strong reputation for enforcing the law in his
kingdom. He never compromised for anyone. If someone broke the law a penalty
was always required.
Then one day this king sat upon his throne hearing case after
case, when suddenly a very shocking thing happened. A young man was brought in
for judgment. He had been caught red-handed in theft. The whole kingdom stood
in silence to hear the king's judgment. You see, this was no ordinary case: the
young man was the king's son!
Being as broken hearted as he was, the king knew that he still
must give judgment. Justice must be done. One hand would have to severed. Then
suddenly the king surprised everyone by ordering HIS OWN HAND to be cut off. He
chose to pay the penalty himself!
This is precisely what God did for you and me. Notice these
important words from Isaiah 53:5-6:
"But
he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the
chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed . All
we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the
LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all."
Just as the king suffered and fulfilled the law for his son, God
came to this earth and fulfilled the law for us. Jesus Christ was God
manifested in the flesh (I Tim. 3:16), and He came to FULFILL the law (Mt.
5:17)! The law demanded a payment for sin. Either man could spend eternity in
Hell, paying for his sins, or God could make the payment Himself. God, because
of His love for lost man, chose to make the necessary payment Himself. He gave
His only begotten Son as a payment for our sins:
"For
God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16.
"Christ
hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it
is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree." Galatians 3:13.
"For he
hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the
righteousness of God in him." II Corinthians 5:21.
All men are born under "the
law of sin and death" (Rom.
8:2). We are under a curse. But the Lord Jesus Christ came to our rescue by
dying and paying for our sins. Hebrews 10:14 says, "For by one offering he hath
perfected forever them that are sanctified." It took only one offering to pay
for our sins. Now that the payment has been made, all men can be
"perfected" through Jesus Christ! Through Christ we can be set FREE
from the law of sin and death! Through Christ, and Him alone, we can escape the
curse! Through Christ, we can be saved!
After Jesus pays for the sins of the world and returns to Heaven,
a very special Gospel (Good News) message is preached by the Apostles and early
Christians:
"Believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." Acts
16:31.
"That if
thou shalt confess with thy mouth, the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine
heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Romans
10:9.
"For by
grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of
God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9.
As lost and doomed sinners, we must take God at His word and
believe that Jesus Christ is our only hope for Salvation. We must trust that
His payment for our sins is sufficient. We must STOP trying to "do
good" that we might go to Heaven. Our good works cannot save us, as the
above verses reveal. Only the good work of the Lord Jesus can save us. We are
hopeless without Him. As a criminal sits upon death row awaiting the electric
chair, we sit upon the death row of eternity awaiting Hell Fire. Please, this Christmas, won't you accept His free gift of salvation if you haven't already done so? This is the best gift of your life, for eternity. ~Sandi
Thank you so much for visiting with me today and reading my
daybook. I hope you leave my blog feeling encouraged, warm and cozy, and
motivated to post a daybook for yourself! If you'd like to read more
daybooks and/or start your own, you can do so by visiting The Simple Woman's Blog!
Also, this will be my last post for this week. I may or may not post next week, it depends
on the activity level around our home! I
typed this above, but would like to say it again: Merry
Christmas everyone - I pray that we all have a blessed 2015!
Please visit again!
In Him~
Homesteader Sandi
