Category Archives: Spiritual Fitness

Living Life On The Line

Life on the line article.mountain climbing photo

What do you do when your life is on the line? When everything is do or die? When it’s either give up, give in or keep pushing?

These are things that I, we, are constantly faced with every day whether we think about it or not. Our life is on the line. One day we all will die, but what do we do in the mean time? Do I just throw my hands up and say what’s the point? Some days I do. But then I get a glimmer of hope and a renewed sense of purpose and begin to push on. What else can I do? It doesn’t do much good to just give up does it? Although some days I do give up a bit. But there are always things that need to be done, so I pull myself together just enough to do those necessary things like make sure my family is fed, and my boys are doing their homeschooling. I make sure the animals are taken care of. Some days that’s it. I may not even take care of myself except to just rest.

But every day we live a life on the line. Every day we each make a decision whether to give up or keep going, keep pushing, keep grinding, keep moving. It’s something we’re trying to instill in our children. Our oldest boy just turned 19. He has a job where he has to start work at 6am. He is not a morning person and has trouble getting to sleep at night. The first couple weeks he’s done great getting up at 5am but now the newness is wearing off and he’s had trouble this past week wanting to get to bed early enough and thereby not wanting to get up in the morning. We are trying to teach him that it’s a grind. You either do it or you lose your job. There’s not much choice. Stick with it for awhile and you can find a job that doesn’t start so early, but for now your job is on the line. You have to keep pushing even when you don’t feel like it. It’s especially important when you one day have a family to take care of. People that are relying on you.

A Spiritual Life on the Line…

This goes for my spiritual life as well. Probably even more so. Life on the line…. I know I am saved. I am a child of God…Born again when I accepted Jesus Christ as my saviour. There are others in this world that are not, however. Many, many others. I don’t always know who is and who isn’t, but I need to live my life as though their lives are on the line. If I’m not walking with the Lord and living like Christ. If I’m not being that example…that light, then I become a stumbling block for those that don’t know Jesus. They ultimately make their own choice, but I’m responsible for how my actions, words, way of life might help or hinder. I need to keep pushing every day. Just as in my physical life, even more so in my spiritual walk with God. And if I’m walking close to the Lord, then the things of my physical life will be easier to deal with. It’ll be easier to keep grinding away at this life until I reach the ultimate rest and peace once I’m dead and in heaven with my Lord.

“Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord”

Psalm 31:24

“But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more”

Psalm 71:14

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

Isaiah 40:31

Is Traditional Marriage Just Tradition?

Marriage Between One Man and One Woman

© C-foto | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images

So, I know this is a very controversial topic, and I may regret posting this for the comments I may get, but I’m beyond caring anymore. And really, if it’s Truth, should I be worried about what people might think or say to me? This is not some trivial issue either. This issue has a Huge impact on our society.

So the last few days I kept seeing a few people on my Facebook feed that had a big pink = sign on a red background as their profile pic. It is because they support Gay marriage. Equal rights for all. Today  the Supreme Court began hearing arguments on both sides on whether or not to overturn the California ban on Gay marriage.

Well, I also saw some pics on Facebook supporting “Traditional Marriage”, which, I am in favor of. The problem I have is with people calling it a “Tradition”. Now, how can you argue that something is important if it is just a tradition?? Marriage between a man and a women is not just “Tradition”. This is what frustrates me. People that are against same sex marriage, especially our politicians, giving a very shallow stand against it. I think it’s because they don’t even see it beyond a “tradition”.

The problem is though, that even if you give evidence out of God’s own word, so many people don’t even really believe that the Bible is true today, or they only think that part of it is true, so they aren’t going to listen anyway. Now that’s not to say I still shouldn’t try to show in the Word, because God’s word is a living Word and so the Holy Spirit will convict, and maybe that person will really think about what I’ve shown them.

It’s just frustrating because our society has gone so far to where if you try to use spiritual arguments, they would just get thrown out because that’s “your belief, not mine”.

So what to do? I mean, we’ve gotten to where it’s okay to have sex outside of marriage, it’s expected that our kids might start having sex in junior  high/high school, it’s okay to kill an unborn baby, it’s okay to look at pornography, and now it’s okay to be gay.  So what comes next after the same sex marriage battle is won?

Can we not see that our society has seriously been demoralized? Do you not see it? Is life better today than it was 50 years ago with all the “freedoms” to do as we please, and noone really looking down on it? I say it’s not. I’d like to look at Rome for example. When Rome fell, they had a serious moral problem. You can look at a lot of their artwork and see how sexually immoral they were. Oh, sure, people want to call it beautiful art of the human body, but NO, it was pornography plain and simple, they just didn’t have cameras back then to take real pictures so they had to draw and paint them.

Now, the important thing. What does God say about marriage? Does God’s word the Bible really teach that homosexuality is a sin?

Yes.

Now I want to clarify, there are many things that are sin, and sin is sin to God. All sin is bad. Does that mean that since I am a sinner, I should not say anything to anyone else about their sin? Well, let’s see what God says….

“When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.

Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.” Ezekiel 3:18-21

Well, God is speaking to Ezekiel, the prophet, you might say. Yes, he is. But what’s the difference? Ezekiel was a sinner too, yet he was to warn those that were doing wickedness. Today we have the completed word of God, and he has commanded those that are saved and are serving him through one of His churches (his disciples):

“Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.

And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”    Matthew 28:16-20

Jude Chapter 1 starting in verse 3. This chapter makes me think of today’s world in which we live! Jude was going to write to them about salvation, but he found it needful to write about contending for the faith.

“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.

9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.

17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;

18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.

19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.

20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:

23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

I’m going to stop there for now. But I have more to say on this subject. I do ask that if you are going to comment, please be respectful. I will not tolerate rudeness, foul language, etc…. And I have a right to delete any comments. I did not write this to start an argument, because there is no arguing with God. If you truly have questions, that’s fine, but I’m not going to have a debate going on here. If you don’t agree with me on this subject and you feel the  need to share why, that’s fine, but, like I said, be respectful and we can have an intelligent conversation about it. ;)

 

Break My Heart by Chris Hall, Christian Music

Get Your Free Contemporary Christian Music MP3 Download!

 

Download Break My Heart by Chris Hall FREE, Christian Music

 

Okay, so I’m going to shamelessly promote my husbands music again. It’s been awhile, so I think it’s okay ;)

So, here’s the deal…

Anyone can get a free download of his very first Christian music album called “Break My Heart”. We are just trying to get his music heard and so I encourage you to sign up for your free download, and also share this post or share his Facebook page with your friends so they can get their free music too!

What’s the catch??

Well, not money. All you need to do is “like” his Facebook page, and then sign up for the mailing list. That’s all! Now, don’t worry about the mailing list either. We won’t be sending out a ton of emails, or hound you to buy a cd. All it is there for is to let his fans know when he is going to be doing an event, when there’s a new album out, etc… so probably at most you might get an email once a week, if that. Plus you can always unsubscribe if you so choose.

So head on over to his Facebook page, Chrishallsongs, and get your free christian music!

Here is a list of the songs that are included:

  1. It’s All About You
  2. Break My Heart
  3. You’ve Got Me
  4. Come Back Home
  5. Storms in Life Will Come
  6. Fallen For You
  7. If I
  8. You Still Move Me

Enjoy!

A New Week, A New Outlook….

So I have to say, last week was one of the worst weeks I’ve had in quite awhile. Seriously, it just was one of those weeks that you wish had never happened. Now nothing “tragic” happened, and I know there are plenty of people who have had and are currently having a much worse time than I had, but for me, it was just no good. Part of the reason is that I was in a horrible mood all week which had a lot to do with a recurring headache that woke up with me every morning. Then it seemed like the boys were just constantly at each others throats more than usual, which very well could have actually been due to my own attitude affecting them.
Many times we don’t really stop to think about how we are affecting others. We might blame the kids for our bad mood, but maybe they are acting up more Because of our mood.
So I had some things to think about toward the end of last week. But on Friday, I finally remembered I still had some childrens Benadryl and I remembered the last time I had a headache that Ibuprofen couldn’t tame, I took Benadryl and the next day it was gone. So I took some Friday night, went to bed early in Cman’s bed while putting him to sleep. Sometimes that’s the only way I can go to sleep earlier since my hubby has been practicing songs late at night to get ready for doing shows for his new music album (which I haven’t put up on his website yet so you might want to go to his facebook page to hear some of his new songs).

Anyway, I woke up the next morning feeling so much better!

And we got a lot of stuff done on Saturday. We got a door put up between the kitchen and the back laundry room and I got a lot of cleaning done so that our home actually feels comfortable now. We also got a new toilet which was long over due since the old one had to be manually forced to stop running after flushing it. We were actually forced to get a new toilet because Cman decided when he was taking a bath on Friday that it would be fun to flush some matchbox cars down the toilet! I was able to fish one out, but the other one escaped my grasp. All seemed ok until later that day when the toilet started backing up and flushing really slowly and then I ended up having to clean up the floor not once, but twice!

That was on Friday when I was still in a horrid mood! So since the plunger wasn’t working and a snake didn’t work, the hubby was going to take the toilet off anyway to get the car out, so I said “why don’t you just go get a new toilet?” . We got a home project loan from Home Depot a month ago so we could add a wall for a new bedroom and do some other fixing up in our house to get it ready to sell while not having to pay any monthly payments or interest for 6 months, which is awesome! We got approved for much more than we expected too. So, hey, we need a new toilet anyway, so why not just go down and get one? lol

But it is soooo nice to have a new toilet. The water bill should be much nicer too since this toilet doesn’t have to fill up near as much and then the issue with the old one running too long if someone didn’t stop it. I can’t wait to see the bill!

So this week so far has been much better. I’ve been trying to focus more on letting God help me with things instead of drawing away from him when my temper flares (and trying to take care of it on my own). I’ve also had the boys on more of a schedule with schooling in the morning, lunch, then bible time, then exercise time and then game time on the xbox which is then work on the computer time for me :) Then after that is some more housework.

Anyway, it just really helps, for one, not to have a constant headache, and two(and most importantly), to focus more on the Lord and allow him to lead. I need to take my own advice much more often, but I’m working on it!

Andy Griffith Passed Away Today

I just learned that Andy Griffith passed away this morning. So sad to see him go. I was a big fan of his shows. I loved the Andy Griffith Show, Matlock and others that he played in. I enjoyed Matlock even as a young kid. I’d always wait for Perry Mason to get over so I could watch Matlock! lol.

All things come to an end eventually. Andy professed to know Christ, so If he really did, I know I’ll see him again one day, and then in person! Here’s a link to a cnn article about his death and burial this morning:

http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/03/us/north-carolina-griffith-burial/index.html

My prayers go out to his family and friends.

 

 

The Vow’s True Story-What is real love?

Here is the a link to an interview done with the couple behind the true story of the 2012 movie “The Vow”
http://www.daily-times.com/ci_19670601/vow-movie-kim-krickitt-carpenter?refresh=no&webredirect&stopvalue&stopparam
I encourage you to read it. It is the basis for what I am about to ask…..

  • What is real, true love?
  • Is it a just a feeling?
  • Does it take work?
  • Can one “fall” in love?
  • Can one “fall” out of love?

As I read the article and realized the movie was nothing like the Carpenters real story, I could have been disappointed as she stated “I would love to say that I fell in love with him again because that’s what everybody wants to hear,” Krickitt said. “I chose to love him and that was based on obedience to God, not feelings … I chose to love him because I made a vow.”

This statement got a lot of flack in the comments to this article. I mean, why stick with someone you don’t love or don’t remember loving? God would understand if she didn’t even remember the guy. She’s doing a disservice to herself and her children by staying with someone she doesn’t love…..These are comments that I read over and over and it really saddened me.

Is that what many people think love is now? You get married and then when things get tough and you don’t “feel” in love anymore, you just move on to someone else? No wonder the divorce rate is so high! When you make a commitment, you don’t break it. It is not in God’s plan for couples to get divorced. In fact, he still considers them married  until one of them dies!!

“And he answered and said unto them, What did Moses command you? And they said, Moses suffered to write a bill of divorcement, and to put her away. And Jesus answered and said unto them, For the hardness of your heart he wrote you this precept. But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave unto his wife; and the twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” Mark 10:3-9

“And he said unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.” Mark 10:11,12

Kind of hard to argue with the above verses if you believe the Bible is God’s word.

So what is love then? Is it just a feeling as many want to believe? So many of us have fallen prey to the fairy tales and romance novels and movies. These stories are NOT real!

That doesn’t mean you can’t have a great love story, but it takes work. Ask any married couple that has been married for a long time (and loves each other) and they will tell you it takes work. That feeling of being in love is not always there. I think it’s better to say sometimes you don’t “like” your spouse, but you still love them if you’re willing to work through things.

My husband and I, for example, have been married for just about 12 years now. We’ve had 3 kids and have had lots of rough patches. After the “honeymoon” period was over, there were arguments, hurt feelings (usually mine), times of joy and peace, times of wanting to push him off the bed……Anyway, it was definitely a lot of roller coaster times through the first, probably 6-7 years. Seriously, I look back at that and think, wow….I mean it’s not like we didn’t love each other at all, because that’s what kept us going, but I’ve had so many times where I didn’t really “feel” in love with him. The fact that divorce is not an option and that we could see that those down times were only temporary and then at least for myself, realizing that many times those down times were because of my own bad attitude and selfishness and not following God’s word, and I’m sure he realizes the same about himself. It’s all part of 2 different people learning to become one and for some, that is easier than for others, but it all comes down to willingness to do it. For those couples that have an easier time putting away their pride and selfishness and giving over to their spouse, they will come to that point of oneness much sooner.

The last few years have been much smoother as far as feeling more “in love” more often and I feel that we are much closer now, though we still have a lot of work to do. But like I said, it all comes down to the willingness to put forth the effort and realize that if we put away the selfishness and pride, we can choose to be “in love” with each other.

What does God say about love?

“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

“And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8

God commands us to love each other so obviously, with his help, we can love even when we don’t “feel in love”, and that feeling of love will follow if we do it God’s way. If we love someone, we will overlook their faults. If I love my husband, I will get over it when he makes me upset. I’ll realize that maybe he’s having a bad day, or realize that I have my own faults, so why should I get so upset or hold a grudge over some stupid little thing he does or doesn’t do according to the way I want him to do it.

I’ve realized that I can stop being angry with him if I want to……It all comes down to a choice. Many don’t want to accept that, but it’s true. You can choose to be happy, you can choose to love your spouse even in the rough times, and that is what Mrs Carpenter chose to do.

I’m going to stop there and continue this in another post because I have more to say on the subject.

Please feel free to comment with your thoughts :)