Saturday, April 28, 2012
Counsel
I am in I Kings in my daily Bible reading. Today I read I Kings 12-13. One of the things the Lord has been showing me in my Bible reading is seek counsel. We don't know everything there is to know. Other people have gone through things and can help us sort out some of the things we are going through. Get counsel!!!
Today in my reading the Lord showed me some things about counsel.
I Kings 12 is about Rehoboam, Solomon's son. Rehoboam has just become king. His "subjects" come to him and say, "Your dad was a rough king. Give us a break and we will be your servants." (my version). Rehoboam wisely tells them to come back in three days so he can think about it. During these three days Rehoboam gets counsel.
Rehoboam starts out right. He goes to the older, wiser men who counseled his father, Kind Solomon...the wisest man who ever lived...good choice, Rehoboam. I Kings 12:7 gives their answer, "...If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever." Isn't that what Rehoboam wanted? I guess the process of getting to having loyal servants was the hard part. It says there that Rehoboam would have to be a servant first before he would have loyal servants...he would have to be humble before his subjects before they would give him their heart, love and servitude. Rehoboam apparently didn't care for this advice. He was the king after all. Why would he serve the people? They should be serving him.
What happens now? Verse 8, "But he forsook the counsel of the old men...and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him..." So, now he didn't like the older, wiser counsel so he goes to his friends and says, "What counsel give ye that we may answer this people?" In verse 10, his friends basically tell him, "Make it hard for these people. They thought your dad was tough! Just wait. they haven't seen bondage and servitude." (my version, again).
Rehoboam has his counsel. What does he choose? Verse 13 tells us that he forsook the counsel of the old men. The result...The people reject David's (Rehoboam's grandpa) house from being king (verse 19). Israel is now going to have a man named Jeroboam for a king. There is more to the story, but I really want to focus on the fact that Rehoboam didn't listen to the counsel of the older men. What does this teach us? Seek counsel among the elders
BUT...
Then I continued my reading in I Kings 13. The people of Israel have rejected Rehoboam from being king and established Jeroboam to be king. (You really need to read this for yourself.) Chapter 13 opens with a man of God coming out of Judah to prophesy to King Jeroboam. It is important what he said, but I can't go into all the details because I don't have time to write a book. Anyway, Jeroboam has made idols and has the people worshipping them and the prophet comes and speaks against Jeroboam (see chapter 13:1-11).
I am going to switch our focus from King Jeroboam to the prophet. Here comes this prophet. God has not only given him what to say, but He has given him some other instructions. Verses 7 tells us, "And the king (Jeroboam) said unto the man of God, Come home with me, and refresh thyself, and I will give thee a reward." The man of God answers him in verses 8-9, "If thou give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I eat...nor drink...For so it was charged me by the Lord..." The next verse tells us this man leaves "another way."
Something interesting happens next. Verses 11-13 tell us there was an old Prophet...old, elderly, older and wiser?...in Bethel (where all this is taking place). His sons tell him about the man of God who came and prophesied to Jeroboam. Their father then sets out to find this other prophet. The older prophet finds the prophet and in verse 15 we see he says, "...come home with me, and eat."
In verse 16 the prophet tells the older prophet (I should give them names it would be easier) that God told him not to eat and stuff in that place(vs, 16-17). Now pay attention to the next verse. Verse 18...the older prophet is speaking...you really need to pull out your Bible and read this yourself...the older prophet says, "I am a prophet...an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house...But he lied unto him." Wait a minute!!! I thought this was the older, wise man...the older, wiser counsel. I won't take the time to tell all that happens you can read it for yourself in I Kings 13...basically this younger prophet is killed by a lion. WHY???? He listened to the older, wiser prophet.
Ok, Lord, I am confused. First Rehoboam rejects the older, wiser counsel and he is rejected from being Israel's king. Now the prophet listens to the older, wiser counsel and he is killed by a lion.
Remember I said in a previous post I read a Proverb daily. Well, today I read Proverbs 28. Verse 5 says, "Evil men understand not judgement: but they that seek the Lord understand all things."
"They that SEEK the Lord" I get it, Lord!!! What was missing? The seeking the Lord part. Neither Rehoboam nor the prophet sought GOD's Counsel. Counsel is good. But seeking the Lord is where it is at. What does HE say about our situation? Is the counsel we are receiving in line with HIS word or are we "leaning to our own understanding." Choosing what we want and how we think things should be handled instead of seeking what God wants us to do. Seek counsel. Seek counsel from the older and wiser...even seek it from your friends. BUT ultimately we must filter it through God's counsel. Remember, Proverbs 19:21, "...nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand."
I know this is kind of long. I again say this is a personal blog. It is for me. I can keep my thoughts here. If someone reads it and gets a blessing...well...Praise the Lord!!! If not, God showed this to me. It was for me. We have a God that wants to speak to us, use us and have a relationship with us. Take some time today to see what He has for you. This was for me, but I know he has something for you.
Seek Him today.
Di
Friday, April 27, 2012
Guest Post by WD-Take Your Child to Work Day
Today I have a guest blogger. WD wrote a post about his experience at the hospital with Dad for Take Your Child to Work Day. He and dad had a great time as you will read. He also had fun with his cousin who went to work with Grandpa for the day. Dad and Grandpa work at the same hospital. Thanks for being a "guest poster" on my blog WD.
April 26, 2012
Today was take your child to work day. Dad took me with him to work!! We inspected a machine that measures your blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature. We also worked on a thermometer that was electric, a blood warmer, and a feeding pump. My Grandpa called us and said that life star had landed. We went up a little while later. I got my picture taken in front of it. A man told us what you do a in hospital if their is a fire. We saw its generators, one was a BULLDOZER engine!!!!!!! I also saw where the OR is. My dad gave me an ECG. I had wires going under my shirt. What was really cool was that I got to go in an ambulance!!!!!!:):):):):)
April 26, 2012
Today was take your child to work day. Dad took me with him to work!! We inspected a machine that measures your blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature. We also worked on a thermometer that was electric, a blood warmer, and a feeding pump. My Grandpa called us and said that life star had landed. We went up a little while later. I got my picture taken in front of it. A man told us what you do a in hospital if their is a fire. We saw its generators, one was a BULLDOZER engine!!!!!!! I also saw where the OR is. My dad gave me an ECG. I had wires going under my shirt. What was really cool was that I got to go in an ambulance!!!!!!:):):):):)
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Thoughts from Proverbs 19
I read a Proverb everyday in my daily Bible reading. The following verses really stood out to me today. I have a few comments, but mostly wanted readers to plainly see the Word of God for themselves. Because this blog is kind of a personal blog it is a good place for me to put things the Lord has shown me.
Proverbs 19:19, "A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment: for if thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again."
Proverbs 19: 20, "Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end."
I need wisdom and where does that come from...getting counsel...counsel from godly friends and family...counsel primarily from the Word of God. Notice it doesn't just say "hear counsel." It also says, "receive instruction." Anyone can hear something, but receiving requires moving if you will. I can hear it, but I don't have to act upon it. When I receive godly counsel and instruction I must act on it. Why? So I can have wisdom in my "latter end."
Proverbs 19:21, "There are many devices in a man's heart: nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand."
I wish I could tell you how much I needed this verse today. Proverbs 3:5 says, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart: and lean not unto thine own understanding." (emphasis added...I am supposed to say that right? :) ) Lean not unto my own understanding. I have many devices in my heart. I have my own understanding of how things should be. My own plans and purposes. My own ways. BUT Proverbs 19:21 tells us the Lord's counsel shall stand. What is the Lord's counsel? Where do we find it? His holy, pure, and perfect word. (see Pr. 30:5, Ps. 12:6, Ps. 119:140). I might not always understand what the Lord is doing or how His plan works, but His counsels are right and in the end they "shall stand."
Proverbs 19:23, "The fear of the Lord tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied, he shall not be visited with evil."
I don't want to be visited with evil. Do I deserve evil? Yes. Do I fear the Lord as I should? No. Do I want life? Yes. Why not just fear the Lord then since it tendeth to life? My flesh. My flesh needs to be subdued. (I Cor. 6:12). A great book for ladies regarding the flesh...other than the Bible, of course...is Having a Mary Spirit by Joanna Weaver. WARNING: The author does not use the King James Bible, so you will have to read this with your Bible open beside it...do it...it is worth reading every scripture.
Proverbs 19:26 and 27, "He that wasteth his father, and chaseth away his mother, is a son that causeth shame, and bringeth reproach. Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge."
Cease. Stop. Psalm 1...don't walk in the ungodly's way...get away...don't look that way...Pr. 4:14-15...run...avoid it. In the end you will be like a tree planted by the water. What is the water? God's word. Isn't that my goal? To be a christian with depth. Sometimes pushing my roots through the dirt is slow, hard work, but that is what I want...to be grounded in God's word. Then when the winds of life blow and the storms come I won't be moved because my roots are deep. How deep are my roots now? I think maybe I just barely sprouted.
Proverbs 19:19, "A man of great wrath shall suffer punishment: for if thou deliver him, yet thou must do it again."
Proverbs 19: 20, "Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end."
I need wisdom and where does that come from...getting counsel...counsel from godly friends and family...counsel primarily from the Word of God. Notice it doesn't just say "hear counsel." It also says, "receive instruction." Anyone can hear something, but receiving requires moving if you will. I can hear it, but I don't have to act upon it. When I receive godly counsel and instruction I must act on it. Why? So I can have wisdom in my "latter end."
Proverbs 19:21, "There are many devices in a man's heart: nevertheless the counsel of the Lord, that shall stand."
I wish I could tell you how much I needed this verse today. Proverbs 3:5 says, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart: and lean not unto thine own understanding." (emphasis added...I am supposed to say that right? :) ) Lean not unto my own understanding. I have many devices in my heart. I have my own understanding of how things should be. My own plans and purposes. My own ways. BUT Proverbs 19:21 tells us the Lord's counsel shall stand. What is the Lord's counsel? Where do we find it? His holy, pure, and perfect word. (see Pr. 30:5, Ps. 12:6, Ps. 119:140). I might not always understand what the Lord is doing or how His plan works, but His counsels are right and in the end they "shall stand."
Proverbs 19:23, "The fear of the Lord tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied, he shall not be visited with evil."
I don't want to be visited with evil. Do I deserve evil? Yes. Do I fear the Lord as I should? No. Do I want life? Yes. Why not just fear the Lord then since it tendeth to life? My flesh. My flesh needs to be subdued. (I Cor. 6:12). A great book for ladies regarding the flesh...other than the Bible, of course...is Having a Mary Spirit by Joanna Weaver. WARNING: The author does not use the King James Bible, so you will have to read this with your Bible open beside it...do it...it is worth reading every scripture.
Proverbs 19:26 and 27, "He that wasteth his father, and chaseth away his mother, is a son that causeth shame, and bringeth reproach. Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge."
Cease. Stop. Psalm 1...don't walk in the ungodly's way...get away...don't look that way...Pr. 4:14-15...run...avoid it. In the end you will be like a tree planted by the water. What is the water? God's word. Isn't that my goal? To be a christian with depth. Sometimes pushing my roots through the dirt is slow, hard work, but that is what I want...to be grounded in God's word. Then when the winds of life blow and the storms come I won't be moved because my roots are deep. How deep are my roots now? I think maybe I just barely sprouted.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Low-Fat Italian Dressing
Salad is a staple in my home and my diet. I love to get a nice spring mix or baby romaine with spinach. Sometimes I like just plain romaine or artisan mix lettuce. I top my salads with apples and walnuts or cheddar cheese; chicken; black beans and corn; almonds and dried cranberries; and lots of veggies. But salad isn't salad to me without the dressing.
Growing up...and while pregnant for one of my kids...French was my favorite. That changed to Ranch or Italian when I grew up. I gave up Ranch for the most part because of how bad it is for you...not just the fat content, but the other yucky stuff in it like MSG. I don't care for the natural Ranches because I don't like mayo and they seem to have a mayo taste. Then I switched to Balsamic. I love the sweetness of balsamic. Being on a hypoglycemic diet I am supposed to reduce my sugar so that counts that out. My new favorite has been Newman's Own Olive Oil and Vinegar. The vinegar flavor is mild...which I like...it is natural...I can clearly read all the ingredients...and there is no added sugar...a plus for me as I avoid white sugar. It does have a higher fat content, so that really limits how much I can use.
Recently, I have become very diligent (again!) about what I eat. I am really trying to get the weight off. So far I have lost about 8-10 pounds. I also feel terrible when I eat too much and things I am not supposed to eat...Duh! I found a low fat Italian dressing on Taste of Home.com. Of course, I can't ever make a recipe without changing it. So here you will find my modification to the recipe.
Low Fat Italian Dressing
5 Tbl. thawed apple juice concentrate
1/8 cup Bragg's apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp each onion powder, ground mustard, dried oregano, dried basil, salt
Combine all ingredients in an jar with a tight fitting lid (an old vinegar bottle works great!!). Chill several hours or overnight. Shake well before serving. Yield 3/4 cup.
This was really yummy!!!! It is a great substitute for Balsamic Vinaigrette...probably could use balsamic instead of cider vinegar. Next time I may reduce the apple juice to 3 TBL and use 2 TBL water. It was a little sweet, but I like it...my sweet tooth coming out. The recipe doesn't call for oil, but oil definitely can be added. I am going low fat and am not a big olive oil fan, so I will keep it how it is. I am excited because now I can have as much salad as I want WITH dressing and not have to worry too much about it.
If anyone has any other HEALTHY low fat/low sugar dressing recipes I would love to hear them.
Enjoy!
Di
Growing up...and while pregnant for one of my kids...French was my favorite. That changed to Ranch or Italian when I grew up. I gave up Ranch for the most part because of how bad it is for you...not just the fat content, but the other yucky stuff in it like MSG. I don't care for the natural Ranches because I don't like mayo and they seem to have a mayo taste. Then I switched to Balsamic. I love the sweetness of balsamic. Being on a hypoglycemic diet I am supposed to reduce my sugar so that counts that out. My new favorite has been Newman's Own Olive Oil and Vinegar. The vinegar flavor is mild...which I like...it is natural...I can clearly read all the ingredients...and there is no added sugar...a plus for me as I avoid white sugar. It does have a higher fat content, so that really limits how much I can use.
Recently, I have become very diligent (again!) about what I eat. I am really trying to get the weight off. So far I have lost about 8-10 pounds. I also feel terrible when I eat too much and things I am not supposed to eat...Duh! I found a low fat Italian dressing on Taste of Home.com. Of course, I can't ever make a recipe without changing it. So here you will find my modification to the recipe.
Low Fat Italian Dressing
5 Tbl. thawed apple juice concentrate
1/8 cup Bragg's apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp each onion powder, ground mustard, dried oregano, dried basil, salt
Combine all ingredients in an jar with a tight fitting lid (an old vinegar bottle works great!!). Chill several hours or overnight. Shake well before serving. Yield 3/4 cup.
This was really yummy!!!! It is a great substitute for Balsamic Vinaigrette...probably could use balsamic instead of cider vinegar. Next time I may reduce the apple juice to 3 TBL and use 2 TBL water. It was a little sweet, but I like it...my sweet tooth coming out. The recipe doesn't call for oil, but oil definitely can be added. I am going low fat and am not a big olive oil fan, so I will keep it how it is. I am excited because now I can have as much salad as I want WITH dressing and not have to worry too much about it.
If anyone has any other HEALTHY low fat/low sugar dressing recipes I would love to hear them.
Enjoy!
Di
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Is it April already?????
Where did March go? I was just posting my March Resolutions, wasn't I? As I was washing the bathroom floor I realized we are in April and I have not written a post about my April Resolutions. I guess that is because I don't have any. March was a rough month on so many levels. I did a terrible job keeping my previous resolutions and barely did any of March's resolutions.
So...my April resolution is simply...
GET BACK ON TRACK!
That is the good thing about focusing on a month at a time. Each new month is a new start...mentally anyway...except for when you miss the beginning of the month and don't realize it until 5 days in...anyway...I am going to be working on getting myself back in order.
Next week we have our church's anniversary celebration. It is a week of special evening services...with preaching and singing. In addition to that my hubby will be on call during the night for work. It will be a busy week!!!
Yesterday I spent almost the entire morning ironing clothes for all of us (except LE...her clothes rarely need ironing...yay!!!) to wear to each service...that is about 22 outfits...not fun, but I will be thankful next week. Today I am trying to completely clean the house and maybe get a few meals together. I am hopeful this will help get me back on track with my 10 minute chores, exercises and such.
One thing that has been going well is my diet. There hasn't been much weight loss which is discouraging. The encouraging part is the way I feel...so much better when I eat right.
Well, I must sign off for now. LE got a Fancy Nancy book from the library and is making her room "Fancy" I need to go check and make sure "Fancy" isn't turning into "Messy." I am not sure I can take all this "poshness" ( You will have to read the book...posh is a fancy word for fancy). :)
Enjoy the day!
Di
So...my April resolution is simply...
GET BACK ON TRACK!
That is the good thing about focusing on a month at a time. Each new month is a new start...mentally anyway...except for when you miss the beginning of the month and don't realize it until 5 days in...anyway...I am going to be working on getting myself back in order.
Next week we have our church's anniversary celebration. It is a week of special evening services...with preaching and singing. In addition to that my hubby will be on call during the night for work. It will be a busy week!!!
Yesterday I spent almost the entire morning ironing clothes for all of us (except LE...her clothes rarely need ironing...yay!!!) to wear to each service...that is about 22 outfits...not fun, but I will be thankful next week. Today I am trying to completely clean the house and maybe get a few meals together. I am hopeful this will help get me back on track with my 10 minute chores, exercises and such.
One thing that has been going well is my diet. There hasn't been much weight loss which is discouraging. The encouraging part is the way I feel...so much better when I eat right.
Well, I must sign off for now. LE got a Fancy Nancy book from the library and is making her room "Fancy" I need to go check and make sure "Fancy" isn't turning into "Messy." I am not sure I can take all this "poshness" ( You will have to read the book...posh is a fancy word for fancy). :)
Enjoy the day!
Di
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