Saturday, August 25, 2012

Words

1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Psalm 64:3  
They sharpen their tongues like swords
    and aim cruel words like deadly arrows.

What I am supposed to do with my words (encourage) what I probably do with my words (arrows). I'm not perfect and will never be.  I loose my cool and can fly of the handle sometimes. And when I do that, the only person that is winning is Satan. And I know I don't want to be on that team. I don't want my words or actions to be swords and cruel arrows. I want them to be full of encouragement and love. And some days it's more a struggle than others to watch my tongue from turning into cruel arrows. And then the list begins: Days when things aren't going my way, I wake on the wrong side of the bed, sleepless nights with early mornings, blood sugars acting crazy, headaches, just not feeling well, kids fighting, kids not listening, stressed out, not checking things off the to do list, and so on and so on. That list can sprout wings and keep on moving until I can snap. Or I use this list as an excuse to act the way I do or say what I do.  And yes, I am guilty of that, just snapping.  I give in to the sin of losing my self control and anger and loose tongue. And that list of cruel arrows can  make me forget that I am here to encourage others. And in reality that is how Satan works, he finds that little thing that will make you explode and then fans the flames until all control is lost. And he sits back and smiles. And you know what God is still right beside me, whispering in my head: chill out, calm down, watch what you say or do. And loving me the whole time. And you know who hates that, yup Satan. He hates that after I loose it and have remorse for what I did wrong, I go ask for forgiveness from who I did wrong to and from God too. And God is there to forgive me, when I ask. 
1 John 1:9 states that ~ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. No this doesn't mean I should just keep commiting the same sin over and over. But that I should be learning from it and not do it again. So I should make sure that the words coming out my mouth are to build others up and not tear them down. I need to remember I wouldn't like it if it was the other way around. And that I would probably ,okay, I would strike back, if the shoe was on the other foot. Then it turns into a big fire that once was just a spark. Some words hurt and destroy other people and other words can build up and encourage people. I know if I was told all the time I wasn't good then I would start believing that and never believe when I was told otherwise. And when I am encouraged I keep doing my best.
So what does you words do? Are they building or cruel arrows?

hugs and prayers~ KMS 

Monday, August 20, 2012

A Day of Flowers

Day 17 ~ 3 Gifts in the morning: coffee made by Amos this morning, friends you come over to help fix something that is broken, Flower arrangement for my Dad's grave made by me
Day 18 ~ 3 Gift Red, Read, Written:  Red~ Red roses I put in a log for my Dad's grave today, Read~ Verses of the Bible to inspire me, Written~ this Joy Dare- making me think of more than 3 things God has given me- all the Blessing and learning
Day 19 ~  3 Gifts in Church: Tom and Pat Brown- holding my babies each week of theirs lives and being Wonderful Godparents to them, growing up hearing my Dad lead the singing, Friends at church that have become our family
Day 20~ 3 Gifts in Serving: my family packing food in backpacks for kids at school who only get food during the week while at school, pulling things out of my closet for women who may use it, projects that we can do as a family for others



This weekend was a emotional roller-coaster for my family. We went to decoration at Crain Hill where my Daddy was buried this past December 14, 2011. Several of his family- parents, his grandparents, aunts and uncles- is buried there also. It was hard trying to figure out what to do- flowers, yes or no and then what kind. So many questions that you never seem to be ready to answer. I wanted what ever I did to represent my Daddy and not just something to just put there. While D and I talked about what to do, I told him I wanted to use a log of some sort. My Daddy was a logger his whole life and Loved being in the woods cutting trees. D said he would drill holes into a cedar log we had here at the house and we could add flowers to it that a way. Perfect combing two things my Daddy loved logs and using cedar to whittle. So I added some red and white roses into a log "vase" to put onto my Daddy's grave. making this arrangement gave me lots of emotions and peace too.


  
The cool thing about cedar logs are they don't rotten. They stand up through lots of stuff. Kind of like my Daddy, strong. So to me that was a perfect fit. Not only did I make a n arrangement for my Daddy but also for my grandparents, Thurman and Ella along with my grandmothers parents. I can remember my granny E telling me she was afraid when she went to heaven that no one would put flowers on her parents grave. So I guess I took that banner up. I believe it's important to remember the ones that have went on before us and tell their story too. And even put flowers on their grave as a honor thing even if they will fade.

It was really hard to be around my Daddy's side of the family without him. I don't see them that often. But I want my kids to know them. I want them to be able to tell my kids stories of my Daddy when he was younger. And it was a good thing to have them there for support. We were all missing my Daddy. He was a Loved man.

 
 Psalms 74:5 A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees.
This verse reminds me of my Daddy. Lifting an axe upon a tree. Love you Daddy and you are missed with every breath that I take.
                                              hugs and prayers~ KMS

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Joy Dare~ Gifts from God

So I've been reading this book titled, One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to LIVE FULLY Right Where You Are, by Ann VosKamp. I've only read half of it so far. There is so much in it that I need time to take in what I am reading. I have also underlined several things. It has made me stop and think of where I am in my life and where I am going. It has made me look at the JOY I have in my life each and every day. And to count EVERY Blessing God has given me and my family. Every month Mrs. Ann post a monthly calendar filled with Gifts 3 a day on her blog, http://www.aholyexperience.com/. For the last several months I have made a copy of this calendar and each month it gets lost in the paper on my desk and I forget. Well this month, August, I finally left it out where I can see it. Front and center, no turning back. And I have been posting these gifts has my status on Facebook. Have I kept up doing it, actually Yes, I have only missed a couple of days of writing them as my status but the days I haven't wrote them I have thought about them. Instead of sharing them I have stored them in my memory bank. So now that I have this blog, I will be putting them on here. So I can go back and see when I get down and out and see how much I am truly Loved by God. So here is the list for the month of August so far...............
Day 1 ~ 3 Gifts white: a blank sheet of paper, Kleenex, a cold glass of milk. 
Day 2 ~  3 Gifts from God: 3 Gifts Eaten: Oreos, homemade salsa, popcorn~
Day 3 ~ 3 Gifts at 10am, 1pm, 10pm: hugs from Isaiah, phone call, sleep~
Day 4 ~ 3 Gifts sitting: watching Saturday morning cartoon with the kids, sitting enjoying a cup of coffee, sitting watching the kids play
Day 5 ~ 3 Gifts outside, inside, upside down: Rain falling, worshiping at church, and kids turning life upside down in a good way :)

Day 6 ~ 3 Gifts in Water from God: the rivers and ponds I fished in with my Dad, my ice cold cup of  water, and my hot shower of the day
Day 7 ~  3 Gifts in His word: unconditional love, forgiveness, eternal life
Day 8 ~  3 Gifts of Summer: all the kids at home, cookouts with Family and Friends, a yummy food from our garden
Day 9 ~ A Gift Hole, Whole, Half....... Hole~ The hole I dig when I plant something to watch it grow or to be able to eat, Whole~ my life that is Full, Half~ Daniel as my half, I couldn't be the Mom or Wife I am with out him. So I guess together we are a Whole~ we complete each other
So I stopped writing them on the 10th through the 15th day but I did say, Thank you Lord for them, in my head and out loud. 
Day 16 ~ 3 Gifts of Family: Daniel- my Fireman- he keeps me grounded, my Kids- my laughter every day, my Parents- my Dad who was always in my corner and my Mom who is a Rock- they showed what true marriage vows mean.

By just counting 3 Gifts a day has shown me there is more to my day. It makes me want to be a better Wife, Mother, and Friend. And It is really hard to stop at 3. Lucky for me there is no rule in just counting 3 a day, just a start to make you think. If you are feeling down and out of sorts, take the Joy Dare of 3 Gifts and see how truly Blessed you are!

I will keep posting my list if not every day at least once a week. 

hugs and prayers~ KMS

Wednesday, August 15, 2012


  To serve: what does that mean.?.?.? I serve breakfast, lunch, and supper along with a few snacks a day. I serve clean clothes. I serve dishes. I serve one toy after the other and sometimes the same toy more than once. I serve Veggie Tales from the garden and then store them for the winter. I serve tables, chairs, counter tops, cabinets' and even dirty faces. I serve toliets and showers and sometimes the windows. I serve to and from school. I serve to and from church. I serve making drinks for my family. I serve bringings snacks for the team. I serve going to sports. I serve the compute, books, and games. Day in day out, everyday. So who do I serve: me, things, or God??? I really try and serve God but sometimes, okay a lot of times, I serve myself. What can I get out of this....... A full belly, being well dressed, giving my kids their own desires, more filling the belly, clean places to sit and fill my belly, keeping the house smelling good(even in a house full of boys) making sure my kids are learning every day things, doing my part of the team, gaining some type of knowledge even if it's not good or useful, making sure I don't get thirsty, and that others are teaching my kids about God. These are great things for my family But do I put God into these ordinary things of my life????
    I need to and make sure God is put first and center in all these things.  Because I was made to serve him not things. I need to step back and reorganize my priorities.   I need to remember that God wants me to have a relationship with him.  That I need to serve him in ALL things even the day to day tasks of my life.  I need to remember that even if I don’t want to really do something then I probably still should because it’s truly All for him. So I need to step out of my comfort zone a little or a Lot! And make sure my Bible isn’t just collecting dust. I read this the other day and it stated…..   It may be a little uncomfortable at first but I would have to say, neither is hanging on a cross. If He can do that for us, I believe I can do this for Him. Makes you think.?.? 
     So how will I serve God???? First I need to remember  that  I am doing it for his glory, as stated in Colossians 3:23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. Do I think it will always be roses, no? Do I think I will always do it without complaining, no? But I do know that I still need to try. And keep trying. And keep trying. And that, “All things are Possible through Christ our Lord.” And I need to serve not things but people with God’s love most of all. So that others can see Jesus, not look me and what I can do.  And I need to get uncomfortable to find my true comfort.
So where will I serve Him at today????? How will I Let God use me??

Ephesians 6:7
  Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people

Welcome to Our Place

A new adventure for me. What our family is all about....... Adventure! Just a place to put some thoughts and emotions into one place instead of scattered around. A place for the kids to look back on and see how life can be in a Full house. A place to keep memories. A place to show our faith. A place for God to dwell in words. A place of new starts and endings. A place of Adventure! Sit back and relax and pull up a chair for Our Family Adventure. Welcome to Snyderwood!