mid week happenings & such

This weekend is our Christmas program at church, and it runs for two nights.  If you're local to me, I hope to see you there!  It will be on Saturday and Sunday nights, at six p.m., both nights.  The reason I mention this is because practice starts tonight and will continue through Sunday.  Because of the busyness of the week, I decided to stay home on Monday night.  All the rest of my family was at the church, so I enjoyed a little peace and solitude.

Aka, I sat and watched three Hallmark Christmas movies and had a bowl of cereal for dinner.

It was a lovely night.

Last night, as an early birthday dinner, my sweet friend Andrea took me out for dinner.  That was so sweet of her and very unexpected.  We had a wonderful handful of hours together and caught up on each other's lives.  We also made a promise to get together more often.  It's hard to wife and mom and homeschool and stay caught up with friends.  Hopefully we can stick to our promise of getting together once a month in twenty sixteen.

When I left her at ten something, my family was still at church.  I ran and picked up Drew, Jonah and Noah, came home and got snacks and water for the guys still there and delivered them, then came back home.  We watched television for a bit before turning in for bed.  (With Callie having to be in her kennel when we're gone and at night, we have to let her stay out for a bit after she's been inside it for a few hours.)  We turned in, and shortly after that, Graham drove himself home.

This morning I woke up when Callie started crying, then came downstairs for coffee and my quiet time.  I read in Deuteronomy six.

I woke up with this passage on my heart.  I had a serious conversation with Graham last night, about his future, and about who I want him to be someday, as a man of God, a husband and a father.  (Not because he was in trouble or anything, but because we had a rare few minutes at home with nobody else around.)  I read an amazing article on relationships yesterday, and that prompted me to talk to him.  If you're interested, that article can be found here.  If you scroll all the way down, click next for the boy version.

I expect my boys to always be a man who prays, and who takes the initiative to pray.  I expect them to point their future wives to God, and to encourage them to be closer to Him than anyone else.  I also expect the same from them.  I expect them to challenge them to read their bibles, and to make that the first thing they do everyday themselves.  (They do this most days, forgetting some of the time.)  I want them to lead their future wives and to be the spiritual leaders in their homes.  I have prayed for their future wives ever since I had them, and I have always prayed that they would be this way in their lives and homes someday.

Because of our talk yesterday and because I was inspired by that article I read, I suppose that is why God had me in Deuteronomy six this morning.

I want to encourage you to read that chapter yourself, if you haven't ever or in a while.  If we don't teach our kids this, the world will have its way with them.  I am more and more aware of how careful we have to be in how we live, and how we are to be set apart.  The bible very clearly tells us in 2 Corinthians 6:17 and 18.

"Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a Father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty."

My take on that: BE SEPARATE.  We should look NOTHING like this world.

I am also more and more aware that sometimes a wolf can be disguised in sheep's clothing.  There are people who are influential in this world, in our culture, that are not quite who they seem to be.  These are people who are authors and speakers, whose books are sold in Christian bookstores across America.  I even have one such book.  I'll let you come to your own conclusions on who this person is, but just know this~she doesn't QUITE quote the word of God in her book.  She comes close, but I have had several checks in my spirit when I read something she wrote.

That little check I felt~I really believe that that is the Holy Spirit in me that is protecting me.  You have it, too, if you are a believer, and I'm sure you've felt something similar at some point in your life.

Pay attention to that, friends.  These people are tricky with their words, and they come so close to the word of God.  They know some of the scripture, but they misquote or misinterpret verses to make them say what they want instead of saying what God intended.  Study His word.  Know it, hide it in your hearts, and teach it to your kids.

We need to be able to recognize false prophets and false teachers when we see them.  But that is hard, if you don't know the word of God.

That is my public service announcement for this day: know the word of God.

Thanks for always reading.  Love to all.