what's up Wednesday

Never in my life have I been so thankful to be DONE with an election.  This has nothing to do with who won, just that I am ready for life to resume some sort of normalcy and the reading of everyone's gratitude posts on Facebook.  (Can we get back to that, please?  I haven't seen many of those yet this month.)  In light of that, enjoy a non political post today.

I might have overposted yesterday on all social media outlets, but it was a coping mechanism.  I love these words I read yesterday in my quiet time from Psalm 34.

I will praise the LORD at all times; His praise will always be on my lips.

Perfectly timed and fitting, right?

God is faithful and in control!

I saw someone post yesterday that she was logging off of all social media for the day and keeping busy around her house.  I didn't log off social media (the opposite happened, ha), but I did keep busy.  I had a wonderfully long quiet time and then I got busy on my house.  Well, the downstairs.  I thoroughly cleaned every nook and cranny downstairs and will resume today on the upstairs.  (The younger boys did clean the upstairs bathrooms, so all we have to do today is our own rooms, the hall and the playroom, and then we need to vacuum it all.)

While we cleaned, Graham and Drew worked for a neighbor.

I posted this picture of my clean kitchen, because I LOVE A CLEAN KITCHEN.

It's therapeutic, this business of cleaning a house.  And bonus: all my laundry got done!

That almost NEVER happens.

Jonah and Noah started painting these decorative blocks they're selling again.  They've had some people order some for Christmas gifts and needed to get started.  They're decorative wood blocks that can be painted the color of your choice and display a word written on them.  One friend ordered three last night with Faith, Hope, and Love.

If you're local and would like to purchase one or some, one is eight dollars or a set of three is twenty one.

Let me know!

They make really cute Christmas gifts.

The Lord has been dealing with me lately on the subject of trust.  I tend to be super fearful or full of anxiousness.  He keeps reminding me that I cannot both trust Him and be anxious at the same time.  Like the Bible reminds us of not being able to God and love money, these two cannot be done simultaneously.  Either I can trust Him or I can choose to not believe His word.

This all happened on the flight out of New York City heading into Dallas.

I prayed and confessed to God my struggle in this, and after repenting and surrendering this to Him, I can say that I have not struggled with this much since then.  Every few days or so, something might try to pop up, but I know that the enemy is real and he wants me to falter in my trust.  That's how he got Eve to eat the forbidden in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1) and it's how he often attacks us in our faith.

Every morning when I pray, I pray "on" my spiritual armor.

In Ephesians 6:11, Paul tells us to "Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil."

He goes on to say this in verses 12-13:

"For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.  This is why we must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand."

I read somewhere this thought: what if our prayers are what is holding back the evil spiritual forces in the heavens?

And what if, by us NOT PRAYING, evil prevailed?

Well, the world is already evil and was since sin entered in, but what if MORE evil prevailed?  Ever heard of Sodom and Gomorrah?  God could not find even TEN who were righteous.

If that place was that evil then, and we see the evil around us now, think about how much more evil things could be.  God has not destroyed our place of living, for one thing, so that should be a good indication.  Not that He couldn't, but He is always faithful to show us His mercy.

All of what I've written above are why I love the quote I saw last night from Dave Willis.  The Lord God is always with us, those of us who believe in Him, and no matter what the media says or the world around us does, I take comfort in the fact that I can trust in Him.

I love Proverbs 3:5 and 6.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths.

So, I went to bed at nine thirty last night.  I kept on waking up in the middle of the night, wondering about the election, and I woke up for the last time at three thirty this morning.  After getting up and sitting in the dark looking at my phone, finally at three fifty five, I got out of bed and came downstairs.  The coffee pot wasn't scheduled to brew until six, so rather than keep having to turn it off and back on to keep it hot, I brewed my morning java in the Keurig.

Then I sat down (very quietly, because I didn't want the dogs to think it was time to come out and play) and spent the next two hours with God.  I prayed and praised and soaked up His word.  I wrote in my journal a lot.  (I have done that A LOT this week, partly because I have a nice new journal.)  Five or six chapters of Psalms and six journal pages later, I got my second cup of coffee and came to get on the computer.

My to do list is growing for today.  I am meeting my dear friend to pray this morning, I need to make a Target and possible Lifeway run, then I'm getting my hair done at three thirty this afternoon.  I still need to clean the upstairs and do laundry, because tonight I need to pack my suitcase.  Did I mention I'm going to Denver with Mom for five days?  I leave bright and early in the morning and will return Tuesday night.  I'll be more excited after I've said my goodbye's.  I HATE SAYING GOODBYE.

I'll be back on the blog Wednesday.

Love to all!