life lately

Blogging lately has been kinda hit or miss.  One reason is because our computer is on its way out.  Even as I write this, there is a black box that never goes away to the right of where the content goes.  It's annoying. 

Also, I haven't really been doing a whole lot of exciting things, so there is always that.

One thing I've been doing a lot of, though, is reading.  I finished the book I was reading Sunday night and made a trip to my happy place yesterday, after my Costco trip.  I picked up several new books, because I never know if I'm going to love or hate one.  If I don't love the book, I just put put it down.  Who has time to read something they don't love?

Not me.

Also, I got some fun mail last week!

This is a book that releases on February 6.  Baker Publishing book sent me this book to read/review/and help launch.  The parts I've read already are HILARIOUS.  Think Melanie Shankle...Lincee's writing is very similar to Melanie's and equally as funny.

Lately, I've been craving Asian food.  Twice this week, I have had it.

Once when our new neighbors brought over this plate of deliciousness as a thank you for trying to help get their cat out of a tree, and then again when Todd and I went on a date Saturday night.

These were homemade, and fresh out of ... well, wherever she cooked them.

The sauce was sweet and sour, but I didn't eat any, because they didn't need to be dipped in anything.

Our date Saturday night ended at Lowe's.

We were picking out tile for our bathroom walls to surround our new tub (when we get it). 

My favorite thing by far, lately, was the women's conference at our church I attended this weekend.  It was the best we've ever had!  Kim Jaggers was the speaker, and she shared her powerful testimony, then admonished us according to what is written in the word of God.

A couple of things she said stuck out to me.  One was that there is NOTHING that happens to us that God doesn't use.  Whether a victory or a trial, He uses it all to His glory, for those of us who are believers. 

Another thing was that when she was trying to consistently be in God's word daily, she would pray and ask God to help her to crave Him and His word more than chocolate, which is her favorite food.  She encouraged us to do the same,  praying that we would crave God and His word more than whatever our strongest craving is.  I have prayed something similar for years now, asking that the Lord would let me hunger and thirst for His righteousness.  I promise that when you pray something like that, He will always answer.  The love I have for His word could only have come from Him. 

And I know I have said this before, but I will say it until I die.  If you're a believer on the fence about church attendance, may I please encourage you?  Just go.  Jump in.  I crave times like this weekend so much, friends, and I cannot imagine not having a church home.  Here is one small way how the enemy is tricky: he will convince you that you're just not going to go.  He always causes doubt.  He caused that in Eve, back in Genesis when he asked her, "Did God REALLY say...?" (Genesis 3:1).  DO NOT FALL FOR THE TACTICS OF THE ENEMY!

Get yourself up, and drive to church. 

He does the same thing in the lives of people who DO go to church.  Once you miss just one Sunday, it's easy to start missing every Sunday.  It's like a snowball effect.  One leads to two, two leads to four, and so on, until before you know it, it's been months since you've attended faithfully.  Going is a commitment.  It's not always easy.  And sometimes it is just a mindset that you force yourself to take hold of, no matter how you feel.  I'm not saying go if you have the flu, because please, none of us need extra germs.  But GO.  Every time you miss, the more it happens, the more the enemy is having his way with you.  My pastor says something along the same lines, admonishing us to not slip into summer mode when the warm weather hits, and that even when we want to go and do fun things for weekends in the summer, to always come back home for church on Sunday. 

Trust me, friends, I have been there.  Time and again I have been there.  I know it's not easy, but nothing worth gaining ever is.  Consider getting involved.  Join a  bible fellowship class on Sunday mornings, go on Wednesday nights, and aside from those times you spend in church, get involved in a bible study, listen to podcasts, meet with other believers.  When you do these things, you are fed so continually with the truth that is God's word, you just grow closer and closer to God.  We were never meant to walk through life alone.  We need each other, and the ones I need most are my like-minded women friends. 

Notice I said women... because when you get married, your closest friends should always be the same sex as you.  Otherwise is just not appropriate.  And as married women, we should NEVER EVER confide in things with a man.  And likewise for our married men.  I didn't mean to go here, but I'm thinking maybe someone needed to read this today, who may have been doing this.  Don't.  STOP.  That is another small way that the enemy sneaks into our marriages.  And I've been there.  My husband has been there.  Neither of us are perfect, and we've walked a slippery road, but God has been so good and so gracious to us!

One reward of being so heavily involved in church are the friendships you gain.  Last night the girls' ministry leaders met at my friend Abbey's house for dinner, encouragement, and a devotion.  As Abbey gave us a devotion type talk on Titus 2, I literally sat there and thanked God for the women that were sitting around me in her living room.  And some of them were not there, but I was thanking God for them, too.  When you are involved, you gain lifelong friendships.  Those ladies are my people, and they are the ones I know I could call on in one second, if I ever needed them.  They would all drop everything and run to help with whatever I needed.  We've done that for each other over the years, though, taking care of each other when the need arose.  We've prayed together, we have fed each other's families when they were sick or had surgery, and we have worshiped together. 

I like to say that God knits our hearts together with certain people.  As I sat in that room last night, I know that He did that with all of us.  Part of it is really great leadership at church, but mostly it's God.  He is so good. 

Well, I just looked at the time!  That went by fast and kinda took off on another course, but I trust that the Lord will use these words for someone who needs them today.  Thanks for reading another long blog post.  Love to all.