A new hobby?

We got the apartment! I'm so very excited. S/O is moving in now and I will after we get married but of course I will be spending a lot of time over there. As well as doing a ton of cooking. So I decided to make an apron.



That's the apron! But while doing this I stumbled upon something else that I didn't know I would enjoy doing. EMBROIDERY! I've never done it before, never even really thought about doing it; until today. I love it! I see how it could be relaxing and a tension reliever. Tonight I was in a bit of a hurry because I want to finish the apron but if I just work on an embroidery project I'll know to give myself time so I don't have to rush!

Here is a close up of what I did:



This was my first time ever so I'm pretty pleased with the turn out! I can't wait to start a new project.

Until next time...
Miss T

Under the weather..

I've been feeling a bit under the weather, but, I don't like to take medicine. I just don't like putting too many unnatural things in my body. After all it is my temple! I've been trying to get rest, which proves to be difficult with a very active 15 month old! I've been getting by though with the help of:



Homemade vegetarian chicken soup!

&



Cough drops

&


Delicious tea!




I stummbled across the cough drops and the tea while at a local grocery store searching for relief. To my delight they have both helped TREMENDOUSLY! Now if I could only stop sneezing!!!

Building for GOD'S GLORY!

This is the story of Laura and Caleb. They have been married for eight and a half years and have four children; Noah-7, Kayla-5, Lela-4, and Anna-7 months. With deputation starting in 2008 and mission work starting in 2009 this blessed family has been working hard to spread God's word and to build churches, right here in the sates! Although we often think of mission work as going to some third world country, there are lots of people right here in the U.S. that have either never heard the Gospel or just haven't heard it in a way that has touch their hearts. But God has a plan for those people too and someone must bring the message to them!

Laura's journey to the Lord began while at a church camp. Although she didn't know it at the time God was putting all the pieces together for her life.

When did you get saved? "When I was 13 at church camp. I had made a profession when I was 4 or 5 but I don't remember what I said or why, I just remember praying and my mom telling me I was saved. I started having doubts when I was ten, but I didn't get it settled until I was 13."

"After I was saved I was still a 'good' girl, I never got into boy trouble, didn't do drugs or smoke or alcohol. But I was rebellious in my spirit and attitude toward my parents. When I was 17 I surrendered my heart and my life toward the Lord and what He would have for me!"

Her Journey with Caleb started while attending Heartland Baptist Bible College in Oklahoma City. After meeting in college Caleb interned at Laura's church, it was here that they "became good friends, and it just kind of grew!" A year later in August of 2001 the couple was married! After about seven years of marriage Caleb dropped the bomb, God had some big plans for their family.

How did your husband tell you he wanted to be a missionary? "He had been working as a plumber's apprentice for almost two years. He came home one day really serious, and said we needed to talk. He told me that at lunch he was looking at the huge, grand hotel that his company was building. He said that the Lord spoke to him and said that there were people all over the world working to build things for man's glory and spending millions of dollars, but who was building churches for God's glory? It was then that he started thinking about working with New Testament Church Planters, USA."


Were you shocked or did you expect it? "I wasn't shocked at all. As soon as he said it, I knew it was right. I thought about all of the odd jobs he'd had since we'd been married and even before. It all made sense, the places God had, had us in, and the experiences we had both had."

Was it hard to get used to living some place different? "We are always moving, we never stay at one place for longer than three months. It's exciting to always be in a new place, meet new people, find where the Walmarts and thrift stores are! We get the itch to move every few months!"

What states have you traveled to? Which ones were your favorite? "We've been in the northwest, midwest and southwest. We've built in only Arkansas so far. It's a nice state, very beautiful! I don't know what my favorite state has been, but we had a good time in Arizona, we were in a lot of nice churches."


How did your family react to your husband's decision? "His family accepted it right away and were immediately behind us. My family has been a little bit more slow. Some don't understand what we're doing, some don't really care, and some have been really supportive."


What's your favorite thing about being a missionary or a pastor's wife? "Seeing the Lord work in our lives and providing for us. We got to work on building a parsonage from the ground up, and it was intoxicating, how thrilled the Pastor and his family was to see their new house being built! It's so exciting to see God working and moving, and putting things together. And I love my new family I have with NTCP. We take care of each other; physically, spiritually, and emotionally sometimes."

And lastly I have to ask, what is your favorite Bible verse? " I love the book of James, and I John 4. Thinking about God's love and what He does for us is overwhelming at times!"

I hope this story has touched you all as much as it has touched me. I love to hear about missionaries and others who are following God's command and spreading the Good News! Thank you Laura and Caleb for sharing your story and for "GOING" .

Still learning....

I've been doing a lot of reading lately. I like to read about being a godly woman, wife, and mother. Mostly about being a godly woman because I feel if you can get that down then the rest will follow. Unlike the rest of the wonderful young ladies whose blogs I have the pleasure of reading. I don't really have the luxury of being able to practice certain things that involve working on myself (my own fault I know). I am at the point where I must actually DO. I have my daughter who I love to pieces and wouldn't trade for anything, and I must train her "in the way that she should go". But, I don't really know what I'm doing. I have wonderful godly women at my church who help me. But, I need more guidance. I need a mentor. I wish my mom could be my mentor, but, she disagrees with my keeping a biblical life. Although she is active in her church she feels "the Bible is a very old book". That doesn't go very well with what I'm trying to establish for myself and my daughter. I started searching even more for God after my daughter was born. I realized I wasn't prepared to teach her how to be a lady. I knew that something was missing. Well now I know what that something was but now where do I go from here?

I'm the type of person who likes to just get to the end and I have a hard time enjoying the process. So I wonder if I'm just being hard on myself because I'm not progressing as I feel I should. Or if I'm really missing a step. It's hard to worry about it when she grabs my whole head just to kiss me on my cheek. But when she's not listening and it's time for discipline I wonder if I'm doing this whole motherhood thing right. Maybe I'm just being hard on myself tonight but this is just what's on my mind. I know the only thing I can do now is turn to the LORD.

Psalm 31:24 "Be of good courage, and HE shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD."

On my mind...

For a very long time it has been on my heart to study about the Hebrew roots of Christianity. As a Christian I accept that the Jews are the chosen people, but I also know their eyes are closed. That knowledge kind of kept me from actually doing any real digging. But then one day, the Lord showed me something. THERE ARE MESSIANIC JEWS! How delighted was I! There are Jews that KNOW and BELIEVE that JESUS CHRIST IS THE MESSIAH!!!! Praise GOD!

So now here I am, wondering what all this means for me. Can you be a Bible believer and ignore the commands of the old testament? I believe that sacrifices were nailed to cross but I do not believe laws were.

Example of instances in my life (prior to study of Hebrew roots):

1.)I am a vegetarian. Not because I think killing animals is wrong or because I am trying to "save the earth" but rather because there are certain laws that are laid out for slaughter.*leviticus 7:26-27 "Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings. 27 Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people."* This law, and others, are not followed in our society. Most meats sit in their blood until being sold, and then are cooked in its blood. So I do not eat meat. I do eat fish, but no crustaceans. Only fish with scales.*Leviticus 11:9-10 "These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat. 10 And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you"*

*Leviticus 20:25 "Ye shall therefore put difference between clean beasts and unclean, and between unclean fowls and clean: and ye shall not make your souls abominable by beast, or by fowl, or by any manner of living thing that creepeth on the ground, which I have separated from you as unclean"* I know that some animals are "clean beasts" but I want to be sure. This is something that I haven't done a HUGE study on but I have prayed on it, and are the wishes of S/O who I must trust to be my spiritual leader, since he will be my husband. I'm not sure he would give you such a detailed explanation because these are customs he was raised with.(I was vegetarian before I met him, but then my family told me I would never find a husband. So I switched back to meat. Then as I was transitioning back to vegetarian I met S/O. Isn't God just so wonderful like that? HE knows everything, and lines things up perfectly!)



2.) I am dresses only. This is something S/O mentioned early on in our relationship, and I ignored him. But now a few years later the Lord placed it on my heart and S/O couldn't be happier about it. (I love how he cares about what goes on with me)
*Dueteronomy 22:5 "The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God."*

If I follow these things why not the rest? now obviously I'm not going to go about stoning people. *John 8:7 "So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her"* That clears that up! But what about other thing? My next step is to study the holidays (or Holy Days) of the OT. If God wants me to celebrate why not celebrate?

As I continue on the journey to please the LORD, I have found that checking things against the New Testament help tremendously. But that the New Testament does not replace the old. Rather it only makes the Old Testament stronger and more important! I do not strive to do these things in order to gain salvation or to assist with my salvation. But, rather, to honor such a loving GOD that PROVIDES my salvation!



May all the honor and Glory be to God!

My Skirt!

I've been working on my sewing and have finally found a skirt pattern I like and can complete! So I decided I must share!



...Front view


Side view....



I'm very excited about this creation! I've attempted to make a few others but this one actually came out like it was supposed to. It took me about two hours over the course of the day, and was well worth the effort. I would like to make a few more out of this pattern but we'll see how that goes. I got the material (and pattern) from Jo-Ann Fabrics. The pattern was on sale for I think $3! and the material was reasonably priced. I spent less than $20 for the material and pattern, which is a great deal because most nice long skirts cost more than $20. But aside from the deal I very much enjoy sewing. I feel a certain inner peace when I'm at my sewing machine. It's a great skill to learn, as well as, a fun hobby!

It's been awhile

So I've been a way for awhile because I've had writer's block. I just haven't had a clue of what to write about(I still don't as I write this but I'm allowing the Lord to lead me)

I'll start with what's been going on with me. I've gotten back on track with getting my doula certification! I called and I'm going to be able to attend the workshop I need at a discounted rate! Praise GOD! I didn't think I would be able to get my certification, but now all I have to do is get all my reading done and attend the workshop before I can attend births! I am very excited!

I've also been working on getting our master schedule fixed to actually go along with our routine and to make sure that I get everything done. I've been attempting to fix my homemakers binder so that it actually helps with where we are now. It wasn't exactly designed to help with us not living in the same place, but, I'm almost there.

Another big thing is that we've been looking for a place (for S/O right now and me after marriage). We've seen some TERRIBLE places but we did find one we really liked and we'll see how that goes. This has led to us having a VERY scaled down Valentine's day. Nothing big at all. It's looking like we'll have lunch and S/O will be going in to work to try to get some extra money and I will be going to church. I'm glad I'll get to go to church but I wish he was going with me.

All of these different things going on only remind me that none of it could be possible with out GOD. I need Him in my life, with out him I'd be nothing but a sinner. There are times when I want to do things my way but then I am quickly reminded that GOD's way is so much better. He knows my past, present, and future. He knows what is best for me and if I could only learn to ALWAYS trust Him my life would be so much better. I know it won't always be easy. But my goal is to KNOW with everything in me that I can trust GOD, that He alone is all that I need to do, or be, anything. Alone I am weak, but, with GOD I am made strong.
Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through CHRIST which strengtheneth me."


I thank my Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST for coming to earth for sinners like me!

Love not sleep...

Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread. Proverbs 20:13

The Lord led me to this verse, although, I didn't know I needed it! I was addicted to sleep. I would always try to hang on to the last few minutes, always try to squeeze out just a little bit more shut eye. To the point of running late, and neglecting certain duties. I would pass over cleaning for sleeping. If my daughter was sleeping, I may do a little reading or something and then curl up right next to her and sleep. I could sleep for hours at a time. If I didn't have a child I might sleep away life. I think its a coping mechanism. I'm not 100% happy with my current situation and I think sleeping it away seemed to make it better. But the Lord says, "Love not sleep..." So now what do I do? As a Christian I strive to have a personal walk with God, where His will is my will. I strive to be so submissive to the Lord that He would only have to nod His head and I would know exactly what to do and when. As soon as I saw this verse my first thought was UH-OH!

In the past week or so (prior to reading this verse) I had been to the point of waking up and praying for God to help me get up out of bed, and get on with my day. So I think I might of pushed it a bit and needed something to hit me hard. My current goal is to get up when my alarm clock goes off. With no groaning or fussing. I think it would help if I have things to motivate me so I have a few projects I'm working on.

1.) Bible time with my Daughter
2.) A new skirt (since the other one came out terribly)
3.) My homemakers binder
4.) Cleaning
5.) Organizing
6.) Putting more time in to homeschooling (my daughter is 14 months so I have time)
7.) Child Training

I think all of these areas contribute to my living for the LORD and that they will help me out tremendously in my future role as wife. If I want to be a good keeper of the home I need to let go of sleep and get focused. It's time for me for me to make Philippians 4:11 a part of my life: (Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.)

Interviews with Missonaries

I've decided to add a segment to this blog. I'm not 100% sure what I will call it, but it will be a spotlight on missionary and pastor's wives. I have a real heart for missions and want to share the news about what others are doing to follow God's command! The first instalment should be coming soon as it is in the final review process. If you are a missionary, pastor, pastor's wife, or know someone who would like to be interviewed please leave me a message so I can email you all the details.

Thanks

What we ought do

I was so looking forward to Ground hog's day this year. I know the weather is in God's hands, but, I'm ready for spring! I've been counting down, and getting all worked up, yet, the groundhog saw his shadow! Which means six more weeks of winter. I am not happy about this! I so desperately wanted it to be spring already, but I guess I'll have to wait. There is, actually, a lot to enjoy about the winter. The other day while driving down he highway I saw a deer. Also one morning as I was driving I noticed the bare trees were gently coated in snow making the street look like a picture from a wintry post card! I love all the beauty God has placed before us (well maybe not pigeons and seagulls but most things). It's not always easy to stop and smell the roses per say, but I think the trick is in prioritising. We make time for the things we want to do but what about the things we ought to do? This is a struggle for me but I'm working on it. I purchased planners so S/O and I could thoroughly plan out our bible reading schedules and have something to help to keep us accountable. I've also started keeping a master planner for all things and I try to use my Homemakers Binder as my go to source but since we live in different locations its not always so easy. I'm working on making my binder more practical for our circumstances but its a real process. But all of these organizational things are to help me prioritize. I need to makes sure that I'm putting God first and including Him in all that I do. So no matter where I am or what I'm doing God gets the glory! Because that is what I ought to do.

Psalm 29:2 Give unto the Lord the glory due unto His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.