“If ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law”  Galatians 5:18

“How blessed it is to know that we dwell in the domains of grace and not of law!  When thinking of my state before God the question is not, “Am I perfect in myself before the law?” but, “Am I perfect in Christ Jesus?”  That is a very different matter.  We need not enquire, “Am I without sin naturally?” but, “Have I been washed in the fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness?”  It is not “Am I in myself well pleasing to God?” but it is “Am I accepted in the Beloved?”  The Christian views his evidences from the top of Sinai, and grows alarmed concerning his salvation; it were better far if he read his title by the light of Calvary.  “Why,” saith he, “my faith has unbelief in it, it is not able to save me.”  Suppose he had considered THE OBJECT (Jesus Christ) of his faith instead of his faith, then he would have said, “There is no failure IN HIM, and therefore I am safe.”

Charles Spurgeon

When it comes to my spiritual life, I detest myself when I begin to focus on what I “can, should, did, am doing, or not doing” for the Lord.  Where is Jesus Christ in such thinking?  Why do I focus on myself and what I DO (or should do, or do not do!), rather on Christ and what He would ask me to do?   I beg the Lord to keep me humble and to keep me BEHIND THE CROSS, so that others (and I!) will see HIM and not me.  I am nothing!  He is everything!  

Oh Savior, as my eyes behold the wonders of Thy might untold,
The heav’ns in glorious light arrayed, the vast creation Thou hast made-
And yet to think Thou lovest me-my heart cries out, “How can it be?”
How can it be?  How can it be  That God should love a soul like me,
O how can it be?

As at the cross I humbly bow and gaze upon Thy thorn-crowed brow,
and view the precious bleeding form by cruel nails so bruised and torn,
To know Thy suffering was for me, in grief I cry, “How can it be?”
How can it be?  How can it be?  That God should love a soul like me,
O how can it be?

How can it be?  How can it be?  Was ever grace so full and free!
From heights of bliss to depths of woe, in loving kindness Thou didst go,
From sin and shame to rescue me, O Love Divine, How can it be?
How can it be?  How can it be?  That God should love a soul like me,
O how can it be?

Written by Avis B. Christiansen, 1895-1985

Oh, to be saved from myself, dear Lord!
O to be lost in Thee!
O that it may be no more I, dear Lord!
But Christ, who lives in me!

“If ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law”  Galatians 5:18

“How blessed it is to know that we dwell in the domains of grace and not of law!  When thinking of my state before God the question is not, “Am I perfect in myself before the law?” but, “Am I perfect in Christ Jesus?”  That is a very different matter.  We need not enquire, “Am I without sin naturally?” but, “Have I been washed in the fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness?”  It is not “Am I in myself well pleasing to God?” but it is “Am I accepted in the Beloved?”  The Christian views his evidences from the top of Sinai, and grows alarmed concerning his salvation; it were better far if he read his title by the light of Calvary.  “Why,” saith he, “my faith has unbelief in it, it is not able to save me.”  Suppose he had considered THE OBJECT (Jesus Christ) of his faith instead of his faith, then he would have said, “There is no failure IN HIM, and therefore I am safe.”

Charles Spurgeon

When it comes to my spiritual life, I detest myself when I begin to focus on what I “can, should, did, am doing, or not doing” for the Lord.  Where is Jesus Christ in such thinking?  Why do I focus on myself and what I DO (or should do, or do not do!), rather on Christ and what He would ask me to do?   I beg the Lord to keep me humble and to keep me BEHIND THE CROSS, so that others (and I!) will see HIM and not me.  I am nothing!  He is everything!  

Oh Savior, as my eyes behold the wonders of Thy might untold,
The heav’ns in glorious light arrayed, the vast creation Thou hast made-
And yet to think Thou lovest me-my heart cries out, “How can it be?”
How can it be?  How can it be  That God should love a soul like me,
O how can it be?

As at the cross I humbly bow and gaze upon Thy thorn-crowed brow,
and view the precious bleeding form by cruel nails so bruised and torn,
To know Thy suffering was for me, in grief I cry, “How can it be?”
How can it be?  How can it be?  That God should love a soul like me,
O how can it be?

How can it be?  How can it be?  Was ever grace so full and free!
From heights of bliss to depths of woe, in loving kindness Thou didst go,
From sin and shame to rescue me, O Love Divine, How can it be?
How can it be?  How can it be?  That God should love a soul like me,
O how can it be?

Written by Avis B. Christiansen, 1895-1985

Oh, to be saved from myself, dear Lord!
O to be lost in Thee!
O that it may be no more I, dear Lord!
But Christ, who lives in me!

“A Christian ought to be a comforter, with kind words on his lips, and sympathy in his heart; he should carry sunshine wherever he goes, and diffuse happiness around him.”

Charles Spurgeon

The House is Sold!

I took a couple pictures during our hotel stay that I thought I would share.  The pool pictures make me smile.  The boys had a great time jumping in as creatively as the could, while Grace spent her time in the shallow end.  David went in the pool w/Rich on a different night, so I didn’t get any pictures of him. 
I  like the picture of me and “the babies” because it reminds me of when I just had J and E.  They were that little once and I have pictures of a younger “me” with them on my lap.  Time goes by so quickly.  J and E don’t sit on my lap anymore, they’re too big!   I’m so thankful for my little ones, and that I still have children in my lap!
We’re back from the hotel now, it’s been a good week, but we’re all tired.  I have the kids taking naps right now and I’m going to go lay down when I’m done here.
House update:  We have one offer “on the table”, and a very interested couple that want to look at the house for the second time tonight.  We’ll see!

Pool Fun:

Rich took the kids swimming the first night we were there.  My children are rarely in a pool, and their only experiences in a pool were structured swimming lessons.  This was their first time just having fun.  Jacob came back the first night with a red front.  Rich laughingly told me later that Jacob did a belly-flop and hit the water as straight as a board.  When he came back up for air he said, “This water SLAPS!!!”  From then on, he was more careful about his “entry position”.

Me and the Little ones:

Can anyone guess my favorite color? 

“Choose to be joyful,
Choose to be thankful, and
Choose to be real.”

I took a couple pictures during our hotel stay that I thought I would share.  The pool pictures make me smile.  The boys had a great time jumping in as creatively as the could, while Grace spent her time in the shallow end.  David went in the pool w/Rich on a different night, so I didn’t get any pictures of him. 
I  like the picture of me and “the babies” because it reminds me of when I just had J and E.  They were that little once and I have pictures of a younger “me” with them on my lap.  Time goes by so quickly.  J and E don’t sit on my lap anymore, they’re too big!   I’m so thankful for my little ones, and that I still have children in my lap!
We’re back from the hotel now, it’s been a good week, but we’re all tired.  I have the kids taking naps right now and I’m going to go lay down when I’m done here.
House update:  We have one offer “on the table”, and a very interested couple that want to look at the house for the second time tonight.  We’ll see!

Pool Fun:

Rich took the kids swimming the first night we were there.  My children are rarely in a pool, and their only experiences in a pool were structured swimming lessons.  This was their first time just having fun.  Jacob came back the first night with a red front.  Rich laughingly told me later that Jacob did a belly-flop and hit the water as straight as a board.  When he came back up for air he said, “This water SLAPS!!!”  From then on, he was more careful about his “entry position”.

Me and the Little ones:

Can anyone guess my favorite color? 

“Choose to be joyful,
Choose to be thankful, and
Choose to be real.”

A Purpleamethyst76 Update!

We have a lot of people coming to look at the house we are selling so we are still staying in a hotel.  I am home now with the kids so that I can do some laundry, air the place out, let the kids play with the neighbors, make a few phone calls, and get some more things for tonight and tomorrow. 
We visited the house we are buying yesterday and it was so neat to walk in it and around outside.  I didn’t know that I will have a creek!  I love the sound of running water!  And this is not one of those little creeks that dry up in the summer, it’s full of nice rushing water.  The kids had such a fun time catching little frogs out of the pond with nets. 

I am reminded once again of the importance of continuing to take care of myself even if my schedule and life is thrown off track a little.  I need to keep up with my devotions so that I don’t feel weak spiritually.  I need to also take care of my body by eating and drinking properly and getting enough rest and exercise.  I also need to make sure I am taking good care of the children.

“Lady’s Mantle” from my garden.

Caleb walked
half way
across the room today!

Hurray!

I am the type of person who thinks that everything in the house has to be spotless, and it has to look like a picture from a magazine.  I will feel guilty over everything–the crayon on the walls, the tree that needs to be cut down, the cats that live here.  I get stressed.  This is a perfect opportunity for me to learn to let go.

Rich is doing as much as he can.  He was home yesterday at 3:45 and we went away with the kids for a night at a hotel.  His company paid for it.  A whole suite, with enough room for the 7 of us.  It was AWESOME.  He is working from the hotel today.  We may check out this morning if there is just the 1 appointment:

(Today there is an appointment at 11 and so I came home to just freshen things up, spray windex around, wipe the counters off w/lysol wipes, and throw a load of laundry in the wash.)

Thanks for all the prayers.  It feels so good to know that people are praying.

PS.  The sign is up now.  Makes me feel sad and strange.  I’ve still been thinking of it as mine, all mine.  We found out today that 2 more of our neighbors are planning on moving. 

Later. . . . .Now I am in the hotel on Rich’s laptop.  He just left with David to go pick up some furniture for Elissa.  I just read mymeandering’s blog and it’s put me in the same mood that I get in when I look at an inspiring magazine or read an inspiring book.  Love it! 

We have 2 more house appointments tomorrow and one is a re-show.  Someone is interested enough to come back!  That’s a good sign!

Okay, what to do when I want quiet but I have 2 crazy boys in the room with me?

The sign isn’t even on the front yard, but we have 3 appointments already for today.  The first one is at 4:30 and so I am busy cleaning.  The kids are all in bed.

Pray for me!