Spurgeon Quote/Mark of True Believer

THE distinguishing mark of a Christian is his confidence in the love of Christ, and the yielding of his affections to Christ in return. First, faith sets her seal upon the man by enabling the soul to say with the apostle, “Christ loved me and gave Himself for me.” Then love gives the countersign, and stamps upon the heart gratitude and love to Jesus in return. “We love Him because He first loved us.” In those grand old ages, which are the heroic period of the Christian religion, this double mark was clearly to be seen in all believers in Jesus; they were men who knew the love of Christ, and rested upon it as a man leaneth upon a staff whose trustiness he has tried. The love which they felt towards the Lord was not a quiet emotion which they hid within themselves in the secret chamber of their souls, and which they only spake of in their private assemblies when they met on the first day of the week, and sang hymns in honor of Christ Jesus the crucified, but it was a passion with them of such a vehement and all-consuming energy, that it was visible in all their actions, spoke in their common talk, and looked out of their eyes even in their commonest glances. Love to Jesus was a flame which fed upon the core and heart of their being; and, therefore, from its own force burned its way into the outer man, and shone there. Zeal for the glory of King Jesus was the seal and mark of all genuine Christians. Because of their dependence upon Christ’s love they dared much, and because of their love to Christ they did much, and it is the same now. The children of God are ruled in their inmost powers by love—the love of Christ constraineth them; they rejoice that divine love is set upon them, they feel it shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto them, and then by force of gratitude they love the Saviour with a pure heart, fervently. My reader, do you love Him? Ere you sleep give an honest answer to a weighty question.

I would have condensed this more but I couldn't cut anything out. Too good.

Girl's Nights and The 4th

Our 4th consisted of a cookout at our house with Mitch's folks and sister. Then later the fireworks. The kids loved them of course and Isabelle told " It's ok Mommy, don't be scared" and patted me as I jumped at the loud ones. I can't help it! What took us 10 minutes to get there, took us almost an hour to get home. The traffic was AWFUL. The things you do for fond family memories, I tell you what... Did I mention I had to tinkle quite BAD even before getting into the van to go home???

In other news, I have gotten to have lots of fun girl outings lately. With my two sis in laws on my side when they were here and this last weekend with my other two wonderful sis in laws on Mitch's side! Soon I will get to have another night out with friends. So unlike my normal schedule, everything at once but I'll take it!! Structured schedules will take shape soon enough.

"Be Still, My Soul"

"Be Still, My Soul": "1. Be still, my soul; the Lord is on thy side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul; thy best, thy heavenly, Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

3. Be still, my soul, though dearest friends depart
And all is darkened in the vale of tears;
Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,
Who comes to soothe thy sorrows and thy fears.
Be still, my soul; thy Jesus can repay
From His own fulness all He takes away."

My favorite parts are in italics. These are PRECIOUS words. How easily life distracts us with things that will matter to nothing when this life is over and eternity begins... or continues..? :)

Still reading Holiness By Grace, one of my MOST FAVORITE books on biblical sanctification( and in general)!! Hopefully I'll get some time to share some highlights from what I've been reading in it.
Check it out on Amazon... really, read the reviews, this book is comforting, liberating and empowering.

Under Construction

So obviously my blog is a work in a progess at this point as far as the look goes. I want something simpler but have yet to mess with the colors of it. A lot of my little widgets are gone and now my old header isn't big enough for this template so it's not centered...I have been reading a lot of good stuff lately that I don't get around to sharing, I guess if maybe I picked just a quote here or there that would be better than nothing right?

Family and Father's Day Weekend

We had a GREAT time with my family visiting!! My mom has been able to stay for this week as well which is awesome. We had a lot of fun together. We played lots of the game Settlers Of Catan... I think I spelled that right, it was Mitch's and my first time playing and we really enjoyed it. It was just nice to have all the time to ourselves to just enjoy each other's company and conversation. Mom and I bawled when they all left. Last night Mom and I had a girl's night and went out to eat just us. THose chances for us are far and few between. So click the picture for more from the weekend!!

New Ball Glove

Since it seems like a long while since I blogged, now I realize it's been just a little over a week, it feels like a lot longer... so here is Christian sleeping with his new ball glove for a lefty. Mitch wanted to get the kids ball gloves for fun, just something cheap, I couldn't find anything cheap... and 15$ was the cheapest I could find for a right glove, this small... he does have plenty of room to grow. Christian seems to be ambidextrous -and yes, I did have to spell check that. My brother Dan is too, he throws with his right, bats both, and eats and writes left. Christian seemed to eat left... now eats right, "writes" right. But throws left, Mitch tried to have him throw right but he kept trying to use both hands then. So who knows... so for now a glove for a lefty... and as you can see, he wanted to sleep with it the first day.
Any other random updates.. the kids are finally not snotting around from their colds that started memorial day, that's right... it's been around that long and it's June... JUNE!!! Growing up it was just a given you didn't get sick in the summer now it's year round... gross.
House updates?? None right now. Things don't seem to be panning out right now so we'll see, the closer we get to school starting the closer we are to throwing in the towel for now.
Loser alert... I just read the book New Moon in 3 days... *sigh* it was a welcome escape from some of the hard realities of life. :) I also started the book Trusting God, but I really need to keep up Holiness by Grace... I can't seem to plow through those books as fast since the things in those books you kinda have to mull over and really think about.
Ok that's all... but one more thing I'm so excited about! My parents, brothers and their wives are ALL coming to stay with us next weekend!!!!! I never thought this would happen but it just kinda all worked out.

Murderer Murdered

I found an article about the late term abortionist George Tiller and his murder. It's from Al Mohler. I had to say something on my blog about it as I have been passionate about the right to life since a child. I have to admit there was a part of me that was... not too sad about it but I know what the Bible teaches, " vengence is mine, I will repay" says the Lord. The Bible also says, "God is not mocked, that which you sow you will also reap." So before any readers draw the conclusion that I would condone a murder please read this article, I agree with his take on this matter.
A Wicked Deed in Wichita -- A Test for the Pro-Life Movement

one more thing that irks me... President Obama said he was shocked and outraged at the murder. Ok, I get that. I just wish he was shocked and outraged at helpless babies getting their bodies ripped into pieces and pulled out of the mother, a leg here, an arm there. Maybe if they were getting waterboarded it would be a different story.