Ponder & Reflecting - Week 2

In the last half of John 15, Jesus talks about being hated and persecuted. As I have read and studied this week I have come to believe that if we seek out The Lord and try to learn a new principal or concept, The Lord provides opportunities for us the serve and develop a clearer understanding of the lesson desiring to be taught. Much like he did when he preformed the mircles himself.

One of the questions that we were asked to ponder this week as we studied was...

• Can He call me a Friend?

I would love to think that he could call me friend... 

Turning point in American History....

ON THIS DAY, 1 DECEMBER IN 1955 MS. ROSA PARKS, AN AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN, REFUSED TO GIVE UP HER SEAT TO A WHITE MAN ON A MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA BUS. THIS ACTION LED TO THE MONTGOMERY BUS BOYCOTT--ONE OF THE OUTSTANDING DEVELOPMENTS THAT PRECIPITATED THE US CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.

I couldn't help but think about all the wonderful testimonies that were shared today and then compared them to the testimony of faith, liberty and equality that Rosa Parks stood for. All of the testimonies shared today, both young and old, sums up the point of this weeks study plan. 

 

Abiding in Him

In John 15, scriptures 6-11,  Jesus talks about what happens when we abide in him and what happens when we don't. I looked up the word "ABIDE" in the dictionary and this is what it says: "accept or act in accordance with, to obey, observe, or follow". 

So for me it seems very simple... if I accept and try to act in accordance with what The Lord asks of us then, we are abiding in his love? But then I have to accept, obey and to follow and sometimes the actions of others causes me to act not in accordance with the Lord. I have always tried to teach my boys that just because someone provokes a reaction from you, it is still your choice whether that reaction is going to be positive or negative. And much like other things in my life it is often easier to tell someone what to do than to teach them by example. So is it really that simple to abide in his love always.... NOT FOR ME!

THANK GOODNESS FOR REPENTANCE!!!!!!!!!

Drawing Strength from Family & The Lord

In the first five verse of John 15 it talks about the strength of the vine and the branches. Jesus tells us that he is the vine and we are like the branches, if we bare fruit then we are blessed and given strength to bare more fruit.

With yesterday being Thanksgiving, I can't help but feel like my Family is part of my fruit and in return they also give me strength. I lean on them and learn from them everyday. Good or bad we lean on each other for strength, wisdom and self discipline. I think we also lean on the Savior for a lot more things than we realize. He is there for us always in spite of the things we do and say.

Yesterday was also my Brother's birthday, now a grown man with many health issues on his plate due to the
handicaps left over from the birth defects he faced when my mother came down with German measles three months into her pregnancy.  His trials in life often seem to be so much easier than others around me, I watch him co-exist in a world with no sound and not much color for him to visualize.  And yet I know, with out even calling home, that today he will be exchanging all his Fall decorations out for all his Christmas ones. by next weekend, my mothers yard will be lit up with thousands of small colored lights of awe and wonderment. The other thing I know for sure is that in the center of all the worldly lights and Christmas cheer, he will have the almost life-sized Nativity Scene that stands out for all passerby's to see and shinning high above the manger you will find the brightest light (star) of all. I have often asked him through the years, "how did you get that light up so high?" He just shrugs his shoulders, grins big, nods to the light on the pole and says "Jesus!"

Thankgiving 2013

Very grateful for the chance to share today with my awesome family. We were missing a few... . But they were never more than a thought away. Other than eating late due work schedules, sick people and our car getting broke into, our day was filled with traditions, family stories and fun! One of our traditions every year is to try a new recipe... This year, I decided the recipe would be the breakfast treat to share while we watched the parade. (Another family tradition!) 

SOOOOO, I decided to make homemade "Salted Caramel Bacon Donuts" I keep hearing rave reviews about bacon & salted caramel this and bacon & salted caramel that. Anyway, after searching for several months for good recipes, no luck! I came up with my own, Here are the results.... They were delicious!

Week 2 ~ Studying John 15

This week we are encouraged to study John 15, 

"Jesus is the vine; His disciples are the branches—He discourses on the perfect law of love—His servants have been chosen and ordained by Him—The world hates and fights true religion—He promises the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth."

As I started to read and study this week I very quickly begin to realize I was going to need to think about this a little bit through out the week. Some of the a things were are suppose to ponder this week are...

• From whom do I get my Strength? 
• Am I abiding in Christ? 
• How can I bring forth much fruit Lord? 
• Can He call me a Friend?

National Cake Day

Today is a good day.... Today we eat CAKE!

We had fun here at our house. WE celebrated in a variety of different ways...




FIRST - we made a very yummy cake all home made.
See the recipe and details on our food blog at The Pantry Life

Second we made cards, invitations and scrapbook pages to high light the day...You can find the instructions and details for these on our craft blog at Annie's Pantry

 And the we had a CAKE PARTY!!!!!