My 4th of July, like many of yours, was filled with lots of yummy American food, including hot dogs. The picture above is a picture of the bag which held the hot dog buns. I just couldn't believe what I was reading. First of all, if someone can read this, then shouldn't they know that they shouldn't heat hot dog buns INSIDE the plastic bag? What brought about the need for this note to be printed under the logo of each and every hot dog bun package by Merita? Did a judge actually once entertain this as a viable lawsuit? Lots of questions....

Savings vs. Provision

I must preface these thoughts with first letting everyone know that I LOVE a good deal. I clip coupons every week, and I watch the ads for specials that will benefit my family and others. But, I find myself in the same state that many money-savers do. I get very excited about all that I do, and I often forget God's hand in it all.

What if instead of stating how much we spent and how much we saved, we began to proclaim God's provision? I guess my challenge here is that we stop promoting our wonderful works and start declaring His favor. He is doing great things to help provide what our families need, especially during this difficult economic time.

Let's not get into the discussion of what we should be doing with all the favor and provision though. I might get a little uncomfortable...

Road Less Traveled

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.

-Robert Frost, "The Road Not Taken", 1915

Many people have used this poem to describe how we need to choose a better path that may not be what the norm of our society has chosen. In Matthew 7:14, Jesus said, "But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Please note that neither of these quotes refer to an abandoned road or an empty road. They are simply talking about the roads that are less traveled, less common.

For many of us, homeschooling is the less traveled road that we have chosen. We want to lead our children and families to life, and we want to be the few who find it.

I want you to realize that the road may be less traveled, but at least it is being traveled! We are not alone; we are just fewer in number than the wide road of societies' norm. Don't believe the lie that you are alone, and please don't try to travel alone. Let's find a way to travel this road together!

Greener Grass

I am so tempted to look at other people and see how they have it so good. Why can't I have hair like that? Why do I have to exercise constantly to ever get that shape? Why can their child already list the 50 states and capitals? Why do they get to go out to eat every day? Why, why, why?

Our pastor made a statement on Sunday that he has often made in the past: "If the grass is greener, the water bill is higher". This helps me get some perspective, and then I came across this quote in Today's Christian Woman magazine: "Grass is greenest where you water it."

So, when I see all these statements come together like this, I realize that maybe I need to stop and take notice. Maybe I need to "water" some things that are already in my possession instead of trying to get more possessions.

God's Facebook Status

God is... I AM

So, I propose that God indeed listed the first Facebook status, thousands of years before there was a Facebook. It seems that even He knew the importance of sharing who He was and what He was doing. I ask myself why, and it seems that I need to be reminded who He is and what He is doing. I somehow begin to think that the world is all about me, and...it's not. Are you perhaps the same way? It seems that King David of Israel was the same way. He details God's status often, especially as he works through his "issues." Just read a little of Psalms to see.

My favorite Psalm today (yes, they change daily, sometimes weekly) is Psalm 145, and this Psalm details much of God's "Facebook" statuses:

....God is my God. God is the King. God is great. God is doing mighty acts. God is majestic. God is doing wonderful works. God is gracious and compassionate. God is slow to anger. God is rich in love. God is good to all. God has compassion on all He has made. God is faithful to all His promises. God is holding up those who fall. God is giving food at the proper time. God is satisfying the desires of every living thing. God is....

It keeps going and going. If you are like me, you need to be more connected to God's "Facebook" in order to keep things in perspective.