A Worship Service!

Picture this as you read from Nehemiah 8:1-12

1 all the people assembled as one man in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded for Israel.
2 So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand.

3 He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.
4 Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.
5 Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up.

6 Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, "Amen! Amen!" Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. 7 The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there.

8 They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear [a] and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read.
9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, "This day is sacred to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep." For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.
10 Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."
11 The Levites calmed all the people, saying, "Be still, for this is a sacred day. Do not grieve."
12 Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.

Doesn't this sound familiar, or shouldn't it? This is a worship service! I am struck by the words - Men, women and all who could understand - does this mean that there were children there that could understand? I tend to think so! Some children are at different places in their spiritual walk, just like some adults! I believe there are some children that have a better understanding of God and his work then some adults do!
Nehemiah also tells us 3 times this "is a sacred day". Also 3 times he tells us "do not grieve" (over our sin) "for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
They were instructed by the Levites and as it says in verse 12 - they now understood the words that had been made know to them."
I don't know about you, but this picture blessed my heart this morning! I hope it blessed yours too!
Remember the Word of God is alive and active (Hebrews 4:122)! Every part of it can be used to bless and instruct us even today (2 Tim 3:16)! The Old Testament is so rich in instruction! Always pointing to the Savior!

Be blessed today!

Random Tag!

I have been tagged by Marsha to do with Random Tag! Since my brain is still empty (no blonde jokes please) I thought I would catch up and finish it!

It’s a random tag, and here are the rules!

1. Link to the person who ‘tagged’ you!
2. Post the rules on your blog!
3. List 6 random facts about yourself!
4. Tag 6 people at the end of your post!
5. Let each person know they have been tagged by commenting on their blog!
6. Let the tagger know the entry is posted on your blog!

1. I love black licorice and black jelly beans!
2. I can't stand the sound flip flops make, yet I still wear them!
3. I am a total creature of habit! I have to have things a certain way most time in order to survive! I think they call that OCD!
4. I love the smell after it rains (ya know worm smell), I love the smell of the muck fields near Hudsonville where the onions grow, and I LOVE the smell of Autumn!
5. I have been hit in the head with a hay bale, and fallen off a milk can! Can you tell where I grew up!
6. I love classical music!

There I think that's it! It is very hard to sit here and think of new things to write about myself! I feel sufficiently stretched this morning!

I'm not going to take anyone, but if you would like to play along, have fun!

Then Sings My Soul Saturday!

I promise this will be the last video of California, REALLY! I just had to make one to Fernando Ortega's "Creation Song". I asked Jeremiah to make me one, but he said he only does one video per vacation, so this is my little attempt to make a video! Fernando is one of our family's favorite Christian artists. So many of his songs mean so much to us! Parts of this song come right from Psalms 104! I love when artists sing scripture, don't you! Anyway I hope you enjoy the video and the song! Have a blessed Saturday! Join others at Signs, Miracles and Wonders for more of Then Sings my Soul Saturday!

He wraps Himself in light

As with a garment,

He spreads out the heavens

And walks on the wings of the wind.

He sends forth the springs

from the valleys

That flow between mountains.

The birds of the air dwell

by the waters,

Lifting their voices in song-

Singing glory, glory!

Glory to the Lamb!

All praises and honor forever.

He made the moon for its season,

The sun knows it setting.

He looks at the Earth and it trembles,

He touches the mountains and they smoke,

I will sing to the Lord all my life,

I will sing praises to my God -

As long as I live,

Praises to the Lord,

oh my soul.

Singing glory, hallelujah!

Glory to our God!

All praises and honor forever.

Thankful Thursday!

Welcome to another week of Thankful Thursday! I'm a bit late in my installment, because I couldn't quite put to words all I was thinking! There goes that cluttered mind thing again! Iris this week was focusing on Ministry! Well right now I'm knee deep in gearing up for another year in Children's Ministries! There are still alot of unknowns about this year! Who will fill the positions that need to be filled? Will they give their heart and soul to serving the Lord in this area? Will I be able to overcome my weakness' and do the job God has called me to do? Am I still being called? For how long? Oh so many questions running through my mind! Prayer is so important, and God has been giving me answers lately! Some big ones are still out there, but I need to learn to wait and listen! So much to be thankful for, even in the waiting!

On to my list for the week:

• I am thankful for all those who minister to us in so many ways! Through teaching, testimony and faithfulness to God!
• I am thankful that my little peanut had a great time at camp last week! She is growing up so fast, and so loves that camp! Next year it will definitely be a whole week! She has been informed that she will have to come up with inventive ways to help earn money, because a weeks camp can be pricey!
• I am thankful for Bekah's tender heart towards anything missions oriented! Her brother was mentioning the 30 hour famine he'll probably be involved and and she said she wanted to do it too! I told her it was only the middle schoolers that do it and she said "well I can do it here". O.K. I guess!
• I am thankful for the scripture God has given me lately. Showing me in just his timing what I needed to see!
• I am thankful that Jeremiah's teeth don't hurt as much today! The bottom braces are on, and I told him "this too shall pass"!
• I am thankful for how well this summer has gone! I hate that it has gone so quickly, but we have had a good summer together!
• I am thankful that Steve's brother is recuperating from a pretty bad fall! He should completely recover!
• I am thankful for peace, even in the midst of the unknown!
• I am thankful for our little kitchen bella (like a bullet) that makes the greatest smoothie!

I hope everyone is having a great week! Join other ladies over at Sting my Heart for more grateful hearts!

Sweet awards and a wonderful prize!

There is only one reason I have not posted about my blessings earlier! I have caught the lazy bug when it comes to thinking in order to blog! I have alot on my mind, but it takes to much time to process said info and type it out in words that sound even mildly coherent!

But shame on me! I have been given some blessings hand have not shared them with all of you yet! But no more, here we go!

My dear bloggy friend Nancie over at More than Conquerors gave me these two awards

Sharing the Love award!

Friendship Award

As I think over the wonderful group of women I have come to know, and some I already knew, but now know better, it's hard to choose any one to give these awards too! But there are 3 that come to mind right off the bat so I am sending these to awards out to:

Linda @ Mocha with Linda

I just so enjoy her blog! I feel like we are old friends, even though she did say not to visit her in Texas, just because we may have been in Ca during an earthquake and forest fire! Just kiddin' Linda!

Diane @ My Journey's Path

Diane is my sista in Christ! We have known each other quite a while! She is a tremendous support to me, and a wonderful prayer warrior!

Connie @ Little Red hearts from God

Connie is such a generous soul! You can so see her heart in her posts! I could never do what she does for a living! All I know is that these people are blessed to have her there to help them!

These are just three, but I think your all fantastic, and have had so much fun getting to know you and growing closer to God through your posts!

Now unto my little blessing!

E-mom had a Summer bloggy carnival contest and I won a couple of books!

The Boy Who Would Be King: The Story of David

- Streams: Five Psalms on Film (O.K. so maybe this one isn't a book)

I can't wait to get them!

Have a wonderful evening, what's left of it and a wonderful day tomorrow! If you think about it about 9:20 Michigan time if you could say a quick prayer for Jeremiah! He is getting his bottom braces on! YIPPY! Well at least it's not a retainer! I hate those things!!!!!

Lessons learned in California!

I thought I would write about a few things I learned while on my vacation in California! Some simple, some profound (at least to me)! You'll have to chose which is which! I wanted to get these down before I forgot, so here we go!

• Alot of Central California from LA to Visalia is BROWN! It's still beautiful, but BROWN!
• Visalia is HOT! I mean really HOT!
• The happy cows from California are not found in Visalia! There are alot of cows there, because it's a huge dairy farm community, but they definitely do not look happy! Now the comes in the foot hills with lots of land to roam, they look happy!
• People in California, especially Visalia get used to the high temps and think it's cool to keep their air at 85 degrees! They think we're wimps! I may have to agree!
• California is a big state that takes alot of time to travel from one area to another.
• Mountains have very curvy roads! I mean really CURVY!!!
• There is not as much oxygen in the mountains as down below! It takes alot of effort for an incredibly out of shape, heavier woman to make it up the sides of mountains!
• I can Kayak and have fun while doing it! This has become a new family outing! Anyone have any kayaks they'd like to see for cheap?!
• Sequoia pine cones only open due to fire! There is a great spiritual lesson in that don't you think?! The seed cones are 4-7 cm long and mature in 18-20 months, though they typically remain green and closed for up to 20 years; each cone has 30-50 spirally arranged scales, with several seeds on each scale giving an average of 230 seeds per cone. The seed is dark brown, 4-5 mm long and 1 mm broad, with a 1 mm wide yellow-brown wing along each side. Some seed is shed when the cone scales shrink during hot weather in late summer, but most seeds are liberated when the cone dries out from fire heat and/or insect damage
• The sequoia's are amazing! There is just no describing them!
• The inside of a sequoia can completely burn, but it the membrane stays in tack the tree continues to grow! God sure has a great plan doesn't he!
• Yosemite is breathtaking! Everywhere you look you just can't believe the beauty! Only 5% of the park is ever seen! Can you imagine the part that most people don't see! Oh how I wish I had the time to hike it!!!!!
• Yosemite is also a big vacation spot for Europeans. Just like in Napa I told Steve I felt in the minority.
• It doesn't matter where you are in California, like Squaw Valley, you can still get a good expensive cup of Joe'!
• The mountains can hold back clouds! We've seen it! We will have beautiful cloudless sky over us, but when you look towards the mountain range you see huge clouds on the other side that never make it over!
• Elephant seals stink! But are very cool to watch!
• Napa is not California's only wine country. The central valley going to the coast has alot of wineries! We couldn't stop though!
• Even though I grew to like the smell of the ocean I still prefer my big lake smells! I love how God plants you just where you fit best, and that he transplants to better suit who you are!
• Sea shells are very hard to come by!
• In california (at least Calabasas) you can get Gecko's in your house!
• And don't let you cat out at night otherwise the coyotes will get them!
• Even though we were in an earthquake, California did not fall into the sea! At least not yet!
• Steve's sister Mary like to eat late, like at 8:30pm, but that never seemed to bother us!
• I love the fresh fruit you can get, right out of your yards!
• LAX wasn't that bad!
• Driving wasn't that bad!
• California is a wonderful place to visit! We hope to go back someday, but I love my Michigan!

Thankful Thursday!

Well I'm a little late, but still well within the day of Thursday so I'm doing good! It has been a busy day, week and promises to be a busy month, what with the coming Fall Children's Ministry season FAST approaching and with a pretty BIG change happening that only promises to bring more work, and possibly stress! Bring it on! Oh wait on second thought don't bring it on I was just joking! Enough babble until what I am thankful for this week! Iris' theme is hope! The verse she has on her site is the one I quoted all the way to California, Psalms 42:11 - Why are you downcast Oh my soul? Why so disturbed within me! Put your hope in God! For I will yet praise you my savior and my God! I love that verse! We are Christians have much to put our hope in! This verse is also said in Psalms 42:5 and Psalms 43:5! Isn't that great! David has to repeat it to himself too! Boy I love that!

I am so thankful this week that:

• I do have a God that is faithful and true! That I can put my hope in him and never be disappointed!
• That I have hope and a future with Him! But also hope and a future here! "On earth as it is in Heaven"!
• My little peanut is at camp for the next 3 days! She has looked forward to this all year! She loves going to Camp Geneva and was quite bummed that it was only for 3 days!
• I have read Philippians 4 and it has given me the right perspective for the next month and the changes that could otherwise stress me out! I love how God times these things for just when you need them! I was thinking "Boy I'm not getting through Philippians very fast!" Ah.... it's not my timing, but God! Thanks for that lesson Daddy!
• I have two children that I sincerely love to be around! I am going to miss them so much when they go back to school! School right now is a "four letter word" in our house!
• We laugh with each other, and genuinely enjoy being with each other as a family!
• I have a husband who works hard, and loves taking care of his family!
• I have friends to talk to about things that are on my mind! We don't get together much, but they are there when I need them!
• I learned a lesson on friendship. It should be about "expectancy" not "expectation"! Ah... , but boy how I did the latter for many years!
• There is rain and sunshine! For beautiful blue skies with fluffy white clouds, and for buckets of rain!

I need to get busy, so that is all I can do right now! Have an absolutely blessed evening, and check out the other ladies at Sting my heart who are sharing their thankful hearts today!