Blessed are the Poor in Spirit

Pinterest

Blessed are the poor in spirit,

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:1 (NIV)

What does Jesus mean when He says this?

I know a woman and two of her sisters who are poor by the standards of society, but I have heard of this Christian woman going out of her way to help others who had less. I also witnessed this same Christian woman console one of her sisters at a memorial service for one of their brothers.

           

I read of a Christian speaker and author tell of preparing to speak at a writer’s conference as he recovered from cancer treatment. He sent up a prayer to God saying, “Lord, I can’t do this.” The answer he received was simply, “You can’t, but now I can.”

As I compose this essay, I am reminded of times when I have ventured out ahead of the LORD and then got into trouble. Was that being poor in spirit? Definitely not.

Being poor in spirit simply means that we realize that we can’t do anything without the LORD guiding us.

As we await the time for re-opening our local church, some of us are hearing from different sources of information giving us conflicting dates. Some of us have decided we need to leave that decision up to the LORD.

 

How many times have we felt that we were in control and could do something without the LORD’s guidance? I know I have thought this and acted like I knew what I was doing. Only, my ‘plans’ failed.            

All our plans must go through God. It is His decision that is paramount in all our lives.

Thoughts on a June Day

Quiet Spirit Writing Ministry

As I sit here this morning, I reflect on the events and happenings in my life.

I participate in a weekly prayer group at my church. We had been meeting at a neighboring facility, a healthcare campus. This summer we are meeting on our prayer walk. This is a picture of the grounds.
This is the entrance. Straight back you can see the gazebo where we gather and pray. This area was originally a miniature golf course,  The concrete path is actually what remains of the holes, there were the approaches. Our church built it for our community to use.  The Day Lillies to the right are planted in one of the areas we walk past to get to the gazebo.

Our church is preparing for Vacation Bible School (VBS.) Our theme is "Cave Quest." Our children's ministries director has networked with other directors and had received a lot of things from when other churches have used it. It is the plan to turn the sanctuary into a cave. I talked to one of the men who will be decorating. He plans on making stalagmites and stalactites. Because of the requests for water bottles and 2-liter bottles, my recycle area now has four different groups. Here is my preregistration table. I wanted it to look like a wall of a cave.

ADDED NOTE: 

Last evening, I finished writing a manuscript. I had started this as a winter project. It is a children's picture book. I call it: "A,  B, C's about God."  I have started a book proposal. I need to get busy and look at some more picture books that are out there. I also plan to find a publisher.

Book Review. Unreasonable Hope by Chad Veach

Subtitle: Finding Faith in the God Who Brings Purpose to Your Pain

           

            Chad and Julia Veach looked forward to the birth of their daughter, Georgia. When she was four months old, the doctor diagnosed their sweet child with a disorder that would not allow her to develop beyond the age of three months and cause her life expectancy to be about ten years.

            Chad is a pastor. In this book, He tells of how God has used his daughter to reach out to people across our nation and even the world.

            Chad writes of God’s promises to His people interweaving the truths God presents to him with the story of this family’s day-to-day events caring for their precious little girl.

            I enjoyed the many lessons God has taught Chad and Julia. Interspersed throughout the book are concluding remarks about the previous chapter. In each of these sections, Chad gives the reader action steps to pursue to guide him or her through the conditions that beset them. Most of these ‘action steps’ are simple—things we would normally do without thinking.

            I recommend this book to any Christian parent faced with rearing a child with special medical needs. I wish I had something like this when our special-needs son was an infant. I recommend this book to pastors and pastoral students as a resource for their counseling of congregants faced with bringing up a child with a disorder.

            I received this book, free of charge from BookLook Bloggers, an arm of Harper Collins. Thomas Nelson published it. All they asked of me was an honest and impartial review.

Homeschool Co-ops 101 Book Review

Essential co-op tools, tips, and options for today’s homeschool families.

My blogging friend, Karen Lange has written a book—presently in e-book format, soon to be in print book form. In it she covers the issues that arise when parents consider the option of home schooling their children.

She discusses the reasons parents have for considering taking this option for their family. Karen specifically points out that the size of the co-op depends on how a group and each family fit together. She mentions the need for a statement of purpose for the co-op. She cautions about having a code of conduct to clarify expectations of those involved.

Karen relies on her experience as a homeschool mother to approach the different concerns a family might be faced with as they begin homeschooling. 

One point Karen brings out that I found interesting was a homeschool cooperative can be set up to encompass a few grades—elementary or early grades, or the full spectrum of pre-k -12.The smaller co-ops are usually less formal in structure.

Karen has included a section on games and activities that might accompany a lesson on what the students are studying: grammar, poetry, games to make the children think, a recipe scavenger hunt, and a few activities that enhance the children’s writing abilities. She has included several Unit Study Guides for the parents to consider as they search for ways to solidify the concepts the children need to master.

Homeschool Co-ops 101 is available at:

~~~Amazon~~~

~~~Barnes and Noble~~~

~~~Kobo~~~

About the Author Karen Lange has gathered insight from years of co-oping and now shares her own and others’ experiences in this valuable and encouraging handbook.

Interview with Karen Lange

Karen Lange Author

Today I am interviewing a blogging friend, Karen Lange. We are excited that her e-book, Homeschooling Co-ops 101, has been published.

QS: Hello Karen, I’m almost as excited as you about your e-book being available to the public.

KL: Thank you for inviting me to stop by! I am looking forward to visiting with your followers!

QS: Tell us about yourself.

KL: I am a follower of Christ, wife, mom, and grandma. My husband and I have two sons, a daughter, and a daughter in law, and a very smart and handsome 5-year-old grandson. (I could be a little biased about my grandson.) :) My writing work includes blogging, freelance work, and teaching online writing classes for adults and homeschooled teens.

QS: How long have you been writing?

KL: I’ve enjoyed writing for as long as I can remember, but never thought about writing as a career until I took some writing classes after I was married. So as far as writing for publication, I’d say it’s been about 20 years or so.

QS: In what genre do you write?

KL: Most of my writing is nonfiction – blog posts, freelance writing for magazines and clients, and my book. I also am co-writing an historical fiction novel with a friend.

QS:  Do you have a ‘day job?’

KL: Yes, my “day jobs” include bookkeeping; my husband and son are partners in a carpentry business.  I also teach online writing classes; the ones for homeschooled teens run from September through May.  The classes at the Coffeehouse for Writers run year round.

QS:  What have you written before this?

KL: I’ve been writing for print and online publications such as Homeschool Enrichment Magazine and The Homeschool Magazine, Funds for Writers and E-Junkie, and have written ad content and other business material.  I also offer copy editing services.

QS: Do you write a blog?

KL: I do, and have met many wonderful friends like you! My blog address is: http://karenelange.blogspot.com/ Blogging has been a great experience. It has taught me a lot about writing and has been a great way to connect with other writers.

QS: Tell us about your family.

KL: My husband Jeff and I have been married for 32 years. Jeff's been very supportive of my writing over the years. Our oldest son works with my husband and is married; he and his wife have a son (that handsome grandson I mentioned above!). This son helped me format the original, shorter version of my book that I’d originally self-published. Our next son is a graphic designer; he designed the cover for my book. Our daughter, the youngest, was my chief proofreader before I submitted the book.  So they’ve all helped the book come to publication.

QS: What is your e-book about?

KL: Homeschool Co-ops 101 is for families who are thinking about joining or starting a homeschool co-op. It weighs the pros, cons, and creative options available, and contains essential co-op tools, tips, and options for today’s homeschool families. I recently found out that it will be coming out in print about a month after its e-book release. I was very excited to hear that bit of news!

Thanks so much for hosting me today, Cecelia! I appreciate your support.  It’s always a pleasure to stop by your blog!

QS: Thank you for stopping in, Karen. Tomorrow we will take a look at your e-book, Homeschool Co-op 101.

“God Blesses His Children”

bing photo

A Sinner Saved by Grace

“For the Lord God is a sun and a shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor;

 no good thing does he withhold from those who walk is blameless.

                                            O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you.”

 Psalm 84:11-12 (NIV)

”For the Lord God is a sun and a shield . . .” What does this mean? The sun warms the earth and allows our farmers to have their crops grow. We have roofs over our head that keep us from the elements. As I initially compose this, our state is awaiting a winter storm to cover our region. We have learned to prepare for these storms. But God protects us from the ravages of sin. We learn to trust Him as we live our lives through his provision for us.

” . . . the Lord bestows favor and honor . . .”        Favor- God looks down on us as His children; He blesses us with goodness and things we do not deserve. Honor-Our heavenly Father gives us gifts we don’t deserve. We have fellowship with Him. He gives us eternal life. Because His Son is in our hearts, we have little reason to fret about issues that could cause us uneasiness.

” . . . no good thing does he withhold from those who walk is blameless.” This is a wonderful phrase; God does not keep good from those who truly walk with Him. Although, some of His children seem to go through some rough times, God allows them to go through them in order that those children grow closer to Him. He teaches us through these ‘harsh’ times. Some of these times send us into the valleys. I have written this before, but it bears repeating: When we are in the valleys, we are more teachable.

”O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you.” The authors change focus here and address the LORD. This thought serves as a note of thanks to Him. They realize the one who relies on God is anointed. The Father bestows peace, love and guidance upon those who rely upon Him.

 For a special treat, click on this. A Sinner Saved by Grace  Another home-grown  area favorite

Learning Obedience

 

 

“Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him. . . . “ Hebrews 5:8-9 (NIV)

 

”He learned obedience from what he suffered” The Lord gave up His will for the Father’s when He prayed in Gethsemane. He chose to go through crucifixion, a punishment reserved for the worst of criminals.

Because Jesus endured the cross for us, he became the foundation of our faith and strength as we go through this life.  We can rely on Him to get us through each day. When we face harsh times, He is there for us all because we have learned to obey Him.

Recently, a 19-year- old granddaughter of one of my friends gave the children’s moments talk during morning worship. She asked if any children liked doing chores. No on held up their hand. She read a scripture to them, Philippians 2:14 “Do everything without complaining or arguing.” Everyone in the congregation who had raised children grinned and chuckled. My friend’s daughter is the church pianist. I could tell she was grinning and enjoying hearing her daughter talking about how things go better when we don’t complain or argue. This is also part of obedience for us. I learned a lesson here.

As I have grown up, I have learned that, if we gripe about having to do something, that task is harder to accomplish and takes longer to finish than if we just did it. The Philippians verse shows us how to approach every distasteful task we can imagine.

Thank You, God, for our Children

Thank You for our children, they are Your gifts to us. They come to us so small and helpless. We provide nourishment and care for them and watch them grow. When they are sick, You are there beside us as we nurse them to health. We all have those memories of what they said or did that brought smiles to our faces. We hope their cute deeds also brought a smile to Your face. Their achievements, first word, first step, first tooth, all go into their baby books.

Please guide them as they mature and try to make their way in this world. Instruct them if they head for danger. Keep them from making mistakes that will change their lives forever. We see that more and more as we walk through this world. Please keep them safe.