Growing in Grace

Photo Credit The greatest role model who will ever affect your child's life (other than Jesus, of course) is you! . . . You are being watched every day. Your attitudes and character (good or bad) are being imitated and incorporated into your child's life. . . Are you able to say like Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:1, "Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ"? -From the Homeschool Mom's Bible; devotions by Janet Tatman; January 22

Photo Credit In Exodus 18, Moses' father-in-law, Jethro, saw the heavy load Moses carried by trying to hear all the people's problems by himself. Jethro instructed Moses to choose capable men to be over 1,000s, 100s, 50s and 10s. This way the leaders would share the load and the people would still be satisfied. Lessons: 1) Remain teachable and listen to instructions from those who are older and wiser. 2) Don't try to do it all on your own; don't be prideful and refuse to accept help from others. 3) Teach and train the next generation God's Word; show them how to live and how they are to behave.

901. Visit with and able to help Mom 902. Kids ended evening getting along 903. Got done what needed to be done for today and tomorrow 904. All of guests able to attend E’s party 905. Good Friday school class 906. Girls had fun skating 907. Got van worked on 908. My brother 909. Nice evening celebrating Rik’s birthday 910. Surprised E with Beauty and the Beast 911. Able to get to urgent care 912. Nothing broken; sprained wrist and dislocated tailbone 913. Didn’t hurt both wrists and hurt the left one 914. Able to rest this afternoon 915. Able to get my hair cut comfortably 916. Kids and Dennis have been super helpful 917. Lots of prayers from family and friends 918. Able to get to the chiropractor 919. Party prep coming together 920. Family pitching in 921. Wrist better 922. Good friend to help me prepare 923. Successful party for E 924. J’s diligence at his school work; his devotion to G

876. Early school day 877. Chance to rest and relax in the afternoon 878. Friday night pizza and a movie 879. Nice end to the volleyball season 880. Spending time with my girl out and about 881. Chicken noodle soup – yum! 882. Family time 883. Time with my son 884. Good rehearsal 885. Help with the play 886. Family time 887. Cats to snuggle with in bed 888. Good school day 889. Mom and Dad’s willingness to help 890. Husband of Christlike character 891. God’s faithfulness 892. Time with hubby 893. Time with Mom and Dad 894. Talk with Grama 895. Safety to and from Mom and Dad’s 896. Found contractor 897. Dinner at Chili’s 898. Got to sleep in 899. No school/ Hubby home 900. Found tile we like

826. Nice evening with Bible study group 827. Cat nap 828. Friendship 829. Fantastic volleyball game 830. Mom and Dad able to surprise Ellie; nice visit 831. Safety and on time to wedding 832. Nice wedding message 833. Time with family 834. Mom feeling better 835. New nephew in the family 836. Able to sleep in (again) 837. Christmas play is cast 838. E enjoyed birthday party 839. Downstairs back in order 840. God's provision 841. Got in some school work this morning before heading out to Mom and Dad's 842. Safety to and from Mom and Dad's; especially in traffic 843. An hour of quiet 844. Dinner with hubby 845. Able to pass on a favored toy to our great nephew 846. Positive results at Dr. 847. A little quiet time alone 848. Time with family 849. Safety on road 850. Chocolate fudge brownie ice cream

801. Good volleyball game 802. Chance to talk with hubby 803. Chance to find out more about Western Christian High School; E was remembered by two different people from the Experience Day 804. Our foursome; our lifestyle; how we relate to one another as a family 805. Able to go to church 806. Time with J playing on the Wii 807. Long nap; quiet day for all 808. Kids got along; E let J join her for some Mork and Mindy 809. Hubby got essays graded 810. Short school day 811. Fun at library and mall 812. No rain for golf 813. Unexpected check 814. Time to blog 815. Slept in 816. Hubby home 817. New athletic shoes 818. Time with my girl 819. Chili's for dinner 820. Safety on the road to and from the zoo 821. Nice weather 822. God's creation - such variety in the animal kingdom 823. Friends - fun, encouraged, learn from 824. Mom celebrating another birthday 825. The chance to sleep in

Chapter 4 of Galatians begins with Paul describing the Jews' relationship with God while under the law. He says they were like children under the guardianship of the law. They were slaves to the principles of the world. Warren Wiersbe explains that an infant son or child cannot enjoy the father's wealth. In the Roman world, the children were cared for by a servant. This represented the Jews spiritual condition. The law was the guardian that disciplined the nation and prepared the people for the coming of Christ. This relationship changed, however, when Christ came. He redeemed those under the law and made them full heirs as sons, giving them the Holy Spirit. The NIV Study Bible adds that God takes us into His family as fully recognized sons and heirs. We are not little children but adult sons with all of the privileges of sonship. We do not have to wait to begin enjoying the spiritual riches we have in Christ (WW). This was true for both the Jews and the Gentiles who chose to

A kindhearted woman gains respect,  but ruthless men gain only wealth. A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings trouble on himself. -Proverbs 11:16-17 (NIV) This beautiful proverb lifts up to us the blessing of being a blessing. Even if we just looked at this selfishly, we would want to live right, knowing that it is right for us. "Remember this: . . . whoever sows generously will also reap generously" (2 Corinthians 9:6, NIV). In the book of Acts we read about how the Philippian church started. Paul had gone there because of a dream of a man saying, "Come over to help us." But when he arrived, he just came across a group of women - whom he shared the gospel with. Listen to the story in Acts 16:14-15: "One of those listening was a woman named Lydia. . . The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message. When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. 'If you consider me a believer in t

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.  -1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 November 26 in 1789 marked the first time our country observed a holiday by presidential proclamation. The United States had no regular national Thanksgiving Day, although some states celebrated it yearly. In 1863, President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November as "a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father." Succeeding presidents issued similar proclamations until 1939, when President Roosevelt named Thanksgiving as the fourth Thursday in November. It's easy to express thanksgiving to God when we're experiencing his abundant blessings. When we're struggling with trials and difficulties, however, our natural tendency is the opposite of gratitude. Yet God instructs us to be thankful in all circumstances. Setting aside time for thanksgiving every day is being obedient to God's proclama