Scripture Memory Round 8

I am VERY late in posting this verse. The next "round" will be next Saturday. Not sure how I missed my timing....probably because my life has been hectic (understatement) over the last two weeks.

Here's my verse:

"In my anguish I cried to the Lord, and He answered me by setting me free.
The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
The Lord is with me; He is my Helper.
I will look in triumph on my enemies."

Psalms 118:5-7 (NIV)

Take that, enemies! My God is bigger, stronger, mightier than you can fathom. My God is the God of all creation. My God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the God who Saves. He is always with me, whispering sweet peace to me in times of turmoil. He calms my heart when I am faced with overwhelming fear.
Fear and anxiety can never overtake me because they bow to the Mighty God I serve.
My God is a GOOD God, He is my Helper at ALL times. When I am tempted, He reminds me of my way out; when I am doubtful, He reminds me that His Presence is not based on a feeling. When I am wallowing in a deep cavernous pit, He whisks me away to a spacious place and reminds me who I am as His Beloved.

My God loves me! What a comfort!

~Amy

Living Simply

My heart longs for simplicity. To live simply in the presence of God; to live simply, even in a world of "much".
Click on the button in the righthand column for sound advice on how to live a simple life.

Happy Monday!!

Love - Amy

My Sweet Boy

I just don't know where the time has gone, and tonight I am reminiscing. Luke and I spent all day together: we went to the Houston Children's Festival, the petting zoo, Rainforest Cafe, and Katy Mills Mall (of course there had to be a mall in there somewhere!).

He is only 3 years and 3 months old, and I already find myself thinking, "Where has the time gone?" I look at his 3 ft 3 in stature and wonder where the tiny baby is hiding. He opens his mouth and tells me he wants to go to the "donut store", and I am baffled that he is no longer eating out of a jar. Luke is sitting next to me right now, begging to "help" me type. He's even learning manipulation, telling me that it's not dark outside so he shouldn't have to go to bed; telling me he IS being careful, when I tell him to quit jumping off the couch.

In the mall earlier today, he told me he was "getting very upset" as I was browsing in Banana Republic. I asked him why he was upset, and he told me he didn't want to be in that store. The child is so like his daddy already.

We were driving to church last Sunday morning, and from the backseat I hear, "Stupid lady, drive your car." Ouch. That was my son's voice.....my only consolation was that he heard that from his daddy, who often vocalizes his frustrations with other drivers.

He wears Spiderman underwear now instead of Nemo Pull-ups; He picks out his own clothes instead of waiting on me to tell him what to wear. And my sweet boy doesn't voluntarily kiss his mommy much anymore.

I pray that God will pour out His grace on this precious child; I know that I cannot hold onto him forever, but God can.

Scripture Memory Round 7!!

For the record, I'm tired.

I took Kathryn to the Britney Spears concert on Monday night - and I didn't get home until 2:30am (I had to drive her home after the concert - and turn around and drive an hour and a half back to my house). It was definitely worth it though...because I don't get to spend nearly as much time with Kathryn as I would like. She's a sophomore now, and it makes me sad to think that in just two more years, we won't have our regular weekends with her anymore. She is truly my sweetheart. I couldn't love her any more if she were my very own.

I'm also tired because living in this flesh is just plain tiring. Sometimes I feel like I am running on a treadmill from sun-up to sun-down: getting a willing-or-un-willing Luke ready in the mornings; driving to work; daily morning meetings; strategizing, organizing, planning, and negotiating; lunch meetings with more of the aforementioned; managing people and dealing with their un-ending list of issues and complaints; driving home from work; getting dinner ready (or....more honestly, watching Larry get dinner ready..but that's still tiring!!); running/working out; hanging out with Luke; getting Luke a bath; taking a shower; and ending the day with a DVR'd version of whatever the daily "show" is.
Just typing out this list brings mental exhaustion as I visualize myself performing all of these activities! But did you notice something missing? I didn't include my daily date with Jesus (which usually happens first thing in the morning).

Without that "appointment", the day is draining. I most assuredly could not joyfully and energetically face the day's tasks without being first cleansed, refreshed, filled, and clothed by the Holy Spirit. I am so dependant on pouring the Truth into my mind before I even step into the shower - that I honestly could not operate as a "whole" person without my time with the Lord. I often joke that God must REALLY like to spend time with me since I'm quite a malfunctional mess without Him.

I picked the following verses for my Scripture Memory Round 7 because Paul tells the Romans (and us) that what we set our minds on affects our behavior. When I begin the day without setting my mind on His Holiness - I default to obsessing on gratifying my flesh.....and frankly, focusing on all that my flesh wants....and how my flesh can get it....is TIRING. It wears me out. What a sinner I am! Thank God this sinner is saved by His amazing grace!

So here are my memory verses! I will be clothing my mind with TRUTH before I jump out of bed in the morning; I will be focusing on all that is holy before a word comes out of my mouth; and I will step into His heavenly Presence before I have a chance to dwell on the pressures and problems of this world.

"For those who are according to the flesh and are controlled by its unholy desires set their minds on and pursue those things which gratify the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit and are controlled by the desires of the Spirit set their minds on and seek those things which gratify the [Holy] Spirit.
Now the mind of the flesh [which is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit] is death [death that comprises all the miseries arising from sin, both here and hereafter]. But the mind of the [Holy] Spirit is life and [soul] peace [both now and forever].
[That is] because the mind of the flesh [with its carnal thoughts and purposes] is hostile to God, for it does not submit itself to God's Law; indeed it cannot.
So then those who are living the life of the flesh [catering to the appetites and impulses of their carnal nature] cannot please or satisfy God, or be acceptable to Him."

Romans 8: 5-8 (Amplified Version)

Catering to the appetites and impulses of my carnal nature has been a relentless, tyrannical, exhausting pursuit. May God help me moment by moment to live by the Spirit....and thus be filled with life (His life) and peace.

Amy