Prevent Anger, Resentment, and Bitterness 70X7

“Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”  Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:21,22).
The foundation of Christianity is a based on forgiveness. As [...]

A Better Heart

Beloved friends, I am home again after a five day hospital stay. God is doing something very special in me.

Caught In The Do-Dos

The Businessman and the Begger

Two men approached Jesus on his last journey to Jerusalem–a businessman and a beggar.
The first was a righteous man who had meticulously kept the law all of his life. He only wanted to ensure that his efforts would be enough to secure him eternal life. Tragically, he went away deeply grieved [...]

God Uses Everything, Even Red Ants

Near Extinct Blue Butterflies

I love butterflies. They are God’s flying flowers.
The blue butterflies on the top of this blog are not just pretty. They are a reminder to me that God uses everything. The insect world declares the glory of God.
Jesus created the earth and all that is in it. His universe is remarkable [...]

If I Have Diplomas and Not Love, I am Nothing

If I have the language ever so perfectly and speak like a pundit and have not love that grips the heart, I am nothing.
If I have decorations and diplomas and am proficient in up-to-date methods and have not the touch of understanding love, I am nothing.
If I am able to worst my opponents in argument [...]

The Desensitization Boxes

Has your child seen an autopsy?
Professor Masserman created experiments with cats that made them “neurotic” by giving them electric shocks in a certain box.  Soon the cats acted anxious whenever they were put in the box. In the second part of the experiment, Masserman observed that the cats lost their “neurosis” if they were [...]

A Wisdom Parable

Once upon a time there was a village far away in a remote location, which had experienced a hard year of severe weather. A group of missionaries worried that the villagers’ crude huts would not be able to withstand the strong weather any longer. The missionaries wanted to help by taking supplies to the village, [...]

The Battle of Good and Evil

There are two trees in the Garden of Eden—the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and the Tree of Life. When Adam and Eve ate from the poison tree they infected mankind. Before eating they did not even realize they were naked—their focus was on God. The knowledge of good and evil distracts us [...]

Fruit Comes After the Storm

How do your children see you responding to life’s trials? Do you feel sorry for yourself and get depressed? Do you cast blame and grow bitter and angry? Or do you turn to the our Father and ask, “What is Your purpose in this?”
Our responses to difficulties are powerful lessons not written on a [...]

Brick Walls Are There for a Reason

This week’s quote is from The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch, a young professor dying of cancer. See the video here.
“….the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They are there to stop the other people…..Brick walls are there for a reason. They give us a chance [...]

View from the Back of an Ambulance

Is there anything more sobering than an hour ride in an ambulance with flashing lights and screaming sirens?
Yes, there is. When the paramedic in the back of the ambulance takes your BP and says to the ambulance driver, “You better speed it up” SPEED IT UP? Yep, that is even more sobering.
Rejoice: This Week Has [...]

Third Day Events in the Bible

Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his death. “God raised him from the dead on the third day” (Acts 10:40).

“For as Jonas was three days and three nights [...]

In My Father’s Vineyard

I found the moving book ” In My Father’s Vineyard” by Wayne Jacobsen while on vacation. Its an inspiring gift book that beautifully captured the Love of our Father. Here is an excerpt:
What to do in the Spring Time
In springtime, the vineyard can almost take care of itself. That is, it grows without [...]

Sowing and Reaping

Timely planting and on-going care (watering, weeding, pruning, etc.) will bring forth good fruit. There’s no quick fix for training children. If we neglect them now, we can’t expect positive results later.

Spiritual Journey: Reaching the Promised Land

In the Heart of Wisdom Teaching Approach I compare the homeschool journey to the Exodus from Egypt (leaving public school) traveling in the desert, and seeking the Promised Land.The Passover story and journey to the Promised Land is a meaty symbol of our spiritual journey and growth. The Israelites were saved from Egypt but not all entered the Promised Land–only their children and a few men of faith entered. Likewise, in our spiritual journey we can be saved but fall short of arriving in the promised land.

Spiritual Analogy from My Open Heart Surgery

Have you ever lost it with your children, say a lot of things you regretted, then felt like a heel? Did you confess it? Did you lose it again a few days (hours) later? Why can’t we get victory over sin that plagues us?

You may have a spiritual blockage obstructing the flow of the Holy Spirit…

Seven Symbolizes Perfection – Deity of Christ

 
I recently started a new study on the Gospels so the study will be reflected in my blog. I’ll begin with a list of seven for Sunday Seven. In the Bible, the number seven often symbolizes completeness or perfection. There were seven priests, seven trumpets, seven days, seven [...]

Celebrating the Biblical Holidays

During Bible study, our family discovered something that we had heard very little about from church. We found out God had set apart special days to worship and honor Him. By learning about the practices of these special days, we could learn about and worship God. We spent some time studying the holidays from Scripture [...]