All Because of Laughter

"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: . . ." Pro. 17: 22

Today I didn't have the best day. Going to work and studying Human Diseases was the last thing I wanted to do! All day I couldn't bring myself out of that gloomy mood I was in. That is, until I spent some time with my family. While I was in the living room talking to mama, daddy, Ryan and Bethany, I decided to read them "A Dieter's Psalm" that was printed in our church bulitun. Yesterday I read it to my sister Amy and had no problem. This time however, I got tickled and couldn't stop laughing! I think they were laughing more at me than at the Psalm! So I thought I would share it with y'all just in case you need a little bit cheering up. It made my evening!

A Dieter's Psalm

Strict is my diet. I must not want.

It leadeth me past the confectioners.

It trieth my willpower.

It leadeth me in the paths of alteration for my figure's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the aisles of the pastry department, I will buy no sweet rolls for they are fattening.

The cakes and the pies, they tempt me. Before me is a table set with green beans and lettuce.

I filleth my stomach with liquids. My day's quota runneth over.

Surely calorie and weight charts will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the fear of scales forever.

What Are You Living For?

In order to live a meaningful life, one needs to have a goal. Something they can aim their energy and ambition towards. When I don't know what I should do in life it always helps me decide what is important when I remember what I am living for.

We can all say that we are living for Jesus, but do our actions say the same? A lot of times we live to please ourselves. Every day we want to find ways to have fun and make our self happy. Who doesn't want to have a great life filled with joy and pleasure? But if you live to be divinely happy, you will be disappointed over and over.

Most good things in this sinful fallen world don't last very long. A friend reminded me of this when he said, "Marriage is like a hot tub. Once you get in it's not so hot." This man has a good marriage, but I know what he was talking about. When a couple is courting, life seems great in the googly-eyed, excited, bubbly state that they are in. But after being married a while the excitement wares off and life is just life once agian. True and deep love will still remain, but not in the same way that it did when it was new.

If you live for your family, they may not always be there.

If you live for your husband/future husband, he will dissapoint you.

If you live for your friends, they will dissapoint you.

If you live for money, you will never be satisfied.

If you live to please your self, you will be unhappy in the self centered state you are in.

But if you live for Jesus Christ, you will live a life filled with joy, love, peace, and contentment. Yes, there will be hardships, but God will be there with you the whole time. Your husband might not be, your friend may forsake you, your money may run out, you may give up on having fun, but God will NEVER LEAVE YOU. He is always faithful and true. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. He is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. He is a shelter in a time of storm. He is a comfortor that giveth us a song in the night. He is the one that has prepared a place for us with many mantions and will one day wipe away all our tears. He is all we need and worth living for.

So the question remains. What are you living for? I assure you, if it is anything but to please God, you will be dissapointed. Live the ultimate life. Live for God!

Thoughts on Sunday School

Since I have grown up in church, I have been in many Sunday school classes in many churches. Some where fun, some were motivating, some were inspiring, while some where . . . well, boring. Certain classes I looked forward to going to, certain ones I just had to go to. There were times when I found myself wanting to go to Sunday school just because it was fun or I liked the other people in the class.

This past Sunday, after I was in a very enjoyable Sunday school class, I started to wonder, "What is Sunday school suppose to be?" Of course I understand that each level of classes have different needs and teachers, but what I have been pondering on lately is what the Sunday school for those who are able (or old enough) to understand true doctrine of the Word of God, is really suppose to be.

Sunday school was originally started to teach the poor how to read and write. Now Sunday School has a different purpose. It's purpose is to educate everyone in the Bible, or as my Sunday school teacher said, it is a Bible study. But how should we go about teaching the Bible? What are the most effective way to run a class?

Motivation to Work

A class I was previously in was very motivational. When I came out of Sunday school I was eager to do great things for God! The teacher accomplished this by telling many successful stories of Christians who have done great things for the Lord, and stories of those who have overcome hard times and still lived for God. As well, he always reminded us that everyone fails, but God gives us many new beginnings.

Motivation is a good thing, but when we start something to hastily because of the motivation of the moment, we may become discouraged when hard times come, and may give up completely. A class really needs more than just motivation to work for the Lord.

Motivation to Study

I am enjoying the class I am in right now very much. It is a lot different than the last one in the way that it is filled with more meat. After only two classes I saw that I really needed to study my Bible more. I knew I should have known some of the questions he asked, yet I could not think of the right answer or a scripture to back it up. After class last Sunday, me and my close friend continued to talk about the lesson and said that we were going to go home and study more on what we had been talking about. We were both motivated to study God's word because we saw that we didn't understand the topic as fully as we should. We both wanted to find out for our self what was true, and be able to defend our belief if the situation arrived.

The teacher brought forth this motivation by teaching on "deeper," yet important doctrines of the Bible that we were not firm on. If the motivation is carried out and we read God's Word diligently, what we learn from out studies will stay with us.

Conclusion

So which is better in a Sunday school environment? If motivation to work, then some who do not know the Bible well may get a hasty and eager desire to do something for God with out studying His word. I know God can use anybody, but I also believe that without God's Word, you will come upon difficulties that can only be solved by the knowledge of the scripture. Before we go out to battle we are to have our "loins girted about with truth," and our "feet shod with the preparation of of the gospel of peace;" (Eph. 6: 14 & 15). If we study the Bible diligently, we will receive our motivation to do great works from God and the scriptures.

Thus, I have come to the conclusion that a very important element in Sunday school is motivation to study the Bible. After all, if Sunday school is a Bible study, we should study more than just on Sunday morning. There is so much in the Bible to learn, once a week will not be enough time to learn even half as much as we need to. The study we start on Sunday should continue throughout the week.

" Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." Psalms 119:11

A Great Day at Work

Isn't it so funny how we can forget such simple things that make life easier? I use to pray every morning on the way to work that I would have a good day and that all would go as smooth as possible. Every day didn't go as well as I wanted it to, but the majority of my time was great. Lately I have forgotten to pray over my day. This morning however, when I remembered to ask God for His help I had a surprisingly good day. I was able to focus (something I'm sure the manager was happy about!), stay busy, my mouth actually said the words correctly instead of getting tongue tied, I got along with people I usually don't and the day flew by! That just shows that God want to be a part of every area of our lives and He will bless us when we go to Him for help.

If you're having trouble at work, in school, or any other area, maybe you simply need to pray or about it. Pray can do great things!

Time For a Hot Chocolate Break!

On a day like today, when it's cold outside and I've been studying way too long, what could be more enjoyable than a hot chocolate break? Since I couldn't think of anything else (other than things that are not possible right now) I boiled some water for me and my two sisters and drank a delicious cup of mama's home-made hot chocolate. I thought y'all might enjoy the recipe, so I extended my "hot chocolate break" to blog as well!

Hot Chocolate Mix

3 cups powdered sugar
8 oz. dry milk (1 1/2 cup)
16 oz. instant chocolate milk mix (3 cup)
6 oz. Creamora (non dairy creamer) (or 1 1/2 cup)
1 large box instant pudding

Mix all ingredients together and serve with 2 to 3 tablespoons per 8 oz. cup.

::Pictured is the hot cocoa & coffee mug my sister gave me in front of our cozy fire place where many cold days are spent!::

Surely They Must Know

Lately I have been shocked by the way Christian girls have been dressing. Girls that I went to church with, grew up with, and whose families use to have the same convictions that we do. I'm not going to harp all day on why women shouldn't wear pants, even though I do believe they shouldn't (I'll save that for another post). What I am concerned about is what they are showing up top! It doesn't seem to bother them a bit to show a crevice while wearing shirts that are too low. Surely they must know that men will notice.Surely they must know that even the perverts are looking. Surely they must know that by showing off their bosom they are tempting men to lust. Surely they must know that they are causing men to bring other sinful pictures to mind when they see their nakedness. Surely they must know!

What's so sad is . . . they do know! Yet they continue in their pattern of dressing. I can't help but wonder what their dad's are thinking. How they can let their daughters dress so immodest while they know the effect is beyond me!

In an article called A Letter to the Girls I Know, Devin talks about the struggles that men have when they see immodest dress. He says, "He [the Goddly man] hates being around girls that disrespect him and his struggles by wearing inappropriate attire." I've never thought about it that way! Respect is very seriouse to men, and I don't want them to think I am disrespecting them. In the artical, he also tells us girls what kind of men we are attracting by the way we dress. It is a very good artical to read if you want to please God with the way you dress.

New Baby Animals!

We have a new addition to our little farm! Last Monday five little chicks were born to a very protective mother. It is so sweet to watch the mama hen keep her baby's warm underneath her and try to protect them from our cow! Can you picture that?!

The little chicks have been following her around from the first day! But one day they will grow independent and wander away from their mother hen. Just like we do. When we are first born again, we stay close to our heavenly Father. But after a while we start to think we don't need Him as much as we use to so we start to wander away. What a shame. If we stay close to our Lord, He will keep us warm and safe, just like our hen does to her chicks.

Aren't they adorable?