Worthy is the Lamb

We have been studying through Revelation.  This journey  began last spring when we started our timeline. Beginning a timeline led to studying before time began. Then my children wanted to know what happened after time. That led us to start studying Revelation.We read through Revelation and began study last spring. Over the summer our study dropped off. In January we started using Kay Arthur's Bible Prophecy for Kids.We've really been enjoying it.

I print off the passage from Blue Letter Bible with 1.5 line spacing so there is more room for notes.

Scene Around the Throne

There are often activities to draw what has been described. Sometime we do our own. I encourage my children to do really fast sketches for this so they see they can get down a concept without being an artist.

There is a code for how to mark key words in the passage. This really helps to sort through exactly what was written.

Before the Foundation of the World

Originally Posted on March 2, 2011
We have begun a timeline project in our learning adventure. I looked through several resources, but as usual decided to do my own thing with others ideas. More about the timeline itself in another post. 

As we were getting started the verse about God having planned for us to do good works before the foundation of the world came to mind. I got the idea to start our timeline before time began. I found an article on Revive Israel Ministries that lists and explains simply verses that mention "before the foundation of the world". 

I made a simple mini treasure book with these verses and a statement of what they tell about before the world began. Having a Biblical perspective means an eternal perspective, including eternity past as well as eternity future. 

I hope it will make an impression on them as they grow. Our life is such a small line on history. History is an even smaller mark on eternity. It makes the troubles here easier to bear. Jesus looked into time and decided His time of suffering, as horrid and intense as it was, would be worthwhile. He created us knowing He would have to suffer and died to bring us into eternity with Him.

Rest - Defined

I may be very strange. Quite sure I am. I like to read the dictionary. There you have it. Something about clarity and preciseness, learning history and application. Anyway, now you know.

 I began this year focusing on One Word. For someone like me who can overcomplicate anything it seems a marvelous idea.

My word for 2012 is Rest.

So you guessed it I went to the dictionary. My favorite dictionary to read is Webster’s 1828. Mine is a facsimilie, but I can pretend it’s old, it’s weighty anyway. Mr. Webster provided me with many insights on rest.

Today I’ll share my favorites and plan to revisit and expound as I travel through my year of rest. 

Rest is both a noun and a verb. I like that it is a thing to be had as well as a thing to do. I long for both.

I wonder if one of God’s names is rest? I think it has to be, it’s certainly included in Prince of Peace and Jehovah Shalom. I long for Him.

Rest: n

1. …Cessation of motion of action of any kind, … the mind is at rest when it ceases to be disturbed or agitated;

2. a state of reconciliation with God. (Matt 6)

6. A place of quiet; permanent habitation (Duet 12)

8. That upon which any thing leans or lies for support.

11. Final hope

13. The gospel church or new covenant state in which the people of God enjoy repose, and Christ shall be glorified. (Is 11)

Rest:v

1. To cease from action or motion of any kind; to stop

2. To cease from labor, work, or performance.

3. To be quiet or still: to be undisturbed.

5. To be quiet or tranquil, as the mind; not to be agitated by fear, anxiety or other passion.

9. To lean; to recline for support

10. To stand on, to be supported by

11. To be satisfied

12. To lean; to trust; to rely;

13. To continue fixed.

16. To abide; to remain with.

17. To be calm or composed in mind.

Have you chosen One Word?

Do you have another focus for 2012?

What’s something silly about you?

Please share. I’d love to get to know you better.

Out of Season- or Not?

Today as I was driving I saw pussy willows along the road. 

This happens every winter in Alaska. Sometime in February or March when most everyone thinks they can’t stand anymore winter we’ll have a warm spell. Some pussy willows will burst forth their soft fuzzy grey. Out in the woods some mosquitoes will hatch. I think its God reminding us that spring will indeed come, even though we have many more weeks of winter coming.

How often do I think a person, event, or message is out of season?  They don’t seem to fit; it’s not time for that now. A child. A marriage. A word. A ministry.

Perhaps they are meant to be sources of hope. Rather than judgment and confusion for those who seem out of season I should receive the encouragement that God has his own plan for all of us. His plan is not required to meet any human standard. None. Not time, logic, or least of all our plans or comfort.

Am I called to be out of season? Are you?

I believe we are. We are in a dark, lost world getting darker by the day – unless. Unless we who are the light will step out of the season of darkness, destruction and judgment with our light. Light always triumphs over darkness. Always.

Being out of season with the world should be easy. If it’s not perhaps we have forgotten we are light.

Being out of season with your family or church is much harder. Connection with the Father is so important when he calls you out of season. He sustains in all seasons. He can only sustain what is connected. He is the Vine. A branch in season or out will die apart from the vine.

Out of season but in His will is blessing. Blessing to me. Blessing to those who receive encouragement.

Thoughts for Authors: Final Edits on EIAJ

Publishing Update:

Thoughts for Authors: Final Edits on EIAJ: The time has come where I must make the final check for errors and content in Easter is About Jesus: Family Devotions for the Easter Seaso...

Committed

Friendship

Commitment

Fun

Sweet

Special

Loved

Wonderful

Blessed

For over 20 years we have been committed. Committed to one another. Committed to our future. Committed to our children. 

It's not always fun, it's not all been easy - yet so much easier because we were committed. We knew regardless of what hard thing life brought our way we were going through it together. 

There would still be us at the end.

How has commitment or lack of it affected your relationships? 

Time Saving Encouragement

Get out a pencil and paper. 

Listen with full attention.

This is how I feel when I listen to Lorrie Flem do a presentation.

My life right now is not allowing me to do so. 

Maybe yours won’t either.

I decided what I really needed was to take the nuggets that caught my attention and focus on just those. 

Lorrie’s messages are so loaded with practical wisdom I would have a list far too long if I wrote it all down. Trust me I have taken notes on her talks, they’re loaded!

This month I was sent the mp3 of Lorrie’s message 12 Simple Time Saving Tips for Mom for review as a Gabby Mom. This means I am giving you my honest opinion on this message I received from Eternal Encouragement.

The 12 simple tips are more like 12 areas where you can save yourself time and therefore stress. I’ve listen 3 times, all while doing something else (one of Lorrie’s tips by the way- multitask when it’s reasonable).

The nuggets I caught were:

•           to create a realistic schedule with ALL my responsibilities and buffers
•          add approximate times to complete a task when I put it on the “to do” list
•          take time to plan, but don’t just plan, do the plan. I don’t know that Lorrie said that last part but I know I must add it for myself.

As with any of the talks I have heard Lorrie give this one would be well worth the investment. She recommends several of her other resources as they relate to the tip she is covering. This is done to offer more resources and detailed information if there is one area you are really struggling in (like I think I need to get the one about building a brain).

I encourage you to visit Eternal Encouragement and look at the resources Lorrie offers. There’s something for every mother, wife, homeschooler and Christian woman.