Over the mountains and through the woods.....

to the farmhouse we have in Missouri! Yay! We are leaving this Sunday for a two week visit to our property. Hopefully the pipes haven't frozen! The children are looking forward to Christmas in Missouri. I hope it snows for them while we are there. Today and tomorrow will be a flurry of activity getting ready. We are taking a load of stuff on the trailer, so there will be less to move when we do. We have a new plan. We are planning to move there in February regardless of whether or not our house in TX sells. If we have to, we will rent it out. So, that's the plan. Pray for us!

Reformed thoughts from a wretched believer

These are my personal beliefs about the Lord's hand in saving sinners from eternal damnation. They are based soley on scripture. I believed these things before I even knew what the word Reformed meant, and before I even knew who John Calvin was. The Holy Spirit led me to these beliefs by using the Holy Scriptures that the Lord has so graciously allowed us to have access to. (Thank you Martin Luther for that!) If you do not read all the scripture I have included in this email, please do not write back arguing and saying that the Lord "told" you in your thoughts otherwise. Scripture is the only authority we have about these things. If you can show me in scripture where I am wrong, then I will most gladly read those scriptures too. I am going to try to put the scripture in bold.


I believe that we can only rely on scripture and not on feelings or thoughts that pop into our heads. Scripture is the great revealer. If something we think does not line up with the Word of the Lord, then it is not to be trusted as true. I have made a few remarks after some of the scripture. I pray that your spirit will be teachable and my spirit will be humble. And please remember Titus 2:1 You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine.

Hebrews 9:15
15Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.

Heb 9:15 very explicitly states "those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance"

Man is totally depraved. They are dead in trespasses and sins. Being dead, they absolutely cannot regenerate their own lives. It is only by the working of the Holy Spirit that they can even begin to come to the Lord.


Ephesians 2 1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.


Eph 2:4-5 states that it is God who made us alive when we were dead
Eph 2:8 states that faith and salvation are a gift of God, not of ourselves
Eph 2:10 God prepared in advance (indicating He knows us beforehand)


Reformed believers believe in:

1. The Absolute Sovereignty of God:
God is the Great King of the Universe. He rules over all things perfectly and completely. God does whatever He wishes, no one can restrain His will, His plans and counsels are always perfects accomplished. God never fails; nothing is outside of His perfect control and His overarching rule.


Scriptures supporting the Lord's sovereignty:


The LORD has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all. –Psalm 103:19


For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom is from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, "What have You done?" –Daniel 4:34-35


“And because He loved your fathers, therefore He chose their descendants after them; and He brought you out of Egypt with His Presence, with His mighty power.” -Deuteronomy 4:37


(again, God did the choosing)


“And they cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." –Revelation 7:10


(Salvation belongs to the Lord)


The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.” – Jeremiah 31:3


(The Lord draws us.)


“He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace.” –Ephesians 1:4-6


(Again, He chose us and those who are chosen are predestined.)


“You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain.” –John 15:16


(Obvious.)


“For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.” –Deuteronomy 7:6
(He chose us.)


“And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or counted.” –1 Kings 3:8
(God's people are chosen.)


“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” -1 Peter 2:9
(We are chosen by His own calling.)


2. The Total Depravity of Humanity: Human beings are born sinners with a sinful nature we inherited from Adam. We are born condemned, and our personal actions and choices only worsen our condemnation. We are dead in our sins and trespasses against God and His law. We are slaves to sin. On our own, we can do nothing that pleases God or has any real spiritual value. This does not mean that we are all as bad as we can possibly be. God’s common grace restrains us from total chaos. Yet, we are thoroughly corrupted at every level of our being: mind, body, heart and soul.


Verses concerning man's depravity:


Psalm 51:5 “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me."


Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. –Genesis 6:5


The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? –Jeremiah 17:9


"There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God.
They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one." "Their throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit"; "The poison of asps is under their lips"; "Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness." "Their feet are swift to shed blood; Destruction and misery are in their ways; And the way of peace they have not known." "There is no fear of God before their eyes." –Romans 3:10-18




3. The Complete Sufficiency of Christ: The only hope such sinful people have of salvation lies entirely in the work of Christ on our behalf. Jesus’ sinless life, perfect and sacrificial death and glorious resurrection accomplished our salvation in its entirety. The whole basis for our forgiveness and acceptance by God is the work of Christ. We add nothing to this work by our own actions or decisions. Christ and Christ alone is our entire salvation.


Verses concerning the sufficiency of Christ:
Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace


Colossians 1:14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Romans 3:24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,


Corinthians 1:30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,

Now, regarding accepting children as a gift from the Lord and not limiting them, that is absolutely not contrary to the Lord. We allow Him to bless us with those whom HE chooses to bless us with. We believe in His sovereignty so much that we know that only He is the author and giver of Life. Who am I to reject HIS blessings? I am nothing.


And lastly, for those who say they cannot believe a loving God would create souls destined for hell and for those of you who do not believe in predestination, Do you believe in univeralism? Do you believe that all people will be saved regardless of their beliefs? So, the Muslim, and the athiest will also be saved? Because it is obvious to me that these people were created by the Lord, and if they don't come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, then they will perish. But all I am saying is that it is the Lord who draws them to salvation (or any of us!)

Blessings and praying for all who read this,
Heather

footnote: paragraphs labeled 1, 2, and 3 - http://www.monergism.com/ThreePillars.pdf

Calvin and Me

I recently wrote this in reply to a question on an email list about whether the God of Reformed Calvinists is the same loving God of other protestant denominations.

I am a reformed Calvinist. I attend a reformed Calvinist church. This is the best church I have ever been in my entire saved life. I spent twelve years in a typical baptist church where my spirit waxed and waned and where I was the oddball for allowing the Lord to open and close my womb and for homeschooling. By the time I left that church, I was cynical and depressed. My spirit was just beaten and had rarely (especially at the end) received the nourishment it needed in the baptist church I was in. When we changed churches, it was like a veil was lifted from me. My heart began to be convicted anew of sins I had not seen before, because I was in a spiritual coma. Life became pleasant again, and I no longer had a critical spirit. I too, battled with the idea that if some of God's creation were predestined, then logically, some were created unto damnation. But that is wrong thinking. God calls whom He will call, and since absolutely none of us deserves His grace, who am I to judge His intentions about the elect? When I was doing that, it was as if I thought I knew better than God. I have since repented and know that it is not my place to say whom the Lord should save through His election. When we read through the old testament, do we not see the Lord "playing" favorites, as it were? He chose Jacob over Esau, He chose Abel over Cain, He chose Isaac over Ishmael. He saved Noah and his immediate family, but no one else. He saved Lot and his daughters, but not others. I'm sure there are more examples I am missing right now. Anyway, who am I to tell the Lord whom He should save? I am nothing, I am the creation, He is the creator. Isaiah 45:9 "Woe to him who strives with him who formed him, a pot among earthen pots! Does the clay say to him who forms it, 'What are you making?' or 'Your work has no handles'?
http://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/misunderstandings.html

As far as missions goes, if a church does not believe in sending missionaries to the far ends of the earth, then that church is disobeying a direct command of our Lord. I would say to anyone, run away from a church like that, no matter their denomination. My church went on 5 mission trips this last year, we had a missions conference and 12 of our young people and 10 more older people committed to moving towards a life of missions. We currently support approximately 8 missionary families and intend to support those leaving from our church to go into the mission field. My oldest son, who is 17 today, is finishing high school this year with his mind on becoming a missionary to Mexico. In fact, becoming a missionary as soon as possible is what finally motivated him to get his schoolwork done and not only done, but done early. We are commanded by our Lord and savior to Go!

Just because the Lord chooses whom He will choose, does not make Him an unloving God at all. It makes Him a loving and just God. He keeps His word. I am so thankful to now believe in the election of the saints, as before, I was always worried if I was really saved. Am I doing all the right things. Even before, though I "knew" that I could not save myself, now I really know it. It takes the pressure off of me. I do have assurance of salvation as well.
http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/TasteAndSee/ByDate/1999/1134_Helping_People_Have_the_Assurance_of_Salvation/


John Piper and John Macarthur are both Calvinist. If you can get some books by either one, they explain it so much better AND accurately. Also, Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem is very good.

My knowledge of Calvinism probably isn't as refined as it should be. But I know this, the Lord is a loving and Just God and He changed my life radically when I responded to His wooing. I am not saved by Calvin, but by grace alone, in Christ alone, through faith alone.
Blessings,
Heather
Serving a loving, all mighty, all knowing God.

Morning After Breakfast

The morning after our Christmas Tree decorating, we had a special breakfast. I'd like to make it a tradition. We don't have very many family traditions, but I believe it is beneficial as well as biblical to have traditions and create memories and to have remembrances. Well, on my birthday my friends surprised me with a birthday lunch where I had the most delicious ham, potato, cheddar quiche there, so I decided I wanted to make one for my family. My quiche's are usually just OKAY. Nothing to rave about at all.  I looked up some other recipes. I found that the general concensus appears to be 6 or 7 eggs to 1.5 cups of heavy cream. So, that is what I did. I also boiled some red potatoes first, because I didn't want them to not cook well in the quiche. After boiling the potatoes, I cut them into about 1 inch chunks. I also used some black forest ham that I diced into about 1/2 inch pieces. I used sharp cheddar cheese, so the cheese flavor wouldn't get lost. Some sea salt and some pepper. I did not make the crust. I was not that brave. While my quiche was in the oven, I cut up some nice big chunks of canteloupe, honeydew, fresh pinapple and kiwi and threw them all in a bowl, along with some grapes and blackberries. It was a very pretty fruit salad. Oh, and I also made some Lemon Poppyseed Muffins (courtesy of Betty Crocker in a box). I LOVE Lemon Poppyseed Muffins, well, really Lemon Poppyseed anything!! We had orange juice and eggnog served with our meal. I tried to serve the children at the table (usually they make a line in the kitchen). Funny, when my parents or the in-laws take us out to eat, my children are the best behaved children in the world and we always get many compliments on their behaviour. But not for me! They were so silly! They laughed and giggled about being served at the table.  They went on and on about how they had the prettiest and best waitress, that she even knew their names without asking. Sweet, silly children! And of course, one in particular was anxious to help serve, she kept coming in the kitchen to try to help me. They are so used to being helpful, I guess it really was too different for them to sit and be served. I will have to try to do that a little more often, although I am glad they will know how to run things when they grow up and move out. Anyway, after breakfast, we all relaxed and played some Bananagrams, which I got for my birthday! It was a very nice morning, just like I hoped it would be.

The fruit salad.

The quiche.

The meal. Yum!

The fun game we played!!

Have a blessed day!

Hosea 11:1 When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.

(Photography courtesy of my eldest son, Corban.)

Christmas Tree Decorating

Last night we pulled the Christmas Tree out of the attic. Yup, we have a fake tree. About four years ago, I thought we needed to have a nice big, real tree for Christmas. So, we bought one and brought it home. Nearly everyone in the house had itchy eyes and sniffling noses for the next few weeks. Many a sneeze could be heard in the house. After Christmas that year, my mom came to town and took me to Michael's (a craft store). We were able to get a beautiful display tree for 75% off the regular price. It's one of the ones that looks real and even has softer bristles. So, as I was saying, we got it out last night and put it up in the living room. I made homemade hot cocoa. The girls made chocolate chip cookies and peanut butter cookies. And some of the boys made sausage balls. We also had pumpkin pie to go with it. We first watched a Hallmark Christmas DVD while the goodies were baking. Then we turned on some Christmas music and ate our lovely treats! Yum! My favorite was the hot cocoa. The sausage balls are always a hit around here. They didn't last too long. Then we all gathered in the living room and began the tree decorating. It was decided that from this year forth, the star would be placed atop the tree by the oldest and each year, the next child down the line would get to do it. This way, each child has a memory of doing it, and we don't accidently forget someone. Previously, we were just guessing who did it last year and assigning it to someone else. I was worried, though, that someone would get missed and then they would always remember that they never got to put the star on the top of the tree. By the time we get to Benjamin, he will be nine years old, old enough to remember that he did it too. Sounds like a plan to me! It was fun watching the children talk about the decorations and see their eyes light up and the smiles so bright!

Papa holding Londyn up to reach the top levels of the tree.

Here is sweet Benjamin really enjoying all the brightly colored decorations.

Here is the tree. I think it's very pretty.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas this year and that we all remember that even though it probably isn't the actual day of Jesus Christ's birth, it is because of His birth that any of us have any hope of salvation. Blessings!

Genesis 49:10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.

Black Friday

Well, I did it. I wasn't sure I wanted to try, but I decided to go ahead. When I was a younger mom, I really didn't mind the crowds and the lines. As I've gotten older, I have come to the conclusion that the crowds and the lines aren't always worth it. I don't particularly enjoy the nervous feeling I get while wondering if I will find that "good deal" that I am there to buy. My oldest two boys and their cousin ventured out at 3:00 am for the Old Navy deals. Not sure if they actually got anything there. But I gave them the assignment of getting a few things at Target for me, cause that is where the cousin needed something too. Around 3:30 am my son called to tell me the line at Old Navy for the jackets was too long, so I told him not to worry about it. But now that meant I needed to get over to Sears to try and get a couple of their 12.99 coats. New coats for 12.99 is a great deal for my brood. Plus I had a $10 off $50 coupon. So, at 4:00 am I took my sleeping baby and myself out to the truck. Everyone else in the house was still soundly sleeping when I locked the door. I left Chris a note telling him what I was doing. Do you know what I learned this morning at 4:00 am? That the brain can think 3 or more different thoughts all at the same time and within the time frame of a couple of seconds. Our neighborhood frequently has transients walking through and asking for money. So, as I was buckling the baby in his car seat, I reminded myself to be observant, so I kept my eyes on the road and the end of the driveway. After I buckled him in, I turned around to walk around the front of the truck and saw someone standing in front of me. I thought to myself; Why aren't the dogs barking? Where did that person come from? I need to tell him I have no money to give. I also put my body in a self defensive stance. And then I recongnized that it was Chris, my husband, standing there in the dark. It was only a mere second or two and my adrenaline was pumping so fast, that I told him he had to hold me for a minute as I felt faint after realizing I was safe. (I have pretty low blood pressure, so when the blood stopped pumping so quick from my fright, I felt dizzy. I'm really not such a sissy.) He held me as I calmed down. Good grief! I was NOT expecting to see him or anyone standing there. After my blood pressure returned to normal, I got in the truck and left to go to Sears for their sales. I got exactly what I needed there, yay! Then I drove past Target and decided against stopping there because the lines were 500 long! Then I went over to Office Max, was FIRST in line and got a great deal on a wireless, color laser printer for 99.00!! I can't wait till I can open it at Christmas. I do a lot of printing for our homeschool, so I really hope this turns out to be a money saver in printing costs. I am now home and thankful for the good deals I got that will really help my family. If I get up some more gumption, I may go back over to Sears for their 9.99 jeans with my other 10 off 50 purchase. If I go, I should be able to get 5 pairs of jeans for 40! I like those numbers.

Micah 5:2
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.

Nee Nee's Pink Stuff

Nee Nee's Pink Stuff

1 pk frozen raspberries (or cranberries or strawberries)
1 cup sugar
mix thoroughly to dissolve

1 can mandarin oranges
1 can crushed pineapple (drain well and reserve juice)
1 large banana
1 cup coconut (optional)
add this to the above except for the reserved juice

Add two envelopes of unflavored gelatin to ¾ cup of reserved juice
Place over medium heat, stirring constantly to dissolve
Add this to fruit mixture

Then fold in:
1 cup sour cream
1 cup whipped cream
Add pecans as desired


Chill until firm