Friday Facts - The Apocrypha - The Book of Baruch

Here we are at another Friday. End of the week. Time for more Friday Facts. We're continuing this week with more info about the Apocrypha. I'm finding that this information has been very helpful to me. Now, I know, there is nothing in the Apocrypha that I should use as a basis for my faith in God. However, what is helpful to me is that now I know some of they reasons WHY I shouldn't be turning to it as I seek the Lord. Now I know why I should only read my Bible and not be including the Apocrypha. I have a basis of information to pull from should I ever find myself in a conversation about the Apocrypha. For me, that's good stuff!

So, anyway, today's post will focus on the Book of Baruch. Here's some general information I learned this week about this book in the Apocrypha.....

This book is considered a canonical book of the Bible by the Roman Catholics. In their Bible it follows the Book of Lamentations. This book is NOT included in the Hebrew Bible.

It is a compilation of verses from the books of Job, Daniel, Isaiah, and Jeremiah. This book is named after Baruch who was a secretary of the prophet Jeremiah. It was addressed to the Jews exiled in Babylon and was written partly in prose and partly in poetry. The prose portion includes an admission of sin, a promise of deliverance after repentance, and a prayer asking mercy and praising God. The poetry portion includes verses in praise of wisdom and of God's commandments and of verses urging the exiles to be courageous and comforted. The sixth chapter of Baruch claims to be a letter of Jeremiah addressed to the exiles in Babylon and is a warning against idolatry.

Most likely, these three parts were written at different times. It may have been compiled as late as the 1st or 2nd century AD by an Alexandrian editor using the original Hebrew manuscripts.

It is thought that it's exclusion from the Hebrew is due, in large part, to the fact that there is no proof of prophetic authority. Its value is only as a mirror of time and as a keeper of many liturgical and poetical passages of great beauty and power.

Next week we'll look at the book of Judith from the Apocrypha.

Thankful Thursday

This week I am thankful for the gift of TIME. This is something I've been thinking about alot over the last week or so. Earlier this week, I shared some of my thoughts on this gift. So, if you read the earlier post you have some background as to what has been going on inside my brain as of late.

The more I think about it the more I am in awe of this precious gift. We have been given all the time we need to spend with God, with friends, with family, etc. So many times in our lives, I think, we don't feel we have enough time. And, here, is where I have spent alot of time in thought. When I think about the time that I don't think I have I am forced to realize that I don't always use my time wisely. I don't turn to God and say, "Thank you so for this gift. Please help me to use it wisely." I take advantage of the gift and don't ask for guidance in using it.

Also during this time, we have been blessed this week with the gift of unexpected time. Yesterday and today school was cancelled due to icy weather conditions. This also has given my husband and I more free time as we haven't had to put in as many work hours. We've had some unplanned time to share together as a family. As we've gone thru these days I've been very concious that I spend more time sitting down with my kids and playing with them. Talking to them. Enjoying them. My husband and I have also had some more time to just sit and talk and be together. God has blessed us this week.

My prayer this week is a prayer of thanksgiving for this gift of time along with a prayer that I will choose to use it wisely. That I won't sacrifice precious time with God, with family and loved ones for something else that isn't as important or as urgent. I pray that God would show me where He wants me to spend my time and that I would follow.


"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace." Ecclesiastes 3:1-8



For more Thankful Thursday visit Lori at "Lori's Reflections"!

Word-Filled Wednesday - 1 Corinthians 13:13

"But now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13


For more "Word-Filled Wednesday" posts visit The 160 Acre Woods.




Picture courtesy of http://www.christianphotos.net/.

The Gift of Time

I have a confession to make. I can be just a bit obsessed with time. I'm always looking to see what time it is. If I'm wearing a watch, I check it regularly. During the day, I'm always checking in on the time. My brain is always whirring.... spinning those wheels to remember all that is on my to do list. What has gotten done and what hasn't gotten done. Trying to determine the best way to get those uncompleted tasks completed before day's end.

Now, knowing all that about me, would you think that maybe I just might be a little stressed most of the time? If you answered 'YES!', then you are correct.

Now, I will say, I have been working on this some over the last year or two. The stress level has dropped considerably. I am learning how to let go of what truly is not important and what is not in my control. I am learning to make those conscious decisions to play with my kids instead of folding the laundry. But, do I still have a long ways to go? Again, YES!

Last week I wrote a post about a series of sermons our pastor was doing on "Resolutions that Matter". Last week, the sermon had been about CHANGE. Wow... did he ever give me a lot to think about! Or, rather... the Lord gave me a lot to think about as I listened to our pastor. Well, this week, guess what the topic was? Yep... it was TIME. Based on how I started this post you probably can imagine that it was very "timely" (ha, ha... timely... get it??) for me.

Once again, I walked out of that service with much to ponder. If you are familiar with the story of Mary and Martha in the Bible then you will understand when I tell you that I am a Martha. But, oh, how I want to be a Mary. I don't want to miss out on my time with my family or my friends or any one else because I am too busy being a Martha.

Time is a valuable thing. More valuable, I think, than we will ever understand here on earth. To just begin to put it into perspective (even a little), follow these thoughts (they were included in our pastor's study notes)....

** To realize the value of ONE YEAR, ask a student who failed a grade

** To realize the value of ONE MONTH, ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby

** How valuable is ONE HOUR? Ask the businessman whose flight was delayed an hour and he missed an important business deal.

** How valuable is ONE MINUTE? Ask the man who had the heart attack and a nearby EMT immediately gives him CPR to save his life.

** How valuable is ONE SECOND? Ask the person who barely missed an oncoming car.

** How valuable is ONE MILLISECOND? Ask the Olympic swimmer who missed qualifying by sixtenths. Time is valuable.


How about this quote by A.W. Tozer? "Time is a resource that is nonrenewable and nontransferable. You cannot store it, slow it up, hold it up, divide it up or give it up. you can't hoard it up or save it for a rainy day -- when it's lost, it unrecoverable. When you kill time, remember that it has no resurrection."

It really makes you stop and think, doesn't it? Here are some of the questions I've asked myself this week.....



** Is it more important that my house is always neat and clean or that I spend special one-on-one time with my kids?

** Is it more important that my bed is made in the morning or that I've spent that time instead in prayer?

** Is it more important that my "to do" list items were all checked off before I went to bed or that I spent an hour in the evening just sitting quietly and visiting with my husband?



Now, all of these questions have an obvious answer. Yes, the time with my kids is more important. The time in prayer is certainly more important than making the bed. And, the time with my husband is more important than any 'ole "to do" list. But, I find that by writing out that question and forcing myself to really address it, that the point is driven home to me more. The truth is, some days I will choose to make the bed instead of pray. Some days I will pick up the house instead of playing with my kids. And, yes, there are days that I will complete that "to do" list instead of spending time with my husband. I NEED to look at the questions and realize that I don't always make the best judgment call. I NEED to focus my time on the most valuable and precious gifts I have been given.

Sure, the house does need to be picked up and it is nice to occassionally get that bed made. But, should I ever do them at the risk of missing out on special time with my loved ones? With God? NO! I need to find the balance. I need to realize that the time I take away from the most valuable gifts I have been given will never be replaced. Once I give it up, it is gone.

I'm going to continue my journey in learning to focus on what is truly important. I'm going to continue to grow and learn how to make the decisions that show my friends and my family that I value them. I'm going to have more times when I just sit and laugh and enjoy. I'm going to have more time in prayer and in God's Word.

Will you join me? Will you jump on this bandwagon with me and learn to use well the gift of time?


"Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men, but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil." Ephesians 5:15

"So teach us to number our days, That we may present to Thee a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12

Ruth 2:1-7 - A Continuation - Helping the Poor

"Now Naomi had a relative on her husband's side of the family named Boaz. He was a wealthy, prominent man from the clan of Elimelech. One day Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, "Let me go to the fields so I can gather grain behind whoever permits me to do so." Naomi replied, "You may go, my daughter." So Ruth went and gathered grain in the fields behind the harvesters. Now she just happened to end up in the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech. Now at that very moment, Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, "May the Lord be with you!" They replied, "May the Lord bless you!" Boaz asked his servant in charge of the harvesters, "To whom does this young woman belong?" The servant in charge of the harvesters replied, "She's the young Moabite woman who came back with Naomi from the region of Moab. She asked, "May I follow the harvesters and gather grain among the bundles?" Since she arrived she has been working hard from this morning until now - except for sitting in the resting hut a short time." Ruth 2:1-7


As I studied these scriptures I discovered some other insights that I just had to share with you before we moved along any further.

Do you notice how in verse 7 the servant tells Boaz that Ruth asked, "May I follow the harvesters and gather grain among the bundles?" Any other time I have read this in the past I thought absolutely nothing of it other than it was the "right" thing to do before she just walked out in this man's field and starting gathering up his grain.

However, a look back at Jewish law tells us that Boaz was required to allow Ruth to gather grain in his fields. In Leviticus 19:9-10 we find these words....

"When you gather in the harvest of your land, you must not completely harvest the corner of your field, and you must not gather up the gleanings of your harvest. You must not pick your vineyard bare, and you must not gather up the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You must leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God."

Then, just a few chapters later we find these words in Leviticus 23:22....

"When you gather in the harvest of your land, you must not completely harvest the corner of your field, and you must not gather up the gleanings of your harvest. You must leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God. "

With the law presented in these scriptures, the disadvantaged (widows, orphans, poor) were allowed to gather grain from the unharvested parts of the field. They could also go back over areas that had already been harvested and pick up grain that had been missed or had fallen (this was called gleaning).

Since it was mentioned twice in the course of just several chapters, I would say that God took caring for the disadvantaged seriously. Not only was it mentioned twice in Leviticus, but I also found one reference that stated caring for the poor is mentioned 136 times in the Bible. I'd say God places a high priority on this, wouldn't you?

In closing I want to share several of the questions I've been asking myself over the last couple of days as I've been looking at this scripture.....

~ Do I share with the disadvantaged as God would have me to?

~ Do I share appropriately of my time?

~ Do I share appropriately of my money?

~ If not, what steps would God have me take to change and place a higher priority on this in my life and the life of my family?

"Glorious One"

Friday Facts - Books of the Maccabees

I received several comments and emails expressing an interest in what I shared last week about the Apocrypha. I'm so glad you found this interesting..... I did, too. So, since several of us are looking for more, I decided that I would continue with a bit more over the next few weeks.

This week is a brief overview of the Books of the Maccabees, which are included in the Apocrypha.

Originally there were 5 books of the Maccabees. The first was a history of the war of independence (approximately B.C. 175) that was a series of patriotic struggles against Antiochus Epiphanes. This war ended about B.C. 135. This book became part of the Vulgate Version of the Bible, so was retained among the Apocrypha.

The second book is a history of the Maccabees' struggle from B.C. 176 to B.C. 161. Its purpose was to both encourage and admonish the Jews to be faithful to the religion of their fathers.

The third book doesn't have a place in the Apocrypha, but is read in the Greek Church. Its purpose was to comfort the Alexandrian Jews in their persecution.

The fourth book was found in the Library of Lyons, but then later burned.

The fifth book contains a history of the Jews from B.C. 184 to B.C. 86. It was written by a Jew after the destruction of Jerusalem. It is made up of ancient memoirs.

None of these books has any divine authority.


Next week we'll take a brief look at the Book of Baruch. See you then!

Thankful Thursday

I can't believe another week has gone by so quickly and it is once again time for Thankful Thursday. Whew... where does the time go?!

As I've thought today on all that I have this week for which to be thankful, there are so many things! I just can't narrow my list down to one or two. Here's just a few of the great things God has given me over this last week.

~ First of all, I am so thankful for Thankful Thursday! This is becoming one of my very favorite posts that I do each week. It forces me to slow down a bit and really focus on all that God has given to me and to my family. If ever I need an attitude adjustment, I usually get it every Wednesday/Thursday as I focus in on all the many blessings that are in my life.

~ I am thankful for all my "blogging buddies". It never fails that as I visit each of you that I am blessed, that I laugh, that I cry... right along with you. Anytime that I ask for prayer or mention a struggle in my life, you instantly respond with support and prayer. Anytime I post a praise, you praise God along with me. You all are THE BEST!

~ I am thankful for assurances God has given me this week that I am exactly where He wants me to be at this time. As I shared in my last Thankful Thursday post, I struggled some with where I was for several days last week. As always, when I turned my feelings of uncertainty and uncomfortableness (is that a word??) over to God, He was faithful in providing the reassurances my heart and my mind needed.

~ I am thankful for God's provisions... not just for me and my family, but for my friends as well. I have a dear friend that was laid off last year in May. She was so fortunate to find employment the following month. Last week she called me asking for prayers as they were told that layoffs would begin at this new job. This week they began notifying people in her department of their employment status. I heard from her late yesterday afternoon and she had been told they would not be letting her go. YEA!!!!

For more Thankful Thursday visit Lori at "Lori's Reflections"!

Word-Filled Wednesday - Psalm 90:12

"So teach us to number our days, That we may present to Thee a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12

For more "Word-Filled Wednesday" posts visit The 160 Acre Woods.







Picture courtesy of http://www.christianphotos.net/.

God Is All About Change

This month our pastor is preaching a series of sermons on "Resolutions that Matter". At first I thought we would talk alot about resolutions like strengthening our relationship with Lord, reading the Bible more, etc.

I was correct in my thinking, but there was a bit more. The "more" part has really made me stop and think. I have found areas that I need to pray about and seek the Lord's help and His guidance. Here, let me fill you in......

Last week we looked at change. In order to keep a resolution we need to do more than just say we are going to do it. We need to CHANGE.

I've always thought I handled change pretty well. But, as our pastor continued, I realized I only handle change well when it is a good experience for me or something that I chose to change or when it doesn't directly affect me. OUCH! I can't tell you how painful that is to admit. Almost as painful as changing in an area I don't want to change.

Let me give you just a small example. Several years ago there was a series of organizational changes that took place in my company. My department began reporting directly to our parent company. As part of this, our benefits changed to match those of the parent company, including how our vacation time was accrued. Up until this time, we started with 2 wks vacation, after 5 years we moved to 3 wks, and then at 10 yrs we received 4 wks. The new plan is the same until you get to 10 yrs. No longer do I get 4 wks vacation at 10 yrs. I now have to wait until 15 yrs. At the time all this changed, I had only been with my company 8 yrs. I remember thinking "No big deal". There were much bigger things to be upset about.

Well, this year I've now been with the company for 10 yrs and I don't get that additional week of vacation. I bet you can tell where this is going, huh? It now affects me. I don't like it. I have complained about it..... more than once. I'm not handling that bit of change well at all. Funny how my "No big deal" attitude changed once it directly affected me, huh? I've had to re-adjust and pray for an "attitude adjustment".

When I look at this example and then several others, I have been forced to admit that I don't handle change as well as I should. And, unfortunately, I had always felt this was a strength for me. Hmmmmm..... I have discovered that it is just the opposite.

And, you see, here's the crux of the matter.... God is all about change. If we're truly going to live for Him we must change. If we're truly going to love others we
must change. If we're going to be witnesses to the world around us we must change.

If we look in the book of John in the 2nd and 3rd chapters we see stories, back to back, that all deal with change. The first is the story of Jesus changing the water into wine. Second, we read of when Jesus visited the Temple for Passover and was greeted with men selling doves and oxen. Jesus spoke at the time of our bodies being "temples of the Lord" and of how we must cleanse it -- change it from being dirty. Then, the third story tells us of Nicodemus. Nicodemus asked Jesus what one must do "to be born again when he is old?" Jesus' answer is "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven." In other words, we must change -- our ways of thinking, our commitments, and the way we live our lives.

So, here's the questions I must now pose to myself..... how do I learn to accept change that isn't pleasant? Change that directly affects me? How do I learn to embrace change... even the kind of change that is difficult and where I don't see the purpose?

And, finally, here's the big one..... do I daily turn myself over completely to God? Am I completely willing to accept the change that is likely to be required on that very day or somewhere down the road? A change that others may not understand? A change that could move me further outside my comfort zone than I would like?

How about you? Do you handle change well? Have you learned to accept that change is necessary and been able to move forward? Are you willing to change in any way that God may ask?

Ruth 2:1-7

"Now Naomi had a relative on her husband's side of the family named Boaz. He was a wealthy, prominent man from the clan of Elimelech. One day Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, "Let me go to the fields so I can gather grain behind whoever permits me to do so." Naomi replied, "You may go, my daughter." So Ruth went and gathered grain in the fields behind the harvesters. Now she just happened to end up in the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was from the clan of Elimelech. Now at that very moment, Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, "May the Lord be with you!" They replied, "May the Lord bless you!" Boaz asked his servant in charge of the harvesters, "To whom does this young woman belong?" The servant in charge of the harvesters replied, "She's the young Moabite woman who came back with Naomi from the region of Moab. She asked, "May I follow the harvesters and gather grain among the bundles?" Since she arrived she has been working hard from this morning until now - except for sitting in the resting hut a short time." Ruth 2:1-7


As we jump back into the study of Ruth and start Chapter 2 we meet Boaz. As it turns out, Boaz is a relative of Naomi's late husband. On this day, Boaz has returned from Bethlehem (his fields were outside the city gates). As he walks thru his fields and greets the harvesters, he notices Ruth. He immediately asks who she is... his exact words being "To whom does she belong?" (Remember in last week's post we looked at the custom in those times of a woman "belonging" to either her father or her husband? Yep.. that applies here. Boaz wasn't being demeaning to Ruth at all. For this time period, it was perfectly natural to ask the question in this manner. )

One thing about Boaz that struck me almost immediately was this.... he must of been a kind and Godly man. Look at how he greeted his workers as he walked thru the fields.... "May the Lord be with you!" and "May the Lord bless you!" were the words he said to them all (wouldn't it be great to be greeted in such a manner in our workplaces today?). Also, I read his words of inquiry about Ruth as concern for the young woman working in the fields alone.

Do you, like me, find it interesting that Ruth just happened to wind up gathering grain in the field of Boaz? And, how about the fact that Boaz just happened to walk thru the fields while Ruth was there gathering grain?

If you have read the book of Ruth, you know where this is leading. Even here, in the beginning of the story, we can see God's hand leading Ruth and Naomi. All along (even in the heartache and grief they both have suffered) God had a plan, a very special plan, for each of these women.

What a beautiful story we have right here for us to remember whenever we just don't understand why we are experiencing the difficulties or burdens in our lives. We can be assured that God's hand is always there.... regardless of what is going on in our lives. He is there walking beside us, always loving, and always guiding as long as we are willing to follow.

How exciting it will be to read more of the story of Ruth and Naomi and how it begins to include Boaz in the scriptures ahead. I love to look back and see how God worked to lead me or my family to the point we are currently. And, though I already know the outcome of Ruth and Noami's story, I'm looking forward to paying closer attention to the paths God leads them down in the verses ahead.

About Me

I'm wife to Jeff, mom to Josh and Abby, daughter, sister and friend.  But, most importantly, I am a child of God.  This blog is full of my thoughts and my questions as I walk the journey of becoming all that God has in store for me.

I started "The Fruits of the Spirit" in February of 2008.  I chose this name for my blog because these are the traits that I want to find and to live for God.  Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control -- we can all exemplify these "fruits" each and everyday when we rely on God and allow Him control of our lives.

Friday Facts - The Apocrypha

Wow! It has been quite awhile since I posted a "Friday Facts". I don't know about you, but I've missed it. I'm really enjoying looking up all the info that I share on Fridays.

This week I thought I would post a brief description about the Apocrypha. Over the years, I've heard much about these books and never really understood, until recently, what they contained. There is quite a bit of information out there about the Apocrypha. I may share additional information over the next few weeks.


The Apocrypha

The books of the Apocrypha have incorrectly been referred to as "the Lost Books of the Bible". These books, in fact, are not lost. Both Christians and Jews have always known about them.

The name "Apocrypha" was given to certain ancient books which found a place in Latin Vulgate versions of the Old Testament that is used by Catholics today. Protestants and Jews do not accept them as Scripture. In the sixteenth century they were appended to all the great Bible translations. However, they should never in any sense be regarded as parts of the inspired Word of God.

Why shouldn't we consider them part of the inspired Word of God? For several reasons....

1. Not one of these books is written in the Hebrew language. Hebrew alone was used by the inspired historians and poets of the Old Testament.

2. None of the writers of the Apocrypha claimed to be inspired by God.

3. These books have never been acknowledged by Jews as sacred scriptures. The Jews actually rejected and destroyed the Aprocrypha after the overthrow of Jerusalem in 70 AD.

4. They were not permitted among the sacred books during the first four centuries of the Christian church.

5. It contains statements which only contradict the "canonical" scriptures.

6. It includes doctrines that are in variance with the Bible.

7. The Apocrypha teaches immoral practices including lying and magical incantation.

8. No apocryphal book is referred to in the New Testatment. However, the New Testament refers hundreds of times to the Old Testament.

9. Due to all the reasons noted above, the books of the Apocrypha are only valuable as ancient documents to illustrate the manners, language, opinions and history of the East.


The Old Testament Apocrypha consists of 14 books.
~ Books of the Maccabees
~ Books of Esdras
~ Book of Wisdom
~ Book of Baruch
~ Book of Esther
~ Ecclesiasticus
~ Tobit
~ Judith

Others included are:
~ Bel and the Dragon (addition to Daniel)
~ Daniel and Susanna (addition to Daniel)
~ Additions to Esther
~ Letter of Jeremiah
~ Prayer of Azariah (addition to Daniel)
~ Prayer of Manasseh
~ Psalm 151
~ Sirach
~ Tobit
~ Wisdom of Solomon


The New Testament Apocrypha is very extensive and bears strong evidence of its non-apostolic origin. According to the source I found it is completely unworthy of any regard.

Thankful Thursday

I’m struggling a bit this week. I’m not real comfortable with where I am right now. I’m looking for more balance in my life. I’m trying to take care of some things so they can be done and I can move on to the next step. I feel there is so much ahead and that it will be good… REALLY GOOD. It’s so slow getting there, though. Yes, I’m impatient. I always have been. Yet another thing that I struggle with on a regular basis.

But, you know what? There is still so very much for which to give thanks! God has reminded me over and over and over all day today of how much I have for which to be thankful. This is just a sampling of what He has shown me today…..


~ Though I am not comfortable with all that I have before me, I do feel sure that I am where God wants me. I don’t feel Him guiding me in other directions at this moment. I do feel the path he has me on will eventually lead me in other directions… just not at this moment. And, while that leaves me trying to deal with my lack of patience, it also is reassuring because I am where He wants for now.

~ While I have struggled more in my professional life this year than ever before, I do have a job. So many are without work right now and I am so fortunate to have this particular job. Not only that, but my husband’s company is doing well. He runs his own business and in this time with such an unstable economy it could easily be the exact opposite. However, God has continued to allow us both to be in stable working conditions.

~ This morning I received an email from my brother-in-law that was just what I needed. Each morning he shares a brief devotional with a group of men and he has been including me on his distribution list. He spoke of being outside of what is comfortable but also knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that you are within God’s will. It’s tough, but we can be assured that God is right there with us… leading and guiding and loving….every single step of the way. He reminded us of the story of Naomi in the book of Ruth. Naomi experienced great difficulty and grief in her life. But, look at the way God wove all of that into a grand plan for her future. While nothing I am experiencing right now can even be compared with the grief and the heartache that Naomi experienced, how wonderful it is to know that he is weaving his grand plan for my life, too! (I also thought it interesting how God took a book of the Bible that I am currently studying and put it right back in front of me with this email….hmmm…think God is trying to tell me something??)

~ My family. I think I mention them almost every week in my Thankful Thursday posts, but where would I be without my dear husband and beautiful children? Where would I be without my parents, my sisters, my brother-in-law, my nieces and nephews? They are all such an integral part of my life and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that each one of them supports me and loves me just the way I am.

I am so very thankful for the way God speaks to us at just the time we need to hear from Him the most. I needed it today and there He was!

“For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11


For more Thankful Thursday visit Iris at Grace Alone...!

Pay It Forward!

Over the last couple of weeks I have been following posts on several blogs about a Pay It Forward challenge. I loved the idea behind it, but was usually not one of the first three commentors on the post so kept missing out on my chance to participate (you'll understand the importance of that in a minute).

So, a few days ago when I saw that Tricia at It's All About Him! was posting on this challenge and then noticed that no one had commented yet, I jumped in just as fast as I could.

So, you ask, what is this challenge all about? Well, here you go.....

The first three bloggers to leave a comment on this post will receive a hand-made item from me. Also, those same three bloggers promise to post this challenge on their own blog. This means they will be "paying it forward" by creating a handmade gift for the first three bloggers that leave a comment on their blog. Now, doesn't that sound like fun? All that hand-made love going around in the blogosphere?

This part is fun, too... the gift can be anything that you choose and be in any price range. And, you have 365 to make/ship your item.

How about it? How about joining in on the fun with us?

Ruth - A Review and Some Background Info

Due to my break over the holidays, there have been several weeks since I lasted posted from the book of Ruth. I thought it might be good to do a very brief review before jumping right back into the scripture.

In the last post on Ruth we completed the first chapter in the book. This took us up to the point where Ruth and Naomi had arrived in Bethlehem. They had been greeted excitedly by many townspeople that had missed Naomi since she had left with her family about 10 years prior. Noami shared with them the loss of her husband, her sons, and introduced them to Ruth. Naomi also expressed her distress and grief due to these losses. She told them how she felt God had "opposed" her or "testified against" her.

This brings us to chapter 2. Before we dig into the first few verses of this chapter (which we'll do in the next post), I think it might be helpful to take a brief look at the culture of the time. Before I even started posting on Ruth a couple of months ago, I did write a post about the culture. However, these are some items that I don't believe were included in that post and that will be particularly insightful as we begin chapter 2.

~ If a woman was single she belonged to her father. If she was married she belonged to her husband. While we find the word "belonged" to be a negative in our culture today, this is what they believed at that time. A little further look into this, though, does show some wisdom. Most unmarried females were fourteen or younger, so we can obviously see the need for supervision at such a young age. Women at that time were also much more vulnerable to rape and assault than we are today as they did not have doors that locked and jails to house criminals.

~ Commerce revolved around agriculture.

~ There was no organized welfare system.

~ Men and women were segregated in their work.

~ Harvesting was a big job! The grain was harvested, then bundled into sheaves, and gathered into barns. Then there was threshing (done by beating with sticks or laying them out on floors for the livestock to tromp) followed by the winnowing (separating the grain from the lighter parts).

My next post on Ruth will be from Ruth 2:1-7. We'll begin to see how God was way ahead of Ruth and Naomi and how obvious it was that He was guiding them and directing their path from the very beginning. There are also some great insights to God's plan that we all care for those that are less fortunate than ourselves.

Can't wait to meet you back here next Monday for more from the book of Ruth!

An Update - Ridding My Mailbox of Unwanted Catalogs

A couple of months ago I shared with you in this post a new website I had found called Catalog Choice. This is a place to enter in catalogs that show up in your mailbox unwanted. Catalog Choice then works with the companies to remove your name from their mailing lists. I thought I would take a minute this evening and give you an update on whether or not it has worked for us.

And.... the answer is..... YES! I love it! I started using Catalog Choice on Nov 15. By the first part of December I was already noticing a difference in the number of catalogs I received in the mail and by the time Christmas rolled around there was a BIG difference. And, since this is the time of year that we receive the most of this sort of mail it made an even bigger impression on me.

I also want to share something else with you that I discovered. When you enter the name of a catalog that you no longer wish to receive, you also have to enter the customer code and the key code from the back of the catalog (usually they appear in a blue and pink or yellow shaded box that is part of the mailing label). Catalog Choice then lists all these customer codes when showing the list of catalogs you have listed as ones you no longer wish to receive. What I'm finding as I track ones entered vs. ones I'm still receiving in the mail, I have found that more than one company has me and/or my husband in multiple times under multiple customer codes. This would certainly be one explaination as to why we receive so many, huh? I, personally, also see it as a huge waste of paper, as well as time and money by the company sending the catalog.

So, in a nutshell, I have been very pleased and plan to continue using this as a way to get rid of unwanted catalogs that I receive in the mail. Join me and we'll work together to keep our mailboxes clean and, hopefully, save a few trees along the way!

MOMS United in Business - Info and Blogroll

If you're a Mom operating your own business and looking for a wonderfully supportive online community, this is a place you need to check out. Moms United in Business is committed to supporting you as a Christian, a mom and a business professional. I'm finding it to be a great community... just what I need right now as I am spreading my wings and have started my own business. This site is full of great ideas for growing your business, and even more importantly, supporting you in your growth as a Christian.

The blogs below are the personal and business blogs written by many of the members of this great online community.


The Fresh Radiant Skin Care Blog

Jesus Day Gifts

Kailei Designs

Ramblings of a Wannabe Writer

CPR Mom

My Gemstone Box

Online Shopping Boutique

Whatever Is On Shelby's Mind

I Found this Recipe

Carols2Scents

Feel Excellent

Proud Work at Home Mom

Body Magic Body

Books My Kids Read

Courtney Speaks

Faithful Bloggers

Create Your Traditions

Our Journey Thru Autism

Prim 'N Purdy

Lori Homeyer @ Prim 'N Purdy

Confessions from the Sew Dojo

Eco-Office Gals

Ramblings by Nicole

Vintage Body Spa Blog

The Delirious Fortuitous Incomprehensible Rabid Meanderings of a Feeble Mind

Writing to Sanity

Tricia's Treasure

Health, Beauty, Children and Family

Mommy Views and News Blog

SD Virtual Assistant

Twin Parenthood

Goals, Gifts and Girl Talk

Ask Dr Mimi

Pavilion Splendor

Soul Purpose

Donna Perugnini

Marla's Biz

Albany Working Moms Examiner

My Vehicle to Success

Sheba Template Designs

Wisdom Begun

Aroma Candle Company

Blogging Moms Anonymous

True Tales of a Minivan Mama

Kelly's Keepsakes and Baby Boutique

Over the Top Aprons

Work in Faith

Forward Living

The Memory Keeper's Coach

Charitable Creations

Sacred Stones and Gifts Blog

Dawn At Your Service's Blog

Discover Your Soul Purpose

theboysstore.com Blog

Optimal Healthcare Solution

My Bible Companion

Stress & Alternative Pain Relief Blog

Work from Home Success Blog

Cinnamon Hollow WAHM Reviews

Artistic Albums by Nicole

Women's Life Empowerment

Thankful Thursday

"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:16

I first am thankful for a new year. To me, a new year represents so many different things. A new year with a new outlook on life, a new year to spend with my family, a new start with new attitudes, a new year with new adventures and new friendships and new opportunites. And, yes... even another year older. :)

I also try to look at it as another year with a brand new opportunity to grow and to become a better me, a better wife, a better mommy, a better daughter, a better child of God. As we've crossed into 2009 I've thought alot about new beginnings. We're given a new life in Christ when we accept Him as our Lord and Savior. We celebrate this new life each year with Christmas when we celebrate His earthly birth and then celebrate the new life we are given at Easter when we focus on Christ's death and then resurrection. My prayer for this new year is that as I experience all the "new" that I would never lose focus on this most precious gift we were given thru the birth, the death and the resurrection of Christ.

At the beginning of this post is the scripture Hebrews 4:16. Isn't this a great verse? And, yes, the 2nd thing for which I am thankful for this week. I am thankful that I can approach God with confidence. That I can come before Him KNOWING that He is there, He is listening, He cares, He loves, He hears every single word I pray and feel. I can be confident of all of this and know that He has a plan and He is faithful in showing me that plan and leading me towards it if I will only listen.

This verse seems to have come before me many, many times over the last month or so.... in books I have been reading (even in one secular fiction book I have been reading), in blogs I have read, in one sermon at church, etc. A couple of weeks ago it finally occurred to me that God was probably trying to tell me something (yea... I'm a little slow sometimes :) ). I am going to make this my "scripture for this year". I am going to strive to always go to God with great confidence. Confidence in knowing He is there and He is listening and that He does provide all the grace and all the mercy I will ever need.

For more Thankful Thursday visit Iris at Grace Alone...!

Trying to Get Back to Our Normal Routine

Is it just me or is everyone having a hard time getting back in their normal routines after the holidays? I tell you what, I just can't quite get it all together again... at least not yet.

After two weeks of vacation from work and wonderful family time and relaxation time and Christmas and New Year celebration time, I'm finding that my mind just isn't quite ready to jump back into the routine. I felt sure I would be ready to go and have a new post on the book Ruth up today. Somehow, though, I managed to lose complete track of time over the weekend and that post just did not get written.

As I've sat and thought about where I am right now, I'm going to give myself another few days to "get my act together". All is good... I just need to convince myself that I'm no longer in vacation mode. :)

So, I'll be a bit scarce this week again (although I'm sure I'll jump in for Thankful Thursday later this week... I always hate to miss my thankful post.. it makes such a difference in my entire outlook for the week.. puts me on my toes to always be noticing the blessings in life!) and then be back next Monday to pick up on Ruth where I left off prior to Christmas. Following that I'll hopefully be back into my routine and get things a little more back to normal on this blog. :)

Until then......

Looking Forward to 2009

I LOVE the idea of New Year's Meditations that is being hosted by Laurel of Laurel's Reflections. The idea is not to make a bunch of resolutions that you know you won't keep (oh, you know what I mean... I will lose 10 lbs this year, I will go to the gym everyday, and on and on), but instead to focus on what you want to see when you look back on 2009. Did my relationship with the Lord become even stronger? Was I a friend to all?

These are the areas I see the Lord leading me to focus on during the next year:

~ I want to show Christ's love to the people I encounter in my daily life. Not just to my close friends, family, people that go to my church or people that I are in my office (although, I do want to include them). What I'm specifically trying to focus on right now are areas like this... Do I stop and smile and visit with the lady that rings up my total at the grocery store or do I just wait impatiently and then rush on with my life? When I'm out shopping at the mall and see the people that always take surveys in the hallways do I rush by in an attempt to avoid them or do I make eye contact and smile?

~ I want to deepen my relationship with the Lord. I want to spend more time in the Bible and in prayer.

~ I want to teach my children more about the Lord. I want them to have a better understanding (appropriate, of course, for their ages) of who God is and the wonderful gifts that He has given us.

~ I want to make an active effort in growing my marriage. Yes, we have a good marriage, but what marriage can't grow more? I want to ensure that it will stand up to ANYTHING. I want it to be centered around Christ.

As I strive to work towards the goals above, I am so excited to see where the Lord leads. There are several paths I see Him taking my husband and I down. How fun it will be to look at this time next year and see exactly where those paths have led!