Heart Choices

I Am Busy

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Mon, 28 May 2012 17:13:00 +0000

Photo Credit: Google images

I am busy. It's the first day of summer break.

I have a huge to-do list.

I need time to refresh since I'm tired.
I need to get all of the boxes unpacked since we moved.
I have friends I want to visit.
I want to lose weight and get back in shape.
I want to cook nutritious meals.
I want to plant an herb garden.
I want to add more rose bushes out front.
I need to hang my pictures.
I want to write my eBook.
I have so many blog posts in my head.
I want to visit my blogging friends' blogs.
I want to organize my work space which has become much smaller with this move.
I need to complete our family budget.
I want to spend fun time with my husband.

The list could go on and on but I won't bore you with all the details. I need to get my priorities straight.

I need help!

But I already know where to go and what to do.

I recently wrote a devotional for Laced with Grace on patience. Patience isn't really something to work on. As a Christian, I need to stay connected to the Vine. As I spend time in His Word, prayer and listening to the Holy Spirit ...the fruit of the Spirit will become a byproduct in my life.

So what do I do first on my to-do list?

I begin each day with a quiet time.

I ask God to order my day and my time. I don't want to miss out on those Divine appointments He has prepared for me because I'm too busy to notice.

How about you? Are you so obsessed with completing your to-do list that you have no time to spend time with the Lord? Do you send those SOS prayers in your time of need but forget to spend time praising Him and thanking Him?

Will you consider reordering your day? I know I need to begin ...today.

Blessings and love,

School Year Ends

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Sat, 26 May 2012 13:20:00 +0000

Our school year ended yesterday. It was bittersweet. I was tired and ready for a much needed break. But I will miss the children.

Last year I worked through the summer. I taught Culinary Camp to first through fourth grade children and ...loved it!

But recently, my husband and I have moved into a small condo and there's still much to be done. Boxes are piled high on the back patio and throughout the living room. More painting and decisions regarding design need to be made. I need time to regroup and arrange our new nest.

My heart has been melted by the little children. As a woman who was never able to be a mom, I believe God has enlarged my tent. I had the privilege of spending five days a week with 19 adorable 3-4 year old children. Take a look at these little hands and feet. Are they cute or what?

I wrote down many of the cute things the children said during the school year. I placed them in a jar on my desk and today I hope to write them all out.

Here are just a few I want to share with you today:

Evan said: "Miss Debbie, my mom calls me Buttercup."
Maya said: "My pee-pee is yellow. Mommy says I have to drink water."
Danielle said: "My brother has hair under his arms. He's a real man."
I complimented Raja on his new haircut and he said, "I took a bath too."
Max shook his hand after coloring and said, "My hand is dying. The battery is dead."

All I can say is to ...enjoy each moment with your child. They grow up so very fast.

Blessings and love,

How Patient Are You?

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Thu, 17 May 2012 12:24:00 +0000

I am in charge of lunch duty for our Pre-K 3 class. With little hands and fingers, much help is needed. Parents pack the children's lunch but it still needs to be opened and straws inserted into juice boxes. I hear choruses of Miss Debbie from the whole group of children at once. Each one needs help and ...they want that help NOW!

I've had to stop at times and ask them "How many Miss Debbie's are there?". They laugh and shout ONE Miss Debbie! So I ask them to raise a quiet hand. I tell them they need to learn to be patient. I will help each one of them as soon as possible. But patience is not something 3 and 4 year olds typically demonstrate.

To continue reading please click on this link to Laced with Grace.

Blessings and love,

Still Counting My Blessings

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Mon, 14 May 2012 08:00:00 +0000

Life can become busy at times. And no, I've not been hiding. I've been moving ...still.

There are only two weeks left in the school year so it's a very busy time. I've missed blogging and visiting my blogging friends.

But there have been many blessings to share.

My niece Kristin and her husband had a baby girl named Kenzie. She is my great niece and she's adorable.

Have I mentioned that I love babies? I can't wait to hold her. These are the times when I wish I didn't live so far away.

My Aunt Ruth celebrated her 75th birthday on Saturday. My Uncle Bob bought me a plane ticket to come and visit her in June. That was her birthday gift and she told me how excited she was when she opened her card. It's so nice to feel loved. I am looking forward to three days in California with my aunt. And she's not far from Santa Monica, which is one of my favorite places. :)

I hope to be back blogging as I already finished many end of year photo books. I love taking photographs and it comes in handy when creating gifts. But I couldn't believe how many photos I've taken this year and I wanted to choose the best.

I continue to count my every day blessings as I link up with Ann of A Holy Experience for Multitudes on Mondays.

#431 A new baby in our family
#432 A plane ticket to California for time with my aunt
#433 Two weeks left in the school year
#434 Looking forward to a much needed break
#435 Getting settled in a new home
#436 A family get together in our new place for Greg's mom
#437 Getting to see my godchild Brittney
#438 Teacher Appreciation Week was amazing
#439 Feeling loved by parents and students
#440 Getting licked by Roxie the dog (she is four year old Max's dog)
#441 Knowing I will see my mom again one day in heaven

Source: stephssilverboxes.blogspot.ca via Debbie on Pinterest

Blessings and love,

Transformation Process

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 13:48:00 +0000

The caterpillars arrived in our Pre-K 3 classroom. It was so exciting! The children had fun looking at them and hearing a story about "The Crawly Caterpillar".

Each day the kids had the opportunity to observe. Heidi and I reminded them that we see with our eyes and not our hands.

They watched the caterpillars. They began to form a chrysalis and the children learned all about this process. It seemed like nothing was happening. But all of the action was going on inside.

The old parts of the caterpillar were undergoing a transformation called metamorphosis. The children even learned that very long word. Once all of the changing was completed, the butterfly was ready to emerge. The kids were very excited about this part.

It was a very special day when we were ready to release the butterflies. They would finally be free!

But not all of the butterflies were so eager to leave. They had become accustomed to their cage.

After a little nudging, several of them exited. Two of the butterflies stayed close to Olivia. She was trying to stay very still so she wouldn't hurt their wings or scare them.

Heidi finally coaxed them away and into the garden they went.

The next time we passed the garden the butterflies were all gone. Every now and then the children will excitedly tell us they saw a butterfly. It was such a good learning experience for them.

Spiritual Application

As a Christian, our spiritual transformation is very similar. Accepting Jesus into our hearts brings about a total transformation of who we are; just like the butterfly. Our old self that was bound by sin and had no peace with God is gone. Our new self that is redeemed, forgiven and at peace with God emerges.

We are free in Christ!

However, like some of the butterflies many of us remain in the cage. We don't fully realize who we are in Christ. We don't grasp the privileges of being a child of the Most High. We don't allow Him to transform us fully. Yes, we are saved but we need to surrender our lives to Him.

We are free in Christ.

We have new life in Christ.

Transformation will continue as long as we are on this side of heaven. It is the work of the Holy Spirit. Our part is to cooperate and surrender.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

I am linking up with Charlotte for Spiritual Sundays.

Blessings and love,

TSMSS ~ I'm With You

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 07:30:00 +0000

I'm With You. This is a beautiful song sung by Nichole Nordeman & Amy Grant. It was playing in the background during the (in)RL session entitled "Choose Joy: Sara's story".

Sara was a blogger who died. During her illness, she chose joy and reached out to community. I'm sure it would be easy to isolate yourself given a life of suffering but Sara made the choice to reach out to others, even from the confines of her bedroom. This is where she spent most of her time until her death. And Sara is still impacting people with her love for others and her love for Jesus.

If you not signed up yet for the (in)RL online conference, it's not too late. You can sign up here and it's only $10.

I'm linking up with Amy of Signs, Miracles and Wonders for Then Sings My Soul Saturday.

Blessings and love,

Word-filled Wednesday ~ Encouragement

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:55:00 +0000

This is a week of encouragement on Heart Choices.

Even the children in our Pre-K 3 class had the opportunity to help one another this week. They were counting their fingers and tracing their hands. They were able to trace one hand. But they needed a friend to trace their other hand. It was such fun to watch them work together and help and encourage one another.

We need each other. There are times when we need a good dose of encouragement.

Can you think of someone you can encourage today?

Don't just think it. GO AND DO IT!

I'm linking up with Internet Cafe Devotions for Word-filled Wednesday.

Blessings and love,

Do You Open Your Heart to Others?

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 13:38:00 +0000

Do you open your heart to others? Or have you been hurt by others that you thought you could trust?

How easy it can be to hide our hearts. It seems safer and yet ...so lonely.

We were not meant to live the Christian life alone.

So often we look at other's lives and think that they have it all together.

The perfect life
The perfect family
The perfect body
The perfect home

But let's get real.

We all have our stuff that others don't get to see.

Nobody's perfect!

As I watched this promotional video, it reminded me of how much I've come to love my friends, including many blogging sisters I've not even met in person ...YET.

May we encourage one another.

Blessings and love,

Encourage One Another

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 08:30:00 +0000

Encourage one another. I'm all for that. I've been on the receiving end at times. And I've given encouragement to others at times.

The fact is ...we all need each other.

I received a surprise package in the mail last week from (in)courage. Check out the goodies; a t-shirt and many lovely cards I can send to friends and family to ...encourage them.

If you've not heard, (in) real life is hosting an online conference April 27-28. You get to attend and even stay in your pj's if you choose. It's not too late to sign up here. The cost is only $10. You can check out the video trailer for yourself.

I am so looking forward to this event.

This past week has been a very tiring one for me. Greg and I are still moving into our very small condo. It's been challenging to choose what to take and what to get rid of. After 27 years of marriage, there's lots of stuff. As I unpack many of the boxes, I realize I didn't even miss the stuff. So our dumpster is getting full for the second time. We're going to need another one before we're done.

I am so glad I get to work with Heidi. We are such a good team in our Pre-K 3 class. We encourage one another. There are days when she needs it and there are days when I need it. How thankful I am to have come to know her these past two school years.

#431 An upcoming online conference on encouragement
#432 Friends who encourage me
#433 A special friend who needs lots of encouragement as she goes through a challenging time
#434 A husband who has been working on all the details of our new nest to make it special for me
#435 A new baby to be born SOON to my niece Kristin and her hubby Kevin
#436 Getting rid of excessive clutter and simplifying
#437 Birds singing every morning
#438 Good health
#439 Getting lots of exercise with this move
#440 A wonderful sermon this morning on James 4
#441 China Mist iced tea
#442 The children in our school; I love them
#443 Getting to drive through the mountains of Paradise Valley, Arizona each morning
#444 Hearing the sound of my dad's voice each weekend on the phone

I'm linking up with Ann of A Holy Experience for Multitudes on Mondays.

Blessings and love,

God Answers Prayer

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:23:00 +0000

What happens when you pray and the answer isn't what you hoped for?

I prayed to have a child of my own for years.

But God ...

He had a different plan than the one I expected.

Instead of my own child, I now have many children to teach, encourage and love.

So, trust the Lord and ask Him to replace your desires with His desires.

"Sing, barren woman, who has never had a baby.

Fill the air with song, you who've never experienced childbirth!

You're ending up with far more children

than all those childbearing women. God says so!"

Isaiah 54:1 The Message

I'm linking up for Word-filled Wednesday at Internet Cafe Devotions.

Blessings and love,

The Fruit of the Spirit is Love

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 08:00:00 +0000

Today I am hosting "In Other Words Tuesday". This is the quote I chose for us to write about:

“The fruit of the Spirit is love.” (Galatians 5:22)
Love is a fruit growing within us from a supernatural source.
It’s not your love, yet it is,
since the Spirit works in you both to will and to do loving things that are on his mind.
You never hear of an apple tree struggling to produce its fruit.
As long as sap flows within the tree, apples will form and blossom.
And so it is with the Holy Spirit and love.
He is our life and bears the fruit – not us. That’s why he was sent to live in us.”

Spirit Rising: Tapping into the Power of the Holy Spirit
by Jim Cymbala

Photo Credit: Iris Nelson

I love to love. Even as a teenager, I loved love and wanted more of it. My mom told me I was in love with love. But life has a way of hurting us as we open our hearts to others. I too have been hurt by love.

But God ...

God is love.

He loved us so much He sent Jesus to die for our sins.

I received that free gift of love for myself.

His Holy Spirit lives in me.

As I allow Him to have His way in me, I can't help but love others ...including the unloving.

But when I wander and go my own way, it's hard to truly love.

I get irritated and impatient with others.

I believe the key is to abide in Him.

⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5 NIV

I watch the orange trees outside.

They are planted in soil.
They receive water.
They receive sun.
They receive fertilizer.

The result:

Amazing fruit
Sweet to the taste

I abide in Him when I:

Have my daily quiet time
Spend time in His Word
Pray
Meditate on the Word
Quiet myself so I can listen

Then as I go about my day, I'm already filled with His Spirit. His love can overflow from me to others. I listen to that still small voice. I don't miss those Divine appointments in my busyness. I don't do this perfectly by any means as I'm a work in progress. But by His grace ...I want to abide.

How about you? Is it evident to others that you are abiding in Him? Do others see the fruit of love in your life? Are you trying to do good things for God but not abiding?

Blessings and love,

Spring Blessings

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 08:00:00 +0000

Spring is here so I'm counting my every day spring blessings today. This beautiful yellow rose is one I photographed on the front patio of our condo.

In our Pre-K 3 class we are already up to the letter "W". There aren't many letters left in the alphabet so that means our school year is coming to an end.

The children have learned so much this year. I love to see them reading to each other using their sight words they've been learning.

I love that the children learn much but have time for play too. It actually teaches them social skills.

Many of them are now able to go all the way across on the monkey bars. They get so excited!

Of course, they get tired. Nap time is so good for them and ...for their teachers.

This is another rose from our front patio garden. I do believe we have a choice each day. I choose to make it a wonderful day and notice the every day blessings in my life.

Happy Spring!

#419 A beautiful rose garden in front of our new condo
#420 Watching the children in our class as they grow before our eyes
#421 Seeing the children read to one another
#422 Realizing we all need balance; work and rest
#423 Enjoying children who come from different cultures
#424 Spring weather in Phoenix
#425 Waking up during the night on Friday to the sound of rain
#426 Not having to take care of a yard
#427 A condo that is easy to clean
#428 Having the best pizza from Red Devil Pizza
#429 Enjoying my furniture in the condo
#430 Discovering familiar photos and art pieces as we unpack our boxes

I'm linking up with Ann of A Holy Experience for Multitudes on Mondays.

Blessings and love,

Hosting In Other Words Tuesday

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 00:39:00 +0000

I'll be hosting "In Other Words Tuesday" this week.

The quote I've chosen for us to write about is:

“The fruit of the Spirit is love.” (Galatians 5:22) Love is a fruit growing within us from a supernatural source. It’s not your love, yet it is, since the Spirit works in you both to will and to do loving things that are on his mind. You never hear of an apple tree struggling to produce its fruit. As long as sap flows within the tree, apples will form and blossom. And so it is with the Holy Spirit and love. He is our life and bears the fruit – not us. That’s why he was sent to live in us.”

From Spirit Rising: Tapping into the Power of the Holy Spirit by Jim Cymbala

I encourage you to join in. Simply write a blog post including this quote and your take on it. Then link back on Tuesday with the direct URL to your message. I look forward to reading your posts or your comments.

Blessings and love,

Where Do You Go For Wisdom?

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 13:03:00 +0000

Where do you go for wisdom? Who do you seek out for advice?

May the first place you go is to ...God's Word.

I'm joining in Word-filled Wednesday at Internet Cafe Devotions.

Blessings and love,

Amazing Grace

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 08:00:00 +0000

It's time to continue counting my every day blessings. As I gaze at this photo of little Story listening so intently, I can't help but smile. The children in our school are such an amazing blessing.

LOVE

Story and Christian are three years old. They are in one of the other Pre-K 3 classes but we all spend much time together. These two precious children tell everyone they are best friends.

Our classes take PE together so I was able to get a few cute shots with my camera.

If only life were this simple. If only we would learn to ...love one another.

John 13:34“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

Most children are not scarred by life at this age. It's refreshing to see friendship blossom.

CHANGE

For the past few years, I've struggled with change. Moving when I didn't want to move. Trying to adjust to difficult circumstances. And now ...another move.

But what I realized last evening was that I was content. Greg and I sat in our small living room and talked about how far we've come. We were able to count the many blessings. Our marriage relationship is stronger than it ever was when we had 'everything'.

We're doing all of the work ourselves since it's costly to hire people to do things. In the past, we would think nothing of just calling a vendor to help. But there's something special about putting your own sweat and making it a labor of love. Greg and I are working together as a team.

HOME TEAM

There are several beautiful rose bushes outside our entry.

Celebrating Easter was special. It's the reason I can smile and have hope in this life. Jesus is not dead in the grave. He's alive! His Spirit is living in my heart and how thankful I am.

Source: anightowlblog.blogspot.com via Jill on Pinterest

Source: madiganmade.blogspot.com via Angie on Pinterest

#401 Beautiful sunshine and warm days
#402 The smiles of children
#403 Seeing children love one another
#404 Learning to embrace change
#405 A closer relationship with my husband
#406 Learning to trust God more and more each day
#407 Looking back and realizing how faithful God was through it all
#408 The sight of beautiful colorful roses outside my door
#409 A shorter and more pleasant drive to work
#410 Hearing John Shillington sing "He's Alive" in our Easter church service
#411 God's amazing grace
#412 Hearing my family in Florida's voices on the phone
#413 Awaiting my niece Kristin and her husband Kevin's firstborn within weeks
#414 Nice neighbors
#415 Work I enjoy
#416 A great price for health insurance through my work
#417 Greg's mom is finally back in her own home after three hospitalizations
#418 A wonderful visit with Gloria this afternoon

I'm linking up with Ann of A Holy Experience for Multitudes on Mondays.

Blessings and love,

Where is Your Home?

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 12:48:00 +0000

I am a nester. No matter where I live, I always strive to have a place that reflects who I am. I use fabrics, furniture, paintings, photographs and mementos to make it special.

I often tell my husband that our nest is a safe place where we can let down and be comfortable. We go out into this world but we can always return home to a place of love.

Lately, my home has been changing. To continue reading, go to Laced with Grace.

Blessings and love,

A Bloggy Meeting

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 02:13:00 +0000

I had the pleasure of meeting Denise Rork of Refine Me blog last evening. There's something special about meeting someone face to face after you've followed her blog and know her heart.

Denise was visiting the Phoenix area as she was opening two new WinCo Food stores. The one she is most involved in is located at 330 West Bell Road. The other store is located at 58th Avenue and Bell. It sounds exciting as the stores are owned by the employees and the prices are low. They are open 24 hours 7 days a week. I want to check it out!

I knew that Denise loved hot spicy foods. After all, she's a native of New Mexico despite living in Idaho at this time. So I asked around at Rancho Solano to get some recommendations. My friend Dorothy suggested El Encanto Mexican Cafe in Cave Creek, AZ. I was glad I took her up on this one.

We were seated on the patio next to their water feature. We had visitors like the ones above as we ate our meal.

It was a casual place with great food. Driving through Cave Creek gave Denise a feel for the desert too. There are often many bikers in this area and there was a rodeo going on at the time.

But the best part of the evening was getting to know Denise better. We talked about our lives and shared how God has worked in them. Denise has a gift for writing and if you've never visited Refine Me, I think you will enjoy. I am going to send her a list of bloggers she MUST get to know. LOL.

I'm really thankful for our blogging world.

This whole week and weekend have been spent continuing to move and paint and unpack boxes. So it was a fun break to get out and spend time with a blogging friend.

If you live in the Phoenix area, be sure to stop by and say hi to Denise. She will be there this week to supervise the opening.

Blessings and love,

Blessings in the Midst of Chaos

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 13:33:00 +0000

I've spent the last week moving. I didn't realize how challenging it would be to downsize. However, in the midst of chaos ...I had a reprieve.

Some of you may recognize the smiling faces of Charlotte and her husband Clif. Charlotte hosts Spiritual Sundays along with her personal blog Charlotte's Weblog. Clif is her hubby and fellow blogger at Musings of a Minister.

It turns out that they live several blocks from where I work in Scottsdale, AZ. I was invited to breakfast at their lovely home on Saturday. Afterwards, Charlotte and Clif came to Rancho Solano's annual Spring Show.

They donned their hats and sunscreen as it was a warm and sunny Arizona day. And they even got a tour of our classroom. Clif wrote a blog post about his reaction to this event. You can read it here.

This is Heidi with her husband Al. How thankful I am that we work as a team. This is our second year together and we have such fun with the Pre-K 3's. Heidi and I anticipate each other's moves and can tell what needs to be done. We offer one another encouragement just when it is needed. I look forward to next year with Heidi!

While our class was waiting for our turn to be called to the big tent and stage, we kept the children occupied.

It's amazing how simple games can be such fun with 3-4 year old children. I taught them to put their hands on top of one another. Then the hand on the bottom pulled out and placed that hand on the top of the pile. Then the next hand would pull out and go on top. They giggled as they sometimes got mixed up and put the wrong hand on top. It was a fun activity!

Finally ...our Pre-K 3 class was summoned to the stage. Here they are performing their number "In the Jungle". They did a fabulous job!

#386 Enjoying the hospitality of blogging friends
#387 Beautiful Arizona weather
#388 An amazing co-worker Heidi
#389 A school that encompasses people of all ethnic backgrounds
#390 A classroom of 20 precious children I've come to love
#391 A family fun day outside
#392 A respite in the midst of moving
#393 Amazing friends Anna May and Jack who hosted a garage sale to help me sell my 'stuff'
#394 Friends Helen and John who also helped with the garage sale
#395 Sister-in-law Amy who has helped us with painting our new place
#396 My husband who has been working so hard trying to fix up the new place for me
#397 A closer drive to work
#398 Sleeping in my own bed
#399 Having some of my old furniture back
#400 Feeling the love of God in the midst of these changes

Are you counting those every day blessings yet? It has helped me so much to focus on the good things each day.

I'm linking up with Ann of A Holy Experience for Multitudes on Mondays.

Blessings and love,

Why is Change So Hard?

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 00:12:00 +0000

Why is change so hard?

I am in the midst of moving again and I'm really struggling. I'm so thankful to be relocating back to a more central Phoenix location. But the upheaval of moving and having to pick only what is necessary is hard for me.

I've been on spring break but it's been a time of painting, packing and decision making. This isn't something I enjoy. As a life long book lover, I am having to let go of my collection of so many books as we have no room in an 860 square foot condo. Thank goodness for my Kindle!

As I go through this time of change, I want to share my struggles with you. My life is not perfect. My response to life issues isn't perfect. But I'm so very thankful for good friends and that God is my strength. I don't know how I'd get through life without Him.

During this time of transition, I thought I'd share a few of my favorite things. I love my Pinterest finds.

I love flowers, candles and simple settings.

Source: abeachcottage.com via Debbie on Pinterest

I love children. I'm looking forward to going back to work in our Pre-K 3 class tomorrow.

Source: Uploaded by user via Debbie on Pinterest

I love times of solitude. I enjoy people but need balanced times of being alone.

Source: love-you-big.blogspot.com via Debbie on Pinterest

I can definitely say that God isn't finished with me yet.

Source: kevinmartineau.ca via Debbie on Pinterest

But since this blog is called Heart Choices ...I choose joy! After all, it's a fruit of the Spirit.

Source: etsy.com via Debbie on Pinterest

Will you pray for me during this season of change ...again?

I remind myself of God's Word:

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

Thank you!

Blessings and love,

Photo Credit: The Cottage Journal

I'm Over at Laced with Grace

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 15:59:00 +0000

Today I am over at Laced with Grace writing about living a life of love.

I have to admit that in the midst of moving, I almost forgot to write my post. But I'm thankful for my reminder list on my computer and I posted it. I encourage you to link over and read it on Laced with Grace.

Blessings and love,

How to Live Without Fear

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:53:00 +0000

I am fearless!

My husband says I'm scary sometimes. He brings up my Viking heritage but he's only kidding (I think).

But if you know me or you've read Heart Choices for any length of time, you know that I struggle at times with fear. I tend to prefer my comfort zone.

But life isn't always predictable.

As I've gone through a long season of changes, the Lord has been teaching me important lessons.

Isaiah 41:10 is laminated and sitting right in front of me at my computer screen:

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

God knows the beginning from the end. He knows all the details of my life. Nothing takes Him by surprise.

On my own, I may become fearful.

So how do I live without fear?

I remember what God's Word says.
I choose to believe God's Word.
I don't allow my emotions to control me.
When I stumble, I run back to His open arms of love and forgiveness.
I remind myself that He is always with me.

I'm jamming today with Bonnie of Faith Barista on the topic of fearless. Bonnie is in the midst of writing a book. I look forward to reading it after it's published. If you've come to know Bonnie through her blog, I encourage you to pray for her as the date for her manuscript submission is fast approaching.

Blessings and love,

Be Who God Created You To Be

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 13:51:00 +0000

Be the person God created you to be. It can be all too easy to compare yourself with others.

Even Evan and Max were measuring themselves against one another. Who is taller? It was quite cute as they each thought they were the same height. It's all a matter of perspective.

But God created each one of us with gifts and abilities to be used for His Kingdom purposes. I for one, don't want to waste time worrying about how I stack up against another.

How about you?

I'm linking up with the Internet Cafe Devotions for Word-filled Wednesday.

Blessings and love,

God's Grace

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:01:00 +0000

It's In Other Words Tuesday and Urailak of Living for God has chosen our quote this week:

"Any concept of grace that makes us feel more comfortable sinning is not Biblical grace. God's grace never encourages us to live in sin; on the contrary, it empowers us to say no to sin and yes to truth." ~Randy Alcorn

God's grace makes some people uncomfortable.

I remember a conversation I had with a friend of mine. Kevin is from Ireland but is now a US citizen. However, he travels back and forth often to visit family. He was discussing grace with the priest of his local Irish parish one day. Kevin asked him why he didn't spend time preaching about God's grace. He brought up specific Scripture passages and the priest laughed. He said if he taught that the people would simply do whatever they wanted.

Now, I'm not here to single out this priest but to make an important point.

If I truly understand:

There is nothing I can do to earn my salvation
There aren't enough good deeds to tip the scales in my favor
Comparing myself to people who commit the 'big sins' isn't Biblical
Going to church doesn't buy my salvation
Being baptized doesn't grant me a ticket to heaven

Ephesians 2:8-9 says:

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith --and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast."

Sometimes it can be hard to receive a gift. But when we examine the Truth of God's Word, we see that we are all sinners by nature.

Romans 3:23: "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

Our sin separates us from God.

Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

But God is love.

Romans 5:8 "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this; While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

That's what grace is all about. When I accept and truly realize what this gift means, I don't want to sin more.

As long as I live on this side of eternity, I will sin.

But the closer I grow in my relationship with the Lord, the more I want to please Him. It's amazing but over time, He begins to change the desires within me.

And it's all based on LOVE not rules and regulations.

I encourage you to share your thoughts on this quote or link up your own blog post to Living for God.

Blessings and love,

The Blessing of Perspective

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 14:42:00 +0000

Counting every day blessings has been fun for me. It has caused me to focus on all that is good in my life and to thank God.

But I recently hit a snag!

This week is all about moving. I have to admit that I allowed myself to wallow in self-pity for a time. Instead of being grateful, I spent too much time thinking about what I've lost over the past few years.

I remembered that it was two years ago to the day, that I had to leave my dream home. This was how our house looked on March 13, 2010.

It was such a sad day for me to leave this place behind. I went from almost 4,000 square feet to a 1,000 square foot home much further out of town.

We sold our furnishings.

We replaced them with a few items to use during this transition.

What we didn't count on was new visitors each day.

Wild bunnies, jack rabbits, quail and even coyotes ran in the backyard. Greg and I fed the rabbits and loved watching them nibble away at the carrots we scattered.

And now, it's time to move ...again! But this time it will be to an 860 square foot place closer in to town and work and family.

Have I mentioned I don't enjoy change?

In the midst of this change, I was able to buy back some of our original furniture! How thankful I am to sleep in my own bed with the linens I carefully chose.

I am so grateful for friends who reminded me of things I needed to hear.

My friend Terri reminded me that she grew up in a one bedroom apartment in Queens with her parents and those were some of the happiest times in her life.

My friend Ruth lives in New York City. She wrote: " That's bigger than the average Manhattan one-bedroom (750 sq ft). And my friend lives in a 450 sq ft studio in The Village."

As I link up with Ann of A Holy Experience for Multitudes on Monday, I want to count my every day blessings.

#374 A place to call home once again
#375 A quicker commute to work
#376 Friends who tell the truth in love
#377 Realizing that wherever I go ...God is with me
#378 Recognizing that material goods are just stuff and none of it is lasting
#379 Greg's family who are going to help with painting and moving
#380 The surprise of being able to have some of my original furnishings back
#381 A smaller place to clean
#382 Saving gas money as the commute to work is much quicker
#383 I will be able to ride my bike to a few of my favorite places like Bertha's Cafe and Le Grande Orange
#384 I will have my office furniture back
#385 We will be close to Greg's mom

Blessings and love,

Become Like Little Children

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 14:31:00 +0000

It's Word-filled Wednesday and I'm linking up with Internet Cafe Devotions.

Sometimes we make things too complicated. I remember inviting my friend to church with me. She heard the Good News of the Gospel very clearly. When we left, she turned to me and said "but that's too simple". Don't I have to do ....

She came from a church background of working her way towards salvation. So it was hard for her to accept the free gift of salvation.

Children have no trouble receiving. They love to learn new things. Their smiles are contagious when they finally get something.

Have you received this precious gift yet?

Blessings and love,