Tim Challies has posted a great guest article on how to listen to a sermon. Click here and be encouraged with advice that will keep on giving every Sunday!
I’m putting this at the top today again because I really think it’s a good word and if you missed it yesterday you might get a chance to head over and read this today. Blessings…
“Under the banner of God, victory is always assured; but apart from it, defeat is a certainty. When the banner of God’s rod was not held high, Amalek prevailed. You can’t do battle against the flesh under your own power.”
~ Kay Arthur ~author of LORD, I Want To Know You Above quote is in reference to Exodus 17:15: “The LORD is my banner”
So in other words…
As believers we all have our “Amaleks” that are waging war with us. Our sin nature daily wants to separate us from the God who has redeemed us. We will wage this battle until we enter into our final rest with Christ. We should not be deceived into being passive and unaware of the fact that we have to turn away, work hard, get rid of things in our lives that keep our eyes off of God. We need to claim who we are in Christ. We need to resist the enemy. We need to battle daily the thoughts and actions that would keep us from the victory that Christ has won for us. We need to see God’s banner before us and follow behind that banner and claim the victory we have been promised in Christ. “Apart from Him we can do nothing.”
So today I wake up and say Thank you God for going before me into this day and defeating the enemy before me. Help me to be obedient to you and give me your victory today in my thoughts, my actions, my hopes and my dreams. May I be aware I am in your army and that you are my King. Thank you for what you have done for me.
I John 5:4-5
“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”
To read more In Other Words Tuesday posts go to Joy in the Morning…
“Learning to say no”
A lot of women feel like they have to “do it all”, regardless of what may be realistic for them. Do you fall into this category? Can you just not resist the urge to be involved in everything? Or have you learned to say no? Have you taken a step backward and seen positive results? Share your frustrations or share your advice… Tell us what you think about the current trend to be all things to all people.
I think contentment might go hand in hand with this issue of not being able to say no. Are you content right now where you are in your life? Wherever you find yourself today you are called to be content. When you are I think you will better realize what you can do right now and what is not wise for you to do right now.
What stage of life are you in?
What are your responsibilites that go with this stage of life?
What are your gifts?
What is God calling you to do?
Think about these things. Listen to what God is motivating you to do. Respond to those things and say no to things that just don’t fit into your life right now. Of course this just covers all the optional things. There are crisis situations and family situations and the call God puts on our lives to be hospitable and to care for one another that will call you into action regardless of whether you want to say yes or not…
Caring for elderly parents
Caring for sick children or a sick spouse
Helping those in the body who are suffering
When these situations come crashing into your life you need to step back and realize that this might be all you are called to do right now and rest in this. It’s all the optional stuff that we think we need to do that can really tax our time and emotions. Consider leaving some of this stuff behind so you are better equipped for what God is truly calling you to do in your giftedness.
To read more Woman to Woman posts go to Seeds in My Garden…
My sister Lana G! over at Above the Clouds is real CURIOUS and has tagged me for this meme:
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
1. You have to post these rules before you give the facts.
2. Players, you must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of your middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had.
3. When you are tagged you need to write your own blog-post containing your own middle name game facts.
4. At the end of your blog-post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.
Lana is real sneaky tagging me after she used my middle name. Well it’s hers too because in our Russian culture girls and boys get their father’s name as their middle name. So Lana and I do not have a middle name on our birth certificate but when we are introduced to anyone in our Russian culture we are called for example Ellen “Moisi’s daughter” Bagdanov. So everyone knows then that I’m a Bagdanov but I’m further identified as belonging to Moisi Bagdanov, not John Bagdanov. Thank God from whom all blessings flow. (oops did I just say that?) So now I have to make up a middle name to use for this meme. I’m not going to stray too far though. I’ll use Moses which is pretty much Moisi anyway. So here we go. This is a picture of Moses (Moisi) with me and my younger brother Tim.
M ~ Married ~ I’m married to a non-Russian. I was the fourth one of my siblings to be married and I was the first one in my family to marry out! I’m so glad I did.
O ~ Observant ~ I see things I wish I wouldn’t see sometimes. I can see danger on the street or on a playground. I’m very visual. When I had my house cleaning business some of my clients would call me to ask if I’d seen this or that. I could usually tell them exactly where the thing was.
S ~ Shopper~ I love to shop for a bargain. I think I could have made shopping a profession. Shopping for other people is what I enjoy the most. I have to admit though, since I started blogging I haven’t been shopping as much.
E ~ Extravagant ~ I love to be extravagant. I love to treat people. I love to buy gifts for people. I enjoy going over-the-top.
S ~ Sister ~ I’m a sister 7 times and a sister-in-law. I take my title seriously. I love being a loyal sister/sister-in-law and I’d fight to the death for any of my siblings. Just ask my brother Steve…
So who to tag… I tag Bee, Kim at Hind’s Feet, Lucy, Southern Bell, and Sarah Anne. No pressure people. It is ok with me if you do not play….
The pastor at the church we attended today shared this quote that I wanted to pass along…
Resentment is the poison we swallow while hoping the other person dies…”
Something to dwell on instead,
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” Ephesians 4: 31-32
~Words by Fanny Crosby, circa 1886
Oh, wonderful, wonderful Word of the Lord!
True wisdom its pages unfold;
And though we may read them a thousand times o’er,
They never, no never, grow old!
Each line hath a treasure, each promise a pearl,
That all if they will may secure;
And we know that when time and the world pass away,
God’s Word shall forever endure.
Oh, wonderful, wonderful Word of the Lord!
The lamp that our Father above
So kindly has lighted to teach us the way
That leads to the arms of His love!
Its warnings, its counsels, are faithful and just;
Its judgments are perfect and pure;
And we know that when time and the world pass away,
God’s Word shall forever endure.
Oh, wonderful, wonderful Word of the Lord!
Our only salvation is there;
It carries conviction down deep in the heart,
And shows us ourselves as we are.
It tells of a Savior, and points to the cross,
Where pardon we now may secure;
For we know that when time and the world pass away,
God’s Word shall forever endure.
Oh, wonderful, wonderful Word of the Lord!
The hope of our friends in the past;
Its truth, where so firmly they anchored their trust,
Through ages eternal shall last.
Oh, wonderful, wonderful Word of the Lord!
Unchanging, abiding and sure;
For we know that when time and the world pass away,
God’s Word shall forever endure.
ht: Cyberhymnal
Our first-born son Josh and his lovely wife Laura are celebrating their 6th anniversary. We couldn’t have asked for a lovelier daughter in law. They make such a wonderful team. How we thank God for his goodness to them and to us in bringing them together. We love you two. Blessings on many more years growing together in the Lord!
Photo Credit: Jeremy Leffel Photography
I Sing a Song of the Saints of God
I sing a song of the saints of God
Patient and brave and true,
Who toiled and fought and lived and died
For the Lord they loved and knew.
And one was a doctor, and one was a queen,
And one was a shepherdess on the green,
They were all of them saints of God – and I mean,
God help me to be one too.
They love their Lord so dear, so dear,
And his love made them strong;
And they followed the right, for Jesus’ sake,
The whole of their good lives long.
And one was a soldier, and one was a priest,
And one was slain by a fierce wild beast:
And there’s not any reason – no, not the least-
Why I shouldn’t be one too.
They live not only in ages past,
There are hundreds of thousands still,
The world is bright with joyous saints
Who love to do Jesus’ will.
You can meet them in school, or in lanes, or at sea,
In church, or in trains, or in shops, or at tea,
for the saints of God are just folk like me,
and I mean to be one too.
L. Scott, 1929
ht: Jan Karon’s ~Mitford Cookbook & Kitchen Reader
ht: Brian Jacques ~The Redwall Cookbook
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of men! Psalm 107:8
I am so thankful to God that Dear and I fly to Seattle on Friday and spend a couple weeks with our children. It will be so nice to see them face to face and give them all a big hug. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
For more Thankful Thursday participants or to participate go to Sting My Heart….
When I’m asked to take a meal to someone who is laid up due to surgery or when someone comes home from the hospital after having a baby, I try to keep it simple. Here is a simple meal that I made last week to share with someone who had surgery. It’s got protein, veggies, and rice all in one dish. Easy to transport and I just add some extras like grapes and cookies and bread to take along.
Heat 1 T. oil in pan on medium heat. Add 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in strips; cook and stir until lightly browned, stirring occassionally. (Season the chicken lightly with salt and pepper) Although the recipe didn’t call for it I would add some onion sauteed in the pan first before adding the chicken.
ADD 3 cups cut-up fresh vegetables (carrots, broccoli and red pepper) cook and stir 3 to 5 min. or until crisp-tender.
Stir in 1 can of chicken broth (14- 1/2 oz.) and bring to a boil.
Stir in 2 cups of instant rice (I used instant brown rice) and 1/4 C. Kraft Zesty Italian dressing: cover. Reduce heat to low. Cook 5 min. or until liquid is absorbed and chicken is cooked through.
The finished product. (BTW: I usually double the recipe so that I can take a meal and feed my family the same meal, too)
I added some focaccia bread, red grapes, cookies, and lilies to take along with the main dish.
Now here is a tip that the recipient of your meal is sure to appreciate. Take the meal to them in totally disposable containers. It can be quite the project for someone who is ill or laid up to return dishes to their rightful owners! And this is what those bulky Costco boxes you get at the checkout can come in handy for, to transport a meal.
Now you can head over to Rocks in My Dryer to see more Works For Me Wednesday posts…
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 
