Growing Stronger

Ok, I have a confession to make.  Last night we watched the new movie Dark Shadows. Ugh! I usually really like movies with Johnny Depp in them and all of the previews made it look like a light-hearted comedy. Just a spoof of the old tv show.  That's not exactly what it was.  There were funny parts and those parts were ok but it's the rest of the movie that I felt bad about watching.  Thankfully, I know that I'm forgiven and don't have to beat myself up about it but I did feel the need to tell God I'm sorry I watched that!
  To most people that wouldn't be a big deal but I'm seeking the Lord with all my heart and there just isn't room in my life (or shouldn't be) for pointless, evil things.  I now see why Mom always holds to the verse Psalm 97:10!  "Ye that love the LORD, hate evil"!  Hate it! Don't watch it...
  I am pressing in with my relationship to God and I want so badly for others to also!  If everyone could just see how sneaky evil is!  If they could just see that it isn't just harmless entertainment to watch or listen to whatever is thrown out there!  Don't get me wrong, there are things that are ok out there to watch, but that's not the majority.  The majority of the media is under the control of those that are against God. This is SO evident in just the little subtle things that are said or shown.  But if we don't know God, we miss those things.  The majority of the world is just hearing and swallowing what is fed to them!  And it's all lies!  It breaks my heart when I see or hear people just mindlessly believing things because someone on tv or the radio says them.  Just because they have a platform to say what they want, doesn't make what they say the truth!  Just the opposite usually,  if they've been allowed a platform by the mainstream media then they must conform to the ungodly views that they hold.  Even the so-called family channels now, have things that are so destructive to families on them!    Lies are being fed as truths and destructive relationships are shown to be the norm.  How thankful I am that I know the truth!!!  But how saddened by the fact that I know SO many who don't.  And until they, themselves, decide to seek to know the truth, there's nothing I can say or do to make them listen.  It breaks my heart! 

Ok, now I can get on to what God has been showing me this week.  My sisters and I are doing a Bible study and the first lesson was on self-centeredness.  Not an easy lesson to start out on!  I read the lesson on Thursday and on Saturday I got a good hard look at how self-centered I can be!  In my defense, hormones were playing a huge part of what I had to fight in the flesh, but I need to get to a place where the hormones might surge but don't control me.  My Mommy helped me on Sunday.  (Thank you, Mommy!!!)
  She pointed out how thankful I need to be.  Not very many years ago, I was dreaming and praying for my life to be what it is now! I'm actually living out what I spent over a decade praying for!  And although I am SOOO thankful for it, I sometimes forget that I'm living my dream.
  I am married to a good man and have a wonderful daughter! And I get to stay home and take care of her and "keep" (or take care of) our home!  How wonderful is that?!  It's what I always dreamed of doing!  It isn't an easy or glamorous path but it's the one that God placed a desire for in my heart.  And I DO love it!
  I am not where I need to be yet in how I go about this, but thankfully, I am always seeking how to do it better.  Raising a child isn't easy but how awful I would feel if someone else was doing my job!  If someone else got all of the hugs throughout the day and was teaching my little girl things.  That is my job!  The hugs and smiles are my paycheck. :)  And I cherish every one of them.
  I have read somewhere that women need to see their work at home as a ministry.  We literally minister to our husbands and children when we cook, clean and do the laundry!  I need a daily reminder of that! How much more cheerfully would I dust my house or make dinner if I remembered that I was ministering to my family?  So much more!!  I actually did this yesterday and it helped so much!!  I do have to watch the self-centeredness still, though, because when what I do goes unnoticed or unappreciated, it stings.  I have to get past that.  And I know I will, praise God!
  Again, if anyone wants to join my sisters and I in the Bible study, please email me at electric-llama@att.net
        Amanda