Happy tax day...and April 15th Verse (the 8th one!)

...or extension day, depending on if you actually file your taxes on April 15th.  We (and I use the term "we" loosely, as I have not actually prepared a tax return since my single, 1040 days) are more the extension-filing types.  Oh well, however you do it, render unto Caesar and all that.

I know you've all been waiting with bated breath for this post.  Alas, today life happened and here it is the late afternoon and I'm just now sitting down to get it done.  There is a way to schedule them to post once they're written, but I haven't quite figured out how to make that work yet.  Aren't you glad I shared that little bit of tech info with you?  Now you can't say you didn't learn anything new today.  Sam Houston was also married three times.  There, you've learned something else.  This blog is a wealth of useful information, I tell ya.

I ran some errands with Michael this morning while the two older boys were otherwise occupied.  He kept trying to guess where we were going,

"HEB?"
"No."
"Oh, good.  Lowe's?"
"No."
"Costco?"
"No."
"Where are we going?"
"To DSW."
"What's DSW?"
"It's shoe heaven."
"Oh, is that where shoes come to life?"
"Yes, my son, actually...it is."  (Okay, I didn't really say that part....)

It's just one more thing about women that I have to teach my boys.  That shoe stores are heaven and ladies like chatting.

So anyway, moving on.  I started a new Beth Moore study last night; it's the updated edition of Breaking Free.  Part of this study is (coincidentally) memorizing scripture, so my verses for the next 10 weeks (5 posts worth) will be from that.  And they are actually one a week (plus one from the intro - whew!) so I may be doing more of a "meditation" on the verses, than an actual "memorizing" of them, but I'll give it my best shot.

Galations 5:1 (NIV), "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."

Isaiah 61:1 (NIV), "The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,"

Isaiah 43:10 (NIV), ""You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me."

Your turn.  Verse on.

Fugitive Emissions...and April 1st Verse

Well, Happy April Fool's Day.  Huh?  What would be the appropriate greeting for this day?  Maybe it's just 'gotcha!'  And don't we all LOVE being gotten.  Or not.

We really aren't big "April Fooler's" around here (I'm sure the boys would get a kick out of it if we were and I've already heard them "April Fooling" each other this morning); growing up we did our share of filling the sugar bowl with salt and vice versa, swapping the salt & pepper, etc.  Pretty tame stuff, I admit.  These days I guess I don't have the creativity (or energy) to put into coming up with any big stunts.  And, to be perfectly honest, I don't really want anything extra to clean up either.

I was stumped for a verse this time so I went back to the March 6th post on the Living Proof blog.  Beth had us all post a scripture to encourage us in strength, power and victory and the comments are a treasure trove of potential memory verses.  I came across several that I liked, but chose this one.  2 Cor 2:14 (NASB), "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place."

This may come as a shock to some of you, but I have found myself being slightly attitudinally-challenged lately.  Yes, that's an official self-diagnosis.  I know (from some of my past experience being attitudinally-challenged) that one powerful prescription for that malady is thankfulness.  So what better than a verse that just starts right out with a big ole "thanks be to God"?  A little reminder of our triumph in Christ - always - isn't a bad thing either.

Jack had to take some training down at one of the plants a year or so ago and came home with a new phrase that we all found amusing - because we're sophisticated like that.  The phrase is "fugitive emissions" - emissions of gases or vapors from pressurized equipment due to leaks and various other unintended or irregular releases of gases.  (Thanks, Wikipedia...you said it so much more eloquently than I ever could have.)

We've all smelled it.  You're driving near a refinery and all of a sudden...whoa, what died?!  Well, there you have it...fugitive emissions.  Needless to say, with three boys in the house, this phrase has become a favorite.  For obvious reasons that shall remained unstated.  Boy howdy, could our house use some aromatic assistance from time to time....

I actually can't think of much that would be better than being a walking diffuser of HIM wherever I go.

Spring has Sprung...and Verse 6

Well, so far this daylight savings time thing is eating my lunch...  Here it is 10:30 and no one has had breakfast yet.  (And The Staff is off this week so no breakfast in bed for me.)  Oh, well, we'll just eat in a little bit and call it an early lunch.

I've got some exciting stuff planned for spring break, including but not necessarily limited to, the following:

• The office closet floor needs to be unearthed from a couple of weeks ago when I told Sam to push a bunch of stuff in there to get it out of the way.
• The parts of the desk that I can see are covered with dust.  Aha!  There's a reason to not clear off the desktop.
• Weeds.  Everywhere.  Although according to Jack, a weed is just a plant growing in the wrong place.  Is it still the sin of pride if your pride is what actually makes you finally weed your flowerbeds?
• I've never completed the room-switching-over-process from a few weeks ago.  We got Sam moved into Michael's room, but never fully got Michael moved into Josh's room, meaning Michael's clothes are in various places all over the upstairs, which is challenging since he is the boy who actually likes to wear clean clothes everyday.

Whew, I don't know about you, but I don't think I can stand much more excitement.  I'd better be careful or someone will video all this mayhem and call it "Moms Gone Wild: Spring Break".

Well, let me share my verse and get on with it.  I'm memorizing Phil. 3:12b (NASB), "I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus."  Bob Mumford used this verse in The Agape Road in talking about becoming a Father-pleaser.  God had a THAT in mind for each one of us when he formed us, called us, and laid hold of us.  Made me think of that scene from City Slickers...you know, the ONE thing.  Don't remember it?  Why not?  It's only a 20 year old movie.  What can I say?  I don't get out enough....  I'll work on getting some more current movie references.  In the meantime, you have a THAT...a destiny and purpose that you are called to fulfill.

And on a similar note, we had this prophet dude in church yesterday who talked a lot about God the Father and intimacy with the Father, which is exactly what The Agape Road is about.  I think it's so cool when God repeats in church what we did in class.  It's like He's saying, "Can you hear Me now?"

Y'all have a great Spring Break.  Can't wait to see your verses.

Andrea

Henceforth and Forevermore to be Known as the Lamest Blog Post Ever AND the March 1st verse

You know, I'm willing to bet this won't actually be my lamest blog post ever - oh goodie! something for you to look forward to - but I couldn't think of another title.

My left ear has been plugged up all day.  An earthshattering and deeply spiritual way to begin, I know.  I've felt a little lopsided all day and have been walking around saying really intelligent things like, "huh?", "whadjya say?", and "I can't hear you."  I even introduced myself to some new people at church, and I fear they thought I was a real dork, since all I could think about while trying to make friendly chitchat was "my ear is plugged up and I feel lopsided."

And I had to get groceries today (Sunday) which doesn't feel particularly Sabbath-restful, ya know?  With a 4-year-old in tow, no less.  (I know, I know...at least it was only one.  But one who conveniently gets hungry the minute we enter a store and insists on walking with me or hanging on the side of the cart.)

And one of my good friends pointed out a couple of weeks ago that the picture I had over my mantle was too big, so all I can think about (besides my ear being plugged up and feeling lopsided) is "what on earth am I going to put up there now?"  Gee, great - a decorating dilemna.  Oh, the turmoil that is my life.

I'm kidding, of course.  Not about the ear or the mantle, but the turmoil.  And, btw, my dear friend is going to be getting some digital pictures in her email so she can help me virtually redecorate my mantle.  What are talented friends for, right?

So, on to more "spiritual" topics.  I hope your verses are going well.  I'm really having to work on mine; they aren't "flowing" as well as I'd like.  (I blame the ear.)  (And the decorating turmoil.)

My verse this time is John 15:4-5 (NKJV), "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.  I am the vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing."

We are doing a video series in our Pursuer Class (Sunday School) called The Agape Road and it's about abiding, intimacy with the Father, etc.  It's good stuff, but I find this whole concept of abiding somewhat vague.  What does it mean?  What exactly does it look like?  Do I need to pray for x number of minutes?  Read x chapters?  Fast?  Meditate or something?  I need specifics, people!  (Can you tell someone is task oriented?)  (Hence, the trouble abiding.)  (BTW, I like the word hence.)

Well, hang in there, bloggy-memory-verse-friends; we can do this.  Any verse, of any length, or portion thereof, entered into your memory bank is - to quote Martha Stewart - a good thing.  Now, post your verse!

Locked and Loaded...and Feb 1 Verse

I am so enjoying seeing the verses you chose...and some of the respective comments as to why you chose your particular verse crack me up!

It's a great thing to have these verses in our arsenal.  That's really what they become in our lives - a storehouse of weapons to draw upon when we wage war in our minds against fears, worries, vain imaginations.  Be anxious for nothing, quoted frequently, because it is a necessary reminder that we are to - guess what? - be anxious for nothing.

The weapons we fight with, Paul tells us, are NOT the weapons of this world.  And here's the part I really like.  ON THE CONTRARY.  I mean, it's a good thing to have worldly weapons when you need them.  But wait!  That's not all!  Can't you just see it?  It's like he's just getting started, just getting his engines revved up, and here he comes with the "now-look-here-just-you-wait-a-cotton-pickin-minute".  (Maybe he was from South Israel.)  And I bet there's some serious finger-stabbing-in-the-air going on too.  And then, the real kicker...they, these weapons of ours, have DIVINE POWER to demolish strongholds.

He uses some strong words - depending on your translation, words like pulling down, destroying, destruction, demolish, tear down, take captive.  (Some of my boys' favorites - both in word and in deed.)  Those thoughts that set themselves up against the knowledge of God are not going to go quietly.  The enemy doesn't respond to a "pretty please".  He pays no attention to a polite, gentle, "if you don't mind please leave me alone" and doesn't just lay down and give up.  ON THE CONTRARY.  We have to demolish his arguments, tear down thoughts, take captive every high thing that has the audacity to come against what God says is so.  Hence, the strong words and the need for powerful arms.

There's a phrase from military circles that means that your weapon has its magazine in place, is ready to fire, and you are ready for action.  It's applicable to us as well.  We have to be locked and loaded and ready to take some thoughts captive. 

Okay, then....so on to my verse.  Here's what I'm memorizing this go-round:

Romans 6:5-7 NLT, "Since we have been united with Him in His death, we will also be raised as He was.  Our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives.  We are no longer slaves to sin.  For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin."

Set free.  That's some good stuff there.

I look forward to seeing yours.

January 15th Verse

So many verses; so little time.
 
It's lame, I know, but choosing my next verse is hard for me.  Kind of like going to the Cheesecake Factory - for crying out loud, they have a lot of choices.  Although if you go, you really should try the Avocado Eggrolls.  But I digress....

There are so many verses I should know as a Christian, some that I need in my daily walk, others that help me know more about who God is and His promises.  I don't want one too short (Jesus wept, anyone?).  I don't want one too long (read that: challenging).  I console myself with the truth that ANY Word is good.

On another note, I got to my favorite part of Job this morning (which is partly my favorite because it makes sense and I find Job to be a somewhat confusing book, but anyhoo) right at the end where God finally speaks up after Job and all his friends have been going on and on.  He tells Job to "gird up your loins"; in other words, get ready to take it like a man, cause I'm gonna dish.  And then He does.  But a couple of verses stuck out to me.  In Job 38:22-23 it says, "Have you entered the storehouse of the snow, or seen the armory of the hail, which I reserve for the time of trouble, for the day of war and battle?"

When I was a teenager, just to irritate my sister (which I try not to do anymore), when she would start questioning me about something, I'd calmly say "I've got it under control," (with great superiority in my voice, of course).  I think that's what God was saying to Job (and to us).  We don't see the whole picture - only what is immediately visible to us.  We've got an enemy, an adversary.  Sometimes they may even have skin on them.  But our God has a whole stash of hail, on hold, in reserve, with that enemy's name on it.  He's got your back.  He's in control.  In the right time, somebody's going down.

Well, enough rambling.  I guess I should get to my verse now, although I sure do like that Job one.  For this time I'm going to memorize Exodus 34:6-7a, "The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin."  NASB


I've enjoyed our Scripture memory adventure so far.  On a technical note, if you are commenting anonymously (without a registered login), if you don't mind, would you please include your name in your comments?  No pressure - this is a laid back blog, mind you - but it's nice to see who's on this trip with us.  If you're continuing on with a verse from the first two weeks, you can just say that too.

Your turn.

How Are Your Verses Going?

Have you found your spiral index cards?  I found some at Walmart the other day and stocked up.  I've even been known to - gasp! - flip it over when I get to the end and use the other sides of the cards.  Yeah, I'm frugal that way...or just unprepared and ran out of cards...it all depends on how you look at it.

One thing I usually do is jot down the date for the verse I'm memorizing.  There were times looking over last year's verses that the date would jog my memory for that verse ("oh, yeah, that was after the first/second/third doctor's appointment" or "that was when we were praying about ________").  You get the idea, I'm sure.

If you have some tricks or ideas that you use, will you please share them with us in the comments?  And you don't have to use the spiral cards either if you find something that works better for you.  The index card police will not come after you.

I'm going to link to Beth Moore's blog (look at me, getting all fancy-schmancy with my linking-self) where she gave some memorization tips that you might find helpful.

http://livingproofministries.blogspot.com/2009/01/scripture-memory-mini-tutorial_08.html

So glad to have y'all along for the ride.