A city girl in the Sticks

Moving

10:40, Tuesday, July 8, 2008 .. 1 comments .. Link

Wow,

It's been a while since I posted. I have moved to my new blog

look forward to hearing from you, but until then may God bless and keep you.

Expelled - I really want to see this movie!!

04:47, Wednesday, April 23, 2008 .. 2 comments .. Link

I don't know if you guys have heard of Ben Stein's movie EXPELLED, but I am so excited to see it!!! If you've seen it, could you let me know what you thought? If you want to know more, here's the web site:

Get Expelled

and
Expelled - the movie

Some opinions about the movie from Christian Answers - spotlight on the movies

“…I love Ben Stein. We worked together in politics many years ago. He’s a charming, engaging, and very bright guy. He’s on the right track here. What he’s doing in this film is extremely important because it is opening up an honest debate in the public square where people can hear reasoned arguments on both sides and make their own conclusions.…” - See: “Myths about ‘Expelled’”
—Chuck Colson, Radio Commentator, Founder of Prison Fellowship

“…I urge everyone not to miss ‘EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed.’ I found it riveting, eye-opening, and even astonishing. Ben Stein does a masterful job of exposing the ruthlessness of evolutionists who will go after anyone who challenges or merely questions Darwinian orthodoxy. I was on the edge of my seat -- entertained yet instructed. This movie is a must-see. Challenge school board members in your community to watch this well-produced documentary. Even pay for their tickets, but get them there! Congratulations to Ben Stein and the producers for the courage to create a much-needed perspective on the erosion of freedoms in America.…”
—Ken Ham, President of the world’s largest apologetics [or Bible-defending] ministry, Answers in Genesis, and the newly opened Creation Museum

“…“Ben Stein’s film, ‘EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed,’ makes a powerful case for ‘Intelligent Design’ in explaining the origins of life and the creation of the universe. It also exposes an entrenched and aggressive Darwinist establishment in academia that suffocates all competing points of view. Highly qualified professors and scientists who dare to question evolutionary orthodoxy are systematically excluded or summarily dismissed. It is political correctness run amuck on university campuses. Stein sets out on a mission to find out why I.D. is most often expelled from the public square, and what he discovers in this riveting documentary is incredibly enlightening. I recommend the film enthusiastically.…”
—James C. Dobson, Ph.D., Chairman of the Board, Focus on the Family

A good thought

06:55, Monday, April 7, 2008 .. 0 comments .. Link

This year began difficultly for our family; the kind of things that make you take stock of who you are, what you believe and why. In general I like questions like these, but recently not so much.
Knowing God has often been like being part of some great symphony. As we all kept our eyes on the Great Conductor we would flow melodiously together, some times needing to tune our instruments, sometimes needing to put more work into the piece, but because we all had the same 'sheet music' and practiced together, we flowed. The recent past has felt like loosing my instrument. It doesn't matter that I know where to practice, have the sheet music or even show up, without my instrument I cannot be part of this beautiful piece.
Yesterday, I cried out to God for answers; he is so merciful: he gave my husband these words (I am paraphrasing them - so please bear with me) :

When musicians record music, they can't hear how what they're doing fits into the piece unless they put on headphones. They record in a vacuum to have the purest sound. You are still 'making music', don't doubt that you are being heard. I can hear the music you make. Maybe, right now you don't have head phones and you feel the vacuum around you, but don't ever doubt: you are making music.

So, today I begin a new week, with new hope: I AM making music. Like I've always been told, it's not about what I feel - I can't trust my feelings. So onward I go, with a new thought: whether or not I feel like I'm making music, I am.

Help

10:59, Sunday, March 30, 2008 .. 1 comments .. Link

Hi guys,
I'd like to edit/ change my blog, but have NO clue how to do this. I had wanted to add a scripture tag to the side and center the blog and well, let's just say it wasn't very pretty.

Is there anywhere I can go to get help for this?
Thanks in advance,
Annie

When I say... "I am a Christian"

10:14, Friday, March 28, 2008 .. 2 comments .. Link

I saw this on toby0103's blog; thanks for permission to use it, Michelle!

I pray it blesses you all the way that it did me.

When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin."
I'm whispering "I was lost," Now I'm found and forgiven.

When I say..."I am a Christian" I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble and need CHRIST to be my guide.

When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak and need HIS strength to carry on.

When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.

When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not claiming to be perfect.
My flaws are far too visible but, God believes I am worth it.

When I say... "I am a Christian" I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name.

When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not holier than thou.
I was a simple sinner who received God's good grace, somehow.

~Maya Angelou

Striving, to stive

01:58, Friday, March 28, 2008 .. 1 comments .. Link

"This is a true saying, and by all means worthy to be received,
that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,
of whom I am chief"
1 Tim. 1:15 (Geneva Bible)

What does it mean to strive?

Does it mean that we in our own strength 'can'? If not, than what does it mean to strive?

For the last two weeks our family has had the flu. Not colds, but the can't get up or move flu. There is no greater example for me as to what striving is than being very ill and 'striving' to get better. There is almost nothing you can do; the flu shots would have had to have been given BEFORE we got this and antibiotics don't help. We just have to endure. We have to keep downing those fluids. We have to rest, A LOT! And maybe because I am bored

of sleeping and headaches and waiting to get better, I got to thinking about how similar this is to our Christian walk.

If we believe that God is sovereign (and I do), we know that our good deeds are dirty rags (Isa. 64:6) and (my personal fav) that we are foolish to try to attain our goals by human effort (Gal. 3:3) , what does it mean to strive?

Acts 24:16 - Speaks of "striving" (also translated as "endeavor") to keep our conscience clear before/ toward God and man.

I really liked 1 Tim 4:10, (I'm going to include 4:9 as well):

"This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance (and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of of all men, and especially of those who believe." (NIV)

The Geneva Bible translates these verses this way:

"This is a true saying, and by all means worthy to be received.

For therefore we labor and are rebuked, because we trust in the living God, which is the Savior of all men, specially of those that believe."

So our striving is with or if you will, against ourselves. So often I want to pat myself on the back for "trying", but in this time of not being able to 'try' anything I find myself PRAISING God, from whom all blessing flow. I can't try hard enough, but I can fight, labor, endeavor and strive to have faith in my GREAT, WONDERFUL, AWESOME God who is 'the author and perfector of our faith" (Heb. 12:2). Yet, I must not forget the words of James:

"What availeth it my brethren, though a man saith, he hath faith, when he hath no works? can that faith save him?" James 2:14 (Geneva Bible)

So if I strive to have faith should i also strive toward the outworking (or fruits) of that faith? I would say, no. Jesus said:

"I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing." John 14 12 (NIV)

When I was pentecostal, I used to believe that that meant performing miracles and healing and such, (not that God is not capable of any of that), but now I know that is being 'about my Father's business'. (Luke 2:49) Whatever that is in this moment, in this time. What has my Father given me to do today? Love Him, my husband and children, get well, do some chores to keep the house going, Love Him, my husband and children...

And I aspire to the faith of these:

"All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not recieve the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.
If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country - a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them."

Hebrews 11:13-16 (NIV)

"God of wonders, beyond our galaxy, You are HOLY, holy.
The universe declares Your majesty, You are holy, holy!
Lord of heaven and earth, Lord of heaven and earth..."
(from the song 'God of Wonders')

Father, please increase my faith and forgive my unbelief. I love you, Lord.

introductions

10:54, Wednesday, March 26, 2008 .. Posted in our life .. 2 comments .. Link

Good Morning!

Part of what drove me to blog is that our family has been sick. To entertain myself whilst my dear ones lay around (I was laying around there for a while, too) I thought of what to write about.

About us:

My dear, sweet hubby and I have four beautiful children and two cats. My two eldest are girls and the youngest are boys. I have homeschooled them for the last seven years. The Lord has done so much in our family; we have so much to be grateful for. I was born and raised in New York City and to know me now, well, except that I'm still called 'pushy' by some, you'd never know it. God has reformed my heart, mind and attitire; I now look as much or more like a country girl than the people I know that grew up there. Isn't our God amazing!

I have in the last couple of years tried change over to a more natural way of living. My eldest lovest to bake - so we started baking our own bread. YUM! A dear friend introduced me to Sue Gregg cookbooks and I (well we all have) have learned so much about eating healthy! I loved to cook before, but there is something so wonderful about having a planned, healthy menu, thank you, God!

Well, we're well enough to do school, so I must get back to it, but how nice to chat with you!

God Bless!

my first entry

03:46, Wednesday, March 26, 2008 .. Posted in hello .. 0 comments .. Link

Have you read any books that moved you, lately?

Most recently, I read the trilogy Red, White and Black by Ted Dekker. Red was the best of the bunch, but they were all sort of interesting. For those that have read them, what did you think about the author's description of love? I found it enlightening!

I have many favorite books.

Redeeming Love
Phantom Tollbooth
Les Miserable
Sister Wendy's art books
anything illustrated by Bill Peet!

There are more, but I wanted to get a couple out there and tried to be eclectic.

Have a scripture that spoke to your heart? Please share it with me.

I found this in my quiet time:

Proverbs 11:17 (from the Geneva Bible) "He that is merciful, rewardeth his own soul: but he that troubleth his own flesh, is cruel."

This spoke to me. I actually misread the first part when I first read this; I reversed the beginning to read 'he that rewardeth his own soul, is merciful'. I think I did this because the last part of this took me so aback. The NIV translates this differently:

"A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings harm to himself."

Hmm...

I hope that God has blessed your time here!

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