Bible Study

This year I have been involved in a Bible Study at a drug rehab facility. The women that come, come from all backgrounds. We are different in so many ways, and yet the one way that counts; we are the same. We are all SINNERS. We all have a gift of MERCY and GRACE offered to us. Many have taken up on that, having FAITH in JESUS and HIS work on the CROSS.



This opportunity to serve came up about a year ago. The study group changes, sometimes weekly, it is truly dynamic. Some women graduate, some relocate, some just drop out of the program. God and His SPIRIT are working there in a mighty way.



Some questions that come up:

How do I know when I am saved, I have prayed the salvation prayer many times and then mess up again?



How do I know what pleases God?



What is Faith?



What kind of "soil" am I? How do I know?



How can I surrender fully to God?



How do I NOT put a man in God's place in my heart?





Really good questions, really good conversation. A transparency that sometimes gets lost as we "mature" in Christ and go to Bible Study with other "mature" Christians.

Real struggles, really big life issues, real seeking of answers and deliverance.



Not all are there for a real study, sometimes I am not sure what their motivations are...BUT I don't really care...because we are sharing the Gospel, the GOOD NEWS with these women AND because we are providing child care for their kids....to their children as well! Praise God for the opportunity to serve Him and love others, some who are at their lowest point. We get to point them to a LIGHT that will guide them in LOVE and TRUTH!



So, I am so very thankful this morning. I know is God is working, I know that Satan is working...BUT the VICTORY is in CHRIST, whom I serve!

Happy Easter!

A little SonRise service in the park started our Easter off! We all shared in a great breakfast after our Celebration of Christ's Resurrection!

We made babka. I don't like this recipe. ( and it appears to have eyes)

Michelle rolled out some pierogie dough and we made some potato-cheese ones! Yum.

My family helps me celebrate my birthday while we are all together!

Traditional egg cracking contest. Here are the youngest and oldest pitted against each other.

Molly hasn't a clue, but she will learn quickly.

Every year our household hosts the Easter dinner for my family. We have about 20 of us.

This year I decided to go against our tradtional meal of turkey/ham, etc...

I decided to be a little more ethnic. Polish side doesn't have a traditonal Easter meal, aside from getting the food blessed on Sat. (we didn't do that) So, we just had traditional polish food; all homemade except the sausage; kielbasi, pierogi, babka, galumpky(cabbage rolls). For the Italian side, they have a big multi course meal which included a lot of fish; so we nixed that and added lasagna, pasta salad, field green salad, and an anti pasta called "benedetto" or blessing. This is strictly a Battista (Vin's mom's side) dish. Layered orange slices, egg slices, genoa salami, lemon slices and ricotta salata. I didn't remember this dish. I asked Vin's aunt about it, and searched high and low for the ricotta salata (a hard ricotta that you can slice), found it at Whole Foods. Vin was super excited and I am so glad I can bring a favorite taste bud tickler to him. That was fun to see.

What traditions do you all have and do you ever switch it up?

Tea

We had our annual tea at church. Lots of fun, and very good devotion with the resurrection eggs!
Good news! The Tomb is Empty! He's Alive!

America the Beautiful

I have been reading this book by David Jeremiah. So far, it has been interesting. I was reading yesterday in chapter 6 "Does America Have a Role in Prophecy?", about the downfall of civilizations and the 11 signs of decline(p136)

1. No fault divorce
2."Birth Dearth"; increased disrespect for parenthood and parents
3. Meaningless marriage rites/ceremonies
4. Defamation of past national heroes
5. Acceptance of alternative marriage forms
6. Widespread attitudes of feminism, narcissism, hedonism
7.Propagation of antifamily sentiment
8> Acceptance of most forms of adultery
9. Rebellious children
10. Increased juvenile delinquency
11. Common acceptance of all forms of sexual perversion.


( this written by Dr. Carle Zimmerman in a text called Family and Civilization.1947)

I guess we could check that list off.So, it might be said that America is being attacked from the inside out. Kind of like an auto immune disease!
What to do about it?
Trust in the Lord, the good thing about the economy is that we are beginning to relinquish some of our idols. God is being merciful to us!
We need to get the Word out; another interesting fact is that America accounts for 5% of the world population but spends the most on missions and sends out the most missionaries. The majority of the world's population can have access to Christian radio, Scripture in their own language, audio and media, all because of folks answering the call to go and tell others about Jesus! ( Charlene just wrote about the Jesus film she watched at ESL in Japanese)


Rev 3:3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.


Isa 52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good [things], Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, "Your God reigns!"

Christmas

Ah, Christmas! Here is a ceramic tree I inherited from my Nana, and a new gift from Terry and Ruby,( the cardinal plate)
Michelle and Jordan opening gifts.
Elizabeth trying to wake up.
Betty, my stepmom, works hard to prepare a bountiful feast on Christmas!
family portrait - one
Jordan snuck into this pic of Dad, and us three kids. I was sad I didn't have a prop or holiday headwear...
stuffing balloons to make reindeer antlers. My brother and his wife bring games to the festivities. (We didn't win, too slow)
the infamous mitten game.
used to be; we would take a traditional grandkids photo on the couch...but seems they'd made a hole in the wall--so they had to get off!
Next favorite photo spot is in front of fireplace! This year we are missing 2 (and a husband, all in the AF) and added little Molly.

Hope your Christmas was fun and full of love and memories. Thank God for sending His Son, Jesus to become man, and our Savior!