Happy New Year

I cannot believe it has been 2 months since my last post...can't believe it's going to be 2015! The one good thing about 2015 is that it is one year closer to 2016 (election year, haha)! As this year comes to a close I have been pondering the whole "resolution" thing. I usually don't make New Year's resolutions because I don't like to set myself up for failure. However, I decicided to do a little research this year on the "Christian's Perspective" of New Year's resolutions. By far, I found this to be the best. I use the website http://www.gotquestions.org/ quite a bit, they seem to have the answers to everything and back it up with scripture...see what you think. Question: "What sort of New Year’s Resolution should a Christian make?" Answer: The practice of making New Year’s resolutions goes back over 3,000 years to the ancient Babylonians. There is just something about the start of a new year that gives us the feeling of a fresh start and a new beginning. In reality, there is no difference between December 31 and January 1. Nothing mystical occurs at midnight on December 31. The Bible does not speak for or against the concept of New Year’s resolutions. However, if a Christian determines to make a New Year’s resolution, what kind of resolution should he or she make? Common New Year’s resolutions are commitments to quit smoking, to stop drinking, to manage money more wisely, and to spend more time with family. By far, the most common New Year’s resolution is to lose weight, in conjunction with exercising more and eating healthy. These are all good goals to set. However, 1 Timothy 4:8 instructs us to keep exercise in perspective: “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” The vast majority of New Year’s resolutions, even among Christians, are in relation to physical things. This should not be. Many Christians make New Year’s resolutions to pray more, to read the Bible every day, and to attend church more regularly. These are fantastic goals. However, these New Year’s resolutions fail just as often as the non-spiritual resolutions, because there is no power in a New Year’s resolution. Resolving to start or stop doing a certain activity has no value unless you have the proper motivation for stopping or starting that activity. For example, why do you want to read the Bible every day? Is it to honor God and grow spiritually, or is it because you have just heard that it is a good thing to do? Why do you want to lose weight? Is it to honor God with your body, or is it for vanity, to honor yourself? Philippians 4:13 tells us, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” John 15:5 declares, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” If God is the center of your New Year’s resolution, it has chance for success, depending on your commitment to it. If it is God’s will for something to be fulfilled, He will enable you to fulfill it. If a resolution is not God honoring and/or is not in agreement in God’s Word, we will not receive God’s help in fulfilling the resolution. So, what sort of New Year’s resolution should a Christian make? Here are some suggestions: (1) pray to the Lord for wisdom (James 1:5) in regards to what resolutions, if any, He would have you make; (2) pray for wisdom as to how to fulfill the goals God gives you; (3) rely on God’s strength to help you; (4) find an accountability partner who will help you and encourage you; (5) don’t become discouraged with occasional failures; instead, allow them to motivate you further; (6) don’t become proud or vain, but give God the glory. Psalm 37:5-6 says, “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.”

Good Morning Life!

This morning I made a decision to avoid the news. Instead I watched Joyce Meyers. Her message this morning was to meditate on God's word. Give God 1st place in your life. YES! That's how it should be, He should be 1st place in our lives. Turn off the news, clear your mind, open your heart and meditate on God's word. Funny-my scripture to memorize for the week is Colossians 3:2, "Set your minds on things above, not on things on the earth." There ya go...

Lord Help Us...

There are far too many things to even write about today...Ebola, ISIS, our borders, political correctness, watching our country's constitutional foundation being destroyed, debt, the list goes on and on and on. But here's the deal, there will always be bad news to report, there will always be disease, there will always be a "bad guy"...our current administration is full of lies and deceit, corruption and all about self. What ever happend to "we the people?" Whatever happened to elected officials serving the people, in the best interest of the people, protecting the people, it's not about sides, this is not a football game. It's not about Democrats beating Republicans, or Republicans beating Democrats...we have taken our eyes off the country and it's people. It's now all about personal agenda, special interest groups, and greed. Unless this country turns to God and humbles itself things will get worse before it gets better. I am praying for our nation, for our politicians (all of them) to get back to doing what's right, to choose good, to do what's best for all of us, white, black, red, or purple. There is hope...many have forgotten that. II Chronicles 7: 14 "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

Good News for Christians!

In today's environment and chaos is so easy to get discouraged as Christians. Sometimes it feels like we are so few...but fear not! Christianity is the world's largest religion, with approximately 2.2 billion adherents, known as Christians. Most Christians believe that Jesus is the Son of God, fully divine and fully human, and the saviour of humanity whose coming was prophesied in the Old Testament. Consequently, Christians refer to Jesus as Christ or the Messiah. (wikipedia)

Thought for the Day...

"The problems we face today are there because the people WHO work for a living are outnumbered by those WHO vote for a living."

On that final day...

1.... God won't ask what kind of car you drove. He'll ask how many people you drove who didn't have transportation.. 2.... God won't ask the square footage of your house, He'll ask how many people you welcomed into your home. 3.... God won't ask about the clothes you had in your closet, He'll ask how many you helped to clothe. 4... God won't ask what your highest salary was. He'll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it. 5.... God won't ask what your job title was. He'll ask if you performed your job to the best of your ability. 6... God won't ask how many friends you had. He'll ask how many people to whom you were a friend. 7.... God won't ask in what neighborhood you lived, He'll ask how you treated your neighbors. 8.... God won't ask about the color of your skin, He'll ask about the content of your character. 9.... God won't ask why it took you so long to seek Salvation. He'll lovingly take you to your mansion in heaven, and not to the gates of Hell. 10.... God won't have to ask how many people you shared this with, He already knows your decision.

Hope For Our Country-Pray

"if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. II Chronicles 7:14

EARTH'S FINAL MOMENTS

Funny, I actually first blogged this April 1, 2012. Nothing has changed. I guess we can throw in Syria and ISIS.--- I have been reading John Hagee's Earth's Final Moments. As disturbing as it is...it also brings me peace and security knowing God's Word is true. With all the turmoil in the world, simply turning on the news can be one of the hardest things to do these days. Obamacare, nuclear war, Korea, Iran, Afghanistan, the Middle East, Egypt, terrorists, killings, riots, you know what I mean, the list goes on and on. These are truly turbulent times! But here's the deal, the bible tell us all of this! As Christians why are we surprised when we hear this news? I know one reason, amidst all of this turmoil, HE gives us HOPE. He tells us what is to come, but also says no one will know the exact time of His return. HE will come like a thief in the night. And while we are here on earth, we are to love, work, live our lives as Christ would, but know that HE will return! So, how do we get through all these scary times? Faith. Keep your faith. Keep your focus on HIM. And know all things to come are in HIS hands. The last line of this book (I recommend you all read it) says "Rejoice and be exceedingly glad-the best is yet to be." Amen! :) ps-guess I'll have to find this book and read it again.

It's Fall!

I am so excited for fall! Leaves, pumpkins, pumpkin bread, pumpkin flavored coffee, trick or treat! Football...everything fall! I am burning a pumpkin candle as I write this...even if it's 90 today in the greater Phoenix area! Pumpkin muffins this weekend! Happy sweater weather!

Week 4 Bible Verse Memorization Challenge...

Psalm 119: 105 Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light for my path. It is a lamp by night, a light by day, and a delight at all times. David guided his own steps by it, and also saw the difficulties of his road by its beams. He who walks in darkness is sure, sooner or later, to stumble; while he who walks by the light of day, or by the lamp of night, stumbleth not, but keeps his uprightness. Ignorance is painful upon practical subjects; it breeds indecision and suspense, and these are uncomfortable: the word of God, by imparting heavenly knowledge, leads to decision, and when that is followed by determined resolution, as in this case, it brings with it great restfulness of heart." biblestudytools.com Thought this was a great explanation of this verse. Thank goodness for the light...

Week 3: Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." If you go on to read verses 12 and 13 "Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart." Today, in the midst of difficult situations, God wants us to know He has a plan for us. He also wants us to know that as we submit to His plan that He desires to use us to bless the world around us. So in good times and bad times we need to submit to His plans. The key word here is submit. So often we have our own plan, or we don't like God's plan, but with a little faith we must submit to His plan! It is always the BEST plan. "You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart."

Proverbs 3:5

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding...week 2 scripture to memorize. Love this scripture. If we truly believed this we would not worry so much. TRUST in the Lord. I do! But I worry...about everything! Why? I say I am going to give it to God, and I do. But then I worry. He must be sooooo frustrated with me! Thank goodness He is forgiving, loving and patient. Otherwise I would be in trouble. Okay then, let's all TRUST in the Lord with all our hearts!

What if all you had today is what you thanked God for yesterday?

Wow! My niece posted this the other day on her facebook page. She posted it on a Monday. Thank goodness. Because on Sunday I went to church and thanked God for my family, all of them! So I had that going for me, ha. I try to be thankful everyday, but what if this had been on Tuesday or any other day of the week? Would I have been so lucky? We can pray about anything, our wants, our needs, our concerns. Prayer, simply put, is conversation with God. So, in pondering this question always remember to THANK Him first!

The Challenge

After pondering several scriptures and trying to pick one to memorize I realized I have a few really good ones already embedded on this old brain. Yea! A few come to mind-the most important of all-John 3:16 (I suggest if you do not know this verse, memorized it today!) Also Philippians 4:13 and John 14:6. The scripture I chose to memorize this week is Ephesians 2: 8 & 9. I know, it's 2 verses, but they have to go together, they just do. I am cheating a little with this, because I am so familiar with this verse, I've read it a thousand times, but realized if someone asked me if I could recite Ephesians 2: 8-9 I would not be able to. So here I go. 8 "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast." It means that doing good things will not get you to Heaven. The only way to Heaven is by accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior. By God's grace you will receive salvation.

I am a "facebook follower" of The Purpose Driven Life (loved that book), this was their post a couple of days ago: "The Word of God is your weapon against Satan. Jesus modeled this when he was tempted in the wilderness. He simply quoted Scripture from memory. There is power in God’s Word, and Satan fears it. If you don’t have any Bible verses memorized, you’ve got no bullets in your gun! I challenge you to memorize one verse a week for the rest of your life. Imagine how much stronger you’ll be." WOW! I read scripture often, but seldom memorize it...so I am taking on this challenge. I am doing baby steps, my goal is to do this for the month of August. I will memorize a scripture each week...stay tuned.

Grooveymom update...

Okay, I am politically charged! Sad, mad, discouraged over the state of affairs our country is in...but I am going to try to keep "Grooveymom" on the lighter side of life. However, if you would like to hear me vent about politics, click on "Common Sense" and hear me roar!

AUGUST 3, 2014! Say it isn't so...

Greetings to all of you out there in the blog world. I cannot beleive I have not posted anything for over a year! Sometimes real life is just way more important...like having grandchildren! I am blessed, that's all I'm gonna say, just call me Glamma!