Resources

I was talking to some friends recently about the sensitive issue of abortion. We were discussing how appropriate it is to publicly show photos/video of abortion. It is a very difficult thing. The answers to our questions, is not the where I am going with this post. I wanted to put this testimony (of one women's "secret") out and the site for the Pregnancy Care Center in Niles...I may have done that before, but it is really good and I love it! It is a great resource!

The thing is... I hate abortion, but the women...the women! I love them! I want them to have healing if there has been an abortion... Healing and not Hiding! I hate that women have to hide this sin, because it is in some minds a 'worse' sin. Yes, it is a sin, but that doesn't mean that God doesn't forgive AND remembers it no more! (post-abortive women also have to deal with all this)

I remember when I first saw the photos/videos of abortion. I have told many about this, so it may be familiar. I was watching a very graphic video and I started crying, weeping, bawling! It was hard, and horrible! Here's what God said to my heart. It is so clear to me. Even though I did not hear a voice in the room. In my mind, my heart, whatever...I heard this: "Lisa, your sin looks like this"...It made me realize that my sin is ugly. My sin looks just as ugly as abortion. I wish we/I did not categorize sin. I wish I saw my sin always before me as God does, than maybe, I wouldn't look down on others. Maybe than women wouldn't have to hide anymore. God isn't about guilt. He loves to forgive and grant repentance. O how beautiful repentance and forgiveness are! Not ugly, but Beautiful!

A Prayer

"O Father of life, ... we praise you that you will one day take your poor crooked creatures and give them bodies like Christ's, perfect and full of light. Help us to grow faster--as fast as you can help us grow. Help us to keep our eyes on the opening of your hand, that we may know the manna when it comes. We rejoice that we are your making, though your handiwork is not very plain yet in the outer man. We bless you that we feel your hand making us, even if what we feel be pain. Always we hear the voice of the potter above the hum and grind of the wheel. Fashion the clay to your will. You have made us love you and hope in you, and in your love we will be brave and endure. All in good time, O Lord. Amen


This was a prayer I found in this book. One of the characters has physical difficulties and I love how he processes through them. This book is fiction, but it can be like reading a devotional. I have another quote that I loved coming soon.

A Letter

Dear Lisa,
I think God wants you to know this:
God created you, so don't be afraid of the circumstances that surround you. God saved you and called you by name, you are HIS. Are you still concerned? I know you are going through some really hard stuff, but God won't leave you there. I feel like it's as if you have waters rushing all around you in a big ocean, but God won't let you drown! He promises to be with you remember?! Do you feel like the river is rushing and taking you away? It won't! Do you feel like you are in a burning building and can't get out? God promises you that the circumstances will touch you, but not crush you or burn you...to stay with the analogy :)...God is with you...I promise!
Your Saviour, Jesus

P.s. Don't forget, this part is HUGE! I gave up so much for you...Lives have been sacrificed so that you could be free. Why, you ask? Because you are precious to me and I love you!



I decided to take this verse and put it in my own words...when I first read it, it felt like a letter. I read the ending where it said, "For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, Your Saviour. " I felt like God wrote me a note and signed it...."Your Saviour"

This passage Isaiah 43:1-4 came to my attention at small group this week as we were talking about worry. I love it and it means alot to me. I did not get to voice my particular worries during small group, but being a mom...and a wife, I have a lot...They aren't all consuming ones, but nagging, daily ones. Sometimes the thought of failing my kids at homeschooling will keep me awake at night. Sometimes I worry that I can't be the wife I need to be or that no one really cares about me. Sometimes it's just about money and that can make me crazy! Sometimes I can't shut the worries off....that's why God wrote me a letter and that feels good! I love that He is with me IN the difficulty, not that it is pretended that they aren't there or that I am being un-spiritual in my worry.... God is with me...Stuff is hard, but God is making sure that I am not destroyed by that stuff and that I will come out of it on the other side.

Week 3

We are on week 3 of school. While it hasn't gone as smoothly as week one and two...It is fine. We are hopefully getting used to our schedule. I am enjoying the breaks as 'my time' and that works really well. I have really been doing good about the exercise because I know it is relieving stress. I also have been doing fairly well with squeezing in quiet reading time in the mornings for me. All in all, it is really nice to just 'be with' my boys. Especially as I realize they may not be here next year, or at least one of them. Remind me of this when you hear me all stressed out!


My favorite part is morning reading time with them. I do read-alouds with them. We are reading through some fun science and Lewis and Clark.

Newish things

I have been absent from my blog for very good reasons-- if you know me, you may know them. Mostly 1. School and 2. Catching up on laundry, dishes and house 'things'

We were all dreading (maybe not Tim) the start of school and I think I topped that list. But God....(that' s my favorite way to begin a sentence by-the-way) has had other plans for this year. At least I hope the whole year goes this smoothly.

Here's what happened. God gently spoke to my mind with ideas. These ideas still seem to be coming. I love that! One of the main ideas in my mind has been a schedule for the day. I still have some flexibility, but I try to stick to the schedule quite strictly. THAT is WEIRD for me! I feel like I have a real job! I have NEVER been a schedule person and I would always sleep as late as possible... I now get up a good hour or 2 earlier than I would have last year! And I am not really tired! Part of the schedule is before school exercise, which helps me with energy, lower stress, sense of well being, and hopefully weight loss ;)

anyway, long story short...This schedule seems easy to stick to and, I am enjoying school and having a good time with my boys...I am really glad they are here and NOT somewhere else... I thought I was ready to send my little kiddos away, but I am not! We'll see what God thinks about next year.

O By the way... we miss summer terribly...but I am glad for the cooler weather because it makes it easier to stay home and realize that summer is over ;)