I was thinking of a friend of mine today when I read this in Randy Alcorn's book "Heaven"

"Reformer John Calvin wrote, 'If we consider to what end God created foods, we shall find that he wished not only to provide for our necessities, but also for our pleasure and recreation...With herbs, trees and fruits, besides the various uses he gives us of them, it was his will to rejoice our sight by their beauty, and to give us yet another pleasure in their odours.'


We won't 'need' fine meals; we don't need them now. But we enjoy them now for the same reason we'll enjoy them then--because God made us to enjoy them and to glorify him as we eat and drink (1 Corinthinans 10:31)"

Can you get an idea of why I am obsessed about Heaven when you read this quote ;)????


"Isaiah 65:19 In heaven the glorified do not weep, for all outward causes of grief are gone. There are no broken friendships, nor unfulfilled longings in heaven. Poverty, famine, danger, persecution, and slander are unknown there. There will be no pain to distress us, no anxious thoughts of death or bereavement to sadden. Those there do not weep, for they are perfectly sanctified. No evil heart of unbelief prompts them to depart from the living God; they are faultless before His throne and fully conformed to His image. Well might they stop mourning since they have stopped sinning. They do not weep, because all fear of change is past. They know that they are eternally secure. Sin is shut out, and they are shut in. They are safe in a city that will never be taken; they bask in a sun that shall never set; they drink of a river that will never run dry; they pluck fruit from a tree that will never wither. Countless cycles may revolve, but eternity will not be exhausted; and while eternity endures, their immortality and blessedness shall endure with it. They are forever with the Lord. They do not weep because every desire is fulfilled. They cannot wish for anything that they do not have. Eye and ear, heart and hand, judgment, imagination, hope, desire and will-all the faculties are completely satisfied; and although our present ideas of what God has prepared for those who love him are imperfect, still we know by the revelation of the Spirit that the saints above are supremely blessed. The joy of Christ, which is an infinite fullness of delight, is in them. They bathe themselves in the bottomless, shoreless sea of infinite blessing. That same joyful rest awaits us. It may not be too long before the weeping willow is exchanged for the palm-branch of victory, and sorrow's tears will be transformed into the pearls of everlasting bliss. "Therefore encourage one other with these words."¹

¹1 Thessalonians 4:18

Please note: Devotional material is taken from “Morning and Evening,” written by C.H. Spurgeon, revised and updated by Alistair Begg. Copyright (c) 2003, Good News Publishers and used by Truth for Life with written permission. Scripture quotations are taken from Holy Bible: English Standard Version, copyright (c) 2001, Good News Publishers.

O, forgot to give you an update on "Skin".... i found it to be a good story....I really like how he plays out the idea of destroying the ugliest and where things go from there ;)

i have not enjoyed some of the last Ted Dekker books. They were OK, just not Great. This story renewed my interest in Ted Dekker and made me remember why I like his work. It still isn't as amazing as the Circle Trilogy, but definitely worth the read! I don't feel like there was a strong spiritual theme that came out of it, but appreciate that he is trying to reach the mass market.

I am also totally pumped because he is releasing some more books that are a continuation of the Circle Trilogy. I can't wait!

sorry to bore those of you who are not obsessed with his work like I am ;) :)

I have a question...I would love to hear what you are "obsessed" about...i have several obsessions and would love to know what some of yours are :)???????

This is to CUTE!!

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=9e7c4b40cf5a13cea6ca

I am reminded of how much I enjoy CS Lewis. I am having a hard time fighting this fight of faith (just in the duldrums I guess). Tim preached on Hebrews 12:1-2 last Sunday and I am seeing that CS Lewis is one of the fans in the grandstand (my choice of paraphrasing language ;) cheering me on. I picked my copy of "A Year with CS Lewis". I really like this collection of quotes. I have a couple other ones, but this one has ministered to me the most! I really feel so encouraged by his writing. What do you do to encourage yourself when you are down????

OK, on to one of my other obsessions.... Tim got me "Skin" by Ted Dekker! I was going to get it for myself, but the Amazon reviews were SO MIXED!!! I didn't know if it would be worth it! Well, so far it is a good story! I will let you know when i finish it. Sometimes and ending can ruin a book.

My boys have been playing a lot of baseball with the neighbor kids lately. I am taking advantage of it, as I will have to be teaching and with them non-stop in just a couple of weeks. Well, guess that sums up life around here ;)

Here's a question that I was wondering about in our small group....

What is the significance of the phrase "thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies" from the 23rd Psalm??

I asked this in our small group. I had thot about it before, and never came to a conclusion. The 23rd Psalm is so beautiful and it all seems to flow, but I get stuck on that part, cuz it makes no sense to me ;)

Here is a quote from Heaven by Randy Alcorn pg269

"If we would miss something from our old lives and the Old Earth, it would be available to us on the New Earth. Why? Because we will experience all God intends for us. He fashions us to want precisely what He will give us, so what he gives us will be exactly what we want"

O, ya, Tim and I finally got a date!!! YAY!!!

we had so much fun

I think that joy is a good thermometer of my spiritual life ....seeing some today, not full... there you go....really honest with you...cuz i am not living life(with God) to the full!


We are having 5 day club this week at our house...it is so fun! I was really dreading it (here's why.... it's in the middle of the day....i CAN'T go to the BEACH!!!) but it has been quite fun and I am getting a better chance to get to know my neighbors. It's great!

well, not much else is going on in life....so

later....

what in the world!! i can't get my letters to be small!!! That post refuses to be be edited....

see below

I realize that I was talking about not having joy in an earlier post.... and not having it, well, fyi...God has given it to me again. I do not take it for granted! Days without it make me realize how I depend on Him for it :) Which is fine ;)

Here's something fun....well, for me anyway...I found (she found me rather) a my best friend from gradeschool. We have been chatting online for a week or so now....She seems to still have a lot in common with me... I am very much enjoying the connection. I had looked for her for quite a while and not been able to find her....so that was cool that she found me! It's funny tho, cuz it takes me back to childhood like crazy...I felt like I was living in my memories for a couple days there :) Anyway, it's been fun....

Hi Mia! (if you end up reading this ;)

I forgot to give you all a pic of our fourth of July festivities....

Since it is my dad's bday, we usually go spend it with my family.... I love it! Fireworks bday Celebration....while i didn't get pics of the whole day, i took pics of the rocket launch...

Being made for Joy, as in my title...makes it hard when i don't have joy...

That's where i am today... i am still striving for it, but it is a harder day for that today! No particular reason...nothing particular going on, just one of 'those' days...

On the other hand, I have sooo much to be thankful for, A great husband and family, all my needs met, great friends and family, etc, etc....so that's where I will keep my mind for today ;)

You all have the rare privilege, (LOL hee heee...hahaa) if this link works that is, of viewing some of my favorite slideshows.... they are from family gatherings, youth activities and misc. things from my life :)

enjoy

http://photoshow.comcast.net/lisatatj/
favorites?sk=857d08af794e17dd9e1ea9a1e045e5a5



fyi, not sure that you may have to sign up for a free Photoshow account..... but it is worth it, as it is a valuable photo storage and photoshow maker....
let me know if you can't get it to work

Seems like we do this every year...i join them sometimes, but this time I just watched them ;)

This was several weeks ago, but it was a CRAAAZY summer rainstorm, where it's hot one minute and POURING Rain the next!

they had fun!

I JUST saw this interview with Ted Dekker on Youtube via CBN ......it is GREAT....if you don't like scary tho, there are previews of his new movie "House" .... hope it's as scary as it looks ;) :)




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keCP-k756o8

this interview is great! enjoy

Well not much going on....but a couple of things are exciting
opportunities to me right now....

I took Travy to a robotics class and as
 i was there the lady was telling
me about a great opportunity!!  we
constantly are thinking if we need to put the
boys in school or continue to homeschool....well
this seems like a great
compromise!

The galien school system is struggling,(if i understand correctly)
so they are partnering with the
homeschool group.... they get paid if we
dual enroll with them, soooo if we take
one galien class, we get to take some xtra classes
as well (all for free, cuz the government pays
the teachers and the school!!! ) So while i pay for this
robotics class for xtra, i can get them for free
in the fall....they have math,and science, computer,
art, band, etc...for the classes that we HAVE to take
and than they have  gym and swim and robotics and
karate and art as the xtra ones....i am
 sooo excited to be able to get them these
classes....i will have to
be careful to not overdo....but the art classes
look to be in buchanan, so they
could even walk to that ;) :)

but anyway, travy like his class alot...he
said when he first started to get
excited was when he saw the wiring
for the lego robot.... evidentally, he uses a
computer to control the robot and he
got to decorate it with extra lego..... the
teacher said they all did really well
and that she is moving them on to more
advanced stuff cuz this all was too easy
 for them.  He has 2 other girls in the
class with him.... the one girl
evidentally is soooo advanced that the teacher
told the mom she HAS to keep the
girl in this field. :)..... maybe travy will
catch on that good as well....i told
 him it combines 2 of his loves
(legos and computers)

also a mission opportunity that i will post about later ;)

I love nature...maybe that's why the beach is so fun to me ;)

Anyway, we went camping this weekend, with Tim's family and these are my boys and the cousins....boy did they have fun l!! They were always dirty! It was very relaxing and we all helped with meals, etc.

Sunday morning I just sat at the campfire and marveled at God and His nature! I am very glad that He gave us nature to enjoy ;) In heaven, there won't be bugs and scary frogs tho....I didn't see any frogs, but we had some bugs --they seemed to like being in the showers....o well, better than frogs in the shower ;)

GOD IS GREAT!


GOD IS GREAT!!!!

God is GREEAT!!!!!

GOD is great!!!!!

God is great!!!!

this is me shouting God is great....becuz i love his salvation ;)

see previous post ;)

God is GREAT!!!!!!


Psalm 70:4
"But may all who searach for you be filled with joy and gladness, may those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, 'God is great!'"