Welcome Back!!

The title is for myself!! I would really like to get into a much better routine of blogging.  Maybe this time it will happen.

There have been many things going on in our family. Sickness, birthdays, sickness, school, sickness, music, sickness, and did I mention sickness. It seems that since the beginning of the year we have had at least 1 person with a cold or sick.  Praying we get on top of it soon.

The Lord has truly been doing some great things for us and I would like to share some of them. SO in the next few days, as God allows, I will be adding some of those things as well as some of what I have been learning through the Holy Spirit.

DAY 29

DAY 29 (I am a day behind)
I am thankful for discovering the benefits of gluten free eating. This is often called a diet, but it a way of life not a diet. Also, for many people it is not a choice but a necessity. For me it is not life threatening nor does it make me extremely ill, but for some that is the case. I am thankful that I decided to give it a try to help my Autoimmune Disease. I feel so much better and I also know when I eat the wrong thing. Praise the Lord for the new things out there that are Gluten Free.

DAY 26, 27, 28

Playing catch up again!
DAY 26, 27, 28
I am thankful for good LONG visits. I am so glad that my parents are retired now and can come for longer visits. They were here for 2 full weeks. We had a marvelous time!! I know they were ready to go home, but I am so glad they stayed for as long as they did. Pray for them as they head back to FL today and tomorrow. I really miss them!!! Praise the Lord for Godly parents!!

DAY 25

DAY 25
     I am thankful for my Christian heritage.  My parents and grandparents went to church and that is great be able to share with my children.  My Grandma Work wanted a Christian school for her grandchildren when she died in April of 1975 a fund was started to start that school.  It opened in the Fall of that year.  The school is still in existence today. I love listening to my Mom talk about verses her  parents liked or hymns. Today my mom and I sang a duet in church "Ivory Palaces" my Grandpa Work's favorite hymn.

DAY 24

DAY 24
I am thankful for spoiling and memories! My parents are here and have been since the 14. We are loving it! You know how grandparents are, they love to spoil. My parents are not bad about it but just little things. Well, my mom has a saying "I am not spoiling I am making memories". I am thankful my parents are able to make the trip from FL to MI. We are making memories the boys will talk about for a long time to come. We are enjoying them!!!!

DAY 23

DAY 23
I am thankful for the seasons of Michigan!  We got some snow today, a little more than flurries. It is SO fun watching the excitement in my boys as they see the snow coming down!  I love seeing it through their eyes!  God has given such beauty in His creation!

DAY 22

DAY 22
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!
Today I am just THANKFUL!!!!!!!

DAY 21

DAY 21- I am thankful for my children all 4!
Many reading my think, 4?  No I am not pregnant!  Yet, 5 years ago today I started my day excited to see an ultrasound of Baby #3.  Yet, by the end of the day, I knew that our baby had gone to Heaven.  Today is full of emotion.  I know if I had not lost that baby there would be no Little T! Trenton is my precious youngest who brings such joy to our lives. So, remember my little one waiting for me in Heaven and thankful for that loss that has also helped me help others.

DAY 16 - 20

OH MY am I way behind!! My parents are here and I haven't taken much time for the computer!

DAY 16 - Our wonderful home God has provided.  Thankful for the warmth.

DAY 17 - My inlaws- many people cringe when they hear in laws are coming. I am excited to see them.  It is great having family we get along so well with.

DAY 18 - Church family- We are thankful for the church family God has given us. They are loving and care for each other in such a blessed way.

DAY 19 - Wonderful opportunities that our children have!! We praise the Lord for the conductors the boys have in HSMA.  It is a blessing to see them learn their instruments with Godly leaders.

DAY 20 - Pastor and his family.  We are so blessed to be led by God to a church led by a wonderful pastor. The Lord has blessed him with a calm spirit and a great way of teaching and preaching.  We have learned a lot from him and his family in the few months we have been in our church. Our boys truly look up to their sons and it is wonderful to have Christ honoring teens for them to admire and pattern themselves after.

DAY 14 & 15

DAY 14 and 15- I am thankful for safety of travel for my parents from FL to MI. They will be here for 2 weeks!!! Praise the Lord for being able to visit with them.

DAY 13

  I am thankful for forgiveness! I am thankful first of all that God forgave me! He also continues to forgive me when I fall. I am also thankful for His help to forgive others. It is very difficult to forgive others, yet He can help us with that too. We must chose to forgive!! Not an easy choice, but a necessary one to be able to be open to God leading in our lives.

Moving Beyond Bitterness to Forgiveness

Posted on November 13, 2012

Canadian Rockies-Photo by: Mark J Booth

“I can’t forgive them.” “What they did to me is unforgivable.” “I won’t ever speak to them again.” ” I can’t forget how much they hurt me.” What do all these statements have in common?  They show an individual who has a bitter spirit.
Bitterness has destroyed many people because it enslaves them to the object of their bitterness.  They have no freedom to enjoy their walk with God and others.  A bitter person can infect their family, their workplace or even their church with their attitude.  “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;” (Hebrews 12:15)
God has not only given us a cure for bitterness, but He has also modeled this cure.  This cure is called forgiveness.  The word forgiveness means “to send away”.  The idea is that we throw the bitter attitude out of our lives; never to retrieve it again.  “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:” (Ephesians 4:31)
God gives us three reasons to cast out bitterness and embrace forgiveness.
1. Christ has forgiven us.  ”And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32)  No matter what anybody has done to us, it is nothing compared to all of our sinful offenses towards God.
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant is a great illustration of the above truth.  The landowner forgives his servant an enormous debt; yet this forgiven debtor is unwilling to forgive his follow servant a very small debt. (Matthew 18:21-35)  How can we talk about God’s mercy and not share that mercy with others?
2. Christ commands us to forgive others. “Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.“(Colossians 3:13)  A bitter spirit is a disobedient spirit.  When we forgive a person in our heart, we are walking in obedience to Christ.  
3. Christ is our example of demonstrating forgiveness.  When Christ was being mocked upon the cross, He didn’t respond with anger and bitterness.  He called out to His Father: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34) When we forgive those who have hurt us, we are acting like our Savior.  These people didn’t ask Christ to forgive them, but yet Christ poured out His forgiveness towards them.
Forgiveness is difficult for us because we think that the offended party  is “let off the hook”.  In reality, we are let off the hook.  We are now free to live our lives without being controlled by our bitterness.  God shows us the following blessings of extending forgiveness to others.

• We have a testimony before others. “The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.” (Proverbs 19:11)
• We show God’s love towards others.  Charity “rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” (1 Corinthians 13:6-7)
• We will have a joyful heart. “Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy.” (Matthew 5:7)
• We will enjoy true Christian fellowship. “To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;” (2 Corinthians 2:10)

Forgiveness is our choice.  We can continue to feel hurt and embittered, or we can choose forgiveness.  The offending party may never ask for forgiveness, but we can forgive them in our heart.  Many persons have lived a miserable life because they chose not forgiveness.  Is your bitterness worth it?
“Dear Lord, you felt the pain of rejection, hatred, misunderstanding and ridicule; yet you forgave.  Help me, to forgive those who have hurt me.  My bitter spirit has not only hurt me, but those around me.  I have lost the joy in my life.  Lord, in my heart I now forgive _____________.   Thank you for your forgiveness towards me when I don’t deserve it.  From now on, help me to exercise love towards even those who have hurt me. Amen.”

DAY 12

DAY 12
     I am so thankful for answered prayer.  We had been praying that the Lord would show us if I should become a Pampered Chef consultant (something we have considered for awhile and felt now may bet he time). The Lord gave us some very clear answers that now was the time to take this step of faith. Satan loves to put doubts when God has given a clear path, and I was praying for the Lord to show me maybe a little more that I was doing the right thing.  Well, yesterday he did just that!! I was sharing with a friend how the Lord was leading and the ways we made the decision and she gave me the money for my start up kit! I am SO overwhelmed by how God provides and makes his will clear.  I am excited about this new venture and how it will help provide for my family! 
   
     I recently heard a good message on prayer by Paul Chappell.  His outline was simple.
ASK
A- ask
S- seek
K- knock

God promises to answer we need to pray believing he WILL do it.  I am so thankful for a faithful Father even when I am not so faithful!

DAY11

DAY 11
   I am thankful for the Veterans who have served our country. I have 2 uncles and a cousin who have served. The all served during a war, and thankfully came home safely. I know many military families today who have loved ones serving and many away from home today. THANK YOU!!!

DAY 10

DAY 10
   I am thankful for God's provisions.  We have been blessed with a house that has yard enough to do a good garden.  This year as we were digging potatoes it didn't seem like we had a lot, but NOW 14 quarts of reds later and still MANY left for fresh potatoes I am amazed again at how God provides. 
 
    I know there are many that can't do gardens due to health or where they live.  My Mom would love to do one and has tried but has not succeeded yet, I know she will try again next year.  It is a lot of work and canning is work too. BUT in winter months when we have fresh vegetables ready for us at no extra cost it is such a blessing!

     Enjoy what God has given you today!!

DAY 9

DAY 9
     I am thankful for my youngest Trenton.  This child has more nicknames than any other child I know.
I have called him T from the beginning.  T Baby now T Bubba!  Grandma Bidlack calls him Tiny Might. Papa Walker calls him Trenton, NJ.  At church, we have a gentleman that calls him Shorty!  All those names sum up our youngest. My all time favorite it "The Mess". I said this one time to a dear friend and it has stuck. For many years, I have seen families and knew that each family has a "clown" T is our clown.  From a young age, his personality has always made us laugh.  He is truly a joy to us!!

 This is when he was 1 and being a clown.
He also had crazy hair as a baby!

I have really had fun looking through old pictures.
This summer at my family reunion he discovered water guns and pools!

I also used to call him Master of Disaster or Doctor of Destruction  cuz he is always getting into things and breaking things.

I will have to say that he keeps me on my toes more that the other 2 did at his age!!

We are also enjoying watching him learn to love the Lord.  He has not made a decision to accept Christ, yet, but we feel he is getting close.  He loves to sing in church and he will play church and "preach" to his stuffed animals.  I know God has something big for him too.

I am blessed to be the Mom of these 3 precious boys!!!

Viola Video

I had a couple people ask about hearing Raymond.  I will warn you this is not for the faint of ears.  I think he is doing well for only 9 weeks of Beginning strings class, and the first 2 weeks they didn't pick up the bow.  See if you can figure out the names of the songs. 

DAY 8

DAY 8

I am thankful for my "middle man", as we affectionately call him.  Raymond has always been my more laid back serious one.  He has his funny side too!  He reminds me of my Grandpa Raymond Walker (one person he gets his name from), says funny things in a serious way. 

I am enjoying watching him grow spiritually as well.  He accepted Christ as his Saviour when he was 4. He loves to go to church and learn about the Lord.  I truly believe he is going to be my little missionary. If you ask him what he is going to be when he grows up, he says "A missionary to New Zealand".  He loves people - at church he is the one that goes and gives hugs to everyone. I am excited to see what God has in store for him.

He loved the pool at the reunion this summer.  There was no stopping him once he got over the fear.

Here he is just hanging out. He loves to just sit and watch people.

Being the serious one that he is, he chose to play the Viola.  It has helped greatly with his attention. SO thankful for the opportunities we have to learn music.

I thank the Lord everyday for the sweet Middle Man and all his kind loving ways.

Pics of Spencer

Here are some pictures of my Spencer!!

He is making cookies for a friend that helps him with his trumpet.

My beginning trumpet player!!

DAY 7

DAY 7
     I am thankful on this 7th day of November for my firstborn!

Spencer Jarrytt Bidlack was born March 15, 2004

5 years before his birth we were told by an "Expert" Fertility Doctor that there was little to no chance we would ever have a baby.  Even a month before he was conceived, we were told that even with some things we did to help our chances that it will probably not happen with out medical intervention. THEN!!!! We found out we were expecting! What excitement!!! We had longed for a baby for so long and prayed SO hard.  My father in law is a red head and I prayed for a red-headed baby for a the whole year we thought we were going to adopt.  So I continued to pray that God will allow our little one to have red hair!  I really loved being pregnant!! 
The day finally came for our little man to make his appearance!  I was SO excited to see that God had given us a red head!

Our young man is now 8, and he is growing into a Godly young man.  We are thankful that at age 4 he accepted Christ as his Saviour.  He was baptized at 5 and has now surrendered to do "whatever God wants me to do", as he says it.  We pray for him daily that God would us him and keep his heart tender to the Lord.  I have enjoyed watching him make decisions for the Lord. He is burdened for souls!  He cries over the souls of his neighbor friends!  We pray he would keep this burden in years to come.

Spencer is such a blessing!!! I thank the Lord for giving me such a sweet son!!

  Spencer is in 3rd grade and also in Beginning Band in our area Homeschool Music Association.  He is doing a good job learning how to play trumpet.
   

DAY 6

DAY 6
I am thankful for the freedom to vote. 
I pray that many Christians today will do their part to remove the wickedness from our presidency.

*As you can tell, I wrote this on Tues, Nov. 6 but never posted it.