YOU ARE MY KING! I TRUST AND OBEY!

MEDITATION MONDAY
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I have thought of so many things to meditate on today that my head is swimming with it all so I just delayed posting. I'm going to try to be brief.
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Steve and I have talked about when we were kids that both of us had family friends who when they brought their kids over to our homes for a visit that by the time they left they could be called "home wreckers". These children had seemingly not been taught manners or respect for the property of others. They were not reflections of their parents but instead were wild, uncontrolled children who created chaos on many levels.
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We've gotten animals from shelters or friends who had been abandoned or seemingly neglected or not been trained. These animals created much chaos until they understood who was in charge and learned to trust and obey us. Ahhh! Life with the animal got so much easier after that!
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I've lived on both a farm and a ranch. Horses when left to themselves are really wild animals. It takes a special person to gain the trust of one of these beautiful animals to eventually train them to obey, to be ridden, to let the rider be in full control...
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In all of the above scenarios, we want the wild one to become gentle, to calm down enough to listen to instructions, and then trust and obey.
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Yesterday morning in church, Dan talked about Nehemiah again and then we sang the song "TRUST AND OBEY". Nehemiah was a man who humbled himself before God, cried out in confession of his sinful state, and then desired for GOD TO "TAKE THE REINS" of his life. He just wanted to TRUST AND OBEY!

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God wants the reins of your life! Have you given them to Him? He wants you to TRUST AND OBEY!

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"BLESSED ARE THE MEEK..."

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Have you taken the SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS CHALLENGE yet? Go here: http://momstransformed.blogspot.com/2009/01/whatever-youre-doing-inside-of-me-im_23.html

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YOU ARE MY KING! AMAZING LOVE!

SUNDAY IN THE SON

Today, I invite you to do 3 things:
1. Listen to the lyrics of our new theme song from the playlist as you follow along with the words below.
2. View one or both of the videos of this song that I have posted below.
3. Scroll down to Friday's post and participate in the challenge!
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Thanks for joining us this week as we focus on "Blessed are the meek...".

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SONG LYRICS: YOU ARE MY KING (AMAZING LOVE)
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I'm forgiven because You were forsaken.
I'm accepted. You were condemned.
I'm alive and well.
Your spirit is within me...
Because You died and rose again.
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I'm forgiven because You were forsaken.
I'm accepted. You were condemned.
I'm alive and well.
Your spirit is within me.
Because You died and rose again.
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Amazing love! How can it be
That You, my King. would die for me?
Amazing love! I know it's true.
It's my joy to honor You.
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Amazing love! How can it be
That You, my King, would die for me?
Amazing love! I know it's true.
It's my joy to honor You.
In all I do I honor You.
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I'm forgiven because You were forsaken.
I'm accepted. You were condemned
I'm alive and well. Your spirit is within me
Because You died and rose again.
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Amazing love! How can it be
That You, my King, would die for me?
Amazing love! I know its true.
It's my joy to honor You.
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Amazing love! How can it be
That You, my King, would die for me?
Amazing love! I know its true!
It's my joy to honor You.
In all I do I honor You.
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You are my King!
You are my King!
Jesus, You are my King!
Jesus, You are my King!
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Amazing love! How can it be
That You, my King, would die for me?
Amazing love! I know it's true.
It's my joy to honor You.
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Amazing love! How can it be
That You, my King, would die for me?
Amazing love! I know it's true.
It's my joy to honor You.
In all I do I honor You.
In all I do honor You.




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WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING INSIDE OF ME: IT'S SPIRITUAL!

KETCHUP AND MUSTARD SATURDAY

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CATCH UP AND MUST DO!

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CATCH UP:

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What do you do when you get squeezed? What comes out of you? Murmuring? Grumbling? Complaining? Crying? Yelling? Screaming? Hopefully, that is changing the more you learn to cry out to the LORD and let Him handle things. Our song for this week says, "It's time for healing! It's time to move one!" Be still and KNOW that God is in control!

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If you were a ketchup bottle full of ketchup, the president of the ketchup factory would expect that every customer would be very happy with his product because when they took you home and squeezed you...what would come out? Hopefully, the real deal - ketchup! When a mustard bottle is squeezed, everyone should expect the real deal to come out of it as well - mustard.

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When a christian is squeezed what should come out? Christ! Christlikeness! A product that is poor in spirit, has mourned over it's own sinful state, and has made a decision to be meek/gentle...letting God take control.

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It's time to surrender! It's time to ask for forgiveness! It's time for healing! It's time to move one! It's time to let God take control! We'll continue in the next week or so talking about what it means when Jesus says, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."

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MUST DO: On yesterday's post, I started a 100 SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS CHALLENGE. Maybe you have not had a chance to read it yet. Maybe you read it and said, "I don't have time!" Maybe you read it and said, "I have not idea!" Well, I am not giving up until we get to 100. So, friend/sister, help me out! Please go back to yesterday's post and add one or more spiritual blessings! Thank you and see you tomorrow!

WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING INSIDE OF ME: I'M COUNTING!

Today, please join me in an activity of great Family Fellowship...for your little family at home...or for your christian family. Here are the rules:

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1. Consider how important it is to "Be still and know that I am God!"

2. Read the verses below, noting the capitalized words.

3. Follow the directions on 3. below

4. Add your comment...anonymously is okay.

5. Start your own list of 100.

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Okay! You may begin!

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1. BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD!

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God loves to BLESS! Jesus started out His Sermon on the Mount emphasizing how each of us could live a BLESSED life! You'll be BLESSED if you are poor in spirit...if you mourn over your sinful state...if you are meek.... A person desirous of growing in this BLESSED life needs to "Be still and know that He is God!" Watch how He works! Observe God in creation! Specifically, observe Him in those people who are led by His Spirit.

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Ephesians 1:3-4 talks about our spiritual BLESSINGS:
"BLESSED be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has BLESSED us with EVERY SPIRITUAL BLESSING in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him."

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Luke 1:46-49 speaks of a mother who knew that she would be COUNTED BLESSED: And Mary said:"My soul exalts the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. "For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; For behold, from this time on all generations will COUNT me BLESSED. "For the Mighty One has done great things for me!"

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Philippians 3:8-9 is where the apostle Paul COUNTS a relationship with Jesus as his number one BLESSING: " More than that, I COUNT all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and COUNT them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him."

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James 5:11 is where James, the brother of Jesus, looks back at a hero of faith who endured and how God was faithful: "Behold, we COUNT those BLESSED who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord's dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful."

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Revelation 7:9-13 "After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no one could COUNT, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; 10 and they cry out with a loud voice, saying,
"Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." ...and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, "Amen, BLESSING and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen."

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3. I am offering a 100 SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS CHALLENGE! It's not going to be easy because we are not used to thinking this way. Have your kids help you! Have your husband / friends help you! I will start it on the comments section of the blog and list 3 SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS that God has given to all of us. Then, you can go from there and on your comment list 1-10 SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS...no more than 10 please. So, if I do 1, 2, 3, then you do 4, 5 or however many you plan. Do not restate one that has already been listed.

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4. Add SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS TO THE COMMENT SECTION!

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5. Post your own list of SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS on the refrigerator at home to remind you!

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WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING INSIDE OF ME: IT'S TRANSFORMING!

TRANSFORMING THURSDAY

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Each person thinks a little differently than the next. Some people prefer a detailed explanation. Some need information delivered to them by being shown or through pictures. There are others who hook the information to be learned to a little song or poem. Of course, there is about half the population who needs to talk through what they are learning with someone. The other half of the population is more reflective and meditative and needs time to think about it and ruminate on it. We must not forget those who are logical 1-2-3 thinkers who say "just give me the facts, Max!".

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Jesus, in His Sermon on the Mount, started off with 9 points that are so deep that each one could be talked about or reflected on for many many posts. That's what we've been doing with the first two this month:

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1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Want to live in Jesus' world? Want to be a part of His family? His Kingdom? Then, we get our perspective right. This world is not about you...it's not about me. It's about God! All of a sudden that concept is pretty humbling! We can describe poor in spirit as gaining an understanding of who I am in relationship to God AND correctly responding to that understanding by becoming humble, selfless, poured out...

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2. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Once we come face to face with the reality of God and Who He is, it is sobering. We see the enormity of our weaknesses and our sinfulness. We see humanity in a different perspective. We're sorry! We are really really sorry! We confess! We cry out to God! We say will you forgive me? We want to know what we can do to make it better! We can describe mourning as being very sorry, confessing, crying out for forgiveness...

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1...2....3.... So, what is three? We will spend the next week or two on Be-Attitude 3...it's TRANSFORMING!

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3. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. For today, let's just say this:

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• meek does not mean weak...think more in terms of GENTLE...QUIET...STILL...
• in part, it requires you to obey this verse, Psalm 46:10, "Be still, and know that I am God..."

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As the song says, "It's time for healing...it's time to move on..." Now, be still and listen to God...IT'S TRANSFORMING!

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1. POOR IN SPIRIT

2. MOURN

3. MEEK

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WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING INSIDE OF ME: IT'S HUMBLING!

WOMEN IN THE WORD WEDNESDAY

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I hope you can take time to memorize these blessed verses today. Think about it! They were written by Peter...of all people!

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1 Peter 5:6-7

"Humble yourselves,

therefore,

under the mighty hand of God,

that He may exalt you at the proper time,

casting all your anxiety upon Him,

because He cares for you."

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Here let's practice:

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"Humble yourselves,
therefore,
under the mighty ______ __ ____,
that He may exalt you at the proper time,
casting ____ your anxiety upon Him,

_________ He cares for you."

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"________ yourselves,
therefore,
under the mighty hand of God,
that He may _________ you at the proper time,
___________ all your anxiety upon Him,
because He ________ for you."

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"Humble __________,
therefore,
under the mighty hand of God,
that He may exalt _____ at the proper time,
casting all _____ _________ upon Him,
because He cares for _______."

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"Humble yourselves,
_________,
under the mighty hand of God,
that He may exalt you ____ ____ ________ ________,
casting all your anxiety ______ ______,
because He cares for you."

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"Blessed are the poor in spirit,

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn,

For they shall be comforted."

WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING INSIDE OF ME: I'M GRATEFUL!

Remember the feeling? For those of you who became moms by growing your baby inside of you...I know you do! This is Jacqueline, one of our beautiful daughter-in-love's, who displayed for us this last week how "Mavis" (in utereo name for our future grandchild) is growing. There are evident changes going on inside her body as that little girl has transformed from a sperm and egg into a kicking, growing fetus. Jacqueline has had morning sickness, passed out, and felt the kicking and stretching that's going on. Something beautiful is happening on the inside yet sometimes it hurts! Soon there will be a little girl who will be the reflection of her mommy and daddy.

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As you and I transform into the image of Christ, something beautiful is happening on the inside and yet sometimes it hurts. Our song for this week describes it as sometimes feeling like "chaos". We're changing from being the self centered, "navel gazing", high maintainence females to humble, servant hearted women who have stretched and grown into something beautiful. We desire to be a reflection of Jesus Christ.

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When our children were born, we held them up to God and said, "God, here...we give this child back to you...use him/her for Your service." Little did we know what those prayers would bring our way. Yet, along the way we prayed other prayers. One prayer for our sons was that God would be preparing just the right help mate for them. We asked for a young woman who would be the best partner along the rest of their life journey toward their eternal home of heaven.

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God has answered those prayers. I am so grateful! Steve and I have two very Godly daughter-in-loves. Jordan married Jacqueline in May of 2003. Caleb took Krista as his bride on 7-7-07. As I sit here typing this I am smiling at the blessing of these two wonderful women. I can read Proverbs 31 and see two young women who are fleshing out that scripture about Godly women. I can read about the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5 and I see it enacted in the lives of two young women who desire to be led by the Master's hand.

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I am thankful that I can share them with you today:

Krista is…honest, straightforward, servant hearted, a giver, a seeker…

Krista / Caleb on their wedding day in a park overlooking Lake Huron.
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Jacqueline is...a comforter, an encourager, a seeker for the hurting, an exhorter, a teacher...

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Jordan/Jacqueline on their wedding day

as Steve (who is officiating) pulls out a camera and snaps a picture.

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Krista has…a gift of innovation, ways to organize her organization, a great listening ear for someone who is a fast thinker…

Caleb/Krista enjoying the outdoors

at our Sikes' family reunion in Estes Park, CO-2008.

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Jacqueline has...a gift with numbers, a memory like a bear trap, creativity/ originality...

Jacqueline/Jordan enjoying the outdoors

at our Sikes' family reunion in Estes Park, CO -2006.
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Krista offers…possibility thinking for the poor and downtrodden, time to pray with those who will, many gifts made with her own hands...

Krista/Caleb heading back to Missouri from the Philadelphia airport

after spending some of the holidays with us.

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Jacqueline offers...humor for the scowling, hugs for the hurting, and a reality check for the dramatizers....

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Jacqueline, Jordan, and Mavis spent the holidays in Chicago with her family.

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"Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn,

for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek,

for they will inherit the earth."