35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' Matthew 25:35-36 NIV.
Please take a few moments to pray for our Church community week, http://www.townheadchurch.com Thanks.
16But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.
“There is deceit in the hearts of those who plot evil, but joy for those who promote peace.” Proverbs 12:20 NIV.
“ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘love your neighbour as yourself’. Matthew 22:37-39. NIV
“Be Joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18 NIV.
J. - Jesus
O - Others
Y - Yourself.
This morning I got an e-mail with this lovely little video about head covering and why this person thinks we should do it!
I don't cover my head at Church at the moment except when breaking bread. I have never fully made my mind up on this issue but the arguments for covering at every Church service are really stacking up and I feel more moved to doing so after watching this video.
I am not saying everyone should do so but I just enjoyed reading the scripture in this wee video and the music! So have a watch and tell me what you think!
I have never been sure what to think of the idea of Satan at work within us and against us however, lately this has been quite apparent in our lives here.
My husband is very sure that he is being attacked in some way and myself also. The result of an attack of the mind by the devil in our lives appears in many ways.
Resentment, criticism, negativity, pride (as if we know it all!!!! lol), division, self doubt, paranoia and so on and on!!
Tonight we nipped it in the bud. It is a horrible feeling to be under attack and fully aware of it but to feel yourself slipping away and allowing the devil to get a hold of your mind.
These are the verses that I read tonight which helped immensely;
1 Corinthians 3
"Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly- mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarrelling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?". verses 1-3. NIV.
Ephesians 4
"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. " verses 29 - 32. NIV.
Lately I am finding that submission is not at all easy! It is easy for me to quote scripture and talk about how I want to follow this but in reality it is hard.
All is fine and well if there is something I am not wanting to participate in or a decision I am unhappy with in our household and I get my way. I can act a little spoilt at times and use my feminine wiles to have my hubby change his mind. (totally wrong I know and something I am working on!).
However, when there is something my husband is really not happy to do, or a decision he doesn't agree with and I am tugging the other way then I find myself rebelling even more!!
I think I know best, try to convince, offer compelling arguments and sometimes go in the huff (wrong I know and another thing I am working on!!). Why would he not be right? How can I be a good submissive wife when I am doubting his decision and even if it is wrong, not supporting him in this???
So whether right or wrong I should be obedient towards my husband and what he ultimately decides is best for our family and lives. He does allow me to have an opinion of course and quite often takes this on board and even changes his mind. After all wives and husbands are commanded the following;
"Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Saviour. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Husbands,love your wives , just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself asaradiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself." (Ephesians 5:22-28 NIV, emphasis mine).
I don't think real biblical submission means that I should try to convince and put my own selfish motives above his. I think that I should be obedient even when I think my husband maybe is wrong (of course that may just be my opinion and ultimately he could be very right!).
Last night Jacob and I sat on the sofa together and read a few pages of his little bible. While discussing the little questions at the end of each section, Jacob asked why we need to tell others about Jesus. So I went on to explain about what Jesus commanded us to do. He then said that if you don’t believe in Jesus then you will go to hell. He also mentioned a few people who have not had their hearts opened yet to Jesus.
This really hit me hard listening to my wee boy being so factual about it. He has spoken of heaven before and how he is going there one day but never really about the other side of the coin. From this short but meaningful conversation I felt an urge about the following;
The conversation served to be a sobering reminder of all that is at stake and how we need to use the strength God gives us to talk to people about the wonderful gift available to them.
Lately I have been really wanting Jesus to come again and quickly. I am tired of this life. I am tired of struggling, fighting children, monotony, just getting by. I find it hard to be joyful in all my circumstances. I want to have more of the attitude Paul had but I am just not very good at it.
The Bible talks about how we should be joyful but on the other hand how we suffer. I would gladly leave this world and all it has to offer behind. I dislike trying to live in the world and not be of it. It is just too hard!
Today I am praying for God to show me the way. I know the truths of the Bible and all that God has promised us. I pray for clear direction on what my husband and I should be doing with our lives.
For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. NLT.
Back from Sunday school camp 2010. Our last year at this wonderful house. Next year?? Who knows? Only God knows what He has in store for us!
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
I will not be around for the next 7 days as our family are off to Sunday school camp. Each year our church head off to camp and my kids can’t wait! A week worth of fun, Jesus and friends!
So I am sure I will have plenty to write about on my return. In the meantime feel free to check out last years posts on our last camp!
See you soon,
Collette x
25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Matthew 6:25 NLT.
How many of us have heard the above verse and related passages? How many of us read it and think, yes, I will apply this to my life, I need to and will no longer worry.
Then several hours later, there I am sitting down, furrowed brow, worrying about the kids, or something at Church, or money, or anything!
How difficult is it not to worry? Is it a female thing?
Recently our Church studied Philippians.
God gives us an answer of how to deal with worry here too.
6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 NLT.
We are to pray and petition. We are to be thankful. And God will give us PEACE. Yes PEACE which guards our hearts and minds. If we believe these verses then surely it makes sense that these promises will be fulfilled.
So I am going to try and think on these verses today. I need to! I have spent the last few weeks worrying about everything. The children, school, nursery, sickness, holidays, life in general! This is not what God wants for me. So join me in claiming these promises from the Lord and share with me how you combat worry.
While Colin watched the England vs. USA football match on Saturday night I decided to try making a quilting star from a tutorial at V and Co. I am very pleased with the way it turned out and it wasn’t really that hard!
I have also been trying to keep my hands busy when the kids are playing or I am just watching TV by hand sewing these cute little hexagons. I honestly cannot remember the blog that inspired them so apologies to the person who inspired me. I have found a link at Sew Mama Sew with an explanation from someone else. The only thing I don’t do is glue the fabric to the hexagon. I manage fine without doing this.
I find them therapeutic and when you can’t get the sewing machine out they are ideal to keep yourself busy while watching the kids at the same time!
Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well. Ecclesiastes 11:6. NIV.
I also urge you to have a look at this blog. Like a warm cup of coffee. Sarah Mae is taking a look at some huge questions about our obedience and walk with God. Something I have been seriously thinking about lately. Some of the topics she is going to discuss are;
How does a sin-saturated world affect all of the above topics?
I urge us all to have a look at what is said and pray about this in our own lives.
Poor Jacob! He has the chicken pox and quite badly compared to Emma. Last night he couldn’t sleep for the itch and ended up in a bath and then covered in calamine cream. This gave him enough relief to enable him to fall asleep.
This morning he woke up feeling sick. At the moment he is lying on the couch with a quilt and nurse Emma to tend to him! I still haven’t decided if that is good or bad!! He watched some Tom and Jerry this morning and the belly laughs were funny. It is so good to hear him laugh.
I found a great little tutorial on how to make ohio star blocks for patchwork. I fully intend to give this a go when all the sickness is over at our house.
I discovered this cd by Songs for Saplings at Sarah Mae’s blog, Like a warm cup of coffee. This is an excellent resource for answering all those tricky questions little ones ask you about God! You know the ones; Where is God? Can you see God? and such like. The answers are biblical and beautifully put to songs which kids enjoy. I am planning on purchasing these for my kids.
So far we have studied the topics of Christ's death as Sacrifice, Substitution and Reconciliation. Our studies are challenging, stimulating and at times heated debate takes place!
What struck me last night was the gracious way in which we all respect each others opinions. We all have opinions on how to lead our lives, to parent, to spread the Gospel, and what we hear from the Bible but we still respect each other.
There is unity.
Lately I have been reading a blog or two in which one post can orchestrate a huge debate on topics very close to peoples' hearts. Comments are usually sensitive but some are not at times.
It saddens me that women get so caught up in these debates and defensive and condemning. It isn't always explicit and sometimes a subtle message. We can be so passionate and enthusiastic about the path we have chosen for our lives or our children that we don't think about our readers or friends or approach things in a balanced way.
I am so thankful to God for Grace. God has laid out a way for us to lead our lives in His book and we can do so. However, we need to mindful of becoming legalistic about the truths in the Bible.
For example, the woman who has to work outside the home. The Bible seems to suggest women are to stay at home (although it doesn't out and out say this, it is all interpretation in my opinion). So will God not bless the woman who goes to work and loves the Lord with all her heart? It could so easily be the case that a woman staying at home could not be right with her walk with the Lord.
In my humble opinion it isn't the outward actions it is our hearts that matter to the Lord. It doesn't mean we have free reign to disobey the Lord and sin. But God has given us, through Jesus, the gift of Grace. God wants our hearts to be obedient to him and then our actions and life will follow suit.
Terri Lynne at Pleasing to you has written an excellent post on idolatry among Christians. Please have a look and be challenged! I know I have been!
Yesterday was a funny old day! Emma fell off her very safe 3 wheeled scooter on our way to our Church Toddlers group. She banged her head on a wall and took a very small gouge out of it.
It became clear later that day that treatment at home wouldn't work so her Gran and I took her to A and E at hospital to get her checked out. Well she was a brave little girl and was very interested in the whole business of course.
The doctor used some steri strips which are like paper stitches to help close the small wound. She said it should heal fine and advised a helmet to an embarrassed mum :( .
Thank the Lord it wasn't worse and she suffered no concussion!!!!
Last night I had the privilege of hearing my son read God's word from his own easy reader Bible! Together we chose the story of Jonah. What an absolute blessing to hear him read this!
There is something very special about hearing your child reading but even more so for it to be God's word.
The little Bible has excellent questions at the end of each section which really gets discussion going with him. We are having many issues with Jacob at the moment over sleep and behaviour. I pray that this time with him and in prayer will resolve these.
Matthew 21:15-17
But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, " Hosanna to the Son of David, " they were indignant.
"Do you hear what these children are saying ?" they asked him.
"Yes", replied Jesus, "have you never read ,"'From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise'?".
And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.
Today I am trying something new! I am linking up my latest make with Whatever goes Wednesday at Someday Crafts. This is an excellent source of ideas and way to share our makes with each other.
cute! 
A question for us all to ponder and look into today! Last night at our young women's Bible study the following question was asked;
"Did Jesus endure a spiritual death, or was it only a physical death?"
We were discussing the topic of Jesus death as 'Substitution'.
So what do you think? One of the main questions that cropped up was, where did Jesus go between death on the cross and resurrection? Some think Jesus was with God, others that he was in Hell.
One of the passages that was mentioned was found in 1 Peter 3; 18 - 22.
Please share any thoughts, Bible references, books on this theological question. It will certainly help me form a clearer understanding of this topic!
Hi all! It's been too long since I have posted some photos of my little ones, although they aren't so little now! 
Hey there! I don't know if any of my fellow bloggers have heard of Swagbucks but I have decided to try it out for a while. Basically you get points for searching the web, signing up for things, shopping and so on. The Happy Housewife saved enough point to purchase an I Mac for her kids and do the Christmas shopping!! So I have 114 points since yesterday without having to do a great deal. So have a look at this link and give it a go!! Swagbucks. Oh and it is free!
As Christians are our lives any different to the world around us?
Where should we as Christians draw the line about how much we are in the world? How do non believers view us? Do they really know what we believe by looking at our lives? Yes we may go to Church on Sunday but is that as much as we show of our faith to those who do not share it?
More and more I (and I include myself in this!) see Christians (not all) in the Western world failing to step out in faith and share their faith with others, doing all the "Christian things" but still leading their lives as we are of the world. Getting caught up in materialism, big homes, cars, filling our minds with rubbish and so on. Paul spoke of this in Philippians.
"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things." Philippians 4:8. NIV.
I have been challenged to do this no more. To lead my life according to Biblical principles. So many say that the Bible is God inspired and if that is so should that not scare us into wanting to obey it wholeheartedly? God is our heavenly Father and we should want to obey and please Him in everything we do and how we lead our lives for Him. Like a child wants to please his or her earthly Father in an eager, keen, unquestioning way.
I have read and heard people interpret the Bible and what it says in such different ways and I honestly think that we cannot choose scripture we wish to adhere to and some that we don't. For example, it clearly states the following in the New Testament -
"A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or have authority over a man; she must be silent. For Adam was formed first, then Eve." 1 Timothy 2 11 - 13 NIV.
With scripture such as this ( and most know the above verses ideas are mentioned in other books of the Bible by Paul), we can't use the excuse that it is old Testament law. This is new testament and while we would whole heartedly embrace most of the letters in this section of the Bible and apply these principles to our Churches and lives, many don't.
I personally think that feminism has caused many female Christians to sit uneasily with these parts of the Bible. Because of scripture like above I do not believe we should have women leaders in Church, that women should pray aloud at public Church meetings. The reason is because of what the Bible teaches. I can't possibly agree with all that Paul sets out in his God inspired letters and yet miss out the bits that don't suit me. Even if I don't agree with them!
As a woman I know that we are emotional creatures. I suffer terribly with severe PMT each month and am very hormonal. This renders me inconsistent, moody and so on. Not at all compatible with the position many women would like to be in at Church. Even regarding prayer, I could not be confident I would be praying in the best way or asking for the right things if I participated in public prayer at Church. So as a woman, I am quite glad God has given me this role and not the burden the men have at Church. I embrace my God given role as a home maker, mother, serving the Lord in the home as well as outside but primarily with my children.
Well this volcano is still causing major disruption around the world isn't it? On Sunday afternoon I was involved in a conversation about this with some fellow Christians at Church. One wise lady said that the recent disruption serves to remind us who is in control in the world. It isn't man but God who has control. Another friend said that she heard a politician commenting that these phenomena remind us that we are only residents here on planet earth.
Of course it is causing great disruption for many people and if I was stranded somewhere I am sure I wouldn't be happy. But there is a much bigger picture here isn't there? A great deal of the locals are being greatly affected by this eruption. We don't see many pictures of them on BBC headlines or Sky etc at the moment do we? All we seem to hear about is how much money the airlines are losing, the economic cost to business worldwide and to individuals.
Doesn't this just highlight the sickening greed that is rife in our society? That airlines are prepared to put money before safety?
1But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. 2 Timothy 3. NIV.
