more laughs!

O.K. girls I have to share with y'all what happen to me last night. It's one of those times that I really needed y'all here to laugh with/at me...I was warming up some tomato soup in the microwave last night for supper and I went to grab it out of my microwave and slip! Before I could even blink the soup was EVERYWHERE and the bowl crashed to the ground. Now, when I say everywhere I mean everywhere. Because my microwave is up high on top of my fridge before it even hit the ground tomato soup was flying. I just can not tell you where all the orange dots were. There are no words. The worst part of it all is that I was wearing my favorite pj pants, one of my favorite shirts that I wear almost on a weekly basis to work, my new fuzzy white socks, and MY NEW WHITE ROBE!!! So, after a split second of complete shock and disbelief that all that had really happened, I quickly start stripping in my kitchen. I can’t walk anywhere because I have soup all over me and the last thing I need is tomato soup on the carpet. Had I not been standing between the microwave and carpeted hallway the soup would have gotten on the carpet. So with nothing on but the essentials (and let me tell you I was freezing. I'm too cheap to turn my heat up, so my house is a little warmer than a meat locker in the winter) I make my way to the bathtub and start soaking everything. I leave all that in the tub and start cleaning up the spill. Did I tell you it was everywhere? I was on my knees wiping it all up and everywhere I looked there was soup. Bright, orange soup. I just can not believe it went so far. I'm talking cabinets, oven, door frames, EVERYWHERE! So eventually I get all that cleaned up, go back to the tub get the sopping wet clothes out of the tub, drag them to the washing machine, spray it all down with shout, say a prayer and press start. In the mean time I go back for round 2 of mopping. By the time it was all over I was exhausted. The grill cheese sandwich I made to go with the soup was cold and I just still couldn’t believe I had really done that. When I went to wash my face last night I found some soup on my eyelid! Hope you can think of me and my orange splatter painted kitchen and get a laugh today!

Ginny - Dec 15

Hi Girlz!!!

It just doesn't feel right to have a week of no blogging! I miss y'all! This week at the bank has been extremely busy! It's so nice. I absolutely love my job. Love it. Love it. Love it. I have the world's best boss and we have so much fun. There is not a day that goes by that I don't thank the Lord for bringing me to Lubbock and putting me at the bank with Jay (my boss). I didn't fall down the stairs this week but I did manage to spill the world's largest glass of water all over my desk. It was beautiful. Water every where. Shorted out my huge, roll-tape, desk calculator. That's in the trash now. Awesome.

Tomorrow I head to Dallas for Christmas. I pick Tim up at DFW at 3:00 and then we'll head to mom & dad's. Mom & Dad continue to pack up the house and move stuff to storage. I'll head back this way Monday.

Hope y'all have a great weekend!!!

Ginny

Ginny - The Big Picture reflection

The main point I got from 1 John is:
LIVE IN THE LIGHT!

I feel God wanted me to learn:
Now when I think of light I think of four things:
1. Truth - What does God's Word say about it? Line it up with His Word. The true light that directs our paths.
2. Love - Love exists in the light not the darkness, and love is the #1 characteristic of Christians.
3. Knowledge - God will reveal to me what I need to know when I need to know it. Don't go delving into the darkness to find out things.
4. Simple - When I am in the light and I can see where I am walking, I won't get tripped up or stub my toe on something otherwise hidden in the darkness. Light makes life easier.

I will forever be changed by this truth:
When life starts getting hard and complicated I will stop and scoot myself back into the light. I don't want to fiddle around with things of the darkness, no matter how "small" they might be. The biggest changes will be in the areas of relationships & attitude.

I'll be checking in too! I have loved writing each weekday! I'll be thinking about a good next study!

The Big Picture, Reflect: Karlyn

Main Point: Love everyone because we are given unconditional love.

God wants me to learn: I don't get to choose who to love I show love and live love because he lives in me and I will pour out his love.

I will forever be changed that every idol that I let creep in my life pushes Him out of the way and keeps me from loving the way he intended me to love.

Have a great weekend and a Merry Merry Christmas!  I'm gonna keep posting periodically until we decide when to start something new!

Ginny - relfection weeks 9-12

Ugh girls, I don't know why y'all are even friends with me! I can be so difficult sometimes. Just mean. I knew I needed to work on my attitude more, but this study has definitley opened my eyes to that even more. Just got a little too annoyed with a co-worker and it was such a little thing. Why do I do that? Why are some struggles so easy to fix and then others hold on for dear life? I really want to change this part of me. I know the Lord wants me to change, and I know His grace will help me. So moving on to my 3 points for these weeks...

1. Love the difficult. Don't get so bent out of shape. Just love. It's not that big of a deal.

2. Relax and enjoy. Smile more. Laugh more. I make life a lot more difficult than it has to be.

3. Start thinking of small ways (actions & words) that I can show encouragement and love towards others. Unexpected things. It means so much to me when others brighten my day, I want to do that to others.

weeks 9-12: Karlyn

I John 4:7-5:21

4:13  The Spirit is how we connect to God's love and share his love with others.  I need to listen to the Spirit more.

4:18  There is no fear in abiding in God's love.  I have to not allow fear to creep in because when it creeps in the love of God has no room.

5:21  STAY AWAY FROM IDOLS when there are no idols there is no room for anything but God's love and no room for anything else.  Idols cause all the issues with sin.

This has been an incredibly busy week and God has really helped me stay calm, focused, and almost stress free!  Hope things are going great for everyone else.  Merry Christmas and I love y'all!

Weeks 4-5; weeks 6-8; Karlyn

Weeks 4-5; I John 2:12-29
2:15  Do not love nor the things in the world.  If anyone loves the world the love of the Father is not in him

If I love the Father with my whole being I won't even like the things of the world.

If I'm practicing loving him and knowing him I won't be easily deceived because I will know the truth

v28 when I'm abiding in him I won't shrink away from righteousness when persecuted or tested.

Weeks 6-8; I John 3-4:6
3:9 No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

Sin keeps me from abiding in him, if I'm seeking his love and practicing his love sin is not going to be hanging out in my life.

3:13-18  I can't hate my brother if I'm abiding in His love and my love will show in my actions.

4:1-6  When we are abiding in his love we will know those who aren't and are being deceitful.  We will know spirit and truth.

God is constantly revealing to me those people in my life that I'm not showing a lot of love to and that I treat differently because they "get on my nerves"  this is something I didn't realize I needed to work on until this study.

Ginny - reflection weeks 6-8

Good Morning Girlz!!! Half way through the week :)

1. LOVE! LOVE! LOVE!

2. God will reveal what I need to know when I need to know it.

3. My actions must be different from that of the world. We are to be called apart.

Ginny - reflection weeks 4-5

Good Morning Girlz!!!

It's a chilly morning out there. We've got snow every where and a -3 windchill! Brrrr!

1. Be in the Word. The day is better when I am in the Word.

2. Good things, if not held in perspective, can cross over to the darkness.

3. Week 5 was when I started realizing my attitude, moodiness, annoyance, etc. I'm pretty sure this is going to be my New Year's Resolution. Who am I portraying in my actions?

Ginny - Reflection weeks 1-3

These first 3 weeks I learned so much about light. Three points that stand out to me are:

1. Light makes things easier. I can see where I am going and what is in my path to avoid when there is light.

2. Demand light. Do not settle for not understanding. Bring it to the light!

3. Light goes hand and hand with truth. God's Word is light and truth.

Update on party: It was a lot of fun. Thank y'all so much for praying. I'll still take those prayers. God is teaching me a lot in regards to this boy. I'll be sure and keep y'all posted. Love you all!

Weeks 1-3: Karlyn

S - I John 1-2:11
1:4  These things we write so that our joy may be complete
1:9  If we confess our sins he is faithful and jsut and will forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
2:11 But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

3 Main points:
1.  John had first hand experience with Jesus: he saw him, he touched him, and heard him.  So, I can trust that he is writing this book out of concern for the fellow believer to help us understand joy in Christ.

2.  Confession is key to my relationship with Christ.  This has been on my mind heavily through this whole reading.  I'm not confessing enough and that leaves me in a broken relationship.  I don't want a broken relationship or darkness I want a clear heart for Christ.

3.  I have to love my fellow believer in Christ no matter what they do to annoy me or drive me crazy.  To have a relationship with Christ I have to stay out of the darkness of hatred and love at all costs.

I John 5:13-21 Reflection: Karlyn

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Lesson: If I guard my heart from idols the sin I struggle with won't be as hard to deal with because I'm putting God first and not myself.

God wants me to consistently confess my sin so that I'm in great fellowship with him.  That way when needs come I'm not going to him only when I need something. 

Faith into action by de-cluttering my head and schedule so that my time with him comes absolutely first so that I have an open accessible relationship with him every day!

Prayer!
The next 7 days are packed full and I need your prayers that I can be calm, not stressed out, and take one day at a time, and enjoy every moment in the moment!

Ginny - reflection

Good Morning Girlz!!!

One important lesson I have learned this week is to hold to the truth.

God wants me to learn that I am not to compromise for anything less than the truth. Bring it to the light!

I will put my faith in action by not rushing into decisions based on emotions. I will hold it up to the truth.

Quick prayer request: Tonight is that Christmas party I had mentioned before. It's going to be a lot of fun, but I wouldn't mind some prayers. There is a guy there that I like and I wouldn't mind if going to this party started something. #1 please pray that it is fun and I just enjoy myself and all the guests, but #2 please pray that something happens. I'll report back on Monday! Love you gals very, very much!!!

Ginny - 1 John 5:20-21

Girls! This is our last day of scripture! How did that happen? I have loved this blog so much! Karlyn, thank you again for setting this all up. I'm going to miss it. Maybe after the new year we can start it back up again.

S - And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. Little children, guard yourselves from idols.

O - What a good note to end on...what is TRUE.

A - When I stop to think about it, how much do I allow myself to get caught up in that isn't even true? What I think about. Analyze. Worry. Fret. What would happen if I just stopped & went back to the basics? What is true? Am I showing love?

P - Lord thank You for understanding. May I claim that and draw myself to You in prayer and in Your Word that I may know what is true and put that in the center of my life.

Ginny - 1 John 5:18-19

S - We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

O - We are set apart. We are protected. We are His.

A - I love that line, "the evil one does not touch him." It gives me goosebumps to think that Satan can not do anything to me that the Lord can not conquer. HE is victor! As much as Satan messes with me about my attitude and moodiness, God can still overcome that in my life. I can change. I don't have to live in bondage. Statan can not touch me! Love it!

P - Lord thank You for victory! Thank You that we win! Thank You for protecting me.

I John 5:18-21

S - We know that no one who is born of God sins: but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.  We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.  And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true, in his son Jesus Christ.  This is the true God and eternal life.  Little children guard yourselves from idols.

O - commentary again!  We have victory over sin because we are a child of God and God puts limits on Satan's persecution and power.  It also said the word "true" meant "genuine" as opposed to false.  We serve a genuine God who gives eternal life with him. 

A - Keeping God first in my life and confessing my sins daily will help me from having idols that take his rightful place.  I love that through everything John has said about us being children of God and how we know we are his children he ends with guard yourselves from idols.  Idols get me in trouble constantly.  If I would learn to love with his genuine love idols wouldn't be an issue.

P - I am so grateful Lord that you used John to write this book.  I need to know I'm your child, I need to know how to love you and love others with your love and I need to confess my sins and stay away from idols!  Help me Lord to stay aware of your Spirit's calling on my everyday life.

Ginny - 1 John 5:16-17

Good Morning again!!! (I'm playing catch up since I've been out of town)

S - If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death.

O - God forgives.

A - This is good news! When I sin and ask for forgiveness, God forgives me. Such grace!

P - Lord thank You for Your grace. Thank you for Your forgiveness.

I John 5:16-17: Karlyn

S- If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death.  There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this.  All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death.

O - had to break out the commentary for this one.  It said that John was distinguishing from sins that lead to physical death and sins that don't lead to physical death.

A - no matter if my sin is leading me to death or not I've got to be actively confessing my sins and being an encouragement to believers around me to do the same with theirs.

P - God thank you that my sin won't affect my eternal life with you but help me to keep a pure heart so that my relationship with you isn't broken.

Ginny - 1 John 5:13-15

Good Morning Girlz!!! Oh how I wish my comment function worked up here at work. Karlyn I loved your red & gold Christmas decoration story and I am with you all the way! That would be way too much gold! It has to be red!!! Thank you for sharing! I'm glad I'm not alone in that "toot" category! Also I'm still praying for BeautiControl decisions. Hope there has been some clarity and light shed on what on path to take.

S - These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.

O - "according to His will"..."according to His will"..."according to His will"

A - Really I could just cut and paste the whole entry from Lysa Terkeurst's blog on Monday. She talks about unmet longings. Have you ever had something you've prayed and prayed for and you thought if the Lord would just give me this one thing life would be so much better? 1 John 5:13-15 talks about how we must ask according to His will. According to Lysa, sometimes His will is for us to willingly let it go so that He can fill that gap with something else. This is HARD for me. I want the Lord to grant me what I want. In my mind, that's the only way it could work. The only way I would be happy. I definitly need to concentrate on those 4 little words: "according to His will."

P - Lord I do trust You. I do believe You know what is best. So why is it so hard to let go? Lord please help me to ask according to Your will. Open my eyes and calm my heart to what IS Your will. And may this begin TODAY. I don't want to waste time holding on to something that needs to be released. Starting today may I let go and live in confidence that you will fill the gap that is left.