Psalm 51:10-17

Do you ever have those moments when you are reading something in the Bible that you've read many times before but suddenly God stops you and shows you something new? Well, I'm sure you have. I love those moments! Today was one of those moments for me. I was reading through some Psalms and as I was going through Psalm 51 I was just reading along when God stopped me and brought me back to verses 10-17 and got my attentions. 

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,

And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

11 Do not cast me away from Your presence

And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation

And sustain me with a willing spirit.

13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,

And sinners will be converted to You.

14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation;

Then my tongue will joyfully sing of Your righteousness.

15 O Lord, open my lips,

That my mouth may declare Your praise.

16 For You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it;

You are not pleased with burnt offering.

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;

A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

I can't count how many times I have prayed the words of verse 10. But today God wanted me to notice that it doesn't stop there. He wants me to be contrite, He wants to create a clean heart in me so that I will then teach others His ways and they will be converted to Him!! He wants to deliver me so that my tongue will joyfully sing of His righteousness! So that I may declare His praise! 

He wants these things not just for us, but so that we may then save others! 

I am so thankful when God opens my eyes to something new in His word and reminds me that His word is ALIVE and all I have to do is open it. 

Blessings,

Colleen

Linking up to:

A Wise Woman Builds Her House

http://proverbs14verse1.blogspot.com/2013/06/wise-woman-linkup.html


Wholehearted Home

http://judithwholeheartedhome.com/abandon-to-god/





Walking Redeemed


Raising Homemakers

I am in awe of His faithfulness

Today has been one of those rough days. Struggling with physical pain. Feeling down about how long my recovery is taking. There has been so much stress in our lives the past months that I am feeling rather beaten down and weary, yet all day, even through the worst of my day, I have been in awe of the still small voice in the background reminding me that even when I fail, even when I fall short, even when I can't pull it together, He is faithful! When I fall short as a child of God, as a wife, as a mother, He is still faithful. He still stands by us, working in our lives, for our good, even when I am at my weakest. Even when I fail to reach out to Him, He is still there, reaching out to me. I am so thankful, so grateful, so in awe of His grace and faithfulness! 

Blessings, 

Colleen

Supporting Your Homeschool Conferences

As our annual state homeschool conference approaches, I am reminded of a post I've been wanting to write for awhile. 

Homeschool conferences can be invaluable for many reasons. I find that I come away with a renewed passion, encouraged and strengthened. There is something about being in a place full of energy with like-minded people who share goals, visions and purposes. I love to listen to recordings and watch DVDs of workshops, but there's nothing quite like being there in person, sharing the experience with others. And you often get the opportunity to ask questions of the speakers. 

Me with one of my "heroes of the faith" Pastor Voddie Baucham

Also, there is nothing like getting to see potential curriculum and materials in person, look through them, compare them. You can read reviews, you can ask friends, but the real way to know if something will work for you and your family is prayer, and seeing the materials first hand.  There is a plethora of materials available to us these days and it can be an overwhelming task to choose a curriculum for your family. Being able to see the materials in person can save us a lot of money that we would otherwise spend on curriculum that once we get it in our hands, we find just won't work for us. Plus, there is the advantage of being able to ask questions of the vendors, who are usually very happy to help you, explain things to you. These things are such a blessing to homeschool parents. 

Our youngest two children setting up and doing inventory.

My family and I represent a wonderful company at one of our state homeschool conferences each year and I know they make their materials available at a great cost to themselves. I have been a vendor, a volunteer and a speaker at multiple conferences for over 10 years we have seen a lot of vendors come and go and seen sales rise and fall. But one trend that we are seeing that really concerns us is the trend of people coming to the conference to look at the different materials and compare, but then going home and looking online to find the cheapest place to buy the curriculum and materials they want. 

Our younger son ready to assist homeschoolers at last year's conference.

I know things are tight and we all need to save where we can, but this practice is really hurting the vendors. We have seen quite a few vendors who have had to stop doing conferences because of this. This hurts us as attendees, because we no longer have access to their materials or to their representatives to ask questions. It also hurts us because if the conference isn't getting the revenue from vendors, they will be forced to either raise registration fees, offer less workshops, or close their doors. 

I want to encourage you to please support these vendors who go to great lengths and expense to attend these events. I am fully aware that not everyone can buy from the vendors at conferences, for some it is all they can do to pay their registration. If that is you, please don't feel guilty about it, this post is not aimed at you. I have been in that place as well. I am speaking to those who can manage to spend the few extra dollars it takes to support the vendors who go to great expense to be there to support us. Because if we continue the practice of shopping elsewhere to save a dollar or two here and there, we will lose the vendors, and if we lose the vendors we will lose the conferences. So, please, as you attend your homeschool conference this year, remember to support the vendors as much as you are able. 

God Bless,

Colleen

Because I Said So, The Answer Parents Should Go Back To

Weary Traveler

Sixteen days ago we set out for a two week road trip to see two of our nephews graduate and to see other friends and family as well. Mu husband thought this was too big of a trip for me, being only a few weeks after a very major surgery. But I was sure it would be fine. Yes, the riding in the car would be a little difficult, but other than that I would only be hanging out at family and friend's homes, what could be so hard about that? 

Well, as it turns out, a lot! I am completely exhausted! Both physically and emotionally. No matter how much rest I get I am just physically worn out, and I lost count of the number of emotional breakdowns I have had in the past couple of weeks. I am missing the comfort of home, and of routine, in my recuperation. The littlest things that I took for granted have become so difficult while on the road. Showers are the biggest. It is such a struggle to gather all my stuff together and have to take care of myself in strange bathrooms. I had three breakdowns just trying to take today's shower. Just resting is hard because I feel so guilty closing myself up in our bedroom away from our hosts and family that even when I do try to rest, I don't find any. And now I sit here awake at 5:22 am, after less than two hours of sleep. I just can't seem to get back to sleep after having been awakened by some kind of alarm going off for about 40 minutes a couple of hours ago. 

In just a few hours we leave for our 20+ hour drive home and I am not up to it. But there is no choice. My husband has to be back to work on Tuesday. It is times like this that I have to remember to go to the Lord and find my rest. 

While I look forward to getting home and continuing my recovery in the comfort of home, I know that saying goodbye will be so difficult. I hate goodbyes. Always have. In a few hours we will say goodbye again to my Great Uncle Danny and Great Aunt Barbara, not sure when or if we will get back to visit again, which makes it even harder. But again, I will remind myself to turn to the comfort of the Lord to see me through. 

God bless you today as you travel through life, and I pray you will look to Him for rest from whatever burdens you are carrying. 

Blessings,

Colleen

Step Up and March! Choosing Courage Over Fear

I am so thankful that God gives us what we need. But do we really take that gift when He gives it to us? Do we open it up, study it, use it and let it make a change in us? Or do we let it sit on a shelf collecting dust like a knick knack? 

When I went through a confirmation class 22 years ago, this was the verse our pastor gave me. Of course it registered with me then, but I let it sit on a shelf for many years, collecting dust. At times over the course of my life I have taken it and dusted it off and played with it a little, but I have never really opened it up and made it mine. I have never made it part of my daily life.

But God is calling me to finally, finally, dust this verse off, take it off the shelf and accept the gift He has given me. He is calling me to finally step out and live the life He has called me to. No more time to sit on the sidelines and watch the parade of life go by thinking, someday I will march in that parade. No. No more. Now is the time that God has said, enough, step it up and start marching.

He reminded me this morning that, "Courage is not the absence of fear. Fear is a natural response. Courage is just not allowing fear to control us." I have struggled with fear most of my life and sadly, I have allowed it to control me most of my life. But through God's strength I keep taking a stand against it and will continue to fight not to let it control me until either it dies or I do. I am thankful that God promises that He will be with me through the battle against fear. "Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid for I, the Lord, am with you." That is said so many times throughout scripture and in so many different ways.

This is not the first time in my life I've had to stand back up in the battle against fear, it's just the latest go round. Having my surgery was a huge step in the fight for me. If you are struggling with fear in your life, I really want to encourage you too, to take a stand, with God's help, for we can't do it alone!

If you need prayer in this area let me know

Blessings,

Colleen

The Habit of Prayer

Many times I find myself talking about problems. Talking about them, crying about them, complaining about them. But many times I realize I have forgotten to pray about them. I know that seems like a duh moment, but really I have observed that this is the way many of us live our lives. 

When we are upset about something the first thing we want to do is call someone, post a FB status about it, talk about it, etc... But if we would just pray about it, then we put it in the hands of the One who can truly DO something about it! 

Today I just want to encourage you to take your problems, your burdens, your worries, your cares and lift them to the One who can do something about them. But then, remember to leave them there! lol Allow God to direct you in what action to take about the situation, or whether you are to take any action at all. 

Life is too short to waste time. I can't count how many hours I have spent worrying about things, complaining about things, carrying them around with me day after day. 

All that time I spend complaining or worrying I could have spent praying, praising, loving others, enjoying life. 

Why do we choose to complain and worry when we could choose love, peace, joy? Habit. Simply put, habit. We have either made a habit out of complaining and worrying, or we have made a habit out of prayer and peace. I know you're thinking it's more complicated than that. But it's really not. It's really that simple. 

If your habit is to worry and complain, I would like to encourage you to begin today to make a new habit. When something happens that upsets you and you begin to worry, or complain, when you reach for the phone or your keyboard, stop and reach for God instead. 

It will take time, you didn't develop this habit overnight and you won't change it overnight. Don't get discouraged. Just keep doing it, and doing it, and doing it, until your first response is to give it to God rather than to worry and complain. 

I know, worry and complaining used to be my habits, but then I created new ones and my life was filled with peace and joy. Over the past few years I've allowed myself to slip back into those old habits again and now I fight fear and discontent again. But I am working on it again. 

Really though, it's about more than just whether you choose peace over worry, or joy over complaining. Really it's about will you choose God's way or yours? 

You see, worry and complaining as habits are not an option for me. I am a believer, a follower of Jesus Christ. I am a Christian and that means I have committed to living my life God's way. It's really that simple, it's not complicated as I have a tendency to make it. God's word tells me to cast my cars upon Him. God's word commands me not to worry, not to complain. I will either make a habit of following His commands, or I won't. 

When you look at it in that light, it's really simple. There is no argument that justifies my continuing to complain and worry and be unhappy or upset. I am commanded to pray about it and live in thankfulness, joy and peace. 

So, I am working on rebuilding those habits that make up a life of obedience and I know I will enjoy the fruits of that choice, for they are sweet! 

If you struggle with the habit of complaining and worry, of unhappiness or discontent, I hope you'll join me in choosing to make new habits, and if you'd like me to pray for you, please let me know. 

Be Blessed,
Colleen Cato