Bath Time

I love baby bath time!  And I especially love babies taking a bath in the kitchen sink.  All of my kids did.  And I think most of my grandkids have.  Dax was here this weekend and he made use of the kitchen sink for a bath, too.  He got new frogs for his bath time and liked them as you can tell.  I also love this age--when they begin sitting up and using their hands more.  I think the pictures tell the rest of the story of this little redhead.

Cigarette Smoke & Cheap Perfume

Have you ever hugged someone who smokes alot and who then who tries to cover up that smell with cheap perfume?  And those smells stay with you all.day.long.?    Ugh!!!  It's horrible.  I used to work with a lady like that.  And she loved giving out hugs.

I hate walking into Living Water (our benevolence ministry that has a clothing room full of used clothing) after someone who smokes has donated a pile of clothing.  I try to keep Living Water smelling good.  I use metered sprays, candles and plug-ins.  But it's just hard to cover up that smoke smell.

I think it's a picture of us after we've spent lots of time in the world.  We smell like cigarette smoke covered up with cheap perfume to God.  We come praising God (hugs) and that's all he can smell--we've spent too much time in the world...and not the Word. 

He desires the sweet aroma of praise.

LIFE

As a believer, you have LIFE living inside of you.  The Holy Spirit is LIFE.

You have the mind of Christ.  Jesus is LIFE.

You have access to the Word of God.  The Word of God is LIFE.

You are part of the body of Christ.  The body has LIFE.

You are the bride of Christ.  The bride has LIFE.

We must quit thinking on things that take us down the wrong road.  Take those thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ.  Fear, negativity, worry, stress, criticism, gossip, anger, lovelessness are all dead things.  But Jesus came to give us LIFE! 
"The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)."  John 10:10

Joseph

I love the story of Joseph.  It's full of drama and has a happy ending.   I can just imagine Joseph as a young teenager (and being the favored child) telling his older brothers about his dreams.  Both dreams had them bowing down to him.  I can see how this fueled the already raging fire of their hostility.

Why in the heck did he share it with them?  It was probably just his immaturity...and excitement over hearing from God and being eager to share what he heard.  And maybe just a little bit of arrogance.  The favored child and all...  And he probably expected this thing to happen soon!  I know I've done the same thing.  God has spoken to my heart and in my immaturity, eagerness and certainty, I've shared the message to only have God wait years for it's fulfillment.  I've learned.  When God speaks, it doesn't necessarily mean the fulfillment is now.  There will more than likely be time before it comes to pass.

And then his brothers sell him as a slave.  Actually, most of them wanted to kill him...but Reuben & Judah convinced them to spare his life and instead, sell him off as a slave.  They go home with a lie and without a brother, telling their father that a wild animal killed him.

Sibling rivalry is a terrible thing.  It kills.  As does parental favoritism.

But God had a plan.  I think that's why I love this story so much.  In the midst of terrible circumstances, others' choices for him, and false accusation, God continually promoted Joseph.  Even in prison, he prospered.  He prospered until he became second in command in all of Egypt.  And by interpreting Pharoah's dream, he knew a famine was coming.  And God used him to prepare and provide not only for the nation of Egypt, but for the surrounding nations.

Can you see in your own life how God has prepared you?  I can look back on seemingly obscure things in my life and see how God was preparing me for something later in my life.  I had no idea that my mothering skills would prepare me to be a director of a benevolence ministry.

Oh how I wish I could have been there when Joseph's brothers arrived at the palace and bowed down before him!  Joseph remembered his dreams and then tested his brothers.  You can't help but believe it was just a little pay-back.  They must have been shocked when he sat them according to their birth order.  I love that the Bible is so honest with us--Jospeh's anger, his weeping, the brothers' fear.  And the infamous last line of Joseph in the story, "As for you, you thought evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring about that many people should be kept alive, as they are this day."

And I love that it's the same promise God gives us.  "We are assured and know that (God being a partner in their labor) all things work together and are (fitting into a plan) for good to and for those who love God and are called according to His design and purpose."  Terrible things may happen in our lives.  People may sell us out.  We may be falsely accused.  We may be thrown in prison.  But...GOD.  God is able to partner with all those things and ultimately use our lives to save a nation.  I'm believing for a happy ending to my story.  You can, too.

Taking Thoughts Captive

"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ..."  II Corinthians 10:5

Years ago, Bill & Anabel Gillham came to our church and taught some principles that were life-changing for me.  One of those principles was based on this verse.  What they taught us was this:

Satan speaks to us in first person singular.  For all of you English majors, you know that means "I."  We know he speaks to us---that's how we're tempted.  But he doesn't come to me and say, "Becky, you are so stupid!"  Why?  Because I'd be immediately tipped off that someone is speaking to me.  He's much too crafty for that.  He wants me to think what he is saying to me is my own thoughts--not his. So he says, "I am so stupid!"  And I think it's my own thought.

To take a thought captive, I picture taking that thought out of my head and holding it in my hands in front of me.  I look at it and question, "Is this my thought, God's thought, or Satan's thought?"  I hold it captive.  I don't let it keep swirling around in my mind and potentially taking me down a path I don't want to go.  A good clue to go by is that God is a gentleman; Satan is not.  Our enemy accuses, intimidates, criticizes, attacks, disparages, blames, etc.  God convicts; Satan condemns.  So if you're hearing Satan's voice, take it captive and take authority over it.  When I'm looking at that thought in my hands, I actually say, "NO!  You have no authority over me!"

A good example in my life is the area of fear.  For years, Satan would attack me with thoughts that brought fear.  Not knowing to take that thought captive, I entertained it.  I would take that thought to an obvious horrible end.  It's like I spread out a feast in front of my enemy in my mind and entertained him by entertaining the thoughts he placed there.  And he loved it!   But I would be depressed and overwhelmed.  Fear took a foothold in my life and took up residence in my mind, will and emotions--my soul.  We became room mates.

Until...I kicked fear out!  I put up a roadblock in my mind and refused to open that gate to fear.  It's amazing how many thoughts we have circle in our minds over and over and over...and never stop them or examine them.  But after I put up that roadblock and forbade fear to live in my mind, I began to gain a victory.  Did thoughts of fear leave for good?  No.  And I'd have to start all over--examining my thoughts, taking them captive, and tossing them out by taking authority over them.  The best thing is I knew where the thoughts were coming from and no longer entertained them--at least for long.  We either take thoughts captive...or we're held captive by those thoughts.

I hope this helps someone.  It was so eye-opening to me and has helped me gain victory in my own life.

36 Years

Thirty-six years ago, I married Andy Dietz.  And I absolutely knew he was the one God had for me.  When he picked me up on our first (blind) date, it was the third time God had ever spoken to my heart so clearly.  I knew Andy was the man I was going to marry.  I always say my spirit recognized his.  I'd been praying for God to prepare me for my husband and to prepare him for me for 6 years before I met him.  The fact we had a bad first date only made me know he'd be calling again--I knew he'd want to redeem himself. ha!  And I was right.

I've never talked about it much, but it was difficult marrying an identical twin.  Andy & Phil had been inseparable until we married.  I felt like I was wriggling my way in between their identities.  And I lost mine in the process.  It took time to find my place, regain my identity, and to really feel like Mrs. Andy Dietz.  It probably didn't help that we spent our first year traveling with the Royalheirs (a Christian singing group) and had little time alone.  And then we spent the next 4-5 years traveling as the Dietz Brothers (the singing twins).  I'm sure it was just as difficult (or even more) for the twins trying to make room for me.

But survive we did.  Thirty-six years of surviving and thriving.  I never dreamed we'd be here.  I couldn't envision myself beyond having children 6 years of age.  Grandchildren weren't even in my imagination.  But I've had a blessed life, a blessed marriage and a blessed family--not always easy--but blessed.  I've said it so many times, but I'm so proud of my children.  They bring me pleasure...much pleasure.  My pleasure only increased with each addition to our family--by marriage, adoption and birth.  I know I sound sappy, but I couldn't have dreamed loving my kids' spouses like I do.  Only God can do that.  And no one has grandchildren as cute as mine! 

It's amazing what God can do in 36 years.  Our lives have been jam-packed full of adventure, laughter, fighting, and fun.   It definitely hasn't been boring--and I wouldn't trade it for the world.  Andy & I are off to our favorite vacation spot to celebrate 36 years of marriage.  I can hardly wait to see what's ahead!

The Chasm by Randy Alcorn

Nick Seagrave is a traveler in a strange land.  He meets some scary creatures along his journey.  But Joshua takes him under his wing to lead him to truth--but there were many roads to many truths.  Nick hears about the great chasm but never gets close enough in his journey with Joshua to see that great chasm.  Later, Nick is introduced to Shadrach--an old man in tattered clothing.  Nick has been told that there will be people who appear to be something they're not.  And Nick has to decide who is a safe companion with whom to travel.

Nick finally chooses the red road and once on that road, he sees the great chasm.  It is full of death--the stench of rotting and dying bodies fill the big hole.  Now he feels hopeless.  How will he ever reach Charis, the city of light which is across the great chasm?

If you like Pilgrim's Progress, you will want to read this book.  It's an allegory on even an older child's level.  I believe it would provide great conversation for a family about spiritual matters--and choices.  This book is a companion book to another of Alcorn's book, Edge of Eternity.  I found this book much easier to read.

I'd give this book 4 out of 5 stars.
Thank you to WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group  for providing this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255