I did it!

So read that title like a two year old is pronouncing it.
But I went to lunch hour advent services and my friend (remind me to reflect later on communing) said a few times that I was busy and I might not be able to go and I know itself super basic but I'm happy I made time for the Lord.

***even if I was a tad bit disappointed that the euphoria didn't stick and hold me through an afternoon of meetings

For the sick

Dear God,
Please help our friend who is sick and going through the diagnosis process.  We're not sure if he's a sheep of your flock (based on criminal record, likely not) but we know that he needs the Holy Spirit's calming powers.
Regards, Nell

Kitty

Dear God,
Thank you so much for our loved pets.  What a delightful reminder to laugh and be silly.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth:  Peace, Goodwill toward men.
Regards, Nell

Dear God,
Thanks for a wonderful family filled weekend.  Please help me lean on you in the coming crazy holiday months :)
Love, Nell

They have the same faith statements in other countries!

I'm embarrassed to say but I'm sssoooooo sheltered.  The daughter and I found ourselves in a Mexican grocery store today (in Mke but really Mexican) and it just reminds me that there is a LOT of world out there that I don't know about... so in searching for a certain Christmas present for a certain someone I was sssoooooo pleasantly surprised to see the same Apostles' Creed on a Thai mission website that we here in the ELS recite~ 
http://www.ncfcthailand.org/?page_id=62

Dear God,
Praise be to you oh Lord for sending me a Christian husband.  I can vision myself straying toward the darkside (ok, that's a little dramatic) without having a partner that employs more faith than I.
Please let me be worthy of his guidance and let us help each other become more evangelical beings.
Regards, Nell

ABOUT PRAYING

Jesus, teach me how to pray
With all my heart, in every way.
Anytime and anywhere
I know You'll always hear my prayer.
   ~*   ~*   ~*   ~*

Thank you God, With heart

Thank you God, With heart and hand and voice.

Dear God, its great to be a child of yours and in the shelter of your wisdom. Please guide the hubby and me as we lean our lives toward you.
Regards, Nell

Sorry!  But I prayed instead of posting last night (because I didn't remember until I would have had to disturb the hubby to do it and his sleep is few and far between so I didn't wanna turn on my electronic device).  I'm not such a good pray-er.  Get distracted so easily.  Maybe I'll have to do a batch of prayer posts?  That's particularly appropriate as I work on our family prayer?

Dear God,
I'm so thankful that my sinful frame is still on this earth!  Or wait.  Maybe I'm not because heaven seems really awesome... Either way, may your gracious will be done.  Thank you for my family and their health and safety.  Guide me to help them or others with what they need to be brought to faith in your name as you have called me by the Holy Spirit.
Regards, Nell

"Let me ask you something. If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient? If he prayed for courage, does God give him courage, or does he give him opportunities to be courageous? If someone prayed for the family to be closer, do you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings, or does he give them opportunities to love each other?"
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0413099/quotes

-Forgive me Father for I

-Forgive me Father for I have sinned

What is a Contrite Heart?

http://ezinearticles.com/?What-Is-A-Contrite-Heart?&id=522097

I didn't have any contrite

I didn't have any contrite points in my outline?

Thanksgiving

Philippians 4:23
     The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit
Philippians 4:6
     Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
Philippians 4:7
     And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus

-It may not be fun but God's will be done!
     (still brainstorming...think the hubby might like this one)

Dear God, Greatest healer of all; Please look with favor upon our loved one's loved one as she prepares for surgery.  Please let her heart be calm and her caregiver's eyes focused on the day of the event and please also sit with her family in the waiting rooms as they pray for her wellbeing.
Regards, Nell

-Help us keep and foster our friendships with God fearing people
-Create in me a clean heart O God
-Blest and Holy Trinity, praise forever be to thee

-Help me clear my head and rest soundly (like we will in your arms in heaven)
-On my heart imprint your image
-Look forward to our days in heaven with all our peoples :)

-Respecting our friends, our environment, ourselves
-Being thoughtful and thankful for the day that has passed

Family prayer

I want to use the A(adoration). C(contrition). T(thanksgiving). S(suplication). prayer method...
Here are our phrases/brainstorms so far:
-Live my/our faith
-Thank we all our God, hearts/hands/voices

pinterest.com

I wonder what makes people categorically more influential than others?  http://wefollow.com/twitter/christian

White lies

Trying to be as honest as possible means you are actually more honest about your promises.  I think it's a very good thing because it makes you think twice about some of the stuff coming out of your mouth and if it's actually achievable.
     I still have a ways to go but I'm happy with the results so far.

2 John 1:1 The elder, To the chosen lady and her children, whom I love in the truth--and not I only, but also all who know the truth--

A mother's voice!

I'm really appreciative of the internet (yes.  I regard you as an entity) for giving people who wouldn't otherwise have it, a voice!  Recently I've read several Christian motherly blogs and I'm really happy for them to be heard and to be able to commune with other people across the bandwidth.

http://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/about_us/

I think Hebrews 13:2 is my fave verse :) Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.

Hmmmmm. Are there aps for

Hmmmmm. Are there aps for Bible verse learning?

Grandparents Shabbat!

I LOVE having our daughter in Jewish day school :) It's such a lovely community.
Today was Grandpartents' Shabbat and I'm excited that my in-laws got to experience Shabbat sing as well as some of the classroom activities.
And in my email box was the Shabbat Shalom message from our local JCC (of which I used to "unsubscribe" to because I thought it was another junkmail message but now I rather look forward to the Friday tidbits) and it had a neat youtube message of which I have now "subscribed":

What's your fave Bible verse???

What's your fave Bible verse???

Receiving Jesus

So I was buzzing around my work today in another facility than I'm normally at and I open the door to the Receiving Office (it's called receiving because they like, receive stuff) and I saw quite a large picture of Jesus staring down at me.  Now because I work with a creative group of people I'd like to think there are more do-dads than typical laying around and certainly our owner's art collection makes the offices much more awesome than I imagine a usual mid-sized, Midwestern company has.  But I was super impressed a) that the organization I spend so much time working for would allow such a thing and b) that someone would offer up their faith on a very bold platter!

Did you pray about it?

First response to a friend this morning when she said she was feeling empty today was, "Did you pray about it?"
     Perhaps I'm prepping her to do the same for me in another situation?