Saturday, December 1, 2012

Daily Promise


Daily Promises
Blue Letter Bible
December 1, 2012
When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet. (Proverbs 3:24)
When Christ is our life, we have nothing to fear. Our rest can be sweet because we have a God who neither slumbers nor sleeps. And He is always watching over those whom He loves. May you be at peace while trusting in the arms of your Saviour.


Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Weekly Journal Tuesday





For Today

 It has been a challenging time in my life but I am taking steps to move forward every day. 

Outside my window......Beautiful crisp fall day- Sunny

I am thinking............I can't wait to have a coffee tonight!
Church.............We are in the 6th week of Sunday School classes that parallel what Blake is learning in Sunday School. It is neat to see that our own Bible lessons are on the same topics. We have been challenged to work on the things we learn during the week and then we discuss how it went in class. 


Family...... 
We are adjusting to this area. We have had many challenges but I am still hopeful we will make friends and this will begin to feel like home. It has been a blessing to be closer to our family now. We have had several family members come to visit, in fact almost every weekend for the past couple months. 



From The Learning Rooms....
Austen
some of his photos

Photography
(thank you Grandma Shaun for leaving us your camera to use)





At the park with the family

"Umm...really MOM?"




Blake

Report on Koalas
 Daily Grams

QUOTE


Amid trials hard, temptations strong, and troubles constant, true faith is persevering faith.
Author Unknown


I am thankful for:  a new day with renewed strength, funds to purchase 2 new tires for our car, answered prayer (grandma had 3 mo cancer check- no cancer!)
From The Kitchen... Hamburgers

I am reading..... Bible

I am creating:  nothing this week ;)

I am praying.... My marriage, finances, Austen- a good friend,
new godly friendships, growth in my spiritual walk,
friends & family who have cancer, friends who are hurting, ect...

Around the house .... cleaning, cleaning, never ending cleaning...

New.....We started the Dave Ramsey financial series. So far we have had 2 budget meeting. Blake started KIX on Sundays from 4-5:30

A few plans for the week...
Austen youth group Tuesday from 7:30-9:00
Blake practice Tue-Thurs 5:30-7:15
Homeschool Mom Night out Tue 6:00-8:00
Game Day Saturday 9:00 am
Church- Sunday 9:00-12:00
KIX (Kids In Christ) 4:00-5:30

Happy Trails....

BLAST FROM THE PAST
Grady & Blake 
2011





Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Tuesday Journal 9-18-12




 For Today
Outside my window......the dark sky

I am thinking............Coffee is sounding so good.

From The Learning Rooms....
Austen
Bible ~ How Wisdom Acts
Spanish~ Seasons & Months Of The Year
Math~Khan Academy SAT Prep
Science~ Systems of the Body
History~Government
Life Management~Resume Writing
Spelling~ SAT Prep
Writing~ SAT Prep

Blake

Bible~ Daily Challenge:
Psalm 84:10
"Choose a way you'll remember to trust God instead of complaining"
Math~ T.T 5 & Daily Warm ups
English~  Review parts of speech
Science~ The Human Body 'Nervous System'
Spanish~ Months of the Year
Writing~ History of Chewing Gum
History~ Geography 

I am thankful for:  God providing for last week, a renewed energy, healthy children, and a very hard working husband!

From The Kitchen... Crock Pot Night

I am reading..... Proverbs Fountain of Life

I am creating:  New Website 
brwaau.wix.com/branmadetags.com
Where I can organize my tags

I am praying.... For Austen to learn the true freedom in forgiveness,
For Blake to learn the difference between our wants and our needs,
Funds for 4 new tires on the Tahoe, 
New godly friendships, growth in my spiritual walk,
Friends who have cancer
Around the house .... Flea bombing today, getting ready for company to get here Thursday.

A few plans for the week
Haircuts
Football Pics
Football Practice Tue-Thurs 5:30-7:15
Family Coming-  Thursday through Sunday


Saturday, September 8, 2012

Homeschool Week 1 2012-2013


Week One

Wow! We made it through our first week.  Austen is a junior this year and Blake is in 4th grade. As their mom and teacher, I am so blessed. We decided to put Blake in his first team sport this year. He is playing for the Pasco Youth Football League. I was a little apprehensive about allowing him to play, but it has been a good experience so far! Austen playing 3 years of youth football and we had no problems with kids or coaches. I am so thankful! 

Some Things We Learned About This Week
* The Human Body
*Review Parts Of Speech 
* The Book Of Proverbs 
* Memory Verse Hebrews 11:1 & Psalms 23:3-4
* Spanish- Numbers & Greetings
Math-Review Place Value
Geography-Using A Map

Some Pictures
Geography

Bible

English-Parts Of Speech

Youth Football

1st Game 9-8-12
Comets- 40 Vs Vipers- 6




Monday, September 3, 2012

Marriage Monday .....Me First!


The cultural philosophies that are prevalent today lean toward glorifying and promoting an extreme self-centered, me-first attitude. It would seem we are living in a society described prophetically in 2 Timothy 3:1-4 by the apostle Paul.

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 

God's ways are not what we would always expect them to be- but they work! 
Giving up one's own self- interest to please and build up others to promote mutual unity?  God's Word tells us that forgetting one's self and focusing instead on the needs of others produces the sense of unity and joy that God grants to likeminded and obedient believers.

~Happily Married 
Debi Pryde





Saturday, September 1, 2012

The Road Block Of Fear

Controlling TOXIC Thoughts and Emotions
Dr. Caroline Leaf
http://drleaf.com/



There two kinds of decisions. Fear based and faith based.
Fear is an emotion that will give power to your thoughts and with focused attention,  you will begin to attract that thing or situation which you fear. You can actually feel your body respond to fear based thinking.  It tightens and the breath reacts, so you see how you ingest a fear based thought then it manifest physically, emotionally and spiritually. We begin to doubt ourselves immediately with a fear based thought.
According to Dr. Caroline Leaf states that 87% to 95% of the illnesses that plague us today are a direct result of our thought life. What we think about affects us physically and emotionally. It’s an epidemic of toxic emotions.
The average person has over 30,000 thoughts a day. Through an uncontrolled thought life, we create the conditions for illness; we make ourselves sick! Research shows that fear, all on its own, triggers more than 1,400 known physical and chemical responses and activates more than 30 different hormones. There are INTELLECTUAL and MEDICAL reasons to FORGIVE! Toxic waste generated by toxic thoughts causes the following illnesses: diabetes, cancer, asthma, skin problems and allergies to name just a few. Consciously control your thought life and start to detox your brain!
Medical research increasingly points to the fact that thinking and consciously controlling your thought life is one of the best ways, if not the best way of detoxing your brain. It allows you to get rid of those toxic thoughts and emotions that can consume and control your mind.
Change in your thinking is essential to detox the brain.
First point of change is to recognize what thoughts you are:
1.      How many times a day to you think “I should have, could have or would have?”
2.      How often do you regret your life choices?

3.      Do you replay old “tapes” in your head and fantasize about different outcomes?

4.      Are you an observer of your thoughts or do you ingest them all as truth? 

5.      How honest are you with yourself?

6.      What are you scared of physically?

7.      What are you scared of emotionally?

8.      What are you scared of spiritually?

9.      Do you believe these fears are all possible?

10.  Are you afraid of failure?

11.  Are you afraid of success?

12.  Are you trusting in God

10 % _____25%  _____  50%_____ 75% ____ 90% ____ 100% ____ of the time?










Friday, August 31, 2012

Summer Fun with pics

Summer Fun
On The River
2012


Jet Skis On The Columbia
Austen & Blake


Wayne & Boys

Wayne - Brandon - Blake



Thursday, August 30, 2012

The Road Block of Discontentment




Today I have really been reflecting. It has been a difficult time adjusting to a new place, finding a church and dealing with chronic pain. There are times I find myself 'stuck' in the rut of being discontent. If I start dwelling on our hardships and struggles I quickly find it hard to control my emotions. It then effects my marriage and my parenting.

Here are some verses I am focusing on this week

Lamentations 3:21-24
This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
[It is of] the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
They are new every morning: great [is] thy faithfulness.
The LORD [is] my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

Generally speaking depression in the Bible is 'sorrow' without HOPE.
The word depression is not found in the Bible but if you look up:
cast down, sorrow, overwhelmed, despair, dis-contented, or trouble, you will find more about what God says regarding being discontent.

May I remember HOPE is a confident anticipation of God's promised good outcome! God has it under control. I just need to keep my focus on the right place.





Monday, August 20, 2012

Marriage: Practicing Bitterness?

Are you Practicing Bitterness?

Were you mad at your husband today over something he did? Did you seeth with bitterness and intentionally avoid looking into his eyes so as to express your distain? Does he now bend to your anger and do better in hopes of escaping your condemnation? He practices his faults, and you practice your bitterness. You are both practicing DIVORCE. Your children watch and are practicing being poor mothers and fathers.
~Created To Be His Help Meet By Debi Pearl

After reading this....I sat and cried today. How many times have I did this in my marriage. We need to be very careful to not fall in this trap. 

Let us pray...
Father help us as wives sort out our emotions from the facts. Help us to react in the correct manner to our spouse. Please forgive me for being selfish and not having a clean heart that forgives more easily.
In Jesus Name
Amen

(I read a Proverbs a day and record which verse or verses God speaks to me)
Proverbs 20

Proverbs 20:13
Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, [and] thou shalt be satisfied with bread.

When I read this verse today it made me think of how important it is to teach my children how to be diligent about all that they do. I need to make sure that while I teach them at home they have a schedule.  Having a set bed time and a set arise time helps them develop a healthy way of living. I hear of many parents letting their children stay up until late hours in the night and then the child is free to get up whenever they feel like it. The Bible tells us to 'love' not sleep. 


Proverbs 20:22

Say not thou, I will recompense evil; [but] wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.

This verse speaks to me about getting even with someone. I should not try to get even but rather pray and wait on the Lord. He knows what that other person needs. I don't  know the other persons heart or motives. Often we assume things that are just not true. I need to leave it with God he will settle it.

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Present Suffering Future Glory

Sermon Notes
"Present Suffering Future Glory"
Pastor Mailoux
Date: 8/19/12

Opening Verse: Romans 8:18
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time [are] not worthy [to be compared] with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

3 Causes For Suffering
~ The world is in a state of decay
~The laws of physical universe
~Sin

Reasons For Suffering
Daniel 3:16-18, 24-30
1. Prime means of suffering is for the glory of God
(Do we run from suffering ?)
2. Discipline for known sin 

Hebrews 12:5-11
And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected [us], and we gave [them] reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
For they verily for a few days chastened [us] after their own pleasure; but he for [our] profit, that [we] might be partakers of his holiness.
Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
3. To Keep Us From Pride

2 Corinthians 12:7-10
And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

4. To Build Faith
1 Peter 1:6-7
Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

5. To Cause Spiritual Growth
Romans 5:3-5
And not only [so], but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

6. To Teach Us Contentment
Phil 4:11-13
Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, [therewith] to be content.I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

7. Equip Us To Comfort Others
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Blessed [be] God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

8. To prove the reality that Christ is in us
2 Corinthians 4:7-11
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.[We are] troubled on every side, yet not distressed; [we are] perplexed, but not in despair;
Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

2 Timothy 1:12
For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.







Friday, August 10, 2012




Taking Out the Trash
 
Who wants to live with yesterday’s rubble?  Who wants to hoard the trash of the past?  You don’t, do you?  Or do you?
 
I’m not talking about the trash in your house, but in your heart.  Not the junk of papers and boxes but the remnants of anger and hurt.  Do you rat-pack your pain?  Amass offenses?  Record slights?
 
A tour of your heart might be telling.  A pile of rejections.  Accumulated insults.  No one can blame you.  They’re innocence takers, promise breakers, and wound makers.  They’re everywhere and you’ve had your share.
 
Jesus answered Peter’s question in Matthew 18:21 and 22 when he asked:  “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me?  Seven times?”  “No, not seven times,” Jesus said.  “Seventy times seven!”
 
Do you want to give every day a chance?  Jesus says to get rid of the trash.  Give the grace you’ve been given!
 



Thursday, August 9, 2012

Controlling Our Thoughts


A healthy thought and toxic thought can both be built with mental rehearsal . But we can literally tear toxic strongholds down by choosing to bring the thought into conscious awareness for analysis, and then changing it through repentance and forgiveness (causing protein synthesis) and replacing it with the correct information, using Philippians 4:8. 
~Who Switched Off My Brain?~
Dr. Caroline Leaf

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things [are] honest, whatsoever things [are] just, whatsoever things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] lovely, whatsoever things [are] of good report; if [there be] any virtue, and if [there be] any praise, think on these things.



Friday, June 15, 2012

Toxic thoughts are thoughts that trigger negative and anxious emotions, which produce biochemicals that cause the body stress. They are stored in your mind, as well as in the cells in your body.

Every single thought- whether it is positive or negative -goes through the same cycle when it forms. Thoughts are basically electrical impulses, chemicals and neurons. They look like tree branches. As the thoughts grow and become permanent, more branches grow and the connections become stronger.

About a year ago, I was introduced to the book 'Who Switched Off MY Brain' By Caroline Leaf. It is a book that had a huge impact on my life! Years ago I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. Like many conditions people have, toxic thinking can and WILL effect your health. I use to get angry when I went to the doctor and they would ask me if I had any stress going on in my life. After having FMS for a while I began to see a pattern. Fibro flares usually take place after a stressful time or over activity. I want to share with you some things that have made such a difference in controlling FMS. When time allows I will share what I am learning through controlling my thoughts. Until next time...
Blessings,










Thursday, June 14, 2012

Dear Blog,
This is a test ...all new format for Blogger? Where have I been?



Monday, April 23, 2012


A new journey will begin next week as we travel back to Washington. I am not sure this time I am as exited about it, honestly. When we came here to Texas I had time to pray about it and knew that was God's direction. It was sad to leave family, but it felt like it was a God given direction. Looking back over this past year, there have been so many life lessons that we needed as a family. The blessings of working with family, a church that taught us so much about love, sweet friendships, and a loving community made it so worth it!

Next week we will be moving to a town in Eastern Washington that is about 4 hours from home. I have been researching that area to find a good church and an area that we can find a house in. This week we are going to be cleaning and getting everything ready to leave on Sunday. Yesterday was our last day at Agnes. It was sad to say goodbye to so many who had such an impact in my life. I am not sure what the next chapter in our life will be. I am trying to look at it the same way I did coming here. I love everything about this place. I pray we find a church as loving and kind as Agnes Baptist Church!

The boys have all of their stuff packed. Most of our furniture is already gone. I am looking forward to seeing my family next week. Wayne said his job is going well and he should know a date to be over in the Tri Cites area soon. A new adventure is about to begin.......

Brandie

A Christian Home



An ideal Christian home ought to be a place where love rules. It ought to be beautiful, bright, joyous, full of tenderness and affection, a place in which all are growing happier and holier each day. There should never be any discord, any wrangling, any angry words or bitter feelings. The home-life should be a harmonious song without one marring note, day after day. The home, no matter how humble it is, how plain, how small – should be the dearest spot on the earth to each member of the family. It should be made so happy a place, and so full of life, that no matter where one may wander in after years, in any of the ends of the earth – his home should still hold its invisible cords of influence about him, and should ever draw resistless upon his heart. It ought to be the one spot in all the earth, to which he would turn first, when in trouble or in danger. It should be his refuge, in every trial and grief.

J.R. Miller
Homemaking, 1882.