Homeschool~

"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8).





Just like other school children, homeschoolers also use excuses for not completing their schoolwork on time. As my children grew older, they learned several pat answers to justify their procrastination, including their favorite, "Don't worry. It's no big deal." Of all their excuses, this one probably annoyed me the most. Failing to acknowledge their wrongdoing and to take responsibility for their actions, this glib remark downplayed the importance of planning ahead and the significance of keeping a promise. I quickly realized if I didn't hold them accountable in small things, my children would also not be accountable in larger things later in life.





When dealing with the matter of sin, we also attempt to downplay its significance in our walk with God. Justifying ourselves, we consider character flaws and little white lies "No big deal." After all, who's going to notice or pay attention? In Psalm 5:4-5 we read the answer, "For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity."





God is holy and the standards He sets for those who walk according to the light are measured by that holiness (1 Peter 1:15).Obviously, God doesn't mess around with sin and neither should we. If you find yourself in opposition to God's Word and ignoring the Holy Spirit's promptings to abstain from an "insignificant" activity, be careful. You may think that it's no big deal, but it is to God. "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death" (James 1:14-15)





Father, I know there's no such thing as a small sin in Your eyes. Cleanse my heart today and help me to walk uprightly in the strength and power of Your love. In Jesus' name, Amen.





AOP devotional

Prayer Request~

Updates:

Thanks so much to those who prayed!

Travis

Travis came through surgery well, now he needs our prayers for comfort and healing. He will have to wear a brace for 4 months, and it is extremely uncomfortable for him. The whole family needs our prayers. Careys mom (Roxanne)came to help her at the hospital with Travis and she became very ill and they have hospitalized her. Carey is going back and forth to be with her mom and then to be with Travis. I am sure this is exhausting for her.

Braveheart

Yae, good news! He is out of the hospital and recovering well! Fever is gone. They will start back on Chemo now, so please pray for him to feel good through his treatments and for his counts to stay normal.

My Grandma

I went with her Monday to see the Cancer specialist. He is going to run more test including a sample from her bone marrow and then we will know more, next week.

I have had a few prayer updates.

Braveheart

As you see in my side bar, I have been asking for prayer for these dear children. I received an update on Braveheart who has cancer, he is in the hospital with a fever and his counts are very low. His mom said he will have at least a 4 day stay to try and get him better, and for his counts to go back up. Pray also for his family please.

Travis

Travis as some of you know is near and dear to us. He is our Pastors youngest boy, and best friends with my son Blake. After his last surgery(he broke the growing rod in his back) he had a check to make sure he was healing ok, and everything was in place. Well come to find out 2 weeks after surgery, the hooks from his spine had come undone. They told mom and dad to take him home, keep him down and in a brace with minimal movement until they can get him in for surgery (surgery date 6/3). He is doing ok but is having a hard time being down. Well what child would at his age, bless his heart! Blake was able to go stay the night with him and keep him company last weekend, it was a good thing :)

Please continue to pray for this family and Travis. They are truly a blessing to us and have been a HUGE testimony to those around them through this incredibly tough time with their son. We can see God through this, because of their FAITH in our God who's mercy and grace carries us through. I can not even imagine, but I know our God is there by their side, and the prayers of ours can help them through this!

My Grandma

My granmda has been going in for tests because they suspected one of her kidneys were shrinking? Well, come to find out through all the blood work and tests, her kidneys are OK, but her blood work indicates something wrong in her bone marrow. The next step is to see the blood specialist which is in the cancer unit at the hospital. I am praying for this visit that is on 6/4, that God would give wisdom to the doctors and whatever the outcome is ........we would all have peace. They did mention that there is a possibility of cancer, but they have to run more tests to see. God is in control :)

Thanks Friends,

Brandie

Do you see conflict as an opportunity?

To refuse to submit our life to God and be content with His provisions and work in our life is to be spiritually unfaithful to the God Who is sovereignly working in our life. We worry about what people are doing to us and zero in on injustices and mistreatment as though God does not see and deal with offenders who wrong us.

We become agitated when others around us fail and excuse ourselves what we are so readily condemn in others. We do not see conflict as an opportunity to demonstrate faith in God and see God work miracles in our life- we only see the problem and scream and protest as though God doesn't know what He is doing.

In times of conflict we tend to project the worst and predict our doom rather than anticipate the intervention of an all-powerful God whose desire is to BLESS us beyond our imagination!

Did God not show us this in His Word through the children of Israel?

1 Corinthians 10:11-12

Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

Eph 2:1-5

And you [hath he quickened], who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

Happily Married~ Debi Pryde

New Tags I made :)

Busy Times......

Hello ,

I want to blog, but I have a few chores to do this morning. Life has been very eventful , and a bit stressful as well!

We are wrapping up the school year. I am pushing Austen to get finished by June 17th.

He has Math, English, and a bit of History to finish. I am so ready for summer break.

Yesterday was difficult for Austen and I. I am praying today will be better! Blake has a half day today, so he gets home at 12:00 today. The weather has been beautiful lately. We had company all last weekend. It was good to see family! The kids spent a couple days with my MIL, and had fun over there playing with their cousins.

Wayne and I finally got the headset. We had bought one a few months ago, but it was the wrong set so we had to take it back. This headset is way better, and it was a good deal too:) We were able to take off on the bike and ride, it was good to be able to talk while we rode. Wayne's job has been extremely stressful, so he really needed those 3 days off. I was some what disappointed that he didn't go to church Sunday, but I am going to press on and pray.

My FM has been better since the weather has been nice, I thank the Lord for that :) I do need some treatment but I need to be patient to see what comes of our medical bills first.

Silly me, I love collecting PSP tubes for making my tags, but my goodness, I have an over ABUNDANCE of mail!! It has been taking way to much time to go through.... That is why I have not blogged, but I plan to get back to it, as I enjoy sharing, and participating in some of the memes out there.

I need to also update you all on Travis.....he and his family needs our prayers....that post will come in a while.

Psalm 3:2-3
Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.
But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.

Siggy Test

I needed some funnies

A father was reading Bible stories to his young son. He read, "The man named Lot was warned to take his wife and flee out of the city, but his wife looked back and was turned to salt." His son asked, "What happened to the flea?"

A Sunday School teacher asked her class, "Does anyone here know what we mean by sins of omission?" A small girl replied: "Aren't those the sins we should have committed, but didn't?"

One day a space shuttle crashed to the ground in the yard of a preschool. When he finally struggled out of the wreckage, the astronaut shouted, "I'm free! I'm free!!!" At this point, one of the little children standing there shouted back, "Big deal, I'm four!"

Six-year-old Angie and her four-year-old brother Joel were sitting together in church. Joel giggled, sang, and talked out loud. Finally, his big sister had enough. "You're not supposed to talk out loud in church." "Why? Who's going to stop me?" Joel asked. Angie pointed to the back of the church and said, "See those two men standing by the door? They're hushers."

Good Day Friends~ My Update

Hello Dear Friends

It has been awhile since I have blogged. Silly me join some PSP graphic lists

and I have been overloaded with e-mails!! I love collecting but I don't enjoy getting 200 e-mails

a day!!! Crazy!! Not a whole lot going on in our family, but we are winding down the homeschool

year. I am praying Austen will be done with math by the middle of June, and English and

spelling he will have to work on through the summer (I didn't get the curriculum until December

for him). Blake is doing very well. I am counting down the days he has left in public school

I am so looking forward to having him home, and being able to homeschool him from here on out

He is such a joy to teach. I pray he will continue to be!

Arrrrgggg

I have been trying to visit your blogs, but for some reason as soon as I get on the blog

it kicks me off !!! I will have to try and visit later. I have been feeling better with the warmer

weather, which has been a blessing!! The days I can function normally and get all my

things done, I thank God for! One thing about having FMS is that you really appreciate

those days when you feel good, and you don't take them for granite! It has made me cling to my

Savior even more!

Please feel free to stop in every now and then on BRANMADETAGS

I have fun creating and I am now making headers for blogs as well as

scripture and quote tags! Snag away, and if there is anything specific you would like

feel free to leave it in the comment section and I will be more then happy to meet your

request! I want to be a blessing to you!

Hugs & Blessings

Brandie

Trials & Temptations~

“Every conquering temptation

represents a new fund of moral energy.

Every trial endured and weathered in the right

spirit makes a soul nobler

and stronger than it was before.”

~William Butler Yeats

New Tags on Branmadetags site

I made NEW tags, take a peek. I hope they are a blessing and you can use them!
Have a blessed day everyone,
Hugs,
Brandie

Find Tags for your blog or e-mails here
http://branmadetags.blogspot.com

Sweet Baby Kayleigh

This family needs our prayers, Kayleigh went to be with the Lord.
Please keep the family in your prayers as they go through this difficult time.

Hugs,
Brandie

Storms In Life~ Spurgeon

"On My arm, they shall trust." Isaiah 51:5

In seasons of severe trial, the Christian has nothing on earth that he can trust to, and is therefore compelled to cast himself on his God alone. When his vessel is quickly sinking, and no human deliverance can avail--he must simply and entirely trust himself to the providence and care of God.Happy storm--that wrecks a man on such a rock as this! O blessed hurricane--that drives the soul to God and God alone! When a man is so burdened with troubles, so poor, so friendless, so helpless that he has nowhere else to turn--he flies into his Father's arms, and is blessedly clasped therein! Oh, tempest-tossed believer--it is a happy trouble which drives you to your Father!

Children Are A Blessing Tag

Friendship~ Proverbs

No Time to blog today, as Monday's are crazy.
Austen has IOWA end of the year testing today and
tomorrow. Blake has a cold and Wayne is not feeling
real great either. Seattle trip was good, I am so glad
Grams and Gramps are home safe and healthy from
the cruise! I really miss church, I can't wait to be back
in again.

Blessings To All....
Hugs,
Brandie

Praise The Lord! Travis Update....

Travis is home from the hospital.