I'm alive!

Good news guys!

I lived through the dentist!(previous post) Even more surprising, I lived through it without getting injured! Let me explain my experience....

We walk into the dentist....it's a nice, cozy little building. We happened to be a few minutes late(cough, cough) but, they were waiting for us and took us back as soon as we showed up. Talk about fast service.

My hygentist asked mama if I had any health issues- now I know they have to ask that question, but seriously lady! Do I look sick??? No! Plus, I'm standing right here, you can ask me! Of course I didn't say that out loud, that's not very Christianly. It's more Christianly for me to come here and talk about her to ya'll, right? (that was sarcasm in case you didn't know!) :)

I go into a little room where I take my seat. After the x-rays and all, she sits down to start the cleaning of my teeth. Not bad so far. But then the masking comes. Normally, the hygentists where little mouth and nose covering things, so they don't breath in bad germs, (I guess). Not this lady. She was fully geared in a mouth, and nose mask, and also a whole facial shield. Literally, she pulled down a huge piece of plexi-glass down over her face, like I'm fixing to breath fire on her!! Yowza!

After I come out of my little room, Josh is sitting on a chair, and asks me, "What did you get in your goody bag?"

I look at him and reply, "um, a red toothbrush, toothpaste and floss. Did you get the same?"

He says, "that's all you got? I got all that, plus a pencil, and a yellow squishy ball. I got to pick something out of the treasure box!"

Not that I really care about pencils and yellow squishy balls, but really....I guess once get older than 12, they move you up to "adult" level. No more pencils, or squishy balls for me!!

The dreaded chair...those horrible masks...and-those weird-keep-you-from-drooling-on-your-clothes-type bib things. It's all summed up in one word- The Dentist. (shudder from author).

I know that dentists are supposed to be nice and sweet(or not so sweet) and all, but really, I mean who likes going to the dentist?? (No offense to any of my readers who are, or know someone who is a dentist) Okay, let me clarify, besides those who like getting their teeth cleaned, who likes the dentist? :)

Naw-really, I'm just kidding. I like the dentist better than the doctor, but anyone who puts me off alone with them in a room, to examine me in some way; creeps me out! I dread this time of year.

Yes, I'm sure you've guessed it by now...I'm going to the dentist, soon. Deep, deep down in my heart of hearts, I am very thankful for the people who accept their job of cleaning my teeth. I mean, if they didn't do it, no one else would! So, (in total contradictory to the first paragraph of my post) I say, let's give it up for dentists!!

I'll (hopefully) update you on my trip to the dentist later!

Tori L.

PS. Please...No one take any offense. If you know me, you'll understand! :)

Ponder this dear reader

"Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right."

-Henry Ford

Ponder these words today my dear blog readers! :)

2009 reflections

Okay guys. 2010 is right around the corner. I mean seriously too. Lets see, in... 3 days!

Looking back over 2009, I see several memorable things that happened.

• We got a big garden started
• I had a birthday (does this count?)
• Lyddie was born
• Kayden came home
• First year where my grades in school actually count :)
• The Lord taught me some interesting things
• I've grown in my desire for self-sufficiency
• I sorta-kinda-a little bit- got a VERY small business going (or at least the start of one)
• I started piano again
• I got a harp
• I found my love to play music

I think that covers most of it, but of course I could go on. However, I think that is enough for now.

Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nancy Campbell's article

Hey Guys! I found this article from Nancy Campbell, and thought it was very helpful! Hope you enjoy!

www.aboverubies.org

HASTY WORDS

Psalm 31:22, "I said in my haste, I am cut off from before thine eyes: nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee."

How easy it is to say things in haste! We spout off before we think. And usually when we speak hastily it is out of reaction. We often don't even believe the words we say! But sad to say, we have said them, and words have power! They have power to hurt our husband and hurt our children. Charles Spurgeon says, "Hasty words are but for a moment on the tongue, but they often lie for years on the conscience."

I remember with shame an incident that happened in the early days of our marriage. I felt hurt by words my husband spoke to me and hastily retorted, "You should have married someone else!" Fortunately I have a husband who doesn't let things go uncovered. He came to me a little while later and said, "Do you believe in the power of words?" "Yes," I muttered. "Well, you better take back what you said," he stated firmly. I realized he was right and I had to retract and confess my hasty words.

Hasty words are often words of doubt because we have not given time for faith to grow or to wait for God to move. We often have to wait for God. David cries out that he is cut off from the Lord, but he soon finds that they were hasty words as God had heard his cry all along. We must give God time to answer. His timing and His way is always the best way.

I cringe when I hear folk speaking derogatively against the Lord because things are not going the way they want. Again Spurgeon says, "Unbelief will have a corner of the heart of the firmest believer, and out of that corner it will vent many spiteful things against the Lord if the course of providence be not quite so smooth as nature might desire. Forever be such dark suspicions banished from our minds."

Proverbs 29:20 is also a challenging Scripture, "Seest thou a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope of a fool than him."

And Ecclesiastes 5:2, "Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few." How true it is that the more words we speak the more opportunity to sin. (Read Proverbs 10:19; 17:28)

So, how do we stop these hasty words? James 1:19 says, "Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath." Yes, we want to be "slow to speak" but how do we do it? I believe we have to get into the habit of doing it. Each time that someone (especially husband or children) rubs you up the wrong way, shut your mouth. Wait before you speak. If you can't think of anything positive to say, don't say anything. That's what Jesus did. When they accused him, He answered nothing. He didn't even open his mouth. (Matthew 27:13-14) Is that the hardest thing you've ever tried to do? You can do it if you will to do it. And especially as you pray about it and ask the Lord to help you.

Yes, you will fail. But keep working on making it a habit of your life. Some people say it takes 30 days to break a habit. Some say it takes 21 days to establish a habit. However, some habits may take a lot longer. Never despair. Keep trying and keep looking to the Lord who is your source. He lives in you and He is full of self control. (Galatians 5:22-23) Continually ask the Holy Spirit to work in your heart and your tongue. He will work His grace in you.

Proverbs 4:23, "Keep thy heart with all diligence: for out of it are the issues of life."

Love from NANCY CAMPBELL

From the pages of my journal- a family blessing

Psalm 128

Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.

Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.

Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD.

The LORD shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.

Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel.

What a psalm! So many promises that God promises us! The family described in that passage sounds like a beautiful family. This is what I want my family to be like; eating the labor of our hands, happy, many children, (-who will be like...olive plants? I'll have to do more research on that one!)

So, if this is what we want to be like, how can we get it? The answer lies in verse 1. Fear. How can we fear the Lord? Proverbs 8:13 describes the fear of the Lord. Proverbs 14:26-27 explains how confident and safe you will feel in his fear.

I think fearing the Lord can also be to have a respect for him. Believe that he will keep his word, and respect him for that.

When I have a family of my own someday, I think I might want Psalm 128:1-4 as my family verse. It's great!

For those of you who have your own families, and children, what does psalm 128 mean to you?

And for the hard question, what do children and olive plants have to do together??? Please my wonderful blog readers, answer me that question!

Tori L.

Butterflies

Isn't God creative?