BusiBeth's Xanga

there was a showdown.

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 03:09:52 GMT

It

was

in

the bathroom.

(of all places!)

The 18 month old with Adorable Curls had gotten into the Forbidden Place filled with Wonderful Things like Water and Soap and Such...

... and was eying Miss m'Lizabeth with Great Suspicion.

"Adorable Curls, put the brush back."

"No."

"Yes."

"No!"

Miss m'Lizabeth reached for the hairbrush...

"Yes"

"NOOOOO!!"

Miss m'Lizabeth then reached for Adorable Curls...

"Yes"

and put Adorable Curls outside the bathroom and firmly shut the door.

ehem.

---

How often do we do the same with God?

God: Yes.

Me: No.

God: Yes.

Me: No! See, I really like this... and here's why You really shouldn't change things.

God: (just as gently as ever) Yes.

And sometimes He even picks us up/turns the world upside down/takes away things in our lives... with a gentle but firm, "Yes."

The Forbidden Thing/Place might not be a BAD thing... it's just not the time for it. Truth be know, the 5r old and 3 yr old sisters enter and use all the soap and water their heart may desire. It's just not time for Adorable Curls yet... She'd be sure to massively overdose.

God IS love... Thus He cannot do anything would violate Himself... Anything allowed into our lives is because He loves us. Whatever 'It' is is ultimately best for us, in the Long-Term and the Big Picture even when we can't understand.

How very comforting.

so brave. oh yes. really.

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 08:12:14 GMT

Miss m'Lizabeth was entrusted with the care of three little girls under the age of 6 who were determined to watch Snow White for the first time ever:

5 yr old: We're brave.

3 yr old: Yeah, so BRAVE.

Miss m'Lizabeth: We can fast-forward the Evil Queen...

5 yr old:We don't mind the Evil Queen.

3 yr old: Yeah, we're BRAVE.

The Evil Queen hadn't been on the screen 8 seconds when

the 5 year old hide behind the biggest available pillow

and the 3 year began to holler,

"DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADDYYYYYYYYYY!!"

Thankfully, Miss m'Lizabeth was there to Save the Day.

whew. that was CLOSE. my goodness.
---

Maybe you're not scared of the Evil Queen anymore... Maybe your Daddy isn't around. Maybe you're scared of something just a little too big for even a Daddy to handle.

That's when having a Heavenly Father is so very comforting.

The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me.

In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice; my cry came before Him, into His ears.

The earth trembled and quaked, and the foundations of the mountain shook; they trembled because He was angry.

Smoke rose from his nostrils; consuming fire came from his mouth, burning coals blazed out of it.

He parted the heavens and came down; dark clouds were under his feet.

He mounted the cherubim and flew; he soared on the wings of the wind.

He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him— the dark rain clouds of the sky.

Out of the brightness of his presence clouds advanced, with hailstones and bolts of lightning.

The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded.

He shot his arrows and scattered the enemies, great bolts of lightning and routed them.

The valleys of the sea were exposed and the foundations of the earth laid bare at your rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of breath from your nostrils.

He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.

He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me.

They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the LORD was my support.

He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.

The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.

For I have kept the ways of the LORD; I have not done evil by turning from my God.

All his laws are before me; I have not turned away from his decrees.

I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin.

The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.

You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.

You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.

With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall.

As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.

For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God?

It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.

He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights.

He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great.

You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn.

I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back till they were destroyed.

I crushed them so that they could not rise; they fell beneath my feet.

You armed me with strength for battle; you made my adversaries bow at my feet.

You made my enemies turn their backs in flight, and I destroyed my foes.

They cried for help, but there was no one to save them— to the LORD, but he did not answer.

I beat them as fine as dust borne on the wind; I poured them out like mud in the streets.

You have delivered me from the attacks of the people; you have made me the head of nations; people I did not know are subject to me.

As soon as they hear me, they obey me; foreigners cringe before me.

They all lose heart; they come trembling from their strongholds.

The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior!

He is the God who avenges me, who subdues nations under me,who saves me from my enemies.

You exalted me above my foes; from violent men you rescued me.

Therefore I will praise you among the nations, O LORD; I will sing praises to your name.

He gives his king great victories; he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed, to David and his descendants forever.

Psalm 18

time to get well

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 01:52:46 GMT

I'm feeling SO much better!! Thank you for all your prayers. <3

While I was sick...

I rediscovered some Childhood Memories in an old VHS I bought used at the Library.

hehe. The Middle Sister groaned. I think she's just jealous.

I wanted to share them with you. When I shared them with a Certain Friend, she announced it was "Time for you to hurry up and Get Well!!"

Thankful for...

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 01:30:18 GMT

Daddies who buy you chicken nuggets when the family is gone and there is no food,

Mommies who frantically call every doctor b/c you just look THAT bad (and your fever is 103.9. And you are having a hard time breathing. Minor Details.),

Younger Although Taller Sisters who comb your hair when you don't have the strength,

for Middle Brothers who lets you hold his hand and laughs with you at The Toy That Saved Christmas,

for Middle Sisters who rub your limbs when your under four layers and still shaking with cold,

for Youngest Sisters who make toast like it's going outta style,

for Youngest Brothers who sidle up to the side of your bed, hold your hand, and tells you a funny story about a computer virus.

{photo by Abbi}

yup. it's a good life. even if staying in bed for two weeks is lame.

hello, world

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:11:25 GMT

I have the Swine Flu.

hehe.

Yeah... That's what I get for thinking it was all HYPE.

ehem.

Thankfully, the three days of the re-occurring 103.9 fever seem to be over... and I'm starting to feel somewhat human again.

that's a really nice feeling.

It's going to be SO entertaining to tell my little Bible Class students that I had THE Swine Flu.

They're totally going to look at me like I came back from the dead.

Friday, October 02, 2009

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 03:51:55 GMT

Blue-eyed Three Yr Old with Purple Sunglasses: (peering into her blue cup) "Miss m'Lizabeth, I don't tink you gave me enough water."

Miss m'Lizabeth: "That's ok... I think I gave you enough water."

Three Yr Old: "I dooooooooon't tink yooooooooooou gave meeeeeee enooooooooough!!"

ehem.

You see, Miss m'Lizabeth knows that Bedtime draweth nigh... and she knows that Lots of Water + Three Yr Old = Bedtime Difficulties.

Thus the Importance of the Limited Water Allowance.

---

So often we tend to go to our Heavenly Father...

God, I dooooooooooooon't think You gave me enoooooooooooough

work

friends

opportunities

adventures

etc, etc, etc.

It's so easy to forget that He sees much farther down the road and around the bend... and much farther past bedtime.

He knows why that relationship didn't work out. He knows why the door closed on that job. He knows why He took 'that' away.

He knows.

And that is all.

"Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in me will not be disappointed." -Isaiah 49:23b

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Sat, 26 Sep 2009 01:55:44 GMT

My dear friend Kristi (http://princesskristi.xanga.com/712703686/confessions/) recently posted being Real.

I am so proud of her for being so courageous.

Then, today, I heard of another couple who also chose to be Real.

Take a moment to listen to their story... You won't be sorry you did.

There are people who talk...

and then there are people who actually walk.

http://www.dallasnews.com/s/dws/photography/2009/thomas2/

of Chocolate, Emergencies, and Hope

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 03:06:56 GMT

We were in the car,

discussing Financial Planning and

talking about the Importance of having an Emergency Fund.

The Middle Sister piped up,

"I need to have an Emergency Fund for when I need chocolate."

Very very wise.

indeed.
---

Thank God that He is our true Emergency Backup for when Life hands you a Box of Unrequested Surprises.

Psalm 37
¹ Do not fret because of evil men
or be envious of those who do wrong;

² for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.

³ Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

⁴ Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

⁵ Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:

⁶ He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

⁷ Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

⁸ Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.

⁹ For evil men will be cut off,
but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

¹⁰ A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look for them, they will not be found.

¹¹ But the meek will inherit the land
and enjoy great peace.

¹² The wicked plot against the righteous
and gnash their teeth at them;

¹³ but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he knows their day is coming.

¹⁴ The wicked draw the sword
       and bend the bow
       to bring down the poor and needy,
       to slay those whose ways are upright.

¹⁵ But their swords will pierce their own hearts,
and their bows will be broken.

¹⁶ Better the little that the righteous have
than the wealth of many wicked;

¹⁷ for the power of the wicked will be broken,
but the LORD upholds the righteous.

¹⁸ The days of the blameless are known to the LORD,
and their inheritance will endure forever.

¹⁹ In times of disaster they will not wither;
in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.

²⁰ But the wicked will perish:
The LORD's enemies will be like the beauty of the fields,
they will vanish—vanish like smoke.

²¹ The wicked borrow and do not repay,
but the righteous give generously;

²² those the LORD blesses will inherit the land,
but those he curses will be cut off.

²³ If the LORD delights in a man's way,
he makes his steps firm;

²⁴ though he stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with his hand.

²⁵ I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.

²⁶ They are always generous and lend freely;
their children will be blessed.

²⁷ Turn from evil and do good;
then you will dwell in the land forever.

²⁸ For the LORD loves the just
       and will not forsake his faithful ones.
       They will be protected forever,
       but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off;

²⁹ the righteous will inherit the land
and dwell in it forever.

³⁰ The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom,
and his tongue speaks what is just.

³¹ The law of his God is in his heart;
his feet do not slip.

³² The wicked lie in wait for the righteous,
seeking their very lives;

³³ but the LORD will not leave them in their power
or let them be condemned when brought to trial.

³⁴ Wait for the LORD and keep his way.
He will exalt you to inherit the land;
when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

³⁵ I have seen a wicked and ruthless man
flourishing like a green tree in its native soil,

³⁶ but he soon passed away and was no more;
though I looked for him, he could not be found.

³⁷ Consider the blameless, observe the upright;
there is a future for the man of peace.

³⁸ But all sinners will be destroyed;
the future of the wicked will be cut off.

³⁹ The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD;
he is their stronghold in time of trouble.

⁴⁰ The LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.

9.11.01

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:38:38 GMT

Do not honor them merely with pithy words or with the recalling of searing memories.
Let not your memorial tears fall but one day out of several hundred.
Do not remember that morning’s horror and heroism today and then face tomorrow unchanged and unaffected.
But honor their selfless death daily with your love, with your service, and with your sacrifice.
There is no greater tribute…
Stephen Williams

Friday, September 04, 2009

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 06:23:12 GMT

It is utterly crucial that in our darkness we affirm the wise, strong hand of God to hold us, even when we have no strength to hold His. - John Piper

"I know you have a little strength left, yet you have kept my word and not denied Me." - Revelation 3:8

Crisis brings us face to face with our inadequacy and our inadequacy in turn leads us to the inexhaustible sufficiency of God. ~ Catherine Marshall, Beyond Ourselves

Isaiah 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

"Here I was worrying about my journey, while God was helping me all the way. It made me realize that I am very weak; my courage is only borrowed from Him, but, oh the peace that flooded my soul... because I know that He never faileth. I would not, if I could, turn back now, because I believe that God is going to reveal Himself in a wonderful way." - Gladys Aylward

Jeremiah 39:17
But I will deliver thee in that day, saith the LORD: and thou shalt not be given into the hand of the men of whom thou art afraid.

"Faith looks beyond immediate circumstances to the past, which tells the story of God's saving work in Jesus Christ, and to the future, which gives us hope that God will make all things right." Gerald Sittser

:: The Lord will have compassion on his servants... when He sees that their strength is gone. Deut 32:36 ::

"Pain is God's beautiful gift to make us lean harder on Him, when He knows we need it." -Anne Orthund

Deuteronomy 20:1
When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the LORD thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.