Today started out as a wonderful day!
Bill and I rode our new bikes for the first time up to the lookout on the Yough RiverTrail.  (10 miles up and 10 miles back.) We were pretty tired when we got home so we set up our chairs on the deck and enjoyed the sunshine (with sunblock of course.)  We heard a strange sound coming from the sky.  We usually always hear planes going to and from Latrobe Airport, but this was different.  We waited and watched until it came into view.  It was an A 10 Warthog!  Now I had no idea what kind of a plane it was but Bill assured me it was an A 10 Warthog. I believed and trusted him to know this kind of thing.
This made me think  about how I believe and trust in God to know things that I don't.  He already knows what will happen in my future and He will be there to guide and direct me.  He will move things out of my way that will distract me from Him.  He will close doors to opportunities that are not from Him.  He will make a way where there is none. 
So just as Bill knows what an A 10 Warthog looks like and sounds like.  If I take the time to listen, I will hear what God is telling me.  He knows what is good for me and and I trust Him to take care of me.
1 Peter 5:7
Let God have all your worries and cares, for He is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you.

Generational Curses

Exodus 20:5-6

...for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing loving kindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

Heavenly Father, 

I plead for Your Holy Spirit to bind and break the strongholds of these generational curses. Purge and destroy these weaknesses that have been passed through the blood from generation to generation.

The devil came to steal, kill and destroy me but thankfully I know that You gave life. I need Your help Lord, in breaking the chains that have held my husband captive and in bondage.

These curses will stop here! Today! They will not travel to my children or my children’s children.

I pray for direction as I put on the armor of God which will protect me as I stand against, and dispel, all the evil and negative forces around me.

John 10 : 10 – The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Numbers 14:18 – ‘The Lord is longsuffering and abundant in mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but He by no means clears the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation.’

I surrender my life to You. When the enemy comes in like a flood, I will not be defeated because I have been sealed by the Holy Spirit.

Through the blood of Jesus, I have already been set free and now declare that I have been completely delivered. Please deliver my husband!

I declare that I will hear the voice of the Holy Spirit and, with HIS guidance, I will walk in obedience to You and Your Word.

Thank You for bringing me into the freedom I have through Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ mighty name, I pray…SO BE IT…AMEN!

Pentacost...What does it mean to you?

Acts 2:1-12

The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost

1When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues^a as the Spirit enabled them.

5Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,^b 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11(both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

Jesus promised his friends that even though He was going away, He would not leave them.  He told them to wait and pray until He sent them the Holy Spirit. In the reading above the Holy Spirit comes to them in the forms of wind and fire.   Jesus wanted everyone to see and hear what He had to say that day.

Acts 2:36-41

“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”

37When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

38Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

40With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

I remember when I had my confirmation, I hoped that the wind would blow, or a tongue of fire would come to rest above me that day at St. Joseph's Church.  Well neither of those things happened. 
Let's fast forward to 2013, WellSpring Church, Wednesday evening bible study.  We were discussing the Holy Spirit, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, and giving our concerns to God.  That night as I gave my worries and fears to God, I spoke in a language I had never heard before.  My prayer language was beginning to form.  I won't say I spoke in tongues because nobody interpenetrated it. But I honestly know that the Holy Spirit was doing something new in my life.
Today in church questions came up about the Holy Spirit and the people in Sunday School class didn't know too much  about it.  We talked about fear, and crazy people rolling in the aisles.  I felt sad that these friends didn't understand what a gift God has given us. But I will have hope that as we meet and discuss more issues, we will learn more about God our Father, Jesus, our Savior and the Holy Spirit, who lives in each of us when we proclaim that Jesus is our Lord.
Occasionally I will us my prayer language when I'm alone.  I feel especially close to God when I do this.  I feel a peace that "passes all understanding" knowing that God hears and understands my needs even when I'm not sure what I am saying.  There is usually a deep deep longing to be close to Jesus at these times.

Father God, I thank You for hearing my prayers.  I thank You for the opportunity to teach and to learn.  Help all my friends at Christ United Methodist Church to hunger for You and to take time to get to know You through Your Word.  We are never done learning.  Your Word is alive and has something new for us each time we open it.  Open our hearts to what You have to say through Your word and each other.  Help me to help them.  Thy will be done, In Jesus name.  Amen.

Psalm 29:11
The Lord gives strength to His people;  the Lord blesses His people with peace.

Today I need this verse.  I need the Lord's peace.
Bringing Julianne home from her first year of college has been a blessing and a curse.  I'm especially happy that she is excited to come home.  But the amount of stuff she accumulated in 9 months was staggering.
Needless to say Mr.Bill was not happy!  He rented a truck because we knew we couldn't fit everything into our cars.  By the time we were ready to leave the back of the truck was full along with the full back seat.  Thank goodness we could all sit in the front seat on the ride home.
It wasn't a peaceful ride home.  It was very quiet interspersed with rants of anger.

James 1:2-3
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

Yes, we need to get rid of stuff!
So here's the plan:
                     -Every week at least 1 bag or box to Goodwill
                      -Clothes will go to the bin at Fox's Pizza
                       -I will get rid of my recipe box downstairs, keeping only recipes I actually have used
                        -I will check with Jess and Teen about Barbies, stuffed animals, etc...
We will not get rid of the entertainment center in Teen's room downstairs!  That is where I will keep my stuff.  I will keep pictures and anything that is personal to me.

I will get rid of:
bread machine
ice cream maker
salad bar
s'mores maker
crafts
books
and much more than that.

Matthew 6:19-20
19Do not store up for yourselvestreasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy,and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.


Update, July 25th
We had a Yard Sale.  The Barbies, Polly Pockets, and many stuffed animals are gone,  So are the bread machine, ice cream maker, salad bar, etc.  We only made $62.00 by selling these things but more importantly, we have more room in the basement and peace in the house.