but I don’t want to go to bed yet…

 

Well, everyone has gone to bed but I don’t quite feel like going to bed yet.  So I am going to do some web surfing and leave a few rabbit trails…

1.  50 THINGS EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW HOW TO DO -- http://www.marcandangel.com/2008/06/02/50-things-everyone-should-know-how-to-do/

2.  DIY SWEATER PILLOWS -- http://brassyapple.blogspot.com/2011/01/diy-sweater-pillows-cozy-up.html

3.  VALENTINE POM-POM WINDOW GARLAND -- http://www.bedifferentactnormal.com/2011/01/valentine-pom-pom-window-garland.html

4.  CUPCAKE LINER FLOWERS -- http://www.bedifferentactnormal.com/2011/01/cupcake-liner-flowers.html

5.  CUPCAKE WRAPPER POM-POM GARLAND -- http://www.bedifferentactnormal.com/2011/01/cupcake-wrapper-pom-pom-garland.html

6.  JOURNAL WRITING -- http://42explore.com/journl.htm

7.  DECLUTTERING FOR THE SOUL -- http://www.missminimalist.com/2011/01/108-bells-decluttering-for-the-soul/

8.  completed ISV now available -- http://betterbibles.com/2011/01/10/completed-isv-now-available/

ISV now Available for Free Download in e-Sword Format
**
We are pleased to announce immediate availability of the entire text of the completed Holy Bible: International Standard Version in the popular* free e-Sword electronic Bible study program. Here’s how to download it for free:*

9.  If you have unschooled, or delight directed homeschooled a student through high school (allowed your student to direct their courses taken, interest related), can you send me a PM? I would love to pick your brain. (FOLLOW THE CONVERSATION AT - http://www.fiarhq.com/forum/showthread.php?t=83644)

10.  18 THINGS I WISH SOMEONE HAD TOLD ME WHEN I WAS 18 -- http://www.marcandangel.com/2010/06/21/18-things-i-wish-someone-told-me-when-i-was-18/

11.  28 DIGNIFIED WAYS TO IMPRESS EVERYONE AROUND YOU -- http://www.marcandangel.com/2010/12/13/28-dignified-ways-to-impress-everyone-around-you/

12.  1000 JOURNALS - http://www.1000journals.com/index.php?view=Journals%2FIndex -  I participated in this project many years ago.  I often wonder where the journal I put pen and thoughts to ended up.

13.  I picked up this book from the library today – 1000 ARTIST JOURNAL PAGES – (http://www.amazon.ca/000-Artist-Journal-Pages-Inspirations/dp/1592534120) – because I figured Deanna would probably like it.  And I was right… she has already created one page from being inspired by this book.  :o)

14.  KNOWLEDGE IS BORING! KEEP LEARNING!  - http://www.marcandangel.com/2007/06/11/knowledge-is-boring/

15.  KIDS AND THE ART OF PRACTICING - http://raisinghomemakers.com/2011/rinse-and-repeat-the-art-of-practicing/

16.  http://www.minimalistathome.com/back-home-by-choice/ 

“ why did we move back in with my family? It came down to a simple question: What is the most important thing in life? For us, the answer was our family. It is our family relationships that we want to invest in, not a house. It is the connection between our children and their grandparents that we want to grow, not the bushes we planted in our backyard. Even though we already saw my family once a week or more, we wanted to plant our roots deep and give our kids a future that was saturated with family time.  “

17.  A MIDNIGHT HABIT - http://lisanotes.blogspot.com/2011/01/nighttime-habit.html --

“Because I often wake up in the middle of the night—and stay wide awake—I like to redeem the time after the first option fails—be still and hope I’ll go back to sleep. And the second option proves worthless—wondering about things I can do nothing about. And the third option is too crazy—planning the details of the day ahead.

But when I’m smart enough to pursue a positive option, I read; I pray; I listen to lessons. (And now and again I wake up Jeff and talk. He says he doesn’t mind. ?)

And now—the new old option again—I meditate.”

 

And on that note, and because it is almost midnight… I will say goodnight.

GOODNIGHT!

GIVE AWAY WHAT YOU GOT

 

At LISA’S NOTES, she has an entry that fits in well with my pondering about spiritual gifts…

read the whole post at  http://lisanotes.blogspot.com/2011/01/give-away-what-you-got.html

“Reading of it again this week in Philip Yancey’s What’s So Amazing about Grace reminded me that we each have gifts, and like Babette, we need to confidently pour them out on others.

Uncover your gifts sooner rather than later. Then give them away. Let others delight in the pleasures that God legitimately gives you to give them.

With no fear of running low.
Who can use up the supply of the Father? ”

quote – an education for our time

 

"He believed that the sky had a moral function, and that contemplating it induced wonder, a sense of possibility without limit, and inspiration. And he believed that on the High Plains, scoured clean beneath the unbordered canopy of the sky, an American might still dream largely and uncynically. In one of his final notes he left an instruction that the daily curriculum "require and guard zealously a time, of a hour at least, daily, of contemplative solitude. It should be outside for all but the worst months of the year, and the students are to have no books with them when they are alone for such times."     
Josiah Bunting - An Education for Our Time

OLD FASHIONED TV WISDOM FROM BEWITCHED…

 

Samantha to Tabitha…

“Sisters are girls who share something, usually the same parents, but if you share other things – like good feelings, friendship, love… well, that makes you sisters in another way.”

A Dog's Purpose?

 

A Dog's Purpose?
(from a 6-year-old).
Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine
a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The
dog's owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little
boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and
they were hoping for a miracle.
I examined Belker and found he was dying of
cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything
for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia
procedure for the old dog in their home.
As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they
thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to
observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane
might learn something from the experience.
The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my
throat as Belker 's family surrounded him. Shane
seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last
time, that I wondered if he understood what was
going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped
peacefully away.
The little boy seemed to accept Belker's
transition without any difficulty or confusion. We
sat together for a while after Belker's Death,
wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal
lives are shorter than human lives.
Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up,
''I know why.''
Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of
his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more
comforting explanation. It has changed the way I
try and live..
He said,''People are born so that they can learn
how to live a good life -- like loving everybody
all the time and being nice, right?'' The
Six-year-old continued, ''Well,
dogs already know how to do that, so they don't
have to stay as long.''
Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.
Remember, if a dog were the teacher you would
learn things like:
When loved ones come home, always run to greet
them.
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a
joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in
your face to be pure Ecstasy.
Take naps.
Stretch before rising.
Run, romp, and play daily.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back on
the grass.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a
shady tree.
When you're happy, dance around and wag your
entire body.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you're not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find
it.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit
close by, and nuzzle them gently.
ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY
DAY!

Spiritual Gifts

 

I was talking with a friend the other day and she asked me what I thought my spiritual gift was.  I told her it was serving others.  I had done a spiritual gifts survey a few years back and serving was my strongest gift.  Exhorting was my second.  The serving one was no surprise to me, I have always been one to help  people out whenever I can.  The second one – exhorting – was a surprise because one I did not know what it meant.  This is the definition of exhorting - Verb: Strongly encourage or urge (someone) to do something.  After I knew the definition, I figured it fit well too. 

Have you ever done a spiritual gifts survey?  Do you think these things are necessarily spiritual gifts or are they a person’s natural tendencies… part of their personalities?  What do you suppose a spiritual gift really is?

 

Spiritual gifts are the source of much controversy and confusion among believers. This is interesting and something of a sad commentary, since these gifts are meant to be graces from God for the edification of the church. Even today, as in the early church, the misuse and misunderstanding of spiritual gifts brings division--splitting up, rather than building up--in the church. This resource seeks to avoid the controversies and simply explore what the Bible says about spiritual gifts. (Read the whole article here -http://christianity.about.com/od/holyspirittopicalstudy/a/spiritualgifts.htm)

--  A couple of websites that have spiritual gift surveys you can take (Jordan is taking one right now):

http://mintools.com/spiritual-gifts-test.htm

http://www.kodachrome.org/spiritgift/  (Jordan says this one is not as good… I haven’t done either them.)

--  From the bible – Romans 12:6-8 and 1 Corinthians 12 and 1 Peter 4:10-11

* now there are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit gives them (1 Cor 12:4)

*  moreover, to each person is given the particular manifestation of the Spirit that will be for the common good. (1 Cor 12:7)

*  one and the same Spirit is at work in all these things, distributing to each person as he chooses. (1Cor12:11)

*  but we have gifts that differ and which are meant to be used according to the grace that has been given to us.  (Romans 12:6)

*  as each one has received some spiritual gift, he should use it to serve others, like good managers of God’s many-sided grace…  (1 Peter 4:10)

--  My favorite blogger, Alan Knox, has done a series about spiritual gifts -- http://www.alanknox.net/2010/11/spiritual-gifts-series/

--  Jordan finished the survey.  His highest scoring gifts are service, mercy, leadership and exhortation.   I did the survey too (the first one I listed) and mine turned out with serving, teaching, exhorting as the high scores.   I did not like how they worded some of the questions in the survey.  I think most of the time our spiritual gift is pretty clear by our everyday actions.  I don’t think we need to take a survey. 

Well that is all the time I have for this topic for now.  Perhaps I will chime in with more later.