Something old and something new.
I am a long time fan of Sonic and am so excited we have one in our area now. Whenever we've gone where there is one I have stopped for my Cherry Limeaide fix. And now I don't have to go so far or wait so long inbetween! YEAH!
That's the something old for me.
The something new is Hu Hot. I've heard it's praises sang for several months and have finally experienced it for myself. To sum it up...YUM! I can hardly wait to go back!
Isn't it funny the things that make us happy?
What else...
My family, spending quality time with them. Just being in the same room with them and watching them enjoy each other. Having the grandkids over, one by one, or all together. Having Hannah home, whether we just chill or do something. Seeing my husband feel better. Spending time with my parents and brother and sister-in-laws and mother and father-in-law.
My friends, any communication with them. Wish I could see them and be with them more often, but it's so nice to know they're "there".
God, definitely not the least, and the many wonders of Him. His Word, His love, the joy He give, the peace He gives, His patience, His gentleness, goodness. Faith in Him.
Other things I enjoy: taking a walk, reading, watch t.v., playing Wii, playing Uno or Scrabble or Chinese Checkers, etc.
Alot of something olds.
And, even Hu Hot will soon be a someting old!
It's nice to know there's always soemthing new that can come along and turn into something old. :)
Our Family
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Faith Is Just Believing What God Says
Once again Beth Moore has hit the nail on the head..."Faith is not an action; it is a response." We need to "learn to trust in His faithfulness (to) grow and develop our own". Faith is "firm persuasion, conviction, belief in the truth, ... reality or faithfulness."
Remember that children's Sunday School song, "Faith is just believing what God said He would do. He will never leave us, His promises are true. If we but believe Him, His children we become..." That's what faith is, believing in God's believaility!
True faith isn't based on what God does, it's based on who He is! If we try and base our faith on what we perceive God is doing we're going to struggle every time He doesn't do what we think He should the way we think He should. How much better to believe in who He is and know He's always going to do things for His honor and glory and according to His plan even if it doesn't make sense to us. We must remember His ways are higher than ours! (Faith is believing God can even we He doesn't...because the doesn't in our eyes, not His all knowing ones.)
Think about Hebrews 11:1: "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
Faith isn't always easy, but it always brings the result desired by God.
The opposite of faith is fear, and fear gets in the way of our faith.
We need to be in prayer for increased faith. Prayer cuts a window in a wall. (Remember Daniel 6:3-11).
The enemy is mostly mouth (like the lions whose mouths God shut for Daniel).
Our life motto should well be "through faith" (as in Hebrews 11:33).
God will always see us through when we put our faith in Him, and beyond the victory is a promise fulfilled.
We fight through with faith.
We need to agree with God and give to Him our weaknesses so He can help us through them.
We need to continually rehearse God's faithfulness to help remind us what He has brought us through and that He can bring us through whatever it is we are facing at the time.
We need to be busy praising the Lord for His goodness and mercy and faithfulness.
And! We please God with our faith. We were created to please Him!
Boy have I needed this lesson this week.
We know when we are tired or worn down or worn out or discouraged that the enemy will attack us and try to get victory over us. At times like these we need to especially rehearse our history of faith in the faithfulness of God.
Remember that children's Sunday School song, "Faith is just believing what God said He would do. He will never leave us, His promises are true. If we but believe Him, His children we become..." That's what faith is, believing in God's believaility!
True faith isn't based on what God does, it's based on who He is! If we try and base our faith on what we perceive God is doing we're going to struggle every time He doesn't do what we think He should the way we think He should. How much better to believe in who He is and know He's always going to do things for His honor and glory and according to His plan even if it doesn't make sense to us. We must remember His ways are higher than ours! (Faith is believing God can even we He doesn't...because the doesn't in our eyes, not His all knowing ones.)
Think about Hebrews 11:1: "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
Faith isn't always easy, but it always brings the result desired by God.
The opposite of faith is fear, and fear gets in the way of our faith.
We need to be in prayer for increased faith. Prayer cuts a window in a wall. (Remember Daniel 6:3-11).
The enemy is mostly mouth (like the lions whose mouths God shut for Daniel).
Our life motto should well be "through faith" (as in Hebrews 11:33).
God will always see us through when we put our faith in Him, and beyond the victory is a promise fulfilled.
We fight through with faith.
We need to agree with God and give to Him our weaknesses so He can help us through them.
We need to continually rehearse God's faithfulness to help remind us what He has brought us through and that He can bring us through whatever it is we are facing at the time.
We need to be busy praising the Lord for His goodness and mercy and faithfulness.
And! We please God with our faith. We were created to please Him!
Boy have I needed this lesson this week.
We know when we are tired or worn down or worn out or discouraged that the enemy will attack us and try to get victory over us. At times like these we need to especially rehearse our history of faith in the faithfulness of God.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Spring Walk
Ok, so first Rebecca says we should take a walk after dinner, and then Mike says we should take a walk after dinner - I'm outnumbered! So, we took a walk after dinner!
Seriously, I've been wanting to walk but just bogged down and don't get it done, but it felt so good! It was refreshing. Hopefully I'll be inspired to keep it up now. I do enjoy taking walks.
I've been sitting looking out my home workstation window and the bright yellow sportscar and the robins pulling earthworms out of my yard, etc., etc., etc., and I've really been getting spring fever! (I even got up this morning and swept and dusted my bedroom and upstairs bathroom and hallway and cleaned the downstairs bathroom and laundry room and kitchen before I started work this morning!)
Well, that's the exciting thing on my mind today!
Seriously, I've been wanting to walk but just bogged down and don't get it done, but it felt so good! It was refreshing. Hopefully I'll be inspired to keep it up now. I do enjoy taking walks.
I've been sitting looking out my home workstation window and the bright yellow sportscar and the robins pulling earthworms out of my yard, etc., etc., etc., and I've really been getting spring fever! (I even got up this morning and swept and dusted my bedroom and upstairs bathroom and hallway and cleaned the downstairs bathroom and laundry room and kitchen before I started work this morning!)
Well, that's the exciting thing on my mind today!
Robins
Ok, so today I'm at my home workstation, and what catches my eye, unlike the manmade bright yellow sportscar, are the God-made robins!
They are out there in droves on my lawn pulling up what I assume to be earthworms.
It is so fascinating!
Even when I'm working away I can't help but see out of the corner of my eye flitting around.
It just makes me smile that God created such a lovely way to tell us spring is here.
They are out there in droves on my lawn pulling up what I assume to be earthworms.
It is so fascinating!
Even when I'm working away I can't help but see out of the corner of my eye flitting around.
It just makes me smile that God created such a lovely way to tell us spring is here.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
A Bright Yellow Sportscar
Ok, so I'm looking out my window of my home office today. I notice the sun is shining, the sky is blue with fluffy white clouds, and it doesn't seem too breezy. I decide I have to take a break to check the temperature, and it's as close to 60 as you can get if it's not.
Then, as I sit back down at my work station I take one last glace out my windows before focusing on the work at hand, and I see a brght yellow sportscar pass by on the corner adjacent to my street!
Now, yellow IS my favorite color, and I've been telling my husband my next car WILL BE yellow, and so it's natural that it made me smile and lifted my spirits.
It made the sun shine a little brighter, the sky a little bluer, the clouds a little fluffier. Somehow that dash of bright yellow just called attention to the beautiful spring day.
So, even man made things can't help but bring out the beauty of God made things.
Makes you think of those verses in the Bible where the trees of the field shall clap their hands, etc.
Then, as I sit back down at my work station I take one last glace out my windows before focusing on the work at hand, and I see a brght yellow sportscar pass by on the corner adjacent to my street!
Now, yellow IS my favorite color, and I've been telling my husband my next car WILL BE yellow, and so it's natural that it made me smile and lifted my spirits.
It made the sun shine a little brighter, the sky a little bluer, the clouds a little fluffier. Somehow that dash of bright yellow just called attention to the beautiful spring day.
So, even man made things can't help but bring out the beauty of God made things.
Makes you think of those verses in the Bible where the trees of the field shall clap their hands, etc.
There Has To Be Balance
Kindness and Goodness...Why there has to be a balance.
"Without kindness, goodness becomes harsh and self-righteous. Without goodness, kindness becomes indulgent tolerance."
Ever thought of it that way?
Kindness is a tender heart and a nurturing spirit.
Goodness is an active good. The purpose of goodness is to do or bring that which is most beneficial, whether or not it is that which is most popular.
Kindness provides safeguard for misguided goodness.
If God puts it to us to confront someone it had better be done in the Spirit devoid of self and full of kindness. It had better be the prompting of the Holy Spirit and not of our own prideful heart.
Once before in these lessons by Beth Moore we were confronted with a similar idea when we talked about peace.
There's a difference between a peacemaker and a peacekeeper. We have to be careful not to be deceived into thinking we are a good peacekeeper if we attempt to keep peace at any cost, because that only brings a false peace if it only covers up or keeps a problem at bay. We have to trust in the Lord and pray for wisdom and strength to face turmoil sometimes to bring real peace.
We also have to be willing to be spirit filled to put goodness to our kindness so we can be effective when the Lord call us to be used of Him in this way.
This is a lesson I struggle with. I want to keep peace. I want to be kind. I want everyone to be happy. But, covering up and ignoring things doesn't make that happen. It really takes listening to the Holy Spirit and obeying Him, doing things in His time and His way (Oh! Here is patience popping up too!). (Of course, thank you Sarah E., it's all one fruit so it should intertwine!)
God calls us to do good works for Him. That's why He saves us (not how He saves us -- our good works don't save us and don't come before salvation, they come after, when we allow the Holy Spirit to fill us and work through us). And the only way we can do good works in Him is if we let His kindness guide us.
If we feel empty, it's because of too much inward looking and not enough outward looking, and doing. Doing good often is outside of our comfort zone. We have to be stretched outside of ourselves to do many things God has planned for us.
"Without kindness, goodness becomes harsh and self-righteous. Without goodness, kindness becomes indulgent tolerance."
Ever thought of it that way?
Kindness is a tender heart and a nurturing spirit.
Goodness is an active good. The purpose of goodness is to do or bring that which is most beneficial, whether or not it is that which is most popular.
Kindness provides safeguard for misguided goodness.
If God puts it to us to confront someone it had better be done in the Spirit devoid of self and full of kindness. It had better be the prompting of the Holy Spirit and not of our own prideful heart.
Once before in these lessons by Beth Moore we were confronted with a similar idea when we talked about peace.
There's a difference between a peacemaker and a peacekeeper. We have to be careful not to be deceived into thinking we are a good peacekeeper if we attempt to keep peace at any cost, because that only brings a false peace if it only covers up or keeps a problem at bay. We have to trust in the Lord and pray for wisdom and strength to face turmoil sometimes to bring real peace.
We also have to be willing to be spirit filled to put goodness to our kindness so we can be effective when the Lord call us to be used of Him in this way.
This is a lesson I struggle with. I want to keep peace. I want to be kind. I want everyone to be happy. But, covering up and ignoring things doesn't make that happen. It really takes listening to the Holy Spirit and obeying Him, doing things in His time and His way (Oh! Here is patience popping up too!). (Of course, thank you Sarah E., it's all one fruit so it should intertwine!)
God calls us to do good works for Him. That's why He saves us (not how He saves us -- our good works don't save us and don't come before salvation, they come after, when we allow the Holy Spirit to fill us and work through us). And the only way we can do good works in Him is if we let His kindness guide us.
If we feel empty, it's because of too much inward looking and not enough outward looking, and doing. Doing good often is outside of our comfort zone. We have to be stretched outside of ourselves to do many things God has planned for us.
Monday, April 13, 2009
You Have How Many Children?!
Yep, I have 13 kids.
From the age of 16-31.
Timothy Michael McCloud, Peter Dennis McCloud, Hannah Ruth McCloud,
Eena "McCloud" from Indonesia,
Henriikka "McCloud" from Finland,
Adriana "McCloud" from Colombia,
Chieko "McCloud" from Japan,
Juan "McCloud" from Chile,
Christin "McCloud" from Germany,
Francie "McCloud" from Taiwan,
Katharina "McCloud" from Germany,
Bonnie "McCloud" from Taiwan,
and Rebecca "McCloud" from Taiwan.
I have 2 daughter-in-laws and 2 son-in-laws.
Renee McCloud, April McCloud,
Tatang (Eena's husband),
Matti (Henriikka's husband).
And 7 grandchildren.
Abby, T.J., Joey, Marshall, Cody and Tim McCloud,
Kalisha, Eena's daughter -- and twins coming this fall to make it 9.
How blessed am I!
How fun it has been to have my own dear children and their spouses and their children in my life, along with foreign exchange children, some of who are now married, and grandchildren that way too.
And then there's been all the other innumerable exchange students that have either been a part of our household for a few days or weeks or months, or who we have enjoyed as part of the group we supervise each year.
Some of these supervised students are nearly like our own as well from time they have spent with us, like Bjorn and Martin.
What fun it has been and is!
From the age of 16-31.
Timothy Michael McCloud, Peter Dennis McCloud, Hannah Ruth McCloud,
Eena "McCloud" from Indonesia,
Henriikka "McCloud" from Finland,
Adriana "McCloud" from Colombia,
Chieko "McCloud" from Japan,
Juan "McCloud" from Chile,
Christin "McCloud" from Germany,
Francie "McCloud" from Taiwan,
Katharina "McCloud" from Germany,
Bonnie "McCloud" from Taiwan,
and Rebecca "McCloud" from Taiwan.
I have 2 daughter-in-laws and 2 son-in-laws.
Renee McCloud, April McCloud,
Tatang (Eena's husband),
Matti (Henriikka's husband).
And 7 grandchildren.
Abby, T.J., Joey, Marshall, Cody and Tim McCloud,
Kalisha, Eena's daughter -- and twins coming this fall to make it 9.
How blessed am I!
How fun it has been to have my own dear children and their spouses and their children in my life, along with foreign exchange children, some of who are now married, and grandchildren that way too.
And then there's been all the other innumerable exchange students that have either been a part of our household for a few days or weeks or months, or who we have enjoyed as part of the group we supervise each year.
Some of these supervised students are nearly like our own as well from time they have spent with us, like Bjorn and Martin.
What fun it has been and is!
Why Do I Have A Blog?
It sounds like a fun thing to do, to blog. But it seems like it really takes knowing what you want your purpose is to make it a "success". I'm doing this for me right now. Reinforcing lessons I'm being taught. Or a place to smile to myself, maybe even at myself. It would be nice if it would take on a life of it's own. If anyone else were to read what I write, what would benefit them? I guess I would like to make people think and make them smile. I like to write poems, and I've often thought it would be neat to be able to write something thought provoking and witty and to inspire people, but I just don't know that I've got what it takes to do that.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Aarg, I'm sick!
Drat, Mr. Cold has come to visit. (He is not one of my favorite people!)
He brought along a few things with him on his visit to share with me...a scratchy throat, a runny nose, a headache, and a churny tummy - blah.
Hope Mr. Cold doesn't stay too long anyway. I'm sure I didn't invite him in the first place.
I don't even feel like being polite to him. Is that bad?
Well, I hope he stays away from your place! I sure won't send him over!
He brought along a few things with him on his visit to share with me...a scratchy throat, a runny nose, a headache, and a churny tummy - blah.
Hope Mr. Cold doesn't stay too long anyway. I'm sure I didn't invite him in the first place.
I don't even feel like being polite to him. Is that bad?
Well, I hope he stays away from your place! I sure won't send him over!
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