Mamma Betty

Supply Needs

2011-03-13T14:48:00.000-07:00

Phil. 4:19
"My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

"Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,
The clouds ye so much dread,
Are big with mercies, and shall break
In blessings on you head."
(author unknown)

How typical of us to see the clouds and begin to fear what is ahead. But the Bible tells us that God will supply all of our needs. So why do we look at the bad things that could happen instead of standing on that promise? Lets remember this verse and when things look a little cloudy quote it often so it becomes a part, an automatic part of our thinking. It is true, My God shall supply all of your needs.

Strength

2011-03-11T14:46:00.000-08:00

Psalm 28:7

"The Lord is my strength and my shield: my heart trusts in Him. And I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song."

This is the way God wants us to approach everyday. He wants us to have a song in our heart and in our mind and on our lips. He wants to have a spring to our step and a look of joy and peace on our face. This is the true witness of a Christian walking the walk.

The Lord is With You

2011-02-27T14:49:00.000-08:00

Deut. 20:4

"For the Lord your God is He that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies to save you."

"My weakness needs thy powerful arm

from foes and snares to keep me free:

O be my Guide and guard from harm,

Thy weakest saint who trusts in Thee"

(author unknown)

The Lord is there in every situation. We need only call on Him to get help. There have been many situations where there seems to be no good solution. Then we ask our Heavenly Father to intercede and he does and we stand in awe that He did what He said He would do. Why is it so hard to really believe and accept what he has said, "For the Lord your God is He that goeth with you to fight for you against your enemies to save you".

Encourage

2011-02-20T14:51:00.000-08:00

Deuteronomy 3:28

"Encourage and strengthen him, for He will lead this people."

Although we may not be in charge of a lot of people and in fact may not know anyone who is, we do know some who are helping, teaching, guiding or working with others. Just because they are the parent, preacher, teacher or friend of that person and are doing their best to fulfill this verse, does not mean that they don't need encouraging themselves.

Giving a word of encouragement will always help. Just one phrase, "you are doing a good job" can make all the difference in the world to someone. Don't be afraid to blurt it right out when you see someone who is doing a good job or deed. They need to hear from others that their good efforts are being seen by someone. "Encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people."

Valintines Day

2011-02-14T14:53:00.000-08:00

1Thessalonians 3:12

"May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else."

What a wonderful prayer for each other to offer at Valentines Day. We already love our family and adore our children. And of course we all have our favorite people i the world. But this verse wants us to love everyone else. Wow! Have you thought about that? Who is everyone else? It's like the question, "Who is my neighbor".

We have learned to over look the fault of our family and our children but it sure is hard to deal with those"everybody else's". Recently we were in a restaurant and were not dealt kindly with. So it was not with "love" toward that person that we left that evening.

How can we love those who do not do right by us? It certainly isn't easy. But we know that we, as children loved and honored by God need to pass that love along. We did. We did not yell back. We did fill out comment cards in hopes that it will be learned to treat others with respect. What else should we have done? We should have prayed that the love of the Lord fill him to the top of his head and replace that old spirit with the love that we need to have for each other.

Let us pray this verse, that our love might increase and over flow for each other and for everyone else all year long.

Freedom

2011-02-12T15:15:00.000-08:00

Galatians 5:1

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."

Freedom, yes freedom from the burdens of our life. The things that make us feel like we are a slave to them. We all have so many things in our possession and so many things we think that we need to do that we have become a slave to them. It is time to "declutter". It is time to get rid of the things that physically are in our way so they won't take so much of our time and energy to move them from place to place. Get some of those bills paid and out of the way so we can enjoy our work and our surroundings. We are the ones that make us a slave. It is time to trim dcown the things that are burdening us. Take off the yoke of the slave and put your trust in Jesus. He wants us to have freedom.

Psalm 54:4

2011-02-12T15:13:00.000-08:00

"Surely God is my help: The Lord is the one who sustains me"

When we learn this verse in our heart then we have learned a great truth. He is our only help. He is the only one who can really sustain us.

Often we try other methods. We do what we have heard has worked for other people. We try what we have read that should work. Then when all else fails we do what we should have known to do in the first place, we call on God.

We tell him of the mess we are in. We tell Him all about our struggles. Then, hopefully, we take time to listen to the answer He is giving to us.

Lets start afresh and ask Him first. Each day go to Him in Prayer and ask what you need to know for the things you will face that day. God loves us and is just waiting for us to ask so He can be our help, so He can sustain us.

Who’s way

2010-04-01T15:39:00.000-07:00

Who’s Way?
When it comes to making decisions in your life who should be the greatest influence? Should your decision be made because,"everyone my age is doing this ", or doing it this way? Should we consult the television, the movies the radio, newspapers or magazines. They (the people who write for them) all have opinions. They all act out what their opinions are to give us an example of how to act. Is a superstar the one we should take after? Or, how about a neighbor that we admire or look up to. Some times a store keeper will seem wise and all knowing. Should we look to them for our personal decisions? Even teachers in church, school, and workplace have opinions on how we should decide our issues.
The way that God has made for us to have help in our times of question is by giving us family. A father and mother is the best place to go but if you are not able to go to them try Grandma or Grandpa. If they aren’t available try an Uncle or Aunt that you can trust. Maybe go to a cousin or brother or sister.
Most of all it is important to consult with God on what he wants you to do. How he wants you to do it. Find out who he wants you to go to for help. He has put in place the support group that he wants you to work in. Check with him first and get his answer before you begin.

2010-03-15T16:32:00.000-07:00

The Kids (discipline)

2010-03-15T15:38:00.000-07:00

The Kids and Discipline

Now that you have really focused on what you want from and for your kids, how do you get there from here?
1. A quiet loving attitude. When I was a teenager a lady I knew (a couple of ladies in fact) never just spoke to their children. They yelled loud and long. The kids finally learned to ignore mom. I could hear the neighbor behind and across the field from us yelling. After five or so minutes the kids would answer. They knew how long she would yell before they had to do what she said to do.
The other lady, it didn’t matter how much she yelled, her boys ignored her. There were no consequences to make them behave.
I determined if I had children I would not yell at them. I didn’t. My children learned to listen to what I said the first time I said it. I’ve heard my daughter say, “The quieter mom got the madder she was. We paid attention.”
My son ask me to please not cheer for him at the ball games because he was so attuned to hearing my words and doing what I said that it interfered with his game.
You see I determined that I would not make a spectacle of myself by continually yelling. I determined that they would not ignore me and make me repeat myself and that they would do what I said the first time I said it. And that is the behavior I got from them. They didn’t have to wonder how far they could push me. They knew that they could not. They were comfortable with that. They knew where they stood. I was comfortable with that because it cut down a whole lot of frustration.
So the first thing you need to do is decide what you want your children to be. Then decide how you want to accomplish your decision. Then most of all stick with your decisions.
Discipline is a must. You will not get your goals accomplished if you cannot get the child to sit and look at the book or paper.
Set your schedule. Explain it to your child no matter how young. Repeat your schedule often. “This is our study time.” They do understand younger than we give them credit for. They do forget so remind them what the rules are often.
Set your rules and stick to them. There is no room for wishy washy here. Kids like structure they like knowing what is required of them and what they can expect when they do the required and when they do not do the required.
There needs to be rewards and praises for jobs well done. And there needs to be consequences for unfinished work and bad behavior.
For misbehaving I personally like paddling. It gets the offence dealt with. The punishment over with and life goes on with lessons learned. In the long run it is easier on me because I don’t have to remember that I am doing a time out or some other punishment. It is over in a few minutes with instruction not to do it again or what ever is appropriate.
Decide what your consequences will be: less TV., less computer time, no game boy, no desert, no neighbor kids over, what ever but you make the decision ahead of time. Before there is an offence, then implement the consequence. Don’t be talked out of it. If you don’t stick to it the kids will know two important things:
1. They don’t have to do what you say because nothing will happen if they don’t.
2. Mom lies! I can’t trust what she tells me, she just proved it.

If a child has been promised consequences to their action, it should be as good as a promise of reward.
This is the start of a beautiful relationship between you and your child. Be honest and true to them and to yourself.

Discipline (homeschooling)

2010-03-01T15:37:00.000-08:00

Discipline (homeschooling)

Believe it or not the greatest discipline problem will come from you.
“I’m just to tired today”
“It’s so beautiful out let’s just play outside today”
“They don’t want to learn, why am I doing this anyway. Maybe we should take the day off.”
“I’m stupid. I don’t know what made me think I could do this in the first place.”

We have passed out pads and pens. So starting with number four: stupid means mental dullness, foolish senseless tediously dull due to lack of sense, inane, pointless= unintelligent, tiresome, dull.
Does that really describe you? I didn’t think so. The reason for choosing to do this or thinking about doing this is simple, love. You love yourself enough to want children you can be proud of. You love your children enough to want the very best for them. The best care, the best discipline, the best teaching, the best life.
In your thinking you have evaluated the pros and cons of public school with their teachings of unbelief, violence and atheism. You don’t like the evil, sex, and disrespect that your children are learning in the public schools.
God gave to you those children to raise. He also gave to you the ability to know what to do for them. Haven’t you sometimes, when they have come in torn and bleeding, known exactly what needed to be done to comfort and fix their hurt? Haven’t you known the exact words or kind of hug needed to start the minding processes of a broken hart? That’s because when God made you he equipped you for motherhood. It’s alright to be clairvoyant where our kids are concerned. It’s ok to mold them into what you want them to be. I am not talking vocation I’m talking personality, beliefs, behavior, dependability, emotionally. It is alright to teach them to be stable in all their ways.
No more putting yourself down. It is time to realize that you are an intelligent, informed creation of God. He has chosen you to form the destiny of your children. It is a big job but you are up to it.
Number three. They do want to learn. Watch them they are always learning something. It is up to you to stimulate that learning toward academics.
Number two. Beautiful not to hot, not too cold days are not always available. It is hard to let one pass. Sometimes it is ok to incorporate “outside exercise” as the main part of your day. But generally you have a time set aside for physical exercise. Stick to the plan. It is important. If you can’t exercise outside get an inexpensive exercise or dance tape to do inside exercise and take the place of outside exercise for your health. Do it for your kids health. This is important. Do it together.
Now for the first thing on our list the, “I’m tired.” Yep, you are. You are cleaning the house, doing laundry, cooking, taking care of the kids and teaching school. (And probably a lot of other things.
Every afternoon while the baby’s are napping you lay down and rest too. Read a chapter in your book. Take a bath. A few minutes to rejuvenate. You need that. Put away the cookies and pies for special occasions. Eat healthy. Study nutrition with the kids. If you are healthier you will feel better.
Don’t give in to the feeling of being overwhelmed and tired. Focus on your goals, to have the best kids ever. The calmest, most active children. The best behaved and the absolute smartest. Remind yourself of that every morning if you need too. Once you understand what your goal is you will know the why of why you are doing this…

Choices

2010-02-12T15:36:00.000-08:00

Choices
Everyday we are faced with choices: Buy my lunch or brown bag it. Watch TV or play video games, Long or short sleeves, blue or green fingernail polish.
Not life changing decisions but still decisions. Sometimes it gets to be such a mindless thing that we can pop out those decisions without even thinking about it.
Without even thinking about it afterward. Have we got into such a habit of instant answer that we don’t even realize what we are wearing, doing, or saying?
When someone asks you to do a favor do you have the answer ready before you know the what, where, when or why? Don’t speak too soon. Even to answer my questions here. We need to not be so instant. Take time to at least listen to what is being said. Take time to whisper a prayer for guidance.
No, God does not want us to always say yes to questions ask of us. But, on the other hand he does not always want us to say no. What he does want is for us to pay attention to what decisions we make. To pay attention to what we eat or what we wear. It makes a difference for our example of him and his guidance in our life.
So try, try to pay closer attention to yourself and what decisions you make. Take that time to insure that your decisions are in accord with what God wants from you.

"If someone says something

2009-06-30T15:11:00.000-07:00

unkind about me, I must live so that no one will believe it."

Wow, what a neat thing to think about. And what a good thing to do. It is hard to go on with your daily life when you know that someone has said something unkind to someone else about you. It hurts deep down inside. It hurts your mind and everything about you. Can you do anything to get it taken back? No . It is like the feathers of the pillow that was ripped open and tossed into the wind. It wont come back. But we can live in a way that people can see the truth about us and therefor know what kind of person we are.

Can you do that and let the unkind words go away? Sure, maybe not alone but knowing that God knows all about you and loves you no matter what will give you the courage and the grace and joy to overlook the unkind words and be happy. Maybe if the unkind thing is true, you will let God do an overhaul and show others that with God all things are possible. Everyone can change and be a better person, If they want to, If they let God help.

"The devil can only suggest!"

2009-06-29T15:21:00.000-07:00

How profound. But it is true. He suggests but we have the right and authority to decline his suggestion. More and more it is in our best interest to discover where the mental suggestion has come from before we act upon it. Do you ever find yourself getting an idea and before you can think about it you have put it in motion and then discovered that it really would have been better to have not acted upon it at all? And then the clean up work begins. I hate the clean up work! Don't you? So to prevent the clean up lets take some time to talk it over with our Father before we implement those great "suggestions" that have popped into our mind. Let's see who made the suggestion in the first place.

Charley Willey says,

2009-06-22T15:19:00.000-07:00

"If you have something to do that is worthwhile, don't talk about it but do it. After you have done it, your friends will talk about it."

I like that. Sometimes when God puts something in our path to accomplish for him, we get so busy explaining to others how good we are and what a blessing we have been that we ruin the glory that God wanted to get from what He had us to do. oops ! Maybe it is time for us to take a step back and ask God to help us keep our mouth under control and let the glory go to Him. He gets the big credits and our friends let everyone know that finally we have learned to let go and let God..........

" To ward off wrinkles

2009-06-22T15:17:00.000-07:00

make an oatmeal masque. take a couple of teaspoons of rolled oats, mix this with half as much water, work it into a mush with your fingers and apply it to your face. Leave on for 20 minutes and rinse with warm water. It will tighten the skin like the expensive masques sold today."

OR: you can look at it the way one of my Aunts did. She felt that God gave her those wrinkles and so wanted to show the world that she had lived her life and had some experience and some wisdom...

I think I like that better. I think I prefer to eat my oatmeal. At my advanced age (65) I don't mind looking like I might know something. Once in a while I can prove that I do.

Isn't God good ! I do enjoy life and appreciate the fact that God is so good and faithful. How do you feel about getting older? I hope you are embracing it and enjoying every little chance to show what God has taught you over the years.

Now grey hair? Wow, I just found another one..............

Did you know

2009-06-15T15:16:00.000-07:00

that trust is the single most important factor in both personal and professional relationships? It is . Without trust we are working in a void. That void is like an open pit where everything we do and say falls into. In our world where everyone, it seems, is out to take every opportunity to better advance themself no matter the cost, it is hard to trust. Hard to put our confidence into someone else. Hard to trust.

One of the best ways that I have found to find trust is to be trust worthy myself. If I say that I will do something or be somewhere I see to it that that is what I do or where I be. No, it isn't always easy to keep every promise. And because of the fast pace life we live I do on rare occasion have to ask forgiveness because I must change the plans that I have made. But on the whole I try to be a person that can be trusted.

I believe that is the way that God wants us to be. He wants us to stand by our word. He wants us to care whether others can depend on us. He doesn't want us to lie or say a thing just to apease others and then forget about it. We, the children of God need to be children that give honor to our father and be people that others can trust in word and in deed.

"you shouldn't compare yourself

2009-06-08T15:14:00.000-07:00

to the best others can do, but to the best you can do."

We don't all have equal abilities. Some of us can paint, or crochet or work wonders in the garden. Some of us can't. I can paint. Jady can grow flowers. Sharon does needlework. See what I mean. No way will I compare myself to them and their talent because I would think I am a failure. Instead I rejoice in the beauty that God has helped them create and encourage them to do more.

But for me, I work at being the best me I can. God didn't tell me I have to outshine everyone else. He just instructed me to be the best that I can be. So if you have had a problem thinking that you are not as good as other people, stop that! you are only required to be the best you that you can be. Let your light shine. Let God build you up in the talents that he has given you to work with. If you think that you have none, ask God to show them to you cause he gave each of us a measure of tools to work for him with. So let me encourage you today to, with God's help, Be the Best that you can be.

Have you ever thought

2009-06-01T15:12:00.000-07:00

about the fact that most things that we worry will happen never do? Since that is true, why do we spend so much time worring?

God doesn't want us to worry. He would much prefer that we spend that time in seeking him and praising him. Hmmmmm.........Ok how do we accomplish that? We know that the Evil one is there to fill any blank space in our thinking with worry, distress, and black thoughts. So what do we do? We keep our mind full of God........you probably think,"Easy for you to say." Well , yeah it is easy to say. But it is easier to do that you might think. First all those praise and worship cd's you have looking good in the shelf.....get them out , one every morning and put it on the player. Did you know it is pretty hard for the devil to get a word in if all your words are singing prase to the God that created you? It's true....Now starting in the morning like this will keep you going pretty much all day. I am not saying that you are completely covered cause at any little lapse the devil is there to fill in the blanks but you can make a decided effort to be happy all day no matter what and make it work.

Don't forget to add a time of prayer to those singing.....

Age 66,

2009-05-20T15:09:00.000-07:00

" It doesn't cost anything to be nice."

Know what? That is a true statement and yet we spend our time not even trying. It doesn't cost anything so why not give a smile and say a cheery good morning to people when we meet them on the street or while at work or in the grocery store, anywhere we might be.

Guess what. You will be the one that receives the most for it because they will remember that greeting and return it to you then and next time they see you. Not only that, they will give it away to the next person they meet.

Now look what you've started ! a chain of smiles that could go on forever. What a good way to let people know that the God you serve loves them too..

"Life is like a scooter car;

2009-05-11T15:07:00.000-07:00

not much happens unless you do some pedaling" This was written by a person who was 79. I think they are correct.

How often do you sit at home wanting something to do or something to happen? "Another Friday night and here I am with no where to go and nothing to do."

Well the time has come for you to get in your "little Scotter car" and make things happen. Go to the local theater. Or, simply to the place that you know friends and family hang out at or go to dinner at.....You are bound to find someone who you can talk to and maybe make a new friend or two.

First, pray for guidance. Then get out there and pedal !

guidance= g (God) U (and) I dance

Sing a song

2009-03-25T17:25:00.000-07:00

Look for the good in this day ....don't give the evil one the benefit of ruining the beautiful day that God has prepared for you....sometimes we have to choose to be happy..and make an effort to be that...but God is faithful and happy to accept our effort and before we know it we will have a song in our heart, mind, soul and thoughts.....so sing me a song.

March the second..

2009-03-06T16:56:00.001-08:00

Still winter well sorta just starting winter, well it is confusing that here in Nevada you never can tell what is comming next.

Well serving God is a lot like that. We think we know what we are going to do, Where we are going to go and just how things are going to happen. Then when God sees fit to change things around we sometimes get frustrated.

Just as our weather here in Nevada is a surprise everyday so should our walk with the Lord should be. Not accepting disruptions (snow) as evil or depressing but as an adventure. "Wow today I got to _____________ I wasn't planning to but what a blessing to get to do something different, Thank you God.".....Mama Betty

Frustration

2009-02-10T15:41:00.000-08:00

I certainly understand the frustration many people have with using the internet. I have been trying to post to this article for almost an hour, and still have not been able to access my blog. So we have found a way around the way we are supposed to do it and have got it done.

In our daily life we often run across things that frustrate us. We work with it and worry over it and eventually we find a way to get it done. Often times what we need to do is to just sit back for a minute and ask for God to help us work it out. In my case I gave up and called my daughter. I am not saying that she is a God but what I am saying is I called on the one person that I knew would know how to fix my problem..and she did.

Now God is often the problem solver we need to call on and he wants us to call on him. The Bible tells us to cast our EVERY care on Him. But we worry with it and fret and get all frustrated and often don't even think to just stop and let Him have a word with us.

Why do you suppose that we do that? Don't we trust Him to do what He has said that He would? Don't we think that He cares about our problems and want to help? I think that the answer is: We just get so used to doing it our self that we don't even think about Him. We are also instructed in the Bible to pray continually, So while doing dishes, sewing, painting, working on the car, mowing the lawn (actually mowing the lawn or vacuuming is the perfect time to praise Him. The noise gives you freedom.) these times give moments that you can give a praise, a song, a sentence. Sometimes just a thank you to Him. Then it becomes a habit and when you need that boost to figure out how to do something He is right there to help and you are in a mind to hear Him. So starting today give God more of the time. Give Him the time you have been spending worrying, gossiping in your mind, being frustrated. work toward the "pray without ceasing" Betty

Resolve

2009-01-06T17:39:00.000-08:00

Yes it has been a long time. The year just seemed to slip by and now we start a brand new one. For me it is more time to serve the Lord.. I am healthy and busy. Bored? not in this house, or church and especially not in this family. I know that at this time of year we look ahead and try to figure out what will happen this year. What difference will I make. How can I get more done... all kinds of questions and resolves. But the main thing is to stay close to God and seek his advice daily. We can plan to do a lot of things but if it is not what God is wanting us to do , it is waisted.

If your year has started out with problems remember, " When you are most tempted to give up, you are likely to be on the verge of succeeding." by: Robert Atkins. I know he was talking about dieting but doesn't it fit all parts of our days? We just push through all of those problems and get to the joy of success....

Joy

2008-01-23T16:48:00.000-08:00

" I renew my soul by spending time with the people I love and by doing the things that bring me greater health and joy." anonymous.

Sometimes we get so busy doing what is expected of us and necessary to do, that we forget that we need to do something just because we like to do it once in a while. Think about it and make a list if you need to to remind yourself that there are enjoyable things available to your good health that doesn't cost anything and yet bring you great pleasure.
Mom

Getting Started

2008-01-14T15:53:00.000-08:00