GOD'S LOVE

Have you ever bought something for someone because the Lord prompted you to do so? You didn’t know why they would need that mug, plaque, book, etc., but He did. Have you ever been overwhelmed by His love for someone when giving them something that you knew He wanted you to give them? It’s amazing isn’t it?

Have you prayed that prayer, the one that goes something like, “Lord give me your heart for others, let me see them like you see them.” He has answered me time and time again, supernaturally enabling me to share His love with someone else. I think I missed it a lot of the time not realizing He was answering in a particular way and I guess I assume all of sudden I will feel like He feels and see what He sees, but I don’t. Usually I will be burdened with His great love for someone else and in those moments, it never dawned on me that this is His expression of love for this person and He feels the same way about me. Pretty amazing!

You know the flowers your friend brings to your house, the card with just the right scripture in it or the hot chocolate left on your doorstep on a cold, winter’s day by a friend who knew you had none. That is how He loves us - through one another. If we are not expressing His love to others, to the world, who is?

HEARTS AT HOME

Everyone loves a good sale, Right? We'll let me tell you about a great one:

It’s a Hearts at Home
Black Friday after Black Friday Sale Dec. 7-11

Did you sleep in on Black Friday? Did you drag yourself out of bed, but still miss out on some awesome deals because you were standing in line too long at one store? Do you still have shopping to do, but dread the crowds, traffic, and cost? Let Hearts at Home help!

Their Black Friday sale has been extended to the week of December 7-11. Shop in the convenience of your own home and receive an unprecedented 25% off all of Hearts books and merchandise. They have great gifts for everyone in your family.

Find gifts for friends, teachers, bible study leaders, bus drivers, and everyone else on your list. You may even find something for yourself. This is a great time to stock up on all those Hearts at Home books you’ve been wanting to read.

Let your family know how much you would love a Hearts at Home gift certificate so you can use it for your Hearts at Home conference registration and/or Mom’s Night Out tickets.

Go to Heartshoppe.com, choose your gifts, and enter code “HEARTGIFT” upon checkout. You will receive 25% off your total purchase (before tax and shipping).

I also want to fill you in on a couple of other great opportunities!

Be sure to check out Jill Savage's blog this month (she is the founder and CEO of Hearts at Home). She is doing one giveaway A DAY through Christmas.

And, if you stop by the Hearts at Home blog December 8 - 11, you will have an opportunity to win a Heart's at Home prayer journal. The prayer journal is a brand new resource from Hearts at Home.

Merry Christmas from Hearts at Home!

HERE IT IS!

Isn't it beautiful? Compare it to the previous picture. I told you she was the BEST painter EVER!!!

Here is my new set-up at the store:

I am so excited about this! Can you tell???

BIG NEWS!

Remember last month when I was looking for direction in my business, well I have it. The ladies tea I participated in really encouraged me in my faith and business.

For a year and a half I have had shelves at a local gift shop. It has worked beautifully for me and my customers. It is close to where the previous owner had the tea shop, so it is convineint for customers and they can special order things and pick them up there. I visit the shop once a week and restock, until now...there is no more room on my three big black shelves. So, next week I am taking a whole booth, that's right 80 square feet to with what I want. That means I have lots of space to fill, enter hutch #1:

This beauty is being painted by the most fabulous furniture painter east of the Mississippi. She works wonders with paint. I will use the hutch to display my products (mostly teapots) and will also sell it. Have I ever mentioned I LOVE furniture? I mean REALLY love furniture! This will give me an opportunity to buy a lot of furniture and decorate till my heart's content. I have always loved decorating too and am grateful the Lord is giving me the opportunity to do not one but TWO things I love - tea and furniture. Oh and be a wife and mother, etc. etc. He is pretty AWESOME that way!

THE DEVIL AND THE LEOPARD DRESS

www.freedigitalphotos.net

It was the eve of Judah’s dedication. I was at a local department store looking for something to wear. It had been six months since I gave birth, but the extra pre-pregnancy pounds were still hanging around. I was NOT going to wear maternity clothes to his dedication when he was SIX months old.

I tried on several dresses peeking ever so quickly in the unforgiving dressing room mirror to see if the outfit would suffice and make me feel somewhat normal for the day. I had a lot of “NOs” hanging up. Returning my items to the “I’m not taking this” rack I made my way back to the ladies department and then I saw it – a leopard dress. I LOVE animal print. Then I heard it, “You can’t wear a leopard dress to your baby’s dedication, it’s not appropriate.” What? Who said that?

Grabbing the dress I headed towards the dressing room and tried it on. It fit nicely and I could look at myself for more than a few seconds. As I turned to look at my profile I heard “You look six months pregnant.” I am buying this dress I said with determination! It was only going to be about $20 with the sale and coupon.

As I headed towards the register I stopped in the purse department. For as long as I can remember I have only had one purse at a time because I do not like the hassle of changing purses. So, I keep it till it falls apart and then I get another. Mine was beginning to fall apart, so I looked with great interest. I found not one, but two awesome purses on clearance, which would be further reduced by my coupon. You know I cannot resist a good deal. Then I heard it again, “You can’t wear a leopard dress to your baby’s dedication, it’s not appropriate. Two purses, now that’s just extravagant.” What was going on?

Before I knew it I was in full on battle with the enemy. He was accusing me, as is his nature, but he was accusing me to myself. The battle was so fierce I almost began to cry in the purse department. I called my husband for back-up, but he didn’t answer. I frantically kept dialing the number, no answer. It was just me, the devil and the leopard dress. I have come to know my Father so intimately I recognized the attack from the enemy almost immediately. But would I win?

This may sound over-the-top to some, but to anyone who has ever struggled with self-image you will understand the conflict. This battle was not about a leopard dress and a couple of purses, this was a battle for my soul. Would I agree with the devil, who is a liar or would I agree with the lover of my soul, my Maker who created me in His image? What does my poor self-image say about Him? To Him? It says He is a liar. I knew that was not right.

I would like to say I pulled myself together, prayed a heartfelt prayer, resisted the devil and he fled, but it did not happen that way. Rustling up any strength I had left I headed to the checkout with the leopard dress and two purses, but my insides were churning. I did not feel like a daughter of the Most High God, so isn’t it great that the title does not depend on my feelings? I walked out of there with a dress and two purses for $50, so I should have felt great, but I didn’t. There was still a full on battle going on inside my head.

You know our thoughts come from three places? God, the devil or ourselves and I always used to think the accusing thoughts and negative thoughts were always from me, they are NOT! The accuser of the brethren was throwing anything he could at me to bring me down and at this point I was not fairing so well. I told my husband all about it when I got home and still almost cried just remembering, but somehow when I got dressed Sunday morning I felt beautiful.

Our pastor always does a word study on the name of the baby being dedicated and he said this about Judah...Judah means this “He stood facing the congregation with his arms raised to the Lord” what an awesome picture of the name the Lord gave me for my son. Then the pastor gave me the microphone to share my testimony about how the Lord named Judah. It was a wonderful day!

Can I just tell you that many people told me they loved my dress after church. Ha, ha devil! And I told some of them the battle I fought to even buy that dress. They understand the battle and encouraged me.

I would like to tell you that it is all behind me and I came out victorious, but I am still fighting this battle, AND I know my Father is VICTORIOUS. I continue to seek Him to restore me in this area. The pictures from that day still make me want to cry because I am not happy with the way I look, but I did go out recently and buy all new clothes in a bigger size because I am going to be at peace with myself and my God until we work this self-image thing out*. And WE will because He is faithful as I seek Him in EVERY area of my life.

*This in no way means I'll be this size forever. It means that I am NOT striving to lose weight. I will do what He shows me to do. The Lord and I will address the issues that keep me at this weight and with His help, the weight will come off in due time.

THE GOOD NEWS IS:

And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. Revelation 12:10

There is a great chart (issue 9, page 21)that has these three headings:

GOD/THE GOOD SHEPARD
SELF/THE SHEEP
SATAN/THE THEIF

and it lists what the voices sound like. For example: God - doesn't compare you to others, Self - compares you to others, Satan - forces comparison

I highly recommend going here (click issue 9, page 21) and printing this chart and keeping it in a prominent place. I'll be taking it with me shopping for a while!

Chart is from an archived issue of House2House magazine

TEA PARTY PRAISE, PART 2

As I mentioned just minutes after leaving the tea party…

I got a phone call and it was a neighbor of my mother’s boyfriend's son. She said that my mother told her I wanted to sell the business and she was calling to talk about it. (That was not exactly what I said) I was caught off guard, but I was still basking in the Lord’s faithfulness and presence. I was “self-controlled and alert” because I know “My enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) I was on my way to another event that would keep me out until 6 p.m. that night. I was tired. This was no time to have this conversation; I said I would call her back.

Two things that stood out to me here:

1) It was so like the he enemy to try and catch me when I was busy and tired, so I would get caught up in the moment, 2) BUT it was SO LIKE GOD to go before me and show up in a big way just moments earlier giving me firm footing in my faith to fight one little tempting phone call (fiery darts)

Do I want to sell the business? If that is what God wants, but like I said I do not feel released.

One lady came up to me after the tea and said, “You have a ministry. People need to be taught this. We are raising a generation of children who will not know how to have a face-to-face conversation.” Wow, when you put it that way! My business is a High and Holy calling.

The previous owner saw this business very much the same way – a ministry. To me she was a forerunner for what God called me to do with this business. I can do what I do with this business because she was faithful in what He called her to do. When God hands the baton to the next minister I will know and I will joyfully pass it on. For now I stand firm in knowing this is what He has called me to do. There are still days (many) that I am busier than I would like to be and want to throw in the (tea) towel…BUT GOD!!!

Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Ephesians 6:16

WHAT COULD BE BETTER?

Q: What could be better than a FREE weather forecaster?

A: A weather forecaster that uses words like "delightful" to describe the day!