Thinking Lessons

Apr18

Thinking is one of your senses like smelling, tasting, touching, hearing and seeing. You can engage a thought, ignore it or reject it. Thoughts are not yours until you take them and you do not have to take them.

Doing is now. You cannot change what you did even one millisecond in the past and you can only plan (imagine) what you will do in the future. You can only do in the now.

Events are not good or bad until you decide. If you receive $1000 or get a flat tire, it can be a good or bad event, depending on your perception. Receiving  $1000 may make a vacation possible or it may put you over the income limits to receive a benefit for which  you have applied. A flat tire may cause you to miss being in an accident that occurs or meet a special person that stops to help you. So do not judge an event immediately based on your past experiences.

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
2 Corinthians 10:5

This entry was posted on April 18, 2014, in Uncategorized.

A [true] Sibling Story

Apr11
Julie, Jeff, Albert Mama, Shannon, Daddy

Julie, Jeff, Albert
Mama, Shannon, Daddy

A story about a brother who took the blame.

We were four. My oldest brother, Albert, was born on my Daddy’s birthday. Then came Jeffery, then Julie (me), and finally, Shannon, the baby, was born. In those days, four was a big family. We lived on three acres in Watson, Louisiana, surrounded by trees, canals, hunting dogs and love.

In those days, Mama hollered out the back door for dinner time and we kids walked together to the store to get our Popsicle. Neighbors spanked naughty children if they needed it. Real disobedience was dealt with by the closest adult and again by Mama and Daddy.

My father lined us all up, belt in hand, to find out who committed an offense. I do not remember what the misdeed was. I just remember that there was a guilty party. It was me.

Daddy was determined. Someone had to be punished. Someone was going to admit it and get it or everyone was going to get it. The guilty child was commanded to step forward and get the belt.

Long scary wait.

Then an amazing thing happened. My oldest brother, Albert, stepped forward. My mouth dropped open. I was guilty but I never spoke. I was too afraid of the punishment. My brother never said a word but he took the whipping.

He never said a word but we both knew he was not guilty. He never said a word during or after about the offense or the whipping. He did not try to get out of that punishment. Instead he took it for me without ever rebuking me though he and I both knew I was guilty.

Wow. Is it any wonder I accepted Jesus as my Savior when they explained to me what he did? I understood what they were saying. He took my punishment and he never said a word.

Thanks, Albert. You were a good big brother then, You are a good big brother now. Love, Julie

Now all[a] these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 1 Corinthians 10:11

Willing to BE Willing

Mar19

Many times and in many ways, I have thought about how my CHOICES make my life happy or sad. In my post in the forum at Koinonia Institute, I was asked “When did Jesus “choose” you? Tell us something about your experience and walk with God.” This is what I said:

Jesus did indeed CHOOSE me before He created the world. My family is filled with generations of godly men and women serving Christ by making good CHOICES. For that, I myself am richly blessed. My mother was especially instrumental in bringing me to a place in my life that I began to CHOOSE to “love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:36)

In 1984, pregnant with my second child, I reached the end of my struggle to live without allowing Jesus into EVERY aspect of my life. I was hopeless and helpless but God was faithful. My mom led me in a prayer to ask Jesus to give me her faith and her hope and, most important to me, a willingness to serve Him with my whole life. I had been unwilling up to this point to trust Jesus completely, although intellectually I had acknowledged Him as my Lord and Savior. On that day, I CHOSE Him.

Like David, I heard the Lord say to me, “CHOOSE for yourself,…” (1 Chronicles 21:11 NKJV) And like David, I said,  “I am in great distress. Please let me fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are very great…” (1 Chronicles 21:13 NKJV) [emphasis added]

My journey to joy began with my CHOICE to pray for Jesus to make me Willing to BE Willing to let Him live through me. There have been many milestones, many rocks, piled on my altar to Him so that I could come back to that place and remember the things I learned. But by FAR the BIGGEST ROCK is the one where I laid down FIRST- that Willing to BE Willing rock so that Jesus could then be my ROCK.

And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, CHOOSE for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. (Joshua 24:15 NKJV) [emphasis added]

Sincerely, Julie Ashley

Neither do I condemn thee

Mar19

When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. [emphasis added]
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

One of the things I learned from The GRACE REVOLUTION (Joseph Prince) is that once you receive His gift of no condemnation, you will have the power to break out of the cycle of defeat and experience the abundant life that Jesus died to give you!

In a forum post at Koinonia Institue, I talk about my struggles with living a life pleasing to God:
As Paul said in Romans 7:

“Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”

Romans continues: “So then, I of myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.”

WHOA! I do not want to serve the law of sin. I am in the very same predicament as Paul. Thankfully, I am not left here. “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Because Romans 8 follows Romans 7. And Romans 8:1 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

I love this commentary by Chuck Missler that I found at the Blue Letter Bible: http://www.blueletterbible.org/audio_video/missler_chuck/Rom/Romans_Vintage.cfm#No_Condemnation_in_Christ

Chuck explains that Romans 8:1 says we have no condemnation in Christ Jesus. PERIOD. Chuck tells us to put a period here and explains that Jesus Christ died for ALL my sins, from the point when I accepted him AND also ALL my sins subsequent to my commitment to Jesus Christ. ALL of my sins were FUTURE when Christ died on the cross and said, It is finished!!

Like Chuck, I will put a LARGE period at this point and remember that I have been made FREE of the Law of Sin and Death. Chuck says to strike the phrase “who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit” (He explains why in the commentary.) Also I will add a reference here to Galatians 2:20-21: “For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

So I have learned from GRACE* that we must do things in God’s order: In order to “go and sin no more” I must first remember that
“Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you.”

So by letting Christ live in me, I am able to love God with ALL my heart! So I say again: Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Sincerely, Julie Ashley

* See Joseph Prince devotional: The Gift of No Condemnatoin

Feed the Body: Beef and Broccoli

Feb4

oriental vegetables, frozen (use 1/2 but not seasoning)
broccoli florets, frozen (use 2 of 4 bags inside)
beef and broccoli mix (4)
soy sauce
angus roast beef deli meat, thinly sliced (use 1/2 package, sliced)
rice

Steam rice in rice-maker. Steam oriental vegetables on stove. Steam florets in microwave. Slice meat on a plate. Pour vegetables in giant stainless steel bowl.
Mix b&b packets with water and soy sauce. Heat in cast iron skillet. Add meat at end (2 minutes tops) Pour over veggies in bowl.
Put rice and Beef & Broccoli on table. Give Thanks and Chow down.

This entry was posted on February 4, 2014, in _the Body.

Critical Thinking 2

Feb4

As I mentioned in my last post, A.C.E.S. is going to add the study of Critical Thinking to our curriculum this year. After watching the video I posted of Dr. Sadler, I am having the students read a printout (or online) the following page at University of Pittsburgh:

Critical Thinking

Feb4

This year A.C.E.S. will do a study on Critical Thinking. It has been on my mind since Leon started to college and complained about how much he was missing in this area. He reads and thinks well but we have done no formal lessons. So in keeping with our Moms Survival Guide motto of Always Thinking about Thinking, we will launch into informal Formal Studies of Critical Thinking, Argumentation, etc.

This study path was initiated when I received a sale catalog for TheGreatCourses.com. I did a search for reviews and for each of the professors teaching the classes I was interested in purchasing. I did a search for reviews of The Great Courses, formally known as The Teaching Company, and followed several of the links. I also did a search for several of the names of the teachers of the videos I am interested in purchasing. That led to watching a really good video on YouTube by a professor at Fayettville State University.

Here is a link to both:
The Great Courses
Dr. Sadler

Debbie Macomber Novels

Jun18

Recently I finished reading Debbie Macomber’s novel, A Turn in the Road.

Bethanne Hamlin, her ex-mother-in-law, Ruth, and her daughter, Annie go on a road trip together.. and end up learning more about each other, a certain burly biker and themselves– than they ever expected.

A great book that introduced me to Macomber’s genius. My plan is to read ALL her books by June 1, 2014!

PRINTABLE BOOK LIST

Debbi Macomber Website

Winter comes…

Nov14

Many people, like me, struggle with depression and sorrow during the winter months. Important family holidays fall during the cold damp days of November and December, adding to the stress I am already feelilng.

It helps me to think completely through my situations when these feelings begin to try to settle in.

Below are some of my Winter meditations:

The Cold:
Born a southern girl, I embrace my Louisiana heritage, including the warm muggy days when only flopping in my cold pond water will give me relief. So the cold sneaks in around Haloween, backs off a bit and then teases me several times before slamming down for weeks at a time.

Instead of being unhappy about what is changing, I will focus on what remains the same: God’s Faithfulness:

While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. Genesis 8:22

The Holidays:
Often I become anxious about meeting the expectations of my family during the holidays. Meals and Gifts are just a couple of things on my mind when I anticipate the holiday seasons.

Instead of wondering if there will be enough to go around and wondering what everyone is expecting, I will focus on letting go of my own expectations and enjoying the company of children and family members who take the time to fellowship.

Joy

Rejoice evermore. 1 Thessalonians 5:16

The LORD has commanded me to be joyful at all times. I am not a slave to my feelings so I will obey the LORD. and I will remember those who also struggle and pray for you, too.

Be JOYFUL! It is our strength.