God's Plan Matures Us Slowly
by Rick Warren

So get rid of your old self, which made you live as you used to—the old self that was being destroyed by its deceitful desires.
Your hearts and minds must be made completely new, and you must put on the new self,
which is created in God's likeness and reveals itself in the true life that is upright and holy.
(Ephesians 4:22-24 TEV)

Although God could instantly transform us, he has chosen to develop us slowly. Jesus was deliberate in developing his disciples, just as God allowed the Israelites to take over the Promised Land "little by little," so they wouldn't be overwhelmed. (Deuteronomy 7:22) He prefers to work in incremental steps in our lives.

Why does it take so long to change and grow up? There are several reasons -

We are slow learners. We often have to relearn a lesson forty or fifty times to really get it. The problems keep recurring, and we think, "Not again! I've already learned that!"—but God knows better. The history of Israel illustrates how quickly we forget the lessons God teaches us and how soon we revert to our old patterns of behavior. We need repeated exposure.


We have a lot to unlearn. Many people go to a counselor with a personal or relational problem that took years to develop and say, "I need you to fix me. I've got an hour." They naïvely expect a quick solution to a long-standing, deep-rooted difficulty. Since most of our problems—and all of our bad habits—didn't develop overnight, it's unrealistic to expect them go away immediately. There is no pill, prayer, or principle that will instantly undo the damage of many years. It requires the hard work of removal and replacement.

The Bible calls it "taking off the old self" and "putting on the new self." (Romans 13:12; Ephesians 4:22-25; Col. 3:7-10, 14) While you were given a brand new nature at the moment of conversion, you still have old habits, patterns, and practices that need to be removed and replaced.

Growth is often painful and scary. There is no growth without change; there is no change without fear or loss; and there is no loss without pain. Every change involves a loss of some kind: You must let go of old ways in order to experience the new. We fear these losses, even if our old ways were self-defeating, because, like a worn out pair of shoes, they were at least comfortable and familiar.


Good habits take time to develop. Remember that your character is the sum total of your habits. You can't claim to be kind unless you are habitually kind—you show kindness without even thinking about it. You can't claim to have integrity unless it is your habit to always be honest. A husband who is faithful to his wife most of the time is not faithful at all! Your habits define your character.
There is only one way to develop the habits of Christlike character: You must practice them—and that takes time! There are no instant habits.

Paul urged Timothy, "Practice these things. Devote your life to them so that everyone can see your progress." (1 Timothy 4:15 GW)

Exodus 15:26
… “If you will listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer … for I am the LORD who heals you.”

The connection between obedience to God’s commands and health is not arbitrary. God made the body, and our bodies will last longer if we follow the Creator’s guidelines.

Exodus 16:3
“If only the LORD had killed us back in Egypt,” they moaned. “There we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death.”

The people were developing a pattern of faithlessness manifested in complaining. The Israelites had been oppressed slaves in Egypt! One of the great dangers of complaining is that it blinds us to reality. Faith is grateful for what is, and believes the best is yet to come. Complaint focuses on what is wrong with the present and glorifies an unreal past.

Exodus 16:4-5
Manna and Quail from Heaven

We instinctively resist a style of life in which it is necessary to depend on God each day to supply our needs. We wish to have supplies in advance so that we can feel independent. God was training the people for a life of faith.

Matthew 6:11
Give us today the food we need,

The disciple, after confidently asking God to provide for daily needs, can go about Kingdom ministry relieved of care.

Matthew 6:25-34
Teaching about Worry
“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? …. Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? … Why do you have so little faith? “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

Jesus taught an anxiety-free existence of simple trust in God for provisions. Jesus’ disciples had abandoned all. Jesus gave them comforting reassurance that God would provide for their needs.

Matthew 4:18-22
The First Disciples
“Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!”
Follow him in self-denying obedience

Matthew 4:17
“Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”

Matthew 9:9
Jesus Calls Notorious Sinners
“Follow me and be my disciple

Matthew 10:5-14
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles
Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. 8Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received! Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve to be fed.

Jesus’ disciples were to trust in God’s provision

Matthew 7:7-11
Wisdom: Effective Prayer
“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

Avoid greed that would give others the opportunity to defame the Lord’s name, and to encourage the newly formed communities to provide for their leaders’ needs.

 
  

  

                         
                                                                                                                                                                   



  

Parable of the Unforgiving Debtor

Matthew 18:21-35
Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”
“No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!
… forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.”

Peter’s suggestion of seven times was generous, so Jesus’ answer was startling. The disciple’s willingness to forgive should be like God’s forgiving grace, limitless and free.

Matthew 18:10-14
10“Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father.

Parable of the Lost Sheep

Matt 18:12-14 // Luke 15:3-7
12“If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? 13And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn’t wander away! 14In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish.

Those who do not forgive in this way cannot themselves have experienced God’s forgiveness

Matthew 6:12
12and forgive us our sins,
as we have forgiven those who sin against us.

Forgiving others is a reflection of a repentant, regenerate heart, which makes our own forgiveness possible. Those who have experienced God’s forgiveness will forgive. Jesus implies that those who are unwilling to forgive have not perceived God’s mercy, and perhaps have never truly repented.

That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you: Prison and torture is thus a metaphor for hell.

Matthew 5:22
22But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of ahell.

God's Financial Provision-Ask Him for Help
by Rick Warren

You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, his generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus. Philippians 4:19 (MSG)

There is an amazing, incredible and all-encompassing promise in Philippians 4:19 (NIV) regarding provision: "... God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus."

Note the first two words: "God will ...." It doesn't say, "He might meet your needs," it says, "He will meet your needs." It's written as a fact; God is staking his character and his reputation on it.

Then the Bible says, "God will meet all. ..." It doesn't say, "I'll meet some of your needs." It says all.

Now, understand that it doesn't say, "I'll meet all your greeds." There's a big difference between needs and wants. As a parent, do you give your kids everything they want? I hope you don't. You don't do that because you love them. And your heavenly Father loves you. He's not going to give you everything you want because if he did, you'd be spoiled to death.

He won't give us everything we want, but he will give us what we need. Then why do you have financial needs? Did God fail? Did he lie? Exaggerate?

No! With every promise, there is a premise; there are conditions and requirements. When God makes a promise, he says, "I'll do my part and you do your part." God's wisdom, his financial principles are clearly laid out for us in his Word. Although the Bible discusses many aspects of financial health, including principles of saving, spending, giving, investing and stewardship.

First, ask for his help - Jesus says, "Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy." (John 16:24, NLT) Here's a good rule: Before you pay for it, pray for it. Give God a chance to provide before you go out and charge it. You probably depend more on your charge card than you do Jesus Christ.\

Why does God want me to ask? So he can give.
Why does he want to give? So I can receive.
Why does he want me to receive? So I'll be full of joy.
Why does he want me to be full of joy? It's a great advertisement for Jesus Christ.

Joyful Christians are a positive testimony.

Three habits to help you grow spiritually
by Rick Warren

But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress. Psalm 59:16 (NLT)

We all want our relationships to be characterized by the persistence and self-sacrifice. But we can never do that on our own. The kind of love we long to show others is only found in a growing relationship with God. Without God's power in our lives, our love will run out.
You don't build that kind of relationship with God - one that will help you love others when you want to give up - by accident. You do it through habits. Here are three habits that'll help you grow in your relationship with God.

1. A daily quiet time -- Let God talk to you through the Bible and through prayer.. Nothing will help your life more. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 4:16, "This is the reason we never lose heart. Our body does suffer wear and tear but every day the inward man receives fresh strength." (Phillips) Outwardly our body suffers wear and tear. But spiritually we can be renewed every day by spending time alone with God. It's not hard. Read through a chapter of the Bible, mediate on it, and talk with God about what's going on in your life.

2. Small group -- The Bible says in Hebrews 10:25, "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another..." (NIV) You need to spend time with other believers. I hope you have a church family. Be a part of whatever mechanism they have to connect you within a small group - whether that's a Sunday School or off-campus small groups. You need the prayer support and encouragement of other believers. A Christian without a small group is an orphan.

3. Worship through song -- Psalms 59:16 says, "I will sing about your strength, my God, and I will celebrate because of your love." (NLT) Singing builds you up. The singing time at your church isn't just the warm-up act. It's just as important as the message. Don't miss it this weekend. Also, put some worship music on your I-pod速 this week - and don't be afraid to sing along. It'll recharge your soul and give you the God-given strength to love others.

How to be thankful in tough times

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
Philippians 4:6 (NLT)

Don't worry about anything.
Worrying doesn't change anything. It's stewing without doing. There's no such thing as born worriers; worry is a learned response. You learned it from your parents and peers. The fact that worry is learned means it can also be unlearned. Jesus says, "So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today." (Matthew 6:34, NLT)

Pray about everything.
Next use the time you've been worrying for praying. If you prayed as much as you worried, you'd have a whole lot less to worry about. He's interested in every detail of your life. That means you can take any problem you face to God.

Thank God in all things.
Whenever you pray, you should always pray with thanksgiving. The healthiest human emotion is not love -- but gratitude. It actually increases your immunities; it makes you more resistant to stress and less susceptible to illness. People who are grateful are happy. But people who are ungrateful are miserable because nothing makes them happy. They're never satisfied; it's never good enough. So if you cultivate the attitude of gratitude, of being thankful in everything, it reduces stress in your life.

Think about the right things.
If you want to reduce the level of stress in your life, you must change the way you think; the way you think determines how you feel. And the way you feel determines how you act. So if you want to change your life, you need to change what you're thinking about.

This involves a deliberate conscious choice where you change the channels. You choose to think about the right things: focus on the positive and on God's word.

Why? Because the root cause of stress is the way I choose to think.

When we no longer worry, when we pray about everything, when we give thanks, when we focus on the right things, the Apostle Paul tells us the result is, "The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Weather Rules of Thumb

Packed snow begins to squeak underfoot at about 5 degrees F. At 0 degrees F, it squeaks with a distinct hollow sound.
–Mark Breen, meteorologist, The Fairbanks Museum

If a jet flying overhead doesn’t leave a visible contrail, you can be pretty sure it won’t rain the next day.
–Jeff Johnson, meteorologist, Northwest Weathernet

Walking a mile through snow takes as much effort as walking 2 miles on bare ground.
–Fred Gadomski, Penn State Meteorology

If a moderate rain falls all day, you’ve probably picked up about an inch of rain. A brief, heavy thunderstorm will typically produce a quarter of an inch or so.
–Mark Breen, meteorologist, The Fairbanks Museum

Weather Proverbs

While not as scientific, weather proverbs—traditional weather sayings—often contain a kernel of truth!

If a snowstorm begins when the Moon is young, it will cease at moonrise.

Fog in January brings a wet spring.

Moonlit nights have the hardest frost.

 I strive to spend every day with the kids in a meaningful way. It doesn't always happen - I lose my cool, I get caught up in all the "stuff" I "have" to do for them.
 

They really are teaching me how to have a meaningful relationship with another person. Just by helping me manage my time with them. 
 

Its better to leave the toys on the floor and dishes in the sink and laundry unfolded and mail unopened and dinner half made and that phone call put off, 

than to leave a child unloved, unappreciated, unnoticed. 
 

I'm learning to spend time with them first and then do my works. Because it usually only takes ten minutes or so. 
 

Time is the most valuable resource we have. Time is the best gift you can give someone. Giving your time is the best way to show someone you love them. 
 

 

Methods for Predicting the Weather

• Cats remaining indoors, devoid of vivacity, forecast wet or windy weather.

• Owls hooting and screeching during bad weather foretell fine weather near at hand.

• Sheep run to and fro, jump from the ground, and fight before a change of weather.

• Many flowers close their petals as rain approaches, opening them again after rain.

• Plenty of acorns indicates a severe winter ahead. Thin onion skins mean a mild winter.

 
August was long!

We started out camping at New Brighton State Beach in Santa Cruz with Daniel's folks and his brother's family. The kids got to play with Grandma and Grandpa and their new chocolate lab, Rusty. Their uncle Brian and aunt Marny came with cousins Maddy and Reagan to hang out, eat, take walks, play at the beach. They can say everyone's name now! 

We packed the car late one night and woke up at five the next morning, plucked the kids out of bed, then set off for Roaring Camping Railroads to meet Thomas the Train. They woke up on the way, we got Denny's for breakfast then spent all morning at the Railroad Grounds. Great day, we rode the train, took a picture with Thomas, played with toy trains, listened to fun music, saw a puppet show, ate hot dogs. Then packed back up for nap. I still take them for napdrives because it works. 

We drove to the campsite and started setting up. When the kids woke up, there was Grandma and Papa in a campsite with a tent. They have a camper that hooks up to their motorcycle. Jacob thought it most interesting because the trailer "hides" under the tent. He just loves anything with wheels. True boy. We spent most of the time cooking and puttering around the campsite. Every time we went to the bathroom or took garbage out or went for water, the kids would come for a walk. We took the kids to the beach where they played in the sand, chased and yelled at the waves, swam in the ocean, chased seagulls, flew a kite, ate sand. 

One night we set out for the Boardwalk. We stopped for dinner for mexican food. Good eats. Brian and Marny gave the kids their cousins' double jogging stroller to use because we didn't have room for our stroller. Our Pilot was packed to the gills. Yeah, camping for a week was way overkill. Too much food and stuff to bring. Each trip is a learning experience. 

The Boardwalk was so crowded! But all the kiddie rides had pretty short lines. Jenna finally came out of her shell and enjoyed some rides. All four kids were a blast to watch have so much fun on those rides. They were beaming and laughing and shreaking with joy. It was more fun to watch them then to go on rides. We ended the park with a family ride where each parent took one of the kids. That was hysterical! Then we all strolled out of the park back to the car. While Marny, bless her, held Reagan the whole walk. Reagan didn't want to be held by anyone else. Times like that I wish I got fold up single strollers. Or one of those radio flyer wagons. Almost too late now.  

It got too dirty and tiring for us. I just wanted a real shower and a real bed. So we packed up a day and a half early to head home. 

The weeks were back to normal after camping, just catching up on bills. And back into the routine of taking the kids to Placerville for Grandma Great days. We visit her twice a week. I have been picking Grandma Great up for a doctor or hair appointment, drop off the kids at a friend's house, taking Grandma Great on errands and back home, picking up the kids for nap, then either heading over to Grandma Debbie's house or back home. I met a friend at church who is a the wife of a friend of Daniel's from a way back. She lives on a property that has a yard with swing set, slide, trampoline, pool. She doesn't work right now, so I put her to work babysitting for a few hours while I take Grandma Great around. There they eat their lunch and play until naptime. I LOVE having time away from them. On Wednesdays we are in Placerville all day. We end up at Grandma Debbie's after nap, play, make dinner, eat, and go to church for bible study childcare. The kids love to play at church. They do well with other kids. 

On days we are home we really aren't home much at all. We spend about two hours in the morning for getting dressed, breakfast, and watch PBS - Clifford, Sid the Science Kid, Super Why. Then we drop off the laundry, pack up and head to the park for an hour or so. We go to the grocery store, or the library, or walmart, then head back home to put the laundry in the dryer then read or do an art project or play with bubbles are all of those. Most of the time it ends with either climbing on furniture, creating piles of toys on the floor, or wrestling and screaming. So we pack into the car again for a napdrive. It takes about a half hour. I put on classical music and drive out in the countryside. Its how I explore different roads and mainly just to get some peace. I'll come home, put the kids to bed, pick up the laundry, get online. If the nap isn't successful, we plunk down on the couch and watch a movie together. When activity stirs I can get back to laundry and think about dinner. Every other day or so we'll go out for a swim until its time to get dinner going. We play, make dinner, empty the dishwasher and reload it, until Dada comes home. We eat for twenty minutes or so and off and running again. The kids play with Dada or watch bounce during after dinner kitchen cleanup. Then we go out to the park until sunset. Come back home for bath. Then its pajamas, snack, movie, read books, and bedtime. Everyone but me goes to bed. I stay up to finish the dishes, fold the laundry, pack for tomorrow, go online, take a shower, read the Bible, watch dumb TV. Then I can go to bed. 

Next up is my Sunsplash date with girls from church, the visit with my brother's little family, the housewarming for friends from church, and state fair. 

I need to shower, pack for tomorrow, read, go to bed. Its almost 1am.