Anger is Ugly!

Ever have that feeling when a person wronged you and you want to stand for your right? get even with harsh words? take revenge? think evil thoughts for that person? wanting to make that person pay for what they have done? Begin to yell?  

This can happen in so many ways in our daily lives;
 

*Rudeness from a stranger 

 

*Bad driving

 

*A Company overpaying you on your bill

 

*A service of any kind with a bad turnout, not what was promised or expected {such as lawn care, salons, cleaners, plumber, restaurant}

 

*A friend or family member not being what they should be

 

*Your husband mistreating you

 

*A complaint or put down.

 

We live in a fallen world surronded by people who are not perfect.

 

We need to remember that we are not perfect and are forgiven, so we should be able to understand others faults. things go wrong, words are spoken too quickly!

This has been a problem for me, I am a bit of an "ex diva." I thought, "its who I am!" No, it is a sin.

I was always ready to show my strength with words, rant my rights or dissaproval of what was wrongly said or done to me or my family! even sometimes to my family.. :(

The Lord is working on my heart.. This part is dying and I am so very glad. There are still struggles.. but I have come a long way.

We should not be eager to be angry with others who are christian or non christian. "Dont just pretend that you love others: really love them." Romans 12:9

When we begin to get angry, rude, raise our voice.. its ugly!

James 1:19-20"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God."

"Dont quarrel with anyone. Be at peace with everyone, just as much as possible." Romans 12:18

Nancy Campbell of Above Rubies writes, "Is it weak to have a gentle and quiet spirit? No. It is a woman of strength who keeps a gentle spirit in the face of harshness and rebuke. It is a strong woman who keeps an even temper when she feels overwhelmed and angry."

She also writes, "Sweet words are becoming to a woman."

Let us stop attacking one another. Let us stop looking to find something to fight about.

Let us be living among eachother with love, patience, prayer and understanding!

Romans 12:10 "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another."

God thinks of us as precious when we are gentle. I think of my daughter who watches me and how I behave. I would never want to see her 'quick to anger.' This is not easy and this goal needs to be put in prayer, Jesus wants to help you!

I found this prayer from Stormie Omartian
Lord, Help me to be so filled with Your love, peace, and joy that envy over anything never enters my heart or my mind. Help me to be loving and kind at all times so that I never fall prey to the cruelty of my own wrath. Don’t allow the torrential power of anger to wash away my life in a moment of weakness. Give me patience and peace in my heart because I look to You for all I need~ In Jesus Name, Amen

How do you deal with anger? Have you struggled?

Much love, Sarah beth

Linked with:
Far Above Rubies
Women Living Well
Our simple Country Life
Raising Homemakers

Favorite Christian Books

I love books! Its so cozy to snuggle up and get lost in the words..I also love to take a book outside, listen to the birds chirp and my children playing in the background while I sneak in a few pages.. =} Reading is one of my favorite things to do. My love of books could be expensive but I search for christian books at these 3 spots~ {so cheap!}

www.ebay.com

http://www.half.ebay.com/ 

http://www.christianbook.com/ 

Here are my top favorite books that I read over & over..

These books will no doubt encourage you, open your eyes and strengthen your walk with our Lord Jesus as a wife, mother & woman!

1) "Lies woman Believe & the truth that sets them Free" by Nancy Leigh DeMoss

 Here is a short blog I wrote about this book. What an eye opening book, I myself believed many lies.

2) Created to be his Help Meet by Debi Pearl

Do you want to know how to be a wife of Jesus? How to strengthen your relationship with your savior and husband? well..this is the book to read!!!!  A must for all wives! My favorite part of this book is that she explains 3 type of men, it was exciting to learn which one was my hubby.

3) Love Dare

Everyone knows the movie, "fireproof'" this is the book. Its such a great read with each chapter having actual dares for you to do. My husband and I read this together..

 

4) Stormie: A Story of Forgiveness and Healing

Her power of a praying wife and mother are very popular and wonderful books that I read and pray with weekly. This book of her life is a must read. Her story of emotional and physical abuse, drugs and testimony is an amazing journey..this book had me crying and rooting her on! Reading others testimony is very encouraging to me!

I have many other loved books, but these are my top FAV!
If you havent read any of these, maybe add them to your summer reading list!

What are your favorite books?

Would love to add them to my summer reading.

Blessings,
Sarah beth

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Our Simple Country Life

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Slow me Down, Lord

Summer can be such a busy time of the year! I still cannot believe how quickly June flew by and now it is almost July. Our days have been spent with trips to the park, homeschool field trips, playdates, lakes, vbs.. I did have a plan of what I wanted my summer to be. When the weather starts to bring hot days I like to spend as much time as possible in the water with my children, swimming is my favorite. My view has changed a bit and I want to put the rest of my summer in the Lords hands, guiding the children and I to spend our days how He would like us to. Its been so busy that I would like to slow down...to stop rushing, truly enjoy the summer months.

My great grandmother had poems, prayers and scriptures she cut out on her refrigerator. I remember always enjoying this prayer:

Slow me down, Lord! Ease the pounding of my heart by the quieting of my mind. Steady my hurried pace with a vision of the eternal reach of time. Give me, amidst the confusion of my day, the calmness of the everlasting hills. Break the tensions of my nerves and muscles with the soothing music of the singing streams that live in my memory. Help me to know the art of taking MINUTE VACATIONS.......of slowing down to look at a flower, to chat with a friend, to pat a dog, to read a few lines from a good book. Remind me each day of the fable of the hare and the tortoise that i may know that the race is not always to the swift; that there is more to life than increasing in speed. Let me look upward into the branches of the towering oak and know that it grew great and strong because it grew slowly and well. Slow me down, Lord, and inspire me to send my roots into the soil of life's enduring values that I may grow toward the stars of my greater destiny. Amen.


How has your summer been? Do you need to slow down like me?

Blessings,
Sarah beth

Linked up with:
Our Simple Country Life
Women Living Well

Our Sweet days, random!

How has your week been? The theme of our week was fresh air! After a long winter, late spring..summer is here. Almost everyday the heat was in the 90's. My children have been enjoying vbs all week! Everyday I had from 9 to noon to myself, which was really intresting..too quiet! 

After vbs I planned something fun..one afternoon I made lunch ahead of time and we went swimming at friends, other days picnic at the park. I really love to bring a big blanket, sandwiches and enjoy lunch with my sweeties! Do you picnic alot?

I filled the wheelbarrow with water for mud cakes! On hot days, water fun is the way to go!

& for when they want to stay clean and cool...

Last week I enjoyed an old soda, strawberry crush with a friend...decided to turn it into a pretty vase..

Recently signed up for Above Rubies magazine..this is a free subscription and have heard wonders about it, sign up Here. The founder sent me a sweet thank you email with these words:
As a home-loving,
home-keeping,
home-nursing,
home-cooking,
home-working,
home-training and
home advocating mother,
you are the most important asset in this nation!
Life may often seem overpoweringly busy at times, but what else can you expect when you have the most important job in the nation?

*Isnt that encouraging!?*

What was on the menu at your house this week? We had 2 days of grilled chicken salad with homemade buttermilk ranch..mmm!

After a busy but blessed week I am ready for the weekend! Happy Friday!



Greater Health God's Way!

One of my biggest struggles is food! My habits are wreckless! I often skip breakfast, never been a big breakfast eater. I also tend to not sit down and eat lunch then just snack here and there...over eat at dinner time..snack later on in the evenings...it adds up! This is not a good way to nourish my body whatsoever! When it comes to excercise, again wreckless.. I love excercising but I never add it on my day like rest and eating.. its never a priority like it needs to be.

So here I am with a goal to get healthy, for me it is not about just losing weight but changing the way I view health, setting up solid habits and not the way the world views it but the way God does. His ways are perfect! With every struggle in my life He was the light in the dark...He ripped away so many bad peices and replaced them with good.. I know He can and will do the same with my health. & yours too!

Today I am sharing with you a book by Stormie Omaritan. She is famous for her amazing prayer books but I wish her health book was more known too!

This is not a diet book, this is a total health book...God's way! Not only does this book help with physical but it will strengthen your mental and spirtual health as well.

"Greater Health God's Way" kept me reading & reading!

Stormie says,
"The Bible says, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" Hosea 4:6. How true! Sickness and premature death are commonplace, all because we have no knowledge of the Lords ways. We live so very far from the way God intended us to live. That's why there is so much pain and sickness, so many headaches, heart attacks, bad tempers, mental illness, and just plain lack of joy. We suffer a great deal just because of our own ignorance about God's ways."

She also says,
"It is not good to be preoccupied with your body, but it is wise to value the temple God has given you. The holy spirit of God dwells in and works through that wonderful body of yours. But how do you treat it? Do you feed it poorly, never allow it to have any exercise, keep it shut away from fresh air and sunshine, fill it with the poisons of unforgiveness and bitterness, never allow it any rest, and then criticize it because it doesnt look good and never does what you want?"

Stormie does not only discuss foods to avoid, foods to eat but the importance of sunshine and peaceful living. She also talks about the damange of stress.

Her book features 7 steps to inner and outer beauty. The 7 steps are:

Peaceful Living
Pure Food
Proper Exercise
Plenty of water
Prayer & Fasting
Fresh Air & Sunlight
Perfect Rest
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I highly recommend this book! If you would like to journey with me, let me know and we can link up each 7 step..encourage eachother!

My first step is avoiding pop, juice, coffee, ect. I want to drink
W A T E R! & lots of it! I pray that the Lord helps me to crave water and only water!

I love fruity drinks so I thought why not naturally sweeten my water {without the extra chemicals and sugar} I simply add lemon and sliced strawberries. It gives my water a slight sweet taste: perfect!!

If you have any tips on managing your health the Lords way, please share =} 

Much love,
Sarah beth

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