Excerpt from the book A Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George:

~ If you desire a good life, focus on having one good day, one quality day - today! After all, as someone has observed, "every day is a little life, and our whole life is but a day repeated." So keep that focus on having a good day today and, at days end, slip that pearl onto your strand. The pearls on your strand will add up to a good life!
When such a focused day is done, you'll probably be tired as you drop into bed. I know I am! But you'll also know an unmatchable peace in your heart. A peace that comes from resting in the Lord and doing things His way. A peace that comes from knowing that, because you lived out God's priorities for you, all is well under your roof.
Why this peace? Because you sought the Lord and followed close after Him the whole day! The people in your life were loved and served out of the overflow of your full heart. Your home was cared for - and God's beauty and order reignthere in the refuge you've created. You took care fo yourself and grew as God stretched you in preparation for serving Him. And you did serve - anyone and everyone who crossed your path. You reached out, looked out, gave out, and lived out God's priorities for a woman after His heart.
It was indeed a full day - but, oh, what a rich one! And yes, your body is tired, but, oh, what a satisfying tiredness! And yes, it may not look like you've done much (there's no big splash, no headline news, nothing to tell anyone about) - but, oh, the depth of the fullness you sense in your heart as God whispers to you, "Well done!"
As you finally stretch out in bed, wearily pull up the covers, and sink your head into the waiting pillow, you can know you have slipped another pearl onto your strand! This costly pearl is the most magnificent prize awaiting a woman after God's heart. The reward for living oife God's way is immeasurably, unspeakably and indescribably wonderful! I'm struggling to find the words!
So at the end of your day, your heart is satisfied and content. You have done the giving, the living the following, and the loving. In return, God "satisfied your longing heart and filled your hungry soul with his goodness" (Psalm 107:9). The peace that you sense is the satisfaction that comes from gladly being spent in doing God's will, from being a woman after God's heart - for just one day!
Now . . . let that one day - that one step - encourage you to string your daily pearls into a lifetime of living as a woman after God's own heart! ~

dis·ci·pline

One of the things I have struggled with in my life is learning to be disciplined. I procrastinate, I do what I want to do rather than what needs to be done, and I've really felt called to work on that this year. The Bible includes discipline/self-control as one of the fruits of the spirit.

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Proverbs 25:28

Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.

There's a guy named Ralph Marston, he writes The Daily Motivator. He had this sobering and encouraging word to say about discipline:



Choose Discipline


Discipline is a decision you make, over and over again. Discipline is choosing to do what you know must be done, as often and as long as necessary.

With discipline, you can make smart and advantageous use of the time and resources available to you. With discipline, you can create great value for yourself and your world.

The most powerful way to put discipline into your life is to understand and remind yourself of what it can do for you. Once you truly decide to live with it, the power of discipline is yours.

If you do not choose to discipline yourself, you will eventually be subject to the harsh, inescapable discipline imposed upon you by life's realities. It is far more desirable to choose your own discipline and to deal with those realities on your own terms.

Self discipline opens up a world of choices and opportunities which otherwise would not be available to you. Whatever goal you set your sights upon, discipline is the most reliable way to reach it.

Choose, early and often, to use the powerful tool of discipline. And always achieve maximum results from your time and your actions.

Another Duggar! ... and Laundry Soap to boot!

Congratulations Josh and Anna!!

I love the Duggar family, what an inspiration! Their oldest child Josh and his wife Anna are expecting their first child!

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Read the story here:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30156915/

Speaking of the Duggars, they have a wonderful website with a few great recipes. The one I've tried is for homemade laundry soap! So cheap - and it works and smells fine!

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Here is the recipe:

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Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap

4 Cups hot tap water

1 Soap bar

1 Cup Washing Soda

½ Cup Borax

- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.
-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.
-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)

-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled. Ideas: lavender, rosemary, tea tree oil.

-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.
-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)
-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

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I used Ivory soap, and made it slightly more concentrated (couldn't find that big of a bucket!!)

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http://www.duggarfamily.com/index.html

He is Risen!!

Happy Easter! Our Redeemer Lives!!!!!!!!