fitzfamilyfarm

Acts 5:27-42

2010-09-11T07:37:00.000-07:00

At our church we are doing a Beth Moore study, "To Live is Christ - the Life and Ministry of Paul". Today's lesson had us read Acts 5:27-42. I knew very little of Saul's (Paul's) history, but now, really appreciate not only him, but his teachers as well. Beyond that even, I see the work of God in his life and the amazing events that occurred because of his mentors. I hope you enjoy this scripture as much as I do.
Acts 5:27-42 NRSV
When they had brought them, they had them stand before the council. The high priest questioned them, saying "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to bring this man's blood on us." But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than any human authority. The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him."
When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, respected by all people, stood up and ordered the men to be put outside for a short time. Then he said to them, "Fellow Israelites, consider carefully what you propose to do to these men. For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him; but he was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and disappeared. After him Judas the Galilean rose up at the time of the census and got people to follow him; he also perished, and all who followed him were scattered. So in the present case, I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone; because if this plan or this undertaking is of human origin, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them - in that case you may even be found fighting against God!"
They were convinced by him, and when they had called in the apostles, they had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. As they left the council, they rejoiced that they were considered worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name. And every day in the temple and at home they did not cease to teach and proclaim Jesus as the Messiah.

I love Picasa

2010-07-29T10:10:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Amanda Perko for helping me add photo bling to my blog. I used the free Picasa program she recommended and now recommend it to you. Wow, so easy, fun and pretty!

Bills A Blessing??

2010-07-24T23:06:00.000-07:00

As I do every month P.D.R (Post Dave Ramsey) I sit down at my computer and set up my bills to pay online and make the budget for the next month at least a week in advance. Today, I decided to turn on my iTunes "worship mix" while doing so. Immediately I was reminded what my friend Mary Lynn Golter told me about when she would send her son off on a date when he was a teenager. She would tell him "Take the Lord with you!" Funny but AWESOME. So, I took the Lord with me to my "budget meeting" and WOW, amazing, liberating, humbling, inspiring, convicting. Who knew all those emotional things would come out of this months budget.
This month we make our first mortgage payment ever. Amazing.
This month we have plenty to pay every bill ON TIME. Liberating.
This month I realized how much we waste on running around and eating out. Humbling.
This month we will give more than any other month EVER. Inspiring.
This month there is money left over... Convicting.

Listen to fitzfamilyfarms Playlist

2010-07-18T23:26:00.001-07:00

wierd day

2010-07-18T22:59:00.000-07:00

OK, so today was wierd. Nothing spectacular happened, good or bad. Went to church, the house got picked up, dogs got walked, kids played with friends...but it just seems like something is looming. I feel like God is trying to tell me something, yet I keep myself just distracted enough to not get the hint. What is wrong with me!? This "free will" idea is seeming more and more irritating. Why do I keep God at a distance? Why are my prayers unfinished? Why do I watch nonsense TV instead of reading my Bible? Why do I eat M&M's when I am not hungry? Why do I find excuses to avoid things I need to do tomorrow? I need an attitude adjustment.
In VBS last week, the kids learned the verse "Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus". Clearly God wants me to learn that and live that as well, but how?

aha!

2010-07-17T23:19:00.001-07:00

Do you ever have one of those moments when you have clarity and humbleness about God's love for you - when all the stress of the past weeks disappears and you are filled with wonder of how God could love us so much that he puts up with all our crap, that He gave his only Son for us, that He is jealous for us?
I have just had one of those moments. I have kept myself so busy and distracted in recent weeks (ok, months) that it seems that I had forgotten the simple Truth about His love for me. My priorities, I must admit, are completely messed up. I have been relying on my own strength and wisdom in daily life and relationships.
Its like God smacked me upside the head and said "HELLO!! Remember ME!! Come here. Listen to me. Stop watching TV, listening to the radio, reading a book. Just STOP IT! We need to talk."
OK God, I hear you...I am listening...
God speaks to me through music. My inspiration lately "He Loves Us" and "How Deep The Father's Love For Us"

I need to rant a little....

2009-04-06T08:33:00.000-07:00

I was reading the paper this morning, which I rarely do. I only really subscribe to get coupons and sale fliers. This morning my husband opened to the second page of the front section and found a very disturbing article regarding politicians salaries. OUTRAGEOUS is the only word that comes to mind. Absolutely rediculous salaries are apparently the norm. Chiefs of Staff for state politicians are being paid WAY MORE than our troops, more than our homes are worth! How does this happen?! I went online today to investigate this website LegiStorm.com and was shocked by the amount of money spent on staff and travel expenses. Get informed!! I will never vote the same again.

2008-11-22T10:32:00.000-08:00

You're big

2008-11-22T10:19:00.000-08:00

OK, so the other day I go to pick Tony up from preschool at the church and he walks out of the classroom and is shoving an entire handful of Goldfish in his mouth. Once he is able to talk again, he (of course) tells me he's thirsty. As usual, the drinking fountain by his classroom is collecting quite a line, so we go to the one in the foyer of the church on our way to the parking lot. As we walked toward it I realized that the stool was missing from under the little drinking fountain. I started to explain to my baby that I was going to have to lift him up to reach the water because the stool was missing, but before I could finish my very motherly explaination, he walked right over to it with inches of clearance and took a drink.

I stood there mistified and a pout just oozed from my face! Tony looked at me, puzzled, and asked me what was wrong. A little choked up I said to him..."YOU'RE BIG!!!" He was very confused because apparently he got the BIG memo a long time ago and didn't understand my surprise. "When did THAT happen?" I asked myself. I am still waiting for the answer.

Every time a pair of pants or shoes don't fit anymore I get sad. The baby and toddler years are over and now they are getting smarter than me and faster than me. God help me keep up for as long as possible!

rerouted morning

2008-11-20T06:47:00.000-08:00

what a weird morning...
i had been looking forward to wednesday morning to get some serious laundry done and read the book my cousin, shelby, gave me "Is That All He Thinks About?" by Marla Taviano. my mother, however, had been working up a plan to "spend time with me" and was so cute about getting me to help her clean out her desk that i couldn't really refuse. it ended up being a time full of laughter - mostly me making fun of her, she was on a roll of goofiness (if that isn't a word, fake it). then, we found a ton of home movies from when alice and tony were little. there was a loose movie not in its perfectly marked case as my mother always does, so we decided to watch it.
omg my babies are so grown up! the movie was of Christmas 2005 when we lived in Maryland. it was the time when we went to Ocean City to see the lights and alice and tony had BOTH had major accidents and we had to buy them sweatshirts to wear as dresses! too cute. they were dancing on stage, they met santa, and then had hot chocolate and gingerbread man cookies. at the time i was exhausted and frazzled over the accident portion of the evening and i don't think that i had remembered all the magical parts of that night. seeing them so blissfully unaware of the chaos and simply happy dancing in their sweatshirt dresses made me misty.
i think that God gives us home movies to be windows into reality. we get so caught up in "handling" everything, that we miss it in the process. it was almost like getting that special night with my babies back. alice was four again and tony wasn't even two. when i picked them up from school and they were back in 2008 all big and everything it made me sad. where had three years gone?
the moral of the story is, when an evening turns to chaos and you feel like you are losing touch, STOP, PRAY, and take home movies :)

2008-07-01T14:33:00.000-07:00