Peace That Passes All Understanding!

Lately I have been trying to really focus on God and allow him to be my peace and strength and to rest in his peace. So many things in this world cause us to not be at peace or have peace in our daily lives. Quite the opposite. We have fears or worries about tomorrow or about our daily struggles that peace is NO where to be found. Sad to say that the phrase, "Rest in Peace or RIP" on grave stones is not even close to the peace that we can have in Jesus. Death is a rest but sadly it is not at all peaceful. The only way to have peace is to have Jesus.

I have been really blessed of late b/c I really feel I have received just what I have asked God for, his peace. Knowing what true peace is brings so much comfort and joy. One verse lately that has been a source of great encouragement has been Isaiah 26: 3-4

3. You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.

4. Trust in the Lord forever, for in YAH, the Lord, is everlasting strength.

I am so thankful to be in His perfect peace b/c I have chosen to keep my mind on Him and b/c I have also decided to Trust in Him (God).

I often ask the Lord to be my strength b/c at times I feel so weak and unable to have the strength physically or motivation to accomplish what I know I need to do. I know that by calling out to the Lord for His strength I can do what ever is asked of me. I feel so confident in God's strength as my assistance in achieving the purpose he has designed me for. It is so wonderful to know that HIS strength is everlasting. God is not a wimp. His strength is continual. He does not grow weary or loose his endurance. I am so thankful for that b/c I do tire and become exhausted through the course of a long day. God is always alert and rearing to go.

I have to add this little story b/c it fits so well. This past Sunday during worship service we began singing some familiar songs which the children knew and started to sing along to. Well we changed to a song somewhat familiar for the children called, "God is Exalted". Well Ezra my 7 yr began to sing, his words were not quite right. He was singing a slightly different version, "God is Exhausted". I was quick to correct his mis-wording and he easily changed his words. I am so glad that our God is not exhausted. ( I have to say that when he first said his slightly different version I kind of chuckled cuz he was so cute. Such an easy mistake to make.) Ezra is learning and one great thing is he loves to sing to the Lord and praise him with singing. Now you gotta love that!

One other thought based on this story in Acts 16 : 16-36

16. Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling.
17. This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, "These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.''
18. And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.'' And he came out that very hour.
19. But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities.
20. And they brought them to the magistrates, and said, "These men, being Jews, exceedingly trouble our city;
21. "and they teach customs which are not lawful for us, being Romans, to receive or observe.''
22. Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods.
23. And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely.
24. Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25. But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.
26. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed.
27. And the keeper of the prison, awaking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself.
28. But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, "Do yourself no harm, for we are all here.''
29. Then he called for a light, ran in, and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.
30. And he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?''
31. So they said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.''
32. Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.
33. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized.
34. Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.
35. And when it was day, the magistrates sent the officers, saying, "Let those men go.''
36. So the keeper of the prison reported these words to Paul, saying, "The magistrates have sent to let you go. Now therefore depart, and go in peace.''

What I love about this scripture and story is that Paul and Silas had to have the kind of peace that passes all understanding. To sing praises and worship God while being chained up and having bloody backs from their beatings they received had to be God's strength with in them. I find this story to be so uplifting no matter what situation or struggle I am in. I am so encouraged and challenged b/c I know what Paul and Silas face is far more greater then what I face. If they could praise and worship God in song in prison what more can I do in my situation.

What is even better then that is that through their imprisonment they were able to witness to the jailer and his whole family. How amazing. Immediately after the jailer brought them to his house he fed them and cleaned their wounds. Even in the midst of our hardships God can give us peace and healing comfort.

I hope you find this encouraging. Know that all God wants us to do outside of believing and confessing our sin and living righteous lives, is to wholly trust in him and rest in His peace. My hope is that you either know that peace or find that peace soon. Know that I am praying for all who read this. The only peace worth having is the peace from God that passes all understanding.

Poem for my "Dear little Zek".

I wrote a poem about and for my little Ezekiel which has assisted in my healing. I wanted to share this yesterday the month after my miscarriage.

A poem from my heart with love and hope trusting completely in Jesus.

"Dear Little Zek"

My heart is sadden but not beyond repair,
My God whom I trust has taken away my fear.

Though I long to hold my little Ezekiel near,
One day in Glory we will be together my dear.

I know that time is in HIS hands,
For he has designed us for His purpose and plans.

I wish to know the future of what is in store,
But wholly trust in peace eternal, to hold you dear forever more!

I long for peace and continue to trust the Lord even though the questions are unanswered. I know that the portrait God is painting is not yet finished and all I see is the partial picture.

I will be patient and wait to see the finished product one day.

Recipe Ideas!

I just wanted to briefly share 2 recipes that I have tried out on my family with rave reviews.

The first is a sure fire hit in most big families. Known to many as the "Tatter Tot Casserole". It is really quite easy and very tasty. I added my own little flare to it. The original recipe is:

1 pound beef or turkey ground and browned.
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup milk
salt/pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups tatter tots
1/2 - 3/4 cup grated cheese

First brown your meat, then layer the bottom of a casserole dish with the meat following the tatter tots. Then pour over the tatter tots and meat the soup already mixed with the milk and the salt and pepper. Sprinkle the cheese over top and bake @ 350 for 20-30 minutes.

My variation I made a double batch b/c I knew my family would probably like it. I also added Durkee onions over the cheese since I had about 1 cup or more. This gave the casserole a bit more flavor and crisp taste. I served it with a side of green beans. If and when I make this again I will probably get a bigger casserole dish and put the frozen green beans on the bottom. Then use an extra can of soup and mix soup over top the green beans and then over top the meat with tatter tots. Then add the cheese and onions, making it a complete casserole. I have other casseroles similar but with out the tatter tots.

The second recipe is a muffin recipe. It is really easy and very similar to the muffins you can purchase at the warehouse stores. Those really giant muffins that are kinda pricey. If you like them like we do and can not afford to buy them then find a way to make them.

First take a regular cake mix. I used a Pillsbury cake mix that costs $ 0.99. Any flavor b/c you can create your own variations. I like the chocolate muffin variation:

Chocolate cake mix
2 Tbsp flour
3 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup oil
1 tsp baking powder
1-1/2 cups chocolate chips

Mix everything together except the chocolate chips and then add them when the batter is smooth. Pour into muffin cups and bake @ 350 for 12-15 minutes. Just touch the top and if it springs back after touching then remove from the oven. Makes about 2 or 2 1/2 dozen.

Other variations; blueberry muffins using the white cake mix and basic in ingredients. Substiute the choc. chips for blueberries frozen is what I used. I even chopped mine up to increase the portion with out using up too many.(Plus mine were rather large blueberries.)

Poppy seed; just use a yellow cake mix and poppy seeds from the grocery store.( You could also add a little bit of lemon juice or almond extract to give the muffins a different taste. Do not use both. Just one or the other.)

I tried a butterscotch one but the butterscotch chips sank to the bottom and stuck in a few of the muffins to the pan. (I did not use paper cups for these.) If you use paper cups they would probably be fine. Use a yellow cake mix and 1/2 a bag of butterscotch chips.

I am going to try the blueberry one and use cranberries instead. I'll tell you how they turn out.

I hope you find these to be very enjoyable and that your families find them to be very Yummy!

My favorite Psalm and jewelry recommendation.

I have this wonderful piece of jewelry that I would like to share with you. Maybe you have heard of it maybe not. It is a wonderful idea based on the 127 Psalm. (My favorite).

Psalms 127

1. Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain.
2. It is vain for you to rise up early, To sit up late, To eat the bread of sorrows; For so He gives His beloved sleep.
3. Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is His reward.
4. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth.
5. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; They shall not be ashamed, But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.

In 2003 my dear husband (dh) bought my a "Solomon's Bow". It is a basically a piece of jewelry a necklace that is in the shape of a bow. It consists of the parents birth stones one on each end of the bow. Then in the middle dangling down are arrows representing each child born a live and miscarried. It is a very beautiful way to share your faith and show the significance of each child God has blessed you with.

I have inquired how I can add my two little girls arrows and the arrow of my little Ezekiel. I know that even though he is not physically with us, he was still born to us and still and always will be a blessed gift from God. Isn't that what all children are no matter their length of life.

I know remembering or recollecting the memory of a lost child may be sensitive and tender but also healing. I know that the peace of God can be very reassuring knowing our children are now in the safest place they can be. Painful that they are not in our arms, but peaceful knowing they are in the arms of their creator.

The jeweler who created this beautiful "testimonial jewelry" is the father to 8 blessings. He made this first for his wife after the birth of their 1st daughter. He now sells them and other different kinds of jewelry. He has designed a white (pure) stone for those who miscarried too early to know their little one.

I know that dh's have a difficult time figuring out what to give their wife for mother's day or even their birthday. This would be a great idea to share with him. ( I know that finances may be tight, but maybe you could save for this and even make it an anniversary present or a Christmas present.)

When I received my Solomon's bow it was after my birthday on a very difficult day. Actually it arrived at just the perfect time. It was actually my birthday present but arrived a week later.

It was a Saturday and my dh had been driving me to a pre-natal water aerobics class. He stopped for a yellow light and the van behind us didn't notice us. He continued to move and rear ended us quite quickly. We were all shaken up but praise the Lord we were not injured. My husband checked the mail upon arriving home and handed me this box. Inside I found my specially crafted Solomon's bow already endowed with our little one's birthstone who was due in October. Thankfully our son Othniel arrived late and so the right birthstone was added correctly. It is a very precious and beautiful way to commemorate the value of what God says in his word what children are. "Arrows in the hand of a mighty warrior". Wow!

I am excited to get my new arrows added. I wanted to share this so that maybe other moms may be blessed to have such a wonderful tool to share and show the importance of how God has blessed them.

Here is the link to the website:

http://www.artsaloft.com/bow/

Encouragement for every mother who has lost a child and who is blessed with gifts that are uniquely made for her. Handcrafted by her Father, the Almighty God.

Changes can be good and challenging.

I thought I would change this a little and add a blue hue to my blog. I hope you like it. I would love to know what you think of my changes.

I love changes. Well most often, except for the ones that are really challenging.
(I thought I would share a little about me to support the idea of change being fun / good and challenging.)

I remember as a girl I had to get use to changes. My father was in the Air Force and we would travel every 2-4 yrs to different bases. It depended on the area and if there was an available working position for him. In my childhood life, I have moved 4 times, 2 of those were cross country.

Here is a little Crystal history. I was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado at the Air Force Academy. My brother followed 16 months later. After a couple of yrs there we moved to Fairbanks Alaska. I was probably a kindergartner and there began public school. My parents exposed us to Christianity in a Baptist Church aptly named, "Moose Creek Baptist". ( I have just recently reconnected to the couple that shared the gospel w/ my parents. More to come in another post.)

From there we traveled cross country in a trailer and a suburban to New York. Actually it was middle state near Syracuse. We eventually bought a country house on one acre. I loved this home and most the memories related. I learned so much from my experiences on what I call country life. (I will have to share later about the 3 cows that stayed in the pasture next to our property.) We had a garden their and had wild deer, rabbits, snakes, frogs and snapping turtles on occasion. This was the only time when we lived near our maternal grandparents. (Well 4 hours is closer than 3,000 + miles. )

From there we moved back to Alaska. Anchorage instead of Fairbanks. We knew no one, with the exception of some old friends in Fairbanks. We were much older as children go and were now living on a much bigger base and in a more kid friendly neighborhood. We walked to school again and where as in NY we took the bus. (That proved more trial some for me since I can recall missing the bus a few times.) We had more moose interactions. My younger brother was actually chased by a moose on the way home from school. We only lived on base for almost 2 years or little less. Then we moved 20 minutes away to a little town called Eagle River. I was now 10 going on 11 and in the 5th grade.

What I hated most about moving was getting use to new teachers and meeting new students. What I loved about moving was making new friends. Not the same thing. I excelled at meeting people just not so good at having them like me. I was teased a lot as you can tell w/the red hair and all. I guess the freckles didn't help either.

The hardest part about moving was finding a new church. We would attend a church for a while and then a problem or situation would arise and then we would attend somewhere else. I really enjoyed church and that is where I excelled at meeting new friends. The kids at church seemed much more like able and friendlier than the kids at school. Maybe that was the Jesus in them? I really enjoyed the church that we went to after we moved to Eagle River. Actually we may have already been attending. I felt like most of the people were like family. I was even married at that church. I made my mom really mad at me when I came home from my first yr at college. Before I went to college my family began attending another church my senior yr of HS. I didn't really like the preacher or feel like the church was family. It was more of convenience since the church was locally and our other church was in Anchorage. I came home that summer and visited a friend the first Sunday home. Of course my friend was going to my old church in Anchorage and I went along to re-join the congregation I missed so much. While I was away my mom and dad changed churches and my mom was hoping I would give her new church a try. I guess I had my mind made up even before I came home from college.

I guess if we have a choice in what we would like we jump at the chance b/c we know the familiarity. However we do not always get this opportunity when it comes to God. God seems to enjoy or prefer putting us in situations we seem unfamiliar with. Probably b/c he knows we will have to rely on him for guidance and not ourselves or our past experience.

I know that be vulnerable can make us uncomfortable even scared and depressed. Not knowing what to expect can be very terrifying. God knows this and instead of reacting by our fears and worries God says "Trust in Me". I know it can be difficult to trust in what we can not see, but if we can we will be Blessed beyond our imagination.

That is where I am at now since my miscarriage. I am trying to "TRUST in HIM". I am no longer so saddened that I cry my self to sleep. I can't even really work up the tears. I don't think it is b/c my emotions are hardened, but b/c my heart and spirit are at Peace. I know I have to accept what God chooses to do with my life. I am O.K. with God deciding for me what HE feels is Best. I say this not with out greif but with totally and complete FAITH in HIM. God is my ROCK and my SHIELD, I will hold fast to HIM and seek his protection. I am confident that God loves me and has a plan and purpose for me and my life and family. I just am not privilege to what and how he will go about working it out.

One thing I know or one verse I am comforted with is Mathew 6: 25- 34

25. "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
26. "Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
27. "Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
28. "So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin;
29. "and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30. "Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31. "Therefore do not worry, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?'
32. "For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33. "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
34. "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Verses 32 and 33 are the most significant to me. I find comfort in knowing God knows what I need. If I seek his kingdom and His righteousness then all these things will be added. What things? The things I need or the things he wants for me and knows that I need them even when I am unaware of them. I believe we can Trust in the one who has created us. He has known us before birth and has all of our hairs counted. If he has gone to all the work to know those details what else does he know and why shouldn't I Trust Him.

Hearts Song.

I just love listening to the Christian radio station. I find so much encouragement for my heart, mind and spirit. It has a way of encouraging , soothing, and uplifting my spirit. On many occasions I have been found praising the Lord while listening to the radio and cleaning the house or cooking a meal. Lately I have noticed the effect on my sons. Especially Ezra who will identify with a song and start singing along to the best of his ability. That is so precious!

Recently though, there has been a song in particular that has really touched my heart. The words are exactly how I feel in this time of my life. The song is by a group of 4 Canadian Christian men, aptly named Downhere. The song was actually written as a prayer, by the co lead singer/ song writer Jason Germain. The song is from the album "The End is the Beginning," and is titled "Here I am".

The second verse really touches me and speaks to where my heart is in the healing and trusting in Jesus. Just a day or so after the miscarriage, I would hear this song on the radio and the tears would start streaming down my checks during this verse. I find so much peace, comfort and encouragement knowing God has all the pieces and knows how they fit together and has a plan and a purpose for ALL of our lives.

The chorus:

Here I am, Lord send me
All of my life, I make an offering,
Here I am, Lord send me
Somehow my story is a part of Your plan,
Here I am

When setbacks and failures, and upset plans
Test my faith and leave me with empty hands
Are You not the closest when it's hardest to stand
I know that you will finish what You began

And these broken parts You will redeem
Become the song that I can sing

Chorus

Overwhelmed by the thought of my weakness
And the fear that I'll fail You in the end
In this mess, I'm just one of the pieces,
I can't put this together but You can

Chorus

If you have not heard it or would like to you can Google it and see a concert version on You-tube.


I identify with the lyrics b/c of how I feel they relate to my own current state of mind. I have to admit that the Christian music has really influenced my healing and strengthened my heart and mind towards trusting and obeying God and his word. I remembering hearing about undergrads who conducted studies on how music can have or has a healing effect on people. I know that it is important to use caution on what we see and hear b/c it can influence us in unimaginable ways. The thought that what goes in can produce good or bad in us and can influences others as it makes it's way out of us and into the world we live.

Encouraging you to listen and focus your attention on God and things that will build you up and pull you closer to your creator, the Almighty God and Gracious Redeemer Jesus.

What is so inspiring about Christian music, are the messages that the artists convey. This is done not only in music/lyrics but with instrumental talent. The inspiration is actually drawn from thoughts they have during their quiet times with the LORD. These gifted song writers not only receive a blessing from their devotions but also through sharing those intimate moments of God's inspiration with us.

So next time you have a powerful inspiring devotional consider sharing it with someone and maybe you will receive a blessing too. (You don't have to write a song, unless you feel the inspiration to do so).