31 Cups: Christianity

Frugally Sustainable
Raising Homemakers
Far Above Rubies
A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Wholehearted Home
Growing Home

Courtship Connection
Living In the Shoe
Homemaking Linkup
A Proverbs 31 Wife
All Things With a Purpose
Our Days Homeschool Link Up
Mama Moments Mondays

Sunday, March 31, 2013

Easter Worship~ I See the Lord

6 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. ²Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. ³And one called to another and said:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;the whole earth is full of his glory.” ~Isaiah 6:1-3

Happy Resurrection Sunday!

Now because the lyrics are amazing and I have an eclectic choice in music please check out 116 Clique as well. Even if it isn't your preference you can be blessed.

LYRICS:

I See The Lord lyrics

(feat. Sho)

[Verse One]
Cast down my crown to worship you in spirit and truth
As I see You on the throne, I see Your train fills the roof
I'm on bended knees, hands extended closed eyes
Holy, Holy, Holy is Lord the Most High
Woe is me, I'm a man with unclean lips
And I live amongst a people whose on the same trip
That when one Seraphim flew to me with coal in his hands
He touch me on my lips, said I was a brand new man
As the foundation shook He's asking, who shall He send
I said, "Send me Lord, I commit to faithful men"
Sometimes Lord, I feel like I don't give you enough
The kind of pure joy to persevere when times get tough
So I keep a concentrated relationship fixed on you
I keep my eyes to the hills so I can have a right view
I stand in awe of You
How You measured the earth with the palm of Your hand
and yet, and still you want to be friends with such an unclean man
So like John I fall prostrate on this island of life
I worship You, recognizing you are power and might
Glory and light, eternal in sight, blameless and right
Creator of life, thief in the night, Jesus the Christ

[Chorus]
I see the Lord, seated on the throne, exalted
And the train of His robe, fills the temple with glory
And the whole earth is filled, and the whole earth is filled
And the whole earth is filled, with His glory

[Verse Two]
The sun suspends in the air
I can feel Your winds everywhere
You care to the grains of my hair
Divine works all around me
I can't get past the evidence
The fact that your invisible, to me, is irrelevant
I know your heaven sent, straight to the virgin birth

Gave me a second chance even after man's curse
A third, a fourth, a fifth, and a sixth
You wore my crown of thorns, you took my licks as they spit
In ya face, off the cross a sinner you embraced
Now I understand whats the meaning of grace
I war against the flesh, can't wait till the day that you come
Cause everday I'm rewriting Psalm 51
From the weak to the dumb
You make us shine like Pearls
Got a new engagement, broke up with that girl named world
The relationship was unfruitful, I was Satan's pupil
They told me you was an unfair God, I believed those lies
I know the truth now, cuz you've been fair since creation
Man fell, and then you gave man emancipation
I know the saying one sin can make man fall
But with one drop of blood, he can save us all
I'm a living sacrifice, I lay my life upon the altar
I pray to have faith that don't forsake you, like a martyr
I have a desire, thats to know you more
I have no choice to live holy cuz I see the Lord

[Chorus]

[Isaiah 6]
For Whole earth is full of his glory
And the foundations of the threshold tremble
At the voice of him who called out
While the temple is filled with smoke
I said to myself Woe is me
For I am ruined
Because I'm a man with unclean lips
And I live amongst a people with unclean lips
For my eyes have seen the king, the Lord of Hosts
Then one seraphim flew to me
With burning coals in his hand
He touched me on my lips
Said my iniquity is taken away, and my sins forgiven
Then I heard the voice of the Lord say
Who shall I send?
Who will go for us
Then I said
Here I am, Send Me

Always Blessed,

Gretchen :)

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Tuesday's Gift ~ Hope

Hope.

Hope in the Lifting Up.

Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;
For the Lord upholds him with His hand. ~Psalm 37:24

Survive.

Hope in the Assurance of our God.

Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God;
For I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God. ~Psalm 42:11

Turn your face unto the LORD.

Hope in the LORD as my God and My Ultimate Help in all circumstances.

Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord their God, ~ Psalm 146:5

Stretch.

Hope is a gift given by our LORD himself to encourage us on this journey called LIFE.

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word. ~ 2 Thessalonians 2: 16-17

Every Good Work

We must only Seize Hope as we accept Christ as our Savior...

...we who have taken refuge might be strongly encouraged to seize the hope set before us. We have this hope, a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus, a forerunner on our behalf, has entered, having become a high priest forever... ~Hebrews 6: 18b-20a

Anchored Safely

I am Thankful for the Gift of Hope, an anchor for my soul to rest upon.

Always Blessed,
Gretchen :)

All pictures are courtesy of my sister Sara Rose Nissen.
Check out her artwork over at as seen through my eyes.

Possibly Linking With:

Frugally Sustainable
Raising Homemakers
Far Above Rubies
A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Wholehearted Home
Growing Home

Courtship Connection
Living In the Shoe
Homemaking Linkup
A Proverbs 31 Wife
All Things With a Purpose

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Muddled Love* Forgiving Your Spouse

I was going to write a post on my favorite place in this whole big wide world.

It is so beautiful that my pictures don't even come close to showing how amazing a place it is. My sister's photographs come close but there is something tangible in the air up North that you can really only see it and feel it when you are there.

My grandparent's scrimped and saved and bought a small piece of land on a beautiful quiet lake. My grandpa built a cabin long before I was a thought in my mother's mind. She grew up in the Cities and spent her childhood summers heading up to the cabin on weekends with her parents and siblings. They hiked and swam and caught frogs and fished till they were bored and then did it all over again.

The cabin stayed in the family and we got to spend a week or so every summer hiking and swimming and catching frogs and fishing... and then doing it all over again. We played in the water till our fingers wrinkled and scarfed down chocolate chip cookies and hot cocoa every evening. We would read books late into the night and then wake early to the smell of coffee and pine sap. The hummingbirds whirred out the front window and water lapped at the grass shoreline teasing us with the promise of a morning swim. Mom would take us to town just to window shop and peek at all the tourist trinkets that we never bought because we were like the locals. This was her other home. She was accepted as a regular.

Somehow in all that regularness of our growing up, a love grew for this humble place. A feeling of Home.

It is where I retreated so I could heal after my miscarriage. It is where I brought my babies and taught them to trust a life jacket. It is where I first tasted good coffee with my feet sunk up to ankle in cool, soft water. It is where I have cried out to God loudest because it echoes across the lake and sounds like a true declaration. I dreamed of the lily pads floating gently on shimmery lake currents while in labor with my children. My husband fished badly with my siblings here and was accepted. Dear ones we have loved and lost were invited into this secret and safe place. The Hippie Chick became my sister here in this sun dappled world of thick pines and leafy oaks.

My children have been enchanted by its sense of family. They feel the generations of feet walking the path from the front door to the dock. They respect the space and freely discuss topics that may have been left undisclosed. They have played board games, scarfed cookies and had cocoa for breakfast. They have hiked and swam till their fingers wrinkled. They have caught fish and found frogs. They have eaten marshmallows burnt off the stick and swatted mosquitoes. They have gladly shared air mattresses and sleeping bags all so we can vacation together. And then done it all over again, because they love this place. This Home.

There is above all, a feeling of family.

So that was going to be my post.

But then, as per my willingness last week to open my mouth about how I will write stuff even when I don't want to I figure I better finish this. You see, I have been withholding a forgiveness. And it revolves around this place I call Home. This little cabin in the woods.

Last year was a rough year. I wanted to pack my bags and Move to The Cabin last summer just so I could run away. I desperately needed a vacation. I needed someplace where I could eat and swim and run and allow my children to be dirty faced and happy for a week or so. I needed to be free from the everyday drag my life sometimes gets caught up in. I needed to be in place of quiet, with no electronic distraction and no sound of the garbage truck first thing in the morning.

I am a stay at home, homeschooling mother with a Hubs that lives in a different town for his job more than half of the week and two teenagers in two separate high schools. I have a unique job description and it includes no time off, ever. There is no break from the daily grind. There is no relief from the pressure of motherhood. There is no back up. There is no one to throw my struggling teenager at when I need an instant answer. There is often no help when my toddler is teething, Sir Bean is acting out, and Prince Ray is lying to me. I never get a moment.

Unless, I am at the cabin. It is essential to my well-being. At least I can bring my crazy working life to a different atmosphere and things seem to be calmer there. They always behave better when they are out of their element.

But last year was going to be Epic. I was going to get to go for a whole weekend. With my sisters, and Princess Peony. I was literally in tears of excitement over the whole thing. Time for me. With the girls! We planned some Bible readings, some crafts and girly stuff. We figured out recipes we could make with things the little kids and menfolk won't eat. Seriously. So Happy.

The Hubs was going to take off work from a Thursday through a Sunday. The date set and planned months ahead of time. All was organized with the precision of an army planning for battle.

And then he changed jobs within his company. He couldn't take off. Not his fault. Just Life.

It was impossible to find a way around it... I wasn't going. My weekend was not happening.
I cried for days. I felt awful. Worse yet, nobody went. And I never got up there with my family or the kids either.

No break. No safe place. No going Home.

I realized as I was writing about my favorite place in the whole world that I had not truly forgiven him. It was mostly out of his control. It was not an intentional hurt. I think he felt bad. There was a series of miscommunication. It was easier for him to work with the new position than try to get the weekend off. It was a measured decision based on his job and the need there. In the end, it was the right decision.

However, what I felt was that my most desperately needed weekend was less important to him. That I was less important to him. That my needs and wants came after his. That he didn't understand.

I don't think that is true. But, that is what I felt at the time.

Feelings, though are fickle aren't they? They can be true at the time but only to the beholder. Trusting in your feelings can be foolish.

How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing
and fools hate knowledge? ~Proverbs 1:2

Life is full of mishaps that step on toes, break hearts, crush spirits and damage feelings. We almost never mean to hurt the people we love. Not really. Life just happens.

How very good and pleasant it is
when kindred live together in unity! ~Psalm 133:1

So on to that elusive thing called forgiveness.

I found numerous verses commanding forgiveness. They all apply to your spouse.

Forgive with loving and kindness. That means no holding grudges. No halfsies on forgiving. Bury that hatchet and do not leave the handle out. Your husband does not need to hear about it over and over and over again.

and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you. ~ Ephesians 4:32

Forgive when you are bearing the complaint. Simply because the LORD forgave you. He is setting a high standard in which to follow. You need to forgive even if the complaint is valid. You need to forgive even if you are in the 'right'. Someday you will be in the wrong. You would want that some loving courtesy.

Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. ~Colossians 3:13

Forgive when your husband is repentant. Even if it has hurt you to the core. You must forgive.

Be on your guard! If another disciple sins, you must rebuke the offender, and if there is repentance, you must forgive. ~Luke 17:3

Forgive often. Forgive repeatedly.

Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. ~Matthew 18:21-22

So what good is it? How does this motivate me to forgive a wrong or even a perceived wrong? If I forgive and they sin against me again, why do I need to forgive again? The LORD has given us pretty clear instruction. We need to forgive if we want to be forgiven.

Think about this in a marriage relationship. We need to forgive and forget all the time. I am human and a messy person. He is human and a messy person. Together, we are not a recipe for perfection. We are the definition of messy marriage. If I want to be forgiven when I have wronged or hurt him then I had better well forgive him when he fails or wrongs me.

It is going to happen sometimes. This is real marriage. This is not a princess story. This Chubby Princess has a stubborn heart and sarcastic tongue. The Knight in rusted armor is temperamental when tired and quick to anger. Arrows on occasion are going to fly. So, forgive.

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you;~ Matthew 6:14

We are also told that to foster friendship we need to forgive. In marriage, our spouse should be our best friend. How do you be best friends if one of you is holding a grudge? In my case, I was pushing that feeling aside. Once that cabin post popped up, all I could think about was how upset I still was over not going! I thought I had dealt with it. I never forgave. It was still there. It wasn't hurting him. It was hurting me. Essentially it was causing a friction whenever we talked about the cabin. I need to forgive him, even if he hasn't asked for it. Even if he didn't realize how bad he offended. Because, I don't want to alienate my best friend.

One who forgives an affront fosters friendship, but one who dwells on disputes will alienate a friend. ~Proverbs 17:9

Once more, to clarify. In a normal, healthy marriage. Where no one is getting hurt. Where no abuse is present. I would encourage you to pray for God's strength to forgive your spouse of any wrongdoings. Or perhaps even ask for forgiveness for your own wrongdoing. There should be no shame. We are all broken and damaged people. Asking for Forgiveness should be heartfelt but not demeaning. We all have fallen short. We are all asked to forgive.

To my sisters who bear a much greater burden. I will say the same thing. You must forgive. I don't believe you need to be in that space being abused to do that forgiving. The LORD wants us to preserve life. The life of your children. Your life. Get to a safe place. Seek shelter within a Christian community designed to help your situation. Pray. Seek wise counsel and encourage your spouse to do the same.

"A happy marriage is the union of two good forgivers." -Ruth Bell Graham

Always Blessed,
Gretchen :)

Possibly Linking With:

Frugally Sustainable
Raising Homemakers
Far Above Rubies
A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Wholehearted Home
Growing Home

Courtship Connection
Living In the Shoe
Homemaking Linkup

A Proverbs 31 Wife
All Things With a Purpose

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Tuesday's Gifts ~ Heart Trusting

I am Thankful for the opportunity to Believe.
To Believe in God's Provision in spite of my questioning Mind.

Who provides for the raven its prey,
when its young ones cry to God,
and wander about for lack of food? ~Job 38:41

⁹He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry. ~Psalms 147:9

Thankful for my growing Faith.

For Curbing my Will to His.

Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! ~Luke 12:24

Even the sparrow finds a home,
    and the swallow a nest for herself,
    where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
    my King and my God. ~Psalms 84:3

Thanking Him for His patience.

While I learn to let my heart Trust.

³¹He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; ³²it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” ~Matthew 13: 31-32

Oh! that I would trust with my heart so that I may find rest! Home in those branches with the warm sun-dappled light peeking through those green leafy arms.

What a promised gift to be thankful for.

Always Blessed,

Gretchen :)

All pictures are courtesy of my sister, Sara Rose Nissen.

Check out her artwork over at as seen through my eyes. :)

Possibly Linking With:

Frugally Sustainable
Raising Homemakers
Far Above Rubies
A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Wholehearted Home
Growing Home