Definition of Christianity November 4, 2009

(Note, Olivia shared this with me, and I thought it was beautiful! Enjoy ladies! ).

Definition of Christianity

When I say that ‘I am a Christian’, I am not shouting that ‘I am clean living.
I’m whispering ‘I was lost, but now I’m found and forgiven.’

When I say ‘I am a Christian’ I don’t speak of this with pride.
I’m confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say ‘I am a Christian’ I’m not trying to be strong.
I’m professing that I’m weak and need His strength to carry on.

When I say ‘I am a Christian’ I’m not bragging of success.
I’m admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.

When I say ‘I am a Christian’ I’m not claiming to be perfect.
My flaws are far too visible, but God believes I am worth it.

When I say ‘I am a Christian’ I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name.

When I say ‘I am a Christian’ I’m not holier than thou,
I’m just a simple sinner who received God’s good grace, somehow!

Create! October 28, 2009

Talents are one of those things which most of us think we don’t have, and no matter what people tell us we do well, we won’t REALLY believe them.
Now, God has shown me that you don’t have to be a super piano player to have talents, but that is a subject for another day. Today I want to talk about doing things that don’t necessarily need natural talent.

I find crafts fun, because I don’t need natural talents to learn them. And I’m here to pose the idea to you that everyone needs to find something they can create without having to get all upset about not having talent.

Here’s some ideas (Add on your own ideas too!! These are just some that I like to do! ).

Scrapbooking – A picture, a pretty piece of paper, and some stickers stuck on can make a really pretty scrapbook. Not much talent needed here, just imagination! (Card making goes along with this!! Paper and some stickers make a really cute card, or if you like to draw, a pretty picture on the front! ).

Knitting – I only know a few knitting stitches, but I still really enjoy making lots of things, such as shawls, dishclothes (with pretty patterns), purses, and you can do things like knit squares and make a blanket, or learn to make a sweater. Again, not much talent needed, and there are great knitting videos online that make it easy to learn!

Crocheting – I personally don’t know how to crochet, (and it looks hard to me!), but many people who do know how say it’s really easy, and fun!

Doll making – This is a particular favorite of mine. Doll making is surprisingly easy, if you find a good pattern! I use Simplicity’s rag doll pattern, and add my own special touch by embroidering the face on instead of drawing, and doing different hair styles (see picture above). I love to watch it turn into a doll as I work, and when I’m done I have a beautiful piece of work. Now, this craft does take time and work, but it is fairly easy, and really fun to see the outcome! (Not much talent needed either! ).

Beading – Another thing I don’t do, (although I have), some people find this really enjoyable, and create beautiful things!! (Makes good gifts too! ).

So, go out and create!

Obedience Leads to Blessing October 21, 2009

” For by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.” – Romans 5:19

This verse got me started thinking about obedience… Obedience to God, obedience to parents, obedience to the government, obedience to church leaders, and to other authorities in our lives.

It just struck me in this verse how the disobedience of Adam we were made sinners – it was a curse, and it caused death. He disobeyed God, and everyone since then has have to suffer for it.

Where on the other hand, the obedience of Christ, He obeyed God and it spread as a blessing! He was obedient even to death.

When we disobey God, it leads to much heartache and pain, whereas when we obey Him, and do what He says, it leads to a beautiful blessing, and eternal life!

Now with earthy authorities there is much in common to this, while you have to be careful that what you obey is not causing you to sin, most of what we have to obey is what God would want us to obey. Our Mom asks us to wash the dishes, the government sets speed limits, etc! When we obey these authorities in our lives, we are doing what God wants (He says “Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.” Etc ), and He will bless us for that! If we do not obey these authorities, we will reap pain – getting in trouble from our parents, getting a speeding ticket, etc!

So, my thought for you today, is even though obedience is hard work, in the end it reaps the biggest blessing! Especially your obedience to God!

God bless!

HomeMade NoteBooks October 14, 2009

Notebooks are something that a lot of people use daily, for school, journals, story writing, notes, etc! There are endless possibilities for a notebook. Plus, they make wonderful gifts!

But, if you are like me and don’t have a lot of money, and like to send friends handmade gifts, and like to do crafts, then sometimes just buying a notebook at the store for someone just doesn’t cut it. (Pretty ones can be quite expensive, whereas those ugly ones sometimes are just a dollar! ).

So, several month’s ago a good friend suggested this to me, and I thought it was a wonderful idea, and have been doing it ever since!

(Inspired by http://www.instructables.com/id/How_to_Decorate_a_Composition_Journal/ ).

First go get one of those cheap, ugly notebooks (;-)). stickers, pretty paper, and what ever else you’d like to use (ribbon, glitter, etc!). (Note – you’ll need glue and maybe tape for this project, two sided tape works best if you want to lay something flat with no glue). (A lot of these things can be found around the house, so don’t spend extra money if you can help it! I just use the glue out of the cupboard, my scrapbooking paper, (which I mostly receive as gifts), and my stickers. ).

Next glue the paper onto the notebook’s front, fold edges over and glue. (You can do the same to the back. ).

Next, decorate!!! Like I said, stickers, ribbons, put their name on it, etc! Have fun with it!!

Next – Give to friend with a nice card!

Don’t get worried if you have a flop, that’s what’s so fun about these, is that the notebooks are so cheap that you can always just get another and it won’t cost much at all! (I like to buy a couple when they are on sale to have on hand for presents for people! ).
But also remember, sometimes what you think is a flop, someone else will like! A dear friend saw  one of my “flops” and said she liked it, so I made it into a present for her instead of the original person!

Enjoy!

He Is No Fool October 7, 2009

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” — Jim Elliott

He Is No Fool

By Twila Paris

There Once Was a Man Born of High Circumstance
Heir to Advantage, He Had Every Chance to Succeed
But Light From the Cross Made His Dreams Appear Small
And to Their Surprise He Went Far–from It All
For the Love of His Savior, For One Priceless Jewel
They Could Not Understand So They Called Him a Fool

Chorus
He Is no Fool
If He Would Choose
To Give the Thing He Cannot Keep
To Buy What He Can Never Lose
To See a Treasure in One Soul
That Far Outshines the Brightest Gold
He Is no Fool, He Is no Fool
He Is no Fool, He Is no Fool

There Once Was a Boy Who Could Run Like the Wind
Given to Lead, Every Man Was His Friend At the Line
But Light From the Cross Made His Race Appear Small
And to Their Amazement, He Followed the Call
For the Love of His Savior, For One Priceless Jewel
They Could Not Understand So They Called Him a Fool

Repeat Chorus

Show Me the Fool Who Abandons His Life
To Walk in the Steps of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Repeat Chorus

Worship the Lord! October 4, 2009

Psalm 95

¹ Oh come, let us sing to the LORD!
Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
² Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
³ For the LORD is the great God,
And the great King above all gods.
⁴ In His hand are the deep places of the earth;
The heights of the hills are His also.
⁵ The sea is His, for He made it;
And His hands formed the dry land.

⁶ Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.
⁷ For He is our God,
And we are the people of His pasture,
And the sheep of His hand.

Today, if you will hear His voice:
⁸ “Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion,^[a]
As in the day of trial^[b] in the wilderness,
⁹ When your fathers tested Me;
They tried Me, though they saw My work.
¹⁰ For forty years I was grieved with that generation,
And said, ‘It is a people who go astray in their hearts,
And they do not know My ways.’
¹¹ So I swore in My wrath,
‘They shall not enter My rest.’ ”

Prayer Requests October 1, 2009

Don’t forget that if you have a private prayer request that you would rather not post in the prayer requests page, please feel free to e-mail us at our e-mail address – sistertosisterblog@gmail.com

Cleanliness is Next to Godliness or Amy’s Tips to Cleaning a Room September 30, 2009

I’m sure we’ve all heard things like, “Clean your room” “Make your bed” “Wash off the table” “Clean up your toys” “Don’t eat that in the livingroom” and so on and so forth, and I’m sure we’ve all had our “rolling of the eyes” moments about that, and thinking “Mom is SOOO particular!
However, there is something else we have to remember. One of my Mom’s favorite quotes is “Cleanliness is next to godliness”. Now, MAYBE that’s taking it a little far, but there is a good principle behind it! Such as, God wants us to have hospitality. When the house is messy, do we invite people in when they come to the door? At our house, unless it is a close family member (our Grandma for instance) we run out to great them on the lawn, and just never get around to asking them in! *Blush* If the house is messy, do we fear having someone just drop in? Do we have a welcoming spirit?

Ok, having a messy house is one thing that our family struggles with, and it’s getting better, but I still have to clean a LOT during the week to make it presentable, and even then I only usually get to the three main rooms of the house (which are the most important since that’s what everyone sees! )

Having a clean house not only encourages hospitality, it also is a peaceful thing. Honestly, I feel things are much more peaceful after I have cleaned! And my heart feels much more settled.

So, here’s some things that might help you if you have a hard time knowing WHERE to start on that big pile of junk!! Or you just want to encourage your Mom, and get things looking spiffy again! (And believe me, she’ll be SO happy to come home from shopping and find a clean house! ).

For the Living room -

1. I like to start with the couches (we always seem to have Instruments and things on them from trying to keep the dogs off them while we are gone! ), clean them off, straighten the pillows, straighten the cover if you have one, etc.

2. Pick up the toys off the floor and put them away (I don’t know about your house, but here I just put people’s things on their beds.). This could take MANY trips, and if you have a little sibling who is feeling helpful, this is a good thing to enlist their help on! (I have this thing where I like to clean by myself, but if someone offers, it’s never a good idea to discourage them, so making them do the running is a good idea! Besides, all those trips can make you tired, and those “little” kids have a lot of energy! ). Try to avoid throwing things behind the couches and stuff if you can help it. (I have run into a problem because I piled lots of books on the school shelf in the living room, and now there are lots of stacks, and the shelf if really messy, so now I have an extra big project, instead of just an extra trip to the book room with the books people aren’t reading any more.).

3. Clean off the tops of things like the Piano. This is one thing that I often don’t do, but then it gets out of hand, so don’t be like me!

4. Vacuum! Yay! My favorite part! I like turning around when I’m done and finding that the room looks SO much better then before without all that dust and dirt on the floor (and dog hair here! ), and it gives the rug, if you have one, a fresh look! Make sure to do a really good job at vacuuming! Don’t be lazy! (Tip for hard floors, depending on what kind of vacuum you have, I prefer to sweep our hard floors like in the hallway and kitchen, I feel I get up more dirt that way. However, my Grandma has a vacuum that works just fine on hard floors, so what ever works for you! ).

5. Dust! I almost never dust, and believe me, our house is dusty. I need to add that to my cleaning list I think!

The Kitchen-

1. Start by cleaning off and washing the table, counters, and stove before you do the floor, that way any crumbs that may have fallen you will get with the broom! (I made the mistake of doing the floors first at the house I babysit, after I had to crawl around with the dustpan and broom and get the stuff I dropped when doing the counters :-/). (If you have a garbage with a top, clean that too. We have a white garbage, and it gets dirty very easily! I just use a paper towel and cleaner! ).

2. Clean the mircowave if you have one. This is another thing I almost never do, and it’s not very nice, so again, don’t be like me! ;-

3. Pick up and sweep/vacuum the floor. Make sure not to do any mopping until that is done!

4. Mop – Another thing I never do, (Mom does the mopping ) however, generally, depending on what your family thinks, this only needs to be done once in a while. Maybe make this a monthly thing.

5. Also, washing windows and stuff like that might be something you either do weekly or monthly. (This one would go for all the rooms! ).

The Bathroom -

1. Pick up the floor. Put ponytail things in the right drawers, and clothes in the hamper (or bedrooms).

2. Clean out tub/shower, and shut curtain.

3. Wash toilet. (And make sure to wash your hands when you are done!!!! ).

4. Wash counter, sink, faucet and faucet handles, door handles, and light switches. (Helps keeps germs away! Do this especially if people have colds or other sicknesses!).

5. Change hand towels, and straighten bath towels.

6. Wash mirror, and garbage lid.

7. Sweep floor, and mop when needed.

Your Bedroom -

I find that my bedroom often gets messy because I am so busy cleaning the rest of the house, but I think that if we followed a few simple, every day rules, our bedrooms would stay clean very easily!

1. Make bed.

2. Pick up clothes and put away or put in hamper.

3. Clean off surfaces of things like crafts, paper, and other things.

4. Don’t like night drink cups collect!! (My really bad habit! ).

5. Pick up floor, and vacuum as needed.

6. Make sure not to just throw things in the closet!!! That makes a BIG mess, and is harder to clean up then just taking the time to put things in neatly and in the correct places!

7. Straighten anything that is out for people to see, and make things look nice and neat! (i.e. bookshelves, piles of letters, school books, etc! ).

Well, I hope this post was helpful to you!!!! If you are someone who hates cleaning (or just get sorta sick of it like me! ), try doing things like listening to your favorite music, wearing a cute apron (even if you don’t NEED too), singing, making up stories (ya know, pretend you are Cinderella, or a slave who was stolen from your country, or a maid somewhere! ). I especially like cleaning when no one is home so that I can listen to music and stuff, but sometimes this is not possible (MOST times I should say) so just do what you can to make your cleaning time more fun! (And don’t forget, you can pretend to be a maid in your HEAD! No one has to know!!! Hehe!).

God bless!

Does He REALLY Listen to Me? September 23, 2009

I don’t know about you, but I often feel like I’m WAY too small, and my problems are way too small to “bother” God with! But if you think that, you are WRONG! No one, and no problem, are too small to tell to God! And God loves to listen to His children, no matter how “stupid” the request might seem to us.

“Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. ³⁰ But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹ Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” – Matthew 10:29-31

Even the hairs of our heads are numbered!!

He cares for us!!!!

Hello!!! Nice to meet you! September 23, 2009

Hello there! My name is Amy (also know as Ame ), I’m an 18-year-old Pastor’s daughter, and I’m a Swamp-Yankee ( ) who lives in a very beautiful part of New England! I love it here, and no where else will ever truly feel like home, although I’d love to travel and try living different places if I ever got the chance!

I am the 2nd of 4 kids, (I have 2 sisters and 1 brother), and am very proud of my 2nd born status! I was homeschooled for my whole life until I graduated this year, and am currently taking a Sign Language course two days a week at our community college, but still studying at home too. I never was good at math or spelling, and still am not, so PLEASE don’t ask me any questions about either of them… Or Science… Or History… Or… Yup, I was one of those kids who homeschool mom’s wouldn’t want, but my Mom didn’t care!
I babysit once a week (currently usually only for the baby of the family at the moment…), and am the main house cleaner for our family (tip on making me happy – KEEP YOUR STUFF CLEANED UP!!!! ). I take piano lessons from a friend from church, and love being able to help the people at church when every I get the chance.

I enjoy writing, knitting, chewing gum, reading, missionary books, “kid” books, making rag dolls, talking on the phone, singing, dancing, playing pretend games with my siblings, doing things with friends, kids, letters, e-mails, forums, Bible study,  paper dolls, musicals tea, apple juice… And the list could go on and on!
One of my favorite time periods was the 1950’s, and if you ever invent a time machine, please let me know so you can send me back there! (JK!).
My favorite food are Mashed Potato’s, and Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream! (Not together though! )… Yup, I could probably eat Mashed Potato’s every day of the week!
Amazingly enough I don’t like coffee, or coffee ice cream (although I can manage to take a taste of the IC! ), and am out numbered on this blog in the fact that I am the only one who doesn’t!

If the Lord wills I want to be a missionary, and help orphans and anyone else who needs my help! Including sharing the good news of Christ!

One of my favorite Bible stories is of Ruth, and one of my “life verses” is James 1:27 – “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”
One of my favorite Psalms is 139 (go read it! It’s beautiful! ). And one of my favorite verses is Galatians 6:9 - “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

I hope you are blessed by what you read on this blog!

Have a wonderful day and God bless!