I look back and it has been almost 6 years since I have written on here.  A lot has happened in that time.  I started a new job, changed churches, and lost both my in-laws within basically a year of each other.  My daughter is now 19 and my husband and I are getting ready to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary in July.  The Lord has been doing a work on my heart and I share it from time to time on Facebook but was reminded of this blog and how it can reach more people than just my Facebook friends.  So I will be attempting, with the Lord's guidance, to get this blog back up and running on a regular basis.  I will be using it for my thoughts, prayers, reading and other things like that.  I will also have some product and book reviews from time to time.  I covet your prayers as I am praying for direction in this.  Also if I can pray for you in any way please let me know!!!  I would be honored to pray for you!


Looking forward to what's to come!!

Changes and things to come :-)

I want to start off by saying first off how grateful I am for the few friends I have that I know will help point me in the right direction in my walk with the King.  I stumble and fall so often due to being self centered and pride but I truly want this life I live to be Christ honoring and for His glory.  With the Holy Spirit's help I am trying to make our home simpler and live a calmer life.  Our finances have been a constant source of woe for us.  I honestly believe that the Lord allows us to continue to struggle to keep us humble.  He blesses us in so many other ways in our lives and for that I am grateful and we are going to sit down today and work on our budget..rather create one since we do not have one already.  Our goal is to slowly but surely become debt free.   We have dug ourselves into a pit with credit card debt and careless spending but from now on all purchases will be prayerfully considered.  We are also going to use an "envelope" system.  We haven't done this before so it will take a little getting used to. 

We have started finding ways to save money at home...we no longer have satellite TV which saves us $60.00 a month and my darling husband put a clothes line outside for me and we are using it some.  Not totally due the all the afternoon thunderstorms we get.  Also yesterday I called our phone company and was inquiring about our bill.  We were paying $80.00 a month for home phone service and DSL.  I dropped the fancy features such as caller id, call waiting and long distance.  Also dropped a 5GB storage fee they were charging each month.  When all is said and done it took off $30.00 a month of the phone bill.  :-)  Little savings lead to bigger savings :-) 

I am also going to start making use of the gym membership we are paying for.  We have a contract with them and can not cancel which is okay with me because I know IF I start going to the gym and loosing weight then doctor bills and medicines and even clothes shopping will become cheaper.  I will update later on this evening what we worked out for our budget and I pray that this may encourage someone going through the same thing or that even you will encourage us during this time.  We know things have to change and with the Lord's help we will make it happen. 

Until Next Time~
Robin

A Quest for a simple life

I have been on a quest for sometime now to live a simple life and in the process of this quest I have overcomplicated life.  I have realized that I can live a simple God honoring life without having to "buy" new gadgets or books.  They just add to the clutter and chaos of my already overcrowded home.  I am finding though that it is the little things in this life that are helping us to "simplify" our lives.  My husband put up a clothesline for me yesterday.  This is just a temporary one as he wants to make sure I will faithfully use it once the newness wears off lol...oh he knows me so well, but isn't that how it goes..we have so many "projects" going and then they drop to the wayside once the newness wears off.  I have so many irons in the fire and I have realized, you know what I am NOT superwoman and in my trying to do "good things" I have neglected the best thing and that is my time with the Lord.  I feel like I have lost some of the fire I received at the True Woman Conference because I have put my focus on less important things.  I have prayed and decided that any ministries the Lord would have me to be involved in He will make known to me and until then I am going to spend my time in my prayer closet and in God's Word.  I want my daughter to be able to say that her mom left her a Godly legacy.  So as I continue on this journey of life I pray that God will use me as He sees fit and that I will be a ready and willing vessel for His service.

Till Next Time~
Robin

Why do you go to church???

Psalm 133:1 "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!" When we belong to a local church we must remember why we are there..it is NOT to be entertained or how many programs a church has, it is that as a church body we worship our Lord and Savior and hear the Word of God being taught. 

This thought has been on my mind for sometime now and it really bothers me when people go to church for the wrong reasons.  We should be going to church to worship God and also to hear the Word being preached.  I am not saying it's bad if a church has a lot of programs, clubs etc but our main focus should be on hearing the Word and then going out and telling it to others.  Our church has a very small youth group and my daughter is getting ready to enter it this school year.  It has been suggested to me that I find another church to take her to because she needs youth interaction.  Yes I do agree that since she is homeschooled interaction with other youth her age is a good thing but I don't go to our church because of their youth program.  We go because that is where we feel God wants us to be.  We go because the word of God is taught truthfully and unashamedly.  We go because our Pastor loves the Lord and wants to serve Him, but he is also human and is willing to admit his shortcomings.  These are just my thoughts and I know that not all will agree with me.  I am just putting out there what God has laid on my heart.  :-)

Till Next Time~
Robin

Field Trip Days

I haven't blogged about our adventures in homeschooling because it has been a learning curve for us all.  We love homeschooling and will continue to do so and now that we have our first year almost completed maybe I will blog about it next year.  But we have made every other Thursday field trip day.  We have been trying to visit Georgia state parks and go hiking and such.  We went to the Toccoa Falls and Tallulah Gorge a few weeks back and it was beautiful.  Then this past Thursday we went to Fort Mountain State Park.  That was such a hike wow!  Also got separated from Tony and Becca then wound up taking the wrong trail and coming out about a half mile or so away from our car lol..I won't go into more details about being panicking thinking I was lost in the woods lol.  Next Thursday the 20th we are going to Ellijay, GA to the Amnilicola State Park.  We are going to get a map and start marking every place we have been.  What a great adventure we are on and trust me it is always an adventure with us :-)

Till Next Time~
Robin

Review of the Noticer

This is such a great story of how the most unexpected people can have the biggest impact in our lives.  Take this homeless elderly man..might not look like much, but his wisdom and way of looking at things is truly unique.  This kind of reminds me of the movie Pay it Forward.  A kind word or deed can go a long way in someone's life.  We never know what that person is going through.  Great book and one that I will read again! 

Return to blogging

After attending a ladies conference I have been praying about the conviction I felt in regards to my blog and ministering to other women.  I have joined forces with Christian Women Online and I am helping them get the site up and going by posting on the forums and such.  We would love for you to check it out and join the site.  With that said here is a link to my first blog post on that site which I will be transferring to here as well each time but for now please click on the link and check out the site directly.  May God Bless you during the time of rememberance of what Christ did for us by dying on that cross. 

Christian Women Online Blog Post

Till Next Time~
Robin

Physically Fit and Spiritually Fit

I am going on a journey of emotions and feel like the Lord would have me to make some changes in my life.  As per my previous post today I am trying to simplify my life.  Another way I feel the Lord wants me to change is my weight.  I am posting here and now in open confession that I am lazy.  I do not brag about that in fact I am broken about this sin and that is why I am stating it now.  I want others to hold me accountable for the changes I am going to make.  So starting tomorrow I am going to watch what I eat and make exercise an important part of my day.  I want not only my heart to be pleasing to the Lord but I want to be a good steward of what He has allowed me to have.  I am going to make a new blog just for my weight loss journey and will include my exercise, water intake and food intake for the day.  I would love to have anyone else take the journey with me.  If you are interested please let me know!! 

Till Next Time~

Robin

Simplicity

The Lord has really impressed upon my heart the idea of a more simple life.  Less clutter, less busyness, less stress, less things.  I can not explain the yearning in my heart.  I know right now that I feel closer to the Lord than I ever have in the 14 years I have been saved.  I feel a peace that passes all understanding!!  But I also feel the need to strip away all the "things" that cause me to stumble in my walk.  Psalm 119:35-37 states : "Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.  Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.  Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way."  This was my devotional this morning in Prayer, Praise and Promises by Warren Wiersbe.  In it he states..."So much of what the world offers is trivial, false and worthless.  Don't build your life on the world's foundations.  Build your life instead on the Word of God, for it endures forever." 

Till next time~

Robin

Green by Ted Dekker

Just a side note about my review.  Please know that this is my opinon only and I realize some people like these books.  Thanks for taking the time to check this out.


For my book review this time I selected a book by Ted Deker entitle Green. The whole premise of this book is that you can read it either as the first in the series or the last. The series in which this book belongs is called The Circle and the other books in it are black, red and white. A few teens in our church know how much I like to read and suggested this author. I have never read anything else by him and quite frankly probably never will. The book takes the settings of present and future. That concept I can handle but the rest of the book is just odd. Maybe my mind couldn’t take go on the journey the author was hoping for but I was lost and quite frankly bored. The story was unbelievable and the sensuality in the book is nothing that I would want my 13 yr old to read. The main character of the book in present times is Thomas Hunter but he gets swept back into the future and wakes up in the Black Forest. I see the analogy the used used in the colors black representing bad and green representing good but that is the only thing I understood or even enjoyed. I am thinking that this is one circle that should not have been reborn.

Till Next Time~
Robin

Verse for the day

"As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.  My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God."  Psalm 42:1-2

I love reading about David.  As a child we all hear about David and Goliath and marvel at how someone so little can overtake someone so large.  As adults we are told of David and the sin he commited with Bath-seba and the killing of Uriah.  David, while he made some really big mistakes, was still called "a man after God's own heart."  He truly repented of his sin and here in Psalm 42 he was crying out his desire and hunger for the Lord.  We may not have commited the sames sins as David but God loves us just the same and forgives all us the same.  Isaiah 55:7 says "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."  I think too often we take for granted that we can ask forgiveness of our sins but are we ever truly broken over them?  Over and over I am reminded of needing to have a "broken and contrite heart" before the Lord.  I am so thankful to have a loving Father who wants to have fellowship with me!

Till Next Time~
Robin

Verse for the day!

"O Lord, I have heard thy speech and was afraid:  O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy." Habakkuk 3:2

Our Pastor has had us studying this verse for a while now and really focusing on the "revive they work" part.  Revival is something that our country is in desperate need of but the sad fact is that the majority of christians are not experiencing it themselves and some may not have ever been truly "revived".  In order to have revival in ones life you must first be born again and accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior by believing that He died on the cross for your sins.  For those who have done this then the Holy Spirit can do a work in our hearts and lives to bring about revival.  Like I said earlier our country needs revival but dear ones it is not going to start in Washington or anywhere but in YOUR heart.  Revival must begin within us before we can experience a corporate revival!  Have you become a stale christian?  A comfortable christian??  I ask myself this right along with you and must continue to ask myself this on a daily basis.  We must remain humble and realize that it is only by the grace of God that we are able to even grow closer to Him.  I pray that today each one of you will cry out unto God and beg for a renewal of  passion for the things of God.  That you hunger after God's Word and all things righteous.  I know for myself I will be doing that.  May God Bless you and keep you!

Till Next Time~
Robin

Conviction

First I want to start off by saying what an amazing Lord's Day I had today.  I took the day off from work to go to our church homecoming service and what a blessing to my heart it was. We got to see former members of our church return to honor Pastor Brock who was the founding pastor of our church and to hear some wonderful preaching.  We had a guest preacher by the name of Tommy Aman and yes that is his real last name.  He is pastor of Rock Springs Baptist Church in Morrow, GA and the only words I can use to describe him is "Fired Up" (that was for you Cynthia P.)   His messages, all 3 times I have been blessed enough to hear him, have been more or less on prayer.  Today I was convicted of the lack of prayer in my life and by that I mean earnest, pleading and desperate praying.  Prayer doesn't come easy to everyone.  I know for myself I often struggle with praying out loud.  I know it is pride to worry about what others think of how I pray or what I pray for but for me praying is something special and the time I spend with the Lord is something so personal to me that I don't normally share it with others.  I am going to be reading some books on prayer but I know that the only way to get a prayer life is to start praying.  The two books I am going to be reading are Charles Spurgeon's "The Power of Prayer in a Believer's Life" and "A Woman's Call to Prayer" by Elizabeth George.  If anyone is interested in reading either or both of these books with me and having a discussion please let me know. 

In closing today I am so thankful for my wonderful church family and my dear friends who help keep me grounded and reminding me that I have not arrived yet lol.  No one will until we reach those pearly gates and what a glorious day that will be!!!! 

Till Next Time~
Robin

Beautiful Mess Book Review

I have loved Diamond Rio since the first time I heard their famous song “Meet in the Middle.” I loved the harmony of the group and the words of their songs. When I saw this book I knew I had to read it. It is a little slow to start off with but soon you are delving into each member’s journey on not only how they became members of Diamond Rio but their lives leading up to it. The original name of the band was the Tennessee River Boys and each of them had their own fears and doubts about the success of the band. It was their faith in God and in each other that has kept them together all this time, even when it looked like their lead singer had lost his ability to sing. I learned things that I never knew about this wonderful group such as all their charity work. What a great example these guys have set by helping others and staying away from the typical pitfalls of being a superstar. The pictures in the book are great also! You get to see how each member has changed over the years and get to relive the “big” hair days. I highly recommend this book for an uplifting story and also to get to know each member on a more personal level.

Till Next Time~
Robin

Verse of the Day

"In God is my salvation and my glory:  the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.  Trust in Him at all times; ye people, out out your heart before Him:  God is a refuge for us."  Psals 62: 7,8

These are some of the first verses that I meditate on when I am having trials or just even a bad day.  I picture in my mind the biggest rock I can think of and even then my God is so much bigger than that.  I am so thankful for His love and protection.  If you are struggling today please remember that God is our shelter of protection.  Flee to Him for safety for He alone can save and protect us. 

Till Next Time~

Robin

Verse of the Day!

"Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."  Philippians 4:6

As you may be able to tell one of my favorite books in the Bible is Philippians.  I get so much encouragement from it.  To me this verse changed my prayer life when I dissected and defined it.  When we pray we must remember that while God wants us to pray for others needs as well as our own we must THANK Him for what He has already given to us.  Whenever I pray I try to follow this process so that I know I am being an effective prayer. 

P-Praise God for all the blessing He has already given to you
R-Repent for any sins that you have committed
A-Ask the Lord to answer your prayer requests(now you mention them)
Y-Yield your life and will to the Lord as well as the outcome of the prayer requests. 

I hope that this helps you in someway today.  May God bless you greatly!!

Till Next Time~

Robin

Verse of the day

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report;  if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think of these things. Philippians 4:8

The Lord has really been bringing this verse to my mind several times a day.  I remember this verse whether it is stuggles with homeschooling or financial trials or just a heavy heart over the condition of this world.  I remember to think of the things of God and not focus on the negative. 

It is always important to know and to stand by the truth that is found in God's Word.  Please follow me as I start posting a verse that God puts on my heart on a daily and sometimes even multiple times a day basis.  I am not a Bible scholar nor do I have any Bible training at all except for what I have read in the Bible for myself.  These are just thoughts from my heart and I have prayed over what to say and not to say here.  May God Bless you today and everyday. 

Till Next Time~
Robin

Review of Kashi Honey Sunshine Cereal

Recently in the mail from Vocalpoint I received a sample of Kashi Honey Sunshine cereal and let me tell you what it is awesome.  I am trying to eat healthy and with only 1.5 grams of fat and 6 grams of fiber per serving this cereal fits the bill.  When I first tasted it I was brought back to my childhood of eating Capt'n Crunch...but healthier.  I can also see myself putting this cereal on top of vanilla ice cream but that might affect the healthiness of the snack lol.  I would highly recommend this cereal to anyone and I have some coupons that I am willing to send to a few of my readers.  Please comment on my blog and also email me at lynchteam@gmail.com.  In the subject line of the email please put Kashi Coupon.  I have 3 coupons to send so the first 3 to respond will receive them.  They are for $1.50 off a box of Honey Sunshine cereal.  Thanks and happy snacking!!

Till Next Time~
Robin

New Beginnings

It has been a long time since I have last posted on here and want to get back into blogging. I have started homeschooling and I am going to start to share my struggles and joys here. Also I am in the process of starting to do reviews on products and books. I look forward to working daily on my blog and sharing my heart with you all!! Until next time~

Robin

Awesome Giveaway!!!

I was almost hesitant to post this because I would love to win this item for myself lol!!
Angie at 5 Vinez Monkeys is having a great giveaway sponsored by MyBlogSpark and Fiber One. You can win a fabulous "Fiber One Healthy & Fit Weight Management" gift bag, and get on the right track to losing weight the healthy way! Stop by before 11:59pm ET on August 28th and enter to win!!!

http://www.5vinezmonkeys.com/ click link to go to her website.