Angry?? Pray, Pray, Pray!!

"Be angry and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Offer right sacrifices , and put your trust in the LORD." Psalm 4:4-5

Okay, so now David turns his attention to the godly (and probably to himself too). All of these people have been telling lies about him and turning people against him, but he has God on his side and is confident in that. So, now, what is the proper response when we have something like this going on in our lives? Well, we can be angry. In anger, you must be careful not to sin and as the Lord teaches us elsewhere, we must "not let the sun go down on your anger." So, be angry, but do not sin. Do not become vengeful. Do not say or do hateful things. Instead, ponder on these things and ponder on Christ. Be silent and prayerful. And put your trust in the Lord. "...for it is written 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.'" (Romans 12:19b)

Its so easy to lash out when we get mad. I tend to do that. If I'm upset at Peter I usually will say something right away and in my anger and I ALWAYS regret it later. And, I always have to apologize for what I said. Instead, I should react in love. I may be angry, but I should also be silent and think about it before I say anything.

And excerpt from the hymn "O God, Whom I Delight to Praise"
author unknown

My good with evil they repay,
My love turns not their hate away;
The part of vengeance, Lord, is Thine;
To pray, and only pray, is mine.

Finding Peace

"O men, how long shall my honor be turned into shame? How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? But know that the LORD has set apart the godly for himself; the LORD hears when I call to him." Psalm 4:2-3

Here David turns to speak to his tormentors. Doesn't this almost sound like a threat?? "How long will you spread rumors about me and tell lies? Know this! God has set me apart and hears me when I call to him!!" And his tormentors ought to take warning. David has God on his side and so do we, as Christians.

I don't know about you, but I'm one of those people who likes for everyone to be happy. I am unnerved or depressed when I think that someone is upset with me or there is any kind of unrest with any of my relationships. If a friend of mine who normally smiles and hugs me when I see him or her instead looks the other way when I walk by them, I'm suddenly on edge and must know what is wrong. Even if my friend is not upset with me, I must know what is bothering him or her. So, having several people, whether they be friends, enemies, or complete strangers, telling lies about me and making others turn against me is a complete nightmare!! I'm sure that it would make me feel alone and desperate to repair these relationships. When this sort of trial arises I always try look inward. Is there something that I did to bring this on? Is there something that I need to apologize for and repent of? Many times, there is!! However, if I had done nothing wrong, my only comfort would be in knowing that God is on my side and that he has a plan for me. What a blessed thought!!


If God Himself be for Me by Paul Gerhardt

If God Himself be for me, I may a host defy,
For when I pray, before me my foes confounded fly.
If Christ, the Head, befriend me, if God be my support,
The mischief they intend me shall quickly come to naught.

I build on this foundation, that Jesus and His blood
Alone are my salvation, the true eternal good;
Without Him, all that pleases is valueless on earth:
The gifts I owe to Jesus alone my love are worth.

His Holy Spirit dwelleth within my willing heart,
Tames it when it rebelleth, and soothes the keenest smart.
He crowns His work with blessing, and helpeth me to cry
“My Father!” without ceasing to Him Who reigns on high.

To mine His Spirit speaketh sweet words of soothing power,
How God to Him that seeketh for rest, hath rest in store;
How God Himself prepareth my heritage and lot,
And though my body weareth, my Heav’n shall fail me not.

Confidence Leads to Boldness (with reverence)

"Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have given me relief when I was in distress. Be gracious to me and hear my prayer!" Psalm 4:1

Psalm 4 has been my favorite chapter of the bible for a very long time. It was a comfort to me at a very low time in my life and ever since then I have returned to it time and time again. My favorite part is at the end, but the whole chapter is so uplifting at difficult times and has been my prayer many times. David seems very bold in this first verse where he sounds almost demanding, but note that his boldness is fed by his confidence due to past experience. "Answer me" and "Hear me" are couched with "You have given me relief when I was in distress." David knows he can be bold...he is confident that the Lord will answer. And he is also reverent about it... "O God of my righteousness."

God has answered my prayers on many occasions. Sometimes quickly and sometimes not so quickly. And many times, not necessarily in the way that I had in mind. God's plan is so much better than mine. Due to these answers to prayer and God's general blessings in my life, I have become confident in my prayer life. I am confident that His plan is best. I have to be careful about not resisting God's plan for my life because whatever I am resisting may be an answer to prayer. When I pray for rest, I may have a beach vacation in mind. :-) But God may have a church conference in mind that will bring me spiritual rest...which usually leads to physical rest.

Which reminds me...I need some rest today! When I sat down to do my bible study today I felt unusually sleepy. Alex is napping, the house is quiet, the bed is comfy and warm (probably not the best place to sit for my bible study), and I was sleepy. But now I'm feeling a surge of energy. I just might make it through the 100 things I need to do before bedtime.

Uh oh...I skipped a day!

"Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth." Psalm 127:3-4

What will become of my blog!? I skipped a whole day of blogging. I know that my faithful readers must have been quite disappointed to the point of despair. :-) All one of you!

Things around the Lovassy household have been great lately! Although we all wish that somehow Peter could quit his job and stay home with us, we have been very blessed. Today my mom was here for a little while visiting with us. That was great! Alex loves being around his "Mamaw" (his version of Grandmama). Last night and this evening, Alex had the giggles. I love it when this happens because you can just look at him funny and he'll giggle. He went to the grocery with me today and when we left, he told the nice man who carried out our bags, "Bye-bye...thank you!" (By the way, I LOVE Publix because they provide people to carry out your bags for you. When you have youngsters to take to the grocery with you, this becomes even more of a blessing!! Wasn't there a day when all grocery stores had this service??)

Here's a little special thing about Alex. Ever since he was a tiny little thing, he has had the habit of playing with the hem of your T-shirt, if you're holding him (especially if he's scared, tired, hurt, or otherwise needing comfort). I think its kind of like a security blanket or something. It comforts him. Recently he has also started playing with our hair. He especially likes to play with my hair because its long enough for him to easily get to. *sigh* I love that boy!!

Salvation is of the Lord

"O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; many are saying of my soul, there is no salvation for him in God." Psalm 3:1-2

"Salvation belongs to the Lord; your blessings be on your people!" Psalm 3:8

This Psalm was written by David during a difficult time. This Psalm includes a title that tells us that it was written about the time that David fled from his son, Absalom. Absalom had conspired against David and secretly gathered much support and was attempting to overthrow king David. David, and many of his people, fled Jerusalem during this time. See 2 Samuel 15-16 for the details.

In this Psalm, my study notes point out three divisions. In the first two verses, David tells what he sees. In verses 3-6, David tells what he believes. And in verses 7-8, David tells what he prays for. Many people were rising up against David and they were taunting David by saying that his sins were so bad that his soul was unsavable (apparently this is not a word, but it still gets my point across). But, David knows the truth. God has constantly been at his side and protected him from his enemies. He believes that God will do that now. And, therefore, he is not afraid. He finally prays for salvation. Do you want to know if he gets what he prayed for?? Go read 2 Samuel 17-19. :-)

Sometimes it can seem that the world is out to get us. If you are a faithful servant of God, you don't have to be afraid. As faithful Christians, we do have enemies all around us. It may not be so evident in America where we don't bear daily persecutions for the simple act of practicing our faith (praying, studying, and worshiping). But all of God's enemies are our enemies. How do we stand up to these enemies? We pray, not only for ourselves, but for them. We pray that their persecutions and faithless activities will be in vain and we pray that they will come to know a saving faith in God. And then, we witness! We should constantly be witnessing for Christ and praying that God will use it for his glory.

"Say please." "NOOOOO!!!" grrrrr....

"Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him." Psalm 2:10-12

So, the Gentile kings are revolting against God and His righteous plan. God has laughed at them because He knows that they revolt in vain. He has told his Son that they will be given over to him...a portion to be his people and a portion to be judged. Now he tells these kings and rulers to be wise and to be warned. It is in their best interest to serve the Lord and "take refuge in him."

Does any of this remind you of anything? It sure does me! I have revolted against God. I have known the blessings of serving Him and I have known the trials of revolting against Him. Can you imagine for a moment what God must think or feel when he looks on his people? If you are a parent, you must know the disappointment of watching your child repeatedly do something that you have told them not to do over and over. Or you probably know the sadness of watching your child make a mistake and pay the consequences when you hoped they'd never have to go through that. Or what about when they fight and fight with you to get something they want when you know that it is in vain and it would be easier on them (and everyone else) if they would just give up. How do you get this message through to your child?? You have to tell them over and over. You have to be patient with them and let them make their own mistakes and learn from them. You have to discipline them at times. Now, think about this... How does God get this message through to his people? Be warned...It is in your best interest to take refuge in Jesus Christ, my savior!!

We're dealing with the "NO's" in our family here lately. Alex has discovered the power of this word and is starting to discover that Mommy is not too fond of the way he has been using it. We're trying to teach him "please" also and all of this has led to some difficult moments that require a LOT of patience and usually end with someone in tears. But something that amazes me and blesses my soul is when Alex comes to me with hugs and sadness after being disciplined. Is this repentance?? Oh, I hope so. He can be such a sweet little boy...I love him more than you can imagine (unless you also have kids). Now if I could just get him to say "please" and "yes, ma'am," I'd be set! :-)

Pointing His People to Jesus

"I will tell of the decree: The Lord said to me, 'You are my Son: today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.'" Psalm 2:7-9

I'm having a bit of trouble with today's passage, so maybe someone can help me out. I've consulted my study bible notes and Matthew Henry's commentary on this one. There are the obvious points but I am still left with a few questions about the last verse. I think I have an idea of what it means, so here it goes...

First, the obvious points. In this grouping of verses, David is most likely recalling what the Lord said to him at his coronation as king. Although these words were originally directed to David, they were eventually intended for Jesus Christ, since Jesus would eventually come to earth in the line of David. Jesus is the Son of God, begotten by God the Father. He came to save the Gentiles ("the nations") and He will be given His people. Through the working of the Holy Spirit and the grace of God, their hearts will be broken and they will submit to Him as their Savior. The last part of the passage, verse 9, is where I have a few lingering questions. I believe that the first part, "You shall break them with a rod of iron..." is referring to the Gentile nations submitting to David's rule. And, in a parallel sense, it is referring to Christians being saved and submitting to Christ's rule.

There is one study that I read that pointed to the portion of this passage that says "...and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." It relates this to the practice of many kings and people of that time of writing the names of their enemies on clay pots and then smashing them, symbolizing their victory over them. If this is so, then this last part probably refers to the judgment of non-believers.

So, what application can I get from this passage? This passage leads me to praise and worship God. He is almighty, omnipotent, and all knowing. His plan was conceived before time. as we know it, began and was put into motion when the earth and all that we know was created. In the decree contained in these verses, David and the others of his time saw the promise made to David. God, on the other hand, knew what, and who, was to come. How awesome is our God!! How glorious is our God!!

God is in Control...Praise the Lord!!

"He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, 'As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.'" Psalm 2:4-6

The "them" referred to in this passage are the nations who revolt against the Davidic kingship that God sets up in the book of 2 Samuel when Samuel anoints David as king. In verses 1-3, these nations and their kings conspire against the Israelite rule and are determined to break it down. They believe this will take them out from under God's rule. However, I love this next part... "He who sits in the heavens laughs"...God laughs at them. How dare they revolt against a sovereign God! Yes, God is in control of all things and this includes the powers that be on earth. He set up the Davidic kingship with a larger plan of sending the Messiah, a savior, to the world through the house of David. The plans of these other nations and kings to disrupt this were in vain.

God is in control! God is in control of all things!! If you are saved and He watches over your way, it is a GOOD thing to know that God is in control of all things. Its when you are not saved and you decide to live in your sin or you try to use your own ways to gain salvation, that it is time to be fearful of the fact that God is in control of all things. God's people will prevail. That is His promise.

Oh, how vain it is for us to rebel against the will and plan of God. Oh, how vain I have been in my life. I have not always...let me rephrase...I DO not always seek God's will for my life. It would make things much easier for me if I did. Instead, I resist and try to obtain the disires of my own heart. However, God's will Will be done. Thank the Lord!!

I Know He Watches Me

"Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish." Psalm 1:5-6

When I first read this part of Psalm 1, I wondered what it meant that the "wicked will not stand in the judgment." It almost sounds like the wicked will not be judged, which we know is not true based on any other scripture. Today, I had an "ah ha" moment! When it says that the "wicked will not stand" it means that they will not survive the judgment. The righteous will rise up and be a witness for God.

For the most part, I have been quoting scripture from the English Standard Version (ESV), however, for the latter part of this quote, the New International Version (NIV) helps the reader to understand what is meant by "for the Lord knows the way of the righteous." In the NIV, it says "for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous." The Lord knows all. He knows about the ways of everyone, but he "knows" the ways of the righteous in a more intimate and active way. He guides us, helps us, and watches over us. What a blessed thought!! Are you saved?? If not, then you've never known the blessings and mercies of God's watch over your life and daily walk. You may have days where you think, "Wow! Everything is going my way today!" But, that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about little nudges from God that keep me out of the path of destruction. I have known those blessings. I know those blessings today and its what keeps drawing me back to the Word of God. Praise God!!

His Eye Is On The Sparrow by Civilla D. Martin

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Refrain

I sing because I’m happy,
I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.

“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Refrain

Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Refrain

I'm hungry

"Men do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving. Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold, though it costs him all the wealth of his house." Proverbs 6:30-31

Yep, that's what's on my mind tonight....Food. Sushi to be exact since I just got an email about meeting friends on Friday for sushi. I've been working out lately in order to restore some much needed energy...and to lose those last few pounds that I gained when I had Alex. The bad thing about working out is that my appetite goes crazy!! However, if I satisfy it, then I'm not helping the whole "lose weight" part of the plan. So, I'm going to bed hungry.

This workout program that I'm doing is called Turbo Jam. Alex thinks its pretty funny until Thomas goes off and he needs it to be restarted. Ha! Actually, last week he figured out what buttons to push on the remote to start it again himself. He's becoming so independent.

I'm trying to start out kind of slow on this whole workout thing because I know that if I just jump in and start doing 1 hour workouts every day I'll burn myself out. SO, on Monday's and Friday's I've been doing a 20 minute cardio workout and on Wednesday's I'm doing a 45 minute workout with weights. So, guess what tomorrow is.... Turbo Sculpt! The weights in the corner have been staring me down all week. Last week I did the workout without weights. This was mostly due to the fact that the only weights I had were 5 lb weights and I knew I'd probably be a pile of jello the next day. SO, I bought some 2 lb weights and that is what I'll be using tomorrow. I may not be able to type on Thursday. I'll be jello, with lots of energy!! :-)

Would you just put that in the trash can?? Oops...

"He [the righteous man] is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away." Psalms 1:3-4

Recently Peter and I started using an ESV study bible that was given to Peter by a good friend. It is a great version and has a lot of online utilities that can be used with it. In this version, the study notes point out the tree and how it yields fruit and compares this to the righteous man prospering. The word "prospers" doesn't necessarily mean that the man himself prospers materially. Note that the tree yields fruit but the fruit is not for the tree, it is for others. In the same way, the righteous man yields fruit that is beneficial to others, physically and spiritually. The wicked man, on the other hand, is like the irritable chaff that floats away on the wind. Chaff is an unwanted part of wheat that when thrown into the air by the farmer, flies away with the wind while the edible kernals fall back down.

So, I can be like the righteous man and be a blessing to those around me or I can be like the wicked man and be irritable and unwanted by those around me. Hmmm....how have I been today? Perhaps I shouldn't nag Peter about things like mowing the lawn and picking up after himself in the kitchen and just find a way to do it myself. :) I'm sure there are a few husbands out there that might say "Amen!" to that!

This and That

"May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 15:5-6

I've already made one post today about my bible study but I wanted to do another post to share some photos of some of my recent paper craft projects. The first picture is of a couple of cards that we did during a Stampin' Up club that I host once a month at my house. The second photo is of a scrapbook page that we did for another one of these meetings last year.




















I'd like to get my hands on some paper today! (you know, after I finish cleaning the house, getting groceries, and fixing dinner) Where DOES the day go!?

A Reason to Study

"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and his law he meditates day and night." Psalm 1:1-2

What a great place to start my study of the bible! I've been wanting to do a study of the Psalms for a long time. So, where better to start than Psalm 1 and here we see that "blessed is the man who...on his law he meditates day and night." In this passage, "law" is referring to the scripture as a whole. God's word is a blessing to believer's and those who walk close to God do it because they ARE close to God. How do you become close to someone? You spend time with them, learn about them, get to know their likes and dislikes. How do you be close to God? The same way. The only ways we have to learn more about God are his Word and communion with Him in prayer and the study of that Word.

One study that I am using sort of as a guide is found at www.intothyword.org. This study points out the downward spiral of the wicked that is highlighted in the passage above. First they WALK in the counsel of the wicked, then they STAND in the way of sinners, then they SIT in the seat of scoffers. I've found myself on this downward spiral many times. Thank the Lord that he has promised to finish the work he has begun in me! I tend to go through cycles in my Christian walk. My prayer life will be great, I'll be feeling the presence and blessings of the Lord everyday, and I will just love life. Then I start to get prideful and taking the credit for many of these blessings, thinking about how great of a Christian I've been and how I should be blessed. Then the prayer life starts to dim, the Lord's presence is not as obvious, and life gets difficult...almost like trying to walk though deep mud. Only when I trust fully in the Lord and give him reign over my life do I start back out of that dark place. I'm actually afraid in some ways that this blog will become one of those things that I'm prideful of. I hope and pray that this won't be so!! Pray for me! :)

The Barrenness of a Busy Life

"Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun." Eccl 2:11.

This was written by king Solomon. He was a very Godly king for many years of his reign. Then he got busy. So busy he lost sight of God in the things he was doing and the riches he had. Mr. Don Currin (www.doncurrinministries.org) preached the word to us this morning at Grace Baptist and this is the passage he preached on. It was pretty eye opening and convicting. Everyday, I get up when Alex does around 8 AM, fix some breakfast, snuggle with Alex on the couch, talk to my mom on the phone, do a workout, shower and get ready, put Alex down for a nap...then I can get down to the important stuff. You know, the stuff that keeps this home running like laundry, cleaning, cooking, and if all of that stuff is done, catching up on a little TV. Then Alex wakes up, we play, I cook dinner, Peter gets home and we eat, then we play and watch TV among other things before getting ready for bed.

So, where in all of that is my passion for Christ? It seems to be lost in the busyness of life. I always seem to have good intentions (especially on Sunday!) but it never happens. What am I teaching my son? To pray at mealtimes and go to church on Sundays? Now, I would like to recapture some of my time. All of those things that keep me busy are certainly are not bad in and of themselves. But when they consume my life and take me away from my communing with Christ, they become idols. I've been hoping to start a bible study and well, today is the day. So, hopefully in the near future you will get to read about some of the things I'm learning during my time with Christ.

I've always believed that doing the things we have to do each day (cleaning, cooking, caring for our children and families) should be done in such a way as to be worshipping God while doing each of those things. I still believe that. But I also believe that this begins while studying God's word and learning more about Him. If nothing else, I hope to spend a little time in the morning reading my bible and praying. Maybe God's plan for me to start a blog was designed to keep me honest about my study and worship time! :-) So, if you notice I'm starting to slack off, nudge me!

By the way, I hope you had a Happy Valentine's Day! I sure did. Peter surprised me with flowers and my favorite candy, sweettarts...they were laying out arranged in the shape of a heart. I love him dearly!!

I can't believe I'm starting a blog

"Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, 'Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.' Jesus answered him, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.'" John 3: 1-3.

I'm starting a blog. I have put it off for so long because I was always certain that I wouldn't be able to keep it up, but here I am. I still may not be able to keep it up, but I'll at least give it a go. You'll notice that I included a little bit of scripture at the beginning of this post. I plan to do that with all of my posts and hopefully God's word will bless you as it does me. So, what do I say? How do I start a blog?

My name is Jenny Lovassy. I was born and raised in a small town in Kentucky. You might say that Marion is off the beaten path. Its a beautiful little town and has provided me with many wonderful memories. I must say that I do love Marion and hope to have a place back at the farm someday. I became a born again Christian when I was about 10 years old. I remember knowing that I did not want to go to hell. Now, that is certainly not to say that my life has been perfect ever since. Instead, you can believe it, I have tested the Lord's genorosity and forgiveness on many occasions and in many horrible ways. But, I can say with certainty that I am forgiven and, though I'm not sinless in anyway, I am now trying to live my life in a way that is glorifying to God. I have experienced many blessings from God including my dear husband and my wonderful son. I don't deserve either of them but I am extremely thankful for both of them.

Peter and I were married on September 22, 2001 and Alex was born on May 3, 2007. Before getting married, I earned a degree in Engineering Physics at Murray State University, and prior to having my son, Alex, I worked for Lockheed Martin Space Systems. I truly enjoyed my job and during the later years at LM, I did a lot of traveling. I loved the travel and met some extraordinary people during that time. This is probably the biggest part of the job that I miss. Now, I'm a stay at home mom and love every minute of it. Alex fills my every day with so much joy. I hope to get some sort of degree during my years at home and would even like to use my engineering skills again someday, but am open to whatever the Lord has in store for me.

So, you may be wondering what "My Passions" are. You may have already figured out that I have a passion for Christ and my family. I also have a passion for travel and paper crafts. Specifically I love to make handmade cards and scrapbooks. I also dabble in sewing and quilting but don't get to spend too much time at those crafts. I'm a Stampin' Up demonstrator and mostly do it for the discount I get but have also met some incredible people through it. I'll try to post some of my projects now and then.

I guess that's it for now. Hopefully I'll be updating soon. Ta Ta For Now!