Covenant Light

Introducing Caroline Esther

2011-01-14T19:30:00.000-05:00

Vintage Volute Pink Birth Announcement

Click here to browse hundreds of birth announcements.

View the entire collection of cards.

Children's Book Review

2010-12-14T23:56:00.000-05:00

The Dragon and the Turtle by Donita K. Paul and Evangeline Denmark is a children's book about an unlikely friendship between a lost turtle and a kind dragon. Their friendship begins when the dragon goes out of his way to help the poor turtle find his way back home after a pretend shipwreck got him off course. My children, ages five, four, and two were all very interested in this book with its beautiful illustrations and storyline that touches the five senses of taste, hear, see, smell, and feel. It was a fun book to read and kept our attention to the end. In the end, we saw how the dragon was rewarded for his sacrifice and how a little kindness goes a long way.

This book was free with this review through Waterbrook Multnomah Press

Shutterfly | Folded Greeting Card

2010-12-07T00:43:00.001-05:00

Shutterfly Folded Greeting Card

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Shutterfly Christmas Cards

2010-11-29T23:00:00.003-05:00

In celebration of Christmas, I always enjoy sending out cards to all my family and friends. The majority of our relatives live out of state, so we like to send a nice picture of the children with the card to keep family up- to-date. I know grandparents especially like it. This year I thought it would be nice to do cards with the children's picture already on it. Then I came across a promotion for 50 free cards that I couldn't refuse, given by Shutterfly for bloggers. I went to their site and started looking for God-honoring designs, and came across this one. It says, "Joy to the World, the Lord has come". Simple and yet full of truth. I have never bought cards from Shutterfly before, but I have bought prints and a photo book, and I was very impressed by the quality and price. The photo book was so fun and easy to make. They make wonderful gifts for grandparents, and the designs are endless. In the future I would like to also try doing a photo mug and wall calendar. I love to give personalized gifts like this, and Christmas is a great time to do it. So join me in sending out love and cheer, as well as proclaiming, "Joy to the world, the Lord has come"!!

"And the Angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone about them, and they were sore afraid. Then the Angel said unto them, 'Be not afraid: for behold, I bring you glad tidings of great joy, that shall be to all people, that is, that unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:9-11

Let earth receive her King!!

What pregnancy does to me...

2010-10-08T01:15:00.003-04:00

Every pregnancy is a little different, but with this one I have had an overwhelming desire to sew,crochet, and cook! It has been a blessing to have these desires because I am learning new things and growing in my abilities as a homemaker. I first started to learn how to sew several years back when my husband bought me my first sewing machine (after a few hints). I started out doing really simple things like curtain panels and then wanted so bad to make dresses for my one-year-old daughter at the time. I didn't know where to start so I asked a lady at my church for some pointers and she invited me over one day to show me how to do a pattern. I am ever grateful to her! It has been a long process, but now I am able to follow numerous patterns to make dresses now for both my daughters! I think this pregnancy has been my record so far. I have made 5 dresses in just the past couple of months (as well as, a few bonnets)! And since we are having another girl, you can see what she has to look forward to!

Then I had this desire to learn to crochet. I tried knitting before but to no avail. When I saw some friends of mine on facebook crocheting all sorts of neat things I thought maybe I could give it a try. I asked questions and was soon on my way to learning! It's amazing what you can learn online these days! Just type in crochet on youtube and you will see all the videos that will teach you the ins and outs of crocheting. Its great! You can also use websites like needlepointers.com for help in understanding the patterns. So far I have made several hats, a baby blanket, and some baby booties!

Oh, and cooking! All the different cravings a pregnancy brings about makes me want to bake and cook all sorts of things! Allrecipes.com has been a favorite of mine. Not only do they have tons of recipes, they also have tutorials. I can't begin to tell you all the things I have whipped up in the kitchen lately, but it has been quite a variety. My husband payed me a sweet compliment the other day about my cooking and it was very encouraging. He said I have significantly improved in my cooking abilities since we were married six years ago. I know I have not "arrived" but at least I'm on my way! :)

I love being content in the place that God has placed me. "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." Hebrews 13:5 He has given me my beloved family so I know He will continue to give me the talents and abilities I need to care for them and love them. I get discouraged when I can't perform perfectly the tasks set before me, but I am continually grateful for His mercy and grace through it all! "I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations." Psalm 89:1

Now that the Lord has blessed me with more abilities, it is now my responsibility to teach them to my children and other younger women, so that I am fulfilling part of the commandment given to women in Titus chapter 2:3 "That the aged women be...teachers of good things..."

So if you have any questions about anything I have just mentioned, just ask! I also have that awful absentmindedness symptom of pregnancy too! :)

Showers of blessings!

2010-06-29T02:23:00.000-04:00

Please forgive me for my absence lately! We are expecting baby #4 (which is actually #5 after our miscarriage in March), and I have been feeling the exhaustion and emotions. But the second trimester is just around the corner, so hopefully I will be back on here more often! I must keep my priorities first, which is my family and home (a huge responsibility in and of itself), so please bear with me. Thank you!

I titled this "Showers of Blessings" because I wanted to share with you some of the wonderful blessings the Lord has so graciously given us here recently. We have so much to thank Him for! For one, a baby on the way is a huge blessing! We love our children and are grateful for each one. Also, our house in Ohio is about to be sold, which will be a huge burden lifted. This summer (I love summer!) the Lord blessed us with a blackberry bush, in which I was able to get enough berries to make a pie, freezer jam, a cobbler, and two freezer bags full to save for later! I can't fail to mention the fact that the Lord, in His providence, blessed our church with a new visiting family! A wonderful encouragement to us all! It is great to see Him at work! Also, I am very appreciative of being able to homeschool our children. Our oldest is five and it has been amazing to watch her learn to read and write. She is really starting to take off and I am greatly encouraged and blessed by it!

This is just to name a few things, but God has been faithful in many. "O give thanks unto the LORD for He is good!" Psalm 118:1

A Mother's Highest Calling

2010-06-29T01:09:00.001-04:00

This is an excerpt from a book entitled Spiritual Parenting by the great 19th century Baptist preacher, C.H. Spurgeon. Be encouraged by these words of truth.

"It is well to note the admirable selection of instructors. We are not at a loss to tell who instructed youthful Timothy. In this epistle Paul says, 'When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.' (2 Timothy 1:5). No doubt grandmother Lois and mother Eunice united in teaching the little one. Who should teach the children but the parents? Timothy's father was a Greek, and probably a heathen, but this child was happy in having a venerable grandmother, so often the dearest of all relatives to a little child. He was blessed also with a gracious mother, once a devout Jewess, and afterwards also a firmly believing Christian, who made it her daily pleasure to teach her own dear child the Word of the Lord.
O dear mothers, please understand that you have a very sacred trust reposed in you by God! He has in effect said unto you, 'Take this child away, and nurse it for Me, and I will give thee thy wages' (Exodus 2:9). You are called to equip the future man of God, that he may be ' thoroughly furnished unto all good works' (2 Timothy 3:17). If God spares you, you may live to hear that pretty boy speak to thousands, and you will have the sweet reflection in your heart that the quiet teachings of the nursery led the adult man to love his God and serve Him.
Those who think that a woman detained at home by her little family is doing nothing, think the reverse of what is true. Scarcely can the godly mother quit her home for a place of worship. However, dream not that she is lost to the work of the church. Far from it, she is doing the best possible service for her Lord.
Mothers, the godly training of your offspring is your first and most pressing duty. Christian women, by teaching children the Holy Scriptures, are as much fulfilling their part for the Lord as Moses did in judging Isreal, of Solomon in building the temple."

Reflections on Motherhood

2010-05-11T01:34:00.004-04:00

I am so grateful to the Lord for blessing me with children. He has given me the desire for motherhood since I was a baby! At age two I was feeding my baby dolls and pushing them in the stroller. My thoughts on motherhood were very childish, though. I failed to see the full picture, until the day I had my first child, and my world was turned upside down. The responsibility was often times more than I could bear, and it didn't take long for my eyes to be opened to the duty set before me. My children weren't going to automatically do what I told them to, or just be soft and cuddly forever!

The Lord has graciously and mercifully been teaching me of this calling to motherhood. I feel very unworthy, for indeed it is a sacred calling from the Lord. It entails such a wide spectrum of responsibilities, wisdom, and understanding. Everyday is an important day. There is no room for slack, because there are little eyes watching every move I make, of which, are willing and able to emulate every look, attitude, action, etc. that they see. The Lord commands us to "bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4) and to "train up a child in the way he should go" (Proverbs 22:6). That is not an easy task, and we must have the help of the Holy Spirit to accomplish this, because we most certainly cannot do it in our own wisdom and strength. "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Phillipians 4:13). Though it may not be taught much anymore, the truth still stands, in which, we are all born wicked and depraved, dead in our trespasses and sins. (Ephesians 2:1) It doesn't matter who you are, every single person is born with this sin nature from day one. We are utterly inept to save ourselves from it, either. We are only brought out of this bondage by the extension of God's grace and love to us by His only son, Jesus Christ, who conquered death and hell. "For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

We must understand this calling, which is given to parents. Parents need to teach their children to obey them, to respect them, and to honor them because it is a command from God to the children. The fifth commandment says, "Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." (Exodus 20:12) Children will not understand how to do this if they are not trained and disciplined to do so. A child's disobedience to a parent is disobedience to God, so if a child is never properly taught this, how will they ever learn to obey God?

As a Christian mother, I must also reflect Jesus Christ to my children, and be obedient to Him, as well. They need to see me being gentle, joyful, submissive and obedient to my husband, loving, kind, good, and patient. I love to learn of God's design for families. He has a role, purpose, and place for each and every family member. They are all under the authority of Christ. The husband/father is the leader, provider, protector, and teacher. The wife/mother is under the husband's authority, and she is the helper, nurturer, lover, and teacher to the children. The children are under the authority of the parents and they are the ones being taught and instructed in all things. It really is a beautiful sight when seen in action! So while the rest of the world sits in distress and confusion, we will, by the grace of God, stay in our proper family roles, and be shining lights on a hill for Christ! We will proclaim His gospel, not only with our lips, but with our obedience to His Word.

I am now a mother to three children and I am so thankful that the Lord has given me the desire to embrace this God-given calling! I pray that more and more women would see how important motherhood is, and stop sending their children away to school each day, fleeing their responsibility to teach their children themselves. Not only that, but also being there for them every day, by not having a job outside of the home. If you have a husband and children, your responsibility is to them first. Embrace it! Though our culture looks down on this calling, I will forever uphold it and cleave to it with all that I am, for the glory of God!

A Friend

2010-04-13T23:37:00.006-04:00

                   "A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." ~Proverbs 17:17

      I would love to share with you this exquisite commentary by John Gill on this beloved verse. It is truly humbling and sobering to see how true love is displayed by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

      "A true, hearty, faithful friend, loves in times of adversity as well as in times of prosperity: there are many that are friends to persons, whilst they are in affluent circumstances; but when there is a change in their condition, and they are stripped of all riches and substance; then their friends forsake them, and stand at a distance from them: as was the case of Job, chapter 29 verse 14, it is a very rare thing to find a friend that is a constant lover, such an one as here described. And a brother is born for adversity; for a time of adversity, as Jarchi: he is born into the world for this purpose; to sympathize with his brother in distress, to relieve him, comfort and support him; and if he does not do this, when it is in his power to do it, he does not answer the end of his being born into the world. The Jewish writers understand this as showing the difference between a friend and a brother: a cordial friend loves at all times, prosperous and adverse; but a brother loves when adversity is born, or is, so Aben Ezra; he loves when he is forced to it; when the distress of his brother, who is his flesh and bone, as Gersom observes, obliges him to it: but this may be understood of the same person who is the friend; he is a brother, and acts part of one in a time of adversity, for which he is born and brought in to the world; it being so ordered by divine Providence, that a man should have a friend born against the time he stands in need of him. To no one person can all this be applied with so much truth and exactness as to our Lord Jesus Christ; he is a friend, not of angels only, but of men, more especially of his church and people; of sinful men, of publicans and sinners; as appears by his calling them to repentance, by his recieving them, and by his coming into the world to save them: he loves them, and loves them constantly; he loved them before time; so early were they on his heart and in his book of life; so early was he the surety of them, and the covenant of grace made with them; and their persons and grace put into his hands, which he took the care of: he loved them in time, and before time began with them; thus they were preserved in him, when they fell in Adam; were redeemed by his precious blood, when as yet they were not in being, at least many of them: he loves them as soon as time begins with them, as soon as born; though impure by their first birth, transgressors from the womb, enemies and enmity itself unto him; he waits to be gracious to them, and sends his Gospel and his Spirit to find them out and call them: and he continues to love them after conversion; in times of backsliding, in times of desertion, in times of temptation, and in times of affliction: he loves indeed to the end of time, and to all eternity; nor is there a moment of time to be fixed upon, in which he does not love them. And he is a brother to his people; through his incarnation, he is a partaker of the same flesh and blood with them; and through their adoption, they having one and the same father; nor is he ashamed to own the relation; and he has all the freedom, affection, compassion, and condescension, of a brother in him: and now he is a brother born;see Isaiah 9:6, born of a woman, a virgin, at Bethlehem, in the fulness of time, for and on the behalf of his people; even for adversity; to bear and endure adversity himself, which he did, by coming into a state of meanness and poverty; through the reproaches and persecutions of his own disciples, the desertion of his father, the strokes of justice, and the sufferings of death; also for the adversity of his people, to sympathize with them, bear them up under it, and deliver them out of it."
What a friend we have in Jesus! I pray He shines His light and love through me, to display forth his glory and greatness. O, Lord, forgive me for not loving You as You love me, and for not loving my neighbor as myself. This is a weakness of mine, but as Jesus said, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." 2 Corinthians 12:9

Spring Sightings

2010-04-06T00:50:00.000-04:00

I am sharing with you some of the beautiful displays of God's creation in the Spring. He has blessed me with more beauty in my backyard than I could have ever hoped for! The sights and smells bring such joy and comfort. Enjoy these pleasant sights with me and think upon the wonders of our holy God. To Him be all glory, praise, and dominion, forever and ever, amen!

Consider your end...

2010-03-23T01:30:00.000-04:00

"O, that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!"

~Deuteronomy 32:29 As the Lord has been bringing me up in His grace, He has been teaching me that the chief end of man is to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever. As we follow the Lord on the path of righteousness, our whole focus is to bring Him glory in all that we do. Yet what is the end of those who do not desire to glorify the Lord, who only want to glorify themselves or their false gods? Well, the Bible clearly states that the end of that path is destruction. "Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off." ~Psalm37:37-38 It is obvious in the above verses what the end is for the righteous and for the wicked. Either peace or perishing. There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." ~Proverbs14:12 We may think that we are doing okay and our ways seem right, but are we? Are we fearing the Lord, walking in His commandments, and loving Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength? Or are we following after the ways of the world, doing whatsoever we please, living a life of rebellion and sin? We must pray for help from the Holy Spirit to overcome our sinful nature and repent of this humanistic thinking. This next verse displays the conclusion of the self-serving adulterers: "For the lips of a strange woman drop as honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: but her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword." ~Proverbs 5:3-4 "For her (the harlot's) house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead. None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life." ~Proverbs 2:18-19 The above verses sums up the bitter and painful end of the "harlot". This is not only the end of the harlot, per se, but anyone with an adulterous heart. And yet, as awful and dreadful of an end this is, our society glamorizes the harlot and whore, as if they are altogether glorious and of great worth! Consider their end! "Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end." ~Proverbs 19:20 We must hear the words of the Lord and embrace His commandments. The Bible says that, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction." ~Proverbs 1:7 And speaking of wisdom, "Her ways are the ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace." ~Proverbs 3:17 And all that the Lord commands we must teach diligently to our children, so that they will teach them to their children, and so on. It is of utmost importance for multi-generational faithfulness. Looking to the future and seeing our end, we can know whether we are passing on a legacy of destruction or peace. The Lord Jesus Christ said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." ~John 14:6 We indeed must follow after Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith: "Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." ~Hebrews 12:1-2 "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps..." ~1 Peter 2:21 May we take heed to this last verse and find great comfort in the precious promises of the Lord... "That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it. But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it." ~Proverbs 2:20-22

In Memory

2010-03-11T22:53:00.000-05:00

In Memory of the little baby of ours that was miscarried at 5 weeks 5 days. We love you...

Little baby fastened in my womb

Partaker of my life

Though hidden from view

Changer of my course

Expander of my waist

Enlarger

And developer of my faith.

Oh little one who rented out my room

I never thought our lives would be

Untied so soon.

You left in sudden haste

And emptied out my small domain.

Child of ours,

What is your name?

For though I've longed to carry you once more

You've already been perfected

In the presence of the Lord.

So my goal for you is gained

In a place of great delight

And soon in glory

We will

Re-unite.

~Author Unknown

"Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God."

II Corinthians 1:3-4

...in thy light shall we see light.

2010-02-25T01:43:00.000-05:00

"For with Thee is the fountain of life: in Thy light shall we see light." ~Psalm 36:9 Out of the Lord of the universe flows life and light! This is most comforting that our Lord is in control of all life and that He gives us light to see! "God is light itself, the Father of lights, and the former of it in every sense; in the light of his countenance, and the discoveries of his love, they that trust in him see light, or enjoy comfort; and in the light of his Son Jesus Christ, the sun of righteousness and light of the world, they see the face of God, and enjoy his favour, and behold the glory and excellency of Christ himself; and in the light of divine Spirit, who is a spirit of wisdom and revelation, they see their sins exceeding sinful, their righteousness as nothing, and a preciousness in the blood, righteousness, and sacrifice of Christ; and in the light of the divine word they see the truths of the Gospel in their native simplicity and excellency, and the duties of religion to be performed by them; and in the light of faith, which is the gift of God, they have at least a glimpse of the unseen glories of the other world; and when the beatific vision shall take place, they shall see no more darkly through the glass, but face to face, even God himself, as he is in Christ." ~Commentary by John Gill~ **************Amazing! Glory to God! Halleluiah! Amen!**************

Evenings with Victoria Botkin

2010-02-23T21:37:00.000-05:00

I just entered this great giveaway. It is weekly online mentoring sessions given by Victoria Botkin for women to help and encourage them in their biblical role as wife and homemaker. I'm sure all women could benefit from this. You can enter the giveaway here:

http://inashoe.com/2010/02/giveaway-evenings-victoria-botkin/#comment-26882

You can also learn more about the sessions here :http://westernconservatory.com/evb

Spring Sunshine!

2010-02-13T00:16:00.000-05:00

The beauty of Spring is knowing that the dark and dreary days of winter are over! After all this snow we just recieved in Georgia (yah, thats what I said, Georgia!) I am even more ready for those beautiful sunshiny days of Spring and warmth! O, how I love the light that God has created! The wintertime makes me even more appreciative. Until then, I'll just admire this lovely photo of my daughters in the Spring...

Poem of a lighthouse

2010-02-12T20:43:00.000-05:00

Here's a nice poem I came across... My Lighthouse by Diane Blue Sometimes my life is dark, empty, and foreboding Like a ship in the night out at sea But you are there for me You are the tower of strength that I rely on. Sometimes I'm sad and alone Like the captain at the wheel, wanting to be home But you are there for me You shine your bright light for me to reach out to Sometimes I'm confused, not sure what to do Like the seaman who looses his way in the fog But you are there for me Your voice tells me the right direction. Sometimes life is as rough as the uncaring sea It causes panic, frustration, and despair But you are there for me A quiet entity on the edge of a rugged cliff. You are my beacon, my lighthouse. Do you have a friend who is a lighthouse to you? Jesus Christ is far more...

"Ye are the light of the world..."

2010-02-12T17:24:00.000-05:00

In Matthew 5:14, Jesus teaches his diciples that, "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid." Here is some commentary on that verse by John Gill that will shed some light: "What the luminaries, the sun and moon, are in the heavens, with respect to corporal light, that the apostles were in the world with regard to spiritual light: carrying and spreading the light of the Gospel not only in Judea, but all over the world, which was in great darkness of ignorance and error; and through a divine blessing attending their ministry, many were turned from the darkness of Judaism and Gentilism, of sin and infidelity, to marvellous light of divine grace..." It is obvious to see that our responsibility as true followers of Jesus is to carry the torch, so to speak, and shine forth the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is accomplished by His divine grace and our duty as servants to glorify him in our lives.