My Daughter The Ballerina

Yes, that is a picture of my daughter, Alyssa, when she danced with Ballet Magnificat for nine years.  Ever since she was a little girl, she dreamed of becoming a ballerina.  She walked around on her tippy toes all day long and danced for us saying, "Mommy, watch this.  MOMMY, WATCH!!!"  She loved entertaining us with her dancing.

 

When she was eleven years old, we put her in a ballet studio that was more serious than the local park district offered.  She started going twice a week but ended up going four days a week all through high school.  Her teacher, once a professional ballerina, saw talent in Alyssa and encouraged her to go to the summer programs of the big ballet companies.

 

She auditioned for some and was accepted into several.  For a couple summers in a row, she went to these big ballet company summer programs.  After her last one, she told me she just couldn't be a professional ballerina.  It just wasn't the lifestyle she wanted to pursue.  She loved Jesus and wanted to glorify Him in all that she did.

 

When she graduated from high school, as she was receiving her diploma, the principal told the crowd that she wanted to be a missionary ballerina.  My dad whispered to me, "Oh right...I can see her in point shoes and tutus in the middle of Africa!"  Oh ye of little faith.

 

When she was in third grade, she had read about a Christian ballet company called Ballet Magnificat.  She dreamt about going there...Well, the summer after she graduated high school, she was reminded about them and applied to go.  She was promptly accepted.

 

She started in the trainee program but moved up quickly until she was in the main company.  They travel all over the United States dancing for Jesus and sharing Him with their audience.  She was with them for nine years and loved it until Jon came into her life and pursued her!

 

God heard the desires of a little girl's heart and granted them to her in a powerful way.  She made lasting friends in Jackson, Mississippi and will always treasure her time spent there.  If you have young girls that would love to be a ballerina, check them out.  They are an amazing company with a heart for Jesus and mighty good ballet dancers.  The owner was Little Ricky on I Love Lucy!

 

Delight yourself in the LORD;

And He will give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37:4

P.S.  If you live anywhere near Jackson, MS, they are performing the Snow Queen next weekend which will be amazing, I am sure!

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A Great Christmas Gift

As you may have noticed, I don't use this blog to sell many things.  However,  I just received my copy of  Delightfully Free in the mail yesterday and it is amazing!

Tracy and I went to college together.  Ever since I have known her, whatever she puts her mind to doing, she does it extremely well.  She definitely has perfectionist tendencies.  Well, she has poured the last two years of her life into this cookbook and it shows.

It is hard cover with a spiral binding inside so the pages turn easily.  All the pictures are beautiful and she is an incredible cook.  I know.  I have eaten her food many times.  Every single recipe is tried and tested.  Like I said, she is a perfectionist and this book shows it.

If you are wondering what to give someone for Christmas, this would make a great gift.  Even if they don't have to eat gluten free, they will still love these recipes.  Her husband doesn't have to eat that way but he loves her food.

She made her recipes so everyone would like them.  If you are interested, just click here to order.  They get it out right away so you will get it in a few days.  Browse around their website also if you want to see more pictures of her yummy food.  She also has a wonderful blog full of lots of good healthy tips.

So, whether you eat or drink,

or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

I Corinthians 10:31

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Is Lust A Reason To Divorce?

Many women believe that when a man lusts it is the same thing as committing adultery according to the comments left on Is Viewing Pornography Adultery?  If this it true, then every woman has a right to divorce her husband, according to these women, since every man has probably lusted at one time or another in his lifetime, especially in this oversexed, immodest society.  Men can't even go to the beach without seeing almost naked women.

They use the verse in Matthew 5:31 where Jesus says,  "That whosoever looks on a woman to lust after he has committed adultery with her already in his heart."  Right after that He says,  "If your right eye offends you, pluck it out, and cast it from thee:  for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell."  He also says to cut off your right hand if it sins.   He also says that if you are angry with someone, you are in danger of judgment.  If you call anyone a fool, you are in danger of hell fire.

We must put these verses in context.  If we are to take these verses literally, we would all be walking around without eyes and arms because we have all sinned with our eyes and arms at one time or another.   We would also be in danger of judgment and hell fire because we have all been angry with someone before, many times with our husbands.

Jesus is talking to people who are still living under the law.  There is no grace in His words.  He is showing them the narrowness of the law and how impossible it is for them to keep.  He is helping them see their need for a Savior for it is impossible to keep the law.

A rich young ruler asks Him how to receive eternal life.  Jesus tells him to keep the commands.  He told Jesus he has kept the commands.  Jesus told him to sell all that he had and give to the poor, then he would have eternal life.  Where is the grace in this?  Once Jesus paid for our sins on the cross and rose again, victorious over condemnation and sin, all we are told to do is to believe in Him.  That is it!  He did ALL the work for us.  We are cleansed from our sin and forgiven.

So no, men are not committing adultery in the flesh when they lust.  They may be committing adultery in the heart, yes, but not in the flesh which is the only reason God allows for divorce.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
 because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor;
 he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted,
to preach deliverance to the captives,
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty them that are bruised.

Luke 4:18

Sunday Inspiration

The worship leader at our church is leaving.  She's been with us for the past five years and has an incredible voice.  I have enjoyed her singing so much and am sad that she is leaving.  However, the reason she is leaving is wonderful.

She was on stage with our pastor and he said she was leaving to take care of her newborn baby.  They showed us a picture of her precious little boy.  He said that little boy needs her a lot more than we do and he hopes she has a lot more children!

I was so excited to hear him say that.  I love hearing pastor's preach about the importance of having children and moms being home to raise them.  Then he went on to preach about David and Goliath.

Near the end of the sermon, he said that he had received so many emails and phone calls after the election from people in a panic over the election results.  He reminded us that David was a nobody when he went against Goliath.  But David knew his God is a big God and much bigger than Goliath.

We still have a BIG God!  We don't need to worry about what is going on in the world or society.  God is on His throne and He is in control.  He works mightily through His people.  We are all Davids, weak and unable, but we serve a God who is strong and able.  He empowers us to do great things.

We must always have hope.  God tells us to never worry but to trust Him. We have read the end of the story and we know how it all ends.  We can rest contentedly in that and do what we can to impact the world around us.

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them:
because greater is He that is in you,
than he that is in the world.
I John 4:4

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