God's lesson to me from my toddler

Today was a rough day with my 2 year old. It seemed like she was being as defiant as she could on everything I asked her to do. And when I get upset and punishes her, she would apologize and say that she wants to listen and is going to do it. But then a minute later when I tell her to do something, she wouldn't do it.

It was like this the whole day.

I got really upset in the afternoon and I was crying out to God that I don't know why she was acting that way and why she says one thing and does another. And God responded immediately.

I heard Him say that you, Yu-Ting, are the same way.

That was an eye-opener for me...

I looked back for a couple of weeks and realized that that's what I've been doing. I've been SAYING that I need to sleep earlier, pray more, read the Bible more, etc. But I did not DO any of it. I didn't try to do it. I was TOO tired. And I was distracted by cleaning and organizing and decorating. And there is nothing wrong with doing that except God was not first in my life. He was basically last.

I was so ashamed. I confessed my sin and asked God for forgiveness. I was wondering what was wrong with this weekend. It was just really weird - something was not right. And the good LORD shined some light on it and brought it out in the open through my misbehaving toddler.

Oh, how Matthew 7:3-4 applies even for a toddler:

Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?

I have no authority to tell her to listen to me when I didn't listen to my heavenly Father. And somehow she knew it. Or maybe the Holy Spirit enabled this so that I can see the plank in my own eyes. I am truly humbled. Wow.

Thank you LORD for revealing to me my sin. Thank you for using Abby to teach me. LORD, help me to change for real. Help me to set the priority and get my focus back on You and what You want me to do. And help me to stick to it. In Jesus' name, Amen.

I am now in the middle of scheduling my week so that I get good sleep at night and have time in the morning to read the Bible and also have time for craft business/ministry and cleaning and organizing. I pray that there will be significant changes this week.

Psalm 139 - God's Awesome Attributes

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

1 O LORD, you have searched me
and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD.
5 You hem me in—behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,"
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake,
I am still with you.
19 If only you would slay the wicked, O God!
Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!
20 They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries misuse your name.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD,
and abhor those who rise up against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

Just a reminder...

For those of you who are interested in Bible prophecies and end times and what's really going on in the Middle East...

Joel Rosenberg's Epicenter Conference Webcast is this Saturday at 12pm EDT!

Go to http://www.epicenter09.com/custom.asp?P=444 to see the webcast!

Or you can go to the conference in San Diego - free admission.

What a way to recycle and reuse!

For all you creative people out there, check this out!


David Stark did some fun and inspiring designs using cardboard and old catalogs for West Elm's new store. Some of them are just super cool stuff! Maybe I'll get out some scissors and turn waste cardboard into art, too!

Designed Women's Retreat

For those who live in the Central New York region, Eastern Hills Bible Church is hosting a women's retreat at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Syracuse this weekend 2/27 and 2/28. Buffet, Bethany Dillon concert, spa treatments, workshops - what more could you want? Here is the link: http://www.designed200.com/.

See you there!

I will speak the Truth

As true followers of Christ, we will be persecuted. But I have determined to be in God's Word and speak the Truth.

Please read the lyrics and watch the video of the following song.

Starfield - "Revolution"

If I'm here all alone
If I'm left behind
If they spit in my face
If they hate my kind

I will rise above
I will live for love
I will answer to the call
For the bond between
For the depth unseen
For my God forsake it all

'Cause I'm a fire
I'm a flood
I'm a revolution
I am a war
Already won
I'm a revolution

When the world is at war
When the grace is gone
When the hungry lay dead
While the rich live on

I will rise above
I will live for love
I will answer to the call
For the bond between
For a depth unseen
For my God forsake it all

(Here I stand)
Open hands
Waiting for You
I won't back down
I'll live to speak Your truth

CNY Etsy Team Treasury

I'm happy to be involved with a new "regional" Etsy Team! I hope to get to know some arts/crafts people around Central New York. Here is an Etsy treasury that lists some samples of some of the CNY Etsians.