The Power of Silence

I was doing a devotion today out of " Hung by the Tongue" by Francis P. Martin, a study of the power of our words. (Proverbs 18:21 says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue."). We all have been at the receiving end of "sticks and stones" and know that words certainly DO hurt. We also know the good a word of encouragement makes us feel, even if it's a stranger telling us they like our outfit.

Jesus is the greatest example of using the power of words-battling satan with scripture, commanding the wind and waves be still, casting out demons and healing the sick.

But, as Francis Martin brought up in my reading today, Jesus used silence to move along the most important piece of human history at His trial before He was crucified.

Acts 8:32 "He was lead like a sheep to the slaughter. And as a lamb is silent before the sharers, He did not open His mouth."

This really got me:

"At the trial, Jesus could not speak even His name because it would have freed Him. He HAD to remain silent. Pilate tried to get Him to talk so that he could release Him, but Jesus would not speak. He came to give Himself as a lamb." p. 59

The God part of Jesus could have called down a legion of angels at any point, but he held his tongue. He knew the master plan and had perspective even through massive amounts of human humiliation, torture, and then the worst kind of death, death on a cross.

And He held his words back just for me, that I could be made right, have the power of grace in my life, and have relationship with Him.

Silence is powerful.






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Location:Hall House

Just a Test

This is just a test...got a new iPad blogger press app that I'm figuring out. But this is a fun pic with me and one of my favorite things...COFFEE. It really just makes me happy.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Hall House

Christmas Dresses 2010

I couldn't resist getting the girls new Christmas dresses this year. (I think they'll actually fit into them again next year too.) I loved the black and white plaid, so classic! The dress looked great on both girls. They wore them to Abbie's dedication at True Life Church the weekend before Christmas.

 

 

(This picture reminds me a bit of something out of the book "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.")

 

Merry Christmas from Ellie!

I know I'm posting this in May, but this video will get you in the Christmas spirit all year long. I have always sung Away in the Manger as a lullaby and it has become one of Ellie's all time, favorite songs. She was in a singing mood that afternoon in December, and I'm so glad I captured this moment. So, from our house to yours, whether it's that time of year or not, Merry Christmas!

Little Green Army Men

This is one of my favorite Saturday morning memories so far...Aron and John Palmer set up the little green army men all over the room and then went to town on them with rubber bands. It was awesome!

 

 

 

 

Turkey Time

 

This is one of the cards I made for Thanksgiving. I used a template-there was a lot of tracing a cutting involved. I loved how they turned out, especially the big, buggy eyes. (I love using brads in my work.). I paired the hand made cards with pumpkin bread. Yum! (Which reminds me, I have got to get that recipe for this coming fall. It was the BOMB for realz.)

Halloween 2010

This year, we decided on a theme...lions, and tigers, and bears-oh my! I found Abbie's costume at the last minute at Old Navy for $10! I was so excited that I pulled that off. I probably would've spent that much or more trying to do a DIY costume. I like saving time AND money.

This year, we went candy hunting around Valley Estates where my parents still live. I don't know why, buy Halloween seemed so chaotic and I tossed all safety rules out of the window with John Palmer's costume-he was a black bear. I could barely keep track of him. There was this crazy, scary house that made the kids cry. I started feeling weird about the whole thing. I saw lots of people getting so excited about being scared to death. I love that the kids looked so cute in their costumes and had fun collecting candy, but I didn't like putting them in a position to fight fears and muscle through it. Maybe next year we'll find an alternative candy-hunting activity.

Happily, we were also able to go to the annual Brown family harvest party where we first found out that Karen and Phillip were expecting their first baby! The kids had a great time playing games and running around with their friends. I love the fall and all the festivities, but we are seriously going to have to take the "spooky" out of the equation.