For what its worth...

For what it's worth...I have this experience, this message if you will, welling up inside of me.  It has been on my mind a lot and it has changed me, my heart, the way I look at people and life around me.  It has changed the way I look at what God has laid before me to do in life.  It feels important enough to me and so life changing that I am feeling compelled to share it.  I heard once that salvation is for us as believers, but the Holy Spirit in our lives is for ministry to others not just a nice feeling inside.  The Holy Spirit gave me a picture, the other day of my heart.  It looked like a reservoir of water almost full to the brim.  I want to be a vessel that has His Rivers of Living Water flowing out of me so why was it a reservoir?... I'm thinking it is time to let it flow out.  So, this is a little of that water flowing out...

This morning the Holy Spirit woke me up and gave me this title and started talking to me through my experiences so that I could express them in written form.  You see, last night I was feeling frustrated with what to do with the gifts the Holy Spirit is giving me and the downloads that are just so amazing!  I realize that the only way another person would think they are amazing as well or a "revelation", would be if they had been asking God about that subject or if God wants them to share in that revelation as well.  We all go from glory to glory, and He is always working on us, as His beautiful children to make us more like Him.  So, this is a tiny bit of that process and personally, think it is pretty cool.  lol  It is a way He has given me to let that water flow out.  

Courage...Warrior...  What do you think of when you read those words?  Maybe that... courage is just for warriors and there is no way that I am a warrior!!  How about a Warrior Anointing?  The word anointing shouldn't scare anyone.  It is a beautiful word because it speaks of God placing a special amount of His power into our lives to accomplish a very special task He might want to place before us to do.  We get anointed to do things in all sorts of ways.  As believers we all have been asked by God to do something beyond our means, beyond our strength or financial means just for starters.  

King David had that special strength, that special anointing...  What is God asking you to do today that is beyond your means.  Maybe it is just the little things like taking care of your family (...huge thing!) by working or cleaning or leaving the house to work everyday and coming home to more.  How has God asked you to go beyond your means to do something special or great for Him?  Let the juices start flowing and listen to what the Holy Spirit might want to share with you today.   

more to follow...

Christmas at the Cabin

Here are more pictures of the evening together!! :)

Christmas at the Cabin

Day 1: Uncle Ryan's Birthday!

We all got to the cabin on Saturday and discovered it was a bit dusty.  After some clean up we got settled, discussed menus, let the kids run around inside and out and made plans for the next few days.  It was SO wonderful to be together again.  We all had missed each other so much.  The grounds that the cabin was on was so pretty and had lots for the kids to do.  We discovered later that it had been a place that soldiers and their families had come for retreats and fun!  

Mary, Esther and Mom headed out to shop for groceries while I stayed back to help with the kids and to get dinner ready.  We decided to make Ryan a delicious Chicken soft taco dinner with Homemade Salsa.  We had the kids fed by the time the ladies got back and after a nice dinner with just us adults, Mary pulled out the Lemon Meringue Pie and we all sang "Happy Birthday" to Ryan.  

Ryan, I hope your day was blessed.  May you always know how much we all love you and respect you and are thankful for all that you do.  Thank you for serving us through the US Army.  The hours are long and the job isn't easy...  Thank you, Mary, Danielle, William and Kara, too.  Thank you for what you sacrifice...  We love you!!  

“How can I serve you today”

I don't want to forget this experience. It was a day just like any other. The day had just begun and I had a long list of things to clean around the house. Keeping up with homeschool and housecleaning is quite a chore, to say the least. It seems like the minutes I do have to clean are hurried and I am almost always left wondering; how did this house get so dirty and how am I supposed to get this all done?? 

So, as I was scrubbing the stove top and wondering how am I supposed to get all these spots and dried food off... I heard as plain as day, in my spirit, “How can I serve you today?” I knew right away that this was Jesus. I was shocked that my Lord would ask me that question. I answered, “What? What do you mean, serve me? I am supposed to be serving... I serve. I serve my family and we are supposed to serve you...” He asked me again, “How can I serve you?” I just couldn't take it, He had shaken me up and I didn't know what to say. I felt like I had to get out of the house, so in tears I ran outside to the front porch and took a seat on the bench. 

 My thoughts were just reeling. But...but, I thought...then I remembered and I knew how Peter must have felt when Jesus wanted to wash Peter's feet, but he said to Jesus, no Lord, I am supposed to wash your feet... I couldn't bring myself to answer that question right away, but as I sat there in His presence, and after much thinking... Asking for things that we needed didn't seem right. So I went to the places in my heart that I have been longing for and brought those requests before Him. Then in those requests I felt that He answered me and said He would do those things for me. What were they? Well, they were the deepest longings of my heart and probably similar to yours. It was like the Holy Spirit wouldn't let me turn to the right or the left until I answered Him. 

 I wiped my tears and went back inside to finish my stove. The tasks before me didn't seem so daunting anymore. A fresh peace and joy flooded my heart. I had been loved on by my Savior and He, of all persons, asked if He could serve ME. I felt that He wanted me to share this with you as well. He comes to us to serve and not be served. Will we let Him?

"Just as the Son of Man came not to be waited on but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many [the price paid to set them free]."  Matthew 20:28

Ruthe Reid

May 5, 2012  

Little House on the Prairie Party

Julianna was invited to a Little House on the Prairie Birthday Party this month.  It was so fun and creative I just had to share it!  Elizabeth May is a dear friend.  She and her husband are missionaries to the military through Cadence International.  (Their website is...http://www.maymemos.blogspot.com/)  They have 4 precious children who are about our kids ages.  We have been blessed by their family and their friendship.  So, as you see Elizabeth is very creative and lots of fun!  Hope you enjoy the ideas and the pictures!   

 Julianna has her new bonnet on, which I made from a tutorial online, and is all ready for the party!

 Abigail and Julia are twins, if you couldn't tell and they are full of fun and life.

 Check out Mr. Olson's Country Store.

The cupcakes were mini "Blueberry and Cherry Pies"!   

 They started out playing "Find the Thimble"...all the girls just loved that game!

 Then moved on to making fresh milled and freshly made whole wheat bread. 

 Julianna all ready to put her dough in the pan!

 Ready to bake!

 Mommy and daughter moment...

 Time to use their pennies to buy penny candy, rope, hankies and peppermints from "Mr. Olson"!  

 They even made fresh butter from whipping cream-lots of shaking...

 I love this idea to make pies as cupcakes...I think I will be using this idea myself someday!  Thanks Elizabeth for giving such a fun party!  Have a very special year, Abigail and Julia!!  

Miracles Happen

Miracles Still Happen!

Below is Diana Ruff's baby shower.  She is about to have her 3rd son and his name will be Noah James.  All babies are precious miracles but this little boy has a special story.  His mommy wasn't supposed to be able to have any more babies.  She had fibroids on her uterus and was scheduled to have a hysterectomy.  God spoke to her and to her husband to try again and with lots of prayer, the next month, they were pregnant!!  Then at her next check up, the doctor confirmed that the fibroids were NOT even there anymore!!  Praise God for His grace, healing, love and power!  Thank you, Jesus for this special addition to our church family!  We love you, Diana, Preston, Giovahn, Isaiah and baby Noah!  Thank you to all the ladies who made this Baby Shower at Bodega Bean so fun and special.   

Oatmeal and Mothballs

"Mothball Lady"

I know that this title does not sound very nice, but the lady whom this story is about is very special in God's eyes and I would like to tell you just how special she is.  While on our trip to California this February, I had this thought about oatmeal.  "Maybe I should make some granola when I get there…," I thought to myself.  Oatmeal kept coming to mind so when I had a free moment, I rounded up the kids into our van and headed down the highway to the Alpine Albertson's grocery store.  On the way to the store I had convinced myself that I wouldn't have time to make granola.  What was I thinking!  When would I find time to make granola!!  

Well, we did some shopping then headed down the cereal aisle anyways.  I still felt drawn to the oatmeal for some weird reason and stopped to look at them all sitting neatly on the shelf.  Right away my attention was drawn to an elderly lady who had a very bent over back (almost completely bent over) and was looking at oatmeal of all things.  She turned to me and asked me if I would help her.  She was trying to figure out why the oatmeal was priced the same when they were different sizes.  I then just suggested she take both of them and when she checked out, she could ask the lady there that question.  She then went started talking to me about how bad her health was and how sick she felt and how she had forgotten to eat for 3 days and so, she was at the store to get some healthy food.  I felt the compassion of the Lord well up inside of me and I asked her if I could pray for her.  She started to tear up as she told me, yes.  

So as I prayed for her I sensed that along with health and encouragement, God wanted her to have His abundant life and to be made whole in every area; physically and spiritually.  After I prayed, with tears in her eyes, (and in mine) she said that she remembered teaching children about God when she was younger (as she pointed to all my kids) and that "this" must be because of her teaching those children.  I didn't quite understand what she meant by that, but as I am writing, I see what she might have been thinking.  That because she gave God's truths to little children a long time ago, God had remembered her and had brought someone to pray for her and bless her at a time when she needed it the most.  Yeah, God!!  Of course, that might not be the real reason, but she had made a connection of a God moment in her life! 

She seemed to be so encouraged but added how alone she was and that she didn't have anyone else in her life right now.  I felt a part of God's heart for her and bent down to look at her in the eyes and gently told her that her Father in heaven knows her and He promises that He is always with her and will never leave her alone.  It was a sweet moment and one I will never forget.  As I stood there I felt an urgency for her so somehow I told her to seek God soon and I tried to assure her that He will listen.  She had that one of a kind smell of mothballs and was so thin and frail, but the God of the Universe knew her by name and led me find the oatmeal, then find her.  I know in my heart that that was the beginning of a sweet switch in her life.  May her eyes see more of her Father and may she feel His healing and love for her more and more each day.