Brooklyn's Praise Song!!!

The Lord is good by the heavens!


The Lord is in Heaven and he sent His Son to die on the Cross for us
He made everything and all the people, he made all the people He made all the people

He died on the Cross, He is good, he made all the people

The Lord the is good by the heavens! The Lord is good by the heavens! (Not sure what this means but I am definitely sure that the Lord does and inhabits her praise!)

Psalm 47:6-7 NIV

Sing praises to God, sing praises;
       sing praises to our King, sing praises.

For God is the King of all the earth;
       sing to him a psalm of praise

The Nostalgia of it ALL

Nostalgia: a yearning for the past, often in idealized form. 

 I remember this night like it was TODAY!!!! Such good times, with good friends!!!!

Walking Free from the Stinch of Smoke!!!

Our neighbors invited us over for dinner tonight. We went over and ate. Then we went outside and burnt some marshmallows. It was nice. Afterwards, Joe, the kids and I went home and immediately I could smell the stinch of smoke in my hair and clothes....this is OFFENSIVE to me......so I proceeded to strip the clothes off and put fresh ones on. As I was taking the clean clothes out the dryer the Holy Spirit brought to mind the story in  Daniel 3 of the three Hebrew boys. I said to Joseph, "Man, it's amazing, that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego was in the firey furnace and they did NOT smell like smoke". Joseph was like, "Yeah, and the furnace was turned up to the HOTTEST level."  I continued to think about how amazing this story is; here I am outside for less than 30 minutes around a pretty small pit of fire and I smell like I had been dancing around the flames and they were IN THE FIRE and didn't smell of  smoke. WoW! I am so encouraged. If my Lord can do this for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, surely, He can do it for me when I am in my HOTTEST of situations and circumstances. Amen? Amen.
There is this song we used to sing, the verse went like this, "You don't look like, what you been through"
those HOT situations that seem like they will never end or  we will never be able to walk FREE from. Shad, Me-Me and Benny walked FREE from all they had been through not taking any of the weight or baggage that often comes when we encounter difficult circumstances. For this matter, the smell of smoke, sut on their faces, burnt skin and charred scared lungs from inhaling the smoke and fire, and of course, death.

What HOT situation did God walk you through? Did you walk FREE from it; not looking like what you'be been through?

Daniel 3:26-27 

Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!"
So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.

Princess & The Frog

So, Joe and I sat down and watched Princess and The Frog a few nights ago. I want to think that Disney had all the right intentions when they decided to write and produce this movie of an African-American Princess. However, I know the source of evil and I know that his plans can even be interwoven into movies such as these. Matthew 13:25-But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.So, to name a few of a million issues with the movie: I will. And I will say one or two positive things about this movie as well.

For those of you who don't know. TP&TF's setting is in Louisana during the late 1800s or early 1900s. The first scene is in the house of a rich white family, where the mother is the caretaker/maid/seamstress for the family. Her daughter and the rich man's little girl are friends and grow up together. There is such a contrast in this scene. Although we know Tiana is the princess in and of this movie, there are so many arrows pointing to her friend as a princess - lifestyle, etc.

Late at night, the Tiana and her mother leaves the big mansion and nice neighborhood- riding the bus(public transportation) looking out the window panning the changes in the neighborhood scenes; from glamorous to not so glamorous. This is where Tiana and her mother lives. QUESTION: Do all african-american children have to have a rags to riches story? There are plenty who do not.

THE PRINCE: Lord knows I love my brazilian, latino, chicano, mexican families!!!!!! I do find it quite ODD that the prince in this movie was hispanic- however, LA is close to Texas....Lol!!! Since  this ODD to me, why not go ALL OUT  and make the prince African American? Sort of like an innocent....clean.... Coming to America story for kids, with a twist!LoL!!!! There could be many underlying messages, one that sticks out like rudolph's red nose- lack of respect or confidence in the African American male. If that is not the case, then fine, I will accept that it is not. But why rob the African American little girls of a dream of marry a loving, handsome, good to do and go African american man? The image of AA males are so negative- this could have boosted respect for them and the ones growing up today. Ok, enough of that. Oh I will point out the beautiful love story between Tiana's parents!!! Now that was nice even though it was over so quickly.

THE MAIN ISSUE:

VuDOO: Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Much to be said on this. The witch doctor. Witchcraft can be found in almost all princess movies from disney. ...evil stepmothers, or stepsisters, etc. etc. etc.
However, in this movie the Devil, himself is in it! The step by step practice of witchcraft is so open in this movie... I am sure that so of th children who watched this movie could leave the movie theatre knowing how to call on the graven images, sacrifices and seances.

Leviticu 26:1

 Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God.

  (I.e. the pinning of the doll and the acutal graven image)These were practiced and shown throughout the movie and evil crossed the line of make believe, into homes, and the imagination of many children, in which our future(next generation) resides. It was so HEAVY and IN YOUR FACE.
My husband said that the howling and screaching was so intense- he said his spirit recognized the spirit and he knew that this was real... whether the writers did or didn't. This was not pretend or make believe. He said it scared him.

1 John 4:6

We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

The witch doctor was dragged to  hell at the end! kudos!

Revelation 21:8

But cowards who turn away from me, and unbelievers, and the corrupt, and murderers, and the immoral, and those who practice witchcraft, and idol worshipers, and all liars--their doom is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death."

Galatians 5:19-21

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discor I will destroy your carved images and your sacred stones from among you;
you will no longer bow down to the work of your hands.d, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Deut.18:10
"There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, one who uses divination, one who practices witchcraft, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer,

The Relationship
This is where I say the nice stuff. The relationship between the FROGS was great. A wonderful story of love. If all the other CRAP(Crazy, Ridiculus, Against God, and Pointless) was left out of the movie- it wouldn't been nice. Who would of thunk it? F.R.O.G.s! Fully Relying On God!

That's all for now...

Surprise!!!

Hi, I'm Niki from the blog, Simply Niki!  I have COMPLETE access to Tamika's page, so I thought I would just mess with her and say HELLO! I could get really CRAZY, and do some really CRAZY stuff on here...BUT...I'll be good!  Let me know what you think, Tamika!  I think our problem is solved!  Oh, and just delete this post!  I wanted to surprise you. Ha! 

http://www.christianwomenonline.net/index2.htm

http://www.christianwomenonline.net/index2.htm

Me and the kiddos having fun with Mommy's new computer!
So fun to relax and enjoy each other and just be plain ole silly willy! My kids are the best! Tune in later for post about Abraham and Isaac.

One Wednesday evening before church

I was cooking dinner today. I went to frig and got out my big red onion I had just bought. I was so excited because I had just used up the old one- God made it last.

I cut into the onion and the inner shell was brown. I was SO offended. Before I KNEW I was offended- I was offended. I looked at the onion with this thought in mind, "I just bought you" Then I began to think about our own hearts. How the Bible says that "above all else the heart is deceitfully wicked and no one knows our hearts but the Lord" [paraphrase].
So, I'm like I'm still gonna use this onion! There is nothing like a red onion, ya'll! I had planned on using it for many a meals! (and its going to make this mal great!). So I did what any Iron Chef from the hood would do, I cut that mug out! I cut the heart out! I had to. If I left it in there it would have infected the entire onion. There is a striking similarity to what we have to do- WE have to allow God "cut" at our hearts.
I just begin weeping (yes, I said weeping, cause that is what I was doing before the LORD). As I prepared our meal- I just replayed these moments over and over and allowed the Holy Spirit to minister to me about my own heart. I am so glad my God doesn't say to me, I just bought you, and now look at ya- I am so glad He doesn't look at me and say, 'You're no good' and toss me out. Instead He takes time to "cut" the yuckiness of my heart and replaces it with holiness and righteousness. Because all the long - He was planning on using me just like He intended.
He's still planning on using you too!

Judging Others

So, I was in the kitchen washing dishing and for some odd reason, I began to recall a conversation I had with someone about abortion. I remember how critical I was and at that moment in the kitchen, I still held the same judgments in my heart. That was until the Lord reminded me that I too had a 'once upon time'. So Lord knows how many babies I will have greeting me in heaven, calling out, "Mommy". Although I did not have a full pleg abortion, I did take birth control pills, which by the way does not keep you from becoming pregnant, it just keeps your baby from implanting in the womb (uterus) which is what it is: an ABORTION. Man, what a harsh reminder from the Holy Spirit. But what was even more harsh was me quickly judging others. Lord help me.......us.
I know this is a bit transparent, but maybe somebody will be encouragede today.

Matthew 7:1-3
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
 "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?

from Humility by Andrew Murray

In the time of trouble say,
First, He brought me here. It is by His will I am this place;
       in that will I rest.
Next, He will keep me in His love and give me grace in this
       trial to behave as His child.
Then, He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me the
        lessons He means me to learn, and working in me the
        grace He intends for me.
Last, in His good time, He can bring me out again, how and
       when only He knows.
Say, I am here:
By God's appoointment,
In God's keeping,
Under His training,
For His time. 

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete..." James 1:2-4