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Sound Advice

Valerie Basham

December 2, 2011

I found the following quote on Pinterest. I wanted to share it, because I agree with it so much. Each point has a biblical foundation. Since the chapter and verse isn’t listed on the graphic, I’ve listed them below it. I’ve noticed that most good advice has some basis on God’s Word. Seriously! Notice: I said good advice! 🙂

Young people would do well to take heed to these thoughts, especially the first one. Aside from accepting Christ as Savior, choosing a mate is the most important decision one will make.

Below are the Bible references for each point. Some are examples from Scripture of people practicing these principles, others are direct references. Hover over the reference for the verse.

1. 2 Cor. 6:14

2. 2 Peter 1:10; Psalm 37:4; Eccl. 9:10

3. Matt. 5:41, Eccl. 9:10

4. Phil. 4:8

5. Eph. 4:32, Matt. 18:22

6. Matt. 12:44

7. 1 Thess.5:18

8. Luke 11:5-9

9. Prov. 6:6-8

10. Luke 6:31

11. 1 Cor. 10:12

12. Eccl. 9:10

13. Matt. 16:26, Mark 8:36

14. 1 Cor.4:2

15. Ex. 20:16

16. 1 Sam. 30:6

17. Ex. 32:26

18. Prov. 28:13

19. Prov. 28:1

20. John 15:13

21. Ex. 20: 12

The Challenge

Valerie Basham

2 comments

December 1, 2011

I have really been enjoying perusing Pinterest. It’s opened up new worlds for many of my crafty friends. (I mean that in the nicest form of the word, by the way.) I am currently working on a project – my first – that I found on Pinterest. Homeschooling, home-keeping, child training, and church work keep me busy all day everyday, but someday, I plan on trying all of the ideas and recipes I’ve “pinned”.

I’m getting started today on using an idea from Pinterest. (Oh, boy! Two in one week!) It’s a graphic that my friend, Ava, pinned. It’s simply called “The No Junk Food Challenge”. Here it is:

That’s it. It’s not a “diet”, just a “skimming down”. Which, I hope, will help me do some “slimming down”. Most of us know that it takes 21 days for something to become a habit. And, that’s my goal here, to create some new habits.

I am going to tweak the rules just a bit. For instance, I’m probably going to allow myself a bit of peanut butter now and then, I like PB & J sandwiches for lunch. I only use about a tablespoon though, and it contains protein, so it’s not bad. If you’re careful. Also, real life insists that we eat out occasionally. If I’m in a position where I have to eat out, I will, but I’m going to choose the healthiest options available. Also, it’s not on the list, but I think that “No soda” should be added. I managed to kick this out of my diet back in June…the 14th to be exact, but who’s counting? And I’m so happy that I have! It’s really helped me to lose some pounds and keep them off.

I already exercise three or more times most weeks, but eating is my downfall! I am hoping this will help me to pay attention without stressing about points, calories or fat grams.

This challenge ends on December 21st. Isn’t that convenient? Just in time for Christmas! Perfect for enjoying all the benefits of the season: chocolate pecan pie, apple dumplings, cheesy corn, mashed potatoes, stuffing…okay. I better stop before I give up on day one!

Oh, and one more thing! I’m thinking of keeping track of my eats online at some place like Fit Day. Not sure if I will, though. If you’d like to join in, or have any thoughts to share, leave me a comment!

I hope you all have a wonderful December!

Thankful for the Cemetery

Valerie Basham

2 comments

November 24, 2011

Holidays will never be the same. You might not think that one person’s absence can make life look so completely different, but it can. It has for me, anyway. Nothing is the same. My most precious treasures now are my memories. Sometimes, I fear that if I live to be 80, I’ll have lost that wonderful blessing of “remembering.”

Today, my wonderful Uncle Gary and Aunt Linda are having all of us come to their home for the big meal. Before we go by, we’ll be stopping by the cemetery. Not exactly my favorite time. I get a lump in my throat as I approach the place where my dad is buried. Grief revisits me. The memories pass through my mind like a movie on fast-forward. The realization that those times are over, forever, is hard to take. I wish I could make new memories with Dad. I wish I could see him again, now.

As I near the ground where he is laid to rest, and reach the gravestone, I’m reminded of that scorching hot day we all gathered to inter him there. Our tears watered the several tissues. That ground supported the bodies of four people who could hardly stand. The ground was hallowed by our grief, by our memorial to Dad.

As I think of going to the grave today, I get a lump in my throat and that feeling of dread. I might start crying. But I’m deciding to do something different this Thanksgiving Day. I’m thanking the Lord for that hallowed ground.

I’m thankful that I have memories that flash across my mind like a movie – I could have had to bury my dad when I was much younger – before memories could even be made! Many people come from divorced homes, and only get weekends with the other parent. I had mine all the time.

I’m thankful for what that memorial in the graveyard represents – the resurrection! My dad was born again, he was saved, I will see him again! There is absolutely no doubt about it.

I’m thankful for the place where is laid to rest. He is buried with my Mom’s family, my grandparents, my uncles. He is buried near the farm where my Mom grew up, where I visited often as a child and made so many wonderful memories. I have the world’s best aunts and uncles who love me more than I deserve. If I had lost my parents when I was young, they would have taken me in and loved me like their own. They are wonderful people. It’s a blessing that, when I’m overwhelmed with grief, I am also overwhelmed by their love.

I’m thankful for my mother who will stand next to me on that hallowed ground. I’m thankful she is still with me, to talk to me, pray for me, encourage me, and love me. I know there are times that she’s missed Dad so much that she’s wanted to go on to Heaven, too. But I am so glad that she is still here. I need her! I need her love, her wisdom, her prayers.

I’m not going to dread facing the loss of my Dad today. Instead, I’m going to be thankful for everything, including a trip to the cemetery.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day ~

"Free" or "Low Cost"?

Valerie Basham

2 comments

November 19, 2011

They say the best things in life are free. I think that’s true. That’s why I agreed to host a giveaway for 500 pieces of free letterhead back in October. I love “free”! I was solicited by a person from the online printing company, UPrinting.com, to host this giveaway. In fact, you can read the original post HERE. I, personally, didn’t need letterhead. I mulled it over. I thought, hey, why not? Maybe one of my faithful readers could use some letterhead, and this is a way I could be a blessing. So, I did it.

A few weeks ago, I received an email saying that I, too, had won free letterhead for hosting the giveaway. It was a “Blog Appreciation Prize”. As I said, we didn’t need it, but it would be a bonus! I decided I would order some for our family, with both my and my husband’s names on it. I figured I’d pick from a few pre-made designs, punch in our info and be done with it.

Ah, but therein, as the Bard would tell us, lies the rub.

There were no “pre-made” designs. Each customer must design his own letterhead, and this is handled by someone else. Not only that, but if you use images for your design (and the only ones I saw available were from iStock images) you must pay for those as well. I stopped “designing” as soon as I realized that I might have to pay. I didn’t want to pay, it was supposed to be FREE. According to the dictionary, the idiom “for free” means without charge. True, I was being charged for the design, the PRINTING was free, but the letterhead as a whole was not. This was irritating. I was led to believe the whole thing was free. I contacted the company and politely asked if I would be charged for any portion of my letterhead. This is the email I received last night:

” Hi Valerie,

I received a notification from my colleague about your prize. Please be advised that the Blogger Appreciation Prize covers only the printing and shipping. The design will not be handled by us. Also, the stock images in the design tool are not also covered by the BAP. I hope that’s clear with you. Thank you for your understanding.

Best Regards,MarinelleUPrinting Marketing Team “

BAP stands for “Blog Appreciation Prize”, in case you were wondering. She says in her note, “I hope that’s clear with you.” Well, yes ma’am, it’s clear to me now. But it wasn’t from the original correspondence I received about the whole thing.

The bottom line: I will in no way endorse or ever use UPrinting. I guess I’m old fashioned. In my world, free still means “without charge”. I don’t try to bamboozle people using fine print in my everyday life. It’s called “ethics”.

But, all in all, it’s been a good experience for me. In the future, I will not sponsor a giveaway unless I can review the product beforehand to see if it lives up to what it claims. I apologize to you, readers, for being so naive.

Lesson learned. Free doesn’t always mean “free”. Sometimes it means “low cost”.

Our First Piano Recital

Valerie Basham

2 comments

November 16, 2011

Last night, my older two children had the opportunity to perform at their first recital! They have been taking lessons for about a year and a half now. They are progressing very nicely and we are so proud of them. Our hope is that they will be able to play some simple hymns by this summer. Our church is need of good pianists, as many churches are. One reason we want the children to learn to play the piano, is because this is a talent that can be used for the Lord in many ways. Choir, congregational singing, nursing home ministry, and the mission field are just a few examples. We want them to use all of the gifts God has given them for the Lord. After all, life is for service!

Here are some photos of the night:

Matthew was very good during the performances!

My Mom drove over with her best friend, Marie. It was a blessing to have their support. 🙂

After the recital, Terry snapped this of me, Mom, Lauren and Mitchell. I’m so proud of them!

Lauren and Mitchell, with their wonderful teacher, who is homeschool graduate herself, Miss Susanna. She and her family have been a great blessing to us. I asked the Lord for a piano teacher and He gave us Susanna! She is also a godly example for them to be around. God is so good!

Here are the videos of their performances in the order they appeared live for our loved ones far away.♥ We miss you and love you!

Lauren got to play a duet with her teacher. 🙂

Lauren and Mitchell’s Duet

Mitchell’s solo. He started laughing from nerves when he introduced it! 🙂

It was a fun evening. Oh my, look at the time! Time to head to piano lessons!

Sites for Homeschooling Families

Valerie Basham

2 comments

November 15, 2011

Everyone may already know about this site, but it’s new to me. It’s called Sheppard Software. It’s home to hundreds of games on all subjects. There are activities for pre-schoolers, as well as math, geography, science, history, health and puzzles!! My family is loving it. It’s been a great way to supplement math – you can do an online drill, disguised as a game! There are several different games on many different topics and levels within each topic! It’s wonderful!

I just wanted to pop in and spread the word! (There’s even a section for adults!) While you’re surfing, here are a few more sites that I read about in Homeschool Enrichment magazine – another awesome resource for Bible believing homeschooling moms.

Ambleside Online – FREE Charlotte Mason lesson plans!
Homeschool Classifieds – A great place to buy and sell used books! I just bought two books there and put some on to sell, as well. You can post 7 items at a time free!
National Park Service – You can view live webcams, watch interactive videos and play games! Just watch out for references to evolution. 🙂

Happy hopping! (Site hopping, that is.)

Revival is like Thanksgiving Dinner

Valerie Basham

1 comment

November 11, 2011

As I was going about doing housework this morning, a thought came to me. Since that only happens about once every ten years, I decided to stop doing housework and share it with the world. After all, if I don’t do it now, I’ll forget it!

I was making the bed, thinking about the sermons I’d heard over the week. I thought about the illustrations given, about the points stated. I thought about the areas in which the Lord was dealing with me, and how I could make changes in the days and weeks to come.

Then, I thought to myself, “I have so much to chew on…so much to mediate over. It’s like a spiritual feast!” That brought to mind the upcoming holiday (my favorite) – Thanksgiving! The holiday characterized by giving thanks and eating the most enormous meal of the year. You sit down and have to choose what to eat first, and how much you’ll eat of each thing. There is usually more than one choice of meat, sides, and desserts. That’s what this revival meeting was like – so much meat, so much of everything! I’m having to choose what to “chew” on first! In my mind, I’m hopping from one thought to another to another! It reminded me of Thanksgiving dinner – so much good stuff!

Bro. Green was a blessing both in the pulpit and in private fellowship here in our home. It was a blessing to be around him. He is a true man of God, just like my husband! I was so blessed this week. I haven’t yet had time to hear how others were blessed, but I look forward to doing just that in the days to come.

It’s hard to believe that we are merely days away from Thanksgiving! It seems like yesterday was New Year’s! I’m looking forward to seeing my brother and sister this year. I’m also busily planning, and will soon be making, the gift I’m giving to the ladies in our church (more on that later!) I’m also planning on trying a few other crafty ideas this year. And of course, I’m working out so I can indulge in lots of goodies over the holidays. 🙂

As always, I’m thankful to you for dropping by and reading. It’s great to be able to connect in this way. You all are a blessing. Oh! And Happy Veteran’s Day! Thank you to all who have served or are serving our great country. I appreciate your sacrifice!

Somebody’s Watching

Valerie Basham

no comments

November 11, 2011

Matt. 27:54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.

When I was 17 years old, my pastor’s wife mentioned to me in passing one day, that her little girl wanted to wear her hair pulled up in a clip because that’s how I wore mine. I remember being so surprised that her daughter, maybe about six years old, even noticed me. I didn’t have much interaction with that age group. But, I was faithfully in church, and so was she. She had been sitting in her pew, taking note of my hair, and copying me.

Today, I read about how Jesus was being watched. He wasn’t sitting in a pew, though. He was suffering and dying for all mankind. He knew He was being watched, because He is God. His death made a difference in a centurion standing by. That soldier recognized that He was God, just by watching Him.

This verse reminded me that in good times and bad, I’m being watched. By my children, my church family, and others whom I do not know. What are they seeing in me? Do they see Christ reflected in my life? I hope so. Folks are noticing things much more important than my hair style! Things like, how I react to trouble, sorrow, angry words, accusations, lost people, and on and on.

We just finished our revival meeting, and the Lord gave me a laundry list of things I need to work on! I don’t know if I’m quite transparent enough to share them on here or not…maybe in time. I’m still praying and thinking on what needs to be changed. I want to change because I want to obey Christ. I want to reflect Him more clearly to those around me. Because somebody is watching.

Thy Will be Done

Valerie Basham

no comments

November 10, 2011

Matthew 26:42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

Jesus is nearing the time when He must give His all for sinners on the cross. He is Omniscient, He knows about the cruel death that awaits Him. As a man robed in flesh, I’m sure the thought of pain and suffering does not appeal to Him. As the Savior of the world, He longs to offer the way to Heaven for all who will receive it. He prays, “O Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it,” – He admits that it will be a hard thing to endure. But then He says the words that caught my attention today, “thy will be done”. The Lord has been dealing with me about His will for my life for a couple of days now. I realized that I’ve been “kicking and screaming” (figuratively of course! haha!) to get out of the trial I’m in. I am always looking for an escape. The Lord pricked my heart just yesterday that perhaps I’m in this trial to learn to accept trials; to learn to stop “kicking” and take it like a woman who trusts God and desires His will.

Believe me, I’m not writing this flippantly. It was a bitter pill to swallow, to say to the Lord, “Oh, Lord, yes, I will stay in this trial for as long as you want me here. I will stop kicking, fighting, wishing to be out of it.” I thought of the song by Ron Hamilton called “Rejoice, in the Lord”. One part says:

“I bowed to the will of the Master that day, then peace came, and tears fled away.”

I didn’t mean not to bow to His will, but I haven’t been. I will admit, it’s hard. It’s not fun to die to self and bury the hopes I had for the future. I do have hope that my Lord will see me through this trial. I have hope in Him for a better and brighter tomorrow. If not here, then on the other side! Before, I was hoping in my own desires, not His. I do have peace now. I’m still waiting to see if the tears have stopped. They are probably not gone forever, but maybe now they will less bitter!

I’m learning that anyone can say they want God’s will for their lives. It’s another thing entirely to want it when no one is watching. He has changed my perspective, and my longing is that it stay focused on Him forever.

Light in the Darkness

Valerie Basham

no comments

November 9, 2011

Psalm 112:4 Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.

This verse says that the “upright man” will have light in the darkness. Everyone will experience some sort of darkness. In last night’s sermon evangelist Tim Green referred to these times as “wildernesses”. Darkness, or wildernesses, will come to all: death of a loved one, financial reversal, betrayal, sickness…the list is endless. My natural inclination is to worry about the future, to doubt whether or not I can make it through tough times. I should know by now that I can only make it with my Savior’s help, and He will never leave me. But, I’m just dust, so I worry anyway!

I read this and wondered, what does “upright” mean? The Hebrew root word means “straight”. Webster’s 1828 dictionary says: Honest; just; adhering to rectitude in all social intercourse; not deviating from correct moral principles; as an upright man. Job. 1. It’s kind of all encompassing. An upright man, or woman, is honest in everything, obedient to the laws of God and man. That doesn’t mean we’re sinless, but it means we sin less! 🙂 A truly saved person wants to follow the paths God has laid out in His Word.

If I’m living in an upright way, I can rest assured that during the darkest times of life, I will have light. It may not be bright enough to light the entire way for me, but it will be enough for me to see my next step.As someone who is in my own personal darkness at the moment, I can say that it’s true. He gets me through each day, moment by moment. And that’s all I need, isn’t it? Just enough grace to face today. My Father has it all under His power. He will always do what’s best for my life, and yours.