A no go sale, a contest winner, and a plea

I wrote this post a couple hours ago, but I want to add something a pouring out of my heart:

Many of you know there is a great analogy refering to our hearts as gold in the process of purification. The very sin in us is the dross that is in the process of being removed as God at times turns up the heat in our lives.

I love this analogy, particularely now as I take care of Sarah, take care of Dan, sell a house and prepare to buy a new one. There on the surface of my heart, as I sit before the LORD this very morning I saw and see dross floating to the top of my heart and I cannot look God in the eyes as I know He sees it too. As it says in James 4:3, I have not because I ask with the wrong motives to spend my gain on my own pleasures (my paraphrase). As some of you have followed this blog you well know my struggle with the Alleghany house, the amount of time and money it would take to repare it and how the temptation is great to give that house all I have to see the glory of my hands come to fruition. The house has been removed as an option, but the dross still remains. I go before the LORD to confess my sin daily as I seek to control all of life. God forgives me but the dross remains. Little by little God skims it away but lots by lots more takes it's place. My point is that at this point I am greatly humbled and desire greatly to seek a house that will not glorify me but make way for my finances and time to be used to serve God, help others, be available to serve in God's kingdom. Don't get me wrong, I love home improvement projects and I know for a fact God does also. He isn't concerned about the home improvement though, He cares what is in my heart. Even the very ministries I've served in, if done with a selfish heart then God does not support my participation. It is God himself that has given me this desire for working with my hands but it is my sin nature and Satan that try to turn it into something that is not pleasing to God.

I pour out this not to be boastful but to share with you, my blogger buddies, my heart, it is heavy with the site of so much self promotion. I do not stop there though because I can praise God that as the dross comes to the surface, God can remove it. That atleast is a little less sin that clouds the inner workings of my spirit. That I can be thankful for. I humbly ask for your prayer as Dan and I wait for our house to sell and as we seek a new one, that our minds and hearts stay focused and we find the right house for us, the house that God has for us.

Romans 7:19-20

Original Post:

Yesterday, we almost had a buyer, a mom and daughter but it turned out the daughter had bad credit and the mom had no credit at all. Bummer for them and bummer for us I suppose. This weekend we will be looking at houses and it would have been nice to be looking for real, not just in preperation. I remembered this morning though that God is in control so worrying and fretting over it is basically saying I don't trust Him. I just need to remember that 'cause I forget it a lot!

So, yesterday as I was running errands I realized that if the winner of the contest wanted chocolate, there would be some mailing issues...you know melting. I thought for sure there was a possibility that wouldn't happen with so many kinds of candy and all. My husband laughed when I told him about all the comments from bloggers I didn't know and that we ladies just rise to the occasion when free candy is available. Ok so I'm holding you in suspense on purpose. Boufmom9 is the lucky winner if this contest. Please e-mail me (e-mail is in the side bar) an address you would like to recieve your chocolate (yes chocolate) at and I will get it to you and do my best to make sure its not melted (though I've loved a good melted minti Godiva chocolate myself.)

As for you Beth, I will hand deliver your york peppermint patty if you will only let me (yes that is a bribe.) I'm seriously going to bribe Talona if you don't. I want to bring you and your new beautiful little guy a present. Oh yeah, and can I please be reinvited to your blog. Please!

Update on the laptop, I have to wait a while and I'm about ready to throw this one out the window accept I'm addicted to the internet and would miss my blogging community. I guess its just another opportunity for patience. Bummer. As for the buying one, can anyone recommend a really good laptop? Consider you all my consumer reports. :)