Archives for August 2013

New Beginnings

30 Aug

Emily first day of CCC 2

 My Dearest Emily,

This is a letter you will most likely not read for some years, yet one I am hopeful will be etched on your heart long before your eyes glimpse the words on the written page. This season of your life has been marked with numerous new beginnings. From your first loose tooth to the first day of school and a baptism in between, the winds of change haven’t ceased to blow.

Over three weeks ago, Daddy was reading a Bible account to you and the boys before bedtime, as is customary in our home. I was busy cleaning up the many pieces of creativity you had left strewn in your room. In case you haven’t noticed, Mama has some Martha-like tendencies. As Daddy was reading to you from the The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name
you bowed your head in prayer. At the conclusion, of the text, you told your Dad that you had asked Jesus into your heart. To put it another way, you had prayed and put your faith and trust in Christ Jesus as Savior and Lord.

Daddy asked you to share the news with me when I entered the room and we hugged you and kissed you now our sister in Christ with joy, and I will admit, a little apprehension. The only apprehension that we both had was the question of certainty you knew the decision that you had made. Did you fully understand the gospel and what it means to be a Christ follower? Then I was reminded of the verse in Matthew 19:14:

But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.”

We have heard your prayers prayed in the “prayer chair” (a rocking chair that was a baby gift to Emily), “Lord Jesus, thank you for taking the punishment. It should have been us that got the punishment; not you. Please be with all the people of the world. Be with those who are hurt because they believe in you. Please be with the kids that don’t have mommies and daddies. I love you Jesus. Amen.”

We pray that you will remain in Christ Jesus unto the end just as the Son abides in the Father. May you bear much fruit and walk in obedience to Jesus all your days, the same as you followed Jesus’ model of baptism as a public witness of your faith in Christ.

Yesterday was your first official day of Kindergarten. The good news is, there was no crying for me at the door (nor I for you) because with Classical Conversations, like Ruth with Naomi, where you go I go! I look forward to continuing to teach you at home, and I am so excited about all that we will learn in this next year. I am grateful to observe first-hand how God is preparing you to be able to defend the hope that you have in Christ. (1 Peter 3:15)

Emily first day of CCC

Dearest Emily, as with all new beginnings we focus on the good and neglect to remember that there will be days of struggle and pain ahead. The good news is, He has promised us joy in the end. Take heart, Emily, for in all your days and in all your ways, Christ Jesus is with you, He has already overcome the world. He is with you in each new beginning until the day of the new heaven and new earth. (John 16)

I love you my precious princess and sister in Christ,

Mom

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Navigating the Curves of Life

28 Aug

What is it that makes something beautiful?  Do straight lines lend themselves to beauty or rather, is it the curves that create features which draw our eye and peak our artistic curiosity? Take paintings, architecture, and sculptures: the curves and varying degrees of height and thicknesses capture our gaze and hold us there.

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I have a confession: I am a thirty-something-year-old woman who is afraid of curves. Please allow me to explain.

A few years ago, Ron and I went for a bicycle date. It had been over 8 months since my last ride. When I approached a sharp turn with any speed, I became all-apprehensive and tense.  Instead of leaning into the turn, shifting balance left to right or right to left, I began to slow down, put on the brakes and shift the handle bar wibble wobble until I was safely past the curve.  Once back on the straight path, I asked “What am I so afraid of?”

Falling.

I know it. I am afraid of falling much like I am afraid of failure.

Past falls and failures left me with anxiety of their return. Conversely, these weaknesses turn lessons from which Christ calls, “Trust me, call to me, I will use this for my glory and your good. I will heal your wounds. I will use this to accomplish my will.”  That is if I stay obedient to Him in the path He has me on.

I want to lean into the One who will equip and instruct me to navigate the curves on life’s journey.

Don’t get me wrong…I still like straight shots. However, I do not want to approach the drive of life as I do trivial competitions; throwing myself into the tasks I “have a shot at” and avoiding the risks of success and difficult obedience.

The Christian life was made for curves and bends on the narrow, and often rough,  road. We are instructed to live by faith, believing that the Author of our faith will complete the good works that He has started within us. Sharp curves in the road and changes in terrain are ways that God can show off His glory within us. The work of navigating the curves is the worship of living by His Spirit and in obedience to His call upon our lives.

I do not want to ride the wide path and miss the eternal revelation of the narrow way.

Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. (Matthew 7:13-14)

Take away the divine curved hands and arced feet that bore the nails on the cross, and all that remains are two perpendicular lines without power and merciful sacrificial beauty.

The curves make things beautiful. There is more to life than meets our physical eyes; let us lean into the One who enables us to navigate the curves of life.

*An edited re-post. All photography by Ron Cooney.

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This Weekend

23 Aug

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This weekend, may you snuggle-up next to someone you love, read a book that stirs your soul, and find reasons to give thanks.

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The Waters of Life

19 Aug

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Shells were created at the command of God the moment when time, space, and matter came into being. Created from the breath of God to provide a protective outer layer for sea life, they are one day discarded and many wash ashore.

Along their journey, the ocean rolls and tumbles the shells in tumultuous waves and in calm water until one day, finally, they settle in the sandy shores which beach combers traverse in search of beauty. Some shells are taken home as a memento, while others sit along the shore and eventually are bleached by the sun. Washed white in the brightness of day.

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We too are tossed and tumbled, even pummeled by the waters of life. We can be hit by crashing waves that swell out of seemingly calm waters. In the dark of night we may fear what we will find when the sun’s rays glimmer on the water we thrash in.

I have gulped for air a midst thrashing waves.; uprooted by swells of life I did not foresee coming. I have cried in the dark hours before the break of day and seen God’s Son wash white His saints that lay weary and beaten along the shores of life.

These verses bring me hope in such a time as this:

This I declare about the LORD; He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday.

If you make the LORD your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home.

The LORD says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name.  When they call on me I will answer; I will be with them in trouble, I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a  long life and give them salvation.” (Psalm 91:2-6,9-10, 14-16, NLT)

Did you see it? Troubles and evil will come, but they will not conquer us. Night terrors are to be expected as are arrows that fly in the day.  But, we are to make God our refuge and his faithful promises our armor and protection.

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Recently our friend, Aaron Walp, D. Min, preached a sermon that I would like for you to take the time to listen to. His sermon entitled, Rip Tide, Thrash or Thrive can be found here, or simply view the link from Vimeo below. You will need the Joseph Four Step to break the grip of the rip in your life. Don’t miss out on this mighty word from God!

Rip Tide: Thrash or Thrive from Calvary Baptist Church on Vimeo.

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A Lesson on Self-Worth

16 Aug

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“And you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. “ (John 8:32, NLT)

How do you determine a truth from a lie? What is your litmus test for determining the truthfulness of thoughts that enter your brain?

Let’s step back a moment and travel to the food court inside our local mall. It was my husband’s day off and we were famished and ready for lunch. Ron took our daughter to place the order while my son and I located a table in the unusually busy food court. We found a table and borrowed a few chairs from other lone patrons and were happily people watching waiting for our food to arrive.

Off to my left was a Tropical Café Smoothie. (We have tried that as lunch before, but convincing the children that a smoothie was indeed a meal did not venture well for our family.) As I scanned the line of waiting customers, my eyes fell to a beautiful, tall, slender blonde. She was dressed in a black tank and dress jacket, with trendy jeans. She had long hair and perfect makeup, instantly allowing me to dub her Makeup Girl. She certainly had the look of a makeup counter saleswoman. You know the beautifully intimidating type that we “normal” women may shirk at asking for assistance in the case that we appear less than knowledgeable about powder, eye-shadow, and lip-glosses.

To finish reading the rest of this post, click here to go to iBelieve.com.

Thanks for reading friends!

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I Must Remember This

13 Aug

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As I re-wipe counters that were morning clean, fold and put away the same shirts and underwear as last week, and re-sweep floors that were a few days ago Swiffer fresh, I must remember this…

Since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, everything here on planet earth is temporary.

Man is like a breath, his days are like a passing shadow. ~Psalm 144:4

That I like Moses should pray,

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. ~Psalm 90:12

Feet will not always dangle from seats too high.

Imaginative play lasts only for a season.

Even tantrums, the “no” stage, and time-outs will eventually fade away.

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I must remember that the little girl and little boy will soon stand up and take their place in God’s world.

Time on earth is temporary and fleeting. Eternity lasts forever.

Shouldn’t I work for the eternal? See my children and their fleeting days till adulthood as a gift and a heritage to be cultivated in tiny hearts? Seek to serve the poor and the persecuted? Indeed. I must remember that each assignment the Lord gives me on this earth will last, at most, only a lifetime. Perhaps that is why I was drawn to this quote  from Joan Walsh Anglund:

Where is the yesterday that worried us so?

I must remember that today is a gift, yesterday a memory, and tomorrow is a hope yet unrealized. I want to be a good steward of today and the resources God entrusted to me within it. There is pressure in this knowledge, but also freedom.

In these days of uncertainty with our foster child, Little E, I very easily become discouraged and drained. I fear as we start a year of homeschooling in the coming weeks that I will  not be able to keep up, perform, be the mom, wife, writer, teacher child of God that I am called to be.  I am overwhelmed and fearful because of the domestic demands, motherly demands,foster care demands, and self-inflicted demands that I place on myself. Putting one foot in front of the other, one load in the wash after another, one dish in the dishwasher after another can seem so mundane and, even worse,  never ending.

It is okay to confess these feelings of drain fellow parent. To pretend it is not so is to live a lie. To accept it and not try to take these feelings to the foot of the cross is selling out for a lesser life. He wants us to live in abundant, holy joy.

I must remember that in this small piece of a breath of life, the thing my children will remember more than all else is the love and affection they did or did not receive. The pieces of  daily offerings added over time may not be remembered in vivid accounts but more as a picture of wholeness. For they were wholly…holy…loved.

Dear Father,

Please teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Help us to live for the eternal, hold onto things loosely, and work for Your glory and fellow man’s good. Help us to seek the things that are above and remember that all victories or defeats in this life are but fleeting. Help us to delight in You and spread your fame through all the earth. Help us to be rich in good deeds both within our home and without. Help us to pursue a godly and peaceful life. Let us do the work you give us with joy and sow a godly heritage in the children you have blessed us with. In Jesus Name, Amen.

 

*An edited re-post.

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In-Between These Pages

9 Aug

As some of you may have read on Tuesday, I confessed I start multiple books before I am completely finished with one. Today, a midst preparing for homeschooling to start up in a few weeks,  I am in-between these pages:

 I heard Denise Eide speak at this year’s Florida Parent Educator’s Association Convention. The simplistic and thorough approach to teaching reading and spelling instantly made sense. I purchased this book along with a few other of Denise’s materials to assist in teaching Emily to read as we start Kindergarten in a few more weeks. Here is Denise’s website and the link to view her notes from the FPEA convention.

When we teach sight words, we are effectively stripping the power of the code and asking students to memorize visual symbols for each word. p. 19, The Logic of English

The difference between the literate and the illiterate is that the literate blame the problems on English, but the illiterate blame themselves. Both demonstrate misplaced blame. The problem is neither English nor individuals. The problem is that we cannot know what we were never taught. p. 21, The Logic of English

 Is there such a thing as absolute truth? How can we know? How can we be sure that the Bible is true? What scientific evidence exists to prove the age of the earth coincides with the Bible? These are a few of the questions addressed and answered in I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist. I have immensely enjoyed this book and am taking my time reading and rereading portions to commit facts to memory. If you are a skeptic, know of one, or want to be more prepared to live out 1 Peter 3:15 this is a must read for you.

To say “truth cannot be known” is self-defeating because that very statement claims to be a known, absolute truth. ~I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist

 This wonderful book on the central spiritual practices of inward, outward, and corporate disciplines of the faith is a must read. The richness of ideas and the simplistic yet profound presentation of material is what has helped to sell more than 1 million copies of this book. If you are looking to grow deeper in your faith and walk with Christ, Celebration of Discipline is a must read.

Daily devotional reading is certainly commendable, but it is not study. Anyone who is after “a little word from God for today” is not interested in the Discipline of study.~ Celebration of Discipline,  p. 69

Are you reading any good books right now? If so, which ones? I would love to hear your suggestions!

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15 Things I Don’t Do Well

5 Aug

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A few years ago I read a fellow blogger’s post about things she didn’t do well. I loved the concept and wish I could find the post again.

We as a society put on our happy face for Facebook pictures, Instagram, and Twitter posts. Likewise, bloggers, while often writing about the mishaps of life, also post only flattering images, picturesque scenes, and happy endings.  It is possible after reading bloggers for sometime to idealize them.

For those who know me in real life, this is not an issue. Amen?!

Just in case I post more of what I do right rather than the grace-based life I live, here is a bird’s eye-view of things that I don’t do well (in random order).

  1. Getting laundry out of the wash before I have to rewash the load.
  2. Flossing teeth.
  3. Cashing checks in a timely fashion. My mom almost refuses to give me a check anymore. I am trying to do better in this area. 🙂
  4.  Buying organic. I don’t do this unless it is on sale. I know there are certainly health benefits but the cost is astronomical and I can’t bring myself to do this.
  5. Making my kids eat their vegetables. We really need to work on veggie intake. They love fruit, but very few veggies make the cut.
  6. Finishing one book before starting another. (I am in the middle of  at least four presently.)
  7. Reading all the books that I purchase. I shop for bargain used books almost weekly and have a running list in my head of classics to look out for. I am afraid to count the total number of unread books in my household; that may lead to another post altogether!
  8.  Buying everything at the grocery store in one trip a week. Gracious! We make several trips to the grocery store. Thankfully there are two within walking distance so this isn’t a issue.
  9.  Meal planning. (Hence the preceding point.) A few weeks ago I declared that I would make one Pinterest recipe a week. This has helped increase the average nights a week that I cook and also make it fun. Pretty much, it is a game time decision on what to cook for dinner with the ingredients that I have.
  10.  Letting my kids play in the grass. We stay in the water and sand during the summer months, but until it cools off we don’t dig in the dirt as often as we could. I am too afraid of snakes and critters to romp in the grass very often.
  11. Dusting.
  12. Staying on task when I am cleaning. I go from one cleaning project to another. I am a little ADD when it comes to cleaning. I easily trail off chasing bunnies and clean from one spot to the next.
  13.  Keeping in touch with friends and family who are out of town.
  14. Converting my videos to DVD’s for our family to watch.
  15. Spelling…and grammar.

Thankfully the Christian life is not a checklist akin to Pinterest ideals. Christ looks at the heart and our obedience to walk in His ways. Whether we buy organic or not, meal plan or decide spur of the afternoon what we will eat for dinner, or finish one task before starting another, Christ is not checking off a list. Rather, He wants us to do everything walking in His presence and as an offering unto Him.

There you go. What about you? What are some things that you don’t well?

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