For Women: Resplendent*

It's Been Awhile...

2011-09-03T21:17:00.000-07:00

My life these days doesn't resemble much of what family life was around our house just a few years ago. With one grown child and one teen, homeschooling is over, and foster care is, too. Parts of the house are torn apart for remodeling, while other parts are packed with the stuff that used to sit in the rooms we're now working on. I call it the Construction Zone Look. With work and ministry and driving back and forth between appointments and obligations and staying connected with friends, our progress is oh, so slow. I look around and wonder what happened to my nice, orderly, quiet life.

But I'm often reminded that with growth comes change. Every living thing changes. Only dead things cease to grow. Some parts of my life are better than I'd ever hoped for, while some are not quite what I'd expected. Yet, I am content. That doesn't mean I'm not continually working at improving things--just that I can usually wake up each morning with gratitude and peace, knowing that I'm in the center of God's will, right here in the middle of nowhere. It took me a long time to reach this point, with a lot of growing and changing along the way.

For many years I dreamed of having an old house to fix up. I'd picture a two-story home on a tree-lined street somewhere back east. When we moved into this house, eventually we were able to start pulling out old carpet, tearing off faded wallpaper, and repainting, etc., etc. One room at a time... with weeks and months of time in between the various projects. We're still not even close to being done, but it's beginning to come together. I think.

A few times I fell on my knees and told God that if I was over-extending our reach beyond what is reasonable in "feathering our nest", then I was ready to stop. (We're very frugal in our purchases, and we do a lot of labor ourselves, or by trading jobs with friends.) But He gave me peace. And He's developing within me patient endurance in the process. Which is what I've needed, and what we all need in everyday life, in our dealings with others and in our walk of faith.

A paraphrase of Philippians 1:6 says that we can be confident that God's work of molding us into His image is being accomplished and will continue for as long as we live.

Every Life Precious

2010-01-30T15:55:00.000-08:00

“Here in Camelot we believe every life is precious,” said Arthur the king, to Lancelot in the movie, “First Knight.”
January has been a month to celebrate life.
January 1 – New Year's Day has often been depicted as an infant wearing a sash that bears the inscription of the new year's date.
January 11 - Less than three weeks ago, Miep Gies passed away at the age of 100. She was the woman who defied Nazis by hiding Anne Frank and her family during the war. Having saved the girl's diary, she gave it to Mr. Frank, who had it published years later.
January 18 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is the annual remembrance of a man who believed in equality for all people of every color.
January 18 – Last year President Bush signed the proclamation, saying, “All human life is a gift from our Creator that is sacred, unique and worthy of protection... including every person waiting to be born... The sanctity of life is written in the hearts of all men and women...” This is National Sanctity of Human Life Day.
January 24 – Sanctity of Life Sunday was celebrated by church congregations all over the country.
January 27 – In 1945 Nazi Germany's largest concentration and extermination camp, Auschwitz, was liberated by Soviet troops.
January 29 – Holocaust Memorial Day has been recognized now for 65 years.
There is one historic date I neglected to highlight in my list, for obvious reasons:
January 22, 1973—the day when abortion legally became a fundamental right under the United States Constitution.
Pro-abortion arguments include this statement:
“It's not a baby. It's a fetus—a blob of tissue.”
That's funny. “Fetus” comes from a Latin word meaning, “a developing mammal; offspring, bringing forth, or hatching of young.”
If you think it's not a baby, you've been grossly misinformed.
Richard Weikart has spent many years studying the idea of evolution, and where it can lead when when taken to its logical conclusion. He and his wife have seven children and live in Merced County. Weikart is a Professor of History at California State University, Stanislaus; he's a Fellow for the Discovery Institute, and the author of numerous articles and books.
Weikart writes about men of the past who denied the sanctity of life—and how that concept framed their thinking. His most recent book is: Hitler's Ethic: The Nazi Pursuit of Evolutionary Process. (For more information, visit: www.discovery.org.)
If human life is no more precious than road-kill lying in the dirt along the highways we drive on, then anything goes in the realm of deciding who should live and who should not. And men, women and governments play God as laws are instituted to take away life.
Ideas have consequences. This was true in the past. History is replete with instances of legal and illegal massacres, from Bosnia's “ethnic cleansing” to China's “holocaust of little girls” to America's own 50-million-plus abortions these past 30-some years.
Yet, ideas continue to have consequences today.
If left to its own devices, one small country in the Middle East (Iran) plans to eradicate another small country (Israel).
Sounds like bullies on a school playground—only worse.
Following World War II, Americans turned their enemies into friends. Many Germans who had been placed in POW camps across our country returned to America for visits, and some came to live here. The United States is so known for valuing life, that we not only forgive our enemies—we help them recover from the devastating conflicts they began.
Around the world, many share Weikart's sentiments. Our voices, though, aren't usually the ones that get heard in the roar of, “It's not about life. It's about choice.”
You're sensible people. The facts are out there, just waiting to be researched.
As for me, I choose life.

(Facts and figures noted here were taken from several publications and Web sites, including those associated with Richard Weikart, and Tom Hilditch, English-born, Hong Kong-based writer, editor and publisher.)

Bonding With My Girl, and My Girlfriends

2009-10-17T08:56:00.000-07:00

I'm an old fashioned mom who likes modern conveniences.
Take for instance, Zip-lock bags:
I can freeze in them, store in them, and collect sea shells and pine cones in them...
They're convenient, and they're washable.
Yes, I wash my plastic bags.
As a self-employed, stay-at-home, home school mom, the budget tends to be tight around here, so we practice recycling, not to save the planet, but to save our pennies.
Yet, more than that, I value the training and nurturing of my kids, more than pursuing a career. There will be time for that later. Right now my family and my home are the priority.
Believe it or not, other technological wonders called cell phones, laptops and Facebook have all found a way into our lives, even in our old fashioned, country home... Because these are the things that help us stay connected. When they aren't used as the sole means of communication, that is.
This week I got a message from an old friend, saying that she'd like to re-connect with me. We went to high school together. She got married shortly after graduation, and I was married the following June—in her wedding dress—my “something borrowed.” Our husbands had motorcycles, so we'd go riding together through the Arizona deserts.
Then, we moved, and lost touch. That was close to 30 years ago. But this week she found me on FB.
I sent my BFF in Santa Fe a message on FB the other night. She called me yesterday so we could catch up, and we talked for about an hour (while I walked on the treadmill).
My sister and I have become a lot closer since being on FB. She was born when I was almost seven, so we weren't real close growing up. Marriage and kids gave us something in common, but we still weren't close. Now we chat on our computers. “How's Mom? Did Mike get a new job yet? How are things with you at work? Are the kids making friends at their new schools?” Things like that... Whereas we were too busy to pick up the phone, or perhaps, because she's on the phone a lot during the day, or whatever, we just didn't call much. But, with us both sitting at our pc's during the day, it's so easy to get on FB and find out what's going on in each other's lives.
Our son just finished his second week of OCS with the USMC—only seven weeks to go. I said something in my status about how he's doing, and that if anyone wants his address, to let me know. My sis responded with, “Of course, I want his address, Goofball!” We're able to talk to each other using the keyboard, just like we would in person. I gave her a hard time for calling me “Goofball,” and then I sent her his address.
With our son at Quantico for the time being, all his worldly belongings—except for one change of civilian clothes—are being kept here. Including his wireless laptop, which he gave us permission to use. Yes!
So, now, when I'm sitting at my pc in the back of the house, my girl sits with her brother's laptop in the front part of the house (after her school work, chores and piano practice is done, of course). If she sees me on FB, I always get a note from her, telling me what she's doing or asking a question.
Why doesn't she just get up and walk the ten yards or so to talk to me? Because she's a teen, and it's more convenient—and fun, even—to communicate this way. She's a writer, too, and she sends me these cute smiley faces. She takes the quizzes by answering questions; she told me what some of the questions are, and asked how she should answer one.
“Do you have to answer it?”
“No. I skipped it.”
“Smart girl.”
“Yeah, some of the questions are dumb, so I just skip them.”
“Good. You need to be honest when Dad and I ask you questions. But with strangers, it's better not to bare your soul. You can be evasive, like Danielle in Everafter... 'I'm visiting my cousin... Which one?... The only one I have.'”
We're careful about who her friends are and what games she can play. Someone invited her to play CafeWorld, so now she's cooking on FB. Last night while we made zucchini muffins, she told me about the dishes she's preparing in her FB cafe. Another time this week I chatted with one of her friends while my daughter sat beside me. We had a three-way conversation.
And last night we piled the pillows on my bed and watched the Hannah Montana movie on the laptop, in 11 parts on YouTube, nestled there together with the puppy sleeping between us. Eventually, my sweet teen's head was leaning on my shoulder. It was a memory-making event.
But really, the whole day was full of memories that will keep us bonded for a lifetime.
Thanks to a laptop and FB.

The Bathroom Saga Continues...

2009-09-18T10:02:00.000-07:00

I started fixing up our Victorian bathroom in early July. Our latest foster son was back with his dad, and #1 girl was off to camp. So, I had a whole week to myself to spend hours cleaning and scraping and painting and re-decorating--which I love.

Except when things don't go according to plan, as was the case here. The cleaning went fine; the scraping and repairing went fine; then I cleaned up some more, and textured the walls, which went fine, too. Choosing the right paint colors took more time than I planned, but I finally got that settled. By this time, #1 girl was back home from camp, and my free time was limited once more. (I was also writing as much as I could, to pay for my re-decorating project.)

So, here it is the end of summer, and we're still working on the bathroom...

I bought some wood trim to put up at the top of the walls where they meet--or are supposed to meet--the ceiling (crown molding, I think it's called), but it wasn't the right size. So, I had to wait another week until the next trip to the valley, since we live in the boon-docks, and no longer have a home improvement store down the street, as we did when we lived in the city... which is another reason why this project has taken so long, with the waiting until next week intervals in between each step of attempted progress...

Eventually we bought wider trim, and borrowed a special saw to cut the angles. But the saw didn't work right. So I got all the pieces painted, and they're still sitting, waiting to be put up. At some point we also decided to re-surface the ceiling with sheet rock, so the ceiling and walls would actually meet, or at least be closer together. So, that's done, too, now.

We still need to find someone with a good saw, and then we can get things finished, including getting more plumbing for the tub, since we rearranged it's position (it's a claw-foot tub), to give us more room. (One ceiling is angled, as the stairs to the attic are right above.)

Soo-ooo-oo...

I found some antique prints--actually faded pages from old books and catalogs--and got some cheap black wood frames, for my wall art collages. I painted a white lamp black and re-painted the towel bars black. And the outside of the tub is black. With ivory wainscoting and soft yellow walls, and a black/off-white checkerboard tile-look floor...

I'm still working on new lighting, but that's soon to come, too. Then, I can clean up the mess, and enjoy our bathroom! How I love (the idea of) re-decorating--and especially the results of re-decorating.

One Hundred Years From Now

2009-09-18T09:34:00.000-07:00

Last year after we lost Micah, a close friend gave me a framed picture of a baby, with this saying on it:
One hundred years from now
it will not matter
what kind of house we lived in,
how much money we had,
nor what my clothes were like.
But the world may be a little better,
because I was important
in the life of a child.

Maybe you've seen this before, but it's a good reminder. Especially as friends and relatives all around us lose jobs and cars and homes...

People are what matter, and relationships are what matter. It's pretty simple, but our stuff only matters as it relates to our relationships with our people--or "peeps" as one friend calls us. Jobs and cars and houses and clothes and e-toys will come and go. But my family is the priority, as far as earthly possessions are concerned.

Our family has been together for 30 years. We may not look like much, with only two kids and a few pets, a handful of old cars that we drive until dead, clothes and furnishings mostly from yard sales and thrift stores, an old neglected farmhouse that still needs lots of TLC, and lots of jobs and moves and detours along the way...

But the point is that we're together. We vowed to stay with each other through thick and thin, richer or poorer, in sickness and health, and till death do us part. At times it's been a rocky road, but those are the times when we held on tighter, to each other and to the Lord.

Paul said that he had learned to be content, in whatever condition he was in. And I have learned that God is still an awesome God, when my 'fridge and freezer are full, and when they're close to empty. God has me and my loved ones in the palm of His mighty and loving hands--the same hands with the nail prints. And my life is a puff of steam compared to eternity.

Only what's done for Him will last. That's why I strive to use as much of each day as I can, to point someone to the Holy One and to a life of holiness.

Please, Lord, be exalted in my life and in my husband's and children's lives today.

The Great Paint Debate (And Once In Awhile There's Gonna Be A Dud)

2009-07-29T09:53:00.000-07:00

I am still painting the bathroom.
Well, actually, I am typing away at my p.c.,
But in my mind, I am painting,
And have been painting for the past three weeks.
In between all my other responsibilities, that is.
Yes, I am slow, but not that slow.
You see, fixing up the bathroom involved more than two cans of paint.
First I scraped the old texture off the walls,
Not only because it was an eye-sore,
But also because the pointy bumps all over the walls
Had a way of catching lint,
And giving spiders a field day for spinning their webs.
It was a pain to keep clean.
So I got rid of it.
Surprisingly, it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be,
Thanks to my handyman hubby.
After scraping, then I had to wash down the walls,
Use wood putty to fill in holes and cracks in the wainscoting,
Re-texture the walls, and sand everything down,
(Washing and sweeping again).
Then I taped around all the edges,
Decided the clawfoot tub was way too close to both walls,
And spent too much time trying to figure out how I would paint around it.
Also found a leak in the pipes under/behind the pedestal sink.
Handyman hubby to the rescue!
"We've been wanting to turn it around anyway,
So let me see what I can do," he said.
He tore the sink pipes apart and moved it away from the wall,
And did the same to the tub.
I hugged him,
And blessed God for one problem solved.

By this time I had spent every free minute--
Lying awake at night, included--
Trying to decide on colors.
Being the overly-sensitive, artistic, perfectionistic and
Split-personality-ish sort of person I am
(I'll explain that another time),
This was the hardest part of all.
Paint chips of various shades of soft yellow and ivory were taped all over the walls,
And I viewed them often, at varying times of the day and night,
Trying to decide on just the right shades and combination...

Give me any job to tackle
And I'll dive right in.
But ask me, "What color?"
Or, "Which one will go where?"
And I freeze.
(Don't ask me why. I'm still trying to figure this out.)

In the deep recesses of my soul,
I know what I want.
I have dozens of pictures pulled from magazines,
And piles of decorating books with my favorite pages bookmarked.
Mentally I can see the end result so clearly.
And Martha Stewart does it all so easily!

But translating that into my reality
Is akin to giving birth:
There's the initial thought,
Then conception, and the waiting
With slow and silent growing,
The anticipation, while saving every nickel and dime;
Then finally the day arrives--Oh, No! It's time!
And I go to work;
But when the contractions start,
And I want to run;
It's painful, agonizing, and really, really messy,
But awe-inspiring at the same time;
There are grunts and groans,
And still the pressure of this dirty job;
Finally I just push--
"Okay, I'll choose this color"--
And a new baby--I mean, bathroom--is born!
But it doesn't look quite the way I had envisioned.
So I go back to my collection of paint chips,
And start the decision process all over again.
(This isn't exactly how it works when a baby is born,
But you get the idea. Although, it's sort of like it,
With the precious bundle needing to be cleaned up a little, and all.)

Back to the Bathroom...
Creamy, buttery yellow walls with ivory wainscoting.
Sounds simple. But it's not.
The colors and their names don't always fit,
And what looks wonderful on a 2-inch by 3-inch card
Can look nauseating when it's surrounding you,
And drowning you
In this yellow-ish sort of pea soup feeling...

Okay, I decided. The ceiling should definitely not be yellow.
So, I painted that ivory.
Aah-hh... Much better.
But it's still too yellow, somehow,
And not creamy enough.
(I wanted a creamy yellow or a yellow-ish cream color--
Not too yellow, but not too creamy, if that makes sense.)

And, dear me, now I'm in danger of using too many parentheses,
Like one Merced Sun-Star reader accused me of this past weekend.
"Your writing style would be much better if you didn't use so many (...)'s--
I counted eight of them in your column. Were you trying to fill up space?
Just trying to help."

Yes, my writing is suffering, too.
Thanks for the reminder.
I'll look it up online and refrain from using so many (...)'s.
Once in awhile there's gonna be a dud, another columnist said.
The trick is, not to put out too many duds,
Or I'll be out of a job.
And then there won't be any money to spend on decorating.
Hm-mm... It's a little tempting:
I could resign myself to living with somebody else's idea of dreamy home decor
(The kitchen wallpaper is black with pink flowers,
And the ceiling and cabinets and trim are all pink!
The Victorian-style bathroom was just white,
A little decrepit and in dire need of some TLC.)
Or I can push ahead, plow through the mess, and keep trying.
No, I've lived with another woman's "dream" house for over six years.
It's time to put my heart's fingerprints on it.

As I said earlier, back to the bathroom...
By this time, our daughter was back from camp,
And the bathroom she uses was still a mess,
As was--and still is--the back of the house.
My hubby liked the yellow, and she did, too.
"Yes, it's bright and cheerful,
But it's not the right shade," I insisted.
When somebody walks into the bathroom,
I don't want the first thing they notice to be the yellow walls.
The first thing they notice should be the beauty of how everything in the room flows together;
Creating within them a feeling of grace and nostalgia.
Then they'll notice the colors and the fixtures
And the pictures adorning the walls...
That's what I'm attempting here.

More glitches--
The mini-chandelier needs glass shades--
So far, no luck in finding the right ones--
And the other light fixture Ie bought was defective,
So that's packed up and waiting to be returned to the store.
Since the ivory paint from my other bathroom was the right shade
For this bathroom,
So I decided to make an easy choice and use it.
But for some reason it wasn't thick enough.
(I don't know why it worked fine before,
But it's not working now,
So back to LOWE's we go.)

There are those (...)'s again.

Better quality paint meant looking at paint chips
To find the closest ivory color--again.
I finally found one,
while conversing with another customer at the paint desk who said,
"My wife likes the color I don't like,
And I like the one she doesn't like.
So I'm here to find something in between."
Yep. Welcome to the wonderful world of decorating!

Back home I made a decision:
I'll just rummage through my odd cans of leftover paint,
Find a creamy white, and start adding it to the yellow
To soften the shade.
I've done this before,
As I have this habit of not choosing the right color at the start.

If I were a professional decorator, I'd be doing this all the time,
After getting my degree, of course,
And it wouldn't be so hard.
But, I'm a believer and a survivor,
And not a quitter.

(When it's all done, I'll take pictures and post them.
Hopefully, by the end of this year.)

There are those darn (...)'s again!

The Workings of My Romantic Home & Garden Story

2009-06-17T12:48:00.000-07:00

I just finished my story for the paper. This one was a thrill to write, as I got to visit a gorgeous home that looks like something from the English countryside--which happens to be my dream place to live.

A couple used their construction and decorating skills to build and furnish their home, surrounding it with lush grass, trees, ivy, herbs, flowers, and a vegetable garden. And I enjoyed every minute of my time spent there, getting ideas, of course, for our own humble, fixer-upper, country home, besides doing the interviews for the story. (I also met the professional designer and photographer while they did a photo shoot for a magazine! What fun!)

The lady of the home mentioned afterward that what we see in the magazines is not actually how people really live. I've thought about that, too.

I've come to the conclusion that I was born in the wrong century and the wrong place. I love old England, with it's beauty, genteel manners and slower pace.

I even subscribed to "Victoria" magazine shortly after it came out, but stopped after a year or two, because I realized that the pictures were "styled" and made to look a certain way. I love the finery and beauty of yesteryear, but only the wealthy could afford the lacy linens and velvet-trimmed clothing. (And they had maids to take care of it all.) In these modern times, I try to incorporate some of that into my home decor, but only as my budget and lifestyle allow. (My family doesn't like tripping over pretty things, and my daughter admitted that she's a little clumsy, and wouldn't feel comfortable for fear she'd turn around and break something.)

After six years of living in my dream house here, I still have a few unpacked boxes in the attic. I've been waiting for the chance to paint the living room and kitchen. I also need to scrape the ceilings (to remove the "popcorn" texture which only attracts spiders and cobwebs), re-texture some walls and paint several pieces of furniture. I'm desperately wanting to use my creativity this summer to decorate our home. My mind is bulging with ideas, and my hands are itching to get to work!

The featured home of my story was filled to overflowing with all the beautiful things I love, and almost everything was covered with roses: painted on canvases, printed on fabrics, stamped on dishes, and arranged in vases to scent the air. It was very hard not to covet.

The owner does have a yard sale occasionally to lessen the overflow, and she asked what things I'd be looking for, so I told her. She finds things cheaply at yard sales and junk shops, and assured me her prices would be reasonable (to cover her investment). So I'm saving a few dollars for the next time she's selling her stuff.

Then I think of the stuff, and remember that that's all it is. Just stuff. Someday it's gonna burn, and we'll be ushered into eternity. I know that every tea cup and each dresser scarf and all the other "pretties" that grace (and sometimes clutter) my home are only temporal. They will not last. And the time and expense that I put into decorating is not lasting, either.

On the other hand, The Virtuous Woman of Proverbs 31 cared for her family and built her home with love and good taste.

God has given some of us an eye for beauty and the creative skill to make our house a home. I thought about interior decorating as a career, long ago before married family life. But I decided against it, choosing instead to spend the bulk of my life in a ministry capacity, helping others prepare for eternity.

There's nothing more satisfying that introducing a person to Jesus Christ, or teaching them what His Word says about a particular subject. And I have many opportunities to do these things on a regular basis.

But as God is the great Creator and we have been made in His image, I, too, in my everyday existence on this earth, use my hands and heart to bring beauty to my surroundings, wherever I am and however I can. Whether it's using my words to minister grace to the hearers, or giving a hug to one who's sad and struggling, I want not only my home to be beautiful, but my life to be a thing of beauty, as well.

I'm certainly not the possessor of a face that will be found on the covers of fashion magazines, but that's okay. Most of us do not possess the looks for that. But if we possess the Savior abiding within us, He can and will make us beautiful. With His love and light and joy and peace, as we walk with Him closely and spend time with Him intimately, His beauty will be seen on our faces and in all that we do and say.

God's Word says that whatever we do should be done for His glory, and whatever my hands find to do, the work should be done with all of my might.

As long as I am not being frivolous or neglecting an area of need, I can spend a little time in thrift stores looking for "treasures" to decorate my home. Where the world says, "If you love it, buy it--you'll find a place for it eventually," my God is saying to me, "All these things the Gentiles seek after. Seek Me first, and I will add these things to you." He wants me to keep the right perspective in my shopping and decorating.

When we give Him first place with our time and money, He keeps His promise in providing for us. I cannot refrain from supporting missionaries, only so I can afford more transferware, or because I'm tired of the wallpaper in a bedroom. Living on one income (plus a few dollars more from writing) is not easy, especially with gas prices inching their way up again, and inflation foretold by the media. But I will continue being faithful to my calling, and pray our way through the days and months ahead, knowing that God is preparing a dwelling place for me in His Heavenly home.

Tortuga and Transylvania

2009-06-16T13:43:00.000-07:00

I think it's time to talk about vampire babies and pirate-y things.
I was in the grocery store recently, and while waiting in line a lady ahead of me was showing everyone her vampire baby doll--complete with little fangs, piercing eyes and a bottle full of red liquid--fake blood, of course.
"I make dolls," she said. "And my granddaughter asked for a vampire baby doll." She was grinning from ear to ear, while everyone else "Oo-oo-ed" and "Aa-ah-ed".
You know, it's really not my intent to go through life making enemies by pointing out the dangers in things that appear harmless. But God's Word does say a lot about the need for Christians to use discernment. Do we want our sons to be foolish boys or our daughters to be silly girls? All is not well in the world of Disney or Hollywood, and as Christians, much of what parades across the silver screen today is stupid, worthless, evil or all of the above.
Allow me to explain.
We'll start with a short history lesson about the infamous "Tortuga". This Caribbean island (featured in recently popular Disney movies) has a history awash with thievery, slavery, fraud and mismanagement (which prompted the slaves to revolt), plus continual disagreements and fights between the French and English colonists. There were also multiple attacks by the Spaniards. As a buccaneer hideout, it was known for drinking, gambling, homosexuality, prostitution (the females were actually brought there to reduce the homosexual activity), and other vices. It was inhabited mostly by privateers and pirates.
In describing Tortuga, this historic quote was given: "Not all men seek rest and peace; some are born with the spirit of the storm in their blood, restless harbingers of violence and bloodshed, knowing no other path." (from The Stalker of the Sands [The Savage Sword of Conan, the Barbarian].
Another place of ill repute in the 17th century was Port Royal on the island of Jamaica. Known as the center of shipping commerce and a haven for pirates, it gained the reputation as both the "richest and wickedest city in the world."
Twenty percent of the businesses were brothels, gaming houses (casinos), taverns and grog (liquor) shops. Rich and poor alike were consumed with satisfying their fleshly desires, and those who could lived sumptuously.
On June 7, 1692, though, every thing changed. A terrible earthquake which instantly transformed the landscape was recognized by "commentators on both sides of the Atlantic", as evidence of God's judgment on the wickedness. Boston Puritan clergyman called the town "the Tyrus of the whole English America". Thousands died either from the earthquake or from injuries and disease related to the catastrophe. (Many were swallowed whole by the earth as the ocean and sand mixed together, forming a type of deadly quagmire that solidified, strangling bodies whose heads were still above ground. Graves were also opened up by the quake, and hundreds of corpses floated along the shoreline.)
Jack Sparrow is good for a few laughs, and a wooden eyeball provides some wholesome humor; and Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann make hearts beat a little faster, for those with romantic tendencies. But the entire premise, remember, is the pirate code: Take all you can and give nothing back. Not to mention the fact that Disney portrays it all as harmless, adventurous and even glamorous fun.
In the past and now in the present many stories about witches, warlocks, vampires and other characters from the dark side make light of or encourage the evil in-fluences around us.
It's been noted that what's shown on television and in movies during one generation will become the norm for the next generation. Unfortunately because America over the years has pushed God out of our schools, government and society in general, the average person lives with a huge spiritual void, and is desperately seeking some-thing to fill it.
...what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? ...for ye are the temple of the living God... Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing: and I will receive you." - II Cor. 6:14-17
Lot learned the hard way how easily carnal allurements can turn hearts away from all that's holy.
And before anyone cries out "Legalist", again, let me explain.
I'm not saying you'll lose your salvation if you watch a movie with vampires or pirates in it. (And just for the record, the term "Legalism" comes from Paul's epistle to the Galatians, having to do with working for one's salvation--not maintaining standards of separation and holiness, to keep us unspotted by the world.)
What I am saying is that as Christians, who are pilgrims on the path of light and truth, we must exercise discernment in all our activities.
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. - I Cor. 10:31
Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it... But the path of the just is as the shining light... The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. - Prov. 4: 14-19
We are blessed with the opportunity to feast at God's table of provision for every need and want, yet many of us prefer to rummage through the trash dumpster in some back alley, looking for a tiny morsel of something edible. How foolish we are sometimes.
The world has no understanding of what a pure mind or a clear conscience feels like. And it's hard to convince somebody there's a better way when we're laughing at the same jokes, immersed in the same mindset, or stained by the same filth.
Allowing ourselves to be entertained by this stuff has become so common even among Christians, that anyone who chooses not to watch or doesn't allow their children to participate in watching, is viewed as "pious", by other believers. They're ridiculed and made to feel ashamed when trying to take a stand, instead of being supported.
Besides the fact that spending hours in front of a movie screen (be it in a theater or at home) is a waste of precious time, filling our minds with the world's philosophies (and worse, allowing our children's minds to be filled and shaped by the same) is simply not wise. Not to mention (again) that we're laughing at the foolishness/evil/debauchery that's being portrayed.
I'd like to close with a passage that says it plainly:
But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God...
...for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them
For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret...
See then that ye walk circumspectly (using caution and good judgment), not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. - Eph. 5:3-17

* * * * * * * * * *
"The world can be saved by one thing and that is worship. For to worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the truth of God, to purge the imagination by the beauty of God, to open the heart to the love of God, to devote the will to the purpose of God.
-- William Temple

Life Here Lately

2009-06-15T20:50:00.000-07:00

I'm doing more writing for the Sun-Star now, so when I get some free time, I'm not as anxious to sit down and write on one of my blogs. I'd rather work in the garden or go online looking for good Christian music (of which I found a whole lot today--I even ordered some).

Yet writing does have its advantages. The pay isn't much, but the people I meet are fascinating... I get in free to events... I'm developing relationships with people whose paths would not typically cross mine... and I'm learning a lot about the history of this area. Oh, and the experience is tremendous--it'll look good on my resume someday, if I ever need to pull one together.

For instance, besides the moonbows, which is still my favorite story thus far...

There's always something happening locally with the Arts Council or the Symphony, and with Yosemite being practically in our backyard, there's stuff going on up there all the time...

(My #1 girl and I drove a little ways today, with our puppy along for the ride, to take a walk on a country road we haven't explored yet. Once we got past the range of hills in the way, we could see a small part of the Park--the back of Half Dome, we've been told. It was so far away, but still so beautiful.)

I went rock climbing this past weekend, and I've recently visited a romantic country home and garden that will be featured in a magazine soon. (I met the designer and photographer, too--both are from L.A. and are exceptional!)

The ideas and opportunities keep coming, which is good for business.

On another note:

I am a frustrated decorator these days. A cross between Martha Stewart & Mary Engelbreit, but with no time (and not a lot of cash, with gas prices up again) to put my creativity to use in my own home. I want to paint furniture, finish a cross-stitch piece I started a couple years ago, re-arrange some rooms, hang wallpaper, sew some curtains, and more. But it just ain't happenin'...

Some friends of ours though, are excited about their new home, after losing their old one to the Telegraph Fire last summer. Three large parts of one very spacious mobile home are sitting on their property this week waiting to be put together, so they can move in and enjoy the views they've loved for a couple decades now. The Lord provided above and beyond what they expected, and I'm so happy for them!

Our Christian school had its graduation last night. Only a handful of kids, but the service went well, and people were blessed. Afterwards there was cake and fellowship outside, and it was good to have time to chat with so many friends.

The wildflowers this year are fading in the lower areas, but still colorful in the higher elevations. Our weather is unseasonably cool, but the mountains are getting extra rain, which CA needs, so we're not complaining. (Except that the rain makes the rocks and trails at YNP more slippery, and there have been a few casualties lately. Too sad.)

With summer so close, our little tree frogs are starting to show up. A couple of them are on the window beside my desk tonight. I'm watching their under-bellies as they move around to gobble up the juicy bugs flying around them outside. (Never a dull moment here in the country.)

I think I'm losing the battle with the bugs, though... I guess it was inevitable. There are more cobwebs in the corners than there have been since before we moved in, I think. Plus, there are not only spiders living in the cobwebs, there are a few bugs wrapped up in those webs, awaiting their turn for dinner--actually to become dinner. (It's way past time to do some cleaning around here!)

Our little foster child is with his dad now, for a trial extended visit. So we can relax a bit, and enjoy the peace and quiet. We'll also see what God has in mind for us after this adventure.

It's my bedtime, but I still have work to do, so I'll close up here, and write some more elsewhere.

The Bus Driver

2009-06-15T20:37:00.000-07:00

(We read this in our devotions tonight from the "Our Daily Bread" booklet--too good not to share it with others.)

In the middle of carting 70 pieces of luggage, an electronic piano, and other equipment through airports and on and off a tour bus, it's easy to wonder, "Why are we doing this?"

Taking 28 teenagers on an 11-day ministry trip to a land across the ocean is not easy. But at the end of the trip our bus driver, who had carted us all over England and Scotland, grabbed the bus microphone, and in tears thanked the kids for how wonderful they had been. Then after we got home, he e-mailed us to say how much he appreciated the thank you cards the kids had written to him--many of which contained the gospel.

Although the students ministered to hundreds through song during the trip, perhaps it was the bus driver who most benefited from their Christ-likeness. In Ephesians we are told to be imitators of God and to walk in love (Eph. 5:1-2). Others see God in us when we show love to one another (I John 4:12). The bus driver saw Jesus in the students and told them they might just convert him to faith in Christ. Maybe it was for this man that we took the trip.

Why do you do what you do? Whose life are you affecting? Sometimes it's not our target audience that we impact most. Sometimes it's the bus drivers of the world.
(By Dave Branon)

Laundry and Legos--Jeremy's Home!

2009-05-26T22:06:00.000-07:00

Not much has changed in 20 years.

Our son is home for awhile before heading to the east coast for another adventure--this one's called the "Marines".

And things are pretty much the same as they were when he lived with us all those years ago...

Eating voraciously, and enjoying every bite (he's storing up before ten weeks of chow hall grub);
Listening to his favorite music (it used to be Patch the Pirate and Veggie Tales--now it's Rascal Flatts and Lincoln Brewster; although he and his sis were singing along with Bob and Larry yesterday);
Playing his guitar (the Marine Hymn and other praise and worship songs);
Filling his hamper with dirty laundry (the clothes are a lot bigger than they used to be, but he's got good taste);
Reading good books to challenge his intellect (currently a volume with three of Tolstoy's works);
Laughing and making us laugh (with voice imitations, jokes and just his unique way of looking at things);
Eager to help with man-sized work, and ready to play ball at a moment's notice (he's got to expend all that energy somehow);
Arguing with his sister (or mother or father or whomever happens to disagree with him; he likes to be right, but he's not too proud to admit when he's not);
Looking through the photo album with his baby pictures, and remembering all the good things in life ("I really did have a happy childhood," he told me this morning. "Playing Cowboys and Indians with my cousins, going here and there...");
Putting his arm around his mom (now his frame is of the 6-foot variety instead of the 3- and 4-foot kind), and telling me not to fret, because we're all diamonds in the rough in some way, and whatever we didn't do right, is okay;
And lastly, being grateful (he's a good mix of toughness and tenderness; knows how to appreciate beauty, goodness and truth in their many forms).

We sat at the table eating lunch together today. It was like sitting with my dad. Jeremy is so much like him, and if he were still around, I think he would be proud of his grandson.

That's What Neighbors Are For

2009-05-20T09:46:00.000-07:00

When we first moved in, our neighbors were relieved to see us mowing the lawn and keeping up with general maintenance around the place. The previous occupants hadn't done that.
Another neighbor sent her kids down the road pulling an old red wagon filled with good things--to welcome us to the neighborhood. We'd only been here a week or two, and I had spent the day shopping in Merced for some much-needed items. When I got home, on the table sat dinner--from the children's wagon--and a note from a stranger who became an instant friend. I'll always remember the meal that night: a hearty beef stew, homemade bread and applesauce canned by her own hands in her cozy, country kitchen.
One neighbor used to work in Yosemite, and knows a lot about the native vegetation. Once in awhile he'll show up at our door with a pot of herbs or a fruit tree seedling for our garden. He and other friends and neighbors have shared their iris bulbs with us. Six years ago, the lawn was full of weeds, with only a flower or two. But now there are flowers in abundance. I like to think of it as my "friendship garden."
Occasionally I call the neighbor on the phone. "Um-mm... There's a snake outside, right by the door, and I don't know what kind it is. Do you think you could come over and help me get rid of it?" I ask. He's retired, and doesn't mind the interruption. I'm finally learning which snakes are good ones (they keep down the gopher and mouse population), and which ones aren't. But I still jump a little whenever I see one.
We had to put our dog down three years ago, after having him for close to twelve. Our neighbors put theirs down, too. We can sympathize. Then last year we got a pug. They got a pug, too, and now our pugs are neighbors! The other day there was a message on the answering machine. "If you guys aren't doing anything later this afternoon, Rosie would like some company," the voice said. So after lunch we put Maddie's harness and leash on, and went for a walk--to visit Rosie. What a great time they had!
While there, the wife told me about some health issues that have been bothering her. I hadn't known. "Oh, you should've called me," I said, and gave her a hug. She looked at me like I'd scolded her. "You know how we are. We like to think we're not really getting old," she replied. I still asked her to let me know if she ever needs anything in the future. Then I made a mental note to call her more often, and take her a loaf of bread soon, too.
Yesterday, while walking with Maddie (our pug) to the post office, we stopped to chat with another neighbor. We talked about our gardens, her cows and the recent thunderstorm. She also has some dogs, and bent down to ask Maddie how she's been doing. Then she asked about our neighbors and their pug, which led me to tell her of the recent illness. She, too said she needed to call there soon.
There's a house for rent down the road, and another neighbor's house is for sale. Can't help but wonder what kind of neighbors we'll get.
Ronald Reagan believed in small government and kind neighbors. (I'm reading Nancy's book, My Turn.) He didn't believe that government should step in to do what neighbors can do for each other.
Life is pretty peaceful out here in the country, but we still have our share of concerns and hardships, too. And living here can even be stressful at times. But good neighbors help make life better somehow.

Chasing Moonbows

2009-05-08T10:39:00.000-07:00

My daughter is still sound asleep; my husband left for work this morning with eyes bloodshot, while I sit here, resisting the temptation to go back to bed.
We were up half the night looking for moonbows in Yosemite.
When I first told my husband I wanted to go, he said, "Couldn't we just use the garden hose in the backyard and make our own?"
"No. We're going to Yosemite to see a real one. I want to do this, and we need to do this as a family," I replied sweetly, but firmly. There was no use arguing.
So we made our plans. And last night, we took off.
From our house it's about an hour and-a-half to the Park entrance. (We picked up Brent Gilstrap mid-way.) Once there, it's a bit of a drive to reach the valley floor. (The Merced River was rushing beside us while driving along the highway--so good to see all that water. )
Once inside the Park, we watched for landmarks: the Chapel, Bridal Veil Fall, Ribbon Fall, another Fall (Cascade, I think); then we reached Cook's Meadow with Yosemite Falls across the way. We pulled into the parking lot, which was almost full, and parked.
Close to a dozen photographers were already there with cameras set up on tripods--all pointing toward the Falls. A bit of light remained in the sky, so everyone was just waiting. They were part of a photography workshop.
One guy was reclining on the sidewalk where we stopped. He said, "There's supposed to be a rainbow in the mist."
"Yeah, we know. A moonbow," I told him.
Brent found the photographer/instructor of the group, and they chatted. We stayed there 20 or 30 minutes; by then it was dark. We had arranged to meet friends near Yosemite Lodge, and it was almost nine o'clock, so we got back into the car and headed that way.
Once there, we found a parking spot in another very full lot. (Yosemite is a happenin' place after dark!) I filled everyone's coffee cups again, and headed for the rendezvous point. After waiting 15 minutes or so, we split up. Brent hiked up the trail to set up his camera, and Ron and our daughter and I went back to the car to put some things away, and look for our friends. Once at the car, I checked my cell phone, and found they had left a message, so I called. They were already at the bridge.
So that's where we went. Excited and expectant in hopes of seeing a real moonbow!
Our eyes were finally adjusted to the moonlight, but it was difficult to recognize faces. (Ron wore his blue and white coat, and that's what I looked for all night, being easy to spot.)
We felt the mist as we got closer to the bridge and the Falls. The air was chilly, and the Falls roared.
Once there, we could see the moonbow--one end of it, anyway, as it arched across the stream.
"Oh, look! There it is!" one of us cried--or maybe all of us.
Then we heard familiar voices, and our friends were there right behind us. All at once we were looking and exclaiming over its beauty.
The wind was cold and wet and loud. And there were lots of people. It felt more like a sporting event, as people crowded around various spots of the bridge, moving around and craning their necks to see. Standing room only, as one observer noted.
"Excuse me. Excuse me, please."
"Pardon me."
"Oh, yes, go right ahead."
"Excuse me. Thank you."
There we were, chasing moonbows and tripping over tripods.
"Do you think you all could walk behind the tripods?" one agitated photographer asked.
"Maybe you guys could move forward a little to give us more of a walkway?" was the response. Almost comical.
Our friends were standing at the one side of the bridge, closest to the trail. Brent was setting up his gear in the middle of the bridge. Where the cold, windy wetness was the worst. That's one devoted photo guy.
My daughter and I spent the time going back and forth, as the cold became too much at times. We clung to each other like children, trying to stay warm, but not wanting to lose each other in the dark. My husband stayed with Brent, helping and learning whatever he could.
When we weren't moving (and tripping over tripods), we just stood--in awe. From the middle of the bridge, of course, we could see most of the moonbow. A gorgeous white arch reaching through the mist and across the water.
Our friends commented that there was some color to it, sort of fading in and out with the moonlight. And almost immediately, my daughter yelled, "I can see color! I can see the color! Mom, can you see it?"
I looked, and I could. Just faintly. But, yes, there was a thin strip of red across the top, with white in the middle and a blueish-green strip at the bottom of the bow.
"Yes, I can! Wow! It's beautiful!" I told her.
Then she was thrilled.
"You can, Mom? Oh! Mom! You're not too old! You can see the colors!" she said, hugging me. (Professor Olson mentioned in his articles that colors are usually difficult to see, unless you're young.)
Whenever we stood still to watch, in sheer amazement, she wrapped her arms around me and put her head on my shoulder. This sweet teen of mine who's now as tall as me, was in paradise for one brief night. She kept saying things like, "Yosemite is so beautiful. The moonbow is so beautiful. I've never seen anything so beautiful."
When we moved here six years ago, it had been hard for her to leave her childhood friends and the home she grew up in. All this time she's wished we hadn't come here. Until last night. When I asked her about it, she said, "Yes, Mom. I'm glad we came to California."
I've rarely seen her so happy or so mesmerized.
And in those sacred, shared moments, I worshiped the Creator Who made the moonbows. The One Who made Yosemite and everything else--Who so generously and lovingly beckons us to come and find Him in all that's beautiful, even in the moonlight.
(On our way back to the car, my husband agreed it was worth the trip--better than the garden hose in the backyard experiment.)

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament reveals His handiwork. - the Bible

From E.M. Bounds

2009-05-02T18:09:00.000-07:00

"Only God can move mountains,
but prayer and faith move God."

When Problems Become the Norm

2009-05-02T16:41:00.000-07:00

Something needs to be addressed when our children begin responding in one or more of the following ways, as described by Sam Brock from Ironwood Camp in southern California:

1. Their first response is an argument.
If every time we tell our children to do something, they respond with an excuse, a request to change our command, or some type of comment, we mustn't think that this is a normal part of the obedience process. Arguing or compromising shouldn't be allowed. They need to learn to respect our God-given authority. How else will they learn to fear Him?

2. Their first response if discontent.
The groan, the sigh, the scowl--all are forms of communication to let us know clearly what they think of the situation at hand (or their lot in life). They may proceed to do the right thing, but a D.R.A. (Dirty Rotten Attitude) shouldn't accompany it.

3. They use "I'm Sorry" as a cover-up.
Some children will use "I'm sorry" to make up for their bad first response, and then expect no consequences for their actions, because they said, "Sorry." It is crucial for us to teach our children that their first response needs to be a right response, so they don't have to seek forgiveness for it.

4. They whine constantly.
"Would you like a little cheese with your whine?"
Whining is one of those things that slowly creeps into our home, or school, church, workplace, etc., and then grows and grows. A parent who has been gone for only a few hours may come home and realize that every one has turned into a whiner. This also needs to be addressed right away, before it becomes the norm.

5. There are no conversations.
With older children at home, conversations should be the norm. "Mom, can I show you what I made?" or "Dad, I think I figured out this logic puzzle. Would you check it for me?" or "Guess what happened today...?"
These are all the types of things our teens can and should be saying to us. And we should be willing to listen, and to converse with them about what's important in their lives.
When a child continually retreats to her bedroom, and seems content to say nothing when we're around, make the effort to talk, and to draw him or her into casual conversation.
"So, what did you think about the movie?" or "How's the new scientific calculator working out with your math problems?" or "Did you see the article in the newspaper about such-and-such?"
If things don't get better, some one-on-one time is needed to develop a closer relationship: organize a family trip, sign up for a class together, or borrow a good digital camera and go on a hike looking for wildflowers or birds, or take a bucket, a shovel and a couple pairs of work gloves, and go hunting for crystals (digging in the creeks near hills). And look for other ways to be involved in his life. Being a close-knit family doesn't mean several people live in the same quarters, but aren't involved in each others'lives.

Home should be a haven, a refuge from the turbulent world around us... a place of security and contentment for the parents and the children... a place where every one feels safe and accepted.

Another Door of Opportunity

2009-05-01T16:44:00.000-07:00

For many years now I have prayed the Jabez prayer for my family.
"Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!
-- I Chronicles 4:10

Just last week I told the Lord that I didn't need my borders enlarged anymore, because my present list of responsibilities is more than full.

But within only a day or two, I was asked if I'd like to teach the ladies in the county jail on Sunday nights. I miss teaching ladies. My heart's burden is to help women learn (from His Word and from the lives of others) of God's great love for them. I've had such a longing to do this, but had accepted the fact that He didn't want that for me right now. Then, the door was swung wide open! Wow!

God has a way of putting me in situations where I have to face my greatest fears or failings, and when I see those same things in others, it forces me to soar above whatever threatens to keep me grounded. I think that's what's going on here. We live in such a depressed and spiritually oppressed area, yet God wants to do something, to reach down and lift up the downcast, to heal the sin-sick, and bind the wounds, to mend the brokenness, and release the captives... In the midst of the muck and mire of human frailty, He has shown me there's hope, for me and for others, through His Word and His workings in us. I think the one message I want to always give in whatever I write, whatever I say, whatever I sing, is the fact that hope does exist. And I want Him to help me point the way... Always Upward.

From the comic strip B.C. this past Easter weekend

2009-04-13T18:26:00.000-07:00

So, you're telling me this guy died just so we could all be forgiven the bad stuff we do?
Yep.
Then he pops back to life on this day and ascends to some magical place in the sky?
Give or take...
...And he walks on top of water--which incidentally--he can also turn into wine?
That's the word on the street.
Sounds pretty wild.
So, should I sign you up?
I think I'll explore my alternatives.
Take your time.
(The one guy turns around to leave, and stares directly at a giant pink Easter bunny sitting atop a huge decorated egg. Then he turns back around...)
You got a health plan?
Everlasting.

My Purpose

2009-04-04T20:51:00.000-07:00

May every soul that touches mine--
Be it the slightest contact--
Get therefrom some good;
Some little grace; one kindly thought;
One aspiration yet unfelt;
One bit of courage
For the darkening sky;
One gleam of faith
To brave the thickening ills of life;
One glimpse of brighter skies
Beyond the gathering mists--
To make this life worth while...

by George Elliott

Trials and Testings

2009-04-02T14:44:00.000-07:00

From a grandfather's letter to his grandson...

I often thought about Abraham and Job when I was your age.
Those stories used to bother me. Really.
I wondered why Abraham should have to live through those agonies
of climbing the hill with his son,
expecting to have to kill him when they reached the top.
I wondered why Job would be required to lose everything,
not knowing that all would be restored--
and not all restored even then, but replaced.

Later I thought that the ordeals of Abraham and Job
made them stronger, better.
Then I thought--
who wants to be that strong and good?
Then I thought--
if God in omniscience already knew how Job and Abraham would respond,
why did He test them so?
And then, finally, it appeared that God was not showing Himself how they would respond--
but rather, He was showing them.

Life Isn't Fair

2009-04-01T10:53:00.000-07:00

"It's not fair!" our children cry. I hear it constantly. Usually from a younger child in regard to an older child. Why does she get to do that and I don't? Why does he always get to go somewhere? You gave her more than me! How come?
But sometimes it's even the grown-ups who demand fairness.
Is it a surprise that life isn't fair? It shouldn't be.
Some of us live in old houses; some live in new ones. Some drive old cars; some, new. Some folks have money leftover at the end of the month, and others have hardly enough to make ends meet.
There are godly women who long to have a child, but can't. Other women have their children taken from them, and then tell the judge, "That's okay. I can always make more." (They can, and they do.)
Life isn't fair.
Many nights as I lay my head on the pillow, I count my blessings, while praying for Christians around the world who are suffering persecution. Lives are threatened, families are run out of town and forced to leave all their belongings behind. Believers are imprisoned or gunned down. Parents lose their children, and children lose their parents. Yet, here we are in America, fussing over who gets invited to a birthday party.
Life isn't fair. But God never said it would be.
Olympic athletes don't all reach the finish line at the same time. There are far more "losers" than there are "winners".
Some families constantly battle one illness or another, while others seem to coast through life with fine health.
California is often parched from too little rain, while Ohio and other mid-western states are flooded--on an annual basis.
Some faces were blessed with loveliness, but many are plain or disfigured. Most children are born healthy, but not all. Some folks live long, productive lives; some die young. And most mothers of soldiers are reunited with their sons (or daughters), savoring that initial embrace after a long separation, while other moms are given a lifeless flag and a sympathetic handshake from a uniformed stranger.
Many of God's children were burned at the stake, fed to the lions or sawn in two. Some of God's saints were miraculously rescued before being martyred, but others are killed, even today, with no Divine intervention at all.
Others of us enjoy great comfort and ease with modern conveniences, while too many across the globe live in poverty and filth. Paul, the apostle, suffered continual hardships that I hope to never experience.
Around the world a multitude of false religions are leading people away from the true God, while here in America I was born into a Christian home. Is it fair?
Sorry to press the point, but I hope you can see that, while life is not fair, we are assured that God is always just.
When our children fuss over life's unfairness, or when we're tempted to view a situation from their childish perspective, how much better to show our children (and remind ourselves) the truth of God's justice and great love for His own. If we truly believe God is good all the time, we'll remember that everything He allows into our lives is the very best, even when it's less than or different from what He allows into another's life.
We can prepare the path for the child, or we can prepare the child for the path. The road we travel may be strewn with rocks and huge obstacles, or it may be filled with holes. We must teach our children good navigation skills, persevering through the difficulties, and appreciating what they have, instead of focusing on what they don't. When viewing a situation from one angle, we can be mistaken in our prejudices. Yet, if we knew all the facts, we would understand. And our complaints would be silenced. Job received a great blessing--double what he had at first. But look at what he endured beforehand.
A sure-cure to a child's immature (and self-centered) view of life is this: Teach him (or her) to be thankful. One of the quickest ways to stray from God is found in Romans 1, ...when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were they thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools... (vv. 21-22)
And of course, there are those well-known verses in I Thessalonians 5: Rejoice ever-more. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (vv. 16-18)
With our grateful attention being focused on God's goodness, we'll be hard-pressed to find anything to complain about!

The Stress Diet

2009-04-01T10:50:00.000-07:00

Breakfast
1/2 grapefruit
1 piece whole wheat toast w/ diet margarine
8 oz. skim milk

Mid-morning Snack
8 oz. carton plain yogurt
veggie sticks or apple wedges

Lunch
4 oz. lean broiled chicken breast
1 cup steamed zucchini
1 Oreo cookie
Herb tea, iced or hot, 1 t. artificial sweetener

Mid-afternoon Snack
The rest of the package of Oreo cookies
2 cans diet soda

Dinner
1 loaf of garlic bread
1 large meat lover's pizza, w/ extra cheese
1 large pitcher of root beer
3 Milky Ways
Entire frozen cheesecake, eaten directly from the freezer (Burp!)

And later before bed...
1 whole bag of Bugles

Worry Wart Hog (and Friends)

2009-04-01T10:46:00.000-07:00

Are you a homeowner? Chances are, you worry. But if you rent, you probably worry, too. (And if you're homeless, I can only imagine how much you worry.)
Are you concerned about your vehicle? Whether or not it will get you from Point A to Point B without breaking down? You bet, you worry.
Are you involved with people? Do you work with people? Do you work for people? Then, of course you worry.
Do you have too much to do and too many places to go? Got too many bills? Taxes due? You most definitely worry.
Do you have elderly parents? Or maybe you yourself are approaching old-age faster than you'd like. Then you're probably worrying about that and a whole lot more.
Do you have enemies? Do you feel left out or unwanted in a particular situation or place? It's hard not to worry.
And if you're a mom, no matter how old or young your kiddos are, you absolutely, positively, most definitely worry every single day! (Unless you're otherwise pre-occupied, but that's another subject.)
There's a kids' song about "Worry Wart Hog". Every time he starts worrying, he breaks out in another wart. Sounds awful, but it can be true for us humans, too. I've actually had it happen to me. I used to be one of his closest friends--only, I broke out in a rash, instead of warts. I think I've learned not to worry quite so much since then, but there's still the tendency to fret when things don't go the way I expect them to.
After all these years of being one of God's children, I'm still learning to trust Him. And it looks like it's gonna take me the rest of my life to learn this lesson completely.
Do you ever feel that way?
It's amazing, though, how often the verses I read in the mornings correspond exactly with whatever I'm going through at the time. And no matter how many times I read a passage, the Holy Spirit makes God's Word live especially for me and my particular situation just when I need it! God continually tells me I have no reason to worry. (Not even about the economy or America's future or nationalized health-care or socialistic democracy or anything else.)
I hope you'll take a minute to read the following passages, and let God's promises encourage you, too:
Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity...
Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass...
Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth...
The Lord knoweth the days of the upright; and their inheritance shall be forever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied...
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and He delighteth in his way. Though he fall...the Lord upholdeth him...
I (have) not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lendeth: and His seed is blessed.
The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment. The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide...
Wait on the Lord, and keep His way, and He shall exalt thee...
The salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: He is their strength in the time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them...because they trust in Him. - Psalm 37
God's Word is filled with promises and assurances, but it is also filled with instructions--the guidelines for living as we make the journey toward our heavenly home. If we want God to keep His promises, we need to make sure we're doing things His way. Not for heavenly "brownie points"--but for the sake of our relationship with Him, which will make our earthly pilgrimage more blessed. Not trouble-free, but worry-free!
Oftentimes, the troubles multiply when our worries lead us away from God's will.
King Saul made the mistake of taking matters into his own hands, and he suffered greatly for it.
As soon as Hagar discovered she was pregnant with Abraham's child, Sarah immediately regretted allowing her husband to sleep with her handmaid--in a genuine effort to help God out.
Rachel put together her own plan instead of seeking God's plan, and she never saw her favorite son again.
David, too, was often fearful and anxious. His life was in danger at times, as he lived in caves as a fugitive. Yet, every time he called on God for wisdom and help, God was ready with an answer. It was during the times David neglected to consult his God when things went awry.
I don't know who said it, but here's something to consider:
The lives of former generations are a lesson to posterity; that a man may review the remarkable events which have happened to others, and be admonished; and may consider the history of people of preceding ages, and of all that hath befallen them, and be restrained...
Wow! This is exactly why God has recorded for us the stories and experiences of men and women in ancient times. So we who live later may learn from them. God's principles are just as true and just as powerful as they were when Moses and others copied them thousands of years ago.
Within our human framework, emotionally and mentally, it's natural to worry, to be afraid, to doubt, to wander, to be envious or resentful, to become so angry we want to scream, so disoriented we don't know which way to turn, or so discouraged we want to curl up in a ball and cease to exist. Others have felt the same way. But with God's Holy Spirit living inside me, and His Word at my fingertips, I can be comforted, resting in His promises to take care of all those things that bring me anxiety!
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me... I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. - John 14:1 & 18
Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you. - I Peter 5:7
In the book of Psalms we're shown a raging sea of emotions. But throughout every chapter, God provides the calm by encouraging us to keep our eyes on Him. Just as Jesus told Peter while out on the water in the raging storm, we do not need to be afraid. There is absolutely nothing He cannot handle or help us with. He may not do it immediately or in the precise way we'd like, but He does work on our behalf. And He does it very well.
I will bless the Lord, Who hath given me counsel... because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved... Therefore my heart is glad... my flesh shall also rest in hope...
- Psalm 16
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Corrie Ten Boom said, "Worry does not empty tomorrow of sorrows; it empties today of strength."

A woman worried for forty years that she would die of cancer. She finally died of pneumonia at age seventy. She wasted over half her life worrying about the wrong thing. (from the book How to Win Over Worry)

Pressed out of measure and pressed to all length;
Pressed so intently it seems beyond strength.
Pressed in body and pressed in soul; Pressed in the mind till the dark surges roll;
Pressure by foes, pressure by friends;
Pressure on pressure, till life nearly ends.
Pressed into loving the staff and the rod;
Pressed into knowing no helper but God.
-- Annie Johnson Flint

O Wrinkled Me!

2009-03-10T21:12:00.000-07:00

Everytime I go on Facebook, there's an ad announcing that I should look younger, like the "stars".
The Duchess of York once said, "You can never be too thin or too rich." And obviously, one cannot be too young-looking, either.
"Born in the 60's, but look like you're 25," it says.
I suppose if I had their money and didn't have to work for a living, I could afford all the pampering, too.
It will soon be considered an affront to society for anyone to remain wrinkled, I'm guessing.

So here I am, not quite thin, definitely not rich, and getting more wrinkled (and gray-haired) by the day.
Society may not agree,
but I am completely and devotedly loved and accepted by the God Who created me--in His image, and I'm loved by several friends and relatives.
Also, in Heaven, there's a brand-new body awaiting me--perfectly shaped and sized, and beautiful in every way, with nothing wrinkled, crooked, bulging, sagging, gray-haired or unattractive at all!
Glory!

My Most Recent Frustration

2009-03-09T22:54:00.000-07:00

I guess I am now an official part-time working (outside the home) mom. I got my "Press Pass" from the Sun-Star last week. And whenever I'm sitting at the computer typing away (or thinking hard or researching or whatever), I am not cleaning, cooking, gardening, crafting, laundering, ironing (yes, I still iron some of our clothes), decorating, studying, etc., etc. I do manage to supervise #1 girl in her school work as needed, but the home and yard are suffering a little from neglect. (I also lost my African Violets, and the few houseplants that have managed to survive are not looking too good. I think it's time to change the soil and do some re-potting.) Most times it's great--meeting new people and learning new things, interesting things, historical things... But other times--usually when the clutter and chaos are over-flowing--I look around my house and wish God would just rapture us, so I wouldn't have to deal with all this earthly stuff anymore. Everytime I think I'm gonna have some time to get organized, other responsibilities fill that spot, and I keep piling things with the intention to take care of it soon, but it never happens. And the attic gets fuller and fuller of more stuff (that we can't live without, we use once or twice a year, or there's no room at the church to store it), and I can't believe this is my house--or my life.

Also last week we had our final interview with the lady from the CA state adoptions office, and she hasn't found anything wrong or too weird with us, so we now qualify as an adoptive family.
My childhood dream is finally within reach--
And all of a sudden, I'm scared to death!
Yeah, I've always wanted to adopt--
But, surely, not now--as a middle-aged couple...
Why don't my plans or time table ever look the same as God's?

I don't know what He has in store for us.
With 90,000 kids in CA who are adoptable,
one would think that a couple of them would fit in with us just fine,
and that we will be just the right (calm, quiet, sometimes boring, sometimes not, sometimes quirky, but most times lovable and dependable and musical and on our way to Heaven) family for them.

Nothing worthwhile is ever easy,
and I'm not getting any younger,
and some days I'm just plain tired,
or discouraged,
or frustrated,
and not as patient as I used to be,
and not as ambitious,
or something...
And I wonder if I could get away with changing my mind,
taking the easy way through the rest of my life,
minding my own business, keeping to myself,
puttering in the garden, selling flowers and herbs on the side of the road,
ignoring the fact that tens of thousands of kids
in this state alone
have little hope
of ever finding security or stability or success or salvation...
Unless somebody reaches out to them.

Jane Pauley once asked Michael J. Fox why he keeps such a hectic pace,
while having an illness... why doesn't he slow down and reserve his energy?
He responded, "Reserve my energy for what?"
That's how I feel.
Yeah, I could congratulate myself on raising two above average kids who are really trying to keep their wits about them (spiritually and emotionally) in a world that's gone wild,
and settle back to enjoy the rest of my life...
But, for some reason, I can't do that,
taking the easy way,
and live with my conscience at the same time.

So, here I am, wondering what the future holds,
and wondering how in the world I'm going to keep my sanity...

But that's when I take my eyes off the Lord,
and start looking at the waves billowing around me--
That's when I get scared,
and want to call it quits.

Yet, I don't want to be a woman of little faith--dinky faith---shallow, weak, worthless faith,
even though, after all these years, it still seems my faith is only
the size of a mustard seed... One would think it would have grown
a little bigger than that.
And maybe it has, and I just can't see it.
But God can, along with everything else.
He sees my beginning and my ending and the entire middle of my life,
and He keeps telling me that, with Him to guide me,
I can do whatever He asks.
I just have to remember to keep my gaze fixed on Him,
instead of all the hurdles and obstacles and challenges and storms.

It's a lot more peaceful that way.

I can't adopt all those poor kids in the CA foster care system,
but I can adopt one or two...
And maybe that will inspire somebody else to adopt one or two,
and then maybe a few more families will adopt, and just maybe
Christians in CA will make a real difference here...
It's worth a try,
and since God's the One Who gave me the idea in the first place,
I need to stop arguing with Him, and do what He says.
And enjoy the blessing of watching some "great and mighty things" take place!

Sunday's Messages, AM & PM

2009-03-09T22:52:00.000-07:00

A missionary came yesterday, and I was blessed in both services.
The morning message was about obeying God even when it doesn't make sense.
God told Philip (in Acts) to take off for the desert,
because He had a job for him to do.
That's where Philip met the Ethiopian eunuch and was able to lead him to Christ--the first African to receive the Gospel!

I still struggle with being here, but every once in awhile God reminds me
He has a plan and purpose for all of this. I am right where He wants me, and He will do something good with us here. I must continue to trust and obey (with a song in my heart and a smile on my face, if possible).

Then in the evening message, one of the first words out of the missionary's mouth was "Prayer".
I mentally reminded the Lord that I do pray--a lot. But lately it looks as if it's not doing much good, because some of the things I'm praying about still haven't changed, and they don't appear to be even close to changing.
It's been several years since I started praying for these situations.
But as the message continued, I realized that it wasn't just a reminder to keep praying--
It was actually an answer to my question lately,
"God, I don't know what exactly to pray for anymore, or how to pray, or what to ask for." There's a need and something's lacking, and God knows all about it, but if my prayers are to be effectual, I have to know what to pray for specifically.
And He said, "...pray...that the Word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified (exalted and lifted high, above all else)..." -- II Thess. 3:1
And I responded with a "Yes! That's it! Thank You!"
Now my prayer time has purpose and meaning again.
I know personally and experientially the tremendous power and importance of prayer. But I got side-tracked, and lost my way, and then of course, stopped praying with fervency--and expectation.
But not anymore.
I am on my knees again.

Just as God told Elijah that He was going to send rain, and then commanded him to pray for rain, God has told me what the need is and how I need to pray so He can meet the need!

Mary, Queen of Scots, feared nothing except when John Knox was on his knees in prayer.

Be It Ever So Humble

2009-02-20T17:02:00.000-08:00

A marketing group recently predicted the number one trend for this year: Due to tighter budgets, folks will stay home more.
So, here in California, what does it mean to be at "home"?
In rural areas older wood frame or rock houses sit next to lop-sided barns. In the pines, a run-down miner's shack is replaced with a 4,000 square foot log cabin or something from the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company in Sebastopol. Mobile trailer homes from the 1970's dot the landscape, in the north and south. Stucco siding is common in the desert communities, and multi-storied glass and steel-framed apartment buildings face the Pacific and define the sky-lines of our largest cities. To borrow a phrase from a local property-owner, wherever you choose to live, it'll most likely be a "rancho-mucho-costa".
For instance, modern residences are offered in San Francisco, with starting prices at half-a-million. Or if you prefer historic character, a few older mansions are up for grabs with price tags in the multi-million-dollar range. One of them--a "fixer-upper"--is listed for close to fifty million! Granted, luxurious amenities are included, such as concierge services (I had to look that one up), indoor swimming pools and fitness centers, private screening theaters, landscaped courtyards, and unparalleled views of SF's Bay and the surrounding area.
I suppose I could feel deprived.
But I don't.
As participants in the PBS Colonial House project several years ago, one Malibu family shared a small cabin in Montana. For five months they learned, among other things, how to get along with less. Afterwards they moved into a brand new 5,000 square foot house (built while they were gone). Later in an interview the mom remarked how she missed the closeness of the cabin. "This new house is so big," she said. "I can go for days without seeing my kids."
Her definition of "home" had changed.
Our city-dwelling son came home for a visit earlier this month. In the Arizona desert, he's surrounded by every convenience. And his favorite hockey stadium and MLB ball park are just a few miles away. He's single, he's busy, and pretty much does what he wants (when he's not working, that is). But after a week's stay in the country, eating Mom's cooking instead of Top Ramen, helping Dad chop wood and lay stone, and teasing his sister while building "The Pearl" with LEGO's, he hugged me the night before heading back, and said, "I wish I didn't have to leave."
In our slightly crooked, old farmhouse, with thrift store objets d'art and hand-me-down furniture, there's still no place like home.

Everyday Love (by Rascal Flatts)

2009-02-03T09:53:00.000-08:00

(If I were a guy, I would have written it this way...)

Can't get enough of this everyday love
Can't get enough of this everyday love

Each morning the sun shines through my window
Lands on the face of a dream come true
I shuffle to the kitchen for my coffee
And catch up on the front page morning news
Then she walks up behind me and throws her arms around my neck
Just another normal thing I've come to expect

[Chorus]
It's ordinary plain and simple
Typical, this everyday love
Same ol', same ol' keeping it new
(Same ol'/This everyday love)
Emotional, so familiar
Nothing about it too peculiar
Oh, but I can't get enough
Of this everyday love

Every afternoon I make a phone call
Listen to the voice that warms my heart
I drag myself through a few more hours
Then head on home to try and beat the dark
Her smile will be right there when I step through that door
And it will be that way tomorrow, just like everyday before

[Repeat Chorus]

Wouldn't change one single thing about it
No, it's run-of-the-mill, still I can't live without it

[Repeat Chorus]

Yeah, of this everyday love
Can't get enough of this everyday love
Can't get enough of this everyday love
Can't get enough of this everyday love
Can't get enough

Surprise!

2009-01-20T13:26:00.000-08:00

Our son hasn't been home for two years, and couldn't come for Christmas because of work obligations. This month he's been with the company for six months and was able to ask for vacation time, so he and I planned awhile back for him to come as a surprise for his dad's 50th birthday dinner.
(May God forgive us for the inaccuracies we've told to keep Ron from suspecting anything.)
This past Saturday morning, the 17th, J called, and said, "I've been lying like a bank robber! Dad's called twice in two days, and keeps asking me what I'm doing!" J would answer something like, "I'm chillin'." When actually he was right here in California, staying the night with friends, driving them to a basketball game, etc...
The plan was for him to get to Fresno between 5 and 5:30 pm, and call me in the parking lot of the restaurant; I would hand the phone to Ron (while we were seated at our table amongst friends); then while Ron was talking to J, J would walk up to surprise him.
It mostly worked according to plan, except that we had to wait for our tables, so we were walking into the restaurant when J called; Ron stayed outside and talked with his son, thinking J was in Phoenix chillin'. When J tapped Ron on the shoulder, he turned around, stunned, but very pleased. The rest of us didn't get to see the surprise event, but it was exciting for all of us when the two men walked over to join our group!
And Ron really was surprised--he had no idea that J was coming! (My strategic-minded husband is hard to fool.)
J gets to stay here for a whole week, and we're having a great time together...
We went ice skating at Yosemite yesterday, and watched the sky and Half Dome change colors as the sun set. During the last hour we practically had the rink to ourselves, as most of the skaters were gone, so we got to skate wherever we wanted. J and E were swing dancing in the middle of the rink at one point.
J's enjoying the home cooking, and we're grateful for the time together, as his future plans include the military.
It's amazing to watch my grown and almost-grown kids, after years of teaching and training and praying, begging God for the necessary wisdom and strength for the task...
Now we're singing together, laughing together, working side-by-side, eating and talking and hugging and reminiscing...
There's nothing like good family fellowship, and I am praising God for this treasured blessing!

My Hubby's 50th Birthday

2009-01-14T13:32:00.000-08:00

It doesn't seem possible that half a century has gone by. And to think that I have been with you for a big part of it.
You have become so much that is honorable, as God has led us and helped us all these years. I can only hope and pray that He will bless you with the health and strength to continue living this life of service to Him--a life of devotion to your family and others around you. I'm truly grateful to be at your side as we celebrate this milestone.
The LORD has blessed us with two wonderful children and so many close friends,
a home to fix up and share with others,
the great privilege of ministering together,
plus our yard and garden and a new(er) car to take us places (without wondering when it's gonna fall apart and if there'll be anyone nearby to help us out),
and dreams for the future, too!
On one hand, 50 is just a number, and it doesn't change a thing.
On the other hand, 50 years of growing in wisdom and stature, finding favor with God and man, and being faithful is deserving of praise.
God is doing an amazing work in you, Sweetheart,
and I'm so glad to be a part of it.
All my love,
Deb

Life Is a Lot Like Chicken Salad

2009-01-06T10:26:00.000-08:00

My mother-in-law is a very creative woman, which is evidenced in her culinary pursuits, as well as her handcrafts. No can of chicken or tuna is ever the same after being in her kitchen. No "just a glob of mayo and a dash of salt and pepper" for her! When she opens her cabinets and fridge, there's no telling what she'll reach for in making a chicken or tuna salad (or any other kind of salad): walnuts, pecans or almonds... diced apple or crushed pineapple... onions, garlic, parsley or an assortment of other spices and herbs...
My daughter is also a very creative (young) woman, and she loves to visit her grandma, especially at mealtime. Then when she comes home, she's adding all kinds of interesting things to her chicken salad.
My husband is very creative, too, but when it comes to his food, such as chicken salad, his tastes are a little simpler. So when I make his lunch, the chicken or tuna salad gets "a glob of mayo and a dash of onion powder and pepper"--and that's it.
Recently, my daughter was hungry, but not in the mood to cook or get creative in the kitchen, so she grabbed the bowl of chicken salad I had made for her dad. After taking a couple bites, she said, "Wow--I forgot how good chicken salad is plain!"

I said all that to draw an analogy:

In modern America it's all about how many things we can accumulate, how many people we know, how many trips we take, how many miles we fly, how much money we have or spend, how many songs are on our i-pod or how many rings are on our cell phones, etc., etc., etc...
It all adds up to bigger and better and more and More and MORE...
But the Bible speaks of godliness with contentment being great gain (I Tim. 6:6).

Why is it, among some of my own Christian brothers and sisters, I feel the need to defend my choice of lifestyle: that of living quietly and simply? (They call it "living in a box" which translates into "BORING" for them.)

Which comes back to the chicken salad thing: Sometimes when we keep adding things to life, we lose the original flavor. Yes, variety is the spice of life, but with Jesus at the center of my life, His flavor is so wonderful, it doesn't need much enhancing; when I do choose to enhance it, I make sure the added flavors are compatible with His.

If we can live a simple life, not having so much that we would forget God, but not having so little that we would be tempted to curse Him, being able to do the things He's created us to do (in our work, ministry and home), and to guide our children to do the same while also walking in truth, then we will be most content.

Sometimes it's the simple things in life that bring the most joy.

Post-Script to the Chicken Salad Analogy

2009-01-06T10:19:00.000-08:00

When we recently purchased a pre-owned Subaru Outback, after researching and praying and talking to other Subaru owners, we were thrilled to find exactly what we were looking for. AND in a color other than neutral!
Our #1 girl had told one of our friends about the "heated front seats" and some of the other cool accessories. He told me, "You'd think you guys were given a mansion, the way she talks about the car."
"Well," I said, "it's not like we get a new(er) car every other year. This is really exciting for our whole family, besides being an answer to prayer, too."

Maybe I don't have to defend our way of life. Maybe I don't have to defend anything I do or don't do. But for some reason, there are a lot of opinions out there about how we live--probably because we don't live just like everyone else, which is because we have some different values, and it shows up in the way we live. So, let me share some of the reasons for this difference...

We believe God created (by Intelligent and Loving Design) the world and every person and particle in it. He created it perfectly, and He called it "Good". (Adam and Eve knew a kind of happiness and fulfillment we will never know this side of Heaven.) Then the serpent came into the picture, and through his deception, convinced Eve that God was holding out on her, and she broke the only rule there was: that of eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Then she convinced Adam to eat of it, too. And it went downhill from there. The point is: the bad things in life are not of God's making, but of the deceiver's making and of our choice to not live by God's rules.

We believe God created us for the purpose of glorifying Him and enjoying His goodness and holiness. (This does not translate into sitting around all day reading our Bibles, or getting to Heaven and sitting on a cloud playing a harp for eternity.) Yet, in order to glorify Him, we need to know what kinds of things bring Him glory. So, yes, we do try to spend some time each day in His Word and on our knees, in communication with Him. This is how a strong relationship is developed and how He gives us grace and strength and wisdom for living in these times.

We don't believe that we should follow the philosophies of the world's systems or go with the flow. We are to live soberly and righteously, we should use discernment and prudence, judging righteous judgment, being patient and content, and working hard, minding our own business, not being busy-bodies or wasting precious time gossiping or slandering, speaking the truth in love, bearing one another's burdens, and walking in the Spirit so we do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh, etc., etc., etc. (Proverbs 31 is a good outline for women who want a picture of godliness.)

And with these values in mind, understanding that what we believe is what will be evidenced in our lives (in the same way that what you believe will be evidenced in your life), Ron and I can say truthfully that our lives are about finding the will of God and striving to live accordingly. It has nothing to do with being "perfect" as humans define "perfection", because anybody with half a brain knows that nobody is "perfect". But, we are to be holy as God is holy. And God wouldn't have told us to do something without making it possible to accomplish it. So, maybe Christians (in this county) should stop defending their lack of perfection, and start looking at their Savior, Who through His Spirit and through His Word, gives us everything we need to live a mature, fruitful, victorious, godly and holy life (II Pet. 1:1-11).

We believe the Bible is the complete revelation of God, inasmuch as He wants us to know for the present age. We believe that when people can read with understanding His Words in their own language, then they can apply His Words and truths to their lives, and grow in their faith. In the "dark ages" the Word of God was kept bound in Latin, held sacred in the confines of church buildings, and the common people suffered. Keeping the Word in old "sacred" languages, refusing to allow it to be translated (from the manuscripts that have been found to be correct) into common languages of the day, then people are without "vision" and will perish and/or be stunted in their spiritual growth. Jesus used and quoted from the translation of His day.

Then, with these things in place, our family lives with every attempt at pleasing Him, knowing that when our ways please the Lord, He'll make our enemies to be at peace with us (eventually).

Some people view this as narrow or ultra-conservative and super-separated. We're told things like: "Lighten up," or "You're too black and white." These are usually the folks who only see us on Sundays or who don't spend real time with us in our home and in a variety of situations.

Let's remember that God gave us different personalities and gifts and abilities, with a vast assortment of tastes, translating into likes and dislikes...

The reason we don't smoke (or use tobacco in other forms) is because we like clear pink lungs and not filthy black ones--which isn't a matter of color, but a matter of breath, and we don't like the prospects of spending the last several years with cancer...

The reason we don't drink alcohol is because we need all the brain cells we have, we don't want to kill any, and because the vices outnumber the virtues, and it's just not something we want or need to enhance our lives, and again, we value our health...

The reason we don't do drugs should be obvious, but because we live in a drug-infested county, I'll explain: Basically, I want to raise my own children, thank you, instead of them being taken from me and put into a foster home.

The reason we go to church and honor the Lord's Day (Sunday) is partly because God says there's a blessing in it, and partly because we enjoy worshiping with our church family.

The reason we don't dance is not because it's evil, but because my husband never wanted to. I, on the other hand, love to dance. (Note: I'm not talking about seductive dancing, which has its place behind the closed doors of a married couple's bedroom.) Finally after almost thirty years of marriage, my husband has agreed to learn how to dance, and as soon as he does, we'll be dancing in various places and situations: the Virginia Reel at Columbia's July 4th celebration, swing dancing in our living room or at a wedding, etc...

The reason we dress modestly/appropriately is because how we dress does say something about how we think, and I don't need to expose my body to find worth or acceptance or approval or anything else; my body is for my husband's pleasure, and what we do in our private retreat is our business; God created sex as a gift for married male and female couples...

The reason we're careful about the movies, magazines, music, books, television programs, etc. that we watch is because we value intelligence. We also agree with the Word that our eyes and ears are the doors to our heart, and we need to put up hedges for keeping in the good (that which edifies) and keeping out the bad (that which feeds the old nature)...

The reason we're careful about how we use our credit card(s) is because we should be, and because, again, it's a matter of contentment: being thankful for what God gives us, and knowing that getting more things doesn't equate to true happiness...

The reason we live a "boring" life: staying home instead of partying, hanging out with the teens, or driving to the nearest city every other day, is partly because we can't afford it (but also because we choose to spend our money on things that last), and partly because "redeeming the time" means using our time wisely; we actually have a wonderful time at home with friends or just with our family, reading, playing games, watching wholesome movies, doing crafts, cooking and baking, enjoying the great outdoors, or just talking and getting to know each other better...

Which brings us back to the chicken salad thing...

Contentment, appreciation, hard work, and holy living.

My Sweet Teen and Our Christmas Vacation

2008-12-30T22:51:00.000-08:00

My youngest child turned thirteen yesterday. I call her "my sweet teen". She had a couple friends over for a sleep-over, and our home has been filled for two days now with girl-talk and giggles of all kinds. I'm blessed by her sweetness and also by God's goodness in giving her Christian friends to talk with, laugh with, play with and dream with.

Ron took the rest of his vacation time during the Christmas break from school, and it's nice having him home. He's catching up on some yard work, and after Christmas and our #1 girl's birthday, I'm finally able to slow down and relax a little. We're eating holiday treats and snacks, left-over ham and homemade soups. We're playing with the puppy, staying up a little later and sleeping in a little longer. When I don't have to rush around doing the dozens of things I typically need to do each day, I can sit back and watch and listen, and take time to think about life and the Lord and the blessedness of this season.

Another year is almost over, and a new one is about to begin.

Thank You, Father, that as wonderful as life can be at times, there's something far better awaiting us in Glory. (Please, help those who are facing immense trials and persecution around the world. And help them come to know You, so they, too, can look forward to Heaven.)

Cookies and Chex Mix and Breads, Oh, My!

2008-12-23T13:15:00.000-08:00

It's less than two days before Christmas,
and all through this house,
we're still working busily to get things done--
wrapping presents (less than usual, but enough),
sending cards, delivering goodies to neighbors and friends,
baking, and hanging up garland
(at least, it's on my "to do" list--
whether or not it actually gets up, is the question).
We also still need to clip the puppy's nails,
fold laundry, and do some cleaning
before company comes.
My hubby is on vacation,
so we're enjoying family time together!
Ta-ta for now!

Christmas Thoughts

2008-12-16T10:18:00.000-08:00

I was thrilled when I found nice, inexpensive ($1 a box) Christmas cards with Bible verses on them at the dollar store a couple months ago.
But they're still sitting in the boxes waiting to be signed and sealed and sent in the mail. I may have to send my Christmas greetings via e-mail.
#1 daughter and I need to spend some time baking and crafting, so I must whittle away at my Christmas "to do" list, and keep only the most important items.
We're practicing our Christmas music to sing/play this Sunday and on Christmas Eve.
Then her birthday is in between Christmas and New Year's, so the invitations still need to be made, and several pre-teen girls will be sleeping-over in a couple weeks!
And her dad decided we should go to So. Cal. to see friends while he's got some vacation time left and school is out, so we're planning that trip for the same week.
Then we bought a "new" car--a 2005 Subaru Outback. So there's all the phone calls and paperwork to take care of with that. But we love it! It's just what we prayed for, and it handles the mountain roads great.
Our Community Chorus concert was postponed because of the snow this week. We didn't get snow here in the foothills--just hail. And everything was frozen outside this morning. The sky is so blue this time of year, and the rain/snow clouds made for a gorgeous sunrise!
It's not the decorations or the food or the shopping and gifts that make it Christmas. It truly is Jesus.
Christmas greetings to one and all!
"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6
(Alistair Begg is teaching on this passage on Truth For Life this week.)

Faith

2008-12-09T12:35:00.000-08:00

See what a little bit of
faith can do--
It turns something you
think that you can't do
into something that you can.
-- Tracy Darrt

Marathon Baker

2008-12-04T15:13:00.000-08:00

I'm doing a "marathon baking day".
I made five batches of bread dough--
and divided them into
sixty-four buttery orange crescent rolls
and one buttery orange cardomom loaf of bread.
The rolls are for the Secret Pal
activity tonight and the adult
Christmas party Saturday evening.
Yum!
The loaf of bread will be wrapped as a gift.
Then I added some orange oil and
shredded orange peel
to a container of butter
for spreading on the rolls.
Yum! Yum!

This is how I like to do everything--
totally immersed, totally committed,
entirely enveloped in the one giant task
until it's done.
That way the kitchen gets real messy,
and then I can clean it and go do something else.
Or I can pull out all the bins of craft supplies
and sew or stitch for the whole day (or two),
and then clean up the mess and enjoy
the fruits of my creativity.

When I read--
well, that is,
when I used to read,
before my blessed distractions came along,
I would curl up in a chair
or lie down on a blanket under a tree
with a snack and something to drink,
and just get lost in a book or a stack of magazines.

When I study, I sit in my bedroom on the floor
with the door closed and half a dozen books
all around me,
with a legal pad and pencil in hand,
reading, writing, jotting down notes,
underlining, bookmarking, highlighting,
and thinking deeply in the solitary seclusion
of hours filled with learning and discovering
about some wonderful subject
worth studying and sharing with others.
(I don't get to do this very often, either.)

I am not a sprinter.
Jog a few yards, then stop.
Run another few yards, then stop again.
Go somewhere else real quick, then come back.
Go here, go there,
stop, start, stop again.
(Remember, it was the tortoise who won the race--
not the hare.)

I don't like bits and pieces
and all the lose ends and uncompleted projects.

But sometimes my life includes a lot more
sprinting than I like.
So I try to make the best of it,
without losing my sanity in between all the distractions,
patting myself on the back for being so adept
at multi-tasking,
(or for not breaking too many things in the whirlwind,
because when I start trying to move too fast,
I get clumsy, and end up hurting myself or someone else).

Yet, I can't help wishing
for more chunks of uninterrupted time
when I can just focus on one thing,
give it everything I've got,
and do it very well.

I think, though, that life is really a combination
of walking, sprinting, working,
resting and jogging marathon-style.
The point is to keep my eyes on the goal
and keep pressing on,
enjoying the fruits of my labor,
and my wonderful family and friends,
accompanying me along the way.

Will the Real Me Please Come Forward?

2008-12-02T13:59:00.000-08:00

I look at my house these days,
and I look at my life,
and I tell my mother-in-law,

This is not the real me
you're looking at!
This is some other me--
someone who
looks like me,
and sounds like me,
and sort of acts like me,
but really isn't.

I think the real me
was kidnapped by aliens;
and some poor alien took over my body,
and is living its life in mine.

Why do I think this?

Because the real me doesn't let the laundry
or the dishes pile up,
or let the housework go...
The real me doesn't lose things,
or drop things or get mixed up about things...
And the real me isn't such a chatter-box,
as this other me seems to be too often,
giving my opinion when it isn't needed,
or grumbling out loud,
when I should be praising my Heavenly Father...

Part of it could be age,
part of it could be lifestyle changes,
moving to the country,
and a life of ministry
with more responsibilities,
but not more time to accomodate
the additional tasks and people in my life,
and part of it could be less time in the Word,
due to my being too busy...

And now my human nature is
over-stepping its bounds,
because the hedges aren't as secure
as they once were.

People around me kept saying
I needed to change, lighten up,
loosen up, live a little,
which meant that I lived in a box,
lived a boring life,
and had too many restrictive standards
in my life and for my family.

But what they don't understand
is that inside this quiet, composed,
and disciplined person,
is a growing monster,
a miserable wretch,
with a wicked and deceitful fleshly nature
that does very much want to take over
and rule and reign in my life.
If I let it have control, though,
it will also ruin my life,
and that ruin will spill over into
the lives of those I care about most.

I try to live within these boundaries of standards
for a very good reason.
And when the demands become too many to deal with,
or my frustrations and disappointments grow,
then I need to do something about it.

I need to get back on my knees,
and into the Word,
to "be still and know" that my God is the God,
and eliminate all the unnecessaries from my life,
so things can be tidy once more,
and the "monster me" will shrink back into hiding.

Because that's where I need to be,
and that's where God wants me to be,
no matter what anyone else thinks.
I am not a better person, when I let my guard down,
or when I walk in the flesh.

I need His wisdom to know what to hold onto
and what to let go of,
and how to handle all that seems impossible.

Help me, Father, to walk in the Spirit,
so that Your holiness
will replace
the wretchedness in me.

Autumn Gold (or Everywhere I Look It's Autumn)

2008-11-24T10:08:00.000-08:00

The richness of autumn surrounds me.
In multi-colored leaves dangling gently in the breeze or falling gracefully to the ground in the backyard, I see nature's treasures, in shades of orange, red and gold...
I listen to the laughter of children, without a care in the world, jumping in piles of those same leaves...
While stacking firewood for the wood stove, pale yellow split logs await this evening's fire to provide cozy warmth indoors...
In the late afternoon recent rains have cleared the air, as the sun descends toward the horizon, painting a golden sunset in brilliant color...
Then behind me I watch a harvest moon rising above the Sierras, a pale yellow disc far away in the crisp, blue sky...
And every where I step, tiny shoots of grass peek out of the leafy carpet, reminding me of new life to come.
These are the gems in nature's jewelry box this season--each one giving testimony to its Creator.
It takes more faith to believe that this world was born of an explosion and chaos, than to acknowledge the divine Artist Who gives us such glorious beauty and design.
Ask a publisher how many books evolve into print after an explosion in the print shop;
Ask a composer how many songs are written by tossing notes into the air, and letting them fall where they may;
Ask a chef (or a mom) how many gourmet dishes evolve into being from months-old forgotten edibles in the back of the 'fridge...
While inside I start feeling overwhelmed with daily demands of bills, school work, and homemaking tasks, plus the heart-breaking news of one friend's unexpected death, another friend's shattered marriage, and a close relative's battle with cancer, I can step outside to be reminded that every thing has a season, and nothing escapes the Creator's notice. The pain and death that mar His work are not of His making.
We still live in this blessed country where pilgrims crossed an ocean to freely worship their God, according to the dictates of their conscience rather than the dictates of a government. And after struggling to survive in this new land, they still found reason to give thanks. Now hundreds of years later you and I can believe what we want, and put our trust where we choose.
Whether camping out underneath a starry sky or collecting autumn leaves to grace my dining table, I am reminded of this one thing: The heavens declare the glory of God!
No matter what challenges or heartaches have presented themselves lately, I wish each of you a happy autumn. May you and yours find many reasons to be grateful this coming Thanksgiving holiday.

Tupperware, Anyone?

2008-11-19T09:15:00.000-08:00

Does anyone know of a Tupperware dealer in
one of these counties of California?
Merced
Madera
Mariposa
Stanislaus
Even when looking online, I'm running
into walls searching for someone who sells it.

What I Did on Saturday (and Sunday, etc., etc.)

2008-11-18T21:20:00.000-08:00

This past Saturday was unusually busy and pretty interesting.

I woke up while everyone else was still asleep, so I could get up to town for the Search and Rescue training meeting to do interviews for a feature story. Normally, SAR guys are on the shy side, but after some kidding around, most of them finally agreed to talk to me and let our photographer take their pictures. I learned about avalanches and winter safety for hiking the great outdoors.

Then I ran a few errands, including buying my favorite yogurt at the health food store.

Then our photo-guy and I had another interview at the fairgrounds with a couple ladies who are organizing the Soroptomist's Christmas Craft Show. It was a beautiful spring--I mean, autumn day, with temperatures in the high 70's or low 80's--unseasonably warm for these here parts. Again, I learned a lot about the Soroptomists and their generous contributions to communities all over the world.

Our photographer and I then discussed whether or not to stop at the corner where the "No on Prop 8" people were demonstrating, to talk to a few of them for a possible story. I was honest and told him I couldn't write about that impartially, as I strongly believe in traditional marriage. He was understanding.
I agreed to go, to find out how they're thinking on this issue.
His wife was there, along with a couple other people I recognized. (It was a national event, I was told.)
Their arguments are emotionally based: It's not fair... Equal rights... If we can be happily married, why shouldn't they... and civil rights, too...

Unfortunately, our government schools have not educated America's children in the important issues from our past, and many things have been taken out of context to support our modern, relativistic thinking. (It gave Ron and me a lot to chew on mentally.)

It was early afternoon by then, so we headed up West Whitlock Road to look for families who lost their homes in the Telegraph Fire this past summer, and to see what kind of re-building is going on; we were hoping to get some interviews for another story we're working on. It took us awhile, but finally we found someone at "home". He came out from his tiny cabin, to greet us, and then proceeded to tell us of his many frustrations, not only with the fire destroying practically everything he owned, but with the other things that took place afterwards (of which I'll not mention here). He was in tears; then I was in tears. He talked of the Bible, too, and wanted to have a deep theological discussion, but time and circumstances prevented me. When he asked if I had ever lost anything, I stated that I had lost our little boy. Then we cried again.
The man was tall, thin, and not very clean. "I hardly have anything to eat," he told us. We stayed for twenty minutes or so, and our hearts went out to him.
Before we left, I assured him I'd be back, and that I would bring him some food, and try to find a way to help him with the mess that still sits on his property.
At our vehicles, our photographer handed me a couple bills to help purchase food. The wheels in my brain were spinning, as I tried to come up with a sensible plan to get this man some help. But at the same time, my heart and mind and very soul were so burdened.

Also at our vehicles, the photo-guy explained some of his theological beliefs, since he had listened to quite an assortment of mine that day in our various conversations with people. We don't agree on much theologically or philosophically, but he's a talented photographer, and great to work with. (And he's in my prayers.)

I hadn't meant to stay in town so long, as the rest of my family was at home, and I had much to do there (what's new?).
I was crying and praying, and as I drove out of town, I saw in front of a church, a sign that read, "Tool Sale". I made a u-turn, and pulled up in the parking lot. As I got out, one of the men walked over toward me, and I started telling him about the man who lost his home, his tools, and much more. The guy handed me a case of brand new tools, and smiled. When I got back to the van, he came over and asked the man's name. I told him, and he said he'd put his name on their church prayer list, and see if any of the members live in his area or know him.

All the way home, I felt so overwhelmed with so many needs, nationally and individually. As Ron and I talked about it all later, he said he feels the same way about our ministry opporunities at church and with the inmates (he goes to the county jail to conduct Bible studies twice a week), etc. Too many of our friends at church are struggling with so much in their lives, and not seeming to get the victory.

"When I feel so burdened, the Lord has shown me that He doesn't expect me to meet all these needs, but to turn to Him to meet them," Ron said. I, too, have sensed God telling me that, but needed the reminder again.

The next day was Sunday. I sang "And He's Ever Interceeding". The message of that song was a timely encouragement for our church family, many told me.

At church that evening, I talked to two men who live in the Whitlock Road area. One of them said almost immediately, "Do we need to set up a work day?" It was "a word fitly spoken", and it thrilled me (with a sense of relief, too)! We discussed some possibilities that we'll work on this week.

Then on Monday, I had another interview for the craft show, and another impromptu one with a businessman in town (who's on the board of directors with the fire victims relief fund). That also went well. (He looked at my business card, and was pleased to see that I'm a Christian.)

The Lord keeps whispering to my frantic heart and mind lately, "Be still, and know that I am God." I'm trying. I'm also doing a whole lot of praying.

And, I'm expecting to see some "great and mighty things" here real soon!

Where, Oh, where has my little flashdrive gone?

2008-11-18T21:13:00.000-08:00

Where, Oh, where has my little flashdrive gone?
Oh, where, Oh, where could it be?

Somebody here at home used my flashdrive recently, and didn't put it back.
Now we can't find it.
In my frustration I told Ron, "I don't lose things. I take care of my things and keep track of them." (He's the one who usually uses it.)
That was Saturday.
Sunday morning I was looking for the puppy's leash, but couldn't find it.
I was the last one to use it (on Wednesday).
Ron helped me look for it, but it was nowhere to be found.
Then I had to admit that I do lose things (once in awhile,
or lately, it seems to be more than just once in awhile).

Sunday evening before church I grabbed my jacket,
and later when I put it on, I reached into the pocket
and found the leash! (I had worn that jacket on Wednesday.)

Now, if we could just find the flashdrive.

Puppies & Kiddos

2008-11-13T15:13:00.000-08:00

Puppies are cuddly, puppies are cute... And so the song goes, according to Veggie Tales.
We have a new puppy at our house, and all of a sudden I am remembering why I decided (fifteen years ago when Caspian was a puppy) never to get a puppy again. But it's too late now.
In her worst moments, Maddie is a little terror, chewing on everything and leaving "deposits" wherever she pleases. But in her best moments, which so far, outnumber the worst ones, she is the cutest, sweetest, most adorable little pug around. (Thanks, Mom!)
While puppies aren't quite as demanding as babies, they do have their "quirks", in a reckless and sometimes humorous sort of way.
First thing in the morning, we take Maddie out of her crate and put her outside to do her "business". But, true to puppy form, she's more interested in what's going on around her--the bugs on the ground, the birds in the air, the sticks, the leaves, a neighbor's dog barking down the road... And as she runs around the yard, crawling over this, climbing over that, or jumping up to bite my knee, she forgets what she's supposed to be doing and why I brought her outside in the first place. After ten or fifteen minutes of standing patiently (or not so patiently) in the chilly morning air--still clad in my bathrobe and slippers--I give up and bring her inside. After taking a few bites of her puppy breakfast, she then finds a place in the kitchen to do her "business"--now that she's no longer distracted by all the wonderful sights, sounds and smells of the great outdoors. ARGH!
She's less than three months old, so I console myself that eventually, with our patient persistence, she will be housebroken, and we can settle back a little to enjoy her adorable sweetness even more. This is the way it is with puppies. And with the proper training, they do grow up and grow out of certain behaviors. Sort of like our kids.
Rearing children can be a little like raising puppies, but with greater mental, emotional and spiritual significance. To put the puppy in a crate for an hour or two, while we do our work, will not mess with her psyche. But doing that to a human child will bring the Department of Child Welfare Services to our door (and with good reason).
God does have a few things to say about how we treat our animals, because He gave them to us for pleasure and for profit (especially in rural areas, both ancient and modern). But how we treat our children is much more important.
While Maddie's playfulness and lack of focus outside very much gets in the way of my plans, I do know that it's part of being a puppy, and it won't last forever. With my children, though, there is much so more required of me as a parent, than some patience, and just putting her outside every couple hours and giving her a few toys to chew on, the right amount of food and water, and a warm, comfy place to sleep.
Yet, I'm finding that some parents treat their children the same way they treat their pets: by allowing them to be "puppies"--eating, sleeping, playing, getting into trouble and making messes--because "that's what puppies (a.k.a. babies, children teen-agers) do--Besides, they'll out-grow it some day, and then we can all sit back and relax."
Sorry, but it doesn't work that way. Puppies were created as animals, distinctly different from humans (no matter what the evolutionists say). Animals are guided by instinct, and a puppy has the nature of a dog. But little humans are to be guided by the adult humans in their lives, because they have the nature of a sinner. When that ideal is broken down, everybody suffers from the fall-out. Little humans cannot be allowed to act like puppies, with all the emphasis being placed on playing, and none of the emphasis put on responsibility, character, morality or God-given authority and accountability.
While God can and will use an animal to get across His point (remember Balaam's donkey?), He only does that when humans are too set in their stubborn ways. He would much rather use someone who is humble and submissive, teachable, tender, and delighting in doing His will.
Then, instead of living with a trail of destruction and regret behind them, our children can enjoy the benefits that come from redeeming the time--while they're young--in working hard and learning new skills, and all the other good things that come from walking in God's ways, with a few wise and loving adults close by to lead them.
"Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right." - Prov. 20:11

Thoughts of Marriage

2008-11-13T15:09:00.000-08:00

I'm a girly-girl and a hopeless romantic. I know some of you are, too. With autumn leaves falling all around us, and the chilly evenings providing the most beautiful sunsets, it's hard not to think of leisurely walks, hand-in-hand with the one we love, or cuddling together in front of the fireplace or wood stove after the kids are put to bed.
Sometimes our perception of the ideal marriage is based on reality, but more often it's based on movies or romance novels. This is a subject we've looked at before, but it's a subject that needs to be constantly re-visited. This time we'll look at what others say about the institution of marriage.

In physics, the law of entropy says that all systems, left unattended, will run down. Unless new energy is pumped in, the organism will disintegrate. Entropy is at work in many areas other than physics. I see it, for instance, when I work with couples whose marriages are in trouble. A marriage will not continue to be good simply because two people love each other, are compatible, and get off to a fine start. To the contrary, marriages left to their own devices tend to wear out, break down, and ultimately disintegrate. This is the law of entropy. So to keep our relationships working, we must constantly pump new energy into them. --Alan Loy McGinnis

"The ever-living Christ is here to bless you. The nearer you keep Him, the nearer you will be to one another." --Geoffrey Francis Fisher, Archbishop of Canterbury, at the wedding of Queen Elizabeth II

The most consistent research findings about what is different in the communication of strangers and people married to each other is that married people are ruder to each other than they are to strangers. They interrupt their spouses more, put their spouses down more, and are less complimentary to each other.

The Christian idea of marriage is based on Christ's words that a man and wife are to be regarded as a single organism--for that is what the words "one flesh" would be in modern English. And the Christians believe that when He said this He was not expressing a sentiment but stating a fact--just as one is stating a fact when one says that a lock and its key are one mechanism, or that a violin and a bow are one musical instrument. The inventor of the human machine was telling us that its two halves, the male and the female, were made to be combined together in pairs, not simply on the sexual level, but totally combined...
What we call "being in love" is a glorious state, and, in several ways, is good for us...It is a noble feeling, but it is still a feeling. Now no feeling can be relied on to last in its full intensity, or even to last at all. Knowledge can last; principles can last; habits can last, but feelings come and go. And in fact, whatever people say, the state called "being in love" usually does not last. If the old fairy-tale ending "They lived happily ever after" is taken to mean "They felt for the next fifty years exactly as they felt the day before they were married," then it says what probably never was nor ever could be true, and would be highly undesirable if it were. Who could bear to live in that excitement for even five years? What would become of your work, your appetite, your sleep, your friendships? But, of course, ceasing to be "in love" need not mean ceasing to love. Love in this second sense--love as distinct from "being in love" is not merely a feeling. It is a deep unity, maintained by the will and deliberately strengthened by habit, reinforced by (in Christian marriages) the grace which both parties ask, and receive, from God. They can have this love for each other even at those moments when they do not like each other, as you love yourself even when you do not like yourself. They can retain this love even when each would easily, if they allowed themselves, be "in love" with someone else. "Being in love" first moved them to promise fidelity: this quieter love enables them to keep the promise. It is on this love that the engine of marriage is run: being in love was the explosion that started it. -- C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity

To quote Judith S. Wallerstein and Sandra Blakeslee in their book Second Chances--Men, Women and Children a Decade After Divorce:
"The family comprises the scaffolding upon which children mount successive developmental stages, from infancy into adolescence. It supports their psychological, physical, and emotional ascent into maturity. When that structure collapses, the children's world is temporarily without supports... The human newborn is one of the most helpless creatures on earth. Human children need their parents far longer than any other animal species, and children are tragically aware of this fact---they know how absolutely dependent they are on adults. Accordingly, they have a very primitive, very real fear of being left on their own... A child's immediate reaction... is fear. When their family breaks up, children feel vulnerable, for they fear that their lifeline is in danger of being cut. Their sense of sadness and loss is profound... Children grieve over the loss of the family..." (p. 12)
Both French and European history reveals the inevitable breakdown of the family and society when divorce is easily attained, both legally and economically. In fact, France made divorce illegal for a time, because of how society had deteriorated from the brokenness of families.

With these things in mind, let's look at a few more facts:
Chances are, anyone who is contemplating divorce right now is looking at the circumstances (with his or her accompanying misery and emotional heartache), finding it more appealing to listen to the world's ideas and Satan's lies, than to the principles in God's Word. But we must remember that God is the One Who instituted marriage in the first place. His reasons weren't about fuzzy feelings or self-satisfaction He knows why He designed this to be a covenant, instead of merely a contract. (What Satan doesn't show us about divorce is: the one set of problems is traded for a bigger and more devasting set of problems, that is then compounded by one person trying to handle them by his or herself.)
Marriage is not about me and my needs; neither is it the American Disney fairytale we typically dream of. It is more often about serving and ministering to our spouse and representing Christ in our greatest mission field--the home.
Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor...and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. - Ecc. 4:9 & 12
...From the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put assunder. - Mark 10:6-9
A serious look at the marriages in Scripture reveals the emphasis that's placed on promised vows, rather than on feelings, romance or happiness. Even in past history and into the twentieth century, a person was valued by his or her character, integrity and work ethic. Whereas, among today's singles, a sense of humor or outward appearance rank as the #1 quality many look for in a mate(!?!)
Anyone considering divorce needs to remember: God wants our marriages to succeed even more than you and I do. Marriage is a holy and sacred union, picturing our union with Christ. And He promises wisdom to those who seek it.
...If thou wilt receive My words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline (lean) thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God... Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. - Proverbs 2:1-5 & 9
We must also remember that God never gave divorce as a solution to marital conflict (or incompatibility, irreconcilable differences, etc.). The same principles apply to marriage as do in any relationship. We are to love our lifelong mate with the same love that God has for us, to put another's needs before our own, to treat others the way we want to be treated, and to serve and submit to our husband, because God created an order that works best when followed. Woman was made to be the man's help-meet, which is an old-fashioned term for "a counterpart, suitable to aid him". As wives, our greatest prayer should be that God would show us--in the "supporting role"--how to be the wife that our husband needs, how to be the "completer" of him. (Sometimes we balk at having to "take the lead" in making our marriage work, but because God made us more sensitive, we can use this sensitivity to call on Him, not only to benefit us, but to benefit our husband and our family as a whole.)
There may be some men who stand before God someday, only to hear Him say: "Those sure are some good kids your wife raised." But I would much rather hear that, than to watch my children suffer needlessly, while I stood by and did nothing. Abigail somehow interwove her submission to Nabal with great wisdom and appropriate action on the behalf of those in her household. God blessed her for it, and Nabal suffered the consequences of being a "fool". This is the kind of wisdom we need, for all of life.
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her. - Prov. 3:13-18
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
There never was a person who did anything worth doing that he did not receive more than he gave.
- Henry Ward Beecher

It is ours to offer what we can,
God's to supply what we cannot.
- Saint Jerome

My God is Sovereign

2008-11-06T08:53:00.000-08:00

"When there's trouble in the families,
there's mischief in the pulpit."
- Charles Spurgeon

"Casting all our care upon Him, because He cares for you."
or, as paraphrased, we are to:

"Throw with all of our might,
all the weight
of our worries and anxieties and perplexities
onto the Lord, because you and I
are of great interest
and personal concern to Him."
- Alistair Begg

"For peace of mind,
resign as General Manager of the Universe."
- Anonymous

Be still (cease striving), and know that I am God."
- Psalm 46:10

Times and Seasons

2008-11-05T10:33:00.000-08:00

There are seasons of storm,
seasons of sunshine,
seasons of plenty,
seasons of drought...
Whatever the season,
however dark the storm,
the Son still shines,
God still reigns,
and our greatest work
is done on our knees
in humble prayer.
God has a plan,
and we can trust Him!

To every thing there is a season,
and a time for every purpose under Heaven.
- Ecclesiastes 3:1

The Village Idiot

2008-10-31T10:24:00.000-07:00

More likely, I'm just a mom from the Dark Ages. Here's what I mean...
We recently borrowed a friend's new car to drive across the state to a conference. With each of our vehicles being more than two decades old, I didn't know what I was in for.
This shiny, sleek driving machine is a modern invention that takes you places and does things for you, sometimes whether you like it or not.
I got in and looked around. So far, so good. But when I turned the key to start the engine, and shifted into drive, things started happening all around me! Things were moving and clicking, strapping me tight, locking me in, telling me what to do, with buzzers buzzing and beepers beeping, and lights coming on inside and out. I don't remember turning them on--I didn't even know how to, as every time I reached for a lever, the wipers raced wildly across the windshield, leaving me stunned! And making me look like the village idiot.
Then at the conference center, in the ladies restroom after washing my hands, I reached for a paper towel from the holder on the wall. But nothing happened. It was "motion-activated", and the little red light kept blinking at me. So I waved my hand in front of the sensor, just a little bit--first one hand, then the other, then both hands. Again, like the village idiot, waving at some imaginary something or someone, and getting no response. I looked around--thankfully no one else was there--and saw a roll of paper toweling on the counter. "Ah, the machine must not be working," I thought, and dried my hands. (Although they weren't as wet, with all the waving I had done!)
Later, back in the restroom, with other ladies this time, one of them was doing the "wave", and we laughed about it...
About how often we try to use "automatic" faucets and towel dispensers, and they don't work...
Or how the automatic flush on the toilet works too well and too often, flushing loudly, almost voraciously (causing young children to startle in fright, expecting to be sucked into the vortex!) --not to mention the huge waste of water, as every time I make a move, there goes all that precious California water rushing down the pipes!
These are the modern inventions that promise to make life easier. And they do--sometimes. (Other times they're more of a pain than turning the handle on the inside of the car door to roll the window down.) That's when we long for the days when work was noble, and we could do things for ourselves, without some machine trying to do our thinking and our working for us.
My kids, of course, love these new inventions--these "labor saving devices" from the 21st century! And they feel sorry for those of us who had to grow up in the 1900's, as if we lived in the Dark Ages!
If only they knew...

Autumn Rain

2008-10-31T10:16:00.000-07:00

Rain, rain, stay awhile,
Upon my face you've brought a smile.
With the sun, we'd work and play,
But now we'll stitch the day away.

Hide and Seek?

2008-10-29T09:53:00.000-07:00

"So long as we imagine
it is we who have to look for God,
we must often lose heart.
But it is the other way around--
He is looking for us."
- Simon Tugwell

Thoughts on Knowing God's Will

2008-10-27T12:35:00.000-07:00

In Matthew 21:18-22 Jesus cursed the fig tree for its barrenness, using it as an object lesson to His disciples of Israel's spiritual barrenness. By the next day when they walked past again, the tree was withered, and the disciples were amazed.
Jesus explained,
"Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea', it will be done. And all things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."
Does this mean that God will give us anything and everything we ask for, as long as we believe strongly enough? Whenever we want a new car, another house, a larger income, a different husband or wife or job or circumstance?
If we're honest, we first have to admit, due to our lack of wisdom and foreknowledge, everything we ask for is not good for us.
Secondly, we must understand that whatever we ask for that is within God's holy and sovereign will (meaning that He created us with a purpose in mind, and He knows what is best), that's what He's saying we'll receive. Partnering with God by praying in faith for His will is what will remove mountains (physically and spiritually).
Is it God's will for people to trust His Son as Lord and Savior? Pray and believe.
Is it God's will for husbands and wives and parents and children to love each other, respond to each other rightly, and stay together as a family? Pray and believe.
Is it God's will for His children to grow in grace and knowledge of Him, and to produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit? Pray and believe (for ourselves and each other).
Is it God's will for something else, clearly stated in Scripture? Pray and believe.
But what about the things in life that are not dealt with specifically?
Biblical illustrations and examples give the direction we need, and many more verses tell us to call on God for wisdom and guidance. Moses, Abraham, David, Daniel, Joshua, Joseph, Abigail, Esther, Paul and even Jesus sought God's will, and received the help they needed. We too must look to God before making decisions or doing anything that affects others or influences the course of our life path. We also see in some of these lives and in others, what kind of trouble ensued when they neglected to seek the Lord and/or in using their own ability to reason (King Saul, for instance).
Our prayers of faith are not a magic wand to re-arrange things to suit our fancy. But they are a powerful tool when brought humbly before the throne of grace, asking for God's purposes to be accomplished in our lives.
For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers... Psalm 34:15 & I Peter 3:12

A Huggable Pug & Some Miscellaneous Items of Interest

2008-10-26T15:57:00.000-07:00

We finally got a PUG!!!
With my mom helping to finance the enterprise,
and God orchestrating the rest
(We met the "pug-lady" in a Target parking lot,
with my daughter carrying her pug purse,
which of course, caught the lady's attention,
so we talked and found out her great love, too).
Our newest member of the family is
short and stout and soft and cuddly...
(Photos to be posted soon, I hope.)
"Maddie" is nine and-a-half weeks old,
and loves all the attention she's getting,
especially from our #1 girl who gets on the floor
and the ground (not minding the dried grass and leaves
she picks up on her back and hair)
to let the puppy crawl all over her.
They are "best buds".
After the heartbreak of losing our foster babies
(twin girls we thought we'd get to keep before our little guy came),
#1 girl told me yesterday,
"At least no one can take Maddie away from us."
Caring for a puppy is sort of like caring for a baby,
though not as demanding.
We take her with us everywhere,
and after church today all our friends wanted to hold her.
She has tons of personality,
and has already brought an extra share of laughter into our home,
as she runs and slides on the kitchen linoleum,
chases the cat (who's still not sure what's going on),
and tilts her head to one side when I talk to her,
or when Ron whistles.

This California autumn is unseasonably warm,
but the leaves are turning to gold and red,
and friends are giving us truckloads of wood for the stove,
which is a huge blessing.

My #1 girl isn't even in her teens yet,
but she's as tall as me, and is too quickly growing out of her clothes,
so we'll be praying hard, and shopping at thrift stores soon
to get her some warmer clothes.

I still shed tears over our little guy,
as we miss him terribly.
Almost everyday I'm reminded of him in some way,
either by hearing young children in the stores,
seeing them sitting in shopping carts,
or just by looking at his picture,
and remembering his sweetness and delight in being loved so much.

And finally,
we just received news that a dear friend in Arizona
passed away two days ago from cancer,
and another friend from Virginia has a huge tumor
on her kidney, and isn't expected to live much longer
(four children out of six are still at home).
Heaven seems so much closer
when someone we know personally
leaves this earth and steps into eternity.

When I Lay My Isaac Down

2008-10-22T12:57:00.000-07:00

This is the name of an amazing book:
When I Lay My Isaac Down,
by Carol Kent.
Her heart-wrenching story is a must-read...
With tons of help for anyone wanting to grow
deeper in their faith.
Don't forget the box of tissues--you'll need it.

Storytelling

2008-10-21T21:13:00.000-07:00

Daughter #1 is learning about Africa as part of her world studies this year. Among the African traditions is the ancient practice of storytelling. Stories are told and re-told to each generation, and the stories become a part of the people's heritage. Some stories are true, and some are fanciful, but all have meaning in the African culture.

I've been reading in the book of Joshua, and this too has reminded me about storytelling. After the Israelites crossed the Jordan River, God told Joshua to have one man from each tribe choose a stone, for the making of a monument there in the river. God said that when their children and grandchildren asked them, "What do these stones mean?" they would be able to tell about God's power in stopping the water (which was overflowing the banks at the time), so His people could cross on dry ground. This was to become one of the many stories of God's miracles that would be passed down from generation to generation.

These stories of God's mighty acts on behalf of His people are recorded in His Word, and we are blessed to be able to read about them whenever we want. But we also need to be reading them to our children. And not just reading them, but actually talking about the stories with our loved ones.

Today, with so much media at our fingertips, we can hear a story in a song on the radio, or see a story from the DVD on our television screen. Much work and time and money go into making these stories, and these are the stories that our children are being influenced by... The stories that are shaping their thinking and forming their values... These are also the stories that they are identifying with, that are becoming a part of them...

This is why I try to be so careful about the music we listen to and the movies we watch. And this is why we home school, why we're part of a local church, and why the Bible is central to our family life. God's stories are powerful and life changing, and His stories are meant to be my stories, too. God wants His culture to be my culture, so He can show Himself mighty, and those around me can ask, "What do these things mean?"

Retreating With Ladies

2008-10-19T20:38:00.000-07:00

A few of us ladies from church went to the "Castle"
for a ladies retreat. The theme was about Faith.
It was a good time to get to know each other better,
and to be strengthened in our faith.

As I have been to many ladies retreats,
I still love to watch the ladies come to breakfast each morning.
Being a morning person, myself,
and enjoying the freshness of a new day,
it's fun to see the expressions on their faces,
as they talk and laugh,
and devour the delicious food
(that we didn't prepare or have to clean up after)!

As I watch them,
I'm always reminded of how much God loves each woman,
no matter what her size or shape or coloring.
I'm also reminded of how beautiful each one is in His eyes.
Whether tall, short, thin or not-so-thin,
blond, brunette, redhead, or graying,
Asian, Hispanic, Caucasian, Samoan, African-American...
Every lady has lips that smile and eyes that light up
when something delights her,
and there was a lot of that going on this weekend,
while centered on our purpose of drawing closer to Him.

What's Really Scary?

2008-10-12T22:57:00.000-07:00

I read last week that a female celebrity said,
"Sarah Palin scares me."
This female celebrity's name is Whoopi Goldberg.
Some people think they're the "norm" and others are not.
Sarah Palin does not scare me.
But a whole lot of female (and male) celebrities do...

And in many public schools,
students' grades are based on imagination and creativity,
instead of content and other things like facts and knowledge...

Television's Super Nanny goes into homes to set things straight,
and teach parents how to be better parents,
by being positive and creative in their attempts at
getting their kiddos to do what the parents want
or what's good for them.
They spend oodles of time and effort coaxing and coercing
and trying everything else,
except bringing them up in the nurture
and admonition of the Lord,
and using the rod when necessary, as the Bible says...

Democrats ae upset that conservative voters are focused on
things like traditional marriage and abortion,
instead of the "real issues",
like the economy and bringing our troops home...

A Methodist clergyman in central California
who takes Scripture out of context,
and doesn't believe that the New Testament and Old Testament
were written by the same Person,
who believes that the right to marry
should be granted to same-sex couples,
because this is what Jesus would do..

These are come the things that scare me.
Not someone like Sarah Palin
who lives what she believes
and stands up and speaks out,
for the things that are right
and against the things that are wrong...

May God help Christians in America
to stop filling their minds with the garbage of the world,
and start thinking God's thoughts,
reading God's words,
and living God's way.

Anxious For Autumn & School Days

2008-10-03T22:04:00.001-07:00

Finally, here it is--
The weather report says RAIN,
And autumn is just around the corner!
It's been partly cloudy for two days now...
The heat of summer is over--
We've had two gloriously cool days!
Not chilly days--
Like they're having in the mid-west
Or mid-atlantic or New England states,
Or all of the above,
(which is where I long to live)--
But closer to chilly days than we were a week ago.
So, if that's the best this part of California can do right now,
I'll take it!
God made the seasons,
And they always come in the same order
(Thank the Lord for His wonderful sense of order!),
And Autumn is on its way!
(Now we're just waiting for the leaves to start falling.)

When I was a girl
School always started the day after Labor Day.
My birthday is in August,
So I always got new school clothes,
And then I got new school supplies,
And I still remember the joyful anticipation
Of starting fresh in a new school year.
So now, after home schooling my kiddos
For seventeen or eightteen years,
All I can think of is
getting my degree and my teaching certificate,
So I can have a traditional classroom of my very own,
and teach a bunch of somebody else's kids(?)...

When I signed up at our local community college a few weeks ago,
To maybe start taking a class or two,
I checked the box: "Displaced Homemaker",
Because that was the one that seemed most to apply,
Although it's only partially true,
Meaning that I haven't been in the work force
(employed outside of my home)
In the last five years.
Since I haven't "gone to work"
In about six years, that's the box I checked.
Not that I haven't been working all this time--
I've just been working in other places and other ways...

Home schooling has so many rewards--
Why would I want to teach anywhere else?
Or is it that all the things I've learned
While home schooling,
Are things I want to share with other kids, too?
And being that I was educated by American government schools,
Where I learned piddly compared to what I've learned
Just by reading my kids' textbooks--
Maybe I want to teach other kids the truth
About world history and American history,
Or what an adverb is and a direct object
And a predicate noun and a present participle,
Or teach home education and share my love
Of cooking and baking
And sewing and quilting...

I promised #1 Daughter a few years ago,
Because she loves cloudy days,
And Arizona has so few of them,
That every autumn,
On the first cloudy, rainy day
Of the season (that we don't have prior plans),
We will spend the day at home
(no school work, other than maybe reading one subject,
So that it still qualifies as a school day),
Curled up together on the couch,
With an afghan and a couple mugs of hot cocoa or cider,
And just enjoy the day together.
For the past two days she has kept her eyes on the kitchen window,
waiting and hoping for the rain to come.

Today's Encouragement

2008-10-02T16:40:00.000-07:00

This came in the mail today from a friend...

God is most glorified in you
when you are most satisfied in Him.

Devote your whole life to being happy in God.
Delight in Him above everything else.
Seek fulfillment and pleasure in God.

"You will show me the path of life: in Your presence is fulness of joy; at Your right hand there are pleasures for evermore." - Psalm 16:11

Today's Thoughts

2008-10-01T10:45:00.000-07:00

I can never lead souls heavenward,
unless I am climbing there, myself.
It is not enough to tell how to get there--
I must lead by showing the way.

***********

I wonder, with the new interest in Islam and Buddhism,
if in our crazy world with our hectic schedules,
Americans will not be seduced into these false religions,
simply by the desire for peace and serenity.

As Christians who know the One true and living God,
we must put the brakes on our fast-paced lifestyle,
To spend more time with our family,
just working hard, learning much (of what is wise and helpful),
doing simple things at home...
To read the Word more, to meditate on God's promises more,
to pray for each other and our nation,
the very one that is quickly drifting away from it's roots,
And to discover true contentment and fulfillment
in Him, in His purposes, and in the blessings He provides
(not all His blessings are material).

**********

Those who do not know my family are "strangers",
and they do not understand our ways,
as they view us from the outside.
But when a person takes the time to get to know us,
to spend time with us at home, in our van,
while camping, or in other situations,
he or she sees us from another perspective,
and gains new understanding in the "why's" and "wherefore's"--
the mechanics of operation for our particular clan.

It is the same with God and His family.
Those on the outside view Him as a tyrant,
knowing only the ancient reports of wars and death and destruction
brought on by His people in earlier times.
Add to that the story of a sinless man,
an itinerant Teacher named Jesus,
Who was hanged on a cruel cross
after being beaten to a bloody pulp,
for crimes He did not commit...

With those same people not comprehending
the depths of human depravity
brought on as a result of the Fall in the Garden...
They are still looking on from the outside,
unable to make sense of the puzzle pieces,
and eventually they give up on ever unraveling the Mystery.
They walk away with a distorted and prejudiced view of God
and His people, His plans and His purposes.

These are some of the same people who teach
in America's educational institutions,
pointing out only the conquests and injustices,
done in the name of Christianity:
Jericho, Sodom and Gormorrah,
and later, unfortunately, the Crusades.
Let us remember, though, and point out
to those who question or criticize,
that their understanding is purely on a surface level.
They view life as merely a warm body,
and death as a cold grave.
Whereas, God's view of life and death go far deeper
than the first dimension of time and matter.

What they do not see is God's compassion in the destruction,
as with the world-wide flood,
the death of some stopped their influence
from affecting and destroying many;
By God stopping the wickedness from spreading,
He was reaching out to future nations to bring life and hope.
He, Who is the all-seeing Eye,
was fully aware of the cultures of those countries
in Old Testament times...
Their lives without the Truth had led them astray,
with the sense of purposelessness turning into hopelessness,
while debauchery of every kind brought on disease and cruelties
of other kinds (hardening and callousing their hearts
to no longer be tender or receptive).
Their wickedness had greater potential of
death and destruction of the spiritual kind.
(Just as Christ's death would stop Satan
from having control and gaining victory over mankind
and their eternity...
His bodily death would spare many souls from a worse death...)

Archaeologists' findings in the areas of ancient lands
reveal old civilizations that no longer exist.
From the Philistine culture, many pottery pieces
are from wine and beer pitchers and mugs,
supporting the idea that the Philistines were heavy drinkers,
which we can find in the biblical account of Samson in Judges 16.

The Phoenicians were another group of people
entrenched in their wickedness.
They worshiped many gods, including Baal, the storm god.
King Ahab's wife, Jezebel, was from Tyre, a city in Phoenicia.
The ancient Phoenician cities today stand in ruins,
testifying of their sin and God's righteous judgment.

We need to spend more time and energy learning of Him
and His dealings with mankind down through the ages,
and stop filling our brains with mindless entertainment
and useless pop cultural enticements...

Or we may very well end up as a city in ruins,
instead of a city on a hill as early Americans intended.

My Son, the Salesman

2008-09-26T22:33:00.000-07:00

For those of you living on the west side of Phoenix, AZ,
or anywhere in the general vicinity of that part of the desert,
if you're ever in need of a new bed or a new mattress set,
or a quality mattress cover,
or some new pillows that are "the world's best"
(so I've been told)...
Or you just want to visit with a young, single, loud,
handsome, charming, intelligent,
somewhat stubborn, slightly obnoxious,
but very endearing,
20-something tall, white male,
who likes the AZ Diamondbacks,
ice hockey, good food, country music,
plays the guitar and sings in his church choir--

Sorry, I got a little carried away there...

(The country music thing comes from his grandpa
on his dad's side--
definitely not from his mom!
But I love him to pieces anyway)...

Just maybe you could
call a Mattress Firm store, and ask for Jeremy C.,
(he gets moved around, but somebody should know
which store he's at or how to find him),
and he'll be glad to sell you something
that will help you sleep better!
After just a few months in the business
he's doing pretty well.
(I'm not bragging as much as I'm just thrilled
that he's found his niche.
Plus, I love hearing his enthusiastic voice
on the other end of the telephone.)
He's hoping to become a manager soon
at a store he can call his own.

During this economic crunch, though,
the company just raised the dollar amount
their sales-folk have to reach
before getting a commission.
And of course, his sales are his paycheck,
which allows him to buy food (other than Top Ramen),
and gas, and pay his bills and student loan stuff, etc.
He reads about diplomacy by Henry Kissinger
when business is slow,
and is developing sales and communication skills
that should prove useful in his future ambitions.

If you don't need a new bed,
maybe someone you know does,
and you can give them his name.
He'll appreciate it, and he won't sell you a lemon.

Life Without Baby M

2008-09-26T22:29:00.000-07:00

He's gone now--our little foster baby
who never seemed like a foster child,
but was more like our own child,
in every way.
It's been hard, of course
(please forgive me for saying this again),
but it's getting easier.

Before, I couldn't walk into his room,
or see something of his
without breaking down in sobs.
I find myself still listening
for his voice, to wake me up
in the morning,
or to call me from his nap.
Yesterday, I even looked at the door
separating the two parts of the house,
and thought, "Oh! I need to check on M!"
And then remembered that he's no longer here.
I kept two little outfits
that were my favorites,
and the soft, green blanket
with raised dots and satin trim,
so I can hold them and close my eyes,
and remember what it felt like
to hold his chubby, cuddly little body in my arms.

His grandparents were so gracious at the end;
we parted as friends, instead of enemies,
and we're thankful.
She said we would keep in touch,
and I've been over to her house a couple times,
to drop off something,
and I got to see him and hold him again.
(He gets such a big smile on his face when he sees me.)
He's doing well there,
and God will take care of him.

Others have told us how we laid a solid foundation
for him during this first year of his life,
one that will remain with him.
I pray and pray that is true.
Like Jochabed with Moses,
and the mothers of Joseph and Esther and Daniel,
whose love and nurturing helped shape
their strong character.

Sometimes God not only brings a person into our life
so that we can influence him,
but so that he can influence us.
And this is the case with baby M.
After almost a year of knowing him,
we are the ones blessed.
We are also the ones changed--
for the good,
as our daily ministrations on his behalf
were used by God to teach us much about love
without strings or expectations.
He will probably not remember this past year.
But we will never forget it.
And we are better parents and better persons,
because of him.

A young friend talked with us the other night,
whom we hadn't seen in awhile.
One of her first questions was,
"So, how is the baby? Have you heard yet?
"Do you get to keep him?"
She hadn't heard the latest,
so we explained.
Her face fell with the news.
But after listening, she asked,
"You're not going to stop, though, are you?
"You're still going to try to adopt--right?"
This pleading look came across her face,
as in desperation
wanting our victory to be her victory.
"No, we're not going to stop," I assured her.
"We're going to take a break, though,
to get our bearings straight.
We're taking one day at a time,
to let our hearts heal and to seek God's direction.
"But we'll try again."
And she smiled.

In the Middle of the Road?!?!

2008-09-18T09:28:00.000-07:00

Shortly after we moved here, our city friends came to visit us. In the mountain community up the road a few miles, Bob was surprised (rather, shocked) to see deer grazing on the court house lawn and walking nonchalantly across the road by office buildings, etc. (in other words--in public!). He pointed this out to someone walking by. "LOOK! There's a DEER!" The individual said something like, "Oh, yeah. We get them around here all the time."

No big deal. It's just a deer... A graceful creature that feasts on our rose bushes, flower gardens and fruit trees. Some home owners put up tall wire fencing around all the plants in their yard. My husband thinks it looks like a penitentiary. "Takes all the fun out of gardening," he says.

But I digress...

We've become accustomed to watching for critters, large and small, as we drive in this part of California. We often see skunks, raccoons, opossum, deer, of course, owls, bats, hawks, vultures, and even a mountain lion or bobcat once in awhile. One time we even saw what we thought was a small black bear loping up the embankment beside the road. But it was nighttime, so we couldn't be positive.

But, last night as I drove home in the dark countryside, my headlights caught what appeared to be a pair of eyes on the edge of the road. "Probably another raccoon," I thought. And as my van followed the curve of the road, I was amazed to see this large bulk of an animal belonging to the tiny pair of eyes--and it was a BEAR! A big black BEAR standing across the double yellow line in the middle of the road, looking at me, as I swerved to miss it! And being that it was black, it blended in too well with the pavement and the darkness all around. "Wow! Thank You, Lord, that it wasn't in the middle of my lane. Because I would have run right into it if it was!"

(And some people think country life is boring.)

Friends

2008-09-14T22:03:00.000-07:00

One of my friends and I had decided at the beginning of summer that we would go walking after church in the evenings (Sundays & Wednesdays), pushing our babies in the strollers and getting some fellowship and some exercise. We did it once. Now that summer is almost over, we've done it twice more. Too many other things got in the way. But it's fun when we actually get our feet into our walking shoes and push our way up and down the hills through town!

Another friend asked me if I'd like to share a room with her at our ladies retreat next month, and I said, "Yes!" So, today when we filled out our registration forms, we wrote each other's names on the blank (roommate preferred), and it felt like we were girls again, getting ready for camp.

This afternoon I called a friend whom I haven't seen in a year, to get her new address (a piece of mail came back to me), and to find out how she and her family are doing. We discovered that we'll be attending the same pastors/wives retreat on the coast next week! I invited them to come up here for Thanksgiving, and they're going to try to work it out. Our husbands went to Bible college together, but we attended different churches. When we had them over for dinner the first time, our #1 son was only six years old, and their #1 son was a newborn. But we became instant friends, and have been friends ever since.

A few other friends gave me their money so I can get us all tickets to see the play "Romeo and Juliet". We're excited to have a girls' day together, shopping, eating out, and enjoying some culture!

(It sounds like all I do is go on retreats and get away with my friends, but actually it must be the time of year when everything is happening, because it's been a year or more since I've done anything like this--with the baby and all.)

It sure is nice to have good friends, though, whether we just hang around after church and talk, or go somewhere fun together.

From Charles Spurgeon's Morning and Evening

2008-09-14T21:56:00.000-07:00

"...Your good Spirit." - Nehemiah 9:20

Common, too common, is the sin of forgetting the Holy Spirit. This is folly and ingratitude. He deserves better from us, for He is good, supremely good.

As God, He is good essentially. He shares in the threefold ascription of "Holy, holy, holy" that ascends to the Triune God. He is unmixed purity, truth, and grace.

He is good benevolently, tenderly bearing with our waywardness, striving with our rebellious wills, quickening us from our death in sin, and then training us for heaven as a loving father trains his children. How generous, forgiving, and tender is this patient Spirit of God.

He is good operatively. All His works are good in the most eminent degree: He suggests good thoughts, prompts good actions, reveals good truths, applies good promises, assists in good attainments, and leads to good results.

There is no spiritual good in all the world of which He is not the author and sustainer, and heaven itself will owe the perfect character of its redeemed inhabitants to His work.

He is good officially: Whether as Comforter, Instructor, Guide, Sanctifier, Quickener, or Intercessor, He fulfills His office well, and each work is filled with the highest good to the church of God.

Those who yield to His influences become good; those who obey His impulses do good; those who live under His power receive good. Let us then act toward Him according to the dictates of gratitude.

Let us revere His person and adore Him as God over all, blessed forever; let us own His power and our need of Him by waiting upon Him in all our holy enterprises; let us hourly seek His help and never grieve Him; and let us speak His praise whenever occasion occurs.

The church will never prosper until it more reverently believes in the Holy Spirit. He is so good and kind that it is sad indeed that He should be grieved by slights and negligences.

(Just a wonderful reminder of God's blessings toward His children!)

Just A Thought

2008-09-08T21:46:00.000-07:00

A calm sea never made a great sailor.

What Colors Are You Looking For?

2008-09-06T09:55:00.000-07:00

At a meeting last week (one of many required in our various ministry and outreach endeavors) the speaker told us to look around the room and find everything that was "blue". She gave us a minute to look; then we were to close our eyes and think about all the blue things we saw.

As Sally walked around the room, she went over to a few of us and asked a question. "Paul, what did you see that was orange?"
"Orange?!" he said. "I wasn't looking for orange--I don't know."

"Monica, tell me what you saw that was green."
"Oh, um, I don't remember seeing anything green," Monica replied.

And around the room she continued, asking us about other colors besides blue.

Her point was this: We see what we're looking for.

In today's newspaper I caught a glimpse of a cartoon picturing Sarah Palin carrying John McCain in her arms like a baby, with her saying, "I'm planning to carry him to term."

The announcement came just this week (or was it last week?) about her being McCain's running mate for the presidential election, and already the critics abound. They are coming in droves, saying and doing whatever they can to color these people in their own drab tones.

My husband and I often talk about life's challenges. We've come to the conclusion that whether it concerns our family, the ministry, our neighbors, school stuff, whatever we're involved in, our words and our attitudes will color each situation in a certain light--giving help towards finding a solution or heaping criticism that only tears down.

No matter where we go or what we do, there will always be critics. But the world doesn't need more critics. There is enough pain and ugliness without pompous people standing around, shaking their heads, "tsk, tsk-ing", predicting doom and gloom, and spewing us with their horrid blacks, browns, and murky grays.

And those who sit in the stands criticizing those who are on the playing field aren't nearly as smart or witty or talented as they think they are.

We don't want to be part of the problem. We want to be part of the solution. Yes, there are challenges and difficulties, with plenty of bumps and bruises along the way. But as Jesus put it, "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

A friend told me recently, "I'm learning to 'be the change that I want to see'."

I like that. And in this journey to the Heavenly City, I'm looking for the colors Jesus sees. Then I can point out to others the beauty and radiance in life that's just waiting to be discovered.

"Having eyes, do you not see?" - Mark 8:18

"For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known." - I Cor. 13:12

"And when the servant of the man of God (Elisha) arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, 'Alas, my master! What shall we do?' So he answered, 'Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.' And Elisha prayed, and said, 'LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.' Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha." - II Kings 6:15-17

"They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed." - Psalm 34:5

"I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You." - Job 42:5

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." - Matt. 5:8

My Quiet Desperation

2008-09-05T16:47:00.000-07:00

This quiet desperation, Alistair Begg spoke of this morning in the broadcast. We all have it--something in our life that tries us (he was speaking of trials, this being taped last year shortly before he found out he had prostate cancer). It aggravates us, purges and refines us. If we surrender, that is, allowing God to have His way.

I don't give up easily, though. It is not in my nature to "surrender", because that means "defeat". God's Word tells me that "we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ our Lord". And I like that. I'm going to die with my boots on (granny boots--not cowboy boots). I am not a quitter, and I don't ever plan to be. Winners never quit, and quitters never win.

Things were moving along quite nicely in the right direction for the first six or seven months (time is irrelevant right now, as my heart and head are in a fog and I've lost track of time), with the baby's mom not programming as she should, and all the recommendations favoring his placement to be permanently with us. Then the Aug. 11th hearing was like a mine blast--unexpected and crippling. Everything inside me screamed, "NOOO-OOO-OOOOOO!!!!!!" Yet, I had told the Lord all along I would accept the judge's decision, and now whether I like it or don't like it, or want to or don't want to, I must. I must wake up every morning with the knowledge that for another day I will move in a direction not of my choosing--a direction I loathe, and certainly do not understand. Still, I must. When one of the social workers comes to pick him up to take him to his grandma's, I have to pack his little things, tucking in his favorite blanket (that my mom made) and a stuffed toy; then I carry the bag and the baby to the county vehicle, and put him in the car seat. He tries to hold on to me. He doesn't want to go, and makes a sound of protest, but like me, he too must move in this direction. We must lay down our weapons, wave the white flag, put our hands above our heads, and give up our will for someone else's. This is God's unexplainable will, and I must accept it in order to please Him.

Again, I pray, "Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief."

After he leaves I go back into the house, and un-baby-proof the rooms, putting the basket of magazines back on the floor, closing the drawers he left half open as he went around exploring this morning, and set the cat's food and water dishes back in their place...

But every day the tears continue to flow...

Row, row, row the boat
on the stormy sea;
Jesus' friends were getting soaked,
while He was fast asleep.

(Dear God! Wake up! Where are you? Don't you see what they're doing? Can't you stop it? Won't you stop it? Papa, Daddy, Please, Help us!!!)

Row, row, row the boat,
winds and waves were high;
Jesus' friends were so afraid,
they thought that they might die.

(Father, I'm sinking. This storm--it's too much, too hard. I won't survive. Please, our hearts are so knit together that we have become one, and now it's as if our very flesh is being ripped apart. The pain is more than I have ever known, and I toss and turn at night, wishing I could make it all go away, hoping to wake up and find it all just a horrible nightmare...)

Rock, rock, rock the boat,
winds and waves were strong;
Jesus still was sound asleep.
Would He sleep all night long?!?!

(God, wake up! Don't you see what's going on?! Please, help us!)

Wake, wake, wake Him up.
Then they heard Him say,
"Peace be still."
The wind obeyed.
The storm stopped right away.

(The peace that passes all human understanding fills me. The waves are now only the mercy of God overflowing and washing through me. And I know that somehow God will help us through this storm, and we will arrive safely to the other side of this trial.)

The baby loves this song, and now says, "Wow, wow, wow" (for "Row, row, row") when he sees the book or wants us to sing to him. Lately every time I sing it, my heart cries out about this unexpected storm, with its winds and waves slamming against our small vessel called family. We're the only family he's ever known. And the judge's decision (unintentionally) has sentenced our family to this tortured separation.

"But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good..." - Genesis 50:20

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." - James 1:2-4

"...we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit Who was given to us." - Romans 5:4-5

Homeschool Math

2008-09-05T15:41:00.000-07:00

Our biggest math problem for the day:

One teacher/mom who hates math

Plus

One student/daughter who hates math

Equals

One very tense afternoon!

Times five (a school week)

Equals

We can't wait for the weekend!

But today we exercised great patience,
and no tempers flared,
no harsh words were said,
no eyes got scratched out,
and this home school mom and daughter team
actually made some progress in the math book
and learned a few more things about finding ratios!
Yea!

(At mid-point I thanked my daughter for her patience,
to which she replied, "I'm not really being patient. I'm just acting like it.")

It did help when the home school dad came home a little early
and was able to explain a few things to the mom,
who in turn explained them to the daughter,
who then worked the problems and got them right!)

Madame Librarian

2008-09-05T12:53:00.000-07:00

I would have made a great "Madame Librarian".
All prim and proper, tidy and neat,
and organized to the inth degree.
My library would be spotless--
not a speck of dust, dirt or debris.
My life motto would be
"A place for everything,
and everything in its place."
And because it's a library
(and not a house full of kids
or a barn full of animals),
I would expect things to be just so--all the time.
Studious individuals would love it
(naturally, because they'd be able to
find what they wanted and get all their questions answered)
but sociable ones would not
(as I would not allow any talking or giggling--
only serious whispering, and only when absolutely necessary.)

I would have a storybook room for the children, though,
and the atmosphere would be much more friendly and fun.
But of course, that room would have to be somewhere
away from the other patrons,
so as not to disturb the peace and quiet
in the rest of the building.

In my spare time, I'd be a chairperson
on the president's wife's national literacy campaign;
plus I'd write my own books, and edit others, etc., etc.
No noise, no chaos, no clutter.
Very tidy. Very organized. Nice and neat. Thank you very much.
(I know, some of you are thinking, "And very boring!")
And that's okay. You're entitled to your opinion.
And I'm entitled to mine.

That's the choleric side of me--
The part of my temperament that is structured,
ambitious, organized, driven, very much a leader,
oozing with tons of moral character
(like the French police officer in "Les Miserables")--
though without much flexibility, spontaneity, mercy, grace or fun.

But, in case you didn't know,
I have a split personality
(or so it seems).

The other half of me is pure artist--
sensitive (overly), caring (deeply), and romantic (hopelessly),
singing, waltzing, dancing, caressing, fussing, loving,
and decorating my way through life,
making every one and every thing around me look and feel just right.
Picture Perfect.
(Like the magazine covers,
and all the good things
about all my favorite books and movies
all rolled into one, without any of the bad.
No bad.
Not a bit.
Absolutely none.
Nicht.
Nein.
Nada.)
I would find the biggest eraser in the world
and go around everywhere I could
erasing all the ugliness and pain and sin and suffering and heartache,
and painting and planting flowers everywhere!

That's the melancholy side of me--
The part that feels deeply and cares immensely,
and longs to make everything beautiful and perfect
and completely right once again.
(The way it was in the Garden of Eden before the Fall.)

But here I am
caught, stranded in time and space
somewhere in between
in this thing called life...
all of the pieces and parts
and thoughts and desires and emotions
that make up all of me,
plus
all of these wishes
and hopes and dreams...
struggling with reality,
with my own human frailty,
compounded by the frailty of those around me,
and the incredibly numerous trials of life
that seem to increase in size as the months and years go by.

When I was a girl
I would hide in a corner of my bedroom,
locking myself away from the hardships,
thinking if I just stayed out of everyone's way,
they'd leave me alone,
and the world could just go on without me,
while I sat safely, quietly,
minding my own business,
not being a bother or a nuisance,
escaping through a dreamy novel
or my round, yellow transistor radio
and Elton John's "Crocodile Rock".

But now I'm a big girl.
No, I'm a lady, a grown woman,
with a grown son and a baby girl who's almost a woman herself.
And I can't run away,
or hide in a corner,
or post signs everywhere that say,
"No talking", "Deposit Books (or Dishes, Clothes, Etc.) Here"
and "Keep off the Grass".

I go through life teetering and tottering
between the many facets of my personality,
trying to balance it all with the responsibilities,
the duties and demands
of living a disciplined, productive and victorious
Christ-centered, God-exalting ministry life
that blesses others
and keeps me sane and tolerable
(and sometimes hopefully, a little joyful)
in the process.

I'm still learning.
And God is my ever patient Teacher.

His Word says that order and goodness and beauty
are good things, and necessary things.
"Let all things be done decently and in order." - I Cor. 14:40
"...to him that ordereth his conversation aright
will I shew the salvation of God." - Psalms 50:23
"...whatsoever things are true... honest...
just... pure... lovely, of good report;
if there be any virtue...
think on these things." - Phil. 4:8
"...worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness." - I Chr. 16:29; Ps. 29:2; 96:9
"And let the beauty of the LORD be upon us..." - Ps. 90:17

But because I am still learning,
my version of keeping things in order
without God's justice, mercy and grace,
can become something not too pretty.

And because I am still learning,
my version of making everything beautiful,
becomes lopsided or empty
because in my fallen state,
I can only do a tiny bit
to improve the outside of myself or anyone else,
while only God can erase the ugliness and wretchedness on the inside,
and then replace it with His divine holiness.

"He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the LORD require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?"
- Micah 6:8

(I don't plan to become a librarian,
but after the kids are gone,
Ron & I may take up ballroom dancing!)

Answers to Old Testament Messages

2008-09-03T09:35:00.000-07:00

I gave the quiz on August 30th.
How did you do?
Here are the answers:

Genesis - Beginnings
Exodus - Redemption
Leviticus - Holiness
Numbers - Failure
Deuteronomy - Obedience
Joshua - Conflict and Conquest
Judges - Oppression and Deliverance
Ruth - The Romance of Redemption
I and II Samuel - The Kingdom Established
I and II Kings - The Kingdom Divided
I and II Chronicles - Israel's Worship
Ezra - Return from Captivity
Nehemiah - Jerusalem Rebuilt
Esther - The Providence of God
Job - A Righteous Man Suffers
Psalms - Israel's Song Book
Proverbs - Wisdom for Living
Ecclesiastes - Empty Living
Song of Solomon - Christ's Love for the Church
Isaiah - The Messianic Prophet
Jeremiah - The Weeping Prophet
Lamentations - Sorrow for God's People
Ezekiel - The Watchman Prophet
Daniel - The Consistent Prophet
Hosea - God's Love for His People
Joel - The Day of the Lord
Amos - Prepare to Meet God
Obadiah - God Judges the Pride of Edom
Jonah - God's Mercy
Micah - The Coming Kingdom
Nahum - God Judges Apostasy
Habakkuk - God is Holy
Zephaniah - No Hope After Judgment
Haggai - First Things First
Zechariah - Christ Will Reign Supreme
Malachi - Our Unchanging God

When God Says, " No"

2008-09-02T16:31:00.001-07:00

A friend's daughter went to work as a nanny in the home of a wealthy family here in California. (There were a few children in the home, and each one had his or her own nanny.) One thing each nanny was told never to do was to tell the child "No". It was her job to distract the child in order to guide him. (Whew! Sounds like way too much work!)
At our baby's last health check-up, the doctor said, "Now, he's still too young to understand what 'No' means, and since his attention span is really short, he won't remember what you tell him...Yada yada..."
"So, you'll have to keep him distracted, keep things out of reach and keep him away from things that could hurt him. You do have outlet covers, don't you?...Blah...Blah...Blah..."
I don't have anything against the doctor. He's great--and really good with kids. He wears neon-colored shirts, and calls Micah a "cool dude". When it comes to the medical field, I'm sure he knows a lot. (And, yes, we have plenty of cabinet latches and outlet covers.) But when it comes to theology, he's a little off.
I didn't tell him that, though. Neither did I tell him that by nine months of age, Micah was already hearing the word "No", as by that time he was becoming fairly mobile, and starting to explore the big world around him (a.k.a. our house and yard). In fact, he was getting so good at "exploring", we started calling him the "monster grabber", because everything he came into contact with, he was quick to grab it. Sometimes this is okay, but other times it is not. That's when the word "No" can be very useful, because contrary to popular opinion, babies understand a lot more than we think.
This idea of not telling children "No" has become a trend in our society, along with another idea, that "It's all good".
But "No" isn't a bad word, and everything around us is not "all good". Yes, babies have to explore and use their hands and mouths to discover the wonders of the world they live in. But not everything is "age appropriate", meaning some things they need to wait on to learn more about. When we tell them "No", they're learning respect and restraint.
And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. - Gen. 2:16-17
In the beginning of time, all was perfectly beautiful and good--with the exception of one thing. God gave Adam and Eve free access to every tree in the garden. Imagine luscious orchard fruits (untainted by pesticides, GMOs, or years of cross-breading), juicy berry bushes, and vines full of ripe melons...
God said they could eat of every tree--except for one. In that paradise, where only two perfect humans lived, there was one "No"--the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
I love reading about God's work of creation, and how, at the end of each day, He looked at what He had made and proclaimed it to be "good".
But in all that beauty and goodness, God gave mankind a free will--the ability to choose. God also knew what Adam and Eve would choose, and how that one decision would impact humanity for thousands of years in the future.
In our sinful human frailty, we cannot comprehend all the reasons why God did this. Theologians have spent years looking into the mysteries of God, and still, much remains a mystery. But as we grow in our knowledge of Him, we can understand a little.
Without choice, we would be inhuman, actually--like robots, programmed to do whatever God says. But robots are not capable of relationships. And part of what makes good relationships is our decision to reach out to someone, to care about and love that someone, not because we've been programmed to respond that way, but because our mind and heart and will decide to do so.
Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants... but I have called you friends... - John 15:14-15
And what does this have to do with the word "No"? Where there are "Yes's" and "No's", there is good and bad, obedience and disobedience, my way and God's way. With choices comes the need for restraint, discipline, self-control and a healthy fear of those things that are not good for us or would harm us.
When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: To deliver thee from the way of the evil man... from the strange woman... That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous. - Proverbs 2:10-20
Again, God could have created the world without the potential for evil, and not giving Adam and Eve the ability or the opportunity to choose. But a world like that would be flat, one or two dimensional, without substance, purpose or depth
Imagine the thrill (for God) when in my sinful state I choose to trust Him...to look to Him...to seek Him...to please Him...to honor Him...to love Him. Don't the angels rejoice over one sinner who comes to repentance? That sounds pretty thrilling to me!
So, here we are, centuries down the time line of history, and God still says "No". He doesn't always give us what we want. But He does give us much. He daily loads us with benefits, and His mercies are new every morning. He knows we cannot be trusted with an unbroken line of successes or a steady stream of wishes fulfilled, without an occasional (or sometimes daily) "No". Because we're sinners, and our tendency leans toward those things that are not good for us. And if God said "Yes" to everything, our own sinful nature would carry us so far into pride and greed and self-absorption and tyranny, that we would become something very unholy and unlovely.
Even knowing this, though, does not remove the pain or heart ache that sometimes accompanies God's shaking of the head in the events and concerns of our lives.
When Eve discovered her younger son was dead--murdered by his brother's own hand, I can see her holding his bloody, lifeless body, crying out to God, "Please don't let it be so! Please bring my son back to life!" Yet, God said, "No".
When Joseph's brothers threw him into the pit, I'm sure he cried out, "No! Please help me! Don't do this, I beg you!" But they ignored his cries, and sold him to a passing caravan of merchants, to then be sold as a slave in a foreign country. Later when he was falsely accused and thrown into prison, again he looked for a way out. But God was still shaking His head.
God's Word contains many other examples that time and space don't allow me to list here. But the prime example is of Jesus, on His knees in the Garden of Gethsemane, asking His Father to allow the cup of His wrath to not be poured out on Him. Yet God said, "No", and then blanketed the world in darkness at mid-day, turning His back on His beloved Son while the sins of the whole world were placed on Jesus's back on the cross of Calvary.
As hard as it may be to accept, God has good reasons for telling His children "No".
"No, you will not go into the promised land."
"No, I won't spare your house from the flood/fire/storm."
"No, I won't cure your child/parent/spouse of cancer."
"No, I won't allow you to become financially independent."
"No, you can't have that, because it won't be good for you."
"No, I won't remove the thorn in your flesh."
In His infinite loving kindness and wisdom, God oftentimes has a plan that's very different from ours.
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out! - Romans 11:33
Sometimes "No" comes in varying forms. Rebekah convinced her favorite son to deceive his father and receive the blessing that belonged to his brother; then afterwards she told Jacob to go visit her relatives for a few days until Esau's anger cooled down. Perhaps she prayed that things would turn out differently, but she never saw Jacob again.
When David should have been on the battlefield with his mighty men, he remained at home instead. Had he been where he should have been, he wouldn't have seen another man's wife bathing. We can be sure the Holy Spirit was shaking His head the whole time David was looking. But David ignored the still, small voice whispering "No". He brought her to his bed, and later had her husband killed to cover up his sin.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. - Isaiah 55:9
It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn Thy statutes. - Psalm 119:71
That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death. - Phil. 3:10
And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar... bought him... and the LORD was with Joseph... - Gen. 39:1-2
And Joseph's master... put him into the prison... But the LORD was with Joseph... - Gen. 39:20-21
...Thou art Mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned... For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Savior... - Isaiah 43:1-2
But He knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. - Job 23:10
As difficult as this can be, my prayer for each of us is this: May God continue to show Himself mighty in my life and in yours as we choose to honor Him with our trust, to obey Him always, and to praise Him when He says "No".
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
God does not take away the darkness, but He guides us through it. - Unknown

Reading, 'Riting & 'Rithmetic

2008-09-02T16:29:00.000-07:00

The school year is upon us again, and with that comes school supplies, packing lunches (or finding lunch money), and doing homework, among other things.
I'm sure you've heard it before, that reading to your kids and with your kids is very important to their academic success. But reading is only one of the three R's; there's 'riting and 'rithmetic, too.
Have your kids do some old fashioned things to introduce more writing into their days, things like: writing thank you notes when they've been given a gift or when someone has done something especially for them; keeping a journal; writing letters to pen-pals or missionaries (yes, e-mails count); putting together a family newsletter a couple times a year, to be sent to friends and family members.
And then there's arithmetic--good old math problems. ARGH! I don't know how many nights I sat at the kitchen table while growing up (sometimes with my dad and sometimes without), laboring tearfully over my math assignments. In high school I even went in early and stayed later to get extra tutoring from the math teacher, and still I struggled. But whether we like it or not, math does come in handy in everyday life. And even though most of us use calculators to do our figuring for us, it's still important for our children to learn how to think logically. Since God created math, and knows every algebraic formula by heart, we should do what we can to learn it, and to encourage our children in learning it.
Here are some ideas for math games and suggestions for helping your students enjoy math:
1. Beach Ball - Draw an "equator" around a beach ball to make 12 equal regions. Label the regions with the numbers 1 - 12. Play catch with the ball using the numbers located under your thumbs to form a random multiplication or addition problem. Say the complete number sentence with the product or sum. Then toss the ball to the other person, who does the same
2. Slap Math - Design a large poster with the products of the digits 4 - 12. Hang it on a wall. Have your child stand in front of the poster and slap the product of the fact you call out. See how many correct "slaps" he/she can get in 5 minutes. Make that the record to beat the next day. (For addition, use sums from 5 - 20 or more.)
3. War: Addition or Multiplication Style - Using a deck of cards, remove the face cards from the deck. Divide the cards evenly between two players. Have each player flip over a card from the top of his/her deck. The first player to correctly say the sum or product of the two cards keeps them both. The person with the most cards at the end of the game wins.
4. Quick Draw - Face your opponent. Place your hands by your hips as if you are participating in an old western shoot-out. Say "draw" and both players place their hand(s) in front of them displaying a random number of fingers. The first person to say the sum or product of the two numbers wins.
5. The Game of NIM - For two players, place 20 pennies (or markers) on the table. Decide who will go first. Players take turns picking up one, two or three pennies at a time. No one is allowed to skip a turn. The person who takes the last turn (removing one, two or three pennies) wins the round. (Look for patterns and refine your strategy. Once you have found a strategy that works every time, try starting with 10 or 15 pennies. How will this change your strategy? Does it matter who goes first?)

As parents we should always be positive about school and school work whenever talking with our children. Education truly is a privilege.
Be aware of your child's learning style(s). Does he learn best by reading and committing what he reads to memory? Can he listen and learn, or does he need to get his hands involved? Some people must say/repeat what they hear or see in order for the information to "stick". Or maybe his whole body needs to be moving while he's learning. And others learn best when the facts are put to music or rhyme.
Play games together as a family.
Let the kids help with grocery shopping, weighing produce, reading labels, deciding which product (size, price) is more economical, etc.
For car trips, instead of taking DVD's, get your kids some puzzle books with word searches and number games.

To Think About:

You and I have the same amount of money. How much money do I have to give you so that you have $10 more than I do?

A man bought a horse for $40 and sold it a week later for $50. Then he bought the horse back for $60 and sold it again for $70. Did the man make money, lose money or break even?
Learning really can be fun!

The Mighty Walnut

2008-09-01T19:51:00.000-07:00

I learned this from Raley's (grocery store) and their complimentary "Something Extra" magazine (which comes out each season, and is full of recipes and a variety of food information)...

Walnuts have ten antioxdidants,
Omega-3 fatty acids (good for the heart),
protein, fiber, folic acid,
vitamin B6, magnesium,
phosphorus and copper.

Walnuts are a whole food,
meaning they aren't processed,
and have no additives.
They are eaten as they are grown,
the way God intended.

Out of one thousand tested foods,
walnuts ranked second only to blackberries
in their antioxidant content.

Chopped walnuts can be added to a bowl of hot cereal
or cold cereal, to chicken salad,
to any bread, quick or yeast, being baked at home,
and to many other dishes.

For Raley's recipes go to Raleys.com/recipes.

And here's one I came up with in my own kitchen:

Pasta with Toasted Walnuts and Veggies

Cook your favorite pasta (new fiber rich,
with whole grains is a healthy choice)
according to package directions,
for the amount of people being served;
toss with walnut, olive or grapeseed oil
and keep warm.
In a skillet saute brocolli florettes,
garlic and/or onion slices,
and any other chopped vegetables preferred,
plus a half cup or more of walnuts
in a couple tablespoons of olive oil
for a few minutes until veggies are cooked through
but still retain good color;
(more oil may need to be added during cooking)
serve over pasta with Italian herbs,
extra oil and grated parmesan cheese.

I Met Jesus

2008-09-01T19:42:00.000-07:00

Did you learn this song in Sunday School as a child?

I met Jesus at the crossroads,
Where the two ways meet;
Satan, too, was standing there,
And he said, "Come this way.
"Lots and lots of pleasures
"I will give to you today."
But I said, "NO!
"There's Jesus here,
"See what He offers me...
"Down here my sins forgiven,
"Up there a home in heaven;
"Praise God, That's the way for me!"

Old Testament Messages

2008-08-30T23:14:00.000-07:00

How many of the Old Testament books are you familiar with?
Can you recite them in the correct order?
Do you know the theme of each book?

Here's a list of the themes...
Perhaps you can match them.
This would be a good trivia challenge for the family
at dinnertime or during devotions.

1. Our unchanging God
2. The consistent prophet
3. Christ's love for the church
4. The providence of God
5. Obedience
6. Beginnings
7. Conflict and Conquest
8. A righteous man suffers
9. The messianic prophet
10. God's love for His people
11. The day of the Lord
12. The weeping prophet
13. Israel's song book
14. Oppression and deliverance
15. Redemption
16. Christ will reign supreme
17. The watchman prophet
18. Empty living
19. Jerusalem rebuilt
20. Failure
21. Prepare to meet God
22. Holiness
23. The romance of redemption
24. God judges the pride of Edom
25. Sorrow for God's people
26. Wisdom for living
27. Return from captivity
28. First things first
29. God's mercy
30. The kingdom established
31. Israel's worship
32. No hope after judgment
33. The kingdom divided
34. God is holy
35. The coming kingdom
36. God judges apostasy

(Note: I and II Samuel have one theme,
as do I and II Kings and I and II Chronicles.)

I'll post the answers in a few days.
Have fun!

More from Elisabeth Elliot

2008-08-26T14:01:00.000-07:00

Transforming Power

If God is almighty, there can be no evil so great as to be beyond His power to transform. That transforming power brings light out of darkness, joy out of sorrow, gain out of loss, life out of death.

Sometimes we boggle at the evil in the world and especially in ourselves, feeling that this sin, this tragedy, this offense cannot possibly fit into a pattern for good. Let us remember Joseph's imprisonment, David's sin, Paul's violent persecution of Christians, Peter's denial of his Master. None of it was beyond the power of grace to redeem and turn into something productive.

The God Who establishes the shoreline for the sea also decides the limits of the great mystery which is evil. He is "the Blessed Controller of all things". God will finally be God, Satan's best efforts notwithstanding.

Devotions From Elisabeth Elliot

2008-08-26T13:38:00.000-07:00

Wastelands

There are dry, fruitless, lonely places in each of our lives, where we seem to travel alone, sometimes feeling as though we must surely have lost the way. What am I doing here? How did this happen? Lord, get me out of this!

He does not get us out. Not when we ask for it, at any rate, because it was He all along Who brought us to this place. He has been here before--it is no wilderness to Him, and He walks with us. There are things to be seen and learned in these apparent wastelands which cannot be seen and learned in the "city"--in places of comfort, convenience, and company.

God does not intend to make it no wasteland. He intends rather to keep us--to hold us with His strength, to sustain us with His sure words--in a place where there is nothing else we can count on.

"...God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near...God led the people around by the way of the wilderness of the Red Sea. And the children of Israel went up in orderly ranks out of the land of Egypt." - Exodus 13:17-18

Imagine what Israel and all of us who worship Israel's God would have missed if they had gone by the short route--the thrilling story of the deliverance from Egypt's chariots when the sea was rolled back. Let's not ask for shortcuts. Let's keep alert for the wonders our Guide will show us in the wilderness.

School Days

2008-08-24T22:42:00.000-07:00

School started for us on August 14th, a Thursday. We still home school. #1 daughter technically is in the 7th grade, but with all the disruptions of raising foster babies, we've gotten a little behind, and are catching up with 6th grade work. Hopefully within a month's time we'll be all caught up (and only one month behind, instead of four or five).
She's enrolled in a charter school in the valley. They keep our records, and she'll participate in some classes and programs throughout the year. She's ready for a new challenge, meeting different people, learning under somebody besides "mom", etc., etc.
Last year I sensed her restlessness--she was wanting to spread her wings and try to fly. Helping with the babies has been great "real life experience", but she was feeling cooped up. I started praying, talking to other moms with older kids, and checking out our options. The Lord led us in this direction.
Although this charter school is with the California public school system, it comes highly recommended. The reason it's so successful? One of the teachers told a friend, "It's because there are so many Christians on staff here." #1 daughter's E.C. (education coordinator) is a very sweet Christian lady, whom we liked immediately.
The school has a beautiful campus with a great library and a science lab. The honors choir was invited to sing at Disneyland last year, so we're planning for her to audition.
They have shelves and shelves of curriculum and books and games that I can check out for free (compliments of our tax-paying dollars, that is). We're still using #1 son's BJU curriculum from the 1980's and 90's, which by now has become obsolete, making it impossible to find worktexts. (I have actually spent summers erasing old worktexts.) I'm determined to use what I have for 7th and 8th grades, as much as possible. For this year I only had to buy new English and Vocabulary curriculum; everything else is still usable.
We did consider, though, switching to Saxon Math, since BJU's math isn't their strong point, and we've heard so many good things about Saxon. Then I saw the prices, and told #1 daughter, "Sorry. We're using BJU." Until we got to school and spoke with her E.C. who pointed to the Saxon Math books on a shelf nearby. "You're welcome to use ours. And it's free," she said. We accepted her offer, but only for Math. (It also comes with instructional DVD's.) I want the other subjects to be learned from a Christian perspective.
I'm counting it as a blessing from the Lord!

This Baby's Laugh

2008-08-20T22:59:00.001-07:00

Of all the things we will miss the most about this baby is his laughter. When we play peek-a-boo, or when big sister is tickling him (we call it "tickle torture", coz she's merciless), or when he's chasing the cat and she lets him get close to her... It was impossible to hold back the tears today thinking of how much I will miss hearing him laugh.

"Though all the way is dark to me, God makes no mistake."

"Praise is the spark plug to faith."

"Through our hearts His love will shine."

"Tis better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all."

I continually vacillate between acceptance and rage, submission and despair, hope for the future and a refusal to go on...
One minute I'm fine--the next minute, I'm a basket case (whatever that means). I am always asking for forgiveness, and my faith is so small right now. How does one repair a broken heart? I am thinking much about heaven these days, as this has opened my eyes to give me a new perspective on a lot of things.

Dear, Lord, I believe! Help my unbelief!

Laughing Our Way Through Spelling Today

2008-08-19T11:26:00.000-07:00

The baby is spending the day at his grandma's again, so #1 daughter and I are doing some of her school work verbally (instead of her spending time writing all the answers) to help her get caught up more quickly. Obviously we got a little behind when foster babies entered our lives, but the finish line is getting closer as we speak.

While we started school last week, she's still doing the last of her sixth grade work. By the time we catch up, she'll only be a month behind (that's the plan anyway).
So, we sat on the sofa with Bible curriculum and spelling. She would read and then give me the answers to the questions, etc., etc.
With spelling, she had some tests to take, and after reviewing her words, I quizzed her on them. While we were being studious, something she did reminded me of a scene in a movie, and when I told her, she laughed. Then I laughed.
Then we got back to the spelling test, and I started pronouncing the words with much "over-exaggeration".
(At camp, some of the guys do this skit, saying silly words over and over again, with their mouths wide open and voice inflections going up and down and generally all over the place, and then making a type of rhythm with it all--it's hilarious.)
And that started us "Laughing Our Way Through Spelling Today".
These were some of her spelling words:
Gua-te-ma-la
nu-tri-tion
pos-si-bil-i-ty
ap-pre-ci-ate
Which became:
"Do you like eating GUA-ca-MO-le in GUA-te-MA-la?
"It is nu-TRI-tion you can ap-PRE-ci-ate!"

(I know--it's hard to convey the humor electronically. You really should have been here.)

I'll give another example:
"Can you be MAN-a-GE-ri-al on the MAN-u-scri-p-t in Mo-ROC-co?
"Or are you eating MARSH-mal-lows from Mon-GO-LI-a in Mo-zam-BI-QU-E?"

(Okay, I'll stop. The torture is unbearable, I'm sure.)

The weather is cooler this morning and clouds have rolled in, making our time together even cozier. She was so happy and grateful for the laughter. "Mom, we haven't laughed like this in over a week!" replied this beautiful, almost taller than me, very bright twelve-and-a-half-year-old girl.
"I know."

No Longer Parched

2008-08-18T20:16:00.001-07:00

For some reason this summer has seemed longer, hotter and drier than any other summer. (Not counting, of course, summers spent in Arizona that last six to eight months out of the year--every year.)
We didn't get enough rain last winter, and there weren't as many bugs. Hooray for small miracles! But between the heat outside and some other hot spots in my life, with very little to quench my thirst, I have felt myself languishing on the vine.
And our garden spots have turned into hard clay covered with weeds, due to neglect. Which contributes to the dry, parched feeling.

Today, though, there was a breeze--a mildly cool breeze--a refreshingly cool breeze...Aa-aah-hh...
Thank You, Lord, that summer doesn't last forever, and that autumn is on its way.

And even though the gophers made a subway system underneath my herb garden, eating my green onions along the way, we can pick up some fertilizer and gopher proof wire from our favorite garden and hardware store, and start over again.

"He turns a wilderness into pools of water, and dry land into watersprings. There He makes the hungry dwell...that they may yield a fruitful harvest. He also blesses them, and they multiply greatly...Whoever is wise will observe these things, and they will understand the lovingkindness of the Lord." - Psalm 107:35-43

Encouragement Comes in All Kinds of Ways

2008-08-18T18:48:00.000-07:00

Our cat, Lady, had come in from outside this morning after the baby left for a visit at his grandmother's home, (part of the transition going from our home to her home permanently next month). I went in to make the bed, and Lady jumped up there, came right over to me, purring, and looked up and leaned towards me as if to say, "I just want to comfort you." Of course, I stroked her, and when I put my face close to hers, she stayed there, still purring.

My best friend, who lives two states away, called me, not to talk long, but to say how much she cares. Her prayers are fervent on our behalf, and I could feel her hugging me over the phone.

Another friend e-mailed with some encouraging words...

"There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it." - Edith Wharton

"Christian hope, unlike most other kinds of hope, is not meer optimism. It's not even a matter of thinking positively: 'Cheer up. Things will work out.' Christian hope is applied faith. If God Himself is here with us in His Holy Spirit, then all things are possible." - Bruce Larson

"The only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve." - Albert Schweitzer

"God has a wonderful plan for each person He has chosen. He knew even before He created this world what beauty He would bring forth from our lives." - Louis B. Wyly

Our Prayer

2008-08-17T21:53:00.000-07:00

We're asking God to intervene in this change of placement for the baby.
God is silent--very silent right now.
But people of faith keep saying, "You just don't know what God might do!"
The case worker said, "This isn't necessarily the end."
Even the baby's attorney told me, "Things could change."
The Lord isn't telling me to accept it or to stop the crying and get over it.
He's telling me that His streams of mercy are never ceasing.

I've prayed for months, telling God that I would accept the judge's decision.
Of course, I wasn't expecting this decision.
Neither was I expecting the crazy transition plan
that was dreamed up for this little guy.
"He shows no signs of attachment disorder," the psychologist said.
But after the next few weeks of flip-flopping back and forth,
back and forth between our home and his relatives,
believe me, he WILL have an attachment disorder by then!

For eight months we were told that grandparents have no legal rights.
Tonight a friend told me the same thing.
(She's a grandmother who was told that by the court.)
Yet, in this case we're being told that the baby must be placed with family
if suitable relatives can take him.
This should have been done in the beginning.

We were told in training classes for foster parents,
"Love these kids as you would love your own."
That's what I've done.
And now the pain is almost more than I can bear
when I think of all the progress he's made,
being undone by the stupidity of the adults who are making life-impacting decisions for him--
for this baby who is helpless, and cannot speak for himself.
So, I am writing some letters to speak up for him.
And I am begging God to intervene.
Everything we were counting on
to cause the decision to go in our favor
backfired.
"Yes, we recognize that he's bonding so well with his foster family...
"That's why we need to move him in with blood relatives,
"as soon as possible,
"so he can start bonding with them," some of the attorneys said.
"And if he shows signs of trauma, you can get counseling for him,"
the psychologist also said.
Counseling for a one year old?
They've missed the point.
This precious, vulnerable creature does not need
another move in his short life.
He's been moved twice already.
There's been research done, and statistics recorded.
Another placement will not be good for him.
In his mind, his first mommy abandoned him.
But because she only provided physical nourishment,
and he knew her for just three short months
(plus nine months in the womb),
with the tons of love we've poured into him,
and the exposure to the beautiful world around him,
he got over that hurdle.
It was hard work on our part,
but together we did it.
And he's the cutest, sweetest, most adorable, most amazing
little human being we've ever met.
But now, his world is being turned upside down,
and he's no longer secure,
or happy, or excited,
or anything he was just a week ago.

And now his second mommy is abandoning him--
against my will,
but he doesn't know that.
All he knows is that when they drive away with him,
and drop him off at these strangers' home,
it's not the same--it's not what he's used to.
He's sad, he's scared, he's angry, he's confused.
And the delicate internal balance of my little boy is being very much disturbed.
God only knows the emotional turmoil he's suffering,
and how many scars will remain through the years.

That's why we must pray.
That's why we must ask God to intervene.
We feel very much compelled to hang on to him through our prayers,
to not give up,
but to speak up and do whatever is in our power to do,
to try and stop this madness.
The state's system produces delinquents,
and then eventually has to punish them.
We're begging God not to allow this to happen to him.
The battle is being fought on our knees.

Singing, Sighing and Crying

2008-08-17T21:07:00.000-07:00

These are the words to two songs God gave me last week...

Abba, Father

Father, hold me safe in Your arms;
Father, keep me free from all harm.
I cast my care on You, just like a child should do;
Trusting, loving all that You are.

Abba, Father, I rest in You;
You're always faithful, You're always true.
Abba, Father, You are my song.
Tho' clouds are dark, Tho' night is long.
I cry to You, Abba, Father.

Father, help me lean on You more,
Through each valley, through every storm.
Help me when I can't see (that) Your will is best for me;
Love me, hold me, sheltered and warm.

Father, mold me, make me like new;
Guide my footsteps, keep my heart true--
So that the world may see Your likeness lives in me;
Break me, shape me, make me like You.

Abba, Father, I rest in You;
You're always faithful, You're always true.
Abba, Father, You are my song.
Tho' clouds are dark, Tho' night is long.
I cry to You, Abba, Father.

Bow the Knee

There are moments on our journey following the Lord,
when God illumines every step we take.
There are times when circumstances make perfect sense to us,
as we try to understand each move He makes.
But when the path grows dim,
and our questions have no answers,
Turn to Him.

Bow the knee. Trust the heart of your Father
when the answer goes beyond what you can see.
Bow the knee. Lift your eyes toward heaven
and believe the One Who holds eternity.
When you don't understand the purpose of His plan;
In the presence of your King bow the knee.

There are days when clouds surround us, the rains begin to fall,
and the cold and lonely winds won't cease to blow.
And there seems to be no reason for the suffering we feel;
we are tempted to believe God doesn't know.
When the storms arise, don't forget we live by faith and not by sight.

Bow the knee. Trust the heart of your Father
when the answer goes beyond what you can see.
Bow the knee. Lift your eyes toward heaven
and believe the One Who holds eternity.
When you don't understand the purpose of His plan;
In the presence of your King bow the knee.

2008-08-15T14:54:00.000-07:00

2008-08-15T14:44:00.000-07:00

Untitled

2008-08-14T16:26:00.000-07:00

This is how it feels to lose a child.

In a month's time we will no longer have our foster baby.
The judge's decision was unexpected,
with all the documentation and evidence in our favor.
(All of it, that is, until a psychologist had her say,
after spending one hour with Ron and me in her office,
and one hour with our family at home.)

So, it was not to be afterall.

If this were a death, it would be easier.

If I had taken him to the doctor
to learn he had an incurable disease,
that he would die in just a few short weeks,
at least when he was gone,
I could look up to heaven
and know that he was there.
Safe and secure.

But this little guy,
who turns one year old this month,
who has spent the bulk of his young life
with our family,
in our home,
and in my arms...

this little guy who stole our hearts
and bonded with us from the very start,
will be taken
away from our home,
away from our family,
and out of my arms forever.

This is how it feels to lose a child.

A Camping We Did Go!

2008-08-12T21:32:00.000-07:00

Yes, we really did go camping.
When we got home, my husband asked,
"Was it tolerable?"
"Yes," I said. "It was tolerable."
"Would you go again?" he asked.
"Yes, I would go again."
"I don't mean tomorrow," he said.
"No. Not tomorrow."
But, I would go again--next year,
and the year after that, and the year after that--
for him and the kids.

We fell in love with the campground,
in the mountains next to the
Ansel Adams wilderness.
But it took between four and five hours
to drive there.
So we think we'll try some other campgrounds
a little closer to home.
And maybe we'll go a couple times each summer.
We'll keep adding to our camping supplies,
so our campsite will be moderately comfortable.
We still need our own tent
and some other stuff...
But the tent we borrowed was great,
with a top made of screen,
so when we snuggled down in our sleeping bags at night,
we could see the stars and the tree tops!
It was SO beautiful!
My eyelids kept wanting to close so I could go to sleep,
but I kept trying to keep them open
so I could see the beauty of the night sky.
"The heavens declare the glory of God..."

Of course, it was really dirty.
There's just no way to get around that.
I felt like a barbarian--
all that dirt,
my hair just hanging straight and style-less,
no make-up to smooth out my ruddy complexion
(and then I got a sunburn, which made the ruddiness
even ruddier),
and no place for the baby to crawl around...

Three days and two nights were just right.
Maybe after we get the rest of our camping stuff,
we can stay a little longer...
We took hikes and walked around the campground,
and I scoped out the other campsites
to see what items more experienced campers bring with them
so I'd know what to add to my list.

We did have "facilities" close by
(aa-ah-hh, essence of outhouse),
which really did help
(even with the smell).

And we had plenty of food.
How long has it been since you've popped
a pan of "Jiffy Pop" popcorn over a campstove
or roasted marshmallows over an open fire?

The baby liked it the first day,
being outdoors,
and we were excited by the chance to relax
and enjoy nature,
so he picked up on that excitement.
He loved being in the backpack,
where he could bang Ron on the head
or pull our daughter's hair.
But after the first day and night,
he was ready to leave,
feeling "out of his element".
When we did finally get home
(and how he hates sitting in his car seat)
he was so happy to see his toys and stuffed animals!
He grabbed his fuzzy gorilla and hugged it tight
and laughed and did his happy dance.
Then he crawled all around the house
to the various spots where he has toys
or things that are especially for him
and laughed some more!

So, while I'm not planning to go back
to the campsite tomorrow,
it's something we'll definitely try to do more often.

Going Camping!

2008-08-06T15:37:00.000-07:00

I am NOT a camper.
I've been camping a handful of times in my entire life,
and every time I went,
it was NOT fun.

From freezing in the rain,
and being bored to tears at El Golfo,
to sweatin' like a dog
and almost passing out
while others in our party were
cutting up smelly fish--
those were my miserable camping adventures.

Could it possibly have something to do with
borrowing other campers' leftover/no longer needed
camping stuff (because they wore that stuff out
and got nicer, more comfortable stuff,
and their old stuff was just lying around,
not being used anymore)?

I camped twice in Germany as a teen,
and three times in Mexico.
The last time was twenty years ago,
and I said, "No more."

Now I'm living in the country,
and have been camping here all these five years.
Yes, I call this camping!
Since moving here,
I've had to learn to chop wood,
build a fire,
grow my own food (some, anyway),
do without electricity and water
at unannounced times every winter,
when there's a storm,
and every summer,
when there's a fire,
combat critters, large and small,
in my yard, in my house, in my car
(yes, there are cobwebs in my car),
and on the road.
Yes, sir, this is what I call camping.

But now, this month,
before summer's over,
our family is going to pack up a bunch of our stuff
(we actually bought NEW sleeping bags
and NEW camp chairs)
plus a few things we're borrowing,
to drive three or four hours
from Point A (my plot of dirt)
to Point B (someone else's plot of dirt),
to leave our relatively tame country critters--
like wild turkeys and gophers,
to face more dangerous ones--
like mosquitoes the size of aircraft carriers
and grizzly bears,
just so we can experience the great outdoors.
(You mean that's not what I've been doing all this time?)
Well, sort of.
We'll just come home dirtier.

Actually, though, this was my idea.
We lived for years in Arizona
and never visited the Grand Canyon.
Now that we're in California,
we really should experience something
besides earthquakes, fires and floods.
(Ah, the California dream.)
Plus, I saw this picture recently
of a toddler sitting in a walker
surrounded by pine trees
while his mom fed him there at the campsite.
I thought, "We could do that!
The baby would love it!"
And so would the rest of my family.
So...
Because I really, really, really,
want to be a good mom
and a considerate wife,
I made a bargain with my hubby:
I'll go if we can drive to the campsite
without hiking five or ten miles to get there,
and take the ice chest
and all the baby's stuff
(he's still on formula)
to a place where there's at least a hole in the ground
with four walls all around,
so my daughter and I can use the privy
with a little bit of privacy.
And he agreed.
So...
Here we go.
We're going camping.
(If I survive, I'll let you know.)

What Kind of Reporter Am I?

2008-08-04T23:08:00.000-07:00

I've been working for the past few days
on a story about last week's fire
here in Mariposa County,
for the Sun-Star
about how the folks whose homes were burned
are coping with the loss.
This story has been the hardest to write.
How does one make contact with people
I don't know and who no longer live
at the addresses in the phone book,
because their houses are a pile of ash?
They've scattered across the county,
the state, or maybe even the country.
I've made dozens of phone calls,
extra trips up the mountain,
and spent hours talking to people
(who hardly know anymore than I do),
plus typing and thinking and praying.
I have continually hesitated to bother them,
because I empathize greatly.
One of my closest friends here
lost her home.
So that gives me a sort of bird's eye view
into her pain.
I drove up to their property on Saturday,
and when I got to the end of their drive,
the house was gone.
It choked me to see an empty space
where her house once stood.

I have been many times in her kitchen
drinking tea, and looking out the window
to watch the fog roll in;
I've sat at her kitchen table
stamping and crafting greeting cards;
I've sat on her sofa to chat,
and brought homemade bread or an entire meal,
because someone was sick.
She lived there with her husband,
her four daughters,
and a hodge-podge of pets
for many years.
Her home was comfortably cluttered.
She told me last week, laughing,
"The Queen of Clutter has now been de-throned
in one fell swoop!"

There at the property
I talked with one of the daughters.
We cried, we hugged.
There's so much for them to do right now,
I don't want to be a bother.
"You're never a bother," my friend told me.
I don't want to intrude upon
or invade their privacy.
They were interviewed by USA Today,
and the reporter wrote in a notepad every word my friend said,
as she saw the devastation for the very first time.
She told me how uncomfortable she was with it.
I don't want to be uncaring,
or unfeeling,
just to get a story,
for a measely paycheck,
when someone's life has been so drastically altered.
I wouldn't make a good "hard news" reporter, I decided.
It does look somewhat glamorous, from my vantage point,
but I don't think it's for me.
I'd rather write stories about people,
because I truly care about those people,
and I truly want to know about their lives,
and what makes them unique.
And I want them to see in me
a genuineness
that comes only from my Heavenly Father
living and working in me.
People are the crowning glory of God's creation;
angels wonder at the workings of humanity,
and the mystery of salvation.
We have eternal souls.
And everytime I meet a new face,
he or she is seeing my face for the first time, too.
Will they see the Light of the world?
Will they want the same Light in their life, as well?
I hope so.
Only with Christ, can hope be found among the ashes.

Only a Mother Would Understand

2008-07-29T22:38:00.000-07:00

We lost electricity a couple times the other day, and when that happens, I lose all saved messages on my answering machine.
One message in particular was being saved indefinitely. It was from my #1 son. After living in Virginia for five years to attend college and work, he moved back to Arizona, where we lived before moving to central California.
He had been there only a few days when he called.
"Hi, Mom. I know you're not home, but I just wanted you to know...
"I was driving through our old neighborhood today, and when I saw our house, I wanted to run in and hug you.
"I love you. Call me, okay."

More California Fires

2008-07-29T15:20:00.000-07:00

A close friend's house burned down this weekend. When my husband told me, I cried.

Too many fires in California right now, and we didn't get much rain this past winter, so everything is dry. (That does make for fewer bugs in the summer, but not good in other ways.)

My friend's family was evacuated on Saturday. Our husbands had spoken early that morning, and the fires could be seen from their home, but they weren't in danger. Then the wind changed.

Sunday morning during the church service several families left to prepare for possible evacuation.

My #1 daughter asked me, "What would we take, Mom, if we had to be evacuated?" Then we started thinking...

Bibles, favorite books, important papers, her Polly Pockets, photo albums and her scrapbook, some clothes, toiletries, my son's Lego airplanes, the computers, this year's school curriculum, a few pieces of jewelry (for sentimental reasons), some of the baby's things, a little food, maybe, our pillows, a favorite quilt, some music (books and CD's)...

What do we take when we only have a few minutes or an hour or two to look at our entire life and memories sprawled out before us?

...the Christmas stocking my baby girl came home in, the heart shaped rock my son found outside and brought to me years ago, the now dried flower bouquet given to me at a graduation by one of my favorite students that lays on top of my bookcase, my antique pictures of relatives...

...Oh, and don't forget the cat!...

"Mom, we'd have to take one teapot and four cups and saucers," my daughter said. I smiled and nodded. It would depend on how much time we had to prepare and gather our most valuable worldly possessions...
It's only stuff.

One of the judges in town lost his home to a fire this summer. He and his wife kept saying, "I'll go get the..." and then remembered they no longer had what they were going to get.

Our neighbors here lost their home while living in Yosemite years ago, and the wife said it was the most horrible thing she's ever endured.
"But you move on and start over," she told me. "We still had each other, and that was most important." Now they live next door in a lovely refurbished farmhouse with a front porch overlooking the hills.

I've been rearranging the furniture and was planning to paint a few pieces this week, but now I can't bring myself to do any decorating when my friend has nothing to decorate. She and I are similar in our tastes, and I'm already looking around at a few things that are just sitting, still new, but collecting dust, to give to her for her new home. (They're staying with relatives, who recently bought a bigger home. The Lord knew they'd be needing the extra space.)

Meanwhile, I'm folding laundry and praying for rain.

Connections

2008-07-24T23:11:00.000-07:00

We had a couple single guys over for dinner tonight--one older, the other, younger.
The older one brings me treasures from flea markets and yard sales sometimes. Or stacks of cut wood in the winter. When the treasure is big, and has to come down the mountain in his truck, as long as I have advance notice, he's always invited to stay for dinner. The younger is just someone we've wanted to have over, and this was the right time.

I cleaned a little around the house, clipped a few hydrangea blooms to fill a glass pitcher, and fixed Mexican food.

One of the men brought ice cream, and the other helped feed the baby, so I could be hostess (and eat my dinner, too). Afterwards, we played Phase 10 (a card game). As the evening progressed, we got to know each other better.

"I thought you were an only child," I said.
"No, I have three sisters and a brother," he replied...

"So, you've been to the mission field?" I asked.
"Yes, I did go on some short term missions trips," he answered, and then told us about them...

"At this certain lake, it looks like something you'd see in Europe," he told us.
"I lived in Germany, and visited Austria and Switzerland where the lakes are mirrors to the mountains beyond--a perfect reflection," I explained...

"I didn't realize you were a man of such complexity," he told my husband. "I've always been interested in bonsai, and had no idea you do that."
"You should hear him preach," I said...

"And how do you make the sign for...?" my daughter asked.
"Like this," he said (the man who has a deaf son).
"There are videos at the library that teach sign language," he informed us.
"Great!"

When time came for the one to bid us "farewell", he thanked us for the hospitality, and then said, "I feel so connected now."

Creation's Glory

2008-07-22T10:03:00.000-07:00

It was early one morning as I sat reading, enjoying some quiet time, when my husband walked over to the window, looked out, and then said to me, "If you want to see something interesting, come with me."
"Oh, no," I thought, "another turkey."
Wild turkeys roam our area. My husband is the animal lover, so I assumed that was the "something interesting". But I set my book down and got up to follow him, even though I wasn't sure what awaited me.
In our bedroom we have a bay of five windows, and from there we can sit on the window seat to look out across the creek and beyond the hills to watch the moon, enjoy a sunset, or listen in the springtime to the chorus of frogs.
This time when we looked out, there was a full double rainbow!
We stood in awe.

City Girl, Country Road, and a Flimsy, Old Gate

2008-07-19T22:46:00.000-07:00

I found this quiet road
not too far from town,
that meanders through the country
with ranch land on either side.
There are cows and a few horses,
wildflowers in the spring,
a couple ponds,
lots of hills and lots of rugged oaks--
groves of them--just right for playing
Capture the Flag
or Hide and Seek...
But it's not our land, except to look at,
and that I do,
because there are gorgeous views along the way.

It's a quiet road, hardly traveled,
unlike our road going through town,
or the highway connected to that.
So that's where we go for long walks,
to push a stroller or ride a bike,
to marvel at how blue the sky is
and breathe in the pure country air.

Being that I have to drive to get there,
just a couple miles,
and the road is narrow,
except in spots where there's a gate
for the ranchers to get in,
I park by one of the gates, in the shade,
so I'm off the road and out of the way.

Last Saturday I absent mindedly parked
in front of a gate, and went for my walk.
When the baby and I got back to the van,
there was a man sitting on the ground
across the road by another gate.
I said, "Hi", and he greeted me.
We chatted a little about the area,
I told him why I walk there,
and he mentioned that next time I park
I should park away from the gate.
I apologized and said I would remember that.

By that time, the baby was in his car seat,
and the stroller was folded up and in the van,
so I said, "Good-bye", and went around
to the other side to get in and leave.
That's when I noticed a truck
across the way, on the dirt trail in the other pasture,
coming towards the gate where the man sat.
I figured they were working on their property,
and took a drink from my water bottle,
and reached for the key to start the van.
But one of the men had gotten out of the truck
and was walking towards my vehicle.
The windows were down partway,
and he poked his head inside
as much as he could,
and started telling me off.

"That's strike one," he said gruffly.
"What do you mean?" I asked,
not sure what was going on,
and definitely sure I didn't like this fella
glaring at me and making accusations.
(He had the strangest eyes--one of them
must have been false, because it looked askew
and didn't move the whole time he stood there.
But I was brave, and stood my ground.)
"And that's strike two," he said just as gruffly.
"Wha--" I started to ask, when he went on,
"For trespassing and for parking
in front of the gate," he told me.
"I am not trespassing," I said firmly.
"Then what are you doing out here?" he asked.
(Actually we were talking at the same time--
he, accusing me,
and me, defending me,
and letting him know that I was no threat,
and that he was incorrect in his assumptions.)
Since he was the one who didn't have his facts straight,
I kept talking, firmly, but kindly,
and eventually he stopped and started listening.
"I am not trespassing. I don't go on anyone's land,
I just walk on the road," I explained.
(Like I could push a stroller on the dry, rocky ground
covered with gopher mounds.)
We went back and forth, with him accusing me
and asking questions,
and me explaining and apologizing,
as graciously as I could.
(We are neighbors, after all.)

When I apologized for the third time,
and said, "I am not your enemy.
I'm your neighbor..." and went on to explain some more,
that's when his countenance changed.
And then he apologized.
"It's been a bad morning," he said.
"And a bad two years."
"I'm sorry," I said again.
At some point (it's all a little fuzzy now)
I said something about not thinking like a rancher,
and not being from the country,
and he asked if I would park in front
of someone's driveway in the city,
and I told him of course, I wouldn't,
but later I thought,
"I didn't know cows could drive,"
(but I don't think the Lord let me think of that remark
until it was too late to say it,
because I don't know if the old cowpoke
would have seen the humor in that.)
But really, all I ever see out there
are cows!
I don't see cars pulling in and out of those gates,
and with the gates being so old and flimsy,
I wasn't even sure if they're sturdy enough to be used.
(But now I know!)
I assured him I would never park in front of another gate--
ever, ever, ever.
And then I started the van and took off for home.
On the way I decided to make a couple loaves of bread
and take it to the men that evening,
as a gesture of good will.
And I prayed for them,
as no one had said why
it's been a "bad two years".
When Ron got home later in the day,
he agreed to go with me.
So after dinner we took off back down the highway
towards their home, with our peace offering.
But nobody was there.
We tried again the next day,
but still didn't see them.

It was an interesting morning,
and although I'm still puzzling over some of it,
God knows all,
so I'm talking to Him about these men
and their need for something
(or SomeOne) good.

Too Much Like Balaam

2008-07-10T22:18:00.000-07:00

There are times when I pray
and pray
and pray,
and nothing seems to happen.
And meanwhile, as I pray
and pray
and pray,
the wrongs, the failures,
the mistakes, the defeats
continue to occur,
in my life or in others' lives...

I want to say something
or do something
or write something
(the pen is mightier than the sword),
and my logic is sound,
my motivation is pure,
my tactics are refined...
The Bible does speak several times about going to our fellow believers for various reasons, with the truth and in love...
We are to admonish and encourage one another
in good works, in right ways...

And I have it all worked out,
it's been rehearsed in my mind for days,
I have framed the words just right,
truly wanting the best for all involved.
(And also wanting for myself, to get out of this very difficult situation.)

But when I finally get it all packaged together,
and I'm ready to present my idea to the Lord,
I start telling Him my plan...

And He just quietly shakes His head, "No."

So, I re-work my idea, and try again.
But God still shakes His head, "No."

This is exactly what's been going on lately.
And yesterday morning was the climax.
God would not give me the "go-ahead",
even though what I wanted to do wasn't sinful or harmful or destructive.
It made perfect sense to me,
and could be the vehicle for all of us involved
to bring about necessary change and growth.

Many times we don't make changes or progress,
because we don't know what to do or how to do it.
And if God would just listen to me and agree
and let me take care of this one thing,
we could move forward,
instead of sitting here in this stinking, stagnant, yucky, muddy hole that I've been stuck in for quite a long while now...

But God was still shaking His head.

Even when I fell to my knees beside my bed,
begging Him, to agree with me,
telling Him that five years is a long time to pray about one particular thing,
especially when after five years, my prayers haven't made a bit of good,
and things still take place as they did five years ago,
(even longer, actually),
and other peoples' lives are not any better,
in fact, some are worse...
And there are days when I am languishing on the vine...

So I begged
and sobbed
and pleaded
and argued
and reasoned
and sobbed some more...

Especially when I realized how rebellious my human heart could be,
as I continued arguing and trying to prove my point,
to the King of kings,
the Master of the Universe,
the Almighty God...

I wanted Him to see things my way,
and He did not. He would not.
Because God has a plan,
even for this situation,
and His way is better than mine.

I felt like Balaam--the one whose donkey spoke to save him from being killed by the angel who stood in the way,
because Balaam was self-willed
and double-minded.
He wanted to please God,
but he also wanted to please himself.
He kept going to God, asking for permission to curse the Israelites.
And God kept saying, "No".
In the end, since God wasn't going to do things his way,
he gave evil counsel that eventually brought about the desired results.
We don't know that from the passage in Numbers,
but we find it out much later in I Peter...

My heart was so stubborn and so set on having its own way,
that I could not yet give up my will.
I told the Lord I'd think about it;
then I got up from beside my bed, dried my tears, and went about my tasks for the day.

(Is it a coincidence that Alistair Begg was teaching on this very subject for three days this week?)

So, as I went through the day,
and my mind was diverted to other things,
I felt my heart softening,
and yielding to what God wanted.
He doesn't want me to do anything
(except to continue doing right),
or to say anything
(about this particular matter),
or to even write anything
(to address the situation)...
He just wants me to pray.
He's well aware of how long I've already been praying.
"But, Father God, it's not working!
I need to DO something!
Nobody else is doing anything about this,
and I can't stand the silence...
PUL-LEE-EEZ!!! Won't You let me help You?"
I had asked Him over and over again.

I pictured Him sitting regally on a magnificent throne,
seated high above everyone and everything,
just quietly, calmly, lovingly,
shaking His head, and whispering to me,
"Just pray."

Later in the day,
I felt such a flood of peace.
It surprised me,
this peace that passes all understanding
that was filling my whole being,
because I gave up the fight and agreed to do things God's way,
and to just keep praying.
I wasn't worried or fretting or fussing or fuming
like I had been only hours before.
I was singing and trusting and praying,
and thanking my heavenly Father for being so long suffering.

Fun With Frogs, and Other Summertime Pleasures

2008-07-08T21:27:00.000-07:00

What did the one frog say to the other?
"Time's fun when you're having flies!"

One of our little foster kids called our home the "frog house", because when he was here briefly a couple summers ago, we were smack in the middle of summer and there were literally frogs everywhere outside. Our evaporative cooler is the local swimming hole for frogs. (We have the little tree frogs, and one or two medium size toads.) They like hanging out under the plants in the cool, moist mud, too. At one point there were so many, when we'd walk up or down or sidewalk, there would be dozens jumping across from either side. I thought about making a sign: Caution---Frog Crossing. At night several frogs will be on our kitchen window, waiting to catch juicy flying bugs. It's cheap entertainment as we stand at the counter, looking at their tummies and watching their little tongues dart in and out of their mouths! When the teens came for a youth activity a few years ago, the main attraction was the bug zapper. As the sun went down, the boys were hunting all over the front yard for bugs to throw into the zapper, just to watch them get "zapped". But when they started picking up frogs to throw in, I said, "NO."
These frogs are good guys here in the country. In springtime they serenade us during the evenings with their frog chorus in the creek behind our house. Which means there are tadpoles in the creek, too, that the kids love to catch and watch. (We put them back in the water at the end of the day, because they're good guys for the environment, too.)
After dinner tonight, we let the baby play in his kiddie pool for awhile, and I caught a couple frogs to put in the water with him. They managed to survive being squeezed.

Daughter #1 is learning about pi in math (we're not quite done with the school year, but we're close). Today she asked if we can make a pie soon, because "pi" is making her think of "pie". When my dad helped me with math, he'd say, "Pi are not square; pie are round; cornbread are square." Someone must have told him that when he was a kid.

Why is it every summer I start thinking of chilly autumn days and cooking delicious things like bean soup and corncakes and apple pie? And then every winter I long for warmer days for working in the garden and having picnics and grilling in the backyard.

But even with temperatures in the triple digits here in central California, I'm making the most of these summer days with things like...
Peach smoothies, lemon yogurt, summer fruits,and lush garden salads
(Who wants to eat anything warm right now?),
Keeping the window shades up in our bedroom at night so I can look at the stars or watch the moon slip behind the horizon with the dawn,
Grilling something for dinner and eating outside, of course,
Sitting on the swing with the family and watching the sun set,
Working at the computer without freezing
(there's no heat on this side of the house, except for space heaters),
My hydrangea bushes getting blooms,
And the slower, easier pace with school and music lessons being done
(or close to being done)...

Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind..." And God saw that it was good...
Then God said, "Let there be lights in the... heavens... and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years..." And God saw that it was good...
Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.
- Genesis 1

Happy 4th of July!

2008-07-03T22:42:00.000-07:00

This month is a great time for reading books about America and all the things that have made our great nation.
We picked up a couple last week, and have been reading some interesting things.

"Today the bald eagle, the Liberty Bell, and the White House are hallowed symbols of America, but they didn't start out that way. Benjamin Franklin argued that the wild turkey would be a more appropriate (and tastier) national bird than the eagle. The 1835 Philadelphia City Council tried to have the Liberty Bell hauled away as scrap metal. When John and Abigail Adams moved into the White House, it was hardly the elegant showpiece it is now. The living quarters were musty and freezing cold and the yard nothing but a swamp."
(from the book, Red, White, Blue, and Uncle Who? The Stories Behind Some of America's Patriotic Symbols)
Also from this book, we learned of two different times when the White House was on fire, and God sent rain to put the fire out, and the Capitol building was on fire, and God sent rain to put that fire out. The formation of our country was a tremendous experiment that God was a part of. If we would continue to know God's blessing on this nation, we must not forget Him.

I pray for American Believers to be strong and brave, wise and true. We must stand up and speak up for all that is right. We have a heritage to pass on to our children--a heritage of faith and of freedom. Sometimes we must go into battle and do the fighting; other times God wants us to fight the battle on our knees. Walking in His ways and seeking His wisdom will give us the discernment to know what is needed.

"When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, if my people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." - II Chronicles 7:13-14

Gas Prices -- OUCH!

2008-06-29T22:10:00.000-07:00

God's in control,
and I know that,
because He and I have had this relationship
for over thirty-five years.
But am I the only one who's having a hard time
with the gas prices?! (rhetorical question)
Maybe I'm not hearing much about it on a personal level yet,
because the average American has a certain amount
of disposable income
that is still cushioning him/her from the reality of this outrage,
while this family has absolutely no disposable income.
We normally live with just the basics, without the frills,
having already cut back as much as we can,
shopping at thrift stores, continuing to drive old cars...

But I'm not here to complain.

After spending $75 this week to fill my gas tank,
and hearing that it's only going to get worse,
I'm looking at our options:

1. We could stop eating, and be dead in a month and-a-half, and that would solve everything for our immediate family;
2. We could use the credit card at the gas stations, putting ourselves deeper into debt, and who knows how that would turn out;
3. Or I can go out and work full-time. Instead of being a stay-at-home mom who home schools and values relationships and education and spiritual purity more than money and things, I can join the ranks of liberated women, and let somebody else raise and teach and influence my kids.

My #1 son teased me a few weeks ago, that my answer to all of life's problems is this:
pray about it and try to eat right.
Since eating right or eating at all may become obsolete within the very near future,
I am left with prayer.
First, foremost, and always I am to pray.

Rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
- I Thessalonians 5:16-18

My Blessed Craziness

2008-06-28T21:24:00.000-07:00

My "blessed craziness" is foster parenting, especially because my husband is approaching the half century mark in birthdays, and we have this baby boy in the home now, who turned ten months old today, who may become ours permanently, which means we're starting over again with our family.
It's crazy, but because God's hand is in it, it's blessed.

Today the crazy part was when I tried to get baby M to take a nap at my in-law's, and it didn't happen. Way too much going on today, with a trip to the park, and then helicopters flying right over the house at naptime (the airport is across the road, and helicopters are carrying water to the fires in the area), plus the weather made our bodies hot and sticky...
I tried lying down beside him, singing quietly, rubbing his back, rubbing his forehead, singing some more, holding his binkie in his mouth, telling him how tired he was everytime he rubbed his eyes or yawned...
And nothing worked.
So, after an hour, I gave up, and we went back to the park (#1 girl was there for a friend's birthday party).

Today there was also a blessed part.
Baby M waved "bye-bye" for the first time and several more times (with all the trips to and fro). It's so sweet to see him do new things, and then when everyone gets excited, he gets this cute little half grin on his face.
He's also getting really close to crawling--Finally! He gets up on his hands and knees now and rocks back and forth. But tonight he mostly got up on his knees, and kept his arms and chest on the floor, and then tried to move forward, which made him look like a giant inch worm, and his bottom went up in the air, but he didn't go anywhere...
And then after his last bottle before bedtime...
(NOTE: The Blessed B's are: Bathtime, Bottle, and Bed.
You know, one of the MLB baseball teams in Texas has the Killer B's, so we decided to have the Blessed B's!)
After his bottle, we looked at his puppy book, which he loves, because it has a furry spot and other textures he likes to touch, and he hugged me over and over again.
He's now sound asleep in his crib.

(Most of the time the blessings outweigh the craziness. Thank You, Lord!)

Tears In California

2008-06-27T23:55:00.000-07:00

I don't claim California as my state. I didn't plan to move here a second time.
But this is where God brought us.
(He literally opened the door, nudged us through it, and then firmly shut the door behind us.)
And, even though things were a little rough in the beginning,
in the last five years, I've found much here to be thankful for.
California has many good things to offer, mostly in the way of beautiful scenery, lots of history, temperate weather in most parts of the state, where almost anything can grow, and the bounty of flowers and agriculture (including a small bit in my own yard, when I have the time to devote to growing things).

California also has some other things to its credit.

California was the first state to remove the McGuffey Readers from its schools, in 1875, replacing them with the more progressive Pacific Coast Readers, published in San Francisco.
California is the location of the classic tale The Grapes of Wrath.
Of course, Hollywood is here in the Golden State, the Golden Gate Bridge, Yosemite, and Alcatraz, and more than enough vineyards.
Last weekend there were a few hundred... At the end of this week, there are approximately 1,200 fires ablaze in California, requiring thousands of fire fighters working around the clock... and more lightning strikes are expected this weekend.
I believe California also has some of the largest fault lines in the country, and has suffered some of the worst earthquakes.

California is known for being a morally and politically liberal state.
Massachusetts was the first state to legalize same-sex weddings, but California is the first to allow nonresidents to marry, and this weekend, with the gay pride parade and events, people are flocking to San Francisco to file their marriage licenses.

A copy of the San Francisco Chronicle was sitting on the counter at the Post Office this evening, free for the taking, so I took it. On the cover of the B section was a picture of two men on a boat, one was holding a little boy. The 18-month-old caught my attention, as he resembles our little guy...
And my heart broke.

I also heard once that California leads the country in same-sex couples fostering and adopting children.

These are just a few of the reasons tears fall down my face in California.

A Time for Work and a Time for Brownies

2008-06-23T11:22:00.000-07:00

Thursday or Friday evenings are usually spent in the living room with the family, watching a movie, and attacking the week's worth of clean laundry that piled up while we were busy with the demands of life.
Last Friday, after the laundry was done, and we had time to play a short game together, we put the kids to bed, and Ron and I settled onto the couch to cuddle and eat sweet, gooey chocolate stuff together.
Yeah, right!
Ron sat on the couch, watching a movie and doing something on his laptop at the same time,
while I stood in the middle of the room to exercise and watch the movie with him.
We did smile at each other once in awhile.
Does this make me a hypocrite?
Exercising (a.k.a. working) when I'd rather be eating brownies (a.k.a. indulging)?
That's the idea that became popular several years ago:
If I don't feel like going to church, then I shouldn't go, because God doesn't want me to be a hypocrite.
Does this also apply to going to school and work?
To getting out of bed in the morning, when I'd rather be lazy?
To ignoring the cries of my children and neglecting their needs, simply because I don't feel like helping them?

Could this have something to do with our culture's emphasis on recreation and relaxation, and a bottle of wine pictured with almost everything in magazines and commercials and grocery store displays?
With more money spent on disposable dinnerware, "because there are more important things in life" (more important than doing dishes or cleaning house, that is)...
And people who work hard are "workaholics", similar to alcoholics, meaning there's something wrong with us if we take our work seriously;
which means we train our kids to get the work done as quickly as possible, because the real fun lies elsewhere,
which produces a generation (or maybe more) of young people who don't know how to work, and find no fulfillment in their work,
which frustrates their employers extremely,
and will frustrate these young people as they wander through life looking for satisfaction in empty pleasures...

Have we forgotten that Proverbs calls laziness a sin?
That a woman of virtue does not sit around eating bon-bons and watching soap operas...
Or that the pleasures of wine can be deceptive, leading us astray...
And that having lots of idle time and eating bread to the full is akin to pride and only a step away from God's displeasure (Ezek. 16:48-49)?

God gave Adam good work to do in the Garden, before the fall. The weeds and thorns made his work harder and more intense, but work has always been part of God's plan for our lives. And finding fulfillment in our work is also part of God's plan.

Because my work sometimes involves cooking and baking, brownies can be blessed when kept in their proper place--as an occasional treat.
The same goes with playtime and fun and frolic when kept in their proper place, and not at the very center of our lives.
Many folks are fulfilled in setting aside one type of work to pick up another less strenuous kind of work, knowing they are contributing something of value to their home and community.
Work is not the enemy, unless one kind of work is out of balance with other responsibilities. Pleasure is not always our friend. And hypocrisy is not doing what's right, when we'd rather give in to the flesh.
Wisdom is needed here, and God promises great amounts to those who ask for it.

(I did inform my husband, that if I am ever on my death bed--after a life of hard work--with no hope of recovery, he is to feed me brownies and ice cream for the rest of my days!)