Ahh, that's better

If you're feeling like life is frantic and crazy, that the USA is falling into a deep financial pit, or just need a good healthy reminder to open your Bible, go read this. Don't worry, it's short and to the point, but well worth it. The Lady of Virtue doesn't post much fluff. :)

Don't Worry

"...do not worry about your life..."

"...And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these."

Matthew 6:25-34

What's the Connection

I'm not sure why watching American Idol got Speedy thinking, but he had me worried when he said, "I know what I want to be when I grow up. I want to be a...I want to be a...a...a..." (of course I was thinking, a bad singer??)

Princess added "God already know what we're going to be, right?"

Speedy: "I want to be an eye doctor." Oh, good.

Princess piped in, "I want to be an airplane-flyer." Really, a pilot? "Yeah, I want to drive airplanes." She's really in question mode, so went on, "How does God know what we're going to be?"

Me (??): "He knows what would be the best use of the talents and gifts He's given you, to bring Him the most glory."

Princess (knowingly): "oh."

Kids make it seem so simple.

Clarity

I think it's interesting how I can suddenly get clarity on a certain verse or topic when I'm reading the Bible or another book.

In Sunday School, we've had some intriguing discussions about how faith and works tie in; how we'll be judged (are Christians judged too?), rewards in heaven, and the idea of being 'given much so much is expected.' And I've been reading an Andrew Murray book called True Vine that deals with the vine & branches passage in John 15. Some things came together...

Last night while reading Knowing God by J.I.Packer, a few passages really stuck out to me:

Index of the Heart:
"...The relevance of our doings is not that they ever merit an award from the court (the chapter was on God, the Judge)--but that they provide an index of what is in the heart--what, in other words, is the real nature of each agent."..."Similarly, in the sheep-and-goats passage appeal is made to whether one had or had not relieved Christians' needs. What is the significance of that? It is not that one way of acting was meritorious while the other was not, but that from these actions it could be seen whether there was love to Christ, the love that springs from faith, in the heart. (Mt. 25:34-46)"

"How do free forgiveness and justification by faith square with judgment according to works?
The answer seems to be as follows. First, the gift of justification certainly shields believers from being condemned and banished from God's presence as sinners. This appears from the vision of judgment in Revelation 20:11-15, where alongside "the books" recording each person's works
"the book of life" is opened, and those whose names are written there are not "thrown into the lake of fire" as the rest are. But, second, the gift of justification does not at all shield believers from being assessed as Christians, and from forfeiting good which others will enjoy if it turns out
that as Christians they have been slack, mischievous and destructive. This appears from Paul's warning to the Corinthians to be careful what lifestyle they build on Christ, the one foundation. "If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, his work shall be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames" (1 Cor 3:12-15). Reward and loss signify an enriched or impoverished relationship with God, though in what ways it is beyond our present power to know. Final judgment will also be according to our knowledge. All people know something of God's will through general revelation, (I thought of Rom. 1:19-20, where creation has made God known to all people)
even if they have not been instructed in the law or the gospel, and all are guilty before God for falling short of the best they knew. But ill-desert is graded according to what that best was; see Rom 2:12 and Luke 12:47-48. The principle operating here is that "where a man has been given much, much will be expected of him" (v. 48 NEB). The justice of this is obvious. In every case
the Judge of all the earth will do right."

Pretty wordy, I know, but he says it much better than I could. It really made me think about if I am living to the best of what I know about God. When talking about our actions showing if we really loved God, I thought of John 14:15, 'If you love me, you will obey what I command.' Seems like a tall order. But in True Vine, the point is brought out that the power to bear fruit in our lives comes from God, if we only abide in him. I've been pondering what 'abiding in him' looks like. John 15:9 points the way: 'If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in His love.' Lots to think about and continue studying.

Refreshing Hope in the Darkness

I just read a blog entry from a blog I follow called Large Family Mothering. She's addressing how it can feel overwhelming to live in this world, but that our hope is in a God who is so much greater than this world! Hallelujah! Go take a peek if you need a bit of optimism today.

Topsy-Turvy

My life isn't, though some days are. For example, like today, when I am late to the doctor because Speedy wants to wear Princess's flip-flops. (We try not to allow the cross-dressing in public.) And then two kids are complaining of tummies hurting in the van, one is fussing, and I'm stuck behind slow, I mean leisurely drivers...when Princess tells me she's going to spit up. I give her my 'trash cup' and thankfully it holds. Whew.

Another example: coming out of Dillon's with a slew of groceries, and it is POURING rain. I mean, the bagger is wearing a raincoat to help me to my van! Honey started crying, but the other two thought it was a fun adventure.

Anyway, my point was going to be a verse that struck me from my daily devotional this week. It's funny how sometimes I see verses that I never recall reading before:

"...Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my
unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,"
says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
Isaiah 54:10

I was comforted by that--even when things seem topsy-turvy, God still loves me and is there, hasn't given up on me.

And lastly, more encouragement in a quote on a friend's blog:

"Start by doing what is necessary;
then do what is possible;
and suddenly you're doing the impossible."
--St. Francis of Assissi

There are some days when even doing what's necessary seems to be beyond what I can accomplish, much less anything else. It's nice to think that if I just keep plugging away, God can bless my meager efforts into something more.

Reading time

I actually had opportunity to catch up on some reading this week! (i.e., I went to bed at a decent hour and read in bed!) I just finished 'Preacher's Kids' by Grace Nies Fletcher, in which she relates what it was like growing up in a preacher's family at the turn of the century. She has a very warm way of writing, and it was neat to see how tightly knit their family was. Although, she and her brother did each come to a point where they tested their parents' faith and had to make it their own. A note from one of the dad's sermons on prayer stuck out to me: "What is prayer?...when what we want and what God wants are one and the same. Then only do we reach up to touch the hand of God, our Father." Simple, yet profound.

I also started reading 'Knowing God' by J.I.Packer. It's pretty deep, but will give a lot to think about. I think it will be looking at God's character and attributes. The author talks about knowing God more, not for the sake of knowledge itself; but as the writer of Ps 119's goal is, so ours should be: "He wanted to understand God's truth in order that his heart might respond to it and his life be conformed to it." Christian life in a nutshell! Stay tuned for more from 'Knowing God.'

And now for a few random smatterings that I was hoping to get done last night--but the internet was being a PAIN!

I have several moss rose plants that have just flourished this year--they are like small bushes, really! The picture doesn't do justice to the pretty red color that these are. And I have NEVER had marigolds that looked like this! Huge plants, huge blossoms, SO MANY blossoms! Hubby is glad to see that the cow manure he filled in the flower bed is making its mark. I guess I'm a believer in the difference fertilizer can make, too!
Yesterday Speedy was sent to lie down in our room. We went to get him for school and couldn't find him. We finally followed the blanket trail to the back of the closet under Hubby's hanging clothes. Speedy is quite drawn to the closet during nap time for some reason.
Everyone had their sunset pics from the KSU game this weekend on facebook; so here's mine:
And, our 3 little tailgaters were tired, but had a pretty good time at the game. Speedy couldn't stop talking about Willie the Wildcat. :)

Doubt can be good?

There have been several things over the last year or so that have really caused me to doubt what I knew about God and how He works. It's been frustrating, but has caused my faith to be strengthened as God proves Himself faithful again and again, even if I don't understand all the circumstances. I don't feel like many of my questions have been answered--except realizing that God is God, He is who He says He is, and mostly, we can't understand Him. I came across a quote today that really made me think:

If faith never encounters doubt, if truth never struggles with error, if
good never battles with evil, how can faith know its own power? In my own
pilgrimage, if I have to choose between a faith that has stared doubt in the
eye and made it blink, or a naive faith that has never known the firing
line of doubt, I will choose the former every time.--Gary Parker

Hope it makes you think, too.

Wow

It has been neat to be in the preschool class at VBS with my kiddos--they feel comfortable because I'm close, but I also get to see how they interact with other kids and adults. Today in one session the teacher was asking if anyone knew what 'preaching' was. My Princess piped up, 'teaching about God.' I'm not really sure how she knew that, but I was proud of her, and kind of in awe at how she's growing up and taking some things to heart. :) She was also brave enough to pray in our class as we placed our hands on the soccer ball we'd prepared to send to a child in S. Africa. I don't think I was brave enough to do that until...maybe college??

Accept Each Day as it Comes

I received a new devotional book for my birthday, 'Dear Jesus' by Sarah Young. I try to read one at breakfast--sometimes the only quiet chance I get, while the little mouths are munching. :) Today's was good for me, here's a blurb (as if spoken by Jesus):

"Human minds, though capable of brilliance, tend to be undisciplined and rebellious. To counteract this weakness, I have provided help in the Person of the Holy Spirit. ... Your time and energy are limited; only I know how much of each you have. Try to accept each day as a precious gift from Me, thanking Me for it rather than wishing it away. Ask Me to accomplish My purposes in and through you this day. Instead of wasting so much energy longing for what is not, invest that energy in trusting Me."

I thought it was a good reminder, as a stay-home mom, that I might not accomplish what I want today, but it's still a good day, still a day where I've served a purpose. Reminds me not to always be looking where the 'grass is greener' but to have joy and contentment in current circumstances. With the devotion were several verses, this one stuck out especially because I saw it over the doorway as I was leaving a family member's house yesterday, and I thought it was a great spot and great verse to read as you leave your house:

"This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."
---Psalm 118:24

The Shack

I finished another book last night: 'The Shack' by William P. Young. http://www.theshackbook.com/ My sister-in-law passed it on to me. Anyone heard of it or read it? I guess you'd call it sort of an allegory. I had a really hard time getting through the first four chapters (if you read the back cover of the book, you'd know why). I was wishing I hadn't started reading it, but felt like I had to keep going to get it out of my mind. If you can make it to chapter 5, you'll be okay, I think. It touches on so many aspects of Christian life and questions that come with the hard stuff in life. And presents such a loving, intimate portrait of God--the whole trinity, even--and presents the essence of each part with neat clarity. What's presented seems to mesh with the Bible to me, but I'm not an expert that can vouch for the soundness of all the 'theology.' This sounds cheesy, but the descriptiveness (of ch. 5 on) is also a 'feast for the senses.' :) All in all, it's a pretty thought-provoking book. If you've read it, let me know what you think.

Tuesday Musings

We saw a Papa John's flyer with a heart-shaped pizza, so Princess wanted to try making one for our Valentine dinner. Wasn't too hard. She was also excited about our pink punch (1 c pink lemonade, 1 c raspberry sherbet, 1 can 7up).
Speedy has latched on to Sam the bear; Sam sleeps with Speedy; Sam is sometimes Speedy's pillow; Sam takes trips in the van with us; Sam even sits at the table during meals sometimes. (Yes, he's wearing his jersey again!)
Just a cute one of Honey and Hubby. :) Honey's latest exploits include still putting everything in her mouth, and passing some interesting things into her diaper; LOVES grapes; can climb onto the bathroom stool and reach onto the counter; very interested in everything in the bathroom--today was already seen dragging around the toilet brush, then the bathroom rug. She cried herself to sleep for a nap today...for the first time ever--usually I am her pacifier to soothe to sleep. She has never been interested in an actual pacifier for more than about one minute. She's waving, clapping, bouncing to music, putting phones to her ear, trying to run, and I'm pretty sure, has repeated a couple words. :)

Princess & Speedy always want to try yogurt, then don't like it, so there's all these partially eaten yogurts lurking. Finally, we discovered that they love the Yoplait Whipped yogurt. Especially the chocolate mousse flavor. Does that really count as yogurt??

Speedy was reading 'Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see?' out loud to himself after lunch today. Very cute. And hard to believe he's growing up so much! He was helping me in the kitchen this weekend (he likes being close to the food, I think, and the opportunity for snacking). He was leaning over a pan just out of the oven, and I said "that'll burn your face, honey." He kind of glared at me and said, "I not HONEY, I SPEEDY!" Hubby agreed. :) Speedy has come up with his own word for when he toots--he calls it a peep. Like, 'I peeped' or 'I made a peep.'

We (the kids and I) started a new chapter book--Stuart Little. We're only on chapter 3. Need to enforce some bedtimes, I guess. I finally finished 'Making Children Mind Without Losing Yours' (I hear you snickering) by Kevin Leman. It was slow to start, but had some good points--main focus is 'reality discipline' basically letting logical consequences and your (the parent's) actions do the talking instead of arguing, wheedling, bribing, etc. Also had some pretty good chapters on single parenting and blended families. The verse it was based on was

Eph 6:4 "Don't keep on scolding and nagging your children, making them
angry and resentful. Rather, bring them up with the loving discipline the
Lord himself approves, with suggestions and godly advice." NLT

Also talks about how as a parent you want to aim for an authoritative approach, in between permissive (robs child of self respect and initiative by doing so much FOR her) and authoritatian (robs child of self-esteem and sense of independence by doing so much TO her). Interesting.

So Hubby thinks my blogging is kind of silly--I can't blame him, he actually gets to talk with other adults throughout the day instead of pseudo-conversing via a blog. :) It's also a good way for me to savor the everyday stuff, share info with others as I think of it (that I usually end up forgetting to tell them in person), and hopefully be an encouragement, or at least mildly entertaining to others. Time to end this long post that has only taken about 40 minutes, in between interruptions. One of which was Princess asking me if God and Jesus would take care of her if she didn't have a Mommy and Daddy in heaven. (sniff, sniff) Yes, Princess.

Shenanigans

Oh, is it only Monday morning? How can three kids 4 and under have SO much energy?? They're very worried about the trail of ants along the hall--an after-effect of a pop incident on Friday--I dropped a can of pop, it must have hit a cabinet handle and was punctured, it started shooting out of the can and the can was careening and ricocheting all over the kitchen, spraying pop up to 10 feet away (I am not exaggerating, ask the kids!) Needless to say, even after wiping the floor several times, the ants have found some sugar I've missed. I squirted them with vinegar water. Honey was on her way to emptying a Kleenex box this morning; pulling TP off the roll in both bathrooms (we had them back on the rolls for company this weekend, and it only took her about 3 minutes to find it); chewing on the kids scissors; we're working on Valentines and Princess has been asking non-stop how to spell different names, including hers--she gets stuck on the G and H. I'm glad she's doing her letters, of course. :) And Speedy has been needing something or other all morning. He's very persistent, and impossible to distract. So it looks like if the only thing I get done today is the laundry, it will be quite an accomplishment! Although even that is relative: last week 2 pieces of double bubble went through the washer & dryer--of course I blamed Hubby, but he denied it. 3 days later Speedy was asking me for his gum from children's church, because he was ready to eat it. RRRRrrrrr. A different piece of gum caused a ruckus at lunch today. Speedy would NOT finish his PB & J for 40 min. or more, but didn't want to be excused because he wanted gum for dessert. He FINALLY finished his sandwich and put the desired gum in his mouth. 30 seconds later he was done with it and spit it out. Go figure. We're working on not lying with Princess right now. I think she knows exactly what she's doing. For example, after the bathroom, I'll ask her if she washed her hands. "Yep." "Okay, let me smell them." "Oh, actually, I forgot!" And she runs off to wash. I'm really liking our new house, it has more room. But I'm realizing it's a lot longer trip across the house when Princess yells, "Mom, Honey's about to play in the toilet!!" :)

"From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." Luke 12:48

I am thankful for my 3 little blessings, I HAVE been given much! Sorry for this super-long post about relatively little, but I suppose there are some other moms out there who can relate!

A Good Read

Amazingly, I am still able to enjoy reading--in smaller bits of time than pre-kid, but I still enjoy it quite a bit. (And sometimes I get to read books without pictures, too!) :) I just finished 'The Baronet's Song' by George MacDonald, it's a nice read, very descriptive of the Scottish countryside, but not too descriptive to make it boring. It's a touching story about an orphan, who although treated very poorly, still has a pure spirit and love for humanity. He's always looking out for others, what he could do for them, never thinking what he would or could gain from it, and that really impressed me. He comes to know Jesus through a woman who takes him in. The description of her faith was simple, but impressive to me: "Not for years and years had Janet been to church. She had long been unable to walk so far; and having no book but the best, and no help to understand it but the highest, her faith was simple, strong, real, all-pervading. Day by day she pored over the great gospel until she had grown to be one of the noble ladies of the kingdom of heaven--one of those who inherit the earth and are ripening to see God. For the Master, and His mind in hers, was her teacher. She had little or no theology save what He taught her. To Janet, Jesus Christ was no object of so-called theological speculation, but a living Man who somehow or other heard her when she called to Him,..." Not that I'm advocating not going to church by any means, I just thought it interesting how complicated we make knowing God sometimes.