My heart has broken for 2 families in our church as they face major trials. I post it here because I know my readers pray. Please do . . .
For Kate and Aeron, who are currently in the hospital facing preterm labor. Kate is only 23 weeks along, and less than a year removed from the 3 month premature birth of their last child, their little girl. Now Kate either spends the rest of the pregnancy in the hospital or at home on bed rest. This situation is familiar to me, and so my heart breaks for them and I plead to God to save this child for His name's sake.
Also for Jenni and Scott, whose one week old baby girl in currently in the NICU at Children's Hospital for seizures. She had her first one when she was only 5 days old. Some preliminary tests have come back good, but they will keep her on an anti-seizure medication for 6 months. This is their first child, and I can't imagine the fear that threatens to overwhelm them.
Praise God that both couples show great faith in these trials and that God has given them unmeasurable grace. Please bombard the Throne of God for both of these families. I will keep you updated.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Thanksgiving Pictures
It has been a beautiful weekend this Thanksgiving, so we took advantage of the weather and got some family photos. Alli wasn't cooperative when we tried to pose her with Elijah, so we will have to get a picture of her all by herself later.
Just the two of us!!!
The whole, happy family!
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Tagged
I have been tagged by my good friend, Gretchen, requiring me to list 13 things I love about my husband. This shouldn't be too difficult . . . (BTW, I was going to post a great picture of him, but all I had on this computer was his bashed up and bloody chin from his sledding accident last winter. I didn't think this would be an accurate example of #12)
1. He is a wonderful father.
2. He is always willing to help me out around the house.
3. He is conservative with how we spend our money for ourselves, but generous beyond belief when it comes to helping others. This is truly a grace gift from God.
4. He eats my crummy pancakes. But hey, they stick with him like nothing else!
5. He stays busy. He is always working on a project or puttering in the garage. There are very few times he wants to just sit and do nothing.
6. He drives 45 minutes one way to work everyday just so our family could be closer to our church and friends. He knew I suffered from lonliness out in the corn fields of L.M. and was willing to do something about it.
7. Did I mention that he is a wonderful father? He is always willing to let Elijah help out with whatever he is doing and never acts as if Elijah is getting in his way, although we all know a 2 year old helping Dad makes the job go longer than necessary!
8. He is extremely patient with others.
9. He gives people the benefit of the doubt.
10. He loves and serves the True God.
11. He puts up with me.
12. He is handsome beyond belief!
13. He is a marvolous husband and loves me unconditionally.
What a good exercise to partake in! I should do this more often. I am now responsible for tagging 2 others, but since I have a very limited blogroll, I shall move this to email!
1. He is a wonderful father.
2. He is always willing to help me out around the house.
3. He is conservative with how we spend our money for ourselves, but generous beyond belief when it comes to helping others. This is truly a grace gift from God.
4. He eats my crummy pancakes. But hey, they stick with him like nothing else!
5. He stays busy. He is always working on a project or puttering in the garage. There are very few times he wants to just sit and do nothing.
6. He drives 45 minutes one way to work everyday just so our family could be closer to our church and friends. He knew I suffered from lonliness out in the corn fields of L.M. and was willing to do something about it.
7. Did I mention that he is a wonderful father? He is always willing to let Elijah help out with whatever he is doing and never acts as if Elijah is getting in his way, although we all know a 2 year old helping Dad makes the job go longer than necessary!
8. He is extremely patient with others.
9. He gives people the benefit of the doubt.
10. He loves and serves the True God.
11. He puts up with me.
12. He is handsome beyond belief!
13. He is a marvolous husband and loves me unconditionally.
What a good exercise to partake in! I should do this more often. I am now responsible for tagging 2 others, but since I have a very limited blogroll, I shall move this to email!
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Life
So life happened this week, just like I predicted. I have all these unwritten posts rattling around in my head and no time to write them.
We are having friends for dinner tonight, tomorrow is a super long day at church, and then 2 days of appointments and such and we are gone again for the Thanksgiving Holiday. So don't expect much here until after next week.
Don't worry, you will survive . . .
We are having friends for dinner tonight, tomorrow is a super long day at church, and then 2 days of appointments and such and we are gone again for the Thanksgiving Holiday. So don't expect much here until after next week.
Don't worry, you will survive . . .
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Respecting your Husband
I found a great link on Pyromaniacs this past week. Not that this is a rarity, I find valuable articles there all the time. It is one of the websites that is worth reading every day. Don't be fooled by all the logos and perceived silliness, these men are serious theologians who routinely write piercing pieces and devotionals, and manage to summerize current trends and controversies in a God-centered way that leave me thinking, "I wish I had thought of it that way first!"
So the article is about the dreaded topic of submission in marriage, or more specifically, respecting your husband. Married or not, it is totally worth your while to read. Read Dan Phillip's Questions for a Godly Wife, while you are at it.
Respecting your husband is a topic I have been thinking of a lot lately. My mother-in-law and I have discussed it on numerous occasions. It is easy to talk about but not so easy to do. If you take an honest look at how you think of your husband when he disagrees with you or does something different than you would, it is easy to see that respecting him is the furthest thing from your mind or actions. The article was a gift from God to remind me of this principle.
By the way, I have heard that if you include a link to Pyromaniacs on your site, there is a good chance to get Blogspotted by them. We'll see if it works for a silly little blog like mine.
So the article is about the dreaded topic of submission in marriage, or more specifically, respecting your husband. Married or not, it is totally worth your while to read. Read Dan Phillip's Questions for a Godly Wife, while you are at it.
Respecting your husband is a topic I have been thinking of a lot lately. My mother-in-law and I have discussed it on numerous occasions. It is easy to talk about but not so easy to do. If you take an honest look at how you think of your husband when he disagrees with you or does something different than you would, it is easy to see that respecting him is the furthest thing from your mind or actions. The article was a gift from God to remind me of this principle.
By the way, I have heard that if you include a link to Pyromaniacs on your site, there is a good chance to get Blogspotted by them. We'll see if it works for a silly little blog like mine.
Compartments and Catagories
I must admit, I haven't been to Sharper Iron in a while. I have been taking a break since some of the attitudes displayed there tend to tick me off. And yes, I realize getting ticked off doesn't make the list of thinking of things that are true, lovely, and of a good report. So that is why I have taken a break. But this excellent article drew me back (HT: Ben). This is the 2nd article by Holly Stratton (wife of the pres. of Clearwater Christian College) that has knocked my socks off.
First of all, this woman can write! I both enjoy and envy intelligent, engaging writers.
Second of all, she writes from the heart. She makes you think and question the things you do and the ways you do them. Her writing makes you check your heart, and what is better than that?
Here is a hint of what you will read in the article that deals with discernment:
“Mom, are you sure this is a Bible thing, or is it just an old thing?” As I sat with my son downloading previews of music he was asking me to evaluate, I suddenly yearned for the days when the only song in his musical repertoire that even faintly raised my eyebrow was one that involved a rather raucous garden escape by Peter Rabbit. Everyone needs an inquisitive, status quo-examining teenager in his home. Teens are so adept at poking around in our neatly arranged boxes of rejection and asking those challenging questions about the items that interest them. It can be quite irritating at times, and I confess the inconvenience of it all has far too often driven me to seal the container shut and shoo away the grubby little paws that are daring to rummage through items I have proudly rejected for half a century.
I am just lazy enough to engage in some hefty, white-knuckled clinging to the convenience that boxes and labels offer. I thrive on organization, but since I’m not naturally neat enough to achieve it on my own, I tend to rely heavily on baskets and bins. I possess a “contained chaos” kind of style. As long as things look neat and orderly, my conscience usually finds soothing just enough to enjoy a few good patronizing pats on the back from that annoyingly virtuous woman of my dreams.
I find that I especially love containers that house those “gray matters” that, when left unconfined, require the expenditure of a painful amount of mental and spiritual exercise in discerning their individual worth. It’s much easier to simply clump the items together and then tuck them in a box and label it. Actually, the easiest thing to do is to just utilize those pre-labeled boxes. I’ve taken advantage of that benefit more than I care to admit. Not only is this nifty compartmentalization convenient, but also it looks incredibly neat when the boxes are neatly arranged on the shelf. G-rated movies? ACCEPT. R-rated moves? REJECT. Hymns? ACCEPT. Contemporary worship songs? REJECT. Televisions? ACCEPT. Movie Theaters? REJECT.
So, enjoy the article, and take a moment to apply it to your own life.
First of all, this woman can write! I both enjoy and envy intelligent, engaging writers.
Second of all, she writes from the heart. She makes you think and question the things you do and the ways you do them. Her writing makes you check your heart, and what is better than that?
Here is a hint of what you will read in the article that deals with discernment:
“Mom, are you sure this is a Bible thing, or is it just an old thing?” As I sat with my son downloading previews of music he was asking me to evaluate, I suddenly yearned for the days when the only song in his musical repertoire that even faintly raised my eyebrow was one that involved a rather raucous garden escape by Peter Rabbit. Everyone needs an inquisitive, status quo-examining teenager in his home. Teens are so adept at poking around in our neatly arranged boxes of rejection and asking those challenging questions about the items that interest them. It can be quite irritating at times, and I confess the inconvenience of it all has far too often driven me to seal the container shut and shoo away the grubby little paws that are daring to rummage through items I have proudly rejected for half a century.
I am just lazy enough to engage in some hefty, white-knuckled clinging to the convenience that boxes and labels offer. I thrive on organization, but since I’m not naturally neat enough to achieve it on my own, I tend to rely heavily on baskets and bins. I possess a “contained chaos” kind of style. As long as things look neat and orderly, my conscience usually finds soothing just enough to enjoy a few good patronizing pats on the back from that annoyingly virtuous woman of my dreams.
I find that I especially love containers that house those “gray matters” that, when left unconfined, require the expenditure of a painful amount of mental and spiritual exercise in discerning their individual worth. It’s much easier to simply clump the items together and then tuck them in a box and label it. Actually, the easiest thing to do is to just utilize those pre-labeled boxes. I’ve taken advantage of that benefit more than I care to admit. Not only is this nifty compartmentalization convenient, but also it looks incredibly neat when the boxes are neatly arranged on the shelf. G-rated movies? ACCEPT. R-rated moves? REJECT. Hymns? ACCEPT. Contemporary worship songs? REJECT. Televisions? ACCEPT. Movie Theaters? REJECT.
So, enjoy the article, and take a moment to apply it to your own life.
Sorry for the Delay
I'm sorry I haven't posted sooner, but I was at my parent's house all week. Blogger somehow deleted my last post on Ted Haggerd, maybe because they were sick of hearing about the scandal! So anyway, I haven't had the chance to sit and write, although I have a lot to write about. I have found some great articles on other blogs, lately, that I would like to link to and comment on as well as commenting on the EXCELLENT weekend we had at our church with special speaker, Jim Ellif. Check back regularly, I hope to be posting a lot this week. Then again, life can happen and I may not get anything posted! Either way, I hope you get a chance to read my thoughts.
I'm currently in the middle of baking cookies while Alli sleeps, so I better get back to business!
I'm currently in the middle of baking cookies while Alli sleeps, so I better get back to business!
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Another favorite song . . .
About a week ago I posted the lyrics of a Casting Crowns song and a link to the video on Youtube. I hope you all enjoyed it. I also mentioned that there is another CC song that I really enjoy and I thought I would take the time to share it with you today.
Let me give some background: A year ago in July we lost a baby girl, whom we named Donette, while I was about 6 months pregnant. As you can imagine, that trial hit us pretty hard. God was good to us throughout it all, and we have grown because of it, but there are still moments that I mourn the loss. In fact, last week was my birthday and I was running a thousand errands for a shower I was hosting, and one of them took me to the area where she was laid to rest. I stopped for a moment at her grave, thought about her and how I wish I could hold her again, and then thanked God for her short life and went on my way. It was no coincidence that this song played on the radio shortly thereafter. I share the lyrics here and the video here:
(the video isn't made by the band, it is just pictures to the song)
Praise you in the Storm
I was sure by now/that you would have reached down/and wiped our tears away/stepped in and saved the day/But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining
As the thunder rolls/I barely hear you whisper through the rain/"I'm with you"/And as your mercy falls/I raise my hands and praise the God who gives/and takes away
chorus I'll praise you in this storm/and I will lift my hands/for you are who you are/no matter where I am/Every tear I've cried/you hold in your hand/you never left my side/and though my heart is torn/I will praise you in this storm
I remember when/I stumbled in the wind/you heard my cry/you raised me up again/my strength is almost gone/how can I carry on/if I can't find you?
I lift my eyes unto the hills/where does my help come from?/my help comes from the Lord/the maker of heaven and earth.
This song was quoted on my friend's blog, Ed, when he was battling cancer. He went home to Heaven this summer, and this song brought me some comfort again as I mourned his passing.
I am fully aware that songs are not Scripture. We can't look to them for all of our comfort when we need to look to Christ. However, God made us with a heart that responds to music (which is why is can be such a powerful tool for good or evil) and when the lyrics point out attributes of God that we need to be reminded of, it can serve as a tool to keep us Cross-centered. I appreciate this song for that.
Let me give some background: A year ago in July we lost a baby girl, whom we named Donette, while I was about 6 months pregnant. As you can imagine, that trial hit us pretty hard. God was good to us throughout it all, and we have grown because of it, but there are still moments that I mourn the loss. In fact, last week was my birthday and I was running a thousand errands for a shower I was hosting, and one of them took me to the area where she was laid to rest. I stopped for a moment at her grave, thought about her and how I wish I could hold her again, and then thanked God for her short life and went on my way. It was no coincidence that this song played on the radio shortly thereafter. I share the lyrics here and the video here:
(the video isn't made by the band, it is just pictures to the song)
Praise you in the Storm
I was sure by now/that you would have reached down/and wiped our tears away/stepped in and saved the day/But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining
As the thunder rolls/I barely hear you whisper through the rain/"I'm with you"/And as your mercy falls/I raise my hands and praise the God who gives/and takes away
chorus I'll praise you in this storm/and I will lift my hands/for you are who you are/no matter where I am/Every tear I've cried/you hold in your hand/you never left my side/and though my heart is torn/I will praise you in this storm
I remember when/I stumbled in the wind/you heard my cry/you raised me up again/my strength is almost gone/how can I carry on/if I can't find you?
I lift my eyes unto the hills/where does my help come from?/my help comes from the Lord/the maker of heaven and earth.
This song was quoted on my friend's blog, Ed, when he was battling cancer. He went home to Heaven this summer, and this song brought me some comfort again as I mourned his passing.
I am fully aware that songs are not Scripture. We can't look to them for all of our comfort when we need to look to Christ. However, God made us with a heart that responds to music (which is why is can be such a powerful tool for good or evil) and when the lyrics point out attributes of God that we need to be reminded of, it can serve as a tool to keep us Cross-centered. I appreciate this song for that.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Birthday Gift
This is my beautiful birthday present from my wonderful husband. Actually, this isn't the exact model, but I couldn't find a picture of the one I have. It is black and sleek looking and looks great in my kitchen! Ok, so this isn't a piece of decoration, so I will expound a little on it's benefits. It stirs really well. That's it. No, really, it does more than that, but I have only used it once so far, and it did an excellent job on the mashed potatoes, so I have high hopes that it will help me make biscuits and bread and all sorts of other baked goodies.I am going today to make bread with Debbie, hoping to gain enough courage to try it on my own. This machine better help!
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