Celebrating Allison

I figured it was time to post about Alli, since I have been posting so many pictures of Elijah! Here she is with her loving Grandpa W., and as always, fingers in mouth! She cut her first tooth on Elijah's birthday, when she was just over 7 months old.

She loves to be in her saucer, although she is starting to appreciate the Jonny Jump-Up that I use only occasionally upstairs. Now that she has mastered jumping, she really goes to town!

After a lesson in crawling from her dad, she takes a rest on our bedroom floor. It makes me laugh when everyone is so excited for her to learn to crawl. I'm the one who will be chasing her all day and blocking the whole family in with gates on all the stairs! And the plants . . . I'm not looking forward to fighting that one again! But I know it will come soon enough!

The Eaglet

This isn't really a book review, I just wanted to inform you about a great tool to introduce children to Christ. "The Eaglet" is a small book written by Jim Elliff that I just received from my friend, Debbie. Jim came to our church last fall and I highly recommend his books as well as his articles that are on his ministry website Christian Communicators Worldwide.

"The Eaglet" tells the story of a newborn eagle who desperately wants to fly, but knows the warning of his father about dying if he does so too soon. It presents a great picture of God as our father and the saving work of Christ. The story is only 10 pages long (half of which are pictures) and then the book goes into a clear presentation of the gospel. Jim is very Reformed in his presentation, so don't worry about getting a "say a little prayer and you're in" gospel.

I have a lot of respect for the ministry of Jim Elliff. He publishes his own books and sells them at cost to him. His goal is not to make a profit from his writing, (in fact, most of his articles are free to download on the website) but to get the message into as many hands as possible.

At a later time I hope to write some posts regarding other books of Jim's that I have read. Until then, spend the $3.00 to get this one, and if you hope to combine shipping, ask me for those recommendations!

Motorcycle Man

This was, by far, Elijah's favorite birthday present. It is a bicycle with training wheels meant to look like a Harley. Appropriate, since we live in Wisconsin, don't you think?

We completed the look of a tough, motorcycle man with his sunglasses and a bandana on his head. He can ride the bike in a circle around our dining room table. We are allowing it now, since the bike hasn't seen the outdoors yet. But once spring is here and the tires touch asphalt, it will stay outside!

Happy Birthday, Elijah!

Exactly 3 years ago, my little man was born. After 17 hours of labor, 2 epidurals and finally a C-Section, all 10 ½ lbs. of him entered our world! I cannot believe how fast 3 years has gone, and I mean that. Yes, I know everyone says it, and I’m sure I’ve said it before, but NEVER before have 3 years gone so fast! And the changes that have transpired in that time! It is no trite expression to say that each life is truly a miracle.

We haven’t made a big deal about today being his birthday, since we celebrated with both of his grandparents last weekend. In his mind, he has been 3 for a few days now. We won’t be able to do this for many years before he catches on, but I am trying to avoid the predicament that Dan’s relatives have with their son who is convinced he is 2 years older because of multiple birthday parties in one year. Anyhow, it worked for this birthday.

He is such a big, little man these days. Still loves to cuddle and needs to be carried down the stairs after a nap, but fiercely independent in choosing his underwear every morning and in other such important areas. He has finally learned to put on his own shoes, which helps us out immensely! He loves to play cars and trucks and “little tractors” as well as pretend to be Superman. He is an amazing big brother. Sometimes I can’t believe he is actually part of me. Sometimes I can’t imagine loving him anymore than I already do.

Happy 3rd Birthday, buddy! I love you tons!

First Book Review

One of my 2007 resolutions is to read more. Now granted, I will not be able to match Gretchen's record, and I'm not even going to try. I just want to budget my time better and to take advantage of those moments when both kids are sleeping and I don't know what to do with myself!

I asked for a couple of books for Christmas, and my sis-in-law, Jennifer, gave me both. I chose first to read "Humility, True Greatness" by C.J. Mahaney, because it looked like a quick read! Granted, it probably would have been if not for all the interruptions that we mothers routinely experience. It is only 170 (little) pages, but packed with great truths.

First, Mahaney makes the case for humility. Jumping off from the text of Isaiah 66:2, which says, "This is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word", he makes the case that true humility gets God's attention.

He then gives practical advice on how to develop humility, focusing on the greatness of God and His work for us on the cross to show us how deeply dependant we are.

I don't want to take away from you reading the book yourself, so I will highlight two aspects that really stuck out to me and one small disagreement.

He gives specific ways that we can dwell upon our need for God. One he mentions is sleep. What a great picture of our dependence on God. He states it this way:

"Many of us have never considered our sleep from God's perspective, though we profess to love and serve Him; our practice and perspective regarding sleep are no different from that of non-Christians. This needs to change.

"A Christian, informed and inspired by Scripture, views the cessation of work each day, the limitation God places upon work each day, and the laying down to sleep each night, as altogether a gift from God. A gift so graciously provided in His lavish generosity. And those who neglect this gift will inevitably suffer consequences. . .

"The fact is, God could have created us without a need for sleep. But He chose to build this need within us, and there's a spiritual purpose for it. Each night, as I confront my need again for sleep, I'm reminded that I'm a dependent creature. I am not self-sufficient. I am not the Creator. There is only One who "will neither slumber or sleep" (Psalm 121:4), and I am not that One."

As I read that passage one night before turning off the light to sleep, I thanked God for His gift of sleep and cherished it's rejuvenating effects.

He also highlights the necessity of "identifying evidences of grace" in others. What an act of humility to stop looking at ourselves and to give God the glory for how He is working in others. Mahaney uses the example of Paul, writing to the church in Corinth, and how he could have blasted them from here to eternity for the sin in their midst. Now he did deal with it, but only after he says, "I give thanks to my God always for you . . . because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus." (I Corinthians 1:4) When I fail to see God's work in another believer's life, and I only consistently see what they need to change, then I fail to be humble. Plain and simple.

I needed that point. It hit a little too close to home.

As a caveat, I do want to point out one small disagreement that I have with a point he makes. While speaking about responding humbly to trials, the author uses Habakkuk as an illustration of one who questions God and then learns to trust Him, even during a major trial. He then states,

"What promise has gone unfulfilled in your life so far? Marriage? Pregnancy? Healing? A particular promotion or position? Salvation for a loved one? Will you, like Habakkuk, quietly and humbly wait for God's fulfillment of His promise?" (p.145)

The application he makes is great. We should wait quietly and humbly before God for everything, but God never promises to give us a marriage, a child, or a job promotion. I just don't agree with the comparison of God's promises to Habakkuk and our desires for those things. That's all I could find to disagree with, so take it with a grain of salt. The book is still great and humility is something we all could cultivate more.

On a side note, Mahaney's writing style is very simple and conversational. So if you've struggled through an intensely deep and difficult book and want to know if it will be the same with this one, rest assured that it is truly an easy, yet important read.

Tagged 2x

I was tagged to take this survey by two of my fellow bloggers, both Rachel and Morning Rose. So here are my inspiring answers:

Donette's ABC's
A-available or single? No, happily married for 7 years!
B-best friend? Who else but my husband? I also have some very good girlfriends.
C-cake or pie? Usually pie, lemon and anything chocolate!
D-drink of choice? Coffee and Diet Coke are in a dead heat.
E-essential item I use everyday? besides the shower and toothbrush, probably my ceramic hair straightener and the internet.
F-favorite color? Red.
G-gummy bears or gummy worms? sour worms or bears. They just have to be sour.
H-hometown? Born in Normal, IL.
I-indulgence? The rare occasion that I get to spend some $ at Starbucks.
J-January or February? January, a month of rest after the busy holidays.
K-kids and names? Elijah 3, and Allison, 7 months.
L-life is incomplete without? God and family.
M-marriage date? August 14, 1999.
N-number of siblings? 2 - Kevin, my 37 year old brother and Erik, my 33 year old bro. In October we are all going to be in our 30's! AAAAHHHH!
O-oranges or apples? Apples, especially granny smiths.
P-phobias or fears? Centipedes and bats.
Q-favorite quote? “80% of statistics are made up." Mark Twain
R-reasons to smile? my kids!
S-season? Fall - all the warm-fuzzies.
T-tag 3 or 4 people: Everyone I know has done this already!
U-unknown fact about me? 29 years without a cavity.
V-vegetable you don't like? Peas.
W-worst habit? shameful to admit, but probably overeating.
X-extra special pet? Sadie our dog.
Y-your favorite food? Anything chocolate, and for a healthy answer, strawberries and raspberries.
Z-zodiac sign? scorpio, but does anyone care anymore?

Well, there you have it. 26 interesting tidbits about me. What about you?

Blessed

How often have you described yourself as "blessed" or described America as "blessed by God"? How often do we pray God's "blessing"on so-and-so? This is a topic that came up in church yesterday, and the discussion blew my mind. It was one of those moments that made me take everything I believed about a topic and throw it out the window and start to look at what the Bible really teaches about being blessed and how I have (once again) been guilty of forming my theology from what I think instead of what the Bible says.

Let me quote some Scripture first:
Ephesians 1:3-6
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. (emphasis mine)

Do you see what it says? We are blessed, past tense. We have already been blessed with every spiritual blessing that we need for life and godliness. So why do we pray for someone to be blessed more? They already have all the blessings they need!

I believe it is because we think possessions are blessings. Or peace and comfort. Ponder the starving believers in South Africa, or the persecuted church in China. We think we're blessed compared to them. We aren't suffering persecution or wondering where we will get our next meal. But does this mean we are more "blessed" than they are? Does God love us more than them?

Actually, we are blessed with the same spiritual blessings. My money and ease of life perpetually tempts me to trust myself or my husband's career instead of trusting God. Their lack of money perpetually tempts them to question "Where are you, God?" Really, which is more sinful?

In fact, our growth group leader was sharing about a book he read on the persecuted church in China (I wish I could tell you the name, I will if I find out!). It seems that the true church in China consistently prays for the American church. They perceive us to be infatuated with money and possessions and wonder how it is we can claim the name of Christ while loving our money. So we pray that they might have an easier life and they pray that we wouldn't have such an easy life. Ironic, isn't it?

Stop and take a moment to thank God for giving us all spiritual blessings and then stop and think next time before you pray that someone would be "blessed." Dwell on how blessed we are in Christ, instead of in our possessions.

Kitchen Gadgets

Any of my friends who know me well can attest to my love of kitchen gadgets. A Pampered Chef kitchen party is like Christmas to me. There is always some kitchen aid that I think I need to make my life of cooking easier, (see this post) and my favorite channel on TV is the Food Network. If ever challenged by my hubby on how many gadgets I need, my customary answer is "These are my tools, just like you have tools in your workshop. No, I don't use them everyday, but when I am doing a specific job, they make it easier." So all of that to say, I just got 2 new tools for my kitchen!
I had some gift certificates from Christmas for Kohl's and I finally bought myself an electric can opener! Since I have started doing the "once a month cooking" thing (which reminds me, I must write a post about that!) I end up opening dozens of cans and quite often get quite the hand cramp from it! It probably doesn't sound like that much of a specialty tool, but I've never had one and I am really excited about it!
My other kitchen tool was quite the find. I was at Sam's Club and found a beautiful Cuisinart coffee grinder that stores the beans before it grinds them. Normally a $50 appliance, Sam's Club had it for only $30! I couldn't pass it up and have been enjoying the even grinding of my favorite coffee every morning since.
I thought all you "kitchen geeks" would enjoy hearing about my purchases!

New Pictures

Alli is getting better at sitting up, but seconds after this was shot, she toppled over! It amazes me that the girl is ALWAYS smiling, but the second you put a camera in her face, she gets very serious. I'm sure one day she'll figure out how to be a ham!

New Year's Eve at Grandma and Grandpa's house in MN. Just home from church and serious once again!

You'd think I bought Elijah the IPod as much as he wants to listen to it. Don't worry, the volume is very low! His favorite song to listen to is Veggie Tales singing "Joshua fought the battle of Jericho." When he asks to listen to "Jericho" is sounds strangely like "Cherry Coke."

Elijah is playing in the shell of what will become his toybox.

Candy Cane idea

I saw this idea on a morning show around Christmas, (can't remember which one) and I tried it this morning with great results!
If you have leftover candy canes, grind them up in your cleaned coffee grinder. It will make a powder-like substance that flavors your coffee or tea wonderfully! I put some in my morning coffee and absolutely loved it! I don't drink tea, so I can only assume it would be as good there. But either way, it is a great way to use up all those candy canes from Christmas!

15 Minutes (or seconds)

In the world of blogging, it is always a cool thing when someone else links to a post you have written. I do it all the time to other blogs, but since mine is relatively unread, I don't ever expect anyone to notice anything I write. I doubt most other blogs really care that I mention them, either. But Pyromaniacs made my day on Sunday when I checked out their site and discovered that I had been blogspotted by them! Since thousands of people read Pyro, it was definately a boost to my blogging self-esteem. This probably only means that, if I'm lucky, a few Pyro readers will stop by to see what I said in the post mentioned, then forget they ever even visited here, since pictures of our kids aren't that interesting to anyone who doesn't know us. Either way, I count this as my 15 minutes, or more likely seconds, of fame.

Winter fun

I wish these pictures were an indication of the snow on the ground right now, but unfortunately we have no snow. We didn't get a white Christmas, but it looks like we might get some around New Years. Anyway, these are pics of Elijah sledding after our December 1st snowstorm that wrecked our evening out (see here). It was nice that he got to enjoy it! Thanks to Tina for snapping these great pics and printing them out while it was still winter. I tend to let them sit in the camera for months on end!

Particular Redemption

I have been following a debate on particular redemption on the Fundamentally Reformed blog lately. The doctrine summarized is the L in TULIP. Basically it states that Christ's death was limited for the elect and that His blood pays for the sins of them only. The debate has been very informative. I will admit that I don't understand all of the ramifications of the doctrine, and I am not the best apologist for it. But I do believe that Jesus came to redeem His people and that His death accomplished it (John 10:11). I believe that His death absorbed all the wrath of God, so that there is no more fear of punishment for the people of God (I John 2:2).
That being said, there is a valid argument that Wayne Grudem discusses in his Systemactic Theology book concerning the doctrine. It causes me to question the vehemence that some use when debating the doctrine. I quote him here:

"Scripture itself never singles this out as a doctrine of major importance, nor does it once make it the subject of any explicit theological discussion….In fact, this is really a question that probes into the inner counsels of the Trinity and does so in an area in which there is very little direct scriptural testimony—a fact which should cause us to be cautious…."

If you want to read a more in-depth discussion, I encourage you to read Bob's post on Fundamentally Reformed.
Wherever you fall in the discussion, I firmly believe that it is our responsibility as Christians to be informed, and to debate with the spirit of charity. I hope the debate encourages you to search out the Scriptures to determine what you believe. Be a good Berean and don't just listen to what others have to say, but discover God's truths for yourself!

I've been receiving a lot of Christmas email stories. Some worth reading, some not so much. Anyway, I got this email from my friend Heather and laughed out loud. Now this is eating advice I can follow!

Holiday Eating Tips

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. Like fine single-malt scotch, it's rare. In fact, it's even rarer than single-malt scotch. You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-aholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's.You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple.! Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or, if you don't like mince meat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Reread tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

Update

Thanks for the prayers for our two friends who are struggling right now. I promised an update, so here goes:

Jenni and Scott are home with their baby, giving her anti-seizure medication every 12 hours. It seems to be working. I am blessed beyond belief to see the faith and trust they put in our Savior's sovereignty during this whole trial. They are looking at 6 months of the medicine, then tests to see if she is able to come off of it. They won't diagnose epilepsy until toddlerhood or later, after they see a pattern of seizures. The doctors are hoping it is a newborn genetic thing that causes them, and not epilepsy.

Kate and Aeron have not had a baby, and that is great news! She is now 26 weeks, which is where their last daughter was born at. They know the trials of having a preemie, so everyday this baby stays inside where she is supposed to be is a good day. Kate is in the hospital until at least 30 weeks, which means no Christmas at home. Pray for her spirits, as well as Aeron's, as he is rushing around from work, school, home and back to the hospital to spend the night there as a family.

Thanks for praying and keep it up!

Bethlehem Marketplace

Here we are another week closer to Christmas and we have yet to do anything "Christmassy." Sure, we've read some advent stories to Elijah, but that is about it. In my previous post, I wrote about the State Farm Christmas party being cancelled, so we haven't had a chance to really do something to celebrate the holiday. That all changed last night . . .

We went to the "Bethlehem Marketplace" at Elmbrook Church. I heard about it at my chiropractor's office and thought it sounded interesting, so I talked Dan into going. We bundled up the kids and tried to get there for an early viewing, since the website boasted 40,000 visitors last year. We didn't want to wait in that line!

It was a great experience. We entered into a small theater and watched about a 15 minute video about Bethlehem and it's history. Then we entered the "time tunnel" (adults need to have an active imagination for this to be fun) where a voice reminded us to hold our children's hands less they be transported to a century not their own! Walking out of the time tunnel brought us into Bethlehem, circa first century. There were goats, cows, a camel, and what appeared to be a llama. Elijah liked this. He got to pet a baby goat and a chicken. I often wonder if he connects the live, feathered fowl with the meat we so often eat at dinner. He didn't seem to make the connection last night. After petting the animals there was an industrial sized GermX bottle with which to disinfect ourselves. Somehow I doubt they had that in Christ's time.

After registering for the census, we were given some shekels to spend and a warning to watch out for the theives in the marketplace and the Roman guards. We saw guards, never encountered the theives, and only saw one beggar. She was getting money from another child, so we walked past. We encountered stone cutters, where Elijah bartered for a polished stone for 1 shekel. There were olive oil merchants, dyers, dancers, craftsmen and a wonderful spice shop where we acquired some frankensence and myrrh. We burnt it this morning; let's just say that our candles are more cleanburning today then they were back then.

The trip through time ended at a humble inn, where in the stable area was the virgin Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus. This is the part of the trip Elijah was most excited about. I only hope he understands that it wasn't the REAL baby Jesus. Either way, it was worth the $9 we spent, and it seemed an accurate representation of what Biblical Bethlehem might have been like.

There were cookies, coffee and ice water to enjoy afterwards, and we talked with a few representatives from the church. A couple was really interested in Alli, since they need 42 Baby Jesus' this year and they are still looking to fill all the spots. I gave them my number, but on further reflection, I'm not sure Alli, as active as she is these days, would make a gentle, quiet Jesus. We'll see. If she does participate, then I get to be Mary! Apparently it makes the most sense to have the baby's mother be the one to hold them for an extended period of time. We didn't hear if that would mean Dan had to be Joseph.

A few side notes for those of you thinking about going: no strollers allowed, although wheelchairs are, so be prepared to hold your littlest ones if this applies to you. Also, we left with extra shekels. So don't be cheap, spend what they give you! We left with a bead necklace, shiny rock, and a piece of papyrus, and ate 2 pieces of bread with honey and still had left over money. I didn't get any bread and now I regret it! Also, the line for the 7:30 show was really long, so the earlier you go, the better.

I can't promise we will go every year, but as the kids get older I can see it being a great teaching tool. And I finally feel like we did something "Chirstmassy!"

Storm Stories

We woke this morning to a beautiful snowfall, with 6" already on the ground. It had been predicted, but as any school child whose hopes for a snow day will tell you, just because they say it is coming, doesn't mean it will! So it was a pleasant scene with which to wake. *Sigh*

Then reality sets in. No time to sip hot coffee and enjoy being indoors. It took Dan over 2 hours to get to work, it was coming down like a blizzard and Elijah was begging to go outdoors and play. I heard that it was going to taper off by noon, so my plans for shopping this morning were sidetracked, but the State Farm Christmas party tonight should still be good to go. I hop into the shower, trying to decide what to wear tonight, since I was going to try to find a new blouse (what an old-fashioned word!) to wear tonight. I get out and try on an older skirt and sweater that I haven't been able to wear for a while (pregnancies and all) and it fits! Problem solved.

Then I get the email from Dan - party cancelled. I was crushed. A night out, without kids, no more. Do you know how rarely we plan for a babysitter? So the decision was made that we are still going out! Em is still willing to watch the kids, Elijah is excited she's coming, we are going to take advantage of this! We'll probably do some Christmas shopping (sans kids - this is a big deal!) and have a bite to eat. Nothing exciting, but it's a date! And really, more exciting than a work Christmas party, although we may not eat as good. It doesn't matter, I'm still grateful for the storm!

Urgent Prayer Requests

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.

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!

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!

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 . . .

Check out my new post, it published under the post about respecting your husband for some reason. So scroll down past the last post and have a read. Have I mentioned lately that I'm no good with the technical aspect of this blogging thing?

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

Distorted Beauty

This video isn't new, by any means. I have seen it on other blogs, and thought the message was so powerful that I should share it here. It is a commercial from Dove showing what a model looks like before the shoot and after a dozen or so makeup artists do their magic. Carolyn Mahaney wrote an excellent response to it on the GirlTalk blog, and since she so squarely hit the nail on the head, I have nothing to add. So I will share it here: (see here for the entire post.)

The Dove Campaign got it partially right—the fashion industry has certainly contributed to a distorted perception of beauty. And yet, their solution—“every girl deserves to feel beautiful just the way she is”—is well-meaning and yet fundamentally unbiblical.
You see, women believe that physical beauty will make them happy, successful, popular among the women, desirable to the men – so they pursue it with a fury!
Physical beauty, however, does not deliver as advertised. Proverbs 31:30 reveals the falsehood and the futility of this quest for beauty: Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain.
Even if every girl did “feel beautiful just the way she is,” it wouldn’t bring her true joy or lasting happiness or solve even one of her problems.
Truth be told, what we all deserve is not to feel beautiful but rather to be condemned to hell for sinfully seeking to attract the worship of our fellow creatures instead of living to bring glory to God.
God did not send Jesus to this earth to die so that women could get over their self-esteem problem and feel better about themselves. No, He sent his Son to die to rescue us from our sinful, futile quest for physical beauty and to reveal to us the satisfaction that comes from knowing God—whether we are beautiful or not!
What freedom and hope is found in Christ! We don’t need to feel beautiful about ourselves to find happiness! In fact, we’re better off not even thinking about ourselves. Rather, God has offered us in Jesus Christ forgiveness, hope, freedom from sin and a joy that never ends.
So while this little video effectively exposes the false front of beauty presented by our culture, let’s not look to Dove’s advertising executives for the solution to the beauty crisis. Rather, let’s join the campaign to tell others of the true freedom that is found in Christ!

Correction

I was informed that the link to the Casting Crowns song didn't work. I think I have it fixed, so take the time to watch it!

Does Anybody Hear Her?

Bored Pet Owners . . .

I couldn't resist sharing these pictures when I found them. Have a great weekend!