Our Imperfect Christmas

Words for Wednesdays

I just blogged over on our church's website about our Imperfect Christmas. If your advent season has been less-than-ideal, come check it out.

Isaiah reminds me of Scrooge's Ghosts

Thoughts for Thursdays

Maybe it's just because it's Christmas time, but as I read through Isaiah, I'm often reminded of Scrooge's ghosts from A Christmas Carol. Has the prophecy already happened? Is this speaking of something yet to come?

But then jewels like this jump out at me:

"Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, 'Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed.'" (Isaiah 28:6)

I'm reminded immediately of Peter's admonition to us:

As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says:

"See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”

Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,

“The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone,^" and,
“A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.”

They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (I Peter 2:4-10)

My prayer is two fold: that I will be thankful for God's mercy in my life, knowing that by trusting in Him, I will never be put to shame. And second, that my friends will not stumble on Jesus who came as a baby on Christmas, but will instead turn to Him, repent of their hard hearts, and accept his death and resurrection on their behalf as a precious gift.

Looking up for His return...

Coffee and Sweat Pants

It's supposed to be Foto Friday or Five Minute Friday, but it's just going to be Becky's Ramblings Friday. Is that ok?

It's been a busy week in our house, with our Christmas Musical for church this weekend. The girls are dancing and I'm acting. And today - nothing but a cup of coffee and sweat pants.

The kids have been inspired by their friends who make Happy Family You Tube Videos, so I dusted off the video camera and they are setting up their Barbies for the big show.

I am making a portfolio for Lee's Construction Company, and I've been going through old pics, trying to locate all of his before/after shots. (Not an easy task). And of course going through old files has taken me down memory lane tangents.

Now, I'm blogging as I print out my favorite Sugar Cookie recipe. It's delicious. You've got to try it. I can't wait to smell them baking this afternoon!

We were going to go to a neighbor's party tonight, but I lost the invitation. I called to RSVP, only to find out it's tomorrow night. Oops.

So that's my day. I hope your weekend is full of GRACE and memories!

Love,

Becky

I Wonder: Why Her?

Five Minute Friday

Five minutes. No Edits. Just writing. 

The word is: Wonder

GO

Wonder…

Cleaning up my kitchen, putting breakfast dishes away, washing the pan, scraping off the remaining eggs...

 And the Christmas music is playing.

Amy Grant's melody...

"Do you wonder as you watch my face if a wise one should have had my place?"

Oh Lord, I wonder that daily! The pieces you've put in my life. The gifts of children. The ministries and friendships... God, do you ever wonder, "Should I have picked someone wiser?"

My eyes brim with tears as I consider His grace, my mistakes, His love, my inadequacies, His strength, my weakness, His Spirit...

And then the very next song... Strange way to save the world... "Why her? She's such an ordinary girl."

Chest tightens. I set down the towel. Tears flow.

Lord, I feel so ordinary.  So inadequate. So simple.

I thank you for choosing the simple. The broken. The plain. The unwise. The messy.

Oh come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

STOP

Books of 2012

Words for Wednesdays

Do you have a line item for books in your budget?

At the beginning of this year, I decided I was going to read more than just our school books, and I did! (Not a very hard resolution to keep.)

I was asked in another forum to give my favorite 3 books that I read in 2012, so here they are: 

How to Overcome Evil by Jay Adams
Adams explains from Romans 12 what weapons God has given us to win the battle with evil. He encourages, "The Great General never commands His troops to do anything that they cannot do." Practical and applicable to everyone, I say it should be on every Christian's Bookshelf.

Harvest of Rubies by Tessa Afshar
This historical fiction novel positions the main character as the cousin of Nehemiah. Rarely have I ever wanted to read a novel with a highlighter in hand, but I did so with this book, not wanting to forget the lessons woven within the pages. An imperfect heroine makes the story that much more refreshing.

Putting Your Past in Its Place by Stephen Viars
A Biblical guide to dealing with our pasts. He helps us look at them through the lens of scripture. I appreciate his gentle yet firm approach, as well as the systematic way he moves through the book.

And I included this as a 4th...

And the Word Came with Power by Joanne Shetler.
The life of missionary Joanne Shetler as written in this book fills you with awe about our amazing God and His Word. While working with Wycliffe ministering to the Balangao people in the Philippines, she witnessed events that inspire us even now. Good for the whole family.

Here were more from the year, in no particular order:

Seeking Him Bible Study by Nancy Leigh DeMoss was life changing, literally.

A Gospel Primer for Christians by Milton Vincent helps me preach the gospel to myself daily.

Same Kind of Different as Me gave me eyes to see people, rather than look past them.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett caused me to wish I had a maid! LOL I'm looking forward to finally watching the movie. (Wanted to read the book first.)

Will Medicine Stop the Pain  by Dr. Laura Hendrickson and Elyse M. Fitzpatrick was extremely helpful.

Amy Inspired by Bethany Pierce was a sweet novel about a writer trying to make-it.

Thirteen Months by Don Brobst was a sad but tender book about a man's memories of the last months with his wife while she had cancer. I couldn't finish it. Too heart-wrenching.

Licensed to Kill by Brian Hedges gives practical Biblical hope in our battle with win.

Marta's Legacy by Francine Rivers reminded me that we all have stories, and we should overflow with grace.


So what was on your list this year?

Teaching Thankfulness

Teacher Tuesdays

Is it any wonder that we crowd stores to buy things we don’t really need the very day after we’re supposed to be thankful for what we already have?

Today, I wrote a post on College Park Church's Blog about how to teach thankfulness to your children at Thanksgiving. You can find it here:

But remember, in order to teach thankfulness, you need to be thankful yourself.

What are you thankful for today?

 

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

I Thessalonians 5:18

When my little man says "stay"

Five Minute Friday

The Word: STAY

A weekly challenge by Lisa-Jo Baker. We all write about 1 word for five minutes.

Unedited. Just thoughts.

Ready?

GO





Hectic. Start the dishwasher. Put out a clean towel. Squeeze the toothpaste and brush all of his little teeth. He giggles. Swish and spit.

Shirt pulls over his head, gets stuck, and he has a silly shirt-hat. 

Zip up the jammies, all the way up to his chin. Give a kiss on the nose. He wipes it off.

Pull back the blankets. Hug reealllly tight.

His arms around my neck, begging me to stay.


Stay.


I move to leave, and he holds tighter.

"I want to read you a story, mommy." His way of saying he wants to talk to me about cars and dinosaurs and super heroes.

I let him run his imagination for a bit. My mind wanders to the paperwork on the dining room table. The emails I've marked as important and haven't responded to. The blog I've been waiting to write. The chapter I was longing to finish.

He pauses.

I try to leave.

He holds tighter.


Stay.


How can I stay when I have so much to do? Fold the laundry. Sweep the crumbs from the kitchen. Relax on the couch.

His eyes grin. Arms wrapped. Snuggled close.

I stay. Because one day, he'll go.

STOP

Love Someone

Thoughts for Thursdays

Who can you take the time to love today?

Dear friends, let us love one another, 

for love comes from God. 

Everyone who loves has been 

born of God and knows God.

I John 4:7

Slowing Down for Christmas

Words for Wednesdays

Ever feel like the clock ticks faster between Halloween and New Years?

I'd like to live differently this year. I just ordered the e-book, "Celebrating and Savoring a Simple Christmas" that I plan on reading this weekend. The author, Crystal Paine, is the creator of Money Saving Moms, a website that I visit at least weekly. I'm looking forward to hearing her words of wisdom.

What about you? What are you doing to enjoy the season, rather than just "get through it?"

Listening for the Quiet

Five Minute Friday

The Word: QUIET

A weekly challenge by Lisa-Jo Baker. We all write about 1 word for five minutes.

Unedited. Just thoughts.

Ready?

GO










In order to write about the word "quiet," I had to first go into my room and lock my bedroom door, warning the kids that I needed five minutes alone.


Even with the solitude, I can hear the clicking of my keys. The hum of the construction workers across the street. My son is right now asking, "Mommy?" Apparently a locked, shut door doesn't keep out questions and requests and urgent needs that only mommy can meet.


There isn't a lot of quiet at our house. Home Schooling involves spinning a lot of plates in the air at the same time, hoping they don't crash to the ground.


My best times of "quiet" are when I wake up before the kids and spend time with God. I'd love to say that I eagerly jump out of bed, slip on my robe, and glide to the couch with a smile across my face.


No.


Most mornings I hit the snooze a few times and then roll out of bed with a thud.


I love the quiet times. It's just the first 2 minutes of getting out of a warm bed that are killer.


"Mommy?" There he is again.


Focus, Becky. Focus.


I try and remember that in a few short years, my house will be very quiet. The kids will be grown. There will be no "mommy" through the door. No giggles down the hallway. No squeals of laughter from the trampoline outside. No questions. No read aloud books. No clamber of this or that.


The quiet times will come.


For now, I'll unlock my door and listen. To their questions. To their tears. Even to their fights and screams and complaints.

And I'm learning that even in the midst of the noise, my spirit can be quiet within me, at rest, as I listen moment by moment for that still small voice.

Shhhhhhhh

I'll probably get cancer

Thoughtful Thursdays

I’ve decided I’m probably going to get cancer.

I'm not wanting to sound insensitive to those fighting the battle, but as I think about everything in life, it just seems like it's inevitable.

My non-stick pots are starting to chip, and looking into their replacements has sent me on this path of cancer causing items.

For example, they say that fast foods and chemically processed foods cause cancer.

Ok, I could stop eating those for the most part.

But what about,

·         The vegetables I eat. They may provide needed nutrients, but they cause cancer.

·         The meats I eat may give me protein, but they cause cancer.

·         The products I use on my lawn keep the weeds out, but they cause cancer.

·         The sprays I use in my garden keep away the mold and bugs, but they cause cancer.

So I suppose I could go all organic and free range with my food and lawn. Eat “clean” and pray harder against bugs.

But what about…

·         The sugar I consume. It creates a breeding ground for cancer.

·         My improperly made coffee causes cancer.

·         The wheat and grains I eat may provide fiber, but they cause cancer.

·         The dairy products I eat may give me calcium, but they cause cancer.

The “best” choice would be to go sugar free, gluten free, dairy free, and buy expensive coffee – and drink it black.

But even then…

·         The pots and pans I use cause cancer.

·         The plastic I drink my water out of – though helping me hydrate - causes cancer.

·         The plates we eat off of cause cancer.

·         Grilled food causes cancer.

Ok, I could spend some money and replace those with safer alternatives, based on what is deemed safe today.

But what about…

·         My deodorant and makeup and shampoo and toothpaste and household cleaning products – they cause cancer.

I could go all-natural, using oils and minerals and baking soda and the like. And do I need to wear makeup? Really?

But sun exposure itself causes cancer, and so does sunscreen that was created to protect me. I guess that means I need to stay inside all the time. Oh wait, what about needing vitamin D or else I might -- get cancer?

In the end, though, when I get down to it,

·         My cell phone causes cancer. I’m not getting rid of my cell phone.

·         My microwave causes cancer. I’m not getting rid of my microwave.

·         Second hand smoke causes cancer. I can’t get away from all second hand smoke.

·         Pollution causes cancer. I can’t stop breathing, can I?

·         And medical treatment to fight or identify cancer… can cause cancer.

So.

What to do?

I suppose I’ll just live how I want and resign myself to the fact that I’m probably going to die of cancer. Besides, if I worry about it too much… well, I hear that anxiety and stress can… you guessed it… cause cancer.

As to what pots and pans I'm going to buy? I still have no idea.

 

Marta's Legacy: A Must Read!

Words for Wednesdays

I wish I could have meaningful talks with my relatives long gone. My appreciation for history and the people who lived before me is growing greater by the year. I'm not talking about family trees. Those are just names. Shallow and vague. I want stories. Important life moments. Journals. Treasures.

While reading Francine Rivers's series Marta's Legacy, I felt like I had that opportunity.

Though the story wasn't my own, it helped me imagine what the life of my great-grandmother might have been like as she made the journey from Norway to America in the early 1900's. What was the boat like? How did it feel to leave her family? Was it hard to manage the new language?

In the book, when Marta's daughter Hildie is about the age of six, it switches to her perspective, and I imagined I was listening to my own GG telling me about her past. Traveling cross country as her parents tried their hand at farming, unsuccessfully. The trials of World War I. Poverty and doubt.

Then, during the wild days of the 60's, the book switches to the life of Carolynn, and I can hear stories my mom told me of free spirit living and of her years experimenting with... well, a lot, prior to finding Christ. Vietnam. The rise of television and new music. Struggling with faith.

To my delight, the story then went to Carolynn's daughter, May Flower Dawn, my own counterpart in the book. Dawn grows up in a wealthy society without the harsh realities of the women before her. I grew up in a great Christian home surrounded by every advantage known to our generation.

Reading about the stark contrast between my life and the life of my great-grandmother was shocking. It made me want to get off the couch and start cleaning something. Work hard with my hands. Bake some bread or do something industrious. (Of course, my new-found ambition had to wait until after I finished the book... and I don't bake...)

Even my daughter's counterpart in the novel was "brought in" at the end, and I wonder what the future holds for my children. A world with technology at their fingertips, and I pray faith in their hearts. Will years keep advancing as quickly as they are? Or will something happen to change life as we know it? I pray that their trust in God can grow enough in their comfortable lives to prepare them for unknown days ahead.

One final thought:

This book reminded me to give GRACE, and give it abundantly. We don't know people's pasts. Their hurts. Their misunderstandings. Only God can know the heart of man.

Instead, we are called to love lavishly. Unashamedly forgive. Overcome evil with good.

What hurts am I holding onto? What pain in our family surrounds us? What misunderstandings threaten to cause bitterness? What do I need to release to God, and as I look at the brokenness around me, what can I do to make amends?

If there is a woman in your life, this would make an excellent Christmas present. And along with the book, include a certificate that allows her time to read and savor this gift guilt-free as the dishes sit in the sink and the children fend for themselves. It will be worth it.

This 2-book series was truly a treasure I can't wait to share.

Thanksgiving Journal

I created a Thankfulness Journal for my kids. I plan on having them write out one item per day. For the younger ones, I'll write it for them.

You can download a copy here: http://www.emerickhome.com/hsresources.php

Enjoy! And Happy Thanksgiving!

Thinking of My Roots

Five Minute Friday

A weekly challenge by Lisa-Jo Baker. We all write about 1 word for five minutes.

Unedited. Just thoughts.

Ready?

GO





Roots

I'm reading a great book by Francine Rivers called Marta's Legacy, about a woman in the early 1900s who comes over from Switzerland, and then it follows the life of her daughter, and then granddaughter.

This has led me to think about my own great-grandma. Signa came over from Norway a year after her husband Thorburgh Christiansen. Famers, they settled in Brooklyn, where my grandma, Doris, would tell stories of the various cultures who swapped recipes and songs.


They ended up trying out life in Washington as farms - can you imagine the train ride across the country? - and then went back to New York, leaving my grandma, Doris, in Chicago with family to finish up high school and get a job in the city.


If I were writing a book about this, I'd love to know the history of Signa. What was life in Norway like? Why did she choose to come to America? How hard was it to know that her husband was an ocean away?

I never had the chance to ask. Both she and her husband died a year apart from each other when my grandma was only 20 years old.

So as I'm reading this book, it helps me think of my roots - what life would have been like for my own great grandparents. And it makes me want to write down the stories that are accessible today - the stories of my parents and my grandparents who are around.

STOP

Tirzah: A Book Review

Words for Wednesdays

Sometime Bible characters get stuck in the Bible and all lumped together. When we imagine the Israelites in the wilderness, we smash them into one person, as though with a single voice they cried out, "We want meat!"

We forget that they were people, just like us, with individual minds and choices and lives and actions.

That's probably why I loved the book Tirzah so much.

I read it to my children as a part of our history of Ancient Times, and through it, we were able to step into the shoes of a young Israelite girl as her people were freed from slavery in Egypt and began their hike to the Promised Land. We experienced the excitement of the Passover and the crossing of the Red Sea.  We felt the immense disappointment when they learned that they would not enter the land... yet.

We were all inspired by God's great love in spite of our own failures. It also reminded us that Bible characters were people with daily lives, like us.

This is an excellent read-aloud for younger children or a read-alone for upper elementary and above. I highly recommend it!

How to Get Less Comfortable

Mommy Monday

As our children sit in "big church" with us, I often forget to talk to them about how we are all, as a family, going to apply what we learned. But last week, I was challenged to do just that for our church's blog. 

Pastor Willson's sermon was about praying for the nations. It was a good exercise with my kids, to take the sermon and decide what was going to change in our home based on what we heard. We don't want to look into the mirror of God's word and then walk away unchanged.

You can read the blog, Less Talking, More Praying, here:

Less Talking/More Praying

But what about this week?

We are still in the middle of Reach|12, our Missions Month at College Park Church. Our Global Missions Pastor Nate Irwin gave a soul-searching message about the heart of God for the nations. His question to us: Do we have a heart for the lost around the world? He explained that as we grow closer to God, our fire will be lit for what Jesus is passionate about.

In the sermon, Nate explain that as the Israelites moved into the Promised Land, they grew comfortable and settled in, and they no longer wanted to send their men out to war to conquer the rest of the land God had for them. Caleb, however, looked at a mountain of giants -- a strong hold -- and decided to take on the mountain for God.

Are we too comfortable?


Between this sermon and reading through Ecclesiastes lately, I want to take time to pause and step back and reconsider our priorities. Why are we doing what we are doing? Why are we learning what we are learning? Why are we in the activities that occupy our time?

It's a good question. Ecclesiastes says our lives are like a shadow, a breath. We can take nothing with us. Earthly pleasures never satisfy.

So practically, what are our family's application points, beyond the call to prayer we heard last week?

We aren't hopping on a plane for India next week.

But we can take steps now to begin serving others. I don't know what this is going to look like, but I do want to see how we can get involved in the heart of God right here.

1. For ideas, I'm going to actually read a book that's been sitting on my shelf, Becoming a World Changing Family by Donna Thomas for ideas. (I'll share what I find out!)
2. We may attend a JIM (Journey In Missions) night at our church which meets monthly. I'd like my kids to see what people who want to GO are talking about.
3. Ideas?

If you aren't a College Parker, listen to Pastor Nate's sermon, and then come back here and share your ideas for spreading the hope of the Gospel to the nations as a family. How can we get involved - right now? Because doing nothing - well, it doesn't even seem like an option.

Mark 16:15

He said to them, 

"Go into all the world

and preach the good news

to all creation."

Five Minute Friday: Losing My Voice

Voice

(Five Minute Friday: Unscripted. Unedited. Real.)

Growing up, I'd lose my voice to Laryngitis multiple times a year. Though I have mostly gotten a handle on my allergies, I got laryngitis as recently as this spring while my family was in Disney World. For someone who talks a lot like me, this is a big deal.

While I'm silent and without a voice, I have to learn to gesture calmly with my hands. To get my point across without a word. And most importantly - to listen.

I used to say, "God knows when I've been doing too much talking, and He takes away my ability to speak."

Even in my times with Him, I need to make sure I read - listen - to Him more than I journal back - talk - to Him.

I've just finished spending some time in the Proverbs. I think the biggest topic that stood out to me was the subject of words. What we say, how we say it. As dificult as laryngitis is, I think it would be easier sometimes to live sinlessly without words!

Here are a few of my paraphrases from Proverbs:

• Words can separate close friends.
• Whispers can tear others down.
• Words can start fires or build upon them.
• Words can show your own folly.
• Words can show your arrogance.
• There are numerous cautions about speaking too much, about speaking the right thing, about not speaking to some people, about failing to speak to others.

Wouldn't it be easier without words?

And yet...

• An appropriate word can bring joy to the heart.
• A good word is like a perfect medicine.
• A word rightly spoken is valued above the greatest riches.

Words are important. And as my five minutes draws to a close, I remind myself to use my voice to bring Him honor, and not myself. To build others up, and not tear down. To put out fires, rather than stoke them. To bring grace, and not condemnation. To speak truth that is heavy with mercy. To love. To use my voice, not for me.... but for Him.

When not to sing

Thoughtful Thursdays

Is there ever a wrong time to sing? Isn't music uplifted in the Scripture? The Psalms are full of songs of praise, and a joyful heart is good medicine.

But my daughter doesn't think so.

The other day when we were having a heart to heart, I asked her for feedback. She said, "I don't like it when you sing to me when I'm mad. You always sing to me."

Well, she's probably right, and I started catching myself.

I think I do it to try and lighten her mood. She gets so down and dark, I try and cheer her up. Little songs, like "Smile and show your dimples" and "I want to be happy, but I can't be happy, til I make you happy too."

I know better than to sing the old Music Machine "Have Patience" song. Who wants to hear that when they're impatient?

This morning, a verse jumped out of the Proverbs like lightning.

"Like one who takes off a garment on a cold day,

or like vinegar on soda,

is he who sings songs to a troubled heart."

Proverbs 25:20

I can't wait for her to wake up. I'm going to share this with her, and then I'll see if she can hep me come up with other ways to lighten the mood. Usually, she just wants me to listen to her side, to understand. Boy oh boy, I've said those very things.

So there are inappropriate times to sing. Lesson noted.

Teacher Tuesday Humor

A little humor today for Teacher Tuesday. This would be my child. :)

Does LEGO Rockband on the wii count as a musical instrument?

Bringing Exodus Home

Teacher Tuesdays

I was recently asked to blog on our church's website about how to take our current sermon series on the book of Exodus and apply it at home. What a privilege!

It just so happens that we're studying Exodus from the ancient times in our home school right now. I love how God coordinates things. :)

So for your reading pleasure and enlightenment, here's the blog: Bringing Exodus Home.

Mud: A Child's Playground

Mommy Mondays

Mud. Is there anything more fun for kids?

Across the street, some warehouses will eventually invade our country fields, but in the meantime, they're building a "green space" and giant berm that is supposed to block our view. To the kids, it's been an adventure. Giant construction machines fill our kitchen picture window daily.

We'll be in the middle of studying the Shang Dynasty when a child will pipe up, "Look, the excavator is stuck, and the dump truck is coming to the rescue!"

This weekend, we went rock climbing on the berm. Well, mud climbing. It smells a little like manure, but kids don't care. Mud under finger nails. Brown streaks on jeans. Dust in their hair.

It's pretty awesome.

I did this as a kid too. We went in the back fields where a quarry now sits and swam in a swampy mud hole. My mom just hosed us off outside.

What is it about dirt that is so fun for kids and so undesirable for adults? I tried to play a little in it, but after I fell and about smashed apart my hip, I became a strict observer.

Maybe kids remember that we're from dirt, and they're ok with it. But as adults, we don't like to think we're from dirt. Maybe we were fashioned from something more beautiful, like marble. Or granite, that is hard and unmoving. Maybe I've been made of something more modern, like plastic.

I'm glad God remembers where I came from. He created me! He's patient and understanding with me, remembering that I'm from dust. On this Monday morning, I'm thankful for that. For His forgiveness and longsuffering with all my faults. I pray that I can share with others the same grace He's given me.

When my dirty three year old wanted me to carry him back to the house, I lifted him up and allowed his dirt to cover me. Because I love him.

Jesus got dirty for me, because He loves me.

When I get annoyed at the "beep beep beep" of the backing up machines, I'll use it to remind me of this truth.