Repeat

I've been getting Elisabeth Eliott's daily devotions for several years now, and even though they just repeat the same ones over and over each year, I am still blessed and convicted and ministered to by them. Last week there was one that really hit home, and I wanted to post it here. First I thought I'd check my previous posts to make sure it wasn't a repeat. I had a hunch that I had posted it before, and sure enough, I had. However, since it encouraged and motivated me yet again, perhaps it will minister to others (again) also. So, click here to get encouragement on How To Do The Job You Don't Really Want To Do!

A Favorite Blog

I don't read a large number of blogs regularly, but one of the ones I do frequently visit is Kendra at Preschoolers and Peace. She has lots of great ideas and tips, but yesterday's post was particularly good, especially since it seems God has been walking her through many of the same lessons He is teaching me. She makes some excellent points and has some good advice, and sometimes it's just nice to know you're not alone in your struggles.

You Know Who You Are

We had coffee last night, we chatted, we laughed, we hashed over some of the same things we hash over every time we get together, we praised God, we commiserated, we shared joys and struggles...we fellowshipped. As I was leaving, what you said the previous time we parted ran through my mind, "I'm not sure we ever solve anything," and I ruminated on that thought as I drove home. On the surface it would seem that way, but as I ran the evening back through my mind I realized more than a few things were solved (at least on my part).

I believe God made us to need each other and to fellowship with one another, and since I don't have a church home yet, that has been sorely lacking in my life. You filled that need for me last night.

Also, you uniquely understand a couple of my deepest struggles and trials, and it's so rare and refreshing to talk to someone whom I know "gets it."

You encouraged me last night with what you called small but are very significant success stories. We do serve a faithful God, and it's a joy to praise Him alongside you knowing He is answering not only your prayers but mine too.

I know you have many ways to spend your time and that time is precious to you. I feel honored that you gave me a couple hours of it last night. Thanks for your time, your prayers, and your friendship!

Thanks for letting me know you read my blogs regularly and that you enjoy them...knowing that made it fun for me to do this post thanking you publicly (notice I didn't use your name!) instead of the usual email!

How Far To Go

Another valuable teaching from my "friend," Elisabeth Elliot:

We say that we are willing to follow Jesus. Peter said he would go with Him to prison and to death, not expecting that either would likely be required. Let us settle it once and for all--to follow Him will mean death. Not crucifixion in the literal sense, probably, but the coming to the end of ourselves, our expectations, our dreams. He must bring us to that end in order to bring us to the beginning of the Christ-life. "I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live," was Paul's testimony (Gal 2:20 AV).

But does this mean none of my hopes will be fulfilled? Is it all wilderness and sorrow? The people of Israel must have asked this while en route to Canaan. Must we follow so far? And when they were desperate for water, God led them to Marah where the water was bitter. Terrible disappointment. But then--the miracle of the tree that made it sweet!

How far shall we go with Him who calls us to fellowship with Himself? Shall we stop dead in our tracks if the water is bitter? Shall we turn tail and run if we glimpse a cross? "Whoever cares for his own safety is lost" (Mt 16:25 NEB). Think of missing the miracle of the water. Think of missing the resurrection.

Savior Christ, I want to go the whole way. Keep me from faltering today. Show the tree that transforms bitter water, and help me to live in its shade.

Thursday Evenings

For a while now my hubby has been blessing me by giving me the night off one night a week to go out and have some time alone or with friends or whatever. I often go to a local coffee shop with a hotspot and catch up on email and my blogs and Bible reading or just sit and pray, and sometimes I will meet a friend for coffee. For some reason or another, I got out of the habit of going and hubby decided I needed to start doing it again...we both agree that it helps me A LOT! Just a couple hours a week of time to think without interruptions keeps me much more balanced and less grumpy too. So I started taking one night a week again, only this time a friend invited me to come learn to paint with her and some other moms in our homeschool group. Since we haven't settled on a church home yet, we haven't made many friends at our new location, so I decided it would be nice to have some fellowship, though I really have no interest in painting. It took weeks to complete, but here's my first piece:


It turned out much better than I anticipated, and I'm pretty pleased with the results. I may do another piece too, but I've gone back to just having some time alone. I really enjoyed the time with other women, but it doesn't give me the time alone that really helps me the most. So the last three weeks I've been able to get caught up on my blogs, my email, and other miscellaneous things that I have neglected for months. My painting friend said to me increduously, "You just sit there at the coffee shop all by yourself!?" Yep, and I love it! Thanks, Eddie.

Accountability

I have been working on my priorities for the last month and making a big effort to do more things with my kids, even at the expense of getting therapy, school, or housework done. Today I was reflecting back over the past four weeks to see how I am doing on this, and though there's still room for improvement, I have made progress. We have baked cookies, went to the pool, planted seeds, had friends over, splashed in the pool, read stories, made frozen bananas, watched caterpillars turn to butterflies, played outside A LOT, painted pictures, acted goofy, decorated the patio, went berry picking, made jam, and had tickle fights.

Yes, my house isn't incredibly clean (though it is picked up pretty well), and I didn't get Abby's therapy done completely each week, and Ryan didn't get all the school done I had planned for him, but we had lots of fun and have enjoyed each other so much. Lord willing, I will continue to line my priorities up with what really matters.

First Mowing

We took our lawn mower in for a tune-up right after we laid the sod, and we still don't have it back. They said they had a back log of 700 mowers! So a kindly neighbor loaned us his and Friday, Eddie cut the grass for the first time. It looks so good. You can still see the seams, but since it's not a creeping grass it will take a while for those to completely disappear.

Family project...spreading barkdust.
We spread barkdust on the borders and around the trees and flower beds, and I am very pleased with how it looks. It's not often that I envision something and it turns out the way I had hoped, but our yard actually looks better than I had envisioned. It's not perfect (the grass isn't perfectly level), but I love our yard now. I am planning the flowers, shrubs and trees we will put in next year, but for the summer most of the hard work is done.


Garner Park
We didn't quite finish spreading the bark dust in the front sideyard, but it's nice to have the bulk of the work done. Maybe I can finish up the front side yard for my hubby this week as a Father's Day surprise...

A Long But Gratifying Week

Ever since we bought our new house we have been planning and dreaming about putting in our yard. One of the reasons we bought the house was because we wanted a big yard, and our lot is 10,000 square feet. Since our house is only 1,520 square feet, that leaves quite a bit of yard! Over the last 16 months we've watch almost all of our neighbors put in their grass, shrubs, etc., and now it is our turn. Eddie took a week off from work so we would be sure to have lots of time to get it all done.


The first thing to arrive on Saturday morning was the Bobcat we rented. We knew we would never be able to finish the job if we had to move 50 yards of soil one wheelbarrowful at a time. We also had a unit of cedar chips to move and 10 yards of 3/4 minus rock to spread for an expanded driveway (we hope to concrete it in one day). As soon as the Bobcat arrived we got to work gathering up the piles of weeds and rocks (and even our Christmas tree) and moving them to our truck. We ended up removing about two tons of debris from our yard this weekend, and that's in addition to the tons we already had removed last year! We then laid rolls of weed block on areas that were going to be borders or flower beds, and then it was on to some heavier work.


The next thing to arrive was our mulch/sand mix which we used for topsoil. Our ground is nothing but clay and rocks, and though we spent hours and hours raking rocks up last year, the ground is just not suitable for growing grass in. We spent two days moving and leveling the mulch, but we got rained out on the second day. We worked for hours in the rain, but eventually the rain started coming down too hard and it was just too soggy to continue and we were totally drenched.


It rained a good portion of the next day as well, so we took most of Monday off and went geocaching and to the zoo. It was a nice break from the work, but the next day we were back to work finishing up the mulch. I was amazed at how much better our yard looked with just the new soil.




We did a few more odds and ends around the yard while we waited for the sod to be delivered Wednesday morning. It arrived right on time, 4,000 square feet of it (400 rolls), and we were eager to get started on the most gratifying portion of the yard work. It was heavy and hard work, but it was so nice to see the lawn taking shape right before our eyes. We got about 1,600 square feet laid the first day, and did the remaining sod the second day. We worked for over 12 hours on Thursday, almost to the point of exhaustion. We had to get it in the ground before it died, and so we continued to work until it was all rolled out.


It looks terrific, and I am so pleased with the result! It took lots of planning and an incredible amount of hard work, and I don't think my body can do it again. I'm just too old for so many days in a row of such strenuous work. We still have a few minor things to finish, but we're just too tired to deal with it this week. We need a bit more topsoil for a small portion of the front yard, and then we need to spread the barkdust on the borders and flowerbeds and over that small portion of the front yard. Next year we will plant some trees, shrubs, and flowers, but for this year, I think we're almost done!

Today We Baked Cookies

A few days ago Ryan came up to me and asked, "Mommy, how come we don't make cookies any more?" Guilt flooded over me, and I wanted to cry. It has been months since things have been "normal" around here. I have been consumed by trying to get all of Abby's "school" done and Ryan's school done, making meals and still maintain a fairly clean house. We have also added swimming lessons for each of the kids twice a week, and then there's the zillion regular things that need to be done each week. But the hard truth is that I haven't MADE it a priority to spend some fun quality time with my kids. We used to go to the park or for walks, paint and do crafts, bake cookies and make cards for grandparents, etc. We haven't done any of that since about February, and I need to let some housework go and focus on having some fun with my kids.


Why is it one of the hardest things for me to do, sit down and play when there is laundry to be folded and dishes to be washed and floors to be mopped, etc.? I like things orderly and clean. It gives me security and peace and calm, but what gives my children security and peace is knowing they are more important the house and laundry, knowing that Mommy enjoys being with them and playing with them. So by God's grace I am going to again make them one of my top priorities and move housework lower on the list. I recently heard someone say in reference to parenting, "The days are long, but the years are short," and I know that is so true. I want to enjoy these precious years with my children and not look back and be full of regrets. I want to put feet to my convictions right away, so today we baked cookies...

Mother's Day Weekend

My hubby and I are loathe to endure crowds, so we celebrated Mother's Day on Friday instead of Sunday, also because he had the day off and because we had a couple days' worth of yardwork we had to do as well.


The kids had swimming lessons, and afterward we got in the pool with them and splashed and played with them. We had the pool completely to ourselves, and we had lots of fun! Then we went home, got cleaned up and took Ryan to an eye appointment. We went to the mall and let the kids play a bit at the Lego store and then at the indoor playground. Then we headed to one of my favorite places to eat, The Cheesecake Factory. The kids were well behaved most of the day, which always makes the day special, and I really enjoyed my day.


Saturday the work began. We had to remove all the weeds from our yard in preparation of laying topsoil and sod next weekend. We rented a weed burner, which was pretty effective on the grass that covered so much of our yard. It took a while for this California girl to not feel paranoid about setting fire to the neighborhood (my dad told me these are actually illegal in California), but eventually I relaxed.

Look at all those weeds!
It took us over 18 hours to get rid of all the weeds! After all those hours spent among the smoke and dust, I felt like I spent the weekend in Mordor. My carpal tunnel syndrome flared up and I couldn't make a fist with my right hand for two days, but the yard looks so much better already! I can't wait to see it with grass.


Weeds are gone at last!

Medieval Help Desk

Since my hubby is the IT Manager where he works, I have come to appreciate some of the ups and downs of that job. This post is in his honor, and this video clip would be hilarious if it wasn't so true to life!

New Posts

I have been having a very hard time getting pictures uploaded and posts written on my blogs. I simply don't have the time available that I used to have since we began doing Abby's "school." However, today I have a "free" day, so I am going to publish quite a few posts. Some of these posts are pretty old, but since I use this blog as a kind of an online journal, I am going to post them anyway. We have had an extraordinarily busy month, and we took lots of pictures!

Going Crazy?

This week I have been feeling like every day is spinning wildly out of control, and today was no exception. As I sought a minute's escape from the demands and chaos of my day this afternoon, I read this timely article and heard the Lord speak to me through Ann...again. If you're feeling like you're going a "touch crazy," this post may bring you back to Peace or maybe even to Him for the first time.

Small Thrills

We live about quite a few miles away from a town of any size, and I drive about 30 minutes to do any major shopping...even to another state for groceries. We have a few fast food places, one (very expensive and crowded) grocery store, several coffee shops, a couple banks, a few restaurants, and some other miscellaneous stores. When we they build something new out here, we all get pretty excited. Last year they put in a Burger King, and the line in the drive-thru was wrapped around the place for weeks when it first opened!

So when I found out we are getting a Starbucks, I was thrilled! Our closest Starbucks is about 25 miles away, which for the Pacific Northwest is unbelievable. It seems they are everywhere, often two in the same shopping center or on opposite sides of a street. We have a pretty good local coffee shop which I will still frequent (Starbucks can't compete with punch cards for free drinks and discounts for getting the trivia question right!), but every once in a while it's nice to have a Starbuck's latte. I just wonder how long the wait will be when it opens. I may have to wait for months before I can even attempt to buy one!

OS Air

My computer has been limping along for a while and a couple months ago pretty much took a nose dive, so my hubby got me a new one. I would love to have been able to buy a Mac, but it was several hundred dollars more than we could really spend, so we got another PC (maybe next time!). Now I have been learning Vista, and it's been a little frustrating from time to time, so when my husband forwarded this article to me, I thought it was pretty funny!

Different operating systems. Different styles. But what if the quirks and styles of the different operating systems were applied to AIRLINES? What if airlines ran things the way operating systems do?

Mac Airlines
"All the stewards, captains, baggage handlers, and ticket agents look and act exactly the same. Every time you ask questions about details, you are gently but firmly told that you don't need to know, don't want to know, and everything will be done for you without your ever having to know, so just shut up."

Air DOS
"Everybody pushes the airplane until it glides, then they jump on and let the plane coast until it hits the ground again. Then they push again, jump on again, and so on…"

Windows Air
"The terminal is pretty and colourful, with friendly stewards, easy baggage check and boarding, and a smooth take-off. After about 10 minutes in the air, the plane explodes with no warning whatsoever."

Linux Air
"Disgruntled employees of all the other OS airlines decide to start their own airline. They build the planes, ticket counters, and pave the runways themselves. They charge a small fee to cover the cost of printing the ticket, but you can also download and print the ticket yourself. When you board the plane, you are given a seat, four bolts, a wrench and a copy of the seat-HOWTO.html. Once settled, the fully adjustable seat is very comfortable, the plane leaves and arrives on time without a single problem, the in-flight meal is wonderful. You try to tell customers of the other airlines about the great trip, but all they can say is, 'You had to do what with the seat?'"

Featured Ministry

Since we have been looking for a church home for quite some time, I have needed to find a steady source of spiritual feeding. I got an iPod for Christmas and began signing up for different podcasts and listening to sermons and teaching by various pastors and teachers. It is tragic how much junk is out there in Christendom. I shouldn't be surprised. The Bible tells us that this will be the case, that wolves will rise up from within the church and seek to deceive and devour the flock. It's often hard to tell the sheep from the goats. After being dismayed over all the unbiblical teaching I was finding, I was so pleased to run across a sermon series by John Piper that was fantastic! He's not for the faint of heart, to be sure, but I have been listening to him for months now and have learned much.

Not only do I appreciate his candid preaching, but the website for his ministry, Desiring God, is fantastic. You can download hundreds of sermons and articles and even books...for free! They have a "whatever you can afford" policy when it comes to other things for sale, which I think is great too.

Pick Up Your Cross

Maybe I should rename this blog The Elisabeth Elliot Herald or something similar because I find myself posting her devotions over and over. She is so wise and practical, and I find myself drawn closer to the Lord when I read her words. So here is another great article of hers that was timely for me, as usual.

Pick Up Your Cross

Jesus invites us to be his disciples. If we choose to accept his loving invitation, we must understand that there are certain conditions to be fulfilled. One of them is a willingness to accept the cross. Is this a once-for-all taking up of one particular burden? I don't think so. It seems to me that my "cross" is each particular occasion when I am given the chance to "die"--that is, to offer up my own will whenever it crosses Christ's. This happens very often. A disagreement with my husband can cause an argument and harsh words, even if the matter is ridiculously small--"When are you going to get that dashboard light fixed in the car?" I have already mentioned the light three times. It may be time to keep my mouth shut, but I don't want to keep my mouth shut. Here, then, is a chance to die. A decision which affects both of us may be a fairly big one, but we find ourselves on two sides of the fence. One of us, then, must "die." It is never easy for me. Shall I make excuses for myself (that's the way I am; it's my personality; it's the way I was raised; I'm tired; I can't hack it; it doesn't turn me on; you don't understand)--or shall I pick up this cross?

Perhaps my illustration seems to trivialize the cross of Christ. His was so unimaginably greater. What cross could I possibly take up which would be analogous? Just here is the lesson for me: when Jesus took up his cross, He was saying yes with all his being to the will of the Father. If I am unwilling to say yes in even a very little thing, how shall I accept a more painful thing? What sort of practice does it take for a disciple to learn to follow the Crucified? A friend hurts us, a plan goes awry, an effort fails--small things indeed. But then cancer strikes, a daughter marries unwisely, a business folds, a wife abandons her home and family. The call still comes to us: Take up your cross and come with Me. With You, Lord? Yes, with Me. Will You give me strength and show me the way? That was my promise--is it my custom to break promises?

Our First Geocache

I heard about geocaching several years ago and immediately knew I wanted to try it some day. It's been rolling around in the back of my mind, and a couple weeks ago my hubby bought a used GPS from a coworker for $15 and gave it to me. I researched some local caches and was surprised to find two right in our own little city! We loaded the coordinates into the GPS and headed off to see if we could find them today. The first one was very easy (the description gave it away a bit), but we were still excited to find our very first one. It was only a log to sign, so the kids weren't too excited about it yet. We signed the log, took some pictures, and then went and looked for three more. We found a total of three, but got skunked on the last cache of the day.

We love to hike and enjoy our local area, so this adds an extra dimension to the "great outdoors." We even discovered a couple of trails we didn't know existed, one which we will have to hike again soon because we didn't find the geocache and have to look again. So if you're looking for some clean, inexpensive family fun, you might consider geocaching! But be warned, it's not as easy as it seems at first!

Growing through Affliction

Recently, I have had so many posts in my head that I've wanted to write, but our circumstances at present have just not afforded me the free time I need to do so. During the last several weeks God has been teaching me much about grace and love and obedience and walking by the Spirit. I still have much to learn, but I am grateful for how He has been using some difficult circumstances to draw me closer to Himself and to help me more effectively put into practice what I say I believe.

Elisabeth Elliot defines suffering as "having what you do not want or wanting what you do not have." On the continuum of suffering, my portion is miniscule, but like everyone else, I would prefer to be comfortable and free from all suffering. My flesh rails against the chaos, turmoil and unpredictability that has been our lives the last couple of months. It's not in me naturally to be calm and joyful in the midst of confusion and bedlam; I need His supernatural power. So like the psalmist, I am learning that I can thankfully say

It is good for me that I was afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes. (Psalm 119:71)

In the past I have encountered trials that I have fought against, sulked over, despaired under and questioned God about only to come through them thanking God for having allowed them in my life for His glory and my refining. By His grace and mercy, this time around I am choosing to thank Him on the front end for this small portion of affliction and to allow Him to do with it what He will in my life and the lives of those around me.

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21)

Praying Scripture

I have been praying lately for some people but finding that I really don't know how or what to pray for them. So I was grateful for this morning's devotion from Elisabeth Elliot; it was timely and wise, as usual.


Power to Meet and to Give Thanks

Often I pray for someone whose circumstances or needs are unknown to me. There are many prayers in Paul's letters which may be used for almost anyone. One of my favorites is in Colossians 1:9-12. A part of this prayer asks "May He strengthen you, in His glorious might, with ample power to meet whatever comes with fortitude, patience and joy, and to give thanks to the Father" (NEB).

That seems to cover every possibility. It does not ask for instant solutions or reversals. It does not call on God for miraculous deliverance out of any trouble that might come. It asks for a truly Christian response, by the sufficient power of God: to meet whatever comes as a true Christian should meet it, with the Holy Spirit's gifts of fortitude, patience, and joy. It asks for the power to give thanks. It takes power, doesn't it, to thank the Father when everything in us protests? But we find in Him (not always in what happens to us) plenty of reason to thank Him and plenty of power.