Chapter 11 Lines

Chapter 11: The Secret of a Loving Heart: Gratitude

p 205 The ability to assign value is one of the rarest and most precious gifts in the world.

p 213  The one who is forgiven much loves much.  The one who is forgiven little loves little.

p 213 (Here we are at the end of the retelling paraphrase of the story in Luke 7:36-50)  
There is a great sin defiling this room. It is the sin of lips that won't kiss, knees that won'd bed, eyes that will not weep, hands that will not serve, perfume that will never leave the jar.  It is the sin of a heart that will not break, a life that will not change, a soul that will not love.  The greatest command is the command to love.  The greatest sin is refusal to obey the greatest command.

p 214  We complicate our faith and lives in many ways, but at the core, our purpose is simple: we are called to love.

p 217 The ability to assign value is one of the rarest and greatest gifts in the world.
So value what God values. There is an ancient story about a poor traveler who is amazed by the welcome he receives at a monastery. He is served a lavish meal, escorted to their finest room, and given a new set of clothes to replace the rags he arrived in.  Before leaving, he commented to the abbot on how well he was treated.  Yes, the abbot said, we always treat our guests as if they are angels - just to be on the safe side.

Chapter 10 Lines

***my note: I found this chapter challenging because my personal experience has been that the church at large - (not all - but many) - seem to be far from Jesus' heart of community and love in how they operate on a usual basis.  

Chapter 10: Breaking down barriers: Inclusion

p 186 There are few joys in life like being wanted, chosen, embraced.  There are few pains like being excluded, rejected, left out.  At the core of Christian community is the choice, in the words of Miroslav Volf's great book* on the subject, between exclusion and embrace.

p 195 Jesus is the greatest bridger the world has ever seen.  When the church understood his heart, it became a community like nothing else the world has ever seen.

p 201  ... ultimately, the choice everyone faces is the choice between hope and despair.  Jesus says, "Choose hope."

p 202-203  The most desirable society in the universe turns out also to be the humblest and the least exclusive.  The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are determined that the circle of love they share from all eternity should be ceaselessly, shamelessly inclusive.  It is not full yet.  They invite all who will to join them. No one is left out except those who refuse to enter.



*Miroslav Volf, Exclusion and Embrace. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996

Chapter 4 - Lines

Part 2 - How to get close without getting hurt
Chapter 4 Unveiled Faces: Authenticity

p 69  The decision to sin always includes the thought that I cannot really trust God to watch out for my well-being.

p 72  [In the Fall] The man and the woman decide there is something they want more than community with God. They do not trust Him. They disobey. - sin always kills relationship.

p 74  To know and be known - which had always been the greatest joy of the human race - now becomes the greatest fear of the human race.

p78 Since we have the assurance of God's love no matter what, we can do a very bold thing.  We don't have to pretend to be more radiant than we really are.  We can live with "unveiled faces". (reference to Moses)

p 80  The irony of the masks is that although we wear them to make other people think well of us, they are drawn to us only when we take them off.

Self-disclosure has enormous power.

p 81  Jesus lived a common life.  He let his friends see him in unveiled moments of joy, sadness, anger and fatigue.

p 83  Sin causes us to seek hiddenness and separation, which in turn destroy community.  In confession, we enter back into community.  We come out of hiding. Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, "If a Christian is in the fellowship of confession with a brother, he will never be alone again, any where."

p 86  In real life we live in a fallen world. We all fall, we fall often, and sometimes hard.  If we try to handle our fallenness on our own, if we try to keep it secret, eventually it will destroy us.  God has made a better way. He has formed a community in which people can live with unveiled faces. It really is possible to do life without hiding. All it takes is trust.

**this last point is so HARD!  Trust is hard, and living unveiled is hard.  Especially when or if you feel that you are one of very few doing so or if others around you seem uninterested, unwilling, or simply too busy to bother with another person... even a fellow Jesus follower.

Chapter 3 - Lines

Chapter 3: The Fellowship of the Mat: True Friendship

p 46  Psychologist Alan McGinnis notes that rule number one for entering into deep friendships sounds deceptively simple: Assign top priority to your relationships.

p 46  If you think you can fit deep community into the cracks of an overloaded schedule - think again. Wise people do not try to microwave friendship, parenting, or marriage.

p 48 Jean Vanier writes, There is no ideal community. Community is made up of people with all their richness, but also with their weakness and poverty, of people who accept and forgive each other, who are vulnerable with each other. Humility and trust are more at the foundation of community than perfection.

p 52 There is a world of difference between being friendly to someone because they're useful to you and being someone's friend.

p 55  Do you have any idea what the faith of one person can do for a friend?

p 57  Paul Waddell writes, "In spiritual friendship, the principal good is a mutual love for Christ and a desire to grow together in Christ. This is what distinguishes spiritual friendships from other relationships."

p 59  Dallas Willard ~ "To understand Jesus' teachings, we must realize that deep in our orientations of our spirit we cannot have one posture toward God and a different one toward other people."

p 61  There is no gift like the gift of community.

Some reading

So... I've been doing some reading... not a news flash to anyone who knows me.  I read a lot ~ not as much as some but way more than many.
In the past few weeks I've been reading these:

Which I mentioned here and can be purchased here.

bought from here

bought from here

J has also read the last two (Interrupted & 7) and has loved them to the point of not really wanting me to loan them out because she wants to re-read them.

The focus of all of these is living and loving like Jesus did and as He commanded - up close and personal with "the least of these".  It is about living our faith (see the book of James) and walking the walk that matches the talk.  Not the typical American version of Christianity in most places and not an easy thing for most of us living the average American life.  I have been so impacted that it is hard to sort out at the moment and find my family on a journey to really figure out what Jesus is calling us to do/change/be.
This also follows with the book Radical that I read last year. 

We have begun a family study of the book of James - yep, we're our own 'small group'.  I'm anxious to see how God is going to use this time together in Scripture, the books, much prayer, and some willing hands & feet.
The journey may not be swift or comfortable, but following Jesus is absolutely worth it and I know that we will all be different moving forward.  Jesus loves us far too much to leave us as He found us.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 says: "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

That sounds like a promise to me... and I am seeking with all my heart.

Blessings on the journey~

Can I be 'barefoot'?

I am reading this book right now...slowly.

Barefoot Church by Brandon Hatmaker.  I say I'm reading it slowly because there is a lot to absorb and process.  For example: "We can try to argue that our actions and words function independent of one another, with out consequence. But one thing is for certain: our observers never separate the two."  (sorry I can't reference a page - I have it on my kindle).

I honestly think this book is one of those that God could use (like David Platt's book Radical) to really change me... but only if I am willing to be changed.  I am willing and that scares the stuffing out of me... and probably my family too. :-) 
Being willing to serve and proclaim... both in unity.  To reach out to the 'least' in love as Jesus did and to do so honestly in faith.  To move away from what I have always experienced & known in my American suburban 'church' experience to live what Jesus really taught as how to live as the body of Christ in action - the church.  It doesn't seem that it ought to be such a stretch, but it is in most cases as far as my personal experience has been.  We serve as an 'event' instead of a way of life.  I'm pretty sure that wasn't what Jesus had in mind.

I have a few more on my 'to read' stack (7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess and Interrupted - both by Jen Hatmaker)  - actually I have  HUGE stack to read... but those have migrated to the top of the stack.

I have so much to learn...and then to do.  I have to be willing to say "Here am I, send me."  Isaiah 6:8



Blessings on the journey~

Snow and other weirdness

These are photos from my front yard this morning... crazy!  I was NOT looking for a snowstorm this week, in fact, I have a catalog for garden seeds on my nightstand right now and had begun entertaining thoughts of attempting to grow things again this summer. *sigh*  In time I suppose... all this white stuff has to melt soon.. right?
It has been sort of a weird week here in a few ways - not just because of the crazy snow.
Steve and I celebrated our 16th year of wedded wonderful-ness on the 29th of February.  We only have an actual day on the calendar once in 4 years, so this was big.  Normally I would be spoiled with some amazing present from this incredible man who loves me so much, this year we have had some other family financial obligations that trumped frivolous expressions of love (like kitten leg surgery and a new car engine).  I guess this is what happens to old married people. :-)   It is all good - our family come first always and I already have more than enough of everything... I am most blessed among women.
We spent the day together as a family - made it a school holiday for the kids and enjoyed a nice day.  We even had a lovely dinner out together while the kids were at youth group.  I don't remember the last time we sat in a mostly empty restaurant and just talked for an hour after dinner.  It was really great.  Of course the fact that it was a Wednesday off of normal life, and then we had the snowstorm come through and messed up our 'normal' again on Thursday sort of has me all off-kilter now.

Most of the weirdness has been internal for me - emotional & spiritual - as I'm struggling to find some answers and direction with some heavy things in my life. I long desperately to be useful for God... to have my heart broken for the things that break His heart... to serve & love the way Jesus does (and did during his ministry).  To not just have a vertical faith - but to live my faith horizontally.  I want to be a conduit for God's grace in this broken world.

I'm reading a few books at the moment and two of them are about trusting God.  One is for my regular ladies bible study group on Monday nights and the other is part of a daily devotional series I bought through Vision Forum.  Both are excellent.
Today in the devotional book, the author shared 3 scriptures that really struck me.

"Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.  He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." ~Deuteronomy 8:2-3

I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.  ~ Job 42:2

Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. ~James 5:11
 
And then during my regular prayer time and scripture reading I came across this one:
I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself,
    that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.
Correct me, O Lord, but in justice;
    not in your anger, lest you bring me to nothing. ~Jeremiah 10:23-24

I know God is trying to teach me some hard things... and I know that I am often slow to hear/learn.  I'm very grateful for His infinite mercy & amazing patience with me as I struggle to sort out lessons, truth and direction.  I pray from the depths of my heart for wisdom, discernment and clarity.  I trust Him and know that he has a Sovereign plan.  I long to be part of His Kingdom work in my everyday and anxiously await more and more of Him being poured into my heart/soul/mind so that I might be more like Jesus.


Blessings on the journey~

Linking to another blog - yeah! What he said!

I follow Shaun Groves on Facebook and read his blog fairly regularly.  I love that he is passionate about serving God and a 'real' person.  I have followed his work for Compassion and love his heart for those in need.  He is genuine - at least as far as I can tell via the web.  He is a home-schooling Dad (which gives him extra-points) and he is funny!
Here is today's post in response to the news about Osama bin Laden being killed.   Yeah... what he said.

"If I can do anything..."

You know that 'nice' thing everyone says to someone they know who is dealing with a difficulty in life... those words that have such a caring sound?  "If you need something, let me know"  or maybe, "If there is anything I can do, call me."  We say it easily...sometimes with a heartfelt hug or squeeze of the hand.  But here in the North East... too often we don't really mean it.  Or maybe we DO mean it, but we are fairly certain the person hearing the words from us will not call or ask....even if there is a real need. 
Oh to be sure - there are exceptions.  Our sister or brother might really call and ask us for some help sometime - though in our family that would truly be a shock!  Or maybe a close friend will ask if we can spare a few minutes to do some small thing.  Generally though... the sentiment is expressed without any real anticipation of follow through being required.
Recently I have seen that casual phrase make a real difference when it is put into action.

About 3-4 years ago our relationship with our neighbors across the street began to change.  The older man (Putt to his friends) who had always been friendly and 'over-the-fence' chatty, began to seek us out when he saw us outside.  He would wander over when Steve was raking, or if we were outside in the yard and we would chat a while.  He had a grown son, Mark, who lived with him and a toddler grandson had become a permanent fixture as Mark had gained custody of his young son from a less-than-ideal situation. 
J & B began to play with the little boy when the weather was nice and after J had taken the baby-sitting class... Mark began to ask us to look after the little boy once in a while.  They were nice guys...all of them. 
As time went on, I would send over a loaf of bread or some cookies once in a while.  We would stop and say hello if we were out walking and saw one of them in the yard.
Mark began to chat with us if he saw us out walking the dog.  He had a moving company and gave us a cat condo from a client who couldn't take it to his new place.  He got a puppy for his son and we sent over a dog crate that Piper had outgrown. 
Putt would bring me cut flowers from his yard during the summer months - he said he liked to see me smile when he'd show up with a handful of peonies.
We were becoming friends and it was nice, really nice.

A bit more than 2 years ago Mark was diagnosed with colon cancer.  He had radical surgery, and they found it had spread to his liver.  Mark was up and around in a few months and seemed determined to beat this awful disease - he began chemotherapy & radiation treatments.   I would bring them dinner now and then and continued to bake for them.
Putt went for scans and they found he too had colon cancer as well as some suspicious spot in his lungs.
We prayed for them.

Our church did a special event to invite people to come to church.  We got brave and invited them to come.  They did, and they came back more than once. 
Mark's radiation and chemo continued but didn't seem to be helping.  Putt's radiation & chemo were taking a dreadful toll on the older man's health, so I cooked & baked more trying to tempt them both to eat and keep up their weight to help battle the effects of the chemo. 
One of Putt's daughters would catch me outside and thank me for looking after her dad & brother and I brushed it off as nothing much really.  Just being neighborly.  And then I prayed that God would make me really useful somehow. 

Mark's health started to decline, the traditional treatments were not making any strides against his cancer.  But for Putt, the chemo & radiation seemed to work and the scans showed no further signs of colon cancer, however the spot remained on his lung scans.  Mark began an experimental cancer treatment and Putt scheduled surgery for the lung spot.
Surgery for Putt was during the winter months.  Recovery seemed long for him.  I would sometimes make soup and bread to take across the street on cold winter evenings.  B would go shovel snow off their walkway in the mornings after a snowstorm.  Mark was growing weaker but he wouldn't admit that to us very often, though sometimes he'd call and ask if his little guy could come over here for the afternoon so the men could rest.  We were always glad to be able to say yes.  It was awesome to know God could use us to help in a small way.  One day we even made home-made pizza with him and it was such fun!
As spring struggled to arrive, we saw Mark out less and less and Putt finally told us he was getting much worse and the doctor had ordered oxygen at the house for him.  I could see the toll it was taking on Putt... and knew he was struggling with the 'why' of his cancer being gone and yet stealing life away from his son at just 40 years old. 
I prayed harder and desperately... asking for a miracle if possible - yet only what God willed to be right and that our family be allowed to shine Christ's love in whatever outcome.
Last week, Putt called me on Monday morning and asked if the little boy could come for a while - he didn't want to be a bother, hated to ask... but could I help?  Mark was in a bad way.  God had cleared our schedule and I was able to welcome the little boy with open arms and a kid-friendly lunch.  J & B played with him all afternoon.  I baked chocolate cake and cooked dinner. 
When we took dinner across later on, we learned that hospice was coming in to help provide care for Mark and they didn't expect him to be with us much longer.  On Thursday morning Putt called me early to tell me that Mark had passed away late in the day on Wednesday.  I felt it hard to breath and don't even know what I said to him on the phone.  When we hung up, I told the kids and we all cried and prayed together ... thanking God for Mark's life, our friendship and asking for comfort and peace for the family. 
In the past few days we've been back and forth a lot.  Me with baked things or hugs or just listening; the kids to play or help with the dog or carry boxes and such.  Today I was able to hem the little one's dress pants so he will be all spiffy for the calling hours & funeral in the next day or so. 
My heart aches.  I want desperately to do something helpful, and keep feeling like it's so little I offer.  Yet it has slowly been made clear that God can use my little.  My loaf of bread offered... He can use... and I am blessed.  My heart swells with being able to hem a pair of pants...because I'm willing, God can use me.  I say YES!
It takes only a few minutes or maybe sometimes a few hours.  Time ...that thing it seems we all lack... aren't PEOPLE more important than my 'to do' list of laundry & chores?  Weren't people what Jesus focused on when he walked here?
How do I live?  Do I walk the talk?  I want desperately to be 'real' in my faith and life.  To live what I believe with no apology and not doing any of it perfectly - but trying daily to follow the path God has laid for my life.  I fail... all. the. time.
And even with that... God still lets me offer a little fish or a loaf of bread... or a piece of chocolate cake and a hug for an old man...and He can use what little I can do to bless someone.
But really... it is me being blessed.  God is so real when I'm allowed to help... because it isn't about me at all.

Rest in peace Mark.  You will be missed.

 

Passing Time & Changes on the Road

I can't believe how fast the month of January has gone.  It seems we've done not much but school, housework and shovel snow.  OK... so the kids and Steve have shoveled snow and I've kept the canister filled with hot cocoa mix and mopped up snow puddles.  We all have our talents.

God is changing things in our lives, slowly, but He is absolutely moving us along on the journey.  We strive to follow the path He marks for us and it is not always an easy road to travel.  For me especially!
I don't "do" change well.  I like things to be predictable and comfortable.  There is a running joke about liking it here under my rock.  Change is hard and can be messy and uncomfortable.  God is stretching me out of my box and out from under my rock, but surprisingly it seems to be all okay.
Or maybe I'm the only one who is surprised.
Pastor has announced and been preaching on our church theme for this year and it's about Sharing the Love that Unites Us.  Last year was Honoring One Another, Serving the Lord.  There is obviously a trend. :-)  True Christianity is an 'outward' focused life.  It's not a selfish thing.  Living as part of the body of Christ requires us to look away from ourselves and give/serve/love/etc. as the opportunities are presented.  And God provides LOTS of opportunities when you are paying attention to notice them.
I will admit to really not being very good in this area generally.  Not that I am not willing to help people, but I am not always observant.  I tend to be wrapped up in my own little world of taking care of things at home and with my immediate family.  This in itself is not bad, my family comes first and I make no apologies for that at all!  But I do realize that I have the capacity to do MORE than just that at times.  My children are getting older - and far more capable than I am often ready to make use of - and we are discovering ways we can be used together to meet needs outside of our home.  God is showing us some opportunities... and giving us (ME) the grace, strength and courage to step out and attempt some new things.
I have several more posts relating to all this swirling around in my head.  Writing sometimes helps me to sort out ideas and make concrete the emotions and theories - which allows for easier action... or at least some clarity at times.  You are most welcome to follow along the journey and see what God can do with the few loaves I bring to Him for His use.  (Matthew 16:9-10) Bread baking is a thing I can offer. :-)
Blessings on the journey~




*Note: that is not one of my bread pictures - I thought it was a good one though

Common sense

I don't agree lock-step with everything that Douglas Wilson writes, but I do find the vast majority to be helpful, insightful and bibilical - which is very good, given he is a Pastor and all. :-)
This was a remarkably good common sense bit of writing:
Jesus, Reason, Soap

A Letter from Kenya

We received an amazing blessing in the mail this week.  Our first letter from our sponsored child Fred arrived!  I can't really express the feeling of joy this one page of paper brought to our family.
We began sponsoring Fred through Compassion International in March - just before his 7th birthday - and felt so blessed that God was allowing our family to really DO something to make a tangible difference.  To actually BE the hands/feet of Jesus in the life of one small boy.
That has been, and continues to be, one of my most frequent prayers.  That God will somehow, in some way, use me for His purposes in the lives of someone around me.... or around the world in this case.
So our first letter from Fred was written by the translator Cionada, and we are so thankful that Fred is aware of our family and our prayers for him and his family.  He specifically asked us to pray for a younger brother who is ill and we will.  We will write to him soon and will hope to hear from him again before the end of the year.

I know there are many families who sponsor a child... please, take a few minutes to write.  You can do it online through the Compassion website.  It is a small thing, so easy to do and will really matter to your sponsored child.

If you are not a sponsor yet... consider it... there is a link in the sidebar.  Look at those faces from around the world waiting for someone... it could be you.

Our New Addition

This is Fred.  He is 6, though his birthday is Sunday and he'll be 7. He lives with his mother and 6 siblings in Kenya.  Two days ago, he became part of our family through our sponsorship with Compassion International. God has graciously allowed us to be a part of something special and the thought of it brings a smile to my face and tears to my eyes as well.

This small boy has seen poverty that I can't begin to comprehend.  He has been hungry in a way my children here, snug in their beds, have never and will probably never know.  Now there is hope.  He has been chosen! After waiting more than 6 months for a sponsor through the Compassion program.

But you know what?  We were the ones chosen.

God chose us.

He is allowing us to do something real.  This has been a prayer of mine for months now... that somehow, in some small way, God would make me useful for His purposes. He is answering that prayer.

Our God loves us all so much.  He wants so much to let us be part of His plans.  He wants to grow us, change us, and pour out His blessings on us in ways we can't even begin to imagine.  Two days ago I felt that in a powerful way and it is carrying forward in my heart in a way that is difficult to express.

So often I feel that I live this pampered, sheltered life.  My version of "hard" is having a long "to do" list that includes too much laundry, having to grocery shop yet again in spite of the cabinet full of food in my kitchen, and a house to clean.  Fred's mother probably lives in a house that is about the size of my youngest child's bedroom - with 7 children to care for daily.  Talk about a slap of reality.

I have been reading the posts of the 6 people (bloggers) who are on a trip with Compassion right now to Kenya.  I have seen a glimpse of that world.  It terrifies me and fascinates me.  One blog had a video clip of a sponsored child - who has grown up

My heart broke with joy and tears rolled down my face as these men hugged and cried.  Compassion works.  Lives change because of Christ and how He uses people like me - like you - to make a difference in the life of a child around the globe.

Think about it.... pray about....DO something amazing! 

Get this widget!

Hope - and a chance to Help

I have been following the journey of a group of bloggers who have partnered with Compassion International on a trip to Kenya.  You can read about it by clicking on the individual photos of the 6 different bloggers here. This is powerful stuff and God is using it to soften my heart that is often hard about things.
He is breaking my heart over some of this... pushing me gently to give out of the abundance with which He has blessed our family.  J & B are praying with me about sponsoring a child and I've asked Steve to pray about it as well - literally JUST sent him an email with links to some of the guys blog posts.  They are making me cry as I read what God can do through a few dollars.  He is so awesome!
This is a way to be Jesus' hands in giving to those who live in far greater need than we can imagine.
I feel so selfish... I complain that milk & bread prices go up 10 cents when these people may never even SEE bread & milk at the same time.  I am ashamed.  Jesus calls us to love the least of these... I haven't.  I pray for forgiveness and that He will give me His heart, His eyes, His hands.

What is important?

This verse hit hard this morning... an important reminder of what is important.

Micah 6:8  He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you?
                   To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Awesome post

I believe I've mentioned before how blessed I have been by some of Nancy Wilson's books over the last year.
This morning, Nancy has a tremendous post over at her blog "Femina"
I highly recommend checking it out if you want to be challenged and encouraged in your journey to be the woman God wants you to be.

How shall you live?

I wrote about the new book I'm using for my devotional time with the Lord - in addition to my Bible of course. :-)
This morning I spent a glorious hour sitting at the feet of my Lord - figuratively of course, but there is another blog I've been reading that talks about our study time being spent at Jesus' feet as Mary did, instead of being distracted by busy-ness as Martha was... but I digress.
This morning I got up with Steve and had coffee and enjoyed the peace and quiet of a house full of sleeping children while I did my study time. I worked on chapter 3 of my book Faith of our Fathers and it was really amazing.  This chapter focused on the fact that we can not live separate from what we TRULY believe.  That is not to say that we can't make statements about our beliefs and then negate them with actions - that happens ALL the time.  Our government is FULL of people who do this constantly.  Our jobs, stores, churches and homes are full of people who do this regularly.
Be that as it may, it does not negate the fact that what we LIVE is actually showing the truth of what we believe - regardless of what our mouths may say.  And prime example of this is the person who says they are "pro-life" and then votes to support any bills or funding or whatever - that allows abortion.  There is a disconnect between the words and the actions, and we've all heard our parents tell us that actions speak much louder than words.
This is truth at its most basic level.  You live what you believe - your actions are truth more than your words.
I have often told my children a saying that I believe is valid: "Right is right, even if no one is doing it.  Wrong is wrong, even if EVERYONE is doing it."
We must live out our faith and our belief daily. This is how we are called to live in scripture. We are commanded to do what is right, live at peace (as much as it depends on us), love our neighbor better than ourselves.
In this season of Christmas, it is often easy to give or help others because our hearts are full of the "spirit" of Christmas - however, the real Spirit of Christmas is the Holy Spirit of Christ Jesus, our Lord.  He is with us all the time - not just in December.  He has called us to follow Him daily - not just when their are holly decorations.  We are to strive to live our talk - our claim to belong to Jesus - every day of the year.  When we are sick, when we are tired, when we are cranky, when the kids are cranky, when we are at the grocery store or the beach, when we are stressed out, when we are on vacation, when we are entertaining family/friends and when we are struggling - every moment, every breath belongs to the one who paid such an immeasurable price for us.  We are not our own, and we should live to show the world that we are thankful, joyful and overflowing with the love of the Savior.
I know there are days when I just plain don't feel like it, and those days when it seems easier.  God knows this about me, and He meets me where I am.  When I pray and tell Him that I'm sorry for blowing it again - He forgives.  When I ask Him to help me, give me strength, bite my tongue or loosen my tongue, give me courage, or even just put someone in my path that needs a smile - He does.
More and more often I pray that the Lord will show me some small way to be useful for His kingdom, for His purpose, and to bring glory only to Him.  That is why I'm here.  It isn't about me.  It's about living a life that reflects Him and shows His love and provides all praise and honor only for Him who is worthy.
This year I am feeling such joy and peace.  More than I ever have before during this time of year. I feel loved, valued and very blessed.  I pray that each person on the planet will find Jesus and feel His amazing gift of grace & mercy that brings forgiveness and peace.

Sunday Morning Musings

Sunday is sometimes my favorite day.
Today is not a normal Sunday though. Steve had a team race this morning, so I am having my coffee alone at my desk and listening to the kids playing downstairs. We will all begin getting ready for church pretty soon, but for now it's a quiet time to let my thoughts ramble.
I've read some of the news, but it is generally annoying so I didn't bother to read very much. No sense in starting the Lord's Day stressed out by the stupidity of the world in general and our government in particular.
Church is at 10:30 this morning. We are members of Riverside Christian Church (http://www.riversidechristian.com/) here in town, and are generally very happy with our church life/family. It is non-denominational which basically means it is not affiliated with any specific religious denomination, the idea being a Christian church is as it was in Acts chapter 2. I love the fact that it is a friendly, welcoming place without a lot of the judgmental glances you would normally find in a church in New England.
For whatever reason, it has been assessed (and probably rightly so) that NE is spiritually 'dead' compared to lots of other places in the country. It is a sad commentary for the place that once had faith as a cornerstone of daily life. But we muddle on, doing our best to live out our faith each day as God provides opportunity.
In the last 6 months or so, God has been working on me a LOT in the area of my responsibility as a parent to raise my children according to the biblical mandate from Ephesians 6 to "... bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord."
The other passage that has been coming up repeatedly is Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. ^a]"> Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Given the culture around us, neither of these scriptures is an easy mandate to fulfill. We home school as part of what we feel God has laid on us as our responsibility. We try to live consistent lives in accordance to what we believe.
Christians are NOT perfect, but we are thankful for the grace and mercy of God that allows us to be certain of forgiveness. Living in New England, it isn't easy to be conservative and Christian. We are surrounded by liberal mindset and action - even our once conservative NH has fallen to social and fiscal liberalism. It is sad and could be depressing if we didn't have our faith. Knowing that nothing in life happens that has not been sifted through the fingers of God and will ultimately bring glory to Him in the end, gives us hope.