Sweeter Than the Honeycomb

He Would Run to Me?

2012-02-11T11:20:00.000-08:00

Humans are slow to forgive.
Humans wait, aloof, arms crossed, for you to walk the whole way to them.
Humans accept apologies with words of reproof, to clarify that their forgiveness does not excuse the wrongs that you did.
Humans take you back with limitations and qualifications.
Humans may remind you later of your unworthiness and guilt.

But when you return to God, He runs to you. Runs!
He is looking for us, waiting. And when we come to our senses and start to walk home, the moment we come into view on that dusty road He runs to meet us, throws His arms around our necks, and proclaims a party.

Would He really do that? Would He run to me?
Luke 15 says He would.

Cooking with toddlers . . . and allergies

2012-02-09T17:13:00.000-08:00

No one in my family has a food allergy, so when I eat or cook I pay no attention to the ingredients list. It tastes good, so that's all that matters, right? But now that I have toddlers in my classroom who have food allergies, it's a big deal. Did you know how much stuff has soy in it? Bread, margarine, sprinkles, EVERYTHING!!! What is it for, anyway?

So this week we're studying cooking.

Monday we mixed goop - sounds fun, right? Trust me, it was. =) 4 cups of cornstarch and two cups of water, mixed together (it's stiff at first), makes enough for 12 toddlers to touch and play around with. It also makes a very sticky white mess all over everything.

Tuesday we spread jelly on English muffins. Jam and bread both have soy.

Wednesday we rolled cookie dough - eggless, soyless cookie dough. Mom already had the recipe for cut-out cookies, and I googled egg substitutes. It turns out that applesauce and mashed bananas work great.

Here's the recipe with alterations: Cream together 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 cup real butter, 1/2 cup applesauce, and 1/2 mashed banana. Add 1 tsp. vanilla and 1/2 tsp. lemon extract. Stir in 4 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. soda. Shape into roll 3 inches in diameter. Wrap in wax paper, and chill. Do not freeze. Roll out; cut shapes.

Wednesday night after church I baked the cookies (at 350 until lightly brown), and this morning I searched the dairy crisper in the refrigerator for real butter to use in the icing. To my dismay, 8 sticks of margarine met my eye. No butter. I ran to brush my teeth, and carefully locked the door before driving around the bend to the nearest grocery, then rushed back to stir the following ingredients: 1/2 stick butter, 1 pound powdered sugar, milk, and 1 tsp. vanilla. It was ready just in time to put everything away and head out the door to work.

The kids loved spreading the icing (and some of them enjoyed adding sprinkles . . . umm, no, I didn't even research how to make soy-free sprinkles. Really, who puts soy in sprinkles? Oh, well.) Nothing like 12 sticky, messy kids smiling up at you while stuffing frosted cookies in their mouths and signing for more.

The Awe Factor of God

2011-10-29T18:14:00.000-07:00

This is one video that has made me really stop and think. In fact, I'm still thinking. . . .

The Tyranny of the Urgent

2011-10-23T16:42:00.000-07:00

The urgent . . .

That's where I am right now.

On Tuesday, I will get observed for the second and final time. My teacher will come to my class and watch me interact with the children. She's a good teacher, a very nice lady, and I love the children. But I have so many assignments to complete between now and then!

Yesterday I spent most of the day on these assignments, forgetting to finish the laundry. Granted, I did still have my Quiet Time with the Lord - although my heart wasn't really in it. I did stop to fix lunch since Mom was away, managing the gift shop at the battlefield. At the end of the day, I did set my schoolwork aside to play several hands of Rook with Caleb, Jedidiah, and Caleb's college friend Dave who spent the weekend with us. But the first long part of the day was a frenetic effort to check off as many assignments as possible.

And now as my mind looks forward past this sweet gift of Sabbath rest celebrating Jesus' resurrection and almost wants to waste that gift in worry over the next 36 hours - what if I can't get everything done? - I take a deep breath and tell my mind to rest in God, thinking of the wise words of Charles Hummel in his pamphlet, "The Tyranny of the Urgent." I just read it a few minutes ago, for the first time ever, and, wow - it is just what I needed! Thank You, Father! =)

To give a little idea of what Mr. Hummel has to say, think of all the unfinished projects you have around your house and on your to-do list. Think of the all the projects you would love to do and think you need to do, but have never even started. Think of all the things you know other people want you to do, but you aren't doing them and don't know when you'll be able to. Overwhelmed?

Now consider this: toward the end of Jesus' life, He said "I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do" (John 17:4). How could that be possible? How can anyone truly finish their work? Jesus did. Yet there was so much He didn't do. He didn't heal every sick person in Israel. He didn't evangelize every lost Jew. There were urgent needs He left unmet, but He did everything that was important. How did He know the difference? Through prayer (Mark 1:35).

To quote directly,

P.T. Forsyth once said, "The worst sin is prayerlessness." We usually think of murder, adultery, or theft as among the worst. But the root of all sin is self-sufficiency---independence from God. When we fail to wait prayerfully for God’s guidance and strength we are saying, with our actions, if not our lips, that we do not need Him. How much of our service is characterized by "going it alone?"

The opposite of such independence is prayer in which we acknowledge our need for God’s instruction and supply. . . . Prayerful waiting on God is indispensable to effective service. Like the time-out in a football game, it enables us to catch our breath and fix new strategy. As we wait for directions, the Lord frees us from the tyranny of the urgent. He shows us the truth about Himself, ourselves, and our tasks. He impresses on our minds the assignments He want us to undertake. The need itself is not the call; the call must come form the God who knows our limitation. “The Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:13-14). It is not God who loads us until we bend or crack with an ulcer, nervous breakdown, heart attack, or stroke. These come from our inner compulsions coupled with the pressure of circumstances.

So tomorrow morning, I'll be getting up a few minutes early and asking God for guidance. I know I'm going to need it! And then, even if I'm unable to complete everything urgent, by God's grace I can rest in His arms knowing everything important was finished.

Homemade Playdough

2011-10-18T19:03:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

2 cups warm water

1 cup salt

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1 Tablespoon cream of tartar

food coloring

Directions: Mix first five ingredients. Stir over low heat until dough thickens, pulls away from sides, and clumps in the middle. Continue stirring and cooking a little longer, until it's dry and feels playdoughish. Remove pan from heat and allow dough to cool slightly.

Turn dough out onto a clean counter and knead vigorously until it becomes silky-smooth. Divide the dough into balls for coloring. Make a divot in the center of the ball, and drop some food coloring in. Fold the dough over, working the food color through the body of the playdough, trying to keep the raw dye away from your hands and the counter. Store playdough in an air-tight container.

"My kids" love this! I only use it with a few of them at a time, however, so I can keep a close eye on them. Even though it's non-toxic, the salty taste I'm sure it must have is not to their liking and I'd rather them never put it in their mouths than chew and spit out or chew and like and keep eating. =) That said, it makes a great activity for the end of the day when there are only a few children left who are getting bored with their toys and starting to feel pretty homesick for "Mom-mom" and "Dad-dad." Let's see . . . what can we make today?

Rescue (A Fairy Tale)

2011-10-12T21:00:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, King Alroy planted a beautiful garden. In it he fashioned pink and white rosebushes, purple violets and chicory, yellow buttercups and goldenrod and sunflowers, red and orange marigolds, and fruit trees of every variety.

In the center of the garden, the king built a grand stone castle, surrounded by a blue river that flowed into fountains, pools, and streams. Deer, monkeys, lions, elephants, horses, goats, and rabbits all quenched their thirst with its cool liquid, and a lovely enchantment overshadowed them so that not one bared a tooth or lifted a hoof against another. Both native and exotic birds prepared nests in the trees, from which they sang their daily songs of joy.

The castle itself King Alroy furnished with the richest of tapestries, the softest beds, and the most exquisite doors and windows.

When the garden looked perfect, King Alroy formed a pair of lovers, Romulo and Emberlynn, to inhabit, tend, and rule the estate. The king’s son, Palti, daily visited the lovers, and all three delighted in their friendship. The merry feasts, the peaceful walks, the deep conversations – all touched each heart that partook.

But one day, Zimitrok the evil dragon disguised himself in suave allure, crept silently into the orchard, and convinced Romulo and Emberlynn to dine with him. Zimitrok prepared a feast of exotic foods the lovers had never tasted, and wines they had never drunk. The pleasures of that evening were new and strange. Romulo and Emberlynn became drunk with the new wines and fell into a deep sleep.

When they awoke the next morning just before dawn, they looked around, bewildered. Their surroundings reminded them of their old home. The room had the same shape, but the furniture had an old, worn look and a musty smell. The mattress felt hard beneath them. Cobwebs hung in the corners; and one of the windowpanes was shattered, the shards lying about on the floor below.

Romulo and Emberlynn rose and walked downstairs and outdoors into the still-dark, hazy world and looked around at the once-noble trees now dropping their leaves. The grass had turned brown. In the distance, a lion roared and a hyena laughed. Vultures circled ominously.

Emberlynn looked down through tears and smiled at the few delicate roses yet clinging to the bushes beside the castle. Reaching down to pluck one, she gasped and quickly withdrew her white fingers now wet with drops of blood. What were those painful prickly things? Romulo shook his head mournfully.

The two left the threshold, walking out a few paces. A little beyond lay the enormous, hideous black body of the dragon. Turning, they beheld their beloved castle. Oh! Look at it now! Stones crumbling, overgrown with moss, full of broken windows. How had this happened?

“It’s your fault!” Rage suddenly filled Romulo’s face. “If you hadn’t listened to Zimitrok-“

“But I didn’t know! He deceived me! How could I have known?”

The lovers stared at each other, then turned and walked silently back into the castle, where they lived under the sway of the dragon the rest of their days.

**********

Emberlynn gave birth to several daughters, beautiful daughters of whom the dragon painted large portraits, which he posted in neighboring kingdoms.

Knights, having seen these pictures, rode day and night, mile after mile to see the young girls; and, once they saw them, to kiss and use the girls as suited their desires. Before they left, the knights filled the dragon’s paws with gold and promised to return.

Peasants came, too, but had no money to pay the dragon; so he kept them in a small room of the castle, some to produce more little girls and some to sell to the knights who came calling and kissing.

Generation after generation of girls were born in the ruins of the castle, and generation after generation of knights came to kiss and hit and destroy them. Sometimes the dragon dug his claws into the girls’ backs, and sometimes he kissed them himself, and every night he counted his gold and laughed at his own ingenuity.

From the beginning, King Alroy also put out advertisements. Many brave knights responded to them, riding day and night and mile after mile to rescue the girls. However, upon reaching the land of the ruined gardens, many could not find either dragon or castle through the dense, overgrown forest. Some were able to cut through and find their object, but feared the enchanting eyes and sharp claws of the dragon they beheld. Some courageous men climbed the hill and fought the dragon, only to retreat wounded and defeated.

Still others scorned the posters and the girls, telling each other that those people got themselves into this mess and were responsible to get their filthy selves out of it. Of course, King Alroy could not have put up the posters; perhaps one of the dragon’s henchmen had done it to seduce them into filling his bulging coffers.

**********

One night, King Alroy and Prince Palti watched from their palace as another baby girl was born in the broken-down castle they had built so long ago. “Must it continue, Father?” Palti asked in pain. “Must it go on and on? Our knights are no match for the dragon, and the girls remain trapped in misery.”

“You are right, my son. Enough is enough.”

“Then what shall we do? May I not go and rescue them? I am stronger than Zimitrok, and my sword is sharp enough to pierce his scaly hide in one blow.”

“This is true, my son. But our poor people will not be lifted to the royal birthright of their fathers by the slaying of the dragon. They chose an alliance with him, and their hearts are now black like his skin. We must rescue them entirely.”

“What must we do?”

“It will be difficult for you, my son. Since they rebelled against me, and chose slavery to the dragon instead, they must die. To rescue them, you must give your life in their stead. You must let Zimitrok slay you.”

“I will go, Father.”

**********

The next day, Prince Palti set out on his journey. He chose a common horse and dressed himself in the clothes of his serfs. Along the way, dust from the roads flew up, clinging to his feet and clothes and entering his mouth and eyes. Other travelers, more richly dressed, mistook him for the peasant he appeared to be and mocked him or bade him stop and haul water for them at wells by the roadside.

That night, Prince Palti arrived in the town below the forest and tied his horse to the hitching post in front of the single local tavern. He had never felt so hot, tired, dirty, itchy, hungry, or thirsty. Entering the tavern, he inquired, “Do you have any rooms available?”

“No, sir, we’re full to the brim.”

No rooms! So Prince Palti turned and walked back outside, where he walked his horse into the woods, drank from the stream, washed his face, plucked cherries and walnuts from the trees, and sat down with his back against a large oak to think.

All night, he read and reread the letter his father had given him, and his spirit communed with his father. Strength coursed through his veins, and before the sun rose over the eastern mountains he had cut his way through half the tangled underbrush of what was now known to the locals as the Dragon’s Forest. The day grew warm, and sweat poured down Prince Palti’s back as he chopped through stems and branches with his ax. As he walked, he thought with bittersweet remembrance of the walks he used to enjoy with Romulo and Emberlynn so many years ago. Each cut he made was for them, and for their children!

Coming out the other side, he looked up at the brown grass, the weedy gardens, the low murky river, the kudzu-covered castle, and – there he was – the huge ugly Zimitrok, that evil murderer, the age-old enemy of King Alroy. Prince Palti advanced with boldness to slay the dragon.

Zimitrok had sensed the prince’s approach and prepared himself for a good fight. He had made the forest denser than usual, and expanded his body to look even fiercer, and now he breathed out fireballs bigger than any he had released before.

But Prince Palti’s response bewildered the dragon. The prince approached in peasant’s clothes, armed with an ax – no sword? And he came forward in a gentle manner, not speaking, no anger in his face. What could he be doing? The dragon’s eyes narrowed; some kind of trickery must be afoot, and Zimitrok had not intentions of falling to some clever ruse.

Prince Palti drew closer, and Zimitrok rose silently into a crouch. Still Prince Palti came nearer, and nearer, and nearer - in a flash, Zimitrok was upon him. He roared, shrieked, and blew fire in the prince’s fair face. He threw back his head and laughed a throaty, detestable laugh. “You are MINE!” he shouted. “Mine! I will finish you off forever. What were you thinking, coming to me alone like this? Where is your daddy? Did you think you could take my lair from me?” And he laughed again.

Zimitrok clawed Prince Palti’s body until his clothes hung in shreds and the blood ran thick. He yanked out fistfuls of the prince’s hair, and spit into his face. Finally, he dragged the prince’s now-weak body to a nearby tree and wrapped himself around the prince and the tree with his long, slimy black tail.

An hour of taunting, fireballs, and spitballs filled the dragon with freakish pleasure. Zimitrok slowly worked himself up into a frenzy of evil until he culminated his tortures with a bite and rip of the prince’s neck. Drawing back, he panted from his exertions and delighted in the sight of his kill. It was almost too good to be true – the son of his archenemy, killed in an afternoon. What luck was this? Zimitrok laughed again, and withdrew, letting the body fall to the ground with a thud. What fun it would be to watch it rot over the coming days and weeks!

Night fell, and Zimitrok counted his gold. By this time, he had developed an intricate system of inventory. Several rooms in his cave were full of heavy bags and chests, each containing a precise number of gold pieces. Tonight he entered the nearest room and deposited the day’s wages in an open bag. A good day, this! Peering into the other rooms filled to the ceiling with golden chests, he licked his fangy lips and departed into the back room, plush with the furnishings he had stolen centuries ago from Romulo and Emberlynn’s bedroom and settled down for a deep sleep on their still-soft mattress.

**********

The next day, all was as before, except for the added pleasure of a view of a man’s rotting body at the edge of the forest. Zimitrok felt overjoyed in his invincibility and supreme rule.

Another morning dawned bright and clear. Zimitrok opened the door and gazed out on the murky beauty of his kingdom. A toothy smile added to the ugliness of his face; and he made his way, blindly confident, to the castle to toy with his little girls.

Meanwhile, a certain decaying body raised itself up by some magical touch of King Alroy. The dirt and spit washed away, and clean radiance shown forth from an alert face. Royal garments clothed Prince Palti, and his own sword hung at his side. Death had matured him, and he strode forth determinedly to complete the task for which he had come.

Zimitrok opened the door to the bedroom of the youngest girls, calling, “Rise and shine, sweethearts! Time to play.” The girls woke and sat up, cowering before him. But then, they looked behind him and their eyes filled with peace. Zimitrok turned quickly – what?

Prince Palti struck quickly, driving his sword through Zimitrok’s scales until it came out the other side. With a hiss, the dragon’s body fell to the ground. Prince Palti carried the body outside and threw it far, beyond the mountains.

Then he called to the girls. “Come, all who are weak and heavily-burdened, and I will give you rest. Come, all who are thirsty, and I will quench your thirst. Come, all who are hungry for love, and I will love you.”

The littlest girls came slowly, fearfully out to him and looked up into his kind face. He hugged them and smiled at them, and they smiled back. More and more girls came out to him. When they ceased coming, he called to the girls still in the castle, girls who stayed because they doubted his integrity or feared the unknown. “There is still room. Will you come?”

But no more came. So he led the girls standing near him to a clearing about an acre beyond the castle. Here he cleared the debris from the fountain, weeded the flower garden, hacked away the overgrown underbrush in the woods, and pruned the extra branches of the trees. A feast of oranges, peaches, apples, bananas, cherries, nuts, and cool fountain water refreshed the girls.

Then, while the prince erected a small shelter for the girls, they bathed in the stream and came out clean, clothed in the garments of a princess. They fixed each other’s hair and wove flower garlands and crowns.

After another feast, the prince gathered the girls around him and talked with them. He told them the story of their first parents, Romulo and Emberlynn, and the girls wondered at the royal blood they never knew was in them. Prince Palti told them of their tasks from King Alroy, to tend and rule the garden, and to love the poor girls still in the castle. The slaves were welcome in the pure meadow if they renounced their servitude to Zimitrok and gave themselves to King Alroy. Prince Palti’s death had redeemed all of them, and his heart had love enough for all of them.

He rose and walked with his girls until sunset, and then led them toward the trees. “I will be back,” he promised. “My father and I will build a new castle, grander than the first. When it is completed, we will return to restore this garden and live with you forever. But every day I will come here to walk and talk with you. And if you need me for any reason, call to me, and I will come. I love you.”

And so the girls lived in their meadow and drank in the beauty around them and healed from the wounds of the dragon. Every morning they read the letters the king sent, every afternoon they carried fruit and water to the girls in the castle and nursed their wounds and talk to them about Prince Palti, and every evening they shared a feast and a long walk with their beloved prince. Every day their love for him grew, and every day they longed more for the day when he would come to stay. They are there to this day, still waiting, and the day quickly approaches when their hope will come to pass.

And these girls will live happily ever after with their prince.

A Bible Study Method

2011-10-11T19:09:00.000-07:00

I've gone back and forth between willingness to write in my copy of the Scriptures and hesitancy to do so. About a month ago the pendulum swung back to willingness at the same time I started reading through Isaiah. In chapter two, it just so happens that a certain wonderful and convicting verse repeats itself, saying something to the effect of,

"The loftiness of man shall be brought low,

and the haughtiness of man shall be bowed down,

and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day."

What a verse! I underlined those two verses and read on, noticing with some surprise that the same concept seemed to keep coming up in the succeeding chapters. Through underlining repeated words and phrases, I learned a lot about what God's message through Isaiah was. Often Isaiah referred to God as "the LORD of hosts" and spoke of things that will happen "in that day." He emphasized that the events of history are purposed by God, according to His counsel; He has spoken, and thus it shall be. He encouraged his readers to wait on the LORD, and explained that often things happen "that you may know that I am the LORD." And in the second part of the book, a major theme seems to be that God made everything, and He made you and me. But the primary theme indeed seemed to be the humbling of man and the exaltation of Jehovah.

When Isaiah closed, I didn't want it to end; but I also was unsure if the same method would work again. So I began Jeremiah with the intention of keeping my eyes peeled for repeated words to pick up clues for the theme(s). Wouldn't you know it, right off the bat was a chapter with the thrice-stated phrase "forsaken Me"! Could that be the theme? Continuing to read, I found that it seems to be just that. God sent Jeremiah to the people of Judah to warn them because they had forsaken the LORD of hosts and to invite the people to return to Him.

This method of studying the Bible is so refreshing. It makes me feel like a detective, truly searching God's Word to discover His will and ways. And it has given me a better understanding of previously confusing passages by showing me how they fit into the overall message of one scroll in the library of Scripture.

Chocolate Chewy Oatmeal Cookie Sandwiches

2011-10-10T18:45:00.000-07:00

I tried this recipe over the weekend and our family has been enjoying it. =)

Cookies:

3 cups brown sugar

2 cups margarine

2 eggs

1/2 cup water

2 tsp. vanilla

6 cups oats

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2/3 cup cocoa

2 1/2 cups flour

Mix; drop by generous teaspoonfuls on cookie sheets and bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

Cream Filling:

2 cups powdered sugar

2 egg whites, beaten

1 1/2 cups shortening

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix; spread between cookies to make cookie sandwiches.

Yields two 9x13x4 tubberware containers almost full of cookies.

The River (An Allegory)

2011-10-09T16:36:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time in a land far away, a beautiful wood enclosed a wide, spacious meadow full of life and light. In the center sprang up the source: a fountain of pure water. Through this water, the flowers sprang up and smiled sweetly in their felicity. Through it, the fauns skipped, the rabbits hopped, the bees buzzed from plant to plant, the butterflies flitted lightly, and the birds soared in heavenly melody. The fountain shone with a light of it own that illumined everything in its proximity.

Springing from the fountain, out of the meadow, down the mountain, out of the wood, and into the valley the water flowed. Anyone who desired the water freely drank and was satisfied, his thirst quenched, his body refreshed, his countenance brightened, and his mind cleared. Many a thirsty traveler, upon entering the valley, saw and tasted the river; and once anyone had a drink of this water, nothing else could compare. Many built new homes on its banks, while other stayed for a while before making canteens to fill and carry with them on their journey.

Down in the valley, nestled among the people, lay a large pond. The oldest of the village’s many inhabitants claimed its source was a gooey spring of blackness at the very bottom. Cows and pigs and alligators and hippopotamuses and mosquitoes loved the pond. The people loved it, too; its shores held large crowds day and night, crowds of people who came to swim in the middle or to dance in the shallower parts. Every few days someone would lose an arm or a foot to the alligators. Mosquito bites covered them constantly; so that whenever they weren’t drinking or playing, they were scratching.

A few times a year a storm came, so that the pond rose a foot or two above its normal bounds. Then garbage from the nearby dump slid into the pool. The glass bottles and metal cans cut the people’s feet. Sometimes a person who couldn’t swim fell in, and of course there was no way to pull him out. If the truth were told, no one even paid attention. They were all too busy to notice their neighbors screaming as the alligators pulled off their flesh until they were caught in the whirlpool and drawn inescapably below, lost in the murky mud of the deep black pond. If the people could only have seen the pure, fresh river barely 1,000 feet away, they might have left the filth for a bath and refreshing drink. But that was just the problem: they couldn’t see.

Right from the start, the fountain wanted to bless the poor, blind people with its water, so it sent them gifts. First it stirred up strong winds to scatter the seeds of the trees and flowers so that the people of the pond could smell the meadow. Then it sent the birds to sing where the pond people could hear the meadow. They admired the beauty of these gifts, but few were awakened by them.

One man was different. A particularly violent storm swept his entire family into the deep, swirling waters,, and he found himself relatively alone. A friend waded along the edge with him to comfort him, but an alligator clamped his sharp teeth on this friend’s leg and pulled the man in. When he stepped closer to help his friend, another alligator slithered toward him. Crying out in desperation, he leaped back and scrambled up and up and far away until he finally sank down, heart pounding. He remained there, unmoving, numb, till dusk came and he felt more tired than ever before.

The fountain watched compassionately as the man sat dejectedly a few feet from the river. A gentle breeze rose up and fanned his dirty face. A bird sang softly. He laid down and rubbed his hand on the grass, noticing in surprise its extra softness here. And then he fell into a deep and peaceful slumber.

When he woke the next morning, he felt thirsty, but the thought of returning to the pond made him sick to his stomach. He stood to his feet and walked about. The ground sloped upward beneath his feet, and the sensations grew sweeter. His heart responded gladly, and he breathed deeply of the mountain air. Then a strange thing happened. Until this moment, he had assumed the world was naturally all black. But with his first breath of this air, he saw spots of color. The more he took in of it, the more he saw, until his eyes were as clear as yours and mine. Now he stopped and looked about him in great joy and amazement. It was all so new, and so richly beautiful. And there, at his feet, lay the river. He stared long and hard, then dropped slowly to his knees. It looked so fresh and good, but did he dare even touch it? Glancing down at his hands, he grimaced. Filthy.

He sadly raised his eyes and watched as a curious happenstance unfolded. A tiny sparrow, spattered with mud-spots, flew straight into the river, dipped down, flapped its wings, and drunk deeply before flying on as clean as clean could be. The river remained spotless.

The man lost no time, but plunged himself into the water, clothes and all. Rising, he saw his own reflection and knew that he was clean. He shouted and plunged in again, swam a ways, rolled over and over; and then as if just remembering his original purpose, he bent down and took a drink unlike anything he had ever tasted.

“Aaaahh.”

A few days’ journey up the mountain brought him to the meadow. A few days . . . and how much had changed! His other life, if he could call it that, was far behind. His whole mind and heart were full of this new life, the rier with its beauties and joys. Where did it come from? As he stepped out of the woods into the open meadow, he saw it: the fountain. It drew him near, and he watched joyfully as it gurgled and splashed and sweetened all around it. This was living! He felt as if he could stay here forever. For a while, he did stay.

One day, though, the time came from the fountain to send him to the people of the pond. He descended, always keeping to the side of the river, until he reached the bottom and looked to the distant pond. All he saw was a loud mess of muddy bodies. Not too long ago, he had been one of them.

He took a drink, filled his canteen, and walked to the pond. The stench was overpowering, and for the first time he saw the pond. He saw the blackness, the decayed bodies, the trash, the manure. How had he ever enjoyed drinking that mud?

Heartsick, he approached his old girlfriend, who failed to recognize him.

“Julie? It’s me. Don.”

“Oh, hi. You sound weird. Where’ve you been?”

“You won’t believe it, Julie! It’s the most amazing place ever - so clean, and bright, and the water was so pure.”

Julie laughed. “Sounds boring. You missed it. The last storm brought a big slide and another big board. We’ve been practicing our dives. C’mon.”

“No, thanks. Why don’t you come with me to the river?”

“What river? I don’t see any river. This might be the river right here.”

“But that’s just the beauty of it – your eyes will open the closer you get to the river.”

“What are you talking about? Wait. You’ve gotta be kidding me. Are you saying I’m blind? Get lost already. I’m gonna go have fun.”

Don almost followed her; his eyes did, full of the fountain’s compassion. But a wind whispered in his ear to let her go and to continue on his way. Don talked to several others, but each one gave the same response. Somewhat discouraged, he walked outside the edge of the crowd and talked to no one; instead, he merely looked at the people, covered in mud and mosquito bites, and listened to the terrible cries. O, why would they die? With the water from the fountain flowing freely so nearby, why – why would they die?

Rounding the bend, he saw an old man, skinny and shivering. “Sir! Sir, why are you sitting here all alone?”

“Young man, be grateful for your strength. The day will come when you’ll be old and feeble like me, and then you’ll die of thirst, too. You’ll be too weak to push through all the bodies. There was a time when I could do it. Not too long ago, either. But that was before . . .” And his voice trailed off as his eyes gazed, unseeing, into the far-away.

“Oh, but, sir, there is other water. Come with me, and I will lead you to drink of water like you’ve never tasted before in your life.”

“Much obliged, son, but I’m far too old.”

“Here. Get on my back, and I’ll carry you.”

“No. Thank you. But don’t trouble yourself.”

“But I mean it. Please. I would love to carry you to the river.”

After much persuading, the old man climbed onto Don’s back and the two travelled the little distance over the rough ground to the banks of the river. As they went, the old man’s senses deepened and when he finally sat beside that pure water, he breathed deeply in astonishment. Did his eyes really see what he thought they saw? He reached out a finger and watched as the water cleaned its tip instantly from the dried, caked-on mud. He slid both his feet down into the water and swung them back and forth like a little child. Laughing, he slipped down, down, down, till he was immersed in the clear, blue liquid.

The old man also travelled up the mountain. At first he could only crawl, holding to the trees and stopping often for a rest and river-drink. When he finally reached the summit and gazed upon the fountain, he knew he saw before him the answer to all his heart’s longing.

The fountain led him to rest a few days on the soft grass while the wind dropped healing leaves and flowers onto his diseased limbs. Some of his old strength returned, and he found himself ready for an adventure – a mission.

He stood slowly and turned to the fountain. “Send me. Where shall I go? Am I to return to the pond like Don?”

The rustling of the wind and the rushing of the water sounded in the old man’s ears and nudged him to the other side of the meadow. The branches of the trees pulled him and gently pushed him through the wood till he saw the open side of the hill.

The old man shaded his eyes as he watched several groups of people huddled around cisterns. Some of the cisterns were gray, dirty, rusty, and broken in a hundred pieces. Others were freshly painted, with plaster stuck in each of the cracks to stop the leaks. The people panted with thirst as they bent way down into the cisterns to sip a few drops of the rainwater inside. Some cisterns were sill half-full from the last rain, but the water was leaking fast.

The old man strode quickly to the nearest cistern and touched a man on the shoulder. “Sir, how would you like to drink from a river that will never run dry?”

“Oh, the river – isn’t it wonderful? I drank from there. The water is so good. You must be one of us.” And he smilingly clapped the old man on the back.

“But . . . if you’ve drunk from the river, why would you come live by this cistern and quench your thirst with its leaky water?”

“Oh, but this is just a hobby. I still drink from the river once a week, you know. But I’m sure there’s nothing wrong with having a little fun, too. There’s nothing muddy about this water. Look how clean the cistern is.”

“But it’s not the river. You’re thirsty, son.”

“Yeah, I know. But it’ll rain soon. Just watch; you’ll see.”

The old man shook his head and walked on, often lifting his canteen to his lips and delighting in the refreshment it brought.

And so life went on for the people of Riverside (for that was the name of the country). One by one the mud dwellers slipped into the slime and jaws to rise never again. One by one the cistern drinkers emptily, thirstily wasted away under the burning sun. One by one Don and the old man led the heart-thirsty to the river of life.

“And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!”

And let him who hears say, “Come!”

And let him who thirsts come.

Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.”

(Revelation 22:17)

Sudanese Orphans and James 1:27

2011-07-06T18:34:00.000-07:00

The following update from Kimberly Smith of Make Way Partners shares the heart-breaking story of what is going on in Sudan right now. Don't look the other way. Click this link, read the story, look at the pictures, PRAY.

http://kimberlylsmithblog.blogspot.com/2011/07/today-we-face-our-worst-times-with.html

What Jesus Offers

2011-06-04T11:04:00.000-07:00

John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him may not perish, but have everlasting life." He offers us deliverance from death and life that lasts forever. But there's more!

John 17:3 says, "And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, Whom Thou hast sent." Jesus offers us the privilege of knowing Him; that is the everlasting life we've been given. We know Him not just as a casual aquaintance.

Do you know your senators? Yes, I've met them.

Jesus offers you and me the amazing privilege of knowing Him intimately as a close friend. In the Old Testament, to speak of a man and his wife knowing each other was to talk about the closest relationship possible on earth. Think about the person you know the best, the friend you're closest to. That's how well Jesus wants you to know Him - and more!

Thus saith the LORD, "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight," saith the LORD (Jeremiah 9:23-24).

Do you know Jesus? Do you want to know Him more? How hungry are you for Jesus, and what are you going to do about it?

I AM

2011-05-01T13:45:00.000-07:00

Darkness, blinded mind;
Hands groping; stumbling,
Fumbling in the night;
Heart confused.
Where do I turn?
Who is the One who will light my world?
I AM!

Hungry, deep cravings;
Throat parched, thirsty,
Empty, no water in sight;
Heart seeking.
What will satisfy?
Who is the One who will feed my soul?
I AM!

Lost, running through the maze,
Can't get out, cold,
Alone, tired, wolves snarl and bite.
Heart lonely and afraid.
Where is my shepherd?
Who is the One who will seek me?
I AM!

Dying, mind fading,
Aching, pain, stress and strain,
Feeling no strength or might.
Heart sick and sinking.
Where is the meaning?
Who is the One who will give me life?
I AM!

Lonely, mind full,
Needing a friend, an ear, a shoulder,
Betrayed, let down, hurt.
Heart broken.
But who really cares?
Who is the One who will truly love me?
I AM!

Dirty, wicked,
Mind's thoughts, the work of my hands,
Hurting people and can't change.
Heart black and trapped.
Who can rescue me?
Who is the One who will make me clean?
I AM!

Beauty, mind full,
A flower, purple,
Orange sunset, lake rippling,
Stars twinkling in the night.
Heart dancing.
Where did it come from?
Who is the One who made this glory?
I AM!

Despised, rejected,
An outcast, weird,
Unfashionable, not PC,
A pilgrim, homeless in the night.
Heart set apart.
Who understands?
Who is the One who accepts me?
I AM!

Riches, status,
Reputation, ambition,
Worldly wisdom, pleasure,
"Wine sparkling bright."
Heart careless.
Where is the real treasure?
Who is the One worthy of my devotion?
I AM!

Who are You?
I AM YAHWEH,
The Eternal God,
Self-Existent.
I will be Who I was.

I AM your light.
I AM your food.
I AM your shepherd.
I AM your life.
I AM your lover.
I AM your righteousness.
I AM the giver of all good gifts.
I AM He Who accepts you.
I AM your treasure.

I AM!

A Letter From Patrick, Saint of God

2011-03-16T12:35:00.000-07:00

Letter To Coroticus

I, Patrick, a sinner, unlearned, resident in Ireland, declare myself to be a bishop. Most assuredly I believe that what I am I have received from God. And so I live among barbarians, a stranger and exile for the love of God. He is witness that this is so. Not that I wished my mouth to utter anything so hard and harsh; but I am forced by the zeal for God; and the truth of Christ has wrung it from me, out of love for my neighbors and sons for whom I gave up my country and parents and my life to the point of death. If I be worthy, I live for my God to teach the heathen, even though some may despise me.

With my own hand I have written and composed these words, to be given, delivered, and sent to the soldiers of Coroticus; I do not say, to my fellow citizens, or to fellow citizens of the holy Romans, but to fellow citizens of the demons, because of their evil works. Like our enemies, they live in death, allies of the Scots and the apostate Picts. Dripping with blood, they welter in the blood of innocent Christians, whom I have begotten into the number for God and confirmed in Christ!

The day after the newly baptized, anointed with chrism, in white garments (had been slain) — the fragrance was still on their foreheads when they were butchered and slaughtered with the sword by the above-mentioned people — I sent a letter with a holy presbyter whom I had taught from his childhood, clerics accompanying him, asking them to let us have some of the booty, and of the baptized they had made captives. They only jeered at them . Hence I do not know what to lament more: those who have been slain, or those whom they have taken captive, or those whom the devil has mightily ensnared. Together with him they will be slaves in Hell in an eternal punishment; for who commits sin is a slave and will be called a son of the devil.

Wherefore let every God-fearing man know that they are enemies of me and of Christ my God, for whom I am an ambassador. Parricide! fratricide! ravening wolves that "eat the people of the Lord as they eat bread!" As is said, "the wicked, O Lord, have destroyed Thy law," which but recently He had excellently and kindly planted in Ireland, and which had established itself by the grace of God.

I make no false claim. I share in the work of those whom He called and predestinated to preach the Gospel amidst grave persecutions unto the end of the earth, even if the enemy shows his jealousy through the tyranny of Coroticus, a man who has no respect for God nor for His priests whom He chose, giving them the highest, divine, and sublime power, that whom "they should bind upon earth should be bound also in Heaven."

Wherefore, then, I plead with you earnestly, ye holy and humble of heart, it is not permissible to court the favor of such people, nor to take food or drink with them, nor even to accept their alms, until they make reparation to God in hardships, through penance, with shedding of tears, and set free the baptized servants of God and handmaids of Christ, for whom He died and was crucified.

"The Most High disapproves the gifts of the wicked ...He that offers sacrifice of the goods of the poor, is as one that sacrifices the son in the presence of his lather. The riches, it is written, which he has gathered unjustly, shall be vomited up from his belly; the angel of death drags him away, by the fury of dragons he shall be tormented, the viper's tongue shall kill him, unquenchable fire devours him." And so — "woe to those who fill themselves with what is not their own;" or, "What does it profit a man that he gains the whole world, and suffers the loss of his own soul?

It would be too tedious to discuss and set forth everything in detail, to gather from the whole Law testimonies against such greed. Avarice is a deadly sin. "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's s goods." "Thou shalt not kill." A murderer cannot be with Christ. "Whosoever hates his brother is accounted a murderer." Or, "he that loves not his brother abides in death." How much more guilty is he that has stained his hands with blood of the sons of God whom He has of late purchased in the utmost part of the earth through the call of our littleness!

Did I come to Ireland without God, or according to the flesh? Who compelled me? I am bound by the Spirit not to see any of my kinsfolk. Is it of my own doing that I have holy mercy on the people who once took me captive and made away with the servants and maids of my father's house? I was freeborn according to the flesh. I am the son of a decurion. But I sold my noble rank I am neither ashamed nor sorry for the good of others. Thus I am a servant in Christ to a foreign nation for the unspeakable glory of life everlasting which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

And if my own people do not know me, a prophet has no honor in his own country. Perhaps we are not of the same fold and have not one and the same God as father, as is written: "He that is not with me, is against me, and he that gathers not with me, scatters." It is not right that one destroys, another builds up. I seek not the things that are mine.

It is not my grace, but God who has given this solicitude into my heart, to be one of His hunters or fishers whom God once foretold would come in the last days.

I am hated. What shall I do, Lord? I am most despised. Look, Thy sheep around me are tom to pieces and driven away, and that by those robbers, by the orders of the hostile-minded Coroticus. Far from the love of God is a man who hands over Christians to the Picts and Scots. Ravening wolves have devoured the flock of the Lord, which in Ireland was indeed growing splendidly with the greatest care; and the sons and daughters of kings were monks and virgins of Christ — I cannot count their number. Wherefore, be not pleased with the wrong done to the just; even to hell it shall not please. Who of the saints would not shudder to be merry with such persons or to enjoy a meal with them? They have filled their houses with the spoils of dead Christians, they live on plunder. They do not know, the wretches, that what they offer their friends and sons as food is deadly poison, just as Eve did not understand that it was death she gave to her husband. So are all that do evil: they work death as their eternal punishment.

This is the custom of the Roman Christians of Gaul: they send holy and able men to the Franks and other heathen with so many thousand solidi to ransom baptized captives. You prefer to kill and sell them to a foreign nation that has no knowledge of God. You betray the members of Christ as it were into a brothel. What hope have you in God, or anyone who thinks as you do, or converses with you in words of flattery? God will judge. For Scripture says: "Not only them that do evil are worthy to be condemned, but they also that consent to them."

I do not know why I should say or speak further about the departed ones of the sons of God, whom the sword has touched all too harshly. For Scripture says: "Weep with them that weep;" and again: "If one member be grieved, let all members grieve with it." Hence the Church mourns and laments her sons and daughters whom the sword has not yet slain, but who were removed and carried off to faraway lands, where sin abounds openly, grossly, impudently. There people who were freeborn have, been sold, Christians made slaves, and that, too, in the service of the abominable, wicked, and apostate Picts!

Therefore I shall raise my voice in sadness and grief — O you fair and beloved brethren and sons whom I have begotten in Christ, countless of number, what can I do you for? I am not worthy to come to the help of God or men. The wickedness of the wicked hath prevailed over us. We have been made, as it were, strangers. Perhaps they do not believe that we have received one and the same baptism, or have one and the same God as Father. For them it is a disgrace that we are Irish. Have ye not, as is written, one God? Have ye, every one of you, forsaken his neighbor?

Therefore I grieve for you, I grieve, my dearly beloved. But again, I rejoice within myself. I have not labored for nothing, and my journeying abroad has not been in vain. And if this horrible, unspeakable crime did happen — thanks be to God, you have left the world and have gone to Paradise as baptized faithful. I see you: you have begun to journey where night shall be no more, nor mourning, nor death; but you shall leap like calves loosened from their bonds, and you shall tread down the wicked, and they shall be ashes under your feet.

You then, will reign with the apostles, and prophets, and martyrs. You will take possession of an eternal kingdom, as He Himself testifies, saying: "They shall come from the east and from the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven." "Without are dogs, and sorcerers,... and murderers; and liars and perjurers have their portion in the pool of everlasting fire." Not without reason does the Apostle say: "Where the just man shall scarcely be saved, where shall the sinner and ungodly transgressor of the law find himself?"

Where, then, will Coroticus with his criminals, rebels against Christ, where will they see themselves, they who distribute baptized women as prizes — for a miserable temporal kingdom, which will pass away in a moment? As a cloud or smoke that is dispersed by the wind, so shall the deceitful wicked perish at the presence of the Lord; but the just shall feast with great constancy with Christ, they shall judge nations, and rule over wicked kings for ever and ever. Amen.

I testify before God and His angels that it will be so as He indicated to my ignorance. It is not my words that I have set forth in Latin, but those of God and the apostles and prophets, who have never lied. "He that believes shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be condemned," God hath spoken.

I ask earnestly that whoever is a willing servant of God be a carrier of this letter, so that on no account it be suppressed or hidden by anyone, but rather be read before all the people, and in the presence of Coroticus himself. May God inspire them sometime to recover their senses for God, repenting, however late, their heinous deeds — murderers of the brethren of the Lord! — and to set free the baptized women whom they took captive, in order that they may deserve to live to God, and be made whole, here and in eternity! Be peace to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.

He Is Risen!

2010-10-10T12:31:00.000-07:00

I Live
by Rich Cook

I live, I live
because He is risen

I live, I live
with power over sin

I live, I live
because He is risen

I live, I live
to worship Him

Thank You Jesus,
thank You, Jesus

Because You're alive
Because You're alive
Because You're alive
I live

© 1976 John T. Benson Publishing

He Is Risen!

2010-10-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

A legendary early Church tradition:
When two Christians met, they reminded each other of the Resurrection.
One said, "He is risen!"
And the other replied, "He is risen indeed!"

In early Christian art, the central theme was the empty tomb.

The Cross brings salvation and eternal life.
The Resurrection brings new life, abundant life.
It means that, truly, all things are possible with God.
Nothing is stronger than Him.
He is King.
He is risen!

Little Blessings

2010-10-02T15:49:00.000-07:00

God recently blessed me with a job at a daycare here in Richmond, so five days a week I spend at least four hours giving lunch breaks to teachers in various rooms. The kids are so fun! (Usually ;-D). Here are some examples of the new joys I've been experiencing:

a set of triplets whose belongings are marked A, B, and C
an adorable four-year-old boy with thick, curly red hair who gives great hugs
a toddler who has learned to climb into my arms
an older toddler professionally patting a younger one to sleep (pats back, strokes hair, lifts blanket to see if eyes are closed, pats again, et cetera)
kids saying "I like you"
sloppy baby kisses
sharing "secrets" about knights and dragons and princesses
watching toddlers dance and try to somersault
receiving colored pictures of rainbows and other interesting creations
a billion smiles a day

Kids are great! Just saying.

Challenging Femininity #11

2010-08-11T13:10:00.000-07:00

http://feelinfeminine.com/?p=5342

4 Days!!!

2010-05-26T12:08:00.000-07:00

I'm getting excited about camp at Laurel Lake and thought I'd share some old xanga posts from the last time I got ready for summer camp (2007 at the Word of Life Ranch).

So... summer break was awesome; I didn't realize how long it had really been since being home with my family. We went on a lot of errands - shopping, visiting old friends, fixing up our old house in preparation for its sale, etc. I read the book for this summer, as well as some fiction :) and spent a lot of time with my dear brothers ... bike-riding, playing CatchPhrase and Dutch Blitz, listening to music, etc.

I kind of wish I was still there, I can't lie. But that time will come before I know it, and I know that God has great things in store for this summer in the meantime! I am so excited for those little girls to start coming! I want to be the enthusiastic counselor that they need, not letting any fear of man or discomfort or failure get in the way.... Please pray that I will depend completely on the Lord and His grace, rather than on my own feebleness which definitely isn't strength by a long shot.

This weekend will be fun, as all the camps are coming back and the STC'ers will be coming. I hope to get a chance to talk to my friend Courtney whom I haven't seen for a year, but we'll see.

Open Our Eyes

2010-05-25T11:55:00.000-07:00

This life is only an echo

Of the deeper life to come

This ache is born of

Your Spirit in our hearts

Calling us homeward

Till our passing days are done

And You bid us "rise and...

"Come, now the wait is over

Eternity's begun

Wake, now the dream is ended

You're finally free to run" (Dance in the morning sun")

Open our eyes

Wonder is only a window

Beauty is an open door

Longing, leading us onward through the night

To what we're made for

When these shadow lands are done

We will hear You crying...

"Come, now the wait is over

Eternity's begun

Wake, now the dream is ended

You're finally free to run" (Dance in the morning sun")

Open our eyes

All that's eternal

You've set in our hearts

Our joyful desire burns like the morning star...

Open our eyes (to the joy that's to come)

Open our eyes (to the home that we seek)

Open our eyes (to the promise of heaven)

Open our eyes (to eternity's dream)

We're longing to see (open our eyes)

To live in Your light (open our eyes)

To always be near (open our eyes)

Open our eyes

~ Words by Doug McKelvey

Honors Day at University of the Cumberlands

2010-05-07T07:14:00.000-07:00

On a recent Monday, Pappaw, Mammaw,

Mom, Jedidiah, and I

took a trip to Williamsburg, KY to visit Caleb,

meet some of his friends,

show our grandparents the campus,

and eat a tasty lunch in the intramural gym.

The president speaking

Here we are in front of "the prettiest spot on campus" -

the fountain!

It had begun to rain,

so Jedidiah ran to the car to put away some papers.

Thus he unfortunately is not in this picture.

Challenging Femininity #8

2010-05-04T13:16:00.000-07:00

Be sure to check out the article on Elizabeth Prentiss! She wrote the hymn "More Love to Thee, O Christ" which has recently become popular due to a contemporary Christian musician singing it. She also wrote the book Stepping Heavenward, among others. That book is one of my favorites. It's a sweet story about a young girl who draws nearer her Heavenly Father throughout her life.

Our New House

2010-04-16T09:42:00.000-07:00

This is the truck we used in February to move from our little apartment in our little yard to move to our beautiful home in what seems almost like the country but is really just the suburbs.

Redbuds are the most beautiful trees!

Hopefully we can prune it next year so it's even prettier!

Our house :-)

We are going to have apples!

Well, maybe. This tree needs pruning, too.

A dogwood tree

Violets!!! They're everywhere.

Azalea bushes

And petunias for Dad

We've also planted pansies, strawberries, tomatoes, pickling cucumbers, celery, and peppers. There is a rosebush. And Mom bought some blueberry and raspberry bushes to plant soon. A few years and we'll have quite the fruit selection here! It looks gorgeous and smells better. I'm lovin' it.

Yet Another Post About Physical Expression in Worship

2010-04-09T11:55:00.000-07:00

Another example of culture playing a part in interpretations: lifted hands. Normally when we see this in church, it looks like the person is raising his hand in class. It lasts between two seconds and twenty. There isn’t necessarily anything wrong with this, but there is no Biblical example of it. In the Bible, when a person lifts his hands to God, he does just that – he lifts his hands to God. Not one hand, but two. And not as a statement of agreement of commitment or worshipful feeling. It’s not about the person at all. It’s to God!

In Nehemiah, the people worship God with their heads bowed, their faces to the ground, their hands lifted, and their lips repeating “Amen” as Ezra prays.

In the Psalms, David passionately cries unto God with His hands lifted toward His “holy oracle”. He longs for God and overflows with praise as he lifts up his hands in God’s name. He lifts up his hands to God’s commands, perhaps written on the walls and doorposts of his house (Deuteronomy 6)? God’s servants are commanded to lift up their hands and bless the Lord in His sanctuary. David again passionately cries unto God and asks that God view his prayer and lifted hands as incense or the evening sacrifice.

In Lamentations, Jeremiah tells Israel to get up and passionately cry out to God with lifted hands for the lives of their young children. Later he reminds the people of God’s goodness and advises them to consider their ways, return to God, and lift up their hearts with their hands to Him.

And in 1 Timothy, the men of the church are to pray everywhere. When they do, they are to lift up their hands, first making sure that the hands they lift are holy, without wrath and doubting.

But by far the most common physical expressions of worship in the Bible involve kneeling, bowing, falling upon your knees, or falling on your face. Does this indicate something about the reverence we ought to feel as we worship? Bigger question: as these are some of the more common Biblical expressions, when is the last time you saw someone (or you yourself) lay flat on your face before God? Or your whole church? When is the last time you all knelt together? Or bowed with your faces to the ground?

Here’s another interesting tidbit I found: It’s okay to pray with your eyes open, looking up.

It’s been a joy to study this. There is tremendous freedom in Christ. Not license to do what we want; but liberty to worship Him in a wide variety of ways, with a plethora of postures. So don’t be afraid of what other people in your church will think. Still be respectful, of course. But our authority is Scripture. If people did it in the Bible, we can do it now. “And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts” (Psalm 119:45).

More About Physical Expression in Worship

2010-04-08T16:20:00.000-07:00

Okay, I’m back. I learned a few things I hadn’t expected. For example, I didn’t expect to read about people sitting before God!

Here are a few principles that stand out. First, “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). If God really expects us to do this, then of course any posture is acceptable; because He wants us to pray all the time – while we’re doing everything else.

This puts some of the above posture in context. For instance, lying down on a pew in a chapel would probably look like sleeping and distract a lot of people. But praying in your bed at night when you can’t sleep would be perfectly natural and right.

Another consideration is culture. That might sound strange, as if I were contradicting the whole premise of this book. I believe in taking God’s Word literally and in following it even if it seems outdated or even unacceptable in our culture. I don’t think there is any verse which is irrelevant to us for any reason, including the 2000-year/ Hebrew-to-American gap.

On the other hand, it would be unrealistic to try to understand what God really meant when He said certain things without considering the culture of the people to whom He was directly speaking.

Take the word “dance,” for example. We are commanded to praise God with dancing. When is the last time you’ve done that? I must confess I never have. But what does it look like to praise God with dancing (beyond the 1 Thessalonians 5:17 principle)? It would be easy to insert our modern concept of “dancing” into the ancient word. But what would the original readers have pictured? Waltzing? Square dancing? Hip-shaking? Break dancing? I doubt it.

The Strong’s Concordance gives the following words for dance:

· 2287 chagag – to move in a circle, i.e. to march in a sacred procession, to observe a festival; by implication to be giddy: celebrate, dance, a (solemn) feast (holiday), reel to and for
· 2342 chuwl or chiyl – to twist or whirl (in a circular or spiral manner), i.e. to dance
· 3769 karar – to dance (i.e. whirl)
· 4234 machowl – from 2342; a (round) dance
· 4246 mechowlah – feminine of 4234; a dance: company, dances (-ing)
· 7540 raqad – to stamp, i.e. to spring about (wildly or for joy): dance, jump, leap, skip
· 3738 orcheomai – a row or ring; to dance (from the ranklike or regular motion)
· 5525 choros – a ring, i.e. round dance (“choir”)

Twist, whirl, circular, spiral, whirl, stamp, spring about wildly or for joy, jump, leap, skip, round, row, ring, ranklike, regular, company, move in a circle, march, giddy, reel to and fro, sing, round.

My Young’s Concordance offers these definitions: chorus, turn, twist, move round, skip, lift up the feet, move round, company.

Have you ever seen Jewish dancing? I had the opportunity to attend a friend’s bat mitzvah several years ago, and the dancing certainly resembled these words. It was beautiful. Several young girls, moving in a circle, twisting, twirling, jumping, skipping clapping their hands.

You know something else I’m reminded of? Little kids. Children love to dance; and very young children who have not been exposed to too much television dance very similarly very simply and very much like the above words.

Great Books I've Read This Year

2010-04-07T07:36:00.000-07:00

I meant to review one of my favorite books for YLCF's March of Books (http://ylcf.org). But I just never got around to it. Instead, I'll share a little bit about several different books. :)

January

The Journey of Desire by John Eldredge - a very interesting look at desire stifled, desire "satisfied" in this life, and desire for Heaven allowed to guide us in our journey through this life. Some fascinating ideas about Heaven. I'm not sure I agree with everything he said; but if not, it is certainly sound enough to be quite helpful.

Culture Shock by Margaret Jank - an autobiography about some missionaries to the Yanoamo tribe in Venezuela. A book about faith, revival, and the power of God.

First Person Singular - interviews with famous singles like Joni Eareckson Tada, Ann Kiemel, and Elisabeth Elliot Gren. Well, they were single at the time! :-)

Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper - outstanding encouragement to live passionately for Christ and His glory, to take risks, to give one's self, et cetera

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte - a sad tale of a plain young orphan girl who grows up amid many misfortunes. It has a sweet ending.

Parenting in the Pew by Robbie Castleman - a fun exhortation to keep your kids with you and train them to worship along with you

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens - a fun read. I'm not entirely sure what the point is. Perhaps the unselfish, loyal examples of Joe and Biddy?

February

For Such a Time as This by Lisa Ryan - a look at the book of Esther and some practical applications for girls today

The House of Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne - a "haunted house" tale about generational sins and people who break from those chains. Perhaps wordy, but still interesting even in the more verbose sections. Excellent characterization.

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett - a charming story about some spoiled, sickly children who grow sweet and healthy while restoring an old garden

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas - which tells of a man who chose merciless revenge and lived to regret that decision

The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare - about a man who married a shrew and treated her like she treated everyone else until the suffering sweetened her into a gentle woman

Boy Meets Girl by Josh Harris - a story-filled explanation of courtship

March

Generation Esther by Lisa Ryan - the sequel to For Such a Time as This; stories of modern "Esthers"

The Pilgrim's Regress by C. S. Lewis - a story about a young man who leaves legalism and travels through a world of intellectual errors in search of desire and finally believes the Man who saves his life

Persuasion by Jane Austen - a man comes back into the life of the woman who broke off her engagement to him at her father's persuasion eight years before; not her best work, at least in my opinion, but still worth reading

Stormie by Stormie Omartian - an autobiography illustrating the healing power of God

The Four Loves by C. S. Lewis - showing the good and bad sides of affection, friendship, and eros and the excellencies of charity. Also some interesting thoughts about "need-love," "gift-love," and "appreciation."

Parrot's Perch by Barry Holohan - My dad has met Mr. Holohan, and I've met George Theis. This is Mr. Holohan's autobiography, telling about his years running casinos, dealing drugs, sitting in prisons, enduring intense torture, and then coming to Christ and becoming a missionary.

April

I'm currently reading When God Writes Your Life Story by Eric and Leslie Ludy and Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon.

Physical Expression in Worship

2010-04-05T12:35:00.000-07:00

Many views have been proclaimed on this subject. "Do whatever you feel led." "Do whatever comes naturally" or "whatever feels right." "Clapping is wrong." "Lifting your hands is worldly." "Everybody, lift your hands in prayer to God." "Dance before Him." "Dancing is of the devil." It’s easy to get lost in the jungle. But what does the Bible say? I’m not entirely sure myself, so excuse me while I open my concordance and peruse God’s Word.

Daniel 4:34
Nebuchadnezzar
Psalm 121:1; 123:1; John 11:41; 17:1
“lifted up mine eyes unto Heaven”
Leviticus 9:22
Aaron
Luke 24:50
“extending [lifting up] hand toward people in a prayer of blessing”
Psalm 28:2
David
Nehemiah 8:6; Psalm 63:4; 119:481; 134:2; 141:2; Lamentations 2:19; 3:41; 1 Timothy 2:8
“lift up my hands toward Thy holy oracle”
Ezra 9:6
Ezra
Luke 18:13
“I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to Thee”
1 Kings 8:54
Solomon
Ezra 9:5; Daniel 6:10
“kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to Heaven”
1 Kings 18:42
Elijah
“put his face between his knees”
Luke 5:8
Peter
“fell down at Jesus’ knees”
Romans 14: 11
Everyone
Ephesians 3:14; Philippians 2:10
“every knee shall bow to Me”
Psalm 95:6
God’s people
“Let us worship and bow down . . . and kneel”
Luke 22:41
Jesus
Matthew 17:14; Mark 1:40; 10:17; Acts 7:60; 9:40; 20:36; 21:5
“kneeled down and prayed”
Deuteronomy 29:10
Israel
Genesis 18:22; Leviticus 9:5; Deuteronomy 10:8; 1 Kings 8:22; 2 Chronicles 20:13, 19; et cetera
“stand this day . . . before the Lord”
Psalm 149:3
Israel
Exodus 15:20-21; 2 Samuel 6:14; Psalm 150:4
“praise His name in the dance”
Ezra 9: 5
Ezra
“fell upon my knees”
Genesis 17:3
Abraham
Leviticus 9:24; Numbers 22:31; Deuteronomy 9:18; Joshua 5:14; Judges 13:20; Samuel 5:3-4; Job 1:20; Psalm 72:11; Ezekiel 11:13; Mark 3:11; 5:33; 7:25; Luke 8:28,41; 17:16; John 11:32; 18:6; 1 Corinthians 14:25; Revelation 1:17; 4:10; 5:8,14; 7:11; 11:16; 19:4
“fell on his face”
Psalm 22:29
All who die
Psalm 72:9; Micah 6:6
“bow before Him”
Genesis 24:26
Abraham’s servant
Exodus 4:31; 12:27; Numbers 22:31; 1 Chronicles 29:20; 2 Chronicles 29:30
“bowed down his head, and worshipped the Lord”
2 Chronicles 7:3
God’s people
2 Chronicles 20:18; 29:29
“bowed themselves with their faces to the ground”
Exodus 34:8
Moses
Nehemiah 8:16
“bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped”
Judges 20:26
Israel
1 Chronicles 17:16
“sat there before the Lord”
Psalms 120-134 – Songs of Ascence – praise songs the children of Israel sung while walking up the hill to Jerusalem
2 Samuel 12:16
Psalm 1:2; 17:3; 22:2; 42:8; 77:6; 88:1; 92:2; 119:55; 134:1; Luke 2:37; 18:7; Acts 26:7; 1 Thessalonians 3:10; 1 Timothy 5:5; 2 Timothy 1:3
Lying down or at night
Noises
Ø Weeping
Ø Shouting
Ø Rejoicing
Ø Crying out
Ø Singing
Ø Silence
Ø Musical instruments

Challenging Femininity #7 and Other New Stuff

2010-04-03T08:37:00.001-07:00

My favorite webzine!

One of my favorite websites with a brand-new format!

My brand-new, very favorite hymnal! It's the new worship hymnal from Lifeway, with all the best hymns and all the best choruses from the last thirty years. :-)

Spring!!!!

2010-03-20T12:43:00.002-07:00

This is the second time I've welcomed spring this year. And I'm just as excited this time as I was last time. Flipflops, blooming yellow lilies, an old beautiful clover-filled garden to weed so it can be replanted, lots of basketball, a big yard to walk (or run) around, gentle and not-so-gentle breezes, earthworms and other funny little animals, a crazy cat, a brother home from school, sitting outside to crochet. . . . These are just a few of the things I've been enjoying this spring.

I want to share some of an interesting sermon I heard this past winter. This is the text: "While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease" (Genesis 8:22).

God has promised to keep the world going in this beautiful way until the end of the world. And everyone believes this so much that even atheists plan and plant gardens, and even they would scorn anyone who did not believe this promise of God. Even an atheist acts in faith on this promise.

But if this promise is true, why are not all the other promises also true? Why not trust and act in faith on everything else God has ever said? This is the thrust of a parallel passage in Jeremiah.

"And the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, saying, 'Thus saith the LORD; If ye can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, and that there should not be day and night in their season; Then may also my covenant be broken with David my servant, that he should not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers.' . . . .

"Thus saith the LORD; 'If my covenant be not with day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances of heaven and earth; Then will I cast away the seed of Jacob, and David my servant, so that I will not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them." (Jeremiah 33:19-23, 25-26).

My New Favorite Chapter

2010-03-12T06:55:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 61

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me;

because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek;

he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD,

and the day of vengeance of our God;

to comfort all that mourn;

to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion,

to give unto them beauty for ashes,

the oil of joy for mourning,

the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;

that they might be called trees of righteousness,

the planting of the LORD,

that he might be glorified.

The parellel passage in Luke 4 is just as beautiful!

And [Jesus] came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up: and, as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto Him the book of the prophet Isaiah.

And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written,

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,

because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor;

He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,

to preach deliverance to the captives,

and recovering of sight to the blind,

to set at liberty them that are bruised,

To preach the acceptable year of the Lord."

And He closed the book, and Hhe gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on Him. And He began to say unto them, "This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears."

"Is That Cultural?"

2010-03-09T12:52:00.000-08:00

It seems like that's a big question for a lot of people. I often get trapped by another version: "What will people think?" But that concern has a name in the Bible. It's called the fear of man. And "the fear of man bringeth a snare" (Proverbs 29:25). If I'm focused on how people think of me, how well I fit into my culture, and whether those people will still be my friends, where is ther room in my mind for thoughts of God?

That verse in Proverbs ends like this: "Whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe."

"If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31).

Instead of "Is that cultural?" and "What will people think?" let's ask "Is that biblical?" and "Would my Savior like that?"

The Music You Want to Hear

2010-03-06T16:11:00.000-08:00

There are plenty of secular radio stations, but who wants to waste time listening to them when you could listen to edifying music? So that leaves us with religious rock and rap (which can give a bit of a headache), southern and bluegrass Gospel (which are much better but not my personal favorite), and classical (which is great for three minutes but then gets a little boring). With youtube you can only hear the songs you specifically ask for.

Enter pandora.com, your online radio station with the music you like! Enter the name of a song you like (for instance, "He Is Good" by Steve Green or "Easter Song" by Keith Green), and pandora will create a radio station with similar artists and musical styles. You can like a song, ban a song, or ban a song for a month. You might not want to "like" too many songs, though, because they try to give you totally new songs that you've never heard before; and they tend to play your favorites first.

Living Without a Refrigerator

2010-03-04T16:02:00.000-08:00

My family has recently been considering some major lifestyle changes. Due to present political and economic developments, we have decided to gradually switch to a simpler lifestyle - one that would not require electricity. As the kitchen is the heart of the home, it seemed like the best place to start. So the first big appliance to go was our refrigerator.

Or NOT. :-D

I think everyone in our family has actually considered living that way at some point in our lives (except Caleb; he's our cell phone/mp3/laptop guy). Right now Jedidiah is thinking seriously about living like the Amish. But not the rest of us.

We are living without a refrigerator right now, but that's just because when we moved into our new house last weekend we found out that our fridge doesn't work anymore. Time for a new one! While we wait for it to come, we're having fun with different kinds of food. :-)

Mom bought a dozen eggs for me to make into various bready foods, as they will last longer. But then I realized we only had a little white flour left. Whole-wheat flour is healthy, so we can overlook the taste. I googled the proper substitution amounts: 7/8 cup whole-wheat flour for one cup white. Then I made eight batches of pancakes, carefully stirring the batter so it wouldn't slosh over the sides, and one batch of zucchini muffins. Mmm!

We've had lots of frozen pot pies, frozen salisbury steak, prepackaged mashed potatoes, ice cream, and plenty of other yummy foods that we rarely get to eat when the refrigerator is running! Plus granola and cereal and extra syrup on our whole-wheat pancakes to cover the dry taste. Maybe this green thing isn't so bad after all. . . .

But after eating lots of Little Ceasar's pizza, Walmart donuts, potato chips, Ale8s, and other junk food for a few days while we were moving and then eating a lot more this past week, I think we were all ready for a salad tonight. It was delicious!

Caleb's bringing his little refrigerator home from college tomorrow, so normalness will soon be restored! Sorry, enviromentalists. I like modern comforts too much right now. Maybe someday you can convert me. . . .

Challenging Femininity #6

2010-03-03T11:24:00.000-08:00

Martin Chuzzlewit

2010-02-17T10:37:00.000-08:00

The longest Dickens novel I have read, and the best! The theme is selfishness, and Mr. Dickens describes it thoroughly with many very different obnoxious characters as well as its antonym through some very charming ones. Some characters change, which is all the better. Most don't, which is very realistic. If you don't have time to read a several hundred page book, at least watch the 1994 BBC version on youtube.com. I believe it's 6 hours long. Many scenes had to be cut out, but nothing was altered. They brought the story to life very well.

Mr. Pecksniff and "decrepit" Mr. Chuzzlewit

Merry Pecksniff and her mercenary fiance

Martin and Mary

Challenging Femininity #5

2010-02-12T06:34:00.000-08:00

"She Strengtheneth Her Arms"

2010-02-11T06:27:00.000-08:00

Deja vu, for sure. Just a year ago, we were moving from the parsonage to a nice apartment on the other side of town. And now, we are prepping a house in Richmond so we can move at the end of the month. I am so excited!!!

The first two days of this week, Mom and Jedidiah and I went to the house early in the morning, worked all day, and came back home for dinner. Mom and Jedidiah, being a little stronger than I, worked downstairs in the previously moldy basement while I busied myself upstairs. All the walls were filthy. Then a floor, all the cabinets, the bathrooms, the front of the house. Do you have any idea how tiring it is to wash walls all day long? Not to mention shampooing carpets, puttying walls, and taking ancient baby locks out of cabinets. If you want arm muscles, try washing all the walls in your house every day. :-)

Mom and Jedidiah have been there again yesterday and today while I am busy with cooking pancakes and biscuits, ironing a huge pile of laundry, publishing, and perhaps a bit of packing.

I can't wait to move into our nice little house with our nice bigger yard! Plenty of room to strengthen my arms and legs. In more natural ways than washing walls.

Strong Man or Strong Woman?

2010-02-05T06:12:00.000-08:00

A strong man plus a weak woman

equals a chauvinist and a doormat –
a macho man and a slave girl.

A strong woman and a weak man

equals a feminist and a doormat -

a screaming shrew and a mouse.

A strong man and a strong woman

who wants to take charge

equals a constant fight for control.

A strong man and a strong woman

who gladly follows him

equals a beautiful dance – a real romance.

The Proverbs 31 woman was strong.
She was valiant.
And she gladly supported her husband so much

that his strength increased.
Should that really be surprising?

Causing and Increasing Wrath

2010-01-29T09:14:00.000-08:00

I was thinking about the practical applications of Ephesians 6:4 the other day when another verse came to mind and made things startlingly clear.

“And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath” (Ephesians 6:4). “Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged” (Colossians 3:21). What actions are provoking? Here are a few examples:

· Infidelity (Ezekiel 20:28)
· Mockery (Job 17:2)
· Anger (Proverbs 15:18)
· Pride (Proverbs 28:25)
· Hatred (Proverbs 10:12)
· Grievous words (Proverbs 15:1)

“Provoke not . . . to wrath.” “Grievous words stir up anger.” What is the difference between provoking someone to wrath and stirring up that person to anger? There is no real difference.

If I want to avoid provoking my family to wrath, I must avoid using grievous words. If you want to avoid provoking your children to wrath, you must avoid using grievous words.

Our words are powerful. The Bible says that our words have the power to

· Cause arguments and separate close friends (Proverbs 16:28)
· Make us more ungodly (II Timothy 2:16)
· Pierce people’s hearts like physical weapons (Proverbs 12:18)
· Kill (Proverbs 18:21)
· Corrupt and poison (James 3:5-8)
· Crush people’s spirits (Proverbs 15:4)

But words also have power to

· Meet people’s needs and build them up (Ephesians 4:29)
· Heal people (Proverbs 12:18)
· Give pleasure and sweetness (Proverbs 16:24)
· Persuade (Proverbs 25:15)
· Communicate knowledge (Proverbs 20:15)
· Cheer people up (Proverbs 12:25)
· Give life (Proverbs 18:21)
· Turn away wrath (Proverbs 15:1)

Which set of “powers” do you want to use on your family? Which way of speaking gets you what you really want? Think about it for a moment. Does your family seem more eager to please you when you snap and yell, or less? The truth is that our anger will never make anyone more righteous (James 1:19-20). But kind words will help them learn (Proverbs 16:21).

What kind of words did the valiant woman of Proverbs 31 use? Verse 26 says that “she openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.” Did it work for her? Skip down to verse 28 to see just how well it worked.

One last thought: a mature person will not be easily provoked. God’s Word makes this clear in I Corinthians 13:5. IT is natural to be provoked by the grievous words or those around you, but it is not good. Learn to entrust yourself to God and forgive others for the hurtful things they say. This will free you to speak the kind words needed to rebuild relationships in your family.

Challenging Femininity #4

2010-01-02T08:31:00.001-08:00

May you have a blessed year in the Lord Jesus!

I want to share some sweet verses I read this morning.

"God setteth the solitary in families:

he bringeth out those which are bound with chains:

but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.

Thou hast ascended on high,

thou hast led captivity captive:

thou hast received gifts for men;

yea, for the rebellious also,

that the LORD God might dwell among them.

Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits,

even the God of our salvation. Selah" (Psalm 68:6,18-19).

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty

wherewith Christ hath made us free,

and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty;

only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh,

but by love serve one another" (Galatians 5:1,13).

Christmas Is Coming . . .

2009-12-23T07:02:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we finally made it up to Ohio again.

The drive took a little while, but we had some good talks

and played some fun games like Bible twenty questions

(the basket they used to lower Paul out the window,

the chair Solomon sat on when he got married, et cetera)

and counting cars of certain colors.

The land was sooo flat!

Naturally, Jedidiah couldn't help spotting the American flag.

I also pointed out the huge Confederate one on someone's roof.

"They should know better," Jedidiah says. "They're in Ohio."

"At least they're on the right side," I said.

Grandpa had installed a new fireplace. It was so warm! :)

Here's my Grandpa.

If my family keeps a holiday, we keep it well.

So we celebrate Thanksgiving for a while and then

put our Christmas tree up a couple weeks into December.

Except for this year, when we put it up the Monday before Christmas. :)

The reason for the season -

the little Baby Whose birthday we're getting ready to celebrate.

So You Wanna Be Happy . . .

2009-12-07T13:11:00.000-08:00

Dad suggested I post this article, which originally was my holiday editorial for Helpmeets in Training, in case it would be of benefit to anyone.

“And the angel said unto them,
Fear not: for, behold,
I bring you good tidings of great joy,
which shall be to all people” (Luke 2:10).

The tidings I send you today are not of any special sort. They are nothing when you think of what the angel had to say to those shepherds so many years ago. But those tidings still reach souls today; they have reached mine, and I hope they have (or someday will!) reach yours. Those tidings are good, and they are tidings of great joy. For what greater joy is there than to know God Himself?

Most people taste some portion of this joy at the end of the year. And indeed, it is a joyous time. At what other time during the year do people see so much family so often or with so much intent to please? At what time do we focus so much on counting our blessings, or on blessing others in our family and in the world? At what time do we go through our days singing so many songs of praise to our Savior, or remind ourselves and others Who is the real reason for the season as well as every other season?

A lot of people also have a great lack of joy throughout the rest of the year, and pockets of disappointment, panic, petty squabbles, and other joyless times in the “joy” season. Why? Personally, I think it is because their joy is no deeper than the time of year and the happy circumstances accompanying that time.

To have real, lasting joy, you must have a good attitude. “Really?” you may ask. “I thought it was the result of obedience, or part of the fruit of the Spirit.” And you are right. But think about it for a moment. Can a person with a bad attitude have joy? Not really! Therefore you must have a good attitude, or you will not have joy.

Often people confuse a girl’s attitude with that girl’s mood. A young woman who has moods could also be called a moody woman; and a moody woman has a bad attitude. A bad attitude is basically a negative outlook on life, while a good attitude is a positive outlook. Occasionally something pleasant will enter the life of the moody woman and this external influence will put her in a good mood. It does not give her a good attitude, however; for her negative outlook will soon find something negative to think about, sending her back into a bad mood until something pleasant distracts her again.

When someone has a bad attitude, she looks at the circumstances around her, which in a fallen world may easily be viewed as largely bad, and feels herself in bondage to them. And to be honest, she is in bondage to them. The bad circumstances “make” her upset, while the few (?) good circumstances “make” her feel better – but only because of her outlook.

Good and bad also enter the life of the girl who has a good attitude – a positive outlook on life. But she remembers the goodness of God, His faithfulness in the past, and sweet truths like “As for God, His way is perfect” (Psalm 18:30a); “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28); and ”Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah” (Psalm 68:19). Then she looks for some of those “daily benefits” and starts counting them. Pretty soon she’s feeling glad and then thankful. It’s almost like joy!

What are some other hindrances to joy? Just like a pessimistic outlook stifles the influence of God’s good gifts, so a refusal to forgive tints the world an ugly color not easily counteracted. An unforgiving girl may be quick to get angry, to be irritated or offended, or to get her feelings hurt. She takes everything done by another person and causing her pain as a personal attack and walks through life with a “chip on her shoulder” and a firmly planted “root of bitterness” (Hebrews 12:15) in her heart.

On the other hand, the young lady who trusts in God and His goodness will learn to let things slide, assuming the best about other people. “Charity . . . believeth all things” (1 Corinthians 13:7). She knows that it is not her responsibility to right all the world’s wrongs or to change all her neighbors into godly people; nor could she do so if such were her appointed tasks. God may use her toward such noble ends (and indeed, she prays eagerly for opportunities to be used); but these jobs rest on the strong and capable shoulders of the Almighty, Who knows best how to go about them – not on the feeble attempts of His children.

“Charity shall cover the multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). The loving woman focuses on the good she sees. She is not blind to the bad, but she chooses not to dwell on those things. And even if someone does really mean to do her harm, she has the Maker of Heaven and Earth for a protector and is called to love, bless, and pray for her enemies.

When we dwell on the evil around us, we can easily fall into the trap of criticism, another deterrent to joy. Sometimes the Christian needs to rebuke sin, and to fail here is to disobey God. But this calling does not necessitate our calling attention to any and every sin, error, mistake, accident, or breach of etiquette we happen to notice. To do this could easily become a life’s work, and of course it could never be a happy one. How much better to call attention to every good thing we notice! And when the Holy Spirit urges us to speak boldly for truth or to lovingly give a friend a much-needed wound, we can do so graciously and as a Christian should.

“You are what you think about.” This is such a true statement! To sum up, if you want joy, focus on the Lord Jesus and the blessings He sends. He is good, and His benefits are loaded into every day! “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:17).

Challenging Femininity #3

2009-12-07T13:04:00.000-08:00

Hear ye, hear ye! Miss Jocelyn has recently announced the third issue of her webzine for girls and about all things feminine.

http://feelinfeminine.com/?p=2948

A Day of Thanks

2009-12-01T08:53:00.000-08:00

This year is the first that Caleb and Jedidiah and I haven't dressed up as Pilgrims and Indians for our family's Thanksgiving celebration, mostly due to the fact that we outgrew our old outfits. But we still had a great time! God has provided all of our needs and most of our wants (which He didn't need to do!), so we had plenty to rejoice and give thanks about.

Do we have enough Thanksgiving books?

Cathy Corle says it's impossible to have too many good books.

Mammaw, having seen our house, says it is. . . .

Jedidiah sending a golf ball down the stairs

And Caleb sending it back up

And down again

Making a blessing list

Studying

We still had pictures of Pilgrims and Indians, at any rate. :)

Jedidiah decided that the picture-taking had been too one-sided.

Mom tried to wear something a little Indianish.

I took a funnier picture of us together,

but Mom said there was no way it was ending up on the blog.

Dad and I took on Caleb and Jedidiah in a game of team Guess Who?

And then it was time for Dad to cut the turkey.

And oh, how good it all looks!

Did you know that at one time during the Pilgrim's first winter in America

the ration was as low as five kernels of corn?

Every year we drop five kernels of corn into a big basket of them

as we tell five blessings from the previous year.

Dad talked to us about how important it is

not only to thank God for the big blessings we notice

but also to recognize that the whole basket -

all the good things in life - come from God.

Dessert!

Caleb gets to finish the job. :)

Isn't that a great picture of Jedidiah?

Dad stroking his mustache

The wishbone

We also played some other games like Boggle and learned lots of new words like fie (an expression of distaste which comes from a word expressing disgust at a terrible smell). It was a lot of fun. I think we spent more time in the dictionary than we did actually playing the game. But everyone was concentrating so much that no one took any pictures.

Baking Day

2009-11-25T11:41:00.000-08:00

Lately God has blessed our family so much and our lives have been so full, and it seems like Thanksgiving has just slipped up on us. Usually we would already have a lot of preparations done, but this year - well, we ended up doing most of it all in one day!

Last night Caleb got home for Thanksgiving break and had a surprise visit from one of his new college friends. Jedidiah wanted a picture of them in front of Raul's truck.

Today Caleb decided to work on some history assignments.

Jedidiah also had some schoolwork to do before heading outside to pick up some cans.

Meanwhile, I was catching up the laundry.

And Mom was cooking! :)

Peanut butter crackers

Nobakes (Caleb's favorite)

What would Thanksgiving be without pumkin pie?

Or a turkey?

Mmmm . . . chocolate!

Buckeyes (Jedidiah's favorite)

Also dipped in chocolate, of course :)

The result - just the sugar portion of our feast

(minus the kuchen which is my favorite and has yet to be made)

This is my new favorite family picture. Caleb wanted to be carried out to his car on Sunday afternoon when he needed to drive back to the Cumberlands.

Oh, Tame Me, Lord

2009-11-20T11:41:00.000-08:00

Oh, tame me, Lord! rebellious nature calm,

Oh, tame me, Lord!

This heart, so tossed and filled with wild alarm,

Oh, tame me, Lord!

These human longings, let them end in Thee,

And let me be Thy bondslave, even me!

I will not ask Thee to account to me

For aught Thou dost;

For crosses sore, or paths I cannot see:

But I will trust.

No second causes shall perplex my soul,

Or stay from yielding all to Thy control.

The raging storm I dare not fight alone,

Ah, show Thy face! Say, "It is I!"

Thyself to me make known,

Ah, show Thy face!

Then what care I for darkest depths of woe?

Thine arms, O Christ, shall fold me close, I know!

Oh, save me, Lord! Subdue this stubborn will;

Oh, save me, Lord!

In spite of all, Thy purposes fulfil

In me, Oh, Lord;

I yield my self, and all I have and am,

To follow Thee, Thou all redeeming Lamb!

How can I fear? Thou art so near to me;

How can I fear?

I hear Thee say, "Believe, and thou shalt see!"

How can I fear?

I now believe, and trust Thy mighty power,

To save, to heal, to keep this very hour!

Prepare for Battle!

2009-11-19T13:38:00.000-08:00

At the present moment the War Between the States is being dramatized behind my house. The characters are my brother and a neighbor. It seems that they are on the same side, however, as all interaction seems to have been friendly thus far.

Aagghh!! The enemy has spotted us!

Guard duty

On the run

Cheery Sun, Cheer Clinic, and Children

2009-11-18T09:41:00.000-08:00

Okay, that sounds kind of dorky. But I want to share several pictures that don't exactly go together.

For starters . . . the sky has been absolutely beautiful lately!!! Have you noticed? "The heavens declare the glory of God" (Psalm 19:1).

The sunrise the day we went to the

Clays Mill Road Baptist Church Ladies' Conference

The sunrise again :)

Mrs. Fugate, Mrs. Tackett, Mrs. Corle, and Mammaw

Mom

The things you can do with balloons!

The sunset later that day

Again

And again :D

Different day - babysitting Lindsey and Carly

"Carly! What'd you do that for?"

Her words, not anyone else's.

"Carly! Get sissy!"

Don't you love to hear little kids laugh?

Challenging Femininity

2009-11-02T07:16:00.000-08:00

The second issue is out! I haven't read all the articles yet, but I'm really excited about the interview. You wanna know why? Because it's with Mrs. Gretchen Acheson from my favorite blog ever - Young Ladies Christian Fellowship!!! I've read that blog for about seven years (I think), and the girls have been such an encouragement to me! Here is the link for Miss Jocelyn Dixon's web magazine: http://feelinfeminine.com/?p=2297

Jim and Elisabeth Elliot

2009-10-28T07:13:00.000-07:00

The Elliots are two of my favorite people. Definitely modern heroes. They were missionaries to Ecuador many, many years ago - long before I was born. While they were there, some of the natives killed Jim and four other missionary men.

Of course, Elisabeth is now Elisabeth Gren. Here she is with her husband Lars.

Elisabeth has written so many good books! Just the ones I've read include These Strange Ashes, The Shaping of a Christian Family, Let Me Be a Woman, Secure in the Everlasting Arms, Quest for Love, and my favorite - Shadow of the Almighty - some of the letters and journals of her first husband.

I've been thinking lately. . . . Jim Elliot was such a strong Christian. He was so passionate about God, His Word, the Church, reaching the lost, and making a difference in the world. He was such a dedicated missionary. He was strong in the Lord even before that, as a student, in his relationships with family and friends and Elisabeth, in his exercise and Bible study.

I want to marry a man like Jim Elliot, and I know other girls who have the same desire. The other day as I was thinking about this, a thought struck me. If you want to marry a Jim Elliot, you have to become an Elisabeth. Interesting . . .

Foolish Lonely Heart

2009-10-22T14:49:00.000-07:00

The Cry of the Faithful Heart:

"Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth;

for the faithful fail from among the children of men"

(Psalm 12:1).

The Answer of the Sovereign God:

"Yet I have left Me seven thousand in Israel,

all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal,

and every mouth which hath not kissed him" (1 Kings 19:18).

"Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant

according to the election of grace" (Romans 11:5).

Faith Like Potatoes

2009-10-16T13:03:00.000-07:00

My family doesn't watch TV much, but we love a good movie. Thankfully, in the last few years Christians have been producing more and more of them. So when we saw a review for Faith Like Potatoes at the end of as great a movie as Fireproof, our expectations were high.

After waiting several months, we finally rented it from Blockbuster and watched it. Unfortunately, it didn't meet our expectations and I want to encourage you to save your money for something better. Or else just save it for the sake of saving it.

There was nothing particularly exciting about the begining of the movie, and it stayed relatively boring throughout. By itself, this doesn't make it a bad movie, but I'd much rather watch an interesting good movie than a boring one!

It wasn't just boring, however. The main character cusses throughout, as do other people. Not the worst of American cuss words, but "bloody" and euphemisms for the "d" and "h" words.

The main character's wife dresses immodestly, with tight tops and cleavage showing. My dad used the word "Barbie." Other women occasionally wear similar clothing. And the main character himself takes a phone call wearing nothing but his boxers.

There are also several theological problems throughout, such as viewing personal devotions as church, a confusing "conversion experience," and a charismatic doctrine of physical healing and even raising people from the dead.

All in all, it didn't really meet our standards of a Christian movie. Here are some better ideas:

Fireproof

Facing the Giants

Timechanger

Sheffey

A Groundhog

2009-10-01T10:52:00.000-07:00

Why did I always think that groundhogs looked like chipmunks or hamsters or something? Because they definitely don't!!! But how was I to know without having ever seen one? Well, now I know. A groundhog lives down the hill behind our house, and yesterday he came out and promenaded along the weeds in our backyard just long enough to teach me what groundhogs really look like - rabbit-sized beavers.

His eating habits are quite amusing, kind of like those of young children who are made to eat when they aren't really hungry. Mr. Groundhog nibbles, stands up, looks around, walks forward a few steps, nibbles, stands up, looks around, walks forward a few steps, nibbles, stands up, looks around, and continues like this until he spots something scary like humans and scurries back down the hill.

Don't you just love watching all the interesting creatures of our God and King?

The Cheapest Way to Read a Book

2009-09-22T07:17:00.000-07:00

Has there ever been a time when you wanted very much to read a book, but the price tag was just a little too high to go out and buy it? That happens to me, well, practically all the time. So what's the solution? Go to the library. :D

I absolutely love public libraries. They usually have a shelf of books for sale at cheap prices, a wide variety of classics, a decent selection of Christian books, and sometimes even free stuff.

But what if they don't have the book you want? That also happens to me a lot. A conservative Christian homeschooler writes a book - a really good book - but somehow it doesn't rate so high on the general public's list of great books, so our library doesn't get it. No problem. Interlibrary loan it! Your local public library will more than likely be happy to interlibrary loan books for you from any other library in the country, even if that means college and seminary libraries. Very rarely have they actually been unable to find a book.

So now I get to read all the good books I want, without spending a dime. And of course, if I REALLY like a book I can go ahead and buy it. At that point Amazon comes in handy.

A Sweet Poem

2009-09-14T10:34:00.000-07:00

I found this yesterday in a book I am reading by Margaret Sangster. The book is entitled Fairest Girlhood and was first published in 1906.

There's but the meager crust, Love,

There's but the measured cup;

On scanty fare we breakfast,

On scanty fare we sup.

Yet be not thou discouraged,

Nor falter on the way,

Since Wealth is for a life, Love,

And Want is for a day.

Our robes are hodden gray, Love,

Ah! would that thine were white,

And shot with gleams of silver,

And rich with golden light.

Yet care not thou for raiment,

But climb, as pilgrims may,

Since Ease is for a life, Love,

And Toil is for a day.

Our shelter oft is rude, Love;

We feel the chilling dew,

And shiver in the darkness

Which silent stars shine through.

Yet shall we seek our palace,

And there in gladness stay,

Since Home is for a life, Love,

And Travel for a day.

The heart may sometimes ache, Love,

The eyes grow dim with tears;

Slow glide the hours of sorrow,

Slow beats the pulse of fears.

Yet patience with the evil,

For, though the good delay,

Still Joy is for a life, Love,

And Pain is for a day.

~ Author Unknown

I Love Horse Food

2009-09-10T10:17:00.000-07:00

Oats, I mean. They're good raw, with a little honey or peanut butter to sweeten them. Or you can cook them - oatmeal. If you want, you can eat them with bananas or on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Or my favorite -granola! :)

Pour one 42-oz. container of old-fashioned oats into a large mixing bowl, and cover that with 1 7-oz. package of coconut. Sprinkle enough flax seed over these to cover them. Add 1 cup brown sugar. Mix these together, then add 1 cup cooking oil and 2 cups syrup.

Mix and pour onto 2 greased cookie sheets. Bake at 300 degrees for 10 minutes. Stir. Bake 10 more minutes or until golden brown. Turn out onto your kitchen table and let dry.

You can store half of this in the original oats container and store the rest in something else. If you want, feel free to add dried fruit, chocolate chips, or anything else to the dry granola.

Camden Park

2009-08-19T11:27:00.000-07:00

On Friday we went to the best amusement park in America. In case you're wondering, you can find it very close to Hunington, West Virginia, and it's most famous for its great rides, small area, and short lines. This was our third time there, and the first time now that four of us are adults and the other is permanently out of KiddieLand.

Here are some of their beautiful flowers. They also had a big bushy plant that was growing something like giant yellow marigolds about six inches in diameter. But we didn't think to take a picture of it.

Caleb and Jedidiah played Dodge 'Em more times than I can count, Dad rode a few rides in the early morning and then retired to the benches by the carousel to watch the families there, Mom and I rode almost everything (we think), and my favorite remains the Log Ride.

Caleb came really close to shooting out that little red star at the Tommy Gun Alley, but just missed it both times. However, Caleb fared better with the frog game, getting one of those frogs onto the lily pad and winning the prize! And then he went back and talked to the Turkish man at the machine gun alley for a while.

Around eight o'clock we finally left the park for Pizza Hut. Wow! Was that good pizza or what? Thick crust with extra cheese, sausage, and pepperoni. And then iced cinnamon sticks. I don't know how many meals I've had better than that one. And on the ride home we heard some hyper health expert guy (okay, he talked super, super fast!) and an excellent show on Unshackled.

You'll have to take a trip to Camden Park sometime yourself! :)

We Found It!

2009-08-19T11:23:00.000-07:00

The answer to that bad smell the clothes were getting from air-drying in our garage is fabric softener! Actually, Mammaw told us that little tidbit several weeks ago, so I should have posted it already. But now I can tell you that it is successful! :D

An Overview of Your New Health Insurance!

2009-07-31T08:02:00.000-07:00

Here's the link:

http://www.liberty.edu/media/9980/attachments/healthcare_overview_obama_072909.pdf.

Please read this. It may surprise you, or it may not. It may start you thinking. It may scare you. It may make no impression on you at all. It may do any number of things. But whatever it does, just know that unless God intervenes, this is what our government plans to implement very soon.

Sacred Claim

2009-07-16T08:21:00.000-07:00

I just recently finished reading a book by one of my long-time favorite authors: Leslie Ludy. The book was Set-Apart Femininity, and it was anything but a disappointment. One of the points that convicted me most was the one called sacred claim.

My life belongs to God. I belong to God. I am His to do with as He pleases. He has a sacred claim on my life and wants to use me in some way in the world for His own glory.

So what right have I to waste my time and money and affections on trivial pursuits? God's kingdom needs servants. God's field needs workers. There are hurting people everywhere, and God would have me burdened to help them.

It helped that my devotions have been in Exodus lately. The children of Israel were slaves, strangers in a strange land. Then God heard their cries and delivered Him, leading them on a pilgrimage to a far-away country; so they rose and cooked their unleavened bread and got their packs ready and went out from Egypt, trusting in the God of their fathers Who had delivered them with His mighty hand.

What would have happened, I wonder, if they - like me - had so many possessions that they couldn't fit them in a room, let alone a pack; and they were dull to the Spirit of God because they were neglecting their relationships with Him for the sake of worthless "pleasures"?

God's call on us is to be pilgrims. Ready to stop and help the needy, but otherwise faithfully and steadfastly walking forward on the road to the Promised Land.

The Simple Life: Laundry

2009-07-09T10:17:00.000-07:00

It seems like every time we turn on the radio, someone is talking about the economy, or problems with this administration, or some other negative detail about this period in His Story.

Don't get me wrong. I think it's good to alert people so we can take action and I'm very glad that they're doing that. I don't want that to stop. And I agree with them. It's bad. But it is also important to remember that this is God's Story. He is writing it. He is sovereign, and He knows what He's doing.

There are also things we can do in the meantime. Like cultivating our relationships with God. Like being politically active. And like living the simple life. As Amy Scott of humblemusings.com says, things we should already be doing.

http://humblemusings.com/archives/2008/12/06/things-we-should-be-doing/

But if you're like me and my family, you may not have already been doing some or all of them. Here's one thing we've been trying recently: air-drying laundry. I figured that would be impossible since we currently live in the city. But Mom knew better.

She hung some stiff yellow rope three different ways in our garage and we've been hanging our clothes there for a little under a week. Of course, when my brother is home this weekend we'll have to use the dryer for the sake of time, but we'll still be saving money during the week.

One thing we're still thinking about is how to deal with the bad smell a few of the pieces of laundry have been picking up . . . . More for another post. :)

Knowing You, Jesus

2009-06-16T15:40:00.000-07:00

All I once held dear, built my life upon

All this world reveres, and wars to own

All I once thought gain I have counted loss

Spent and worthless now, compared to this -

Knowing You, Jesus

Knowing You,

There is no greater thing

You're my all, You're the best

You're my joy, my righteousness

And I love You, Lord.

Now my heart's desire is to know You more

To be found in You and known as Yours

To possess by faith what I could not earn

All-surpassing gift of righteousness

Oh, to know the power of Your risen life

And to know You in Your sufferings

To become like You in Your death, my Lord

So with You to live and never die.

Knowing You, Jesus

Knowing You,

There is no greater thing

You're my all, You're the best

You're my joy, my righteousness

And I love You, Lord.

~ Graham Kendrick

Parental Rights

2009-06-03T10:15:00.000-07:00

A parent’s right to raise their children as they see fit is a time-honored American tradition, but today it is being threatened. The Supreme Court’s Troxel v. Granville decision in 2000 undermined a 75-year heritage of Constitutionally-protected, fundamental parental rights, which 8 of the 9 justices abandoned. At the same time, a growing body of international law fuels activist judges to legislate foreign standards from the American bench, while treaties such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child would subject parental decisions to government oversight and international review.

Rep. Pete Hoekstra (MI-2) has proposed HJR-42, the Parental Rights Amendment, to stop the erosion of parental rights in American courts while simultaneously defending our laws from international invasion. Please, visit parentalrights.org to learn more about the Amendment, and to join their email network by signing the petition to protect parental rights.

Finally!

2009-06-01T10:43:00.000-07:00

Today marks the launch of the ministry I've had on my heart for the past few months - a magazine to train young ladies in godliness and homemaking skills - Helpmeets in Training. Friends sent articles; my parents proofread and gave suggestions; and then the printing began. Over 500 sheets of paper, sorting, stapling, addressing. Last Friday I gave out the first seven samples and got my first three subscriptions. Today I'll send out the first batch of mailed copies through the mail. And tomorrow I'll need to purchase more ink to finish off the rest.

This issue includes an article by my best friend, Miss Robinson, about writing love letters to God; a story by Bro. Jerry Ross (http://stayinthecastle.com); a Bible study idea based on Bill Gothard's Ten Unchangeables; a story about Amy Carmichael; an article by a family friend, Mrs. Combs of http://blessingsinabundance.blogspot.com, about homeschooling; thoughts on meekness; a few recipes; information on how to crochet with grocery bags; and a memory challenge: Psalm 27.

Would you like to help? I'm always interested in good articles, stories, poems, recipes, handcraft ideas, et cetera. Send something if you can!

She Wants to Be a Homemaker

2009-05-22T11:26:00.000-07:00

To me she is a beauty queen

I love to watch her on the screen

In our home movies

And when she sings around the house

She's got a voice that knocks me out

She is my favourite singer.

But you won't see her on T.V.

Or hear her on the radio

Worldly fame is not her aim

And she's the first to let you know

She wants to be a homemaker

It's her dream to raise a family

And give her love to just one man

And I thank God it's me

I'll never underestimate her

'Cause she could take this word and turn it on

But she takes her love

And makes our house a home.

She can't afford to spend her day

In a old soap opera haze

She's much too busy

At night she puts the kids to bed

She's makin' sure their prayers get said

Before she lays down with me.

It's plain to see

That she's not seeking glory on this earth

'Cause she believes in honesty

And the joy of giving birth.

She wants to be a homemaker

It's her dream to raise a family

And give her love to just one man

And I thank God it's me

I'll never underestimate her

'Cause she could take this word and turn it on

But she takes her love

And makes our house a home.

~ Paul Overstreet

A Flower!!!

2009-05-21T07:34:00.000-07:00

Two years ago on the last day of summer camp my unit leader at the Word of Life Ranch gave all my co-counselors and I a small flowerpot filled with an African Violet. At that time, it had a few beautiful flowers on it (in case you didn't know, violets are my favorite flowers :D).

Well, my grandma had told me that violets like sun so I put that flowerpot in the sunniest place in my room - on top of my chest of drawers in the corner but close to the window. I watered it - but not too faithfully. And I cut off the brown leaves. But that poor plant dropped its flowers one by one and never produced any more for so long that I gave up hope of its ever blooming again.

But then we moved and the sunniest place was on top of a bookshelf directly in front of the window. Now it was getting direct sunlight almost all day long and many of the leaves turned brown and died. Was it too much sun, perhaps?

After transplanting it into a much larger flowerpot, pruning all those dead leaves, and beginning to faithfully water it and turn it so that it would get the right amounts of sun all the way around, I settled into a habit of caring for it while it settled into a habit of living very deeply green although devoid of flowers. No more flowers on that plant! But at least it was something pretty and green and alive and growing to take care of.

But just the other day - a tiny purple bud appeared among the leaves! Flowers again! It made my day. :)

Have you ever thought of God's care of us as that of a Master-Gardener of His garden? It is such a bitter-sweet thought. Sweet because He takes such good, gentle care of us, His plants, preparing us to produce flowers and fruits for His glory and to bless others who may see or taste them. Bitter because we are live plants with wills of our own and I know just how willful I can be at times, resisting the kind working of my Savior in my life. And even sweeter because He is so patient and never gives up no matter how willful I am; and sweeter because He WILL produce His flowers and fruits in my life even though I don't deserve His taking notice of me at all.

Are You a Redneck?

2009-05-13T09:53:00.000-07:00

Monday was Field Day for one of the homeschool groups in Richmond. We heard about it and went and had a tremendous amount of fun with the other children and parents. And, of course, some bright red sunburns. Wouldn't you know it? We'd had so much rain and so many overcast days that none of us were expecting the bright, strong sunshine to come out in such brilliancy. But it did, and we got burned. :)

So when Mom and I arrived at the Sewing Circle bright and early Tuesday morning, all the ladies wanted to know "what were we doing that we got such red faces?" And after we told them, the leader of the group - a very clever older woman who knows pretty much everything anyone could want to know about sewing, crocheting, knitting, embroidery, and every other handcraft - told us about the time she applied for a job teaching home economics at a high school in Augusta, GA.

There she was, being interviewed by a whole board of directors, when the man asked her, "You're from Kentucky?"

"Yes, I am."

"Well then, do you consider yourself a redneck?"

Now the poor lady is thinking, what kind of question is this? She gives the best answer she can give: "Well, that all depends on what you're callin' a redneck. Where I'm from in eastern Kentucky, a redneck is a farmer who's been workin' outside with no protection and therefore has a literal red neck from the sun. If that's what you mean, then no, because I tan all over. But if you have another meanin', I don't know."

To which the man sat back and howled in laughter. When he had regained his composure, he asked again more clearly. "The issue here is that we've got a lot of black students in our schools. We need to know whether or not you are prejudiced."

"Well, why didn't you ask me that in the first place? No, I'm not prejudiced either. The only thing I'm prejudiced against is bad behavior!"

Good answer, Mrs. Combs, good answer!

Alexander Dumas’s Butter Recipe

2009-05-04T10:03:00.000-07:00

What a funny idea!

“Whatever country I found myself in, I always had fresh butter made that very day. I give my recipe to travelers; it is quite simple and at the same time infallible. Wherever I could get milk, from cows, camels, mares, or especially sheep, I would fill three-quarters of a bottle, close it, hang it around my horse’s neck and then let my horse do the rest. In the evening, I would break the neck of the bottle and find that a clump of butter, the size of a fist, had formed of its own accord . . . . This method has never failed me.”

~ from his Grand Dictionnaire de Cuisine

Partial Victory and Potential LOSS

2009-05-02T07:31:00.000-07:00

I should have posted the first part of this weeks ago, because that's when I heard about it. The authorities in Missouri reversed their decision and are no longer publicly profiling conservatives. It doesn't mean they aren't secretly profiling them, but at least they backed down as much as they did! That is certainly good news.

The bad news is the hate crimes legislation that is currently being considered in the United States. Indeed, it has passed the House and is just waiting for the Senate to vote on it. If it's passed, it will make it a crime to say anything that might seem to insult or offend people of practically any sexual orientation - and this includes bestiality, homosexuality, pedophilia, incest, and many other things, many of which are crimes in and of themselves. See the following link for more information about what this bill will do:

http://cfcamerica.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=936%3Ahate-crimes-bill-will-kill-freedom-of-religion-in-america-hr-1913&catid=12%3Alegal-issues&Itemid=12&limitstart=1

If it's passed, our freedoms of speech and religion will be little more than non-existent. And what of our safety? It will mean that anything goes sexually. It doesn't say anything about "consentual" but seems to imply that if someone wants to do something they have the right to do it no matter what anyone including the other person might think. And that's scary. How can we protect ourselves and our children?

America, we need to wake up. Watch and pray! And thank God that though the end be near and the wrong seem so terribly strong, His coming is that much closer and His might that much stronger! He will win and all will be well!

"In a little while we'll be with the Father;

Can't you see Him smile?

In a little while we'll be home forever,

In a while!

While we're here we learn to love Him,

But we'll be home in just a little while."

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

2009-04-15T13:35:00.000-07:00

For years my family ate chicken noodle soup out of a can. And it was okay, but not exactly the healthiest option or the tastiest. Then one day Mom was browsing through a family cookbook and found these recipes:

Grandma Hetrick's Homemade Noodles

3 egg yolks

1 whole egg

3T. cold water

1tsp. salt

2 c. flour

Beat eggs and add water and salt. Stir in flour and mix with hands. Divide dough into 2 parts and roll out each piece as thin as possible on floured surface. Roll up as for a jelly roll and cut with sharp knife into strips of desired size. Shake out noodles and place on towels to dry (can be cooked immediately).

For soup go ahead and cut long strips shorter and place in soup.

Aunt Clara’s Chicken Soup

Start with several pounds of chicken breasts with the skin on and bone in. Boil in large pot with 1 cup celery, 1 onion and carrots (per your Taste). Salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then allow to simmer for several hours. Remove chicken. Add 3 teaspoons chicken bouillon. Then add homemade noodles and after cleaning the skin and bones from chicken, return that to the pot also. Boil about ½ hour.

The longer you let it stand or simmer the thicker the broth will be, and the noodles will become thicker. Our family likes it better that way. You could just put it in the fridge and serve the next day.

This is one of the only two soups my dad likes and his favorite of those two - partly because it's so thick and filling.

Tied Down

2009-04-13T12:59:00.000-07:00

“They tie you down,” a woman said,

Whose cheeks should have been flaming red

With shame to speak of children so.

“When babies come you cannot go

In search of pleasure with your friends,

And all your happy wandering ends.

The things you like you cannot do,

For babies make a slave of you.”

I looked at her and said, “’Tis true

That children make a slave of you,

And tie you down with many a knot,

But have you never thought to what

It is of happiness and pride

That little babies have you tied?

Do you not miss the greater joys

That come with little girls and boys?

They tie you down to laughter rare,
To hours of smiles and hours of care,

To nights of watching and to fears;

Sometimes they tie you down to tears

And then repay you with a smile,

And make your trouble all worth while.
They tie you fast to chubby feet

And cheeks of pink and kisses sweet.

They fasten you with cords of love

To God divine, who reigns above.

They tie you, whereso’er you roam,

Unto the little place called home;

And over sea or railroad track

They tug at you to bring you back.
The happiest people in the town

Are those the babies have tied down.

Oh, go your selfish way and free

But hampered I would rather be,

Yes rather than wear a kingly crown

I would be, what you term, tied down;

Tied down to dancing eyes and charms,

Held fast by chubby, dimpled arms,

The fettered slave of girl and boy,

And win from them earth’s finest joy.”
~ Edgar A. Guest

Would you like to know any even bigger reason why

being "tied down to your kids" matters and can be enjoyable?

Read these beautiful words from Miss Shannon's blog : http://maidenoftheking.blogspot.com/2009/04/what-does-it-matter.html

A Day at my House

2009-04-11T13:44:00.000-07:00

(Note: This is from several months ago, so it's not exactly right; but it's close enough.)

6:15 - I wake up and begin my morning preparations.

6:45 - Finally ready, I sit down on my bed for some time with the Lord.

7:05 - I find Caleb reading a book about the doctrines of grace, and we discuss Limited Atonement for a few minutes. He is inclined to believe it based on that book, until I show him a couple of verses from Dr. Wicks’s Theology class. Then, of course, his brilliant mind comes up with a few more reasons why it can’t be true to the extent the book says.

7:15 - We fix some year-old cream of wheat that Mom found and doesn’t want wasted. After tasting it, we decide that it’s all right with honey, but not my breakfast of choice, to say the least. Maybe it would be better with something else?

7:25 - We walk down to the church and practice some hymns so we can learn new ones and Caleb can strengthen his voice for song leading. However, his voice is very tired today, so we don’t sing a lot. Instead, he reads a chapter - Romans 1 - and I pick two key verses for memorization. Then we exercise in the Fellowship Hall because I need to get in shape!

8:00 - As we leave the church, Mom is coming down to take out the garbage. We chat briefly with her, then continue to the house and wake Jedidiah up.

8:15 - Older books sometimes discuss the tendency of homemakers to divide their tasks among the days of the week. I have often wondered how to implement such a concept, but recently have found it to be quite natural. Some days just lend themselves to cooking, others to a long day in the gardens, some to piles of laundry while listening to preaching tapes, and yet others to big cleaning and organizing projects.
This is a day for cooking and cleaning, so I begin with a two-year-old cake mix Mom found. Once it is in the oven I sit down at the kitchen table to write a letter to my best friend way down in Georgia. Caleb is playing chess online and talking to some friends on Faithfreaks, while Jedidiah is having breakfast and getting ready for the day. My letter finished, I walk it down past the church and across the street to the mailbox, then return home and call the library to renew some books that are due today. One is a catechism book for children, the other is a George MacDonald nonfiction. Do I recommend it? I’m not sure yet. Ask me later. J While the cake finishes baking and the leftover icing thaws, I mix some banana muffins and put them in the oven.

10:40 - Caleb leaves for work, while Jedidiah works on some of his chores for the day - hosing down the garbage cans, cleaning the back porch, defining some words, and so forth. I finish the muffins, then ice the cake with purple trim and flowers, green leaves, and pink letters that spell “Good Morning.” I know, kind of random, but it was all I could think to write.
At some point I also checked on my garden and helped Jedidiah change the water in his fish tank, but I’m not sure exactly when that was. . . .

12:00 - Jedidiah and I eat hot dogs, cheetos, carrots, celery, and applesauce for lunch (with water to drink, of course). When we’re through, Jedidiah goes back to his chores and I wave goodbye before heading down to the mailbox. Will there be something interesting today? No, just some bills and junk mail and the Madison County Advertiser.
Mom needs my help cleaning and organizing the library and Dad’s office at church. I put away some flannel graph figures, place all the Vacation Bible School song sheets and transparencies back in the appropriate binder, and stack some papers more neatly on Dad’s desk. His desk lamp is quite feminine with elaborate carving, delicate fringes, and a beautiful picture; so I carry it to the flower room to be put with the other decorations. Mom hands me a more businesslike black lamp with little cubbyholes in the bottom for pencils and paper and other office stuff. Ah, much better! There is much more to be done, with the mundane details of which I will not bore you.

2:45 - Mom leaves to pick Caleb up from work and take him to the dentist. Jedidiah’s chore list is winding down. I go up to the house and get on the Internet for about an hour and a half.

3:00 - I tear open a package of thawed dark chicken and set them on a cookie sheet in the oven at 350o, then melt some butter and pour it over the chicken so the meat will be moist and tender. Actually, I melted too much butter; half a stick would have been sufficient.

4:00 - I start some green beans on the stovetop and turn the oven off, covering the chicken with aluminum foil so it will stay warm.

4:20 - Now it is time to prepare the brown rice. I’m not sure yet of the best ingredients to add for taste, so today I add oil, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, marjoram, and chives.

4:30 - Dad is home! Jedidiah and I greet him, then set the table for supper. Half an hour later, Mom and Caleb get back from the dentist’s office. We greet them and listen as Caleb tells us about his teeth. I put the hot food on the table along with bread, butter, and fresh vegetables. We sit down and eat, discussing different happenings of the day, then finish off with the cake.

5:40 - We clear the table and get ready for Wednesday night church.

6:00 - Jedidiah washes the dishes, Caleb picks out the songs for tonight, and I practice some hymn arrangements at the church. My little piano student doesn’t show up, but Caleb and I practice the songs. Some of them are a little high, so I find them in a different hymnal.

6:45 - People begin arriving.

6:55 - I play the prelude, and the people start coming into the sanctuary and sitting down, continuing their conversations from before. Some of the men pray in Dad’s office.

7:00 - The service begins. The song service goes well, and the people interact freely and joyfully during the prayer requests / praise reports time. Dad has been teaching through Romans, and tonight’s passage is Romans 15:14-27. He expounds on Paul’s graciousness and humility (key qualities when communicating truth) as well as Paul’s faithfulness and vision.
Even after Paul had “fully preached the Gospel of Christ” in a 1400-mile area, compared to the United States’ width of 2000 miles, on foot - even after this, Paul still has a vision for more. Now he wants to go to Spain. Need constitutes call. Am I meeting needs? Is my life making any difference? Do I have a vision? Or am I just sitting around and lazing my way into heaven?

8:00 - The service is over. After everyone leaves, Caleb and Jedidiah and I each eat a bowl of oats and honey. Caleb gets online for a little while, and I sit down to write this.

9:00 - We meet in the living room where Dad leads the family in “Isn’t the Love of Jesus Something Wonderful?” followed by a prayer. Jedidiah hugs each of us goodnight.

9:30 - Caleb and I say good-night to Dad, Mom, and each other before going to our separate rooms for some reading time. I am reading The Robber, a work of Biblical fiction which I found in our church library and decided to see what it was like. (Don’t waste your time on it; it’s heretical.)

11:15 - Too late, I pull the switch on the light, leaving the fan on to cool me through the night, and slip into bed.

Too Funny!

2009-04-01T08:04:00.000-07:00

What do you call a fake noodle?

An impasta!

A Sweet Picture

2009-03-26T11:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was browsing the parenting shelves at the library. I know, I'm not a parent yet, but hey - sometimes there's some pretty neat stuff on those shelves. Anyway, out of the corner of my eye I noticed a most charming picture.

A tall woman, maybe 30 years old, was standing there in a pretty blouse and a long denim skirt with her thick brown hair braided around her head. In her arms was a blond-headed little boy, and the two of them were singing quietly together. The mama would sing a phrase of the alphabet song, and the little boy would sing the next phrase, all the way to the end of the song.

Although, to be honest, his phrases didn't sound very much like the song I'm used to and I probably never would have recognized the song if she weren't singing with him. But it didn't matter. That mama was having fun with her little boy, cultivating a good relationship with him, and teaching him all at the same time.

As I moved to the cooking aisle, the mama took a book off the shelf and started discussing the cover photo with him. "What are the people doing?" "What are those tools for?"

I just had to smile!

Marriage, Petticoats, and Waltzes

2009-03-24T11:02:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading C. S. Lewis's space trilogy and found it very good, just full of insights into the Christian life! Of course, I also found myself wishing the book was mine instead of the library's so that I could mark through all the curse words for future readers. Why would a Christian author put such words in his book? At any rate, it was a tremendous series overall! Here is one of my favorite quotes from That Hideous Strength:

“Did you understand his views on marriage?”

“My dear, the Director is a very wise man. But he is a man, after all, and an unmarried man at that. Some of what he says, or what the Masters say, about marriage does seem to me to be a lot of fuss about something so simple and natural that it oughtn’t to need saying at all. But I suppose there are young women now-a-days who need to be told it.”

“You haven’t got much use for young women who do, I see.”

“Well, perhaps I’m unfair. Things were easier for us. We were brought up on stories with happy endings and on the Prayer Book. We always intended to love, honour, and obey, and we had figures and we wore petticoats and we liked waltzes. . . .”

“Waltzes are ever so nice,” said Mrs. Maggs who had just returned and given MacPhee his slab of cake, “so old-fashioned.”

~ From pp. 509-510, Quality Paperback Book Club, 1997.

New Definition of Terrorism!?!?

2009-03-19T12:21:00.000-07:00

If I lived in Missouri, I guess I would be considered a terrorist. I guess most people who live there now are probably considered terrorists. Why? Because the law enforcement there are now "thought police," as they have been told to profile everyone who supports 3rd party candidates such as Ron Paul, Chuck Baldwin, or Bob Barr or talk about (just talk about!) such things as:

The New World Order

The United Nations

Gun Control

The violation of Posse Comitatus

The Federal Reserve

The Income Tax - almost everyone I know talks about the income tax!

The Ammunition Accountability Act

A possible Constitutional Convention (Con Con)

The North American Union

Universal Service Program

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)

Abortion on demand

Illegal Immigration

If you talk about even one item on that list, then you are considered a domestic terrorist just like I am. We're the violent milita type! This is serious business. This is another foreshadowing of the end of our liberties in the "land of the free." This is tyranny. It is Nazi Germany. It is Communist Russia. "It is Obama America," as someone said yesterday.

As Edmund Burke said, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." We must not sit idly. We must fight this!

To comment on the Modern Militia Movement document, contact the Missouri Information Analysis Center at:

Email address: Brandon.middleton@mshp.dps.mo.gov
Missouri Information Analysis Center

Division of Drugs & Crime Control

P. O. Box 568

Jefferson City, MO 65102-0568

Phone: 573-751-6422

Toll Free: 866-362-6422

Fax: 573-751-9950

For more information, read the following articles:

http://www.crosstalkamerica.com/shows/2009/03/new_definition_of_terrorist_in.php

http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/
http://www.newswithviews.com/baldwin/baldwin498.htm

2009-03-17T10:33:00.000-07:00

I Will Go

By Steve Green

Give me ears to hear Your Spirit;

Give me feet to follow through;

Give me hands to touch the hurting;

And the faith to follow You.

Give me grace to be a servant;

Give me mercy for the lost;

Give me passion for Your glory;

Give me passion for the cross.

And I will go where there are no easy roads,

Leave the comforts that I know.

I will go and let this journey be my home;

I will go.

I will go!

I'll let go of my ambition,

Cut the roots that run too deep;

I will learn to give away

What I cannot really keep,

What I cannot really keep.

Help me see with eyes of faith;

Give me strength to run this race.

I will go, Lord, where Your glory is unknown;

I will live for You alone.

I will go because my life is not my own;

I will go.

I will go!

What's so Amazing About Grace?

2009-02-27T10:05:00.000-08:00

I am currently reading this excellent book:

The Bible says that Jesus was full of grace and truth, and that the virtuous woman's words are both wise and kind. For me, the truth and wisdom comes much more easily. In fact, if being "full of truth" were everthing required, I would be able to feel pretty confident about myself. But that's not enough. Truth is ineffective and nonvaluable without that other important ingredient called GRACE. That's the whole point of I Corinthians 13, and one that I desperately need to learn. And that's why I need this book.

A Parable of Three Brides

2009-02-12T17:25:00.000-08:00

I love this article! I read it in an old issue of the Home School Digest this morning and found it very helpful and in tune with much of what God has been teaching me recently in my personal walk with Him.

READ IT!

Here's the link: http://boldchristianliving.com/articles/other-topics/parable-of-three-brides.html

Leak-Cleaning, Doll Surgery, and Other Fun Stuff

2009-01-26T16:43:00.000-08:00

Well, this has been an interesting past couple of weeks for my family and I, to say the least. Let's just say God is continuing to lead us on a remarkable journey which we would never have planned but which I would never trade for anything in the world (pardon the cliche).

Yesterday was our last Sunday at our church as the pastor's family, and within two weeks we will be living elsewhere and looking for a new church home. Again.

It's not something I relish; nevertheless, it is actually somewhat exciting . More and more of life becomes exciting when you know that God is in control and writing an amazing story using every detail of your life.

Today was full with seeking God and trying to understand, recording all the events of yesterday in my journal, visiting with a neighbor family who stopped by to invite us to their son's baptism, eating grilled cheese sandwiches, packing, packing, and more packing.

Then I went under the house to find some boxes for my knickknacks and found a water problem. One of the pipes had a leak. But everything within range of the leak was in plastic tubs - no cardboard boxes and therefore no permanent damage! Now isn't that a coincidence?

One of my very old dolls, a gift from my grandmother, started dropping body parts everywhere and I thought she was probably irreparable. But my mom showed me how to run a new rubber band through her arms and head so that she's actually in better shape now than she's been in for years. Maybe decades, to tell the truth! ;)

We're going through a stressful time right now, and we're all worried about our church and wondering about the future. But God is in control, His way is perfect, and all will be well. Isn't God good?

Christmas Letter 2008

2008-12-16T07:58:00.000-08:00

Dear family and friends,

A merry hello to you all from the bottom of our hearts! This year has been a difficult one for us and for our country in many ways, what with various sicknesses and injuries, dangerous animals and animals dying, a serious drought (albeit not nearly so severe as last year’s), threats of skyrocketing gas prices, perhaps the most important election in the history of our country, and concern about what the New Year might bring in that regard.

What a comfort, then, to know that our God is both good and sovereign! “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. . . . [He] will be exalted among the heathen, [He] will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46:1-3, 10-11). So it is that we remember this past year with thankfulness and approach the next with the peace that only God can give.

Jedidiah, is now 12 years old and in the seventh grade. He has outgrown his mom and sister in shoe size, mows the yard by himself, and helps with our church’s video ministry. After mourning the disappearances or deaths of a few cats throughout the first half of the year, he cares for the two newest ones, Socks and Boots, all the more. Oh! Let’s not forget his beta fish either - his name’s Lucas, after one of Jedidiah’s new friends from church (of which there are several). Another of these friends gave him his first real gun, of which he is very proud. In the early fall, Dad and Jedidiah enjoyed a little camping trip together, taking time out for horseback riding and rafting on Owsley Fork Lake.

Caleb is 17 and finishing up his senior year in preparation for an internship at the state capitol in the spring. As to college, he plans to attend University of the Cumberlands with a major in Religion, then enter full-time Christian service; and so has been preparing accordingly with a Bible study at his former workplace, filling in for the youth Sunday School teacher, and preaching his first sermon. Earlier this year, he was saddened by the death of his dog, Lady. She was a very good little dog; but very old, too. Caleb has enjoyed some deepened friendships and fellowship with others at church and online, while his intermediate license has enabled several sleepovers, basketball games, birthday celebrations, and other fun stuff with his best friend Chris in another town.

Naomi is 19 and worked at Lee’s Famous Recipe most of the year; although lately she has begun teaching piano lessons instead. Naomi also teaches the upper elementary children in Sunday School and loves playing with them as well as the other children at church, particularly a certain three-year-old named Kaylee. One of the highlights of her year was a Youth Conference in Indiana with her best friend Hannah, whom she had not seen since their meeting at church camp five years ago.

Mom, 41, continues to homeschool Caleb and Jedidiah while ministering to the ladies of our church through visits, Sunday School, ladies’ fellowships, and instruction on “Once-a-Month Cooking” and other topics of interest. She loved finding a new thrift store and mini-library called “The Friends of Paint Lick” and has enjoyed making and decorating countless cakes for church family, Naomi and Caleb’s coworkers, and various birthday parties and weddings.

Dad, 46, still pastors Galilee Baptist Church and works at Creation Technologies. During the two revival efforts he preached in the community this year, he greatly enjoyed fellowshipping with the other pastors and church leaders he met. And the whole family has loved listening to him read aloud several classics, such as the Lord of the Rings trilogy and Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates.

In addition, our whole family has enjoyed quite a lot of football, volleyball, soccer, baseball, basketball, tennis, and a whole lot more, both as a family and with our church (Caleb and Jedidiah often refer to the church’s “football league” and plan out depth charts for future games). The late summer found us at Lake Cumberland with a family from our church, learning to ride the seadoos, attempting to water-ski (haha!), and going inner tubing for the first time - a very fun vacation for all of us!

We look forward to hearing from and catching up with you all, and perhaps - hopefully - seeing you soon. Here’s wishing you and your kin a wonderful Christmas Day and season!

The Hetrick Family

Spiritual Exercise?

2008-11-18T17:10:00.000-08:00

I wondered for a while what I should write for this. What is spiritual exercise? How do you exercise your spirit as well as your body? A couple of weeks ago, my devotion "happened" to be in Ephesians 6, dealing with putting on the whole armor of God. And all of a sudden, it hit me: We are soldiers in the grandest and holiest and most vital war of all time. How do soldiers become good soldiers? By exercise! Spiritual exercise is simply practicing right living. It is putting on the armor of God, and wearing and using that armor.

Of course, I have a lot yet to learn on this topic and will study up and do my best to get back with you more educated before too long. Here are some verses to ponder in the meantime:

"And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men" (Acts 24:16).

"But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come" (1 Timothy 4:7-8).

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness. And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things: Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that ye might know our affairs, and that he might comfort your hearts. Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen" (Ephesians 6:10-24).

Soccer - Not for the Faint of Heart!

2008-10-02T07:36:00.000-07:00

Well, my exercise commitment didn’t work out quite as well as I thought it would last week. Mom had several extra “pastor’s wife” duties that called her away, such as visiting and helping people out and picking up stuff for Dad or church; so I had the very fun privilege of teaching my brother Jedidiah and practicing my kitchen and laundry skills. Then our entire family drove to another town for revival services every night, as that church’s pastor and his wife are family friends and asked Dad to conduct the revival effort at the last minute. It went wonderfully, and everyone made new friends and learned a lot.

For instance, who do you think had the godliest marriage in the Bible? I couldn’t have told you until last Friday night, but here’s the answer: Abraham and Sarah! What other husband-wife team is named in the Faith Hall of Fame? What other man is referred to as the “Friend of God” over and over again throughout Scripture and was told Jesus’ confidential plans concerning the future of a city? What other earthly father did God have so much trust will raise his children and instruct his servants properly?

How many other couples got to cook Jesus a meal in the Old Testament? When Peter wanted to teach women how to respect their husbands, who did he use as an illustration? What other woman in Scripture is proclaimed beautiful inside and out? Forget you know anything about them and read their story in Genesis 12 - 25. You might be surprised by all you find! They had their problems (as do all other couples), but they still had the most successful marriage in the Bible.

Well, anyway, with all that “activity” I was about as inactive as possible, if that can be imagined! Oh, well. This week has been a little better. Yesterday Caleb and Jedidiah and I had a delightful game of soccer before getting showered and freshened up for church.

This afternoon Jedidiah and I tried again. The score was 6-2, with Jedidiah in the lead, of course. :) He had the ball and I was running hard to try to stop him. The ball was lying there by itself. Hope surged through me. Maybe I could get it? I was there, I kicked, . . . I tripped over the ball, I fell onto the concrete ditch by the church. Ouch! Caleb had been watching from the parsonage doorway and sprinted down to see how I was. Thankfully not too bad, just some stinging, scraped-up hands and a grass-stained skirt.

Game over for a few hours. But that night we went outside for a third round. I had dress shoes on because Mom and I were preparing for a ladies' meeting at church, so I stayed on one end and protected the goalie while Caleb and Jedidiah fought over the ball. All of a sudden Caleb got a "brilliant" idea. Instead of trying to kick the ball around Jedidiah, he would kick it over Jedidiah! And of course, when Jedidiah saw where it was going, he would move out of the way, right? Wrong. And the ball did not go over Jedidiah. You can imagine the pretty swell over his eye. Although, thankfully, it didn't blacken! :)

So a word of advice: As you deepen your level and variety of activity in an attempt to be more healthy, it might be helpful to wear work clothes; practice proper falling - on your hands, not your face or back or arm; beware of how aggressively you play next to concrete, and always remove your head before the game starts (that way it won't get hit)!

Soccer - not for the faint of heart!

Are You Healthy? (Part 2)

2008-09-11T07:49:00.000-07:00

Wow! It's been a while since I started this series, and I suppose it is time to move on. Let's start with a brief review, shall we?

"HEALTH''Y, a. Being in a sound state; enjoying health; hale; sound; as a healthy body or constitution. 1. Conducive to health; wholesome; salubrious; as a healthy exercise; a healthy climate; healthy recreations."

I think sometimes that even though I do not have any particular obvious sickness or disease, I am not necessarily as healthy according to this definition as I could be. I am not really in shape or physically fit. Lemuel's mother could not have pointed me out to her son as a girl who "girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms" (Prov. 31:17).

After some thought on the matter, I think that there are basically seven essential ingredients to a truly healthful life.

1. A Healthy Diet

Now for ingredient number 2! :)

2. Plenty of Exercise - Ah! What a deliciously fun idea! Is that how those words sound to you? Not to me! At least not usually. But the concept is still extremely important. What would happen if I was ever-so-careful to perfect my diet until it was a healthy as possible this side of glory, and then laid around the house all day reading books or writing Christian things or listening to Christian radio or talking with my family? Would I be healthy? Well, no.

This is a great deal of what Lemuel's mother meant when she said that the virtuous young woman "girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms." Yes, ladies, that means exercise.

But not to worry! It's not all gloom and doom! Remember how you felt the last time you played football with your brothers (or whatever particular sport they happen to be into at the time)? You were sore and exhuasted, true, but you probably felt happy and refreshed and energized at the same time. God wants His daughters to have energy so we can do His work and to have joy so we can do it honorably.

Every little girl wants to be a princess. Lately I've been realizing my status as such - after all, my Father is the King of all the earth! But think with me what a princess is like. Would she exercise? I can't really see her doing calisthenics, although she might and I do. But I can definitely see her taking walks, playing games of "romps" with her siblings, riding horses, scrubbing walls and floors, carrying water, and being active in many other ways.

This is the truly fun way to exercise. Simply be active. Move from the sedentary life to the active, full, bubbly life! It may be difficult at first (it still is for me at times) but you will learn to love it, and your body will shout a resounding "Thank you!"

For me, this issue takes on a little greater importance, as I was told recently that my heart rate was unusually low. No problem now, but when I grow old and gray-headed I may need a pacemaker. The antidote? Be and stay active for as long as possible!

Activity is Biblical, and it is crucial for our health! So I'm committing to being more active during the upcoming week than in the past. Will you join me?

To See Your Face

2008-09-04T10:31:00.000-07:00

My Lord and my Creator,
You bear with me and nourish me - be my helper.

I thirst for You, I hunger for You, I desire You,
I sigh for You, I covet You:

I am like an orphan deprived of the presence
of a very kind father,
who, weeping and wailing, does not cease to cling to
the dear face with his whole heart.

So, as much as I can, but not as much as I ought,
I am mindful of Your passion,
Your buffeting, Your scourging,
Your cross, Your wounds,
how You were slain for me,
how prepared for burial and buried;
and also I remember Your glorious resurrection,
and wonderful ascension.

All this I hold with unwavering faith,
and weep over the hardship of exile,
hoping in the sole consolation of Your coming,
ardently longing for the glorious contemplation of Your face.

~Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109)

Why God Sends Dry Spells

2008-08-19T18:02:00.000-07:00

What happens when you enter a dark, dark time when you feel like God is only frowning at you and you can never please Him? When you feel like He is always just beyond your reach? When you seek Him so hard and all you get is reminders of your sin? When you confess and repent until it seems like you're just repeating the same things with no real purpose or meaning? When you pray and it feels like you're talking to yourself? When God seems unknowable? When you don't feel His love and don't see how He could love you? When you know this is all wrong and you have to find a way out, but there just doesn't seem to be any way at all? When you know that if there was one, you wouldn't deserve it, so why would God let you find it anyhow? When you begin to doubt that you are even His child?

I don't really know the answer. But this is how I have felt in the last few weeks. So dry. So far from God. With no idea what to do yet a deep longing for some relief, I kept on with my devotions and my prayers. Where was God? Why didn't He help me? Or why should He help me? Don't I always forget about Him and seek my own way? Don't I always choose my pet sins over Him whenever I think I can get away with it?

This is the amazing thing.

He DID help me!!! After several weeks of this had passed, He spoke comforting words to me at just the times I was most desperate. He led me to a book, Living Purely in an Impure World, and showed me through it that I was legalistically trying to earn His love by living purely rather than rejoicing in His love and learning to truly love Him in return.

He led me to an online article in "Daughterhood by Design" about having a new heart. I had asked for one, but it didn't feel like He had given it to me. The article said to walk in faith, believing that He had. So I did. And as I walked this way, it soon became apparent that my struggles with sin were a little easier to win. Oh, and I could look back and see how this had been true over the past few weeks since I had begun praying for a new heart. He had given it to me after all! Then some of the songs in church reassured me even more - "Are You Washed in the Blood?," especially.

Last night as I read Mr. Binney's book on pure living in today's world, he talked of three causes for a deer's thirst - a long run, a strenuous battle, or a dry spell. Could that be what God was doing? Did He see that I was getting too complacent? Allowing a dry spell so that I would have to seek Him so diligently it hurt? Did He know that I needed this in order to truly delight in Him?

Of course He knew! He is my kind Father, and He was teaching me with the same care - no, far more care! - that my earthly father would. So what is different? Talking to God comes much more easily now. I was doing so much of it in my desperation! Victory comes more easily. Joy is more natural. Love is easier to give. I know for sure that God is my Father, that He is good, and that He loves me.

What more could I ask?

Will Your Children Be on Death Row?

2008-08-17T18:25:00.000-07:00

The other day I came across an interesting statistic. According to Susan Sikes with News From the Nest, a survey of 200 questions was given to death row inmates.

What do you think they had in common?

1 - Their families didn't eat together.

2 - Their families didn't play games together.

Wow! To me these things seem so simple, so commonplace. I guess you could say I have mostly taken those blessings for granted. But that's what they are - blessings! If your parents ate with you and played games with you, then you are richly blessed! :)

Oh, and if you're a parent, these are definitely some good ideas to consider. Even if you're "too busy," just try taking little steps at first. Like eating one meal together each week, and playing one game of UNO or basketball or whatever your family might enjoy. If you love your family, make time for them. These activities are truly great memory makers, and you will never regret it!

Neither will your children, by the way!

The Autocrat of the Breakfast-Table

2008-07-10T17:16:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago I pushed myself to stick this book out to the end. It was very interesting and amusing; however, the language was rather difficult, requiring frequent trips to the dictionary (not necessarily a bad thing :D). The real issue with the book is the many times when the author's opinions disagree with Scripture. Therefore I cannot bring myself to recommend the book. Here are a few quotations which I found to be of some value for those interested in a taste of it. Oh, one last thing: please don't think I'm endorsing every word in these quotes; I just like them for what good can be found in them.

"Beware of making your moral staple consist of the negative virtues. It is good to abstain, and teach others to abstain, from all that is sinful or hurtful. But making a business of it leads to emaciation of character, unless one feeds largely also on the more nutritious diet of active sympathetic benevolence" (page 17).

"How curious it is that we always consider solemnity and the absence of all gay surprises and encounter of wits as essential to the idea of the future life of theose whom we thus deprive of half their faculties and then call blessed! There are not a few who, even in this live, seem to be preparing themselves for that smileless eternity to which they look forward, by banishing all gayety from their hearts and all joyousness from their countenances. I meet one such in the street not unfrequently, a person of intelligence and education, but who gives me (and all that he passes) such a rayless and chilling look of recognition, - somthing as if he were one of Heaven's assessors, come down to "doom" every acquaintance he met, - that I have sometimes begun to sneeze on the spot, and gone home with a violent cold, dating from that instant. I don't doubt he would cut his kitten's tail off, if he caught her playing with it. Please tell me, who taught her to play with it?" (page 85, emphasis original).

"Every person's feelings have a front-door and a side-door by which they may be entered. The front-door is on the street. Some keep it always open; some keep it latched; some, locked; some bolted, - with a chain that will let you peep in, but not get in; and some nail it up, so that nothing can pass its threshold. This front-door leads into a passage which opens into an ante-room, and this into the interior apartments. THe side-door opens at once into the sacred chambers.

"There is almost always at least one key to this side-door. This is carried for years hidden in a mother's bosom. Fathers, brothers, sisters, and friends, often, but by no means so universally, have duplicates of it. The wedding-ring conveys a right to one; alas, if none is given with it!

"If nature or accident has put one of these keys into the hands of a person who has the torturing instinct, I can only solemnly pronounce the words that Justice utters over its doomed victim, - The Lord have mercy on your soul! You will probably go mad within a reasonable time, - or, if you are a man, run off and die with your head on a curb-stone, in Melbourne or San Francisco, - or, if you are a woman, quarrel and break your heart, or, turn into a pale, jointed petrifaction that moves about as if it were alive, or play some real life-tragedy or other.

"Be very careful to whome you trust one of these keys of the side-door. The fact of possessinjg one renders those even who are dear to you very terrible at times. You can keep the world out from you front-door, or receive visitors only when you are ready for them; but those of your own flesh and blood, or of certain grades of intimacy, can come in at the side-door, if they will, at any hour and in any mood. Som of them have a scale of your whole nervous system, and can play all the gamut of your sensibilities in semi-tones, - touching the naked nerve-pulps as a pianist strikes the keys of his instrument. I am satisfied that there are as great masters of this nerve-playing as Vieuxtemps or Thalberg in their lines of performance. Married life is the school in which the most accomplished artists in this department are found. . . . No stranger can get a great many notes of torture out of a human soul; it takes one that knows it well, - parent, child, brother, sister, intimate. Be very careful to whom you give a side-door key; too many have them already" (pages 114-115, emphasis original).

A Day to Celebrate!!!

2008-07-04T14:59:00.000-07:00

On July 4, 1776, a very important document was written - the Declaration of Independence! Excitement reigned across the colonies, and John Adams wrote TWO letters to his wife Abigail.

In the second, he prophesied that this day "will be the most memorable . . . in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations, as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forevermore.

"You will think me transported with enthusiasm, but I am not. I am well aware of the toil and blood and treasure that it will cost to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the gloom I can see the rays of ravishing light and glory. I can see that the end is worth more than all the means."

How are you celebrating our nation's anniversary today? However you do it, remember to thank the God from Whom comes every good gift including life and freedom, pray for God's will to be done in our nation, and determine to do what you can to exalt Him in your celebrations!

John Nazigan and Water Bottles

2008-06-20T11:00:00.001-07:00

Here is an interesting piece of food for thought that I first heard from Mr. Nazigan last summer at the Word of Life Ranch where I was a counselor.

If I have a water bottle in my hand and you bump my arm and water spills out onto the ground, why did the water come out? Because you bumped my arm, right? Wrong!

What? But if you hadn't bumped my arm, the water wouldn't have come out! You are responsible! Wait. There is a deeper reason. Water came out because water was in the bottle in the first place. If orange juice had been in the bottle when you bumped my arm, water could not have possibly escaped onto the ground.

But of course. What's so profound about that?

Let's apply this principle to our everyday lives. There will always be trials that will "bump our arms," so to speak. Yet those trials are not at fault for what comes out of us. If anger comes out, it does so because it was already present deep within our hearts. If love comes out, it does so because love was inside of us. Neither you nor I can ever change how we react to those "arm-bumps." What we must concern ourselves with is what is present inside our hearts. If we are controlled by fleshly emotions, then what escapes us will only be displeasing to the Lord and embarrassing to ourselves. On the other hand, if we are controlled by the Holy Spirit, then the fruit of the Spirit that shines after each "arm-bump" will surprise the watching world and bring glory to our Father.

What do you want spilling out of your water bottle today?

Spiritual Malnutrition Personified

2008-06-11T12:50:00.000-07:00

Have you heard about the "revival" going on in Florida under the leadership of a man named Todd Bentley? My dad played Crosstalk's show about it the other night at the dinner table so our whole family could be informed about it.

Here's the deal. Mr. Bentley is receiving angelic visits such as a fairy-like "Emma" who sprinkles gold dust on people in the church to bless them financially; as well as a fourteen-foot tall "angel or whatever" (his words) called Winds of Change who, interestingly enough, has also visited other charismatic leaders such as the Bob Jones of Kansas City.

He is receiving messages - from God, he says - to heal people by banging one woman's legs against the platform like a baseball bat or kicking another old lady in the face with his biker boot.

He is covered in tattoos and body piercings.

He shows off gold teeth that "God has given people."

People start barking like dogs and clucking like chickens.

He preaches that "the Anointing is Jesus . . . . the Anointing is not Jesus . . . . the Anointing is Jesus . . . . the Anointing is not Jesus."

I don't know about you, but this sounds like chaos to me. And we know from Scripture that God is not the author of confusion. The Bible says in another place to "test the spirits, to see whether they be of God." Does this really sound like the Holy Spirit we read about in the Bible, or maybe more like some other spirits we see in the same Book?

Here is what's really scary: A lot of supposed Christians - evangelicals, actually - are falling for this guy, driving down there to hear him, getting him to lay his hands on them, and then taking this stuff back to their local churches. Where are these people's Bibles?

Check out these links for more information.
http://www.crosstalkamerica.com/
http://http//blog.thewaycf.com/2008/05/pastor-strader-speaks-on-todd-bentley_31.html
http://www.wingswatchman.org/

A New Game!!! I love it! :D

2008-06-06T12:58:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday my awesome brother Caleb was trying to think of a good game we could play that would be fun and, at the same time, honor the Lord on His Day. This is what he came up with:

One person picks a random verse in the Bible (that the other people are not likely to know already) and acts out the important words through charades. Once the audience has learned as much of the verse as possible, the first person reads the verse aloud and everyone memorizes it. Then someone else takes a turn.

It's so enjoyable and makes memorizing so much easier! In one afternoon we learned Proverbs 6:23, Psalm 137:2, Proverbs 8:34, Isaiah 65:24, 2 Kings 22:11, and two other verses that I can't quite recall off the top of my head. Try it! I'm sure that it will bring both laughter and blessing to you and your family.

Bread, Milk, Meat, Water, . . . Candy?

2008-06-03T08:19:00.000-07:00

So maybe you are eating well physically, but how about your spiritual diet? Could it be that the Church of today is suffering from malnutrition? A brief nibble of Scripture here, a token prayer there, a small cup of milk at church a few times a week, a hunk of meat every once in a while, and lots of sugared "worship music," fast-food devotionals, and fun and games with other starving spiritual children.

So many times this is the true picture of my life. But it isn't God's picture of what He wants for my life! On the contrary, He would like us to be feasting daily on the real soul food of the Word of God, prayer, communion with the Lord, and fellowship with other believers.

"But he answered and said, 'It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God' " (Matthew 4:4). Whole-grain bread is one of the excellent foods God has provided us, but even good physical bread is not enough. We must live by every word of the Scriptures! This means that we must be in the Word all the time, reading and studying and meditating and memorizing. We must really know the words of God. We must hide them in our hearts. And then we must obey them.

"As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby" (1 Peter 2:2). Pure, personalized milk straight from the breast of a healthy mother is the perfect food for babies to grow into healthy children and adults with strong bodies and immune systems. But again, what is more important than food? Soul food (1 Timothy 4:8)! The Word of God is the perfect food for our souls to grow into healthy and strong spiritual adults, no longer tossed about by every wind of doctrine but instead ready to guide younger believers in the Way.

"I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able" (1 Corinthians 3:2). As a baby gets older, he eventually needs to be weaned from his mother's milk and fed with meat like grown-ups. He needs to eat real food. Milk is good for babies, but eventually we do expect them to grow up. The same goes for Christians. We need milk for a while, but the idea is to be continually growing and learning more and more, reaching higher and higher and deeper and deeper.

"For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water" (Jeremiah 2:13). Pure water is so vital to our existence! If we go without it for more than a few days, we will die. Spiritual water is just as important. We need to drink daily, moment-by-moment, from Christ, our fountain of living waters. Just as pop brings temporary refreshment but no real nourishment or quenching of thirst, so the pleasures of this world and spiritual candy are only broken cisterns and can bring us no true aid, no true quenching of the deep thirst of our souls.

God's design for us is to abide in Him (John 15), to delight in His Word (Psalm 1), to commune with Him in prayer throughout every day (1 Thessalonians 5:17), and to fellowship with other believers (Acts 2:42). This is true nourishment. This is how our souls will thrive!

What Is a Healthy Diet?

2008-05-30T19:06:00.000-07:00

Have you ever read the book What the Bible Says About Healthy Living by Rex Russell? If you haven't, put it on your booklist soon! It's so good! Here is the book summed up in just a few sentences:

The Three Principles

Principle 1:

Eat only substances God created for food. Avoid what is not designed for food.

Principle 2:

As much as possible, eat foods as they were created - before they are changed or converted into something humans think might be better.

Principle 3:

Avoid food addictions. Don't let any food or drink become your god.

This looks simple, but it is extremely profound. Just mull it over for a few minutes, then begin thinking of how you can begin implementing it into your life in little ways.

Are You Healthy? (Part 1)

2008-05-26T18:31:00.000-07:00

You may not have an obvious sickness right now, but are you really healthy? Here's how the Webster's 1828 dictionary defines being healthy -

After some thought on the matter, I think that there are basically seven essential ingredients to a truly healthful life.

1. A Healthy Diet - Out of the seven deadly sins, the one we tend to think about the least is gluttony. It’s like a bad word. It offends us. It steps on our toes. Yet the Lord used it twice in His Word, as well as phrases like being “overcharged with surfeiting” (Lk. 21:34) and having one’s belly for an idol (Phil. 3:19). And every time, it is associated with a heart that loves pleasure and self-indulgence more than it loves the Lord. Ouch!

How is this true? God’s Word tells us that our bodies are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psa. 139:14). In addition, we are temples of the Holy Spirit and, therefore, are to glorify Him in our bodies (1 Cor. 6:19-20). As a matter of fact, we are to glorify Him in everything we do, but specifically in our mealtimes (1 Cor. 10:31)!

It is said that Jonathan Edwards, that great theologian whose preaching God used to spark the Great Awakening, often pushed himself away from the table early. What if we practiced this habit? What self-discipline such a practice would instill!

But what do we so often choose instead? I, for one, am more likely to take an extra cookie, or a second helping. My dad just so happens to be a Baptist preacher, so we get to hear a lot of food-related Baptist jokes. Like the time when the kids' class at school was studying religion and each student was to bring some special item and explain its significance. Kind of like a "Show-and-Tell." Well, the first little boy brought a rosary and said, "I am a Catholic, and the rosary is special in my religion." Then the little girl brought a star of David and said, "I am a Jew, and the Star of David is special to my religion." Finally a little boy brought a casserole and said, "I am a Baptist, and the casserole is special to my religion."

That's funny, and we can laugh. But is that really what we want to be known for? Is not that gluttony - the worship of food? Even if we don't overeat, we can worship food in other ways. Is there some food that you cannot go without for more than a few days? Maybe it's ice cream, pop, chocolate, coffee, or anything else. A Christian is to have no addiction other than Jesus Christ.

Or what about eating unhealthy foods just because they taste good, even if we know they are harmful to our bodies and therefore perhaps cutting short our lives and abilities to serve God? What if we know that so much sugar and white flour is bad for us, but we just can't say no? What if we know that drinking so much pop is corroding our organs, but we just have to have it? What if our taste buds don't really enjoy water, whole-grains, fruits, and veggies, so we just don't take them? Is this not also idolatry?

Food is a means to an end. And that end is the glory of God. When eating food begins to interfere with our ability to bring Him glory, something needs to change.