Thankful Thursday

Psalm 118:24 This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Ephesians 5:20 Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

I am thankful...

~ for hot cocoa and the Bible on a below freezing night.

~ for smiles and hugs and giggles and pictures my six year old drew lying on every surface in the house.

~ for easy chairs that fit two little girls and Momma for lots of cuddling

~ for no side effects, so far, from the new arthritis drug

~ for a fulfilling day's work loving my children

~ for a steadfast, loving husband

~ for two boys growing in the Lord and in maturity

~ for beautiful, hard-fought progress in reading for Mary

~ for kids who love to create

~ for a furnace that hasn't malfunctioned all winter (for a change)

~ for the socks and underwear finally ready for the dryer, so I can go to bed

~ for going to Goodwill to use my 35% off coupon before it expires, only to learn that today was 35% off children's clothing day. Now I can save my coupon for another trip before March, in hopes of actually finding size 18 jeans for Peter at another Goodwill. (Why is that size so hard to find?)

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Thankful Thursday Kids' Addition

Psalm 92:1-2 It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: To shew forth thy loving kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night,

Beth, age 5

~ being a ballerina

~ my family

~ the flowers

~ for God

~ for the beautiful sky

~ for Christmas

~ for my dolls

~ I'm thankful for what God made outside

~ for my big brother Paul

~ that God made me

~ for shoes

~ for food because it keeps us living

~ for the bugs

~ for the frogs

~ for the Mercy Me song "Shake" and the newer song "Greater" also by Mercy Me (because we are wild dancing fools here...even Mommy)

~ for worms because they help our plants grow

Mary, age 7

~ for the Yukon

~ for fine, fresh cool weather this morning

~ for clothing

~ for the bugs

~ for the snakes

~ for Clover who croaks at me (my favorite toad that I keep finding in my yard over and over)

~ for the grasshoppers

~ for the flowers (marigolds, dandelions, sunflowers, lilies, goldenrod, morning glories)

Paul, age 10

~ for football tickets

~ that I won the library drawing for the summer reading program and got baseball tickets

~ for my little sister Beth

~ for playing games

~ for a pretty day

~ that my arm cast isn't as bad as I thought it would be (broke his wrist yesterday morning playing Revolutionary War battles)

~ for our Hot Wheels and Geo Trax train toys 

~ for our stuffed animals and the games we play with them

~ that I'm a Christian

Peter, age 12

~ for God and his trees

~ for the camera

~ for my corn

~ the marigolds

~ the sunflowers

~ the squash

~ the cucumbers

~ the purple morning glories

"For each new morning with its light, For rest and shelter of the night, For health and food, for love and friends, For everything Thy goodness sends."-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thankful Thursday, a Psalm, a tooth

 

I have a battle cry today and here it is: 
Psalm 30:8-12

 To you, O Lord, I cry,
and to the Lord I plead for mercy:
“What profit is there in my death,
if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it tell of your faithfulness?
Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me!
O Lord, be my helper!”

You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
you have loosed my sackcloth
and clothed me with gladness,
that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!

Every time I think the thing with my mother is getting better--that the distance I put between us is making a difference in my overall health--someone will call or give an opinion in some way. My brother will say, "You've got to call mom." Or an aunt will offhandedly say, "I think unconditional love is the best thing always."

Then, all my hard-fought peace will disappear once again and I'm back at square one. This time vertigo appeared, which is sometimes my body's response to extreme stress. I have to lie down with the vertigo, and the kids always get stressed when I lie down. Then I get more stressed because I'm angry that this is affecting my kids.

 

How I hate the power this woman has over my health and well-being! I know she is not the enemy and that we all fight the same enemy. I know inside she is miserable and that if she had the courage to be honest, she feels terrible for the way her choices have affected her three children. On the surface she sees me as a terrible, self-righeous person and hating me is easy for her, although she would never admit it. I have to hope that somewhere deep inside, she knows my recommendation for rehab is spot on, and that even though she is in her early 70's, she'll realize it is never too late to live well, to live in truth, and make amends.

 

Will God make beauty from these ashes? From all these wasted years? From all these broken relationships? How much cooperation will he need from my mother? Will she ever give him any, and if not, will he pluck her unaware, like he did the Apostle Paul on the road to Damascus? I've never met a person more hostile to the gospel than my mother, and that scares me most of all.

 

Pray with me for a miracle, please?

 

Thankful Thursday Kids' Addition

 

Paul

~ lots of seeds

~ that I found the morning glory seeds we saved from last year's crop

~ a very pleasant day so we can plant more seeds

~ no clouds or humidity, blue skies

~ for my family

~ that we're going to the fishing contest and our neighbor Landon gets to come

~ that I'm homeschooled

~ that God saved us from our sins

 

Mary

~ sunny, blue skies

~ that I can dig a garden spot for some flowers

~ for my sister

~ movies to watch when I'm sick or scared

~ blankets to cuddle with when I'm cold or scared

~ God gives us food to survive and help when we pray

~ such a wonderful, pleasant day today

 

Beth

~ that I lost my tooth today

~ for Thankful Thursday

~ for plenty of robins in the yard

~ that I love my sister Mary

~ that my Mommy thinks I'm funny and smiles at me and hugs me (oh, but she loves to be the cute one!)

 

Peter

~ for birds, and nesting bluebirds in our yard

~ for corn seeds to plant

~ for gardens

~ siblings

~ my mom and dad

~ trees

~ our friend Landon

~ the fishing contest

~ flowers

~ eternal life

~ that God answers prayers

~ that there's joy in the garden from the Lord

 

Little Beth's front teeth have been loose for several weeks, and the dentist said she needs to wiggle them faithfully, for she hadn't been doing so and her gum was bruised. My other three drove themselves and us crazy wiggling their loose teeth, talking about them, and generally obsessing about them until they finally came out. Then we breathed a sigh of relief.

 

You know how it is?

 

Not so with Beth. She completely ignored the loose teeth, and wiggled them only upon command for a second or two. I kept forgetting to work on them myself, except for a couple minutes after brushing, which wasn't enough and I wasn't going to keep her up later doing it. I guess the exhausted Mommy in me had faith that God had a plan for these kids who weren't bothered by loose teeth, and surely we weren't supposed to keep their tired bodies up late wiggling and yanking teeth?

 

More weeks went by and she continued to ignore them. The permanent teeth did their job, however, and one of baby teeth finally begin to hang down, but still, it didn't bother her and she ignored it.

 

This morning she was eating a banana--her most favorite food in the whole world. She came over to me with a gap in her mouth, her tongue touching it. "Mommy, there's something wrong with my tooth."

 

"It fell out!", I said triumphantly. "Where is it? We need to leave it for the tooth fairy."

 

"I'll go get it! I thought it was a seed in the banana."

 

She proceeded to fetch it and bring it to me.

 

I put the tooth in a baggie, to be put under her pillow later. Next she says to me: "But, Mommy, since there's really no tooth fairy, can you just give me the dollar?"

 

Daddy, aka the tooth fairy, is rarely on time with the loot, so the tooth fairy is kind of a joke around here with the older ones, who haven't given Beth a lot of faith. 

 

Anyway, today I'm thankful for all five year olds...and especially for mine, for she makes my heart sing. She reminds me that nothing in this world is so serious after all. If you look through the lens of a five year old, you'll see all the beauty you need for that smile, and have all the faith you need to climb that mountain.

 

What are you thankful for today, friends?

 

Thankful Thursday: 6 Years of Gratitude

Psalm 107.1 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!   

It's Thankful Thursday today, but instead of making gratitude lists, I'd like to do something different. I've been writing on this topic for at least six years now (I started with a different blog), and I'd like to highlight the changes in my life, since gratitude took root.

~ I worry far less. I think worrying is an unfortunate characteristic of conscientious people. If you knew me in real life, you would easily describe me as conscientious. I try hard. I fail often, but I try hard. My worry-wort tendency is no longer a dominant factor in my life. Any worrying I do now is short-lived, relieved by gratitude thoughts, writing out my thoughts here on the blog, and recalling memorized Scripture. I recognize the folly--the sin, really--of worry, fairly quickly, whereas before I let it have free reign, allowing it to quickly snowball into anxiety.

~ I am more content, and could actually describe myself as very happy (okay well, except for those hormones). Even though many a post may sound melancholy, remember that as I write, I am dumping my melancholy, my self-absorbedness, for something better: gratitude, the peace of Christ. As I dump my sin, I embrace the gracious God who's already forgiven me. While dumping personal issues can seem indiscreet, the opposite, an extreme reserve, can be unhealthy for the person clinging to all their issues in the interest of dignity. That's not to say they can't be dumped at the Lord's feet, bypassing any other audience. For me, writing is a way to get in touch with my feelings, enabling me to then dump them.

Writing for an audience forces me toward greater clarity, which is a mental discipline I don't otherwise pursue. I would say that understanding ourselves, and thereby acknowledging our sins, is Holy Spirit driven, but quickened by our cooperation. Once I am free of the "baggage", gratitude floods my heart and mind. Our sins are a barrier to gratitude.

~ I see God's hand in my life. It is easier to submit to His will when I can easily recall His acts of graciousness and love toward me and others. Gratitude reminds me that God is faithful and powerful, able to handle all the details of my life.

~ I don't play the comparison game. Though others may seem to have an easier life than me, I quickly reject any comparison because of a fundamental belief that I am truly blessed by God, that my life displays his grace and goodness. Taking a regular account of blessings has given me that foundational belief--that I am blessed.

~ I can be a servant. Whereas before I attended more to what I wanted for my life, I now attend more to what God's wants, enabling me to embrace servanthood more. Knowing how he has blessed me allows me to yield to Him in my daily duties and in any additional duties.

How long have you been counting your blessings, and how has it changed you?

Thankful Thursday Family Edition 5/22

Ephesians 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things to God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Beth, age 5

~ that I have super funny books
~ that I have a funny sister who can tickle me at any minute
~ that I can talk to, drink "tea" with, and play with my sister
~ that I love my sister
~ that I have my family
~ I love trees

Mary, age 7

~ for my funny, laughable, cute sister Beth
~ I love the strength in my hands to tickle my sister until she explodes with giggles
~ that God gave me a great family
~ I love the blue sky and sun and the beautiful leaves on the trees
~ for my family and friends

Paul, age 10

~ that I'm finally feeling better
~ that I like math and I'm good at it
~ that we have so many plants in the greenhouse
~ that I can go to the library
~ that I have a good church and nice people at AWANA
~ the new neighbors--I hope they're nice and have kids

Peter, age 12

~ my mom and dad
~ trees
~ my house
~ my garden and greenhouse
~ siblings
~ new neighbors
~ my bed
~ my dog
~ my snake
~ my library books

Daddy, age 55

~ my wife and children
~ that I have a car and that it keeps running
~ my jobs
~ birding and hiking
~ sunny days
~ that God always provides

Mommy, age 48

~ the thunder never came and my Mary is happy as a lark
~ the calm, therapeutic time Peter spends in his greenhouse
~ my children's love of the library, as though it is just as sweet as Christmas itself
~ the family all laughing over a book
~ old movies; the charm, innocence, loftier values
~ a working lawn mower
~ biography about Corrie ten Boom
~ full days at home to enjoy each other, and to enjoy God and his bounty and provision
~ that sunshine and hope follow dark moments, so that despair can't put down permanent roots

What are you thankful for, friends?

Thankful Thursday Kids' Addition 5/15

Colossians 3:15 "And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful."

We're in our third day of cloudy, dark, rainy, thundering weather, and the kids are sick with colds (thank you, dentist's office). They're depressed and two are fighting asthma-type wheezing brought on by the common cold/spring allergy combination.

Upon hearing it was Thankful Thursday, two children responded that they weren't thankful for anything, and how can they be with this miserable cold and weather?

Your mind has to rise above right now and this cold, I told them. Looking at the bigger picture of your life, what are you thankful for?

Peter, age 12

~ my dog
~ my garden in the shed/greenhouse and the one I'll have in the ground soon
~ my mom's love
~ my siblings
~ my mom and dad, and that they aren't divorced (all the neighborhood kids' families are divorced)

Paul, age 10

~ I have a dog.
~ that I'm very smart (I'm glad he sees intelligence as a gift, but I cringe when I hear him say this, I have to admit.)
~ loving family
~ my piano
~ good food
~ my Hot Wheel cars

Mary, age 7

~ the lemonade popsicles we made
~ I love God and He's nice to me
~ finding the Ladybug Girl books at the library again
~ my loving mom

Beth, age 5

~ my cars that Paul organized for a car show contest
~ that God gave me a good life
~ my mom and dad and sister and brothers
~ that Jesus is in my life (just when I was wondering if she had genuine faith yet)

Thankful Thursday 4/24

 

Psalm 107:1 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!   

 

Peter, age 12

~ my flowers

~ God

~ trees

~ my pine tree

~ my garden

~ my siblings

~ the love of my family

 

Thanksgiving is good, but thanksliving is better. -- Matthew Henry

 

Paul, age 10

~ my cousin's Easter party

~ loving mother, father, siblings

~ chocolate

~ paints and construction paper

~ that I'm doing well in math

 

 “He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.” -- Epictetus

 

Mary, age 7

~ my brothers

~ my cousin's Easter party

~ my sister

~ my mom and my dad

~ that we have a beautiful tree in front of our window to look at

~ warm clothes

~ that my mom loves me and she always tucks me in

 

“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” -- William Arthur Ward

 

Beth, age 5

~ my brothers

~ my sister

~ ballet dress, ballet shoes, ballet DVD's from library

~ that I can learn to do ballet every day

~ my dollies

~ that I love God and my family

 

Momma

~ Africa missionary stories I read recently: David Livingstone, Mary Slessor

~ Jane Eyre, which I reread earlier this week

~ the way excellent books expand the mind and horizons, and give us a better sense of our place in history and time

~ Beth, who still gives and needs lots of cuddles

~ Mary's determined, inspiring mind

~ Peter's appreciation of God's glorious creations

~ Paul's steadfastness and desire to better himself

~ a strong, loving husband

~ the Lord giving us life, and meaning to accompany it

~ the joy that comes from knowing God

 

What are you thankful for, friends?

 

Thankful Thursday: Holy Week

Matthew 27:50-53 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

Luke 22:41-44  He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Jonathan Edwards:

This was the greatest act of obedience that Christ was to perform. He prays for strength and help, that his poor feeble human nature might be supported, that he might not fail in this great trial, that he might not sink and be swallowed up, and his strength so overcome that he should not hold out, and finish the appointed obedience.
He was afraid lest his poor feeble strength should be overcome, and that he should fail in so great a trial, that he should be swallowed up by that death that he was to die, and so should not be saved from death; and therefore he offered up strong crying and tears unto him that was able to strengthen him, and support, and save him from death, that the death he was to suffer might not overcome his love and obedience, but that he might overcome death, and so be saved from it. (“Christ’s Agony”)

John 11:25-26Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.

Husband

~ jobs
~ vehicles
~ my honey and how hard she works
~ Beth's joyousness
~ Mary's ambitious spirit
~ Paul's quietly persistent and loving nature
~ Peter's creative motivation and ambitiousness

Peter, age 12

~ my sister and how she plays hide-and-seek with me
~ my brother because he plays basketball with me
~ God rising from the tomb
~ eternal life
~ the love of my dog, Rudy
~ worms on the sidewalk after a rain

Paul, age 10

~ I'm able to get exercise in this better weather
~ Rudy is so cute
~ Jesus rose again
~ that I get to go to church
~ the fun of learning the Easter story again
~ my hot wheels cars (I treat them as a whole team)
~ the delicious chocolate cake I made

Mary, age 7

~ wonderful songs that come, like We Believe by the Newsboys, and Shake by Mercy Me (I like to memorize all the words, like the song that has this: It's a long and narrow road.)
~ I love God and he loves me
~ my loving mom who always comforts me during thunder storms
~ that Jesus died on the cross for us

Beth, age 5

~ being a princess
~ dessert
~ resurrection time
~ my dog
~ chocolate candy in my bucket

Mom

~ songs that teach, songs that bring tears, songs that bring us to His throne
~ riding in the van and hearing my children sing out their hearts to Jesus with joy and abandon (powerful, very powerful)
~ that Jesus was obedient unto death
~ two Compassion letters in one week
~ my husband taking half day off so I can make progress on the spring clothing switch
~ a book I'm reading: A Thomas Jefferson Education by Oliver Van DeMille



Publisher Synopsis: Is American education preparing the future leaders our nation needs, or merely struggling to teach basic literacy and job skills? Without leadership education, are we settling for an inadequate system that delivers educational, industrial, governmental and societal mediocrity?
In A Thomas Jefferson Education: Teaching a Generation of Leaders for the Twenty-first Century, Oliver DeMille presents a new educational vision based on proven methods that really work! Teachers, students, parents, educators, legislators, leaders and everyone who cares about America's future must read this compelling book.

~ a book I read a few days ago: The Shadow Spinner



~ that thanks to some persistence, my girls can readily explain crucifixion, Good Friday, Resurrection, and "it is finished"
~ the challenging process of discipling (it lends a strong sense of purpose to my days)
~ my loving husband
~ the comfort of scripture
~ wisdom from the Lord to help with daily struggles
~ prayers from friends; online friends

What are you thankful for this week?

Thankful Thursday: Going Deeper

One positive thing about Thankful Thursday is that inevitably, it will fall on a really bad day more than once. On the hardest of days how can we come up with genuine gratitude, when all we really want is to fall into bed as quickly as possible, forgetting the day ever happened?

But this gratitude thing...it's a command. Before we fall into bed, we must utter it in our minds or with our lips. Thank you for...even if it's just hot cocoa. Thank you for hot cocoa after the kids go to bed...help me, Lord. I need you.

Dealing with mental illness in this family, sometimes all we can do when we sit down to pray is say....Help!

And God understands that utterance of our hearts. He knows the depths of despair we're in...and he knows the outcome.

Much of human angst has to do with not knowing the outcome. The Lord's aim is not always to take away the source of our pain, but to provide the grace to walk through it each hour, faith-full, knowing that He is the same mighty, gracious God, who works all things for our good.

When I think of deep, genuine gratitude and the command to feel it, I consider where my eyes are resting. Are they resting on my predicament, or on my Almighty, Holy God? On the best of Thankful Thursdays, God is faithful, steadfast, mighty. On the worst of Thankful Thursdays, God is faithful, steadfast, mighty.

My circumstances may change, but God doesn't. Therefore, gratitude should not be based so much on what we have, but on who He is. My gratitude song here in American should be similar to that of my sponsor child Sheila's in Uganda, who has nothing in comparison.

She has the Lord. I have the Lord. The Lord is the same mighty, gracious God to both of us, everyday, regardless of our circumstances. He works all things for our good and his vision is perfect, whereas ours is cloudy at best.

I want to feel good now, and He is thinking of my eternal inheritance. I want the pain to end now, and he wants the pain to point others, and myself, to Him, during the small amount of time I have here as a pilgrim passing through.

So when we read in the Bible that we must be thankful, it's fine to think of the hot cocoa, except that tomorrow it might be gone for good, and then what? What else should I be thankful for, other than the everyday blessings?

Know what you are truly thankful for. List it. Utter it. Sing it. Fight back tears over it.

The things you're most thankful for shouldn't be changeable, for your family could die in a car accident tomorrow...and then what? The command to be thankful won't change because you've lost them.


In light of that, what are you thankful for, my friends?

~ That He died, That He rose again
~ The Holy Bible, the script for my heart and mind
~ My eternal inheritance
~ Sharing in His glory sometimes
~ Feeling His love
~ Feeling His strength
~ Feeling His grace
~ Knowing I'm a pilgrim here for a fleeting time
~ Knowing that all pain and ailments will be healed once and for all, in heaven

1 Thessalonians 5:18 Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Psalm 107:1 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!   

Ephesians 5:20 Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ

Colossians 3:15-17 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.   

Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God

2 Corinthians 9:16 Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

Psalm 100:4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!   

Isaiah 12:4-5 And you will say in that day: “Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted. “Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth.

Psalm 100:1-5  A Psalm for giving thanks. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.   

Thankful Thursday Kids' Addition

 

 

What are you thankful for about your family?

 

Beth, age 5

~ My family are my friends and they like me.

~ They always smile at me.

~ Mary always loves me.

~ They're sensational.

 

Mary, age 7

~ They take care of my cuts.

~ I have a nice, cuddly, cute dog.

~ They give me good clothes.

~ They take care of me and teach me what I need to know.

 

Paul, age 10

~ They are loving people.

~ With a big family there is plenty of help and enough people to play games with me.

~ They are very nice and kind.

 

Peter, age 12

~ My mom and dad.

~ My siblings.

~ My dog.

~ I have lots of love.

 

What are you thankful for about your home or country?

 

Peter, age 12

~ My house

~ No earthquakes

~ No volcanoes

~ Loving family here

~ Freedom of religion

 

Paul, age 10

~ Safest country

~ No one starves here.

~ House is nice and big and comfortable.

~ Plenty of things to do--toys, books, games.

~ Safe home that keeps us warm. 

 

Mary, age 7

~ No tornadoes

~ No hurricanes

~ No mud slides

~ No rock slides

~ No volcanoes

~ Nice soft furniture

~ Nice toys and a soft carpet

 

Beth, age 5

~ It has what I want and need.

~ It has all my family, who are my friends.

 

What are you thankful for about God, or about being a Christian?

 

Beth, age 5

~ You smile when you're a Christian (My little girl is a big smiler, and loves other smilers. Even at age 5, she wakes up next to me every morning, throws her sleepy arms around me, smiles right in my face, and tells me I'm the bestest mommy ever. She is a balm to my soul.).

~ God is nice and he helps us.

~ He loves us and cares about us.

 

Mary, age 7

~ He helps me through tough times.

~ He loves me.

~ He gave me good bushes to catch crickets, tree frogs, and a yard with toads and frogs.

 

Paul, age 10

~ I know God.

~ No worries about Hell.

~ God loves me.

~ I go to church and feel happy about it.

~ I go to AWANA.

 

Peter, age 12

~ God's will

~ God's love

~ Going to Heaven

 

Momma says...

~ I am thankful for a loving husband, for homeschooling, for cooking with my children, for watching my children enjoy each other, for devotions with my family, for our dog and how the children love him, for our Compassion children, for God's Holy Word and the way it heals, straightens, strengthens, and fills.





 

Thankful Thursday 3/20

1 Timothy 6:12; "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called..."

The Greek language reveals that this verse is not a suggestion, but a command. The command is to fight (the difficulty), and to lay hold on eternal life. We are not actually fighting anyone or anything involved in our difficulty, though it may seem like that. We actually fight Satan and his lies, his discouragement, and his manipulation. It isn't the cancer, the difficult boss or child, the poverty or the hopelessness that beat us. It's Satan.

But in Christ, we are assured victory. Maybe you didn't win today, but the big picture is one of glorious victory.

I know you've got something tough going on right now. We all do, and I tell you, we will win.

Galatians 6:9 "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart."

Jeremiah 20:11

But the Lord is with me as a mighty terrible one:
therefore my persecutors shall stumble,
and they shall not prevail:
they shall be greatly ashamed;
for they shall not prosper:
their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten.

1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Part of the victory lies in submitting to the will of the Father, in all things. Each prayer is a small victory. Each gratitude list is a small victory. Each song sung to the Father is a small victory. Each opening of the Word is a small victory.

Romans 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Gratitude List

~ The promise of tulips coming soon.

~ An aspiring reader sounding out three-letter words.

~ A beginning reader stumbling only on a few sight words.

~ A chicken roasting in the oven.

~ Spring Mix steamable-bag vegetables (I love them so!).

~ A clean porch and yard, even if it did come about as a consequence.

~ Four loads of laundry folded.

~ Mostly caught up on laundry, ahead of Bible Study Saturday coming.

~ An old friend coming to Bible Study.

~ The Word of God as a balm to my weary soul.

~ We are assured victory!!

What are you thankful for today, friends?

Thankful Thursday: Blessing Others

Newly pregnant with my girls, I experienced pervasive morning sickness for about ten weeks (not much actual vomiting, but a 24-hour-a-day nausea with no appetite). I became more and more depressed and nauseous as my little boys expended their normal energy and I couldn't keep up. Or slow them down. 

The condition is aggravated by stress so the more they ran around, the worse I felt.

Each of my pregnancies affected my husband's work life; he had to modify his hours to help me, both in the beginning, and at the end when the blood pressure problems arrived.

He cried at the ultrasounds and at the births, and when he held our new babies, but every time I announced a new pregnancy, his countenance fell.

Oh, no. Not that stress again.

We didn't have enough support, partially because so many women work nowadays...even older women.

As I reclined on my couch, my stomach teasing me, I pleaded with God to make my boys slow down and watch PBS. We had cable at that time but I don't remember it helping.

I remember vowing to God...If I ever know someone going through this, I will not turn away or be too busy to help. I will be your grace. Your love with skin on.

The pastor of the AWANA church has a pregnant wife and an active, exceptionally adorable 4-year-old boy named Haddon. I've had him in AWANA Cubbies for verse time all this year. I couldn't love him any more than I do...but I'm sure I will. 

If I'd married younger and my husband agreed, I would have had ten children at least. I love a large brood.

Anyhow, what I mean to say is...I offered my help to this couple and they've accepted, though I don't know how often yet. Pastor said last night that he'd give us a couple days notice and not just call on a whim, saying he was bringing Haddon over.

But last night I thought a lot about hospitality. Opening my home to help means it needs to be open anytime (except on physical therapy day). Hospitality isn't letting someone worry about giving 48-hour notice.

I'm trying to get myself on a stricter schedule so I'm ready at any time. Haddon will fit right in with my kids, especially since we all think he's the most wonderful little boy. Everything he says tickles us silly and we find even his stuttering problem very endearing.

God has spoken again to me about organization. Blessing others--being Jesus with skin on--is far easier when we run our own lives efficiently. The more time I take for my interests, like blogging or reading, the less time I can give to others. The more activities I get my children involved with, the same is true--the less time we have to bless others and the less my children grow up valuing service.

The Lord puts together opportunities for my children; I don't have to chase them. The piano just landed in our laps and Paul plays beautifully learning from quality books on his own.

Our friend Dean from California does woodworking, for example, and Peter has developed an interest in building his own birdhouses. No class required! Dean loves to help others and he needs the company and the home-cooked meals, as much as Peter needs the training with tools.

Now back to the Holy Spirit's voice on organization...in order to give God his due time, I have to compartmentalize and prioritize better.

I don't want to offer up just my prayer and Bible reading time, but also time to bless others, especially when it flows naturally from my care of my own children. My four benefit from our Saturday Children's Bible Study too, so I'm not taking away from my own as I bless other children. The same will be true when Haddon spends time with us.

The Lord pours into us vertically so we can use our overflowing hearts to bless others. His love isn't meant to be hidden in our hearts, but to be exposed and expressed outwardly. 

We never help anyone in our own strength. He equips us.

The most important lesson I had to learn--coming from a broken Catholic tradition and finally learning about a personal relationship with Jesus--is that I wasn't supposed to try and be a good girl all on my own, frustrating my heart and spiraling into defeat.

Yes, God asks us to be Holy. But that holiness flows through Him into us...as Grace.

Giving thanks today...

Thank you, Father...

...that Beth's arthritis is finally responding to the methotrexate and her therapy schedule may be reduced soon. Yippee! My girl is running around like a champ!

...that Lexie walked back into our lives yesterday, with hugs all around. Peter's OCD drives him crazy around girls because he now feels, at age 11, a physical attraction. The OCD voice tells him he's sinning because of this attraction, so Lexie had to chase him around the couch to give him a hug. He finally consented because I said it's okay to hug someone you haven't seen in a long while. He's a handsome, kind boy and more than one girl pays attention chases him, much to his despair. See book below, which we plan on reading.

Yes, a big prayer request...that the OCD will go away for good. I'm all for keeping contact to a minimum and pushing courtship rather than dating, but I don't want Peter feeling this awful, distorted OCD angst. Martin Luther, father of the Reformation, felt this same OCD religious distortion and praise God, it saved us from the wrong direction the Church was going. God used Luther's suffering for His glory.

With tween girls entering puberty, what defense does your young son have against their brazen pursuit? Give him the courage and knowledge to protect his purity. Aggressive Girls, Clueless Boys, offers seven guided conversations, what-if scenarios, and honest responses to difficult questions that will help your child set boundaries. Also includes questions to ask your daughter. Synopsis from Christian book.com (purchase here)

Lexie's grandfather and her mother still have not reconciled (she's not moving back in with her grandparents), but she will be able to spend some nights with them, even coming to our Saturday Children's Bible Study some of the time.

She quickly made herself at home, helping me whip up chocolate chip cookie bars for the hungry AWANA Cubbies, then thoroughly licking the bowl.

...for a warm husband to hug on winter nights.

...for sweet AWANA Cubbies to delight me on Wednesday nights.

...for blessed hugs from my children.

...for brand-new coats from Goodwill for my girls, tags still on. It's been a nightmare year, keeping these kids in coats. I'll spare you the seam-ripping details.

What are you thankful for today?

Best Thankful Thursday Ever

 

On this, a Thankful Thursday, I have a big blessing to share and I'm so excited about it!

That yucky old wrecked 1998 Toyota Sienna van? The one the police officers said was totaled for sure? They told me the insurance company would "low ball" us, giving the bare minimum. One police officer said, feeling sorry for me I think, "It will be hard to replace a family vehicle with what they'll give you."

But he doesn't know my God. Somehow, as soon as I pulled that wrecked car to the shoulder I knew this was a God thing. Even to the girl who hit me I chuckled, saying, "You probably did me a favor. This van probably doesn't have much life yet."
 
Still, when I looked up the Blue Book value for my van, I expected less than $2000 from the insurance company. The condition was certainly poor, with missing door handles, a missing inside door panel, broken air conditioning, a loud exhaust problem, a sluggish starter.....

So what an incredible blessing when husband told me the truth.

$4,600 for the van! Can you believe it? Not only will we be able to pay off husband's hernia surgery bill, and anesthesiology bill, in full, but there's something much more.

Long before Christmas we put a prayer in our jar. "Please God, may we be able to give family gifts to all our Compassion children?"

Christmas came and went and we could only give a meager amount. We kept praying, none of us knowing how God would possibly answer this prayer, but remembering He is faithful! We wanted to give $200 to each family, which could start a business, or buy a roof, or mattresses and bedding, kitchen supplies, large sacks of rice, beans, flour, a water purifier, clothes and shoes.....just sleeping through the night because of greater physical comfort is a huge blessing to Compassion children. It's not unusual to sleep on cardboard for some of these children, with a leaky roof over their heads. Appalling doesn't begin to cover it.

Of all the scenarios I played out in my mind, I never imagined an auto accident would be our answer. And do you know I haven't stopped praying for the girl who hit me? The Holy Spirit faithfully brings her to mind at least twice a day. She helped me, I'm helping her, and through the whole thing our Compassion children will be helped and only God gets the glory!

I knew as we prayed night after night that I wasn't called to take a graveyard job and upset our family and my own health, in order to give to our Compassion children. I knew it wouldn't be a burdening thing, this giving. I knew it would come from Him.

I close today with a quote from our friend Ann Voskamp. Her experiences remind me not to forget my people. Yes, God asks us to give, but not without equipping us first. 

Ann Voskamp from Haiti, Feb 20: It was when I had been here in Haiti in the peak blaze of last July, Johnny, our translator with Compassion, he had just told me how he had meandered out of the Hotel Montana when the deeps had roared quaking mad and blasted dust up the nape of his neck.

And I had turned to him and said it like an even madder fool: “What if you could ever just get out of here– get you and your family to the States?”

And he had looked me in the eye, and it’s what he said next that drilled right up my marrow: “I am Moses. I do not leave my kin.”

I am Moses and I do not leave my kin… and it doesn’t matter if you are born in the land of LCD screens and master ensuites and SUVs with leather seats and turkey with cranberries laid out on granite countertops —  When you’re the one who ends up in the palace, you don’t forget your people. Just ask Moses or Esther or Jesus.

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own kin?“
~Isa. 58: 6-7

And that verse slams me to a stop:
The fast the Lord chooses? Is not to turn away from your kin.

The fast the Lord chooses is not to turn away from your kin, and I am Moses and I do not leave my kin, and and the bare bottom line is that if you are going to keep company with Jesus, you are going to have to give up keeping up with the Joneses. What could you want more than this?

What could you buy that is worth more than company with Jesus and your kin?

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Thankful Thursday

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1 Chronicles 23:30
to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord, and likewise at evening;

Thank you, Father....

~ that the children have some energy back, even as Mommy has no energy. We last had influenza in 2009 during the H1N1 outbreak. Beth was 10 months old and she and Momma ended up with raging sinus infections. This time I know better and my head in under a towel over a steamy pan a few times a day. The kids won't stay in that position long, but I'm trying...

~ for this site with its budget desktop PC reviews. We're simple, low-tech people with no home theater, no entertainment center, no Netflix, no gaming devices, no photo shop, no video camera. We don't currently even own a digital camera (it broke after Thanksgiving), but my honey is working overtime to replace it so we can continue to photograph their childhoods.

As far as PC's go, we need something simple but reliable that we can keep another 8 years. The CNET site gave me great information I can take with me to Best Buy, which appears to be one of the few stores still selling Windows 7 PC's. The more I read about Windows 8, the less I want to buy it.

~ that on taco and pancake and roast chicken nights, nobody grumbles about the food.

~ that Peter is busy planning the garden already. On a garden website he found seeds that turn into ginormous pumpkins. All the kids are excited about the pumpkin they envision entering in the Fair.

~ that the ACTS (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication) prayer acronym makes sure we thank and praise the Lord daily as a family.

~ that common illnesses no longer kill in mass. I finished the Wright Brother's biography but it ended with their first successful exhibition flight, performed for the Army. I read on my own to find that later one of the Wright brothers died of Typhoid Fever at age 45, their mother died early of tuberculosis, and their younger sister died of pneumonia.

~ for the enchanting way sunshine radiates off the snow, pointing to His Glory and Majesty.

What are you thankful for today?

Thankful Thursday

Psalm 50:23 The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!”

~ Thank you, Father, for allowing me to homeschool my Mary. She loves science and books and I love capturing wonder with her as her eyes are opened to knowledge. 

1 Thessalonians 5:18 Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

~ Thank you, Father, that our 1988 furnace needs replacing and when I heard it from the heater man yesterday, along with the warning to use our current furnace at our own risk, I did not panic because I know that even for big-ticket items, you graciously provide. Thank you for growing my faith over the years. Thank you for never letting me stay in one place spiritually. Sometimes I am like a stubborn mule, not wanting to move forward, but you are faithful to complete your work in all of us. 

Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

~ Thank you, Father, that we are back in touch with an old friend from California, who moved near us here in Ohio. Thank you that we can provide Christian fellowship and good cheer for his soul, as he endures life with severe bipolar disorder. Thank you that his faith carries him even in the face of mental illness. Thank you for the rich Christian fellowship.

Psalm 100:1-5 A Psalm for giving thanks. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

~ Thank you, Father, for letters from Compassion children. Thank you for how they always light us up spiritually.

Colossians 2:6-7 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

~ Thank you, Father, that although Peter's tics and OCD are not improving, he is persevering in life, not letting them drag him down. He shares his burden and as he does, the weight lifts. May he always have someone who will listen and may he lean on you most of all.

Psalm 66:1-20 To the choirmaster. A Song. A Psalm. Shout for joy to God, all the earth; sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise! Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you. All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.” Selah Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man. ...

~ Thank you, Father, for the peace that family devotions brings to our collective souls. Thank you for your steadfast love and for your Truth that heals.

Psalm 40:9-10 I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation; behold, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O Lord. I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation.

~ Thank you, Father, for an opportunity to minister to neighborhood families. Bring in the children this Saturday, Father. And may their parents share their burdens freely, trusting us to bring the peace of Christ to their children and to them. May that peace emanate from us, no matter what our day or week has been like.

Psalm 103:1-2 Of David. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,

~ Thank you, Father, that Paul learned to play The Twelve Days of Christmas on the piano this year. That silly song brought hours of joy and giggles to my children and I am so glad!

~ Thank you for one-on-one time with my children and for Daddy home a little more to do the same with them. Thank you for that Pippi Longstocking movie from the library that gave us collective giggles as we munched on popcorn and held our little ones in our laps.

~ Thank you, Father, for the hours of fun all this snow brought to my children and to neighborhood children. Thank you for their snowmen, their snow forts, their snow angels, and their homemade sled hills. All children forsake their toys and possessions when you bring your natural wonder into their lives. Thank you for the glory of your creation and for the joy. Always the joy!

Keeping Our Eyes on Him

Psalm 27:4
One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.

Psalm 34:8
Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

Proverbs 18:10
The name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe.

Isaiah 40:31
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Ephesians 3:17-19
Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

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Praising the Lord Tonight

I'm up to no good again. Sprawled on the couch you'll find three days of clean laundry and though it's midnight, dirty dinner dishes still crowd the counters.

Shoot me.

I could list other evidence of my shortcomings as a housekeeper, but I still want you to like me so I won't torture you with details about the dropped or forgotten kid items crowding our walk spaces and the cyclone we call a playroom.

Thursday is our easiest homeschooling day so there is hope for the house.

Did I tell you? Peter's decided to raise crickets. He's got a green tree frog, purchased after asthma broke his hamster-lovin' heart. Crickets are ten cents each, so he figures we'll save a bundle.

Ahem.

That is, if I can get used to this racket. Surrounding me now is a cacophony of cricket calls, and while it may be peaceful camping music, I don't prefer it while I write.

On AWANA night the kids come back so hyped, doing well means having them asleep by ten--and that's with showers and baths taken before AWANA. Poor Paul was still awake tonight at 10:30, what with three different cricket containers placed all over their room, screaming at him from every angle.

So I brought the crickets out here to the living room and now Paul sleeps soundly and I'm left wondering: Will they make this flirtatious racket all. night. long? Because I'll surely be able to hear this from my bedroom?

But Peter, he dozed right off. He's half-human, half-insect, that one. Today he placed a ginormous grasshopper in my face and didn't understand why I kept backing away. "It's not harmful, Mommy."

"It's never about harm, Son. It's about flying. up. in. my. face. I don't share my personal space with creepy crawlies. But I agree with you...they're fascinating works of God."

He also has two Walmart goldfish and a truly amazing water bug, caught at the drainage ditch (aka frog pond). Mr. Water Bug, who eats small fish and crickets, happened to be fed the third goldfish for dinner--the one that died shortly after Walmart rung up those orange buggers.

I don't have to tell you, do I, that the vicious, shark-like consumption of said goldfish by Mr. Water Bug, both fascinated and horrified my four children?

Last week Peter forgot to put the lid on the water bug's container. They jump and/or fly, so it ended up on the floor of the girls' bedroom, where I later saw it and panicked, wondering if we had cockroaches all of a sudden.

"Mommy! That's just silly. Roaches are a lot bigger and they're not rounded!" 

This, from a boy who's only seen a Madagascar cockroach--at the zoo.

Anyway, I did have a purpose for writing tonight. It wasn't just to ruin your appetite for that late-night ice cream.

We're all giddy that Lexi--a neighborhood friend we've prayed for and shared our faith with--got permission to go to AWANA club with us! And that Lexi bursting with excitement as I dropped her off at 8:22 PM?

It just made me smile and wink at God.

As she exited the van, she told us she couldn't wait to get her AWANA book. She would stay up late every night studying the whole thing, she told us. And by the way, could she come over tomorrow and read her new Holy Bible with Peter?

Yes, our beloved AWANA church gave her a copy of The Holy Bible. And do you know, every time she mentioned it she called it The Holy Bible. All the way home.

Grins, I tell you. I've been all grins tonight over this and now my cheeks hurt, some four hours later.

Never mind that she told her verse teacher about the fight she got into with a neighborhood girl. "I called her a really bad word."

Never mind that she did several other things that embarrassed Peter, though overall she behaved well.

Peter:  "Mommy, why did she have to tell Mr. Dale about all that fighting and bad word stuff? He looked surprised." (No, Lexi didn't mention which really bad word she uttered, though I trust it wasn't what you're thinking. Young children exaggerate the badness of bad words, I've found.)

Mommy:  "Well, Honey, if she went in there smelling of roses, Mr. Dale wouldn't have thought to pray for her. This way, he'll probably pray for her all week long. She needs all the prayers she can get, Peter. Trust God to work through every last detail, and remember that church is for sinners."

Mark 2:17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

The Bible tells us that God calls the ones who will believe. He awakens them spiritually and then they respond to Jesus. Since we never know who He'll call, we witness to everyone.

 Lexi was not someone I expected to hear this excited response from. And that's why my cheeks hurt from smiling tonight, and why tears keep threatening.

And the woman two houses down who didn't respond to my dinner invitation some time ago? She now sends Landon here to play several times a week, and she's thinking of putting him in AWANA. 

The Lord is good. All the time. Hallelujah!

More thanks for Thankful Thursday:

~ A friend got a part-time job, postponing some major worries

~ My boys reading Freedom Train about Harriet Tubman, and seeing with new eyes how blessed they are.

~ The Holy Bible and Lexi's excitement over owning one.

~ Mr. Dale, Peter's verse teacher at AWANA...a dear man who blesses my Peter and inspires him to do his best. 

~ Lexi's family saying yes.

~ My husband's eyes welling up when we told him about Lexi's response.

~ Late-night dish duty (hard hallelujah)

~ 12 little Cubbies struggling to understand it all and looking so adorable while they do. Ages 3 and 4, they can't quite get the concepts right for sin and dying on the cross. "What is sin?" the Cubbies teacher asks every Wednesday night. "It's when Jesus died on the cross!", the pastor's son answers with confidence. There have been many answers, but never the right ones. They don't understand why they need to love God. They just love him and it's precious. If you ask them...why do you love God? I'm sure they'll say...because He loves me. Amen to that!

And one last word about little ones and their "wisdom".

My five-year-old daughter, quite stubborn, was angry about something Peter did to her the other day. I reminded her that God forgave us, and so why couldn't she forgive a wrongdoing?

"Because he's God and I'm not." 

I had no words.