Stop Envy & Discontent in 7 Steps

Let your conduct be without covetousness; and be content with what you have: for He has said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you. – Hebrews 13:5

Do you struggle with envy or discontent?

We all do, but rarely for the same reasons. For example, I don't envy people for their things or destinations or vacations. I don't envy a childless woman's flat stomach or her pretty legs clear of varicose veins. I don't like my varicose veins, but I remember when my legs were clear too. Every women gets her turn to have her body in its virginal state; my turn is past, the same as it is for wrinkle-free skin and hair without white strands.

Envy is a struggle for me in this regard: family gatherings.

When I see cars at people's houses around holiday times, probably indicating a family get-together, I feel depressed that we're so lonely on holidays. I envy the people inside for their laughter and good cheer, and for their support.

It's just us here so I'm always on duty for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner and every other holiday preparation. Holidays can feel exhausting, not relaxing, though husband helps with the kids and the cooking. But a woman knows: there's still the planning, shopping and budgeting of food and time.

I know what some of you are thinking: The more extended family you have around, the more dysfunction you deal with, because every family has dysfunction. Maybe you'd rather cook for days than deal with hours of dysfunctional sibling or parental tension.

Yes, true, but when I drive by a happy party I don't think about the dysfunction inherent in these settings, I think about the good cheer, the togetherness, the support. The grass just looks greener over there, on holidays.

A time will come when my kids are older and we'll have more time to make friends, perhaps creating a merry table with them. God heard our cries and blessed us with our single Christian friend Dean back in January, whom we knew in California and who now lives 45 minutes away. He comes when he's feeling well, enjoying the children and vice versa.

I know this: God is not honored by envy. It's a sinful snare--the enemy's lies prevailing in our hearts for a time.

I know His plan is perfect, regardless of my feelings. My reaction is the problem, not God's plan. I'm good about counting my blessings except at holiday time.

Whatever the reason for your own envy, along with me, you can benefit from these strategies:

1. Repent 

Envy is the sin of covetousness, and the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 11:10). We should fear His reaction to our ongoing sin, as a people who love him and want to please him and bring him glory. We need to confess before God and turn 180 degrees, signaling true repentance.

2. Be spiritually prepared--head off Satan by praying ahead of time. 

If it's that certain woman's flat stomach or shiny new mini-van, pray before you see her: for a pure heart, for a grateful heart, and that you'll be able to: rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Romans 12:15

3. Do a topical study to gather Bible verses about your personal envy issue. 

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Gather all you can about your specific topic, and about contentment and gratitude in general. Read all the scriptures and then pray them into your heart, which is an act of faith that God will change you--it's an important step to true heart change. We can read a scripture and think it sounds wonderful, but change comes when we care enough and believe enough to ask God for help; we can't change on our own. 

"Dear Father, I ask that this scripture be realized in my heart...that I would live its truth and bring you glory. Change me, Lord."

4. Keep track of your progress. 

Psalm 103:2 Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits--

Next time you see that woman and don't give her van or her flat stomach a single thought, rejoice. Tell God thank you. He's heard the cry of your heart. He loves you; he rejoices in you. He's faithful.

5. Count your blessings. 
Psalm 40:5 Many, LORD my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare.

Counting our blessings is not about being thankful for what we have in comparison to others. It's about realizing that in Christ, we have everything.

6. Be generous with your blessings. 

Acts 20:35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

7. Trust God and surrender completely. 

Mark 14:35-36 And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

Know that His plan for your life, including how you spend holidays, is perfect. Recognize and celebrate His sovereignty, perfection, and faithfulness. Give up having it your way: Lay down your life, your plans, your hopes, for the glory of God.

There's no greater joy, no greater gain, than when we surrender to our Lord completely, our white flag indicating we love Him more than we love ourselves. 

When His glory finally becomes our goal, we can be perfectly content.

Relevant Scriptures:

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain that we can carry nothing out. – 1Timothy 6:6-7

Let your conduct be without covetousness; and be content with what you have: for He has said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you. – Hebrews 13:5

A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. The heart of him that has understanding seeks knowledge: but the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness. All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart has a continual feast. Better is a little with the fear of Yahweh than great treasure with trouble. – Proverbs 15:13-16

A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy is rottenness to the bones. – Proverbs 14:30

Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatever state I am in to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. – Philippians 4:11-13

Prayer Time: 
Dear Heavenly Father, how we love you. Thank you for your beautiful, steadfast, sacrificial love. You gave it all to redeem us and we want to live for you, honor you and bring you glory. Change our hearts, Lord. Whatever state we're in, teach us to be content and thankful. Help us to truly repent of envy, to be spiritually prepared through the power of prayer, to study your Word, to track our progress, to count our blessings, to be generous, and to surrender fully to you. We have everything in You, Lord. Open our eyes so we can truly see what the Lamb of God has done for us.

In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.

Giving Thanks Today:

~ sunshine on Monday

~ fireworks

~ kids bowl free (Mary got 4 strikes and 3 spares in two games--by rolling the ball!)

~ a little headway on our fruit fly problem

~ morning glories climbing the fence

~ neighbors loaning my boys and the neighbor kids a bike ramp

~ little Beth's tonsil & adenoid surgery is this Wednesday. Breathing normally will be such a wonderful thing for her after all these months.

~ Paul playing beautifully on the piano

~ Beth playing with her dollies so sweetly

~ God's Word

~ Knowing that He is so faithful and loves us so much

~ Compassion letters

~ four precious children filling my home and heart

Giving thanks with Ann Voskamp today for Multitude Monday, at Holy Experience.

What are you thankful for today, my friend?


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A Joyful Heart is Yours

The studies prove conclusive: grateful people are happier with their lives, have better relationships, are physically healthier, and are more optimistic about the future.

Sounds wonderful, but how do we get there?

First, we pray for a thankful state of mind.

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

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.

God commands us to be thankful, yes, but he never expects us to change on our own; He's always there by our side. Real heart change comes from the Holy Spirit, not from ourselves, so when we want change, we should first pray, then listen.

Along with prayer, we can start keeping a gratitude journal, which studies show produces positive results in just 10 weeks!

So don't just read someone else's gratitude journal, start your own and reap the benefits. 

The next thing we can do is make a practice of writing thank-you notes to all those who've blessed us in some way. I believe in this practice myself, but I need better discipline to keep up with it. That's where prayer comes in: I need to pray for the discipline and commitment. 

Armed with these suggestions, we're well on our way to a more grateful heart, but nothing will happen outside of careful planning. We have to plan for the quiet time to pray for thankfulness.

A consistent quiet time arises only through planning. Otherwise, it's hit or miss. The changes in our hearts will be hit or miss too. We get out of our relationship with the Lord only what we put into it.

So first thing, we need to sit down and think about our day. Where does prayer fit in? Are there other things that must go, to make room for quiet time? What idols are squeezing God out of our lives? Did we arrive at church yesterday with our Bibles, only to realize that we hadn't opened them since the previous Sunday? If so, we're missing out on so many gifts from a gracious God, gratitude being only one of them.

Exodus 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Deuteronomy 6:5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

Giving thanks today

Dear Father, thank you for these graces and blessings:

~ For the beautiful sunset last night.

~ That God will finish the work he started in us.

~ That it's never too late to start a love affair with the Lord our God.

~ For freedom from persecution here in America.

~ For the redemptive power of prayer.

~ For a gentle husband.

~ For the glory of God as seen in a firefly, in garden growth, in the birds that visit, in sunsets.

~ For a houseful of kids to love.

~ That kids can see the glory of God even in a pesky Japanese Beetle.

~ That Christians dare to love each other and sharpen each other in Him.

~ That even when the Gospel separates us from family, God satisfies our hearts. He is enough.

~ That my father-in-law, 90 years old, called here on Father's Day, after not speaking to us in 5 years (not answering calls, not opening letters). How we have prayed and prayed! He has undiagnosed OCD that rules a lot of his spiritual thoughts, and he's a whole lot of stubborn. Had my 11-year-old son not had OCD, I wouldn't have recognized it in husband's father. Their thought patterns are similar, but because of no diagnosis or treatment, the father's is far worse. At his age he wouldn't be open to a discussion about OCD.

I pray we can care for him soon, but he thinks it's too cold for his arthritis here and may opt for assisted living near his home in Florida. He lives alone right now and has since his forties. My husband's mother was killed in an auto accident when husband was just 16 years old, and his father never remarried. Having been raised by a mentally-challenged mother, he had no model for love or graciousness. He's hurt more than he's helped his kids, but my husband carries no grudge and is gentle and loving with his father.

I pray that we can speak Jesus' love into his heart in his last days, giving him peace and hope. He brought his family up in Bible-teaching Baptist churches and we thank he's a Christian, but the OCD distorts so much of his core beliefs.

I want to encourage you: when you're praying for something for a very long time, it's hard to keep the faith. I know. But recently our prayers about my headaches have been answered, and now this prayer about my father-in-law contacting us has been answered. Always keep track of the answers, and never give up.

My own parents and siblings have yet to be saved and are as hostile as ever to the Gospel, but I know an answer can come at any time.

Our Lord is always there, working it out for His glory...on His timetable.

Bless you friends. I pray you have a beauty-filled week!

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A Mom Gone Wrong, A Redemptive Prayer

Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD. Psalm 31:24

I wear so many hats it makes me dizzy sometimes.

counselor
Bible teacher
mom
wife
cook
barber
beautician
lover
academic teacher
time manager
referee
daughter
nurse
laundry maid
housekeeper
accountant
financial analyst
grocery shopper
bargain hunter

Cutting boys' hair at 9:00 PM tonight, after a long day, I couldn't believe the emotional and mental exhaustion. After snipping the last section of hair, I felt empty.

Nothing left to give.

And then they were brushing their teeth--silence was almost mine.

One impulsive son played with a battery-operated toothbrush just for fun, earlier in the day, leaving it on the floor.

Once we found it, I had to disinfect it, delaying my much needed "break".

And I went ballistic. "That's one of the stupidest things you've ever done! You know how expensive batteries are...and how could you leave someone's toothbrush on the floor?"

I felt rushed because it was late, and desperate for alone time. My fault for starting on hair too late; I'm not good at it and it always takes longer than anticipated.

I didn't say I was good at all the hats listed above, just that I had to wear them.

Stupid is a word you should never use while parenting...especially to an ADHD child, because they already feel inadequate half the time. Lack of impulse control and poor judgement are part of their lives until they take their last breath, unless the miraculous happens.

Healing.

Outside of healing, living with ADHD is a constant begging for grace...on everyone's part.

Hidden learning disabilities are tough. People who look perfectly normal are expected to act perfectly normal. Even I forget sometimes and expect too much.

Expecting too little is as dangerous as expecting too much and finding that balance makes me dizzy.

The more children God gives you, the more exhausted you are at the end of the day. That's not rocket science.

And when God gives you special-needs children, the exhaustion compounds, just as the blessings do.

What to do?

What to do when the circumstances God gifts you with render you a failure?

We have too little support. As in, almost none. My husband's hours are too long. He worked all day today, Saturday, because when Beth goes for surgery in 11 days I'll be in the hospital with her for 23 hours, meaning husband will lose pay as he cares for our other 3 children. He had to make up for that.

Twenty-three hours is not a typical stay for having tonsils and adenoids out, but she's at risk for bleeding due to her arthritis meds, even though she'll take a ten-day break from them before surgery and after.

What to do when you can't possibly wear all the hats well? What to do when you say the word stupid in the context of parenting? What to do when you know your own imperfections sometimes hurt your children, and will continue to?

I may think I'll never say stupid again. My heart may be to never utter it again.

But something else, in the future, will occur at the peak of my emotional exhaustion. Something senseless and wasteful and...well...stupid.

My face will radiate ugly and my words will sting.

It's an ugly truth.

I can apologize.

I already did.

But what more? What more can I do to erase my sins and release well-balanced, loving, giving, thoughtful human beings into a hostile world that desperately needs Jesus? How can I release children who will be Jesus to a hurting, blind world?

I'm not perfect and I can't do this well and some of their memories will be sorrowful ones.

But I want to get this right! For the glory of God I want to get this right.

All is not lost because while I'm not perfect, I can offer something that is. And you can too.

Prayers.

As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you; and you will be comforted over Jerusalem." Isaiah 66:13

Prayers are perfect. They are perfect communion with the Healer and Redeemer and Lover of our soul. And a mother's prayers erase all the bad days.

A prayer is asking for help.
A prayer is acknowledging our failure and His sovereignty and perfection.
A prayer is an act of humility before God.
A prayer is a confession.
A prayer is a heart gone right.
A prayer is a hope, realized.
A prayer is a washing of our soul.
A prayer is a renewed mercy, a renewed grace.

A prayer is the perfect answer to life's every problem. Life's every imperfection and unfortunate circumstance.

Down on our knees, telling our innermost failures and asking that they be redeemed, that the blood of the Lamb would cover them. That God would favor us once again with His radical grace.

Favor me, please Lord, a mother in distress. A mother in over her head. Favor me, favor my children and my husband. Cover us and make something good of our messy lives.

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

Like the caterpillar wriggles beauty out of the chrysalis, wriggle beauty out of our hearts, Lord.

A metamorphosis of the heart. A total eclipse of brokenness. For your glory.

Always for your glory.

In Jesus name, Amen.

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. Isaiah 40:31

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No More Google Reader after June 30

You've probably heard this somewhere on the net, but just to give you another heads-up, remember that June 30 is the last day Google Reader will be operational. You will have to rebuild your list of favorite blogs if you don't switch before July 1.

My blog sidebar is my "reader" so I don't have many suggestions. However, I do know Feedly and Bloglovin offer a one-click Google Reader Import.

Feedly

Bloglovin

Happy blog reading, friends!

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Homeschool and Mother's Journal, June 28

In my life this week:
Our pastor came over on Tuesday night to make us members of the church--something which had to be done for me to work as a children's ministry coordinator. Prior to the meeting we had to take a spiritual gifts inventory and read through the church constitution and statement of faith.

We had such a pleasant time with this young man! At 35 years old, he's the most down-to-earth pastor we've ever had. Most of the congregation is at least 35 or older, so at times that must feel strange to him, but he does a wonderful job.

The first six years in Ohio we had salesman-personality pastors. You know the ones--good with people, but often disingenuous. They say all the right things at the right times, keeping a persona going that's more confident than humble, more calculated than natural.

Our young pastor is so refreshing in comparison. No, he doesn't stand by the door and shake everyone's hand as they leave; that isn't his personality.

It feels wonderful to have finally found a church home here, after leaving a jewel of a church behind in California, which outside of its mega-church size, we really loved.

My husband will help with hospital visits and possibly, in the future, do some pastoral counseling. This is even a pastor who lets other Bible-scholar types preach occasionally, which could mean a thrilling opportunity for my husband, who went to Bible college and a year of seminary. (Pastor gets a lot of sudden kidney stones, for one thing.)

In our homeschool this week:
We do half-days from June to August (followed by 6 weeks off--but they read 5 days a week year round). Half-day means the boys read a novel for 30 minutes, read the Bible, and then alternate between reading another half-hour of non-fiction in science or history. Math is 2-3 times a week, and writing is daily, alternating between dictation and narration. We're short on art samples so ahead of our August 5th portfolio appointment, I'm having them do more art.

Both boys are still reading Johnny Tremain, a revolutionary war novel by Esther Forbes. I happen to think it's a well-written, thoughtful novel, but both boys have complained about it at times.



Some interesting information about this author: She was a historian, not a novelist, and she had dyslexia. She rarely spelled a word the same way twice, and she used dashes as her only punctuation. Apparently quite stubborn, she refused to clean up her copy for editors. The novel persevered through these obstacles, as well as another big one: it was released during World War II.

I find the writing genius, with the character development particularly strong, but the boys don't like her detail-oriented writing style, which makes the novel move slower than it might. I'm making them persevere and I think in the end they'll admit this is excellent literature.

A few months ago we checked out a Kit American Girl movie about the Great Depression. It was outstanding, as are most of the American girl characters and stories. Peter liked these characters in particular, so when he recently stumbled upon a couple Kit American Girl Mysteries, he checked them out. Of course he was sort of embarrassed about it, but I assured him they were fine for boys too.

Many a mom has wished the wholesome American Girl series could be followed up by a similar series for boys, but nothing yet as far as I know. The Kit series has plenty of boys in it, thank goodness.

When a book's main character is a girl, I always tell my sons that reading about wholesome girls helps them recognize wholesomeness--knowledge they'll need when they're ready for courtship.

Two library finds are thrilling my Karl Rove-clone, statistician son: The New Big Book of America, and the Smithsonian Children's Encyclopedia of American History. 9-year-old Paul sits down with these books and keeps saying, "All of this is so interesting!"



Publisher Synopsis: Bright, lively, and informative, this state-by-state guide to America was designed for children ages 9 to 12. Each state is represented by a colorful topographical map accompanied by illustrations and text of the famous people, places, and events that have shaped its history. This comprehensive volume provides a well-rounded look at the United States in a format that's appealing and easy to use.



Publisher Synopsis: Current events discussions are now an integral learning tool in classrooms across the country. With its up-to-the-moment content and engaging style, this major reference book is an essential resource for helping children relate today's news to the events of the past. Focusing on the who, what, when, where, and how, with stunning pictures and a cutting-edge visual style, DK's Children's Encyclopedia of American History is published in conjunction with the Smithsonian Institution to present a completely unique survey of the story of America. Featuring more than 1,000 photographs, plus maps, charts, and profiles of famous Americans, the design of the book has been painstakingly considered to pull in even the most reluctant reader.

Things my Paul loves beyond measure are maps and charts and diagrams and statistics. How he can get lost in those! 



In honor of Independence Day, I checked out five Lynne Cheney picture books (Vice President Dick Cheney's wife). She happens to be an acclaimed novelist who loves America. No matter your opinion of her husband, know that she's a wonderful writer with a heart for her country and its children. All product descriptions below are from christianbook.com.

We The People: The Story of Our Constitution, by Lynne Cheney




Product Description: Though the Revolution was over, the troubles of this new nation were far from over. The states were squabbling, the country could not pay its bills, and in Massachusetts farmers had taken up arms against the government. Would this new country even survive? Delegates from across the country--including George Washington, James Madison, and Benjamin Franklin--gathered in Philadelphia in May 1787. Over the course of the summer, they created a new framework for governing: the Constitution of the United States. Their efforts turned a shaky alliance of states into a nation that would prosper and grow powerful, drawing its strength for centuries to come from "We the people" and inspiring hope for freedom around the world. Recommended for ages 7 to 10.

America: A Patriotic Primer, by Lynne Cheney


Product description: "L is for Lincoln, M is for Madison." Teach your kids the ABCs of American history with this "stars and stripes" book. Lynne Cheney---wife of the vice president---reinforces the godly values, ideals, people, and events that make our country great. Features delightful illustrations and explanatory notes. Ages 4 to 8. 40 pages, hardcover from Simon & Schuster.


Our Fifty States: A Family Adventure Across America, by Lynne Cheney



Product Description:
An endless path of whimsical illustrations will keep kids' (and adults'!) eyes glued to the pages. Following the adventures of a family and their dog around each of the fifty states, they begin in Massachusetts (where the Pilgrims landed) and finish in Hawaii (our newest state), visiting all the major famous sites, people, symbols, and events along the way! With tons of tiny illustrations and captions highlighting the unique features of each state that together comprise America! 72 pages, hardcover.

When George Washington Crossed the Delaware, by Lynne Cheney



Product Description: This boldly illustrated book captures the danger and bravado of Washington's crossing of the Delaware. Written by vice president's wife Lynne Cheney as a Christmas time story, quotes from revolutionary leaders (with accompanying end notes) and stirring prose bring Washington's story of Continental triumph to life. 40 pages, hardcover with dust jacket and reinforced binding. Ages 4-8.

A is for Abigail: An Almanac of Amazing American Women, by Lynne Cheney



Product Description: Lynne Cheney and Robin Preiss Glasser collaborated on America: A Patriotic Primer, which captured the imagination of American children and became a national best-seller. Now they turn their hands to A is for Abigail: An Almanac of Amazing American Women and bring the great women of American history to life. Filled to the brim with words and pictures that celebrate the remarkable (although often unmarked) achievements of American women, this is a book to relish and to read again and again.

Mothers, daughters, schoolchildren, generations of families -- everyone -- will take Abigail Adam's words to heart and "remember the ladies" once they read the stories of these astonishing, astounding, amazing American women.

Places We're Going and People We're Seeing:
We might head to a local lake beach this weekend, weather permitting. Lake swimming is my children's favorite summer outing, besides the county fair. For my part, I try not to obsess about the dangers of lake swimming, but it's hard when stories about brain-eating amoebas float around. The water shouldn't be over 80 degrees yet, however, so we're probably okay this weekend. We'll invite our friend Dean along; it's hard to keep an eye on four children in the water, by ourselves.

We've been to the Tuesday young learners library program, entailing story time, movement, and story-related craft, and we've been to our twice-monthly speech appointment for the three younger ones.

Why three speech kids in the same family, you ask? I think our tongues are too large. Seriously. The speech teacher thinks this is a possibility as well. If I don't slow down, I easily sound like I have marbles in my mouth when I speak.

My Favorite Things This Week:.
Reading to my kids, the pleasant meeting with the pastor, playing baseball in the backyard with my children, and watching my 4-year-old daughter dance around skillfully, as if an accomplished ballerina. Music and dancing are her favorites, though I don't know if dancing is the best thing for her arthritic knees and left ankle. Her body sure moves with an uncommon grace.



My Kiddos Favorite Things This Week:

Mary, age 6: Catching fireflies, going to my library program, learning to ride without training wheels.

The no-training wheels happened last week, but I was too busy blogging for Compassion (covering their Nicaragua trip for my readers) to do a mother's journal. A neighbor boy with a head for mechanics took off my daughter's training wheels. No one asked me my opinion about this, but that is typical when it comes to the kids' bikes. They try to do all their own bike mechanics, with this 9-year-old neighbor's help. I would have said yes, since of course at 6 she is ready--we just hadn't thought about it and she hadn't asked.

By the time I was done with the lunch dishes, she rode pretty well. By dinner she was a champ! Not on the street yet though, as the back tire promptly went out soon after she learned. We're on the hunt for a 14-inch tire. (It's always something with kids' bikes, isn't it? Our bikes are older so there's some problem almost weekly).

Paul, age 9: Inventing a battleship game with paper and then playing it with my brother; catching fireflies and looking at history books.

Peter, age 11: Catching fireflies, tending to the garden, watching an African cats DVD, playing baseball with Mommy.

Beth, age 4: All the music and dancing, playing with my dolls and my books.

Things I'm Working On:
I'm doing the main teaching for preschool VBS in two weeks, and I don't have my materials yet! Organizational skills aren't the strong point at the church we go to for AWANA and VBS (not our home church). I will be very busy, obviously, the night before each teaching is due; with preschoolers you can never be too well prepared.

I'm trying to work out what combination of exercise tapes and walking I can put together to make up a consistent exercise routine, with homemade weights thrown in. I have a Richard Simmons and something that looks like it was put out by Shape magazine--both from the thrift store so not current, and both never used by me yet.

I'm Cooking:
For dinner this week:
taco bake
shepherd's pie
sloppy turkey joes
omelets, cafe potatoes, and fresh-frozen mixed berries
crockpot whole chicken
grilled chicken
Little Caesar's Pizza (Tuesday, so I could clean the house ahead of Pastor's visit)

I'm Grateful For:
My children's interests and passions, their love and fellowship, the opportunity to disciple them, my husband's hard work and love for his family, good books, our Compassion children's letters, our church family

I'm Praying For:
My children and family, my own heart growth, our neighbors, our Compassion children and their families, my friends and their children, money for a new Internet router. The living-area computer I write on at night while everyone sleeps is completely unreliable as far as the signal goes. The signal originates from the master bedroom, where of course my husband is sleeping when I have time to write.

Getting a new, $500 computer back in February, which we badly needed, did nothing to help our speed and reliability problem. I pass many a frustrated hour with my computer situation, chanting I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me...including handling frustration over poor equipment, gracefully. We have a $29 a month Internet service (no cable or land phone), which is the lowest broadband speed. But that shouldn't result in the wireless signal going out so frequently. We've tried other things, and now we need to replace the router.

Sorry to bore you with all that....

Quote or Link to Share:

Another poem by my favorite poet, Edgar Guest. Have a wonderful weekend, friends! And now it's your turn: What neat things did you enjoy this week?

Home

BY EDGAR ALBERT GUEST

It takes a heap o’ livin’ in a house t’ make it home,

A heap o’ sun an’ shadder, an’ ye sometimes have t’ roam

Afore ye really ’preciate the things ye lef’ behind,

An’ hunger fer ’em somehow, with ’em allus on yer mind.

It don’t make any differunce how rich ye get t’ be,

How much yer chairs an’ tables cost, how great yer luxury;

It ain’t home t’ ye, though it be the palace of a king,

Until somehow yer soul is sort o’ wrapped round everything.

Home ain’t a place that gold can buy or get up in a minute;

Afore it’s home there’s got t’ be a heap o’ livin’ in it;

Within the walls there’s got t’ be some babies born, and then

Right there ye’ve got t’ bring ‘em up t’ women good, an’ men;

And gradjerly, as time goes on, ye find ye wouldn’t part

With anything they ever used—they’ve grown into yer heart:

The old high chairs, the playthings, too, the little shoes they wore

Ye hoard; an’ if ye could ye’d keep the thumbmarks on the door.

Ye’ve got t’ weep t’ make it home, ye’ve got t’ sit an’ sigh

An’ watch beside a loved one’s bed, an’ know that Death is nigh;

An’ in the stillness o’ the night t’ see Death’s angel come,

An’ close the eyes o’ her that smiled, an’ leave her sweet voice dumb.

Fer these are scenes that grip the heart, an’ when yer tears are dried,

Ye find the home is dearer than it was, an’ sanctified;

An’ tuggin’ at ye always are the pleasant memories

O’ her that was an’ is no more—ye can’t escape from these.

Ye’ve got t’ sing an’ dance fer years, ye’ve got t’ romp an’ play,

An’ learn t’ love the things ye have by usin’ ’em each day;

Even the roses ’round the porch must blossom year by year

Afore they ’come a part o’ ye, suggestin’ someone dear

Who used t’ love ’em long ago, an’ trained ’em jes’ t’ run

The way they do, so’s they would get the early mornin’ sun;

Ye’ve got t’ love each brick an’ stone from cellar up t’ dome:

It takes a heap o’ livin’ in a house t’ make it home.

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