Multitude Monday and Psalm 34

Can't help but wish we had a walk in the garden to look forward to,
instead of doctor appointments.

I find myself up in the middle of the night, seeking comfort

My Beth has two appointments Monday afternoon. One is with her rheumatologist and the other with her ophthalmologist. The last check on her eyes, about three weeks ago, revealed just a little inflammation in her right eye (part of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis in 25% of cases), so she had to go back on the steroid eye drops. At this appointment we check to see if the inflammation is gone. 

And the rheumatology appointment is her routine, every-six-weeks arthritis check-up (she has the disease in both knees). At the last one a cancer drug was mentioned, which we are opposed to. Since that appointment Beth's visual swelling has been down, and she's suffered no flares, thank the Lord. I am hoping the drug will not be mentioned again.

These appointments always spark fear in my heart. It's hard to relax and let go, since so much rides on what the doctors determine. And attending two back-to-back appointments with four kids in tow? Not exactly a picnic. 

And what better comfort than Psalms, and giving thanks for His gracious gifts?

Psalm 34 is indeed a gift. I urge you to share it with the brokenhearted in your life, and with all who need comfort.

Scripture in red, my words in blue.

Psalm 34

¹I will extol the LORD at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.

² My soul will boast in the LORD;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.

³ Glorify the LORD with me;
let us exalt his name together.

It's hard to lament when praise is on our lips. We can't grumble or fear when we praise. Praising God? It's the answer to every problem.

⁴ I sought the LORD, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.

Yes, he always answers! How glorious is His love and faithfulness!

⁵ Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.

Yes, this is so true. Those who pray, who read the Word faithfully, they have something special. Radiance from being in His presence. Don't forsake His presence; it's your lifeblood.

⁶ This poor man called, and the LORD heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.

⁷ The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.

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

Taste and see? It means to spend time with the Lord. To know him intimately.

⁹ Fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him lack nothing.

¹⁰ The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

Yes, yes! He is enough.

¹¹ Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

¹² Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,

¹³ keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking lies.

¹⁴ Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.

¹⁵ The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their cry;

¹⁶ the face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.

Not only must we spend time with the Lord, but fear Him as well. To fear him is to know he is a righteous God who detests sin and will not tolerate it. To fear him is to obey him. And we must always confess our sin. Yes, he died on the cross to redeem us--we are forgiven--but we continue to sin and that sin needs to be confessed. Don't assume the cross means we never have to humble ourselves before the Lord and loved ones, to confess wrong deeds and a wrong heart condition. Let us not keep sin hidden, so that our prayers are not hindered. 

¹⁷ The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.

¹⁸ The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

He became man and He knows our limitations, our afflictions. He loves us and is faithful to hurt with us and for us. Hallelujah!

¹⁹ A righteous man may have many troubles,
but the LORD delivers him from them all;

Does this mean He takes all our troubles away? Not always and not immediately. To be delivered from something could very well mean to be given the strength to rise above it...to live for eternity.

²⁰ he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.

²¹ Evil will slay the wicked;
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.

²² The LORD redeems his servants;
no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him.


Prayer Time: Dear Heavenly Father, once again I must thank you for the Psalms. How they heal and make my heart and soul soar. Thank you for your grace and mercy, for your faithfulness. Thank you for always answering our cries. Thank you for being close to the brokenhearted. Thank you for delivering us from our troubles, if only in our hearts and minds. Thank you for the redemptive quality of praise and thanksgiving. May it renew my friends and family also, today. May you be with them intimately. May you draw them to yourself. In your Son's name I pray, Amen. 

Giving more thanks today...

~ for Paul and Peter, who finally graduated from Momma's School of Baking. I have given up control and let them loose in the kitchen. No longer do I stand by and make sure just the right amount of flour and other ingredients make it into the bowls. They love the freedom and every second or third day, they bake something. So far we've enjoyed chocolate chip muffins, pumpkin pie, brownies, strawberry muffins, and now, today, snicker doodles

~ for my littlest girl, whose hugs and cuddles soothe my soul.

~ for my husband, who never has harsh words for me.

~ for opportunities to minister to Lexi, our new neighborhood friend.

~ for getting caught up on the folding.

~ for boys and little girls who fold their own socks and underwear.

~ for sunshine and cooler temperatures.

~ for a wonderful variety of birds at our feeders.

~ for a marriage rooted in peace and charity.

~ for my boys becoming consistent in their personal devotions. Trust the Holy Spirit and the Word. They will beckon a child's heart, if we provide the opportunity. Make it mandatory at first. You'll find that it grows on them.

~ for Peter, who remarked today, when Lexi went briefly home to check in with her mom, which she must do every thirty minutes: "That's good that she checks in with her mom when she's supposed to, isn't it Mommy? It makes me feel good when kids obey their parents."

Lexi is in the middle of a two-week restriction from using her bike, for going home too late one night (not from here). I think that really made an impression on her. Once today Paul even reminded her to go check in, which made me chuckle inside.

~ for a God who always provides, though on paper, it seems impossible.

~ for the Book of Jonah. It's taught me more about mercy than any other Bible lesson.

~ for little girls who sit on the couch with a book in their hands, though they can't yet read.

~ for the wonders of intercessory prayer. Think you got troubles? Start praying for others and feel the wonder of relief. A trouble is not a trouble unless we focus on it intently. Praying for others is an outward focus, rather than an inward one. And outward focus heals. No, it's not avoidance. Once you pray about your trouble, letting it go means to stop focusing on it. You've given it to God and that's all you can do at present. If He wants you to do more, he'll tell you. In the meantime, interceed for others and your heart will grow in charity and gratitude. Prayer is powerful in so many ways! So redemptive, so beautiful.

Linking with Ann for Multitude Monday.

Something About Jonah, Part 1

This week at the dinner table we read the Book of Jonah. I found it so intriguing, mostly because of the bizarre ending, that I also studied it during my personal devotional times. I'd like to go through it together here, as well (four chapters total).

Unlike most of the prophet books, this one focuses almost entirely on Jonah the man, rather than on his ministry. He prophesied about seventy-five years after the prophet Elisha, to the twelve Northern Tribes called Israel, at a time when Israel was regaining some of its power and prosperity.



After Jeroboam II came to power the nation of Israel began to flourish. Several successful wars were fought, defeating Syria, Moab and Ammon, thereby bringing great wealth to the nation.

Jeroboam II followed the evil ways of his father, Jeroboam I, in continuing the idolatrous worship of the golden calves. Worship of God occurred too, at Dan, Bethel, Gilgal, and Beersheba, but the Prophet Amos, a contemporary of Jonah, declared these vain ritual acts devoid of any righteous intent. At the time of Jonah the Northern Kingdom was 100 years into idolatry

Jonah 1

1 The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”

What God was asking here? No small order. Nineveh (capital of Assyria) was Israel's worst enemy at the time. It was a grotesquely wicked nation, guilty of horrific war crimes against Israel. All of Israel wanted justice against Ninevah--their enemy destroyed at the hands of their righteous God.

3 But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish . He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.


Tarshish was probably Spain, a land as far away from Ninevah as possible--the end of the known world at the time. Paying the fare and leaving his family were great sacrifices, obviously. We will come to find out later that Jonah feared Ninevah would repent, and that the Lord, full of compassion and abiding in love, would have mercy on them and spare them. This wild mercy? Instead of total destruction? It didn't sit well with Jonah, to say the least. He was willing to resign from the ministry and leave his family and friends--give up everything--to prevent God's mercy.

What a piece of work...right? A total jerk. Who runs from God's assignments? And who has a heart so hard? You and I and all of mankind. We are all Jonahs. 

4 Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. 5 All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship.


But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. 6 The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.”

This storm?  It was the first miracle in the Book of Jonah. The sailors, all professionals, had never seen anything like it. It struck fear into their hearts and they knew it had to come from some angry god.

7 Then the sailors said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.” They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 So they asked him, “Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What kind of work do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?”


Casting lots was a pagan custom. Miracle number two--the lot fell on Jonah.


9 He answered, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land. ”


10 This terrified them and they asked, “What have you done?” (They knew he was running away from the Lord, because he had already told them so.)


11 The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?”

12 “Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.”


Jonah, about this time, felt his own death inevitable. His angry Lord's judgement? Imminent, so why drag the sailors down with him? While he had no mercy for the 120,000 pagans in Ninevah, for these few pagans, he did.

13 Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. 14 Then they cried out to the Lord, “Please, Lord, do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, Lord, have done as you pleased.” 15 Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. 16 At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him.


Who comes out better here? The prophet, a man of God who, unlike most of mankind, actually gets to talk to the One, True, Living God? Or the pagan sailors? Sadly, the pagan sailors, who had mercy on Jonah for as long as they could. Instead of immediately throwing him over, they did their best to row back to land. Contrast their mercy, as pagans, with Jonah's heart toward Nineveh.

17 Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

Where else in the Bible do we hear of three days and three nights? 

Matthew 12:38-40

Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”

39 He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Many Bible scholars believe Jonah actually died in the fish, and that the Lord brought him back to life. Some claim the fish was a whale, while others, who remind us that whales can't open their mouths that wide, believe it was a large fish. I believe it was miracle number 3. God fashioned the fish especially for Jonah's salvation. 

My Lord? He didn't need to find an existing animal for his task. He is the Almighty, Living God, who created all. He needed a special fish on demand? No problem. Sometimes Bible scholars need to get their heads out of their books and put their eyes on God, who walks on water, opens vast seas, makes water appear from rocks, heals the sick and the crippled, rains manna in the desert, makes all things new, and conquers death!


Join me next week for Jonah 2 and 3.

Linking with my new friend Wendy today, who lives in Scotland, UK. 

Time Magazine Breastfeeding Fiasco

America's talking about it. Oh my, are they talking about it.

Breastfeeding older children, that is.

Time Magazine's over-the-top cover picturing a mother breastfeeding her three-year-old son, profoundly disappoints me. I like Dr. Sears--an excellent pediatrician who writes about attachment parenting--very much. But I'm dismayed that he would have anything to do with this sensational magazine cover, as a Christian doctor, without mentioning that he disagrees with the magazine's ethics--not to mention the 26-year-old mother's ethics. I'm sure she's probably quite nice, but she did exploit her body and her son with this photo.

I haven't read the article itself, but I've read several articles about the attachment parenting piece, and I did not come across a Dr. Sear's objection to the photo. Maybe he thought the end--a nationwide focus on attachment parenting and extended breastfeeding--justified the means? If so, I definitely disagree.

I'm not necessary an attachment-minded parent, but I do love slings and co-sleeping. They generally help children feel content and secure, and most moms and babies get better quality sleep this way. It's clearly not for everyone though.

I breastfeed my 3.5-year-old daughter frequently, but never in public (though I think discreet public feedings are fine). There is simply no reason to draw attention to something this personal, unless it's to educate. And photos, if they're used (why are they necessary?) should be of a natural breastfeeding position, with the child's body concealing the breast entirely. If people already think it's weird, why upset them with exposures they're not used to? What is gained by this? Certainly not understanding.

The photo aside, I'm just as dismayed at the reaction to extended breastfeeding this article spurred. For example:

~ Women who breastfeed older children do it to meet their own twisted needs. Really?

~ These children are being sexually abused. Really?

~ There is no benefit to breastfeeding this long. Children should gain independence by these ages, or they'll have problems for life. Really?

Refuting these arguments is simple, but I've yet to read anything using the best defense imaginable: God's design. 

If you don't like breastfeeding, fine. Do what works for you. It seems immoral to pit one mother against another. We are all gifted in different areas and no mother is perfect, regardless of her child-rearing beliefs.

That aside, most mothers actually want to breastfeed, but many don't have adequate support. Husbands, mother-in-laws, mothers, gynecologists, maternity nurses, and pediatricians can be surprisingly unsupportive of breastfeeding, making it very difficult for an exhausted new mom to get beyond the initiation period, which can last as long as two months.

The worst thing breastfeeding advocates can do is to discount the lack of choice many women have in regards to this issue. Latching doesn't come easy for every baby, or for every mother. Things can go fine at the hospital, but when the milk comes in baby is overwhelmed by the larger breast. Whatever colostrum latch she managed before becomes much more difficult and frustrating with engorgement. This period especially, is crucial in terms of support. Mommy and baby can both be in tears frequently. And baby needs to eat right now, regardless of latch problems. The whole experience begs for moral support and professional support--both of which are lacking oftentimes.

Two of my babies had great difficulty with latch. My first child, though ultimately successful, didn't latch at all for three whole weeks. I developed post-partum preeclampsia and had to be admitted to the hospital without him--before he'd ever latched, which prolonged our difficulties. And my last child, still breastfeeding today, didn't develop a consistent latch until she was one month old. Those were incredibly stressful times and without my husband's unwavering support, and our desperate prayers, I would have failed.

I would never judge a bottlefeeding mother. There are simply too many variables involved. I know how blessed I was to have support, and my heart is for every mother to have the same fighting chance.

If we get nothing else right in this debate, let's get this one thing right: Breastfeeding is God's perfect design. It's His heart for babies and young children. His work. Let's not tolerate anything that defiles His work, regardless of personal feelings about breastfeeding. To do so is like laughing in God's face.

He designed a mother's milk to last as long as a child needs it, emotionally and physically. Most children, worldwide, self-wean between 2 and 7 years of age. The average self-weaning age is 4 years old. Around the world this is considered natural, not weird.


Our Lord is the only perfection we'll ever know. He does not make mistakes! If he felt extended breastfeeding was harmful or weird, he would have designed mother's milk to dry up earlier, regardless of a child's suckling frequency.


Here is an article on the benefits to child and mother, of breastfeeding for extended periods.

The Lord Blesses My Peter

                      

Peter woke up earlier than usual, while I was in attending to Beth's cries. When I came out of her room, Peter could barely contain himself:



"Mommy! Jesus told me to read the Bible and have my personal prayer time. And so I did. And guess what! You wouldn't believe it! Right after that I went to the window and saw a rose-breasted grosbeak at the feeder! Jesus blessed me because I obeyed him, didn't he? And then he told me to read another chapter. And I did, so do you think I'll see the grosbeak again today?"






I told Peter he was absolutely right. Jesus intentionally blessed him. Jesus loves to build a child's faith by actively displaying His faithfulness and steadfast love. And I added that, yes, I did believe he would see the bird again today.


After breakfast, during spelling, the rose-breasted grosbeak blessed all of us by another quick visit to the feeder!


Today's Devotional Text: Psalm 92

It is good to praise the Lord
and make music to your name, O Most High,
proclaiming your love in the morning
and your faithfulness at night,
to the music of the ten-stringed lyre
and the melody of the harp.


For you make me glad by your deeds, Lord;
I sing for joy at what your hands have done.
How great are your works, Lord,
how profound your thoughts!
Senseless people do not know,
fools do not understand,
that though the wicked spring up like grass
and all evildoers flourish,
they will be destroyed forever.


But you, Lord, are forever exalted.


For surely your enemies, Lord,
surely your enemies will perish;
all evildoers will be scattered.
You have exalted my horn like that of a wild ox;
fine oils have been poured on me.
My eyes have seen the defeat of my adversaries;
my ears have heard the rout of my wicked foes.


The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,
they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;
planted in the house of the Lord,
they will flourish in the courts of our God.
They will still bear fruit in old age,
they will stay fresh and green,
proclaiming, “The Lord is upright;
he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him."

Prayer Time: Dear Father, thank you for the Psalms. They sing to our souls of your love and faithfulness, Lord. How much we need this life-giving music. Thank you for blessing my son, for building his faith. May he walk closer and closer with you, Lord, along with his brother and sisters. May your Word sing to their hearts. May they pray for and love the lost and the least, and live according to your will. May we, as parents, shine your light in our home, each and every day. Forgive us, strengthen us, have mercy on us, Lord. Thank you. I love you.

In your Son's name I pray, Amen.

grosbeak photo credit

Linking with Laura today

Rethinking Summer For Kids

When I began as a homeschooling mother five years ago, I tried to recreate an institutionalized setting at home, complete with calendar time, desks, and the Pledge of Allegiance. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Gradually though, I began to loosen my mind from the mass education mold I'd grown up in and taught in professionally. Thinking outside the box, I grew into our freedom as homeschoolers.




We've schooled into mid August for two years now, and taken part of August, all of September, and part of October off.  The humidity, and the weather in general, are better in September and October, making them ideal months for outdoor activities like hiking and biking.

Now, five years into homeschooling, I'm rethinking the structure of a school year entirely. Why does the traditional structure exist? When did it begin and why?

When mass schooling began in America, students were given the summer off to help on the family farm. Their abled bodies were needed; paying for farm help wasn't an option for most families. Family sizes were typically much larger then too, further facilitating family farm life.



Is our country structured the same way now? Decidedly not. Family farms are disappearing in alarming numbers, much to our dismay. That way of life seems ingrained into my ten-year-old. He wants it with his whole heart--large family and all.

We can only pray, along with Ann Voskamp and her husband--a Canadian farm family fearing their own demise--that family farmers find a way to preserve their way of life. And we can commit to buying local produce.



Now that children aren't working family farms all summer, what are they doing instead?

The unfortunate answer? Not much. We've replaced summers of hard work, with summers of leisure. I don't mean you or me personally, but our country as a whole. Kids are driven to this or that program or experience, one after the other, all summer. Instead of instilling a work ethic in our young people, we're spoiling them. Treating them like summer camp customers we'd like to see again the following summer.

No wonder our young men are "failing to launch" when they hit eighteen, either as college students, trade students, or working hard in some field. They simply aren't prepared emotionally and mentally, after living such a pampered life.

Yes, thirteen years of school is hard work, but kids need other responsibilities as well--other kinds of work and discipline, to be fully prepared for a life of work. After Adam and Eve, life became work. We can mourn this all we want, but it is reality.



But absolutely, kids need down time, just as we do.

Let's analyze how their down time is best used. Is structured activity the best?  I don't think so. The people who invent, plan, structure, and carry out activities for others? They use higher level thinking skills and leadership skills. The people who participate in the activities? They sometimes need thinking skills, but not as a rule. Generally, they're being entertained, or working on one skill, or maybe they're exercising.

What if kids had to invent their own fun? Plan puppet shows, design sets, write scripts? What if playing a team sport meant planning it with the neighborhood kids--deciding on the rules, times, equipment, recruitment?

Do we have to farm every childhood experience out to "experts"? Or can we allow kids to become experts themselves, by experiencing process? You've heard it's not the destination that matters, but the journey itself?

Have you ever been asked to teach on a certain passage of Scripture? You have to study pretty hard, looking at background and history, different interpretations, and then you have to decide how to present the material to your group.

By the time your lesson is over, you've potentially grown in many ways. And perhaps best of all? You realize anew: You get out of something what you put into it. If kids want a summer to remember, let them put something into it--besides just Mommy and Daddy's money.

If you're a homeschooler, remember that you don't have to do anything a certain way. Not the summer, not the school year. You can blend the best of both worlds, by structuring your year the way it works best for you and your family.

We don't need summer to teach what we can't teach during the school year. How about making life a smooth one piece? To that end, we're praying around here about moving to a Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday school schedule, year round, with Wednesday, Friday, and the weekend off, except for heavy snow months. In January and February we'll school five days a week, to total around 180 school days per year.

And the weekends? Except for cooking, I plan to have no-work weekends. Strictly family time. Down time. With Daddy working 54 hours a week, we need to make the most of the hours we're together. When we do chores seven days a week, it wastes the rest time God wants for us. Leaving one day free to worship God together in different ways, beyond just church? It makes sense for the soul.




Having Wednesday and Friday off from school (or whatever arrangement we decide on), as well as the weekend, gives my children more time to explore their interests and invent their own activities, practicing leadership and higher level thinking skills, and cooperative learning skills.

It also gives them more time to help our home run smoothly. Mommy and Daddy shouldn't have to do everything, save for the twenty or so minutes of chores our older children do. I am a manager of my home, yes, but I needn't be swamped every minute of the day. That's just bad management. Kids should move into adulthood knowing what hard work feels like. They should be capable of taking over as manager, by the time they leave our home.

The girls will someday, God willing, have their own homes to manage. And if they aren't blessed with children, they'll probably have some type of job to manage, as well. And the boys? They'll need management and organizational skills for whatever endeavor they pursue.

On Wednesday and Friday, their days off from school, the children will be my partners. No, not all day. If we work as a team, this home can be better than it ever was, in far less time.

Whether you homeschool or not, think about what summer can be. Think outside the box.

I can testify--and you can too--that it's hard to let kids loose with their time. It's messy when they invent and create. And it's noisy. There are false starts, with sibling rivalry and whining. And teaching them to help around the house in productive ways? That's very challenging as well. We have to patiently train, and consistently check up on their progress and work ethic.


But what is our goal? To have as much peace as possible? To have as many kid-free hours as possible?

Or to release God-fearing, hardworking, creative people into the world, to impact it for Christ? 

photo credits:
 first photo
second photo
third photo
four and five and six
last photo