Weekend Wonder

Psalm 34:1

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

My Gratitude List

~ sisterly love

~ lots of yard to delight them

 ~ toothless smiles

~ eyes like the sky, and a heart just as big

~ His little boy face, here to stay.

~ Shin guards found at first garage sale we stopped at, along with a doll cradle for the girls, and jeans and pajamas.......all were on our list.....daily manna testimony.

~ Two- and four-year-old wonder....even at tomatoes they see in their own garden every year

~ The year of the matching pink hats.....they always make me smile
~ Littlest one watching big sister's every move.

A thunderstorm brewing, we had the whole farm to ourselves.

~ Little girls running back and forth between Mommy's and Daddy's berry baskets
~ Beth picking fruit like a champ this year, while last year she was stuck in a stroller.

~ A daddy who spends time teaching and loving his family
~ Kids eager to soak up Daddy's lessons

Raspberry pickin'

~ Green, green, green. I'm not in the desert anymore! 
~ August weather infinitely better than July's.

 ~ Pictures reminding me how fast the years pass.....encouraging me to say thanks for this moment, today.....and live in it.

 ~ Their smiles, telling me thank you for this day...meaning more than the words. 

 ~ Two year olds in Dora nighties, shucking local corn

~ The Lord's earth, blessing us with wonder, joy, peace and flavor.


~ The joy of cooking together.....Momma the cobbler......Daddy the meat and squash.....children the corn and potatoes......the Lord providing the bounty.

~ Sharing the most brilliant rainbow I've ever seen with amazed children, and hearing them give credit to Him. At one point this was a double rainbow. Magnificent way to end a weekend!

Easy Peach Cobbler (print recipe here)

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup flour
2 cups sugar, divided
1 tablespoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup milk
4 cups fresh peach slices
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Ground cinnamon or nutmeg (optional)

Preparation

Melt butter in a 13 x 9 inch baking dish

Combine flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt; add milk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour batter over butter (do not stir).

Bring remaining 1 cup sugar, peach slices, and lemon juice to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly, pour over batter (do not stir). Sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired.

Bake at 375 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve cobbler warm or cool.

What did you enjoy this weekend?

A Testimony of Daily Manna

A couple days ago Peter was reading an Animal Ark chapter book and came upon a just-thrown-in-there sentence about dolphins once living on land; it had nothing to do with the story. He brought the book to me, read the sentence to me, and asked if it was part of evolution. Sadly, I confirmed yes, it was. He'd read four other Animal Arks in the previous couple weeks, finding nothing offensive. While I was proud of him for recognizing an ungodly idea, I knew that him finding this flaw wasn't good.

Angry, scared, he threw the book on the floor, saying he wasn't going to read anymore of them. "That author's not Christian! I'll go back to Boxcar Children."

Boxcar Children, while nice books, have become a crutch for his OCD. He spent his entire third grade year reading mysteries, and spent at least four months on Boxcar Children. He still grew leaps and bounds as a reader, so I let it go. He read an hour a day toward the end of the year, but much more than that earlier in the year, by choice.

I have a friend whose daughter has OCD and one of her fears is that she will vomit in public. My Peter's greatest fear has to do with spiritual corruption. His mind tells him that if he reads about an ungodly idea, he will shirk his Christian roots and become a pagan.

Just today we were garage sale hunting for a couple things the boys need for a homeschool soccer class. We passed a yard sale outside a small business, and the boys asked me to stop.

"No, that's a palm reader store.  No thanks on that. We'll look somewhere else."

"Is that like a fortune teller?" Peter asked. Then for several hours his mind drove him nuts, telling him he would bow to palm readers and say goodbye to Christianity. Martin Luther, I mentioned before, had this same religious-distortion OCD and ending up starting the Protestant Reformation, with its emphasis on grace versus works. Luther's mind drove him to dark places, and grace saved him, in more ways than one.

Our fallen world is full of pain, but God uses it for good--redeeming it for His glory. Every Christian parent dealing with disorder clings to this truth.

Putting Peter on medication for OCD may become necessary in a couple years, according to the doctor, but clinging to me in stores and refusing to read anything but Boxcar Children shouldn't be one of the reasons, since neither is debilitating. Doctor agreed, and said if Peter gets to a point of refusing to leave the house, we have to go with medication. If you ask me, the clinging in stores is not OCD but agoraphobia, which my grandfather had to a debilitating extent. It's the fear of crowds and not having an escape from them. When we go anywhere crowded, Peter is extremely nervous, refusing to leave my side or let go of my arm. The medication is the same, according to the doctor, for both OCD and agoraphobia, so whether a patient has one or both of them is irrelevant, in terms of seeking relief.

When your child has a dysfunction you want to scream and cry about the tragedy of it all. But the day to day dealing with issues renders you so busy, there's no time to cry.  I suppose that's a good thing.

One thing I'm sure of.....I can't in good conscience go another year giving in to his fears, as they relate to his education. From our most intimate conversations I know Peter to be an introspective person in love with the larger meaner of life. His mind craves ideas. Knowing this, and staring down at the chapter book thrown on the floor, I began to panic about preparing for another school year.

What in the world am I supposed to give this kid to read, God? Help!

What God seemed to say is that I must build Peter's trust in my choice of literature. Well, Peter trusts Christian material, hoping that in it he won't find evolution, witches, magic, sorcery or any other dark idea just waiting to steal his mind away from Christ. All these things scare him.

There isn't enough Christian material out there! I believe strongly that reading for an hour a day exposes children to the amount of language they need to become fluent writers and able speakers. You can teach mechanics all you want, but the ability to deftly combine words into flowing language comes only from books. A lot of them! Not the amount most kids get from commercial curriculums, which are too packed with time-consuming extras......stealing away precious reading time.

Okay.....I guess that was a soapbox? Sorry.

My first thought was to order chapter books recommended by a Christian curriculum company, knowing that a company with a Christian label would give Peter some comfort up front.

Well, I checked Amazon's used section and ordered and paid $56 dollars for 13 chapter books recommended by Sonlight--a popular but pricey, literature-based Christian curriculum company (though the book lists aren't necessarily Christian). Problem is, with friend Jessica's help, I realized that I'd inadvertently ordered from a grade 4/5 list that included books for ages 7 - 9. I was looking at the grade level and didn't notice the ages (Peter will be ten in January). Publisher websites drive me insane...especially with four young'uns at my elbows!

I checked the levels on five of them and found them to be between the 4th and 6th grade reading levels, but the age specification is more for Paul's maturity level, so these 13 books will go to Paul, who is eight in November. He prefers to teach himself and doesn't need me or my curriculum plans, thank you very much. Peter is such a handful that Paul is my grace gift from the Lord, in terms of homeschooling. The best thing I can do is leave him alone academically and concentrate on his heart learning.

After my buying frenzy on Amazon--where, by the way, you can get paperback books for one cent plus $3.99 shipping--I was still at square one for Peter.

And since this is getting so long, I'll tell you the good parts another time.

But here is a resource hint. The Lord drew me to this resource today, which I purchased several months ago. And yes, I did blog about this book previously, but not in a very helpful way.

The Lord drawing me to it today was a reminder of the daily manna always waiting for me. He'll put a holistic school year together for me. I need only obey!

Journaling Notes on Matthew 7

How is the Matthew reading going?

What struck me tonight was this passage:

Matthew 7:7-8
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Let me give a little background before going specifically into why this verse stands out.

I'm going a little nuts here lately with the kids. In one sense, I'm so proud of them....they're getting complements on their behavior in public, and that's been a real blessing for Momma, especially, who runs most of the errands with them in tow.

My least favorite? The post office! Lines, lines, lines.

However, as I busy myself with selling and buying homeschool materials, and working through storage boxes of fall clothes to assess what the needs are, all without help........well, the precious kiddos are getting under my skin. (Mind you, this doesn't make them any less a blessing.)

For one thing, the endless hats, shoes, jewels, and Legos I pick up, are causing much blood to boil....sometimes spilling over into short yelling fits (mine, not theirs).

One thing has become clear: I must be consistent in having them come back and pick up their own items.  Being called back every ten minutes to pick up a shoe or a piece of paper or a crayon, causes their blood to boil.....leading to strife between us.

I remember a Catherine Marshall journal entry in which she spoke about the uncompromising, non-coddling nature of Jesus Christ.  Knowing this aspect of Christ's character helped her deal better with strife in her home. When you're working toward godly goals, there will be strife. She learned to deal with it better internally, so it didn't undermine her determination to raise godly children.

We must be kind in our dealings with children and apologize when we're not.  Our Bible/prayer devotions serve to point out our own iniquities so we can pray about them....thank goodness. But in raising our children--whether we're perfect in our parenting delivery or not--we can't back down on the principles.  This is especially true when we're sure a child is developmentally ready for what we're asking.

Five-minute pick-ups every hour have been instituted to help with tidiness, but I still call them back for items that might cause someone to trip.

Then there's this: I'm still getting used to the differences between girls and boys. Namely, that girls are whiny or tend toward this. (Adult women can be whiners too, evidenced by my own whining here on this blog right now. :)

My 2-year-old still suffers from allergies and perhaps that's most of it; she's been whiny for at least two months. Her sister, 4.5, can be similar, but it's more due to her stubborn nature.

Their whining takes a lot out of me! I'm still learning how to deal with it. Ignoring is best when they're not sick, but it's not always easy to determine the source of the whining. For example, is Momma busy on a project and failing to cherish them, or are they just sour about not getting their own way?

Some things must be done, and since parenting support is pretty much non-existent here, we plug away at necessary life tasks on our own. My aunt watches the kids once a year for a short date night, but other than that we're running solo....especially since she began spending winters in Florida two years ago. She has four children of her own to whom she lends her support.

Husband is home in the evenings now and that's been a major adjustment for me. No longer do I have time to unwind from my day with the children....either through nightly writing or quietly working on chores. His work day has him leaving at 7:00 AM and returning about 7:10 PM. Saturday he works 7:30 AM to 12:30 PM, and then he's off until Monday morning, which allows us to have family outings every weekend again (parks, orchards, nature centers, lake beach, etc.)  That part is a blessing!

But, husband is a people person who never desires alone time. Though I love him dearly and appreciate him, I needed that alone time. I have to give up sleep to get it now, which never works when you mother four children on your own. .

Now getting back to the Matthew Scripture.....

This Scripture about asking, seeking, and knocking reminds me that no aspect of my life is too small to speak to my Father about. I can pray about the whining or the untidiness or about the curriculum or the fall/winter attire......all of it. And not just once. I already pray about most things once, but what's wrong with continuing to pursue an issue with the Lord? Nothing! I can release it from my shoulders as often as I need to.

So, after all that whining (sorry!), I come to the heart of what Jesus is saying to me, personally, in Matthew 7: 7-8:

Keep pursing the Father about difficult areas! His answers will come completely, suddenly, or they'll come piecemeal....as we're ready to process them. Many of his answers are about change in our own hearts, and that requires a readiness on our part. God, alone, knows when we're ripe for growth.

So, what is the Book of Matthew saying to you these last few days?

Bible Reading HW (Giveaway)

Just a reminder that as part of our Catherine Marshall study we are reading through the Gospels consecutively to discover more about the person of Jesus.

This week read Matthew 1 through Matthew 14 (due Wednesday, Aug. 24) and make notes on what new things stand out about Jesus. Or, take notes on what He is saying to you, directly, through the week's verses.

If you do your homework faithfully every week between now and October 12 (8 weeks), I will send you this 3-piece Thanksgiving book set. The first person to comment on October 12, stating that they did all the homework by the Wednesday deadlines, will get the books. You can e-mail me with your mailing address after I post the winner.

Side Note:  You know I'm desperate to get you studying your Bible when I go and offer a giveaway. Me, who abhors giveaways and never clicks on any giveaway post of any author, no matter how much I love them. I prefer blog posts without advertisements; my reading time is precious and short.

But really, these are wonderful books!  I just happen to own two copies of all three of them......and I really think this was the Holy Spirit's idea. At first I thought....how ridiculous! No way! But the next thing I know, I'm pulling these books off the shelf.

Tonight I read Matthew 1 through Matthew 5 and what stood out for me personally was the suffering Jesus endured as he fasted for forty days in the desert. For some reason this never gripped me so much before....I guess because Jesus is God and I figured he was stronger than us and better able to endure. But he did this as a man! His body functioned just as ours does. 

I'm a person who falls apart when hungry (lack of concentration, short-tempered, headaches), which is something that happens far too often because the kids' needs keep me so busy. I make the mistake of trying to do one more thing before eating. I can't imagine skipping even two meals. Jesus skipped 120 meals!

What also stood out is this verse:  "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Matthew 4:4

Jesus is telling us here that we can't truly live without our Bible reading. So let's not try!  Let's not push it aside with other, less important things. Or rush through it, for that matter. Jesus wants us to have life abundant. Without our Bible reading, we have life heavy-laden.

Which do you choose?  Life abundant, or life heavy-laden?

Tips for busy moms:

~ Just open your Bible!

~ Read while in the same room with your children. They are less likely to ask for things and interrupt you if you read in their presence. (Plus, you leave them a legacy of devotion to Jesus. Not a bad thing to be remembered for, eh?) Often they interrupt our activities because they want our physical presence. Let's give that to them, and see how much reading we get done.

~ If you have a baby and toddler to care for, aim for ten verses at a sitting. It will add up by the end of the day. Using a highlighter will help you remember what stood out and why.

~ Tell your husband what your reading goal is and ask him to take over with the kids for twenty minutes, so you can go in a room by yourself. Even a tired husband should be willing to give you twenty minutes.

~ Try not to save it for the last half hour of your day, when you're exceptionally tired. You won't concentrate as well and it will seem more like an obligation.

~ Leave your Bible open in a prominent place, as a reminder. (Just don't forget to hide the highlighter marker from your toddler. Been there, done that.)

Catherine Marshall's Heart For God, Vol. 2

Catherine Marshall Lesourd

1914 - 1983

We are studying a book entitled Catherine Marshall, A Closer Walk (1986), published three years after Catherine Marshall's death. A collaborative effort between Catherine's second husband, Len Lesourd, and her longtime friend and editor, Elizabeth Sherrill, the text includes selected entries from a 23-year span of Catherine's journal keeping. The years cover her marriage to Len in 1959 when she was 44, up until her death in 1983 when she was 68. The introduction to my Catherine Marshall series can be found here. Volume 1 can be found here. 

Catherine Marshall's Heart for God, Vol. 2

Our text for today begins:

As Len and I begin our new life together, I'm enjoying a new way to read the New Testament--undoubtedly a way known to many Christians through the centuries but new to me: during my early morning devotions I'm reading the words as if Jesus were speaking directly to me.

 At the time of my discovery, I was going through the Gospels consecutively, desiring above all else to get a vivid portrait of Jesus. And a portrait emerged all right, not so much of what He looked like, as the characteristics of His person. I discovered in Him one who is totally alive--physically stalwart, emotionally sensitive. Humor, I definitely found. And grief--not for Himself, but for others' hurts and the tragic havoc that sin brings. And love, an amazing love that pours out of Him with never any effort to hide it or dam it up. Yet it is a love with steel in it.

Over and over I have come upon this steel--a note of stringency in Jesus' conversation and His way of dealing with people that, for the most part, seems alien to the teaching in our churches today. Never have I found a trace of coddling or compromising or self-protectiveness in Him.

For example, there was the Pharisee who asked Jesus to lunch at his house. Jesus accepted. But if there was anything pleasant about the conversations about the table, we were not told so in Luke's account. Indeed, centuries later, the words all but blister the page.

 But woe to you Pharisees! for you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God......you love the best seat in the synagogues and salutations in the market places......you are like graves which are not seen, and men walk over them without knowing it. Luke 11: 42-44 RSV

Excerpt from Catherine Marshall, A Closer Walk, pages 3, 4 

What a perfect picture of Catherine's pursuit of Jesus! This sentence, especially, speaks volumes to me: 

I was going through the Gospels consecutively, desiring above all else to get a vivid portrait of Jesus. 

We see here that Catherine didn't read her Bible out of obligation. She read it out of pleasure. She wanted to know Jesus intimately...to really sit at His feet and enjoy Him and learn of Him.

There is an unexpected dividend from reading the New Testament as if Jesus were speaking to me: when I look away from the problems in my marriage to turn my full attention to Jesus, He proves Himself alive by concerning Himself with my life, family, and friends and talking to me about these matters morning after morning. (page 4)
..........The resurrected Jesus is a continual reality in my life. How can I ever find words to express the joy of His presence? (page 5)

When was the last time you sat down with your Bible out of pleasure? Even if you've been a Christian forever, the Bible still speaks to you anew. The Word of God is alive! The Holy Spirit makes it so as he journeys with us through the words. Never tire of opening your Bible. 


If you're in a slump with your reading, pray specifically that Our Father would renew your joy in His Word. Don't accept that feeling of devotional obligation. Pursue Jesus. Tell your Heavenly Father to make you a pursuer. I don't have a problem wrestling with God on some things, like Jacob did. This would be one of those things. 


Jacob, you remember, wrestled with God on the ground until God blessed Jacob. The actual person was an angel who probably was Jesus Christ, since Jesus is the only member of the Godhead seen in the flesh.  The Bible says of Jesus: "his goings forth were of old". 


His Goings Forth Were of Old
Micah 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.


John 8:57-58 “You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!” “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”


Jacob Wrestles With God
Genesis 32:24-29 (source here)
So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. ²⁵ When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. ²⁶ Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.”

   But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

 ²⁷ The man asked him, “What is your name?”

   “Jacob,” he answered.

 ²⁸ Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel,^[f] because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”

 ²⁹ Jacob said, “Please tell me your name.”

   But he replied, “Why do you ask my name?” Then he blessed him there. 

Let's take a lesson from Jacob here, and wrestle with God until He blesses us with a devotional time that is pleasurable and intimate. God wants to be pursued!



If you have a hit and miss record with Bible reading, remember this one tip: Open your Bible. That, my friends, is the hardest part. Once you've got it opened, you're home free. You've defeated Satan. He doesn't want you to open it, any more than he wants you to start the first line of your prayers. I can give you the same tip about prayer.......just utter the first line. 


We're going to read through the Gospels consecutively as Catherine did. Yes, that's right. We've got homework this week. Read Matthew 1 through Matthew 14 by next Wednesday, and make notes about the character of Jesus. What is He like? You can just write down adjectives that come to you, or you can actually journal your findings.


Enjoy yourself as you pursue Him! Get ready to fall in love all over again.