The James Challenge
The book of Proverbs describes the encouragement of Christians as iron sharpening iron. That’s one I thing I love about my friend Sara; she is just like that iron! She’s always using her blog to strengthen others, and she has done it again with The James Challenge. This online memorization challenge is an opportunity to get the book of James in the mind and refresh the heart with God’s living Word.
I’m excited to be a small part of the challenge (verse purses) and so happy to see how God uses all avenues such as blogs, e-commerce, etc. to bring more glory to Himself through His Word. If you’re interested in the challenge, take a quick look over at Sara’s blog!
Big Day
It’s difficult to be over five hundred miles away from your best friend especially on special days like today. I just got off the phone with Emily who is laboring to bring her third set of “ten little toes” into the world. I wish I could be in the room with her right now, but even if we still lived in our house in Florida right down the road, I have to wonder, “Who would keep the kids?” Surely Gram would not want a house full of six kids under five! Ha!
Yesterday Emily and I used ichat with the kids to have one last conversation before the big day. Steven was hilarious. He wanted to see Emily’s tummy, and you should have seen his eyes when Emily stood up to show him! I snickered and said to him, “It’s not like you’ve never seen a gigantic belly before, Steven!” Five minutes later he was still in deep thought and interrupted us to ask, “Mrs. Emily, can I see your tummy again?” 
Amelia, we can’t wait to see you (and I know your Mommy is more than ready)!
Lord Jesus,
You are the Author and Perfecter of our faith. You have ordained the praise of infants and chosen Your children to bear fruit and enjoy You forever! I pray for sweet baby Amelia right now and that Your hands would wrap her in safety, warmth, and love. I pray for my dear friend and her husband as they do the hard work of bringing this child into the presence of this world, a family, and her new home. I pray that all of the days of her life will be marked with Your kindness and grace so that every step she takes will leave an imprint of the Savior. I pray that she would grow fearless and strong and live a legacy of unmistakable faith that outshines the evils of her generation – all to the glory of God and the praise of Jesus!
Now, come on, Amelia! You know how your Mommy and Fake Aunt Kristi are never late for anything! (haHa!)
Update: Amelia is here! Praise the Lord! Beautiful, 8.4, Mommy and baby are well!
Lydia’s Hats
I used to be great at keeping a paper scrapbook. I started in high school and have albums from the months Eric and I were dating and college memories. I got a little behind after having children, but I seemed to catch up in 2006 with Meredith’s home-birth. I didn’t want to let the memories of her special birth escape my brain. Unfortunately, however, that’s the last thing I preserved; we have had another baby and many memories since then! I was getting out some of my photos and supplies yesterday and found one of my favorite pages. I never did get around to doing anything because I was stuck smiling down memory lane.
I forgot how silly I was when I had only one child. I am determined to get back some of that silliness! On Sunday afternoons I would play with her while Eric took a nap. (Ha! Now I do just about anything for a Sunday nap!) Nevertheless we had so much fun.
One of those afternoons in 2004 I got really silly trying on different “hats” on Lydia. It started with a diaper and turned in to a full-blown collage! I hope it makes you laugh!
Dawn Prayer
You watch me wake
I, groping in ‘fore day fog,
You tirelessly labored over me,
Placid and dark in the night.
You come with light and breath, and
I am absorbing the weather of Your Face,
Empty again.
A mendicant,
alone with You,
begging for bread,
for promises.
Mercy.
Jesus,
King,
Authoring now,
Bread of Life
I need.
You are.
Be Faithful
Yesterday was a tough day at home. I felt like the worst mother for most of the day. My oldest woke up with a sour attitude declaring, “I’m NOT…” over and over. During some schoolwork Steven kept throwing pencils across the room despite the fact that I had already given him stern warnings. I turned around in front of them, stopped talking, and got on my knees and cried out in prayer. They listened better after that, but my Meredith, two, then whined for about three hours wanting me to hold her constantly. Shepherd wasn’t doing anything wrong of course, but when he started crying at 11 am, it was almost too much for me to handle. I gave several spankings yesterday (yes, we spank), and I did a lot of crying when they were taking a nap.
“God, how is it that we can be rolling along so well, and then we have such a terrible day like this?”
I was driving last night, and God reminded me to put the challenges into perspective. First of all, some of the ways my children are sinning are much easier and faster on my part to address than many other things they could be doing. For that I can be thankful. I have a husband who is very concerned with what happens in our home during the day, and when he comes home, I have my friend with whom I can discuss, pray, and cry if I need. We work together. For that I can be very thankful.
God also reminded me of the parable of the talents in Matthew 25.
Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’
The point of this passage is that we are to be faithful and accountable to what God has done in giving us His blessings. When I get irritated at the hard work I have to do in training my children, I am not being faithful. Alternatively when I see the work before me as God sees it, I remember that He has given me, one by one, blessings in increasing measure. He calls me to be a faithful steward and to let my love flow. Instructing and disciplining in love can be done, but it is difficult. It takes great patience! I can abide in Christ and walk daily with my children, and He will supply that patience I need to do this great work.
A lot of what I do at home with my children involves repetition. Read. Change. Potty. Eat. Clean. Read. Potty. Play. Learn. Instruct. Instruct. Correct. Instruct. Honestly sometimes the repetition (times four) I do can wear me down emotionally, and I must go to God for a recharge and right perspective. I may not know the answers, and I may not understand why the challenges manifest the way they do this day, but I am going to be faithful. And He will be faithful to bless what He has given! The best part is the goal in mind: the joy of my Master.
Ye are Christ’s!
I love this ! My heart is cheered this morning…
“Ye are Christ’s” (1 Cor. 3:23). You are his by donation, for the Father gave you to the Son; his by his bloody purchase, for he counted down the price for your redemption; his by dedication, for you have consecrated yourself to him; his by relation, for you are named by his name, and made one of his brethren and joint-heirs. Labour practically to show the world that you are the servant, the friend, the bride of Jesus. When tempted to sin, reply, “I cannot do this great wickedness, for I am Christ’s.” Immortal principles forbid the friend of Christ to sin.
When wealth is before you to be won by sin, say that you are Christ’s, and touch it not. Are you exposed to difficulties and dangers? Stand fast in the evil day, remembering that you are Christ’s. Are you placed where others are sitting down idly, doing nothing? Rise to the work with all your powers; and when the sweat stands upon your brow, and you are tempted to loiter, cry, “No, I cannot stop, for I am Christ’s. If I were not purchased by blood, I might be like Issachar, crouching between two burdens; but I am Christ’s, and cannot loiter.” When the siren song of pleasure would tempt you from the path of right, reply, “Thy music cannot charm me; I am Christ’s.” When the cause of God invites thee, give thy goods and thyself away, for thou art Christ’s.
Never belie thy profession. Be thou ever one of those whose manners are Christian, whose speech is like the Nazarene, whose conduct and conversation are so redolent of heaven, that all who see you may know that you are the Saviour’s, recognizing in you his features of love and his countenance of holiness. “I am a Roman!” was of old a reason for integrity; far more, then, let it be your argument for holiness, “I am Christ’s!”
– CH Spurgeon, Morning & Evening
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