. . . Because He Said So

A Minor (but significant I think) Clarification

2012-02-28T14:34:00.000-08:00

It occurred to me this morning that I have misrepresented God in a phrase that I have used over and over in my life. I can't count how many times I've said something along the lines of "God speaks to me more clearly _____________", and I've filled in that blank with all sorts of different phrases. Most of them relate to our new life here in Vermont. For so many reasons, I am less distracted and much more focused here than I have been at any other point in my adult life (though I still have far to go). Not only that, but I am daily surrounded by sensory delights that remind me quickly and easily of God and his attributes.

Mountains instantly shift my thinking to majesty, and my family's home, church and school are surrounded by mountains.

Snow reminds me of grace, and I see MUCH more of it here than I did in any other place I've ever lived.

Lush, beautiful gardens prompt me to consider God's provision, and there's one on every corner up here.

The list could easily go on, but that isn't really the point of this post.

The point is that even though all of these things lead me to a better focus on God, his majesty, his creation, etc., that doesn't mean that he *wasn't* speaking clearly before I moved here. God does not struggle with His communication skills. Ever.

So with all of that in mind, I am adopting the new phrase, "I listen better __________," and then I can fill in that blank with all of my preferred phrases. "When there's a blanket of peaceful snow covering the landscape." God's grace. "When I've hiked to the top of the nearest mountain to be alone with God." God's majesty. "When I'm digging in the garden and picking fresh peppers and tomatoes." God's provision.

And so on. I listen better. God has always spoken clearly, but I'm learning to listen better.

I'm not sure what prompted me to share that little bit of my sanctification process, but for what it's worth, there you have it. :-D

How's your Blood Pressure?

2012-02-25T06:57:00.000-08:00

Macy (my 10 year old) will be happy to check it for you. :-D

She has been "studying" medical issues for as long as she has been able to read and has developed a keen admiration for Elizabeth Blackwell, the first female doctor. She emails my oldest sister (who is a nurse) all the time with all sorts of questions and observations about her studies, and Vick is always very patient to respond very thoroughly and with great encouragement. This year for Christmas, she brought Macy a blood pressure cuff and stethoscope and taught her how to check blood pressure.

With that in mind, I wonder if you can guess Macy's topic for her upcoming health fair. ;-)

She is tracking her sister and 2 of her cousins for 5 days. Her plan is to take their BP 3 times each day--once under "normal" circumstances, once after a "stressful" activity, and once after she has relaxed them with spa treatments/massages. It's a pretty impressive and well-thought-out experiment, and so far the results are proving her hypothesis (that BP rises with stress and lowers with relaxation), but I never expected the process to be so entertaining (at least for me).

The "stressful" activities are particularly funny. Grace decided that one of the things that stresses her out is when her room is a mess, so Macy made a bit of a mess in there and then followed her around while she cleaned it up, undoing her progress as she went. So for instance, there was a pencil holder dumped over on the floor. Grace picked it all up, and then Macy knocked it over again. And on and on. Of course, Grace was in on the plan, so she knew why Macy was doing it, but she was OVER IT pretty quickly. (I'm pretty sure I heard Grace growl a few times.) And sure enough, her blood pressure was up by about 7 points when Macy checked it against her normal. I couldn't help but chuckle. . .

Funny little munchkins.

OH, That We Would Cling to Christ!

2012-02-23T07:48:00.000-08:00

When Monday morning comes way too quickly and we're already exhausted before the week begins, OH that we would cling to Christ!

When our spouse pulls away from our touch and hasn't made eye contact in weeks, OH that we would cling to Christ!

When the bills keep coming, but the work and paycheck do not, OH that we would cling to Christ!

When all is well and we're tempted to trust in our own strength, OH that we would cling to Christ!

When our children are running from God and family, and we have no answers, OH that we would cling to Christ!

When the doctor says "cancer," OH that we would cling to Christ!

When we feel trapped and crushed by our workload with no relief in sight, OH that we would cling to Christ!

When we're tempted to neglect selfless service for activities that might bring us glory, OH that we would cling to Christ!

When our prayers seem unanswered and confusion torments our thoughts, OH that we would cling to Christ!

When the health of loved ones is declining, and we're too far away to help, OH that we would cling to Christ!

When success after success falls right into place and we begin to feel entitled, OH that we would cling to Christ!

When we've barely closed our eyes in the middle of the night, and the baby cries yet again, OH that we would cling to Christ!

When Scripture doesn't seem helpful and we've become uninterested in prayer and the Bible, OH that we would cling to Christ!

When hopelessness abounds, OH that we would cling to Christ!

When surgery after surgery has been performed and the problem still isn't solved, OH that we would cling to Christ!

When there is no relief for the pain, whether it is physical or emotional, OH that we would cling to Christ!

In every circumstance, in all stages of life, with full understanding that apart from him we are nothing and that he is the only true source of joy, OH that we would cling to Christ!

The Good List 2-22-12

2012-02-22T05:42:00.000-08:00

Today's list is brought to you by our recent trip to Navasota, TX where Jared taught a Gospel Wakefulness conference for St. John the Divine's parish retreat.

10. Having Tex-Mex for the first time in quite awhile. You just can't get that kind of food in New England.
9. Camp Allen in Navasota, TX. Great facility for a retreat.
8. Feeling immediately at home in a room full of people we had never met. Because of Christ.
7. St. John the Divine Episcopal Church in Houston. It is a stunningly gorgeous facility, but even more important, it is filled with people who love Jesus and long to represent Him well within their community, their diocese, and far beyond.
6. Kemper Crabb and the entire praise band. LOVED spending time with them personally and in worship with them. Awesome. (And ROCKIN'! :-D)
5. Hangin' out with Matt Fenlon. Quality dude for sure. And we couldn't believe it when he started talking about his dear friends Gabe and Amanda, a missionary couple in Burlington that our church supports (and we adore!) I love how God creates community all across the globe through these kinds of connection points. So fun.
4. Raegan and Stephanie Cocke, our host and hostess for the weekend. Truly fabulous. We stayed in their home Thursday night before going to the retreat center. That alone I could go on about for days. It is so wonderfully vibrant and colorful and gorgeous. I wanted to steal most of their paintings and furniture. ;-) And the decor matched their personalities well. They were great fun and wonderful hosts. We enjoyed our fellowship with them throughout the entire weekend. (Also, they have a dog that Jared wanted to smuggle into his carry on bag. She was pretty awesome.)
3. Getting to see Mom, Vick and Anna, who showed up for the last session on Sunday morning and then took us back to the airport so we would have time to chat and giggle before we left. Always good to get an extra, unexpected hug from Mom, Big Sis, and a sweet niece.
2. Returning home to my sweet, sweet girls, who had so much fun at JoJo's, they hardly remembered to miss me. Such a blessing to have family close by for the first time in their lives.
1. Jared, who teaches me more about Jesus, grace, and true love every single day. He spoke 5 times last weekend (about things I've heard many times before), and STILL I enjoyed every single second of it.

Tidbits

2012-02-16T05:35:00.000-08:00

Just some tiny little bites of goodness that I'm chewing on at the moment. Thought they might taste good to others as well. . .

"Jesus, our head, is already in heaven; and if the head be above water, the body cannot drown." --John Flavel

"Christian mothers, your child may be far away from the sheltering home, voyaging on the stormy sea, or dwelling in some distant climate beyond your voice. But he is still within the reach of the mightiest power a mother can wield – the power of prayer! And although you cannot throw around him your maternal arms to shield him from the evil of the world, you can invest him with your wrestling believing petitions, and secure on his behalf the Arm which encircles the globe, and is mighty to save. Oh that the Church of God may be filled with such praying mothers!" --Octavius Winslow

"God is in the wait, not just in the answer." --Tara-Leigh Cobble

"Why is it easier to earn love than simply accept it?" --Ann VosKamp

"To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness.
But in that casket — safe, dark, motionless, airless — it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell." --C.S. Lewis

The Good List 2-15-12

2012-02-15T12:41:00.000-08:00

10. Journey 2: The Mysterious Island. It won't win any awards for the acting, but it was a fun movie to watch with the family.
9. Drinking my water from a margarita glass with crushed ice and a splash of lemon or lime. This way, each glass is like its own little celebration. :-D

8. Eye contact. Sometimes I fear that the ongoing increase in non-face-to-face communication will make it a thing of the past, but I hope to do my part to make sure my family values its importance and keeps it alive.
7. Watching Gracie break. it. down. in the empty theater before the movie started. She was more entertaining than the movie (and it was a really fun movie!)
6. When these beauties are actually affordable. Love having this gorgeousness on the menu.

5. Planning happy surprises for people I like to watch smile. I'm cooking up a couple things now. . . ;-)
4. This song. Marvelous. "Why should I gain from his reward? I cannot give an answer. But this I know with all my heart. His wounds have paid my ransom." OH, Thank God!

3. We're on our way to Navasota, TX for Jared's 3rd (my 2nd) Gospel Wakefulness conference. Praying that much will be made of Jesus all weekend.
2. My favorite 2 little Valentines on the entire planet. (And their Dad is my favorite big Valentine :-D)

1. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. The Gospel. Of FIRST importance. Not a side note. Not the thing you get to if you have time. Not something you graduate from and then move on. Of FIRST importance. Always.

A Valentine Prayer

2012-02-14T05:05:00.000-08:00

This morning I find myself surrounded by my 3 most favorite people in the entire world. We've all exchanged hugs and smiles, and my heart is full with the way they all love me and I them. They are all brilliant reflections of God's love for me, and for that I am so thankful.

But my thoughts keep turning to those who don't share a similar reality with me. Those who are unhappily single. The childless couples who have been trying and don't understand why they still haven't held a baby in their arms. The children who not only didn't get a Valentine this morning, but who have never heard the words "I love you," at least not directed at them. My heart breaks for each of these and for the void they feel this morning, but my prayer is that the love of Christ so rich and free would fill those voids in ways that no human being ever could.

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Father, this morning there are those all over the world who for various reasons don't find any joy in Valentine's Day.

The single young woman who thought she would be married years ago but still finds herself wondering if it will ever happen.

The man who can't feel his wife's arms around him, because her body now rests in the ground.

The newly divorced woman who has been betrayed and abandoned and left feeling unworthy.

The man who cares for an ailing wife who hasn't remembered his name in years.

The childless couple who has prayed and fasted and maybe even begged that you might bless them with a child, yet their arms remain empty.

The children--OH GOD, THE CHILDREN--who have never seen love in the eyes of another human being. Father, these precious babies and toddlers and kids of all ages who have never been embraced or kissed or cuddled, who have never heard the words "I love you", and who have no idea what GRACE looks like.

Every variation of a broken heart or broken relationship-- too many to mention each one individually.

Lord, would you fill their hearts with the soothing balm of the gospel of Christ this morning? Father, penetrate their very souls not just with a warm fuzzy feeling, but with the POWER of your Spirit. Give them fresh HOPE, redeeming LOVE, unsurpassable PEACE in the midst of difficult circumstances. Speak to them tenderly in ways that the words of another human being could never fulfill, and ignite their passions toward YOU in such a way that emptiness is filled, pain is comforted, and all of the questions are replaced by knowledge of your love for them and your true desire to give only what YOU know is best for them. Father, love them generously. Love them personally. Love them powerfully as only you can. And do so in such a way that brings all glory back to you where it belongs.

Praying in the name of JESUS CHRIST, the ultimate perfect and holy picture of LOVE on this Valentine's Day and every day.

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Won't you pray this prayer with me this morning (or a similar/more eloquent one of your own)? And please feel free to add your requests in the comments section below. Comments on this post will not be published publicly for the sake of those concerned with privacy.

What's in a Name?

2012-02-09T07:08:00.000-08:00

Familiarity. Interaction. An indication of being known. These are some of the things that a name symbolizes.

I love the names of God. There are so many, because He is so much. I haven't learned them all. Who knows if I ever will? I'd like to try. But for now, these are some of the names that I am gratefully attached to, because I have interacted with these names in life-changing ways. I *know* God by these names, and that changes everything.

ELOHIM (Gen 1:1, Psalm 19:1): Strong Creator

I know ELOHIM, because I see Him surrounding me every day. Through the sunrise. Through the mountains. Through snowflakes in the winter and blooms in the spring. Through my children and the beauty he crafted in them. I can't open my eyes without seeing evidence of my Strong Creator. He is everywhere I look.

JEHOVAH-MACCADDESHEM (Exodus 31:13): The Lord thy Sanctifier

I know JEHOVAH-MACCADDESHEM, because I know the changes in my heart that its sinful wickedness is incapable of achieving on its own. I can boast of nothing but Christ in me. He is the only good in my heart, and I'm grateful for His presence there and His ongoing work in sanctifying me.

JEHOVAH-JIREH (Genesis 22:13-14): The Lord Will Provide

I know JEHOVAH-JIREH, because we still own a home in Nashville and rent a home in Vermont, yet somehow on a pastor's salary from a small (but ever so epic) church in rural Vermont, all of our needs are met. The Lord has provided. The Lord provides. The Lord will provide.

EL-SHADDAI (Psalm 91:1): God of the Mountains; God Almighty

I know EL-SHADDAI, because He has brought me to the mountains where he speaks to my heart so much more clearly than I have ever heard Him before. I feel His might and majesty so significantly here. I know he speaks differently to others, but I am grateful to dwell in the shadow of the mountains where I sense God Almighty through my surroundings every single day.

JEHOVAH-ROHI (Psalm 23:1): Great Shepherd

I know JEHOVAH-ROHI, because I have followed Him down unknown path after unknown path without fear or worry. This is not because of my personality or my natural ability to put fear and worry aside (I don't have that ability). It is because I know that my Great Shepherd has gone before me to ensure my safety.

JEHOVAH-SHALOM (Judges 6:24): The Lord is Peace

I know JEHOVAH-SHALOM, because I have known a sweet calm and stillness in my soul in the midst of circumstances that were quite the opposite of calm and still. The Lord gives peace because He is Peace.

JEHOVAH-RAPHA (Exodus 15:26): Healer

I know JEHOVAH-RAPHA, because I have seen healing in friends and family members for which there was no medical explanation. Where doctors could not help, the Healer did.

ABBA (Romans 8:15): Father

I know ABBA, because I spent 9 months alone in Nashville after my family had already moved to Vermont. But I felt my Father's arms around me in that big empty house in ways that I never had experienced before that time in my life.

Just a small representation of who He is for sure, but these names mean everything to me, and I look forward to becoming more familiar with a much longer list over time.

The Good List 2-8-12

2012-02-08T06:01:00.000-08:00

10. Waffles. I don't know why they're any more special than pancakes, but for some reason they are.
9. Just 6 months 'til Fantasy Football drafts!!! :-P
8. THIS. I love how creative and fun these guys always seem to be.

7. Homemade New England clam chowder. I made a pretty simple recipe the other night, and my whole family acted like it was the gourmet recipe of the year. (Also--Jared thought it was the strangest thing in the world that I actually bought clam juice, but I suppose it makes more sense to him now. ;-)
6. Sunshine. I'm still one of those weirdos who would love to have tons of snow every winter, but February has been so gorgeously sunny so far, I just can't complain.
5. Super Bowl parties. That way, when the game isn't going quite like you hoped, you can still have fun with your friends. :-D
4. Two great dental check-ups for Macy and Grace and a dentist that we ALL love!
3. Feeling caught up on chores. To be clear, I'm never *actually* caught up, but what is in my immediate sight/memory seems to be in pretty good shape, so I don't plan to go digging for the undone stuff.
2. When Dylan says, "Can I snuggle with you?" The answer is always yes.
1. When God drops provision right into my lap when I wasn't even pursuing it. This time through my friend Becky. Thank you, Lord AND Thank you, Becky!

Homemade Aromatherapy

2012-02-03T10:27:00.000-08:00

It's amazing to me the extent to which aroma can so profoundly impact my mood/memories. Before my brain can even recognize what's happening, the smell of a pina colada snowcone puts me onto a rubber mat at an old cement waterslide in Sunset, LA (where I lived as a child) with Ronnie Milsap playing on the loud speaker.

Aerosol hairspray fumes transport me right back into my 80's cheerleading days when the only thing bigger than my ridiculous shoulder pads was my infinitely more ridiculous permed and teased hair.

And the festive smell of pine envelopes me immediately in all things Christmas, taking me back to year after year of adventures in choosing the perfect REAL Christmas tree for the living room of my childhood.

The gift of smell is a powerful thing indeed. For most of my life, I've largely left these situations entirely up to chance. Meaning, if I happened to get a whiff of one of those smells, I would enjoy the moment briefly, but it never took long to move on and forget about it pretty quickly. Those moments are still great fun--the times when a scent takes me by surprise and walks me down memory lane. But recently I decided that if something so simple can bring such joy, why would I not be more deliberate about it? Right?

And so. . . I'm creating my own mental library of homemade versions of aromatherapy, and so far I'm loving the results. These are some of my favorites:

Lemon: When I need a little boost or just a spark of energy, this works every time. I challenge anyone to be in a blah mood while zesting a lemon. I bet you can't do it. I can't.

Ginger: Grating fresh ginger has almost a spa effect on me. So yummy. Makes me take long, refreshing, deep breaths and savor the moment.

Coffee: Oddly, this smell has the opposite effect on me than it does on most other people. While for most I'm told it is a call to wake up, for me it triggers a moment to relax. I'm guessing this comes from my years and years of work in corporate retail, during which stepping away from my desk for a few minutes to pour a cup of coffee was my only escape from the hundreds of emails and stacks of paperwork I was facing each day. I still use coffee that way. Rather than pour myself a cup first thing in the morning, I'm much more likely to get up and knock out a list of chores and save my coffee for a break after getting the work done. Probably kind of silly, but it works for me. ;-)

Roast: If ever I'm feeling homesick, you can bet roast will be on the menu soon. Something about the smell of a roast in the oven or crock pot all day conjures up some of my favorite family moments. A roast always meant one of two things when I was young--either we were all home to relax and enjoy the day together playing games, doing puzzles, etc. OR someone special was coming over. Either way, it always meant a fun day spent with people who loved me and I them. I wonder if my girls will feel the same way. There's something about serving up a meal of roast with all the fixin's that makes it more of an event than just a meal.

Lavendar: I'm not sure I can think of anything more relaxing than the smell of freshly clipped lavendar floating in a warm bath, which is why I always have at least one big bush of it growing somewhere in my yard. So much better than Calgon. ;-)

Bacon: I'm sure this doesn't need much explanation. But in addition to smelling amazingly delicious (which is enough to make me happy), bacon tends to say ADVENTURE. As in--a Saturday morning with no schedule that lets you have a nice breakfast and then just go where the day takes you. Love it!

Cinnamon: Certainly, it's yummy any time of year, but since it is a spice that tends to be more prevalent during the holidays, cinnamon almost always puts me in a festive mood. It makes me want to craft and bake and crochet and maybe even shop a little.

Vanilla: Something about vanilla signifies clean to me. It's one of my favorite candle scents, and I developed a habit a long time ago of lighting a candle after cleaning my house. So something about vanilla makes me want to curl up with a book or a movie, knowing that the chores are done, and I can sit still for a little while with no guilt. I like that.

Rosemary: This one is a bit of a mixed bag that can trigger a number of different things, but all good. Sometimes it has that "someone special is coming to dinner" effect kind of like a good roast. Other times, it has more of a spa effect like a an herb-infused facial or body lotion. And then other times it's similar to the ginger effect. Nothing specific--just makes me slow down and take some good deep breaths so I don't miss the glorious fragrance while I'm chopping it for whatever recipe I'm working on.

Bread: This is weird, especially since I tend to bake more in the winter than in the summer, but something about the smell of baking bread puts my mind in summertime, with the sun shining in through open windows in every room while a gentle breeze circulates the scrumptious smell throughout the entire house. Makes me want to be barefoot in my kitchen and elbow-deep in flour.

Those are some of my favorite smells and a bit about the effect they have on me. What are some of yours? I'm adding to my list all the time. Maybe some of your energizing, relaxing, or nostalgic scents will have the same impact on me. I'd love to try!

The Good List 2-1-12

2012-02-01T06:45:00.000-08:00

10. When they say "holler" on Leave it to Beaver. Makes me giggle every single time.
9. Wells Country Store breakfast muffins. I rolled my eyes when someone told me they were the best muffins in the world, but I take it back. It's entirely possible that's a true statement.
8. The way Macy giggles when she watches Abbott and Costello.
7. 2 excellent report cards (with a side note that Gracie has an "opportunity" to work on not distracting her fellow students quite so much when she finishes her work early. :-D)
6. There is a church in the Philippines which has developed a youth camp curriculum based on Jared's writings about "Gospel Wakefulness." We got this package in the mail from them yesterday. Amazing to feel like a part of this. What an adventure!

5. "Jesus Loves Me" played with handbells and signed by the lovely and multi-talented Kim Carr last Sunday. Beautifully sweet and simple.
4. Macy's painting of a sunset on the horizon.

3. When Macy and Grace are playing together unaware that anyone is listening, and they are making each other belly laugh like the very best of friends. Best. Sound. Ever.
2. Jared just signed another 3-book deal with Crossway. I'm telling you, that dude just can't keep his pen still. :-D I'm so humbled and grateful for Jared's incredibly hard work and overflowing heart, for Crossway's tremendous support of him, and for God's provision through this work that Jared so passionately loves.
1. My sister and bro-in-law just BOUGHT A HOUSE within walking distance of our church. I guess this means they love it here and want to stay awhile! I wonder if you can hear the gladness in my heart. It's so LOUD right now! Awesome.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

2012-01-31T08:51:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday today to the best Mom I could possibly hope for! Last year I posted this list of reasons that I adore her, but she is a year older now, so I have to add another reason.

64. She broke tradition last year so that our ENTIRE FAMILY could have a white Christmas together in Vermont! It was simply BRILLIANT.

I love you more than you will ever know, Mom!

GRACE

2012-01-28T08:44:00.000-08:00

Gracie just cleaned out her school "portfolio" and brought me a huge stack of papers. My favorite is an acrostic of her name:

Games are fun to me!
Rachel is my best friend.
Ace at race.
Curious about everything. (Indeed! :-D)
Energetic at rock climbing. (This makes me giggle. Certainly she is energetic at *everything,* but I don't know why she was so specific about rock climbing since she has only done that twice in her entire life.) Funny kid.

The Good List 1-25-12

2012-01-25T06:30:00.000-08:00

10. Acai Berry tea. Deliciously refreshing. Also, it's quite a delightful color, so I mean. . . bonus! :-D
9. Constellations.
8. Daffodils in winter. (Thank you, Michelle!)

7. The Ethiopia Yiracheffe coffee Jared received in the mail yesterday as a thank you for a writing project he recently contributed to. Yummy! Smooth and rich.
6. Celebrating all kinds of wonderfulness in the lives of so many friends lately--new babies, new jobs, good health reports (particularly when scary ones were expected), etc. God is good.
5. Macy scored at her basketball game Monday night! Such a fun moment for her!
4. The Gospel Coalition welcomes Jared as one of their contributing bloggers. A new adventure!
3. Happy tenants who have requested to extend their contract on our house in Nashville for another year. So grateful for the provision this is for our family.
2. Our Very Vermont Christmas. What a treasure this will be! Can't wait to have a copy in my hands! (Thanks, Vick, for working so hard to get it finished so quickly.)

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1. Sweet time with Jesus in the middle of the night. Usually what wakes me up or keeps me awake is something stressful, but recently I've been wide awake in the middle of the night for no other reason it seemed than to have Christ hold me close. So good. So so good.

Prayer Time 1-24-12

2012-01-24T05:10:00.000-08:00

I am so grateful for those who lifted up my prayer requests last week. Here is an update:

All of Macy's labwork came back NORMAL. This was such a huge answer to our prayers. We are left to believe that she has some sort of minor allergy and will schedule a follow-up appointment with an allergist soon, but she does not have the condition we first feared (angio-edema). So grateful.

Mrs. Daisy is still in the hospital waiting for results from the Mayo Clinic in MN (which she should receive today). She is currently cancer free, which is a huge praise, but they are looking for answers as to how to get her white blood cell counts up and stabilized once she is released from the hospital (she has been there for quite awhile now). Also, through all of this, somehow she never loses her joy. I think this is because she knows Whose she is. Another praise for sure. I would appreciate ongoing prayer for strength and healing for her.

Sweet Mrs. Betsy is healing slowly at home. She did face some infection last week, and this is a slow process for her, but she loves Jesus and depends on Him as much as anybody I know, so that helps her in her journey. But please pray that her recovery will move along rapidly, that comfort and strength will come quickly, and that SOON she will find herself feeling healthier than she has in a very long time.

As I remember these and other requests today, please let me know what I may add to my list on your behalf. It is my honor to pray for you. (As always, comments on this post will not be published publicly for the sake of those concerned with privacy.)

Amazing Love

2012-01-19T00:40:00.000-08:00

"Amazing Love, How can it be that you, My King, would die for me?" --Christy Nockels

How can it be indeed. HOW CAN IT BE? I'm simply undone by this thought at 3:39am.

The Good List 1-18-12

2012-01-18T06:34:00.000-08:00

10. The bags of bagel chips that our local grocery store makes from day-old bagels and sells for just $1/bag. They have plain, sweet and savory versions, and all of them are scrumptious. What a great deal!
9. White chocolate popcorn. If you dig the whole sweet and salty thing, this is for you. Three ingredients and 10 minutes to utter deliciousness. Y'all don't even KNOW! :-D
8. Tim Tebow. To be clear, I don't think he's Football Jesus, I haven't constructed a pedestal upon which to place a portrait of him, I don't think he's perfect or expect him to be, and I don't think or expect that his faith will have any bearing on how many football games he wins in his lifetime. I DO think that he is a genuine guy who is doing his best to honor Christ with his life as humbly and graciously and authentically as he can, and for that I am grateful.
7. Good, THOROUGH doctors whom you can tell really want to help rather than just write you a prescription and rush you out the door.
6. Two hour delays on school days. Not as much fun as getting the whole day off, but at least it makes for a snuggly morning.
5. Lemon-Thyme bread. Y'all. I can't even explain this heavenly treat. It is to be experienced, not described.
4. When our travels take us to old friends we otherwise might not ever get to visit. I just learned that I will get to hug my friend Brianna when we visit St. Louis for an Acts29 conference in April. Awesome.
3. Watching Macy's basketball games. Fun to see her enjoying a new experience.
2. A nice long conversation with my Trish last night. Miss you, girl! COME SEE ME!!!
1. Friends and family who pray. What an amazing comfort!

Prayer Time 1-16-12

2012-01-16T20:03:00.000-08:00

As always, I would love to pray for YOU during my prayer time tomorrow, but I also have a few requests of my own if you have a moment to lift any of these up.

First, we are taking Macy to the doctor for some blood tests in the morning to try to determine whether or not she has a rare condition called angio edema. Please pray that this is not the case.

Second, please pray for my friend Daisy, who has been beating cancer for several years now. She is now having problems with her current treatment. Please pray for strength for her, wisdom for her medical team, and ultimately healing, whether it is through a new form of chemo or through a miraculous act of God. (We're not picky. ;-)

And last but certainly not least, please pray for my friend Betsy who had surgery earlier this week. She has had this same surgery unsuccessfully in the past, so please pray that this one will correct the problem with no need for further surgeries. She is the wife of Pastor Roland, who preceded Jared as the pastor of our church here in Vermont, and they are absolute treasures to us.

Please let me know of your requests as well. Comments on this post will not be published publicly for the sake of those concerned with privacy.

The Good List 1-11-12

2012-01-11T06:36:00.000-08:00

10. Homemade ocean water. That drink is really the main reason I miss Sonic, so. . . Problem Solved! :-D
9. This. Why does it make me giggle so much?

8. A brand new box of crayons. Right? I know y'all know what I'm talking about.
7. Downton Abbey. I confess that in the first 10 minutes I was afraid there were way too many characters to keep up with, but it sucked me in pretty quickly. Quality entertainment for sure.
6. The smell of fresh ginger. I have decided to cook with it WAAAY more often than I used to. There's just no reason not to.
5. Snow is coming tomorrow! (At least I hope the forecast is right.) We haven't had nearly as much so far this winter as we did last year, but there's still time. :-D (Sorry, Connie. . . .)
4. Panera finally opened in Rutland during the holidays! And yes, I am currently enjoying their free wi-fi with my coffee this morning. ;-)
3. Dinner party on the calendar for Friday! My favorite kind of night! On the menu: Homemade lasagna, fresh salad with homemade dressing, fresh rosemary bread and gooey butter cake. Also: sweet tea, 'cause I gotta represent.
2. All kinds of hopeful, encouraging, exciting, fun connections and conversations for Jared in the last couple weeks. So grateful that I get to be along for the ride!
1. This. I've seen it many times. It wrecks me every single time. Well worth 5 minutes of your time. Oh that we all would receive the word of God with such joy!

Should be an Interesting Summer

2012-01-10T12:16:00.000-08:00

Macy came home from school today with a first draft of a list of things that she would like to do this summer. Apparently, she plans to add to it in the coming weeks, but I don't know. . . This already seems pretty ambitious to me. ;-)

1. Make a mind challenge puzzle to the extreme.
2. Make a small robot from scratch that can carry a glass of water.
3. Find a hiding spot in the backyard and build a club/tree house.
4. Record radio interviews and songs with Grace and put them on my alarm clock. Listen to one every morning.
5. Sing in church at least twice.
6. Make a board game.
7. Play school with Grace, and teach her how to do long division. (Gracie isn't too sure about this one.)
8. Make a battery operated catapult that can fling things at least 3/4 of the way across the yard. (This is my favorite. It's so specific. And so NOT the typical 10-year-old girl, which actually makes me happy.)
9. Save up at least $40 before buying anything.
10. Edit my blog to make it look more like mine.

I can't wait to see what else she comes up with. Sounds like we'll have a fun summer. :-D

Prayer Time 1-10-12

2012-01-10T04:44:00.000-08:00

Please let me know how I might pray for you today. Comments on this post will not be published publicly for the sake of those concerned with privacy.

Blessings to you in the Gospel today!

Skinny Doesn't Equal Healthy and Nice Doesn't Equal Jesus

2012-01-05T10:10:00.001-08:00

Before I get into this, I should state my disclaimer that I am no expert whatsoever on health or working out or anything along those lines (or really anything at all for that matter ;-)), so feel free to ignore and roll your eyes at any portion of this you disagree with. I'm mostly just "thinkin' out loud."

Several years ago I had an epiphany of sorts, which I'm sure had a lot more to do with the Gospel than with my ability to actually figure this out on my own. Since I grew up on the chubby side for most of my childhood, I spent many years insanely jealous of people who didn't struggle with that particular issue. It just "wasn't fair" that they could eat whatever they wanted and then lay around and do nothing and never gain any weight. No fair! No Fair! NO FAIR!

But what I came to realize as an adult is that this reality led me to get a handle on my health pretty early in life. This is not to say that I'm a health nut or obsessive about workouts or anything like that. I'm not. I don't treat my body like a science experiment or work out 20 hours a week. But I do try to take care of myself, because my body is a constant reminder that I *need* to. To explain: I'm not necessarily proud of this, but I'm almost certain that if I were naturally thin, I would eat carbs and chocolate all day every day. Literally. Also, I'm pretty sure working out wouldn't be a super high priority. And in that scenario, my guess is that I might stay thin, but that certainly doesn't mean I would be healthy with that kind of behavior. This is why I've learned to be grateful for the way God made me. He knows my tendencies, so I can't help but see this body as an act of love from Him. He gave me a very physical reminder that if I don't take care of myself, bad things will happen. I'm grateful for this because I understand that skinny does not necessarily equal healthy. Thin people can have just as many hidden health concerns as people who are carrying extra weight. And everyone (at least in my opinion) should put forth *some* effort to take care of the one and only earthly temple God gave them regardless of their current size/weight. What's inside our bodies and out of sight needs attention no matter what we look like on the outside. We need to drink water to protect our kidneys, do cardio work to keep our hearts in good shape, eat lean proteins to keep our muscles strong, etc. If I were effortlessly thin, I fear that I would ignore this truth.

And this is how my constantly multi-tasking (or some might say scattered. . . .) brain works--- As I was thinking through this whole situation, it made me wonder if many of us don't treat our spiritual lives similarly. What I mean is that many of us don't necessarily have glaringly obvious sins hanging off of us as soon as we wake up in the morning. We might look pretty "skinny" to an outsider. We're not itching to go murder someone. We don't struggle with an overt addiction. We're not screaming profanities at our parents or breaking into a neighbor's house or area retail establishment to steal what isn't ours. And since it seems like everything is pretty much "fine" for the most part, maybe we don't see an immediate need to exercise our faith, by which I mean pray, dig into scripture, read helpful literature, dialog with other believers, etc.

Dangerous. Why? Because even if there is no physical evidence of our spiritual sickness, we all need to give attention to what's inside our hearts. We ALL struggle with hidden sins. The Bible tells us so. We all entertain thoughts that aren't pleasing to Christ. We all toy with temptations sometimes far longer than we should. We all struggle to truly *be* the fruits of the spirit. Many of us can put on a pretty good act for our viewers, but our insidest insides can be fatally diseased even while we smile and "be nice" to everyone and maybe even talk about Jesus. This is no more healthy than a thin person with blocked arteries, blackened lungs, or inflamed kidneys. It is a certain path to death. Spiritual exercise and healthy consumption of Scripture is critical to spiritual health just as physical exercise and healthy eating/drinking is critical to physical health. Certainly the routine and specific behavior can vary greatly from person to person, but it shouldn't be altogether absent if we expect to be healthy. It takes work on a regular basis. Not a couple times in January each year. ;-) But all year long every year.

And that's all I have to say about that. . . . ;-)

Can my goal weight include me keeping all of my limbs?

2012-01-05T06:11:00.001-08:00

A couple days ago, I downloaded an app on my iPod so that I can join the rest of the world in the year 2012 instead of continuing to track my workouts and eating plan via spreadsheets and handwritten notes. It seems pretty cool at first glance, but apparently I need to spend a bit more time with it.

This week I have been in "detox" mode. I'm just kind of tired of eating after all of that holiday-type food, so I've had lots of cereal, fruit and water and not much more. Also, I got an elliptical for Christmas, and I was on hold for a looooooong time today, so I stayed on it longer than usual. When I entered all of my calorie intake and workout info into the plan today, it said to me in these exact words: "If every day were just like today, you would weigh 106 pounds in 12 weeks." And then, "your calorie intake is too low and could be dangerous." HA! I'm pretty sure I would have to lose a limb or two to get down to 106. I guess I should communicate better with my little app, but I don't have the heart to tell it every day will definitely NOT be just like today. :-D

The Good List 1-4-12

2012-01-04T06:14:00.000-08:00

10. Gift card shopping. It's so much more fun than spending *real* money. ;-)
9. The Adventures of TinTin. Action PACKED and lots of fun! Also perfectly set up for a sequel. Nice.
8. The scrumptious smell of my new blueberry muffin candle. I want to wear it as a necklace so the fragrance can waft into my nostrils all day long. (That probably wouldn't work, huh?)
7. Watching Drew Brees break the record for total passing yards in a single season. Yes. AND it was on the MNF season finale for this year. Yes again. And as usual, he responded with class. Yes of course. Love that guy!
6. The word "dazzle." I would suggest that it's underused except that I think it might lose some of its dazzle if it were used too often.
5. Midnight in Paris. What an excellent film!
4. Jared's new toy: Kindle Touch. And I'm glad he sees fit to share it with his wife. :-D
3. MY new toy: a *quiet* elliptical. My treadmill served me well for a long time, but this is so much quieter and less abusive to my old house floors than the treadmill. And possibly an even better workout if you use it right.
2. The mug from my friend Amy on which she hand-painted a scene from some of my recent photography. Coolest gift ever. (I forgot to load a picture, and I'm not currently at home, but I will add one later. It deserves to be admired. ;-) )
1. Watching Leave it to Beaver with Macy and Grace. Somehow all of life slows down when we do this.

For My Husband. . . For My Pastor. . .

2011-12-30T22:39:00.000-08:00

In 2012 and beyond. . .

. . . I pray that God will illuminate scripture to you daily in a way that dazzles your heart and captures your imagination.
. . . I pray for inexplicable amounts of energy when all factors indicate you should be tired--especially on Monday mornings. ;-)
. . . I pray that I will know how to encourage you every single day of the year, even if some days it's only in the smallest ways.
. . . I pray for beautifully refreshing rest when you need it most.
. . . I pray that God will show you fruit from your labor, but that you will not tire of the good work you're doing even if He chooses not to.
. . . I pray that your congregation will learn from you and you from them in a gorgeous picture of Acts 2 living.
. . . I pray that our children will grow and walk in faith throughout the year.
. . . I pray that your writing will inspire people to love Christ and the Gospel more.
. . . I pray that we will experience the kind of growth in our church that reflects more people having a deeper knowledge of Christ regardless of attendance.
. . . I pray for strong friendships with men of God who love you honestly and authentically.
. . . I pray for wisdom beyond your years and experience during counseling sessions with those who seem hopeless.
. . . I pray that you will get to see the rapturous freedom in someone's eyes the moment they realize who they are in Christ for the first time.
. . . I pray for protection over our family, especially when we are apart from each other.
. . . I pray that you will find joy and fulfillment in hard work, but also that you will have time to delight in play.
. . . I pray for quality alone time for us as a couple.
. . . I pray for quality together time for our family.
. . . I pray for safety in travel throughout the year.
. . . I pray that your words will be sure, confident, and Christ-honoring during conferences, radio interviews, and other similar experiences.
. . . I pray for your health--mental, physical, and emotional, but mostly spiritual.
. . . I pray that you will never stray from your stubborn desire to make the Gospel the center of all of your teaching.
. . . I pray for an uncanny ability to love difficult people.
. . . I pray for a multitude of encouragers (but not pride-builders) to surround you.
. . . I pray for moments that make you say/think "Look what Jesus did!" on a regular basis.
. . . I pray that the establishment of an elder board in our church will come to fruition with exactly the right men to lead us on toward the greater work God has for us here in Vermont/New England.
. . . I pray for lots of FUN throughout the year--in all different shapes and sizes and involving all kinds of people.
. . . I pray against doubt and fear.
. . . I pray against pride and self-absorption.
. . . I pray against anger and frustration.
. . . I pray for the fruits of the spirit to become more deeply rooted in you and more evident to others every single day.
. . . I pray that I will be worthy of my calling to walk beside you in this ministry (ONLY by the grace of God).
. . . I THANK GOD for giving you to me and me to you.

The Good List 12-28-11

2011-12-28T20:07:00.000-08:00

10. The crunch of leaves and branches underfoot during a winter hike.
9. Old school Concentration. We used to play this game all the time when my sisters and I were little. Jody found one online that she got my Mom for Christmas. It's amazing the memories it brought back. So fun!

8. Mom's seafood gumbo and shrimp poboys. YUM!

7. The Help. I read the book several months ago, but just watched the movie during the holidays. Both were terrible and wonderful all at once.

6. Having Peyton and Leah here to fix/play with my hair over and over again. I strongly considered holding them hostage. ;-)

5. 10 cousins playing in the snow.

4. Late night giggles with my whoooole family!!!

3. Macy and Jared snuggling together to watch It's a Wonderful Life repeatedly. Macy has developed quite a crush on Jimmy Stewart. :-D

2. The family band is well underway. A green ukulele for Macy. A blue one for Grace. And a cajon each for Ty and Jack. Nice!

1. I just booked a plane ticket for my Mom to come back and see us in the spring. This softens the blow of the Christmas holidays ending a little bit. Love you so much, Mom!!! Can't wait for spring break!!!

Sound Bytes

2011-12-28T16:03:00.000-08:00

On the off chance that there are actually 2 or 3 people outside of my immediate family who read this blog, I should go ahead and warn you to probably just skip this post. It won't make any sense to those who weren't present for the recent few days of shenanigans and tomfoolery. It might not even make sense to those who were present. You're welcome for the warning. :-D

Jody: "These questions are easy." Dad: "No, they're not easy. They're hard. I'm just smart."

Vickie: "Jody is the one who's always singing ridiculousness."

Mom: "Funk and Farkle." Becky: "MOM! That sounds dirty and inappropriate. It needs to wait until later."

Jody, in response to Leah's less-than-thrilledness at being up late: "Leah! Go to bed, Raincloud!"

Becky: "That's not Pi. That's Stone Henge."

Peyton: "I can't believe y'all are actually playing a game you have to *think* about."

After everyone told Jon his answer was a good guess, Dad said: "How is that a good answer? It was wrong!"

Jon: "Don't be surprised at my smartness."

In response to the following question, "What microsoft plug-in delivers high quality audio and video to web browsers?" Mom: "Extension cord."

Amy (somewhere in the neighborhood of 184 times, but I lost count): "I'm sorry. What was the question?"

"Ummmmm. . . . . are you new?"

Amy: "Guys, I hate to be needy here, but does anyone know where I can find a pillow?" Jared: "Wait. Is that like Methvin code for some kind of female problem?"

Vickie, to her two oldest children: "Why are y'all sitting so close together? It's weird."

Josh to Leah, while we were playing a game during which the object is to accumulate the fewest points: "Leah, you have more points than the combined total of everyone else playing this game."

Jody: "Daddy, you do you."

Becky: "Dad is quite the tidy-er."

Dylan (who just turned 3): "Out of my way, you!"

When Dad said he didn't know the answer to the question, "What playwright wrote Romeo and Juliet?" Amy verbally assaulted him and said, "And you have a college degree?!" To which Dad very calmly replied, "Yep. In petroleum engineering. Shakespeare never came up."

Leah: "Y'all are more fun with margaritas."

There you go, Vick. Remind me of the ones I forgot. . . . .

The Good List 12-21-11

2011-12-21T06:12:00.000-08:00

10. Drew Brees on Sesame Street. Could there be anything more adorable?
9. Serving breakfast for dinner. There is something so very cozy about it. I don't really know why.
8. The brilliant moonlight reflecting off of a snowy landscape. It's CRAZY how bright it can be! So magical and romantic and sexy.
7. Patriot Place. The perfect little occasional getaway place.
6. Fleece sheets. These are to the outside of my body exactly what the perfect cup of coffee is to the inside of my body. Plus mine are the color of chocolate, so it's almost too much awesomeness for a single scenario. :-D
5. THIS! I cannot wait!!!

4. The homemade doggy biscuits Macy made for Indi and Charlie. She couldn't bear to leave them out. So sweet.

3. Some of my favorite people in the world welcome Grandbaby #3 in May 2012. Congratulations to Kim and Dale Carr and also their daughter Molly and her husband Bryan on the birth of their FIRST sweet baby!

2. The Maywalds are almost here!!! Project Vermont Christmas is coming together quite nicely. Quite nicely indeed. :-D

1. A nice, long day of shopping and giggling with Mom and Jody yesterday. So much giggling. . .

Beautiful Hands

2011-12-18T20:01:00.000-08:00

I have a thing about hands. Always have. I remember as a relatively young child making a comment to my Memaw about how soft and pretty her hands were. She chuckled and assured me that her old, worn, hard-working hands were anything but soft and pretty, but I remember disagreeing with her. My limited vocabulary most likely intended words more like "tender" or "gentle" and "noble" or "gracefully strong," but what made sense to me at the time was "soft" and "pretty." My Memaw on the other hand saw rough, unpampered hands that had worked hard for decades with extremely limited resources and zero luxuries. Memaw raised 6 children. She cooked, sewed, cleaned, gardened, and did everything else a family of 6 children and a husband required of her. And I can almost guarantee she never got a manicure or owned any expensive lotion. But still there was something about her hands. They held love, care, tenderness, a certain kind of beauty. To me, even as a young child, they were "pretty" even though they were probably not attractive by worldly standards.

I was reminded of this a few days ago when I was reaching for lotion after washing my 4th or 5th sink full of dishes on one of my "cook all day" kind of days. It occurred to me that my hands really aren't much to look at. They were feeling awfully rough and dry after the work I had been doing that day. And even when that isn't happening, they're chubby and stubby and scarred and bearing the consequences of washing dishes 3 times a day most days. You'll never see them pictured in a lotion ad or featured on a poster in a nail salon. But I'm ok with that, because I'm finding that when I think of beautiful hands these days, I'm much more drawn to the ones that evidence their work and service much like my Memaw's did. The story written in experienced hands inspires and encourages me far more richly than a pretty picture of a smooth, manicured hand ever will. Not that there's anything wrong with having model hands. :-D But mine are not. So I'm just hoping that maybe one day they will tell a beautiful story.

Young ladies, one day you will likely look down and realize your hands aren't so young anymore. When that happens, don't be sad. Remember with joy every dish you washed, every tear you wiped away, every diaper you changed, and every scar you created while preparing a meal for someone. This is why God gave us hands. To love and serve. Use them well for that purpose and be proud of what they accomplish and the story they tell. This is true beauty. And if they happen to be attractive too, well then that's just a bonus.

The Good List 12-14-11

2011-12-14T03:46:00.000-08:00

10. Smoked salmon flatbread wrap with arugula, goat cheese and caramelized onions. Yes. Pretty sure I could eat this every day if I could afford to.
9. Shopping in my pajamas on my couch with a huge mug of coffee by my side and having everything delivered to my door. So excellent.
8. Disney's Prep and Landing. Fantastic.
7. The winter moon is typically framed right in the center of my kitchen window when I'm preparing and/or cleaning up after dinner. This makes me a special kind of happy and "settled" in my heart.

6. Will Arnett in "Up All Night." Brilliant.
5. Reading Christmas picture books with Jack and Dylan. It's fun to be reminded how much I love this.
4. The Barn restaurant. Jared and I have had a gift certificate to this place for over a year. We finally used it last weekend, and it was fantastic. Excellent food. Warm, cozy setting. Wonderful service. The only thing we'll do differently next time is make reservations to sit by the fireplace!
3. Scrumptious, chubby little toddler hands and feet. I simply adore them.

2. I happened upon Macy's favorite locket and opened it up to find my Memaw's picture. Stirred my heart to tears. Macy didn't know her very long, but somehow she has always felt a strong bond to her. Precious.

1. Getting to watch "It's a Wonderful Life" at the historic Paramount Theatre. An old, black and white, Christmas movie on a big screen in a theatre that was built in 1912. Kind of like a fairy tale for me. :-D

Prayer Time 12-13-11

2011-12-13T03:44:00.000-08:00

"Christ chargeth me to believe His daylight at midnight." --Samuel Rutherford

When I first read this, I read it to say, "Christ changeth me to believe His daylight at midnight." I think that's equally true, but not without a great deal of time at the feet of Jesus.

And with that in mind, what might I bring to Him on your behalf while I'm there today? Please feel free to leave prayer requests in the comments field. Comments on this post will not be published publicly for the sake of those concerned with privacy.

Photo of the Week 12-12-11

2011-12-12T04:51:00.001-08:00

Simple Pleasures

2011-12-11T15:56:00.000-08:00

He could have made every food taste the same. Simple manna. Just what we need to sustain us, but not necessarily anything to enjoy or savor. But He didn't. Thank you, Lord, for. . .
. . .tender, flavorful shrimp and scallops
. . .rich, luxurious chocolate
. . .fresh, fragrant breads
. . .plump, ripe, scrumptiously sweet strawberries
. . .oils and vinegars and spices that combine to create nothing short of a party for my palate

He could have made the moon look exactly the same every night. But He didn't. Thank you, Lord, for each of these:

He could have made the landscape purely functional. Big uniform square blocks of brown dirt suitable for providing the things we need to sustain life but completely uninteresting to look at. But he didn't. Thank you, Lord, for. . .

. . .majestic green and snow-capped mountains

. . .sprawling corn fields

. . .lazy, winding rivers

. . .powerful, rushing waterfalls

. . .warm, sandy beaches

. . .rocky, lighthouse-clad coastlines

He sure didn't have to bother with all those seasons. But He did. Thank you, Lord, for. . .

Spring

Summer

Fall

And Winter.

He could have made flowers nothing more than pollen containers--all the same color, size and shape. Fuel for the bees; pointless for the humans. But He didn't. Thank you, Lord, for. . .

. . .yellow roses

. . .pink peonies

. . .purple petunias

. . .tiny forget-me-nots

. . .gigantic sunflowers

. . .clustered bunches of hydrangeas

. . .individual tulips in a vast array of vivid colors

Simple pleasures. None of them necessary to live. Gifts from God, who delights in our joy. Thank you, Lord, for the lavish and creative ways you love us!

Entitlement vs. Gratitude

2011-12-10T10:06:00.001-08:00

"Gratitude is a beautiful thing. There is no Christianity without it. It is at the heart of worship. It should fill the heart of every believer." --John Piper

Last week during Ladies' Bible Study, we touched on this topic just a bit as an extension of a "Vending Machine God" discussion. We agreed that pretty much every person has a tendency to treat God like a vending machine, expecting that if we do a, b and c, He should give us exactly what we want and deserve. This is flawed logic for so many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that none of us *really* want what we deserve. But on the other hand, God does give us amazing gifts every single day that we should enjoy. And this is just as difficult for some as avoiding entitlement mentality. Many struggle with feeling guilty over enjoying common graces like a nice meal out or a new pair of boots, etc. There is constant tension in the Christian life between these two extremes, and if we were to poll 10,000 people as to how often we should eat out, buy new things, etc, we would likely get 10,000 different opinions. The truth is that there are way too many factors to set hard and fast rules as to how this should look specifically for every single family. But certainly there are diagnostic concepts we can examine to figure out where we land on the spectrum.

Those who eat out more often than they prepare meals at home and then complain about more of the meals than they compliment might have an entitlement problem.

Those who "redecorate" their homes every 2 years and find that it is never quite what they want it to be might have an entitlement problem.

Those who find themselves angry with people who don't serve them perfectly might have an entitlement problem.

Those who exceed their budget each month or even find themselves going into debt for unnecessary items (but things that they *really* want!) might have an entitlement problem.

You see the pattern, I'm sure.

But don't misunderstand. I'm not condemning eating out, redecorating, or even enjoying good customer service. My point is that we should examine the condition of our hearts in regards to these things. If we see them as gifts, we are much more likely to be grateful for them, and gratitude and entitlement can't live in the same heart at the same time.

Since it's Christmastime, let's consider the following example:

Little Sammy gets up early Christmas morning to open up his gifts. None of these things are items he particularly "needs." They are gifts from people who love him and enjoy making him smile. When he opens the gifts, he is happy and thankful. He hugs all of the givers and tells them how much he appreciates their gifts. In the following weeks and months, he takes care of the items and uses them as they were intended, and each one brings him great joy. I'm guessing no one sees a problem with this scenario.

Now let's change it up a bit. Little Sammy gets the exact same gifts as mentioned in the above scenario, but rather than hug or thank anyone, he wants to know why there isn't more. He whines about one of the items being the wrong color and cries because another item isn't fun to play with unless he has 3 other items to go with it. He mentions to each of the givers that he gave them a list of everything he wanted and wonders why they didn't just follow the list. And in the following weeks and months, he doesn't take care of the items and doesn't even use them since they weren't exactly what he asked for. The givers are the same, and all of the items are the same. But this scenario is basically a disaster. Why? The only difference is the condition of the recipient's heart.

Certainly there are examples of excess all throughout our culture, and many of us are guilty of pursuing and expecting things that we shouldn't. But sometimes there are material things and experiences in our lives that I believe God intends for us to receive and enjoy as good gifts from Him with the kind of gratitude that expels any and all thoughts of entitlement. We don't deserve anything good. At all. So let's choose to be grateful when we get it anyway. Merry Christmas!

Christmas Movies

2011-12-08T07:43:00.001-08:00

I'm sure we're not alone in our annual December tradition to make sure we watch a certain list of Christmas movies at least once each throughout the season, right? So I have a question-- What are your MUST see Christmas movies every year? Our list is pretty long, but I just want to make sure we aren't missing any. Tell me what you have to watch every year to make your Christmas season complete. Maybe I'll add a few to our list and start even earlier next year. :-D

The Good List 12-7-11

2011-12-07T05:46:00.001-08:00

10. Rosemary and Olive Oil Triscuits. Y'all. Go to them. I promise they will not disappoint.
9. The Muppets. We tried to see it Thanksgiving weekend, but it was sold out. Just one week later, we shared the theatre with only 3 other people. So I guess Vermonters *only* see movies on Thanksgiving weekend. ;-) Either way, it was a great film.
8. A big ol' stack of Christmas cards, all addressed, stamped and ready to go.
7. The sense of humor of some of my "friends." Check out this little gem I got in the mail last week. No.

6. Overripe bananas and the role they play in baking various healthy and yet still fabulously delicious treats. (Pumpkins play a similar role.)
5. The lead character in the new Disney animated film Brave. I LOVE her crazy, wild, brilliantly red hair!
4. Homemade cookies. I would pretty much choose these over just about any dessert in the entire world. I guess I'll never be able to be a food snob. ;-)

3. That feeling of being snuggled way down deep in my warm, comfy bed with no need to turn on the alarm clock. Sleep late Saturdays rule.
2. The fact that Jody and Jon recruited the entire Middletown Fire Department to help hang Christmas lights on our church. Gotta love small towns. ;-)
1. This guy.

He loves me so much, it doesn't even make sense. But I love him more, and somehow that makes perfect sense to me. ;-)

Prayer Time 12-6-11

2011-12-06T04:49:00.001-08:00

It's a good day to pray. Let me know if there is anything I can lift up on your behalf. Comments on this post will not be published publicly for the sake of those concerned with privacy.

"But we will devoted ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word." --Acts 6:4

Quick Reminder

2011-12-02T09:17:00.001-08:00

What you and I *deserve* is eternal death and separation from God in the form of hell. Anything we get that is better than that (which is basically everything) is a blessing.

Let's adjust our perspective and expectations accordingly.

More Than Just Photos on a Page. . . So Much More

2011-12-01T07:27:00.001-08:00

Three years ago, my ever-growing family decided it was time to simplify our Christmas traditions. I am 1 of 4 daughters, and together we have 10 children, and we all LOVE Christmas in a way that could very easily turn to excess. So in an effort to guard against that, to be financially responsible, and to free a portion of our budget for giving outside of our families, we made some pretty big changes in 2008 which have proven to be huge blessings to us in every way we expected and even many we did not. I may talk more about the whole big picture of this a little later, but today I want to focus on just one of our new traditions.

As my Mom and sisters and I were talking through what our new practices should look like, one of the questions we had to ask is, "What is it that we really even *want* for Christmas? Do we really want to keep trading gift cards and sweaters and DVDs and soon-to-bo-obsolete electronics?" The answer was no. What we decided was most important to us was togetherness. Participating in each other's lives. Communicating. Sharing pictures and stories and adventures. Geographically, this can sometimes be difficult. When we first started this conversation, my family was living in Nashville, TN while everyone else was in Texas, so frequent physical proximity just wasn't an option. Now, my family AND my youngest sister's family live in Vermont (YAY!!!!!), so it's even more difficult to be physically together as an entire family on a regular basis. BUT--we are a creative bunch (or so we'd like to think), and some of us are stubborn :-D, so we were undeterred in our pursuit of this goal. And this is my favorite part of the solution:

Each year I and all of my sisters each create a digital scrapbook--a "yearbook" if you will--which offers a glimpse into what that year looked like for our family. Through this year, each book was 100 pages of kids growing up, family trips and adventures, holiday celebrations, etc. (but we recently discovered you can now add additional pages, so I'm guessing the books will get a little fatter next year. :-D) We work on them throughout the year (or some of us cram and frantically do the entire thing 2 days before ordering. . .), and then when they are all finished, my Mom orders 2 of each book--1 for each family and then a full set for her to keep. This is the only gift the adults receive, and it is a greater treasure to me than anything I can ever remember opening up on Christmas morning. And not just because of what it *is*, but much more because of what it *does.*

For me, this practice has been a life-changer in so many ways. First, it changes the way I take pictures. Which might sound silly, but for one who is passionate about photography, this idea greatly impacts my thought processes and behavior with my camera (which I spend a LOT of time with, so that's a good thing.) I'm so much more deliberate now. Every picture bears the potential to tell a story, to draw my 2000-miles away parents and sisters and nieces and nephews into my life and the lives of my children. I love the way this shapes my thoughts toward the way we spend our time.

Additionally, this has become an incredibly fun way to spend time with my sisters even when we are across the country from each other. We can all log in at the same time and work on our books while chatting together online. We can copy from each other's books, share pictures, etc. Some of my favorite conversations with my oldest sister have happened in the middle of the night (or early morning to be more accurate) as we share pictures and stories and record life events together. One click of the mouse instantly shrinks the distance between us. So awesome.

And finally, these books are becoming my love letters to my children. Certainly they are filled with all sorts of silly and fun and not necessarily deeply meaningful pictures (and hopefully they always will be), but as we strive to turn our lives more and more toward pursuing Christ, I am equally hopeful that it will be impossible not to see the thread of faith woven throughout the pages. I don't mean that the fun and silliness will decrease. I sure hope not! And I don't mean there will be scripture and really bad morose pictures of Jesus on every page (since that's about the only kind you can find ;-). I just mean that Christ would be evident in the patterns of our lives. The way we spend time together and with others. The activities we choose to participate in. The pursuits that capture our imaginations and draw our attention. You know. . . . Matthew 6:21 stuff. One of these days when my girls have a stack of 15 or 20 of these to flip through, I hope they will see that we treasure Christ. Very imperfectly for sure, but I hope in such a way that leads them to do the same.

And with that said, here is my 3rd installment in this library of legacy--

The Good List / Macy's Good List 11-30-11

2011-11-29T17:44:00.001-08:00

10. Super 8. Crazy! Although I have to take issue with the people who called it a "Modern Day E.T." E.T. was sweet and gentle. This was quite a bit more. . . . . harsh. Still a really good movie though. Stellar acting by the young cast.
9. Frosty windows. Jack is quite the artist sometimes.
8. Elvis' Christmas Album. Warm and cozy.
7. The Saints doing Monday Night Football right with 49 points. Yeah, baby. None of this 9-6 business on MNF.
6. Rosy cheeks after snow play.
5. The magnificent gift of olive oil and Dark Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar (I KNOW, RIGHT?!?) our wonderful friend Tracy Markland gave us for pastor appreciation. Oh. My. It is exquisite.

4. The smattering of brightly hued envelopes we find in our mailbox this time of year amidst the boring old stack of white bills and junk mail.
3. Gabe and Amanda McGann, missionaries to UVM, a university with a staggeringly high percentage of students who are not merely uninterested in Christianity, but in many cases hostile toward it and all who profess it. But they are unwavering and excited about what God is doing in and through and around them here in Vermont. What a fantastic couple! Plus, they're adorable. :-D
2. Jared has been preaching from the book of Ruth. Yesterday while we were watching football, he made a silly comment about being bitter about a bad call or something like that, and Macy quickly and mockingly responded, "Well, maybe we should just call you Mara." !!!!! Someone's been paying attention! Awesome.
1. Nellie Fitzgerald, a wise old saint who finished life well at 95 years last week. Jared got to hold her hand and listen to her recite Psalm 23 and talk about how much she loved Jesus and He loved her in her final days. Amazing Grace for sure.
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Macy's Good List

10. Tom Brady and Drew Brees
9. Evergreen and snowy pinecones
8. Playing ukulele without a pick
7. Dad's word for our church foyer--"narthex"
6. Noise in the fellowship hall
5. Relaxing on the couch with a good book
4. Chicken tortilla soup
3. Mrs. Mahoney's molasses cookies
2. Ruth, Naomi and Boaz
1. Advent

Prayer Time 11-29-11

2011-11-29T07:39:00.001-08:00

Today I'm making cookies all day long for an upcoming craft fair. Sweet and therapeutic. And a great activity during which to pray. Please let me know if I can pray for you today. You're welcome to leave requests in the comments section of this post. These will not be published publicly for the sake of those concerned with privacy.

Blessings to you in the Gospel today!

A Most Excellent "Re-Gift"

2011-11-28T17:49:00.001-08:00

Hi. My name is Becky and I'm a Christmas-aholic. I love everything about it. (well, except for Black Friday shopping, but that is a discussion for a different time. :-D) Christmastime heightens and delights all of my senses. I love the sight of candles and twinkly lights, the smell of evergreen and cinnamon, the taste of festively flavored coffee and all sorts of delectable treats that I only allow myself to indulge in during the holidays. :-D I love the sound of Christmas music and crackling fires and the feel of snuggly socks and blankets and all those extra hugs that people seem more ready to give during the holidays. And I LOVE Christmas movies. Way more than I should probably admit. Especially the old-school ones like the animated Grinch, Rudolph, Frosty and Charlie Brown. Like I said, Christmas-aholic. The whole scene is pretty cheese-tastic. This I know. Love me anyway, ok?

And one of my favorite things of all is when I think of a truly perfect gift for someone I love. Not just any gift. Not some new soon-to-be obsolete electronic item. Not another sweater. Not even a gift card, although I have given many and probably will give more this year. I'm not opposed to any of those things in general. I have given those kinds of items before, and I'm sure I will again. They're practical, and sometimes people really like them. They just don't seem "special" to me. I like special. SO--with that in mind, I try to find gifts that accomplish at least 1 of the following requirements:

a) The gift represents a special memory or captures a significant moment in time that will serve as a lifelong reminder to the recipient. Maybe it has the power to bring a laugh on a difficult day or remind a friend that they are loved.
b) The gift somehow makes life significantly easier/better for the recipient. By this, I don't mean something like a newer, faster iPod. I'm thinking more like a snowblower for an aging parent so that they don't have to shovel heavy snow. Or a few weeks of maid service for a new Mom to help her get some rest. Things like that.

OR my favorite--

c) The gift has the potential to have a compelling and meaningful impact on the recipient. One of my habitual examples of this is the book Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas. Jared and I give this book as a gift to every couple we know when they get married. (Of course, we combine it with something from their registry lest you think we are completely opposed to the more "practical" gifts. :-D) It is easily the best book on marriage I have ever read, primarily focused on the work of the Holy Spirit and grace within the marriage rather than teaching individuals how to "get what they want" from their spouse. But I digress. That is yet another discussion for a different time.

The MAIN point of this post was to get to offering a suggestion for a gift that I think works for pretty much all three of these categories. I don't have many brilliant ideas, but this is one I'm pretty excited about. Let me know what you think. . . .

A few years ago, I realized for reasons I (thankfully) don't even remember that my "career" as a parent would include a lengthy list of failures and shortcomings. It's called being human, right? Or so I recall being told. But I didn't like that answer. Not because I didn't agree with it. Certainly it is true that my humanness (and Jared's) will limit our ability to parent our children perfectly, but I don't want to settle for that. And the only antidote I know to my sinful, imperfect, constantly failing humanness is the sinless, perfect, constantly redeeming power of Christ. So how do I make sure my girls see that thread throughout the fabric of their lives? Ok--here's my "brilliant" idea-- When Macy and Grace were very young, I bought Jared 2 ESV journaling Bibles and asked him to alternate using them as he studied and marked in them and journaled throughout. I figured if he did this for 20 or more years, both Bibles would be filled with all sorts of notes and insights. My plan is to give each of our girls one of these Bibles on their wedding day. (Shhhhh! ;-) ) The idea is that we want to be able to say to them, "We know we didn't always get it right, but please see that we were in the Word trying to do our very best to center our family around Christ." Or something along those lines. I love this for so many reasons: 1. They will be able to see the time spent in those Bibles. Jared dates every entry, so they will see year after year of study and reflection. 2. They will see names of wonderful teachers/writers/scholars referenced throughout the pages. Names like Ray Ortlund and Tim Keller and Martin Luther. I hope that our girls will know and love the teaching of these men just like their Dad and I do and that they will be part of the legacy of faith these men leave behind some day. 3. I can't think of many things more precious and special than hand-written notes from the pen of someone I hold dear. I have a handwritten journal and cookbook from my Mom that I wouldn't trade for anything, and I have a card from my Grandmother in which she scrawled in very weak and shaky writing at the very end of her message, "I'm so proud of you, Beck." This I will treasure until the day that I see her again in the presence of Jesus. These are just a couple of examples, but I have boxes full of similar items. They are priceless to me, so the idea that my girls will have something like this in the form of a Bible which also happens to hold their Dad's exhortations and discoveries in the Scriptures makes my heart sparkle. I truly hope and pray that they will cling to Christ throughout their entire lives, and this is just one way I'm attempting to keep Him in front of them in every way I can.

SO there you go. Feel free to steal my idea if you think it might work for someone you love. It might be a little tricky, since you have to give it to someone with the expectation that they will eventually "re-gift" it, but hopefully once you pass along the idea, they will understand and enjoy it. :-D

Merry Christmas, everybody! May we all find creative ways to help the radiance of Christ permeate and saturate the lives of those we love!

Thanksgiving Eve

2011-11-23T18:40:00.001-08:00

Let's see. . . I'm doing one more mental checklist. Desserts are made. Dressing and spinach gratin are mixed and ready to pop into the oven. Turkey is soaking in brine. Ham is ready to just warm and eat. Eggs are boiled for deviled eggs. Potatoes and gravy and green beans can be done tomorrow. I think I'm good to go.

Now I'm settled on the couch for a movie night with my favorite guy. And I'm so excited about tomorrow. All of the people who are coming to spend the day with me are some of my very favorite people in all the world. And I'm incredibly grateful for that.

But the Lord is reminding me that not everyone feels that way. Some people are dreading tomorrow for all sorts of different reasons. For some, it's because of difficult--maybe even toxic--relationships they'll have to deal with. For others, perhaps they're facing the absence of a loved one they lost recently. And then there are those who face desperate loneliness simply because they don't have families. If you are one of the people facing a difficult day tomorrow for whatever reason, please know that I'm praying for you. Not specifically by name. I probably don't know who you are. But God does, and I'm asking Him to honor my prayer for all those who find themselves in the midst of heartache tomorrow.

For those who are like me and find themselves genuinely excited about the company you will share the day with tomorrow, will you consider praying with me for those who are not as fortunate as we are?

Father, thank you so much for blessing me with family members who love me well and reflect your love to me. Thank you for bringing us together tomorrow to rejoice over the many blessings in our lives, and help us to remember that it is only by your grace that we have so much to celebrate.

Lord, I pray that you will draw near to those facing difficulties of many kinds tomorrow. Bring peace where there is turmoil, forgiveness where there is anger and bitterness, comfort where there is grief, strength where there is weakness, energy where there is weariness, and relationship where there is loneliness. Lord, interrupt these situations with your presence in a mighty way. Bring joy despite the circumstances, and help love, genuine and lavish, rule the day.

Ready hearts to worship you tomorrow for blessings great and small. Give hope to those who haven't felt hope in a very long time, and surround broken hearts with the soothing balm of your Gospel.

Thank you in advance for all that you will do to draw hurting souls into your arms tomorrow. I trust that you will do so in a way that is life-changing for many. Thank you for your power. Thank you for your Son, in whose name I pray--

Amen

The Good List 11-23-11

2011-11-23T06:48:00.001-08:00

10. Lemon ginger tea with local honey. It's a miracle cure for a scratchy throat. Plus it's yummy!
9. Decked halls. Somehow candles and twinkly holiday lights make every day magical.
8. The fantastic array of owls and eagles I got to hang out with last Friday. I wanted to take them all home with me.

7. Zeb's Country Store in North Conway, NH. Two stories of all sorts of New England-y treats and treasures. Easily one of the most delightful retail establishments on the planet.
6. Waking up on Saturday mornings to find Macy and Grace snuggled on the couch watching The Brady Bunch. Takes me right back to my childhood living room.
5. The delicate yet powerful sound of a room full of Bible pages being turned.
4. The doll that Gracie sewed completely by hand with the help of the fabulous Ms. Deitra. So sweet!

3. When I ask this little monkey what she wants to do while the big kids are at school, and the first thing she says is "Snuggle!" Be still, my heart!

2. Jared got to spend time with John Piper last week and have him personally pray for him and our church. What an amazingly special time! God is so good to us.
1. Celebrating 100 days of sobriety with a very special friend. She's crushing idols and kicking demons in the face daily. Awesome.

Prayer Time 11-22-11

2011-11-22T04:50:00.001-08:00

"Blessed be God, because He has not rejected my prayer or removed His steadfast love from me!" --Psalm 66:20

Thanksgiving week always makes me feel more grateful in my heart for things I tend to take for granted other times throughout the year. This week I'm particularly struck by the way God has answered prayer in my life over the years--sometimes "yes", sometimes "no", sometimes "wait." But always, "This is what is best for you, my daughter." It isn't always easy to understand that (especially before hindsight kicks in), but it does *become* easier with time simply because He proves Himself trustworthy over and over and over again.

So with that in mind, how may I pray for you today? You may leave requests in the comments field. Comments on this post will not be published publicly for the sake of those concerned with privacy.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Photo of the Week 11-21-11

2011-11-21T05:21:00.001-08:00

I really wanted to steal her, but I couldn't figure out how.

My Daily Miracles

2011-11-17T05:55:00.001-08:00

It's no secret to people who know me that I am currently in a situation I would never have imagined when I was growing up in Texas or even when I was firmly planted in Nashville in my "temporary" career that ended up spanning about 15 years. I had expectations. I had plans. I *knew* what my future *should* hold, and I was eagerly moving toward that future in the best way I knew how.

But full disclosure-- none of those plans ever even remotely hinted at Vermont. To be even more honest, it wasn't even that I thought of Vermont dismissively. I literally didn't think about it at all. Ever. It wasn't part of my life. I had no reason to believe it ever would be, so it didn't occur to me to give it a second thought (or a first one really). I wanted to be a stay at home Mom. I *thought* I wanted to do that in Texas, close to all of the rest of my family and close to conveniences and opportunities that simply don't exist in rural New England. So when the subject of moving here first came up, my initial response was much less than positive.

Well guess what. God knows me better than I know myself. Way better. He had other plans. Not Texas. Vermont. So pretty much the opposite of Texas. :-D This surprised so many people (including me), and I still find myself in conversations with others that include lots of comments like, "I could never. . . " "There's just no way. . ." "I just wouldn't be able to. . ." Etc. and on and on. There are all sorts of ways to say "NO", right? I'm well aware, because I thought of just about every single one of them while I was resisting our recent move/lifestyle change.

But here's the thing. If we believe in the power of the Gospel to completely regenerate a wicked, sinful heart, why in the world don't we trust that same Gospel to deal with the "little stuff"? These are the DAILY MIRACLES!!! We all love the external, dramatic miracles we get to witness. A baby born. A seemingly hopeless life suddenly and vividly transformed. A supernatural healing or deliverance from danger. We love witnessing and hearing about these things, right? I sure do. I wish I could experience something like that every single day. But in the in-between times, I'm learning to notice the little stuff. The small miracles that happen inside my heart. The smile on my face while I wash dishes. The chuckles as I sort through massive piles of laundry and remember whatever fun activity led to the widespread stains on wild little Gracie's clothes. The warmth in my heart when I trip over a "project" that Macy has spread across the floor and see her creativity at work. Hear me clearly on this-- no way is this the accomplishment of my wicked, sinful, selfish heart. NO. WAY. These are my daily miracles. This is Christ transforming me slowly and gently and patiently and sweetly. I call it quiet magnificence. His work on my insidest insides, and OH does He have a lot of work to do! But He is faithful, and I am grateful that He doesn't rest from this work.

So to those who (like me) try to find all sorts of ways to say no to things that don't make sense to you, may I gently suggest you trust that if God is calling you to do those things, He can change your heart to love them? I am living proof of this truth. Only by God's grace. Here is just a brief list of ways I am seeing my daily miracles:

I'm one of the most cold-natured people in the WORLD, and yet somehow I feel all warm and "glowy" inside when I see a freshly snow-covered landscape. I LOVE the long, snowy winters here!
When we accepted the call to come to Vermont, I agreed to move into a house I had never laid eyes on, and it's a long story, but at the time, I thought it would only have 1 bathroom.
I admit that in my past, I was a little bit OCD about "order" in my house. For various reasons, my house here is rarely up to my previous standards of clean, but it hardly ever occurs to me to mind.
I enjoy *some* level of "routine." Spontaneity is great fun sometimes, but I generally like to have a regular schedule and an organized calendar. HA! I'm pretty sure we haven't had 2 weeks look the same since moving here. And yet, I still have my sense of humor. :-D
A dirty car used to be a big problem for me. Here we have snow boot season followed by mud season followed by summer (which means LOTS of kids in the car most days), and the cycle continues. I'm pretty sure my car hasn't been clean since I moved about a year and a half ago. :-D But my blood pressure hasn't risen one bit.
I enjoy convenience. There was a certain comfort in my past lives in knowing that at the end of an especially busy day, we could just order a pizza to be delivered or pick up something from a restaurant 3 miles away. Here almost every meal we eat is prepared by me in my kitchen, no matter how long or busy the day has been. And I LOVE that!
I don't have a dishwasher here. Every dish that I use for all those meals prepared at home has to be washed by hand. I can honestly say I have never minded this.

NOW--lest anyone get the wrong idea that I am bragging about these things, PLEASE hear me clearly saying that the reason I call this list MIRACLES is because outside of Christ's sanctifying work in me, I would NEVER have arrived at these ideas/behaviors on my own. It is ALL JESUS. He has called me here, and He has made my heart love this calling. And I am stubborn. So if He can do it for me, I know He can do it for you too. What a sweet and loving God we serve!

Brotherly Love

2011-11-13T11:55:00.001-08:00

Few things stir my heart like seeing grown men embrace, make eye contact, and say "I love you" to each other.

Jared and I just got home last night (actually this morning to be more accurate ;-) from the LEAD11 conference in Auburn, Maine. It was every bit as refreshing and rejuvenating as I hoped it would be, (and my expectations were extremely high considering the key speakers were 2 of my favorites in the whole wide world, Matt Chandler and Ray Ortlund.) Each address/sermon/message/ whatever you wanna call it was full to overflowing with truth and passion and grace. A feast for the soul indeed. I loved every second of it.

But one of my favorite parts even as I reflect on all of the amazing teaching was watching at the end of the conference as men all around me embraced in brotherly love and spoke words of encouragement and honor to each other. Make no mistake. This scene held no weakness or frailty. Rather it was rich with strength, courage, boldness and Godly masculinity. These are the men who are strong enough to be vulnerable with each other for the sake of the Gospel. They are transparent and accountable in order to welcome sharpening. They are gracious and loving in order to offer support. They are honest and realistic about sin (their own and each other's) in order to press the Gospel into each other. They are forgiving, but not enabling. They are joyful and hopeful because of the Christ they see in each other. They are relentlessly chasing after personal revival, mainly because the desire of their hearts is to see widespread revival throughout their churches/regions/cities/countries, and they know that begins with themselves. And they are all "in this thing together," gathering themselves around the common goal of making much of Jesus in their own hearts and therefore in their friendships, families, churches, communities, cities, etc. They are STRONG and MIGHTY men of God, and they give me so much hope when I get to see them interact in this way. What an amazing blessing!

My heart will never grow tired of this scene.

The Good List / Macy's Good List 11-9-11

2011-11-09T03:59:00.000-08:00

10. The fact that Chuy's didn't make its way to downtown Nashville until after I moved away. Had this not been the case, I'm certain I would be at least 80 pounds heavier. :-D
9. Cabot smoked bacon cheddar cheese. Oh my.
8. The way snow and ice and water look when sun-kissed.

7. Captain America. It was every bit as good as everyone promised me it would be. And now I'm excited about The Avengers.
6. The huuuuuuge antique mall/toy museum we visited in Quechee a couple weeks ago. Like strolling right through my childhood.
5. The live performance of The Wizard of Oz we got to see at the fabulous Paramount Theatre thanks to VickVick's birthday gift to Macy and Grace. It was a fantastic show!
4. My November calendar is PACKED! But it's all amazing stuff! What a busy, fun, refreshingly exhausting month it will be. (Does that make sense to anyone but me?) I think it means I will either work hard or play hard pretty much every day and then sleep well every night. :-D
3. Joyful Noise. A fun night of music from all ages last Sunday night at our church. Good times. Good times.
2. All of the positive reviews I keep seeing about Gospel Wakefulness. I know that I am biased about such things, so it's nice to see similar responses from readers who are much more objective than me. ;-)
1. We leave TOMORROW for Maine for the LEAD11 conference. Excited!
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Macy's Good List

10. Spelling contests with friends.
9. Dachsunds.
8. The smell of new books.
7. The smell of dusty old books.
6. Writing in cursive with the sharpest pencil ever.
5. Imagining new inventions.
4. Curling up in bed with 15 books by my side.
3. Fuzzy socks.
2. Tall wooden nutcrackers.
1. Hot tea.

Prayer Time

2011-11-08T04:25:00.000-08:00

The Word was made flesh so that the wisdom of God could come within the reach of human beings. For his Word--the expression of the whole truth about God--is far beyond our comprehension. No creature can ever fully understand his creator. But the Word, the Son of God, put on a humble, human form, so that infinite truth could be seen in finite terms.

He humbled himself, coming down to the lowest human level. Those who will join him there--denying themselves, taking the low place--will be raised up with him to the heights of heaven.

It is not easy for man to stoop so low, or to abandon his self-confidence. But when he sees the divine Son lying, as it were, at his feet, wrapped in the clothes of human poverty, then his heart may be moved and his pride cured. And when we grow weary of trying to prove ourselves, we may be ready to cast ourselves upon him.

When we do, he who came down to where we are raises us to where he is.

--Augustine

May we all find ways to cast ourselves upon him in prayer every single day. He is within our reach!!! And speaking of prayer, how may I pray for you today? Please let me know by leaving a comment here. Comments on this post will not be published publicly for the sake of those concerned with privacy.

Photo(s) of the Week

2011-11-07T06:23:00.000-08:00

Today marks the one-year anniversary of actually "moving in" to Vermont. I won't rehash the whole journey that led to finally getting to that point, but it was a long, disjointed one to say the least. On the morning of November 6th last year, I woke up to this sunrise--

A few hours later some of my favorite people arrived in this truck, which held the possessions we had been away from for several months including our bed that we hadn't slept in in almost 2 years by this point. It was a good, GOOD day. Happy anniversary, Vermont! You are a far greater gift to me than I will ever be to you, but I'm so grateful to be here!

The Good List 11-2-11

2011-11-02T04:03:00.000-07:00

This list brought to you by Pastor Appreciation Month.

10. A lobster-shaped cookie cutter that Jared chooses to label a crawfish. :-D
9. A sweet little stuffed moose for each of the girls.
8. A book and DVD to help me learn more about the history of Vermont, my latest obsession.
7. All sorts of sweet treats like homemade applesauce, apple crisp and even super yummy and creative pumpkin (and snowman!!! tis the season, ya know ;-)) cookies.

6. A kiss full of kisses.

5. All kinds of precious heartfelt cards and letters from friends of every age.
4. A gift certificate to Sugar 'n' Spice, home of the best hot chocolate in the WORLD! Our favorite!

3. Football game day party in a box!
2. Barby Carr's spaghetti with meat sauce. I'm pretty sure it's literally the best spaghetti sauce I've ever tasted, loaded with olives and onions. (And yes, I did use the word "literally" correctly. ;-) ) Oh, and don't even get me started on her homemade bread!
1. Feeling appreciated every single day of every month because our church family loves us so well (far better than we deserve or could ever earn.) Love you so much, MSCC!

Macy's Good List 11-2-11

2011-11-02T03:58:00.000-07:00

10. The feeling I get when I learn that I achieved Honors/High Honors.
9. Using binoculars
8. How the attic smells.
7. Flipping through my favorite atlas.
6. Madagascar (the movie).
5. Doodling.
4. Blankets that come right out of the dryer.
3. The story of the Tower of Babel.
2. Warm bubble baths.
1. Blackberry-vanilla lotion.

From Grace: Happy Birthday, Dad!

2011-11-01T14:04:00.000-07:00

And last, but certainly not least, Gracie weighs in with her list--

36 reasons I love my Dad:

36. He took me to a Titans game one time so I could see them in person. It was awesome!
35. He keeps me safe.
34. He builds fires in the fire pit so we can roast marshmallows.
33. He has lots of old books.
32. He introduces me to all kinds of good music like The Ramones and Dwight Yoakam.
31. He buys football stuff like a TOM BRADY bobble head. (Yes, that emphasis is entirely Grace's. ;-) )
30. He laughs really loud at funny movies and it makes me giggle.
29. He taught me how to ride a bike.
28. He takes us to the school to play basketball and ride bikes.
27. He took me to Disneyworld, and it was the best vacation EVER!
26. He made it so that Mom doesn't have to go to work and can be home for me.
25. He has good taste in movies.
24. He dressed up as the Incredible Hulk for Halloween last year, and it was awesome.
23. He takes me rock climbing and cheers me on.
22. His lunch box notes are funny.
21. He helps take care of me when I am sick.
20. He tells funny stories.
19. He works hard every day.
18. He shovels the snow even when he doesn't feel like it.
17. He buys me ice cream at unexpected times.
16. He does family devos.
15. He likes sushi.
14. He likes dogs.
13. He takes me out to movies.
12. He is a really good pastor.
11. He is a really good author.
10. He likes Big Foot.
9. He likes Champ.
8. He is a good problem solver.
7. He helps me with my homework (but he's glad when Mom does the math part.)
6. He likes the Patriots. A lot.
5. He lets Mom take pictures of him. And everything else.
4. He always says, "I love you."
3. He brings us to school every day.
2. He is funny.
1. He is an awesome Dad.

That's why I love my Dad.

From Macy: Happy Birthday, Dad!

2011-11-01T08:38:00.000-07:00

Not to be outdone, Macy has come up with her own list of reasons why she loves her Dad so much--

36. He is absolutely, positively awesome in every way.
35. He plans "Daddy-Daughter Dates."
34. He takes us to see the coolest movies like Thor, Captain America, and we might see The Avengers.
33. He writes cool lunchbox notes.
32. He gave me extra money to donate to the school at our fund raiser last weekend.
31. We sometimes have nights where he plays cool music videos while Grace and I dance around.
30. I like how he says, "Thank you, baby!"
29. He does his best to make sure we have family devotions every night.
28. He is always making jokes.
27. He records movies and tv shows for us even when it interferes with his tv shows.
26. When it snows 6 ft., he comes outside and builds a snow fort with me even if he is sweating from head to toe.
25. He warms up the car every winter morning before we have to get in it to go to school.
24. I love his grilled hamburgers and hot dogs.
23. He is obsessed with Champ and Sasquatches.
22. Tom Brady is his hero.
21. He organizes a way for me to get to every dance, sleepover and birthday party.
20. He took care of Grace and me while Mom was in Tennessee.
19. He gives us a buck if we look up words at school that he tells us in the morning
18. He doesn't care if we play Playmobil on the living room floor
17. He plans good family vacations
16. He shows us cool old movies (like Abbott and Costello)
15. He teases me about not liking sushi.
14. He helped Mom put up our Christmas tree in October.
13. He comes with me when I have to go into the creepy attic. ;-)
12. He is good at drawing.
11. He tells us when he has a new Fact or Faked recorded on the DVR so we can all watch it together.
10. I like his sermons.
9. He let Mom teach him how to make a scrapbook, and he made one!
8. He shows me all of the cool tricks on Mario.
7. He downloaded 8-bit Mario on the Wii. So fun!
6. He tells me about old books like "The Three Investigators."
5. He makes a way for Grace and I to join groups in after school program.
4. He chose a cool sound notification for his email.
3. He makes weird faces in the window when we're in the car waiting at the mechanic.
2. He rents awesome movies from Netflix.
1. He's a cool Dad.

Happy Birthday (on time this year) to my Favorite Man!

2011-11-01T05:14:00.000-07:00

So I'm cheating a little by using the same list I wrote last year and just adding one more line since he is a year older, but all of these things are still true, and some are even more true, and I'm certain that no one who might have read this last year remembers any of it anyway. So on his 36th birthday, here is your reminder of 36 ways my Jared is amazing. Feel free to add your own as you see fit. :-D

36. The book that he wrote which released just recently, Gospel Wakefulness, is one of the best books I've read in a very long time.

35. He is obsessed with zombies. I am not; however, I can't help but find it endearing. I'm honestly not sure why. . . .

34. He drives everywhere we go together. Even if it's a veeeeeery long drive. Because he knows I hate to drive.

33. He loves watching football with me and doesn't mind that I'm *mildly* obsessed with it.

32. He loves my cooking.

31. He is one of the best writers I have ever read. (But he doesn't agree with that statement.)

30. He is introverted, but he loves people too much not to reach out to them.

29. He brings me chocolate truffles for almost every special occasion we share.

28. He loves my family. And they're pretty much nuts, so that's kind of a big deal.

27. He loves bulldogs.

26. He is absolutely positive that Sasquatch and Champ exist.

25. His heroes are people like the apostle Paul, John Piper, Matt Chandler, etc.

24. He loves books, especially old books.

23. He honors and respects the elderly.

22. He is my favorite pastor in the whole wide world.

21. He makes me laugh, and he LOVES it when he makes me laugh.

20. He is so much smarter than I will ever be, but instead of making me feel stupid, he teaches me.

19. He probably would like to roll his eyes at my stockpile of scrapbooking supplies and jigsaw puzzles, but instead he enjoys that they make me happy.

18. He loves family outings when we can all be together.

17. He was a single Dad for 9 months while we lived apart. I don't know how he did it.

16. He cares about orphans.

15. He wants lost people to be saved more than anything in the world.

14. His best friends are all men of integrity.

13. He has earned the respect of people of all ages because of the way he cares for them.

12. He still can't believe he is a published author.

11. My coffee always tastes better when he makes it for me. ;-)

10. He is proud of me.

9. He loves all different kinds of great music.

8. He LOVES all the Cajun cooking my family introduced to him, like boiled crawfish, gumbo, red beans and rice, etc.

7. He loves new adventures.

6. He followed God's calling all the way to Vermont.

5. He likes to build fires and hang out around the firepit. I love that!

4. I can't imagine raising my girls with anyone else.

3. He thinks being a pastor is about MUCH more than preaching on Sunday morning. :-D

2. He adores our children.

1. He desires to know Christ more and better every single day, and he actively pursues that desire. How blessed does that make me?

Happy Birthday, Dad!

2011-10-31T07:53:00.000-07:00

A tribute to my Dad, one of my favorite people on the planet--

My Dad worked for the same company from the moment he graduated from college until the day he retired. He is LOYAL.

My Dad had no training in such things, but somehow he learned to fix every appliance, vehicle, toy, etc. that the 5 females in his life tried to break or wear out. :-D He is SMART.

My Dad planned a family vacation every single year to give us something special to look forward to and remember (and it worked! I have such special memories of our family vacations!) Sometimes they were very simple and inexpensive when the budget required them to be so, but I never knew the difference, and they were always so much fun! He is DEVOTED to his family.

My Dad always looked for an opportunity to do something out of the ordinary to surprise his 4 adoring daughters. I'll never forget the time he spent hours on a cold, cold night winding a hose all up into a tree so that he could run it that night and have us wake up to a massive ice castle! It was the most amazing thing I think I had ever seen at that point in my life, and it still ranks pretty high! He is FUN!

My Dad worked hard all week long every week. (I honestly don't think he ever took a sick day.) Yet he still somehow always found the time and energy to play with 4 energetic little girls in the evenings and on the weekends. He is the OPPOSITE of LAZY.

My Dad lived simply (and still does) so that he could save up to bless his future generations. He is UNSELFISH.

My Dad never hesitated for one second to immediately jump to the aid of those around him who might find themselves in a bind. I remember passing a car full of teenagers in a ditch on my way home one day (when I was a teenager myself). I didn't know them, but I felt sorry for them, so I told my Dad about it when I got home. He was in the middle of something, but he dropped what he was doing and grabbed a chain so that we could go pull them out. I'll never forget the look on the driver's face when he realized the car was fine and that he wouldn't need to call his own Dad (or the cops) to get help. Relief is an understatement. He emptied his wallet and tried to hand it to my Dad, but Dad just shook his head and said, "Just slow down around this curve next time, ok?" He is HELPFUL.

My Dad once used pantyhose to fix our broken-down vehicle on the way home from a long road trip. It's a long story that earned him the nickname "McGyver." He is RESOURCEFUL.

My Dad often came home to 10+ chattering little girls having a "slumber party" all over his living room floor. I doubt this was the most relaxing thing he could think of after a long week at work, but he never complained, and all of my friends thought he was just wonderful. He is PATIENT.

My Dad enjoyed rewarding us for our achievements, but he first taught us to work hard to earn them. He is PRACTICAL.

My Dad instilled in me my love of NFL football by sitting with me on Sunday afternoons and just hanging out and talking while the games were on. It was hard to find one-on-one time with him with 3 sisters, but somehow this became "my time." He is AWESOME.

My Dad is never more happy than when he is surrounded by his grandchildren, whether it be helping them learn to fish, pushing them on the swing for the millionth time, skimming the pool so it's perfect when they show up to swim, fixing a bike that one of them has abused, spending weeks building up a wood pile for the perfect bon fire, etc., etc., etc. He is LOVING.

My Dad still gets playfully teased by colleagues for the way he conducted himself in the midst of "big oil" world. Apparently, integrity is not mandatory in this business, and yet he was one of the few who actually had it. He is HONEST.

My Dad didn't just speak; he lived what he spoke. Which is good, because I remember his actions much better than I remember his words. ;-) He is a WONDERFUL EXAMPLE to his children and grandchildren.

My Dad took me for a looong walk one evening shortly after I developed a condition called bels palsy. He had a business trip coming up on the day that I was supposed to go have a bunch of tests run, and he wanted me to know that he would cancel it if I was scared and needed him to stay home. (I told him I was ok, and everything turned out fine, but clearly his willingness to stay had a big impact on me since I still remember it over 25 years later. :-D) He is CARING.

My Dad had a retirement party several years ago, and every single person he had ever worked for (who was still alive) showed up to celebrate with him. He is RESPECTED.

My Dad is the first person I call when I need advice on some big life decision like buying a house, car issues, etc. He is WISE.

My Dad raised 4 daughters (and is helping with 10 grandchildren) who love, adore and respect him beyond words. This is not because he demands this of us. It is because he lives in such a way that he has EARNED it!

I love you SO MUCH, Dad!!! I hope today is just perfect, and I CAN'T WAIT to see you at Christmas time!!!

Photo of the Week 10-31-11

2011-10-31T05:14:00.001-07:00

Beyond Today

2011-10-27T06:27:00.000-07:00

"We like that our gospel gets our sins forgiven and gives us a ticket to heaven, but we're not sure of its functionality in our lives every day." --Jared Wilson

This is a line that I read yesterday in the manuscript Jared is finishing up for Gospel Deeps. It's very thought-provoking not just for me personally as I think through what that looks like in my own life, but also as I consider how I might explain this to someone else. This is an exercise I'm trying to become much more consistent with. Jared is a pastor, a writer, a brilliant wordsmith. I learn something new from him just about every single day. And often I find myself repeating words almost exactly as they came from his mouth (or pen). This is not necessarily a bad thing, especially if I am repeating his words to someone who might not have heard them directly from him. But the truth is that my mind is much more simple than his.

I probably should be embarrassed to admit this, but I kept www.dictionary.com open on my laptop all day yesterday as I proofread his manuscript. ;-) There were some pretty expensive words in there! Not enough to be a distraction or keep the book from flowing had I just kept moving and used the context to help me guess at their meanings, but I looked up each one anyway just to make sure my proofreading was effective.

But I digress. The point I was wandering toward is that maybe there are some whose minds are more similar to mine than Jared's (although for your sakes I hope not ;-), in which case maybe it is helpful for me to share the ways these things I read work themselves out in my mind. Please remember you have been warned repeatedly that I am not as smart as my husband, nor will I ever be able to write like him, so set your expectations low. :-D

Back to the original statement of this post. Just what IS the functionality of the gospel in our every day lives?

I think it's the music. And I don't mean that in some artsy, fartsy, vague way.

The illustration in my mind is a piano. What a gorgeous instrument, right? I'm sure most of us have seen exquisite grand or baby grand pianos with perfectly polished keys, ornately carved legs, and gleaming finish. Whether or not we play, most of us can appreciate the artistry behind the physical instrument. It's strong and bold and beautiful. Not tucked under a bed or in a closet. It's a vivid and significant presence in pretty much any room it occupies. It carries weight and demands to be noticed. If you place a piano in a room which was previously unoccupied by a piano, people will most likely see it, right?

Such is true of the gospel I think. A life previously unaffected by the gospel should certainly look different once the gospel enters that life. But is that it? Does it end there? Am I different today because the gospel entered my life, but starting tomorrow and the next day and the day after that, I will from now on be the same as I am today? I sure hope not. What happens next then?

Ahhhhhhh, the music starts!!! Close your eyes. Can you hear it? Feel it even? Does it make you want to sway a little? Bob your head? Tap your foot? That piano is not just a decoration. It's an instrument. It was not designed to be shoved into a corner and glanced at occasionally. It was designed to fill the air with melody and harmony and sometimes lilting, soul-soothing ballads, other times energetic, toe-tapping ditties. This is the primary reason for its existence. I suppose one could really appreciate the sight of a piano, but isn't the true joy of this instrument in the music it produces? If you know how to play, don't you want to actually touch the keys and feel the smooth of the ivory under your fingertips? If you don't play, don't you long to hear the music? This is the ongoing gift. Music. Every day all day long and for any occasion, this piece of wood and metal and ivory is fully capable of providing music. We have a beautiful old piano in our church. It's as pretty as any I've seen. Sometimes I actually notice it, but many times I walk right by it and don't pay it much attention at all. But when my friend Leslie or my daughter Macy sits down to play, I cannot ignore it. It's the music that really speaks to me.

Oh that we might all learn to "play" our salvation so beautifully! It is the most precious gift we can ever receive on the day we receive it. And it is enough on that day to change us forever. But let's not stop there. Let's begin to play (or at least listen to) the music. The ballads of comfort and peace, the carols of joy, the epic hymns of awe and wonder. Every day all day long. The ivory keys of our salvation were not meant to lie still and untouched, gathering cobwebs. Let's become the brilliant musicians we were meant to be. A little practice each day until our magnificent opus becomes second nature. And wouldn't it be something if others could hear our music too?

The Good List 10-26-10

2011-10-26T06:29:00.000-07:00

10. A waaaaaaarm shower on a cold morning.

9. The mini-laptop (issued by her school) that Macy gets to treat as her very own for the next 2 years. She's so proud and SOOOOO excited!

8. We got Captain America in the mail yesterday. Thanks, Netflix, for a fun family movie night later this week! (I haven't seen it yet, but I've heard it's fantastic!)

7. Macy's pumpkin creation:

6. We currently have a candlelit pumpkin on our front steps and Christmas tree lights shining through the nearby window. Yep. This is how we roll. Sometimes ya gotta do whatcha gotta do. ;-)

5. Positive parent/teacher conferences!

4. Bright, beautiful bluejays on naked white trees:

3. Having Gracie hold my hand through an entire corn maze. Made my day. We love to adventure together!

2. Having Macy lead the way through the corn maze (wandering aimlessly at first), but once she decided to look at the map, she brought us right to the exit! Go Mace!

1. Hathaway Farm, established in 1881. 1881, y'all!!! That in itself is awesome. But there's more. A corn maze, fantastic views, adorable animals, horseshoes, tetherball, a huge pumpkin patch, hay rides. Do I have to keep going? Y'all are with me, right? :-D I love this place!

Photo of the Week 10-24-11

2011-10-24T04:45:00.000-07:00

For Us

2011-10-19T08:04:00.000-07:00

I read this this morning, and it is too good not to share.

Andrew Murray writes:

Thus dear did God hold the world. How dear? That He gave His only-begotten Son for every one in the world who will trust in Him. And how did He give? He gave Him, in His birth as man, in order to be forever one with us. He gave Him, in His death on the cross as Surety, in order to take our sin and curse upon Himself. He gave Him, on the throne of heaven, in order to arrange for our welfare, as our Representative and Intercessor over all the powers of heaven. He gave Him in the outpouring of the Spirit, in order to dwell in us, to be entirely and altogether our own. . . Yes; that is the love of God, that He gave His Son to us, for us, in us.

Nothing less than His Son Himself. This is the love of God; not that He gives us something, but that He gives us some one--a living person--not one or another blessing, but Him in whom is all life and blessing--Jesus Himself.

"to be entirely and altogether our own. . ." Just wow.

The Good List 10-19-11

2011-10-19T06:28:00.000-07:00

10. Steam cleaning. It's therapeutic (and very effective)!
9. THIS!

I haven't seen this stuff in years. I kinda think it might just be a Halloween time promotion, so Jared couldn't pass it up when he saw it in the grocery store.

8. My sister's new juicer, which has allowed me to enjoy fresh carrot-apple juice all week. (I promise it's way better than it sounds and sooooo good for you!) Also-- it's a lovely fall color. :-D

7. When the leaves are gone, it's much easier to see the birds and squirrels playing in the naked trees. (I do love me some fall leaves, but this helps me not miss them *quite* so much.)

6. The smell of the blankets that we pull out of the cedar chest when it gets cold at night.

5. The History of Middletown, Vermont that I finished reading last weekend. Fascinating stuff.

4. The absence of physical pain, which I take for granted pretty much every single day. But this week so many of my friends were suffering from various physical pains that I was so much more aware of my health and comfort. I'm so grateful, but not nearly as grateful as I should be.

3. Macy and Grace get a long weekend this weekend!

2. Nana and Papa are on their way to Vermont!

1. Finally getting to see Jared hold this in his hands. It's been in his heart for a long time, but we were ready to see it in person. (Cue "it's like having a baby" references. ;-) So proud of him!

Prayer Time 10-18-11

2011-10-18T04:23:00.000-07:00

How may I pray for you today? You can let me know by leaving a comment. The comments on this post will not be published publicly for the sake of those concerned with privacy.

Blessings in the Gospel today!

Photo of the Week 10-17-11

2011-10-17T05:10:00.000-07:00

What I'm Learning

2011-10-15T10:49:00.000-07:00

So my quest for knowledge has begun. I'm starting local with a book called The History of Middletown, Vermont.

The area was inhabited as early as 1761, but it wasn't established as a separate town until 1784, pulling a corner from each of its 4 neighboring towns, Poultney, Ira, Tinmouth, and Wells. Hence the term Middletown. :-D Apparently, the inhabitants had a hard time participating in daily life within their respective towns due to their difficulty getting over the surrounding mountains, so they established the little "valley" at the base of all those mountains as a town unto itself. Fourteen thousand acres hemmed in by mountains on pretty much every side. Cozy.

Thick forest occupied the entire town initially, but Thomas Morgan "made the first clearing", completed the first house, and welcomed the first baby born to Middletown--his son Jonathan. This began the settlement.

Joseph Spaulding is credited with being the founder of Middletown. He was referred to by most of the town as "Captain Spaulding" due to his "leading spirit in getting the town established." He was the surveyor who located the town lines and also gave the town its name. Other credits he earned throughout his life include the following:

he served as a lieutenant during the Revolutionary War
he taught the first school in Middletown and several others following, the last when he was over 75 years old
he was the first captain of the militia in town and held that office during the time of the Shays' rebellion in 1786
he lived to be 96 years old and was able to read without glasses throughout his entire life (What a crazy little interesting detail! :-D)
(I'm assuming the photo below represents his son based on the dates, but I don't recall the book mentioning him specifically.)

Jonathan Brewster is the acknowledged leader in the formation of the congregational church. (This is our church! Thank you, Mr. Brewster!) It is believed the church first began in May of 1782, although the first written record of meeting notes is dated May 1783. Brewster had a reputation for being an extremely hard worker, so it is fitting to find on his gravestone the following quote: "There remaineth a rest for the people of God." Awesome. He died in 1820 at the age of 76. (Older than America!!!)

Gideon Miner, primarily referred to as "Deacon Miner" due to the respect he garnered within that role at the Congregational Church, was perhaps one of the most influential teachers within the history of our church. Here is a direct quote: "Few men, and we may include clergymen, were more familiar with the Bible than he was, or more capable of explaining and enforcing its doctrines." Deacon Miner and his wife had 11 children and over 30 grandchildren, one of whom (Orlin H., Jr.) was an intimate friend of President Lincoln.

When the first census was taken in 1791, Middletown residents numbered 699. By 1800, due to the industriousness of the inhabitants in building mills, grists, factories, and other businesses leading to job opportunities, the population had grown to 1066. By 1810, the total was up to 1207. At that time, the town businesses included 4 grist mills, 2 saw mills, 2 or 3 forges, 2 distilleries, 2 or 3 clothiers establishments, several mechanics' shops, 2 taverns, and 2 general stores.

Oddly enough, it is entirely likely that Mormonism originated in Middletown with the Wood family, who basically launched their own family religion in 1800 and drew Joseph Smith into their fold through his father when he was just a child. It's a long, very strange story, but their religion involved the use of hazel rods to give them revelations as to where to dig for gold and silver. The practice of this religion led Joseph Smith to claim (this book uses the word "pretend") that he had found "the golden bible" in 1830, at which point he began the establishment of the Mormon religion as it currently exists. Crazy!

Reverend Jesse Caswell was the first foreign missionary to come out of the Middletown Congregational Church. He went to Siam in 1838 to serve as a missionary and teach English to the king. He died there in 1848 at the age of 40, at which time it is said that the king of Siam wept like a child and began a correspondence with Caswell's family which lasted for many years.

On July 22nd of 1811, Middletown suffered such a massive flood that almost all of the major businesses were completely washed away, and most of them never fully recovered, if at all. Primarily due to this incident, the population declined fairly significantly over the next several years, and by the census of 1820, the total number of residents registered was 1039.

Although the Congregational Church was most likely established in 1782 (certainly by 1783), a permanent building wasn't built until 1796. This building still stands on the town green and serves as Middletown Springs Community Church today! (I LOVE that place! :-D) For many years, the church was without a designated minister, during which time the deacons served as teaching pastors under the primary leadership of Jonathan Brewster. Finally in 1805, Reverend Henry Bigelow became the first "settled minister" over the Congregational Church in Middletown. He remained in this role until his death in 1832.

Shortly after Pastor Bigelow's death, Rev. Stone preached for about 6 months, but was not asked to "settle." Following Stone, Rev. Guy Sampson preached for about 2 years and then moved on to a vocation outside of ministry. Finally in the spring of 1836, Rev. John A. Avery settled over the church, but was eventually dismissed in 1841 to move on to Onondaga, NY. Other documented preachers beginning in 1842 are as follows:

September 1842-May 1844: Rev. B. Reynolds

December 1846-December 1847: Rev. Mr. Payne

Fall 1848-Fall 1855: Rev. John H. Beckwith

1856 (for about 6 months): Rev. Enoch Caswell

Fall 1858-April 1864: Rev. Calvin Granger (It was during Rev. Granger's ministry that an addition of 16 feet was added to the front of the church, which included a spire and a bell.)

September 1865-September 1866: Rev. M. Martin

Fall 1866-(not sure how long he was there as he was listed as the "present pastor" when this book was originally published in 1867): Rev. G. Myrick

The Baptist Church in Middletown was organized in 1784. It was a large church from 1790 until 1802, drawing members from all 4 of the surrounding towns of Ira, Tinmouth, Wells and Poultney. However, in 1802, a large percentage of the congregation then living in Poultney left to form a church in their own town. The church was without a pastor until 1790, when they called Rev. Sylvanus Haynes to settle with them, and he accepted. Rev. Haynes served in this role until 1817, when he moved to New York. Those who came behind him are as follows:

1817-1819: Rev. Seth Ewens

1821-1828: Rev. Isaac Bucklin

1828-1832: There was no "settled" pastor, but Rev. Mr. Fuller, Rev. Linus J. Reynolds and Rev. G.B. Day each provided teaching during this period

1834-1837: Rev. Mr. Soullard

1838 (for only about 6 months): Rev. Mr. Haskell

1839-1841: Rev. E. B. Bullard (He left to become a missionary in Birmah and eventually died there.)

1841-1845: Rev. Robert Myers

1846-1849: Rev. R. O. Dwyer

1849-1850: Rev. M. J. Smith

1850-1852: Rev. J. J. Peck

1855-1860: Rev. Beriah N. Leach, D. D.

Rev. Mr. Frenyear preached for a short time after Rev. Leach left, and Rev. Thomas Tobin was the current pastor when this book was originally published in 1867.

Widespread financial woes in 1839 led to the decline of many farms and businesses in Middletown during the next decade. This resulted in a severe population reduction over the next several years. By the census of 1860, the total inhabitant count was down to 712. After 1860, the town became essentially an agricultural town, primarily focused on dairy farming. The Middletown Cheese Manufacturing Company was organized in the spring of 1864 and quickly became a very successful business. In 1866, they recorded receiving 1,707,814 pounds of milk, which created 173,970 pounds of cheese. This resulted in $30,383 in gross receipts.

This book was originally written in 1867, so the "history" stops there for now. Also, I should note that there are some fascinating stories about some of these people which are far too long to summarize in a blog post, but I certainly recommend this book very highly to any and all Middletown (or near and around Middletown) residents. And maybe those of you who have been here awhile can help me connect some dots. :-D Until then, I'll just keep reading.

Side note: I've walked through the Middletown cemetery before, but I went back this morning thinking that it would take on a different meaning now that I am a bit more familiar with some of the names. I'm sad that I couldn't find some of the specific stones I was looking for in the cemetery--especially Jonathan Brewster. Some of them weren't readable anymore, but it's still stirring to walk through there and think about some of their stories with a bit more clarity. I'm enamored.

Next up in my quest: David McCullough's Pulitzer Prize winner 1776.

The Good List 10-12-11

2011-10-12T06:20:00.000-07:00

10. The Wonder Years on Netflix.
9. Cinnamon Pastry coffee. It tastes exactly like the feeling of pulling a blanket out of the dryer and wrapping it around your shivers. Ahhhhhhhhh. Sooooooooothing.
8. My current favorite tree in my back yard. :-D

7. Detroit Lions 5-0. Who in this whole wide world would have guessed???
6. Freshly bathed babies.
5. Grace uses the phrase "as well" a lot. For some reason it makes me giggle almost every single time.
4. This beautiful, delicious, fabulously moist chocolate chip pumpkin cake that Macy made with no help whatsoever. She even looked up the recipe online all by herself.

3. Foggy fall mornings that turn into brilliantly vibrant afternoons.

2. A peaceful heart.
1. This stack of some of my favorite people on the entire planet.

Prayer Time 10-11-11

2011-10-11T04:48:00.000-07:00

Today I have some little visitors keeping me busy, but I still hope to have some quiet prayer time this afternoon while they're napping. Please let me know if there is anything I can pray about on your behalf. Comments on this post will not be published publicly for those who are concerned about privacy.

Blessings of hope and peace and comfort in the Gospel today!

Photo of the Week 10-10-11

2011-10-10T04:46:00.001-07:00

Verdict?

2011-10-07T06:40:00.000-07:00

After much deliberation, I have determined that it is impossible to arrive at any more specific conclusion than to say that my favorite color is fall.

Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

Exhibit C:

Exhibit D:

Exhibit E:

Exhibit F:

Exhibit G:

There are so many more, but I will rest my case for now. Is there any cross-examination, or do I win? :-D

Quest for Knowledge

2011-10-06T06:12:00.000-07:00

I absolutely adore people who are always seeking to learn something new. I think it is one of the best ways to stay fully alive. Certainly, it makes life more interesting and offers refreshing new insights to look forward to each day. I would very much like to be one of those people every single day.

My current area of interest is American History. I am absolutely fascinated by it, and yet I am TERRIBLE at it. I am NOT smarter than a 5th grader in this subject. Not even close. I recall just enough to have a basic outline in my mind (some of which is probably inaccurate), but I would utterly fail any test that asked me to recall specific dates, locations, or even names of leaders of all of the major events in American history. Sad, I know. I CAN name all of the presidents in order and all of the states in alphabetical order, but only because I learned songs about these lists when I was young. :-D And honestly, what good is a list if you don't know much about the items *on* the list?

SO--I am on a mission to further my knowledge and understanding of American history. Which I realize is a HUGE subject that I will likely be able to study for the rest of my life and still not take it all in. I've wanted to do this for awhile, actually, inspired by the rich history that overflows out of every building, tree, rock and cemetery in New England. But just last week, one of my favorite friends in the whole wide world came to visit me, and it just so happens that she spent years teaching middle school history (and is still very involved in the subject, although her role has changed somewhat recently.) It was so much fun to drive her around here. We found the graves of a Revolutionary War soldier, several WWII soldiers, and even some people who were born before America. BEFORE AMERICA, Y'ALL!!! We looked at building after building bearing plaques proudly announcing that they've existed for 200 years or more. AND--I think Tiff's favorite thing of all--literally on the way to the airport to drop her off for her flight back home, we passed a powder house which was used during the French and Indian War and a creek which was used to transport supplies during the French and Indian War. (I KNOW, RIGHT?) Craziness. And the more we talked, the more I found myself wishing I knew more about what happened in each of these places.

SO--with that in mind and realizing how HUGE the topic is, I'm wondering if anyone has suggestions for some fabulous tools for beginning my quest. Books, DVDs, websites, whatever! Let me know. I want every subject. Revolutionary War, Civil War, whatever. Bring it on!

The Good List 10-5-11

2011-10-05T00:45:00.000-07:00

10. Assembly line-type machines. I find these processes so interesting. Here is one that makes pencils. Pretty cool.

9. Airborne leaves.
8. The Great Gatsby, which I'm reading for the first time since high school. Very clever indeed.
7. Getting free K-cups in the mail. Sure, Francesco! I'll try your coffee for free. ;-)

6. A freshly set table just waiting for family and friends to gather around.
5. Hearing from an old friend for the first time in well over 20 years. Crazy.
4. Watching a napping toddler breathe deep. Somehow vibrant and peaceful at the same time.
3. This drawing of a sunset over the water that Gracie made for me. It's a lovely piece of artwork, and I love it for that reason for sure, but the sweetest thing about it is realizing how well Gracie knows me to choose this subject. Precious.

2. Seeing Macy love on her younger cousins. My favorite scene is when they all settle down to watch a movie at night, and she ends up with either Jack or Dylan in her lap stroking their hair or rubbing their back. Sweetest thing ever.
1. Sleepy voices whispering "I love you too, Mom" when I plant one more kiss on their cheeks and whisper in their ears one more time before going to bed. (Usually I think they're sound asleep, but it never hurts my feelings when they whisper back to me. ;-)

Prayer Time 10-4-11

2011-10-04T03:30:00.000-07:00

Well, Hurricane Irene and visitors and all sorts of other things have meant the beginning of this school year has been quite a bit more exciting than usual. But this week we are finally settling into some semblance of "normal," although I'm not sure our family would ever be capable of fully reaching that status regardless of circumstances. ;-)

All that to say that Ladies' Bible Study is back on on Tuesday mornings, and my plan is to re-launch my Tuesday afternoon focused prayer times. Please let me know how I may pray for you today by adding a comment to this post. These comments will not be published publicly for the sake of privacy.

Praying for each of us to hear from God in a mighty and sweet way today.

Photo of the Week 10-3-11

2011-10-03T04:55:00.000-07:00

This is the grave of a Revolutionary War soldier. Amazing.

I am

2011-10-01T15:35:00.000-07:00

I am Eve's mouthful of forbidden fruit.
I am Adam's passivity and blame-shifting.
I am Cain's murderous jealousy.
I am Judas's kiss.
I am Thomas's doubt.
I am the grumbling of the Israelites.
I am Peter's denial.
I am Ahab's wickedness.
I am Delilah's betrayal.
I am Saul's self-righteousness and persecution.
I am Gomer's unfaithfulness.
I am Jacob's deception.
I am the prodigal son's selfishness.
I am David's murder.
I am Jonah's disobedience.

And yet. . .

I am the bride of Christ.
I am the apple of His eye.
I am adopted into the family of God.
I am eternally secure in the finished work of Christ.
I am rescued from eternal separation from God.
I am fully redeemed.
I am loved beyond measure.
I am a joint heir with Jesus.
I am alive forevermore.
I am clothed in Christ's righteousness.
I am perfectly forgiven.

This is grace.

The Good List 9-28-11

2011-09-28T07:27:00.000-07:00

10. Mini Babybel white cheddar cheese. Quite possibly the most delectable 70 calories you will ever consume. Also, it's pretty fun that it comes in a little wax cocoon.
9. Only 3 NFL teams are currently undefeated this season. 2 of them are Buffalo and Detroit. Awesome. What can I say? I have a thing for underdogs.
8. The way Gracie assesses all bags/storage items (backpacks, purses, DS cases, etc.) by whether or not they have a good place to put your snacks. ;-)
7. Warrior. What a heartbreakingly brilliant film. Yes, I cried at an MMA movie. Several times, actually. Hush.
6. Getting to be on set for Jared's video shoot for Seven Daily Sins last week. Really fun and interesting.
5. Our adult Sunday School class (which is currently focused on marriage) has been PACKED 2 weeks in a row. God is good.
4. Ladies Bible Study started back up again yesterday. This makes me fabulously happy.
3. Earlier this week, Macy found the journal that I use to jot down notes for my "good list". She read the entire thing. Now she is working on her own list. I can't wait to read it. :-D
2. I'm picking up my Tiff from the airport tomorrow for a super fun long weekend here in Vermont which I already know will feel way too short. But I'm grateful for at least our short time together.
1. The conversation I had with my sister earlier this week during which she informed me that she's pretty sure MY WHOLE FAMILY in Texas will be coming to Vermont for Christmas this year. This is the most splendiferous news I've heard in a very long time. And now that I have publicly noted our conversation, there is way more pressure on her to make sure it happens. (See what I did there, Vick? ;-) I'm . . . . . dreaming of a white . . . . . Christmas . . . . .

Picture Perfect . . . . . Or Not So Much

2011-09-28T05:07:00.000-07:00

Today is picture day. If you have girls in your house, you know this means this morning was a little more hectic at our house than normal. At the end of her primping and polishing, Gracie asked, "Am I picture perfect?" To which I replied, "Of course you are. You're always picture perfect to me." And to which Jared replied by singing Michael W. Smith's "You don't have to be picture perfect. . . ." And we all laughed.

And then this thought occurred to me-- Isn't that kinda like saying, "I don't mind if you're ugly"? So PSA to all the guys out there-- Maybe just stick with "You're beautiful." Just sayin'. . . . :-D

You're welcome.

For my Kids. . .

2011-09-26T19:19:00.000-07:00

. . . I pray huge prayers of thanks to God for sharing them with me.
. . . I pray that they will never grow tired of hugging me or holding my hand.
. . . I pray for wisdom and patience and unconditional love as I seek to raise them in a way that honors Christ.
. . . I pray that God will draw them closer to Him every single day of their lives.
. . . I pray that they will learn to chase after Jesus with all of their hearts.
. . . I pray for protection over their bodies.
. . . I pray for protection over their minds.
. . . I pray for protection over their hearts.
. . . I pray that they will learn at an early age to pursue holiness with much more focus than they pursue "success."
. . . I pray for a growing love and respect toward each other.
. . . I pray for the ability to love the "least of these."
. . . I pray boldly against materialism and self-absorption.
. . . I pray for teachable spirits and tender hearts.
. . . I pray for the ability to deal with disappointment (although this one gives me a queasy feeling).
. . . I pray that when suffering comes, they will cling with all their might to Jesus (although this one makes me downright sick to my stomach).
. . . I pray that we will always have open and effective communication.
. . . I pray that they will always value relationships over "stuff."
. . . I pray for wise choices.
. . . I pray that they will understand early in life how to hold possessions with an open hand.
. . . I pray that giving and sharing and serving will bring them joy.
. . . I pray for Godly husbands in their future.
. . . I pray for happiness and confidence in being single until those Godly men come along.
. . . I pray for special friends throughout their lives who will encourage and enhance their Christian walk.
. . . I pray that Scripture will come alive inside their hearts during moments of critical choice throughout their lives.
. . . I pray that they will hear me say "I love you", "I'm so proud of you", and "I'm sorry" thousands more times than they will hear anything negative from my lips.
. . . I pray that they will never question that I adore and respect their Dad.
. . . I pray for overwhelming grace. That they will understand their need for it. That they will learn to give it lavishly and receive it gratefully.
. . . I pray for joy whether or not there is always "circumstantial happiness."
. . . I pray for self-confidence that comes not from individual accomplishments, but from recognizing their identity in Christ and his approval of them.
. . . I pray that they will become Gospel-focused women.
. . . I pray that they will become women of prayer.

Photo of the Week 9-26-11

2011-09-26T04:40:00.001-07:00

The Good List 9-21-11

2011-09-21T05:56:00.000-07:00

10. Cold weather leftovers. Soup, stews, chili. Yum!
9. Shout wipes. They can be life savers sometimes.
8. Airports with free wi-fi (which in my opinion should be all airports at this point, but since it isn't, I'm grateful for the ones that get it right.)
7. Salted Caramel Mocha. Oh. My.
6. Vince Wilfork's interception on Sunday. That was one happy fat man!

5. Old school Super Mario Bros. on the Wii for just $5? Yes, please! So many memories. . .
4. Ginormous buckets of hand-picked apples. So fresh and delicious!
3. Paul Tripp. We just started a marriage series in our adult Sunday School class, and we are using his video series What Did You Expect? The first session was excellent.

And the last 2 are brought to you by the following fact: WE'RE IN NASHVILLE!!! Which means:

2. Lunch date with my Trish today!!!!!
1. Fun times hanging out with old friends the Haggards and the McLemores, and FINALLY getting some snuggle time with this amazing little dude:

Photo of the Week 9-19-11

2011-09-19T05:04:00.001-07:00

The Good List 9-14-11

2011-09-14T06:29:00.000-07:00

10. Vanilla Caramel Truffle tea. Especially on a scratchy throat. Soothing and yummy.
9. Ben Affleck's voice over on the Madden NFL 12 commercials. Crackin' me up.
8. The smell of banana bread baking. Scrumtrulescent.
7. SportsPickle. It makes me laugh. A lot.
6. The sounds of fall. Rustling wind. Crispy steps through fallen leaves. Crackling wood in the firepit. The clink of spoons into chili bowls. ;-)
5. Jared's Tom Brady bobblehead. Although it makes me wonder when I should begin to worry. (Probably a long time ago, huh?)
4. Selyna Bogino. I've never seen anything like this. Crazy. And amazing.
3. Grace suddenly decided on Monday night that she *loves* salad now after years of declaring how nasty it is. Kind of random, but I'm happy for the new ideas this gives me for preparing healthy family meals.
2. That time of year (like right now) when every day seems to become more colorful. Fun to watch.

1. The beautiful and decadent "tea party" my fabulous friend Kim Carr prepared for my Mom and me last week (also for Jody, but she and my Dad ended up having to go to the dentist. Long story. . . ;-) Every detail was perfect from the table to the treats, and of course, the tea. But the very best part was the company.

Bigger Isn't Always Better

2011-09-12T17:28:00.000-07:00

I have had a pretty significant number of conversations lately with all different kinds of people at various stages of life who are expressing some form of the concern, "What if I'm not doing enough?" For some, the concern is born from being so busy with "normal life" that they don't have time to do the long list of other things (by which many of them mean "bigger things") that they think they *should* be doing. This can be due to job demands, small children at home needing attention, personal responsibilities that require daily time-intensive disciplines, etc., etc., etc. The circumstantial reasons for this kind of concern vary greatly, but I believe the underlying issues are quite similar.

And now I have to make a quick disclaimer since this could go in at least a couple different directions from here. The disclaimer is that the people I'm referencing here believe that they're walking in obedience in the "small" tasks they're doing. They believe that God has indeed called them to these tasks and that they are doing them to the best of their ability. And while I certainly can't see into their hearts or minds, I have no reason to doubt any of them based on what I know of the way they live and serve. So. The purpose of *this* post is to address those who are walking in obedience in the "small" tasks God has given them, but they are frustrated that they don't have the time/energy/resources to do "bigger" things. If there are those who are walking in disobedience and are experiencing similar frustrations, that is an entirely different discussion.

OK. Back on topic. :-D My advice to those who continue to doubt themselves in this way is this-- Cut it out. Seriously. Just quit it. There's absolutely no reason for it. And here's why I think that's good advice:

1. God didn't call everyone to be Billy Graham. He called some people to be the ones who invested in Billy Graham tirelessly and patiently and consistently so that he could become the man who would reach hundreds of thousands of people for Christ. We don't know the names of all of those people, because most of them are just "regular" people like you and me. Behind the scenes. Doing the laundry and washing the dishes and hopefully praying our hearts out for the Billy's in our lives. But can we all agree that without them Billy Graham might never have become Billy Graham? They are not less important. They are only less visible.

2. Someone much smarter than me once said, "If you say yes to everyone, you're lying to at least half of them." OH SNAP! I think that's probably true. Many times it is easier (initially) to say yes to everything rather than risk someone getting upset if you have to tell them no. The problem with this response is that we are limited creatures with only so much time and energy. And while I can't say with certainty that God doesn't call *anyone* to ongoing, tireless work, I am confident enough to say that *if* He ever does that, He does it to very few. For most of us, not only does He not expect constant "busy-ness," He in fact demands the opposite by giving us the commandment to Sabbath. In other words, it's ok to say no sometimes. Even if the only reason for doing so is because you need rest. (Now remember this is being addressed to those walking in obedience. I'm not encouraging laziness. Just sayin'. . .)

3. At the risk of sounding like a cheesy 80's CCM song, you may be "the only Jesus" some will ever see on this earth. And God may have placed you in their lives for that very reason, with the idea that you might love them and disciple them and "be Jesus" to them in a very real and present and constant way. If you have 10 or 12 people you're doing this for, it's probably pretty manageable. But if for some reason you decide that isn't enough and go out looking for 10 more and then 10 more and then 10 more. . . Well. Can you really be present with that many people regularly enough to have much impact? I would say probably not. Here's the analogy I used last week related to this: Let's suppose you have a bottle of medication that can absolutely save someone's life with just one dose. There are 12 doses in the bottle. Do you give one dose to each of 12 people and save their lives? Or do you dilute it down and give a completely ineffective dose to 112 people? The point is that unless God is orchestrating an "expanded territory" for you and providing the additional "medication" to reach the additional people, there is no reason whatsoever for you to feel guilty that your territory is small and therefore run yourself ragged trying to increase it. In fact, the more accurate assessment is that by keeping a small circle of influence, you are much more available to protect and serve and love more effectively those within that circle.

4. It's entirely possible (and maybe even probable) that God isn't telling you "No" on whatever bigger things you think you should be doing. Maybe He's just saying, "Wait." Don't force something that you aren't ready for if God hasn't given you explicit instructions to do so. Wait. For a different season of life maybe. For support to arrive 6 months from now that you had no idea was on the way. For a wide open door just to the left of the (wrong) one you keep trying to pry open. Now again I feel like I need a disclaimer. I'm not saying that the path will always be super easy and slick and glossy. You might face a few doors you DO have to pry open or a few challenges you'll have to deal with with very little support. HOWEVER, I believe that God speaks very clearly (though not necessarily and probably rarely audibly) about such things, and I truly believe that you will KNOW when He is calling you to something bigger than yourself. If He isn't. . . that is, if you are chasing something only because you have some kind of self-imposed guilt over it, that is the wrong reason to pursue.

So. I don't know if that is helpful to anyone or not, but these are the conversations I'm having with my little circle, so I thought they might be helpful to a few others too. ;-)

In short, I guess I would say-- Pray about it. Pursue every single thing that you truly believe comes from God, and ignore every single thing that you believe comes from your own sense of guilt. It's ok to stay small and simple. The people in your little circle will likely be glad you did.

Photo of the Week 9-12-11

2011-09-12T04:54:00.001-07:00

Awesomeness

2011-09-08T04:31:00.000-07:00

Me and the Gospel. (I'm the turtle.)

(Copied from Jared's blog, because I love this so much!)

The Good List 9-7-11

2011-09-07T04:30:00.000-07:00

10. Chocolate covered almonds. They're magically delicious.

9. The wildly diverse list of shows our kids ask us to record on the DVR for them. The most recent request was The Waltons. Awesome.

8. Ximena Sarinana. She's adorable.

7. Crisp autumn nights. Fabulous.

6. The super snuggly, warm and cozy, crazy comfy PJs my Mom got me last week. I'm ready for our first COLD night!

5. Electricity. After the hurricane last week, I was reminded that I take it for granted WAY too often.

4. The AMAZING care package I got last week from a friend who loves me more than I deserve.

3. MikesChair. Specifically "Someone Worth Dying For." Great song.

2. Packing up 2 little lunchboxes and tucking a note inside each one. It's weird how much joy that simple task brings me. Makes me feel like I'm still somehow with them when they're away at school.

1. Getting to watch the NFL season opener with my Daddy for the first time in about 15 years. Way better than awesome. And it's the SAINTS!!!!

Photo of the Week 9-5-11

2011-09-05T06:15:00.001-07:00

My Kids are Weird ;-)

2011-09-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

I'd like to think we don't watch tv *that* much around here. Well. . . except of course for football during fall and winter. But we do use our DVR quite a bit so that when we do have a lazy rainy or snowy day, there are some good options for the kids. It occurred to me a couple days ago how strange and diverse and not at all typical of 8 and 10-year-old girls our DVR list is. These are their favorites:

The Price is Right: Grace watched at least 10 episodes of this last time she was sick. And not only did she not get tired of it, she was actually *really* into it.

Challenge: This is that show on Food Network that challenges contestants to build amazing sculptures out of cake, candy and chocolate. Pretty interesting.

Phineas and Ferb: Ok, so this one is probably pretty typical for Macy and Grace's age. The twist here is that Jared and I love it pretty much as much as they do. Very clever stuff.

Monster Quest: They like to play the cynic to Dad's insistence that Champ and Sasquatch are real, but even so, they can't seem to get enough of these kinds of shows.

The Biggest Loser: I'm not sure when the next season begins, but Grace has been asking about it since the day after the last season finale.

Any cooking show featuring Nigella Lawson: What can I say? They have good taste. :-D

The Waltons: This is a fairly new request. Somehow they got sucked into an episode on a rainy day a couple weeks ago and decided they loved it.

Looney Tunes: Yes.

I'm not sure what this says about my kids in general. It's probably a pretty weird list by most standards, but I think it's pretty awesome to find them all snuggled up early on a Saturday morning watching Challenge instead of iCarly. ;-)

The Good List 8-31-11

2011-08-31T07:06:00.000-07:00

10. Apple pecan bread. Yes.

9. This dude:
I want him.
8. The way the sky looks after the storm is over. Brightest blue with the shiniest sun I've ever seen.
7. The sweet way our tiny little town does the first day of school. Parents get to be very involved, and the kids don't feel quite so abruptly thrown out and abandoned.

6. Fantasy Football. I am currently involved in 5 leagues. I know. I might need an intervention.

5. Spiderwebs. Like snowflakes. Never 2 the same.

4. When Macy sings while she does her chores.

3. Grandmom is here!!! And Granddad is coming on Sunday!

2. Macy and Grace's first day of school WITH COUSINS!!! They are ALL so excited!

1. God's protection. Lots of devastation around here after Hurricane Irene, but the worst thing we can report personally is a few days of power outage. Grateful.

Gracie's "To Do" List

2011-08-25T20:36:00.000-07:00

When I lived away from my family during the time they had already moved to Vermont while I was still in Nashville for a few months, I told Macy and Grace each time I left them to return to Nashville that they should make a list of all the things they wanted to do the next time I visited. Today I found one of Gracie's lists tucked inside a book. Thank you, Jesus, that I don't have to wait a month (or longer) between these activities any more! (I'm listing these with her pre-1st grade-at-the-time spelling.)

--Git ice cream.

--Go out to eat.

--Woch a movie at home.

--Eat popcorn wile we woch a movie.

--Wok around the naberhud.

--Sit on the porch and injoy the brees.

--Give kisses and hugs.

--Snugle tugether.

I love that list!!!! Sounds like pretty much the perfect day any time. :-D

The Good List 8-24-11

2011-08-24T05:09:00.000-07:00

10. Maple pepper. It's sweet. It's spicy. It's tangy. It's a culinary delight!

9. My current favorite sandwich: lean ham, cheddar cheese, and thinly sliced apple all grilled together. Fab.U.Lous!

8. The sound of a music box. There's something so simple and innocent and magical about it.

7. The Hunger Games. I'm way behind on popular culture, so these didn't even cross my radar until recently. I picked up the first book just out of curiosity and now I'm hooked! (Warning though: This isn't a gentle and uplifting book for those who prefer that. Heavy subject matter.)

6. When I serve up a healthy meal, and ALL 5 kids ask for seconds. Rock star moment. ;-)

5. Holding hands with 2-year-olds.

4. When my sweet church sings the Doxology at the end of each service. It always sounds to me like 10 times more voices than it actually is. This is because they sing it with all of their hearts. I love that so much.

3. We get to pick up Grandmom from the airport tomorrow! I think I'm just as excited as the kids, but I'm pretty sure Grandmom is the most excited of all. :-D

2. Raising a family with your family. It isn't so much that Jared and I have 2 kids and Jody and Jon have 3 anymore. It's much more that WE have 5. Awesome awesomeness.

1. The letter and picture we got from a child in Uganda who received one of our OCC boxes. So special.

Graceville

2011-08-23T12:33:00.000-07:00

This is the exact scenario that just happened in my house--

I told Macy and Grace earlier today that this afternoon JoJo and I are going grocery shopping together to get all stocked up before GrandMom's visit and that I'll take them over to stay with Uncle Jon and their cousins for a little while so they don't have to go. They came in just a few minutes ago from playing outside and sat RIGHT NEXT to each other on the couch. Macy asked, "Mom, when are we going to the Dickersons?" And I replied, "I'm not sure, baby. Just whenever JoJo calls." And then we talked for another few minutes until Grace piped in with:

"Mom, when are we going to the Dickersons?" (!!!!!)

I couldn't help but laugh and then said, "Didn't we just talk about that?"

To which she replied, "Who? Me and you? I thought you were talking to Macy."

"Well, I was," I said. "But weren't you sitting right there beside her the whole time? And actually, you're even closer to me than she is, so surely you could hear me."

And then this: "I guess my mind was in Graceville while y'all were talking."

I wish I could live in Graceville. It HAS to be awesome given what I know about its developer. ;-)

Photo of the Week 8-22-11

2011-08-22T06:07:00.000-07:00

This dude hid on that branch behind the leaves and kept sneaking around to grab a berry. It was fun to watch.

The Story of Everything

2011-08-19T19:40:00.000-07:00

This makes me a special kind of happy.