Lessons in Ephesians

Last night I was spending some time reading my Bible and I turned to the book of Ephesians, not really for any particular reason. I've read this particular book several times and I really enjoy it. I especially enjoyed reading it last night and I was greatly encouraged.

I have the bad habit of speed reading, which can be both good and bad. It's great when I have to read a bazillion pages for school or when I'm just reading for pleasure. However, it's not so good when I'm spending time in the Word and I really need to be soaking up what I'm reading. Lately, I've been working on reading slowly and really focusing on what I'm reading. Well, last night I was so focused and read so slowly that I only got through the first chapter of Ephesians. But, that's OK, because I really enjoyed reading it and meditating on the words contained in the chapter.

I very much enjoy writing letters, even though I don't do it as often as I should. I like to keep in touch with friends and family who I don't get to see often. I also enjoy the opportunity to encourage those who need it. As I was reading this first chapter of Ephesians, I learned a great lesson in letter writing.

First, we have the introduction of who is writing and to whom he is writing. Note especially to whom Paul is writing, "to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Jesus Christ." The faithful in Jesus Christ...what a title! I desire, as we each ought, to be acknowledged as "the faithful in Jesus Christ." However, I know there are many, many days when I don't meet that qualification.

Paul then opens his letter with his greeting to the saints at Ephesus, "Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ." What I really like about this is that he doesn't spend a lot of time opening his letter. He doesn't inquire about how their great uncle's brother's niece's dog's sister is doing. He doesn't ask about the weather. He doesn't start writing about how nice it is to write to them. He doesn't start writing about everything that is going on in his life. No, he starts by giving a short greeting, then he immediately starts praising God and proclaiming His wonderful works.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:" Paul doesn't waste any time telling the faithful at Ephesus of the wonderful news of God the Father. He tells them of God choosing us before the foundation of the world, of His adopting us "according to the good pleasure of his will," he tells them that He made us "accepted in the beloved," that we have redemption through His blood, He has forgiven our sins, He has "made known unto us the mystery of his will," he tells us the promise that He will gather His children together one day, and that we have an inheritance in Him. What a way to open a letter to your fellow saints and children of the Heavenly King. There's nothing else that I would rather read about in a letter than the greatness of God, His marvelous works, and His promises to me!

After Paul proclaims the greatness of God and gives praises due Him, he then directly addresses those at Ephesus. He has heard of their faith in Christ and the love they have shown to the saints, and he wants to encourage them. He tells them that he is thanking God for them and praying for them. What exactly is he praying on their behalf? "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints..." He wants the faithful in Jesus Christ to know more about Him. He wants them to more fully know and understand the greatness of God. He is concerned about their spiritual understanding. What an encouragement!

These couple of verses really struck me last night and resonated in my heart. So often I get frustrated when I am attempting to read the Word. I get frustrated that I can't understand what I'm reading. Sometimes it just doesn't make sense to me, and I get frustrated. Honestly, in those moments of frustration, I want to give up. I want to throw in the towel and take on the mindset that if God wants me to know what He has written, He will somehow put it on my heart and miraculously have me to know it without putting any effort into it. I realize that I am completely wrong in my thinking. I realize that it's in those moments that I don't deserve to be called the faithful in Jesus Christ. I am thankful to God for showing me the error of my ways, as He is so faithful to do. It is in those moments that I think of what Paul wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:15, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." In order for me to know, understand, and rightly divide the Word of God, I have to study. I have to put some effort into it.

Reading this passage in Ephesians gave me great understanding and encouragement. God the Father gives understanding. He gives us "the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him." Oh how I pray for God to bless me in my efforts to study. I pray that He might give me understanding. I pray the same for you. I pray for "the eyes of your understanding being enlightened."

May He bless the faithful in Jesus Christ to know His power and His promises. May He bless the faithful in Jesus Christ with the hope of the inheritance. May the faithful in Jesus Christ give the praise and glory due Him. May we proclaim the greatness of God in our daily walk and our interactions with strangers, but mostly in our communication with fellow saints!

"Lord, I give up all my own plans and purposes, all my own desires and hopes, and accept Thy will for my life. I give myself, my time, my all, utterly to Thee to be Thine forever. Fill me and seal me with Thy Holy Spirit. Use me as Thou wilt, send me where Thou wilt, work out Thy whole will in my life at any cost, now and forever."

These are the words of Betty Stam, a Christian killed in China during the 1930s. Betty and her husband, John, were murdered by communists during the Chinese Civil War, leaving their baby daughter behind. This quotation captures the desires of a heart fully committed to serving Christ. Would to God that we each may have this same desire and pray each morning as we wake. I must confess that I fall so short of such commitment.

*This quotation was taken from "A Woman After God's Own Heart," by Elizabeth George. The information about Betty Stam can be found here.

In Christ Alone

I love hymns. I love the simplicity of a capella hymns. I love singing them with the Saints of God or by myself throughout the day. I love listening to professional recordings of hymns. I love meditating on the words to the hymns and thinking about what they mean to me. I love feeling the presence of the Lord when I worship Him through singing hymns.

I also really enjoy listening to contemporary Christian music on occasion. I enjoy music like what we heard at Raise the Praise. I enjoy tuning into the local Christian radio station. Some of these songs are just as powerful and can lift my soul just as much as a good hymn.

One of my favorite contemporary Christian songs is "In Christ Alone." I haven't heard this song in a long time, but it just came to mind out of the blue the other day. When it came to mind I couldn't remember many of the words. Actually, I couldn't remember any of the words except "in Christ alone." I finally looked up the lyrics and I'm very thankful I did. The words to this song are powerful and beautiful. It was a great encouragement to me to read through the lyrics and meditate on the truth contained in them.

"In Christ Alone"

Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend

Copyright © 2001 Kingsway

In Christ alone my hope is found;

He is my light, my strength, my song;

This cornerstone, this solid ground,

Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.

What heights of love, what depths of peace,

When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!

My comforter, my all in all—

Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,

Fullness of God in helpless babe!

This gift of love and righteousness,

Scorned by the ones He came to save.

Till on that cross as Jesus died,

The wrath of God was satisfied;

For ev'ry sin on Him was laid—

Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,

Light of the world by darkness slain;

Then bursting forth in glorious day,

Up from the grave He rose again!

And as He stands in victory,

Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;

For I am His and He is mine—

Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—

This is the pow'r of Christ in me;

From life's first cry to final breath,

Jesus commands my destiny.

No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,

Can ever pluck me from His hand;

Till He returns or calls me home—

Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.

You can listen to this song and watch a video here.

O Give Thanks Unto His Name

The Lord has been so good to me, I want to sing His praise,

I want to glorify His name all my remaining days.

The Lord has been so good to me, I will on Him depend;

And ev'ry day where e're I be, I would His truth defend.

As the day in which we take time to give thanks to God for all His blessings approaches, I can't help but to sing this hymn. The Lord has been so good to me throughout all my life, and especially throughout this last year. There are so many things for which to be thankful that I couldn't possible cease from giving praises to Him.

I am thankful for the blessing of health. I am thankful for the blessing of the food I have to eat every day. I am thankful for the abundance of clothes in my closet. I am thankful for the comfortable bed I have to sleep on. I am thankful for the many cars parked outside our house.

I want to follow in His steps and show my love this way;

I want to lift His banner up, each fair or cloudy day.

The Lord has been so good to me, I will on Him depend;

And ev'ry day where e're I be, I would His truth defend.

I am thankful for my sight which allows me to see all His beautiful creations. I am thankful for my hearing which allows me to hear His truth and the singing of praises. I am thankful for my voice which allows me to share the Good News and praise Him. I am thankful for my sense of smell which allows me to enjoy the beautiful flowers and fragrances of the season created by Him. I am thankful for my hands which allow me to grasp the beauty around me and feel as if I am touching my Savior Himself.

I want to mingle with His saints while here on earth I stay,

And meet them on the golden shore on that eternal day.

The Lord has been so good to me, I will on Him depend;

And ev'ry day where e're I be, I would His truth defend.

I am thankful for the church I am a member of. I am thankful for the physical building where I can come out of the world and worship His name. I am thankful for the fellowship with my dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ. I am thankful for the Truth I can read, hear, and believe. I am thankful for faithful ministers who are diligent to teach His flock.

Lord Jesus, wilt Thou mercy show and save me by Thy grace,

That I may when this life is o'er look on Thy lovely face.

The Lord has been so good to me, I will on Him depend;

And ev'ry day where e're I be, I would His truth defend.

I am thankful for the recent sweet times I've had in communion with the Lord. I am thankful for the times when I can fall before His throne and "find grace to help in time of need." I am thankful for answered prayers and for being led by the Holy Spirit. I am thankful for His mercy which is new every morning. I am thankful for the knowledge and hope that one day I will praise Him more perfectly.

And in the land of endless bliss, where all the praise is Thine,

Some humble place at Thy dear feet, may this poor sinner find.

The Lord has been so good to me, I will on Him depend;

And ev'ry day where e're I be, I will His truth defend.

I am thankful for His perfect will and plan for my life. I am thankful for the blessing of this sweet gentleman. I am thankful for the patience and the leading the Lord has shown the two of us. I am thankful for the joy he has brought to my life. I am thankful for his encouragement to love the Lord more perfectly. I am thankful for the peace of God in my heart.

Psalm 92:1-2 "It is good to give thanks to the LORD, And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, And Your faithfulness every night"

Psalm 69:30 "I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify Him with thanksgiving."

Oh, the things kids say!

One thing I have loved about doing my field experience at the primary school this semester is getting to hear all the cute and funny things kids say. Rarely a day goes by that I don't laugh about something a student says to me or another student. Of course, some of what they say isn't polite or good, so I have to hide my chuckling at those. Others, however, are just so cute and innocent. Oh, to have the mind of a 6 year old again!

Today, was probably one of the most laughter-filled days I've had this semester. I couldn't stop laughing at what the students were saying. I'm going to share three incidents with you, but remember that they are not going to seem as funny as they were in person.

#1: I walk into the classroom and a boy, S, walks up to show me his outfit.

S: I'm wearing as much camo as possible today, so I can be in the army when I get older.
Me: Wow, that is a lot of camo.
S: Do you think it's enough to be in the army?
Me: Oh, I definitely think so!

#2: I noticed one student sitting in her desk coloring a picture, which is rather unusual. This student usually has to be told what to do about 10 times each morning before everything gets done.

Me: C, good morning! How are you this morning?
C: (sigh) I'm just so exhausted.
Me: Why are you so exhausted?
C: Because I have to dress like the 70's for K's party, and I just don't know how I'm going to do that.
Me: Oh, K is having a 70's birthday party?
C: Yeah, and I just don't know how to dress like the 70's. Everything is going to be soooo big. K, is it alright if I just wear normal clothes?
*At this point, I had to walk away because I couldn't carry on the conversation any longer and cover up my laughing.

#3: I noticed that one student, J, was looking at his book during reading time. He usually isn't doing what he's supposed to be, so when I catch him doing the right thing, I try to praise him and focus on his good work.

Me: J, can you read this book to me?
J: Well, I'm just taking a picture walk. (This is when they just look at the pictures throughout the book.)
Me: Well, when you're done can I hear you read a little bit?
J: I just don't think I can.
Me: Why not?
J: I'm just not into this kind of thing.
Me: What kind of thing?
J: This 3 bears story, I'm just not into that kind of thing.
Me: (trying to hold back laughter) Well, I'm sorry, but during reading you have to be reading the book that the teacher assigns. You don't get to pick.

There were several other things said throughout the day that made me laugh, but these were definitely the funniest.

Psalm 100

As I've been preparing for our meeting that starts tomorrow night, this Psalm keeps coming to mind. Lately, I've really been enjoying reading the Psalms. Some, like Psalm 25, are good to read when I'm feeling overwhelmed or discouraged. Others, like Psalm 113 are great to read and give praise to the Lord. It seems to me that there is a Psalm that describes any situation that I could be dealing with. This Psalm, Psalm 100, is a great reminder of the praise we should be giving to the Lord when we gather together to worship. I pray that as tomorrow evening approaches, I might "enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise."

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Psalm 100

1 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

We'll Wait Till Jesus Comes

We'll Wait Till Jesus Comes

Elizabeth Mills

O land of rest, for thee I sigh!

When will the moment come

When I shall lay my armor by

And dwell in peace at home?

We'll wait till Jesus comes,

We'll wait till Jesus comes;

We'll wait till Jesus comes,

And we'll be gathered home.

To Jesus Christ I fled for rest;

He bade me cease to roam,

And lean for succor on His breast

Till He conducts me home.

We'll wait till Jesus comes,

We'll wait till Jesus comes;
We'll wait till Jesus comes,
And we'll be gathered home.

I sought at once my Savior's side,

No more my steps shall roam:

With Him I'll brave death's chilling tide,

And reach my heav'nly home.

We'll wait till Jesus comes,

We'll wait till Jesus comes;

We'll wait till Jesus comes,

And we'll be gathered home.

Bittersweet Day

Yesterday was a very bittersweet day for me. After 20 months of a great experience, my match with my Little Sister came to an end. Shortly after my 18th birthday I signed up with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwestern Illinois to be a Big Sister. I had heard about the program through a local news report and new it would be a great opportunity for me. Finally, after over a year of waiting, I was matched up with Dani.

The past 20 months have been a huge learning experience for me. My eyes were opened to a whole different culture than the one I am use to. Even though my Little Sister lives in the Highland area (which is generally considered rather culturally homogeneous), her home culture is radically different from my own. It was enlightening, and often saddening, to share with her in some of the situations that occurred in her home. I can't go into those circumstances for confidentiality purposes, but it will suffice to say they were not ideal situations.

Sadly, the times Dani and I were able to spend together grew very few and far between over the past few months. School and other commitments were creating difficulties in arranging meetings. I knew that I was no longer able to provide the support and relationship that Dani needs from a Big Sister, which led me to close the match. This will allow the case workers at Big Brothers Big Sisters to find a new Big Sister for Dani who will hopefully have more time to commit to the relationship. This was a hard decision for me to make, but I feel like it is the best for both of us.

I will never forget some of the experiences we enjoyed together throughout our relationship. Some of the most memorable include baking cookies together, watching movies, going to Raging Rivers, and visiting the zoo. Dani and her family made a lasting impression on my life. I pray that the Lord might continue to bless her and her family and that she might be able to remember the good experiences we shared.

As we were doing the paperwork to close the match yesterday, Dani was asked what she liked about being a Little Sister and her reply was, "It was the best time of my life!" This was great to hear, but also made me realize that I really will miss being her Big Sister.

Psalm 19:14 "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer."

Psalm 51:10-12 "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit."

Romans 12:1-2 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

Back to School

Today I'm going to do a combination of Strem's post and Liz's post.

As most of you know, school is back in session for those of us here in southern Illinois. Yesterday I began my junior year, diving head-first into the Special Education program. I am now taking all special ed. classes. Well, I do have one Speech Pathology class, but it's part of the special ed. program. The School of Education created a new special ed. program that is in it's first year. Part of this new program is an improved practicum curriculum that has us going into the classroom earlier. So, I get to start observing and helping in a primary class on Thursday. The exciting thing is that I have been placed in the elementary school where I went to school. I'm very excited!

Since Strem's post, "I'm Most Me When..." reminded me of something that might be done on the first day of school, I have decided to make my own list. I borrowed a few ideas from Strem. And, these are in no particular order.

I am most me when...
*I am reading a good book
*I am cooking or baking something for my friends or family
*I am sewing something new to wear
*I pray and read my Bible before I fall asleep
*I sleep in my own bed with new, crisp sheets
*I am playing with children
*I am holding a baby
*I drive with my windows down in the spring or fall
*I take a walk by myself
*I have a good heart-to-heart conversation with a friend
*I am alone in the quietness of my room
*I am worshipping in church
*I am helping someone in need
*I laugh so hard that I start crying
*I talk to my Grandpa about our ancestors
*I make up silly songs about anything and everything
*I write a note or send a card to someone I care about
*I visit with an older person about their past experiences
*I eat ice cream

Baking

Tonight I did one of my favorite things...I spent most of the evening baking. Although my feet are tired and the house is a little warmer than usual by the time I get through, it is all worth it. I decided to make some pancakes and muffins to have in the freezer for use at any time. So, I got some blueberries out of the freezer and set to work finding some good recipes.

Here are the results:

From left to right: Oatmeal Apple Raisin Muffins, Blueberry Pancakes (some got a little too done, oops), and Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

*All the recipes are from "Simply Centsible Breakfasts," an ebook by Crystal Paine.

Sweet Fellowship

This weekend, two of my very good friends and Sisters in Christ came to visit. The Lord was so gracious to us through the weekend. We enjoyed many hours of great fellowship together. On Sunday evening we had a wonderful time at our house in fellowship and celebrating Michelle's birthday. The evening was filled with laughing, singing, and talking about things of the Lord. It was such a wonderful way to end a great weekend and start a new week.

I'm so thankful that the Lord burdened Elizabeth and Karla to make the trip up here and that He provided the way. It was sad to have them leave Monday morning, but I spent the day (and still today) reminiscing about the great weekend. It also made me anxious for the time when we will all be together forever, bowing at the feet of Our Lord and singing "Worthy art Thou." Until that glorious time, I'm just so thankful for the bonds of love and that bind such hearts together, no matter the distance.

Here's a picture of the ladies from Sunday evening.

Cousins

Here is the picture that I promised a few weeks ago. This was from when we took Tasha down to Mississippi and we visited with our family in Tupelo.

From L to R: Alec, Me, Adam, and Hayden

What if His people prayed?

I was listening to a local Christian radio station the other day and I heard a song that has really been stuck on my mind. The song is Casting Crown's "What if His People Prayed."

"What If His People Prayed"

What if the armies of the Lord

Picked up and dusted off their swords

Vowed to set the captives free

And not let Satan have one more

What if the church for heaven's sake

Finally stepped up to the plate

Took and stand upon God's promise

And stormed hell's rusty gates

What if His people prayed

And those who bare His name

Would humbly seek His face

And turn from their own way

And what would happen if we prayed

For those raised up to lead the way

Then maybe kids in school could pray

And unborn children see light of day

What if the life that we pursue

Came from a hunger for the truth

What if the family turned to Jesus

Stopped asking Oprah what to do

What if His people prayed

And those who bare His name

Would humbly seek His face

And turn from their own way

He said that they would hear

His promise has been made

He’s answered loud and clear, Yeah

If only we would pray

If My people called by My name

If they'll humble themselves and pray

If My people called by My name

If they'll humble themselves and pray

What if His people prayed

And those who bare His name

Would humbly seek His face, Yeah

And turn from their own way

He said that they would hear

His promise has been made

He’s answered loud and clear, Yeah

If only we would pray

What if His people prayed

I had never heard this song before, but it really resonated within me. I didn't quite pick up on all the words the first time, but one verse in particular really stood out to me. The fourth verse says, "What if the life that we pursue came from a hunger for the truth; What if the family turned to Jesus, stopped asking Oprah what to do." I stopped to think about the truth in this statement. So many people turn to anyone and everyone for help before they will turn to the Lord. I wasn't too far into my thought process when I felt that guilty pang in my heart. I am just as guilty of this as the next person.

Job came to mind as I was thinking about this. Job had the three "miserable comforters" with him in the midst of his trials. When his friends caused him more grief rather than comfort, Job then turned to the Lord. What if Job had prayed to the Lord first?

Then I thought about Nehemiah. After hearing about the horrendous situation in Jerusalem, Nehemiah turned first to the Lord. He was quick to kneel before His throne and seek His counsel.

I'm afraid too many of us are guilty of following after the footsteps of Job rather than those of Nehemiah. What if His people prayed? Why do we fail to turn to Him in every situation? It certainly isn't easier to turn to others for help. Your friends and Oprah aren't always available when you need them. Jesus is. Your friends and Oprah might not understand the depth of your troubles. Jesus does. Your friends and Oprah can't calm the seas or command the waves to be still. Jesus can.

We know the Scriptures command us to "pray without ceasing." We know that the Lord answers the prayers of His children. The last verse of the song says, "He said that they would hear, His promise has been made, He’s answered loud and clear."

What if His people prayed?

Cedar Point Recap

Our road trip to Cedar Point ended around 7:00 this morning as we pulled into my house. After driving in the car for 20 of the past 45 hours, I was ready to be home. We had a wonderful trip, but my bed was definitely calling my name.

We spent 12 fun-filled hours at Cedar Point yesterday. In that 12 hours, we rode a total of 18 different rides. As I mentioned in the previous post, Cedar Point is known as "The Roller Coaster Capital of the World," with 17 roller coasters. We rode 14 of the 17 roller coasters.

The first roller coaster that we rode was the Top Thrill Dragster. The ride begins by launching from 0 to 120 mph in 3.8 seconds!!!! It then climbs up 420 feet in the air, rotating 90 degrees, crossing over the top, then dropping the 420 feet back down to the ground, at a 90 degree angle, all in 17 seconds. I can't even begin to describe the feeling of going 0 to 120 mph in 3.8 seconds, or falling 420 feet at a 90 degree angle, but it was incredible. It was definitely a great way to start the day.

The awesome part of the experience is that none of us had a clue as to what each ride was going to entail. We made the mistake of under-estimating a few of the rides. When we got off those, we kind of just looked at each other, surprised at how amazing the ride was. There were also a few that we got really excited about, only to be let down by their lack of thrill.

The Lord was so gracious to us on the trip. We were blessed with safety on the road, safety in the park, good conversation, and good health. One of the greatest blessings of the trip was the free ice water that the park provided for the visitors. At every concession stand, you were able to receive a free cup of ice water. We definitely took advantage of the water and we were so thankful each time. I can't even count the number of times that we commented on how wonderful it was that the park offered the ice water.

For those of you thinking about taking a family vacation any time soon, I would definitely recommend visiting Cedar Point. It is absolutely worth every single penny of what it costs to get in the park. (Which is actually not very many pennies. It is very reasonably priced.)

Road Trip

In about 1 hour I will be hitting the road with some friends from school. Our destination?

We're off to visit The Roller Coaster Capital of the World: Cedar Point!! We will be spending all of Friday at the amusement park. I'm very excited. Please be prayerful for a safe journey and God-honouring fellowship.Hopefully I will be able to give a full report when I arrive home on Saturday.

Conversation with the Kids

My job watching 3 young children frequently involves many frustrations and aggravating situations. A lot of the time I am guilty of focusing on those not-so-good moments when I am describing how my day or week has been. This really frustrates me after the fact, because I usually consider myself a really optimistic person. I always like the good news before the bad. The cup is usually half full rather than half empty. You get the idea. Well, since coming to the realization that I spend way too much time focusing on the negative aspects of my job, I've decided to try to see the many blessings I experience each day.

Yesterday I had the opportunity to have a little Bible discussion with the two youngest children that I watch. Eden (6-years-old) asked me who the first person on earth was. I don't really remember what prompted this question, but I think she kind of just asked it out of the blue. After pausing for a moment to think how I should approach answering the question, I told her that Adam was the first person on the earth. She was a little confused about who Adam was, but once I brought Eve into the conversation, she understood. We talked about how God created Adam from the dust of the ground and later created Eve from Adam's rib. She didn't understand how Adam could live after he was created from the dust of the ground. I had to smile at the innocence and simplicity of children's thinking. Sometimes I forget that what is obvious to me might not be so obvious to small child.

She continued asking questions after that (as most 6-year-olds tend to do) and we talked about Cain and Abel. When I mentioned that Cain killed Abel, Abbi quickly became interested in the conversation. "Why did he kill his brother?" was her simple question. I explained to them about jealousy and had them act out a little skit of siblings being jealous with one another to help them understand the situation. The conversation continued for several more minutes. We talked about God telling Abraham to offer Isaac as a sacrifice, but then providing a sacrifice in his place.

It was at that point that I knew the Lord was working in the situation. After a really rough day earlier in the week, I really questioned if this is where God wants me right now. How could I be serving Him in a situation where He is not respected or acknowledged? How is this helping me grow in my relationship with Christ? How is this job preparing me for my future when I disagree with so much that goes on? These were a few of the questions passing through my mind as I cried out in discouragement. In the midst of my discouragement, I felt that peace which passes all understanding. I couldn't really answer all the questions, but somehow I knew it was right. Two days later, that conversation helped me understand. God put me in this situation to learn about Him, to depend on Him, and to grow closer to Him. I am in this situation to be a representative of Him to those kids who only hear His name proclaimed once or twice a year.

That few minutes of discussion really meant a lot to me. I don't know if any of it will stick in their minds or really mean anything to them, but it will definitely be ingrained in my memory for quite a while. I pray that it will stand out in my memory as a reminder to show His love and patience at all times.

Finishing School: Week II

A Merry Rose is hosting Week II of the Online Finishing School for Ladies. The topic this week is French culture and how it has influenced a lot of fashion, decorating, cuisine, etc. This week's lesson started on Saturday night with an explanation as to why a course on French culture was included in the Finishing School. You can read that post here.

In other news, the Lord blessed us with safe travels as we took Tasha down to Mississippi. The trip was wonderful and I really enjoyed visiting with our family. Visits such as the one we just had are so precious to me, because they are few and far between. Sadly, my camera decided to bite the dust, so I don't have any pictures to share with you. However, Tasha did graciously take a few pictures of me with the three most handsome little men in my life. ;) Maybe when she returns home from her visit I will share that with you. Overall, I'm just so thankful to the Lord for His grace and mercy.

Finishing School

The other day I came across a blog that is hosting a very interesting blog series. (At least it's interesting to me, and I thought it might be interesting to some of the other lady readers.) Elizabeth over at A Merry Rose: Blooming as Keeper of My Home is hosting a series entitled Online Finishing School for Ladies. This post describes what this Finishing School is, but I will attempt to briefly describe it for you.

From what I understand, each week for twelve weeks a blogger will act as a "teacher" and post about various issues concerning womanhood. The "students" are encouraged to make comments about their thoughts on the subjects and other encouraging notes related to the subject.

The "school" started this past Monday with Emma from Charming the Birds from the Trees doing a series on posture, presentation, personal grooming, etc. The tentative schedule will be as follows:

Week I: June 25-30 Personal Presentation, Part I. posture, grooming, health, clothing care, etc.

Break: July 1-7 – Independence Day in America – We’ll give our teachers and readers a semi-break. However, we might do some posts about American customs/culture during this week.

Week II: July 8-14 Bastille Day in France -- How French culture has influenced decorating, fashion, cooking, etc. How to prepare a simple French meal. Why it was considered important for finishing school students to learn about other cultures and how that can still be useful in today’s world. Simple French phrases that you might come across when reading books in English.

Week III: July 15-21: Baking: A romantic cake. Tea goodies.

Week IV: July 22-28 – the culture of Central Asia, what we can learn from Central Asian women.

Week V: July 29-August-4 Creating a lovely needlework pillow.

Week VI: August 5-11 Flowers, flowers, and more flowers!.

Week VII: August 12-18 Correspondence and Etiquette – particularly modern etiquette: email, cell phones, etc.

Week : VIII August 19-25 The best things we can learn from various cultures, customs in European countries

Week IX August 26-Sept. 1 – How to sew a pretty handkerchief (or nightgown, we're still deciding), ribbon embroidery – a woman can choose to purchase something ready-made on which to do the ribbon embroidery.

Week X: September 2-8 -- How to set a pretty table for various occasions; the correct way to set a table for a casual lunch, a buffet, a dinner, a shower, etc.-

Week XI September 9-15 Another week on personal presentation, keeping our bedrooms pretty and organized

Week XII September 16-22 Gracious Living on a Budget


I have thoroughly enjoyed the lessons this first week and I'm looking forward to the remaining 12 weeks. I hope some of the other ladies will join me in class and maybe we can discuss the lessons together. A blog is supposed to be set up just for the purpose of the Finishing School, but I don't believe it has been done yet. You can find out the teachers for each week and the links to their blogs at A Merry Rose: Blooming as Keeper of My Home. I will also try to post the link each week for those who are interested.

"...with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations."

Since I was introduced into the blogging world several months ago, I've often enjoyed visiting the Biblical Womanhood website and blog. The author of the site and blog is Crystal Paine, a Christian, stay-at-home wife and mother. Crystal just gave birth to her second child yesterday evening. Several months ago complications came up with her health, and she was diagnosed as severely anemic and very low platelet levels. After a long stint in the hospital, the doctors became concerned for her health and the health of her baby. Crystal and her husband had planned on a natural birth, but the complications led her to being induced at 37.5 weeks.

Crystal did a live birth diary throughout the duration of her labor and delivery. I spent most of the day yesterday refreshing my browser to keep updated on the process. Now, I realize that I have never met these people, so I really shouldn't be so involved in their life. However, I found myself so encouraged by the spirit and attitude that Crystal had throughout her pregnancy and especially in these last few weeks as so many things seemed to be going wrong. This woman maintained a positive attitude and it was clearly evident that she was completely relying on the Lord. Even when her plans for the birth of her baby were completely turned around, Crystal and her husband trusted that God had greater plans and they were fully relying on Him. To read the whole account of the birth day, you can see the post here.

As I was reading the entries yesterday and spending time in prayer for this family and for Caylub, I was reminded of this passage of Scripture: "I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore." (Psalm 86:12) It was so encouraging and refreshing to here of God's children praising Him and trusting Him in a situation that might seem so horrible to many people. I was reminded that I often fall so short of giving proper praise to my merciful and gracious Father. When things don't go my way, I often forget that the Lord is in control and He is sovereign. Isaiah tells us of the Lord: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9)

All glory and praise be to God for giving Crystal strength to endure the trying delivery and to bless the family with a healthy baby girl. My heart just rejoices to know that God blesses His children and provides for their every need. I do hope that you will take a few minutes to read the account of His provision for this family. I pray to God that you and I might be able to trust in the Lord so faithfully and just be able to radiate the love and joy of the Lord at all times.

Psalm 89:1 "I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations."