Cherish the Call

Book Review and Giveaway: Freefall to Fly

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Wed, 22 May 2013 20:01:00 +0000

A story. It was Jesus' means of conveying truths to us, and it is still one of the most captivating way to portray ideas. When meaning is grainy and fuzzy, a real-life illustration can bring it into sharp focus.

For Rebekah Lyons, the story she tells is of a personal nature. It is the story of her deepest fear and her highest flight. No matter what our location or circumstance, we can relate with her intense struggle as a mom transplanted from suburbia to the big city.

Searching for meaning can be elusive outside the call and will of God. Rebekah speaks to following God's call when it is difficult and crying out to Him for strength when we have none left.

I expected this book to be a bit "weighty" and difficult to read, but once I began it was hard to put it down. I cried during several parts as I related to, not the exact circumstances of Mrs. Lyons' life, but the emotion behind them.

Even though I appreciated the premise of Rebekah Lyons' story and her heart for women, I recommend the book with caution. I've seen too many women rush off to "embrace their calling" and leave their husbands, children and homes in the dust. I don't think this is the author's intention for her readers, but I would urge you read this book carefully and prayerfully.

If you would like to read the true story of a woman embracing her fear, her pain and her calling, leave a comment below. I will choose one reader who comments below to receive my review copy, graciously provided to me free of charge by the team at Handle Bar Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

The giveaway will end Saturday, May 25 at 12 midnight ET. I will announce the winner the following week.

Be Blessed!

Disclaimer: I received no compensation from Handle Bar Publishing for my review. All opinions are mine. Post may contain affiliate links.

When You Are Done With Ministry

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:06:00 +0000

Ministry. It's a comfortable word. It appeals to the Christian mama's sense of self-worth much in the way the word productivity speaks to the mama that is going places in her career or trying to keep a clean home. We seek for it, and if we don't have a ministry, we feel like we are useless to the Lord.

Sometimes we convince ourselves to settle right where we are and relax in the ministry we already have: the elderly neighbor, the little ones that call us Mom, the hard-working man we married, the neighborhood children with no one to look after them. That is fulfilling, meaningful servant hood with eternal purpose.

It is also hard. Yes, I said it. Ministry is not always fun. It only rarely brings affirmation and pats on the back. Real ministry isn't really about shaking hands with clamoring fans and receiving awards. Sometimes the thought snakes through my mind, "Is it really worth it?"

My mind has been on Jonah lately. Reticent and rebellious, his ministry didn't get off to a good start. Although he finally obeyed God after a bit of a detour, it really didn't finish well, either. He ended up pouting under a withering plant while revival broke out in Nineveh.

Idealistic visions of cuddling babies and tossing the softball with a teenager turn to sleepless nights and volleying sarcasm. The women's Bible study you begin turns into a study of the lives of others, and the cookies you lovingly baked are returned because they aren't 100% organic. Affirmations become accusations, and your very best appears to be lacking in the opinions of those for whom are spending your life.

I confess I have asked God, "Why?" "Why did you trust me with these kids, these friends, these responsibilities? I'm a total failure at ministering to them and working for You."

That's my Jonah posture. The sniveling, self-centered kind of ministry that is all about me and immediate results. However, I can't expect an eternal and transcendent God to be interested in a microwaveable ministry. He's observing over 6,000 years of history and endless years into the future. When I cry, "Nothing's happening!", He's smiling and saying, "But you don't see what I see."

Though comforting, that thought isn't always enough to make me put on my happy face. The really hard times come. It's my attitude that matters most. Instead of a pouting Jonah, I want to assume the posture of our precious Lord.

What ministry is more fulfilling and meaningful than the Cross? It is, or should be, the essence of all other ministry. Yet, in my mind, I kneel beside Him as He drops sweat tinged with blood. Alone, on the verge of one of the most horrible deaths known to man, with full knowledge of what His suffering would be. He doesn't ask why. He knows why. He only asks, "If it be possible, let this cup pass. But, nevertheless, Thy. Will. Be. Done."

Yes, it's about Him. About His purpose. But my favorite part? The angel.

At the nod of the Omnipotent God, he rushes to His side. Does the angel take away the pain? No, His pain is only just beginning. Does he ease His suffering, whisper encouragement? No, no words are spoken. I'm not even sure that he touched Him. His sole purpose in visiting the Savior of the world on the eve of His death is to give Him strength.

Strength. When my ministry is lagging and I want nothing more than to sit under the plant and scowl at Nineveh, God sends strength. He holds out His Hand and says, "Get up, Child! You are influencing Eternity. Now get back out there because it's not about you."

Ministry. It's a word that has nothing to do with my self-worth. Not even close.

When Life Hurts

noreply@blogger.com (SJW) — Tue, 07 May 2013 04:49:00 +0000

Today I would like to share something close to my heart. I pray it can be of some benefit to you just as it has been to me.

I believe I can safely assume that many of the readers of this blog have dealt with some pretty deep pain and sorrow. You have walked through some deep valleys and been lead down some agonizingly dark paths. Recently I read some very unique thoughts on this subject and I would like to share them with you in hopes that you will discover in them the encouragement I have found.

I, like so many others, have questioned why God would allow the heavy burden of cancer and amputation to fall into my husband’s life. He is so good and upright. He has lived a Godly and fully submissive life. He doesn’t deserve such a trial!

I have wanted so much to say it’s not fair.

Then other times I remember other Godly men and women who have also been allowed to face suffering or hardship, and I say, well, why NOT us? We haven’t anything on those folks. Why should God spare us when He asked them to deal with such tragedy?

The “why” questions of life very rarely get answers.

But I read this recently and if you’ll hang on tight with me, I think you’ll find it interesting. It is from Ann Voskamp’s book entitled One Thousand Gifts. I’m not very far into it, but it is fascinating!

This is in response to a situation where the author’s husband’s brother and sister-in-law lost two baby boys to the same genetic disease within two years’ time…one of them at 4 months and one at 5 months of age.

At one point the author says to her brother-in-law, “If it were up to me…I’d write this story differently.”

She then tells us “I regret the words as soon as they leave me. They seem so un-Christian, so unaccepting—so No, God! I wish I could take them back, comb out their tangled madness, dress them in their calm Sunday best. But there they are…raw and real…”

Then the brother-in-law explains the perspective he maintains. “I don’t know why that all happened…But do I have to? Who knows? I don’t mention it often, but sometimes I think of that story in the Old Testament…when God gave King Hezekiah fifteen more years of life…Because he prayed for it…But if Hezekiah had died when God first intended, Manasseh would never have been born. And what does the Bible say about Manasseh? Something to the effect that Manasseh had led the Israelites to do even more evil than all the heathen nations around Israel. Think of all the evil that could have been avoided if Hezekiah had died earlier, before Manasseh was born. I am not saying anything, either way, about anything…Just that maybe…maybe you don’t want to change the story, because you don’t know what a different ending holds.”

“Maybe,” he says, “I guess…it’s accepting there are things we simply don’t understand. But He does.”

Wow. Gulp. That’s a beautiful picture of belief in an all-wise, all-knowing, loving God…of confidence that He truly does know what is best for each of us!

That’s my anchor in the storm. Knowing that I may never understand but HE does. And I can trust Him.

Do this with me, won’t you? Picture in your mind’s eye this scenario...you are facing a large black sheet of paper, behind which is a beautiful lamp glowing with soft light. If this piece of black paper can represent for a moment our life’s backdrop, then it might also be that punching a hole in that paper could represent a loss…a tragedy of some sort that rips deep into our souls. As you mentally punch holes and make rips in the paper to represent the deep and painful losses you have faced, let me share with you another word picture Ann paints in her book:

“I wonder too…if the rent in the canvas of our life backdrop, the losses that puncture our world, our own emptiness, might actually become places to see.

“To see through to God.

“That which tears open our souls, those holes that splatter our sight, may actually become the thin, open places to see through the mess of this place to the heart-aching beauty beyond. To Him. To the God whom we endlessly crave.

“Maybe so.”

Can you see it??? Can you see the light shining so brightly through the ripped and jagged places in our lives?? Have you seen God work in or around you through your tragic moments? Have you seen God’s grace and power and experienced His precious peace in time of deep trial? Does this change your perspective on those very trials?

May we see our holes as “seeing-through-to-God-places” and may our anchors hold fast to Jesus, the only Rock worthy of our trust...

May God bless, keep, and encourage each one of you!

“It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.”

(Lamentations 3:22-26)

Learning to rest in God's wisdom and love,

Guest Post: Super Mom by Sara Smith

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:37:00 +0000

When Jen asked if I would write a guest blog, I scrambled for ideas on what I should write about. Should I write about working and raising children, beginning a business in hopes of being able to stay home with my children, going back and forth about homeschooling, etc. Then, through the events of this past week, the Lord laid it upon my heart to write about something I struggle with daily. I call it my Super Mom Complex.

“Well, aren’t you just Super Mom.” It’s a phrase I hear once in a while, sometimes in a mean way, and sometimes as a compliment. Both grate on me. When I hear this comment, on the inside I’m thinking “Well, if you only knew what didn’t get done”, “Heaven forbid they see what my house really looks like any other day of the week”, or even worse, “Can’t they see how hard I work to do this?”

This past week was a hard and eye opening week for me. My daughter’s birthday fell during the week, so we made it a point to do something special on that day just for her. Then, because she was getting so much attention, I felt the need to get something for our son as well. We then threw her a party on the weekend for family and friends (which required driving 6 hours to pick up and return family who really wanted to be there) followed by baking treats for her to take to preschool on her next school day.

I know that list is probably normal routine for many families, but between my husband and myself, there are two full-time jobs, one part-time businesses to run, church commitments, running one child to speech therapy and preschool and the never ending everyday household chores. Did I mention I’m also nearly six months pregnant? Then it came. The dreaded “You are such a Super Mom, you deserve an award!” I smiled and said thank you, but my heart did not agree.

We all have hectic lives full of kids, projects, jobs, commitments and more. On the outside it appeared that I did wonderful things for my children this week, but the inside was bitter, resentful, and downright discouraged. I was short with my children, fought with my husband, and didn’t even once pour out my soul to my Heavenly Father.

For some reason we as women (I don’t think this is just for moms) think we can do it all, that we have to do it all. The truth, if we are living fully for Christ, is that we cannot master a thousand things for our Lord. I am a creative person and I love to make art. However, I know at this point in my life I am not going to be the next great discovered artist that will have their own wing in the Louvre. One day, in the future maybe I’ll achieve that, but mastering it now would take away from the things the Lord wants me to do.

The hardest part for me is when it concerns my children. I want to be their end all and be all. But, what service am I giving them to always rely on me and not on Christ? What service am I giving them to live in a heated environment where Mom and Dad are at odds with each other? What service am I giving them to go without something needed so Mommy can impress the company with her microscopically cleaned floors? What service am I giving my unborn child to run myself ragged to please others instead of focusing on creating a healthy and nurturing environment for him?

It all comes down to are we giving our best to the things the Lord has led us to do? If not, are we really doing the things we’ve been called to do or are we doing the things we think we need to do? If we are doing the things we’ve been called to, what is standing in our way of doing them to His glory? Spring cleaning isn’t just for the tangible accumulating clutter in our lives, it is absolutely necessary for our spiritual clutter as well.

Bio: Sara Smith

My oft neglected blog has the tagline God, family, home: Super crafty momma diva striving to be the best Godly momma and wife I can be. In a nutshell, that is me!

I currently work at a local university, teach part-time at a local Christian school, run a business (check it out - saraelizabeth.scentsy.us) and am raising two (soon to be three!) wonderful children with my couldn't be more perfect for me chosen by God soulmate.

Everything art related is of interest to me and when I can eek out a moment or two I love photography and fiber crafts. My life isn't exactly what I had planned, and while I'd LOVE to be with my children 100% of the time, I know I am where God wants me to be right now.

Using Timelines to Teach History

noreply@blogger.com (Judy) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 09:00:00 +0000

History can sometimes seem like a jumble of unrelated facts and confusing dates, especially to younger learners. And really, the meaning of history is lost when it can't be viewed as a continuous story.

A timeline is an excellent way to reinforce the continuity of history. Important people and events can be more easily remembered in their proper context when using this visual aid.

There are a variety of timeline styles to choose from: wall timelines, timeline notebooks, accordian-style timelines, and even index card timelines.

Our family uses individual timeline notebooks, made from 3-ring binders, page protectors, and free printable timeline notebook pages. We use the History Through the Ages timeline figures to easily add people and events to the timeline pages.

Free printable timeline notebook pages

You don't have to stick with just history facts from textbooks, either. It's very helpful to add the titles of biographies or historical fiction books as they are read. You can also include small photos or excerpts from brochures collected on field trips to historical sites. This adds plenty of "real life" memories to the history framework that has been learned from textbooks!

Coloring timeline figures

If you incorporate notebooking into your study of history, you can add the notebooking pages behind the appropriate page in the timeline notebook. This makes it easy to review the people and events that make up the study of history.

Completed timeline page

Do you use a timeline to aid in teaching history? What tips do you have?

Some Homeschool Fun (Even if You Don't Homeschool!)

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 03:20:00 +0000

I want our home to be a place where learning is fun. I think all parents can say this no matter what their educational choice for their children is. I have been evaluating this year what is working and what isn't in our homeschool. Here are a few ways we have tried to make things more fun lately:

1. Spelling City
This has been a lifesaver for me! I have two children doing spelling this year which means I was giving one pre-test, 1 practice test and 1 final test weekly to each of them. In between, they had worksheets to complete. They absolutely hated it most of the time, and they were consistently missing words on their final test.

I found the Spelling City site through another blogger. All I do now is enter their spelling lists at the beginning of the week. They can play various review games throughout the week. I can print out a handwriting page with all their words on it.

At the end of the week, they take a test online and print it out. I have a fully graded test to file away with very little work on my part. Also, their grades have greatly improved! One of my children was not doing well at all with spelling and has gotten 100% correct on the last three tests.

2. Creative Cooking
One of my goals for my children is for all of them to know how to care for themselves and their homes when they are older. I have three boys, and I expect the same of them I do from my daughter. I mean, what if they turn out to be bachelors? Even if they don't, if they know how to cook and clean for themselves it should win me some points with my daughter-in-laws, right?

I gathered all four of my kids recently for an impromptu lesson on making hot fudge sauce. My daughter cooks often, so she was more of a teacher than a participant, but she still had fun. My second grader was in charge of cutting the recipe in half which was great fraction practice. We learned how to read a recipe and what the difference between "t." and "T." is.

My 2-year-old got a science lesson as we let him experience the bitter taste of cocoa and the sweet taste of sugar. The science continued as I discussed how metal conducts heat with my 4-year-old who was using my metal whisk to stir the sauce.

Everyone got a chance to "feel" the sauce thicken. The best part was when we served it up on our ice cream sundaes!

3. Reading Aloud
When I had one child, we read aloud a lot. Unfortunately, my younger two have had much less of my reading books on their level. I'm rediscovering the joy of teaching a child to read just by reading to them. My 4-year-old is picking up words as we go, and my 2-year-old recognizes a third of the alphabet letters. These are the moments of homeschooling I will look back and remember fondly!

These are just a few things we've done lately that really have nothing to do with homeschooling and yet everything to do with it. All the things I mentioned are things that any parent can do with their children. Remember, you are educating your children by your example every day. Enjoy it!

We're One in Suffering (Praying for the Victims of the Boston Bombing)

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Geise) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 22:25:00 +0000

I had planned to share something else with you this week but, in light of the tragedy in Boston on Monday, I decided to wait on that post.

I had been writing down a list of history worksheets and time figures to print out and had taken a break to check Facebook when I saw the first reports of the bombing near the finish line of the Boston Marathon. My heart hurt as I read of the dead, bleeding and broken people who just moments before had been celebrating the event, oblivious to the danger they were in. As I saw the photos and read the accounts my anger grew toward those responsible for such a heinous, cowardly deed. I simply could not, cannot fathom why anyone would do something so evil.

attribution

Of course, the accusations and conspiracy theories are flying thick and fast. Everyone has an opinion and they're quick to share it via social media. It's easy to get sucked into that. But, sometimes, I think we need to stop everything and take a moment to put aside our differences and opinions...politically and otherwise...and just weep with those who weep.

Please, if you haven't already, take some time to pray for those who were affected by the bombings in Boston, as well as those who are suffering all around you. Let's offer ourselves as God's instruments, His hands, reaching out in every way we can.

attribution

Happy Birthday, Shakespeare!

noreply@blogger.com (SJW) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 05:31:00 +0000

Guess what? William Shakespeare turns 449 on April 23! That ought to make us all feel young! =) In honor of the great bard's upcoming birthday, I though I would share a couple of poems with you all.

This first poem is one that I have really come to love. In March of 2012, as we traveled together for the very solemn occasion of visiting my 42-year-old uncle for the very last time before his passing just days later, my aunt was reading the book entitled Green Leaf in Drought by Isobel Kuhn. She ran across this poem and asked the rest of us to analyze it with her to see if we could discover its meaning. As we read and re-read this bit of verse, it became clear that it was special. I won't muddy the waters by giving you my interpretation of it, but instead I will share it here with you.

Child of My love, lean hard,

And let Me feel the pressure of thy care,

I know thy burden, child; I shaped it,

Poised in Mine own hand, made no proportion

In its weight to thine unaided strength;

For even as I laid it on I said,

“I shall be near, and while she leans on Me,

this burden shall be Mine, not hers;

so shall I keep My child within the circling arms,

of Mine own love.” Here lay it down, nor fear

to impose it on a shoulder which upholds

The government of worlds. Yet closer come,

Thou are not near enough; I would embrace thy care,

So I might feel My child reposing on My breast.

Thou lovest me? I know it. Doubt not, then,

But, loving Me, lean hard.

Selected, From the book Green Leaf in Drought by Isobel Kuhn

Wow...if we could only live as though we truly understood the full impact of these statements, what peace we could all enjoy! Okay. Here's one more. I'm no Shakespeare, but I enjoy dabbling once in a while in the art of poetry. This is one of those non-rhyming poems that just came from my heart last September. I wasn't sure it would even make sense to anyone other than myself. But, here it is. Such as it is! =) And thanks for taking time to read it!

My heart is so heavy today.
The causes or reasons
          I choose not to explain.
We each have a mountain to climb...
         You...and me...
They may be different
          But both are mountains just the same.

It takes more strength than I have on my own
To even face that mountain...
         Let alone climb it.

         I do not want the mountain.
         I hate the mountain.

                         But...

I love the God Who made that mountain
         And gave it to me.
He made it...
         Not with my abilities or strengths in mind
         But with His own
               glorious love,
                     tender care,
                            and powerful, burden-bearing
                                    everlasting arms.

You cannot climb your mountain in your own strength.
I am not even sure I can help you.
My own task daily overwhelms my senses
         And takes my breath away.

                          But...

I can ask God to be to you all that He has promised He would be!
         I can cheer you on!
                  I can celebrate with you in your victories!
                           I can love you as others have loved me!
                                    I can share with you how God has blessed me!

God has blessed me to be a blessing.
He has granted me one more breath...
          one more moment with my family...
                    one more gorgeous sunset to enjoy...
                              one more day to try again...
         and the strength to take
                 one
                       more
                              step
                                    up the side of my mountain.

~ written by Shawna Wright, Sept. 2012

Do you all have favorite poems you would like to share or tell us about? How does poetry speak to you? Let us know you are out there by sharing your thoughts and comments below. We always love to hear from you!

Hoping Spring is finally here to stay,

Napkin Pillows

noreply@blogger.com (The LaVans) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 09:00:00 +0000

Napkin Pillow

Do you have a couch or chair that is lovely to look at but not so comfy to sit in? Well, these adorable pillows will help give any space a comfortable and relaxed feel! I love how easy and unique they are too! Just click on the link under the photo and it will take you right to the directions! Have fun being creative!!

Joanna LaVan

Guest Post: Smile on My Heart Theory

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 09:36:00 +0000

Note from Jennifer:
Although Cherish the Call focuses a lot on homeschooling, we find that one of our most popular posts is still Raising Christian Kids in a Public School. Through that post, I met another blogger who is passionate about raising Christian kids even in the public school environment. While I and most of the other bloggers on the Cherish the Call team have chosen to homeschool, we realize that each family has unique needs and are open to others making different schooling decisions.

Ironically, the blogger at Public on Purpose has the same name as one of our own team members. The Shawna Wright you are hearing from today is a brand new guest poster on our blog and not to be confused with the Shawna Wright that blogs for us on a monthly basis. :-)

Now, on to her post:

Smile on My Heart Theory

Thank you so much for having me here on Cherish the Call! I'm so excited to be a guest blogger even as my own blog lies dormant for the time being. As you all know life as a parent is full, so I am amazed at how many can find a chance to sit down one or two times a week to share deep and helpful thoughts with the world on a blog!

We all want to be full of excitement and joy as Christians everyday! We want to feel so full we are about to burst to share the gospel of Christ and pour out His love to the world and into our children, but not everyday feels that way. Sometimes my days feel like drudgery and my time in prayer or reading the Bible feels like an obligation at best and at worst is skipped altogether.

When I was in high school, I remember the beginning of the year after a nice trip to church camp over the summer, I was literally skipping down the hallway, high on the thought that all I need is Christ! At that time I developed what I called the "Smile On My Heart" theory. I don't remember the theme of camp that year, but somehow the grace of God was clearly revealed to me. I realized that I don't deserve anything more than hell, but God sent Christ to die for me and forgave me. That is all I need to know to have a smile on my heart. Even as a naive youth, I knew that I would not always have a smile on my face. I knew that hard times would come, but that the smile on my heart (God's grace) would be enough to bring the smile back to my face again one day.

That theory would indeed be tested many years later as a young mother. I had begun to fear that something bad was going to happen to me just because nothing ever had. I thought maybe something terrible would happen to my husband. However, God was preparing me for something I would never have expected. My 18 month old daughter was diagnosed with stage IV neuroblastoma cancer. In that first six months of intense, aggressive treatment the theory was not tested. No, I knew that God was carrying me through every moment during that time. I even had a smile on my face in the midst of it.

It was the time after finishing her treatment that I lost the "Smile on My Heart". She was still with us and in remission. We had no more treatment to do, no more driving back and forth 1.5 hours to the Children's hospital multiple times per week, no more low blood counts or scans or surgery. But in that down time, fear rushed in to fill the empty time. All I could do was sit and wait to see if the cancer would come back. My second daughter was born just before the end of treatment, so I had an infant baby to take care of well. And as I sat in the midst of all that fear and stress, a picture of burning towers was playing on my tv screen for hours at a time.

I could not get off the couch. I was not myself. I loved God and believed in that same grace that had me skipping down the halls as a teen, but where was that joy now? I didn't "feel" it. One day, my husband came home from work and said, "I just don't know who you are anymore. What happened to the smile on your heart?" That caught my attention! Where had the joy gone?

I found myself turning back to the Word of God and I found this verse. It is the "Smile On My Heart" theory in a nutshell. Romans 8:14 says, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit."

I am free! I am not condemned! It is because Christ was an offering in my place and because of that I can experience true joy and freedom. The smile came back to my face because the Holy Spirit reminded me that God is trustworthy. I can give Him my fear and stress.

Now many years have passed. My daughter went through three relapses of this cancer and each time the doctors thought for sure it would be the end. We did little to fight it except treatment that had little short term side effects just to keep her out of pain. No one had relapsed with this cancer even once and gone on to survive let alone three times. Yet, here she is by God's miracle, 13 years old and seven years in remission!

Wouldn't you think that would be enough to keep the smile on my heart always on my face?!

Here in the past few years I have been in a real funk in my relationship with the Lord. I had been doing all the right stuff. I volunteered at church and worked as children's church director. I attended Bible studies and listen to all Christian music. I even got up almost daily at about 6:00 am to have a quiet time with the Lord. Yet, I didn't feel His joy.

I told my friend that I felt like I was a pretty little salad in a bowl with saran wrap over me. I hadn't built a solid wall around my heart like some people build do. I had a transparent life...doing all the right Christian stuff, but something was still separating me from the love of Christ. I wasn't letting His love into my life through that saran wrap cover.

A relationship with Christ based on works is a recipe for losing the smile on your heart. I was trying to work at it. I couldn't receive that love because I was so sure I needed to get up just a little earlier or do just a little bit more at church to receive His love and joy. But the thing is, His love has been right there with me the whole time. I needed only to receive it.

The smile on my heart is always there. I only need to recognize His grace to receive it. I deserve nothing. Yet, look at what all He has chosen to give me. Eternity! And the rest is just a bonus. Isn't God good?!

The Smile On My Heart Theory has been tested and proved to be true. The grace of God...His forgiveness of my sins through Christ is all I need. Though times may be hard, He is with me. Though times may be good, He is with me. He has given me forgiveness, freedom, and fruitfulness. What is there to not smile about?

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

Blessings,

Shawna Wright

www.publiconpurpose.com

Four questions

noreply@blogger.com (SJW) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 03:58:00 +0000

Am I the only one who struggles with my mouth totally running ahead of my brain? The only one who feels like yelling to the world that you’d really rather NOT be a grown-up but instead throw a monster sized tantrum? The only one who when your teen-aged daughter has a melt-down, you join her? Yeah, well, I’m an expert at all of the above. I’ve really been working on some things, though, as hard as it has been, and I thought I’d share with you all a bit of what I’ve recently learned.

Colossians 4:6 has me under conviction currently.

“Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”

Wow. When I’m in all-about-me-I-don’t-wanna-be-a-grown-up-melt-down mode, does my speech measure up to this standard???? Ouch. More importantly, what’s going through my heart and mind? If we nurse them long enough, thoughts and feelings inevitably weasel their way into words…words we eventually come to regret.

I have yet to conquer the waves of crazy feelings that come crashing over me at times, but I have been begging and pleading with the Lord to help me watch my words…to help me think through the implications of what I’m saying...to help me stick with facts instead of letting feelings cloud my judgment. All of these add up to a monumental task that is more challenging than anything else I’m facing. And being a homeschooling mom of four and the wife of a cancer fighter, that is saying a lot. But I mean it. The little foxes spoil the vines, you know…and so it is in my case. When I’m off my game and not watching, praying, reading the Word, or examining my heart, Satan attacks. And sometimes it’s a little while before I realize what is going on. Sometimes I don’t catch it until my emotions are fully engaged and it is difficult to sort out the facts. The battle can be incredibly difficult to fight, but God is faithful. He WILL provide the strength if we are willing to follow His principles laid out for us in His Word.

This past week, I read a blog post written by Megan Rice on Mom Life Today. I have so appreciated this blog! Her article is specifically geared toward helping our kids work through their emotional melt-down moments, but I’ve snagged these four questions for use in my own journey.

1. What are you feeling?

2. What caused you to feel this way?

3. What is the truth about this situation?

4. What is a good response to this situation?

I’ve noticed that if I pinpoint my emotions and give them a name, they shrink dramatically.

Secondly, if I look for the cause of the emotion, I usually find that the emotions I’m feeling are way out of proportion to the actual event that caused them to flare up. Sometimes this second step alone can take the wind out of the sails of the craziness haunting me.

My best bet though, is number three. What is the truth? First, what is God’s truth about His love for me? What is God’s truth about who I am? If I take a hard look at the persons involved, can I see through the haze of what Satan is tossing my way and remember the truth about the relationship? If it involves my husband, it may feel as though he has done something insensitive or hurtful, but if everything else in our relationship points to his caring for me by working hard, by providing for the family, by telling me he loves me, by his faithfulness in all ways…how CAN I really believe him anything but what he says he is? And all of my responses to anything he does that may SEEM insensitive need to be filtered through that truth. The same principle can be applied in every relationship. I need to also look at the truth in my own actions. Did I do my best in every aspect? Did I please the Lord? If so, no matter what Satan has to throw my way, it shouldn’t stick. If I have not, maybe the beginning of clearing up the emotional haze would be to do some apologizing. That can be difficult, but it can also cut the duration of a crazy period in half!

In determining the truth about a situation and diffusing some of the emotion from the scenario, we can then come closer to determining what our response to the situation should be – based on Scripture…not on our own misguided desires or tendencies. 1 Corinthians 13 comes quickly to mind. Again, ouch.

Please remember that this is NOT, I repeat, NOT a process I have come anywhere NEAR perfecting. I’m totally in the learning stages with all of this. But I figured maybe some accountability could come from sharing this with you all. And maybe, just maybe it would be of some help to one of you.

For my own benefit, I took the above questions and pared them down to one word each and wrote them on my bathroom mirror…along with some of my other favorite reminders…yeah, I have a large bathroom mirror! This is my list:

1. Feeling?

2. Cause?

3. Truth?

4. Response?

Not that you couldn’t have come up with that yourselves (grin). Anyway, my experience has shown me that I need short and sweet reminders for crisis moments. I can’t read a whole paragraph or digest a chapter in a book when I’m over-the-top emotional, so this is designed to quickly get my brain back on track and hope my emotions quickly follow!

These verses have been my daily prayer for the past few weeks...may my heart be pure and my actions pleasing to the Heavenly Father...

“Have mercy upon my, O God, according to thy lovingkindness…

Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts…

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…

A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”

~Selections from Psalm 51

Hoppin' Down the Bunny Trail

noreply@blogger.com (The LaVans) — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 18:20:00 +0000

With Easter coming up at the end of this month, I thought I would share something fun for you to make for your kids! This cute little Bunny Cake caught my eye! For the recipe and directions go here.

Happy Easter!

Joanna LaVan

Welcome to the Someday You Wished For

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 10:00:00 +0000

They say tomorrow never comes, but I know better.

I'm sure it was only yesterday when I groggily cried out in the darkness, "Will she never sleep through the night?" The older moms smiled knowingly, "Someday." Now she answers groggily when I try to wake her in the morning.

I agonized over multiple accidents and hours of reading by the potty chair with no results. "Will he ever be potty trained?" Again, the smiles. "No child ever goes to kindergarten in a diaper." With kindergarten two years back, I can now smile in agreement.

"He wants me to carry him every moment. Will he ever walk?" Though the first steps didn't come until he was 15 months old, he no longer rides on my hip.

Tests, ointments, medications, dietary changes...."Will my baby ever look normal?" The doctor chirped, "Oh, he will grow out of it!" I kiss the smooth cheeks and hands today and realize once again...

Someday has come. This is what I wished for through sleepless nights, bouts of ill health, developmental delays and the minutiae of motherhood. I skipped through so many stages instead of strolling. I longed for better days only to realize too late that the long days would melt into short years.

Today I make the choice to revel in this day. This someday. Time will march on, and new somedays will come. They will be beautiful. But today......today I will embrace the imperfections, the immaturities, and the stages. Ah, the stages!

Never again will this girl be in the pendulum that tilts towards childhood and womanhood by turns with me hanging on for the ride.

Never again will this boy ask the endless questions that build the foundation of future ideas and dreams.

Never again will this boy be in the carefree preschool days when play is work and work is play and both are performed without hurry.

Never again will this boy insist on his pacifier and carrying the jug of milk in from the car in the same 24-hour time period.

Never again will this mom be the mom of today.

I've reached the someday, and I think I'm content to stop looking for it.

Guest Post: Keep the Home Fires Burning

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 03:01:00 +0000

A tiny little wood/ coal stove stood in the family room of our former home. My husband loved to watch the fire burn. The snap and crackle of the wood soothed him, and its warmth surrounded him. He relaxed and enjoyed it so much. You know, marriage is a lot like that wood stove if you really think about it. When everything is all right in your marriage, its warmth will envelop you and surround your family with love as God intended.

When I was asked to submit this article, I began to pray that God would give me the right words to share. That night, I talked to my husband, David, about the opportunity; he encouraged me to write. Very early the next morning, God gave me the initial ideas. When I talked to David about what God had said, he enthusiastically shared all kinds of scientific input needed as a background for this article.

There was a time in our marriage that his input did not matter as much as it does today. I did not let him in all part of my life. By shutting him out of one area, it was easy to shut him out of other areas... until we began to have less and less communication about things that really mattered. We were headed for trouble, but that is getting ahead of the story.

David told me that in order for a fire to burn properly there are several things that are needed:

oxygen
heat
togetherness ( and a need for space)
fuel source (other wood)

Oxygen is essential to a fire. If the woodstove does not have proper ventilation, the fire will refuse to burn. At bedtime, David would do what he called, “banking the fire off”. He would restrict the airflow somewhat and add a lot of wood so that the fire would burn slowly overnight to keep the house warm. In the morning, he opened the air regulator a little and shook down the ashes to get to the live coals and slowly rebuild the fire.

Notice, he shook down the ashes. Ashes in a marriage are anything that will not allow the oxygen (love) to flow unhindered. Ashes are hurts that have never been dealt with properly, misunderstandings that have been swept under the rug, criticism, unkind thoughts... anything that is a hindrance has to be shaken down and taken out. We cannot do it on our own, but we have to allow the Holy Spirit to shake us up a little from time to time to remove that which is a hindrance in our marriage.

David and I went through years of difficulties that led to a cooling off of our embers. Oh, the spark was still there, but if we had not recognized it when we did, it would have destroyed our marriage. I had allowed him to hurt me, but I did not say anything about it for many years. He did not realize fully what he was doing because he was quite ill for a time. I tried to keep peace, but at my own expense. It wasn't God's plan for me to allow hurts and misunderstandings to go unresolved and unforgiven, but God has a way of awakening us.

The Lord brought a friend into my life who helped me to realize what was happening in my marriage. One day, she said to me, “If you lose your husband to someone else, it is your own fault.” WHOA! Wait just a minute here! I was the one working my fingers to the bone to keep the boat afloat. David was seemingly unconcerned about my needs...and my friend had the gall to say what she did. She was right, you know. She encouraged me to get honest with myself and God, then do what needed done...namely to forgive David and deal with the situations that happened because I never shook down the ashes, which in turn, led to a cooling off the marriage.

When I opened up and talked to David about how I felt, then he understood me better. When I forgave and did my part to understand him better instead of focusing on the negatives, our marriage began to change. We took out the ashes and God made something beautiful in exchange. Our marriage began to come to life. We began to love each other on a deeper level. We began to laugh again. I spent more time with him, and he began to respond positively to me...and that brought back the warmth into the relationship.

Warmth ( Heat) is essential to release the gasses from the wood in order for the fire to burn successfully. The heat is an external source --God. The wood could lie there all day and not ignite because it has to have the spark from the Ultimate Fuel Source, God. God places those burning desires inside of us. They are only satisfied through Him and through our mates. One of the indications of breakdown in a marriage is the lack of time spent together and the lack of time spent with God. When we spend time with Him, then our times with our companion will ignite the other one's flame. You have to have both to have a truly happy marriage. So, if you want your marriage to have the heat and the romance that it needs, and to maintain a relationship, you have to do your part regardless of the distractions.

There are many things that call out for our attention at every stage of our lives. Young mothers have crying children clinging to their skirts all day long. Overwhelming housework is a never-ending job. Older women are busy with their homes and careers...and may experience the joys of being grandmothers. Their lives are filled with different worries because their children are grown, no longer tugging at their skirts, but instead are tied to the heartstrings wherever they go. We can get so wrapped up in caring for our offspring that our priorities get all twisted out of shape. When the fire is untended, we will end up as a statistic in the divorce courts... and the ashes will still be there when all is said and done.

That brings me to my next thought-- togetherness! Actually, this was my husband's idea. He said that if you want a fire to burn well, you must stick together, side by side. The warmth and fire from one piece of wood warms the one next to it. Together, they put forth a flame. If one of the logs is left alone, it may burn for a time, but eventually it will burn out without realizing its full potential. Together, the fire shoots upward, warming all of those around it.

We were meant to be together. God thought it was a good idea. Gen 2:18 says, “And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.”...one who comes alongside the other one and stays right by his side.

God is talking about more than the physical relationship here. He is referring to every aspect of our lives. It is so important to find the right mate in the first place. A couple needs to be compatible in marriage, not necessarily the same personality type. However, if you have a team of horses pulling a load, they have to be yoked together and pulling in the same direction with the same destination... or chaos reigns.

At the same time, a couple has to recognize the individuality of each other. My husband is mechanically inclined; I don't have a mechanical bone in my body. That does not mean that I prevent him from talking about the mechanical discoveries that excite him...and he allows me to talk about what I am passionate about. One has to respect the need for the other's interests and allow them to be who they were created to be. Marriage is a balance between togetherness and individuality! You don't have to quit being who you are when you marry. Instead, you enhance your mate's qualities. Together, you can be an unstoppable team-- which brings us back to the togetherness idea. Together, yet separate, in a triangular relationship with God-- the source of our relationship.

This next area is a difficult one for couples to navigate, and that is the fuel source. A lot of marriages struggle with others piling wood onto their fire that does not belong there.

This is called “wet wood”.

Gen. 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

In short, this means that you have your own little fire and let everyone else have their own fire. No one else should try to add to your fire. Their wood, “Wet Wood" will slow your fire down and cause your marriage to fall apart. Your fire that was healthy and strong will fizzle out. “Wet wood” was never meant for your fire. It has to be respectfully and carefully removed. You are one with your mate, not with the in-laws or anyone else. Your wood alone must be put on your fire.

“Little Wood”--Dry twigs and debris will make your fire burn furiously for a short time, then fizzle out. “Little Wood” represent the extra activities that come along with having a family. “Little Wood” has its place, but with limitations. You can't maintain a healthy fire if you are only burning the “Little Wood”. It create a lot of smoke, but doesn't last long. We have to set limits on extras, and keep priorities in the right place or “Little Wood” will adversely affect your marriage.

Another type of wood is “Sandy Wood”-- driftwood from the beach. Sandy wood represents time spent on things that distract you from spending quality time building a healthy relationship with your mate. This can be computer time or a hobby that you enjoy very much, but if you let it get out of control, you will be too tired. (And the Sandman does come early!) Your mate needs your attention just as much as your children do. After all, he or she will be there when your children are grown. If you do not recognize the need for quality uninterrupted time with your mate, even when you are “too tired” to listen or be to your husband or wife when they need you, your time could easily be replaced by someone else who will listen...and this is a very dangerous path to tread. Someone else will drift across your mate's pathway who will meet the needs that are your duty to meet. “Sandy Wood” is so preventable if you take the time to meet the needs of your lifetime companion.

What happens if your fire has gone out of your marriage? Is there any hope? Absolutely! There is always hope! With God's help the fire can be rekindled and the warmth of your love can definitely be restored, but it may not be easy.

According to my husband there are several things that you must do when the with a fire that has died out.

First of all, you have to remove everything from the firebox and clean it all out. All of the half-burnt, scarred wood and ashes have to be taken out. This requires complete honesty with yourself, with your husband or wife and with God. You can't do this on your own, but as you call out to God, He will show you what to do. However, for complete restoration you must be willing to do all that He asks of you.

Secondly, you have to start anew with the two of you (and God) as the foundation of your fire, then begin to rebuild it with His help and His fire.

Next, You add the small twigs...kind deeds, thoughtfulness, gentleness, faithfulness, godliness and especially self-control. You cannot expect to re-ignite the fire immediately. It takes time and patience and a whole lot of grace, but it is worth ever ounce of effort that you put into it.

As you work on the small things that God shows you, changes will happen. It won't be long until you will notice the flame growing taller and taller. Laughter returns. Surface level connections happen and the relationship will begin to heal, but it takes diligence to add the right fuel to the fire. There has to be limits in place to keep out wood that does not belong in your fire...but the end results of your hard work will be a wonderful warmth and glow of Heaven on your marriage and the godly influence for future generations.

Keep the love flame going in your hearts!

Donna

Donna McHugh has been married to David for over 26 years. They have 2 grown sons, Samuel and Bradley. She has been actively writing articles and other works since 1996. Several of her works have been published by Allegheny Publications and Country Pines Printing, Inc, and through self-publishing. These works include: Easter, Christmas and VBS programs and various articles and short stories.

Her newest writing venture is in the form of blogging at mchughministries.blogspot.com.

DISCLAIMER: The author retains all rights to this article. It was written for Cherish the Call and Jennifer Self. All others must obtain permission from the author to copy, store in any electronic or recorded format. The material cannot be used for financial gain by anyone except the author.

You may contact the author at: ddmchugh@juno.com

Lazy Discipline

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Geise) — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 19:48:00 +0000

My son knows how to push my buttons. He really does.

I yell his middle name for effect, and then proceed with my tirade. "Go to your room. Now! Do not pass "Go", do not collect any money, and do not come out until you're ready to straighten up. Or until you turn 21. Whichever comes first."

I am livid. "And you can forget even touching your Kindle for the rest of this decade," I throw at his retreating back.

Yeah, so I'm exaggerating. A little.

But that's almost how it goes sometimes. I allow him to push me right to the edge, and then I topple off, taking him with me. My angry response could have been avoided had I simply dealt with the problem at the first sign of trouble, (like when I could sense somewhere in the back of my mind that his pent-up energy was about to get out of hand) and if I had only been firm but gentle. I'm not totally sure, but I think...yes, it's true...*blushing*...that laziness has something to do with it.

It's far easier to raise my voice, send him to his room, or swat his behind than to take him aside and deal with him like he needs to be dealt with. It takes effort, self control, and a whole lot of wisdom to sit down with him, explain how what he did was wrong, discipline him with love, and pray with him. But, when I do, the difference in his response is amazing. Not only is it a time of learning for him, but also a time of stronger bonding between us. Yes, even in discipline!

I know it can't be done every time he does something wrong. If I tried that, I'd never have time for anything else! But, if I do it whenever I can, the occasions when he needs serious discipline will lessen.

Something I read recently made me realize that, far too often, I don't respect my child. And please don't take that the wrong way. I am a firm believer in children keeping their places and respecting their elders! But, really, when I discipline my child in front of his siblings or other people, it's embarrassing to him and hampers my opportunity to properly handle the situation.

I've been working on not being lazy in discipline. The results are worth it! By taking him aside when I can, explaining to him exactly what he did wrong, disciplining him, praying with him and loving him, I am showing him how seriously I take my job as his mommy. It helps him to learn about self control, too, because he sees me exercising it when I don't raise my voice and dish out random, rash, consequences.

"A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." Proverbs 15:1, ESV

Goodbye to Yesterday Winner!

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 11:50:00 +0000

Marion Yoder is the winner of the Amish fiction book Joanna reviewed. You should have received an e-mail from us, Marion! Congratulations!

Thanks to all who entered!

Book Review-Goodbye to Yesterday

noreply@blogger.com (The LaVans) — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 10:00:00 +0000

If you enjoy Amish fiction, you will want to make sure you get a copy of Wanda E. Brunstetter's new book "Goodbye to Yesterday"! Once again, she captures the attention of her readers and draws them into the enthralling world of the Amish people and their culture that so endears her readers to her style and brings them back time and again!

Right from the beginning, you are captured by the struggles and triumphs of a young newlywed Amish couple. You will be intrigued as you walk with them through some difficult times and will be waiting with great anticipation for the story to continue in the next book in the Saga!

We would like to give YOU, our faithful readers, a chance to win your very own copy of "Goodbye to Yesterday'! Just leave a comment below with the name of your favorite author and you will be entered to win this brand new book by Wanda E. Brunstetter! If you would like to have the chance for two entries into our drawing, you can also subscribe to our Facebook page or "like" our page if you are already a subscriber!

Happy Reading!

Joanna LaVan

Do You Let Your Kids Have Candy?

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 16:30:00 +0000

I have learned since becoming a mother that how we moms handle candy varies greatly. When I try to limit my children's candy intake, I'm stuck between the moms that look pityingly at my children and say, "I would let them have whatever they want!" and the moms that look at me disapprovingly that I allow them any "toxic ingredients" at all.

With Valentine's Day coming up, this giveaway should please all three sides (and the variations in between!). You can win candy for a year that is both delicious and healthy! A group of us bloggers got together to bring this giveaway to you. You can enter multiple ways through the Rafflecopter giveaway below.

Here are the details:

YumEarth's Candy For a Year Valentine's Day Giveaway!

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YumEarth has graciously allowed Real Reviews by Savvy K readers along with many other bloggers' readers to enter this amazing giveaway! YumEarth is giving away a year's worth of its organic and natural candy! (In the form of 12 bags of candy, 1 for each month). Enter using the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win!

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Hope you win!

Please Come Over for a Visit!

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 12:17:00 +0000

I would love to have each of you dear readers stop by for a cup of coffee and a long chat about growing marriage, navigating motherhood, homeschooling challenges, laundry woes and our favorite recipes. Since that would require most of you to travel miles and me to frantically clean my house, I would like to invite you to my virtual home.

Last week, I launched my personal blog. Yes, it is named after me. That is not because of arrogance as much as it is a place I created that I could just be myself. While my interests wax and wane over a lifetime, my name is a constant that stays with me.

I have focused on what I am right now: a work-at-home wife and mother who homeschools her children.Below there are links to my first posts. I'd love to have you stop by and let me know what you think.

My One Word for 2013
The Myth of Balance
Interview with an Online Boutique Owner
5 Ways to Entertain Preschoolers
Why Do You Want to Work from Home?

How to Teach Your Child to be a Good Reader

noreply@blogger.com (Jennifer) — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 10:04:00 +0000

Educators in public schools and homeschooling parents from across the country all seem to agree on at least one thing: The key to producing a great student is to produce a great reader. The written word opens up a world of opportunities, and teaching a child to read is one of the first goals of any educator.

As a homeschooling family well into our sixth year of educating at home, we make frequent trips to the library. We sign up for all the reading programs and keep books available to encourage good readers.

However, as a Christian family, our higher goal for our children is for them to be Godly. They may get points in the reading program for reading the latest teen magazine or comic book, but will that further their relationship with God? Does it matter what their lexile score is if they waste it by perusing popular books on black magic? Will fluency and comprehension be of value if they are reading about pre-teen dating relationships?

In order to train our children to be good readers, we go beyond phonics and try to instill these reading rules as well:

1. If something makes you uncomfortable, stop reading and show it to Mom or Dad. Some books, no matter how well-written or decent, are just too old for certain age groups. For example, while kissing is a proper activity for married couples, I do not find it good subject material for my second and fifth graders.

2. If a sinful behavior is portrayed as normal or good, stop reading and talk to Mom or Dad about it. My daughter found an example of this in the classic tale of Puss and Boots. She mentioned to me that it seemed to teach lying as a good thing to do. While many parents might scoff at a cat in boots breaking down the moral fiber of their children, what if the sin of choice was murder? Would we still look the other way if our children were being taught that killing others for personal gain is something to be desired?

3. If Evil wins over Good in the story, stop reading and tell Mom or Dad. We do not necessarily teach our children to put down a book that has evil in it. If this were the case, the Bible would largely have to be set aside as well as historic accounts of our wars.

In a child's terms, if the bad guy wins, the book is not Godly. While parents should shelter tender hearts and minds from some accounts of evil, our children are living in a world where Evil resides alongside Good. The main thing for them to know, whether it is the story of Calvary or Dicken's classic, Oliver Twist, is Good will always prevail in the end.

In some ways, it might be easier to read all of my children's books before they do. However, if I do that, they will never be able to learn Godly discernment. We do try to control the type of books that come into our home. However, it is easy for innocent-looking books to slip in. I would have never thought to eliminate Puss and Boots from our family shelves, yet my child discerned for herself that it may not be a book to build Godly character.

When my child graduates from high school, I will not care so much that she could read chapter books at age 4 or that he read three grades beyond his grade level. I will see the results of the words that have shaped my children over years, and I trust that Good will ultimately win over Evil.

The New Year begins...

noreply@blogger.com (SJW) — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Happy New Year!!!

It’s the start of a new week, a new year. We have a clean slate, a chance to begin anew, a chance to look ahead…and view with excitement the opportunities that lie before us…and view with some measure of dread the unknowns…

Yes, the unknowns. I know that in all lives, some trouble will fall, but in the lives of some of the dear hearts reading this post, the past year has held much trouble, much heartache, and much sorrow. You have been beaten up emotionally and you wonder if healing will ever come. Or your heart aches from a loss that has taken your breath away…for weeks or months…And maybe you enter this new year with much trepidation. Maybe you lack the energy to face the prospect of the long days stretching before you.

Friend, take heart. God is NOT dead! God has NOT abandoned you! He still loves and is wildly crazy about you!

Someone asked recently in a Facebook post for some feedback on how others faced life disappointments such as unwanted singleness, a young parent with life-threatening cancer, or a frustrating outcome in one's career. Many good answers were posted, too many to share here, but I typed the following thoughts (now edited) as my first response:

“I believe God allows us to experience some disappointing situations to keep us looking to Him – for if we were happy here, what gain would heaven be to us? Why would we want to keep striving toward that goal? God wants to be the answer to our every need, and we as humans don’t automatically see our need for Him when left on our own.”

I am no theologian. I don’t claim any special wisdom. But I will say I speak from some experience. I am in the process of learning this lesson. It has been a long, hard journey so far, and it’s not over. Experiencing the life changes that come with a loved one battling cancer has caused major perspective adjustments, to say the least.

One of the major life lessons God has been so patiently urging me to learn is this lesson that HE wants to be THE answer for my every need. He longs for me to look to Him for strength for every minute of every hour. He wants me to take my hurting heart to Him…to share those deep emotional needs with Him and allow His balm of mercy and grace to sooth and comfort like no human can. He alone can fill the hole in my heart that I often look to others to fill. My husband is not capable of filling this need…my children don’t want to even try…my best friends may feel too much pressure from me and may back away if I become too dependent on them.

Friends, look up! God is ever ready to meet our needs, to hold us up when we feel unsteady, to bring us joy when all we feel is despair!

But we have to let Him.

Are you facing the new year with some trepidation? Has the past year been something more difficult than you had bargained for? Are there unknowns ahead that have your gut twisting and your heart pounding? If not, this new year is wide open – full of opportunities for you to touch lives for Christ and make memories to last a life-time. If so, what about taking the following Scriptures and songs to heart? Meditate on them, listen to and worship with them…and let the love, grace, strength, and soothing balm of the presence of the Holy Spirit fill the hurt places and calm the troubled waters of your soul. Release the regrets of the past to His forgiveness, the stresses of the day into His capable hands, and the unknowns of the future into His almighty wisdom. Rest, be renewed, and re-energized…for this new year is a chance! A chance to experience God in new ways…a chance to learn just how much He cares for you…a chance to trust and see that trust rewarded with new levels of grace and strength for every new trial…

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Isaiah 41:10

The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.

Psalm 145: 8, 9, 14, 18

Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee:

he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Psalm 55:22

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee;

and through the rivers,

they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire,

thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

Isaiah 43:2

What a Precious Friend Is He Lyrics Listen

Great is Thy Faithfulness Lyrics Listen

He Giveth More Strength Lyrics Listen
(notice the little-known third verse...it's a favorite of mine!)

I’m Gonna Make It Listen

Dear hearts, be encouraged! God has your very best in mind…He loves you so much! He wants you to be heavenly minded and Him-focused….relaxed and refreshed by trusting fully in His control…joyful and serene because you have experienced His care…

Maybe you'd like to share a promise you are claiming for 2013! We'd love to hear from you!

Remembering that "life isn't fair, but God is faithful,"

Starting out with a Shine!

noreply@blogger.com (The LaVans) — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 17:55:00 +0000

Here we are in a BRAND NEW YEAR already! Can you believe it's already 2013?! It certainly is hard for me to wrap my mind around that at times... A lot of people are making their "New Year's Resolutions" and planning to do all kinds of "new" and wonderful things with this new year. That is maybe OK in it's place, but I'm going to help us focus on a way that we can start our new year off with a shine and a sparkle! "How?" You may ask... well, what else can make you feel ready to face your new year with confidence and hope than to start it off with a sparkling clean house?! :0) I know... I almost HEARD that groan through the Internet connection... but before you run away...let me give you the BEST organized list I have EVER seen to help you get your house into tip-top shape for the new year. I'm planning to use it myself and I thought I would share it with you to help you get a good start to your year as well.

Just click on this link to get started! The Complete Guide to Imperfect Homemaking

Before you get discouraged, don't think you have to tackle this WHOLE list all in one day... that WOULD be an insurmountable task! Just take one room at a time and work at that list until it's finished, then move on to the next room. I'll tell you right up front- that's what I'm certainly planning to do!! With a very busy and active almost 9 month old crawling around exploring our house these days I don't have a lot of extra time on my hands-and I'm sure you don't either! So let's just take one room at a time and set a goal of when we would like to get it all accomplished. By setting a goal for completion you keep yourself from procrastinating too much... I'm sure you NEVER have that problem, but I do! :0)

So... are you ready? I know you can do it!! Go tackle that house of yours and remember.... ONE room at a time! :0)

Joanna LaVan

Show a Little Kindness!

noreply@blogger.com (SJW) — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 04:08:00 +0000

Fruit of the Spirit Series - part 5

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering (patience),

gentleness (kindness)..." Galatians 5:22

Here’s an experiment for you to try…maybe with your kids. Mix one to one and a half cups cornstarch with one cup of warm water, preferably in a wide and shallow container. Dissolve the cornstarch in the water, and then let it sit for a few minutes. Pour any standing water off the top.

Then the fun begins! First, have a child hit the cornstarch mixture in order to try and move it. He will quickly find it feels as hard as a rock! (Be prepared for a bit of splattering to occur!)

Then instruct the child to take a finger or two and gently dig down into the cornstarch and try to scoop it up. He will find, surprisingly, that it can be done!

I have used this object lesson to visualize to children the vast advantage a kind response has over a sharp one. I emphasized that there is a CHOICE we make in our treatment of others. We talked about the story of David and Mephibosheth found in 2 Samuel 9:1-13 and how David’s gentle goodness to Jonathan’s son made such a difference in that young man’s life!

Then we looked at the verses in Philippians 2 (The Message) that read, “Don’t push your way to the front…put yourself aside and help others get ahead….Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.”

And this one from 1 Peter (The Message) – “Be agreeable, by sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble…bless – that’s your job, to bless. You’ll be a blessing and also get a blessing.”

Bananas are what I might call a “gentle” fruit…no sharpness or bite, not even crispy or crunchy. They gently add their flavor to the dishes in which they are found without boldly proclaiming their presence.

They add to without taking from. Gentleness or kindness works in much the same manner.

God in His great mercy is so wonderfully kind to each of us - Psalm 117:2 reminds us of this fact: “For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the LORD endureth for ever. Praise ye the LORD.”

That kindness is meant to be passed on and not kept to ourselves.

Ephesians 4:32 “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”

1 Corinthians 13:4 “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up…”

What can we take away from this lesson? How can we apply this principle of gentleness and kindness to our own lives? Maybe taking time to think back to some scenarios we've faced where we did not experience kindness will help us visualize some opportunities we might have to express kindness to others…sometimes experience is the very best teacher.

True kindness comes from a heart yearning to please God. It pours forth from a heart that is grateful to a loving God for the infinite kindnesses He has shown.

It is not a performance for man’s approval.

It is not to be granted in order to assure “what goes around comes around.”

It is not an option for a Christian. It IS a command. There are also no exceptions granted.

Hmmmm….more to process. More to learn. More to practice.

Dear Lord, please open my heart and mind to Your truths for me. Help me to incorporate these principles into my daily life. Please teach me to be more like You as I serve my husband, my children and my world each and every day. Let the ones around me who know me best see Your light shining through my eyes, hear Your voice in my words, feel Your touch through my hands…

Experiencing daily the kindness of the Father,

Shawna

Have Patience

noreply@blogger.com (SJW) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 01:15:00 +0000

Fruit of the Spirit Series – part 4

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience…” Galatians 5:22-23

Did you know that a pineapple plant only produces one fruit per year? Did you know that the fruit actually takes up to two years to reach complete maturity? Because of that, we rarely actually see a truly fully-grown pineapple.

Patience. It’s something that is in short supply in our culture today. We are granted instantaneous results to every Google search, instant communication through texting, messaging, or email; we cook instantly with microwavable entrees and steamer vegetable bags, credit cards provide us with instant buying power, with digital photography we have prints within minutes instead of days, and the list goes on…

When do we ever really have to wait for anything?

We think that if we sit any longer than 32.5 seconds at a red light that it’s too slow…we drum our fingers with impatience in the drive –through line, and get grouchy with the receptionist at the doctor’s office if we have to sit still for more than a few minutes. Oh, and our kids? Well, they REALLY try our patience!!! Why can't they EVER learn??

Then we talk to God. We ask, and we expect answers. Now. Well, if you really want the truth, we would have rather had those answers yesterday. Why doesn’t God get His timetable matched up with our own? Then He’d know just how important it is that He what we want and with lightning speed, if you please!

Patience is defined by the dictionary as follows: 1. the quality of being patient, as the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper, irritation, or the like; and 2. an ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay.

Patience. We often think of it in light of the second definition. But what about the first one? That’s the one I seem to struggle with the most. I, like many Christians, know in my head that I SHOULD “glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope” (Romans 5:3,4), but that is WAY easier said than done. I have the malady common to man of chafing under trials and tribulations. I don’t LIKE hard things. I don’t ENJOY the parts of life that are working to develop my character. But I have to remember that God knows exactly what I need. He happens to desire my betterment….His ultimate desire for each of us is that we become as much like Him as is humanly possible. And He instructs us to be patient.

James 5:8 “Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.”

We are to walk “with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2).

Colossians 3:12-13 says that we are to “put on therefore, as the elect of God…kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another.”

Being patient is hard. Especially when we are waiting on God to move in a situation that is near and dear to our hearts. But God is so incredibly patient with us.

Exodus 34:6 reminds us that the Lord is “merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.” Psalm 86:5 states that, “Thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.”

Abraham had to be extremely patient. His promise from God came many long years before its fulfillment. But he trusted. And waited.

Joseph believed God had something in mind for him as well, but again, that “something” didn’t come along until he had waited through some seriously disheartening and frustrating experiences. More than once, he could have claimed God had abandoned him. But he didn’t. He patiently waited for God’s timing and all was well in the end.

Not always is the end what or when we think it should be. Can we still wait with trusting patience? Can we still believe that God loves us when it’s years before our unsaved loved one makes any move toward softening? Can we wait for God’s plan to work out in our lives when it means watching a child waste away with a life-threatening disease? When God doesn’t make sense, can we still wait with patience? He asks us to. He asks us to trust and to wait. And knowing just how much He loves us, how much He longs to help us, why is it so hard? I’m not sure, but I’m in the middle of learning about this myself. Your prayers are coveted and greatly appreciated.

God bless you all as you enter the busy week ahead. Remember God knows, loves you beyond what you can imagine, and He’ll be with you every step of the way.

Doing my best to patiently wait for God to reveal His plan,

Shawna

Peace Like a River

noreply@blogger.com (SJW) — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 04:03:00 +0000

Fruit of the Spirit Series - part 3

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace..." Galatians 5:22

Peace. Just the mention of the word brings with it a calming sensation….dreams of a beautiful beach scene where no screaming children threaten our serenity, where no demands place undue stress on our emotions, where no one around us is hurting and all is right with the world…

Jesus said He would give us peace. He also spoke peace to a raging storm. Then Romans tells us that we are to live peaceably with all men. And we cannot ignore the admonitions to “hold your peace” mentioned throughout Scripture. Oh, and then there is the verse I’ll bet you didn’t know was in there. It’s in Joshua 10:21 and it says this… “And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace: none moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.” It seems to me that in this situation, part of keeping the peace meant keeping one’s mouth shut! So with all of these references to peace in mind, just what exactly is peace?? And how do we incorporate it and its benefits into our own lives?

Peace. It’s a deep-seated, calm assurance of soul that only God can give…that is the result of trust in Him and a firm belief that He IS IN CONTROL…that can say, “whate’er befall me, Jesus doeth all things well.”

      When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,

               When sorrows like sea billows roll;

               Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,

               It is well, it is well with my soul.

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).

Peace. It’s a personal knowledge of Jesus’s saving and sanctifying grace and the ability to sing, “It is well, it is well with my soul!”

                My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
               My sin, not in part but the whole,
               Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
               Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).

Peace. It’s the experiential knowledge that God hears and answers our heartfelt prayers.

I am resting tonight in this wonderful peace, Resting sweetly in Jesus’ control;
For I’m kept from all danger by night and by day, And His glory is flooding my soul!

             Peace, peace, wonderful peace,
           Coming down from the Father above!
           Sweep over my spirit forever, I pray
           In fathomless billows of love!

“The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace” (Numbers 6:26).

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee” (Isaiah 26:3).

Peace. It’s knowing when to keep opinions to one’s self or even when to keep one’s mouth shut in order to foster a sweet spirit and an atmosphere of harmony and love. It’s doing one’s best to live with no regrets…no bitterness…no grudges…between ourselves and our fellowman. Only if we are experiencing the peace of God in our hearts can we successfully live in peace as the Scriptures instruct.

“Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding” (Proverbs 17:28).

“And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves” (1Thessalonians 5:13).

“If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:18).

“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14).

“When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him” (Proverbs 16:7).

I’m not sure there is much more to be said on the subject. And you, dear reader, are probably glad because it would seem this devotional has gone on long enough! But before you go, maybe you’ll read just one more verse…

“The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace” (Psalm 29:11).

Cherish the Call

Book Review and Giveaway: Freefall to Fly

When You Are Done With Ministry

When Life Hurts

Learning to rest in God's wisdom and love,

Guest Post: Super Mom by Sara Smith

Using Timelines to Teach History

Do you use a timeline to aid in teaching history? What tips do you have?

Some Homeschool Fun (Even if You Don't Homeschool!)

We're One in Suffering (Praying for the Victims of the Boston Bombing)

Happy Birthday, Shakespeare!

Hoping Spring is finally here to stay,

Napkin Pillows

Guest Post: Smile on My Heart Theory

Four questions

Hoppin' Down the Bunny Trail

Welcome to the Someday You Wished For

Guest Post: Keep the Home Fires Burning

Lazy Discipline

Goodbye to Yesterday Winner!

Book Review-Goodbye to Yesterday

Do You Let Your Kids Have Candy?

YumEarth's Candy For a Year Valentine's Day Giveaway!

Please Come Over for a Visit!

How to Teach Your Child to be a Good Reader

The New Year begins...

Remembering that "life isn't fair, but God is faithful,"

Starting out with a Shine!

Show a Little Kindness!

Have Patience

Peace Like a River

Peace to you and yours today,