Family Album

Merry Christmas to all of you.  Thank you for sharing this year with me as I learn and grow in the realm of writing.

Instead of a traditional family picture in a Christmas card, I thought it would be fun to include a family album, reviewing the year's events in some candid shots.  From my house to yours, warmest Christmas blessings.

2012 in Review

Our year always starts with Ivy's birthday.

A little dancing in the kitchen. . .

Gotta love that snow!

Come on fishy. Take a bite. 

 Winter Youth Retreat . . .

       'Moving Mountains'








From this . . . to cake bites.

                      Overcoming challenges.

Young Eagles, flying balmy skies.

Awana club awards.












Spring Break Project. . . painting the house.

Before.

Porch entrance in progress.

After . . . steps complete, thanks to my capable husband.

Ivy and Summer profess their faith in Christ through baptism. 

A storm on its way. . . 

          

but sheltered in the apple of God's eye.

The day my sister-in-law died,
the clouds mourn in empathy... 

the day we began numbering our blessings. 

Reflective days . . .

        God is not slow keeping His promises.

Photo by Tim Fitzharris

Love of sisters.
Heather turns 18.

Joy, joy, joy.

Tyler away at college, but home for Heather's big event.

In celebration. . .

Crepes will always remind us of this inside joke.

"I'd like some strawberry creeps please."
(a mishap of speech which occurred once when ordering her crepes.)

Summer days . . .

        Family gatherings.

A fishing experience with Grandpa and cousin. 

The 'sketching man', drawing for animation projects. 

July brings rain, at last.

You know you live in a desert when you join all the neighbors, each in their doorways, to watch the rain.  

The first rain in forever . . . months.
Water running down the streets. . . cause for much rejoicing!

Thankful for the canal system woven through our valley so that our eyes might rest on green.

Summer's birthday and school begins.

 Heather is off to college.  Road trip.  Tyler has been working all summer in Denver.

  

School days at home.  The daily walk . . .
Ivy's transition to public school . . .  home school for Summer. 
Adjusting to Heather and Tyler both being away.
                     Invading sissy's empty room.

Corn harvest.














Tyler's birthday.

Our anniversary in this gorgeous country.  San Juan Mts.

 

Fall fun and school events.

 Cooking practice. 

Can she make an apple pie. . . 













Yes!  Yum.

 Sisters grown closer in the absence of older siblings.

Fly tying, the new craft.   

School Christmas play and concert.



Christ our Savior was born on Christmas day that He might save us from our sin and Satan's power.  Oh, such tidings of comfort and joy! 

Full circle. . .

     Just some old fashioned fun.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas!

Heart Cry

Having my kids in college has been one of the most difficult seasons of my life.  When they first left it was almost as if they had died.  The empty place at the table, the hollow room, the quiet, all left a gaping hole in my heart.  And those are only the minor issues. 

Sometimes I long to be back in the preschool season of life.  Those years seemed so easy compared to now.  Life was so much simpler then.  Yet, in the midst of that stage there were days I felt overwhelmed.  At times, something inside just snapped and it spilled out in angry yelling or total discouragement sinking into depression.

That was when God spoke to me through the Christmas story so directly.   Not to say He hasn't met me since, most assuredly He has, but this passage I'm about to share with you now will always grip my heart.  These thoughts might be familiar to you, but they are some which God knew I needed that day, and now once again, I cling to them . . . to Him. 

 I was reading the account of Mary when the angel came to tell her she would bear the Messiah.  (Luke 2:28-38)  The words popped off the page at me. "Greetings, you who are highly favored!  The Lord is with you." And later in the passage, "Do not be afraid Mary, you have found favor with God."

Mary was not the only one in God's favor.  Under grace, I too held God's favor.  Oh how I needed to be reminded of that truth!  God was for me, not against me.  I knew it in my head, but in that season had a hard time believing it in my heart.  Some days I felt God had abandoned me to this thing called motherhood, though I knew it was not true.  He had not and does not leave us alone.

Mary's response was that she was greatly troubled and asked, "How can this be?"  Likewise, I felt total inadequacy to raise my children, lifting my tightly clenched fists in anger at God, asking the same question, "How can I possibly be the right mom for these kids?  How can I ever raise them when I fail so miserably, over and over?  I can't do this."  I thought it was why God didn't entrust me with more children, because I was a bad mom.  Not true, but I believed it none the less.

The angel responds to Mary's question with, "The Holy Spirit . . ."  And God was telling me that HE would raise these children.  It was not all up to me.  The power of the Holy Spirit could direct them in the right path.  God was big enough to enable me, and to guide them in truth.  The angel tells Mary, "For nothing is impossible with God."  Nothing.  Even as we raise our children, God has His best interest in mind for them.  He is working out His good plan in their hearts as well as ours.

But I must depend on Him.  When I strive and strive to make them turn out right, forcing conformity to my agenda, I only push them away.  I must surrender control over to the Lord, just as Mary responded with, "May it be to me as you have said."  That was the hard part.  Opening my clenched fist and letting loose of my children. 

It doesn't mean that I did nothing to train them in righteousness, or did not discipline them.  Far from it.  I continued to teach them, considering it a grave responsibility, but sought to keep my dependence on God's sovereign power over their lives.

Now, in this season of life, I cry out to God once again.  Never before have I prayed with such intensity for my children.  Never before have I felt so utterly dependent on God's power to direct them in the way they should go.

When they were small their whole lives were before them and it seemed there was a lot of time to mold and shape.  But once they are older, some of the reaping comes to fruition and what was sown in younger years, now shows itself.  Much of that fruit is good.  But I struggle when my own weaknesses are often exaggerated in my children.  Time is up and what's done has been done.  There is no going back.  The responsibility weighs heavy.

It is tempting to take credit for the good in our children, thinking we, as their parents, were the ones who produced that.  But we have no idea how a prayer said in silence when no one knew and only God heard has fought for the lives of our children against the evil one. The prayers of their grandparents and the benefits of godly generations past, might be what has kept them.  No, it is not up to us, nor is it because of us, that our children grow successful in character and life.  It is only God working out His purposes in them.

Once again I cling to this passage of Scripture, crying out with Mary, "May it be to me as you have said."  My hand, which so readily wants to grip tightly, must be coaxed open.  Only as my own heart is in right relationship with God can my life be used to positively impact my children.  But mostly, I let go, resting in the fact that God knows what He is doing.  Can God be trusted with them?  Of course.  Easy to say, but hard to live.  He is big enough to carry out His purposes in our lives . . . and in our children.

Faith trumps fear.

Standing on a road I didn't plan
Wondering how I got to where I am...
How many times have you heard me cry out
And how many times have you given me strength...
Oh I need you
God, I need you now.  
(by Plumb)

Not in the Plan

I am so thankful for God's loyal, devoted, tenacious love.  His discipline comes, but He guards His people as a mother bear over her cubs. 

I'm facing some trials today, perhaps God's discipline, but am encouraged because I know that this too will pass and that I am still the apple of God's eye.  These difficulties looming big are only for a little while, and next year I can look back on this time and say, "Remember when . . . "   If I can keep the right perspective, it makes all the difference.  (1 Pet. 1:6,7)

We had a busy weekend hosting people almost non-stop.  I did that to myself on purpose, thinking that to have all the parties together at once would save me all the housecleaning and activity planning drawn out over several weeks.  I had reserved the time from here on out to just enjoy the season and have a quiet Christmas. 

However, God's plans are not often our plans.  My basement has flooded and we are still trying to find the source to the problem.  Carpet possibly ruined, soggy boxes, and stuff thrown everywhere.  This all happened as we were were about to step out the door last night for a Christmas party.  I'm so thankful my son was here to run the shop vac and sop up the worst of it. 

I've been made aware at how much we use water for everything!  So now dirty dishes cannot be washed, no showers taken, (excuse us if we smell), and minimal use of toilets.  Laundry calls, but is being ignored.  Although it is quite soggy as well from its pile on the floor.  My husband is working hard to find the source of the problem and fix it.  He's pretty good at that sort of thing.

Why do I tell you all this?  Because I want you to see that real life happens.  Sometimes you might get the impression that I live in a spiritual cloud.  I am generally a serious person and like to think deeply, perhaps differently would be a better word, circular verses linear.  I am rejuvenated by time alone, not by socialization.  And so my posts reflect that.  Plus I am still learning how to write.  It does not come naturally to me.

Yet, God knows each of us completely.  He knows what we need in our lives to shape us into His likeness, to build His character in us.  I don't really like these days of trials, but also know that they do not arrive by accident.  Nothing takes God by surprise and He must know this is what we need right now. 

I told you in my last post that I was going to share with you something God revealed to me through the Christmas story.  Well, this post is not that post, but it could certainly apply.  Maybe secretly I've been stalling to tell you that lesson because it requires that I be vulnerable.  It is a challenge to discern what would be beneficial to you and how much to "guard my heart".   And it requires risk, which is never easy to take.

In the meantime I must work on the immediate urgent need and well, probably find my way to a laundromat and get my daughter to her play practice and performance tonight.  I'm so thankful no one is sick, we have snow (yes!), the main level of my house is all intact, and my daughter is coming home from college in three days!  Whoo Hoo!  She might have to sleep on the couch until we get the water out of the basement, but oh well.  Memories are in the making. 

 

The Familiar Story

Yeah, yeah, we all know the story.  Shepherds, angels, a baby. . .  same ol' thing every year at this time.  Sometimes that can be our approach to the Bible stories we've become so familiar with.

Yet, I wonder, have you ever read the Christmas story when it was not the holiday season?  Try it sometime and see if you do not gain a fresh perspective on the scenes.  Maybe the Bible seems to be dry as burnt toast.  It is not meant to be that way, ever.  We must first have put our faith in Christ, but then after that, our approach and attitude towards it makes all the difference.

The Word of God is living, active, and powerful.  It can be that way in our lives as we come to the Bible with expectation, understanding that through it God reveals Himself to us.  I do not read the Bible only to gather information about God, or to discover truth.  Rather, I come to the Word expecting to meet heart to heart with the living God.

When I read an account from the Bible, familiar or not, I understand it as God's personal message to me for that day.  This is why I cannot emphasize enough the importance of systematic study of the Scriptures.  Devotional books and commentaries are good tools, but are only man's opinions.  Do I look to God or to the tools?  Try looking only to God and the bare Scriptures, no tools, and see if God does not satisfy your soul.

The Christmas story is so rich with meaning.   We can't brush it off as only an interesting story or pivotal history.   Yet, to get beyond the surface, God must reveal His truth to us.  We can read a passage over and over and never really see until God makes it known to us.  This is why prayer is so important.  We are utterly dependent on the Spirit of God to disclose the Word to us.

The Word of God is so precious to me, because through it, I commune with my Heavenly Father in intimate whispers as lovers share secrets.

I love teaching this Word to others, especially children.   But we do them a disservice by only giving them the story without weaving its message within.  No wonder many adults of today recall with disdain their days of Sunday School and consider church a chore.  Often the stories were taught without passion and life giving revelation by the Spirit of God.

We cannot compete with the fast paced entertainment of today.  However, prayer is more powerful than any entertaining program for it is "not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the LORD Almighty."  (Zech. 4:6)   Are our children getting the message that to study the Word is an encounter with God Himself?

The Christmas story is not worn out unless we make it that way.   Rather, it is filled with life, but we must ask, seek, and turn our hearts toward Him.  Next post I want to share with you an example of  how God met me through the Christmas story and continues to do so.  Ever living is His Word.  Love it.  Love Him.

"In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God."  (John 1:1)

Good Will To Men

I came home from the grocery store yesterday quite peeved.  It put me in a bad mood and as soon as I stepped in the door of my house, I blathered to my husband about my woes. 

Before the store I had been at a meeting I didn't care to be at.  A meeting which drained me of energy but was totally unneccesary.   I was only there because it was required by my school district.  After that I stopped to return an overdue book at the library and pay my fees, which never makes me very happy.  It was then that I made my stop at the grocery store. 

All I wanted was strawberries.  I needed them for my french toast breakfast I would be making for the Girl's Bible study Saturday morning.  I was on a 'spiritual mission'.  But the store was out of strawberries.  Grrrrr.  It was getting late and I had no dinner plan.  It had been a crazy day and I was exhausted, so I thought I would pick something up from the deli. 

The lady in front of me was indecisive, taking forever, so I waited patiently, all the while thinking, "How badly do I really want this?  Is it worth my wait?"  When it was finally my turn to make a request, another lady appeared out of no where, cut in front of me, and voiced her order.  I gave up, but not in a quiet reserved sort of way.  I simply left the scene in a huffy flourish. 

The lady noticed and sort of apologized, but I told her never mind, it was okay, I was done, and we parted ways.  Talk about elementary behavior!  I was being a total jerk about the whole thing, and over such a trivial thing as chicken!  I was so glad I was not wearing my 'Jesus' button.  (We had received buttons in church last Sunday to wear so that others would be pointed to Him during this season.) 

I've been memorizing the book of 1st Peter lately and it has been transforming my life.  Although you wouldn't know it by the scenario I just described!  But I just finished chapter one and was feeling rather smug about it when today I started chapter two, and wouldn't you know it.  God must have a sense of humor in these things, for the verses spoke convicting of this very scenario. 

"Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind."  (1 Pet. 2:1) Wow, that "slander of every kind" got to me.  I used to think it was okay to gossip or bad talk others as long as it was only to my husband.  But in later years I've been convicted of that, and here I had come home from the store, slandering the other lady. 

The passage goes on to say, "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual food, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good."  (1 Pet. 2:2) I certainly needed to grow up.  I was acting very childish, having my little tantrum, and God simply wanted me to grow up.  How do I do that?  By craving the Word of God.  Getting back to not just reading the Scriptures, but really studying them, digesting them, and applying them in my everyday life.  

'Tis the season for good will to all men.  As we rush about our days, often in a flurry of annoying drivers, long lines, exasperated moms (such as myself), and tight schedules, I have to remember that the things I think are so important, often are not.  What matters is, am I living in right relationship with God?  Am I treating others in such a way that He is lifted high?  Am I being a worthy representative of Christ?  And if I am mistreated, do I simply react with my natural instincts, or respond by the supernatural power of God?  What opportunities I waste by my own selfishness and pride.

Praying I do a lot better in the future to create a little more of that peace on earth, good will to men. There is hope, for often God uses us in spite of ourselves and I know I am forgiven.   His favor, grace, rests on me still.