Saturday, March 22, 2008
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Braggin' Rights, Part 1
I'm humbled when I consider each of my children and how wonderfully they are made. So I'm going to devote a post to each one of them over the course of the next few weeks (in keeping with my usual laxity in posting!) in praise to the Father for these three blessings.
In the paraphrased words of the apostle Paul, "Yeah, I'm boasting, but it's only by God's grace that I'm doing it." In other words, it's nothing I've done.
But with that said, I remember secretly hoping when I was pregnant with Skylar that he would live up to his name, which means "scholar". (It also means "protection" which was so fitting because we had some difficulties while he was in the womb, but God was so faithful in His protection over him.) I envisioned him loving books as much as I do and maybe even writing. The Lord showed me the other day that He, in that awesome Grace of His, has gifted this six-year-old boy in that direction.
Presenting...
If You Give A Lion Some Candy! by Skylar
Once upon a time there was a boy named Skylar and a forest with a lion in it. No one has ever gave candy to a lion before.
So I walked through the woods to the lion and gus what. He started to hop everywhere and asking for more.I did not know what to do. So I ran and got mom and dad and I showed them it. They did not know what to do either.
Then I had an idiea I put candy in frunt of his face and filled a gun up with vegetadles I shot it in his mouth and I never gave a lion candy again! The End.
Applause, applause... Now, maybe I have a faulty memory, but I don't think I could string two complete sentences together when I was in the first grade. And I certainly didn't know to attribute hyperactivity (in humans OR animals) to candy or sugar!
Here's the proud author sharing his masterpiece.
Father, thank you for this boy who You've fearfully and wonderfully made. He's so precious and such a joy. Use him mightily and give his father and me the wisdom to shape him according to Your purposes. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
In the Toilet
I ran across a verse today that made me pause, re-read, laugh, and then ponder. (I love those kinds of verses!)
Check this out: “They smashed the sacred pillar and wrecked the temple of Baal, converting it into a public toilet, as it remains to this day.” (2 Kings 10:27, NLT). Rewind…converted it to what?! Yep, you read it right.
If I were on a quiz show and the host said, “Okay, Kathy, for $10,000…True or false… The words ‘public toilet’ do appear in God’s Word…” I would have said “False” and forfeited my $10,000!
I was intrigued and decided to see how other versions of the Bible coined the phrase. This is what I found:
The King James Version says, “…and made it a draught house unto this day.” No offense to King James and those he commissioned to translate the Bible, but that sugar- coats the new function of Baal’s temple to the point of miscommunication. A draught house to me, is a tavern. Dictionary.com agrees with me. ;-)
The New King James Version says, “…and made it a refuse dump to this day.” Well, that sounds a lot closer to the truth, but refuse could be any type of trash or waste, which still leaves some ambiguity about where Baal worship ended up.
The NIV is more specific: “…and people have used it for a latrine to this day.” And the NCV and AMP (respectively) are more vivid in their depictions with “…and they made it into a sewage pit, as it is today” and “…made it [forever unclean] a privy to this day.” Ahh…can’t you just smell it on a hot, middle-eastern day? I bet real estate downwind took a nose-dive.
The Message uses pretty much the same verbage as the NLT: “They smashed the Baal altars and tore down the Baal temple. It's been a public toilet ever since.”
This is so fascinating to me! Not that I’m obsessed with bathrooms (ancient or modern) at all—in fact, if you visit one of mine you’ll probably see that I should be a little more obsessed with them, especially cleaning them. But what is so interesting to me is the fact that Baal worship was so entirely detestable to the Lord, and therefore to Jehu (the one doing all the remodeling) that it wasn’t enough to merely destroy the temple. What Jehu did was to ensure that Baal worship was thereafter associated with such a lowly position that it was “in the toilet”—literally.
I know I’m dangerously close to crossing a line here, but I can even imagine the soldiers “writing their names” on the pillar in a kind of a “Take that, Baal!” sort of gesture.
Wow. It’s hard to take a god seriously that you can do that to! God made clear in no uncertain terms that He is the only God, the One True God, and all others--even our 21st century idols--are just… well, worthy of a refuse dump.
Check this out: “They smashed the sacred pillar and wrecked the temple of Baal, converting it into a public toilet, as it remains to this day.” (2 Kings 10:27, NLT). Rewind…converted it to what?! Yep, you read it right.
If I were on a quiz show and the host said, “Okay, Kathy, for $10,000…True or false… The words ‘public toilet’ do appear in God’s Word…” I would have said “False” and forfeited my $10,000!
I was intrigued and decided to see how other versions of the Bible coined the phrase. This is what I found:
The King James Version says, “…and made it a draught house unto this day.” No offense to King James and those he commissioned to translate the Bible, but that sugar- coats the new function of Baal’s temple to the point of miscommunication. A draught house to me, is a tavern. Dictionary.com agrees with me. ;-)
The New King James Version says, “…and made it a refuse dump to this day.” Well, that sounds a lot closer to the truth, but refuse could be any type of trash or waste, which still leaves some ambiguity about where Baal worship ended up.
The NIV is more specific: “…and people have used it for a latrine to this day.” And the NCV and AMP (respectively) are more vivid in their depictions with “…and they made it into a sewage pit, as it is today” and “…made it [forever unclean] a privy to this day.” Ahh…can’t you just smell it on a hot, middle-eastern day? I bet real estate downwind took a nose-dive.
The Message uses pretty much the same verbage as the NLT: “They smashed the Baal altars and tore down the Baal temple. It's been a public toilet ever since.”
This is so fascinating to me! Not that I’m obsessed with bathrooms (ancient or modern) at all—in fact, if you visit one of mine you’ll probably see that I should be a little more obsessed with them, especially cleaning them. But what is so interesting to me is the fact that Baal worship was so entirely detestable to the Lord, and therefore to Jehu (the one doing all the remodeling) that it wasn’t enough to merely destroy the temple. What Jehu did was to ensure that Baal worship was thereafter associated with such a lowly position that it was “in the toilet”—literally.
I know I’m dangerously close to crossing a line here, but I can even imagine the soldiers “writing their names” on the pillar in a kind of a “Take that, Baal!” sort of gesture.
Wow. It’s hard to take a god seriously that you can do that to! God made clear in no uncertain terms that He is the only God, the One True God, and all others--even our 21st century idols--are just… well, worthy of a refuse dump.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Lunar Eclipse
Did y'all catch that beautiful eclipse last night? I couldn't get our camera to "find" it, but a google search turned up this picture, which is exactly what the one last night looked like.
I had just gotten the kids to bed and sat down to get online for a little bit, when I learned that there was a total lunar eclipse going on right outside and I wasn't even aware of it! I went outside and looked. Even though "totality" was still 20 minutes away, what I saw--pretty much exactly like this picture--was breathtaking. I went back in, told the kids to get their socks, shoes, and coats on (and believe me, once they're in bed, I RARELY do that!) and come see something special. Of course they were all over it. We took blankets out to help deal with the 13 degree temperature and sat on the porch marveling at this cool thing God lined up. Shane had shorts on, getting ready to start a workout, so he didn't stay out quite as long as the rest of us, but it was so cool!
We came in to warm up briefly a few times, finding new facts on the internet. Did you know that the outline is called a penumbra? Neither did we! Did you know that the next time we'll be able to see another total lunar eclipse here in the states is in December of 2010? Neither did we! And did you know that in the past year, there have been two other ones? Neither did we! (They must have occurred while we were snoozing.)
It was quite educational and very awe-inspiring. After the kids were in bed for the second time, I decided to check a concordance to see if the Bible mentions eclipses. I knew there were instances of darkness during the day, but I was curious about whether they were noted specifically as eclipses. They weren't. But what I did find was that whenever the moon "turns to blood" or "will not give light" it was usually mentioned in warning or sign of "horrible days". But everything else was dark too. No stars twinkling like there were last night. No peaceful stillness where your breath steam froze in the air like last night. No giggles and delighted shouts of, "Mom, get back out here! It's almost done!" like there were last night.
Just like we need water to live but too much can kill, or fire sustains life and takes it away, God uses these amazing cosmic events to forwarn, to be a sign, or just to bless. And blessed we were. Thank You, Jesus.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
In...all.
When I started this blog just a shade over 13 months ago, the main purpose was to use it as a discussion forum for our Read the Bible in a Year group. While the blog itself didn’t really turn out to be very useful in that capacity, I’m happy to say I DID finish the plan! On December 31, 2007, through God’s grace, I read the last word in Revelation: all. And 364 days earlier, I’d started Genesis with the very first recorded word of scripture: In.
“In…all.” Reminds me of a song we sing telling Jesus He is our all in all. I seriously doubt that the very first and last words in the Bible were randomly chosen. To me, this appropriately conveys to us that whatever we need—direction, discipline, encouragement, examples, insight—it’s all in there. We can find all we need in these wonderful pages. Amen!
So what have I learned or gained from reading the Bible in a Year? Here are some highlights…
*People have been as messed up as we are today ever since the fall. Injustice, incest, child sacrifices, greed, murder, adultery, unspeakable violence and war, deception, and numerous other vices are recorded throughout the ages. Gives a whole new irony to “the good ol’ days” doesn’t it? And it highlights the depths of God’s mercy and grace in providing a Savior.
*I’m amazed at how some of the Old Testament rituals, which honestly, before, I thought had no relevance whatsoever to me today, really can be illustrative under the New Covenant.
*God’s timing is just…PERFECT. I can’t even begin to list here how many times that the reading for a certain day was clear direction, affirmation, or conviction for me.
*His Word is new and fresh every day. Even familiar verses take on new meaning depending on your circumstances when you read them. His Word is living and active (Heb. 4:12).
*I don’t have to fear Revelation! I always used to avoid reading Revelation, or at least large parts of it together. It was just too scary and confusing to me. But this time around was different in a way that I can only attribute to the Holy Spirit. I actually found myself reading more than I was supposed to on several occasions this time because I was riveted—couldn’t wait to see what would happen next! I still don’t understand it very well at all, but it was just “less scary” to me.
Even though I’ve read it all, I’m clearly seeing I didn’t retain it all! For example, just last week at Bible study, Lisa Gard and I were whispering about Sara being Abraham’s half-sister. I couldn’t believe it! So I looked it up in the verse she showed me and not only did I know this at some point, I had even underlined it!!! (I do that when something’s shocking or impactful.) And less than a year later, it had slipped through one of the holes in my colander-like memory.
Maybe doing this plan EVERY year wouldn’t be such a bad idea!
“In…all.” Reminds me of a song we sing telling Jesus He is our all in all. I seriously doubt that the very first and last words in the Bible were randomly chosen. To me, this appropriately conveys to us that whatever we need—direction, discipline, encouragement, examples, insight—it’s all in there. We can find all we need in these wonderful pages. Amen!
So what have I learned or gained from reading the Bible in a Year? Here are some highlights…
*People have been as messed up as we are today ever since the fall. Injustice, incest, child sacrifices, greed, murder, adultery, unspeakable violence and war, deception, and numerous other vices are recorded throughout the ages. Gives a whole new irony to “the good ol’ days” doesn’t it? And it highlights the depths of God’s mercy and grace in providing a Savior.
*I’m amazed at how some of the Old Testament rituals, which honestly, before, I thought had no relevance whatsoever to me today, really can be illustrative under the New Covenant.
*God’s timing is just…PERFECT. I can’t even begin to list here how many times that the reading for a certain day was clear direction, affirmation, or conviction for me.
*His Word is new and fresh every day. Even familiar verses take on new meaning depending on your circumstances when you read them. His Word is living and active (Heb. 4:12).
*I don’t have to fear Revelation! I always used to avoid reading Revelation, or at least large parts of it together. It was just too scary and confusing to me. But this time around was different in a way that I can only attribute to the Holy Spirit. I actually found myself reading more than I was supposed to on several occasions this time because I was riveted—couldn’t wait to see what would happen next! I still don’t understand it very well at all, but it was just “less scary” to me.
Even though I’ve read it all, I’m clearly seeing I didn’t retain it all! For example, just last week at Bible study, Lisa Gard and I were whispering about Sara being Abraham’s half-sister. I couldn’t believe it! So I looked it up in the verse she showed me and not only did I know this at some point, I had even underlined it!!! (I do that when something’s shocking or impactful.) And less than a year later, it had slipped through one of the holes in my colander-like memory.
Maybe doing this plan EVERY year wouldn’t be such a bad idea!
Monday, January 28, 2008
Ward Off a Cold?
In the past week, I've shared the following information with two friends, so I thought I'd go ahead and post it here too. It seems a bit "cooky" and I may sound like "one a' them thar voo-doo nutjobs who don't bulieve in drugs" but, come on! Who wouldn't choose a cheap, safe alternative over an $80 trip to the doc if it works?
Here's something easy and readily available at home that may help ward off or shorten a cold: put hydrogen peroxide in your ears!
I've done it several times this winter and have so far avoided a cold. Lexi, who is very susceptible to strep throat came down with a sore throat a few months ago. I put peroxide drops in her ears and she awoke the next day feeling well enough to go to school. Her sore throat was gone (I was fully prepared to take off work to take her to the doc--I was sure she had strep!) Shortly after that, I developed a sore throat and saw a few white patches in the sore area. I gargled with peroxide a few times throughout the day and had the same result. Maisie and Skylar have both developed coughs so far this winter, but both of them were very short-lived (like a couple of days each) when we did the treatment.
I believe that God can use whatever He chooses to heal us and help us maintain our health. Doesn't it fit into His character that He'd provide simple home remedies? If you're interested in reading more, check out the following link, which also provides specific instructions. Also, if you do a "peroxide" search on Dr. Mercola's website, you'll find testimony after testimony from folks who've had success with it.
http://www.mercola.com/2002/mar/13/hydrogen_peroxide.htm
As a side note, this treatment is kind of fun! I love hearing the kids talking loudly over the fizzing in their ears telling me how it's tickling! :-)
Here's something easy and readily available at home that may help ward off or shorten a cold: put hydrogen peroxide in your ears!
I've done it several times this winter and have so far avoided a cold. Lexi, who is very susceptible to strep throat came down with a sore throat a few months ago. I put peroxide drops in her ears and she awoke the next day feeling well enough to go to school. Her sore throat was gone (I was fully prepared to take off work to take her to the doc--I was sure she had strep!) Shortly after that, I developed a sore throat and saw a few white patches in the sore area. I gargled with peroxide a few times throughout the day and had the same result. Maisie and Skylar have both developed coughs so far this winter, but both of them were very short-lived (like a couple of days each) when we did the treatment.
I believe that God can use whatever He chooses to heal us and help us maintain our health. Doesn't it fit into His character that He'd provide simple home remedies? If you're interested in reading more, check out the following link, which also provides specific instructions. Also, if you do a "peroxide" search on Dr. Mercola's website, you'll find testimony after testimony from folks who've had success with it.
http://www.mercola.com/2002/mar/13/hydrogen_peroxide.htm
As a side note, this treatment is kind of fun! I love hearing the kids talking loudly over the fizzing in their ears telling me how it's tickling! :-)
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Missy Started It!
Missy shared, I enjoyed reading her answers, and I had the time. So here goes...
BTW, I kinda dig doing this via blog. That way, whoever wants to respond--great! But there's no guilt for those who don't (as opposed to email).
1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Fortunately, no. My brother wanted to name me Frankenstein.
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? A few weeks ago when I heard a woman speaking very harshly to her kids in a store.
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? It’s pretty bad. (I’ve heard that bad hand-writing is a sign of intelligence, though, so I’m runnin’ with it…)
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? turkey
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Yep--three
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Honestly, I think I might get on my own nerves (those of you who claim to be my friends, THANKS!).
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM? Uh, sheah!
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Before kids, you bet. Now? Nope.
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? I don’t know! It has almond slivers, clusters of oats and stuff, and a honey flavor. Is that Honey Bunches of Oats?
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? If possible.
12. DO YOU THINK YOU'RE STRONG? No. (But I do seem to have a high pain threshold!) ;-)
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? DQ plain
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Whether or not they look friendly.
15. RED OR PINK? pink
16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? Many age-related changes.
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My buddy Tricia
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? N/A-- but I would love for them to post their answers on their blogs!
19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Brown and brown.
20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Scrambled eggs and an orange.
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The hum of my space heater and the clicking of the keyboard.
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Indigo or magenta
23. FAVORITE SMELLS? Freshly mowed grass in spring and in the winter, something warm and delicious cooking or brewing.
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? A judge from Coles County
25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Of course!
26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Basketball and anything my kids are playing
27. HAIR COLOR? blond
28. Eye color? Dark blue
29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? yep
30 FAVORITE FOOD? I love it all! (which in part pertains to #16)
31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy Endings
32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? At the theater, International Treasure. At home, Ocean’s 11.
33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? red
34. SUMMER OR WINTER? Fall.
35. HUGS OR KISSES? hugs
36. FAVORITE DESSERT? Cheesecake or brownies. Or cappucinno w/ biscotti.
37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? N/A but leave a comment if you put it on your blog
38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? N/A
39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? I’ll soon be reading Bad Girls of the Bible and I can't wait! I've wanted to read it for awhile now. Liz Curtis Higgs rocks.
40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Some ugly internet solutions ad—I inherited it with the office.
41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV.Late LAST NIGHT? Nothing.
42. FAVORITE SOUND? The sound of my mattress and bedclothes when I’m snuggling into them. I also love the sound of wind and rain when I don’t have to be out in it.
43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles.
44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Maui.
45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I can do this thing with my arms I learned from watching “Zoom” as a kid. (Remember that song? Oh yeah, I also have a talent for remembering worthless information.)
46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Shelbville, IL
47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK? Any and all who care to or have time to.
48. IF YOU COULD HAVE (OR HAVE HAD) ANY PROFESSION WHAT WOULD IT BE? I would only be totally happy doing whatever it has that God has for me. I’m not exactly sure what it is right now, but probably something to do with speaking/training.
BTW, I kinda dig doing this via blog. That way, whoever wants to respond--great! But there's no guilt for those who don't (as opposed to email).
1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Fortunately, no. My brother wanted to name me Frankenstein.
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? A few weeks ago when I heard a woman speaking very harshly to her kids in a store.
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? It’s pretty bad. (I’ve heard that bad hand-writing is a sign of intelligence, though, so I’m runnin’ with it…)
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? turkey
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Yep--three
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Honestly, I think I might get on my own nerves (those of you who claim to be my friends, THANKS!).
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM? Uh, sheah!
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Before kids, you bet. Now? Nope.
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? I don’t know! It has almond slivers, clusters of oats and stuff, and a honey flavor. Is that Honey Bunches of Oats?
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? If possible.
12. DO YOU THINK YOU'RE STRONG? No. (But I do seem to have a high pain threshold!) ;-)
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? DQ plain
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Whether or not they look friendly.
15. RED OR PINK? pink
16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? Many age-related changes.
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My buddy Tricia
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? N/A-- but I would love for them to post their answers on their blogs!
19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Brown and brown.
20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Scrambled eggs and an orange.
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The hum of my space heater and the clicking of the keyboard.
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Indigo or magenta
23. FAVORITE SMELLS? Freshly mowed grass in spring and in the winter, something warm and delicious cooking or brewing.
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? A judge from Coles County
25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Of course!
26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Basketball and anything my kids are playing
27. HAIR COLOR? blond
28. Eye color? Dark blue
29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? yep
30 FAVORITE FOOD? I love it all! (which in part pertains to #16)
31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy Endings
32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? At the theater, International Treasure. At home, Ocean’s 11.
33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? red
34. SUMMER OR WINTER? Fall.
35. HUGS OR KISSES? hugs
36. FAVORITE DESSERT? Cheesecake or brownies. Or cappucinno w/ biscotti.
37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? N/A but leave a comment if you put it on your blog
38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? N/A
39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? I’ll soon be reading Bad Girls of the Bible and I can't wait! I've wanted to read it for awhile now. Liz Curtis Higgs rocks.
40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Some ugly internet solutions ad—I inherited it with the office.
41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV.Late LAST NIGHT? Nothing.
42. FAVORITE SOUND? The sound of my mattress and bedclothes when I’m snuggling into them. I also love the sound of wind and rain when I don’t have to be out in it.
43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles.
44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Maui.
45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I can do this thing with my arms I learned from watching “Zoom” as a kid. (Remember that song? Oh yeah, I also have a talent for remembering worthless information.)
46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Shelbville, IL
47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK? Any and all who care to or have time to.
48. IF YOU COULD HAVE (OR HAVE HAD) ANY PROFESSION WHAT WOULD IT BE? I would only be totally happy doing whatever it has that God has for me. I’m not exactly sure what it is right now, but probably something to do with speaking/training.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
I am so excited as I type this that I can barely sit long enough to do it! It doesn't hurt that I have a Clint Brown praise CD playing, but that's not the biggest reason! (I hesitated to share this at first because the Word encourages us to give in secret, but I really feel led to because this is such a "Glory to God" story--I actually had very little to do with it; it was all Him!) Let me start at the beginning...
Some of you know that I have a special burden on my heart for sexually exploited children. I was raised in a very sheltered environment, where adults could be trusted for provision, safety, and love. I really had no idea how cruel the world could be until I left wide-eyed for college, and even there the world's evils were sugar-coated.
When I began teaching college, however, my students' research projects taught me a lot. My eyes were opened to a lot of shocking realities that people face daily, especially women and girls, on a global scale. As I read the harsh, often personal accounts of victims, saw images of their living conditions, or evidence of unimaginable abuse, I would often just crumble and begin to sob at the injustice of it all. How can this kind of stuff happen? How can people be so filled with hate and utter disregard of others?
Anyway, a few months ago, I received my World Vision gift catalog in the mail. I love getting it every year because you can choose very specific donations to make in someone's name—their gift. Every year I think how much I'd like to do it, and every year I don't. It seems so stupid, but I just let it fall by the way-side because the Christmas lists given to me by family don't include things like “a goat for an impoverished family.”
So I'm flipping through the catalog, occasionally throwing observations up to God like, “Oh, Lord, it would be so cool to donate a home for a family in the Honduras” or “Oh, MAN, would I love to help drill a well for this kid in Malawi, Father!”
And then I got to page 27. If it had been there in years past, I hadn't seen it. In bold white letters, against a black and gray background of the silhouettes of three young girls in dresses and high heels, were the words Sold. Trafficked. Abused. Then in smaller black letters underneath, “An estimated 2 million children are enslaved in the global commercial sex trade—most of them girls. You can give them hope.” (You can see the catalog for yourself at http://www.worldvisiongifts.org/).
Friends, the Holy Spirit stirred in me in a way that I can't fully explain. My stomach turned, my heart rate increased so rapidly that I felt pain in my chest. And my eyes filled to overflowing in no time flat. God made it very clear to me right then and there that this would be the best present I get this year—giving hope to girls in this situation, being Him to them.
I shared with a few folks that this was what I wanted for Christmas, but I received traditional gifts instead. So the crisp new C-note my mom gives us “kids” every year was the answer. Usually, that cash is my “fun” money and I dream about the new boots or clothes I'll get with it. But not this year.
Hallelujah!
I just donated on-line and as I did so, I prayed that God would multiply the donation and use it to bless the precious victims beyond my wildest dreams and to protect them from evil. You know what God did? Just as I finished my prayer, Clint Brown sang, “Satan's defeated. The enemy is under our feet!” AMEN!!! Now, I know that my meager donation won't save them all, and from human perspective will hardly make a dent, but if the enemy is defeated in ONE girl's life..., well, I don't have words for how awesome that would be. And I felt like that's exactly what God promised me as I hit “submit”. What a privilege!!!! What a gift!
A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR, Y'ALL!!! May God's presence rock your world in 2008!
Some of you know that I have a special burden on my heart for sexually exploited children. I was raised in a very sheltered environment, where adults could be trusted for provision, safety, and love. I really had no idea how cruel the world could be until I left wide-eyed for college, and even there the world's evils were sugar-coated.
When I began teaching college, however, my students' research projects taught me a lot. My eyes were opened to a lot of shocking realities that people face daily, especially women and girls, on a global scale. As I read the harsh, often personal accounts of victims, saw images of their living conditions, or evidence of unimaginable abuse, I would often just crumble and begin to sob at the injustice of it all. How can this kind of stuff happen? How can people be so filled with hate and utter disregard of others?
Anyway, a few months ago, I received my World Vision gift catalog in the mail. I love getting it every year because you can choose very specific donations to make in someone's name—their gift. Every year I think how much I'd like to do it, and every year I don't. It seems so stupid, but I just let it fall by the way-side because the Christmas lists given to me by family don't include things like “a goat for an impoverished family.”
So I'm flipping through the catalog, occasionally throwing observations up to God like, “Oh, Lord, it would be so cool to donate a home for a family in the Honduras” or “Oh, MAN, would I love to help drill a well for this kid in Malawi, Father!”
And then I got to page 27. If it had been there in years past, I hadn't seen it. In bold white letters, against a black and gray background of the silhouettes of three young girls in dresses and high heels, were the words Sold. Trafficked. Abused. Then in smaller black letters underneath, “An estimated 2 million children are enslaved in the global commercial sex trade—most of them girls. You can give them hope.” (You can see the catalog for yourself at http://www.worldvisiongifts.org/).
Friends, the Holy Spirit stirred in me in a way that I can't fully explain. My stomach turned, my heart rate increased so rapidly that I felt pain in my chest. And my eyes filled to overflowing in no time flat. God made it very clear to me right then and there that this would be the best present I get this year—giving hope to girls in this situation, being Him to them.
I shared with a few folks that this was what I wanted for Christmas, but I received traditional gifts instead. So the crisp new C-note my mom gives us “kids” every year was the answer. Usually, that cash is my “fun” money and I dream about the new boots or clothes I'll get with it. But not this year.
Hallelujah!
I just donated on-line and as I did so, I prayed that God would multiply the donation and use it to bless the precious victims beyond my wildest dreams and to protect them from evil. You know what God did? Just as I finished my prayer, Clint Brown sang, “Satan's defeated. The enemy is under our feet!” AMEN!!! Now, I know that my meager donation won't save them all, and from human perspective will hardly make a dent, but if the enemy is defeated in ONE girl's life..., well, I don't have words for how awesome that would be. And I felt like that's exactly what God promised me as I hit “submit”. What a privilege!!!! What a gift!
A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR, Y'ALL!!! May God's presence rock your world in 2008!
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Cast your Vote
Attention those of you who have daughters! (And those of you who have sons that will one day marry someone's daughter! And those of you who may teach, work with, or otherwise influence someone's daughter!) I was led to Vickie Courtney's blog to vote on which cover she should use for a book she has coming out. Click on the link and cast your vote too--it's her December 13th post. When I read the title of her book, I immediately thought I have to get this when it comes out! And as I read through her blog, it was like reading my own thoughts. I mean, in the midst of the star of "Zoey 101" getting pregnant at 16, of Gabriella from High School Musical being photographed nude, and LiLo (who my daughters met through "The Parent Trap" and "Herbie the Lovebug ") and all her drug-related exploits, we have GOT to talk to our daughters about right and wrong. How awesome to have someone championing the cause for our daughters, and consequently, our sons, too. That's a bandwagon worth jumping on.
Incidentally, on a completely unrelated matter, I've been neglecting the old blog lately! (Do you notice my gift of stating the obvious?!) Lately, most of my writing energies, especially the ones that address things God has been showing me, have been posted on the Olive Branch (see sidebar). The women's ministry would love to have you visit there, too! :-)
Incidentally, on a completely unrelated matter, I've been neglecting the old blog lately! (Do you notice my gift of stating the obvious?!) Lately, most of my writing energies, especially the ones that address things God has been showing me, have been posted on the Olive Branch (see sidebar). The women's ministry would love to have you visit there, too! :-)
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Crazy Hair Day
Last Thursday was “crazy hair” day at school to inspire being crazy about reading. Crazy hair day with the girls has always been easy. Numerous pony tails in weird locations, beads, hair bands, big bows, lots of gel or hairspray, and BAM! Crazy hair heaven.
But not my boy.
Now hear me…I understand why he wouldn’t want bows, beads, or tails (more like horns in this case). I understand a six-year-old boy’s desire to assert his masculinity, especially when little else about him exudes it just yet. That’s cool.
What’s not cool is that he insisted that his adorable blond locks be coated, no PLASTERED, with orange face paint. Mm hmm…you heard me. Waxy, greasy, left-over Halloween face paint.
See, it was all my fault because I hadn’t bought any spray-on, wash-out hair color. (MAN, why had that not been item number one on my shopping list?!) And the boy wanted orange hair.
So with about 10 minutes until the bus was due to arrive, I found what I thought would be an acceptable substitute for the spray (hey, it was orange!). A few streaks around his face and he’d be happy, so I thought.
Uh uh. “Mom, I look like a cheetah with just those few spots. I want it ALL orange.”
“Bud, you don’t realize how hard that’s going to be to get out. Seriously. You could be orange for Thanksgiving,” I tried to scare, I mean reason with him.
He didn’t care; maybe he thought the fall color would be appropriate. Or maybe he’s just stubborn. Variations on the above dialog ping-ponged for several minutes while his sister and I glopped on more and more orange stuff. (I know I probably should have exercised my full parental authority here and just shut the whole process down, but I can relate to the pain of not having my hair the way I want it. What can I say?)
The final result: a head solidly caked with orange face paint crowning a very unhappy face. His expectations did NOT match the outcome. Woe was us.
As I drove the kids to school (oh yes—we’d long since missed the bus), I tried to cheer him up, but when that kid’s in a mood, it lasts --where does he GET that?! When he got out of the car, three kids (one with orange-sprayed hair--argh!) approached him and I prayed that their smiles were ones of delight, not teasing malice.
He was pretty tight-lipped that evening when I asked how his day had gone. He said he “won craziest hair in the class but all that meant was people laughed at him.” Ah.
Shampoo, rinse, repeat x 6 = a very orange bathtub and not-so-orange-anymore hair. But it was still very waxy in texture and a bit rusty tinted. It would have to do. Thankfully, the next day was Friday and I heard there were other left-over indicators of crazy hair day besides the ones Skylar suffered.
What finally got the greasy waxiness out? At the wise promptings of the boy’s father, who is quite knowledgeable about hair and hair care products, I finally tried…Palmolive! If it gets grease off dishes, it should work on hair too, right? Three applications finally did the trick.
Here’s the whole crazy-haired class. Major props go out to Mrs. “Pippi” Wernz! I’m sure there’s no need to point out which kid is mine! ;-)
But not my boy.
Now hear me…I understand why he wouldn’t want bows, beads, or tails (more like horns in this case). I understand a six-year-old boy’s desire to assert his masculinity, especially when little else about him exudes it just yet. That’s cool.
What’s not cool is that he insisted that his adorable blond locks be coated, no PLASTERED, with orange face paint. Mm hmm…you heard me. Waxy, greasy, left-over Halloween face paint.
See, it was all my fault because I hadn’t bought any spray-on, wash-out hair color. (MAN, why had that not been item number one on my shopping list?!) And the boy wanted orange hair.
So with about 10 minutes until the bus was due to arrive, I found what I thought would be an acceptable substitute for the spray (hey, it was orange!). A few streaks around his face and he’d be happy, so I thought.
Uh uh. “Mom, I look like a cheetah with just those few spots. I want it ALL orange.”
“Bud, you don’t realize how hard that’s going to be to get out. Seriously. You could be orange for Thanksgiving,” I tried to scare, I mean reason with him.
He didn’t care; maybe he thought the fall color would be appropriate. Or maybe he’s just stubborn. Variations on the above dialog ping-ponged for several minutes while his sister and I glopped on more and more orange stuff. (I know I probably should have exercised my full parental authority here and just shut the whole process down, but I can relate to the pain of not having my hair the way I want it. What can I say?)
The final result: a head solidly caked with orange face paint crowning a very unhappy face. His expectations did NOT match the outcome. Woe was us.
As I drove the kids to school (oh yes—we’d long since missed the bus), I tried to cheer him up, but when that kid’s in a mood, it lasts --where does he GET that?! When he got out of the car, three kids (one with orange-sprayed hair--argh!) approached him and I prayed that their smiles were ones of delight, not teasing malice.
He was pretty tight-lipped that evening when I asked how his day had gone. He said he “won craziest hair in the class but all that meant was people laughed at him.” Ah.
Shampoo, rinse, repeat x 6 = a very orange bathtub and not-so-orange-anymore hair. But it was still very waxy in texture and a bit rusty tinted. It would have to do. Thankfully, the next day was Friday and I heard there were other left-over indicators of crazy hair day besides the ones Skylar suffered.
What finally got the greasy waxiness out? At the wise promptings of the boy’s father, who is quite knowledgeable about hair and hair care products, I finally tried…Palmolive! If it gets grease off dishes, it should work on hair too, right? Three applications finally did the trick.
Here’s the whole crazy-haired class. Major props go out to Mrs. “Pippi” Wernz! I’m sure there’s no need to point out which kid is mine! ;-)
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Trick or Treat, 2007!
This poor unsuspecting chef is about to fall into the clutches of...uh...of...now, what was I again? Since most of the effort and planning went into the kids' costumes, Shane and I came up with ours in about five minutes. I just slapped on some scary make-up and a hood, but I'm not really sure "what" I was!
Spiderman battles ornery Pirate Girl to save the Egyptian Queen and her treasures.
Spidey shows off some of his awesome web-throwing technique. He's so dexterous he's even able to web-shoot while protecting his candy bucket from harm!
Egyptian Queen demonstrates how to "Walk Like An Egyptian" to observers. Not only is it an appropriate cultural response to 80's girl band music--esp. the Bangles, but also to Steve Martin's "King Tut." (Oh yes, I really had the "45" for that song!)
More rad moves from Spidey--the "crouch and shoot" position.
Pirate Girl peruses the landscape in search of her ship. Be that her pirate buddies a'sailin' on the horizon, Matey?
Egyptian Queen demonstrates the side-to-side head move, another popular Egyptian dance.
Hammin' it up while waiting on the rest of the posse. Pirate Girl's parrot scouts the ground for snacks. "RAWW RAWW, Polly want a pumpkin seed."
The whole sordid bunch. Even Penny-Poo cooperated for this shot. She was dressed as a furry chocolate bar. :-)
Attitude. Nuf said. 
Enjoying the fruits of Trick-or-Treating. Much bargaining, wheeling and dealing, and bartering took place. Ultimately, Spidey saw good conquer evil, Pirate Girl was content with her evening's plunder, and Egyptian Queen was delighted with her new treasure.The rest of the pictures are from carving pumpkins on Sunday. WE LOVE HALLOWEEN!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Cave-In-Rock Trip
I hope you'll all indulge me as I share some of my favorite pix from our trip last weekend. We had a great time on our little get-away.This was our cabin. It was a duplex, so only the right half was ours. We had a beautiful view of the Ohio River and saw some huge barges going by.
Here's the fam standing on a rock at Cave-In-Rock Park. It was just a short walk from the cabin. That's the Ohio River in the background.
This is the name-sake of the place, the "Cave In Rock" where pirates used to hang out in the old days and wait for something to come by they could ambush. Supposedly movies have been filmed here, but we didn't find out which ones. Shane asked some park workers for brochures but they said they don't have any because everything's online now. So he asked if they had internet hook-up. The answer? No. (?????)
The cave goes back farther, but I'm sure you don't want to see ALL my pictures! :-)
This was the scenic outlook at the Garden of the Gods. I was shocked that there were no fences or even warning signs, because one wrong step could've resulted in a fall to the death!
My nerves were shot trying to keep my eye on the kids and with all the other people around, it was tough. The kids LOVED peering over edges and slipping though tight spots. (I kept reminding God of his promise in Psalm 91:11-12. "For he orders his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you with their hands to kee
p you from striking your foot on a stone." I figured they'd keep their heads from striking stones too, Amen?)
This picture represents my favorite part of the trip. We took a hike on a trail at Garden of the Gods called Indian Point. We got off the trail and scaled down from a high point to discover a bunch of little caves and neat places. And we had it all to ourselves! The kids also tried their hand at rock climbing (I stayed on bottom to cushion any falls) and Shane and I were both so impressed with how well they did strategizing where to put their feet and hands.
Back in Cave-In-Rock, we saw a sign for an old jailhouse so we had to go check that out. Like everything else, it was free and standing wide open for anyone to view. T
he kids had misbehaved so we had them apprehended and taken into custody. :
-) 
The big jail bust!
Oddly enough, the past came closer to the present than I would've thought. One of the most interesting historic landmarks to the kids was...a telephone booth!!! Shane told them that before cell phones, people had to stop their cars to make phone calls from one of these things. They could not believe you put coins inside. Of course, they had to check it out. This one was actually still in service.So who'd have thought...The mystery of caves and rock formations, the intrigue of a den for piracy and the backdrop of films, an old-time jail that held real "bad guys" and...a telephone booth. We had a great time!
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