Wrestling Through

Matt and I have talked a lot as of late about "wrestling things through" with God. When some new idea about living in a more godly way hits our ears, our automatic response is a gut reaction-- a sick feeling in the pits of our stomachs. The "old man" in us is repulsed by the things of God, thus the sickly reaction.

We have found that we can either do one of two things with the sick feeling that comes from a newly revealed truth about God. We can either automatically dismiss what we've have heard because we're sure we've already settled that particular point in our theology, or we can do as the Bereans did. We can search the Bible for ourselves to see if what we have heard is indeed the truth. Often times the latter also entails a time of "wrestling through" in bringing the new idea before the Lord and asking the counsel of godly advisors. A prioritizing of time spent in God's word, time spent in prayer and taking the necessary time to seek out counsel is needed.

The one necessary ingredient that is required to "wrestle through" something is time. I've found that I can mask that "sick feeling" by being too busy. Then I don't have to take the time to chew on that new idea and do what it takes to work it through and apply it to my life in the way the Lord wills. When I don't take the time, I don't move on with God. My spiritual life becomes a stagnant pool, instead of a river of living water.

Today I began reading the book of Ruth again. All the knowledge Ruth had about the True God she got from her mother-in-law, Naomi. As I read the book again today, it struck me how easy it would have been for Ruth to follow her sister-in-law, Orpah, in staying in Moab. Everything in Moab was very familiar. Why rock the boat, why go to a new land with a completely different culture and customs to worship a God whom you don't even really know?

But Ruth did it. She determined to follow Naomi back to Bethlehem. I'm sure she had her share of things to "wrestle through" about her new life and new God when she got there, but she was rewarded for her efforts. God provided exceedingly abundantly above what Ruth could have asked or thought. She became the mother of Obed, who was the father of Jesse, who was the father of David. And our Lord Jesus came from David's line. A Savior was provided to release us from our bondage to sin all because of God's sovereignty and a Moabite woman who was determined to "wrestle it through" and go on in obedience with her Lord.

Lord, I pray, let me be like Ruth, a woman who obeyed You in true faith and reaped the fruit of righteousness because of it.

But Ruth said: "Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you; for wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge, your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. Where you die, I will die and there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me." Ruth 1:16, 17

Shot in the Arm

The past seven years we have been blessed to attend a homeschool conference every spring. These conferences give Matt and I the "shot in the arm" we need to continue "pressing on" down the path the Lord has chosen for our family.

This year in particular, I was at an all time emotional low in regards to homeschooling before we attended the conference. Sometimes the amount of work this lifestyle requires doesn't seem worth it. This year at the conference, the Lord once again reminded me of the eternal purposes He has in mind for our family through homeschooling. It was just what I needed.

Matt had the opportunity to ask the keynote speaker of the conference, Dr. Voddie Baucham, one of his ever-gnawing theological questions. I was able to purchase one of Dr. Baucham's books and have him sign it for me, so I was pleased.

Paul lusted after a replica of William Wallace's sword all weekend long. Every time we entered the vendor hall, he went straight to the thing to look at it and pull it out of it's scabbard. Paul was convinced he had enough money saved to cover the cost. The sword was taller than he is, but he really, really wanted it. My feminine hormones prevented me from understanding the attraction, but the man at the booth said he completely understood. He had purchased one of the swords for himself as soon as the company started selling them. Matt confirmed that yes, men are naturally attracted to weaponry. "Who wouldn't want a sword?" I convinced Paul to settle for the original Boy Scout Handbook instead. I told him we'd consider purchasing the sword for him in a couple of years. Mommies--they just don't get it.

Overall, the littles did much better than I had expected, even during the long car rides to and from the conference. However, we were all very happy to be in our own beds last night. Something about home--absence does make the heart grow fonder.

Another Opportunity to Give Thanks

Five years ago, Matt and I experienced a faith crisis. It was an all out spiritual battle and it shook us to the very core of our beings. We had a decision to make. Compromise our faith in Christ and His Word, or cling to Christ alone, the Word alone. We chose the latter, but not without lots of tears, prayer and seeking out of wise godly counsel.

In one instance, the Lord provided us some wise counsel in a miraculous way. Matt and I attended a Christian Bible conference in the Fall of that year. We were in the throws of our "faith crisis." I prayed the entire weekend that we would be able to speak with one of the conference speakers about our situation. The conference ended without such an opportunity, but God had other plans. The next morning at breakfast in our hotel, Matt and I spotted two of the conference speakers and their wives eating together. We interrupted their meal and asked if they would mind talking to us for a bit after they finished eating. They gladly agreed.

The six of us went into a conference room. Matt and I told them everything. All of the pain we had been experiencing in the past weeks came pouring out. The four of them bathed us with prayer and the Word. They emboldened us to go home and do what we knew the Lord wanted us to do. What a gift. Instead of rushing off to get home, these two couples, whom we didn't even know, took the time to shepherd a shaking-in-their boots scared young couple. It was something Matt and I will never forget.

A couple of months ago, the brochure for the homeschool conference arrived in our mail box. We were thrilled to see that one of the men who counseled us that day five years ago would be a speaker at the conference this year. We began to pray that the Lord would allow us to attend the conference so that we could thank the man. This past weekend we did attend the conference. God did give us the opportunity to thank both the man and his wife, who was also in attendance.

They remembered us. We introduced them to each of the kids. We told them that the faith crisis we had five years ago had actually been a great blessing to us. Because of that experience, we had a proper understanding of the perfectness of God's Word. The Bible is without error and it is as relevant today as it was in Moses' day. We told them that our lives have taken a completely different path because of that experience. We thanked them for taking the time to pray with us that day. The wife said, "You know, that's the way trials are, you'd never ask for them, but they bring the most beautiful blessings." How true.

Only the Living God is capable of transforming trials into blessings. We do indeed serve a wonderfully awesome and merciful God in this grand adventure called life.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

Would You Say That Under Oath?

This past Saturday evening Lydia stepped on an old rusty nail during a home remodeling project. The nail went right through her shoe. We made a trip to the urgent care place and they gave us instructions to call her pediatrician on Monday.

Monday morning I called the doctor's office and the doctor said he wanted Lydia to have a tetanus booster. As a reward for being a brave girl, I gave Lydia the choice of either a donut or a cookie from one of the bakeries in town. She chose donuts, so I bought enough for everybody.

This morning before we were up and going, Joel discovered the box of leftover donuts on the dining room table (we had forgotten to put it away last night). Paul found Joel devouring a chocolate covered donut and asked him, "Who said you could have that?"

"Mommy," Joel mumbled through his mouthful of chocolately goodness. I'm not sure that answer would hold up in court.

Signs of Spring

Paul found a robin's egg in the yard yesterday. It was beautiful--a perfect little specimen of God's handiwork. (I'm pretty partial to robin's eggs--they're my most favorite color in the whole wide world.) All the kids took turns holding the egg. Elizabeth got the idea of putting it in the old bird's nest the kids found last Fall. She retrieved it from the furnace room downstairs, brought it outside, put the little egg in it and placed it in the sun "to keep it warm."
I burst everyone's bubbles when I informed them that the egg wouldn't hatch if it wasn't with its mother. Then Paul spotted a robin on the lawn and set out to catch it. I believe he had high hopes of introducing a potential adoptive mother to the wee little egg.

All day long the egg was picked up, admired, passed around, shown off the Grandma--and then, they let Joel hold it. My mom came in the house to inform me that there had been an accident and Joel was covered in robin's egg. I thought, "How bad could it be?" Well, he really was covered.

"Chick egg. Chick egg. Chick egg," Joel said when I saw him. "No it wasn't a chicken egg, son." I stripped off his clothes for the second time that day (the first time being when he finger painted his church clothes with semi-gloss house paint).

Clean Up

We moved our couch today. Here's what we discovered underneath it. Amongst the items found, my long lost bench scraper and salad tosser, a clay pigeon thrower and a box of aluminum foil. I wondered how the kids were able to pick up the living room so quickly.

Beautiful Day

I've never much enjoyed being in the great outdoors, but today was an absolutely gorgeous day here and I couldn't help but be outside. Sunny, no wind, temperatures in the sixties. The kids and I heard a loud humming noise in our backyard. On closer inspection, we found that one of the trees was covered with bumble bees busily doing their God-given work. We all crowded around the low branches of the tree to observe them. We were so close that we were able to see that some of the bees had their back legs full of pollen. The kids and I even got to partake of another chapter of The Swiss Family Robinson together in the shade. This was a day the Lord made and we rejoiced and were glad in it.

You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you. Neh. 9:6

True or False Quiz

1. Today Lydia and I went to our Wednesday morning Bible study and on the way home, the car got a flat tire. I called Matt, but he was too busy to help, so Lydia and I changed the tire ourselves and then drove home.
2. Today I took Jude to the doctor to get his ears checked, then I took the kids to Goodwill, then my kids acted in a Microsoft commercial, then we ate lunch at McDonald’s.

Answers:

1. false
2. true

I was supposed to go to Bible study this morning, but since my babysitter couldn’t make it and I wasn’t able to find someone else, I didn’t go. I then decided that getting up five times per night with Jude for the past three nights might indicate that he has another ear infection, so I called and made an appointment for Jude to see the pediatrician late in the morning.

I took all of the kids with me to the appointment. While there, we ran into my sister-in-law and her seven kids. We decided to meet for lunch, but first she had to make a couple of stops and Jude still needed his ears checked. Then we all met up again at Goodwill and she took her kids to be in a Microsoft commercial. (My brother-in-law had arranged for their kids to do this.) My sister-in-law then called me at Goodwill from the place where they were filming the commercial and said they could use some more kids. Would my kids like to be in the Microsoft commercial? I agreed as long as it wouldn’t take too long—it was noon and my kids still hadn’t eaten lunch.

Well, all told it didn’t take very long (about 45 minutes) to film the kids and then we all headed to McDonald’s where we spent the kids' gift certificates that they have been dying to use since they received them for Christmas.

It was quite a day, though not at all the day I had planned. However, despite all the activities mentioned above, we still managed to fit in school work and dinner with Matt’s 95 (soon to be 96) year-old Grandmother. I’m sure we’ll all sleep well tonight (with the exception of Jude and me as Jude does indeed have another ear infection—poor little—umm—BIG guy. Jude now weighs almost 24 lbs!)

The commercial isn’t quite as exciting as it sounds at first blush. We found out that it will just be on Microsoft’s hiring webpage. But the kids still had a great time. Here’s a picture of the crew.

He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!

"For He is not here; He has risen, just as He said." Matt.28:6

Celebrating the Empty Tomb

This afternoon the kids and I will be making these Resurrection Rolls to celebrate the fact that Jesus rose from the dead. Praise be to God!


RESURRECTION ROLLS

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.

Ingredients:
Crescent rolls
Melted butter
Large marshmallows
Cinnamon
Sugar

Give each child a triangle of crescent rolls. The crescent roll represents the cloth that Jesus was wrapped in.

Read Matthew 27:57-61

1. Give each child a marshmallow. This represents Jesus.
2. Have him/her dip the marshmallow in melted butter. This represents the oils of embalming.
3. Now dip the buttered marshmallow in the cinnamon and sugar which represents the spices used to anoint the body.
4. Then wrap up the coated marshmallow tightly in the crescent roll (not like a typical crescent roll up, but bring the sides up and seal the marshmallow inside.) This represents the wrapping of Jesus' body after death.
5. Place in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. (The oven represents the tomb - pretend like it was three days!)
6. Let the rolls cool slightly. The children can open their rolls (cloth) and discover that Jesus is no longer there, HE IS RISEN!!!! (The marshmallow melts and the crescent roll is puffed up, but empty.)

Now read Matthew 28:5-8

Explain: At the tomb, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary saw an angel, who told them not to be afraid. No one had taken Jesus' body, but He Had risen from the dead! The angel told the women to go and tell the disciples what they had seen, that Jesus had risen from the dead. They were so excited, they ran all the way home to tell the disciples the good news! He is risen from the dead! Alleluia!

After that Jesus appeared in person to Peter, then to the 12 disciples and after that, to more than 500 people. Jesus' appearance to eyewitnesses, those who saw Him with their own eyes, would give support and prove that Jesus rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:3-6).

By rising from the dead, Jesus proved once and for all that He was the Messiah, the Savior of the World, the Chosen One, and the Lamb of God. By dying on the cross and rising from the dead, Jesus did what no other had ever done before. As both God and man, He overcame sin, death, and hell. And now because of what Jesus has done, these things no longer have any power over those who believe in Jesus and allow His Spirit to lead and direct them. Rather than being slaves to sin and death, Christians ( those who love and believe in Jesus) are free to obey God and do good ( Romans 6:17-18). The Bible says in John 8:36, "If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed."

However, we will only obey God if we listen to the Holy Spirit our helper. He enables believers in Jesus to do the right thing. It is important that we read the Bible (God's Word) because one of the ways the Holy Spirit helps us obey God is by reminding us of what He says to us in His Word. God's Spirit will never go against his Word. In fact, when we read God's Word, we are listening to the Holy Spirit. Of course, you won't always do the right thing; the Bible says this ) 1 John 1:5-10). But that is why we need to continue to confess our sins knowing that God forgives us, based on what Jesus did on the cross. This is also a reason we need to spend time with other believers in Christ so they can encourage us in our faith.

May you have a blessed and meaningful Easter!

- Author Unknown -

Passover Lamb

Last night we enjoyed a Seder meal, commemorating our Passover Lamb, Jesus Christ. It was a beautiful evening of remembering God's work and fellowshipping with close friends. Joel savored every last one of his chocolate coins and our little friend Lian found the Afikomen, thus winning the prize.



(Today Joel absconded with Lydia's chocolate coins--we found the evidence under the dining room table.)

All Tuckered Out

Today after lunch Joel, aka "Daniel Boone," crashed and burned on the family room floor . . .

Thanks Where Thanks is Due

This morning Joel and I delivered flowers and a card of thanks to the doctor who treated Joel after he broke his femur one year ago. We included these two pictures in the card.

I showed Joel the one of him in the cast, but I couldn't tell if he remembered being in that cast (for 7 weeks!). We're so thankful that Joel recovered full use of his leg within a month of the removal of his cast. We're grateful to God we live in a country where his injury was able to be properly treated.

Now one of our main goals in parenting Joel is to keep him from breaking any other bones. Just last night I caught him standing on the arm of the swiveling computer chair. Boys!

Amended Rule

In addition to the "no golfing next to the house" rule, we have instituted a no walking on the new sod rule. The landscaper who covered the new drain field in sod made it explicitly clear that no one should be on the sod for two weeks. Now that rule will have to be amended to include cows because a pair of them stomped all over the new sod this afternoon after escaping the neighbor's pasture.

Remembering God's Work

Yesterday as I sat in worship I was flooded with memories of three years ago. I had a miscarriage the Monday of Holy Week that year. Matt and I were devastated. The doctor told me to go home and take it easy--no hosting the big Seder dinner we had planned. Easter Sunday was not in the least bit joyful. Yes, I knew that Christ's work on the Cross was completed. He died, was buried and rose again on the third day. But my baby was dead and I was engulfed in sadness.

As I reflected on all of this yesterday, I came to a deeper understanding of what happened three years ago. Since the Fall of Adam and Eve, the human race has been mired in sin. My body doesn't function to its optimum ability as God originally intended that it should. Instead, my body is a "body of death" (Rom. 7:24) wracked by sickness, disease, even miscarriage. But Christ came to redeem the human race from sin, which is death. All those who look to Jesus will be saved--by faith alone, through grace alone.

My baby is in Heaven. And I can say, like David did when he lost his infant son, that I will see him again (2 Sam 12:22,23). My baby has bypassed this world of sin and has gone straight to Jesus. Praise God for His mercy among men!

As we sang "Lamb of God" yesterday in worship, I was reminded anew of what my focus should be this Holy Week. Not on all the busy-ness and obligations, but on the Passover Lamb, who died and rose again for me and for the wee one Matt and I lost. We've been bought with a price, the precious blood of Jesus. Thanks be to God!

LAMB OF GOD by Twila Paris

Your only Son
No sin to hide
But You have sent Him,
From Your side
To walk upon this guilty sod
And to become the Lamb of God

Your gift of Love
They crucified
They laughed and scorned him as he died
The humble King
They named a fraud
And sacrificed the Lamb of God

Chorus:
Oh Lamb of God, Sweet lamb of God
I love the Holy Lamb of God
Oh wash me in His precious Blood
My Jesus Christ the Lamb of God

I was so lost I should have died
But You have brought me to Your side
To be led by Your staff and rod
And to be called a lamb of God

Chorus
Oh Lamb of God, Sweet lamb of God
I love the Holy Lamb of God
Oh wash me in His precious Blood
My Jesus Christ the Lamb of God

Lydia's Favorite Songs

Lydia consistently chooses the same two songs for us to sing as a family during Bible time.

1. "Little Ones" (Jesus Loves Me)
2. "Tis of Vee--You know, where the fathers die." (My Country Tis of Thee)

New Rule

No golfing next to the house.

My Week

This past week as a single mom, in addition to my normal duties and a few spring cleaning projects, I have:

*Cleaned the ginormous throw up mess of a 2 yr. old boy off of said boy and out of the many cracks and crevices of his car seat.

*Cleaned up a diaper explosion that went beyond just the clothing of above said boy to the family room carpet (right by where the baby was playing).

*Avoided a collision with a car that illegally turned onto a 70 mph interstate and crossed three lanes of traffic in order to exit the highway--right in front of me (Thank the Lord, I didn't have any of the kids).

*Hosted a four (out of the 5) night camp out in my bedroom for 4 of the 6 kids in order to assuage night time fears of the Boogie Man. One night I nursed the baby, while cuddling the other little boy, while reading a book with a small LED light (so as not to wake the others)--how's that for multi-tasking?

And after a week like this one, I plan on getting a nice, hot, long, solitary bath and maybe even a date with my hubby--or both! (But tonight we'll celebrate Daddy being home with a nicely set table, an Asian dinner, an extra chocolately cake and lots of hugs and kisses.)

Quotable Quotes

Elizabeth about Jude: "He's named after an ice cream sandwich." (For the uninitiated--"Fat Boy")

Elizabeth to Daddy: "Have you asked Mrs. H if I can help in the nursery [at church] yet?"
Grace: "Elizabeth, she already said, 'no.' "
Elizabeth (with hands on hips): "That was when I was 9 [in Dec.], now I'm 10!"

Grace to Lydia: "Everything belongs to God. He gives us things to take care of and we are just borrowing them from Him."
Lydia: "Well, I guess I need to borrow [my favorite] blanket from Him for a while longer."

Mommy to Joel: "Joel, you come back inside right now. You're not allowed to be outside by yourself."
Joel (head hanging): "Awwww, Mom!"

Mommy to Paul: "I think you may have gotten that junk that's going around."
Paul: "You mean. . . 'the fly?' "