Our God is out of the box.......

Austrian pastry and chocolate----yummmmmmmm!

"Mom, I am so glad our God is out of the box!"

"What do you mean, honey?"

"Well, some moms seem like they are always sad and ready to say no and that God is a law to be obeyed and a rule to be kept."

"But, our God is out of the box--we can't even contain Him--he made chile peppers to spice up Mexican food, puppies for cuddling and laughing at, chocolate to melt in your mouth, stars to camp under and shiver in the cold mountain air together, Celtic music to dance to, you know; feasting and talking around our table--sharing great stories by firelight---all the things that make us happy and give scope to our lives. Those things that give us hope in the hard times."

"That's what I mean--he is out of the box, unpredictable and created a lot of stuff and color just to give us joy.That's the only kind of God I would want to worship!"

"I think those kids who grow up in a "rules" home but don't have much fun,  won't want to follow a God like that."

This, a famous conversation with one of my children when we were brewing a cup of tea in the kitchen--and it was a boy! :)

And so, this graduation weekend, for my sweet Joy, we are feasting, celebrating with friends, and pouring words of love and beauty into her life, and enjoying all the beautiful things God made for us to enjoy--before we send her out in the world to live her story for the Lord.

Our God is indeed out of the box--and by the way, calories can't even be measured or felt  on feast days, when we celebrate life--they all disappear!

That's the only kind of God I would want to worship!"

By the way, Happy Birthday, Rachael!

Love starved

Charles W. Bartlett

An aching, longing pulses beneath, where no one can see. As the body requires food to stay alive, so the depths of a child hungers for love in order to stay alive. Love that embraces, validates, affirms, whispers, "Just as you are, I adore you. You delight me. I think about you, I cherish the day your were born. You are my beloved and always will be, no matter what."

Each of us was crafted with soul container that would be filled with love. Though no one can see from the outside whether ours is empty, desolate or full to overflowing, each of us has the capacity to fill up another's cavern with words, touch, sacrifice, generous gifts. When full, we are most likely to understand and worship God.

Without that filling, we will search for it all of our lives, even in the wrong places--places that promise to give love and fill hearts, but steal and destroy instead.

But a mother's love is the most constant resource of God's love that can sustain, strengthen, heal and restore a child.

Over 500 times, He speaks to us of love.....

God is love.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

The love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

If you have not love, you have become a noisy gong or a clanging symbol.

They will know you are my disciples by your love for one another.

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

Let us remember,

Love moves, inspires, shapes the dreams, gives hope, holds us for eternity--for heaven.

Every child, every grown child, needs, exists well when love is given.

It is our heritage, our duty, our service of gratitude. Love keeps us alive.

When we by faith invest love in others, our own souls become full of His love--we pour out, He pours in.

Why do I focus on God's love and grace so much? Because Love is the source of all life, it is Him reincarnated through us. Love fuels faith and hope and inspires to overcome..

I have read the introductions to two books this week. Two grown men, famous in their own arenas. Both wrote of the anger of their father, that still stings, still holds them in bondage, still darkens the memory of childhood soul. It ought not to be the legacy we leave.

Love covers a multitude of sin. it is to a man's honor to overlook a sin. Love is the perfect bond of unity.

And so I speak of love--the acting out of love which brings light to darkness, satisfaction to a starving heart, comfort to a lonely soul, sympathy to hurt feelings, Love never fails. May our love muscles grow stronger and stronger until we see Him, Love incarnate, face to face.

If only I didn't have any children.......

I could get so much more done--I could spend hours upon hours writing books and articles and blogs about how to raise great children. :) Consequently, I may never actually get to writing all the answers to the questions all of you posted, because you see, the lives of my children keep me so busy.

In the past 24 hours, I took Joy to work and picked her up twice (4 trips--can't wait till the license is finalized in 3 weeks!)

Spent 2 1/2 hours grocery shopping and gathering food and then an hour and half putting it all away as there was some straightening that needed to be done! (cleaning out the fridge and freezer)

Throwing old flowers away and cutting, arranging and putting new flowers all around my house to celebrate the kids being home, making it beautiful and to honor  Joy  and Joel graduating.

Had lunch with Joel who just came home, to rehash all that is happening and has happened.

Driving Joy to her auditions for a new play.

Made 5  different meals (two breakfasts for those who got up at different times!) one by candlelight for everyone!

Unpacked my bags

Wrote a recommendation for a Christian camp and request for a scholarship another child is seeking, filling out forms for classes in the University for the fall for Joy as she begins in a couple of months.

Gave a half-hour phone interview recommendation for a job for one of my children

Addressed graduation announcements with 2 different children;

Spent three different half hours talking in the bedrooms of my children who needed counsel and "Mom alone" time

Spent 2 different times with Clay  morning and evening, planning ministry stuff and talking about our children (an hour apiece)

Attended a graduation practice for 2 1/2 hours for our homeschool group (40 kids).........

not to mention emails, phone calls, graduation gifts to buy, ministry correspondence............

and that is just since yesterday at 4:00.

As I said, I could get a whole lot done if I just didn't have children and a family to care for--but then I would have nothing to write about if I did have time.  And I would be oh so very lonely and bored.

Off to make myself a cup of tea. Make dinner, ............. Grace to you today.

Over my head--hiding from everyone else!

Kirschenessen

I am way over my head. More to do than I can do. More people to write than I am able. More phone calls. More tasks. More expectations than I am able to meet. I am only one person. I cannot cope with all that is on my plate.

What does God require of me today?

"I am humble and meek, learn from me." Jesus

"Unless we become like children, we cannot enter into the kingdom of God."

Perhaps God would have me rest in this day that He has made, delight in the moments He has given. Live with my limitations. Know my fragility, His strength. Admit my frailty, live in His compassion and mercy. Acknowledge my failures while living in His redeeming, generous love.

God is opposed to the proud and gives grace to the humble.

Today, early this morning, I have found rest and peace in the midst of my flurry--my warm tea, the dancing piano notes soothing my weariness, the tiny green aspen leaves budding outside my window, and crawling up into the arms of my Father seeking peace. Only as I live in Him will I find peace today. I will seek to stay here as I go about my business.

The meek man will attain a place of soul rest. As he walks on in meekness he will be happy to let God defend him. The old struggle to defend himself is over. He has found the peace which meekness brings.-- A.W. Tozer

We don't have much money, but we always live life well......

Today, in the taxi to the airport in Boston, we drove with a very sweet man from the Dominican Republic. I work hard in America to support my family. I have 7 children. But maybe life is really better in the Dominican Republic. It is beautiful and splendid and colorful and fresh, and I can watch the sun rise and spread over the land. I always have a friend or someone from my family who will live and enjoy life with me, just to spend life together. We may not have much to eat, but we really live and celebrate life.

Seems in America, you have lots of stuff, but you always work, come home watch tv, go to bed and then the same thing all over again. You never have time to live and enjoy life... Just thinking out-loud, he said, as he smiled and opened my door.

And now, I am just thinking...........

Mothers--Divinely created to cultivate and preserve civility throughout history

 

Sarah, Nathan, Joy and Joel--The tools God used to teach me everything I know about motherhood.

“Children do not accidentally become righteous leaders or emotionally healthy and productive adults – any more than seeds thrown randomly to the wind grow to be part of a thriving, beautiful garden.

Someone needs to take responsibility for their nurture, protection, nourishment, intellectual development, manners, recreation, personal needs, and spiritual development. Someone needs to commit time and energy into staying close to them as they grow, encouraging, loving, correcting and teaching.

God designed mothers with a capacity to call forth all that is great, excellent, true, pure and  righteous in a child's heart and to cast a vision for their children to bring these virtues about in their own lives, and in their generation. When I woman embraces her design and call by God, there will always be hope for each generation.”

- Sally Clarkson

May God bless each of you today with affirmation and the deep significance of your calling. And may He give you rest, love, pleasure and joy. Happy Mother's Day!

Accept your very own puzzle

See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Matthew 6:28-29

Women can be so prone to worry and fuss and be uptight, as least this woman can be. I wish at a much earlier age I had just learned to chill more, to dance more (thus Dancing with My Father), to stop and smell the flowers. Each of us has been given a different puzzle--different circumstances, differing gifts, personalities, children, husband or lack there of, family. I wish I had not been such a people pleaser, trying to live up to the expectations of others--my family, my critics, my peers. My family  puzzle just did not fit into the pattern of other's expectations and so trying to live up to these impossible standards was impossible. I wish I had accepted that at the very first instead of fretting about things I could not change.

Some of the cards we have been dealt are pleasing and some just drive us crazy. But I have often said to my children, "You might as well decide to like God's will because it is not going to change and you have to find peace within it."

But the reason I think we often struggle with His will is because we find ourselves and our circumstances unacceptable or embarrassing or less than perfect. I remember praying about a certain child and some issues in our family one day and I came across, "Fret not, it leads only to evil doing."

So that is what I was doing--fretting. Fretting is a waste of time and it does not bring grace, peace or love into a circumstance.

One really doesn't find peace until she relinquishes a tight grasp on her rights, her disappointed expectations of life and people, and learns to rest in the place where she finds herself.

God loves us and cherishes us as we are, warts and all. He died because we could not get it all together. He sees our flaws and still loves us. We must learn to love ourselves and find joy, thankfulness, acceptance with the place we are today. I love David Wilkerson and have been greatly encouraged by him over the years. He was in an automobile accident recently and died but is now in the presence of His precious Lord. He wrote these words,

God's ultimate goal for all his children is abundant life. He never intended that we go through life focused on our sins and failures. The good news is that we serve a God of absolute love—a God of mercies who desires to bring his beloved ones into a place high above all turmoil. But we cannot take our place, seated with Christ in the heavenlies, until we are fully identified with his death and resurrection. David Wilkerson

To have peace and rest with our puzzle, we must die to ourselves, our failures, our expectations and hold our hands as a toddler holds their little arms up to his  Father and say, "I need you. I need your love, grace, joy, peace today. Without you, I am not able to experience rest in my heart. Help me to see your presence in this place in time, these circumstances, within my own limitations. Open my eyes to beauty, to your fingerprints personally around me today. "

As  his own beloved child, He will welcome us into His arms and caress us with His love and soothe our restlessness and disease. He will whisper gently the secrets of a happy life, living it with Him holding our hand and giving us His perspective on our very own puzzle.

The peace and grace and favor of the Lord be with you this day.

On my way

Joel, graduating from Berklee School of Music, summa cum laude

On my way to Boston this morning to celebrate Joel's graduation. What a fun family celebration--just to all be together, chatting, eating, watching all the festivities. How sweet to taste the finish line in some areas of my life.

Never in one year of homeschooling did I finish all that I had set out to do. We moved 17 times, (6 times internationally); I had asthma, ear-infected children who were sinful, wanted to eat every day, and wear reasonably clean clothes.

Yet, it was the foundations that mattered--the day in day out devotions, chores, reading at least an hour a day outloud.

Joel wrote a very sweet dedication in his concert program to Clay and me.

"I want to thank my parents for building a wide scope of education, training, influence, strong relationships and a love for knowledge. It is because my soul is rich and deep and cultivated by their hands that I have achieved excellence in any way. Thank you for investing in me so personally to give me the foundations upon which to build my soul and to expand my mind and heart."

So today, know that it is the diligent hands, heart, words and works of mothers who will cultivate greatness in the hearts of normal children. May God bless you today to develop a wide vision and to have the integrity to be faithful in building great foundations.

How very grateful I am to see the grace of God having worked in our midst and to take the work of our hands and bring it to fruition. May all the glory be His.

My Girls make me laugh

A little tune, perhaps?

Sarah took Joy to Asheville, NC for a little trip as a part of a gift to her for her graduation present this year. The visit had to include a visit to the beautiful Biltmore Estate which was built by Vanderbilt. Sarah snapped drama queen Joy, (who is a source of constant laughter and fun for me),  at each of the statues along the way. They make me giggle so often.

Hhhumph!

Are you quite sure?????

Excuse me, do you need something?

I am most distressed and I'm not lion!

(This is the best! :))

What overwhelms you? Housekeeping for me!

Wonderful new ebook by Sarah Mae--just my style!

By personality, I am a dreamer, idealist, relational, philosophical sort of person. And yet none of this has helped me very much in keeping my home in order. But because I am an idealist, I feel compelled to keep a home that is beautiful in ambiance and a place of order--but keeping it going has always been a drainer for me.

I have had to learn to work with my own personality and with the reality of a daily active group of people in my home 365, 24 hours a day, who want to eat, live, make messes and wear relatively clean clothes! And I am supposed to be in charge of all of this!

Making a marriage with your own limitations and expectations will keep you from always feeling disappointed with yourself. But I have learned in so many areas, that I need the input from others to help me with ideas about how to do it all!

I have often said, a wise woman is someone who copies the model of many other wise women.

This is why I want to recommend this great new ebook by Sarah Mae,  31 Days to Clean, Having a Martha House in a Mary Way. What a great title, but also helpful and practical ideas. What I love is that this book deals with the heart of the matter as well as ways to see progress a little at a time.

I just love Sarah Mae. I am so blessed to call her my friend, kindred spirit and encourager. She has such a way with words and ideas. I know you will enjoy this book.

You can read more about it here: 31 Days to Clean!

But, please let me know. What details of life overwhelm you?

Mine--the constancy of messes and dishes that always need to be done again.

And not having enough time to call my own--always, always longing for this--that sneak away, sip your own cup of tea or coffee without anyone else disturbing you---time to read, be yourself, do whatever.