Just Passing It On

With all of the rubbish you find on the world wide web, it is always nice to be able to pass on something that is helpful. I recently began using my laptop for my quiet time journal, and now Bible reading. I thought I would never give up my fancy journals and pens – but it is so much more practical to keep one place for everything. I can cut and paste verses and quotes into my to-do list (I think I got that idea from Carolyn Mahaney, but i’m not sure). Or if I’m e-mailing somebody, I can insert scripture more readily to encourage that individual. This year I am using D.A. Carson’s For the Love of God companion book in order to read through the Bible in a year. I am loving this! He uses the M’Cheyenne schedule of reading. I found the ESV online has the M’Cheyenne readings here. I put it in my favorites and go there each morning. I never thought I would be able to read my Bible on a computer screen, but I’ve adjusted, and love being able to cut and paste sections of scripture into my journal for the day. Just thought I’d pass it along, I’m sure many of you already know about it.

Also, I just subrscribed to bloglines. By subscribing to various blog feeds I am able to check my blogs much faster because bloglines tells me which ones have been updated. So now I’m not checking my favorite blog each day to see if they posted, bloglines does that for me. It’s hard to explain, just go there, and trust me it will save you time on your blog reading. I also find myself spending measured time on blogs rather than clicking aimlessly here and there. I know some of you already use this and if you can explain it better, please do so in my comment box.

Homeschool Day At Six Flags

What makes homeschool day different from other days at Six Flags? What other day do you see more yamikas and Mennonite head coverings than baseball caps? What other day do I feel like we have a relatively small family? What day at the amusement park do you see more ankle length denim skirts than bikini clad teenagers? While we’re on the topic of homeschool fashion, let me just say that I have never seen more color coordinated families in my life donning t-shirts saying things like
(Bev, where’s yours? )
Only at homeschool day would such things happen! All this to say, we had a fantastic time! We will do it again next year, Lord willing!





BTW, how do you spell yamika? (hey, I wasn’t homeschooled, what can I say?)

The Rock In My Kitchen

There is a rock gushing with water in my kitchen today. Actually, it is in every room of my home, in my mini van, even at Target, the library, and the doctor’s office. I was reminded of this rock reading Psalm 73 this morning. In verses 19-20 Asaph is telling a younger generation about the wickedness of their forefathers when they questioned the more-than-proven power of God to provide for them. 19 They spoke against God, saying,
“Can God spread a table in the wilderness?20 He struck the rock so that water gushed out and streams overflowed.

It is easy to look at the Israelites and think, “how could they…” And yet if I am honest, I struggle with the very same unbelief. Do I really believe that God has provided everything I need to live for His glory? Do I believe that God is able to change me, and my children to look more like Jesus? Do I believe that all that my heart craves can really be satisfied in Him? I say with man in Mark 9:24 “I believe, help my unbelief.”

The hope for the Israelites and for me is found later in the psalm. Verse 35 says, they remembered that God was their rock. The Rock of my salvation is Jesus. Because He was struck, on the cross, living water flows to me. It cleanses me from my sin. It satisfies my thirst. I want to go there all day long. I want to bring my children there. I want to bring others I am in contact with there.

God, please help me to remember the Rock gushing with living water today whether it is at a table in the wilderness, or the table in the homeschool room.

Primo Piper

If you haven’t read his book, When I Don’t Desire God: How To Fight For Joy, you might consider listening to a series John Piper taught on the the same subject back in April. For whatever reason I can’t get the archives to pull part one, but this link is for part two. You can find the parts at Desiring God Ministries Radio in the archives section.

I highly recommend this book. It is one of my all time favorite Piper books (very readable!). But, if you have small children at home, don’t prefer reading, or just don’t have the time to read…consider listening to these teachings online instead.

Topsy Turvy Take Two

I attempted the topsy turvy cake for Abby’s surprise party yesterday. This time I didn’t cover the entire cake in fondant because buttercream tastes better. But still, the fondant would have given a much smoother finish to the cake. I found a recipe for fondant that some people at the party actually liked. That makes it much less expensive to make these cakes as well. I used it for the bow and accent pieces.(Sorry the picture is fuzzy. I don’t know why that happened!)

Briana’s Comment

I wanted to publish the comment Briana left on my last post. It is evidence of the beautiful work of grace I have witnessed in my dear friend’s life.

Laurie,
Thanks for posting this. How true this is, and while my faith falters (you are well acquainted with what that looks like for me), I do stand back at times amazed at the good work God’s doing in me and those around me through Judah’s suffering.
A while back I came across this quote from Spurgeon. It was short enough to remember, and its truth has never been more felt than in the last several days:
“Happy is the suffering that loosens our grip on earth.”

When we came back from the opthamologist on Wednesday night and began to grow more acquainted with the intensity these last couple days were going to hold for us, I went to my book shelf and pulled out, “In Light of Eternity”.

It is clear that God has written eternity on our hearts. It is what we long for, and one of my prayers is that those who encounter us at Hopkins will get a taste of the longing in their own hearts for God and for Heaven by interacting with us.

Bri, we will all be praying for you. Thank you for your example to us all.

You Give And Take Away

This week Jason and I have been eyewitness observers of an extraordinary range of life experiences. Tuesday we visited our friends the Brittons who just had their first baby, a beautiful little boy named William. This Saturday we will attend the wedding of two young people from our church. On the other end of the spectrum, yesterday we went to a memorial service for a young man who died tragically last week. We also have been praying for our dear friends the Almengors who have been practically living at the hospital with their baby, Judah, due to unexpected elevated pressure on his optic nerve, causing a great deal of frustrating uncertainty as to why this is happening, and how to treat it.

On the car ride between the memorial service and luncheon that followed, Jason and I were talking about the amazing fact that the joy of gifts like a child or a spouse, and the pain of severe trial like death or disease can have the same end: greater longing for God in Heaven. If we receive gifts and blessings and fall in love with the blessing itself, not looking to the hand of Love from which they come, we are more tied to this earth. Gifts are intended to increase our affection for the Giver, and thus increase our longing for Him. The ultimate blessing will be an eternity in His presence in Heaven. All of the good things we encounter here on earth are mere foretastes of what awaits us in Heaven.

Pain and suffering also potentially create a longing for God. This world is fallen and full of trouble. Tragic events like the pain of losing a beloved son remind us that we are not home. We long for a better place where there will be no more tears of sorrow. We long for Heaven, not just from the relief of suffering, but for the joy of living in God’s presence. Trials and suffering wean us from this world, and help us to long for our true home: Heaven where the Prince of Glory dwells.

I am well acquainted with the blessings of life. I pray that I will remember the Giver of the gift, and grow in love and longing for Him. Profound suffering is still foreign to me. Yet I know that if I live long enough, hardship will come my way. I pray I will be like Sandy and Sal Barranco, Lawrence and Briana Almengor, and so many others I have watched long for God more in the midst of suffering. May our hearts echo what we sang at Tim’s memorial service yesterday:

You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name.

Have More Courage

This little commercial is so clever, I had to pass it on. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did. (it might take a minute to get going. It’s a white blank screen for a few seconds, then the video begins)

My Favorite Mother

I find myself putting her at the center of my life. I go to great lengths to see that she is comfortable and her life as easy as possible. When someone exposes her sin, I sometimes make her feel better by comparing her with others, or making an excuse for why she did what she did. I think she should be revered at times, even though she proves herself unworthy so often. Who is this mother I love most…ME, of course!

I don’t want to love myself so much. Life goes spiraling out of control when I try to be at the center of it. Selfishness makes wife and motherhood a virtual impossibility. Yet I find the battle for my heart to be always raging.

Many times I begin my day with prayers such as, “O God, please help me to live for You today. Help me to love Your glory more than anything else. Satisfy my soul in You that I might not look for inferior things to indulge myself with.” Then it happens. Life begins. One of the children wakes up early and my quiet time (you know, the time when I’m praying to die to myself, and live for God’s glory) gets interrupted, and immediately I am confronted with the choice between living for my favorite mother, or living for the glory of God.

It is here, in the minutia of life, that I choose whom to live for everyday. Augustine said, “Every moment in every circumstance, we stand on the brink between the lure of idolatry and the delight of seeing and knowing God.” In circumstances such as, overhearing the children arguing in the basement I can either serve the idol of comfort and pretend I don’t hear anything, or see that God is in this opportunity and I (and my children) have a chance to know Him better because of it. It means that when my husband goes to play golf this afternoon, I either worship the idol of me, and make him feel he owes me something because he was gone for so long, or I find my delight in God and release him to enjoy the time with his friends. It means that choosing things that at times confront the “golden me” like doing the laundry, training the children, making my husband’s favorite dinner, can be opportunities to enjoy seeing and knowing God more.

How is this possible? I know that the One who is truly at the center of the entire universe, the giver and sustainer of life, the only glorious One, came to earth in the form of a man. “and being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Phil. 2:8-11 Because of His death on the cross, I am now set free to worship Him with my life, and love others instead of myself.

Today, in the so-called minutia of life, I will stand on that brink between idolatry and the delight of seeing and knowing God. May I choose over and over to dive into that for which I was created: the joy of living for God’s glory alone.

My Mother In Law

She loved him first. She loves him deeply. She is my mother in law.

I can’t say how many times I have thanked God for the faithfulness of this godly mother. Every time I see her influence in my husband’s life I truly have heart felt gratitude for Debbie Reyes.

In His sovereignty, God graciously used the example and training of his mother (and father, but hey…we’re talking moms right now) to lead my husband to Christ at an early age, and train him in the way he should go. He was raised in a godly environment from birth, and claims to have been born on Saturday, in church on Sunday. His love for the church, and passion for God are the continuing legacy that started many generations ago, passed on to him by his parents.

I have undoubtedly, the best husband I personally know of – don’t roll your eyes – it’s true! I attribute this to God’s grace at work through the influence of Jason’s mother. There are some things that I directly see evidence of Debbie’s influence on the leader of our home.

I am grateful that Debbie taught my husband how to communicate with a woman. He never gives the one word answer or grunt as is so often portrayed in male stereotypes. He gives details, he asks questions. I know he learned this through consistent communication with his mother.

I am grateful that Debbie taught my husband how to be a gentleman. He always holds the door open, and pulls out the chair. He doesn’t miss an opportunity to express gratitude for any way that I serve him. He keeps my gas tank full so that I don’t have to pump gas. He carries in the groceries if he’s around when we go shopping. He brings home flowers spontaneously, and goes antiquing with me (his love for history helps us here, but still his mother has always loved antiques).

More than what she has taught Jason with regard to how to “treat a girl”, is what he has learned from her by example and training spiritually. I am grateful that:

Jason is tender hearted, like his mother.
Jason seeks God daily through His Word and prayer, like his mother.
Jason is a servant, like his mother.
Jason works hard, like his mother.
Jason loves excellence, like his mother.

My husband has learned much through the faithful example and training of his mother. I am blessed to be learning from her as well. How kind of God to provide another amazing example of a Titus 2 woman in my life. What a privilege it is to have lengthy conversations of great depth with my mother in law. What a blessing to observe up close her walk with the Lord. She is an amazing lady, and I am truly grateful for her.

I love and respect you so much, Debbie.

Happy Mother’s Day