Overheard in an Orchard

Said the Robin to the Sparrow:
“I really should like to know
Why these anxious human beings
Rush about and worry so?”

Said the Sparrow to the Robin:
“Friend, I think that it must be
That they have no Heavenly Father
Such as cares for you and me.”

- Elizabeth Cheney

Anxiety, agitation, and apprehension. Like a circle unbroken I sometimes find myself trapped in this spinning existence. What does that reflect when I allow myself to be sucked into that kind of fretful swirl? Simply my lack of trust and reliance on the Lord.

To be perfectly at peace and at rest seems but a dream then.

Yet all the worrying has never made me a better wife, mother or person. It breaks the beauty of the day. It blinds me from simple joys. It cripples rather that strengthens my daily resolve to live for the Lord. And don't my children crave for more smiles when their mama discards her cheerful countenance and cloaks on foreboding thoughts instead?

So when I find myself fretting away (or mindlessly opening the freezer for more chocolate chips – they somehow go together unless it's that time of the month), I remember....I recall...I bring to mind who I worship....

I worship the God of peace.

Yes! Our God of peace can bless us with His peace; God's peace. And only the peace of God is worth pursuing. It starts when we let go of our anxieties and worries. And replace that “void” with the assurance that we can totally trust God.  Indeed we can! Meditating on His Word and communing with our Father help the process a lot...

So as I face the prospect of a new week...I'm going to let my mind come under His captivity. I'm going to live each moment and savor each experience with abandonment, under the shadow of His wing. I'm gonna fly! :)

Have a carefree week ahead, my friends.

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Its siren call can be a low buzz, a soft alluring voice, a steady beat or a pounding reminder of your unsatisfied needs.

Sin kills.

It wraps itself around your heart. It squeezes out the last drop of joy in you. It deadens your spirit.

Sin needs to be addressed.

And we can't do it alone. God is our refuge and help. He is our rock and strength. He forgives. He refreshes. But the noise of sin can be too loud. Too confusing.

We need accountability.

Another day is here. This lovely fall dawn fills my soul with joy and hope. And I'm humbled. I'm not alone in my battle. I am accountable to not just the Lord. I have my husband.

And he is accountable to me.

It's not something I dare take for granted, this powerful transparency between us.

No, we cannot take anything for granted, for sin is insidious...

But as we daily commit ourselves to the Lord and to each other, we will overcome.

And live...in the light.

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The ladies' Bible Study was wrapping up. We shared prayed concerns. My left eye is not doing better! I blurted out. Recently its already puckered vision spiraled downwards and fear that my “good” eye would go that way sneaked into my heart. Then my mom. My dear precious mom who lives so far away. Her cervical spondylosis is disabling her. She is now in pain, and I am absent. My mom who has showered me with unconditional love ALL my life is in pain. My heart is in shards thinking about it.

A dear lady closed us in prayer. She prayed for healing, if that is the Lord's will. She prayed for wisdom on the doctors' part. Then she prayed the developments in my life would draw me closer to the Lord. What a beautiful prayer. Ultimately, our bodies will decay, no matter what preventive measures we take. We can prolong the quality of our lives, but if there is no real intimacy with the Lord, everything is in vain.

My bad “vision” reminds me to fix my eyes on the Lord. It helps me see people with love and not in judgment. Daily I choose to enjoy the beauty of God's creation (including my family!) rather than to focus on what's wrong with this world (the whole election process has not been good for my soul). My mother's pain makes my own daily chores a wonder to behold. Why, my fingers, my hands and arms, they work! Like I can run the vacuum cleaner so effortlessly. Housework is a daily dance of being joyful in the Lord. Not every time, but when I choose to. I have a choice.

Yes, my heart is heavy, but it is also liberated!

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Well, I've decided to take the 90-day Bible-reading challenge and as of Day 4, I'm 19 chapters behind. I'm supposed to have completed Genesis today. Big sigh, but this time round, I refuse to be discouraged. Even if I don't succeed in reading the Bible in 90 days, if I persevere, I'll finally get to Revelation. If it takes me twice or thrice as long, so be it. I'll still complete it. Little by little, I'll get there.

Mile by mile is a trial; yard by yard is hard; but inch by inch is a cinch.

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As I study Genesis (in preparation for my Bible study with my dd) on this pretty Labor Day afternoon, the significance of the relationship between grace and righteousness hits home. Once more.

Did you know that God's grace was evident even in the Old Testament?

Go to Genesis. Read Genesis 6:1-8.

That was what the world was like after the fall of Adam.

Genesis 6:8 marks the end of that description by stating that “Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.”

Now look at Genesis 6:9.

“This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.”

Read these two verses again.

Now try to recall what you have probably heard or taught in Sunday School. Or read in Bible story books. Hmm...something like this?

Everyone in the world was wicked. They were haters of God. They did dreadful things. They displeased God. But out of the whole world, one man stood out. That was Noah. He loved God. He obeyed God. He was righteous and blameless. So He found favor in God's eye. No wonder God wanted to save him.

Now why is that erroneous?

1. Which came first? Genesis 6:8 or Genesis 6:9? We tend to mix up “the chronological and literary order of the passages”. Genesis 6:8 is the last verse of the book of Adam and Genesis 6:9 is the first verse of the book of Noah. Don't ignore the book divisions that Moses has given us. To say that God favored Noah because of his righteousness is hence to ignore the chapter division as well as the flow of logic of the verses.

2. It is important to recognize that “there is no indication that God's grace relationship with Noah was caused by anything in Noah.” Isn't that just like God's grace? It is extended to those who do not deserve it. While grace can make you and me righteous ( Romans 5:20-21), our righteousness cannot make God give us grace. To start with, we cannot be righteous apart from God's grace. There is no way we can initiate righteousness in order to buy grace. To procure grace. How can we? We were all born in sin! Noah too was born in sin. All the wonderful works he had performed was useless and did nothing to accord God's favor.

God chose Noah. (Genesis 6:8). And Noah's response was obedience. Look at verse 22. “Thus Noah did; according to all that God had commanded him so he did.”

There is this wonderful relationship between grace and righteousness here.

What you see here too are the elements of a covenant relationship – sin, judgment, grace, blessings, commands, obedience. Where there is blessing, there is also responsibility.

The Covenant of Grace *involves God's initiative in salvation. That does not mean there is no responsibility on our part. There is both the grace of God and human responsibility involved in this relationship.

And as I end my little study here, I'm just so thankful that God extended His grace to me in the first place. I don't deserve His grace and mercy. I don't deserve His love. But He wooed me and drew me to Him. How I love Him! My responsibility now is to daily obey Him.

*If you want to read more about The Covenant of Grace, go to this link. I don't belong to this church, but I think this article explains the principle of the Covenant of Grace very well.

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If you think you are having a bad day or week, go over to Kate's blog and encourage her. I love her sweet and humble spirit; her love for the Lord and her willingness to bear her daily trials with joy. She is such an encouragment to so many. Pray for her many needs and be encouraged at the same time.

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Tomorrow, I'm going to start on the 90-Day challenge. Did you know that if you read just twelve pages of the Bible a day, you can complete it in 90 days? Now, I think most of us read more than twelve pages of other reading material each day. Here is the schedule (you can start anytime) if you are interested. And if you want some accountability or if you want to join me on this exciting journey, let me know! Email me or leave a comment.

I hope I can do it. My daughter is my inspiration. She completed reading through the Bible as a Christmas gift to Jesus last year. Then came January, she participated in the 90-Day challenge issued by our church. She's planning to start on another round tomorrow. So, it's going to be a Mother-and Daughter commitment when I begin tomorrow.

I'm also currently working on my Self-Directed Study with a group of on line folks. So a chunk of my time will go into that as well.

I'm also committed to reading through the Proverbs (one chapter per day), something I've been doing for a few years now. I love this and CANNOT skip this.

Then I'm also going through the Judah Bible Curriculum (JBC) as part of my daughter's daily Bible Study. Now how am I going to fit in everything?

This is my plan.

Upon rising, read my chapter of the Proverbs for my devotions.
Start on the 90-Day challenge.
This should take at least 45 minutes.

In between, find time for my SDS. This will also take at least 30 minutes. I can do this for hours if there is no interruption. I LOVE THIS!

After dinner, while the children spend time with dh, I'll review the JBC and plan for the next day. Then finish my rest of the 90 -Day challenge. This should take another 45 minutes, minimum.

Let's see, that means I must devote at least 2 hours a day on everything. That sounds very doable. :)

I must fight distraction and the need to make another cuppa tea though.

So, what do you say. Wanna join me?

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Do you celebrate Easter? Do you get nervous about the name “Easter” because it began as a pagan holiday? Afterall the word “Easter” was derived from the Anglo-Saxon spring goddess Eostre. Well, don't! Real Christians celebrate the true meaning of Easter - the miraculous Resurrection of Jesus Christ. As long as the content is bibilical and pure, it doesn't matter if you celebrate “Easter” or “Resurrection Sunday”. That's what my family believes. Our language is replete with all kinds of pagan and mythological references anyway. So relax and don't get hung up by the name! :) 

I better go now. We're going to have our Easter family devotions. If you still haven't gotten your copy of a wonderful Easter devotional with a sweet and meaningful craft, check this out! You still have time to do it with your family!

Tomorrow, I will post some of our Easter traditions. If you have one to share, please do!

Oh, you might also want to check this out.   A friend shared it with me and we've been so blessed by it. Thanks, Terri! :)

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My daughter is sitting for her SATs now as I write this. The worst thing for her about these tests is not that she cannot answer some of the questions, but that she misses us. Her little brother misses her too and this morning asked if I could also drop him off so he could be with her to comfort her. What precious children they are. This is one benefit of keeping them at home. They really enjoy and desire each other's company. They care for each other's needs and feelings.

If I could, I won't want my children tested at all. I know what I'm doing with them and I really don't need an external body to tell me where they are on the curve. At least not in the elementary years. I admit though that I'm a wee bit curious. Still, if our cover school hasn't stated that SATs are mandatory when the child is in the fourth grade, I would delay testing as long as possible. My daughter will be in fourth grade next year. Many of her friends have been doing the SATS since the second grade and she thought it might be fun.

Well, she had a little shock on the first day when it was time for her math. We only started semi-formal math early this year and maybe she's a grade behind (in the “formal” sense) so I wasn't too surprised. She left two pages out of ten undone and spent an inordinate amount of time over some problems while skipping others that she had attempted. What hit me though was this. When we told her in the evening it was all right to have had guessed at the answers (after all, that's just one exam strategy; you get a 25 % chance of getting it correct!), she was appalled. To her that didn't seem right. You mean it's all right to pretend you know the answer if you don't? I can't do that! Oh, my husband and I were touched by her response. In so many ways, she is still so untouched by the world. She has always been honest. What am I teaching her when I tell her to “just guess”? To play the game of chance? To hope that lady luck will be with her? I have to think a bit more about this. This thought has never occurred to me.

I was brought up in an exam-oriented country and to this day, I STILL have nightmares about not being prepared enough for my exams. I guess I want my children to be spared of those experiences. Still, the real world demands that we have to prepare for all kinds of tests, academic or otherwise. So sheltering her from the hardships of having to be “tested” is not the answer.

I'm very glad though that when it comes to real tests, tests that the Lord gives us, we can have FULL confidence that God will be our strength. He is always with us. With God it is not just a 25% chance that He will see us through whatever storm we may go through. It's 100% of the time. Now, isn't this a reason to be happy today?

Be blessed!

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The following  hymn sums up the desires of my heart for many years. It will be my theme song for 2007. I just love the first two lines. Each time I feel the repugnant stain of selfishness and self-righteousness seeping from my heart and spreading to my head and lips, I find rest and peace reflecting on these lines.

Wow, a heart that is constantly true and clean! How I want that! And to have a heart that is sunlit with not a cloud between! Oh, only Christ can make us pure and true!

I'm just so thankful I am a Christian today. Are you? :)

A Heart Like Thine

I want, dear Lord, a heart that's true and clean;
A sunlit heart with not a cloud between.
A heart like Thine, a heart as white as snow;
On me, dear Lord, a heart like this bestow.

I want, dear Lord, a love that feels for all;
A deep, strong love that answers ev'ry call.
A love like Thine, a love for high and low;
On me, dear Lord, a love like this bestow.

I want, dear Lord, a soul on fire for Thee;
A soul baptized with heav'nly energy.
A ready hand To do whate'er I know
To spread Thy light wherever I may go.

I want, dear Lord, a faith that looks to Thee!
to cheer the way when naught but clouds I see:
A faith sublime, a faithe divine, a faith that will not fail,
To trust in thee ad over sin prevail.

I want, dear Lord, a hope that's steadfast and sure;
A hope that holds to things that will endure:
A hope in heave'n, a hope in thee, a hope that's bright and clear,
Dispeling doubt and conqu'ring every fear.

By George Jackson

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We give our children each three gifts for Christmas. The first one is what they really love. In my daughter's case, she had her dream dress from Vision Forum. The old-fashioned kind with a bonnet and an apron (wish I could sew that for her myself). My son had his dream garbage truck. He had wanted that for more than 6 months and we actually had it sitting in the closet for that long. The second gift is usually something that require the use their hands or mind. My daughter had a set of biographies of famous people, and my son had a cool drill set. The third gift is something that will help them spiritually. My son had a CD of Bible stories and my daughter had another book – a character-building kind for girls (I love such books!). As my dd's birthday is tomorrow, she will get more gifts but since she wasn't inundated with gifts from us or relatives, I think she'll be fine. I am bad about not letting them have too much. Or maybe I'm good about it. I put away stuff my mom and sister send (with their permission) and then gradually unveil the gifts to the children. I don't want them to take gifts for granted. And it's nice to have little presents in January.

It is so sad though that so many of my friends are hurting this Christmas. For one friend, her husband has decided to leave her. He left her a note on the eve of Christmas eve. Well, it has been a horrible marriage from the start, but still, divorce is always painful. Another friend had to undergo lumpectomy a few days ago and the results are not out. One just called to wish me Merry Christmas and to let me know her mom had stroke a week ago. Her daughter who is 18 has also decided to move to another state to finish her high school there. She moved in September. Her dad lives there but she isn't close to her dad. She basically wants more freedom. So this friend, who has physical challenges herself, is just wiped out emotionally and physically. Another friend's mom passed away on Christmas eve and someone's uncle took his own life, also on Christmas eve. I spoke to yet another friend who shared about how a church, pastored by our dear friend, had gone “liberal”. I can go on...pain, hurt, anger, betrayal.

In the midst of all this, it's so good to remember that God sent His only Son more than 2000 years ago to redeem us. We cannot really appreciate Christmas till we appreciate how much we need the Lord. And in the midst of pain and hurt, how thankful I'm for my precious Lord and Savior. He truly was and is the greatest gift to us. I pray that many who live in darkness without Him today will be attracted to Him, and His complete work on the Cross. I'm glad that all my hurting friends I mentioned above know and love the Lord!

Well, time to join my family now...have a great rest of the day. May His presence be very real and sweet in your life...

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I just found out that Richard Carlson, writer of “Don' Sweat the Small Stuff” died unexpectedly last week of cardiac arrest. He left behind his wife and life partner of 25 years and their two daughters. He was only 45. This is so very sad. I hope he knew the Lord...

It had been a long time since I first read his runaway bestseller, Don't Sweat the Small Stuff. I just loved the title and have found myself repeating that when things get too overwhelming for me. Why sweat the small stuff? Why do we frequently major on minors and sweat over things that are of no eternal value? Why do we allow our perfectionist streak treat everything as an emergency? Why do we allow the pressure to build up? Lots of life's pressure, I've realized, are just self-feeding. And what do we teach our children in the process? That getting certain tasks done on time is more important than being kind? That clean floors are more important than loving snuggles? That nothing less than perfect is not acceptable? People don't care if you don't send out the cards on time. People don't care if the house is messier than usual. People don't care if your decorations are still not up. People don't care if your child is almost 9 and you still haven't done formal math or science with her. Well, maybe a very few might, but if they want to sweat over your small stuff, you still don't have to sweat over them! Besides, most people are sweating over their own small stuff to have time to sweat over yours! And isn't life about glorifying God than impressing man?

When we sweat the small stuff, we are not showing grace. We are not fun to be with. We feel tensed. We blow the fuse easily. We become very unlikeable. I know when I sweat the small stuff, I really don't like me. Actually I can't stand me. Argh! And when I don't like me, it's hard to be the loving wife and mama.

Today, I have lots of things to sweat over. Piles of laundry for one. Disrupted routine is another because daddy is home (I love him being home but you understand what that does to the kids when daddy is home). But I'm just going to stand back a while, and recall all my blessings. Then I'm going to fill my heart and mind with the peace and love of the Lord. And do what I can. Little things don't emergencies make.

If someone like Richard Carlson, who apparently walked his talk, could just pass on so unexpectedly, that does say something about my own mortality. And I sure don't want this to be on my epitaph:

“Here lies someone who really knew how to sweat – over small stuff”

Have a blessed day all 'y'all.

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I hope you are all having a good Thanksgiving. Each year I tell myself not to overeat at my in-laws' place and each year I invariably do. It's hard not to when everyone else is eating and talking and piling their plates with more. This year, my favorite dessert was my MIL's pecan pie. It was just too good. We brought home a lot of leftovers for dinner tonight (of which we just had) and also for lunch and dinner tomorrow.

A sad event shadowed the usual light-hearted nature of our reunion though.

A young relative's wife of nearly three years left him on Monday! Just like that. They had trouble for “a few weeks” then on Monday she drove off and said she'd come back for her kitty cat when she secured an apartment. She's now staying with a girl friend. Apparently she wants the marriage to end. It's such a pitiful shame. They are young (early 20s) but they seemed happy. Outwardly. I'm sure the troubles didn't start a “few weeks” ago. For a relationship to fail, things must have had been brewing for some time now. Unresolved resentment, bitterness, lack of respect and appreciation, etc. usually play a part before one party decides to leave. Ugly issues don't appear overnight. The young man's parents have a great marriage and they have been fantastic in-laws. The girl was like the daughter they never had. She had a tough and very dysfunctional life but she married into a stable family who accepted and loved her.

When things like that happen, it is easy to say that the couple was incompatible to start with. But most happily married couples I know are outwardly incompatible. Love is a decision, and marriage is a commitment.

I think my husband and I are like water and oil; chalk and cheese, a rock and a balloon (not hard to guess who is the rock and who is the balloon). We also came from different cultures to start with. But thankfully, by the grace of God, we get along. We get along mighty well.

And this Thanksgiving, I thank God for a fantastic and understanding husband. A supportive, patient, gentle and wonderful husband who loves the Lord, his wife and his children. I thank God that he is a man of integrity. A man who walks the talk. A man who leads by example.

I personally am close to many couple-friends who currently are really struggling..I am not sure what to say to them. I wish things were as simple as wives, be submissive to your husbands, and husbands love your wives sacrificially. Life is far more complex that that. But by the grace of God, our own marriage could be just as cold and business-like.

So tonight, I'm also humbled. Very humbled that yes, my children need not fear that their parents will ever separate because my husband and I have made a commitment to love each other for life. My husband's parents have stayed together. My own parents stayed together. We will stay together too.

My prayer tonight is that the Lord be gracious to families who are feeling sad this Thanksgiving day because their spouses are absent, either physically or emotionally. May the Lord restore their love and remind them of their commitment to each other. There are no easy answers, but with God, everything IS possible.

God bless you.

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1. Start each day with an “I love you”.

   That will set the tone for the day.

2. Never let them go to bed without assurances of your love.

   They will sleep better and have sweeter dreams.

3. Don't dredge up old sins.

   Forgive and FORGET!

4. Look at them in the eye and SMILE before breakfast, before lunch and before dinner.
   Their food will digest better.

5. Look at them in the eye and then SMILE some more.
   You can never smile too much, and you never know how much that will do for you!

6. Be ready to admit your mistakes and ask for forgiveness.
   They will follow your example.

7. Don't interrupt when they are telling you something.

   Unless you want them to stop sharing their heart when they are older.

8. NEVER raise your voice.
   That is bullying.

9. Tell them what's good and right about them.
   Negativism is counterproductive.

10. Pray for them throughout the day.

    They need the Lord's grace; and so do you.

(Copyright 2006 by Miiko Gibson)

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What kind of people do we avoid?

People who are

• angry all the time

• full of complaints

• highly critical

• mistrustful

• resentful and bitter

What kind of people are we attracted to?

People who are

• affectionate and kind

• accepting of us, foibles and all

• encouraging and affirming

• forgiving

• joyful and positive

• filled with God's love

Now consider this.

What makes our children different from us?

What kind of parents are we?

Does our countenance attract them to us?

Or do they rather avoid us?

Taking stock of what kind of a mother I am this evening...

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“God's road home is the highway of holiness. On it there are no longer the hazards of hypocrisy, jealousy or resentment.” Reba Fitz.

I don't know who Reba Fitz is. But this quote appeared on my daily calender (Words to Warm the Heart) on June 1^st and I've been thinking about it a lot the past couple of weeks.

I sure like to imagine I don't have a shred of hypocrisy, jealousy and resentment in my heart, but I would be dishonest to do that! That highway of holiness is my goal, but I do get side-tracked, and when I don't walk in the Spirit, carnality takes over...and of course, the highway becomes hazardous...

That quote reminded me of a prayer by Charles Spurgeon that impacted my heart when I first read it.

“O God, teach us the art of charity, far more to be esteemed than the most lucrative of human labors. Show us that love is the true alchemy, for charity toward others, abundantly practiced, would be the death of envy and the life of fellowship, the overthrow of self and the enthronement of Thy divine grace. Amen.”

Charity towards others, abundantly practiced, would be the death of envy and the life of fellowship...

I really, really like that.

Like everything, charity, love must be abundantly practiced. It is a daily choice, and like our muscle, love will atrophy if we don't exercise it.

May I always find opportunities to exercise godly love on this side of Heaven. Only then will I understand true liberty. And holiness. 

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If you are looking into the courtship model for your children, this is a must-read.

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I've been feeling rather down today because I just learned that a childhood friend passed away last year. Though we were great friends when we were 11 and 12, we drifted apart when we subsequently went to separate classes and then separate schools. Years passed, and lack of common interests and other commitments crowded out the memory of the old giggly friendship.

I chanced to ask about her when a mutual friend from the same 'era' e-mailed me. And the sad story was revealed. I don't have the details, but she had not been well; she reacted to the drugs given and she had to undergo too many surgeries in too short a time. I'm not sure how many children she had, but the oldest is in college and the youngest just entered school. Of course it doesn't help that she was living in another continent and here I am, in Alabama. I don't even know who or when she got married. We had not kept in touch in a few decades! And well, it's too late, now. 

But here am, grieving for Voni. Voni, the vivacious friend of my girlhood days...I don't know if she knew the Lord. I pray she did. And I pray too that her children are adjusting to the loss of their mother. Life is so short. But when one of your peers passes on, you know that life is indeed short and unpredictable.

May we live our lives fully each day.

May we unconditionally love our children and spouses that God has blessed us with.

May we love all those who need our loving touch.

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Home Again

“In Your presence is fullness of joy:
At your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
Psalm 17:11

Heart is stone,
Cannot pray.
Ache inside.
Cannot hide.

Thoughts are foggy,
Cannot think.
Woe is me,
Cannot see.

Ears are cloggged.
Cannot hear.
Tongue is perverse,
Spirit is worse.

Where's God?
I long for Him.
Where's His face?
I desire His grace!

Indeed...

It was I,
Who had moved away,
When my unplowed heart
From Him did stray.

His Word I did not imbibe,
In the closet I didn't hide.
God has been here, all along,
He can once more help me be strong.

Back to His Word!
Back to His Call!
Back to to His Mercy Seat
With heart, soul and all!

Today to Him I will yield,
Today I will be quiet and still.
Today I will let His Spirit flow,
Today for Him I will glow.

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A happy and peaceful home is built block by block.

Today I shall lovingly strengthen it with the block of patience.

Patience means not minding that my house will never be clutter-free. At least not until the children are much older.

Patience means I can drop everything to play with my children and not mind the dishes or laundry.

Patience is when  “But can we do this later?” from my daughter merely elicits a firm but loving response.

Patience doesn't mind a cool mug of tea or coffee because my children need me now.

Patience waits for another year to repaint the walls.

Patience is not losing my head when my 2 year old wants to ride his tricycle up the stairs.

Patience is calmness  when my children are screaming and chasing each other and all I want is some peace and quiet.

Patience means the newspaper can wait.

Patience is being gracious when the food in front of my daughter is not received with gratitude.

Patience is not getting flustered because my daughter has another flare-up due to her allergies.

Patience means reading “The Three Little Pigs” for the eighth time today.

Patience is listening to my son repeat the dream he had last night. (The garbage truck picked up the garbage cans and they crashed. They went crash, crash, crash! Then the garbage truck picked up the garbage cans and they crashed. They went crash, crash, crash. And then The garbage truck picked up the garbage cans and they crashed. They went crash, crash, crash!).

Patience means the computer can whirl and beckon, and I merely bat my eyelid. More important things need my attention.

Patience is teaching my children to listen better.

Patience looks cool when my son pours a bowl of rice or spaghetti over his head and says, "Look at me1 Look at me!"

Patience means waiting to grow more patient each day.

Patience means trusting in the Lord’s timing. It's perfect.

May God grant me patience today. 

(And we know what we are asking for when we ask for THAT!)

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Each morning, after breakfast, my children and I will sit in our sofa and do our morning devotions. It is rather light as it is meant more for my 2.7 year old.  We use Gilbert Beers’ The Beginner’s ABC Bible Memory Book which my son really enjoys. It has 24 chapters so it takes us about 4 weeks to finish the book before we go back to the first letter “A” again.

For example, “A” talks about a boy called Andrew who likes airplanes. Andrew is prone to anger. After the story, there is a page which explores what the Bible has to say about the teaching (anger) presented in the chapter. A Bible memory technique is also provided here before  2-3 Scripture verses (in 4 versions) about the teaching (anger) are given. 

The “B” chapter is about bad words.

“C” is about choices.

“D” is about doing

“E” is about example

“F” is about forgiveness and so on.

I usually just read and discuss the stories. The stories really appeal to my son. With my soon-to-be- eight year old daughter, we may reason out some of the verses but since she has her own Bible Study curriculum, I don’t require her to memorize verses in this book. It’s more for familiarity.

Well, the other day, my daughter made a perceptive comment.

She mused, “Mama, actually everything in this book is about two things. Obedience and making good choices, isn’t it?”

I asked her to explain. She said something like, “God wants us to be patient and kind. That’s His rule for us.  We then choose to be patient and not impatient. We can also choose to be kind or unkind.  Like I can choose to be a good example or a bad example to Joshie.  Am I right? ”

Bravo!   She hit the nail on the head! All the stories certainly point to that.

All these good character traits still remain more of a head than heart knowledge for her though.  Application is something I’m working hard on her each and every day (I need patience!  Sanctification is also the Holy Spirit’s work).

But she did hit on something, didn’t she? Practical Christian living is all about obedience. It is all about choices.

Who was it that said our life must be marked by “a long obedience in the same direction?” And along this journey we call life, we make daily choices. We either choose God’s way or the wrong way. There is no other way!  God has made clear in His word what He requires of us. He has made it clear that we reap what we sow. This principle is unchanging!

Today, may the Lord help us to obey His Word.  May He help us make good choices in all matters.

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Her attitude needed fixing, I thought.

Later we talked and prayed over that whole episode, and she did ask if she could help me when she saw me folding the towels.

But it set me thinking about my own service to the Lord.

Each day, He brings into my path opportunities to serve Him. But do I receive His instructions, His urgings, His directions  with love and joy? Paul reminds us that “whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” (Colossians 3:17). The Psalmist exhorts us to “serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.” (Psalm 100:2)

BUT,

·         do I prepare the many meals each day (I do all from scratch for allergy reasons and sigh, the two children have different allergies) with love?

·         do I go through the endless household chores with joy?

·         do I plan to talk with a neighbor or friend about the Lord with joyful anticipation?

·         do I see all the character-training sessions I go through with my children needful but joyful tasks for the Lord?

Yes, I’m sorry to say, I don't.

My own attitude needs fixing.

So even as I see the weakensses in my own sweet daughter, may I be reminded of my own.

Forgive me, Lord, and help me see that each day, when I serve my family, friends and neighbors, I’m serving You. Help me serve You with joy, love and gladness today. AMEN.

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This is a very interesting article on Mr. Michael Pearl’s understanding of original sin. I’ve been following their ministry for many years and have in my possession, several of their publications, including “Created To Be His Help Meet”. It seems like you either love or hate the Pearls.  I don’t either. I’m just interested in reading about different Christian child-rearing approaches and theirs has been just one that caught my eye when I first became a mother.

However, I have also been disturbed by Mr. Pearl’s claim that we should and can sin no more in some of the studies he has promoted in his newsletter (I wish I had a copy of the newsletter with me now!). He also states somewhere that he has been “preaching and living this gospel of sanctification for many years.” Doesn’t this imply that he has been living in a sinless state for years? I’m not sure…I always thought complete sanctification was reserved for when we leave this side of heaven. Paul in his letters describes the indwelling sin nature in our lives and how we struggle with the flesh (Rom. 7:18; Gal. 5:16-17). Also see 1 John1:8-10.

Anyway, the article I’m referring to is incisive and insightful. If you have also been wondering about the Pearls' theology, this is a must-read. 

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