"My Incisor Needs Brushing"

"From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established strength because of Your adversaries, to make the enemy and the revengeful cease." Psalm 8:2

I heard a crash yesterday, and this is what I found.  I'm still not sure what crashed, but this scene was too impressive to pass up.  I'm not exactly sure where they managed to find 2 toothbrushes.  But the fact that both boys climbed on a stool together and started brushing their teeth was pretty great.  Other than watching his big brother, I have no idea how the baby knew what he was doing.  I do know that the older one knew exactly what he was doing, because this morning he informed me that his incisors needed to be brushed.  Really, his incisors?

Children are brilliant and sometimes they say the most amazing things.  It doesn't make sense to me how anyone could doubt that man was created after witnessing the growth and development of a child.  There is just nothing spontaneous or accidental about the way a child grows and thinks.  Children are such an amazing display of God's greatness.  The Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary explains this concept so well as it discusses Psalm 8:2. The commentary states, "So manifest are God's perfections, that by very weak instruments He conclusively sets forth His praise. Infants are not only wonderful illustrations of God's power and skill, in their physical constitution, instincts, and early developed intelligence, but also in their spontaneous admiration of God's works, by which they put to shame-still-or, silence men who rail and cavil against God."

I know we all think that our own children are gifted and uniquely special (I mean, have yours ever expressed a need to brush their incisors?), but in reality, all children are unique displays of God's creation.  God put these little works of art in our lives to teach us and to display His greatness.  I know that I have learned so much over the past 3 years about God's character and His love towards me as His child because of the children He has given me.

So the next time you see a child do something brilliant, even if it is destructively brilliant (Honey, you'll see what the baby did to our lamp when you get home), thank God for His greatness.  And enjoy his splendid creation!

Baby's First Blog Entry

My youngest decided to visit me in my office this morning while I was blogging.  So I decided he could write his first blog post.  There appears to be a lot of repetition in his writing, but here it is:

nnnnnnnnnnnn   tgcvcccccccccccccccccccfbnvbf nnnn      nnd  

Hope you have a great day and try out a new experience for yourself too! 

Hearts on Fire

"They said to one another, 'Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?' And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them, saying, 'The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon.' They began to relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread." Luke 24:32-35

Our church youth group went to youth camp last week.  And for them, going to youth camp is like going to a revival.  It's not about the drama and the who-likes-who and the pranks that they can pull on each other (I'm flashing back to my high school trips), but for them, going to camp is a chance to unite together in worship.  I've never seen a group of teenagers so excited about being together and praising Jesus.

Our church sent approximately 20 people to Youth for the Nations last week.  And all 20 shared their testimony in church yesterday.  Think about it, every teenager that went to camp got up and talked about what God taught them last week.  Here are a few of the exciting lessons some of the kids shared:

• God showed me what was wrong about my life.  I've been living my life doing school and band, but  that's it.  I have been called to share the Gospel and to minister to my high school [public school] band! Watch out band, here I come." (The way he actually said it was better than my version.)
• "I know that God has called me to do something for Him. I don't know exactly what He wants me to do, but I know He'll show me when I'm ready. Or maybe when I'm not." (great theology)
• "I have to stop comparing myself to others because Jesus loves me for who I am."
• "I learned that I have to start going to church every Sunday.  I used to be too tired on Sunday morning, but I learned that I'm supposed to be here every week." (His mom stood up and shouted "Amen!" to that.)
• I was excited about going to camp so that I could experience God this week. I wanted to "feel" Him while I worshiped.  But then I realized that I was searching for a feeling and was not resting my hopes and desires on who God is.  I was focused on emotions and not on God's truth."  

As the teens shared their personal stories, the clocked ticked on and on.  Our service went an hour over our normal time yesterday and nobody cared.  It was pretty great to see teenagers on fire for their faith. It was like we were having our own road to Emmaus disciples come speak God's truth. 

When was the last time you had the fire burning in your heart and others could see it?  To be honest, I remember giving my testimony after youth missions trips in high school, but I don't remember being that excited about being a Christian. It's not that I'm not grateful and humbly thankful for my Salvation, because I am.  God has done some amazing things in my life and He has called me for His own purpose.  I just hope that other people can see as clearly in my life what I could see in those kids on Sunday.  I hope other people can see that God is real, He's working in my life, and He consumes me.

Two Little Boys..

You know that these guys are true Texans when you can't see a drop of sweat on their heads.  It was 104 degrees on the day that we snapped these pictures.  I was dripping wet, and these little cowboys were just as cool as can be. 

Lest anyone think that we don't really live in the"country," all these photos were taken within a mile or 2 of my house (it's hard to say since I was on a gravel road.) We're a little outside the hustle and bustle of the city.  I thought about having the boys pose with a gas well near the house, but thought the cows were cuter. And then the cow acted like she wanted to attack.  So here they are with the fence.  Only in Texas...

Hope you are having a good summer already!  I'm definitely enjoying my time with my two little boys.

The Slide Whistle Saxophone

I turned on the Today Show while I was drinking my coffee this morning and my toddler went from whiny little boy (he was begging for chocolate cake for breakfast) to a rock star.  Bruno Mars was having a concert on the Today Show's sidewalk and my little guy was fascinated. He got excited when he heard the beat of Runaway Baby start to play.  But when he saw the cool guys dressed in pink shirts and black suits start swaying and dancing to the beat, he was hooked.  So much so, that he went and grabbed his slide whistle instrument so that he could "play along."  He was so cute dancing around the living room like a miniature saxophone player.  And of course, we had to rewind the song and sing it 4 times through!  By the third time, he wanted to get his drums out so he could play along...

It's in these random moments where I learn to appreciate the mind of a toddler. He just wants to play, to pretend, to imitate, and to feel like he's doing something important. And I wonder if I'm doing enough to foster creativity and to encourage his exploration of the world. Music is one way that I know how to do that, so I guess I should encourage little concerts like we had this morning.

The next time I cringe as I pay for a toy drum or noisy guitar, I'll remember how cute it was to watch my guy dancing and playing along to this:

A Church in the News

"Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world." James 1:27

There was an awful story in the news a few days ago about a local man who committed double homicide, attempted murder, and supposedly, attempted suicide.  This man killed two mothers.  One mother had 3 children and the other had 5 children.  The story was so yucky that I didn't even read it all.  The man was an estranged husband who decided to get his revenge on his wife and her friend. Thank goodness he didn't go after the children.

This morning as I was reading the news online (my generation doesn't buy newspapers anymore), I read an article about an Arlington church that was extending help to the children of the murdered mothers.  At first, I was surprised that this story even made the news.  A church is actually following the command to care for orphans in their distress and the news is actually sharing this testimony!  What an amazing response to such a horrific ordeal.  According to the church's website, one of the mothers was a member of the church.  But the other was not.  And the church was still reaching out to both families.

This is the kind of story we should be able to read more often!  Every time we read a disgusting violent crime story, we ought to be able to read a follow-up story about a local church extending love and support to the victims.  The victims shouldn't even have to be members or regular attendees of the church.  Instead, the church ought to be seeking those who are hurting so that we can share God's love with them!  It's great that there are women's shelters and food pantries, but churches ought to be running these places.  We shouldn't rely on government agencies, like FEMA, or local non-profits to take up the cause of victims.  Churches ought to be in the business of caring for victims.

To the members of Tabernacle Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas: Your actions are being noticed.  You are a testimony of pure and undefiled religion!  Keep up the good work of the Lord!  Your actions are making me consider what my church is doing (or should be doing) on behalf of local victims.  I will start praying about how we can reach out to other families in need.  Please know that your example is not only having an impact on the victims of this ordeal, but also on other churches as well.  Keep living out the book of James...

Moses is Proof That You Don't Need Preschool

"Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6

Many psychologists and educators believe that preschool is necessary for children to learn social and basic educational skills. The results of some studies even show that children who attend preschool are academically at an advantage than children who spent their early years with mom or the babysitter. With all the media focus on early childhood education, it makes sense that parents feel that it's a necessary pursuit. I mean, if you were told that sending your child to preschool would give them an educational advantage and social skills, wouldn't you want to send them to preschool too?

Well, for starters, just because something was in a study doesn't mean it's true. There are plenty of us non-preschooled adults out in the world with advanced degrees who graduated in the top of our classes.  And there are plenty of preschool educated children who are in prison.  Not sending your child to preschool does not mean you are setting them up for failure.  In addition, giving your child an academic advantage or social skills may not be most important for your child at that age.  It can be just as valuable for a child to be exploring the world in the safety net of his home with a loving parent interacting in his life.  Just like there are some valid reasons to send your child to preschool, there are just as many valid reasons to keep your child at home.  It's all a matter of perspective.  And parents should get to make this decision.

My husband and I have decided to keep our children home as long as possible.  In fact, we'll probably educate them at home past the age of preschool.  But we're definitely not investing in early childhood education.  Why? We actually have lots of reasons, but my favorite answer to this question is this: Because of Moses.

Exodus chapter 2 tells the story of Jochebed and her baby, Moses.  Since he was born during a time when Pharaoh was killing all Hebrew baby boys, Jochebed hid Moses in the Nile River.  It was here that Pharaoh's daughter found Moses and decided to raise him as her own son.  According to Egyptian tradition, she decided to hire a slave to nurse her new baby until the age of 4.  God graciously caused Pharaoh's daughter to choose Jochebed, Moses' real mother to raise him.  Thus, Jochebed had 4 years to teach and nurture Moses.

After the 4 years was up, Moses was raised as one of Pharaoh's grandchildren and was educated as an Egyptian.  If you think sending a 4 or 5 year old to public school is scary, can you imagine how Jochebed felt when she sent Moses to be immersed in Egyptian history, tradition, and religion?  Despite the years of indoctrination in Pharaoh's house, Moses didn't reject God at all.  Instead, he feared God so much that he was willing to lead God's people out of Egypt.  And his fear of God is evident in the first 5 books of the Bible that Moses wrote!

It really ought to be encouraging to any Christian mother that if she is faithful to teach her little ones the truth of God's Word at an early age, it can stick.  I know that at age 18 months, many preschools will start accepting new students, but wouldn't it be better to use the first 4 years to teach our children about God?  If the task seems daunting, just remember Jochebed.  In just 4 years, she taught Moses what he needed to be the leader of the Hebrew nation.  And she also managed to raise his brother to be the High Priest too!  If you choose not to send your child to preschool, you're already in good company.  And if you opt for choosing preschool, then be sure to make teaching God's Word a priority at home.

It's Never Too Early to Learn How to Apply Sunscreen

As per our normal routine, my toddler was watching Sid the Science Kid yesterday while I was getting ready.  For some reason, yesterday's show got him really excited.  It was about the sun.  And there was this really cool science experiment with black construction paper and sunscreen that the kids did to demonstrate how sunscreen works. We might even try the experiment at home, because it looked pretty interesting.

Anyway, after we got dressed I took my boys to Southlake where we shopped with Grandma.  Before we stopped at Starbucks for our afternoon snack, I dragged the boys to a "teenager" store (that shall remain nameless) where I was hoping to find a sundress.  While in the store, something must have inspired my little guy.

As we were walking around the store, he got really excited and told us that we needed sunscreen to protect us from the sun.  And then he told us he wanted to put it on us.  And then I saw it coming.  He spit into his hands and wanted to rub the "sunscreen" on me.  Of course, being the fun mommy that I am, I let him put sunscreen on my legs.  Next he tried to put his sunscreen on my mom.  I don't think she was quite as enthused to be covered in his spit.  When he was done trying to convince Grandma that she needed sunscreen he then took off his baseball cap and rubbed spit in his hair.  At this point, even the sales guy was laughing.  It was still cute.

But as we made our way to the front door of the shop, my little guy decided to put sunscreen on the mirrors and every counter he walked by.  Now I realized that the best way to remedy the situation was to leave the store as fast as possible. He was getting really carried away. So I asked my little guy to be a gentleman and to open the front door for his mommy and grandma who were walking behind him with the stroller and the baby.  Once he figured out that all he had to do was push the door, he put his hands in place to open it.  But then he paused.

I'm sure my eyes got really wide and my mouth dropped open at this point.  I tried to verbalize the words "no" but he beat me to the punch when he announced in his serious voice "Oh, I think we need to put sunscreen on the door."  Next, he spit on his hands and rubbed his spit all over the front door of the shop!  As I gasped in horror, I couldn't help myself and started laughing.  He really though he was doing something helpful by applying sunscreen.  And who am I to stop a healthy habit like that? 

Oh well. I guess one store in Southlake won't be getting a sunburn.

God Can Use a Secret Service Agent

" 'O Lord, I beseech You, may Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of your servants who delight to revere Your name, and make Your servant successful today and grant him compassion before this man.' Now I was the cupbearer to the king." Nehemiah 1:11

Last fall, my husband and I celebrated his birthday at a World Series game where we actually got to cheer for our Texas Rangers.  We ended up sitting way up in the upper deck during the game.  And since we had heard that the crowds were going to be a mess, we got to the game really early.  So early, in fact, that we had time to check out most of the ballpark prior to the first pitch.  That's how we discovered the snipers.  Yes, there were men with guns located all over the top of the ballpark.

Since former Presidents George Bush and George W. Bush were present to throw out the first pitches, we concluded that the tight security was probably Secret service.  I can't imagine what it would be like to constantly be on the lookout for threats to the President.  But Secret Service agents play an incredible role in protecting our nation's leaders and our economy (they were formed as an agency to investigate counterfeit currency.)  These agents take their jobs seriously.  They are so serious, that they would willingly sacrifice themselves to protect our nation's leaders.  These are special people.

Secret Service agents are essentially the modern cupbearer.  Throughout history, kings and leaders have utilized the services of cupbearers to prevent being poisoned.  To be a cupbearer, one had to be loyal and trustworthy in order to get close to the king.  I love the story in the Bible about the cupbearer, Nehemiah.  Just like the Secret Service agents at the baseball game, his role was to be present with the King and to be willing to sacrifice his own life in order to prevent the King's assassination.  I don't know if he ever had to attend a sporting event with the King, but I'm pretty sure the King never sipped a soda without Nehemiah sampling it first.

If you read the book of Nehemiah you kind of feel like you're reading his blog.  The book is written in the first person, and he describes his detailed conversations, prayers, and thoughts.  It's very cool to read about how he had a burden for the children of Israel and used his position as cupbearer to do something about his burden.  He doesn't just say a prayer and sit around crying because the Jews have been dispersed throughout the land.  Instead, he asks his boss, the king for his permission and blessing to go rebuild Jerusalem's walls and to bring the people back to their city.  This guy eventually goes from cupbearer to Governor of Judah all because he has faith that God can use him to change history.  It's an incredible story.

Wouldn't it be cool to hear a story like this today?  A secret service agent has a conversation with the President and seeks permission to build a Christian University or an organization where Christians can unite and spread the Gospel.  It seems far-fetched, but it's not.  God can use anyone to accomplish greatness for the cause of Christ.  To be used by God, you don't need a doctorate in theology, you don't have to be "on staff" at your local church, and you don't have to be someone who has read the Bible 5 x through.  God doesn't want a person who thinks they're "qualified" for service.  God wants a believer whose heart mourns for the lost and the hurting.  God wants to use the person who is willing to be dragged through the mud if it's God's will.  God can use anyone, even a Secret Service Agent.  Don't think that God can't use you.  If your heart is willing, God can do whatever He wants with your life.

Lessons I Learned from Dad

In honor of Father's Day, I wanted to share some lessons that I've learned from my Dad over the years...

• If you walk out of a room and leave the light on, you're just wasting electricity.  If you want to save money, you will always turn off the light.
• If you're going to buy a car, you should buy new and ALWAYS buy American.  Otherwise, you're unpatriotic.
• Once you have moved out of your parents' house, you no longer have license to store anything in their closets or garage.
• Never marry a man who doesn't like sports.  A man who doesn't like sports is like a woman who doesn't like shopping--obviously confused!
• If you want cable TV, get a job and move out of the house.
• Money does not grow on trees.  It grows in our bank accounts when we work for it.
• If you can't afford something, don't send out letters asking people for money.  Get a job and save your own money. I shouldn't feel entitled to anything.  Everything I have is a blessing.
• Talk radio is the best form of media.
• It's never too late to get an education, but it's a lot easier to finish school when you're young. 
• If you want to make Mom happy, take her out to dinner and don't ask her to cook!

I have been one lucky girl to have a dad like mine.  He taught me how to play sports, how to drive a car, how to balance a check book, and how to use a hammer.  He fostered in me a love of politics, a desire to learn, and the ability to not give in to peer pressure.  My Dad has also lived his life as an example of how to be a good parent, a concerned citizen, and a committed Christian.

Thanks Dad for all of your lessons.  Even when you thought I wasn't listening, I learned so much from you.  And FYI, I'll probably be calling you soon, because I'm having trouble figuring out how to use my drill to hang my new curtains...

Dressing For My Man

As I was getting dressed today, my husband decided to be honest with me.  He informed me that he hates the dress that I picked out to wear.  This really bummed me out, because it was a really cute, long, purple dress that would have looked great with some funky jewelry and a belt.  But then, he went on to inform me that he hates every maxi dress in my closet!  He said that long dresses are frumpy.  He suggested that I invest in sundresses instead.  Huh? Does he even know what a "sundress" is?

At 5'2", with legs like a dancer, I prefer to wear dresses instead of shorts.  But it never occurred to me that I lose my hotness factor by wearing long dresses.  In fact, I've been wearing long dresses for the last 3 summers and today was the first I'm hearing about the fact that my husband detests the maxi dress.  At first I was slightly offended by his candid opinion.  But when I asked why he waited 6 1/2 years into our marriage to tell me he didn't like some of my outfits, he told me that he finally felt comfortable offering his opinion because I have been candidly offering my opinion about his clothes recently too.  (This is true.  The red polo shirt needed to go.)

In my befuddled state this morning, I asked him to show me outfits he did like.  And much to my shock, he pulled out almost every dress I have that hits above my knees.  He appears to also like any dress that looks cute with cowboy boots too.  Interesting...  But still, what's a girl to do when she can't wear half of her wardrobe?  I went shopping.  And my husband generously picked up the tab. 

As I reflect on my insightful conversation with my husband this morning, it made me wish I had asked for his opinion a long time ago.  If I had known that he liked certain outfits, I would have been happy to oblige.  I mean, he's the only guy whose opinion really matters in my book anyway.  So dear, you may pick out dresses for me any day of the week.  But please, leave the shoes to me...

Coloring Doors

"Furthermore, we had earthly [mothers] to discipline us...for they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness." Hebrews 12:9-11

The other day while I was doing my devotions, my son proudly announced that he had written all of our names on his bedroom door.  And this is what I found:

I'm pretty sure I said "Oh my goodness!" and hoped with all I had inside of me that he had used washable crayons.  And then I kept asking myself, have I ever bought him anything but washable crayons?  If I have, this is my fault too.  As I was standing there, he was very excited to show me all of our names written on the door.  Not only had he included the entire family on his door, but he had also used a variety of colors.

Typically, I would have gotten really mad about this ordeal.  But I just had to get the camera to send it to Daddy.  I knew his reaction would be much more extreme than mine.  And then I informed my son that crayons ONLY belong on paper.  Before I chose his form of discipline, I decided to test his artwork to see if it was washable.  Thank goodness a wet paper towel did the trick!  But then I had to determine his punishment.  What would teach him not to do this in the future?  Let's just say that his sentence was immediately mitigated by the fact that he had used washable crayons.  I rejected the idea of solitary confinement and forced him to clean it up so that he could actively understand the consequences of coloring in the wrong place.

After reflecting on the ordeal yesterday, I wondered how many times I have done something on my own and have been proud of it only to find out it was a huge mistake.  When we do things on our own, outside of God's will, we are just like a toddler coloring on doors.  We're foolish and behaving ignorantly.  God wants us to color on his pages and to follow his plan, but how many times do we create art in the wrong places?

Just like a mommy who has to decide the best way to keep her son from coloring on doors in the future, God disciplines us too.  He brings us pain to train us like we would train a toddler.  I don't know what pain is in your life, but I've had some pain lately.  And I am learning from it.  I'm seeing some changes that need to take place in my heart and my home.  It seems like it has taken me far too long to get the point, but God is a Father who doesn't give up.  After shedding many tears, I'm starting to see that the sorrow has a point.  I'm just praying that the pain yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

If you're in pain, don't lose heart.  Meditate on Psalm 30:5 "For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning."  Be thankful that God takes the time to teach us.  And let your life bring about the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

God Made the Mailman

Bedtime can be brutal with a toddler.  But my little guy is very smart and cooperative--for the most part.  So I decided to have a formal Bible story at night before bed.  I'm tired of reading the preschool stories, so I took a chance and actually started reading my son's Bible to him.

We read Genesis chapter 1 last night.  It was the first night of my experiment, so I wasn't sure how well he would pay attention.  To my surprise, however, he did learn something.  As I was nearing the end of the chapter, I could tell that something clicked.  His eyes got big and he said, "Oh, God made the mailman!"  He was so proud of himself.

At first, I was thinking, where did that come from?  But then it hit me.  Verse 27 says "male and female He created them."  I had attempted to elaborate at that point to explain that male and female were man and woman, like boys and girls.  Somehow, he interpreted that as the mailman.  (We're very fond of our mailman.)

Anyway, we'll try chapter 2 tonight and see what we learn.  That verse will never be the same for me again.  But at least we know where the mail comes from...

The Key to Strength: Joy

"The joy of the Lord is your strength."—Nehemiah 8:10.  "And the singers sang aloud, with Jezrahiah their overseer. Also that day they offered great sacrifices, and rejoiced: for God had made them rejoice with great joy: the wives also and the children rejoiced: so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard even afar off."—Nehemiah 12:42-43.

Today, I wanted to share the joy of the Lord with you. Below is a portion of a powerful message by Charles Spurgeon entitled The Joy of the Lord, The Strength of His People, preached December 31, 1871. To read the entire message go to Spurgeon.org. 

"... But time would fail me to prolong our remarks upon this very fruitful subject, and we shall turn to our second head, which is this: that THIS JOY IS A SOURCE OF GREAT STRENGTH.
 
Very rapidly let us consider this thought. It is so because this joy arises from considerations which always strengthen the soul. Very much of the depth of our piety will depend upon our thoughtfulness. Many persons, after having received a doctrine, put it by on the shelf; they are orthodox, they have received the truth, and they are content to keep that truth on hand as dead stock. Sirs, of what account can this be to you, to store your garners with wheat if you never grind the corn for bread, or sow it in the furrows of your fields? He is the joyful Christian who uses the doctrines of the gospel for spiritual meat, as they were meant to be used. Why, some men might as well have a heterodox creed as an orthodox one for all the difference it makes to them. Having the notion that they know, and imagining that to know sufficeth them, they do not consider, contemplate, or regard the truths which they profess to believe, and, consequently, they derive no benefit from them. Now, to contemplate the great truths of divine election, of eternal love, of covenant engagements, of justification by faith through the blood of Christ, and the indwelling and perpetual abiding of the Holy Ghost in his people, to turn over these things is to extract joy from them; and this also is strengthening to the mind. To press the heavenly grapes by meditation, and make the red wine flow forth in torrents, is an exercise as strengthening as it is exhilarating. Joy comes from the same truths which support our strength, and comes by the process of meditation.
 
Again, "the joy of the Lord" within us is always the sign and symbol of strong spiritual life. Holy vivacity betokens spiritual vigour. I said that he who had spiritual joy gained it by communion with God, but communion with God is the surest fosterer of strength. You cannot be with a strong God without getting strength yourself, for God is always a transforming God; regarding and looking upon him our likeness changes till we become in our measure like our God. The warmth of the South of France, of which you often hear so much, does not spring from soft balmy winds, but from the sun; at sunset the temperature falls. You shall be on one side of the street in Italy and think it May, cross the street into the shade and it is cold as January. The sun does it all. A man who walks in the sunlight of God's countenance, for that very reason is warm and strong. The sunlight of joy usually goes with the warmth of spiritual life. As the light of joy varies so does the warmth of holy strength; he who dwells in the light of God is both happy and strong. He who goes into the shade and loses the joy of the Lord becomes weak at the same time. So the joy of the Lord becomes our strength, as being an indicator of its rise or fall. When a soul is really vigorous and active, it is like the torrent which dashes down the mountain side, which scorns in winter to own the bonds of frost: in a few hours the stagnant pools and slowly moving streams are enchained in ice; but the snow king must bring forth all his strength ere he can manacle the rushing torrent. So when a soul dashes on with the sacred force of faith, it is hard to freeze it into misery, its vigour secures its joy.
 

Furthermore, the man who possesses "the joy of the Lord," finds it his strength in another respect, that it fortifies him against temptation. What is there that he can be tempted with? He has more already than the world can offer him as a reward for treachery. He is already rich; who shall ensnare him with the wages of unrighteousness? He is already satisfied; who is he that can seduce him with pleasing baits? "Shall such a man as I flee?" The rejoicing Christian is equally proof against persecution. They may well afford to be laughed at who win at such a rate as he does. "You may scoff," saith he, "but I know what true religion is within my soul, and your scoffing will not make me relinquish the pearl of great price." Such a man is, moreover, made strong to bear affliction; for all the sufferings put upon him are but a few drops of bitterness cast into his cup of bliss, to give a deeper tone to the sweetness which absorbs them.

Such a man becomes strong for service, too. What can he not do who is happy in his God? By his God he leaps over a wall, or breaks through a troop. Strong is he, too, for any kind of self-sacrifice. To the God who gives him all, and remains to him as his perpetual portion, such a man gives up all that he hath, and thinks it no surrender. It is but laying up his treasure in his own peculiar treasure house, even in the God of his salvation.
 

A joyous man, such I have now in my mind's eye, is to all intents and purposes a strong man. He is strong in a calm restful manner. Whatever happens he is not ruffled or disturbed. He is not afraid of evil tidings, his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. The ruffled man is ever weak. He is in a hurry, and doth things ill. The man full of joy within is quiet, he bides his time and croucheth in the fulness of his strength. Such a man, though he is humble, is firm and steadfast; he is not carried away with every wind, or bowed by every breeze, he knows what he knows, and holds what he holds, and the golden anchor of his hope entereth within the veil, and holds him fast. His strength is not pretentious but real. The happiness arising from communion with God breeds in him no boastfulness; he does not talk of what he can do, but he does it; he does not say what he could bear, but he bears all that comes. He does not himself always know what he could do; his weakness is the more apparent to himself because of the strength which the Holy Ghost puts upon him; but when the time comes, his weakness only illustrates the divine might, while the man goes calmly on, conquering and to conquer. His inner light makes him independent of the outward sun; his secret granaries make him independent of the outer harvest; his inward fountains place him beyond dread though the brook Cherith may dry Up; he is independent of men and angels, and fearless of devils; all creatures may turn against him if they please, but since God himself is his exceeding joy, he will not miss their love or mourn their hate. He standeth where others fall, he sings where others weep, he wins where others fly, he glorifies his God where others bring dishonour on themselves and on the sacred name. God grant us the inward joy which arises from real strength and is so linked with it as to be in part its cause..."

For All the Stay-at-Home Moms...

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we’re doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.
- Nicole Johnson, The Invisible Woman

The Longest Day in History

"Then Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, 'O sun, stand still at Gibeon, and O moon in the valley of Aijalon.' So the sun stood still and the moon stopped, until the nation avenged themselves of their enemies. Is it not written in the book of Jashar? And the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. There was no day like that before it or after it, when the Lord listened to the voice of a man; for the Lord fought for Israel." Joshua 10:12-14

My husband has a unique hobby.  He spends hours reading and watching documentaries about military battles throughout history. At first, I didn't get it. Why would anyone want to spend hours reading about military strategy? The books just looked boring-and I never got past the cover!  But he gradually won me over when he encouraged me to listen to a book on tape called Raid on the Sun.  Then, he had me watch some Military Channel documentary on Israeli history.  Now I'm kind of hooked.  Why else would I currently be reading a book about the Allied invasion of North Africa?

Military history really is fascinating.  For that reason, we seem to vacation to sites of famous battles (the Alamo, Pearl Harbor, etc.)  But in my opinion, military history is fascinating because there's so much more involved in the battles than just military strategy.  The hand of God is so clearly visible through the stories of historical battles.  How else could General Washington evacuate the Continental Army across the East River undetected by the British Navy following the Battle of Brooklyn?  Or how did Israel manage to launch an air attack during the Six-Day War during the exact time that the Egyptians shut down their air defense system?  Or how in the world did Israel manage to take out Saddam's Osirak nuclear facility in 1981?  God was definitely at work.

God has always protected His people.  And the story of Joshua's military victory over the Amorites provides a clear picture of God's involvement in military history. Verse 14 even says that the Lord fought for Israel! He allowed the sun and the moon to stand still so that Israel could win the battle.  How is this even possible?  What in the world led Joshua to ask God to hold the sun in place? 

I'm also currently reading a book called Sun Stand Still, by Steven Furtick.  It was a graduation gift from my church.  And the book describes the kind of faith that Joshua had when he asked God to intervene in the battle against the Amorites.  As Furtick says, Joshua had "audacious faith," the kind of faith that we all ought to have.  If God can hold the sun in place, or send a fog to shield General Washington from the British navy, God can do the impossible in my life too.  But am I praying for the sun to stand still?  Do I really believe that God can send the fog at the right time?  Do I have audacious faith to believe that God can use me as a tool to change the world?

Sometimes I wonder why God wanted me to "take some time off" before studying for the bar exam.  Why would God want me to wait?  Well, He's clearly teaching me and growing my faith.  He's preparing my heart for something.  He's reminding me that my life's military strategy is meaningless without the Lord fighting on my side. He's showing me that He can use me, but I have to have faith that He's capable of doing the impossible.  I have to go into life's battle prepared to ask for the sun to stand still.  Isn't it cool to know that God can do the impossible?

There's No Place Like Home

"In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also." John 14:2-3

I was a little surprised the other day when someone commented that I had a great attitude about my house being flooded while I was on vacation.  I wasn't sure how to respond, but I guess the person was complementing me.  Uh, thanks?  Trust me, I wasn't exactly excited about being displaced from my house for 7 days and for the fact that there were thousands of dollars of damage to my property.  But it is just stuff.  I know STUFF isn't a proper word, but it seems to be an appropriate definition of what was damaged--worldly possessions that can be replaced and would probably be thrown out sometime in the next 100 years anyway. 

During the first year of our marriage, my husband and I had to evacuate Hurricane Rita (the large Hurricane that followed Katrina and was expected to hit Texas hard right along the Brazos River where we lived.)  That evacuation taught me a few things: 1) don't get too attached to your possessions because you can lose them in an instant regardless of the precautions you take, and 2) don't buy a house in a flood zone.  Well, I didn't buy a house in a flood zone, but now that I've experienced flood-like conditions, I'm glad that I took lesson 1 seriously.  I'm not that attached to possessions.  I'm not super sentimental. And I will gladly throw something away if it is in the way and unnecessary.

Because I'm not attached to my stuff, the last 2 weeks haven't been as painful as they could have been.  Instead, I think the hardest thing about the past few weeks was not knowing whether we could come home.  I knew a home existed, but the anticipation of returning home was killing us.  We just wanted to be in our own place where we felt we belonged. 

Finally, last Thursday, we slept in our own bed and were able to enjoy being home.  It was quite possibly the best night's sleep I have had in months.  Being home was amazing--even with stains in the carpet and holes in the cabinets that have yet to be repaired!  Just being home was enough to make me happy.

The entire experience made me wonder how amazing it will feel to be at home in heaven someday with the Lord.  Last week, the joy of being home was not quite perfect due to the amount of cleaning and work we had to do around our house.  But when I get to heaven, I know that Jesus has already prepared a place for me there.  It's perfect and it's my eternal home.  It's a place where I can experience perfect peace and contentment.  Isn't it exciting to think about our future home with Jesus?  Just thinking about it makes me smile and say "there's no place like home."

War of the Minds

"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.  We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."  2 Corinthians 10:3-5

I heard something the other day that made me a little nervous.  People have started saying that those of us who disagree with the idea of gay marriage are basically racist.  Liberals are trying to say that the rejection of the concept of gay marriage is just like rejecting interracial marriage.  We have been accused of being bigots against gay people because we want to deny them the right to marry.

My gut response is to say, "Well hold on there a minute Mr. Liberal (or if I'm going to be politically correct Ms. Liberal), I'm not a bigot!"  I've been  friends with some gay people who were very nice people.  I just believe that they have made a very bad decision to live a life of sin.  That doesn't give YOU the right to attack me and to interpret my views to make me out to be a bigot or racist.  I'm not.  My view on gay marriage is completely unrelated to my view on interracial marriage!  So stop attacking me just because you disagree with my views...

This whole liberal stereotyping and attack on conservatives and Christians used to make me really mad. I used to think that we, as Christians, had the responsibility to raise up lawyers and politicians who could wage a strong legal and political fight against the liberals.  Doesn't it seem like Supreme Court opinions and executive power are our only hope?

Paul reminds us in Corinthians that we're not fighting a legal battle or a political battle.  The world may wage war with Christians using the law and politics and personal attacks, but we are called to fight a spiritual battle for the hearts and minds of people.  We must guard our hearts and minds against the world.  We must ensure that the world does not steal the hearts and minds of our children at an early age.  We must not personally attack the opposition, but we must formulate a worthy argument against their ideas. Don't get me wrong, I definitely think that we need to fight the legal and political battles, but we're not going to win without waging a spiritual battle of the minds.

I shouldn't be nervous that the liberals are going to attack me and distort my views when they disagree with me.  That's how they wage war.  But that means that I must have the ability to think clearly and to refute their arguments.  It means that I'm going to have to really learn about these issues and then I'm going to have to really understand what God's Word says about these social issues.  I have to teach my children this too!  If we, as Christians, want to preserve our freedom and ability to practice our religion, we must be prepared to wage a much larger war than we think.  We're all in it--not just the lawyers and politicians. Are you equipped for battle?  Just be prepared to be personally attacked.  The attacks are going to keep on coming. 

Life on the Run

I did the unthinkable today and left the house a little before noon without feeding my children.  Of course, as soon as I got on the highway, my oldest informed me that he was thirsty.  I told him that it was too bad that he didn't tell me 5 minutes sooner.  But then I felt bad and took him to Starbucks.  I typically order a boxed juice or chocolate milk for my little guys when we go to Starbucks.  But today, I got this genius idea that we could have Starbucks to-go.

I decided that it would make sense to order chocolate milk in a frappuccino cup with a lid and straw for the 2 year old as opposed to boxed milk.  Then I ordered a vanilla bean blended frappuccino without coffee for my baby because I figured a frozen drink would be less messy than milk. Yeah right!  This was not a genius mommy move.

It never occurred to me that a vanilla bean blended frappuccino would come with a whole mess of whipped cream.  And who would have thought that chocolate milk from Starbucks is yucky?  Let's just say that the 2 year old cried all the way to Dallas (a good 45 minute commute) because he didn't like his milk.  And the 13 month old figured out how to use his straw as a spoon so that he could eat whipped cream.  And that's when I realized that the boys were still hungry because I had only dealt with the "thirsty" issue.  It was about that time that I realized that I should have just sucked it up and gone to McDonald's--which happened to be right next to Starbucks.

After running my errand for the day, of course I couldn't find a fast food place to stop for lunch.  So I ended up getting a kid's meal to-go from a sit down restaurant so that my boys could at least share quesadillas and fries before we headed home. 

I know, parenting magazines would accuse me of being the root cause of childhood obesity in America.  Heaven forbid she give her children Starbucks and french fries!  But you know, my children are happy.  They're healthy.  And we make it work.  That said, next time I think we'll venture out AFTER lunch or maybe I'll make peanut butter and jelly to take with us.  (Or have the healthy food regulators banned that too?)  Regardless, the moral to the story is that life on the run is always unpredictable and next time, Mommy will be ready.

Remember D-Day!

"O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us the work that You did in their days, in the days of old. You with Your own hand drove out the nations; then You planted them; You afflicted the peoples, Then You spread them abroad...For I will not trust in my bow, nor will my sword save me. But You have saved us from our adversaries, and You have put to shame those who hate us. In God we have boasted all day long, and we will give thanks to Your name forever." Psalm 44:1-2, 6-8

On this day in 1944, the allied forces implemented Operation Neptune as 160,000 troops landed across the beaches of France.  Today we remember this military operation as D-Day.  Crosses in Normandy, France, mark the graves of thousands of allied troops who lost their lives for this cause.  The military operation did pay off, however, because less than a year later the allies declared victory in Europe.

For many of us, thoughts of D-day cause scenes from Saving Private Ryan or Band of Brothers to flash through our heads.  We have no frame of reference for what actually happened.  But we do know that some brave men sacrificed everything in order to defeat the Evil German Empire.

I think we often forget that it wasn't just brave men and military brilliance that led to the victory over Hitler.  God is the one who saved the world from the grasp of the evil empire.  God is the one who gave the allies the victory in Europe.  God gave the allied troops the courage and the wisdom to implement successful military strategies.  He is the one who drives out nations and spreads them abroad.

I know that Memorial Day was last week, but today is a special day to remember too.  Remember the brave men.  And remember the great things that God has done, is doing, and will continue to do.  "In God we have boasted all day long and we will give thanks to your name forever!"

Affordable Maternity Wear for the Modern Mommy

I was a little annoyed this morning while reading the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Sunday paper.  Some little journalist wrote a fashion piece on maternity clothes for summer that even shocked my conscience!  Click here to read it: Mom's the Word. Her maternity recommendations were just WRONG.  Somehow, I doubt this chick has ever been pregnant because she would know that pregnant women are not going to spend $189 on denim leggings and $198 on a tunic top from the maternity store.  Most women are not foolish enough to spend $550 on a hippie luxe silk tunic from Neiman Marcus with $85 white jeans from Destination Maternity. These are not maternity outfits!  These are ridiculous!

Any woman who has been pregnant knows that maternity clothes are pretty terrible.  They never make you look skinny and they cost way to much for the 3-6 months you'll wear them.  And then when you get pregnant with baby number 2 during a completely different season of the year, you'll realize that your former maternity collection is useless.  Besides the fact that once you stretch maternity clothes in one direction, they don't regain their shape.  So if you're like me and you carry baby #1 in your hips and baby #2 in your stomach you really can't wear the same clothes!

Let's just say that if I were pregnant (and I'm not) that I would have been really put out and disappointed by Ms. Peters' article this morning.  She gives the impression that you have to have a trust fund to be able to afford cute clothes.  But she's wrong!  So to all my fabulous soon-to-be Mommies in my life, here are some fashions that you CAN rock for a price tag that will leave you with money to purchase diapers...

Forever 21 has some amazing maternity pieces for both online and in-store purchases.  This dress retails at $17.80 and would be perfect for church or a party during any time of the year.  Doesn't it look comfy too?

Old Navy has a nice selection of skirts and t-shirts designed for every stage of pregnancy.  They even have a post-pregnancy selection of nursing tops.  Just remember to hit up Old Navy on one of their big sale days and you can really cash in.  This skirt retails for $32.94.  In my opinion, a denim skirt is a girl's best friend when she's expecting.  Just throw on a pair of cowboy boots and you're set!

 GAP has some great options for work, lounging, or even going out.  I love the Gap website too, because other mommies have written reviews about their purchases that will help guide your decision-making.  And if you don't think you can afford GAP, just know that they have sales all the time.  Just last week, everything was 40% off.  And this cute dress is only $59.50.

If you're expecting a baby soon and you realize that it's time to shop, don't lose heart.  There are plenty of stores with great affordable options.  For some of my other favorite maternity collections visit Ann Taylor LOFT and Target.  You can look chic and pregnant without shopping at Neiman Marcus!  Good luck.  I can't wait to see all my Mommy friends soon!

Can't Seem to Avoid the Vacation Drama

We are not dramatic people.  We tend to be rather boring.  But for some reason, every time we go on vacation we seem to be surrounded by drama or disaster.  They make movies about vacations like ours.

Take our honeymoon, for example.  We took an amazing trip to the fanciest resort in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.  It was gorgeous.  The trip was perfect until we had been there for approximately one hour.  I don't know if Montezuma was getting revenge or what, but my poor husband was sicker than I've ever seen him for the rest of our stay. 

Then there was the trip to my cousin's wedding in North Carolina.  The day of our trip, a gunman was on the loose in our little, practically rural neighborhood.  Since the guy had murdered a few people, the police wouldn't let anyone in or out of our neighborhood.  Thank goodness I was at work during the craziness and my husband had been running an errand.  We were both still able to go on our trip, but we never had the chance to return to our house to pick-up luggage.  Then on the way home from NC, someone miraculously found us a flight when American Airlines decided to cancel all airplanes to DFW.

Next was Hawaii.  The trip was perfect and magical until the flight home from Phoenix.  After stuffing himself with a Cinnabun, our one-year-old regurgitated his entire breakfast all over my husband and our seats on the airplane.  It was so gross that they actually let us use the first class facilities to clean up.  Too bad we only had a change of clothes for the baby.  That was also the trip where my cat fell off my parents 2nd floor walkway and practically broke his leg. 

But this last week takes the cake.  We drove to San Antonio for a relaxing week on the Riverwalk.  We had a blast and even considered extending the trip just for fun.  That was until we received a random phone call from a neighbor on Thursday.  She said that water was running out of our house.  Apparently, my father-in-law called a plumber to fix a problem while we were gone.  And within 48 hours of the plumbing work, our house was covered in 2 inches of water--the ENTIRE HOUSE.  Baby toys, purses, shoes, books, computers, work documents, furniture, carpet, and even the kitchen cabinets are a mess.  We're still waiting to see the extent of the damage, but the Dalworth emergency response man said it was really bad.  All I know at the moment is that my house is unlivable for at least 3-5 days and my Frye cowboy boots are a mess!

Anyway, if you've wondered where I've been for the last week, I started out on vacation and am currently still vacated from my home.  Please don't feel bad for me.  Just pray that we get everything worked out with the insurance adjuster next week.  This is just part of life, right?  I know that we should expect trials.  Considering what my trial could be (think of the poor people in Missouri) I can deal with a wet house. God will work it out.  He always does.