"Christ"mas

It keeps reverberating in my head, Pastor Bruce’s question in his first Advent sermon this year, “How do you keep materialism out of Christmas?”

We went Black Friday shopping as an extended family outing. It did not bode well for my first-grader. She kept wanting everything and we kept saying, “Well, Christmas isn’t far away. We’ll add it to your list. You can’t have that (or that, or that or that) today.” Toward the end of the outing, she was moping alongside her shopping grandma when she said, “I just see all this stuff and I want it all. I know I shouldn’t feel that way.” Christmas in America creates a mentality of materialism.

Along with materialism, how do we not get caught up in the chaotic preparations for celebrating? As Christ-followers, how do we remember to dwell with Jesus, the “Christ” in Christmas?

Visiting with a friend after church last Sunday, she shared her experience of being miserably sick with the flu last Christmas. She expressed that all the things she had to do went undone and Christmas still happened. And she still experienced joy.

For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, ‘In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.’  Isaiah 30:15

In this verse, we see how we might save Christmas from materialism and chaos. By sitting, with coffee cup and Bible in hand, resting in Jesus. In stopping daily to confess my mess-ups to Jesus. Driving in silence; talking and listening to God instead of the radio. In making a to-do-list but verbally telling God that I trust He will allow me to accomplish exactly what He desires for this day. By prioritizing Jesus, not things, stuff, events or my infamous “to do list.” (Someone please tell me I’m not alone with my lists…) By choosing to stop your family once a day and read an Advent devotional (or any Scripture). Through our example, those in our sphere of influence (family, friends and neighbors) will see the Christ in Christmas, not the materialism or busyness.

Are you prioritizing Christ in Christmas? How will you choose to return and rest this December?

Messy

As I hurried to clean up the kitchen for the evening (dishes put away, dirty towels in the laundry, stainless steel sinks shining), the engineer dumps them in the sink. A pile of garden carrots, their dirt soiling the sink. Gardening is messy but rewarding, fulfilling and leaving a legacy in its own little way.

The rod and reproof give wisdom,
but a child left to himself brings shame to his mother.
When the wicked increase, transgression increases,
but the righteous will look upon their downfall.
Discipline your daughter, and she will give you rest;
she will give delight to your heart. Proverbs 29:15-17

This morning, I'm looking on my downfall. I've done too much complaining. I have the privilege of being the one to raise my girls practically 24-hours a day, teaching them, being with them and I complain. They annoy me, they aren't perfect and they have personalities that aren't just like mine (or are too much like mine) and I complain. I have a husband who values my role in training, who asks me when he comes home from work, "How'd it go today?" Yet I complain. I must choose gratitude and change.
The words rod, reproof and discipline  mean directing, guiding, correcting and letting natural consequences incur. They all imply that much time is spent with your child. When I see this word, I immediately see disciple. Jesus spent time with His disciples, teaching, training, working and living life. My call is to do life with my golden heads. This takes time and sacrifice.
So much would get lost in this generation of golden heads if I chose to follow the societal norm and secure my career. Instead, I choose to teach: how to keep a home, cooking, family meal planning, gardening, handiwork, and even graphic design. Will I ever look back on my life and think, I wish I would have had a career? Though there are times that the income from a second household income would be nice, I think, for what? To pay more taxes, more dining out, a larger grocery bill (because you buy more convince food), less margin in our lives, to pay day care, to miss special moments, to drive more miles? I'm convinced as I watch the coming generation, they want mom more than they want stuff or opportunities. And no matter your degree or trade, I'm convinced it can be used in many other venues: home, family, church or volunteer organizations.
I'm not saying be careless, leave work to disciple your children and leave your family in the financial red. Rather, realize what your priorities are. Your money and your calendar will quickly tell you your priorities. Then choose to be radical: change your spending and time in order to make discipling your children a priority. No doubt, it's messy, like the pile of dirt in the kitchen sink. Physically, financially, emotionally, spiritually messy!

Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean,
but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox. Proverbs 14:4

When my golden heads are gone from home, the house is clean and the introverted mother has silence and solitude. I have to admit, I love that, but with the mess the four of us leave behind as we're doing life together day to day, comes a great harvest of personal growth, responsibility, honesty, hard work, integrity, life skills and memories. I may not leave my golden heads with a pile of cash, designer clothes and expensive camps but I choose to do my part to leave them abundant crops.

Black bird

Spying on the black birds raiding the garden, I try determine the cause of their charge. His head, buried under a newspaper left for mulch, lifts the paper up and down. After minutes of satisfied pecking, the black bird flies away. What did he find under that newspaper? I hope it was something good: a grub, worm or bug that filled his belly.

I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with Him. Philippians 3:7-8

There was a lesson in the black bird. His sights were on finding the goods and he did whatever he had to do to get them. He pushed the garbage out of the way. Do I move the garbage out of the way and dig for the good stuff? Do I move the "to do list" out of the way, the busyness of each day, stubbornness, bad habits, false emergencies, pride, worry, fear? Paul said all these things are worthless garbage even if the world esteems them. Even our dreams and goals can keep us from finding what's valuable.
What's good? What's most valuable? Knowing Jesus so intimately that you are becoming one with Him or becoming more like Him every day. This is a present tense action verb and is on-going, not a one-time event. He desires a relationship with you and you can intimately know Him. Will you push the garbage out of the way and dig?
What garbage do you need to push out of the way to get to the the most valuable treasure of knowing Jesus? After God reveals what your garbage is, make an action plan. How will you push that item out of the way and focus on Jesus and grow in intimacy with Him?

Margin

In a discussion with dear friends, margin was the topic. Margin is the difference between load and power; where Power is energy, skills, time, training, emotional and physical strength, faith, finances and relational support and load is represented by work, problems, obligations, commitments, debt, deadlines, interpersonal conflict, etc. Margin is the amount allowed beyond that which is needed. "Marginless is not having time to finish the book you’re reading on stress; margin is having the time to read it twice.” (Richard A. Swenson, The Overload Syndrome, 1998 and Margin, 2004.) Marginless is is wondering if anyone has seems a robin. Margin is listening and seeing the spring birds migrate north.
Contemplating, discussing and analyzing margin, I begin to think different people are wired to need different amounts of margin. I think my body needs more margin than most.

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ...Titus 2:11-13

Maintaining margin seems to be an example of living the self-controlled, upright and godly life that Paul instructs Titus. Dr. Richard Swenson shares some steps to attaining margin in your life:

1. Save the spaces in life for what really matters
2. Plan for the unexpected
3. Be intentional
4. Say no to non-priorities
5. Tame TV and technology
6. Periodically disconnect; control interruptions
7. Nourish relationships
8. Stop the hustle, slow the pace
9. Use the gift God gives for enjoyment (free time)
10. Define and defend your boundaries

My week reiterated this discussion with friends. My load was fruit basket upset. No school Monday, therefore fun times but my load was increased without an increase in power supply (time). However, so reassured, our family Tuesday morning devotion reassured me that God always directs our steps. My "hiccups" or surprises are never a surprise to Him, they are part of His plan to transform me and use me. This same morning was full of meetings and commitments followed by a call from the school nurse. Wednesday was a high fever and numerous plan Bs curtailing un"necessary" trips to the grocery store and errands. Thursday was having a day of well-children, away from home all day and envisioning the catch-up that would have to wait until Friday. And Friday morning longing for some rest and reprieve (margin), God stopped me in the creation story. Every day God used to create earth is summed up, "And there was evening and there was morning, the ___ day." Evening comes first. The dark. The time of rest and replenishment. Then comes the day. Again, I hear God telling me His rest comes before the activity. This is when I resolve to spend the beginning of my Friday resting in Him. Not running the errands that have been waiting since Tuesday. Not going on a run. Not cleaning the house. But curling up for at least an hour with my coffee, Bible and maybe my writing to rest in Him. Then the day will come and make time enough for all the items that need me.
Not thirty-minutes later, "My head hurts and my tummy hurts." Oh, those viruses are contagious? Of course, sisters share everything. So again, God directs my day and I believe He directs me to trust in His provision, His timing and His rest. Yes, there will be items I can't check off my list (anything having to do with leaving the house) but there will be margin, time. And that's when my ailing little golden head says, "Mom come quick, look at that bird." Two red-necked male finch perch on the deck railing. In His time, in His way, He's teaching me margin and rest.
How much margin do you need? How much rest do you need? How is God methodically arranging your day to create both rest and margin? Will you choose to trust His perfect timing?

Kaboom!

Sometimes I have an Ah, duh! moments. And I've been thinking for the last four days, I need to claim the power available to me because Christ lives in me. The process has seemed so elusive to me.

"I also pray that you will begin to understand how incredibly great God's power is to help those who believe him. It is that same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in heaven." Ephesians 1:19-20, TLB

Overwhelmed would well describe the past few weeks for me. So much to shuffle, struggling to manage my time and priorities, tired physically and emotionally of parenting, selfishly wanting time for myself (which one would think is crazy since all the golden heads are in school now and I have the entire school day quiet) and wrestling with connection and communication with the engineer. I haven't quite figured out what to do with myself. I know Jesus holds the answer but how?
As I was preparing to teach on Paul's letter to the Corinthians, I became convicted of needing to take hold of the power available to me. It's like the Starbucks gift card in my wallet that I'm saving for "special occasions," so it remains unused. I have this power "card", but like my Starbucks card, I'm saving it for when I "really" need it. Ah, duh, I need it now. I need it every day. And unlike a gift card, God's power never runs out. God keeps reloading the card.
Lying in bed in the middle of the night, my mind goes full circle. Months ago, I learned and committed to memory: God as my loving Father will meet all my needs, all my physical needs and my need for purpose, peace and power. And He can meet those needs when the  Holy Spirit is ruling my life. Ah, duh, I knew that! I couldn't sleep anymore. Power, power, power kept flashing through my mind. While the sky lightened, I picked up Mark chapter two and power keep surfacing: power to heal, power to witness to the unsaved, power to be Lord of all.

"For the kingdom of God (Christ within me)…is living by power!" 1 Corinthians 4:20

How? I need a plan. To steel the one-liner from the A-Team, "I love it when a plan comes together." So what is my plan? My plan includes

1. Self-talk: In my moments of temptation, trial and weakness, I need to tell myself, "I am empowered by the Holy Spirit and that is more than enough power to make it through ___." 
2. Taking a deep breath, confessing my mess-up and choosing to do the opposite. 
3. Praying for the one who's driving me nuts. 

If I choose to use it: kaboom! His power will always comes through for me.
So what's your plan? How do you remind yourself to claim the unlimited, unending power available to you?

Excess

Awake in the middle of the night, the to do list blinks through my racing mind. Oh, Jesus, I have so much to accomplish tomorrow. Please multiply my time so that I finish well what NEEDS to be done and the let the rest take care of itself. Somehow I fell back to sleep and awoke with the alarm, choosing to begin my day on-time despite the lack of sleep and doing the routine that makes me better (a short workout, drip time and time with God.) My prayer remained, God, multiply my time. I don't see how I can get all this done! Multiply. Make it divinely only possible because You work in my middle.
By 5pm, there was only one item on the list remaining: preparing a devotion for the next day. God had not yet impressed on me what He wanted me to share. Clearly, it would take some time just sitting and listening to Him. The compassionate one had dinner in the oven and I smiled. I had an hour until dinner to spend time listening. Sitting in the middle of the bees buzzing around the blooming flowers, I was in awe. How'd He do that? How'd I get all that done? I didn't seem possible that I should have an extra hour in my day. Yet here I was sitting in the sunshine, adoring His creation: the bees, flowers, clouds, leaves, blades of grass, the sound of children playing…
Somehow that night, I wasn't anxious for the first day in my new leadership role at Community Bible Study. I enjoyed a bike ride, time reading with a golden head, bedtime prayers and PBS with the engineer.

"..in every way you were enriched in Him in all speech and all knowledge--so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:5-9

When Paul writes, “that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge,” based on the meaning of the greek word translated enriched, it means God goes so far to richly supply in excess, every thing in every way for every need by means of the Holy Spirit IN the believer. The Christ follower lacks nothing while they wait for Christ to return.
I'm reminded of how Jesus fed the 5000 men (plus women and children) with five loaves of bread and two fish. When the disciples collected the leftovers (seriously, leftovers?) they took up twelve baskets full of broken piece and of the fish. God supplied richly, in excess! (Mark 6:30-42)
I know God chooses to do that for us sometimes. He seemly warped time to provide for me. Don't get me wrong, I loathe, dispose and hate time-travel movies. Ask the engineer, in two-minutes I'll be mentally checked out and snoring in five! But somehow when God's the one bending the time, it's a bit more realistic and fascinating! And I'm part of that action flick.
Where is God calling you to trust Him to richly supply in excess? Time, money, patience? Talk to Him continually and get ready to pick up the leftovers!

Too much

Making a "chore" fun, I asked the compassionate one to resurrect all the fall decorations and tuck away the summer ones. The next day, as I settle in for some drip time, my attention falls upon the mantle: a mix of summer and fall and entirely too much. I chuckle and then I realize. I realize that sometime our schedules are just too much.

Sometimes we need to say, "no," but to what? I make a quick list of my commitments. Which of these need a no? They're all good. Which ones on the list won't last? Which ones can I come back to later? 

It's so difficult to put away good, valuable and worthwhile tasks and commitments. As I look at my favorite spring tulips (silk flowers, embarassingly a favorite) and recall that if I put them away for a season or two, when I find them again in March, they look more lovely.
What if I took something off my schedule for just a season? Would it appear more precious when it returned? 

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to laugh;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.
I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil--this is God's gift to man. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, 12-13

When our Bible study parts for the summer, it's okay. It's time for a change of pace. But in fall, glancing through the list of names attending and the feel of a new workbook in hand, I can't wait to get started again; God's gift to me. The off-season makes the resuming sweeter.

When the calculating one says, "Mom, I want to read to you," and I begrudgingly snuggle in beside her, I do the task out of discipline, and then my heart is filled with joy. This is God's gift to momma. This is a season that won't last! And so I know that time with my golden heads will not be struck from the list, but that which can wait will. It is a constant prioritization.

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17

What do you need to give up, even if just for a season? Make a list of your commitments then talk with God. Consider these questions. Which of these won't last? Which of these brings me joy; is God's gift to me? Which of these need striking?

Best man

"Never love family more than you love Jesus. Our priorities should be Christ, spouse, family…" I thought I was doing well. Then in disappointment, I realized I had elevated my family. They did not meet my "need." Since Christ meets all my needs, expecting my family to meet my needs makes them essentially an idol. I took Christ off the throne of my life and put these four wonderful, yet imperfect beings, on the throne. My eyes were on my family, not on Christ.

Then God revealed to me a beautiful picture of a wedding. The bride is beautifully adorned spoken for by the groom. The groom has eyes fixed on and passion for his bride. And then, as a supporting witness to this marriage is the best man. He stands beside the groom and listens to the groom; he is loyal to the groom. Yes, he values the bride, but his first priority is the groom. Christ is the groom. Christ, not the bride, completes the best man's joy. My family is the bride. I am the best man. When I value and cherish the bride more than the groom, the bride (my family) becomes my focus, my influence, and I depend on them to meet my needs. Needs only Christ (the groom) is meant to fulfill. (See John 3:29-30.)
Family is a blessing, not a provision. When I feel frustrated and let down by my family (I'm sure the feeling is mutual), I need to reaffirm in my mind that Christ meets all my needs.

…since He Himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. Acts 17:25

'Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.' John 14:27

You keep in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3

…that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:19

I am inspired by Paul's example. Paul loved the church (Ephesians 3:14-19) and he prayed for the church but he loved Christ more!

I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Philippians 3:8 

Do you trust God to meet all your needs or like me, do you expect others to meet some of these needs? (For example: security, your value and purpose, physical needs--affection, possessions, quality time, etc--, peacefulness, strength, etc…) Could it be these amazing people in your life have been elevated beyond the bridegroom, Christ? Consider a prayer like this and reestablish Christ as your focus.

I repent of making the golden heads and engineer my focus, my idol. I turn to you. Holy Spirit, rule, reign and influence my life. And may, you, the bridegroom be the apple of my eye forever! Amen.

Your plan and steps

The plan was adventurously simple: we'd hike a 5-mile trek along the Superior Hiking Trail. Not simple was the volume of people involved: twenty-four. Within ten-minutes, the first handful of our group began following a different trail on the opposite side of the river. Unable to communicate with the wayward, we did not know how long they would hike before realizing the remainder of the group (including the one with the map) were not behind them. After a rescue attempt was made and the large group reunited, the loaded question (that taught a lesson) was asked, "Who had the map?" Follow the one with the map. 

What if no one had a map? Is there a map in your life charting out your path? Such a plan would direct your decisions, money, time and resources. Without goals, we're hiking without a map. 

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12. 

This has been the realization of my heart in the past week. As I reflect on goals that create my plans and then allowing Him to direct my steps. 

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. Proverbs 19:21. 

It would be foolish not to set goals for myself, but also unwise to not allow God to direct my steps.  

In all my ways (my goal setting) acknowledge Him and He will direct my path. Proverbs 3:6

God gave us minds to think, process, contemplate and He will use open or shut doors to direct our paths.

Before I committed to my goals, I reflected on the praises, accomplishments and victories from 2013, giving glory to God. Then I acknowledged the challenges in my life that I needed to commit to Him in 2014. These two written exercises led me to goals in multiple areas: Career, financial, family, physical, social, spiritual, intellectual. Goals should be specific, measurable, yours, time-sensitive and written down (daveramsey.com).

Each of my goals includes steps of implentation. I plan to revisit my goals in six months to measure my accomplishments. (Don't worry, it's in the iCal now.) Sometimes I don't reach my goals. Sometimes my goals change. Sometimes God closes a door. But goals must be written down.

If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time. Zig Ziglar

If you have not written down any goals for the 2014 year, select one area and write one goal along with implementing proactive steps toward achieving it.

Your steps

The invention of iCal and the "Cloud" have changed for the better my monthly calendar. I recall the days of printing out each week and posting it on the refrigerator. While that was good for my family to see what was coming for the week and each day, I like the idea of using less paper and just sharing necessary agenda items with them by "inviting" them to an event.
I've also heard of families successfully utilizing google calendars to share one common calendar. We just never got on that wagon.
My iCal is my lifeline because if I don't write something down, I won't remember it. Just this morning, the calculating one pulls out my iPod and starts reading my calendar for the day.
"Breakfast 7 AM, Verse of the Day with girls 7:15AM, Preschool 9AM..." Yes, that's right we haven't been doing Verse of the Day at breakfast. Out comes the Air1 app and their Verse of the Day. (Seems you have to read your iCal for it to be useful...)
I also love using different calendars. I have a calendar for each family member, menus, auto maintenance  (where I keep track of miles and when oil changes are due), garden produce, birthday and anniversaries. I remind myself to renew library books, change the air filter in the furnace and it's essentially where I keep my daily focus because each item is an event in the day.
God wants us to plan and allowing Him direct our steps.

The heart of a man plans his way
but the Lord establishes his steps. Proverbs 16:9

Many are the plans of a person's heart
but it the the Lord's purpose that prevails. Proverbs 19:21

Often when I'm not sure what order to do things in or how everything is going to get accomplished, I pray, "God direct my steps today." And later in the day when things don't go quite like I had anticipated, I say, "Thanks God for showing us the way to go. It's not what I thought, but it's good. It's your way."

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and rely not on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him
and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

Decide the best way for you to keep track of you calendar in a organized fashion. If you have a great idea to share, post it in the comments. We can all learn from each other. Keeping a calendar will add peace to your home!

A peaceful home starts with a plan

Contemplating how to be a Titus 2 woman, I'm simmering on verse 2: be "working at home." Whether you work outside the home or not, a woman has work to do at home.
When you read of the Proverbs 31 woman, the listing of her tasks is dizzying! From shopping, to fashioning, trading, to serving the needy, the woman of this Proverb has a full plate. But notice verses 27-29:

She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and her praises her:
"Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all."

This woman, worth more than precious jewels, is a worker at home, looking out for her entire household. She is not "sitting around watching Oprah and eating bonbons." What I infer is that if her family thinks so highly of her, they must feel peacefulness in their home; lack of worry and fear. This woman is wise and her family doesn't fear the future.
James is a book of Christian lifestyle application and I was struck in my studying this past week regarding wisdom:

Earthly wisdom wich is unspiritual and demonic, motivated by jealousy (keeping up the the Jones') and seeking it's own way, will yield a life of disorder, chaos and evil. But the wisdom from God is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good consequences, doesn't show favoritism and is sincere. This godly wisdom will yield a life of righteousness because it is sown in peace by those who make peace. (James 3:15-18, my paraphrase)

Do you see the contrast of a home marked by chaos and a home marked by peace? Part of our job as workers at home is to sow peace into our home. For me this peaceable home begins with a plan. Years ago, I was taught how to keep a focus notebook. My application has shifted with technology. Six years ago, a Focus Notebook meant hauling around a 1" binder wherever you went...with the invent of smart phones and iPods, we can make our load much lighter and smaller. We'll uncover five topics

1. Daily Focus
2. Calendars
3. Menu Planning
4. Shopping
5. Addresses and Mail.

Today, I'll start with the Daily Focus. This is meant to help prioritize time. Every day of the week, you set to accomplish a list (no more than five things) that are a priority for that day. If nothing else is accomplished, these will be. And when they are accomplished, if you have time left over, you can do other tasks or things you enjoy. Everyone has different priorities. I remember that gal who taught me this saying (to a room of young moms), "If it's a priority that you get a nap every day, then put a nap on every day's focus." This way of organizing your time, will not allow tasks to become "long over due." (Like mildew growing in the bathroom.) It also allows you to focus on the important, yet not urgent things in life (because you've completed them before they became urgent).
Here's an example of my Daily Focus:

Monday

Run 30 minutes - squats, lunges & abs
Preschool
Menu Plan with Coupon Clipping and make Grocery List
Wipe down Kitchen
Laundry 

Tuesday 

Walk/Bike 40 minutes - triceps, biceps & abs
Preschool
Clean windows & dust
Blog 

Wednesday 

Run 30 minutes - shoulders, back & abs
Preschool
Shopping
Intentional discipling girls 

Thursday 

Walk/Bike 40 minutes - squats, lunges & abs
Quicken/budget/bills
Community Bible Study 

Friday 

Run 30 minutes - triceps, biceps & abs
Vacuum & Mop
Clean bathrooms
Storytime
Laundry 

Saturday 

I like to leave this day open...in case something comes up.

It's also a good idea to stop every now and then and have a good "think." (A concept I borrow from a Billings mentor, Ann Streeter.) You know how Pooh bear would just stop and think? So should we stop and think about how things work (or don't) and adjust according to try accomplish our goals.
Begin today to make a list of the things you need to accomplish on a weekly basis and place each item to be accomplished on one day. Remember to leave Sunday (or the day of your choosing) blank so that you are obedient in observing a sabbath. Also, if you have an app that you find aids you in your Daily Focus, share it by placing a comment below.

Continual

A week or so ago, God nudged me. He reminded me that this whole blog idea began as a way to minister as a Titus 2 woman to younger women. However, mostly, I use it to put my thoughts to "pen and paper." But I wonder if it's to be more than that. I know my highest calling is to abide in Him, my Maker, my God. And I will continue to do that but my focus of blogging may change. I will aim to teach what is good, how to love a husband (when I am so selfish), how to love my children (even when they are difficult), how to be pure (in a corrupt world), how to work at home, and show what it means to be subject to your husband.
Being a married woman and a mom is a call of self-sacrifice. As I meet moms, I see different points of view, different choices, different callings even. And though it's difficult at times, it reaffirms our family's choices: for me to be a worker only at home. One works incredibly hard to earn a college degree. Time, tears, sweat, late nights studying, many financial resources...you finish the list. Then attaining the first job. A foot in the door, a step on the ladder, a starting place. In time, you develop into the leader and woman you were called to be in the workplace. And then comes the deliberate choice to lay all that down. The prestige and power you held at your hard-earned job. The options you had financially when you were a two-income household. To rip that from your life and offer it up to God so that you can treasure the people who are not destroyed by moth and rust (Matthew6:20). This is an example of what it means to be poor in spirit.
I am not saying that working moms are not poor in spirit. Sometimes there is not choice financially, whether she a single parent or husband under or unemployed. Sometimes it's a matter of submission to your husband who asks his wife to work. Sometimes it's a matter of knowing who you are or aren't. But for the woman who is given a choice: to work outside the home or be in the home, I see it as a sacrifice of self. Romans 12:1, my paraphrase:

Offer your whole self continually as a sacrifice to the Lord in logical response of worship to the grace by which He extended to you when He saved you.

In preaching on this verse this weekend, our pastor said, because of your realizing what gift God gave when He saved you, "you can never go back to who you were." And really, in choosing to be a worker in the home, I may never be able to go back to the person I was before I made that choice. I have missed out on years of technology upgrading in the web development world, I would not simply be able to walk back into that field of work. An extended relative, whose husband became unemployed, who was a stay-at-home mom, struggled to find any sort of work and although thankful for an income, she isn't in the same field of work as before making the choice to be at home.
Is it worth it? Honestly, sometime I need to remind myself that it is. But, it doesn't take me long. Discipling my children is a big job. And this isn't a sacrifice just for children. It's a sacrifice for the peace and calmness of your entire household. And my relationships are the only thing going with me to heaven. I watch working mom's lives and I may become jealous but I don't stay there. In a way, I have traded the chaos of running for just "being" sometime.
And so I offer my whole self to God...including this blog.

Who am I?

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

In visiting with my wise mother-in-law tonight, she said something about jobs, “It’s not who you are, it’s just what you do.” That struck me and I see so much wisdom in it when I use it to measure up an outside the home job. What your employment is doesn’t define who you are. You are a child of God. Heir to His kingdom. More precious than rubies. Forgiven. Righteous. Perfect. Being made holy. However, my wrestle with this is, who does that make me? My job is in the home: being a mom, home keeper, wife. I think I am these things in additions to His daughter. Is there error in this? Or am I a mom and a wife but in the eyes of God not a home keeper? I don’t know how to be the best mom and wife I can without keeping my home in an organized, tidy manner. I can’t seem to overlook sticky floors, splatter all over the cupboards, running out of ingredients and supplies and just be “there” as a mom and wife. I don’t feel like I can have one without the other. Is there error in this? I know in all things I should strive for balance and meanwhile maintain perspective: it’s more important for me to give time, service, physical affection, gifts, words of affirmation to my kids than having clean bathrooms. Or is having the clean bathrooms and kitchen and floor and clothes part of the service to my husband and children? “I am not a home-keeper, it’s just what I do,” but “I am a home-keeper, mom and wife.” What does scripture say about this?

1.       Alicia revealing her heart

2.       Golden heads helping me shop

3.       Patience to make it through the shopping

4.       Being able to treat them to lunch

5.       3 more Scoops tokens

6.       Giffeys arriving safely

7.       Kids not missing a beat

8.       Big kids talking until 10

9.       Heart to heart with Gail past midnight

10.   The compassionate one offering to take out the trash

11.   The engineer’s flight arriving earlier than previously thought

12.   Micah being able to spend the night at home..not Mayo

13.   Opportunity for Micah to see his doctor for a check-up

14.   The miracle You’re going to do in Micah’s life

15.   Big kids up and excited to be together at 6am!

16.   Kids Camp pictures

17.   Ability to mop the kitchen floor & wash away “sticky”

18.   Seven kids climbing onto the hammock with me in the middle

19.   Popcorn all over the ground…feeding the birds

20.   Bottle caps on the table

21.   Ice cream in a bag with the older kids

22.   Naps for the middle kids

23.   Treasure in heaven

24.   Opportunity to go to Kracht Garbage Day

25.   Being “emotional support” for grandma and mom

26.   Ability to share insight about marital roles with mom

27.   Derrick’s eagerness to serve at Garbage Day

28.   Delburt’s verbal gratitude expressed to Derrick

29.   Watching fathers and sons work together

30.   Watching brothers and cousins work together

31.   Safety getting home although sleepy

32.    Really sleeping until 8am

33.   Folgers

34.   Shawna serving grandpa compassionately...making scrapbooks

35.   A Sabbath without golden heads

36.   Family planning on the calculating one’s birthday party

37.   A week without being mom

38.   The golden heads eagerly staying at grandma’s for a week

39.   Eagerness of grandpa & grandma to have them a week

40.   Compassionate one making special K bars for grandpa

41.   Wanting grandpa to have the leftovers

42.   Visiting with uncle Carl

43.   Boisterous one’s kisses for grandpa great

44.   Cousins swimming for hours in the stainless steel calf feeder

45.   Find the boisterous one’s capris and undies

46.   Boisterous one so excited for grandma Barb’s play dough

47.   Living close enough to make a day trip “home”

48.   Laughing with the engineer about pulling the wrong chain for the ceiling fan

49.   Ripstick

50.   Ripping out cooper tubing with the skid loader

51.   Luke’s leadership

52.   Praying Philippians 2:1-4 for Kestrel

53.   Good movies

54.   Soaker hoses

55.   Blueletterbible.com

56.   Memories of the farm

57.   Picture of compassionate one and dad with the baby pigs

58.   Dew drops

59.   “Life is like a mountain railway” on itunes

60.   Over half the deck stained

61.   Drier weather to stain

62.   Cool morning breeze

63.   Fish in the pond

64.   Soaker hose

65.   Grandpa getting enough money to pay for the funeral

66.   Lunch & friendship with Alicia

67.   Running beside corn that I just barely taller than

68.   Having a birthday cake to make

69.   Slip & Slide

70.   Cousins coming to the party

71.   Having the deck stained

72.   Tiki Torches

73.   Repentance from selfishness

74.   Campfire with just the two of us

75.   Mulch in the flower bed

76.   Home Depot having plastic sheeting

77.   Bakery buns

78.   Java Chip Frappuccino @ Starbucks

79.   Realizing my homemade ones are just as good

80.   Stack of brush…gone

81.   Wearing a dress just because

82.   Shopping

83.   Finding the engineer half way between Eagan & Woodbury

84.   Going to “work” with the engineer

85.   Sitting in the little café for 30 minutes with the engineer

86.   Not getting our chicken so I could have Starbucks for lunch

87.   Not having to pay for our drinks & salad

88.   Opportunity to navigate new territory

89.   Tiny peppers

90.   Peas to pick

91.   Blossoms on the green beans

92.   Beets sprouting

93.   Sevin to stop Japanese beetles

94.   Learning to garden as a child

95.   Working from home

96.   Running up the stairs after dinner

97.   Peanut butter toast & apples for dinner

98.   Making jerky for Micah

99.   Note from Jessica