Waiting and Trusting

It is possible that posts from here on will often discuss things I've learned as aging has happened that I wish I could have grasped sooner. You know how you learn something under one set of circumstances,  and then that lesson seems to evaporate within the bounds of a different set of circumstances? You relearn and think, "NOW I've got it!" Yet, we all know, lessons deepen and widen as our faithful God grows us into a closer image of His Son. 

That said, waiting on the Lord and trusting in Him to do what we want Him to do...how to do this with open hands willing to accept a "no" answer, yet earnestly asking Him to fulfill that which seems like it should be His desire also.  This is a tough scenario that we can say with words rather easily, but we all know that it is not easy to live out. If we aren't fretting at times, we may feel as though we have lost the level of care we should have. If we are fretting all the time,  clearly there is an issue with our trust in God to perform that which is right and needful. 

So what ARE we to do in these times of truly wanting God's will,  and wanting Him to help us accept His will does turn out to be different from our will? What do we do when He is moving SO slowly that we're losing hope? 

We must remember that a day is like one thousand, and one thousand like a day to the Lord. He sees the years differently from us. Do we believe He works all things after the council of His own will or don't we? Do we believe He works all things together for good to those who love Him and who are called according to His purpose? He has told us many times that "I am the LORD", and we know our own hearts are deceitful and desperately wicked. Reviewing these and other truths can help us remember that God is not denying us as the days and weeks pass. He sees the beginning from the end. He is the Alpha and the Omega! 

Whenever a long, LONG awaited answer comes, which aligns with our desire, it should serve as a pillar in our minds that to trust means to trust His timing. Lay our burdens down, regularly tell Him our desire and yet also ask Him to help us navigate if He sees it differently (even if we can't possibly see how He could). He loves His own with an everlasting love. 

Faithful is He who called us, and He will bring those things (that are necessary) to pass. May we genuinely rest in the lovingkindness of our God who sees, cares, and intervenes as only He can. 

To God be the glory for the things He has done!

Sanctification, Growing Older....

I've recently finished reading chapter 9 of Adorned by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth. It is an excellent chapter about purity. Purity is a lost adjective in today's vernacular, at least among the worldly Christians and secular society. I've been thinking about how becoming more sanctified naturally lends itself to becoming more pure, more holy. Qualities such as these cannot be hidden; they are what a person, a woman, embodies. It is who she is. One wouldn't tell an off-color joke around her because it is understood she wouldn't appreciate the humor and would probably be offended. Because this sort of woman is polite and gracious, she likely wouldn't say anything in the midst of an uncomfortable, inappropriate exchange (assuming the Lord's name or character weren't being put in question), but she would excuse herself from continuing with the banter. May we all strive to be women who others naturally do not want to offend. When people apologize for swearing around us or curb their drinking around us, let us hope it is because they respect our positions quietly as we have quietly demonstrated our own. 

Quiet demonstrations lead to the topic this post is about, which is sanctification and how obvious it is. And how obvious it isn't. 

When someone claims to be a Christian, but shows no growth in Christlikeness, there is a lack of sanctification happening. This is a cause for concern. Reading and hearing Scripture should engage the mind and will of a follower of Jesus Christ. We should be challenged to change when we see our way of living doesn't align with God's way. Our service in church should increase the longer we're in Christ because we know our serving others is how we serve Him, using the gifts He's given us for that very purpose. Sanctification is a life-long element of a Christian's existence. This leads to the second point of this post and that is growing older. One of the many benefits of growing older is the number of years to observe life. Our own life and the lives of those around us. Time tells us all we need to know about where someone is in their walk with Christ. What is claimed to be believed will be shown or not shown over time. 

Birds of a feather flock together as the old saying goes. Who do you flock with? Who is in my flock? We will know Christians by their love and surely we know much about them by who they spend time with. Pay attention to who you spend time with. What influences you? Who are your close friends? 

We serve a powerful and good God who is interested in the sanctification of His children. He is actively available to help us not look like we looked last year, the year before that, the year before that and so on. ♥

When Plans Go Differently

You know when you are planning something and you have this vision of what it will look like? It could be something big like an outdoor wedding or a large funeral you are orchestrating. But it could also be just a small dinner with friends or a quick getaway. Regardless, there is either a general or very specific idea of what "it" is going to look like, and then for whatever reason, before said event, it becomes clear that things are going to go in a pretty different direction than you'd thought. It might be weeks before the event or moments prior that you have to change gears. There is rain when you counted on sun, there are people you thought would be attending that back out, or people end up bringing guests they weren't expecting themselves, or the caterers cancelled and there had to be a last-minute audible. 

What do you do in these situations? 

How do you act and feel? 

For events where weather is a true impacting force, it is best to not have your heart set on it being any one way. Make sure your backup plan is satisfactory and decide beforehand to accept whatever comes your way. Weather can be unpredictable so plan accordingly--that is, plan to be flexible!

When it is an event that involves other people, commit the event to the Lord and trust Him to bring who He wants to be there. Sometimes the keynote speaker has to miss, there is an unavoidable delay, or what one person wants differs from what you want. We have a choice to go with the flow or be uptight. Going with the flow is much easier. Plan as best you can, but if it gets all wacky, all you can do is roll with it. That is a good way to show grace to other people and a way to demonstrate the relationships are more important than our own perceived needs. 

Slander and Pride in Prayer Requests

Most women are familiar with gossip being a potential pitfall when sharing a prayer need. Too often the "need" for prayer becomes a bash session or a town council style opinion meeting if it isn't carefully shared. This isn't new information for those who desire to avoid gossip. 

There is another issue that I think we sometimes miss in prayer request time that has had me thinking though. It is the issue of slander: speaking against someone in a way that harms their reputation or negatively shapes the opinion of others. It can happen before we know it, and it can be one of those things we didn't intend. Slander can be factual or false, and it can flow out of a lack of humility and pride, but also lack of foresight. Too often if something is true we think it is ok to openly share. (True as in absolutely true, or true in our own minds and opinion.)

The truth is,  however,  whether something is factual or not, it isn't always helpful or appropriate to share. We should be able to see what is our own opinion of a situation and "our truth" for what it is--possibly clouded and mistaken, especially within the confines of a serious relationship problem. 

Before sharing a prayer need about a problem we have with another person, we should ask ourselves what exactly are we saying about the other individual? Are we saying they are a thief, a liar, an adulterer, deceived, malicious, that they have an anger issue, or something else? Is the problem absolutely one-sided (like a person has a clear substance abuse issue or is in a cult) or is there a chance both parties are at fault to varying degrees? We should always ask for our own hearts to be changed in situations with subjectivity. 

We don't want people coming away from our prayer request thinking poorly of someone else if it can be helped. I realize there are times this is unavoidable. In such cases, prudence is advised. Instead of sharing in a group setting, ask a trusted friend or two to pray (if details are required that will shed negative light on someone else). Regardless, whenever we have a problem with another person to the degree that it leads us to seek the support of others, our attitude should be that we are willing to see the situation differently if God sees it differently. There should be a measure of humility, our love for the other person should be clear, and our desire for reconciliation over being right should be obvious. If we aren't there yet when we share the need, it is important we're open to advice on the matter and do not approach it like we have it all figured out.

In closing, let's consider being vague in prayer needs so we respect the reputation of others, and being sure to communicate our own willingness to change our perspective. There is usually something we can improve upon in any problem situation. 

To God be the glory

Reformation Day Posts That Are Here

https://annscommunisvita.blogspot.com/search?q=Reformation+Day

The above link will take you to what all is posted on this site about Reformation Day. I hope it is a blessing!

2 Timothy 2: Sermons

I recently worked through 2 Timothy 2 and as part of it, listened to these sermons. The Apostle Paul is amazing and inspiring! I hope you will like these messages from Pastor John MacArthur. There are several others on this chapter also. 

Elements of a Strong Spiritual Life

Elements of a Strong Spiritual Life Part 2

The Holy Spirit

In reading 2 Timothy 3:5 this afternoon, I was struck by the reference to the Holy Spirit, which I was listening to a sermon about earlier this morning. 

2 Tim 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away. 

and going further along to verse 7 of the same chapter,

Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 

Do we who claim to know and belong to Christ rely on Him for all truth? Are we reading and studying, growing our intellectual abilities, yet missing the point of our existence? 

Do we 'have a form of godliness' but deny the power of that godliness, which is from the Holy Spirit and the actual proof we are saved?

The rubber of our being meets the road at the core of where we get our truth. Is it from another person, from deep inside ourselves, or is it from the Creator of the Universe? Is there truth outside of God, or is God the source of all truth? 

I'm fortunate to have lived a number of years without God.  That might sound odd, because any time away from Him is dreadful. Yes, those years involved a lot of suffering, but they showed me what the world and its institutions, and myself have to offer. I tried all the things to be at peace and feel good, and you know, none of it delivered. I was a mess without a focal point, with no center. Then one day I heard the gospel and learned there is POWER in God. Real power to bring real change, and at that point I was desperate for real change. So, while I might not know nearly as much as I should about God and His Word (much to my regret), this one thing I do know. There is no other that has the answers and no other who has the power, just God. He is enough, sufficient, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, sovereign, and one day every knee will bow to Him in subjection. To God be the glory. Amen. 

What Ever Happened to the Holy Spirit Sermon Series

Visiting Evangelist!

Well folks, are you looking for some excellent preaching? You've come to the right place!

Listen to Sun PM: https://www.youtube.com/live/TXlyhlhqCYk?feature=shared

then...

Mon PM: https://www.youtube.com/live/fDs2ghGh6cc?feature=shared

and if you want more, go on and do...

Tue PM: https://www.youtube.com/live/cqbP7yQG1tQ?feature=shared

It will be well worth your time. There is nothing like the Word of God to encourage and transform a life. 

There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. Prov 14:12

 

We Want Change But We Won't Change

Victim mentality: "I have it too hard. Harder than others!"

Overcomer mentality: "This is hard but I'll overcome! Plenty of people go through worse and make it."

Life is too full of opportunities to waste your energy on those driven by being victims. If you are spending time with someone bent on thinking like a victim, move on. Find better friends. 

You want to be someone to "find a way and make a way"! Have a dream and put in the hard work to accomplish it! Refuse to believe for one second that your situation is insurmountable. There is always a solution if you want it. It might remain difficult; it might not be what you truly wanted, but there is a path forward! Dig in and do the required work.  

The truth is, most folks do not want a better way. Most want to live undisciplined lives and remain less effective or ineffective. The pain of staying the same (in debt, fat, underemployed, lazy...) is simply perceived to be less than the pain of changing. If that is the case for you, stop making a fool of yourself and pretending there is no solution by complaining about your state of affairs. Next, decide to be a mature adult and choose to learn what you need to learn to get where you say you want to get! It's not too late to become a better you, and for Christians, goodnight! If you are saying what you've said for 20 years and haven't improved, realize that is not the goal. We should be becoming more disciplined and like Christ throughout our lives, not more like our parents.

I'm not saying anyone can be whatever they want. On the contrary, the opposite is true. What I am saying is that we can be the best version of who God created us to be, and we ought to be striving toward that constantly. Are we God's or solely the product of our parents, destined to have the same life and health outcome no matter what we do? That's not the God I serve and it's not my destiny. It's not yours, either, at least it does not have to be, so get in a better groove!

Amazing fruit from Sam and Jessica's wedding

Bible Translations

Pastor Mike does a great job in the following two sermons explaining Bible Translations. I hope you will watch.

Part 1

Part 2

There is also a good Q & A at the start of this sermon and very worthwhile material in the sermon itself. These can be read as a single transcript on the Grace to You website or listened to. 

The Inspiration of Scripture Pt 1

The Inspiration of Scripture Pt 2

      Dahlias grown and photographed by Melissa

Sage Quotes

"Every failure and flaw in our lives flows out of some sort of doctrinal deficiency." Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth

"Show me your redeemed life and I might be inclined to believe in your Redeemer." Heinrich Heine

The Holiness of God

This is a terrific book for any Christian interested in understanding the holy nature of God. It's a classic, and while not a book you will quickly read through, it's not a work you have to gear up for. 

Highly recommend!

The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul

Temple Baptist Church - Sunday AM - 08/20/2023

This message has me regularly asking God to take my '5 loaves and 2 little fish' and do what only He can do with them. It is easy to remember God gives us each spiritual gifts. To also realize that He will then give us opportunities to use those gifts, and enable us to do so effectively, is another action. 

The Glad Assumption of Sacrificial Responsibility

Seven Important Lessons About Masculinity

The title of this post was shared by my masculine husband as a good definition of manliness. 

I Googled it and started reading up on Doug Wilson since we were discussing him in that conversation, and then I stumbled upon this article, linked to above. 

It mentions how we're made to dance... we do not really dance, but the image of how beautiful it is to see a man and woman ballroom dancing is lovely. A man leading to showcase the woman's beauty. Nice imagery!

Effeminate traits in men are not good. Thinking like a female rather than a male, or physical weakness, are obvious traits that don't make anyone think 'he's manly!', but there is more to it than that. Those characteristics are important, don't get me wrong. I love how strong my husband and son are. The physical strength of men is by God's design and it is something to encourage and praise. Thinking like a man is critical. Goodnight, women are complex and the over-analyzing many of them engage in is wearisome. 

But I digress--back to men and what masculinity is!

Read on!

Mark Rippitoe Starting Strength

great book to get started weight lifting, but there are a few unsavory words

The Small Things in Mothering Aren't So Small

One of the great lies that has permeated our culture, including in the church, is that the traditional aspects of motherhood aren't important. Somehow we've bought into the wrong thinking that a quiet mother content to be home all day nurturing her children isn't a mother who is pulling her own weight. Somehow we've forgotten that God's design is that children are raised by a mother at home, ideally one who is the quiet force of prayer behind her husband who is out in the world, shouldering the difficult things of the world as he provides for his family. There is an element of protection a husband offers to his wife who is able to fully and freely give her time and energy to the important task of raising the children. It is important for children to live on a schedule, be served regular meals each day in the home, be clean, and not rushed all the time. Life should be able to naturally happen without continual distractions from the outside world, be it the cell phone, TV, continual social interaction with others, or many organized sports or activities. Why have we as mothers in today's world lost sight of how important all these little things are?

Added together the daily routine of life is what builds a stable home for our children. Meals should be around the same time every day sitting at the kitchen table as a family. Baths should be regular with the same general routine surrounding them. Teaching time should be consistent. This chaos that makes one wonder, "What is the mother DOING?" should not be the thought people have when they see our homes and lives. Christian mothers in particular should be exemplifying the truth of "Let all things be done decently and in order." 

Being with one's children and not having paid employment outside the home does not make one a good, full time mother. The little daily routines of life are not small or unimportant; they are each important. The vast majority of child training happens in the midst of the stable routine of life. It is against this backdrop an attentive mother can see the wrinkles in her children that need to be worked on and worked out. If everything surrounding the ever-changing growth and tendencies of children is in flux and changing, where is the focal point with which to measure and make the needed changes? It is too hard. 

Mothers, where are you? Who is feeding, dressing, cleaning your children? Who is taking care of the home God has provided for you and your family? Why will you not show your husband you appreciate what he has worked hard to give you by keeping it clean and orderly?

Christians should do everything with excellence. The mark of excellence is a mark or order, being on time, cleanness, reliability, stability, restfulness, peace, holiness....Sadly when you look in our churches and homes you find far less than that. Our culture has been infiltrated by communistic ideas that motherhood doesn't matter. Wives are doing their own thing, worrying about far more than instilling excellence in their primarily responsibilities. Materialism has too many women working so that designer clothes, expensive vehicles and fancy homes can be possessed. Mothers seek fulfillment serving others at the expense of their children, too often thinking that their children will 'catch Christianity ' by seeing them serve others. Unfortunately, we're trading what is best for what is merely ok. We've bought the lie as women that there is more out there to this life of motherhood, and we're tacking on tons of extras that take us away from keeping the white fence post white. We are not learning to be content and consistent, we are honing our skills of avoiding what is hard for us. God help us! Help the church to be on time, excellent, clean, orderly and full of mothers making the needed sacrifices to raise their children well, at home. 

Ideas Other Men Put Into Our Heads: KJVO

From the translators to the readers, KJV 1611 this is very long and is a slow read, but it is clear the translators would not have said their rendering was the only one to trust.

God began to give us the Old Testament roughly 3500 years ago, with Moses being given The Ten Commandments in 1400 BC. By 500 BC all of the original Hebrew manuscripts, which comprise the 39 books of the Old Testament, were completed. The New Testament (original Greek manuscripts) were completed in the 1st Century (1 AD to 100), over 1900 years ago. 

It is a beautiful truth that God preserved His Holy Word for us for us just as He said. Knowing this, we all have our Bible translation preferences, and it is my contention that no one who reads the Scriptures would come away thinking one translation would be only true words of God. Genuine Bible translations are inerrant and infallible, and some are better than others as far as word for word translations versus thought for thought translations. But my point is that no where in the Scriptures does it say to "stay tuned for this or that particular translation later to be the only Bible to use". The Word has been saved for us by God and the notion that only one translation is accurate is an idea that a man would have to inject into another man's thinking. Men love to enslave other men, especially if they themselves are enslaved. 

Wretched Radio with James White https://youtu.be/Eh3k_A9ugOo

What is interesting is that people who know they are leading others to believe in cultish ideas will use logic that is actually true against them, to try and spin it to be true about opposing views. For example, someone could wrongly say that simply reading the Bible a person would never come away thinking that God chooses us (those who will be born again). That statement is easily proven to be false because there are numerous verses that talk about God choosing us. See: 2 Thess 2:13, Eph 1:4, and John 15:16. No one needs to tell a person the Bible says God chooses--one can see it for themselves. How someone decides to process that information can depend on a number of things, but to say there is no way a person could believe that God chooses us unless someone else puts that idea in their head is easily disproven. It is written in black and white for all to see. It is like saying no one could ever believe that Jesus is the Son of God unless someone tells them! The Bible says that Jesus is the Son of God in Acts 8:37, 1 John 4:15, 1 John 5:5. The phrasing and idea that "no one could read and come up with...." inoculates a person from the reality that THEY are the ones trapped by thinking which can only be interjected by another man. Tell someone a false statement using colorful phrasing that sounds true and you immediately make that person harder to reach with the truth, which is that THEY are the ones buying into thinking no one would come up with on their own. Men love to enslave other men.

A Close Look At Psalm 12:6

With that I contend that no one, literally, NO ONE, can read the Bible and on their own say, "Only THIS translation is the word of God!" It simply can't be, because God gave us His Word long before Martin Luther, William Tyndale, King James, or Noah Webster started to print Bibles. 

It seems quite bigoted to say that the Holy God of the universe, Who is Sovereign over all the affairs of this world, would give His word to one race/type of person long after He actually gave His word to mankind. The different translations are all the Word of God, in whatever language they have been translated to. God says all Scripture is inspired by God, there were not inspired men. No inspired translators folks. That verse helped lead me out of Catholicism. God inspired the original Hebrew and Greek of the Scriptures, and He has preserved that Word for His followers faithfully. We can trust Him. 

Accurate Way to Think About Inerrancy 

Interesting to note is that the original 1611 King James Bible contained 80 books, so people who somehow think that translation was given to Holy men who were directly inspired by God should be Roman Catholic, right? 

Men love to enslave other men and take their focus off of what matters for the kingdom of God. 

I'm not passionate about this issue. Honestly, it is a waste of time to wade into these waters for the vast majority of people. God preserved His word and we can trust it. I prefer the translation I prefer, and to spend time debating things that are virtually devoid of value isn't a prudent use of my time. That said however, truth matters. 

Why Are There Different Types of Christians?

A person could go in an endless number of directions with a title such as this. What do I mean by 'types'? What is meant by 'different'? I'm referring to Christians who are more conservative in how they live versus "Christians" who live how they want. The former may seem restricted in their choices of what consists of entertainment, how they dress, and lifestyle choices. "Christians" on the other hand don't necessarily look that different from the world. They may say things that are different from the world, but they do many of the same things. What is the world? It is those who deny God in theory and practice. 

The defining issue of why some Christians live very different from other "Christians" is an issue of biblical authority. That is to say, what is the source of truth? If the Bible is true on all points of life and theology, then it ought to be followed as God's holy word. If the Bible is optional and we are free to pick and choose what to follow, then God isn't God, we are. If we are God, then we are not part of His elect--we are not His children--we will not spend eternity with Him. If the Bible is God's holy word, which God says it is, then "Christians" who ignore what it says aren't really submitting themselves to God. 

It has been said that either Jesus is Lord of all, or He is not Lord at all. That is the crux of the matter. Saying we believe in Jesus as God's only Son, and that He died and rose again to conquer sin does not put us in God's family. We must believe that Christ died for our sins and turn from them. If we continue in our sin, what is the point? We are not saved from eternal damnation by a whimsical "I believe" which then lets us be our own Gods! That is no where in Scripture. 

The one and true God of the Bible is the One with the authority to make the rules. He has clearly laid them out and just as Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and they life." God has said that  we are to have no other god before Him...yet we make ourselves gods all the time by doing what we feel is right, what we feel makes sense, what we think is ok--all the while ignoring what He has said is the right way for His followers to act, think and live. 

The issue of different types of Christians is this: either the Bible is all true and God-breathed, or it is not. If it is not, and we do life how we want, sprinkling in Bible words to sound like we have morals, then we will face eternity without Him. Being a Christian means turning in a new direction--leaving the path of self and getting on the path of God. It is nothing short of heartbreaking to see how many people are choosing the wide road that leads to destruction. Don't be among them. There are no do-overs.

Reading Your Own Blog

This blog is my newer one, here for around 10 years. For a time I removed all personal posts in order to run a grassroots effort for friends to get their child back from social services and foster care. I was reading through the comments on this blog and many were from that time. Even though I've moved the posts from that time to Draft status and have resumed this as a personal blog, the comments are still there to look at. 

What has struck me while doing that tonight is the passage of time. Working on that situation was an intense 3 years. It wasn't that long my site was devoted to the situation most likely...I can't even remember, but it was a while. I know my first email to the DSS was 3 years before the situation was resolved and it wasn't long after we moved into a new position with that situation. 

Something interesting is that the stats on this blog are forever messed up which is a frustrating result of running that little campaign. I can't make my Popular All Time posts show up now. Even if I revert those high-count Draft posts to being visible, clicking the All Time button makes that widget go blank. Contacting Blogger years ago over that resulted in nothing. It is a small thing, but I'd like to show different popular posts than 7 days, last month and last year. 

Anyway, time goes fast and when you are this old, which as we discussed tonight is OLD to people in their 20's and 30's....it goes so much faster. It is weird. It is also weird how young you feel on the inside. My dad has said that to me for ages. The only thing that changes is how you look on the outside. That is something worth remembering as we all interact with the elderly. Everyone was young and full of energy once. All of our time will come....

As far as older posts on this site...it is a bit sad my writings from all blogging years aren't here, but that probably helps with the material being more consistent on this blog! Hopefully there isn't anything here that is really out of character for me at this point. I try to go back and read old posts and love how they remind me of days that seem so recent but are not.

Parental Rights in Hernando County, Florida

I'll keep this short. It is absolutely shocking how liberal, agenda-driven public teachers in Florida want to pretend that the LGBTQ issue isn't an ideology issue which plenty of good parents have a problem with. Are these so-called educators  truly of such low IQ that they think parents are THAT dumb? This is not an issue over educating rightly, or using all of the wonderful resources to broaden their student's minds. Nope, anyone with half a brain sees right through the comments of these 'educators'. They can't find something more educationally rich or stimulating than a controversial PG movie (and yes, folks, it is a controversial movie!) to reinforce the Earth Science lesson? C'mon, son, how uneducated do these so-called intellectuals think people are? 

Parents, it is all over this blog: take responsibility for your children and their education and get them out of the government-run schools. Run, don't walk. 

Hundreds gather at Florida school board meeting over Disney movie controversy: 'Your policies are not protecting us from anything' (msn.com)

The Day After Graduating Our Youngest

Written to my children...

Today's post isn't one that I've pondered for a while, waiting to get time to write it. Rather it is the result of what is currently going on. How to categorize the feelings and thoughts of a nearly 49 year old Christian wife and mother, who owns her own small residential cleaning business and has sold Mary Kay for 27 years, having just graduated her youngest child, and only son, is not a task this woman could have foreknown. It has been a year full of wonderful celebrations. My husband turned 50, we went away for a week to remember and enjoy that 25 years ago we pledged our lives to one another, our youngest child turned 18 and registered for the selective service, and we chose the college he'll attend. Milestones occurred with our young, professional eldest achieving a year at her work and being midway through her Master's degree. At newly 22, we're grateful for a daughter who loves us and who we love and enjoy being with. Our middle child is a steady source of pride and challenges me to think more linearly as her father does. She is reliable, dependable, and like the Lord in how she is a rock in times of trouble. I'm not a mother who lavishes false praise upon her children, these 3 people are among the absolute best I've been privileged to have the acquaintance of. As I write, the youngest and most recent high school graduate is at work a mile from home, and the middle daughter is driving the worst highway in America to settle in for a long desired summer internship she has worked hard for.

How do I feel today amidst all of this? I was asked that question last night by a friend who asks good questions at poignant intervals of life. It was a blessing to have a close knit audience with which to whisper my gradually releasing emotions to over graduating the youngest and only son, thereby closing the doors of our homeschool Academy forever. My rather extreme laryngitis has been interestingly timed, which I'll credit our good God with. Even so, too much was spoken over the course of the evening and the price is being paid today. 

Aside from the subpar state of my health, which is an inseparable mixture of physical fatigue, emotional stress, and a tenacious summer cold, I'm able to reflect a bit on this new season we're in. The silent and unprompted tears have started falling without warning throughout the morning. This is something that has only happened in my life a few times. No immediate stimulus, nothing going through my head, just quiet tears and a heart that is blessed with the answered prayers of 18 years and the heartache of the answered prayers of 18 years. Having two precious daughters to comfort me in a moment of pouring out my heart, quietly, is yet another blessing from God. Change involves pain sometimes and it doesn't mean it is the wrong thing. It is often very much the right thing which is happening. 

Releasing a child to the world of adulthood not only ends the daily coming in and knowing they are at the desk right by the front door, usually opening it for you with a friendly, "Hello Momma", but it ends the regular interactions. The few minutes each day to touch, talk, help each other, impact one other steadily...it ends. Suddenly and with plenty of warning, the happy and hard times of motherhood screech to a halt. 

There is no greater joy than to know my children walk with the Lord Almighty. The goal has been met, to raise them all in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Despite family members who disagreed with our homeschooling, or who thought we were in a religious cult because we shunned Catholicism and worldly ideas of "I trust God but I never go to a Bible preaching and teaching church.... and I refuse to obey what God clearly states because I'd rather do what I say is right rather than Him", we charted our course and stuck to it. I'm so grateful for my now living-in-glory mother-in-law. She was a pearl of great price in my life and the family member who supported our decision to homeschool from the very beginning (there was also a sweet lady from our church who was very encouraging but I forget her name). I can never relate to a bad mother-in-law. Those jokes fall flat upon my ears, as mine was a best friend, a tireless cheerleader, lover of my children, and person I could really talk to. She gave motherly advice and took the counsel of a more mature Christian who was younger than her. God allowed me to pray with her for salvation, to be assured of her future with Him. That early encouragement showed me that most mothers do not need much, they don't need a host of encouragers to succeed--they just need one person to tell them it is a good idea and they can do it. 

So here I am. The wife of a wise, godly, full-of-integrity man who not only taught our kids math, but has been the force behind our Academy for 18 years. Guiding, pushing, setting high standards, cheerleading no matter how tired he was.....he taught me to sacrifice what I wanted because it was best for our kids, to not have what was current with technology or style because our kids would push the boundaries further, to say no to what was lesser so we could say yes to what was greater. And while there are always people who give us a hard time because we don't live at church long after the service is over, God knows the hours we spend serving Him. While we can't socialize non-stop and host people in our home weekend after weekend, God knows the hours we spend praying and talking and serving in the ways He's equipped us for. While we don't talk and talk without end, we read and work and serve in our way, and God is using that in the ways He has designed us for and which is bearing the fruit we believe is pleasing to Him. It is the best we can do.

I'm so thankful I didn't get too caught up in the endless debates over which writing curriculum was best or which method of homeschooling was best...Thomas Jefferson, Classical, Traditional, Charlotte Mason...the pride some moms feed by dying on that mountain is a colossal waste of time. Feeling you have to teach your kids every last jot and tittle rather than hire subjects out because you are convinced that is holy and the other is not...just avoid those sort of thoughts and small-minded people. Do the hard work of having high standards, live holy lives, be set apart, take the criticism of the lost and those in the church, and press on toward the goal God has set before you. Nothing is as fulfilling as living for excellence in a non-distracted way. 

So while you all have graduated with the same GPA, more than 30 dual-enrollment credits, no cavities, no tattoos, pure in body--which I praise and thank God for, the greatest joy to your mother's heart is that you love the One True God and are committed to serving Him. Praise God from whom all blessings flow. 

That will get me through this next stage.

I love you all with my whole heart, and I trust my life has shown you that even when I've fallen short. No sacrifice made for your family will ever be too great, just make sure it is one that God is pleased with and isn't part of some arbitrary movement other woman are pushing. ;)

Forever your doting (and violently (?) passionate and committed) Mom

Idolatry 2023

https://www.compellingtruth.org/graven-image.html

Our pagan culture does not speak of idolatry often. Idolatry in the lives of those who openly live in opposition to God is not what concerns me. They will face judgment, which is sad. What burdens this writer are the masses who think they are worshipping the one true God in spirit and truth but are violating what is clearly written. We are only to worship God the Father, Jesus His Son and His Holy Spirit. No one else deserves or should receive it- to do so is blasphemy and idolatrous. Reverence to statues in a so-called church is also idolatry. 

Teaching children to venerate statues is condemning them to a false belief system that will be pointing in the wrong direction for eternity. It's a serious matter.  Thou shalt have no other gods before me is the 1st commandment, and the Me spoken of is God the Father. There is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved other than the name of Jesus Christ. To esteem anyone other than the triune Godhead as worthy of worship or veneration is violating the 1st commandment. The 2nd commandment from God is violated when we make statues that we show acts of worship to or revere in some way. Idols in our hearts are a problem as well; nothing should come before God the Father. No small worship of lessers is ok. It's hard to fathom that people still pray in front of statues, place flowers at their feet, or put crowns on their heads when we've had God's 10 Commandments for a very very long time. 

Being Distracted Isn't a Valid Excuse

Parents can get busy paying attention to things or people, other than their children, in social settings. This allows for serious gaps in their children's training. For one thing, young children learn to 'work the system' early on. They figure out if mom is too busy to make sure they eat enough at mealtime, and they stumble upon a snack while she is busy, she'll often say YES! So said child plays that card whenever they can. Children left in the care of other children are not as protected as children in the care of their own mother. I think of serious scenarios with this, but also things that help shape how our children eat (which lays quite a foundation for other things in life).

Distracted moms are happy to let others watch their children, forgetting that hours each week in the care of others isn't the optimal manner to effectively train. At the park the distracted mom is fine when her child runs off with other kids as long as they are having fun. At a party the same scenario can occur....when over people's houses. We must be vigilant and realize that even when we are always right there things are said and done that we wouldn't approve of. How much more when we let our kids run amuck week in and week out, out of our sight? No one protects, trains or cares for our own children like a mother. There should be very few settings where a mom feels like she is "off" and her child can be out of her sight. 

An additional problem with being a distracted parent is directly related to training children in good eating habits. Just because a child isn't naturally a voracious eater, that does not mean they can't be trained to have better habits. Just like with education, all children have different strengths. Being weak in math doesn't mean you get to skip speed drills. If anything it means you get more. Same with being a poor eater. Clearly a child like that requires strict discipline from the parents to monitor the eating and developing of good habits. Drinks that contain sugar and sugary snacks are the opposite of creating good habits. Normal mealtime foods are not sweet, so children who are given sugar at young ages and are not natural big eaters are going to be less inclined toward those foods, aided by their parent helping them prefer sugary foods.

Children shouldn't be allowed to decide what they eat and when. Mealtimes matter: breakfast at the table, lunch at the table, dinner at the table. Snacks should be fruits, vegetables and healthy proteins like cheese cubes or beans-not carbohydrates or other sugar-based foods. This healthful snacking aids the child coming to meals ready to eat. Hunger is the best "sauce" it has been said. How often distracted moms allow their children to eat snacks at 3 or 4 pm, and then wonder why the child doesn't sit still and eat at dinner time. Hunger is not the enemy, it is the normal response to getting ready to eat again. When children snack throughout the day and fail to eat good meals, they are often incorrectly labeled as poor eaters, when they have in effect been trained to be poor eaters. If 3 meals a day are consumed, starting no later than 8 am with breakfast and lunch around noon, there can be a very small midmorning snack and milk to drink. Water the rest of the morning. If a healthy big lunch is eaten, perhaps a light snack around 2 pm, but no lemonade or chocolate milk or sugar-laden treats...something like an apple with a little protein but not a ton. You want the child hungry and ready to sit still at the dinner table (assuming dinner around 5 or 5:30 pm). 

Young children need a tremendous amount of sleep. Getting to bed between 7 and 8 pm ensures they get all the sleep they require and can still start the day no later than 8 am, which develops good habits for life. 

A Great Leader vs. A Good One

 

There is a tremendous amount that could be said and a tremendous amount that has been said about what makes an excellent leader. There is actually a sermon series linked to on this blog entitled "Leaders Worth Following" by Pastor Darrin Wright, a leader who is very much worth following. 

Sometimes we find ourselves in a position to follow leaders who aren't exactly worth following, but it is our duty to do so. Sometimes we find ourselves in a position to follow a leader that isn't great, and maybe isn't even that good, and how we follow will speak of our character. 

If we are leaders, we should take a look and see if we like dealing with people like ourselves. As with answered prayer, we can mistake something as an indication we are doing a good job, when the reality is, we might not be doing a good job and that little litmus test we've used was faulty. God may answer our prayer, but it doesn't mean we have no sin or are 100% fine in all other areas. Likewise, people may follow us, but that doesn't mean we're excellent leaders. Just as everyone can't win in a competition, every leader isn't a great leader. 

This brings me to the point of this evening's post. A simple characteristic that differentiates a great leader from one who is merely good, is this: punctuality. 

Every full-time homemaker is managing her home, but each is not equal in the quality of her management. Every boss is doing something, but if he is not able to manage time well, start and end meetings on time, show up on time...he isn't a great leader. He isn't able to be counted on to show he values the time of others. He may have many great qualities as a boss, but in my book, he would not be a great leader if he can't tackle the simple task of being. on. time. 

Parents are setting their kids up for greater success if they will teach their children to value the time of others, be dependable, and be efficient spenders of their own time by showing them how it is done. Don't be late. Ever. Leave a cushion of time before you have to leave the house. Stop doing whatever you are doing before it is time to go sooner than you'd like, and don't always be rushing. Realize how long it takes to do all the things if nothing goes wrong, and add in 10 minutes. Arrive early so you aren't always harried. Every mother has a million things to do. Everyone is busy, but everyone is not late. It is a solvable dynamic. Solve it. Demonstrate excellence. Demonstrate putting others before yourself and be able to be counted on to show up, start on time, and end on time. This makes all the difference in homeschools that are able to start the school year on time, end on time, and have happy, well-rested children and moms.

The reality is, if a man can't manage his own family well (including being on time), why would we then rely on him to manage much bigger things that have to be on time? That would be stupid. Be faithful in the small things and then you have proven you can be faithful in the bigger things. Manage your personal finances well and then consider helping others manage theirs. Have your anger under control and then help others manage theirs. It is a known reality that if a person can't be faithful in something small, they probably won't be faithful in a similar arena on a grander scale.

If we want to be great leaders, we can start by being on time and managing our little domains effectively. The dividends will be better, and we will be on the path to being excellent leaders, not just good ones with some great qualities (or merely good ones with some good qualities).

There is no way to know how many relationships or job opportunities fall away because we are not people who run on time. It gets wearisome for people to deal with continual unreliability. Everyone is very busy and everyone else's time is valuable. We need to show we value the time of others and not waste their time by being late ourselves. We can and should do better if want to be great leaders. 

Building a Car and Home Library for Your Kids

Being in the car is a great time to impart truth and information. Here are a few ideas that we enjoyed with our kids. Buying used is fantastic if you can. At this point I wish we could have held on to all of this stuff, but I've always sold what we're finished with to fund what is coming next. 

These items are also great if you do a quiet time for your kids who are finished with naps, or if you set up 'stations' as part of keeping an ordered, well-planned day for your children. A story listening time/station is a fun thing to add to the mix!

Check homeschool groups and websites for deals, and if your area has an annual Convention, that is a terrific place to look for used materials. In Virginia we have the Home Educators Association of Virginia and the annual Convention is very encouraging and full of resources.

Birthdays and Christmas are good opportunities to get the library built up! Who needs more toys?!

Cedarmont Kids Bible CDs (we had some DVDs as well)

Lyrical Life Science CDs (mom should listen to see if all is age appropriate, though listening to things above one's level is good--just want to watch for introducing content before it is time)

The Singing Bible  (We still enjoy this today, it is a beloved family fav! Just one or 2 songs we opted to skip due to musical style or if it was scary to very young kids.)

Jonathan Park (adventure, Creation, very enjoyable)

Jim Weiss (so many quality stories to listen to--this is a terrific way to boost your child's vocabulary)

Moody Science DVDs (If you want to treat your child to screen time, there are few things better than these! Give them an appetite for truth and learning early on and it will reap dividends their whole life.) Solid creation viewpoint

Buddy Davis' Amazing Adventures solid creation viewpoint, from Answers in Genesis

Mystery of History This is a history curriculum that we used for several years. The books are good to work through with multiple ages. The CDs are helpful for just packing in more information and reading through the material for you. It is a good way for mom and the kids to learn. Solid creation viewpoint.

When my kids were very young we enjoyed being in Classical Conversations. The group changed through the years to be less of what we wanted, so we went a different direction. We are Bible believing Christians who attend a Baptist church because we believe it aligns most closely with Scripture. There are other good Protestant churches out there, but we're members of a Baptist church and have been for over 25 years. That said, I'm a fan of memory work for elementary-aged students and if you can get an old guide and the CDs that go with the same edition, it is a good way to do memory work. You can Google it and lots of materials show up on ebay. I owned the first 3 editions of the Foundations guide I think. The CDs are enjoyable and we had fun doing hand motions and singing along. There are 3 cycles that CC goes through. The CDs should be no more than $25, far less used. 

I have a friend who prefers Claritas for memory work, after also having done CC. I've never used it but have seen it, so I am comfortable recommending it based on these things. Whatever you do, find memory work that you will use, and then use it! :)

A timeline that starts with Creation and goes to the modern day is great. We used Veritas Press for this since that is what CC used at the time. Then CC made their own timeline. I'm not sure what all is out there now...just realize this, there are many good resources available. Some may be better than others, but do not spend too much time splitting those hairs. Your students will get a far better education if you just pick something and DO IT. Who really cares if you stumble upon a more thorough timeline a couple of years after you've chosen one and started teaching it? Unless it is earth-shatteringly better, just stay the course. And that is my suggestion for all subjects. Love your kids, pick quality, DO IT DAILY, and stay the course. You will finish well ahead of your peers if you can just do that.

Creating an Appetite for Excellence

Often as parents we don't think about how to instill an appetite for excellence in our children. But we can start at any time! Each day is a fresh opportunity to do better than its predecessor! 

With meals, we feed children processed foods,  fast food, and whatever salty and sugary snacks are out there. We give them sugary tea,  lemonade, soda or juices, and they develop an appetite for that type of drink. Conversely if we feed them fresh fruits and vegetables, whole wheat bread, milk and water they will learn to appreciate the actual flavor of healthy whole foods. 

On the entertainment front,  we let them watch mindless cartoons instead of educational videos. We keep them occupied with our phones or tablets. Instead of teaching them to listen to books or read them, we keep the TV on. Car rides involve movies, even short across town jaunts. When we do this, we're teaching their minds to crave mind numbing, rather than mind developing, input. Conversely,  we can instill a love of reading by reading to our children and having them listen to books on tape. This helps them develop terrific language skills. We can play educational cds in the car that have memory work, scripture songs, science facts or various composers. Capitalizing on daily opportunities to input truth and quality makes it so the occasional 'purely entertainment' times are indeed, special. 

Children's minds grow tremendously fast, and they naturally love learning. We can foster that attitude by being creative and engaging from birth, or we can let our kids get bored so that when formal instruction begins, we have already set ourselves up for trouble. Engage your child's natural curiosity. Talk with them daily, explain what you are doing and why. Show them the things in your home and tell them why you like it, point out shapes and colors. Show them tools, utensils, equipment. It's all new, they love to help, have you do show and tell, play with them, give them tasks and praise them for their help to the family. 

Teach your babies to focus by using a playpen and having engaging books, objects, or mobiles, one item at a time. Teach your toddlers to focus and sit still by reading to them with no electronic distractions. Have them take naps and sleep in their own bed and keep a book in the crib so when they awaken, they learn to enjoy flipping through. Rotate the book, make sure it is engaging with color or things to do or feel. Do not rush to get them out of the crib. Remember infants can awaken for many minutes and go back to sleep. Don't get them up in the midst of their sleep cycle thinking they are done. Sometimes they awaken and cry a little, only to fall back into deeper sleep. 

Eat together daily, sitting at the table through the whole meal. No phones, no TV, just family conversation. Show each other you value each other. 

Life is busy, but if it's too busy to look in your child's eyes each day, talking and listening, it's TOO busy. Fix that. 

A Prayer of Brokenness

A Prayer of Brokenness: great sermon by John MacArthur

Well, let’s open our Bibles tonight, I want to refresh your minds and hearts along the line of prayer. It’s been on my heart lately. And I know if you love the Lord and walk with the Lord you feel .....

Sugar: Inflammation, Appetite Suppressant

Sugar in numerous forms fills many of the food items we find in our pantries. It is not as it was even 20 years ago as far as the various forms it takes in foods. The behavioral issues we see in children, the learning issues (just ask schools how many kids have IEPs...), problems with depression, sleeping problems in kids and adults, and poor eating habits can be linked to many things. On a spiritual level we know sin takes it toll, as does stress. But how much does our diet impact our troubles? With children, poor diet and poor sleep habits get overlooked far too often when kids are sick regularly or aren't performing as expected. We simply can't feed our kids whatever seems ok and let them sleep whenever it suits our schedule and expect to be giving them the absolute best start in life. 

What about adults who experience chronic sleep issues and have chronic pain? At my age, the number of people I come across who are on medication for sleeping and pain management is rather shocking. Having a daughter in a health-related field has also shed light on how rare it is to be 50 and not on prescription medication. We know that heart disease and diabetes are very common, but do they have to be? How much does diet play into these health-related issues that go along with aging? (for reading on this Dr. Furhman has several books on the subject)

These articles I've linked to below are worth reading if you have chronic pain or get sick often. Maybe a dietary change could help. It wouldn't hurt to try cutting sugar back to less than 40 grams of you are an adult, or less than 25 grams for children.  For what it is worth, I'm more a fan of no sugar for very young kids except for special occasions. Why give them an appetite for junk when we could give them an appetite for things that will help them have strong bodies and minds? We know optimal nutrition builds strong brains and bones, so why waste caloric intake on something empty of nutrition (sugar) which also leads to dental caries and a host of health related issues? Kids' bodies are growing at warp speed. To give kids the best conditions for the healthiest growth, maximizing nutrition, physical activity, and sleep are key components to strong minds and bodies.

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Do you have inflammation? Maybe these articles will help shed some light. 

National Library of Medicine

Healthline

Harvard Health

Food Insight

Do you have children who are sick often? These aren't scholarly articles but there are some useful points made. 

Fox News

Sugar and Children

You Know Sugar is Bad for Your Children... (article and book suggestion, which I haven't read)

Many children suffer from obesity in America, but there are also kids who are underweight. Did you know sugary drinks act as an appetite suppressant? The calories received from the sugary drink do not make up for those lost by the appetite suppression, and they are void of the needed nutrients the food would have had. 

Why not give children food that is nutrient dense rather than something that hampers their immune system and suppresses their proper appetite? The opinion of this writer is that too much sugar can make kids pickier eaters. Coupled with not having structured meal times sitting at a table (for the ENTIRE meal), we're setting kids up with tragically low standards and we will reap the consequences of their lack of being able to focus, sit still, and optimal health.  When kids have been allowed to develop a sweet tooth many healthy options aren't ever as good tasting (salt and fat aid this, which happens with a steady intake of processed/fast foods). 

It is recommended that teens and children have no more than 25 grams of sugar per day, which seems excessive for children under about 16, in my opinion, certainly for kids under 10. Do you know how many grams of sugar of are in your bread, fruit snacks, a Graham cracker, a Hershey kiss, a glass of sweet tea, cereal, or a lollipop? Sugar is in nearly all packaged foods, so we can reach our daily limit even with no sugary drinks or candy. It's important to note some people are more food sensitive than others. Carefully observing physical and emotional behaviors can help clue us in to foods that may bother our kids. 

For those of us with chronic sleep trouble or pain, sugar should be seriously evaluated. Why not give going off it for 2 weeks a try and seeing how it impacts you? (or for children with problems or who get sick often, try a month and see how things look). You can always go back to eating it!

Daniel

I've been enjoying more study time in Daniel this month, and thought I'd share some good sermons that have aided my endeavors. It is a joy to have time to dig into God's word more now that the homeschooling years are finished. Days are so different from when the kids were being raised! Those days were filled with much keeping of the home, rearing and educating, teaching at co-ops, taking care of lots of critters here at home, and facilitating friendships for the kids. 

Rather than lament days gone by, it is great that now there is so much more time for other endeavors! Being older, priorities and opportunities shift, which is refreshing. I can serve at church in more ways, help out financially by working outside the home, minister to younger moms more, have more time for prayer, and I can minister to my husband more intentionally. My kids control their social lives! The needs of the home with yardwork, animals and day to day child rearing are past. My kids are people I prioritize among my friends. Getting older is nice. It has it's hardships as each stage does, but for me, this is a time I love.

Daniel 7 sermons

Daniel 6

All Daniel sermons

Most Conservative States

https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/most-conservative-states

As the USA continues to head in a downward direction and political sides no longer dialogue in reasonableness, do we move to states or cities where our votes will matter more on a local level? 

Do we move to where we can live our values out better? 

I'm not sure if that is the way to go or not as the nation is divided politically and as people refuse to live peaceably among those who think differently. I'm hoping the Lord makes it clear at some point if this is information to use for a change. Will we see conservatives banding together locally all around the country and liberals doing the same?

It seems to me that as people age within a family, living relatively close to each other is important. This could be a separate issue from the conservatives/liberals moving to be among their own kind though.

Food for thought