If the sight of sin and the love of God accomplishes such an effect in the soul that still experiences doubt, blindness, distrust, and forgetfulness, what will the sight of sin do in the soul that has been swallowed up by love, the soul that is no longer selfish, not even tempted to be, because all the faculties of both soul and body have been passed through the sieve of love and grace. Now they are strained so fine that they have reached perfection. They have hit the center of glory’s target.

Oh, what wisdom and goodness God has, for on the day of judgment He uses even the worst of our qualities, those things that would naturally tend to sink us and damn us, to our advantage. All things really do work together for good for those who love God. The very sins that brought a curse on the world, that split the heart-blood of our dearest Savior, that separated His innocent soul from God, these same sins will, through His wisdom and love, exalt His grace–and they will set our hearts on fire with love for Him forever and ever.

– John Bunyan, The Riches of Bunyan (p. 378)

• Silly sisters and their girltalk
• Our foyer and dining/school room
• Alecia and our neighborhood CFA
• The poor babydolls!
• My silly husband
• Cold Fall outings
• Sweet, goofy children

The Shepherd’s Press Blog has some great thoughts as “orange to red” season begins. Of course the ideas can be applied to any loved one or friend, not just children. I like the following excerpts:

Don’t use a pile of presents under the tree as a substitute for your failings as a parent. Atonement was purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ, not by a Sony Wii purchased on a credit card. Give gifts simply because you love others and desire to give them good gifts. Purity is expressed by joy in the very act of giving. This means that there are more important gifts to give your children than ones that you can wrap…

Holy giving means that you can give the gift knowing that this gift will please God and help your child honor God. A new bike can be given as an expression of love and a means of helping your child actively enjoy the creation. Or it can be an attempt to earn his loyalty and cooperation. One way is holy and the other is not.

I’m past the young adult chapter and now into the parenthood chapter when it comes to Christmas presents. I’ll just say that now it’s a whole different ball game. My husband and I are trying to honor God in this area, and it is not always easy. How about you? What are your thoughts on holiday gift-giving? Have you held lifelong traditions, or have your opinions / convictions changed over time?

Of course my hilarity and response did nothing but encourage them to keep going. Well, this is about as political as my blog gets.

No, ’tis not a Toy Story alien rendition. If you need an explanation, here ya go!

I want to share this with you. Perhaps you can breathe it, and it will encourage you today in the same way that has for me. I now have Bibles open in several rooms in our house, and already today it has made the biggest difference as I work, teach, cook, give correction, clean, and try to be open to whatever else God has for me today as a mom.

Do What You Can

I admire Jean Fleming. She’s been both a home and overseas missionary. She boldly and winsomely shares her faith, makes a priority of discipling other Christian women, and leads Bible studies. She actively supports her husband’s full-time ministry, frequently opens her home for Christian hospitality, and serves in her local church. In her home and halfway across the country she’s cared for both physically and mentally impaired relatives for long periods. The Flemings have raised three children and now enjoy their role as grandparents. Through it all Jean has written several books and articles.

She was converted in her late teens. Discipled well from the start, Jean thrived on a spiritual diet strong on disciplines like the reading, studying, and meditating on God’s Word, prayer, fellowship, service, evangelism, worship, silence and solitude, journal-keeping, and Scripture memory. She felt herself making spiritual progress almost daily. All this continued after she married her equally-dedicated husband, Roger.

Then she had three children in diapers. Caring for their most basic needs eliminated almost every moment of the time she used to devote to caring for her soul. Her longings for the things of God reached as high as ever, but her time and energy had new and severe limits.

On at least three occasions I’ve eavesdropped as Jean addressed young moms in similar situations. In effect she’s told them, “At this time in your life, you can’t do what you’re used to doing. You don’t have time for all your heart desires to experience in your spiritual life. Nevertheless, do what you can do, even though it’s precious little. Just don’t deceive yourself by thinking that you can put off a devotional life until you have more time. Because when the years roll around and you finally do have more time, your spiritual habits will be so ingrained that you won’t give more attention to your devotional life at all.”

Then I heard Jean tell her own story. She would keep Bibles open in several rooms—in the kitchen, nursery, bathroom—and look at them when she could. While warming a bottle or changing a diaper, she’d glance over and perhaps read only one verse. But this discipline helped her keep the Word in her heart and the presence of God in her awareness. And as the children’s needs grew less demanding, her disciplines were already in place to receive any additional time she could give them. Even though Jean felt almost spiritually dormant during those years in comparison to her early growth as a Christian, she kept alive the spiritual disciplines through which her soul would blossom in years to come.

Like Jean with three in diapers, you may be in a situation that curtails many of your spiritual activities. You may be looking at many months or even years of such limitations. Do what you can. God does not love us more when we do more, nor less when we do less. He accepts us, not because of what we do for Him, but because of what He’s done for us in Christ.

The Bible says, “He made us accepted in the Beloved [that is, Jesus]” (Ephesians 1:6). And nothing “shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:39). Love God, and within the limitations He has sovereignly placed in your life at this time, do what you can.

– Donald Whitney, Simplify Your Spiritual Life

I found Spouse Notes recently and have enjoyed clicking through the notes.

This one makes me laugh. Looks like a list I would make for Eric (without the organic disdain, of course)!