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I am so excited about the things God’s been teaching & working in us lately. Two basic areas: prayer and missions. If you have time, please listen to these two messages from the Alliance Conference this last year. EXCELLENT!! Keith listened to them & had to download them for us to hear this summer on our travels. Both of us have been so encouraged & challenged by them, we’ve listened to them a couple times since individually as well (something I don’t usually do – listen multiple times to a sermon). Yes, they are that good!
The first message is on prayer by Pastor Mike Phillips. Go here to listen. My favorite line, “I don’t have no clue!!” You’ll just have to listen to get it.
The second message is on taking risks by Dr. Richard Swenson. Go here to listen. “It isn’t what you think it is.”
Prepare to be challenged, moved, & thrilled to tears by the Spirit. : ]
If you have even more time, the second message on risk taking reminds me of a PBS series I saw “by accident” about five years back (again, it is that good I’m still excited about it!) & found the whole thing on line about science’s thoughts on the dimension beyond what our eyes can see – exciting stuff from the world’s perspective. They don’ know how to explain it but they know there’s more to this life than meets the eye. We as Bible believers know exactly what it is – the spiritual realm. It’s three hours long, but well worth watching & you can watch it in ten minutes segments. Go here to watch. If nothing else, scroll down through the chapter titles & see if your curiosity isn’t stirred. When you watch it in light of God’s Word, it is so exciting!!
Over Christmas, we got to visit with our pastor from Korea for the afternoon. Good times! We also got to hear him preach again. The week we were there, he had quite the catchy title & I had to share. It’s a keeper…
5 Things in Hell That Should Be In the Church
(Luke 16:19-31)
Now, stop right there. Can you think of any that could be on the list? Take a minute or two & think about where you think this sermon will go. Now read on.
First off, the fact that Lazarus was named & the rich guy not is noteworthy. Names were very significant for Jews, so this shows where Jesus was placing the importance.
1) Absence of Materialism. (vs.22) – The rich man died & was buried, in other words, he lost it all! How much of our time, conversation, etc. are gathered around luxury? The rich man’s family had the same problem; he had five brothers with he exact same problem. (Rev. 18:11-17) Application for us: Try going on a “thing diet”. Eat leftovers, only use used things, etc. Try some purposeful downsizing, repeatedly. The things Christians spend money on effects businesses. Perhaps we should use it to make statements more often. Choose to spend money more wisely & then use our wealth to help those out of work or struggling.
2) Passion for Being Poor. (Matthew 5:3) – “Blessed are the poor in spirit for they shall see God.” Application for us: Where have you grown the most spiritually? During “fat times” or “lean times”? (Luke 16:23 & Hebrews 12:1-3)
3) Eyes Fixed on Heaven. Are our eyes fixed on Jesus? “He looked up & saw Abraham…”.
4) A Passion for the Lost. (Luke 16:23 & 27-28, Matthew 9:37)
5) An Awareness That the Choices We Make Are Permanent. – Note, the rich man never asked the obvious questions like “Can I get out of here? Don’t you remember when I gave at the temple? etc.” He was searingly aware that his choices were permanent! Application: We need a new sense of marriage permanence, spiritual commitments kept. etc. (John 3:17-18) We can’t earn our way into Heaven. And the decision is already made once we die.
Which of these five things do YOU need more of this new year? (This message was given the Sunday before New Year.)
Can I just share how blessed I am? I couldn’t have been given a better man to walk this life with & look forward together to the next! I am proud to be his helpmeet these last 14 years. He is so wise & smart & patient & adorable! (He’s too busy to read my blog right now – as in this year! – so this won’t go to his head.) One of the reasons I blog is for the kids to have a peek back at all God’s done for our family, etc. so this post is one to let them know what a wonderful daddy God has given them.
Every once in a while, Keith will throw out a golden nugget of wisdom that I just love every bit as much as those cute little things the kids say. It so shows you his heart & mind. It’s time I start writing these down. Here is where I will keep a few of them & hopefully add to the list as the months go by & I think of them. The first three or four are easy.
“It’s okay. We get a new one pretty soon!” – talking with an elderly man at our church who’s feeling a bit frustrated at his old body. See what I mean? In nine short words, he put it all in perspective in such a sweet way!
“I’m really looking forward to that ‘no more sea’ when we can spend time with all our friends overseas & family like Trent (my crazy cousin out in CA) all the time.” – the night after a family reunion celebrating my Grandma’s 90th birthday. He loves my extended family even: ) What a guy!
“Under promise, over deliver; not the other way around.” – the phrase he’s taken on this year, from Mark DeMoss’s Little Red Book of Wisdom. (That book makes a great graduation gift BTW.)
“Tom & I really aren’t that far apart in age, you know. Not in eternity.” – Tom’s a retired teacher at church twice our age. Keith whispered this to me after they had just finished talking about who knows what. Two eternal souls sharing this time in history. : )
Here’s a few Donna Otto’s mottos found on Revive Our Hearts website. Good stuff!
* Wherever you are, be “all” there.
* Finish Strong. Remember: the common begin. The uncommon finish.
* Live by conviction, not circumstances.
* If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten.
* You married a sinner. So did he.
* There’s always time for what God asks us to do.
* Do the next thing.
* Choose your love. Then love your choice.
* Be a thermostat, not a thermometer.
* He’s not the enemy!
* Do your best and leave the rest.
* What you say matters. How you say it matters more.
* You are who you hang out with.
There’ve been a few additions to this post over the last few weeks, and so I re-post it. Enjoy…
“Have a reason for whatever you’re doing.” – Mom
Mom & Dad were living the purpose-filled life before it was a book! Mom told me this when I was in college. Her point was, don’t just do something because… that’s how it’s always been done, you’re stuck in a rut, someone else told you to do it that way & you have no idea why, etc. She was referring to the classroom, but she has lived it all through her life.
“I must study Politicks and War that my sons may have liberty to study Mathematicks and Philosophy. My sons ought to study Mathematicks and Philosophy, Geography, natural History, Naval Architecture, navigation, Commerce and Agriculture, in order to give their Children a right to study Painting, Poetry, Musick, Architecture, Statuary, Tapestry and Porcelaine.”
John Adams to Abigail Adams, 12 May 1780
I love John Adams! The above quote reminds me of two things. First of all, I am able to live the life I do because of the great sacrifices of those who came before me. Secondly, I want to challenge my children to go farther!
“Bloom where you’re planted.” – Pastor Dave
“Life is like a quarter; you only get to spend it once.” – Pastor Dave friend
“He is no fool to give what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” – Jim Elliott
“Your true greatness in life is not determined by your talent or wealth, as the world measures greatness, but rather by what it takes to discourage you and make you quit.” – Dr. Jerry Falwell
“If you don’t believe in God, you will believe in anything. If you don’t have a grounded belief in the notion that there is a higher power, that there is a God; if you don’t believe that…If you think that the earth & everything on & in it is all there is, well then of course, you might live your life in fear… helpless, hopeless, powerless…(that’s why there’s always) at least one crisis out there that is going to destroy us.” – Rush Limbaugh, Friday, February 23, 2007 speaking on the global warming debate, but referring also to the acid rain scare, ozone hole, war in Iraq, etc.
“When you leave this place, Corrie, and you will; you must tell them, tell everyone, that there is no pit so deep that God is not deeper still.”- Betsy Ten Boom to her sister Corrie while in Ravensbruck during WWII.
It’s February 2nd (Happy Groundhogs Day, by the way) & our family has successfully added the big rock for this year – better health habits – for one month!! Yeah!! Keith & I have been starting to bed at 10 o’clock & getting up to excercise together in the mornings. Boy, do I feel better! Now, I just need to cut back on the food intake & I’ll be all set.
I might as well take this opportunity to write out one of my most favorite sermons Dad preached, about the Big Rocks. He preached it the spring of 2005. Later, I saw the gist of it in our denominational quartly magazine – EFCA Today. If you want, you can read how they put it in the spring of 2006 issue. (Scroll down to the sixth page.)
Basically, it captures how my Dad lived his life here on this earth. Don’t just float through life & do the next thing. Spend a moment to think about how you really want to invest your life. You only get one! Sure, we get to spend forever in heaven or hell, depending on which you choose, but God gave us this special gift of life here on earth. He wants us to use it wisely.
The “Big Rocks” are the things you should put in first. They are the most important things in your life. If you just put in whatever comes along, those little rocks will hog up all the space in your jar & you won’t have any time left for the big rocks! If you put the big rocks in first, you’ll be suprised at how many little rocks fit in to your jar each day.
I’ve heard some say the old “JOY = Jesus, Others, Self”, saying Jesus should be first in your life, then others, & yourself last. I understand what they’re trying to say, but I don’t agree for a couple of reasons. I don’t see how you can really separate God out & put it first. For me, it overlaps all the other parts of my life (I’ll explain later). Secondly, I don’t believe people really put others before themselves. The Bible talks about “loving your neighbor as yourself”. I don’t see very many people really living that one out, loving other people as they love themselves, let alone loving others more than themselves!
The Big Rocks in my life are…
1) My God-given role as wife – For those of you who’ve never read “Created To Be His Help Meet”, read an exerpt of this life-challenging book here. I am created to be Keith’s help meet. This includes taking care of my health for him & our family, being his sounding board & idea person for his classroom, really listening to & encouraging him, grading his papers, etc. with a willing heart whenever needed, keeping our home organized & well stocked so he doesn’t have to think about it, just enjoy. This doesn’t include all my wifely duties, but this is a family blog, so we’ll leave it at that!
2) My God-given role as mother – This includes providing the best for our children mentally, physically, socially, & spiritually. I use Luke 2:52 as my guide on that. “And Jesus grew both in wisdom and in stature, gaining favor with both other people and with God.” This is a tall order including our children’s education, physical needs, discipline, manner training as well as providing opportunities to use them, and providing a strong Biblical foundation for them to build on as they grow.
3) My part in the Body of Christ – (1 Corinthians 12:27) This includes using the gift God gave me in shepherding & teaching young ones. The family verse Keith chose for our family this year is 2 Peter 1:5-7,
“…your faith will produce a life of moral excellence. A life of moral excellence leads to knowing God better. Knowing God better leads to self-control. Self-control leads to patient endurance, and patient endurance leads to godliness. Godliness leads to love for other Christians, and finally you will grow to have genuine love for everyone.”
I love that! That kind of encapsules what everyone’s role is in the family of God. (I’m supposed to be working on a flow chart for the kids to learn that. I really should be doing that right now instead of blogging! But this is to get more of our life in writing, right? I’ve got the pictures in my mind, just need to get into printshop & print them out!!)
4) My extended family - As I blogged yesterday, we don’t have a “Mayberry” around here, but we do have an abundance of extended family. We chose that & enjoy the benefits! This includes time spent, though, & well spent it is. There are lunches with Grandma & Great-Grandma, trips to the doctor or dentist if needed to care for those who need a ride, showers, birthday parties, pizza nights with cousins, Friday night get-togethers, etc. And just because some family doesn’t live close doesn’t mean they don’t get to share in the love! There’s bi-yearly trips to MN, phone calls & pictures to get on line, art gifts to make & send, sweet longer visits from Grandma,etc. This is an important rock not everyone is blessed with & I wouldn’t want our family to live without!
Those four rocks pretty much cover my life. If it doesn’t fit into one of these catagories, it goes. The trick is in balancing these four big ones, & making sure the projects I’ve started are the best ones to fit that big rock in! Speaking of all this, I better quit blogging for the day & get on with putting bigger & better rocks into my jar today! Until next time.
I got to thinking about different sayings that come to mind for various members of the family & thought these should be written down for the next generation. If any family members have more quotes they’d like to add, please do: add either in the comments or email me & I’ll add them.
Here’s the first ones that come to mind…
“You get what you pay for.” – Grandma Jean, often quoted while I was attending her “Finishing School”, my last year of college.
“When’s your birthday?” - Keith’s very first words to me on our way to chapel the first day of graduate class. He wanted to know if I was younger or older than he was. I come in at seven weeks younger. We always say he’s so much older & wiser!
“So, are you going to marry my son?” – Neil, my father-in-law, walking back to the house after he took me on a plane ride my first visit to Minnesota.
“A little dab’ll do ya!” – Grandma Gertie, heard to say this at every meal that I can remember, concerning anything from pickles to butter to ice-cream. She always had little dabs of any food you can magine on her dinner table!
“You breed Clydesdales, you get Clydesdales.” – Grandma Jensen’s famous quote at first sight of Nate after he was born at a whopping 10lb. 13oz.
“You can’t do that! You’ll compromise the integrity of the game!” – Uncle Jim S, when suggested we “fix” a mix-up in a game of Skip-Bo or something like it. Had to start over!
“You can’t use the runway that’s behind you.” – Uncle Richard W
“He who hesitates is lost.” – Grandpa Don W
“I’d buy the town of Clarks Grove & name it ‘Roy Jensen’.” – Grandpa Jensen’s quick response to the question of what he would do if he won the lottery. He’d obviously thought about it!
“You’ve got to know just the right time to flip the burger.” – Dad, when giving advice to Keith while out grilling together before we got engaged. He was never very good at analogies!
This is one of those entries I am going to start today & edit through time. This morning, I really need to get to town to run errands. But I wanted to put something new in the blog.
My loves as a child…
Anything about Clara Barton – I wanted to be a nurse until I saw Paul get one of his immunization shots & it broke my heart. I decided I couldn’t do that. Before that, any book on Clara Barton in the library was devoured (my maiden name being Burton had something to do with that, too.)
Anything about big families – Cheaper By the Dozen, Belles on Their Toes, The Five Little Peppers & How They Grew, All of a Kind Family, Little House books, Papa’s Wife, Papa’s Daughters, the Janette Oke Love Comes Softly series
Joy Spartan books – There was a series about a girl named Joy & her twin brother Roy who were PKs (preacher’s kids). I loved those books & haven’t seen them around for years.
Anything by Frances Hodgson Burnett – The Secret Garden, The Little Princess, Little Lord Fauntleroy
The Abeka version of Pilgrim’s Progress.
Anything by Beverly Cleary – Ramona was fun.
The Betsy books by Carolyn Haywood – She wrote probably 30 or more! They were a quick read, but thick books – large print. Carolyn writes similarly to Beverly Cleary in that she really understands the child’s world. She remembers what’s important to them & how they feel.
The Betsy & Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace. I absolutely loved (& still do) these books! Come to find out, when I went to read these to my kids, there’s a fan club based in Minnesota for these old classics! I thought everyone had forgotten about them.
As a teacher/adult, I found…
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books – These are great! I don’t know how I missed them as a child. I found them in Korea of all places, in our little school library the year I taught second grade & needed a read-aloud. I stumbled on a very good thing & have been spreading the word on these gems ever since.
The Alex Series by Nancy S. Levene – There’s about a dozen of these little books. Again, the year I taught second-grader, one of my students brought these in for me to read aloud. I was very pleasently surprised. They taught good lessons in each – great for reading aloud. There’s Peanut Butter and Jelly Secrets, French Fry Forgiveness, Hot Chocolate Friendship, etc. They sound silly, but really are good books for teaching moral lessons.
The Trailblazer Series – by Dave and Neta Jackson. These are great books to read for teaching Christian history to the kids in a fun & exciting way. They have good cliff-hangers at the end of the chapters to keep kids wanting to hear more.
Adventures in Odyssey came out with a book series in the ninties that they didn’t talk about much, but were really good. The were: Strange Journey Back, High Flyer with a Flat Tire, The Secret Cave of Robinwood, Behind the Locked Door, Lights Out at Camp What-a-Nut, The King’s Quest, Danger Lies Ahead, Point of No Return, Dark Passage, Freedom Run, The Stranger’s Message, & A Carnival of Secrets. One of my fifth graders brought them in for me to read apoud to the class. They build on each other – are one big story. I was surprised at how good they were & yet nobody talked about them (we’re Odyssey fans & hadn’t heard of them) & I haven’t seen them around since. They remind me of the Alex Series books by Nancy S. Levene, but geared more for older kids.
And the classics/award winners I’ve loved…
The Witch of Blackbird Pond, A Wrinkle in Time, Number the Stars, The Chosen by Chaim Potok, David Copperfield, A Tale of Two Cities, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin, The Anne of Green Gables books,
A Teacher’s Funeral: A Comedy in Three Parts is a new one that Keith & I read & got a big kick out of. The author has a way with words. It’s a short read – only takes a few hours. It’s been a while since I read a book that made me laugh out loud.
Well, that’s a start. Until next time…
