God: Bigger Than Big

C. S. Lewis on prayer, in his own recorded words:

{hat tip: the Quiddity blog at the Circe Institute}

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A Way In A Manger

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Sitting in the shadows, I quietly gaze at the small scene before my eyes. Each figurine reflects the rays of red, yellow, green, and blue reaching out from the nearby Christmas tree...and like those colorful rays of light, in my heart I reach out to the tiniest figure of them all: the Babe of Bethlehem. As I meditate on the familiar story, imagined scenes pass through my mind...of Mary, a new mother, cuddling, nursing, and caring for the Child who created her. A familiar Christmas carol accompanies my thoughts...the traditional tune to "Away In A Manger" (a tune less familiar than the standard one). Yes...I remember...cuddling and nursing my own first newborn child, many times during many nights. The same rocker recliner still sits in my family room in which we passed those dark hours together, dark hours filled with the warm light of new life. In the haze of half-sleep and in the glory of nourshing this new baby in my arms, I sang. To the tune of this carol, without pen and paper, just a heart full of song, I composed a new lullaby. A lullaby I have sung to each of my young children each night as they drifted into sleep. Now, as I gaze upon this nativity scene, the song sings again in my mind. As I reach out to Jesus, sitting here bathed in Christmas light, I find that He was already reaching out to me. And it is almost as if He sings the lullaby to me, who has been reborn as His child, as He holds me close this Christmas night.

My little Sharaya,

Sweet angel of light,

Shining down from Heaven,

So pure and bright;

My little Sharaya,

My precious, my dear,

Close your eyes and go to sleep.

Your mother is near.

My little Sharaya,

Your Father above

Fashioned all of you

In His wonderful love

And all of your days

Were held in His hand

Long before even one

Of them began.

Sleep, sweet Savior. In Your manger, there is rest. Rest for the One who never knew weariness until He was birthed into humanity. Rest for Your children who come to You, with the weariness of life in their hands, to lay them at Your feet and listen to heavenly music that brings rest, peace to the soul. Heard only by the ears of faith, like that of a child, believing in the One sent to deliver from sin. Peace, rest, is not a state of emotion, it is a Person.

Even a Baby, a Way in a manger.

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An Invitation

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Sometimes a little bit of cheesiness can be fun!

You are cordially invited to A BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION!!!

Guest of Honor: Jesus Christ

Date: Every day. Traditionally, December 25
but He's always around, so the date is flexible....

Time: Whenever you're ready.
(Please don't be late, though, or you'll miss out on all the fun!)

Place: In your heart.... He'll meet you there.
(You'll hear Him knock.)

Attire: Come as you are... grubbies are okay.
He'll be washing our clothes anyway. He said something about new white robes and crowns for everyone who stays till the last.

Tickets: Admission is free.
He's already paid for everyone...
(He says you wouldn't have been able to afford it anyway...it cost Him everything He had. But you do need to accept the ticket!!)

Refreshments: New wine, bread, and a far-out drink He calls "Living Water," followed by a supper that promises to be out of this world!

Gift Suggestions: Your life. He's one of those people who already has everything else.
(He's very generous in return though. Just wait until you see what He has for you!)

Entertainment: Joy, Peace, Truth, Light, Life, Love, Real Happiness,Communion with God, Forgiveness, Miracles, Healing, Power, Eternity in Paradise, Contentment, and much more!
(All "G" rated, so bring your family and friends.)

R.S.V.P. Very Important!

He must know ahead so He can reserve a spot for you at the table.
Also, He's keeping a list of His friends for future reference. He calls it the "Lamb's Book of Life."


~ From one of those forwarded emails filling my inbox...
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Mary's Song

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Mary's Song

Blue homespun and the bend of my breast
keep warm this small hot naked star
fallen to my arms. (Rest …
you who have had so far to come.)
Now nearness satisfies
the body of God sweetly. Quiet he lies
whose vigor hurled a universe. He sleeps
whose eyelids have not closed before.
His breath (so slight it seems
no breath at all) once ruffled the dark deeps
to sprout a world. Charmed by doves' voices,
the whisper of straw, he dreams,
hearing no music from his other spheres.
Breath, mouth, ears, eyes
he is curtailed who overflowed all skies,
all years. Older than eternity, now he
is new. Now native to earth as I am, nailed
to my poor planet, caught
that I might be free, blind in my womb
to know my darkness ended,
brought to this birth for me to be new-born,
and for him to see me mended
I must see him torn.

~ Luci Shaw

{hat tip: study in brown}
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The Journey of the Magi

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The Journey of the Magi

'A cold coming we had of it,
Just the worst time of the year
For the journey, and such a long journey:
The ways deep and the weather sharp,
The very dead of winter.'
And the camels galled, sore-footed, refractory,
Lying down in the melting snow.
There were times we regretted
The summer palaces on slopes, the terraces,
And the silken girls bringing sherbet.
Then the camel men cursing and grumbling
And running away, and wanting their liquor and women,
And the night-fires going out, and the lack of shelters,
And the cities hostile and the towns unfriendly
And the villages dirty and charging high prices:
A hard time we had of it.
At the end we preferred to travel all night,
Sleeping in snatches,
With the voices singing in our ears, saying
That this was all folly.

Then at dawn we came down to a temperate valley,
Wet, below the snow line, smelling of vegetation;
With a running stream and a water-mill beating the darkness,
And three trees on the low sky,
And an old white horse galloped away in the meadow.
Then we came to a tavern with vine-leaves over the lintel,
Six hands at an open door dicing for pieces of silver,
And feet kicking the empty wine-skins,
But there was no information, and so we continued
And arrived at evening, not a moment too soon
Finding the place; it was (you may say) satisfactory

All this was a long time ago, I remember,
And I would do it again, but set down
This set down
This: were we led all that way for
Birth or Death? There was a Birth, certainly,
We had evidence and no doubt. I had seen birth and death,
But had thought they were different; this Birth was
Hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death,
We returned to our places, these Kingdoms,
But no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation,
With an alien people clutching their gods.
I should be glad of another death.

~ T. S. Eliot

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Christmas Music

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Christmas music.

It's either the most beautiful, meaningful and spirit-touching music you've ever heard...

Or it's the dumbest sound to reach your ears.

Is it just me or do you ever sigh at what is called "Christmas music" this time of year? I don't think I'm a snob, but why settle for the latest Chipmunk's "Christmas" album when there is such wondrous euphony to enjoy!

Here are some of my favorite recordings of Christmas music. Feel free to share yours in the comments, too!

• Carols from the Old & New Worlds by Paul Hillier Theatre of Voices. A capella madrigal-sounding recording of carols from Austria, Finland, Germany, England and the USA. Refreshing, simple yet beautiful, non-commercialized-sounding music. Lots of music, too--24 tracks! Very hard to find, but is available here. Made in Italy.

(Amazon's image)

• How can this list be complete without an English boys choir recording of sacred music? I don't recall which album I have of King's College Choir, but here is a two CD set of wonderful songs called Forty Essential Carols, the Very Best of the King's College Choir, Cambridge. Echoing boys choir in a cathedral, full organ...it's all here, including some selections that are new to me. Click here for samples.

(Amazon's image)

• Rejoice! A String Quartet Christmas. It is just what the title suggests. Pleasant string quartet arrangements of sacred Christmas music. There are three volumes. A great choice for an instrumental, classical addition to your holiday.

(Amazon's image)

• All Is Well recorded by Michael W. Smith. This is from his Christmas album released in 1989. This song is...amazing. Take a moment to hear a sample here.

(Amazon's image)

• Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti. One of my most precious childhood memories is listening to this LP in my grandparents' home over and over again. I imagined (and memorized) the opera, choreographed dances, and played the parts on the bright red rug in her rec room downstairs. I am not a big opera fan, but this album is wonderful! It is the story of the three wise men on their way to see the Christ child, stopping for shelter at a poor widow's house who has a crippled child, Amahl. My grandfather, who was a pastor, played one of the three kings in a community production. Hear samples here.

(Amazon's image)

• Christmas Lounge CD in the Christmas Chill Two CD Set. I cannot believe I am recommending "lounge music?!" Believe it or not, this is a nice CD. Contemporary and mellow, it's primarily sacred carols set in smooth renditions. All instrumental. This is one of those CD's in my collection that I have no idea where it came from. I know I didn't buy it. (I haven't listened to the other CD, Christmas Jazz, nor seen the bonus DVD that comes with it that plays a fire in the fireplace on your TV, complete with optional Christmas background music. I just can't quite imagine that DVD playing in my house though...) Sorry no link...It's from Canada and I couldn't find it on Amazon. (There is one with the same title on Amazon, but different cover art and songs.)
  

(my picture)

• Noel by Josh Groben. Beautiful and mellow. A special surprise in I'll Be Home for Christmas--I won't spoil it for you! Only two caveats about the album: Track 7 is over-the-top sentimentalism awash in moral relativism. Skip it. Track 4 is Ave Maria, which is a beautiful song, but is also a prayer calling for the intercession of Mary, the mother of Jesus, which I do not believe to be Scriptural. But don't let these objections stop you from downloading the other great MP3 tracks. (In fact, doing so may send a nice message to the recording industry, no?) Click here to hear samples.

(Amazon's image)

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An Attitude of Grattitude

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(image from holy experience)

One starts with one. Numbers rise as blessings are counted. On my way to discovering 1000 every day gifts given by the Giver of all good things...

121. Awakening this morning,
sick with a cold after a sleepless night,
to see that my children have spent the morning before church
decorating our home for Christmas together.
It warms my heart. :D

122. The Holy Spirit graciously reveals to me my sin
and changed my grumpy, critical heart last night,
giving me a different perspective and peace,
purely out of His mercy.

123. A gaggle of geese,
alight upon the lake's waters
in elegant unison

124. The last of the Breyers Chocolate Cookies & Cream
Fat Free Double Churn
Extra Creamy Ice Cream
eaten right out of the container!

125. John Catchings music,
discovered in college,
continues to refresh my spirit today

126. Friends who are like-minded

127. Being treated to breakfast by a friend

128. A super comfy mattress upon which to sleep

129. Hot showers--a true luxury

130. The cuddles and kisses of my boys

How to end a post about blessings that never end?

Lord,
Thank You.
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"But You Choose."

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At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked,
"Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
He called a child,
whom he put among them, and said,
"Truly I tell you,
unless you change and become like children,
you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Whoever becomes humble like this child
is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."
(Matthew 18:1-4)

My tween daughter received a small, blank book as a gift. She decided it would be her "Journal for Prayer."

Oh, Lord, grant me the spirit of childlike faith like my child, who, in one of her most sorrowful moments, would write these prayers upon her heart about her beloved pet dying of cancer:

...Please let her live. She is like my own child to me. I'm not ready to lose her. To me she is more than a pet...If she is going to die of this cancer, please let her go in her sleep or another painless way. But, Lord, please don't let her die. Show Your mighty power and glory. But You choose. Amen.

Holy Spirit, enable me to set aside childishness...and embrace childlikeness. To open my heart and entrust my longings to You, to seek Your mercy, to ask for miracles from You. And always, to trust so simply as to be able to say, in any and all circumstances,

"But You choose."

Amen.
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Christmas Coupons

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"Have your finished your Christmas shopping yet?!" It's a common and breathless question this time of year. Interesting...the consumeristic assumption that is revealed. Gee, are all my Christmas presents garnered through...shopping? Hmm...

Why don't we ask, "Have you finished getting your Christmas gifts yet?!" Check, check, names off a list. Still more names left? Sigh. Well, that is better, but...how about

"How is your Christmas giving going?"

I like that one. Giving places no limits on what type of gifts may be offered. It could be something material, wrapped up in a box. Or it could be an intangible present. A present of presence. It's not necessarily something bought, but it is something spent. We might give up our time...or our pride...or our anger...to give ourselves. Like time, even if it is inconvenient. Or the offer of a first step towards reconciliation, even if it hurts. If we think about giving, rather than shopping and gifting, we might give them something more than a mug that merely serves to allow us to self-righteously check them off of our list. (I have done this. Haven't you?) A list is about something we do in order to be done with it. And we want to do it as ________ as possible. Fill in the blank with any choice: quickly, costly, frugally, easily, unconventionally, contemporaneitiously, etc. (I just had to throw in that last one for fun!)

Giving suggests an on-going action. That gerund form of the verb isn't ever finished. And, truly, the giving of ourselves throughout the year is our best tribute to Christmas, for the Creator Himself gave Himself, to us, in that manger long ago. And continues to give us Himself every moment of our lives, if we receive Him by faith. Our names aren't merely on His "list" to check off like Santa. Our names are engraved on the palms of His hands. We are those to whom He delights to give Himself in a myriad of ways each day.

So, if you would like to step into the story this Christmas season, and for the rest of the year, here is a beautiful and simple way to do it. Click here to see some pretty Christmas coupons you can print and customize for free.

Give yourself.
Give presence.
And keep giving.
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Blessings Amidst Burdens

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(image from holy experience)

As 2008 nears its end, my mind traces some of the burdens Providence has allowed to be placed on our shoulders, on our hearts. And I also recall the miracles He has performed before our eyes...unexpected, even unimaginable. BIG stories I have shared with friends about His unusual provisions for us. And now, I pause to reflect and share those "little" things...the tiny touches of His hand in our lives as He reminds us each day of His love in the "ordinary" blessings of the moment. Blessings hidden amidst burdens. Joys that shine all the more brightly because of the dark of difficulties that surround them. On my way to counting 1000 every day blessings, I continue to offer my gratitude.

Not the gifts I want,

the gifts I have.

(my photo)

113. A beautiful, new Advent wreath,
to aid us in a relatively new family tradition

114. Being able to get three children's dentist appointments,
immediately when I called the dentist,
all at the same time,
before we lose our dental insurance later this month

115. Watching a grey heron
glide silently just a whisper above the lake's waters

116. Seeing my widowed mother,
truly happy,
for the first time in a very long time.
What a wonderful Thanksgiving Day gift!


(my photo)
117. Chocolate Advent calendars for the children
given by an aunt and uncle


(Amazon's image)
118. Listening to the Chronicles of Narnia,
at the request of our children,
as a family in the quiet fire light



(my photo)
119. The Christmas greens and white lights
my neighbor draped along the fence between our homes


(my photo)
120. The deepening relationship with my tween daughter
and the great time we have reading
Girl Talk together

We open Christmas gifts every day of the year. Every moment offers us His gifts, waiting to be seen, received and opened. Open my eyes, Lord, to see your lavish love given in the mini-moments of life.
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Advent, Lost & Found

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Advent. A time of waiting. A time of being still. As the culture around us swirls in frenetic activity and self-imposed stress. Rather, advent is a time of seeking. And finding. And being found.

From God with Us: Rediscovering the Meaning of Christmas, edited by Greg Pennoyer and Gregory Wolfe:

We are all searching, and ultimately—whether we know it or not—we are searching for God. Ultimately, we are searching for the Ultimate, and the Ultimate is God. It is not easy, searching for God. . . . The fact is that we do not really know what we’re looking for or who we’re looking for. Almost a thousand years ago, St. Anselm of Canterbury said, “God is that greater than which cannot be thought.” . . .

God is, quite literally, inconceivable. And that is why God was conceived as a human being in the womb of the Virgin Mary. Because we cannot, even in thought, rise up to God, God stooped down to us in Jesus, who is “Emmanuel,” which means “God with us.”

As we are searching for God, the good news is that God is searching for us. Better yet, he has found us. The great question is not whether we have found God but whether we have found ourselves being found by God. God is not lost. We were, or, as the case may be, we are. . . .

We are forever seeking, while the forever for which we seek is now. Awaken to the truth that any place contains every place and every moment contains eternity. And that is because Christ is Emmanuel, the One whom the Book of Revelation called the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. . . . He is the Word of God who called into being everything that is or ever has been or ever will be. He is the One in whom past, present, and future are always now.

{hat tip: First Things blog}
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A Christmas Gift for Jesus

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The first Christmas gift we open each Christmas morning is one we give.

Because He first gave to us.

I send the children off as wise men, to seek a simple gift, hidden somewhere in the house for them to find. A gift not wrapped in shiny, colorful, tinseled packaging, but one wrapped in simple, brown paper. Like the One who was the ultimate Gift, all of eternity wrapped in a wordless, poor baby lying in a common feeding trough of hay. This gift appears to human eyes to be insignificant, even unsuitable. Yet to spiritual eyes, it is a treasure beyond value. The most highly treasured gift of them all.

The children giddily look hinder and yon until a shout of joy signals that what was sought has been found. We gather next to the Christmas tree with its colorful plastic lights sparkling like the twinkling stars that hung above the first manger scene so many years ago. We share anticipation of what is about to unfold as we talk about that first Gift lying the manger and what He said about giving gifts to Him, the giving of our true selves.

I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me. ... I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me - you did it to me. ... I'm telling the solemn truth: Whenever you failed to do one of these things to someone who was being overlooked or ignored, that was me - you failed to do it to me.' (from Matthew 25, The Message)

We eagerly tear open the brown paper as we open our hearts yet again to the words, the very Life, of the Babe of Bethlehem. Beyond the brown paper we always find the same thing each year: The Christmas Catalog from Samaritan's Purse. My heart leaps with quiet joy as I see my children pour over the pages with each other, eager to choose which gift they will give to Jesus. They excitedly share with each other the possibilities as they turn the pages. Will it be tasty, nutritious hot meals for those without food? Will it be a house, a shelter and refuge from rain, wind, and cold? How about new clothing that not only offers protection from the elements, but also helps to restore dignity, modesty, and self-respect? Or medicines and supplies designed to meet the typical medical needs of 10,000 people? What about rescuing a child from the bondage and abuse of human trafficking? Or supplying a community with clean water? Will it be giving Gospel storybooks to children around the world so they can read of God's love for them in their own language?

Each member of the family makes their own choice, returns a gift to the Giver of all they have. For the simple joy of blessing Jesus. It is our favorite gift to open, to give, and to receive. Heaven is known a little more here on earth. Eternity steps into time once again through our lives.

It is Christmas once again.
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Give Presence

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Join the Advent Conspiracy
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Christmas can still change the world. This year, give presence. Join the Advent Conspiracy.

{hat tip: holy experience}
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Our Thanksgiving Tree

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(Part of our Thanksgiving Tree)

I love that sound and smell...my feet rustling through the fallen Autumn leaves on the earth's floor. My eyes gaze through the crisp air, looking for a simple treasure amongst the abundance of jewels strewn about, gifts that were once wrapped in a blaze of red, yellow and orange glory now unwrapped and scattered at my feet. They are thick, dry, and ruddy brown as I swish through them, seeking something special lying among them for our Thanksgiving celebration. I search for a tree branch, a miniature likeness of the grand oak or hickory from which it came. A simple, oft over-looked discard that will become the humble frame for our family's remembrance. Remembrance of the wealth bestowed upon us by the Creator of all true treasure. I seek, and find, our Thanksgiving Tree.

On my way back to the house, I spot a worn orange plastic beach bucket tossed aside and memories of my little young pirates using it to collect their sandy booty on the seashore overcome its gaudy and cheap appearance with beauty and sweetness. A perfect place to plant our tiny treasure of a tree. Planted in packed sand from the children's sandbox lovingly made by their father, this branch held in my hand stands tall in its short way with its many dividing twigs twisting out towards Heaven...arms reaching, embracing, remembering the Giver of all good things.

Our family and a friend joining us for the holiday gather around the fire in the fireplace with scissors in hand, cutting and crafting paper leaves of green, gold, red and orange. Together, father, mother, grandmother, children, and a companion clip away what is not needed to find meaning in what remains, finding a little treasure that was always there, now brought to life by leaving the rest behind. The pile of paper leaves grows as each leaf is prepared to be hung on the naked tree waiting nearby. A hole is punched in each through which a paper clip pokes to serve as a hanger. Placed near a jar of Sharpie markers, these leafy blank slates await our words as more guests arrive...Words to be written upon them of thanksgiving, gratitude, appreciation, gratefulness, indebtedness, recognition, satisfaction, contentment, joy. For what are we thankful? "family." "hope." "Autumn leaves." "God and me." "Belief in God and Christ." "forgiveness and healing." "my school." "the Thanksgiving Tree." "chocolate chip cookies." And on it goes, scribbled upon the waiting leaves.

The little humble tree, a limb that had fallen dead to the earth below, sits bare and naked in the sand pail. Once discarded, it now stands chosen for a singular purpose. Its exposed twig arms are now arrayed once again with colorful leaves as human hands both little and large, dress it in words of joy. Arrayed in a new glory not its own, it speaks of the acclaim freely offered to the One who first gave it life and crowned it with real leaves of living color. Today its apparel is a reminder of the blaze of glory of its last moments of life before it finally fell naked and dead among the brush. Plucked from its obscurity and decay, it has been given new life, new leaves, to speak again of the manifold mercies of God which are new every season, every morning. Re-born. Made new. A "dead" tree that is now evermore "alive," a treasure beyond value, for it is now the offering of praise and gratitude of many. This abundant thanks giving, from those whom the world says ought to have few blessings to count...a woman who this year lost her only sister and husband and whose health declines, a widow from another country caring for two young boys while also going to school, a jobless husband and father, an alcoholic struggling against his addictions, a child with special needs, and the rest of us "ordinary" people with struggles and weaknesses not so readily seen. Yet, here at the Thanksgiving Tree, our gratitude pours forth and we have much to celebrate.

For, once again, our spiritual eyes have sought through the crisp air of our momentary lives on this planet to see, and experientially know, God's abundant provision and lavish grace in our lives. This Thanksgiving Tree is our tribute to our King and Father who leaves His love letters strewn about our lives like the Autumn leaves scattered upon the earth, if we would but look, seek, see, and know their unwrapped bounty and over-looked beauty. How a simple, crude little tree can inspire such hushed awe within when we pause to ponder! How I am reminded of another tree, crude and cruel, yet of glory beyond all measure. This is for what we are truly thankful. It is even beyond words, yet they, along with our lives, are all we have to offer. And, because of that tree, it is enough. For we are wrapped in a righteousness, a right-ness, not our own. And, always,

He,

He alone,

is

enough.

How Deep the Father's Love for Us

How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure.

How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One
Bring many sons to glory.

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders.
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers.

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished.
His dying breath has brought me life,
I know that it is finished.

I will not boast in anything;
No gifts, no power, no wisdom,
But I will boast in Jesus Christ,
His death and resurrection.

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer,
But this I know with all my heart;
His wounds have paid my ransom.

How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure.

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True Wealth

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This says so much that I shall not add any words. From mikey's funnies:

The Rich Family In Church
By Eddie Ogan

I'll never forget Easter 1946. I was 14, my little sister Ocy was 12, and my older sister Darlene 16. We lived at home with our mother, and the four of us knew what it was to do without many things. My dad had died five years before, leaving Mom with seven school kids to raise and no money.

By 1946 my older sisters were married and my brothers had left home. A month before Easter the pastor of our church announced that a special Easter offering would be taken to help a poor family. He asked everyone to save and give sacrificially.

When we got home, we talked about what we could do. We decided to buy 50 pounds of potatoes and live on them for a month. This would allow us to save $20 of our grocery money for the offering. When we thought that if we kept our electric lights turned out as much as possible and didn't listen to the radio, we'd save money on that month's electric bill. Darlene got as many house and yard cleaning jobs as possible, and both of us babysat for everyone we could. For 15 cents we could buy enough cotton loops to make three pot holders to sell for $1.

We made $20 on pot holders. That month was one of the best of our lives.

Every day we counted the money to see how much we had saved. At night we'd sit in the dark and talk about how the poor family was going to enjoy having the money the church would give them. We had about 80 people in church, so figured that whatever amount of money we had to give, the offering would surely be 20 times that much. After all, every Sunday the pastor had reminded everyone to save for the sacrificial offering.

The day before Easter, Ocy and I walked to the grocery store and got the manager to give us three crisp $20 bills and one $10 bill for all our change.

We ran all the way home to show Mom and Darlene. We had never had so much money before.

That night we were so excited we could hardly sleep. We didn't care that we wouldn't have new clothes for Easter; we had $70 for the sacrificial offering.

We could hardly wait to get to church! On Sunday morning, rain was pouring. We didn't own an umbrella, and the church was over a mile from our home, but it didn't seem to matter how wet we got. Darlene had cardboard in her shoes to fill the holes. The cardboard came apart, and her feet got wet.

But we sat in church proudly. I heard some teenagers talking about the Smith girls having on their old dresses. I looked at them in their new clothes, and I felt rich.

When the sacrificial offering was taken, we were sitting on the second row from the front. Mom put in the $10 bill, and each of us kids put in a $20.

As we walked home after church, we sang all the way. At lunch Mom had a surprise for us. She had bought a dozen eggs, and we had boiled Easter eggs with our fried potatoes! Late that afternoon the minister drove up in his car. Mom went to the door, talked with him for a moment, and then came back with an envelope in her hand. We asked what it was, but she didn't say a word. She opened the envelope and out fell a bunch of money. There were three crisp $20 bills, one $10 and seventeen $1 bills.

Mom put the money back in the envelope. We didn't talk, just sat and stared at the floor. We had gone from feeling like millionaires to feeling like poor white trash. We kids had such a happy life that we felt sorry for anyone who didn't have our Mom and Dad for parents and a house full of brothers and sisters and other kids visiting constantly. We thought it was fun to share silverware and see whether we got the spoon or the fork that night.

We had two knifes that we passed around to whoever needed them. I knew we didn't have a lot of things that other people had, but I'd never thought we were poor.

That Easter day I found out we were. The minister had brought us the money for the poor family, so we must be poor. I didn't like being poor. I looked at my dress and worn-out shoes and felt so ashamed—I didn't even want to go back to church. Everyone there probably already knew we were poor!

I thought about school. I was in the ninth grade and at the top of my class of over 100 students. I wondered if the kids at school knew that we were poor. I decided that I could quit school since I had finished the eighth grade. That was all the law required at that time. We sat in silence for a long time. Then it got dark, and we went to bed. All that week, we girls went to school and came home, and no one talked much. Finally on Saturday, Mom asked us what we wanted to do with the money. What did poor people do with money? We didn't know. We'd never known we were poor. We didn't want to go to church on Sunday, but Mom said we had to. Although it was a sunny day, we didn't talk on the way.

Mom started to sing, but no one joined in and she only sang one verse. At church we had a missionary speaker. He talked about how churches in Africa made buildings out of sun dried bricks, but they needed money to buy roofs. He said $100 would put a roof on a church. The minister said, "Can't we all sacrifice to help these poor people?" We looked at each other and smiled for the first time in a week.

Mom reached into her purse and pulled out the envelope. She passed it to Darlene. Darlene gave it to me, and I handed it to Ocy. Ocy put it in the offering.

When the offering was counted, the minister announced that it was a little over $100. The missionary was excited. He hadn't expected such a large offering from our small church. He said, "You must have some rich people in this church."

Suddenly it struck us! We had given $87 of that "little over $100."

We were the rich family in the church! Hadn't the missionary said so? From that day on I've never been poor again. I've always remembered how rich I am because I have Jesus!

{hat tip: holy experience}
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A Prayer for My Country

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From The 1928 Book of Common Prayer:

ALMIGHTY God,
who hast given us this good land for our heritage;
We humbly beseech thee
that we may always prove ourselves
a people mindful of thy favour
and glad to do thy will.
Bless our land with honourable industry,
sound learning,
and pure manners.
Save us from violence, discord, and confusion;
from pride and arrogancy,
and from every evil way.
Defend our liberties,
and fashion into one united people
the multitudes brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues.
Endue with the spirit of wisdom
those to whom in thy Name
we entrust the authority of government,
that there may be justice and peace at home,
and that, through obedience to thy law,
we may show forth thy praise among the nations of the earth.
In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness,
and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in thee to fail;
all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

{hat tip: Wittingshire)
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Democracy: The Best & the Worst Idea

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{Yes, actually, the United States of America is a republic, not a democracy, but no one knows that here in the good ole USA anyhow!}

I recently discovered Dr. Albert Mohler's blog and have been impressed with him. I think this post sums up many of my thoughts and feelings.

America Has Chosen a President

The election of Sen. Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States came as a bang, not a whimper. The tremors had been perceptible for days, maybe even weeks. On Tuesday, America experienced nothing less than a political and cultural earthquake.

The margin of victory for the Democratic ticket was clear. Americans voted in record numbers and with tangible enthusiasm. By the end of the day, it was clear that Barack Obama would be elected with a majority of the popular vote and a near landslide in the Electoral College. When President-Elect Obama greeted the throngs of his supporters in Chicago's Grant Park, he basked in the glory of electoral energy.

For many of us, the end of the night brought disappointment. In this case, the disappointment is compounded by the sense that the issues that did not allow us to support Sen. Obama are matters of life and death -- not just political issues of heated debate. Furthermore, the margin of victory and sense of a shift in the political landscape point to greater disappointments ahead. We all knew that so much was at stake.

For others, the night was magical and momentous. Young and old cried tears of amazement and victory as America elected its first African-American President -- and elected him overwhelmingly. Just forty years after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, an African-American stood to claim victory as President-Elect of the nation. As Sen. Obama assured the crowd in Chicago and the watching nation, "We will get there. We will get there." No one hearing those words could fail to hear the refrain of plaintive words spoken in Memphis four decades ago. President-Elect Obama would stand upon the mountaintop that Dr. King had foreseen.

That victory is a hallmark moment in history for all Americans -- not just for those who voted for Sen. Obama. As a nation, we will never think of ourselves the same way again. Americans rich and poor, black and white, old and young, will look to an African-American man and know him as President of the United States. The President. The only President. The elected President. Our President.

Every American should be moved by the sight of young African-Americans who -- for the first time -- now believe that they have a purchase in American democracy. Old men and old women, grandsons and granddaughters of slaves and slaveholders, will look to an African-American as President.

Regardless of politics, could anyone remain unmoved by the sight of Jesse Jackson crying alone amidst the crowd in Chicago? This dimension of Election Day transcends politics and touches the heart of the American people.

Yet, the issues and the politics remain. Given the scale of the Democratic victory, the political landscape will be completely reshaped. The fight for the dignity and sanctity of unborn human beings has been set back by a great loss, and by the election of a President who has announced his intention to sign the Freedom of Choice Act into law. The struggle to protect marriage against its destruction by redefinition is now complicated by the election of a President who has declared his aim to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. On issue after issue, we face a longer, harder, and more protracted struggle than ever before.

Still, we must press on as advocates for the unborn, for the elderly, for the infirm, and for the vulnerable. We must redouble our efforts to defend marriage and the integrity of the family. We must be vigilant to protect religious liberty and the freedom of the pulpit. We face awesome battles ahead.

At the same time, we must be honest and recognize that the political maps are being redrawn before our eyes. Will the Republican Party decide that conservative Christians are just too troublesome for the party and see the pro-life movement as a liability? There is the real danger that the Republicans, stung by this defeat, will adopt a libertarian approach to divisive moral issues and show conservative Christians the door.

Others will declare these struggles over, arguing that the election of Sen. Obama means that Americans in general -- and many younger Evangelicals in particular -- are ready to "move on" to other issues. This is no time for surrender or the abandonment of our core principles. We face a much harder struggle ahead, but we have no right to abandon the struggle.

We should look for opportunities to work with the new President and his administration where we can. We must hope that he will lead and govern as the bridge-builder he claimed to be in his campaign. We must confront and oppose the Obama administration where conscience demands, but work together where conscience allows.

Evangelical Christians face another challenge with the election of Sen. Obama, and a failure to rise to this challenge will bring disrepute upon the Gospel, as well as upon ourselves. There must be absolutely no denial of the legitimacy of President-Elect Obama's election and no failure to accord this new President the respect and honor due to anyone elected to that high office. Failure in this responsibility is disobedience to a clear biblical command.

Beyond this, we must commit ourselves to pray for this new President, for his wife and family, for his administration, and for the nation. We are commanded to pray for rulers, and this new President faces challenges that are not only daunting but potentially disastrous. May God grant him wisdom. He and his family will face new challenges and the pressures of this office. May God protect them, give them joy in their family life, and hold them close together.

We must pray that God will protect this nation even as the new President settles into his role as Commander in Chief, and that God will grant peace as he leads the nation through times of trial and international conflict and tension.

We must pray that God would change President-Elect Obama's mind and heart on issues of our crucial concern. May God change his heart and open his eyes to see abortion as the murder of the innocent unborn, to see marriage as an institution to be defended, and to see a host of issues in a new light. We must pray this from this day until the day he leaves office. God is sovereign, after all.

Without doubt, we face hard days ahead. Realistically, we must expect to be frustrated and disappointed. We may find ourselves to be defeated and discouraged. We must keep ever in mind that it is God who raises up nations and pulls them down, and who judges both nations and rulers. We must not act or think as unbelievers, or as those who do not trust God.

America has chosen a President. President-Elect Barack Obama is that choice, and he faces a breathtaking array of challenges and choices in days ahead. This is the time for Christians to begin praying in earnest for our new President. There is no time to lose.

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Unplug

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Serpentine it slithers silently around dark corners and alongside baseboards, with dual fangs always at the ready. Dulling senses, distracting attentiveness, hypnotizing minds, disconnecting people...

Technological entertainment.

It's electronic cocaine.

And it's everywhere.

The stores. Friends' houses. Friends' cars. Our home. (Thankfully, not at my children's school.)

My husband and I talked today about how our boys' use of the television and computer games has been growing...and growing more worrisome. We've always moderated their use and we have strong limits--we only know of one family more conservative than we are on this issue because they don't have a TV. However, it gets more difficult as they get older and life gets busier. And I know the risks will continue to get bigger as they will hear about more violent games later on. And then there are the ads they could click on to travel to unapproved sites. And the technology advances by leaps and bounds, creating more engrossing virtual experiences. It's addicting, especially for many boys apparently. What to do...now...before we regret not acting soon enough?

I have said for years that I'd be very happy to get rid of the TV and online game playing altogether, but my husband does not agree and so since we both can't have our way, I chose to give way. So, we try to moderate our kids' use since they can't moderate it themselves. The kitchen timer worked for quite a while. But not any more. So we talk about limiting it to weekends, requiring chores in exchange for computer time, looking into software that can help block material and time their usage. We talked about encouraging playing outdoors and doing more outdoor activities as a family to model and live it out. And giving the boys outdoor projects to give them something to conquer and master, to really give themselves to, to work with their hands and their minds to accomplish something real and know the satisfaction and confidence from such feats.

All good and well.

But I just keep coming back to this notion that it's like trying to manage an electronic cocaine habit. And I just want to get rid of it.

"Do you ever think about becoming Amish?" a friend asked me recently. YES! At least the un-plugging part. Also the honest work, the development of self-reliant skills, bypassing the addictions to busyness and consumerism, the skipping of our culture's modern mess...yes, I've thought about it routinely. Perhaps it's because of my idealism and disappointment with the empty promises of suburban living. Of course, the only problem is that sin will still be right there with me, just in some other form. That internal struggle will only release me from its grip completely when I shed this earthly dwelling for an eternal one.

Maybe I'm over-reacting. Or maybe I'm just tired. Tired of swimming against the current around me. As the kids get older, it becomes harder to find families with similar convictions about family life and choices. One cannot make assumptions about what children may encounter in someone else's home, even those of committed believers. It's not that I want my kids to live in a bubble, but some things are off limits (for adults and well as kids) and some things need to wait until later. I've heard of other moms who had their elementary aged children see online porn or very violent video games at other children's homes. And I remember my own growing up...My parents didn't know that I played with sex toys with a neighborhood friend (although we didn't use them for their, um, intended purpose, we just goofed around with them). And the porno magazines I found, too. And the simulated sex, in my bed, with a female friend at her suggestion (all clothes kept on, though). All this when I was in middle school twenty years ago when childhood wasn't nearly as sexualized as it is now.

And now, all of that and much worse, is only a click away...the computer mouse, the TV remote.

Not to mention the subtler influences about consumerism, distorted "beauty," glorification of rebellion, mediocrity, contemporaneity (being "up to date" with the times, as Wendell Berry defines it) and on it goes.

And, yes, there is good to be had and to share over the wired world. Even so, tonight...

I want to unplug.

I want Heaven. Now.

Lord, deliver us. Grant us discernment. Teach us to cut off what offends you. To lay aside every encumbrance. To refuse to allow easy legalism to make our choices. To know what true freedom is. And is not. To live the real, abundant life. To hunger and thirst for righteousness. To take up our cross daily and follow you. To unplug...and plug only, and fully, into You.
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Christlikeness

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Father of Jesus,

Dawn returns,
but without thy light within
no outward light can profit;
Give me the saving lamp of thy Spirit that I may see thee,
the God of my salvation,
the delight of my soul,
rejoicing over me in love.

I commend my heart to thy watchful care,
for I know its treachery and power;
Guard its every portal from the wily enemy,
Give me quick discernment of his deadly arts,
Help me to recognize his bold disguise as an angel of light,
and bid him begone.
May my words and works allure others to the highest walks of faith and love!
May loiterers be quickened to greater diligence by my example!
May worldlings be won to delight in acquaintance with thee!
May the timid and the irresolute be warned of coming doom by my zeal for Jesus!

Cause me to be a mirror of thy grace,
to show others the joy of thy service,
May my lips be well-tuned cymbals
sounding thy praise
Let a halo of heavenly-mindedness
sparkle around me
and a lamp of kindness sunbeam my path.

Teach me the happy art of
attending to things temporal
with a mind intent on things eternal.
Send me forth to have compassion
on the ignorant and miserable.

Help me to walk as Jesus walked,
my only Saivour and perfect model,
his mind my inward guest,
his meekness my covering garb.
Let my happy place be amongst the poor in spirit,
my delight the gentle ranks of the meek.
Let me always esteem others better than myself,
and find in true humility
an heirdom to two worlds.

~ The Valley of Vision
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A Simple Feast

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Simplicity...

I found a simple and unexpected joy this morning. A feast of delightful colors, different textures, pungent aromas hitherto unnoticed. As I pealed, sliced, chopped, pressed...handling and enjoying the delights of the garden that God has created and generously given.

I was cooking. With real food.

Now, you must realize that cooking has always been my domestic bane. I have always rather cleaned toilettes than cook! But I have made much effort and given repeated prayer asking the Lord to give me delight in this task that He has asked of me, that it be a beautiful provision for and service to my family, and that I offer this calling to Him in gratitude for His abundant provision. How I longed to stop wasting money and precious time on the drive-through, not to mention filling empty tummies with empty "food." (Isn't it so much better to give that money to those in this world who have empty tummies with no hope of them being filled?) This has not been easy for me for I never really learned to plan meals and cook growing up. Just ask my friend, who, when I was in my 30s, I called with consternation in my voice that the hot dog manufacturer dared to omit cooking directions on the package! (Which was met appropriately with peals of laughter on the other end of the telephone line.)

However, the Lord is so gracious. He has slowly been answering my prayer, as silly as it may seem to many for whom cooking is automatic. I have been enjoying cooking frugal and nutritious food for my family lately. I have had to persevere again and again. The surprise for me came this morning when I realized how fun and wholesome it was to simply...chop vegetables.

You know, those real foods that grow out of the ground. That look like what they really are in the grocery store. That remind us what real green and real red look like. Not processed, salted, corn syruped, fat laden, MSG stoked, artificial neon colored, weird "food" in a box with hyper active labeling.

I was surprised how much enjoyment there was in handling the eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, onion, garlic, etc. Each had a different texture. I never knew eggplant had seeds inside. (Duh!) Each had a different aroma and brought colorfulness to the dish as it piled into my crock pot. There was something...real...about it. Not the feeling of plastic. Not the boring uniformity of a machine made item with endless copies of itself all exactly the same. Rather each was unique, yet consistently like its relatives. Creativity within order. Bountiful beauty.

And now I have ratatouille bubbling in my crock pot. Throughout the day it will waft its aroma throughout my home, reminding me of the simple joy of persevering until prayers are answered, of finding simple joy in the ordinary around us, and of the peace of mind that dinner is already mostly done!

Jehovah Jireh, my Provider, of a feast for the body...and the soul.
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