Despite my absence from blogdom and my presence on Facebook, I am a blogger at heart. So as I have been posting back-to-school entries since my kids started school 9 years ago, I feel compelled to continue the tradition.
Last Monday, Nevin and Evangeline had their first day at Grand Center Arts Academy, a new charter school in St Louis. Here’s are their pre-commute photos before heading out the door:
Goofing around! I think middle school is the beginning of the “need to be goofy” stage.
Charis, a week later, heading to day one of second grade.
Calvin is our homeschooled high school boy–yes, I said HIGH SCHOOL!!! So far, I have no photo of him at his computer doing school work or on his way anywhere, so this shot of him at the Missouri Botanical Gardens last week will have to serve as his first day picture.
The senior pastor at the church where I work has been focusing on the 10 commandments these last few weeks. He is launching something of a campaign for everyone in his church to learn them.
I told him that I could sing the 10 commandments. Now, mind you, I never said I couldn’t say them. I just said that learning a song had helped me to learn them. We disagree on the benefits of using a song as a tool to learning important truths, but I digress . . .
The real point of my bringing this up is that all of this 10 commandment talk has made me appreciate the simplicity and complexity of the law as it was given to the Hebrews via Moses. The law is simple in that the decrees are clear and concise–easy to understand. Yet they also present the complexity of our relationships with one another and with God and that there are serious consequences that touch everyone in community when these laws are broken.
I know it is more important to have the inside cleaned up (attitude, character, faith, etc.), but sometimes, cleaning the outside helps with keeping the inside stuff in sync. Lately, balancing the work-family life schedule has been challenging, so the housework has fallen by the wayside. At last, yesterday, I had a free Saturday–no items on the agenda. So I cleaned a good portion of the house. Ah . . . I feel so much better waking up to a clean house. I hope to keep up with the tidying enough this week that I can keep feeling better about life.
Now that I am feeling a little better about the basic maintenance cleaning items, I making a list of small projects to tackle in the coming month. Here it is:
1. Change out the chandelier in living room with a ceiling fan. Here’s one I like:
2. Change out the light in the den from a very dim pendulum-style chandalier that my 14-year-old bumps into all the time to a brighter light fixture that is flush with the ceiling. I’m thinking of something like this:
3. Come up with a plan for repairing the water-damaged plaster in the den and, at long-last, remove all the “Laura Ashley” wall paper and replace it with something else. (Yes. Paint is my preference. But plaster walls are particularly challenging to paint after removing wall paper. A friend suggested a white bead board or paneling. New wall paper might also work. We’ll see.)
4. Find the time to tackle these relatively minor projects.
I am wondering about something.Why does God put us on the path He chooses for us?
Here’s some context to my wondering.There are certain beliefs that I share with many Christian friends, certain lifestyle choices I would make, have made in the past, actually. These lifestyle choices are seen by many to be almost non-negotiable for Christian families.Yet, the only reason Christian families who make them are capable of doing so is because God has put them in a situation that will allow them to comfortably do so.
Some might say that the circumstances of these families’ lives are definitely in place because of God’s sovereignty over all, but they would argue that they also have a solid commitment to their lifestyle choice and that all their decisions over time have been made within the framework of that commitment.I believe this is true, but I also know that God doesn’t always do things so neatly.He doesn’t always allow people to remain so firmly “committed” to a lifestyle choice or ideology that they are able to do all that they want to or choose to.
But somehow, when others we know don’t act within the framework we have deemed as the only way Christian families should, the judgments start to roll out.Thoughts like . . . they aren’t committed enough; they are giving up their ideals;Is that any way to raise a Christian family begin to sneak in to minds of other Christians who are standing by. . . watching, waiting.
In this age of internet communication, we learn so much, perhaps too much, about what our friends and acquaintances are doing . . . and are thinking.But so much of what we learn is polished, all nice and shiny for Christian friends, family, and the world to see.Is all of what people are sharing so neat and easy?People who read about our lives on the internet begin to think they know us, and, therefore, they think they can judge our decisions.Sometimes, these judgments have repercussions in the real world, too.But the reality is, we really don’t know all the facts.We know the edited, shiny version of people’s lives.We are living in a digital age of keeping up with the Joneses . . . or the Christians in another part of the country.
Another problem is that when we look at what everyone else in our “circle” is doing, we start to feel that we don’t measure up.We start to feel inadequate.Again, the shinyness of our digital selves plays a part in this.We don’t measure up because we are only seeing a small portion of what is really going on . . . only the “presentable” or “for company” part.We are not seeing the struggles, the heartache, the loneliness, the pain that isn’t appropriate for internet sharing.So we only have a portion of the information, and we can’t make proper comparisons without all the facts.Really.
This wondering of mine is a bit disorganized, but I am trying to make a point.Blogs and Facebook and other social media are great—a fun way to keep track of friends and family, to “stay connected.”But they don’t tell the whole story.We cannot make judgments about what others are saying or doing solely based on posts we read on the internet.We also cannot make judgments about our own inadequacies based solely on the posts we read.In real life—with other human beings who have flesh and blood and with whom we converse—we worry about how we come across, we have hurt feelings, we struggle to treat each other as we know we should. How much more difficult it is to accurately understand or “read” others when we only interact with them via the internet!
Ultimately, we need to be more gracious and charitable toward one another.And, it is SO hard.I hate that I am often the hardest on myself and the ones closest to me.So I have to come back to the Scripture and ask God to help me extend grace to the people I come in real flesh and blood contact with as well as in the internet world.I have to remind myself over and over again about God’s desire for me to treat others as I want to be treated.Oh how I fail!Here’s the reminder I am thinking about right now:
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[d]says the Lord. On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 9:12-21
It’s VBS week at the church where I work. They are using the Group Publishing’s curriculum, “High Seas Expedition.” Charis and I have been listening to the songs for the program for the past few weeks, and this song has stuck in my head:
Ancient Words :
Holy words long preserved
for our walk in this world,
They resound with God’s own heart
Oh, let the Ancient words impart.
Words of Life, words of Hope
Give us strength, help us cope
In this world, where e’er we roam
Ancient words will guide us Home.
CHORUS:
Ancient words ever true
Changing me, and changing you.
We have come with open hearts
Oh let the ancient words impart.
Holy words of our Faith
Handed down to this age.
Came to us through sacrifice
Oh heed the faithful words of Christ.
Holy words long preserved
For our walk in this world.
They resound with God’s own heart
Oh let the ancient words impart.
CHORUS x4
We have come with open hearts
Oh let the ancient words impart
Learning to recognize that every day truly is a gift.
A friend was treated at the hospital over the weekend for a heart condition, and it reminded me how precious life is. Another acquaintance just marked a week since his adult son had a successful liver transplant. This post from someone else I know reminded me that really, every moment is a gift.
Hebrews 12–all of Hebrews–for that matter has much to say to us as we strive to live lives that please God. I was thinking about Hebrews 12 today, so I looked it up, and this portion spoke to me specifically:
12Thereforelift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of jointbut rather be healed. 14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for theholiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15See to it that no onefails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16that no one issexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.
I love they way the passage starts . . . “lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees.” Man, can I relate! But I am also struck by how interrelated our attitudes and actions are and ultimately how our pity parties can lead to damaging the church and hindering the gospel.
Just thinking out loud about things that are hard to accept but, oh so, necessary.
This is going to be stream of consciousness, so be prepared.
Word of the week — myopic:
Myopic — lacking foresight or scope; “a short view of the problem”;
Why myopic? I have just been struck by how we all live in our own little bubbles, and we seem to think that what happens in our bubble is the most important thing in the world. Dwelling on life in the bubble keeps us from thinking about the big picture, keeps us from reaching out, keeps us from being kind and charitable to people outside our bubble.
New Diet
No. I am not going on one and telling you all my weight-loss goals again. But a friend told me about a diet her sister is on, and she said it is working. Here’s a link. My friend is thinking of trying it. It is interesting to consider.
Book Recommendation
I haven’t read this yet, but the same friend with the dieting sister recommended it, and it is now on my list of books I would like to read this summer. Him Her Him Again The End of Him is a clever title, and I love the cover. So why wouldn’t I read it?
Easter
Easter was good this year in many ways. We attended a lovely Maundy Thursday meal/service at the church where I work. I spent the day Friday hanging out with the kids, and we attended the Good Friday service at our church in the evening. Saturday was busy with Breakfast with Bunny at the church where I work and then a few hours of relaxing and egg dying before going to a bonfire for the evening with church friends. For Easter Sunday, after worship we had just our family at home for a traditional Easter meal. It was much less stressful than cooking for company or even going to someone else’s house (though I want to do one of these most years). We then went to a park for a bit in the afternoon, and just hung out at home in the evening. I am so thankful for the Hope of Resurrection in my life, and I am reminded that I really didn’t understand how significant this hope is until I was an adult. Sure, I knew about Christ rising from the dead, but I didn’t really get how important His resurrection is to my life, to my salvation, to my eternity. Christ is risen, indeed!
A list of what’s on my mind, in no significant order . . .
1. I lost the pedometer for the work insurance walking program. I was in the girls’ room in the middle of Evangeline’s sleepover last Saturday, and it fell off. The next day, Mark and swept all the junk out from under both girls beds, and we didn’t unearth the lost pedometer. So I have not kept up with my plan this week. I plan to replace the pedometer, but every one after the first one costs $25. So I might have to wait to get back on that particular tracking method. However, I can get a fairly nice one for $4.99 from Aldi later this week (according to their sale paper), so I am thinking I’ll get it and keep track myself until I want to spring for the $25 one.
2. I enjoyed a day of relatively little running around yesterday, and the next few Saturdays look pretty clear, too. Praise God for the break. We even had people over last night. It was a nice change.
3. We were reminded of God’s faithful providence in two very tangible ways this past week. Praise God!
4. Still praying for wisdom, direction regarding the kids’ schooling next year.
5. A good friend lost his job this week. He is the father to 4 great kids, and the husband of a faithful wife. Please pray for him and all those who are unemployed and underemployed.
6. My mom is having a medical test this coming Tuesday. It is a new health concern, so I am praying for the results to be insignificant.
7. Mark’s grandfather is in hospice care. He and Mark’s aunt who cares for him are on my heart and mind. Praying for them, too.
That is all. A busy week ahead. Enjoy God’s blessings. Remember Jesus’s death and His glorious resurrection and the hope it brings.
The last month has been full of kids activities and work. That’s it. Nothing has been going on other than that . . . oh, a little sickness and a basketball trip to Nebraska were thrown in just for good measure.
Is life bad? No. We’re doing ok. We’re once again at that time of year where we have to figure out what to do about school next year. There are multiple variables in the mix. We are mostly just waiting to see how things turn out . . . and praying. We are used to living by faith around here, so we’re just trying to do that some more.
I have been at the new job for 3.5 months now. I still like it. It is challenging enough to not be boring, and I don’t have to take it home with me. I have great co-workers, and it is expanding our circle of social contacts in St. Louis. We are grateful that this job came along when it did. It is a blessing to us.
On the home front, the girls got their first report cards from school since their return, and they are doing well. The boys are busy with school work, sports, and drama/music classes. Their drama group will present Tom Sawyer next month, and they are looking forward to that. The laundry is in a manageable state, and last Saturday, I caught up on some housework. I am feeling pretty good about where things are right now in the balancing act, but not every week, day, moment is like that . . . However, I’ll take it when I can get it!
Other Stuff
Do you remember last year about this time? Maybe a month or so later in the year because Easter fell a bit later, and that is the marker I am using. I posted an entry about my big walking goals with thoughts of running. Oh how I hate posts like that! If you know me, you know my big plans didn’t materialize. I didn’t keep up the walking, and I didn’t reach any of my goals. So from now on, I won’t post any lofty goals because I hate eating my words.
Tonight, I walked 23 minutes at the park while the girls were at Awana and the boys were in the library. I am trying to walk again, but my goals are much more measurable. There’s a walking program through the health insurance at my job in which employees can register to get a free pedometer, and then each day, you upload your steps onto their website. By meeting certain criteria, employees can win awards. So I got the pedometer last month, and I haven’t done any walking other than the daily getting around stuff. I have seen how many steps I walk in a day on average, so I have set a goal of walking 7,000 steps a day for the next 10 days. I hope to add more steps once I do the 7,000 steps for 10 days. This seems doable to me. I hope I am more successful with this attempt than my last one.
So that’s it for this now . . . life keeps moving forward.
