Refreshing

The cool breeze washes over me like a touch of Your Spirit whispering through the trees, “Come, my beloved. Come away with Me. Sit in My presence. Listen for My voice. Receive My love.”

Your voice awakens longings in me deeper than I can describe. It is intoxicating, promising intimacy beyond any other. I follow, helpless to deny You.

Your love is refreshing, reviving my soul. Your love beckons me to come near. Insistent, gentle, constant, unassuming … inviting, never forcing … ever present. Your love is easily forgotten --- ignored --- lost in the busyness of the day. But it is always there, silently waiting for the seeking heart to find.

Revive me, Lord. Awaken me to Your love. My heart forgets ... forgive me ... help me to live always in the reality of Love. Every moment. Not on autopilot, just doing, disconnected, deaf to Your sweet whispers in my soul. Make my heart attentive to You.

Because more than anything, I want You. My heart, mind, body, soul filled and consumed by You. Nothing less will ever satisfy me. Help me to stop … breathe … remember … and be.

With You.

Colors of Adoption

Color is my daughter’s cocoa hand nestled trustfully in mine of cream.

Her sparkling dark orbs reflected in my skies of blue.

Pink-tinged lips smiling mischievously as she tells a silly joke.

Ebony hair curling softly as my fingers twist and braid.

Color. It tinges the world of adoption. Exploring the expanse of thought through books, classes, seminars, and conversations, we ask and wonder. What does color mean? What does it mean to me? To my family? To society? Most importantly, what does it mean to my child?

These are questions I have pondered long. A white girl from California, raised in a military family, moving every few years. In the leveling culture of enlisted families, it seemed natural to have friends of various backgrounds. While I learned about the historical reality of racism in school, it seemed irrelevant in my own experience. Though horrified at the raw injustices of the past, I accepted as normal my family’s close friendships with families whose skin tones varied from ivory to obsidian. During college I began to think more deeply about color as I grew close to a white friend who had black adopted siblings. I tried to learn as much as I could about the black experience in America, deeply disturbed to find that racism was not merely in the past. After marriage, my husband and I began to explore adoption. We wanted to hold out our hands to “catch” children who might otherwise “fall through the cracks” into abortion, foster care, etc. We learned that African American children were inexplicably considered “hard to place.” Following our hearts, we decided to see if we could adopt black children.

We were delighted, in 2009, to be chosen to adopt a daughter, and in 2014, another, both dark-skinned and lovely, inside and out. Continuing to educate ourselves, we constantly look for opportunities to cultivate friendships with African-American people and to strengthen those we have already established. We enlighten ourselves through books, movies, and documentaries. In the process, we understand ever more clearly how challenging it can be to grow up black in America. We deeply desire to equip our daughters with the knowledge, strength, confidence, and wisdom they need to thrive in every stage of life. 

Color paints our days with the blushing pinks of tutus, the rainbow hues of beads, the gold of precious memories and the blues of sorrow. It binds us together with black scarves worn at bedtime, white lotion rubbed into skin, and matching tinted nails. Sometimes it separates us in the eyes of those who don’t see the red of our hearts and the sparkling diamond cord that connects them. 

Sisters’ legs entwined in sleep, swirls of coffee and cream.

“Black Spider” her code name as she, costumed, races with brothers in wild play.

“Those are my people,” her shy statement of pride when black friends come by.

Soft tears sliding down milk chocolate cheeks as she seeks my arms when sad.

Laughter bursting through pearly teeth when she is filled with joy.

Every day we read, talk, eat, laugh, play, and love in vivid color. Color is real, it is beautiful, and it is ours.

Pause

Trudging

up stairs to

remove clothes,

sweat-stained

from long day,

much noise, heat,

many things

done, faces

washed, wounds

kissed, instructions

given.

Sighing

as clothes drop,

soft thump atop

others, waiting

to be sorted,

washed,

folded,

hung …

Sky grows dark.

Work still to do.

Glancing

out window, light

beckons, door

opens, single chair

invites. I

accept.

Escaping

hot house, feel

cool breeze, hear

crickets, watch

star appear

in evening sky.

Breathing

deep, I

pause

to give

thanks.

Hello Again!

It’s been over two years since I’ve posted anything on this blog! In the meantime we’ve had three more children (whew!) and gone on an incredible (and unexpected) journey of faith.

Let me explain. No, let me sum up.

First, the children. We now have ten children, ages 13 to 2 months. Eight by birth, two by adoption. I give my heart and life to them willingly. Most of my time is spent caring for and educating these precious souls.

Second, the journey of faith. Saltracer and I were raised happily as Evangelical Christians, mostly in Assemblies of God churches. We met and married in a mega church, and for the next ten-plus years were part of a wonderful, life-giving non-denominational church. Then, God sovereignly moved us toward the Catholic Church, so that now we are happy Evangelical Catholic Christians!

The shock of this and the adjustment period, along with the addition of three children, may account for my lack of blogging during this time. :-)

I have committed to writing for two hours a week for the next couple of months, so I am hoping to attempt to add regular posts to this blog. We’ll see what happens. I give it to the Lord to do with as He wills.

Walking in the Spirit

For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority. (Colossians 2:9, 10 NLT)

I am fascinated by the concept that Mike Bickle taught at OneThing, session 7, last December. A quick summary in my own words: when we come to Jesus, our spirit is made one with Christ instantly, already made perfect. Our soul is being made perfect as we "work out our salvation," inviting the Holy Spirit to transform us into His image as we choose to submit to His Lordship and thank Him for His power to make love, joy, peace, etc. manifest in our mind, will, and emotions (and actions. Our body will be made perfect at the resurrection. 

Salvation, sanctification, glorification. That's what those terms mean. I have been saved, I am being saved, I will be saved. Praise God!

I am learning to cooperate with God's grace more as I allow Him to work understanding of these things into me. As a result, I have had some of the best days ever with the kids this week, because I am not looking for the peace around me, but within, where His Spirit dwells. And I am learning how to actually do that. It has often felt like wishful thinking before. 

He gives three ways to cooperate with that grace and access the power of the Holy Spirit in our daily lives - to actually allow us to access the power that resides in our spirit to change our thinking and feelings to conform to the fruit of the Spirit. 1) Agree with who we are - beloved, perfect before God, Holy Spirit dwelling within. This is how God sees us. It is our legal position before Him. 2) Repent and turn away from our sin. 3) Thank the Holy Spirit for His perfect love, joy, peace, etc. (fruit if the Spirit) dwelling perfectly in my spirit, and ask Him to make that a present reality in my emotions, thoughts, words and actions. To make what is true in our legal/spiritual position also true in our living condition. The amazing part to me is that He does it! As I align myself with truth (what God says about me), give Him my sinful thoughts (anger, resentment, whatever), and ask/thank Him for His pure thoughts (love, joy, peace, etc.), He is actually changing my emotions and thoughts to align more closely to His!

I have seen such fruit as I have begun to apply this in my own life and teach it to my children. We are loving each other more, calling each other to a higher standard in our interactions, digging deeper in our conversations, talking about the Word more. There is more joy and peace in our home. The ideals of Scripture which we talk about and memorize (like Galatians 5:22-23) are starting, little by little, to become more present in our daily experience. The changes are minute, and we have so much further to go, but there is a noticeable difference to me. 

I feel as if up to now, my spiritual walk could be likened to trying to get around and ice rink in my regular shoes. I would try every day to rein in my thoughts and emotions, and to teach the kids to do so, but I would mostly slip and stumble and fall. After a while I'd get frustrated and tired and have to leave the rink to nurse my bruises and heal a bit before trying again. Now, I feel like I have ice skates on my feet! I'm still awkward and clinging to the wall, I still stumble and fall, but I'm starting to experience a little bit of progress and the hope of becoming more skilled at walking (skating 😊) according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh. It's tiring using these new muscles, and it's intense at times, but I have hope! The Holy Spirit is with me, teaching me and my children to cooperate with the grace that is available to us instead of trying to do it in our own strength!

I am so not an expert at this. I am just grateful that God gives us what we need at just the right time, if only we will ask Him. Thank You, Father, for Your loving leadership! Thank You, Jesus, for becoming sin for me and nailing it to the cross so that I can be free! Thank You, Holy Spirit for dwelling in me, teaching me, correcting me, bringing me to repentance, and daily transforming me a little more into Your likeness. Let Your Spirit continue to lead our family as we seek You. Give us the power to will and to do Your good pleasure. Help us to love one another well, by Your Spirit. 

P.S. I was so excited to hear Mike Bickle's message that I asked Paul to listen to it as well. He did, and then he read Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee, which is taking our understanding even deeper. I love learning and growing together in the Lord! 

Refusing to Worry

"Put more energy into trusting Me and enjoying My Presence [rather than trying to control your circumstances]. Don't let your well-being depend on your circumstances. Instead, connect your joy to My precious promises:

"I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go. 

"I will meet all your needs according to My glorious riches.

"Nothing in creation will be able to separate you from My love" (Jesus Calling, 11/5).

In these times when we are being called out the the Egypt of trust in government into the wilderness of total dependence on God, these are good words on which to build our foundation.  We must not worry, but bring all our needs to our Father, knowing that He will care for us (1 Peter 5:7).

"I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:12, 13 NLT)

"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither ... our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow ... nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38, 39 NLT)

Wordless Wednesday

Loved

What is the point of all our doing if we never take time to rest in God's presence? So many things that He created -- trees, grass, birds ... deep ocean creatures ... stars and planets -- they do not strive to be noticed or accomplish. They delight us simply because they are. Watching wind and light playfully interact in treetops, admiring the deep richness of oceans and the vast beauty of skies, these are enough for me. Is it perhaps not enough for God as well? 

After all, we are His children. Do I love my children because of what they do for me? Of course not; I love them simply for who they are, because they are. I am loved, must be loved, must allow myself to receive love, in the same way. 

Father, open our hearts to receive your lavish, limitless love. 

Some Home School Curriculum Reviews

This week, I have been blessed to have LOTS of time to myself while accompanying my husband on a business trip. We try to do this once a year so that I have time to get away from the busy-ness of life as a home schooling mom, to be ALONE, reflect, pray, read, and be REFRESHED. It is a wonderful way to refocus, and I find that I return home refilled and ready to give again! I also find that the things I study, hear from the Lord, and talk about in the evenings with my husband are rich resources to which I return in the weeks and months to follow. (I do also spend time napping, reading a book, or watching a movie for fun, but I really treasure this time away and try my best to use it as productively as possible so that I come home more ready to serve, not more selfish and wanting lots of "time off.") If the Lord opens the opportunity for you to have some time away like this, DO IT! I pray that He will make a way for you!

This week, I spent many hours researching and talking to the Lord about our home school schedule and curriculum. There are some really great curricula that I have been interested in, and since we are coming up to a transition point in our home school, I have been wanting to look into them and see what direction we might want to go next. My older three children are entering grades 3-5, and I am also beginning to lightly include our next three (who will all be 4 and 5 years old this fall). I do not believe that learning needs to be intense at these ages, but they are all very interested and I want to encourage their excitement to be part of our school!

After spending so much time researching these curricula and reading many great reviews, I thought I'd go ahead and post my findings so that perhaps they may help another home school parent who wants to find out more about them. Just be aware that I have not actually used the first two (Trail Guide to Learning and My Father's World), so this review is simply based on my research. We did use Five in a Row a few years ago, so that review is more based on experiential knowledge. I hope it helps!

Trail Guide to Learning

www.home-school-curriculum.com

Cost: $160 for Basic (teacher & student books);

$400 for Complete (includes all required books)

Pros:

• complete curriculum (just add math)
• lesson plans & student checklists already made - minimal/moderate prep time
• printable student notebooks pages(or buy pre-printed)
• multiple grade levels (starts at 3-5)
• customized activities for each level
• focuses on developing thinking skills
• real “living” books
• taught from biographical perspective
• teaches from unit study/Beechick/Mason perspective - unified themes, copywork, dictation, geography, history as stories, nature studies (science), literature, art & music
• supplemental Bible lessons coordinate with lessons - these focus on a character quality that ties in with the unit’s biography, including worship time, discussion, and weekly memory verses & longer memory focus for the entire unit (about 6 weeks)
• “develops thinking skills that lead to comprehension and writing ability”
• “uses copying and dictation process to acquire language and writing mechanics”
• “gradually connects grammar to reading and writing naturally”
• “builds skills naturally through reflective thinking and discussion”
• also has optional assessment CD-ROM to evaluate student progress
• optional lapbooks add a presentation to review/show what has been learned

Cons (for us):

• The first three years are all centered around American History, which we have been doing already for the past 2 years through Across America. This would enable us to go deeper, but I was anticipating starting a more comprehensive world history curriculum next.
• The following three years, which will cover World History (starting with 6th grade), have not yet been developed.
• Will this teach from a Bible-first perspective, or merely add-on Bible themes to secular history? Here is a quote of their philosophy: “Following the example of our key historical figures, biblical principles are foundational to the comprehensive nature of this curriculum. Ideas based on pagan and secular thought systems, such as the classical approach, are not included. Instead it works with the developmental levels of children and honors their God-given time table. Following this pace in presenting new skills and content is highly motivating and helps children achieve success and understanding.”
• The 2nd edition of the first year’s curriculum is in printing stage, so the books are only available in digital format at this time, with hard copies to be sent in late spring or summer.
• The books used for science/nature are from an evolutionary perspective. In one review, the reviewer said that the author of Geography Matters is working on creating replacements for these books. This may be a problem with other curricula as well, not just this one.

Helpful Reviews:

http://cathyduffyreviews.com/history-geography/trail-guide-to-learning.htm

“The Trail Guide looks like a promising solution for families looking for book-based unit study that takes the guess work out of the process and is easy for parents to use.”

http://thehomeschoolmagazine.com/Homeschool_Reviews/3629.php

“The curriculum is designed to teach students “How” to think rather than just “What” to think, using real books and activities with a purpose. . . . Although the curriculum seems to be biblically sound, it does not include an actual Bible curriculum. For an additional fee, users can purchase the coordinating Bible curriculum. . . . Since the authors claim the most important connection for students to make is the one between their faith and the view of the world around them, I believe this Bible curriculum should have been an included portion of this course. . . . For me, the biggest disappointment was that the checklist pages in the back of each book were not included on the CD-rom for easier printing. . . . Trail Guide to Learning: Paths of Exploration offers guidance as well as flexibility for different ages, developmental levels, and learning styles. It is true that the necessary resource materials are somewhat costly, but considering the broad use of the items over many years of schooling and the ability to use the same course with several students of different ages, we found the cost justifiable.”

www.momsmustardseeds.com/2012/09/geomatters-trail-guide-to-learning-paths-of-settlement/

Includes her own pros/cons list.

www.weirdunsocializedhomeschoolers.com/review-and-giveaway-trail-guide-to/

Very positive review.

http://nextgenhomeschool.com/2012/11/01/oops-i-did-it-again-changing-curriculum-again-and-again/

This reviewer started with My Father’s World (includes a link to why it didn’t work for their family), then changed to Heart of Wisdom & Charlotte Mason (another link), and then in article why they changed to Heart of Dakota, and finally ended up with Trail Guide to Learning.

My Father’s World

www.mfwbooks.com

Cost: $352 for Deluxe package (Bible, Social Studies, Science, Music, Art, & Read-Alouds);

$279 for Basic Package (all of the above except Read-Alouds)

Pros:

• Nearly complete curriculum. Need to add language arts (Emma Serle’s Language Lessons is recommended), math (Singapore Math is recommended), and possibly a foreign language (Rosetta Stone is recommended).
• Begins with Exploring Countries and Cultures, an overview of world cultures based on true stories of missionaries to teach Bible, geography, science, art, and music.
• Continues with four-year chronological study of world history, integrating Biblical and ancient civilizations’ histories, including hands-on projects, timeline, and history notebook. Titles are: Creation to the Greeks, Rome to the Reformation, Exploration to 1850, and 1850 to Modern Times
• Targeted for grades 3-8, with high school curriculum also available.
• All levels are completed & published.
• Teacher’s Manual includes daily lesson plans in a weekly chart format. Lesson planning should be minimal/moderate. Planning sheet includes blank boxes for adding language, math, reading, and foreign language assignments.
• Integrates Jewish feasts & how they point to Jesus.
• All history is viewed from a Christian perspective.
• Supplemental recommended reading lists for library borrowing add read-aloud and independent reading options.
• Science is from Creationist perspective.
• Uses Window on the World, which we have used and very much enjoyed in the past.
• Weekly memory verses and daily readings from Matthew.
• Hands-on activities related to 15 countries.
• Science focuses on different habitats coordinating with the country being studied (i.e., desert, rainforest, etc.) Also includes weekly nature walk and nature journal (ala Charlotte Mason).
• Art projects and music from countries being studied.
• I like the idea of exposing the children a foreign language course. At this stage, I believe Rosetta Stone includes a level that is primarily listening and speaking, not studying the grammar and writing, though those can be added as the children are ready to do so.
• Fun activity: as you “travel” to each country in the first year, each child adds a flag sticker for that country into their own “passport.”

Cons:

• There are separate curricula for each of the grades K-2, but these I do not feel are necessary. Grades 2-3 can begin to join in with older children in the rotation through the 5 years.
• Language, spelling, and handwriting are not integrated. But I do enjoy using the recommended language curriculum, so that may not be a big issue.
• Student checklists are not already prepared, though possibly I could simply copy the teacher’s planning sheet for the week and give to each child.
• Geography information to be added to maps has to be looked up by each child in several reference books (included in curriculum). This could be quite time-consuming. I could possibly reduce the number of features to be labeled, to help reduce time spent on this.

Reviews:

www.homeschoolreviews.com/reviews/curriculum/reviews.aspx?id=161

2nd (albanyaloe) and 3rd (marbeewe) reviews are most helpful.

http://cathyduffyreviews.com/unit-studies/my-fathers-world.htm

“MFW courses are clearly structured with easy-to-understand instructions. Lesson preparation time will be required primarily for gathering necessary materials, so planning ahead is essential.”

(Skip down to the 2nd-8th Grade Multi-Age Curriculum” part of the review.)

http://onelittlewordsheknew.blogspot.com/2011/02/switching.html

This is a mom explaining why she decided to switch AWAY from MFW mid-year to Heart of Dakota.

http://matthewsnews.blogspot.com/2012/11/my-fathers-world-curriculum-review.html

This is a mom explaining why she decided to switch TO MFW from another curriculum.

www.myblessedhome.net/2011/03/review-my-fathers-world-curriculum/

This is a very positive review with details why she likes it so much.

Five in a Row/Beyond Five in a Row

http://fiveinarow.com/

Cost: $35 for teacher handbook, plus any books that you decide to purchase. Books can also be checked out from library, though some may be hard to find.

Pros:

• We enjoyed doing this before.
• It is fun and easy.
• There are handbooks from preschool through high school
• We already have several of the books for Five in a Row.
• Beyond Five in a Row uses chapter books (fewer books, so we’d want to purchase them), and I believe it’s more independent work than the first set.
• It’s focused on keeping the family together. Olders can enjoy listening to youngers’ read-alouds, and vice versa, and then work on separate projects based on their own reading.
• Might possibly allow for more free play time in our day. More afternoons for playing outside & pursuing interests like baking and horses & fort-building and knitting. And mommy’s naps. :)

Cons:

• This is a very “light” curriculum, and not at all thorough or systematic.
• In the past, I have found that some of the books are harder to get.
• Need to add systematic language and math. May also need to add a lot of other content if we want to study broad history/science subjects. The focus of this study is to allow students time to go deep in areas of interest on their own, but I’m not sure how well undirected/mom-dependent study would work for our family. In this season, I need to minimize my planning time to maximize my time with the children.
• It is biblically oriented, but not biblically based. Does not include Bible studies organically, so Bible study would need to be added.
• The lessons do not build upon each other. It’s more an eclectic approach designed to simply enjoy learning than a systematic study of any particular subject. (This could be a “pro” or a “con.”) :) Their statement: “Five in a Row Publishing has no intention of modifying our curriculum either now or in the future to accomodate [governmental core standards]. We remain committed to our long-term goal of helping children fall in love with both reading and learning as they discover the wonderful world of education on their own terms. . . . Now more than ever, FIAR offers parents a clear choice between trying to fill pails or light fires. Our students have consistently tested well above grade level in standardized testing for two decades and we believe students who are taught using the thoroughly proven Five in a Row philosophy will continue to be both academic and social leaders among their peers.”

Helpful Reviews:

http://www.homeschoolreviews.com/reviews/curriculum/reviews.aspx?id=81

The first two reviews basically confirm my concerns about the time required to make this a full-featured curriculum.

http://www.thecurriculumchoice.com/2009/05/five-in-a-row-review/

This review brings out the positives and why I have GREAT memories of our time using Five in a Row when our older children were in the early grades.

http://thehomeschoolmagazine.com/Homeschool_Reviews/reviews.php?rid=1025

More very positive reviews.

Other curricula that have similarities, but about which I have not done as much research: Hearts of Dakota, Tapestry of Grace, Heart of Wisdom, Story of the World.

I think all of the above are great options. While doing all this research, I prayed that the Lord would direct my thoughts and help me to see what will be best for our particular family in this particular season. Unexpectedly, I feel that for now it is none of the above. After we finish up the study we are currently working on (Across America by Hewitt Homeschooling - which we are greatly enjoying, by the way), we will take some time to go deeper in a few areas of interest (like helping the neighbor with her horses, baking, sewing, and gardening), while reading more books and watching great documentaries about some of the people and places we have studied (like Lewis and Clark, Thomas Jefferson, etc.). And, of course, continuing our math and language studies. Not to mention enjoying our new baby who is due in July! I look forward to revisiting these curricula again in the future, seeing new develpments, and starting something new!

The Glorious Mess

Discontentment creeps in so easily.

"Sky, land, and sea, heavy and saturated with God--why do I always forget?" (Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts).

I know why I forget. It's because I look around me and see the mess. After a long day, working hard, teaching, training, serving, loving, encouraging, cleaning, organizing, bathing . . . . After all that, I look around and all I see is what is still undone. The piles of laundry waiting to be washed, more piles waiting to be put away, the sink of dishes, the unswept stairs, the bathrooms grimy and cluttered. It's hard to feel I've accomplished anything when so much remains to be done.

In all this, where is Your glory, Lord?

I remember first longing to see Your glory when I read this is a young girl, captivated by the imagery:

"For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea" (Habakkuk 2:14).

Every crack and cranny, valley and mountain filled . . . covered, overflowing, heavy . . . with the glory . . . the radiant, weighty, precious glory of the Lord.

It should be beautiful, shouldn't it? Not messy and half finished, never fully done?

Why am I so content when completed tasks surround me and so quickly discontented when reminded of all that remains to be done? This cannot be like You, for You are patient in the process, every messy, incomplete step of the way, as you gradually transform us into Your image . . . from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18).

What do You see, Lord? Let me see through Your eyes.

"I see a messy, bloody Man on a cross, heart hanging out in anguish of love rejected. I do not see beauty as You see it. You want it neat and tidy, wrapped in shiny paper and tied with a bow. My glory does look like that sometimes, but often it looks broken and bleeding and raw. Sometimes it's dirty floors and smelly trash cans, sinks of dishes and piles of laundry.

"Whitewashed tombs can look beautiful on the outside, but they have no life in them. I love life, teeming, swarming, embracing, sloppy, smiling, laughing, crying, screaming, sweating, crayons-on-the-walls life, in all its beautiful, glorious mess. Don't allow yourself to be discouraged by the wake that is left behind after all the running, jumping, tickling, playing--I am in it all. And I am here to help you clean it up! Not so that it can stay that way, but so we can start again tomorrow with a fresh canvas ready to receive all the color and streaks and splashes and splatters, the handprints and tears and joy of another masterpiece being created for My enjoyment.

"You want to create a snapshot of perfection, and your energy is drained when you don't accomplish it by the end of each day. But that is not what I am looking for. If you aren't careful, your desire for completion can become an idol, because it can keep you from wanting what I want. It can blind you, preventing you from seeing what I see, hindering you from running freely, taking risks, and trusting me on this steep, rocky, glorious, hard, exhilarating journey I have set before you. It can dominate your mind, harden your heart, and cause you to forget . . . to become discontent.

"Cast off this idol! Allow Me to fill you with joy and peace . . . with contentment . . . as you behold My glory here and now . . . right in the middle of the glorious mess. Come, make some more messes with Me! We will have so much fun together, and then we'll clean it up so we can do it all over again! Come! Experience life with Me!"

"Listen! My beloved! Look! Here he comes,

leaping across the mountains, bounding over the hills. . . .

My beloved spoke and said to me, 

"Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, come with me. . . . 

Arise, come, my darling; 

my beautiful one, come with me" 

(Song of Solomon 2:8, 10, 13).

Living Our Story

I sometimes feel like I'm living in a fairy tale. Every morning I wake to beauty surrounding me. The view from each window of Pleasant Home is breathtaking. Who am I, who are we, that God should bless us this way? I have seven children on earth thriving in this place where we have been planted, running around with the chickens, riding bikes in the dirt, exploring to heart's content. While there is plenty of work to do each day, I feel as if we've been given a little piece of Eden to enjoy and steward for His glory. The only reason I can think of for it all is that He is good, and He loves to give good gifts to His children. And so, with all my heart, I thank Him.

He whispers in my heart, "You are my child, and I am showing my goodness to you ... and through you.This is not just for you, but also to encourage others as they see my goodness in your life--to encourage them to trust Me, to dream with Me, to pursue the dreams that I've placed in their hearts. Others' stories will not look exactly like yours, for I have a unique story to tell through each life. But your story can encourage them to live out the story I have written for them to the fullest. I am not a bland and boring God, satisfied with lives of ritual and rote obedience. I am a Lover, desiring to live out a story of romance and adventure with my beloved."

The voice of the Man I love!

Here he comes, bounding over the mountains,

skipping over the hills!

My darling speaks; He is saying to me,

"Get up, My love! My beauty!

Come away!"

Song of Songs 2:8, 10

What adventure does He have for you today?

A Time for Everything

My favorite devotional book for the past year has been Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. I first ran across it a few years ago in a coffee shop owned by a friend of ours (which is, sadly, now closed), and it intrigued me immediately. It is written from the perspective of Jesus talking directly to us. What really surprised me is how similar it sounded to the way I hear Jesus talking to me during my quiet times. It seems that Sarah Young and I talk to the same person! (Imagine that!) After waiting a long time (and giving copies to others), I finally obtained a copy that I kept and began to enjoy for myself.

Here is one of my favorite themes from the book:

"Stop trying to work things out before their times have come. Accept the limitations of living one day at a time. When something comes to your attention, ask Me whether or not it is part of today's agenda. If it isn't, release it into My care and go on about today's duties. When you follow this practice, there will be a beautiful simplicity about your life: a time for everything and everything in its time" (Jesus Calling, entry for March 29).

"For everything there is a season,

a right time for every intention under heaven" 

(Ecclesiastes 3:1).

As a new year begins, it is good to revisit this truth. It is the only way I know of to keep from going crazy when the demands and pressures of life press down. There is always far more to do than I have time to do. But God "has given us everything we need for life and godliness" (2 Peter 1:3). Therefore, if I have more on my agenda than I can accomplish today in God's strength and peace, then I am trying to do more than He has asked of me. I will put it in His hands and trust that He will provide another time for it -- or else it isn't really necessary anyway. It helps me to list out the specific tasks and projects on my mind, ask Him about each one, and release them into His hands. Then I choose to trust Him to give me the ability to accomplish what He has for me that day and to let go of what needs to wait.

I thank You, Father, for the things you will enable me to accomplish today. I thank you also for those that will not get done, for You hold them securely in Your hands. I trust You to make them possible at the right time.