Great Anticipation

Another year done. All in all it was good. There is some dissatifaction with some areas of life and a lot of the time we feel like we are just on the treadmill of life....always running but never getting anywhere. But that is not true!! My spiritual life has grown deeper and my relationship with husband more sweet. The kids are making good choices in life (except for those younger 2....they are still in the frisky years!)

I've been reading Dave Ramsey's new book and from his point of view we are doing well financially (although it still feels like we are living paycheck to paycheck). Also been reading a devotional book by Elisabeth Elliot and how God can be trusted in ANY and ALL circumstances and how not to doubt when trials come and test us and purify our faith (really good and deep stuff).

So, here is to the old year and looking forward to the new with great anticipation!!

Blessings to all who read this blog.....may you approach your new year with great anticipation as well!

The Jesus Gift

I've been pondering the real Gift of Christmas. So often I've just focused on His arrival....the meager circumstances....the young parents, etc. This year, however, I've been looking through the glass of Christmas the other way. Where He came from....the sacrifice of coming to us....maybe even how the angels guarded His birth and the preciousness of the gift from the Giver. It was a HUGE gift....a gift that was thought of for a long time and how expectant God must have been when it was given. Then I think of the vulnerability of Jesus as a baby. Totally dependant on Mary and Joseph to protect and nurture him....WOW!!

So here is to expectant giving....May I do more of it in 2009!!

Merry Christmas to all who visit me here! Mary

Thoughts

I have this little desktop calendar with the daily flip pages. I am not usually good at keeping up with those kind of things but todays was nice....
"In the presence of hope -
faith is born.
In the presences of faith,
love becomes a possibility!
In the presence of love -
miracles happen!" by Dr. Robert Schuller

I like it!

Play Day

Today is a day of feeling bored. Life is feeling stagnant....just the same old routine. Usually this starts a whole lot of "what if"...like "what if husband earned double the money and I could then work something more fun?". Then I have a tendency toward feeling depressed.

I think that I need a play day! You know, the kind of day where I just slack and not really be responsible for anything. Perhaps if I (or we as a family) were better at taking a weekly sabbath rest then life would be better. Hmmm...something to think about.

Living forward....mary

I was watching and thinking of the youth at our church yesterday. It seems that there is a lack of vision among the middle-age or older group about mentoring the youth that is within their own walls. What is the deal?! There are so few older people willing to take on a Sunday School class and be a resource to young parents. They are planning a program for next week and as I sat in on rehearsal (I was asked to sub for one of the teachers) there just seemed to be no leadership or enthusiam. The person running the show (who just graduated from high school last year) is just depending on the kids to read their scripts (it is to be a reader's theater show) and it's just not very well done. I think that parents would be so blessed if there more mentors out there for their kids and for them as well. Even the nursery is pretty much run by families..where are the "grandma's"?

The next issue is the youth group for jr/sr high kids. the leader and her family are preparing to leave as missionaries to Belize and will be one the road after the New Year to meet churches and raise support. They are the only other consistant family in the church. My kids are already wondering about church after they leave because there is just no LIFE among the other youth. The group has really fallen apart over the last year and it is usually our kids and the leader's kids on any kind of regular basis. They do get a great turn-out if there is a activity/special event but nothing otherwise. We are really wondering what to do. Husband and I don't feel that we should take it over so we are beginning to pray for a new leader. the church is going to hire another youth leader so we are praying for someone who has a thirst for the Lord and a desire to reach those kids that are on the fringe.

I just see such apathy in the churches of our denomination. So very lukewarm. We have considered changing churches but really feel that we need to stay and be a voice there.

Ah....the challenges of life!!

Mary

Reflecting

Thanksgiving is over and it went very nicely!! I'm glad that I had obsessed about a lot of the details because it made it special. I still wished that my family would have stayed overnight and we could've had breakfast together but after watching my brothers and one sister-in-law drink excessively at the hotel....it was probably better that they didn't. I really don't know why they need to drink so much...it really was never done at my home growing up. Dad would occassionally have a beer but never more than one. I guess one really needs to consider what they are role-modeling....because the next generation might take it to excess.

Anyway, it is now on to Christmas. It is truly one of my favorite times of year. I have been reflecting about my salvation some 21 years ago and how I now view Christmas. What a beautiful gift that was given to mankind. Such an innocent way to enter world. But trying to keep that focus when the world is screaming "Buy stuff to show love" is challenging. I'm sure that anything given will be received with excitement but will the kids SEE the real Christmas gift of Jesus?

Living forward in Christ....Mary

Heirlooms

Here it is.....the week that I've been working toward for what seems like forever!!! Hosting this event at my home is giving me a chance to really LOOK at some of the items I have in my house. Especially tableware stuff. I inherited quite a bit from mom (and my grandma as well). I have decided that as this meal/holiday is presented that I'm going to see what things did not get used and them ask myself if is truly essential to keep it. I can already think of a couple items that are slated for the local outreach. Keeping stuff just because it was my mom's is really pointless. I'm sure that she would not have wanted to bog me down in that! And I certainly don't want to pass that off to my kids.

So onwards towards simplicity!

Tired

I'm just plain tired. Husband has been slowly shaking off a sinus cold (which always results in snoring!) and now that the weather is colder at night our bedroom is COLD. I added an extra blanket to our bed that is already clad in flannel and electric blanket. It seemed to help. Now if I can just get the snoring to stop!!

Hopefully tomorrow will see the end of the home repair projects that we have been trying to finish before the holidays. I'm looking forward to some slack time where I can do some quilting (definitely one of my favorite things!).

Less than a week before the family comes to visit. Told my daughter that her cousins will not be staying overnight. She was sad because she was really looking forward to that. My brothers definitely have double standards about stuff....which is annoying. However, I have taken to heart "live in peace as much as possible". So, I'm choosing peace over annoyance.

Living forward in Chirist....Mary

Stuff

Why do I continually seek "man's" approval? With my family coming next week (both of whom are known perfectionists) I am trying to make everything visible "perfect". Why? I have been asking myself this over and over. Yes, clean is good. And matching everything would be nice. And new furniture would be nice. And....and....and Does it ever stop? It is no wonder our economy is in a mess. We always want "it" better and more perfect. But really....are we just trying to replace our worship of God with worship of stuff. I think that we tend to worship stuff because it is tangible and in OUR control. God, cannot be boxed in that way.

So there. I am working toward a Simple life and have now tooled down many "things" that I want for Thanksgiving and want to approach the whole thing with simplicity in mind!

Living forward in Christ.....Mary

Magnificent Transformation

So I didn't get to my weekend project but I/we ended up working in our back hall/mudroom. I have been wanting to pull down the drywall ceiling and a wall that had water damage from our roof leak during the spring. The whole thing was GROSS!! A pastor/friend was going to be in town last weekend and was handy AND willing to help us tackle the project. I must say that I loved the tear-off part....lots of aggression just gets taken care of during this part. Then up went the bead-board ceiling. I did all the measuring and cutting on the table saw and husband & our friend did the installation. It was a magnificent transformation (we still have to finish the wall and put the trim back on....and probably touch up the paint too :-) !). Like any project in an old house, it took a lot longer than expected! A total of 10 hours and we are still not done.

I really reflected on the process and it was kind-of like my life. I got really GROSS in sin from the rain of junk that entered my life. But then God did a tear-off!!! And then began the installation of a new fresh spirit. This has certainly come with lots of "measurements" and detail work ( and some areas of work/transformation have taken longer than expected) but the end product is going to be magnificient when I get to heaven.

Living forward in Christ! Mary

Overwhelmed

How has it happened that I have overbooked myself and family? Yesterday was just a running from one thing to the other. As supper approached and I was supposed to go to a board meeting at the church I questioned husband when he needed to go to evening bible studies on campus. I wondered if he could go later or just skip (they are supposed to be student-led....so I don't think that he really needs to be there every week...my viewpoint). He said no (I think that he wants to support the students in their leadership) and so I called the pastor and backed out of my meeting. I really just felt like I had run around all day and was emotionally spent. I would have enjoyed an evening with just adults but then when we leave our oldest in charge....the younger ones just end up being hyped-up when we return. So most of the time that is not worth it.

So....I'm evaluating the many things that I have volunteered to do at the church and looking at what can be cut. It is a medium size church so I know that there will be others to do the work. I'm feeling that it is in the best interest of family that when I'm home that I'm present for them and not just "there" but thinking of the next thing.

This morning I heard a little bit on the radio from "Revive Our Hearts" ministry with Nancy Lee DeMoss. She is an advocate of biblical womanhood and it is always challenging to hear her show. This morning it was on serving without the need to be complimented or noticed for our service. We should delight in the opportunity to serve in love (with God's grace). That certainly provided an attitude check. I was certainly annoyed with husband but now I need to check my attitude and look at my priorities. I just can't live in a constantly overwhelmed state of life. So today it is an attitude check day and really "being" with those I love!

Living forward with Christ! Mary

obsessing

I have already been obsessing about the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. My family is coming and I want everything to be lovely. Since we have this "fixer-upper" house, I have been trying to at least finish some of the interior projects before guests come. Everything is pretty much picked-up and organized....so now it is matter of just staying the course with that (hopefully the family won't get bored with staying tidy!!)

My major part of the obsession is how to stream-line the "Feast" so that we are not running around on Thanksgiving morning trying to get it all done. To that end....I've begun planning a "do-it-ahead" menu. I have this cookbook called Make-A-Mix and there are some mix bases that I'm going to try (such as pie crusts and bread starters). I'm also thinking about things that can be made now and frozen (such as pumpkin bread and banana bread). Some of those are actually better done in this fashion. Also, I'm thinking Jigglers for the kids (instead of a jello side like my mom would have made) and maybe even making the gravy ahead of time and then the drippings can be added that day to give it that extra punch (husband is crazy for gravy!!)

Lastly, I am thinking of the table decoration and serving dishes. I've never cleaned silver so I have found a "silver dip" method to clean it all. I'm trying that this weekend. I'll probably lay out all the dishes the week of Thanksgiving and make sure it is all sparkling!

With all that being said....I need to first get my focus back on the Provider of all these good things. Perhaps I need to make some Thankfulness note cards to stash here and there to keep me on task and help my Center to be there in all these preparations. Certainly I am truly grateful to God!!! Lord, help it to show through in all that I do!

Living forward in Christ.....Mary

Sunlight

It is another day of overcast weather. Ohh....I can only stand one day of it before my mood turns sour!!! Kinda like connecting with God. After one day of no "sonlight" and I tend to get sour. Heard David Phelps song on the radio called "Standing Ovation". In the chorus there is a line that says "anyone that knows You always has a smile". Hmm....need to check my smile quotient!!

Living Forward....Mary

Provoke unto Love

Yesterday was an interesting day. I was fighting off a bad attitude regarding an event that husband planned at our home. It meant extra work cleaning and preparing food for an unknown number of students from the university. In the end....it ended up great. There were only 2 that came (must be intimidating to go to dinner at the minister's house!). And although I prepared for a small crowd (maybe 8-10)....most of the food can be used for lunches this week (chili and cornbread). One of the 2 students was an exchange student from Burma. He spoke very good english and was very pleasant and interesting to talk to. I have prayed that this is a beginning of a relationship with this student and a connection for him to come to salvation.

This morning in my devotion time I read this verse from Hebrews 10. "Let us hold fast the profession of OUR faith without wavering (for he IS faithful that promised), and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works (Hebrews 10:23-24). This was definitely a speeedbump in my reading. How am I provoking others unto love and good works? Certainly not by my bad attitude!!

So, today I am making sure I am examining my motives and listening to my words that are spoken to others (especially to the kids!!). And I am praying that I can be a person of provocation!!

Living forward with God.....Mary

Getting Started

After being inspired by my friend Vickie....I am going to try this blog thing. I have been looking for a way to just put some of my thoughts somewhere and maybe others would like to see them too! I'm calling it Daily Grace because each day presents a new challenge and I need God's grace to get me through. Life is challenging and I really need to be PRESENT at each moment and not just let life roll over me! I NEED GOD!! I need his Spirit directing me!! So here it is. Hopefully I'll be faithful in posting.