Thoughts About the Last Few Days

Have you ever had a period of time that hits you like a tornado with it's ferocity and leaves you feeling wind-whipped and disheveled after it's over? Well, that was my last week. It was such a hard one on so many levels.

It started with the sudden and tragic death of my precious sister-friend's Dad on the eve of Easter Sunday. It was a car accident that was caused by someone who was probably abusing some substance which makes it all the more difficult. He was such a Godly, wonderful man and it was proven by the sheer number of people who came to pay their respects. If only we could all leave a legacy like that.

The hardest part of it all, though, is watching my friend and her family suffer. As I type, I have her precious children all sound asleep in various places around the house because they spent the night with us last night. They have been through so much in such a short period of time. It's hard to see it on their sweet, innocent faces.

I have several other friends and family members that are dealing with incredibly difficult things that erupted last week, too. Out of respect for their collective privacy, I won't share, but it's some seriously TOUGH stuff, folks, and all I can do is be there for them and pray my head off. I hate it when my loved ones are hurting. The only comfort I take is that I know God will use it for their good in ways that only He can orchestrate. What a blessing it is to be His child because we can rest assured that even the really, really hard places are never in vain.

On a personal note...and I must tread lightly here... I had a "critic" make their voice known behind my back last week in the midst of everything else. Things like that always punch me in the gut especially when it's not meant for any kind of constructiveness, but pure maliciousness. My skin is definitely tougher than it used to be, but I'm human and I certainly have to deal with the hurt and even anger that I inevitably face afterward.

I'm trying to let it serve as a reminder to ME that when we are image-bearers of Christ, we are called to love in His name. Part of that love is kindness and protection (1 Cor. 13:7), which I believe means protecting the name and certainly the confidences of others. Why are we, as Christians, so easily loose with their tongues when it comes to other brothers and sisters? Do we not know the destruction it causes? James 3 tells us that for such a little part of the body, it has the ability to corrupt the whole thing!

We've all been the recipient of the hurt from a person's careless words, so why do we not realize that this is exactly the way it makes others feel when we are tempted to do it ourselves? Are we that harsh that we don't care? If that's the case, it's so NOT ok... that's a major heart problem.

We're supposed to love others the way we love ourselves. So I ask, would we hurt ourselves the way we hurt others with our judgement and criticism? Probably not. We usually wind up giving more grace and understanding to ourselves than to anybody else.

Finally, how does our gossip or maliciousness or backbiting make us look any different from the world? How does this bring honor and glory to the Lord at all? Of course, it doesn't. It has the opposite affect. It causes people not to trust us. Not to trust the Church. There is no telling how many people have walked away from a Christian whose words crossed the explicit boundaries that the Bible gives us with a skewed view of the Father. How incredibly, horribly tragic.

Please don't take this as a post from someone who's been jaded and then went on to rant. It's something God has been showing me for a long time. It's something He knows I've failed at many, many times myself. Yet, it's something that I absolutely had to get out this time. I hope God will bring it to mind every single time I'm tempted to not protect in Christ's love.

Redeem the time, friends,

Are We There Yet? How Much Longer?

Happy Monday! It's Spring Break in our neck of the woods, but not for the Crew. We are plugging on through because we took some time off in February when we seem to naturally hit a wall. S.B. is typically one of the best weeks for schooling that we have because all of our outside commitments are cancelled. Plus, going somewhere is a nightmare because there are usually hundreds of people with the same idea. And this Mama? NOT a fan of crowds! Man, I'm getting ornery in my old age. :D

Nevertheless, I am SOOOOOOOOOOO ready for school to be over for the year. It's been a good year for us... I'd say great, even... but we're all just ready for our Summer vacation! I can't wait to wake up and head out to my deck without freezing my patootie off. I long for the smells of grilling out and freshly mown grass. I'm ready for colors to return to nature again; brown and gray are getting a bit old. And the pool... oh, the POOL! Nothing screams Summer like the sight of waterlogged kids who only break to get *nutritionally refueled* with a freeze pop. You know, the kind that turn their whole mouths blue?

Yep, I'm ready! Only a few more weeks, right?

Bible Giveaway Winner!!

The Random Number Generator hath spoken! And the winner iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiisss:

Comment #20: brandy said...
"Couples Personalized Bibles Set in Burgundy with Free Bonus Gift... I love my Hubby and LOVE DOING THINGS TOGETHER!!! :)) this was sooo sweet I thought!! but they have LOTS of cute things!! one of my fav. verses is Jerm.29:11 11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.New International Version (NIV)it has brought me great peace in times of need!!!"

I recently got to meet Ms. Brandy at a book signing that we both attended. She has THEE most awesome hair and my friend Mary couldn't stop herself from asking for her picture... HA! So we all started chatting, and before you knew it, we all became FB buddies. Social networking at it's finest. :D

Have a great Saturday, friends!

Bible Giveaway!!

Hey friends!

A few weeks ago, I was contacted by BibleCo.com to do a review for their website. I was pleasantly surprised when I clicked over at all that they have to offer! I'm always looking for reputable Christian websites and this one really fit the bill.

Not only do they offer any kind of printed Bible that you can possibly think of, they have several electronic and audio or video versions as well.

I was also very happy to see that they have a variety of homeschooling material available and that they are very diligent to only provide curriculum and materials that line up with a Christian worldview. As a seasoned homeschooler, I know and appreciate the value in that!

When I committed to the review, they sent me this gorgeous Bible which has quickly become my absolute favorite. The best part is, they personalized it with my name which is something that they specialize in (....ummmm, they specialize in personalization... not my name). :) Anyway, check this out:



Here's the best part! BibleCo.com has not only sent ME this sweet personalized Bible, they have offered to give one away to one of my readers. So that means YOU!! Even if you don't need another Bible this would be a wonderful gift for someone for an upcoming graduation or birthday or even a 'just-felt-led-to' gift. I'm not kidding when I tell you that I LOVE mine!!

TO ENTER: Just click on one of the links provided within this post to go to their website. Then, poke around to see what strikes your fancy, and c'mon back here to tell me in the comments what you liked!

If you're feeling really chatty (such an endearing quality, in my opinion), you could even tell me what your favorite book of the Bible is or even your favorite verse. OR you could just tell me what you've had for dinner. Whatever. I'm easy to please, peeps. ;)

Happy looking and good luck!


OH! I almost forgot! The contest will run through Friday, March 12. I will post the winner that evening. Please make sure that I have a valid email address in order to get in touch with you if you win.... Ok, you can move on now for real this time. :D

Never a Dull Moment

Jacob and I are sitting here eating the last of the pork roast from lunch while watching a cool documentary on Earth's most magnificent places.... Pause.

In the course of typing that last sentence, my fellow pork eater got up to pour himself a tall glass of orange juice to quell his thirst and somehow managed to drop the whole pitcher on the kitchen floor.

I was going to wax poetic about how wonderfully peaceful this rainy Sabbath has been, but.... well.... let's just say I ain't feeling it anymore. :D

So.

What's your favorite cleaner for the kitchen floor? Practicality. It's my calling, I'm afraid.

Haiti

My heart is so heavy for the people of Haiti right now. I've been watching the news at every chance I get and I can't get it out of my mind when I'm not watching. They keep displaying pictures and video that would shake any human with even a tiny amount of compassion to the core. I'm sure the visuals don't even do the reality of it justice.

While I've never been to Haiti personally, Mark has been there a few times and so has my mom along with several of our friends. The church that we used to attend had a wonderful ministry that they supported in Haiti so they went many times to build orphanages and to preach the gospel to the people who were in desperate need of the hope of Christ. Mark said that it is a place like no other and it rocked his world. This is after being in countless countries all over the globe because of his time in the Navy. He has seen poverty, but nothing like what he witnessed in Haiti.

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. In fact, it is the only one that would be considered 3rd world here, at all. The poverty level is an astounding 80%, with 56% of them living in an even poorer subclass called abject poverty. If I may be so bold, most of us here in America don't have a clue what this looks like. All of that to say, that even on a good day, the Haitians had a hard time with things like suitable medical care (AIDS is rampant down there), proper hygienic opportunities (like clean water), and decent living conditions. So, now, with the horrific disaster that they have just endured, I can't even imagine how horrible the circumstances are.

It's so easy to shut our eyes and stop up our ears when the unpleasant things come to our attention with the thought that someone else will take care of it, but I believe that we, as individuals, are accountable for this once we are made aware:

"If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." 1 John 3:17-18

And lets face it, even the poorest among us are rich compared to these people.

Obviously, most of us can't just jet down to Haiti to be of physical help no matter how much we'd love to, however, there are ways to give to those that can. You can donate $10 to the Red Cross by using your cell phone to text "Haiti" to the number 90999. Your donation will appear on your next bill. Here is the website if you'd like to read more about it.

There are other groups, like Compassion, that are Christian based who will be making their way down there soon, that are reputable and will use your donations in an honest way. Click here to read about this wonderful organization. And you can click here to make a donation:

Haiti Earthquate

I know it is a time of financial hardship for most of us, but a little goes a long way in a situation like this.

Naturally, our prayers are of the utmost importance, as well. I know a friend of a friend has adopted a little child from an orphanage in Port Au Prince (or nearby), but due to a paperwork setback, they've been unable to get him home to the States. Now, they are desperately trying to find out if he is alright (their blog is here) There are so many people unaccounted for, and with limited communication available, there is no telling how long it will be before people will find out about their loved ones. So we pray for comfort in the HARD times of those who are waiting, and of course that the precious lives of their loved ones were spared. ~sigh~

For he has not despised or disdained the suffering or the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. Psalm 22:24

Book #1

Ok, I've decided that this is the first book out of my 25 that I'll be reading this year (see last post if you have no idea what I'm talking about):



You can click the image to take you straight to this book at the best price I could find on the web. I probably get 95% of my books from half.com because they are seriously a fraction of the price of other places. It is powered by Ebay, which makes it a very reputable site, and you use the same account in both places. You can get books that are brand new or you can find them used, but in good condition. Amazon has a version of this as well, but, on average, half.com is usually a little cheaper.

Now, about this book. Here is the quote from the back cover:

"A rare chance to know Jesus as his first disciples knew him. What would it be like to journey back to the first century and sit at the feet of Rabbi Jesus as one of his Jewish disciples? How would your understanding of the gospel have been shaped by the customs, beliefs, and traditions of the Jewish culture in which you lived? Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus takes you on a fascinating tour of the Jewish world of Jesus, offering inspirational insights that can transform your faith. Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg paint powerful scenes from Jesus’ ministry, immersing you in the prayers, feasts, history, culture, and customs that shaped Jesus and those who followed him. You will hear the parables as they must have sounded to first-century Jews, powerful and surprising. You will join the conversations that were already going on among the rabbis of his day. You will watch with new understanding as the events of his life unfold. And you will emerge with new excitement about the roots of your own Christian faith. Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus will change the way you read Scripture and deepen your understanding of the life of Jesus. It will also help you to adapt the rich prayers and customs you learn about to your own life, in ways that both respect and enrich your Christian faith. By looking at the Jewishness of Jesus, Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg take you on a captivating journey into the heart of Judaism, one that is both balanced and insightful, helping you to better understand and appreciate your own faith. "

I've heard excellent reviews both from people on the web (at Amazon) and people I know personally, which generally holds a lot of water with me! I ordered it today, so I'm hoping to receive it by the end of this week. I've got some catching up to do since we will be halfway through January at that point (YIKES! That's NUTS, right?!)

In other news, we actually left the old abode today to head to church. I'm so glad to have broken the cabin fever because it was getting to the point of insanity for all of us. Thankfully, the temperatures are supposed to creep their way back up to normal, so by the end of the week, we should be seasonal for Sweet Home Alabama again. To say that I'm ready would be a gross understatement. I may even blind my family with some shorts and a t-shirt to celebrate. Or not. Talk about gross... ;)

Happy reading,