More to say - our measuring stick...

James Whitcomb Riley 1849 - 1916 American writer, poet , "When I see a bird that walks like a duck, and swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, I call that bird a duck."



"Suppose you see a bird walking around in a farm yard. This bird has no label that says 'duck'. But the bird certainly looks like a duck. Also, he goes to the pond and you notice that he swims like a duck. Then he opens his beak and quacks like a duck. Well, by this time you have probably reached the conclusion that the bird is a duck, whether he's wearing a label or not." (Immerman 1982, p. 102)

Maybe...maybe not.

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." Prov 14:12

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him and HE will direct your path." Prov 3:5,6

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Tim 3:16, 17

So what is our measuring stick? How it sounds, feels, walks, swims? May quack, waddle and paddle like a duck and it may be a decoy, fake...and a trap to shoot ya' out of the pond! eh?

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven." Matt 7:21

So what brought this all on? I was troubled by something I read that was clearly not in line with God's word, and something I thought, most Christians would recognize as not in line. So I started doing some research and snooping on it. And found a couple disturbing things:

A lot of Christians seem not to recognize the quackings of a false duck. :( Why is that? Because their quacking sounds good. It is what we want to hear? (There is a verse in Isaiah, I couldn't find it, I will add it later, about us wanting to hear what tickles our ears, and not the truth.)

It maybe also because we do not know the truth well enough to recognize something that strays from it.

The second disturbing thing, I ran across in my research, is a link to some of these off beliefs to some Christian authors I trusted. That alarmed me. Then made me sad. Then made me scared.

We so often trust a name, a position. But men are men and prone to error. Our measuring stick MUST be the Word of God. Which means we MUST be in it enough to understand what is truth and what is not. Like the Berians, such God's word to see if what is said is true.

Acts 17:11Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

Then I became afraid for my children. That they could be wooed by the big, the popular, the what sounds good. And I realized I need to share with them the importance of the Word as our measuring stick. I need to blanket them in prayer, that they would develop a love for God's word and would seek and find the treasures in it. That God would bind them close to His heart and not to let them be led astray.

I shared my concern with my mom, and she shared back the sweetest thing, I have to share it here. I just picture my "doughboy" kids:

"Your babies are covered with such prayer , with the Word promises that cover them (and even their own babies ) that if we could see the invisible covering that is constantly around each of them ...they would look like The doughboy man in biscuit commercials . My main issue in what is left of my life in this body is.. keeping the Three and Ken's Four so covered that a flea couldn't get through without us crying out " LORD! Look at that flea! Crush it before it bites them , Lord!" ...and He dose it! Cuz He LOVES our babies! "

Isn't that an awesome picture? So remember, a duck is not necesarrily a duck...and you have to test and prove by God's word.

.

More Friday Silliness: It's Leap year

So I forgot, this is Leap Year, day....and being single, I thought I should list who I would propose to...if I took advantage of the liberties offered me today. (See below for a little leap year history lesson.)

There of course are many factors to consider, when making this selection.....looks, of course, fatherly qualities, for my kids benefit, the character quality they protray, when acting....and as I think of the choices out their, single of course would have to be a quality, and most of all godliness oh, and age, must be close to mine. Now as I look at that list, I know of not one well-seasoned, good-looking, godly, single, father-to-be. So, since this is suppose to be silly, I will select the fictious charater protrayed, rather than the actor or actual person involved.

So fifth runner up is:

Clark Davis (Character) played by Dale Midkiff In the movie Love Comes Softly (also in the sequels)

Fourth Runner up is:

Benjamin Martin (Character) played by Mel Gibson in The Patriot (yes, we knew Mel had to get in the list somewhere...of course the character he protrays and not the actor)

Third Runner up is:

Marlin (character) played by Albert Brooks in Finding Nemo. Now I think he could get on my nerves a tad...and would that mean I am Dory? or his past wife who was eaten? (I wonder how Mel feels, being beat out by a fish? An imaginary one at that.)

Second Runner up is:

George Banks (Character) as played by Steve Martin in The Father of the Bride

First Runner up, and the one who will take over the duties if for any reason, the winner cannot or will not fulfill his role, is:

Jack Campbell (Character) as played by Nicholas Cage in The Family Man.

And the winner is: (drum roll please)

Jose (Character) played by Eduardo Verastegui in Bella.... The crowd roars! (Ok, so he is just so darn cute, simple life style, could cook a mean dinner, and likes kids, even if they are not his own.) (ok so he may be a tad too young!)

Now wasn't that fun???? On to our history l,esson.

Leap Year History Lesson

Leap Year has been the traditional time that women can propose marriage. In many of today's cultures, it is okay for a woman to propose marriage to a man. Society doesn't look down on such women. However, that hasn't always been the case. When the rules of courtship were stricter, women were only allowed to pop the question on one day every four years. That day was February 29th.

St. Bridget's Complaint It is believed this tradition was started in 5th century Ireland when St. Bridget complained to St. Patrick about women having to wait for so long for a man to propose. According to legend, St. Patrick said the yearning females could propose on this one day in February during the leap year.

February 29th in English Law According to English law, February 29th was ignored and had no legal status. Folks assumed that traditions would also have no status on that day. It was also reasoned that since the leap year day existed to fix a problem in the calendar, it could also be used to fix an old and unjust custom that only let men propose marriage.

The first documentation of this practice dates back to 1288, when Scotland passed a law that allowed women to propose marriage to the man of their choice in that year. They also made it law that any man who declined a proposal in a leap year must pay a fine. The fine could range from a kiss to payment for a silk dress or a pair of gloves.

Sadie Hawkins Day In the United States, some people have referred to this date as Sadie Hawkins Day with women being given the right to run after unmarried men to propose.
Sadie Hawkins was a female character in the Al Capp cartoon strip Li'l Abner. Many communities prefer to celebrate Sadie Hawkins Day in November which is when Al Capp first mentioned Sadie Hawkins Day.

Greek Superstition There is a Greek superstition that claims couples have bad luck if they marry during a leap year. Apparently one in five engaged couples in Greece will avoid planning their wedding during a leap year

TGIF Silliness: Me oughtta have a miata..and drve it barefoot

Ok, it is Friday !!! Thank you Lord for Fridays! Time to lighten up with a little senseless silliness....so kick off those shoes and hope in!

I'm a Mazda Miata!

You like to soak up the sun, but your tastes are down to earth. Everyone thinks you're cute. Life is a winding road, and you like to take the curves in stride. Let other people compete in the rat race - you're just here to enjoy the ride.

Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

You Are Bare Feet

You are a true free spirit, and you can't be tied down. Even wearing shoes can be a little too constraining for you at times! You are very comfortable in your own skin. You are one of the most real people around. You don't have anything to hide. Open and accepting, you are willing to discuss or entertain almost any topic. You are a very tolerant person. You are accepting and not judgmental. You should live: Somewhere warm You should work: At your own business, where you can set the rules

What Kind of Shoe Are You?

Seeing Clearly...yet again..

The latter part of Luke chapter 9 covers the story of Christ's transfiguration. Peter, James and John were invited to a special place to Jesus to see Him in a way they have never seen Him before.

Beth Moore, on a devotion on the same subject in her book, Jesus the One and Only, talks about how we can get so comfortable with Jesus, as we perceive Him, yet, if we are open to new revelations, He is longing to readjust our vision and show more of Himself to us. In that same section she prays:

"Transfigure [Christ] before my eyes and then give me the courage to adjust my life to what I see." (p. 115)

As I read, I thought:

What have I seen lately? What have I seen new and fresh from God lately and am I adjusting toward it or just enjoying the view?

Hell. Uncomfortable topic...but through the book Heaven by Randy Alcorn, I have seen that hell is a real place, that many, many people I know and care about will spend their eternal existence there.

I do not comprehend truly the magnitude or fully understand the justice of it-- Which shows me that I truly do not grasp the pure holiness of God, the vast putridness of our sin and rebellion, the truly inconceivable benevolence of His grace to give His very son to make a way of that I can be rid of that sin and touch His holiness ant the incredulous insult and audacity of not accepting that grace, His Son.

If I really understood the magnitude of those 4 things:

• God's purity
• Our sin
• Grace through Jesus
• Impudent arrogance to reject Him

I would understand that the punishment fits the crime. I may not fully comprehend, yet I have seen anew, like never before, that Hell is a real place with an eternal hopelessness. And now I have a different attitude toward my fellow man... and prayer.... and priorities. Adjusted.

Parenting Purpose. The other thing I have seen recently is through a book by Wes Haystead on Proverbs called The 3000 Year Old Guide to Parenting. I have seen that my purpose as a parent is to produce "people of quality" in my children via their personal relationship with Jesus and their application of His word and life.

Although all the daily things I grapple with are necessary -- lunches, chores, hugs, homework, dinner, laundry, squabbles, toys, etc, etc, etc, --I miss it big time if I major on the details and miss the things that will raise my children with a love for God and a nurturing of His qualities in their makeup. So I focus on those things. Adjust.

Love Big. I wrote on this one yesterday, but the third thing I have seen lately through just one line from Beth Moore's is that it is ok to LOVE BIG.

That I am meant to feel these emotions I feel about my children, my parents, my brother and family, orphans, my friends... All different textures of emotions and different intensities of love. Strong emotion does not equal "bad". That I have God's blessing, even commandment, to LOVE BIG. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul with all your mind (that is pretty big) and love your neighbor as yourself.

So my perspective and my occasional tendency to hold back is adjusted and I love big openly. Adjusted.

Christ was transfigured before me by:

• showing me a glimpse at how holy He is and how great His gift or redemption is by realizing what it would mean to reject it.
• showing me His qualities and desires for me as a parent to instill in my children.
• showing me how BIG He loves (death defying love) and letting me love BIG too!

Jesus reveal yourself to us. Adjust our vision of you. Make us more willing to see a greater revelation of you and then give us the courage to adjust to what we see. Amen.

What have you been seeing lately?

Love Big

I am just overflowing with ooey gooey lovey-ness for my kids right now. I read something on Beth's blog and one line in particular just summed it up good!

"Some things are meant to be felt. Love big."

Isn't that the truth? God did not make us spiritual giants with no emotions....on the contrary sometimes I feel likeI have GIANT emotions and try to figure how it works with my spirit.

But God made us this way. With the desire for passion and emotion. to LOVE BIG.

Somedays I just feel this love for my kids that is more than I think I can handle. My heart will ache and grow big inside me, my eyes will get full and I just feel like I have to hug something! If they are in the room, I will walk over and tossle ones hair, kiss a neck and caress a check. They will look up at me and say "What mom?" And I will say, "Nothing. I just love you." And they will get the biggest grin and say: "I love you too". Nicky will get all soft and usually give me a big hug. Tadpole will get mushy shy, and scrunch up his shoulders and tip his head to the side. Mary will jump up and down and squeal.

It feels good to love big...and it feels good to be loved big. (If only we had the eyes to see how many times during the day God tossles our hair, nuzzles our neck or caresses our cheek, we would be all scrunchy mushy too.)

I remember in the movie, I think I quoted it before on my old blog, Martin's Room, or is it Marvel's room? with Diane Keaton and Leo Decaprio. There is a line in it where the character who plays Diane Keaton's sister is admitting that Diane Keaton living with her parents is probably a good thing for her, being loved so much by someone. And Diane Keaton responds that she has it wrong, it is not the being loved by someone, it is the getting to love someone.

Ah yes. I get that. How satisfying that is. God loves on me and I get to love someone. Three someones.... four?

Love Big!

Mom is cool...

My mom is cool. Cool, such an inadequate word. Cool for me regarding my mom means she is authentic, and loving and giving and fun to hang out with and great to talk to and encouraging and in love with Jesus, and trusting Him in a real way. All this, and she is MY mom. How lucky did I get?

Today mom and I got to do a FUN thing. We got to drive to two different Home Depot's (with a Sonic Drivethru in the middle) to get baskets for closet organizers. That is fun??!! ...you might ask? Yes it is. It has been quite a while since mom and I were captive audi4nces to each other for an extended period of time, so we could just chat it up. All of it. Talk it thru and then talk a little deeper. I love that. I love that about her. And I need that.

I guess I will get us to run more errands for papa in the future! :) Kind of like a mini-pilgrimage!

The Principles of the Law of the Harvest

In God there are no coincidences.

Yesterday I went to Anthony and Nick's school chapel services. Anthony got an award for his class for Student of the Week. He was so proud and so cute!

Although, Tadpole was the reason I was there, God used the message the guest speaker gave at his chapel service to renew a hope and encourage me.

The message was on the Principals of the Law of the Harvest from Galatians 6: 7-9.

7Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature[a]will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

The three principles are this:

You WILL reap what you sow.

You will reap LATER than you have sown.

You will reap MORE than you have sown.

You will reap what you sow.

If you reap God's character, the fruit of the Spirit into your live the the lives around you, if you sow prayer into your life, your children's lives, the lives of others, you WILL reap a harvest. (The fervent prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. James 5:16)

As I pray for my children, my parents, my friends, of needs I hear, I am planting the seeds that God has asked me to sow. And I will reap. Sometimes we may be praying through our tears. Doing the right thing, through our tears, but keep sowing! Do not grow weary.... "Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping,carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him." Psalm 126: 5.6

So keep praying, God keeps his promises.

You reap later than you sow.

If you look at the natural law of sowing and reaping, which God uses as an analogy to His spiritual law, you sow a seed and then you have to WAIT...and wait....and, oh yea, WAIT....and then you see some evidence of your sowing, and then you wait some more and keep tending, before you ever see the harvest.

So often we stop, or give up, or get discouraged, because of the "later". But God has timing and all things have to work in His time. "In due time...." in the time God knows is best, and right... That is when the harvest comes. So do not grow weary, in due time!

You reap MORE than you sow.

Again, look at nature. One watermelon seed produces a vine, which produces multiple watermelons. Each watermelon can contain up to 600 seeds, which in turn, if planted..well you get it, we would be over run with watermelon.

So it is with God. He does "immeasurably more than we could hope or think." "Press down, shaken and running over." So He does not just answer, He does not just give us a harvest to reap, but an over abundant harvest.

Often, though, we give up before reaping time...or we are looking for a harvest different than He is giving. We think we know more than God..or at least HOW God should do it.

God often has us sowing seeds, but we do not know what the harvest would be. We pray for love, thinking He will package the answer a certain way, (6 foot 2, eyes of blue) and He delivers it differently (4 times 2 feet three, brown, hazel, black and blue eyed...) And His harvest ends up being far more satisfying, far richer, far more meaningful, than our planned garden.

It is funny though, as we plant those seeds of His word, of prayer, of righteous acts, even if we plant in tears, and with a certain thought of harvest in mind, we should still go on planting. Doesn't matter if we think we are planting watermelon vines and God brings up an Olive grove, ...it is "a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor" Is 61:3

It is good. It is ALL good, when it is a harvest from the Lord.

So..do not grow weary, keeping sowing the good seed, for at the proper time you will reap a harvest if we do not give up, more than you ever sowed.

I'm an Artsy Mother Hen....

What type of Mother Hen Are You?
by Montessorimom.com: Educational Resource

Happy Chinese New Year!

Make a scrapbook - it's easy!

A Valentine Latte...

Make a slideshow - it's easy!

Making Valentines...

So today is a school holiday, for the boys, but not for Mary, and the boys are making Valentines.

Well Anthony is writing to/from on the back of Valentines I made for him, (I bought these vintage valentine stickers at our scrap book store and color copied them, added glitter and ribbon and pasted them on red construction paper...so cute.)

Nick is hand making all of his...even personalized. To the friend who likes football, it is a red football with pink laces, the boy who likes spaceships, its shaped likc a rocket, and says have a blast Valentine, to the girl who like horses, he drew two horses, and says Have a Wild time valentine.... isn't he cute? Who wouldn't it want a valentine from him??!!

Mary is giving the same vintage ones, too!

So who would I give Valentines to, if I made some?

To little Tadpole, hugs, kisses and and an afternoon of just the two of us playing race car video games.

To Nickerbocker, hugs, kisses and a kareoke session, he can sing, I will cheer and video tape.

To Princess Qing, Qing, hugs and kisses and the two of us getting a manicure, matching pink polish, of course.

To Mom, hugs, kisses and a leisurely afternoon, browsing in bookstores and chatting over coffee (ok me coffee, you? hmmmm, Ice tea?)

To Dad, hugs, kisses and an afternoon making something together...maybe my closet organizers, is that really fun? Ok, maybe instead, a ride on light rail!

To Rebecca, a big hug, (kisses might mess up our lipstick.lol) and a stroll through the Nordstrom's makeup counter, we can buy any shade we like, follow it up with a candle from Illuminations and of course a chat at Starbucks.

To Stephanie, a big hug, and a day in Scarsdale AZ. I get a facial, you get a message, we have lunch and then go strolling through the mall.

To Donna, and family. big hug and a day at the scrapbook convention, with a valet to carry our bags, then a limo to drive us to all the scrapbook stores, with a stop at starbucks of course.

To Nancy, Kristy and Heather...scrapbook buddies and so much more....a big hug and an entire day of scrapbooking with free babysitting! YIPPEEEE Me too.

To the dear bible study sisters at church, a hug and prays for God's love poured in, and good bible study homework to do! Yum!

To Beth Moore, a blessed week as you get ready for your youngest daughters wedding on Saturday...a lifetime memory week. Blessings to the whole Moore Family! You bless my socks off and have impacted me and my family more than you can imagine, for generations to come.

To my adoption friends on the Hope Agency forum, hugs and sticky fingers and laughs and giggles and quick paperwork and first court dates and God's love.

To Pastor and Debbie, God's blessing, rest and peace in Him and a fresh word just for you and maybe a grandbaby!

To the Royal Ranger leaders, bless you for investing in my boys. It matters more than you know.

To the Rainbow leaders, Megan and Kelly, hug and a starbucks card..thank you for caring for the little ones on Tuesday night, so we can have bible study.

To Intel..lol! Yea, I am feelin' the love!

To Mrs. Cross and Mrs. A and Miss Carol ..my children's teachers, and Mr. E and Miss Rachel, the school principals... God's blessing, and presence that you are in deed ministers. What a blessing you are to me and mine, to come along my family and help train my children in the way they should go.

To Virginia, Betty and Loretta, big hug, prayers, and God's presence for all the hugs and love you give me. It is nice to be liked. :)

So I know I have forgtten someome, and it is not because I don't wish you love and blessing, it is because I forget sometimes...

So Happy Valentines Day and may God pour His love into your heart!!!!

Sandee

A taddy-ism

So Nick and Tadpole got in a scuffle this am. After they were both seperated and talked to and all calmed down..I was off to get ready for church. I told Tadpole I did not want to hear any fighting while I was in the shower.

Tadpole says"You won't. You can't hear when you are in the shower."

I grinned and said, "Ok I hope Jesus doesn't hear any fighting."

And Tadpole says, "I hope Jesus doesn't pick a fight." and grins.....

Just love 'em!

A Plethora: Workout Dogs and Greatest Hits

• So I had a plethora (Plethora: a: the state or an instance of surpassing usual, proper, or specified limits. the amount or degree by which one thing or quantity exceeds another) of thoughts as I drove back to the office from lunch, and I thought rather than writing three different blogs, I would combine them into one, full, rich and diverse (lol) post. J So here goes:
  
  There is a Cost:
  
  As I was stopped at an intersection light, an attractive couple, looked like in their early 30’s, walked across the crosswalk hand in hand. He was tall, athletic, short hair-cut, wearing navy, nylon workout pants, white nylon workout jersey and sports shoes. She was shorter, blonde, not super fit, but a step or two above average, wearing black workout pants, sports shoes, and a tight-fitting, pink, spandex workout jersey. As they walked past, I could see the contour of her back, mostly muscle, bone and a little extra that she was probably trying to rid herself of.
  
  And I thought, the price you have to pay to be “coupled”. You have to wear form-fitting workout clothes and…well, I guess…..actually WORK OUT! Gosh! Too high of a price to pay if you ask me! LOL!
  
  (Yes, I know. That is coming from the 3 month 5K running queen who was SO into it that it became a metaphysical experience and has not touched a treadmill or running shoes in MONTHS, since I fell and skinned my knees. No excuse. I know. I still want to get back with it one day. Not for any “coupling” agenda, but because it made me feel good. But currently I have other self-improvement/life improvement tasks on my agenda, and there is only so much transformation a gal can handle at one time! So there.)
  
  Anyway, it did make me think of the things we feel compelled to do when we are in a relationship. Some good no doubt, things we should have focused on anyway, and some down right stupido! No? J So I am glad I am not compelled to wear tight, pink, spandex until I am ready to wear it. J Now, on to the dogs.
  
  
  My Dog Digs…Carmel?
  
  Also, while I was driving, I saw a bone shaped bumper sticker that read: “My Dog Digs Carmel.” And I thought, hmmm. I wonder why? And what does my dog dig? And I thought, perhaps I should get a bumper sticker that reads: “My dog digs the laundry room”. LOL. His delegated dwelling place when we are not home or when we are sleeping to limit his potty opportunities to a confined perimeter.
  
  Bella would be in a heap of trouble, if she wasn’t so darn cute! The potty training is not progressing well. She has the potty down, but not the training. We have became a family without rugs. We already had wood and tile floors, but now even the area rugs have disappeared, or received so many wash cycles they need to disappear. I know, kind of, that it is a big part my fault because I don’t take her out to the grass in the freezing cold or falling rain to do her business. But she DOES have potty pads. The problem is she cannot differentiate between potty pads and throw rugs. Ugh!
  
  But we still all find her a joy. Mary loves to hold her and even puts up with the playful nipping at the heels as she walks in her jammies. Nick has a great puppy game with Bella where they run behind furniture and pop out at each other and laugh and bark. (Bella does the barking.) Tadpole loves the early morning wake up kisses, as I put Bella in his bed to be the morning alarm lick. And I just love to pat her furry little tummy and nuzzle her head. She is just too cute. Her black fur is starting to turn a little brownish, it will be interesting to see how she changes. She pretty much digs life…and we dig her.
  
  So on to greatest hits.
  
  Greatest Hits
  
  I am a LOST fan, BIG TIME. Well, there are some bigger. I don’t stalk forums or try to figure out the plot in advance, but I do highly enjoy the show. I do not have TV channels, so I wait impatiently for the entire season to come out on DVD, then stay up too late watching episode after episode. So I am just getting to the tail end of season 3, when I know season 4 is on the air.
  
  The 3rd to the last episode of season 3 is called Greatest Hits, and it is where a character, Charlie, writes out his 5 greatest moments of his life to date. It is a very touching episode, and as I watched it (over lunch) I thought, what would be my greatest hits? If I boiled it down to a few of my greatest moments, what would they be?
  
  So here are a few:
  
  




• All alone holding Nicholas in the middle of the night, the night he was born listening to his little grunts and breathing and feeling his little bundled body in my arms.




• Cuddling my Tadpole and watching him disgruntled to get his very first “bath” from the nurse at midnight, when his body temperature had finally climbed enough to allow it.
  




• Leading both my Nicholas and Tadpole through the prayer to accept Jesus into their heart in our minivan.




• Watching my Nicholas be baptized in a backyard swimming pool, small enough and timid enough, that our pastor held him in his arms and bent down to dip him under.




• The three of us sitting on a hotel bed in Ji Nan China waiting for a knock on our room door indicating the arrival of our little Mary.




• Watching a beautiful China princess with wild pony tails sassy walk into my room and into our lives.




• The night I lay in Mary’s bed and made up her song for her and sang it from my heart.

I know my life will hold more greatest moments in the future, but those are my greatest hits to date. What are yours?

Disturbed...

I figured out what I am! Disturbed. I was wondering if I was just getting negative? Or if I was having a slightly past mid-life crisis (depending on where you stop the counter) or if I was just losing it? Depression perhaps? Then today I read a paragraph in Kay Warren's book, Dangerous Surrender: What Happens When You Say Yes to God , and it nailed it! I am disturbed! :)

"The word disturbed is often associated with mental illness and instability. We say, "He's disturbed," when we describe someone who reacts in an overly emotional way or appears troubled emotionally. I want to redefine this word, because I believe that God is looking for some disturbed people. He is searching for men and women, students, and young adults who will allow him to disturb them by making them truly see the world in which we live—so disturbed that they will be compelled to do something about what they see." Warren, Kay

Now I have to figure out what to do about it! Kay goes on to say, in the same book, that little ol' me is exactly what God is looking for....

"God chose me to be an ordinary person! He could have made me smarter, more talented, and more beautiful if he had chosen to—but his hands lovingly shaped me just the way he wanted me to be. Why? Because my ordinariness, when surrendered to God, allows him to make a miracle out of my life in much the same way as when he fed thousands of hungry people with two tiny fish and five loaves of bread nearly two thousand years ago. Truly, little becomes much when we place it in his hands."

You know, I have this book, but I have not read it. I guess I need to dust it off and get with it....and not just fill up on the seed, but sow the word I hear into my life!

No Longer Proud????

I write that title with a question mark, because I am unsure. Still questioning. Still wondering. Maybe a better title would be “spottily proud”. In some spots I am proud, but in some flashing bright neon spots, I am not.

I am not proud of a lot of our American way of life and culture. Now, I know many would scoff at me, or grow angry, and tell me I have no clue. And I am sure, in many ways I do not. I have been to a few other countries, some very poor and poverty stricken, some very controlling and harsh, to know what I have good here in America. So that is why I said “spottily”.

So I am thinking, when bad rises up against what is good, when evil and selfishness seems to be the prevailing dominant focus, when a very vocal majority (not sure if it is a majority) rails for all I disdain and clamors against all I hold dear, do I then look at the total and withhold my pride.

Proud: feeling or showing pride: as much pleased: having proper respect, marked by stateliness giving reason for, a reasonable or justifiable respect c: delight or elation arising from some act, possession, relationship or state.

I watched a video today on Youtube called Coming Home Ghana, and a phrase in their jumped out at me. A young mother, who moved from America to Ghana with her three children, said in America she felt like her children were “molested by American culture”, especially the amount of sexual and violent content of it.

I must say, I agree with that. Just take a walk down an American shopping mall and look at the window displays, flip through a magazine, stroll on a high-school campus and look at the attire, or watch a couple hours of prime-time television, both the shows and commercials…and don’t even get me started on the video games out to “entertain” children.

So I would agree with her statement and add, the trade off that has been made in America to sell and gain more money at the expense of our children’s moral lives is molestation. And we have grown accustom to it. We shake our heads, switch the channel, avert our lives, as the poison and toxins permeate our children’s eyes, ears, heart.

I would also add, not just the sexual and violent content, but the materialism and spirit of entitlement, “affluenza”, as I have called it before, has also molested our children (and their parents). And it is sad.

I know there are some, spotty, pockets of people ferociously fighting the epidemic. Some on a small scale, within their family, some on a large scale, within their community and beyond. And I know we are not the only nation with this problem, and that other nations, may have other problems. But it does seem the more affluent we become, the more free time we have, the more craving and expectation we have of “entertain me” the more this “sickness” prevails.

And I am not living in one of those other countries. (Perhaps you think I should be..) I am living here, with my family here, in this culture now.

So what do I do to counter it? I probably cannot (or will not) move to any other country, since this is where God has chosen to place me. So how do I counter-culture what makes me ashamed about America, versus proud? (And I know I am not alone…there are lots of folks like me. Quietly outraged at what is happening around us.)

It reminds me of the story in the book of Daniel. When God’s people were taken off and held captive in Babylon. And four young men, including Daniel, chose not to live like the culture around them, even though they were offered privilege and the best the culture had to offer. They chose instead, to live God’s way, in spite of the culture.

And there has always been that battle with God’s people. Surrounded by a world and culture that did not follow God, His people had to make the choice. Many times they would become just like the culture around them. Yet there was always a remnant that were counter-cultural.

So is our pride in a country, or is our pride in our God? And how do I train up my little ones to live like a Daniel in the middle of a molesting culture.

The choices start with me.

First, I have to live like a Daniel, myself. Can’t teach, what you don’t know. Can’t lead where you don’t go.

Being a Babylonian captive, I feel like a mummy with layers and layers of gauzed wrapped strips. And as I choose to unwrap some of my layers, I find more below. Then I think, ok, I am unwrapped, here I am finally, living like a Daniel. And God then shows me, yet another layer underneath.  He is so patient, merciful and gracious to unwind me without reproach and not give up. Take off those grave clothes and walk, girl!

So as I unwrap the cultural trappings off myself, I pray for my children, to not get too wrapped up in it all, and to help them unbind their hearts and minds as well.

I trust in the Lord, that He will lead us and will show us where to put our pride and where to be counter-culture.


Post Script: I do want to say, there are spots of our country and culture I am proud of: Our fore fathers (the godly ones) who desired to set our country on the right foundation, the freedom to worship God, the churches and ministries that reach out and touch lives for the good, the freedom for women, and race, the blessings I do have to live and walk with out war, to earn a living and to provide for my children. I am entitled to none of this and I praise my gracious God for allowing it. I pray for our nation and for our children. I am a patriot of God and stand with all who stand for God’s ways, what ever country they are in, as well as all who would have our country be one nation under God, again.

Big Cook - Take Two

So the other day I posted on my adoption blog ( preparing for a bigger family) how I tried to “cook large”. http://findingolivia.blogspot.com/ .. Cook multiple meals to be frozen, etc. …and although it was a partial success, I made a fatal error…. Not trying out the recipes first! My food critics did not like them….would not eat them and I was left with a freezer full of them. Sigh…

So today was Big Cook part deux. Learn from your mistakes. Before I had used a book to get ideas, 30 Day Gourmet..and although it had some good ideas, the recipes left much to be desired. (Sorry, don’t man to insult, but my family just did not like them. )

So I had bumped into the co-author of the book, Big Cook, http://www.thebigcook.com/, on one of my adoption forums…and ordered that book.


It came this week. And I love it, the layout, the ideas, great photos of the recipes, and it looks like recipes that my family might like.

So today, I pulled out my new Cuisinart and after grocery shopping, (and stopping off at the theatre to watch Bucket List) I started cooking.

What I realized, or more accurately, remembered, is I actually enjoy cooking. I love the whole recipe, chopping, cooking, creating thing of cooking. I just don’t like it at 6 pm, with kids under foot, tired from a days work and everyone on the edge of hungry-grouchies. But, in the right timeframe and environment, I truly enjoy it. So I put on my ruffled apron and went to town. J

I made five recipes but only nights dinner of each. This week I will have the kid tested, and any that pass, will go on the list for a BIG COOK day. I seriously think, once I get my bevy of recipes, this will work for us and be an answer from God on my whole meal/organization thing. Something I have been New Year’s “resoluting” and praying about for two years.

So I am sitting here, sipping my “White Christmas” tea that I bought in SF with my good friend Rebecca, feeling pretty good with the world. J

It is funny how the little things can make such a different. (The little foxes spoil the grapes.) Sometimes, (dare I say most times) it is the details, the small things where the difference is made. Reminds me of the verse about God not being in the earthquake or the fire, but in the whisper. ….God and I have been whispering all day. J I love Him!

Footnote: How did it go. My family tested the first recipe tonight. 2 ½ out of 4 liked it…so not a 4 star…but I am not discouraged. I am glad I don’t have a freezer full of it and will keep on trying.