Do you know about this new movie coming out?
You can find more information about it (and buy tickets!) here: Courageous the Movie.
Happy is that people whose God is the Lord
Do you know about this new movie coming out?
You can find more information about it (and buy tickets!) here: Courageous the Movie.
Every now and again I wonder what everyone is rushing all about life for. Usually I think of this while watching traffic, knowing that each multi-thousand steel encasement has at least one person in it with places to go and things to do. And because of the stainless bubble surrounding said person, there is opportunity to rule this mini world with radio or phone (hands free, of course) without any bother or sacrifice to anyone else. In fact, if there is a chance of interaction with another vehicle, it’s usually not the tip of the hat (whatever happened to those manly things?) and an acknowledgement of another human being. It’s usually, um…mean.
I want the slow life. I’ll readily admit I love to drive and yes, with loud music, but if I had my druthers, I’d rather saunter around on a horse from place to place, noticing seed pods coming before the flourish of fall leaves.
Other than twitter and email, I’ve been MIA in reading blogs and whatnot on the computer. It’s a love-hate thing. Love the information I can get. Hate how it pulls the life out of my marrow. Love writing and sharing photos. Hate how sedentary I am while doing it. If my computer finally died, would I cry? How many people are rushing through their lives to get back to the computer, to social media, to blog hopping, to texting? How, I wonder, did people ever fill their time before this blessed technology? I’m not altogether certain, but I am sure more lives involved more people and projects.
Here are some snippets of my life lately. And yes, it takes a while to upload photos, format them, post them, write a blog and then *ta da!* “publish post”. I think it’s worth doing on occasion. I think…
So…where was I….oh, pics to share with you! Consider these some of the “instead” things I’ve been doing while off the computer. I harvested a goodly bunch of hardneck garlic and after curing them all, I peeled and cut apart all of the cloves. It was a lot of work, but I find fresh powered garlic so yummy all year long, so the time is worth it to me.
We’ve been buying fruit by the case and canning them in jams. The fruit leather is real good, the cobblers are tasty too, and the pies….oh, the pies!
So, that’s a little mish-mash. Fall is coming on. To me, the official start of fall is when I pick the last of my sweet peas, clean up the garden a bit, and plant for a winter harvest of greens. I’ve made peace with summer leaving without much of a visit. I’ve been eyeing my knitting and sewing projects, preparing for the homeschooling year, reading various books and trying to keep my mind and heart on the length of days I have left in this life and the wonderful God who lets me live them. You have a wonderful life, too. Don’t miss it.
I can’t sleep. This has been on my mind for a while now and I felt compelled to respond to the horrific events that have come about from the needless death of not one, but two, children. I feel just sick. Here is the letter I wrote and sent tonight via email. I thought it proper for me to write to you, also….
Good evening, friends,
I have been in real angst over the death of a child recently from a parent who claimed to follow the To Train Up a Child book. This book was a real help to me in helping me learn to parent my children and because of that, I have bought multiple copies and I believe I gave one to you. This review was the most humble and gracious one I have read regarding the incident(s) and put into words my current thinking about this book, and that is why I am forwarding it to you for your consideration. http://www.tina.thejobes.com/2010/03/to-train-up-a-child-book-review/
PLEASE know that it is IMPOSSIBLE to be 100% consistent in just about anything, especially child training. We’re just mommies trying to find our way in parenting children that change from one year to the next (or one minute to the next) and the most important thing we can do during that is to LISTEN TO THE LORD and to READ OUR BIBLES. There *is* NO perfect method/book/author/way to raise up children that is fail-proof. We all need the tender mercies of the Lord to direct our paths each and every single day. Mommying ought to be and I believe CAN be a joy-filled endeavor, but trials ARE going to be a part of the journey and there WILL be tears to go along with it at times (or is that just me?;)
Friend, just know I love you and know you are doing the best that you can. Please don’t ever hold up any standard higher than what Jesus reveals to you through His Word. He WILL guide you and teach you and love you and…yes, discipline you. We all need that. Stay in the Word, stay in prayer, stay in fellowship with the saints. Repent where needed and forgive 70 times 7. Know that God Himself gave you your children not just for their own good, but for yours as well.
I do pray for these precious families, including the Pearls. What a heartbreak, all around.
With love
The hard part about explaining why I left Facebook is that the vast majority of my real and internet friends still participate in it. So no matter my reasons for departing, some will necessarily feel condemned for their continued practice. That is not my intent, but if anyone else has been feeling the uncomfortableness of it all, then let your own pruners sharpen. Otherwise, this is my own gig.
I left Facebooking because:
* I love God more. I will tell you that since I joined the party that never sleeps, I read less of my Bible. I haven’t memorized any Scripture in ages. And instead of conversing with the Lord during the day, I am crafting tweets that I know will run through Facebook. But I miss HIM. And I understand now why He didn’t want me doing that in the first place. I just ignored His council and joined up anyway…because I “know better” about these things, I guess . Again, not judging anyone for their own walk, just observing mine and not liking the view. I figure if I’m bored in the evening and just want to unwind, let me crack open my Bible or pray while I knit instead of finding the laptop.
* I love my friends. I am blessed to have a handful of real, deep, loving friendships. Yet I feel that even those relationships have waned as we now “keep in touch” via Facebook. For me (again, this is for me), relationships just are not built on “checking in” on one another’s publicly posted snippet of a day of what’s on their mind. I would rather talk with someone, walk with someone, share a cup of hot whatever and share our hearts. I’d rather make the time to meet or talk or write or even email one-on-one than try to keep up with trifles to the masses. I am not one of those blessed by deeper relationships via social networking, (although I had really hoped that would be the case with some of the people in my life) and I really don’t care if I ever find my second cousin twice removed, but I’m glad for the 400 some-odd million people that apparently are and do. Instead, I found it rather annoying when I, in person, inquired about a topic only to be told that it had been posted on Facebook (like, I should be totally up on everyone’s post at all times!). Man, 400 million people!
* I love my husband. One of my concerns is the very real occurrence of past boyfriends seeking me out. This may sound really very lame, but I do not care (it must be one of those *turning 40* things). I’ve had men find me in person and find me by phone. I had a man talk with my husband and offer him a beer! The very sad thing is that although I love my husband to all ends, I am but a weak and sinful woman who recognizes the pull of “what if”. When half the marriages are ending in divorce, even in Christian homes, and when sites such as Facebook are reconnecting old flames like wildfire, I am not so prideful to think that our marriage is one that cannot by any means fall. I choose to protect ours. Again, not judging! Go ahead and check in with your old love, go ahead and keep him as a “friend” (you do see that I am NOT recommending that, though!), but I’m keeping my heart out of it for the sake of my husband’s. And mine.
* I love my children. When I am “checking” the computer multiple times a day or answering comments or sending texts on my cell, I may be thinking that I am giving importance to the person on the other end. What my children see, however, is that I’m giving importance to a piece of machinery. I am teaching by my actions that watching the back of my head is more important than spending time with me baking cookies, pulling weeds, or even just reading a book on the couch. What they are learning is that the computer and Internet is where life is *at*. I disagree! Life is enjoyed with God! And in smiling and playing with my children, and in feeding my hens, and in basking in whatever slice of sunshine I can get up here in the northwest!
* Lastly (I think), I love learning. I’ve been one step, one thesis away, from my masters degree for…..a year? I have books to read (and write!) and projects to tackle. It just sounds lame to me that “I don’t have time” to learn to (whatever) but somehow I found time to write a couple thousand news blurbs. Which were all about me. Like this blog (hmmm….) I want to learn to crochet. And soak grains for baking. And milk dairy goats. And just plain to better keep the home, mommy the kids, and love my husband. I’m a work in progress whose lifetime is a vapor. I want to suck the marrow out of life, REAL life.
Ultimately, the Facebook distraction was fodder for neglect. And it wasn’t important enough for me to figure out how to let it coexist with my life.
This is hard because I care too much what other people think. But that alone, perhaps, is the best reason for letting go of Facebook. I don’t condemn others for the choices they are making with their time and relationships; I don’t have time or the heart or the mental capacity to send zingers of judgment. I still care about all of my “friends”. I still want to know you more. But if I’m to be a real friend to you, your heart is going to have to be a little more exposed to mine in the process from now on, and not just through casual published headlines. It’s gonna cost you time and effort and risk. And that is why, I expect, I’ll always have just a “handful” of real friends with relationships that transcend technology, even if we do share a 140 letter tweet on occasion.
Deuteronomy 33:3 Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words.
Jeremiah 15:16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.
I am so thankful for the Bible. It is an incredible Book, full of prophecy both fulfilled and yet to come, full of wisdom and history and life-changing Words. Reading it builds my faith, strengthens my character, brings me to repentance, teaches me to praise. I have found (on a quite regular basis, alas!) that my lack of zeal in reading it and studying it simply and shamefully exposes my heart in the importance I give God’s words, and in the woefully inadequate amount of gratitude I have for them.
I regret as a young woman not knowing the Lord, and with it not spending time in study of the Word. It is difficult at best to carve out time even with the best of intention with a husband and half a dozen children needing my attention. But, like any knitting project, picking at it bit by bit, even for small amounts of time during the day, adds up.
We must eshew the things that suck away what little free time we do have if they cause us to slumber from drinking of the Word. If we are more anxious and eager to check our email (or Facebook) accounts than to read the Bible, then let us be pricked, Oh God! If we are more willing to tap out our own words to others (talk talk talk) than to savor and spend time in prayer to our Father (and listen listen listen), then our view of ourselves is sorely in need of mending.
A King James Bible, a concordance, a notebook and pencil. And our hearts. With humility comes understanding and wisdom and strength for the day. If you’ve been a little thirsty lately, I just wanted to remind us all where the living water really is. Drink from it today.
Blessings,