Author: admin

     Thirty-one million miles. That’s a very big stack of paper. By the time I get to twenty-on-and-a-half million I’m lost–aren’t you? I read somewhere else that our galaxy is one (only one) of perhaps ten billion.
     I know the One who made all that. He is my Shepherd. This is what He says: “With my own hands I founded the earth, with my right hand I formed the expanse of sky; when I summoned them, they sprang at once into being… I teach you for your own advantage and lead you in the way you must go. If only you had listened to my commands, your prosperity would have rolled on like a river in flood… (Isaiah 48:13, 17, 18, NEB).
     Hardly a day goes by without my receiving a letter, a phone call, or a visit from someone in trouble. Almost always the question comes, in one form or another, Why does God do this to me?
     When I am tempted to ask that same question, it loses its power when I remember that this Lord, into whose strong hands I long ago committed my life, is engineering a universe of unimaginable proportions and complexity. How could I possibly understand all that He must take into consideration as He deals with it and with me, a single individual! He has given us countless assurances that we cannot get lost in the shuffle. He choreographs the “molecular dance” which goes on every second of every minute of every day in every cell in the universe. For the record, one cell has about 200 trillion molecules. He makes note of the smallest seed and the tiniest sparrow. He is not too busy to keep records even of my falling hair.
     Yet in our darkness we suppose He has overlooked us. He hasn’t. I have been compiling a list of the answers God Himself has given us to our persistent question about adversity:

1. We need to be pruned. In Jesus’ last discourse with His disciples before He was crucified (a discourse meant for us as well as for them), He explained that God is the gardener, He Himself is the vine, and we are branches. If we are bearing fruit, then we must be pruned. This is a painful process. Jesus knew that His disciples would face much suffering. He showed them, in this beautiful metaphor, that it was not for nothing. Only the well-pruned vine bears the best fruit. They could take comfort in knowing that the pruning proved they were neither barren nor withered, for in that case they would simply be burned up in the brushpile.
     Pruning requires the cutting away not only of what is superfluous but also of what appears to be good stock. Why should we be so baffled when the Lord cuts away good things from our lives? He has explained why. “This is my Father’s glory, that you may bear fruit in plenty and so be my disciples” (John 15:8, NEB). We need not see how it works. He has told us it does work.

2. We need to be refined. Peter wrote to God’s scattered people, reminding them that even though they were “smarting for a little while under trials of many kinds (they were in exile–the sort of trial most of us would think rather more than a “smart”), they were nevertheless chosen in the purpose of God, hallowed to His service, and consecrated with the blood of Jesus Christ. With all that, they still needed refining. Gold is gold, but it has to go through fire. Faith is even more precious, so faith will always have another test to stand. Remember God’s loving promise of 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is all you need; power comes to its full strength in weakness” (NEB).

I have been having an email discussion with Mrs. Wilson lately, and she has been delightfully encouraging in her typical straight-forward manner. She never makes herself vulnerable, but she has a talent of pinpointing what others need to hear about themselves & their relationship with others/God/the world/what-have-you.

She reminded me, “God is not doing this to you, He is doing it for you.”

Of course, it frequently doesn’t feel like the death of my children is for me. But she’s right. I know she is.
And I think, as my darling Steven pointed out, it is for more than just me or us or our family.
Losing our three children has affected many people, and given us opportunities to minister to many people, and helped us learn alongside others to recognize the image of God even in little tiny people who fit in the palm of my hand.
(It has greatly expanded our view of what being Pro-Life even is; it has grown our view of covenant children in general; it has taught us to reach out to others in affliction; it has shown us to tame our tongues specifically around people in affliction… The list could go on and on.)

Anyway. She has an excellent new post. I could just link you.
But sometimes it’s nice to have it copied here for you too. And for my own reference, too, in the future.
When I need an extra reminder.
I need reminders frequently. 🙂

For our Mommy & Tots fellowship group today, we concentrated on Proverbs. It was wonderful to read good, thought-provoking, godly articles; discuss them; share prayer requests; eat yummy food; and watch our children play together & learn about something called sharing. 🙂

My dear friend Elizabeth brought pumpkin muffins and a plate of super-juicy orange slices. And, by the way, Gabriel now has apparently decided that oranges are his favorite food. He had never had them before. He’s hooked!

The material for our conversation and fellowship follows, for your enjoyment & edification:

“The woman of wisdom is tall in faith, but humble in spirit; light in burdens, yet heavy with grace. She does not always put herself first, but willingly steps aside and moves for the good of another. Her marks are kindness; her law is love; her heart desires purity; her eyes seek truth. She may or may not be well-known; the wise woman may or may not be successful in this world. She may be rich, or she may be poor. The woman of wisdom may have great talent or possess none; may have friends or be alone…………..

 Every woman of wisdom is unique, but every woman of wisdom is beautiful and has much to give and share. Her light is ever glowing, as she waits, watches, day and night, on opportunity to serve, to pray, to wait, to love, to ponder God’s word. And every woman who knows the Lord Jesus Christ can be a woman of wisdom. It is not beyond the reach of any, for Christ is always working in us, and He sculpts our lives with increasing purpose, as we, through the process of time, give more and more of ourselves to Him. Indeed, wisdom is a treasure to be won, and we will have a life of wisdom in due season if we continue in His grace and do not faint in our walk with Him (Galatians 6:9).”

~from www.aparsonswife.blogspot.com~

By night when others soundly slept
And hath at once both ease and Rest, 
My waking eyes were open kept
And so to lie I found it best. 

~Anne Bradstreet (1612-1672)~

This morning I went to the “first installment” of one of the new book studies I have joined this fall. Ironically, both of the book studies started today — but they both meet at the same time! So since one is weekly and one is monthly, I am able to do both, I’ll just simply miss one meeting a month of the weekly one. So anyway… this first one is led by the mother of one of my dear friends. It’s a group of about ten ladies of various ages, backgrounds, and positions. The idea was to have some older women and some younger women, to work on emulating the principles in Titus 2. What a great idea, right? 🙂

The book we are studying is actually a “study course,” complete with textbook and workbook. It feels like something I may have encountered during my college days. It is called Five Aspects of Woman. It seems simple enough in concept, but once the thoughts get provoked and the discussion gets started, there really are so many ways it could spin off! The book is supposed to be teaching a lens through which to look, not steps in a how-to course. Looking through the entirety of Scripture, the author made five main categories which describe/define biblical femininity: Mistress of the Domain, Helper-Completer, Lifegiver, Lady of Wisdom, Glory of Man.
Today we discussed the introduction to the rest of the study, and the next three meetings will be focused on the aspect of “Mistress of the Domain.”

There are so many intriguing things that have come to mind already with beginning this study:

The main Scriptures for the study (although there are lots more scattered here and there — Proverbs 31, Ephesians 5, Song of Solomon, Psalm 45, Revelation…) are Genesis 1, Genesis 2, Genesis 3, Proverbs 1-9, and 1 Corinthians 11.

So at any rate, I will try to update occasionally (monthly, I guess, since that’s how often the book study will meet) on the discussions, and if I locate answers to any of my questions or if I come up with new questions… 🙂 You know, all that good thought-provoking stuff.

I’m really excited that this course will help tie together some of the recent books I have read, as well as another one or two that I have yet to read. This is a list of the books that I’ve read/want to read that would make great supplemental material to this study:
Passionate Housewives Desperate For God
The Hidden Art of Homemaking
Keeping House
Womanly Dominion
Created to be His Helpmeet
The Fruit of Her Hands
Building Her House
Praise Her in the Gates
Standing on the Promises
The Essence of Femininity (essay)

In addition, Mrs. Wilson has an excellent storehouse of articles on her blog that would correspond beautifully with some of the sections in this book. I was already exploring her archive to find some great snippets. You know, for supplemental supplements. lol. 🙂

Also… of course a woman’s book study must be accompanied by something delicious to eat! So I got to bring the treats for this morning — I always volunteer to cook or bake, if I possibly can! 🙂 I’m actually sipping tea and eating a leftover chocolate chip scone right now. It’s delectable. You simply must try the recipe for yourself. I actually made some cream scones (Gabriel is having one right now with a sippy cup full of cold milk) with fresh peach jam, too — but I am always such a sucker for chocolate. Hehe. 🙂

So are you in any book studies or Bible studies this fall??? I’d love to hear what you’re studying and learning, too!

The flower boxes on my porch are still full of beautiful blooms! I love it.

My morning glories have truly brightened up my summer. Most of them have been bright blue and white, but just this week we got some pink & purple glories! This one was all wilty by the time I snapped a picture, but it sure was pretty. 🙂

Some of the bulbs Steven planted a few months ago are blooming beautifully too.


Since we’ve been having an Indian summer, I have over a dozen tomatoes that are almost red enough to pick now! Here are a few of varying shades of “ripening.” 🙂

My pumpkins are continuing to do really well. I lose track counting them… it’s somewhere between 15 and 20. 🙂 This is one of my favorites, I think it’s just beautiful.

My mother planted a bunch of sunflowers in my garden for me; they are so cheery and delightful. Gorgeous blooms. I think I am going to pick some tomorrow to put on my table. The bees and ladybugs love the sunflowers too. 🙂



My Gabriel boy got his first bulldozer ride this last weekend! He was a little wary at first, but seemed to enjoy the fun once he got going. He can’t wait to move out to the country and be a true country boy. 🙂





Then Steven got a lesson in dozer driving. 🙂

And Gabriel got a work out, walking back up the hill to Grandmama’s house. He’s fairly insistent on not holding my hand these days, too. Boo. I can tell he’s thinking, “no, Mama, let me do it myself. I’m a big boy now!”




He also simply loves rolling down grassy hills now. He reaches his arms above his head, squints his eyes, and rolls. It’s precious. But hard to capture in a photograph.

Gabriel loves playing in our backyard. His favorite things to play with? Mommy, Dilly, and the cement “step”. He’s hilarious.



And a not-so-hot picture with Mommy… but I love my boy sooooooo much, that I don’t even care anymore. 🙂

Happy 16th Months, to my little sweetness, my boy ~ my Gabriel David. I LOVE YOU!!!!

from Passionate Housewives Desperate for God, pp 151-153

Most of us know well the famous Bible story in the tenth chapter of Luke about Mary and Martha. As Martha busily went about preparing food and making all things ready to serve Jesus, Mary sat quietly at Christ’s feet, joyfully listening to His words. Martha’s frustration level rose as she grumblingly went about the housework, resenting her sister’s apparent lack of consideration. I can picture Martha, banging jugs and plates in the kitchen, trying to give Mary a not-so-subtle hint that she needs help with the serving. Finally, Martha blows her top and stomps out to Jesus: “Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that he help me” (Luke 10:40).

Now, if you’re a hardworking homemaker, you might just sympathize with Martha. There she is, working hard to serve Jesus in her home, and her lazy sister just sits around the whole time… right? But Jesus’ gentle rebuke is for Martha—not Mary: “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41). Ouch.

Now, I’ve actually heard people use this passage to justify not doing housework or serving in the home. I’ve read that Jesus is once for all doing away with women’s roles in the home by demonstrating that it is more important to sit at His feet than to do housework. But that idea just won’t jive. After all, someone does have to do the housework! Those meals are not just going to magically prepare themselves, nor will the table set itself or the dishes clean themselves afterwards.

Serving is a fact of life. Jesus’ point here is not that no one should have been preparing a meal for Him or tending to household matters. As always, Jesus slices straight to the heart. Luke 10:40 says Martha was “distracted with much serving.” Instead of rejoicing in the ministry of love and service she was pouring out to the Lord, she resented the physical work and her sister’s lack of help. The “good part” of which Jesus spoke was worshiping and adoring Him—which is something we should do all day long without ceasing.

We can all be Mary, even if we don’t have an hour to sit down for “quiet time.” It’s all in our attitude toward the things that need to be done and the people we are serving. If we view our husbands, families, and guests as so many leeches crying, “Give, give!” then we are not going to develop a godly joy as we serve them. If we resent the fact that our husbands sit down to read with the children while we are preparing supper, we are being harpies, just like Martha. Choose the better part. Be Mary in the kitchen. Sing praises while you sweep up those never-ending crumbs. Whistle hymns while you wipe down the bathroom. Meditate upon Scripture while you are folding that third pile of laundry.

I feel greatly blessed to have been brought up in a home where my father urged excellent in our work as a way of glorifying God and where my mother joyfully tackled the tasks that lay before her. Whether organizing cabinets, planning school projects, upholstering furniture, planting a garden, or welcoming strangers, Mom always made every job seem like an adventure. When we complained, she just sang louder or turned up the music so we could march around in time as we did our chores. As a result, my parents’ home was fragrant with the aroma of servant-hearted, life-giving hospitality.

And let me just say it again: it wasn’t because we had beautiful furniture, just-right curtains, or spotless rooms. It was because Christ was Lord of that house, and our job was to serve Him without being bitter or acting put-upon. Be a Mary! When the laundry piles rise up in rebellion, the children don’t do their chores right, or the kitchen sink never seems to quite empty itself, rejoice! Choose the better part, crank up the praise, and lay down your life.