Weekly Goals

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This past week turned out to be pretty eventful- I apologize for my tardiness in posting these! On Thursday while I was out grocery shopping with my daughter, a man ran a red light and t-boned our car midway through an intersection. Thank God, we are both fine (just a little whip lash for me). Our car is probably totalled however. It just goes to show that you never know what a day will hold! I'm glad that I know the God who holds the days!

Last week's goals:

Personal

Finish reading Because He Loves Me by Elyse Fitzpatrick, write a review of it for the blog.

Start reading Let's Study Ephesians (assigned reading for Sunday morning Bible study beginning next month. Also helping me towards my goal of consistent personal Bible study. Two birds with one stone!).

Marriage

Dress up for dinner at least one night. Have candles and music going when Niall walks in the door.

Decide together if we will be holding monthly budget accountability meetings. Pick a time and day to have it.

Parenting

Try a special activity with S this week: water play.
Read up on solid feedings for her adjusted age (10 months) in Super Baby Food, make adjustments.

Home

Make homemade laundry detergent. In order to do this I realized I need to find a five gallon bucket! Saga to be continued, lol.

Make one new meal: Black Bean Burgers  . These were very tasty, albeit a bit mushy. I've started a board on Pinterest to keep track of new meals we've tried with our reviews of them. If you'd like, you can follow it here.

Blog

Submit a guest post.

Get up early on Saturday and write for at least one hour, uninterrupted.

It wasn't a super productive week, as far as goals go. Here's my plan for next week (which I'm hoping will be less eventful/scary/wild):

Personal

Read Chapter One of Let's Study Ephesians by Sinclair Ferguson.

Continue reading Word Hero and The Well Trained Mind.

Marriage

Dress up for dinner at least one night. Have candles and music going when Niall walks in the door (I am bound and determined to finally make this one happen!).


Have our monthly budgeting and financial accountability meeting.


Parenting

Try a special activity with S: Art (crayons, magazine cut outs, etc.)

Encourage finger foods by offering them once each day (she is so anti-solids this kid! Any advice from seasoned Mamas?)

Home

Make homemade laundry detergent.

Make one new meal: The Pioneer Woman's Patty Melts.

Blog

Submit a guest post.


Write for one hour every day, Monday-Friday.


What are your goals for the week?

Book Review: Because He Loves Me

I must say that I was wonderfully blessed by this book. Over the past five years or so, the Lord has used authors like John Piper and C.J. Mahaney and Jerry Bridges to clarify my understanding of the Gospel, and to show me how it applies to my every day life as a Christian.

Because He Loves Me runs in the same vein as these other authors. With simplicity and grace, Elyse shows us how we've forgotten the Gospel when it comes to our sanctification. We've left Jesus behind, and we don't even realize it!

 I resonated with so much of what she said, and started to become just a smidge aware of how empty and dry my life is because I forget the Gospel. She provides real life examples and insights into what a gospel-centered life looks like, and how the Gospel frees us from sin and works-based "sanctification." 

Since finishing it, I've thought more upon the incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, and exaltation of Christ as I go about my day. The way that I approach the Lord in times of personal prayer is changing. I'm feeling more free and joyful in the Lord. 

I cannot urge you too forcibly to pick up this volume! As the author points out, Christians have a tendency to yawn at the thought of reading a whole book about the love of God. Don't we already know about it? Can't we move on to some instructions for things we should be doing?

No! Pause. Take a rest for your soul, and dwell on God's love as displayed for us in the Gospel. It will change your heart, mind, and life.

Adventures in Domesticity {Canning!}

Pat with S

A few weeks ago I had my first ever opportunity to learn how to can tomatoes :). Pat, an older lady in my church, graciously offered to teach me this fine domestic art, one which she herself has done for the last 50 years!

S liked playing with the giant, pretty, red tomatoes

 I arrived at her country home around 8:15 a.m. My tomatoes were already clean and ready to go, so we put a big pot on to boil. Once it was good and bubbling, we tossed a small batch of tomatoes into the pot, and allowed them to boil for right around three minutes.

The Tomatoes Boiling

 Then we pulled the top drainer part out of the pot, and let all of the hot water fall right back into the pan (I gotta get me one of those!). The boiled tomatoes were tossed into a bowl of cold water in the sink, and we started another small batch boiling. We continued to do so until all of the tomatoes were done.

Tomatoes cooling in the sink.

 Once all of the tomatoes were cool, we peeled them. The peels came easily off (due to the boiling), and this part was pretty fun. From there we chopped them in quarters and began to stuff them into my brand spanking new mason jars :). Pat has a pressure cooking canner that she set up outside on a gas stove. I wish  I had taken pictures.

 A variety of delicious and colorful canned goods adorn Pat's shelves. Aren't they beautiful? And isn't she talented? Beets, carrots, pickles, green beans, and wax beans....

She has quite the well stocked pantry! All ready to go for the Autumn and Winter. 

In the end I came away with 18 quarts of tomatoes. I was at her house until 2 p.m, so it was a full day of work and fun!

I'm not sure if I will can again in the future. The easiest way to do it is with the special canner Pat has... she also showed me how to do it without (the "open kettle" or "hot packed" method). But I'm not sure if it would be easier just to dice and freeze them? Anyone with experience have a thought to offer on the matter?

I am sure excited however to cook the fruits of my labor into chilis and stews and tomato sauces this winter. Canning makes me feel very virtuous :).

Have you ever canned before?

A Delicous {and Easy!} Dessert for Entertaining

Chocolate Heath Trifle

This simple and inexpensive dessert is a guaranteed hit! I cannot tell you how EASY it is to make, and how many enthusiastic compliments I receive each time I serve it. People are ridiculously impressed (thinking I slaved away in the kitchen), and it gets eaten up real quick. 

You will need:

One box of chocolate cake mix (bake according to instructions on the box- I bake mine in two nine inch rounds, for less work later)

One 3 oz. package of chocolate pudding

One container of frozen cool whip, thawed

Six Heath Bars

 

 Bake your cake and let it cool.

Once it is completely cooled, take one of the 9" rounds and stuff it into the bottom of your trifle dish (or any type of glass bowl). This is why I bake my cake in two rounds- I don't have to cut it or guess if I've used half of my cut up cake cubes or not. I just take one pan and stuff it in there, really un-fancy like :). If you don't have round tins, you can make it in a 9x13" and cut it into cubes. Place half of your cubes in the bottom of your dish.

Mix pudding according to package directions. 

 Take your heath bars, and keeping them in their original wrapping, smash them to pieces with a meat pounder (or any other heavy object... rolling pin, perhaps?).

 To complete your first layer, you will top the cake with half of your pudding, half of your cool whip, and half of your heath bars. Like so:

 Ain't it pretty? Next, you will repeat your layers. Place the second round (or the second half of cake cubes) on top of the crushed heath and cool whip. Top with the rest of the chocolate pudding. Finish off by spooning the last of the cool whip on top, then sprinkling the remaining heath crumbs.

 There you have it: an easy, inexpensive, delicious and impressive dessert to serve company (or to bring to a potluck!). If you want to make it fancier, you can drizzle 1/2 cup of very strong coffee (cooled) over the cake before adding the pudding and cool whip. Sometimes I do this with good results, but if I know that children are involved I skip it (with no harm to the dessert!).

You could get even fancier and make layers in single-serving-size, fancy, stemware glasses. Whatever suits your fancy and your crowd best!

Voila! Bon Appetit!

Monday's Resolution {A Plan of Action for Pain}

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We are picking apart Jonathan Edward's 70 Resolutions, one week and one resolution at a time. Don't forget to start where he did- "Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God's help, I do humbly entreat Him by His grace to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to His will, for Christ's sake."

10. Resolved, when I feel pain, to think of the pains of martyrdom, and of hell.

Nothing halts a body quite so quickly as physical pain.

“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world." C.S. Lewis

From my limited personal experience with physical pain, I can testify that instead of running to the Lord and praying for grace, I mentally shut down. All that I could think about was my own personal discomfort, how much I couldn't wait for it to be over. I wanted to be distracted. I felt miserable. 

This, on the other hand, was the Apostle Paul's experience with pain. Three times he asked the Lord to take away his pain,

"But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9,10

Contentment, boasting, even rejoicing in pain? That is no natural human experience with pain. It is supernatural. May God's grace so rest upon us in our pains!

Paul's experience was to rejoice and boast in pain, knowing that in it, the power of Christ rested upon him.

Jonathan Edwards resolved that when he felt physical pain, he would turn his mind to thoughts of martyrdom and hell. 

Would he be willing to suffer worse pain for Christ's sake? Would he be willing even to die and suffer painful martyrdom for his Lord?

He found that physical pain can make a Christian grateful- grateful that they will never experience the ultimate and eternal pains of hell. Grateful, and inspired to boldly share the gospel of grace to warn lost sinners of the painful perils that awaited them. 

Thinking on martyrdom and hell can surely put one's pain into perspective. 

Personally, I am afraid that my own resolve to this end might crumble the next time I find myself in intense pain.

 

My soul was so sifted, shown to be shallow and dry, the last time those pressures prevailed upon it. In humility I want to seek the Lord for grace, begging Him that next time I might not be found to be so carnal and immature. 

The trials certainly do reveal us for who we really are, don't they? 

Do you have a plan of action for pain? What great lessons has the Lord taught you through times of pain and trial?

Weekly Goals

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I've kind of fallen off of the goal bandwagon for the last two weeks :). Today I am hopping back on it, and trying to stick with simpler and more manageable goals! For example, nothing that I have to do every single day to complete it, but one time activities. It will be more encouraging to me :), and I think will still be moving me into the right direction.

Personal

Finish reading Because He Loves Me by Elyse Fitzpatrick, write a review of it for the blog.

Start reading Let's Study Ephesians (assigned reading for Sunday morning Bible study beginning next month. Also helping me towards my goal of consistent personal Bible study. Two birds with one stone!).

Marriage

Dress up for dinner at least one night. Have candles and music going when Niall walks in the door.

Decide together if we will be holding monthly budget accountability meetings. Pick a time and day to have it.

Parenting

Try a special activity with S this week: water play.

Read up on solid feedings for her adjusted age (10 months) in Super Baby Food, make adjustments.

Home

Make homemade laundry detergent.

Make one new meal (to be determined).

Blog

Submit a guest post.

Get up early on Saturday and write for at least one hour, uninterrupted.

What are your goals for the next week? 

Woman of Purpose {Susannah Spurgeon}

One of the greatest means the Lord has used in my life to excite me about the things of God (apart from His Word!) has been reading or hearing the stories of faithful Christians who've gone on before me. Every now and again I will be posting stories of different Christian women from the past- women who have lived lives of purpose for the Lord, so that we may be encouraged by their faithful examples!

"The soul that has learned the blessed secret of seeing God's hand in all that concerns it, cannot be a prey to fear, it looks beyond all second causes, straight into the heart and will of God, and rests content, because He rules." Susannah Spurgeon, Free Grace and Dying Love

If ever a woman had cause for discontentment, it might well have been Susannah Spurgeon.

Wife of the famous English preacher Charles Spurgeon, mother of twin boys, and faithful servant of the Lord, Susannah's life was full of trials.

She loved her husband dearly, but had to share him with thousands. Charles Spurgeon spent great portions of time away from home- preaching, teaching, counseling, and serving both his congregation, as well as other churches near and far. When he was home, he spent much of his time studying and preparing for sermons and lectures, as well as writing letters and books. His health frequently required him to leave home for warmer climates, and Susannah had to stay behind (due to her health, as we will see momentarily).

Charles fondly referred to Susannah as "wifey." They loved one another immensely much, and had a joyful marriage and a deep friendship. Yet God (in His perfect will) ordained much separation for the cherished couple. They both found it trying at times, but were anxious to "count it all joy."

When I think how selfish I am over my own husband, this humbles me. Oh how jealous and fiery I become if he spends too much time in his study or away from home! I complain and needle, asking him to bend over backwards in order to spend more time with me.

Not Susannah. She surrendered her husband to the Lord's calling on his life, and lived a life of quiet contentment and joyful submission.

She spent years of her life as a bed-ridden invalid. Susannah was afflicted through the majority of her adult life with a debilitating chronic illness. No one is too sure what it was, but whatever it was, it kept her in bed for years.

After only two and half weeks of bedrest during my pregnancy, I can only begin to imagine how horrifying years in bed might become. Many women would allow this to bring them down into the depths of despair. But Susannah loved her Lord deeply. Not only did she remain joyful and fixed on Him, she busily served her Lord and others from her bed.

She wrote a beautiful devotional entitled Free Grace and Dying Love, much in the same vein and style of her husband's devotionals (if you enjoyed Charles Spurgeon's Morning and Evening, you ought to give this a try!). She started a Book Fund to provide books for the libraries of poor pastors around the world, and was responsible for getting thousands of theological works into the hands of God's servants.

She graciously recorded God's many precious gifts to her, and answers to her prayers. She trained her sons in the fear and admonition of the Lord.

Her dear husband died ten years before her, and she continued faithful to Christ until the end, despite the sorrow of widowhood.

Now that was some kind of woman! Susannah Spurgeon challenges me to live faithfully and obediently, serving the Lord and my family, no matter how difficult my life's circumstances are.

Further Resources: Free Grace and Dying Love by Susanah Spurgeon, with The Life of Susannah Spurgeon, by Charles Ray.

Charles Spurgeon: Preaching Through Adversity, a message from John Piper  

Book Review: The Money Saving Mom's Budget

Ever since it came out in January, I've been dying to get my hands on a copy of Crystal Paine's book, The Money Saving Mom's Budget. I love Crystal's blog, and have benefited greatly over the past several years from her advice (whether it be in regards to finances, the kitchen, or goal setting- this woman is brilliant!).

Her book did not disappoint!

It is a delicious compilation of the "best of" her blog posts. Her advice is practical and realistic, and reaches you wherever you may be. I was encouraged to get organized, set simple financial goals, and to choose contentment no matter my circumstances. I learned how to host a successful garage sale, a few creative ways to make an extra buck or two, and new ideas for ways to save on my grocery budget (without couponing!).

I was also encouraged to give couponing a serious try. I've made little attempts in the past, but never really committed myself to taking the serious plunge :). I love that Crystal shares ways of getting coupons for free. And I'll let you know how the whole couponing thing goes ;). Trust me!

Hearing about the sacrifices she and her husband made while he was in law school, and the tight, shoe-string budget they survived on, was both challenging and inspiring. My husband and I have by no means ever "roughed it," and I was reminded of all of the things we have but don't really need. Every once in awhile it helps to read something like this- a book that refreshes my perspective, and fills me with new energy and zeal for living frugally and getting out of debt more quickly. Niall and I have come a long way, and I am optimistic about our debt-free financial future ;).

I'm feeling newly motivated to start having monthly financial accountability and update meetings with the husband. I'm excited about cutting back on spending in any way I can!

What one piece of financial advice has helped you the most significantly in your life?

A Few Good Resources on Biblical Womanhood

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From time to time I thought it would be fun to pass along lists of resources I've benefited from on various topics. Today's topic is: Biblical Womanhood.

Books:

Let Me Be a Woman by Elisabeth Elliot

A Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George

Womanly Dominion by Mark Chanski

Becoming a Woman Who Pleases God by Pat Ennis and Lisa Tatlock

Blogs of Note:

Passionate Homemaking

Desiring Virtue

Online Sermons:

"The Beautiful Faith of Fearless Submission" by John Piper

"Women as Home Builders" by Mark Driscoll

What resources have encouraged and helped you in your understanding of Biblical Womanhood?

Monday's Resolution {To Think About Dying}

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We are picking apart Jonathan Edward's 70 Resolutions, one week and one resolution at a time. Don't forget to start where he did- "Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God's help, I do humbly entreat Him by His grace to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to His will, for Christ's sake."

9. Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.

My paraphrase:

9. Resolved, to think a lot and at all times about my own death, and everything that comes along with it.

Humans spend much of their lives running from death. The goal in all things is survival. We fill our brains with entertainment, fun, work, and love... in efforts to distract ourselves from the big reality of our sure and certain end.

You can run. You can hide. You can fill your life with things that won't last. You can have a good time.

But one day, you are going to die. I am going to die. Everyone is going to die.

And all of the things we strove to accumulate will be left behind. We can't take it with us. 

It's a sobering thought, and one we don't like to spend much time on.   

As a Christian, however, I have a glorious hope. Despite my sin, despite my ugliness, despite my bold and brazen rebellion against a good and loving God...

He has set His love on me. He sent His Son to die on my behalf, paying the penalty of my sins, giving me instead His perfect righteousness. I am Holy because He is Holy. It's an act of His grace for all who would believe.

I know that "to be absent from this body is to be present with the Lord." I know that one day I will stand in His perfect presence, enjoying eternity in Heaven with Him. That He will wipe away every tear... that there will be no more sin, sickness, pain, or death.

Yet I must confess that oftentimes I find myself in the unbeliever's shoes; fearing death, wanting to grab as much of this life as I can before its lost, trying to avoid even a thought of my definite end.

I forget that my marriage, motherhood, this lovely home and the good things in my life weren't meant to last forever. That the only things eternal are God, His Word, and people's souls.

Maybe that's why Jonathan Edwards resolved to think often on His death. Maybe he knew the weakness of his own flesh, the tendency he had to wander, his love of the world and the things in the world. Perhaps he knew that if he didn't purpose to think often on dying, he wouldn't be ready for it when his time came. 

Death sobers us. It is serious. Permanent. Final. We fear the unknown.

But there is hope and that hope is Christ!

He is The End for those who love and trust Him. This knowledge should flood our hearts with joy and peace to overflowing. It should motivate us to share our hope with those who don't know Christ (another task that I must confess I struggle with deeply).

It is in thinking upon our own deaths that we are able to prepare for them. Thinking about dying brings me back into awareness that none of this is forever. It helps me to value and invest in riches eternal, and to let go of riches perishing. 

Do you think often about dying? And more importantly, do you have a sure and certain hope in Christ?

His Mercies Are New Every Morning {Even On Tired and Busy Ones!}

This week has been a busy one. On the outset, it looked like a very normal week. A play date on Tuesday, the potential opportunity of learning to can tomatoes with a lady from church....

Then my dentist's office called to ask if they could bump my appointment up one month early. "Sure! Great!" I thought. "Why not get it out of the way?"

That was yesterday, and now today I have to go back to the dentist for two fillings. Followed by yet another follow-up appointment yet to be determined. Awesome.

When I went to buy my bushel of tomatoes for canning, I ended up buying a bushel of green peppers too (for $6, who could pass it up???).

There are countless tomatoes to wash and can, countless green peppers to wash and chop and freeze, and fillings to be had. As well as all the normal duties of grocery shopping, meal planning and making, laundry and ironing, cleaning up house and doing dishes.

The cherry on top is that my daughter is teething. Our nights have been punctuated with screams and tears, and extra throw up. I've been waking up each morning just as tired as I was when I went to bed.

And then this morning my daughter threw up in her car seat (for the second time this week!) on our way to dropping my husband at work. Just add another load of laundry to my tight schedule and staggering to-do list!

My first, knee-jerk reaction is to complain and shut down. Dramatic, I know.

This morning I determined that the first words my eyes would read would be God's Words (not the words of my RSS feed or email!). I hoped to find strength and empowerment for the day... to be honest, I just felt tired.

So I kept complaining. To my husband on the way to work, in my spirit all the way home.

When my daughter started her nap I knew I needed to make a change. I set a timer for a 20 minute power nap. When it went off, I didn't want to get up!

But I shot up a prayer asking for strength and grace, and made myself get up anyway.

I feel revived in energy right now. I am praying that it lasts!

And I am praying that His Spirit will fill me with JOY- so that I will not be dragged down with stress and anxiety, feeling frazzled and burnt out at the end of this day....

I'm reminding myself that His mercies are new every morning, and that His faithfulness is great. Stories like this one also put many things into perspective. I'm reading Elyse Fitzpatrick's Because He Loves Me right now, and it also is helping my heart and outlook immensely.

Because life isn't just about surviving, but thriving. Enjoying Him and glorifying Him, growing in grace daily. 


My 20 minute blogging timer is about to go off :). Say a prayer for me on this busy day, please?

Busy Housewives and Bible Study

"If a busy housewife has to clear off a spot for Bible study during a crowded day, she is likely to put it off. But if she has a place where her Bible is always open and handy, whenever there is a lull in the storm she can grab a cup of coffee and sit down for a few minutes or more of pure refreshment and companionship." Ruth Bell Graham, It's My Turn 

Homemade Yogurt: Crock Pot vs. Yogurt Maker

Recently I made my own yogurt for the first time ever, employing a Euro Cuisine Yogurt Maker (I know, I cheated!). It was a lot more work than I had anticipated, even with a machine, and took me several attempts before I achieved a desirable consistency.

Not long after my first shot with the Euro Gourmet, I saw a post on Money Saving Mom about making yogurt in the slow cooker, and was intrigued. It looked so much easier! I determined to try it.

And I have. For the benefit of other would-be-yogurt-makers, I'd like to post a comparison of my experience with the two methods.

Photo Credit

Yogurt with a Yogurt Maker
 Positives:

• It is easy to achieve a nice and thick yogurt (my personal preference!).
• Yogurt is stored in charming, single-serving sized glass jars.

Negatives:

• You still do all of the work you would do without the machine- slowly heating the milk, waiting for it to cool, sterilizing containers and tools, etc.
• The Euro Gourmet is known to overheat the yogurt, killing good bacteria (which is the main reason we eat it to begin with!). Supposedly, this can be remedied by placing a few layers of paper towels in between the jars and heating element... but I was still nervous that they were getting too hot, and wasn't sure if my healthy bacteria were alive and prospering. 
• The seven little glass jars are kind of a pain to clean and sterilize. 

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Yogurt in the Crock Pot
 Positives:  

• Ridiculously, super easy! It took only a few minutes here and there throughout the day.
• I was able to do a much larger batch, more fruit for less labor.

Negatives

• The yogurt is thinner and kind of runny.
• The chunks that would be strained out of the milk before letting it set with a yogurt maker were left in, creating unappetizing chunks of yogurt. 

The bottom line: yogurt in the machine is a much nicer consistency, but it is way more effort, holds only half of what my slow cooker does, and probably kills the beneficial bacteria in the yogurt.

Maybe sometimes the craving for a nice thick yogurt will motivate me to pull out the machine. But for now, the easier a task, the better, so I think I'll sacrifice my preferred texture in favor of less work and effort :).

How do you like your yogurt? If you make your own, what methods do you employ?

Linked with: Teach Me Tuesdays

Monday's Resolution {To Count Myself Vile}

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We are picking apart Jonathan Edward's 70 Resolutions, one week and one resolution at a time. Don't forget to start where he did- "Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God's help, I do humbly entreat Him by His grace to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to His will, for Christ's sake."

8. Resolved, to act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings as others; and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God.

My paraphrase:

8. Resolved, to act in every word and deed, as if no one else was as wicked as me, and as if I had done just the same sins, or had the same sin problems and character weaknesses as others; and that I when I find out about the sin of someone else, I will allow it do nothing in me but make me feel ashamed of myself, and make it an opportunity only of repenting of my own sins and wretched, fallen nature, to God.

Pride is a funny, sneaky, little monster. He creeps into our thoughts when we least expect him, and causes us to forget how weak, and little, and sinful, and insignificant we really are.

When we see a sister or brother fall, it can be so easy to puff out our chest, and condescendingly stare down our noses at them.

We may appear to be helpful or loving on the outside, but inside we are haughty and self-righteous, comparing our virtues to their lack, our strengths to their weaknesses, our sufficiency to their inability.

Oh how we need a reality check! NEWS FLASH: we are all sinners! Even our "righteous" good deeds are filthy rags before our holy God, they are so tainted with imperfection and unholy motivation.

And even the Apostle Paul said that nothing good dwelt in him, apart from Christ. If nothing good (except for Christ!) dwelt in Paul, I sure as day have no hope of beating that!

Sometimes the pride monster manifests himself in subtler tones.

Impatience with your husband when he fails to meet your expectations, excessive irritation with a disobedient child, and mental character assaults on people who are more successful (or intelligent, or attractive, you fill in the blank!) than you all spawn from pride.

"Why can't he read my mind? Why doesn't he do this one thing for me, when I do all of these other things for him?"

"Why can't my kid conform to my standard of righteousness? I deserve better obedience from them!"

"That woman may have a nicer house than me, but she sure isn't the greatest mother. If I had those nice things, I would be a credit to the Lord. I may not ever get them, but I can be content because I know that I am really better off than she is."

None of this will do. True Christians must see themselves for what they are: vile, wretched, abominable sinners. No good apart from Christ, no hope without His grace, no chance of goodness unless if it is imparted to their account by the God-man.

An older woman once gave me truly wise counsel which I have never since forgotten. "Rachel, you must learn to see other people's sin as very small, and yours as very big."

Jonathan Edward's eighth Resolution carries on much in the same strain. We must, with Paul, see ourselves as the "Chief of sinners." No one so desperate, so void of hope and grace, as our own souls.

When we hear about so-and-so's sin, instead of inwardly looking down the nose of pride, it ought to remind us of our own utter sinfulness and unworthiness before a Holy God. Knowledge of the weaknesses and defects of others ought to send us to our knees in humble, prostrate confession.

It must force us to acknowledge, "but for the grace of God, there go I." Apart from His grace, I might have done the same, or worse. I might even still do so!

Pride goes before a fall. Let us humble ourselves before the Lord, in full awareness of our own
insufficiency, lest He humble us with His own mighty hand by a greater fall into sin and misery.

And let's remember that love covers a multitude of sins. We can show the love of Christ to others by choosing to forgive petty sins against us, and moving on.

Do you see yourself as the worst of sinners? Practically speaking, how do you lovingly cover the sins of others? Do you see your sin as big and others' sin as small?

Purposeful Perusals, 17th Edition

Photo Credit

The Very Best Way to Schedule Your Life- Ann Voscamp on cutting back the good to ensure the best.

You're a Grown-Up, but Do You Feel Like One?- No! I Don't! I really resonated with this post by Tsh on Simple Mom. 

And in case if you missed it, yesterday Growing Home Blog featured a guest post of mine, entitled "Accidentally Pregnant" as a part of their month long series on children as a blessing.In it I detail how the Lord has taught me to truly value children as a blessing from Him, starting with a miscarriage and ending in preterm labor. I'd be delighted if you gave it a read!

Have you read anything of interest around the web this week? Do share!

Weekly Goals

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Here's how I did this week:

Personal


Finish reading It's My Turn by Ruth Bell Graham. Read chapters 1-4 of Elyse Fitzpatrick's Because He Loves Me.

Spend at least ten minutes of set apart prayer daily. Managed to do this 5 days out of 7. Hooray for improvement!

Work on Scripture memory daily. Every day but one.

Work towards being in bed between 9 and 10 every night (Sat.-Thurs.). Nope.

Work towards getting up at 6 each morning. Nope. You win some, you lose some.

Work on personal Bible study at least three days.

Go for a walk every week day.

Marriage

Dress up for dinner at least one night. Have candles and music going when Niall walks in the door.

Put a little love note in his lunch each morning. Every morning but one. Major improvement this week!

Parenting

Read to S every day.
Spend 15 minutes playing with S every day, concentrating on the developmental exercises the PT has given us to do. 6 out of 7.

Home

Spend 15 minutes every day, Monday-Friday, organizing and purging. Three out of five.

Spend 15 minutes every day, Monday-Friday, cleaning. Two out of five.

Make one new meal (to be determined). Sloppy Lentils (boy, they were a hit!)

Blog

Get up early on Saturday to write for at least one hour, uninterrupted.

Post Resolution #7 on Monday.

Set up my Twitter account.

Install social media icons onto the blog.


Overall, it was a productive week. This coming week, I am going to keep it simple. 

Goals for August  10th-16th

Personal 

Finish reading Because He Loves Me by Elyse Fitzpatrick, The Money Saving Mom's Budget by Crystal Paine, and Tell Your Time by Amy Lynn Andrews. Write reviews of them for the blog.


Start going to bed early and getting up early.


Marriage

Dress up for dinner at least one night. Have candles and music going when Niall walks in the door.


Write Niall a poem.


Parenting

Try a special activity with S this week: water play.

Home

Make homemade laundry detergent.

Make one new meal: Chicken Pesto Paninis.

Blog

Submit a guest post.

Get up early on Saturday and write for at least one hour, uninterrupted.

What are your goals for the next week?

Casting All of My Anxieties on Him...

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  "...casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7

My Anxiety: The uncertainties of pregnancy; miscarriage, preterm labor, and other life and death complications.

He Cares for Me:  
"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9

My Anxiety: I am completely inadequate as a parent. I feel overwhelmed by the pressures of always having to the decisions and tough calls. I don't have anywhere close to all of the answers!

He Cares for Me:
"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." James 1:5

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
2 Corinthians 12:9

My Anxiety: Tight finances.

He Cares for Me: 
"And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

"Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked." Psalm 37:16

"Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing." Psalm 34:8-10

No matter what your anxiety may be today friend, cast it on the Lord. He will sustain you. He will never permit the righteous to be moved.

Book Review: Desiring God

Five years ago I picked up John Piper's Desiring God for the first time. As a young and impressionable college student, I was enraptured by his thoughtful and passionate persuasion that "The chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever.",

The first few chapters completely informed my new understanding and affectionate embrace of the Doctrines of Grace. Piper's presentation of Calvinism is so joyful, winsome, and sweet. In it I found refreshment and delight for my soul.

Then about half way through the book, school started up again, life got busy... and extra reading "just for fun" got pushed aside. I've always wanted to go back and revisit the book that was so influential at that time in my life... but that I never finished.

Finally, it is finished :)!

I couldn't recommend this work highly enough to you. John MacArthur says that it is "A soul-stirring celebration of the pleasures of knowing God...a must-read for every Christian and a feast for the spiritually hungry." I concur.

Are you feeling hungry for God?

Do you find yourself dissatisfied with the fleeting pleasures that the world has to offer?

Are you a joyful and happy Christian? If not, do you want to be??? (I hope the answer for all of us is YES!)

Join Piper as he shows us (from Scripture) that:

Without a doubt Christians, of all people, should be joyful people.

God alone is the only Source of total satisfaction, and that to pursue it in anything less is idolatry.

A true Christian is a Christian Hedonist.

Our problem is not that we seek our pleasure too much, but too little.

"The books or the music in which we thought the beauty was located will betray us if we trust to them; it was not in them, it only came through them, and what came through them was longing. These things- the beauty, the memory of our own past- are good images of what we really desire; but if they are mistaken for the thing itself they turn into dumb idols, breaking the hearts of their worshipers. For they are not the thing itself; they are only the scent of a flower we have not found, the echo of a tune we have not heard, news from a country we have not yet visited." C.S. Lewis

"If I were to ask you why you have believed in Christ, why you have become Christians, every man will answer truly, 'For the sake of happiness.'" St. Augustine 

Preemie Prints {Counting Tiny Blessings}

One of the blessings of the internet is that it connects you to wonderful people you'd otherwise never have known.

One such person for me has been Amber Collier, founder of the non-profit organization Preemie Prints.

Preemie Prints offers support and encouragement for NICU families, as well as families who lose infants to prematurity or other complications. They send care packages, make sweet crafts, offer support group meetings, and (one of the coolest things of all!) provide a free professional photo session for babies who are either in the NICU, or are NICU graduates (up to the first year).

Preemie Prints also provides an information blog for NICU parents. I cannot tell you how much I wish I'd been aware of this resource during our NICU experience! Knowing that there are other parents out there experiencing the same things, and having a community of them to share with, is an incalculable blessing.

The Preemie Prints facebook page also provides tons of great and current information on prematurity, treatment options, breastfeeding, etc. Please pass their information along to any friend you may have who could use it!

I am honored to be included as a guest blogger for this wonderful organization. If you head on over there now, you can read my latest post about the blessings of being a parent to a miracle baby.

"There is no doubt in my mind that as parents of preemies, we would have loved to have a full term baby. No NICU, no roller coaster ride of fears and anguish…

It would be fun to grow a giant belly, have a baby the “normal” way, and take them home two days later. 

Yet for whatever reason, God in His infinite wisdom ordained otherwise for us. I am so thankful that He has a purpose in everything He does! 

While the NICU route is far from easy, here are some of the blessings I’ve enjoyed along the way..."


Click on over here to read the rest!

Monday's Resolution {Living Like It's My Last Hour}

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We are picking apart Jonathan Edward's 70 Resolutions, one week and one resolution at a time. Don't forget to start where he did- "Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God's help, I do humbly entreat Him by His grace to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to His will, for Christ's sake."

7. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.

My paraphrase:

7. Resolved, to never do anything that would give me cause for fear (or shame!) before God if I were to die within the hour.  


In order to keep Resolution #7, a person would have to achieve a life of sinless perfection.

The bad news? This side of eternity, no human being will ever achieve sinless perfection. We are all born with cursed sin natures, and even redeemed and forgiven sinners will struggle with the principle of remaining sin after salvation.

The good news? Jesus Christ has already lived an entire life of sinless perfection! He died as a sacrifice for the sins of His people, then rose again as Conqueror over sin and death, so that whosoever believes in Him will be saved from the curse and condemnation of sin.

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus," Romans 8:1

This is great news! For those of us who are in Christ Jesus, there need be no more fear of facing God with shame over our sin. He does not condemn us, because our sin has already been paid for.

These things needed to be said.

Now that they are out there on the table, informing our understanding as we discuss this Resolution, we can continue.

It would be wise for us to ponder our course of action (before taking it!) as we go about our day. Wisdom asks questions like these:

"If Jesus were looking over my shoulder right now, would I be ashamed about what I was reading/watching/looking at?"

"Would I speak to my husband or child in this way if Jesus was standing in the room with us? Or if these words would be the last I was able to speak to them?"

"Is my relationship with the Lord free, sweet, and clear, so that to face Him in the next instant would be the culmination of my joy? Or do I dread and fear coming face to face with my Savior?"

Not long ago in the car, Niall and I were discussing this very topic. Our conclusion?

We will never be ready. We will never reach that spiritual plateau of perfection, free of sin and struggle, until we get to Heaven.

We will continue to do wrong things that we are ashamed of. Even with the "good" things that we do do, we will stand empty-handed before God, able to plead only the righteousness of Christ.

Our standing before God is all of grace. It is all Christ's work that merits our favor with God, and nothing that we ourselves can do.

Yet oh, we want to be found striving on our final day. We want to walk in sweet communion, to be people after God's own heart, to wholeheartedly say with the Psalmist,

"Whom have I in heaven but YOU? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides YOU."

When my heart becomes enraptured with worldly fondness, idolizing and doting upon material goods, the opinions of others, fame and fortune...

Thoughts like these bring me crashing back down into reality. Not into the reality of things seen and touched and tasted... but into real reality. The unseen truth of things eternal. 

If these thoughts don't sober me up and cause me to refocus my eyes upon Jesus, then my heart is hard indeed.

Today, and every day I must ask myself- am I ready to go? Am I living like its my last hour? 


We won't be here forever. Today is the day to start investing in eternity, for we will be there forever.

So I ask you today: How is your death informing your life?

Weekly Goals

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Here's how I did this week:

Personal

Finish reading Desiring God.

Set a timer every morning for ten minutes of focused prayer time. 4 out of 7 days. Improvement!

Finish memorizing Psalm 34, and begin to memorize Psalm 51. I did meet the goal, but there were several days that I didn't work on Scripture memory at all. I don't want to give you any false illusions.

Get up no later than 6 a.m. every morning. Hahaha. Did it twice. Next week?

Work on personal Bible study at least three days. Managed to do it twice!

Exercise every morning, Monday-Friday. Do work out DVD's on rainy days, go for walks on sunny days. Made it 3 out of 5 days.

Marriage

Dress up for dinner at least one night.

Put a little love note in his lunch each morning. Only did this once all week :(. Next week?

Allow his evenings to stay free and quiet for study (don't ask him to help with S when he ought to be working on something else).

Parenting

Read to S every day.

Spend 15 minutes in focused play time each day, concentrating on the developmental exercises the physical therapist has given us to do. Did it 4 out of 7 days.

Home

 Spend 15 minutes every day, Monday-Friday, organizing/purging/decluttering. Did it 3 out of 5 days.

Spend 15 minutes every day, Monday-Friday, cleaning. Did it 3 out of 5 days.

Make one new meal for dinner: Grilled Veggie Sandwiches.  This was a big hit with the hubby! :)

Blog

Get up early on Saturday to write for at least one hour, uninterupted. Nope. I unashamedly slept in instead.

Post Resolution #6 on Monday.
Finish reading Jacinda Vandenberg's e-book, How to Design a Blog for Free, and play around with the blog's look. What do you think of it so far? I'd love to hear your thoughts!


My goals for this coming week are:


Personal


Finish reading It's My Turn by Ruth Bell Graham. Read chapters 1-4 of Elyse Fitzpatrick's Because He Loves Me.

Spend at least ten minutes of set apart prayer daily.

Work on Scripture memory daily.

Work towards being in bed between 9 and 10 every night (Sat.-Thurs.).

Work towards getting up at 6 each morning.

Work on personal Bible study at least three days.

Go for a walk every week day.

Marriage

Dress up for dinner at least one night. Have candles and music going when Niall walks in the door.

Put a little love note in his lunch each morning.

Parenting

Read to S every day.

Spend 15 minutes playing with S every day, concentrating on the developmental exercises the PT has given us to do.

Home

Spend 15 minutes every day, Monday-Friday, organizing and purging.

Spend 15 minutes every day, Monday-Friday, cleaning.

Make one new meal (to be determined).

Blog

Get up early on Saturday to write for at least one hour, uninterrupted.

Post Resolution #7 on Monday.

Set up my Twitter account.

Install social media icons onto the blog.

What are your goals for the week?

My Husband's Sense of Humor

In case if you hadn't heard (really, who has???), this week is supposedly World Breastfeeding Awareness Week.

I only know because I was invited to attend a breakfast at my local hospital on Tuesday for moms who had breastfed one year (Woohoo! I made my goal!).

To celebrate our accomplishment, each mother was given a certificate congratulating her on one year of breastfeeding... complete with a blank space to fill her own name in.

I wonder how many moms will actually take the certificate home and write their name in??? Will they frame it in their child's nursery? Or post it on the fridge? Hmmm....

Well, my husband thought it was an amazing opportunity to be hilarious :).

This is the guy that, on my first birthday after we started dating, gave me a card consoling me on the loss of my wife.

He is a bit random. And a lot of fun! Which is one of the countless reasons I love being married to him.

So here is a picture of my certificate (which is currently on our fridge):

Because apparently, my year of exclusive pumping was quite the ordeal for him too ;). It involved a lot of washing of bottles and pump pieces, and commiserating... and listening to a lot of complaining from me. So thank you honey! And congratulations on your accomplishment ;).

In other news, less than one week after quitting pumping, my daughter has come down with her first minor illness. How's that for mother guilt?!?!?

Today we are keeping things low key, with cold compresses on her forehead, motrin and tylenol (to reduce her fever), restless sleep, and lots of snuggling.

 My poor baber :(. But I must say, despite her illness- isn't she sweet???

What's been going on at your house lately?

The Cost of Social Media

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For the last month of my life, I have not spent more than a minute or two browsing the Facebook Newsfeed.

The only updates I see are those which appear on my screen immediately after logging in, and friends or blogs that I specifically purpose to check in on.

I desperately needed to make this change. I was spending way too many hours of my life pouring over it, neglecting other things that really mattered. And I often walked away from online time feeling rotten.

While I know this kind of change isn't necessary for everyone, and I have no desire to make it a "law of holiness" that everyone who wants to be godly must adopt,

I would like to share the reasoning behind my decision, in hopes that if you are having the same problems as me, this will be an opportunity for you to reevaluate your use of social media.

Social media comes with a cost. We spend our time, our mental energy, and our emotions on social media.

Time. Maybe, like me, you often decide to spend "just five more minutes" surfing your feeds. But five minutes turns into ten, then fifteen, then twenty... and you are left wondering where your day went, why you haven't accomplished your "to dos", and why your children are misbehaving (starved for attention!).

Instead of investing extra chunks of time into projects or people that you value, you have nothing to show for it, and you are barely keeping your head above water.

Mental Energy. Christians are called to renew their minds in the Word of God. Everything that we spend time reading or watching fills our mind, making an impact on our attitudes and thought processes.

The problem with a social media stream is that you don't have much control over what sorts of messages will be coming your way. Reading excessive complaints or rants, unnecessary vulgarities or profanities, and blatant glorifications of immorality and idolatry will have a negative drain on your brain.

Emotions. At the beginning of this year, Slate posted an article about a Stanford study entitled, "Is Facebook Making Us Sad?" Researchers found that after browsing Facebook, people (especially women!) actually felt worse about themselves.

Because Social Media allows us to present the best side of ourselves, we see all of these happy, healthy, and prosperous people... and think that they have their lives all together, unlike us... which makes us feel depressed.

The reality? Nobody is perfect! We all have issues, sin struggles, heartaches, and trials. When I spent all of that time reading my newsfeed, I kept myself busy comparing, coveting, and complaining about those people who "had it all together."

"She's the same age as me, yet she already has a really nice house, while we're still stuck renting."

"Why does everything work out so well for them? I've worked hard, and I got the same degree as they did!"

"Wow, she has really done well for herself. Why didn't I take that course load in college? Would I be just as successful as her if I had?"

"Wish we could have gone on that amazing cruise for our honeymoon..."

And on it goes.

Beyond the coveting and comparing, certain status updates would seriously grieve me.

That girl that went to youth group with me all through high school? She's now denied the Lord and is living a blatantly sinful life, which she loves to proclaim from the rooftops of her social media status'.

The guy that I attended Bible college with? He's no longer claiming Christ, he is now "out of the closet," his back turned to the clear teachings of Scripture that he once received.

Friends supporting causes and politicians and opinions that I personally find to be offensive, unbiblical, and/or foolish.

While I loved finding out who was getting married and who was having a baby and what life was like for the so-and-sos as oversea missionaries, one seriously negative post from a former friend was enough to send clouds over my otherwise lovely day.

As much as I got a kick out of finding out that the girl I went to 5th grade with was expecting identical twin boys, this fact made no significant difference to me. I still don't really talk with her ever... I wish her the best and am overjoyed at her blessings from the Lord... but if we're no longer keeping up, why do I need to know?

I've found much freedom in letting go of the feed, and stepping back from the hundreds of "friends" that I haven't spoken with in ages.

Instead I've chosen to invest my Facebook time in checking up on the people that I really do care about, intentionally catching up on how they are doing, and how I can be praying for them. Leaving a message or a wall post just to say "hello" and leave a few words of encouragement.


You see, time is short, and the cost of the Newsfeed was just a bit too pricy for me. I don't want to be a slave to Facebook (or Twitter, or blog reading/writing, etc.)- I want it to serve me. When those roles are reversed, I have a problem.

What personal boundaries have you found helpful with regards to Social Media? How do you maximize its positive potential, and limit its negative potential in your life?