Sunday, December 14, 2008
Twice is Just as Nice :-)
I've been blessed not once, but twice recently with FREE concert tickets from my dear friend, Sunny Side of the Street! Tonight I enjoyed an awesome night of Christmas music from various Christian artists. This concert just happened to include one of my major favorites, Sara Groves. I LOVE her! I also got to hear several new artists, all of which were amazing in their own unique way. Seriously.........there was so much talent on that stage!! Oh yeah, let's not forget that I was included in another photo with a famous band....this time Jars of Clay. I am so grateful to my Sunny Side friend... not only is she a dear friend and great company at a concert, but she has managed to make me aware of CURRENT Christian artists..... and that was no easy feat for this dark ages gal! Thanks for including me, Lisa, and spreading the joy. It was even worth running through the rain for :-)
Friday, December 5, 2008
The meaning of idolatry
Jeremiah 5:22-24 (amplified version)
"Do you not fear and reverence Me? says the Lord. Do you not tremble before Me? I placed the sand for the boundary of the sea, a perpetual barrier beyond which it cannot pass and by an everlasting ordinance beyond which it cannot go? And though the waves of the sea toss and shake themselves, yet they cannot prevail (against the feeble grains of sand which God has ordained by nature to be sufficient for His purpose); though (the billows) roar, yet they cannot pass over that (barrier). (Is not such a God to be reverently feared and worshiped?)
But these people have hearts that draw back from God and wills that rebel against Him; they have revolted and quit His service and have gone away (into idolatry). Nor do they say in their hearts, Let us now reverently fear and worship the Lord our God, Who gives rain, both the autumn and the spring rain in its season, Who reserves and keeps for us the appointed weeks of the harvest."
There have been some very upsetting things happen to me, personally, over the past month or so. Challenges have come that I did not foresee nor did I expect. Hurts have come from people that I never thought of as my "enemy." During this time of emotional hardship, I can look back and see myself searching for something to soothe me... something to alleviate the pain. There are two things that stick out as sort of "abnormal" for me. I have spent more time shopping and watching t.v. than I normally EVER do. Now, I do not see those two things as evil in and of themselves. Shopping is necessary (and fun) and I enjoy a bit of t.v. every now and then. But this was different. I knew there was an ache inside. There was a deep wound. I needed to make it feel better... NOW.
Lucky for me this does happen to be the Christmas season and I did go shopping for gifts that I would've bought anyway, but I never, ever want to turn to something other that my Savior to heal my broken heart. I never want to expect something dead to produce life. It is the same thing in my mind and bringing an offering to the golden, man-made calf thinking, "This will do the trick, I just know it. If I bow down to this statue my trouble will go away. If I bring a bigger offering than normal, things will surely improve..... "
It's crazy, really. Just as crazy as turning my attention to anything other than THE LIVING GOD for help... you know, well-timed help in times of trouble. In this passage of scripture, God makes it clear that He's the one with the creative power going on here. Why does my heart run to something else for help? Why do I "draw back" from Him sometimes just when I need to sprint towards Him?
I recently read a few fictional accounts of some Old Testament stories by an author named Gilbert Morris. He painted an amazing picture of what the culture was like during Noah's day and Abraham's day. I never realized how intense the idolatry rituals were and what lengths the people went to in attempt to "please the gods." It seems so absurd to think of putting your trust for anything into an inanimate object......or does it?
So, I was just wondering........what does the word "idolatry" mean to you?
"Do you not fear and reverence Me? says the Lord. Do you not tremble before Me? I placed the sand for the boundary of the sea, a perpetual barrier beyond which it cannot pass and by an everlasting ordinance beyond which it cannot go? And though the waves of the sea toss and shake themselves, yet they cannot prevail (against the feeble grains of sand which God has ordained by nature to be sufficient for His purpose); though (the billows) roar, yet they cannot pass over that (barrier). (Is not such a God to be reverently feared and worshiped?)
But these people have hearts that draw back from God and wills that rebel against Him; they have revolted and quit His service and have gone away (into idolatry). Nor do they say in their hearts, Let us now reverently fear and worship the Lord our God, Who gives rain, both the autumn and the spring rain in its season, Who reserves and keeps for us the appointed weeks of the harvest."
There have been some very upsetting things happen to me, personally, over the past month or so. Challenges have come that I did not foresee nor did I expect. Hurts have come from people that I never thought of as my "enemy." During this time of emotional hardship, I can look back and see myself searching for something to soothe me... something to alleviate the pain. There are two things that stick out as sort of "abnormal" for me. I have spent more time shopping and watching t.v. than I normally EVER do. Now, I do not see those two things as evil in and of themselves. Shopping is necessary (and fun) and I enjoy a bit of t.v. every now and then. But this was different. I knew there was an ache inside. There was a deep wound. I needed to make it feel better... NOW.
Lucky for me this does happen to be the Christmas season and I did go shopping for gifts that I would've bought anyway, but I never, ever want to turn to something other that my Savior to heal my broken heart. I never want to expect something dead to produce life. It is the same thing in my mind and bringing an offering to the golden, man-made calf thinking, "This will do the trick, I just know it. If I bow down to this statue my trouble will go away. If I bring a bigger offering than normal, things will surely improve..... "
It's crazy, really. Just as crazy as turning my attention to anything other than THE LIVING GOD for help... you know, well-timed help in times of trouble. In this passage of scripture, God makes it clear that He's the one with the creative power going on here. Why does my heart run to something else for help? Why do I "draw back" from Him sometimes just when I need to sprint towards Him?
I recently read a few fictional accounts of some Old Testament stories by an author named Gilbert Morris. He painted an amazing picture of what the culture was like during Noah's day and Abraham's day. I never realized how intense the idolatry rituals were and what lengths the people went to in attempt to "please the gods." It seems so absurd to think of putting your trust for anything into an inanimate object......or does it?
So, I was just wondering........what does the word "idolatry" mean to you?
Monday, December 1, 2008
C-O-L-D
Snow is just so fun..... at least the first few times it arrives anyway :-) The kids were begging to go out from the moment they discovered it this morning. We made it through our morning lessons pretty well and then it was off to shovel the drive way and romp around in the snow. After more pleading and begging, we made an impromptu visit to the nearest sledding hill. It was the best kind of hill ever.... an EMPTY hill :-)
We trudged through the snow with 4 children in tow, two of them wearing very tight snow suits from last year and one of them without proper boots. Oh man, it was SO fun! The kids were hilarious to say the least. Jenna and I were dragging up the rear on the initial climb up the ginormous hill when she inquired, "Mommy, why can't we just sled UP?" I, of course, did my motherly duty and promptly explained gravity. Ironically enough, Seth asked the same question of his brother, Zach when they were at the bottom of the hill. You see, Seth was thrilled on the way DOWN the hill, but as soon as he "landed' and discovered he had to RE-climb the monstrous incline, he cried and begged for a ride "up." Sledding up seemed like a logical solution to him. There's just something about a tiny kid all bundled up in snow gear with crocodile tears flying out of his eyes that makes me melt.
I assure you that my heart was the only thing melting. The wind was whipping on top of that slope and it was still snowing. We made it about 45 minutes until my feet felt like ice blocks and everyone's gloves were soaking wet. All in all, it was a successful first sledding run. Before we go out again, we need 2 snowsuits, 2 pairs of boots and 2 more sleds. Those darn kids are always growing!
We trudged through the snow with 4 children in tow, two of them wearing very tight snow suits from last year and one of them without proper boots. Oh man, it was SO fun! The kids were hilarious to say the least. Jenna and I were dragging up the rear on the initial climb up the ginormous hill when she inquired, "Mommy, why can't we just sled UP?" I, of course, did my motherly duty and promptly explained gravity. Ironically enough, Seth asked the same question of his brother, Zach when they were at the bottom of the hill. You see, Seth was thrilled on the way DOWN the hill, but as soon as he "landed' and discovered he had to RE-climb the monstrous incline, he cried and begged for a ride "up." Sledding up seemed like a logical solution to him. There's just something about a tiny kid all bundled up in snow gear with crocodile tears flying out of his eyes that makes me melt.
I assure you that my heart was the only thing melting. The wind was whipping on top of that slope and it was still snowing. We made it about 45 minutes until my feet felt like ice blocks and everyone's gloves were soaking wet. All in all, it was a successful first sledding run. Before we go out again, we need 2 snowsuits, 2 pairs of boots and 2 more sleds. Those darn kids are always growing!
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Rewritten
I've written this post in my head at least 3 different ways during the last several days. My Thanksgiving has encompassed a full gamut of emotions, to say the least....
For the first time ever, I hosted a Thanksgiving dinner. My mother-in-law was not feeling up to it, so I offered to have my husband's family over to celebrate the holiday. Much to my own surprise, I ended up loving every minute of it. My husband deep-fried 2 birds which was quite a relief to me. I enjoyed watching him research it all out, looking up recipes & techniques. The kids also enjoyed it tremendously. Seth named his turkey, "Rock Star" and Jenna named hers, "Sparkles." Don't ask... I don't get it either :-) I hope to never erase in my mind the picture of all my kids gathered around 2 naked birds in my kitchen, each taking turns injecting them with butter using a honking-huge syringe. They LOVED it. We tend to turn everything into a learning experience and this was no exception.
I had the distinct impression that this holiday was especially important for my family. I could just tell that something was being knitted together in us as we worked side by side, preparing a mega-feast for our extended family to enjoy. Suddenly, we've turned a corner. My kids are of the ages now, that it's no longer "mom & dad doing all the work while the kids run off and play." They are old enough to really help. They worked HARD (seriously), helping make the house and food ready for the big Turkey day. It really was a team effort.
I cannot express how much joy this brought me. It's not just about me "finally getting some help." It's much more about us enjoying life together, making memories together, learning from one another, and building family relationships. I want them to have fond memories of making holiday preparations together, knowing that their contributions to that effort mattered. Each one of them brings a special dimension to our family that no one else can duplicate. I had a deep sense that we were "building" something very important and foundational, something that our kids would always want to come back to and be a part of.
The dinner itself was a huge success. I learned many things about cooking, including some definite "what NOT to do's." All of my guest brought a dish, and there literally was enough food to feed an army (or the Massasoit Tribe). It has taken many, many years, but I finally realized that it's not about the "perfection' of it all... it's about the "heart" of it all. My house wasn't perfectly clean (I didn't even mop my floor!) and the food wasn't all perfectly hot, but we all enjoyed each other's company and shared stories and laughter. I was (FOR ONCE) perfectly content with that!
After the official Thanksgiving Day, I was able to spend some time with my (the Brister) side of the family. I had the rather rare opportunity to spend some time with my younger sister and my dad. We were driving to the store together and I sat in the back seat, listening to my dad tell some stories about his father. It's amazing how my quiet and reserved father loves to tell stories about his family's history. Anyhow, I found out that my dad's dad's mom (a.k.a. my great-grandma) was under a lot of pressure to get an abortion when she found out she was pregnant with my grandpa. Her husband (my great-great grandpa) had Tuberculosis and was in a Sanitarium. My great-grandma had nothing and this was during the Great Depression. Her 2 sisters were pushing hard for her to abort the baby, saying there was no way she would make it with no husband and no job. My great-grandma refused and miraculously got a job as a house handmaid for some people. My great-grandpa eventually improved and got to come back home and they had three more children together.
I was literally awe-struck by this story. What if she'd done it? What if she'd given in to hopelessness? What if she had no faith? My grandpa would've been killed in utero, my dad wouldn't exist, and neither would I? Our entire family history could have been rewritten. I was overcome with thanksgiving in realizing that God has had His hand on our family for a very, very long time. It gave me a new appreciation for my great-grandma, "Ma." It must've been hard for her to stand up to her sisters, not knowing what would become of her or her baby. I had the privilege of knowing my Ma Brister, since she passed away only a few years ago. This whole story gave me some sort of new courage... to do what's right in God's eyes no matter what, knowing the He is my Hope and realizing that my decisions will affect the generations that follow. We are writting history..right here and right now. I want to be that "Ma" that courageously obeys the Lord in the midst of major uncertainty. That's the legacy that I want to leave.
I must say, I'm so thankful this year for a multitude of things...
For the first time ever, I hosted a Thanksgiving dinner. My mother-in-law was not feeling up to it, so I offered to have my husband's family over to celebrate the holiday. Much to my own surprise, I ended up loving every minute of it. My husband deep-fried 2 birds which was quite a relief to me. I enjoyed watching him research it all out, looking up recipes & techniques. The kids also enjoyed it tremendously. Seth named his turkey, "Rock Star" and Jenna named hers, "Sparkles." Don't ask... I don't get it either :-) I hope to never erase in my mind the picture of all my kids gathered around 2 naked birds in my kitchen, each taking turns injecting them with butter using a honking-huge syringe. They LOVED it. We tend to turn everything into a learning experience and this was no exception.
I had the distinct impression that this holiday was especially important for my family. I could just tell that something was being knitted together in us as we worked side by side, preparing a mega-feast for our extended family to enjoy. Suddenly, we've turned a corner. My kids are of the ages now, that it's no longer "mom & dad doing all the work while the kids run off and play." They are old enough to really help. They worked HARD (seriously), helping make the house and food ready for the big Turkey day. It really was a team effort.
I cannot express how much joy this brought me. It's not just about me "finally getting some help." It's much more about us enjoying life together, making memories together, learning from one another, and building family relationships. I want them to have fond memories of making holiday preparations together, knowing that their contributions to that effort mattered. Each one of them brings a special dimension to our family that no one else can duplicate. I had a deep sense that we were "building" something very important and foundational, something that our kids would always want to come back to and be a part of.
The dinner itself was a huge success. I learned many things about cooking, including some definite "what NOT to do's." All of my guest brought a dish, and there literally was enough food to feed an army (or the Massasoit Tribe). It has taken many, many years, but I finally realized that it's not about the "perfection' of it all... it's about the "heart" of it all. My house wasn't perfectly clean (I didn't even mop my floor!) and the food wasn't all perfectly hot, but we all enjoyed each other's company and shared stories and laughter. I was (FOR ONCE) perfectly content with that!
After the official Thanksgiving Day, I was able to spend some time with my (the Brister) side of the family. I had the rather rare opportunity to spend some time with my younger sister and my dad. We were driving to the store together and I sat in the back seat, listening to my dad tell some stories about his father. It's amazing how my quiet and reserved father loves to tell stories about his family's history. Anyhow, I found out that my dad's dad's mom (a.k.a. my great-grandma) was under a lot of pressure to get an abortion when she found out she was pregnant with my grandpa. Her husband (my great-great grandpa) had Tuberculosis and was in a Sanitarium. My great-grandma had nothing and this was during the Great Depression. Her 2 sisters were pushing hard for her to abort the baby, saying there was no way she would make it with no husband and no job. My great-grandma refused and miraculously got a job as a house handmaid for some people. My great-grandpa eventually improved and got to come back home and they had three more children together.
I was literally awe-struck by this story. What if she'd done it? What if she'd given in to hopelessness? What if she had no faith? My grandpa would've been killed in utero, my dad wouldn't exist, and neither would I? Our entire family history could have been rewritten. I was overcome with thanksgiving in realizing that God has had His hand on our family for a very, very long time. It gave me a new appreciation for my great-grandma, "Ma." It must've been hard for her to stand up to her sisters, not knowing what would become of her or her baby. I had the privilege of knowing my Ma Brister, since she passed away only a few years ago. This whole story gave me some sort of new courage... to do what's right in God's eyes no matter what, knowing the He is my Hope and realizing that my decisions will affect the generations that follow. We are writting history..right here and right now. I want to be that "Ma" that courageously obeys the Lord in the midst of major uncertainty. That's the legacy that I want to leave.
I must say, I'm so thankful this year for a multitude of things...
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Obedience...yet another obligation?
OK ya'll. Sorry if I'm boring you, but I just haven't gotten off this train yet. Wayne Jacobsen's book entitled, "He Loves Me! Learning to Live in the Father's Affection" is speaking loud and clear to me these days. Sometimes I'm rather awed and stupefied by how backward my own thinking is. Here are a few excerpts I've been chewing on:
"The motives of conformity do not produce intimacy....We think conformity to God's ways will lead us closer to him, when the opposite is true. If we focus on our own fears and performance, he will seem more distant. It is only by living in the security of God's affection that he is able to transform us."
"I am not saying that the fear of God is wrong, only that it is incomplete. It is the first rung on the ladder to knowing God in his fullness. He said himself it was the beginning of wisdom, but it is only the beginning. Love is the end product of wisdom. If you don't love God, you would be well-served to fear him. At least that might keep you from behaviors that will destroy you and others around you. But once you know how much he loves you, you'll never need to fear him again. In other words, this Father doesn't just seek your obedience, he desires your affection. He can have your obedience without your love, but he knows where he has your love he will also have your obedience."
"One can obey God and yet not trust him, and in doing so miss out on a relationship with him. One cannot, however, trust God and be disobedient to him. For we shall see that all disobedience flows out of mistrust in God's nature and of his intentions toward us."
" 'God is good. You are bad. Try harder!' ...the observations of a fifteen-year-old summing up an evening with her youth group."
God is way bigger than obligation.
"The motives of conformity do not produce intimacy....We think conformity to God's ways will lead us closer to him, when the opposite is true. If we focus on our own fears and performance, he will seem more distant. It is only by living in the security of God's affection that he is able to transform us."
"I am not saying that the fear of God is wrong, only that it is incomplete. It is the first rung on the ladder to knowing God in his fullness. He said himself it was the beginning of wisdom, but it is only the beginning. Love is the end product of wisdom. If you don't love God, you would be well-served to fear him. At least that might keep you from behaviors that will destroy you and others around you. But once you know how much he loves you, you'll never need to fear him again. In other words, this Father doesn't just seek your obedience, he desires your affection. He can have your obedience without your love, but he knows where he has your love he will also have your obedience."
"One can obey God and yet not trust him, and in doing so miss out on a relationship with him. One cannot, however, trust God and be disobedient to him. For we shall see that all disobedience flows out of mistrust in God's nature and of his intentions toward us."
" 'God is good. You are bad. Try harder!' ...the observations of a fifteen-year-old summing up an evening with her youth group."
God is way bigger than obligation.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Really awesome...
OK, I am not getting paid for this post. But I just have to say that I had a really awesome experience today at a place call, "Portrait Innovations." We had a great photographer who took tons of time with my family, which made my heart sing. I absolutely get anxiety when I think about going to an overcrowded, "cattle herder" photography studio around the holidays.... especially when I want a NICE picture of 6 people!
I felt like the girl taking care of us actually cared as much as I did about how good my pictures turned out. She understood the process of working so hard to get everyone looking nice at the same time and she valued the work I had put into the day, even though she doesn't have her own family yet. She actually HELPED me choose the best photos in order to stay in my price range. She was AWESOME!
Did I mention that I actually came home with all of my portrait packages and my Christmas cards? Yep... all ready for ya in 30 minutes or so. Gotta tell you.......the old-fashioned idea of kindness, caring, and work-ethic rate pretty high in my book. Blessings to Ellyse, the sweet photographer who made this Christmas season that much sweeter for me.
I felt like the girl taking care of us actually cared as much as I did about how good my pictures turned out. She understood the process of working so hard to get everyone looking nice at the same time and she valued the work I had put into the day, even though she doesn't have her own family yet. She actually HELPED me choose the best photos in order to stay in my price range. She was AWESOME!
Did I mention that I actually came home with all of my portrait packages and my Christmas cards? Yep... all ready for ya in 30 minutes or so. Gotta tell you.......the old-fashioned idea of kindness, caring, and work-ethic rate pretty high in my book. Blessings to Ellyse, the sweet photographer who made this Christmas season that much sweeter for me.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Obligation. I MUST write about it.
Obligation: (n.) That which constitutes legal or moral duty, and which renders a person liable to coercion and punishment for neglecting it.
Can I tell you something? I hate that word. Everything about that word has a negative connotation to me right now. Late this evening, I finally got a chance to sit down and look through the Sunday sales papers. As I was flipping through I just got a sense of dread come over me. I realized that so much of our gift exchanging is "obligatory." Eww. That ugly word again. I wondered, as I looked, how many people that normally buy ME a present actually want to. I mean, really. I'm not looking for pity or hinting around for Christmas gifts or anything, but I will describe for you what genuine gift giving means to me.
In my opinion, it means that someone is so touched by my presence in their life, that they automatically feel compelled to be kind to me. They notice what I like and dislike because they've spent time getting to know me, and something within them longs to do something special for me..... just because I'm me. When someone is touched by love, the knee-jerk reaction is to love back. To "give" back, to "care" back, to "be there" back, to "console" back, to "cheer up" back. I absolutely LOVE to shop for people and look for little things that I think they would like....to surprise them with a thoughtful gift that comes from the heart.
You want to know what else I hate (I know, I'm on a role)? I also hate the whole "money spending" tally thing. You know, making sure you spend the same on all the cousins, or equal amounts on the grandparents, etc. To me, how can you measure a heart felt gift in dollars and cents like that? For one person, the thing you just KNOW they'd love might be a whopping $15. For someone else it might be $40. I hope you get my drift. I just feel so bound up with all of these obligatory rules, gift-giving do's and don'ts. It literally sucks the joy right out of it. I mean, how special do you feel when Aunt LuLu buys you a pair of $15 slipper socks that you'll never wear to fulfill her Christmas List obligation? What are we giving those gifts for???
Something I just read a few nights ago really struck a chord. Let me quote:
"It's tragic really. Those who are willing to substitute the demand of obligation for the power of affection have not tasted the latter in any significant measure. I have observed all over the world that those who discover the depth of the Father's affection for them and learn to live in it find greater passion for Jesus and freedom from sin and are more engaged with the world than anyone driven by religious obligation."
by Wayne Jacobsen in "He Loves Me. Learning to live in the Father's Affection.
I'm all about seeking the "genuine" right now. Genuine "love," genuine "care," genuine "following," genuine "discipleship."
Genuine: (n.) Real, natural, true. Free from anything false, or counterfeit. Pure.
Can I tell you something? I hate that word. Everything about that word has a negative connotation to me right now. Late this evening, I finally got a chance to sit down and look through the Sunday sales papers. As I was flipping through I just got a sense of dread come over me. I realized that so much of our gift exchanging is "obligatory." Eww. That ugly word again. I wondered, as I looked, how many people that normally buy ME a present actually want to. I mean, really. I'm not looking for pity or hinting around for Christmas gifts or anything, but I will describe for you what genuine gift giving means to me.
In my opinion, it means that someone is so touched by my presence in their life, that they automatically feel compelled to be kind to me. They notice what I like and dislike because they've spent time getting to know me, and something within them longs to do something special for me..... just because I'm me. When someone is touched by love, the knee-jerk reaction is to love back. To "give" back, to "care" back, to "be there" back, to "console" back, to "cheer up" back. I absolutely LOVE to shop for people and look for little things that I think they would like....to surprise them with a thoughtful gift that comes from the heart.
You want to know what else I hate (I know, I'm on a role)? I also hate the whole "money spending" tally thing. You know, making sure you spend the same on all the cousins, or equal amounts on the grandparents, etc. To me, how can you measure a heart felt gift in dollars and cents like that? For one person, the thing you just KNOW they'd love might be a whopping $15. For someone else it might be $40. I hope you get my drift. I just feel so bound up with all of these obligatory rules, gift-giving do's and don'ts. It literally sucks the joy right out of it. I mean, how special do you feel when Aunt LuLu buys you a pair of $15 slipper socks that you'll never wear to fulfill her Christmas List obligation? What are we giving those gifts for???
Something I just read a few nights ago really struck a chord. Let me quote:
"It's tragic really. Those who are willing to substitute the demand of obligation for the power of affection have not tasted the latter in any significant measure. I have observed all over the world that those who discover the depth of the Father's affection for them and learn to live in it find greater passion for Jesus and freedom from sin and are more engaged with the world than anyone driven by religious obligation."
by Wayne Jacobsen in "He Loves Me. Learning to live in the Father's Affection.
I'm all about seeking the "genuine" right now. Genuine "love," genuine "care," genuine "following," genuine "discipleship."
Genuine: (n.) Real, natural, true. Free from anything false, or counterfeit. Pure.
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