.jpg)
I enjoyed reading the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder when I was younger and then to my children. Recently I have been reading a collection of her essays in a book titled "Little House in the Ozarks". For a woman of her time she was very progressive in her thinking and I have been pleasantly surprised at how applicable her words are for me today. I feel like I've spent time with a friend.
Here's an excerpt from an essay I read today:
"...at long last I'm beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all. We heap around us things that we do not need as the crow makes piles of glittering pebbles. We gabble words like parrots until we lose the sense of their meaning; we chase after this new idea and that; we take an old thought and dress it out in so many words that the thought itself is lost in its clothing like a slim woman in a barrel skirt, and then we exclaim, "Lo, the wonderful new thought I have found!"
There is nothing new under the sun," says the proverb. I think the meaning is that there are just so many truths or laws of life, and no matter how far we may think we have advanced, we cannot get beyond those laws. However complex a structure we build of living, we must come back to those truths, and so we find we have traveled in a circle.
I believe we would be happier to have a personal revolution in our individual lives and go back to simpler living and more direct thinking. It is the simple things of life that make living worthwhile, the sweet fundamental things such as love and duty, work and rest, and living close to nature. There are no hothouse blossoms that can compare in beauty and fragrance with my bouquet of wildflowers."
Friday, November 27, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
A Simple Pleasure For Thanksgiving
I borrowed this delightful photo from Debbie at Heart Choices because I want to wish my American friends a happy Thanksgiving. What better way to spread holiday cheer than to give everyone something to smile about and I figured this photo would do just that even though it has little to do with the holiday.
Actually, maybe it does. Taking joy in simple pleasures is something to be thankful for.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Recipes: Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Apple Cinnamon Buttermilk Cake
This is one of my favorite things to make for Thanksgiving or Christmas. It's so simple but tastes great and is a healthy option for a side dish.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 vidalia onion or other sweet onion, peeled and diced
4 t. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
Toss all ingredients together, making sure there is enough olive oil to coat potatoes and onions well. Add more if needed. Place in 9x13 baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes at 425 degrees.
Apple Cinnamon Buttermilk Cake
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick), at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup peeled and chopped baking apple (I used granny smith)
Heaping tablespoon of raw sugar (demerara, turbinado or Sugar in the Raw)
Extra cinnamon for sprinkling
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan* (or spray with Baker’s Joy or equivalent).
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt; set aside. In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about two minutes. Add vanilla and egg and beat well. With the mixer set to low speed, beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture. Add half the buttermilk and continue beating on low speed until incorporated. Scraping down sides of bowl as necessary, beat in another 1/3 of flour mixture then remaining buttermilk. Finally beat in the last 1/3 of the flour mixture until just combined.
3. Scrape batter into the cake pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Scatter apple pieces evenly over the top of the cake batter then sprinkle evenly with raw sugar. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon.
4. Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven until cake is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in the pan for ten minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool until warm. Invert onto a plate. Serve plain, or with whipped cream and salted caramel sauce.
*You may use a 9-inch cake pan, if you don’t have an 8-inch one. The cake will be a bit thinner and will bake slightly faster.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 vidalia onion or other sweet onion, peeled and diced
4 t. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
Toss all ingredients together, making sure there is enough olive oil to coat potatoes and onions well. Add more if needed. Place in 9x13 baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes at 425 degrees.
Apple Cinnamon Buttermilk Cake1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick), at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup peeled and chopped baking apple (I used granny smith)
Heaping tablespoon of raw sugar (demerara, turbinado or Sugar in the Raw)
Extra cinnamon for sprinkling
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan* (or spray with Baker’s Joy or equivalent).
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt; set aside. In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about two minutes. Add vanilla and egg and beat well. With the mixer set to low speed, beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture. Add half the buttermilk and continue beating on low speed until incorporated. Scraping down sides of bowl as necessary, beat in another 1/3 of flour mixture then remaining buttermilk. Finally beat in the last 1/3 of the flour mixture until just combined.
3. Scrape batter into the cake pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Scatter apple pieces evenly over the top of the cake batter then sprinkle evenly with raw sugar. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon.
4. Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven until cake is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in the pan for ten minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool until warm. Invert onto a plate. Serve plain, or with whipped cream and salted caramel sauce.
*You may use a 9-inch cake pan, if you don’t have an 8-inch one. The cake will be a bit thinner and will bake slightly faster.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Amazing Grace
Amazing Grace sung by Il Divo at the coliseum in Rome where ironically, Christians were martyred centuries ago.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
The Gift of Unhappiness
It is difficult to accept a gift that comes wrapped in discomfort. Our society teaches us that anything difficult must be avoided at all cost even though it may lead to something better. If we have pain in our chest, or a headache that never goes away, we will go to a doctor to see what is wrong. But we tend to ignore the niggling feelings of discontent, listening instead to the more imposing voice that tells us Christians are to be content in all things without question. We don’t see that God is simply trying to get our attention and cultivate the desire for something more so we don’t become satisfied prematurely, settling for less than His best. It is uncomfortable to change. It is difficult to dig deeper into unhappiness and find the real source.
When feelings of unhappiness arise that have no obvious source, we can choose to brush it aside until it grows and causes even more dissatisfaction, or we can accept the discomfort and change the cause. Sometimes the search for the source of discontentment leads us to a place of acceptance even if nothing does change. That in itself can be a gift when we are able to accept it and move on to other things. But more often, the feelings of unhappiness we feel on a daily basis stem from areas that can be remedied when we pause to seek what the Lord is trying to show us.
Feelings of unhappiness often begin with questions: Does God still care about me? Why am I unhappy when I have so much to be thankful for? Why doesn’t God answer my prayer? The questions sometimes lead to doubt: I must be in sin and God isn’t hearing me. Maybe I’m not really saved because Christians shouldn’t be sad. I must not have enough faith because I am dissatisfied. When such questions and doubts arise, it is important to address them to make sure there is no known sin in our lives, that we are not unhappy because of disobedience, selfishness, greed or envy, and that Satan isn’t giving us false notions to distract us from the truth.
My friend Lynn spent years at a job that didn’t bring satisfaction. At first she chalked up her discontent as being an attack from Satan, trying to get her to become negative. After all, the job paid well and had great benefits. “It seemed the more I prayed and tried to get past the situation, the worse it got,” said Lynn. The unhappiness grew until finally, after prayer and discussing the situation with her family, Lynn left the company and found a job that was less stressful and more satisfying. “Looking back, I see that the Lord was trying to get my attention to give me permission to quit and go to something that was a better fit for me. I felt instant relief when the decision was made and I was out of that situation,” Lynn said.
In my own experience with panic disorder, I see now that the Lord used the panic attacks to let me know I needed to slow down, quit trying to be all things to all people, and learn to let Him bear my burdens. I am like the three year old who insists on helping carry in the groceries even though the bags are much too heavy for him to manage.
There were signs that the stress was getting to me - insomnia, feelings of hopelessness and physical symptoms - but I chose to brush them off. Only when I ended up in the hospital emergency room did I begin to see that changes were in order. Once I began living more dependently upon God and made lifestyle changes, I could see panic disorder as a gift. The time of unhappiness while getting well brought me to a place of balance and healing but had I paid attention in the beginning I might have been spared the measures God had to take to turn me around.
As Christian women we sometimes feel that any sign of discontentment or depression is a spiritual flaw. Surely we must be out of it spiritually if we don’t constantly delight in our housework, children and husbands. Some of us have the notion that it is wrong to question God if we don’t feel fulfilled. I have another friend who felt this way. She was tired and overwhelmed by the task of being a mom at home to three children under the age of five. Her life had become a pattern of daily squabbles, laundry, meals and clean-up. When she began feeling resentful of her family, she sought help from an older woman at church who had raised four kids. “This woman became a mentor to me and showed me that I needed to take time to nourish myself spiritually and creatively,” she said. “I always thought that being a mom at home meant I had to be there every minute. That was my job. But in the meantime I was becoming depleted - mentally, spiritually, emotionally, physically and I was experiencing the stress of guilt because it seemed selfish to want self-fulfillment.” Fortunately, she acted on the feelings of discontent in a prayerful, positive way and was able to make simple changes that turned it into a gift.
God also uses unhappiness to bring about the gift of ministry in the lives of others. Seeing suffering cultivates a sadness that compels us to act. When tornadoes ravaged parts of Oklahoma several years ago, my son, then age four, was saddened by what we saw on the news and began asking questions. One of the scenes showed a twisted bicycle outside the remains of a home. “Did some kids lose their toys?” he asked. I told him a lot of kids lost toys. He nodded and left the room and later when I went to find him, he was in his room arranging toys on his bed. “I want to give these to those kids,” he said. He had tears in his eyes and by then, so did I. The scenes on the television broke his heart and instead of just feeling sad, he wanted to do something to help. We gathered up the toys, bought some supplies at the grocery store, and went to donate them to a group who was taking supplies to the disaster area. I hope that small donation helped bring joy to someone. I know it did for Nate and me because we accepted sadness and allowed the Lord to turn it into a blessing.
Pay attention to the source of depression, sadness, dissatisfaction or discontentment. An undefined edge of discontent may be the Holy Spirit’s nudging to get us out of a situation and into His plan for our lives. It may be a signal that things are beginning to deteriorate and need intervention before they become real problems. When feelings of hopelessness are born out of fatigue and depletion, simple lifestyle changes can turn it around. Ask God what the reason is and what He wants to do about it. God says in James 1:5 that if we lack wisdom, we should ask and receive it from Him. Once assured that the source is not from sin, we need to examine through prayer and scripture what God is leading us to do. Then, pay attention. Often, help is just a small change away, as in the case of my friend who simply needed some time to replenish her spirit. Other times, major changes are required to get to the other side of unhappiness to joy.
Understand that life on earth will never completely satisfy. There is no perfect scenario. Unhappiness or discontentment will never go away permanently until we are with the Lord. We are not happy here because we are not at home here. Real unhappiness is when we settle for earth, thinking that’s where our joy lies. Equally tragic is when we ignore the call of discontent and waste a lifetime never knowing what God could have done for us and through us.
Second Corinthians 4: 7-10 says “but we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.” Christ offers peace, joy and abundant living in the midst of discontent when we turn to Him and are obedient to follow where He leads.
When unhappiness or discontentment comes, receive it as a gift, knowing that God sees the whole picture. In life, we only have a box of puzzle pieces and no lid to give us a clue as to what the big picture looks like. But when we accept unhappiness in light of the Lord getting our attention to keep us on His path, the puzzle will slowly assemble; a gift in the making and one that won’t be seen clearly until we go home to Him. First Corinthians 2:9 tells us that “no one has ever imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”
Some gifts do come wrapped in discomfort. But unhappiness, when delivered by the Lord, is a gift worth unwrapping no matter how long it takes and how painful it becomes. Stop and pray for wisdom and sight to see what it is that needs changed. As long as we are discontented, we will search. As long as we are dissatisfied, God will hold our attention and show us there is something more.
(My article is copyright protected through another publication.)
When feelings of unhappiness arise that have no obvious source, we can choose to brush it aside until it grows and causes even more dissatisfaction, or we can accept the discomfort and change the cause. Sometimes the search for the source of discontentment leads us to a place of acceptance even if nothing does change. That in itself can be a gift when we are able to accept it and move on to other things. But more often, the feelings of unhappiness we feel on a daily basis stem from areas that can be remedied when we pause to seek what the Lord is trying to show us.
Feelings of unhappiness often begin with questions: Does God still care about me? Why am I unhappy when I have so much to be thankful for? Why doesn’t God answer my prayer? The questions sometimes lead to doubt: I must be in sin and God isn’t hearing me. Maybe I’m not really saved because Christians shouldn’t be sad. I must not have enough faith because I am dissatisfied. When such questions and doubts arise, it is important to address them to make sure there is no known sin in our lives, that we are not unhappy because of disobedience, selfishness, greed or envy, and that Satan isn’t giving us false notions to distract us from the truth.
My friend Lynn spent years at a job that didn’t bring satisfaction. At first she chalked up her discontent as being an attack from Satan, trying to get her to become negative. After all, the job paid well and had great benefits. “It seemed the more I prayed and tried to get past the situation, the worse it got,” said Lynn. The unhappiness grew until finally, after prayer and discussing the situation with her family, Lynn left the company and found a job that was less stressful and more satisfying. “Looking back, I see that the Lord was trying to get my attention to give me permission to quit and go to something that was a better fit for me. I felt instant relief when the decision was made and I was out of that situation,” Lynn said.
In my own experience with panic disorder, I see now that the Lord used the panic attacks to let me know I needed to slow down, quit trying to be all things to all people, and learn to let Him bear my burdens. I am like the three year old who insists on helping carry in the groceries even though the bags are much too heavy for him to manage.
There were signs that the stress was getting to me - insomnia, feelings of hopelessness and physical symptoms - but I chose to brush them off. Only when I ended up in the hospital emergency room did I begin to see that changes were in order. Once I began living more dependently upon God and made lifestyle changes, I could see panic disorder as a gift. The time of unhappiness while getting well brought me to a place of balance and healing but had I paid attention in the beginning I might have been spared the measures God had to take to turn me around.
As Christian women we sometimes feel that any sign of discontentment or depression is a spiritual flaw. Surely we must be out of it spiritually if we don’t constantly delight in our housework, children and husbands. Some of us have the notion that it is wrong to question God if we don’t feel fulfilled. I have another friend who felt this way. She was tired and overwhelmed by the task of being a mom at home to three children under the age of five. Her life had become a pattern of daily squabbles, laundry, meals and clean-up. When she began feeling resentful of her family, she sought help from an older woman at church who had raised four kids. “This woman became a mentor to me and showed me that I needed to take time to nourish myself spiritually and creatively,” she said. “I always thought that being a mom at home meant I had to be there every minute. That was my job. But in the meantime I was becoming depleted - mentally, spiritually, emotionally, physically and I was experiencing the stress of guilt because it seemed selfish to want self-fulfillment.” Fortunately, she acted on the feelings of discontent in a prayerful, positive way and was able to make simple changes that turned it into a gift.
God also uses unhappiness to bring about the gift of ministry in the lives of others. Seeing suffering cultivates a sadness that compels us to act. When tornadoes ravaged parts of Oklahoma several years ago, my son, then age four, was saddened by what we saw on the news and began asking questions. One of the scenes showed a twisted bicycle outside the remains of a home. “Did some kids lose their toys?” he asked. I told him a lot of kids lost toys. He nodded and left the room and later when I went to find him, he was in his room arranging toys on his bed. “I want to give these to those kids,” he said. He had tears in his eyes and by then, so did I. The scenes on the television broke his heart and instead of just feeling sad, he wanted to do something to help. We gathered up the toys, bought some supplies at the grocery store, and went to donate them to a group who was taking supplies to the disaster area. I hope that small donation helped bring joy to someone. I know it did for Nate and me because we accepted sadness and allowed the Lord to turn it into a blessing.
Pay attention to the source of depression, sadness, dissatisfaction or discontentment. An undefined edge of discontent may be the Holy Spirit’s nudging to get us out of a situation and into His plan for our lives. It may be a signal that things are beginning to deteriorate and need intervention before they become real problems. When feelings of hopelessness are born out of fatigue and depletion, simple lifestyle changes can turn it around. Ask God what the reason is and what He wants to do about it. God says in James 1:5 that if we lack wisdom, we should ask and receive it from Him. Once assured that the source is not from sin, we need to examine through prayer and scripture what God is leading us to do. Then, pay attention. Often, help is just a small change away, as in the case of my friend who simply needed some time to replenish her spirit. Other times, major changes are required to get to the other side of unhappiness to joy.
Understand that life on earth will never completely satisfy. There is no perfect scenario. Unhappiness or discontentment will never go away permanently until we are with the Lord. We are not happy here because we are not at home here. Real unhappiness is when we settle for earth, thinking that’s where our joy lies. Equally tragic is when we ignore the call of discontent and waste a lifetime never knowing what God could have done for us and through us.
Second Corinthians 4: 7-10 says “but we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.” Christ offers peace, joy and abundant living in the midst of discontent when we turn to Him and are obedient to follow where He leads.
When unhappiness or discontentment comes, receive it as a gift, knowing that God sees the whole picture. In life, we only have a box of puzzle pieces and no lid to give us a clue as to what the big picture looks like. But when we accept unhappiness in light of the Lord getting our attention to keep us on His path, the puzzle will slowly assemble; a gift in the making and one that won’t be seen clearly until we go home to Him. First Corinthians 2:9 tells us that “no one has ever imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”
Some gifts do come wrapped in discomfort. But unhappiness, when delivered by the Lord, is a gift worth unwrapping no matter how long it takes and how painful it becomes. Stop and pray for wisdom and sight to see what it is that needs changed. As long as we are discontented, we will search. As long as we are dissatisfied, God will hold our attention and show us there is something more.
(My article is copyright protected through another publication.)
Friday, November 20, 2009
Holiday Survival: Just Say No
I've read several blogs and Facebook entries lately that lament the coming holiday season. The consensus seems to be that many are dreading it more than anticipating it. The stress seems to be brought on by extra activity in already crowded schedules, commercialism that makes us feel bad if we don't buy lots of gifts (with money we don't have and maybe for people we don't even like?), and self-imposed pressure to morph into Martha Stewart when it comes to decorating or entertaining.
May I share my tip for survival? Here it is: learn that "no" is a complete sentence. Practice saying it to yourself in a mirror if it helps. Say it with conviction and without needing to justify your reasons. Being able to say "no" to what you don't want and "yes" to what is truly enjoyable and meaningful helps set boundaries on your time, finances, food consumption and activity.
Give yourself permission to say no to overspending or going into debt. Gather the courage to let family and friends know that this year you are scaling back on gifts if that is what you want. You might find that they are relieved to be released from the expectation to give as well. In this time of economic recession most people are in the same place of needing to limit spending so have the discussion. But, even if you are met with resistance (especially from your children!), stand firm whether your reason is because of limited funds or simply because you are tired of the commercialism, greed and expectation of gifts. Giving gifts is an joyful act of grace but is always optional no matter the expectation. It should be done out of love and because one wants to. It should also be done within one's means.
Unless I know specifically what someone wants, my gift giving consists of either gift cards, a tree ornament (handcrafted or store-bought), or a consumable gift such as baked goods or homemade apple butter. I'm one of those people who is always done with gift buying before Thanksgiving. It's easy because it's simple and it's always done within a budget so there's no sticker shock in January.
Decide how you want to spend your time during the holidays. Pick the activities you truly enjoy and say no to the ones you don't if too many activities causes stress this time of year. It might mean choosing to participate in the neighborhood cookie exchange and saying no to Christmas caroling with the church choir. Or attending the annual production of "The Nutcracker" but passing on the local symphony's holiday concert. Or needing to attend the annual company Christmas dinner and child's school concert but declining a party invitation from someone you aren't especially close to.
With decorating, give yourself permission to do as much or as little as you want. Some people love this time of year and go all out with a decorated tree in every room and lights around every window and exposed surface of the house outside. There's nothing wrong with that if it makes you happy. I'm a minimalist in this area. I don't enjoy dragging out a lot of decorations that have to be put away a few weeks later. I probably did more decorating for the holidays when my kids were younger. Now I do a tree (only because the family insists), hang a wreath on the door and put out my Willow Tree nativity set along with some candles. Doing more is a chore for me. Music is a big part of what I enjoy at Christmas so there is usually a CD going as background music. I make time to sit with a cup of hot tea to listen which keeps me in a positive Christmas mood and is a great stress reliever.
The point of all this is, focus on what is meaningful and enjoyable to you and your family during the holidays. The rest is clutter. It's all about making choices and setting boundaries both for yourself and for others. Don't be afraid to ask for what you want and say no to what you don't want.
Most of all, discover what you truly enjoy about this time of year and embrace those things.
May I share my tip for survival? Here it is: learn that "no" is a complete sentence. Practice saying it to yourself in a mirror if it helps. Say it with conviction and without needing to justify your reasons. Being able to say "no" to what you don't want and "yes" to what is truly enjoyable and meaningful helps set boundaries on your time, finances, food consumption and activity.
Give yourself permission to say no to overspending or going into debt. Gather the courage to let family and friends know that this year you are scaling back on gifts if that is what you want. You might find that they are relieved to be released from the expectation to give as well. In this time of economic recession most people are in the same place of needing to limit spending so have the discussion. But, even if you are met with resistance (especially from your children!), stand firm whether your reason is because of limited funds or simply because you are tired of the commercialism, greed and expectation of gifts. Giving gifts is an joyful act of grace but is always optional no matter the expectation. It should be done out of love and because one wants to. It should also be done within one's means.
Unless I know specifically what someone wants, my gift giving consists of either gift cards, a tree ornament (handcrafted or store-bought), or a consumable gift such as baked goods or homemade apple butter. I'm one of those people who is always done with gift buying before Thanksgiving. It's easy because it's simple and it's always done within a budget so there's no sticker shock in January.
Decide how you want to spend your time during the holidays. Pick the activities you truly enjoy and say no to the ones you don't if too many activities causes stress this time of year. It might mean choosing to participate in the neighborhood cookie exchange and saying no to Christmas caroling with the church choir. Or attending the annual production of "The Nutcracker" but passing on the local symphony's holiday concert. Or needing to attend the annual company Christmas dinner and child's school concert but declining a party invitation from someone you aren't especially close to.
With decorating, give yourself permission to do as much or as little as you want. Some people love this time of year and go all out with a decorated tree in every room and lights around every window and exposed surface of the house outside. There's nothing wrong with that if it makes you happy. I'm a minimalist in this area. I don't enjoy dragging out a lot of decorations that have to be put away a few weeks later. I probably did more decorating for the holidays when my kids were younger. Now I do a tree (only because the family insists), hang a wreath on the door and put out my Willow Tree nativity set along with some candles. Doing more is a chore for me. Music is a big part of what I enjoy at Christmas so there is usually a CD going as background music. I make time to sit with a cup of hot tea to listen which keeps me in a positive Christmas mood and is a great stress reliever.
The point of all this is, focus on what is meaningful and enjoyable to you and your family during the holidays. The rest is clutter. It's all about making choices and setting boundaries both for yourself and for others. Don't be afraid to ask for what you want and say no to what you don't want.
Most of all, discover what you truly enjoy about this time of year and embrace those things.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
RELEASED!
Anyone who visits my blog couldn't help but notice the sidebar I had up about the two Iranian women who were imprisoned for nearly a year. Their crime? They became Christians. I'm quite emotional today upon learning that prayers have been answered and they have finally been released. Unlike when Euna Lee and Laura Ling were released from North Korea, there was no media coverage, no high profile politician to secure their release. This will not likely make the evening news but thousands of Christians who have been praying for them are rejoicing just the same. I am guilty of complaining at times about how things are in America but I'm so grateful that we still have the freedom to choose and express what we believe or don't want to believe without fear of imprisonment or persecution.
Here's what Elam Ministries, which serves the growing church in Iran, announced yesterday:
RELEASED!
November 18, 2009
RELEASED! Maryam and Marzieh set free after 259 days in prison
Praise the Lord! Maryam Rustampoor and Marzieh Amirizadeh were released from Evin prison in Iran today, Wednesday November 18, 2009 at 3:30pm, without bail. However, they may yet have to face a court hearing and still need our prayers.
“Words are not enough to express our gratitude to the Lord and to His people who have prayed and worked for our release," they said.
Maryam and Marzieh were arrested because of their Christian faith on March 5, 2009. Though their health has suffered greatly while in prison, they are doing as well as could be expected, and are rejoicing in the Lord’s faithfulness to them.
“Maryam and Marzieh have greatly inspired us all. Their love for the Lord Jesus and their faithfulness to God has been an amazing testimony,” says Sam Yeghnazar, Director of Elam Ministries.
We hope to share more details soon.
In the mean time, please pray:
- For their health to be fully restored.
- For their continued safety.
- For their full acquittal.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Artist Dates
Several years ago I read "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron and am currently reading it again. It's good to be reminded to not neglect the artistic side which often takes back seat to the routine of daily life.
Two disciplines that this book encourages is writing journal pages each morning and making time for an "artist date" each week. The journaling comes easy for me. The artist dates, not so much but I'm making more of an effort. An artist date is anything that encourages inspiration and creativity whether it be hands-on like drawing or needlework, taking a walk to enjoy nature, listening to music, or visiting an art museum or beautiful gift shop. It can even be finding a lovely, quiet spot to sit still and enjoy solitude.
My artist date this week was getting out to take photos as I continue to learn the features of my new camera. I also treated myself to a beautiful red "leather" blank journal with a heart embossed on the front (photo below). Tomorrow I will have another artist date as I take my journal and some stationery to the coffee shop as a different venue to write and catch up on letters. As much as I enjoy blogging, writing with a real pen and paper is what I enjoy most.
Homemaking (as in housework), as my family will attest, is not always a big priority for me but I am trying to see it as yet another palette for inspiration in ways that benefit the ones who live here as well as those who visit. A clean and orderly home (i.e. a simple home) surely encourages creativity because clutter only serves to distract.
My intent is to make artist dates more of a priority. I'm always happier and more at peace when I nurture my creative side.
I can't close this post without a shameless promo about my eldest daughter's new blog KNEAT which is, in her words, a blog "where knitting, food, and photography all meet and have a dinner party..." She has talked about doing this for a while and I'm happy she has finally launched it.
Two disciplines that this book encourages is writing journal pages each morning and making time for an "artist date" each week. The journaling comes easy for me. The artist dates, not so much but I'm making more of an effort. An artist date is anything that encourages inspiration and creativity whether it be hands-on like drawing or needlework, taking a walk to enjoy nature, listening to music, or visiting an art museum or beautiful gift shop. It can even be finding a lovely, quiet spot to sit still and enjoy solitude.
My artist date this week was getting out to take photos as I continue to learn the features of my new camera. I also treated myself to a beautiful red "leather" blank journal with a heart embossed on the front (photo below). Tomorrow I will have another artist date as I take my journal and some stationery to the coffee shop as a different venue to write and catch up on letters. As much as I enjoy blogging, writing with a real pen and paper is what I enjoy most.
Homemaking (as in housework), as my family will attest, is not always a big priority for me but I am trying to see it as yet another palette for inspiration in ways that benefit the ones who live here as well as those who visit. A clean and orderly home (i.e. a simple home) surely encourages creativity because clutter only serves to distract.
My intent is to make artist dates more of a priority. I'm always happier and more at peace when I nurture my creative side.
I can't close this post without a shameless promo about my eldest daughter's new blog KNEAT which is, in her words, a blog "where knitting, food, and photography all meet and have a dinner party..." She has talked about doing this for a while and I'm happy she has finally launched it.
And speaking of creative...visit Little Cotton Rabbits. You don't have to be a knitter to love these creations. 
Monday, November 16, 2009
Eat the Fish, Spit Out the Bones
There is a Jewish idiom that says "Eat the fish, spit out the bones." What it refers to is gleaning what is good about something and discarding what isn't. I'm finding myself doing this a lot lately in what I am reading and who I am listening to as I try not to throw the baby out with the bathwater, so to speak.
I try to be open-minded while at the same time aware that just because something claims to be "Christian" or "Biblical" doesn't mean it is. It becomes a problem for me when what someone recommends or claims just doesn't mesh with the truth of scripture. Just because a popular "christian" teacher or speaker claims to have the annointing of God doesn't mean she or he does. Someone claiming to be a prophet may not be. I am instantly wary of someone claiming to have rediscovered spiritual disciplines or principles that were lost or forgotten. Christian authors who quote mystic monks, promote Buddhist practices with a Christian covering, or "meditative prayer" that comes with a warning about what dangerous things I could be opening myself up to in the spiritual realm is simply not scriptural yet many are embracing the teachings of authors like Richard Foster and flock to popular conferences by the thousands to discover how they too can receive new, personal revelations from God that He evidently forgot to include in the Bible.
Does this mean I only listen to my own advice, that only I have the correct insights, or that I cannot learn from someone else? Not at all and I do respect that not everyone will agree with me either. But I do believe that the Bible is complete in its teaching and that while we can learn from those who teach from it we still need to measure what anyone says against what scripture says. I believe even the most popular and educated authors, ministers, teachers or speakers are not above having their words tested against what God says and we should never unquestioningly embrace them as truth.
I know I won't agree 100% with every author or teacher but it doesn't mean I throw out everything they have to say. That's where the "spitting out the bones" comes into play but if such a teaching has more bones than meat then I'll likely not bother with it. The only source I rely on as complete truth is the Bible and unlike many of the spiritual bestsellers, its message is simple yet life-changing because it centers on one person, Jesus Christ, and a personal relationship with Him. No mystic experience required, no hidden secrets or codes to decipher.
Unfortunately people want a bigger experience, more bells and whistles, bigger signs and wonders, a special spiritual gift as proof of God's presence, an emotional high that they can ride on. I think that's what draws them to the false teachings. They want to listen to whoever will tell them what they want to hear. It's as scripture says in 2 Timothy 4:3-4, "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths."
That's what's on my mind today, my vent if you will. I don't claim to have all the answers and I'm learning every day. I'm just disappointed with the direction some of my favorite authors and speakers are going.
I try to be open-minded while at the same time aware that just because something claims to be "Christian" or "Biblical" doesn't mean it is. It becomes a problem for me when what someone recommends or claims just doesn't mesh with the truth of scripture. Just because a popular "christian" teacher or speaker claims to have the annointing of God doesn't mean she or he does. Someone claiming to be a prophet may not be. I am instantly wary of someone claiming to have rediscovered spiritual disciplines or principles that were lost or forgotten. Christian authors who quote mystic monks, promote Buddhist practices with a Christian covering, or "meditative prayer" that comes with a warning about what dangerous things I could be opening myself up to in the spiritual realm is simply not scriptural yet many are embracing the teachings of authors like Richard Foster and flock to popular conferences by the thousands to discover how they too can receive new, personal revelations from God that He evidently forgot to include in the Bible.
Does this mean I only listen to my own advice, that only I have the correct insights, or that I cannot learn from someone else? Not at all and I do respect that not everyone will agree with me either. But I do believe that the Bible is complete in its teaching and that while we can learn from those who teach from it we still need to measure what anyone says against what scripture says. I believe even the most popular and educated authors, ministers, teachers or speakers are not above having their words tested against what God says and we should never unquestioningly embrace them as truth.
I know I won't agree 100% with every author or teacher but it doesn't mean I throw out everything they have to say. That's where the "spitting out the bones" comes into play but if such a teaching has more bones than meat then I'll likely not bother with it. The only source I rely on as complete truth is the Bible and unlike many of the spiritual bestsellers, its message is simple yet life-changing because it centers on one person, Jesus Christ, and a personal relationship with Him. No mystic experience required, no hidden secrets or codes to decipher.
Unfortunately people want a bigger experience, more bells and whistles, bigger signs and wonders, a special spiritual gift as proof of God's presence, an emotional high that they can ride on. I think that's what draws them to the false teachings. They want to listen to whoever will tell them what they want to hear. It's as scripture says in 2 Timothy 4:3-4, "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths."
That's what's on my mind today, my vent if you will. I don't claim to have all the answers and I'm learning every day. I'm just disappointed with the direction some of my favorite authors and speakers are going.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
A Different Kind of Simplifying
I continue to downsize and simplify in the material sense but of late I've embarked on simplification of a different kind. Sometimes it is easy to let go of excess things but when there are emotions attached it becomes more difficult. Sometimes the downsizing has to begin in the mind instead of a closet or shelf.
I'm letting go of attitudes and old tapes that have been playing in my mind. Less emotional and mental clutter makes room for new thoughts and ideas. Creativity and objectivity have more space to work when they aren't tripping over baggage. What I'm finding though is that categorizing emotional clutter isn't as easy as the material kind because emotions tend to become intertwined with each other and don't always fit neatly into one pile or another. One often leads to another then another, creating a cycle of co-dependence among them. Just as with a closet or drawer that becomes a catch-all for things we don't want to think about or don't know what to do with, I've discovered emotions and thoughts that I've avoided dealing with. But I feel strong and have begun a list to work through. There's nothing so major that I need the help of counseling but just the time to delete some attitudes and thoughts while re-scripting others into words of affirmation, and coming through regrets of the past to a new page and brighter future.
Scripture calls this the renewing of the mind so I will once again turn to God's word and my faith to help me with this process.
I'm letting go of attitudes and old tapes that have been playing in my mind. Less emotional and mental clutter makes room for new thoughts and ideas. Creativity and objectivity have more space to work when they aren't tripping over baggage. What I'm finding though is that categorizing emotional clutter isn't as easy as the material kind because emotions tend to become intertwined with each other and don't always fit neatly into one pile or another. One often leads to another then another, creating a cycle of co-dependence among them. Just as with a closet or drawer that becomes a catch-all for things we don't want to think about or don't know what to do with, I've discovered emotions and thoughts that I've avoided dealing with. But I feel strong and have begun a list to work through. There's nothing so major that I need the help of counseling but just the time to delete some attitudes and thoughts while re-scripting others into words of affirmation, and coming through regrets of the past to a new page and brighter future.
Scripture calls this the renewing of the mind so I will once again turn to God's word and my faith to help me with this process.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
