Wordless Wednesday

James, lost and found

I cleaned out my nightstand drawer recently and discovered an unfinished Bible study on James that I started three years ago and forgot about two and a half years ago.


{Note to self:  clean out nightstand drawer more often.}


I've spent the last few weeks finishing the study.  The very last question in the book directed me to look back at application points I had written down throughout the study and see if any "continue to challenge" me.


At this point, Caedmon's Call's "Thankful" started running through my head.

You know I ran across 

An old box of letters

While I was bagging up some clothes for Goodwill

But you know I had to laugh 

That the same old struggles

That plagued me then are plaguing me still

I know the road is long 

From the ground to glory

But a boy can hope he's getting someplace

True, I listed several areas of growth over the last three years.  But it was kind of amazing to read what I had written for points of application and see how relevant it still was.  

On receiving life versus death:

Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life...when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.

James 1:12, 15

Timely application:

At every trial, thank God for an opportunity to grow and ask Him to help me do so.

On the Word:

Everyone must be quick to hear...Draw near to God and He will draw near to you...purify your hearts, you double-minded.

James 1:19, 4:8

Timely application:

Pursue devotional times more consistently, especially on the weekends.  Be sure I study God's Word this weekend.

On the image of God:

With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God.

James 3:9

Timely application:

Realize that living with my children is holy ground.

More on thankfulness:

Submit therefore to God...you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow..."If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that."

James 4:7, 14-15

Timely application:

Be thankful and don't complain about anything.  Thank God for this time.  

It's like I know myself or something.

Or, it's like God's Word is relevant to my life.

I'm almost done with the second of my two Christmas break projects (the first being to plan a group field trip), which is to prepare a Bible study to do with a delightful young woman I've started meeting with.  We'll be studying various passages on the desirability of God and His Word; mainly Psalm 119.  I'm looking forward to delving into the Word with her, being more conformed to the image of Christ and rejoicing in His grace to sinners.

O how I love Your law!

~Psalm 119:97

The Bible verse I may start believing

Last post I alluded to two projects I need to complete this holiday break.  Hooray, one of them has been completed!  I'm in charge of planning a February field trip for our homeschool support group, and yesterday I completed the booking and sent out the information sheet to the group.


This was a) complicated, because it involved coming up with a place to go, contacting the place for information on student groups, arranging a date and time and focus of the tour, and collecting details on such things as parking and age limits; and b) intimidating, because we're new to this group and we've never been on a field trip with them, so I don't really know how things are usually done, and I don't want to be 'that new woman who planned that lame field trip.'


We joined the group just this year, mainly for social reasons (for me, not the kids; my kids have plenty of friends).  The first event I attended was the kick-off picnic in September.


Driving to a picnic where there will be tons of people, none of whom I know (but who all know each other), where I am hoping to join the group and make new friends...... is a situation that tends to produce anxiety in me, to say the least.


I've wrestled with anxiety all my life, so I've spent much time searching for biblical antidotes for worry.  Here is a verse that has often frustrated me:

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

-Philippians 4:6-7

I have always interpreted that verse to mean, as I'm driving to a worrisome party, "God, I'm nervous.  Let them be nice to me.  Take away my anxiety."  And then, presto, peace of God!

Then, when I don't feel guarded from anxiety, I wonder if I'm not pleading hard enough or explaining the situation specifically enough.

Recently, though, God dropped some scale from my eyes and I noticed the word thanksgiving.

If I noticed that word before, it was to assume it meant:  Supplicate now; thank later, when I get my request.

But suddenly I realized the thanksgiving comes before the peace is given.  It's thanksgiving by faith!

So, driving to the picnic, for the first time I prayed like this:  "God, I'm anxious.  Please let them be nice to me.  [deep breath]  Thank you for this picnic.  Thank you that they're all homeschoolers so we'll have something to talk about.  Thank you that they love You too.  Thank you that I can attend this event.  Thank you that You'll be with me."

I spent the whole drive silently giving thanks by faith--somewhat at a fever pitch, as the stomach butterflies raged.

And it did something to my perspective.  It steered me away from imagining all the (admittedly non-life-threatening) things that could go wrong and reminded me that God is blessing me in this moment, and has a good purpose for this scary event.

(I realize this is somewhat irrational and ridiculous, especially since I've gotten to know this group of people and found they are the most welcoming and friendly group I've ever met.  And some people out there delight in meeting new people and being in crowded new situations.  

I don't.  New people are scary.)

Philippians 4:6-7, then, is not a formula to slay the tummy butterflies once and for all; but a much more challenging call to faith in the very moment of anxiety.  

Can I believe so confidently that God is working for my good that I can thank Him before I see it?  Thank God; "With God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26).

Even wrestling down butterflies.

Busybusybusybusy

Though the large responsibility of schooling has been lifted off my plate for the holidays, surprisingly enough, children still require all-day supervision and provision.  And they tend to prevent any sort of linear thought from taking place.


Thus, Christmas shopping and house decision-making and communicating with subcontractors and completing two different projects I need to do for the new year are starting to exert bewildering pressure on me.  Can I just press pause on the kids while I do what I need to do?  Even if I could, my brain is sort of limping along with so many demands on its attention.


I'm encouraged by this article at Desiring God.  To quote:

For most of us, Advent is not a season of peace. It’s an extraordinarily busy, often stressful season. That is not necessarily a bad thing.

The first Advent was certainly anything but peaceful. It began with a contemplation of divorce, was accompanied by numerous confusing, unplanned detours, and was consummated in a stable of desperation. The Prince of peace brought a lot of turmoil with him when he came. And I think this implies that, in God’s judgment, what we may need at Christmas is not less turmoil, but more trust.

On break

We've been out of school for a week.

It's been wonderful.

I can take my sweet time getting going in the morning.  I can visit with friends.  I can take the kids places to play.  I can shop for, wrap and send Christmas cheer.  And I can help direct the building of the house.

Not surprisingly, it's been more busy since we stopped school than when we were doing school.  'Tis the season for lots to do, and the house project seems to be ramping up with lots of questions to research and decide.

But it's a big relief to have a break from the daily responsibility of schooling.

The electrician started today; the garage and stoop are cemented; the stairs are in.

Most of our Christmas shopping is done.  We have a tree that hasn't made it in from the driveway yet; but I did put up decorations.

I'm feeling thankful for all the good in my life.  Loving family.  Great house(s).  Homeschooling, and school breaks.  Pretty lights.  My beloved to share it all with.  And the Source of all blessing, the beginning and end of it all, the One from whom all the good comes and to whom it all points:  I'm thankful this week to know Jesus and rejoice in His coming.

Hallelujah, the King is here

Given for all men

For today the holy Son of God

Is born in Bethlehem

Third Day, "Born In Bethlehem"

Why we pay professional photographers $400 an hour

When I called regarding Christmas portraits of my children and was quoted the above price, I thought, "That's outrageous! I'll take my own pictures of them."

How hard can it be?

108 shots later, I thought, "We don't pay these people enough."

Fun field trip

Way back before Thanksgiving, I took our first long-distance field trip with all four kids.  

We travelled to a big children's museum, and it turned out to be super cool.

There was a Native American village with traditional instruments, houses, and assorted other objects.


It also had a model which showed houses on land and canoes in the water.

Caleb insisted the boats belonged in the "garages."

Caleb and Lizzy both got a kick out of the toddler area.

My favorite part was a big model river, with boats you could float down it, and canal locks you could open and close, and a waterwheel that powered a light.

(Caleb, of course, wouldn't send his boat downstream; he just clutched it and made sure everyone knew it was "MINE.")

He did play on a simulated boat ride.

There was a whole room of stuff having to do with building and architecture.

Jeddy got to work the crane to put steeples on some buildings.

It was four stories high, not counting the enclosed lookout from the roof.  You could take the light-up stairs from floor to floor, or:

you could climb, slide, crawl, or take the zip line.


The place was huge.  There was much more I didn't get pictures of, which I think is excusable, considering I kept track of four children crawling through different tunnels that led who knew where and didn't permanently lose any of them, despite the crowd.

I fed them treats before the ride home.  They all seemed pretty happy with the day.

Thanksgiving weekend

Caleb and monkey while away the drive to my sister's house.

There was playing on the tire swing

and passing around the newest baby.

Proud daddy and adorable son.

The beautiful family.

The big feast.

Nana admiring her new grandchild calendar.

Baby gets passed around some more.

All nine grandkids.

Baby is passed around some more

...and some more

...and some more

...and some more.