Second Try...

For those of you who may have tried the link for the new blog and were told it wasn't available, I've fixed the link.  Here's a second try at it:  In the Meantime.

New Blog!

Hi guys!

I'm moving this blog over to In the Meantime!

I've had this original blog for quite some time and it's about time to update it a little (and get rid of some of those posts that I wrote back when I was still in high school!)

Anyway...check out the new blog!  I'll probably close this one down soon...

My DIY Journal Project

Journaling has been a part of my life for quite a while now.  I’ve never been one to sit down and journal every day, but I do enjoy recording encouragement from the Word, music, and books, as well as things in my life that God is using to teach me.

I started my last journal in 2011 and it was only last week that I finally filled all of the pages (so you can tell how often I actually write in it!)  With that one filled, I needed to get a new one…which gave me the idea of making my own!  A friend made one recently and it looked pretty cool, so I looked up DIY Journals online and got a few directions on how to do it.

Here’s the finished product:

And the back of it:

From this angle, you can see a little more of the binding.  It uses a special stitch—called the coptic stitch--to keep it all together.  I found a youtube video on how to do it and it’s pretty straightforward. 

With this stitch, the book lays open flat and is quite sturdy.  It is important to make sure all the stitches are nice and snug.  

To make this, I used pretty common materials.   The only thing I had to buy special was some Mod Podge and hemp cord. 

Here’s what I used:

* Scrapbook paper (for making the outside and inside of  cover)
* 2 pieces of cardboard cut from a random box laying around (also for the cover)
* 33 sheets of normal typing paper (folded in 1/2 and in groups of 3.  I then poked 5 holes in the          crease for the binding)
* Scissors
* Pencil
* Awl (for pre-poking the binding holes)
* Some kind of rubber to poke into when using the awl (I just used an old flip-flop.)
* Craft Glue
* Mod Podge and sponge paintbrush (to give a finished-off look to the cover)
* Hemp Cord and needle (for the binding)

And that’s about all there is to it.  The only thing, really, that requires actual instruction in this project is the binding.  Everything else is up to your preference—the number of pages and kind of paper for the pages, the kind of cover (some websites talked of using leather, for example), and the size.

I’m pretty happy with how mine turned out!

Describe Him: Joy

While I don't think there is a specific declaration in the Bible stating that God is joy, I believe joy is intricately wrapped up in God's character and our relationship with Him: He is the source of any joy.  He is the source of our joy.  In fact, Galatians 5:22 states that part of the fruit of the Spirit (who is God) is producing joy in the believer.

There are several verses that specifically mention the author's desire that the reader would have "full joy": 

John 15, in Christ's incredible teaching about the Vine and the branches and the relationship of the believer abiding in Christ, He says that "these things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full."  (John 15:11)  The joy He gives is directly tied to our abiding in Him and obeying His commandments out of love for Him!  He wants us to do these things because it produces joy--full joy!

1 John 1:4 declares that "these things write we unto you that your joy may be full."  "These things" are what was mentioned in the previous 3 verses:

     1. The Word (Christ) has been revealed,

     2. Eternal life has been manifested,

     3. We can have fellowship with the Father and Jesus Christ!

Once again, the essence of our joy is tied up in our relationship with Christ, and in this case, the very Gospel of Christ!  Without Christ, there can be no true joy.  

In 1 Peter 1:8,  we see another aspect of the reality of joy in the believer's life.  1 Peter 1 is set in context of facing trials and persecution.  In other words, Peter was writing to an audience going through suffering that, for all reasons, should be producing anything but joy.   Yet Peter encourages the believers with facts about their salvation and gives hope to endure their immediate circumstances:

     1. Verse 3 reminds them of the confident hope of the resurrection--there is life beyond right here and now!

     2. Verse 4 promises an "inheritance incorruptible...reserved in heaven for you."

     3. Verse 5 states the security of their salvation.

This all sets the stage for why they should have reason to have hope and perseverance in the trials that "for a season" they were in.

Peter reminds his audience that the testing of their faith produces good things and that their faith is not based in something futile:   Because of their love for Christ and their belief in Him--despite the fact that they could not see Him--they could have joy unspeakable (verse 8.)  Christ produces joy in the believer's heart, no matter what the believer's circumstances may be.

For today's believer, these things are still true: life around us might be difficult, but true joy only comes from abiding in Christ and allowing Him to produce that joy in us!  

 

Describe Him: Immutable

Imagine a God who changes: At one point, He may have shown love to mankind. But not necessarily anymore.  Perhaps He decided to go back on His declaration of love for the world.  He made the promise of a coming Savior and eventually, a ruling King.  But maybe He conceived of a better plan for sin’s problem.  Maybe that solution would be to demolish all of humanity and start over with a perfect race, sparing His only Son from receiving the punishment for the sins of the whole world.  I mean, maybe He’s changed His mind on providing a means of salvation for us.  If God  changes from time to time, His Word is utterly irrelevant to us, for it was written years ago, and anything it tells us about God is probably already out of date.

 

Thankfully though, God is immutable: God doesn’t change.  He has declared Himself to be “the same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8.) He is the God “that cannot lie” (Titus 1:2.)
Because God does not, and CANNOT, change, when He says He will do something, He will do it.  When He declares something to be true, it always will be true.  When He makes a promise, He keeps His promise.  His actions perfectly and consistently reflect His character, every single time. And His character will never change. 
So when we read that He loves the world, He loves the world, no doubts about it.  He has said that all you must do to be saved is to believe.  That hasn’t changed since it was first written centuries ago.  He has promised that Christ will return for His Bride.  And we are anxiously awaiting His return even now. 

Because God does not change.   

When God Gives and Takes {Part 2}

Here is part two of When God Gives and Takes.  (Read part one here.)

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I think of that passage in Corinthians about God being the God of comfort and His comfort then being the avenue for us to then comfort others.  In the days soon after our miscarriage, I clung to this statement of incredible truth about God.  He said He would comfort.  I can trust Him to do it here. Now. In the days to come.  In some way, in some very real, tangible way, He will give comfort to my aching soul in this time of need. 

And He did comfort and continues to comfort.   Day by day, moment by moment, at each moment of great need, His comfort has come in many ways…His Word, prayer, my husband, friends and family, songs…the list could go on. 

Being comforted with God’s comfort doesn’t mean the pain goes away or that tears instantly dry up.  It doesn’t mean all questions have been answered.   But in some strange way, pain and ensuing comfort does help us to avert our eyes from the here and now and see a God who cares, who sees our sorrow, and who is greater than our circumstances, working to make us as refined gold being shaped into His glorious image.  The reality of God’s comfort helps us to say as Job said, even while in the midst of sorrow: “blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21) and behold our God and worship Him.   

Pain reminds us that earth and life is merely our temporary home and makes us long even more for the day when creation’s groanings because of the effects of sin  will come to an end.   So we look forward to that unseen, yet promised, hope.  One day we will be glorified and will be with Him, the One who gave His life for us because He loved us back when we were His enemies.  We will see Him and will be like Him.  Oh that will be glory!  This temporary suffering in life is not worthy to be compared with the glory that will be revealed.  The hope gives us perseverance in this life. (Romans 8:18-25)

 Pain makes God’s love all the more real, because no matter how great the suffering is, God‘s love is greater.  (Romans 8:35-39)

 Pain makes us vulnerable and reveals how helpless we are in doing anything about our pain…unless we entrust it to a God who can do something about it.  And when He does, He gets the glory.

Pain rattles our cage and wakes us up to the reality of life.  Comfort then steps in to show us that there are others out there who are hurting even more than we are.  God’s comfort and grace help motivate us to do something to also comfort those who are hurting, especially those of the Body of Christ.   Many times, God’s comfort comes in the form of those around us extending words and deeds of encouragement.  Many times, He wants to use us to be His hands and feet to bring comfort to others. 

Even as I write all this, the tears come again and again and never seem to have an end.  I don’t really understand why God gave us our precious little ones for only a few short weeks.  But I know He is good, and every good and perfect gift comes from above.  He only does what is best for His children.  Can I trust Him with my burden of sorrow and find joy in Him?  By His grace, I can, one minute at a time, and continue to bless His name. 

When God Gives and Takes {Part 1}

 When it comes to the difficulties and struggles in life, I’m not necessarily one to wear my heart on my sleeve or spill all my guts for the world to read, but this post is the first of two posts talking about our pregnancy, miscarriage, and how God is bringing us--me--through it.  In a way, there’s been healing in writing it down, so maybe I’m writing more for my sake than for any of you readers.  In it all, blessed be the name of the Lord. 

****************
It’s been over 3 months now.  Sometimes I think I’m over the grief, tears, and emptiness… and then all the emotions come rushing back, as if it all just happened yesterday….

Our two little ones:  precious gifts from God for just a few weeks.   They were so tiny and under-developed, yet created in His image and beloved, fearfully and wonderfully made.  Who would have thought that someone so small--someone we never  even got to meet--would claim our hearts and love so fast?  Who would have imagined that their short-lived lives in the womb would leave such a lasting impact on our lives? 

At first we thought we were only having one baby.  Oh we joked about the possibility of two.  After  all, twins do run in my family, so it was a possibility.  But it’d never happen.  I mean, what are the chances? 

And then the ultrasound technician grew quiet in concentration as he examined the computer screen during our first ultrasound.  We stared at the screen ourselves, trying to make sense of the weird shapes and contours.   We came up with our own ideas of what the pictures meant.

Finally, the technician broke the silence.  “It looks like two!”  Isaac and I just looked at each other in amazement and could hardly believe our ears!  Really?!?  I was almost jittery from excitement.

My mind was whirling:  Twins.  Who would have thought?  In nine months, our family would go from just the two of us to four, with doubles of everything: 2 names to pick out,  maybe they would be 2 boys, or 2 girls, or maybe even a girl and a boy, 2 car seats, 2 times the diapers and laundry, 2 babies to love and hug and train to love the Lord…the list could go on.  The thought of having two instead of just one put a whole new and exciting twist on the idea of having a baby!

But the technician couldn’t confirm a due date because there were no heartbeats yet.  “They’re too small--they’re showing to be only about 5 to 5 ½ weeks.  Their hearts haven’t started yet.  Come back when they’re a solid 8 weeks so we can confirm with heartbeats.” 

“Only 5 weeks?”  my mind couldn’t quite make sense of those words.  I was almost positive that I was already a good 7 weeks along.  Why only 5 weeks?  I tried to dismiss the uneasy feeling.

For the next 2 ½ weeks, our hearts were mostly filled with joy and excitement.  We told our parents and siblings and had fun breaking the news that not only were we expecting, but we were having two!   We ourselves were still getting used to the idea of two…Oh the joy!  Who would have thought we’d have twins?  We tried to imagine what life would be like and how we’d fit two babies into our little house (that has only one bedroom--our room.)  I read a pregnancy book and looked up maternity, baby, and twin stuff on Pinterest…just for fun.  And all the while, we tried  to push into the furthest corner of our hearts and minds the fear that there just possibly might be something wrong. 

No, it won’t happen to us.

Yet in feeble trust (and increasing fear), we prayed and pleaded with God to do His will with our precious little ones, knowing He is the God who knows all and is in control of all things, even before they happen.  We know You are the One who gave them to us in the first place, so who are we to say that You can’t take them away from us?  We sure would be humbled and thankful, though, if You would give us a smooth pregnancy and healthy babies.  We reminded ourselves of His goodness, His love, and His sovereignty in all things.  We clung to the promises in His Word.  We committed our little ones to Him.  There was nothing else we could do.

The only thing we could do for them was also the greatest thing:  pray and trust God to do His perfect will.  It was all we had. 

3 weeks later, we were once again in the ultrasound technician’s office, bracing ourselves to hear either the most incredible news or the most devastating:  Either we’d hear some heartbeats signaling everything was normal, or they were gone. 

I knew deep down in my heart what the outcome would be…and the ultrasound confirmed it:  There had been no more development since our last ultrasound 2 ½ weeks earlier.  We’d lost our babies.   Our babies were dead. 

While waiting those few weeks  to confirm heartbeats with a second ultrasound, I couldn’t wrap my mind around how in the world I’d even begin to deal with losing our babies if something went wrong.   The thought alone of the possibility of loss was almost more than I could handle.   I didn’t even know how I’d respond to God, even though I wanted to say I was steadfast in my trust in the Lord and could tell you that I knew God only does what is good.

And now it had happened, whether I was prepared for it or not. I thought it wouldn’t happen to us.  But it did. 

Can I be honest?  The last 3 months have been the roughest, hardest, most achingly emotionally painful experience in my life.  Our little ones and everything we’d been dreaming about that was wrapped up in the new life that was developing had been snatched away from us, never to have them back again.  It is such a raw, vulnerable and un-explainable pain, filled with doubts, questions, and fears.   I look around me and life just seems so unfair.  Why us?  Why now?  Why our babies?  Why, Lord???

And even though I’m a Christian,  how do I deal with the pain of such loss?!?  The spiritual realities of God’s Word just seem so abstract compared to the very real pain in my heart right now.  How does this work??

Cucumber Dip {A Recipe}

Ok, I know summer is just starting, but if you’re starting to look for ways to use up cucumbers, I have a recipe you gotta try.  It looks like an incredibly healthy dish and a prime candidate for a “ladies’ get-together,” but just wait and see.  You may be surprised!

The Ingredients:

• 3/4 to 1 whole cucumber
• 4 oz. cream cheese
• 2-3 Tablespoons minced onion
• Seasoned salt to taste

The Process:

Peel the cucumber. 

Grate the cucumber into a medium-sized bowl (or a food-processor if you have one.)

Drain off as much liquid as you can. 

Mince the onion (if you cry, just remind yourself that it’s worth it!)

Cut about 4 ounces of softened cream cheese into 1/2-inch chunks.

Combine and mix onions, cream cheese, and seasoned salt with grated cucumbers.  Use whatever utensil you need to use in order to get the cream cheese blended together with the other ingredients – just a spoon won’t do the trick.  (I just use a fork, but a pastry blender might also work. A food processor will blend it together quite nice if you’re using one.)

It should look something like this—I know, kind of blah and unexciting, but you just wait!  You won’t be able to stop eating it! 

Right now you’re probably thinking “I thought she said it wasn’t a healthy ‘ladies’ get-together’ sort of dish.  Where’s the good stuff?”

This is Isaac the other night. He loves this stuff.    

The Catch:
You combine this cucumber dip with some potato chips, and ta-dah!! You won’t be able to stop munching!  I mean, it has cucumbers in it, so it is deliciously healthy, right?  (But it is oh, so ridiculously unhealthy at the same time!) This stuff is crazy addicting.

Serve it to your girlfriends if you want, but make sure to offer some to the guys in your life as well!  (You better have plenty of potato chips on hand!)

Describe Him: Holy

I’ve been slow in posting the “H” in the Describe Him series simply because,  honestly, I’ve had a hard time knowing what to say about God’s holiness.  So I’ll keep it short and to the point.

God is holy, there is no doubt about that.  If you’re uncertain about how holy He is, just start reading the Bible: His holiness comes out loud and clear, from Genesis to Revelation.

He has called His children to also be holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16.)

Sooo, how does being holy as He is holy look like in your life?  

A Day in the Park {or Celebrating 2 Years}

June 1st was our anniversary.  Has it already been two whole years since we got married!?!?  We kept it simple, but we did spend the day doing something out-of-the-normal to celebrate!  We’ve talked a lot about having a picnic in Wind Cave National Park  just a few miles north of us, but we’ve never gotten around to it.  Until now.  An anniversary was a perfect excuse to take a breakfast picnic and hike around for a few hours!

Love this guy.

What I'm reading and listening to

Here are some links that I've enjoyed in the last few days:

 Seeing the Invisible God -- We live in the physical world and can't see God physically...and the article says the rest.

The Gospel Coalition's interview with Sandra McCracken about her new album, Psalms.

(BONUS: you can listen to several songs from the album, as well as get a free download for lead sheets for the whole album and an mp3 of We Will Feast.)

While we're on the subject of music, I think Indelible Grace's album Joy Beyond the Sorrow is kind of growing on me....

Peter Krol's blog, Knowable Word, is packed with instruction, resources, and practical encouragement to keep digging into God's Word for myself.  


Have a great week!
~ Angie

In light of Mother's Day a week or so ago, check out this article: Mother's Day, expectations, and what we honor.

On Writing and Improving it

I am finding that I enjoy writing and putting my thoughts down into words for others to read.  Writing something that is [hopefully] coherent to others  helps me to wade through my jumbled thoughts and opinions.  Putting something down in words forces me to grasp at that ambiguous idea  floating around in my head, become passionate about it, and then work to make it concrete enough to explain it to someone else so that they too might become passionate about it.

Maybe that is part of why I enjoy writing on this blog.

With that said, I've been reading up on how to improve my writing.  Here are some books that have been helpful:

- Writing with Style, by John R. Trimble is my current reading material.  The author effectively gets his points across through an easy, conversational style.  

- On Writing Well, by William Zinnsser was also a helpful read, particularly the first-half or so.  You can find it for free online HERE.

- Challies has recommended Wordsmithy, by Doug Wilson as a good read on becoming a better writer.  I would like to read it (but haven’t, since it isn't readily available for free online.)

You readers out there who also enjoy writing: any thoughts/pointers/critiques on my writing and how I can improve it?  I don’t have teachers to hand in my papers to anymore, so you all are now the ones who have to give the feedback!  Leave a comment or facebook me—I’d love any kind of feedback!

Describe Him: God

When we say that He is God, we declare several presuppositions to be true:
He is Deity. 
He is the only God.
He is the only true God.
As God, He deserves all worship and glory.

Conversely, in saying that God is God, we state that
we are not gods,
there are no other gods,
anyone else who claims to be god is a false god,
and no one else should receive the worship and glory that is given to God. 

Declaring God to be God reminds us that He is over us in power and authority.  In turn, we answer to Him. This demands obedience and consequences when there is a lack of obedience. In other words, man sins and God's holy character demands that sin be punished.

This leads to man's need for the Gospel, which Satan hates with a passion.  If Satan can convince man that there is no God or a different kind of god than the One revealed in the Bible, he drives man away from the Gospel and eternal life.  
But no matter Satan’s lies, no matter what an individual believes, the truth doesn’t change: God is God, the one true God.   And one day all will bow to worship Him.

Quotable bits of truth

All my questions that are unresolved don’t change the wisdom of Your will. 
In every trial and loss, my hope is in the cross, where Your compassions never fail.
When my fears come with no warning, in Your Word I put my trust.” 
~Out of the Depths, Sovereign Grace Music
_____________________

“Hold them [husband and children] loosely, as if you’re not holding them at all.” 
~Piper, This Momentary Marriage
_____________________

“Oh taste and see that God is good to us. Taste and see His never failing love.  Our God is good.”                                 ~Taste and See, Sovereign Grace Music
____________________

“Be a ‘there you are’ person instead of a ‘here I am’ person.”
 ~Carrie Sandom, in a talk on Romans 12:14-21
_____________________

“In Your love, I know You allow what I cannot grasp, to bring You praise. 
In my uncertainties Your Word is all I need to know You’re with me every day!”
 ~Every Day, Sovereign Grace Music
_____________________

“Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His Word, just to rest upon His promise, just to know, ‘thus saith the Lord.’”
_____________________

“What if Your blessings come through raindrops?  What if Your healing comes through tears? What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?”
 ~Blessings, Laura Story

Psalm 130

>>A Psalm of Degrees<<
1 Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD.
2 Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
3 If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
5 I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.
6 My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.
7 Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.
8 And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

God hears the cry that comes from the depths of our soul.  He hears the plea that rises out of heart-wrenching sorrow and anguish.  His mercy sustains us and His character is the substance of our hope.  His written WORD is the primary source for the comfort that He promises, for it is the Word that reveals the character and glory of our God, which drives us to worship and bless Him.  Through the Word, we find the steadfastness and unchangeableness of our God on display and readily available for us to cling to for comfort in the midst of our greatest sorrows. 

And let me add that He gives comfort in His perfect timing.

Every time. 

Thankful for God’s Word and His mercy.    

Bountiful Basket Week

I finally finished up our last bountiful basket so it was time to get another one.  It looks like this basket is going to make us eat our salads and fruits! 

There are several kinds of fruit this time: apples, watermelon, cantaloupe, mangoes, pears, kiwis, and also some kind of orange/tangerine thing.

For vegetables, there are cucumbers, zucchini, romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and something that reminds me of the Veggie Tales’ story of Daniel. 

Can’t you just see Daniel’s enemies dancing around as they plot and sing of Daniel’s coming demise?  

Any idea what these green, leafy things are and how to eat them?  They look like lettuce, but have a thicker texture than lettuce—they almost have the same plastic feeling that cabbage has.

At the same time, their stems resemble celery.

Maybe they are in the collard greens family.

I haven’t tasted it yet, but my guess is that they are pretty mild-flavored.

If you have any suggestions on how to use this vegetable, please share them!

Describe Him: Father

He is our Father.  But we were His enemies.  For Him to be our Father, we had to be made sons and daughters. 

How did He become our Father?

Romans 5:6-8 calls us without strength, ungodly, sinners, enemies.  Nothing we do can make us His children. 

Rather, it is Christ’s death for us at the time when we were most helpless and estranged from a holy God that has made it possible for us to be His children.

1 John 3:1 declares our adoption as sons being entirely because of God’s love toward us.

What was the incredible demonstration of God’s love that has made our adoption possible? 

Christ’s death and resurrection was the payment that made it possible for us to go from being God’s enemies to being His children.  His blood satisfied the Father’s righteous demands for the punishment of sin. 

How do we become His children?  

John 1:12 says we become the sons of God by believing on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.  It is that simple.  It is in believing the Gospel message we become God's children.

Once a son, always a son. Nothing can change our position as sons and daughters.  The blessings of God being our Father are vast and incredibly great. 

As our Father, He still demonstrates His love toward us in many ways.  Yet these ways aren’t always happy, warm, fuzzy feelings: God also shows His love to us by correcting us.  Hebrews 12:5-8 affirms the chastening of the Lord as a sure sign of  His love towards His children.  If the Lord does not punish and correct us when we go astray, the Bible says we are illegitimate and not His children.  Thus, there are no exceptions: If He is our Father, He will chasten us.

Why does He, in love, correct His children?  Verses 10-11 give the hope and comfort needed when in the midst of chastening: “…that we might be partakers of his holiness”  and to yield “the peaceable fruit of righteousness…” He wants us to become more like Him. Wow.

Once we were God’s enemies.  Christ sacrificed His life so we, through His blood, are now reconciled with God and call Him “Abba, Father.”   Now we are His children and fellow-heirs with Christ.

What greater love than this could there ever be?

The Blood + The Breath by Caroline Cobb

I came across a 3-song preview of Caroline Cobb’s album, The Blood + The Breath a few days ago and basically, I just need to get the whole CD! 

The theme of the CD is Songs that tell the story of Redemption, with each song based on a specific Scripture passage.  At times, the lyrics are taken almost directly from the passage.

The preview songs talk about Christ’s prayer in the garden from Mark 15:26-52, Pentecost in Acts 1 & 2, and finally, a challenge to wake up and listen for the trumpet sound, based on 1 Corinthians 15!

To download the free preview of the album, as well as view a video of her song The Passover Song, you can find them HERE . Check it out!

 Praise God for His work of redemption!

Because there's nothing quite like the church...

 Out of the Ordinary blog is doing a series on The Church during the month of April.  I appreciate what has been posted so far.  Hope they are a blessing to you as well!

Describe Him: Example

A while back, I started a series of posts called “Describe Him A-Z”—a post for each letter of the alphabet focusing on aspects of the character of God, Christ, and the Spirit.  I only got as far as D.  Here are the previous posts on A through D: Advocate, Beginning, Comfort, Doctor.  I’ve decided to work on completing this series, so here goes! 

As the title already shows, the Bible presents Christ as our example. 

 In Philippians 2:5 we find Christ’s mind as the model for where our mind should be: thinking and being like Christ are requirements for every believer.  As the passage in Philippians 2 goes on to show, Christ humbled Himself, became a man, and gave His life for the world.  How does this aspect of Christ’s life give us an example to follow?  

Dr. Courtney, a pastor in Oklahoma and one of my teachers from Cornerstone, made several important points about this passage:

- Christ did not think it robbery to be equal with God (Phil. 2:6.)  In not thinking it robbery, He did not have the need to defend anything about Himself.  His life was not about protecting His reputation as God the Son.  Instead, He humbled Himself because He had nothing to lose. 
This freedom from self-interest and self-preservation produced a freedom to serve and give His life for us. 

- As Christians, we are positioned in Christ.  There is nothing we can do, or nothing others can do to us, to change this position. Christ is the one who has made us “In Him.”  Why then, should we worry about defending and protecting our reputation before others?  Our position in Christ gives us freedom from the need to defend ourselves.  In turn, it grants us the freedom to serve others.

- By having this mindset as Christ did, we are able to be likeminded with other believers, to have the same love, to be of one accord and of one mind.  We can act without strife and pride, and in humility see others as more important than ourselves. 

Christ is our example to follow.  And as Philippians 2:13 reminds us, “…it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.”

Ponderings

My mind [and life] is working through a dilemma… And while it isn’t something often discussed, I’m sure other Christians deal with the same problem.

I’m talking about the consistent disconnect between what my heart and mind desires as a Christian and what I actually do as I go about life.

In a sense, it is the “Romans 7” scenario where “what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.” (Romans 7:15b)  Except in a more specific situation.  I keep thinking about about how rarely things—GOOD things—spill over from my heart and mind into my interaction with people in my every day life.

I want to encourage other people in their Christian walk.  I want to discuss how God has been working in my life.  I want to share my faith with my unbelieving coworkers.  I want to be a student of the Word. 

It just doesn’t really seem to ever happen.  It seems oh, so hard to turn that want to into actions. You know the feeling?  This is the struggle.  Maybe it is also yours.

How do I learn to turn trivial conversations with other believers into times of spiritual encouragement and edification?  How do I take advantage of the opportunity to witness when someone makes a comment that seems to indicate a belief in something other than the Truth of God’s Word?  How do I make the study of God’s Word something that impacts me on a personal level?  How do I go about life with such an intentionality that the Christian walk is seen as something real and not merely a spiritual front?

And as I write this, I feel like there’s a disconnect even now between writing about this and talking about it with someone because it is so much easier to write about than to actually talk about it and do it. 

WHY?!?

I’ve  been thinking about it: this struggle serves to keep me dependent on the Lord to accomplish His work in me.  If I had the spiritual life all figured out, why would I need Him?  If the transforming and sanctifying power of the Gospel was simply a once-for-all event, what about the rest of my life? Where would “being conformed to His image” fit into the picture?

It all points back to Christ, His Work, and God’s glory.

And so I take comfort—not in glorying in my failures—but in the confident hope of His promise to complete the good work that He has begun in me. (Philippians 1:6) My part is to walk with Him day-by-day, yield my body as instruments of righteousness, and obey Him, being a doer and not just a hearer of the Word.

[Cheater] Ham Cured Chicken

Growing up, we would often have a meal that we called “Ham Cured Chicken."  It is chicken marinated for a couple days in a ham-brine and then baked like a regular beef roast with lots of potatoes, carrots, and onions.  The result is some amazing ham-flavored chicken and vegetables!

A few months ago, I wanted to make this dish,  but I didn’t have the recipe or the special ingredients for the brine.  So I decided to try my hand at figuring out a cheater version of it using only one main ingredient:

Morton’s Tender Quick: Home Meat Cure.  

It is available in the grocery store next to regular table salt.

Yes, all you do is use 1 Tablespoon of Tender Quick for every pound of chicken, rub it all over the chicken, and then let it marinate for at least half an hour.  If you have time, letting the chicken marinate for several hours or overnight is even better.  The longer the meat marinates, the more seasoned it will taste.  It will also end up with a pinkish color because it is “ham cured.” 

When I made this the other day, I didn’t have much time before supper, so I just let the chicken breasts marinate for about an hour. 

Meanwhile, I got the potatoes, carrots, and onions ready. 

 I cut up about 6 potatoes, 4-5 carrots, and a whole onion.  Leftovers are always great! 

And then they all went into a large bowl.

I don’t add too many other seasonings to this dish—the Tender Quick does most of the seasoning.  

 I do, however, drizzle 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of sage, a couple tablespoons of rosemary, and a teaspoon of regular table salt.

Mix together all of the seasonings and vegetables. 

Before putting the marinated chicken into the pan together with the vegetables, make sure to rinse off the Tender Quick from the chicken.

I put all of the vegetables in the pan first (it doesn’t need to be greased or lined) and then placed the chicken on top.  I figure the yummy flavors from the chicken will then drip down onto the vegetables and make them even yummier!  

I’ve baked this dish uncovered and it turned out fine. 

This time though, I decided to try baking it covered.  

I was planning on baking it at 350 for about an hour. 

After only 45 minutes the vegetables were already done.

 The chicken needed just a few more minutes and then it also was ready to eat!  

Just look at all that yumminess! 

Probably the brine-soaked version of this chicken tastes way better, but I’m happy to settle with this simple, last-minute adaptation of it! 

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NOTE: This can also be fixed in the crockpot—put it in for 5-6 hours on high and you’ll have lunch waiting for you when you get home from church!

Also, for the crockpot, boneless chicken breasts are the best to use.  Chicken bones end up really tender after being in the crockpot for so long and might get mistaken for meat! (Yes, I know it sounds odd, but trust me, it’s true!)

Personal Bible Study: A New Approach

Personal Bible study is important to spiritual growth.  Yet sometimes it seems dry and tasteless.  Or I don’t feel motivated to do in-depth word-studies or make a list of detailed observations from the passage… So usually I end up just reading the Bible. (Which, by the way, isn’t at all a bad thing!)

However, I recently came across a new approach to reading and  breaking down a passage that I’m finding to be quite enjoyable and profitable!

It goes by the self-explanatory name of Phrasing.

In its most simplistic form, phrasing is just taking a set of verses and visually identifying each phrase and the relationship each phrase has to the phrase next to it.

Let me show you what I mean: 

I’m working through doing a few verses each day from 1 Thessalonians.  Here’s how I phrased 1:2-3:
 

2 We give thanks to God always 

                    for you all,

                                 making mention of you in our prayers.

           3                    Remembering without ceasing

                                              your work of faith,

                                             and labour of love,

                                             and patience of hope
                      
                                                                           in our Lord Jesus Christ,

                                            in the sight of God and our Father;

As you can see, each phrase is placed directly underneath the word it is related to.  In other words, “for you all” from verse 2 is placed under “thanks” because it is telling us for what or who Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy are thanking God for.  “Making mention of you in our prayers” then is also placed under “thanks” because it gives us further detail of how they’re giving thanks. 

In verse 3, there is a list of how Paul is remembering the Thessalonians: He mentions their work, their labor, and their patience of hope.  And because this hope is in the Lord Jesus, the phrase is placed under the word “hope.” 

The relationship of“in the sight of God and our Father” was trickier to determine.  Does it refer back to the work, labor, and patience of the Thessalonians?  Or does the phrase  more closely qualify their hope in Christ? 

After reading and re-reading the verse, I concluded that it modified the list of work, labor, and patience, instead of just their hope. To properly reflect this then, I placed the phrase “In the sight of God and our Father” directly under the words work, labor, and patience.

And that’s pretty much all there is to phrasing! Can you see how simply breaking down a passage into phrases and then arranging the phrases to reflect their relationship to each other is helpful in understanding what the passage is saying?  It is amazing how clear a passage becomes when you take the time to just look at the words and identify their relationship to each other! 

I’m thankful to have come across this method and appreciate its contribution to my time in the Word. 

_________________________________________________

In case you want to learn more about the technicalities of phrasing, here are some resources to get you started:

>  These posts were what originally introduced me to the approach of phrasing:  How We Study the Bible and Find Phrases. 

>  In doing a little searching online, I came across the actual chapters from Mounce’s book at this website…available for free download HERE! 

In Our Fridge...On Our Plates

Despite my {sarcastic} rant against quinoa and EVOO in a previous note, I really have been working on eating healthier.  The main way that has been happening has been by ordering a Bountiful Basket (a $20 box filled with 3-5 different fruits and 3-5 different kinds of vegetables)! All said, it is probably a good 10-15 pounds of produce that needs to be consumed in some way!

The last two baskets have filled our refrigerator with apples, pears, oranges, a pineapple, green, yellow, red, and orange peppers, squash, zucchini, onions, tomatoes—cherry and regular, 2 avocados, 3 heads of lettuce, celery, beets, 2 cabbages, radishes, carrots, and asparagus. (And I feel like there were a couple other things, but I can't remember what they would be.)

Because it is a lot of fresh produce for the two of us to eat, the key to making sure we’re not wasting our money is to make sure that we don’t let it rot in the refrigerator… Sooo, the responsibility lies on me to make meals that use up these things! 

Here is a list of the dishes that I made/plan to make with the produce from the last 2 Bountiful Baskets:

Cucumbers – cream cheese/cucumber dip (to go with potato chips!)
Cabbage – Runzas! Also thought of making stir-fried vegetables, but didn’t get around to it.
Lettuce – Taco Salad, Grilled Chicken Salad
Squash/Zucchini – Zucchini Skillet (with black beans, tomatoes, green peppers and corn to make into a Southwestern-style quesadilla), Zucchini bread
Carrots – Baked Carrots and Potatoes (seasoned with rosemary and olive oil [or if you prefer, EVOO]), Hobo Foil Dinners
Celery – Celery and Peanut Butter sticks
Beets – Pickled beets (still need to get my mom’s recipe for those!)
Avocados – Guacamole
Green/Yellow/Orange/Red Peppers – Chicken Caccatori (or however you spell that dish), Fajitas or Fajita Chicken Bake, Porcupine Meatballs, Scrambled Eggs/Home-fried Potatoes, Zucchini Skillet, Biscuit Pizza
Onions – In anything and everything!
Tomatoes – Zucchini Skillet, Fresh on Santa Fe Sandwiches
Radishes – Dipped in Ranch (I admit, Isaac was the only one who ate any…)
Asparagus – Sauteed with garlic and soy sauce
Fruit – Fresh for breakfast, Apple pie, occasionally an apple for Isaac’s lunch

And so far, we’ve only had to throw out some of the radishes, part of the asparagus, a carrot, and a little bit of the lettuce…I’d say that’s a pretty good track record! 


(By the way, you should check into whether Bountiful Baskets are offered in your area!  Just pull up www.bountifulbaskets.org and it gives a list of the states and cities that offer basket pick-ups.  Sign up is free!)

About "The Hole in Our Holiness"

I don’t really want to write a review or summary of this book.  However, I would like to share a little of what I took away from it, now that I finished it. 

In short, it was a really good book. Kevin DeYoung’s style of writing is easy to follow, being spiritually meaty, while at the same time, not too deep for the average person.

Bottom line, now that I’ve finished the book, I’ve been challenged in the area of growing in holiness in “the little things:” obedience and holiness begins there.  We all know that if we get enough small things together, they become big.

Very related to holiness is the matter of abiding in Christ and having communion with Him. I know…I’ve heard all the facts and passed all the theology exams in school, but the dots are only now slowly connecting on how exactly I am to abide in Him.

For starters, the statement “We obey as we abide and abide as we obey” (pg. 127) is simplistic yet profound. And it helped me to understand a little better the truth that sometimes abiding means simply doing what we know we are supposed to be doing! (In other words, obeying!) Obedience is what God desires of His children.  And in doing so, we not only show our love for Him, but we also abide in Christ, the Vine.  If I'm not obeying those things that I already know I am supposed to be doing, I don't know how I can be, in turn, be growing to become more like Him.

Another aspect of abiding in Christ is to pursue communion with Him through prayer and the Word. (page 129, 131) There's no doubt that prayer should be an integral part of the believer's spiritual walk and growth. About being in the Word, Jesus said that “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” (John 15:7) Christ and His words are one and the same.  Furthermore, in Christ’s prayer, He says “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17:17)  As DeYoung says, “We take hold of Christ as his words take hold of us.” (page 131)  

Applying these truths becomes incredibly practical: learn to take captive idle thoughts and moments and spend it instead in communion through prayer!  Also, spending time actually reading and studying the Bible is the #1 place to start in making the Word more a part of my daily life, and memorizing scripture could be listed as #2! 

And that is why I say I’ve been convicted and challenged to grow in holiness in the area of “the little things”:

It starts with choosing to spend an idle moment praying for a friend in need or praising God for what He’s done. In other words, learning to “pray without ceasing.”

Becoming more holy is about being faithful in studying the Word for myself.

Finally, striving towards holiness should be the goal for every believer, for holiness is ultimately about becoming more Christ-like.  Oh what a day that will be when the work that He has begun in us is completed!

EVOO Anyone???

I just wanted to try some recipes with quinoa, a protein-rich food that seems to be becoming quite popular.

But I didn’t have any recipes for it.

So I started searching online. 

And then I ran into “EVOO.” 

It appeared as an ingredient in more than one recipe. 

Never before had I heard of such a thing until then.  And then, in a simple search for recipes using quinoa, almost every single recipe called for EVOO. 

“What in the world is EVOO?!?” I thought as I scanned through the recipes.   

“Oh well, it’s probably some kind of exotic seasoning that you have to get at the health-food store and I don’t want to spend big bucks on it anyway, so I’ll just omit it… After all, one little ingredient can’t make that much difference in a recipe, can it?” 

Finally, after coming across probably five or six recipes that called for EVOO, I committed the deed that confirmed my absolute ignorance to the existence of the ingredient.

I googled it.

Yes, I actually typed in “What is EVOO?”

My search revealed a lot about me: Just when I was beginning to feel like I was at last going to join the group of healthy people and eat this stuff that is supposed to be so good for you, I found out that I’m really not as healthy as I thought I was.  I’m just a wanna-be.  I mean, in today’s world, there is healthy, and then there is healthy.  It’s like a whole new genre.  And it is the second group that uses EVOO.  

And guess what? 

I’m definitely not in that group. Seriously.  I’m not.  If I were, I would have known what EVOO was! 

But, I didn’t… (Well, now I do, but only because I googled it.)

Anyway, I probably won’t need EVOO much anymore though, since Isaac didn’t really like the dish of quinoa that I tried.

Oh well…more power to those who use EVOO and eat quinoa.

Ok, maybe I am still kind of bitter about just being a wanna-be...but I guess I had it coming to me.  I mean, I don’t even call EVOO it by it’s full name of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Guess I’ll go back to using my olive oil like normal.  

Not just for seminary students!

Ok, this article on why women need theology reminds me of a good friend of ours who is always saying that "girls should care about theology too--it's not just for guys!"  And it is true!  We need to be studying God's Word for ourselves... I like the statement the author makes about the study of God's Word being directly tied to our relationship with God:

  "If we don’t study him, we won’t desire him, we won’t become like him, and we will not enjoy him." 

Thoughts on Current Reading

Unlike my husband, I am a slow and very un-dedicated reader.  However, I have started reading “The Hole in Our Holiness”  by Kevin DeYoung^{(Wheaton, Illinois:Crossway, 2012)} and already it has been a challenging read!

I don’t know about you, but for me, when I think about being holy, it always seems like something that is far beyond my spiritual grasp. Something that I’ll never quite reach.  Maybe it is because I like to have things detailed and concrete; I like to know exactly what holiness is supposed to look like in my life (but obviously [and thankfully!], the Bible doesn’t list it off as if it were a checklist to complete.)

The last chapter that I read from DeYoung’s book, however, was particularly encouraging and challenging.  He made several points that brought home to me the necessity and the “grasp-ability” of holiness in the believer’s life.

1.  The Bible is full of examples of believers being declared upright and godly, walking blamelessly before the Lord.  DeYoung lists examples such as Zechariah and Elizabeth who were “righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statues of the Lord” (Luke 1:6).  Job was also called “blameless and upright” (Job 1:8) And Paul multiple times talks about various New Testament churches who are known for their “obedience and godly example.”  As DeYoung so simply states, “It sure seems like holiness is a possibility for God’s people.” (DeYoung, 65.)  

It is important to note too, that none of the people in these examples had some kind of extra-spiritual gifting: they were human just as we are.  In fact, to make the case even stronger in our favor, get this: WE are the ones who have the advantage over them because WE are the ones have the indwelling Holy Spirit that enables us to do what is right!

2.  It is possible to please God. I grew up being quite familiar with the verse talking about our works being as filthy rags before God (Isaiah 64:6) and that nothing we ever did was acceptable before Him.  To a certain extent this is true, for we cannot earn our own righteousness by our works. However, as a Christian, God sees Christ’s righteousness in us, and it is because of His righteousness and grace that we have through Him that, in turn, we can do that which pleases God!  Yes, on our own, all of our measly, human efforts are as filthy rags, but when they are done through God’s incredible grace, they become pleasurable to God! 

DeYoung proceeds to give examples where the Bible states specific actions as pleasing to God:
- Bearing fruit in good works and increasing in the knowledge of God (Colossians 1:10)
- Presenting one’s body as a living sacrifice  (Romans 12:1)
- Being sensitive to the weaker brother (Romans 14:18)
- Being obedient to parents (Colossians 3:20)
- Teaching the Word in truth (1 Thessalonians 2:4)
- Praying for governing authorities (1 Timothy 2:1-3)
- Caring for family members in need (1 Timothy 5:4)
- Keeping His commandments (1 John 3:22)
^{(DeYoung, 69/These are originally from Wayne Grudem’s “Pleasing God by Our Obedience” (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2010) 277.)} 

In all of these references, the Bible specifically mentions that they are “pleasing and acceptable to God.”  So “basically, whenever you trust and obey, God is pleased.” ^{(DeYoung, 69.)}

This new perspective on how God views the works of the believer that are done through His strength has been quite encouraging to me!

As DeYoung concludes this particular chapter, he summarizes the general idea of holiness: It is not about absolute perfection (for no could could ever do that—we are all sinners and that is the very reason why Christ had to die for our sins!) but rather it is that

 “Christians should display a consistent pattern of obedience, along with a quick habit of going to God for cleansing when they are disobedient.  This is how we can be established ‘blameless in holiness’ and have the same confidence Paul enjoyed in 1 Corinthians 4.” (DeYoung, 76.)

**Note: All of the thoughts/summaries/ideas/paraphrases/quotes in this post are all taken from chapter 5: The Pleasure of God and the Possibility of Godlinss.

For Pinterest Fans

I like Pinterest.  I do find though, that if I spend too much time on it, Pinterest, um, well, to put it bluntly, has a negative affect on me.  Maybe you can identify.  Thankfully, who I am isn't determined by how many things I actually use from Pinterest.  The Gospel According to Pinterest  was a nice reminder that I'm not an utter failure in the things that really matter in life.

The pain I never wanted to know

A week ago today it was confirmed that we would never hold our twins in our arms…one was already gone and the other hadn’t grown any since the last ultrasound, three weeks before.
I never dreamed that we’d be wearing these shoes—shoes that were one minute full of joy and anticipation at the thought of having twins running around the house and the next minute full of sadness and emptiness--but we are…and it is not just a bad dream that we’ll soon wake up from.

The facts of Who God is has been an incredible source of comfort.  I have to keep reminding myself of these things when the smile threatens to crumble under a wave of tears. People around us showing that they care and are praying for us is also a huge encouragement.  The Psalms of Ascent or Degrees (Psalm 120-134) have been encouraging and a reminder of where our help comes from and I appreciate Courtney Reissig's testimony on finding her strength in the Lord.  And I know that the facts of God's Word do not change, even when the pain is still there and the struggle of emotions and what I know to be true continues...

The Ultimate Honeymoon

Or not. 

Laughter is good for the soul and I had to laugh as I read this account of “the worst honeymoon ever”!  The poor couple…I don’t think it could have gotten much worse for them!


(and don’t worry, there is nothing questionable in this article.)

Blessed be the Name of the Lord

In a time of sadness and grief, God gave comfort and encouragement through His Word the other day. God is good.

“The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord.”  Job 1:21

God has taken away our precious little ones.
Blessed be His name.
God has allowed pain, but He is the God of all comfort.
Blessed be His Name.
He is the One Who gave us our little ones in the first place.
Blessed be His name.
He has made us to be as Mt Zion, unmovable and surrounded by the Lord.^{(Ps. 125:1-2)}
Blessed be His name.
The Lord has done great things for us. ^{(Ps. 126:3)}
Blessed be His name. 
I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in His word do I hope. ^{(Ps. 130:5)}
Blessed be the name of the Lord.                  
He is good and His mercy endureth forever. ^{(Ps. 136:1)}
Blessed be His name.
In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul. ^{(Ps. 138:3)}
Blessed be Your name.
I cannot flee from Your presence—You are ever with me. ^{(Ps. 139)}
Blessed be the name of the Lord.
We groan, yet await the glorious redemption of our bodies. ^{(Rom. 8:23)}
Blessed be the Lord.
Nothing can separate us from His love for us in Christ Jesus. ^{(Rom. 8:38-39)}
Blessed be His name.
The sufferings of Christ abound in us; our comfort also abounds through Christ. ^{(2 Cor. 1:5)}
May the Lord be blessed. 
Christ is risen; thus we have hope beyond this present life. ^{(1 Cor. 15)}
Blessed be the Lord.
God’s grace is sufficient for me. ^{(2 Cor. 12:9)}
Blessed be the Lord. 
Christ is our Great High Priest who can identify with our infirmities. ^{(Heb. 4:14-16)}
Blessed be His name.
By faith we walk with Him and worship Him, knowing He is God.
Blessed be the Lord forever!

So I will Trust You

In the quiet moments when fear overtakes my soul, You remind me that I can trust You with the future.

When the waves of uncertainty and doubt threaten to crash over me and dispel everything that I know to be true, You remind me that You are good, no matter my circumstances.

When the thoughts of “what if’s” crowd into my mind, You remind me that You’re in control of those things yet unknown [to me.]

When everything seems to be dark, You bring a ray of sunshine and remind me that You are still God.

So I will trust You. 

“Shall I take from Your hand your blessings,  yet not welcome any pain?  Shall I thank You for days of sunshine,  yet grumble in days of rain?

Shall I love You in times of plenty, then leave You in days of drought?  Shall I trust when I reap the harvest, but when winter winds blow, then doubt?

Oh let Your will be done in me—in Your love I will abide.  Oh I long for nothing else as long, as You are glorified!

Are You good only when I  prosper, and true only when I’m filled?  Are you King only when I’m carefree, and God only when I’m well?

You are good when I’m poor and needy.  You are true when I’m parched and dry. You still reign in the deepest valley.  You’re still God in the darkest night.

So quiet my restless heart.  Quiet my restless heart.  Quiet my restless heart…IN YOU.

(As Long as You are Glorified, by Mark Altrogge, 2008)