Thoughts and Quotes to Ponder

Wherever there is a mountain, there is a life giving river running through it, and ultimately the river is stronger, so do not fear the mountains you face.

"Beauty is created with purpose....Beauty is created. It's intentional." - Lisa Wingate 

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"It's funny how what you are used to seems right even when it's really bad."  

That quote by a 12-year-old river gypsy spoken to her friend as she is helping her flee a very abusive home she is reluctant to leave in the book "Before We Were Yours" is profound. It explains how so much evil has overtaken cultures throughout history. Even God-fearing freedom fighters like George Washington who accomplished so much good for others could not see slavery for the evil that it is because slavery had been common practice around the world for thousands of years.

It explains how Hitler used propaganda and of the natural human longing to belong to a group to brainwash his people and build the cult of Nazism.

It's why Americans allowed the sexual revolution of the 1960's to take over our culture, destroying marriages and families.

It helps us understand how our nation can courageously stand for freedom, spending billions of dollars and sending our most courageous heroes into battle to rescue the oppressed while at the same time allowing and even funding via tax dollars the brutal dismemberment and brain sucking slaughter of millions of unborn babies. Instead of calling abortion the most evil form of genocide throughout all of human history, we call it a woman's right worth defending because evil seems good if you hear it, belong to those who support it, and are around it enough.

Open our eyes, Lord; give us spiritually discerning sight. Just because something is familiar doesn't make it right. Just because our people say it, do it, or defend it doesn't make it legit or good, nor does it mend it. Anchor us in Your word which shows us right from wrong. Help us stand on the Rock, upright, steady, and strong. (Isaiah 5:20, ESV)

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If we can't post the 10 Commandments on or near government buildings anymore, could we post this convicting verse instead to help temper our political discourse?

"The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." (Luke 6:45)

Fighting the Holiday Battles, both Big and Small

The Christmas season seems to get busier and more frustrating every year...as family needs increase and as retailers, merchants, service providers, and shoppers all grow more stressed and irritable - causing them to make mistakes or become negligent creating havoc for everyone. I've vented about my own frustrating experiences on here way too much. While I may feel the need to vent all the emotions out first so my heart and mind are open to receive the lesson or a word from the Lord, I cannot leave the venting out there without sharing the lesson or message that followed.

I have found that I have a much better attitude about frustrating circumstances, unfair treatment, or persecution, when it's obvious persecution for Christ (Matthew 5:9). If it's spiritual warfare before a mission trip, I'm usually ready and armored up. (Ephesians 6: 10-18) If I'm being ridiculed, targeted, and treated unfairly by haters of God and His word because of my faith, then I'm not surprised and know to draw my strength from Him to bear it gladly. When facing gut-wrenching pain or grief, we believers know we are powerless on our own to get through it, so we trust only in our gracious God who possesses all power, authority, and sovereignty.

But the enemy knows our weaknesses. He knows how to distract us and when we are more likely to trust in our own strength instead of looking up to God. He also knows that he is more likely to lead us astray if he chips away at us, little by little, with small irritations and frustrations. Rude drivers, no-shows for costly appointments, miserable customer service, broken promises, wasted hours waiting, last minute cancellations, flight delays, weather changes, traffic jams.....all are so tiny taken by themselves, but when compounded on top of sleepless nights, endless to-do lists, unrealistic expectations, incessant demands....it can all combine to pull our eyes away from the one focus of our entire life - the One lover of our soul - the Creator and Lord over all the universe who spoke it all into existence with his spoken word and then sent His son to die for all our transgressions against Him. When we stop looking up at how big God is, suddenly all the frustrations of the holidays seem enormous. And they all seem somehow unspiritual (yes, I made up that word)...as if we should fight them with human "weapons" instead of donning the armor of God and resisting them with God's word and with prayer.

I enjoy resistance training, but I can't expect to sit on my bum for a month, and then bench press 300#s when the big attacks come. I get the best results when I consistently train each and every muscle group, little by little, every single week. I have to resist the weight, however. I can't just lie under a barbell, defeated. I have to press against it. The little efforts to oppose that weight consistently over time make me stronger and less prone to injury than if I only sporadically lifted weights when I thought I needed strength the most.

 

So all that to say the trivial inconveniences and annoyances in this life have value - eternal value. Disrespect, offense, mistakes, lies, mistreatment, and failures are a given in this life. And while God does not tempt us or make us suffer, He sometimes allows attacks or suffering into our lives, whether big or small, to strengthen us and make us holy and for whatever greater purposes He may have which we cannot see with our finite minds. He wants to redeem that which is broken, worldly, or unjust in our lives, whether it seems spiritual or not. We have a choice, though. We can whine and complain and refuse to draw on God's power to resist it, or we can push back evil with good. We can resist hatred with love, rude behavior with kindness, greed with charity, abuse with compassion, and Satan's lies with God's truth. By relying on God and choosing to respond according to His word, we become stronger in every area of our lives and more like our heavenly Father.

While I often feel like all these irritations waste so much of my limited time on earth, I must remember that nothing is wasted with God. (1 Corinthians 15:58) May we bear it all, both the the little frustrations and the big, awful challenges or extreme persecutions life may bring us, with faith, courage, and hope, resting in His power, presence, and promises, looking not to our own interests but

only to Him.

The Power of the Incarnation Means No Blanket Required

My daughter and I take turns on Sunday mornings volunteering with our church's special needs ministry. She serves during one service, and I serve during the next.  We usually work one-on-on with children to help them integrate into standard classrooms.  We've worked with kids who have Down's syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, autism, and a wide array of physical or mental handicaps.

The child we've been working with lately is gifted with an exceptionally brilliant mind.  At age four, she reads, memorizes, and comprehends at levels higher than many kids twice her age. However, she has sensory processing issues and possibly other diagnoses (TBD) that often leave her in a puddle of tears and tantrums by the end of the last hour.

This past Sunday was different. She kept telling the Christmas story (the entire story with details few adults remember to include) while moving magnetic figures on the class dry erase board to illustrate the story as she spoke. She took such delight in telling the story that when it was time to present the class lesson, we began by having her share the Christmas story with the rest of the class.  She was very dramatic in her presentation and completely captivated the attention of the other kids.  She also led us all in singing the Christmas songs from her Christmas CD at home.  That child knew every word.  While she never ceases to amaze us with her intellect, what truly astounding me this past week was that she stayed so calm, not just while presenting her portion of the lesson, but also throughout the class period.  She usually carries various therapy toys or implements in her hands which help calm her, but this time she did not want or need any of them.

She connected with me for the first time that day in a way that let me know almost intuitively what she needed and what to avoid because it might cause her stress. But the stress she usually feels was absent that day.

The miracle that morning, which flowed out of her repeated telling of the Christmas story, reminded me of the segment from A Charlie Brown Christmas when Linus tells the audience what Christmas is all about.  When Linus appears in Charlie Brown comics, he is almost always carrying a blue security blanket.  But when Linus recounts the angel's appearance to Mary and cries out, "Fear not!" (Luke 1:30), he dropped his blanket and continued telling the rest of the story without it.

   

"The birth of Jesus separates us from our fears.

The birth of Jesus frees us from the habits we are unable (or unwilling) to break ourselves.

The birth of Jesus allows us to simply drop the false security we have been grasping so tightly, and learn to trust and cling to Him instead." -  Jason Soroski

After recounting the Christmas story with great joy and leading us all in worship songs, our little friend needed no coping devices in her hands to help her stay calm.  The things that usually upset her did not phase her. She was at perfect peace.  That's the power of the incarnation at work!   No blanket required!

²⁶ And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
²⁷ To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
²⁸ And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
²⁹ And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
³⁰ And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
³¹ And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.
³² He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
³³ And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.  (Luke 1: 26-33)

A mural along the marketplace walls in Bethlehem (January 2016)

September & October 2016 - Catch-up

Labor Day

We seem to be developing a tradition of hosting a cookout on patriotic national holidays for long time friends.  Most recently, the Wises have been here for Memorial Day and Labor Day, and the Stark and Stephenson families joined us on Independence Day. The menu doesn't seem to change much each time. We grill chicken and burgers from the Fresh Market, veggie burgers, and corn with sides of fruit and my southern baked beans with bacon followed by S'mores plus cheesecake for dessert. Our daughter made a hugely popular 7-layer dip as an appetizer which everyone devoured while the meat was grilling.

We rarely get to see the Wises now that we live in a suburb so far away from them.  We attend different life classes at church, and our kids are at different schools, but we treasure their friendship more each year. They have three girls.  The two oldest girls are two grades a part with our daughter in the middle, so they make a terrific threesome. They've invited our daughter over for elaborate play dates many times over the years.  Three is usually not a healthy number since it seems one person gets left out, but for whatever reason, those girls are happiest when all three of them get together.

We had so much fun talking, I did not think to take pictures until it was dark outside and we were roasting marshmallows for S'mores around the fire pit. Their mom is gorgeous model material with perfect fashion sense, Martha Stewart domestic skills, and amazing entrepreneurial expertise.  She turned a new blog into a national sensation in less than a month and got asked to speak on national talk shows.  She turned it all down and shut down the blog when it disrupted her family time, which  she, unlike most moms, recognized as a direct disruption to her quality of life.  How fitting is her last name!   Her E-bay business is remarkable.  In this pic, she has no make-up on and had just arrived after a day on the lake.  Isn't she lovely?  I'm so blessed to call her friend.

Our poor boy was so outnumbered with all those girls there.

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Since school started the first week in August, our kids' days have been filled with school, music, church, and sports.  Out daughter stayed busy playing AAU basketball and middle school field hockey, while our son keeps up an active football schedule.

Field Hockey

Our daughter's field hockey team had the best season ever.  They won nine games, and only lost two games while one ended in a tie. They lost the first one narrowly by a one goal (and they would have tied it had a new layer not been inside some goal line) to an elite Ivy League feeder school, but they came back and beat them on their own turf during the second game.  They also lost to the top school in the state (also the most expensive) which has a feeder program that trains kids in early elementary for field hockey, (whereas our girl's team is comprised of girls who never played field hockey before). No one in our family had ever seen a field hockey game much less understood the rules when she went out for the team.  We are still mostly clueless about the sport.

Here's the team at yet another elite school with over 130 acres of land upon which to practice.  Our school owns only 10 acres and two small fields which are used for all field sports.  They beat them at home and on their opponent's turf.  So far, the team has 8 wins, and 2 losses.

Training at home, last game near the flooded region of the state, and fun bus ride home

Our daughter gives 110% at each and every field hockey practice or game.  After all that exertion, the coach and team mom noticed her wheezing, so we took her to the doctor for asthma testing.  Her other sports (gymnastics, volleyball, swimming, and basketball) have been mostly short sprints stop/start activities without the long term endurance training field hockey requires.  She did test positive for exercise induced asthma and must now use an inhaler before each practice and as needed. We were hoping she escaped all the ailments that plague her brother, but now she has asthma and what appears to be seasonal allergies (although no food allergies yet).

Football

Our son had a great first football season without injuries.  His team only won one game, the last game, but they all had fun.  He received an award for being best in defense. He may be small, but pound for pound, he was the toughest lineman on the team, according to his defensive line coach.

 Last Game

 

Awards Celebration

"Lead Linebacker" with his coach

Food

Our daughter is still enjoying experimenting in the kitchen when she has time.
The tween made homemade meatballs one night, but each person got meatballs stuffed with ingredients representing a different country. We had to guess which country she selected for each of us.

Thank you, Lord, for a daughter who likes to cook and has a knack for mixing spices and other ingredients for the perfect flavor. Thanks also for letting me forget to teach her proper food group ratios with vegetables comprising the bulk of the meal, beef secondary, and bacon added only for accent flavor because she reversed the order to create the tastiest stew I have ever had.

I was trying to talk to the kind lady at Great Harvest Bread Company one day (of many...I love that place!), but she seemed distracted. Apparently, my boy's smile had captured her attention because when she heard him say how much he likes lemon blueberry scones, she wrapped one up for him as a gift. His love language is food.

Critter Updates

Bunny Bath Aftermath

Muffin has been making up new Pilates moves again.

Orwell likes to do what Muffin does. He sits in Muffin's cage, hops around the house, and even eats Muffin's leafy greens. He has a plethora of resting positions of his own, but this pose is the quintessential bunny sprawl, likely copied from Muffin as well. Now let's see if he makes his ears lop for his next ape trick.

I buy my husband's cat all his food, litter, multiple deluxe scratching posts, litter box, toys, etc. I let him live here even after he destroyed all the carpets, expensive area rugs, leather sofas, recliners, chairs, bar stools, etc. which I spent countless hours shopping for to find just the right match for our new home. I even just bought him blue soft claws with shiny sparkles for his next spa day instead of getting him declawed. I organize play dates for him with his pal Boo. I discipline him gently and hang out with him all day long. I even let him take a portion of my husband's affection which should all belong to me. 😍 The cat sheds hair everywhere, but I'm the one to clean it all up. I even let him sleep on or under my luxurious sateen bedspread. But this cat still despises me. I try to be nice to him and play dumb cat games with him, but all I get in return are claws in my skin and sinister hissing. So how fair is it that I am also the one who gets to take this cat to the vet? This fall, he got a boatload of shots, and I continue to be his arch enemy. When can I trade this monster in for a dog?

One compromise we've made since my husband will not let let me get that monster declawed is that my husband has to keep his claws capped with soft claws.  I buy.  He and our daughter apply. This month I chose a blue hue with sparkles. Isn't he pretty with his new pedicure?

School Fun

4th Grade Science Day

4th Grade Fall Assembly

Our boy was so cute in that Neil Armstrong costume, I asked the mom who loaned it to the class if I could buy it from her. She gave it to our boy whose father's dream is to go to outerspace.

Tween Happenings

She's taking selfies now.  Have mercy!

She loves Refinery, our church's youth group program.  She enjoyed the 6th-12th grade girls' Bible study this summer and the weekly Bible study meetings during the school year.  They also do lots of fun activities as well like the Powder Puff  Bowl.  The 7th grade Green Chilis may not have won (or may have come in last), but they had fun while tailgating and playing football at the PBC Powder Puff Bowl.

State Fair

I can't stand going to the loud and crowded state fair where disgusting, dangerously unhealthy foods are overpriced, lines are long, animals are cruelly caged and make everything at the fair smell like feces, and high priced rides make me nauseous. But the kids love it.  So the best kind of friends are those who invite your kids to come with them to the state fair so you don't have to.  Some parenting roles are best outsourced.  And we all had fun!  Thank you, Christine!

Kids Disciplining Kids

I asked my kids why they didn't have as much fun at their friends' house today as the usually do, and the 9-year-old replied,"because [kid's name] would not submit to authority" despite repeated correction from his mom. (He had exceeded his daily screen time allowance and was instructed to "unplug".)

So I asked them how they responded to his behavior, and the 9-year-old said, "I wrestled him for the mouse and hid it so he could not keep playing computer games."

The 12-year-old separated the boys and took the batteries out of all the remotes and electronic devices with screens.

While giggling over their newfound appreciation for the Biblical commands to obey one's parents and to submit to authority, I made a mental note to employ their wrestle, hide, and deactivate strategies next time they abuse their screen time limits.

Then the child's parents called asking where the mouse was for their computer so the father could use it. Oops!

Great Quotes

"The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell or a hell of heaven." - Milton

I know I write about a lot of serious topics, but I hope my writing honestly about the injustice, pain, suffering, loss, tragedy, heartache, evil, corruption, and trials we all encounter at some point in this fallen world does not mask my joy. Joy comes from God and is completely unaffected by circumstances, whereas happiness is conditioned on circumstances or on getting whatever we think we want in life. This quest for happiness often leads to manipulation or coercion but never provides lasting fulfillment or true joy. As we pray for those affected by Hurricane Matthew, I am also praying for others to find true and lasting JOY, whatever the storm.
(Romans 12:2)

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"Legalism is self-centered; discipline is God-centered. The legalistic heart says, 'I will do this thing to gain merit with God.' The disciplined heart says, 'I will do this because I love God and want to please Him.' The true heart of discipline is relationships - a relationship with God." - Barbara Hughes

In other words, legalism never pleases God!

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During the long drive back from his last football game, my 9-year-pld noted all the road construction (NC road projects never seem to end) and asked, "Where does the government get the money to do all these projects?"

Imagine an election cycle in which registered voters (both dead and alive) actually pondered that question.

Articles to Ponder

God Has Not Called Us to be Nice

Nurturing the God Given Love of Learning through an Impromptu STEM Lesson

I miss teaching STEM this year, but parents continue to tell me how that one year of STEM class has made their children more prone to observe nature and make inferences about nature and the way God put the world together and to conduct experiments to test their hypotheses. What joy these stories bring.  

On the way home from school (on 9/27/16), my son said, "It seems like ice melts faster in water than in air even when the temperature of water we drink is typically cooler than air. Is that true? Why?"

When we got home and before I could finish unloading the van, he had already set up an experiment where he observed that an ice cube melted completely in a bowl of cooler water before the same sized ice cube had barely begun to melt in a bowl of air.

So we began the process I love so much of asking questions to figure out why. Once he understood the factors affecting heat transfer coefficient, we considered what his discovery might reveal to us about God and/or spiritual truth. (Yes, I tend to spiritualize everything because God created all things to reveal His glory and because it makes life, discovery, and exploration much more fascinating.)

Then we compared the references to water and air in the Bible and took special note of references to "living water".

In Ephesians 2, the term "air" describes Satan's work of hardening the human heart so it will not melt.

"And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest." - Ephesians 2:1-3

Then my son noted that an icy heart would more easily melt if submerged in living water. John 7:38 teaches us that for "he who believes in [Christ], ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water."

When Christ returns as conquering King to throw down the prince of the air, He will come swiftly, just as air molecules move faster than water molecules, and those who believe and possess the life of Christ (the living water) in them will meet Him in the air and live with Him forever. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18) And with all those water molecules in the air reflecting the glorious light of the Son, imagine how splendid that rainbow will be!

Top Quotes of the Week

During my readings each week, I come across quotes that seem especially relevant or that I want to remember, so I'm going to try to start recording them here for future reference.

The most pondered quotes by me this past week include:

"The argument is that mathematical laws, in order to be properly relied upon, must have attributes which indicate an origin in God. They are true everywhere (omnipresent), true always (eternal), cannot be defied or defeated (omnipotent), and are rational and have language characteristics (which makes them personal). Omnipresent, omnipotent, eternal, personal… Sounds like God. Math is an expression of the mind of God...Modern natural science was created by people who said that they were trying to 'think God’s thoughts after Him.'” - from an interview with Vern Poythress by Jerry Bowyer, "God in Mathematics", Forbes 

Biblical Masculinity

I fell asleep reading these words in a book by John Piper, "At the heart of mature masculinity is a sense of benevolent responsibility to lead, provide for and protect women in ways appropriate to a man's differing relationships."

Then as soon as I woke up the following morning, Facebook sent me this applicable quote by my son when he was only 5 and likely only modeling the "mature masculinity" his father possesses.

While my husband was away on a camping trip with our daughter, I commented to my 5-year old, "I don't like it when Daddy is gone for the night."

My boy put his arms around me and said, "Well, I guess that means I'll have to protect you tonight, Mom." And so he did.

2016 Elections

"Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens."  (Exodus 18:21, Jethro's advice to Moses)

Given that Hillary is clearly very ill as evidenced by her most recent public fainting incident (I'm convinced she has advanced Parkinson's Disease) but still lying to cover up whatever it is, she is not able. She obviously is not a man and given her lust for power, her compulsive lying, her gross corruption, her bribes, pay-for-play, stealing items and even large furniture from the White House, and her long history of corruption, she is certainly not the type of leader Jethro had in mind. 

Of course, Trump isn't exactly qualified either.

"A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight.

When pride comes, then comes disgrace,but with the humble is wisdom.

The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.

Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.

The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight, but the wicked falls by his own wickedness. (Proverbs 11: 1-5) 

And this is why I'm so outspoken about the elections this year. The corruption, deceit, greed, and battle against God and all that is good and right is epic.  We must fight it.

Trials

Context:  After my daughter shared all her frustrations over the AAU basketball tournament today and with the way other players are treating her, I replied, "If it is causing you so much angst, maybe you should take a break from basketball now and just focus on field hockey."

She replied, "No, Mom. I can't quit. Besides, bad days make better players." 

That quote must have come from the Lord, for it sounds a lot like Romans 5:3-4.

"Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." (Romans 5:3-4) 

Living Life Abundantly

"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing."  - Helen Keller

Friendship

"If you want to make friends, spend more time noticing and caring about others than you spend trying to get others to notice you." -Paraphrase of a quote by Tony Dungy from his book, Uncommon

 M3 Memory Verse

 "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.^"  (Romans 12:1)

Field Hockey Surprise

Our daughter's middle school field hockey team is having an amazing season.  After two years of no wins and I think no points at all, they are having quite the winning season. I'm sure she's glad she picked a winning season to experience this new sport.

Record: 5 wins, 1 loss, 1 tie

Goals For: 11

Goals Against: 2

Nana & Pops surprised our daughter by showing up at her field hockey game last week. When she saw them, she turned her fierce factor up a notch and scored her first goal ever (as she is a rookie player). 

Nana & Pops must have inspired the entire team because they delivered their best game yet winning 4-0. That makes 3 wins in row after only one loss which was almost too close to count. Go Lady Knights!  Nana and Pops treated our girl to Yo-Lo yogurt to celebrate after the game.

On a side note, earlier that day before I knew Nana and Pops were coming, I posted the following sarcastic update on Facebook:

For those who view me as traditional or non-rebellious, I have a confession to make. Except for a summer study abroad experience and various short-term mission trips, I have lived my entire life in the South and was raised with deep southern traditions. Yet today, three days AFTER Labor Day, I've been to 10 different venues, including a Bible study comprised of respectable, southern, Baptist women, while wearing....(wait for it)......WHITE capris pants, and I wore them on purpose.

So, when Mom arrived wearing white Capris as well, I had to laugh!

On another side note: 

Since the kids call my mom "Nana", I found this random historical fact to be especially interesting.  Nanna was the name of the moon god and patron god of the city of Ur when Abram lived in Ur with his polytheistic family. When Abram beheld the glory of the one true God (Genesis 12), however, he knew in an instant that there is no god like the one true God who possesses all the attributes the Chaldeans looked for in many gods. He discovered that this God is good, loving, and just and calls mankind into a personal relationship with Himself.

Then this week, there was a game that none of us could attend due to piano lessons and a football scrimmage for her brother and a leadership dinner at church that I had to attend.  But much to our surprise, "Grandma Susan", a family friend and her former childcare giver when I worked part-time during her first few years of life, showed up last minute surprising us all.  What a gift from God her unexpected arrival and perfect timing were.

Playing field hockey as a 7th grader and a rookie has been quite the learning experience for our daughter, especially as she learns to play the other supporting positions which are essential to helping the forwards push the ball in for a score when all she really wants to do is be the forward who scores.  The prized positions are reserved for 8th graders who need more playing time to get ready for the more competitive varsity team next year. Her time will come.   She did get to play forward when Nana and Pops attended, since the starter was out that day, so I'm glad she got to score when she had her time in her favorite position.

There is also a difficult personality on the team who God is using to refine her.  This player shares much in common with our daughter.  Both were competitive gymnasts. Both are rookies. Both are driven, fierce, competitive, intense firstbornswith a tendency to boss others.  This girl has three younger siblings, however, and is an 8th grader, so her tendency to boss our girl around is more extreme.  Still, our daughter recognizes that part of what bothers her so much about this girl is something she sees in herself, and I'm praying she will remember how it feels to be on the receiving end. At times, my daughter's humble confessions and wisdom in recalling Matthew 7:3-4 about pointing out the speck in another's eye when you have a plank in yours, and just the way she is learning from this trial have amazed me.  Then there are other days when she's throwing fits, and I just have to remind myself that mood changes are all apart of adolescence and that the mature side of her will win in the end. 

I've been referencing the verse below with her as well as a reminder that we all have to work our way up in life, learning and experiencing all the different roles of a team or an organization before we can get the role we want or effectively lead others. Through these trials, she must cast off her frustration and give her worries to the Lord until He chooses to lift her up.

⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, ⁷ casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6-8, ESV)

Go and make disciples, teaching them to obey God's word

The women's ministry for whom I write is doing a devotional series on the great commission (Matthew 28:19-20). To equip and inspire us to make disciples, we've been examining the life and ministry of Jesus as our example.  Learning God’s word, teaching others His truth, and helping others learn how to study and apply God’s word are vital to discipleship. My contribution to this series was a devotion on Matthew 13 in which Jesus teaches through eight parables. Let’s consider the familiar who, what, where, when, what, how, and why questions as we explore this passage.   
 

In Matthew 13, we find Jesus teaching the crowds along the shore of the Sea of Galilee.  The who includes Jesus, His disciples who had left everything to follow Him, and a crowd of curious bystanders.  The what in this chapter are the truths of the kingdom of Heaven. Broadly, the what encompasses all of Scripture. The where in this chapter was inside a boat, a safe distance from the mob but close enough to be heard, along the shore of the Sea of Galilee where large crowds gathered to hear Him.  Jesus taught God’s absolute truth to all who followed Him, and He made disciples wherever he went.  

Matthew 12 provides the when for Matthew 13. These events occurred on the Sabbath, later in the day after a busy morning of traveling to the synagogue with His disciples, teaching the crowds in the synagogue and wherever he journeyed next, repeatedly refuting the Pharisees’ charges against Him, and healing many people.  On that same Sabbath day, Jesus left the house and sat down by the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 13:1). I presume that He went there to find a peaceful, quiet place to pray and decompress after the exhausting events earlier that day. 

 The view of the Sea of Galilee from Peter's house which may be similar to the scene in Matthew 13 

Any solitude He may have sought did not last long, however, because great crowds gathered around Him causing Him to move to the boat where He continued teaching once again.   Jesus was faithful to make disciples whenever the opportunity arose.  He did not organize a formal speaking/travel schedule six months in advance as modern itinerant speakers tend to do.  He surrendered His schedule, His home, and His convenience entirely to the Father’s will.  He took time to get alone with God and pray, but being available to make disciples always took priority over His personal preferences or comfort.

College students who attended Bible studies I hosted, curious classmates whose faith had been challenged by professors, advisors, co-workers, managers, neighbors, friends I met at the gym, childhood friends reunited through Facebook, cashiers, drug addicts, battered women, women in crisis pregnancy situations, long lost relatives, my students at school, and my children come to mind as examples of those who have entered my life for the greater purposes of learning God’s word and growing in discipleship.  Who have I missed because I was too busy, too distracted, or too tired to notice?  When have I been too selfish with my time to make myself available for discipleship relationships? Have I been listening to the Lord enough to go where people are waiting to receive kingdom truths? Who has God sent to you for discipleship in the truth?  Are you faithfully teaching them God’s word whenever and wherever the Lord leads?

How did Jesus teach His followers in Matthew 13?  He taught them patiently and lovingly through the use of parables.  As a teacher, I have tried to incorporate practical l life applications and true stories that would interesting or familiar to my students to paint parallels to both Biblical truth and to the academic lesson for that day.  Parables bridge students’ understanding of current knowledge to new precepts being taught.  Whenever students encounter the familiar scene used in the parable, they are often reminded of the analogous spiritual truth.  

Knowledge builds upon itself, but if there is no foundation of faith to which new spiritual truth can attach, understanding is hindered (vs. 10-17).  Thus, many in the crowd, including His chosen disciples, could not understand the parables.  Lest the enemy snatch up the words of truth (vs. 19), Jesus steadfastly and patiently answered their questions, often with another parable.  He did not hastily spoon feed them facts like schoolteachers are tempted to do before a test deadline. Instead, he offered thoughtful explanations to build understanding and help them think at a deeper level, so that the truths would take root permanently. 

We’re more likely to be patient disciple-makers if we first pray for God to prepare those we train to receive His truth.  We must be faithful to equip others while trusting God to bring forth the fruit, even to a hundredfold (Matthew 13: 23).  Ask in faith that the word of God in them will be like the mustard seed which grew tall and strong, providing shelter, strength, and wisdom to others while expanding the kingdom of Heaven like leaven in flour (vs. 12, 31-33).

^”And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.“ (Colossians 1: 9-10)

Answering the why questions should inspire more faithfulness in making disciples.  The first answer is simply because Jesus commanded us to equip and to teach believers.  Secondly, as heirs of God’s kingdom and stewards of His great treasures, it’s a joyful privilege and a blessing to help others grow in God’s wisdom.  These truths, which had been hidden since the earth was formed (vs. 35) but have now been entrusted to us, are of immeasurable worth (vs. 44-46).  The prophets and saints before us longed to see, hear, and know the truths we now have (vs. 17).  We also make disciples to bless others (vs. 16, 51-52). Finally, we train others in the word of God out of loving compassion, for the harvest day is coming when the angels will separate the evil from the righteous, and the wicked will be punished forever.  (vs. 36-43 and 47-50).  Love should compel and energize us, just as it drove Jesus throughout His ministry, even during His agonizing death on the cross for us.  As we make disciples, teaching them to know, love, and obey God and His word, we are impacting the kingdom of God forever and fulfilling our God given purpose.

Making Hard Decisions When God's Will Isn't Immediately Clear

I've been struggling since last March over whether or not to continue teaching STEM next year. I love the students.  I love learning.  I love the life lessons that flow from it.  I'm passionate about bringing STEM enrichment to our school and want my life to count most of all.  Teaching is fulfilling in the sense of doing something that has value, but some days I wonder what I'm doing in the classroom with no teacher training and no expertise on classroom management. All I have is a love for STEM, kids, and the STEM methodologies I employ, for the way they ignite a love for learning and appeal to non-traditional learners.  But I'm not very efficient at lesson planning, and I never know when to stop improving my lessons.  I always have that oppressive, nagging stress of having to plan the next lesson, and I rarely do anything on weekends because I'm so wrapped up in lesson planning.  I never have the sense or verbal affirmation that I am a good teacher, so I keep trying harder and harder.  The parents have expressed great gratitude for all my efforts, but that just makes me feel guilty when I consider quitting.  I'm hoping just giving up tutoring will free up more time, but the engineering job I love is taking up more and more time as well.

I struggled with guilt over enjoying my consulting/engineering job so much and fearing I was taking the easy, worldly road instead of the seemingly more fruitful road of teaching.  I'm hard on myself and tend to think I'm supposed to do whatever is the hardest instead of what is the easiest. That pattern is evident throughout my life.  Almost every decision we make for our kids has been the harder one on us but with the highest potential for long term benefit for them.

I have received some very positive feedback recently at work for modest efforts compared to the grueling efforts I put into teaching, yet teaching is such a thankless job. I spend all year begging the school to let me implement just one small change (because no one who is better equipped to do it will do it and because lack of funding is the excuse for every new idea), yet at my job where I use my strengths on a regular basis without needing to put in so much effort, I am rewarded and appreciated for nearly ever little idea I suggest.  Even so, if I am seeking the approval or man or vain flattery to stroke my ego instead of seeking only to please God, then the job is bad for my heart, bad for my pride, and not what I should be doing.

So my prayer partners have been praying with me over the decision, given that I don't feel like I can do both, or certainly not do both to my standard of excellence without my family suffering as a result.  My husband prefers that I be at the school, but during my years of teaching/tutoring, he has had to pull a lot of weight at home because I've been too busy with lesson plans and student events to take care of my duties as wife/mom.  Today, our church published a devotion I had spent over 10 hours writing last week about wives submitting to their husbands (based on Vashti & Xerxes in Esther 1), so I know I should submit to him.  Yet he hasn't insisted that I work at the school.  He just wants me to keep my focus on the kids, which is wise indeed, for they will be gone before I know it, and I don't want to miss out any opportunities to sow into their hearts.

Then a wise mentor advised me to do what brings the most fulfillment, not necessarily the most happiness.  That's tough because no matter where I work or serve, if I do it for the glory of God, then He will bring eternal fruit out of it, but I feel most fulfilled in relationships with others.  When teaching STEM, I connect in some part with the young students, but not so much with other adults, and I much prefer to work with adults where we can talk on a deeper level - applying God's truth to critical life issues, sharpening one another as iron sharpens iron. I connect more easily with adults, but I did find some of those connections with high school & college aged students, so I know I'm supposed to work with that age in some capacity at some point, be it as a bible study leader or Sunday School teacher or just being involved with athletics programs in which my kids participate.

But the connections I have at my engineering job are different, deeper, richer, and more diverse.  The practical aspects of the job make it the clear choice in the eyes of the world, and make me seem a fool to give it up, but I must always remember that man's wisdom is foolishness in the eyes of God, and God's wisdom is foolishness in the eyes of man.

¹⁸ Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. ¹⁹ For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”; ²⁰ and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”  (1 Corinthians 3:18-20)

This particular workplace is unlike any other with the rare benefits of a relaxed, encouraging, team building environment, flexibility to manage oneself, strong support staff, opportunity to travel across the state in a consultative role meeting people from all walks of life without going too far to necessitate an overnight stay, so I'm home with my family in the evenings, an inner circle of like minded people who meet to pray for our country and our co-workers during lunch off site, a full scale health and wellness program, fun co-workers, and potential for full-time employment when the kids are older.

When I left my career to stay home with the kids full time, I never thought I could return to my original career field, given that the industry is always changing and my technological savvy has dwindled over the years, so to have the opportunity to pick back up where I left off but with more of an engineering/process improvement focus, which is more my wheelhouse, is a miracle.  Part-time engineering jobs are few and far between, but with this job, I get to practically set my own hours, depending upon need and my own availability, so I've been averaging just under10 hours a week when most convenient for me.  It really is the perfect scenario.

Then when my husband enrolled our son in Pop Warner football (two hour practices every day) and both kids added an extra music lesson each week, I considered how much busier the kids and I will be (not just our kids but other students I had anticipated would want to take my STEM class), I sensed the number of students available to take my STEM class would be lower this year. My own son would not have the time, and he's the reason I started the program in the first place.

So, I have been discussing other options with the administration for including STEM as part of the regular school day while adding small Olympiad type clubs for the few students who cannot get enough STEM enrichment.  I committed to helping out with new programming, but I declined to continue in the all consuming role as administrator, developer, and teacher who also handled all the registrations, accounting, equipment purchasing, lab set up and clean up, marketing, facility rental, curriculum writing, etc.

My heart sunk as I considered all the fun we had last year, so I went to work today feeling conflicted.  I had shared with my prayer partners the night before about how much better my relationships have become with my children...connecting on a deeper level with more mature conversations and less drama.  One friend said, "Maybe your new job where you are being fulfilled (maybe she meant utilizing my God given strengths and bents) is affecting your attitude and the joy you experience in parenting."  Bam! I had never considered that leaving my children to go do something outside of the home could make me a better parent, but oh how I need the escape..not every day of course, but one or two days a week makes for a nice break, and I do think about my kids while I travel to/from work or client sites.  I think about ways to love them better, and I usually come home energized and happy.  When I taught at the kids' school, I came home and crashed on the couch not wanting to look at another kid until I had slept at least six hours.

Then today I had the most awesome workday. I got to travel with my favorite like-minded coworker, and we shared openly about about our fears and our faith.  Being politically minded in this day and age can certainly wreak havoc on the spirit as the truth of our nation's utter corruption and eminent demise is ugly indeed. As I drove, I shared so many treasures stored up in my heart. She didn't mind my rambling, though, for she was truly listening and ministering back to me. All the related scriptures I've memorized in the past came to remembrance and poured out, encouraging us both..  So much wisdom teachers and mentors have given me over the years, and life lessons I taught my STEM students came to mind just when we both seemed to need them most.

We talked a little about the Black Lives Matter movement and the all out assault on police officers kicking off a sort of civil war in our country during our drive.  I tried to infuse hope into every word I spoke instead of my more typical "Obama raised this terrorist organization in our own nation to destroy us" type rants. Even though I was trying to encourage her, I was actually encouraging myself in the process and being reminded of how much I need to fill my heart with God's truth to push back so much of the negativity flooding the headlines.

When we walked into the restaurant recommended by our clients, we saw two police officers in uniform sitting with a large group of people not in uniform, but we assumed if they were eating with policemen, they were supportive of men in blue, too. I told my co-worker that I wanted to buy those policemen lunch, and she was all in. On that extremely rare occasion, I actually had some cash, just two larger bills. So I asked our waitress to put one of my large bills in with the check she brought to the police officer's table and to tell them someone wanted to say thank you to the police officers for serving, but not to let them know who.  We wondered if the lady would really do it or pocket the cash. We talked like we weren't paying any attention to the police officer's table, but I think the waitress did exactly as we asked her, and she came back later, beaming about how much they appreciated it.

Then I got to thinking....those police officers and everyone at their table were white.  This town we were in seemed old school and more segregated compared to where I live where white Americans are the minority. Our waitress was black. Both my business partner and I are white. She may have assumed we only appreciate white people, so I pulled out the other bill (same amount as I gave the police officers and same amount she would have pocketed had she not been trustworthy) and added that to her usual tip with a note of thanks. My friend and I were both glowing because it just feels good to bless someone. I'm not the spontaneous Random Acts of Kindness type person, though I certainly have wanted to be more aware of ways to serve others, so this was all a God thing. 

I now have no money in my wallet, but my heart is so full. I don't actually bring home any money after paying taxes, giving tithes & offerings, and paying a nanny, so today was a net negative for me financially, but the internal blessings are immeasurable.  

Anxieties overwhelm us when we feel like we have no control over what's happening in the world and when evil seems to be grabbing little victories.  Even though we know God has won the war, the little battles sent to wake up the world to their need for Christ can make us feel beaten.   But we can make a difference, pushing back hate right where we are, simply by loving others near us with simple acts of kindness and generosity.   How can we be anxious when we just cheered up six hearts today with less than what a counseling session with therapist would cost?

All the way back we talked some more, and we both realized how much God had ministered to us both that day.  She filled my love tank, and I think God worked through me to help her. What if I had been silent about my faith as the politically correct, and many Democrats, especially Hillary Clinton, insist?  She and I never would have connected on a heart level or been able to share spiritual truths in a way that will mold our hearts not just for now but for eternity.

After work I wrote out the following notes and quotes to share with her so we can both use them as reference when either of us grow anxious or weary of the world.

The world may be broken, but He restores my soul.  The world is filled with evil and corruption, but He leads His people along paths of righteousness! (Psalm 23:2-3)

Violence and wars rage around us, but He is our peace. (Isaiah 9:6, Micah 5:5, John 16:33a)

Evil seems to be winning the current battles, but He has won the war. He has overcome the world. (John 16:33b)

Trials befall us; loved ones leave us, friends betray us; and injustices overwhelm us, but God's love never ceases and His mercies are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness! (Lamentations 3:22-23)

Rebounding Video: Imagine you are the top tennis ball, supportive like-minded friends could be the middle ball, and Christ is the basketball. 

Consider Daniel and Joseph who went from imprisonment or captive slave to second in command in pagan nations.   Mordecai is another example with some great humor to enjoy when you consider all the many instances of irony for proud Haman.  Ruth, Job, and Jonah have great rebound stories too.Any hardship or suffering we face will enable us to soar higher than we ever were before. Believe it. Claim it. See also Romans 8:28 and Jeremiah 29:11.

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." -John 10:10 -NASB

(Note:  Just because Satan wants to kill and destroy does not mean that God will stop giving us abundant life.  Christ has already won the victory, and nothing can snatch us out of his hands, so we much choose to live in the knowledge of that truth.  We have to let the thief steal our joy.  God doesn't give the spoils back to the defeated one.  That's our choice.)

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33 

(IOW, Satan may seem to win a few battles, but God has already won the war!)

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." - Philippians 4:8

(Note: Push out negative thoughts by filling your heart with positive truth - then there isn't any room for negativity.  God gives us lots of armor in Ephesians 6 but, he gives us one offensive weapon, the sword of truth or His WORD.  Conquer anxious thoughts with upper cuts, jabs, and thrusts of that might sword.)               

"I can do everything through him who gives me strength."  - Philippians 4:13

"Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow. It empties today of its strength." Corrie Ten Boom

"I counted dollars while God counted crosses
I counted gain while He counted losses.
I counted my worth by the things gained in store,
But He sized me up by the scars that I bore.
I coveted honors, and sought for degrees.
He wept as He counted the hours on my knees.
I never knew till one day by a grave,
How vain are the things that we spend life to save.
I did not yet know, 'til a Friend from above,
Said richest is he who is rich in God's love."
(Author unknown) 

[My note - nothing we lose here on earth really matters in the big picture - it's all a blip on the timeline of eternity.]

"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." (1 Corinthians 4:17)

“Please help me not to be so busy making a living, I forget to make a life.” 

When I came home after that awesome work day, still riding the buzz brought the random acts of kindness, I came into the kitchen to find the kids working together...on their own initiative...happily preparing one of my favorite meals from scratch for dinner so I would not have to cook after a long but fruitful work day. Random acts of kindness are contagious and bring healing to the soul, so let's keep the RAK virus spreading across America where it is needed most.

Parenting Discovery: If kids see what you deem as a chore as a form of creative play and the decision to do that task is their own idea with the freedom to make whatever they want instead of being told to cook something you specify for dinner, then it isn't a chore they complain about, but rather, a fun project to enjoy - TOGETHER!