BRF: Psalm 119

Not much to say this week. Not for lack of material – I was in great danger of being overwhelmed again. (How can you not feel ready to read something new after reading the same thing every day for a week? Isn’t this great?)

Not much to say because it’s been a little busy around here over the last while, and we’re all a little run down. We’re laying low today and enjoying the Scotties Tournament of Hearts semi-final. We love to watch curling! Don’t understand much of what is going on, but we love to watch it anyway.

So there won’t be any lengthy review this week. I sure learned a lot from what I read, and I’ll summarize it this way: I want the Bible to be the centre, the foundation, the all-in-all in my life that it was to whoever wrote this Psalm. I’ve come a long way in this, and I can’t believe all those years I wasted. How could I really think I didn’t have time to read? How many decisions would have been changed if I had based my choices on what God says is right, rather than what I think is right? But I can’t live in the past. I’m looking forward to the day when God’s Word is to me what it was to whoever wrote this psalm. I’m on my way, and it’s very exciting.

I heard a couple of years ago that in China you have to memorize this psalm just to get on a WAITING LIST for a Bible. I wonder if I’d be willing to do it?

You ladies are such a huge encouragement to me. It’s so great to be doing this together!

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Checking in

Jenn was kind enough to express concern that perhaps I have given up blogging, and so I thought it best that I pop in for a bit.

Reports of my {blogging} death have been greatly exaggerated. I’ve just been so busy, between my own responsibilities and being there to encourage my friend in her computer addiction rehab efforts, that I haven’t had much time for blogging. Or reading of blogs. Or anything on-line, for that matter.

My friend is doing well. My suggestions have been put to good use. She has experienced the odd relapse, but overall she has come a long way. She was so encouraged by all of your kind comments, and found it quite humourous that so many thought I could have been writing about them. She says it’s nice to know she’s not the only one.

I have all kinds of wonderful bloggy thoughts whirling around in my head, and as soon as I get my friend back on track I’ll share some of them with you. In the meantime, have yourselves a wonderful weekend!

(Can you believe February is over already? Shortest February ever!)

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Proverbs 31:10-31

If you aren’t already a regular reader over at The Sparrow’s Nest, you might want to make a point to become one. Mrs. Wilt has begun a study on this exciting, challenging and often overwhelming portion of scripture. Today’s post was excellent, and I’m really looking forward to the next one!

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I have this friend, see…

You may know her, so I won’t mention any names. I wouldn’t want to embarrass her. She is a recovering computeraholic. I’ve even heard her refer to her iMac as her Precioussss a time or two.

She’s conquered the addiction in the past, but she wonders if she will ever be completely free. Whenever things get a little too busy, a little too overwhelming, a little too february-ish, she feels that familiar old tug again. Before she knows it, she’s checking her email every time she walks past. (Well, her computer is actually out of the way so she has to be creative to make sure she has to walk past often.) Sometimes she even has trouble sitting through an entire meal without going to check the email. Strangely, this increase in email time translates into less emails to friends and family. It seems that the busier and tireder she gets, the fewer personal emails she sends (and she starts saying things like tireder – that’s where I got it), and I fear that her far-away friends may think she’s ignoring them.

She knows that life won’t be any less busy or february-ish if she continues to spend too much time in front of her monitor, but she needs some practical advice on how to escape (a la 1 Corinthians 10:13) the temptation before her. I myself have never been in her predicament, of course, so I can only imagine what she is dealing with and offer suggestions that might help. I suspect that she already knows all of this herself, but like all of us she sometimes needs a little push to get her going. And so, my friend, if you are reading this I have some advice for you:

1. Absolutely no computer, not even just to check the weather forecast, until after you are ready for the day, you have your kids up and into their morning routines and you have spent a chunk of time reading your Bible and praying. You were doing so well with that, but I think you’re getting away from it again.
2. Turn the mute on in your System Preferences. That way you won’t hear that cute little sound that tells you another email has just been plopped in your inbox, or that So-and-so has just signed in and is trying to get your attention on MSN, and you won’t be tempted to run to the computer to see what’s up.
3. Major stuff, like Google searches and typing of blog posts, should have a scheduled time during the day to avoid pulling you away from the tasks at hand. After lunch while the kids have a quiet time or play outside might be an ideal time for this. On especially busy days, computer time may have to be forfeited entirely. (You might not like that one.)
4. When you finally get to sit down and computerize, you should definitely spend your time wisely, on the things that are most important and most enjoyable. (No, Mahjong will never fit into either of these categories.) You won’t have as much time as you’d like to have, so you have to learn to do the first things first. If you are ‘too tired’ to concentrate on the most important and enjoyable, then you should probably just go to bed because you are obviously in need of rest.
5. If your self-discipline is not equal to these suggestions, you must turn the computer off. It is the last resort, but it’s for your own good. If you have to restart everything just to see if anyone has emailed you or updated their blogs, it might be just enough deterrent to make you wait until the designated time. Hard medicine, I know, but it’s for your own good.

Don’t be glum chum, you’ve done it before and I know you can do it again. I’m pullin’ for ya’! I know things have been extra busy lately. When your laundry is all caught up and you’ve answered those emails and corrected those math lessons, you will enjoy your computer time far more. I promise. Now that you’ve read my little message, get out of that chair and get back to work!

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Pink shoes

My mother recently bought a pair of pink shoes, and that reminded me of how I’ve always wanted some myself. I really, really like pink shoes. I think I even owned a pair, many years ago. So many years ago that I’m really not sure. (I can’t possibly be old enough to say that.)

I’m sure that all of my problems would be solved if I only had a really cute pair of pink shoes. If I could only have pink shoes, I’d never want anything ever again… I’m in need of pretty much everything summerish, so I will have to be sure to look for pink while shopping.

Last week Mom and I went to do a little grocery shopping. Since our lists are very different these days, we each grabbed a cart and went our separate ways. When we met up at the checkout, she started naming all the people she had seen that she knew. I didn’t see any of them. Were we in the same store the whole time? I guess when you are keeping your eye on five kids and your grocery list and your purse all at the same time, you’re not likely to see much else.

Anyway, while she was waiting for me to pay for my groceries, she saw an acquaintance whom she hadn’t seen for a few years. Acquaintance didn’t recognize her, so Mom spoke. She said, “Hi” back, but it was clear that Acquaintance still couldn’t place Mom. Mom spoke again, and this time Acquaintance knew who she was. And so she answered in the way any civilized person does when meeting up with someone they used to know: “Oh! You let your hair go gray!” Very nice to see you, too.

Mom told Acquaintance that she never did dye her hair in the first place. Acquaintance said: “Oh! I guess I haven’t seen you for a long time.” (What Mom heard: “My, how you’ve aged!”)

I can just picture Mom continuing the conversation with grace and tact. She told me all about it while we sipped our Tim’s on the way home. I wasn’t surprised by any of it ~ some people just aren’t as polite these days as they could be, and although I think Mom’s hair looks great, it is increasingly rare that a woman chooses to stay grey.

What did surprise me was what she said at the end of her tale. “Wait ’til she sees my pink shoes. That’ll show her.”

Pink shoes. Everyone should have a pair.

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Tag, you’re it

I so totally tag Anne.

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My very first meme

I am so not a meme person. Or a survey person. But I can’t not do it, since Jenn practically dared me to. She’s very tricky.

Aprons – Y/N? Yes. I have several, but I don’t have any pretty ones yet, a situation I hope to remedy soon. I do have one that was a gift from a friend with a very nice sentiment attached to it, and I really like to wear it even though it isn’t feminine. It has sentimental value.

Baking – Favorite thing to bake? Brownies for their easiness, cheesecake for its cheezy pleasiness. I just love cheesecake. I made a 10″ one this week, which is way too much for even a family of our size, and so I am eating WAY TOO MUCH cheesecake. I must say I am enjoying it, though.

Clothesline – Y/N? Yes. Love my clothesline. Can’t wait for that first load of line-dried clothes to come in this spring. I just sink my face into it and breathe, breathe, breathe. Ahhhh.

Donuts – Ever made them? I think so. Once. They are a lot of work! My Grammie used to make them and always had a stash for us when we came to visit. I still think of her every time I smell nutmeg.

Everyday – One homemaking thing you do everyday? Laundry. And then some.

Freezer – Do you have a separate deep freezer? We have two, since last year we had a side of beef and a deer. This year we have neither. I’m hoping for both again next year. We ate good last winter.

Garbage Disposal – Y/N? Don’t have one, and I’ve never even seen one to tell you the truth.

Handbook – Y/N? Whatever that means. I’ll be spiritual and say, “Why yes, of course I have a Bible! My handbook for life!!”

Ironing – Love it or hate it? Hate it. My husband irons his own shirts and pants. I’m ashamed of that, and I’m hoping that by declaring it to the whole world, I will get busy fixing it.

Junk Drawer – Where is it? I don’t think I have a drawer that hasn’t turned into a junk drawer. I’m not so good at getting rid of things or putting things back where they belong. This is turning into quite a humiliating meme.

Kitchen – Design and decorating? Green wall (it’s a small room), wood cupboards and beat up flooring. I have big, big plans…

Love – What is your favorite part of homemaking? Vacuuming is quickly becoming a favourite. Very satisfying to see the before and after, and with carpet in the dining area we have dramatic before and after.

Mop – Y/N? Do I have one or do I do it? I have one, but I don’t use it much. Good ol’ hands and knees works a lot better. I do it, but not as often as I could. Thankfully I only have two teeny little floors that aren’t carpeted, because my knees aren’t what they used to be!

Nylons – No. I wear tights, too. Tights last all winter, I never get more than one wear out of nylons.

Oven – Do you use the window or open it to check? I open the door. I just can’t see well enough through that little window.

Pizza – What do you put on yours? I LOVE PIZZA! Lotsa mozza and mushrooms, green pepper, bacon, pineapple, green olives, onions.

Quiet – What do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment? Check my email and bloglines, read, and when I’m really lucky, sleep.

Recipe card box – Y/N? No. I graduated to a binder long ago. I have a lot of recipes.

Style of house – Bungalow. I am not a bungalow fan, but I’m making it work. It still looks like a bungalow outside, but I’m doing my best to make the inside look like an old farmhouse. I have a good imagination.

Tablecloths and napkins – Y/N? Paper napkins at every meal, tablecloths and cloth napkins for special occasions. Tablecloths don’t make it to a second meal, and I have enough laundry to keep me busy.

Under the kitchen sink – Cleaning supplies and garbage bags, garbage and green bin stuff. It’s not my favourite place. Ew.

Vacuum – How many times a week? A week? Are you kidding? Those days are long gone. If I don’t vacuum at least once a day, I am seriously hoping no one comes to my door. We generate a lot of dirt around here.

Wash – How many loads do you do a week? Again – a week??? Don’t even ask.

X’s – Do you keep a list of things to do and cross them off? Lists, actually. I always add items faster than I can cross them off and end up frustrating and starting over. Even so, I do love my lists.

Yard – Who does what? My husband mows and I am supposed to take care of the gardens. I am working on downsizing the gardens. This summer the two oldest kids will be in charge of the mowing so that Husband won’t have that to come home to on a hot summer day.

ZZZ’s – What is your last homemaking task for the day? I don’t know if it is the same every day. There’s always one more thing to do before bed. Probably a quick tidy so I don’t get up to chaos.

There. Now I tag Shannon and Erin.

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BRF: Ephesians

This is quite a book. I don’t feel at all ready to move on. There’s so much in these chapters, and I feel like I’ve just scratched the surface. And barely, at that. So here’s what I have taken away from Ephesians.

I think Paul is writing to a group of new believers. This whole book seems to me like a crash course in Christianity. He starts off by getting their focus where it should be, on God. Did you notice that it’s all “in Him”? All our blessings, our forgiveness, our future is all in Him. Doesn’t leave much room for me, does it?

He follows this foundation of all we have in Him with a reminder that our salvation is only through grace, not by anything we have done. That is important to remember. He also reminds the Ephesian believers not to forget what they were before they repented, and that they were without hope before Christ Jesus brought them into His body through His blood. When things are going well I get so busy patting myself on the back, I forget what I was and how I became a new creation. I forget that I am nothing without Him. It’s all “in Him”, not in me or in anything I’ve done. Good reminders, and gets my focus back where it should be.

Paul has so much to say about relationships in this book. People need to be taught how to get along with people. In our “me first” society, these concepts are not welcomed. I find it a constant challenge to sift through the many mixed messages being sent today, and to measure them all up against scripture. Many will tell me that I need to take care of myself first, to distance myself from those who would “drain” me, to put people in their place when they cross me. So far, I don’t see that in the Word of God. Ephesians is full of verses that say to put others first. To be kind, to forgive, to only let edifying words pass our lips, to tell the truth, to be thankful, to respect authority. This list is easy to read when all is going well, and I say, “Well, of course we should live like that!” but when I’m upset these are not my first reactions. In fact, I may feel justified in doing just the opposite. That is ‘the old man’ which Ephesians 4:22 tells me to put off. I need to walk as children of light – finding out what is acceptable to the Lord and getting busy doing it. Reminds me of Philippians 2:5 which tells us to be like Christ, humbly doing God’s will in spite of all it cost Him.

There is also lots of therefores in Ephesians. As I was taught years ago, when I see a “therefore” I look back a verse or two to see what it is “there for”. The passage before the therefore usually clarifies what follows it. (Sometimes I get frustrated with the way the verses are broken down and numbered – it seems to affect the flow.) I can’t write a review without mentioning context!

How many times have I read and been taught the passage on the whole armour of God? Plenty. How many times have I seen or heard the context of those verses? I don’t think I ever have. It isn’t by accident that Paul’s statement that we don’t struggle with flesh and blood comes right after all those directives on how to relate properly to others. When relationships become strained, we need to remember that it is Satan and his influence on us that we are up against. The only way to overcome that influence is to do what is right in God’s eyes. Therefore, we need to put on the whole armour of God, so that we will be able to resist the temptations Satan sends our way, temptations that will break down our relationships if we give in to them. Armed with truth, righteousness, peace, faith and the Word of God, we will act and react toward others the way God wants us to. It looks to me like God’s people are more divided than ever these days. We disagree on everything, and we let it affect our relationships. We get angry, we let ourselves take things personally and get hurt, and we take it out on each other. Those defenses of truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and the Word of God will restore our relationships, if only we will take them up and use them. If only God’s people would get serious about God’s Word! We still may not agree on everything (although I do believe we would agree a lot more), but if we are obeying what we read we will still treat each other the way we should. As Shannon would say, simple and hard all at the same time. I pray that I will learn to do it! I’ve come a long way by God’s grace, but I have far to go.

This was a tough read for the first few times, but context came through for me again. Even so, I know there’s so much more in Ephesians that I haven’t had time to even scratch the surface of, and I may have to read Ephesians a couple more times before I tackle the next book!

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14 Things

Because I have a lot to do this morning, perhaps even more than is humanly possible, and I’m trying to do it on five hours’ sleep, I’m going to sit here at my computer and try to come up with 14 things that spark my day.

1. My blog. Big time.
2. When I read the Bible and have a lightbulb moment.
3. A toasted bagel with herb and garlic cream cheese AND a cream cheese danish AND a medium double-double with a shot of raspberry delivered to me first thing in the morning. Happy Valentine’s Day to me! I have a thoughtful husband.
4. Waking in the morning to find that the housework fairies have been busy cleaning my house until it shines. No it’s never happened, but it would definitely spark my day. Let me dream.
5. Baby Boy’s belly laughs.
6. A new card idea that works on the first try.
7. I’m stealing one from Shannon. Kids getting along.
8. My cat finding another home where she will be loved and enjoyed (and I won’t have to deal with her fleas or her shedding). Another one that probably will never happen, but it sure would send a few sparks flying my way.
9. Seeing the bottom of my laundry basket.
10. A Stampin’ Up delivery.
11. When one of my children finally grasps a new math concept.
12. A trip to East Side Mario’s.
13. Pulling on my jeans and finding they are a little looser.
14. Cheesecake. Kelly served a delicious one on Monday night. I made another one yesterday. Lotsa cheesecake sparks this week!

I wish I was feeling a little more creative this morning. I’m sure there are plenty of interesting things that spark my day. I just can’t think of them. My brain is too busy convincing my eyelids to stay open and my body to stay upright. Is it bedtime yet?

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Momentous occasions

February 14, 1981: My sister is born ~ the only of my three sisters’ births that I remember! I was almost 11 at the time. Happy Birthentine’s Day to you…

February 14, 1991: My first date with a guy from church. There was a big snowstorm that day and I was so afraid he would cancel. He didn’t. I think it was a Thursday night. We went to a movie and then out for fish & chips. The restaurant workers were mopping the floor around us, and probably wishing we’d go home.

February 14, 1992: Our wedding rehearsal! We were married the next day. I wanted a Christmas wedding, he said it couldn’t happen before February. So we decked the church with Christmas trees on the day after Valentine’s Day. It worked for us.

Happy Valentine’s Day from Seven Meadows!

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