Daily Life, David, Project 365, Sarah

An Unremarkable Day

3 Comments

As much as we try to live a life worthy of the blog, sometimes things are just quiet.

I worked from home today, and nothing really very interesting happened. A bunch of us are restarting our diet, so there wasn’t much culinary interest to the day. I briefly chatted with Joshua, and I helped Daniel craft a job application cover letter. After supper, Kathy and I attended our Small Group, which was ably-led by my co-leader Dave, but I didn’t take any pictures.

Now it is almost 10 pm, and Kathy (who is off picking up her dear friend from the airport) texts me: “Don’t forget to blog.”

She’s entirely relentless about this Project 365 thing. It is astounding to me how often my turn comes up, and how rarely I have anything profound to say.

Fortunately, David and Sarah saved the day with some goofiness in the kitchen, as they washed the dishes. Listening to the two of them sing and have fun with the dishes, I am very thankful that silliness and laughter are a big part of our family dynamic.

I think these two are a few ice cubes short of a full tray.

I think these two are a few ice cubes short of a full tray.

Tonight at our Bible study we were talking about stewardship, and I had a chance to reflect on the areas in my life where God has appointed me a steward. I manage my children, my job responsibilities, and help out with several different ministries at church. My money, possessions and time are all not really ‘mine’, but I am a partner with God in using those resources for His glory.

Clearly I need to spend more time being a steward of my two youngest children.

Project 365, Day 82
Tim

Related posts:

Being a Disciple of Jesus, Bible Study, Project 365

Walking In Faith

6 Comments

What does it look like to walk in faith? Does it involve an ignorant blind trust, stumbling around in the darkness, trying to please a lofty, unknown God? Is it a scary thing, full of the unknown?

As this busy, full day comes to a close, I see that the Lord has been weaving together a message for me. I don’t know if it is meant to be a song, a story, or perhaps a painting. He is the grand artist, creative beyond all measure, breadth or wonder, so I am in awe that He would speak to me and give me even just a little glimpse of His heart.

From this morning’s Sunday School Bible study on Exodus, baptisms, preschool lessons on Luke, an afternoon hospital visit, and a evening prayer walk, I see that He has taken the events of my day, gathered them all up, and used them to paint, stroke by stroke, another one of His masterpieces.

May my ears be open to hear what He wants to teach me. May it deepen my love for Him, strengthen my faith, and produce in me obedience and WORSHIP. That is my prayer tonight as I write this post.

This morning we studied Exodus 19 in our Sunday School class. We are on the cusp of chapter 20, about to see God reveal His 10 Commandments to Moses and the Israelites. We have witnessed the incredible power and might of the Lord’s anger, justice and compassion as He brought the Israelites OUT OF EGYPT. We have watched as the sea was parted, the people delivered, the enemy crushed, food and water provided for – all by the Lord. And today we talked about the holiness of God. He calls the Israelites his treasured possessions. And the people answered – “All that the LORD has spoken we will do.”

They were committing to walking in faith. To follow this God that had rescued them and shown them great and mighty works. Brush strokes – a path is laid before the people.

I hope these boys will all say YES to the Lord's call on their lives!

I hope these boys will all say YES to the Lord’s call on their lives!

Tim ended class early this morning so we could go and watch the baptisms taking place at the end of the 1st service. 15 people chose to make a public proclamation of their faith this weekend at our church. One by one they shared their story. The unique and precious way that they have found their way to the Lord; how He rescued them and revealed Himself to them. One by one – buried in the likeness of His death and raised to new life in Him! More brush strokes – faithfulness chosen. Obedience to the call to be baptized.

Joyful moments.

Joyful moments.

Next David, Sarah and I found ourselves in the 4 & 5 year old class room with 18 preschoolers. What a busy time, full of energy! We play, sing songs, color papers, eat snacks, and listen to a lesson. I LOVE the 4 and 5 year olds because they have thoughts and opinions and ideas and can really LISTEN to the stories from the Bible. Today we studied Luke 17 and heard about the 10 men that Jesus healed from leprosy. We talked about being thankful like the one man who returned to Jesus and praised Him for the healing. But this evening, when I think about Walking in Faith and obedience and living a life that is focused on God, I can’t help but see the faith demonstrated by those men. Jesus didn’t do anything that they could see. He told them to go and show themselves to the priests. Basically He sent them away. And they obeyed Him. They literally walked in faith

Again I am struck by the thread of this message. To Walk in Faith isn’t to stumble along blindly. It’s to follow the One who saves. It’s to trust that He is mighty and powerful and good. It’s to proclaim His message to others. It’s to be obedient. It’s to thank Him when He works in my life.

This afternoon Tim and I went to the hospital to visit the mother of one of my closest friends. Tomorrow she is facing heart surgery. And my friend is out of the country. She flew halfway across the world to walk alongside another friend in the midst of her adoption. More steps of faith. More obedience. Hardship and struggle and delays, but still faithful walking. What is God trying to teach me? What does He want me to learn through all of this?

Covering the bed with flowers and fruit and taking a picture!

Covering the bed with flowers and fruit and taking a picture!

Walking in Faith doesn’t mean easy or simple. It doesn’t mean a life full of ease and comfort without sickness or pain or death. I think it means Hope and Peace. The beautiful face of my friend’s mother as she greeted us with hugs and kisses, as she spoke to the anesthesiologist about the surgery tomorrow, as she shared with us the details leading up to all of this and the outcome ahead of her, and she beamed at the nurse, through it all this face was nothing less than a picture of Faith and Joy. This is a woman who has seen hardship and pain in her life, and yet, through it all she is walking in faith. And she’s walking in faith with a Savior who loves her and comforts her and upholds her. The verse she shared with us:

…yet will I rejoice in the Lord;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
God, the Lord, is my strength;
he makes my feet like the deer’s;
he makes me tread on my high places. (Habakkuk 3:18-19)

Her walk of faith challenges me. It inspires and encourages me to press in more deeply to my Savior.

And tonight, cozy and comfy on the couch, Tim called us out of our Sunday evening relaxing and brought us to church for a prayer walk. In the setting sun, joining together with a group of fellow pray-ers, we circled the church grounds over and over. We lifted up the work of the Lord in our community, the future plans for our church, the people loving, serving, growing in our amidst.

Prayer walk - God is moving!

Prayer walk – God is moving!

We walked.
We prayed.

And I had to laugh. All my thoughts about being obedient. All the things I’ve seen and studied and taught ended in a literal WALK. A prayer walk is a physical act of faith – we’re asking God to move and work, and we’re doing so in FAITH that He will hear us, that He will direct our steps. That He will enable us to continue Walking in Faith.

Over and over I am struck by this tapestry, picture, or song that God created for me in this day. I’m facing some definite challenges ahead of me, and I think they are going to involve struggle and possible pain. I’m Walking in Faith that the Lord knows best, that He will guide me, that He will protect me, that He will comfort me, that He will give me wisdom and strength.

Project 365 – Day 81
Kathy

Related posts:

Project 365

Baptisms Galore

5 Comments

One of the things I love about our church is the way that Baptisms are handled. New believers (and anyone who has never been baptized) are encouraged to make a public profession of faith sooner rather than later, which I find refreshing. Personally, I delayed my baptism until I was nearly 30 years old — there just never seemed to be a good time to do it, and so I never did (until I wanted to be a Deacon in a church that required baptism in their Deacons).

Dave Pritchard had the privilege of baptizing Julia.

Dave Pritchard had the privilege of baptizing Julia. I love the way that each baptismal candidate gets a chance to tell (or read) their testimony.

Several times a year, a Baptism class is offered, and anyone who goes to the class is then baptized in one of our church services the next weekend. This weekend we have fifteen people being baptized — it is quite a celebration and very exciting to be a part of a vibrant church with a steady flow of new believers.

This soldier was baptized, and then immediately turned around and baptized his son.

This soldier was baptized, and then immediately turned around and baptized his son.

I was privileged to witness the baptism of two of my good friends tonight — two girls who I have known for many years. It was very encouraging to watch each of them take this important step in making their salvation their own.

It was very moving to see my nemesis good friend baptizing his little princess bug.

It was very moving to see my nemesis good friend baptizing his little princess bug.

Project 365, Day 80
Tim

Related posts:

David, Homeschooling

Student Campaign

3 Comments

Things are progressing in my Leadership Class at our homeschool co-op. We’ve been studying Proverbs, styles of governance and the power of influence. The students each selected a leader and wrote essays profiling their chosen subject. Today I returned the edited papers for final revisions. We even had a little lesson on using easybib.com and formatting with Word. They did a great job on their work – some of the kids had never completed this type of assignment before.

The next thing we are working on is our campaigns for Student Government. The kids who were interested in running filled out a four step nomination process including:

1) Teacher Recommendation
2) Student Body Support Signatures
3) Nomination Form
4) Paragraph declaring intent & qualifications

This guy looks trustworthy - vote for him!

This guy looks trustworthy – vote for him!

We’ll develop election platforms, film mini commercials, give speeches, mingle with the co-op kids and culminate in elections in April. Exciting to watch the students grow as leaders and compete for positions.

Stay tuned!

Project 365 – Day 79
Kathy

Related posts:

Parenting, Project 365

Playing the Odds

2 Comments

In early February, I usually start some tomato seedlings. I think I wrote about this just a a few weeks ago.

I start with a bank of 72 peat disks, with a seed (or sometimes two seeds, if I’m paranoid) in each one. Then I plant them in larger pots and try to nurse them through the Spring, hoping to end up with a dozen healthy plants. I’m basically betting that I can keep a few plants alive until I put them in the ground around Memorial Day.

How many of these will make it into my garden?

How many of these will make it into my garden?

Since I start with 72, I can afford to lose or give away five plants for every one I keep. By the time I plant them in my raised-bed gardens, I have selected only the strongest, hardiest plants with (I hope) the best chance for producing a plentiful harvest.

Children are not quite the same as tomatoes, in spite of what our culture would say or do. Whatever children you get, those are the ones you plant, and those are the ones that will ultimately produce a harvest for the King. If you start with five ‘seedlings’ (as I have), you’d better do the best you can to make sure they become strong, healthy adults.

A few days ago I noticed that the peat disks on the edges were dry, and that I have lost a number of my seedlings. Also, I kept the greenhouse lid on too long, and a number of the plants have grown too tall for the container, and are now lying across other plants. Already I think I’ve lost about half my seedlings through carelessness and inattention.

Daniel was listening to his music while doing the dishes, tonight -- caught him like a deer in the headlights.

Daniel was listening to his music while doing the dishes, tonight — I caught him like a deer in the headlights.

Parenting is not for the faint of heart. My inattention to my children could have terrible repercussions. Playing the odds is not an option with my beloved offspring — I’m not willing to ‘lose’ even one.

It makes me think. I sure hope I can parent better than I tomato-farm.

Project 365, Day 78
Tim

Related posts:

The musings and ravings of a bloggart family