Quote of the Week

When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure.

Peter Marshall

Happy Friday

Lydia says, "Happy Friday everyone!" Have a blessed weekend!

25 Things

I have nothing noteworthy to add to my blog today, so thought I'd share a recent list of 25 interesting (maybe) things you might not know about me. And although I've tweaked it a little, for those of you who've already seen this in our Facebook world, my apologies...

1. When I was 17, I proclaimed that I'd move to the East Coast one day. When I was 24, I actually did.
2. The town I grew up in was smaller than my husband's high school.
3. My favorite ice cream flavor is bubble gum. Without the gumballs.
4. I watched the Twin Towers burn from my office window and should have lost my husband that day. But God.
5. I have two "sets" of kids who are less than thirteen months apart and I’ve been pregnant or nursing for all but 5 months of the last seven years. My husband once told me he wanted enough kids for a hockey team. I didn't believe him. I should have.
6. I was a nanny and my memories with those children are among the highlights of my life.
7. I feel like a new person since I stopped eating gluten.
8. I've met Mr. T and Lyle Lovett (and have the pictures to prove it).
9. I've been to Disney World twice while pregnant. With different children.
10. I'm a homeschooling mom and it challenges me to get outside of myself every day.
11. I would love to live in New England. One of my favorite places is Cape Cod.
12. I now live on the island I used to vacation on as a kid, and am thankful it has bridge access rather than having to depend on a ferry.
13. Watching my kids interact with each other is one of my favorite pastimes.
14. While on a missions trip to Egypt, I floated the Nile and rode a camel in the Sahara Desert.
15. In a symbolic expression of joining our two worlds, my husband proposed to me on the Staten Island ferry in front of the Statue of Liberty.
16. I don’t have tv, x-box, wii or an ipod and I’m doing just fine.
17. I have discovered I actually enjoy blogging.
18. My ideal wedding spot would have been Hawaii…my husband has promised that someday we’ll renew our vows there.
19. I was diagnosed with ADHD three years ago. I am not taking medication for it, and consider it more an exercise in discipline than a disease.
20. I used to work for the 2nd largest food manufacturer in the world and got to taste-test new products before they went to market. You might have some of those items in your pantry right now.
21. I usually have to read myself to sleep.
22. My 21 month old daughter has ridden in a helicopter, but I never have.
23. My husband thinks I became Italian when he married me. I'm not, but I have learned to make a mean Eggplant Parmesan and my Chicken Piccata isn't bad either (Aren't you proud of me, Liz?).
24. I care too much about what people think. My heart's desire is to be more concerned with the approval of God than the approval of man.
25. I know God is real, His Son paid the price for my sin and He loves me. No doubts.

My Personal Dirt Sensor

We purchased a new vacuum last year. Our old one was really old and though it had been faithful it was undoubtedly ready for retirement.

The new vacuum came with plenty of bells and whistles: it is hypoallergenic (good for our asthma issues) and has more attachments than I will ever use. But my favorite feature is the high-tech dirt sensor.

The dirt sensor is a light at the top of the control panel that transitions from red to green as I am vacuuming. When the light turns solid green it means the spot I'm working on is indeed thoroughly clean. I find this especially fascinating when it looks to me like an area is finished, but the sensor says it isn't. So I keep on with my back and forth motions until the indicator light tells me I've completed the job.

With my old vacuum, I would have just moved on leaving the ground in dirt behind, but my new vacuum tells me to stay put for awhile. And when I've finished, my carpet really does look and feel cleaner.

At the risk of oversimplifying, the Holy Spirit is my personal 'dirt sensor.' When I have an attitude or an area in my life I think is cleaned up, the Holy Spirit reminds me that even though it looks good on the surface, I may not be quite clean underneath.

It is in these times that I need to keep pressing; maintaining an awareness of what my Indicator is telling me. If I move on without a thorough cleansing, build-up occurs and ugly spots rise to the surface.

Similar to my vacuuming, a completed task and a 'green light' often takes longer than I want it to. I have to spend more time in certain areas of my heart and it can get frustrating. I'd love to just do a quick sweep and have it all taken care of, but that's not what's best.

The Indicator is helping me and in the long and short of it, I'll be a lot better off. Closer to refinement. Closer to where God wants me to be.

I've started the practice of praying as I vacuum. In those areas of my house where I'm waiting for the dirt sensor light to turn green, I am reminded to pray for the areas of my heart that are still in need of cleansing. In more ways than one, it has made a mundane chore a lot more meaningful...and profitable.

Random Thoughts

A few random Monday morning thoughts...

In keeping with the challenge and revolution, I've decided to pick one thing off the obedience checklist to focus on this week. Of course, I would love for my husband to come to me after a few days and tell me he's noticing a change in my heart and attitude towards him. But even if he doesn't, I am committed to pressing on. After all, this isn't about what God wants to do in my husband, it's about what God wants to do in me.

So, this week, I am choosing "do I seek to affirm him?". I know what I love and appreciate about my husband, but does he know what those things are? This week I am going to make sure he does.

And if you're wanting to join the challenge, it's not too late. Leave a comment and I'll pray for you. This is not going to happen in our own strength. If there's one thing I have learned about marriage, it is that Satan does not want it to succeed. We need prayer and total dependence on the Lord.

Lois over at Walking on Sunshine is spending the week sharing a devotional on the Proverbs 31 woman. It's worth checking out.

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On another note, I was lamenting the change in government last week. Our President has entered office with a seeming determination to "turn the world upside down." He has already made great strides to overturn policies on values I hold dear. This can make me almost fearful.

But I am taking great comfort in Proverbs 21:1, which was, incidentally (or not), the opening verse of the Proverb for January 21st, one day after the inauguration. "The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes."

Nothing is out of God's hands.

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Now on to lighter things.

Yesterday Aiden was taking inventory of our family: "There are two boy kids and three girl kids."

In a great homeschooling mom moment, I decided to capitalize on his analysis and make it a math lesson. "How many kids do we have all together, Aiden?"

"A lot."

Out of the mouths of babes...

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And finally. Just what is it about little girls and their mother's (best) lipstick?

Have a great day!

The Faith Hall of Fame

I read Hebrews 11 in a new light this week.

It's easy to read the Bible and the stories of the heroes of our faith and think there was something supernatural about them. To put them on a level somewhere above human. The truth is, they were carnal, sinful, imperfect people just like me. But they had faith. They trusted God's character in spite of the circumstances. And they were rewarded.

There is no reason why it cannot be the same for me. Except that I get in the way.

By Faith We Understand

1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

Faith at the Dawn of History

4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. 7 By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

Faithful Abraham

8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; 10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. 11 By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

The Heavenly Hope

13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. 15 And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

The Faith of the Patriarchs

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” 19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. 20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.

The Faith of Moses

23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s command. 24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. 27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.

By Faith They Overcame

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. 31 By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace. 32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35 Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36 Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— 38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. 39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.

Hebrews 11

Quote of the Week

Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time.

Oswald Chambers