happy weekend!

have a fabulous weekend! be sure to come back on monday for a special mama monday!!

Church and community

I've got a lot of thoughts on church and community but I'm having a hard time putting them into words--my own words. I'll just say it's a journey of love and forgiveness that I'm on, and while it has been painful, it has also been enlightening. (How's that for cryptic? *smile*) So here are a hodge-podge of thoughts pertaining to what's going on in my mind....maybe one day soon I'll be able to put them all into words.....

Dear Christian World

Ideal Community
The beauty of community
We are God's hands and feet
What hinders community?


and this, shared via Kari Jo:

‘community means caring:
caring for people.
dietrich bonhoeffer says,
‘he who loves community destroys community;
he who loves the brethren builds community.’
a community is not an abstract ideal.
we are not striving for perfect community.
community is not an ideal;
it is people.
it is you and i.
in community we are called to love people
just as they are with their wounds and their gifts,
not as we would want them to be.
community means giving them space,
helping them to grow.
it means also receiving from them so that we too can grow.’
-jean vanier

heady stuff, i tell you.

Four years....

I realized yesterday that I missed my four year blogging anniversary! It seems strange that I've been doing this for four years....

It, of course, all started with Baby steps. I love what it's turned into.

And here is what I am asking.....

If you are a longtime reader, first time reader, a reader who never comments, a reader who reads and I don't know you read--basically, if you read or have ever read my blog, leave me a comment!!! Don't you think I deserve a "hello" on my blogging anniversary?? =)

Thanks, all!

Useful, beautiful, and generous

Tonia shared some Lenten thoughts the other day which has stuck with me for a couple of weeks, because it is my "philosophy" also....
"for the past 12 days i have been cleaning cupboards, closets, shelves. insisting that i give away something from each; two things, if i can. release the things i own to someone else. no garage sales, no consignment shops, no return on my investment. just release it and thank God."

I love to go through each room in my house and look at all the items in my home carefully, and get rid of things that are not necessary, useful, or beautiful at this time in my life. It is so freeing to declutter and make room for empty space.

I have never been one of those people to do garage sales, consignment shops, etc. To me, it is not simplifying. It just causes more work, energy, and stress to get rid of "stuff" that way. I prefer to give things away to a new home which will be used, or simply bring bags to Goodwill. Over the years we have given some good things new homes, and I'm so glad for that! I love to see items I have not used to its fullest be used in another's hands to their full potential.

"Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful." ~William Morris

My room of my own

“The stay-at-home mom struggles less with being overworked, than with a kind of boredom or intellectual acedia. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Without a room of one’s own, without a housekeeper, without a lot of money, without sacrificing the well-being of one’s kids, the stay-at-home mom can exercise the freedoms of the creative class, if we allow ourselves. My room of my own is my head, and I inhabit it with varying degrees of contentment all day every day.”
via Betty Duffy

A single stitch

This is the Bible I carried with me as I walked down the aisle on my wedding day.

It was my grandmother's Bible, and she received it from my grandfather on her wedding day...

It is one of the most special things that I own. Namely because of its history (it's 70 years old),  because it was my grandmother's, and now because it has a special place in my own history.

I love what my grandfather wrote to my grandmother on the front page of the book:

"To you Helen my dear wife I give these words of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on this our wedding day. As Christ loved the church, so do I love you."

dated August 10, 1939.

Isn't that the most precious and romantic thing you have ever read?

The cover is made from material from my mother's wedding dress. The lace is from the collar of my grandmother's wedding dress. It was my mother's idea to put the Bible cover together with all the special things included. My grandmother also helped her make it...

On the inside, there is a lace flap with a piece of hair from my mother's mother, who passed away when I was a baby....

 It was very precious to have all of these remnants of history to carry with me on my wedding day...

I, of course, will pass it on to my own daughters' to carry with them on their wedding day, if they so choose to...

While studying the Tabernacle in Beth Moore's study A Woman's Heart: God's Dwelling Place, I was mostly struck by the care and precision that our Lord God put into designing the Tabernacle and all of the details of it.

Exodus 28:2 says, "Make holy garments for your brother Aaron, for glory and beauty."

I was struck by the care and precision and history of the holy garments for the priests, namely Aaron.

Exodus 28: 6-14 describes a garment called the ephod. the ephod was a sleeveless vest worn as an outer garment. It was two pieces attached together at the shoulder. A girdle or belt was also worn around the ephod, embroidered with the same colors.

Onyx stones were to be attached at the ephod's shoulders...

The names of the sons of Israel were engraved on these stones...

The order of the stones were determined by the order of their birth...

The stones were set in gold mountings...

The stones served as a memorial....

The breastplate of the ephod was to be worn over the priest's heart...

A golden bell and a pomegranate was to be placed on the hem of the high priest..

The purpose of the bell was to be sounded as Aaron went in the holy place....

What does this speak to me?

God is actively involved in the intricate design of our lives. Just as my mother and grandmother lovingly designed a precious Bible cover for a precious Bible to be a part of my history, the Lord God designs our lives intricately.

"God has not missed a single stitch or left a stone unturned on your behalf; furthermore, His activity in the details of your life most often displays His glory and beauty."

~Beth Moore  A Woman's Heart: God's Dwelling Place

One anothering

Loving one another. (John 13:34)

Forgiving one another. (Ephesians 4:32)

Accepting one another. (Romans 15:7)

Bearing with one another. (Ephesians 4:2)

Being devoted to one another. (Romans 12:10)

Honoring one another above ourselves. (Romans 12:10)

Greeting one another. (2 Corinthians 13:12)

Being hospitable to one another. (I Peter 4:9)

Being kind and compassionate to one another. (Ephesians 4:32)

Sharing with one another. (Hebrews 13:16)

Serving one another. (Galations 5:13)

Carrying one another's burdens. (Galations 6:2)

Building up one another. (I Thessalonians 5:11)

Encouraging one another daily. (Hebrews 3:13)

Comforting one another. (I Thessalonians 4:18)

Stimulating one another to love and good deeds. (Hebrews 10:24)

Instructing one another. (Romans 15:14)

Admonishing one another. (Colossians 3:16)

Praying for one another. (James 5:16)

Confessing your sins to one another. (James 5:16)

Being of the same mind toward one another. (Romans 12:16)

Submitting to one another. (Ephesians 5:21)

~from the book Authentic Relationships: Discover the lost art of "one anothering" by Wayne Jacobsen and Clay Jacobsen

Zeke

This morning we put our beloved cat Ezekiel "Zeke" to sleep....
He was fifteen years old--and in bad health.

It was hard, but it was the right thing to do....

I was fine in the vet's office....I held his limp body and told him he was the best cat.

When I got home and saw his food dishes, I lost it.

People grieve in different ways.

He really was the best cat. So good with the babies, and yet a fierce fighter in the wild (a.k.a. our yard).

When the vet gave him the tranquilizer, he freaked--hissed and bit my husband.

So unlike him (he is a gentle beast)--yet so very like him: he went out with a fight.

I think this experience just made me see how precious all life is--it reaffirmed that for me...

Thanks for being the best cat, Zeke.

Mama Monday

Today's Mama Monday is Sarah Joy from the beautiful, interesting, and informative blog Sarah Joy Albrecht.I became friends with Sarah when she contacted me during my last pregnancy and asked me if she could pray for me...such a delight. This woman loves the Lord and lives life firmly anchored in Him, though living a life in another country amidst many things that are different. I know you all will enjoy her interview...and learn a lot! I know I did.

Please pop over and visit Sarah Joy. Leave her a comment! =)

Ladies I bring you:

Sarah Joy

Hardest thing about being a mom—

> Having children watching everything I do is probably the hardest part
> of being a mom. It is very humbling when a child asks why you’ve lost
> your temper or why you don’t feel like saying you’re sorry to
> someone. Motherhood is sanctifying. There’s no room for selfishness
> or pride. The moment the house is clean, there is inevitably a spill.
> Motherhood has taught me much about patience and priorities.

Describe your living situation--

> A rented, robin’s egg blue house in Goshogawara, Japan.
> Goshogawara, Japan is the place where we currently call home. Originally from Chester County, Pennyslvania, we
> moved to to northern Japan in November of 2008 due to my husband’s
> work as a defense contractor.
>
> While the temperatures are comparable to our home in the US, we live
> about 30 minutes from the Sea of Japan, and there is a lot of moisture
> in the air. In the winter, it snows daily. There are many ski resorts
> nearby. Our roof is slanted at about a 60 degree angle, a standard
> design here, so that the snow does not accumulate and damage the
> house. At present, there is a pile of snow from the roof “avalanches”
> that covers the lower half of my kitchen window.
>
> Our house is a modern yet traditional Japanese style house, complete
> with tatami rooms, and shoji sliding paper-covered doors. As one would
> imagine, it takes a great deal of tenacity to clean chewing gum off of
> a woven rick-stalk floor, and it is quite easy for a three year old to
> poke a finger through the paper on the doors (although I was relieved
> to find out that Japanese moms regularly have to repaper their doors,
> too).
>
> One thing I love about our house is the bath. Here, baths are used for
> soaking, not scrubbing. The bath area is like a giant enclosed shower
> with a tub. You scrub first in the shower area, rinse, and then climb
> into the bath. There are drains on the floor, and you can fill the tub
> to the brim and any water that goes over the edge goes right down the
> drain. You can set the exact temperature you’d like, and reheat the
> bath at the touch of a button so that the bath water can be reused.
>
> Something tough to live without is heat. While the kitchen and the
> living room have heated floors (the hot water, which would be on
> anyway, circulates through pipes under the floor to keep them warm),
> the rest of the house is not heated except by kerosene space heaters.
> In the winter, the rooms are about 4 Celsius, but I have seen the
> room thermometers at “0”, which is as low as they can measure. We heat
> up the rooms before bed, and then turn them off when everyone is
> settled. We use hot water bottles in the children’s beds to help keep
> their little feet warm through the night.
>
> I’m also living without a clothes dryer and a “real” oven (mine is the
> size of a small microwave).
>
> From our back yard, we have a lovely view of Mt. Iwaki. We share our
> driveway with our landlord and a mini-community of about six Japanese
> farmers. We are surrounded by rice fields and greenhouses, and the
> farmers grow everything from persimmons to negi, or Japanese leeks.
>
> Our landlord is in his late 70s and is very kind. While we have quite
> the language barrier, we are always exchanging food and helping each
> other with the snow removal. Through gestures, gifts, and helping as
> much as we can, we have become friends.
>
> Favorite blogs/websites—
>
> Peacemaker Ministries - Because of
> this ministry, I am on the other side of some deep conflicts. Whether
> you’re interested in personal peacemaking or trying to help others,
> the resource section of this site is rich with helpful
> getting-to-the-root articles. Start with the foundational principals
> section and then work your way through.
>
> The Homeschool Lounge- This community of homeschool moms make for a great resource for curriculum questions, learning styles and teaching advice, day-organizing tips and much more. As I live in a very isolated place, THL has become my virtual homeschool
> support group. My children have pen pals and participate in the “Flat
> Stanley” project with a number of families here.
>
> My favorite blogs, including this one, are listed on my site,
> Sarah Joy Albrecht .
>
> How do you find balance in your life—
>
> Since the beginning of the year, I have made an effort to go to bed
> before midnight and to wake up before my children. I’m feeling more
> rested and calm when I wake. The result is that I am prepared for my
> children, so that I can meet their needs when they wake up without
> beginning the day with a meltdown.
>
> My husband often works until late. Instead of family time at night,
> we have breakfast together. My husband cooks! It’s a chance for the
> kids to talk to their dad (he is very talented in math and science.
> It’s not uncommon for conversations to end up on the dry-erase board
> in our kitchen!), and to share what they are thinking with the family.
> We plan upcoming things to do together - we’re taking a trip up to
> Hokkaido Island http://www.snowfes.com/ for the snow festival next
> month - and projects we’d like to work on as a family. My husband
> reads a chapter from the Bible to the children while I was the dishes.
>
> The way we start the day seems to set the tone for the rest of the day.
>
> One word that describes you—
>
> Happy
>
> Favorite treat--
>
> Homemade strawberry shortcake:
>
> Bisquick shortcake
> Sliced strawberries marinated in orange juice and sugar
> Homemade vanilla whipped cream
>
> My birthday is in May, just at the time when strawberries are
> abundant. This has been my birthday treat for years. Back home, my
> husband and I hosted an annual Memorial Day pig roast and would invite
> the entire neighborhood. We’d make matches from 50lbs of strawberries
> from our local orchard. Last year, there was a church picnic that fell
> on my birthday. I was able to get my ingredients from the base. It was
> the first time my Japanese friends had tasted strawberry shortcake. It
> was so much fun to share my favorite treat with them. Their smiles
> were one of the best birthday presents ever!
>
> Favorite food--
>
> Curry. I love all kinds. We eat some form of curry about twice a
> week. Tonight we had Sinagpore Mei Fun. Did you know that there are
> many different types of curries, all over the world?
> (About Curry) Here in Japan, the curry is more
> like a stir-fry with thick and gravy-like curry sauce. It has a
> sweeter flavor that Indian curry and often has more of a tomato-onion
> flavor. The curry roux comes in thick blocks that look like baker’s
> chocolate squares and are pasty and grainy, like a bouillon cube.
>
> Hobbies/interests---
>
> Writing is my all-time favorite hobby. It’s also a bit of a chore
> and/or emotionally traumatic sometimes. Recently, I wrote about a
> discussion with my children about the earthquake in Haiti.
> (Here.)
> As I wrote about my answer to “why did this happen?” I was overwhelmed
> with tears as I wrote about Christ’s love in the midst of the tragedy.
> It wasn’t easy, but working through emotions by writing always helps
> to lift a huge weight off of my chest.
>
> Homebrewing beer, maintaining my windowsill garden (I grow shiitake
> mushrooms and fresh herbs), reading (just about everything), and
> writing good old-fashioned snail mail letters are some of my favorite
> things to do. I enjoy being with people and love to make big dinners
> and inviting people over for fellowship.
>
> I have a few collections that I add to when I can : Feathers and sea
> shells (my children bring them to me), old books (especially
> dictionaries, poetry, and grammar/style guides), painted metal trays,
> pressed flowers, vases, serving bowls and antique table cloths. I love
> bringing out my table-items when I have ladies over for tea. I enjoy
> pampering them and making them feel special, even if it’s just sharing
> a snack in my kitchen.
>
> I couldn't live without—
>
> The Internet. Being as the closest English library is two hours a way,
> the Internet is my interaction with the English world. I read books
> online, look up recipes online and stay in touch with my friends and
> family back home.
>
> What helps me through tough days---
>
> Tough days seem to happen when everyone is feeling overwhelmed. Even
> with a fairly simple lifestyle, running a household of seven,
> homeschooling and helping with our missionary’s church plant can get
> to be a lot to handle sometimes.
>
> Finding little moments of beauty, fun and relaxation in the day makes
> a big difference.
>
> Taking a quick shower in the afternoon seems to be better a pick-me-up
> on tired days than a cup of coffee. When I’m done, I brush my teeth,
> put on some makeup and dab a bit of perfume
> behind my ears. It perks me up, and leaves me feeling refreshed for
> when my husband comes home.
>
> On days when kids are melting down, I push to get through school work
> to a point where we can safely put down our pencils. Then, we do
> something fun together for a change of scenery.
>
> In the summer, it might be going for a walk outside, catching
> butterflies, or to playing at a local playground.
>
> In the winter, we might have a hot chocolate snack break, watercolor
> paintings to send to the grandparents, or play a round of RockBand2
> with me singing along while the children play the guitars and drums.
>
> Simple dinners on tough days, or even take-out, keep kitchen mess at a
> minimum and help expedite end of day routines and bedtime.
>
>
> What the Lord has been speaking to you about lately—
>
> Mt. 5:13-16
>
> "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness,
> how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything,
> except to be thrown out and trampled by men. "You are the light of the
> world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a
> lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it
> gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light
> shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your
> Father in heaven."
>
> That being “tolerant” and “politically correct” by and not talking
> about our Christian faith is like putting a lamp “under a bowl”. In a
> culture where Buddhism and Shintoism permeate all aspects of life, the
> contrast of "don't talk about God or politics" in American culture has
> made me realize just how much Christians subdue their beliefs to fit
> in with the people around them.
>
> If Jesus was able to be publicly crucified for our sake, surely we can
> be bold enough to proclaim that He is the One True God and that there
> is no salvation apart from Him without fear of what people think.
> There is no fear in love. We must love people enough to tell them the
> Truth.
>
> What do you like best about yourself—
>
> I seem to be able to cheer people up when they are discouraged :)
>
> If I could encourage a young mother, I would say--
>
> Relax. It is easy to get caught up on the latest baby gadgets and
> parenting methods. Like adults, young children have basic needs -
> food, clothing, rest, warmth, cleanliness and lots of love. If you
> provide for basic needs, you are doing well. Don’t compare yourself to
> women in magazines. Instead, find what works for your family and go
> with it.
>
> Give your children little things to be responsible for even from a
> young age. Encourage them to do well, but expect for them to make
> mistakes -- don’t get upset when they do. “It’s okay, Mommy makes
> mistakes, too. What can you learn from this so you can do better next
> time?” Once, I broke my favorite bowl, in front of my children, when
> it slipped out of my hand while doing dishes. My daughter made sure I
> wasn’t bleeding and then repeated back to me what I had often said to
> them, “Are you okay mom? It’s just a bowl. We can always replace a
> bowl, but we can’t replace you!” Talk about choking me up!
>
> As they get older, they will be help more and more, and you find that
> they will work along side of you as a team.
>
> One word I like to focus on in parenting is the word “nurture”, which
> comes from the Latin word /nutritura/. “Nursing” and “nutrition” come
> from the same root word. I try to be purposeful in the way that I
> parent, as if to give good food to my children with all that I do. And
> yes, I do fail.
>
> Three books that changed your life-- (besides the Bible)
>
> Reading is one of my favorite things to do. It’s very hard to narrow
> down this list. These three books are ones I buy extras of whenever
> there is a sale, so that I can pass them on to people who need
> encouragement:
>
>
> 1. Sink Reflections
> This book was written by “The FlyLady”, who runs the home organization
> site, Flylady.net. Yes, you could learn how to clean your house from going to her website, but this book gets to my heart because before the author was “The FlyLady”, she struggled with
> depression. She had to live in a mental health facility and was so sad
> and discouraged, she had to take baby steps to get back to where she
> needed to be. One of the most memorable parts of her story is how her
> one assignment for the day was to brush her hair and to think about
> how good it felt to have tangle-free hair. Then, she was assigned to
> get dressed, from head to toe, every day. She slowly got her life
> back. Sometimes, especially after a life changing event (such as the
> birth of a new baby, a job change, a move to another country, etc.),
> women can get very burned out. It happens to the best of us. This book
> is very tender yet direct. I read it when I need to find the road back
> to order in my home. This book makes a great gift for new moms who are
> feeling overwhelmed.
>
>
> 2. Sexual Maturity for Women
> Published in 1976, this book is out of print, but it can be found
> inexpensively at online second-hand stores. My mother in law gave me a
> copy when I married her oldest son, and I have given copies to my
> friends when they get married. Although the “s” word is in the title,
> the book only alludes to intercourse. Instead, it talks about
> cultivating the intimacy between a husband and wife and practical
> things a wife can do to help keep her relationship with her husband
> strong. There are many great cartoon pictures in this book that leave
> a jovial yet lasting impression. I don’t think feminists would like
> this book very much... but that’s okay with me.
>
>
> 3. Behold Your God
> I have been a Christian since I was four years old. Yet, it wasn’t
> until I read this book did I ever stop to think about getting to know
> God as He revealed Himself in scripture. Behold Your God changed the
> way I looked at God and how I relate to Him. The format is simple,
> with chapters on individual attributes of God. There is a brief
> commentary from the author, but the majority of the book is scripture
> references, pointed digging-deeper questions and plenty of space to
> write answers based on the scriptures given. It’s a great book for
> both personal devotion or group study. I like to give this book to
> friends who are struggling spiritually and have asked for prayer.

Sarah and her children at the Snow Festival..

Sarah and her beloved husband

Thank you so much Sarah Joy!!!!

***I know my Mama Monday posts are sporadic lately. You don't mind, do you? =) I think I will try to feature a Mama a month, or perhaps 2 Mamas a month. So keep coming back! And thanks so much for reading!
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