Words

I have been hurt more by words not spoken than actually said to me.

Because I am a lover of words, I expect more words. And when they are not given, my soul is hungry for the words.

When you ignore me, don't respond to me, and do not give me your words, I am empty. Perhaps I have too great an expectation? When you know the words, and do not say them to me, I am crushed.

There are all kinds of needs.

And all kinds of ways to meet them.

Sometimes that means actual food and a trip to another country.

Other times it means daily bread of words offered from wherever we are.

Ann, I’ve come to believe this…

When we use words to encourage, bless, fill—we are feeding the poor in spirit.

When we give hope, present truth, cover with love—we are clothing the naked.

When we offer grace, tear down walls, replace lies with truth—we are setting the oppressed free.

Can words really change the world?

Never underestimate the power of words in a person's life.

Words are inadequate, we say. So they often are. But they are nonetheless precious. "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." In a time of crisis we learn how intensely we need both flesh and word. We cannot do well without either one. The bodily presence of people we love is greatly comforting, and their silent companionship blesses us. "I know I can't say anything that will help, but I wanted to come,'' someone says, and the word they would like to speak is spoken by their coming. Those who can't come send, instead of their presence, word. A letter comes, often beginning, ''I don't know what to say,'' but it is an expression, however inadequate, of the person himself and what he feels toward us.

~Elisabeth Elliot

And Jesus? Well, He's the Word made Flesh. We can learn from His words.

If I had a choice, I would not want to do without either the word or the flesh. I want letters from my friends, but I want to see their faces. I see them, but then I want them to say something. I have a guest book in which I always ask people to write their names, explaining that they need not write anything more unless they want to, but I open it after they are gone in hopes that they will have written some word as well. "Say it with flowers," says the advertisement, but when the flowers come how eagerly we look to see what the card says.

~Elisabeth Elliot

Related:

Choose the words that matter
The gift of strong words

Taking a break until after Christmas...

Have a wonderful time as we await Christ's birth!

Fire God

Tonight we made cookies and hot chocolate before reading our Jesse Tree devotionals.

We lit lots of candles on the table.

Just 'cause I felt like it.

We cut out the lights and I opened to the page...

Much to my surprise, it was the reading of "Fire God"

(I Kings 18:17-39)

"...then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench."

This reading by the fire of candlelight: very appropriate indeed.

Etsy love

It's getting down to the wire....

Have you finished your Christmas shopping?

Here are some of my favorite etsy sites for Christmas shopping or whatever!....enjoy!

Shabby Flower Love these handmade flower pins. I ordered the red poppy one and I love it! An early Christmas gift for myself! I love that she is using the money she makes on her etsy site to raise money for the adoption of her little girl.

Eclectic Whatnot Whimsical and beautiful camera strap covers. I want one!!!

Barb Malm This is so cool! You send old baby clothes or T-shirts to this seller and she creates personalized quilts! Great for sentimental non-quilters like me!!

Mirasol Farm Love this seller!! I have ordered soaps and lip balm from her and they are luscious!!! Great gifts! I bought a whole bunch and gave them as teacher gifts with a soft washcloth.


Enhabiten Such care is put into the work in this etsy store. I ordered the White cross balsam pillow for my living room also. Liane uses all earth-friendly and vintage materials. Love.

A bit of a plug:

Children of Eve My good friend Eve is an artist. Her work is impeccable. You must look at her items.

Nizhoni Ribbons My daughter. She is a careful and creative designer and maker of headbands for little girls! I see she only has one listing right now! But someone to keep in mind.*grin*

Any favorite etsy sites you absolutely LOVE???

Christmas pleasures....

Enjoying warm fires....

Our Christmas tree..

Babies discovering Christmas books.....

Pandora stations: Bluegrass Christmas, Classical Christmas, Bing Crosby Christmas

What's your favorite Pandora station?(if you listen...)

Glorious humility

My first baby will be celebrating a birthday next week. Before I had her, I thought I knew most everything about babies. But, as we mothers all know, the more children you have, the more you learn this is not true, and you are served a big slice of humble pie.

She was 16 hours of labor, a third degree tear, and colicky. This was not my sweet angel baby I had imagined. She did not want to snuggle against me, instead, as I held her in the cradle hold, she would arch her back. I had to hold her down in my arms to get her to sleep.

I remember being in the hospital, after the birth; tired, and sore, and feeling not willing or able to care for this baby who lay beside me in the hospital crib. I remember thinking: "I want her back in there!"

Thankfully, I had a husband who was willing and able to be hands-on with the care of this baby. I don't know if I could have done it without him those first three months. I also learned more about the power of leaning on Him for strength in this mothering thing. I made more room for Him in my heart.

Today, this same daughter is my sweet soul. She is quiet, sensitive, kind, content, and helpful. She is a gem, a pearl of mine.

A few months after I had gotten settled into this mothering thing, this mothering thing of being a mother to a baby, and feeling more comfortable, I was watching Jesus of Nazareth with my husband.

The story of His birth became the most real to me as it had ever become.

I watched Mary, the mother of the King, ride on a donkey, in labor. Can you imagine?

What? No room in the inn? It's insulting that no one would make room for this heavily pregnant woman, traveling this long way with a tired husband. And this baby is the Son of God! He is God! Shouldn't God have perfect circumstances? Shouldn't Mary's labor be easy, shouldn't Jesus have the best birth accomodations? It seems ridiculous that there was no room at the inn. Shouldn't God have planned better? (You know, like I did. Baby care classes, natural birth classes, I was going to have the BEST baby and birth!)

But He did. He planned very well. He showed up in the glory of humility. And I learned it too, through the birth of my baby. I wouldn't have planned it any other way.

I am reminded of something Katherine wrote a few days ago: " God enjoys showing up when circumstances are less than ideal."

God is there, even when there seems like no room. Even when circumstances are not what you planned. He humbles, and that is the best way. It's always good to be humbled. Especially in parenting.

Today was our Christmas pageant at our church. My darling daughter shone like the angel she is and portrayed. I fixed her hair like the little girl in this picture. (I saw the end of "It's a Wonderful Life" last night.) She sang her heart out, she glowed, she was brilliant.

"Joy to the World! The Lord is come! Let Earth receive Her King! Let every Heart prepare Him room! And Heaven and Nature sing! And Heaven and Nature sing! And Heh-eh-eh-eh-eh-ven Na-Chure Sing!"

(reposted from archives, December 2006)

In remembrance of Me.

There's a smushed up communion cracker on my stairs.

I keep stepping on it, and the children step on it, and I keep meaning to pick it up, but it's the last on my list of things to do...

We got it at church today.

I gave it to the baby as we headed out the door. It was leftover from this morning's communion.

He was cranky and crying, and I thought a bite of cracker would soothe him as we walked out into the cold and into the car seat that he hates so much.

He brought it all the way home. Clutched in his pudgy hand, he gripped it tight. And let go of it as we walked up the stairs, and I put him into his bed for a much needed afternoon nap.

And I saw it on the stairs.

And we keep stepping on it.

And I need to vacuum it up or at least pick it up, but I just ignore it. Cracker blends into the rug and soon, when it's all crumbs, you don't know it's even there!

And I thought about communion in church this morning. While I held the bread and thought of His body, broken...for me. For my frustration at my computer being ruined (baby spilled water on my laptop this morning while I frantically tried to get ready..), for the lack of patience I had, for that bitterness I have kept inside me for so long that I keep asking Him for help to let go of.

And when we came home, and had lunch, and baby went to bed, and I had a much needed nap, I yelled at my children-- things like: "don't you ever listen?" and "no you cannot!!" and "the laptop does not work! you cannot use it!" And maybe some of my own frustration and bitterness came out at them?

And I took communion this morning and I thanked Jesus for His body being broken for us. And I confessed my bitterness as I always do and asked Him to help me let go of it, and then I drank the sweet juice and washed it all down, washed it all away, and I could breathe, and I snuggled up next to my husband's warm arm.

And then I come home, and yell, and there's that smushed communion cracker on the stairs and I'm stepping on it and not picking it up, but Jesus says, "the work has been done."

And He forgives me and extends much undeserved grace and love to me, not because of what I did or didn't do, but because He loves me.

And I smush that communion cracker more times than I care to admit.

But every time communion comes around, there's fresh bread and fresh juice and it flows and flows.

And so tomorrow I'll start again, and I'll keep praying about letting go of that bitterness and I'll try to speak in gentler tones, and I won't get so upset about a broken laptop because in the scheme of things

There could be worse.

But even if it was worse, I'd be like Job and say, "Though you slay me, I will trust you."

But man, that is so hard to do.

But I will keep trying keep going, because His mercies are new every morning.

And "Faithful Christians Begin Again." That's what we do.

I cleaned up the communion cracker tonight, and the floor's all clean, and I don't keep smushing it, but I keep repeating this:

"Do this in remembrance of Me."

Weekend reads

"Of course he isn't safe but he is good....."  Real, authentic relationship--with others and with Jesus.
Intentional blessings  How can you intentionally bless?
Living to enjoy the light of life  "We all crave light." Beautiful.
Life-giving home  A wonderful post on my time soaking up Sally Clarkson's wisdom in a cozy living room in New York City--(you can see me sitting to the left of Sally!!)