Twas the Night Before...

Twas the night before Jesus came and all throught the house
Not a creature was praying not one in the house
Their Bibles were lain on the shelf without care
In hopes that Jesus would not come there.

The children were dressing to crawl into bed
Not once ever kneeling or bowing a head.
And mom in her rocker with baby on her lap
Was watching the Late Show while I took a nap.

When out of the east there arose such a clatter
I sprang to my feet to see what was the matter
Away to the window I flew like a flash
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash

When what to my wondering eyes should appear
But angels proclaiming that Jesus was here
With a light like the sun sending forth a bright ray
I knew in a moment this must be the day.

The light of His face made me cover my head
It was Jesus, returning just like he said
And though I possesed worldly wisdom and wealth
I cried when I saw Him, in spite of myself.

In The Book Of Life which He held in His hand
Was written the name of every saved man
He spoke not a word as he searched for my name
When He said "It's not here" my head hung in shame.

The people whose name had been written in love
He gathered to take to His Father above
With those who are ready He rose with out a sound
While all the rest were left standing around.

I fell to my knees but it was too late
I had waited too long and this sealed my fate
I stood and cried as they rose out of sight
Oh, if I had only been ready tonight.

In the words of the meaning is clear.
The coming of Jesus is drawing near.
There's only one life and when comes the last call
We'll find that the Bible was true after all.

Three Little Words

Many of us enjoy hearing those three little words. But each of us may enjoy a different set of three little words. For me, my favorite ones are “Can I help?” Matt's, of course, are “The Bears won.” My children love to hear “School is out.” Where as I am usually ready for “School is in.” My mother-in-law's favorite three little words are “Keep your fork!” because that usually means there will dessert after dinner. For others it may be the store's sign reading “We are open” when you have just used your last diaper. Or sometimes just a simple “I've got this!” And, obviously everyone enjoys hearing those famous three little words “I love you.”

But one day I heard three little words that I never thought I would hear.

We had to take our youngest child, Zech, to the doctor for an unexplained rash. The raised bumps combined with the duration and consistency of them made us quite concerned. We had deducted that his rash and other issues were caused by an allergic reaction to something. So the doctor was calling us back with the results to his blood draw. When she called back I wasn't expecting what I heard. But, I count by blessings in the phrases I didn't hear. Some parents' three little words are:

Could be contagious,

Might cause sterility,

Traumatic Brain Injury,

This is cancer,

Doesn't look good, or

Prepare for death

No, thankfully, I didn't hear any of those phrases. But my three little words were just as life changing. My three little words were “Get a pen.”

Get a pen? Are you kidding? You are only telling me what he is allergic to. How hard can that be to remember?

Trust me. It proved to be hard. There were five things on that list. Five! How can one little boy be allergic to five different elements? And we aren't talking about five basic things here. The doctor just should have just told us he wasn't allowed to eat ever again. In addition to completely limiting his dietary intake, we also had to get rid of our dog—or at least turn her into an outdoor pet.

Our lives have changed quite a bit since the restrictive list was given to us. We have adjusted. Some things we have completely taken out of the kitchen. Some things we don't cook as often. Other times we have to make him is own separate meal. It is more work for me but his smile and big blue eyes are worth it.

And today his favorite three little words are “Happy Birthday Zechariah.” Let's go made a gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free cake to celebrate. Yuck!

I love you Zechy--even through the endless rashes, the explosive diapers and the difficult breathing. You may be the most challenging one of the bunch but that is just what makes you even more special. Welcome to the Terrible Twos...and let's go get another blood draw to see if you may have outgrown some of these restrictions. Maybe, just maybe, you will be able to have a real birthday cake this year. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Go Caroling!

Matt and I were finishing up our Christmas shopping. Outside of the store was a man playing Christmas carols. I recognized most of them. Then he played one that made me stop and think. I have heard this song many times in the past. But I have never even considered it a Christmas carol. Once I actually listened to the words it is obvious to me that it is. 

Here are the words:

Go tell it on the mountain 
Over the hills and far away 
Go tell it on the mountain 
That Jesus Christ is born 


The shepherds all were watching 
Over their sheep at night 
When a guiding star shone from heaven 
And the followed that holy light 


Got tell it on the mountain 
Over the hills and everywhere 
Go tell it on the mountain 
That Jesus Christ is born 

They found a lovely manger 
Where the humble Christ was born 
And God sent out salvation 
On that blessed Christmas morn 


Go tell it on the mountain 
Over the hills and everywhere 
Go tell it on the mountain 
That Jesus Christ is born 


He brought with Him forgiveness 
He live to show us the way 
He came to redeem all creation 
And to wash all our sins away 


Go tell it on the mountain 
Over the hills and everywhere 
Go tell it on the mountain 
That Jesus Christ is born

Go! Go tell it on a mountain. Whether that mountain is your cubicle at work. The lady in front of you at the dry cleaners. The guy who just cut you off. The store clerk. Your neighbor. Your children. Or their teachers. Go! Get on that mountain and tell them that Jesus Christ is born!

No matter how cliché it may be---Let us not forget that Jesus is the reason for the season.

Merry Christmas everyone!

My Christmas Wish List

Dear Santa,

All I want for Christmas this year is:

1. A grocery gift card—to fill the shelves of the food panty.
2. Unlimited supply of PVC pipe—to send clean water to other parts of the world.
3. New, dry pillow—for the child whose own is tear-soaked.
4. A new Bible—for everyone who wants one and isn't allowed to have one.
5. Snow boots—for all the kids whose feet will be wet and cold all winter.
6. Make-up—for the wife who doesn't want to answer yet another question on why her husband would do that to her. She doesn't know why.
7. Sore knees—from being on them so much praising and thanking God for all that He has done.
8. A peace that surpasses all understanding—for all my friends who lost a loved one this year and will celebrate their first Christmas without them.
9. 2012 Calender—to fill up with appointments, assemblies and assignments that accomplish His will, not mine.
10. Sunglasses—for a future so bright I can hardly believe I deserve it.

My Nonstop Eight-Year-Old

From the minute his feet hit the floor in the morning until the second he crawls back into bed that night he is nonstop. He is in continuous motion. Constantly on the go. Perpetually moving.

At 7:00 he comes trotting down the stairs to greet me with one of my favorite request, “Mommy, can we cuddle?” Of course we can Honey. Then after some quality time waking up in my arms, we open his Easy Reader Bible and start our day reading God's Word.

After some questions and reflection it's time for breakfast. And we are not talking about just a bowl of Fruit Loops here. In the morning my lightweight can eat up to four bowls of cereal, a banana and toast with honey on it. He can really pack it away. Where he finds a place to put all that food in his 63 lbs frame I am not sure. All I know is that he can eat.

Then he is off to school. He literally jumps onto the bus with such exuberant force everyone knows he is there. Then, as it has been reported to me, the ceaseless moving, talking and hyper behavior continues. He hums, walks around and sometimes sings out loud while doing his morning work. He enjoys school and gets great grades. He is in the high ability class which is great because it challenges him. He is a wonderful student overall. But I am sure the teachers would love it if we could find a way to tone down the disruptive part of his behavior.

Then it's time to come home. As soon as he is off the bus he is off to play. He romps, frolics and runs around until it is too dark to even see the ground. While he is still in motion, we work on homework. When it is finally time for dinner he eats like a grown man. Then I remember that is what he is becoming. He is no longer my little boy. And if he is going to burn all of this energy with his never-ending activity he's going to need to get his strength from somewhere.

By bedtime he is still raring to go and begs to get to stay up and watch some TV with Daddy. However, I don’t think it has anything to do with the show on the talking box. I think he is more interested in spending some quality time shoulder-to-shoulder with this dad.

Finally to bed but not before some more intriguing questions in hopes to prevent the closing of the door. As he falls asleep I wonder if his brain is still running miles and miles a minute like it does when he is awake. But when he does finally give in and let slumber take over, his body is out for the count and nothing will wake him. Well that is nothing but the clock reading 7:00 so we can start the process all over again.

He is mine. He is loved. And today he is eight!

Happy Birthday Boo! You have turned my life into a roller coaster ride. I never know which way we are headed or what turn is coming next. All I know is this has been the ride of my life. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

What Goes Around

As we were standing in the long line that wrapped entirely around the store's exterior waiting to get inside for the door buster deals I found myself wondering what kind of people really think that shopping just a few hours after stuffing themselves full of turkey is a good idea. And of course, I am not the only one. There are thousands of us out shopping tonight.

Then I started wondering about the employees that have to work on this night. Did they even get to have turkey with their family? Did they get to see see any football and fall asleep in front of the television? Have they been here as long as we have preparing the store for us to come in and invade it?

What kind of people work at these places anyway? Being that we do our shopping in a college town I simply assume that most of the grunt employees (oh, I mean seasonal help) that they get to work this particular shift are students looking for some extra holiday cash.

But this night I learned that such is not the case. As my husband and I were waiting to for the store to open he pointed out a man to me. The older gentleman looked very grumpy with the crowd and rightfully so. He had to be in retirement age yet was employed as a security guard on the worst night possible.

My husband then told me he just happen to know the man that he had pointed out to me. He was a farmer that lived in the same county as he did growing up. The reason he knows this isn't because he could see his house (way to many fields, cows and pole barns in the way for that.) No, he knew this because his kids were in 4-H with him. Apparently this man was a cheat. He would break the rules so that they would win the 4-H contests. With this type of cheating there was on way for my husband or his siblings –who followed the rules—to win.

This dishonest man lost everything. Because he was more focused on the appearance, rather than the production, of the cattle, he lost the farm. Literally. And now. in his years of retirement, he is left with being a mall cop on Black Friday. Disrespected by the crowd. Made fun of as he turns his back to people. Ridiculed by many. Spit on by some.

There is a part of me that thinks he is getting what he deserves. What goes around, comes around. Maybe if he wasn't so dishonest with his cattle he would still have a farm to call home and work. But instead he gets to play mall cop with rude tired customers.

It makes me think of Lotso from Toy Story 3. He was the mean tyrant that ruled the preschool. At the climatic of the movie he has a choice to make. To push the button and save all the toys or leave them to die. He chooses the latter. Fortunately, Woody, Buzz and the gang make it out alive but no thanks to Lotso. By the end of the flick Andy's toys are all rescued and in a new home but Lotso, on the other hand, is strapped to the front of a garbage truck. He got what he deserved in the end.

That just reminded me. While I am writing in this line, I need to pick up a copy of the new Cars movie that is out and a... and a... and a... oh the thrills of shopping with sleep deprivation.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! And Happy Black Friday too.

Thanksgiving

As we all gather around the table blanketed with turkey and stuffing a common tradition ensues. Most families partake in sharing what they are thankful for. In lieu of this practice I thought I would share my list.

Of course, like most you, I am thankful for my life and the ability to live it to the fullest. My freedom from tyrants and injustice. And, most importantly, my salvation which is only from the blood of Jesus Christ. But for some reason I wanted to state more than the obvious. Or maybe I need to do just that. State the obvious.

So, in no particular order, I am thankful for :

clean water, employment, and mobility

telephones, 911, and food in our pantry

doctors, family, and a warm bed

aspirin and a roof over my head

toothbrushes, toothpaste, and a bar of soap

a future so bright that's full of hope

good neighbors, forgiveness, and knowledge

toilet paper, hot water, and preservatives

a washer and dryer, and electricity

chocolate, education, and fertility*

warm fuzzy socks and the feel of clean sheets

tampons, antibiotics and turning up the heat

the ability to read, a good pair of shoes, and my health

and realizing that there are things more important than wealth

So as you sit around with family and turkey think about all the things we take for granted. Be thankful for things that others may not have. Focus on each one and try to imagine life without these blessings. And truly celebrate the holiday for its namesake.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

*(NO! We are not announcing a pregnancy. I am just truly thankful for the ease of getting pregnant with the children that God has blessed us with already. Trust me, this quiver is full.)

Oh yeah. P.S. I am also thankful for you taking time out of your day to read these ramblings. I genuinely do love writing them and probably should have put blogging somewhere on my list.

Grieving

There are many things I was looking forward to when I got married. Someone to spend the rest of my life with. To share in the joys and trials of parenting. A name to finally put on the invitations that for 10 years read “Michelle and Guest”. Another thing that I had longingly anticipated was having a new family.

You have to understand that my family and I do not have a lot in common. My sister got married when she was only 15 and went off to live the stereotypical life of a young mother. My brother wasn’t much different. He may have never been married or had children (that he knows about) but his life doesn’t resemble mine in the least. I went to college. I didn’t marry until I was almost 30. All of my children are from the same man and have the same last name. But the biggest difference between me and the rest of my family is that I am a Christian. They, sadly, are not.

So because I married a Christian man from a Christian home I thought there would be a instantaneous bond between us. Not only us but also between myself and his family. I imagined that I would have this unfailing connection with my new relatives. I imagined all of us (especially the women) spending time--days, weekends, holidays--together experiencing life together. I imagined us sharing thoughts, feelings, and dreams with each other and holding each other accountable to those ambitions. I imagined each of us joining together to help raise the next generation to be great Christians. My imagination couldn’t have been more wrong.

Just recently have I realized that because of this misguided dream and my subsequent broken heart, I am going thorough the five stages of grief. Not grief like surviving the death of a loved one. But grief nonetheless. My grief is from the loss of a connection of family members--both of my family of origin and my family by marriage.

The first step of grief is shock and denial. I never realized how much shock I was in the beginning. Few do. I spent the first part of our marriage denying the fact that I didn’t fit into this new family. I would go to family get-togethers and expect camaraderie. Love.   Acceptance. I ignored it when I didn’t get these things. I ignored it for a while that is.

The next stage of grief is where I sat the longest. Anger. I spent the better part of the last decade angry with everyone including myself. My sister-in-law and I actually came to blows one time over my behavior and ways of life. I wish I had known then what I know now.   I was just in a stage of grief and crying out for someone to love me. But then again who wants to hug a porcupine? It’s hard to let someone know you are hurting when you are too busy throwing darts at them.

The next stage that I went through was bargaining. I thought I could earn their love with my many “ifs and justs”. If I could just… If I would just… If I just tried... None of that worked either. No matter what I did I couldn’t get them to see the wonderful woman I am. The woman who has overcome many obstacles and triumphed many trials. They will never know the heartache from which I have been healed. Few of them really know me or anything about my past.  But it was partly my fault.  They could never see it because I was forever in the angry stage.

Currently, I have noticed that I am in the fourth stage which is depression. I am sad. Simply sad. Heartbroken sad. Bitterly sad. At times, inconsolably sad. I have come to realize--with a lot of counseling-- that I will never truly belong to either family group. The unbelieving family from which I come and the Christian one that makes me feel less than adequate. I feel that I am stuck in the middle. Not wanted by either side. My family looks at me as the “holier-than-thou-Bible thumper” and my in-laws see me as the not-quite-good-enough sinner with a scarlet “A” pinned to my chest.

It’s not fair but life rarely is. If I contemplate the injustice too much I quickly revisit the angry stage. Then I have to start all over from there. That just causes the cycle to continue--again. So instead of running on the treadmill of anger-bargaining-anger-bargaining. I just need to accept my circumstances. My fate. My lot in life.

That’s the final stage of grief--acceptance. I need to accept that fact that I am me and this is who I am. And maybe someday everyone else will realize that I am just a sinner yet saved by grace trying to live this new life the best I know how. But for now I will just have to work on accepting the fact myself. Accepting the fact that I am loved by The One whose opinion matters and that is all that matters. I need to accept me. I need to accept this situation. Then maybe everyone will be able to accept me also.

But for now I will work on trying to fit in. That is all I can do. Push through the stages and move on towards the goal. With Jesus’ strength I will get through this and survive. I always do.

Superheroes

One day when I was at lunch with my kids, four superheroes walked into the restaurant. We all sat in amazement and awe. We couldn't believe our eyes. It is not everyday one gets the privilege of dinning with protectors and guardians of peace and good.

I know what some of you are thinking-- It must have been Halloween. But it wasn't. These superheroes weren't wearing blue tights or web slingers. On their chests were not symbols of a giant “S” or an encircled “4”.

No. These superheros wore camouflage uniforms. The symbol they proudly displayed was an American flag.

As I sat there I remembered a beer commercial that aired several years ago. The ad simply showed people sitting around an airport minding their own business. Then in walks a troop of armed forces returning from their duty overseas. The entire room—the entire airport—stops what they are doing, stands on their feet, and applaud the men and women in this unit. I cry every time I see it.  (Watch for yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kf4Bgs24ciU)

Not knowing if these particular superheros recently returned from military combat, basic training or the office, I was unsure what type of response should be displayed. As I pondered what to do it became obvious what the other people thought to do. One after the other, many of the customers came up to their table, shook their hands and expressed their gratitude. It was humbling. So many people saying thank you.

After I had my opportunity to convey my gratefulness for their service I mentioned to the waitress that I would like to buy their lunch. It was the least I could do for all they have done. She then informed that three other people had already offered to buy their lunch.

As Veteran’s Day approaches let us take a moment to show our thanks to those who protect and serve. Either home or abroad. In harm's way or training those who will be. Those who have made it home or those still away.   Those who come back with all the body parts God gave them or the ones that left a part of themselves on the battlefield.

Send a card to a soldier fighting. Make care packages to send to troops. Applaud in an airport. Shake a hand and say thank you.  Call a wife or mother whose son will never be in her arms again.

Or simply pay for a superhero's meal next time you find yourself eating with one. Just make sure you keep the kyptonite out of sight.

God bless America and God bless those who protect her.

Not A Fan.

Let me make this very clear.  This blog is not filled with words of my own.  And in order to avoid plagiarism charges I want to totally upfront that I did NOT write the following paragraph.  And I did not get prior permission from the publisher.  However, I thought it was such a great analogy I wanted to share it with the rest of you.  actually this little paragraph has completely changed the way I want to live my life.

Taken from "Not A Fan" by Kyle Idleman:

Imagine that my family goes on a mission trip for a month and we have a young married couple come and house sit for us.  Before we leave I give them a notebook with 10-12 pages of fairly detailed instructions for taking care of the house and pets.  I tell them when to water the plants.   I write out where to find the food for the car and how much food to give it.  I remind them to get the mail. I explain the trash day is early on Thursday morning.  I inform them that the downstairs toilet overflows and clearly state where the shut-off valve is just in case.  When I give them the notebook the couple commits to doing what it says.  

Now I want you to imagine that I come back and all the plants are dead. The garbage is full of trash.  The toilet has been overflowing for days and the basement is flooded.  Then I look in the backyard and the is a little graveside where the cat has been buried.

Then the couple who has been house sitting comes up and explains how helpful the notebook was.  In fact they have memorized certain sections and I can see where they have highlighted different areas.  They inform me that they went over parts of the notebook every night before going to bed.  

What an I going to say?  I am going to say, "Away form me you evil doers!"  They may have spoken words of commitment, but there is no evidence that those words meant anything.

Let me quote from another Book:  "  What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?  Can such a faith save him?"  (James 2:14)

I, for one, need to be more interested in doing what the Book says than highlighting sections of it.  How about you?  Let's look forward to the day we hear our Creator say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

Autumn

I have always loved autumn. It is definitely my favorite time of year. There are so many reasons why but somehow they have changed throughout the decades.

Many years ago I enjoyed this season because of football. Now don't get me wrong, I know nothing about football. And I have no desire to sit and watch grown men tackle each other simply for the sake of determining who can have possession of a little brown ball. No. I like football because of the crowd. However, I was fortunate enough that the star football player at my school not only went to college on a football scholarship, he also was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts. Needless to say, he was good. And because of his awesomeness, football games were intense. And who doesn't want to cheer for a winning team. The memories I have from the sideline of our high school games make me revel the season all the more.

Later in life, autumn became synonymous with back to school. For most people this doesn't sound like much fun but for me school was my safe haven. It also was a break in my work schedule. I worked several jobs and several hours during my college career. And I proudly admit that I paid for every semester of my higher education out of pocket. I have no college debt or student loans. The only to do this was to work and work a lot. When my class schedule arrived in the mail it was sight for sore—and tired—eyes. I knew my class schedule would be light compared to my work schedule. And, of course, going back to school meant being one more year closer to my goal of being the first in my family to graduate from college.

After that graduation I became an adult. A working adult. Which, for me, meant back to school again. But this time I was on the other side of the desk. Most teachers I know dread August due to losing their summer. But for me, it was just another opportunity to use my gifts in teaching students. I loved being in the classroom no matter what time of the year.

Then I got married. And with that came the fact that I was always pregnant. Or at least it seemed like I was always pregnant. So autumn became my favorite time of year because it was finally sweater weather. (For those of you not from this region of the United States, “sweater weather” is when the temperature are finally starting to cool off to the point when in the evening one must put on—you guessed it!—a sweater.) Wearing this extra layer of clothes gave me the chance to cover up my baby bump and, more importantly, my post-baby bump.

But this year, I am enjoying autumn for an entirely different reason. This year, now that we are home owners, it means yard work. In the fall I get to go out to the new flower garden to cut back all of the blooms, plant bulbs and put down mulch. Again, for most people, this doesn’t sound like like much fun. But again, I am not like most people. I love to mulch. It has nothing to do with the hard painstaking job. It has more to do with the fact that I have the ability, the resources, the time to mulch. Growing up we never had the opportunity to spend time or money on our yard. So now that I can, I love it. It brings some form of contentment to me.

The years may change. The reasons may change. The leaves, of course, change. But for me, one thing is still the same I love this time of year no matter the explanation.

Error!

Due to some complications and internet problems, I cannot post my blog.  This is a tempory set back.  I will be up and running soon.  Thanks for your patience.  My ramblings will continue in due time.  Trust me--there are lots of things floating around in this little mind of mine.

Volunteer Corn

Driving down the road here in the flat lands of the Midwest I have ample opportunity to catch sight of a field or two. And now, after almost a decade of being married to a farmer, I know the difference between a corn field and a soy bean field. Not that it is that difficult to distiinguish or anything but I have finally learned the difference. Corn, when ready to pick, is taller than most humans. Beans are short and leafy.
The problem arises when I notice what I perceive as a bean field has corn in it. Not a lot of corn. Just enough stalks to make it look strange. Stalks poking up out of the obvious beans.

So one day I asked my agronimist husband what it was. It‘s called “volunteer corn”. It is corn from the previous year that didn’t get plucked when it was supposed to and is now growing this year. It volunteered to grow there. No one planted it. No one watered it. It just grew where it was.

It made me think of what we are supposed to be doing. Volunteer. We don’t need to be asked, begged or noticed. We are just supposed to volunteer. Hold babies in the nursery. Make dinner for a neighbor. Change the trash. Clean the toliet. Find the lost. Sing in the choir. Build houses for the homeless. Feed the hungry. Dig wells for the thirsty.

Some opportunities are easier than others. Some take an hour. Some take a week or so. Others might take a lifetime. Some we might find easy. Some make us step out of our comfort zones. But whatever it is we are called to do something. Volunteer somewhere.

Get out there and find something you can do. Someone you can help. Somehwere you can go. Poke your head up above those other beans planted in ther seats. Become the volunteer corn you were meant to be.

Rain, Rain Go Away!

I woke up to the sound of the shower. It was a pretty good sleep all things considered. Between my nerves, the strange bed and the other seven girls all in the same hotel room, I wasn’t expecting to get any shut eye at all. It wasn’t until our impromptu trip at midnight to the local Wal-Mart, checking on the boys and another run through of the lighting situation that any of us even thought about actually settling down.
The previous night was quite chilly. Everyone was wearing jackets over their dresses and church shirts. I could only hope that the weather man got my memo pertaining to the exact temperatures and cloud coverage I had requested that day. But more important than anything--it was not allowed to rain. It couldn’t rain. Not on this specific day. Rain would ruin everything!

Once I was awake there was no returning to my slumber. Some of us got up to walk around the establishment, check on the ballroom and see what kind of day we were in for. Did the elements choose to honor my requests?

As I walked down the hall I noticed thick fog. Not a good sign. Then I saw it. Water beating against the window. And lots of it. I stopped in my tracks and said a quiet prayer to myself. “Lord, please, please let the rain stop by this afternoon.” Then as if on command, the window was no longer being drenched. I couldn’t believe it. Just like that. We walked outside to see how bad it really was only to discover that it was a beautiful sunny late September day. The thick decorative film on the windows had made the sky look foggy. The water was from the sprinkling system. I was so thankful for both.

The rest of the day went as expected. We set up the chairs for the outdoor ceremony. The girls and I went to have our hair done. The boys went to lunch. I put on the most beautiful dress I have ever seen in my life. The flowers were delivered and set in their places. We took thousands and thousands of pictures. We all met in the family room to pray while the multitude of guests made their way to their seats. The music began playing and a hush fell over the yard.

First down the grassy path were the boys in their very handsome looking tuxedos and maroon vests. Then walked in Matt wearing his gold one. Then came the pretty girls all lined up in a row. They had on maroon gowns with spaghetti straps and a shawl carrying star-gazer lilies and pink alstrumeriums. Next, was my turn. I just remember smiling until I thought my face was going to freeze like that. My maternal grandmother grabbed my arm on cue and away we went. Down that aisle to the new future that awaited me.

It was a beautiful ceremony with a beautiful backdrop of the beautiful lake on a beautiful day. But I knew it would be. God wasn’t going to rain on my parade or even on my wedding day.

Happy Anniversary Matt. Nine down. Only 41 to go. May the next nine be even more wonderful and exciting than the last have been.

The Straw

Ever had one of those days? The kind of day when everything seems to go wrong. The alarm clock got set for 6:00 PM instead of AM. The kids didn’t want to get out of bed. The dog broke through the gate and is out in the neighborhood somewhere. The dryer didn’t run a complete cycle and the clothes you had picked out for the day are still wet and smelling quite moldy.


Things don’t seem to get any better. The baby’s diaper exploded and you have a poopy messy to clean off the entire crib. The older kids take 20 minutes to locate their shoes which causes them to miss the bus. On your way out the door your neighbor calls for the third time that week to say her cat escaped and can’t get out of the tree.

You make it to school with the children who have waited until then to tell you that they forgot their lunch boxes on the kitchen counter. While you are at home retrieving the noontime meals the phone rings. You pick up the receiver simply out of habit only to learn that one more person needs one more thing. And this is how your day goes.

So by 10:00 you decide that a extra large sweet tea from McDonald’s is in order for you to make it through the rest of your day. You place your order and while anxiously anticipating your mid-morning refreshment you vow that the rest of the day is going to be better. It can’t get much worse. But once you leave the establishment you discover that they forgot your straw.

That’s it!!! You have had enough! You promptly march in to the manager and let them know in no uncertain terms--in a voice loud enough for every customer to hear-- how inconsiderate and unprofessional the employee was who packaged your order. Once the missing straw is rightfully shoved into your cup you start crying and leave hastily in embarrassment.

Not that I have ever had a day like that.

Just remember when you see someone having a fit, throwing a tantrum, crying or getting angry over a missing straw remember it’s just the one that broke her camel’s back. Maybe her kids missed the bus.

Here Comes Three

With teething, toilet training and tantrums it doesn’t take much to know how the term “terrible two’s” got its name.


But by the time my third child went through this dreaded stage, God must have given me an extra dose of mercy. We really didn’t have any of the stereotypical situations. Her baby teeth coming in have never caused us any problems or late nights. She even got an A+ from the dentist on her first visit. She potty trained herself. (Because when would I have the time?) And her tantrum tendencies are usually a pouty face and sad puppy dog eyes. (Which, by the way, my young readers, will get you further than any public outburst of complaining ever will.)

Quite frankly she is a delight. When we were pregnant with her we struggled immensely with naming her. After many debates, discussions, and compromises we finally settled on the legal first name which both of our maternal grandmothers but neither of them use. (Seemed almost obvious really.) Then a dear friend suggested Joy as a middle name. We didn’t like it but looking back (if we had known then what we know now…) the adjective middle name fits her perfectly. She is our joy.

She helps in the garden. She wants to do dishes. She puts her shoes away without having to be told. She rarely complains. She obeys way more than her older counterparts ever did or do. When you ask her for a kiss she says, “Only if I can give you a kiss and a hug too.” She makes me smile. She makes everyone smile.

No, there was nothing “terrible” about her being two. But, I have been around enough children to know that the ”terrible two’s” are only followed by the “horrible three’s”. But maybe, just maybe, God will keep shining his light of mercy upon me and the coming year will be just as enjoyable as the past one was. History tells me it will be.

Happy Third Birthday, Elizabeth (Joy) Rose!! We love you very much. Thank you for making our lives as pleasant as they are. May your demeanor continue to develop as it is. You are a wonderful blessing.

Casting Crowns

We proudly display them on when we are dropping off our children at school. We carry them into the grocery store. We show them off to our friends and acquaintances. But most importantly we never ever go to church without them.


What is it? Our masks. The fake facade that we put on to make the world think that we have it all together. That we are infallible. Perfect. Flawless. And when asked how we are doing we always answer, “Great!”. Even though it's more than likely a lie.

One of my favorite bands, Casting Crowns, has a song about this phenomenon appropriately titled, Stained Glass Masquerade. It a song about how we go about our days wearing our masks so that no one really knows what is going on in our lives. As if we have it all together. And if anyone knew differently they would love us less.

The verse that rips me to shreds is:

The performance is convincing
And we know every line by heart
Only when no one is watching
Can we really fall apart


Growing up in an abusive home, I learned quickly to learn my lines and hide the truth. The things that went on behind closed doors were never to be discussed in public. In addition to hiding everything from friends and strangers, I was not able to have my own opinion amongst my family. We were given orders. We followed them. Or else. It wasn’t until I was alone with no one watching or within anyone’s earshot did I sob and cry and really fall apart.

When I made the conscience decision to stop this cycle of abuse, I vowed that never again would I hold back my opinion. My feelings. My attitude. My mood. I wouldn’t have rehearsed lines, excuses, or lies to remember. I could be me and that was that.

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

I have since learned everyone hides things. It may not be as bad as abuse. It may even be worse. But whatever it is, we feel the need to keep things to ourselves. We wouldn’t want anyone to know we aren’t perfect.

It is extremely difficult for me to strap on that mask everyday. To hide what I am really feeling. To not show loved ones that I am hurt, sad or even rejoicing. To not make comments, either beneficial or disruptive. To just sit quietly while looking forward to when it will be all over and I can just be myself.

You have no idea how badly I wish we didn’t have to hide our true identities. That we didn’t have to keep up the appearance of perfection. That we could finally come to the realization that we all have problems, bad days, strong opinions and issues.
But we do. So the things I want to know is the same thing Casting Crowns asks us…
But would it set me free
If I dared to let you see
The truth behind the person
That you imagine me to be


Would your arms be open
Or would you walk away
Would the love of Jesus
Be enough to make you stay


Listen to the entire song at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRUJrjUGGfg

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Her mood had to match the weather.


It was such a pleasant day. The sun was shining. A nice breeze. The temperature was in the mid-70’s. It was such a welcomed break from the heat wave that has consumed us the previous weeks. The day was perfect. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a light rain came down. No thunder. No lightening. Not a storm. Just a soft rain like the angels were crying.

The gentle rain continued most of the night. Then the next day the elements changed again. This time for the worse. It seemed as if the meteorologist was angry and decided we deserved a day of torture. The outdoor thermostat was set as high as it could go which made the day unbearable. I wondered if there was any relief in sight.

I also wondered if her mood was changing along side the weather patterns. Was she wondering if there was any relief in sight?

Last week, on that perfect sunshiny day, my neighbor found out that her 17 year old son had died. Like most of us, her day was humming right along just fine--until that knock on the door. And I am sure that she was crying right along with the angels when it started to rain. No there was no lightening or thunder. Just calm, quiet tears.

The next day, as the heat rose outside, I am sure hers did also. Why did this have to happen? What went wrong? Why him? Why me? What is a mom supposed to do? Questions only God Himself can answer.

It bothers me that a life so young has been taken. It bothers me that there are rumors that drugs were involved. It bothers me that a fellow mom is having to put her son into the ground way too soon.

But the thing that bothers me the most about the entire situation is that this is my neighbor. A neighbor whose name I don’t know. Whose face I couldn’t pick out of a line-up. Who attends the same house of worship as me. A neighbor who just received the worst news of her life and I …I don’t know how to help.

How can we live within yards of each other and not know each other’s names? How can we send our kids off to the same school on the same bus and not know one another? We have removed ourselves so much from society that we don’t know who we can call on in times of need. In times of rejoicing. When we need a hand or have a minute.

This young man’s death has sparked a cord in me to make sure we know each other. If that means I make a dozen trays of brownies and walk door-to-door introducing myself than so be it. I encourage you to do the same. Because it would be heartbreaking and distressful if you are the one burying your son and have no one to help you do it.

Get outside, walk the neighborhood and meet someone new in your community today, even if it is nasty weather.

Summer Break

It seemed like only yesterday when I watched my older kids come flying off the school bus canting the well-known mantra “No more papers. No more books. No more teacher’s silly looks!” Yep, it was the last day of school and inevitably the first day of summer break.

Unfortunately my excitement level did not match theirs. Actually it was quite the opposite. I was somewhat worried about the following 11 weeks. With our limited resources (which is just a nice way of saying “we ain’t got no money”) I knew that we would not be taking any vacations to far away places in those long summer days--76 days to be exact. To be completely honest our aforementioned limited resources would keep us from even getting to enjoy even visiting the local park pool or nearby day camps or summer enrichment programs or… Well you get the point.

So we got inventive and creative. We relied on neighbors and friends to invite us over for play dates and pool usage. We signed up for three VBS programs all over town. We were extremely grateful for Grandma’s Christmas present of a year long zoo membership. Although we used it sparingly. (As you can imagine taking four kids to the zoo by myself was not my favorite thing to do.) We did some home school lesson on various states and some science experiments. We made the best of our time together. And day by day, week by week, we survived.

Then, finally, school resumed. Some of my friends complained that it was too early to go back. But I was ready. Don’t get me wrong. I love my children but I love my schedule also. I find contentment in knowing that we have football on this day and church on that day and date night on another night. I find satisfaction when things are running smoothly and we have a routine.

Now that we are back on track, I can get back to writing. I never knew how much I loved it. I like sharing my life though stories. I like writing down my thoughts and the funny things that happen in our ever-eventful family. I like that someday I can just click “print” and my kids will have all of these stories to pass down. But mostly, I love that you readers take time out of your schedule to read my ramblings. Thank you for that.

So until the next adventure…………

Grace

In honor of my daughter’s upcoming birthday, I went back through some of my very first journals that I wrote in a spiral bound notebook long before I started blogging. I found this one I wrote about her name sake many years ago. However, it still seemed appropriate today even though she will be SIX years old in a couple of days!!
 
Happy birthday Rebekah Grace! May you always know the gift you are to us and the gift He gave to you. You truly are my princess.
 
From the archives:
Our oldest daughter’s middle name is “Grace”. So is everyone’s else’s. Kaitlyn Grace, Olivia Grace, Alyna Grace, Destiny Grace, Chloe Grace and, of course, Rebekah Grace. Just in our small group alone, if one parent simply says “ *Muffled sound* Grace get in here.” Half of the girls are on their feet.
However, we didn’t choose “Grace” because of the fad. (I actually wanted our first girl’s name to be Grace Elizabeth. That would have also make her a GEM. But, Matt really hated Grace as a first name.) We chose “Grace” for her name to be a reminder of the most wonderful gift anyone could ever receive. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Eph 2:8) You see, grace (God giving us the gift of life) is what gets us into heaven. Without it, we are doomed, literally, to hell. So having a constant reminder in our daughter’s name helps me to remember that awesome gift.

Little did I know how frequently I would be reminded of that gift of grace. I don’t think there has been a day without hearing it. From the time she could crawl to present day she has at some point or another had her middle name used to reprimand her. “Rebekah Grace don’t touch that.” “Rebekah Grace don’t go in there.” “Rebekah Grace don’t eat that.” “Rebekah Grace don’t say that.”

It makes me wonder how many times God has had to tell me to not touch something. Not to go somewhere. Not to eat something. Not say something.

And you would think I would learn. Just like I would think she would learn. But no. I repeatedly make mistakes. Say things I regret later. Watch shows that shouldn’t even be on TV.  Eat things the scale reminds me I shouldn’t have enjoyed quite so much. Places I visit without researching more thoroughly. Mistakes. Trouble. Sins.

And just like I have to disciple my daughter, God had to discipline His daughter too.

So let’s not take this gift of grace so easily that we forget that it comes with discipline. Discipline that will make us better people. But discipline nonetheless.

Oh, What a Day!

Today Jesus prayed…woke friends…prayed…woke friends…

Got kissed…arrested…heals an ear…demeaned by some Jews leaders…denied by a friend...


Interrogated by Pilate…mocked by King Herod…shuffled back to Pilate…condemned by the crowd…given a sentence…took the place of a murderer…

Shouted at…stripped naked…whipped…beaten…flogged…spat at…given a crown made of thorns…

Led through streets...carried a log…through town…naked…in front of spectators…in front of His mother…

Three nails driven in His body…lifted above the onlookers…clothes gambled over…gasped for air…lungs burning…thirsty...

Fatigued…physically…mentally…spiritually…

Collected all sin…past…present…future…

Forsaken by His Father…fulfilled all prophecies…body systems fail…

Cried “It is Finished!”

Passover Plagues--Day 10

Finally the end of the plagues. We have made it to number ten. This may be the finale of this bloody, smelly and messy adventure but it definitely not the end of the story. Let’s open our Bibles and see how God completes the task of getting the Israelites out of Egypt and gets Pharaoh to “let His people go!”


The Plague on the Firstborn (Exodus 11:1-9)
“Now the LORD had said to Moses, “I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. After that, he will let you go from here, and when he does, he will drive you out completely.” (v 1)

That had to be good news to Moses’ ears. It wasn’t until now that Moses knew how long these catastrophes would continue. Moses had to simply be relieved.

God continues talking to Moses…“Tell the people that men and women alike are to ask their neighbors for articles of silver and gold.” (v 2)

Their neighbors? Yes, they are to ask their Egyptian neighbors for money. Why in the world would an Egyptian that has had to suffer through all of these disasters give anything to these Israelites? Fortunately for us, God tells us why…

“(The LORD made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and Moses himself was highly regarded in Egypt by Pharaoh’s officials and by the people.)” (v 3)

God make the Egyptians want to give the Israelites money. Even Moses himself was “highly regarded”. Can you imagine? This man comes into the land and brings all of this disasters and problems and now they highly regard him. But not Pharaoh. No, he is still being stubborn and chooses to not let them leave.

“So Moses said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘About midnight I will go throughout Egypt. Every firstborn son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the firstborn son of the female slave, who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle as well. There will be loud wailing throughout Egypt—worse than there has ever been or ever will be again. But among the Israelites not a dog will bark at any person or animal.’ Then you will know that the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel. All these officials of yours will come to me, bowing down before me and saying, ‘Go, you and all the people who follow you!’ After that I will leave.” Then Moses, hot with anger, left Pharaoh.” (v 4-8)

Well, now we know what it is called the “Plague of the Firstborn.” That’s what makes this plague hit home. My husband is a first born. I am a first born. We, obviously, have a first born. Many friends and family (but evidently no siblings) are first borns. And I know that Pharaoh had a first born. I have always wondered why he didn’t take this warning more seriously. Surely he had to know that this plague would also come just like the previous nine did. But he didn’t.

“The LORD had said to Moses, “Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you—so that my wonders may be multiplied in Egypt.” Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders before Pharaoh, but the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let the Israelites go out of his country.” (v 9-10)

This is undoubtedly the most eventful plague. It is also the plague that takes the most amount of preparation, money and effort. Tonight we will be celebrating with a Passover meal known as a Seder. We will hunt for leaven (yeast) and toss it out. We will partake in the same “Last Supper” that Jesus shared with His disciples in the Upper Room. Or at least do our best in participating with a similar meal. We will focus on the retelling of Christ’s last hours. The hours He was with His disciples on Mount Olive. Why He was in Jerusalem. Why He was having this meal. We will put the kids to bed with the story found in Matthew 26: 36-56 about Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane as His disciples fell asleep.

Tomorrow we will get up to a very somber house. It will be, ironically, “Good” Friday.

Passover Plagues--Day 9

On one of our vacations we went spelunking in Mammoth Caves. When we were finally in the inner most parts of the hallow the tour guide turned off all the lights. It was dark. Not middle-of-the-night dark. Not back-alley dark. It was pitch black. I could not even see my hand inches from my face. Quite honestly, I was a little nervous. Only a minute later the guide illuminated the room again. But that minute seemed quite longer. So can you just imagine what the Egyptians went through during this ninth plague?

The Plague of Darkness (Exodus 10: 21-29)“Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness spreads over Egypt—darkness that can be felt.” So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days.” (v 21-22)

A darkness that can be felt? Wow, now that is dark. And we aren’t talking for a minute or two. Nope not even an hour. It was downright dark for three days.

“No one could see anyone else or move about for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.” (v 23)

Can you imagine what that looked like? Complete and utter darkness on one side of town and daylight on the other. That’s amazing. That’s an amazing God.

But Pharaoh finally came to his senses (even though he was lacking one.) Remember yesterday he wouldn’t let the women and children leave with the men. Today he said, “Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and said, “Go, worship the LORD. Even your women and children may go with you; only leave your flocks and herds behind.” (v24)

But still not good enough. You see, God wanted the men, the women, the children and all the animals. He wanted everything that was His. Nothing was to be left behind. Nothing.  (Similar to our current situation and how He wants everything, everyone, that is His. “That no one should perish.” But I will save that thought for another posting.)


“But Moses said, “You must allow us to have sacrifices and burnt offerings to present to the LORD our God. Our livestock too must go with us; not a hoof is to be left behind. We have to use some of them in worshiping the LORD our God, and until we get there we will not know what we are to use to worship the LORD.” (v25-26)

Although Pharaoh may have been the man with the most power. he was not the man with the most wisdom. The rest of the Egyptians, even his own servants and magicians, at this point, after the other eight plagues, had figured out that God is God and can do whatever he wants. And will do whatever He wants.

“But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he was not willing to let them go.” (v 27)
He even furthers my point about lacking wisdom in the irony of his next sentence: “Pharaoh said to Moses, “Get out of my sight! …
Now, that’s funny! Pharaoh has not been able to see anything--anything--for three days and he says, “Get out of my sight!”. I just love the contradiction here.  You laughed too.   Didn't you?

…Make sure you do not appear before me again! The day you see my face you will die.” “Just as you say,” Moses replied. “I will never appear before you again.” (v 28-29)

Because Easter is so late this year coupled with Daylight Savings, this plague was harder to do than in the past. I closed all the blinds. Drew all the curtains. Turned off all the lights. Then I had the kids wear handkerchiefs over their eyes during dinner. It was nothing like what was experienced in Egypt or even what we experienced in the caves. However, the kids did have a new experience and this ninth plague is not one they will forget soon.

Passover Plagues--Day 8

The Plague of Locusts (Exodus 10:1-20)
"Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may perform these signs of mine among them that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed my signs among them, and that you may know that I am the LORD.” (v 1-2)

Tell your children and grandchildren? I think this story has way outlived that prediction. We are still telling it today--thousands of generations later!

“So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, “This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, so that they may worship me." (v 3)

Come on Pharaoh! Just let them go already! All they want to do is go out into the wilderness and worship their God. How much can we endure? What do we even have left for Him to destroy?
“If you refuse to let them go, I will bring locusts into your country tomorrow. They will cover the face of the ground so that it cannot be seen. They will devour what little you have left after the hail, including every tree that is growing in your fields. They will fill your houses and those of all your officials and all the Egyptians—something neither your parents nor your ancestors have ever seen from the day they settled in this land till now.’” Then Moses turned and left Pharaoh.” (v 4-6)

Finally Pharaoh gives in and allows the men to go and worship.

“Pharaoh said, “The LORD be with you—if I let you go, along with your women and children! Clearly you are bent on evil. No! Have only the men go and worship the LORD, since that’s what you have been asking for.” Then Moses and Aaron were driven out of Pharaoh’s presence.” (v 10-11)

But I guess that wasn’t good enough for God.

“And the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over Egypt so that locusts swarm over the land and devour everything growing in the fields, everything left by the hail.” (v 12)

Moses did what he was told. The locusts came.

“The locusts covered all the ground until it was black. They devoured all that was left after the hail—everything growing in the fields and the fruit on the trees. Nothing green remained on tree or plant in all the land of Egypt.” (v15)

But Pharaoh lied again and begged Moses to make it all go away. Moses prayed to God and…

“And the LORD changed the wind to a very strong west wind, which caught up the locusts and carried them into the Red Sea. Not a locust was left anywhere in Egypt.” (v 19)

…and the same thing happens again. “But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let the Israelites go.” (v 20)

So God sends another plague...

Passover Plagues--Day 7

Subtitled: What the hail?!

The Plague of Hail (Exodus 9: 13-35)
‘This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me, or this time I will send the full force of my plagues against you and against your officials and your people, so you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth." (v13-14)

The full force of plagues? Are you kidding me? Like the previous six plagues weren’t enough? Blood everywhere, dead animals, sores covering your body? That’s not enough? What else could God possibly send to convince these stubborn minded people?

God even informs Pharaoh and the rest of the Egyptians why He is sending all of these horrible calamities.

“For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth. But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” (v 15-16)

Oh trust me! He has shown His power! And His name is proclaimed in all the earth!

Then in the next couple of verses, He tells us what’s coming next. “Therefore, at this time tomorrow I will send the worst hailstorm that has ever fallen on Egypt…Give an order now to bring your livestock and everything you have in the field to a place of shelter, because the hail will fall on every person and animal that has not been brought in and is still out in the field, and they will die.’” (v18-19)

Well, I guess the Egyptians didn’t have to worry about getting any of their animals in before the storm. They haven’t had any since day five. And by now some of them are actually starting to pay attention and realize you don’t mess with the Big Guy.

“Those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the LORD hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock inside. But those who ignored the word of the LORD left their slaves and livestock in the field." (v20-21)

There is even more to this part of the story. Go grab your Bible and read it. It’s just a couple more verses. Exodus 9:22-35. Because right now I have to go scrunch up a several sheets of scrap paper and make some spit wads to use for hail. But maybe this year (because is later than normal and a little warmer than normal) we will go outside and toss crushed ice at each other. But if any of you ever see ping pong balls on sale I could use about 100 or so.

Passover Plagues--Day 6

Check out what our trio are up to toady:


The Plague of Boils (Exodus 9:8-12)
“Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Take handfuls of soot from a furnace and have Moses toss it into the air in the presence of Pharaoh. It will become fine dust over the whole land of Egypt, and festering boils will break out on people and animals throughout the land.”

So they took soot from a furnace and stood before Pharaoh. Moses tossed it into the air, and festering boils broke out on people and animals. The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils that were on them and on all the Egyptians. But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said to Moses.

Now, before any of you go and call Child Protective Services, we do not give our children boils or harm them in any way. The best way that I have been able to describe boils to the children is to tell them that they are really hurtful sores or “oueys”. Because of this description, day six is usually referred to as the “day of boo-boos“.

Even though the Egyptians were suffering the worst of the plagues to date. This one is another one of my favorites. First we get some soot from a friend that has a wood burning fireplace. Then we take the ashes outside and toss the it in the air. To represent the actual boils, we cover ourselves literally with band-aids. We have bandages around our heads. We have wraps around our hands and fingers with gauze. We have even sometimes put some band-aids covering our mouths (but those don’t last long). We suffer through eating while not being about to use all of our appendages. By the end of the night we suffer through the agonizing pain of taking all the sticky bandages off.

But we have no idea what excruciating pain Pharaoh and his people were enduring. The only thing we do know is that even physical torture was not enough for him to get the message and listen to Moses. He still chose to keep a hard heart and keep the slaves form leaving.

Passover Plagues--Day 5

This plague is one of my favorites. Don’t get me wrong--I am sure I would not enjoy it if I actually had to live through the “real deal” but the reenactment is quite entertaining. It is more than likely my favorite because it is the easiest. Although it is also the one that makes the kids suffer the most.


Today all of our children’s stuffed animals, plastic animals and all other play animals are lying all over the floor on purpose. The tricky part--the sacrificial part--is that they are not allowed to play with them because the are “dead”. And it is Saturday, no less!!

The Plague on Livestock (Exodus 9:1-7)
“Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: “Let my people go, so that they may worship me.” If you refuse to let them go and continue to hold them back, the hand of the LORD will bring a terrible plague on your livestock in the field—on your horses, donkeys and camels and on your cattle, sheep and goats.

And as Matt summarized it this morning at breakfast, God said to Pharaoh, “I am sending a plague on your ass!” (I couldn’t resist. That was funny.)

The verse continues…“But the LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and that of Egypt, so that no animal belonging to the Israelites will die.’ The LORD set a time and said, “Tomorrow the LORD will do this in the land.” And the next day the LORD did it: All the livestock of the Egyptians died, but not one animal belonging to the Israelites died. Pharaoh investigated and found that not even one of the animals of the Israelites had died. Yet his heart was unyielding and he would not let the people go.”


No, I probably would not be able to handle this plague had it actually happened in my life time. The stench alone would have done me in. One thing that I am sure the Egyptians were thankful for was that the flies came before the all of the dead animals and their carcasses. Man, that would have been a horrible retched mess! And this has already been a stinky and smelly adventure.

And if the mess and smell of their dead animals wasn’t enough, what would they have for supper for the next month or so? (Something I had not thought about until reading it this year.)
Well at least none of the plagues have hurt us physically…well, at least not yet. Who knows what tomorrow holds.

Passover Plagues--Day 4

Have you ever had a fly buzzing around your head. It’s annoying. You spend the next half of an hour thwacking at it with your fly swatter. Finally you kill the pesky sucker only to have his best friend show up and start bothering you all over again. So can just you imagine an entire swarm of them overtaking your house? Inside and out. Flies everywhere. Talk about irritating.

However, it must not have bothered Pharaoh as much as it would bother most of us because on day four of this adventure he got a taste of these bothersome bugs:

The Plague of Flies (Exodus 8: 20-32)
‘This is what the LORD says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me. If you do not let my people go, I will send swarms of flies on you and your officials, on your people and into your houses. The houses of the Egyptians will be full of flies; even the ground will be covered with them.” (v 20-21)

OK… at this point if I were living in Egypt I would simply be upset. I am not sure I would be able to remain calm if, for reason unbeknownst to me, my bathtub was full of blood, frogs were in my bed and gnats were everywhere else. Thankfully for the Israelites, God’s chosen people, this particular plague did not invade their land.

Look at what the LORD says through Moses to the ruler of the land.   God is going to seperate the good guys from the bad guys.  “‘But on that day I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where my people live; no swarms of flies will be there, so that you will know that I, the LORD, am in this land. I will make a distinction between my people and your people…’ And the LORD did this. Dense swarms of flies poured into Pharaoh’s palace and into the houses of his officials; throughout Egypt the land was ruined by the flies.” (v 22-24)

Did you catch that? “Dense swarms of flies poured…” It did not say, “some random flies landed on his face while he was sleeping.” Nor did it read, “ a couple of flies were floating in his Coke.” No, God sent a swarm of flies.  And only sent them to the Egy[tians.  I am sure the slaves were relieved.

So at our house…well we didn’t quite get the entire house covered with a horde of flies. We did, however, try and reenact the plague to the best of our ability. We found some really disguising looking plastic ones. They were squishy and gross. I had them covering the dining room table during dinner. They may have not been flying around our heads but we were slightly disturbed. I am sure it was nothing like what the Egyptians suffered through.

But yet again, as if out of habit, Pharaoh lied. He asked Moses to make the flies go away and “Then Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to the LORD, and the LORD did what Moses asked. The flies left Pharaoh and his officials and his people; not a fly remained. But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the people go.” (v 30-32)

Which takes us to the next plague…

Passover Plagues--Day 3

This is the hardest of the plagues to reproduce. Making cherry kool-aid for everyone to drink, filling strawberry Jell-o with rats and filling the tub with ketchup wasn’t too difficult. Spreading plastic frogs all over the house was actually kind of fun. But today’s plague wasn’t quite as easy. Here’s why:

The Plague of Gnats (Exodus 8:16-19)
“Then the LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the ground,’ and throughout the land of Egypt the dust will become gnats.” They did this, and when Aaron stretched out his hand with the staff and struck the dust of the ground, gnats came on people and animals. All the dust throughout the land of Egypt became gnats.” (v 16-17)

As you can the problem is actually reproducing gnats. How can I imitate swarms of them in the house so that they were bothering us all night? In the past year we have shown these pesky insects to the children when we come upon them in the summer. However, I wasn’t quite sure how I have going to recreate this particular plague. Then my brilliant husband came up with the idea to call them “Can’t See ‘Ems”. We simply open up our empty hands and scream like little girls. The children think there is some sort of tiny something in our palms.  We tell them it is skein of gnats.  It works.

So this year, to represent that they have taken over our house, we even hung brown paper bags from the ceiling “full” of gnats. They aren’t disturbing us as much as they would have been disturbing the Egyptians. But we have a visual nonetheless.

And check out the scripture to see that yet again Pharaoh’s “wise” men tried to outsmart God again. Will they ever learn?  “But when the magicians tried to produce gnats by their secret arts, they could not.” (v 18)

Seriously?  They tried again?  Thank goodness they failed! If I were either an Egyptian or an Israelite I would be rather pleased that they couldn’t reproduce more of these bothersome bugs. And for the first time in this story these “wise” men actually show some wisdom: “Since the gnats were on people and animals everywhere, the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God…”

The magicians finally came to their senses. However, Pharaoh did not. “…But Pharaoh’s heart was hard and he would not listen, just as the LORD had said. (v 19)

He still would not let the Israelites go. God had no other choice but to send yet another plague…

Passover Plagues--Day 2

As if all the water turning to blood and the smell of dead fish wasn’t enough, Pharaoh still didn’t let the Israelites leave Egypt. Today we will observe the second day of plagues. Today frogs --lots of frogs--will invade our home. This is why:

The Plague of Frogs (Exodus 8:1-15)
“Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the LORD says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me. If you refuse to let them go, I will send a plague of frogs on your whole country. The Nile will teem with frogs. They will come up into your palace and your bedroom and onto your bed, into the houses of your officials and on your people, and into your ovens and kneading troughs.” (v 1-3)

I have frogs everywhere. Maybe not as many as God sent into Eygpt.  Maybe not teems of them.  The house isn't quite jam packed with them but we have several.  Some are on the table, the floor, the stairs. Some are on the windows, in the cabinets, under pillows. Frogs are in the casserole for dinner. They are in the cup with the toothbrushes. I even found some that stick to the ceiling. Yes, we are literally surrounded by the green amphibians.

But, let's look what happened in the scriptures.  For a second time, Pharaoh and his “wise” men weren’t very wise. Look what they did AGAIN! “But the magicians did the same things by their secret arts; they also made frogs come up on the land of Egypt.” (v7)  Really?  Again?  Are you joking?

Then, to make matters worse, Pharaoh lied. “Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Pray to the LORD to take the frogs away from me and my people, and I will let your people go to offer sacrifices to the LORD” …After Moses and Aaron left... Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said.” (v 8, 12, 15)

So what is God's payback for his lies?  What does He do to the country whose leader went back on his word and would not let them leave?  This is great. “The frogs died in the houses, in the courtyards and in the fields. They were piled into heaps, and the land reeked of them.” (v 13-14)

Surely that will teach them! I know it would have made me want to rent a bus and drive the Israelites out of town myself. Now Eygpt is full of the smell of yesterday's dead fish and  today’s dead frogs.

What could God do after this? What is going to die next? What odors will we have to endure? What does tomorrow have in store?

Passover Plagues--Day 1

Tonight is the first of the plagues in invade our home. From the time the children get home from school until they go to bed all of the water in the house will be red kool-aid,.  We are having chili for dinner with dead fish and rats.  I have made red Jell-o (with more dead rats) for dessert.  And the piece de resistance is a bath tub full of blood (that looks very similar to watered down ketchup)!!  Here’s why:

The Plague of Blood (Exodus 7: 14-24)
“Then the LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is unyielding; he refuses to let the people go. Go to Pharaoh in the morning as he goes out to the river. Confront him on the bank of the Nile, …Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt—over the streams and canals, over the ponds and all the reservoirs—and they will turn to blood. Blood will be everywhere in Egypt, even in vessels of wood and stone.” Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD had commanded… He struck the water of the Nile, and all the water was changed into blood. The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink its water. Blood was everywhere in Egypt.”

That would have been enough to get my attention. It wouldn’t have taken nine more plagues to get me to want these people out of my country. Just the smell of dead fish alone would have done it. Never mind the fact that they had to bathe in blood also. Yuck!

But Pharaoh wasn’t the brightest crayon in the box. Look what he did next: “Blood was everywhere in Egypt. But the Egyptian magicians did the same things by their secret arts.” (v 22) Are you kidding me? Like there wasn’t enough blood everywhere. He made them make even more!  If their magic could make blood why didn't they use it to UNmake it?  Just a thought.

Pharaoh’s heart was hard. He wasn’t about to let this entire nation of slaves leave. He didn’t care if there was nothing to drink or clean water to bathe in. He wanted to keep his indentured servants and that was final. So God sent more plagues. Tomorrow He sends…

The Plagues are Coming!!

Have you ever wondered why Jesus was even Jerusalem when He was crucified? Why would He head to the capital of Judea instead of remain in country where it was safe? I understand that He knew He was going to have to die…


“(Jesus Predicts His Death)…Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”  (Matthew 16:21)

…but I wonder if His self-preservation would have kicked in and told Him to stay clear of the area.

But why this particular town? Why was He headed to Jerusalem? Why choose a town with the largest church and the most priests that want you dead?

Simple. He had to. It was time to celebrate one of the Feasts…

“Three times a year you are to celebrate a festival to me. Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread; for seven days eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you. Do this at the appointed time in the month of Aviv, for in that month you came out of Egypt.”  (Exodus 23:14-15)

The verse in Exodus is not referring to the time Jesus was in Egypt. God is commanding the Israelites to annually celebrate the time He freed them from slavery under a strict ruler, Pharaoh. Every year, Jews were to return to the temple and make sacrifices and party. They were to read the scriptures concerning the plagues that invaded Egypt when Moses told Pharaoh to “let my people go.”  (Remember Charlton Heston's Ten Commandents?)

Jesus was in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover, the time when God sent an angel of death to kill all the firstborns so that the Israelites could finally leave Egypt.

Therefore, to get ready for Easter, we partake in a “Last Supper” the Thursday before Easter just like Jesus did. Unfortunately, though, we don’t get to go to Jerusalem to celebrate.  However, we make it memorable nonetheless. You see, in our house we reenact (well, the best we can) the ten plagues that invaded Egypt that lead up to the Passover.

And this year I wanted to share that journey with you. For the next two weeks we will look at the scriptures about the plagues. Then you can see what we do to “walk like an Egyptian” or at least in their shoes. Join us for the journey, won’t you? Who knows maybe you will learn something along the way. Or, at the very least, you can give some suggestions on how we can make the activities better next year. Your comments are always welcome.

Shalom!

Tax Time and Tithing

It’s tax time. I got everything ready for our preparer. I found Matt’s W-2 from work. I collected all of our home improvement rebate slips. I searched through my purse for our tithing report from the church. Then I stopped. Something made me look. For some reason I just had to compare two numbers.


I scanned the pay stub for the gross annual income. Then I stared at our giving amount for last year. It should be easy math. God only asks for 10% of our income. “One tenth of the produce of the land, whether grain from the fields or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord and must be set apart to him as holy.“ (Levi 27:30 ) But it wasn’t there. I thought we had given God our first fruits but these numbers in front of me revealed a different story. And numbers don’t lie. The truth was glaring at me right there in black and white.

I felt ashamed. Embarrassed. Mortified.

Later I confessed this grievous sin to some close and trustworthy friends only to discover an ugly truth. Many of my friends, many of family, many of my fellow church go-ers do not tithe at all! Needless to say I was in shock.

How can you not give back to God after He has given you so much? The standard for giving in the New Testament was laid down by Jesus' example and is best captured by his words in Matthew 10:8. Jesus tells his disciples, "Freely you have received, freely give." We give as we have received. God doesn’t invite us to go where he himself has not already led. He set the standard, he took the first step, and he freely gave 100%--His only child to die for us.

So I wondered. I wanted to know how much the average Bible believing Christian actually gave to his church. The results were disappointing. Outrageous. Upsetting.

According the Gallup Poll (which, by the way, has nothing to do with horses or how fast they can run.) “Christians give 1.5% – 3.5 % of their income to the Church and other religious causes.”

For many of us, we can’t even feel a 1 ½ % loss (or even a 3% loss) in our income. Most of us spend that much--or more--just going out to eat for one meal alone. Imagine what you spend just in restaurants in a month.

But it gets worse. “Only about three percent of Christians are actually tithing,” the Gallup Poll continues. And an appalling “30%-50% of active church attendees have blank annual giving records.”

What? Let me get this straight. Of Bible believing regular church attenders, only 3% are giving 3%! Do we realize the importance of giving? Do we really comprehend the importance of this command? God killed two young men left in charge of the church’s offerings. “So the sin of these young men was very serious in the Lord’s sight, for they treated the Lord’s offerings with contempt.”1 Samuel 2:17. And then later He makes it clear that He will bless us tremendously if we do take our tithes to Him. “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!” Malachi 3:10

Just imagine what a church could do if only 10 % of its parishioners were tithing only 3%. Or if the 3% that were tithing increased their amount to the required 10%. That would be an increase of 3 times as much! Or what if only 10% gave 10%? An increase of over 11 times as much!! Can you just imagine how many people we could send on missions trips. How we could finally fix that bathroom that has never been finished. How we could pay our preachers a decent salary or even offer them health insurance Or have benches by the playground for parents. Or have college funds for kids who want to go but can't afford it.  Or…the list goes on and on. Just think. If everyone in the Church were on welfare and tithing, the church would have so much money they wouldn’t know what to do with it!

But I can't think about it right now because I have to go give Cesar what is his.  The tax man cometh.

Note: Another interesting fact I learned while researching for this blog,  This is a quote from the aforementioned Gallup Poll:
Tithing and Income: “In general, the more money a person makes the less likely he/she is to tithe. While 8 percent of those making $20,000 or less gave at least 10 percent of their income to churches, that proportion dropped to 5 percent among those in the $20,000-$29,999 and $30,000-$39,999 categories; to 4 percent among those in the $40,000-$59,999 range, down to 2 percent for those in the $60,000-$74,999 niche; and to 1 percent for those making $75,000-$99,999. The level jumped a bit for those making $100,000 or more, as 5 percent of the most affluent group tithed in 1999.”