Women's Statehouse Day

You are invited to attend the Women's Statehouse Day on Thursday, April 9, 2015 from 10:30am-2:30pm at the Indiana Statehouse!  This event is designed to give Christian women the opportunity to learn how to pray for their leaders.  Highlights include hearing from Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann and State Treasurer Kelly Mitchell, eating lunch with  legislators in the statehouse rotunda, and seeing your legislature in action.

It should be a fun day, and I'd love to see you there!   You can register here. 

Wisdom's Words

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

-Oswald Chambers-

Valentine's Day

Though we normally don't make a big to do for Valentine's Day, with it being on Saturday this year, I knew it would probably be fun to make a little something of it for my nieces and nephews.  So Mom and I began considering several weeks ago what we might want to make and how we could decorate.

We did run into a bit of a challenge, though:  we knew we couldn't really do a whole lot with pink and hearts if we wanted Benjamin to enjoy the evening and sit at the dinner table with us. :)  So we had to be a bit creative and think outside the box.  That meant by-passing all the pink and heart-covered plates, napkins, and other decorations at the stores and resorting to the odds and ends we had at home from previous celebrations.  So no pink - just red, white, and silver.  It turned out not looking too bad, though a little splash of that girly color would have been fun...

For some sweet party favors without overdoing on chocolate candy, we filled muffin cups with iced animal crackers and had one at each place setting.  We also covered pretzel rods with chocolate and finished them off with blue, red, and pink sprinkles.  (Oh yes, there's some pink, but it was approved since it was paired with some blue!)

I knew that one of Benjamin's favorite desserts is angel food cake, so I decided to try my hand at making a homemade version from a recipe that a friend had given me several weeks before.  A dozen separated eggs and 5x-sifted-flour made a beauty that was as equally delicious as it looked!  (Thanks to Mom for separating all the eggs for me while I sifted and sifted and sifted that cake flour.)  Served with strawberries it did well for our red and white theme we had going. 

So enough about the food and decorations (and lack of pink).  Since Rachael had to work that evening, Kathy came up with the grand idea of having the kids help her make a count-down banner for her for school, the idea being that every weekend we would give her one more piece to complete the picture.  Since this semester is particularly challenging and demanding, it would be a way to visually see the end is in sight.  I couldn't think of a more fitting activity for the afternoon and evening.  And everyone worked really hard on it!

And here's what the completed banner will look like in May!!!

Isn't that the essence of Valentine's Day - showing someone how much you love them with simple acts of encouragement and kindness?  

So it was a wonderful Valentine's Day celebration this year - even though there was no pink. :)

Wisdom's Words

God does not give us everything we want, but he does fulfill his promises...

leading us along the best and straightest paths to himself.

-Dietrich Bonhoeffer-

Wisdom's Words

We must never tolerate an instant's unbelief as to the goodness of the Lord; whatever else may be questioned, this is absolutely certain, that Jehovah is good; His dispensations may vary, but His nature is always the same.

-Charles Spurgeon-

A Holy Love

Around this time of year when society highlights finding "love" and the commercial industry is all about chocolate, flowers, and precious gems, I sometimes catch myself beginning to wallow in discouragement that God has not yet blessed me with the gift of marriage.  Though I know Valentine's Day is a man-centered, annual event that completely misses what God commands we practice on a daily basis in all relationships of life, this commercialized holiday does at times snag my heart when I realize that one of my greatest desires remains yet unfilled.  "This holiday fluff - it's all a joke!" my mind reasons.  But inwardly my heart argues, "I wish I had someone..."

 I have to confess that the daily battle in submitting my desires to God's wisdom and will has at times been so wearying.  But it has been through this refining process that God has taught me some of life's richest lessons.  And for this Valentine's Day in particular, he's given me a different perspective that has helped to transform my desires into an appeal for a holy love.

Love Defined

One question I have had to ask myself recently is this:  "What is love?"  The world wants me to believe its lie that it is all found in what it touts as important:  self.   But Jesus' definition of love - and the love to which he binds all his people - is this:  "...that a man lay down his life for his friend."  Love is selfless and sacrificial.

And Jesus has done just that for his own.  He demonstrated the epitome of love in dying for the sins of the elect.

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him...Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.  
-1 John 4:9, 11

Love Experienced

As I was contemplating this truth recently, it suddenly dawned on me in a fresh way that I have indeed been pursued and loved by One in a way that far surpasses what any human, intimate relationship can ever offer.  Jesus Christ died for me.  His blood was shed for me.  He met the requirement of a holy and just God and now lives again interceding on my behalf as the great High Priest.  Is there more that need be done to prove to myself that I am loved?

Furthermore, his love is perfect, a love that is completely selfless, wholly pure, and everlasting in nature.  This is the love of God.  I did nothing to gain his love, and I can't do anything to forfeit his love.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?...No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.  -Romans 8:35, 37-39

Love Pursued

These truths sound so simple, and yet they are so profound.  As I meditated on them week after week and grew to recognize and appreciate the absolute beauty and preciousness of what I have been given in and through Christ, my heart was led to pray, "Father, help me love you more."

I believe that the more one fully grasps the depth and significance of God's love for them the more they will intensely desire to pursue their Savior and the things that are of utmost importance to him.  This means devoting time to prayer and personal communion with him.  It means seeking the Kingdom (Matthew 6:33) and investing in what is of eternal value.  It means loving his people, the Church.  It means sharing his love with a dark and needy world.

As I wait on the Lord to fulfill my desire for the gift of marriage, I need to pursue with earnest zeal the love with which he has loved me.

So as the world tells me that I need chocolate or flowers or a diamond ring to feel loved this Valentine's Day, the Scriptures call me to contemplate the sacrifice of Christ, to thank him on bended knee for the greatest expression of love mankind will ever know and to ask for grace to follow in his steps - and to love him more.

I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have continued my faithfulness to you.

- Jeremiah 31:3 -

Wisdom's Word

Where religion (the gospel) has real saving hold of a mind and heart, it cannot from its nature but powerfully influence the outward life; and the more a Christian has of true wisdom and spiritual knowledge, the more manifestly will his life at all points be governed by his religion (faith).  Talk of orthodoxy and Christian experience, however fluent and animated and clever does not itself prove wisdom; the really wise man will "show his work." 

-Robert Johnston-

Winter Activities

It's hard to believe that February is already here!  In many ways, I am happy that we are halfway through the winter.  It is normally around this time that I grow stir crazy from being cooped up indoors day after day.  I am more than ready for long walks and bike rides, playing baseball with the kids, and gardening again!

It has been fun, though, to spend Saturday evenings with the kids and find creative ways to pass the time.  This past weekend we had fun with dress up and blocks.

While his sisters were upstairs either getting all pretty or taking a bath, Benjamin went to work like an engineer and built an impressive tower.  It was amazing to watch his mind work in overcoming problems in design and making it better!  He was quite pleased with the end result.  I thought it looked like a castle - certainly something I could not have built myself!

Essie also had her turn in building.  I was so surprised when she called me over and showed me her masterpiece: "Look!  It's the statehouse because of the dome on top!"  Can't you see the resemblence?

I happened to forward this picture to Matt Barnes since I knew he would appreciate it as much as I did.  He asked if he could share it on social media, and today he informed me that it was quite popular - 77 likes and 5 comments!  :)

It's also fun to have your nieces and nephew teach you things.  I recently spent an afternoon down at Laura's house so that Essie could show me how to decorate a cake with homemade fondant.  I really enjoyed myself, even though I had to spend at least a half hour or more trying to wrestle with the fondant and stretch it enough to cover the cake!  We eventually had to call in some reinforcements (Ben) with muscles who informed me that I needed to be a little bigger like him.  Something must have gone awry with the recipe, but we were eventually successful.  Sure made for lots of smiles and laughs!

So here's a little of our winter activities.  There's nothing more special or rewarding than spending the days with people you love.