So here I am one year later.
I still haven't read the Bible all the way through. I went through some lazy patches and missed a few months. So now I am trying to decide whether to try again or not. I do not want to start from the beginning again. I'm thinking of doing the chronological bible readings instead.
I did learn quite a lot during the year. I am lazy. Many times I had the time and opportunity to update this blog yet would not take the 10 minutes. I get angry. Someone tried to use this blog and a post against me, and I was nearly fired from my job. I am naive. To not think that someone would use my own words and especially my humor against me.
I am loved. My Lord and Savior continually tells me in the Bible. He worked an intricate plan over thousands of years for me.
My family is unique. I took time to see the weirdness and funny things that make the 4 of us work so well together. I have amazingly fantastic kids that love being with their parents. That in itself is odd.
I have great friends that I do not see enough. It has been hard to transition from being an Imago parent, part of the group that comes together twice a day and gets caught up. I need to make an effort to see them more because it no longer happens naturally and I miss it.
I need to get my act together, fight my disease aggressively and take back what it has taken from me the last 30 years. I do not have to give in. Plus my leg is no longer broken and I need to stop babying it.
I will, in 2011, remember to enjoy the wonder of my salvation, and give up my recently developed sarcasm and cynicism for the Joy that Jesus gives.
I am sure there is more. It will come as the year comes, one day after another.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Monday, November 15, 2010
Hebrews 12:18-24
You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire...But you have come to Mount Zion to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God.You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly.
In the OT we see the picture of a scary God, one who the people honor and fear. He appears to them in fire, trembling mountains and earthquakes. But we have Christ, the mediator of a new covenant. We have the church of the firstborn.
We have received a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Worship God in reverence and awe.
In the OT we see the picture of a scary God, one who the people honor and fear. He appears to them in fire, trembling mountains and earthquakes. But we have Christ, the mediator of a new covenant. We have the church of the firstborn.
We have received a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Worship God in reverence and awe.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Proverbs 27:2
This is a big year. My oldest daughter, Lil, will graduate from high school.
When I graduated it never occurred to me that my mother was feeling the pains of her youngest moving on. I am sorry for it because maybe I would have included her in what I was doing.
This week I went to Lil's last field hockey game. Forever. I don't know how many games I have attended over the years, 40 or 50? I took it for granted that I would always be watching her, hoping and praying for her to block each goal because I didn't want her to be disappointed.
I have watched her academic success her whole life. She loves to learn. She is nearly over-motivated to perfection in school work. Never an athlete before high school she surprised us all with her love of sports. She has won academic honors every year and more recently added athletic awards to her list.
She doesn't socialize much. Enjoying the comraderie of her team or a class is enough. She never feels the need to hang out with people other than her family outside of these times. I have never understood it, but that is her. She is in some ways an odd duck.
I have learned some very important things from Lil. She doesn't worry about others opinions of her. She feels no need to brag or show off to others about her awards. In fact, she will diminish them if she can. She wont' share a thing that she has accomplished with her unless you drag it out of her. There is no need because she is happy with who she is. She admonishes me for my insecurities and loves me in spite of them.
Tonight I was reading from proverbs 27:2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips.
It has been a pleasure to watch her grow and follow in this way. I hope to be more like her.
When I graduated it never occurred to me that my mother was feeling the pains of her youngest moving on. I am sorry for it because maybe I would have included her in what I was doing.
This week I went to Lil's last field hockey game. Forever. I don't know how many games I have attended over the years, 40 or 50? I took it for granted that I would always be watching her, hoping and praying for her to block each goal because I didn't want her to be disappointed.
I have watched her academic success her whole life. She loves to learn. She is nearly over-motivated to perfection in school work. Never an athlete before high school she surprised us all with her love of sports. She has won academic honors every year and more recently added athletic awards to her list.
She doesn't socialize much. Enjoying the comraderie of her team or a class is enough. She never feels the need to hang out with people other than her family outside of these times. I have never understood it, but that is her. She is in some ways an odd duck.
I have learned some very important things from Lil. She doesn't worry about others opinions of her. She feels no need to brag or show off to others about her awards. In fact, she will diminish them if she can. She wont' share a thing that she has accomplished with her unless you drag it out of her. There is no need because she is happy with who she is. She admonishes me for my insecurities and loves me in spite of them.
Tonight I was reading from proverbs 27:2 Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips.
It has been a pleasure to watch her grow and follow in this way. I hope to be more like her.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Friday, October 8, 2010
Colossians 3:22
Colossians 3:22 Obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.
We all have stuff to do. Our masters may be our husbands or an employer. Our church commitments, our laundry, house cleaning, carpool or whatever. Sometimes we have jobs to do that we don't like but are necessary. Sometimes we love what we do but not the intrusion into our time. Some things are just a bore but must be done.
Long ago, my closet friend and confidant was a friend with 6 kids. We talked or spent time together just about every day. We discussed how many times we had washed the same dishes. Every day, sometimes the same dishes more than once a day, for years and years. It was discouraging for her at times that these unimportant tasks seemed to be the major job in her life. We prayed over this on and off for a long time. We prayed until we could both see this as a service to our Lord. Washing those dishes supplied not just a clean thing to eat on but showed the love and care she felt to her kids. They showed her the love and care of her husband that he provided food for their family. It shows the love and care of our Lord, that he provided her every need. Eventually, we even joked about these dishes as our labor of love, and would sing when we washed dishes.
There are few things I do that I don't love. But I have become tired. I've stopped sleeping well, stopped exercising, stopped caring about a lot of things. Tomorrow I will wake to the day remembering those dishes and sing a song of praise to my Lord that I am up and moving again.
We all have stuff to do. Our masters may be our husbands or an employer. Our church commitments, our laundry, house cleaning, carpool or whatever. Sometimes we have jobs to do that we don't like but are necessary. Sometimes we love what we do but not the intrusion into our time. Some things are just a bore but must be done.
Long ago, my closet friend and confidant was a friend with 6 kids. We talked or spent time together just about every day. We discussed how many times we had washed the same dishes. Every day, sometimes the same dishes more than once a day, for years and years. It was discouraging for her at times that these unimportant tasks seemed to be the major job in her life. We prayed over this on and off for a long time. We prayed until we could both see this as a service to our Lord. Washing those dishes supplied not just a clean thing to eat on but showed the love and care she felt to her kids. They showed her the love and care of her husband that he provided food for their family. It shows the love and care of our Lord, that he provided her every need. Eventually, we even joked about these dishes as our labor of love, and would sing when we washed dishes.
There are few things I do that I don't love. But I have become tired. I've stopped sleeping well, stopped exercising, stopped caring about a lot of things. Tomorrow I will wake to the day remembering those dishes and sing a song of praise to my Lord that I am up and moving again.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
God made you alive in Christ.
Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.
Remember to keep your eyes open for the hollow and deceptive philosophies that may come at you. What are these? So many.
I didn't grow up going to any one particular Christian church but since our family moved around we went to wherever my parents were comfortable whether it was Baptist, Congregational, EFree, Christian and missionary Alliance, or non-denominational. In each one there was the unspoken (or spoken) list of right and wrong. Drinking, smoking, Halloween, homeschooling, Christian schools, public school, movies, cards, dancing, hymns, choruses, worship teams, choirs, overheads, hymnals. You name it and there is someone who will make a stand about the right or wrongness, appropriate or inappropriateness, sinful or freedom of many things.
Things I have learned to get over? Jeans at church, choruses (praise music) to name a few. I try to remember to measure each thing against the word of God rather than the words of men. Someday I may even clap in church, who knows.
Remember to keep your eyes open for the hollow and deceptive philosophies that may come at you. What are these? So many.
I didn't grow up going to any one particular Christian church but since our family moved around we went to wherever my parents were comfortable whether it was Baptist, Congregational, EFree, Christian and missionary Alliance, or non-denominational. In each one there was the unspoken (or spoken) list of right and wrong. Drinking, smoking, Halloween, homeschooling, Christian schools, public school, movies, cards, dancing, hymns, choruses, worship teams, choirs, overheads, hymnals. You name it and there is someone who will make a stand about the right or wrongness, appropriate or inappropriateness, sinful or freedom of many things.
Things I have learned to get over? Jeans at church, choruses (praise music) to name a few. I try to remember to measure each thing against the word of God rather than the words of men. Someday I may even clap in church, who knows.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Crazy Days
I had a typical day today. One with 2 steps forward and one step back. I guess that is better than the days when I take 3 steps back.
After class I ran home and ironed some clothes for Lil to wear for her senior pictures. I picked her up from school, took her to get her hair cut and blown out and then to Fitchburg for the portraits. Lil is one of those people that can't be bothered with hair, makeup or clothing. For just one day in her 12 years of schooling I would have enjoyed a little excitement but nope. The one thing she dislikes more than hair, makeup and clothing are pictures. We survived. If throwing shot put or a discus or solving complex math problems had been involved it might have been more fun for her.
Finished and drove back to Littleton just in time for the field hockey game. It was raw and cold today. Yay. They won 9 to 0. Came home in time to help Virginia with her Latin poster, Oh yeah did I mention that I had to deliver the Drama Club poster she had left at home to the high school earlier in the day. Along with her forgotton Latin folder.
Made dinner.
Did I mention that Lil left her ring in Fitchburg at the studio? Ginny ran out of ink in the printer? We ran out of bagels? I am out of gas? One of my acrylic nails mysteriously came off? My new furniture is coming on Friday and I have to get rid of a giant sectional sofa by then? At least I don't have to worry about what to do with my time tomorrow.
After class I ran home and ironed some clothes for Lil to wear for her senior pictures. I picked her up from school, took her to get her hair cut and blown out and then to Fitchburg for the portraits. Lil is one of those people that can't be bothered with hair, makeup or clothing. For just one day in her 12 years of schooling I would have enjoyed a little excitement but nope. The one thing she dislikes more than hair, makeup and clothing are pictures. We survived. If throwing shot put or a discus or solving complex math problems had been involved it might have been more fun for her.
Finished and drove back to Littleton just in time for the field hockey game. It was raw and cold today. Yay. They won 9 to 0. Came home in time to help Virginia with her Latin poster, Oh yeah did I mention that I had to deliver the Drama Club poster she had left at home to the high school earlier in the day. Along with her forgotton Latin folder.
Made dinner.
Did I mention that Lil left her ring in Fitchburg at the studio? Ginny ran out of ink in the printer? We ran out of bagels? I am out of gas? One of my acrylic nails mysteriously came off? My new furniture is coming on Friday and I have to get rid of a giant sectional sofa by then? At least I don't have to worry about what to do with my time tomorrow.
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