River, Geyser, or Meteor

Friendship can take different turns--it can run like a river, quietly and sustainingly through life; it can erupt like a geyser, forcefully and intermittently at times; or it can explode like a meteor, altering the atmosphere so that nothing ever looks, feels, or functions the same again.
~Ansel Adams

The Oldest, Friendliest Thing in Anybody's Marriage

The bed is the heart of the home, the arena of love, the seedbed of life, and the one constant point of meeting. It is the place where, night-by-night, forgiveness and fair speech return that the sun may not go down on our wrath; where the perfunctory kiss and the entirely ceremonial pat on the backside become unction and grace. It is the oldest, friendliest thing in anybody's marriage, the first used, the last left, and no one can praise it enough.

~Robert Farrar Capon

The Rare Time I Quote Frank Schaeffer

I haven't read any of Frank Schaeffer's books. The only one I've flipped through was sitting on a Barnes and Noble shelf. I remember reading a few pages and being  shocked and disgusted and very saddened by his lack of respect and honor for his mother (and evidently his father, too).

But these words from his recent "tribute" to his Mom stood out to me and reminded me again why I love Edith Schaeffer's The Hidden Art of Homemaking, and why we still have much to learn from her today.

My mother read me hundreds of books out loud, took me everywhere with her, provided order and beauty for her children from the mundane like scrubbing floors spotless on her knees and keeping our home orderly and clean, even when she had "no time" and was writing her book, to serving every meal I ever ate at home as a child with candles and flowers on the table and making the simplest family time an event. (Thank God we had no TV and Mom wasn't ever distracted by a cell phone or the internet from being a mother and of course her children were allowed to connect with the actual physical world hands on because we were lucky enough to grow up in the pre internet/electronic filtered age of false second hand "experiences.")
~Frank Schaeffer

Ditch the Paralysis and Divining Rods and Just Do This

Many Christians take a "passive trust" approach to seeking guidance and direction from the Lord. They think that knowing God's will comes as God reveals His secret plan to them; then they will know what to do. But guidance is really a matter of obedient, active trust. I examine the options before me using the principles, themes, and perspectives of Scripture. Then, to the best of my knowledge and ability, I apply biblical wisdom and make a decision. My decision is not based on reading God's mind, but on things He has clearly revealed in His Word. As I step forward, I entrust myself to the Lord, knowing that He rules over everything and will place me where He wants me. This is the biblical model of guidance. Too many people have their "Christian divining rods" out in hopes of discovering the secret will of God. Meanwhile, the Bible in their hands is unopened--the thing God has said will be a "lamp to their feet and a light to their path"!
~Paul Tripp

Blessed Are the Meek

These passages are taken from Spurgeon's most excellent sermon on the third beatitude, found here.  Highly, highly recommended!

 *******

"The meek in spirit are like a photographer’s sensitive plates—as the Word of God passes before them, they desire to have its image imprinted upon their hearts. Their hearts are the fleshy tablets on which the mind of God is recorded. God is the Writer and they become living Epistles, written not with ink, but with the finger of the living God! Thus are they meek towards God."

"When a man is converted, the first operation of the Grace of God within his soul is to give him true poverty of spirit, so the first Beatitude is, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” The Lord first makes us know our emptiness and so humbles us. Then next He makes us mourn over the deficiencies that are so manifest in us. Then comes the second Beatitude, “Blessed are they that mourn.” First, then, is a true knowledge of ourselves and then a sacred grief arising out of that knowledge. Now, no man ever becomes truly meek, in the Christian sense of that word, until he first knows himself and then begins to mourn and lament that he is so far short of what he ought to be. Self-righteousness is never meek." 

"It is true that it has a relationship to God, but a man’s meekness is especially towards his fellow men. He is not simply meek within himself—his meekness is manifest in his dealings with others. You would not speak of a hermit who never saw a fellow creature as being meek. The only way in which you could prove whether he was meek would be to put him with those who would try his temper." 

"The meek-spirited man may be naturally very hot and fiery, but he has had Grace given to him to keep his temper in subjection. He does not say, “That is my constitution and I cannot help it,” as so many do. God will never excuse us because of our constitution—His Grace is given to us to cure our evil constitutions and to kill our corruptions!"

"If you take your brother by the throat because he owes you a hundred pence, can you think that God will forgive you the thousand talents which you owe Him? So the meek-spirited man forgives those who wrong him—he reckons that injuries are permitted to be done to him as trials of his Grace, to see whether he can forgive them—and he does so, and does so right heartily."

"The meek-spirited man is not ambitious. He is satisfied with what God provides for him. He does not say that his soul loathes the daily manna. And the water from the Rock never loses its sweetness to his taste. His motto, is, “God’s Providence is my inheritance.” 

"If we are meek, we shall the more readily see the excellences of other people."

"With a gentle temper and a quiet spirit, and Grace to keep you so, you will be inheriting the earth under any circumstances. If trouble should come, you will bow to it as the willow bows to the wind and so escapes the injury that falls upon sturdier trees. If there should come little vexations, you will not allow yourself to be vexed by them, but will say, “With a little patience, they will all pass away.”

"But this must be the work of Grace. We must be born-again, or else our proud spirits will never be meek."

"Put those five qualities together and you have the truly meek man—humble, gentle, patient, forgiving and contented—the very opposite of the man who is proud, harsh, angry, revengeful and ambitious. It is only the Grace of God, as it works in us by the Holy Spirit, that can make us thus meek."

"There are some people who are very gentle and meek as long as nobody tries them. We are, all of us, remarkably good-tempered while we have our own way. But the true meekness which is a work of Grace will stand the fire of persecution and will endure the test of enmity, cruelty and wrong—even as the meekness of Christ did upon the Cross of Calvary.

"The meek-spirited man is glad to know that other people are happy—and their happiness is his happiness! He will have a great number of heavens, for everybody else’s Heaven will be a Heaven to him! It will be a Heaven to him to know that so many other people are in Heaven, and for each one whom he sees there, he will praise the Lord. Meekness gives us the enjoyment of what is other people’s, yet they have none the less because of our enjoyment of it!"

Priorities

As I settle Clairesy, 3, down for a nap:

Claire: Are you going to have a baby boy?

Me: Yes.

Claire: I like Baby Boy. Do you like Baby Boy?

Me: Yes. I love Baby Boy. Are you going to tell Baby Boy about Jesus?

Claire: Yes. But not right now. I'm going to take a nap.

As the Breathing of Our Souls

In the experience of God's people, it is often found that when their outward condition is troubled, their inward state is full of perplexities and fears. In affliction, Satan seeks to make a breach between us and God. He is most malicious with those with whom he has little hope of victory, as in Job's case.

If he cannot run us on a rock, he will seek to upset us with a tempest. If he cannot rob us of grace, he will seek to disturb our peace and comfort. Believers can expect inward and outward troubles because we have married Christ with His cross. We are delivered from the curse indeed but are appointed to the cross.

Outward afflictions may be many and heavy and come upon the neck of another. We may feel the hard brunt enough to exercise our whole strength of faith and patience. Inward afflictions are far more heavy than afflictions of the body, for a wounded spirit who can bear? It is not unusual though, that both of these rods come upon us at once, as a load on a broken back.

What shall we do? We must take a hold on God by renewed acts of faith. Faith is used not only for our entrance into grace, but also for our continuance and progress through all temptations and difficulties. Faith and prayer must be as the breathing of our souls to keep the heart alive. We must trust the Lord in every change and condition of life. I will lay the weight of my sinking spirit on the free grace of Christ. I will renew my hold, life, and expectations there.

This is the path. I will never be turned from it. A trusting Christian in this strength may challenge all the gates of hell. "When I am afraid, I put my trust in You." (Psalm 56:3). Afraid? Who is not? But what course will you take then? Believe. Use faith always, and have it now.
~Elias Pledger, Puritan Sermons 1659-1689
Voices From the Past

You Can Count on This

"God's wondrous working in the past should deepen our confidence in Him and make us to seek at His hands blessings and mercies for the present. Since He so graciously provided such a Shepherd for the sheep, since He has been pacified toward us and not a frown now remains upon His face, since He has so gloriously displayed both His power and His righteousness in bringing back Christ from the dead, a continuance of His favor may be safely counted upon. We should expectantly look to Him day by day for all needed supplies of grace. The One who raised our Savior is well able to quicken us and make us fruitful to every good work. "
~A.W. Pink, Guide to Fervent Prayer

Perfect Timing

"Surely the Lord of time is the best judge of time; and in nothing do we more discover our folly and rashness, than in presuming to fix the times either of our comforts or our troubles. As for our comforts, we never thinkg they can come too soon; we would have them presently, whether the season be fit or not, as Number 12:13, 'Heal her now, O God'; Oh let it be done speedily. We are in post-haste for our comforts, but as for our afflictions, we never think they come late enough; not at this time, Lord; rather at any other time than now.

But it is good to leave the timing both of the one and the other to him, whose works are all beautiful in their seasons, and who never does any thing in an improper time."
~Facing Grief
John Flavel

I Will Surely Do You Good

"I will surely do you GOOD!"

~Genesis 32:12

Though this promise was given to Jacob, it was not confined to him—but is intended for all his spiritual seed. It is thus that God speaks to US this morning. How gracious!

We know not what this day may bring forth—but we do know that our God, who superintends every event, will do us good.

We may mistake as to what will be for our good—but He is infinite in wisdom and goodness, and therefore cannot mistake. We may look at afflictions, losses, and crosses, and cry out, "All these things are against me!" But read the history of David. What a train of troubles attended him! Hear his acknowledgment: "It is GOOD for me that I have been afflicted!"

Your God will do you good—therefore He will try you, sift you, humble you, and prove you. He will give you needed bitter medicine—as well asfood. He will consider nothing too expensive, or too painful—if necessary for your soul's welfare.

Look at your trials, and say, "This also shall turn to my good!"

Look on the past, and acknowledge, "Surely goodness and mercy have followed me all the days of my life."

Look to the future, and rejoice, "The Lord will surely give me that which is GOOD."

Look in every direction, and say, "Surely the Lord will do me good—I will trust, and not be afraid."

~James Smith, "The Pastor's Morning Visit
Grace Gems

Thankful Thursday~Ice Cream Bliss and Autumn Bounty

"A life from the dead ought to be spent 

in extolling the God of our life."

~Matthew Henry

I'm thankful for simple autumn displays that make my mornings and dinner time a bit lovelier. I'm thankful that when I light this candle in the morning, I think of Michele, and pray once again for a miracle to be done. 

I'm thankful that Christ is the Light of the world and that He bears our burdens and makes even the darkest of times opportunities for giving thanks and worshipping Him.

When we first moved into our home, I loathed this piece of farm equipment that greeted me each time I looked out my kitchen window. In fact, I loathed New Mexico. NOW~I love both. I'm thankful God changes our perspective, transforming ungrateful hearts into contented ones.

I'm thankful for the generous hands that gave us this bounty from their garden. I'm thankful that God is generous every day, pouring out loads of blessings, too many to even count.

I'm thankful for this stump of wood that reminds me how easily children delight in simple things. I'm thankful God provides a world of wonder and possibilities in His creation.

I'm thankful for the wholehearted way little hands and little mouths enjoy ice cream cones. I'm thankful my little boy will one day excuse me for putting him in a pink bib...again. I'm thankful for water and soap. I'm thankful for the blessing of teaching these little hearts about Jesus every day.

"Let my mouth be filled with Thy praise and with Thy honor all the day."

~Psalm 71:8

With love,

Worship With All Your Might

"What you do in public worship do with all your might.  Shake off that slothful, indifferent, lukewarm temper, which is so odious to God....Think it not enough to present your bodies before the Lord....The worship of the body is but the carcass of worship; it is soul worship that is the soul of worship.  Those that draw near with their lips only shall find God far enough from them; not only lips, and mouth, and tongue, but mind, and heart, and affections; not only knee, and hand, and eye, but heart, and conscience, and memory, must be pressed to attend upon God in public worship.  David says, not only "my flesh longs for Thee," but " my soul thirsts for Thee."   Then will the Lord draw near, when our whole man waits on Him; then will the Lord be found, when we seek Him with our whole heart."

~David Clarkson, The Works of David Clarkson

A Sweeter, Better Life

God never places us in any position in which we cannot grow. We may imagine that He does. We may fear we are so impeded by fretting petty cares that we are gaining nothing; but when we are not sending any branches upward, we may be sending roots downward. Perhaps in the time of our humiliation, when everything seems a failure, we are making the best kind of progress. Look on and look up. Lay hold on Christ with both your poor, empty hands. Let Him do with you what seems good to Him. Though He slay you, still trust in Him, and I dare in His name to promise you a sweeter, better life than you could have ever known, had He left you to 

drink of the full dangerous cups of unmingled prosperity.

~Elizabeth Prentiss, Thoughts Concerning the King

How To Improve Your Memory

"This dulness of memory is a common spiritual disease among believers.  It prevails as widely now as it did in the days of the first disciples.  It is one among many proofs of our fallen and corrupt condition.  Even after men have been renewed by the Holy Ghost, their readiness to forget the promises and precepts of the Gospel is continually bringing them into trouble.  They hear many things which they ought to store up in their hearts, but seem to forget as fast as they hear.  And then, perhaps after many days, affliction brings them up before their recollection, and at once it flashes across their minds that they heard them long ago!  They find that they had heard, but heard in vain.


The true cure for a dull memory in religion, is to get deeper love toward Christ, and affections more thoroughly set on things above.  We do not readily forget the things we love, and the objects which we keep continually under our eyes.  The names of our parents and children are always remembered.  The face of the husband or wife we love is graven on the tablets of our hearts.  The more our affections are engaged in Christ's service, the more easy shall we find it to remember Christ's words."
~J.C. Ryle
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels
Vol. 2

Weekly Rewind 8/15-8/21/10

Well, something is in the air because for the first time in the 12 years we've lived here, I'm suffering from allergy symptoms....yes, itchy eyes, runny nose, tickling in the throat, etc.

Could it be these?

We're back to our walks, and our roads are lined with gorgeous sunflowers.  To live in the desert, we sure enjoy bursts of color from the many wildflowers.  Mountain Man spent hours this weekend getting most everyone's bikes in shape, so now they're able to ride while some of us walk, and the children are super-happy about that.  "Getting bikes fixed" was actually an item on their summer list....pretty simple, huh?

Here's the reason it's hard for some lovelies around here to get out of bed.  Jedediah   makes for some sweet cuddlin'.

~PRAISE!  My Mom will be able to visit while Scribe has his surgery.  This was an answer to prayer, and we're so thankful to God for making a way for my Mom to be with us.

~Jedediah had his 2 month check-up, and he is doing great!  Whistler captured this sweet shot.

And this one.

Lovely Boo's favorite phrases this past week...."I can't wait to learn to read, " and "I can't wait to be a Mommy."

Another project the guys finished this weekend was the shed.

I'm so pleased with it, and I can't wait for the guys to tackle painting the house next year.

And just when you thought it was safe to play in the front yard....

the rattlesnake shows up.  He didn't last long, though, thanks to Little Big Man and Scribe.  The BB Gun and the sledge hammer were quite effective.  Surprisingly, this is the first rattlesnake we've seen this summer.

And these were the skies last night.

The heavens declare the glory of God.....

Parting thoughts from my reading....

"How many perish by reason of vain learning in this world who take little care of the serving of God.."

"And he is truly learned, that doeth the will of God and forsaketh his own will."

~Thomas A Kempis

Love,

Spurgeon on Reading the Bible

"But what poor reading some of you give to your Bibles. I do not want to say anything which is too severe because it is not strictly true—let your own consciences speak, but still, I make bold to enquire,—Do not many of you read the Bible in a very hurried way—just a little bit, and off you go? Do you not soon forget what you have read, and lose what little effect it seemed to have? How few of you are resolved to get at its soul, its juice, its life, its essence, and to drink in its meaning. Well, if you do not do that, I tell you again your reading is miserable reading, dead reading, unprofitable reading; it is not reading at all, the name would be misapplied. May the blessed Spirit give you repentance touching this thing."

Notes from the Reading Chair

"Look at a biblioholic's living quarters.  If he or she has furniture--not all biblioholics do--one particular item will leap out and grab your attention: the biblioholic's reading chair...the armrests will be worn through.  With the right light, you can comb your hair in the reflection off the cushions.  The springs will be shot.  And sit down in the thing and your fanny will bounce three feet off the floor....it is where communion between biblioholic and book takes place, and any monkeying around with the authenticity of that place is aesthetically unnerving." ~Tom Raabe, Biblioholism

Each week I hope to post some thoughts from our readings as well as offerings for the commonplace books.  What interesting discussions we've had this week as a result of our varied reads!

I'm enjoying Douglas Wilson's biography of Anne Bradstreet, the Puritan poet.  He does a thorough job of not only painting a portrait  of Anne's life but also correcting many misunderstandings about Puritan life in general. 

For instance, did you know that...

~Puritans were not opposed to alcohol but it was in fact a daily part of their lives.
~Puritans were not hostile to Christmas itself but instead to the way Christmas was celebrated at that time.
~Despite characterizations of Puritans as "wannabe ayatollahs and manufacturers of scarlet letters," their criminal laws were based mostly on the Mosaic Code and were actually not as harsh as the laws in England

One of my favorite passages is Mr. Wilson's description of Anne's perspective on her life's purpose.

Her identity was not that of a poet.  She did not adopt poetry as a minor "career."  She was a wife and a mother, and she used her poetic gifts from the vantage point of that identity.  She did not cling to them as a substitute for that identity.  When she later wrote down a prose account of her life for her children, she did not mention her poetry at all.  Our tendency is to remember her life in terms of her poetry.  When she recalled her life, she did so in terms of her God and her family.

Wilson also addresses many of the attempts by feminists to ascribe to Anne characteristics of discontent and theological difficulties that simply aren't reflected in her life and her poetry.

In David Allen's Ready for Anything, I found these words an encouraging jumpstart to tackle some of those less-than-desirable tasks before me.

Completion of open loops, whether they be major projects or boxes of old stuff we've yet to purge and organize, prepares the ground for cleaner, clearer, and more complete energy for whatever shows up.  We're often not sure what's next or what to tackle.  At that point just clean or complete something--something obvious and in front of you, right away.  Soon you'll have the energy and clarity to know what's next, and you'll have cleared the decks for more effective responsiveness on every front.  Process your in-basket, purge your e-mails, or clean your center desk drawer.  You've got to do it sometime anyway.

Little Big Man finished Gary DeMar's Memory Mechanics and summed up his opinion on the book in these simple terms, "The tricks suggested for memorizing things are much more complicated than just memorizing what you have to memorize."  He's half-way through G.A. Henty's The Dash for Khartoum and recommends it, saying it's his favorite Henty book thus far.

Mountain Man finished up Whatever Happened to Justice and was more than a bit surprised by what he read.  It was all new information and definitely not what he was taught in his public school government classes.  Recommended!

He's now into The Search for God and Guinness by Stephen Mansfield and is finding it very enjoyable.  Can you imagine these benefits of a Guinness worker during the 1920's:

~full medical and dental care
~massage services
~reading rooms
~subsidized meals
~a company-funded pension
~subsidies for funeral expenses
~education benefits
~sports facilities
~free concerts, lectures and entertainment
~2 pints of Guinness beer a day

Arthur and Olivia Guinness had 10 children, four girls and six boys.   "What this happy list of deeply loved children does not betray is there were actually twenty-one pregnancies but Olivia miscarried eleven times.  She must have been a sturdy, courageous woman.  Despite her losses, she kept having children until 1781, when she was in her late forties."  And no, the Guinnesses weren't Catholic or Mormon, and I'm sure they knew what caused "that." :)

Happy Reading!
~Queen Mom

Quoteworthy~The Very Soul of Prayer

"In all your closet-duties God looks first and most to your hearts.  It is not a piece, it is not a corner of the heart, which will satisfy the Maker of the heart.  The very soul of prayer lies in the pouring out of the soul before God.  The heart is a treasure, a bed of spices, a royal throne wherein He delights.  God looks not at:
the elegance of your prayers, to see how refined they are; nor at
the geometry of your prayers, to see how long they are; nor at
the arithmetic of your prayers, to see how many they are; nor at
the music of your prayers; nor at
the sweetness of your voice;
nor at the logic of your prayers;
but at the sincerity of your prayers, how hearty they are.

The reason wy so many are so unsuccessful in their closet-duties and services, is because there is no more of their hearts in them.  No man can make sure work or happy work in prayer but he who makes heart work on it."

~Thomas Brooks
The Privy Key of Heaven

Thanksgiving Every Day

"We ought to make the moments notes of happy, glad Thanksgiving; The hours and days a silent phrase of music we are living."

We are by nature ungrateful. Oh, that we would be a thankful people, not just on Thanksgiving, but each and every day God gives us another breath. This is a lovely poem reminding us to be thankful in all things. Be encouraged to thank Him for His bountiful goodness!


We walk on starry fields of white
And do not see the daisies,
For blessings common in our sight
We rarely offer praises.
We sigh for some supreme delight
To crown our lives with splendour,
And quite ignore our daily store
Of pleasures sweet and tender.

Our cares are bold and push their way
Upon our thought and feeling;
They hang about us all the day,
Our time from pleasure stealing.
So unobtrusive many a joy
We pass by and forget it,
But worry strives to own our lives,
And conquers if we let it.

There's not a day in all the year
But holds some hidden pleasure,
And, looking back, joys oft appear
To brim the past's wide measure.
But blessings are like friends, I hold,
Who love and labour near us.
We ought to raise our notes of praise
While living hearts can hear us.

Full many a blessing wears the guise
Of worry or of trouble;
Far-seeing is the soul, and wise,
Who knows the mask is double.
Bur he who has the faith and strength
To thank his God for sorrow
Has found a joy without alloy
To gladden every morrow.

We ought to make the moments notes
Of happy, glad Thankgiving;
The hours and days a silent phrase
Of music we are living.
And so the theme should swell and grow
As weeks and months pass o'er us,
And rise sublime at this good time,
A grand Thanksgiving chorus.

~Ella Wheeler Wilcox


Love,
Queen Mom

At Any Cost

I'm currently reading a book about Theodore Roosevelt called Carry A Big Stick. As I read about this great man I admire him more and more. He was the ultimate family man, outdoorsman, and husband. Here are some great quotes I've come across, and I see how even today they ring true. As you read, think on how true they are to this day.

'' The things that will destroy America are prosperity- at- any- price,

peace- at- any- price, safety first instead of duty first, the love of soft

living, and the get- rich- quick theory of life.''

" Peace is generally good in itself, but it is never the highest good unless it comes as the handmaiden of righteousness; and it becomes a very evil thing if it serves merely as a mask for cowardice and sloth, or as an instrument to further the ends of despotism or anarchy.''

(***the word despotism means absolute power and authority, also known as tyranny)

Servant of the King,

Little Big Man