Either a Mercy or a Wonder

To be thankful doesn't mean we're denying hard providences or pretending our lives are problem-free. But it does mean we're obeying, and we're trusting that God is keeping His promise to use all things for our good. 

I'm thankful for God's current means of sanctification in our lives:

Mountain Man's prolonged recovery from dental work--infection, dry socket, continued pain.

The painful work that must often be invested in our relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ --to be at unity with one another isn't optional, but it is God's will, even though it often doesn't feel good and requires more effort than I want to give.

That daily battle with the flesh and the reluctance to put off the old 

and put on the new.

And I'm thankful for those daily wonders that refresh us:

The oldest and youngest taking a walk

Finally! Ink's graduation feast

Happy faces

One BIG strawberry shortcake

Guys in bowties

An amazing shot of the moon captured by Luke

The Littles breaking in our new couch with some book-time

Hashed Potato Pie

A single serving of deep dish chocolate chip cookie ready in five minutes in a microwave oven 

"Yeah, I'm cute" expressions

Brother helping brother

And the unseen gifts of forgiveness and repentance and daily provision of all we need to glorify the Lord and grow in grace

There is never a providence of God, but has either a mercy or a wonder in it.

~Thomas Watson, All Things for Good

With love,

Trisha

The Ordinary Arts

photo copyright: poffclan

It Doesn't Come Naturally~9 Ways to Teach Our Children Contentment

Shakespeare said, "How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child!" It's true. If there's one sin in my own children's lives that tempts me to sin, it is ingratitude. "Look at all that God has done for you!" "How can you be so ungrateful, murmuring about what you don't have while forgetting the bounty of His goodness?"

And I'd like them to master contentment in five easy lessons. 

But here I am still learning it myself, as evidenced by the ease with which I think hard thoughts of God or forget yesterday's mercies or dismiss today's provision. 

We work hard to teach our children many things, and yet, we forget that contentment must be learned, too. It is a lifelong battle, for surely as the Holy Spirit has sanctified us in one area, and we've made our peace with a trial or an illness or another thorn in our side, He will faithfully show us other ways in which we are thankless children of God. We complain about our children's complaining and then throw those quiet temper tantrums in our hearts because God is not doing what we think is best for us.

"Do not indulge, any of you, the silly notion that you can be contented without learning, or learn without discipline; it is not a power that may be exercised naturally, but a science to be acquired gradually!"

~C. H. Spurgeon

So, how do we teach our children contentment, remembering it's just the beginning of a lifetime of learning?

Pray for them. Pray for wisdom and blessing on our efforts. Pray for patience and mercy and lovingkindness to clothe our correction.

Consistently discipline their murmurings and disputings, being mindful not to reward their discontentment.

Teach them to treasure our correction of them and the Lord's chastisement.

Guard against all kinds of complaining, including complaints about the weather and the traffic and the spilled milk and those many "little" things we think excuse our murmurings. Confess our own struggles with discontentment and repent to them when necessary.

Instruct them in the Word and in prayer.What does God say about murmuring? What happened to those who indulged in this sin? Have them hide Scriptures in their hearts that will help them fight the temptation to complain. Teach them to battle this sin on their knees.

Teach them about God's sovereignty, and the truth that He is always doing us good. Teach them with words, but mostly with how we submit to His will for our own lives.

Refrain from manipulating circumstances so that our children are never unhappy or without.

Teach them the discipline of habits and mastering Self and cheerfully choosing to do those things they don't want to do, including chores and math lessons.

Model gratitude by counting God's mercies together. Write them down. Read over them again and again. Celebrate them.

With love,
Trisha

He Was Made to Leave

"Permit to us who pass from one state to another something of the 

pathos that is to be permitted to those that approach to death. 

We are happy to go into the country, but we are unhappy to leave the town."

~G. K. Chesterton

*****

Welcomed into this world, he hears your voice, and he knows you. You. You're his World. His eyes fix fast on you. You're his Center, and no one else will do. You comfort him, feed him, care for him, pray for him, correct him, teach him, and smother him with hugs and kisses.

And in return he gives you smiles and a joy unspeakable. He brings you flowers and weeds picked with dirty chubby fingers. He paints you pictures, and says, "I love you, Mommy," at least twenty times a day. He gives you dirt and bugs and slamming doors and empty glasses of chocolate milk and grace-filled prayers at the dinner table.

And you don't think much about the truth that he was made to leave.

He convinces you that couches are meant to be trampolines, Legos are meant to be stepped on, and everything his hands touch can be fashioned into a gun. He teaches you that milk and cookies are the way to a boy's heart, that and welcoming his rock collection and his pet lizards and excusing the prints he just made on your newly mopped floor.

And as he grows bigger, not only does he open your door, but he continues to open your eyes and your heart to good things, new music, new books, a different way of seeing the world, different, but still grounded in God's truth. You no longer tuck him in, but instead savor late night conversations and smile at his midnight pantry raids.

His pleas to tie his shoes or help put on his coat are long gone, and now he requests  his favorite soup and lets you know you should make pie more often, and "By the way, Mom, you should really read this book, and did you know...?"

It seems like just a moment ago you were scolding him for breaking a treasured tea cup, one you can't even remember well anymore, and you were fixing up a skinned knee and telling him Jesus loves him most of all and teaching him how to read, and now you see a man, and you get choked up because you can't stop thinking about the truth that he was made to leave.

You say it's because you love him so much that you want him to stay, but your heart knows the selfishness of that lie. It's not in holding on but in letting go that you honor what God has made him to do. No longer his Center, you feel a bit lost and wonder where to go, what to do, and you see your place over there, off-stage, to watch this new chapter in his life unfold, to cheer him on, to cover him in prayer.

So you step aside, your heart torn between rejoicing in the man God has made him and wanting just a few more moments of his boyhood (you'd gladly welcome plastic army men scattered everywhere and loud noises and entertain a million interruptions). You pray for wisdom, wisdom to not try to grasp what is no longer yours, wisdom to not try to shove your way back onto center stage, wisdom to repent, wisdom to know your place, wisdom to live out this new chapter for God's glory.

For your heart knows well that your boy, the boy who is now a man, was made to leave, and you love him best by letting go.

With love,
Trisha


***Kudos to the moms who have seamlessly made this transition, no repenting necessary, no struggles and wrestling. But maybe there's one other mom out there like I am. Here's a bit of self talk for us. :)

Mother Hunger and 20 Ways We Create It

"As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you..."

~Isaiah 66:13

Mother hunger. That longing for those affections that only a mother can give. Sometimes we don't even have words for it. We just know it's there.

Mother hunger is nothing new. As long as our sinful natures have been tempting us to find satisfaction in most anything except the duty God has set before us, there has been mother hunger. Our mothers might not have battled spending too much time on Facebook or responding like a Pavlovian dog to answer a cell phone every time it rang, but they might have been tempted to talk on the phone or invest in friendships at the cost of family life. Distractions are nothing new; we're just offered more choices as they take on different forms with each generation.

Here's a haunting description of mother hunger by Ingrid Trobisch:

"One summer evening when I was about twelve, I remember helping mother take down the clean dry sheets from a line strung between a hickory tree and two oaks in our backyard. All at once she stopped between sheets, put her arms around me, and gave me a squeeze. Her open expression of affection felt so good it took me by surprise. Later, when Mother and I were separated by continents, I was often warmed by the scent of fresh linens that brought the memory of her hug.

My mother surely never knew the depth of my mother-hunger. I can only wonder if I realized the depth of her affection. A process of inner healing has to take place for those who feel they've been kept at arm's distance. The expressions of love we long for from our mothers may never materialize in our lifetime."

Let's count some of the ways we keep our children at arm's distance and often create a gulf between our hearts and theirs.

1) Having favorites among our children
2) Being physically absent much of the time
3) Not confessing our sins against our children and asking for forgiveness
4) Often breaking promises
5) Putting friends, ministry, hobbies, talents, etc. before home
6) Not looking our children in the eye when speaking to them
7) Belittling their concerns or troubles
8) Being sharp-tongued and harsh
9) Pushing away their offers of affection and ignoring their need for affection
10) Treating babies like hands-off science projects to be manipulated instead of souls to be shaped
11) Being constantly distracted, noted by saying, "Uh-huh" or "Just a minute" way too much
12) Not communicating love to our children in their favorite ways--i.e. games, back scratches, gifts, reading books, etc.
13) Failing to protect them--in abusive situations and even from the everyday garbage on television and the internet
14) Reminding our children of all that we gave up to be a mother and/or to be at home with them
15) Mothering all of our children in the same way--no such thing as cookie-cutter children!
16) Often saying, "I'm busy right now, " or "We'll do it later," but then never really doing it
17) Habitually expressing criticism and disappointment instead of affirmation
18) Failing to celebrate them in the everyday and on special occasions
19) Viewing them as interruptions or inconveniences
20) Neglecting alone time with them

No, mothers cannot fill that God-shaped hole in their children's lives. But God did give children mothers for a reason. He gave us this magnificent duty of shaping souls for eternity, for His glory, and we don't have to feed on distractions that end up leaving a void in our children's lives. What hope there is in knowing that God will give us all we need to mother intentionally! His grace is sufficient! And the Holy Spirit will keep us in check when we're tempted to let distractions keep us from being there for our children. He will remind us when we need to repent. But we must be paying attention! And because distractions are a lifelong battle, let it be our prayer to be present mind, body, and spirit, for our children and take seriously the sobering and joy-filled task of training them up in the way they should go.

For those who know this mother hunger, God's grace is sufficient for this, too! He comforts us and brings healing to those childhood hurts. But let's not let our knowledge of the grace of God cause us to abuse it in our own lives, dismissing the value of a mother's love and work. Let us be there wholeheartedly for our children and know well the state of our flocks.

"No one can ever replace you in your children's lives. For them, you are the sun, the moon, the whole universe. You are your children's only mother, and if you are too often absent, harried, or preoccupied, they may yearn for you all of their lives."
~Brenda Hunter


With love,
Trisha

Time is a Game

Time is a game played beautifully by children.

~Heraclitus, Fragments

Praising God for the beautiful ways children teach us how to wisely measure our days.

With love,
Trisha

A Reminder About Planning for 2014--Psalm 23, Antithesis

Hi Friends! I've been hibernating a bit, enjoying our Christmas and New Year's celebrations, pondering God's goodness and my lack of trust, taking a break from Facebook, enjoying Instagram more and more, and planning for 2014.

I'll be late to the party, I know, but I'm still planning to share my favorite books from 2013, my "word" for 2014, our 2014 Family Focus, some recipes, and even some Christmas photos! :)

This Friday night we'll have our annual book list meeting and then on Saturday, we'll gather to discuss our goals for this new year. It's tempting to lose our sense of "rest" in the midst of living life intentionally for His glory, so I thought this poem would be a good reminder for us all.


"Psalm 23, Antithesis" 

The clock is my dictator, I shall not rest.

It makes me lie down only when exhausted.

It leads me to deep depression. 

It hounds my soul. 

It leads me in circles of frenzy for activity’s sake. Even though I run frantically

from task to task, I will never get it all done, For my “ideal” is with me. 

Deadlines and my need for approval,

they drive me. 

They demand performance from me,

beyond the limits of my schedule. 

They anoint my head with migraines. My in-basket overflows. 

Surely fatigue and time pressure shall

follow me all the days of my life, 

And I will dwell in the bonds of frustration forever.

~Marcia K. Hornok

Make big plans for this year or simply resolve to be faithful in your ordinary but very significant duties. Be intentional about how you spend your time. But remember in the midst of all of your planning, that we make our plans, but He directs our steps, and because of this truth, we can REST in the midst of the undone, our failures, and the unexpected!

With love,

Trisha

What's Best for Our Souls

My family and I have been making a certain request to the Lord for over two years. Last week He answered. And the answer was "no", or at least, "not right now."

And even though I know so well the truth of His providential care of us, that He is always doing what is best, this answer felt like a kick in the gut. I had put too much hope in a "yes" answer instead of in God Himself.

The Lord is our Shepherd, and He leads us in the paths of righteousness, not leaving us to ourselves. What a mercy this is, even though we are often clueless about His ways.

One of my favorite books of 2013 was Stephen Altrogge's The Greener Grass Conspiracy. In this passage, he reminds us that it is God who knows what is best for our souls:

In Psalm 23:2-3 David says of the Lord, "He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake." Notice that David doesn't say, "I plot the best course for my life. I am the captain of my ship. I will go wherever my heart desires." David realizes that God is his shepherd, his captain, his leader. God will lead him to places of rest. God will restore his soul. God will lead him in righteousness.

We're convinced that a particular thing will bring peace, order, and restoration to our souls. We look around, and we see other people who have what we want, and they look so happy. They skip down the street holding the hands of their little children. They gaze into the eyes of their lovers. They smile as they mow the lawn of their new five-bedroom, four-bath, three-car-garage house. Meanwhile, our lives seem so whacked out and dysfunctional.

But we really don't know what's best for our souls. If God allowed us to follow our own plans, we wouldn't end up on the paths of righteousness that lead to still waters. We would end up in empty, barren wastelands of sin and destruction. God is the one who restores our soul. Sometimes he restores us by giving us what we desire, and sometimes he restores us by withholding it. In either case we can be assured that God knows the best path for us and that He'll lead us on that path.

With love,
Trisha

The Art of Living

"The art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on."

~Havelock Ellis

We've been soaking up the joy of having so much snow, and we're enjoying cozy days at home, thankful for God's provision of heat and good food and many answered prayers.

And we are thrilled to announce the courtship of our dear Ink and his lovely girl, Allie. Such an exciting season of life this is for them and for us, and we are deeply grateful to the Lord for this amazing gift. 

So much living going on here. So many seasons of life intertwined. It makes me all the more thankful that God is good, and God is great.

 Claire so happy after Emma braids her hair.

Corey and Allie. Their story is so magical to me. Maybe one day they'll share how God brought them together.

 I never tire of seeing the sun rise or set here in the desert.

 Elijah's "I'm so excited!" look, after he noticed the presents on the table.

 Hugs...

 That Baby Animals book was simply shocking.

 I love finding little army men in the oddest places.

 These feet just keep growing.

Claire's in there somewhere. How thankful we are for so much snow in the past few weeks!

 One of our resident bunnies.

 Cozy home and comfort food

The Wonder of Your Company

It is no small gift from God to be counted one among His saints. And it is no small thing to enjoy the pleasure of the saints' company, the joy of their friendship.

Those who love us with the love of Christ bear with our infirmities, rejoice with us when rejoicing is hard, speak difficult truths to us in love, overlook offenses, graciously forgive offenses, cheer us on when we've grown weary and want to give up.

Sometimes I look at the company God has given me to keep, and I'm in awe. They are wiser and more loving. More forgiving. More gracious. They're big-hearted while I'm small-minded. They stand up straight, arms and hands wide open, while I cower, arms crossed and hands tight-fisted. They give grace by the tons, while I'm tempted to offer it in spoonfuls.

It's like running with a group of seasoned athletes, and I'm the amateur in the middle. But these friends don't leave me behind. They patiently let me run with them, even though I'm always stumbling and catching my breath, and I push myself because of their kindness, and I exercise those places in my soul that are too easily neglected. I remember their examples, when they didn't return evil for evil, when they gave to their hurt, when they rejoiced with me in the midst of their own heartbreak, and God uses them to sharpen me.

They are truly holier than I am.

"We are all of us at times bad and laughable, but there are still also among us now and then truth, greatness, even holiness. The merest hint of true holiness we are quick to suspect as counterfeit, and we condemn what we like to call a 'holier than thou' attitude. But years ago a teacher pointed out that the person I was condemning was in fact holier than I--and it certainly didn't take much."
~Elisabeth Elliot

In our socialist mindset, we're tempted to think that Christians are equally holy,  equally sanctified. But we're not. And those around us who are more like Christ than we are should not move us to doubt or envy, but rather, they should move us to wonder. To wonder at God's grace and His work in them, and to wonder at the ways they bear with us and encourage us, and to wonder at the truth that God is working in us, too.

C. S. Lewis said this of his friends:

"In a perfect friendship...each member of the circle feels, in his secret heart, humbled before all of the rest. Sometimes he wonders what he is doing there among his betters. He is lucky beyond desert to be in such company. Especially when the whole group is together, each bringing out all that is best, wisest, or funniest in all the others."

The glorious truth is that God has set us among our "betters." What a gift it is to learn from them, to run this race with them. What a gift it is to know the wonder of their company.

With love,
Trisha

A Month of Thanksgiving~And What Moved Him to All This?

"Oh! blessed be God that hath chosen me to be of the number of His peculiar people...and for me to be one of His peculiar people, a member of Christ's mystical body, oh! what a privilege is this! And then what moved Him to all this? Nothing but His own free grace. Therefore praise the Lord."
~Thomas Manton

A Month of Thanksgiving~When It Seems That No One Reads Your Blog

When I started blogging over 5 years ago, I did it because none of our family live near us. I thought it would be a fun way to share what was going on, in words and pictures.

Corey was my partner in crime, and it was delightful to have him share his wit and wisdom here. And having such a large family with children at different ages and stages meant there was always something to write about.

However, very few of my family members read here anymore. That's just how it is. But, I keep on writing because I like to, and I feel compelled to. I'm greatly blessed to share a bit of God's goodness and know that our own children will have my words here to re-visit once I'm gone.

Yet, numbers are a big thing among bloggers. You're supposed to "build" your following. We talk much of how each person matters, but we lose sight of that truth in the midst of "stats" and "hits." After all, isn't writing only worthwhile if lots of people are reading?

So, we forget the impact of one on one. We forget God's providence over even who reads our blogs. We forget that God's ways are not our ways, as we ask ourselves  "Why bother?" when it seems that no one is reading.

Think about that. "Why bother?" That question reveals much about our hearts. Now if we're writing for fame or to make a living in the blog-world, then that question makes sense. There are moms who bring in a helpful amount of money from their blogging, and so it's important for them to build their "business." But, for most of us, blogging is not a business, which means we ask different questions. We guard against pragmatic blogging.

Our pastor recently announced that we'd still be having a Christmas Eve service, even if only one family is there. He's the kind of man who invests the same amount of study and prayer whether he's preaching to one person or to thirty. You see, our pastor knows that "one" matters.

And "one" matters where you write, too. Today, one lost soul might hear the gospel for the first time because you wrote. Today, a murmurer might be encouraged by God's goodness to you and be reminded of His goodness to her. Today, one struggling Christian might be exhorted to put off that sin and put on that which reflects who they are in Christ. Today, one heavy heart might laugh because you told that funny story or posted that silly picture. Today, one homemaker might decide to invest a bit more time in making a Christ-centered environment for her family. Today, a grieving heart might be uplifted because you reminded her of God's fatherly love and tender care. Today, one theologically-weak sister might be encouraged to know what she believes, to dig deep in the Word, because you were sharing the vast riches of Scripture. (And let's not forget the many ways your own mind and soul are being shaped because you've written.)

Praise God for "one" and the the possibilities and influence that are beyond our imagination, for that "one" will influence "many" around her, and your words just might be one of God's many means of making His gospel known and making His chosen ones more like Jesus.

With love,
Trisha

A Month of Thanksgiving~Where Are Those New Mercies?

God is an inexhaustible fountain of mercy, the Father of mercies.

~Matthew Henry

I've lived in this desert for over 15 years, and I never tire of watching the sun rise here. Those mornings that find me peeking out the door, waiting for God to finish painting this glorious sky, find me in wonder, too. Can you imagine looking at THIS and walking away without a thought of the One who made it? But every day, lots of us do, and every day, lots of us pass right be those mercies He has given us. Those new mercies for a new day.

What wondrous grace it is that opens our eyes to see our Creator's Hand in everything around us, to call out to Him as our Father because of what Jesus has done for us, to know that He is liberally bestowing His goodness on us, that He is actively doing us good.

My sister is tasting these mercies with a greater appreciation. Praise God she is now home from the hospital! The doctors determined she had a stroke (yes, my same sister whose husband just died a couple of months ago). While she was in the hospital, I spent much of my time in prayer and in tears, and I was so blessed by listening ears and compassionate hearts that encouraged me and prayed for her along the way. We were amazed at God's providence, truly sitting on the edge of our seats, watching it unfold and leave us thankful, so very thankful. How glorious is the truth that He knows our frame and has pity on us and because of His mercies we are not consumed!

After being in a sick room for almost a week, my sister counts it a mercy and a joy to wake up in her own bed, to take a walk outside, to vacuum her rugs and dust her shelves and wash her dishes and hold her son and shop for groceries and sort through her mail and drink a cup of tea and listen to music and read her Bible and ponder anew what Christ has done for us and how much God loves us. And even though she didn't have many earthly comforts while in the hospital, the presence of the Lord could not be taken away or the truth of the Word or the comfort of the Spirit or the prayers of the saints.

"That God's compassions fail not; they do not really fail, no, not even when in anger he seems to have shut up His tender mercies. These rivers of mercy run fully and constantly, but never run dry. No; they are new every morning; every morning we have fresh instances of God's compassion towards us...when our comforts fail, yet God's compassions do not."
~Matthew Henry

With love,
Trisha

A Month of Thanksgiving~Daily Blessings For God's People

"You do not praise God, indeed, unless you want others to do so. It is a mark of sincere thankfulness that it desires others to assist it in the expression of its joy. ...Do your utmost to be the means, in God's hands, of bringing others to praise him. Tell them what he has done for you. Tell them of his saving grace. Invite sinners to Christ. Let it be:—

"All your business here below
To say,"Behold the Lamb!"
and in this way you will be setting other tongues a-praising God, so that when your tongue is silent, there shall be others that will take up the strain."
~C. H. Spurgeon

The entire sermon is linked below. It's most encouraging and a powerful reminder of God's goodness!

Daily Blessings for God's People

A Month of Thanksgiving~He'd Be Proud and Thankful

When I was making wedding plans, my Dad said, "You're getting married? You can't even make a pot of rice, but you're getting married?"

I certainly wasn't Susie Homemaker when I walked down that aisle. I've learned much along the way.

And learning to cook was a delightful way to prove my Dad wrong. Whenever he'd come visit us, I would thoughtfully prepare the menu, making sure it included comfort foods he'd love. You couldn't have given me a million dollars for the times I heard him say, "Mmm. That was good. I'll take more of that." No. His compliments were priceless, and it pleased my heart to know I had given him a bit of joy at the supper table.

I made my first homemade pie on Sunday. Apple, of course. It turned out wonderfully. I surprised myself, and I couldn't help thinking of my Dad and how much I wish he could have tasted this little wonder. I think he would have been proud...and maybe even have given me some tips.

There are lots of things I'm sure my Dad worried about when it came to my life. His enthusiasm waned a bit more with each baby announcement. Would I be ok? Would we all be ok? Could we manage?

But I know my Dad's biggest concerns were whether we'd faithfully be part of a church. Whether we'd stay grounded in the Word. Whether we'd honor Him with our lives. And that concern didn't come from a man who lived perfectly. It came from the heart of a man who knew well the struggle of doing what we don't want to do and not doing what we should.

Today is his birthday, and it's a good gift to have memories of my Dad around my dinner table. Memories of him playing chess with Ink and Jake. Memories of his laugh. Memories of his leaning over his Bible with a lighted magnifying glass just so He could read the Word each day. How sweet to have used that very tool last night to get a splinter out of Little's Bit's foot.

It's tempting to romanticize our memories of a loved one who is no longer with us. But for some of us, waxing sentimental over the past only diminishes the amazing power of the Gospel. My dad was a great sinner who needed a great, great Savior. He saw up close that horrifying truth that our hearts are desperately wicked, and unless the Holy Spirit opens our eyes and changes our hearts, we are hopeless creatures.

Yes. I'd love to have my Dad around my table one more time, to have him taste the work of my hands and a gift from my heart, to hear him say, "That's good." But what would be even more beautiful is to have him sit with us and see how good the Lord has been to us, how He has kept us, kept us living upon His grace moment by moment, kept us faithfully walking in His ways and in repentance, kept us in the love and fear of Him as He shows us we can do none of this on our own.

I think he'd be proud, and I know he'd be thankful.

Happy Birthday, Dad. I love you.

With love,
Trisha

A Month of Thanksgiving~Seven of My Favorite Books For Cultivating a Thankful Spirit

1) The Bible: Of course there's no comparison to the Bible, but how often do we run to other writings while neglecting the very words He has given us? Regularly feasting on His Word, witnessing His glorious plan of redemption, meditating on the magnificence of the Gospel, is the best way to cultivate a thankful and contented spirit. Oh, what a marvelous work He has done in redeeming us and then providing us daily soul food with His Word!

2) The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs: I like that Burroughs is a man who repeats himself. He knows what stubborn and forgetful creatures we are, so he drives his points home very well with repetition. Burroughs defines contentment and then address the mystery of contentment, how Christ teaches contentment, the evils of a murmuring spirit, the excellence of contentment, the aggravations of the sin of murmuring, the excuses of a discontented heart, and how to attain contentment. Read this one!

3) All Things for Good by Thomas Watson: If we are ignorant of this truth, that He is working all things for our good, that our lives are not masses of silly happenstance, but wisely woven stories of His providence, then we will constantly fight discontentment. Take off your boxing gloves and settle down with this book and find yourself in awe of His goodness. Don't forget the kleenex.

4) The Greener Grass Conspiracy by Stephen Altrogge: I was skeptical about this one, thinking it was a dumbed down version of The Rare Jewel. So, I didn't read it for the longest time. BUT, I loved this book. I read it aloud to our children each morning at the breakfast table, and this was during those recent months when I was experiencing that dark night of the soul. I was encouraged and convicted  and so blessed by Altrogge's sense of humor and love for the Lord and tender concern for the discontented soul (in spite of the few times I disagreed with Altrogge) and found this to be an excellent read.

5) Choosing Gratitude by Nancy Leigh DeMoss: Giving thanks should not be a novel idea to the Christian.  It's nothing new.  But, giving thanks is a "cool" thing do these days.  Stores abound with gratitude journals and books urging us to have an attitude of gratitude.  Search for "gratitude" on Google, and you'll come up with more links than you'd ever be able to read.  Some are based on the Word, but many come from a New-Age, mystical perspective that Christians should be on guard against. And, as Nancy reminds us:

"You see, gratitude is a lot more than jonquils and journaling pages. Gratitude is a lifestyle. A hard-fought, grace-infused, biblical lifestyle."

And no one can know true gratitude except for the one who knows Christ. Nancy continues:

"And though there's a sense in which anyone can be thankful--for God has extended His common grace to all--the true glory and the transforming power of gratitude are reserved for those who know and acknowledge the Giver of every good gift and who are recipients of His redeeming grace."

I love how DeMoss starts with the Gospel. 

"Undeniable guilt, plus undeserved grace, should equal unbridled gratitude."

Nancy shares her own struggles, but she's not a navel-gazer who shares so much that you're left with a nasty voyeuristic aftertaste. The focus is on Him not her, and her tone is encouraging and engaging.

6) My Story and Yours: You haven't written a book? Well, neither have I, but I do have a journal of His mercies. Make it a practice to record His goodness to you, for He has given you much to sing over as you review and contemplate His marvelous works in your own life. And then declare these mercies to others! Right now, as my sister continues to grieve over the death of her husband, I am deeply blessed to hear of God's provision and protection in her life.

7) Spurgeon's Treasury of David: Spurgeon on the Psalms. Do I really need to say more? Ok. I'll just say that you will never regret having this collection on your bookshelf.

And I believe that when God pours out His grace on us and gives us eyes to see His goodness in everything, then most every book we read has a part in cultivating a thankful spirit.

With love,
Trisha

A Month of Thanksgiving~He Still Thinks I'm Beautiful

When my Mountain Man and I were dating (yeah, we did that), I remember sitting in the car with him and realizing that he was just staring at me. I would shift a bit, blush, and then ask him what he was doing. And he would state the obvious with a few more words, which I won't share here because it would only make me blush again (and I know you can see that, right?), and it's a bit embarrassing, because I still look in the mirror and wonder what he's seeing.

But, he thought I was beautiful, and he told me so.

27 years and lots of gravitational-pull later, he still thinks I'm beautiful.

27 years.
13 pregnancies.
9 babies.
8 c-sections.
Skin cancer.

And he still thinks I'm beautiful.

In a world where 50 year old women often look like they're 30, where their bodies have been carefully preserved like fine pieces of china, and their souls have been neglected--no evidence of giving life or laughing much or eating one too many scones, no evidence of living a bit or living a lot--it's hard for women to see what their husbands see.

But, I'm convinced that one thing that makes us most beautiful to our husbands is simply believing that they really do find us beautiful, and then loving and responding to them with that belief.

The beautiful woman doesn't pull away when her husband embraces her or hide from him or make an inventory of her physical flaws when he compliments her. She rests in the grace that God has poured out on her marriage. She gratefully welcomes God's gift of a faithful husband who delights in her, even now.

The beautiful woman remembers that God has done a work on her soul and that work is beautiful. The beautiful woman remembers that the trials and hardships of marriage have reaped a deep and faithful connection with her Beloved that Botox or face peels or tummy tucks could never buy. The beautiful woman remembers that the wrinkles on her face and the wear on her body are the fruit of a live lived with the One with whom God has made her one.

Yes. Every day it's a wonder to me, and I question where my Mountain Man got those rose-colored glasses. I'm tempted to long for someone else's hair or skin or figure or peaceable spirit or quiet and gracious way--but the beauty our husbands see is what God has fashioned, it is a grace He has poured out, and the best response is to believe and say thank you.

With love,
Trisha

A Month of Thanksgiving~Afternoon Tea, Read Alouds, and Glazed Cinnamon Scones

It's a perfect respite in the latter part of the day. It's a way to take a breath, slow down, savor the season and the children God has given you. Make a pot of tea, bake some scones, and read together.

We don't do tea time with our read aloud every day, but it's one of my goals this year to make it a regular part of our week. There is something about enjoying tea with others and stories, too, that knit hearts together and make strong memories to last for years to come.

Edith Schaeffer said this about reading aloud to our children:

"Reading together is one of the most important factors in a growing family relationship. Reading aloud is a kind of 'core' for the unity of a family."

And George Grant reminds us:

"Silent reading is a fairly modern innovation. As late as the eighteenth century, it was thought that the best way to truly appreciate the classics was to read them aloud--all the better to relish the beauty of the words, the music of the composition, and the architecture of the ideas."

Now, please don't imagine a scene where the children are quietly lined up on the couch after having QUIETLY sipped their tea and enjoyed their scones. There is a season in life for that, perhaps when all of your children are over a certain age, but in our house, tea time and read aloud are usually an adventure. And you don't have to always connect these two. Have tea. Read aloud. Just do it.

Just don't assume that it will always go smoothly. No, no, no. I don't do this because it's easy or because all of our children cooperate. I do it because it is good, and it's a way to bless our family and serve our children and celebrate His goodness. In fact, most of the things I do in a day that are worthwhile, that have lasting benefits, are challenging, accompanied by many interruptions.

Right now we're reading through The Chronicles of Narnia, and yesterday we enjoyed these scones.

Glazed Cinnamon Scones

2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. butter
1 egg, separated
3 T. honey
1/3 c. buttermilk

Topping:
2 T. turbinado or regular sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Glaze:
1 c. powdered sugar
1-3 tsp. half and half (or milk)--enough to make glaze
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Separate the egg white and yolk, saving the egg white for brushing on unbaked scones.

In a separate bowl, mix egg yolk, honey, and buttermilk. Add to dry ingredients and stir just until combined.

Form dough into a ball on a floured surface and roll or pat out to half an inch in thickness. Cut into triangles or simply use biscuit cutters. Transfer to buttered baking sheet (stoneware is great!). Whisk egg white until frothy and then brush over tops of scones. Mix 2 T. of turbinado or regular sugar with 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and sprinkle over egg-white-topped scones. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Mix together glaze ingredients and drizzle over baked scones.

Praise God for the joy of hearing "May I have another cup of tea and another scone?" and "Please! Read another chapter!" May you know this joy, too!

With love,
Trisha


***recipe from Crystal Paine of Money Saving Mom, with minor changes
***for our family, I double the recipe