Baby Name Clues

***Update: Thanks to Book Depository, I can open up this giveaway to some living outside the US. So, guess away!


We've chosen a name for Sweet Baby Boy. It seems a bit boring to just put it out there, so I'll give you some clues instead. C'mon. Don't be a party pooper. Play along.

1) One of the names is in the Bible and means "The LORD is my God".

2) We have children whose names start with the same letter as one of the names of Sweet Baby Boy. (Those letters include C, J, E, and L)

3) One of the names is in honor of one of my favorite preachers, a man whose biography was published just last month and is on the way to my house. :)

4) My Dad spent time with this preacher/writer almost every day, even though they lived centuries apart.

5) This preacher shepherded the same church body for 25 years. When he left them to go to another church, he journaled regret and sadness over that decision.

6) Think outside the order of things. :)

Every person who leaves a guess will be entered to win Loving the Little Years by Rachel Jancovic AND Wordsmithy by Doug Wilson AND The Call of Wonder by R.C. Sproul, Jr.  These are books I've recently finished and warm-heartedly recommend. Those who actually guess the correct name (correct order!) will get three entries. I'm sorry...US addresses only. Remember to guess a first and middle name.

I'll close the guessing game next Friday, June 8th. Have fun!

With love,
Trisha

P.S. If there are no entrants, baby boy will always be known as Sweet Baby Boy here on the blog. I will never, never share the real name. :)

The Winners of The Mystery of Providence Giveaway

Congratulations to Josh and H.E.R. Impressions! You've each won a copy of Flavel's book. Please send me your full name, mailing address, and phone number. (My e-mail is listed on my "about" page.)

The Winner of the January Giveaway

Congratulations to Jessica of Our Family for His Glory! You've won a copy of both Why We Love the Church and Basics for Believers.

Thank you to everyone who entered!

Favorite Reads from 2011 and the January Giveaway

In no particular order, with this word of caution: Remember that a recommendation doesn't mean I agree with every word written by an author. I do, however, believe it's an edifying book that won't lead you astray in your Christian walk. As always, measure a book by God's Word and use the discernment He's given you.

1) Humility by C.J. Mahaney: Mahaney instructs with passion and compassion and much practicality. Not one to leave the reader wondering where to begin in cultivating a spirit of humility, he lays out clear suggestions wrapped in reminders of God's grace. This is one of my top recommendations for family and church unity.

2) Why We Love the Church by Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck: "The church manifests itself in churches. And churches do certain things and are marked by certain characteristics." 
In case you haven't noticed, there's a huge attack on the local church today. And it isn't coming from the pagan. As I was flipping through an "anti-church" book at Barnes and Noble, I was deeply grieved. Even if you're settled in your belief in the importance of being part of the local church, you must make sure your children understand why. The lie that we can just gather at Starbucks and not be under the authority of or accountable to a local church body will face our children at every turn. In this book, DeYoung and Kluck provide a sound primer, infused with much humor, for why being part of your local church is important. I literally shouted, "Go Kevin!" while reading this book. :)

3) Just Do Something by Kevin DeYoung: This book radically changed the way I look at knowing "God's will." Truly a must read that will free you from the bonds of fear-based indecision.

4) Basics for Believers: An Exposition of Philippians by D.A. Carson: Oh, how I wished Carson had written one of these expositions for many more books of the Bible! This is a short and edifying read, packed with much wisdom and encouragement and conviction. Don't miss it! It's very understandable, and while I've finished reading it on my own, each morning I'm reading through it with our children. Carson is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.

5) Gilead by Marilynne Robinson: My personal reading in 2011 was very weak on fiction, and I'm reminded of it over and over by Ink. I'm glad I finally gave this book a try, though, for I was immediately captivated by Robinson's beautiful prose as well as her insight into the human heart as she shares the story of an aging father writing to his very young son. It's one time that I wished I was reading on a Kindle BECAUSE I was wanting to highlight so many passages!

6) Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Don Whitney: This book has caused quite a stir in some circles as Whitney has been accused of embracing mysticism and making a "discipline" out of things that aren't really disciplines of the Christian life. That said, this was still one of my favorite reads last year, one that I'll re-visit often, and one that all of our children will read. I didn't find anything "mystical" about Whitney's writings, and he's heavy on Puritan quotes. I think any of us can turn suggestions into legalism. That's often the reader's fault, not the author's. Highly recommended.

7) Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper: I know. I'm just now reading this. Actually, we're reading it together during our group time. Technically, it should be a 2012 book, but I wouldn't want to wait that long to recommend it. Everything we do should be for God's glory, and Piper clearly demonstrates how that truth manifests itself in our everyday living.

8) Spurgeon's Sermons on Prayer by C.H. Spurgeon: If you can only read one book about prayer this year, read this one. Spurgeon encourages and admonishes while sharing his passion for prayer as only he can. You will find your prayer life infused with much faith and hope after reading his sermons. (Valley of Vision and Matthew Henry's A Method for Prayer are wonderful books for teaching us what to pray and how to pray based on Scripture.)

9) Grieving, Hope, and Solace by Albert N. Martin: This is the one book I'd give to someone who has known the death of a loved one. I read this in a couple of days in December, and I was blessed by the compassion and encouragement that were strongly grounded in God's Word. The author has been there, and his determination to grieve in a manner that glorifies the Lord is a testimony of God's grace in his life. His words spur those of us who are grieving to do the same. While he specifically focuses on the hope we have in Christ Jesus when we die, this book is perfect for the unsaved, too, including a very strong presentation of the gospel.

10) The Real Scandal of the Evangelical Mind by Carl Trueman: I can tell my comprehension is improving when I can read something by Trueman and actually "get it." This is a seemingly neglected gem of wisdom that every Christian should read.


From the product description:
Fifteen years ago in The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind, historian Mark Noll warned that evangelical Christians had abandoned the intellectual aspects of their faith. Christians were neither prepared nor inclined to enter the intellectual debate, and had become marginalized. Today Trueman argues, "Religious beliefs are more scandalous than they have been for many years"-but for different reasons than Noll foresaw. In fact, the real problem now is exactly the opposite of what Noll diagnosed¯evangelicals don't lack a mind, but rather an agreed upon evangel. Although known as gospel people, evangelicals no longer share any consensus on the gospel's meaning. 



"If the church as a whole is losing its ability to be 'salt and light' in the culture, it is not because its members have no opinion of the films of Bernardo Bertolucci, no appreciation for the poetry of Emily Dickinson, and no regular slot on the Charlie Rose show. More likely , it is because they do not have a solid grasp of the basic elements of the faith, as taught in Scripture..." ~Trueman


I can't NOT give away one of these books, you know. In fact, I'm giving away two:
Basics for Believers AND Why We Love the Church. If you have one of the books already, you can always bless someone else with your winning copy.


Just leave a comment letting me know your favorite book read in 2011. Only US entries please, and be willing to provide your phone number if you win, since I'll be shipping directly from Amazon. Ok, if you didn't have a favorite read, I'll include you, too, if you leave a comment letting me know to put your name in the drawing.


I'll announce the winning name next Friday, January 13th.


Happy Reading!
Trisha

The Winners of Tending Your Garden

Congratulations to Debbie and Karen! You've each won a copy of Denise Sproul's Tending Your Garden.


Thank you to everyone who entered!

Much love,
Trisha

Giveaway of Tending Your Garden by Denise Sproul

Just a reminder that this ends Friday. If you haven't entered already, please do!

Mothering Like It All Matters

Mothering Like It All Matters and a Giveaway in Honor of Denise Sproul

How quickly a mother's vision fixes on what doesn't matter. Whether your daughter has the most stylish pair of jeans or haircut. Whether your son gets the latest technological wonder. Whether you have the biggest house on the block or the best homeschooling curriculum.

Wrapped up in the mix of our everyday decisions is the truth that our focusing on what doesn't matter matters. It all matters. 

It's the wise Mama who remembers that each of her decisions, each smile she gives when she's grumpy, each meal she cooks when she's too tired, each sacrifice she makes when she's tempted to pursue her own "dreams," each moment she slays self and lives out the gospel before her family, each look in the eye she gives her children instead of the classic "back turned and uh-huh" response, matter. They shape her family today and families for generations to come. And in ways I don't understand, they matter for eternity.

And yes, it's all by His grace. 

Denise Sproul, wife of R.C. Jr., is with Jesus now, and Doug Phillips reminds us that she's now free from pain and full of joy and waiting the resurrection of the dead and "the reunion of her dear R.C., children, and loved ones in Christ."

He also offers this sobering exhortation, which I remind myself of every day and which is at the heart of so much of what I post here. 

"Tonight, stop and take a really good look at your spouse. Next, look at each of your children. Look really, really long and hard. Take a moment and thank God for every whisper of a moment that God has given you with them. Thank God for the little kisses offered, the stories told, the tickles dispensed, the games played, the readings shared, the silent moments cherished, the victories experienced, the losses endured, the kind words presented , the songs sung, the glances exchanged. These moments not only count for eternity, but they will be remembered for the next billion years after you leave this minuscule moment in time called “life.” Every moment with your loved one matters. Someday they or you will be gone. Every conversation matters. Every kind deed in the name of Christ matters. It all matters." 

(Read the rest here.)

If you're already mothering like it all matters, praise God. Pray you won't lose your focus and get sidetracked by the schemes of Satan, the temptations from the world, or your own flesh. Keep yourself humble before the LORD by remembering every thing you do in your mothering to honor Him is because of His grace.

If you're not mothering like it matters, then make changes. Start on your knees in repentance. Cut the stuff out that's keeping you from living out and speaking of the gospel to your children.

Denise's children are remembering good things about their Mama. They are rising up and calling her blessed, not perfect, but blessed. None of us knows how much longer we have to mother like it all matters, but while we still have another breath, it's never too late.

"But do little ones forget? I suppose the events that we best remember in advanced age are the things that happened to us in our earliest days. At any rate, I have shaken hands with gray-headed men who have forgotten nearly all the events that have intervened between their old ange and the time of their childhood, but little matters that transpired at home, hymns learned at their mother's knee, and words spoken by their father or sister have lingered with them. The voices of childhood echo throughout life. The first learned is generally the last forgotten. The young children who heard our Lord's blessing would not forget it. They would have His countenance photographed upon their hearts and never forget His kind and tender smile. " ~Charles Spurgeon 

Mamas, let's ask ourselves.... 

What will my children remember? 

Will they remember authenticity or hypocrisy?
Will they remember smiles or frowns?
Will they remember kindness or harshness?
Will they remember patience or frustration?
Will they remember joy or despair?
Will they remember trust or anxiety?
Will they remember peace or strife?
Will they remember forgiveness or bitterness? 

Will they remember the life-changing love of Christ and the gospel lived out before their eyes? 

Help us, Lord, remember that they will remember, and let them remember Your love and grace and mercy.

We're blessed to have Denise's parenting wisdom set before us in a book she wrote called Tending Your Garden. 

I'd love to bless one of you with this treasure of wisdom. It can be for yourself or for another Mama or Mama- to- be. Just leave a comment letting me know you'd like to be entered. US only, please. I'll draw the winning name on January 6, 2012. That gives everyone plenty of time to enter and share the word even in the midst of this busy season.

And please remember the Sprouls in your prayers.

Much love,
Trisha

The Winner of Counting the Stars

is Amy @ The View from Hidden Valley! Congratulations!

Thank you to everyone who entered!

Name That Country Music Video and a Giveaway

I don't like country music. Now before you ditch me, hear me out. As a child, I was forced to listen to those twangy lyrics while riding in the back seat of my parents' car. I was a sheltered child, but I still wondered about "Sleeping single in a double bed, thinking over things I'd wish I'd said," and "If lovin' you is wrong, I don't wanna be right."

That said, when I captured these picture of my two Dearies a few months ago, my first thought was, "They've made a country music video and didn't even know it." 

Two girls.
Cowgirl boots.
On top of a vehicle.
Hair blowing in the wind.
Drama.
Pouty looks.
Singing.

There you go.

Ah....a happy ending. :)

Have fun with me! What would you, my very creative bloggy friends, name this  sequence of sweetness?  

You know. Something classic country, like, "My Sister Stomped On My Truck and Then On My Heart" or "How Can I Forgive Her For Eating the Last Twizzler?"

The good news is I'm not giving away a country music cd, but instead Andrew Peterson's Counting Stars album. This is WONDERFULLY ENCOURAGING and God-honoring music, and I know you'll be blessed by it! To enter, just leave a comment. A music video title would be fun, too, but it's not required. :) US only, please.

And if you do love country music, I hope we're still friends. :)

I'll draw a name on Friday, December 9th.

With love,

Trisha