How to Catch a Renegade Rodent

I confess.  I have a completely irrational fear of mice....completely irrational.  Just thinking abut them makes my skin crawl and seeing one, well, you might need some ear plugs.

So, for quite awhile, we've had a resident mouse in our pantry.  Key word...resident.  How did I know this?  It seems mice love chips and chocolate. 

Traps on the floor did nothing.  Scouring all the potential hiding places was absolutely fruitless.  Meanwhile, I'm on the verge of insanity.

Finally, at my wit's end and seeing the mouse's attempt to invade my stash of chocolate once again, I desperately threw an offer out to the children....."The one who catches this mouse gets a $50.00 Amazon certificate." 

Now, before you think my children only offer help when tempted with a gift that any bibliophile dreams of ...an Amazon certificate, let me explain that it had been suggested to me many times to clear off the bottom pantry shelf and set traps there.

But, no.  I wasn't going to have mouse guts on that bottom shelf, so I stubbornly settled for a mouse in the pantry instead.  Kinda dumb, huh?

Anyway, Nameless-Brave-Child took me up on this insane offer (I really didn't think anyone would catch this mouse, so making the offer was initially painless, and well, it was done in an  extreme state of frustration), and this child's first step was to, you guessed it, clear the pantry shelf.  I immediately objected, but then realizing I hadn't put conditions on the offer, I had to stand by and watch and offer my wisdom on why this approach would never work.

The traps were set, including one with cotton candy.  I shut off the lights and went to bed, expecting another unsuccessful attempt at catching this renegade rodent.  Meanwhile, Nameless-Brave-Child is salivating slightly in anticipation of the goods from Amazon   hoping to give Queen Mom some resolution.

Next morning...."Would you check the trap in the pantry for me?" were my words to Mountain Man.  (Yes, I can't even look at 'em.)  "There's one in there," he replied.  "What?"  I said.  "And it looks like it's been eating quite well, " continued Mountain Man.   

One Amazon offer.  Three traps.  A cleared bottom pantry shelf.  Bingo.  Nameless-Brave- Child caught my tormenter, and I was even spared blood on the walls.  Of all the traps, this nasty varmint went for the one on the floor!

How do we know this was really the One?  Well, since mice aren't a constant problem, it's a bit easier to figure this out.  I did set out chips and chocolate for the next few days but no one took the bait.  I think that's because he's dead.

Lesson learned: Never rule out options when desperate, and never offer rewards when on the brink of madness.

Most graciously, Nameless-Brave-Child declined the reward, but a deal is a deal, and after all, now my chocolate and I can rest in peace.

A Simple Reminder

I love Rev. M'Cheyne's reminder that the Scriptures read "both for family and private readings, would be greatly illuminated if they were preceded by a moment's silent prayer" of Psalm 119:18.

So, I made this very simple bookmark to help us each remember to cry out for understanding before we read as well as to remember the joy and the privilege of hearing God's voice first in the morning.

Scripture Memory for 2010

Here are the Scriptures we'll be working on hiding in our hearts this year (the children are much better at this than I am....) 

Jan-Feb~Romans 6:13,14 and Proverbs 15

March~Psalm 8, Psalm 5:11,12

April-May~Ephesians 5, Matt. 6:19-21

June-July~Philippians 4, Isaiah 5:20, 21

August-Sept.~Genesis 1, Joshua 1:8

Oct.-Nov~Romans 5, Psalm 119:9-16

Dec.~Deuteronomy 6, Psalm 119:97-104


What are your Scripture memory goals for this year?

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

Self-Acquaintance

Self-Acquaintance

by William Cowper

Dear Lord! accept a sinful heart,
Which of itself complains,
And mourns, with much and frequent smart,
The evil it contains.

There fiery seeds of anger lurk,
Which often hurt my frame;
And wait but for the tempter's work,
To fan them to a flame.

Legality holds out a bribe
To purchase life from thee;
And discontent would fain prescribe
How thou shalt deal with me.

While unbelief withstands thy grace,
And puts the mercy by;
Presumption, with a brow of brass,
Says, "Give me, or I die."

How eager are my thoughts to roam
In quest of what they love!
But, ah! when duty calls them home,
How heavily they move!

Oh, cleanse me in a Saviour's blood,
Transform me by thy pow'r,
And make me thy belov'd abode,
And let me rove no more.

Take It When It Runs By

"Let a joy keep you.  Reach out your hands and take it when it runs by."

~Carl Sandburg

I almost missed this piece of joy.  Boo wanted me to see her trampoline skills, so I looked briefly, and told her that was "nice."  But, then I stopped and really looked.  And, I caught her joy.  I'm so glad I didn't miss it.

"Would You Rather I...."

Parents of large families do best if they develop a certain sturdiness, a self-confidence; it comes in handy for the kids and for the comments....As for the fear of slack-jawed Wal-Mart greeters spotting your crew and counting out loud--are you really going to give them power over your family size?" ~Mary Ostyn, A Sane Woman's Guide to Raising a Large Family

This article might be blunt, but it truly describes what many Moms of many children (and I don't mean just the Duggar family....Moms with more than two children often hear these comments, too) experience when they walk out the door.  Even more disappointing is that much of the criticism and insensitive comments often come from Christians.  My doctor and my dental hygenist were actually more excited for us about this new blessing than some of our friends.  Have we forgotten that God says children are a blessing?

Face it.  We live in a culture that completely devalues the gift of children.  Just the other day I saw an ad for a food product with a screaming child in center and the words, "You can't return them, so feed them."  Most would look at that and just chuckle, but really, we should find it offensive. 

Sometimes I think it might be helpful to wear a shirt that would cover all the questions....

"Yes, we know how this happens."

"We already own a tv."

"Yes, you counted right...there are 7." (One man stopped in the middle of Costco and counted out very LOUDLY.....one, two, three, etc. until he had everybody's attention.)

"Yes, they're all ours."

"No, please don't bow to me.  I'm not perfect." (One woman bowed to me in Sam's because I had 5 children)

"Yes, our hands our full, and God has really blessed us so much."

"Yes, I actually love being a Mom."

"You're probably right...better me than you."

But, on the other hand, I love being out with all of our children because they are a blessing and the world needs to see that.  We are a witness for the redeeming power of Jesus Christ which is the very reason I've not answered any rude comments with more rudeness in return.  Anything and everything, and I mean anything and everything, in my life that glorifies God is only because of His work in me.  I'm not naturally organized, patient, or selfless.  I'm a sinner saved by His amazing grace.

I know the comments often come from the wonder that a person would actually delight in so many children because our culture doesn't see enough of the beauty of what God does with our sinful, messy lives when we trust and live for Him.  Yet, I've NEVER had a woman approach me and lament because she had that 4th, 5th, or 6th child, but I've had several women sadly say they wished they would have/could have had more children.

So, the next time you see a Mom of Many out with her blessings, try not to let your mouth fall too wide open.  Be discreet about the counting.  Don't ask thoughtless questions.  Don't size her up to see if she deserves to get a word of encouragement from you.

Just smile, and tell her how blessed she is. You'll make her day.

Love,
Queen Mom

Reading Lists 2010~Part 2

"Read the best books first, or you may not have a chance to read them at all."

~Henry David Thoreau

I continue to be amazed at the power of a list when it comes to being intentional.  I'm just now posting Little Big Man's list, and yet he's already finished several of the books. :)  Of course, he's chosen these in addition to his readings from Ambleside, and I do envy his progress a bit. The best part is that he's really enjoying the books, and I'm hoping I can squeeze a few reviews out of him.  (the titles marked through are the ones that have been read) 

Little Big Man's Reading Goals for 2010

History
1776  by David McCullough

Biography
The Journal of a Trapper by Osborne Russell
Jedidiah Smith by Dale L. Morgan
Joe Meek the Merry Mountain Man by Stanley Vestal
A Heart Promptly Offered~The Revolutionary Leadership of John Calvin

Fiction/Historical Fiction
Mr. Bliss by J.R.R. Tolkien
Hunted and Harried by R.M. Ballentyne
The Wrecker Series by Ian Lawrence
Iron Scouts of the Confederacy by Lee McGiffin
The Dash for Khartoum by G.A. Henty
The Jacobite Exile by G.A. Henty
The Escape by A. Van der Jagt
Sword Song by Rosemary Sutcliff

Education
Memory Mechanics  by Gary DeMar

Theology/Discipleship
Chosen by God by R.C. Sproul
Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God by J.I. Packer
Holiness by J.C. Ryle
Adventures of Missionary Heroism by John C. Lambert
How to be a Man~Useful Hints on the Formation of Character by Harvey Newcomb

(psst...don't tell him, but I do think he'll have this list finished way before the end of the year and will be adding titles to the list....just a mother's intuition)

Queen Mom's Did-I-Bite-Off-More-Than-I-Can-Chew-Especially-with-a-New-Baby-On-the-Way-? 2010 Reading Goals

Biography
In Trouble and in Joy (various) by Sharon James
Marriage to a Difficult Man (Life of Jonathan Edwards) by Elisabeth D. Dodds
Beyond Stateliest Marble (Anne Bradstreet) by Douglas Wilson
Jonathan Edwards by Iain Murray

Homemaking/Organization
Getting Things Done by David Allen
Ready for Anything by David Allen
Sink Reflections by Marla Cilley
Fix, Freeze, Feast by Kati Neville
A Life that Says Welcome by Karen Ehman
Keeping House by Margaret K. Peterson
Family Feasts for $75.00 a Week by Mary Ostyn

Education
A Thomas Jefferson Education by Oliver V. DeMille
The Wisdom of Fenelon by Fenelon
When Children Love to Learn ed. Elaine Cooper
From Playpen to Podium by Jeffrey L. Myers
The Harp and Laurel Wreath by Laura M. Berquist
When You Rise Up by R.C. Sproul, Jr.
So Much More by Ann and Elizabeth Botkin
Laying Down the Rails by Sonya Shafer
Life Skills for Kids by Christine Field

Christian Growth/Discipleship
All Things for Good by Thomas Watson
The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul
Just Do Something by Kevin DeYoung
Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges
The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis
Discipline by Elisabeth Elliot
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
Ordering Your Private World by Gordon MacDonald
The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence

Family Life
Home-Making by J.R. Miller
Your Family God's Way by Wayne A. Mack
Shepherding a Child's Heart by Ted Tripp
The Peacemaker by Ken Sande
The Contemplative Mom by Ann Kroeker
Not So Fast by Ann Kroeker
Shaping of a Christian Family by Elisabeth Elliot
A Sane Woman's Guide to Raising a Large Family by Mary Ostyn
Family Practice ed. by R.C. Sproul, Jr.

Fiction/Classics
Animal Farm by George Orwell
The Daisy Chain by Mary E. DeMuth
Witch Wood by John Buchan
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
The Scarlet Pimpernel by Emmuska Orczy

Financial
The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey
How to be the Family CFO by Kim Snider

Culture
Ideas Have Consequences by Richard Weaver
All God's Children and Blue Suede Shoes by Kenneth Myers

As I was making my own list, I realized that I suffer from a severe case of Attention Deficit Disorder when it comes to reading.  I want to read it all, and I get easily distracted by each new book title that I discover.  I'm hoping a list will help me stay a bit more focused.  

This list is also stretching me a bit because there are some genres that I tend to read very little from.....like fiction and culture.  So, I was quite intentional about making myself read from broader categories than I would typically choose from.  Writing everything out helped me see my weaknesses. 

I'll be happy if I conquer half this list this year, but if there are any books listed that you consider "must reads," please let me know so I can make it one of my priorities!  Happy reading!

~Queen Mom

Did She Forget She's Living the Good Life?

Yes, even Claire Jubilee has a bad day now and then...............

~photos by Scribe