Ephesians 5:20 speaks of, "giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" . It struck me this morning that I take most of my life for granted, never stopping to give thanks to the "Giver of all good and perfect gifts" . Most days, I have a particularly ungrateful, covetous spirit, and exist oblivious to the beauty, riches, and blessing around me. So, for today, I want to open my encrusted eyes and try to be grateful rather than ungodly. What follows will be a rambling, random list of the things I am grateful to God for. I will update the list as things come to my mind.
My wise, Spirit-led, God fearing, patient, loving, Husband
Five beautiful healthy children
Our beautiful home ... a dream come true
A roof that does not leak
Lovely warm heat
Hot showers
Lamp light to read by
Lots of food...never seeing my children hungry
Books, books, and more books
A husband who talks to me about interesting things...like foreign policy and diplomacy
Wooden toys
Children who are reading
Light filtering through panels of lace
Coffee all the time with my very best friend
A sick little raspy voice saying I love you in the night
A dining room color that makes me happy
Blue Nordic tea cups used every morning
Membership to the High Museum
A porch swing
My Down comforter
Boot cut blue jeans
A massive, rugged oak dining table that makes me happy every time I see it
My awesome washer and dryer
Butterflies on my kids ceilings
Beautiful quilts
A lovely, working, car
Windows everywhere
My husbands briefcase...I just really like it :)
Family we love
Clothes I like for my family
Petite Cheri perfume
A big kitchen
Fat babies
A yard my children love to play in
Jammie rides for ice cream
A blog to write
Magnolia, oak, and sugar maples snug against my house
A husband who likes to hold me during football games
Legos
Radio Flyer bikes
Our guitar
Hobbit breakfasts
Sushi whenever I ask
My sewing machine
Smoothies
Gap Maternity clothes
A family that hugs each other all the time
High ceilings, wood floors, and thick mouldings
Japanese Literati paintings on my screen saver
Drives to nowhere in particular
The perfect coffee table
Wool coats, scarves, and hats
Medicine
A precious little girl who survived a horrible fall
My engagement ring
Bourne Identity and Bourne Supremacy...mine to own
Narnia...the anniversary edition and the audio books!
Two wonderful girls who bless me by cleaning my house once a week
Two funny fish and a sleepy cat
Hot chocolate much more than we should!
Red velvet damask at a yard sale for a dollar
Chenille throw blankets
Glass bead necklaces made by little girls
Robert Frost's poetry
DSL
Starbucks
My grandmother's tea pot
Bitty Baby dolls
Twinkling Christmas lights
Children who ask, "how many days till Christmas?" every morning
18 cousins for my children within 1/4 mile
The ability to splurge at Whole Foods Market...olives...chocolate...cheese!
Traditions like autumn pumpkins, mountain apples, and eggnog lattes, and champagne with Chinese food...(don't ask !)
Monday, December 12, 2005
Friday, December 09, 2005
True confession of a Pumpkin...
I tried. I really did. For five long days I have been angelic, but finally I succumbed. How can I try to abstain from dairy, when every time I open the refrigerator door, a round, ripe wheel of Brie stares me in the face. I confess...it was more than I could endure...I cut a wedge.
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Feeding on His faithfulness...
I keep finding myself returning to the fact that simple, faithful work is far more productive than highly scheduled, minutely detailed master plans. Planning and tools have their legitimate places, but usually what I really need is to prayerfully, consistently, work.
All my listing, planning, and scheduling is usually an excuse not to roll up my sleeves and accomplish what my spirit already knows. I would rather plan the perfect and grand than accomplish the seemingly mundane, fruitless, and repetitive. But that is not what God in His wisdom chooses to bless.
True, I might not have the money to finish remodeling my kitchen, but all God asks of me is to prayerfully put the little I have aside, one small bit at a time. True, I can not get my baby sleeping through the night in one day, but I can faithfully adhere to his routine one "insignificant" hour at a time. I can not get my children reading in a week, but I can fit a fifteen minute lesson in every day. I can not "determine" never to have my husband pick up dinner again, but I can faithfully prioritize one "inconvenient" meal at a time. I can not have perfectly trained children overnight, but I can lovingly, consistently train them one "mundane" moment at a time.
God calls me to work, obedience, and consistency...trusting all the while that He (not I ) will produce the peaceful fruit of righteousness. My job is not to aim for pleasure, fulfillment, and possessions. Rather, I am to work in faith know that God promises to meet all these desires when I am "dwelling in the land and feeding on His faithfulness".
All my listing, planning, and scheduling is usually an excuse not to roll up my sleeves and accomplish what my spirit already knows. I would rather plan the perfect and grand than accomplish the seemingly mundane, fruitless, and repetitive. But that is not what God in His wisdom chooses to bless.
True, I might not have the money to finish remodeling my kitchen, but all God asks of me is to prayerfully put the little I have aside, one small bit at a time. True, I can not get my baby sleeping through the night in one day, but I can faithfully adhere to his routine one "insignificant" hour at a time. I can not get my children reading in a week, but I can fit a fifteen minute lesson in every day. I can not "determine" never to have my husband pick up dinner again, but I can faithfully prioritize one "inconvenient" meal at a time. I can not have perfectly trained children overnight, but I can lovingly, consistently train them one "mundane" moment at a time.
God calls me to work, obedience, and consistency...trusting all the while that He (not I ) will produce the peaceful fruit of righteousness. My job is not to aim for pleasure, fulfillment, and possessions. Rather, I am to work in faith know that God promises to meet all these desires when I am "dwelling in the land and feeding on His faithfulness".
Sunday, December 04, 2005
Crumbling Castles
I read the following passage in Francis Bacon's The New Organon last night, and it set me thinking about the idea that truth has nothing to fear, and the miring effect fear has had upon the Christian Church. I find Bacon's depiction of philosophical/theological fear very applicable to modern Christendom.
"For the studies of men in these places are confined and as it were imprisoned in the writings of certain authors, from whom if any man dissent he is straightway arraigned as a turbulent person and an innovator...
Moreover, as things now are, to discourse of nature is made harder and more perilous by the summaries and systems of the schoolmen who, having reduced theology into regular order as well as they were able, and fashioned it into the shape of an art, ended in incorporating the contentious and thorny philosophy of Aristotle, more than was fit, with the body of religion....you will find that by the simpleness of certain divines, access to any philosophy, however pure, is well-nigh closed. Some are weakly afraid lest a deeper search into nature should transgress the permitted limits of sober-mindedness, wrongfully wresting and transferring what is said in Holy Writ against those who pry into sacred mysteries, to the hidden things of nature, which are barred by no prohibition. Others with more subtlety surmise and reflect that if second causes are unknown everything can more readily be referred to the divine hand and rod, a point in which they think religion greatly concerned — which is in fact nothing else but to seek to gratify God with a lie. Others fear from past example that movements and changes in philosophy will end in assaults on religion. And others again appear apprehensive that in the investigation of nature something may be found to subvert or at least shake the authority of religion, especially with the unlearned. But these two last fears seem to me to savor utterly of carnal wisdom; as if men in the recesses and secret thought of their hearts doubted and distrusted the strength of religion and the empire of faith over the sense, and therefore feared that the investigation of truth in nature might be dangerous to them. But if the matter be truly considered, natural philosophy is, after the word of God, at once the surest medicine against superstition and the most approved nourishment for faith, and therefore she is rightly given to religion as her most faithful handmaid, since the one displays the will of God, the other his power."
How often does the church hold itself back from abundant growth and powerful shaping of culture by its fear? Secret fear, in the recesses of our hearts, that if we let go of one piece of the card castle it will lay ruined at our feet. Fear that delving deeper will disintegrate our faith. Fear that our "summaries and systems" just might not be the sum total of all truth that we subconciously believe them to be. Fear that our faith is not really unshakable.
Why is the Church not a vital catalyst in the shaping and growth of culture? Why does our faith seem irelevant to desperate, hurting people? Why does the Church appear culturally impotent? Because many (myself included) are bound by fear and pride. We idolize our systems and structures, and in doing so often become stagnant, obsolete, and irrelevant. We feel safe within our castles of cards. Pride creeps in unnoticed and we grow secure. We are in control, we know how God works. But as 1 Cor. 10:12 says, "Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall."
By no means am I advocating disrespect and disregard for the rich heritage that has preceded the Modern Church. Rather, I echo Paul's concern," Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ." (Col.2:8)
We take refuge in theologies, in dichotomies, in self-imposed traditions. "These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh." (Col.2:23)
The world sees through us. We do not, but they do. Never fear...they see.
"For the studies of men in these places are confined and as it were imprisoned in the writings of certain authors, from whom if any man dissent he is straightway arraigned as a turbulent person and an innovator...
Moreover, as things now are, to discourse of nature is made harder and more perilous by the summaries and systems of the schoolmen who, having reduced theology into regular order as well as they were able, and fashioned it into the shape of an art, ended in incorporating the contentious and thorny philosophy of Aristotle, more than was fit, with the body of religion....you will find that by the simpleness of certain divines, access to any philosophy, however pure, is well-nigh closed. Some are weakly afraid lest a deeper search into nature should transgress the permitted limits of sober-mindedness, wrongfully wresting and transferring what is said in Holy Writ against those who pry into sacred mysteries, to the hidden things of nature, which are barred by no prohibition. Others with more subtlety surmise and reflect that if second causes are unknown everything can more readily be referred to the divine hand and rod, a point in which they think religion greatly concerned — which is in fact nothing else but to seek to gratify God with a lie. Others fear from past example that movements and changes in philosophy will end in assaults on religion. And others again appear apprehensive that in the investigation of nature something may be found to subvert or at least shake the authority of religion, especially with the unlearned. But these two last fears seem to me to savor utterly of carnal wisdom; as if men in the recesses and secret thought of their hearts doubted and distrusted the strength of religion and the empire of faith over the sense, and therefore feared that the investigation of truth in nature might be dangerous to them. But if the matter be truly considered, natural philosophy is, after the word of God, at once the surest medicine against superstition and the most approved nourishment for faith, and therefore she is rightly given to religion as her most faithful handmaid, since the one displays the will of God, the other his power."
How often does the church hold itself back from abundant growth and powerful shaping of culture by its fear? Secret fear, in the recesses of our hearts, that if we let go of one piece of the card castle it will lay ruined at our feet. Fear that delving deeper will disintegrate our faith. Fear that our "summaries and systems" just might not be the sum total of all truth that we subconciously believe them to be. Fear that our faith is not really unshakable.
Why is the Church not a vital catalyst in the shaping and growth of culture? Why does our faith seem irelevant to desperate, hurting people? Why does the Church appear culturally impotent? Because many (myself included) are bound by fear and pride. We idolize our systems and structures, and in doing so often become stagnant, obsolete, and irrelevant. We feel safe within our castles of cards. Pride creeps in unnoticed and we grow secure. We are in control, we know how God works. But as 1 Cor. 10:12 says, "Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall."
By no means am I advocating disrespect and disregard for the rich heritage that has preceded the Modern Church. Rather, I echo Paul's concern," Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ." (Col.2:8)
We take refuge in theologies, in dichotomies, in self-imposed traditions. "These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh." (Col.2:23)
The world sees through us. We do not, but they do. Never fear...they see.
Interesting etymology
I was just having a late night muse and googled the etymelogical definitions of "control" and "submit". Interesting huh...
Control:c.1310, "to check, verify, regulate," from Anglo-Norm. contreroller "exert authority," from M.L. contrarotulus "a counter, register," from L. contra- "against" + rotulus, dim. of rota "wheel" (see roll). From a medieval method of checking accounts by a duplicate register. Sense of "dominate, direct" is c.1450.
Submit:
c.1374, "to place (oneself) under the control of another," from L. submittere "to yield, lower, let down, put under, reduce," from sub "under" + mittere "let go, send." Sense of "refer to another for consideration" first recorded 1560.
Control:c.1310, "to check, verify, regulate," from Anglo-Norm. contreroller "exert authority," from M.L. contrarotulus "a counter, register," from L. contra- "against" + rotulus, dim. of rota "wheel" (see roll). From a medieval method of checking accounts by a duplicate register. Sense of "dominate, direct" is c.1450.
Submit:
c.1374, "to place (oneself) under the control of another," from L. submittere "to yield, lower, let down, put under, reduce," from sub "under" + mittere "let go, send." Sense of "refer to another for consideration" first recorded 1560.
Saturday, December 03, 2005
Friday, December 02, 2005
Hmm...no post in a while
Hmmm....no post in a while...Thanksgiving, a nasty stomach virus times five, post virus laundry...you know the drill, and if you don't you are better off not asking :).
So, what thoughts have rumbled through my head these past few weeks?
1) The frightening effects of existentialist thought, and wishing I could do something to rip it out of the fabric of modern culture. How on earth does one combat 200 years of warped thinking? I guess with 200 years of truth. Thankfully,
the Word of God is sharper than any two edged sword, and able to break the Cedars of Lebanon.
2) Why is it so hard to be objective about life? I am praying to have God's view of life and not my own.
3) Extreme thankfulness for the husband God has blessed me with. (Sorry, but this falls under the heading of Thoughts in My Head! ) I am more and more grateful to God for my best friend every day.
4) Crying out for the strength to be faithful in the little things...and the grace to trust God in the big.
5) Happiness that the the city where I live puts a huge, twinkly, Christmas star on the telephone pole in my front yard. There is nothing like jammied toddlers starry-eyed with wonder!
So, what thoughts have rumbled through my head these past few weeks?
1) The frightening effects of existentialist thought, and wishing I could do something to rip it out of the fabric of modern culture. How on earth does one combat 200 years of warped thinking? I guess with 200 years of truth. Thankfully,
the Word of God is sharper than any two edged sword, and able to break the Cedars of Lebanon.
2) Why is it so hard to be objective about life? I am praying to have God's view of life and not my own.
3) Extreme thankfulness for the husband God has blessed me with. (Sorry, but this falls under the heading of Thoughts in My Head! ) I am more and more grateful to God for my best friend every day.
4) Crying out for the strength to be faithful in the little things...and the grace to trust God in the big.
5) Happiness that the the city where I live puts a huge, twinkly, Christmas star on the telephone pole in my front yard. There is nothing like jammied toddlers starry-eyed with wonder!
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