life, love... and the pursuit of holiness

That was the title of the message I shared today in church. Our pastor was attending a conference out of town and I'm periodically asked to be a "guest speaker" in those situations. I'd chosen 1 Peter 1:13-2:12 as the Scripture reading that was done earlier in the service by someone else, and then I opened with a bit of personal testimony...

"For the last two months or so, I’ve been struggling under the most extreme and intense conviction I’ve ever felt in my life. It seemed to affect everything, but I just couldn’t seem to get to the heart of it.

My goal has been to read through the entire Bible in two years. I started last year and am very close to finishing. One of the last books on my reading schedule was 1 Peter. I’m a little behind schedule, so it seems I could have had this little epiphany at least a week earlier if I’d kept on top of things! But I think God in His wonderful providence, timed it perfectly to happen this week while I tried to prepare for this morning.

That opening phrase in [1 Peter] 1:13, “Therefore, prepare your minds for action;” jumped out at me and I knew I was going to learn something. But it was like looking in an ugly mirror. Seeing the short-comings; seeing that my Christian life had been devoid of a pursuit of holiness. Seeing that I hadn’t really cared or even considered what being "set apart for God” should look like in my everyday life.

The truth is, I’ve gotten too cozy with sin. Instead of being an influence on the world, I’ve let the world influence me. I look around myself and figure if everyone else is doing it, it must be okay. If all my Christian friends are doing it, it must be okay. I have been comfortably living in the “might makes right/majority rules” philosophy of the world.

Forgive me if I’m being presumptuous, but because I don’t particularly stand out among the majority of other Christians I see, I believe this message is for all of us: the Body of Christ needs to wake up, to repent, and to remember their calling to be a royal priesthood!

If you're interested, you can read the entire transcript here.

Now the real challenge is...

...will my life look like I was paying attention in church today?

the list to end all lists...

I first found out about this "101/1001" thing very shortly after I started blogging ~ WAY back in May 2007. I've started and revisited this idea several times since then, but never actually finished making the list. Partly because I'm notorious for making lists, but never doing anything about them, so I thought what's the point? And partly because, let's face it, thinking up 101 goals is a bit of a chore!

So why am I bothering now?

Because I've been lazy all my life, but this year, I'm finally decided to TRY and put a stop to that.
Because I'm in the process of becoming a Woman of Moderation, not only when it comes to eating, but in all areas of my life.

Because I'm tired of never accomplishing any of the things I say out loud that I'd like to do.

And because, in 1001 days (deep breath)...

...Iwillturnforty.

{ahem}

For serious.

And I thought it might be nice to be able to say I'd accomplished a few things by then.

And so, without further adieu, here is THE LIST:

1. Go on at least one road trip of two weeks or longer. (0/1-2)
2. Get passports.
3. Have at least one kid-free weekend each year, at home or away. (0/3)
4. Ride the Prairie Dog Central with the girls. {Sept. 5/09}
5. Visit the local museum as a family.
6. Spend at least 6 afternoons/evenings each summer swimming at the lake or by the old ford crossing. (0/17)
7. Go camping at least once per summer, family gatherings and church camp not included. (0/3)
8. Go on a “ladies only” weekend with my girlfriends.
9. Organize an annual Christmas shopping trip with friends or just hubby. (0/3)

10. Replace all windows.
11. Finish the kitchen patching and sanding.
12. Paint the kitchen.
13. Replace the flooring on the main floor.
14. Make/buy window treatments for kitchen.
15. Paint the dining room.
16. Refinish the dining room table.
17. Make/buy window treatments for dining room.
18. Paint the living room.
19. Figure out a way to "create" more usable wall space in the living room.
20. Make/buy window treatments for living room.
21. Replace the front door with a door that actually LOOKS like a front door.
22. Paint and decorate the girls’ room.
23. Replace and/or refinish the girls’ bedroom furniture.
24. Make/buy window treatments for girls’ room
25. Paint the upstairs staircase and landing.
26. Create a closed storage space at the top of the stairs.
27. Make/buy a new blind for master bedroom.
28. Paint the guestroom.
29. Replace weather stripping on outside doors.
30. Develop/maintain a housekeeping routine á la FlyLady. {started Jan 7/10 and two weeks later was still goin' strong...}

31. Give the outside of the house a good cleaning each spring. (0/3)
32. Repaint outside trim.
33. Wash windows each spring and fall. (0/5)
34. Repaint garage.
35. Organize (and possibly renovate) living room closet and keep it that way!

36. Establish and maintain a rotating, 4-week menu. {workin' on it ~ Jan 19/10}
37. Learn to make bread and buns by hand, FROM SCRATCH.
38. Learn how to raise rabbits for meat.
39. Make meatless suppers twice a month. {1/66}
40. Make a recipe book of our family favourites and print three copies. (possibly using this site)
41. Have a special meal with hubby ~ by candlelight after the girls are in bed, eat out, etc. ~ once a month. {1/33}
42. Share traditional Mennonite "faspa" with guests twice each summer. (0/6)
43. Host company for a meal or evening coffee at once a month. {1/33}
44. Have girlfriend(s) over for coffee at least once a month. {1/33}
45. Go through my recipe books/magazines, list all the recipes I’ve marked, and try one twice a month! (0/66)
46. Make jam.
47. Make pickles. {Sept 23/09}
48. Make fruit preserves. {canned peaches Aug 29/09}
49. Have a classy picnic at the park ~ like with cheese, fruit, and wine.
50. Cook or bake with the girls once a month. {1/33}
51. Stop routine evening snacking.

52. Join the school's Parent Advisory Council {have missed only one meeting so far this year}
53. Start encouraging the girls to invite their little friends over for some after-school play. {does agreeing to babysit some of their school friends after school a few days in December 2009 count? If so, we're on our way!!}
54. Plan a special activity to do with the girls twice a month ~ this does NOT include the baking/cooking from #50! {4/66}
55. Get together with the other church board members' wives to pray for our husbands, our church, and each other on a regular basis.
56. Purge girls’ toys and clothing once a year!! (0/3)
57. Make a more permanent Christmas tree stand “gift box.”
58. Use our fire pit and horseshoe pits four times per summer. (0/10)
59. Clean the van, inside and out, once a season! (0/10)
60. Set up a chore chart for the girls and teach them some responsibilities around the house.
61. Start giving the girls an allowance.

62. Clean out and organize my chest freezers and pantry once a year, make an inventory list. (0/3)
63. Sponsor a child again.
64. USE our library card! Especially during the summers.
65. Finish Fidget’s “first year” photo album.
66. Host – and possibly lead – a ladies’ Bible study in my home.
67. Get a part-time job. {I haven't decided if being NorthWinds' bookkeeper counts! But as of January 15, 2010 I will also be teaching 3 beginner piano students ~ surely, together they should count as a part-time job, right?!}
68. Write up a will.
69. Go to the dentist.
70. Take the girls to the dentist at least once a year. (0/3)
71. Have my “annual” physical annually!! {Sept 30/09}

72. Get into the habit of performing a daily and weekly skincare routine.
73. Soak in a bubble bath twice a month. {2/66}
74. Read through my camera manual and actually learn what everything does.
75. Work through my PaintShop Pro textbook.
76. Work through at least one HTML/CSS textbook. (I have three!)
77. Learn how to drive our yard tractor and use its implements.
78. Have a completely media-free day at least twice a month. {1/66}
79. Reach my goal weight and maintain it. {I'm gettin' there!}
80. Quit picking at my cuticles, especially on my thumbs.
81. THOROUGHLY purge my closet and dresser.
82. Replace wardrobe with “skinny” clothes. {bought a bunch of skinniER clothes Dec 29/09, but I'd like to be a size smaller yet by summer 2010}

83. Buy a second computer. (so that when this one is in the shop, I have a back-up and there's no panic disruption as far as the business is concerned!)
84. Buy myself a new pair of sunglasses at the beginning of each summer. (0/3)
85. Get a pedicure before flip-flop season every year. (0/3)
86. Buy a new hammock.
87. Buy a “little black dress.”
88. Make sure I have at least two sets of bedding for each bed for all seasons.
89. Buy/make some nice cloth napkins to use when we’ve got company.
90. Buy/make a table cloth or placemats.
91. Attend a Christian women's conference. (I'd LOVE to attend this one!)

92. Make the vegetable garden a priority each summer. (0/3)
93. Plant and maintain a successful flower bed with annuals.
94. Make/buy window boxes for the front windows and have flowers in them each summer.
95. Figure out how to keep the cats and dog out of the concrete flower beds in front of the house and plant flowers.
96. Plant a wildflower garden.
97. Buy a fountain for the flower garden.

98. Purge all clothing that’s not the right size or hasn’t been worn forever. {Dec 1/09}
99. Get into the habit of having devotions and completing “to do” list before computer/TV come on.
100. Get elective cosmetic surgery ~ or at least look into it. (nothing fancy, nothing major ~ just a li’l somethin' I've always kinda dreamed of changing!)
101. Throw a kick-butt 40th birthday party for myself!!

Whew. Much of this is more of a "wish list" than a "to do" list, but I still hope to be able to cross the majority of these things off by August 22, 2012.

Wish me luck!!

smiles in a shoebox

School supplies, toiletries, and inexpensive toys...

Wrapped up with wishes for a very special Christmas from my two girls to another two little girls whom they don't know, living in a faraway land.



And instead of ribbons and bows, bound up with a simple elastic and prayerful petitions for peace, health and safety, and for those two little girls in those faraway lands to hear and receive
the wonderful gift of God's love.

It's incredible what one small shoebox can hold.

DoSD 6: the will and discernment

This chapter, for me, was the easiest and least convicting thus far. FINALLY, a breather!! I don't know what I was expecting, but somehow the weightiness of this book so far has kind of surprised me. Something of a sad testimony to my spiritual maturity, I guess, when I don't expect a book about discernment will be a big deal...

Now that Challies has thoroughly discussed discernment's primary concern with the truth of God, he moves on to explaining how discernment relates to the will of God, which is founded on and inseparable from what is true about Him.

I can't say I've ever thought much about it, but apparently, theologians believe there are two aspects of God's will ~ the secret (or, God's will of decree) and the revealed (God's will of command). The will of decree doesn't get much examination because, well, it's God's secret. We don't necessarily know how or why God does certain things or spoke certain things and events into being, and therefore it doesn't make much sense to pursue or base our judgments and decisions on them. This is the part of His will that has exists in eternity past and future; the will through which everything was created and will only be revealed at God's appointed time. This is the unchanging-ness of God and while we rely on it, we can't use it to make decisions. This is not the "will of God" we seek when looking for direction.

What we seek in those cases is God's will of command ~ His revealed will; all the instruction He gives in His Word and the convictions he has imprinted on our conscience. The general principles of God's will of command are to be filled with the Holy Spirit, to be sanctified (grow more and more into the image of Christ), and to be thankful. These three commands intersect with all areas of life and display God's revealed will for us, Challies says. "[The] will of command does not include God's decree but his will as to what we should do in order to please him and in order to live in such a way that we bring honor to his name." (113)

May of the decisions we face in life can be easily decided by consulting our Bibles, but what about the decisions where there is no explicit guidance? In these cases, we have the freedom and responsibility to choose, but we need to make those choices with prayer and reliance upon Scripture. We choose on the basis of what we know about the character of God. He gives us the gifts of wisdom and discernment to make decisions that honor him. With our knowledge of the truth we are equipped to make decisions that are consistent with His self-revelation. (Here it is again, the importance of STUDYING the Bible in an effort to know God.)

"Note that nowhere," Challies says, "do we attempt to discover and make decisions upon the basis of God's hidden will. We do not need to wait for a prophetic voice or inner promptings or a vision to guide us. We do not open the Bible at a random page and assume that it will guide us. Rather, because we are people who love and know and treasure the truths of God, we seek to live in a way that pleases him. We seek to prioritize what he prioritizes, and we seek to emphasize what he emphasizes. We obey the will of God as it is revealed to us in the Bible and thus have confidence that we are doing the will of God. Our hearts become so sanctified by God that we want nothing more than to do His will." (115-116, emphasis mine)

Wow, what a thing to strive for!!!

However, quoting from another author, Challies cautions strongly against relying solely on the conscience, which is something we see encouraged more and more in our evangelical circles. "[I]n order to discern the will of God for their lives believers cannot just depend on their conscience. Conscience is indeed very important, but it must constantly be sent back to the school of Scripture to receive instruction from the Holy Spirit. It is in this manner that believers become and remain aware of God's will." (121, emphasis mine)

Again, the importance of being a student, a disciple, of the Word of God is very apparent. Clearly, this really is the key to biblical discernment.

lest we forget...

i don't usually laugh out loud...

...when I'm by myself, but this morning I couldn't help it when I saw this on Kevin DeYoung's blog:

DoSD 5: truth and discernment

Here, Challies really gets to the heart of the issue and begins to draw some serious lines. I found the last chapter particularly convicting, but there are some statements in this chapter that I think will be hard for many to digest. He certainly isn't about making his readers feel comfy-cozy!

He begins with recounting two real-life scenarios where law enforcement officials were concerned with counterfeit bills, except in one case, no crime had actually been committed because there was no "original" money of the sort to duplicate. There simply is no such thing as a $1,000,000 bill. Therefore, there can also be no such thing as a counterfeit of that bill. A $100 bill, on the other hand, presents an entirely legitimate problem because it exists and therefore can be counterfeited.

"The practice of spiritual discernment," he says, "is founded on a belief in the existence of both error and truth. This is not the subjective truth of a postmodern society but a full-blown, objective truth ~ the 'true truth' of Christianty.

When a person counterfeits Christian doctrine, he is not printing a million-dollar bill, creating a fictitious representation of something that could be. Rather, he is distorting what is really, truly, objectively true and is committing a serious crime against God." (p93)

"Many who profess to believe in Christ affirm Christianity as a collection of truths, and even very important, life-altering truths, but not as Truth; not as a worldview that encompasses all of life." (94, emphasis mine)

So? Where's your comfort level at?! If you're anything like me, you're probably starting to squirm a little! Or maybe you're just angry; defensively calling this fundamentalist dogma. If you're even still reading.

This is undisputably strong, strong language, and the implications are astronomical.

"Truth" is such a touchy subject these days. Sadly, even among believers. I can't help but feel that given this reality, we've made a wrong turn somewhere. The pursuit of Truth is something we should be passionate about, but we seem to have come to believe that good and evil are determined by our own choices or preferences. We seem to have lost our grip on the reality that things are OBJECTIVELY good or evil regardless of the subjective feelings they generate in us. Challies calls this giving our feelings undue authority to interpret truth. And THIS is why it is absolutely imperative believers measure good and evil based on the objective, unmoving standard of God's Word.

But this is where the hard work comes in again. To be a discerning Christian with a truly Christian worldview, we MUST think rightly about God, because "what we believe necessarily impacts what we do. What we do is premised on what we believe. Thus the closer our thoughts are to the reality of who God is and what he is like, the more our lives will be a reflection of him." (p97, emphasis mine)

Right thinking about God is our best defense against worldliness because it will always lead us back to Jesus, back to the cross. Worldliness and a lack of discernment will lead us to ourselves and a subjective view of truth, a view that's based on how something compares with societal trends and norms.

Worldliness is sneaky. Challies paraphrases and borrows quotes from pastor and author Joshua Harris and his illustration of "half a poison pill" when it comes to thinking that just a little "error" every now and again is harmless, that it won't change who we are or how we believe. We tend to believe that just a little bit of evil won't harm us, that we have a "sin threshold" that we'll recognize when we arrive and will decide not to cross.

"The greatest danger of popular media," Harris has said, "is not a one-time exposure to a particular instance of sin (as serious as that can be). It's how long-term exposure to worldliness ~ little chunks of poison pill, day after day, week after week ~ can deaden our hearts to the ugliness of sin." (p103)

I cannot help but be reminded of the quote regarding sitcoms I posted here and on Facebook a while back and the ensuing comments. This essentially echoes and reinforces that train of thought.

And THEN, to top it all off, in my devotions today, I studied the fourth chapter of James. Verses 4 and 17 are pretty pointed as well: "You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins." Man, this chapter is tough.

Now the obvious argument is GREY AREAS, situations and circumstances the Bible doesn't specifically address. Challies is rather harsh in examining this (although I've come to expect nothing less!), stating truly grey areas are rare and most often only arise because we haven't done our homework in God's Word to clarify them, or our own sinful desires have interfered with our judgment. Ouch.

He then lightens up a little to conclude the chapter by presenting an interesting perspective on the usefulness of the grey areas ~ that they demonstrate the need for a well-developed, biblically-informed conscience, and that they provide us with the opportunity to express humility and dependence on God. Something I have NOT been good at in the past.

The conclusion is really quite simple: to guard ourselves against worldliness, the poison half-pill, we must live in a way that is consistent with God's will and the objective truth of His Word, because what we believe to be true about Him will NECESSARILY affect the way we live.

So once again we see the vital importance of becoming dedicated, life-long theologians with an unquenchable thirst to know more about God.

a new tradition?

My husband grew up with this peculiar tradition of a periodic pumpkin pie and ice cream supper.

Every now and again, particularly in fall, that's what his mother served for supper. That's ALL she served for supper. It was appetizer, main course, and dessert all rolled into one heaping helping of pumpkin pie.

I've always found this strange, but tonight, I found myself doing it, too.

Last Sunday night, I invited a few people over for pie and coffee as a belated birthday celebration for The Bushman. He turned 35 on October 27 and he'd requested I make Chocolate Cream Pie and pumpkin pie to share with our friends. So just in case they all came and brought their kids, I made two of each.

But not everyone managed to make it and so I found myself left with two-and-a-half pies when all was said and done.

Two and a half pies that don't keep well and can't be frozen.

Hmm.

Well.

We ate a half-pie's worth for dessert one meal this week, but the next meal we tried to clean out the last of the Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake that was also sitting in the fridge from the weekend. Sheesh, for so many years, there was nary a dessert to be found in our home and suddenly a supply we can't keep up with!!

And so I concluded my mother-in-law's pumpkin pie supper tradition didn't sound like a bad idea after all and that's what I served for supper. Pumpkin pie and vanilla ice cream. With Chocolate Cream Pie and whipping cream for dessert.

I don't know this is necessarily the start of a family tradition in our home, but it will likely have to happen once more yet before the week is over!!!!

At least we're getting our veggies!!

contrast

Saturday:

...and Sunday:

Happy November.