Giveaway Ends Tomorrow Morning

Will YOU be the winner of Sarah Clarkson's book Read for the Heart?

Comment before 7 am tomorrow to get your name in the running.  Drawing later that morning!

Internal Quiet Amid External Chaos

This morning I'm asking God to quiet my mind and heart for today.  I was snippy and impatient with my family yesterday, maybe I was worried about my Gram and there was a lot to do coming home from a weekend away.  But these are not excuses not to love my family with my words and actions: love is patient, love is kind, etc.  That's the spirit I want in me, even when the world around is busy, confusing, or just plain chaotic.  And, let's face it, the world around is almost always going to have some element of busy, confusion, or chaos!

I wanted to share these verses I hope to ponder throughout the day, because perhaps you too do not excel in the "quietness of spirit" department!  God is at work in our lives, so we can be confident that He can and will transform us into people of quiet spirit.  His Word is a good the BEST place to start for guidance.

This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says:

   “In repentance and rest is your salvation,
   in quietness and trust is your strength,

~Isaiah 30:15 

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God

~Psalm 46:10

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes.  Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.

~I Peter 3:3-4

Have a good day, friends;

may God give you quiet within as you face the noise without!

Book Review: Mere Christianity

Since it's "back to school" month, I got to finish up some books of this summer, and there's a giveaway going on, I'll share some book reviews in the next couple of posts.  I will begin with

Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis.

I must confess, first, how much I love old British writers, particularly theologians.  Lewis was not a theologian by trade, but he was a master of the English language and of analogy.  He became a Christian quite late in life, after years of atheism.  Mere Christianity was given as a series of radio talks during the Second World War, when many were asking questions about faith, right, and wrong, as their sons, fathers, husbands, and friends were sent off to war ... and many did not return home.  Later the talks were converted into book format.

This book is a treasure for a Christian.  In addition to introducing me to new idea or challenging my understanding, Lewis put together some things for me that were previously either confusing or just not quite sorted out in my brain.  For example, as I grow in the faith and am a person who is interested in learning more about doctrine and theology, I've thought to myself, "Oh there's just so much, how can I present the gospel to someone when there's so much to explain and understand all at once?!"  In one of the chapters (and I can't find it now, so you'll have to read for yourself!), he draws the analogy of early faith being like man - long before he knew anything about the workings of vitamins, minerals, and calories - knowing that when he was hungry or feeling faint, a good meal made him feel better.  When we begin to see our problem is sin and that Jesus is the Savior, we believe - all without an in-depth understanding of all of Christian Theology.  Learning that Theology (as learning how it is that food makes a hungry you feel better) as you grow in your faith enhances it, deepens and enriches it, but it doesn't change the basic fact that then you look to Jesus, repent and believe, your sins are forgiven.  That meal still satisfies.  I can certainly share that truth quite simply.

For my little brain, Lewis' simple analogies aided my understanding and, in that case, helped me to breathe a sigh of relief!  God gifted this man with the ability to take the profound and make it such that even little children, like this 32-year-old one, might comprehend.

There are not many Scripture references in this book, which could be considered an asset or a defect, depending upon where you're coming from.  For the 'Christianity investigator,' I believe it is an asset - because he would not be distracted by too many references.  For me, as a "slightly further on" believer, it caused me to open my Bible and look for things now and then, a good practice. But if you're looking for lots of references, you'll be disappointed.  If you have a friend who's looking for a lays-it-all-out kind of book about Christianity, this would be perfect.  Though, I'm not sure it is a great book for someone who's clearly not interested, no matter how much you want them to be.  Keep praying!  And read this yourself so you know if and when you should hand it to someone.

I can imagine reading this book regularly for three reasons:

1. the edification of my own faith,
2. to keep simple apologetics fresh in my mind, and
3. there's too much to "get" in just one read.

We're off for a weekend with family at at wedding in Illinois, my mom's homeland and my birth state.  I hope you all have weekends that restore and refresh!

It's a Girl!

Here she is.  While she obliged and let the tech confidently determine her gender, she would not turn her head for a profile shot.  So, here's our little Halloween decoration:

Isn't she a beauty?!

Well, we can't really tell yet, but we are praising God that it appears she's been given all the expected parts and they are in working order.  Already she's a busy little baby inside.

Now, to spend the next five months wondering what she looks like, what her temperament will be, how the labor will go (for some really bizarre reason, I'm really looking forward to labor this time around), and what it will be like to augment our family by one.

School's in Session & a Giveaway!

And so it begins, the 2011-2012 academic year!

The Giveaway!

One of my favorite-est resources both for school and general picking-of-library-books is Sarah Clarkson's Read for the Heart.  And I would love to put a copy of it in YOUR hands!  You can read a little about it in this post that I wrote a while back.  You can also check out others' reviews on Amazon.com.

You will likely find this book useful if you have or teach children of any age(s) - from little ones who love picture books to teens looking for good novels.  Sarah includes age guidelines and a brief synopsis with each title she recommends!

So, you want to get in on the action.  Here are the ways you can:

1. Post a comment here on the blog telling me you'd like to have your name entered.
2. Post on your blog about this giveaway so your friends can get in on it.
3. Post a link to this post on facebook if you think you have friends that might like a copy of this book.

For each of those things you will receive one name entry into the giveaway.  So, you can have up to 3 names in the basket come Giveaway Day!  Just let me know about how many entries you have in your comment.

About that, let's see.  How about we do the giveaway next Wednesday, September 21?  Have your entries in before 7am and the kids and I will do the drawing that morning.  Naturally, if you live away, I'll have to have your mailing address to send it your way; and we'll handle that via personal email.

First Day, God's Way!

It's the first day of school for our family today!  Lessons are prepared, routines and schedules posted on the fridge, pencils sharpened, hopes for success and fun in learning are high.

Yesterday we celebrated the end of summer by going mini golfing.  On our way, though, we were rear ended and had to postpone for just a bit to get the claim submitted to the insurance and talk with the midwife-on-call to make sure I didn't need to head to the ER.

Life never goes exactly how we plan, does it?  Seems like there's always on interruption or another, now matter how well we line up our little ducks in rows.

Reminds me of this verse:

Many are the plans in a man's heart,

but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.

Proverbs 19:21

As the fall has or is cranking up for you, perhaps you too have goals for your family, home, work, etc.  I LOVE new beginnings and the "fresh start" feeling that comes with them.  But I can quickly get wedded to my plans and frustrated when they're not going "my way."  God's Word in those times doesn't tell us to stop planning or setting goals (there are a lot of Proverbs about living wisely, tending to your business diligently, and not being lazy), but it does remind us WHO is ultimately in control.

For some reason, God saw fit to add into our first day of school a trip to the shop with the car, to the rental agency for a substitute vehicle, and to the midwife to hear the baby's heartbeat and maybe get my Rogham shot earlier than expected.  And we'll also have two phone interruptions so I can tell State Farm and Nationwide my side of the accident story for the insurance claim.

I had such a lovely, neat, little schedule planned for our first day, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.

Perhaps you too find your life inconveniently interrupted today.  What a great opportunity to pause and remember that the Lord has plans for you far better than your own.  He's working on us, disciplining us, that we may share in His holiness, friends!  That is good news ... and it can get us through life's bumps with a whole lot of grace and growth.

Have a good Monday, whatever it may bring!

The 10th Anniversary: One Girl's Thoughts

Today we observe the tenth anniversary of the attack on the United States on September 11, 2001.  I don't have an interesting story to tell, though of course I remember where I was, what I was doing, who I was with; and I watched the day unfold on the news just like everyone else.  But honestly, I'm not sure how to connect with the day.

I will take moments to pray for families who still grieve the loss of their loved-ones.  (I can't imagine the gamut of emotions they experience as they remember that day.)

I will tell my children about the solemnity of the day.

But beyond that, I'm not sure what to do ... or not do.  I could watch lots of videos and read stories, but I think I'm drawn to those things more like an intriguing novel or dramatic movie than for the reality of it as it unfolded for people on the streets of New York, at the Pentagon, and near here, just east/south of Pittsburgh.

It's so hard to enter in in a manner that seems proper and not a fabrication of emotion or over sensationalizes how I experienced the day.

The real effects on my life of Sept. 11, 2001 are mere inconveniences, not suffering: feeling more afraid to fly and not being able to meet family and friends at the gate.

This is Heather giving you some honesty here, readers, not meant to disrespect or diminish the sorrow, grief, and horror of the day for those who lost loved ones, were sent to off to war, or who endure daily physical and emotional side-effects of the attacks.  In fact, to respect them, I feel I can't pretend to feel more about the day than I do.  My heart aches for families who lost loved ones and/or endure on-going side effects of that terrible day.  I am thankful for and to those in the armed forces who work to maintain the freedoms we enjoy on this soil.  I hate that this is part of our history.

All that said, 9/11 mostly makes me think about good and evil, especially the greater evil that would rule in this world and the Good that has already overcome sin and death and will one day come again!  That goes far beyond America and her enemies.  On this day, I'm reminded that Scripture teaches that there is no one righteous, no one who seeks God, no one who understands (Romans 3) apart from a gracious intervention by God Himself.

Evil was perpetrated against innocent people in our nation by a group bent on our destruction as a nation.  It was WRONG.  It was EVIL.  We need to honor those people who lost their lives in or as a result of the senseless brutality.  But I also feel it is critical, as believers, to remember that there is One even greater than any national security our leaders can design.  We must look to Him, not the strength of our nation or our unity as Americans, for real hope and real security.

I'll close with the Psalm I remember reading as we gathered for prayer on the campus lawn on the afternoon of Sept. 11, 2001, having had our foundations quite shaken by the morning's events.

Psalm 46
¹ God is our refuge and strength,
   an ever-present help in trouble.
² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
   and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
³ though its waters roar and foam
   and the mountains quake with their surging. 

 ⁴ There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
   the holy place where the Most High dwells.
⁵ God is within her, she will not fall;
   God will help her at break of day.
⁶ Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
   he lifts his voice, the earth melts. 

 ⁷ The LORD Almighty is with us;
   the God of Jacob is our fortress. 

 ⁸ Come and see what the LORD has done,
   the desolations he has brought on the earth.
⁹ He makes wars cease
   to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
   he burns the shields with fire.
¹⁰ He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
   I will be exalted among the nations,
   I will be exalted in the earth.” 

 ¹¹ The LORD Almighty is with us;
   the God of Jacob is our fortress.

I think I've decided how we'll observe the day this morning.  We'll read this Psalm, pray for God's kingdom to come and will to be done (whatever that may mean, even for our own nation), and pray for the families who grieve on this solemn anniversary.

Do you have plans for observing this day?