Wonderful Words of Life...

Love Does...

I didn't think it would go this long until I would do another "Love Does" post, but life has happened and I simply dust off the title and pick up where I left off in this series.

Love takes care of the eldery mama who reached out and loved her in a vulnerable time of her childhood when a mama was so desperately needed.

Love stoops to care about the little things that make it easier for the elderly...making sure that her shoes fit comfortably and well, that her glasses  fit properly, trying to fulfill that desire to go to a family reunion, sending mail to cheer lonely days, and calling on the phone to be sure her mama is ok.

Love cares about the feelings of the elderly and watches carefully to tend to their needs, remembering with gratitude all the hundreds of things those precious, frail ones did for her over the years. Now the tables are turned and the strong must tend to the weaker ones.

Love does...and in doing, it says thank you, and values life, that great gift from God that only He knows the length thereof.

Let us go forth and love our elders today!

Written with permission from my friend, Rhoda. She is a beautiful example of "Love Does". God bless you, Rhoda!

Guest Post...On Homemaking

Well, I'm trying to get back to my Fridays postings in the homemaking department. Today's post is one of two installments from my good friend, Rachael, who gave me much to work with when I asked her to share tips on efficiency in homemaking that she's gleaned over 20 years (besides being a daughter in her father's house) of keeping the home God gave her to tend. I was blessed to read them and maybe, Rachael, I'll be more efficient in my homemaking now that you have given me such wonderful stuff to think about! :-)

"Marcia....

 

I by all means do not have this all together. And I for sure could have made different choices when my people were little. But usually if I have something in my life that I don't really like, I look for a solution to change it. Okay, don't ask why I still have a weedy barn hill when I could plant phlox there as ground cover. :)

 

Here are some things that I have done or have heard of (I will not differentiate between the two....if it seems really smart it was probably something I heard of after it applied to me :)) that can help make a mother's/wife's day go more smoothly. And sometimes it saves money too. Bonus!

 

~Having a structured routine (a must for home schoolers!) Try to get the children up every morning and down for naps and bedtimes near the same time every day. Children thrive & feel more secure when they know what to expect from their day. Some people even tell their children to stay in their rooms in the mornings until a certain parent-approved time. The parents know that even though the children are awake they will not come out to Mom & Dad and disturb quiet time. Same with evening bedtime......they can go to their rooms before lights-out to read or listen to tapes so that Mom & Dad can have some quiet to discuss their day.

 

~Structure to the weekly jobs/chores that most housewives have on their list. It's amazing what all gets done in a week and usually more 'little' things i.e. cleaning out junk drawers, corners, closets, dresser drawers, book shelves, cupboards, etc. get taken care of if the 'big' things i.e. laundry, cleaning, groceries, baking, ironing, etc. have a regular day.

 

~A certain cup for each family member so that the kitchen counter doesn't get littered with drinks every time someone is thirsty.

 

~Cleaning up toys or games before starting another project. (This is a personal favorite of mine!!) Looking around a room when you leave it and taking any snack bowls or cups out to the kitchen, throwing trash away, picking up books, etc. just makes sense.  

 

~Having a set time (or more than one) to tidy up the house. Some people clean up before naps, before Dad gets home from work, & before bedtime. It is courteous and shows respect to at least have a path for Dad to get to his desk or favorite chair without having to step on any toys. And who likes to come into the family room in the morning and there are dolls & card games & CDs littering the floor because Susie didn't feel like cleaning up last night? Our homes are to be a haven and clutter isn't part of that picture. Okay, so that is a personal pet peeve of mine. But most people will tell you that if a place is reasonably clean they feel at home. However, clutter detracts from the restful atmosphere that most of us wish to portray to those who enter our doors.

 

~Having toy sets in totes and only having a few totes out at a time or bringing out the Legos only on Thursdays or when it rains. That way every time you pick up toys you are not picking up the entire toy box. Some people use this idea for the preschoolers and they are only allowed to play with one tote at a time while the older ones are in school.

 

~Having a set time that an older child watches a preschooler so that Mom can help another sibling with a class.

 

~Buying sneakers that have Velcro or stretch with out having to lace up every time you put them on. A real time-saver when there are a lot of feet to stuff into shoes and you are in a hurry. It might cost a bit more but what you will save on sanity will be worth it!

 

~Using hand-me-downs and buying clothes from thrift stores. 

 

~Assigning even the small fry to help with age-appropriate chores. Even the 3yr old can set the table (with supervision by an older sibling) or dust things that we moms don't normally get.....the kitchen chair legs and heat radiators and the bottom of the fridge where all the fuzzy dust bunnies have their family reunions. Children helping with family chores is a good thing for various reasons. It helps them to learn to work, of course, helps them to see work and do it without being told, and hopefully, if it all goes well, creates a servant's heart. 

 

~Sewing girls' dresses with a pleat or two near the hem to be let down if it needs more length. Instead of sewing a deep hem, letting it out, and sewing it up again. And using simple patterns, especially for little girls.

 

~Motivate less-than-enthused children with 'honey' rather than 'vinegar'. You might need to go pray or take deep breaths before this one if it's been a rough day. But children do better if they are rewarded for good behavior rather than threatened about the bad. However, good behavior should be it's own reward for the majority of the time. But children have bad days too where they just want a listening ear or a caring hug. Sometimes all they need is a tea party with milk & crackers or 15 minutes to look at the new library book or a squeeze on the new baby.   

 

~Having set chores that each child is responsible for the week, preferably written down so that all can see it daily. Taking care of all the trash, keeping the living room tidy, emptying the dishwasher, wiping the table after meals, etc. That way Mom knows that it's getting done and children don't get discouraged (too badly) because they know in a week it will change up and they'll get a new job.

 

~Teach children to put their dirty clothes in the hamper every day and the night before laundry day they should set the hampers where Mom can get them. Or if they are big enough take them to the laundry for Mom. Sort laundry the night before and if you have a timer on the washer set it to go so that the first load is washed by the time you are up. Sometimes people switch a load if they are up in the night to go to the bathroom or feed the baby. Then there are a few loads done till morning and they just need to be hung out. Score.

 

~Try to be careful with clothes so that you are not spending needless time scrubbing them in the laundry. We want our children to have fun but they don't need to wear the program attendant's dress that they wore to their aunt's wedding to play in the sand box.

 

~Have a place for everything and everything in it's place. A little trite but it saves so much time if you know right where to look for something. And it's good stewardship to keep our possessions organized and not neglected.

 

~Make enough supper to have leftovers to feed your family lunch the next day.

 

~Make 2 or 3 of the same casserole when you make supper and put the extras in the freezer so that when something unexpected comes up you are prepared.

 

~Have quiet time (meditation on the Word, etc) as often as you can, preferably daily but God understands our busy mom schedules. Even if all we can manage for a day is the meditation on our perpetual calendar and a prayer while we do the dishes or rock the baby, that little bit of time with God is so important! Singing is also a day brightener and can sometimes set the mood for the whole family when Mom is singing at the stove or when she's scrubbing bathrooms.

 

~Praying for our dear family members also helps days to go better. It's hard to snap at someone you just thanked God for.

 

~Having a regular time in the afternoons for quiet time for Mom to rest/recharge a bit. The younger children are napping and the older ones are doing something quiet in their bedrooms or the family room or whatever room Mom isn't in. :) Just so Mom can make a phone call, read a chapter in a book, prop her feet up and doze for 20 minutes, or do some sewing in peace.

 

~Simple not elaborate meals work best when you have a lot of little people and not much help with meal prep. If you are creative and like to experiment in the kitchen wait till the weekend when your husband can be there to help you or keep an eye on the children while you whip up something more than hot dogs or PB sandwiches.

 

~Clean up the kitchen after supper and try to have the laundry folded, if not put away, by bedtime so that the next morning you can start on that day's work. It can feel hopeless if we are starting our day with yesterday's leftover work."

to be continued...

Redeemed...and Surrendered

I was invited to participate in a 10-day Scripture-sharing challenge 

on Facebook last week,

and this Scripture was from day four.

I sit and I ponder that verse.

And I go back through the years...

years of sweet fellowship with Jesus,

but years of being misunderstood

because of Him.

Years of seeking Him wholeheartedly

and finding Him very real and very much

the Answer to all that I've ever walked through.

He has certainly redeemed my life from destruction

and crowned me with lovingkindness and 

tender mercies.

I bless Him.

Did He remove the relationships that are hard

and seemingly impossible to deal with 

because of the 'Berlin Wall' between us

that I did not erect?

No. But He has certainly taught me

alot about grace and waiting and 

being content with life as it is

while walking purposefully with Him.

Did He immediately heal me of my physical illnesses,

so that I was not plagued by them ever again?
No. I went on to struggle for 10 years through a 

slower process of healing because He was teaching me

things that I needed to know for myself and for

the generations that shall come after.

Did He immediately take away all

my 'besetting sins' so that I never had to

struggle with them again?
No. My sins were forgiven and remembered no more,

after I came in repentant faith to Christ,

but He has much sanctifying to do in me!

I have so many things to yield and give to Him

day by day, but my I can honestly say

that the best way to live is 

WHOLEHEARTEDLY sold out 

for Jesus Christ!!!!

I do not regret making that decision 

14 1/2 years ago...

I had much to learn along the way,

but my heart has consistently remained 

at peace with God since the day

I turned my life over to Him.

It is so much easier to do life

when we get ourselves out of the way!

And the deep peace in my heart is 

something I want to hold onto as long

as I walk this old, sinful earth.

Why do I write this post?

Because I hear the cries of youth.

I sit with them in the counsel rooms at

Bible school.

I get their messages on my computer.

I get their texts on my phone.

I hear their heart cry...

I hear the wants,

the broken dreams,

the deep desires in their hearts

for satisfaction and for rest.

I feel compelled to share

that when you completely turn

your life over to the One

who died for you and 

Who knows best how you must

live your life,

life has meaning and purpose 

like never before.

When we are wholly His,

then we can walk through anything

and not be moved...

we can reach out and get our hands dirty

in other people's messiness,

and live free from our own selfishness.

We will not be free of pain.

No. That is not reality on earth.

But living in surrender

is like saying "Thank you"

to God every single day

for redemption,

that beautiful gift that we are 

given for a situation that we

could never have helped ourselves in.

Song of the Redeemed

by the Esh family singers

Love and blessings,

Marcia 

Grace...

Every year, it seems that God has some theme for the year for me. This year it was a 'crescendo' for me in the subject of grace, a journey he's been taking me on intensely the past few years, but in gentler ways from my youth til a few years ago. It's been a fascinating, painful, enlightening learning curve and I am humbled that my Father would take such great measures to teach me and to place His thoughts in my heart.

Grace is that power that Jesus brings that changes lives today, the testimony of a changed heart in the midst of brokenness and sin. Grace is the gift that I receive: that love in spite of who I've been and that acceptance in spite of the sanctification He needs to still work in me. Grace is God allowing me to come to light on things that He is bringing my way, imperfectly but wholeheartedly. Grace is His reaching down and giving me a new nature, to restore me to His original plan for me. Grace is Him giving me the truth and then showing me how to apply it to my life while reminding me that He loves me infinitely and above all that I could even imagine.

SO...if I have been given this huge grace...what about giving it to others???????????
I could go on and on, because my heart is bursting with passion on this subject. But I leave you with this:

If God has not destroyed you, and in fact, died for you while you were yet in sin, to make a way for you to receive salvation and escape eternal destruction...what is your responsibility towards others in this world who are all, every one of them, equal to you (same problems, same solution, same Father, same calling, same purpose, same promises, same Redeemer...)?

I call us to walk in grace. For Jesus' sake. I call us to drop the fear (of being mistaken for tolerating their messiness) that might come when we accept them for where they are today, and instead, walk in God's grace and be a light to shine into their darkness because of the Light that shines in ours. I call us to drop the self-righteousness that often causes us to despise others who are different than us or who might even be wrong.

Remember this: Christ died for us while we were yet sinners. I call us to reach out of our carefully made boxes that we build around ourselves and step into someone else's messiness with hope and gently but boldly spoken truth. We are not called to stand aside and let people struggle without giving them the true help that they need: Jesus. BUT...do it with grace and love.

God bless you, my friends.
~Marcia

Wonderful Words of Life...

In Psalms and Hymns...

I Believe In A Hill Called Mount Calvary

This song...

it plays on and on in my heart

many days...

phrases stick out to me

and call me to worship the

King of all the ages...

our Redeemer.

(I believe that the Christ who 

was slain on the cross,

has the power to change lives

today...)

This is what I think of

when I see changed lives.

And God has been so gracious

to show me whole hearted

lives who are changed

because they said YES

to the gift of eternal life,

and walk in obedient

faith with Jesus.

I hope this song blesses you, too,

if you have opportunity to listen to it.

Of Life and Letting You Know I'm Still Blogging...

I've been informed that I need to show my 'face' around this blog soon and that I am missed...(how lovely)! So here I am...letting you all know that I am still here, I'm still going strong and that I've simply been busy with life in a measure greater than normal, but totally at peace in it because God is in that busyness. I'm learning, ever so slowly but surely, that where He calls, He also equips.

We enjoyed our time at Bible School. Such special memories we made as we rented a house and spent the week with my nieces from MO, a friend from church here in NY and the ladies in our family for most of the week (until the rest of my family came the end of the week). I carry the memories of counsel room times with sweet and burdened young ladies very heavy on my heart. I am committing them often to the Lord Jesus, who knows them far better than I ever can and can help them far deeper than I ever could, but I counted it a privilege to have been a counselor at Bible school. It blessed me greatly to see 'my young people' being fed deeply from the Word and excited about what they were learning and hearing. Oh, that it will take root in their lives and bear much fruit.

early morning photo at the airport before she left NY last week

Our family is also excited

 to see the Lord's hand at work

 in the members of the household who came to us over the past few years.

 We are privileged to have

 heard and heeded God's call to 

open our home as a respite

for these dear ones for a time 

of discerning, resting and wrestling 

over life's struggles in their lives.

 It has been quite a journey, 

but we love what God is 

doing in their lives and 

we love being a part of it.

Kristina, (on the left in the above pic)

served in the Middle East

for a month this fall,

and we enjoyed having her here 

last week to rest and share about

her experiences there, before moving on to another place of service.

For those of you who 

read this post about the

farewell/commissioning service

that we hosted for Marie,

I suppose it is in order for me to share that

the Lord, at the 'last minute' closed the door

on her plans to go into service in Arkansas,

by bringing a young man into her life whose

intention is courtship. So, after prayer and counsel, she chose to remain home with us. 

(We are happy about that)

I'll just add this, for whatever it can mean to you:

The need to disciple other is real.

It is a field of service often neglected.

Not everyone is called to take 'strangers' into their homes,

but we all can be part of discipleship, if we but open

our hearts and lives in the way needed to do so.

May the Lord depend on you? We are all needed

to work together in His Body, the church,

to fulfill the Great Commission,

of which discipleship is the 'half' that is

often overlooked and neglected.

I'm not sure why...

but I raise up a cry that we pray the Lord

of the harvest to send for reapers,

and then be willing ourselves to

serve in whatever capacity He calls us.

We may be 'just a fingernail' in the Body,

 but wow, 'fingernails' are very missed if they are absent!

The other day,

we ladies of the household,

enjoyed spending some time

with my husband's side of 

the family,

making noodles.

Can you tell which ones

were made with

farm-fresh eggs?!

In my resting moments,

I have actually been

browsing the seed catalogs

that have graced my

mailbox recently.

We've had such beautiful

spring-like weather,

I'd be ready to go out,

pull back some mulch,

and throw a few seeds into the dirt!

But I will wait 'til the proper time', as I heard in this sermon the other day.

God blessed me with that sermon at the right time, 

confirming to me things that the thoughts He was pressing on my heart

over the past few years of disappointing experiences

are indeed the learning curve He has had me on.

It made me so deeply grateful that I have been

saying 'yes' to Him in steady, trusting surrender.

After hosting Marie's friend, Noah,

and a few brunches with church friends

at our house,

and in the lull between the next

wave of company,

my daughters and I have been

tackling some deep cleaning 

in this old farmhouse.

I am so thankful that we are

ALL well

(including the daughter who had

Lyme disease),

and able to work together in these things. Moraccan mint tea after a morning of

cleaning sure hits the spot.

And what of the boy?

Besides doing a fabulous job

in school,

and finding blessed relief

from some

long-time health issues we 

had been dealing with in him,

he has been keeping very busy

making lego

choppers, tractors,

dump wagons,

levers on said dump wagons, etc. I am glad he has something constructive to

keep his busy brain occupied, after chores and school are finished.

I was the happy

recipient of 

this lovely pontsettia,

thanks to my

darling husband.

It came at a 

very crucial time 

for me, too,

besides the fact

 the pointsettias are

awesome winter cheer,

and that flowers from

the husband are

always a welcome

thought,

my father had recently

announced a 

serious health need,

and it left me

feeling devastated

and in desperate

need of my Father

in heaven

to calm my heart

and give me

perspective and 

direction.

Well, that's a condensced

version of the happenings

since my last blog

on Nov 17.

I share, to let you know

where I've been and what God has been
up to in our lives. He is faithful.
He is the solid Rock on which I stand.

All other ground is sinking sand.

I have many blog posts rolling around in my heart.
Hopefully, in the next few weeks,
I can share, as the Lord directs and if He tarries.

Love and blessings to you all,
Marcia

Wonderful Words of Life...