Third Week of Lent

What a joy it has been to really celebrate this season with purpose this year!  

One of the other ideas we had was to make a Lent/Easter playlist on our i-pod to listen to over the next few weeks like we do with Christmas songs during advent.  Until I started looking, I had no idea how many hymns and songs deal specifically with redemption.  So far we have 473 songs on the playlist!

Anyway, here is what we have planned for this third week of Lent--

Monday--The Compass

Again, I am grateful to Joe Paprocki's website for the basic idea for this lesson! 

•  Ask the children to stand up and face north. (For older children, who might know what direction the room faces, have the close their eyes, turn them around a few times, and then ask them to face north without peeking.)  

• Pull out a compass and discuss its function--it is a tool to help us get a sense of direction.  Have the children try to get it to point anywhere but north!  

•  Discuss the function of Scripture as a compass for the Christian.  (2 Timothy 3:16-17, Romans 10:17, Psalm 119: 105, Hebrews 4:12, Matthew 4:3-4, Jeremiah 15:16, Psalm 19:7)  

• Discuss the function of worship as a compass for the Christian.  (Romans 12:1-2)  From the "40 Ideas for 40 Days" site, "the word “worship” literally means to 'bow down' – a gesture that 'points our entire being' toward someone or something."  It is to attribute worth to One who is worthy. 

• There is worship that involves speaking or singing our praises (Psalm 150), worship that involves listening to God's words (Psalm 119:11), and worship that involves action (Romans 12:1).  In short, worship encompasses the entirety of our lives!

• A good overview of the subject can be found at http://www.gotquestions.org/true-worship.html  . 

• End with a favorite hymn of worship!

 

 Tuesday--Sharing God's Abundance

Our church was blessed to have Jerry and Renee Cox speak to us this past Sunday.  They minister in Papua New Guinea with New Tribes Missions (http://blogs.ntm.org/jerry-renee-cox/)  bringing the Word of God to people who have never heard the name of Christ.  During the presentation, their 8th grade daughter quietly went through the congregation sharing Andes mints with random people--a few here, a few there.  Rebekah and some others got two or three.  Many of us got none--a fact which the children did not fail to notice!  

The point was to illustrate that while many of us sit in abundance, there are many more who have very little.  Many of us have multiple copies of Scripture, many more have no access to even one translated book of the Bible.  

• Today choose as a family to share your abundance--whether it be time, money, or other resources.

• Brainstorm as a group.  Is there a missionary family you could all save for during Lent (or beyond)?  A worthy charity?  A local need within your church body?   Commit to giving to this cause (beyond your usual tithe) throughout the season.  Give sacrificially!  Maybe it will mean putting aside the money you use for Starbucks or movies or other entertainment.  Give up one of your "mints" to a person who has none!

• Is there a way you can serve them beyond money? Discuss the possibilities, and then put them in action!  

• Read and discuss the Acts account of the way the early believers sacrificed for one another.  Acts 2:37-47 

Wednesday--Attributes of Christ: Holiness

•  Jamey plans to lead a discussion on God's holiness for tonight's devotion.  There is so much in this topic!  Holiness cannot be in the presence of sin, and thus our sin separates us from God (Romans 3:23, Isaiah 59:2).  The penalty for our rebellion is eternal death (Romans 6:23, Romans 5:21), but God provided a means of escape through a perfect, sinless, spotless--in other words, "holy"--sacrifice (1Peter 1:18-19, Hebrews 2: 14-17).  Christ's holy sacrifice removed the separation caused by our sin, restoring our relationship with God (2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Corinthians 1:30).  

• We plan to use another of R.C. Sproul's excellent children's books to illustrate this idea for our littler ones.  It is called The King Without a Shadow and is available through CBD for around $12.00.

 Thursday--Overcoming Impulses

•  This object lesson is also adapted from the "40 Ideas for 40 Days" site.  Hide a cotton ball behind your back and stand in front of one of your children.  Hand him a piece of clear plastic (like a page protector) and tell him to hold it taut in front of his face.  Have him look into your eyes, and tell him not to blink!  Then throw the cotton ball at the plastic.  He will blink;)

• Explain reflexes (Jamey will also demonstrate with his little rubber hammer on a knee or two).

• Reflexes happen without us even thinking about them.  Attitudes and actions can become reflexive as well--both good and bad. 

• Discuss some reflexive behaviors that we struggle against (blaming others, tattling, anger, hitting, etc.)  

• How can we replace these reflexes with godly ones?  Well, being aware of them is a good place to start.  There are also good Bible verses on the subject.  (Luke 6:45, Matthew 12:34-35, Proverbs 4:23, Galatians 5:22-23)

•  Take seriously God's opinion of our attitudes of the heart!  Praying for conviction, listening to correction, and hiding His word in your heart are all strategies for developing godly reflexes.  (Proverbs 6:19, Proverbs 12:20, 1 Peter 3:9, Matthew 18:15, Proverbs 23:9, Proverbs 19:20, Ephesians 4:29, Philippians 2:3, Romans 12:10)

 Friday--The Last Seven Words of Christ
 From the "40 Ideas for 40 Days" website by Joe Paprocki--

• "Explain that, before dying, many people speak final words that express their feelings and thoughts at that moment.
  • Invite the children to identify the speakers of these famous last words (fictional and non-fictional):
    • “Et tu, Brute?”  (Julius Caesar)
    • “I have been and always will be your friend. Live long. And prosper.” (Mr. Spock, The Wrath of Khan)
    • “Rosebud” (Charles Foster Kane, Citizen Kane)
    • “If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine.” (Obi-Wan-Kenobi, Star Wars)
    • “I’m melting!” (Wicked Witch of the West, Wizard of Oz)
    • “Are you guys ready? Let’s roll.” (Todd Beamer, passenger aboard United Flight 93, September 11, 2001)
    • “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” (Nathan Hale, 1776)
     
  • Explain that as Jesus was dying on the cross, he said some very important words.
   
  • Provide Bibles for each of the young people and tell them to search for the following passages and to relate the words that Jesus spoke: 
    • Luke 23:34 (Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.)
    • Luke 23:43 (Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise)
    • John 19:26-27 (Woman [Mary], behold your son. [to the disciple] Behold your mother.)
    • Matthew 27:46 and/or Mark 15:34 (My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?)
    • John 19:28 (I thirst)
    • John 19:30 (It is finished.)
    • Luke 23:46 (Father, into your hands, I commend my spirit.)"
  
  
  • What can we learn from the last words of Christ?  How did he reveal his heart during his last moments?
   
  •  There is a beautiful piece of music by Hayden, entitled "The Seven Last Words of Christ".  Here is a link to it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELqORruJOlM .  End by listening to it.  Amazing what can be conveyed without lyrics!
   
  

Saturday--Set Prayer in Preparation for Sunday
  The idea of withdrawing from the activities of daily life for the purpose of prayer might bring to mind the picture of a monastery, but it has roots much farther back than that!  The "hours of prayer" were observed in Old Testament times as well as by New Testament saints.  

During the "third hour", the "sixth hour", and the "ninth hour" (9A.M., 12 noon, and 3P.M.) the saints would withdraw for a time of purposeful prayer.  Daniel was mentioned as praying three times a day (Daniel 6:10).  It was the "third hour" when believers were gathered for prayer in the upper room that the Holy Spirit came upon them (Acts 2:3, 15).  Peter and John are recorded as entering the temple at the hour of prayer, "being the ninth hour" (Acts 3:1).  Cornelius was at ninth hour prayer when the angel instructed him to send for Peter. (Acts 10).  Peter was up on the roof at "sixth hour" prayer when he had the vision of the animals being lowered on the sheet.

There has been such a Protestant backlash against legalism, that any activity that even smacks of rigidity or regulation is met by instant skepticism.  We modern Christians want to be "led by the Spirit" in all things (which is good).  We are told to "pray without ceasing" (which is very good), but I have seen in my own life the almost irresistable propensity to slide into laziness if I am not prompted by external reminders.  It is a shame to us that most Muslims are more faithful in prayer than we are!

Christ himself prescribed more than our easy, breezy "I pray as I am going about my daily business" mindset.  As he was instructing the disciples on how to pray, he cautioned against a public display of prayer, exhorting them instead to withdraw into a "closet"--a quiet, private place of focused communion with God.  

I am not offering this idea as a prescription or a command, simply as a tool with some history behind it!

• This morning at breakfast, as an introduction to the idea of set prayer, go through the verses mentioned above.  What benefit does a believer receive from spending prolonged time in prayer?  What are some more of your childrens' favorite verses about prayer?  

• How might pulling yourself away from daily activities in order to pray deepen your relationship with Christ?

• Go over the ACTS model of prayer with your younger children (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication).

•  As a family, stop at three set times today to pray.  Make sure to spend time praying for your pastor, your local church body, and for your own heart at you attend services tomorrow. 

• One book that I have found helpful is called The Divine Hours by Phyllis Tickle.  It is a compilation of Scripture, hymns, and passages from the Book of Common Prayer  arranged for the four "Daily Offices" of prayer.  Older children could certainly benefit from it.  I like to read the passages aloud--or even sing them!

 
 

 

Recollection and Remembrance

The house I grew up in was over a hundred years old when we moved there, and through the years it became to me--is it foolish to say?--almost a fifth member of my family.  

I felt it to be like a quiet grandmother, looking at me with amusement and affection from behind the wisdom of many years, conferring upon me a sense of the weight of history from the time I was very little.   

I spent my childhood in that house feeling that I was a tiny piece of a bigger story, most of which I would never know.  The people who had lived their small parts before me still seemed very real there.  

They were the ones who had worn the smooth grooves in the ancient, wooden floors. They had read their books by the quaint, pink gaslights in the living room, and shoveled coal into the monstrous old furnace which now crouched like a tired dragon in the corner of the basement.  

Every square inch of our 80 acres was breathing out the remembrance of the people who had tilled it, planted the crops and placed the trees, marked out the pathways, built the foot bridges and stacked up the stone walls.
    
The first house had been built well over a century ago--so small!  And then it burned down.  The second house was built, again small, but sturdy.  Then it was added to.  Then came a garage (with an attic!)  

And then the house grew again to fit a large country family, rambling into a lovely jumble of seven bedrooms, two kitchens, two bathrooms, a dining room, a living room, and several more rooms of uncertain purpose.  All wrapped up in a big front porch.  

And finally, when I was four years old,  it became ours.

I remember my room with its cheerful yellow-sprigged wallpaper and the window that overlooked my favorite willow tree.  I thought it looked like a lady standing with her hair falling around her.  And there was a beech tree some distance away that tried so hard to touch her weeping branches, but never could.  

Every morning was something new--dew-rimmed fairy rings on the lawn, primrose blossoms along the driveway, fat, white mushrooms underneath the bird feeder.  

In the winter, my window glass would have a breath-taking frame of frost around the edges.  An extravagance of beauty from God for my eyes alone!  By mid-morning it was gone, only to be replaced by another perfect intricacy the next morning.   

And yet somehow I always carried the knowledge that in that place and among those passing scenes,  I was the thing that was most fleeting.

Someone else, a hundred years past, had rested her head on the windowsill in my room and let her eyes run between the trees in the side yard, across the fields, past distant neighbors, to the blue hills that stood so many miles away in a stately ring around Cryderman's pit, and felt the beautiful ache of a perfect day settle over her.  

And then, thirty years ago, it was my turn.  

And now it is someone else's. 

I remember standing under the "owl tree" in the back field and thinking about the roots that twisted down beneath my feet--beginning before anyone could remember and spreading farther than I could ever discover--and feeling very small.  

And then looking up into the perfect bowl of sky over my head and wondering how many souls had stood just there, with their heads tilted back, looking at that same patch of blue.  

They were all gone now.  And I would be gone one day too. 

I felt it so keenly!  But it was with interest--almost amusement.  Never fear.

Behind the owl tree sprawled our family garden.  It  had been "The Garden" since the original old homestead had been built, the ruins of which still stood crumbling beside the strawberry patch, and from time to time the old dirt would share one of its rusty secrets--most often nails, but sometimes a button, a buckle, or part of an old garden implement.   
 
Good medicine for me--for any child, I think--to grow up among antiques and artifacts, tangible evidence of ancient lives that had flamed up, burned, and flickered out long before I was even a thought!
 
The thing that kept me from grieving over my own transience and  the brevity of every good thing was my utter trust in a Great and Perfect Father, who was lavish in love for me.  

I had faith that I was placed and kept in my season, in a place that was good, for a purpose that was beautiful.  In safety, always.  

Everywhere.

And that was enough to cover the reality of being so slight and fragile--so much like the frost on my window that came in glory and shined and then vanished...

Thank you, Lord, for settling my soul tonight with the vivid remembrance of my younger faith--one that burned with expectation and brightness;  in peaceful constancy, even amidst the shadows of all that was passing away.  

Everything that I am worried about today will play itself out somehow.  

Tomorrow will come.  And go. 

Whether I am met with my worst fears or the greatest happiness, my little drama will eventually wrap itself into the gauze of human history and I will be gently folded into your Great arms.  

And held, as I have always been.

*************************

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you--

Isaiah 26:3

 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:16-19

  

Second Week of Lent

Here is the outline for what we plan to do with the children for during this second week of Lent--

Monday--Focus on the Persecuted Church

Christ has a great love for each of us individually, and for all of us corporately.  We, together, are the bride of Christ! (Revelation 19:7-9, Ephesians 5:25-27, 2 Corinthians 11:2, Matthew 25:1-46, John 14:1-3)  

As such, we ought to have concern for one another.  Our relationship is not just a vertical one with God, but also a horizontal one with the fellow members of the body of Christ.

One of the things we want our children to capture is their responsibility to look beyond their own needs and desires, and to truly identify with others in their suffering.  "Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friend." John 15:13  (For other verses on the nature of Christian love, see also John 15:12, 17; Rom. 13:8; 1 Thess. 4:9; 1 Pet. 1:22; 1 John 3:11, 23; 4:7, 11-12; and 2 John 5)

• For today's devotion, discuss our duty to the persecuted church.  Pastor Richard Wurmbrand was a man who spent 14 years in a Romanian prison under Communism.  He wrote movingly on this subject, "Manacles hurt not only the wrists, but also the soul. When we "remember them that are in bonds as bound with them" (Hebrews 13:3), we enter into the "fellowship of His sufferings" (Philippians 3:10). When they hurt, our souls hurt. When they are beaten, our souls are beaten. When they are isolated in a dark cell, our souls share in that darkness. However, with prayer we can rub the feet of those in shackles. We can put a blanket over those shivering with cold on the icy cement floor. We can feed a spirit starved for fellowship and God’s word. We can nurse the wounds of a back bruised and cut from being whipped." 

•  Read some of the prayer requests from the Voice of the Martyrs website. http://www.persecution.com/public/homepage.aspx?clickfrom=bWFpbl9tZW51  

• Another good website is  http://savesaeed.org/  where parents can sign a petition for the release of an American pastor being held in an Iranian prison and children can hear his story. 

•  Have each child choose a person or a situation to pray for.  If possible, print out a picture of the person for them to put on the mirror of the bathroom or in their Bible to remind them to pray.  If they choose a country or "situation" to pray for, they could perhaps draw the flag or draw a picture that would remind them to pray.  

•  Jamey will probably go into the topic of the increasing persecution of the American Church (he recommends the book The Criminalization of Christianity for those who doubt persecution exists here) and our response to it.  What if we are called to suffer?  How deep does our commitment go?  

• Read 1 Peter 4:12-19 and discuss the fact that, as Christians, we ought to expect persecution.  It's a promise!  How ought we respond?  (See also Acts 14:22; Philippians 1:29; 2 Timothy 3:12; 1 John 3:13)

•  End in prayer for the church.

 Tuesday--Name Study:  Christ the Redeemer

• Explain the idea of "redemption".  We were bought with a price, freed from bondage.  What was the bondage?  What was Christ willing to pay?  Why?  There is a simple, thorough exposition of the subject at http://www.abideinchrist.com/selah/jan7.html .
• R.C. Sproul has written an allegory to help children understand the concept of redemption.  It's called The Lightlings and is available from Christianbook.com 
• A beautiful story of redemption is, of course, found in the book of Ruth.  Jamey will, I'm sure have other great ideas as he leads our devotions for this.  I'll update then:)

Wednesday--Avoiding temptation

• Another idea from Joe Paprocki's website!  Read Luke 4:1-13, the story of Jesus' temptation in the wilderness.

•  Have the children get into pairs (one younger with one older might work best in large families) and brainstorm a list of temptations that might beset them.    

• After they have written their lists, Jamey will lead discussion on the ways that Jesus resisted temptation.  We cannot just decide to overcome!  Christ had submitted himself to his Father's will ahead of time.  He knew the Scriptures.  He was listening to the Spirit, and he overcame.  The Bible says that Jesus was "tempted in every way just as were are--yet was without sin" (Hebrews 4:15)  We have the same tools available to us!

•  Some verses to have the children look up--1 Corinthians 10:13, Galatians 5:16, James 4:7, Ephesians 6:10-18, Luke 22:40, Romans 12:2, 1 John 4:1, Psalm 119:11, 1 Peter 5:8-11) 

• Have the children get back into pairs and write ideas from Scripture for dealing with each of their temptations.

•  Discuss the value of accountability with other believers and openness with parents in helping to resist temptation.  (Proverbs 27:17, Galatians 6:1-2, Ecclesiates 4:9-12, Ephesians 4:25, Hebrews 3:12-13)    

   Thursday--Lenten Hymns 

We have a wonderful book by Joni Eareckson Tada and Bobbie Wolgemuth called Passion Hymns for a Kid's Heart.  It has many of the favorite Easter hymns and all the stories behind them, as well as a CD of the music sung by the two women and a children's choir.  Lovely!  It is available through Christian Book Distributors for around $15.00.  

• We plan to use this book in today's devotional.  The Bible exhorts us to use "psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs" to encourage one another. (Ephesians 5:19)  Music is so powerful!  We will have the children choose a few of their favorites from the book, read the background story, and then read or sing the lyrics and discuss them.

•  Or just pick a few of your favorite Easter hymns.  Read the lyrics aloud.  If you knew nothing about Christ and his atoning work, what would these songs teach you? 

•   Are there particular verses which impact you?  Sing a few favorites as a family!

 Friday--Fasting

•  Read Mark1:12-13,  Acts 14:23, Joel 2:12, Matthew 6:18,  Daniel 9:3, Ezra 8:23, Jonah 3:5-10.  What is fasting?  Why should we do it?  

• Explain that our deepest hunger should be for God, and that He is our spiritual food.  (Psalm 63:1, Matthew 5:6, John 6:48,  John 4:14) When we fast, we are giving up bodily food in order to devote ourselves to fervent prayer--spiritual food.  Each time our body reminds us of our physical hunger, we can turn our hearts toward God, who satisfies an even deeper need.  

•  Remind the children of the "fast" they have committed to--the activity they have given up for the purpose of gaining a richer prayer life.  Ask how they are doing in keeping that fast.  Has it been easy?  Have they been turning to prayer more often? 

• We have spoken to our older children in the past about fasting--how it is to be done privately, thoughtfully, prayerfully.  We have given them permission to fast from food as they feel led to do so by the Holy Spirit.

•  We plan to share with the children our experiences with fasting, but emphasize that, while they are children, if they feel led to fast from food, it should be something that is shared with us first, and done safely and with permission.  (So far, only our teen aged children have expressed a desire to fast, and only on very rare occasions.) Fasting from activities or pleasures in order to develop the discipline of prayer IS something that younger children can do safely!  But it should also be done privately so it will not become a source of pride or public boasting.  The Lord looks on the heart!

Saturday--The Daily Examen

This is another new idea for me, again coming from the 40 Ideas for 40 Days website by Joe Paprocki.  The word "examen" is a Spanish word for examination.  Apparently St. Ignatius of Loyola urged people to pause for 10 or 15 minutes a couple of times each day to EXAMEN themselves and ask, "Have I grown closer to God since the start of the day, or moved away from Him?"

Here is the idea broken down for children (and the rest of us:)

• Two or three times during the day, ask the children to sit down, close their eyes, and be still for one minute, quieting their hearts before the Lord.

•  Ask them to quietly pray that the Holy Spirit will help them to rewind and go back over the events of their day, being thankful for God's blessings to them (1-2 minutes) 

• Then ask them to fast forward through their day, "recalling those moments when they did things that moved them closer to God as well as those things that took them away from God." (2 minutes)

• "Invite them to thank God for the moments when they were aware of His presence, and ask forgiveness for the moments they failed to follow him." (1-2 minutes)

• Finally, have them pray for the Holy Spirit to guide and guard and convict their hearts as they move forward into the rest of the day.  (1-2 minutes)  

• Talk in the evening about the value of living an examined life.  What benefits does it bring?  Many people choose to pray at set times during each day.  Is this something they might want to consider doing--again, not as a rule, but as a tool?

My friend Danielle shared a blog post with me that had a great template for helping small children to learn how to pray.  It uses the ACTS model (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication) but has the parent supply the first part of the prayer ("God you are so...God, I'm sorry for...Lord, I'm thankful for...Father, help me...) and the child fill in the second part.  The link is http://www.incourage.me/2013/02/searching-for-snow.html    if you want to read more about it.
  
I would love to hear ideas from other people as we move through the weeks.  If your family is doing something that you have found particularly meaningful for this season, please share!

 

 
 

Living, while dying... or dying while living?

This may come as a bit of surprise to some (not to those who know me personally, of course) but I, Jamey, am not a very patient person.  I am not one who really thrives in disorganized environments.  In fact, chaos makes me cringe.  

Further, it tries my limited patience when I see those things which I have labored to organize, build, purchase, or otherwise acquire repeatedly trampled upon as if they were of no value.

So, try to imagine my struggle as I look upon the various foodstuffs which somehow manage to escape the kitchen and die in every corner of the house, the partially gnawed apples laid randomly upon the counter "saved for later", the multiple scars/scratches/markings on every stick of furniture, the deep grooves/dents/chips scattered over the floors, and nearly all the furniture/carpet/clothing we own sports sporting multiple cuts, spills, or stains.  

And that is just a partial list of the crimes committed against "my" worldly goods, but this is the universe I live in as Sandra and I attempt to bring to maturity seven little ones, many who seem to make it their daily task to bring as much entropy into the home as possible.  

Now, this is not to imply that my wife does anything less than a heroic job of balancing all the tasks that need doing in our house on a daily basis. She is remarkable at keeping order and I am thankful for the amazing home that she keeps.

This should instead be read as a commentary on the inherent difficulty of trying to push pudding up the wall, so to speak.  There is simply no way to keep all the holes in the dam plugged at the same time, particularly when certain state and social welfare agencies are actively poking more holes or unplugging the ones you have managed to patch, but I digress!  

You might think that I would have grown accustomed to a certain level of chaos after all these years, but let's just say that I am a bit of a slow learner.  I know that there is much to master when it comes to developing forbearance in the practice of self denial.  Perhaps that is why God has orchestrated my life in the manner he has.  

Perhaps...but I don't pretend to know God's plans any more than I can explain the origin of matter and energy that burst forth at the sound of His voice.  

God's ways are certainly way above my ways and I have learned that He does not always see fit to share the fullness of His mind with me. 

I have blogged previously about the dangers of self-glorification, as well as how I believe that self-centered thinking is becoming institutionalized in our country and is, in fact, undermining its very foundations.  

I don't want to rehash all those points again, however I think it is worth repeating my basic premise that unless we, as a nation, experience a revival of the concept of an absolute moral authority, to Whom we will one day given an account, I see no hope for reversing the rampant, unchecked self-serving behaviors epidemic in our society--behaviors that are born out of a desire to aggrandize the self by using any means necessary, including by using and discarding other people.

It is with this background that I wish to revisit my struggle with my greatest nemesis... me!  What has really surprised me was that the depth of my own selfishness has been most clearly revealed when I was trying to be most faithful!  

As you may already know, Sandra and I have long had a passion to try to follow God's command that his followers should assist orphans in need.

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27

The issues that we have encountered in our dealings with the foster care system  have been well documented in Sandra's previous writings and I encourage you to read them if you have not, but my point here is that one of my biggest disappointments has been the dawning recognition of the fact that trouble still comes upon God's people in this life, even as they endeavor to follow His will (oftentimes because they have chosen to do so).  

I would go so far as to assert the Biblical evidence is overwhelming that we should EXPECT pain as we truly follow God's will.  

This is so counter to my natural sense of "fairness" that every fiber of my being wrestles against it daily, if not moment to moment.  So I confess that when trials came as a natural outworking of providing a much needed refuge for young children who have been abandoned by their mother, it was a difficult pill to swallow.  

And I would dare say that I am not alone in this humanistic inclination.  You see, like many others, I am task oriented.  I like to see a job done.  

Put in your time, get a result!

I don't much care for having my efforts seemingly sucked down a black hole, never to return.  I don't like not having an endpoint.  However, I am beginning to understand, just a little, that this is exactly what I need to be willing to accept in order to be truly suited to God's purposes.  

If I "sacrifice" something of myself that is relatively easy to give, or use a part of my inherent skill set to accomplish a godly command, is that truly a sacrifice or act of service?  

Have I really given God all of me when it is only given on my own terms? 

Even if some "Christian" good comes, or that work achieves some productive or beautiful outcome, have I really understood Jesus' call on my life to deny myself, pick up my cross and follow Him?  (Luke 9:22-23)

The ways of God are, more often than we like, contrary to the wisdom of this world.  The truth is that God has little use for us until we have suffered some loss.  

This is the central message of the cross. Jesus was rejected by his own people, he suffered and died a miserable death at the hands of the ones he came to save, and yet through it all God used that event in history to accomplish the most ultimate good imaginable; the redemption of those very sinners who could in no way save themselves.  

So, if this is God's redemptive plan, as implemented by his own Son, why should I be exempt from this basic pattern of rejection, suffering, and redemption?  This central theme is seen over and over again in the Bible, and is the over-arching message of the Scriptures.  Joseph asserted the same idea to his brothers.  After they had sold him into slavery in Egypt, he became second in command in that nation--and then the very means by which those very same sons of Israel would be saved:  "You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good."  Genesis 50:20  

So what is the take home message for me (and you)?  Nancy Pearcey says it well: 

"Whether the suffering is physical or psychological, the way God brings us to see what we are really basing our life upon is to take it away.  When we lose our health or family or work or reputation, and our lives come crashing down and we feel lost and empty --- that's when we realize how much our sense of purpose and identity was actually bound up in those things.  That's why we have to be willing to let Him take them away.  We have to be "willing to die."    (Total Truth, page 359)  

She goes on to clarify that this perspective is not to be taken as some negativity filled rant against all of the possible pleasures or joys in this life.  There is a tension here.  We are to seek and strive for good things.  It is right to desire peace, to have love for the people and things of this world, to endeavor to avoid pain and suffering.  We are not meant to throw up our hands and reject all attachments in this world.  

However, when these things become our chief end, we have missed the ultimate point of being a Christ follower.  Our life is ultimately NOT consummated here.  This is not our final home, and we must be willing to hold all that we have here with an open hand.  This is the path to true peace and freedom, and is when we begin to be of use to God in the advancement of his kingdom.  

"We tend to have a limited concept of spiritual death as saying no only to things we want or covet -- our guilty pleasures and selfish ambitions.  But in reality, it means dying inwardly to whatever has control over us."   

"Whatever it is that controls you, that is what you must place on the altar to be slain.  Only then will we be released from our inner compulsions and be able to discover the freedom in which nothing but "the love of Christ controls us" (2 Cor 5:14)"    (Pearcey, Total Truth, page 360)

It is with no small measure of fear and trembling that I say that this is what I want for my life.  

For it is only through God's life filling my empty heart and hands that I can be truly freed to love the ones He has placed in my life.  That is what I need to remember in order to effectively serve those for whom I bear some measure of spiritual responsibility.  In God's strength alone I am able to approach the task of preparing them to be responsible members of our family, our church, and our community.  

I certainly know that my natural self is not inclined to do all that is needed to give to these little ones what they most desperately need--that is to be pointed clearly and persistently to their only true hope and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Unfortunately, dying to the self is not a one time decision.  It must be reaffirmed daily.  The reason Christ says in Luke 9 that I must pick up my cross daily, is because I still struggle against my basic inclinations, and will do so as long as I live in this body.  

It is not intuitive to die to self, particularly when it sort of hurts.  However, it is undeniable that real relationships, with real meaning, and real depth, will always bring the risk of pain.  The alternative to this risk is an unacceptable numbing, or hardening, of the heart.  

I would rather die to myself and fully live, than live for myself and fully die. 

"Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken.  If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal.  Wrap it up carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness.  But in that casket -- safe, dark, motionless, airless -- it will change.  It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.  The alternative to tragedy, or at least the risk of tragedy, is damnation."   C.S. Lewis (The Four Loves, underline is my emphasis)

Thank you, Aunt Cookie!

For several years, I have hoped to find some ways to make our celebration of Easter more meaningful.  After the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, we tend to throw ourselves back into the work and school routine so vigorously, that Good Friday comes upon us with a shock.  There have been years that I didn't even realize that Easter weekend was upon me until the night before.

I know that God does not need me to make up elaborate ceremonies to worship Him, and I do not want to become dogmatic, prescriptive, or rigid about our "family ways".  I am even aware that the dates that Christendom has traditionally ascribed to Christ's birth, death, and resurrection are not technically accurate.

But I find the celebrations to be helpful in drawing my gaze off of the mundane, out of the world, and into the worship of some specific action, attitude, or attribute of Christ.   The Old Testament is full of God-ordained feasts and remembrances.  Israel was told to always hold the works of God before the eyes of their children, lest they forget and wander.  I find I need to do the same. 

 We were thrilled to discover Advent and Epiphany some years back.  During the months of December and January as our family draws itself out of daily routine for a purposeful meditation on some aspect of Christ's nativity, we have found new richness in the season.  

So, with Ash Wednesday approaching, I was hoping I could find a handy "Protestant Guide for Celebrating Lent" or even a "Lent for Dummies" book .  Alas, no luck!   But I am determined not to skid into the pew on Easter Sunday without having first brought my mind and heart to a standstill before the cross.

 So I am cobbling together a plan using some lovely ideas  from the "40 Ideas for 40 Days" website of Joe Paprocki from Chicago, as well as some things from my cursory research of Lent--and a few things out of my own head.   Thanks to Jamey's Aunt Cookie for giving me a place to start by sharing the "40 Days" site with us!  

And now, a disclaimer:   Not being a Catholic, I am coming to this in complete ignorance of the Lenten traditions.  I am also a little rushed since Lent is already upon us, so I am seeing this as our trial run and I am sharing it with all it's rough edges poking out.  Feel free to make suggestions!  I welcome your ideas!  

Finally, my devotional ideas are intentionally vague.  My husband leads our family devotions beautifully, as the Spirit leads him.  The last thing I want to do is hand him a script. This is more of a "direction", which he will tweak as he guides us through each evening.



Ash Wednesday--A Study of Repentance

As I understand it, Lent is a season of prayer, repentance, and recommittment, whose purpose is to lead the believer into a deeper appreciation for Christ's sacrifice and a purposeful posture of humility and worship in the days leading up to Good Friday and Easter Sunday.  

• Today we took a bowl of ashes from the fireplace and made a cross on each child's forehead.  We talked about how important it is to confess our sins to God and to one another, and how feeling the ashes on our foreheads during the day and seeing them on one another could prompt us to examine our hearts frequently, with a view to repentance.

•  We read a passage from our Illustrated Dictionary of Bible Life and Times about the use of ashes to express mourning and repentance.  

•  We had the children come up with Bible characters whom they remembered as using ashes to express those emotions mourning or repentance. 

•  Discussed the concept of repentance and its connection to God's forgiveness and had children look up some passages about repentance using the concordances in the back of their Bibles.  (Some of the great ones were 2 Chronicles 32:26, Jeremiah 31:19, Matthew 3:8, Matthew 21:32, Luke 17:3-4, Acts 3:19, Romans 2:4,  2 Corinthians 7:9-10, 2 Timothy 2:24-26, Revelation 3:19)
• Discussed the idea of fasting from something during the Lenten season to draw our hearts toward more constant prayer.  

Assignment for tomorrow is to come up with something "dear" that will be given up privately for that purpose.  The guideline we gave was that it needed to be something that was enjoyed frequently and would be missed often.  (So Elijah's idea of "homework" and Christina's suggestion of "exercise" were nixed immediately:)  My comment was that  the thing that pops into your mind that you immediately dismiss as being "too extreme" would probably be a good thing to pick!  Like coffee:)  Other ideas offered by the children were bread, radio theater, fiction reading, movies, i-pod, and dessert.  We will share as a family tomorrow what we have chosen, but will not discuss our sacrifices publicly, lest it become a matter of pride. 
 

Thursday--Declaration of Dependence based on the Lord's Prayer (Joe Paprocki's idea)

• Read the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6) 
• Discuss the seven petitions.  In the first 3 "thy name, thy kingdom, thy will" our focus is drawn completely off of ourselves and onto God.  
• In the last 4 "give us, forgive us, lead us not, and deliver us" we are "commending our wretchedness to His grace."   
• Discuss the meaning of "hallowed be thy name".  Emphasize that we do not make it holy, but rather we recognize it as such.
•  As a family, discuss the idea of a "Declaration of Dependence" upon God.  What is our need?  What did God provide?  We plan to draw our declaration up on paper and then have the family members sign it.
• Reveal the "fast", or sacrifice we have chosen for the Lenten season. 

Friday--Lenten Crosses

• We have printed out blank calendar pages for the 40 days of Lent (or you could use the print-out from http://catechistsjourney.loyolapress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/40-crosses-english.pdf )  Our focus on these crosses will be ideas for acts of service, sacrifice or mercy, or specific prayer requests.  
• Have (or help) the children fill out ideas for things they could go out of their way to do for others during this season.  When they accomplish one of their goals, they can write it in, or color the cross.  Even small children can be encouraged to complete extra acts of service for others, and they are often the most faithful pray-ers.  Try to do at least one each day.

• Jamey will lead devotional on what Christian love looks like.  He just finished reading a book called The Meaning of Marriage so I know he will probably use some material from that, as well as the wealth of Scripture on love.  "We love because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19  

Our hearts are bent toward one another, not as a means to earn grace, but out of gratitude for the grace given to us! 

Saturday--Study on one of the names of Christ:  The Lamb of God

• This devotional will focus on the nature of the sacrificial lamb--not just cute and cuddly, but a sacrifice.
• Illustrated Bible Dictionary has detailed explanations of what was involved in Hebrew sacrificial system.  Also laid out in OT Scripture.  (Exodus 12, 29:38-42, among other places)
• Discuss the passages that describe Christ as the Lamb (Exodus 12:1-2, 1 Peter 1:18-19, Isaiah 53:7, 1 Corinthians 5:7, John 19:31, Revelation 5:9)
• End by singing the Twila Paris song "Lamb of God"  

Jamey will likely add so much more when we actually do these activities!  I will take notes on what transpires and make a family Lent notebook, which I can share if anyone is interested, but I urge you to let the Spirit move your family as He will!

I learned that there are no Sunday Lent activities since Sunday is always a day of celebration.  Hallelujah!  He is risen!

I will be posting plans for the next week's activities as soon as I scratch them together:) 

What's In YOUR Ziploc?

I have on my desk a bag of relics from a life lived one hundred years ago.  The life (and the relics) belonged to my great-great-great uncle William J. Holland.

It was an important life in God's eyes, as all are.  But it was significant on another level as well.  The world, as it does for some few souls, also gave Great Uncle Will's life the stamp of Public Importance--and I have the medals, ribbons, awards, articles, and publications to prove it.

Great Uncle William was an ardent naturalist, authoring and illustrating the most complete butterfly and moth field guides in existence at that time. He was also a dinosaur hunter, and as the Director of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, was one of the first to unearth and reassemble a complete skeleton of the great diplodocus.  He fraternized with the wealthy and famous of his day.  He was respected by his colleagues and counterparts.

He is also long dead and mostly forgotten by all but a relatively few people in his field.

I say this not to denigrate his memory in any way.  I am proud of my illustrious relatives and inspired by the ways in which they used their God-given abilities, but I am also humbled by the ignominious end of us all.  

Eventually, no matter how famous our name, we will be dust and the records of our greatest achievements will be stored in a Ziploc bag inside a shoebox inside a closet in the back bedroom of our great-great-great niece--if we're lucky.

 Most of us won't even get that much notice after a hundred odd years.  There may be a few books from our collection knocking around, or a tea set, or a stack of dusty letters, or old photographs that people will puzzle over.

On second thought, there probably won't even be photographs since no one ever actually converts those things from pixels to print anymore.

Nor do we write paper letters.

So we'll probably leave even LESS of a mark than our forbears did.  Like theirs, our bones will be in the earth, but our images will be stored in a massive Snapfish graveyard of forgotten accounts, and any writings we cranked out during our lifetimes will be locked up in a defunct hard drive in a storage unit somewhere.

And all our grandchildren will inherit is an old Kindle and our collection of Camelbak water-bottles.

While this may seem like a depressing topic, I think it is actually important to think about.  I only have a few years to scramble and scratch around down here.  What should I do with them?  What will my legacy be?  What's the point?  Day follows day follows day and I am ambling my way into eternity for something.  Right?

 For what?

Well, I have some choices here.

As a Christian, I have already made a public declaration of my intention to live my days His way for His glory.  This is not an attempt to be good enough to earn an "upgrade"--a ticket to an afterlife that beats the one I'm living now.  

Any goodness I demonstrate is only an outpouring of gratitude for the grace and mercy He has given me when he took my place on the cross--for the forgiveness of sins I did not know what to do with, for my adoption out of the slums of death into richness and beauty.  

Hallelujah! 

But no matter what I say I'm living for, it is the degree of the submission of my heart to the governance of God's will that will answer the question of legacy.  Up until I draw my last breath, I am building it or tearing it down.  

I have already taken my children by the shoulders and told them that sobering fact.  There is no "time-out" while you figure out where the starting blocks are for 30 years.  Nor is there a point where you get to quit trying and coast on what you accomplished in your youth.

My legacy is not ultimately governed by my circumstances, but rather how my heart causes me to act and react to my circumstances.  It is not determined by intentions or declarations or plans.  At the end of the day I will have built my legacy by a million decisions, big and little, made minute by minute during the entirety of my life.  

It happens with every habit we lay down, in slow changes of direction, in small laxities and excuses, or with strict watchfulness and discipline. Sometimes it happens accidentally, sometimes with great purpose. 

I would venture to say that there are probably going to be a large number of us church-goers who are surprised by our legacies...

...Like those of us who say we want to live for God, and instead discover that we have lived for our job, or for entertainment, or pleasure, or money, or fame.  Or those who show that our families and our friends are our REAL gods.

Conversely, there will be some that felt they never did anything of value, but who, because of their purity of faith and humble love for their Savior, will one day find that they have pleased Him greatly. 

And really, God's opinion of my legacy should be the only one that matters.

That is easy to say, but not always easy to live out, because sometimes I don't know what He wants. 

And sometimes I know what He wants from me, but I don't want to do it.

And then, sometimes I know what He wants, and I share His desire, but I don't feel like I have the strength, or I don't know how to start on the job, or I am paralyzed by my fear.

And then there are times I think I know what He wants, but I second guess my impulses because I know the power of self-deception.

Unfortunately, you can't rely on appearances to tell you if you are on the right road.  Some big, outwardly successful enterprises are God-ordained and God-blessed. (See Solomon's temple, the rebuilding of Solomon's temple, and the Jericho remodel)

Some big, successful projects look like heaven, but are rotten at the core. (See Herod's empire, Las Vegas)

Some people labor in obscurity for their whole lives, pouring their hearts out into the dust of discouragement and futility with God's full blessing.  (See half the world's missionaries and pastors and most of the prophets).

Others fail and fail again because of hardness of heart or hidden sin. (See most of Israel's kings)

I must say that at this point in my life, I had hoped to be able to point to a pattern of obvious successes in our family life.  I have looked to people who have "done it right" and tried to adopt what worked for them but the jury is still out for us.

And the new paths that are now being set before us could either end in beauty or in misery, but we won't know until we commit to one and follow it. 

*Sigh*  Why such a heavy topic this week?  Well, our family has a weighty decision to make. 

We have been offered a guardianship of our foster children.  It is not an adoption.  Their Mom will retain parental rights and input, and we will raise them accordingly, providing all moral, financial, and emotional support, and enabling visitation with their mother, all under the constant, loving supervision of the judicial system. 

For the next 15 years.

Our other option is to walk away from two precious children, whom we love, whom we know are attached to us, and let the professionals decide on another way to fix the mess they have made of this situation.  What a daunting decision!  What vastly different outcomes each one would bring for so many people. 

What if we do the guardianship and the anger issues we have been dealing with never go away?  What if we never have peace in our home?  What if someone is seriously hurt one day by a child whose heart never healed from being lied to and pulled too many directions?  What if their mother spends her days making false accusations, dragging us to court, or dropping into and out of her children's lives?

On the other hand, what if healing occurs?  What if lives are transformed and our family is strengthened through the ministry of "loving the least of these"?

If we walk away, we get instant peace, freedom from messy entanglements and risk, but at what cost?  The souls of two children will be set adrift yet again, forced to break yet another bond and deal with one more perceived rejection.  Where will they land?  How will our hearts heal from the loss of them?  What opportunities for sanctification (both theirs and ours) might be sacrificed?

On the other hand, what if God has a better plan for them somewhere else and we stand in the way with our determination to "make this work"?

My plan so far has been to pray a lot, read a lot, and trust in God's ability to redeem my well-intentioned mistakes, but as of yet I have no happy ending to report.  

I am, however, starting to think that as we decide who is successful in this life and who is not, we should be VERY careful not to use the world's definition of the word.

Up to this point I do not have a life characterized by obvious "success".  Not a single award to my name and not a lot to show that I am very great at making big decisions.  I spend most evenings repenting of the things I got wrong during the day.  I look at the outcomes of the choices we have made as a family over the years, and wonder "what if we had done things differently?"  Would God have been more pleased if we had gone that way instead of this way?

How often I have wished for a divine traffic light to appear in the middle of my confusion!  Just give me a clear direction, Lord!  I have the desire to follow in faithfulness, but mostly I either remind myself of a wind-up toy, running full speed in whatever direction it lands, or a turtle sitting petrified in the middle of a four lane highway.

The temptation is to look sideways and notice that while others are painting pictures that rival the Mona Lisa, I am drawing stick figures on fogged-up glass with my finger.  People over there are building their versions of the Notre Dame Cathedral and I can't get four Lego's to stand up on a table.  

How could this please God?  What hope do I have of creating a legacy that will bring Him glory with this kind of output?

Well, that is me judging myself by the world's standards, and a good way to drive myself to despair. If God gives you a set of oil paints, a prepared canvas--and talent, He expects you to paint the Mona Lisa.  If He gives me a window, hot air, and a finger, then I ought to draw my heart out with them and lift my face up for His smile. 

That said, I ought not use circumstances as an excuse for laziness or a license to sin.  As in, "God gave me chronic back pain, so that means I can bite your head off whenever I want to," or "I can't figure out what I'm good at, so I guess I'll do nothing." 

I am still supposed to walk in the strength of His power, but my path might lead to very different places than yours and the results might not be pretty.

I might be called to be faithful to an unfaithful spouse.   I might work myself to exhaustion and never please my boss.  I might disciple a beloved son for 20 years and have him reject all I stand for.  I might be called to die well at a young age, or be called to watch a child or my husband die too soon.  I might give all I have to a ministry and never see earthly evidence of growth.  

Everyone around me might be flourishing, and healthy, and effective, and glowing with beauty, but if God wants me to be hiding in caves from my enemies or tasting the bitterness of slavery, then I need to be OK with that. 

He will be pleased with me as long as He has my heart.  Outcomes have always belonged to Him.

Might I offer a word of caution here to those who are sitting amidst piles of marble and gold, planning the next Taj Mahal?  I have been where you are, and I know how easy it is to look over at the ones who are cobbling something together with Lincoln Logs and bubble-gum, and judge them. 

I say that with shame.  And now I am the one with the Lincoln Logs and more than a little doubt about my ability to do anything with them.   

Remember the anger of God toward Job's smug friends who thought righteousness automatically earned keys to the good life!

Remember the exhortations throughout the New Testament to "encourage one another and build each other up".

 Remember not to "let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."  Ephesians 4:29

Remember to "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." Romans 12:15

" Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."  2 Corinthians 1:3-4

I shudder to think how many weary pilgrims have been withered by the judgement of those who have never had to bear the weight of depression, or chronic pain, or bereavement, or anxiety, or unfaithfulness, or the heartbreak of a prodigal child, or the unrelenting demands of pastoral ministry.

Our family is currently on the battlefield of orphan care and I can say that we are feeling pretty weak and confused--and incompetent, tired, crabby (I'm being honest), and sometimes even unwilling.  

My heavenly vision of floating serenely between the dear ones in my home, bestowing wise words and gentle caresses keeps getting blown up by the sound of screaming, and I'm jealous of people who can sit through a meal without putting someone in time-out.  

So when you see me in the grocery store with steely eyes and tight lips and I march right past without saying, "Hi," don't be offended.  Pray for me.  That's probably what I was doing when I didn't notice you.

When my toddler sticks her tongue out at you, don't congratulate yourself on your superior parenting skills. Pray for me.  As a foster mom, my only disciplinary tool for her is earnest conversation (sometimes called begging)--and we all know how well that works on three year olds.

When we show up at your house for dinner looking haggard and confused and no one remembers their manners and we break things, don't lose our phone number.  Pray for us.  We probably had two visits and a state inspection that week, or maybe it was two missed visits and five days of angry flare-ups.   Whatever.  Just pray for us. 

I wish I could insert a happy thought here to brighten your day, but I just have a tiny whisper of encouragement for my fellow desert wanderers.  Keep your chins up!  The Lord looks at the heart!  Work in a manner that will bring glory to God's name, in His strength, with worship and praise, integrity, diligence and faithfulness.  Remember that He will take care of the rest. 

And here is a little preview of my epitaph for you Gold-pile sitters:  Where you are, I once was.  Where I am, you will be:)  Keep your mortality ever in your sight, encourage others out of the reserves of your strength, give out of the grace you have been given.  We need you!

Micah 6:8

And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly with your God.

**************************
 Matthew 5:3-12

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
⁵ Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.
⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.
⁷ Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God.
⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.
¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹ “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.