The good stuff. . .

After seeing a rare and wonderful post on the Elisabeth Elliot Facebook page last week (we all know that SHE doesn't post these things, but it was a quote from a much loved book), I picked up "Keep a Quiet Heart" and began to read.  I don't know what made me do it, besides the quote, itself.  

"[Christ] is my model. This means a different set of ambitions, a different definition of happiness, a different standard of judgment altogether. Behavior will change, and very likely it will change enough to make me appear rather odd--but then my Master was thought very odd."

The oddness is something I know about. 

In my high school/college days (which were, of course, not the typical, since I was at home or 
working for all of them) I read everything EE wrote.  I heard her speak countless times, I've even had the privilege of knowing her personally.  But what has struck me as I have been re-reading this fabulous book (I highly recommend it!) is how deeply her writings (and others, I know) formed in me the basic truths of life.


Trust.


Submission.


Resting.


Serving.


Thankfulness.


In these days of blogging and Facebook and Twitter. . . online articles and magazines. . . Hunger Games and Karen Kingsbury (which I've read a lot of). . . 


THIS is what I miss.  


The kind of writing that feeds your SOUL.  That challenges your thoughts and requires a response.  "Will I?"  


Will I trust the Lord in my circumstances?


Will I submit to these trials. . . this husband. . . the LORD?


Will I REST in the Lord?


Will I serve others without thought for SELF?


Will I be thankful in ALL things?


These are basic, daily, LIFE struggles.  I know I have them.  I assume you to do, too, if you seek to follow Christ.  And going back to this old, favorite book. . . it's reminded me that I've missed this.


Good writing.


I know so many of you, my blogging friends, enjoy good writing, just as I do.


You won't find it, here. 


But I would encourage you to seek it out.  Go back to those classic Elisabeth Elliot books (and pray for her, along the way, as she struggles in the sunset years of her life).  Find GOOD literature and biographies to share with your kids.  Read "Evidence Not Seen" and "A Chance to Die" and with me, keep plugging away at "Bonhoffer" (even though I'm about six months into it and only 1/3 of the way through).  And let me just say. . . THAT book?  Makes me feel really stupid.  But WOW it's good!


Leave the "easy" on the table, for today, and read something that will challenge your heart and mind and cause you to trust the Lord in a deeper way.


And yes, I know that this humble blog isn't on the list.


But thanks for reading it, anyway.  For encouraging me by YOUR lives and YOUR trust in the Lord.  For letting me use this modern day forum to collect me thoughts and chronicle what goes on here at the troops, so I don't forget.


Because I forget a lot.  Like how much I love EE's writing!


Happy Wednesday!


And did I mention that we celebrated Son's (#4) TWELFTH birthday last night?  Yikes!  Time is a flyin', I tell you!

Sixty Acres and a Bride

About a year and half ago, my friend and fellow blogger, Lori, invited me, another good friend, and her cousin, to come down to Dallas and go to the Michael Buble' concert together on a Sunday night.

So.  Much.  Fun.

One of the perks, though, was meeting the "cousin" who was, in fact, Regina Jennings, who homeschools her kids in nearby Mustang, Oklahoma.  She was delightful.  The three of us (traveling down to meet Lori) hit it off immediately.  It was a great, memorable weekend.  I think all four of us (with 20 kids between - that we wisely left at home) were encouraged, strengthened (mostly because of the quantity of laughter!), and just had a generally fun time together.  Not to mention the handsome MB and the amazing concert.

Fast forward a year or so, and it turns out this very SAME Regina, has published her first historical fiction book, Sixty Acres and a Bride.  And I knew her before she was famous!  Ha!

I was thrilled to get a pre-release copy and quickly devoured it.  And I'm sure my family didn't suffer a BIT while I spend every spare moment reading it.  It was so good!

Now the reason I GOT this aforementioned pre-release copy, was so that I could write a review here on the ole blog.

Ahem. . .

It may take me awhile to get to things, but. . . here I finally am!

However, you know why this matters TODAY and TODAY especially?  Because you can download Regina's lovely book for FREE on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, AND Christianbook.com.  Pretty sure it doesn't get any better than a GREAT book for FREE!  Right?

If you enjoy Christian Fiction, you will LOVE this book.  It's a "Ruth and Boaz" type plot, set in the late 1800's, incorporating Texas history, wonderful character development, and Biblical themes throughout.

I will be honest with you.  I read a lot.  Maybe that should be in all caps - A LOT.  But most of what I read is not "fun".  All reading is enjoyable for me, but I rarely take the time to read something just because it's a lovely story.  You know. . . fiction.  But this book?  It will not waste your time.  While it's definitely fiction, it's also about forgiveness, redemption, relationships. . . it will challenge and encourage you WHILE being a good read.

SO what are you waiting for?  This is only FREE today - so get to it!

Happy Monday!

OH!  And if you want to keep up with Regina and her writing projects, you can find her on Facebook or on her blog: www.reginajennings.com.

Leisure Time - NOT!

Strangely enough, I did a lot of reading over the Christmas break. Seems odd, even as I type it.

That with ALL eight kids (and the Coach) home for over two weeks, I read MORE than I usually do when I only have two little ones here?

The reason I read more is that we slept in almost every day. Odd, again, I know. But normally, the Coach and I get up before dawn. Yawwwwn.

However, this Christmas Break (one of the first years in the history of the Troops) we didn't have a little baby. In fact, Little Man will sleep in quite respectfully if the older kids don't get up and get ready for school.

So the Coach and I? We slept in, too.

It was lovely.

I somehow feel like I'm making a short story long. (I hear you! That's what I DO, isn't it?)

Anyway, my treadmill time (because of the sleeping in) was AFTER sunrise instead of before. Our treadmill is in our sunroom - where it's pretty dark before daylight - and honestly before dawn I can't think straight enough for reading, anyway. But at 8, 9 o'clock? I'm ready for it. And it was nice and bright out there. So my later walks caused me to put down the MP3 player and set my current book on the book holder.

Here's what I read:

(finished) Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris

GREAT book that I stole (borrowed) from my 13 year old son. Really enjoyed it! Doing Hard Things is a good practice for non-teens, too. I was really challenged by that.

More than a Hobby by David Green (founder of Hobby Lobby)

I had the privilege of being in the Green's home last Fall and all of us were given a copy of this book. It was fun to read about the beginnings of Hobby Lobby and the principles that it is founded on. My family is part of a "secular" business that is run on Biblical principles, as well, and I certainly saw similarities.

Get out of that Pit by Beth Moore

The Coach gave me this for Christmas (knowing I'd enjoyed the Beth Moore studies that I've done in the past) and although I don't feel as if I'm currently in a pit, I've certainly been there. Many times. After our fourth child in four years. After my miscarriage. After Little Man's birth - there have certainly been some pits. This book was encouraging and hopeful.

Under the Overpass by Mike Yankowski

This book was probably the most interesting that I read. My dad gave this to us for Christmas this year, after hearing this guy speak at a City Rescue Mission dinner. Wow. The author and a friend chose to live on the streets for four months. Homeless. His experiences are amazing. It really made me think about what it means to live out our faith as Christians.

Worldliness by various authors, edited by CJ Mahaney

I came across this book after reading Humility, also by CJ Mahaney (which is an excellent book, I might add!). This book was so helpful to me in understanding how to be in the world, yet not of it. Some of the chapters that really impacted me were on modesty, media and how we SHOULD love the world.

Hungry Girl by Lisa Lillien

This was a Christmas gift from my sister-in-law and fellow dieter. It's FUN to read, has simple, healthy recipes and also tips on making wise choices while dining in and out. It also helped me find her e-mail tips, which you can subscribe to at http://www.hungry-girl.com/. Enjoy!



and I just started Multiple Blessings by Jon & Kate Gosselin

Who ISN'T intrigued by this amazing family? I have eight kids. But I had them in 11 years, not THREE! Wow. I'm already loving how down to earth they are and their trust in God. Anyone who has lived through this has my utmost respect.

So that is some of what I did over Christmas Break. (Besides the stomach virus. Which this post is NOT about. Not. Not about.) What about you?

Oddballs Every One

Over the weekend I finished reading "What's So Amazing About Grace?" by Philip Yancey.

Wow.

In my mind I keep mulling over,
"There is nothing we can do to make God love us more.
There is nothing we can do to make God love us less."

That's Grace.

And folks, we live in a "grace-less" world, encase you haven't noticed.

There is a great illustration in the book about man approaching God. In the Old Testament, it was all about perfection. Nothing unclean could come near the Most Holy Place. Only the perfect sacrifice. Nothing crippled, ill or lame. As if there was a sign, "No oddballs allowed."

In the New Testament we see Grace. And now the sign reads, "We are all oddballs. But God loves us, anyway."

Reminds me of something my grandmother used to say: "Everyone is a bit odd, except me and thee. And even thee is a bit strange."

Aren't we glad that God loves us anyway?

So from one oddball to another:
May you experience the grace of God today.

And may you be empowered to love and forgive others,
through the Holy Spirit,
with that same grace.


"From nursery school onward we are taught how to succeed in the world of ungrace. The early bird gets the worm. No pain, no gain. There is no such thing as a free lunch. Demand your rights. Get what you pay for. I know these rules well because I live by them. I work for what I earn; I like to win; I insist on my rights. I want people to get what they deserve - nothing more, nothing less.
Yet if I care to listen, I hear a loud whisper from the gospel that I did not get what I deserved. I deserved punishment and got forgiveness. I deserved wrath and got love. I deserved debtor's prison and got instead a clean credit history. I deserved stern lectures and crawl-on-your-knees repentance; I got a banquet spread for me."
Philip Yancey
"What's So Amazing About Grace?", pg 64

Book Review

"Sometimes You Are What You Wear"

~ An Argument for Tzniut - Modesty

by Eliyahu Safran

I just finished this book yesterday, and I really enjoyed it!
One of the most interesting things is that it comes from a Jewish perspective, one that I'm not terribly familiar with. Not being Jewish, and all.
However, the passages from the Old Testament that he quotes throughout the book WERE familiar. And I loved the whole attitude that he conveys about modesty.

"Clothes are like costumes. You become the kind of person who would wear the "costume" you are wearing."

Hmmmmm.

Not sure what that says about my Nike yoga pants and t-shirt that I wear each and every day.

"The glory of the daughter of the king lies on the inside. It is not put on display for the entire world to gawk at. It is hidden and protected."

He says that when we dress immodestly (to draw attention to ourselves or our sexuality) that we are saying to others, "This is all I am."
However, when we dress modestly, we are saying, "There is so much more to me than my physical appearance."

Isn't that awesome?

He addresses many different perspectives on modesty. But I like the thought that the greater the treasure, the higher the wall. And when we dress in a way to protect our physical selves, we are conveying that our souls hold great treasure. Wow.

"Dressing modestly removes you from the vicious cycle of fashion and self-loathing that seems to dominate our culture."
". . .by observing tzniut [modesty] you are making a very clear statement that you are more than just a physical presence. You are a complete person, inside and outside, physical and spiritual."

Although this book had some concepts that I don't agree with (like that man and the world are inherently good), I liked the whole idea of modesty being a spiritual issue. And I like the depth that it brings to realize that what we wear does show who we are, in a sense.

Just hope I don't have to get rid of those Nike pants. Gotta love 'em.