ADVENT!!!

I love this time of year!!!

HE's COMING!!!

It's so much fun to anticipate the coming of our Lord. And we have the benefit of seeing SO many of the OT prophecies fulfilled in Christ.

Remember:
The Messiah was prophesied to come and save God's people for years and years. He came, a humble baby in a manger announced to mere shepherds and foreign wise men, to bring peace and hope and freedom to a hurting world. He offered life eternal - salvation - by the freely giving up His own life.

Celebrate: 
We have so much to celebrate as we think about what His birth brought to us individually who believe as well as the whole world! There's Someone who can and has conquered sin and evil and death! WHAT A GIFT!

Hope:
We also get to anticipate what is still to come - one day He will come back and make all things new! We still suffer and there are still wars and death and deceit and hatred...but not forever! HE'S COMING BACK!

Oh the JOY of giving and receiving good gifts from each other...a picture of all God has given us in Christ Jesus!

There are some great resources I've enjoyed for this season:

Noel Piper's book, Treasuring God in your Traditions - on sale right now!!!

Paul Tripp has a devotional and some videos to help you think through the season.

Ann Voskamp's blogs on advent

Come Thou Long Expected Jesus is a collection of writings on advent

Random Acts of Kindness calendar - fun and simple ways to pour out love around you

Advent Readings for Children

resources

Finding resources to connect my children to the grace I've experienced in the Lord is important to me. There's so much in life that hinders me from rightly displaying this grace - my own failure or impatience, life's distractions and business, their attention diverted by countless other seemingly more exciting things. When I find something that looks like it will capture their attention and be solid in truth, I want to take note. Share what you've found!

I am excited to explore these new resources:

longer story for my tween:
http://stores.newgrowthpress.com/a-chameleon-a-boy-and-a-quest/

family devotional:
http://stores.newgrowthpress.com/proof-pirates-finding-the-treasure-of-gods-amazing-grace-family-devotional/

systematic theology for kids:
http://stores.newgrowthpress.com/the-ology-ancient-truths-ever-new/?utm_source=ngpenews&utm_medium=enews&utm_campaign=theologylaunchsingle40

(that one is 40% off right now!)

Parenting

First, I want to remember where my bread/life/sustenance comes from...

If I am going to parent purposefully, I need to intentionally neglect multiple things that cross my path throughout the day screaming for my attention. I am so easily tempted by seemingly "urgent" matters and often get distracted by things that don't satisfy.

So, I remember to abide...again, and again...

http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/what-to-neglect-to-have-a-rich-life

When I am full of life and light, I can reflect it and pour it out into my children. Oh how I want to reflect HIS GREAT love to them so that they never hesitate to believe how He delights in them.

http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/be-the-smile-of-god-to-your-children

And to have this humility when they fail, frustrate, hurt, or otherwise disappoint me:

"Because I once took gifts and didn’t say thanks. I took all that God gave me and didn’t honor him as God. I trashed my life down a flight of stairs, four or five times, or more. And he took my broken pieces, darkened as they were, foolish as they were, and he held them in his hands. He took me, obstinate as I was, in his sovereign hands, his merciful hands, and he spoke over me, “Let light shine” (2 Corinthians 4:6). He put me back together. Like brand-new, and even better. Redeemed and made whole. Because that is the kind of Father he is."

http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-kind-of-father-he-is

Laugh today
Smile on them today
Delight again today
Enjoy...for we have MUCH to hope in

Your Unique Design

I have been wanting to type up something to share about my favorite personality inventory...for about 4 years! Ha. It's the best one out there. If you've taken it, you would understand why it's taken me so long to write something up about it when I tell you I'm a Harmonizer. :)

The website to begin learning about it is:

www.youruniquedesign.com

This blog post does a good job describing it:

http://runningwithjoy.blogspot.com/2008/02/your-unique-design.html

Let me know if you take it - I'd love to hear if you think it's helpful!

Glimpses of Grace

Glimpses of Grace: Treasuring the Gospel in Your Home

Filled with truth, humor, and encouragement to persevere through the mundane and press into Christ more fully all so that we can experience more joy, this book tells Gloria's personal story woven in the grand story of the gospel. The Good News is life changing...not just one time but over and over in all our circumstances. How beautiful! Thanksgiving overflows when we focus on our Lord and His goodness and power in all we encounter.

I certainly have been encouraged - partly because I am in that season of life where home and mundane tasks are my work, and partly because I can never have enough reminders of the Good News that changes, redeems, revives, and refreshes.

Listen to Gloria tell about her passion written down in the pages of this book:

http://vimeo.com/65852078

And take advantage of this great opportunity:

Purchase a copy of Glimpses of Grace from your favorite local or online retailer from June 3-7 and receive a free copy of the ebook as well as the ESV Study Bible Online (ESVBible.org Web App & Ebook)! To redeem your free extras, simply scan and email your receipt to glimpses@crossway.org before 11:59am on Friday, June 7.*

 

*Any receipts that are not legible, not included, or believed to be fraudulent will be disqualified. Limited to one promotion per person.

needed reminders

I SO needed these reminders from one of Gloria Furman's blog posts:

“And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” -1 Thessalonians 5:14-18

In Preschooler English it sounds like this:

    Sisters, help each other when you’re worn out and be patient.

    Don’t pay back a wrong for a wrong– look for ways to do good things for each other instead.

    God wants us to be joyful, prayerful and thankful!

I was reading a book on motherhood and was encouraged by the author’s commentary on this verse and thought I’d share.

“Everyone to whom God has given wealth, and possessions, and the power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil– this is the gift of God. For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart” Ecclesiastes 5:19.

Taken from the last page of Loving the Little Years:

    “Motherhood is hard work. It is repetitive and often times menial. Accept it. Rejoice in it. This is your toil. Right here. Those are their faces. Enjoy them. The days of your life are supposed to be full of things like this. But joy is not giddy. It is not an emotional rush– it is what happens when you accept your lot and rejoice in your toil. So rejoice in your children. Look them in the eyes and give thanks. You will not even remember the work of all this planting when the harvest of joy overwhelms you.”

 ___________

Oh how I needed to hear that last one especially!!! JOY!!! I have been thinking about how little faith I have...if I truly believed God does not hold back anything good and that He has the salvation and sanctification of my children in His AWESOME, powerful, good, merciful hands, then why do I get my panties in a ruffle every time I'm confronted with their sin? As if it is UP TO ME to fix and change them. I know I have a role in it all and He can surely use me as His instrument of change in their lives, but truly, it is His KINDNESS that leads to repentance. Oh how I want to trust Him more...more with me, more with them, more with the priorities of my day and leaving the insignificant things.

Gloria's new book, Glimpses of Grace: Treasuring the Gospel in Your Home, is coming out soon. I am reading through an early copy and it is hitting me RIGHT where I need it. The day to day seems mundane and sometimes purposeless...when I believe that, I am left with no joy but only inconvenience and annoyance that my agenda for all-the-time-sweet-kids, a clean house, and a quiet moment are robbed. I am SO very thankful for grace...abundant grace, and His never ending patience and love.

Check out her book and let me know if you want to read it! Memphis friends, I would love to have ladies over each week this summer to discuss it! 

moving is fun

sometimes...
There are aspects of moving that I enjoy: purging, organizing, recreating home in a new space, and just the adventure of it all. There are also not so fun things that go along with it: sickness from adjusting to the new environment, issues to address with the place of residence, season of no routine, chaos.

In the midst of all the changes, challenges, and blessings of the past month, C.S. Lewis' daily readings have been so encouraging. I'll be posting some quotes from the readings soon.

For now, here are some more pictures: