Remember Him

I'm sitting in my front yard with my dog.  There is a cool breeze blowing.  The sun is low in the sky, hiding behind the clouds that sit on the mountains.  I hear the sound of traffic passing and the birds returning to their trees.  It's lovely.

Oh, there are plenty of things that need to be done.  The laundry isn't finished.  There is a pile of dishes in the sink.  I haven't started thinking about dinner yet.  I could go on... But for now I will just sit and be still.

There is a time for everything - and it will all get done eventually.  But this time of evening is too sweet to work through.

Don’t let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old and say, “Life is not pleasant anymore.”  Remember him before the light of the sun, moon, and stars is dim to your old eyes, and rain clouds continually darken your sky.  Remember him before your legs—the guards of your house—start to tremble; and before your shoulders—the strong men—stoop. Remember him before your teeth—your few remaining servants—stop grinding; and before your eyes—the women looking through the windows—see dimly. Remember him before the door to life’s opportunities is closed and the sound of work fades. Now you rise at the first chirping of the birds, but then all their sounds will grow faint.Remember him before you become fearful of falling and worry about danger in the streets; before your hair turns white like an almond tree in bloom, and you drag along without energy like a dying grasshopper, and the caperberry no longer inspires sexual desire. Remember him before you near the grave, your everlasting home, when the mourners will weep at your funeral. Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don’t wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well.  For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.

                                                                                       ~ King Solomon, Ecclesiastes 12:1-7

Close your eyes and know that God made this day for you to find Him, even in this day.

Enjoy this weekend with the ones you love.

Today

Sunrise at Pohale beach, Kauai

Last night, our young adult small group watched Rob Bell's Nooma video called "Today".  It's a great series that we've been going through each week.  Very thought provoking and great for starting conversation. You can watch it here.

So many good points to ponder.  The basic message was that things in life change.  The nature of living is that things can't stay the same.  Children grow up, parents die, babies are born, and friends move on with new ones to take their place.  The pages on the calendar turn.  We don't live in a static world.  What do we do with that change?

In John 20, we are told what happened on the morning of the resurrection.  Mary Magdalene had gone to the tomb before sunrise to bring anointing spices for Jesus' body (Lk. 24:1).  You know the story.  The grave was open and empty.  Mary saw a man she thought was the gardener and asked where Jesus had been taken.  Jesus got Mary's attention by calling her name, "Mary!"  When the realization hit, Mary presumably lunged for Jesus in an attempt to hug him.  But Jesus' response was, "Don't cling to me..."  This is something I've always wondered about.  Why can't she embrace the One she loves?  But Rob points out that it was not the hug that was the problem, it was her intent.  It seems she was not only embracing Jesus for that moment, but embracing the thought that everything was going to be just as it was before.  Things where going to get back to "normal".  Jesus told her that it wasn't to be.  Things had changed, and there was a new mission ahead.

Change has always been a challenge for me.  I think I am getting better, but only a little.  Perhaps it's a God-given desire for things to finally be at peace, an inner longing for Heaven.  Whatever the root, it is a constant reminder that we are not yet living in the Peaceable Kingdom, and as followers of Jesus, we have a mission to accomplish here on earth.  We're not going to get it done sitting on our blessed assurance.

My take-away from this video was this quote, "When we're still holding on to how things were, we aren't free to embrace today."  Talk about a kick in the pants...  Yes.  When it comes down to a choice of yesterday or today, I definitely want today.

Later that evening in Jerusalem, Jesus appeared to the disciples (Jn. 20:19-22).  He walked through their locked doors and stood among them in the midst of their fear and said, "Peace be with you."  He proved His identity by showing the scars of His death.  Fear must have gripped them again.  He had to repeat, "Peace be with you."  Then He told them the new mission, "As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you."  Jesus breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit."  It was as if He was saying, let go of the past and its scars, get ready for the future - but most importantly - the I AM is with you and will be in you.  You and I will be one.  That will take care of your "now".  Live in My presence.

But what does that look like?  Rob says we do this by "being fully present here and now that you don't miss a thing in this day."  That sounds a lot like simplicity.  Something I have been striving for for a long time.  It means that I slow down and recognize that God is in this moment.  That I must focus on those in front of me, right now.   Being present means I can't harbor regrets of the past, or worry over the future.  I must lean into the great I AM of God.  Now. When I do that, I am instantly awash in His peace.  Ahhh!  Maybe the Peaceable Kingdom has come, right now, in this moment. Today.


Here are some ways we've been enjoying the view lately:

Bonfire at Pohala Beach, Kauai

Waimea Canyon, Kauai

Sunset at Pohala beach, Kauai

More Pohala beach

Great friends, and wonderful Kauai hosts!

Lookout over Kalalau beach, Kauai

Fishing with my grand-nephew in Kailua

Fishing with Andrew in Kailua

Love this kid - will still fish with his mom!

A change in perspective

World English Dictionary

perspective (pəˈspɛktɪv)
— n
1.	a way of regarding situations, facts, etc, and judging their relative importance
2.	the proper or accurate point of view or the ability to see it; objectivity: try to get some perspective on your troubles There's a saying, "Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it."  I can relate to this.  Fifteen years ago, our family moved from Kailua to the neighboring town of Kaneohe.  It was a good move.  Our girls where five, three, and one year old.  I was just entering the world of homeschooling and working from home as a bookkeeper.  God blessed us in that home with the birth of our son.  Our family of six got busy living life.  All through that time, God was growing us and changing us.  We learned to live not only for ourselves, but to see those around us and reach out to them.  We learned that generosity was the path to true freedom.  Day by day, over the course of those 15 years, Mark and I learned to become a team.  We learned to stop picking at each other's weaknesses and instead, rely on and encourage each other's strengths.  The kids continued to grow, as they all do.  Two daughters graduated from our little home school.  The first-born even ventured off to the mainland.  Life was good.  And God had a plan.  He began to plant in us a vision for more.  A desire to be part of a community of Jesus followers who lived out what they believed.  God also put in our hearts a desire to return to Kailua.  This past summer has seen the seed of that dream start to germinate.  In a matter of weeks, God opened the door for us to return to Kailua - to the very house we lived in before.  But this house was not as we left it.  Owned by our church, we joined in a renovation project that turned the hot, stuffy box of a house, to the most beautiful, functional house I've ever lived in... and I'd lived there before!  (God has a sense of humor!)  Fifteen years is a lot of time to accumulate stuff.  We had spent those years acquiring more than we needed.  The kids had grown up and out of so many things.  I had years of homeschool books and gadgets that we didn't need or use anymore.  I had remnants of hold hobbies that had gone by the way side.  The Kailua house, as lovely as it had become, still had no storage.  That meant a drastic purging of our belongings.  And purge we did!  I believe we left that house with about half of what we previously owned.  So freeing, but also gut wrenching. (We practically stocked our church rummage sale single handedly.)  But even in this, the Lord had been preparing me.  I had been reading minimalist and simplicity blogs for about a year.  I knew I could do the purging, and was very grateful for the push to do it now. So literally, in about 8 weeks time, we went from blissfully living in Kaneohe, to renovating a house, purging half our possessions and moved back into the house where our three girls were born.  My head is still spinning! But this house is special.  We have a studio space that can accommodate young adults.  We currently have two sweet young ladies living there that bless our lives so much.  We are becoming family.  Not only is this house special, our whole block is special.  Like I mentioned, this house is on our church property.  We join a community with our pastor and family as well as another house that has two church members living on the property.  Our dream of living in community is happening before our eyes.  So what is life like now?  There are always people coming and going.  We have a steady stream of extended family around.  I love it.  There is always someone to join us at our table, someone to sit and chat with, and someone to throw a football or play xbox with our son.  Would I have been able to live this way 15 years ago?  No way.  I would have resisted the intrusions.  I would have resented the interruptions.  God grew us into this life.  I am so grateful.  Mark and I are feeling useful and happy.  God is good. So I continue to enjoy the view that God has given.  God has changed our perspective on so many things.  He is renewing our minds.  He is faithful to bring us to the point of surrender, then fill us with good things.  Our cup overflows. Psalm 16 A psalm of David. 1 Keep me safe, O God, for I have come to you for refuge. 2 I said to the Lord, “You are my Master! Every good thing I have comes from you.” 3 The godly people in the land are my true heroes! I take pleasure in them! 4 Troubles multiply for those who chase after other gods. I will not take part in their sacrifices of blood or even speak the names of their gods. 5 Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine. 6 The land you have given me is a pleasant land. What a wonderful inheritance! 7 I will bless the Lord who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me. 8 I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. 9 No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice.     My body rests in safety. 10 For you will not leave my soul among the dead     or allow your holy one to rot in the grave. 11 You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.

Enough is enough... Really it is!

I've just spent the last couple of weeks pouring over curriculum catalogs and websites...  You'd think that after 14 years of homeschooling, I'd have made up my mind what to use.  The problem is, no two kids are alike and new materials are coming out every year.  But the biggest reason that I'm making a change this year is that I'm spending too much time planning each week.  It's not uncommon for me to have to work 3-5 hours on the weekend just to be ready for the next week.  Enough is enough.

As a recovering perfectionist, it always seems to me that there is more that I should be doing for my kids.  Planning their work and preparing just the right lessons had begun to consume me, much to the chagrin of my family.  I've  come to the point where I must admit, it's just not working for me.  I love my old curriculum, but at this season of my life, I can't afford the time it takes.  So the search began.  How to find a curriculum with the educational value I want, without all the hours of preparation?  I had to find the balance of "enough".  I've settled on something that will give my kids enough history, math, language arts, science and supplemental learning without ruining our life.

I don't know about you, but when I think about the word "enough," it has a negative connotation.  Maybe because it is often preceded by the phrase, "not good."  Enough always seems to be the amount that is just getting by.  A disappointed second place...enough.

e·nough

/ɪˈnʌf/ Show Spelled[ih-nuhf]

–adjective

1.

adequate for the want or need; sufficient for the purpose or to satisfy desire: enough water; noise enough to wake the dead.

–pronoun

2.

an adequate quantity or number; sufficiency.

–adverb

3.

in a quantity or degree that answers a purpose or satisfies a need or desire; sufficiently.

—Synonyms 1. ample. 3. adequately, amply, reasonably.

According to these Dictionary.com entries, I should be satisfied with enough.  It says that enough is "adequate; sufficient for the purpose..."  Perhaps I've fallen victim to the mindset that I must have more than enough, an over-abundance of something to feel secure.  Could the consumer mentality have crept in even here?  Maybe so.  If I have enough ingredients to make cookies, don't I end up with perfectly good cookies?  More than enough does me no good.  It may even be wasted.

In thinking about "enough," I've discovered that my subconscious aversion to it has tainted a well-known Christian song, Your Grace Is Enough, by Chris Tomlin.  We sing it quite often but I can't help feeling that old skin-of-my-teeth enough.  That's not the meaning of the song.  God's grace is enough; adequate; sufficient for the purpose..  The need of my sin was adequately met by the blood of Jesus. 

So in my journey to a more simple life, I must embrace enough.  I have enough possessions.  I have enough food to eat.  I have enough time to do what needs to be done.  And by the time my children leave my home school, they will have learned enough.  But most importantly, God's grace is enough to cover all my sin, all my failings, and all my need.  Jesus is enough.

The Source

There is a lot of talk these days about getting back the the source.  A trend to simplicity is in fashion now.  And that's a good thing.  We're learning the value of buying local, supporting local farmers, and keeping fuel consumption down by buying products that are produced within 100 miles of our homes.  Living on an island in the middle of the Pacific, that's not an easy task for me.  They say that Hawaii is the most remote location on the planet.  While standing in the grocery store, I fully believe it.

But it's not just in food that finding the source is important.  Finding the source of information is critical to knowing the worth of that information. We live in the information age, where we have an abundance of knowledge right at our finger tips.  But as you well know, just because it's available, doesn't mean it's credible.  Finding the source is always the place to start when looking for authentic, un-edited, and un-spun information.

Our journey of faith is no different.  Thanks to our information age, we have an abundance of information that aids us in our relationship with Jesus.

• Christian music:  There is no doubt that music speaks to my soul and brings me into the Lord's presence.  But if I'm just listening to my music without connecting to the Source, I'm not really getting the full benefit of this resource.  (Wow, just that word "resource" shows me I'm off the mark.)
• Christian books:  I am a voracious reader.  I have trouble reading fiction, but love to read what other's have written on following Jesus and living this faith.  But mostly, I'm reading about other people's experience.  It's helpful in my own walk, but the Lord wants to show me things first hand, too.
• Christian speakers:  I love to listen to sermons by people who truly know the Lord and teach of His truths.  But in a court of law, when they tell me what Jesus said, it would be hearsay.
• The Bible:  I'm sure we can all agree that this is a crucial source material.  Jesus' words are given to us in black and white (and maybe even red).  We learn of His character, how He lived His life among us in flesh.  We learn the history of God in dealing with His people.  We hear the stories of the faithful and unfaithful.  It is the source for building our faith and gives of the parameters we need to follow Jesus with all we have.  I must daily read the words of Jesus to connect with Him.  There is only one more source that trumps it...
• Time in the presence of Jesus:  There is no better way to connect with the heart of God than to sit at His feet.  Time with my Bible is vital to understand God's ways but I have had seasons of my life where I read the Bible and left there unchanged.   The give and take of prayer and listening builds relationship.  When I am parched an dry, time in His presence restores my soul.  How can I get to know Him without spending time with Him?  That is my personal responsibility to this relationship.  No one can do it for me.  It is a privilege I cherish and frankly what sets Christianity apart from any other religion that I know.  Our God is personal, alive and active in our lives. 

Jesus is the Source.  A great example of this is found in John 1:36-40.  John the Baptist has just declared that Jesus is the Messiah that all have been waiting for.  He tells two of his own disciples that Jesus is the one.  One of these disciples is Andrew.  Without hesitation, he leaves the one whom Jesus said, "Of all who ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist." (Matt. 11:11)  Andrew had found the Source.  He left the great to follow Jesus, the Greatest! 

I regularly use the resources above.   I'm so grateful for them!  But there is no substitute for getting to the Source.  

This morning I was listening to a podcast that was talking about fresh maple syrup.  She said that once you taste the straight-from-the-forest syrup, you can never be satisfied with the rest.  That is so true with Jesus.  Once you taste of His goodness firsthand, you can never settle for anything less.

Enjoy His presence today, for in it there is fullness of JOY!

It's beginning to look a lot like.... Thanksgiving?

I can't believe there are only 35 days 'til Christmas!  *gasp*  I am determined to be ready this year.  Last year, it just seemed to creep up on me and then was gone before I knew it.  Even so, I'm not going to think about Christmas until after Thanksgiving.

It seems that everyone is so excited about Christmas this year.  There are houses on my block that already have their Christmas lights up - and turned on each night.  I know the stores have been pushing Christmas for weeks, but I don't get out much, and without t.v., I haven't seen the commercials.  But this year it's more than the stores, it's people around me, too.  I started to wonder why.  Maybe it's because this year has been more stressful for most of us. Perhaps we are all looking for relief from the day-to-day struggle and hear some good news for a change.  Christmas is a time when we can set our everyday turmoil aside and feel like kids again.  That certainly is a draw for me.  But believe me, Christmas will come, ready or not.

Don't get me wrong, I adore Christmas, I just really, really like Thanksgiving, too!  (almost and much as Christmas....)  Why?  There are so many reasons.  Here are a few:

• Thanksgiving is a holiday that is not "religious" in nature, but more patriotic.  All Americans will celebrate regardless of their spiritual condition.  In a time where our country is widely divided, Thanksgiving is something we all have in common and can enjoy together.
• Thanksgiving is not commercialized (unless you count the groceries stores falling all over themselves to sell you the cheapest turkey and evaporated milk...).
• Thanksgiving is about family and friends, and coming home.  
• Thanksgiving helps me to be generous with those less fortunate.
• Thanksgiving is a chance to be still and thank God for what I already have in Him.
• Thanksgiving helps me prepare my heart for Christmas.
• Thanksgiving helps me prepare my house for Christmas.

With the difficulties that 2009 has brought to our country (and our world), Thanksgiving can be a great opportunity to stop and thank God for all he has brought us through.   Yes, Christmas will be here soon (35 days, *gasp*)  but I, for one, need this chance to stop.... and be still.....and truly give thanks.

Frugal changes - but Simplicity is the goal!

There's nothing like the sagging economy to bring out the frugal in a girl.  With Mark in the mortgage business, and me home full time, we've really had to tighten the belt.  A few changes we've made in the past few months are selling my 2004 minivan and downsizing to a low mileage, '98 Jeep, and cutting our land phone line and our TV cable.  Those are the most dramatic.  But there are smaller things that we hope will add up to saving money for us, and in the process, teach us and our kids a more frugal way to live.

Today, I went to the hardware store and bought clothesline and pins.  I've never hung laundry on a day-in-day out basis.  I'm learning as I go.  Today I learned that on a semi-rainy day, it's important to start early (my lines are in the carport).  Those clothes I hung at 3:30 will probably not be dry....and we have people coming over at 6:30....  Also, as much as I want to save money, I could not bring myself to hang certain unmentionables on the line.  I did a small 20 minute load in the dryer for that.  Baby steps....

There are so may great blogs for learning to live frugally.  The Frugal Girl is a great site.  When my new neighbor told me about it, I spent almost 2 hours reading all the great ideas she has.  Some folks are really into it - like this one tip I read that said when it starts to rain outside, they rush out and start to wash the car, letting the rain rinse off the soap.  Wow, I don't think that would have ever occurred to me.... Can't say I'm that committed. 

One of the weekly entries that I've seen on many sites is the Food Waste log.  Every Friday, bloggers are confessing, and documenting in pictures, the food they throw away each week due to spoilage.  This is really hard core, but it has made me think about how much food my family wastes each week.  I've decided to make a concerted effort to use what I buy before it goes bad.  No pictures this week, I'm just getting started...

Another project that I'm tackling this week while we're on a school break is to declutter my home.  It really is getting bad.  Stuff has accumulated and I'm tired of looking at it.  Another attempt to simplify my life.  (Those white trash bags in the picture above were gleaned from ONE kitchen cabinet.  They will be dropped off at the Salvation Army.)  Here's the reorganized cabinet now.  I used old wrapping paper for shelf paper.  It looks full, so you can image what it was like before I took two garbage sacks out?!  Bonus: every food storage tub has a lid!

Found some good recipes on these sites, too.  Tonight I'm making Mac and Cheese from the Pioneer Woman.  With a name like that, you know it must be good.   Also found a yummy potato soup recipe that I'm making ~ but being the island girl I am, I'm adding Portuguese sausage...  Another frugal tip is to have a soup night once a week.  That will be a challenge to my soup-wary family, but I'm going to try. 

One of my favorite books is by Richard Foster called Freedom of Simplicity.  That's really the overall goal of changing my habits.  It's focusing on what is important in life and not being suffocated by extra "stuff", either physical, emotional or spiritual.

"Seek the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need."  Matthew 6:33, New Living Translation.