Catching Giant Snowflakes, 2:48 p.m.
Catching Giant Snowflakes
Catching Giant Snowflakes, 2:48 p.m.
Author: Diana B.
I am a wife and the mother of two beautiful adult daughters and a wonderful new son-in-law. I am a seminary student and also do some part-time freelance writing, editing and graphic design work. My interests include reading, photography, baking (mostly bread and chocolate), and studying God's Word.
A Confession in the Laundry Room
A Confession in the Laundry Room: “We are dirty.” 1:38 p.m.
It’s the Toothfairy’s Lucky Day!
My 6-year-old daughter doesn’t believe in Santa Claus or the weatherman. But she believes in the toothfairy.
Last July, the dentist told her that her bottom front teeth were loose. That news thrilled her because her big sister already has an impressive pen pal relationship with “TF.”
Weeks turned into months, and my secondborn’s stubborn bottom teeth would not get lost. Last month she went back to the dentist with all her baby teeth. The dentist again said those bottom teeth would come out soon, but she was really starting to think he sounded like the weatherman.
Last week, fortunately, one of those bottom front teeth got pretty wiggly. She showed off the wiggliness at church yesterday to many friends and at least two dental professionals in the congregation. Everyone’s advice was to eat an apple. She ate one last night. And tonight, lo and behold, that tooth finally came out. With just a wee bit of help from her daddy.
She very nearly exploded with delight afterward. Clenching her fists and jumping up and down, she squealed, “I losth my thooth! I losth my thooth!” more than a dozen times.
Big sister flew from the piano bench to fetch a much-needed box of tissues, my husband quickly snatched the digital video recorder, and I dashed to the next room to fetch my camera.
“It’s the toothfairy’s lucky day!” she exclaimed proudly, and then she headed to the bathroom mirror to catch a glimpse of her new toothless grin.
She made several calls to the grandparents to share the news. Then big sister helped little sister stash the tooth in the pocket of a special tiny pillow, which they carefully placed at the head of the bed and covered with a pink pillow.
Now she’s tucked snug in bed, awaiting the toothfairy.
Indeed it is the toothfairy’s lucky day.
Let the Trees of the Forest Sing
Let the trees of the forest sing,
Let them sing for joy before the LORD,
For He comes to judge the earth.
Give thanks to the LORD,
For He is good;
His love endures forever.
1 Chronicles 16:33-34
3 is Better Than 2
“There are three kinds of people in this world. Those who are good at math and those who aren’t.”
My friend recently posted that quote on Facebook, and it made me laugh because I’m a journalist married to a mechanical engineer. Math isn’t my favorite subject.
And while I chuckle because that quote just doesn’t add up, it reminds me of another quote that doesn’t seem to add up either.
Ecclesiastes 4:12 – “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
The verse and several verses leading up to it seem to be explaining why two is so much better than one. And then all of a sudden it jumps to three and leaves me thinking, “Huh?”
After studying it more closely, this proverb applies to marriages. Companionship makes life better. Husband plus wife equals two, and two is better than one. Two can be more productive in work. One can take care of the other when he or she falls, and together they keep each other warm. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-11) Two is good.
But really, marriage is full of tension with various demands tugging each of us in multiple, sometimes opposite, directions. Children, school, work, housework, volunteer positions, extended family, friends, neighbors, and all the hobbies and activities we want to enjoy — these all can pull us away from each other and cause a marriage to unravel.
So yes, two is good, but two isn’t enough. Two can’t become a strong cord that’s not quickly broken, as the passage suggests, unless another one is added. Three is better than two. But how, in a marriage, do you get two to equal three?
For us, the One that makes our marriage a cord of three strands is Christ Jesus. He is Immanuel, God with Us. He is the third person Who braids our relationship together into something much stronger and much more satisfying.
Weaving Christ into our marriage translates as praying for each other daily. Usually we pray for each other out loud when we are together at the end of the day. Often we pray for each other on our own during the day. This spiritual discipline is something I greatly appreciate in my husband. We have not always done this, but making it a regular habit has truly transformed our marriage for the better.
A few years ago, my husband spent 10 days serving as a short-term missionary in a very remote jungle village in Nicaragua. No e-mail. No cell phone. No texting. Zip. So we had no contact with each other during that time, and it was extremely difficult to be apart. What comforted me most was knowing that Michael was praying for me at a specific time every day, and I was praying for him at that specific time, too. Our prayers for each other connected us when we could not connect otherwise, and that was so powerful.
But I couldn’t just pray for him at that one set time. One by one, worrisome thoughts came to me throughout the day every single day he was gone. What if he is sick? What if he is injured? What if he is in some sort of danger? What if I never see him again? My imagination could so easily run wild with all the unknowns! Those what-ifs were relentless and could quickly make me feel vulnerable and powerless — especially since we were thousands of miles apart and I was home with 5-year-old and 2-year-old in the middle of a cold January in Minnesota.
So one by one as they crept into my mind, I grabbed each of those what-ifs and dragged them to Christ Jesus in prayer. And you know what? He conquered the what-ifs for me. He victoriously and faithfully gave me peace — a peace that passed my understanding and a peace guarded my heart and mind (Philippians 4:6-7).
Prayer is a mighty powerful tool, and it is especially powerful when we pray God’s own words back to Him. His Word is alive and active and sharper than a double-edged sword; it can judge the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Hebrews 4:12). Praying God’s Word helps me keep my prayers for my husband aligned with God’s will, rather than my own selfish desires.
So how and when do you pray for your husband? Do you use Scripture when you pray?
Whether you are already praying for your husband or not, here are some excellent, Scripture-based resources to strengthen your prayers for him.
Renee Swoope: Praying from My Husband from Head to Toe
Revive Our Hearts: 31 Days of Praying for Your Husband
Also, Ann Voskamp has this exceptionally helpful post on prayer over at A Holy Experience: Seven Ways to Keep Your Home Strong, which includes seven ways to build a house of prayer.
Because Christmas is Forever
It’s Jan. 23. Nearly a month after Dec. 25. I’m still finding random Christmas items around the house that should have been boxed up weeks ago.
Just yesterday I stashed away a pile of Christmas-themed picture books and board books. And we still have a healthy stash of candy canes and other stocking-stuffer sweets lingering on the kitchen counter.
I think part of me wants to celebrate Christmas again on some random day in February. Pull out the books and the music. Bake up those sugar cookies we never got around to making this year, and maybe whip up another batch of our favorite cinnamon rolls. Mmmmm…
One of my favorite authors, she says you can have the most hope after Christmas. She shares this conversation with her youngest daughter Shalom, who is the same age as my youngest daughter.
“Mama?” Shalom walks beside me, holding my hand. “Will tomorrow be Christmas too?”
I know that feeling. Not wanting any of this wonder to wander away — or me from it.
“Well, I’m thinking… ” I stop, look out across the fields and the white and the stars. “I’m thinking that it’s Christmas now forever.”
Her laughter rings all around us.
“Yes, Mama, yes!” She spins around in snow, in the halo of the barn light, us all under stars.
“It is Christmas forever now — because Christ is always with us.”
I like the idea of Christmas forever, don’t you? Christ is always with us, and in John 14:23 He promises to make His home with us when we love Him and obey His teaching. Jesus calls us to love and serve one another, and He promises that we will be blessed by doing so. In fact, in John 15:14, He says we are His friends if we do what He commands.
So this year, as Jesus’ friends, we’re re-celebrating Christmas on Feb. 25 in a really big way. This celebration will include hope and food and gift-giving on an enormous scale, but we’ll skip the over-decorated balsam fir, homemade cinnamon rolls and sugar cookies.
On Feb. 25, our church family is teaming up with 10 other churches and three Minnesota organizations (Feed My Starving Children, Impact Lives and Kids Against Hunger) to package and send over 1 million highly nutritious meals to the Dadaab Refugee Camp in Kenya. Right now in the Horn of Africa, 12 million Ethiopians, Kenyans and Somalians are suffering through the worst drought in more than 50 years. The project is called the Hunger Initiative, and you can learn more about it at thehungerinitiative.org.
Friends, may I humbly offer a few wonderful ways for you — as Jesus’ friend — to join us in loving and serving these who are in such desperate need for food?
First, pray! This is a huge project with the potential of saving thousands of lives. Secondly, since it costs $50 to pack one box of food (about 216 meals), financial donations are needed and appreciated. You can click here to donate — our specific project is the Brookwood/Bridgewood/Oakwood – Feed My Starving Children project.
Or perhaps you might consider serving in a personal, long-term way by sponsoring a child in Ethiopia?
Two years ago our family began sponsoring Dawit (pictured above) through Children’s HopeChest. God has richly blessed us through the pictures and handwritten letters we have received from Dawit. And God is softening our hearts and our children’s hearts as we pray regularly for Dawit and his friends at Kind Hearts carepoint, as we send letters and care packages to him, and as we pray for the various mission teams and mission projects connected with Kind Hearts.
Trees of Glory is another Children’s HopeChest carepoint in Ethiopia, and it has several new children in need of sponsor families. Click here to learn more about this excellent child sponsorship program, coordinated by Karen Wistrom who blogs at Family from Afar.
Christ is with us, so let’s let the world know we are Christians by showing our love. Let’s celebrate Christmas forever!
No Fool
“A man’s greatest care should be for that place where he lives longest; therefore eternity should be his scope.” – Thomas Watson (1620-1686)
Eternity was the scope of Jim Elliot.
Sixty-six years ago this month, Elliot and four other men, including pilot Nate Saint, were martyred in an effort to bring the Gospel to the Waodani (Auca) people of Ecuador.
Elliot died at age 28, and many might say his life was wasted, dying so young and leaving behind a wife and daughter. And he was doing what many would consider foolish — trying to befriend a tribe of savage killers.
But eternity was the scope of Jim Elliot.
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” – Jim Elliot (1927-1956)
Elliot gave his life on earth — a life that he could not keep. And he gained what he cannot lose — accruing friends for eternity by bringing the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
Elliot’s death, and the deaths of the men with him, paved the way for the Gospel to spread to the Waodani people. Many lives were changed because of their ultimate sacrifices, and many who were inspired by these martyrs became missionaries themselves, further spreading the Gospel.
Sometimes Jesus’ followers have to lose their lives in service and witness so that many come to faith.
Jesus says in John 12:23-26:
“…unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.”
Eternity was the scope of Jim Elliot.
Elisabeth Elliot, his widow, wrote two books about her late husband: Through the Gates of Splendor and Shadow of the Almighty: The Life and Testament of Jim Elliot. Elliot’s story is also featured in Torchlighters: The Jim Elliot Story, an animated movie for kids ages 8 to 12, and in Hero Tales Volume 2 by Dave and Neta Jackson. His story along with Nate Saint’s story is also featured in the 2006 movie The End of the Spear.
The Best of 2011
It’s snowing here on New Year’s Eve — gigantic, golf-ball-sized snowflakes — the biggest snowflakes we’ve seen in all our 15 winters here.
Usually snow doesn’t phase Minnesotans, especially in December. Ordinarily we have seen it all by this time of the year. But our state has been in a strange “snow drought” this December. We didn’t have a white Christmas, and that’s a huge blow to Minnesota pride. It’s hard to surrender bragging rights on a white Christmas, especially when you have to endure nine months of winter.
But now this. Gigantic snowflakes spiraling down to us from heaven above, piling up into a fluffy blanket worthy of sleds and snowball fights and such. This snowfall is making our household downright giddy! And some neighbors must feel the same snow thrill because as I type, at 10 p.m., I can hear shrieks of joy and crazy laughter from a few sledders on the hill nearby.
I wonder if the Israelites were ever this thrilled about manna? And I wonder what God-given gifts of grace our family will unwrap in 2012.
In the meantime, since the last moments of 2011 are slipping away, let’s have an award show! Eleven awards during the eleventh hour of the 2011th year! Woo-hoo!
#11, #10 and #9. For Best Movies of 2011, it’s a three-way first place tie between Dolphin Tale, Soul Surfer and Courageous. Somehow I managed to see two of these movies in the theatre (gasp!) with my husband. That’s really the most shocking news here. And the other movie, Dolphin Tale, our entire family just finished watching in the basement a few moments ago. There were tears and sobs and laughs a-plenty, especially from the younger generation. And then after spending two hours completely entranced by Winter the Dolphin, we came upstairs to be completely entranced by Winter the Season. This is the stuff “Remember that time…” memories are made of.
#8. For Best Book, the award goes to One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. Here’s my review of it from last January.
#7. For Best Children’s Book Author, the award goes to the late Elizabeth Enright (1909-1968). I read aloud two of her books — Gone Away Lake and The Saturdays — to the girls this year. We all adored them and look forward to reading more of her works in 2012.
#6. For Best Date-Night Destination, the award goes to Freeziac, a do-it-yourself frozen yogurt shop. Think TCBY 1980-something, except you get to dish up the cold stuff and top it however you like it. Marshmallows, nuts, hot caramel, hot butterscotch, and a few dozen other toppings. You pay by the ounce. And with comfy seating and board games, it’s the perfect destination for a fulfilling yet inexpensive evening hanging out with someone you dearly love. Truth be told, we’ve only been to Freeziac as a family. But I’m thinking this post might inspire a certain someone I know to set up a date night. Soon. (I’ll let you know if he gets the hint.)
#5. For Best Strangely Lovable Four-Legged Animal, the award goes to the llama. Most significant contributors to the llama’s new-found popularity are Chocolate Chip and Carmella, which we met and hiked with this fall on a homeschool field trip. Also factoring into this election are the book Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney and the movie The Emperor’s New Groove, in which the emperor turns into a llama.
#4. For Best Tea I Finally Tried, the award goes to Tazo Organic Chai. After years of refusing to try chai tea simply because it seemed entirely too trendy and creamy for my taste, I tried and fell in love with this tea, with sugar and without milk, mind you. My daughters adore it, too.
#3. For Best Garden Display in Minnesota, the award goes to the rose garden at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.
#2. For Best Garden Display in My Backyard, the award goes to my backyard peonies. We came home from vacation in June just in time to savor this delightful display of pink blooms.
#1. For Best Gift in My Thousand Gifts List, the award goes to number 718, Linnea’s baptism.
The Story Behind the Red Kettle and Bells
by Linnea, age 9
Catherine Booth was very bold. She was born in 1829 and died in 1890. She was a woman who preached sometimes. She married William Booth, and they started the Salvation Army together.
It was very hard work. People threw rotten fruits and other stuff at the Salvation Army Band. The Salvation Army tried very hard and succeeded a lot in telling people about Jesus.
If you would like to help the Salvation Army, put money in one of their red kettles. You can find them at Wal-Mart, Walgreens, etc. If you hear some bells ringing at a store and see somebody, there should be a Salvation Army kettle nearby.
If you would like to learn more about the Salvation Army and the Booths, you can read Kidnapped by River Rats or Heroes of the Faith by Dave and Neta Jackson or watch Torchlighters Heroes of the Faith: The William Booth Story on DVD.
Would you like to know Jesus, too? If you want to know more about Him, you can look at http://www.needhim.org. •
Linnea is 9 years old and a 3rd grader at Starlight Home School. She thoroughly enjoys lessons in ballet, tap dance, art and piano. When she isn’t devouring chapter books, Linnea delights in numerous craft and sewing projects, nature walks, fishing, boating and swimming. In 2011 she rode a horse, a pony and an elephant, and she took a llama on a hike. She recently learned to crochet, and she has become thoroughly ambidextrous this fall while healing from a severe arm injury.
Re-Membering with Thanks This Christmas
Broken.
One adjective describes so much in this fallen world we all live in. A broken prong on the dishwasher. Broken springs on the garage door. A broken air conditioner in the heat of July. A broken vacuum cleaner. A broken pie plate. Two broken drinking glasses. A broken faucet handle. A broken lid on the trash can. A friend’s broken tap shoes, spilling tiny screws across the dance floor. A broken chair. Our neighbors’ broken mailbox. And, most memorable of all, our oldest daughter’s broken arm.
Yes, we live in a fallen world, teeming with brokenness. It can leave us broken down, broken-hearted or just flat broke.
Yet through the cracks of all our broken pieces, the Light shines.
“Here are the broken spots,” the tall doctor proclaims as he points to X-rays of my firstborn’s forearm, six weeks after her infamous fall on the playground.
And then he quickly corrects himself. “Actually, what I should say is: Here are the healing spots.”
Healing spots.
Yes, broken spots can become healing spots when exposed to the Light. A perfect spot at which to pause and thank God. He is the One who can not only heal us physically but also restore our broken relationship with Him when we believe in His Son, Jesus. And isn’t that relationship what needs fixed most of all?
Remembering to pause and give thanks to God has become a priority this year. From January to October, I counted up more than one thousand gifts – memorable moments of grace captured in words and photographs. In thanking Him regularly this way and watching closely for His goodness toward me and my family, I’ve learned so much about His unchanging character. God is who He says He is. God can do what He says He can do.
Even when little upside-down legs let go and bones crack and the whole world seems to come crashing down in a helpless heap near the monkey bars. Even then God never lets go. He never lets go. And even then, in those terrifying moments of brokenness, we can thank God for holding us together.
Author Ann Voskamp says it best: “Because when we remember how He blesses and loves us, when we recollect His goodnesses to us — our broken places re-collect. We re-member. We heal. In the remembering to give thanks, our broken places are re-membered — made whole.”
This Christmas we celebrate God’s greatest gift to us – His Son Jesus, the One holds us and all of creation together. Jesus is very familiar with brokenness. Isaiah 53 says Jesus was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins; He was beaten so we could be whole, and by His wounds we are healed.
And so we commune with God when we remember this truth, when we stop complaining, when we accept every moment with gratitude. In the Last Supper, Jesus himself exemplifies this. 1 Corinthians 11:24 says, “…when He had given thanks, He broke {the bread} and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ ”
Our joy this Christmas is not in perfect appliances or perfect dishes or perfect shoes or perfectly healed bodies. Our joy is the best gift, Jesus, the perfect Savior, the perfect Lamb of God, the One whose bones were never broken.
We also have joy in watching for the thousands of ways God loves us in every moment.
Won’t you take the dare, too? Won’t you count the ways He loves you? Count the ordinary, the amazing, the grace-filled moments of 2012 and see for yourself just how much He loves you, too. •
Diana has been happily married to a guitar and sailing fanatic for 15 years. She is a homeschool mother of two who regularly shares stories and photos here at starlightwriter.wordpress.com.
Starlight Writer 