21 Dec 2011

Functional Saviors vs Immanuel

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I love how kind and gracious God is in teaching me exactly what I need to hear.  It may take someone else pointing it out for me to come to realizations in my own life: but God’s Spirit is gracious and teaches me kindly and repeatedly. 

What are the functional saviors in your life?  I think, even if you aren’t familiar with that term, you know what I mean.  I mean the things or people you look to to be your all, your god, your rest, your peace, your foundation, your everything.  No one in this life is created to be your everything.  Only God is that.  Nothing in this life deserves the top place in your affection or time; only God gets that spot.  In case you need some help pin pointing what those are (or what I’m talking about), here are some examples:

Your Spouse

Your weight

Your children

How you raise your children

The sins you DON’T struggle with like everyone else does.

How perfect your home is

How many pinterest things you get this week

How many followers or friends you have

Your job

Your church ministries

Your popularity

How well your kids are doing in school

Your wardrobe

Your husband’s job or skill set

How good your cooking is

How do you determine what your functional god is?  What are the things that get you upset during the day or you find yourself focusing on all day long.  I know my functional saviors and have spent the last 20 hours or so repenting of those and thinking what life will look like when those aren’t my functional savior.

We are given a perfect functional Savior.  He came over 2000 years ago and was born in a dirty stall.  His entrance was not grand or what is should have been for a King, but God made it that way.  He gave us His Son.  Immanuel: God with us.  He is everything we need.  All our hopes and longings and dreams and security must be found in Him

As you celebrate this Christmas: rest in the grace and peace that is Jesus Christ, God with us, Immanuel.  Merry Christmas from the Campbell couple to you.

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” – Galatians 4:4-6a

19 Dec 2011

Much and Link Love: The Week Before Christmas

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And all through the house: we are not terribly busy and I love white space.

One of the prayer requests that I gave to my small group ladies is that E and I would not cram our schedules full this holiday season – and it is amazing.

We have had time to have people drop over (even on spur of the moment) – I love having a home to allow that to happen and time in my schedule to do that!  Just being open and hospitable – just what I want our home to be!

No more holiday parties for us – which is a BLESSING!

We talked with a missionary couple via skype and that was so neat to talk with them, sing the wife Happy Birthday, since Christmas songs with them via the computer screen, see their house in E Asia all decorated for Christmas.  What a blessing!

Anxiously awaiting the end of vegetarian year.  January 10th!

Christmas is upon us – in full swing.  This year I hurt for people who hurt.  God is showing me compassion on those people and I cry more than I ever did before.  I think of a man who just lost his wife to cancer – they have 8 children under 18.  I think of a couple who is far apart (in different countries) for the holidays because one is trying to bring their adopted children home.  I think of others who don’t know Christ or are so cynical during the holidays.

I have been applying the Gospel to my life and realizing I need it so much more than I thought I did.  And I am glad my E pours into me the truth of the Gospel – every day!

How do you teach your children about God.  here is a post about a popular breakfast cereal and the catechisms

Just Taylor with a post on how to become a better writer.  I always need skills!

This really excited me.  Thank you Lifeway!

My friend, Sharon Hodde Miller, writes on modesty.  Good post!  Thank you Sharon

I really want to make this Thai dressing salad.

15 Dec 2011

Early: Questions for New Year 2012

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As I was finishing up the Broken-Down House book by Paul Tripp, I loved these questions in the closing chapter.  I thought them very fitting for the end of the year, thinking about what is to come in the new year.  We love reflection, don’t we?  I was talking to a friend last night, also newly married, and talking about our expectations and if we really think that cooking dinner and cleaning the house will amount to anything.  Encouragement came even as I spoke the gospel to her. 

Here you go.  Reflect away:

“Let me urge you to take thirty seconds to examine the investments you are making now and the return they are likely to leave behind.  You can do that by considering the following questions: What have you poured your time and energy into today?

What have you invested in so far this week?

This month?

This year?

Where have your efforts gone, and what do you think will come of them?” (pg 206)

What are you doing that will benefit those you are with now and leave a legacy of Christ to come?

15 Dec 2011

Book Review: Broken-Down House (Paul Tripp)

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Paul Tripp is decidedly one of my favorite authors.  Tackling real-life issues and problems and matching them to the gospel – that is where he finds the rest and help that we need as sinners living in a fallen world.  His books are always “ouch” and “amen” to quote Voddie Baucham.

A friend, Bonnie, and I have been reading this book together this year.  It has been a little slower since I got married and she started dating, but now we are neighbors, so I’m hoping our book club continues.  We read a couple of chapters then come together and talk about it: how it applies to our lives, our relationships, and the ministries we are involved in.  Oh, Bonnie B, what will we read next?

PDT doesn’t mince words: he tells us we live in a fallen world full of sin.  But, even as believers, we need and have the remedy.  Jesus and the Gospel.

One of the perks to PDT books is you get just a hint of his poetry.  Such a winner. 

So, how do you live life in a fallen world?  How do you deal with issues in your life that are a result of sin (because sin damages the entire world, not just your life).  Death is in this world – that is a fact.  But, Jesus has overcome death and has brought us life.  We can live differently and with hope because we know this truth.

“At every point and every moment, your life is messier and more complicated than it really ought to be because everything is so much more difficult in such a terribly broken world.” (pg 17)

“Your Lord is the ultimate Restorer and He never rests.  He calls you and me to live in this broken-down house with hearts of patience and eyes of promise.  He calls us away from self-focused survival and to the hard work of restoration.  He calls us away from paralyzing discouragement and the nagging desire to quite.  He welcomes us to live in the patience and grace that only He can give.” (pg 21)

“There will be a war in your heart between what the Bible has to say about you and what you would like to think is true about you.” (pg 36). I often say to my husband, “my heart is ugly.”  He has asked me to quit saying that or at least finish the statement:  “but Jesus bought and paid for it anyway and is making it new.”

“Forgiveness, Christ’s gift to us, means that we can stand before God in all of our neediness, weakness, and moral failure and yet be utterly unafraid.  Sinful people can stand before a holy God because Jesus took the penalty for our sin on Himself and satisfied the Father’s anger.” (pg 45).  We talked about this at our breakfast table as we read in Is 53 part of the Advent story.  The mystery and wonder and astonishment that substitutionary atonement of Christ for us is.  Amazing.

“I am not to think of my life as separate from ministry, nor am I to think of ministry as separate from my life. I am to give myself to a way of living that views every dimension of human life as a forum for ministry.  I don’t live with a willingness to occasionally minister.  I am not open to ministry opportunities.  No, I commit myself to live with a ministry mentality where my actions, reactions, and responses are more shaped by a desire to be a part of what God is doing on earth than to fulfill my personal wants and needs.” (pg 94)  This should change our mindset as wives and see our home life (and taking care and loving our husbands) as ministry, and not see what we do as unimportant.  

“in calling us to wait, God is freeing us from the claustrophobic confines of our own little kingdoms of one and drawing us into a greater allegiance to His Kingdom of glory and grace.” (pg 117)

“Pursue community.  It can only happen when we are living in functional, biblical community with people who will again and again remind us of who we are.  I need people in my life who will lovingly hold the mirror of the Word of God in front of me so that I can see how deep my struggle with sin still is.  I need people who will confront my timidity and avoidance with the comforting, encouraging, embolderning realities of faith.” (pg 159).  Thankful for girl friends, pastor friends, and my husband who do this for me.

 

 

12 Dec 2011

Much and Link Love: December 12

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I hate having to leave the house before my husband.

I am very glad I am married to the baton-throwing, choir/orchestra director for Peace on Earth which was the FBC Durham Christmas musical last night.  He did a great job!  And he took today off!  PTL!

Two opportunities have been laid in my lap before February 21 – pray for me as I make the most of those opps!

Christmas is upon us.  Some people hate Christmas.  I don’t hate it.  I find the season to be a little stressful, but E has helped me out of some of that – and for that I am grateful.

Love this post on femininity posted by Tim Challies.

Will this gender-neutral zone ever happen in America?  What will you teach your children?

Um, I may make these this holiday season.  🙂

Do you like to send cards or invites or recipe cards or anything else you can have to write on the back?

10 Dec 2011

Book Review: This Momentary Marriage (John Piper)

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I own quite a few Piper books, and it is no secret that I like his writings.  However, this happens to be one of my favorites: very practical and pastoral.  I do believe it started out as a series of messages that were formed into a book – that’s why it seems very pastoral and shepherding in its style.

This Momentary Marriage stressed the theological foundations for the outworkings of the gospel in your marriage.  Although it touches on singleness and divorce and child-bearing and rearing – it sits on marriage and its base in the Word of the God for the majority of the book.

I really appreciated the chapter on singleness and wish that I had read it while I was single.  I can’t return (nor would I want to), but it is very encouraging and some words and hope I can share with other single ladies in my circle of friends and sphere of influence.

I have been struggling with some thoughts toward infertility and the universal command to procreate and fill the earth – and Pastor John’s chapter on child-bearing was quite helpful and hope-giving. 

One of the little blessings in this book: at the beginning of each chapter he posted a Dietrich Bonhoeffer quote from Letters and Papers from Prison – which were quite helpful.  I love his writings (though I am struggling through Bonhoeffer by Eric Metaxes just because it is such a weighty book and its on my Kindle).

Here are some helpful quotes and I hope they prove to be a blessing to you:

“Romance, sex, and child-bearing are temporary gifts of God.  They are not part of the next life.  And they are not guaranteed for this life.  They are one possible path along the narrow way to Paradise.  Marriage passed through breathtaking heights and through swamps with choking vapors.  It makes many things sweeter, and with it come bitter providences.” (pg 16-17)

“The ultimate thing to see in the Bible about marriage is that it exists for God’s glory.  Most foundationally, marriage is the doing of God.  Most ultimately, marriage is the display of God.  It is designed to display His glory in a way that no other event or institution does.” (pg 24).  Ask my husband, he knows this was the biggest fear of mine going into marriage: and it still is.  But, I see so much of the gospel offered to me by my husband that it is such a sweet detail and life-giving action to me. 

“Marriage was designed from the beginning to display the new covenant between Christ and the church.  The very essence of this new covenant is that Christ passes over the sins of His bride.  His bride is free from shame not because she is perfect but because she has no fear that her lover will condemn her or shame her because of her sin.” (pg 33-34) ** One of the most pivotal statements to me in this book – or any other marriage book – or book on the gospel or forgiveness.

“A Christian woman does not put her hope in her husband, or in getting a husband.  She does not put her hope in her looks or her intelligence or her creativity.  She puts her hope in the promises of God.” (pg 97)

“I am not sentimentalizing singleness to make the unmarried feel better.  I am declaring the temporary and secondary nature of marriage and family over against the eternal and primary nature of the church.  Marriage and family are temporary for this age; the church is forever.” (pg 111)

“Faith is the confidence we feel in all that God promises to be and do for us in all the tomorrows of our lives.” (pg 129).  As my pastor is preaching through Hebrews, and just got to chapter 11 – this is very helpful in my understanding. 

Picture taken by Erica Cooper during our engagement session with her.

8 Dec 2011

Holiday Gingerbread Biscotti

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I love making biscotti and this will be my go-to gingerbread biscotti recipe.  Love how simple it is and how delicious it tastes.  I made it for my MIL’s birthday dinner.  We enjoyed it with a french press.  There were definitely some for the next week as well.  I halved this recipe and that worked fine.  I got the recipe from Fine Cooking dot com.

10 oz. (2-1/4 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
2 tsp. ground ginger
1-1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. table salt
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. baking soda
4 oz. (1 cup) pecans, coarsely chopped
4 oz. (1/2 cup) lightly packed dried apricots, coarsely chopped (I omitted these, even though I had bought them for this reason, because I was running out of time)
1/4 cup molasses
2 large eggs
2 tsp. finely grated orange zest (from about 1 medium navel orange)
 
Combine dry.  Add in wet.  Layer on a cookie sheet, topped with parchment paper (to bake on), and flatten it out to about a 5×7 or 8×10 (depending on how flat you want them and if you are doing a half batch like me).   Bake at 350 for about 30-35 minutes.  Then remove from oven, cut into biscotti cookies and then place back in over for 10-20 minutes (depending on if you like crunchy or moist biscotti.  I left ours in for about 13 more minutes, because I like them more moist.  These had a great ginger flavor!  Perfect for the winter!