30 Jun 2015

Summer, Losing Weight, and Ice Cream

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I live in the south.  It is hot.  Actually this week it has been about 10 degrees cooler – so I’ll take it.

This summer I’m in the process of losing about 20 pounds leftover from being married and having kids.  But, when it is hot I still want ice cream.  Ice cream is an important dietary component in the summer (ok, really, anytime).

When I’m trying to count calories, the best way for me to go it an individual serving ice cream treat from Weight Watchers.  It helps me not eat an entire pint or quart of ice cream and it has less than 200 calories and it tastes pretty good.

So, thanks to Influenster I got to try out two free boxes – and have since been trying them.  It is a perfect cool treat at night when I want to splurge!

30 Jun 2015

How John Newton Changed my View on Grace

by | posted in: Books | 2

My Christ is sufficient

There are a lot of dead people who live on through their writings and teachings.  I’m so thankful for other people who study their lives and put together books that summarize their lives and their teachings on important truths of the Christian Life.  Crossway has been tackling a series that does this very thing, and Tony Reinke just released the book showcasing John Newton, former slave holder turned grace-filled Christian preacher.  (Thank you Crossway for this book in exchange for the review. Always a pleasure.)

The book is not primarily a biography, though I did learn a lot about Newton’s life that I didn’t know.  What more that Tony Reinke does is take a broad look at all of his writings, mostly found in letters to other people, and summarize to his readers what Newton believed and how he lived in light of that belief.

This was such an intriguing read to me because it was so applicable to my life as a mom and wife.  Some theology I find hard to incorporate into my daily life – but the grace of God – I need so much of it that I want it just to pour into my spirit.  As I read yesterday on an instagram photo – I want to empty my life of more stuff so that there is more room for Christ to overflow!

Anyway, I digress.  So, how did John Newton change my look at grace?  He (in a nutshell) said that Christ and grace were so intertwined that the two were pretty much inseparable.  And one day, a hot Sunday afternoon after a hard morning before church – one that my husband was working so he wouldn’t be home in the afternoon to help me play with them – I was so frazzled.  I wasn’t able to be in the service that morning either because I was serving in the preschool praise area.  When I got to my car there was a note scribbled on the back of our church’s bulletin.  Just a quick note from my husband (after we had recently talked about this Newton theme of grace).  It was so impactful that I still say it to myself now weeks later.

Here’s something to try.  In every verse or hymn…try replacing the word grace with Christ.

Amazing Christ, how sweet the sound.

Christ my fears relieved.

Christ will lead me home (all taken from Newton’s famous Amazing Grace hymn).

My Christ is sufficient for you

Christ, Christ, God’s Christ.

As Reinke pointed out sometimes grace is overused these days.  We refer to it as any show of kindness.  As “grace”filled Christians we should more tie our displays and life of grace to Christ rather than to just being nice.  When you show grace to a neighbor – let it be because Christ is compelling you – and share Christ with them.

For me, I need Christ to overflow into my parenting.  It isn’t a want – it is a necessity.

And that’s why I love saturating my mind with good, gospel-centered books.

29 Jun 2015

A Few of My Favorite Things

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Barn Again Design

Are you humming a certain song right now?

Here are some of my favorite things right now.

1.  Scripture.  Last week I had some good me time to sit in some cool places in Chattanooga and eat good food, take pretty pictures and read the Word.  God so shows up in His Word.  And having Scripture around my house always helps too because it helps me focus on it even if I can’t sit down and have a 2 hours quiet time every day.

2.  My Husband.  We’ve been married almost 4 years.  Good times, trying times.  I love sitting down on the couch with him.  Sometimes we just watch the West Wing or Chef’s Table.  Sometimes we eat an antipasti platter or have a bowl of ice cream.  Sometime we just talk about life and marriage and boys and foot rubs.  Sometimes we read a Tripp parenting book or watch a Tripp marriage video (I totally suggest his material for either parenting or marriage).

3.  Pretty things.  A friend brought me this blooming plant when she came for lunch a few weeks back.  Still pretty.  This print from Kristin Schmucker never leaves my side board in my dining room.  And I just received this tray from Barn Again Design after entering a contest from my friend Lara’s 40th birthday giveaway.  It came today in the mail and even though the post man rang the doorbell during nap time, he delivered a beautiful hand-crafted tray with reused barn wood.  It hasn’t been sanded down to perfection.  There are knots in the wood.  It is definitely self-distressed.  But, isn’t life sorta not-perfect.  And that’s how I like to live life in front of people.  Just for clarity: my hutch is never this cleaned off unless I’m taking pictures.  My husband would probably prefer I take pictures every day then.

4.  Books.  One of the things I love doing right now for blogging is book reviews.  We can’t afford books right now – they just aren’t in our tight budget, so I love getting them from publishers and reading them then putting them on here to introduce you to the goodness that is in books.

5.  Cookbooks.  My favorite is The Forest Feast book.  I could make everything in there.  Two salads are coming up this week as I try to restart my healthy eating after a trip to Chattanooga.

What are your favorite things and how do they help you get through a Monday?

27 Jun 2015

Raising Boys in a Post-Biblical Marriage Culture

by | posted in: marriage, mothering, parenting, Shepherding Children, World Events | 1

Raising Boys in the Post-Biblical Marriage Culture

It is no surprise to most people that the SCOTUS handed down a favorable win for same-sex marriage yesterday.  This doesn’t surprise me at all because we are not a theocracy nor are most of the people in government controlled by the Bible. In a way I don’t find fault with a non-Christian society to assume that all marriage should be allowed.

However, even though my family lives in America, we are more controlled by the God of the Bible and know that He is sovereign over all, Jesus is no longer in the tomb, and God even controls the government and the leaders and the decisions by His sovereign will.

That being said, I, as a parent to two little boys, have a God-given responsibility and grace to teach these little ones in my care (and my husband’s care) about a biblical view of marriage and how to be men of God.  So I’ve thought about it the last couple of days and here are some points that I will be instilling in their little souls and will pray that God captures their hearts at an early age, that they grow up to fight for Truth and freedom, and that they love God with all their hearts.

1.  God’s Word is the Truth.  There is no false teaching in the Bible.  Every word of it is true.  It is the final authority.  In our lives, it is the final authority now.  Unfortunately, those who don’t know Jesus don’t live under this truth.  They choose to disobey a loving God who has a great plan for their lives.  They will one day know that God is the only God and his truth is supreme.  2 Timothy 3.16-17

2.  God has called them to be men.  Men.  Men of truth, valor, and integrity.  Men who love their wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.  Men who will unite themselves to one woman for the rest of their lives and seek to live out the Gospel in their home.  Men who will lead, provide, and protect their wives and children.  Men who will fight for justice.  Men who will stand for truth. Ephesians 5

3.  God is Ruler over everything.  Many places throughout the Bible we see God the Father orchestrating the hands of government to do his will.  This decision of the SCOTUS does not surprise him one bit.  He is the Ruler and He knows all.  He has a great plan for His great fame in this country and the world. Psalm 97

4.  #lovewins is not about gay marriage.  Love won the day Jesus conquered the grave after he died for our sin. ! Corinthians 15

5.  Gospel applies to all.  When we encounter those who do not believe the truth of the Bible we have one response – to love them as Christ loved them and point them to their need for a Savior.  Romans 3

6.  They are sinners.  My boys need the Gospel. Their mommy and daddy need the gospel.  Just because we will teach them that gay marriage is wrong (against God’s final authority) doesn’t make us better.  We need Jesus. Romans 6-7

7.  Love truth.  I will teach them to love truth in every walk of life.  In playing with their friends, in learning about the Bible, in standing up for justice and truth in their school, in not shrinking back when lies prevail.  Psalm 119.9

It was a sad day.  But, I have a responsibility to my children to train them up in the fear and admonition of the Lord and will pray that they will know the Truth and the Truth will set them free.

27 Jun 2015

Teaching Children about the Ark

by | posted in: Books | 3

I love animals.  My boys love animals.  We got to the zoo several times per month.  We had pets growing up.  I’m all for the humane treatment of animals.

Noah’s ark is not primarily about animals.  Basically every children’s book or nursery theme I’ve ever seen about Noah is about the animals.  Even songs that we sang at church camp are about the animals.

The main point of the Biblical account of the story of Noah is how God punished sin and showed mercy to sinners by sheltering them in the ark from his wrath.  Yes, God commanded Noah and his family to bring in the animals.  That was another part of God’s mercy to His creation.

The story is about God’s kindness to sinners (Noah’s family) and his judgment on the world because of their sin.  It has about his promise to sinners by revealing to us a rainbow – to remind himself that he promised never to flood the earth again.  Its not primarily about the animals.

That being said, Tommy Nelson sent me a book, Noah’s Noisy Zoo, and the way the board book fits together is adorable.  You can make all sorts of animal noises with your toddlers as you read it to them.  But, parents – no matter old your children are, please do not end the story of Noah and the ark with the animals.

 

26 Jun 2015

XX Dinners (a review)

by | posted in: Books | 0

I love walking through antique malls.  Shelf after shelf, booth after booth of other peoples stuff (or junk, or prized possessions).  I went through one this week in Chattanooga, and some of the best stalls had shelves lined with cookbooks.

Cookbooks to me have to be more than good recipes.  I can find those online.  Cookbooks have to tell a story, have to link me to the food through more than just my tastebuds, and have to make me want to cook most of the recipes in the book.  XX Dinners by Schori and Taylor entices me with craftsman pictures, gorgeous photographs that make me want to eat (especially the tomato section), and instills in me a love of new food – simple food, staple food.

I love having folks for dinner.  Whether it is simply a bowl of soup and hot crusty bread, or an extravagant lasagna and a glass of wine – or just a bowl of ice cream – you can learn a lot about a person by sitting around a table with them.  And I’m thankful that my husband joins in this love with me – a love of sitting, talking, eating good food, and looking at people in the eyes and leaning into their lives.

What I like most about this cookbook: the photographs, the wine/cocktail pairings, the menu sets, and the little blurb at the end of the book: “They (the authors) believe that great meals are as much about the people you cook for and with as they are about the food.”

Yup.  Sip something and cook something.  Its that simple.

(Blogging for Books sent me this book in exchange for a review.  All opinions are my own.)

22 Jun 2015

Jesus Calling for Little Ones

by | posted in: Books, Shepherding Children | 2

Jesus Calling for Little Ones

Last night I had the privilege of hearing a seasoned missionary, husband, father, son, and leader speak about some of the most life-changing times in his life.  He mentioned that there was a period of time when he really questioned his ability to hear God – siting the Scripture “your sheep will know your voice” out of the book of John.  He went on to explain several times over a period of years that he took silent prayer retreats.  Each time never feeling like there was enough time – even two weeks worth.  At the end of that dark time, he came away with this thought – God is always speaking – but never more clearly through His Word (the Bible) – Psalm 19.

Over the past five years there has been one staple book always at the top of Christian books for women: Jesus Calling.  It has gotten rave reviews and some alarming reviews.  I do not agree with everything that Sarah Young says about her book – the presence of Jesus talking to her and then she passes that on to her readers.  But, I had the opportunity to review Jesus Calling for Little Ones thanks to Tommy Nelson Mommies.  I was hesitant, but wanted to check it out.  When we got it I love the board style book perfectly unrippable by little hands.  I loved the illustrations and the size of the book.  I took it to our Waffle House breakfast on Sunday morning before we head in to church.

She simply had a verse and then paraphrased it in her own way on the opposite page.  I would equate this book to a Message Bible for little kids.  Some of the posts on this book says that it is as if “Jesus is speaking right to little children.”  I don’t put this book anywhere near the authority level as that.  Except for the Scripture in it.  That is the infallible true word of God.  The paraphase, explanation, etc is just that – someone else’s thoughts on the verse.  It is prone to human error.  I wrote curriculum in my last ministry job before getting married.  The only part of the curriculum that was free from error was the Scripture.  I am not perfect – nor are my thought perfect.

So, if you want to hear the direct infallible perfect instructive voice of God – read the Bible.  If you want a board book for little ones that has Scripture, pretty pictures, and some nice thoughts for kids that they will understand, leave a comment on the blog or on social media.  Don’t confuse the two.  Only Scripture, not anything the book author says) is authoritative in your life, for your soul, and for your children’s soul.

20 Jun 2015

To Walk in Newness: A Response to Charleston

by | posted in: ethics, World Events | 1

Newness for Charleston

One of my favorite cities is under attack this week.  Not only the city – but more importantly a church filled with brothers and sisters in Christ – those who profess to know the Truth of the Gospel.  We’ve seen prayer vigils and heard stories and listened to news accounts.

While this event in no way surprises me, it does sadden me greatly.  It doesn’t surprise me because we live in a fallen world and sinners are just going to do what sinners do: sin.  At times that sin is so hideous that it makes the front page of every news station in America.  It shouldn’t surprise us because our country has never been free from racial tension and will never be free of racial tension.

It saddens me because all of us are broken people.  Every single person in this world is broken and is need of restoration.  Brokenness lies in the church and outside the church.  The best thing about this brokenness is that we can be pieced back together.

Scripture is so clear of our brokenness.  I’ve been studying the book of Nehemiah and the walls that he was called to rebuild were broken and in shambles.  So clearly evidenced in the lives of the people who lived there and the wall itself.  He was called to restore it.  Nehemiah showed the people how to restore.  Jesus is our physical and spiritual restorer.  He came to fix the broken.

Just as we’ve seen in Baltimore, in DC, in OK, in Charleston, and in schools and neighborhoods and stores and families all across this country every single day: race builds a wall – a shattered broken destroyed wall that shatters relationships and community and thriving.

As partakers of the Gospel we can share healing, restoration, and grace (aka CHRIST) with the broken who live near us.  I see this in so many ways as families I know personally adopt or foster children of different races.  This is such a picture of healing to me.  Of loving someone other than yourself.  Of being Jesus with skin on.

“Because of this decision we don’t evaluate

people by what they have or how they look.  We looked at the Messiah

that way once and got it all wrong, as you know.  We certainly don’t

look at him that way anymore.  Now we look inside, and what we see if that anyone

united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new.  The old life is gone; a new life burgeons!

All this comes from the God who settled the relationship

between us and him, and then called us to settle

our relationships with each other.  God put the world square with himself

through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins.

God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing.  We are Christ’s representatives.”

2 Corinthians 5

18 Jun 2015

Reading the Accidental Feminist

by | posted in: Books, Women | 0

The Accidental Feminist

Reading a book by someone you know is very different than reading a book by an author whom you have no personal connection with.  You read the book with an insight into the author, eyes from seeing the author in action, and know a little bit of her heart and stories that she displays in her book.

Thanks to Crossway for sending me Courtney Reissig’s new book, The Accidental Feminist,  and I have loved it and been so praying that the Lord would search my heart while reading this book.  I’ve known Courtney since moving to Louisville in 2007 when we both worked at SBTS, then our husbands were on staff at local churches in Little Rock for about 2 years.  I’ve seen her handle marriage and motherhood with more grace than most people I know. Grace is not saying she does it perfectly, but she understands her need for the Gospel and dishes out the Gospel with such poise.  That is also what comes through in this book.

I’ve taken to doing something my husband does when he reads books: he starts with the last chapter.  So, for this book, I read the first, then the last chapter, then went back to chapter 2.  I think doing that in some books gives the reader such a proper perspective.  She starts with what she aims to do – then in the last chapter declares our need for the Gospel to do any of what she just wrote – and the in the middle pointed us to what godly womanhood in today’s world looks like (in light of our culture and our need for a Savior).

What I think Courtney does better than most authors who are seeking to write a womanhood book – is she taps into whatever stage of life you are in.  I think its because she realizes two things: she has struggled with biblical womanhood and God’s ideal plan for it in singleness, marriage, and motherhood (and infertility and miscarriages), and also she knows that she is writing to a wide audience and many women in different stages need the truth of God’s word for their lives right now.

In every chapter she gives practical and theological and cultural implications for what biblical womanhood looks like.  She focuses in on relationships, church life, home life, work life, our relationship with our physical bodies,

I loved how she did end it.  Talking about restoration.  As Eve, the first woman, was called by her husband the mother of all living (before her kids were born), there is something restorative and life giving about being a woman.  This world needs so much restoration.  And ultimately we are not the ones that give restoration – but we, uniquely designed by God as women who bear his image, can bring life and restoration and healing to this world.

Court – thank you for your personal insights and your living out such a beautiful picture of grace to your boys, husband, church family, and readers.

17 Jun 2015

Cookbook Review: Infuse

by | posted in: Books | 0

I am a sucker for good cookbooks with great photography.  I usually use the internet, but give me a new cookbook, and I readily enjoy it while sitting down with a diet coke and a snack.

This one is definitely narrow in its field, but the dishes you can then make with its recipes is endless.  These are just basics that can be used for absolutely anything: paleo, whole30, deep fried, etc.  If you like to have a homemade cocktail or a bowl of popcorn or a fresh green salad – this book is your go to.  Just keep it open on your counter and mix away!  Or shake away!

Thankful for Blogging for Books so I can try new cookbooks.