Summer and Winter and Springtime and Harvest

Spring. The very word elicits feelings of hope and newness. Spring means heat. It means grass and bare feet. Robins and worms. Buds and blossoms. Caterpillars and flies and sunlight and mud and open water and T-Shirts and laughter and ticks and sunburns and scratches and dandelions and dirty knees and fetch and baseball and freedom and the promise of Summer. Spring smells good.

Winter has its own charms - snowflakes and Christmas(!) and ice skating and hot cocoa and fireplaces and blankets.... It has its own purposes in the annual seasons. Important ones. Including, probably around the beginning of February, reminding us how nice Summer is. Winter is cold; Summer isn't. Winter keeps you shut inside; Summer calls you out. Winter doesn't have mosquitos; Summer's full of them. Winter would never give you heatstroke; Summer sometimes does. Pleasant, huh?

YES! It has its downsides, granted. I'll probably be complaining in a month. Which is one nice thing about seasons. If you get tired of one, it won't be too long until the next one. But for now...

Spring is amazing. There's something new every day. First it was the snow melting. Then the driveway becoming a mudhole. Then the Canada geese honking overhead on their way home. Then a little hole forming in the ice on the lake's edge. A few of the birds beginning their summer choruses again. Then a little warmth. Then it was two robins faithfully coming to confirm our suspicions. Two hours later, a group 50- or 60-strong of their red-breasted kin flocking into our property to guarantee them. Then the juncos returning. More warmth. Then tiny plants breaking free from the soil. Then the frogs beginning to sing.

Spring is returning. The reign of the sun.

Jesus will return, too. And the reign of the Son will be far more glorious than that of a bright burning orb. The sun's nice - I like it a lot. But in the new Kingdom, we won't even need it anymore. The Son will be our light.

Now that's a Spring worth looking forward to.

(Not) Sleeping Ginger - A Skit

This is a skit I wrote yesterday for my Bright Lights group's upcoming video conference on purity. It's not the finest piece of work in the world (and should have been written days ago), but I thought maybe you might want to see it. It's about two girls, Kate and Ginger, about...well, you'll see. :)

(NOT) SLEEPING GINGER

A girl (Ginger) is lying on a bed, a bouquet of flowers in her hand. She is on her stomach, her arm hanging off the bed so that the flowers almost touch the ground. She sighs loudly. Her friend (Kate) comes up.

Kate – Ginger! What’s wrong? Are you okay?

Ginger – (half-heartedly) Yeah. I’m fine.

Kate – W-what are you doing with those flowers?

Ginger flops onto her back

Ginger – Well, I’ve been going to this conference and they said that I should wait for the Lord.

Kate – With…flowers?

Ginger – They said I should wait, so I thought I’d wait. I went and grabbed some flowers from the dining room table and lay down on my bed, to wait for my prince. You know, like Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty.

Kate – Uh…I don’t think that’s really –

Ginger – I don’t know how they could stand it! I mean, lying there for years and years. I guess it helped that they were asleep, but, really.

Kate – I wouldn’t say that’s the way –

Ginger – Waiting is impossible. And it’s so boring lying here, with nothing to do. I keep trying to picture my prince – but that just makes it worse! And what if he never comes? Then I’ll be stuck on my bed for my whole life, with a bouquet of dust-petals.

Kate – Actually, Ginger, Miss Mally didn’t say anything about a bed or flowers. Waiting for the Lord is different that waiting for a prince to come and wake you up.

Ginger – And what if I never can fall asleep? Then he’ll really never come! Oh, I’m doomed! Doomed!

Ginger throws her arms over her eyes, sticking the flower bouquet into Kate’s face. Kate carefully pushes it away.

Kate – Ginger, do you have a Bible anywhere around?

Ginger – It’s over there.

Ginger points (without uncovering her eyes) to the Bible sitting on the stool nearby. Kate picks up the Bible and finds Romans 8:28 (doesn’t have to really find it – ‘Kate’ can either memorize it or have a piece of paper stuck somewhere in the Bible with the verse on it)

Kate – Ginger, do you know what Romans 8:28 says?

Ginger – No.

Kate clears her throat.

Kate – Verse twenty-eight: And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Ginger uncovers her eyes and shrugs.

Ginger – Well, I knew that.

Kate – Well, maybe in your head you do, but you don’t seem to be believing it right now.

Ginger – What do you mean? I believe God’s going to take care of me, no matter what happens in my life. He’ll help me through whatever comes my way.

Kate – Then how come you don’t trust him about your ‘prince?’

Ginger bites her lip.

Ginger – Weeellll…that’s different.

Kate – How so?

Ginger – Well, what if God doesn’t think I should have a prince? What if He wants me to live my whole life in misery, all alone? Like-like that lady on the Old Maid cards!

Kate laughs.

Kate – Actually, she doesn’t usually look all that miserable.

Ginger – Yeah, but I would be!

Kate - God doesn’t want you to be miserable, Ginger. He wants you to be happy – with Him, and the things that He gives to you. What He doesn’t want you to do is sit (or lie) around your whole life pining away after something He knows isn’t good for you just now. That will make you miserable.

Ginger – But what if God says I can’t ever get married?

Kate – I have an idea.

Kate pulls out a clipboard and a pen.

Kate – Okay. Tell me your criteria for your ‘perfect prince.’

Ginger’s face brightens, and she looks thoughtful.

Ginger – Well, first of all, he would have to be handsome. Very handsome.

Kate nods, and writes on her clipboard.

Ginger begins to look dreamy.

Ginger – He would have to be very kind. And like me, a lot. (Ginger grins and lifts her shoulders in glee) And he would have to like kids – that’s a must. It wouldn’t be very much fun to have a husband cranky for twenty-five years until your kids move out.

Kate chuckles.

Kate – Okay.

Ginger – He would have to always be honest, and be punctual, and not be sloppy. He would have to be willing to help me clean the dishes sometimes, and like reading. Especially Dickens. Do you think I’m being too choosy? What if there isn’t anybody like this?

Kate, smiling – Just keep going.

Ginger – Okay. He would have to like pink. And purple. Oh, and blue. And maybe yellow. Yeah, yellow, too. And pale green. He wouldn’t have to like dark green, like a forest green – just that pretty pale green color. (She pauses, thinking) It would be nice if he liked animals. If he had allergies, that would be bad, because I really like cats.

Kate – Anything else?

Ginger, after a moment – He would have to love God, and be a good worker. And patient. That’s about it. (She looks concerned) Oh, I’m too picky. I’ll never get married.

Kate finishes writing.

Kate – Actually, it’s good to be picky. Well, about some things. You could probably stand to take the colors off your list, but it’s important to set down your qualifications for a man early on, so that you aren’t just running after every cute guy you see.

Ginger – Do you think I will get married, ever?

Kate smiles.

Kate – I don’t know, but I do know that God wants what’s best for you. And maybe God does mean for you to get married. But He will do that in His timing, in His way. You don’t need to try to do it for Him. Or worry about it. Just wait for His plan. You said yourself that God will take care of you, no matter what. You just need to trust Him to do that. He will.

Ginger nods, soberly.

Ginger – All right. I’ll try to. But it’s going to be hard.

Kate – A lot of times, God’s way – the right way – is hard. But He doesn’t expect you to do it alone. He will help you stand for Him.

Ginger looks at her flowers.

Ginger – I guess I should go put these back.

Kate stands up and helps her friend out of bed.

Kate – There is one more thing I wanted to tell you. You know the list we made of what you wanted your husband to be like? Well, almost everything on your list – Jesus meets them. Like being kind, loving you, loving kids, being honest – every truly important, noble thing you wish for in a husband – you already have. In Jesus. Your true Prince.

Ginger lights up.

Ginger – Really?

The girls begin to walk off-stage.

Kate – Yeah, really. We can even find verses to back them up. Like here, in Mark 10. (Likely this whole line will not be completed by the time the girls exit the stage, out of hearing. But try to at least get to the word ‘verses’ when the girls can really hear it.

Take Heart In Suffering

He is good.

What a wearying day.

My Mom came back from the hospital Thursday night, with my new baby brother. Both doing well, but Daniel tested high for bilirubin levels when he was discharged, so he has to use a biliblanket, or a 'glow blanket,' (UV light) to help him get rid of all his extra bilirubin. He had a test again on Friday, which came back higher, which was not good news, not because it was really dangerous, but because he might have to be readmitted to the hospital to be under 'the lights' (does the same thing as his biliblanket) for a little while. That would mean Mom would have to go back with him, wouldn't be able to rest or relax very well, and all of us kids would be without them both again. So then we really tried to have him in the biliblanket pretty much 24/7, which also entails Mom being with him a lot (he's 'attached' to a machine, so she can't get up and come and sit downstairs) and feeding him a lot.

So now we're up to yesterday. Dad, Lyd, and Nat left at about eight fifteen in the morning. The older kids choir was singing with the adult choir and Dad was directing. Dad also is now less than two weeks away from Festival, and the stage wasn't in place (last week's snowstorm prevented them from starting last weekend), so that's why they left so early. I stayed home with Mom, two girls, and five boys.... Mom had to stay upstairs all day, so Essie and I had to mostly take care of the kids. I will admit the TV was on much of the day. :) Oh, and I'm also working on taming three kittens that our barn cat just brought home after raising them herself for over a month. Fun, fun.

The day went fairly well, despite my having a lot to do and realizing that I was getting sick. My throat had been scratchy in the morning, and then I felt it move a bit into my chest. By evening my nose was running, I was sneezing, and my throat was still a bit scratchy. Still, I was okay. But it was a full, tiring day.

We had corn dogs for dinner and then I put the kids to bed while Essie cleaned up downstairs. I was almost done with my day! Dad, Lyd, and Nat came home and I went to feed the kittens, who are in a small kennel in our porch. I was giving them bits of canned cat food when Dad came downstairs, saw that someone had left the light on in the porch, and flipped it off. I was now in the dark. I called after him, but he didn't figure out where I was in time, so I smiled wryly, stood up, turned around, walked toward the door, and rammed my shin into the cans of paint Dad had brought into the porch the night before to keep them from freezing. I regained my balance, staggered for the door, and collapsed onto the floor in the doorway, mostly-groaning, partly-laughing. Dad came and found me now, turned on the porch light and gasped. I had knocked over the gallon of primer, it had fallen to the ground, dented, opened, and now white primer was pooling on the floor.

At first I didn't really feel that bad about it. My leg hurt and I really was just sitting there, not really thinking too much. Then I saw my shoes, and my jeans. And yes, I'm a woman.

The shoes were relatively new - I got them about a month ago. With my own money. And I only had two pairs of my good jeans. Slowly I realized the shoes were ruined, and maybe my pants. I started to cry, quietly, feeling guilty for crying for my shoes. It wasn't long before I totally broke down.

So after all that had happened that day, I ruined a pair of shoes, possibly a pair of jeans and several towels, two floor mats, dented and spilled a third (or half) of a can of unused primer, banged my shin in two different places, got sick, and ended up crying really hard.

Ironically, yesterday morning I read an article by Paul Tripp on God's Surprises, which I found encouraging and a little difficult. Often I am scared of what those surprises might be. And yet, strangely, often even when I am in the middle of a surprise, it is okay. I can bear it. And often afterward it seems almost trivial. It still hurts. It still makes me want to sob. But I've got a breast to cave in to. And arms that lock around me, challenging evil to try and get me. He knows it hurts. And He loves me as dearly as His own Son. So it must be for my good.

In addition to all those bad-good things that happened that day, there have been several other good-good things and sort-of-bad-good things that also happened. 1) Daniel's Sat. test results came back slightly lower, so he doesn't have to be readmitted, and doesn't have to be tested again 'til Monday. 2) Two of my younger brothers were really concerned about me when I came upstairs crying after the spill, which was very touching. :) 3) Even though he was surely discouraged about having to clean up the primer, the first thing my Dad did was try to save my shoes. 4) I got to cry, which actually can be kind of nice if you've had a lot of stress lately, which I have. :) 5) I got to whimper to Jesus, which doesn't happen every day. 6) I ended up getting the shower I needed. 7) Lydia and Nat stayed home this morning, and I've been in bed while Lyd takes care of the kids. 8) I didn't break my leg, though it almost felt like it initially. I hardly even have a bruise. 9) The kittens do seem to be settling down a little. 10) I got sick now, and will hopefully be better by Wednesday or Thursday, as I'm in charge of Thanksgiving dinner. 11) I got something to blog about, which I had been wishing for.

I apologize if this is a long, hard-to-understand, and poorly written blog post. I'm quite exhausted. But...

He is still good.

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

Two Wonderful Verses

Philippians 4:13 ~

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

John 15:18-19 ~

"... If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. ..."

The Chronicles of Narnia

I have read or have listened to all of The Chronicles of Narnia before, but a few weeks ago a couple of my sibling started reading through them and I decided to read them over again. Oh, they're so good. I just finished The Last Battle this morning. I remember being a little scared or daunted by the book the first time I read it a few years ago, but I really, really enjoyed it this time. The first two-thirds of the book is sad, but the last couple of chapters completely make up for it! It's like having to go through a trial if you really want to enjoy the happiness afterward, for otherwise the liberation wouldn't feel so sweet. Actually - it's exactly like that!

If you haven't ever had the pleasure of reading The Chronicles of Narnia yourself, I highly commend it to you. And read them, not in the order he wrote them, but in the order they go -

The Magician's Nephew

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

The Horse and His Boy

Prince Caspian

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

The Silver Chair

The Last Battle

I hadn't done it that way before, but it is very nice to do them chronologically (pun half-intended) and I loved it.

And please vote on my poll to tell me which Narnian you would most like to know. :) Then comment and tell me which one you chose and why.

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

I love Extreme Makeover: Home Edition! The stories are always compelling and inspiring, and the houses are great! I like a lot of the team, although Ty is definitely my favorite. And I like Paul(y), and Tracy, and Paige.

My favorite part of the show is when the family comes home, and they're all really eager to see their house. Then they move the bus ("Bus driver, MOVE THAT BUS!") and the family is always astounded at their beautiful new home. Crying, laughing, screaming, jumping, hugging...to see their reactions is very special.

And then Ty says, "Do you want to see what's inside? [Blank] family, go check out your house!" and the whole family races up the sidewalk and goes excitedly through their new front door.

Alright, now this may sound weird, but a while ago I was watching EMHE and I thought about Jesus and how He has gone to prepare a place for us (John 14:2) He went to build the house for His people. An Extreme Makeover house ten thousand times better than any Ty and the team could ever design. So...when He comes back to bring us home, after this 'week' here on earth, will He perhaps say, "Do you want to see what's inside? God's family, go check out your house!"?

So now, whenever I see Ty showing the family their new house, I often think of Jesus and the house He went to prepare.

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” ~ John 14:1-7

Bump learns to clap!

Yes, it's a ridiculous nickname, but he doesn't seem to mind it. As a baby (and even now), 'Bufie' had a billion nicknames, so we thought he needed one, too. So 'The Bump' he became.

Bump started clapping this past week. He's getting quite good at it. :D I took this video yesterday. Isn't he CUTE???

Superbowl

My family and I watched the Superbowl this evening. There were several things that, other than the contagious game fever, touched/struck me. One was something that a player did after kicking an incomplete 50+ yard field goal. He lifted up his hands and pointed. He was giving the glory to God. I wish I could go back and watch to see if he had known he'd missed it yet. The commentator, I think, thought so, and I hope he did.

And that reminded me.... So often we groan when things don't go our way. We sigh, grumble, mope, yell, cry...probably more often that we should. But watching that field goal kicker miss the kick and praise God – that's what we should do. 'We're going to praise God when we win, and we're going to praise him when we lose.' (Facing the Giants, Sherwood Pictures 2006) Just because it doesn't work out our way doesn't mean God did something mean, unjust, or accidentally. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose – Romans 8:28 God always does what is best for His children, and He knows that often we will find it painful. It is painful. But that does not mean we get out of praising Him. How can we shut our mouths? He is doing this because He loves you, child! He loves you and He wants what is best for you. Will He give you any less?

Praise Him with me, then. He is good!

Christmas Cookies (Long Overdue)

In December, Katie and her mom and younger siblings came over to frost Christmas cookies with us a few days before we drove to Kansas for my Grandma's surprise 80th birthday (that may get its own post later). We had a lot of fun decorating them – although I wasn't all that creative. This is my super-cool Darth Vader head:

And this is my old woman who lost her right leg a very long time ago(we figured out how that happened, but at the moment the reason evades me – was it a car crash?):

You don't have to feel sorry for her – she's very used to it by this time.

This one did get a little more thought put into it. Can you guess who this might be?

It's Harrison Ford – can't you tell? Unfortunately he has green eyes, as we didn't have any blue sprinkles.

Here are some other pictures from the day. You can tell we enjoyed ourselves!

Extraordinary Measures

I just was wondering if anyone else (other than Katie ;) ) had heard about this movie. extraordinarymeasuresthemovie.com It comes out January 22nd and I'm really hoping to see it while it's still in theaters. It stars Brendan Fraser and Harrison Ford, both of whom I have seen in other movies and like a lot. I don't think I've seen Harrison Ford in anything other than Indiana Jones, so hopefully it'll be kind of cool seeing him in this. I've seen a couple of different previews for it, and it looks very sweet and tense and triumphant – a lot of what I like in a movie. I really, really hope it's as good as I'm hoping.