What shall be said of us?

I made a resolution one year ago to try to read the entire Bible by today.  I accomplished my goal in that I did attempt to read the entire Bible, though I hit a “dry spell” shortly after Nathan’s birth and skipped over many of the OT prophetical books.  My heart is full of thankfulness, however, because I’ve read more in the past year than I have since I graduated from college – not only more of the Bible, but more commentaries and nonfiction Christian books – and God has used my reading to stimulate my mind and my desire to know Him more fully.  “The man who never reads will never be read; he who never quotes will never be quoted. He who will not use the thoughts of other men’s brains proves he has no brains of his own” (Charles Spurgeon).

Lately I have been reading many of Elisabeth Elliot’s works.  Just this morning I began Shadow of the Almighty: The Life and Testament of Jim Elliot.  Jim’s writings reveal a man who passionately, sincerely - extraordinarily? - loved the Lord, and Elisabeth’s books are full of quotable passages.  Here is a selection from the preface that struck me:

“Those who want to know Him must walk the same path with Him. These are the “martyrs” in the Scriptural sense of the word, which mean simply “witnesses.”  In life, as well as in death, we are called to be “witnesses” – to “bear the stamp of Christ” [I John 2:3-6].  I believe that Jim Elliot was one of these.  His letters and journals are the tangible ground for my belief…That are a part of the human story, the story of a man in his relation to the Almighty…Was it [Jim’s life] extraordinary?  I offer these pages so that the reader may decide for himself.  If his answer is yes – if he finds herein the “stamp of Christ,” and decides that this is extraordinary – what shall we say of the state of Christendom?”

Indeed, what shall be said of us?

Uphill

Does the road wind up-hill all the way?
Yes, to the very end.
Will the day’s journey take the whole long day?
From morn to night, my friend.

But is there for the night a resting-place?
A roof for when the slow dark hours begin.
May not the darkness hide it from my face?
You cannot miss that inn.

Shall I meet other wayfarers at night?
Those who have gone before.
Then must I knock, or call when just in sight?
They will not keep you standing at that door.

Shall I find comfort, travel-sore and weak?
Of labor you shall find the sum.
Will there be beds for me and all who seek?
Yea, beds for all who come.

~ Christina Rossetti

Top '10

~ Top ’10 ~

Our 10 Most Memorable Quotes from 2010

10.       B.J.  (responding to the news that school had been called off again on account of snow):  “Staying home wouldn’t be that big of a deal if I could get out of my own driveway to get some parts so that I could actually work on something!  I’m running out of things to do around here!”

9.         Leah (after she and Sarah assisted one of our nannies with a traumatic delivery of twins):  “Now I can picture exactly what you meant when you said the kids would come out of an opening in their mom’s backside, Mom!  What I’m wondering is…how does that work with people?”

8.         Sarah’s Mom (on the telephone on the evening of the day that all of B.J.’s family had arrived to camp in our yard):  “There’s a storm coming – 70 mph winds and quarter-sized hail!  There’s a warning out about flash floods!  What are you going to do with all of your family and their tents?!”

7.         Leah (reflecting on one of her first days at school):  “I miss you at school.  Today at recess I just sat on the horse, ate my snack, and thought, ‘I wish Will was here to play with.’”

6.         Sarah (to Marie, who persists with a curious, rodent-like habit of pocketing food in her mouth, sometimes for hours at a time):  “Argh, Marie, what’s in your mouth?”  Marie: “I’m chewing it, Mommy!”  Sarah (five minutes later): “Marie, it’s chewed – we finished lunch an hour and a half ago!”  Marie (in a slightly higher key): “I’m chewing it, Mommy!” Sarah (five minutes later): Swallow it, Marie!”  Marie (frantically):  I’m chewing it, Mommy!”  (Spank!  Smack, smack…swallow) “It’s gone, Mommy!”

5.         Leah (quizzing Sarah after our first conference with her kindergarten teacher):  “Did Mrs. Van Den Top say anything else about me, Mom?”  Sarah:  “Well, I remember one more thing, the last thing that she said: ‘We love having Leah at school.’  What…why are you crying, Leah!?  I thought that would make you happy!”  Leah:  “I am happy, Mom!  I’m so happy that all my happiness is coming out crying!”

4.         Dr. J. (speaking to Sarah at Nathan’s 1-month post-partum check-up):  “I can tell you this, Sarah.  I know a lot of moms, and I’ve delivered thousands of babies.  Not once have I seen the Lord give a mother more children than what she could handle.  His grace is sufficient for you, too.”

3.         Sarah (addressing Leah and Willem):  “Someday, when you two have homes of your own…”  Willem (bottom lip out, starting to cry):  “Aww…shucks!  You mean we have to go away?!  I don’t ever want to leave you guys!”

2.         Sarah (to B.J., after watching our wedding and honeymoon videos on the evening of our 7^th wedding anniversary):  “One thing strikes me: how much more I love and appreciate you now compared to the day we were married.  I loved you then, but now I’m more aware of how God has blessed me by giving me you.”  B.J.:  “I know exactly what you mean - I feel the same way about you.”

1.         B.J.  (Sunday evening, July 25):  “It’s a boy, Sar!  It’s a boy!”

Another

            Yesterday was my beloved’s 29^th birthday.

            I was musing yesterday on the earthly-mindedness of we who are Christ’s followers.  How is that we have bought into the mentality (even if in jest) that one must claim his or her age to be perpetually 29?  Many outside Christ laud youth as the most glorious period of one’s life.  At the sign of the first gray hair, many high-light or low-light or dye their entire head.  Any physical sign that you are aging is something to be hidden.  Scripture, by contrast, extols aging.  2 Timothy 2:22: “Flee youthful lusts.”  I Corinthians 13:11: “When I became a man, I put away childish things.”  Proverbs 16:31: “The gray head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.”  Rarely does one’s hair turn gray all at once.  So also wisdom is attained one trial, one gray hair at a time.

            I read a simple analogy of marriage the other day: that of a triangle.  Husband and wife are points “A” and “B”; God is the apex.  As each spouse strives to glorify God and know Him more fully, they move nearer the apex, as it were, and at the same time they inevitably grow closer to each other as well.  What a beautiful illustration!

            That illustration reminds me of part of a sermon by Prof. Herman Hanko that my sister Sherry recommended to me some time ago.  In that sermon (I listened to it on-line) he quotes the prayer of one of his seminary professors at his wedding reception: “We thank Thee, O Heavenly Father, that these two who are now husband and wife are also brother and sister [in Christ].”  What a stunning figure, and a reminder that my relationship to my husband is only an earthly one, decreed and given to us by God to serve the eternal relationship we share.  What a privilege and joy to walk my pilgrim way with the man to whom I've been given!  I’m looking forward to attaining more gray hairs together.

            “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor.  For if they fall, the one will life up his fellow…and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.  (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)

Growth

     I was born 28 years ago today.

     My husband left me a love letter on the keyboard of the computer last night (I'm a creature of habit - lately it's been wake up, devotions, to the computer to write a response to what I've read, even if it's only a sentence - so he knew I'd find his letter there) and a birthday gift: a night out to Handel's Messiah in April!  Not only a wonderful gift, but four months to anticipate it as well!

     As I drove past the hospital where I was born this morning (Willem had a appointment at the dental clinic next door) - I couldn't help but muse over how little I've moved in the past 28 years.  The "world out there" is so grand and alluring to me, yet I live only 1/2 mile from the home where I grew up.  At one time, I had dreams of doing great things, but the life that I live is fairly commonplace and uneventful: I'm wife and mother, busy from day to day with mundane household chores and caring for children.

     That's to the outward eye, however.  In contrast, my eyes of faith can see great and grand things taking place inside of me.  Though I've not moved far physically, by God's grace, I see growth.  Growth from the spiritual baby that I once was.  Growth that comes through study and through prayer.  Day by sin-filled day, He teaches me contentment and increases my desire to glorify Him in the place in which He has put me with the gifts that He has given to me.  And today I'm another day closer to the day when I will reach full maturity, and go Home to enjoy Him forever.

     Now that's reason to celebrate!

Contentment

Father, I know that all my life
Is portioned out for me;
And the changes that are sure to come
I do not fear to see;
I ask Thee for a present mind,
Intent on pleasing Thee.

I ask Thee for a thoughtful love,
Through constant watching wise,
To meet the glad and joyful smiles,
And wipe the weeping eyes,
And a heart, at leisure from itself,
To soothe and sympathize.

I would not have the restless will
That hurries to and fro,
E’er seeking some great thing to do,
Or secret thing to know;
I would be treated as a child,
And guided where I go...

~ Amy Waring, 1850

My Life's Work

     One of my dreams when I was younger was to write a book, and so I was moved when I read this quotation today: it is my Motherhood in prose.

http://sarahssundries.blogspot.com/2010_04_01_archive.html

     "A talented woman was asked by a friend, 'Why have you never written a book?'
     'I am writing two,' was the quiet reply. 'I have been engaged on one for ten years, the other five.'
     'You surprise me!' the friend said. 'What profound works they must be!'
     'It doth not yet appear what they shall be,' said the woman, 'but when He makes up His jewels, my great ambition is to find them there.'
     'Your children?'
     'Yes, my two children. They are my life's work.'
     And so for Mother, we six were her life's work.  She asked for no other."

Elizabeth Elliot, excerpt from her book The Shaping of a Christian Family

Heart of Thankfulness

     I was listening to Bott Radio while driving home from Nathan's 4-month check-up on Friday, and I heard the following story:
     Bible commentator Matthew Henry was mugged one evening, and his wallet was stolen.  Later that night, as he reflected on the incident, Henry wrote in his diary four things for which he was thankful.

1.  This is the first time that I have been robbed.

2.  He took my wallet, not my life.

3.  Though all the money that I had was in that wallet,

it wasn't much.

[These three made me smile a little, but then, most profoundly:]

4.  By the grace of God, I am the one who was robbed,

and not the robber.

Two cute

Two cute aprons for the school auction.

Thanks to B.J.'s Mom for recommending this cute pattern,

and thanks to my Dad for quick snapping these photos!

Beware the Chickens

Leah & Willem's favorite fall diversion is gleaning the adjacent corn field for ears of corn that the combine harvester left behind.  Once they've each gathered half a 5-gallon bucket full or so, they spend hours - literally - shelling the ears by hand.

If they happen to desert their containers of corn for even a short time, their hours worth of work disappears - literally - for the chickens are on to this ploy.

When morning lights the eastern skies...

Took Four

Four stitches, that is.

Willem and I encounter all sorts of drama while Marie and Nathan nap.  This past Friday I was vacuuming Will's bedroom.  When I finished and walked into the kitchen, I saw Will crying on the couch.  "What's wrong, Will - why are you crying?" I asked.  When he lifted his head to look at me, I saw blood running down the side of his face!  Apparently he was "flying" two toys "really fast" when he slipped on the wood floor and hit B.J.'s dining chair with his head...hard.

Aw, shucks!

He tells me four stitches is a good number because he just turned four.  I said, "That's fine, but let's not repeat this when you turn five just so you can have five."

Meanwhile...

...Nathan is now 3 months old!

Dear Grammy

Thanks for coming to visit us!

We miss you!

Love,

Leah, Willem, Marie, & Nathan

(& our Mom & Dad)

Meet Bunny

     There's a new lady in our life.  We've named her Bunny.  She's a Nubian nanny.

     Regretfully, Bunny's arrival comes about as a result of Kiki's demise.  Willem and I discovered Kiki dead last week Wednesday, just after lunch.  Somehow between B.J.'s departure for school and that time, she managed to wedge her nose in her collar with her neck and suffocated to death, providing our children with another opportunity to observe death firsthand.  And it just so happened that Thursday was a beautiful day, so we were eating lunch outside when the rendering ruck arrived to pick up Kiki.  As Willem would say, "Shucks!"  It's difficult to have an animal in your care die, especially in such a strange and horrific way.  Plus, B.J. spent a lot of time training Kiki to be a good milker.  

But now we have Bunny...

...and who can resist those ears?

What a Hoot

We celebrated a birthday one week ago today...

"Look whoooo's 6!"

My Leah.

Take Four

When your subject is a four-year-old boy, take at least four.

Jumpers!

When this mama actually has time to finish a project

- and it turns out cute -

she takes a snapshot to celebrate!

Here's the link to the simple tutorial that I followed:

http://fromanigloo.blogspot.com/2010/04/bubblegum-jumper-tutorial.html

Seven...and counting...

B.J. and I celebrated our seventh wedding anniversary yesterday.  The day was fairly ordinary, but little tokens of appreciation and shared memories made it very special.

 We started the day as we usually do ~
tea and devotions at the table.

I sent a box of SweetTarts in B.J.'s lunch (we always used to share SweetTarts on our trips to and from MI ~ he loves them).
He sent me flowers.   

 He came home early enough to give all of the kids moped and motorcycle rides.  I picked up my sisters' TV and VCR so we could all enjoy our wedding and honeymoon videos (we haven't watched them since our first anniversary).

  So after supper we all settled down in the family room ~ our children were overcome with excitement; B.J. and I were overcome with memories.  We especially enjoyed seeing the faces of family and friends as they were ushered into the sanctuary prior to the ceremony and as they came through the line to congratulate us and laughing at our antics as we drove 520 miles through Alaska in one day.  

Three things struck me as we watched the footage of our ceremony, reception, and the beautiful Alaskan countryside.  First, we are all creatures of time.  Some of the faces we saw belong to those who have already gone to glory; the rest of us have aged.  Second, what a blessing it is surrounded by family and friends, to belong to Christ's bride.  Earlier in the day we had been helped by two friends from church ~ one watched our older children while Nathan and I were at the doctor, and another brought us a meal.  Then the video reminded us of the loving support of all our "witnesses" on our wedding day, support that we still feel today.  Third, I was struck by how much my appreciation of and love for my husband has grown since we were wed.  By the grace of God, this "thing" called marriage truly does get better with time.

"...Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof.  Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following.  For this God is our God forever and ever: He will be our guide even unto death."

Psalm 48:12-14 (our wedding text) 

All photos copyright Maurer Photography

Birthday Bash

     Well, not really, but having Grandpa & Grandma, Uncle Jerron and "the Aunties" over for grilled hamburgers this past Saturday was enough of a bash for Willem.  He turned 4 years old on Sunday.  What a fun day he had on Saturday, too - the weather was beautiful, and he and Leah spent a good part of the day at an auction with Daddy.

Will's gift was a train.

(Daddy had a lot of fun playing with it, too.  :)

And don't forget birthday cake!  Will's fascination with airplanes has decreased to the point that he didn't request and airplane cake again.  This year it was...

...a helicopter!

Meanwhile, I've been trying to capture Nathan's sweet smile on camera.  This is closest I've come thus far.

Friends

This worksheet warmed my heart.

The instructions read:

Draw a picture of your favorite pet on the left:
Leah drew a cat (no surprise there!).

Draw a picture of your friend on the right:
Leah drew Willem.

Chubba

Our (growing) Little Man

Labor Day Fun

After the annual Labor Day pancake breakfast, B.J. took us all to a railroad museum - what an interesting, well-kept place!  Too bad we only remembered to use the camera

while waiting for our tour...

     

Whose kids are these, anyway?  ;)

Covenant Children

Nathan was baptized this past Sunday.

He was baptized with his first cousin, Moriah, which made the day even more special.

Lo, children are a great reward,

A gift from God, in very truth.

With arrows is his quiver stored

Who joys in children of his youth.

And blessed the man whose age is cheered

By stalwart sons and daughters fair -

No enemies by him are feared,

No lack of love, no want of care.

Psalter 359:3&4

Summer's End, School's Beginning

Sunflowers!

"Sunflower, how I long to be like you!
Glorifying God in all I do.
Following the Son and His path of light..."
(Katherine R. Lane)

In the jungle...I mean, the garden.

Camping and play-dough - what fun!

Boys will be boys.

Kara, Marie and Kate.

Cupcakes...grrrr...

Birthday Dirt.

Thanks for the alligator, Caleb!

Can it be?!  Baby Girls is 2 years old!

Nathan's first smiles (and a giggle!) are for Daddy.

All ready for the first day of school.

Nathan, (almost) 1 month old.

"If you think I'm handsome, you should see my daddy."  ;-)