Late Night Laundry Musings

As I was folding my laundry at 10pm last night, I began thinking about the women of yesteryear. I didn't determine a specific time frame in my reflection, which I know would alter the details of my thoughts, but I hope you can forgive the generalization. I thought about the women who had to sew their family's clothes, mend them by hand, and scrub them clean when they got dirty. I thought about the hours of hard work they put into each item of clothing: scrubbing, wringing, hanging to dry, collecting, folding, mending. Some of them had to make their own soap, perhaps even out of the fat of an animal they had cleaned, prepared, salted, dried, or cooked.

A Praying Life

(Our Guest Blogger today is our sister, Katharine! She is between Maude and Lizzi in the family line-up. Katharine and her husband live in Minnesota.)

I've always loved the idea of being able to talk to God. The ironic thing is that I have, at times, struggled with doing so. I've read books, heard sermons and talked to people about prayer which has both encouraged and discouraged me. I suppose the reason it has discouraged me is because I've been told to follow a certain formula and then I'll follow it for awhile but don't stay motivated to continue to pray in that specific, formulaic way. Honestly, I just want to TALK to the Lord - like I would anyone I have a relationship with (while still giving Him the reverence and fear He deserves). I recently starting reading a book called 'The Praying Life' by Paul Miller (it was a Kindle sale that Tim Challies mentioned!). It has greatly encouraged me that it's not wrong or bad to talk to God like I would my spouse, friend or sibling.

Sisters chat: Fall is in the air

   Esther: Well Fall is here!

and I thought that would be a great topic for tonights chat!

My first question is, What is your  favorite thing about Fall?

 Maude:  Awesome, my favourite season!

 Esther:  Mine too!

well... I can never really decide between it and Spring

 Maude:  I just love the temperature dropping

 Lizzi:  Apple cider!

 Maude:  Football games

 Lizzi:  And I always want to go to a high school football game... even though I never do!

 Esther:  in Spring I think Spring is and In Autumn I think Autumn is

I have been wanting to go to a Football game too!

 Lizzi:  There's just something about Fall... you just want to go to a game! 

I love the bands too! 

    Esther:  Yes! I love it all! 
  Lizzi: Those candies that mom always got in the Fall growing up.   But I LOVE all pumpkin baked goods!!Alright ladies, what is the first thing that comes to your mind when I say "pumpkin"?       

 Maude:  Jack-o-lanterns

   Maude:  Apple dumplings and apple crisp

The West Wing

I recently saw a clip from "The West Wing" that showed Christians in a very poor light.  I have never watched this television show (I actually haven't watched television for over a decade!) so I cannot speak to the entire series.  However, this one episode was infuriating to me!

The "President" (Martin Sheen) was talking to a room of media leaders during the final hours of his re-election campaign (from what I could gather from the single scene I saw) and he singled out a woman who was a Christian radio talk show host.  He interupted his speech to single her out and confront her on what he thought was a discrepancy in Christian belief.  Because the Old Testament says that homosexuality is illegal and it also says that what we consider minor infractions (or just weird requirements) should have fatal consequences - the character was insinuating that this Christian radio talk show host was an ignorant, backward, disrespectful, judgemental miscreant.  I won't speak about how poor it showed on his character that the most powerful man in the world would roast a young woman in front of a room of her colleagues and competitors.  Or that Stockard Channing plays a First Lady (I just can't quite imagine that!!!)  Let's just stick with the issue of import: He thought that ancient Jewish law somehow proved Christianity to be in error.

I wondered how many real people have those same misconceptions about Christianity?

Soup Season

It is soup season, which makes me happy.  I love soups. I think I could happily have soup for every meal, in fact, I just about did that today.  I had muesli for breakfast and drowned it in coconut milk (kind of like soup, right?)  I made a big batch of chili and had that for lunch (I always cook in big batches. Habit of being from a big family). For dinner I was planning on just having leftovers but I have been craving grilled cheese and tomato soup something bad, so I decided to make some tomato soup from scratch. I have done this before and always prefer it to the store bought kind.  Today, however, I did not have some semi-necessary ingredients and was not up for going to the grocery (ever have those days when you are already in your comfy clothes and the thought of running out one more time sounds just dreadful? Well, I was having one of those days...) I decided to just wing it with the tomato soup.  This is what I did:

What I Have Learned as a Mother of Two

I have not been a mother of two children for very long. My youngest son is only 8 1/2 months old. I know that does not qualify me for very much in the wisdom department, but I have learned a few things. Perhaps I should call them "light bulb lessons" so that they are not mistaken for wisdom that I certainly lack. It is pretty amazing how much you can learn in such a short amount of time. Children are wonderful teachers. Mostly, I guess I have learned that what I thought I knew for my first son, wasn't necessarily going to work for my second. Do you think God is trying to tell me that He is the only One who knows everything? Anyway, here is my short list, for whatever it's worth:

1. It doesn't matter if breastfeeding was a success with your first child. You will still need to "re-learn" it with your second. (I wasn't at all worried about this since my oldest was a great nurser. I didn't realize that it had been awhile since I'd nursed a newborn and it is much more difficult since they don't know what they're doing!)
2. Some children don't sleep-train as well as others, and sometimes circumstances affect your ability to do it well. (We are living in a duplex right now, which means we have to be more sensitive to our neighbors' need for sleep, and my second son doesn't sleep as easily as his big brother. These two issues combined have kind-of thrown my expert books out the window.)

Memory Monday- A Vespers Moment

Growing up, every Summer we went to Seneca Lake Baptist Assembly in Senecaville, Ohio, for a week at Family Camp. Every evening after dinner, the campers would gather on Vesper Hill for a time of prayer, testimonies, and singing. The gathering time on Vesper Hill was always one of the most memorable of the entire week. We would often close by singing, 'I Love You, Lord' and to this day whenever I sing it I think of the life-changing, beautiful moments from Family Week.

I love you, Lord

And I lift my voice to worship you

Oh, my soul, rejoice

Take joy, my King, in what you hear

May it be a sweet, sweet sound

In your ear

(Words and music by Laurie Klein)

(Photo taken from the Seneca Lake Baptist Assembly page on Facebook)

Sisters Chat (BOOKS, Part Two)

Lizzi: Today I want us to continue talking about books. Ready?

Maude:  Ready

Lizzi: First question: Are you in the midst of reading something right now? If so, what?

Maude: Oh dear - it isn't something I would recommend though... Should I still say it?

Lizzi:  Haha! Yeah, just give the disclaimer

Esther: Maude, what are you reading?!

Lizzi: I know! We're all in suspense!

Maude: I am currently reading a paranormal romance by Shana Abe. It is about people who turn into dragons during the regency area (think Jane Austen). I really LOVE the idea of combining paranormal and historical romances but this one is a little more risque than I like. That is the only reason I wouldn't recommend it.

Esther: I am reading way too many books right now... ahh!

Maude: The reason I started reading it is to broaden my romance horizons since I've just started writing in that genre I need to read more different type of romance novels

Lizzi: So kind of a homework assignment?

Maude: Exactly, Liz. But I am a "sweet" level reader not a "spicy" or "sensual" reader or writer.

Esther: I am reading "Give them Grace" by Elyse Fitzpatrick and Jessica Thompson, which I highly recommend. It is a wonderful book on being gracious with your children. Also, I am doing a book study with some ladies and we are reading "Lies Women Believe" by Nancy Leigh DeMoss.

Maude: I LOVE "Lies Women Believe"! I always recommend that as a study!!

Lizzi: Ooh. I may have to check out "Give them Grace"! I am always looking for helpful parenting books. I am reading 'Shepherding a Child's Heart" right now, by Tedd Tripp.

Christian Conference

I just got home from spending a week in Germany.  I attended a conference for Christian filmmakers in Europe (and other parts of the world).  It was a wonderful week of business, faith and encouragement.

The fact that was most impressed on me was the varied beliefs that the groups held while still holding the common goal of using film to reach the world for Christ.  I, personally, disagreed with most of the other Christians there on one view or another (European Christians tend to be much more liberal than many American Christians) but that didn't matter.  We were united under something far more important than theology - we were united by our love for Christ.

another birthday apart

We have been married for two years and a couple for over four years. You have grown four years older and still, we have not spent one of your birthday's together. This year is no different.  I have been doing some calculating and it would seem we have spent about 15 months of our four years of being a couple together (give or take a little). We once lived with a country between us and now we sit with the world between us.