Z- Zephaniah 3:17 Song

"The LORD your God is in your midst, 

a Mighty One who will save; 

He will rejoice over you with gladness; 

He will quiet you by His love; 

He will exult over you with loud singing."

 

Here's a LINK to the song.  

In this life there are times of tribulation

Hearts are filled with deep despair

Heartache and pain and troubles abound

Is there comfort anywhere?

In your times of trial

lift your eyes to the Father above

He alone is the answer

the source of peace and love

He will quiet you

He will quiet you

He will take delight in you

And quiet you with his love

His plans for you are perfect

And all his ways are best

He will give you rest

As He quiets you with his love

He longs to take you into his arms

And gently shelter you

Only he can calm the storms in your life

And give you peace anew

And he will rejoice

He will rejoice over you with singing

He will rejoice

He will rejoice over you with singing

The Creator of all will lift up His voice

And over your life

He will sing and rejoice

He will rejoice

He will rejoice

He will quiet you

He will quiet you

He will take delight in you

And quiet you with his love

His plans for you are perfect

And all his ways are best

He will give you rest

As He quiets you with his love

Come to him for rest

Let him quiet you with his love

His love

His love

His love

Y- Yearly Goals

I am very happy with the bullet journal page I created for my 2019 resolutions.  I am pleased with how well I'm doing this first four months.  Doing this post is perfect timing to revisit them.  I need to be a bit more diligent with the water only.  I have kept my resolution not to post on facebook and keep limits on it....and Netflix.  I have also been diligent to exercise 3-5 times a week.  I'm not seeing results as fast as I'd like but that's just one of those things.  Health is the goal.  I'm glad I re-read the listening goals.

I'm stopping this crazy temperature scarf project.  For one thing, I am so far behind it's ridiculous.  The other thing, I don't like it knitted.  There's not enough definition between the rows...which is important in a project like this one.  I am putting all the yarn away for another year.  I will restart it with crochet...someday.

X- X-mental floss

My original thought was to use this article from mental floss...40 Words That Start with X...to research and come up with an ideas for this x letter blog but honestly, I'm tired and my allergies are bad SO....it'll just be more interesting to link you to the article.

I wish I could remember these words when I'm playing scrabble.

W- Warp and Woof

Today is a reposting of a blog I wrote in 2012....

It's what came to mind when I got to W.

WARP AND WOOF

V- Video Share

So, today, if Youtube works properly....I'm going to share some favorite videos.

I love watching this group split and sing parts.  This is more of an instructional video.  Generally, he just uses hand signals to indicate what he wants them to sing!  Heaven's gonna be awesome ya'll..."Better is One Day in Your Courts than Thousands Elsewhere!!!"


I was shown the following video by a college student friend.  How it was captioned cracks.me.up!
BUNNIES CAN FLY...PROOF!


This one cracks me up.  If you don't appreciate sarcasm and satire...I'm sorry ahead of time.  We attend a church that is working hard with old and new styles...and we have encountered some of the issues brought up in this video.  I feel blessed that our pastors are careful about what we sing...and what we are learning and teaching in song.

U- Umbrella Quilt Idea

I've had an idea for an umbrella quilt for years now.  I should have bought fabric when umbrellas were popular.  Now it seems to be more llamas and cacti.  

Ooooo...llamas and cacti...wait, wait....focus, FOCUS!!!

I have big pieces and little pieces...

Very different in style...

I want to incorporate this paper-piecing.  I started this a long time ago because I wanted to learn English paper piecing...I decided to do rainbow colors to remind myself of God's promises.  It turned out being really difficult.  I'm not super pleased with the workmanship...which stalled the project out.  Maybe I'll make it the border of the umbrella quilt.  

It also irritates me that some of the stars spin one way and some spin the other...and I do NOT want to rip them apart to fix it.  Sigh...

T- Topped Off

I've been thinking a lot about something a friend said this week.  She said, "So often, I think I'll just "top off" me with God and call it good enough.  And that's really just so wrong.  I should be so full of God that there's no room for any of my selfish desires and pride."  Then, someone else in the discussion said her comment in reverse..."God "topped off" with me."  And the more I studied this week I realized how skewed all of us view this topic on most mundane days.    

We've been studying about Moses...and our discussion stemmed from a question regarding how the filling of the tabernacle with God's glory and presence affected Moses...and how we could apply that to our lives.  Well, Moses couldn't enter the tabernacle.  Which in a lot of ways surprised me...I mean, he just saw God pass and this is God's friend and the dude with the glowing and radiant face.  

But maybe, it wasn't about Moses anymore....it was a picture of what Jesus would do for all of us.  How He would pay for my sins and then the Holy Spirit would come...and tabernacle within us!  It has always been His desire to dwell with His people and for them to worship Him alone.

The truth is that when we are filled with the Spirit there is NO ROOM for our selfish desires.  It's not about me, or Moses, anymore.  It's all about worshipping God.  He is transcendent...way beyond our understanding.  But He is immanent...pleased to dwell near us, among us and to be our God.  

And then I thought, Wow...the Holy Spirit is the very presence of God, not merely a symbol of God.  He doesn't just hover over us in a cloud...He is with us...INDWELLING us!  At first, I was thinking I'd prefer a cloud to show me where to go...but God did not give me less...He gave more!  The Holy Spirit protects and guides me.  He helps me understand and obey what I read in God's Word.  

When God guides me it means there's a goal for the journey.  I start and stop and change my mind a thousand times (ask my husband!)  People disappoint me...and I disappoint them and myself.  God NEVER does!  He always finishes what He begins....and He will be faithful to complete the work of salvation in me and complete it!  (Phil 1:6)

Oh Lord, 

Thank you for your faithfulness.  Thank you for the Holy Spirit to help point me to repentance and to conform to the image of Christ.  Thank you for your protection and guidance.  Help me to daily focus on living in Christ alone.
Amen.

S- Seder Dinner Reflections

What is a Seder Dinner?  The Seder is generally a meal celebrated with family and friends around the time of Passover or Easter.  In Jewish homes, it is usually a huge feast with food, games for the kids and a time to retell the story of the exodus from Egypt.  There is a specific order to the service and meal that includes what is eaten and the order that the story is told.

There are differences in how the Seder is celebrated in the Jewish faith and the Christian faith.  My experiences are from the Christian point of view.  

I found these pictures of a Seder we did just with our little family many years ago now.  The kids were little and I remember that Emma took a giant bite of horseradish with her Haleel Sandwich.  She turned bright red and cried.  She still remembers that it represents sharing in Jesus' sufferings and the contrast of the Charoset to show the sweetness of Jesus' resurrection. 

Obviously, when Jewish and Christian traditions/teachings collide there are certainly big variances. Overall, we love the symbolism and chance to tie the Old and New Testaments together.  Generally, I make roasted lamb with a beautiful side salad.  The other elements are more symbolic than filling.  

We decided we wanted to do this annually when we were expected Emma and attended a church Seder led by a local Hebrew professor.  It was much more involved than the one we usually do as a family...but it was so rich with meaning.

I really love Ellen's post on Seder.  There are a few other good ones but hers is especially thorough and she helpfully shares NT references to tie things together.  

The Seder meal consists of:

• Birkat Ha’Ner – Lighting of the Candles
• Kaddesh – The Cup of Salvation (John 15:1-8) Grape juice since  we do not drink
• U-r’chatz – Washing of the hands (Exodus 30:18) Done  in our congregation by our teens
• Karpas – Rebirth & renewal (Psalms 126:5) Parsley or hyssop dipped in salt water
• Yachatz – Breaking of Bread (Luke 22:19) Unleavened bread (Matzoh)
• Maggid – The Cup of Deliverance (John 8:32) Grape juice
• Rachtzah – Second washing of hands & blessing of meal
• Motzi – Blessing for the bread (Luke 22:19)
• Matzah – Break, share, and eat the bread (1st Corinthians 11:23-24) The Communion bread
• Maror – Bitter Herbs (for us scallions) with Charoset (a mixture of nuts, fruits,and herbs) Represents the bitterness of life before Christ and the antidote (Christ)
• Korech –
  • The Haleel Sandwich. Represents Jesus’ sacrifice on Good Friday and His resurrection on Sunday.  You put horseradish on one end of a broken Matzah and Charoset on the other end. You eat as much of the horseradish as you can tolerate before eating the Charoset.  Note, it’s particularly fun to watch your son take a HUGE bit of the horseradish and turn purple during this part of the Seder.
  • Eating of the Egg.  A hard boiled egg (or deviled egg for some) represents the suffering and oppression in Egypt. Everything else in water softens but the egg gets harder, like the Israelites. It also symbolizes the new life we have in Christ.
  • Explanation of the shank bone (of a lamb). Reminds us that there was blood sacrificed to save our lives (Hebrews 9:22)
• Shulchan Orech – Eating the Lord’s Supper. For us, a communal potluck where everyone brings a dish to share.
• Tzafun – Earlier in the ceremony, part of the broken Matzah is hidden (the Afikoman).  At this time, the children search for the Afikoman. This symbolizes Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.  Those who find him have riches of everlasting life. It’s also the time when the children receive a ton of Easter candy and run around and play in our service.
• Barech – The Cup of Elijah (Luke 22:20) When Jesus drinks from the cup never drank from before. It is the new covenant that represents Jesus’ blood, that was shed for us.
• Hallel – The Cup of Joy (Revelations 19:9) Represents the marriage we look forward to in Heaven.
• Nirtzah – The Song of Praise (Revelations 21:3) All is accepted. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!

R- Redeeming the Time

"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 

redeeming the time, because the days are evil."

 Ephesians 5:15-16

This passage speaks mainly about the need to make use of every opportunity to share the gospel.  How we live and what we value does say something about us.  How we participate with Technology in particular can create opportunities or deter opportunities for meaningful relationships.

Our family has been trying to be very deliberate about the use of our time.  We are genuinely very busily involved with our church and community.  By now everyone with opposable thumbs realizes the time suck that is Technology.  

I have read a few great books on this lately.  12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You by Tony Reinke and  The Tech-wise Family by Andy Crouch.  I also enjoyed a Podcast Q& A with Tony Reinke.  All of these were great resources I would highly recommend and just plain good to think through.  

For our family, there is no screen time during the week, outside of school or work.  

We are charging devices downstairs in the kitchen charger station now.  This was a hard change but super helpful.  I actually got this idea from Crazy Busy by Kevin DeYoung.  He mentions how when we do not separate from technology it's like being in a room with millions of people who can poke you at any time.  I felt the truth of this heavily and really enjoy the freedom of being away.  

I will say that occasionally my husband and I  break this rule to read something on our kindle's...but it is still good accountability for us to have the rule.  It is so easy to seek comfort and numb out with stupid things in the evening instead of communicating and loving those around you.  It has definitely strengthened our marriage to talk to each other and not just stare into a screen.

We time the amount of time spent on devices even on weekends.  It's kind of taken the place that Saturday morning cartoons used to have in my childhood.  Our son loves his hour of time playing with DadE!  

I still love technology for long car rides...but I'm going to try to get back into reading aloud during car trips again.  We were talking the other day and the kids requested I bring back some of the car games I used to "make them" play too.  The specifically requested "Would you Rather?" and "I'm thinking of an animal."  I love that they are excited about it!  

We don't watch much TV.  I like it for noise if I'm alone during the day...but even that I've traded in for Podcasts lately.  We rarely Youtube because you can't control the ads...and some are scary/raunchy!  We occasionally watch an old show like Gilligan's Island or Green Acres on a busy evening...especially if Daddy's traveling and we need a distraction.

Q- Quilting Projects

I am working on an I- Spy quilt.  It has something like 160 different novelty prints in it.  I'm now attaching the gray strips.  It took me so long to get the fabrics collected cut and put together in twos that I've kinda of stalled out.  I'm hoping to get back into it when I go visit my Mom this summer.

 I saved this green fabric for years.  I decided to cut into it a few years ago, choosing a disappearing pinwheel pattern.  This is a lesson is always, always, always take notes on your projects.   I moved and this got boxed up and I have no idea what the measurements are for cutting the pinwheels into nine patches.  I think I will just have to make a dummy one out of some other fabric to figure it out.  I'm hoping to get back into this project too because I do love it and have all the large pinwheel squares sewn.

I do have a picnic quilt I'm binding off.  It is actually one of of my first projects.  I bought cheap, over-dyed fabric and it perforated and tore.  My Mom helped me repair it and even though it isn't the greatest workmanship I decided to finish it and take it on picnics.  

P- Pondering on Piper Prayer quote

“One of the great uses of Twitter and Facebook will be to prove at the Last Day that prayerlessness 

was not from lack of time. 

― John Piper

I find this quote above very convicting and heartbreaking.  I want to grow in prayerfulness this year and always.  I want to be a good example to my children and my friends.  I have found some helpful tools for praying this year.

My husband and I have always studied God's Word together and we pray throughout the day but it's never been first thing (mornings are so busy) and often it got crowded out.  We were challenged by an older couple we greatly respect to start reading and praying together each morning.  It has meant sacrifice.  I am now getting up at 5:30 AM (which often feels like death in case you're curious).  I'm having to be self disciplined in going to bed on time.  We've been using Prayermate to organize our prayer requests.  I really love this free app.  It adds in Scripture to pray and gives Open Door missions requests.  It shuffles up all the lists you make and gives you as many to flip through and pray for as you want each day.  We decided 8 was a good start and we alternate who starts, each praying for 4.

Sometimes we still pray before he leaves for work.  Me, traditionally standing on the first stair step to be tall enough to hug.  That time of prayer is more just about the two of us...especially if we have a busy or difficult day ahead.

I enjoy the Echo app for personal use but if you get to where you'd like share groups it does have a fee which is a bummer for me.  I'm cheap!  Same basic idea as Prayermate but without the extras.

The way I pray personally is via journal.  I will tell you that I'm a journal snob.  I love Leuchtturm!  All the colors and styles...the craftsmanship!  *Drool*  I find that writing out my prayers keeps me focus, which is half the battle for me.  It also helps me process better than I do verbally.  Often as I am writing out something I am already correcting or applying God's Word to that prayer.

"We may assent to the fact that we are dependent on Christ, But if our prayer life is meager or perfunctory we thereby deny it."  ~Jerry Bridges

O- Owl be loving you!

Some caffeinated randomness today around the owl theme!

I love owls.  I tend to think of them as dignified and wise animals.  This picture always cracks me up though.  It combines my love of coffee and owls.  Win win!

I've bought owls for my grandpa for years and years.  I'm not sure he wanted to collect owls but he does now.  There is an arts and crafts owl I made when I was little in his study.  It's a square of burlap with a half shell walnut glued to it.  I can't remember how the head was made...but it forms an owl.  I think it's sitting on a twig.  It's cute, and I love that he's saved it all these years.

When I was in high school I got to dissect an owl pellet.  It was fun and so interesting.  I deliberately chose a guy to be my lab partner.  I said something sweet like, "Look, I'm not interested in dating you or anything but I just want a good lab partner."  We ended up at the same college years later and I roomed with his future wife.  He enjoyed teasing me about the unflattering request I'd made for a good grade.  I just couldn't abide another dramatic female partner.  Too much squealing and no learning.  Ha!

I feel like I saw more owls in NY growing up than I do living in IN.  I remember learning that a group of crows in called a murder after I watched an owl murder.  My grandma told me that they gang up and fly after the owl and peck it to death.  She assumed it was because the owls ate their young or disturbed their nests.

Sometimes, I make owls out of scraps of clothing (pockets) for baby plushies with the quilts I make.  Owl be loving you...always!

N- Not sustainable schedule

Although I'm very happy I have taken this challenge I am also very aware that blogging every day is just NOT a sustainable schedule.

(To be perfectly honest, much of the time I have been writing ahead and post scheduling to accomplish posting each day.  I don't know if that's cheating, or disqualifies me, but there it is.)  

This has been a good exercise in thoughtfulness.  Thinking in 'blog'...looking at life with fresh interest.  I should probably regularly evaluate my whole life's schedule.  Does it contain enough margin.  If I am going to challenge myself in some area...how will I need to adjust other areas to accomplish that goal.

In future...after we all survive to Z...I will probably try to blog three times a week.  It will still allow me the cathartic exercise of writing and help me to organize my thoughts.

M-Marriage

Originally, I had thought to write about my own marriage and how it has changed over the years.  I thought I'd write about our challenges and how we're growing.  But, I decided sharing some of these articles that have helped us might be more beneficial.  I may write that blog someday...but not today.

Nine Words for Every Marriage-  I was wrong. I am sorry. Please forgive me.

Restore the Sweetness to Your Marriage- This article talks about our tendency to view our spouse as a partner of productivity.  Life is busy.  The author gives practical ways to slow down and restore the sweetness to marriage.

Life Her Chin with Love-  My husband appreciated this article.  It helped me articulate some of my insecurity so that he could be a better encourager to me.

Tips for Teaching Kids About Marriage-  "Children need to understand that marriage isn’t what we think it should be. Marriage is what God says it is."

L- Low Carb Llamas

I have recently begun collecting (and by this I mostly mean pins on Pinterest) ideas and pictures about Low Carb recipes and Llamas.

The low carb recipes search stems from a desire to be healthier and knowing that is one way that my body loses weight well.  It is also hard to think of new ideas so new recipes are welcome.  I struggle most with substituting what I call "vehicles" for the food.  For example, what will you use in place of bread you are subtracting?

And before anyone says anything, gluten free bread is awful.  It taste like sand was added.  If I want a sandy sandwich I'll take a picnic to the beach.  

So, I've found romaine lettuce leaves to be the easiest vehicle so far.  There are other recipes where I've substituted for noodles or rice.  I like spaghetti squash spaghetti and ground cauliflower "rice" Spanish rice.  I like to use the word Faux...makes it sounds fancier.

Faux Spanish Rice.  Faux Spaghetti.

The llamas search stems from having some stressful situations in my life and a friend who told me, and rightly so, to save my drama for my llama.  I've come across a myriad of other sayings that equally crack me up.  So, now when I'm tempted to give into the drama of life...I look at some llama pins and try to breathe deeply.

 

K- Kites

J- Journaling

I posted an article on Bullet Journaling aka Exhausting Inspiration years ago, regarding my qualms with the bullet journaling fad.  I still agree with many of the points I made in that article.  I want lists to be efficient more than I want them to be pretty.  I have to make sure making lists doesn't keep me from getting my priorities accomplished.  

So, around October of 2018 I decided I was going to create my own calendar.  I wasn't thrilled with any setups currently available and some ideas of lists that I'd pinned to Pinterest were intriguing to me.  So, here's a general update on what's going well and what's not!  

I love how cute these balloons turned out for birthdays (and anniversaries) that I will probably create something similar for next year.  (Yes, it's going well enough that I'm pretty sure I will do this next year too).  I haven't forgotten any birthdays so far this year.  

I liked the idea of this next one...but have found it is not realistic to have pages where you are going to need to check off on something daily unless it's already a part of your daily/weekly calendar.  I do have a weekly calendar section.  I'm not sharing any of those layouts cuz they contain too much personal info. (I've been trying a different type each month to narrow down which one I like best for next year).  SO, unless I can figure out how to make this kind of health challenge a part of the weekly layout I probably won't do it next year.

Again, I love this idea of daily, weekly, bi-weekly, etc. cleaning schedules.  It was good for me to think through them...but it is not practical to check these things off.  I quickly got behind (so did my housecleaning) and I am pretty much not using this neat list I took so long to create and draw out.

This one is truly "bondage," as my dear friend Diana would say.  I have loved the idea of doing a temperature scarf/blanket forever.  I decided to do it this year.  And honestly, because I started it I'm stubbornly going to FINISH it!  I may go crazy but I'm going to finish it.  I'm definitely NOT doing anything like this next year, though. (NOTE I'm almost a month behind in recording temperatures and two months behind in knitting them).

I also have one that looks like bookshelves...with color coding for books read, re read, and to read.  Being a rather eclectic reader I'm not open to sharing all of those books with you but I will say it's not a very efficient way to keep a list.  I guess, annually, it does give me a good accounting of what I'm reading.  It has kept me more accountable to all the books I already own and haven't read....and all the books I want to read that I should probably get out of the library because...see list of all that I already own.

Do you use a bullet journal or have favorite lists you use for every day life?  I'd love to hear all about it.  Please let me know!

I- In consideration of Inconsideration

Spring has finally come to Indiana...at least for this week.  The running joke around here is that if you don't like the weather just wait a day...it'll change.  So, it was beautiful when I got out of the gym yesterday...so I rolled my windows down and was enjoying the breeze, when suddenly, I almost choked to death as I came to a stoplight parallel to a driver adding their own smoky fog to the beautiful day.  Just like the joke above I was indignant at their inconsideration.  

And then, I began to ponder...in consideration of inconsideration.  My response when I am treated poorly...or even thoughtlessly...reveals my heart.  It shows that I think the other person is not considering or thinking about me...and exactly how much I matter to myself.

Do I glare at the person...or see them as an image bearer of my Jesus?
Gen. 1:26 Then God said, "Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

Am I selfish about my time...or do I stop to consider them and their unknown struggles?
Phil. 2:3-4 "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."

Do I care more about my comfort and ease...or do I care about the opportunity to demonstrate the fruit of the spirit?

Please don't read that I am never annoyed or irritated with the people around me...Boy, is that not true.  But, I do recognize that I am called to love like Jesus.  I hope will consider these things too.  So often, I think the roots of bitterness are fertilized in the soil of thoughtless comments, offended feelings and inconsideration of our rights.