No Strings Attached

Two year olds are well known for their outbursts and tantrums, but they're also among the most loving little creatures on the face of the planet (besides puppies and kittens, of course). Recently, my husband and I experienced a hilarious and heartwarming scenario involving one of these precious "terrible twos."

During a Christmas concert at a local university, a cherub-faced two-year-old girl decided that the stranger sitting in the row in front of her needed some love. In a spontaneous moment of unspeakable joy, she leaned up, grabbed the man around the neck with both of her chubby arms, and pressed her face against his. For at least 20 seconds. Maybe that doesn't sound like a long time, but count slowly to 20 and imagine yourself as the recipient of this hug. It will either bring a smile or a grimace to your face. Either way, this 20 second bear hug was one of the sweetest expressions of pure, innocent love I've seen in a very long time.

That hug got me thinking. What if I treated strangers in the same way? I'd probably be locked up for a very long time. But metaphorically speaking... what if I treated those I meet every day with the same enthusiastic, no-strings-attached love? What if every Christian did the same? Needless to say, the world would be a very different place. "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:34-35

Father, help me to love others this Christmas season, not with strings attached, but with the same love You show to Your children. Thank you for the most indescribable gift of all time -- Your amazing love, wrapped in swaddling clothes, sent to a world in desperate need of You.

Overflowing!

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6-7

It was one of those days. The dog threw up his entire meal on the floor. The laundry pile seemed like it had multiplied tenfold overnight. My middle daughter had a terrible cold and cough, and I was feeling like I might be next in line. In the midst of all the chaos, these words from Colossians came to mind: “overflowing with thankfulness.”

The only thing I was overflowing with was a bunch of complaints and groans.
 
When everything is going my way, it’s easy to be thankful. When the dog is behaving (not barfing!), the laundry is folded and put away, and the kids are healthy and happy, counting my blessings comes naturally. But the true test of my heart is what happens when things fall apart. Do I criticize my spouse, complain about getting a raw deal, and moan and groan that things aren’t fair?  

I want to live in a constant state of thanksgiving. Not just during November, but all year round. In every circumstance. Even when I’m cleaning up after the dog. But how?

The key, says Colossians 2:6-7, is living my life in Christ, rooted and built up in Him. If I’m living my life in my own strength, thankfulness will be in short supply. But when my foundation and strength is found in Christ, I can be filled to the brim and overflowing with thankfulness!

Father, I am blessed beyond measure because of You. Help me to live in a constant state of thanksgiving, not just during this season, but in every season of life. You are the Giver of all good things, and I long to overflow with thankfulness!

Back in Time



I have a confession to make. Sometimes I dream of traveling back in time to an era where life was simpler, material possessions were few, and faith and family were cherished by society. Can you imagine? No internet, no phones, no television... Just a few good books, a roaring fire, and the company of close friends and family.

Don't get me wrong. I enjoy my laptop, iPhone, coffee maker, and microwave just as much as the next girl. But sometimes, I just wonder what life must have been like.

This weekend my kids and I, along with some close friends, got a small taste of that simple life at the amazing Parke County Covered Bridge Festival. As we walked through the beautiful covered bridges, we traveled back in time for a minute or two, taking in the same sights, sounds, and smells that travelers did in the 1800s.

West Union Bridge, built in 1876 over Sugar Creek

Along the way to West Union Bridge, we stumbled upon a pioneer cemetery. Some of the stones dated back to Civil War and even pre-Civil War times. The writing was not even readable on many, worn by time and weather. Most likely, some of the men buried here helped build the earliest of the sturdy bridges in this county, proud of their craftsmanship and labor of love. Did they know their bridges would stand the test of time 100 to 150 years later?

Reading the inscriptions on the stones, I imagined what life must have been like for these Indiana pioneers. Some of them were young mothers, some soldiers, others children. They walked or rode in wagons over the bridges in the county, laughing, dreaming, and living the simple life. A poignant reminder to savor each moment, to enjoy the immense blessings of life while it is still ours to live, and to remember that each day is given to us by the One who knows us by name and holds the past, present, and future in His hands.

Perfect Fall Breakfast Treat

We are usually a no-frills breakfast family -- cereal, toast, bagels, and the occasional slice of cold pizza are the norm around our house. Since I've become a Pinterest fan, however, visions of muffins, coffee cakes, and French toast have been dancing in my head. So I decided to break out of the boring breakfast mold and try something new.

Score! This recipe was a hit. My guinea pigs kids gobbled it up like they hadn't eaten in days! Next time I will make a double batch, for sure.

As my daughter pointed out, this would make a great Thanksgiving Day breakfast. But I don't think I'll be able to wait until Thanksgiving to try it again!

Here's the recipe from Kevin at Closet Cooking (the great photo above is his, too):

Pumpkin Pie French Toast
(Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup pumpkin puree/canned pumpkin
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons brown sugar
8 slices of bread

Directions:
1. Mix the eggs, milk, pumpkin puree, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and brown sugar in low flat bowl for easy dipping.
2. Dip the bread into the egg mixture on both sides and grill in a pan until lightly golden brown, about 2-3 minute per side.
3. Serve with maple syrup. Enjoy!

A Little Pinspiration

Oh. My. Goodness. Move over Facebook and Twitter. I've just discovered a website I absolutely love! It's called Pinterest, and it's a stroke of pure genius! A "virtual pinboard" for all the cool stuff you find online that you'd like to try. No more bookmarking sites only to find a jumbled mess of links that you can't identify.

Pinterest offers a colorful, organized solution to bookmarking sites. After you set up your account, you create "boards" where you "pin" and collect all of your favorite ideas. Recipes, decorating ideas, organizing tips, book suggestions -- you name it, you can pin it on Pinterest. Did I mention the word, "genius"? Oh, yeah, I think I did. :-)

Check out these great ideas I found on Pinterest for the fall season, and then go find some Pinspiration yourself! You're gonna love it -- just don't blame me if you get addicted!  (Oh, and after you've signed on to Pinterest, feel free to follow me -- you can click on the little red button in the right sidebar of this blog.)

Source: closetcooking.com via Julie on Pinterest

Source: loveveggiesandyoga.com via Julie on Pinterest

Source: lifeasathrifter.blogspot.com via Julie on Pinterest

Source: sn138w.snt138.mail.live.com via Julie on Pinterest

Source: myheartsdesireblog.com via Julie on Pinterest

Feeling Spiritually Barren?

"Sing, O barren." Isaiah 54:1

Sunday morning arrived way too early. After an eventful Saturday, a few more minutes (or hours!) of sleep would have been welcome. But, as usual, God knew exactly what I needed to hear at exactly the right time.

When we arrived at church a few minutes before starting time, a copy of a devotional from Charles Spurgeon's Morning and Evening was placed in our hands at the door. Normally, the call to worship is a Scripture passage, but this day was different. As we read along with our worship leader, it was as if God was speaking directly to me.

Although penned in the mid-1800s, Spurgeon's words wafted timelessly through the church to my soul. Disappointment and spiritual apathy had been plaguing me for a few weeks (maybe months), and this message from heaven was like an arrow piercing the depths of my heart.  

If you're feeling spiritually barren today, read the following words as a love letter from God to you:

Though we have brought forth some fruit unto Christ, and have a joyful hope that we are "plants of His own right hand planting," yet there are times when we feel very barren. Prayer is lifeless, love is cold, faith is weak, each grace in the garden of our heart languishes and droops. We are like flowers in the hot sun, requiring the refreshing shower. In such a condition what are we to do? The text is addressed to us in just such a state. "Sing, O barren, break forth and cry aloud." But what can I sing about? I cannot talk about the present, and even the past looks full of barrenness. Ah! I can sing of Jesus Christ. I can talk of visits which the Redeemer has aforetimes paid to me; or if not of these, I can magnify the great love wherewith He loved His people when He came from the heights of heaven for their redemption. I will go to the cross again. Come, my soul, heavy laden thou wast once, and thou didst lose thy burden there. Go to Calvary again. Perhaps that very cross which gave thee life may give thee fruitfulness. What is my barrenness? It is the platform for His fruit-creating power. What is my desolation? It is the black setting for the sapphire of His everlasting love. I will go in poverty, I will go in helplessness, I will go in all my shame and backsliding, I will tell Him that I am still His child, and in confidence in His faithful heart, even I, the barren one, will sing and cry aloud.

Sing, believer, for it will cheer thine own heart, and the hearts of other desolate ones. Sing on, for now that thou art really ashamed of being barren, thou wilt be fruitful soon; now that God makes thee loath to be without fruit He will soon cover thee with clusters. The experience of our barrenness is painful, but the Lord's visitations are delightful. A sense of our own poverty drives us to Christ, and that is where we need to be, for in Him is our fruit found.

Summer Bucket List

"I pray that the life of this spring and summer may ever lie fair in my memory." Thoreau

I'm afraid I have some bad news. Summer is fading fast. Pool toys and picnic basket displays have been replaced with back-to-school supplies and Halloween decorations, nights are getting shorter, and temperatures are getting cooler (at least this week). But wait! I still have so many things to check off my "Summer Bucket List" before we start school! This is the time of year when I long to have a PAUSE or REWIND button for life. Wouldn't that be handy?

At the beginning of the summer, I decided to make a Summer Bucket List. The list was full of things I wanted to do last summer and never got around to doing. And while 11 items on my list sit patiently waiting, at least 5 of the activities sport nice, fat check marks! Of course, summer isn't OFFICIALLY over until September 22, so there's plenty of time to chip away at the list, right? Yeah, we’ll see about that!

Here are the five Summer Bucket List items we completed:

#1 Trip to the Ocean

Ahhhh, Cocoa Beach! Nothing quite compares to the beauty of God’s creation and the expanse of the clear blue ocean blending into an endless azure sky. One of my favorite sights in the universe!

#2 Sea World

After two days at this amazing theme park, our family decided it was part zoo, part dolphin/whale/aquatic animal show, part acrobatic spectacle, part amusement park, and part musical concert. We love Sea World! We were dazzled and amazed by the dolphins, whales, manta rays, polar bears, penguins, sea turtles, manatees, sharks, sea lions, walruses, otters, and more. Plus, we learned so much about the animals that live in the park. Educational AND fun equals a gold star in this homeschool mom’s book!  

#3 Ivanhoes

Ahhh, Ivanhoes! I've been wanting to visit this ice-cream-shop-turned-legend for some time now, and finally did so in early August. What an amazing place! The menu boasts 100 different sundaes and 100 different shakes in mini, regular and super sizes. (A mini was the perfect size for me, and was FAR from "mini," in my opinion).

I had the #80, Rocky Road, which the menu describes as "hand-dipped chocolate ice cream, mini marshmallows, pecans, hot fudge, whipped topping and a maraschino cherry." My one-word description: "heavenly"! One daughter opted for #93, Toffee Coffee, which consisted of crushed Heath bar and hot fudge over hand dipped coffee ice cream. My son tried the Reese's Cup, #79, which as you'll probably guess, featured soft vanilla ice cream with chopped Reese's cup and peanut butter topping. Yum! Daughter #2 tried a Superman ice cream cone while my husband ordered a basic Chocolate Malt. All of us gave Ivanhoes a big thumbs up and hope to visit again very, very soon!

#4 Picnic at Mounds State Park

We visit this park frequently to hike the trails, but something was missing each time. A picnic! The girls made a yummy chicken salad, and we invited our good friend, Steph (who just happens to be an expert on the trails there). Good times!

#5 Dor-Tees Drive In

This hidden gem is locally famous for its Toasty Cheeseburgers, Chili Cheese Fries, and Blue Moon ice cream. Unfortunately, the night we went, the Blue Moon ice cream was not on the menu. But we DID indulge in their equally delicious Cake Batter and Lemon twist cones. Yum!

#6 The Levi Coffin House

Wait! If you thought I said we only marked off FIVE bucket list items – you were right! But don't good intentions count? My dear friend Christa and I (along with our children) made a valiant attempt to visit this legendary stop on the Underground Railroad. The day was sweltering hot, nearly 100 degrees, and this is what we saw posted on the door of this historic landmark after our 1 1/2 hour drive:

LOL! The kids took it in stride, and we were able to spend more time at a great antique mall in the next town. But this historic house is definitely on our Fall Bucket List!

 

 

So how about you? Did you have a Summer Bucket List? What fun things did you do with your family this summer?