Rebecca's Reflections

A Busy Year

2011-02-13T19:23:00.009-05:00

I apologize for the amount of time that has elapsed since my last post. I just want to take a moment to share what has been happening in my life (and my family's lives) over the past few months.

My brother, Jonathan, got married in November, and he and his wife, Jennifer, are expecting their first child in September. It seems that this is the year for babies in my family! My sister, Heather and her husband, Stephen are expecting their fourth in March, and my twin sister, Rachel and her husband, Denton are also expecting their fourth in May.

I have been busy with my classes at Bob Jones University. Lord willing, I will be graduating with my Master's degree in Biblical Counseling in May. Praise the Lord!

Here's a few pictures from my brother's wedding:

Jonathan & Jennifer

My nephew and I

My family

Know That I Am God

2010-08-09T17:33:00.009-05:00

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed,
and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled,
though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.
There is a river, the streams whereof
shall make glad the city of God,
the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.
God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved:
God shall help her, and that right early.
The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved:
He uttered his voice, the earth melted.
The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.
Come, behold the works of the LORD,
what desolations He hath made in the earth.
He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth;
He breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder;
He burneth the chariot in the fire.
Be still, and know that I am God:
I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

~Psalm 46

Walking with Giants

2010-08-02T19:29:00.005-05:00

I thoroughly enjoyed this video produced by Lancaster Baptist Church. Pastor Bobby Roberson tells of some of the preachers of the past and how they have impacted his life.

Walking With Giants from Lancaster Baptist Church on Vimeo.

www.lancasterbaptist.org/slc/

First shown at Spiritual Leadership Conference 2010.

Oreo Brownies

2010-07-22T08:47:00.007-05:00

Yesterday, I was asked to prepare some refreshments for a co-worker's going-away party. I had several boxes of brownies that I had gotten for $1 at Wal-Mart. I didn't want just plain brownies; however, I wanted something with a little more "pizazz"! So, I looked on the Internet and found a recipe for Oreo Brownies.

They were very easy to make, and I think everyone enjoyed them! (They also look a little more fancy than plain brownies.) Here's what you do:

Mix up brownies according to directions on box. Crush around 20 Oreos and mix in brownie batter. Bake for usual amount of time. Allow brownies to cool. Melt white chocolate chips in Ziploc bag, cut off corner of bag and drizzle chocolate over brownies.

Note: I baked my brownies in a 9 by 13 pan (not in a circular pan as the accompanying picture illustrates).

Book Review: An Old-Fashioned Girl

2010-07-19T17:58:00.003-05:00

A while back I began a series of articles on some of my favorite books. Unfortunately, I didn't get very far! Due to the busyness of school and work, I only wrote about one book.

My last book review was a missionary biography--definitely something of a more serious nature. Now, I would like to switch gears a little bit and write about a work of fiction.

Most people are very familiar with Louisa May Alcott's classic entitled: Little Women. While growing up, I enjoyed some of her other works as well. One of my favorites was a book called An Old- Fashioned Girl.

An Old-Fashioned Girl is the story of Polly Milton, a country girl who is visiting friends in the city. Polly's sweet, unspoiled ways prove to be a wonderful example to the family with whom she stays. Her modesty and simplicity stand out to them--though causing misunderstanding and frustration at times. Polly does not lower her standards to please others, and in the end, she gains the respect of all.

One of my favorite quotations from the book is when the grandmother tells Polly that she has "lived in the country, and [hasn't] yet learned that modesty has gone out of fashion." A good reminder, I think, for all of us "old-fashioned" girls! We may not live in the country as Polly did, but modesty has definitely not gone out of style.

Visiting with Friends

2010-07-12T20:31:00.011-05:00

Recently, I visited a special couple who I have know since I was a little girl. Bro. Ron and Mrs. Donna Merrill are two people for whom I have the utmost respect. Their enthusiasm for the work of God and their love and dedication to the Lord have been a tremendous example to me over the years. Praise the Lord for their faithfulness!

Update on My Life

2010-01-19T17:46:00.003-05:00

It has been a while since I made a post on my blog. I apologize for my negligence. A lot has happened since my last post! I went home for Christmas and was able to spend some time with my family. I was hoping to be able to write some posts on my blog while I was home, but we did not have phone connection the entire time, so that plan did not come to fruition.

I am now back into a busy school and work schedule. This semester, I am taking four classes: Principles of Leadership, Survey of the New Testament, Theories of Counseling and Systematic Theology. At this point, it is hard to determine what my favorite class will be, but I think I am going to especially like Theories of Counseling. The class deals with the beliefs and theories of some popular Christian psychologists (past and present) and contrasts it with true Biblical counseling. Already, I have found the class very interesting--I am looking forward to the rest of the semester!

I hope to be able to write some longer posts soon. I just wanted to let everyone know that I am still here!

Sweet Relief!

2009-12-19T15:57:00.003-05:00

On Thursday morning, I took my last final exam of the semester. It was such a relief to be done with my classes! They were especially challenging this semester due to the fact that they were grad level classes. I learned a lot, but it will be nice to have a break for a few weeks.

Lord willing, I hope to be able to write more on my blog during the Christmas break. Soon, I will write another post about another one of my favorite books. I'm not exactly sure which one it will be yet. I have so many favorites--it is hard to choose!

I have also been contemplating on writing a series of posts on singleness and marriage. My perspective may be a little different from what is typically written on or spoken of on the topic. I won't reveal anything more right now--perhaps that will arouse your curiosity enough to continue reading!

Christmas at the Biltmore

2009-12-11T16:24:00.014-05:00

I apologize for my negligence to my blog lately! As some of you know, I am in grad school right not, and it is a very busy time of the semester (finishing up projects, finals and such).

I wanted to at least take the time to share some pictures from last weekend. A couple girls and I went the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. The house was beautifully decorated for Christmas, but unfortunately, visitors are not allowed to take pictures inside the house. However, we did get some neat shots outside the house. It was a fun day! The girls are already talking of how they want to go again next year. :)

Sign at the entrance of the Biltmore, "America's Largest Home"

The Biltmore House

The terrace at the back of the house

Another shot of the terrace
(Isn't that an interesting looking tree?)

A close-up of some of the intricate design
on the outside of the house

A unique shot that Ariane took of a wall

Just as we were leaving, the Christmas lights were turned on!

My friend, Heather and I

Shadow of the Almighty

2009-12-02T21:28:00.001-05:00

When I was a senior in high school, I worked part-time at a Christian School as a teacher's aide. That year, I checked a number of books out of the church library. One of the books that I read that year was a book about Jim Elliot entitled Shadow of the Almighty. At the time, I didn't know a whole lot about Jim Elliot. I knew that he had been a missionary and a martyr--that was pretty much the extent of my knowledge.

As I read Shadow of the Almighty, I was riveted by the stories of Jim's life, as told by his wife, Elisabeth. She shared many excerpts from his journal and letters, as well as first-hand accounts from his friends and family. I was amused by some of his escapades as a child (those laugh-out-loud kind of stories); I was rebuked by his conviction to stand for what was right as a teenager; I was inspired by his willingness to give his life as a man.

At first, Jim seemed like a "larger than life" kind of person--a little intimidating and not quite like the rest of us! But as I read, I took note of Mrs. Elliot's portrayal of her husband. She did not just write of Jim's spiritual side but was careful to describe some of his temptations and failings as well. (Often, I think that we view some of the "great" Christians with awe, thinking that they never had any struggles with sin. Yes, God used them greatly--in unusual ways even--but they were made of the same stuff that we are. To me, this is encouraging! God can use me just He did men and women of the past, if I surrender myself completely to Him.)

Today, if someone asks me what my favorite book is (other than the Bible), I will say--without question--Shadow of the Almighty. It has impacted me as no other book has done! Every now and then, I read it again. It still stirs me--motivates me to a closer walk with the Lord and spurs me onto greater service for Him.

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." (1949)

"God I pray Thee, light these idle sticks of my life and may I burn for Thee. Consume my life, my God, for it is Thine." (1948)

How few, how short these hours my heart must beat--then on, into the real world where the unseen becomes important." (1948)

"The will of God is always a bigger thing than we bargain for." (1952)

"I know that my hopes and plans for myself could not be any better than He has arranged and fulfilled them. Thus may we all find it, and know the truth of the Word which says, 'He will be our Guide even until death.' "

Stuffed Pizza Bread

2009-11-30T11:43:00.000-05:00

This past weekend, my family and I celebrated my Dad's birthday. I made a stuffed pizza bread, and I thought I would share the recipe. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
Rhodes frozen bread loaf
Pizza toppings (cheese, pepperoni, ham, green pepper, onion, etc.)
3-4 egg whites
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tbsp Parmesan cheese
Pizza sauce (for dipping)

Let bread loaf rise. Mix egg whites, oregano and Parmesan cheese. (Add more spices if desired. I didn't have an exact recipe for this--I just added spices until it looked right.)

On a floured surface, roll out dough into a rectangular shape.

Spread 1/2 of the egg white mixture on dough. Place toppings on dough. (If using pepperoni, it's best to start with this first.)

Pinch ends and sides of dough together.

Place loaf on greased pan with pinched edges on the bottom. Brush top with egg white mixture. (I sprinkled a little more Parmesan cheese on the top.)

Bake for 1/2 hour at 350 degrees. (Thump the top of the bread--there should be a hollow sound.) Slice.

When I Get a Little Money, I Buy Books

2009-11-25T17:01:00.016-05:00

Anyone that knows me, knows that I love to read. Growing up, I remember finishing my school work as quickly as possible (an advantage of homeschooling) so that I could spend the rest of the day reading. I have memories of curling up on my bed and escaping into another world of mystery, adventure and romance.

One Christmas, my parents gave me a copy of Little Women for Christmas. The well-worn pages show how much I loved it--and how many times I read it! I felt like I knew the March girls. I rejoiced with them when their father came home from the war and when Meg married John. I grieved with them when Beth caught Scarlet Fever and died. (And no matter how many times I read Little Women, I always wanted Jo to say "yes" to Laurie's proposal of marriage! Did anyone else ever feel this way?)

I have fond memories of other books as well. I remember reading of the adventures of Laura in Little House on the Prairie. I laughed at the antics of Rebecca in Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm and of the scrapes of Anne in Anne of Green Gables. I remember reading: Rainbow Garden by Patricia St. John, Not My Will by Francena Arnold, Lucy Winchester by Christmas Carol Kauffman and Elsie Dinsmore by Martha Finley. Ahh--I could go on and on, listing books that I loved as a child. (I am almost afraid that I am going to leave a book out--feeling as if I have slighted a very dear friend!)

As I got older, I began reading biographies. I read of Hudson Taylor, Amy Carmichael, Jonathan Goforth and John and Betty Stam. How the lives and testimonies of these men and women molded my own goals and aspirations! When I was a senior in high school, I read Shadow of the Almighty:The Life and Testament of Jim Elliot. I will never forget the impact of this book for as long as I live. (I will write more of this in a future post.)

I still love books. There is nothing I enjoy more than going to a library or a bookstore! I think I understand why someone has said:"When I get a little money I buy books; and if any is left I buy food and clothes."

Over the next few weeks, I will write a series of posts on some my favorite books. If you do not already have a love for reading, I hope that perhaps I will be able to "whet your appetite"--as well as give you some good ideas for reading.

Vast as the Ocean

2009-11-21T15:26:00.008-05:00

The book of Hosea has always been a fascinating (though somewhat puzzling) book to me. Recently, I had to write a paper on Hosea for one of my classes. I admit--there are still some things that I don’t completely understand about the book. However, if I can get past all of the questions, I see in the book of Hosea a vivid picture of God’s love for me.

The book opens by the Lord commanding Hosea: “Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms.” Hosea obeyed and took a wife, “Gomer the daughter of Diblaim.” I believe that when Hosea married Gomer, he knew what she was--yet he chose to love her anyway. (Hosea’s marriage is a good reminder that love is a choice.)

Later, after Hosea and Gomer were married, she went back to her old ways. In one of the most amazing displays of unconditional love, Hosea buys his wife back for fifteen pieces of silver. I think that Gomer left Hosea multiple times throughout their marriage, but each time Hosea showed grace and mercy to her, welcoming her back home.

The message of Hosea was intended for the people of Israel, but I think that I can appropriately make application to my life today. God, in His grace, loved me when I was a sinner. Scripture says: "But God commendeth His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8)." After making me His child, I sometimes wander away from the Lord. Over and over again, the Lord draws me back to Himself and lovingly forgives me--just as Hosea did with Gomer.

What words will adequately express the depth of God’s love for me? An old Welsh hymn describes God’s love as “vast as the ocean.” The song paints a beautiful picture of His love as Jesus hung on the cross: "Grace and love, like mighty rivers, poured incessant from above, and Heaven’s peace and perfect justice kissed the guilty world in love.”

When the Music Stops

2009-11-17T19:13:00.007-05:00

The Lord puts all of us through "waiting times" in our lives. At those times, when it seems that nothing is happening, we tend to think that God is not working. Nothing could be further from the truth! He may not be working at the speed with which I wish Him to work in my life, but He is working--in ways unknown to and unseen by me. Truly, what a relief it is to place my life in the hands of an all-knowing and all-powerful God!

Years ago, I read a little pamphlet in which our lives are compared to the music of a great symphony. Rather than try to summarize it in my own words, I will give an excerpt of it here (the author says it so much better than I can):

There is no music in a rest, but there is the making of music in it. In our whole life-melody, the music is broken off here and there by "rests," and we foolishly think we have come to the end of time. God sends a time of forced leisure--sickness, disappointed plans, frustrated efforts--and makes us a sudden pause in the choral hymn of our lives and we lament that our voices must be silent, and our part missing in the music which ever goes up to the ear of the Creator. How does the musician read the rest? See him beat time with unvarying count and catch up the next note true and study, as if no breaking place had come between. Not without design does God write the music of our lives. But be it ours to learn the time and not be dismayed at the "rests." They are not to be slurred over, nor to be omitted, not to destroy the melody, not to change the keynote. If we look up, God Himself will beat time for us. With the eye on Him we shall strike the next note full and clear.
~John Ruskin

This and That

2009-11-11T21:22:00.004-05:00

Please be patient with me--I am experimenting with my blog. Yesterday, I tried e-mailing my post directly to my blog, but for some reason the font is different. (I'm not sure what to do to correct it, other than re-type the post.)

Yesterday's poem is good reminder for me at this time. After going home over the weekend, I am trying to catch up on some of my school work. I have two tests to make up and one to take on Friday. I also have to write an expanded Bible lesson outline on the theology of Hosea. (I am actually looking forward to studying the book Hosea; it has always been an interesting--yet puzzling--book to me. Maybe I'll share some of what I learn later.)

My mom told me to focus on one thing at a time. Tomorrow, with the Lord's help, I will write my paper on the book of Hosea. After that is finished, I will study for my tests.

I'll be honest--I tend to get stressed and worry about things. I have to remind myself that I cannot do everything at once. All I can do is--do the next thing.

Do the Next Thing

2009-11-10T21:52:00.004-05:00

From an old English parsonage down by the sea
There came in the twilight a message to me;
Its quaint Saxon legend, deeply engraven,
Hath, it seems to me, teaching from Heaven.
And on through the doors the quiet words ring
Like a low inspiration: "DO THE NEXT THING."

Many a questioning, many a fear,
Many a doubt, hath its quieting here.
Moment by moment, let down from Heaven,
Time, opportunity, and guidance are given.
Fear not tomorrows, child of the King,
Trust them with Jesus, do the next thing.

Do it immediately, do it with prayer;
Do it reliantly, casting all care;
Do it with reverence, tracing His hand
Who placed it before thee with earnest command.
Stayed on Omnipotence, safe 'neath His wing,
Leave all results, do the next thing.

Looking for Jesus, ever serener,
Working or suffering, be thy demeanor;
In His dear presence, the rest of His calm,
The light of His countenance be thy psalm,
Strong in His faithfulness, praise and sing.
Then, as He beckons thee, do the next thing.

Family

2009-11-09T13:58:00.016-05:00

Although the reason for coming home was a sad one, it has been nice to spend some extra time with my family! I have enjoyed talking and laughing with my parents, brothers and sisters. It's also been a lot of fun playing with my cute little nieces and nephews! :)

I love my family--it will be hard to leave tomorrow! (Thankfully, I only have a of couple weeks until Thanksgiving.) Please pray for my sister, Heather, her three little girls and I as we drive back down south tomorrow.

Four generations: sister, Heather;
niece, Abigail; MaMaw Hale & Mom

Elizabeth, Joanna, Denton, Isaac, Susanna & Abigail

Isaac

Joanna

Abigail

My siblings, nieces and I with our cousin,
Ryan, his wife, niece and cousin

What a Day Brings Forth

2009-11-07T13:18:00.004-05:00

On Friday morning, I woke up to my cell phone ringing. I knew by the ring tone that it was my mom calling, and I was immediately concerned because usually one does not get calls at that hour unless it is bad news. My hands were shaking as I called my mom back, and she told me that my dad's brother had passed away early that morning.

Please pray for my family during this time. It is especially hard for everyone because it was so sudden. Of course, I know that nothing takes the Lord by surprise. Pray that the Lord will bring comfort to the hearts of our family.

Boast not thyself of to morrow;
for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
~Proverbs 27:1

Some "Snapshots" of my Life: Part 1

2009-11-04T17:34:00.012-05:00

Since I have not posted very much lately, I thought I would post a few pictures from my life in the last couple years. (Also, I don't have a lot of time right now to write an in-depth post.) Hopefully, I'll get you caught up on the happenings of my life!

This past summer, my friend, Valerie, and I drove down to Charleston, SC to visit Fort Sumter. It was so neat! I love U. S. History (especially Civil War History), so I really enjoyed the trip!

The Fort as we approached on the ferry

Some flags at the Fort

My friend, Valerie--she's crazy! :)

Some of the cannons

Me standing by a cannon

Another neat shot of the flags

Valerie and I standing by the entrance to the Fort

Hopeful Praying vs. "I Hope So" Praying

2009-10-31T16:12:00.006-05:00

Last night, I went with some friends to a revival service at a church in the area. The evangelist's message was about the very familiar story of the three Hebrew children in the fiery furnace. His message included three points about the faith of the three men, but I would like to focus mostly upon the second point of the message.

In great faith, the men said that God "will deliver us (Daniel 3:17)." The evangelist made the point that the three men placed total confidence in the Lord to deliver them from the fiery furnace.

The evangelist's words started me thinking--when I pray, do I really believe that God is able to answer my prayer? Too often, I pray,"Lord, please--please answer my prayer--Lord, I really hope that You will hear me." In all honesty, I don't really believe that the Lord is able to work in my life. In fact, instead of expectantly looking to Him, I come to Him in the spirit of "I hope so." Sometimes, I am even surprised when He does answer my prayer.

God is the almighty, unchangeable God. He is the One Who spoke the world into existence. Surely, He is able to hear me when I bring my requests to Him--whether big or small.

"Call unto me, and I will answer thee,
and show thee great and mighty things,
which thou knowest not."
~Jeremiah 33:3

"Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh:
is there any thing too hard for me?"
~Jeremiah 32:27

2009-05-14T11:10:00.003-05:00

Wow! I did not realize that it had been so long since I made a post on my blog. Surely it hasn't been almost three years!

Life has been busy in the three years since my last post. Let's see. . . I finished three years of teaching at a local Christian school, I worked at a Christian Camp for a year, and now I am a graduate student working on my Master's degree in Biblical Counseling.

God has been good to me. He continues to lovingly guide me in my life. His love and sovereignty have been a constant comfort to me as I wait on Him to work in my life. Truly, "His compassions fail not. . . . Great is [His] faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22b, 23b)."

My friend, Jennifer, and I

Make My Life an Alleluia

2006-10-31T22:15:00.001-05:00

Make my life an alleluia, a song of praise to You each day.

To proclaim Your grace and glory,

fill my heart with your praise, I pray.

When I stand at the mountaintop, or the valley of despair,

This will be my cry, my song, my prayer,

Lord, make my life an alleluia.

Make my life an alleluia, a gift of love to You, my King.

I will join with all creation in the song that the heavens sing!

The earth will turn, and the planets spin,

as the seasons ebb and flow;

Still, Your grace surrounds me as I go.

Lord, make my life an alleluia.

Make my life an alleluia, this offering of myself I give to You.

I will share Your grace and mercy for as long as I shall live.

When I come to my journey's end,

may those left behind be reminded,

This has been my cry, my song, my prayer:

Lord, make my life an alleluia.

~Ruth Elaine Schram

The Truth Will Set Us Free

2006-10-30T20:51:00.000-05:00

When I first started writing my blog, one of my goals was to challenge my readers to live and think Biblically. Of course, I surely do not mean to imply that I have arrived! (Far from it!)
Usually, though, a writer or speaker communicates something which they have already worked through themselves--at least, I hope so! And as I said before, the issue of a woman's calling is something that I struggled with for a long time. I think that most my "struggle" was due to the influence of modern society and the infiltration of feminist thought.

Some of the comments which I received in response to my posts on the calling of a woman gave me hope that I am fulfilling the original purpose of my blog. I received a particularly encouraging comment from a woman named Eren in Brazil. Here it is:

"Hi! Rebecca!
My name is Eren--I'm American and live in Brazil, South America. I found your site through Courtney's blog. My hubby is Brazilian. I'm 29 years old. We have 3 boys ages 6, 7 and 9. Our boys go to half day school (school is obligatory in Brazil but they are half day schools) but since they speak Portuguese there, I also teach them at home the things that they don't learn at school. I teach them English at home among other things. Brazilian education leaves a lot up to the child to learn at home anyways. so I actually teach them other things in Portuguese at home also. I homeschool my kids on many subjects including the Bible. My hubby works all day as a physics high school teacher and he pastors a home church on Sundays.

"I'm writing to you to thank you for these Spirit-inspired articles that you wrote. I know that the women that aren't seeking for truth won't 'get' the depth of the message that you wrote. I want you to know that the Lord gave you this message and it has REVOLUTIONIZED my entire way of thinking and life. My name (Eren) means peace, and I had 'pieces' of peace in my life here and there. I always knew that the Lord would bring me into a TOTAL peace. The truths that were missing to set me free were revealed in your articles Part 3 and 4 [A Woman's Calling]. The woman was made for the man, and to be their helpmeet and raise the kids. I have been doing this for the last 9 years, but I always felt a pang of frustration--like I was missing out on something. Now I understand that this frustration that I felt was a result of a secular, worldly culture that teaches us that to be in the home is to be 'less than' everyone else. Satan has put this lie in the world. Now that I understand God's purpose for the woman, I am so happy and free. Lies bring us into bondage, but now that I understand this I'm so happy. I am in a rest that I have NEVER been in before. Thank you for obeying the Holy Spirit and writing this. I know most women (even sincere Christians) have no idea of these truths, and they suffer--and so do their families. Thank you for proclaiming the truth. Continue in the faith, sister. May God bless you.
In Christ,
Eren"

Praise the Lord for the power of the Word of God! Indeed, the truth found in its pages can set us free!

West Virginia . . . Wild and Wonderful

2006-10-22T16:42:00.000-05:00

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year! I love seeing the trees ablaze with color and feeling the crisp, cool temperatures of the season. It is so invigorating!

This afternoon, my dad and I drove around the area where we live and took some pictures of the colorful fall foliage. I am probably a little prejudiced when I say this, but I think that I live in a beautiful state!

I am reminded of the song that my grandmother likes to sing when we are driving back into the state. (It is actually our state song.) Here is the chorus:

Oh, the hills, beautiful hills,

How I love those West Virginia hills!

If o'er sea o'er land I roam,

Still I'll think of happy home,

And my friends among the West Virginia hills.

The Calling of a Woman: Part 4

2006-10-16T21:36:00.000-05:00

This is the final part of my series on the calling of a woman. I apologize for the delay in writing this post. It seems that I have had an especially difficult time in putting what I believe into words. I feel such a burden to make everything clear to all of you. I pray that this series of posts has been a help and blessing to you! Even if you have not been in agreement with everything that has been said, I hope that at least you have been challenged to reevaluate what you believe in the light of God's Word.

In Part 1 of this series, my original question was: What is the calling of a woman? More specifically, I asked: Is a woman called to a man or to a ministry (or to another occupation)? If you have been reading my previous posts, you have probably already guessed what my position is concerning the calling of a woman. This issue is something that I have thought about for a long time. I have asked counsel from people and have studied the Word of God to help me to understand a woman's calling. I have come to the conclusion that, if it is God's will for a woman to marry, she is called to her husband.

Before I delve into the reasons for this conviction, I think that it is necessary that I address the woman who is unmarried. Realistically, I understand that not every woman will get married. God, in His sovereignty, sometimes uses an unmarried woman to do a special work which could not be accomplished by a married woman. The Apostle Paul, by the inspiration of God, speaks of this in Scripture: "There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband (I Corinthians 7:34)."

With that being said, allow me to explain why I believe what I do concerning the calling of a woman. I believe that a woman is called to her husband for the following reasons:

The creation of the woman: she was made for the man.
The purpose of the woman: she was made to be the help meet for the man.
The role of the woman: she was commanded to be in submission to the man.

There are many evidences of the nature of the creation of woman and the purpose for which she was created. In a courtship, the man pursues; the woman responds. In a wedding ceremony, the man takes; the woman is given. In a marriage, the man leads; the woman follows. Ultimately, a marriage is a beautiful picture of the relationship between Christ and the Church--the man is a picture of Christ; the woman of the church.

But as I said in Part 1 of this series, there is much confusion today concerning the calling of a woman. I will address two areas of confusion: a woman's calling to a career and a woman's calling to a ministry.

The Calling to a Career

The majority of women today have employment outside the home. Most women work for one of two reasons: either they work to contribute to their family's income or they work because they feel that their job gives them a sense of worth or fulfillment. Apparently, these women feel some sort of calling to their careers--or else they would not be working, right? (I suppose that not all women express their sentiments in these exact words.)

However, I believe that the Word of God shows plainly that a woman's place is in the home. I challenge you to find an example of a woman in the Bible who works outside the home. The Lord's plan has always been for the man to provide for the family and for the woman to care for the home. In fact, such has been the case until very recent times.

If a woman is married, she is called to be a wife. If she has children, she is called to be a mother. What could be more fulfilling than being a wife and mother? How could she possibly find joy in any other pursuit?

The Calling to a Ministry

There are many young women today who say that they are called to be a pastor's wife or a missionary's wife. Some even say that they are called to a specific place of ministry. But can a woman pinpoint a specific area or place of ministry when she has not yet met her husband?

Did God intend for women to first determine their own calling and then find a man who shares the same calling? Suppose a woman does marry a man who shares her "calling". What happens if the man is later called to another location or to a different area of ministry? I surely hope that the woman does not insist on staying because she has been "called" to that particular ministry.

In some instances, the Lord does not lead a man to serve in ministry until after he has already married. I have heard of such stories in which the man's wife protests saying, "Well, the Lord didn't call me!"I contend that the Lord did call her. Whether she realizes it or not, she answered God's call the day she agreed to marry her husband.

I feel a little hesitant about what I am about to say. Biblically, I cannot find evidence of a woman being called to a ministry at all. I believe that the Lord most certainly does call men to serve Him today. I believe that He calls women also--but probably not in the way which is commonly thought. The Lord calls women to serve alongside their husbands--to be the completer and the helper which is suitable to him. If it is God's will that a woman marry, she is first and foremost called to be the wife of her husband.

Some Final Thoughts

I will admit that I have not always believed everything that I have put forth in this post. I am speaking specifically of the issue of a woman's calling to a ministry. When the Lord first began to work in my heart concerning this, I found myself trying to make excuses. But when I finally accepted what I believe is God's plan for women, I felt such a relief! Truly, God's plan for women and the purpose for which she was created is a beautiful thing!

Truthfully, I still hope with all of my heart that the Lord allows me to serve Him alongside my husband someday. But the Lord knows what is best. Whatever my future husband's vocation may be, I will know of a certainty that the Lord has called me to be his wife. Whether the Lord calls my husband to a foreign land or to stay here in America, I will go with him. I will go with him because he will be my husband--I will be his wife.

The Calling of a Woman: Part 3

2006-10-10T22:07:00.000-05:00

(As I begin to write this post, I must admit that I feel somewhat unqualified to do so. I am not yet married, therefore, I do not speak from my own personal experience. However, I can speak with conviction from the authority of the Word of God. I also feel that the content of this post is necessary to set the stage for my next one. )

The woman was created with a distinct purpose. I do not believe that her creation was an afterthought of God. He, in His sovereignty, knew that man would need a wife. The Lord made a woman perfectly equipped to be the helper of the first man. And just as He created Eve specifically for Adam, the Lord gives a man the exact woman whom He has specially prepared to be his wife today.

From the very beginning, God had a special purpose for the woman. He had an important job for her to do--a special calling for her to fulfill. As I look through the pages of the Word of God, the responsibilities and priorities of a woman are clearly given to all women who desire to be what He intended for them to be.

The Creation of the Woman

After creating Adam, the Lord saw that he needed a wife. He said, "It is not good that the man should be alone." God made Eve for the specific purpose of being Adam's wife. But this was not a purpose which was limited to Eve alone. In I Corinthians 11:8, 9, we read: "For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man." The creation of the woman had a specific purpose: she was created for the man.

The Job of the Woman

As was mentioned in my last post, an important responsibility of the woman is to be a help that is "suitable" to her husband. The Lord said of Adam, "I will make him an help meet for him." He then made a woman that was especially equipped to meet the needs of man. And just as Eve was a help meet for Adam, so women today are given the privilege of being a helper to their husbands.

The Role of the Woman

Regardless of the feminist mindset of most women today, God still commands that women submit to their husbands. "Wives submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing (Ephesians 5:22-24)."

The Rewards of the Woman

If a woman is physically able to have children, she is given the wonderful privilege of being a mother when she marries. Contrary to the opinions of some, children are blessings from the Lord, and they should be received as such. They should never be viewed as burdens, hindrances or "career interruptions". The Lord says in His Word: "Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is His reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them. . . (Psalm 127:3-5a)." (Why would anyone desire to limit the number of "rewards" the Lord desires to give him?)

The Ministry of the Woman

A woman's primary focus should be her home and family. Titus 2:5 admonishes the older women to teach the younger women to be "keepers at home." "Keepers at home" is actually just one Greek word which means "one who looks after domestic affairs with prudence and care." Quite frankly, I think that it is a little difficult for a woman to truly be a "keeper at home" while working a job outside the home. Proverbs 31 also makes it very clear that the woman should concentrate her attention on serving in her home.

In my next post, I will return to my original question of a woman's calling: Is a woman called to a man or to a ministry (or to another occupation)? I will do my best in explaining my position and the basis for my conviction.

The Calling of a Woman: Part 2

2006-10-06T23:11:00.000-05:00

In this post, I would like to look at the lives of a few women of the Bible. I believe that there is much that we can glean from their examples. In the brief glimpses given to us in the Word of God, we can see their purpose, their priorities--and yes, even their calling as women. I think that I will start at the beginning with the very first woman. . . .

Eve

"And the LORD GOD said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. . . . And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of man (Genesis 2:18, 23)." In these verses, we see the purpose for the creation of Eve and all women after her. God created Eve to be a help meet for Adam. The meaning of the word help meet is "a help which is suitable or fit". Eve was created for the express purpose of helping her husband in his work.

Sarah

"Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee. . . . And Abram took Sarai his wife. . . (Genesis 12:1, 5a)." I have always been amazed by the faith of Abraham. He packed up and left to go to an unknown place. For some reason, though, I don't usually think about Sarah--she went with Abraham. You are probably thinking: of course she did--she was his wife! Think about it, though: Sarah did not know where she was going, yet she followed her husband without any apparent argument or fuss. I know many women that have gone with their husbands to faraway lands, but I would venture to say that most of them knew where they were going in advance. Sarah followed Abraham without even knowing her final destination.

Rebekah

"And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man [Abraham's servant]? And she said, I will go. . . . And Isaac took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her. . . (Genesis 25:58, 67b)." For most women today, it would seem inconceivable to agree to marry a man that they have never seen or met. Yet, Rebekah believed the word of Abraham's trusted servant, and she left everything that was familiar to marry Isaac. The home of Isaac became her home, and his family became her family.

Proverbs 31 Woman

"Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life (Proverbs 31:20, 11)." Of course, this is part of the very familiar passage of Proverbs 31. Clearly, the main priority of the woman described here is her family. Her ministry to her husband and children is the all-consuming focus of her life.

Of course, this is not an exhaustive commentary of all of the women in the Bible. (I have neither the time nor the space to mention every woman spoken of in the Bible.) There are many more women mentioned in the Word of God. However, I found frequently that relatively little is said of the women themselves. In fact, sometimes all that is said about a particular woman is that "she is the wife of [husband's name]". Isn't that interesting? A woman's identity was entirely wrapped up in that of her husband. The women of the Bible were not trying to make names for themselves. Characteristically, they lived quiet lives--following their husbands and serving their families.

Most of the women of the Bible could be characterized as follows:

They followed their husbands without question.
Their home was their first priority.
They had no agenda of their own.

I hope that Part 2 of my series, The Calling of a Woman has been helpful to you! Some of you may be wondering: What does this have to do with a woman's calling? Please be patient--I will eventually attempt to tie everything together. Lord willing, in Part 3, we will look at some principles from the Word of God concerning God's purpose for women. Then, in Part 4, I will conclude with some thoughts of my own.

The Calling of a Woman: Part 1

2006-10-03T22:09:00.000-05:00

I have vivid memories of some of the discussions that took place while I was in Bible college. One frequent topic of conversation was surrounding the calling of a woman. Is a woman called to a ministry or to a man? I do not recall ever coming to a definite conclusion in those dorm room discussions, by the way. (Are any problems ever solved or questions answered in those debates?)

Perhaps you already have some definite ideas about the calling of a woman. The purpose of this post (and the the ones that follow) is to encourage you to to think biblically about a woman's calling and to be able to defend your position from the Word of God. My goal is not merely to stir everyone up over (what may seem to some) a controversial topic. I hope that this series of posts will challenge all of us to reexamine our beliefs in the light of God's Word.

To begin with, I would like to share a brief word of testimony. As some of you may already know, I am blessed to have been reared in a Christian home. I accepted Jesus as my personal Savior when I was eight years old. When I was beginning the sixth grade, my parents took my three siblings and I out of a local public school to home school us. Over the next few years, God did a tremendous work in my heart to bring me to the point of surrendering everything to Him. And when I was sixteen years old, I surrendered my life to the Lord to serve Him in a full-time capacity. At the time, I was especially interested in someday going to the mission field. A few years later, when it came time to choose a minor in Bible college, I chose a missions minor.

In Bible college, there were a number of girls who were heading towards the mission field. However, some girls quickly changed their plans when a particular young man expressed interest in them. Other girls stood firmly in their conviction that the Lord had called them to the mission field. (I struggled with this dilemma myself when a few guys expressed interest in me.) In chapel, we would sometimes hear a preacher tell the story of a woman whom the Lord had called to the mission field, but she didn't go because of a man. He said that the woman regretted the decision for the rest of her life. On the other hand, I recall one lady telling us that she had felt called to go to the mission field before she met her husband who was planning to be a pastor. In her present position as a pastor's wife, she said that the Lord had given her a ministry to the deaf--and that ministry was her mission field.

In my days since Bible college, I have heard invitations in which a call was given for young ladies to come forward and surrender themselves to be missionary's wives and pastor's wives. I have even heard of some young men who determined the calling of a particular young lady and made their own plans accordingly. (I am very tempted to comment on such a man's lack of initiative and leadership, but I had better not digress from my topic.)

But the dilemma over a woman's calling is certainly not one that is limited to the Christian ministry realm alone. It seems there is just as much confusion with women in secular work. It is a well known fact that women (and men, for that matter) are getting married at an increasingly older age in order to get established in their careers. And when women finally do get married, they sometimes delay having children for the same reason.

I must admit that the pursuits and priorities of women today leaves me feeling confused--and a little disheartened. Is this the way God intended things to be? This question brings me back to my original topic--what is the calling of the woman? Over the next few posts, I would like to look at the lives of some women in the Bible and some principles found in the Word of God which I believe will shed some light on a woman's calling. I invite you to join me!

A Fence or an Ambulance

2006-09-30T18:18:00.000-05:00

'Twas a dangerous cliff, as they freely confessed,
Though to walk near its crest was so pleasant;
But over its terrible edge there had slipped
A duke and full many a peasant.
So the people said something would have to be done,
But their projects did not at all tally;
Some said, "Put a fence around the edge of the cliff,"
Some, "An ambulance down in the valley."

But the cry for the ambulance carried the day,
For it spread through the neighboring city;
A fence may be useful or not, it is true,
But each heart became brimful of pity
For those who slipped over that dangerous cliff;
And the dwellers in highway and alley
Gave pounds or gave pence, not to put up a fence,
But an ambulance down in the valley.

"For the cliff is all right, if you're careful," they said.
"And, if folks even slip and are dropping,
It isn't the slipping that hurts them so much,
As the shock down below when they're stopping."
So day after day, as these mishaps occurred,
Quick forth would those rescuers sally
To pick up the victims who fell off the cliff,
With their ambulance down in the valley.

Then an old sage remarked: "It's a marvel to me
That people give far more attention
To repairing results than to stopping the cause,
When they'd much better aim at prevention.
Let us stop at its source all this mischief," cried he,
"Come, neighbors and friends, let us rally;
If the cliff we will fence we might almost dispense
With the ambulance down in the valley.". . .

Better guide well the young than reclaim them when old,
For the voice of true wisdom is calling,
"To rescue the fallen is good, but 'tis best
To prevent other people from falling."
Better close up the source of temptation and crime
Than deliver from dungeon or galley;
Better put a strong fence round the top of the cliff
Than an ambulance down in the valley.

~Joseph Malins

Compromise

2006-09-27T12:37:00.000-05:00

I am Rebecca's Mom. She has been extremely busy this week, so she has asked me to do a post.

One of my son's vocabulary words for this week was compromise. One of the definitions for compromise is : "a settlement in which each side gives up some demands or makes concessions." Another definition is : "a weakening, as of one's principles". As we talked about the word and the definition of it, this thought came to me: what have we, as Christians, compromised or given up to the world?

Have we compromised in our time with the Lord?
Have we compromised in our church attendance?
Have we compromised in the Bible we read?
Have we compromised in our music?
Have we compromised in the entertainment that we seek?
Have we compromised in our standards of dress?
Have we compromised in our soul-winning efforts?

The list could go on and on. But when we made that compromise, what did we lose? In our compromise of time spent in His Word and attending a church faithfully, have we, along with our children, lost our heart for God? In our compromise of exchanging the King James Bible for one that is "easier" to understand, we have lost the basic doctrines of the Christian faith such as the deity of Christ, the virgin birth, the infallibility of the Bible, the doctrine of salvation by faith, and the Trinity. In the compromise of our music, have we chosen music that sounds like the world's music, instead of lifting up the name of Christ? In our compromise in the entertainment that we seek, have we lost our standards of holiness? In our compromise of our standards of dress, have we lost our modesty and distinction? In our compromise of our soul-winning efforts, have we lost our passion for souls?

We lose so much when we compromise. As Christians, we can sometimes get lazy in our Christian life. I know I do. Let's encourage each other to "fight the good fight of faith." I Timothy 6:12; "to study to shew thyself approved unto God." II Timothy 2:15; to "be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." I Timothy 4:12; and "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." Hebrews 10:25.

In closing, I would like to share a quotation from the BJU film, Sheffey: "Every time we give up a part of our faith, to try to fit into the ways of the world, we lose it forever. We lose a precious part of God's promise--sacrificed to the world! The world will never give it back. . . and someday when the world tells us we can no longer have our religion, except where they say. . . God's people can look back and know that our religion was not taken--it was given up--handed over bit by bit until there was nothing left."

Fighting for Dear Life

2006-09-24T17:40:00.000-05:00

Fighting for Dear Life,written by Attorney David Gibbs, is an insider's account of the much-publicized Terri Schiavo case. In this book, Attorney Gibbs describes in great detail the days leading up to Terri Schiavo's death and the serious ramifications which he believes that this case could possibly have on us, as Americans. In the first chapter of the book, he "makes his case" by this impassioned plea to his readers: "After Terri died, Bob and Mary [Terri Schiavo's parents] asked me to tell what really happened--specifically the tragedy of this landmark case--so that many others would be spared from a similar fate. I make no apology that, from my perspective, what happened to Terri was wrong. Very wrong. Maybe you agree. Then again, maybe you disagree, or the jury is still out in your mind. I believe if you will join me as I present my case, you will come to understand: Why I fought for Terri. Why I'd do it again. And why I'd fight for you, too."

Attorney David Gibbs and the Gibbs Law Firm first became lead counsel for the family of Terri Schiavo in September 2004. Years before, Terri Schiavo had mysteriously collapsed at her home as a twenty-six year-old woman. Due to the deprivation of oxygen to her brain for a few brief moments, Terri had suffered brain damage. At first, Terri's husband, Michael Schiavo, had seemed committed to caring for the needs of his disabled wife. But after receiving a sizable amount of money in a malpractice lawsuit, Michael had a drastic change of heart. He suddenly remembered--his wife would not want to live in a disabled condition. And instead of using the money that was awarded him for his wife's rehabilitation, he used it to hire lawyers to fight against Terri's family--and against Terri herself. Attorney Gibbs and his legal team did everything in their power to save Terri Schiavo's life. Even an emergency session of the United States Congress was called in which a bill was passed and President Bush signed into law. But all of the effort put forth by Attorney Gibbs and his legal team was to no avail. Sadly, after the Gibbs Law Firm had exhausted every possible avenue for saving her life, Terri Schiavo died on March 31, 2005.

Attorney Gibbs concludes the book by outlining how the death of Terri Schiavo could affect all of us. He said that "the Terri Schiavo case is to our generation what Roe v. Wade was to our parents' generation." He believes that the Terri Schiavo case could have set a precedent for the future in the way that we view the lives of the elderly and disabled in our country. However, Attorney Gibbs makes it clear that the best way to influence the laws of the land is to make a change of heart in the people themselves. But before a nation-wide change of heart can occur, revival must begin in the hearts of God's people. He gives the Lord's "blueprint" for revival found in II Chronicles 7:14. "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will hear their land."

As I was reading this book, I must confess that I was little surprised at how much my own thinking about the Terri Schiavo case had been shaped by the media. I had always thought that I was fairly discerning in regards to what is portrayed by the television, newspaper, radio, etc. However, I discovered that I had pretty much accepted what I read or heard about Terri Schaivo. Perhaps, if you read this book, you may find that your thinking was influenced by the media as well.

You may feel that you already have a definite opinion regarding the Terri Schiavo case. Of course, that is acceptable--each person is entitled to his own opinion. However, if you do choose to read this book, I think it is important that you read it with an open mind. I believe that Attorney David Gibbs does an outstanding job at "making his case" in a clear and logical manner. And he speaks not just from the perspective of a lawyer but as a Christian as well. I really appreciate the "heart" with which he wrote Fighting for Dear Life. It is clearly evident that this "fight for dear life" stems from a conviction about which he feels very strongly. In conclusion, here are some of Attorney David Gibbs own words: "If we want to continue to experience the Lord's blessing in America, if we desire His healing touch, and if we long to see our courts protecting life, we must humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, and repent. If we do, a revival will sweep across this land like a much-needed rain in a time of drought. It's happened before in our country and it can happen again. That is my fervent hope and prayer for God's people. Yes, today is the day to adopt the heart of God and to fight for dear life. For the least of these. For Terri."

Lessons in Leadership

2006-09-23T14:40:00.000-05:00

At the Christian school where I teach, my students and I have hosted a series of interviews which I have entitled: Lessons in Leadership. At my invitation, a number of pastors, evangelists, and missionaries have visited our classroom. My students have had the opportunity of meeting these people and of asking them some questions about themselves and their ministries. (My students seem to be very curious this year. Usually, they have many of their own questions as well!)

When I was home schooled, my brothers and sisters and I were able to interview various Christian leaders in the same way. I believe that meeting those servants of God had a great impact on me and my desire to serve the Lord. Perhaps, some of you--whether you be a Christian school teacher or a homeschooling mom-- would like to incorporate this into your curriculum.

Here are the questions which we use in conducting our interviews:

When did you become a Christian?
When were you called into the ministry?
What is your favorite hymn?
What is your favorite Scripture verse?
Who (other than the Lord) has had the greatest influence in your life?
What book (other than the Bible) has made the greatest impact on your life?
What do you enjoy most about serving the Lord?
What advice do you have for a young person who desires to serve the Lord with his life?

A Busy Weekend

2006-09-18T18:14:00.000-05:00

This weekend has been extremely busy for me. I just wanted to write a short post about what I have been doing.

On Friday night, my Mom's sister and her family stayed overnight at our house. (They came from their home in North Carolina to be at our family reunion.) When we get together with them, we always tend to stay up very late, and Friday night was no exception! I think that some of us got to bed around 1:00 AM, and some of us got to bed around 2:00 AM. (Actually, that was probably a little earlier than usual!)

At around noon on Saturday, we all headed to my aunt's house for the family reunion. We had a good time with our family--some of which we do not see very often. I enjoyed sitting and listening to my grandma, aunts, uncles and cousins tell stories about when they were growing up. There was plenty of laughter--and even some tears. And, as is the case with most family reunions, there was plenty of good food. We have some wonderful cooks in our family!

Yesterday, we started revival meetings at my church. Bro. Bruce Burkholder, a former missionary to Mexico City, will be preaching in the services through Wednesday. Bro. Burkholder is always a challenge and a blessing. I am looking forward to hearing him as he preaches the Word of God. I pray that I will be more like the Lord Jesus as a result of the revival meeting.

That was my busy weekend. I am planning on writing a book review soon--after the revival meeting is over and I have completed a couple of tasks at my school. Stay tuned!

(By the way, if you ever look at my blog and my template is all jumbled up--I'm sorry! I don't know why it does that. I recently switched to the Blogger beta--maybe that has something to do with it.)

We Will Never Forget

2006-09-12T18:30:00.000-05:00

I realize that my series of posts about 9/11 was supposed to have only five parts. I just felt that I had to post these pictures from the various ceremonies that took place yesterday in memory of those that died five years ago. Sometimes, a picture says more than a spoken or written word. I think that these pictures speak more eloquently than I ever could. . .

September 11th . . . Five Years Later: Part 5

2006-09-11T22:45:00.000-05:00

I will never forget where I was when I first learned of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. The memories of that day are as vivid to me as if they happened yesterday.

At the time, I was in my senior year of Bible college. It was around 10:00 A.M., and we were finishing the chapel service. Just before being dismissed to our next class, a staff man came forward and gave a note to Dr. Surrett, the assistant to the president of the college. Dr. Surrett then proceeded to tell the student body that they had just received word that a plane had crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center.

There was an audible gasp throughout the auditorium. (I remember that my sister, Heather, who was sitting beside me in chapel that day, grasped my hand and tightly squeezed it.) No sooner had Dr. Surrett uttered these words, the same staff man called out from the back of the room that he had just heard that the south tower had also been hit, as well as the Pentagon. As I turned around to look at the man who was speaking, I could see the looks of absolute shock on people's faces.

Initially, I guess that I thought that somehow a plane had accidentally crashed into the World Trade Center. But when I learned of the other plane crashes, I knew that there was no mistake about it: this was definitely no accident. Someone was purposely attacking our country.

After chapel, it seemed that we were all walking around in a daze. One girl from my dorm was crying--her father worked in the World Trade Center. I also knew a couple of young men whose fathers pastored in New York City. Another girl that I knew had a relative who worked in the Pentagon. Even in the small Bible College where I attended, there were several who had loved ones who were possibly in danger.

While I was in Bible College, I normally felt somewhat disconnected from the outside world. On September 11th, however, someone placed a television in the hall of the college administration building. And throughout the afternoon, we could go into the auditorium and watch the 9/11 news coverage if we wished to do so.

Some of the images that I saw that day will forever be seared into mind. I remember the horror that I felt as I watched the people jumping from the windows of the World Trade Center. Over and over again, I watched the replays of the massive buildings collapse into a big pile of rubble.

I remember the fear and uncertainty that I felt on that day. I couldn't help but wonder: What will their next target be? Are we safe from the terrorists? And although I did not directly know anyone affected by the terrorists attacks, I felt deep sadness--and even anger. All of these people who had died were Americans--just like me.

For a short time after September 11th, Americans seemingly put aside their political differences and united together as a nation. They had a renewed sense of patriotism. It seemed that flags were flying everywhere--in fact, manufacturers could not make flags fast enough to meet the demand across the country. Americans also appeared to be more interested in spiritual things. Churches saw record attendance in the days after 9/11. But most of these changes proved to be superficial and short-lived.

September 11, 2001 was called "another day of infamy" in the history of our nation. My grandmother remembers the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and my mother remembers the assassination of John F. Kennedy. I will always remember that horrible Tuesday morning in September. Perhaps, someday I will tell the story of 9/11 to my children and grandchildren.

September 11th . . . Five Years Later: Part 4

2006-09-10T14:00:00.000-05:00

I believe that one of the most moving stories from 9/11 took place when President Bush visited Ground Zero on September 14, 2001.

Upon his arrival, President Bush was met by Governor George Patacki and Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and they escorted him to Ground Zero. As they drove to the site, rescue workers, police, firefighters, and medics waved flags and cheered. They chanted, "USA! USA!"

After the President toured the ruin, he felt compelled to speak to the people who had gathered. Someone passed him a bullhorn. A retired fireman named Bob Beckwith climbed on top a wrecked fire truck to test its strength. Bush climbed up beside the fireman and placed his arm around him to help maintain his balance.

When Bush spontaneously began to speak, his mouth was too close to the bullhorn and the people could not understand him. Someone from the crowd shouted, "We can't hear you!" The President joked in reply, "Well, I can hear you."

Then he grew serious. He repeated, "I can hear you. The rest of the world hears you. And the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon." The crowd began to shout again, louder and louder: "USA! USA!"

The world did hear President Bush's words. To a nation still reeling from the blows inflicted by the terrorists, his words brought a renewed sense of hope and courage.

Later, Bob Beckwith presented the same bullhorn to the President to be put on display in Bush's Presidential Library.

September 11th . . . Five Years Later: Part 3

2006-09-09T16:31:00.000-05:00

Perhaps some of you are familiar with the story of Todd Beamer. He was a businessman, a husband, a father and also a professing Christian.

Early on the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001, Todd boarded United Airlines Flight 93 in Newark--a flight bound for San Francisco. He planned on doing some business in San Fransisco and then catch a late-night flight home that same day.

But everything did not work out the way in which Todd had planned. Flight 93, the last of the four hijacked planes, took off from Newark at 8:42 A.M. At the time of departure, none of the people on board were aware of the terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington D. C.

At 9:28 A.M. screams were heard from an open mike aboard Flight 93 by the air traffic controllers. A few minutes later, the plane was turned around and started going southeast. . . straight toward Washington D. C. Then, at around 9:45 A.M. Todd Beamer called the GTE Airfone Customer Care Center and reported the hijacking to an operator. He told her that three men had taken over the plane, after apparently killing the pilot and copilot.

Todd realized the seriousness of the situation and asked the operator, "In case I don't make it through this, would you please call my family and let them know how much I love them?" He revealed the passengers' counterattack plan by saying: "We're going to do something. . . . I don't think we're going to get out of this thing. I am going to have to go out on faith." To bring comfort and courage in his final moments, Todd recited the Lord's prayer and Psalm 23 with the operator. After that, the operator heard him talking to one of the other passengers. He said, "Are you ready? Okay. Let's roll!"

Of course, we now know the fate of Flight 93. At around 10:03 A.M., it crashed into an open field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. We have reason to believe that the terrorists planned to attack the Capitol or the White House. But due to the courage of Todd Beamer and some of the other passengers on board Flight 93, no other national landmark was destroyed.

Todd Beamer was just an ordinary person, but he showed extraordinary courage in the face of crisis. He left behind a legacy of faith and courage for his family--and for the rest of the world.

If you would like to read further of Todd Beamer's life, you may read Let's Roll! by his wife, Lisa Beamer. (Please note: I do not necessarily endorse everything that is this book.)

September 11th . . . Five Years Later: Part 2

2006-09-08T21:22:00.000-05:00

The following is President Bush's address to the nation on the evening of September 11, 2001.

Good evening.

Today, our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack in a series of deliberate and deadly terrorist acts. The victims were in airplanes or in their offices: secretaries, business men and women, military and federal workers, moms and dads, friends and neighbors.

Thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror.

The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge structures collapsing have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness and a quiet, unyielding anger.

These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed. Our country is strong. A great people has been moved to defend a great nation.

Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannnot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve.

America was targeted for attack because we're the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world.

I appreciate so very much the members of Congress who have joined me in strongly condemning these attacks. And on behalf of the American people, I thank the many world leaders who have called to offer their condolences and assistance.

America and our friends and allies join with all those who want peace and security in the world and we stand together to win the war against terrorism.

Tonight I ask for your prayers for all those who grieve, for the children whose worlds have been shattered, for all whose sense of safety and security has been threatened. And I pray they will be comforted by . . . Psalm 23 [which says]: "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil for You are with me [sic]."

This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for justice and peace. America has stood down enemies before, and we will do so this time.

None of us will ever forget this day, yet we go forward to defend freedom and all that is good and just in our world.

Thank you. Good night and God bless America.

September 11th . . . Five Years Later: Part 1

2006-09-07T23:21:00.000-05:00

It is hard for me to believe that this coming Monday marks the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Just recently I was talking to my students at the school where I teach, and some of them barely have any recollection of September 11, 2001.

But for those of us that lived through the horror of 9/11, the events of that day is something that we will never forget as long as we live. (At least, I know that I won't!) As vivid as those memories are to me, though, I guess that I must accept the fact that those memories will gradually fade with the passing of time and generations.

Lord willing, this post is Part 1 of five posts in which I will remember September 11, 2001. I will finish this series of posts on Monday by sharing my personal memories of 9/11. (Perhaps some of you can share your memories as well.) In this first post, I would like to refresh your memory of the events of 9/11. Here is a timeline of the terrorist attacks:

7:59 a.m. American Flight 11 with 92 people leaves Boston's Logan Airport for Los Angeles.
8:01 a.m. United Flight 93 with 45 people leaves Newark Airport for San Francisco.
8:10 a.m. American Flight 77 with 64 people leaves Washington's Dulles Airport for Los Angeles.
8:14 a.m. United Flight 175 with 65 people leaves Boston for Los Angeles.
8:48 a.m. American Flight 11 crashes into north tower of World Trade Center.
9:06 a.m. United Flight 175 crashes into south tower of World Trade Center.
9:17 a.m. Federal Aviation Administration shuts down all New York City-area airports.
9:21 a.m. All bridges and tunnels into Manhattan closed.
9:31 a.m. In Sarasota, Fla., President Bush calls the crashes an "apparent terrorist attack on our country."
9:43 a.m. American Flight 77 crashes into Pentagon.
9:48 a.m. U. S. Capitol and White House's West Wing evacuated.
9:49 a.m. FAA bars all aircraft takeoffs across United States.
9:55 a.m. South Tower of World Trade Center collapses.
10:10 a.m. United Flight 93 crashes in Pennsylvania field.
10:29 a.m. North tower of World Trade Center collapses.
11 a.m. New York mayor orders evacuation of lower Manhattan.
1:04 p.m. From Barksdale Air Force base in Louisiana, Bush announces U.S. military on high alert worldwide.
2:51 p.m. Navy dispatches missile destroyers to New York, Washington.
3:07 p.m. Bush arrives at U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska.
5:25 p.m. Empty 47-story Seven World Trade Center collapses.
7 p.m. Bush arrives at White House.
8:30 p.m. Bush addresses the nation and vows to "find those responsible and bring them to justice."

On the Lighter Side

2006-09-05T19:42:00.000-05:00

I ran across this humorous little story and thought I would share it with you all. Enjoy!

A Texas teacher was helping one of her students put on his cowboy boots. He asked for help and she could see why. Even with her pulling and him pushing, the little boots still didn't want to go on. By the time the second boot was on, she had worked up a sweat.

She couldn't believe it when the little boy said, "Teacher, they're on the wrong feet." She looked down and sure enough, they were. It was difficult pulling the boots off and putting them back on, but she managed to keep her cool as they worked together to get the boots back on the right feet.

Suddenly the little fellow announced, "These aren't my boots." She bit her tongue rather than get right in his face and yell, "Why didn't you say so?", like she wanted to do. And, once again she struggled to help him pull the ill-fitting boots off his little feet.

No sooner had they tugged the boots off than the little boy said, "They're my brother's boots. My Mom made me wear 'em". Now she didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but, once more she mustered up what grace and courage she had left to wrestle the boots back on his feet.

Relieved and tired, she asked as she helped him into his coat, "Now, where are your mittens?" He answered, "I stuffed 'em in the toes of my boots."

The American Dream

2006-09-02T18:51:00.000-05:00

The American Dream. What image comes to mind when you think of the American Dream? According to my research, the American Dream is defined as being "the faith held by many in the United States of America that through hard work and determination one can achieve a better life for oneself usually through the earning of money ." This source continued by saying that "some Americans consider the American Dream [as] having two children and living in a perfect house with financial security". Would you agree that this is a fairly accurate reflection of mainstream America? (I thought that it was interesting that this definition went so far as to say the specific number of children that is thought to be the "ideal"!)

Until just a few years ago, I--probably, like many of you--considered the pursuit of the American Dream to be a worthy goal. It seemed to me to be almost a matter of patriotism. However, my perspective was changed a few years ago, when I heard veteran missionary, Darrel Champlin preach in chapel while I was in Bible college. He said that we "have been deceived by Satan into thinking that the American Dream is the normal Christian life". He also said that "the vast majority of our young people coming to Bible colleges across the United States [come]--not to be trained to serve the God of Heaven--but to get an economically viable education with which to go out and get a secular job and . . . enjoy the American Dream."

I hope that I will not be misunderstood by anything that I am about to say. The American Dream does have some admirable qualities. Working hard to provide for one's family is certainly a noble thing. In fact, Scripture says that any man which "provide[s] not for his own. . . hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel (I Timothy 5:8)." But most Americans go beyond just caring for their families; they are totally consumed with having the biggest house, the latest clothing and the newest car. And in order to support their extravagant lifestyle, the man works long hours and rarely spends time with his family. The woman feels compelled to work outside the home; and, as a result, the children are neglected.

Parents frequently pass on their materialistic mindset to their children. On occasion, I ask young people "what they want to do when they grow up". More times than not, whenever they state their desired occupation, it is one that is known to have financial benefits. I follow this up by asking them why they want to have such an occupation. Usually, without any hesitation, they say that it is because they want to make a lot of money. Sadly, serving God in a full-time capacity is not even an option for the majority of young people today.

Of course, I do not mean to imply that it is God's will for every Christian to serve Him as a pastor, missionary, evangelist, etc. (Obviously this is not the case--or else there would be no one sitting in the pew!) However, I fear that many young people (and older people) base their career choice upon material reasons. They want to experience the American Dream, enjoying a comfortable life of financial security.

But I believe that the Lord's plan for the Christian is contrary to that of the world. He tells us to "take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? . . . for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you (Matthew 6:31-33)." In Colossians 3:2, He says: "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."

I am reminded of something that Jim Elliot once said. He said, "How few, how short these hours my heart must beat--then on, into the real world where the unseen becomes important." What seems so important to us now, someday will be a very trivial. God, help each of us to live our earthly lives with eternity's values in view!

Even If It's Dark

2006-08-27T20:26:00.000-05:00

By Ron Mehl

He was a strong man facing an enemy beyond his strength.

His young wife had become gravely ill, then suddenly passed away, leaving the big man alone with a wide-eyed, flaxen-haired girl, not quite five years old.

The service in the village chapel was simple, and heavy with grief. After the burial at the small cemetery, the man's neighbors gathered around him. "Please, bring your little girl and stay with us for several days," someone said. "You shouldn't go back home just yet."

Broken-hearted though he was, the man answered, "Thank you, friends, for the kind offer. But we need to go back home--where she was. My baby and I must face this."

So they returned, the big man and his little girl, to what now seemed an empty, lifeless house. The man brought his daughter's little bed into his room, so they could face the first dark night together.

As the minutes slipped by that night, the young girl was having a dreadful time trying to sleep. . . and so was the father. What could pierce a man's heart deeper than a child sobbing for a mother who would never come back?

Long into the night the little one continued to weep. The big man reached down into her bed and tried to comfort her as best he could. After a while, the little girl managed to stop crying--but only out of sorrow for her father. Thinking his daughter was asleep, the father looked up and said brokenly, "I trust You, Father, but . . . it's as dark as midnight!"

Hearing the her dad's prayer, the little girl began to cry again.

"I thought you were asleep, baby," he said.

"Papa, I did try. I was sorry for you. I did try. But--I couldn't go to sleep. Papa, did you ever know it could be so dark? Why Papa? I can't even see you, it's so dark." Then, through her tears, the little girl whispered, "But you love me even when it's dark--don't you, Papa?"

For an answer, the big man reached across with his massive hands, lifted his little girl out of her bed, brought her over onto his chest, and held her, until at least she fell asleep.

When she was finally quiet, he began to pray. he took his little daughter's cry to him, and passed it up to God.

"Father, it's dark as midnight. I can't see You at all. But You love me, even when it's dark and I can't see, don't You?"

From the blackest of hours, the Lord touched him with new strength, enabling him to carry on. He knew that God went on loving him, even in the dark.

Is Evil Called Good in America?

2006-08-24T20:47:00.000-05:00

I'm sure that most of you are familiar with the name Jessica Lynch. As you probably remember, Jessica Lynch, a West Virginia native, made national headlines when she was rescued from captivity in the early days of the Iraq war.

Today, she made headlines again (at least in the newspapers of West Virginia). It was just announced today that she is expecting a child. She is not married, and seems very excited about the prospect of having a baby. The newspaper article also said that her family is "truly ecstatic" about the news.

The article made it seem completely natural--even normal--to be having a baby out of wedlock. I didn't really expect the media to condemn such a situation--there was just something about the whole tone of the newspaper article that saddened me. At one time, to be unmarried and expecting a baby would have been a very shameful thing. Such is the case no more. Should one marry before starting a family? The answer to that question, according to the world, is merely a matter a preference.

I am reminded of the Word of God which says: "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil (Isaiah 5:20a)." Sadly, it seems that we have gotten to that place in America. Evil is called good, and good is called evil.

The Four Purposes of Waiting

2006-08-23T14:55:00.000-05:00

I have been extremely busy lately with teaching, cleaning, etc. I do not have the time to write something original today, so I thought I would share this quotation from the Streams in the Desert devotional book. I hopes it is a blessing (especially to those of you who are in a period of waiting)!

We must learn to wait. When we do not know what to do we must simply do nothing. Wait till the fog clears away. Do not force a half-open door; a closed door may be providential. . . .

"Waiting has four purposes,"says Dr. James Vaughan. "It practices the patience of faith. It gives time for preparation for the coming gift. It makes the blessing the sweeter when it arrives. It shows the sovereignty of God--to give just when and as He pleases."

Under Construction

2006-08-21T21:01:00.000-05:00

In case any of you are wondering what is going on with my blog. . . . Please be patient with me--I am trying out some new templates on my blog. I know that it's probably frustrating that my blog looks different everytime you look at it. I think that I just about have it the way I want it. Thank you for your patience!

McDonalds--We're Not Lovin' It!

2006-08-19T17:39:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, my family and I had a wonderful time at the State Fair. But the real excitement did not begin until we were on our way home from the fair (as you might have guessed from the picture above)! As we left the fairgrounds, my little nephew and niece complained of being hungry. Not to worry, just a few minutes later we saw some of those golden arches come into view. Great, we'll just stop and quickly grab something to eat and head on home--or so we thought!

We waited our turn in the McDonalds drive-thru, made our order, paid for the food, and . . . what was the matter? My brother-in-law was trying to shift the gears of their vehicle from park to drive, but it seemed that he was having a bit of trouble. "I'm sorry. I don't know what is wrong--my car is not shifting gears," he told the lady at the drive-thru window. He restarted the vehicle a few times and tried to shift gears numerous times--but to no avail. We were stuck at the McDonalds drive-thru window! (My brother--always ready with a joke--said that one advantage to the situation was that if we had gotten hungry, all we had to do was hand in some more money through the window!)

At this time, some of the people behind us in line were starting to get out of their cars. Some of the men, along with some Mcdonalds employees tried to push the car, but this was a little hard to do since the vehicle was in park. A man called a friend of his who had a tow truck, and I called my dad to tell him that he needed to come and pick us up. (While all of this was going on, it did not seem that business suffered too much. The employees actually walked outside and gave us our food directly. Then they went from car to car, taking the orders of the people in line behind us.) The tow truck arrived shortly. We quickly grabbed the necessary things out of the car like the children's car seats, cameras, etc. Then we went over and sat on the curb by the drive-thru while Denton talked to the driver of the tow truck.

While we were sitting there on the curb, I was thinking: Maybe people will think that we decided to have a picnic. But on a tiny patch of grass by the McDonalds drive-thru? We sat there for a few more minutes and then asked the lady at the drive-thru window if we could go inside and wait. After she gave her consent, we started to head inside. But we noticed that there was a children's play area and decided to let the children play for a little while before going inside. We ended up waiting there for over two hours until my Dad arrived to take us home. It was close to midnight when we finally got to bed!

To say that it was an exciting end to our day is an understatement. It was definitely the longest time I had ever spent at McDonalds! Hey, I guess you could say that we are loyal customers--they had to tow us away!

Cleaning Chronicles

2006-08-17T19:14:00.000-05:00

Cleaning was the main thing on the agenda for me today.

First of all, I cleaned my church building. (I think that I mentioned in one of my previous posts that I had recently started cleaning my church.) I think that I'm getting a little bit faster--when I first started, it took me around four hours each time that I cleaned. Now, I have whittled my time down to around three and a half hours. I definitely want to do a thorough job though--I don't want to ever think of cleaning my church building just as another job but as my service to the Lord. I am thankful for the opportunity to serve the Lord in this way!

After cleaning the church building, I drove my car down to the car wash and gave it a good washing. When I got back home, I vacuumed and cleaned the interior of my car.

The last cleaning task to tackle was my bedroom. After cleaning the entire church building, my bedroom seemed a fairly small and easy job in comparison!

Well, that was my day! I suppose that cleaning seems a very dull and unimportant task to some, but it always gives me a wonderful sense of accomplishment to see the finished result. And Scripture admonishes me that in whatever I do, I am to "do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men (Colossians 3:23b)."

Living Life to the Hilt

2006-08-16T17:15:00.000-05:00

I said on Sunday's post that I may write some more about my Pastor's Sunday evening message. So, I suppose this is kind of a continuation of Sunday's post--or at least a thought that came to me after hearing my Pastor's message. One of my Pastor's points was that we should immediately serve Christ after salvation. He said that the Lord does not call those who are doing nothing for Him to other places of service; He calls those who are busy serving Him right now.

I have to admit that I sometimes am guilty of thinking of my ministry for the Lord as in the future tense. I look forward to where I'll be serving "someday". But if I were to stand before the Lord at this very moment, I'm not going to answer to the Lord for what I do tomorrow; I'll answer to Him for what I am doing today.

Are there other things I would rather be doing right now? Are there other places I would rather be right now? I have to be honest--yes, of course! But the Lord, in His sovereignty, has not allowed me to serve in other capacities or locations at this time. Perhaps, He is watching me to see whether or not I will be faithful in serving Him right now.

Jim Elliot, a missionary whose life has greatly impacted mine, wrote these words: "Wherever you are, be all there. Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God." I love this quotation because it reminds me that God wants me "live life to the fullest" in the exact place where I am right now.

The Power of God's Word Brings . . .

2006-08-14T19:45:00.000-05:00

(This is Rebecca's Mom. She is really busy today so she asked me to create a post.)

Comfort. Around two years ago I was facing surgery in which I really didn't know what the outcome would be. I had a few dark days in which I searched His Word looking for comfort. I asked the Lord to give me something to hold on to- a verse to claim as my own during this trial. He did. While in the Psalms, I came across the following verse:

"And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee." (Psalm 9:10)

What a comfort that verse was to me in the weeks ahead. I was able to commit it to memory and I drew strength from it many times. I still do. What a blessing friends and family are in times like these. But even they can't always be there for you. In the long dark nights when sleep won't come and the fears assail- God's Word brings peace. It brings comfort.

What about you? Maybe you would end that phrase in a different way-
The Power of God's Word Convicts of Sin (or)
The Power of God's Word Brings Peace (or)
The Power of God's Word Heals the Broken Hearted. (etc.)
What verse has had special meaning for you in recent years? If you are like me, it will be hard to pick just one!!

Now Is the Day of Salvation

2006-08-13T21:22:00.000-05:00

Tonight, my pastor preached about things that require immediate obedience. The following is a list of the things that need to be done immediately:

1. Immediate Acceptance of Christ
2. Immediate Confession of Christ
3. Immediate Obedience in Baptism
4. Immediate Service to Christ

My pastor's message was a real blessing! (In fact, I may write some more about his message on my next blog.) At the invitation, an elderly man came forward to be saved. The Bible says that "there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth (Luke 15:10b)". I was reminded of a song that I just recently learned entitled "The Value of One". Here are the words to the song:

Could it be that up in Heaven God is sitting on His throne
Anticipating another sinner will soon become His own?
Years of wasted living and years of toil and strife
Are just about to be over as he receives the gift of life!

The Holy Spirit has been working to soften up their hearts.
All He needs is a willing servant to simply do their part.
Can you imagine up in Heaven, the joy there'll be that day,
As the sinner bows his head to pray, can't you hear the Father say?

Start construction on his mansion there on Hallelujah Street.
He doesn't know yet what is waiting when the Savior he will meet!

Go sound the horns! Strike up the choir!
A sinner is saved, saved from the fire!
No more in darkness--he's received my Son.
All Heaven's rejoicing--that's the value of one!

Lime Pickles

2006-08-11T18:27:00.000-05:00

Yes, we are still canning. This time, my Mom canned some pickles, using some of the cucumbers from our garden. If you like sweet pickles, you will like these lime pickles. (They are very sweet!) Lime pickles are a favorite in our family!

Here is the recipe:

7 lbs. cucumber, sliced thin
2 cups lime
1 1/2 gallon water
9 cups sugar
2 qt. white vinegar
2 tsp. pickling spices
1 tsp. celery seed
1 Tbsp. salt

Soak cucumber slices in lime and water for 24 hours. Drain lime/water mixture, rince cucumber slices and soak in ice cold water for three hours. While cucumbers are soaking, mix together sugar, vinegar, pickling spices, celery seed and salt. Heat mixture just until sugar dissolves. Cool mixture. Drain water from cucumber slices. Add vinegar mixture to cucumber slices and soak for twelve hours. Boil slowly for 45 minutes. Pack and seal in canning jars.

This and That

2006-08-09T20:44:00.000-05:00

Today has been a busy day doing this and that. This morning, I cleaned my room. It is hard to believe how fast things get cluttered up! I especially struggle with an accumulation of various papers, letters, catalogs, magazines, etc. (Does anyone else have this problem?) I have a file cabinet that helps with the "paper pile-up"--for the most part. Anyway, enough about that!

After I cleaned my room, I finished a book I had been reading. I was reading The Red House Mystery, written by A. A. Miline. (Winnie-the-Pooh fans should recognize the name of the author. Yes, it is the same A. A. Miline!) The Red House Mystery is an old novel that has been republished by Bob Jones University Press. If you enjoy reading any Sherlock Holmes' mysteries, you will probably like this book. It was hard for me to put it down! (I do not necessarily endorse all Sherlock Holmes' stories, by the way.)

At around 2:30 this afternoon, my brother, Seth asked me to make some cookies for his Wednesday night class at church. We did not have all the ingredients, so I went out quickly to the store, purchased what I was lacking, came home and quickly mixed up the cookie dough. I finished baking the cookies just a few minutes before we had to leave for church. (I asked Seth to please give me a little bit more notice the next time he wants me to make cookies!)

Well, I had better stop for tonight. I must get to bed a little earlier tonight because--believe it or not--I have to go to teachers' in-service tomorrow. (For those of you who do not know, I teach 4th-6th grades at a local Christian school.) I am going to be extremely busy this year with teaching school, teaching piano, and (my most recently acquired job) cleaning my church. Regardless of all that, though, I do want to be faithful in writing my blog. Please be patient with me!

Canning Pizza Sauce

2006-08-08T13:37:00.000-05:00

The Produce

2006-08-08T13:35:00.000-05:00

The Preparation

2006-08-08T13:34:00.000-05:00

The Process

2006-08-08T13:33:00.000-05:00

The Product

I Have Never Lost the Wonder of It All!

2006-08-06T20:03:00.000-05:00

Something my pastor said tonight in church reminded me of a story I heard about the old evangelist named "Gypsy" Smith. He was saved as a boy in a Gypsy camp through the ministry of Dwight L. Moody and Ira Sankey. Smith grew up and the Lord used him mightily as a preacher of the gospel in Europe and the United States. In the latter years of his life, someone said to him: "Gypsy, I heard you preach . . . over fifty years ago--my how you blessed my heart then. I have never forgotten it--but again tonight, how my heart was warmed and thrilled! Gypsy, tell me--what's the secret?" Gypsy answered, "Sir, I have never lost the wonder of it all."

Years later, the songwriter, Alfred B. Smith, wrote a song based on this story entitled "I Have Never Lost the Wonder of It All":

Once so aimlessly I wondered round the tangled paths of sin.

All about me seemed so hopeless, Doubts and fears without, within.

Then a voice so kind and gentle Spoke sweet peace unto my soul.

Gone my days of sin and wandering, Since the Savior made me whole.

Now my life is full of gladness, All my days are filled with joy.

I no longer walk in sadness, Happy songs my lips employ.

For I've learned the wondrous secret Only those in Christ can know.

'Tis the peace of sins forgiven--Joy that makes my glad heart glow.

I have never lost the wonder of it all.

I have never lost the wonder of it all!

Since the day that Jesus saved me and a whole new life He gave me,

I have never lost the wonder of it all!

Can You Trust the Man That Died for You?

2006-08-04T15:07:00.000-05:00

Today, my Mom and I went shopping, and tonight we are all going to our church picnic. I did not have time to write something original, so I thought I would share this excerpt from Streams in the Desert. (Streams in the Desert is my favorite devotional book!) I hope that this is as much of a blessing to you as it was to me!

I went one night to hear an address on consecration. No special message came to me from it, but as the speaker kneeled to pray, he dropped this sentence: "O Lord, Thou knowest we can trust the Man that died for us." And that was my message. I rose and walked down the street to the train; and as I walked, I pondered deeply all that consecration might mean to my life and--I was afraid. And then, above the noise and clatter of the street traffic came to me the message: "You can trust the Man that died for you." I got into the train to ride homeward; and as I rode, I thought of the changes, the sacrifices, the disappointments which consecration might mean to me and--I was afraid.

I reached home and sought my room, and there upon my knees I saw my past life. I had been a Christian, an officer in the church, a Sunday school superintendent, but had never definitely yielded my life to God.

Yet as I thought of the darling plans which might be baffled, of the cherished hopes to be surrendered, and the chosen profession which I might have to abandon--I was afraid.

I did not see the better things God had for me, so my soul was shrinking back; and then for the last time, with a swift rush of convicting power, came to my innermost heart that searching message:

"My child, you can trust the Man that died for you. If you cannot trust Him whom can you trust?"

That settled it for me, for in a flash I saw the Man who so loved me as to die for me could be absolutely trusted with all the concerns of the life He had saved.

Friend, you can trust the Man that died for you. You can trust Him to baffle no plan which is not best to be foiled, and to carry out every one which is for God's glory and your highest good. You can trust Him to lead you in the path which is the very best in this world for you.

~J. H. McC.

Vanilla Rich Chip Cake

2006-08-03T19:19:00.001-05:00

Here is the recipe for a cake that I made today for our church picnic. Enjoy!

Prep time: 10 min.
Cook time: 50 min.
Makes 16 servings

1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1 small pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
4 eggs
1 tbsp. vanilla
1 cup mini chocolate chips

BEAT all ingredients except chips, in large bowl with mixer on low just to moisten. Beat on medium 2 minutes.

STIR in chips. Pour into greased and floured 12-cup Bundt pan.

BAKE in preheated 350 degrees oven 50 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 min. Invert cake onto wire rack. Cool completely. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar or drizzle with vanilla butter glaze (recipe follows).

VANILLA GLAZE:
Mix 3 tbsp. butter, melted, 2 1/4 cups confectioner's sugar, 3 tbsp. water and 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla until smooth. Let stand 3 min. or until thickened. Drizzle on cake.

Be Still, My Soul

2006-08-02T12:12:00.000-05:00

Do you ever struggle with being still? Are you ever tempted to "help God out" ? Before you think me irreverent in using this terminology, please let me explain. Often, when things are not happening according to our plans, we feel that we must do something. We may then try to manipulate a particular situation to our own advantage. We are not content to simply wait on the Lord. In essence, (although we may not use these words) we think that God needs our help.

First, let me clarify that I do not think that the Lord wants us to be passive in living for Him. He does definitely move His children in specific ways. However, sometimes in order to determine the mind of the Lord, we must cease from all of our own efforts and simply allow the Lord to work. We must come to the end of ourselves and trust Him.

The Word of God admonishes us to "be still and know that He is God." He is God. Stop for a moment and consider the greatness of our God. I read of a plaque that was hung on the wall of a China Inland Mission home in China. On the plaque were these poignant words: "The sun stood still. The iron did swim. This God is our God for ever and ever." He is the same One who "stopped the sun in its course" and the same One "who suspended His own law of gravity and made the ax head float". He is your God--He is my God. Oh, why can we not trust Him to work out His will in our lives? I love the words of the hymn, "Be Still, My Soul" by Katharina Von Schlegel:
Be still, my soul--thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as He has the past;
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake--
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul--the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Blackberry Jam

2006-08-01T19:43:00.000-05:00

Today, my Mom, my two brothers and I went to my twin sister, Rachel's house to help make blackberry jam. It seems that canning makes such a mess of the kitchen, but it sure is nice to see the finished product! After we were finished, my little nephew, Denton, and my brother, Seth were happy to lick the pan. I wish that I would have taken a picture of little Denton--he managed to get jam all over his hands, mouth, and even on his nose!

This evening we went on church visitation. Our Pastor sent my brother, Jonathan, and I to a few specific places, but most of those people were not home. We ended up stopping at the home of an elderly couple whose wife goes to our church. We had a good visit with them!

Expendability

2006-07-31T22:33:00.000-05:00

Excerpt from Jungle Pilot
By Nate Saint, Missionary to Ecuador

During [World War II] we were taught that, in order to obtain our objective, we had to be willing to be expendable, and many lives were paying the price of our redemption from the bonds of political slavery. . . . We saw big bombers on the assembly line, row after row, powerful, costly implements of war! Yet we all knew--we actually knew that many of these bombers would not accomplish even five missions over enemy territory. We also knew that young fellows, many of them volunteers, would ride in those turrets, and their life expectancy behind those guns was, with the trigger down, only four minutes. Tremendous expendability!

We know that there is only one answer when our country demands that we share in the price of freedom--yet when the Lord Jesus asks us to pay the price for world evangelization, we often answer without a word. We cannot go. We say it costs too much.

God Himself laid down the law when He built the universe. He knew when He made it what the price was going to be. And the Lamb of God was slain in the counsels of God from before the foundation of the world. If God didn't hold back His only Son, but gave Him up to pay the price for our failure and sin, then how can we Christians hold back our lives--the lives he really owns?

The Lord tells us that he that loveth his life--we might say that he that is selfish with his life--shall lose it. It's inescapable. . . . People who do not know the Lord ask why in the world we would waste our lives as missionaries. They forget that they too are expending their lives. They forget that when their lives are spent and the bubble has burst they will have nothing of eternal significance to show for the years they have wasted.

Some might say, isn't it too great a price to pay? . . . [But] isn't the price small in the light of God's infinite love? Those who know the joy of leading a stranger to Christ and those who have gone to tribes who have never heard the gospel, gladly count themselves expendable. And they count it all joy. Jesus said: "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit (John 12:24)." He has promised: "There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, but he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time. . . and in the world to come eternal life (Mark 10:29, 30)."

A New Beginning

2006-07-31T17:10:00.001-05:00

To those of you who read the couple of posts that I wrote before--I am the same "Rebecca" who wrote the blog entitled: Rebecca's Reflections. I am going to try to be faithful to write my blog. I really am--by God's grace and with His help. Please be patient with me! I do enjoy writing, and I hope that this blog will be an outlet for my writing.

Initially, I was thinking of changing the title of my blog to Meditaions on Missions. (Missions has always been very special to me. I minored in missions in Bible College, and have been on a couple of missions trips.) After thinking about it, though, I decided not to limit myself to the topic of missions alone. I hope that some of the ideas that will be discussed (even if you do not agree) will at least provoke you to "[search] the Scriptures" to see whether "[these] things [are] so (Acts 17:11b)."

Thanks for visiting my blog. May God be glorified!