In All Circumstances

Show-and-Tell

Read this story and had to share it!

"The Middle Wife" ~by a 2nd grade teacher

I've been teaching now for about fifteen years. I have two kids myself, but the best birth story I know is the one I saw in my own second grade classroom a few years back.

When I was a kid, I loved show-and-tell. So I always have a few sessions with my students. It helps them get over shyness and usually, show-and-tell is pretty tame. Kids bring in pet turtles, model airplanes, pictures of fish they catch, stuff like that. And I never, ever place any boundaries or limitations on them. If they want to lug it in to school and talk about it, they're welcome.

Well, one day this little girl, Erica, a very bright, very outgoing kid, takes her turn and waddles up to the front of the class with a pillow stuffed under her sweater.

She holds up a snapshot of an infant. 'This is Luke, my baby brother, and I'm going to tell you about his birthday.'

'First, Mom and Dad made him as a symbol of their love, and then Dad put a seed in my Mom's stomach, and Luke grew in there. He ate for nine months through an umbrella cord.'

She's standing there with her hands on the pillow, and I'm trying not to laugh and wishing I had my camcorder with me. The kids are watching her in amazement.

'Then, about two Saturdays ago, my Mom starts saying and going, 'Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh!' Erica puts a hand behind her back and groans. 'She walked around the house for, like an hour, 'Oh, oh, oh!' (Now this kid is doing a hysterical duck walk and groaning.)

'My Dad called the middle wife. She delivers babies, but she doesn't have a sign on the car like the Domino's man. They got my Mom to lie down in bed like this.' (Then Erica lies down with her back against the wall.)

'And then, pop! My Mom had this bag of water she kept in there in case he got thirsty, and it just blew up and spilled all over the bed, like psshhheew!' (This kid has her legs spread with her little hands miming water flowing away. It was too much!)

'Then the middle wife starts saying 'push, push,' and 'breathe, breathe. They started counting, but never even got past ten.. Then, all of a sudden, out comes my brother. He was covered in yucky stuff that they all said it was from Mom's play-center, (placenta) so there must be a lot of toys inside there. When he got out, the middle wife spanked him for crawling up in there.'

Then Erica stood up, took a big theatrical bow and returned to her seat. I'm sure I applauded the loudest... Ever since then, when it's show-and-tell day, I bring my camcorder, just in case another 'Middle Wife' comes along.

White as Snow

Have mercy on me, oh God
According to your unfailing love
According to your great compassion
Blot out my transgressions
Have mercy on me, oh God
According to your unfailing love
According to your great compassion
Blot out my transgressions

Would you create in me a clean heart, oh God?
Restore in me the joy of your salvation
Would you create in me a clean heart, oh God?
Restore in me the joy of your salvation

The sacrifices of our God
Are broken in a contrite heart
Against you and you alone
Have I sinned?
The sacrifices of our God
Are broken in a contrite heart
Against you and you alone
Have I sinned?

Would you create in me a clean heart, oh God?
Restore in me the joy of your salvation
Would you create in me a clean heart, oh God?
Restore in me the joy of my salvation

Wash me white as snow
And I will be made whole
Wash me white as snow
And I will be made whole
Wash me white as snow
And I will be made whole
Wash me white as snow


:Lyrics by Jon Foreman:

The Nations on my Beach Mat

Every weekday I have been able to spend an hour at the park. I take my beach mat, roll it out, and sit under the shade of a tree as it has been a very Spring like winter the weather has been great for such adventures. Each day under the tree on my beach mat I have company. Sometimes it is the company of my current read from the Library, but most times it is the company of another family that is also enjoying the park. The park is next to a school, which I call the "international school", so it is common for families from around the world to spend time at this park after school gets out. Each day it seems like there is a different nation represented in the family that accompanies me on my beach mat. Tailand, South Korea, Philipines, China, Ethiopia, Japan, and India. One day one of the girls I look after organized a soccer game and when the beautiful asian kids would get tired from running back and forth they would come and sit on my beach mat with me. It was so fun to interact and learn more about them. Tokyo erasers and Hello Kitty seems to be their favorite trends. The people I have met are very kind one of the ladies gave me a taste of her homemade korean pancakes; all I have to say is it was full of honey and cinnamon goodness. The time at the park each day is such a blessed part of my time at work. Working as a nanny can be tiring, but this time has been the little encouragement that I need in knowing that the Lord is at work and faithful. I thank the giver of all gifts for bringing people with different cultures into my life; they were once strangers, but I can now call them friends. I find it so amazing how God glorifies Himself in a variety of ways through culture.

On Friday I was able to host my Life Group again and this time we had friends from Tanzania join us. They shared with us their testimonies, their stories of students whom they have had the pleasure of investing in, and the great need that the people in Tanzania have. They said that the process of them serving in the U.S. to serving overseas was pretty simple. They went on a couple of trips, saw that they could handle it, they saw a need, so they decided to meet the need. Now they have been in Tanznia since 2005 working at a school with no plans to go elsewhere anytime soon, but with hopes to transition into training pastors. I was able to rejoice and thank the Lord for these friends. The life in them is fascinating.

On the school forefront: Perspectives, a 15 week class I am taking seems to have caught my attention span. Week one: "'Wisdom' is only knowledge, until it is put into practice."

Sweeter than Honey...

...are some scriptures that really blessed my heart today...
"And they said to one another, 'Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.' And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, 'Come, let us make build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, otherwise we will be spread out over the face of the whole earth." Genesis 11:3-4
"'Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another's speech.' So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left building the city. Therefore, its name was called Babel because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth, And from there ther LORD dispersed them all over the face of all the earth." Genesis 11:7-9
~It seems like the people wanting to make a name for themselves, loving themselves, and glorifying themselves with this tower wasn't the main purpose of building it. They said if they didn't build the tower "Otherwise" they would spread all over the earth. The people wanted to stay together, but in God's covenant with Noah He said, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth." I always thought that the people building the tower was about them wanting to create something that would give them attention, I see that is true, but I also see that instead of spreading around the earth they wanted to stick together. God knew they would disobey, but He still accomplished His purpose of having them spread around the earth. He confused their language as a consequence to their sin, and thus, the spread mankind around the earth. Consequently, God's desire to show His glory through different ways is accomplished through the variety of culture. And, God desires all nations to worship Him in heaven. Is this really what God was trying to say, when He said, "...fill the earth"?

"For the Lord is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face." Psalm 11:7
"As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness." Psalm 17:15
"When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom." Proverbs 11:2
"The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them." Proverbs 11:3
"By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown." Proverbs 11:11
~I see that in Genesis 11 when the people were building what was soon called the tower of Babel.
"Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understadning remains silent." Proverbs 11:12
"A graceous women gets honor..." Proverbs 11:16 :)
"Like a gold ring in a pig's snout is a beautiful woman without discretion." Proverbs 11:22
"Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered." Proverbs 11:25
"Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favor, but evil comes to him who searches for it." Proverbs 11:26
"Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf." Proverbs 11:28
"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and whoever captures sould is wise." Proverbs 11:30
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28
"When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to ramin faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord." Acts 11:23-24
"Divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence." 2 Peter 1:3

Haiti

Photography courtesy of MSNBC

Friends flew into Haiti to spend two weeks serving the people there. God did more than the team thought. Reminds me of that verse that talks about how God can do more than we can ask or think. Forty eight hours after they fly out of the island, an earthquake occurs. The Lord's timing and grace to have the team leave before the quake, I am very thankful for. The Lord is soverign and in control of everything and for His reasons He did not want the team to be there. However, for the Haitians and the people who are there in that country they're experiencing great difficulties right now. A country that is already devestatingly poor. A country with no building codes is lethal on a faultline when an earthquake occurs. Concrete crumbling down makes for people trapped under rock crying until some unlikely person rescues them or until there last heart beat quiets their cry. I have seen God use difficult times bring me to Himself and I have seen Him do that in the life of others. To a people who are very poor and now may have serious injuries or loved ones gone in front of their eyes, is an experience no one created in the image of God wants to experience. I pray that the gospel will spread. I pray that the gospel will be shared. I pray that people will cling to Jesus the true hope. I hear news of churches walking through the streets singing and ministering to the people doing prayer walks, and the people responding with wanting to seek a higher power. Apparently there are the most amount of missionaries, or at least close to the most, in Haiti and may they glorify the Lord through this difficult time. Soli Deo Gloria!

Key: Jesus Christ the Messiah

Graphic Designed by my friend and freelance designer Rachel Ferkovich

I get to have Jesus, I get to have repentance, I get to turn away from all that eventually makes me sad, my sin, and turn to an amazing God. He is waiting and ready to forgive, bless, and satisfy me. Too many times have I turned away from a particular sin, but have found myself in the distraction of another sin. The Lord is graceously bringing me to Himself to drink the living water; to bask in the ray of who He is, His glory, and forgiveness. He is faithful to bless, refresh, and renew me, a sinner, beacuse His love is steadfast! "Taste and see the Lord is good, Blessed is a man who takes refuge in Him." Because Jesus paid the debt of my sin once and for all (I believe that 100%), I will one day be in heaven with God forever.

Repentance: To turn one hundred and eighty degrees away from your sin, but not only away from your sin, when you turn that one hunderd and eighty degrees, the turn is towards God.

Isaiah 55:6-7
Elements of repentance:
1. Seek the Lord
2. Call on Him
3. Forsake my ways and thoughts that are evil
4. Turn to God

Psalm 103:1-5, Acts 3:19-20
Blessings of Repentance:
1. My sins are blotted out
2. His benefits are remembered and acknowledged and I am refreshed
3. Being in His presence, and having satisfaction & renewal

Joel 2:12-13
Indications of genuine repentance:

1. Whole heartedness 2. Fasting 3. Weeping 4. Mourning

Keep pressing on, enjoying His presence, and enduring to the end!

Got Trust?

I am so thankful for blogs about Christian persecution. It reminds me that there is so much that I can be praying for others. I am sad that sometimes I choose to be lazy with my thought life, but reading such blogs on the difficulties people are facing, especially in other parts of the world, always brings me back to having that heart that God has for all of His children and wanting His glory in and around their lives. The events that are written about and the reactions of fellow saints in the midst of all the pressure is encouraging to read about, yet so sad when I think of those doing the persecuting (whom need prayer also). I see unique wisdom come from some of those brothers and sisters that have experienced those kind of trials. At the end of one of those entries I have read recently, I found this quote:
"Later." In a modern society of instant coffee, cash, and convinience, "later" is almost an obsolete term. We want what we need now, not later. Headline sports, news, entertainment, and weather--even the media gives up-to-the-minute update of every area of life. Yet the God who reigns and rules unrestrained by time still operates on the principle, "later." Are we willing to trust Him now and defer our understanding of the events to a later time, even indefinitely? If you are going through a trial right now, trust in your most valuable asset, not understanding. Ask God for a greater ability to trust that will outweigh your desire to understand." ~S.L. Harp

The Armor of God

Ephesians 6:10-20

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against authorities, against powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breast plate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all of this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for the saints.

Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, of which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly as I should.

God's Grace at Work

Some Neon Pink Highlights..

2009: Proverbs 4, thankful for a time with new friends who see God's heart for the world and are devoted to prayer, flying for the first time, Traveling to places I have only seen in pictures, and seeing God's work there, seeing the privilege it is to be a part of that work, moving into my first apartment-apart-from-my-parents, learning to think on what is true, to think the best of others, and not to assume the worst, learning to take thoughts captive, learning more about prayer, sharing the gospel for the first time with new friends who are strictly devoted to other philosophies and religions, reading a book entitled, "A Quest For More," by Paul David Tripp (highly reccomend), and working as a nanny for a wonderful family of culture distinctly different.

Looking forward...

2010: Continue to adore Christ, continue to make Him the center of my life, and continue to make the gospel the greatest motivator for all that I do, all to a greater degree and all for His glory. Put offs, Put ons, self-denial, sacrifices, small victories, and clinging to God's mercy & grace when I fail. A year of focusing on wearing the armour of God.

It is so cool that Jesus already accomplished ALL of the attributes that I have ever wanted to put on. He never had to put off anything, because He was sinless. He was tempted yes, but never gave in.

Lord, this is my prayer for the year to come, this is my desire, but I walk with open hands, because I know that you are in control and you are the one who empowers. You have given me the Holy Spirit as a guide, your grace is deep, and your timing perfect!